27 March 2009
Vatican News Update 27 March 2009
| 03.27.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 60 |
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SUMMARY:
- Holy Father Receives President of Cyprus
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HOLY FATHER RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS
VATICAN CITY, 27 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today released the following communique:
"In the Vatican Apostolic Palace this morning, the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience President Demetris Christofias of the Republic Cyprus. The president subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
"The cordial discussions focused on certain questions concerning the situation in country, and its future. For his part, President Christofias illustrated the condition of many churches and Christian buildings in the north of the island. The two sides expressed their mutual hope that the ongoing negotiations between the parties may reach a solution to the longstanding question of Cyprus.
"Ideas were also exchanged on the international situation regarding, among other things, the continent of Africa.
"Finally, emphasis was given to the importance of good relations between Catholics and Orthodox and between Catholics and Muslims, who are all called to work together for the good of society and for peaceful coexistence among peoples". OP/AUDIENCE PRESIDENT/CYPRUS VIS 090327 (190)
VATICAN CITY, 27 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences four prelates from the Argentinean Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Juan Ruben Martinez of Posadas.
- Bishop Mariano Moreno Garcia O.S.A., prelate of Cafayate.
- Archbishop Carlos Jose Nanez of Cordoba.
- Bishop Jose Angel Rovai of Villa Maria.
This evening, he is scheduled to received in audience Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. AL:AP/.../... VIS 090327 (90) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
26 March 2009
Vatican News Update 26 March 2009
| 03.26.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 59 |
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SUMMARY:
- Programme of Holy Father's Trip to the Holy Land - Mass for Fourth Anniversary of Death of John Paul II
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PROGRAMME OF HOLY FATHER'S TRIP TO THE HOLY LAND
VATICAN CITY, 26 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The programme of Benedict XVI's apostolic trip to the Holy Land, due to take place from 8 to 15 May, was made public today.
The Pope will depart from Rome's Fiumicino airport at 9.30 a.m. on 8 May, landing at Queen Alia airport in the Jordanian capital, Amman, at 2.30 p.m. At 3.30 p.m. he is due to visit the city's "Regina Pacis" Centre, then make a courtesy visit to the Jordanian monarchs at the al-Husseinye royal palace.
On the morning of Saturday 9 May he will visit the Memorial of Moses on Mount Nebo, and bless the cornerstone of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem's Madaba University.
Having visited the Hashemite Museum and the Mosque of al-Hussein bin Talal in Amman, he will meet with Muslim religious leaders, the diplomatic corps and rectors of Jordanian universities. Later that day he will preside at the celebration of Vespers with priests, religious, seminarians and ecclesial movements in the Greek-Melkite cathedral of St. George in Amman.
On the morning of Sunday 10 May the Holy Father will celebrate Mass and pray the Regina Coeli at the international stadium in Amman. That afternoon he is scheduled to visit Bethany Beyond the Jordan, site of the Lord's Baptism, where he will bless the cornerstones of the Latin and Greek-Melkite churches.
On Monday 11 May, having celebrated Mass in private at the apostolic nunciature in Amman, he will travel by plane to Tel Aviv, Israel, where the welcome ceremony is due to take place at 11 a.m. in the city's Ben Gurion airport. That afternoon he will make a courtesy visit to the president of Israel at the presidential palace in Jerusalem. Subsequently he will visit the Yad Vashem Memorial and hold a meeting with organisations for inter-religious dialogue.
On Tuesday 12 May he will visit the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount in Jerusalem and meet the Grand Mufti. He will also visit the Western Wall and meet with the two Chief Rabbis of Israel at the Hechal Shlomo Centre. At midday he is due to pray the Regina Coeli with ordinaries of the Holy Land in the Cenacle of Jerusalem and to make a brief visit to the co-cathedral of the Latins. That afternoon he will celebrate Mass in the Valley of Josaphat.
At 9 a.m. on Wednesday 13 May the Holy Father will deliver an address on the square in front of the presidential palace in Bethlehem then celebrate Mass in Manger Square at 10 a.m. At 12.30 p.m. he will lunch with the ordinaries of the Holy Land, the Franciscan community and the papal entourage at the Casa Nova monastery in Bethlehem
That afternoon, following a private visit at 3.30 p.m. to the Grotto of the Nativity, Benedict XVI will travel to the Caritas Baby Hospital and, shortly thereafter, to the Aida Refugee Camp, where he will deliver an address. At 6 p.m. he will make a courtesy visit to the president of the Palestine National Authority in the presidential palace of Bethlehem, after which the departure ceremony will take place on the square in front of the palace.
At 10 a.m. on Thursday 14 May the Pope will celebrate Mass on the Mount of Precipice in Nazareth. At 3.50 p.m. he will meet the Israeli prime minister in the city's Franciscan convent, and at 4.30 p.m. greet religious leaders of Galilee in the auditorium of the Basilica of the Annunciation, where he will pronounce an address. Later he will travel to the Grotto of the Annunciation where at 5.30 p.m. he will preside at Vespers with bishops, priests, religious, ecclesial movements and pastoral workers.
On Friday 15 May the Pope will celebrate an early private Mass in the chapel of the apostolic delegation to Jerusalem, then attend an ecumenical meeting at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. After this he will visit the Holy Sepulchre and the Armenian patriarchal church of St. James in Jerusalem.
Following the departure ceremony at Ben Gurion international airport in Tel Aviv, the papal plane is due to take off at 2 p.m. bound for Rome where it is expected to land at Ciampino airport at 4.50 p.m. Roman time. OP/PROGRAMME PAPAL TRIP/HOLY LAND VIS 090326 (720)
MASS FOR FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH OF JOHN PAUL II
VATICAN CITY, 26 MAR 2009 (VIS) - In the Vatican Basilica at 6 p.m. on Thursday 2 April, Benedict XVI will preside at a Mass marking the fourth anniversary of the death of Servant of God John Paul II.
A note from the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff explains that young people from the diocese of Rome are particularly welcome at the ceremony, as a preparation for World Youth Day, which is due to be celebrated this year at the diocesan level on 5 April. OCL/ANNIVERSARY DEATH/JOHN PAUL II VIS 090326 (110)
VATICAN CITY, 26 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences seven prelates from the Argentinean Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Jose Maria Arancibia of Mendoza, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Sergio Osvaldo Buenanueva.
- Bishop Hector Sabatino Cardelli of San Nicolas de los Arroyos.
- Archbishop Alfonso Rogelio Delgado Evers of San Juan de Cuyo
- Bishop Ramon Alfredo Dus of Reconquista.
- Bishop Ricardo Oscar Faifer of Goya.
- Bishop Marcelo Raul Martorell of Puerto Iguazu.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. AL:AP/.../... VIS 090326 (110) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
25 March 2009
Vatican News Update 25 March 2009
| 03.25.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 58 |
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SUMMARY:
- Helping Christians in the Holy Land
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HELPING CHRISTIANS IN THE HOLY LAND
VATICAN CITY, 25 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, has sent a letter to the bishops of the world encouraging them to participate in the collection for the Holy Land, which traditionally takes place on Good Friday.
In the letter, which also bears the signature of Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio, then secretary of the same congregation, now president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, the two prelates express the Church's "profound concern" for the position of Christians, particularly following the conflict in Gaza.
They also underline how Benedict XVI "constantly comforts Christians, and all the inhabitants of the Holy Land, with special words and gestures, coupled with his desire to make a pilgrimage in the historical footsteps of Jesus".
