Vatican News Update

10.20.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 186

SUMMARY OF SYNOD OF BISHOPS: 18-20 OCTOBER

- Eighteenth General Congregation

- Nineteenth General Congregation

- Patriarch of Constantinople Addresses Synod of Bishops

OTHER NEWS: 18-20 OCTOBER

- Other Pontifical Acts

- Love of God and Neighbour Are Inseparable

- Primary Missionary Commitment Is Prayer

- Rosary Is Anchored in Holy Scripture

- Declaration on Possibility of Papal Trip to Holy Land

- Respecting the Human Dignity of All Patients

- Audiences

___________________________________________________________

EIGHTEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 18 OCT 2008 (VIS) - During yesterday morning's Eighteenth General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the various language groups presented their reports. Yesterday the Vatican Information Service published extracts from the only two reports then available.

  Extracts from five other reports presented during yesterday's session are given below:

GERMAN LANGUAGE GROUP: BISHOP FRIEDHELM HOFMANN OF WURZBURG, GERMANY. "In some of the interventions presented in the Synod Hall, there seemed to be a certain fear of historical-critical methods. This threatens to diminish the merits and fruits of scientific exegesis. Spiritual exegesis, founded on 'lectio divina' in the context of the liturgy of the Church community, itself requires the premise of scientific exegesis. Furthermore, it is essential to separate the fundamentalist reading of the Bible from modernist trends which run the risk of ideological demystification. Both these attitudes contradict the 'sensum ecclesiae'. ... As for spread of Pentecostalism and other sects, we must ask what is the reason behind their success. This is a challenge for the Church's pastoral ministry towards so-called 'baptised catechumens'. ... The laity must be formed in a suitable and authoritative way for their important task of proclaiming the Word. The role of the family is very important for initiation into the reading of Scripture and at the same time into its reading in communion. ... We further asked ourselves if, in a secularised world where people are nostalgic for the truth, the Church should not be more decisive in her approach to agnostics. ... When it is impossible to celebrate the Eucharist, and in its place the Word of God is celebrated, this should not be considered as a lesser replacement, rather it needs to be considered in its intrinsic worth as the encounter with the Lord, manifested in His Word. ... Holy Scripture represents not only the starting point for ecumenism, but also an important place for encounter with other Christian confessions".

SPANISH LANGUAGE GROUP A: FR. JULIAN CARRON, PRESIDENT OF THE COMMUNION AND LIBERATION ASSOCIATION. "We note a limited familiarity with the Old Testament among Catholics, even a certain degree of embarrassment and resistance in the face of difficult passages, the most controversial questions being divine and human violence, the amorality of certain biblical figures and insufficient theology concerning the afterworld. Therefore, adequate biblical formation should be offered to the faithful, not only to help them understand the Old Testament texts in their historical and literary context but, above all, to facilitate their Christian reading as the main hermeneutic key, because these texts acquire and reveal their full meaning in the New Testament. ... The task of announcing Christ is the responsibility of each baptised person. In addition to the homily, which is the form of preaching specific to liturgical celebrations, it is necessary to recall the value of the preaching by all Christians in the light of Baptism and Confirmation. ... We are deeply concerned about the influence sects and new religious groups have on the Catholic faithful, an influence that sometimes even brings them to abandon the Church. ... Greater studies on sects and new examples of this phenomenon would be of great help to face up to it properly. ... In relations with Islam and in dialogue with its representatives, its concept of socio-political and judicial order (not always duly differentiated from religious order) should be kept in mind, as should its concept of marriage and the family, in which the role and rights of women are not treated as envisaged in the doctrine of the fundamental rights of mankind and of the family, or as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights".

ITALIAN LANGUAGE GROUP A: ARCHBISHOP SALVATORE FISICHELLA, PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LIFE. "The Synod shows that the Word of God cannot only be identified with the Bible. The Word of God is Christ, the Word of the Father. ... The announcement of the Word of God is the first duty of the Church. An explicit announcement, always and everywhere, accompanied by a coherent testimony of life that renders evident the content and reinforces it. ... It was felt necessary to observe that, in a generalised context of secularisation reaching far beyond Western countries, particular attention be paid, above all, to creating forms of listening, so that whoever approaches Sacred Scripture knows they are before God Who speaks. ... We underlined the importance of permanent education, especially of catechists, so as to overcome the major obstacle of a lack of knowledge of the basic contents of faith. ... It is necessary to bridge the gap between Bible and liturgy, Word and Sacrament. This is achieved in the extent to which we reinforce the idea that the Word of God is Christ Himself in His differentiated presence in the life of His Church; above all in the real presence of the Eucharistic sacrifice, and when the Sacraments are celebrated. ... What has to grow, therefore, is awareness of a profound unity that reaches its peak in the Eucharist".

ENGLISH LANGUAGE GROUP B: BISHOP GERALD FREDERICK KICANAS OF TUCSON, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS. "The group suggested that the tone of the exhortation should be hope-filled, needs to energise the Church around the Word of God and should be pastoral and missionary. The group identified critical areas about which propositions should be developed. A wide range of areas surfaced. First the need to give greater recognition to lay catechists, Catholic school teachers, youth ministers, and lay biblical animators.. ... Second the need to understand what is attracting people to the sects and learn from them. Third how preaching might be improved and made more vibrant. Fourth the need to emphasise and highlight the contemplative dimension. Fifth, finding structures to bring together exegetes, liturgists, theologians, and bishops. Sixth, the need to give greater emphasis to consecrated life, pneumatology, healing and the Sacrament of Penance, and the use of media. ... The dialogic nature of the Word of God needs greater emphasis. ... There is a need to better form people in the Word. ... There was a mixed reaction to a compendium on preaching, ... suggestion was made for a compendium on helping people read the Word of God. There was not a strong feeling that there needs to be a revision of the lectionary. ... Finally, the group explored relations with other Christians and with Jews. Concern was raised that Jews sometimes feel that Catholics downplay their positions for dialogue. ... Bringing the experience of the Synod to other Christian churches might foster communion".

FRENCH LANGUAGE GROUP B: BISHOP JOSEPH LUC ANDRE BOUCHARD, OF SAINT PAUL IN ALBERTA, CANADA. "A word on the 'Relatio': If we can express a hope in the post-synodal exhortation: may it have as its common trait a text from the Holy Scriptures. ... We must renew the relevance of 'Dei Verbum' but in today's context, evoking some problems that have yet to be resolved (for example, the debate on the 'Book', fundamentalism, personal interpretation, interpretation 'cum Ecclesia'). ... As pertains to the institutional propositions: ... One should not think about a congress specifically for the Word of God, but insist on the value of the scriptural aspect in already existing congresses. ... Could we think about a renewal in the ministry of the lectorate, or a mandate for readers that is adapted to the extraordinary ministers of communion? ... On the homily: ... The community one addresses should be known , knowing full well that the homily is a call to conversion, for the preacher, and for the assembly. Catechesis: We would like to underline the work of the catechists - and the majority of catechists are women who play an important role in the transmission of the Word of God. ... As to the formation of priests: First of all, all formation in the seminary must be based on the Word of God. ... The pedagogical method should be reviewed".

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NINETEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 18 OCT 2008 (VIS) - This morning, during the Nineteenth General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, a first vote was held to elect members to the post-synodal council, and the draft of the final Message was presented and discussed. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia.

  This afternoon the Holy Father and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople will preside at a celebration of the Word in the Sistine Chapel, after which each of them will deliver an address on the theme of the Word of God.

  No General Congregations are scheduled for Sunday or Monday. The relator general, the special secretary and the relators of the language groups will meet to unify the proposals presented by the Synod Fathers.

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PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE ADDRESSES SYNOD OF BISHOPS

VATICAN CITY, 18 OCT 2008 (VIS) - In the Sistine Chapel at 5 p.m. today, the Holy Father presided at the celebration of first Vespers of the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time, marking the participation of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople in the work of the current Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

  The ceremony, which was attended by more than 400 cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and lay people, began with a few brief words of introduction by Benedict XVI.

  In his English-language talk, Bartholomew I highlighted how this "is the first time in history that an Ecumenical Patriarch is offered the opportunity to address a Synod of Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church, and thus be 'part of the life' of this sister Church at such a high level. We regard this as a manifestation of the work of the Holy Spirit leading our Churches to a closer and deeper relationship with each other, an important step towards the restoration of our full communion".

  "It is well known that the Orthodox Church attaches to the synod system fundamental ecclesiological importance. Together with primacy, synodality constitutes the backbone of the Church's government and organization. ... Therefore, in having today the privilege to address your Synod our hopes are raised that the day will come when our two Churches will fully converge on the role of primacy and synodality in the Church's life, to which our joint theological commission is devoting its study at the present time".

  "We have explored", he concluded, "the patristic teaching of the spiritual senses, discerning the power of hearing and speaking God's Word in Scripture, of seeing God's Word in icons and nature, as well as of touching and sharing God's Word in the saints and sacraments. Yet, in order to remain true to the life and mission of the Church, we must personally be changed by this Word. The Church must resemble the mother, who is both sustained by and nourishes through the food she eats. Anything that does not feed and nourish everyone cannot sustain us either. When the world does not share the joy of Christ's Resurrection, this is an indictment of our own integrity and commitment to the living Word of God".

  Following the Patriarch's talk, the Pope thanked him for his words assuring him they would be studied and examined by the Synod. "This too was a joyful experience", he said, "an experience of unity, perhaps not perfect but real and profound. I thought to myself: your Fathers, whom you quoted widely, are also our Fathers and ours are also yours. And if we have shared Fathers how can we not be brothers?"

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 18 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Yvon Moreau O.C.S.O., abbot of the Trappist monastery of Oka, Canada, as bishop of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatiere (area 9,623, population 91,948, Catholics 89,778, priests 83, permanent deacons 7, religious 161), Canada. The bishop-elect was born in Saint-Pascal-de-Kamouraska, Canada in 1941 and ordained a priest in 1968. He succeeds Bishop Clement Fecteau, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

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LOVE OF GOD AND NEIGHBOUR ARE INSEPARABLE

VATICAN CITY, 19 OCT 2008 (VIS) - At 9 a.m. today the Pope travelled by helicopter to Pompeii in Southern Italy. There he celebrated Mass in the square of the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary at 10.30 a.m. and, in the afternoon, led the praying of the Rosary.

  Addressing his homily to 50,000 faithful, the Holy Father said that he had come on a pastoral visit to Pompeii "especially to entrust the assembly of the Synod of Bishops taking place in the Vatican to the Mother of God".

  Commenting on today's readings of the Mass, Benedict XVI emphasised "the wonderful expression by Zephaniah who, addressing Jerusalem, says: the Lord 'will renew you in His love'. Yes, the love of God has this power: to renew all things beginning with the human heart, which constitutes His work of art where the Holy Spirit best accomplishes His transformative action.

  "With His grace," the Pope added, "God renews human beings' hearts, forgiving our sins, reconciling us to Him, and infusing in us the strength to do good. All this becomes apparent in the lives of the saints and we see it in particular in the apostolic work of Blessed Bartolo Longo, the founder of the new Pompeii".

  Referring to the second reading taken from the Letter to the Romans in which St. Paul "exhorts love", the Pope said that "these pages delineate a programme for the life of a Christian community, whose members have been renewed by love and who continually strive to renew themselves in order to discern the will of God and not to fall into the conformity of a worldly mentality".

  "The characteristic of Christian civilisation," he added, "is charity: God's love that is translated into love of others".

