| HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY) The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) Permanent Observer/ United Nations: 1 July 1964 Full Membership/United Nations: 1 July 2004 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 12/13/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Vatican City
829 (July 2010 est.)
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone
Secretary of State since 15 September 2006
Secretary of State since 15 September 2006
Pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held
19 April 2005
Next scheduled election: After the death of the current pope
19 April 2005
Next scheduled election: After the death of the current pope
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
Secretary of State appointed by the pope
Next scheduled election: None
Next scheduled election: None
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Italians, Swiss, other
| RELIGIONS |
Roman Catholic
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Ecclesiastical state with no administrative divisions; Legal system is based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it
Executive: Pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of the current
pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
Legislative: Unicameral Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City
Judicial: Three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining
to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pope PIUS XII on 1 May 1946
Executive: Pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of the current
pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
Legislative: Unicameral Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City
Judicial: Three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining
to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pope PIUS XII on 1 May 1946
| LANGUAGES |
Italian, Latin, French, various other languages
| BRIEF HISTORY |
Even before the arrival of Christianity, it is supposed that this originally uninhabited part of Rome (the ager vaticanus) had long been
considered sacred, or at least not available for habitation. The area was also the site of worship to the Phrygian goddess Cybele and
her consort Attis during Roman times. Agrippina the Elder (14 BC – 18 October AD 33) drained the hill and environs and built her
gardens there in the early 1st century AD. Emperor Caligula (37-41) started construction of a circus (40) that was later completed
by Nero, the Circus Gaii et Neronis. The Vatican obelisk was originally taken by Caligula from Heliopolis to decorate the spina of
his circus and is thus its last visible remnant. This area became the site of martyrdom of many Christians after the great fire of Rome
in 64. Ancient tradition holds that it was in this circus that Saint Peter was crucified upside down. Opposite the circus was a
cemetery separated by the Via Cornelia. Funeral monuments and mausoleums and small tombs as well as altars to pagan gods of all
kinds of polytheistic religions were constructed lasting until before the construction of the Constantinian Basilica of St. Peter's in the
first half of the 4th century. Remains of this ancient necropolis were brought to light sporadically during renovations by various
popes throughout the centuries increasing in frequency during the Renaissance until it was systematically excavated by orders of
Pope Pius XII from 1939 to 1941. In 326, the first church, the Constantinian basilica, was built over the site that Catholic apologists
as well as noted Italian archaeologists argue was the tomb of Saint Peter, buried in a common cemetery on the spot. From then on
the area started to become more populated, but mostly only by dwelling houses connected with the activity of St. Peter's. A palace
was constructed near the site of the basilica as early as the 5th century during the pontificate of Pope Symmachus (b. ?? – d. Jul.
19, 514; pope 498-514). Popes in their secular role gradually came to govern neighbouring regions and, through the Papal States,
ruled a large portion of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when most of the territory of
the Papal States was seized by the newly created Kingdom of Italy. For much of this time the Vatican was not the habitual
residence of the Popes, but rather the Lateran Palace, and in recent centuries, the Quirinal Palace, while the residence from 1309-
1377 was at Avignon in France. In 1870, the Pope's holdings were left in an uncertain situation when Rome itself was annexed by
the Piedmont-led forces which had united the rest of Italy, after a nominal resistance by the papal forces. Between 1861 and 1929
the status of the Pope was referred to as the "Roman Question". They were undisturbed in their palace, and given certain
recognitions by the Law of Guarantees, including the right to send and receive ambassadors. But they did not recognize the Italian
king's right to rule in Rome, and they refused to leave the Vatican compound until the dispute was resolved in 1929. Other states
continued to maintain international recognition of the Holy See as a sovereign entity. In practice Italy made no attempt to interfere
with the Holy See within the Vatican walls. However, they confiscated church property in many other places, including, perhaps
most notably, the Quirinal Palace, formerly the pope's official residence. Pope Pius IX (1846-1878), the last ruler of the Papal
States, claimed that after Rome was annexed he was a "Prisoner in the Vatican". This situation was resolved on February 11, 1929
between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy. The treaty was signed by Benito Mussolini and Pietro Cardinal Gasparri on behalf
of King Victor Emmanuel III and Pope Pius XI (1922-1939), respectively. The Lateran Treaty and the Concordat established the
independent State of the Vatican City and granted Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a new concordat between the Holy
See and Italy modified certain provisions of the earlier treaty, including the position of Catholicism as the Italian state religion.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Vatican City
considered sacred, or at least not available for habitation. The area was also the site of worship to the Phrygian goddess Cybele and
her consort Attis during Roman times. Agrippina the Elder (14 BC – 18 October AD 33) drained the hill and environs and built her
gardens there in the early 1st century AD. Emperor Caligula (37-41) started construction of a circus (40) that was later completed
by Nero, the Circus Gaii et Neronis. The Vatican obelisk was originally taken by Caligula from Heliopolis to decorate the spina of
his circus and is thus its last visible remnant. This area became the site of martyrdom of many Christians after the great fire of Rome
in 64. Ancient tradition holds that it was in this circus that Saint Peter was crucified upside down. Opposite the circus was a
cemetery separated by the Via Cornelia. Funeral monuments and mausoleums and small tombs as well as altars to pagan gods of all
kinds of polytheistic religions were constructed lasting until before the construction of the Constantinian Basilica of St. Peter's in the
first half of the 4th century. Remains of this ancient necropolis were brought to light sporadically during renovations by various
popes throughout the centuries increasing in frequency during the Renaissance until it was systematically excavated by orders of
Pope Pius XII from 1939 to 1941. In 326, the first church, the Constantinian basilica, was built over the site that Catholic apologists
as well as noted Italian archaeologists argue was the tomb of Saint Peter, buried in a common cemetery on the spot. From then on
the area started to become more populated, but mostly only by dwelling houses connected with the activity of St. Peter's. A palace
was constructed near the site of the basilica as early as the 5th century during the pontificate of Pope Symmachus (b. ?? – d. Jul.
