Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06VATICAN166
2006-08-09 14:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Vatican
how-toVZCZCXRO5631 RR RUEHROV DE RUEHROV #0166 2211457 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 091457Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0441 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0015 RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 0001 RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 0001 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0012 RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 0002 RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0469
UNCLAS VATICAN 000166
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL VT
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE: MEETING WITH CARDINAL DIAS
REF: (A) VATICAN 085, (B) Vatican 043, (c) Vatican 0163
UNCLAS VATICAN 000166
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL VT
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE: MEETING WITH CARDINAL DIAS
REF: (A) VATICAN 085, (B) Vatican 043, (c) Vatican 0163
1. (U) Charge d'affaires paid an introductory call on Cardinal
Ivan Dias, who heads the Holy See's Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples (also known as Propaganda Fide) on
August 9. Dias, 70, was appointed Prefect in May of this year,
following nine years as Archbishop of Mumbai (ref a).
2. (SBU) Dias touched on a number of topics during the meeting,
as follows.
-China: Dias, who formerly worked on China as a minutante
(desk officer) at the Secretariat of State, estimated 13-15
million Catholics in China, with 128 legitimate bishops. He
acknowledged many vacant episcopal sees, along with the
likelihood that the PRC might again nominate additional bishops
without papal approval. He said his dicastery coordinates
closely with the Secretariat of State, and expressed confidence
that over the medium to long term, things will improve for
relations between the Holy See and China.
-Albania: Posted in Tirana in the early 1990s, Dias recalled
working with Mother Teresa to obtain a building just vacated by
the Cuban ambassador, outcompeting other countries for the spot.
He said that Albanian Christians had managed to preserve their
faith during the communist years, and Catholicism is growing
there. Albanian Muslims, in his opinion, had not managed to do
so in any robust way; Iran had wanted to move in once the
regime fell, but did not find much to work with.
-India: The current government is much preferable to its BJP
predecessor, from the Church's point of view. Dias nevertheless
noted that anti-conversion laws were a state matter, and would
wax and wane according to the fortunes of Hindu nationalist
parties in the states. Over the long run he seems confident
that the problem will be minor. He said that evangelical groups
seek large numbers of conversions for publicity, but obtain
conversions by offering tangible inducements such as jobs,
housing, etc. Consequently such converts are ripe for
re-conversion if the inducement dries up, or if Hindu groups
offer a counter-inducement. Catholics strictly avoid such
tactics, and conversion is a lengthy and gradual process with
much more permanent results.
-Ghana: Dias fondly recalled his days as nuncio, and told a
story about his meeting with the king to illustrate the
effectiveness of inculturation as practiced by the Church in
Ghana. For example, in Ghana's matriarchal society, the Queen
Mother is very important; the Virgin Mary serves as a Catholic
parallel. The king speaks through a "linguist" and any errors
are thus attributed to the linguist, not the king; Dias cited
the Catholic recognition that Scripture requires interpretation,
which can change/progress (perhaps err) over time. The Catholic
procession for Sts. Peter and Paul echoes the king's own
procession. Such inculturation has made the faith very
successful and intrinsic in Ghana, whereas in some parts of
Africa it has remained more formal.
-Interreligious Dialogue: Dias wrote earlier this year on the
papal encyclical Dominus Iesus (written by then-Cardinal
Ratzinger in 2000),which prompted some criticism in Asia
because of its renewed emphasis on the unique role of Jesus in
salvation -- thus apparently stepping back from John Paul's
engagement with other faiths. In conversation with charge, Dias
explained that while Jesus is essential to salvation, members of
other religions may in fact approach Jesus "without knowing it"
through pious practice of their own faith. Dias said he had had
good relations with many Muslim and Hindu leaders in India and
did not see the Vatican reshuffle earlier this year (ref b) as
having caused any problems for interreligious dialogue.
-Africa and Asia Synods: Dias will attend a regional conference
of Asian bishops in October of this year in Bangkok. His
dicastery has a leading role in preparing for the African Synod
of Bishops to be held in 2009 (ref c).
SANDROLINI
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL VT
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE: MEETING WITH CARDINAL DIAS
REF: (A) VATICAN 085, (B) Vatican 043, (c) Vatican 0163
1. (U) Charge d'affaires paid an introductory call on Cardinal
Ivan Dias, who heads the Holy See's Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples (also known as Propaganda Fide) on
August 9. Dias, 70, was appointed Prefect in May of this year,
following nine years as Archbishop of Mumbai (ref a).
2. (SBU) Dias touched on a number of topics during the meeting,
as follows.
-China: Dias, who formerly worked on China as a minutante
(desk officer) at the Secretariat of State, estimated 13-15
million Catholics in China, with 128 legitimate bishops. He
acknowledged many vacant episcopal sees, along with the
likelihood that the PRC might again nominate additional bishops
without papal approval. He said his dicastery coordinates
closely with the Secretariat of State, and expressed confidence
that over the medium to long term, things will improve for
relations between the Holy See and China.
-Albania: Posted in Tirana in the early 1990s, Dias recalled
working with Mother Teresa to obtain a building just vacated by
the Cuban ambassador, outcompeting other countries for the spot.
He said that Albanian Christians had managed to preserve their
faith during the communist years, and Catholicism is growing
there. Albanian Muslims, in his opinion, had not managed to do
so in any robust way; Iran had wanted to move in once the
regime fell, but did not find much to work with.
-India: The current government is much preferable to its BJP
predecessor, from the Church's point of view. Dias nevertheless
noted that anti-conversion laws were a state matter, and would
wax and wane according to the fortunes of Hindu nationalist
parties in the states. Over the long run he seems confident
that the problem will be minor. He said that evangelical groups
seek large numbers of conversions for publicity, but obtain
conversions by offering tangible inducements such as jobs,
housing, etc. Consequently such converts are ripe for
re-conversion if the inducement dries up, or if Hindu groups
offer a counter-inducement. Catholics strictly avoid such
tactics, and conversion is a lengthy and gradual process with
much more permanent results.
-Ghana: Dias fondly recalled his days as nuncio, and told a
story about his meeting with the king to illustrate the
effectiveness of inculturation as practiced by the Church in
Ghana. For example, in Ghana's matriarchal society, the Queen
Mother is very important; the Virgin Mary serves as a Catholic
parallel. The king speaks through a "linguist" and any errors
are thus attributed to the linguist, not the king; Dias cited
the Catholic recognition that Scripture requires interpretation,
which can change/progress (perhaps err) over time. The Catholic
procession for Sts. Peter and Paul echoes the king's own
procession. Such inculturation has made the faith very
successful and intrinsic in Ghana, whereas in some parts of
Africa it has remained more formal.
-Interreligious Dialogue: Dias wrote earlier this year on the
papal encyclical Dominus Iesus (written by then-Cardinal
Ratzinger in 2000),which prompted some criticism in Asia
because of its renewed emphasis on the unique role of Jesus in
salvation -- thus apparently stepping back from John Paul's
engagement with other faiths. In conversation with charge, Dias
explained that while Jesus is essential to salvation, members of
other religions may in fact approach Jesus "without knowing it"
through pious practice of their own faith. Dias said he had had
good relations with many Muslim and Hindu leaders in India and
did not see the Vatican reshuffle earlier this year (ref b) as
having caused any problems for interreligious dialogue.
-Africa and Asia Synods: Dias will attend a regional conference
of Asian bishops in October of this year in Bangkok. His
dicastery has a leading role in preparing for the African Synod
of Bishops to be held in 2009 (ref c).
SANDROLINI