Vatican News Update

 

SUMMARY:

 

- Decrees of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints

- Programme of Pope's Trip to the Czech Republic

- Analysis of the Tomb of St. Paul

- Audiences

- Other Pontifical Acts

 

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DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS

 

VATICAN CITY, 3 JUL 2009 (VIS) - Today, during a private audience with Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorised the congregation to promulgate the following decrees:

 

MIRACLES

 

 - Blessed Candida Maria de Jesus Cipitria y Barriola (nee Juana Josefa), Spanish founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of Jesus (1845-1912).

 

 - Servant of God John Henry Newman, English cardinal and founder of the Oratories of St. Philip Neri in England (1801-1890).

 

 - Servant of God Angelo Paoli (ne Francesco), Italian professed priest of the Order of
Carmelites of the Strict Observance (1642-1720).

 

 - Servant of God Maria Alfonsina Danil Ghattas (nee Soultaneh Maria), co-foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of Jerusalem (1843-1927).

 

MARTYRDOM

 

 - Servant of God Jose Samso i Elias, Spanish diocesan priest, pastor and archpriest of Santa Maria de Mataro, killed in hatred of the faith during religious persecution in Spain (1887-1936).

 

 - Servant of God Teofilo Fernandez de Legaria Goni (ne Beniamino) and four companions, professed priests of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (PICPUS), killed in hatred of the faith during religious persecution in Spain in 1936.

 

 - Servant of God Georg Hafner, German diocesan priest, killed in hatred of the faith in the concentration camp of Dachau, Germany (1900-1942).

 

 - Servant of God Zoltan Ludovico Meszlenyi, Hungarian titular bishop of Sinope and auxiliary of Esztergom, killed in hatred of the faith at Kistarcsa, Hungary (1892-1951).

 

HEROIC VIRTUES

 

 - Servant of God Engelmar Unzeitig (ne Uberto), German professed priest of the Congregation of Missionaries of Mariannhill (1911-1945).

 

 - Servant of God Anna Maria Janer Anglarill, Spanish foundress of the Institute of Sisters of the Holy Family of Urgell (1800-1885).

 

 - Servant of God Maria Serafina del Sacro Cuore di Gesu Micheli (ne Clotilde), Italian foundress of the Institute of Sisters of the Angels (1849-1911).

 

 - Servant of God Teresa Manganiello, Italian laywoman of the Third Order of St. Francis (1849-1876).

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PROGRAMME OF POPE'S TRIP TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC

 

VATICAN CITY, 3 JUL 2009 (VIS) - The programme of the Holy Father's forthcoming trip to the Czech Republic, due to take place from 26 to 28 September, was made public today.

 

  The Pope will depart from Rome's Ciampino airport at 9.20 a.m. on Saturday 26 September, and is due to land in Prague two hours later. At 12.30 p.m. he will visit the city's Church of Our Lady Victorious where he will venerate the image of the "Infant Jesus of Prague". That afternoon he will pay a courtesy visit to the president of the Czech Republic in the presidential palace and, at 5 p.m., meet with the political and civil authorities and members of the diplomatic corps. The Holy Father's day will end at 6 p.m. with the celebration of first Vespers at the cathedral of St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert, where he will address priests, religious, seminarians and members of lay movements.

 

  On the morning of Sunday 27 September, the Pope will travel to Brno where he will celebrate Mass and pray the Angelus at the local Tufany airport. Returning to the archbishopric of Prague, at 5.15 p.m. he will meet with ecumenical representatives while at 6 p.m. he is due to address members of the academic community at Prague Castle.

 

  On Monday 28 September, the Holy Father will travel to Stara Boleslav to visit the church of St. Wenceslas. At 9.45 a.m. he will celebrate Mass for the feast day of that saint, who is also the country's patron, and address a message to young people. Returning to Prague, the Holy Father will lunch with bishops of the Czech Republic at the archbishopric of Prague, then travel to Stara Ruzyne airport. His return flight is due to depart at 5.45 p.m. and to land at Ciampino airport in Rome at 7.50 p.m.

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ANALYSIS OF THE TOMB OF ST. PAUL

 

VATICAN CITY, 3 JUL 2009 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office this morning Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, and Professor Ulderico Santamaria, director of the scientific laboratory of the Vatican Museums, hosted a presentation on the sarcophagus of St. Paul.

 

  Cardinal Cordero explained how two years ago he had suggested to the Pope that the tomb of St. Paul be subject to a scientific examination. Benedict XVI accepted the proposal but ordered that the outcome only be announced at the end of the Pauline Year. Hence it was necessary to keep the results secret until then.

 

  Professor Santamaria dwelt on the technical aspects of the survey, explaining how a small hole was made in the sarcophagus through which a probe was then introduced. Fragments of blue linen, purple linen interwoven with gold thread, grains of red incense and bone fragments were discovered. Carbon dating on organic elements from these finds suggest that they belong to a person who lived in the first or second centuries. "This", the Pope said on 28 June during the closing ceremony for the Pauline Year, "seems to confirm the unanimous and uncontested tradition that these are the mortal remains of the Apostle Paul, and it fills our heart with profound emotion".

 

  The cardinal also explained how the Pope does not exclude the possibility of undertaking a more detailed examination of the sarcophagus of St. Paul. However, he went on, the Holy Father did not wish this to take place during the Pauline Year because, in order to open the sarcophagus, it would be necessary to dismantle the papal altar and the thirteenth-century baldachin by Arnolfo di Cambio which, he concluded, would be a difficult and delicate task.

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AUDIENCES

 

VATICAN CITY, 3 JUL 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 

 - Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., archbishop of Quebec, Canada.

