Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06VATICAN269
2006-12-27 18:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:  

LATIN AMERICA: 1999 VATICAN DOCUMENT STILL GIVES DIRECTION

Tags:  PREL PHUM SOCI ECON VT XM 
pdf how-to read a cable
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 VATICAN 000269 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA; WHA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM SOCI ECON VT XM
SUBJECT: LATIN AMERICA: 1999 VATICAN DOCUMENT STILL GIVES DIRECTION
TO POLICY

VATICAN 00000269 001.2 OF 004


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SUMMARY

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 VATICAN 000269

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA; WHA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM SOCI ECON VT XM
SUBJECT: LATIN AMERICA: 1999 VATICAN DOCUMENT STILL GIVES DIRECTION
TO POLICY

VATICAN 00000269 001.2 OF 004


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SUMMARY

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1. (SBU) Latin America is home to about half of the world's
more than one billion-plus Catholics, making it a key region for
the Holy See. It is also a region where the Catholic Church is
losing many adherents, especially to evangelical groups. For
these reasons and others, Latin America is often on the minds of
Vatican officials. In our discussions with them, interlocutors
refer again and again to "Ecclesia in America," the 1999 Holy
See document that outlined the Church's concerns and its outlook
on the region. Despite the document's age, it remains at the
heart of the Holy See's perspective on the region and can serve
as a helpful primer on the Church's Latin interests. The
document has particular relevance in light of Pope Benedict's
plans to address an important Latin American gathering in Brazil
in 2007.




2. (U) This cable outlines several relevant portions of
"Ecclesia," including sections on economic issues,
globalization, corruption, drugs, migrants, women, and ecology;
the document can be found in its entirety at
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_i i/apost_exhort
ations/documents/hf_jpii_exh_22011999_ecclesi a-in-america_en.html. A
subsequent cable will use "Ecclesia" as the backdrop for an
examination of current views of the Church in Latin America as
seen from the Vatican, and address issues such as the
evangelical challenge in the region. End summary.



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Document Addresses Key Concerns

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3. (SBU) A synod (meeting) of the world's bishops on the
Catholic Church in the Americas (North, Central and South) in
1999 resulted in a key Holy See reference document for Latin
America. Pope John Paul II promulgated "Ecclesia in America"
(The Church in America),using the deliberations of the synod
bishops as a basis for his exhortation to the Church in the
Americas. The document moved beyond purely ecclesiastical
themes to address social, economic and political issues specific

to Latin America: human rights, the impact of globalization,
urbanization, the external debt burden, corruption, the drug
trade and the environment. Though the document is over seven
years old, and there has been a change in pope since its
promulgation, it remains the underpinning of the Holy See's
policy in the region. Pope Benedict XVI has quoted it several
times, and regional bishops' conferences pay similar attention
to the document. As noted above, our interlocutors have often
called our attention to the document. "Ecclesia in America"
will be the starting point for Latin America's bishops when they
come together at a special conference to be held in Brazil in
May 2007. Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to participate in the
meeting that will gather together representatives from 22
bishops' conferences in the region representing half of the
world's Catholics.



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Economic Issues

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4. (U) In the context of Latin America's legacy of liberation
theology, a Marxist analysis of class struggle promoted by a
significant number of Catholic clergy and lay people, the
bishops were sure to emphasize economic issues when they drew up
the 1999 document. "Ecclesia in America" criticized the poverty
and underdevelopment in rural areas that has contributed to a

VATICAN 00000269 002.2 OF 004


growing unhealthy urbanization in Latin America. Rural areas,
the bishops said, lack adequate utilities, transportation, and
educational and health services. They lamented the lack of
urban planning in many regions of Latin America - "in certain
cases, some urban areas are like islands where violence,
juvenile delinquency and an air of desperation flourish," they
said. The synod bishops committed themselves to tackling the
particular challenges of urban Latin America through education,
health care and charity work.




