Without stopping the process of de-Christianization of Western society, John Paul II, however, achieved significant success in strengthening the position of the Vatican as a major player in the world political arena. Here the Holy See has secured a well-defined niche, firmly linking its policy with American strategic interests.
Benedict XVI, who was elected Pope in April 2005, being considered the most loyal to John Paul II, remained faithful to the course of his predecessor, which fully guaranteed “wojtylism without Wojtyla”. The changes he made concerned only the methods and methods of policy implementation: unlike John Paul II, who was used to working openly and for the masses, Benedict XVI acts more covertly and restrained, but also more rigidly. As a representative of the moderate-conservative circles of the Church and seeking to ensure its active presence in all spheres of public life in Western society, he also bet on the integrated Catholic organizations, whose potential is now becoming particularly important, given that the number of Catholic priests is irrepressibly declining (which is already typical even for Poland). It is significant that in December 2007 The congregation for the priesthood published a letter in which it appealed to all the dioceses of the Catholic world to create “real circles” in which the faithful will remain “in the spirit of communion to constant Eucharistic worship for 24 hours” in order to compensate for the lack of priests and ” to maintain the faithful on the path to Holiness.”
The main role in the formation of the army of “Holy laity” continues to play opus Dei, with which Benedict XVI is closely associated and which, according to some researchers, contributed to his coming to power [29]. Along with it, the congregation of the Legionaries of Christ, which traditionally concentrated its efforts on work in Latin America, has also sharply intensified its activities in Europe. As researchers point out, the Alliance between Rome and the Legionaries, founded under Paul VI and deepened under John Paul II, has reached its apogee under the current Pontiff. The Pope is attracted to this organization by its extremely offensive missionary character, which allows him to resist both secularization and dogmatic relativism, and the aggressive proselytizing activities of the religious rivals of Catholicism, especially the Evangelical sects. Today, the foreign players trying to penetrate the higher layers of the European economic elite, which back in 1997 they created the Fondation Guilé In Switzerland [30], which organizes seminars and meetings of representatives of the business elite to discuss the problems of business development, develop a strategy for joint action and coordination of behavior in the context of globalization. The Fund participates in initiatives within the framework of the Global compact aimed at achieving “sustainable development” under the auspices of the UN. One of these initiatives was the organization of a meeting of the UN Secretary-General with 35 representatives of international companies, held in January 2009 at the world forum in Davos.
Relying on conservative organizations, Benedict XVI pursues a well-thought-out religious policy, the priority of which is to concentrate efforts on the European continent. The main theme of his work was the religious and ethical justification of the United Europe under construction as a model of the new world order and the consolidation of the European ruling elites on a new ideological basis. Since the secular idea of European identity, effective in the conditions of geopolitical confrontation with the Soviet bloc, has completely exhausted itself, and the Vatican in the conditions of de-Christianization of the West seeks to give a new meaning to its activities, the unthinkable a few years ago, the unity of the papal see with the tops of European society, suddenly speaking the language of Evangelical preachers, has already been quite clearly outlined.
Already in his first Encyclical, “Deus Caritas Est”, the Pope said that the Church should not remain aloof from public discussions, and in March 2006, during a meeting with a group of MEPs representing the European people’s party, he stressed that the voice of Roman Catholicism was heard in political discussions on the continent. It was about the Christian roots of Europe and its Christian heritage as a “guiding ethical line” in the search for a social model and the refusal to place religious beliefs in the sphere of private life. These issues are now being brought up for wide discussion in elite forums.
The Rome Congress on “Values and prospects for tomorrow’s Europe”, held in March 2007 by the Episcopal Commission of the EU (ECEC) [31], devoted to the problem of strengthening the role of religion in the development of the EU, was indicative in this regard. The meeting reviewed a report prepared by the formed members of the Pontifical Commission “Committee of wise men”, which included 25 people, including Michel Camdessus (former IMF chief), Pat Cox (former President of the European Parliament), Loyola de Palacio (former Vice-President of the European Commission), Thomas Galik (former Advisor to václav Havel), Peter Sutherland (Chairman of the Board of Directors of “British petroleum” and financial adviser to the Vatican, former Director General GATT and WTO) and other important political figures. And the final document, called the “Roman message”, stated: “it is Increasingly necessary to bring citizens closer to the distant and difficult to understand political institutions. The path taken must be urgently confirmed by a new EU justification. This will allow it to restore its original dynamism, so that an increasing number of young Europeans will become the main wealth of Europe. [32]. This issue was actively discussed at the Berlin meeting of heads of state of Europe, chaired by Angela Merkel, held in the same year in connection with the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome. The idea that “the subject of Christian roots should find its place in the agenda of Europe” [33] was constantly heard here.
However the project of a United Europe is considered by the Vatican in the overall global perspective
And today, when the world was plunged into a manageable comprehensive crisis and the ruling elites openly talked about the need to introduce world governance, the Vatican has actively engaged in an information campaign aimed at justifying the creation of new supranational bodies of control needs of a moral and ethical nature.