"The wounds opened by violence make the problem of emigration more acute, inexorably depriving the Christian minority of its best resources for the future. The Land that was the cradle of Christianity risks ending up without Christians".
Cardinal Sandri and Archbishop Veglio make an appeal to help "our Christian brothers and sisters of the Holy Land who, along with other inhabitants of vast areas of the Middle East, have long aspired after that peace and tranquillity which are still so much under threat".
The Congregation for the Oriental Churches interprets the Pope's "loving solicitude" for the ecclesial community in the Holy Land, "again exhorting all Catholics to contribute, also with material resources, to the upkeep of the Holy Sites".
The prefect and secretary of the dicastery give assurances that "Churches of the Latin rite and of the various Eastern rites, which benefit from this vital aid, express their recognition with constant prayers for the particular Churches of the whole world".
A document drawn up by the Custody of the Holy Land and a note from the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, details the projects undertaken using the 2008 collection.
Apart from providing study grants for priests and seminarians from the Holy Land to study in pontifical universities, various restoration projects were carried out in, among other places: Jerusalem, Bethany, Bethlehem, Haifa, Magdala, Nazareth and Nablus (the Shechem of antiquity). Funds were also distributed to support parishes, families, schools and universities, and - through the Custody of the Holy Land - to various cultural projects, such as the faculty of biblical sciences and archaeology of the "Studium Biblicum Franciscanum" in Jerusalem.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has published a special prayer for Benedict XVI's forthcoming pilgrimage to the Holy Land from 8 to 15 May, in the hope that "this visit will be for the Holy Land a moment of renewal and a time of particular grace". .../COLLECTION HOLY LAND/SANDRI VIS 090325 (460)
VATICAN CITY, 25 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, apostolic nuncio to Lithuania and Estonia, as apostolic nuncio to Latvia.
- Appointed Fr. Francois Kalist of the clergy of Bourges, France, episcopal vicar for the formation of adults and diocesan delegate for ecumenism, as bishop of Limoges (area 11,085, population 481,000, Catholics 398,000, priests 106, permanent deacons 6, religious 179), France. The bishop-elect was born in Bourges in 1958 and ordained a priest in 1986.
- Elevated the territorial prelature of Libmanan (area 1,862, population 530,000, Catholics 488,000, priests 35, religious 15), Philippines, to the rank of diocese, with the same territorial configuration as before, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan church of Caceres. He appointed Bishop Jose Rojas Rojas, prelate of Libmanan, as the first bishop of the new diocese.
- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the territorial prelature of Aiquile, Brazil, presented by Bishop Adalberto Rosat O.F.M., upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Jorge Herbas Balderrama O.F.M.
- Appointed Fr. Walter Jehova Hera Segarra O.F.M., minister provincial and vice president of the Ecuadorian Conference of Religious, as apostolic vicar of the apostolic vicariate of Zamora en Ecuador (area 10,556, population 126,900, Catholics 121,000, priests 24, religious 66), Ecuador. The bishop-elect was born in Bulan, Ecuador in 1964 and ordained a priest in 1992. NN:NER:ECE:RE/.../... VIS 090325 (240) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
24 March 2009
Vatican News Update 24 March 2009
| 03.24.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 57 |
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SUMMARY:
- Pope Impressed by Sense of the Sacred in Africa
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POPE IMPRESSED BY SENSE OF THE SACRED IN AFRICA
VATICAN CITY, 24 MAR 2009 (VIS) - During his return to Rome, following his apostolic visit to Cameroon and Angola, Benedict XVI again made remarks to journalists accompanying him on the flight.
The Holy Father said that during the course of his visit he had been particularly impressed by "this almost exuberant cordiality, this delight, of a rejoicing Africa. I felt they saw in the Pope ... the personification of the fact that we are the children and the family of God. This family exists and we, with all our limitations, are part of it, and God is with us. ... I was also moved by the spirit of meditative absorption in liturgy, the powerful sense of the sacred; in the liturgies there was no self-presentation of groups, no self-animation, but the presence of the sacred, of God Himself; even the movements were always movements of respect and awareness of the divine presence".
He went on: "I was also profoundly affected by the death of two girls during the stampede of people entering the Stadio dos Coqueiros, on Saturday. I prayed, and continue to pray, for them. ... All of us pray and hope that in the future things may be organised in such a way that this does not happen again".
"I conserve a special memory", the Holy Father continued, "of the Cardinal Leger Centre. It touched my heart to see a world of so much suffering, all the suffering, sadness and poverty of human existence; but also to see how State and Church work together to help those who suffer. ... It is, I believe, evident that by helping the suffering man becomes more human, the world becomes more human".
Finally Benedict XVI mentioned the publication of the "Instrumentum laboris" for the forthcoming Synod for Africa. "On the afternoon of St. Joseph's Day", he said, "I met with members of the Special Council for Africa, twelve bishops who spoke to me of the situation in their local Churches, their proposals, their expectations. Thus there emerged a detailed picture of the situation of the Church in Africa, how she moves, how she suffers, what she does, what are her hopes, her problems. There is much I could say, for example the Church in South Africa, which has gone through a difficult but substantially successful experience of reconciliation, now uses her experiences in an attempt at reconciliation in Burundi, and she seeks to do something similar, though facing enormous difficulties, in Zimbabwe". PV-AFRICA/PLANE INTERVIEW/... VIS 090324 (430) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
23 March 2009
Vatican News Update 23 March 2009
| 03.23.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 56 |
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SUMMARY OF PAPAL TRIP TO CAMEROON AND ANGOLA: 21 - 23 MARCH
- Young People: Do Not Be Afraid to Make Definitive Decisions - Gospel Affirms and Ennobles African Cultural Values - Catholics: Leaven of Evangelical Hope for Africa - Defend the Equal Dignity of Man and Woman - Holy Father Departs from Africa
OTHER NEWS:
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YOUNG PEOPLE: DO NOT BE AFRAID TO MAKE DEFINITIVE DECISIONS
VATICAN CITY, 21 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 4.20 p.m. today, the Holy Father went to Stadio dos Coquieros in the Angolan capital city of Luanda. On arrival he toured the stadium - which has a capacity of 30,000 - by popemobile greeting the crowds of young people he had come to meet.
Commenting on the theme of the meeting, taken from the Book of Revelation, "Behold the dwelling of God is with men", the Pope assured the young people that "God makes all the difference, ... and more! God changes us; He makes us new!".
"God is the future of a new humanity, which is anticipated in His Church. When you have a chance, take time to read the Church's history. You will find that the Church does not grow old with the passing of the years. Rather, she grows younger, for she is journeying towards her Lord, day by day drawing nearer to the one true fountain overflowing with youthfulness, rebirth, the power of life".
He then addressed some remarks to young Angolans who have been maimed or disabled as a result of the war or landmines. "I think of the countless tears that have been shed for the loss of your relatives and friends", he said. "It is not hard to imagine the dark clouds that still veil the horizon of your fondest hopes and dreams".
"See how Jesus does not leave us without an answer; He tells us one thing very clearly: renewal starts from within; you will receive a power from on high. The power to shape the future is within you.
"It is within you", he added, "but how? Just as life exists within a seed. That is how Jesus explained it at a critical juncture in His ministry. ... Jesus spoke about the sower who sows in the field of the world, and He explained that the seed is His word and His miracles of healing. These are so few in comparison to the immense needs and demands of everyday life. And yet, deep within the seed, the future is already present, since the seed contains tomorrow's bread, tomorrow's life. The seed seems almost nothing. But it is the presence of the future, the promise already present. When it falls on good soil, it produces fruit, thirty, sixty and even a hundredfold".
