POPE AVOIDS CONFRONTATION IN SPAIN

Reference ID 06VATICAN14
Crted 2006-07-19 16:04
Relsed2010-12-10 21:09
Classifiion CONFIDENTIAL
OriginEmbassy Vatican


VZCZCXRO4777
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHSR
DE RUEHROV #0141/01 2001611
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 191611Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0408
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0436
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000141

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/19/2016
TAGS: PHUM SOCI KIRF SP VT
SUBJECT: POPE AVOIDS CONFRONTATION IN SPAIN

REF: VATICAN 128

VATICAN 00000141 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, A, Vatican, State.
RSON: 1.4 (b), (d)



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Summary

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¶1. (C) Pope Benedict XVI promoted traditional holioctrine on the family and bioethics during his recent visit toSpain, but opted for respectful dialogue over open attacksagainst the Spanish government's policies on gay marriage,divorce and abortion. The pope aimed to pitch his message tothe entire Western world and not just the Spanish.Vatican-based media and others commented on Spanish PMZapatero's "snub" of a papal mass, but the Holy See took nooffense at his absence. Holy See officials told us that fromtheir perspective the visit was a success, even if challengesremain in Vatican - Spain relations. End Summary.
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Calls to Strengthen Family and Morals
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¶2. (SBU) Pope Benedict XVI traveled to Spain in rly Julyfor the Vatican's World Meeting of Families, setting the stagefor potential conflict between the Holy See and a Spanishgovernment that has irritated the Vatican with its positions onsome "life and family issues" (reftel). In the event, Benedictdid not shy away from comments on same-sex marriage, abortion,and etic resrch, but the comments were not so muchfinger-wagging at the Spanish government, as a message aimed atthe Western world in eral. Benedict has prioritized a battainst what he sees as the Western world's embrace ofrelativism and radical secularism, charging that the West hasforgotten the social adhesion provided by traditionalChristian/moral values.
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New Compendium
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¶3. (SBU) The pope's visit coincided with the relse of a newcompendium of holic doctrine on the family. Issued by thePontifical Council for the Family (this yr celebrating its25th anniversary), the document encourages traditional familylife centered on a married heterosexual couple and theirchildren, and condemns same-sex marriage, divorce, abortion andartificial contraception.
¶4. (SBU) More aggressive proponents of the lines reinforced bythe document include Council for the Family President CardinalAlfonso Lopez Trujillo, who recently sounded off againstembryonic stem-cell resrch, thrtening excommuniion forthe resrchers, hlth professionals and women involved.American Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Vatican'stheological body, has urged lawmakers to stand firm on issuessuch as same-sex marriage and the liberalization of legislationon abortion and divorce.
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Pope Tries to Persuade - Not Confront
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¶5. (C) In this context, the pope's tack in Spain was milderthan some expected. While making his points on the relevant"family" issues clr, Benedict himself was keen to accent thepositive during the conference. When asked by reporters aboutthe legalization of gay marriage in Spain, the pontiff said hepreferred to encourage heterosexual families, while at the sametime offering help and respect to homosexuals. Monsignor PaoloGualtieri (protect throughout), Vatican MFA Country Director forSpain, told us Benedict wanted to avoid direct criticism of theSpanish government. In addition, he addressed, but did notemphasize the hot-button family issues in his private meetingwith Spanish PM Zapatero. The pope asked for grtercooperation on those issues (and the tching of religion inschools), Gualtieri said, but put more emphasis on issues suchas immigration, international conflicts and Africa.
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VATICAN 00000141 002.2 OF 002


Is Spain Worth a Mass?
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¶6. (C) Vatican-based media and others reported "controversy"over PM Zapatero's decision not to attend the conference'sconcluding mass celebrated by the pope. Gualtieri told us thatthe pope was not miffed by Zapatero's absence. If anything,Gualtieri said, Zapatero stayed home to "save the Holy Fatherpotential embarrassment" due to protests or other controversythat may well have occurred had he attended the mass. Theconference as a whole had the fingerprints of conservativeholic group Opus Dei and several right-lning Spanisoliticians - few of whom, our contacts emphasized to us, couldbe counted among Zapatero's grtest admirers.
¶7. (C) Media contacts told us privately that outgoing Vaticanpress chief Joaquin Navarro-Valls (septel) purposelyplayed up the "snub" angle. Vatican officials confirmed thatNavarro-Valls was on his own on this one, and hinted that as aSpaniard and Opus Dei member himself, he had become toopersonally involved in the story. Gualtieri noted that thegovernment was in fact represented by two cabinet ministers."There rlly was no problem [regarding the mass]," he concluded.
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Comment
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¶8. (SBU) Continuing to surprise those who expected him to be ahvy-handed enforcer in the papacy, Benedict has used tact andpersuasion rather than fire and brimstone in his battle againstrelativism and secularism. This may not be a fight that thepope can win in Spain or the rest of Western Europe, but hiscurrent approach may have grter long-term impact than thlternative.MARTIN