19, 514; pope 498-514). Popes in their secular role gradually came to govern neighbouring regions and, through the Papal States,
ruled a large portion of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when most of the territory of
the Papal States was seized by the newly created Kingdom of Italy. For much of this time the Vatican was not the habitual
residence of the Popes, but rather the Lateran Palace, and in recent centuries, the Quirinal Palace, while the residence from 1309-
1377 was at Avignon in France. In 1870, the Pope's holdings were left in an uncertain situation when Rome itself was annexed by
the Piedmont-led forces which had united the rest of Italy, after a nominal resistance by the papal forces. Between 1861 and 1929
the status of the Pope was referred to as the "Roman Question". They were undisturbed in their palace, and given certain
recognitions by the Law of Guarantees, including the right to send and receive ambassadors. But they did not recognize the Italian
king's right to rule in Rome, and they refused to leave the Vatican compound until the dispute was resolved in 1929. Other states
continued to maintain international recognition of the Holy See as a sovereign entity. In practice Italy made no attempt to interfere
with the Holy See within the Vatican walls. However, they confiscated church property in many other places, including, perhaps
most notably, the Quirinal Palace, formerly the pope's official residence. Pope Pius IX (1846-1878), the last ruler of the Papal
States, claimed that after Rome was annexed he was a "Prisoner in the Vatican". This situation was resolved on February 11, 1929
between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy. The treaty was signed by Benito Mussolini and Pietro Cardinal Gasparri on behalf
of King Victor Emmanuel III and Pope Pius XI (1922-1939), respectively. The Lateran Treaty and the Concordat established the
independent State of the Vatican City and granted Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a new concordat between the Holy
See and Italy modified certain provisions of the earlier treaty, including the position of Catholicism as the Italian state religion.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Vatican City
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
The Holy See is supported financially by a variety of sources, including investments, real estate income, and donations from Catholic
individuals, dioceses, and institutions; these help fund the Roman Curia (Vatican bureaucracy), diplomatic missions, and media
outlets. The separate Vatican City State budget includes the Vatican museums and post office and is supported financially by the
sale of stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by publications sales. Moreover, an
annual collection taken up in dioceses and direct donations go to a non-budgetary fund known as Peter's Pence, which is used
directly by the Pope for charity, disaster relief, and aid to churches in developing nations. The incomes and living standards of lay
workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Holy See)
individuals, dioceses, and institutions; these help fund the Roman Curia (Vatican bureaucracy), diplomatic missions, and media
outlets. The separate Vatican City State budget includes the Vatican museums and post office and is supported financially by the
sale of stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by publications sales. Moreover, an
annual collection taken up in dioceses and direct donations go to a non-budgetary fund known as Peter's Pence, which is used
directly by the Pope for charity, disaster relief, and aid to churches in developing nations. The incomes and living standards of lay
workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Holy See)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
The politics of Vatican City takes place in a framework of an absolute theocratic monarchy, in which the head of the Catholic
Church takes power. The Pope exercises ex officio principal legislative, executive, and judicial power over the State of the Vatican
City (an entity distinct from the Holy See), which is a rare case of a non-hereditary monarchy.
The government of Vatican City has a unique structure. The Pope is the sovereign of the state. Legislative authority is vested in the
Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, a body of cardinals appointed by the Pope for five-year periods. Executive power is
in the hands of the President of that commission, assisted by the General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary. The state's
foreign relations are entrusted to the Holy See's Secretariat of State and diplomatic service. Nevertheless, the pope has full and
absolute executive, legislative and judicial power over Vatican City. He is the last absolute monarch in Europe.
The State of the Vatican City, created in 1929 by the Lateran Pacts, provides the Holy See with a temporal jurisdiction and
independence within a small territory. It is distinct from the Holy See. The state can thus be deemed a significant but not essential
instrument of the Holy See. The Holy See itself has existed continuously as a juridical entity since Roman Imperial times and has
been internationally recognized as a powerful and independent sovereign (at times even suzerain) entity since late antiquity to the
present, without interruption even at times when it was deprived of territory (e.g. 1870 to 1929). The Holy See has the oldest active
continuous diplomatic service in the world, dating back to at least AD 325 with its legation to the Council of Nicea. Ambassadors
are accredited to the Holy See, never to the Vatican City State.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Vatican City
Church takes power. The Pope exercises ex officio principal legislative, executive, and judicial power over the State of the Vatican
City (an entity distinct from the Holy See), which is a rare case of a non-hereditary monarchy.
