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Pope targets "de-Christianisation" with new Vatican office
Oct 12, 2010, 13:25 GMT
Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday formally announced the creation of a new Vatican office aimed at reviving the Catholic faith in Europe and other parts of the world that he claims are being 'de-Christianised.'
In a decree, the pope said the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation would work with bishops in traditionally Christian but increasingly secular countries, to promote the church's message.
'The Church has the duty to announce - always and everywhere - the Gospel of Jesus Christ,' Benedict wrote.
But at a Vatican briefing on the decree, the council's president, Monsignor Rino Fisichella, faced criticism that the pontiff's initiative had got off to 'a bad start' in terms of its stated purpose of reaching a wide audience.
It was pointed out to Fisichella that the pontiff's document, despite being first announced four months ago, has now been published only in Latin and Italian.
Fisichella said he had only taken up his post on Tuesday and had not been responsible for how the decree was published.
However, he said that the new Council would also have departments addressing the faithful in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German and the Slavic languages.
On his travels, most recently in his visit to Britain in September, Benedict has reiterated one of the main themes of his papacy: tackling the growing indifference towards God and religion in developed societies.
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