"In your midst", he told the young people, "you have the new Bread, the Bread of future life, the Blessed Eucharist, which nourishes us and pours out the life of the Trinity into the hearts of all people".
"He gives Himself to us and we respond by giving ourselves to others, for love of Him. This is the way that leads to life; it can be followed only by maintaining a constant dialogue with the Lord and among yourselves". Yet "the dominant societal culture is not helping you to live by Jesus' word or to practise the self-giving to which He calls you in accordance with the Father's plan".
After encouraging his young audience not to be "afraid to make definitive decisions", the Pope added: "You do not lack generosity - that I know! But the idea of risking a lifelong commitment, whether in marriage or in a life of special consecration, can be daunting. You might think: ...'Can I make a life-long commitment now, without knowing what unforeseen events lie in store for me? By making a definitive decision, would I not be risking my freedom and tying my own hands?' These are the doubts you feel, and today's individualistic and hedonist culture aggravates them. Yet when young people avoid decisions, there is a risk of never attaining full maturity".
"Take courage!", he cried. "Dare to make definitive decisions, because in reality these are the only decisions which do not destroy your freedom, but guide it in the right direction, enabling you to move forward and attain something worthwhile in life. There is no doubt about it: life is worthwhile only if you take courage and are ready for adventure, if you trust in the Lord Who will never abandon you. Young people of Angola, unleash the power of the Holy Spirit within you, the power from on high!
"Trusting in this power, like Jesus, risk taking a leap and making a definitive decision. Give life a chance", the Holy Father concluded. "This is the life worthy of being lived, and I commend it to you from my heart. May God bless the young people of Angola!".
At the end of the meeting, the Holy Father went back to the apostolic nunciature, where he dined and spent the night. PV-ANGOLA/YOUTH MEETING/LUANDA VIS 090323 (780)
GOSPEL AFFIRMS AND ENNOBLES AFRICAN CULTURAL VALUES
VATICAN CITY, 22 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 9.30 a.m. today Benedict XVI arrived at Cimangola Square, 14 km from the Angolan capital Luanda. Having toured the site by popemobile greeting the thousands of people present, at 10 a.m. he presided at Mass with bishops of the Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA), which brings together the episcopal conferences of Angola and Sao Tome, Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
At the beginning of the Eucharistic celebration, the Pope expressed his condolences for the death of two young people, crushed by the crowds entering the Stadio dos Coquieros for his meeting with Angolan youth yesterday afternoon.
"We entrust these two young people to Jesus", he said," that He may welcome them into His kingdom. I express my solidarity and my most heartfelt condolences to their families and friends because they had come to see me". The Holy Father also gave assurances of his prayers for the 89 people injured in the same incident, "in the hope of their speedy recovery".
In his homily, the Pope commented on the first reading of the Mass, and its summons to the Israelites to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. "Its vivid description of the destruction and ruin caused by war echoes the personal experience of so many people in this country amid the terrible ravages of the civil war. How true it is that war can 'destroy everything of value'", he said.
"The call to return and rebuild God's Temple has a particular meaning for each of us", he went on. "God is calling us to acknowledge the power of His presence within us, to reappropriate the gift of His love and forgiveness, and to become messengers of that merciful love ... in every sector of social and political life".
Going on to point out that today in Angola is a day of prayer and sacrifice for national reconciliation, the Holy Father said: "The Gospel teaches us that reconciliation ... can only be the fruit of conversion, ... a new way of thinking. It teaches us that only the power of God's love can change our hearts and make us triumph over the power of sin and division".
"It is to preach this message of forgiveness, hope and new life in Christ that I have come to Africa", Pope Benedict explained. Referring then to the forthcoming Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, he asked people "to pray for this intention: that every Christian on this great continent will experience the healing touch of God's merciful love, and that the Church in Africa will become 'for all, through the witness borne by her sons and daughters, a place of true reconciliation'".
"This is the message that the Pope is bringing to you and your children. You have received power from the Holy Spirit to be the builders of a better tomorrow for your beloved country. In Baptism you were given the Spirit in order to be heralds of God's Kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace. ... Be faithful to that gift! Be confident that the Gospel can affirm, purify and ennoble the profound human values present in your native culture and traditions: your strong families, your deep religious sense, your joyful celebration of the gift of life, your appreciation of the wisdom of the elderly and the aspirations of the young. Be grateful, then, for the light of Christ! Be grateful for those who brought it, the generations of missionaries who contributed - and continue to contribute - so much to this country's human and spiritual development".
Benedict XVI then considered today's Gospel which explains how the light of God came into the world but people preferred the darkness to the light. "Tragically, the clouds of evil have also overshadowed Africa. ... We think of the evil of war, the murderous fruits of tribalism and ethnic rivalry, the greed which corrupts men's hearts, enslaves the poor, and robs future generations of the resources they need to create a more equitable and just society - a society truly and authentically African in its genius and values.
"And what", he added, "of that insidious spirit of selfishness which closes individuals in upon themselves, breaks up families, and, by supplanting the great ideals of generosity and self-sacrifice, inevitably leads to hedonism, the escape into false utopias through drug use, sexual irresponsibility, the weakening of the marriage bond and the break-up of families, and the pressure to destroy innocent human life through abortion?
"Yet the word of God is a word of unbounded hope. ... God does not give up on us! He continues to lift our eyes to a future of hope, and He promises us the strength to accomplish it. ... He gave us His commandments, not as a burden, but as a source of freedom: the freedom to become men and women of wisdom, teachers of justice and peace, people who believe in others and seek their authentic good. God created us to live in the light, and to be light for the world around us!"
"Radiate the light of faith, hope and love in your families and communities! Be witnesses of the holy truth that sets men and women free! You know from bitter experience that, in comparison with the sudden, destructive fury of evil, the work of rebuilding is painfully slow and arduous. Living by the truth takes time, effort and perseverance: it has to begin in our own hearts, ... in the little acts by which we demonstrate that we love our neighbours, all our neighbours, regardless of race, ethnicity or language, and by our readiness to work with them to build together on foundations that will endure".
The Pope concluded his homily by addressing young people: "You are the hope of your country's future, the promise of a better tomorrow", he told them. "The Church needs your witness! Do not be afraid to respond generously to God's call, whether it be to serve Him as a priest or a religious, as a Christian parent, or in the many forms of service to others which the Church sets before you".
Trust in God's promises, and live in His truth", the Holy Father concluded. "In this way, you will build something destined to endure, and leave to future generations a lasting inheritance of reconciliation, justice and peace". PV-ANGOLA/MASS/LUANDA VIS 090323 (1090)
CATHOLICS: LEAVEN OF EVANGELICAL HOPE FOR AFRICA
VATICAN CITY, 22 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Following today's Mass, Benedict XVI prayed the Angelus with thousands of faithful gathered in Cimangola Square in the Angolan capital, Luanda.
"Our prayer rises today from Angola, from Africa, and embraces the whole world", said the Pope. "May the men and women from throughout the world who join us in our prayer, turn their eyes to Africa, to this great continent so filled with hope, yet so thirsty for justice, for peace, for a sound and integral development that can ensure a future of progress and peace for its people".
"Inspired by faith in God and trust in Christ's promises, may the Catholics of this continent become ever more fully a leaven of evangelical hope for all people of good will who love Africa, who are committed to the material and spiritual advancement of its children, and the spread of freedom, prosperity, justice and solidarity in the pursuit of the common good.
