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"The Church Has a Sacramental, Not Political Structure"

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 7, 2007 (ZENIT.org).- Here is a translation of Benedict XVI's address at today's general audience. The Pope is beginning a new cycle of catecheses on the Apostolic Fathers, starting with St. Clement of Rome.

* * *

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

During the past few months we have meditated upon the figures of each individual apostle and the first witnesses of the Christian faith, those mentioned in the New Testament writings. Now, we will turn our attention to the Apostolic Fathers, that is, to the first and second generation of the Church after the apostles. This way we can see how the Church's path started in history.

St. Clement, Bishop of Rome during the last years of the first century, is the third successor of Peter, after Linus and Anacletus. The most important testimonial of his life is that written by St. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyon until 202. He asserts that Clement "had seen the apostles … had met with them," and "still had their preaching in his ears, and their tradition before his eyes" (Adv. Haer. 3,3,3). Later testimonials, between the fourth and sixth centuries, give Clement the title of martyr.

This Bishop of Rome's authority and prestige were such that various writings were attributed to him, but the only certain one is the Letter to the Corinthians.

Eusebius of Caesarea, the great "archivist" of Christian origins, presents it with these words: "One letter by Clement has been sent down to us recognized as authentic, great and admirable. It was written by him on behalf of the Church of Rome to the Church of Corinth. … We know that for a long time, and still today, this letter is read publicly during the reunions of the faithful" (Hist. Eccl. 3,16).

An almost canonical characteristic was attributed to this letter. At the beginning of the text, written in Greek, Clement is sorry if "the multiple and calamitous events" (1,1), made for a tardy intervention. These "events" can be identified with the persecution of Domitian; therefore, the date this letter was written goes back to a time directly after the death of the emperor and toward the end of the persecution, that is to say just after 96.

Clement's intervention -- we are still in the first century -- was called upon because of the serious problems the Church of Corinth was undergoing; the priests of the community, in fact, had been deposed by some young upstarts. The painful event is remembered, once again by St. Irenaeus who writes, "Under Clement, having given rise to a rather serious contrast between the Corinthian brothers, the Church of Rome sent the Corinthians a very important letter to reconcile them in peace to renew their faith and to announce the tradition, a tradition they had so newly received from the apostles" (Adv. Haer. 3,3,3).

Therefore, we could say that this letter is a first exercise of a Primate of Rome after the death of St. Peter. Clement's letter touches upon topics dear to St. Paul who had written two great letters to the Corinthians, in particular the theological dialectic, always pertinent, between the indicative of salvation and the imperative of moral commitment.

First, there is the proclamation of saving grace. The Lord foresees us and gives us forgiveness, gives us his love, the grace of being Christians, his brothers and sisters. This is an announcement that fills our life with joy and gives certitude to our actions. The Lord always foresees our acts with his goodness and the goodness of the Lord is always greater than all of our sins.

We must, however, commit ourselves in a coherent way to this gift that we have received and answer the proclamation of salvation with a generous and courageous path toward conversion. Looking at the Pauline model, the novelty is that Clement follows the doctrinal part and the practical part with a "great prayer," which practically concludes the letter.

The immediate occasion of the letter opened to the Bishop of Rome the possibility for vast intervention on the identity of the Church and its mission. If there were abuses in Corinth, Clement notes, the reason should be looked for in the weakening of charity and the necessary Christian virtues. This is why he calls all the faithful to humility and brotherly love, two virtues, truly the basis for being part of the Church. "We are the portion of the Holy One," he says, "let us do all those things which pertain to holiness" (30,1).

In particular, the Bishop of Rome recalls that the Lord himself, "where and by whom he desires these things to be done, he himself has fixed by his own supreme will, in order that all things, being piously done according to his good pleasure, may be acceptable unto him. … For his own peculiar services are assigned to the high priest, and their own proper place is prescribed to the priests and their own special ministrations devolve on the Levites. The layman is bound by the laws that pertain to the laymen" (40,1-5: note that here, in this letter from the end of the first century, for the first time in Christian literature the Greek term "laikós" appears which means "member of the laos," that is "the people of God").

