US embassy cable - 04VATICAN252

UNCLAS  VATICAN 000252 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE  JLEVIN; DRL/IRF  MAYLAND; EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, EU, VT, religious freedom 
SUBJECT: The Pope's Europe:  Whole, Free and Faithful 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (U) From the start of his Pontificate, Pope John Paul II 
has had a clear vision of Europe as a continent united, 
free, and faithful.  As an inspirational symbol for the 
Polish nation and a formidable voice for freedom, the Pope 
played an essential role in overcoming Europe's political 
divisions and restoring freedom to the East.  Today, as 
NATO and the EU move ahead to deepen European unity and 
entrench democracy, the Pope has increasingly turned his 
attention to Europe's faith -- or, more accurately, its 
lack thereof.  In his view, Europe must play a leading role 
as a force for peace in the world, but will not be able to 
o 
fulfill this role unless it returns to its spiritual roots. 
His desire to complete his vision of a Europe whole, free, 
and faithful is so strong that he has devoted an 
increasingly large share of his limited energy to achieve 
recognition of Europe's Christian roots in the EU 
Constitution and to build bridges with Europe's Orthodox 
East.  His efforts to reinforce European unity and 
strengthen its respect for core values of freedom and human 
rights continue to make this pope an important ally for the 
U.S. in our efforts to work with Europe to promote human 
dignity worldwide.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Freedom and Faith from the Atlantic to the Urals 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
2. (SBU) Ever since the pope from the East took up the 
papacy, John Paul II has been driven by a fervent belief in 
a united Europe founded on Christian values stretching from 
the Atlantic to the Urals.  In the Pope's words, he wanted 
a Europe breathing with two lungs -- Western and Eastern, 
Roman and Orthodox, as distinct expressions of the same 
culture.  This vision has animated the Vatican's diplomatic 
efforts in Europe.  In the early years of his pontificate, 
John Paul II's European engagement focused on overcoming 
the division created by communism, while his post-Communist 
focus has been on building a united Europe rooted in 
Christian values that can be a force for good worldwide in 
promoting the primacy of human dignity and rights. 
 
3. (U) John Paul II saw in his election to the papacy a 
divine mandate to take up the defense of the oppressed in 
his native Poland and elsewhere in Eastern Europe.  From 
the outset, his efforts against communism were less the 
work of a statesman or a diplomat, though he unhesitatingly 
delivered his message of freedom to Poland's Communist 
leaders.  Instead, his efforts were those of an 
inspirational pastor who provided his fellow Poles and 
others trapped behind the Iron Curtain tools of resistance 
that the morally bankrupt Communists could not match.  A 
Polish pope with a remarkable flair for public relations, 
insisting day after day after day on the fundamental 
inhumanity of Communism and embodying in his very person 
the failure of Marxism-Leninism to defeat or tame 
Catholicism in East Central Europe, proved to be a powerful 
symbol of freedom. 
 
4. (U) But where the Pope succeeded in providing a rallying 
point and unifying symbol for the oppressed in the East to 
reassert their dignity, he has been less successful in his 
post-Communist era efforts to revitalize the faith in 
secularized Western Europe.  It is also unclear whether his 
efforts in the more religious East will halt the region's 
own slow slide towards secularism.  As the Pope observed in 
his recent Apostolic exhortation, "Ecclesia in Europe," 
Europeans increasingly exhibit a "practical agnosticism and 
religious indifference," which have created an impression 
of living without spiritual roots.  In fact, the Pope sees 
Europe to be "tragically suffering for a profound crisis of 
values that has led to a crisis of identity." 
 
