Visite ad limina des Évêques du Burkina Faso-Niger

Ad limina visit of two groups of Bishops from India

Incontro interdicasteriale 2003

III. Forum Oriente-Occidente

Summarium

VISITE AD LIMINA DES ÉVÊQUES DU BURKINA FASO – NIGER

A l’occasion de leur visite ad limina Apostolorum, les évêques du Burkina et du Niger ont été reçus au Conseil Pontifical de la Culture, le 12 juin 2003. Le Cardinal Poupard a saisi l’occasion pour présenter les différents axes de travail du Dicastère à partir de la Revue Cultures et Foi et du document Pour une pastorale de la culture. Il a ensuite illustré la coopération interdicastérielle avec le Document publié conjointement par le Conseil Pontifical de la Culture et le Conseil Pontifical pour le Dialogue interreligieux : Jésus-Christ, le porteur d’eau vive, Une réflexion chrétienne sur le Nouvel Âge.

S.Exc. Monseigneur Sanon, président de la Commission pour la culture, a présenté brièvement un document préparé pour cette rencontre. Un rapide état des lieux montre que d’importants efforts ont été faits par les Églises locales pour inculturer l’Évangile et évangéliser la culture. Un évêque a fait remarquer que la diversité des langues et des ethnies, au Burkina, n’est pas en soi un obstacle car elles se retrouvent une même unité fondamentale qui est la culture africaine. Il considère, cependant, que ce sont des facteurs extérieurs – notamment politiques – qui ont semé la division. Le Cardinal-Président a souligné la difficulté du recours aux symboles traditionnels à partir de son expérience personnelle dans les pays d’Asie et d’Amérique latine, et l’écueil à éviter d’un retour en arrière sous prétexte d’inculturation, ce que les chrétiens eux-mêmes refusent spontanément. À la suite d’une intervention du Secrétaire, le Père Ardura, sur l’importance des études « utiles » pour les prêtres envoyés aux études dans les universités européennes, le Cardinal a insisté pour que les évêques veillent à ce que ces étudiants ne perdent pas leur temps à faire des thèses sans rapport aux besoins réels de l’évangélisation dans leurs pays.

De nombreuses questions préparées par les évêques, ont pu trouver des réponses dans l’exposé du Cardinal. L’une des grandes préoccupations des évêques de cette région, est le défi de la mondialisation dont les effets se font sentir non seulement dans les villes, mais aussi dans les villages les plus retirés. Les évêques se sont aussi montrés très intéressés par les Centres Culturels Catholiques. Avant de conclure, le Cardinal a donné la parole au Père Ardura qui a fait part de l’importante rencontre des Maîtres des Études des séminaires d’Afrique, organisée par le Conseil Pontifical de la Culture, à Accra, au mois de mars 2003.

AD LIMINA VISIT OF TWO GROUPS OF BISHOPS FROM INDIA

On the 28^th of May 2003, on the occasion of their visit ad limina, bishops from the Western Region Bishop’s Council, the Ecclesiastical provinces of Bombay, Gandhinagar, Nagpur, Verapoly, and Goa-Damao were received by the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Fr Bernard Ardura, who was assisted by the Head of Office, Fr Melchor Sanchez de Toca, and official, Mr Richard Rouse.

Fr Ardura welcomed the participants in the name of Cardinal Paul Poupard. He then explained the mission of the Pontifical Council for Culture by elaborating on the Autographed Letter of Foundation of 20 May 1982. Cardinal Ivan Dias, member of the Pontifical Council for Culture, introduced the provisional document Jesus Christ, Bearer of the Water of Life and also presented the Acts of the Nagasaki meeting. Fr Melchor Sanchez de Toca then chaired a roundtable discussion, the main points of which are here reported.

Bishop Thomas Dabre, of Vasai, presented the pastoral response to culture undertaken by the commission of which he is president. General trends are currently being analysed by his office within the context of the three-rites-based conference system and the various commissions for education and culture. Their primary directives include: promoting inculturation by promoting liturgy; responding along the lines of rites; responding with a pastoral approach to cultures. Notable successes have been had when it is taken into consideration that in India, there is a mosaic of cultures. Even though there is a dominant Hindu cultures, there is an awareness of the different religions.

There is also a strongly felt new cry for the promotion of the dalit, the outcast. In the past cultural dialogue has been exclusive, being reserved to the Hindu elite – the dalit were ignored; dialogue is too limited if it is merely with the Brahminical culture. Those in the rural areas, particularly the aboriginals have the greatest difficulty. Comments were also made about traditional Christian culture and the need to overcome an attitude of “damaging culture” or “compromising culture”.