This way, referring to the liturgy of ancient Israel, Clement reveals his ideal of the Church. This is gathered by his "one spirit of grace poured down upon us," which shows through the different members of the Body of Christ, in which all, joined without division are "members one of the other" (46,6-7).

The clear distinction between the "laymen" and the hierarchy does not mean, in any way, a contraposition but only the organic connection of a body, of an organism with different functions. In fact, the Church is not a place for confusion and anarchy, where someone can do whatever he wants at any time; each one in this organism with an articulated structure practices his ministry according to the vocation received.

As pertains to the heads of the communities, Clement specifies clearly the doctrine of apostolic succession. The laws that regulate this derive from God himself in an ultimate analysis. The Father sent Jesus Christ, who in turn sent the apostles. These then sent out the first heads of the communities, and established that they would be followed by worthy men. Therefore, all proceeds in "an orderly way, according to the will of the word of God" (42).

With these words, with these phrases, St. Clement underlines that the Church has a sacramental structure, not a political structure. God's actions that come to us in the liturgy precede our decisions and our ideas. The Church is above all a gift of God and not a creature of ours and therefore this sacramental structure not only guarantees the common order but also the precedence of the gift of God that we all need.

Finally, the "great prayer" confers a cosmic breath to the preceding discussion. Clement praises and thanks God for his great providence of love, who created the world and continued to save it and bless it. Particular relevance is given to the invocation for the governing body. After the New Testament texts, this represents the oldest prayer for political institutions. Thus, on the morrow of the persecution, Christians, well aware that the persecutions would continue, did not cease to pray for those very authorities that had condemned them unjustly.

The motive is above all Christological: One must pray for persecutors, as Jesus did on the cross. But this prayer also contains a teaching that guides, in the course of the centuries, the attitude of Christians in the face of politics and the state.

In praying for the authorities, Clement recognizes the legitimacy of the political institutions in the order established by God. At the same time, he manifests his concern that the authorities be docile to God and "exercise the power that God has given them in peace and gentleness with compassion" (61,2).

Caesar is not all. Another sovereignty emerges, whose origin and essence are not of this world, but "from above": It is that of Truth, which merits the right to be heard also in confrontations with the state."

Thus Clement's letter faces numerous themes of continuous actuality. This is more significant inasmuch as it represents, since the first century, solicitude of the Church of Rome, which presides in charity over all other churches.

With the same spirit we make our invocations as the "great prayer," where the Bishop of Rome becomes the voice for the entire world, "Yea, Lord, make your face to shine upon us for good in peace, that we may be shielded by your mighty hand ... we praise you through the high priest and guardian of our souls, Jesus Christ, through whom be glory and majesty to you both now and from generation to generation and for evermore. Amen" (60-61).

[Translation by ZENIT]

[At the end of the audience, the Pope greeted pilgrims in several languages. In English, he said:]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In our catechesis on the early Church, we now turn to the Apostolic Fathers. Saint Clement, Bishop of Rome and third successor of Peter, lived in the last years of the first century. He had met the apostles personally. Clement wrote an important letter to the Church in Corinth at a time when the Christian community was deeply divided. He encourages them to renew their faith in the message received from the apostles and to be reconciled with one another. In this way, he shows the essential connection between the content of the Gospel and the way we live. This connection is essential to Clement's ideal for the Church, in which the hierarchical structure is intrinsically ordered to the service of charity. Laity and hierarchy are not opposed, but organically connected in the mystery of the one body. According to Clement, not only the Church, but also the entire cosmos reflects God's providential love and mercy. Clement concludes his letter by praising God for this marvelous order. Let us join him as we beg the Lord to "make his face shine upon us in goodness and peace. Amen."

I offer a warm welcome to all the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims present at today's audience, especially the groups from Scotland, Denmark, Japan, Canada and the United States of America. May your pilgrimage renew your love for the Lord and his Church, and may God bless you all!