5. (U) The bishops expressed solidarity with Latin American
countries experiencing the burden of external debt repayments,
and acknowledged at the same time that debt is often "the result
of corruption and poor administration." The bishops charged
that massive external debt was caused not only by high interest
rates caused by "speculative financial policies," but also by
government irresponsibility in repayment planning. The
situation is aggravated by the frequency with which huge
international loans enrich individuals rather than aid countries
in need.



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Globalization

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6. (U) "Ecclesia in America" called globalization morally
neutral, but warned that if it served simply to "suit the
powerful" it could only hurt humanity. In this context, the
bishops warned against some possible results of globalization,
including increased unemployment, the reduction and
deterioration of public services, the destruction of the
environment and natural resources, a widening gap between rich
and poor, and unfair competition that put poor nations at an
increased disadvantage. Positive consequences of globalization
on the other hand, included increased efficiency and production,
and a greater unity between peoples as a result of the
development of economic and communication links between
countries.



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Corruption

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7. (U) Corruption was a key to many ills in Latin America,
according to the bishops. They charged that it infected
individuals, public institutions and the private power
structures of the governing elite. Corruption, "Ecclesia" said,
created a situation that encouraged a lack of trust in political
institutions, especially in the administration of justice and
public investments. The document said those in authority needed
to denounce and combat corruption more forcefully. Supervisory
bodies and transparency in economic and financial transactions
could also help stop the spread of such corruption, the bishops
said. They added that the effects of corruption seemed to weigh
most heavily on the poor.



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Drugs

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8. (U) Synod bishops declared that the drug trade and drug use
constituted a "grave threat" to Latin America's social fabric -
contributing to crime and violence, the destruction of family
life, and the physical and emotional destruction of individuals
and communities. The bishops said the drug trade also ruined
governments, eroding economic security and national stability.

VATICAN 00000269 003.2 OF 004





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Women

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9. (U) The situation of women in Latin America occupied a
significant portion of the synod's deliberations. The bishops
said that the role of women was "decisive" because of their
contribution to the material and cultural development of the
region, especially in education and health care. The bishops
lamented the discrimination experienced by women in many part of
Latin America. They said the face of the poor "is also the face
of many women" and they committed themselves to denouncing
sexual abuse and male domination as actions contrary to God's
plan for humanity. The bishops stressed the need for women to
take up leadership roles within Latin American society, but also
affirmed traditional roles such as motherhood and full-time care
of the family.



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Indigenous People and Migrants

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10. (U) The synod bishops suggested a process of reconciliation
for indigenous peoples and their "host" societies. The bishops
asked that the North American churches adopt special programs to
help Latin migrants to the United States and Canada to become
integrated into their new societies. They warned against
restrictions against the natural right of individuals to move
freely within their own nations and between nations. They
called for an increased respect for the human dignity of illegal
immigrants.



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Ecology

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11. (U) "Ecclesia" paid particular attention to ecological
issues in Latin America. They urged Catholics to work with
legislative and government bodies to ensure effective protection
of the environment, emphasizing the Catholic position on the
"stewardship" of creation. The bishops complained of ecological
"abuse and destruction" in Latin America, warning of the threat
of desertification and air pollution. The Amazon rainforest
posed particular concern for the bishops; they described the
region as one of the world's most precious resources.



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Comment

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12. (SBU) Benedict's May 2005 message to Latin American bishops
for the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Council of
Latin American Bishops (CELAM) focused mainly on internal Church
issues such as the promotion of vocations to the priesthood and
religious life, and the importance of Catholic moral teaching on
marriage and family life. The CELAM meeting itself was more
politically and socially aware. At a press conference, the
bishops - repeating concerns expressed in "Ecclesia in America"
- lamented the "unjust distribution of wealth and the abysmal
differences in the distribution of resources" in their region.
They asked how this could happen when the majority of Latin

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America's presidents, business people and professionals claimed
to be Catholics. The May 2007 CELAM general assembly will
likely continue these more political themes and take up many of
the subjects addressed in the 1999 document. Pope Benedict's
attendance at the gathering is likely to draw him into the fray,
prompting him to reinvigorate the spirit of "Ecclesia in
America." We will report more on this in the coming months.
SANDROLINI