 

 - Fifteen prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam, on their "ad limina" visit:

 

    - Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man, archbishop of Thanh-Pho Ho Chi Minh, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Joseph Vu Duy Thong and Pierre Nguyen Van Kham.

 

    - Bishop Michel Hoang Duc Oanh of Kontum.

 

    - Bishop Paul Nguyen Van Hoa of Nha Trang, accompanied by Coadjutor Bishop Joseph Vo Duc Minh.

 

    - Bishop Thomas Nguyen Van Tram of Ba Ria.

 

    - Bishop Pierre Nuguen Van Nhon of Da Lat.

 

    - Bishop Joseph Tran Xuan Tieu of Long Xuyen.

 

    - Bishop Paul Bui Van Doc of My Tho.

 

    - Bishop Paul Nguyen Thanh Hoan of Phan Thiet.

 

    - Bishop Pierre Tran Dinh Tu of Phu Cuong.

 

    - Bishop Thomas Nguyen Van Tan of Vinh Long.

 

    - Bishop Dominique Nguyen Chu Trinh of Xuan Loc.

 

    - Bishop Stephanus Tri Buu Thioen, coadjutor of Can Tho.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

 

VATICAN CITY, 3 JUL 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 

 - Appointed Bishop Albert LeGatt of Saskatoon, Canada, as metropolitan archbishop of Saint-Boniface (area 38,000, population 436,000, Catholics 119,000, priests 115, permanent deacons 18, religious 356), Canada. The archbishop-elect was born in Melfort, Canada in 1953 he was ordained a priest in 1983 and consecrated a bishop in 2001. He succeeds Archbishop Emilius Goulet P.S.S., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 

 - Appointed Archbishop Francesco Monterisi, secretary of the Congregation for Bishops, as archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls in Rome. He succeeds Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, whose resignation from the same office the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 

 - Appointed Archbishop Manuel Monteiro de Castro, apostolic nuncio to Spain, as secretary of the Congregation for Bishops.

 

 - Accepted the resignation from the offices of president of the Permanent Commission for the Custody of Historical and Artistic Monuments of the Holy See and president of the Labour Office of the Apostolic See (ULSA), presented by Archbishop Francesco Marchisano, upon having reached the age limit.

 

 - Appointed Msgr. Giorgio Corbellini, vice secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State, as president the Labour Office of the Apostolic See (ULSA), at the same time elevating him to the dignity of bishop.

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SUMMARY:

 

- Audiences

- Other Pontifical Acts

- In Memoriam

 

___________________________________________________________

 

AUDIENCES

 

VATICAN CITY, 2 JUL 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father yesterday received in audience Cardinal Joachim Meisner, Archbishop of Cologne, Germany.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

 

VATICAN CITY, 2 JUL 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Raffaello Martinelli of the clergy of the diocese of Bergamo, Italy, bureau chief at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as bishop of Frascati (area 183, population 121,000, Catholics 116,000, priests 162, permanent deacons 1, religious 703), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Villa d'Alme, Italy in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1972. He succeeds Bishop Giuseppe Matarrese, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

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IN MEMORIAM

 

VATICAN CITY, 2 JUL 2009 (VIS) - The following prelates died recently:

 

 - Bishop Emmanuel Constant, emeritus of Les Gonaives, Haiti, on 16 June at the age of 81.

 

 - Bishop Olivio Aurelio Fazza S.V.D., emeritus of Foz de Iguacu, Brazil, on 25 December 2008 at the age of 83.

 

 - Bishop Jose Nicomedes Grossi, emeritus of Bom Jesus de Lapa, Brazil, on 21 June at the age of 93.

 

 - Bishop Josep Maria Guix Ferreres, emeritus of Vic, Spain, on 28 June at the age of 81.

 

 - Bishop Michel Nguyen Khac Ngu, emeritus of Long Xuyen, Vietnam, on 10 June at the age of 100.

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SUMMARY:

 

- Audience: the Essential Elements of Priestly Ministry

- The State Must Support Victims of Usury

- Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for July

- Encyclical "Caritas In Veritate" to Be Presented on 7 July

- Audiences

- Other Pontifical Acts

 

___________________________________________________________

 

AUDIENCE: THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF PRIESTLY MINISTRY

 

VATICAN CITY, 1 JUL 2009 (VIS) - The Year for Priests was again the theme of the Holy Father's catechesis during his general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square.

 

  The Pope began his remarks by expressing the hope that the Year "may be an opportunity for the inner renewal of all priests and, consequently, for the revitalisation of their commitment to the mission". He then announced that his catecheses over the next few months will focus on the figure of St. John Mary Vianney, the holy "Cure of Ars", on the 150th anniversary of his death.

 

  What most stands out in the life of this saint, said Benedict XVI, "is his complete identification with his ministry. He used to say that a good pastor, a pastor after God's heart, is the greatest treasure the good Lord can give a parish".

 

  "In fact, it is by considering the dual term 'identity-mission' that each priest will become better aware of the need for that progressive self identification with Christ which guarantees the faithfulness and fruitfulness of his evangelical witness. Thus, in the life of a priest, missionary announcement and worship are inseparable, just as sacramental identity and evangelising mission are likewise inseparable".

 

  "The goal of priests' mission is, we could say, 'of worship': that all men and women may offer themselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, receiving the charity which they are then called to dispense abundantly to one another. ... Love for others, concern for justice and the poor are not so much a question of social morals as the expression of a sacramental conception of Christian morality because, through priestly ministry, the spiritual sacrifice of all the faithful is accomplished, in union with the sacrifice of Christ, the only mediator. This is the sacrifice that priests offer bloodlessly and sacramentally while awaiting the second coming of the Lord".