ZE07030709

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VATICAN CITY, MAR 7, 2007 (VIS) - During today's general audience Benedict XVI continued with his series of catecheses on the origins of the Church, focussing on the Apostolic Fathers. The audience was held in the Paul VI Hall in the presence of 16,000 people.

 

The Pope turned his attention to the figure of St. Clement, the third successor of St. Peter after Sts. Linus and Anacletus, who reigned in the late first century. Clement, as Bishop St. Irenaeus of Lyon writes, had known the Apostles personally and "still had their preaching in his ears and their tradition before his eyes."

 

The author of an important Letter to the Corinthians, which represents "the first exercise of the primacy of Rome after the death of Peter," Clement returns to "the perennially important theological dialectic between the indicative of salvation and the imperative of moral commitment." And he invites people to respond to "the announcement of salvation with a generous and courageous journey of conversion."

 

The Letter gives Clement the possibility to describe "the identity of the Church and her mission" and, recalling the liturgy of ancient Israel, he "unveils his idea of the Church," in which "the clear distinction between the laity and the hierarchy does not mean conflict but the organic interconnection of a body, an organism with various functions."

 

For this Apostolic Father, the Pope went on, "the Church is not a place of confusion and anarchy," but "an organized structure in which each member undertakes his or her mission according to their vocation. ... St. Clement highlights how the Church has a sacramental and not a political structure. The action of God, which we draw near to in the liturgy, precedes our own decisions and our own ideas."

 

The "great prayer" with which the Letter ends is particularly important, said the Holy Father, being "an invocation on behalf of political leaders. After the texts of the Old Testament this is the oldest prayer for political institutions," and contains "a teaching that, down the centuries, has guided the attitude of Christians towards politics and the State."

 

Clement wrote his Letter shortly after the death of the emperor Domitian and his persecution of Christians who, "though aware that the persecutions would continue, did not cease to pray for those same authorities that had unjustly condemned them.

 

"Praying for the authorities," the Holy Father added in conclusion, "Clement recognized the legitimate authority of political institutions in the order established by God. At the same time he expressed his concern that those authorities ... should exercise their power with peace and gentleness, Caesar is not everything. There is another kingship, the origin and essence of which are not of this world."

 

AG/APOSTOLIC FATHERS:ST. CLEMENT/...                          VIS 070307 (460)

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VATICAN CITY, MAR 6, 2007 (VIS) - As is customary at the beginning of Lent, Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, has sent a letter "to all of the pastors of the Universal Church" requesting "assistance for the needs of a portion of the Church which is both forever old and forever young, ... Catholic Christians living in the Holy Land."

 

  In his letter, published in English, Spanish, French and Italian, the cardinal recalls how the first collection for the Holy Land dates back "to the pontificate of Martin V. In 1421 he promulgated norms to regulate the gathering of offerings. ... This collection has since been marked by pontifical approval; was confirmed by various succeeding pontiffs, and was applied directly and with utmost solicitude for the aid of the Christian community in the Land of the Lord.

 

  "The Congregation for Oriental Churches," he continues, "shares in this concern, and always stands in solidarity with Christians in the Holy Land and those throughout the Middle East. We are aware, too, that the political and economic crisis of this area has not yet been resolved and shows evidence each day of unspeakable suffering. This situation impresses upon all of us that there is an absolute and urgent need to support our brothers and sisters in this land, and to do so in every possible manner. In particular, we continually invoke upon them that peace which comes only from the Most High."

 

  Benedict XVI, writes Cardinal Daoud, "recalled this obligation during his visit to Turkey" when he said "we ask peace for Jerusalem and for the entire world." The prefect also emphasizes the grave responsibility of "the universal Church with regards to the Mother Church of Jerusalem.

 

  "Therefore," he continues, "all Catholics of the world must offer their prayers and expressions of solidarity, including economic solidarity, to the Christian community of that blessed Land. Despite their countless difficulties, these Christians offer day by day, and in silence, an authentic witness to the Gospel."

 

  The cardinal concludes his letter by saying: "It is appropriate also to acknowledge the Latin Patriarch, the Custody, ... the Oriental Catholic Churches and all of the institutes and organizations operative in this territory. To each I express profound gratitude. It is a gratitude filled with confidence that the particular Churches of the world will continue to respond favorably to this vital cause of the Holy Land.