The government of Vatican City has a unique structure. The Pope is the sovereign of the state. Legislative authority is vested in the
Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, a body of cardinals appointed by the Pope for five-year periods. Executive power is
in the hands of the President of that commission, assisted by the General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary. The state's
foreign relations are entrusted to the Holy See's Secretariat of State and diplomatic service. Nevertheless, the pope has full and
absolute executive, legislative and judicial power over Vatican City. He is the last absolute monarch in Europe.
The State of the Vatican City, created in 1929 by the Lateran Pacts, provides the Holy See with a temporal jurisdiction and
independence within a small territory. It is distinct from the Holy See. The state can thus be deemed a significant but not essential
instrument of the Holy See. The Holy See itself has existed continuously as a juridical entity since Roman Imperial times and has
been internationally recognized as a powerful and independent sovereign (at times even suzerain) entity since late antiquity to the
present, without interruption even at times when it was deprived of territory (e.g. 1870 to 1929). The Holy See has the oldest active
continuous diplomatic service in the world, dating back to at least AD 325 with its legation to the Council of Nicea. Ambassadors
are accredited to the Holy See, never to the Vatican City State.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Vatican City
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
None reported.
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
None reported.
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
None reported.
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
Holy See
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
February 25, 2009
The Pope delegates the internal administration of the Vatican City to the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City. Vatican City
maintains the Swiss Guards, a voluntary military force, as well as a modern security corps. It has its own post office, commissary,
bank, railway station, electrical generating plant, television center, and publishing house. The Vatican also issues its own coins and
stamps and has its own Internet domain (.va). Vatican Radio, the official radio station, is one of the most influential in Europe.
L'Osservatore Romano is the semi-official newspaper, published daily in Italian, and weekly in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German,
and French (plus a monthly edition in Polish). There is also a weekly version published in Italian, as well as a weekly version in
Malayalam (a language of India), started on April 3, 2007.
The Pope exercises his authority through the Roman Curia and the Papal Civil Service. The Roman Curia consists of the Secretariat of
State, nine Congregations, three Tribunals, 11 Pontifical Councils, and a complex of offices that administer church affairs at the highest
level. The Secretariat of State, under the Cardinal Secretary of State, directs and coordinates the Curia. On September 15, 2006, Pope
Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone as Secretary of State (a role equivalent to that of prime minister) and appointed
Archbishop Dominique Mamberti as Secretary for Relations with States (equivalent to foreign minister).
Among the most active of the major Curial institutions are the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which oversees Church
doctrine; the Congregation for Bishops, which coordinates the appointment of bishops worldwide; the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples, which oversees all missionary activities; and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which deals with
international peace and social issues.
Three tribunals are responsible for judicial power. The Apostolic Penitentiary deals with matters of conscience; the Roman Rota is
responsible for appeals, including annulments of marriage; and the Apostolic Signatura is the final court of appeal.
The Prefecture for Economic Affairs coordinates the finances of the Holy See departments and supervises the administration of the
Patrimony of the Holy See, an investment fund formed in 1967 from separate funds dating back to the Lateran Pacts. A committee of 15
cardinals, chaired by the Secretary of State, has final oversight authority over all financial matters of the Holy See, including those of the
Institute for Works of Religion, the Vatican bank.
Click here to read more »
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
February 25, 2009
The Pope delegates the internal administration of the Vatican City to the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City. Vatican City
maintains the Swiss Guards, a voluntary military force, as well as a modern security corps. It has its own post office, commissary,
bank, railway station, electrical generating plant, television center, and publishing house. The Vatican also issues its own coins and
stamps and has its own Internet domain (.va). Vatican Radio, the official radio station, is one of the most influential in Europe.
L'Osservatore Romano is the semi-official newspaper, published daily in Italian, and weekly in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German,
and French (plus a monthly edition in Polish). There is also a weekly version published in Italian, as well as a weekly version in
Malayalam (a language of India), started on April 3, 2007.
The Pope exercises his authority through the Roman Curia and the Papal Civil Service. The Roman Curia consists of the Secretariat of
State, nine Congregations, three Tribunals, 11 Pontifical Councils, and a complex of offices that administer church affairs at the highest
level. The Secretariat of State, under the Cardinal Secretary of State, directs and coordinates the Curia. On September 15, 2006, Pope
Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone as Secretary of State (a role equivalent to that of prime minister) and appointed
Archbishop Dominique Mamberti as Secretary for Relations with States (equivalent to foreign minister).
Among the most active of the major Curial institutions are the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which oversees Church
doctrine; the Congregation for Bishops, which coordinates the appointment of bishops worldwide; the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples, which oversees all missionary activities; and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which deals with
international peace and social issues.
Three tribunals are responsible for judicial power. The Apostolic Penitentiary deals with matters of conscience; the Roman Rota is
responsible for appeals, including annulments of marriage; and the Apostolic Signatura is the final court of appeal.
The Prefecture for Economic Affairs coordinates the finances of the Holy See departments and supervises the administration of the
Patrimony of the Holy See, an investment fund formed in 1967 from separate funds dating back to the Lateran Pacts. A committee of 15
cardinals, chaired by the Secretary of State, has final oversight authority over all financial matters of the Holy See, including those of the
Institute for Works of Religion, the Vatican bank.
