27 June 2008
Vatican News Update 27 June 2008
| 06.27.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 122 |
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SUMMARY:
- Pope Praises Cardinal Ruini and Greets Cardinal Vallini - Hong Kong and Macao: Called to Bear Witness to Christ
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POPE PRAISES CARDINAL RUINI AND GREETS CARDINAL VALLINI
VATICAN CITY, 27 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Today in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received 400 representatives from the Vicariate of Rome for a ceremony marking the retirement from office of the vicar of Rome, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, and the appointment of his successor, Cardinal Agostino Vallini.
"The closing years of last century, and the first years of the new were a truly extraordinary time", said the Pope, "and all the more so for people who, like us, had the good fortune to experience them alongside a true giant of the faith and of the mission of the Church, my venerated predecessor".
Collaborating closely with John Paul II, "we were 'drawn along' by his exceptional spiritual strength, rooted in prayer, in profound union with the Lord Jesus Christ and in filial intimacy with His Most Holy Mother. John Paul II's missionary charisma had ... a decisive influence on his pontificate, in particular on the period of preparation for the Jubilee 2000. And this was directly evident in the diocese of Rome, the Pope's own diocese, thanks to the constant commitment of the cardinal vicar and his collaborators".
As an example of such commitment Benedict XVI mentioned "the Rome Citizens' Mission and the 'Dialogues in the Cathedral', manifestations of a Church which, at the very moment in which she was gaining a greater awareness of her own diocesan identity, ... opened herself ... to a missionary mentality ... destined to last not just the length of a season, but ... to become permanent".
The Pope explained how Cardinal Ruini, who was appointed vicar of Rome in 1991, showed great concern for the mission, a concern "backed up by an outstanding capacity for theological and philosophical reflection. ... The apostolate, especially in our own time, must be constantly nourished by thought in order to explain the significance of gestures and actions which otherwise lapse into sterile activism", he said.
Referring to fields in which Cardinal Ruini and the then Cardinal Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, had worked together, the Pope recalled the diocesan ecclesial conferences "called to respond to the most urgent pastoral questions, while taking account of the social and cultural context of the city".
The Holy Father also mentioned the "cultural project", an initiative of the Italian Church which calls attention "to the Church's place in society; in other words the desire of the Christian community - responding to the mission of its Lord - to be present among men and women, and in history, with a plan for mankind, family and social relationships, inspired by the Word of God and expressed through dialogue with the culture of the time.
"In this, dear cardinal", the Pope added, "you have given an example that goes beyond the initiatives of the moment, an example of commitment to 'thinking the faith' in absolute conformity to the Magisterium of the Church, with careful attention to the teachings of the bishop of Rome and, at the same time, while constantly listening to the questions that arise from contemporary culture and from the problems of modern society".
In closing, Benedict XVI greeted Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the new vicar of the diocese of Rome and until now prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. Welcoming him to his new office, the Pope said "I entrust it to you bearing in mind the pastoral experience you gained first as auxiliary in the great archdiocese of Naples, then as bishop of Albano, to which experiences you add proven gifts of wisdom and cordiality". AC/VICARIATE ROME/RUINI:VALLINI VIS 080627 (600)
HONG KONG AND MACAO: CALLED TO BEAR WITNESS TO CHRIST
VATICAN CITY, 27 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received the bishops of the Chinese dioceses of Hong Kong and Macao, on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit.
These two particular Churches, said the Holy Father, are "called to be witnesses to Christ, to look forward in hope and to announce the Gospel facing up to the new challenges that the people of Hong Kong and Macao must embrace".
He pointed out the need for "an adequate ongoing formation of the clergy" highlighting how this "is an intrinsic requirement of the gift and sacramental ministry received; and it proves necessary in every age. It is particularly urgent today, not only because of rapid changes in the social and cultural conditions of individuals and peoples among whom the priestly ministry is exercised, but also because of that 'new evangelisation' which constitutes the essential and pressing task of the Church".
"Catholic schools offer an important contribution to the intellectual, spiritual and moral formation of the new generations. This crucial aspect of personal growth is what motivates Catholic parents, and those from other religious traditions, to seek out Catholic schools".
"The Catholic schools of your two dioceses have given significant impulse to the social development and cultural growth of your people. Today these educational centres face new difficulties; be assured that I am with you, and I encourage you to ensure that this important service will never fall by the wayside".
The Holy Father thanked the bishops "for the affection and devotion you have shown to the Holy See in different ways. As I congratulate you on the many achievements of your well-organised diocesan communities, I encourage you to even greater commitment in the search for adequate means of presenting the Christian message of love in a more comprehensible way to the world in which you live", he said.
"I also encourage your dioceses to continue your contribution to the life of the Church in mainland China, both by offering personnel for formation purposes and by supporting initiatives in the field of human promotion and assistance". In this context the Pope expressed his recognition for "the invaluable service" of "the charitable organisation Caritas of both dioceses".
Benedict XVI concluded by saying: "I hope and pray to the Lord that the day will soon come when your brother bishops from mainland China come to Rome on pilgrimage to the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul, as a sign of communion with the Successor of Peter and the Universal Church". AL/.../CHINESE BISHOPS VIS 080627 (430)
VATICAN CITY, 27 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun S.D.B., bishop of Hong Kong, China, accompanied by Coadjutor Bishop John Tong Hon, on their "ad limina" visit.
- Bishop Jose Lai Hung-seng of Macao, China, on his "ad limina" visit.
- Two prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Honduras, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Luis Sole Fa C.M. of Trujillo
- Bishop Jean Louis Giasson P.M.E. of Yoro.
- Ahmed Hamid Elfaki Hamid, ambassador of Sudan, on his farewell visit.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. AL:AP/.../... VIS 080627 (120)
VATICAN CITY, 27 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Cardinal Agostino Vallini, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, as vicar general of His Holiness for the diocese of Rome, and archpriest of the papal basilica of St. John Lateran. He succeeds Cardinal Camillo Ruini, whose resignation from the same office the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
- Appointed Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke of Saint Louis, U.S.A., as prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.
- Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the diocese of Essen, Germany, presented by Bishop Franz Grave, upon having reached the age limit.
- Appointed Msgr. Ludger Schepers of the clergy of Essen, Germany, pastor and dean of Duisburg, as auxiliary of the same diocese (area 1,877, population 2,602,494, Catholics 919,948, priests 589, permanent deacons 77, religious 580). The bishop-elect was born in Oberhausen, Germany in 1953 and ordained a priest in 1979. NA:RE:NEA/.../... VIS 080627 (170) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
26 June 2008
Vatican News Update 26 June 2008
| 06.26.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 121 |
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SUMMARY:
- Honduran Bishops at the Service of Charity - Commitment to a Peaceful and United World
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HONDURAN BISHOPS AT THE SERVICE OF CHARITY
VATICAN CITY, 26 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Holy Father received prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Honduras, who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.
"The Honduran people", the Pope told the prelates, "is characterised by a profound religious spirit which finds expression, among other things, in the numerous and deep-rooted practices of popular devotion. These practices, duly purified of elements alien to the faith, must become a practical instrument for announcing the Gospel. On the other hand, as happens elsewhere, the spread of secularism and the proselytism of sects represent a source of confusion for many faithful, also provoking the loss of a sense of belonging to the Church".
"An awareness of the enormous difficulties hindering your pastoral mission, far from discouraging you, should serve as a stimulus for a bold and far-reaching effort of evangelisation, founded - rather than on the effectiveness of material means and human plans - on the power of the Word of God, faithfully accepted, humbly experienced and trustingly announced", said Benedict XVI to the bishops
He then went on to highlight the "priceless" help of priests in the "vital task of announcing the Good News". And he invited the prelates to ensure their seminaries always have "the best formators and the most appropriate material resources, so that future priests may garner that human and spiritual ... maturity which the faithful need and have the right to expect from their pastors". He also recalled how, "despite the recent increase in vocations, the shortage of priests" is "rightly one of your chief concerns".
"One field deserving of particular attention", the Pope continued, "is that of marriage and the family, the solidity and stability of which is such a benefit to the Church and society. In this respect, it is right to recognise the important step taken by including an explicit recognition of marriage in your country's Constitution, although you well know it is not enough to possess good legislation if then we do not undertake the necessary cultural and catechetical labours that highlight "the truth and beauty of marriage, a perpetual alliance of life and love between a man and a woman".
"Alongside the announcement of the Word and the celebration of the Sacraments, the service of charity forms an essential part of the Church's mission", said Pope Benedict. Hence "bishops, as successors of the Apostles", must be "the foremost leaders of this service of charity in the particular Churches".
"I well know how you are affected by the poverty in which so many of your fellow citizens live, and by the increase in violence, emigration, environmental destruction, corruption and shortcomings in education, alongside other serious problems. As ministers of the Good Shepherd you have - through word and deed - worked intensely to assist the needy. I exhort you", the Holy Father concluded, "to continue through your ministry to show the merciful face of God, strengthening the network of charity in your diocesan and parish communities with particular concern for the sick, the elderly and the imprisoned". AL/.../HONDURAS VIS 080626 (520)
COMMITMENT TO A PEACEFUL AND UNITED WORLD
VATICAN CITY, 26 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Pope received the Letters of Credence of Firmin Mboutsou, the new ambassador of Gabon to the Holy See. In his address to the diplomat the Pontiff highlighted the good relations that have existed between the Holy See and that African State for 40 years.
"The Church contributes", said the Holy Father, "and wishes to contribute ever more to educating men, women and children, without distinction, respecting people and their cultures, and transmitting to each the spiritual and moral values indispensable for human development. In the same way, over her long history, she participates in healthcare education". In this context, the Pope expressed the hope that, through agreement, Gabon "may fully recognise and support this charitable service" which "will have beneficial effects on religious presence and on the dynamism of structures in the fields of social work and healthcare".
Benedict XVI then went on to refer to agreements concerning education signed in 2001, expressing his hope that they "become established at the diocesan level, as concerns education at all levels, especially that of higher education. The Church", he said, "wishes to maintain and develop quality teaching", and this "requires the support of the authorities and of the various services of the State".
Speaking of the "organisation of pastoral care in the armed forces" in Gabon, the Pope stressed the importance of the military "being able to form Christian communities under the guidance of a pastor capable of recognising and respecting the special status of the military world".
The Holy Father invited the "authorities and men and women of good will, especially on the beloved continent of Africa, to commit themselves ever more intensely to building a peaceful, fraternal and united world".
"Without justice", he said, "without fighting all forms of corruption, without respecting the rules of law, true peace is impossible and citizens will clearly find it difficult to put faith in their leaders. Indeed, without respect for the freedom of each individual, it is not possible to speak of peace". In this context, the Pope indicated that the Church is ready to provide collaboration and support for "all those people whose primary concern is to build a society respectful of the most elemental rights of human beings".
Benedict XI concluded by highlighting how "the future is often seen in relation to purely economic questions, which lie at the origin of numerous conflicts. The inhabitants of the country must be the primary beneficiaries of the nation's natural wealth, and do everything possible to protect the planet, leaving future generations a truly inhabitable world capable of feeding all its people". CD/LETTERS OF CREDENCE/GABON:MBOUTSOU VIS 080626 (450)
VATICAN CITY, 26 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:
- Archbishop John Hung Shan-chuan of Taipei, Taiwan, as a member of the Special Council for Asia of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.
- Johan Ickx, official of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, as a consultor of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. NA/.../HUNG:ICKX VIS 080626 (70) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
25 June 2008
Vatican News Update 25 June 2008
| 06.25.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 120 |
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SUMMARY:
- Maximus the Confessor, Fearless Witness of Faith in Christ - Pope Blesses a Statue of St. Luigi Orione - Malayalam Edition of the "Osservatore Romano" - Metropolitan Archbishops Who Will Receive the Pallium - Declaration Concerning the Emanuela Orlandi Case
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MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR, FEARLESS WITNESS OF FAITH IN CHRIST
VATICAN CITY, 25 JUN 2008 (VIS) - In today's general audience, which was held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 14,000 people, the Pope dedicated his remarks to St. Maximus the Confessor, a monk who was born in the sixth century.
The Holy Father highlighted how this saint "is another great Father of the Eastern Church", upon whom "Christian Tradition has conferred the title of 'Confessor' for the dauntless courage with which he bore witness (confessed), also through suffering, to the integrity of his faith in Jesus Christ, true God and true man, Saviour of the world".
The Confessor was born in Palestine around the year 580, said Benedict XVI. "From Jerusalem, Maximus moved to Constantinople then, because of the barbarian invasions, he took refuge in Africa where he distinguished himself for his great courage in the defence of orthodoxy. ... He did not accept the attenuation of Christ's humanity".
The Pope then explained how St. Maximus came to Rome and "took an active role in the 649 Lateran Council which had been called by Pope Martin I to defend the two natures of Christ against an imperial edict which - 'pro bono pacis' - prohibited discussion on the matter". Nonetheless, Maximus remained steadfast in his view that "it is impossible to affirm that Christ has just one nature". For this reason he and two of his followers "were subjected to a terrible trial". Accused of heresy, the saint was condemned "to have his tongue and his right hand cut off, the two organs through which, in speech and writing, Maximus had combated the erroneous doctrine of the one nature of Christ. Finally the saintly monk was exiled to Colchis on the Black Sea where, exhausted by his sufferings, he died at the age of 82 on 13 August 662".
"St. Maximus' thought was never limited to theology and speculation, ... because his focus was always the real situation of the world, and its salvation. ... To man, created in His image and likeness, God has entrusted the mission of unifying the cosmos".
"The life and thought of Maximus were strongly illuminated by an immense courage in testifying to the integral truth of Christ, without reduction or compromise", said the Pope. Thus it is clear "how we must live in order to fulfil our vocation. We must live united to God in order to remain united to one another and the universe".
The Holy Father continued: "The universal 'yes' of Christ also shows us the correct arrangement of all other values, ... such as tolerance, freedom and dialogue. Tolerance that does not know how to distinguish between good and evil would become chaotic and self-destructive. In the same way, freedom that does not respect the freedom of others and does not find a shared measure for our respective freedoms would become anarchy and destroy authority. Dialogue that does not know what to dialogue about becomes mere empty chatter". In this context, the Pope pointed out that such values "remain true values only if they have a point of reference that unites them and gives them genuine authenticity. This point of reference is the synthesis between God and the cosmos, it is the figure of Christ in Whom we learn the truth about ourselves, and thus we also learn how to position all other values because we discover their true significance".
"And so", he concluded, "Christ shows us that the cosmos must become liturgy, glory of God, and that adoration is the beginning of the true transformation, the true renewal, of the world". AG/ST. MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR/... VIS 080625 (610)
POPE BLESSES A STATUE OF ST. LUIGI ORIONE
VATICAN CITY, 25 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Before today's general audience, which was held in St. Peter's Square, Benedict XVI blessed a marble statue of St. Luigi Orione which has been positioned in an external niche in the back wall of the Vatican Basilica.
St. Luigi Orione (1872-1940), an Italian priest, was the founder of the Little Work of Divine Providence which gained approval in 1903. In 1908, following an earthquake that devastated parts of Sicily and Calabria, he spent three years in those areas caring for victims, especially orphans. After the First World War Don Orione's Work expanded, with the foundation of colleges and of educational and assistance organisations. Missionary activity began in Brazil in 1913.
John Paul II beatified Don Orione on 26 October 1980, and proclaimed him a saint on 16 May 2004. His feast day falls on 12 March.
At the close of the general audience, the Holy Father greeted "with great affection", the members of the Orione Family and expressed his hope that the unveiling of the statue of their founder "will constitute for all his spiritual children a renewed stimulus to continue along the path indicated by St. Luigi Orione, especially in bringing to Peter's Successor - as he himself said - 'the small, the humble, the poor workers, and the rejects of life who are most dear to Christ, and the real treasures of the Church of Jesus Christ'". AG/BLESSING STATUE/LUIGI ORIONE VIS 080625 (250)
MALAYALAM EDITION OF THE "OSSERVATORE ROMANO"
VATICAN CITY, 25 JUN 2008 (VIS) - In a Message published today, Benedict XVI expresses his appreciation for the first Malayalam-language version of the "Osservatore Romano", which is the translation of the English-language weekly edition of that newspaper.
"The publication", writes the Pope in his English-language Message, "is a highly significant event in the life of the Church in India, since it will keep the over six million Catholics in Kerala State fully informed about the ministry of the Pope and the work of the Holy See and strengthen the bonds of faith and ecclesial communion linking the Catholic community to the See of Peter.
"I willingly take this occasion to offer my prayerful good wishes for this important undertaking, together with my heartfelt thanks to the directors of the Carmel International Publishing House and to all those who in any way have contributed to its realisation.
"It is my hope that this new translation of the English edition, which now takes its place alongside the other language editions of the 'Osservatore Romano', will prove a valuable source of instruction and enrichment in the faith, an incentive to ever greater fraternity and co-operation within Kerala's richly diverse Catholic community, and an indispensable aid to the continuing work of evangelisation". BXVI-MESS/OSSERVATORE ROMANO/... VIS 080625 (220)
METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOPS WHO WILL RECEIVE THE PALLIUM
VATICAN CITY, 25 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Given below is a list of the metropolitan archbishops who will receive the pallium from Benedict XVI in the course of a Eucharistic celebration due to be held in the Vatican Basilica on June 29, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles:
- Cardinal John Njue, archbishop of Nairobi, Kenya.
- His Beatitude Fouad Twal, patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins.
- Archbishop Michel Christian Cartatéguy S.M.A. of Niamey, Niger.
- Archbishop Edwin Frederick O'Brien of Baltimore, U.S.A.
- Archbishop Francisco Perez Gonzalez of Pamplona and Tudela, Spain.
- Archbishop Lorenzo Voltolini Esti of Portoviejo, Ecuador.
- Archbishop Paolo Pezzi F.S.C.B. of Mother of God in Moscow, Russia.
- Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Minsk-Mohilev, Belarus.
- Archbishop Andres Stanovnik O.F.M. Cap. of Corrientes, Argentina.
- Archbishop Anthony Mancini of Halifax, Canada.
- Archbishop Martin William Currie of Saint John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
- Archbishop Mauro Aparecido dos Santos of Cascavel, Brazil.
- Archbishop Giancarlo Maria Bregantini C.S.S. of Campobasso-Boiano, Italy.
- Archbishop John Hung Shan-Chuan S.V.D. of Taipei, Taiwan.
- Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso of Kaduna, Nigeria.
- Archbishop Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising, Germany.
- Archbishop Oscar Urbina Ortega of Villavicencio, Colombia.
- Archbishop Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Archbishop Willem Jacobus Eijk of Utrecht, Netherlands.
- Archbishop Antonio Jose Lopez Castillo of Barquisimeto, Venezuela.
- Archbishop Richard Anthony Burke S.P.S. of Benin City, Nigeria.
- Archbishop Agustin Roberto Radrizzani S.D.B. of Mercedes-Lujan, Argentina.
- Archbishop Jose Francisco Sanches Alves of Evora, Portugal.
- Archbishop Jan Babjak, S.J. of Presov for Catholics of Byzantine rite, Slovakia.
- Archbishop Giovanni Paolo Benotto of Pisa, Italy.
- Archbishop Stanislav Zvolensky of Bratislava, Slovakia.
- Archbishop Robert Rivas, O.P. of Castries Santa Lucia.
- Archbishop Francesco Montenegro of Agrigento, Italy.
- Archbishop Louis Kebreau, S.D.B. of Cap Haitien, Haiti.
- Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
- Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Lille, France.
- Archbishop John Ribat, M.S.C. of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
- Archbishop Thomas Kwaku Mensah of Kumasi, Ghana.
- Archbishop Thomas John Rodi of Mobile, U.S.A.
- Archbishop Donald James Reece of Kingston in Jamaica, Jamaica.
- Archbishop Sławoj Leszek Głodz of Gdansk, Poland.
- Archbishop Peter J. Kairo of Nyeri, Kenya.
- Archbishop John Clayton Nienstedt of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, U.S.A.
- Archbishop John Lee Hiong Fun-Yit Yaw of Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
- Archbishop Luis Gonzaga Silva Pepeu O.F.M. Cap. of Vitoria da Conquista, Brazil.
- Archbishop Marin Srakic of Djakovo-Osijek, Croatia.
The following two archbishops will receive the pallium in their metropolitan sees:
- Archbishop William D'Souza, S.J. of Patna, India.