"May Mary, Queen of Peace, continue to guide Angola's people in the task of national reconciliation following the devastating and inhuman experience of the civil war", he added. "Here in Southern Africa, let us ask Our Lady in a particular way to intercede for peace, the conversion of hearts, and an end to the conflict in the neighbouring Great Lakes region. May her Son, the Prince of Peace, bring healing to the suffering, consolation to those who mourn, and strength to all who carry forward the difficult process of dialogue, negotiation and the cessation of violence".
Following the Marian prayer, the Holy Father returned to the apostolic nunciature where he had lunch. PV-ANGOLA/ANGELUS/LUANDA VIS 090323 (280)
DEFEND THE EQUAL DIGNITY OF MAN AND WOMAN
VATICAN CITY, 22 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 4.45 p.m. today, in the parish of Santo Antonio located in a densely populated area on the outskirts of Luanda, Angola, the Pope met with representatives of Catholic movements for the promotion of women.
Two female members of the movements spoke to the Holy Father of their problems and hopes.
In his remarks the Pope called everyone "to an effective awareness of the adverse conditions to which many women have been - and continue to be - subjected, paying particular attention to ways in which the behaviour and attitudes of men, who at times show a lack of sensitivity and responsibility, may be to blame".
After highlighting the need to "recognise, affirm and defend the equal dignity of man and woman", Benedict XVI explained how both are "called to live in profound communion through a reciprocal recognition of one another and the mutual gift of themselves, working together for the common good through the complementary aspects of masculinity and femininity.
"Who today", he added, "can fail to recognise the need to make more room for the reasons of the heart'? In a world like ours, dominated by technology, we feel the need for this feminine complementarity, so that the human race can live in the world without completely losing its humanity. Think of all the places afflicted by great poverty or devastated by war, and of all the tragic situations resulting from migrations, forced or otherwise. It is almost always women who manage to preserve human dignity, to defend the family and to protect cultural and religious values".
The Pope lamented the fact that "history records almost exclusively the accomplishments of men, when in fact much of it is due to the determined, unrelenting and charitable action of women".
"No-one today should doubt that women have 'a full right to become actively involved in all areas of public life, and this right must be affirmed and guaranteed, also, where necessary, through appropriate legislation. This acknowledgement of the public role of women should not however detract from their unique role within the family. Here their contribution to the welfare and progress of society, even if its importance is not sufficiently appreciated, is truly incalculable'".
Furthermore, "a woman's personal sense of dignity is not primarily the result of juridically defined rights, but rather the direct consequence of the material and spiritual care she receives in the bosom of the family.
"The presence of a mother within the family is so important for the stability and growth of this fundamental cell of society, that it should be recognised, commended and supported in every possible way. For the same reason, society must hold husbands and fathers accountable for their responsibilities towards their families".
Benedict XVI concluded his remarks by highlighting how "the building up of every Christian family takes place within the larger family, the Church, which sustains the domestic family and holds it close to her heart, giving it the assurance that it is protected, now and in the future, by the 'yes' of the Creator".
The meeting concluded, the Pope travelled to the apostolic nunciature where he dined and spent the night. PV-ANGOLA/CATHOLIC MOVEMENTS/LUANDA VIS 090323 (540)
HOLY FATHER DEPARTS FROM AFRICA
VATICAN CITY, 23 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 9.30 a.m. today Benedict XVI travelled from the apostolic nunciature in the Angolan capital Luanda to the city's 4 de Fevereiro airport, arriving at 10 a.m. President Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola and the country's civil, military and religious authorities were waiting there to bid the Holy Father farewell.
Having thanked everyone for the efforts made during the course of his visit, the Pope delivered a brief address:
"I thank God that I have found the Church here to be so alive and full of enthusiasm, despite the difficulties, able to take up its own cross and that of others, bearing witness before everyone to the saving power of the Gospel message", he said. "She continues to proclaim that the time of hope has come, and she is committed to bringing peace and promoting the exercise of fraternal charity in a way that is acceptable to all, respecting the ideas and sensitivities of each person". The Pope also expressed his joy at having "known a courageous people determined to begin again. Despite the problems and obstacles, the people of Angola intend to build their future by travelling along paths of forgiveness, justice and solidarity".
He also launched an appeal "that the just realisation of the fundamental aspirations of the most needy peoples should be the principal concern of those in public office, since their intention - I am sure - is to carry out the mission they have received not for themselves but for the sake of the common good. Our hearts cannot find peace while there are still brothers and sisters who suffer for lack of food, work, shelter or other fundamental goods. If we are to offer a definite response to these fellow human beings, the first challenge to be overcome is that of building solidarity: solidarity between generations, solidarity between nations and between continents, which should lead to an ever more equitable sharing of the earth's resources among all people".
From the African continent "where the incarnate Word in person found refuge. I ask God to grant His protection and assistance to the countless refugees who have fled their country, and are now at large, waiting to be able to return home. ... God loves you like sons and daughters; He watches over your days and your nights, your labours and your aspirations.
"Dear Brothers and Sisters, friends from Africa, dear Angolans, take heart!" he added. "Never tire of promoting peace, making gestures of forgiveness and working for national reconciliation, so that violence may never prevail over dialogue, nor fear and discouragement over trust, nor rancour over fraternal love. This is all possible if you recognise one another as children of the same Father, the one Father in heaven".
The departure ceremony complete, the Holy Father's plane took off at 10.30 a.m., bound for Rome where it is due to land at around 6 p.m. today. PV-ANGOLA/DEPARTURE/LUANDA VIS 090323 (500)
VATICAN CITY, 23 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Salvatore Cordileone, auxiliary of San Diego, U.S.A., as bishop of Oakland (area 3,798, population 2,466,692, Catholics 406,947, priests 433, permanent deacons 112, religious 843), U.S.A. NER/.../CORDILEONE VIS 090323 (40) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 21 March 2009
| 03.21.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 55 |
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SUMMARY OF PAPAL TRIP TO CAMEROON AND ANGOLA: 20 - 21 MARCH
- Primary Agents, Not Just Recipients, of Development - Pope Meets Bishops of Angola and Sao Tome - Baptism Enables All Believers to Be One in Christ
OTHER NEWS
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PRIMARY AGENTS, NOT JUST RECIPIENTS, OF DEVELOPMENT
VATICAN CITY, 20 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 5 p.m. today, the Holy Father travelled to Luanda's "Palacio do Povo" where he was received by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Following a private meeting with the head of State, the Pope pronounced an address before the country's civil and political authorities, and the diplomatic corps accredited to Angola.
"You are the protagonists and witnesses of an Angola which is on the road to recovery", the Pope told them. "In the wake of the twenty-seven-year civil war that ravaged this country, peace has begun to take root, bringing with it the fruits of stability and freedom. The government's tangible efforts to establish an infrastructure and to rebuild the institutions fundamental to development and the well-being of society have begun to foster hope among the nation's citizens. Multilateral agencies too have made their contribution, determined to overcome particular interests in order to work for the common good. There is also the example of those honest teachers, medical workers, and civil servants who, on meagre wages, serve their communities with integrity and compassion, and there are countless others who selflessly undertake voluntary work at the service of the most needy. May God bless them abundantly! May their charity multiply!