Click here to read more »
6 March 2006
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Sixty second session
Agenda item 17 (b) of the provisional agenda
PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
Report submitted by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on human rights defenders, Hina Jilani
Holy See
709. As the Holy See is not a Member State of the United Nations, the Special Representative did not ask it to contribute information
specifically for this report. The report is therefore based on United Nations sources and the communication between the Special
Representative and the Holy See.
710. The Holy See has observer-status to the United Nations.
Legal framework
711. The Holy See has ratified or acceded to five of the core international human rights instruments. It has not yet signed several of
these instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The latter is a key instrument for the implementation
of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders as it guarantees rights such as freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of assembly
and freedom of association.
Measures taken at national level for the implementation of the Declaration
712. The Special Representative regrets that does not have sufficient information to analyse the policies and programs adopted by the
relevant authorities to ensure an effective implementation of the Declaration.
Communications and concerns
713. From the establishment of her mandate to 1 December 2005, the Special Representative has sent one communication to the Holy
See in December 2002 that concerned a priest Don Vitaliano Della Sala, who was serving in the parish of San Giacomo. The priest was
allegedly removed from his function in part because of his participation in a “gay pride” march in defense of the human rights of
homosexual persons. The Holy See responded to the communication in July 2003 and stated that the measures taken against Don
Vitaliano Della Sala were not related to his participation in a “gay pride” march. The response stated that the actions against the priest
had been preceded by two admonitions, as prescribed in the Code of canon law of the Catholic Church and that measures such as those
taken were an expression of the self-organizing capacity proper to every religious community and recognized by the Declaration on the
Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.
714. The Special Representative would welcome further information from the relevant authorities in the Holy See concerning the
situation for human rights defenders and the implementation of the Declaration so that this profile can be updated in the future.
Click here to read more »
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Sixty second session
Agenda item 17 (b) of the provisional agenda
PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
Report submitted by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on human rights defenders, Hina Jilani
Holy See
709. As the Holy See is not a Member State of the United Nations, the Special Representative did not ask it to contribute information
specifically for this report. The report is therefore based on United Nations sources and the communication between the Special
Representative and the Holy See.
710. The Holy See has observer-status to the United Nations.
Legal framework
711. The Holy See has ratified or acceded to five of the core international human rights instruments. It has not yet signed several of
these instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The latter is a key instrument for the implementation
of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders as it guarantees rights such as freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of assembly
and freedom of association.
Measures taken at national level for the implementation of the Declaration
712. The Special Representative regrets that does not have sufficient information to analyse the policies and programs adopted by the
relevant authorities to ensure an effective implementation of the Declaration.
Communications and concerns
713. From the establishment of her mandate to 1 December 2005, the Special Representative has sent one communication to the Holy
See in December 2002 that concerned a priest Don Vitaliano Della Sala, who was serving in the parish of San Giacomo. The priest was
allegedly removed from his function in part because of his participation in a “gay pride” march in defense of the human rights of
homosexual persons. The Holy See responded to the communication in July 2003 and stated that the measures taken against Don
Vitaliano Della Sala were not related to his participation in a “gay pride” march. The response stated that the actions against the priest
had been preceded by two admonitions, as prescribed in the Code of canon law of the Catholic Church and that measures such as those
taken were an expression of the self-organizing capacity proper to every religious community and recognized by the Declaration on the
Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.
714. The Special Representative would welcome further information from the relevant authorities in the Holy See concerning the
situation for human rights defenders and the implementation of the Declaration so that this profile can be updated in the future.
Click here to read more »
Freedom In the World 2008 Report: Italy (Includes Holy See)
Political Rights Score: 1
Civil Liberties Score: 1
Status: Free
Freedom of religion is respected and guaranteed by the constitution. Although Roman Catholicism is the dominant faith and the state
grants some privileges to the Catholic Church, there is no official religion. The state provides support, if requested, to other sects
represented in the country. The government has signed agreements with a number of religious groups but has yet to pass an omnibus
religious freedom law. In January 2007, the government said it planned to monitor the funding of mosques to control the influence of
foreign governments on the country’s 1.2 million Muslims. Academic freedom is respected and protected.
Italians are free to assemble and form social and political associations, and between 35 and 40 percent of the workforce is unionized. In
May 2007, between 500,000 and 1.5 million people attended a “Family Day” rally in Rome to protest the government’s proposal to give
homosexual couples new rights in areas such as inheritance. The event, which was supported by the Vatican and Italy’s Catholic
bishops, was confronted by a counterdemonstration attended by International Trade and European Affairs Minister Emma Bonino.
The judicial system is undermined by long trial delays and the influence of organized crime. Trial delays are caused in part by effectively
open-ended pretrial investigations, a lack of judicial personnel and other resources, vague or contradictory laws, and the host of minor
offenses in the penal code. A 2006 law reduced sentences on many minor crimes, considerably lowering the country’s prison
population. The U.S. State Department’s human rights report for 2006 stated that from June to November, the number of inmates
dropped from 61,300 to 39,200.
Strict fertility laws, strongly supported by the Vatican and Catholic politicians, remain in effect after a 2005 referendum aimed at relaxing
the statutes failed to muster the required 50 percent voter turnout. The laws prevent sperm and egg donations and ban the screening of
embryos for disease. Italian bishops and the pope had encouraged voters to boycott the referendum on moral grounds.
