|

Hundreds of organizations and thousands of people
worldwide have initiated a campaign to change the status of the Roman
Catholic church at the United Nations. Concerned that the church has
flown in under UN radar by calling itself the Holy See, we have called
on the Secretary-General to review the church's current status as
a Non-member State Permanent Observer. We believe that the Holy See,
the government of the Roman Catholic church, should participate in
the UN in the same way as the world's other religions do—as a non-governmental
organization. |
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
AT THE UNITED NATIONS:
CHURCH OR STATE?
|
WHAT STATUS DOES THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAVE AT THE UN? |
 |
The Holy See is a Non-member State Permanent Observer
at the United Nations. This rarely-used designation gives it some
of the privileges of a state, such as being able to speak and vote
at UN conferences. No other religion is granted this elevated status.
Other religions participate in the UN like most other non-state entities--as
nongovernmental organizations. Because UN conferences operate on consensus,
the ability to disagree with the majority consensus has significant
power. The Holy See was not invited to participate in the UN. The
Holy See initiated requests to be recognized as a state in international
bodies. No vote was ever taken on the Holy See's presence at the UN
by the General Assembly. |
|
IS THE
HOLY SEE A COUNTRY? |
 |
The question of the Vatican's statehood has been debated
without definitive conclusion in diplomatic circles for most of the
century. However, it is not the Vatican that is a member of the UN,
but the Holy See. The Holy See is by definition a "non-territorial
religious entity." It is not a state--it is the government of the
Roman Catholic church. The Holy See also clearly does not meet the
established international legal criteria for statehood, which include
a defined territory and permanent citizenry. The Holy See has no defined
territory, it is a government, not a territorial entity. As such,
it also does not have a citizenry. |
|
WHY IS IT TIME FOR A "SEE CHANGE"? |
 |
While the Holy See has the right to a voice at the
United Nations, that voice should only be as loud as those of the
world's other religions. NGO status would allow the Holy See to continue
to advocate for its positions, but without the benefit of a special
platform for its views. Seeking NGO status for the Holy See is not
anti-Catholic--indeed, it would protect the rights of all religions
at the UN and the right of the institutional Catholic church to be
heard and appreciated as a religious body, not as a quasi-governmental
entity. |
|
 |
|

©1999-2008 by Catholics for Choice. All rights reserved.
Catholics for Choice
1436 U Street NW, Suite 301
Washington, DC 20009-3997, USA
phone: +1 (202) 986-6093 | Fax: +1 (202) 332-7995
Jon O'Brien, President
|
|