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Pope reiterates opposition

to contraceptives, abortion

By Darrell Holland

Religion editor

CHICAGO Pope John Paul II, who has proven this week that he is as effective a television performer as any American preacher and many professional actors, went behind closed doors here yesterday to urge American Catholic bishops to protect the ancient and sacred doctrines of the church against encroaching liberalism.

The pope's speech to the bishops, including Bishop James A. Hickey and the four auxiliary bishops of the Cleveland diocese, should settle any question of this pope's conservative stand, especially on the sexual issues that have caused dissent in the past 15 years among American Catholics.

Although reporters were barred from the room where the pope met with the bishops, a copy of the speech was made available.

John Paul said there could be no changes in the ban on birth control and the church must continue to teach the indissolubility of marriage. He said homosexuality cannot be condoned, sex outside marriage is heresy and abortion and euthanasia are violations of the Catholic concept of respect for life.

The pope's firm stand makes it seem unlikely that John Paul will ever permit any future reforms in the church's sexual laws.

As in the four previous stops on his marathon visit to this country, John Paul's motorcades in Chicago have disrupted traffic and com-

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merce as the Catholic faithful flock to the streets to see their holy father.

Chicago's one million Polish Catholics, in particular, have turned out to welcome this former Polish cardinal.

John Paul praised the American bishops for their pastoral leadership of the nearly 50 million American Catholics and for their loyalty to the Holy See in his private meeting with the prelates.

He said he had come to the bishops and the American church on this pastoral trip to strengthen the faith of Catholics. "I call you to honor Jesus Christ," the Pope said "... as humble servants of the Gospel."

The 4,800-word speech to the bishops, one of the longest he has given in the United States, encouraged the bishops to build up the spiritual life of Catholics and to seek new church members. He used such words as justice, holiness, conversion and truth and love, saying that the church'should provide pastoral care for the people, as did Vatican Council II 15 years ago.

Though some have viewed Vatican II as the beginning of the modernization process in the ancient traditions of the church, John Paul emphasized that the council was called to more effectively guard and teach "the deposit of Christian doctrine."

Citing a pastoral letter issued by American bishops three years ago,

John Paul applauded them for advising American Catholics that the church's teaching should not be challenged, denied or in practice violated, and that racial and ethnic discrimination are inconsistent with church teachings.

In the toughest part of the speech, he said that marriage is irrevocable, which means that divorced Catholics whose spouses are still living cannot receive communion; rejected artificial birth control, despite the fact that studies have shown that 80% of American Catholics practice birth control and that this ban has angered many Catholics in this nation; said intercourse is legimate only within marriage, and condemned homosexual activity, abortion and mercy killing.

Turning to ecumenical affairs, John Paul cautioned the American church that ecumenism should be carried on without deviating from the true Catholic doctrine and that intercommunion between divided Christians is not the answer to Christ's appeal for perfect unity.

John Paul's caution to American Catholics about compromising church doctrine in seeking unity with Protestants is likely to cause difficulties for the ecumenical movement in this nation.

His speech to the bishops is likely to be regarded in the future as a papal declaration of war against American Catholics who have sought to reform the church, especially in the area of sexual discipline.