 

  "In the face of so many uncertainties and so much weariness, even in the exercise of priestly ministry, it is vitally important to regain a clear and unequivocal view of the absolute primacy of divine grace", said the Holy Father. "The mission of each individual priest depends, then, also and above all on an awareness of the sacramental reality of his 'new existence'. Upon the certainty of his own identity - not artificially and humanly constructed but freely and divinely given and received - depends his perennial enthusiasm for the mission".

 

  "Having received such an extraordinary gift of grace with their consecration, priests become permanent witnesses of their own encounter with Christ", and "are able to carry out their mission to the full, announcing the Word and administering the Sacraments.

 

  "Following Vatican Council II", Pope Benedict added, "in some places the impression arose that there were more important things in the mission of priests in our time: some people believed that the priority was to build a new society".

 

  Yet "the two essential elements of priestly ministry" always remain "announcement and power", said the Holy Father recalling how Christ sent His disciples out to announce the Gospel giving them the power to drive out demons. "Announcement and power", in other words "Word and Sacrament, are the pillars of priestly service, over and above the many forms it can take".

 

  The Pope continued: "When the 'diptych' of consecration-mission is not taken into due account, it becomes truly difficulty to understand the identity of priests and of their ministry in the Church. ... During this Year for Priests", he said, "let us pray for all the clergy. ... Prayer is the primary duty, the true path of sanctification for priests and the heart of authentic pastoral care of vocations".

 

  And he concluded: "The low numbers of priestly ordinations in some countries not only must not discourage us, it should stimulate us to dedicate greater space to silence and to listening to the Word, to improving spiritual guidance and the Sacrament of Confession, so that the voice of God, which always continues to call and to confirm, may be heard and followed by many young people".

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THE STATE MUST SUPPORT VICTIMS OF USURY

 

VATICAN CITY, 1 JUL 2009 (VIS) - Among his greetings at the end of the general audience, celebrated this morning in St. Peter's Square, the Pope addressed representatives of the Italian National Anti-Usury Council, whom he thanked for the "important and much appreciated work you carry our with victims of this social blight.

 

  "My hope", he added, "is that there be a renewed commitment on everyone's part effectively to combat the devastating phenomenon of usury and extortion, which constitutes a humiliating form of slavery. On the part of the State may there be no lack of appropriate aid and support for families in difficulties who find the courage to denounce those who take advantage of their often tragic situation".

 

  He then turned to address people currently on holiday, expressing his hope that this period will prove "serene and profitable for everyone" To the people who, for various reasons, "are unable to enjoy a vacation", he said, "goes my hope that you may not lack the solidarity and closeness of your loved ones".

 

  Finally, "my special thoughts go to young people who are currently sitting examinations, I assure them all of a mention in my prayers".

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BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR JULY

 

VATICAN CITY, 1 JUL 2009 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for July is: "That the Christians of the Middle East may live their faith in full freedom and be an instrument of peace and reconciliation".

 

  His mission intention is: "That the Church may be the seed and nucleus of a humanity reconciled and reunited in God's one and only family, thanks to the testimony of all the faithful in every country of the world".

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ENCYCLICAL "CARITAS IN VERITATE" TO BE PRESENTED ON 7 JULY

 

VATICAN CITY, 1 JUL 2009 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office at 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday 7 July a press conference will be held to present Benedict XVI's new Encyclical "Caritas in veritate".

 

  Participating in the conference will be: Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino and Bishop Giampaolo Crepaldi, respectively president and secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", and Stefano Zamagni, professor of political economy at the University of Bologna, Italy and consultor of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

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AUDIENCES

 

VATICAN CITY, 1 JUL 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father yesterday received in audience Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of Lviv of the Latins, Ukraine.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

 

VATICAN CITY, 1 JUL 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 

 - Appointed Bishop Fernando Antonio Saburido O.S.B. of Sobral, Brazil, as metropolitan archbishop of Olinda e Recife (area 2,226, population 3,758,000, Catholics 3,552,000, priests 228, permanent deacons 7, religious 462), Brazil. The archbishop-elect was born in Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Brazil in 1947, he was ordained a priest in 1983 and consecrated a bishop in 2000. He succeeds Archbishop Jose Cardoso Sobrinho O. Carm., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 

 - Appointed Fr. Gbaya Boniface Ziri, vicar general of the archdiocese of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, as bishop of Abengourou (area 18,214, population 1,000,000, Catholics 312,000, priests 67, religious 40), Ivory Coast. The bishop-elect was born in Gagnoa, Ivory Coast in 1949 and ordained a priest in 1976.

 

 - Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of Minas, Uruguay presented by Bishop Francisco Domingo Barbosa Da Silveira, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

 

 - Appointed Fr. Antoine Kone of the clergy of Katiola, Ivory Coast, professor of dogmatic theology and Latin in the major inter-diocesan seminary of Anyama and in the formation centre of the Society of African Missions, as bishop of Odienne (area 51,200, population 800,000, Catholics 5,000, priests 12, religious 13), Ivory Coast. The bishop-elect was born in Ferkessedougou, Ivory Coast in 1963 and ordained a priest in 1991.

 

 - Appointed Bishop Jacinto Bergmann of Tubarao, Brazil, as bishop of Pelotas (area 20,594, population 574,000, Catholics 333,000, priests 57, permanent deacons 15, religious 173), Brazil. He succeeds Bishop Jayme Henrique Chemello, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 

 - Appointed Fr. Marcellin Yao Kouadio of the clergy of Daloa, Ivory Coast, national director of Catholic education, as bishop of Yamoussoukro (area 19,890, population 1,102,825, Catholics 131,200, priests 51, religious 79), Ivory Coast. The bishop-elect was born in Vavoua, Ivory Coast in 1960 and ordained a priest in 1990.