  Speaking of Blessed Bartolo Longo, the Holy Father stressed "his numerous charitable initiatives for our brothers and sisters who are most in need. Incited by love, he had the capacity to project a new city that arose around the Marian shrine like an emanation of his own light of faith and hope. A Marian citadel of charity ... was founded here in this valley, rescuing and promoting it. Thanks to God the history of the Church is full of experiences like this. ... They are experiences of fraternity that show the face of a different society, like leaven in a social context. The strength of charity is irresistible: it is love that truly carries the world forward"!

  The Pope highlighted the fact that Blessed Longo, like St. Paul, "from being a persecutor of the Church became an apostle", because "he had moved away from the Christian faith, becoming militantly anticlerical and even participating in spiritualist and superstitious practices. ... With his personal conversion he bore witness to a great spiritual force that transforms us from within, making us capable of carrying out great things according to God's plan".

  "Pompeii", emphasised the Holy Father, "is an example of how faith can work in the city of man, creating apostles of charity who place themselves at the service of the weak and the poor, and who work to that even the weakest may be respected in their dignity and find acceptance and support. Here in Pompeii it is evident that the love of God and neighbour are inseparable. ... Here, at Mary's feet, families come to find or to fortify the happiness of love that keeps them united".

  At the end of the homily the Pope highlighted the importance of praying the Rosary: "It is a contemplative prayer that is accessible to all: large and small, laity and clergy, the learned and the uneducated. It is the spiritual bond with Mary that allows us to remain united to Jesus, to conform ourselves to Him, to assimilate His feelings, and to act as He acted. The rosary is a spiritual 'weapon' in the fight against evil and all violence, for peace in our hearts, our families, our society, and our world".

  At the end of Mass and before praying the Angelus, Benedict XVI led the Supplication to the Virgin of the Rosary written by Blessed Longo in 1883, which is traditionally prayed on the first Sunday of October.

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PRIMARY MISSIONARY COMMITMENT IS PRAYER

VATICAN CITY, 19 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Following this morning's solemn celebration of the Eucharist and the traditional supplication to the Virgin of Pompeii, Benedict XVI prayed the Angelus with thousands of faithful gathered at the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Holy Rosary.

  Before the Marian prayer, the Pope entrusted the work of the current Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to the intercession of the Virgin, "that it may bring fruits of authentic renewal in all Christian communities". He also recalled how October is "the month of missions and of the Rosary", pointing out that "the primary missionary commitment of each one of us is, in fact, prayer.

  "It is above all by prayer that the way is prepared for the Gospel", he added. "It is by prayer that hearts are opened to the mystery of God and souls are prepared to welcome His Word of salvation".

  The Holy Father then went on to refer to today's beatification in Lisieux, France, of Ludovico Martin and Maria Zelia Guerin, the parents of St. Therese of the Child Jesus whom Pius XI declared patron of missions. "With their prayer and evangelical witness, these new blesseds accompanied and shared" the saint's path, he said. In this context he went on: "I wish to recall another prayer intention very close to my heart: the family, which has a fundamental role in educating children in a universal spirit, open and responsible towards the world and its problems, and in the formation of vocations to the missionary life".

  The Pope invoked the protection of the Virgin of Pompeii upon all families of the world, "already thinking of the Sixth World Meeting of Families, due to take place in Mexico City in 2009".

  Finally, Benedict XVI addressed some remarks in French to pilgrims gathered for the beatification ceremony in Lisieux. "With their exemplary married life they announced the Gospel of Christ", he said of the new blesseds. "They lived their faith enthusiastically, transmitting it to their family and among their friends and acquaintances".

  Having prayed the Angelus, the Holy Father travelled to the residence of the pontifical delegation where he had lunch with bishops from the Campania region. In the early afternoon, he greeted a number of benefactors of the Pompeii shrine.

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ROSARY IS ANCHORED IN HOLY SCRIPTURE

VATICAN CITY, 19 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Before praying the Rosary at 5 p.m. today with faithful gathered at the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Holy Rosary at Pompeii, Italy, Benedict XVI paused for a few moments in the chapel of Blessed Bartolo Longo. Subsequently, in remarks he made following the Marian prayer, the Pope asked: "Where did this great apostle of Mary find the energy and constancy necessary to achieve such an important enterprise? Was it not in the Rosary which he welcomed as a true and heartfelt gift from the Virgin?

  "Yes", he cried, "that is how it was! ... This popular Marian prayer is a vital spiritual means to increase our intimacy with Jesus and to learn, in the school of the Blessed Virgin, always to carry out the divine will".

  "Yet in order to be apostles of the Rosary, it is necessary to gain a personal experience of the beauty and profundity of this prayer, so simple and universally accessible. ... The Rosary is a school of contemplation and of silence. At first sight it may seem like a prayerful accumulation of words and hence not easily compatible with the silence which is rightly recommended for meditation and contemplation. In reality though, this regular repetition of the Ave Maria does not disturb inner silence, rather it ... nourishes it".

  The Pope recalled that, as in the case of the Psalms in the Liturgy of the Hours, "silence rises up through the words and phrases, not as a vacuum but as a presence of ultimate meaning which transcends the words themselves and, together with them, speaks to the heart. ... Even when prayed in large groups ... the Rosary must be seen as a contemplative prayer, and this cannot come about if an atmosphere of inner silence is lacking". Furthermore, he went on, the Rosary "is interwoven with elements from Holy Scripture" such as "the enunciation of the mystery using ... words taken from the Bible. ... The first part of the Ave Maria comes from the Gospel; ... the second part ... rings out like the response of children who, addressing themselves imploringly to their mother, express their own adherence to the plan of salvation. ... Thus the minds of those who pray remain anchored in Scripture and in the mysteries it contains".

  Finally, Pope Benedict spoke of World Mission Day, which is being celebrated today. Once again he evoked the figure of Barotlo Longo who, famous for his spirit of charity, wished the shrine of Pompeii to be "open to the whole world as a centre whence to irradiate the prayer of the Rosary and a place of intercession for peace among peoples. Dear friends", the Pope concluded, "I wish to confirm both these goals - the apostolate of charity and the prayer of peace - and entrust them once more to your spiritual and pastoral efforts".

  The prayer over, Benedict XVI departed from the shrine of Pompeii and at 6.30 p.m. began his return journey to the Vatican by helicopter.

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DECLARATION ON POSSIBILITY OF PAPAL TRIP TO HOLY LAND

VATICAN CITY, 19 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Following a number of news agency reports concerning the caption under Pope Pius XII's photograph in Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Museum, and the cause for his beatification, Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. yesterday released the following declaration:

  "As is already known, the Holy See representative to Israel has in the past raised objections concerning the caption about Pius XII in the Yad Vashem Museum. It is, therefore, to be hoped that this be the subject of a new, objective and profound examination on the part of the museum management.

  "However, though important, this fact cannot be considered decisive in determining any papal journey to the Holy Land, which, as is known, the Pope would like to undertake but which has yet to be definitively planned.

  "As for the cause of beatification, I reiterate what was said recently that the Pope has not yet signed the decree on the heroic virtues of Servant of God Pius XII, a signature that is necessary for the continuation of the cause. He is dedicating profound thought and reflection to the matter and in such a situation it is not appropriate to seek to exercise pressure upon him in one way or in another".

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RESPECTING THE HUMAN DIGNITY OF ALL PATIENTS

VATICAN CITY, 20 OCT 2008 (VIS) - At midday today, the Pope received participants in the national congress of the Italian Surgical Society, who are meeting to consider the theme: "Towards a Surgery that Respects the Sick".

  After highlighting how, in the past, it was possible only to alleviate the suffering of the sick, whereas today, thanks to the advances of science and technology, it is possible to cure them, the Holy Father called attention to the risk of "abandoning patients at the moment in which it is felt impossible to obtain appreciable results".

  Although it may no longer be possible to hope for a cure, "that person's suffering can be relieved", because patients "have a dignity which must be honoured, and which constitutes the necessary foundation of all medical activity. Respect for human dignity, in fact, requires unconditional respect for each individual human being, born or unborn, healthy or sick, whatever their condition may be".

  The Pope referred to the importance of doctors discovering "the most appropriate means to communicate with each patient. Such means of communication, while respecting the truth of the facts, will aim to sustain hope which is an essential element of therapy. ... Patients want to be listened to, not just subjected to sophisticated diagnoses".

  "On the one hand, it is undeniable that the will of the patient must be respected, without forgetting, however, that the individualistic exaltation of autonomy leads to an unrealistic, and certainly impoverished, reading of human reality. On the other hand, the professional responsibility of doctors must bring them to suggest treatments that aim at the true good of patients, with an awareness that their specific competencies generally make them better capable of evaluating the situation than the patients themselves".

  Benedict XVI concluded by stressing the need "to promote a sense of responsibility among family members towards their sick relative. This is an important factor in order to avoid increasing the sense of alienation that a person inevitably suffers if entrusted to a form of medical care that is highly technological but lacks sufficient human sentiment".

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 20 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 - His Beatitude Fouad Twal, patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins.

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

    - Bishop Eugenio Arellano Fernandez M.C.C.J., apostolic vicar of Esmeraldas.

    - Bishop Luis Antonio Sanchez Armijos S.D.B. of Tulcan.

    - Bishop Nestor Montesdeoca Becerra S.D.B., apostolic vicar of Mendez, accompanied by Bishop Pietro Gabrielli S.D.B., apostolic vicar emeritus.

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10.17.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 185

SUMMARY OF SYNOD OF BISHOPS:

- Eighteenth General Congregation

OTHER NEWS:

- Pope Attends Screening of a Documentary on John Paul II

- Cardinal Robles to Take Possession of His Titular Church

- Other Pontifical Acts

- In Memoriam

___________________________________________________________

EIGHTEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 17 OCT 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the presence of the Holy Father, the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops celebrated its Eighteenth General Congregation, during which the language groups presented their reports.

  The president delegate on duty was Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

  Extracts from some of the reports are given below:

FRENCH LANGUAGE GROUP C: ARCHBISHOP PIERRE-MARIE CARRE OF ALBI, FRANCE. "Biblical renewal in the Catholic Church is still recent. ... We must work harder to make this great text better known. Simple propositions are necessary so that the Bible becomes the spiritual nourishment of all the members of the Church. Here are our propositions: (1) A reading of the Scripture that starts in the family and continues in biblical evenings in the parish. ... (2) Teach a living listening of the Word of God. ... (3) Pedagogical means, online support (internet) to simplify the understanding of the more difficult biblical passages. (4) We hope for a revision of the lectionary. (5) We could recognise - institute - extraordinary ministers of the Word, ... catechists, readers, animators of grassroots communities. ... (6) Intrinsic tie between Eucharist and the Word, ... enhancing the roles of the servants of the Word (readers, cantors, preachers, etc.). ... (7) Spreading the Bible. Everything must be done to ensure the greatest number of languages for translations. ... (8) How to heal the relationship between exegetes and theologians? ... In the formation of priests, there should be several approaches to Scripture: 'lectio divina', exegesis. (9) World Congress on the Word of God. ... (10) Dialogue with the Jews ... could help to complete research into the life-context of the Bible, with a historical-critical approach. (11) The Holy Land, the Fifth Gospel. A pilgrimage in the footsteps of Christ and His Apostles allows a renewal in Faith. (12) Women, 'passers-on' of the Word. We hope that women, and especially mothers, may receive a formation appropriate to their role as 'passers-on' of the Word".

ENGLISH LANGUAGE GROUP A: ARCHBISHOP MARK COLERIDGE OF CANBERRA AND GOULBURN, AUSTRALIA. "There is a need for an inclusive and comprehensive pastoral plan which is based upon the Word of God. ... There is a need to provide the poor with what is their most basic right and need: the Word of God. ... That is why it is vital that the Bible be translated into as many languages as possible. There is a need to lead young people to know and love the Word of God so that they may assume their role as agents of mission, especially among their peers. There is a need to stress the essential evangelising mission of the laity by virtue of their Baptism. In particular, there is a need to focus on the family as the domestic Church. There is a need to stress that the life of the Church is mission and to empower as many people as possible to undertake mission without excessive fear as to whether they are fully equipped or not. There is a need for solid ongoing formation in the Word of God for all agents of mission, including the bishops. ... A suggestion at our first meeting was that it may be better if the small groups were to meet in continental rather than linguistic groupings, since then they would have more in common as the basis for discussion".

