Newspaper Decries Civil Union Partnership ‘Trick’

AGI, Jan. 13 — In a long article entitled “The Shortcuts of Provocations”, Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano complained that civil union partnerships are just a trick to allow for same-sex “marriages” and, as such, exploit the problems faced by non-married heterosexual couples, the Italian news service reported.

The article was written by the president of the Catholic Jurists Union, Francesco D’Agostino. According to the article, civil unions are nothing but a first step towards legal recognition of homosexual couples that, in turn, would put same-sex “marriages” on an equal footing with traditional marriages.

“This is clear if we look at the statements made by the main representatives of homosexual movements and their supporters,” he said. “There’s no need to define new sorts of ‘marriages.’ For example, people [already] can transfer their assets and properties irrespective of family and/or legal ties through wills.”

Vatican Body Considers World’s Water Rights

SCIENCE AND THEOLOGY NEWS, Jan. 18 — The Catholic Church, which in the past few years has broadened its social justice mission to include global access to clean drinking water, has stepped up its efforts by summoning its first Pontifical Academy of Sciences meeting on the subject, the monthly newspaper reported.

The gathering of the 402-year-old Vatican body in November came amid shrinking access to safe drinking water worldwide. More than 1 billion people — two-thirds of them in Asia — lack access to improved water sources, according to the World Health Organization. In sub-Saharan Africa, 42% of the population is still without improved water. And between 2002 and 2015, the world’s population is expected to increase every year by 74.8 million people, said the organization.

Pope Benedict XVI has made clear the high value he places on the environment, said Lucia Silecchia, professor of law at The Catholic University of America. “When it comes to environmental issues, Pope Benedict will not write on a blank slate,” said Silecchia. “It is highly likely that all of the ecological teachings of Pope Benedict will arise directly from his creation theology.”

He added, “Throughout his writings, he makes clear that physical creation is the concrete way in which the splendor, power and goodness of the Creator is manifested in this world.”

Pope Benedict Worried About Fresh Anti-Semitism

ASSOCIATED PRESS, Jan. 18 — Pope Benedict XVI, meeting with Rome’s chief rabbi Jan. 16, expressed pain and worry over outbreaks of anti-Semitism in the world and called on Jews and Christians to wage a united battle against hate, Associated Press reported.

Waves of violence and vandalism targeting Jews have hit Europe in the past few years. In January, worshippers in a Moscow synagogue were attacked by a man with a knife. Benedict did not mention specific occurrences of anti-Semitism in his speech to greet Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni in an audience at the Vatican. The rabbi led a delegation from Rome’s Jewish community, one of the oldest in the world.

“In light of this common mission, we cannot not denounce and combat decisively the hate and misunderstanding, the injustices and the violence that continue to sow worry in the souls of men and women of good will,” the Holy Father said. “In this context, how can one not be pained and worried about the fresh outbreaks of anti-Semitism that are occurring?”

Vatican Urged to Join the Schengen Zone

ANSA, Jan. 13 — The Vatican’s top judicial official said that the threat of international terrorism means that the Vatican should join Europe’s border-free Schengen zone, ANSA reported.

Nicola Picardi pointed out that the Schengen agreement was about more than just taking down internal borders and allowing people to travel without showing their passports. It also implied a higher general level of security, in part through a greater exchange of information, he said.

“The parts of the accord on strengthening judicial and police cooperation appear particularly interesting [to the Vatican],” Picardi said during a ceremony marking the opening of the Vatican’s judicial year.

Information exchange would be the key factor in greater cooperation as the practicalities of security around the Vatican are usually dealt with by Italian police.

The official said that even if the Vatican did not join Schengen immediately, it should in any case bring its procedures on passports and police information into line with Schengen standards.

The current members of the Schengen agreement are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.