VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 20, 2001 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II today received Josep Pique I Camps, the Spanish Foreign Minister, at the height of a media campaign in Spain against religious education in public schools, and state funding of religious confessions.
A Vatican press statement said “the validity of the framework of cooperation ensured by the agreements between the Holy See and the Spanish State in 1979” was confirmed, during the papal meeting and later during Camps´ meeting with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State.
The media campaign against religious education gained ground after Church institutions, as well as other organizations, were defrauded of millions of dollars by the Gescartera investment agency.