  This afternoon the Synod Fathers will again meet in language groups so as to complete the proposals to be placed before the Holy Father. At the end of the afternoon the finished proposals will be delivered to the Pope by the secretary general of the Synod.

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POPE ATTENDS SCREENING OF A DOCUMENTARY ON JOHN PAUL II

VATICAN CITY, 17 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, Benedict XVI attended the screening of a new documentary film, "Testimony", which is based on the book "A Life with Karol" by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, archbishop of Krakow, Poland, and the Italian journalist Gian Franco Svidercoschi.

  After the screening the Pope addressed some brief remarks to the audience, many of them Polish, noting that the film "takes our minds back to that late evening of 16 October 1978, thirty years ago today, which has remained engraved in everyone's heart" when the recently-elected Pope, the first Pole in history and the first non-Italian for centuries, appeared before the faithful and said in Italian: "If I make a mistake [in the language] you will correct me".

  "We could say that the pontificate of John Paul II is enclosed between two expressions", said the Holy Father, his first phrase of: "Open the doors to Christ! Do not be afraid", and his words on his deathbed: "Let me go to the house of the Father".

  "Revealing previously unknown episodes, the film shows the human simplicity, the firm courage and, finally, the suffering of John Paul II, which he faced to the end with his inborn hardiness and the patience of a humble servant of the Gospel".

  Benedict XVI highlighted how John Paul II "marked the history of the Church and of the world in the last part of the 20th century and the beginning of the third millennium", and that "thanks to this film" those who did not know him "have a way of appreciating his valour and evangelical passion".

  "The film also gives us a better understanding of John Paul II's homeland, Poland, and of its cultural and religious traditions", said the Pope. "It enables us to revisit famous events in ecclesial and civil life, and episodes of which most people are unaware. The whole story is recounted with the affection of one who shared closely in these events, living in the shadow of their protagonist".

  After thanking Cardinal Dziwisz, who remained at Karol Wojtyla's side for 39 years, and the director of the film and his associates, the Pope reiterated John Paul II's invitation, "do not be afraid", and told those present to "bear witness to Christ courageously".

  "Testimony", directed by the Polish director Pawel Pitera, was filmed in the Vatican, Krakow, Wadowice (the town where Karol Wojtyla was born), Portugal and Germany. It is narrated by Cardinal Dziwisz himself and by the English actor, Michael York.

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CARDINAL ROBLES TO TAKE POSSESSION OF HIS TITULAR CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, 17 OCT 2008 (VIS) - According to a note published today by the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, at 6.30 p.m. on Saturday 25 October, Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega, metropolitan archbishop of Monterrey, Mexico, will take possession of the title of St. Mary of the Presentation in Via di Torrevecchia 1104, Rome.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 17 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

 - Bishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Duluth, U.S.A., as coadjutor archbishop of Cincinnati (area 22,118, population 2,964,909, Catholics 500,000, priests 501, permanent deacons 149, religious 1,370), U.S.A. The archbishop-elect was born in Sheldon, U.S.A. in 1948 he was ordained a priest in 1974 and consecrated a bishop in 2001.

 - Fr. Francesco Asti, professor at the St. Thomas section of the Theological Faculty of Southern Italy, as a consultor of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, 17 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

 - Cardinal Antonio Jose Gonzalez Zumarraga, archbishop emeritus of Quito, Ecuador, on 13 October at the age of 83.

 - Bishop Pablo Barrachina Estevan, emeritus of Orihuela-Alicante, Spain, on 13 October at the age of 95.

 - Bishop Joan Carrera Planas, auxiliary of Barcelona, Spain, on 3 October at the age of 78.

 - Archbishop Antonio Iannucci, emeritus of Pescara-Penne, Italy, on 14 October at the age of 94.

 - Bishop Eduardus Sangsun S.V.D. of Ruteng, Indonesia, on 13 October at the age of 65.

 - Bishop Adam Smigielski of Sosnowiec, Poland, on 7 October at the age of 74.

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10.16.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 184

SUMMARY OF SYNOD OF BISHOPS: 15-16 OCTOBER

- Seventeenth General Congregation

- Meeting of Language Groups

OTHER NEWS:

- Ecuador: Mature Laity Illuminates Society

- Pope Praises the Constant Relevance of "Fides Et Ratio"

- World Food Security: Climate Change and Bioenergy

- Audiences

- Other Pontifical Acts

___________________________________________________________

SEVENTEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 15 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Seventeenth General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops began today at 4.30 p.m. in the presence of the Holy Father and 236 Synod Fathers. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the session was dedicated to the presentation of the "Relatio post disceptationem" (report after the discussion).

  A total of 229 Synod Fathers, nine fraternal delegates and 22 auditors have spoken thus far over the course of the General Congregations.

  Speaking Latin, Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., archbishop of Quebec, Canada, relator general of the Synod, read out the "Relatio post disceptationem" on the Synod's theme of "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church". His report summarised the proposals made by the Synod Fathers during the General Congregations and suggested guidelines to facilitate the work of the language groups and the preparation of the pastoral proposals to put before the Holy Father.

  An English-language summary has been released according to which: This synthesis emerges from the interventions made in the Hall after the "Relatio ante disceptationem", and is elaborated from the general outline in ten chapters, chosen by the Relator General and developed with the help of the Special Secretary and the Experts. Following the division used in the "Instrumentum laboris", the material is presented in three parts.

  The first part is entitled "God speaks and hears" and contains three points: (1) Revelation, creation, the history of salvation; (2) Christ, the Spirit and the Church; (3) the Word of God, liturgy, listening. The first point begins with a consideration on the reflection of the Benedict XVI who, commenting on Psalm 18, recalled that the Word of God is solid, it is reality, it is the stable and lasting foundation of every thing. Beginning with this invitation to a new realism based on the Word of God, the Synodal Assembly - the Relator General explained - led to a very worthwhile discussion.

  The synthesis continues dealing with the topic of "Revelation and Intra-Trinitarian Dialogue", the dialogic characteristic of the Word, whose foundations can be found in the Mystery of the Trinity and which calls man to dialogue; the "Word of God and the history of salvation", the revelation as a dialogical movement in which God addresses His creatures and leads them to the fullness of salvation; finally, the history of salvation, achieved in the incarnation, death and resurrection of the Word and in the definitive gift of the Holy Spirit.

  The second point presents Christ, the fullness and achievement of the Trinitarian revelation; Christ, the sole mediator, and dialogue; the Mystery of the Church, the action of the Holy Spirit and the interpretation of the Scriptures.

  The third point recalls the sacramental dimension inherent in the Word of God and the importance, underlined by many interventions by the Synod Fathers, that the relationship existing between the Word of God and the liturgy and, in particular, the Eucharistic liturgy, should be reinforced; the anthropological dimension of God's revelation in His Word, whereby man is a being called to hear the Word; the Church, mother and teacher of listening to the Word of God; finally, the relationship between the Word and vocation, the Word and the poor, Word, silence and prayer, the Word and faith, the Word and holiness.

  The second part is entitled: "The Word of God, Holy Scripture, Tradition" and is developed in four points: (1) Event, encounter, interpretation, (2) Unity, primacy, circularity; (3) Eucharist, homily, community; (4) Exegesis, theology, "lectio divina".

  In the first point, "Event, encounter, interpretation" the Word of God is presented as an event in history. Many interventions underlined the fact that the Word of God as such cannot be merely identified with the Sacred Scripture, although the two terms are often believed to be synonymous. In fact, the doctrine expressed in "Dei Verbum" clearly states that the Word of God is transmitted inseparably in the inspired written Word (Holy Scriptures) and in the living Tradition of the Church.

  The synthesis continues dealing with the interpretation and the connection between Sacred Scripture and the life of the faithful in the Church; the Word of God and the cultural challenges of our times.

  In the second point, called "Unity, primacy, circularity", the themes of unity and the primacy of the Word of God are presented, as well as the unity of the relationship between Scripture, Tradition and Magisterium expressed by "Dei Verbum"; the work of the Holy Spirit in the triple-connection Scripture-Tradition-Magisterium.

  The third point, "Eucharist, homily, community" deals with the relationship between Scripture and the Eucharist, with the question, which emerged from the Synodal discussion, on how to privilege, among the faithful, a more unitary perception of this relationship; the sacramental dimension of the Word, the Word and eschatological dimension; the celebration of the Word; the importance of the homily; art as an analogical form of preaching; finally, the relationship between the Word of God, celebration and community.

  "The fourth point, "Exegesis, theology, 'lectio divina'", deals with the relationship between exegesis and theology and presents 'lectio divina' as the individual and community reading of a passage, recalling that the approach to the sacred text, when personally done by the faithful, cannot be separated from communion and from the ecclesial context.

  Finally, the third part is called "The Word of God, mission, dialogue" and contains three points: (1) Witness, kerygma, catechesis; (2) Culture, dialogue, commitment; (3) Communication, proclamation, translations. In this part, under the second point "Culture, dialogue, commitment", the Word of God is presented as an ecumenical bond and the source of dialogue between the faithful and Jews.

  The synthesis continues by presenting the Word of God in the sphere of inter-religious dialogue, in its relationship with cultures and as a call to commitment. Many Synod Fathers spoke about inculturation, and an intervention in the Hall pointed out the Christological foundation of this. The last point focuses on the urgency, expressed many times by the Synod Fathers, in making the Bible available in all languages, including the unwritten ones; deals with new possibilities of transmitting the Holy Scriptures through the modern means of communication, underlines the proposal mentioned by several Synodal Fathers to create a specific ministry or to enhance the lectorate in the Church.

  In conclusion, the Relator General recalled how all the Synod Fathers feel the urgency of proclaiming the Gospel and how the new possibilities of communication invite one to take on the original initiative to spread the knowledge and to love Christ and the Scriptures, to favour the unity of Christians and to contribute to justice and peace in the world.

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MEETING OF LANGUAGE GROUPS

VATICAN CITY, 16 OCT 2008 (VIS) - This morning, for the second time in the current Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the Synod Fathers met for in language groups to begin preparing their proposals on the theme of the General Assembly.

  The third sitting of the language groups is due to take place today from 4.30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

  In the meantime, various "in scriptis" (written, not spoken) discourses by a number of the Synod Fathers have been made public, extracts of some of which are given below:

FR. ADOLFO NICOLAS S.J., SUPERIOR GENERAL OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS (JESUITS). "It is my conviction that the Word of God can claim in a high degree a 'therapeutic' role in the life of the Christian community. Every time we 'enter' the world of the Bible, we are exposed to a new world: God's world; God's action; God's teaching of His people. The encounter, if real, can be shocking, surprising, enlightening, soothing or consoling. It can also be misunderstood and lost. ... Pastors and ministers of the Word need training for good diagnosis, for wise application of forms of reading, for deeper prayer and interiorisation of the Word of God, and for a meaningful accompaniment that helps the faithful discern the action of the Spirit in and through the reading of the Bible. ... It seems highly needed that this training be included in the preparation for pastoral ministry and in programs of ongoing formation for all priests. Moreover all parishes and/or dioceses should have access to centres or trained persons that can offer this service to individuals or communities and who can train catechists and other lay ministers in this important service".

