The Pact of the Catacombs is an agreement signed by 42[1]bishops of the Catholic Church at a meeting following Mass in the Catacombs of Domitilla near Rome on the evening of 16 November 1965, three weeks before the close of the Second Vatican Council. They pledged to live like the poorest of their parishioners and adopt a lifestyle free of attachment to ordinary possessions. The Pact said they would "try to live according to the ordinary manner of our people in all that concerns housing, food, means of transport. [...] We renounce forever the appearance and the substance of wealth, especially in clothing [...] and symbols made of precious metals". More than 500 bishops added their signatures in the next few months.[2]
Laying the theological foundation for the Pact, Cardinal Giacomo Lercaro, Archbishop of Bologna, in December 1962 addressed the Council at length on the centrality of poverty. He held, according to one summary of his views, that "the question of the church of the poor [...] should be the general and synthesizing subject of the whole Council". Hélder Câmara, Archbishop of Olinda e Recife, Brazil, was the moving force behind the Pact itself. Others included the Brazilians Bishop Antônio Batista Fragoso of Crateús and Bishop Jose Maria Pires of Araçuaí; Bishop Manuel Larraín Errázuriz of Talca, Chile; Archbishop Tulio Botero of Medellín, Colombia; Bishop Marcos Gregorio McGrath of Santiago de Veraguas, Panama; and Bishop Leonidas Proaño of Riobamba, Ecuador.[4] Bishop Charles-Marie Himmer (1902-1994) of Tournai, Belgium, presided at the Mass.[3] The only North American among the first to sign was Bishop Gerard-Marie Coderre of Saint-Jean-de-Quebec.[1]
Luigi Bettazzi, who was Auxiliary Bishop of Bologna under Lercaro when he signed and who became the last survivor of the original signors, said a few bishops created the document and then plans for a signing ceremony "spread by word of mouth". He felt the document was forgotten because Pope Paul VI, given the Cold War environment of his papacy, preferred not to be associated with its implicit criticism of capitalism.[2] He has also cited the impact of the upheavals of 1968, which "frightened everyone and everything closed down".[1] Thus it failed to put poverty at the center of the Church's mission, except in Latin America where it became associated with liberation theology.[2] The document itself has been lost (but re-produced in Latin American Theology: Roots and Branches by Maria Clara Bingemer - see reference below), but as the fiftieth anniversary of its signing approached, the Pact gained increasing notice due to the efforts of theologians and historians, especially in Germany, to draw attention to its significance. The Pontifical Urban University held a conference on its legacy in November 2015.[3] According to Bettazzi: "The Pact of the Catacombs today is [...] Pope Francis".[2][5] Cardinal Walter Kasper, who mentioned the pact in his book Mercy (2014), has said of Pope Francis that "His program is to a high degree what the Catacomb Pact was".[3] Francis met with Bettazzi in September 2017 before addressing priests, religious, seminarians and deacons in Bologna, where he began his speech with words reminiscent of the Pact: "It is a consolation to be with those who carry on the apostolate of the Church; religious men seeking to bear witness against worldliness".[6]
^ abcWooden, Cindy (13 November 2015). . Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
^ abcdPoggioli, Sylvia (26 November 2015). "Pope Francis' Emphasis On Poverty Revives The 'Pact of The Catacombs'". NPR. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
^ abcdGibson, David. "Secret 'Catacombs Pact' emerges after 50 years, and Pope Francis gives it new life". Washington Post. Religion News Service. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
^Bingemer, Maria Clara (2016). Latin American Theology: Roots and Branches. Orbis Books. ISBN9781608336517. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
^Lawler, Michael G.; Salzman, Todd A.; Burke-Sullivan, Eileen (2014). The Church in the Modern World: Gaudium et Spes Then and Now. Liturgical Press. pp. 68–9. ISBN9780814682951. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
^Agasso Jr., Domenico (1 October 2017). "'If a congregation loses all its assets, I thank God'". La Stampa. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
Further readingedit
Pikaza, Xabier; Antunes de Silva, José, eds. (2015). The Pact of the Catacombs: The Mission of the Poor in the Church. Editorial Verbo Divino. ISBN978-8490731888.
