04 August 2008
Vatican News Update 31 July 2008
| 07.31.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 148 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for August - Papal, Holy See Highlights for 2008: April - July - Notice
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BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR AUGUST
VATICAN CITY, 31 JUL 2008 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for August is: "That the human family may know how to respect God's design for the world and thus become ever more aware of the great gift of God which Creation represents for us".
His mission intention is: "That the answer of the entire people of God to the common vocation to sanctity and mission may be promoted and fostered, with careful discernment of the charisms and a constant commitment to spiritual and cultural formation". BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/AUGUST/... VIS 080731 (100)
PAPAL, HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2008: APRIL - JULY
VATICAN CITY, 31 JUL 2008 (VIS) - Following are highlights of the activities of Pope Benedict XVI and of the Holy See for the months of April to July 2008.
APRIL
- 2: Mass in St. Peter's Square for the soul of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, presided by Pope Benedict XVI and concelebrated with members of the College of Cardinals.
- 2-6: First World Apostolic Congress on Mercy.
- 6: Holy Father sends a telegram of condolence for the killing in Baghdad, Iraq, on 5 April of Fr. Yousef Adel Abudi of the Syrian Orthodox Church.
- 7: Holy Father visits the memorial to the witnesses of the faith in the 20th and 21st centuries, located in the basilica of St. Bartholomew on Rome's Isola Tiberina, to mark the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the Sant'Egidio Community.
- 7: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Antilles Episcopal Conference at the end of their five-yearly "ad limina" visit.
- 10: Cardinal Ernesto Corripio Ahumada, archbishop emeritus of Mexico, Mexico, dies at the age of 88.
- 15-21: Holy Father's apostolic trip to the United States of America.
- 19: Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, dies at the age of 72.
- 24: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the southern Caucasus region at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 27: Benedict XVI presides at a Eucharistic celebration in the Vatican Basilica during which he ordains 28 deacons from the diocese of Rome and one from the Pontifical Urban College.
MAY
- 2: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 3: Benedict XVI presides at the praying of the Rosary in the Roman basilica of St. Mary Major.
- 6-9: Official visit to the Church of Rome and to the Holy Father Benedict XVI of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians.
- 7: Holy Father attends a concert offered by the Chinese Philharmonic Orchestra and the Shanghai Opera House Chorus in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall.
- 9: The Holy See website acquires a new page in Latin, the official language of the Catholic Church. Alongside the other languages in which the website (www.vatican.va) has been available for many years (Italian, German, Spanish, French, English and Portuguese), a new option, "Sancta Sedes Latine", has now been added.
- 10: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 10: Publication of a decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary by which Benedict XVI grants the faithful Plenary Indulgence for the occasion of the two-thousandth anniversary of the birth of the Apostle Paul. The Plenary Indulgence will be valid throughout the Pauline Year which runs from 28 June 2008 to 29 June 2009.
- 12: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Mordechay Lewy, the new ambassador of Israel to the Holy See.
- 13: Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, dean emeritus of the College of Cardinals, dies in Paris, France, at the age of 86.
- 15: Holy See adheres to the Convention of Vienna for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, and to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
- 16: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Thailand at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 16: Publication of a prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan, composed by Benedict XVI to mark the Day of Prayer for the Church in China (24 May).
- 17-18: Pastoral visit of Benedict XVI to the Italian cities of Savona and Genoa.
- 19: Press conference to present the Holy See's Pavilion in "Expo Zaragoza 2008", an international exposition being held in the Spanish city of Zaragoza from 14 June to 14 September on the theme: "Water and sustainable development".
- 23: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Albania at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 24: Benedict XVI receives in separate audiences Nikola Gruevski, prime minister of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Ivajlo Kalfin, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, each leading a delegation from their respective countries on a visit to Rome for the commemoration of Sts. Cyril and Methodius.
- 27: Press conference to present the results of the recently-completed restoration of the Valerii Mausoleum, one of the most important monuments of the Roman necropolis located under the Vatican Basilica.
- 29: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of nine new ambassadors to the Holy See: Ahmada Rweyemamu Ngemera of Tanzania; Nyine S. Bitahwa of Uganda; Wesley Momo Johnson of Liberia, Hissein Brahim Taha of Chad; Debapriya Bhattacharya of Bangladesh; Sergei F. Aleinik of Belarus; Alexandre Cece Loua of Guinea, Tikiri Bandara Maduwegedera of Sri Lanka, and Obed Wadzani of Nigeria.
- 30: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Myanmar at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 31: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Acisclo Valladares Molina, the new ambassador of Guatemala to the Holy See.
JUNE
- 2: During the course of a meeting with faithful from the archdiocese of Turin, Italy, the Holy Father announces that in the spring of 2010 there will be another "Solemn Exposition" of the Shroud of Turin.