CARDINAL VARKEY VITHAYATHIL C.SS.R., MAJOR ARCHBISHOP OF ERNAKULAM-ANGAMALY OF THE SYRO-MALABARS, AND PRESIDENT OF THE SYNOD OF THE SYRO-MALABAR CHURCH, INDIA. "Even though the right of every individual Church to preach the Gospel everywhere in the world under the guidance of the Roman Pontiff and the right of all the faithful of the Oriental Churches to have pastoral care by their own bishops and priests throughout the world are recognised by Vatican Council II and the two Codes of Canon Law, the Syro‑Malabar Church is neither given new mission territories in India, Africa, etc., nor the freedom to exercise her right to give pastoral care by her own bishops and priests to the hundreds of thousands of migrants in India, in the Gulf Countries, Europe and elsewhere, even 43 years after the conclusion of Vatican Council II. ... The Church has not only to preach the Word of justice to the faithful, but they should be pastorally helped to live by it. It is more so when it concerns practising justice within the Church. Peace is disturbed when justice is not done, because peace is the fruit of justice. Justice will also build up communion. In the case of the Syro‑Malabar Church, this justice has been denied for many centuries. It is high time that this Synod reflected over this unjust situation within the Church and proposed lasting remedies".

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ECUADOR: MATURE LAITY ILLUMINATES SOCIETY

VATICAN CITY, 16 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Today in the Vatican Benedict XVI received prelates from the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, who have just completed their "ad limina" visit. Opening his remarks to them he reiterated his condolences for the recent death of Cardinal Antonio Jose Gonzalez Zumarraga, archbishop of Quito, Ecuador.

  "I note with satisfaction", the Holy Father went on, "that one of the pastoral initiatives you consider to be most important for the Church in Ecuador is implementing the 'great mission' identified by the Latin American Episcopate at Aparecida, Brazil. ... The call the Lord Jesus made to His disciples, sending them forth to preach the message of salvation and make disciples of all people, must be a constant theme of meditation and the raison d'etre of all pastoral activity for the entire ecclesial community".

  "In order to face the many challenges of your mission, and in a cultural and social atmosphere that seems to forget the deepest spiritual roots of its identity, ... it is necessary to make generous efforts to spread the world of God so that no-one remains without this indispensable spiritual nourishment, source of life and light".

  The Pope recalled how this missionary task "depends particularly upon priests" and how, given the shortage of clergy in many areas of Ecuador, the prelates are "committed to involving all groups, movements and individuals" of their dioceses "in a wide-ranging and generous form of vocational pastoral care. These efforts", he continued, "must be accompanied by the greatest care in selecting seminarians and in their intellectual, human and spiritual formation. In this way ... they will be able to shoulder the demands of their future ministry with joy and a sense of responsibility".

  "In this important stage of history, the Church in Ecuador needs mature and committed lay people who, with a solid doctrinal formation and a profound interior life, live their specific vocation of illuminating all human, social, cultural and political reality with the light of Christ". In this context Benedict XVI thanked the prelates for their efforts in "recalling the attention of society to those values whihc bring greater justice and solidarity to human life".

  "Although the activity of the Church must not be confused with political concerns", he said, "it must, through reflection and moral judgements, offer its own contribution to the entire human community, also on those political questions that particularly affect human dignity".

  The Holy Father concluded by calling on the bishops to dedicate particular attention to the charitable activities of their Churches, activities which must "express the merciful love of Christ, especially to people in need, the elderly, children, emigrants and to abandoned and mistreated women".

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POPE PRAISES THE CONSTANT RELEVANCE OF "FIDES ET RATIO"

VATICAN CITY, 16 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Ten years after the publication of John Paul II's Encyclical "Fides et Ratio", the Pontifical Lateran University in collaboration with the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the World Conference of Catholic University Institutions of Philosophy, has organised a conference to commemorate the anniversary.

  This morning, participants in the congress were received in audience by the Holy Father who spoke of the "constant relevance" of the Encyclical, which "is characterised by its great openness to reason, especially in a period in which there is speculation about its weakness. John Paul II underlined the importance of uniting faith and reason in a reciprocal relationship, while respecting the autonomy proper to each.

  "With this document", he added, "the Church interpreted an emerging need of the modern social context. She sought to defend the force of reason and its capacity to arrive at truth, while once again presenting the faith as a specific form of knowledge thanks to which we open to the truth of Revelation. The Encyclical says that we must trust in the capacity of human reason and not set overly modest goals".

  "Who can deny", the Pope asked, "the contribution the great philosophical systems have made to the development of man's self-knowledge and to the progress of various cultures? Indeed, these cultures become fruitful when they open to truth, enabling those who participate in them to reach objectives that make social life ever more human".

  "Nonetheless, we cannot conceal the fact that there has been a slide from a prevalently speculative form of thought to a chiefly empirical one. Research has turned to focus above all on the observation of nature in the attempt to discover its secrets. And the desire to understand nature has then been transformed into the desire to reproduce it. ... Scientific and technological progress, which 'fides' is increasingly called to confront, has altered the old concept of 'ratio'; in some way it has marginalised the reason that sought the ultimate truth of things to make way for a reason that satisfies itself with discovering the contingent truths of the laws of nature.

  "Scientific research certainly has a positive value" when "the applied sciences are the fruit of reason and an expression of the intelligence with which man manages to penetrate the depths of creation. For its part, faith does nor fear scientific progress and the developments to which its achievements lead when their ultimate focus is man, his wellbeing and the progress of all humanity".

  The Holy Father pointed out that "science is not capable of establishing ethical principles. ... In this context, philosophy and theology become an indispensable aid which must be taken into account to ensure that science does not advance alone along a difficult path full of pitfalls and not without risks. This does not mean limiting scientific research ... but in keeping alive the sense of responsibility which reason and faith must have towards science, to ensure it remains at the service of man".

  "Reason", he went on, "discovers that beyond its own achievements and conquests there exists a truth that can never be discovered by using its own parameters, but only received as a gratuitous gift. The truth of Revelation is not superimposed on the truth achieved by reason, rather it purifies and exalts reason, enabling it to expand beyond its confines to become part of a field of research as unfathomable as the mystery itself".

  Benedict XVI concluded: "The passion for truth impels us to turn into ourselves to discover the profound meaning of our lives in the interior man. True philosophy must lead people by the hand and bring them to discover how fundamental knowing the truth of Revelation is for their own dignity".

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WORLD FOOD SECURITY: CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIOENERGY

VATICAN CITY, 16 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Benedict XVI has written a Message to Jacques Diouf, director general of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for the occasion of World Food Day, an annual event organised by the FAO every 16 October.

  Commenting upon the theme chosen for this year's Day - "World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy" - the Holy Father writes that it "enables reflection upon achievements in the fight against hunger and upon the obstacles facing the FAO in the new challenges threatening the life of the human family".

  Benedict XVI highlights how "above all we must undertake to illuminate the reasons that prevent authentic respect for human dignity. With the means and resources the world has at its disposal, it is possible to supply sufficient nourishment and to satisfy the growing needs of everyone", he says.

  "The incorrect management of food resources caused by corruption in public life and increasing investment in arms and sophisticated military technology, to the detriment of people's primary needs, has great importance", he adds.

  The Pope also highlights how "an effective campaign against hunger, in order to confront climate change or to allocate agricultural production primarily to food, calls for much more than mere scientific studies. It is necessary, above all, to rediscover the significance of human beings in their individual and community dimensions".

  "This reflects the need to build relations between peoples based on real and constant openness, to ensure that each country is able to satisfy the requirements of those in need, and to transmit the idea of relations founded on the interchange of reciprocal knowledge, values, rapid assistance and respect".

  Benedict XVI underscores the importance of "commitment to promoting effective social justice in relations among peoples", so that the economy may be oriented towards the distribution of the goods of the earth, "to their sustainable use and to the fair division of their benefits".

  "One essential condition to increase levels of production and guarantee the identity of indigenous communities, as well as peace and security in the world", he concludes, "is to guarantee access to land, favouring agricultural workers and promoting their rights".

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 16 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences two prelates from the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop Paolo Mietto C.S.I., apostolic vicar of Napo.

    - Bishop Gonzalo Lopez Maranon O.C.D., apostolic vicar of San Miguel de Sucumbios.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 16 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Msgr. Joseph Anthony Toal of the clergy of the diocese of Argyll and The Isles, Scotland, rector of the Royal Scots College of Salamanca, Spain, as bishop of Argyll and The Isles (area 31,080, population 74,383, Catholics 10,383, priests 29, religious 12). The bishop-elect was born in Roy Bridge, Scotland in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1980. He succeeds Bishop Ian Murray, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Bishop Thomas Matthew Burns S.M., military ordinary of Great Britain, as bishop of Menevia (area 9,310, population 801,650, Catholics 26,688, priests 52, religious 133), Wales. He succeeds Bishop Mark Jabale O.S.B., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Fr. Adolfo Nicolas S.J., superior general of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), as a member of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

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10.15.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 183

SUMMARY OF SYNOD OF BISHOPS: 14-15 OCTOBER

- Fifteenth General Congregation

- Sixteenth General Congregation

OTHER NEWS:

- The Church, an Assembly Called by God in the World

- Other Pontifical Acts

___________________________________________________________

FIFTEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 14 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Fifteenth General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops took place this afternoon. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia.

  Following are excerpts from the speeches given:

CARDINAL ANTONIO MARIA ROUCO VARELA, ARCHBISHOP OF MADRID, SPAIN. "To make the Word of God a leaven of modern culture means keeping in mind one of its foremost characteristics, especially in Europe and America, that is to say, the immanentist concept of man and the world, without any explicit or implicit reference to God the Creator and Redeemer of man. This characteristic may be seen in particular in socio-political and juridical culture. ... Post-modernity has augmented the negative aspects of the modern concept of man, of society and of the political-juridical order, opening the way to existential nichilism and to the 'dictatorship' of ethical relativism. The legal approach to the right to life, as if the State could dispose of it in an unlimited way, is eloquent proof of this. Therefore, we need a cultural answer from the Gospel that, in a sincere dialogue between faith and reason, brings into public life the truth of God the Creator and Redeemer of man: the 'God Who is love'. Lay people must be those most actively involved".

BISHOP GASPARD MUDISO MUND'LA S.V.D., OF KENGE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. "My intervention is about ... the preparation or formation of future priests to the biblical apostolate as an academic discipline in seminaries and institutes of religious formation. ... If the Word of God is to inspire all the pastoral ministry of the Church, we must rethink or revise formation in large seminaries and religious institutes, because the Word of God is not and cannot be a teaching subject like any other, on the same level as others. ... The biblical apostolate ... wishes believers to encounter the Lord Who addresses them and calls upon them in the concrete moments of their lives. This course could have a dual aim: (a) Raise seminarians' awareness of Scriptures as the Word of God, the source of Christian life and the instrument of the pastoral ministry; (b) help seminarians translate their knowledge of Scriptures into the daily situations of life".

H. E. MARK (SEGEJ GOLOKOV), BISHOP OF YEGORIEVSK, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR FOREIGN ECCLESIASTICAL RELATIONS OF THE PATRIARCHATE OF MOSCOW, RUSSIA. "The Orthodox Church believes it is important for the Holy Scriptures to be available to all. Reading the Bible in the Church during liturgical functions, however, represents the most valid way of hearing it. Together with the availability of biblical texts, one basic principle for understanding them is fulfilment of tradition. Orthodox theology does not deny new studies concerning the sacred texts, yet despite this we believe that the interpretation of biblical texts is closely connected to explanations left us by the Church Fathers. Faithfulness to tradition is the sure path that helps one from losing one's way among many opinions".