-------------------------------- 
Moral Vision for a United Europe 
-------------------------------- 
 
5. (U) Rather than accepting this secular turn as 
inevitable, the Pope has instead been emboldened to press 
even harder for his fellow Europeans to use their newfound 
unity for good both within Europe and in the wider world. 
In his view, Christianity was the historical source of 
European unity -- the only force that united the diverse 
cultures, peoples, and languages into a coherent culture. 
He believes it remains central as the inspiration and 
foundation for essential European values: the dignity of 
the human person, respect for life and for the family, 
 
freedom of conscience and religion, the promotion of 
authentic social solidarity and the primacy of the rule of 
law.  The fact that modern Europe has given the world the 
concepts of democracy and human rights stems, the Pope 
insists, from its Christian heritage.  He has therefore 
been urging modern Europe to reclaim fundamental Christian- 
inspired values, which can be summarized in the affirmation 
of the transcendent dignity of the human person, the value 
of reason, freedom, democracy, the constitutional state and 
the distinction between political life and religious life. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Christian Roots and the EU Constitution 
--------------------------------------- 
 
6. (U) One focus of the Holy See's effort to reaffirm its 
Christian values has been its full-court press over the 
past year to secure some form of reference to Europe's 
Christian heritage in the new EU constitution.  The Pope's 
determination on this issue was reflected in his almost 
weekly calls this past summer in public addresses for 
Europe not to neglect its Christian past.  The Vatican's 
daily newspaper highlighted the Pope's sentiments with 
banner headlines asserting that "Europe is either Christian 
or it's not Europe."  The Vatican believed that its close 
relationship with Italy and Italy's stewardship of the 
constitutional debate during its recent presidency offered 
perhaps the best chance for inserting the reference to 
Europe's Christian heritage in the Constitution.  Despite 
Italy's best efforts, and the strong support of Poland and 
Spain, the Vatican was unable to overcome the secularist 
opposition from France in particular in the latest 
constitutional draft. 
 
7.  The Holy See's persistence in seeking this reference to 
Christian roots against strong opposition within some EU 
countries appeared to many -- even some within the Curia -- 
to exceed its potential relevance for Christianity's future 
in Europe.  More important than a preambular reference to 
Christian roots, many argued, was language guaranteeing 
freedom of religion and ensuring that religious rights and 
privileges are enshrined in the new constitution. 
Specifically, the Holy See wants to ensure the right of 
Churches and religious communities to organize themselves 
freely, respect for the specific identity of religious 
confessions, provision for a structured dialogue between 
the EU and these confessions, and respect for the juridical 
status already enjoyed by Churches and religious 
institutions in various EU member states.  All of these 
appear to be well on track. 
 
8.  (U) In pushing for a "Christian heritage" reference and 
other provisions relating to religion, the Holy See's 
principal goal appears to be to build a foundation from 
which to counter increasingly dominant secularist 
tendencies within Europe and to reinvigorate the role of 
religion in European culture.  In this effort, it has 
considerable support from other religious groups.  In fact, 
although the Holy See has recently been at the forefront of 
calls for the recognition of Christianity in a European 
Constitution, the idea initially emerged from a meeting of 
the Council of European Churches (CEC) -- a Protestant 
group.  Only later did the Holy See and the Greek Orthodox 
join their voices to it as a means of enhancing the 
importance of religion in European society. 
 
------------------------------ 
Overcoming Religious Divisions 
------------------------------ 
 
9. (U) The Holy See's push for an acknowledgment of 
Christianity's role in the development of European culture 
should in no way be seen as inimical to healthy coexistence 
with other faiths within a multi-cultural, multi-religious 
Europe.  This would run counter to the Vatican's extensive 
work in interreligious dialogue under John Paul II, and its 
interest in religious liberty all over the globe.  Although 
dear to the Vatican's vision for Europe, the constitutional 
push is but one element of a Vatican approach to Europe 
that also seeks to repair the Catholic-Orthodox breach and 
improve relations with other religious groups in Europe -- 
including Jews, Muslims, Anglicans, and other protestant 
groups. 
 
10. (U) The Pope's openings towards the Orthodox Church in 
Romania, Greece, Hungary and Bulgaria have produced a 
climate of dialogue and respect that has replaced a history 
of spiteful accusations and mutual fear based on ignorance. 
To achieve this progress, the Pope has at times literally 
begged the Orthodox for forgiveness for historical sins and 
traveled thousands of miles to prove firsthand to the 
 
Orthodox leadership that Rome seeks partnership, and not 
proselytism.  The Pope's visit to the Patriarch of 
Constantinople in 1979, just 13 months after assuming the 
papacy, set the tone for his outreach to the Orthodox and 
established a strong Eastern orientation to the Holy See's 
ecumenism.  The Pope has been less successful repairing the 
breach with the Russian Orthodox Church, though more out of 
the ROC's deeply rooted insecurities than a lack of 
interest or effort on the part of the Holy See. 
 