 

  "The heartfelt appreciation of the Holy Father is also extended. He assures his prayers and blessing for all of the Churches and upon all of the benefactors of the Land of the Lord."

 

CEO/HOLY LAND COLLECTION/DAOUD                                 VIS 070306 (450)

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Interview With Russian Orthodox Composer

ROME, MARCH 5, 2007 ( Zenit.org).- Music in church should be an avenue to deeper prayer, not a distraction, says a Russian Orthodox bishop and composer.

Bishop Hilarion Alfeev of Vienna and Austria is the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church of Moscow to the European Community.

His latest composition, "The Passion According to Matthew," will be performed in Moscow and then in Rome on March 29. The Holy Week concert seeks to promote Christian unity, especially among Catholics and Orthodox.

In this interview with ZENIT, the Lithuania-born Bishop Alfeev discusses his latest composition, the central role of music in the Orthodox liturgy, Christian unity, and some thoughts on Pope Benedict XVI.

Q: When did you receive the inspiration for this musical composition? Why the Passion according to St. Matthew?

Bishop Alfeev: The inspiration came out of the blue as I was driving from Vienna to Budapest on Aug. 19, 2006, the feast of the Holy Transfiguration, according to the Julian calendar.

I suddenly thought that I should write a musical composition on the Passion story and that this music should be based on the Orthodox liturgical texts from the Passion Week.

The title, "The Passion According to Matthew," also came immediately and I had no doubt that I should use St. Matthew's account of the Passion. By choosing this title I also wanted to declare my indebtedness to J.S. Bach, whose music has always been for me a source of deepest inspiration.

In Budapest, I celebrated the service dedicated to St. Stephen of Hungary on Aug. 20, and on Aug. 21, I drove back to Vienna. As I was driving, the first melodies began to come, and I began to record them in my memory. As soon as I arrived, I started to put them on paper. I then worked very hard for about three weeks.

I canceled one or two international trips, I almost did not respond to phone calls and e-mails, and I could not sleep during nights, because melodies continued to come to my mind even at 3 in the morning.

On Sept. 10, the main bulk of work was finished. I left music aside for a couple of months, and then returned to it again in order to make sufficient revisions and to compose new movements instead of some of the original ones which I decided to remove.

In my composition, the Orthodox understanding of the Passion story is reflected. It differs from the understanding that is characteristic of Western religious art, where accent is often laid on Christ's humanity rather than on his divinity.

Orthodox tradition avoids naturalism in depicting the Passions: On the Orthodox icon of crucifixion, Jesus is depicted dead, not in agony, and his death on the cross is contemplated not as a moment of horror, but as a moment of glory.

The same attitude is reflected in the Orthodox liturgical texts. Moreover, almost every time when these texts mention the Passion, they also mention the Resurrection.

Being based on the Orthodox liturgical texts and inspired by the Orthodox singing, my music is as much about despair as about hope; as much about suffering as about redemption; as much about death as about resurrection.

Q: Why will the concert be presented in Rome after presenting it in Moscow?

Bishop Alfeev: This was not my idea: It came from the chief conductor of the Choir of the State Tretyakov Gallery, Alexei Puzakov. He was the first musician who heard my music as I was composing it -- I played it to him from Vienna, and he listened through telephone receiver.

He suggested that it should be performed not only in Moscow, but also in Rome, since the Passion Week and Easter coincide this year for Catholics and Orthodox.

In November I showed the score to Vladimir Fedoseev, and he very kindly agreed to conduct the performance. The dates for both concerts were chosen by Fedoseev: These were, in fact, the only dates available for the Grand Symphony Orchestra during this year.

Q: If you meet the Pope, what will you say to him?

Bishop Alfeev: I would say to him that, in my view, the time has come for a much closer collaboration between the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches.

I do not believe that the restoration of full Eucharistic communion between East and West after almost a millennium of separation is something that is going to happen in the foreseeable future and I do not think that the theological problems that exist between us could be easily solved by the Joint Theological Commission.