H.E. ARMASH (HAGOP NALBANDIAN), FIRST BISHOP OF DAMASCUS, SYRIA. "The Word of God in Armenia had already been proclaimed in the first century by the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew who, following their missionary activity, died as martyrs. The proclamation of the Word of God in the following three centuries bore fruit to the extent that, in 301, Armenia proclaimed Christianity as its State religion, the first nation in the world to do so. ... The Armenian people, through their martyrdom, bore a witness which still today forges the Christian identity of each Armenian. The Word of God has been and is the source of hope and survival. What is the situation of the proclamation of the Word of God in Armenia today? Armenia is a post-Soviet country. What the situation during the Soviet era was is well-known. After the fall of the Soviet Union, today in Armenia, there is a spiritual awakening and a deep interest in listening to the Word of God. The number of Bible groups and of persons who attend Church is increasing".

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SIXTEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 15 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Sixteenth General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops took place this morning in the presence of 238 Synod Fathers. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

  Following are excerpts from the speeches given:

CARDINAL ANGELO BAGNASCO, ARCHBISHOP OF GENOA AND PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE. "As for forming people in an informed and conscious faith, one capable of giving reason to our hope, it seems opportune to me to recall that, if it is necessary to follow the path of documented, prayerful and shared knowledge of the written word of God, it is equally necessary to follow the path of reason. Sacred Scripture includes not only supernatural truths but also natural ones, which it absorbs confirms and fulfils. There is a renewed and urgent need to maintain the unity of Scripture, Tradition and Magisterium, so that believers may achieve a better understanding of the great questions of birth and death, family and freedom, love and natural law, euthanasia, fertilisation, etc., and know also how to present them to non-believers for whom the Bible is valid only for the force of its arguments. When the Church speaks of these themes she is not meddling, she is not going beyond her evangelising mission. ... At the same time, she serves cultures and societies so that they may become more human".

CARDINAL GIOVANNI LAJOLO, PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR VATICAN CITY STATE AND OF THE GOVERNORATE OF VATICAN CITY STATE. "The problem is how to bring the Word of God in a convincing manner to three categories of persons: (1) The illiterate and those who, even though they can read, do not do so. They can be easily tempted by absurd beliefs and superstitions. Ways should be studied to reach them personally, or through easily-understandable and widely-publicised audio-visual media. (2) People of a certain cultural level, sometimes a very high level, who are upset by certain parts of the Bible where, they feel, fundamental human rights are violated by the order or with the consent of God. For them the concept of inspiration in Holy Scripture should be further developed. (3) Believers in the Old Testament. For them, no purpose will be served by presenting the fulfilment of prophecies as something recognisable 'post fidem'. They need to be shown the Christian meaning of prophecies realised in Jesus the Messiah, as something recognisable 'ante fidem'".

ARCHBISHOP PAUL CREMONA O.P., OF MALTA, PRESIDENT OF THE MALTESE EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE. "I shall be speaking in the context of traditionally Catholic countries like Malta. Whenever we speak of a new evangelisation, we find a stumbling‑block. Many of our faithful still live in nostalgia of, and compare the present situation, with the model of the Church that was present 30 to 40 years ago. Since the Catholic Church has not remained in a privileged position as it was then, they live in an atmosphere of shock when the Church, or its pastors, are challenged. Many times they stand in fear of speaking openly before this, many times, hostile culture. We need to go out of this traumatic experience to enter into a new evangelisation. We have to help the faithful recognise that that kind of Church does not exist anymore, and it cannot be proposed again in this changed world. We cannot continue comparing our reality to that reality. We have to propose a new model of being Church and the model which corresponds most to today's reality is the primitive Christian community as it is described in chapters two and four of the Acts of the Apostles, and brought to life in the other writings of the New Testament. We have to compare the Church today to, and shape it on, that community".

BISHOP AUGUSTIN TRAORE OF SEGOU, MALI. "Christians in Mali are a small minority in numerical terms, but they are appreciated and respected for the witness they bear to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The quality of the life-witness of Catholics and Protestants in Mali arouses the admiration of their Muslim brothers and sisters, who often say that serious matters must be managed by Christians because the Gospel they announce brings justice and peace. Coherent witness must be promoted through increasingly fruitful collaboration between Catholic and Protestant Christian communities. The secretariat of the biblical apostolate of the Episcopal Conference of Mali decided, following its creation, to favour ecumenical dialogue in Mali ... in a spirit of ecumenism. Good relations [between Catholics and Protestants] have enabled fruitful collaboration in the formation of Bible translators, in spreading the Bible, in increasing literacy. ... Inter-religious dialogue presupposes a good knowledge of the Word of God, which is also dialogue, and favours the conditions for fruitful dialogue between the different confessions".

CARDINAL ANTONIO CANIZARES LLOVERA, ARCHBISHOP OF TOLEDO, SPAIN. "My talk refers to catechesis as one aspect of the ministry of the Word. My aim is to highlight the essential and fundamental role of catechesis in the transmission of the Word of God. The peculiarity of catechesis lies in its being a period of teaching and maturity, of living reflection on the ministry of Christ, of integral initiation (living, ordered and systematic) to the Revelation that God Himself made to man in Jesus Christ, a revelation neither isolated from life nor artificially imposed upon it, but safeguarded in the profound memory of the living Tradition of the Church. Catechesis introduces and initiates people to listening to and accepting the Word and the teachings of the Apostles in liturgy, in a moral evangelical life of charity, and in prayer. Without catechesis the majority of Christians would not be able to adapt and express the Gospel in their lives, nor to act in a missionary and apostolic way, nor to successfully face up to the spiritual and cultural tendencies of our time. Only by starting with a serious, authentic and renewed catechesis, is the Church able to explain the range of the elements and functions of her evangelising mission".

BISHOP FRANGHISKOS PAPAMANOLIS, O.F.M. CAP., OF SYROS AND MILOS, SANTORINI, PRESIDENT OF THE GREEK EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE. "I am aware of the need for institutions and of the good that can be done through diplomacy. However, it is also true that they should be re-examined and verified in the light of the Word of God, because the end does not justify the means. Studying history we find emergency decisions in the life of the Church and structural ways of behaving that could be justified in the light of a particular historical moment, but I ask myself if those decisions, remaining within the structures of the Church will continue to indicate the path of the Church forever? Especially when such structures do not stand up in the light of theological principles? For the Catholic Church, the ecumenical commitment is the main commitment for the third millennium. A commitment that cannot be limited to an exchange of invitations, visits and gifts, or all those gestures that express our desire to create unity. Desire is not enough. We have to be willing to sacrifice laws and structures to prepare for the blessed day we Christians will be united".

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THE CHURCH, AN ASSEMBLY CALLED BY GOD IN THE WORLD

VATICAN CITY, 15 OCT 2008 (VIS) - In his general audience this Wednesday celebrated in St. Peter's Square, the Pope continued his catechesis on St. Paul, speaking today about the Apostle and the Church.

  The Holy Father recalled that "the word 'ekklesia' in Greek comes from the Old Testament and means the assembly of the People of Israel called by God". The word Church appears for the first time in the Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, and in other Letters he speaks of the Church of God that is in Corinth and Galatia, etc., "but he also speaks of the fact that 'I have persecuted the Church of God', not a particular local community, but the Church of God".

  "The Church possesses a pluridimensional meaning: on one hand it means assemblies of God in specific places - a city, a country - but it also means the entire Church as a whole. In this way we see that the Church of God is not an association of local churches, but that these are the realisation of the one Church of God".

  Benedict XVI emphasised that "the word Church is almost always accompanied by the words 'of God'; it is not a human association of ideas and common interests but a call made by God. He has called it and therefore it is one in all its manifestations. God's unity creates the Church's unity wherever it is".

  In the Letter to the Ephesians, he continued, St. Paul "develops the concept of the unity of the Church in parallel with the concept of the People of God, Israel. ... Paul presents the one Church of God as the 'bride of Christ', ... one body and one Spirit with Christ Himself".

  "Paul knew one thing clearly: the fundamental and foundational value of Christ and of the 'word' that announces Him. Paul knew that not only do we not become Christians by force but also that, in the internal configuration of the new community, the institutional component was inevitably tied to the living 'word', the announcement of the living Christ".

  The Holy Father called attention to the fact that "the purpose of Paul's evangelical work was to establish a community of believers in Christ. We find this idea in the very etymology of the word 'ekklesia', ... which implies a call 'ab extra', not just the idea of joining together but of being called by God; believers are called by God Who unites them in a community, His Church".

  He spoke of the Pauline concept of Church as "Body of Christ". "Regarding this term it is worthwhile to remember the two dimensions of the concept: a sociological concept according to which the body is made up of its members, without which it could not exist. ... St. Paul also says that the Church is not just an organism but is truly the Body of Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist in which all receive His Body, becoming truly one body ... and one spirit in Christ".

  "Paul knows and makes us understand that the Church is neither his nor ours; it is the 'Body of Christ', the 'Church of God', 'God's field', 'God's building'". This latter definition ... attributed a term commonly used to indicate a physical place seen as sacred to a web of interpersonal relations. The relationship between the Church and the temple assumes two complementary dimensions: on one hand the characteristics of purity and separation proper to the sacred building are attributed to the ecclesial community and, at the same time, the concept of a material space of divine presence is surpassed, and applied to the reality of a living faith community".

  The Pope continued, commenting that "the concept of the 'People of God', "which in St. Paul mainly applies to the people of the Old Testament, subsequently referred to pagans ... who also become the People of God thanks to their unification with Christ through the Word and the Sacraments".

  In the Letter to Timothy, the Holy Father said, "the Church is considered as the 'household of God', referring to the Church as the communal structure of interpersonal family relationships".

  "The Apostle helps us to ever deeper understanding of the mystery of the Church in its different dimensions as assembly of God in the world", he concluded. "This is the greatness of the Church and the greatness of our call".

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 15 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Fr. Marc Aillet, vicar general of Frejus-Toulon, France, as bishop of Bayonne (area 7,712, population 628,000, Catholics 450,000, priests 477, permanent deacons 7, religious 911), France. The bishop-elect was born in Parakou, Benin in 1957 and ordained a priest in 1982.

 - Accepted the resignation from the diocese of Cape Palmas, Liberia, presented by Bishop Boniface Nyema Dalieh, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Bishop John M. Quinn, auxiliary of Detroit, U.S.A., as coadjutor of Winona (area 31,798, population 570,488, Catholics 131,280, priests 107, permanent deacons 20, religious 414), U.S.A.

 - Appointed Fr. Laurent Chu Van Minh, rector of the major seminary of Hanoi, Vietnam, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Hanoi (area 7,000, population 5,300,000, Catholics 328,725, priests 69, religious 278). The bishop-elect was born in Nam Dinh, Vietnam in 1943 and ordained a priest in 1994.

 - Appointed Fr. Pierre Nguyen Van Kham, executive secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Hochiminh Ville (area 2,093, population 6,129,000, Catholics 640.437, priests 751, religious 5,442) Vietnam. The bishop-elect as born in Ha Dong, Vietnam in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1980.

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10.14.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 182

SUMMARY OF SYNOD OF BISHOPS:

- Thirteenth General Congregation

OTHER NEWS:

- Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Plays in Honour of Pope

- Telegram for the Death of Cardinal Gonzalez Zumarraga

- Reading the Bible from an Ecumenical Perspective

- Other Pontifical Acts

___________________________________________________________

THIRTEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 14 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Thirteenth General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops took place this morning in the presence of the Holy Father and 241 Synod Fathers. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia.