11. (U) The Holy See's close dialogue with the Anglican 
Communion was recently complicated by the ordination of an 
active homosexual bishop in the United States, but both 
parties are seeking a way around this new "obstacle to 
unity."  While formal dialogue talks scheduled for February 
were put on hold, the Vatican and the Anglican Communion 
did agree to establish a sub-commission to reflect on the 
ecclesiological issues raised by the ordination of the gay 
bishop.  Similar problems had arisen when the Anglican 
Church began ordaining female priests and bishops, but the 
desire for unity will continue to drive the Holy See to 
seek solutions to these obstacles.  Talks with the Lutheran 
World Federation are also ongoing and have resulted in 
several joint statements on theological issues.  While the 
complete resolution of doctrinal differences with both 
churches is a long way off, the Holy See works with both 
Anglican and Lutheran churches to enhance the 
religious voice in Europe on issues such as the inclusion 
of a reference to Europe's Christian heritage in the new 
European Constitution.  Though these relationships do not 
have the potential geopolitical impact that Catholic 
relations with the Orthodox, Jewish, or Muslim worlds have, 
in both these cases, patching theological rifts could also 
lead to cooperation between churches that could impact 
questions of war and peace, international aid funding, and 
other issues relating to development, poverty, and the 
family. 
 
12. (U) In its broadest strokes, the Pope's vision of a 
religiously united Eastern and Western Europe -- a Europe 
"breathing with two lungs" that would in time overcome a 
thousand years of separation -- reinforces other ongoing 
efforts to overcome Europe's division, such as NATO and EU 
enlargement.  While religious unity is still a distant 
dream, both between West and East and among Western groups, 
the growing cooperation between the Holy See and Eastern 
Orthodoxy, combined with growing political and economic 
unity between East and West, can open the door to the rise 
of a unity not seen since the days of the Byzantine Empire. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Dialogue with Jewish and Muslim Communities 
------------------------------------------- 
 
13. (U) Beyond his push for Christian unity in Europe, the 
Pope is also determined to expand the Holy See's dialogue 
to Europe's other major religious communities -- Judaism 
and Islam.  During his Pontificate, John Paul II has made 
great strides to improve relations with European Judaism, 
clearing the debris of centuries of misunderstanding and 
mistrust.  His historic 1986 visit to Rome's synagogue -- 
the first visit of a Pope to a temple since the earliest 
days of the Church -- has helped generate an ever-deeper 
dialogue with European Jewish communities.  The Pope's 
recent 'apostolic exhortation' on Europe emphasizes the 
common roots linking Christians and Jews, acknowledges and 
expresses regret for the Church's past contribution to 
anti-Semitism in Europe, and encourages dialogue and 
cooperation with Jewish faithful.  The Holy See has 
condemned signs of renewed anti-Semitism within Europe, and 
can be counted on to work with the U.S. to counter such 
developments in the OSCE and in other fora. 
 
14. (U) The growing influence of European Islam has led the 
Vatican to seek to expand its dialogue with Muslims in 
Europe to promote respect for traditional values and to 
build respect for the place of religion in contemporary 
Europe.  The Holy See seeks a mutually enriching dialogue 
between various religious communities, which it believes 
can contribute to social and political harmony within 
Europe, especially with the arrival of increasing numbers 
of migrants from beyond the expanded European borders.  At 
the same time, the Vatican remains concerned about what it 
terms a "notable gap between European culture, with its 
profound Christian roots, and Muslim thought."  In this 
regard, the Holy See continues to lament the fact that 
religious freedom in Europe is not reciprocated in many 
Muslim states. 
 
