Vatican City – In an unprecedented self-criticism, the Vatican affirmed yesterday that the “doctrine of discovery”, as the series of papal bulls that in the 15th century are known, gave the blessing of the Church to the occupation of indigenous lands in America and Africa, was never Catholic, while lamenting the “evil acts” committed by Christians against those populations and making their request for “forgiveness” official.
“The ‘doctrine of discovery’ is not part of the teaching of the Catholic Church”, stated in a joint note the departments (ministries) for Culture and Integral Human Development, in which these organizations maintain that “many Christians have committed evil acts against indigenous peoples”.
Thanks to the help of the indigenous peoples, the Church has become more aware of their suffering, past and present, caused by the expropriation of their lands” and “the policies of forced assimilation, promoted by the government authorities of the time, which they sought to eliminate their cultures,” added the official letter.
Specifically, the Vatican took a clear position against the forced conversion campaigns carried out by the Church after the arrival of Europeans in America in 1492.
The Holy See repealed papal “bulls”—official documents signed by a pope—that gave rise to the “doctrine of discovery,” which authorized European powers to colonize non-Christian countries, lands, and peoples.
In the note, the Vatican refers to the ‘bulls’ issued in the 15th century by Popes Nicholas V and Alexander VI, documents that authorized the King of Portugal to conquer Saracens and pagans to reduce them to indefinite slavery and gave the kingdom from Castilla the right to conquer America and claim the discovered territories as their own, as well as send men to evangelize.
“Historical research clearly demonstrates that the papal documents in question, written in a specific historical period and related to political issues, have never been considered expressions of the Catholic faith,” the text underlines.
The content of these documents “has been manipulated for political purposes by the colonial powers to justify immoral acts against the indigenous populations, sometimes carried out without the opposition of the ecclesiastical authorities,” the text maintains.
“It is fair to acknowledge these mistakes, to recognize the terrible effects of assimilation policies and the pain experienced by indigenous populations, as well as to ask for forgiveness,” admits the Vatican, as Francis did during his trip to Canada.
“The Catholic Church repudiates concepts that do not recognize the intrinsic human rights of indigenous peoples, including what has been legally and politically known as the ‘doctrine of discovery,'” the text summarizes.
Commitment
By officially repudiating that colonial past, the Church hierarchy commits to “abandoning the colonizing mentality” and promoting “reciprocal respect and dialogue, recognizing the rights and cultural values of individuals and peoples.”
The text quotes Pope Francis, who urged the Christian community “never again to be contaminated by the idea that there is a culture superior to another and that it is legitimate to use means of coercion against others.”
Source: Ambito