- Archbishop Edward Tamba Charles of Freetown and Bo, Sierra Leona. OP/PALLIUM METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOPS/... VIS 080625 (460)
DECLARATION CONCERNING THE EMANUELA ORLANDI CASE
VATICAN CITY, 25 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. released the following declaration yesterday afternoon:
"The tragic affair of the disappearance of young Emanuela Orlandi (in 1983) has again become a focus of attention for the Italian media world.
"This has come about in a striking way, with the widespread journalistic disclosure of confidential information, information that remains completely unverified and that proceeds from a witness of extremely dubious credibility.
"This serves only to renew the immense pain of the Orlandi family, while showing no respect and humanity towards people who have already suffered so much.
"It also serves to spread defamatory and groundless accusations against Archbishop Marcinkus, who died some time ago and cannot defend himself.
"We in no way wish to interfere with the duties of the magistrates in their rigorous verification of facts and responsibilities. But at the same time, we cannot but express our extreme regret and reproof at methods of information that owe more to sensationalism than to the requirements of seriousness and of professional ethics". OP/ORLANDI DISAPPEARANCE/LOMBARDI VIS 080625 (190)
VATICAN CITY, 25 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This evening the Holy Father is scheduled to receive in separate audiences four prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Honduras, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Tomas Andres Mauro Muldoon O.F.M. of Juticalpa.
- Bishop Angel Garachana Perez C.M.F. of San Pedro Sula, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Romulo Emiliani Sanchez C.M.F.
- Bishop Luis Alfonso Santos Villeda S.D.B. of Santa Rosa de Copan. AL/.../... VIS 080625 (80) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 24 June 2008
| 06.24.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 119 |
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SUMMARY:
- Ceremony for Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles
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CEREMONY FOR SOLEMNITY OF STS. PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES
VATICAN CITY, 24 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that the Holy Father Benedict XVI will celebrate the Eucharist in the Vatican Basilica at 9.30 a.m. on 29 June, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles. The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I is also due to participate in the ceremony.
The Ecumenical Patriarch and the Holy Father will pronounce the homily; together they will recite the profession of faith and impart the blessing. The Pope will concelebrate Mass with the new metropolitan archbishops, upon whom he will impose the pallium during the course of the ceremony. OCL/SOLEMNITY PETER PAUL/BARTHOLOMEW I VIS 080624 (120)
VATICAN CITY, 24 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This evening the Holy Father is scheduled to receive in separate audiences five prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Honduras, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga S.D.B., archbishop of Tegucigalpa, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Juan Jose Pineda Fasquelle C.M.F. and Darwin Rudy Andino Ramirez C.R.S.
- Bishop Guido Plante P.M.E. of Choluteca.
- Bishop Roberto Camilleri Azzopardi O.F.M. of Comayagua. AL/.../... VIS 080624 (80)
VATICAN CITY, 24 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Pamiers, France, presented by Bishop Marcel Perrier, upon having reached the age limit.
- Appointed Msgr. Santiago Olivera, vicar general of the diocese of Moron, Argentina, as bishop of Cruz del Eje (area 22,187, population 159,500, Catholics 148,400, priests 32, permanent deacons 1, religious 68), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1959 and ordained a priest in 1984. He succeeds Bishop Omar Felix Colome, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
- Appointed Bishop Mario Aurelio Poli, auxiliary of Buenos Aires, Argentina, as bishop of Santa Rosa (area 143,440, population 325,626, Catholics 260,205, priests 41, religious 78), Argentina. He succeeds Bishop Rinaldo Fidel Bredice, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
- Appointed Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay, India, and Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil, as presidents delegate of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, due to be held in the Vatican from 5 to 26 October on the theme: "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church". RE:NER:NA/.../... VIS 080624 (250)
VATICAN CITY, 24 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:
- Bishop Charles Albert Buswell, emeritus of Pueblo, U.S.A., on 14 June at the age of 94.
- Bishop John Choi Jae-son, former bishop of Pusan, Korea, on 3 June at the age of 96.
- Bishop Maurizio Galli, emeritus of Fidenza, Italy, on 1 June at the age of 71.
- Bishop Victor Kindo of Jashpur, India, on 12 June at the age of 61.
- Archbishop Elmar Maria Kredel, emeritus of Bamberg, Germany, on 10 June at the age of 86. .../DEATHS/... VIS 080624 (100) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
23 June 2008
Vatican News Update 23 June 2008
| 06.23.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num.118 |
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SUMMARY: 21 - 23 JUNE
- Holy Father Thanks Cardinal Ruini for His Service - Dublin, Site of Next International Eucharistic Congress - Who Fears God Is Never Afraid - Pope Prays for Shipwreck Victims and Peace in Lebanon - Solemn Vespers to Inaugurate Pauline Year - Ratification of Agreement between Holy See, Philippines
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HOLY FATHER THANKS CARDINAL RUINI FOR HIS SERVICE
VATICAN CITY, 21 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father has written a Letter to Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, to mark the 25th anniversary of his consecration as bishop. The Letter was read out during a solemn Eucharistic concelebration presided by Cardinal Ruini in the Roman basilica of St. John Lateran.
In his Letter, which is dated 19 June, the Pope thanks the cardinal for his "commitment to serving the Church of Rome" since January 1991 when he was appointed vicar general of the diocese.
Benedict XVI recalls certain episodes during "these years of episcopate in the direct service of the Bishop of Rome", such as "the planning and celebration of the Citizens' Mission in preparation for the Great Jubilee 2000", the culminating moment of which "was the 20th World Youth Day".
"Over the years", the Pope continues in his Letter to the cardinal, "you have accompanied 484 diocesan priests to ordination and have supported, through various initiatives, the building of 57 new parish churches".
The Holy Father thanks Cardinal Ruini "for all you have done for priests, deacons, religious, seminarians, lay groups and all the people of God in the diocese of Rome", and he notes how the diocese "has grown in communion and in an awareness of the urgency of the mission". In this context the Pope adds: "I must express my personal recognition for the dedication with which, over these years, you introduced me into the complex realities of this beloved Church".
"Thank you for having backed my call for a serious commit to education and for having, on numerous occasions, brought so many faithful to St. Peter's Square to listen to, support and encourage the ministry of the Roman Pontiff".
Benedict XVI concludes his Letter by telling Cardinal Ruini - who from 1991 to 2007 was also president of the Italian Episcopal Conference - that "in all these circumstances you have shown exemplary faithfulness to your episcopal motto 'Veritas liberabit nos'. In name of this Truth, which is Christ Himself, you continually dedicated your energies for the sake of the People of God who are in Rome". BXVI-LETTER/ANNIVERSARY EPISCOPATE/RUINI VIS 080623 (370)
VATICAN CITY, 21 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem of the Latins, presented by His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Fouad Twal.
- Appointed Msgr. Andrew Thanya-anan Vissanu, nunciature counsellor to the apostolic nunciature in Indonesia, as under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. RE/.../SABBAH:TWAL:THANYA-ANAN VIS 080623 (80)
DUBLIN, SITE OF NEXT INTERNATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS
VATICAN CITY, 22 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Benedict XVI today announced that the next International Eucharistic Congress will take place in 2012 in Dublin, capital of Ireland.
The Pope made the announcement during his homily, transmitted by satellite from the Vatican to thousands of faithful gathered on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec, for the closing Mass of the 49th International Eucharistic Congress, held in that Canadian city from 15 to 22 June. The Eucharistic celebration was presided by Cardinal Jozef Tomko, pontifical legate and president emeritus of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses.
Commenting on the theme of the congress - "The Eucharist: gift of God for the life of the world" - the Holy Father said: "The Eucharist is our most precious treasure. ... It is the Sacrament par excellence ... It contains all the mystery of our salvation, it is the source and the summit of the activity and the life of the Church".
"It is, then", he continued, "particularly important that pastors and faithful should always seek a more profound understanding of this great Sacrament. Each will thus be able to strengthen his faith and better achieve his mission in the Church and in the world, recalling the fecundity of the Eucharist for his personal life, and for the life of the Church and the world".
"Participation in the Eucharist", said Pope Benedict, "does not distance us from our fellow man; quite the contrary, being the most exalted expression of God's love, it calls us to commit ourselves alongside our brothers and sisters to facing the challenges of the present and to making the planet a pleasant place to live. To this end, we must struggle tirelessly so that all people may be respected from conception to natural death, that our rich societies may welcome the poorest and restore their dignity, that everyone may feed themselves and their family, and that peace and justice may shine out on all continents".
The Pope, who had been speaking French, then pronounced a few words in English: "I sincerely hope that this Congress will serve as an appeal to all the faithful to make a similar commitment to a renewal of Eucharistic catechesis, so that they themselves will gain a genuine Eucharistic awareness and will in turn teach children and young people to recognise the central mystery of faith and build their lives around it".
After encouraging pastors and faithful "to renew their concern for their preparation for receiving the Eucharist", the Pope said that "despite our weakness and our sin, Christ wishes to dwell within us. ... For this reason we must do everything possible to receive Him with a pure heart, ever seeking to regain - through the Sacrament of Confession - the purity that sin has blemished".
Benedict XVI pointed out that "sin, and especially grave sin, opposes the action of Eucharistic grace in us. ... People who because of their situation cannot take communion, will find strength and salvific effectiveness in a unity of desire and in participation in Mass", he said.
"The Eucharist is not a meal among friends. It is a mystery of alliance", said the Pope. "We are called to enter this mystery of alliance, conforming our everyday lives to the gift received in the Eucharist".
The Pope called on people to ask God for new priests for the Church, and to pass this invitation on to the young, "that they may joyfully and fearlessly respond to Christ. They will not be disillusioned. May families be the birthplace and the cradle of vocations".
Before concluding his remarks, the Holy Father called on everyone "to join me in praying for the success of the next International Eucharistic Congress, which will take place in 2012 in the city of Dublin". HML/EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS/CANADA VIS 080623 (640)
VATICAN CITY, 22 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.
"In today's Gospel", he said, "we find two invitations from Jesus: on the one hand, 'to have no fear' of men, and on the other 'to fear' God. Thus we are stimulated to reflect on the difference that exists between human fears and fear of God. Fear is a natural aspect of life. From childhood we experience forms of fear that then reveal themselves as imaginary and disappear; later other fears emerge which have specific roots in reality, these must be faced and overcome with human commitment and trust in God.
"But", the Pope added, "there exists - and above all today - a deeper form of fear, an existential fear, which sometimes spills over into anguish. It is born of a sense of emptiness, associated with a certain culture that is permeated with widespread theoretical and practical nihilism. Faced with the broad ... panorama of human fears, the Word of God is clear: those who 'fear' God 'are not afraid'. Fear of God, which Scripture defines as 'the beginning of true hope', means to have faith in Him, and sacred respect for His authority over life and over the world".
"Those who fear God are serene even amidst the storms because God, as Jesus revealed to us, is a Father full of mercy and goodness. Those who love Him are not afraid. ... Believers, then, are afraid of nothing, because they know they are in the hands of God, they know that evil and the irrational will not have the last word, but that the one Lord of the world and of life is Christ, the Word of God incarnate".
Finally, the Pope turned his attention to St. Paul who, "strong in the presence of Christ and comforted by His love, did not even fear martyrdom". Then, recalling that on 28 June he will inaugurate a Jubilee Year commemorating the two-thousandth anniversary of the birth of the Apostle of the Gentiles, the Holy Father concluded: "May this great spiritual and pastoral event also arouse in us a renewed faith in Jesus Christ Who calls us to announce and bear witness to His Gospel, without fear". ANG/FEAR OF GOD/... VIS 080623 (400)
POPE PRAYS FOR SHIPWRECK VICTIMS AND PEACE IN LEBANON
VATICAN CITY, 22 JUN 2008 (VIS) - After praying the Angelus today, the Pope recalled victims of the typhoon Fengshen in the Philippines, and mentioned the beatification of the Lebanese friar Fr. Yaaqub (ne Khalil Haddad).
"It was with great anguish that this morning I learnt of the wreck of a ferry in the Philippines, struck by the typhoon Fengshen which has swept across that area", he said. "As I give assurances of my spiritual closeness to the people of the islands struck by the typhoon, I raise a special prayer to the Lord for the victims of this latest maritime tragedy, in which so many children were also involved".
The Holy Father then went on to recall that "today in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, Yaaqub (ne Khalil Haddad), priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins and founder of the Congregation of Franciscan Sisters of the Cross in Lebanon, was proclaimed a blessed. In expressing my congratulations to his spiritual daughters, I trust with all my heart that the intercession of Blessed Abuna Yaaqub, together with that of the other Lebanese saints, may enable that beloved and martyred country, which has undergone too much suffering, to finally progress towards a stable peace". ANG/SHIPWRECK BEATIFICATION/... VIS 080623 (220)
SOLEMN VESPERS TO INAUGURATE PAULINE YEAR
VATICAN CITY, 23 JUN 2008 (VIS) - A communique released today by the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announces that in the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls at 6 p.m. on Saturday 28 June, eve of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, Benedict XVI will preside at first Vespers for the inauguration of the Pauline Year. The ceremony will be attended by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and by representatives of other Churches and Christian communities. OCL/PAULINE YEAR/... VIS 080623 (90)
RATIFICATION OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN HOLY SEE, PHILIPPINES
VATICAN CITY, 23 JUN 2008 (VIS) - On 29 May, at the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Manila, Archbishop Edward J. Adams, apostolic nuncio to that country, and Albert G. Romulo, foreign minister of the Republic of the Philippines, exchanged the instruments of ratification of the Agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of the Philippines concurring the cultural patrimony of the Catholic Church. The agreement itself was signed on 17 April 2007.
The signing ceremony was attended, on behalf of the Church, by Cardinal Gaudencio B. Rosales, archbishop of Manila, and by Bishop Julito B. Cortes, auxiliary of Cebu and president of the Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.
For the Philippine State, the event was attended by Carmen Padilla, head of the national commission for UNESCO; Emelita V. Almosara, counsellor of the National Historical Institute, and Angel Bautista, head curator of the cultural property section of the National Museum.
The agreement come into force on the day of the exchange of the instruments of ratification. OP/RATIFICATION AGREEMENT/HOLY SEE:PHILIPPINES VIS 080623 (190)
VATICAN CITY, 23 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Fra' Matthew Festing, prince and grand master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
- Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
- Archbishop Francesco Monterisi, secretary of the Congregation for Bishops.
- Archbishop Anselmo Guido Pecorari, apostolic nuncio to Uruguay.
On Saturday 21 June, he received in separate audiences:
- Cardinal James Francis Stafford, penitentiary major of the Apostolic Penitentiary, accompanied by Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, O.F.M. Conv., regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary.
- Cardinal Agostino Vallini, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. AP/.../... VIS 080623 (110) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
22 June 2008
Vatican News Update 20 June 2008
| 06.20.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 117 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Radio Participates in Mission and Visibility of the Church
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RADIO PARTICIPATES IN MISSION AND VISIBILITY OF THE CHURCH
VATICAN CITY, 20 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Today in the Vatican the Holy Father received participants in a symposium entitled: "The identity and mission of Catholic radio today". The symposium was organised by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, which is presided by Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli.
"As you work in Catholic radio stations you are at the service of the Word", the Pope told the more than 100 delegates from 50 countries. "The words that you broadcast each day are an echo of that eternal Word which became flesh. ... The Incarnation took place in a distant village, far away from the noisy imperial cities of antiquity. Today, even though you make use of modern communication technologies, the words which you broadcast are also humble, and sometimes it may seem to you that they are completely lost amidst the competition of other noisy and more powerful mass media.
"But do not be disheartened!" he added. "The words which you transmit reach countless people, some of whom are alone and for whom your word comes as a consoling gift, some of whom are curious and are intrigued by what they hear, some of whom never attend church because they belong to different religions or to no religion at all, and others still who have never heard the name of Jesus Christ, yet through your service first come to hear the words of salvation. This work of patient sowing, carried on day after day, hour after hour, is your way of co-operating in the apostolic mission".
"If the many forms and types of communication may be seen as a gift from God to help individuals and all humankind to develop, then radio, through which you exercise your apostolate, brings words and music to people in order to inform and to entertain, to announce and to denounce, but always respecting the truth and with the clear aim of educating in truth and hope. Jesus Christ gives us the Truth about man and the truth for man and, on the basis of that truth, a hope for the present and future of humanity in the world".
The Holy Father went on to express the view that "radio, due to its association with the word, participates in the mission and visibility of the Church, but it also creates a new way of living, of being and of making the Church; this brings with it various ecclesiological and pastoral challenges. It is important to make the Word of God attractive, giving it consistency through your transmissions so as to touch the hearts of the men and women of our time, and to participate in transforming the lives of our contemporaries".
"What exhilarating prospects your commitment and your work open up!" the Holy Father exclaimed. "Even now, your networks can be a small but real echo in the world of the network of friendship that the presence of the risen Christ, the God-with-us, inaugurated between heaven and earth and among mankind of all continents and epochs. In this way your work will become a full part of the mission of the Church, which I invite you to love deeply. By helping the heart of each person to open to Christ, you will help the world to open to hope and to that civilisation of truth and love which is the most eloquent result of His presence among us". AC/CATHOLIC RADIOS/... VIS 080620 (580)
VATICAN CITY, 20 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, accompanied by Fr. Edmund D. Power OS.B., abbot of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls.
- Archbishop Hector Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte O.F.M. of Trujillo, Peru.
- Three prelates from the Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Anthony Theodore Lobo of Islamabad-Rawalpindi.
- Bishop Andrew Francis of Multan.
- Fr. Victor Gnanapragasam O.M.I., apostolic prefect of Quetta.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. AP:AL/.../... VIS 080620 (120) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
19 June 2008
Vatican News Update 19 June 2008
| 06.19.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 116 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Pakistan: Seeds of Gospel Still Grow Despite Difficulties - Pope Recalls Armenia, Georgia, Iraq, Lebanon And Holy Land - President Kabila Invites the Pope to Visit His Country
___________________________________________________________
PAKISTAN: SEEDS OF GOSPEL STILL GROW DESPITE DIFFICULTIES
VATICAN CITY, 19 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Holy Father received prelates from the Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference, who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.
"The seeds of the Gospel, sown in your region by zealous missionaries in the sixteenth century", said the Pope in his English-language talk, "continue to grow despite conditions that sometimes hinder their capacity to take root".
He asked the prelates "to assure your clergy of my spiritual closeness to them as they carry out [their] task", then went on to indicate that "the centrality of the Eucharist, both through the worthy celebration of the Lord's Supper and in silent adoration of the Sacrament, should be especially apparent in the lives of priests and bishops. This will lead the laity to follow your example and come to a deeper appreciation for the Lord's abiding presence among them", he said.
The Eucharist "reorients the way Christians think, speak and act in the world and makes present the salvific meaning of Christ's death and resurrection, thus renewing history and vivifying all creation. The breaking of the bread reminds us again and again that the absurdity of violence never has the last word, for Christ has conquered sin and death through His glorious resurrection".
"Eucharistic spirituality", said the Holy Father, "embraces every aspect of the Christian life. This is evident in the emerging vitality of ecclesial movements within your dioceses. ... By exhorting the members of these movements and all the faithful to listen attentively to the word of God and to cultivate a habit of daily prayer, may your people foster genuine fellowship and create ever expanding networks of charitable solicitude for their neighbours".
"The 'theologate' in Karachi, the programme of philosophy in Lahore and your minor seminaries are vital institutions for the future of the Church in Pakistan", said the Holy Father. "Never doubt", he told the Pakistani prelates, "that your investment of human and material resources will ensure a solid formation for your candidates for the priesthood.
"Generous collaborators", he added, "are also to be found among members of religious orders who can help to enhance programmes of priestly formation and strengthen bonds of co-operation between religious and diocesan clergy.
"Of particular urgency at the present time is the task of preparing these men - and indeed all catechists and lay leaders - to become effective promoters of inter-religious dialogue. They share a responsibility with all Christians in Pakistan to foster understanding and trust with members of other religions by constructing peaceful forums for open conversation".
The Pope also recalled how other Catholic institutions such as "hospitals, schools, social and charitable agencies ... continue to serve the common good of the Pakistani people" by responding "to the concrete needs of others".
In this context, the Pope concluded by encouraging the bishops "to build on the noble example of service to neighbour etched in the history of these institutions. Priests, religious and the lay faithful in your dioceses, by caring for the sick, helping young people grow in knowledge and virtue, and meeting the needs of the poor, reveal the human face of God's love for each and every person". AL/.../PAKISTAN VIS 080619 (540)
POPE RECALLS ARMENIA, GEORGIA, IRAQ, LEBANON AND HOLY LAND
VATICAN CITY, 19 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy Father received participants in the annual Meeting of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches (ROACO), to whom he indicated that the "everyday life and the special mission" of the Eastern Churches, "especially at the ecumenical and the inter-religious level, must be supported by the entire Catholic Church".