- 6: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 9: Benedict XVI inaugurates the ecclesial congress of the diocese of Rome (9 to 12 June), on the theme: "Jesus has risen. Educating for hope in prayer, in action and in suffering".
- 12: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Bangladesh at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 12: Presentation of the "Instrumentum laboris" (working document) for the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, 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".
- 13: Holy Father receives in audience George W. Bush, President of the United States of America.
- 14-15: Pastoral visit of Benedict XVI to Santa Maria di Leuca and Brindisi, Italy.
- 16: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Antoine Zanga, the new ambassador of Cameroon to the Holy See.
- 19: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 19: Holy Father receives in audience Joseph Kabila Kabange, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- 26: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Honduras at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 26: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Firmin Mboutsou, the new ambassador of Gabon to the Holy See.
- 27: Holy Father appoints Cardinal Agostino Vallini, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, as his vicar general 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.
- 27: Holy Father receives in audience bishops of the Chinese dioceses of Hong Kong and Macao at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 28: Holy Father receives in audience Anibal Cavaco Silva, president of the Republic of Portugal.
- 28: In the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, Benedict XVI presides at the celebration of first Vespers for the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul Apostles, marking the opening of the Pauline Year. Among those participating in the ceremony are the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and representatives from other Churches and Christian communities.
- 29: On the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, Benedict XVI celebrates the Eucharist in the Vatican Basilica, in the presence of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Concelebrating with the Holy Father are 40 new metropolitan archbishops, upon whom he imposes the pallium.
JULY
- 3: Holy Father receives in audience Sir Nathaniel Rahumaea Waena, governor general of the Solomon Islands.
- 4: Publication of a decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary by which Benedict XVI grants the faithful Plenary Indulgence for the occasion of 23rd World Youth Day.
- 9: Holy Father receives in audience King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain.
- 12-21: Holy Father's apostolic trip to Australia for 23rd Word Youth Day, which has as its theme : "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses".
- 25: Holy Father receives in audience Nouri Al-Maliki, prime minister of Iraq. .../ACTIVITIES 2008/... VIS 080731 (1490)
VATICAN CITY, 31 JUL 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Jean-Pierre Tafunga S.D.B. of Uvira, Democratic Republic of the Congo, as coadjutor archbishop of the archdiocese of Lubumbashi (area 61,828, population 2,433,000, Catholics 1,066,358, priests 208, religious 812), Democratic Republic of the Congo. The archbishop-elect was born in Panda-Likasi, Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1942, he was ordained a priest in 1972 and consecrated a bishop in 1993. NEC/.../TAFUNGA VIS 080731 (80)
VATICAN CITY, 31 JUL 2008 (VIS) - We remind our readers that the Vatican Information Service will remain closed during the entire month of August. Service will resume on Monday, 1 September. .../.../... VIS 080731 (40) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 29 July 2008
| 07.29.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 146 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Two Hundred Development Projects for Latin America
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TWO HUNDRED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS FOR LATIN AMERICA
VATICAN CITY, 29 JUL 2008 (VIS) - The administrative council of the "Populorum Progressio" Foundation, which met in Guadalajara, Mexico, from 9 to 12 July, has approved 2,108,300 dollars of financial aid for 200 new development projects in support of poor indigenous mixed race and Afro-American rural communities of Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a communique released by the foundation yesterday.
"Indigenous peoples and 'campesinos' represent a high percentage of the population of Latin America. The rapid process of urbanisation of the continent and the imposition of a post-modern culture have isolated these peoples from the social context and from the development to which others have had access. Thus they have been largely marginalised and lack protection, on many occasions unjustly losing ownership of their lands. The efforts of the ecclesial community to defend and assist these peoples have been broadly supported by recent Popes: from Paul VI to Servant of God John Paul II to Benedict XVI. And one sign of such concern is the Pontifical 'Populorum Progressio' Foundation", established on 13 February 1992.
This year the countries that presented the greatest number of projects were Brazil (39), Colombia (35), Peru (27) and Ecuador (18). A large part of the money distributed is the fruit of the generosity of the Italian Church and the Italian Episcopal Conference, although "Populorum Progressio" is examining the possibility of involving benefactors from the American content in order to increase and diversify its sources of income. From its inception to the present, the foundation has raised more than 24 million dollars, distributed to more than 2,200 projects.
"The projects presented to the foundation - prepared by the various ecclesial communities and by pastoral groups within dioceses - are first approved by diocesan bishops then examined by the administrative council", the communique explains. "They are all aimed at the integral development of peoples and involve the following sectors: 29.9 percent to agriculture, livestock and small businesses; 33.2 percent to public service infrastructures such as the supply of drinking water, fencing, toilets and communal halls; 19.46 percent to the building of schools, houses and health centres; 12.3 percent to professional training, communication, tools and publications; 5.14 percent to healthcare: medical equipment and staff training".