On the eve of the G8 meeting in l’aquila in July 2009, Benedict HUI published the Encyclical “Caritas In Uegiaie” [34], in which he advocated the creation of a” world political power ” that should be recognized by all and enjoy real powers. Countries around the world are asked to reform the UN and other international organizations so that they can become the basis for the creation of a “United family of peoples” and take on the issues of disarmament, food security and immigration policy. It is necessary to reform the world’s financial institutions and create a new economic system that is not focused on profit, but on the observance of moral principles.
When referring to the serious problems that globalization has brought with it, the Encyclical does not, however, indicate their true causes or name specific perpetrators. Therefore, being imbued with the pathos of justice and concern for humanity, but offering a new system of governance on the basis of existing structures, this multi-page papal message gives moral legitimacy to the transnational power of the very financial clans, through whose fault humanity is currently experiencing deep socio-economic turmoil.
This Encyclical was prepared by the Vatican for two years, but its main ideas are very consistent with the provisions contained in an earlier document-a report prepared by the ECEC special group on world governance in 2001 [35] and called “World governance: our responsibility to make globalization a chance for all” [36]. Characteristically, this group included all the same Michel Camdessus and Peter Suterland, as well as Otto Ruding (Vice-President of Citibank), Michel Hansen (former Director General of the ILO), Noel Treanor (General Secretary of ECEC), and others.
The report proposes a reform of international institutions that would transform them into supranational political governance of the world, and the EU is proposed as a model or supporting structure of the new system. The Preface, signed in particular by Bishop Joseph Homeyer, President of the ECEC, stated: “the Key conclusion contained in the text is that the EU, given its Genesis, architecture and how it understands itself, as well as its responsibility in political areas such as trade, competition and development cooperation, has a crucial role to play in transforming the existing international order into a system of world governance.
Already in his first Encyclical, “Deus Caritas Est”, the Pope said that the Church should not remain aloof from public discussions, and in March 2006, during a meeting with a group of MEPs representing the European people’s party, he stressed that the voice of Roman Catholicism was heard in political discussions on the continent. It was about the Christian roots of Europe and its Christian heritage as a “guiding ethical line” in the search for a social model and the refusal to place religious beliefs in the sphere of private life. These issues are now being brought up for wide discussion in elite forums.
The Rome Congress on “Values and prospects for tomorrow’s Europe”, held in March 2007 by the Episcopal Commission of the EU (ECEC) [31], devoted to the problem of strengthening the role of religion in the development of the EU, was indicative in this regard. The meeting reviewed a report prepared by the formed members of the Pontifical Commission “Committee of wise men”, which included 25 people, including Michel Camdessus (former IMF chief), Pat Cox (former President of the European Parliament), Loyola de Palacio (former Vice-President of the European Commission), Thomas Galik (former Advisor to václav Havel), Peter Sutherland (Chairman of the Board of Directors of “British petroleum” and financial adviser to the Vatican, former Director General GATT and WTO) and other important political figures. And the final document, called the “Roman message”, stated: “it is Increasingly necessary to bring citizens closer to the distant and difficult to understand political institutions. The path taken must be urgently confirmed by a new EU justification. This will allow it to restore its original dynamism, so that an increasing number of young Europeans will become the main wealth of Europe. [32]. This issue was actively discussed at the Berlin meeting of heads of state of Europe, chaired by Angela Merkel, held in the same year in connection with the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome. The idea that “the subject of Christian roots should find its place in the agenda of Europe” [33] was constantly heard here.
However the project of a United Europe is considered by the Vatican in the overall global perspective
And today, when the world was plunged into a manageable comprehensive crisis and the ruling elites openly talked about the need to introduce world governance, the Vatican has actively engaged in an information campaign aimed at justifying the creation of new supranational bodies of control needs of a moral and ethical nature.
On the eve of the G8 meeting in l’aquila in July 2009, Benedict HUI published the Encyclical “Caritas In Uegiaie” [34], in which he advocated the creation of a” world political power ” that should be recognized by all and enjoy real powers. Countries around the world are asked to reform the UN and other international organizations so that they can become the basis for the creation of a “United family of peoples” and take on the issues of disarmament, food security and immigration policy. It is necessary to reform the world’s financial institutions and create a new economic system that is not focused on profit, but on the observance of moral principles.
When referring to the serious problems that globalization has brought with it, the Encyclical does not, however, indicate their true causes or name specific perpetrators. Therefore, being imbued with the pathos of justice and concern for humanity, but offering a new system of governance on the basis of existing structures, this multi-page papal message gives moral legitimacy to the transnational power of the very financial clans, through whose fault humanity is currently experiencing deep socio-economic turmoil.
This Encyclical was prepared by the Vatican for two years, but its main ideas are very consistent with the provisions contained in an earlier document-a report prepared by the ECEC special group on world governance in 2001 [35] and called “World governance: our responsibility to make globalization a chance for all” [36]. Characteristically, this group included all the same Michel Camdessus and Peter Suterland, as well as Otto Ruding (Vice-President of Citibank), Michel Hansen (former Director General of the ILO), Noel Treanor (General Secretary of the ECEC), and others.