  Following are excerpts from the speeches given:

CARDINAL SECRETARY OF STATE TARCISIO BERTONE S.D.B. "There exists widespread indifference towards a faith communicated through Sacred Scripture, ... an indifference accompanied by considerable levels of ignorance and above all by a difficulty in perceiving the importance Scripture has for life. ... Nonetheless in many young people we note a surprising openness to the Bible ... not so much - at least not at first - for the authoritative nature of a biblical text called Word of God, but for the adults who accompany them as patient educators and credible witnesses to the greatest figure, that of Jesus, in other words people who when they say 'Word of God' demonstrate it with their lives. If the adult, as friend-educator, manages to open the door of a young person's heart, then Scripture may be seen as a gift that brings with it all the qualities of the Word of God".

CARDINAL EMMANUEL III DELLY, PATRIARCH OF BABYLON OF THE CHALDEANS, IRAQ. "I am a son of the land of Abraham, Iraq. ... We have tried everything to obtain peace and serenity for the country. The situation in some parts of Iraq is disastrous and tragic. Life is a Calvary: peace and security are lacking , just as the fundamental elements in daily life. Electricity, water, fuel continue to be lacking. ... All fear kidnapping, abduction and intimidation. ... Not to mention the ever growing number of deaths caused by car bombs and kamikazes wearing explosive belts. To live the Word of God means to us to bear witness to it to the cost of our own lives, as has occurred and still occurs till now with the sacrifice of the bishops, priests and faithful. ... Because of this, I beg of you to pray the Lord Jesus, the Word of God, for us and with us, and share our concern, our hopes and the suffering of our wounded, so that the Word of God made flesh stay in His Church and with us as a good news and as support. Sixteen of our priests and two bishops have been kidnapped and were released after paying a very high ransom. Some of them belong to a line of new martyrs that today pray for us from the heavens: Archbishop Faraj Rahho of Mosul, Fr. Raghid Ganni, other two priests and other six young persons".

BISHOP JAVIER ECHEVARRIA RODRIGUEZ, PRELATE OF OPUS DEI. "In the lives of the saints the meeting with the Word of God through the reading of Holy Scripture produced a radical existential change We must all, priests and lay persons, seek to have a profound thirst for Jesus Christ, living every scene from the Gospel as one character among the others. ... It is appropriate that during the Sacrament of Confession we pastors frequently advise the faithful to read the Gospel, teaching them how to participate in what is recounted there and urging those who confess to give the same advice to colleagues, family members and friends. ... What all we Christians must do, like the saints, is seek to bring these texts into our daily lives that they may be transformed. ... It would be advantageous to promote initiatives fostering the spread of this attitude of prayer and interior concentration towards the Gospel, so that real impact on our daily lives can be made. Furthermore I believe it would also be appropriate to ensure that the texts of the Mass are read well, that is to say truly lived, not as declamation but with the certainty that God is speaking to the community".

BISHOP JOSEPH NGUYEN CHI LINH, OF THANH HOA, VIETNAM. "The Gospel was proclaimed for the first time in our land at the beginning of the 16th century within the painful context of a civil war between two kingdoms of fraternal enemies. ... Immersed in a history interwoven with hatred, ideological wars and discrimination, our Christians remain more than ever convinced that only in the Word of God can they persevere in love, joy, peace, communion and tolerance. ... One episode merits particular mention to show how the Word of God continues to sustain the Church in Vietnam: the mass conversion of thousands of members of ethnic minorities shortly after the canonisation of 117 Vietnamese martyrs in 1988. The strange thing is that many of them admitted they had listened to a Protestant radio station in Manila, Philippines, but converted to Catholicism. Thus the Protestants sow and the Catholics reap. The Word of God, ringing out from afar and reaching their ears, became a source of hope for these people, who live among the mountains deprived of everything and without a future. In conclusion, as a Vietnamese Christian I would like to reiterate my conviction that amidst persecutions our greatest grace is faithfulness to the Word of God".

ANDREA RICCARDI, FOUNDER OF THE SANT'EGIDIO COMMUNITY. "Gregory the Great teaches us that the Word grows with he who reads it. It enlightens the poor, guiding us to understand that to be close to them is to be close to Christ Himself. Thus emerges the structural dimension of the Christian: the disciple. ... At a time of a whirlwind of words, the Word matures in silence. ... At times the Word is chained by projects, protagonists, and ideological readings. ... To evangelize is not a technique, but to overflow with the Word. The Synod can be the right moment to promote a mature season of love for Scripture in the people of God. Strengthened by a century of biblical culture, is it not time to develop devotion to the Sacred Text among the people of God? Christian men and women will thus become - as Chrysostom says - 'simple with intelligence' in a complex world".

LUIS FERNANDO FIGARI, SUPERIOR GENERAL OF THE "SODALITIUM VITAE CHRISTIANAE", PERU. "In 'Ecclesiam suam', Pope Paul VI pointed out the communicative dimension of divine Revelation. ... The incarnated Eternal Word speaks a human language and makes manifest the mystery of God and His Plan, just as it indicates the mystery of human beings, the greatness of their vocation and the horizon of their personal fulfillment. ... Fundamental to this path is mastering active silence. This involves not only listening but doing so 'in Ecclesia', opening the heart to interior life and to adherence to the Word of God. The Word, heard and accepted, inspires faith in our minds transforming our criteria until we attain the 'mind of Christ'. ... And it promotes faith in action, in the awareness that blessed are they who 'listen to the Word, put it into practice'".

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VIENNA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA PLAYS IN HONOUR OF POPE

VATICAN CITY, 14 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Yesterday evening in the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls the Holy Father attended a concert given by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra, conducted by Christoph Eschenbach, played the sixth symphony of Anton Bruckner. The concert is one of the events marking the bi-millennium of the birth of St. Paul and was offered to the Pope and the Synod Fathers by the "Fondazione pro Musica e Arte Sacra".

  In brief remarks, Benedict XVI praised the Vienna Philharmonic's "masterly" interpretation of Bruckner's symphony, "which translates the faith of its author, who with his compositions was capable of transmitting a religious vision of life and history.

  "We could say that Anton Bruckner, drawing from the Austrian Baroque and the Schubertian tradition of popular song, brought the romantic process of interiorisation to its extreme consequences", he added. "Listening to this famous composition in the basilica dedicated to St. Paul, we are spontaneously drawn to a passage from the First Letter to the Corinthians in which the Apostle, having spoken of the diversity and unity of charisms, compares the Church to the human body, made up of members very different one from the other but all indispensable to its correct functioning. In the same way, this orchestra and choir are formed of various instruments and voices which, in harmony together, produce a melody sweet to the ear and to the spirit".

  The Pope concluded by expressing the hope that the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, "where the mortal remains of the Apostle of the Gentiles are conserved, may truly become a fulcrum for liturgical, spiritual and artistic initiatives that aim to rediscover his missionary work and theological ideas".

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TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL GONZALEZ ZUMARRAGA

VATICAN CITY, 14 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Pope has sent the following telegram for the death Cardinal Antonio Jose Gonzalez Zumarraga, archbishop emeritus of Quito, Ecuador. The cardinal died yesterday at the age of 83.

  "Deeply saddened by the death of the beloved cardinal, ... I wish to express my deepest condolences to the pastor, auxiliary bishops, clergy and faithful of that particular Church, as well as to the relatives of the late cardinal, joining them in fervent prayers to the Lord that He may grant His peace to one who served the Church with such intensity and generosity during his pastoral ministry, as guide of the diocese of Machala and later as archbishop of this metropolitan see. With faith in Christ's Paschal Mystery which illuminates moments of pain and fills them with hope, and in memory of a pastor committed until his final days to the evangelising mission as, among other things, honorary president of the episcopal conference and committee president for the recent American Missionary Congress, I am happy to impart a special apostolic blessing to those weeping such a touching loss".

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READING THE BIBLE FROM AN ECUMENICAL PERSPECTIVE

VATICAN CITY, 14 OCT 2008 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office this morning, a press conference was held to present the "International Enquiry into the Reading of the Bible from an Ecumenical Perspective".

  Participating in the press conference were Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; Bishop Vincenzo Paglia of Terni, Italy, president of the Catholic Biblical Federation; Rev. Archibald Miller Milloy, secretary general of the United Bible Societies, UK, and Luca Diotallevi, professor of sociology at the University of "Roma Tre" who co-ordinated the GFK-Eurisko "Reading of Scripture" survey for the Catholic Biblical Federation.

  At the beginning of the conference an agreement concerning co-operation in the translation and publication of the Bible was signed between the Catholic Biblical Federation and the United Bible Societies.

  In his remarks, Bishop Paglia indicated that "in ecumenical dialogue the biblical field is where greatest progress has been made. It is also an area that still offers considerable scope for collaboration. ... The ecumenical significance of reading the Bible, with both synchronic and diachronic openness, is not, however, well understand in all its richness and vital importance. But where such reading is practised, it brings out the wealth of the spiritual heritage of the different traditions".

  The bishop of Terni also highlighted another aspect "in which Christians may already unite in a joint commitment: the translation and publication of the Bible, ... which has already been translated into 2,454 different languages (completely into 438, the New Testament into 1,168, and some books such as the Gospels and the Psalms into another 848)". Nonetheless, he concluded, "there are still more than 4,500 languages waiting to be faced with the Sacred Scriptures".

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 14 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Jorge Ruben Lugones S.J. of Oran, Argentina, as bishop of Lomas de Zamora (area 1,352, population 2,164,627, Catholics 1,810,395, priests 124, permanent deacons 72, religious 353), Argentina.

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10.13.2008 - Eighteenth Year - Num. 181

SUMMARY OF SYNOD OF BISHOPS: 10-13 OCTOBER

- Ninth General Congregation

- Tenth General Congregation

- Eleventh General Congregation

- Twelfth General Congregation

OTHER NEWS: 11-13 OCTOBER

- Audiences

- May the New Saints Sustain Us in the Daily Struggle

- Appeals for Peace in India, Congo and Iraq

___________________________________________________________

NINTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 10 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Ninth General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops took place this afternoon. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia.

  Following are excerpts from the speeches given:

ARCHBISHOP CORNELIUS FONTEM ESUA OF BAMENDA, CAMEROON. "It is necessary and urgent to put Sacred Scripture into the hands of the faithful so that it can become a living thing for them in their professions, in their families and in their various life situations, as well as the source and inspiration for the life and activities of small Christian communities. There is also the urgency to inculturate the Christian faith and to dialogue with African Traditional Religion. ... We therefore suggest: ... that priests, religious and the laity be given appropriate formation to become agents of the biblical apostolate; ... that there be general biblical formation of all the faithful, and particularly the youth; ... that the Bible be enthroned in every Christian home for reading, prayer, study and veneration; ... that the Bible be translated into the local languages as the first step of inculturation and in order to make the Word of God more accessible to the faithful in their own language; ... that a biblical institute be established in Africa in order to promote biblical research in the context of the Church in Africa".

BISHOP ANTONIO MENEGAZZO M.C.C.J., APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF EL OBEID, SUDAN. "In Sudan the majority of catechumens do not know how to read or write: as a result of this to prepare them properly for Baptism, catechists must explain the Word to them with posters, drawings and their own words. ... We have another great challenge for Justice and Peace, and forgiveness and reconciliation, after 21 years of civil war between the North and South of the country, after so much hatred, injustice and suffering. ... And let us not forget the war in Darfur, which continues with no sign of improvement in the situation. We are convinced that the solution for a peaceful future can only be found in faith in God and in His Word. ... But what can we do when the distances are enormous and the lack of security because of wars and banditry makes contact between priests and the faithful very difficult and dangerous? The lack of priests is another negative factor. Many Christians can receive the Word of God and the Eucharist only rarely, perhaps a few times a year. What is required is more missionary spirit throughout the clergy and more generosity from the countries rich in clergy to help those who find themselves in serious need".

