Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Brasilia (Agenzia Fides) - “The agreement signed on November 13 in Rome, between the Holy See and the Federal Republic of Brazil, is in response to a demand of a juridical nature of the Church and establishes, in one singular text, the juridical status of the Catholic Church in Brazil,” says a statement issued by the Brazilian Bishops' Conference (CNBB) following the signing of the Agreement in the Vatican. The Agreement was signed, on the part of the Holy See, by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States, and on the part of Brazil, by Celso Amorim, Foreign Affairs Minister.
Although “the Catholic Church is recognized in her juridical nature, by Brazilian law in the Proclamation of the Republic,” with this accord, the situation already established is solidified and formalized.
“The specific identity of the Church consists in preaching the Gospel,” the statement said. However, in her activity in society, she needs a juridical structure and that is precisely the objective of the Agreement. The statement also explains that the agreement does not “concede privileges to the Catholic Church, nor does it discriminate other religious groups. Each one of its articles respects the juridical status established in the Federal Constitution and Brazilian law,” and guarantees equal treatment of all entities.
Archbishop Gerardo Lyrio Rocha of Mariana, President of the CNBB, in a press conference on the subject commented that “the great importance of the agreement is the recognition of the juridical status of the Catholic Church in Brazil.” It also includes “the recognition of academic titles, religious studies in public schools, canonical marriage...”
Some of the aspects mentioned by Archbishop Lyrio were: the collaboration with the State in the cultural area; religious assistance for citizens in health care centers or in jail; equal treatment in schools and other Catholic academic institutions; Catholic instruction in addition to that of other religious groups in public schools; recognition of civil effects of marriage and ecclesiastical decisions in matrimonial matters.
The Agreement, which is considered an historic landmark, was the brain-child of former CNBB President, Bishop Ivo Lorscheider, who passed away last year and since the 90s had been proposing the idea of a formal petition to the Holy See for an agreement between the Church and the Brazilian Government that would be more perfect and complete. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 14/11/2008)