 

 - Appointed Fr. Joaquin Hermes Robledo Romero, vicar general of the diocese of San Lorenzo, Paraguay, as coadjutor of the diocese of Carapegua (area 8,705, population 248,000, Catholics 225,000, priests 17, religious 48), Paraguay. The bishop-elect was born in Asuncion, Paraguay in 1950 and ordained a priest in 1975.

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SUMMARY: 27 - 30 JUNE

 

- Vietnam Bishops: Continue Bearing Witness to Gift of Faith

- Catholics and Orthodox, Called to a Shared Hope

- Cardinal Sodano at Celebration of Lithuanian Millennium

- Audiences

- Paul, Example of a Priest Who Identifies with His Ministry

- Benedict XVI Closes the Pauline Year

- Being a Pastor Means Being Available to Others

- Pope Announces His New Encyclical "Caritas in Veritate"

- Always Be Signs of Unity among the Faithful

- Telegram for Railway Accident in Viareggio

- Other Pontifical Acts

 

___________________________________________________________

 

VIETNAM BISHOPS: CONTINUE BEARING WITNESS TO GIFT OF FAITH

 

VATICAN CITY, 27 JUN 2009 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.

 

  The Pope began his remarks to them by recalling the figure of Cardinal Paul Joseph Phan Ding, who died in February and was for many years archbishop of Hanoi. He also expressed his hope that "the example of sanctity, humility and simplicity of life of the great pastors of your country may stimulate you in your pastoral ministry at the service of the Vietnamese people, to whom goes my profound esteem".

 

  Referring then to the Year for Priests, Benedict XVI pointed out that, "in order to be reliable guides who conform to the heart of God and the teaching of the Church, priests must develop interior life and tend towards sanctity, like the humble Cure of Ars".

 

  "In your pastoral letter of last year", he reminded the prelates, "you dedicated particular attention to the lay faithful, highlighting the role of their vocation in the family". In this context, the Pope indicated that "lay Catholics must - through lives based on charity, honour and love for the common good - show that a good Catholic is also a good citizen. To this end, pay particular attention to their correct formation, promoting their life of faith ... that they may effectively serve the Church and society".

 

  The Holy Father also spoke of his hope that attention be given to "appropriate pastoral care for internally displaced youth, beginning with reinforcing ... collaboration between the dioceses of origin of the young people and the dioceses of destination, giving them ethical advice and practical guidance".

 

  After then recalling how 2010 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of the episcopal hierarchy in Vietnam, the Pope said: "On this occasion the People of God are invited to give thanks for the gift of faith in Jesus Christ. This gift has been generously accepted, lived and witnessed by many martyrs who wished to proclaim the truth and universality of faith in God".

 

  "Closer collaboration between different dioceses is necessary", Benedict XVI went on, "as it is between dioceses and religious congregations, and among the congregations themselves".

 

  "Healthy collaboration between the Church and the political community is possible. ... The Church does not seek to substitute government, rather her only desire, through a spirit of dialogue and respectful collaboration, is to participate in life of the nation, at the service of all people".

 

  The Pope concluded by highlighting how religions "are not a danger for the unity of the nation, because their goal is to help people to sanctity and, through their institutions, wish to place themselves generously and disinterestedly at the service of others".

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CATHOLICS AND ORTHODOX, CALLED TO A SHARED HOPE

 

VATICAN CITY, 27 JUN 2009 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father welcomed a delegation sent to Rome for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul by His Holiness Bartholomew I, ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople. An ecumenical delegation traditionally visits Rome for the 29 June feast, while a delegation from Rome attends celebrations in Istanbul for the 30 November Feast of St. Andrew, patron of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

 

  This year the delegation was made up of Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, director of the office of the Orthodox Church to the European Union; Bishop Athenagoras of Sinope, assistant to the Metropolitan of Belgium, and Deacon Ioakim Billis of Fanar.

 

  Greeting them the Pope gave thanks to God "for all the fruits and benefits brought by the celebration of the bi-millennium of the birth of St. Paul". Together, he said, we will celebrate "the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the 'protothroni' of the Apostles as they are known in Orthodox tradition, in other words those who hold first place among the Apostles and are called 'masters of ecumenism'".

 

  "With your presence here", the Holy Father went on, "which is a sign of ecclesiastical fraternity, you remind us of our shared commitment to achieve full communion. You already know, but I wish to reaffirm, that the Catholic Church seeks to contribute in every possible way to the re-establishment of full unity, thus responding to the will of Christ for His disciples and recalling Paul's own teaching which tells us that we are called to be 'a single hope'".

 

  In this context the Holy Father spoke of his "confidence in the progress of the activities" of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between Catholic and Orthodox. The commission is due to meet in October "to examine a crucial aspect of relations between East and West: the role of the Bishop of Rome in the communion of the Church during the first millennium".

 

  "Such study", he continued, "is an indispensable step towards gaining a deeper understanding of this question in the current context of the search for full communion". Benedict XVI also pointed out that the commission will be received by the Orthodox Church of Cyprus which he thanked for its "fraternal welcome ... which will facilitate our task and our mutual understanding".

 

  "I wish participants in Catholic-Orthodox dialogue to be aware that my prayers accompany them always and that such dialogue enjoys the support of the Catholic Church", concluded the Holy Father. "It is my heartfelt wish that the fraternal misunderstandings and tensions that arose among Orthodox delegates during recent plenary sessions of the commission be overcome in fraternal love, so this dialogue may more broadly represent Orthodoxy".

