Posted on 11/11/2004 11:21:15 AM PST by george wythe
VATICAN CITY, NOV 11, 2004 (VIS) - Upon learning of the death early this morning in a hospital near Paris of Yasser Arafat, 75, president of the Palestinian National Authority, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following statement to journalists:
"The Holy See joins in the pain of the Palestinian people for the death of President Yasser Arafat. He was a leader of great charisma who loved his people and sought to lead them towards national independence. May God welcome in His mercy the soul of the illustrious deceased and give peace to the Holy Land, with two independent and sovereign States, fully reconciled with each other."
Pope John Paul and Yasser Arafat have met 12 times during the Pope's 26-year pontificate. Arafat was received 11 times in the Vatican: the first was on September 15, 1982 and the last time was October 30, 2001. The Palestinian leader and the Holy Father also met in Bethlehem during the pontiff's pilgrimage to the Holy Land in March of 2000.
Yasser Arafat has met with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State (1996), with then Archbishop and now Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States (1994 in Tunisia and 1995 in Gaza during a trip to Israel) and with Cardinal Pio Laghi when he visited the Holy Land in 2001.
On October 25, 1994, the Holy See announced that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Holy See will exchange representations to be "open channels for continuing the development of mutual relations, understanding and cooperation. ... It was decided to give to the already long-existing and fruitful working contacts a permanent and official character. The Palestine Liberation Organization will, therefore, open an office of representation at the Holy See, with its own director. The apostolic nuncio in Tunisia will be responsible for contacts with the leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organization."
On February 15, 2000, John Paul II received Arafat and a delegation for the signing of a Basic Agreement between the Holy See and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, as the representative of the Palestinian National Authority. At that time the Palestinian leader invited the Pope to Bethlehem. The agreement signed that day dealt with certain juridical questions regarding the presence and activity of the Catholic Church in the territory dependent on the Palestinian Authority.
God will show Arafat mercy he never showed anyone else. Arafat will come back as a cockroach.
I'm glad. I have nothing negative to say about your church, except that I have doctrinal disagreements. In other words, my beliefs are closer to the Roman Catholic Church than any other denomination.
Btw, I still visit Protestant and Orthodox churches occasionally. The local Presbyterian church offers the best Handel's Messiah around, and two Southern Baptist churches produce top-notch Christman pagents. Now that you mention it, I will schedule a visit to a local Church of Christ during this Christmas season, since it's been several years since I visited one.
"Sometimes it's tough to be a Roman Catholic. This is one of those times."
Agreed.
I'm just curious
Nicely said.
The only explanation seems to be that the Vatican political wing decided to appease the Arabs to avoid further attacks against Catholic churches and homes by Arab terrorists. Their reasoning might involve the fact that Christian Arabs are very vulnerable to terrorist attacks. As you know, several Catholic churches were burned yesterday in Iraq, so the Catholic people in the Middle East are an endanger species.
This is indeed a VERY hard time to be a Catholic!
This is beyond belief.
The Pali's can blackmail the Holy See at whim. They have control over many of the ancient Christian sites in the Middle East, in particular, Bethlehem. The main thrust of the Pali threat is if you don't play ball with us, we will trash your holiest sites, or deny you access to them. Game, match, win.
Not really any of my affair. Vengeance is the Lords. My job is to live my life right. I don't like it, but I can't go asking the Lord for blood vengeance. Just doesn't work. Surely you can see why. P.S. I did pass out cake and candy when the old barstad croaked.
Vengeance is the Lords. My job is to live my life right.
Guess I have a need to remember the basics - especially when emotions run high. Amen!
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