Another Bishop asked, “What mechanisms exist in this council to favour dialogue with the Dalits?” Fr Melchor Sanchez de Toca explained some principles of dialogue and emphasised the need to recognise the existence of various cultures, be it youth culture, mob culture, tribal culture or dalit culture. On this note, Bishop Dabre spoke about various conferences that have been held at Bangalore and Shelong and various programmes for Culture which have been put in place. These have helped to see and understand the differences between cultures within their contexts. It transpired that in India, culture and religion face the phenomenon of many languages, with some 400 languages and 600 dialects.

Father Ardura spoke about the variety of cultures in Europe, taking examples of the meeting held in Graz. He remarked that a common element is faith. He also noted that the combination education-culture should not be viewed as a luxury sector just for artists, scientists and intellectuals, but must sustain a cross-dimension approach founded on the catechism, and available to all. In Africa, he noted, culture is under the branch of education, as on that continent the challenge is that of transmitting the faith.

Bishop Dabre expressed his thanks for Ecclesia in Asia, Novo Millennio Ineunte, and Ecclesia de Eucharistia. He reflected the general opinion that these documents have shown the Church’s awareness of the varied faces of the Church and are both approachable and useful for local cultures.

Another Bishop expressed concern about the difficulties arising from the Hindutva movement, which is a fundamentalist group who seek to force their brand of Hinduism on the whole myriad of Indian cultures. Such a mission cannot succeed as culture is too broad, but there is concern that there will be a new age of persecutions if this phenomenon continues.

Fr Melchor Sanchez de Toca reflected that Christians have a history of being rejected and persecuted, being as we are from a different world. At the same time we should remember to announce Jesus Christ not as a foreigner, but as an Asian. The same dynamics of living in Christ applies also to Europeans.

Another Bishop wanted some practical information. As he has responsibilities for some seminaries and monasteries, he wanted to know if he could continue to use psychologists and the enneagram. In the light of the document Jesus Christ, Bearer of the Water of Life, he asked, “what is the mind of the Holy See on this issue?”.

In reply, Fr Ardura put the document into perspective as a provisional document describing the cultural phenomenon of New Age in which the Transcendent God has been abandoned for a form of lifestyle centred on the self. Whilst man retains his religious sentiment, that sentiment can turn out to be betrayed if it is not open to the divine as other. Some versions of psychology, especially those under some heavy North American influences are dangerous as they are merely self-centred, leaving no room for the Divine as other. He warned that even in some monasteries such influences are creeping in. He reported the eye-raising tale once told by the Archbishop of Saigon: at a recent meeting with some Buddhist leaders he heard them say, “poor Christians, for you need a God who is a person”.

Mr Rouse gave a brief exhortation in favour of Catholic Cultural Centres, and then an explanation of the fresco Christ, the Light of Men and of Cultures by David Pons, which is situated on the Northern wall of the Sala Riunioni where the meeting was held.

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On the 18^th of June 2003, 17 archbishops and bishops of three ecclesiastical provinces – Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Patna and Ranchi in India – was received by His Em. Paul Cardinal Poupard, Fr. Bernard Ardura O.Praem., Fr. Melchor Sanchez de Toca and Fr. Antonio Bui Kim Phong on the occasion of their visit ad limina.

His Eminence Paul Cardinal Poupard began the meeting with the Pater Noster, he then welcomed all present and invited them to share their ideas.

Bishop Charles Soreng, S.J., of Hazaribag, the President of the Commission for Culture of the Indian Bishops’ Conferences, presented, after greetings, the general situation of the ecclesiastical provinces of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Patna, and Ranchi, where the majority of Catholics belong to the two cultural groups: Tribals and Dalits, the outcast. The great challenge for evangelisation and inculturation in this area is the Hindu fundamentalist group, whose members have infiltrated all levels of authority and influence. Various policies were imposed on the Tribals and Dalits to assimilate, dominate and separate the Hindus and Christians. They propagated Hindutva Ideology for one religion, one culture and one nation, and were against any kind of conversion. This is a serious problem for maintaining and developing the present situation of the church in the area.

Archbishop Raphael Chenath, S.V.D., of Cuttack-Bubaneswar recalled that in the past foreign missionaries did not make a clear distinction between sociocultural aspects of life and of religion. This mistake created difficulties in adaptation of cultural elements into the liturgy.

