Papal document relating to Native American conversions

  • Thread starter Thread starter narnia59
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
N

narnia59

Guest
I have run across a papal document in the past that dealt specifically with missionaries dealing with trying to convert the Native Americans that states how these conversions must not be ‘forced’. Anyone know what I’m talking about? I can’t easily seem to locate it now that I need it.

Thanks!
 
Just did find it, Sublimus Dei, issued by Pope Paul III in 1537.

The enemy of the human race, who opposes all good deeds in order to bring men to destruction, beholding and envying this, invented a means never before heard of, by which he might hinder the preaching of God’s word of Salvation to the people: he inspired his satellites who, to please him, have not hesitated to publish abroad that the Indians of the West and the South, and other people of whom We have recent knowledge should be treated as dumb brutes created for our service, pretending that they are incapable of receiving the Catholic Faith. We, who, though unworthy, exercise on earth the power of our Lord and seek with all our might to bring those sheep of His flock who are outside into the fold committed to our charge, consider, however, that the Indians are truly men and that they are not only capable of understanding the Catholic Faith but, according to our information, they desire exceedingly to receive it. Desiring to provide ample remedy for these evils, We define and declare by these Our letters, or by any translation thereof signed by any notary public and sealed with the seal of any ecclesiastical dignitary, to which the same credit shall be given as to the originals, that, notwithstanding whatever may have been or may be said to the contrary, the said Indians and all other people who may later be discovered by Christians, are by no means to be deprived of their liberty or the possession of their property, even though they be outside the faith of Jesus Christ; and that they may and should, freely and legitimately, enjoy their liberty and the possession of their property; nor should they be in any way enslaved; should the contrary happen, it shall be null and have no effect.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sublimus_Dei
 
There is an outstanding book covering Papal documents on the rights of Indigneous People. It is called “That the World May Believe,” by Michale Storge, SJ. It is published by the Society of St. Paul in Canada (Editiones Pauline). As far as I know, it is only available through the Anishinabe Spiritual Centre in Espanola, Ontario. (Note spelling of Centre in this case).

You can search the internet for that Centre, or go to my forum profile and click to contacts. My web site is posted there and that has links (Research and Resources) to the Anishinabe Spiritual Centre and thus the book.

The book includes documents written since about 1430 and through the pontificate of John Paul II. I definitly recognize your inquiry and it is loctaed in that book along with other documents commenting on related issues about freedoms, rights and not to force conversions. Its Storge’s doctorate thesis, but I found it quite easy to read.
 
Bro_Joshua said:
There is an outstanding book covering Papal documents on the rights of Indigneous People. It is called “That the World May Believe,” by Michale Storge, SJ. It is published by the Society of St. Paul in Canada (Editiones Pauline). As far as I know, it is only available through the Anishinabe Spiritual Centre in Espanola, Ontario. (Note spelling of Centre in this case).

You can search the internet for that Centre, or go to my forum profile and click to contacts. My web site is posted there and that has links (Research and Resources) to the Anishinabe Spiritual Centre and thus the book.

The book includes documents written since about 1430 and through the pontificate of John Paul II. I definitly recognize your inquiry and it is loctaed in that book along with other documents commenting on related issues about freedoms, rights and not to force conversions. Its Storge’s doctorate thesis, but I found it quite easy to read.
Click to expand...
Wow, thanks. I will definitely try to get that ordered.

By ‘recognizing my inquiry’ I’m assuming you’ve run up against the charge before about the missionaries treating the Native Americans with brutality and forcing conversions. What is the summary of the thesis related to that?
 
narnia59 said:
Wow, thanks. I will definitely try to get that ordered.

By ‘recognizing my inquiry’ I’m assuming you’ve run up against the charge before about the missionaries treating the Native Americans with brutality and forcing conversions. What is the summary of the thesis related to that?
Click to expand...
The purpose of many of the documents was stimulated because many Bishops and missionaries actually did treat Native Americans with brutality and forced conversions (or in other situations refuse to convert them becasue NDNs were considered beasts suitable as slaves). The Popes long recognized the brutality went on and tried to do something about it. As far as I have found - none of the Popes denied the wrong doings of Bishops and missionaries. Several of the popes had difficulty knowing how to handle it, but they admitted this was a problem with in the Church. I therefore am quite sad that there are those in the Americas who contradict the Popes and would say the Church was not involved in these things for better and for worse. The evil has not been denied by Rome.