ARCHBISHOP RAMZI GARMOU OF TEHRAN OF THE CHALDEANS, AND PATRIARCHAL ADMINISTRATOR OF AHWAZ OF THE CHALDEANS , IRAN. "The whole Bible, from the Book of Genesis to Revelation, tells us that faithfulness to the Word of God leads to persecution. The first persecuted person, par excellence, is Jesus Himself, who suffered persecution from the first days of His birth to His death on the Cross. According to the Gospel, persecution is considered as the most eloquent sign of faithfulness to the Word of God. The growth of the Church and her own path in evangelising people is the fruit of the persecution she was subjected to in all places and in all times. Jesus, in the Gospel, speaks very clearly about persecution. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit so that He may give the Church of the third millennium, in this Pauline Year, the grace and joy to make a true experience of persecution for her faithfulness to the Word of God".

BISHOP DIONISIO LACHOVICZ O.S.B.M., BISHOP OF THE CURIA OF KYIV-HALYC OF THE UKRAINIANS, UKRAINE. "My first observation concerns the unity between the Word and Baptism, and between both of these and the Eucharist. The 'Instrumentum laboris' states that 'Christians have two realities in common: the Word of God and Baptism'. ... Paragraph 35 states that an intimate unity between the Word and the Eucharist also exists. ... Seen in this light, it becomes difficult to understand, from the point of view of ecumenism, why the Eucharist cannot be celebrated with the Orthodox (for example), while we can celebrate the Sacrament of the Word of God with them and we also have Baptism in common. ... We have a feeling that everything that is said about ecumenism is being said for others, for a 'third party', absent at the time it was said. As if this Word could perform a miracle but we remain the same. ... It seems to me also that we are running the risk of exploiting the Word of God. ... One could learn the whole Bible by heart, discuss it competently, but remain outside of it, without nourishing oneself with it, without being incorporated in Christ, without being baptised in Christ".

  Following the speeches by the Synod Fathers, Cardinal Angelo Scola, patriarch of Venice, Italy, delivered a talk on the reception of Benedict XVI's last Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, "Sacramentum caritatis", published following the 2005 Eleventh Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the theme of: "The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church".

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TENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 11 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Tenth General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops was held this morning. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

  Following are excerpts from the speeches given:

BISHOP JOSEPH VO DUC MINH, COADJUTOR OF NHA TRANG, VIETNAM. "The Church of Christ in Vietnam ... has led a life full of crosses. Through the high and low points of its history, like the Jews at the time of their exile, the Vietnamese Catholics understood that only the Word of God remains and never deceives. This Word ... has become a source of comfort and strength that gives a sense of security to all the members of the People of God and, at the same time, is the focal point that helps them to discover their future. The Word of God helps discover the true figure of Jesus Christ, Who incarnates the saving love of God, through the mystery of the Cross. Because of the painful experience lived by the Church of Christ in Vietnam, the Mystery of the Cross has become not only close to daily life, but also an essential element that reunites the People of God".

ARCHBISHOP STANISLAV ZVOLENSKY OF BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA. "In history we meet many men and women who have read Sacred Scripture in a way that led them to reorient their lives completely, to change their way of thinking and acting, or at least to find new reasons for their position of faith. The history of the Church is continually characterised by a return to the existential radicalism of Scripture. The sanctity of many Christians is a consequence of the sincere and often radical response to the call of the Word of God. ... By way of example we may use the Franciscan reading of the Bible, which we will undoubtedly find surprising if we look at it from the viewpoint of modern scientific criteria of interpretation or from the viewpoint of the faith such a reading has aroused. One of the characteristics of this reading was the 'sine glossa' principle which involved welcoming the Word of God as it is written in Sacred Scripture, without any academic commentary. According to St Francis, Divine Truth is not materialised in the words and phrases of the Bible, it is not always available to provide an answer to all problems. It can only be discovered in an integral and individual context, not concentrating on the textual material but on the action of God".

BISHOP ENRIQUE DIAZ DIAZ, AUXILIARY OF SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, MEXICO. "'Faithfulness to the Word of God exists when the first form of charity is realised in a respect for the rights of the human person and in defence of the oppressed and those who suffer'. The indigenous of our communities in Latin America are among those who suffer. ... In many places a relationship has begun to be established between the Word and autochthonous cultures. In a certain way, the Bible is very close to their beliefs and cosmogonies because of the rural culture they share. Creation, the concept of God, the meaning of Redemption and the Cross, life in community, offer many possibilities for encounter. Yet they are different cultures, a journey that has just begun and that must be continued with care so as not to condemn what we do not understand, so as to clarify and give worth to the revealed Word, to avoid destroying cultures and truly to incarnate the Gospel in our people. On the part of Catholics, little has been done to translate the Bible into indigenous languages and there has been little understanding of their culture and their concepts. Until the revealed Word becomes 'living word, written in their cultures and in their lives', it will be very difficult for it to reach and penetrate the heart and be incarnated in these peoples. As Church, we must proclaim this incultured 'Good News'".

BISHOP GEORG MULLER, SS.CC., PRELATE OF TRONDHEIM, NORWAY. "In a Church scattered among Christians of other Churches and ecclesial communities, the Synod underlines the importance of Scripture and of the Word of God. Biblical collaboration is an ample forum for ecumenism. Collaborating with the national biblical societies, for many years now we have been using an edition of the Bible that was not produced by us alone. At the same time, this communion is understood and seen in different ways. This has an important effect on the understanding of Christian doctrine and on its application in life. In an ever more secularised world, the Church must discover new ways to find a living spaces for the Word of God and to emphasise the positive experiences it brings. The Catholic Church in Scandinavia is a small minority. In our countries the faithful often find it difficult to reach ecclesial communities because of the great distances separating them from churches, the scattered towns, ... the linguistic and cultural differences. This situation of diaspora is the focus of our reflections, while in the past we compared ourselves to the great Churches in Europe. We are a minority in a secular society. But if we look at ourselves, we don't call ourselves the Church of the diaspora, since we are used to being few".

BISHOP GEORGE COSMAS ZUMAIRE LUNGU OF CHIPATA, PRESIDENT OF THE ZAMBIA EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE. "No one can deny the fact that there is an intimate bond between the proclaimed word and the Sacraments in the life and mission of the Church. ... Yet in some parts of the world, especially Africa, the reality is that most of our communities go without the celebration of the Eucharist for weeks, months and sometimes even for years unless Christians are willing to travel long distances to attend Mass. In this context, what about the old, the less able, the children, those who have to look after their fields protecting their crop away from the villages? ... Let the year of St. Paul bring about missionary consciousness that will motivate us into generous sharing of human and material resources in favour of spreading the Word of God. Dioceses should not feel that they are too poor to give or too rich to receive. Now is the time for the Synod Fathers to hear the cry of the poor and do something concrete about it".

BISHOP BEJOY NICEPHORUS D'CRUZE O.M.I. OF KHULNA, BANGLADESH. "The Prophets as men of the Word of God were defenders of the rights of the poor, orphans and widows. They spoke on their behalf. ... Bangladesh is a country where corruption, bribery and injustice are rampant. A small minority is becoming rich and the majority is becoming poorer. The Word of God calls us to justice and integrity in public life. The Church, a tiny minority, makes significant contribution in the areas of education, health and social services. In these areas, the Church has to live its solidarity with the poor and uphold justice for all, especially for the poor in the light of the Word of God. The Word of God invites us to inter-religious dialogue: According to Vatican Council II, the Church rejects nothing which is holy and true in these religions. They often reflect a ray of truth. Hence the Church enters into dialogue with them. In the majority Muslim country of Bangladesh, the minority Christian community has to live in peace and harmony and dialogue".

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ELEVENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 11 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Eleventh General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops was held this afternoon. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

  Following are excerpts from the speeches given:

BISHOP LOUIS PORTELLA MBUYU OF KINKALA, PRESIDENT OF THE EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE OF THE CONGO. "In Congo-Brazzaville, a country that has been scarred by a series of internal conflicts, we are seeing an abundance of religious movements that can be classified into two categories. On the one hand, there are movements which practice a liberating reading [of the Bible], even while drawing on elements of traditional religion. These put themselves forward as a counter-reaction to a Christianity which is seen as a negation of African identity. On the other hand, there are movements deriving from the Pentecostal movement of American origin, characterised by a fundamentalist or even magical reading of the Bible. These tend to draw people's consciences away from the concrete problems of life in society. There are also movements that tend towards the esoteric or gnostic, characterised by a symbolic and ideological reading of the Bible. All of this has to be placed in a context of underdevelopment with its baggage of poverty and resignation. Faced with this complex situation, what emerges is the urgent need to help and stimulate Christ's faithful in the Congo to read the Word of God, to meditate on it, to pray it inasmuch as it can 'recreate' an African man who still carries within the consequences of the past. This requires easier access to the biblical text by means of translations. This is one of the pastoral emergencies of our Church. On the other hand, this reading of the Word of God has to inspire in the African reader a realisation of his responsibilities as regards a society that is waiting to be transformed in all its structures according to gospel values".

BISHOP GREGOR MARIA HANKE O.S.B., OF EICHSTATT, GERMANY. "The Word of God does not end with the published Bible nor with the announcement of the Word. In fact, the written Word does not have the same depth as the Word-Logos revealed in the Incarnation. The force of the written and proclaimed Word nourishes itself on the continuous presence in world history of this greater Word-Action. This is what turns the letters that make up Holy Scripture into the Word of God, which accompanies modern mankind on his journey and opens in him the dialogue of God with man. However, the Eucharist is the place where the Word of action is made present, with all its history of salvation and eschatology".

HIS BEATITUDE NERSES BEDROS XIX, PATRIARCH OF CILICIA OF THE ARMENIAN CATHOLICS, HEAD OF THE SYNOD OF THE ARMENIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. "According to tradition, the origin of the Armenian Church, evangelised by St. Gregory the Illuminator, can be traced to the adoption of Christianity as the State religion of Armenia in the year 301. At that time, the Armenian alphabet did not exist and Bible readings were proclaimed in Greek or Syriac. The reader then would translate it into Armenian. This did not help in understanding the Word of God by the Armenian neophytes. This led to the idea of inventing an alphabet to translate the Bible into the language of the people. ... We can conclude without hesitation that the invention of the Armenian alphabet in the year 406 had no other goal but that of evangelisation. This evangelisation helped maintain the Christian faith which was often endangered, as in 451 - the Bible had just been translated - and during the centuries to follow. The Word of God supported the Church and the Armenian people during their painful history. It impregnated and animated all of Armenian culture down the centuries. The lives of the Armenians were continually penetrated and guided by the Word of God".

BISHOP RICARDO ERNESTO CENTELLAS GUZMAN, AUXILIARY OF POTOSI, BOLIVIA. "Today's reality shows us that the Word of God and ancient and modern cultures are separate and parallel worlds. ... This is where the great pastoral challenge arises: to relaunch a true incarnation of the Word of God with its specific identity in real situations that commit us to a project for society in order to respond to the historical, social and cultural needs of our communities, so that we can better our lives in accordance with the life of Jesus of Nazareth. We cannot continue reading and meditating on the Word without the necessary relationship with cultures and without the consequence of social commitment. Contextual reading of the Word is a priority, a reading capable of transforming peoples and structures. ... Every action, project, group and movement, institution and structure of our Church must renew their true motivations and start once again on the basis of biblical inspiration. It is urgent to show the world a new way of being Church".