But it seems to me that we should not wait until all the problems are solved and full harmony is achieved. It may never happen.

We must begin a much closer collaboration here and now, without any further delays. The challenges we are facing in Europe and elsewhere, such as relativism, militant secularism, radical Islam, are those we could and should address together.

I was deeply satisfied when I read Cardinal Ratzinger's speech during the conclave in which he declared war on relativism. I also noted that in his Regensburg lecture he went beyond the limits of political correctness because he felt that the issue he was addressing was important. The reaction that followed only confirmed that he had touched the heart of the matter.

Traditional Christianity nowadays needs to be defended from both the external challenges I mentioned, and the internal challenge of growing liberalization of doctrine and morality within some Protestant communities. I feel, and I often say openly that ecumenical relations with the Protestant world become ever more problematic and ever less hopeful.

The gap between traditional and liberal versions of Christianity is widening, and it is mostly Catholics and Orthodox -- including non-Chalcedonian Churches -- who stay on the traditional side, while many Protestant communities adopt liberal standards.

We, Catholics and Orthodox, are allies, not rivals. The sooner we come to understand it, the better.

Such understanding also implies that every form of proselytism should be excluded from our everyday missionary practice. We have a common mission, and we must work together in order to bring Christ to people.

Our task is not to convert the Orthodox to Catholicism, or Catholics to Orthodoxy, but to convert nonbelievers into faith, non-Christians into Christianity.

Q: What role does music have in your personal prayer life?

Bishop Alfeev: Music plays a very important role in the Orthodox liturgy. As a bishop I celebrate liturgy every Sunday and on all feast days. The quality of the choir and the repertoire that it chooses is something of importance for me.

Being formed as a musician from my very early years, I cannot completely dissociate myself from music when it is sung in the church, and even as I am reading liturgical prayers, I continue to hear the singing.

Last summer I composed "The Divine Liturgy" and "The All-Night Vigil" for the choir a cappella. My main aim was to write such music that would not distract from prayer either for me or my parishioners.

Singing in the church should be oriented towards prayer and should not be turned into a concert, as often happens.

The best examples of a truly prayerful singing could be found in Russian Znamenny chant, an equivalent of the Western Gregorian chant. This unison chant is simple, but it is meaningful and moving.

Code: ZE07030521

Date: 2007-03-05

 

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Christian Leaders Meet in Moscow

MOSCOW, MARCH 5, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Religious leaders of various confessions have discussed a plan of action to bring Europe back to its Christian roots.

Christian leaders from the Baltic States and former Soviet republics met Feb. 27-28 in Moscow as part of the preparations for the European Ecumenical Assembly to be held this September in Romania.

A unanimous decision was made to reactivate the Christian Interconfessional Consultative Committee. And a joint statement was drafted which calls on European states and societies to respect Christian principles and rights.

The working sessions were organized by the Russian Orthodox Church. The theme was "Contemporary Europe: God, Man and Society. Human Rights and the Moral Change."

Participants assailed the tendency whereby, in the name of equality and the desire to be "politically correct," European societies and governments try to legitimize practices that undercut the family.

In their statement, the religious representatives rejected "calls to validate same-sex unions, attempts to legalize drugs, the affirmation of the moral plausibility of abortion and euthanasia, as well as the insistent propaganda of the 'culture of death,' of enmity between nations and religions, of violence, [libertinism], homosexuality and other dangerous sins for the individual and societies."

"Sins cannot be justified in human rights," said Orthodox Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad. "We do not condemn the persons but the sins."

21st century

The ecclesiastical representatives highlighted the great responsibility that 21st century European Christians have: "It depends on us if Europe remains faithful to its Christian heritage or if instead it dies in history under the influence of powerful outside forces."

Europe has been "the most vulnerable in face of the devastating influence of materialism, consumerism, aggressive secularism, irreligion and moral relativism," they said.

The participants noted passivity among European Christians in exacting respect for their values and beliefs. They contrasted this to the example of Islam and Muslims' efforts to obtain tolerance for their principles.