"Angola knows that the time has come for Africa to be the Continent of Hope", he added. "All upright human conduct is hope in action. Our actions are never indifferent before God. Nor are they indifferent for the unfolding of history. Friends, armed with integrity, magnanimity and compassion, you can transform this continent, freeing your people from the scourges of greed, violence and unrest and leading them along the path marked with the principles indispensable to every modern civic democracy: respect and promotion of human rights, transparent governance, an independent judiciary, a free press, a civil service of integrity, a properly functioning network of schools and hospitals, and - most pressing - a determination born from the conversion of hearts to excise corruption once and for all.
"In my Message for the World Day of Peace this year", Pope Benedict went on, "I drew particular attention to the need for an ethical approach to development. In fact, the peoples of this continent are rightly calling out, not simply for more programmes and protocols, but for a deep-seated, lasting conversion of hearts to sincere solidarity. Their plea to those serving in politics, public service, international agencies, and multinational companies is simply this: stand alongside us in a profoundly human way; accompany us, and our families and our communities.
"Social and economic development in Africa bring into partnership national leadership together with regional initiatives and international resolve. Such partnerships require that African nations be seen not simply as the receivers of others' plans and solutions. African men and women themselves, working together for the good of their communities, should be the primary agents of their own development. In this regard, there are a growing number of effective initiatives which merit support. Among them are: the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the Pact on Security, Stability, and Development in the Great Lakes Region, together with the 'Kimberley Process', the 'Publish What You Pay Coalition' and the 'Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative'. Their common goal is to promote transparency, honest business practice and good governance.
"In regard to the international community as a whole, of pressing importance are co-ordinated efforts to address the issue of climate change, the full and fair implementation of the development commitments of the Doha round and likewise the implementation of the oft-repeated promise by developed countries to commit 0.7 percent of their Gross National Product for official development assistance. This undertaking is all the more necessary in view of the world's current financial turmoil, and must not become one of its casualties".
The Holy Father then spoke of his delight "at being among families" during his apostolic trip to Cameroon and Angola. "Indeed", he observed, "I think that those who come from other continents can learn afresh from Africa that 'the family is the foundation on which the social edifice is built'.
"Yet", he added, "the strains upon families, as we all know, are many indeed: anxiety and ignominy caused by poverty, unemployment, disease and displacement. ... Particularly disturbing is the crushing yoke of discrimination that women and girls so often endure, not to mention the unspeakable practice of sexual violence and exploitation which causes such humiliation and trauma. I must also mention a further area of grave concern: the policies of those who, claiming to improve the 'social edifice', threaten its very foundations. How bitter the irony of those who promote abortion as a form of 'maternal' healthcare! How disconcerting the claim that the termination of life is a matter of reproductive health.
"You will always find the Church, in accordance with the will of her divine Founder, standing alongside the poorest of this continent. I wish to assure each of you that" through her many initiatives she "will continue to do all she can to support families - including those suffering the harrowing effects of HIV/AIDS - and to uphold the equal dignity of women and men, realised in harmonious complementarity. The Christian spiritual journey is one of daily conversion. To this the Church invites all leaders so that the path opened for all humanity will be one of truth, integrity, respect and compassion".
Having completed his address, the Pope travelled to the apostolic nunciature, where he met with bishops of Angola and Sao Tome. PV-ANGOLA/POLITICAL AUTHORITIES/LUANDA VIS 090321 (930)
POPE MEETS BISHOPS OF ANGOLA AND SAO TOME
VATICAN CITY, 20 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 7 p.m. today at the apostolic nunciature in Luanda, the Pope met with bishops of Angola and Sao Tome.
"God will reward you", he told the prelates, "for all the apostolic work which you have accomplished in difficult conditions, both during the war and at the present time, in spite of so many limitations, thus helping to give the Church in Angola and in Sao Tome and Principe that dynamism which everyone acknowledges".
Referring then to the challenges they have to face, he recalled the fact that, "as a corrective to a widespread relativism which acknowledges nothing as definitive and, even more, tends to make its ultimate measure the individual and his personal caprice, we hold out another measure: the Son of God, Who is also true man. Christ is the measure of true humanism. The Christian marked by an adult and mature faith is not one who is borne along by the waves of fashion and the latest novelties, but one who lives deeply rooted in the friendship of Christ. This friendship opens us up to all that is good, and it provides us with the criterion for discerning between error and truth".
"Culture and models of behaviour are nowadays more and more conditioned and shaped by the images set forth by the communications media. For this reason, I wish to acknowledge your praiseworthy efforts to develop, in this area too, a communications strategy which will enable you to provide everyone with a Christian interpretation of human events, problems and realities".
The Holy Father dwelt upon the "difficulties and threats" facing families, which "are particularly in need of evangelisation and practical support, since, in addition to the fragility and lack of inner stability of so many conjugal unions, there is the widespread tendency in society and culture to call into question the unique nature and specific mission of the family based on marriage.
"In your pastoral concern which extends to every human being", he added, "continue to raise your voice in defence of the sacredness of human life and the value of the institution of marriage, as well as in promotion of the family's proper role in the Church and in society, at the same time demanding economic and legislative measures to support the family in bearing and raising children".
The Pope spoke of his joy "that your nations have so many vibrant communities of faith, a committed laity devoted to many works of the apostolate, and a significant number of vocations to the ordained ministry and the consecrated life, especially the contemplative life. They represent a genuine sign of hope for the future", he said.
Noting that the clergy is becoming "increasingly indigenous", he praised "the work which has been patiently and heroically carried out by the missionaries in proclaiming Christ and His Gospel and in giving birth to the Christian communities for which you today are responsible".
Pope Benedict urged the prelates "to be deeply concerned for your priests, attentive to their continuing formation on both the theological and spiritual levels, and alert to the conditions in which they live and exercise their specific mission, so that they can be authentic witnesses of the Word they proclaim and the Sacraments they celebrate.
"In the gift of themselves to Christ and to the people whom they shepherd, may they remain faithful to the demands of their state of life, and live out their priestly ministry as a true path to holiness, striving to become saints and in this way to raise up new saints all around them".
At the end of the meeting, Benedict XVI dined with the bishops of Angola and Sao Tome, and his entourage. PV-ANGOLA/MEETING BISHOPS/LUANDA VIS 090321 (630)
BAPTISM ENABLES ALL BELIEVERS TO BE ONE IN CHRIST
VATICAN CITY, 21 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 10 a.m. today, Benedict XVI celebrated Mass at the church of Sao Paulo in Luanda, Angola. The church, built by the Capuchin Fathers in 1935, has been the property of the Salesians since 1982. The ceremony was attended by bishops, priests, religious, members of ecclesial movements and catechists of Angola and Sao Tome.
"St. Paul, the patron saint of the city of Luanda and of this splendid church, ... speaks to us from personal experience about this God Who is rich in mercy", said the Holy Father in his homily. "I feel great joy to be here today with you, my fellow-workers in the Lord's vineyard, where you labour daily to prepare the wine of divine mercy and to pour it out as balm on the wounds of your people who have suffered so many tribulations".
The decisive event in the life of the Apostle of the Gentiles, noted Benedict XVI, "was his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. ... The Apostle saw the Risen Jesus; and in Him he beheld the full stature of humanity. As a result Paul experienced an inversion of perspective; he now saw everything in the light of this perfect stature of humanity in Christ".
"'Let us make haste to know the Lord', the Risen One!" he exclaimed. "As you know, Jesus, perfect man, is also our true God. In Him, God became visible to our eyes, to give us a share in His divine life. With Him a new dimension of being, of life, has come about, a dimension which integrates matter and through which a new world arises".
