Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - Today in Rome a press conference was held to present the 2006 edition of Harambee an Opus Dei initiative in aid of Africa first launched on the occasion of the canonisation of Saint Josemaría Escrivá founder of Opus Dei in 2002. Since then Harambee has launched 24 education programmes in 13 different African countries promoted by African organisations and various Catholic institutions which operate permanently in Africa. Opus Dei Communications Office in Rome issued the following statement.
“In response to many requests for information with regard to the film The Da Vinci Code we confirm what was said on January 12: we have no intention of starting an argument, a boycott or anything similar. While maintaining an attitude of transparency and calm, we want to act constructively.
The film The Da Vinci Code presents an image of the Catholic Church which is false. The diffusion of the book and the film are an opportunity to show the Church as she is in reality. In his encyclical Deus Caritas est, Benedict XVI underlined that the essential nature of the Church is charity: “Love is a service that the Church carries out in order to attend constantly to man’s sufferings and his needs, including material needs” (n.19).
Therefore this is a good time to make known the activity of Catholics have done in Africa for centuries and to support the numerous Catholic institutions active on that continent which is still one of the great emergencies for the world.
Many people say The Da Vinci Code offends Christians. We would like to encourage these offended Christians to show their dissent in a peaceful but constructive manner: telling people about Catholic initiatives to promote education in Africa and contributing towards them with a small offering, a symbolic but concrete and positive gesture.
Harambee 2006 presents just four Catholic programmes in Africa, two of which are promoted by members of Opus Dei, however there are many other Catholic initiatives in the field of education and aid which deserve to be supported.
Informing people about Catholic solidarity initiatives in Africa is a way to make the public debate provoked by The Da Vinci Code serve for something positive: to spread greater awareness of the essential nature of the Church to serve with concrete help people in need.
At the same time we continue to trust in the sensitivity of Sony - Columbia and its capacity to react constructively.
It is not enough to offer the offended party an opportunity for defence while the offence continues. Correct behaviour would be to prevent the offence while there is still time. There are still three months before the release of the film and we hope that in the final edition the offensive references to Catholics will be omitted. This would be a conciliatory and much appreciated gesture especially at this moment when the sad consequences of intolerance are visible to all. Sony-Columbia has time to show that freedom of expression is compatible with respect for religious beliefs; it can demonstrate that respect is an act of freedom born of sensitivity, not a consequence of censorship or threats.
By making a conciliatory decision Sony-Columbia would honour its proud tradition and promote the cause of dialogue among cultures”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 14/2/2006 - righe 41; parole 531)