The Pope spoke of ROACO's concern for religious communities in Armenia and Georgia "which were among the first to receive the light of Christ", affirming that "by living humbly and fraternally with other Christian Churches, and by generously serving the poor, these Catholic communities, small though they are, can express in a very practical manner the communion of love proper to the universal Catholic Church".
Benedict XVI then described his continuing apprehension for the difficult situation of Christians in Iraq, recalling the figure of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho of Mosul of the Chaldeans, who died in tragic circumstances after being kidnapped on 29 February this year.
Turning his attention to Lebanon, the Holy Father spoke of his "gratitude and relief" at the fact that the country has apparently "found the path of dialogue and understanding", and he reiterated his hope that "Lebanon may respond decisively to her vocation to be - for the Middle East and the entire world - a sign of the real possibility for peaceful and constructive coexistence between human beings". He then went on to mention Fr. Jacques Ghazir Haddad who will be beatified next Sunday in Beirut, speaking of his hope that the example of the new blessed "may touch the hearts of young Lebanese, showing them the sweetness of an evangelical life at the service of the poor and the weak, and bringing them to become faithful witnesses of the Catholic faith in the Arab world".
Finally, Pope Benedict recalled a recent visit by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, and by some of his collaborators in the Roman Curia, to the Latin- and Eastern-rite communities in the Holy Land. The "cause" of these communites, said the Pope, "is vital for the entire Church. I share their trials and their hopes and fervently pray that I may be able to visit them in person, just as I pray that certain signs of peace, which I greet with immense hope, may soon be put into effect.
"I appeal to the leaders of nations", he added, "that the Middle East - in particular the Holy Land, Lebanon and Iraq - may be offered its longed-for peace and social stability, while respecting the fundamental rights of the person, including that of real religious freedom. Peace", the Pope concluded, "is the only way to face the serious problem of displaced people and refugees and to halt immigration, especially Christian immigration which affects the Oriental Churches so deeply. I entrust these wishes to Blessed John XXIII, a sincere friend of the East and the Pope of 'Pacem in terris'". AC/.../ROACO VIS 080619 (510)
PRESIDENT KABILA INVITES THE POPE TO VISIT HIS COUNTRY
VATICAN CITY, 19 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At midday today, the Holy See Press Office released the following communique:
"This morning Joseph Kabila Kabange, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was received in audience by the Holy Father Benedict XVI in the apostolic palace. The president and his minister for foreign affairs subsequently went on to meet with Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
"The discussions focused on the political and social situation in the country, with particular reference to the eastern provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu. The importance of respecting human rights was reiterated, in order to put an end to the suffering of the civilian population and build a more just and united society. Regional aspects of the question were also considered, with the hope being expressed that the forthcoming implementation of the 'Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region' may mark a decisive turning point in the promotion of the peace and wellbeing of all inhabitants of the area.
"Concerning the future of the country, particular emphasis was given to the importance of the education and formation of the young, for whom the Church is always ready to make her specific contribution.
"Other topics of joint interest were also examined, such as the importance of dialogue and collaboration, also in resolving the problem of the restoration of certain properties of the Church which were nationalised several decades ago.
"President Kabila invited the Holy Father to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo". OP/AUDIENCE/KABILA VIS 080619 (270)
VATICAN CITY, 19 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences two prelates from the Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Lawrence John Saldanha of Lahore.
- Bishop Joseph Coutts of Faisalabad, Pakistan. AL/.../... VIS 080619 (50)
VATICAN CITY, 19 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Erected the new diocese of Kribi (area 11,208, population 150,000, Catholics 77,115, priests 27, religious 8) Cameroon, with territory taken from the diocese of Ebolowa-Kribi, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan church of Yaounde. He appointed Msgr. Joseph Befe Ateba, vicar general of Yauonde, as first bishop of the new diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Nkoabe, Cameroon in 1962 and ordained a priest in 1987.
- Appointed Msgr. Luis Mariano Montemayor, nunciature counsellor, as apostolic nuncio to Senegal and Cape Verde, and apostolic delegate to Mauritania, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1985.
- Appointed Msgr. Enrico Adriano Rosa, notary of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, as defender of the bond of the same tribunal. ECE:NER:NN:NA/.../ATEBA:MONTEMAYOR:ROSA VIS 080619 (160) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 18 June 2008
| 06.18.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 115 |
|
SUMMARY:
- St. Isidore: Fusion of Active and Contemplative Life - Pope Sends His Greetings to Eucharistic Congress of Quebec
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ST. ISIDORE: FUSION OF ACTIVE AND CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE
VATICAN CITY, 18 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Benedict XVI dedicated his catechesis during this morning's general audience to St. Isidore of Seville, who lived from 560 to 636 and whom the Council of Toledo in 653 defined as the "Glory of the Catholic Church". The audience, held in St. Peter's Square, was attended by 11,000 people.
Isidore was a friend of Pope Gregory the Great and younger brother to St. Leander, bishop of Seville, whom he succeeded in that episcopal see, the Pope explained, recalling how during that period "the Visigoths, barbarians and followers of Arianism, had invaded the Iberian peninsula and occupied territories once part of the Roman empire. These lands had to be won over to Catholicism".
The saint, under his brother's guidance, became disciplined and studious. Their house had a large library of pagan and Christian works, and hence Isidore's writings "reveal an encyclopaedic knowledge of classical pagan culture as well as a profound understanding of Christian culture".
"In his personal life Isidore experienced a permanent interior conflict ... between a desire for solitude to dedicate himself exclusively to meditating upon the Word of God, and the need to show charity towards his fellow man for whose salvation, as bishop, he felt responsible".
This Doctor of the Church, who as a young man also suffered exile, "was pervaded with great apostolic zeal: he experienced the exhilaration of contributing to the formation of a people that had finally found its unity, both politically and religiously, with the providential conversion from Arianism to Catholicism of the heir to the Visigoth throne, Hermenegild.
"However we must not undervalue", the Holy Father added, "the enormous difficulties in responding adequately to such serious problems as relations with heretics and with the Jews; an entire series of problems that seem very real even today, especially if we consider events in certain regions, in which we almost seem to see the re-emergence of situations very similar to those on the Iberian peninsula in the sixth century".
In St. Isidore, said Pope Benedict, "we have to admire ... his concern not to neglect the fruits that human experience had produced, in the history of his homeland and of the entire world. Isidore would not have wanted to lose anything of mankind's achievements in ancient times, pagan, Jewish or Christian". At the same time the saint, "in discussing theological problems, showed he understood their complexity and often proposed solutions that encapsulated and expressed the complete Christian truth".
With the "realism of a true pastor", Isidore of Seville proposed a fusion of contemplative and active life, inspired by the example of Christ Who "offered us an example of the active life when, during the day, He ... performed miracles in the city, but showed us the contemplative life when He retired to the mountain and spent the night there in prayer. ... Just as we must love God through contemplation, so we must love others through action".
"This, I believe, is the summary of a life that sought contemplation of God, dialogue with God in prayer and the reading of Holy Scripture, and action in the service of the human community. This", the Holy Father concluded, "is the lesson that the great bishop of Seville leaves to us, Christians of today who are called to bear witness to Christ at the beginning of a new millennium". AG/ISIDORE OF SEVILLE/... VIS 080618 (570)
POPE SENDS HIS GREETINGS TO EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS OF QUEBEC
VATICAN CITY, 18 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, which was celebrated in St. Peter's Square, the Pope addressed some remarks to participants in the International Eucharistic Congress being held in Quebec, Canada, from 15 to 22 June on the theme: "The Eucharist: gift of God for the life of the world".
"I am spiritually present at this most solemn ecclesial meeting", he said, "and I trust it will be a time rich in prayer, reflection and contemplation of the mystery of the Blessed Eucharist, for the Christian communities of Canada and for the Universal Church. May it also be a propitious moment in which to reaffirm the Church's faith in the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament".
Benedict XVI concluded his remarks by expressing the hope that the congress "may revive in believers - not just in Canada but in many other nations in the world - an awareness of the evangelical and spiritual values that have forged their identity". AG/EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS CANADA/... VIS 080618 (180)
VATICAN CITY, 18 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Bishop Gerard Johannes Nicolaus de Korte, auxiliary of Utrecht, Netherlands, as bishop of Groningen-Leeuwarden (area 9,205, population 1,704,000, Catholics 120,300, priests 51, permanent deacons 3, religious 47), Netherlands.
- Re-established the diocese of Srijem, Serbia, previously united "in persona Episcopi" to the diocese of Djakovo, Croatia. He appointed Bishop Djuro Gasparovic, auxiliary of Djakovo with special responsibility for Srijem, as bishop of Srijem. He also decreed that the ordinary of Srijem become a member of the International Episcopal Conference of Sts. Cyril and Methodius.
- Erected the ecclesiastical province of Djakovo-Osijek, elevating the diocese of Djakovo-Osijek to the status of metropolitan Church (its previous name of Djakovo-Bosna being changed to that of Djakovo-Osijek) and assigning it as suffragans the dioceses of Pozega, Croatia, and Srijem, Serbia, which until now have been part of the ecclesiastical province of Zagreb-Croatia-Slavonia. He appointed Bishop Marin Srakic of Djakovo and Srijem, as the first archbishop of the new archdiocese. The archbishop-elect was born in Ivanonci, Croatia in 1937, he was ordained a priest in 1960 and consecrated a bishop in 1990.
- Changed the name of the ecclesiastical province of Zagreb-Croatia-Slavonia to the ecclesiastical province of Zagreb, with Zagreb as its metropolitan see and having the suffragans of Varazdin and Krizevci. NER:ECE/.../ DE KORTE:GASPAROVIC:SRAKIC VIS 080618 (230) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 17 June 2008
| 06.17.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 114 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Events Marking 50th Anniversary of the Death of Pius XII - Holy See Delegation Visits Vietnam
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EVENTS MARKING 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF PIUS XII
VATICAN CITY, 17 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office, a press conference was held to present two initiatives to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Servant of God Pope Pius XII: a congress on his Magisterium and a photographic exhibition.
Participating in the conference were bishop Salvatore Fisichella, rector of Rome's Pontifical Lateran University; Fr. Gianfranco Ghirlanda S.J., rector of Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University; Msgr. Walter Brandmuller, president of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences; Giovanni Maria Vian, director of the "Osservatore Romano" newspaper, and Giovanni Morello, president of the Foundation for the Artistic Patrimony and Activity of the Church.
Referring to Pius XII and the years of his pontificate (1939-1958), Bishop Fisichella highlighted the Pontiff's "great stature, especially in spiritual terms, but also intellectually and diplomatically".
"Various different historical situations of great significance came together in the life of Pius XII", he said: "the genocide of the Jews, the communist occupation of various Christian nations, the Cold War, new advances of science, and the innovations of certain schools of theology".
Bishop Fisichella pointed out that, although many aspects of the pontificate have already been studied, "what remains largely unknown is Pius XII's influence on Vatican Council II". In this context, he mentioned the 43 Encyclicals "which marked his pontificate, and the many discourses in which he examined the most controversial questions of his time.
"In this Magisterium", Bishop Fisichella added, "it is easy to identify certain particular traits which we may summarise in three points: firstly the promotion of doctrine, the definition of the dogma of the Assumption in 1950 being particularly memorable; ... secondly defending doctrine and indicating errors", such as in the Encyclical "Humani generis" of 1950 where Pope Pius examines "the serious problem of theological relativism. ... Finally", said Bishop Fischella, "Pius XII never failed to make his voice heard clearly and explicitly when circumstances required it".
Fr. Ghirlanda spoke of the congress to mark the anniversary of the Pontiff's death, which is due to take place at the Gregorian and Lateran Universities from 6 to 8 November. Pius XII himself, Fr. Ghirlanda noted, studied at the Gregorian University and at the Pontifical Athenaeum of the Roman Seminary of Sant'Apollinare which later became the Lateran University.
The congress, which will be attended by professors from both universities, is scheduled to be held over two days. "The first day", Fr. Ghirlanda explained, "will be dedicated to four introductory lectures on the general views of Pius XII and the cultural and historical context in which that great Pontiff developed his Magisterium". The themes will include: "the development of biblical studies, evangelisation, religious freedom and Church-State relations, and the social communications media".
The morning of the second day will focus on "Pius XII's teaching in the fields of ecclesiology, liturgy and the role of the laity. The afternoon will be dedicated to his vision of relations between the Church and the world, Mariology, medicine and morals and, finally, questions of canon law".
"Another commemorative event", said Msgr. Brandmuller, "will be the photographic exhibition entitled "Pius XII: the Man and the Pontificate", which will illustrate the life of this great and exceptional Pontiff who was already an object of admiration among his contemporaries. It has been sought", explained the president of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, "to reconstruct Eugenio Pacelli's life from boyhood to death, using images (many of them unpublished), as well as documents, personal objects, gifts and clothes: his formation at the Pontifical Roman Athenaeums, his training for a diplomatic career at the Secretariat of State; his mission to Germany (first in Bavaria then in Berlin); his return to the Vatican as secretary of State and, finally, his election to the Pontifical throne".
For his part, Giovanni Morello recalled that the exhibition - which is due to be held in the Charlemagne Wing off St. Peter's Square from 21 October 2008 to 6 January 2009 - will follow the Pontiff's life "through contemporary photographs, many of them supplied by the photographic service of the 'Osservatore Romano', documents and personal effects, loaned both by the Pacelli family and by the 'Famiglia Spirituale Opera'".
"The exhibition begins with the birth of the future Pope (in Rome on 2 March 1876) and follows his youthful and scholastic activities up to the moment of his priestly ordination on 2 April 1899", Morello explained. The young priest soon entered the service of the Holy See; he was consecrated a bishop by Pope Benedict XV in the Sistine Chapel on 13 May 1917 then appointed as nuncio, first in Bavaria (1917-1924) and subsequently in Berlin (1925-1929), at a crucial moment in German history.
On 16 December 1929 Pius XI made him a cardinal and soon afterwards appointed him as secretary of State. The young cardinal thus became the Pope's main collaborator as evinced, said Morello, "by the corrections and notes Cardinal Pacelli made in preparing some of the most important documents, including the famous Encyclical 'Mit brennender Sorge'. During this period, Cardinal Pacelli made many journeys abroad; he was the first secretary of State, after many centuries, to travel as papal legate". Among the countries he visited were: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, United States and France.
The exhibition will also cover the events of Pius XII's pontificate, particularly the Second World War, and the Holy See's humanitarian efforts in support of individuals and peoples, including the people of Rome.
"The exhibition, apart from its historical and documentary aspects", said the president of the Foundation for the Artistic Patrimony and Activity of the Church, "is also of great artistic interest. Indeed, not everyone is aware that the first nucleus of the modern art collection in the Vatican Museums, later expanded during the pontificate of Paul VI, dates back to an initiative of Pius XII. ... Ten works from this original nucleus will be on display, including paintings by Carra, De Chirico, De Pisis, Morandi, Rouault, Sironi and Utrillo, as well as a number of sketches presented for the competition for the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica for the Holy Year 1950.
"The artistic side of the exhibition is enriched by the presence of various valuable 'gifts' given to Pius XII during his pontificate, such as the 'Peace' offered by Luigi Einaudi, president of the Italian Republic; the precious desk service by Giovanni Valadier, a gift from the city authorities in 1956, and a small table clock given to the Pope by the first personal representative of the U.S. president. All these items used to be kept the Vatican Apostolic Library and are now held in the Vatican Museums. ... They will be on display with the vestments and other objects used by Pius XII, which today are conserved in the Pontifical Liturgical Treasury". OP/PIUS XII/... VIS 080617 (1140)
HOLY SEE DELEGATION VISITS VIETNAM
VATICAN CITY, 17 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique today, concerning the visit of a delegation of the Holy See to Vietnam.
"The Holy See delegation - made up of Msgr. Pietro Parolin under-secretary for Relations with States; Msgr. Luis Mariano Montemayor, nunciature counsellor at the Secretariat of State, and Msgr. Barnabe Nguyen Van Phuong, bureau chief at the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples - visited Vietnam from 9 to 15 June, and returned to Rome yesterday. ... Their programme involved a series of meetings with the government authorities, both at central and local level, and with the Catholic community".
"The working sessions with the government's Office for Religious Affairs, presided by Nguyen The Doanh, enabled discussions to be held, in a frank and cordial atmosphere, on various aspects of the life and activity of the Church in the country, particularly as concerns episcopal appointments, the gradual restoration of formerly-nationalised property to Church use, the application of norms on religious freedom, the contribution of Catholics to human promotion, the spread of a culture of solidarity towards the weakest sectors of the population, and the moral education of future generations.
"The delegation was received by Pham Gia Khiem, deputy-prime minister and minister for foreign affairs, with whom views were exchanged on the current international situation with reference, above all, to the seat as a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council that Vietnam will occupy for the first time this July. ... Attention also turned to the hoped-for normalisation of bilateral relations, with a view to which it is expected that the Working Group - charged with defining times and means - will begin its work as soon as possible".
"The delegation then met with Nguyen The Thao, president of the Popular Committee of Hanoi, and with the vice-presidents of the Popular Committees of the provinces of Lam Dong, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Tri. With the former, mention was made, among other things, of the events that involved numerous faithful from the archdiocese at the end of last year and the beginning of 2008. In this context, consideration was given (as it has been on various other occasions) to the importance of continuing to pacify the situation, avoiding measures that may create contrary effects, and to maintain dialogue between interested parties in the search for adequate solutions that take into account the needs of justice, of charity and of the common good. ... The delegation expressed its gratitude to the local authorities of the province of Quang Tri for their decision to return the land around the Marian shrine of La Vang to Church use, and for their will to face, along with the archdiocese of Hue, the outstanding problems for the effective implementation of the decision".
"A particularly moving moment was the visit and Mass at the Marian shrine of La Vang. The delegation, ... along with participants from the archdiocese of Hue from other dioceses in Vietnam and from abroad, prayed that that place, so dear to Vietnamese Catholics and venerated even by non-Catholics, may become ever more a centre of unity and reconciliation for all the inhabitants of that beloved country, without ethnic, religious or political distinction". OP/VIETNAM VISIT/PAROLIN VIS 080617 (550)
VATICAN CITY, 17 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Fr. Emmanuel Delmas of the clergy of Cahors, France, vicar general, as bishop of Angers (area 7,217, population 732,942, Catholics 549,706, priests 394, permanent deacons 30, religious 1,605), France. The bishop-elect was born in Figeac, France in 1954 and ordained a priest in 1988.
- Appointed Bishop Salvatore Fisichella, auxiliary of Rome and rector of the city's Pontifical Lateran University, as president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Lodi, Italy in 1951, he was ordained a priest in 1976 and consecrated a bishop in 1998. He succeeds Bishop Elio Sgreccia, whose resignation from the same office the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit. NER:NA/.../DELMAS:FISICHELLA:SGRECCIA VIS 080617 (140) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
16 June 2008
Vatican News Update 16 June 2008
| 06.16.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 113 |
|
SUMMARY OF VISIT TO SANTA MARIA LEUCA AND BRINDISI: 14-15 JUNE
- Church in Puglia: a Bridge between Peoples and Cultures - Young People: Be Apostles to Your Peers - The Church Is Called to Establish the Kingdom of Life - Peace and Co-operation among All Peoples - Prayer, the Most Important Moment of a Priest's Life
OTHER NEWS: 14 - 16 JUNE
- Meeting of the Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee - Cameroon: Building a Peaceful and United Society
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CHURCH IN PUGLIA: A BRIDGE BETWEEN PEOPLES AND CULTURES
VATICAN CITY, 14 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Today at 3.30 p.m., the Pope departed from Rome's Ciampino airport and, following an hour-long flight, landed at a military airfield in Galatina in the Italian region of Puglia. From there he travelled by helicopter to the heliport of Punta Ristola at Santa Maria di Leuca and thence by car to the shrine of Santa Maria "de finibus terrae".
After venerating the image of the Virgin Mary held at the shrine, Benedict XVI celebrated Mass on the square in front of the building.
"In this site, which is historically so important for the cult of the Blessed Virgin Mary", he said at the beginning of his homily, "I wished the liturgy to be dedicated to her, Star of the Sea, Star of Hope".
"By following the Star of Mary we find guidance on our journey and hold our course towards Christ, especially in the darkest and most turbulent moments", said the Pope.