This new dimension "comes to each of us through faith and Baptism. This Sacrament is truly death and resurrection, transformation and new life. ... I live, but no longer I. In a certain way, my identity has been taken away and made part of an even greater identity; I still have my personal identity, but now it is changed and open to others as a result of my becoming part of Another: in Christ I find myself living on a new plane".
"Through this process of our 'Christification' by the working and grace of God's Spirit, the gestation of the Body of Christ in history is gradually being accomplished in us. At this moment I would like to go back in thought five centuries, to the years following 1506, when, in these lands, then visited by the Portuguese, the first sub-Saharan Christian kingdom was established, thanks to the faith and determination of the king, Dom Alphonsus I Mbemba-a-Nzinga, who reigned from 1506 until his death in 1543. The kingdom remained officially Catholic from the sixteenth century until the eighteenth, with its own ambassador in Rome. You see how two quite different ethnic groups the Bantu and the Portuguese were able to find in the Christian religion common ground for understanding, and committed themselves to ensuring that this understanding would be long-lasting, and that differences - which undoubtedly existed, and great ones at that - would not divide the two kingdoms! For Baptism enables all believers to be one in Christ.
"Today it is up to you", he added, "to offer the Risen Christ to your fellow citizens. So many of them are living in fear of spirits, of malign and threatening powers. In their bewilderment they end up even condemning street children and the elderly as alleged sorcerers. Who can go to them to proclaim that Christ has triumphed over death and all those occult powers? Someone may object: 'Why not leave them in peace? They have their truth, and we have ours. Let us all try to live in peace, leaving everyone as they are, so they can best be themselves'.
"But if we are convinced and have come to experience that without Christ life lacks something, that something real - indeed, the most real thing of all - is missing, we must also be convinced that we do no injustice to anyone if we present Christ to them and thus grant them the opportunity of finding their truest and most authentic selves, the joy of finding life. Indeed, we must do this. It is our duty to offer everyone this possibility of attaining eternal life".
"Let us enable human poverty to encounter divine mercy", the Pope concluded. "The Lord makes us His friends, He entrusts Himself to us, He gives us His Body in the Eucharist, He entrusts His Church to us. ... Let us embrace His will, like St. Paul: 'Preaching the Gospel ... is a necessity laid upon me; woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!'"
At the end of Mass, the Holy Father travelled back to the apostolic nunciature, where he had lunch. PV-ANGOLA/MASS CLERGY/LUANDA VIS 090321 (810)
VATICAN CITY, 21 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Erected the new diocese of Namibe (area 57,097, population 1,195,779, Catholics 270,294, priests 12, religious 27) Angola, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Lubango, making it a suffragan of the same metropolitan church. He appointed Fr. Mateus Feliciano Tomas, chancellor of the archdiocese of Huambo and pastor of the cathedral, as first bishop of the new diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Chinguar, Angola in 1958 and ordained a priest in 1983.
- Appointed Fr. Giovanni Migliorati M.C.C.I., secretary general of the apostolic vicariate of Awasa, Ethiopia, and rector of the major seminary there, as apostolic vicar of the same vicariate (area 75,000, population 6,067,000, Catholics 173,000, priests 47, religious 69). The bishop-elect was born in Pavone Mella, Italy in 1942 and ordained a priest in 1969. He succeeds Bishop Lorenzo Ceresoli M.C.C.I., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same apostolic vicariate the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit. ECE:NER:RE/.../ TOMAS:MIGLIORATI:CERESOLI: VIS 090321 (170) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
19 March 2009
Vatican News Update 19 March 2009
| 03.19.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 53 |
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SUMMARY OF PAPAL TRIP TO CAMEROON AND ANGOLA: 18 - 19 MARCH
- St. Joseph Reminds Us of Value and Meaning of Priestly Vows - Religion and Reason Mutually Reinforce One Another - Africa Can Become the Continent of Hope - Structure of Working Document for African Synod
OTHER NEWS:
- Clarification of the Pope's Remarks on HIV/AIDS
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ST. JOSEPH REMINDS US OF VALUE AND MEANING OF PRIESTLY VOWS
VATICAN CITY, 18 MAR 2009 (VIS) - This evening, in the minor basilica of Marie Reine des Apotres, in Yaounde, Cameroon, Benedict XVI presided at the first Vespers of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. Bishops, priests and religious, seminarians and deacons all participated in the ceremony, as did various ecclesial movements and members of other Christian confessions in Cameroon.
"Speaking to the crowd and to His disciples, Jesus declared: 'You have only one Father'", said the Pope in his homily. "There is but one fatherhood, that of God the Father, the one Creator of the world, 'of all that is seen and unseen'. Yet man, created in the image of God, has been granted a share in this one paternity of God. St. Joseph is a striking case of this. ... He is not the biological father of Jesus, Whose Father is God alone, and yet he lives his fatherhood fully and completely.
"To be a father means above all to be at the service of life and growth", he added. "St. Joseph, in this sense, gave proof of great devotion. For the sake of Christ he experienced persecution, exile and the poverty which this entails".
"You are called to live out this fatherhood in the daily tasks of your ministry", Benedict XVI told priests, recalling how the Constitution "Lumen gentium" exhorts them, "as their fathers in Christ", to "care for the faithful whom they have spiritually begotten by Baptism and instruction".
"The ministerial priesthood entails a profound relationship with Christ Who is given to us in the Eucharist" which, the Holy Father reminded clergy, must "be the centre of your ecclesial mission. ... In celebrating this Sacrament in the Lord's name and in His person, the person of the priest cannot occupy centre stage" for "he is a servant, a humble instrument pointing to Christ Who offers Himself in sacrifice for the salvation of the world".
Pastoral ministry, the Pope explained, "demands many sacrifices, yet it is also a source of great joy. Trusting in your bishops, united fraternally to the whole presbyterate and supported by the portion of the People of God commended to your care, you will be able to respond faithfully to the Lord who has called you, just as he called Joseph to watch over Mary and the Child Jesus!"
When Mary responded to the angel's call, she was already betrothed to Joseph, the Holy Father observed, adding: "In addressing Mary personally, the Lord already closely associates Joseph to the mystery of the Incarnation. Joseph agreed to be part of the great events which God was beginning to bring about in the womb of his spouse". Taking Mary into his home "he welcomed the mystery that was in Mary and the mystery that was Mary herself. He loved her with great respect, which is the mark of all authentic love. Joseph teaches us that it is possible to love without possessing".
Drawing inspiration from Joseph, all men and women can, then, "come to experience healing from their emotional wounds, if only they embrace the plan that God has begun to bring about in those close to Him".
The Pope then turned to address representatives of ecclesial movements, inviting them to "be attentive to those around you" so as to "reveal the loving face of God to the poor, especially by your works of mercy, your human and Christian education of young people, your programmes for the advancement of women, and in so many other ways".
"By your unreserved fidelity to your commitments, you are for the Church a sapling of life, springing up to serve the coming of God's Kingdom. At all times, and especially whenever your fidelity is put to the test, St. Joseph reminds you of the value and meaning of your promises".
Reflecting upon the husband of Mary "invites us to ponder his vocation in all its richness, and to see him as a constant model for all those who have devoted their lives to Christ in the priesthood, in the consecrated life or in the different forms of lay engagement. Joseph was caught up at every moment by the mystery of the Incarnation. Not only physically, but in his heart as well, Joseph reveals to us the secret of a humanity which dwells in the presence of mystery and is open to that mystery at every moment of everyday life. In Joseph, faith is not separated from action. His faith had a decisive effect on his actions. Paradoxically, it was by acting, by carrying out his responsibilities, that he stepped aside and left God free to act, placing no obstacles in His way. Joseph is a 'just man'".
