What kind of book introduction
mentions nothing of the book
nor the author at all?
As posted yesterday, the Patriarchate of Moscow has published a book entitled 'Europa, patria spirituale' in a bilingual Italian-Russian edition, which puts together four speeches of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI on the subject of Europe in the past decade.
The introduction to the book is by Archbishop Hilarion, head of the Department for External Ecclesiastical Relations of the Patriarchate, which initiated the project in cooperation with the Associazione Internazionale Sofia [Wisdom].
I have definitely curbed all my enthusiasm about this book project [the project, not the book], now that I have read Archbishop Hilarion's lengthy 'Introduction', published in full by L'Osservatore Romano, in today's issue (12/2/09).
Hilarion does not make one single reference at all to the contents of the book nor even to Cardinal Ratzinger or Benedict XVI. I don't think I'm just being touchy to say this is an unheard of
discourtesy - and it is so glaring it must be deliberate! But why? And by a high-ranking, well-educated, highly cultured prelate?
The introduction is certainly interesting and informative about the Russian Orthodox Church and its vision for Europe, not to mention an opportunity to point with pride to a document "The Foundations of the Social Doctrine of the Russian Orthodox Church", a discussion that takes up half of the Introduction.
But there was not even an attempt to link any of the positions articulated in the Introduction to those of the Pope. I cannot but conclude that in publishing this book,
the Russians meant to ride piggyback on Cardinal Ratzinger/Benedict XVI's prestige to publicize their point of view about Europe in a way they would not get on their own.
Of course, anyone who buys the book will certainly not limit himself to just reading the Introduction and get to the Pope's speeches. Still, I find the circumstances of this 'Introduction' don't make sense at all! What would it have cost Hilarion to add a single line that ties in all that Hilarion says to what Benedict XVI has been advocating to Europe and and for Europe?
Here is the Editor's Note that preceding Hilarion's Introduction in OR:
]"The role of the Church in the cultural integration of Europe" is the subject of the roundtable Tuesday evening in Rome at the Ministry for Economic Development, at the presentation of the book 'Europa patria culturale' by Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI.
The event takes place within this year's Italian session of the Forum for Dialog of the Italo-Russian civic societies.
The book is a collection of three discourses by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and one by Benedict XVI on the subject of Europe, published in a bilingual Italian-Russian edition by the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow(231 pp).
Since the Introduction says not a word about Benedict XVI, I will be posting the translation (I'm only two-thirds through, and I'd rather translate the Pope's catechesis now) in the CHURCH&VATICAN thread.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 02/12/2009 13:03]