The Vatican condemns colonial encroachments on the Church’s history
In a document released Thursday, the Vatican “rejects” 15th-century papal decrees authorizing the enslavement of indigenous peoples.
The Vatican refers to three papal bulls issued by Nicholas V and Alexander VI in the 15th century.
KEYSTONE/AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia
The Vatican issued a document on Thursday to distance itself from the Catholic Church’s colonial abuses, where it “rejects” 15th-century papal decrees authorizing the enslavement of indigenous peoples, mainly in the Americas.
This stance refers to the horrific campaigns of forced conversions carried out by the Catholic Church after the arrival of Europeans in the Americas following the voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492.
“The Catholic Church rejects views that do not recognize the inherent human rights of indigenous peoples, including what is known as the legal and political ‘doctrine of discovery’.”
This text also finds a particular resonance in Canada, where between the end of the 19th century and the 1990s, some 150,000 Aboriginal children were taken from their families and forced into 139 boarding schools, mostly run by the Catholic Church where they belonged. Cut off from their family, language and culture.
During Pope Francis’ visit to Canada in July 2022, indigenous associations asked for the revocation of papal “bulls” — official documents signed by the pope — in the wake of the “doctrine of discovery,” which authorized colonization by non-European powers. Christian lands and peoples. The Pope recognized that this drama of boarding schools was tantamount to genocide.
In a note released Thursday by the dicasteries (ministries) for culture and education and the service for integrated human development, the Vatican refers to three papal “bulls” issued by Nicholas V and Alexander VI in the 15th century.
Immoral acts
The Vatican considers these “bulls” to be “political documents, instruments of immorality” and believes they were “never intended as expressions of the Catholic faith.”
The Holy See further acknowledges that they “do not adequately reflect the equal dignity and rights of indigenous peoples”.
“The Catholic Church rejects views that do not recognize the inherent human rights of indigenous peoples, including what is known as the legal and political ‘doctrine of discovery’.”
When asked about this painful matter, the Argentine Pope condemned this “colonial theory” as “bad” and “unjust”.
Keystone/Pool/Martial Trezzini
“Many Christians have committed malicious acts against indigenous peoples for which recent popes have repeatedly apologized,” the Vatican document acknowledges.
And the Catholic Church, he continues, is aware of “their past and present sufferings due to the expropriation of their lands and (…) policies of forcible assimilation.”
Painful material
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) declared itself in a press release “thankful” to the Holy See for publishing the speech.
When asked about this painful matter on the flight back from Canada, the Argentine Pope considered this “colonial theory” “bad” and “unjust”.
“This mentality that we are superior and that what we own is not important is radical. For this, we need to work in this direction. Go back and clean up all that was done badly, but know that the same colonialism still exists today,” he added.
AFP
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