"The life of St. Joseph, lived in obedience to God's word, is an eloquent sign for all the disciples of Jesus who seek the unity of the Church. His example helps us to understand that it is only by complete submission to the will of God that we become effective workers in the service of His plan to gather together all mankind into one family, ... one ecclesia".
The Pope concluded his homily by addressing some remarks to followers of other Christian confessions: "This quest for unity among the disciples of Christ represents a great challenge for us", he said. "It leads us first of all to be converted to the Person of Christ, to let ourselves be drawn more and more to Him. In Him, we are called to acknowledge one another as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father". PV-CAMEROON/VESPERS/YAOUNDE VIS 090319 (930)
RELIGION AND REASON MUTUALLY REINFORCE ONE ANOTHER
VATICAN CITY, 19 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 9 a.m. today, Solemnity of St. Joseph, patron of the universal Church and the Holy Father's own name day, Benedict XVI met with a group of representatives from the Muslim community of Cameroon, at the apostolic nunciature in Yaounde.
In his comments the Holy Father noted how "Cameroon is home to thousands of Christians and Muslims, who often live, work and worship in the same neighbourhood".
"I believe", he went on, "a particularly urgent task of religion today is to unveil the vast potential of human reason, which is itself God's gift and which is elevated by revelation and faith. Belief in the one God, far from stunting our capacity to understand ourselves and the world, broadens it".
"Although [God's] infinite glory can never be directly grasped by our finite minds in this life, we nonetheless catch glimpses of it in the beauty that surrounds us. When men and women allow the magnificent order of the world and the splendour of human dignity to illumine their minds, they discover that what is 'reasonable' extends far beyond what mathematics can calculate, logic can deduce and scientific experimentation can demonstrate; it includes the goodness and innate attractiveness of upright and ethical living made known to us in the very language of creation.
"This insight", he added, "prompts us to seek all that is right and just, to step outside the restricted sphere of our own self-interest and act for the good of others. Genuine religion thus widens the horizon of human understanding and stands at the base of any authentically human culture. It rejects all forms of violence and totalitarianism: not only on principles of faith, but also of right reason. Indeed, religion and reason mutually reinforce one another since religion is purified and structured by reason, and reason's full potential is unleashed by revelation and faith".
Benedict XVI concluded his remarks by encouraging his Muslim hearers "to imbue society with the values that emerge from this perspective and elevate human culture, as we work together to build a civilisation of love. May the enthusiastic co-operation of Muslims, Catholics and other Christians in Cameroon be a beacon to other African nations of the enormous potential of an inter-religious commitment to peace, justice and the common good!" PV-CAMEROON/MEETING MUSLIMS/YAOUNDE VIS 090319 (390)
AFRICA CAN BECOME THE CONTINENT OF HOPE
VATICAN CITY, 19 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 9.35 a.m. today, the Holy Father arrived at the Amadou Ahidjo stadium in Cameroon's capital city of Yaounde. The stadium is named after the country's first president following its independence, Having toured the field by popemobile, Benedict XVI went to the sacristy and, at 10 a.m., began the celebration of a Mass marking the publication of the "Instrumentum laboris", or working document, of the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops.
On today's Feast of St. Joseph, the Holy Father wished "a very happy feast day to all those who, like myself, have received the grace of bearing this beautiful name. ... Joseph is the man who gives God the greatest display of trust", he said.
"Dear fathers and mothers", the Pope asked, "do you have trust in God Who has called you to be the fathers and mothers of His adopted children? Do you accept that He is counting on you to pass on to your children the human and spiritual values that you yourselves have received?"
"At a time when so many people have no qualms about trying to impose the tyranny of materialism, with scant concern for the most deprived, you must be very careful. Africa in general, and Cameroon in particular, place themselves at risk if they do not recognise the true Author of Life! ... Do not let yourselves be captivated by selfish illusions and false ideals! Believe! ... Only Christ is the way of Life".
"Just as on other continents, the family today ... is experiencing a difficult time; but fidelity to God will help see it through. Certain values of the traditional life have been overturned. Relationships between different generations have evolved in a way that no longer favours the transmission of accumulated knowledge and inherited wisdom. Too often we witness a rural exodus ... [and] the quality of family ties is deeply affected by this. Uprooted and fragile members of the younger generation who often - sadly - are without gainful employment, seek to cure their pain by living in ephemeral and man-made paradises".
"Sometimes the African people too are constrained to flee from themselves and abandon everything that once made up their interior richness. Confronted with the phenomenon of rapid urbanisation, they leave the land, physically and morally: not as Abraham had done in response to the Lord's call, but as a kind of interior exile which alienates them from their very being, from their brothers and sisters, and from God Himself.
"Is this", the Pope added, "an irreversible, inevitable development? By no means! More than ever, we must 'hope against all hope'. ... The first priority will consist in restoring a sense of the acceptance of life as a gift from God. According to both Sacred Scripture and the wisest traditions of your continent, the arrival of a child is always a gift, a blessing from God. Today it is high time to place greater emphasis on this: every human being, every tiny human person, however weak, is created 'in the image and likeness of God'".
"Sons and daughters of Africa, do not be afraid to believe, to hope, and to love; do not be afraid to say that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that we can be saved by Him alone. ... 'Hoping against hope': is this not a magnificent description of a Christian?
"Africa", he added, "is called to hope through you and in you! With Jesus Christ, who trod the African soil, Africa can become the continent of hope! We are all members of the peoples that God gave to Abraham as his descendants. Each and every one of us was thought, willed and loved by God. Each and every one of us has a role to play in the plan of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
"If discouragement overwhelms you, think of the faith of Joseph; if anxiety has its grip on you, think of the hope of Joseph, that descendant of Abraham who hoped against hope; if exasperation or hatred seizes you, think of the love of Joseph, who was the first man to set eyes on the human face of God in the person of the Infant conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary".
"Like Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary into your home, that is to say do not be afraid to love the Church. Mary, Mother of the Church, will teach you to follow your pastors, ... to heed what they teach you and to pray for their intentions. ... Those preparing for marriage, treat your future spouse as Joseph did; those of you who have given yourselves to God in celibacy, reflect upon the teaching of the Church, our Mother: 'Virginity or celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of God not only does not contradict the dignity of marriage but presupposes and confirms it. Marriage and virginity are two ways of expressing and living the one mystery of the Covenant of God with His people'".
Benedict XVI then encouraged fathers so take St. Joseph as their model. "He who kept watch over the Son of Man is able to teach them the deepest meaning of their own fatherhood", he said. "In the same way, each father receives his children from God, and they are created in God's own image and likeness. St. Joseph was the spouse of Mary. ... Dear fathers, like St. Joseph, respect and love your spouse; and by your love and your wise presence, lead your children to God, where they must be".
"As you face the challenges of life, take courage", the Pope then told young people. "Your life is priceless in the eyes of God!"
Finally the Pope turned "to the children who no longer have a father, or who live abandoned in the poverty of the streets, to those forcibly separated from their parents, to the maltreated and abused, to those constrained to join paramilitary forces that are terrorising some countries, I would like to say: God loves you, He has not forgotten you, and St. Joseph protects you!"
