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What are Concordats?

These church-state accords give the Church massive state subsidies and other privileges. They can effectively force liberal Catholics to observe orthodoxy, and can disadvantage non-Catholics, as well.

Hitler's concordat (1933) : Text and background

This concordat with Nazi Germany was negotiated by Cardinal Pacelli, who in 1939 became Pius XII. In his ongoing canonisation process he has reached the venerable stage, and is now officially "heroic in virtue". Could this be a smokescreen of incense?

Côte d'Ivoire

A concordat was made especially for “the basilica in the bush”. The church is modelled on the pope's cathedral, but was planned to top it. The concordat removes money from this desperately poor country for the upkeep of the huge and empty basilica.

Prof. John M. Swomley, St. Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, Missouri: "A concordat is a pact between the Vatican and a nation-state whereby the Vatican gains certain political and financial benefits in return for support of a policy or arm of the national government. Such a concordat in a nation with numerous Catholics is also helpful in getting their allegiance or in curbing opposition to the government."

Wolfgang Huber: "[When drawing up concordats] the aims of the Church are always the same: money, influence on education and marriage laws. However, not everywhere can the maximal demands be achieved."

“Concordats”, Catholic Encyclopaedia, 1913:
"…It were to be desired that the Church should never need concordats, and should always find in civil rulers devoted children…."

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EU lawyers warn:
Concordats endanger human rights

 Concordats help enforce Canon Law, the Vatican version of Sharia

Under Canon Law wife beating is no ground for divorce -- in fact, nothing is. Therefore if you've been married in a Catholic Church, which means under Canon Law, you may find that a concordat has deprived you of your right to a civil divorce. The Polish concordat phrases it with great delicacy (1993, Article 10.2), callling for the state to put in place the enabling legislation which would enforce "concordat marriage". But the Dominican one (1954, Article 15.2) says explicitly that people married in a Catholic church, and there fore under Canon Law, may never file for a divorce.

Other concordat clauses enforce Canon Law on the employees of Church-run insitutions, even though these are funded by the state. For example, the concordat with Hitler (1933, Article 24) is used to this day to fire teachers in Catholic schools if they remarry after a civil divorce.

Through these intimidated Church employees, concordats can be used to enforce Canon Law on the general public. The Slovak "conscience concordat" would have prevented doctors in Church-run hospitals from performing abortions or nurses from giving out information about family planning, since it gave them the "right" to claim that this went against their religious conscience. And, of course, if they didn't exercise this "right" to impose Canon Law on others, they'd lose their jobs. In a rural area where the only hospital may be Church-run, this can effectively limit access to what are in Slovakia perfectly legal services.

At this point legal experts appointed by the European Union put their foot down. They stated firmly that denying access to such services, Canon Law or no Canon Law, was a violation of international Human Rights. Read more...

Latest news on concordats and secularism:

● The secret costs of papal visits
In Australia protests are mounting against the unknown bill for the papal trip planned for July.

● “Multi-faithism” is bad news for women
New study shows how treating minorities as "faith communities" can harm their most vulnerable members

● The Vatican's semi-official "L’Osservatore Romano" floats seven more "mortal sins"
Yet an Ivory Coast concordat abets two of them: piling up "excessive wealth" and "creating poverty". This concordat takes money from a land where most don't reach the age of 50.

● Nicolas Sarkozy threatens French secularism
French President tries to use fears of terrorism to breach wall between church and state, following agenda set out in his book four years ago, before his election

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What are Concordats? These church-state accords give the Church massive state subsidies and other privileges. They can effectively force liberal Catholics to observe orthodoxy, and can disadvantage non-Catholics, as well.	Hitler's concordat (1933) : Text and background This concordat with Nazi Germany was negotiated by Cardinal Pacelli, who in 1939 became Pius XII. In his ongoing canonisation process he has reached the venerable stage, and is now officially "heroic in virtue". Could this be a smokescreen of incense?	Côte d'Ivoire A concordat was made especially for “the basilica in the bush”. The church is modelled on the pope's cathedral, but was planned to top it. The concordat removes money from this desperately poor country for the upkeep of the huge and empty basilica.

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