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CARDINAL SODANO AT CELEBRATION OF LITHUANIAN MILLENNIUM

 

VATICAN CITY, 27 JUN 2009 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter from the Pope, written in Latin and dated 23 June, in which he appoints Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, as pontifical legate to solemn celebrations marking the millennium of Lithuania. The celebrations are due to take place in the Lithuanian capital city of Vilnius on 6 July.

 

  The cardinal will be accompanied on his mission by Msgr. Grintaras Grusas, secretary of the Lithuanian Bishops' Conference; Fr. Lionginas Virbalas S.J.; Msgr. Piero Pioppo, nunciature counsellor at the Secretariat of State, and Msgr. Jean-Francois Lantheaume, nunciature counsellor of the apostolic nunciature to Lithuania.

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AUDIENCES

 

VATICAN CITY, 27 JUN 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 

 - Four prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam, on their "ad limina" visit:

 

    - Archbishop Etienne Nguyen Nhu The of Hue, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Francois Xavier Le Van Hong.

 

    - Bishop Vincent Nguyen Van Ban of Ban Me Thuot.

 

    - Bishop Joseph Chau Ngoc Tri of Da Nang.

 

 - Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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PAUL, EXAMPLE OF A PRIEST WHO IDENTIFIES WITH HIS MINISTRY

 

VATICAN CITY, 28 JUN 2009 (VIS) - At midday today, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his private study to pray the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square below.

 

  Before the Marian prayer, the Pope spoke of the Pauline Year, due to come to an end this evening in a ceremony at the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls. "It has been", he said, "a true period of grace during which, through pilgrimages, catecheses, numerous publications and various other initiatives, the figure of St. Paul has been presented afresh to the entire Church, and his powerful message has revived a passion for Christ and the Gospel in Christian communities everywhere".

 

  Pope Benedict then went on to refer to the newly-inaugurated Year for Priests, called to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney, the "Cure of Ars", and the aim of which "is to help promote the commitment to interior renewal among all priests", that they may provide "stronger and more incisive evangelical witness in today's world"

 

  In this context, said the Pope, the Apostle Paul "represents a magnificent model to be imitated ... in love for Christ, in zeal for announcing the Gospel, in dedication to communities, in elaborating effective summaries of pastoral theology. St. Paul was an example of a priest completely identified with his ministry - as the holy 'Cure of Ars' would also be - aware he was bearing a priceless treasure - that is the message of salvation - though carrying it in a clay jar'".

 

  "'The love of Christ possesses us', the Apostle wrote", Benedict XVI concluded, "and this could well be a motto for priests, whom the Spirit has 'captivated' to make them faithful administrators of the mysteries of God".

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BENEDICT XVI CLOSES THE PAULINE YEAR

 

VATICAN CITY, 28 JUN 2009 (VIS) - This evening in the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, the Holy Father presided at first Vespers for the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles. The ceremony, which officially closed the Pauline Year, was also attended by a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, headed by His Eminence Emmanuel, metropolitan of France.

 

  Benedict XVI, standing before the sarcophagus of the Apostle Paul which lies under the main altar, recalled how a recent scientific analysis of the tomb had revealed the presence of a costly purple linen fabric, grains of incense and bone fragments which a carbon-14 test has dated to the first or second centuries. "This", he said, "seems to confirm the unanimous and uncontested tradition that these are the mortal remains of the Apostle Paul, and it fills our heart with profound emotion".

 

  Paul, said the Holy Father, remains the "'Master of the Gentiles' who wished to carry the message of the risen Christ to all men and women, because Christ has known and loved them all, He died and rose again for them all". In his Letter to the Romans the Apostle makes it clear "that with Christ a new way of venerating God, a new form of worship, has begun. ... It is no longer things that are offered to God, it is our very lives that must become praise of God".

 

  This Letter uses two decisive words, "transformation and renewal", said the Pope and he went on: "We must become new men and new women, transformed in a new way of existence. The world is always seeking novelty because, quite rightly, it is always discontented with concrete reality. Paul tells us that the world cannot be renewed without new men and women. ... The Apostle exhorts us to non-conformity. In this Letter he tells us not to succumb to the blueprint of the current age".

 

  Paul explains this process more clearly "saying that we become new if we transform our way of thinking" and that "such renewal must be complete. ... The mind of old man, the common way of thinking, generally aims at possession, wellbeing, influence, success, fame and so on. But this has too limited a scope; in the final analysis, it is the 'self' that remains at the centre of the world. We must learn to think more deeply, ... we must learn to understand God's will so that it moulds our own will, so that we ourselves want what God wants, so that we recognise that what God wants is beautiful and good".

 

  In his Letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle says that "with Christ we must reach adulthood, mature humanity. ... Paul wants Christians to have 'responsible' faith, 'adult' faith. The phrase 'adult faith' has become a common slogan over recent decades. It is often understood as the attitude of those who no longer listen to the Church and her pastors, but autonomously choose what they wish to believe and not to believe: a sort of 'do-it-yourself' faith. This is also presented as the 'courage' to go against the Magisterium of the Church. The truth, however, is that it requires no courage because one is always certain of garnering public sympathy.

 

  "What does require courage", he added, "is to adhere to the faith of the Church even if this contradicts the blueprint of the modern world. It is the 'non-conformity' of faith that Paul calls 'adult faith'. What he considers childlike is to charge after all the winds and currents of the age".

 

  The Holy Father went on: "Part of adult faith, for example, is commitment to the inviolability of human life from the very first moment, thus radically opposing the principle of violence by defending the most helpless human creatures. Part of adult faith is recognising lifelong marriage between a man and a woman, as ordained by God and re-established by Christ. Adult faith does not allow itself to be blown here and there by the slightest breeze".