The report proposes a reform of international institutions that would transform them into supranational political governance of the world, and the EU is proposed as a model or supporting structure of the new system. The Preface, signed in particular by Bishop Joseph Homeyer, President of the ECEC, stated: “the Key conclusion contained in the text is that the EU, given its Genesis, architecture and how it understands itself, as well as its responsibility in political areas such as trade, competition and development cooperation, has a crucial role to play in transforming the existing international order into a system of world governance.
Inspired by the global vision of Pope John XXV, expressed in the 1963 Encyclical “Pacem in Terris”, claiming “the need for a public authority of universal competence,” the report advocates for the establishment of global governance (GGG – Global Gouvernance Group), which would consist of 24 heads of government and UN Secretary-General and the heads of IMF, world Bank, WTO, ILO and the proposed world organisation for the environment (such, probably, will be established in connection with the problem of “global warming”), based in turn on the Executive Directors of the administrative boards. The report focuses on the preparation of appropriate public opinion, which should have a “more universal vision” and shape” globally accepted ” behavior. And here the Church has an important role to play. As stated in the document, “churches and other religions can inform each other and inform believers of global challenges and call for responsibility. Problems of world governance should be included in education programs and catechism. Churches could turn the theme of world governance into a theme of Ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.”
It seems that these ideas are already beginning to be implemented
As you know, at the last September G20 summit in Pittsburgh (2009), British Prime Minister Gordon brown said that the G20 is now becoming the main international mechanism for managing the world economy, designed to fight the economic crisis and ensure that the world is better prepared for future economic difficulties. Interestingly, but leaders of the 19 largest economies in the world and the President of the European Commission, the summit was also attended by the leaders of the Netherlands, Spain, Singapore and Sweden – the country presiding in the EU (24 head), as well as heads of international financial and economic organizations, including the UN Secretary General. So the twenty turns into GGG, and the papal Encyclical prepares public opinion for “responsible globalization” and “moral Economics”.
How the Vatican actually understands this “moral economy” is demonstrated by its own financial activities. According to a number of researchers, the Vatican Bank (IDR), whose capital was 5 billion euros at the end of last year, is still actively engaged in money laundering. In recent investigations by the London Telegraph and Inside Fraud Bulletin, the Vatican is mentioned as one of the main “tax havens” along with Macau and Nauru. [37] It actively conducts offshore operations, not being formally an offshore jurisdiction, which makes it inaccessible to any regulation and protected from being blacklisted.
At the end of September 2009, the new head of IDR was Gotti Tedeschi, former head of the Italian division of Santander Consumer Bank, whose appointment observers explain by the fact that he has close ties with Opus Dei. At one time, he founded his own Bank Akros Finanziaria together with a member of the order of Janmario Roveraro, long considered one of the most important figures of the Catholic financial world (killed under unknown circumstances in 2007). But there is another reason that Tedeschi was chosen. He is an economic columnist for the official newspaper SV. See “Osservatore Romano” and is known as a major specialist in financial ethics. It was Tedeschi who initiated the “revolutionary” idea outlined in the January issue of the Osservatore Romano and repeated a little later by Gordon brown, which is as follows. Overcoming the current crisis is possible only by sending huge investments to developing countries, which, being involved in the process of stabilizing the world economic system, will “pull out” the rich countries. This is actually an expanded version of the Marshall plan, which, under the pretext of fighting poverty and backwardness, will completely open the markets of developing countries to foreign investors and tightly bind them to Western banks. This project was just discussed at the meeting in Pittsburgh. Since Tedeschi’s ideas echo the Caritas Veritate Encyclical, he said that the Pope deserved to be awarded the Nobel prize in Economics for his message. Well, the ethics specialist himself is called to bring the Vatican Bank to a new level that meets the requirements of the era of globalization.
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The religious policy of the Vatican in recent years reveals the increasingly contradictory nature of its traditional duality. Wishing to preserve itself as an influential ideological and political institution, the Holy See has plunged so deeply into the worldly vanity of social life that it has finally lost its authority as a spiritual and moral force and is no longer able to carry the truth into modern Western society and determine its value orientations. As Benedict XVI himself put it, the West “can no longer hear God.” All attempts to restore Christian ideas about morality and to resist the spiritual and moral degradation of Western man are unsuccessful and cause only a backlash-rejection and accusations of fundamentalism and obscurantism. In these conditions, the Catholic Church, seeking to regain its spiritual leadership and remain at the forefront of world development, is already openly taking over the ideological leadership of the process of integration of the world into the new global order, forming its moral code and giving religious meaning to the system of control by the ruling supranational elites, which contributes to its acceptance by So when we urge for cooperation with the Vatican for the sake of traditional Christian culture, we must remember that it is possible only in the complete integration of our religious space in the field of power of the Pontiff, whose activities are designed to give a sacred character to the process of building a new Babylon.