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 1
Civil Liberties Score: 1
Status: Free
Freedom of religion is respected and guaranteed by the constitution. Although Roman Catholicism is the dominant faith and the state
grants some privileges to the Catholic Church, there is no official religion. The state provides support, if requested, to other sects
represented in the country. The government has signed agreements with a number of religious groups but has yet to pass an omnibus
religious freedom law. In January 2007, the government said it planned to monitor the funding of mosques to control the influence of
foreign governments on the country’s 1.2 million Muslims. Academic freedom is respected and protected.
Italians are free to assemble and form social and political associations, and between 35 and 40 percent of the workforce is unionized. In
May 2007, between 500,000 and 1.5 million people attended a “Family Day” rally in Rome to protest the government’s proposal to give
homosexual couples new rights in areas such as inheritance. The event, which was supported by the Vatican and Italy’s Catholic
bishops, was confronted by a counterdemonstration attended by International Trade and European Affairs Minister Emma Bonino.
The judicial system is undermined by long trial delays and the influence of organized crime. Trial delays are caused in part by effectively
open-ended pretrial investigations, a lack of judicial personnel and other resources, vague or contradictory laws, and the host of minor
offenses in the penal code. A 2006 law reduced sentences on many minor crimes, considerably lowering the country’s prison
population. The U.S. State Department’s human rights report for 2006 stated that from June to November, the number of inmates
dropped from 61,300 to 39,200.
Strict fertility laws, strongly supported by the Vatican and Catholic politicians, remain in effect after a 2005 referendum aimed at relaxing
the statutes failed to muster the required 50 percent voter turnout. The laws prevent sperm and egg donations and ban the screening of
embryos for disease. Italian bishops and the pope had encouraged voters to boycott the referendum on moral grounds.
Click here to read more »
Pope urged to address Church-linked forced evictions in Angola
20 March 2009
As Pope Benedict XVI visits Angola on Friday on his first trip to Africa, he faces calls to raise the question of forced evictions with the
Angolan authorities.
In particular, Amnesty International has asked that during his visit, Pope Benedict addresses the issue of those forced evictions that have
been linked to the Catholic Church.
From 2003 to 2006, the Angolan authorities forcibly evicted thousands of people in the Angolan capital of Luanda from land belonging to
the Catholic Church.
The evictions were carried out without due process, with the unlawful use of firearms and excessive force and in the absence of a
programme to provide alternative accommodation or compensation to those affected.
Residents attempting to protect their homes in the Palanca, Sapú and Wenji Maka neighbourhoods in the Kilamba Kiaxia Municipality
were shot at indiscriminately by police. The evictions sometimes involved the police beatings of women and children.
The land belonged to the Catholic Church before Angola was granted its independence from Portugal in 1975. It was returned to the
Church by the government of Angola in 1998 in response to a request by the late Pope John Paul II during his visit to Angola in 1992.
The evictions were carried out to enable the Catholic Church to use the land for its projects.
When granting the land title to the Catholic Church, the Angolan authorities did not take into consideration those people who had lived in
the area for decades in abject poverty. By carrying out the evictions in this manner, the authorities violated the residents' human rights.
Forced evictions have the effect of sending those already living in poverty, deeper into poverty and often leave people at risk of damage
to their health, unemployment, and children unable to continue their education.
There have also been forced evictions in other areas of Luanda, not related to the Catholic Church, as the Angolan government has
developed urban land. Although there has been a decrease in the number of such evictions since 2006, thousands of people continue to
live under the threat of forced evictions. Furthermore, there is still no law specifically prohibiting forced evictions in Angola and no legal
provision for security of tenure.
Click here to read more »
20 March 2009
As Pope Benedict XVI visits Angola on Friday on his first trip to Africa, he faces calls to raise the question of forced evictions with the
Angolan authorities.
In particular, Amnesty International has asked that during his visit, Pope Benedict addresses the issue of those forced evictions that have
been linked to the Catholic Church.
From 2003 to 2006, the Angolan authorities forcibly evicted thousands of people in the Angolan capital of Luanda from land belonging to
the Catholic Church.
The evictions were carried out without due process, with the unlawful use of firearms and excessive force and in the absence of a
programme to provide alternative accommodation or compensation to those affected.
Residents attempting to protect their homes in the Palanca, Sapú and Wenji Maka neighbourhoods in the Kilamba Kiaxia Municipality
were shot at indiscriminately by police. The evictions sometimes involved the police beatings of women and children.
The land belonged to the Catholic Church before Angola was granted its independence from Portugal in 1975. It was returned to the
Church by the government of Angola in 1998 in response to a request by the late Pope John Paul II during his visit to Angola in 1992.
The evictions were carried out to enable the Catholic Church to use the land for its projects.
When granting the land title to the Catholic Church, the Angolan authorities did not take into consideration those people who had lived in
the area for decades in abject poverty. By carrying out the evictions in this manner, the authorities violated the residents' human rights.
Forced evictions have the effect of sending those already living in poverty, deeper into poverty and often leave people at risk of damage
to their health, unemployment, and children unable to continue their education.
There have also been forced evictions in other areas of Luanda, not related to the Catholic Church, as the Angolan government has
developed urban land. Although there has been a decrease in the number of such evictions since 2006, thousands of people continue to
live under the threat of forced evictions. Furthermore, there is still no law specifically prohibiting forced evictions in Angola and no legal
provision for security of tenure.