 

  "Yet Paul does not limit himself to mere negation, he leads us on to the great 'yes'. ... The new way of thinking that faith has given us is primarily directed towards truth. The power of evil is falsehood. The power of faith, the power of God, is truth. ... God makes Himself visible to us in the face of Jesus Christ. And looking at Christ we recognise another thing: that truth and charity are inseparable".

 

  "The Apostle tells us that, by working according to truth in charity, we contribute to ensuring that everything - the universe - develops towards Christ. On the basis of his faith, Paul is not simply concerned for our personal rectitude or for the growth of the Church. ... The ultimate goal of Christ's work is the universe, the transformation of the universe, of the entire human world, of all creation. Those who, together with Christ, serve the truth in charity contribute to the true progress of the world".

 

  Finally, Benedict XVI recalled how in the Letter to the Ephesians the Apostle speaks of the need to strengthen "'inner being'. ... The inner vacuum - the weakness of inner being - is one of the great problems of our age", he said. "Inner life must be strengthened: the perception of the heart, the capacity to see and understand the world and mankind from within, with the heart. We need a reason illuminated by the heart so as to learn to act according to the truth in charity".

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BEING A PASTOR MEANS BEING AVAILABLE TO OTHERS

 

VATICAN CITY, 29 JUN 2009 (VIS) - At 9.30 a.m. today, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, Benedict XVI celebrated the Eucharist in the Vatican Basilica. Concelebrating with the Holy Father were 34 new metropolitan archbishops, upon whom he imposed the pallium.

 

  At the beginning of the ceremony, the Holy Father addressed a special greeting to members of a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, headed by His Eminence Emmanuel, metropolitan of France and director of the office of the Orthodox Church to the European Union.

 

  In his homily Benedict XVI commented on the First Letter of St. Peter, explaining that it focuses on the figure of Christ and highlighting how the Apostle describes Him as "shepherd and guardian of ... souls" while, in the same context, the Greek text uses the word "episcopos" (bishop).

 

  "It is surprising the Peter should call Christ Himself bishop, bishop of souls", said the Pope. "What this means is that He sees us from God's perspective. Looking from God's standpoint gives an overall view, the dangers are evident but also the hopes and the possibilities. From God's perspective one sees the essence, one sees the inner man. If Christ is the bishop of souls, the aim is to ensure that man's soul does not become impoverished, that man does not lose his essence, his capacity for truth and love; the aim is to ensure that he comes to recognise God, that he is not lost up blind alleys, that he does not lose himself in isolation. ... In this perspective, being a bishop, being a priest, means ... making oneself available to human beings that they may find life".

 

  "The word 'bishop' is closely related to the word 'shepherd'", said the Pope explaining how the pastor "must be capable of resisting the enemy, the wolves; he must go before, show the way, maintain the unity of the flock. ... This is what being a pastor, model to the flock, means: living the word now, in the great community of holy Church".

 

  "As pastors of our own times we, more than others, have the duty to understand the reason of the faith; the duty not to allow it to remain mere tradition but to recognise it as the answer to our questions. ... Part of our duties as pastors is to penetrate the faith with our minds in order to show the reasons for our hope in the disputes of our age. ... Faith must not remain a theory, it must become life. ... From such a living certainty stems the capacity to communicate the faith believably to others".

 

  At the beginning of his Letter, St. Peter "tells us that the outcome of our faith is the salvation of souls", said the Holy Father. In this context he highlighted how "lack of concern for souls, inner impoverishment of man, destroys not only the individual but threatens the destiny of all humankind. Without the healing of souls, without the healing of man from within, there can be no salvation for humanity. The true sickness of souls is defined by St. Peter as ignorance, in other words as non knowledge of God. Those who do not know God, those who do not at least seek Him sincerely, remain excluded from true life".

 

  "It is obedience to the truth that purifies the soul, and coexistence with falsehood that pollutes it. Obedience to the truth begins with the small truths of daily life, which can often be tiring and painful. This obedience then extends to unreserved obedience towards Truth itself, which is Christ. Such obedience makes us not only pure, but above all free for service to Christ, and so to the salvation of the world".

 

  Finally, turning to address the new metropolitan archbishops, the Pope told them that the pallium they were about to receive "reminds us of the flock of Jesus Christ, which you must feed in communion with Peter. ... It reminds us of the fact the He, supreme Pastor, made Himself a Lamb in order to assume all our destinies, to carry us and heal us from within".

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POPE ANNOUNCES HIS NEW ENCYCLICAL "CARITAS IN VERITATE"

 

VATICAN CITY, 29 JUN 2009 (VIS) - At midday today, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his private study overlooking St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus with thousands of pilgrims gathered below.

 

  On this Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Benedict XVI addressed a special greeting to faithful of his own diocese of Rome, assuring them of his constant prayers "that Rome may uphold its Christian vocation by maintaining unadulterated its immense spiritual and cultural heritage", and "that its inhabitants may translate the beauty of the faith they have received into concrete forms of thought and action, thus offering those who ... come to this city, an atmosphere charged with humanity and evangelical values".

 

  "Today's Solemnity also has a universal aspect", he went on. "It expresses the unity and catholicity of the Church. That is why every year on this day, the new metropolitan archbishops come to Rome to receive the pallium, symbol of their communion with Peter's Successor".

 

  "May the shared veneration of these martyrs [Peter and Paul] be a sign of an ever greater and more deeply felt communion among Christians all over the world".

 

  Following the Angelus prayer, Benedict XVI indicated that "the publication of my third Encyclical, entitled 'Caritas in veritate', is now imminent. Returning to the social themes contained in 'Populorum progressio' written by Servant of God Paul VI in 1967, this document - dated today 29 June, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles - aims to delve more deeply into certain aspects of the integral development of our age, in the light of charity and of truth.

