RUSSIA AND UKRAINE
“Responsibility for what the young generations learn about Christ and Christianity from films, books and music depends entirely on us”, and today “the lack of knowledge and a degraded system of values are at the roots of the contemporary situation”, declared Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, in an appeal to priests, men and women religious and laypeople of the archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow. The archbishop’s remarks were prompted by the imminent concert in the Russian capital of the pop singer Madonna, scheduled for 12 September. In his statement the archbishop recalled some events over the last five years that have had the objective of undermining the religious sense of the population, calling them “serious challenges for all Christians”; the last of these, said Kondrusiewicz, is the approaching concert of the American singer. It is not enough, he underlined, that the venue of the event has been changed. “Some parts of the programme that could offend Christian believers should be prohibited”, he declared, recalling Madonna’s concert in Rome last month, following which the archbishop emeritus of Ravenna, Cardinal Ersilio Tonini, had accused the American singer of blasphemy. “In response to these provocations – stressed the primate of the Russian Catholic Church – apart from a first and natural reaction of protest”, what is needed is a “profound reflection” before one’s own conscience. “Not letting oneself be involved, and refusing to participate in such events, is at the basis of a devout Christian conduct. And sometimes this is the best decision”, but, he continued, “today it is “no longer enough to pray in silence”. Since “the responsibility for what the young generations learn of Christ and Christianity from films, books and music depends entirely on us”, the archbishop of Moscow advises “Catholics intending to participate in the concert” to “read the documents of the Church and speak with a priest”. “The fans of Madonna are anxious to learn and spiritually to grow – he declared – but, unfortunately, the image they choose to follow is that of Madonna”. There is an urgent need, he concluded, for a “wide-ranging and responsible apostolic mission of lay Christians throughout the world and for their witness”, without which “it is impossible to adequately respond to this challenge”.
