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Thursday, February 28, 2002

INTERNET: A CHALLENGE FOR THE CHURCH


VATICAN CITY, FEB 28, 2002 (VIS) - Today the Pontifical Council for Social Communications presented in the Holy See Press Office two documents devoted to the Internet: "Ethics in Internet" and "The Church and Internet". Archbishop John Patrick Foley and Bishop Pierfranco Pastore, respectively president and secretary of the council, presented the documents.

The documents have been published in German, Spanish, French, English, Italian, Polish and Portuguese. Archbishop Foley presented the first of the two documents, "Ethics and Internet," which opens by affirming that "internet is the latest and, in many aspects, the most powerful in a line of (communication) media ... that for many people have progressively eliminated time and space as obstacles to communication during the last century and a half."

The text continues: "In this document, we wish to set out a Catholic view of the internet, as a starting point for the Church's participation in dialogue with other sectors of society."

Archbishop Foley commented, "the basic principles for the internet are the same as those for other forms of communication: 'the human person and the human community are the end and measure of the use of the media of social communication; communication should be by persons to persons for the integral development of persons'." And he emphasized that the "internet is an opportunity and a challenge and not a threat."

He added that this document "cites a most interesting passage from our pastoral instruction 'Communio et Progressio,' published more than thirty years ago: 'Media have the ability to make every person everywhere a partner in the business of the human race' and internet can certainly do that."

The text, in referring to problems raised by the new communications media, speaks about the "digital divide - a form of discrimination dividing the rich from the poor ... on the basis of access, or lack of access, to the new information technology." It further affirms that "ways need to be found to make the internet accessible to less advantaged groups." The president of the pontifical council also cited the ethical questions of "privacy, the security and confidentiality of data, copyright and intellectual property law, pornography, hate sites, the dissemination of rumor and character assassination under the guise of news, and much else."

Archbishop Foley noted however, "We do not view the internet only as a source of problems; we see it as a source of benefits to the human race. But the benefits can be fully realized only if the problems are solved."

With reference to this, the document emphasizes that "internet can ... broaden education and cultural horizons, break down divisions, promote human development in a multitude of ways."

"Ethics in Internet" concludes with some recommendations for the use of internet, recognizing in the first place that "the virtue of solidarity is the measure of the internet's service of the common good." The document goes on to suggest that in internet "prior censorship by government should be avoided" and new laws are necessary in order to deal with the crimes unique to this medium (spread of viruses, theft of data). "Regulation of the internet is desirable, and in principle industry self-regulation is best ... Industry codes of ethics can play a useful role."

Bishop Pastore then presented the document "the Church and Internet." He began by affirming that the Church "is called courageously to remind all men and women of good will that internet is a 'gift of God' and, as such, can and must be used for good, it can be an instrument of good."

Commenting on the opportunities and challenges presented by this means of communication, the document states: "the internet is relevant to many activities and programmes of the Church - evangelization, including both re-evangelization and new evangelization and the traditional missionary work 'ad gentes,' catechesis and other kinds of education, news and information, apologetics, governance and administration, and some forms of pastoral counseling and spiritual direction."

The secretary of the dicastery also quoted section six of the document where it is indicated that "the Church also needs to understand and use the internet as a tool of internal communications. This requires keeping clearly in view its special character as a direct, immediate, interactive and participatory medium."

"Internet," the document continues, "also presents some special problems for the Church," such as "the presence of hate sites devoted to defaming and attacking religious and ethnic groups. Some of these target the Catholic Church." Moreover, the "proliferation of web sites calling themselves Catholic creates a problem of a different sort. Church-related groups should be creatively present on the internet, and well-motivated, well-informed individuals and unofficial groups acting on their own initiative are entitled to be there as well. But it is confusing, to say the least, not to distinguish eccentric doctrinal interpretations, idiosyncratic devotional practices and ideological advocacy bearing a 'Catholic' label from the authentic positions of the Church."

The third and last chapter of the document contains a series of suggestions to different groups; Church leaders are told of the "need to understand the media, (and to) apply this understanding in formulating pastoral plans for social communications." Pastoral workers are encouraged to learn to use the internet and to undergo appropriate doctrinal and spiritual formation "in order to witness to Christ." Educators and catechists are urged to offer, in schools and universities, courses and "more advanced training" to individuals preparing for professional media work.

Parents are requested to guide and supervise their children in the use of internet. This includes "making sure that filtering technology is used ... in order to protect them as much as possible from pornography, sexual predators and other threats." Finally, people of good will are cautioned to prudence in order to be able to see internet's capacity for good and evil, they are encouraged to be strong and brave in "standing up for truth in the face of religious and moral relativism," and to "temperance and self-discipline" in order to use this technology "wisely and only for good."

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HUMAN RIGHTS DO NOT DEPEND ON MAJORITY CONSENT


VATICAN CITY, FEB 28, 2002 (VIS) - Yesterday evening, the Pope received members of the Pontifical Academy for Life who have been participating in their eighth plenary assembly on the theme: "Nature and dignity of the human being as a foundation for the right to life. The challenges of the contemporary cultural context."

The Pope affirmed the importance of recovering "the anthropological and ethical significance of natural law and of the associated concept of natural rights. Indeed, it is a question of demonstrating if and how it is possible to 'recognize' the particular traits of all human beings, in terms of their nature and dignity, as a foundation for the right to life. ... Only on this basis is it possible for there to be true dialogue and authentic collaboration between believers and non-believers."

"It is important," he went on, "to help our contemporaries to understand the positive and humanizing value of natural moral law, correcting a series of misunderstandings and erroneous interpretations. The first mistake that must be eliminated is the 'supposed conflict between freedom and nature'." Another point "is the presumed static and immobile character attributed to the notion of natural moral law, this perhaps arises through an erroneous analogy with the concept of the natural properties of the physical world."

John Paul II recalled that "the Church's Magisterium invokes the universality and the dynamic and perfective character of natural law with reference to the transmission of life, both in order to maintain the fullness of marital union in the procreative act and to conserve openness to life in conjugal love. The Magisterium makes a similar invocation on the theme of respect for innocent human life: here our thoughts go to abortion, to euthanasia, and to the destructive suppression and experimentation with human embryos and fetuses."

"The rights of man," he stressed, "must refer to what man is by his nature and by reason of his dignity and not ... to the subjective choices of those who enjoy the power to participate in social life or who manage to obtain the consensus of the majority. ... This false interpretation of the rights of man ... can also lead democratic regimes to a form of substantial totalitarianism."

The Holy Father concluded by emphasizing that "the Church affirms each innocent human being's right to life, in each moment of his existence. The distinction sometimes proposed in some international documents between 'human being' and 'human person,' to then recognize the right to life and physical integrity only for people already born, is an artificial distinction with no scientific or philosophical foundation."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 28, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Aleksander Kwasniewski, president of the Republic of Poland, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.
- Archbishop Alessandro D'Errico, apostolic nuncio in Pakistan.
- Archbishop Rodolfo Quezada Toruno of Guatemala.

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DECLARATION FROM HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE DIRECTOR


VATICAN CITY, FEB 28, 2002 (VIS) - Today in the late morning, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration:

"This morning, the Holy Father John Paul II received in audience Aleksander Kwasniewski, president of the Republic of Poland.

"The president then went on to meet Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano.

"In the course of the discussions, attention was given to Church-State relations in Poland, with particular reference to subjects that especially concern the Church such as life, the family and solidarity.

"There followed an exchange of opinions on the situation in Europe and the world.

"In his meeting with the Holy Father, President Kwasniewski invited John Paul II to visit Poland, for which the Pope expressed his appreciation."

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