After noting how, according to tradition, the area had been evangelised by the Apostle Peter, the Holy Father expressed the view that "Peter's faith and Mary's faith come together in this shrine. ... Together they will help you", he told his audience, "to 'start again from Christ', to renew your faith and ensure it responds to the needs of our time.
"Mary", he added, "teaches you always to listen to the Lord in the silence of prayer, to welcome His Word with generous readiness and with the profound desire to offer yourselves and your lives to God".
As for St. Peter, said Pope Benedict, "he will teach you to feel and believe with the Church, firm in the Catholic faith; he will give you the taste and passion for unity, for communion, making you feel the joy of walking together with your pastors. At the same time, he will communicate to you the urgency of the mission, of sharing the Gospel with everyone, of carrying it to the ends of the earth".
"'De finibus terrae', the name of this holy place, is very beautiful and evocative", said the Holy Father. "It reminds us that the Church has no boundaries, that she is universal. ... The Church in Puglia has a particular vocation to be a bridge between peoples and cultures".
However, he said, "it serves no purpose to launch ourselves to the ends of the earth, if first we do not love one another, if we do not help one another within the Christian community. ... In a context that tends to give ever more encouragement to individualism, the first service of the Church is that of educating people to a sense of social duty, of concern for others, of solidarity and sharing".
"Here in Salento, as throughout southern Italy", the Pope concluded, "ecclesial communities are places where the young generations can learn hope, not as a form of utopia, but as a lasting trust in the power of good".
After the Mass, the Holy Father returned to Punta Ristola whence a half-hour helicopter flight took him to Brindisi. PV-ITALY/MASS/SANTA MARIA DI LEUCA VIS 080616 (520)
YOUNG PEOPLE: BE APOSTLES TO YOUR PEERS
VATICAN CITY, 14 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At 8 p.m. today Benedict XVI landed at the airport of Brindisi where he was welcomed by the religious and civil authorities of the region. He then travelled by car to the city centre where he was greeted by the local population, and especially by young people.
The Pope recalled how Brindisi had once been "a place of embarkation for the East", and that it is still "a port open to the sea", where of late many refugees from Eastern Europe have arrived to find "refuge and assistance".
"Such solidarity forms part of the virtues that make up your rich civil and religious heritage", he said. "Among the values rooted in your land, I would like to mention that of respect for life, and especially attachment to the family which today faces attacks from many forces that seek to weaken it. How necessary and important it is, even in the face of these challenges, that all people of good will undertake to defend the family, the solid foundation upon which to build the life of all society".
Turning then to address young people, the Holy Father explained how he well understood both their enthusiasm for life and the problems afflicting them. "In particular", he said, "I understand the burden weighing upon many of you, and upon your future, because of the dramatic problem of unemployment. ... In the same way, I know that your youth is threatened by the lure of easy earnings, and by the temptation to find refuge in artificial paradises or to allow yourselves to be attracted by warped forms of material satisfaction.
"Do not let yourselves be ensnared by the trap of evil", he added. "Seek a life rich in values, in order to create a more just society, one more open to the future. ... It is up to you ... to ensure that progress becomes a greater good for everyone. And the path of goodness, as you know, has a name: it is called love".
"The love of God has the sweet and compassionate face of Jesus Christ", said the Holy Father, "and thus", he told the young people, "we have come to the heart of the Christian Message: Christ is the answer to your queries and problems. ... Follow Him faithfully. And, in order to be able to meet Him, love His Church, feel responsible for her, do not seek to avoid being - each in his or her own environment - courageous protagonists".
"You are the young face of the Church. Do not fail, then, to make your contribution so the Gospel she proclaims may spread everywhere. Be apostles to your peers".
Following the meeting, the Holy Father travelled to the residence of the archbishop of Brindisi-Ostuni where he spent the night. PV-ITALY/MEETING/YOUNG PEOPLE VIS 080616 (480)
THE CHURCH IS CALLED TO ESTABLISH THE KINGDOM OF LIFE
VATICAN CITY, 15 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At 9.15 a.m. today, in the residence of the archbishop of Brindisi-Ostuni, the Pope met with local Benedictine and Carmelite cloistered nuns. At 10 a.m. he travelled by car to the Sant'Apollinare quay of the port of Brindisi where he celebrated a Mass which was attended by some 70,000 people.
"The biblical texts we have just heard", said the Holy Father in his homily, "help us to understand the truth of the Church. ... The first reading ... narrates God's covenant with Moses and Israel in Sinai". It expresses "God's perennial plan ... to save all mankind through the sanctification of a people". The Gospel reading, the Pope went on, explains the call and mission of the twelve Apostles, who after the Pentecost proclaimed the Good News by "speaking in tongues". At that moment, "the Universal Church was made manifest, reunited in a single Body of which the Risen Christ is Head and, at the same time, sent out by Him to all nations, even unto the ends of the earth".
"The twelve Apostles co-operated with Jesus in establishing he Kingdom of God, in other words His beneficent lordship which brings life and life in abundance for all humanity. In essence, the Church, like Christ and with Him, is called to establish the kingdom of life and to drive out the dominion of death ... so that God Who is love may triumph.
"This", the Pope added, "is God's plan: to bestow His life-generating love upon humanity and the entire universe. A plan, nonetheless, that the Lord wishes to implement only while respecting our own freedom, because love by its nature cannot be imposed. The Church is then, in Christ, the place for welcoming and mediating God's love. In this perspective it is clear how the sanctity and the missionary nature of the Church are two sides of the same coin. Only in as much as she is saintly - that is, full of divine love - can the Church achieve her mission, and its precisely by virtue of this task that God has chosen her and sanctified her as His property".
Reflecting further upon the link between sanctity and mission, the Pope noted that "it helps to recall that the twelve Apostles were not perfect men, chosen for their irreprehensible moral and religious qualities. They were certainly believers, ... but marked by their human limitations, sometimes serious limitations, ... like us, like all Christians. ... The Church is a community of sinners who believe in the love of God and allow themselves to be transformed by Him, and thus they become saints".
"The missionary method, in other words the inner attitude that is translated into real life, ... cannot but be that of Jesus: the method of 'compassion'", said the Pope. "Christian compassion has no connection with pietism, with the simple provision of assistance. Rather it is a synonym of solidarity and sharing, and it is animated by hope. ... Animated by the hope in which you have been saved", Benedict XVI told his hearers in conclusion, "be signs and instruments of the compassion and mercy of Christ". PV-ITALY/HOMILY/BRINDISI VIS 080616 (540)
PEACE AND CO-OPERATION AMONG ALL PEOPLES
VATICAN CITY, 15 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Following this morning's Mass on the Sant'Apollinare quay of the port of Brindisi, and before praying the Angelus, the Pope reiterated the "Christian message of co-operation and peace among all peoples, especially among who live around this sea, the ancient cradle of civilisations, and those of the Near and Middle East".
The Holy Father then recalled some words he had pronounced two months ago before the U.N. General Assembly in New York, saying: "The action of the international community and its institutions, provided that it respects the principles undergirding the international order, should never be interpreted as an unwarranted imposition or a limitation of sovereignty. On the contrary, it is indifference or failure to intervene that do the real damage. What is needed is a deeper search for ways of pre-empting and managing conflicts by exploring every possible diplomatic avenue, and giving attention and encouragement to even the faintest sign of dialogue or desire for reconciliation".
The Pope implored the protection of the Virgin Mary over the region, over Italy, Europe, and the entire world, against "the storms that threaten the faith and true values. Enable the young generations", he asked her, "to put out into the deep, facing the journey of life with Christian hope".
Following the Eucharistic celebration, Benedict XVI returned to the archbishop's residence where he lunched with bishops of the Puglia region. PV-ITALY/ANGELUS/BRINDISI VIS 080616 (240)
PRAYER, THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENT OF A PRIEST'S LIFE
VATICAN CITY, 15 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Today at 4.45 p.m., the Pope met with priests, deacons and seminarians in Brindisi's cathedral of St. Lawrence.
The Holy Father told priests in particular that in order to ensure "your faith is always strong and vigorous, it is important, as you well know, to nourish it with assiduous prayer. Be, then, models of prayer, become masters of prayer", he told them.
"The moment of prayer is the most important moment in a priest's life, the moment in which divine grace acts most effectively, making his ministry fruitful. Prayer is the first service to be offered to the community".
The Pope expressed his joy at the inauguration of the new archiepiscopal seminary - which will be called Benedict XVI - and explained that "the careful preparation of seminarians and the permanent formation of priests and of other pastoral care workers are priority concerns for the bishop to whom, as a wise pastor, God has entrusted the mission of guiding the people of God living in this city.
"Another opportunity of spiritual growth for your community", the Holy Father added, "is the diocesan synod, the first since Vatican Council II and since the unification of the two dioceses of Brindisi and Ostuni. This is a chance to relaunch the apostolic commitment of the entire archdiocese, but it is above all a special moment of communion which helps you to rediscover the value of fraternal service".
The Holy Father indicated that the synod, which is currently being held, has the task of "helping your local Church, in all its elements, to rediscover the meaning and the joy of service: a service for love. This holds true, above all, for you, dear priests, moulded after Christ 'Head and Pastor' and always ready to guide His flock. Recognise the gift you have received, and be joyful for it! Be generous in performing your mission! Base it on assiduous prayer and on permanent cultural, theological and spiritual formation!"
At the end of his address, Benedict XVI invited the whole archdiocese to prepare for the Pauline Year, which is due to begin on 28 June. "It could be an occasion for a generous relaunch of missionary activity, for a more profound announcement of the Word of God, welcomed, meditated upon, and translated into a fruitful apostolate, as happened with the Apostle of the Gentiles", he said.
Immediately after the meeting, the Pope travelled to the airport of Brindisi-Casale where he boarded a plane for Rome. An hour later he landed at Ciampino airport and from there travelled to the Vatican by car. PV-ITALY/MEETING PRIESTS/BRINDISI VIS 080616 (450)
MEETING OF THE ISLAMIC-CATHOLIC LIAISON COMMITTEE
VATICAN CITY, 14 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Made public today was a communique from the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue concerning the 14th meeting of the Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee, which was held in the Vatican from 11 to 13 June.
The Catholic delegation was headed by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, while the Islamic delegation was headed by Professor Hamid bin Ahmad Al-Rifaie, president of the International Islamic Forum for Dialogue, of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
"The theme was 'Christians and Muslims as Witnesses of the God of Justice, of Peace and of Compassion in a World Suffering from Violence'", explains the English-language communique. "The topic was treated from a religious point of view according to the teaching of our two religious traditions. Both sides agreed on the following points:
"(1) From the inherent dignity of each human being stem fundamental rights and duties.
"(2) Justice is a priority in our world. It requires, beyond the implementation of the existing legal provisions, the respect of the fundamental needs of individuals and peoples through an attitude of love, fraternity and solidarity. There can be no true and lasting peace without justice.
"(3) Peace is a gift from God and also requires the commitment of all human beings, and particularly believers, who are called to be vigilant witnesses to peace in a world afflicted by violence in many forms.
"(4) Christians and Muslims believe that God is compassionate and therefore they consider it their duty to show compassion towards every human person, especially the needy and the weak.
"(5) Religions, if authentically practised, effectively contribute in promoting brotherhood and harmony in the human family".
The communique concludes by explaining that participants were received in audience by Benedict XVI "who encouraged them to continue their endeavours for the promotion of justice and peace". CON-DR/CATHOLIC MUSLIM COMMITTEE/TAURAN VIS 080616 (320)
VATICAN CITY, 14 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the diocese of Cleveland, U.S.A. presented by Bishop Alexander James Quinn, upon having reached the age limit.
- Appointed Fr. Petrus Boddeng Timang, pastor of the cathedral of Makassar, Indonesia, as bishop of Banjarmasin (area 37,530, population 3,135,000, Catholics 18,200, priests 22, religious 22), Indonesia. The bishop-elect was born in Malakri, Indonesia in 1947 and ordained a priest in 1974. He succeeds Bishop Fransiskus Xaverius Rocharjanta Prajasuta M.S.F., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
- Appointed Fr. Yves Marie Monot C.S.Sp., apostolic administrator of Ouesso, Republic of Congo, as bishop of the same diocese (area 66,044, population 90,000, Catholics 24,989, priests 9, religious 19). The bishop-elect was born in Pont-l'Abbe, France in 1944 and ordained a priest in 1972.
- Appointed Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez, archbishop of Santo Domingo, as special papal envoy to the Third American Missionary Congress (CAM3) and the Eighth Latin American Missionary Congress (COMLA8), due to take place in Quito, Ecuador, from 12 to 17 August. RE:NER:NA/.../... VIS 080616 (200)
CAMEROON: BUILDING A PEACEFUL AND UNITED SOCIETY
VATICAN CITY, 16 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received the Letters of Credence of Antoine Zanga, the new ambassador of Cameroon to the Holy See.
Through the ambassador the Pope greeted the civil and religious authorities of Cameroon, and invited the Catholics of that county "always to be an active part of the 'res publica', ... spreading fundamental human and Christian values for the life of society, for the development of the nation and for the wellbeing of everyone".
"Your country like so many others in Africa", the Holy Father told the diplomat, "suffers from the current economic situation which affects so many families who lack the minimum requirements to meet their most elemental needs and which does not favour the growth of the nation. Yet there are internal factors that could help. All nations musty seek their own economic and social stability, using their own means and respecting their institutions. It is important to support micro-projects which provide local employment, at the same time combating illegal trafficking and corruption. Hence, I invite all Cameroonians to become ever more aware of the common good".
"It is also to be hoped that the international community, providing concrete and appropriate forms of assistance and by economic planning on a world-scale, may contribute to breaking the vicious circle of under-development and poverty. Furthermore, it is necessary to take into account phenomena ... such as natural disasters, global warming, epidemics, war and terrorism".
The Holy Father then went on to express his hope that the international institutions with which the authorities in Cameroon collaborate "in order to diminish or cancel external debt, and with a view to a fairer distribution of wealth", may favour "a new economic and social drive for the good of all inhabitants and to give young people hope in a better future".
Referring to the increasing numbers of refugees arriving from neighbouring States, the Pope invited "the countries of this region to respond more fully to the requirements of peace and security, and to counteract the violence of which both innocent people and the Church are victims". Benedict XVI recalled the tragic deaths of Msgr. Yves Plumey, of the Jesuit Engelbert Mveng and of the Claretian Anton Probst, highlighting how "one of the fundamental duties of political leaders is to offer their citizens a peaceful society". Leaders must "undertake to put an end to those tensions which regularly generate conflicts, so that dialogue and respect for legitimate cultural diversity between social and ethnic groups may prevail, in order to build and unify the nation".
Benedict XVI launched a call to "everyone involved in the sale or traffic of arms, often concerned only with profit, to reflect upon the consequences of their actions", and he expressed the hope that the international community may intervene alongside local authorities in this area.
Finally, the Pope mentioned the Church's own efforts, much appreciated by local people, in the field of healthcare and education in Cameroon. "Local ecclesial communities, missionaries and Catholic charity institutions", he concluded, "seek above all the good and development of the population". CD/LETTERS OF CREDENCE/ZANGA VIS 080616 (530)
VATICAN CITY, 16 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Two prelates from the Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Evarist Pinto of Karachi.
- Bishop Max John Rodrigues of Hyderabad in Pakistan. AL/.../... VIS 080616 (50) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 14 June 2008
| 06.13.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 112 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Pope Receives in Audience U.S. President Bush - Approval of the Statutes of the Neo-Catechumenal Way - Relics of Pier Giorgio Frassati in Sydney for WYD
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POPE RECEIVES IN AUDIENCE U.S. PRESIDENT BUSH
VATICAN CITY, 13 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today published the following communique:
"This morning, Friday 13 June, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America was received in audience by His Holiness Benedict XVI.
"In order to respond to the cordiality of the welcome received by the Supreme Pontiff during his recent visit to the United States of America, the audience followed a special protocol. The Holy Father greeted President Bush - who was accompanied by his wife Laura and by Mary Ann Glendon, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See - at the entrance to the Tower of St. John located in the Vatican Gardens. His Holiness and the President of the United States then went to the study on the upper floor of the tower for a private meeting, while Laura Bush and Ambassador Glendon remained with Archbishop James Michael Harvey, prefect of the Pontifical Household. Subsequently they were joined by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B.
"During the cordial talks, the Holy Father firstly reiterated his gratitude for the warm and exceptional welcome he had received in the United States of America and at the White House during his visit there in April, and for the president's commitment in defence of fundamental moral values. The discussions them turned to the main themes of international politics: relations between the United States of America and Europe, the Middle East and efforts for peace in the Holy Land, globalisation, the food crisis and international trade, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
"At the end of the meeting, and following the exchange of gifts, Benedict XVI and President Bush took a brief stroll in the Vatican Gardens to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes where they were joined by Mrs Bush and the entourage. There, the Choir of the Sistine Chapel sang two hymns". OP/AUDIENCE/BUSH VIS 080613 (330)
APPROVAL OF THE STATUTES OF THE NEO-CATECHUMENAL WAY
VATICAN CITY, 13 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, today published a decree containing the definitive approval of the statutes of the Neo-Catechumenal Way.
During a celebration held in the offices of the council, the cardinal handed the decree of approval and a final draft of the statutes to Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez, initiators of the Neo-Catechumenal Way, and to the Italian priest Fr. Mario Pezzi.
"Thus ends the process that began in 1997" reads a communique on the subject released by the Neo-Catechumenal Way. A process that began "at the behest of John Paul II to give the Way 'formal legal recognition' and to make it a 'universal patrimony of the Church'".
In the communique the founders of the Neo-Catechumenal Way explain how "our recognition and gratitude go out to Pope Benedict XVI who with great love has followed and approved the conclusion of this work".
The communique goes on: "The process of approval was prolonged because the Neo-Catechumenal Way, as an instrument for the Christian initiation of adults, produces fruits of various kinds: from the renewal of parishes, to the figure of itinerant catechists and of missionary families; from the formation of priests for the new evangelisation in more than 70 'Redemptoris Mater' seminaries around the world, to the new experience of the 'missio ad gentes' in Europe, Asia and America. All this involves the areas of responsibility of five separate Vatican dicasteries: the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Congregation for the Clergy, and the Congregation for Catholic Education, all of which gave careful examination to the statutes, alongside the Pontifical Council for the Laity which co-ordinated and concluded the process".
At the end of the communique Kiko Arguello, Carmen Hernandez and Fr. Mario Pezzi write: "Following the approval of the statutes, and faced with the great challenges the Church must confront, we are happy to be able to offer ourselves to the Holy Father and the bishops for the new evangelisation and the transmission of the faith to the new generations".
Since its beginnings the Neo-Catechumenal Way has enjoyed the support of all Popes from Paul VI to Benedict XVI. In the year 1990, John Paul II recognised the Way as "an itinerary of Catholic formation, valid for modern society and times", and expressed the hope that bishops and priests "appreciate and assist this work for the new evangelisation, so that it may achieve its ends, following the guidelines suggested by the founders, in a spirit of service towards the local ordinary and in communion with him, and in a context of unity with the particular Church and with the Universal Church".
The Neo-Catechumenal Way, which began in Spain in 1964 has now spread to more than 100 countries world-wide, including some mission territories. In the wake of the renewal brought about by Vatican Council II, the Way places itself at the service of diocesan bishops and parish priests as a means of rediscovering the sacrament of Baptism and of a permanent education in the faith, offered to those faithful who wish to revive in their life the richness of Christian initiation, by following this itinerary of catechesis and conversion. The Neo-Catechumenal Way is furthermore an instrument for the Christian initiation of adults preparing to receive Baptism". .../STATUTES NEO-CATECHUMENAL WAY/... VIS 080613 (580)
RELICS OF PIER GIORGIO FRASSATI IN SYDNEY FOR WYD
VATICAN CITY, 13 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The relics of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925), a student and member of the Dominican Third Order who was beatified by John Paul II in 1990, will be taken to Sydney, Australia, for the 23rd World Youth Day (WYD) due to be celebrated in that city from 15 to 20 July.
At 6 p.m. on Wednesday 18 June, Cardinal Severino Poletto, archbishop of Turin, Italy, and Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Canberra and Goulburn, Australia, will concelebrate Mass in the cathedral of Turin, where the remains of Blessed Pier Giorgio are conserved. On the same day, the relics will be transferred to the nearby town of Cottolengo where a prayer vigil will he held.
At 1.45 p.m. on 19 June, the relics will be transported from Milan's Malpensa airport to Sydney.
