Pope's visit is bringing catholics out of the catacombs

Bucharest's Archbishop Says Catholics Have Tripled

BUCHAREST, MAY 7 (ZENIT).- Archbishop Ioan Robu of Bucharest lived through some difficult moments in connection with the Pope's visit to Rumania. The trip hinged on a very sensitive dialogue with the Orthodox Church. Eventually, all was resolved and, for the first time in history, a Pope visits a country with an Orthodox majority.

Archbishop Robu did not hide his joy. "Every day that goes by, we take one step forward in the life of our sister Churches. The Pope's visit is a step forward in history; it is the first time he comes to our country to visit these two sister Churches."

A Step Toward Normality

Above all, Archbishop Robu considers the trip to be an entry into harmony with Catholicity, after so many years behind the iron curtain.

"We have waited for the Pope in order to experience the joy other Catholic communities of the world have experienced where he has been a guest. With this visit, we also want to enter into normality."

Although the visit has other dimensions, Archbishop Robu wished to stress the contact of Rumanian faithful with their pastor. "There is, of course, the ecumenical dimension and even, perhaps, the political, as I read in so many commentaries, but I wish to emphasize that, for us, it is primarily of pastoral value."

The Pope's mission "is to confirm his own in the faith, and this is true for all who enter into contact with him. That the Orthodox Church is willing to open to the possibility gives us great hope for the future."

Ecumenical Dialogue

One result of the visit could be to overcome the tensions between the faithful of the two Christian confessions. "After the Holy Father has shown himself so open toward the Orthodox, giving an example to all, I believe the Catholic community will also be more open to the Orthodox Church. I hope this will happen, as well, in the hierarchy and the Orthodox clergy, because their faithful are already open to us."

The Catholic Church is in a minority in Rumania. One of the results of the papal visit might be to make it more visible. Archbishop Robu agrees with this possibility.

"Yes, it will awaken interest in this minority in the country. We are already present, but it is good that the other confessions acknowledge us as being present no less than the rest, even if at times they want us to appear as a 'foreign Church.' We are Christians and Rumanians," he added.

Catacombs Church

The Rumanian Catholic Church is in the midst of reconstruction, after coming out "from the catacombs" ten years ago. In the past "it could not organize itself in the social realm, although in the parishes there were small groups dedicated to charity. This commitment has grown. We must face all the types of poverty that have come to the fore since 1989. We work in two areas: the formation of children and of youth; we try to insure the material basis for a normal pastoral."

"I am thinking of the new churches under construction, the schools and the assistance centers. I must thank the German and Italian Episcopal Conferences for their help every year. This help has given the Rumanian Catholic family all that it was lacking. Now it has the possibility of expressing itself not just at home and in the churches, but as Catholic faithful in the workplace, the school, in politics and in society," Archbishop Robu continued.

One of the thorny problems in the ecumenical dialogue is the restitution of churches and buildings which were expropriated by the communist regime and given to the Orthodox Church.

Can an agreement be reached on the restitution of symbolic places like the cathedrals of Baia Mare and Oradea? "Although the dialogue is difficult for both sides, I am confident. I think that in the area of places of worship steps will be taken forward."

One of the arguments the Orthodox put forward for retaining some of the churches is that there are very few Catholics. The Archbishop of Bucharest disagrees.

"The 1992 census must be redone. It was arranged in a hurry and people were not prepared. There was much confusion and some were afraid to call themselves Catholics because they had not forgotten the past. Our Church has grown since 1992, and I believe the number of faithful has tripled, but this is the least important. What is important is that this Church begins to live with hope, joy and serenity in its daily life. My wish is that the time will come when our Church will be able to fulfill its own mission in the country as the others do. The Pope has come to give us the courage we need."