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Pope John Paul II Apologizes for Suffering Inflicted by Roman Catholics in Balkans
Aired June 22, 2003 - 11:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Pope John Paul II is also asking for forgiveness from God. The pope is in Bosnia Herzegovina and apologized for the suffering he says was inflicted by Roman Catholics in the Balkan nation. Vatican correspondent John Allen is on the telephone with us now from Bosnia.
All right, John. What kind of reception is the pope getting? I understand it's not all warm and welcome.
JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: No, Fredricka, I think that's right. I think you'd have to say it is a lukewarm reception, indicating there is a long road ahead for the reconciliation and healing the pope came here to talk about.
The pope is in Bosnia celebrating mass in Banja Luka, which is in the Serbian dominated republic within Bosnia, on the site of a infamous World War II massacre, in which some 2700 Serbs, including about 500 children, were killed by Croatian fascists. The catholic convent there was later burned down during the most recent Balkan war as sort of payback for the original World War II massacre.
And it was in that context the pope asked for forgiveness. He invoked god's mercy on the sins against humanity, including those by the children of the Catholic Church. And yet, I think one would have to say that the reception here to that idea has been somewhat chilly. There are posters around town with the pope that the people in Serbo- Croat have scrawled pope go home across. And the climate, obviously, is still quite tense. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Wow. And very unusual. You don't often hear about any kind of pope go home kind of placards that are paraded around during his many visits internationally.
ALLEN: No, that's right. It's quite unusual, and I think that reflects the exceptionally bitter climate here that, of course, is a result of the recent history of the Balkan war where Croats and Serbs and Muslims were very viciously at one another's throats. On the other hand, it has to be said, the apartheid presidency of this country, that is, the Serb, a Croat, and a Muslim, have all pledged to work towards interethnic harmony. And actually used the phrase that we would like to build the future the future of our country on the basis of the word you have used today, in their private meeting with the pope.
So, signs of hope alongside signs of continuing tension for the region.
WHITFIELD: Well, John, let me ask you about the American Catholics. As the U.S. Bishops conference wrapped up yesterday, would Pope John Paul II be expecting any sort of kind of conclusion, you know, any kind of report coming from the U.S. Bishops conference now that it has ended?
ALLEN: Oh, I know that the events in the United States are being tracked very closely in the Vatican, and I'm sure there will be some type of report delivered to the relevant offices in the Vatican from the U.S. Bishops conference meeting in St. Louis.
The problem is, from a certain point of view, the situation is in some ways out of the control of the bishops conference and it's in the hands of the courts. I mean, there are pieces of litigation all over the country, in California, still in Boston, in other places, that are in process. So, from a certain point of view, regardless of what the bishops accomplish this afternoon, it's far from over.
WHITFIELD: John Allen, CNN's Vatican correspondent, thanks very much for joining us on the telephone from Bosnia.
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Roman Catholics in Balkans>
Aired June 22, 2003 - 11:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Pope John Paul II is also asking for forgiveness from God. The pope is in Bosnia Herzegovina and apologized for the suffering he says was inflicted by Roman Catholics in the Balkan nation. Vatican correspondent John Allen is on the telephone with us now from Bosnia.
All right, John. What kind of reception is the pope getting? I understand it's not all warm and welcome.
JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: No, Fredricka, I think that's right. I think you'd have to say it is a lukewarm reception, indicating there is a long road ahead for the reconciliation and healing the pope came here to talk about.
The pope is in Bosnia celebrating mass in Banja Luka, which is in the Serbian dominated republic within Bosnia, on the site of a infamous World War II massacre, in which some 2700 Serbs, including about 500 children, were killed by Croatian fascists. The catholic convent there was later burned down during the most recent Balkan war as sort of payback for the original World War II massacre.
And it was in that context the pope asked for forgiveness. He invoked god's mercy on the sins against humanity, including those by the children of the Catholic Church. And yet, I think one would have to say that the reception here to that idea has been somewhat chilly. There are posters around town with the pope that the people in Serbo- Croat have scrawled pope go home across. And the climate, obviously, is still quite tense. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Wow. And very unusual. You don't often hear about any kind of pope go home kind of placards that are paraded around during his many visits internationally.
ALLEN: No, that's right. It's quite unusual, and I think that reflects the exceptionally bitter climate here that, of course, is a result of the recent history of the Balkan war where Croats and Serbs and Muslims were very viciously at one another's throats. On the other hand, it has to be said, the apartheid presidency of this country, that is, the Serb, a Croat, and a Muslim, have all pledged to work towards interethnic harmony. And actually used the phrase that we would like to build the future the future of our country on the basis of the word you have used today, in their private meeting with the pope.
So, signs of hope alongside signs of continuing tension for the region.
WHITFIELD: Well, John, let me ask you about the American Catholics. As the U.S. Bishops conference wrapped up yesterday, would Pope John Paul II be expecting any sort of kind of conclusion, you know, any kind of report coming from the U.S. Bishops conference now that it has ended?
ALLEN: Oh, I know that the events in the United States are being tracked very closely in the Vatican, and I'm sure there will be some type of report delivered to the relevant offices in the Vatican from the U.S. Bishops conference meeting in St. Louis.
The problem is, from a certain point of view, the situation is in some ways out of the control of the bishops conference and it's in the hands of the courts. I mean, there are pieces of litigation all over the country, in California, still in Boston, in other places, that are in process. So, from a certain point of view, regardless of what the bishops accomplish this afternoon, it's far from over.
WHITFIELD: John Allen, CNN's Vatican correspondent, thanks very much for joining us on the telephone from Bosnia.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Roman Catholics in Balkans>