Pier Giorgio Frassati will, at the request of the Australian organisers of the event, be one of the ten official patrons of WYD, according to a communique released by the Pontifical Council for the Laity. The blessed from Turin is widely venerated in Australia and the presence of his relics is considered as one of the central features of World Youth Day.
On arriving in Sydney, Pier Giorgio Frassati's casket will be placed in the church of St. Benedict where, on 4 July, the saint's feast day, Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney will celebrate the Eucharist.
From 11 to 22 July the casket of the blessed will be on display in Sydney cathedral where participants in WYD will be able to come and pay their homage. The area leading to the casket will be hung with ten panels illustrating Pier Giorgio Frassati's life and thought. A prayer vigil will take place before his relics on the evening of 14 July, while from 15 to 18 July an exhibition dedicated to the blessed's life will be held in Sydney Exhibition Hall, organised by the Service for the Pastoral Care of Youth of the Italian Episcopal Conference. CON-L/FRASSATI RELICS/WYD VIS 080613 (350)
VATICAN CITY, 13 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia, apostolic nuncio to Kazakhstan, accompanied by members of his family.
- Bishop Paolo De Nicolo, regent of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household, accompanied by members of his family.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education (for Seminaries and Educational Institutions). AP/.../... VIS 080613 (80)
VATICAN CITY, 13 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Thomas Graham Rose, pastor of Actonville in the archdiocese of Johannesburg, South Africa, as bishop of Dundee (area 51,867, population 1,706,000, Catholics 94,484, priests 29, religious 27), South Africa. The bishop-elect was born in Evander, South Africa in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1980. NER/.../ROSE VIS 080613 (60) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 13 June 2008
| 06.13.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 112 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Pope Receives in Audience U.S. President Bush - Approval of the Statutes of the Neo-Catechumenal Way - Relics of Pier Giorgio Frassati in Sydney for WYD
___________________________________________________________
POPE RECEIVES IN AUDIENCE U.S. PRESIDENT BUSH
VATICAN CITY, 13 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today published the following communique:
"This morning, Friday 13 June, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America was received in audience by His Holiness Benedict XVI.
"In order to respond to the cordiality of the welcome received by the Supreme Pontiff during his recent visit to the United States of America, the audience followed a special protocol. The Holy Father greeted President Bush - who was accompanied by his wife Laura and by Mary Ann Glendon, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See - at the entrance to the Tower of St. John located in the Vatican Gardens. His Holiness and the President of the United States then went to the study on the upper floor of the tower for a private meeting, while Laura Bush and Ambassador Glendon remained with Archbishop James Michael Harvey, prefect of the Pontifical Household. Subsequently they were joined by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B.
"During the cordial talks, the Holy Father firstly reiterated his gratitude for the warm and exceptional welcome he had received in the United States of America and at the White House during his visit there in April, and for the president's commitment in defence of fundamental moral values. The discussions them turned to the main themes of international politics: relations between the United States of America and Europe, the Middle East and efforts for peace in the Holy Land, globalisation, the food crisis and international trade, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
"At the end of the meeting, and following the exchange of gifts, Benedict XVI and President Bush took a brief stroll in the Vatican Gardens to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes where they were joined by Mrs Bush and the entourage. There, the Choir of the Sistine Chapel sang two hymns". OP/AUDIENCE/BUSH VIS 080613 (330)
APPROVAL OF THE STATUTES OF THE NEO-CATECHUMENAL WAY
VATICAN CITY, 13 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, today published a decree containing the definitive approval of the statutes of the Neo-Catechumenal Way.
During a celebration held in the offices of the council, the cardinal handed the decree of approval and a final draft of the statutes to Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez, initiators of the Neo-Catechumenal Way, and to the Italian priest Fr. Mario Pezzi.
"Thus ends the process that began in 1997" reads a communique on the subject released by the Neo-Catechumenal Way. A process that began "at the behest of John Paul II to give the Way 'formal legal recognition' and to make it a 'universal patrimony of the Church'".
In the communique the founders of the Neo-Catechumenal Way explain how "our recognition and gratitude go out to Pope Benedict XVI who with great love has followed and approved the conclusion of this work".
The communique goes on: "The process of approval was prolonged because the Neo-Catechumenal Way, as an instrument for the Christian initiation of adults, produces fruits of various kinds: from the renewal of parishes, to the figure of itinerant catechists and of missionary families; from the formation of priests for the new evangelisation in more than 70 'Redemptoris Mater' seminaries around the world, to the new experience of the 'missio ad gentes' in Europe, Asia and America. All this involves the areas of responsibility of five separate Vatican dicasteries: the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Congregation for the Clergy, and the Congregation for Catholic Education, all of which gave careful examination to the statutes, alongside the Pontifical Council for the Laity which co-ordinated and concluded the process".
At the end of the communique Kiko Arguello, Carmen Hernandez and Fr. Mario Pezzi write: "Following the approval of the statutes, and faced with the great challenges the Church must confront, we are happy to be able to offer ourselves to the Holy Father and the bishops for the new evangelisation and the transmission of the faith to the new generations".
Since its beginnings the Neo-Catechumenal Way has enjoyed the support of all Popes from Paul VI to Benedict XVI. In the year 1990, John Paul II recognised the Way as "an itinerary of Catholic formation, valid for modern society and times", and expressed the hope that bishops and priests "appreciate and assist this work for the new evangelisation, so that it may achieve its ends, following the guidelines suggested by the founders, in a spirit of service towards the local ordinary and in communion with him, and in a context of unity with the particular Church and with the Universal Church".
The Neo-Catechumenal Way, which began in Spain in 1964 has now spread to more than 100 countries world-wide, including some mission territories. In the wake of the renewal brought about by Vatican Council II, the Way places itself at the service of diocesan bishops and parish priests as a means of rediscovering the sacrament of Baptism and of a permanent education in the faith, offered to those faithful who wish to revive in their life the richness of Christian initiation, by following this itinerary of catechesis and conversion. The Neo-Catechumenal Way is furthermore an instrument for the Christian initiation of adults preparing to receive Baptism". .../STATUTES NEO-CATECHUMENAL WAY/... VIS 080613 (580)
RELICS OF PIER GIORGIO FRASSATI IN SYDNEY FOR WYD
VATICAN CITY, 13 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The relics of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925), a student and member of the Dominican Third Order who was beatified by John Paul II in 1990, will be taken to Sydney, Australia, for the 23rd World Youth Day (WYD) due to be celebrated in that city from 15 to 20 July.
At 6 p.m. on Wednesday 18 June, Cardinal Severino Poletto, archbishop of Turin, Italy, and Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Canberra and Goulburn, Australia, will concelebrate Mass in the cathedral of Turin, where the remains of Blessed Pier Giorgio are conserved. On the same day, the relics will be transferred to the nearby town of Cottolengo where a prayer vigil will he held.
At 1.45 p.m. on 19 June, the relics will be transported from Milan's Malpensa airport to Sydney.
Pier Giorgio Frassati will, at the request of the Australian organisers of the event, be one of the ten official patrons of WYD, according to a communique released by the Pontifical Council for the Laity. The blessed from Turin is widely venerated in Australia and the presence of his relics is considered as one of the central features of World Youth Day.
On arriving in Sydney, Pier Giorgio Frassati's casket will be placed in the church of St. Benedict where, on 4 July, the saint's feast day, Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney will celebrate the Eucharist.
From 11 to 22 July the casket of the blessed will be on display in Sydney cathedral where participants in WYD will be able to come and pay their homage. The area leading to the casket will be hung with ten panels illustrating Pier Giorgio Frassati's life and thought. A prayer vigil will take place before his relics on the evening of 14 July, while from 15 to 18 July an exhibition dedicated to the blessed's life will be held in Sydney Exhibition Hall, organised by the Service for the Pastoral Care of Youth of the Italian Episcopal Conference. CON-L/FRASSATI RELICS/WYD VIS 080613 (350)
VATICAN CITY, 13 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia, apostolic nuncio to Kazakhstan, accompanied by members of his family.
- Bishop Paolo De Nicolo, regent of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household, accompanied by members of his family.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education (for Seminaries and Educational Institutions). AP/.../... VIS 080613 (80)
VATICAN CITY, 13 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Thomas Graham Rose, pastor of Actonville in the archdiocese of Johannesburg, South Africa, as bishop of Dundee (area 51,867, population 1,706,000, Catholics 94,484, priests 29, religious 27), South Africa. The bishop-elect was born in Evander, South Africa in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1980. NER/.../ROSE VIS 080613 (60) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
12 June 2008
Vatican News Update 12 June 2008
| 06.12.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 111 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Catholics in Bangladesh: Foster Unity and Peace - Working Document for Forthcoming Synod on Word of God
___________________________________________________________
CATHOLICS IN BANGLADESH: FOSTER UNITY AND PEACE
VATICAN CITY, 12 JUN 2008 (VIS) - "Personal integrity and holiness of life are essential components of a bishop's witness", Benedict XVI told prelates from the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Bangladesh, whom he received this morning in the Vatican at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
"Bishops are called to be patient, mild and gentle in the spirit of the beatitudes", he said in his English-language address. "In this way they lead others to see all human realities in the light of the Kingdom of Heaven. ... Many of your people suffer from poverty, isolation or discrimination, and they look to you for spiritual guidance that will lead them to recognise in faith, and to experience in anticipation, that they are truly blessed by God".
The Pope then went on to examine "the effective transmission of the deposit of faith", highlighting the importance of ensuring that "lay catechists are sufficient in number, well prepared and given due recognition by the faithful. ... As you know from your own pastoral experience, catechists play an integral role in preparing lay people to receive the Sacraments. This is especially true in the increasingly important work of preparing young men and women to recognise the Sacrament of Matrimony as a life-long covenant of faithful love and as a path to holiness.
"I have often mentioned", he added, "my concern regarding the difficulty modern men and women have in making a lifelong commitment. There is an urgent need on the part of all Christians to reassert the joy of total self-giving in response to the radical call of the Gospel. One clear sign of this radical commitment is seen in the many vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life the Church in your country is currently experiencing".
"The Church is Catholic: a community embracing peoples of all races and languages, and not limited to any one culture or particular social, economic or political system. ... This gives her a connatural ability to foster unity and peace.
"My dear brothers", he told the Bangladeshi prelates, "you have much to offer the nation. In your love for your country you inspire tolerance, moderation and understanding. By encouraging people who share important values to co-operate for the common good, you help to consolidate your country's stability and to maintain it for the future. These efforts, however subtle, give effective support to the majority of your fellow citizens who uphold the country's noble tradition of mutual respect, tolerance and social harmony".
Pope Benedict then turned his attention to inter-religious dialogue, which he described as an "essential component of the Church's mission 'ad gentes'". Such dialogue, "based on mutual respect and truth, cannot fail to have a positive influence on the social climate of your country. The delicacy of this task requires thorough preparation of clergy and lay people, first of all by offering them a deeper knowledge of their own faith and then by helping them to grow in their understanding of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and the other religions present in your region".
Finally, the Holy Father mentioned the forthcoming Pauline year, "which will be for the whole Church a renewed invitation to announce with unfailing courage the Good News of Christ Jesus. ... I am aware of the difficulties of this mission entrusted to you. Like the first Christians, you live as a small community among a large non-Christian population. Your presence is a sign that the preaching of the Gospel, which began in Jerusalem and Judea, continues to spread to the ends of the earth in accordance with the universal destination the Lord willed for it". AL/.../BANGLADESH VIS 080612 (610)
WORKING DOCUMENT FOR FORTHCOMING SYNOD ON WORD OF GOD
VATICAN CITY, 12 JUN 2008 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office this morning, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops presented the "Instrumentum laboris" (working document) for the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which is due to take place from 5 to 26 October on the theme: "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church".
Archbishop Eterovic explained that the working document for the forthcoming Synod highlights how the aim of the assembly is, above all, "of a pastoral and missionary character", and "will have two important points of reference. The first is the previous Synod on the Eucharist, and the second is the Pauline Year which will begin on 28 June". In this context he expressed the view that "the memory of St. Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles, will not fail to arouse a renewed missionary drive in the Church, for the benefit of all humanity. The centre of such dynamism remains the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist", he said.
The "Instrumentum laboris", which has been published in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese and Polish, is divided into three parts: (1) The Mystery of God Who Speaks to Us; (2) The Word of God in the Life of the Church; (3) The Word of God in the Mission of the Church.
The secretary general of the Synod explained how part one is subdivided into three chapters. "The first chapter", he said, "seeks to explain the scope of the term 'Word of God'". Chapter two "is dedicated to the subject of the inspiration and truth of Holy Scripture, and to its relationship with the Word of God"; it also contains reflections on the relationship between Tradition, Scripture and Magisterium for a correct ecclesial interpretation of Holy Writ". Chapter three concentrates on the "the disposition believers should have towards the Word of God: listening to God Who speaks".
Archbishop Eterovic indicated that the second section of the "Instrumentum laboris" is subdivided into two chapters, the first of which "makes it clear that the Word of God gives life to the Church, which is born and lives by the Word of God". Chapter two of this section "describes the Word of God in the many services of the Church. The ministry of the Word, which has various modes of expression, finds a privileged place in liturgical celebrations", he said.
"It is necessary, then," he went on, "to exercise particular care over the liturgy of the Word, the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, which are essential parts of the Mass". The document, he said, also "underlines the importance of studying theology - and especially exegesis - in accordance with the orientation of the Church, in other words interpreting Scripture in the context of the Church's living Tradition, giving due weight to the patrimony of the Fathers and listening to the indications of the Magisterium".
Archbishop Eterovic then proceeded to examine part three of the "Instrumentum laboris", which is also subdivided into three chapters. "The first reiterates the Church's mission to proclaim the Word of God ... through evangelisation and catechesis". Chapter two "indicates how to put into effect the faithful's shared vocation to receive and give the Word of God" in accordance with the tasks and responsibilities of each within the Church. "Chapter three is dedicated to ecumenical and inter-religious relations", said the archbishop, recalling that "Sacred Scripture is an important bond of unity with other Christians", and that "there exists a special relationship uniting Christians and Jews, with whom they share a large part of Scripture". This chapter also contains "important considerations concerning faithful of other religions, ... especially Islam. Even though Christianity is more the religion of the person of Jesus Christ and not of the Book, Holy Scripture is an important aspect of inter-religious dialogue".
Closing his remarks, the secretary general of the Synod mentioned Benedict XVI's contribution to the "Instrumentum laboris". The Pope, he said, "has spoken about Holy Scripture many times, enriching theological and spiritual reflections on the subject. The topic has also been the subject of many of his written works, from his commentary on the Vatican Council II Dogmatic Constitution 'Dei Verbum', to his book 'Jesus of Nazareth'". OP/SYNOD WORD GOD/ETEROVIC VIS 080612 (730)
VATICAN CITY, 12 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Archbishop Giovanni Bulaitis, apostolic nuncio to Albania.
- Two prelates from the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Bangladesh, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Paul Ponen Kubi C.S.C. of Mymensingh.
- Bishop Gervas Rozario of Rajshahi.
- Fredrik Vahlquist, ambassador of Sweden, on his farewell visit,
- Pavel Jajtner, ambassador of the Czech Republic on his farewell visit. AP:AL/.../... VIS 080612 (80)
VATICAN CITY, 12 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:
- As a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa, Italy.
- As members of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Cardinal Agustin Garcia-Gasco Vicente, archbishop of Valencia, Spain; Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa, Italy; Cardinal Theodore-Adrien Sarr, archbishop of Dakar, Senegal, and Cardinal John Patrick Foley, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
- As members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum"; Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Peter's in the Vatican, vicar general of His Holiness for Vatican City and president of the Fabric of St. Peter's; Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and Cardinal Raffaele Farina S.D.B., archivist and librarian of Holy Roman Church.
- As members of the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris, France; Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa, Italy; Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State, and Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
- As members of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, Cardinal Theodore-Adrien Sarr, archbishop of Dakar, Senegal; Cardinal John Njue, archbishop of Nairobi, Kenya; Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; Cardinal John Patrick Foley, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, and Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum".
- As members of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil; Cardinal John Njue, archbishop of Nairobi, Kenya, and Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum".
- As a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Cardinal Raffaele Farina S.D.B., archivist and librarian of Holy Roman Church.
- As a member of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, Cardinal Lluis Martinez Sistach of Barcelona, Spain.
- As a member of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Cardinal Lluis Martinez Sistach of Barcelona, Spain.
- As members of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Sean Baptist Brady, archbishop of Armagh, Ireland, and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
- As members of the presidential committee of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Cardinal Agustin Garcia-Gasco Vicente, archbishop of Valencia, Spain, and Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris, France.
- As a member of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum".
- As a member of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, archbishop of Galveston-Houston, U.S.A.
- As a member of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
- As a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State.
- As a member of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State.
- As members of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega, archbishop of Monterrey, Mexico, and Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
- As members of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church, Cardinal Sean Baptist Brady, archbishop of Armagh, Ireland, and Cardinal Raffaele Farina S.D.B., archivist and librarian of Holy Roman Church. NA/.../... VIS 080612 (640) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
11 June 2008
Vatican News Update 11 June 2008
| 06.11.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 110 |
|
SUMMARY:
- St. Columbanus Nourished the Christian Roots of Europe - Pope Greets Faithful from Assisi
___________________________________________________________
ST. COLUMBANUS NOURISHED THE CHRISTIAN ROOTS OF EUROPE
VATICAN CITY, 11 JUN 2008 (VIS) - In today's general audience, which was held in St. Peter's Square, the Pope turned his attention to the figure of St. Columbanus, a famous Irish monk who lived in the sixth century and "who with good reason may be called a 'European' saint".
Columbanus was born about the year 543, in the province of Leinster in south-western Ireland. "At the age of around 20 he entered the monastery of Bangor in the north-west of the island, where the abbot was Comgall", said the Holy Father. "Life at Bangor and the example of the abbot influenced Columbanus' view of monasticism" a view which he "formed over time and then spread during the course of his life".
Benedict XVI recalled how at the age of 50 Columbanus left Ireland "with 12 companions to begin missionary work on the European continent, where the migration of peoples from the north and the east had caused entire Christian regions to lapse back into paganism".
He explained how this "re-evangelisation" began, "in the first place, through the witness of the missionaries' own lives. ... Many young men asked to be accepted into the monastic community and to live like them, and it soon became necessary to found a second monastery", which was built in Luxeuil. That monastery "became the centre for the expansion of monastic and missionary life of the Irish tradition on mainland Europe". Subsequently, "a third monastery was erected at Fontaine".
St. Columbanus lived at Luxeuil for some 20 years. There he wrote his "'Regula monachorum' which describes the image of the ideal monk. It is the only ancient Irish monastic rule we possess today". The saint also introduced into mainland Europe "private confession and penance, ... proportioned to the gravity of the sin committed".
"Intransigent as he was on moral matters, Columbanus came into conflict with the royal house because he severely criticised King Theodoric for his adulterous relationships". As a result, in 610 he and all the Irish monks were expelled from Luxeuil and "condemned to definitive exile".
They took ship for Ireland but the vessel ran aground nor far from the beach and the monks returned to dry land. Instead of going back to Luxeuil, "they decided to begin a new work of evangelisation", first in Tuggen in Switzerland then in the area around Lake Constance".
Continuing his account of Columbanus life, Benedict XVI explained how when the saint arrived in Italy, he still had to face "considerable difficulties. Church life was rent by the Arian heresy which was still prevalent among the Lombards, and by a schism which had divided most of the Churches of northern Italy from communion with the Bishop of Rome". In this situation, the Irish saint "wrote a treatise against Arianism and a letter to Pope Boniface IV to convince him to make certain decisive steps towards re-establishing unity".
In the Italian town of Bobbio, Columbanus "founded a new monastery that would subsequently become a cultural centre comparable with the famous Montecassino. It was in Bobbio that he spent his last days, dying on 23 November 615, the day on which he is commemorated in the Roman rite down to our own time".
"St. Columbanus' message focuses on a powerful call to conversion and detachment from worldly goods, with a view to the eternal reward. With his ascetic life and his uncompromising attitude to the corruption of the powerful, he evokes the severe figure of John the Baptist. Yet his austerity ... was only a means to open himself freely to the love of God and to respond with his entire being to the gifts received from Him, reconstructing the image of God in himself, and at the same time ploughing the earth and renewing human society".