Click here to read more »
Vietnam: End Crackdown on Catholics
Peaceful Protesters Beaten, Arrested, and Harassed
October 6, 2008
(New York) - The Vietnamese government should immediately release Roman Catholics arrested for holding peaceful prayer vigils in
Hanoi and hold accountable police and others responsible for attacking Catholic parishioners, Human Rights Watch said today. The
protesters have been calling for the return of church properties confiscated by the government.
Human Rights Watch also urged the government to end the harassment, threats, and restrictions on the movement of the Archbishop of
Hanoi, Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet, who has publicly defended the rights of the Catholic protesters and visited the families of arrested
parishioners.
"This is the harshest crackdown on Catholics in Vietnam in decades," said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch.
"Sadly, religious repression and violent crackdowns by the Vietnamese authorities against peaceful protesters are nothing new."
Vietnam has not seen such large numbers of Catholics participating in mass public protests since the 1950s, nor has the government
responded to Catholics so violently in recent decades.
Vietnamese authorities have recently used tear gas and electric batons to disband the peaceful Catholic prayer vigils in Hanoi, and
bulldozed properties considered sacred to Vietnamese Catholics. Hundreds of unidentified thugs, some in the blue shirts of the
Communist Youth League, have harassed, cursed, and spit at parishioners and destroyed church statues. On September 19, 2008,
authorities detained and beat an American reporter covering these events. As many as eight Catholic parishioners participating in the
vigils have been arrested since the latest round of protests began in mid-August.
"Silencing the voices of Catholic parishioners by beating, harassing, and arresting them is yet another demonstration of Vietnam's
intolerance of dissent and freedom of religion," Pearson said. "Even senior religious figures of officially recognized churches are severely
harassed."
The two Hanoi properties in dispute are the site of the former Nunciature (a Vatican diplomatic mission), and the Thai Ha Church of the
Redemptorists, both of which were confiscated in the mid-1950s. Construction workers, backed by hundreds of police officers,
bulldozed church buildings at the site of the Nunciature on September 19, 2008.
Ties between the Vietnamese government and the Vatican were severed in 1975 following the reunification of Vietnam. While diplomatic
relations have not yet been renewed, the Vietnamese prime minister met with the pope in Rome in January 2007. In June 2008, a
Vatican-Vietnam working party was established to improve relations.
Click here to read more »
Peaceful Protesters Beaten, Arrested, and Harassed
October 6, 2008
(New York) - The Vietnamese government should immediately release Roman Catholics arrested for holding peaceful prayer vigils in
Hanoi and hold accountable police and others responsible for attacking Catholic parishioners, Human Rights Watch said today. The
protesters have been calling for the return of church properties confiscated by the government.
Human Rights Watch also urged the government to end the harassment, threats, and restrictions on the movement of the Archbishop of
Hanoi, Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet, who has publicly defended the rights of the Catholic protesters and visited the families of arrested
parishioners.
"This is the harshest crackdown on Catholics in Vietnam in decades," said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch.
"Sadly, religious repression and violent crackdowns by the Vietnamese authorities against peaceful protesters are nothing new."
Vietnam has not seen such large numbers of Catholics participating in mass public protests since the 1950s, nor has the government
responded to Catholics so violently in recent decades.
Vietnamese authorities have recently used tear gas and electric batons to disband the peaceful Catholic prayer vigils in Hanoi, and
bulldozed properties considered sacred to Vietnamese Catholics. Hundreds of unidentified thugs, some in the blue shirts of the
Communist Youth League, have harassed, cursed, and spit at parishioners and destroyed church statues. On September 19, 2008,
authorities detained and beat an American reporter covering these events. As many as eight Catholic parishioners participating in the
vigils have been arrested since the latest round of protests began in mid-August.
"Silencing the voices of Catholic parishioners by beating, harassing, and arresting them is yet another demonstration of Vietnam's
intolerance of dissent and freedom of religion," Pearson said. "Even senior religious figures of officially recognized churches are severely
harassed."
The two Hanoi properties in dispute are the site of the former Nunciature (a Vatican diplomatic mission), and the Thai Ha Church of the
Redemptorists, both of which were confiscated in the mid-1950s. Construction workers, backed by hundreds of police officers,
bulldozed church buildings at the site of the Nunciature on September 19, 2008.
Ties between the Vietnamese government and the Vatican were severed in 1975 following the reunification of Vietnam. While diplomatic
relations have not yet been renewed, the Vietnamese prime minister met with the pope in Rome in January 2007. In June 2008, a
Vatican-Vietnam working party was established to improve relations.
Click here to read more »
Pope Again Condemns Abuse Crimes by Clergy
Recalls English Martyrs Who Defended the Eucharist
LONDON, SEPT. 18, 2010
Benedict XVI is expressing deep sorrow over the abuse of children by clergy, and gratitude for the efforts underway to address and
correct this problem.
The Pope stated this today during his homily in a Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, also
known as Westminster Cathedral.
Today, the third day of the Pontiff's state visit to the United Kingdom, began with a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron and
other government leaders in the archbishop's palace.
Then, at 10:00 a.m., the Holy Father celebrated the Mass in the cathedral, which was attended by the Anglican archbishop of
Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
In his homily, Benedict XVI said, "I think of the immense suffering caused by the abuse of children, especially within the Church and by
her ministers."
