Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world met in a rare
gathering at the Vatican today to discuss religious freedom, sexual
abuse of children by priests and accepting converts from the Anglican
church.
The debate on religious freedom unfolded against the
backdrop of a fresh Vatican conflict with China's communist government
over the ordination of a bishop without papal permission.
The
closed-door meetings were taking place on the eve of a ceremony known as
a consistory at which the pope will create 24 new cardinals, including
20 who are under 80 and thus eligible to enter a secret conclave to
elect his successor.
The topic of religious liberty came to the
fore on Thursday when the Vatican warned China not to force bishops
loyal to the pope to attend the ordination of a bishop who is a member
of the state-backed church that does not recognise the pontiff.
Prelates
entering the meeting expressed concern that the new stand-off with
Beijing would lead to a worsening of relations after a period of
relative improvement.
Catholics in China are divided between one
Church that recognises the pope and his authority to name bishops and a
state-backed "patriotic association" which names its own bishops.
In
the past few months, the Vatican has also been stepping up its calls
for religious freedom for Christians in predominantly Muslim countries,
particularly Saudi Arabia.
In Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's
holiest sites, any form of non-Muslim worship takes place in private.
Converting Muslims is punishable by death, although such sentences are
rare.
Services and prayer meetings are often held in the homes of
foreign diplomats but access is limited, so Christians meet to worship
in hotel conference rooms, at great risk.
The Vatican has also
voiced concern about the fate of Christians in predominantly Muslim
Iraq, where 52 hostages and police were killed earlier this month when
security forces stormed a church that had been raided by al-Qaeda-linked
gunmen.
The existing cardinals and cardinals-elect will also hear
reports about the sexual abuse scandal which has rocked the Church in a
number of countries.
Victims of sexual abuse were protesting in
Rome to coincide with the meeting. They say the Vatican has not done
enough to protect children from future abuse by priests.
"We want
the bishops to turn over to police and prosecutors the personnel files
of proven, admitted and credibly accused child-molesting clerics," said
Barbara Blaine, a leader of the US-based Survivors Network of those
Abused by Priests (SNAP).
The Vatican meeting was also assessing difficult relations with Anglicans.
Today,
the Catholic Church in England was to announce that five Anglican
bishops opposed to the ordination of women bishops will take up an offer
by the pope to convert to Catholicism while being allowed to keep some
Anglican traditions.
SIC: IT/IE