At the end of the meeting, a new president and vice president of the administrative council were elected, respectively, Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez, archbishop of Guadalajara, Mexico, and Archbishop Edmundo Luis Flavio Abastoflor Montero of La Paz, Bolivia. CON-CU/POPULORUM PROGRESSIO/... VIS 080729 (420) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 30 July 2008
| 07.30.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 147 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Papal, Holy See Highlights for 2008: January - March
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PAPAL, HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2008: JANUARY - MARCH
VATICAN CITY, 30 JUL 2008 (VIS) - Following are highlights of the activities of Pope Benedict XVI and of the Holy See for the months of January to March 2008. Another summary, covering the period from April to July, will be published tomorrow.
JANUARY
- 4: Holy Father visits the "Dono di Maria" shelter for the poor, located in the Vatican, which Servant of God John Paul II entrusted to the care of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta in 1988.
- 12: Holy Father receives in audience Thomas Yayi Boni, president of the Republic of Benin.
- 19: Holy Father receives in audience Faure Gnassingbe, president of the Republic of Togo.
- 21: Holy Father receives in audience Jose Manuel Ramos-Horta, president of the Democratic Republic of East Timor.
- 21: Presentation of the Pauline Year (due to run from 28 June 2008 to 29 June 2009) and of various initiatives due to be held at the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls.
- 23: Publication of a Letter from the Pope to the diocese and the city of Rome on the vital importance of education.
- 24: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Slovenian Episcopal Conference at the end of their five-yearly "ad limina" visit.
- 25: Holy Father receives in audience participants in a congress organised by the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts to mark the 25th anniversary of the Code of Canon Law.
- 29: Presentation of Benedict XVI's 2008 Lenten Message: "Christ made Himself Poor for you".
FEBRUARY
- 1: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Greek-Catholic Church of Ukraine, at the end of their first "ad limina" visit in 70 years.
- 2: Holy Father receives in audience Fatmir Sejdiu, president of Kosovo.
- 6: Holy Father receives in audience Danilo Turk, president of the Republic of Slovenia.
- 8: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 9: Telegram of condolence from the Pope for the death of Fra' Andrew Bertie, prince and grand master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, who died on 7 February at the age of 79.
- 14: Just three years after the death of Sister Lucia dos Santos (known to the world as one of the three seers of Fatima), Pope Benedict waives the five-year waiting period established by canonical norms (art. 9 of "Normae servandae") and grants that the diocesan stage of the cause for her beatification may begin.
- 18: Presentation of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints' Instruction "Sanctorum Mater" for conducting diocesan or eparchial enquiries in the causes of saints, and of the supplement to the "Index ac status causarum".
- 21: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Viadeta Jancovic, Serbia's new ambassador to the Holy See.
- 23: Benedict XVI symbolically presents families, teachers and young people with the Letter he wrote on 21 January to the diocese and city of Rome concerning the vital importance of education.
- 24: Holy Father makes a pastoral visit to the Roman parish of Santa Maria Liberatrice a Monte Testaccio.
- 28: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Episcopal Conference of El Salvador at the conclusion of their "ad limina" visit.
- 29: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Mary Ann Glendon, the new ambassador of the United States to the Holy See and former president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.
MARCH
- 6: Cardinal Peter Poreku Dery, archbishop emeritus of Tamale, Ghana, dies at the age of 89.
- 6: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Guatemala at the end of their "ad limina" visit.
- 7: Holy Father receives in audience Jean-Claude Juncker, prime minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
- 9: Holy Father makes a pastoral visit to San Lorenzo in Piscibus, located near St. Peter's Square, part of the San Lorenzo International Youth Centre inaugurated by Pope John Paul II on 13 March 1983.
- 13: Holy Father receives in audience prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Haiti at the conclusion of their "ad limina" visit.
- 13: Telegram of condolence from the Holy Father to Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Iraq, for the death of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho of Mossul of the Chaldeans, Iraq, who was kidnapped on 29 February.
- 14: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Carlos Federico de la Riva Guerra, the new ambassador of Bolivia to the Holy See.
- 14: Telegram of condolence from the Pope for the death at the age of 88 of Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolari Movement.
- 15: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Miltiadis Hiskakis, the new ambassador of Greece to the Holy See.
- 22: Cardinal Adolfo Antonio Suarez Rivera, archbishop emeritus of Monterrey, Mexico, dies at the age of 81. .../ACTIVITIES 2008/... VIS 080730 (840)
VATICAN CITY, 30 JUL 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Luiz Antonio Guedes of Bauru, Brazil, as bishop of Campo Limpo (area 1,560, population 2,992,000, Catholics 2,735,000, priests 172, permanent deacons 19, religious 535), Brazil. He succeeds Bishop Emilio Pignoli, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit. NER:RE/.../GUEDES:PIGNOLI VIS 080730 (70) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