Clara, Bingemer, Maria (2016-06-08). "2. The Poor as Subject and as Method". Latin American Theology: Roots and Branches. Orbis Books. ISBN978-1-60833-651-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) (contains the text of the pact)
External linksedit
Text of the "Pact of the Catacombs"
November 05, 2023
pact, catacombs, agreement, signed, bishops, catholic, church, meeting, following, mass, catacombs, domitilla, near, rome, evening, november, 1965, three, weeks, before, close, second, vatican, council, they, pledged, live, like, poorest, their, parishioners, . The Pact of the Catacombs is an agreement signed by 42 1 bishops of the Catholic Church at a meeting following Mass in the Catacombs of Domitilla near Rome on the evening of 16 November 1965 three weeks before the close of the Second Vatican Council They pledged to live like the poorest of their parishioners and adopt a lifestyle free of attachment to ordinary possessions The Pact said they would try to live according to the ordinary manner of our people in all that concerns housing food means of transport We renounce forever the appearance and the substance of wealth especially in clothing and symbols made of precious metals More than 500 bishops added their signatures in the next few months 2 Painting of the Good Shepherd at the Catacombs of DomitillaThe catacombs were chosen for their association with early Christian martyrs in the centuries when the Church was without worldly power and existed in its simplest form 3 Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksHistory editLaying the theological foundation for the Pact Cardinal Giacomo Lercaro Archbishop of Bologna in December 1962 addressed the Council at length on the centrality of poverty He held according to one summary of his views that the question of the church of the poor should be the general and synthesizing subject of the whole Council Helder Camara Archbishop of Olinda e Recife Brazil was the moving force behind the Pact itself Others included the Brazilians Bishop Antonio Batista Fragoso of Crateus and Bishop Jose Maria Pires of Aracuai Bishop Manuel Larrain Errazuriz of Talca Chile Archbishop Tulio Botero of Medellin Colombia Bishop Marcos Gregorio McGrath of Santiago de Veraguas Panama and Bishop Leonidas Proano of Riobamba Ecuador 4 Bishop Charles Marie Himmer 1902 1994 of Tournai Belgium presided at the Mass 3 The only North American among the first to sign was Bishop Gerard Marie Coderre of Saint Jean de Quebec 1 Luigi Bettazzi who was Auxiliary Bishop of Bologna under Lercaro when he signed and who became the last survivor of the original signors said a few bishops created the document and then plans for a signing ceremony spread by word of mouth He felt the document was forgotten because Pope Paul VI given the Cold War environment of his papacy preferred not to be associated with its implicit criticism of capitalism 2 He has also cited the impact of the upheavals of 1968 which frightened everyone and everything closed down 1 Thus it failed to put poverty at the center of the Church s mission except in Latin America where it became associated with liberation theology 2 The document itself has been lost but re produced in Latin American Theology Roots and Branches by Maria Clara Bingemer see reference below but as the fiftieth anniversary of its signing approached the Pact gained increasing notice due to the efforts of theologians and historians especially in Germany to draw attention to its significance The Pontifical Urban University held a conference on its legacy in November 2015 3 According to Bettazzi The Pact of the Catacombs today is Pope Francis 2 5 Cardinal Walter Kasper who mentioned the pact in his book Mercy 2014 has said of Pope Francis that His program is to a high degree what the Catacomb Pact was 3 Francis met with Bettazzi in September 2017 before addressing priests religious seminarians and deacons in Bologna where he began his speech with words reminiscent of the Pact It is a consolation to be with those who carry on the apostolate of the Church religious men seeking to bear witness against worldliness 6 See also editSecond Episcopal Conference of Latin America Bologna School Vatican II St Gallen GroupReferences edit a b c Wooden Cindy 13 November 2015 Back to the catacombs New emphasis placed on bishops simplicity pact Catholic News Service Archived from the original on October 3 2017 Retrieved 2 October 2017 a b c d Poggioli Sylvia 26 November 2015 Pope Francis Emphasis On Poverty Revives The Pact of The Catacombs NPR Retrieved 2 October 2017 a b c d Gibson David Secret Catacombs Pact emerges after 50 years and Pope Francis gives it new life Washington Post Religion News Service Retrieved 2 October 2017 Bingemer Maria Clara 2016 Latin American Theology Roots and Branches Orbis Books ISBN 9781608336517 Retrieved 2 October 2017 Lawler Michael G Salzman Todd A Burke Sullivan Eileen 2014 The Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes Then and Now Liturgical Press pp 68 9 ISBN 9780814682951 Retrieved 2 October 2017 Agasso Jr Domenico 1 October 2017 If a congregation loses all its assets I thank God La Stampa Retrieved 2 October 2017 Further reading editPikaza Xabier Antunes de Silva Jose eds 2015 The Pact of the Catacombs The Mission of the Poor in the Church Editorial Verbo Divino ISBN 978 8490731888 Clara Bingemer Maria 2016 06 08 2 The Poor as Subject and as Method Latin American Theology Roots and Branches Orbis Books ISBN 978 1 60833 651 7 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link contains the text of the pact External links editText of the Pact of the Catacombs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pact of the Catacombs amp oldid 1165936329, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