 

  "To your prayers I entrust this latest contribution made by the Church to mankind, in her commitment to sustainable development while fully respecting human dignity and the real needs of everyone", he concluded.

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ALWAYS BE SIGNS OF UNITY AMONG THE FAITHFUL

 

VATICAN CITY, 30 JUN 2009 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Pope received the 34 metropolitan archbishops upon whom he imposed the pallium yesterday, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles. The archbishops were accompanied by members of their families.

 

  The Holy Father addressed the prelates in various languages. To the new Italian archbishops he expressed the hope that, during the recently-inaugurated Year for Priests, they would "be exemplary pastors, zealous and rich in love for the Lord and for your communities. Thus you will guide and provide solid support for priests, your primary collaborators in pastoral ministry, and co-operate effectively in spreading the Kingdom of God throughout the beloved land of Italy".

 

  Benedict XVI also had words of encouragement for new Spanish-speaking archbishops: "Following the footsteps of the Good Pastor", he said, "always be signs of unity among your faithful, strengthening bonds of communion with Peter's Successor, with your suffragan bishops and with everyone who collaborates in your evangelising mission. In this Year for Priests that has just begun, keep your clergy very close to your hearts. They expect to be kindly treated by you, like fathers and brothers who accept them, listen to them and show concern for them".

 

  The Pope also thanked Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of Lviv of the Latins, Ukraine, for "the service he has given the Church, as a collaborator of mine and, prior to that, of my venerated predecessor John Paul II".

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TELEGRAM FOR RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN VIAREGGIO

 

VATICAN CITY, 30 JUN 2009 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a telegram sent by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., in the Holy Father's name, to Archbishop Benvenuto Italo Castellani of Lucca, Italy, for yesterday's explosion of a goods train in the station of Viareggio which left thirteen dead and many injured, some critically.

 

  "Having learned the news of the serious accident at the station of Viareggio, the Supreme Pontiff expresses his heartfelt participation in the suffering afflicting the entire city. While giving assurances of his fervent prayers for the souls of those who have so tragically died, he invokes from the Lord a speedy recovery for the injured and, entrusting those affected by this dramatic event to the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary, he sends a special and comforting apostolic blessing".

TGR/RAILWAY ACCIDENT/VIAREGGIO                                 VIS 090630 (150)

 

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

 

VATICAN CITY, 30 JUN 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 

 - Appointed Fr. Gerard Tlali Lerotholi O.M.I., professor at the National University of Lesotho and at the Seminary of St. Augustine, as archbishop of Maseru (area 7,739, population 813,362, Catholics 364,858, priests 87, religious 386), Lesotho. The archbishop-elect was born in St. James Mission, Lesotho in 1954 and ordained a priest in 1982. He succeeds Archbishop Bernard Mohlalisi O.M.I., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 

 - Appointed Fr. Augustinus Tumaole Bane O.M.I., superior of the "Mater Jesu Scholasticate, Roma" in Maseru, Lesotho, as bishop of Leribe (area 5,129, population 424,400, Catholics 230,639, priests 39, religious 226), Lesotho. The bishop-elect was born in Motsistseng, Mokhotlong, Lesotho in 1947 and ordained a priest in 1977. He succeeds Bishop Paul Khoarai, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 

  On Saturday 27 June it was made public that the Holy Father appointed:

 

 - Fr. Manuel da Silva Rodrigues Linda of the clergy of the diocese of Vila Real, Portugal, rector of the diocesan seminary, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Braga (area 2,857, population 959,000, Catholics 881,900, priests 524, permanent deacons 8, religious 733), Portugal. The bishop-elect was born in Paus, Portugal in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1981.

 

 - Fr. Fernando Jose Castro Aguayo of the clergy of the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei, episcopal vicar for pastoral care in the eastern zone of the archdiocese of Caracas, Venezuela, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese (area 790, population 4,292,000, Catholics 3,749,000, priests 560, permanent deacons 8, religious 1,769). The bishop-elect was born in Caracas in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1984.

 

 - Stefano Fralleoni, official of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, as accountant general of the same institution.

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SUMMARY:

 

- Metropolitan Archbishops Who Will Receive the Pallium

- Cardinal Montezemolo Assesses the Pauline Year

- Audiences

- Notice

 

___________________________________________________________

 

METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOPS WHO WILL RECEIVE THE PALLIUM

 

VATICAN CITY, 26 JUN 2009 (VIS) - At 9.30 a.m. Monday 29 June, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, Benedict XVI will preside at a Eucharistic concelebration with the following 34 metropolitan archbishops upon whom he will impose the pallium:

 

 - Archbishop Ghaleb Moussa Abdalla Bader of Algiers, Algeria.

 

 - Archbishop Domingo Diaz Martinez of Tulancingo, Mexico.

 

 - Archbishop Pierre-Andre Fournier of Rimouski, Canada.

 

 - Archbishop Sergio da Rocha, Brazil.

 

 - Archbishop Giuseppe Bertori of Florence, Italy.

 

 - Archbishop Salvatore Pappalardo of Siracusa, Italy.

 

 - Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of Lviv of the Latins, Ukraine.

 

 - Archbishop Mauricio Grotto de Camargo of Botucatu, Brazil.

 

 - Archbishop Joseph Ake Yapo of Gagnoa, Ivory Coast.

 

 - Archbishop Paul Mandla Khumalo C.M.M. of Pretoria, South Africa.

 

 - Archbishop Marcel Utembi Tapa of Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo.