"A man of great culture and rich in gifts of grace, both as a tireless builder of monasteries and as an uncompromising penitential preacher", the Pope concluded, Columbanus "spent all his energies to nourish the Christian roots of the nascent Europe. With his spiritual strength, with his faith, with his love of God and neighbour, he became one of the Fathers of Europe, showing us today the way to those roots from which our continent may be reborn". AG/COLUMBANUS/... VIS 080611 (720)
POPE GREETS FAITHFUL FROM ASSISI
VATICAN CITY, 11 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, the Holy Father addressed a greeting to pilgrims from the Italian diocese of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino, recalling his own visit to Assisi last year.
"Once more I thank you", he told them, "for the warm welcome you gave me on that day, which was so rich in faith and spirituality. Also by virtue of our meeting then, may your diocesan community enjoy renewed spiritual vitality and work with all its energy on the pastoral programme, in which - 800 years after the 'conversion' of St. Francis - you are currently committed to living a year of 'communion' in preparation for the coming year of 'mission'". AG/GREETING/ASSISI PILGRIMS VIS 080611 (130)
VATICAN CITY, 11 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:
- Bishop Luis Gonzaga Silva Pepeu O.F.M. Cap. of Afogados da Ingazeira, Brazil, as metropolitan archbishop of Vitoria da Conquista (area 25,089, population 751,000, Catholics 563,000, priests 47, permanent deacons 4, religious 58), Brazil. The archbishop-elect was born in Caruaru, Brazil in 1957, he was ordained a priest in 1982 and consecrated a bishop in 2001.
- Fr. Antonio Carlos Rossi Keller of the clergy of the archdiocese of Sao Paulo, Brazil, pastor of the parish of "Santo Antonio", as bishop of Frederico Westphalen (area 11,473, population 405,000, Catholics 314,000, priests 57, religious 140), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Sao Paulo in 1953 and ordained a priest in 1977. NER/.../SILVA:ROSSI VIS 080611 (130) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 10 June 2008
| 06.10.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 109 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Educate for Christian Hope by Opening Hearts to God
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EDUCATE FOR CHRISTIAN HOPE BY OPENING HEARTS TO GOD
VATICAN CITY, 10 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Yesterday evening in the Roman basilica of St. John Lateran, Benedict XVI inaugurated the ecclesial congress of the diocese of Rome. The event is due to last from 9 to 12 June and has as its theme: "Jesus has risen. Educating for hope in prayer, in action and in suffering".
The Pope referred to the subject of Christian hope in his talk to the delegates, explaining that, "in a certain way, it concerns each of us personally, ... but it is also a community hope, a hope for the Church and for the entire human family".
"In today's society and culture, and hence also in this our beloved city of Rome, it is not easy to live in an atmosphere of Christian hope", he said. "There is a widespread feeling that, for both Italy and Europe, the best years have passed and that a future of instability and uncertainty awaits the new generations.
"Moreover", the Holy Father added, "hopes for great novelties and improvements are concentrated on science and technology". Yet, "it is not science and technology that can give meaning to our lives and teach us to distinguish good from evil. Indeed", he went on, "as I wrote in my encyclical 'Spe salvi', it is not science that redeems man: man is redeemed by love, and this applies even in terms of the present world".
The Pope explained how "our civilisation and our culture ... too often tend to place God in parenthesis, to organise personal and social life without Him, to maintain that nothing can be known of God, even to deny His existence. But when God is laid aside, ... all our hopes, great and small, rest on nothing.
"In order, then, to 'educate for hope' - as we propose in this congress and during the coming pastoral year - it is necessary, in the first place, to open our hearts, our intellects and all our lives to God, in order to be His credible witnesses among our fellow man".
"An acute and widespread awareness of the evils and problems afflicting the heart of Rome is reawakening the desire for ... joint commitment. It is our task to make our own specific contribution, beginning with the decisive question of the education and formation of the person, but also facing with a constructive spirit the many other real problems that often make the lives of those who live in this city wearisome.
"In particular we will seek to promote a form of culture and social organisation more favourable to the family and to welcoming life, as well to valuing the elderly who are so numerous among the population of Rome. We will work to respond to the crucial needs of work and housing, especially for the young. We will share the commitment to make our city safer and more 'liveable', but we will work to ensure it is so for everyone, especially the poorest, and to ensure that immigrants who come among us to find a living space in respect for our laws are not excluded".
Benedict XVI concluded his address by encouraging young people to make "the gift of Christian hope" their own, using it "in freedom and responsibility ... to enliven the future of our beloved city". AC/.../ROME ECCLESIAL CONGRESS VIS 080610 (560)
VATICAN CITY, 10 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office, a press conference was held to present the musical "Mary of Nazareth, an ongoing story", which has been written and directed by Maria Pia Liotta.
The work - due to be premiered in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall at 7.30 p.m. on 17 June - aims "to narrate the most extraordinary story that ever occurred, giving pride of place to the figure of Mary", recounting her life "using the format of the musical which possesses a universal and direct language".
Participating in the press conference alongside Maria Pia Liotta were Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications; Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, and Fr. Stefano De Fiores, professor of Mariology. OP/MARY OF NAZARETH MUSICAL/CELLI VIS 080610 (150)
VATICAN CITY, 10 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Joseph Amangi Nacua O.F.M. Cap., pastor of the parish of "St. Isidro Labrador" parish in the prelature of Ipil, Philippines, as bishop of Ilagan (area 10,664, population 1,356,353, Catholics 1,070,761, priests 44, religious 54), Philippines. The bishop-elect was born in Mankayan, Philippines in 1945 and ordained a priest in 1971. NER/.../NACUA VIS 080610 (70) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
09 June 2008
Vatican News Update 9 June 2008
| 06.09.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 108 |
|
SUMMARY: 7 - 9 JUNE
- Bridges of Understanding across Religious Boundaries - Pope Highlights the Vital Role of Philosophy - Special Envoy to the Eucharistic Congress of Quebec - Mercy: Summary of the Entire Christian Message - Unity with Christ, the Secret of Priestly Ministry - Programme of Papal Visit to Santa Maria Leuca and Brindisi
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BRIDGES OF UNDERSTANDING ACROSS RELIGIOUS BOUNDARIES
VATICAN CITY, 7 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received sixty participants in the tenth plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, which is presided by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran. The theme of the assembly has been: "Dialogue 'in veritate et caritate'. Pastoral orientations".
Addressing them in English, the Holy Father said: "I am happy to learn that during these days you have sought to arrive at a deeper understanding of the Catholic Church's approach to people of other religious traditions. You have considered the broader purpose of dialogue - to discover the truth - and the motivation for it, which is charity, in obedience to the divine mission entrusted to the Church by our Lord Jesus Christ".
"The Church continues to reach out to followers of different religions", he explained. "In this way she gives expression to that desire for encounter and collaboration in truth and freedom. In the words of my venerable predecessor, Pope Paul VI, the Church's principal responsibility is service to the Truth - 'truth about God, truth about man and his hidden destiny, truth about the world, truth which we discover in the Word of God'".
"It is the love of Christ which impels the Church to reach out to every human being without distinction, beyond the borders of the visible Church. The source of the Church's mission is Divine Love. ... Thus, it is love that urges every believer to listen to the other and seek areas of collaboration".
Love "encourages Christian partners in dialogue with the followers of other religions to propose, but not impose, faith in Christ Who is 'the way, the truth, and the life'. ... The Christian faith has shown us that 'truth, justice and love are not simply ideals, but enormously weighty realities'. For the Church, 'charity is not a kind of welfare activity which could equally well be left to others, but is a part of her nature, an indispensable expression of her very being'".
The Holy Father pointed out that "the great proliferation of inter-religious meetings around the world today calls for discernment. ... Since Vatican Council II, attention has been focused on the spiritual elements which different religious traditions have in common. In many ways, this has helped to build bridges of understanding across religious boundaries".
He then went on to consider "some of the issues of practical concern in inter-religious relations" examined during the plenary assembly, such as: "the identity of the partners in dialogue, religious education in schools, conversion, proselytism, reciprocity, religious freedom, and the role of religious leaders in society. These are important issues", he said, "to which religious leaders living and working in pluralistic societies must pay close attention".
Benedict XVI also underlined the need for the promoters of inter-religious dialogue "to be well formed in their own beliefs and well informed about those of others", highlighting how "inter-religious collaboration provides opportunities to express the highest ideals of each religious tradition".
He concluded: " Helping the sick, bringing relief to the victims of natural disasters or violence, caring for the aged and the poor: these are some of the areas in which people of different religions collaborate. I encourage all those who are inspired by the teaching of their religions to help the suffering members of society". AC/INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE/TAURAN VIS 080609 (560)
POPE HIGHLIGHTS THE VITAL ROLE OF PHILOSOPHY
VATICAN CITY, 7 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Holy Father received participants in the sixth European Symposium of University Professors, which is being held in Rome from 4 to 7 June on the theme: "Broadening the Horizons of Reason. Prospects for Philosophy".
The symposium has been promoted by university professors in Rome and organised by the Office for Pastoral Care in Universities of the Vicariate of Rome, in collaboration with regional and provincial institutions and the local city authorities.
In opening his address to them the Pope mentioned the fact that this year marks the tenth anniversary of John Paul II's Encyclical "Fides et ratio", and he recalled how when that document was published "fifty professors of philosophy in Roman universities ... expressed their gratitude to the Pope with a declaration underlining the importance of re-launching the study of philosophy in universities and schools".
"The events of the years that have passed since the publication of the Encyclical have", said the Holy Father, "delineated more clearly the historical and cultural stage onto which philosophical research is called to enter. Indeed, the crisis of modernity is not a symptom of the decline of philosophy; on the contrary, philosophy must embark upon new lines of research in order to understand the true nature of that crisis".
"Modernity is not simply a historically-datable cultural phenomenon; in reality it requires a new focus, a more exact understanding of the nature of man".
Benedict XVI indicated that since the beginning of his pontificate he had received various suggestions "from men and women of our time", and that "in the light of these I have decided to offer a research proposal which I feel may arouse interest in a relaunch of philosophy and of its unique role within the modern academic and cultural world".
Quoting his own book, "Introduction to Christianity", he said: "The Christian faith has made a clear choice: against the gods of religion for the God of the philosophers, in other words against the myth of custom and for the truth of being". And he went on: "This affirmation ... is still fully relevant in the historical-cultural context in which we now live. Indeed, only on the basis of this premise - which is historical and theological at one and the same time - is it possible to respond to the new expectations of philosophy. The risk that religion, even the Christian religion, be surreptitiously manipulated, is very real even today".
"The proposal to 'Broaden the Horizons of Reason' should" he proceeded, "be understood as a request for a new openness towards the reality to which human beings in their uni-totality are called, overcoming old prejudices and reductive viewpoints in order to open the way to a new understanding of modernity".
"The new dialogue between faith and reason which is needed today cannot come about in the terms and the ways it did in the past", said the Pope. "If it does not want to see itself reduced to the status of sterile intellectual exercise, it must start from the current real situation of mankind, and upon that build a reflection that embraces man's ontological and metaphysical truth".
In closing, Benedict XVI referred to the need to "promote high-profile academic centres in which philosophy can enter into dialogue with other disciplines, in particular with theology, to favour new cultural syntheses capable of guiding society". In this context, he expressed the hope that "Catholic academic institutions may be ready to create true cultural laboratories" and he invited the professors to encourage young people "to commit themselves to philosophical studies by facilitating appropriate initiatives" to guide them in that direction. AC/.../UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS VIS 080609 (620)
SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS OF QUEBEC
VATICAN CITY, 7 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter, written in Latin and dated 9 April, in which Benedict XVI appoints Cardinal Josef Tomko, president emeritus of the Pontifical Committee for Eucharistic Congresses, as pontifical legate to the celebration of the 49th International Eucharistic Congress, due to take place in Quebec, Canada, from 15 to 22 June.
The cardinal will be accompanied by Bishop Pierre-Andre Fournier, auxiliary of Quebec; Msgr. Jean Pelletier, chancellor of the diocesan Curia; Fr. Alain Pouliot, head of human resources for pastoral care; and Msgr. Luca Lorusso, counsellor at the apostolic nunciature to Canada. BXVI-LETTER/SPECIAL ENVOY/CANADA:TOMKO VIS 080609 (120)
MERCY: SUMMARY OF THE ENTIRE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE
VATICAN CITY, 8 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study overlooking St. Peter's Square, in order to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered there.
Quoting a phrase of the Prophet Hosea - "I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings" - the Pope said "this is a keyword, one of the words that introduces us into the heart of Holy Scripture".
"The context in which Jesus makes this phrase His own", the Pope continued, "is the calling of Matthew, who by profession was a publican, in other words a tax collector for the Roman imperial authorities and for that reason considered by the Jews as a public sinner". When Jesus, accompanied by His disciples, went to sit at dinner with Matthew, the Pharisees were scandalised but He told them: 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ... I have come to call not the righteous but sinners'".
"At this point, Matthew the Evangelist, ever attentive to the link between the Old and New Testaments, puts Hosea's prophecy on Jesus' lips: 'Go and learn what this means, I desire mercy not sacrifice'. The importance of this expression of the prophet is such that the Lord later uses it again in a different context, concerning the observation of the Sabbath. On this occasion too He takes it upon Himself to interpret the precept, revealing Himself as the 'Lord' of legal institutions. Turning to the Pharisees, He adds: 'If you had known what this means - I desire mercy not sacrifice - you would not have condemned the guiltless'".
"Thus", the Holy Father added, "Jesus, the Word made flesh, has, so to say, 'identified' Himself in this oracle of Hosea. He made it His own with all His heart and carried it out with His actions, even at the cost of upsetting the sensibilities of the leaders of His people. This word of God has come to us, through the Gospels, as one of the summaries of the entire Christian message: true religion consists in loving God and neighbour. This is what gives value to worship and to the practice of precepts".
After praying the Angelus, the Pope recalled the Polish miners who lost their lives in a recent accident at a mine in Borynia. "I pray for the grace of eternal rest for them", he said, "spiritual comfort for their families, and a speedy recovery for the injured. May merciful God protect us from sudden death!" ANG/MERCY ACCIDENT BORYNIA/... VIS 080609 (440)
UNITY WITH CHRIST, THE SECRET OF PRIESTLY MINISTRY
VATICAN CITY, 9 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Pope received students from the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, the institution which trains candidates for the Holy See diplomatic service. They were accompanied by Archbishop Beniamino Stella, president of the academy.
"Apart from the necessary juridical, theological and diplomatic training", the Pope told them, "what is most important is that your lives and activities should reflect a faithful love for Christ and for the Church which arouses in you a friendly pastoral concern towards everyone".
"Unity with Christ is the secret of authentic success for the ministry of each priest. Whatever work you undertake in the Church, ensure that you always remain His true friends, faithful friends who have met Him and have learned to love Him above all else. Communion with Him, the divine Master of our souls, will ensure you serenity and peace even in the most complex and difficult moments".
Faced with the danger "of losing the meaning of life", and of "a certain contemporary culture that casts doubt upon any kind of absolute value, even the possibility of recognising truth and goodness", said Pope Benedict, "we must bear witness to the presence of God, a God Who understands man and knows how to speak to his heart".
"You must proclaim - with your lives even before than with your words - the joyful and consoling announcement of the Gospel of love, in places sometimes very far removed from the Christian experience", the Holy Father told his audience. "Announce the Truth that is Christ! May prayer, meditation and listening to the Word of God be your daily bread".
He went on: "May the celebration of the Eucharist be the core and the focus of your every day and of your entire ministry. ... It is not possible to approach the Lord every day, to pronounce these tremendous moving words, 'this is my Body, this is my Blood', ... to take the Body and Blood of the Lord in our hands, without allowing ourselves to be seized by Him, ... without allowing His infinite love to change us within. May the Eucharist become a school of life for you, in which Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross teaches you to give yourselves totally to your fellow man.
"In undertaking their mission, pontifical representatives are called to offer to others this testimony of welcome, fruit of their constant union with Christ", he concluded. AC/PRIESTS/ECCLESIASTICAL ACADEMY VIS 080609 (420)
PROGRAMME OF PAPAL VISIT TO SANTA MARIA LEUCA AND BRINDISI
VATICAN CITY, 9 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Made public today was the programme of Benedict XVI's forthcoming pastoral visit to the Italian towns of Santa Maria di Leuca and Brindisi, due to take place on 14 and 15 June.
At 3.30 p.m. on Saturday 14 June the Holy Father will depart from Rome's Ciampino airport, landing an hour later at the Fortunato Cesari military airfield in Galatina. From there he will travel by helicopter to the heliport of Punta Ristola at Santa Maria di Leuca and thence by car to the shrine of Santa Maria 'de finibus terrae".
At 5.30 p.m. he will celebrate Mass at the shrine and pronounce a homily. He will then return to Punta Ristola to board a helicopter for Brindisi where at 8.30 p.m. he is scheduled to meet with young people. The Holy Father will spend that night at the residence of the archbishop of Brindisi-Ostuni.
At 9.15 a.m. on Sunday 15 June, the Pope will meet with local Benedictine and Carmelite cloistered nuns in the chapel of the archbishopric. At 10 a.m. he will celebrate Mass and pronounce a homily on the Sant'Apollinare quay of the port of Brindisi. After praying the Angelus, he will return to the archbishop's residence for lunch with bishops of the Puglia region. At 4.45 p.m. he is scheduled to meet with priests in the city cathedral.
The Pope will begin his return journey to Rome from the airport of Brindisi-Casale at 5.45 p.m. He is scheduled to land at Ciampino an hour later, and from there to travel to the Vatican by car. BXVI-VISIT/PROGRAMME/BRINDISI VIS 080609 (280)
VATICAN CITY, 9 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla, apostolic nuncio to Korea and Mongolia.
- Five prelates from the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Bangladesh, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Paulinus Costa of Dhaka, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Theotonius Gomes C.S.C.
- Bishop Patrick D'Rozario C.S.C. of Chittagong.
- Bishop Moses Costa C.S.C. of Dinajpur.
- Bishop Bejoy Nicephorus D'Cruze O.M.I. of Khulna.
On Saturday 7 June, he received in separate audiences:
- Four prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Paul Tan Chee Ing S.J. of Melaka-Johor, Malaysia, accompanied by Bishop emeritus James Chan Soon Cheong.
- Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom of Sandakan, Malaysia.
- Bishop Cornelius Sim, apostolic vicar of Brunei, Brunei Darussalam.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. AP:AL/.../... VIS 080609 (150)
VATICAN CITY, 9 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Manuel A. Cruz of the clergy of the archdiocese of Newark, U.S.A., archdiocesan director for health pastoral care, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese (area 1,328, population 2,914,000, Catholics 1,357,000, priests 834, permanent deacons 196, religious 1,146). The bishop-elect was born in Havana, Cuba in 1953 and ordained a priest in 1980.
On Saturday 7 June, it was made public that he appointed:
- Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, archbishop of Florence, Italy, as president of the Pontifical Council for the Family.
- Msgr. Aldo Giordano, secretary general of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE), as special envoy and permanent observer of the Holy See to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.
- Massimo Bufacchi as director of the Labour Office of the Apostolic See. NEA:NA/.../... VIS 080609 (140) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 6 June 2008
From: Vatican Information Service - English <visnews_en@mlists.vatican.va>
Date: Fri, Jun 6, 2008 at 7:57 AM
Subject: VISnews 080606
To: VISnews - eng <visnews_en@mlists.vatican.va>
| 06.06.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 107 |
| SUMMARY:
- Christianity and Asian Spiritual Insight - Communique on Papal Audience with Silvio Berlusconi - Holy See Satisfaction for Convention on Cluster Munitions
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CHRISTIANITY AND ASIAN SPIRITUAL INSIGHT
VATICAN CITY, 6 JUN 2008 (VIS) - Today in the Vatican, the Holy Father received prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.
In his English-language remarks to the prelates, the Pope pointed out that their visit to Rome coincides with preparations for the Pauline Year, and he invited them to follow the example of that Apostle, "outstanding teacher and courageous witness to the truth of the Gospel".
"The Church's faith in Jesus is a gift received and a gift to be shared; it is the greatest gift which the Church can offer to Asia", said the Pope quoting the Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in Asia". And he went on: "Happily, the peoples of Asia display an intense yearning for God. In handing on to them the message that you also received, you are sowing the seeds of evangelisation in fertile ground.
"If the faith is to flourish, however", he added, "it needs to strike deep roots in Asian soil, lest it be perceived as a foreign import, alien to the culture and traditions of your people. Mindful of the manner in which St. Paul preached the Good News to the Athenians, you are called to present the Christian faith in ways that resonate with the 'innate spiritual insight and moral wisdom in the Asian soul', so that people will welcome it and make it their own".