Catholic leaders argued among themselves on these issues back then. It is not all soft and cuddly conversions. Bartolomeo de la Casa, Martin de Poures, Juan Mascias are among the few who advocated for the rights and soverienty of Indigenous Nations. Casa was successfull for a while, but eventually the powerful and wealthy of the Conquistadores managed to have their hand picked clergy and Bishops condemn Casa.

Casa’s works continued, none the less, to influence Papabl bulls condeming Bishops and Missionaries who advocated the brutal treatment of Natives. there are some excellent books out on Bartolomeo de la Casa (please check my spelling of his name), including an excellent volume put out by the Paulist Fathers in very recent years.

I’ve more than run up against the charges - - I was a criminal in the United States for 27 years. By that, I mean we Native Americans recieved Freedom of Religion on August 11, 1978. I was 27 then, two years after I was honorably discharged defending everyone else’s freedom of religion. Before and after that date I worked and studied these issues. They are complex issues. I do not like resort to Church bashing or to white washing the issues. There is a tough balance in the story. I am encouraged that Popes Paul VI, and especialy JPII have broken the ice on these topics and they can be studied in a fair manner, and the purpose is for concilliation (establishing a point of good will), and in some cases reconcilliation (returning to a point of good will in those case where one was established).
 
Bro Joshua, thank you so much for your insight and response. I would so much like to believe the church is ‘perfect’. I know it’s not. History teaches us time and time again many mistakes have been made.

The thing I struggle with is people who take the easy road and make it all about the church being the evil aggressor, or those who refuse to see any issues with the church at all. I’ve been dealing with the former of late. So many stories get ignored or marginalized in that view. Those Native Americans who really did choose to embrace the new faith on their own. Their descendants who embraced and loved the Catholic faith after that. Those missionaries who gave their life for the Gospel, and they themselves were often brutalized and tortured. My sense is that those stories are the minority, but I don’t really know even that, so perhaps the sources you’ve provided will help clear that up. Minority or not, they deserve to be part of the overall fabric of the story.

I found this on the site you provided:

To walk in balance is to imbibe fully the native spiritual tradition with its profound understanding and appreciation of the Creator and of the Great Spirit, and to also follow Jesus, the Light of the World.

Frankly, that just gives me chill bumps. I so much appreciate and love how the Catholic church can recognize that revelation has occurred in many ways outside of its boundaries, and that coming to know Christ is simply bringing people into a fuller and more complete understanding of God’s revelation to man, without minimizing that which God has done prior in their culture. I so much appreciate how the church can embrace so much diversity in its worldwide culture yet be united with our Lord in the Eucharist.

Thanks again for the help. Any other books or resources you can recommend would be greatly appreciated. I live in the Southwest, and the Native American spirituality has always fascinated me and touched me deeply.

And thank you for your service to our country, even with the irony. God bless.
 
Narnia
Thank you for the well understanding reply. I don’t see anything getting accomplished via total Church bashing. These issues are tough, even painful to face up to by the Church, by Natives, by non-Native faithful in general. But keeping a balance and a prayer for charitable resolve will see us through. I have had some jolting run ins with religous superiors, pastoral folks; but in all of it my Catholic faith is strengthened. It is understandably different for a good number of those who suffered severe trama at the hands of Church leaders; still some of those most harmed and violated have found ways to heal and in turn have become great healers to those around them. Some of these great healers who were once victims returned to the church, others have not - but their peace is genuine and so is their healing touch that can only come from someone who has suffered these things and found a way to become stronger.

You have a healing attitude. Discovering these things is painful, but that pain becomes the spiritual medicine that heals. Of interesting note: Mide can mean sacred or can mean medicine and is the same. Manitou can mean Mystery or Spirit and also means the same. Gitchi Manitou is for our Grand (Great) Father: Great Mystery (or Great Spirit) and is not a different person from who created you or me. That’s sort of a spin off by me of the beautiful quote you shared from my site - the quote is from a Papal document I believe, or at least from some other Vatican Document of late.
 
Thank you Bro Joshua, running into you has been a blessing to me!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top