 

 - Archbishop Manuel Felipe Diaz Sanchez of Calabozo, Venezuela.

 

 - Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador, El Salvador.

 

 - Archbishop J. Michael Miller, C.S.B. of Vancouver, Canada.

 

 - Archbishop Allen Henry Vigneron of Detroit, U.S.A.

 

 - Archbishop Carlos Osoro Sierra of Valencia, Spain.

 

 - Archbishop Gil Antonio Moreira of Juiz de Fora, Brazil.

 

 - Archbishop Victor Sanchez Espinosa of Puebla de los Angeles, Mexico.

 

 - Archbishop Carlos Aguiar Retes of Tlalnepantla, Mexico.

 

 - Archbishop Anicetus Bongsu Antonius Sinaga O.F.M. Cap. of Bedan, Indonesia.

 

 - Archbishop Philip Naameh of Tamale, Ghana.

 

 - Archbishop Ismael Rueda Sierra of Bucaramanga, Colombia.

 

 - Archbishop Andrzej Dziega of Szczecin-Kamien, Poland.

 

 - Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan of New York, U.S.A.

 

 - Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta O. Cist. of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 

 - Archbishop Vincent Gerard Nichols of Westminster, England.

 

 - Archbishop Domenico Umberto D'Ambrosio of Lecce, Italy.

 

 - Archbishop Braulio Rodriguez Plata of Toledo, Spain.

 

 - Archbishop Robert James Carlson of Saint Louis, U.S.A.

 

 - Archbishop Philippe Ouedraogo of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

 

 - Archbishop Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij of Bangkok, Thailand.

 

 - Archbishop George Joseph Lucas of Omaha, U.S.A.

 

 - Archbishop Gregory Michael Aymond of New Orleans, U.S.A.

 

 - Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

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CARDINAL MONTEZEMOLO ASSESSES THE PAULINE YEAR

 

VATICAN CITY, 26 JUN 2009 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office this morning Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls in Rome, and Pier Carlo Visconti, delegate for the administration of the same basilica, held a briefing on the closure of the Pauline Year.

 

  The cardinal recalled how the Year came into being as a "thematic year" with two fundamental objectives: "To increase people's knowledge of, and invite them to meditate upon, the valuable message left to us by the Apostle of the Gentiles in his writings, which are often difficult and little known or poorly interpreted", and "to create various programmes in the ecumenical dimension, which means working to an ever greater degree with non-Catholic Christian communities on various initiatives of prayer, study and culture".

 

  During the course of the Pauline Year, inaugurated by the Pope on 28 June 2008, the basilica welcomed tens of thousands of pilgrims. "On 1 May 2009 alone more than eighteen thousand pilgrims came to the basilica", explained the cardinal, "and over recent weeks we have certainly seen more than ten thousand a day".

 

  Among the ecclesial events of the Pauline Year, the cardinal mentioned "the opening of the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God, which the Pope wished should be inaugurated in the basilica of St. Paul in October 2008, ... the 'Sinaxis' celebrated by all the patriarchs of the Orthodox Churches in Constantinople, followed by a congress focusing on specifically Pauline issues", and "visits to Rome by patriarchs accompanied by large delegations from the Oriental Churches, both Catholic and non-Catholic".

 

  "In the Church of Rome, but also and above all in the various local Churches, ... the celebration of the second millennium of the birth of the Apostle of the Gentiles was perceived and experienced as a fresh stimulus, a further reason to work towards evangelisation. This was also felt in the Orthodox Churches and in many other Christian communities, and has become a shared commitment on the path to recreating unity among Christians".

 

  As for the papal basilica itself, during the Pauline Year "an opening was made in the ancient fifth century brickwork surrounding Paul's tomb under the main altar, so that pilgrims could see one side of the great marble sarcophagus, which has never been opened and which has held the mortal remains of the Apostle for the last twenty centuries". The basilica was also used for concerts of religious music and for other cultural initiatives.

 

  "The Pauline Year is coming to an end", said Cardinal Montezemolo, "but the great ferment of pastoral initiatives, catechesis, and cultural events is destined to continue and to find a large following at both the local and the continental level. The Pauline Door ... will remain open, and the Pauline flame lit by the Holy Father at the beginning of this year will continue to burn in the quadriporticus, ... reminding all the pilgrims who continue to arrive from every corner of the globe of the richness and profundity of the Word of God transmitted to us by the Apostle of the Gentiles".

 

  Finally the archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls announced that "over this very period, to mark the closure of the Pauline Year, the Holy Father is sending seven pontifical delegations, each led by a cardinal, to seven places associated with the Apostle Paul: the Holy Land, Damascus, Tarsus, Cyprus, Athens, Malta and Lebanon".

OP/PAULINE YEAR/MONTEZEMOLO                                     VIS 090626 (590)

 

AUDIENCES

 

VATICAN CITY, 26 JUN 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences six prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam, on their "ad limina" visit:

 

    - Bishop Joseph Vu Van Thien of Hai Phong.

 

    - Bishop Antoine Vu Huy Chuong of Hung Hoa.

 

    - Bishop Joseph Dang Duc Ngan of Lang Son et Cao Bang.

 

    - Bishop Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Sang of Thai Binh.

 

    - Bishop Joseph Nguyen Chi Linh of Thanh Hoa.

 

    - Bishop Paul-Marie Cao Dinh Thuyen of Vinh.

 

  This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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NOTICE

 

VATICAN CITY, 26 JUN 2009 (VIS) - As previously announced, on Monday 29 June, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, and a holiday in Rome and in the Vatican, no VIS bulletin will be transmitted. Service will resume on Tuesday 30 June.

.../.../...                                                                                               VIS 090626 (50)

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