HOLY SEE-CZECH REPUBLIC ACCORD: CHURCH AND INSTITUTIONS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 26, 2002 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, Archbishop Erwin Josef Ender, apostolic nuncio in the Czech Republic, and Cyril Svoboda, vice prime minister and minister of Foreign Affairs of the same country, signed an accord in Prague between the Holy See and the Czech Republic on the regulation of reciprocal relations.

According to a note published yesterday, "the accord regulates the juridical position of the Catholic Church and its institutions. The State guarantees the Church the free exercise of its mission, in particular, that which concerns worship, pastoral care and teaching, and other aspects of ecclesiastical life. Canonical marriage will be recognized civilly. In addition, the Czech Republic guarantees the Catholic Church the right to the pastoral care of the faithful in hospitals, in centers of social assistance and in prisons. The Church can institute freely and administer charitable works, in accordance with civil law. Catholic schools are equal to public schools, with the same rights and duties. Furthermore, the teaching of religion is supervised in the public schools and the collaboration of the Church and the State is endorsed for the safeguard of cultural patrimony. Finally, the two parties have shown their commitment to resolve questions about the patrimonial goods of the Catholic Church."

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