Fr. Ardura stated the need to make a clear distinction between cultural and religious aspects. He mentioned that the Directory of FABC had outlined the distinction and adaptation in Asia; and, in the mosaic of cultures in India, the need for an appropriate approach for each culture.

Another bishop said that currently non-believers in India accused the Christians, in inculturating their faith into the local culture, of contaminating and damaging the originality of the local culture.

Cardinal Paul Poupard recognised that it was a perennial phenomenon since the first meeting of Christianity with cultures. St Augustine, he recalled, in his Confessions recited that Christians were accused of damaging the culture of the Roman Empire with their proselytism. Therefore, in inculturation it is necessary to overcome an attitude of compromising with dominant culture. Cultural elements should not be used for neutral purposes. But cultural symbols and signs must serve as means for conveying the “visible” to the “invisible”, for evangelising culture and inculturating the faith. His Eminence recalled that various conferences for inculturation and dialogue with cultures in Asia that have been held at Bangalore, Shelong, and recently in Nagasaki, inspiring various programmes and approaches for inculturation.

Another Bishop noticed the need to identify which culture among the mosaic of cultures must be dealt with particularly, to liberate the people from unnecessary obligations and requirements. He expressed concern about an apt cultural preparation for priests, sisters, and catechists and other workers of the Church who were from one culture and would work in other culture(s). It is a pastoral “mortal sin” for imposing their own cultural elements on another culture.

His Eminence emphasised that in dealing with other cultures we must follow the orderly precept of seeing, judging, and then acting; and the discernment on each culture is essential. We need a metanoia consciousness to review what we have done. The Cardinal mentioned that since 1659, in the Instructions for newly appointed Apostolic Vicars to the Extreme-Orient, the Holy See warned them that it would be foolish to impose the European way of life on the local cultures. Inculturation, therefore, is not a science but an art. It concerns the hic et nunc situation. Staying aloof from being exaggeratedly theoretical, and being prisoner of vocabulary, we must concentrate on bringing faith to the cultures, which are not theoretical concepts, but concrete circumstances. Culture is not immutable, but every culture is a cultura advenientes. Indeed, the inculturation should help to convince and promote cultural reality.

Another bishop stated that we should not only focus on inculturation to the tribal cultures, the Dalits. In India, there are also other groups which we are living with, e.g. the upper cast in the West Coast. We should have a more integrated programme for dialogue with Muslim, Brahmanism (like Fr. De Nobili had done), Atheism, Marxism and unbelievers. Also, the influence of “New Age” culture on the youth is remarkable but we do not yet have sufficient information about this phenomenon. This bishop requested an interdicastery elaboration on this problematic situation.

Fr. Ardura presented the recent publication of “Jesus Christ the Bearer of the Water of Life. A Christian Reflection on the New Age”, a joint study of Pontifical Council for Culture and Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue on the “New Age” phenomenon. And he stated that inculturation in liturgy is important but we should not be concerned only on this aspect. An integral inculturation for the whole life of the Church, an inculturated Christian identity is required. Thus, the preparation, with the co-operation of Catholic Cultural Centres, for priests, religious men and women, and catechists on cultural aspects is more urgent than ever.

His Eminence concluded that in the dialogue with cultures we have to be sensitive to the differences between cultures; to create more understanding of different cultures. Recognising the difference in language, we should speak to each other with a universal language: Language of Love. He warmly thanked the bishops for making the time to visit the offices of this dicastery and for their lively and fruitful exchange, and wished all a pleasant stay in Rome.

INCONTRO INTERDICASTERIALE

Il 3 giugno 2003 il Pontificio Consiglio della Cultura ha organizzato il consueto Incontro Interdicasteriale, che quest’anno ha avuto come tema “I Centri Culturali Cattolici. Alle frontiere del dialogo”. Ha tenuto la relazione Mons. Pasquale Iacobone, Officiale del Dicastero, che in seguito ha risposto alle diverse domande di approfondimento suggerite dai numerosi presenti, rappresentanti di quasi tutti i Dicasteri ed Uffici della Santa Sede.

Il tema è stato suggerito da due motivi. Ricorre quest’anno il decimo anniversario dal primo incontro internazionale dei Centri Culturali Cattolici, tenutosi a Chantilly nel 1993, in cui per la prima volta a livello internazionale è stata presa in considerazione l’identità e la finalità di un Centro Culturale Cattolico. Il secondo motivo è dato dalla pubblicazione del Vademecum dei Centri Culturali Cattolici, curato congiuntamente dallo stesso Pontificio Consiglio della Cultura e dal Servizio Nazionale per il Progetto Culturale della Conferenza Episcopale Italiana.