The Holy Father proceeded with his discourse to the bishops: "In particular, you need to ensure that the Christian Gospel is in no way confused in their minds with secular principles associated with the Enlightenment. On the contrary, by 'speaking the truth in love' you can help your fellow citizens to distinguish the wheat of the Gospel from the chaff of materialism and relativism. You can help them to respond to the urgent challenges posed by the Enlightenment, familiar to Western Christianity for over two centuries, but only now beginning to have a significant impact upon other parts of the world. While resisting the 'dictatorship of positivist reason' that tries to exclude God from public discourse, we should welcome the 'true conquests of the Enlightenment' - especially the stress on human rights and the freedom of religion and its practice".
"This Pauline apostolate", said Pope Benedict, "requires a commitment to inter-religious dialogue, and I encourage you to carry forward this important work, exploring every avenue open to you. I realise that not all the territories you represent offer the same degree of religious liberty, and many of you, for example, encounter serious difficulties in promoting Christian religious instruction in schools".
"In the context of open and honest dialogue with Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and the followers of other religions present in your respective countries, you assist your fellow citizens to recognise and observe the law 'written on their hearts' by clearly articulating the truth of the Gospel.
"In this way, your teaching can reach a wide audience and help to promote a unified vision of the common good. This in turn", the Pope concluded, "should help to foster growth in religious freedom and greater social cohesion between members of different ethnic groups, which can only be conducive to the peace and well-being of the entire community". AL/.../MALAYSIA:SINGAPORE:BRUNEI VIS 080606 (550)
COMMUNIQUE ON PAPAL AUDIENCE WITH SILVIO BERLUSCONI
VATICAN CITY, 6 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique late this morning:
"This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Silvio Berlusconi, prime minister of the Republic of Italy, accompanied by Gianni Letta and Paolo Bonaiuti, under-secretaries of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, and by other members of his entourage. Subsequently, Silvio Berlusconi met with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
"In the course of the cordial discussions various questions concerning the situation in Italy and the Catholic Church's contribution to the life of the country were examined, questions upon which the Holy Father had dwelt during his recent discourse to the plenary assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference. Attention also turned to certain matters associated with the implementation of the current Agreements between the Holy See and Italy. Finally some aspects of the international situation were considered, such as the situation in the Middle East and the prospects for the spiritual, ethical and social development of the European continent.
"The two sides reiterated their desire to continue their constructive collaboration at the bilateral level and in the context of the international community". OP/.../BERLUSCONI VIS 080606 (220)
HOLY SEE SATISFACTION FOR CONVENTION ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS
VATICAN CITY, 6 JUN 2008 (VIS) - On 30 May, Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi C.S., Holy See permanent observer to the Office of the United Nations and Specialised Institutions in Geneva, delivered an address at the close of a diplomatic conference on cluster munitions being held in Dublin, Ireland.
Speaking English, the head of the Holy See delegation to the conference, which took place from 19 to 30 May, indicated that "the protection and care of the victims of cluster munitions, the prevention of their suffering, and the addition of a related new chapter in international humanitarian law, have been clear and compelling objectives of the Holy See from the very beginning of the process that has led to this diplomatic conference. These goals have been achieved", he said.
Archbishop Tomasi highlighted three of the results achieved with the new Convention on Cluster Munitions: "First", he said, "the new convention opens up a wider care for victims of cluster munitions by including their families and communities".
"Second, the new convention recognises 'the specific role and contribution of relevant actors'", including State parties, United Nations bodies, international organisations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and civil society, who provide "care to the victims as well as human, financial and technical co-operation".
Finally, said the permanent observer, "the new convention is an achievement in itself but also a positive message to pursue efforts by the international community in the overall disarmament and arms control negotiations".
On 4 June, Archbishop Tomasi delivered another English-language address, also made public today, during the 8th session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva.
"The universal value of human dignity", he said on that occasion, "requires the promotion and protection of all human rights without distinction of any kind". Referring then to the new Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), he noted how it "represents a positive step towards a fair social and international order".
"The new optional protocol, through an inquiry and communication system, gives the possibility to individuals and groups to seek justice from violations, and it reinforces existing mechanisms for an effective monitoring of the activity of States", he explained. DELSS/CLUSTER MUNITIONS HUMAN RIGHTS/TOMASI VIS 080606 (380)
VATICAN CITY, 6 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Cardinal Godfried Danneels, archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, Belgium.
- Cardinal Gaudencio B. Rosales, archbishop of Manila, Philippines.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. AP/.../... VIS 080606 (340) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
05 June 2008
Vatican News Update 5 June 2008
| 06.05.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 106 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Pope to Inaugurate the Ecclesial Congress of His Diocese - Official Visit of Cardinal Bertone to Belarus
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POPE TO INAUGURATE THE ECCLESIAL CONGRESS OF HIS DIOCESE
VATICAN CITY, 5 JUN 2008 (VIS) - In the basilica of St. John Lateran, cathedral of Rome, at 7.30 p.m. on Monday 9 June, Benedict XVI will inaugurate the ecclesial congress of the diocese of Rome, which due to run from 9 to 12 June on the theme: "Jesus has risen. Educating for hope in prayer, in action and in suffering".
According to a communique issued by the Vicariate of Rome, pastors, priests, religious and above all lay people and youth from diocesan parishes, associations and movements are all invited to attend. The three days of reflection are also scheduled to involve the preparation of the pastoral programme for the coming year. .../ROME DIOCESAN CONGRESS/... VIS 080605 (130)
OFFICIAL VISIT OF CARDINAL BERTONE TO BELARUS
VATICAN CITY, 5 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:
"From 18 to 22 June, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., will make an official visit to the Republic of Belarus.
"During his stay, Cardinal Bertone will encounter members of the government, preside at liturgical celebrations and other moments of prayer in the archdiocese of Minsk-Mohilev and in the dioceses of Pinsk and Grodno, and meet with members of the Belarusian Catholic Episcopal Conference. OP /OFFICIAL VISIT/BELARUS:BERTONE VIS 080605 (100)
VATICAN CITY, 5 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
- Six prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop John Ha Tiong Hock of Kuching, Malaysia, accompanied by Archbishop emeritus Peter Chung Hoan Ting.
- Bishop Cornelius Piong of Keningau, Malaysia.
- Bishop John Lee Hiong Fun-Yit Yaw of Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
- Bishop Anthony Lee Kok Hin of Miri, Malaysia.
- Bishop Dominic Su Haw Chiu of Sibu, Malaysia. AP:AL/.../... VIS 080605 (110) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 4 June 2008
| 06.04.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 105 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Gregory the Great: Humility Is the Measure of Greatness - Pope Recalls St. Francis Caracciolo and Blessed John XXIII
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GREGORY THE GREAT: HUMILITY IS THE MEASURE OF GREATNESS
VATICAN CITY, 4 JUN 2008 (VIS) - In his general audience this morning, held in St. Peter's Square, Benedict XVI resumed the catechesis he began last week on St. Gregory the Great, focusing today on the doctrine of this Pope and Doctor of the Church.
The Holy Father began by recalling how St. Gregory, in his numerous works, "never displays any concern with outlining a doctrine 'of his own'. Rather, he seeks to echo the Church's traditional teaching on the path to follow to reach God".
"A passionate reader of the Bible", the author of the Homilies on the Gospels believed that when reading Scripture "Christians must not draw theoretical knowledge so much as daily nourishment for their soul". Gregory likewise insisted that approaching "Holy Scripture only to satisfy one's own desire for knowledge means giving way to the temptation of pride".
"Intellectual humility is the primary rule for people seeking to penetrate supernatural truth on the basis of the Holy Books", said the Pope, remarking that "where the Word of God is involved, to understand means nothing if understanding does not lead to action".
In his Moral Commentary to Job this Doctor of the Church, following patristic tradition, examined the sacred text in the light of its threefold significance: literal, allegorical and moral. ... The moral ideal consists in achieving a harmonious integration of word and deed, of thought and commitment, of prayer and dedication to one's duties. ... This great Pope thus outlined a complete life project for true believers, which during the course of the Middle Ages represented a kind of 'Summa' of Christian morals".
In his most famous work, the Pastoral Rule, Gregory "seeks to delineate the ideal bishop, master and guide of his flock. ... The bishop is above all the 'preacher' par excellence and as such he must primarily be an example to others. ... For pastoral action to be effective, bishops must understand its recipients and adapt their interventions to the situations of each". Gregory also "insists on the daily duty pastors have to recognise their own poverty, so that pride does not make the good achieved ineffective in the eyes of the supreme Judge".
"All these precious guidelines", said Pope Benedict, "demonstrate St. Gregory's exalted concern for the care of souls, which he defined as 'ars artium' (the art of arts). ... In the theological design that Gregory develops in his works, past, present and future are relativized. What has most importance for him is the entire span of the history of salvation, which continues to unravel through the dark meanders of time. ... He believes that the leaders of the Christian community must continually undertake to reread events in the light of the Word of God".
Finally Benedict XVI mentioned the relationships Gregory "cultivated with the Patriarchs of Antioch, Alexandria and Constantinople", noting how he was "constantly concerned with recognising and respecting their rights, avoiding any form of interference that could limit their legitimate autonomy". And if Gregory "opposed the title of 'Ecumenical' for the Patriarch of Constantinople", said the Pope, "he did so because he was concerned for the fraternal unity of the universal Church and, above all, because he was profoundly convinced that humility was the fundamental virtue for all bishops, and even more so for a Patriarch.
"In his heart", the Holy Father added, "Gregory continued to be a simple monk and for that reason opposed the use of grand titles. He wished to be 'servus servorum Dei' (servant of the servants of God). ... Intimately inspired by the humility of God Who in Christ became our servant, ... he was convinced that a bishop must imitate such humility".
Although Gregory's wish had been "to live as a monk in permanent communion with the Word of God", Benedict XVI concluded, "for His love he became the servant of everyone in a time full of tribulation and suffering; he became the servant of the servants. This is why he was 'Great' and shows us the measure of true greatness". AG/ST. GREGORY THE GREAT/... VIS 080604 (690)
POPE RECALLS ST. FRANCIS CARACCIOLO AND BLESSED JOHN XXIII
VATICAN CITY, 4 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, the Pope addressed some remarks to participants in a pilgrimage being promoted by the Order of Minor Clerks Regular to mark the end of celebrations for the fourth centenary of the death of their founder, St. Francis Caracciolo (1563-1608).
"Dear friends", said the Pope, "I hope that this important occasion many contribute to renewing in everyone the living desire to serve Christ, following the teachings of this great saint who was a lover of the Eucharist, a humble servant of the poor, and an ascetic constantly immersed in contemplation of the Crucified Christ".
The Holy Father then turned to greet Polish pilgrims, recalling that yesterday marked the 45th anniversary of the death of Blessed John XXIII "whom people called 'John the Good' or 'Good Pope John'. It was he who called Vatican Council II which began the renewal of the Church, the reform of her structures and the 'aggiornamento' of her liturgy. May this reform", Benedict XVI concluded, "produce fruits in us and in the Church of the third millennium". AG/CARACCIOLO JOHN XXIII/... VIS 080604 (200)
VATICAN CITY, 4 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Bishop Domingo Diaz Martinez of Tuxpan, Mexico, as metropolitan archbishop of Tulancingo (area 10,696, population 1,477,935, Catholics 1,344,921, priests 174, permanent deacons 2, religious 198), Mexico. The archbishop-elect was born in Queretaro, Mexico in 1948, he was ordained a priest in 1977 and consecrated a bishop in 2002. He succeeds Archbishop Pedro Aranda Diaz-Munoz, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
- Appointed Msgr. Paul Ssmogerere, vicar general of Kampala, Uganda, as bishop of Kasana-Luweero (area 8,539, population 682,874, Catholics 209,792, priests 53, religious 64), Uganda. The bishop-elect was born in Kusubi, Uganda in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1983. NER:RE/.../DIAZ:ARANDA:SSMOGERERE VIS 080604 (130) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 3 June 2008
| 06.03.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 104 |
|
SUMMARY:
- New Strategies in the Fight against Hunger - Holy See and Argentina: Dialogue and Collaboration - Declaration on Papal Audiences with Heads of State - President of El Salvador Awarded Path to Peace Prize 2008
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NEW STRATEGIES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER
VATICAN CITY, 3 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This morning at the Rome headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. read out a Message from the Holy Father during the opening session of the "High-Level Conference on World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bio-energy". The conference is being held at FAO headquarters from 3 to 5 June.
In his Message, the Holy Father writes that "hunger and malnutrition are unacceptable in a world which has, in fact, levels of production, resources and knowledge sufficient to put an end to such dramas and their consequences. The great challenge of today is to 'globalise', not just economic and commercial interests, but also the call for solidarity, while respecting and taking advantage of the contribution of all components of society".
To the 50 heads of State and government participating in the conference, Benedict XVI reiterates the hope he expressed before the U.N. General Assembly in April: that of overcoming "the obvious paradox of a multilateral consensus that continues to be in crisis because it is still subordinated to the decisions of a few".
After calling on leaders "to collaborate in an increasingly transparent way with ... organisations committed to closing the growing divide between rich and poor", the Holy Father exhorts them "to continue with structural reforms which, at the national level, are indispensable in order to face the problems of underdevelopment, of which hunger and malnutrition are direct consequences".
"Poverty and malnutrition are not a simple fatality, provoked by adverse environmental situations or by disastrous natural calamities", writes the Pope, noting at the same time that "purely technical and economic considerations must not prevail over the duties of justice towards people suffering from hunger".
The "primary right to food is intrinsically linked to the safeguarding and defence of human life", he says. "Each person has the right to life. Hence it is necessary to promote the effective implementation of this right, and peoples suffering from lack of food must be helped to become gradually capable of satisfying their own need for healthy and sufficient nourishment".
Referring to the current problem of rising prices of agricultural products, the Pope calls for the drawing-up of "new strategies to fight against poverty and to promote rural development, ... through structural reform processes which enable the challenges posed by security and by climate change to be faced".
"The global increase in agricultural production will, nonetheless, be effective only if accompanied by the effective distribution of that production, and if it is primarily destined to satisfying essential needs".
Modern technologies, notes Benedict XVI, "are not enough to meet shortfalls in food", and he goes on to mention the need for "political action which, inspired by those principles of natural law written in man's heart, protects the dignity of the individual. ... Only by protecting the person, then, is it possible to combat the main cause of hunger".
If negotiations and decisions were to take respect for human dignity into account, "it would be possible to overcome otherwise-insurmountable obstacles, and to eliminate - or at least diminish - disinterest towards the good of others. ... The defence of human dignity in international activity, even in emergencies, would also help to limit superfluity, with a view to the needs of others, and to administer the fruits of creation with justice, placing them at the disposal of all generations.
"In the light of such principles", the Pope adds in conclusion, "it is my hope that the delegations present at this meeting may take on new commitments and set themselves to pursue them with great determination. The Catholic Church, for her part, wishes to unite herself to these efforts". MESS/FOOD/FAO:BERTONE VIS 080603 (630)
HOLY SEE AND ARGENTINA: DIALOGUE AND COLLABORATION
VATICAN CITY, 3 JUN 2008 (VIS) - This morning at the Rome headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. met with Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, president of the Republic of Argentina, during the course of the "High-Level Conference on World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bio-energy" currently being held at FAO headquarters.
"In the course of the cordial discussions", says a communique on the meeting, "attention focused on various bilateral questions of mutual interest, expressing a reciprocal readiness to face them through frank dialogue and in an atmosphere of sincere collaboration, also in the light of the centuries-long role the Catholic Church has played in the country and the contribution she continues to make in favour of the spiritual and material wellbeing of the Argentinean people.
"Finally, opinions were exchanged on regional and international matters of topical importance, with particular attention to the question of food, which is the subject of the meeting promoted by the FAO". OP/MEETING BERTONE KIRCHNER/... VIS 080603 (190)
DECLARATION ON PAPAL AUDIENCES WITH HEADS OF STATE
VATICAN CITY, 3 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office issued the following declaration at midday today:
"With reference to certain journalistic suppositions that have been circulating in the media over the last few days, the Press Office feels it appropriate to specify that the Holy Father Benedict XVI was not able to respond positively to the requests for private audience he received from heads of State and government who have come to Rome for the High-Level Conference on World Food Security, promoted by the FAO. This was because of the number of requests, the limited time available, and prior commitments. In this context, the Cardinal Secretary of State has written personally to each of the leaders concerned, informing them of the Holy Father's disappointment at the impossibility, on this occasion, of meeting them personally, and reaffirming his willingness to receive them on a future occasion.
"It must, furthermore, be remembered that this is in no way a new practice because, as of April 2006, the Secretariat of State had opportunely informed the diplomatic missions to the Holy See that it would be difficult to accept such requests for audience on the occasion of international conferences and congresses". OP/AUDIENCES HEADS OF STATE/... VIS 080603 (220)
PRESIDENT OF EL SALVADOR AWARDED PATH TO PEACE PRIZE 2008
VATICAN CITY, 3 JUN 2008 (VIS) - In New York on 10 June the Path to Peace Foundation will bestow the 2008 Path to Peace Award on Elias Antonio Saca Gonzalez, president of El Salvador. Every year, the foundation awards the prize in recognition of acts of individual leadership in the international community. The president of the foundation, which was founded in 1991, is Archbishop Celestino Migliore, apostolic nuncio and Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations.
An English-language communique released by the foundation explains that among the reasons for deciding to award this year's prize to the president of El Salvador were his decision "to trace out 'the map of poverty' that identifies the areas of extreme poverty in order to work towards eradicating it", and "his collaboration on the Agreement Peace Process".
Elias Antonio Saca Gonzalez was elected as president of the Republic of El Salvador in 2004. "One of his first actions as president", the communique notes, "was to appoint a commissioner for democratic governing who, in turn, created a group that includes representatives of all the political parties to discuss and find solutions to issues of national interest". DELSS/PATH PEACE FOUNDATION/U.N.:MIGLIORE VIS 080603 (210)
VATICAN CITY, 3 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:
- Bishop Angelo Cella M.S.C., emeritus of Frosinone-Veroli-Ferentino, Italy, on 27 May at the age of 84.
- Bishop Luca Milesi O.F.M. Cap., emeritus of Barentu, Eritrea, on 22 May at the age of 84.
- Bishop John Aloysius Morgan, former auxiliary of Canberra, Australia, on 21 May at the age of 98.
- Bishop Pierre Sagna C.S.Sp., emeritus of Saint-Louis du Senegal, Senegal on 25 May at the age of 75. .../DEATHS/... VIS 080603 (90) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
02 June 2008
Vatican News Update 2 June 2008
| 06.02.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 103 |
|
SUMMARY: 31 MAY - 2 JUNE
- Guatemala: Strengthen Solidarity and Human Dignity - Global Development and Integral Promotion of Mankind - Throne of God: the Only Rock That Does Not Change - Heart of Jesus: a Symbol of Christian Faith - Exposition of the Shroud of Turin in 2010
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GUATEMALA: STRENGTHEN SOLIDARITY AND HUMAN DIGNITY
VATICAN CITY, 31 MAY 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received the Letters of Credence of Acisclo Valladares Molina, the new ambassador of Guatemala to the Holy See.
In his remarks to the diplomat, the Holy Father recalled the fact that this year marks the 25th anniversary of John Paul II's first pastoral visit to that land "of eternal spring", and he praised the faithfulness to the Bishop of Rome with which the Guatemalans have always responded to the Holy See's concern for their country.
"The Church", said the Pope, "shares the concern of the Guatemalan authorities over factors that afflict a large part of the population, such as poverty and emigration. Her rich ecclesial experience, accumulated over the course of history, may be of help in finding the means to face these problems from a humanitarian perspective, and to strengthen solidarity which is indispensable in order to find effective and lasting solutions".
"In this way", he continued, "crucial technical and economic programmes must be supplemented by other factors that foment the dignity of the person, the stability of the family and an education that takes the most important human and Christian values into account". Nor must "those people who have had to abandon their land, though not forgetting it in their hearts" be overlooked. "This is a duty of gratitude and justice towards those who are, in effect, also an important source of income for the country in which they were born".
Another challenge facing Guatemala is that of "remedying the malnutrition of many children", said Benedict XVI, observing how "eradicating hunger and, at the same time, ensuring healthy and sufficient nourishment, requires specific methods and actions that enable resources to be exploited while respecting the heritage of creation", making use not only "of the results of science, research and technology", but also taking into account "the cycles and rhythms of nature, as understood by people in rural areas" and protecting "the traditional uses of indigenous communities, laying aside selfish and exclusively economic concerns".