BISHOP FRIEDHELM HOFMANN OF WURZBURG, GERMANY. "How can we reach those persons who do not come to church? ... God's revelation is not limited to the Word of God in the Bible. It can also be found in nature and in culture. Of course, the highest and most intense revelation by God is the Incarnation of His Word in Jesus Christ. This is what needs to be explained. ... The Word of God has been incultured in the most diverse cultures. It has an impact on art. In Europe, we see an impressive cultural Christian history, almost 2000 years. Extraordinary architecture, works of figurative art, music and literature, all have been born of faith and embraced the witness of faith. Now, we must make this faith speak anew. During the Middle Ages the 'Biblia pauperum' was known, it visually explained parts of the history of salvation to those who could not read. Today, Christian culture must be explained because many persons no longer understand this language and no longer dedicate themselves directly to the Holy Scripture. ... Even in today's culture, however, one must search for the traces of faith and bring them back to their use as bridge. If it is true that artists are the seismographers of their time, then it would be good to take advantage of this and involve them in the proclamation of the Word of God".

BISHOP ZBIGNIEW KIERNIKOWSKI OF SIEDLCE, POLAND. "Modern man, not having heard the Word, often stands before it dumbstruck. ... 'Kerygma' is a very important moment. If however 'kerygma' is not followed by real formation in listening to the Word within the bosom of the community of faith, there is a risk of being led into various kinds of moralism, or falling into different types of fanaticism, or other forms of subjective interpretation. ... The approach used in the Neo-Catechumenal Way is based on initial 'kerygma' and followed by a serious process of initiation under the guidance of the Church (bishops, parish priests and catechists) carried out in small communities and with all the necessary stages of Christian initiation. In this way, the catechumenate makes the neophytes follow an itinerary that teaches them to refer the Word to their own lives".

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TWELFTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 13 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Twelfth General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops took place this morning. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

  Following are excerpts from the speeches given:

CARDINAL GEORGE PELL, ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. "Bishops are called to clear the way for the Spirit to work effectively when the Word of God encounters individuals and communities. Hence the following suggestions: (1) The formation of young adult lay teams to witness to Christ in youth groups, parishes, schools, and universities. (2) The development of contemporary equivalents of the medieval Mystery Plays to bring the Word of God to the people. The World Youth Day (WYD) Ways of the Cross at Sydney and Toronto are two examples; also Oberammergau and 'The Passion of the Christ' film. (3) Develop and support online Catholic social networks in cyberspace such as XT3, Christ for the Third Millennium (www.xt3.com), a Catholic 'facebook' with almost 40,000 members launched at Sydney WYD. ... (4) The development of a central Institute for Bible Translation so the Bible can be translated more quickly and accurately into local languages in Asia, Africa and Oceania. A collection to help finance the work of translation would be useful. (5) Request the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to produce guidelines on inerrancy in Scripture".

CARDINAL STANISLAW RYLKO, PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE LAITY. "One of the most precious fruits of Vatican Council II was undoubtedly the wider diffusion of Sacred Scripture and the greater knowledge the people of God acquired of it, according to the theological and pastoral indications provided in the Dogmatic Constitution 'Dei Verbum'. This also involved the rediscovery of the 'munus propheticum' as a substantial dimension of the identity of the lay faithful. The rediscovery of the place of the Word of God in the life of the baptised was then especially favoured by the ecclesial movements and new communities. ... For many lay people, movements and communities have become true 'laboratories of the Word of God' in which to acquire familiarity with Sacred Scripture, to learn to appreciate the Word of God and to live it in the ordinary conditions of lay life at the heart of the world. Another great sign of hope for the relationship of the baptised with the Word of God comes from the younger generations. The World Youth Days have given and continue to give a notable contribution to the spread of the knowledge of the Word of God among the young".

CARDINAL RENATO RAFFAELE MARTINO, PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL "JUSTICE AND PEACE". "Faith which springs from the Word of God must establish, as is clearly seen in the first chapters of the Compendium of Social Doctrine, the ever-present and indispensable horizon of social doctrine. ... It must be remembered that the study of Sacred Scripture and that of social doctrine - though they use different conceptual and methodological instruments - nevertheless represent knowledge 'in faith'. ... In Sacred Scripture it is possible to discover the guiding principles of social doctrine, such as the preferential option for the poor, the commitment to the promotion of justice, and the principle of the universal destination of goods, which are clearly of biblical derivation".

CARDINAL JEAN-LOUIS TAURAN, PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE. "The Word has always had a decisive role in the understanding of religious phenomenon. ... All the great religions have their own Sacred Books. Islam, in particular, is considered by its followers as the 'Religion of the Book' par excellence. ... From these religions, Christians can learn much, even if Christianity would not be included in the 'religions of the Book'. It would be opportune for future priests, religious and pastoral workers to be formed in the direct reading of the founding texts of other religions rather than limiting themselves to a commentary on them. But it is just as important to proclaim the Bible to our partners in inter-religious dialogue, in particular our hermeneutic approach to the sacred text. In sharing our respective spiritual patrimonies, without Irenism or syncretism, we will be led to discover that we are all men and women who desire to be taught by God".

CARDINAL ODILO PEDRO SCHERER, ARCHBISHOP OF SAO PAULO, BRAZIL. "Immigrants should not be seen simply as an object of pastoral concern: they are, or can become, true missionaries. ... I believe that the Synod may make two particular recommendations: (1) Encourage those who find themselves in situations of migration or travelling to bring the Word of God with them, even the book of Sacred Scripture, knowing that they carry a priceless wealth which is not limited by geographical or cultural confines, but is a gift to be lived in the new country and to share with the host people. (2) To those who receive immigrants at their destination, a positive welcoming attitude toward these brothers is recommended, toward these who come from other nations bringing 'the good news' with them in their bags, facilitating their introduction into the local community and the sharing of faith experiences and Christian life which they bring with them".

ARCHBISHOP TOMAS MENAMPARAMPIL S.D.B., OF GUWAHATI, INDIA. "How do we bring the Word to those who do not come to church, those who have never heard the Gospel? ... I plead that where we are unable to reach ourselves, we do so through others; that we always remain pastorally creative so that where our members cannot reach, our ideas may reach; that we develop the skills and evolve strategies needed to persuade and convince, not refute and reject. ... The Word of God must be brought to situations of conflict, contexts of injustice and of absolute poverty. We do not win a hearing through self-righteous condemnations, truth claims and pretensions to a higher moral ground, but evident human concern, Gospel-inspired commitment to the suffering, attention to various cultural sensitivities. The 'Word' reveals its power in actual life-contexts: it challenges unjust societies, it reconciles, it uplifts the poor, it brings peace".

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 11 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences eight prelates from the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop German Trajano Pavon Puente of Ambato.

    - Bishop Angel Polivio Sanchez Loaiza of Guaranda.

    - Bishop Victor Alejandro Corral Mantilla of Riobamba, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Fausto Feliciano Gaibor Garcia.

    - Archbishop Lorenzo Voltolini Esti of Portoviejo.

    - Bishop Jose Victoriano Naranjo Tovar of Latacunga, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Raul Holguer Lopez Mayorga.

    - Bishop Miguel Angel Aguilar Miranda, military ordinary.

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MAY THE NEW SAINTS SUSTAIN US IN THE DAILY STRUGGLE

VATICAN CITY, 12 OCT 2008 (VIS) - At 10 a.m. today, Benedict XVI celebrated the Eucharist in St. Peter's Square. During the ceremony he canonised the Blesseds: Gaetano Errico, Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (1791-1860); Maria Bernarda Butler (nee Verena), Swiss foundress of the Congregation of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (1848-1924); Alfonsa of the Immaculate Conception (nee: Anna Muttathupandathu), Indian professed sister of the Congregation of Poor Clares of the Third Order of St. Francis (1910-1946), and Narcisa de Jesus Martillo Moran, Ecuadorian lay woman (1833-1869).

  In his homily the Pope commented on the Gospel parable of the wedding banquet, telling the more than 40,000 people present that "the banquet of the Eucharist anticipates the final feast of heaven, to which the Lord invites us every day and in which we should participate with the wedding garments of His grace. Should we sully or tear this clothing with sin, the goodness of God does not turn us away, nor does it abandon us to our fate, rather it offers us the possibility to restore the integrity to the wedding garments necessary for the feast through the Sacrament of Reconciliation".

  After highlighting how "the ministry of Reconciliation never loses its relevance" the Holy Father recalled how Gaetano Errico "dedicated himself to this ministry with diligence, assiduity and patience, without ever refusing or holding himself back. Thus he inscribes himself among the extraordinary figures of the priesthood who, unceasingly, made the confessional the place to dispense the mercy of God, helping men to find themselves, to fight against sin and to progress in the path of spiritual life. The street and the confessional were the privileged places for pastoral action of this new saint. The street allowed him to encounter the persons to whom he would address his usual invitation: 'God loves you, when will we see you?', and in the confessional he made it possible for them to encounter the mercy of the heavenly Father".

  Going on to consider the figure of Maria Bernarda Butler, Benedict XVI mentioned the "deep love for the Lord" she experienced while still very young. The Eucharist, he said, was "this new saint's source and rock as it also was of the missionary impetus that led her to leave her homeland, Switzerland, to open new evangelical horizons in Ecuador and Colombia. Throughout the terrible adversities she had to face, including exile, she carried impressed in her heart the exclamation of the psalm we heard today: 'Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death I should fear no danger, for you are at my side'".

  St. Alfonsa of the Immaculate Conception, said the Pope, lived "a life of extreme physical and spiritual suffering. This exceptional woman, who today is offered to the people of India as their first canonised saint, was convinced that her cross was the means of reaching the heavenly banquet prepared for her by the Father. ... May we imitate her in shouldering our own crosses so as to join her one day in paradise".

  St. Narcisa de Jesus Martillo Moran, "to serenely follow the action of the Holy Spirit in her soul, always looked for advice and guidance from good and expert priests, considering spiritual direction as one of the most effective instruments to achieve holiness". She "shows us a path of Christian perfection that is accessible to all the faithful. Despite the abundant and extraordinary graces received, she lived her life with great simplicity, dedicated to her work as a seamstress and to her apostolate as a catechist. In her passionate love for Jesus, which led her to follow a path of intense prayer and mortification and to identify herself for evermore with the Mystery of the Cross, she offers a fascinating witness and a complete example of a life totally dedicated to God and to others".

  The Pope concluded his homily by expressing the hope that the intercession of the four new saints "may sustain us in the daily struggle, so that we too, one day, can attain and share with them and all the saints the joy of the eternal banquet in the heavenly Jerusalem".

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APPEALS FOR PEACE IN INDIA, CONGO AND IRAQ

VATICAN CITY, 12 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Following this morning's Mass during which he canonised the Blesseds Gaetano Errico, Maria Bernarda Butler, Alfonsa of the Immaculate Conception and Narcisa de Jesus Martillo Moran, and before praying the Angelus, Benedict XVI greeted the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.

  The Pope gave assurances of his prayers "during this difficult time" for Christians in India, homeland of Alfonsa of the Immaculate Conception. "Commending to the providential care of Almighty God those who strive for peace and reconciliation", he said, "I urge the perpetrators of violence to renounce these acts and join with their brothers and sisters to work together in building a civilisation of love".

  He then called upon faithful from Colombia and Ecuador to continue "the example of coherence in faith and charity towards others" shown by Maria Bernarda Butler and Narcisa de Jesus Martillo Moran, so as "to invigorate the Christian roots of the people" and to build "a more just and united society".

  "At the crossroads of life's journey, we are invited to be bold witnesses of the Word of God so as to invite everyone we meet to the wedding feast of the Gospel" said the Holy Father to French pilgrims. To Polish faithful - who had come to Rome for the ceremony on the day Poland dedicates to celebrating the memory of John Paul II - he gave assurances of his support "for any initiative commemorating" his predecessor.

  Finally the Pope turned to address pilgrims from Italy, homeland of Gaetano Errico, praising "their constancy in praying the Rosary as a daily means of union with Jesus", and he invited them all "to pray for reconciliation and peace in certain situations that are causing great alarm and suffering" such as "that being experienced by the people of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo" and "the violence against Christians in Iraq and India".

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