Il Relatore, dopo aver brevemente esaminato gli interventi relativi ai Centri Culturali Cattolici sia del Santo Padre sia del Dicastero e quindi del Presidente, il Cardinal Paul Poupard, che si sono succeduti in questi dieci anni, ha presentato più dettagliatamente il Vademecum, illustrandone la struttura ed i contenuti specifici.

E’ stato osservato che le grandi dinamiche socio-culturali-religiose della realtà mondiale, del macrocosmo, si trasferiscono a livello di microcosmo, di nuclei familiari e sociali, e creano problematiche mai vissute prime con tanta intensità e preoccupazione. Non sono estranei a tutto ciò i media e le moderne tecnologie comunicative che ci trasformano davvero nel villaggio globale, dove non si può più rimanere estranei a quello che si dice, si pensa o si fa all’altro capo del mondo.

L’esperienza umana quotidiana risulta così frammentata, spaesata, priva di una visione unitaria di fondo e dei tradizionali criteri di valutazione e discernimento.

Nuovi interrogativi, nuove problematiche si affacciano alla coscienza di ciascuno, di ogni credente, della Chiesa stessa, con un ritmo frenetico, velocissimo.

Ogni domanda viene vissuta e percepita come una sfida, a cui bisogna dare risposte adeguate e valide. Non sempre, però, la Comunità Cristiana in quanto tale, e con i suoi tradizionali mezzi o modalità comunicative, riesce a star dietro a questo ritmo e ad aiutare le persone e le comunità umane a farsi una coscienza critica e una valutazione personale dei fenomeni. Si insinuano facilmente, anche all’interno della comunità cristiana, idee e stili di vita che nulla hanno a che vedere con la genuina esperienza cristiana. Come allora rispondere alle sfide della contemporaneità?

Ecco allora i Centri Culturali Cattolici che, pur mantenendo fermo il legame con la tradizionale comunità cristiana di appartenenza, con libertà, elasticità e fantasia, si spingono alle frontiere del dialogo e si impegnano a dialogare con tutti e su ogni aspetto della nostra quotidianità, per capire, aiutare a capire e poi valutare, discernere, sviluppare la capacità critica, indispensabile per saper fare con cognizione di causa scelte precise e fondate.

Il metodo essenziale è quello del dialogo personale, dell’empatia, del rapporto rispettoso ma appassionato, che riesce a coinvolgere l’altro in una seria ed attraente ricerca della verità, delle ragioni per compiere una certa scelta piuttosto che un’altra.

E’ questo stile che deve innanzitutto caratterizzare i Centri Culturali Cattolici, diventando il loro “lasciapassare” per accedere a quelle situazioni o realtà dove altrimenti l’annuncio di Cristo non risuonerebbe mai, dove la Chiesa difficilmente troverebbe spazio e disponibilità.

Non mancano gli esempi di Centri Culturali Cattolici costituiti da piccoli nuclei umani, da strutture piccole ed essenziali che, però, hanno fatto breccia nell’indifferenza o in ambienti apparentemente ostili alla Chiesa, proponendosi come interlocutori autorevoli e significativi, grazie ad una testimonianza semplice ed efficace, di un dialogo senza frontiere, ma che tocca il cuore dell’uomo e quello dei problemi più urgenti.

I campi di azione sono tanti quanti gli aspetti che toccano la nostra sensibilità. Ma resta unica e fondamentale la finalità: aiutare tutta la comunità cristiana a dialogare e confrontarsi col mondo, con le sue culture, per poter poi operare efficacemente nella nuova evangelizzazione.

Alcuni possibili settori di azione, da individuare di volta in volta, seguendo la metodologia proposta nel “Cosa fare” del Vademecum, possono essere i seguenti:

–  formazione dei cristiani per evitare il cosiddetto “analfabetismo di ritorno”, su quegli aspetti che non sempre vengono esposti e approfonditi in ambito di catechesi e formazione ordinaria, ma anche, ad esempio, formazione alla valutazione critica dei messaggi massmediali, etc.

–  rapporto fede-scienza-tecnologie, in vista anche di una visione etica, morale dell’azione scientifica e tecnologica.

–  rapporto fede e cultura/culture, comprese in tutte le loro espressioni (filosofiche, letterarie, artistiche etc.).

–  fenomeno dell’indifferenza religiosa, della non credenza, dell’abban­dono della Chiesa.