This primary right to food, said the Pope, "is intrinsically linked to the protection and defence of human life, the firm and unbreakable rock upon which the entire edifice of human rights rests. We can never, then, show enough ... concern for mothers, especially those suffering serious difficulties, so that they can bring their children into the world with dignity and thus avoid the unjustifiable recourse to abortion. In this sense, safeguarding human life, especially that of the unborn, ... is an ever present task which, by its nature, is linked to facilitating the adoption of the children" with all the guarantees of the law.
In closing his remarks, the Holy Father mentioned "the blight of social violence" which is often exacerbated by "a lack of dialogue and of cohesion in families, by profound economic inequalities, by grave negligence and shortcomings in the field of healthcare, by drug consumption and trafficking, and by the plague of corruption". In this context, he expressed his satisfaction at the progress Guatemala has made in combating these difficulties, progress "which must continue, promoting co-operation among everyone to put an end to such problems by cultivating moral values and combating illegality, impunity and corruption". CD/LETTERS OF CREDENCE/VALLADARES VIS 080602 (550)
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRAL PROMOTION OF MANKIND
VATICAN CITY, 31 MAY 2008 (VIS) - At midday today, the Holy Father received members of the "Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice", who have just concluded their annual meeting, which this year has focused on the theme: "Social Capital and Human Development".
In his remarks to the group, the Pope noted how they have been reflecting on the need "to promote a form of global development that remains attentive to the integral promotion of mankind, while highlighting the contribution that can be made by volunteer associations, non-profit organisations and other community groups that have come into being with the aim of making the social fabric ever more cohesive.
"Harmonious development is possible", he added, "if political and economic choices ... take into account the fundamental principles which make [such development] accessible to everyone: ... subsidiarity and solidarity". The Pope also highlighted the importance of keeping humankind "as the focus of all economic planning", and pointed out that, "only a shared culture of responsible and active participation will enable human beings to consider themselves nor just as users or passive witnesses, but active participants in world development".
"It is necessary to prevent profit becoming purely individual, and to guard against forms of collectivism that oppress personal freedom. Economic and commercial interests must never become exclusive, because this would be an effective affront to human dignity".
He went on: "The great challenge of today is to 'globalise', not just economic and commercial interests, but also the call for solidarity, while respecting and taking advantage of the contribution of all components of society".
The Pope thanked the members of the foundation for "the generous support you tirelessly give to the Church's charitable activities and works of human promotion", and he invited them also to reflect "on the creation of a just world economic order".
"On the last day, on the Day of Judgement, we will be asked whether we used what God placed at out disposal to meet legitimate requirements, to help our fellow man, especially the smallest and those most in need", he concluded. AC/.../CENTESIMUS ANNUS VIS 080602 (350)
THRONE OF GOD: THE ONLY ROCK THAT DOES NOT CHANGE
VATICAN CITY, 31 MAY 2008 (VIS) - At 8 p.m. today in St. Peter's Square, a celebration was held to mark the end of the month of May. Cardinal Angelo Comatri, archpriest of the Vatican Basilica, presided at the recitation of the Rosary during which the statue of the Virgin was carried around the square in procession. Following the Marian prayer, Benedict XVI pronounced an address.
The Pope began by recalling how today marks the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin and that of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and he noted how "during the month of May many Christian communities have the beautiful custom of solemnly reciting the Rosary in families and in parishes".
"May this habit not cease, rather may it be continued with greater commitment so that, at the school of May, the lamp of faith may shine ever more brightly in the hearts of Christians and in their homes".
Following the Annunciation of the Archangel, "Mary found herself with a great mystery closed in her womb; she knew that something unique had happened; she was aware that the last chapter in the history of the salvation of the world had begun".
The Virgin went to the house of Elizabeth who, "illuminated from on high, exclaimed: 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord!"
The Holy Father explained how Elizabeth's words "awoke in Mary's soul a hymn of praise which is a real and profound 'theological' reading of history: a reading that we must learn continually from the Woman whose faith was unshadowed and unbroken. 'My soul magnifies the Lord'. Mary recognised God's greatness. This is the first and indispensable sentiment of the faith, the sentient that gives human beings security and frees them from fear, despite the storms of history".
"Her faith enabled her to see that the thrones of the powerful of this world are all transitory, while the throne of God is the only rock that does not change and does not fall. After centuries and millennia, her Magnificat remains the truest and most profound interpretation of history, while the theories of so many wise men of this world have been disproved by the facts over the course of the centuries".
"Let us return home with the Magnificat in our hearts", Benedict XVI concluded. "Let us carry Mary's same feelings of praise and gratitude towards the Lord, her faith and her hope, her meek abandonment in the hands of Divine Providence. Let us imitate her example of readiness and generosity in serving our fellow man. Indeed, only by welcoming God's love and making our existence a form of disinterested and generous service to others, will we be able to raise a joyful hymn of praise to the Lord. May we receive this grace through the Blessed Virgin, who this evening invites us to find refuge in her Immaculate Heart". AC/VIRGIN MAY/... VIS 080602 (550)
VATICAN CITY, 31 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:
- Fr. Francis Antonysamy of the clergy of Tanjore, India, pastor of the basilica of Vailankanni, as bishop of Kumbakonam (area 7,823, population 5,095,798, Catholics 210,313, priests 207, religious 457), India. The bishop-elect was born in Iluppur, India in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1974.
- Msgr. Barthelemy Yaouda Hourgo of the clergy of Maoura-Mokolo, Cameroon, apostolic administrator of that diocese, as bishop of Yagoua (area 22,062, population 1,234,862, Catholics 86,850, priests 43, religious 90), Cameroon. The bishop-elect was born in Mayo-Ouldeme, Cameroon in 1964 and ordained a priest in 1996.
- Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, as a member of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State.
- Claudio Ceresa as a consultor of Vatican City State. NER:NA/.../... VIS 080602 (140)
HEART OF JESUS: A SYMBOL OF CHRISTIAN FAITH
VATICAN CITY, 1 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study overlooking St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus with faithful and pilgrims gathered there.
The Pope explained how the month of June is traditionally dedicated to the Heart of Jesus, "a symbol of the Christian faith that is especially dear, to ordinary people as well as to mystics and theologians, because it expresses the 'good news' of love in a simple and authentic way, encapsulating the mystery of Incarnation and Redemption".
The sequence of feasts following the period of Easter (Blessed Trinity, Corpus Christi, Sacred Heart of Jesus) bring to mind, said the Pope, "a movement towards the centre; a movement of the spirit which God Himself guides. From the boundless horizon of His love, God entered the limitations of history and of the human condition. He took a body and a heart so that we can contemplate and encounter the infinite in the finite, the invisible and ineffable Mystery in the human Heart of Jesus of Nazareth. ... This is the core of faith, and the source of the hope in which we have been saved".
"We all need a 'centre' to our lives, a source of truth and goodness from which to draw in the various situations and exertions of daily life. Each of us, when we pause in silence, needs to feel not only the beating of our own heart but, deeper down, the pulsing of a reliable presence, perceptible with the senses of faith, yet real: the presence of Christ, heart of the world.
"I call upon everyone to renew, in this month of June, their devotion to the Heart of Jesus, also making use of the traditional prayer of this day and bearing in mind the prayer intentions I proposed to the entire Church", the Holy Father added.
In closing, Pope Benedict invoked the maternal intercession of the Virgin "for the people of China and Myanmar who have been affected by natural calamities, and for those suffering in the situations of pain, illness, and material and spiritual poverty which mark humanity's journey". ANG/HEART OF JESUS/... VIS 080602 (370)
EXPOSITION OF THE SHROUD OF TURIN IN 2010
VATICAN CITY, 2 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At midday today in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, the Pope received 7,000 faithful from the archdiocese of Turin, Italy. Prior to the audience, Cardinal Severino Poletto, archbishop of that city, had celebrated Mass for the pilgrims in St. Peter's Basilica.
The Holy Father opened his address to the group by assuring them of his "special prayers to the Lord" for the victims of recent flooding in Pinerolo and Cuneo near Turin, and he asked the Lord "so support those who are struggling to face the grave natural calamity".
Over the last ten years, he said, the archdiocesan community has undertaken "wide-ranging apostolic and missionary activities, based on intense spiritual movement which focuses above all on the Sunday Eucharist, on weekly Eucharistic adoration and on the rediscovery of the importance of the Sacrament of Penance".
Furthermore, the Pope told his audience, "you have sought to draw close to those who are 'furthest away'. ... This missionary commitment has become even more deeply shared in the current pastoral year, the year of 'Redditio fidei', and has its culmination in the solemn profession of faith you proclaimed together this morning at the tomb of the Prince of the Apostles".
The Holy Father noted how the next pastoral year will be dedicated to the Word of God, while the one after that "will see you oriented towards a more attentive contemplation of the Passion of Christ". In this context, he announced that he had accepted the wishes of the archbishop of Turin and that "in the spring of 2010 there will be another 'Solemn Exposition of the Shroud'". In an off-the-cuff addition to his prepared text he then added: "If the Lord gives me life and health, I too hope to come". The exposition, he went on, "will provide an appropriate moment to contemplate that mysterious Face which silently speaks to the hearts of men, inviting them to recognise therein the face of God".
"May no difficulty or obstacle hinder your love for the Gospel of Christ!" cried the Pope. "If Jesus is the centre of your families, of your parishes and of all communities, you will feel His living presence, and unity and communion will grow among the various elements of the diocese.
"Constantly nourish, then", he added, "your union with the Lord, in prayer and with the frequent practice of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Confession. ... Ensure continuous Christian formation for young people and for adults", and distinguish yourselves "for works of charity and for your joint efforts to face the great 'educational challenge' of the new generations".
Benedict XVI concluded by asking the Virgin "to protect priests and pastoral care workers, to ensure your communities have numerous holy vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, to arouse in young people the desire to follow the exalted ideal of sanctity, and to be a comfort and support especially for the elderly, the sick, the suffering and for people alone and abandoned". AC/.../TURIN PILGRIMS VIS 080602 (510)
VATICAN CITY, 2 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops.
- Three prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Archbishop Nicholas Chia Yeck Joo of Singapore.
- Bishop Antony Selvanayagam of Penang, Malaysia.
On Saturday 31 May, he received in separate audiences:
- Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State.
- Archbishop Timothy Broglio, military ordinary for the United States of America.
- Bishop Justin Saw Min Thide, auxiliary of Yangon, Myanmar, on his "ad limina" visit.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. AP:AL/.../... VIS 080602 (140) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 30 May 2008
| 05.30.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 102 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Bishops of Myanmar: Hope Despite Difficulties - Pope to Alexis II: Growing Closeness between Us - Programme of Pope's Apostolic Trip to Sydney - Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for June - Decree on Celebration of the Conversion of St. Paul - Spiritual Exercises for Leaders of Charity in Americas
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BISHOPS OF MYANMAR: HOPE DESPITE DIFFICULTIES
VATICAN CITY, 30 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Myanmar, who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.
Speaking English, the Pope began his remarks by highlighting how "the Church in Myanmar is known and admired for its solidarity with the poor and needy. This has been especially evident", he told the prelates, "in the concern you have shown in the aftermath of the cyclone Nargis".
"During these difficult days, I know how grateful the Burmese people are for the Church's efforts to provide shelter, food, water, and medicine to those still in distress", he said, assuring the bishops that the Universal Church "is joined spiritually with those who mourn the loss of loved ones. ... May God open the hearts of all so that a concerted effort may be made to facilitate and co-ordinate the ongoing endeavour to bring relief to the suffering and rebuild the country's infrastructure.
"The Church's mission of charity", he added, "shines forth in a particular way through the religious life. ... I am pleased to note that an increasing number of women are responding to the call to consecrated life in your region", he said.
"Similar signs of hope are seen in the rising number of vocations to the priesthood. These men are both 'called together' and 'sent out to preach' to be examples of faithfulness and holiness for the People of God".
The Holy Father encouraged the prelates of Myanmar "to continue making the necessary sacrifices to ensure that seminarians receive the integral formation that will enable them to become authentic heralds of the new evangelisation".
"The Church's mission to spread the Good News depends on a generous and prompt response from the lay faithful to become labourers in the vineyard. They too are in need of a robust and dynamic Christian formation which will inspire them to carry the Gospel message to their workplaces, families, and to society at large".
The Pope then went on to refer to the reports the bishops had presented to him, in which they had mentioned "the enthusiasm with which the laity are organising many new catechetical and spiritual initiatives, often involving great numbers of young people". And he encouraged the bishops "to remind those under your care to turn continually to the nourishment of the Eucharist through participation in the liturgy and silent contemplation".
"Your active participation in the First Asian Mission Congress has led to new initiatives for promoting goodwill with Buddhists in your country", he told them. "In this regard, I encourage you as you develop ever better relations with Buddhists for the good of your individual communities and of the entire nation".
Before concluding his remarks, Benedict XVI expressed his "sincere gratitude" to the prelates for "your faithful ministry in the midst of difficult circumstances and setbacks often beyond your control".
Recalling that that next month the Church "inaugurates a special Jubilee Year in honour of St. Paul", the Pope concluded: "Paul exhorts us to keep our gaze fixed on the glory that awaits us so as never to despair in the pain and sufferings of today". AL/.../MYANMAR VIS 080530 (530)
POPE TO ALEXIS II: GROWING CLOSENESS BETWEEN US
VATICAN CITY, 30 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father has written a Message to His Holiness Alexis II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, delivered by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, during a meeting with the Patriarch.
In the text of his English-language Message, the Pope writes that the cardinal's visit to Russia "offers me a welcome opportunity to extend my cordial greetings, to express my esteem for your ministry in the Russian Orthodox Church and to restate my appreciation for your commitment to fostering relations between Catholics and Orthodox".
"It is with joy", the Holy Father adds, "that I reflect on the experience of growing closeness between us, accompanied by the shared desire to promote authentic Christian values and to witness to our Lord in ever deeper communion. I think with gratitude of the recent visit of Your Holiness to Strasbourg and Paris, and the warm welcome given to the Catholic archbishop of the archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow during the Christmas celebrations last year.
"Another sign of fraternity and friendship towards the Catholic Church is to be seen in the invitation extended to Cardinal Kasper by His Eminence Kirill, metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, president of the Department for External Church Affairs of the Patriarchate of Moscow, to visit that eparchy on the occasion of his name-day. This is not only a sign of personal goodwill, but also a gesture towards the Catholic Church which Cardinal Kasper represents".
"During his time in Russia", writes the Pope, "Cardinal Kasper will visit Kazan to venerate the icon of the Mother of God which my beloved predecessor, Pope John Paul II, conveyed to Your Holiness through the good offices of Cardinal Kasper. ... This icon bears a likeness to all the other venerable icons of the Mother of God. ... It also offers an opportunity for encounter with Muslims, who show great respect for Mary, the Mother of God".
The Pope notes haw the Russian Patriarch "has been increasingly committed to dialogue with other Christians and the members of other religions" and reaffirms his own "deep gratitude" for, and "prayerful interest" in, "the signs of friendship and trust which your Church and its representatives have demonstrated in various ways".
Reiterating his gratitude to Alexis II for his dialogue "with different ecclesial, religious and social bodies", Benedict XVI concludes: "May the Risen Saviour grant you health, peace and inner joy, and may he bring us closer to each other, that we may undertake together our journey towards full communion in Him". BXVI-MESSAGE/.../ALEXIS II VIS 080530 (440)
PROGRAMME OF POPE'S APOSTOLIC TRIP TO SYDNEY
VATICAN CITY, 30 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The programme of Benedict XVI's forthcoming apostolic trip to Sydney, Australia, for the 23rd World Youth Day was made public today. The trip is due to take place from 12 to 21 July.
The Pope will depart from Rome's Fiumicino airport at 10 a.m. on Saturday 12 July, landing at 9.15 a.m. (Australian time) at the airport of Darwin/RAAF Military Base. After a brief stopover, his flight will proceed to Sydney's Richmond airport. Having landed there, the Pope will travel to a private residence where he will remain until the morning of Thursday 17 July.
On 17 July, having celebrated Mass in private, the Pope will participate in the welcome ceremony at Sydney's Government House, after which he will pay a courtesy visit to the governor general and meet with the prime minister. Following a brief display of traditional Aboriginal dances and songs, he will then board the ship "Sydney 2000" and be taken to the city's East Darling Harbour where he will be welcomed by young people.
On Friday 18 July he will again celebrate a private Mass after which, at 10.30 a.m., he is due to participate in an ecumenical meeting in the crypt of St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney before going on to meet with representatives of other religions in the cathedral chapter. Having lunched with a number of young people, he will pronounce a prayer for the beginning of the Way of the Cross in the square in front of St. Mary's Cathedral. At 6.45 p.m. he will meet a group of disadvantaged young people at the Sacred Heart church of Notre Dame University.
At 9.30 a.m. on Saturday 19 July, Benedict XVI will celebrate Mass in St. Mary's Cathedral with Australian bishops, seminarians and novices, and consecrate the building's new altar. Having had lunch with the bishops, that evening he will travel to the Randwick Racecourse to preside at a prayer vigil with young people.
At 10 a.m. on Sunday 20 July, he will preside at Mass for 23rd World Youth Day and pray the Angelus at Randwick Racecourse. At 6 p.m. on the same day, he will deliver an address during a meeting of benefactors and organisers of the 23rd World Youth Day in the chapter house of St. Mary's Cathedral.
On Monday 21 July, having celebrated Mass in private, the Pope will travel to The Domain in Sydney where he will bid farewell to the 23rd World Youth Day volunteers, and pronounce an address. He will then go directly to Sydney's international airport, where he will be greeted by the authorities before departing by plane for Darwin. Following a brief stopover, his flight will proceed to Rome where the Holy Father is due to arrive at around 11 p.m. OP/PROGRAMME SYDNEY TRIP/... VIS 080530 (480)
BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR JUNE
VATICAN CITY, 30 MAY 2008 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for June is: "That all Christians may cultivate a deep and personal friendship with Christ, in order to be able to communicate the strength of His love to every person they meet".
His mission intention is: "That the International Eucharistic Congress of Quebec in Canada may lead to an ever greater understanding that the Eucharist is the heart of the Church and the source of evangelisation". BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/JUNE/... VIS 080530 (90)
DECREE ON CELEBRATION OF THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL
VATICAN CITY, 30 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments today published a decree authorising the celebration, on 25 January 2009, of Mass for the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, which falls on that Sunday, the third in Ordinary Time.
The decree, signed by Cardinal Francis Arinze and Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith, respectively prefect and secretary of the congregation, explains that the authorisation has been given because of the Pauline Year, due to be inaugurated by the Holy Father on 28 June 2008 to commemorate the 2000th anniversary of the birth of the Apostle of the Gentiles. CCD/CONVERSION ST. PAUL/ARINZE:RANJITH VIS 080530 (120)
SPIRITUAL EXERCISES FOR LEADERS OF CHARITY IN AMERICAS
VATICAN CITY, 30 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" today announced that from 2 to 6 June a series of spiritual exercises will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, under the direction of Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa O.F.M. Cap., preacher of the Pontifical Household.
Some 500 men and women from North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, leaders of the Catholic Church's mission of charity, will participate in the initiative. The Holy Father has sent them a Message in which he "invites all to intensify their friendship with the Lord Jesus. This divine dimension of love characterises the Church's charitable organisations and makes their activity irreplaceable".
The "Cor Unum" English-language communique continues: "The generosity of people today and their willingness to help whenever catastrophe strikes, such as the tsunami or the cyclone in Myanmar, is truly impressive. At the same time, Christians are convinced that, beside material assistance, human affliction needs a message of hope that only Christ can give though faith-filled witness. The Pontifical Council 'Cor Unum', the dicastery of the Holy See charged with orienting and co-ordinating the Church's charitable activities, has proposed this gathering as a school for deepening faith". CON-CU/SPIRITUAL EXERCISES/GUADALAJARA VIS 080530 (210)
VATICAN CITY, 30 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences six prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Myanmar, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Sotero Phamo of Loikaw.
- Bishop Peter Hla of Pekhon.
- Bishop Isaac Danu of Taungngu.
- Bishop Raymond Saw Po Ray of Mawlamyine.
- Bishop John Hsane Hgyi of Pathein.
- Bishop Gregory Taik Maung, apostolic administrator "sede plena" of Pyay.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. AL:AP/.../... VIS 080530 (100) |
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