------------------------------- 
The Vatican's Agenda for Europe 
 
------------------------------- 
 
15. (U) The Holy See is a strong advocate for European 
unity, believing that Christianity provided the initial 
unifying force that brought together Europe's diverse 
cultural traditions, and that it continues today to provide 
a unifying foundation of ethical and moral values for the 
continent.  With the EU poised to bring in ten new members, 
the Vatican had hoped that the nations of 'new Europe' -- 
with their recent experience of religious repression -- 
would counterbalance the secularism and loss of faith in 
the West with a renewed focus on moral and cultural values. 
This drive accounts for the Pope's recent focus in his 
travels to countries of Central and Eastern Europe -- most 
recently to Slovakia and Croatia -- where he has cautioned 
the Catholic faithful to avoid the loss of faith and moral 
direction that has afflicted the countries of the West. 
After surviving 40 years under the boot-heel of communism 
in many of these countries, the Catholic Church regards 
itself as a significant moral authority and has 
demonstrated a willingness to place itself squarely in the 
debate on key public issues in countries like Slovakia, 
Poland and Croatia. 
 
16. (U) The Holy See's central policy priority for Europe 
is a focus on "fundamental values" of the dignity of the 
human person, freedom, democracy, and constitutional order. 
In this regard, the Vatican will urge EU countries, old and 
new, to protect the rights of individuals and minorities; 
promote religious freedom; protect human life from 
conception to natural death; encourage family life based on 
the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman; welcome 
migrants; and guarantee young people a future with work, 
culture and education in moral and spiritual values.  The 
Holy See believes that new European institutions need to be 
more open to the religious dimension "rooted in authentic 
ethical and civil values."  As the Pope told the Italian 
parliament in 2002, he wants to ensure that "the new 
foundations of the European 'common house' will not lack 
the 'cement' of that extraordinary religious, cultural and 
civil patrimony which has given Europe its greatness down 
the centuries."  This is not to say that the Holy See is 
looking for an exclusively Christian Europe, but rather 
that it believes that without the cement of Christian 
influence, Europe will crumble into moral decay and 
"existential anguish" marked by a decline of the family, 
renewed ethnic conflicts, rising racism, inter-religious 
tension, and a selfish concern for personal interests over 
global solidarity. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Comment: Vatican's Vision and U.S. Interests 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
17. (U) John Paul II's vision of a united and outward- 
looking Europe rooted in Christian values faces 
considerable opposition from the powerful forces of 
secularism in Europe's West and from post-communist 
materialism and uncertainties in the East.  In fact, the 
Pope's failure to ignite in the historic heartland of 
Catholicism a spiritual fervor for the twenty-first century 
has been perhaps the greatest frustration of his papacy. 
One commentator has described Catholicism in Western Europe 
as being "on life support," and in many countries, 
increasingly irrelevant.  This perception is why, in the 
twilight of his pontificate, the Pope has sought with such 
insistence to shore up the breaches of traditional 
Christianity.  For Pope John Paul II, the powerhouse for 
the construction of the new Europe of the third millennium 
should not be the legislatures of Brussels or Strasbourg, 
but the moral force of Christian values at the heart of 
European history and culture. 
 
18. (SBU) Ironically, although the Pope remains sharply 
focused on Europe's spirituality, his greatest influence in 
today's Europe lies in the political realm.  Europeans - 
at least in the West -- may only infrequently heed the 
Pope's religious teachings, but in both the East and West 
they do listen to his political voice.  His statements on 
terrorism, the Middle East, war and peace, international 
development, and inter-religious reconciliation are widely 
covered in the European press.  As a result, the Vatican's 
vision for and actions in Europe can offer useful support 
for U.S. goals of promoting a unified, democratic Europe 
acting as an ethically motivated partner with the U.S. to 
promote democracy, freedom, and justice worldwide. 
Likewise, his voice in support of social and economic 
stability, the rule of law, and democracy throughout 
Central and Eastern Europe reinforces U.S. efforts to 
ensure the successful integration of the East into Western 
institutions.  Finally, his caution to Europe to remain 
 
open to the global community can help overcome European 
self-absorption and foster a stronger and more morally- 
rooted European engagement with the world closer in line 
with U.S. priorities. 
 
Nicholson 
 
 
NNNN 
 

 2004VATICA00252 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED