Catholic World News News Feature

Cardinal Ratzinger Tells Bishop Ruiz Not To Use Marxist Interpretations May 17, 1996

MEXICO CITY (CWN) - Cardinal Josef Ratzinger, president of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, last week asked Bishop Samuel Ruiz of Chiapas, Mexico to preach the complete Gospel "in its integrity, without any Marxist interpretations."

The content of the conversation between the two was revealed by the Mexican newspaper "La Jornada", which quoted the Secretary of the Congregation, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone.

According to "La Jornada", during the second meeting of presidents of the doctrine commissions of the Latin American Episcopal Conferences which was held in Guadalajara, Mexico until last Saturday, Cardinal Ratzinger also recommended to Bishop Ruiz, known for his close defense of the Marxist theology of liberation, to preach Christianity "without resorting to any other things alien to it."

Bishop Ruiz is ordinary of the diocese of San Cristobal de las Casas located in the Southern state of Chiapas where, on January 1, 1994, the Zapatista guerrillas started an armed conflict with the Mexican government. Some time before, Bishop Ruiz -- accused by his critics of being linked with the guerrillas -- was charged by the Vatican of having "doctrinal and pastoral errors" and also "a Marxist misinterpretation of the Gospel."

According to "La Jornada", Cardinal Ratzinger believes that Bishop Ruiz' case "must be treated within the Mexican Bishops' Conference which in dialogue with the Vatican must look for an adequate response in order to save the integrity of the faith and fraternal charity."