"Above all," he continued, "I express my deep sorrow to the innocent victims of these unspeakable crimes, along with my hope that the
power of Christ's grace, his sacrifice of reconciliation, will bring deep healing and peace to their lives."
"I also acknowledge, with you, the shame and humiliation which all of us have suffered because of these sins," the Pope stated, "and I
invite you to offer it to the Lord with trust that this chastisement will contribute to the healing of the victims, the purification of the
Church and the renewal of her age-old commitment to the education and care of young people."
He said, "I express my gratitude for the efforts being made to address this problem responsibly, and I ask all of you to show your
concern for the victims and solidarity with your priests."
Click here to read more »
Recalls English Martyrs Who Defended the Eucharist
LONDON, SEPT. 18, 2010
Benedict XVI is expressing deep sorrow over the abuse of children by clergy, and gratitude for the efforts underway to address and
correct this problem.
The Pope stated this today during his homily in a Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, also
known as Westminster Cathedral.
Today, the third day of the Pontiff's state visit to the United Kingdom, began with a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron and
other government leaders in the archbishop's palace.
Then, at 10:00 a.m., the Holy Father celebrated the Mass in the cathedral, which was attended by the Anglican archbishop of
Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
In his homily, Benedict XVI said, "I think of the immense suffering caused by the abuse of children, especially within the Church and by
her ministers."
"Above all," he continued, "I express my deep sorrow to the innocent victims of these unspeakable crimes, along with my hope that the
power of Christ's grace, his sacrifice of reconciliation, will bring deep healing and peace to their lives."
"I also acknowledge, with you, the shame and humiliation which all of us have suffered because of these sins," the Pope stated, "and I
invite you to offer it to the Lord with trust that this chastisement will contribute to the healing of the victims, the purification of the
Church and the renewal of her age-old commitment to the education and care of young people."
He said, "I express my gratitude for the efforts being made to address this problem responsibly, and I ask all of you to show your
concern for the victims and solidarity with your priests."
Click here to read more »
Listening, Learning Church
Posted at: Thursday, December 02, 2010 12:17:55 AM
Author: John Coleman, S.J.
I attended, in mid-October, in Rome at the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace, a quite spirited three-day symposium on the topic of "
Caritas ihn Veritate and the American Church and Society". Besides the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace, the meeting was
co-sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. That institude
actually pretty much programmed the meeting, chose the participants and saw to it that the agenda for carrying on the actual gathering
was much more frank and open-ended than is usual in such Vatican gatherings. The 29 invited participants had all written and read each
others' back-ground papers in advance, so the sessions were much more give-and-take discussions than the usual long droning reading
of papers at one another, more typical of European symposiums. A book based on these conference papers will eventually be published
by Oxford University Press. An insider Vatican watcher said that few earlier Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace symposiums had
ever been quite so frank, quite so critical ( while, at the same time, also respectful), quite so animated.
Among the twenty-nine invited participants were specialists on developmental economics ( a main topic of the 2009 papal encyclical,
Caritas in Veritate), lawyers, ethicists of note ( e.g. David Hollenbach S.J. and Kenneth Himes O.F.M. of Boston College, Bryan Hehir of
Harvard's Kennedy School) and a bevy of economists: Matthew Slaughter, dean of the School of Business at Dartmouth; Daniel Finn of
Saint John's University in Minnesota; notably Stefano Zagmani, economist at the University of Bologna who, as a member of the
Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace, is reputed to have written large sections of Caritas in Veritate. Two well-known journalists, John
Allen from The National Catholic Reporter and Clifford Longley, a columnist for The Tablet were also present. Both have written their
reflections on this meeting.
The papal encyclical was written to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Paul Vi's earlier social encyclical on economic development,
Populorum Progressio. Unlike most earlier social encyclicals whose language resonated with ' natural law' and focused in a key way on
the motifs of justice and the common good, Caritas in Veritate is much more explicitly Christian and theological. It takes love ( and the
gift character of grace) as the key to understanding Catholic Social Teaching. The advantage in this choice ( not surprising coming from
a theologian of the stature of Benedict XVI) is that the encyclical does not mask the theological grounding for Catholic concerns for
justice, economic fairness, care for those in need. Its disadvantage, at times, is that the language may be either too specialized or arcane
( invoking, for example, the Trinity) for economists, social scientists and policy makers or may sound too triumphal. In the words of
one participant, the key to judging the success of any social encyclical is its reception and influence on policy makers.
Thus, the claim in # 4 of the encyclical that " adhering to the values of Christianity is not merely useful but essential for building a good
society and a true integral development", struck some of the participants as not only far-fetched but off-putting for any dialogue about
economic development, global governance and care for massive world problems of poverty and war which, by their very nature, would
demand cooperation across national cultures and religions for any serious address or useful steps forward.
Click here to read more »
Posted at: Thursday, December 02, 2010 12:17:55 AM
Author: John Coleman, S.J.
I attended, in mid-October, in Rome at the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace, a quite spirited three-day symposium on the topic of "
Caritas ihn Veritate and the American Church and Society". Besides the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace, the meeting was
co-sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. That institude
actually pretty much programmed the meeting, chose the participants and saw to it that the agenda for carrying on the actual gathering
was much more frank and open-ended than is usual in such Vatican gatherings. The 29 invited participants had all written and read each
others' back-ground papers in advance, so the sessions were much more give-and-take discussions than the usual long droning reading
of papers at one another, more typical of European symposiums. A book based on these conference papers will eventually be published
by Oxford University Press. An insider Vatican watcher said that few earlier Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace symposiums had
ever been quite so frank, quite so critical ( while, at the same time, also respectful), quite so animated.