–  rapporto tra fede cristiana e sette, nuovi culti, nuove forme di spiritualità.

Per dialogare ci vogliono soprattutto chiarezza interiore e coraggio, vissuti nella consapevolezza che il Signore Risorto, come con i discepoli di Emmaus, cammina a nostro fianco ed è capace di aprire il cuore di ogni uomo e donna all’intelligenza delle sue parole di vita.

III. FORUM ORIENTE-OCCIDENTE

La ciudad de Ljubljana acogió el pasado sábado 31 de mayo el III Forum Oriente-Occidente, organizado conjuntamente por tres asociaciones culturales: el Instituto Internacional Jacques Maritain –sección Friuli-Venezia Giulia, con sede en Trieste–, el Kud-Logos, de Ljubljana y el Forum Studi e ricerche per la cultura, de Gorizia. Tres asociaciones que, situadas a uno y otro lado de la frontera italo-eslovena, comparten un espacio cultural común y han apostado fuerte por el diálogo y la integración.

Se trata de un experimento cultural de la mayor importancia, en una zona donde las divisiones políticas de la guerra fría –hace tan sólo 15 años, el telón de acero tenía aquí su frontera occidental– y étnicas, surgidas tras las dos guerras mundiales, habían creado un verdadero abismo. Las tres asociaciones, superando las dificultades lingüísticas, han dado vida a un modelo de trabajo que podría ser exportado con provecho a otras zonas. Estas asociaciones se turnan cada año en la organización de un seminario interdisciplinar, sobre un tema previamente escogido, celebrado sucesivamente en cada una de las tres ciudades, donde tienen su sede.

El tema del III Forum fue The Beginning of Things. Different Understandings of Genesis. Difícilmente se podría encontrar un tema más interesante y que mejor se preste a un acercamiento desde tan diversas perspectivas. La sesión, celebrada en el Grand Hotel de Ljubljana, comenzó con una evocación artística de la creación, a través de la música de O. Messiaen, con una danza, interpretada por Eva Stramšek, y con los cuadros del artista esloveno Matej Metlikovič como trasfondo. El programa de la mañana, permitió escuchar las intervenciones de Gorazd Kocijančič, director de Logos y profesor en la Universidad de Ljubljana, acerca del mito del demiurgo en el Timeo de Platón, una obra fundamental en la historia de la humanidad, que ejerció notable influjo en el pensamiento patrístico y medieval. A continuación, Vid Snoj, de la Universidad de Ljubljana, disertó sobre la creación en la Biblia hebraica, en la que la palabra es fundamental. De la literatura, griega o hebrea, se pasó a la exposición de las modernas teorías cosmológicas, presentadas por Francesco Longo, del Instituto de Física Nuclear de Trieste.

Tras la pausa gastronómica, apta para saborear las delicias de la cocina local, la sesión de la tarde se introdujo con una breve relación de D. Melchor Sánchez de Toca, del Consejo Pontificio de la Cultura, quien, recogiendo algunos de los temas expuestos en la mañana, señaló la importancia del maritainiano distinguir para unir, o sea, de las distinciones conceptuales. En este caso, inspirándose en algunos textos del aquinate que hablaban de la creación, para distinguir entre la creación, como concepto metafísico, y el origen, problema de la física. Como es sabido, para Santo Tomás no repugnaba a la razón la posibilidad de un universo eterno, –y por tanto, sin origen en el tiempo–, que sería, no obstante, creado. El profesor Marko Uršič, de la Universidad de Ljubljana, profundizó la perspectiva científica con su relación acerca de la Cosmología del Big Bang y la creación. Las grandes cuestiones cosmológicas fueron las que principalmente suscitaron la atención de los participantes, fascinados por la posibilidad de atisbar algo del momento inicial del universo. Mientras que Igor Škamperle nos devolvió al campo de la creación artística, presentando el concepto de armonía en las teorías cosmológicas, desde Platón hasta Kepler y las teorías contemporáneas.

El balance general de la jornada fue muy positivo, tanto por los contenidos de la discusión, que permitieron una gran apertura de horizontes, como por el excelente clima de amistad que se instauró entre los participantes, y que constituye una de las mejores aportaciones de este tipo de encuentros. Los Forum Oriente-Occidente, demuestran que, cuando hay voluntad de cooperación y entendimiento, la lengua no es un obstáculo para el diálogo, y corroboran, si acaso era necesario, que la cultura constituye un terreno de diálogo privilegiado entre los hombres, creyentes y no creyentes.