The ecclesiastical representatives said that Christians must begin a dialogue among themselves, with society, governments and other religions, leaving aside what is "politically correct" in order to engage in truly open and constructive dialogue.

"We (Christians) have no less right than nonbelievers for our voice to be heard in society and to have influence in the making of decisions that shape in society principles of behavior and forms of life," said the participants.

Auxiliary Bishop Vitaliy Skomarovskyi, of Kyiv-Zhytomyr in Ukraine, said: "The meeting was very important, given that we had the opportunity to communicate with one another and this is what was important here, because we are faced with the same present challenges."

He added: "What makes me very happy about the meeting is that there was mutual understanding and that we felt the need to be together, because, although our points of view, our positions as Christians are different, at the same time, they are the same. When we intervene together, our voice then is very fruitful and we are heard."

Re-establishment

One of the proposals approved by all the participants was the re-establishment of the Christian Interconfessional Consultative Committee.

Established in 1993 in Moscow, the committee aimed to maintain contact and serve as a forum for the exchange of viewpoints among the various Christian confessions of Russia and the former Soviet states.

The organization was active until 2002, meeting three or four times a year. Since then, it has been virtually inactive.

Metropolitan Kirill pointed out that its reactivation, now incorporating the Baltic countries and those that make up the Community of Independent States, has a practical objective: "to be the religious and cultural matrix beyond the borders of Russia, as well as of affinity in points of view on fundamental present-day problems."

Catholic Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of the Mother of God Archdiocese in Moscow said: "I am very, very happy about its re-establishment."

The prelate, one of the three presidents of the committee, explained: "The committee was the only organization for the discussion of common topics, for the resolution of problems and for the exchange of ideas. I am very happy that it is functioning again."

Code: ZE07030528

Date: 2007-03-05

 

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Religious Liberty Facing Rough Road in Health Care

By Father John Flynn

ROME, MARCH 4, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The right of doctors, pharmacists and hospitals to not provide treatments that violate their moral principles is increasingly under threat. The issues involved in this area were examined by the Pontifical Academy for Life, in a congress entitled "The Christian Conscience in Support of the Right to Life," held Feb. 23-24.

Bishop Elio Sgreccia, president of the academy, described as an "emergency" the current situation regarding the formation of the conscience in subjects involving human life.

In his address, posted in Italian on the Vatican's Web page, Bishop Sgreccia explained that a democratic society should allow sufficient space for the expression of a person's liberty and responsibility in living out key social values. Defending human life is the first of these values that are at the core of any society, he argued.

Bishop Sgreccio added that until recently conscientious objection on life issues was limited to the matter of abortion. In more recent years, however, the field has greatly expanded, with the addition of issues such as euthanasia, abortive pills and the use of embryos in research.

In fact, a recent survey carried out in the United States illustrated the importance many physicians place on the role of conscience. A study carried out by researchers at the University of Chicago found that about 1 out of 7 doctors feel they have no ethical obligation to inform patients about medical treatments that the physicians oppose on moral grounds, the Baltimore Sun reported Feb. 8.

The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of the survey. The treatments mentioned ranged from abortion to euthanasia, and prescribing contraceptives for adolescents.

Ethical integrity

Dr. David Stevens, head of the Christian Medical Association, commented on the survey in a press release issued Feb. 9. He noted that the study suggested many doctors may feel pressured to violate their ethical integrity by referring patients to other physicians who will perform the morally objectionable practices.

"We need laws that protect physicians' rights of conscience, and we need education to encourage doctors to stand firm on strong moral and ethical principles," said Stevens.

An example of the pressures doctors are facing was quickly provided by the New York Times. In an editorial Feb. 13, the paper admitted that doctors have a right to not carry out morally objectionable practices, but denied their right to not present such practices as a valid option for their patients to consider.

"Any doctors who cannot talk to patients about legally permitted care because it conflicts with their values should give up the practice of medicine," was the editorial's harsh conclusion.