Among the twenty-nine invited participants were specialists on developmental economics ( a main topic of the 2009 papal encyclical,
Caritas in Veritate), lawyers, ethicists of note ( e.g. David Hollenbach S.J. and Kenneth Himes O.F.M. of Boston College, Bryan Hehir of
Harvard's Kennedy School) and a bevy of economists: Matthew Slaughter, dean of the School of Business at Dartmouth; Daniel Finn of
Saint John's University in Minnesota; notably Stefano Zagmani, economist at the University of Bologna who, as a member of the
Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace, is reputed to have written large sections of Caritas in Veritate. Two well-known journalists, John
Allen from The National Catholic Reporter and Clifford Longley, a columnist for The Tablet were also present. Both have written their
reflections on this meeting.
The papal encyclical was written to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Paul Vi's earlier social encyclical on economic development,
Populorum Progressio. Unlike most earlier social encyclicals whose language resonated with ' natural law' and focused in a key way on
the motifs of justice and the common good, Caritas in Veritate is much more explicitly Christian and theological. It takes love ( and the
gift character of grace) as the key to understanding Catholic Social Teaching. The advantage in this choice ( not surprising coming from
a theologian of the stature of Benedict XVI) is that the encyclical does not mask the theological grounding for Catholic concerns for
justice, economic fairness, care for those in need. Its disadvantage, at times, is that the language may be either too specialized or arcane
( invoking, for example, the Trinity) for economists, social scientists and policy makers or may sound too triumphal. In the words of
one participant, the key to judging the success of any social encyclical is its reception and influence on policy makers.
Thus, the claim in # 4 of the encyclical that " adhering to the values of Christianity is not merely useful but essential for building a good
society and a true integral development", struck some of the participants as not only far-fetched but off-putting for any dialogue about
economic development, global governance and care for massive world problems of poverty and war which, by their very nature, would
demand cooperation across national cultures and religions for any serious address or useful steps forward.
Click here to read more »
23 November 2010
Pope’s Clarification Reveals Significance of Condom Statement
Jon O’Brien, president of Catholics for Choice, issued the following statement on the most recent news from the Vatican on condom use.
"The Vatican’s acknowledgement that Pope Benedict’s acceptance of condom use to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted
infections relates to everybody shows how significant the pope’s comments are.
"This morning, the Vatican’s spokesperson, Rev. Federico Lombardi, said:
I personally asked the pope if there was a serious, important problem in the choice of the masculine over the
feminine. He told me no. The problem is this ... It’s the first step of taking responsibility, of taking into
consideration the risk of the life of another with whom you have a relationship. This is if you’re a woman, a
man, or a transsexual. We’re at the same point.
"Conservatives, who immediately raced into action to deny the significance of the pope’s statement – after the text of the interview was
published on Saturday – are left clutching at straws. Their attempts to contain condom use to male prostitutes are shown up for what
they were – a sham. They have long sought to make the case that church teachings on these issues are unchanging and unchangeable.
One can only hope that they will embrace this new position and advocate for condom use whenever necessary.
"Some people have criticized the glacial pace at which the Catholic hierarchy moves. Certainly, this acceptance of condom use is more
than two decades too late. But it has now happened, and organizations that have been hesitant to provide condoms to those living with
HIV and AIDS must move immediately to put this new teaching into action.
"The first step on any journey is always the hardest, but it is also the most important one because without it change is impossible."
Click here to read more>>
Pope’s Clarification Reveals Significance of Condom Statement
Jon O’Brien, president of Catholics for Choice, issued the following statement on the most recent news from the Vatican on condom use.
"The Vatican’s acknowledgement that Pope Benedict’s acceptance of condom use to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted
infections relates to everybody shows how significant the pope’s comments are.
"This morning, the Vatican’s spokesperson, Rev. Federico Lombardi, said:
I personally asked the pope if there was a serious, important problem in the choice of the masculine over the
feminine. He told me no. The problem is this ... It’s the first step of taking responsibility, of taking into
consideration the risk of the life of another with whom you have a relationship. This is if you’re a woman, a
man, or a transsexual. We’re at the same point.
"Conservatives, who immediately raced into action to deny the significance of the pope’s statement – after the text of the interview was
published on Saturday – are left clutching at straws. Their attempts to contain condom use to male prostitutes are shown up for what
they were – a sham. They have long sought to make the case that church teachings on these issues are unchanging and unchangeable.
One can only hope that they will embrace this new position and advocate for condom use whenever necessary.
"Some people have criticized the glacial pace at which the Catholic hierarchy moves. Certainly, this acceptance of condom use is more
than two decades too late. But it has now happened, and organizations that have been hesitant to provide condoms to those living with
HIV and AIDS must move immediately to put this new teaching into action.
"The first step on any journey is always the hardest, but it is also the most important one because without it change is impossible."
Click here to read more>>
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Benedict XVI
Pope since 19 April 2005
Pope since 19 April 2005
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
None reported.