Not only doctors, but Catholic organizations face increasing pressure. Last year the Court of Appeals in the state of New York ruled that social service agencies run by the Catholic Church must provide health insurance coverage for contraceptives to their employees, the Associated Press reported Oct. 19. The decision affected Catholic Charities and nine other groups.

Richard Barnes, speaking for the Catholic organizations involved, argued that the conflict was not over contraception, but about religious liberty. In comments quoted by the New York Times on Oct. 20, Barnes said he feared that the judgment would lead the state to make laws even more offensive to religion.

Pharmacists in trouble

Another facet of the conflicts over conscience regards pharmacists. In recent years they have frequently run into conflicts when it comes to providing contraceptives and abortion pills. In one judgment last year, a federal judge upheld the legitimacy of Wal-Mart's dismissal of a Catholic pharmacist who refused to fill prescriptions for contraceptives, reported the Minneapolis Star Tribune on June 2. Judge John Shabaz dismissed a lawsuit brought by Neil Noesen, fired from his post at a Wal-Mart store in Onalaska, Wisconsin.

On Aug. 23 the Washington Times newspaper reported that in nearly half of the nation's legislatures, bills had been introduced in the current session to allow pharmacists not to fill prescriptions for so-called emergency contraception, which are known abortifacients, or birth control medicines based on their religious or moral objections.

According to information on the Web site of the National Conference of State Legislatures, four U.S. states -- Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi and South Dakota -- have passed laws allowing a pharmacist to refuse to dispense emergency contraception drugs. In addition, Colorado, Florida, Maine and Tennessee have broad refusal clauses that do not specifically mention pharmacists.

By contrast, Illinois has passed an emergency rule obliging pharmacists to give out contraceptives approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In California, pharmacists have a legal duty to dispense prescriptions, including contraceptives, and can only refuse to do so if their employer approves the refusal and the woman can still access her prescription in a timely manner. The information on the Web site was current as of last October.

Catholic hospitals criticized

In Canada, Catholic hospitals faced criticism last year on the issue of sterilizations. According to a Sept. 27 report in the National Post newspaper, St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, decided to stop performing tubal ligations.

After the decision patients filed complaints with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, and, according to the article, opponents of the move are considering taking legal action.

Since 2001, after a human rights complaint, the hospital had carried out tubal ligations in some cases. But last June the hospital's board decided to stop the procedure. Some of the operations were being done purely for contraceptive reasons, declared Shirley McNeil, the hospital's chief executive officer, to the National Post.

The issue of moral objections to some medical procedures has also recently affected some Catholic institutions in Australia. The John James Memorial Hospital, located in the national capital Canberra, was bought last year by the Little Company of Mary Health Care.

After the ownership change, the hospital stopped providing certain services to the Canberra Fertility Center. In an article dated Jan. 9, the newspaper The Australian reported that there were concerns over the effect the spreading influence of Catholic institutions is having on health care.

On Jan. 12, the newspaper returned to the subject, reporting that the president of the Australian Medical Association, Mukesh Haikerwal, wants state governments to stop contracting the operation of public hospitals to the Catholic Church unless it agrees to provide all services including in vitro fertilizations (IVF), abortions and sterilizations.

Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney, episcopal vicar for Life and Health, commented on the matter in a report published in the Jan. 21 issue of Catholic Weekly, the Sydney archdiocesan newspaper.

He said: "The fact is that most hospitals in Australia -- including state hospitals, Catholic public hospitals, and private hospitals -- do not offer IVF services.

"People do not go to Catholic hospitals if they are looking for abortion or sterilization or IVF."

Further discussion on the role of Catholic institutions followed a report by the Australian newspaper on Jan. 11 on a code of ethical standards published by the organization Catholic Health Australia. The code recommends that Catholic hospitals not refer women who have been raped to crisis centers where they will be given the morning-after pill, which is a known abortifacient.

In his address on Feb. 24 to participants in the congress organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life, Benedict XVI declared that Christians are called to confront the continual attacks on human life.

The fact many now have to struggle for the right to defend human life is a measure of how much society has changed in the short time since abortion was legalized. A change whose fruits are still being collected.

Code: ZE07030428

Date: 2007-03-04