At the end of the Mass, the Pope consigned the "Instrumentum laboris" to the presidents of African national and regional episcopal conferences, saying: "My heartfelt wish is that the work of the Synodal Assembly will contribute to an increase in hope for your peoples and for the entire continent; that it will help to inspire each of your local Churches with new evangelical and missionary zeal in service to reconciliation, justice and peace". PV-CAMEROON/MASS INSTRUMENTUM/YAOUNDE VIS 090319 (1110)
STRUCTURE OF WORKING DOCUMENT FOR AFRICAN SYNOD
VATICAN CITY, 19 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At the end of today's Mass, celebrated at the Amadou Ahidjo stadium in Cameroon's capital city of Yaounde, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, made a brief presentation of the "Instrumentum laboris", or working document of the forthcoming Synod for Africa, which the Holy Father delivered to presidents of African national and regional episcopal conferences.
The document of the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, due to be celebrated in the Vatican from 4 to 25 October, is made up of four chapters preceded by a preface which provides certain Christological and pneumatological parameters for reading the text.
Chapter one describes the situation of the Church in Africa today, examining the implementation of the 1995 Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in Africa" and its relevance in the new social context. Having identified a number of critical areas in the cultural, economic and political fields, the focus switches to theological reflections on reconciliation, justice and peace, which are the main topics of the upcoming Synod.
Chapter two underlines the urgent need for justice and peace in Africa. The African notion of reconciliation is intimately associated with the concept of justice and peace, in the desire to restore harmony between victims and offenders, and with society at large.
Chapter three focuses upon the mission of the Church, Family of God. Through her activity the Church becomes a sign and instrument of reconciliation. In order to promote justice and peace she is committed - through her educational and healthcare structures, and development programmes - to evangelisation and human promotion at the service of all mankind. The Catholic Church is open to dialogue with other Churches and ecclesial communities, as well as with traditional African religions and with Islam.
Chapter four reflects upon the life witness of all members of the People of God: bishops, priests, consecrated persons and lay people, including all ecclesial structures and institutions. Emphasis is given to the particular tasks incumbent upon Christians active in society: politics, the armed forces, finance, education, healthcare, culture, the social communications media and international organisations.
The "Instrumentum laboris" concludes with a prayer to Holy Mary, Our Lady of Africa, entrusting the preparation and fruits of the Second Special Assembly for Africa to her intercession This, said Archbishop Eterovic, is the first time the Holy Father has composed a prayer for such an aim. SE/INSTRUMENTUM LABORIS AFRICA/ETEROVIC VIS 090319 (420)
CLARIFICATION OF THE POPE'S REMARKS ON HIV/AIDS
VATICAN CITY, 19 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique yesterday afternoon:
"Concerning certain reactions aroused by the Pope's remarks on HIV/AIDS during his apostolic trip to Africa, Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. has explained that the Holy Father was reiterating the position of the Catholic Church and the basic lines of her commitment to combat the terrible scourge of HIV/AIDS: Firstly, by educating people to a responsible practice of sexuality and by reaffirming the essential role marriage and the family. Secondly, by research into, and application of, effective cures for HIV/AIDS, and by making them available to the largest possible number of sick people through numerous initiatives and healthcare institutions. Thirdly, by human and spiritual assistance to AIDS victims and all other suffering people, who have always been close to the Church's heart.
"These are the areas in which the Church concentrates her efforts, not believing that relying primarily on the greater dissemination of condoms is, in fact, the best, most longsighted or effective way to combat the scourge of HIV/AIDS and safeguard human life". OP/CLARIFICATION AIDS/LOMBARDI VIS 090319 (200)
VATICAN CITY, 19 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia, Ukraine, presented by Bishop Stanislaw Padewski O.F.M. Cap., upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Marian Buczek.
- Appointed Msgr. Jose Mazuelos Perez of the clergy of the archdiocese of Seville, Spain, delegate for pastoral care in universities, as bishop of Jerez de la Frontera (area 3,928, population 516,861, Catholics 452,532, priests 159, permanent deacons 16, religious 617), Spain. The bishop-elect was born in Osuna, Spain in 1960 and ordained a priest in 1990. RE/.../PADEWSKI:BUCZEK:MAZUELOS VIS 090319 (110) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
18 March 2009
Vatican News Update 18 March 2009
| 03.18.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 52 |
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SUMMARY OF PAPAL TRIP TO CAMEROON AND ANGOLA: 17 - 18 MARCH
- Pope Replies to Questions from Journalists - Cameroon: a Land of Hope, Life And Peace - Meeting with Bishops of Cameroon
OTHER NEWS:
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POPE REPLIES TO QUESTIONS FROM JOURNALISTS
VATICAN CITY, 17 MAR 2009 (VIS) - This morning, during his flight to Cameroon, the Holy Father responded to a number of questions put to him by journalists accompanying him on the papal plane.
"For some time, and in particular since your Letter to Catholic bishops concerning the remission of excommunication on the four bishops consecrated by Archbishop Lefebvre", asked one journalist, "many newspapers speak of the 'solitude' of the Pope. What is your view on this? Do you really fell alone?"
"To tell the truth I cannot help laughing a little about this myth of my solitude. I do not feel alone at all. Every day I hold meetings with my closest collaborators, first among them the secretary of State. ... Truly, I am surrounded by friends in a marvellous collaboration with bishops, with my collaborators, and with lay people, and I am grateful for this".
Asked about the impact of the world economic crisis on poor countries, and whether he would examine this theme in his forthcoming Encyclical, the Holy Father said: "A fundamental element of the crisis is precisely a lack of ethics in financial structures; it has been understood that ethics are not something 'outside' the economy but 'inside' it, and the economy does not work if it does not contain the ethical component".
Referring then to his next Encyclical on social themes, the Holy Father said: "It was on the point of being published when this crisis broke out and we held the text back in order to respond more adequately; within the ambit of our competencies, within the ambit of the Church's Social Doctrine, but with reference to the real facts of the current crisis. Thus I hope that the Encyclical may also become an element, a force to help overcome the current difficult moment".
The Pope also replied to a question concerning the specific relevance for Africa of the Catholic Church's position on sects.
"We, unlike some of them, do not announce a Gospel of prosperity, but Christian realism. We do not announce miracles, as some do, but the sobriety of Christian life. We are convinced that all this sobriety and realism which announce a God Who became man (therefore a profoundly human God a God Who also suffers with us) give meaning to our own suffering. In this way, announcement has a broader horizon and a greater future. We also know that these sects are not very stable. ... The announcement of prosperity, of miraculous healing, etc., may do good in the short term, but we soon see that life is difficult, that a human God, a God Who suffers with us, is more convincing, truer, and offers greater help for life".
Answering a question on the Catholic Church's approach to HIV/AIDS, considered by some as unrealistic and ineffective, the Pope said:
"It is my belief believe that the most effective presence on the front in the battle against HIV/AIDS is in fact the Catholic Church and her institutions. ... The problem of HIV/AIDS cannot be overcome with mere slogans. If the soul is lacking, if Africans do not help one another, the scourge cannot be resolved by distributing condoms; quite the contrary, we risk worsening the problem. The solution can only come through a twofold commitment: firstly, the humanisation of sexuality, in other words a spiritual and human renewal bringing a new way of behaving towards one another; and secondly, true friendship, above all with the suffering, a readiness - even through personal sacrifice - to stand by those who suffer". PV-CAMEROON/PLANE INTERVIEW/... VIS 090318 (600)
CAMEROON: A LAND OF HOPE, LIFE AND PEACE
VATICAN CITY, 17 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 4 p.m. today, the Holy Father arrived at Nsimalen airport in Yaounde, Cameroon, on the first stage of his apostolic visit to Africa. The Pope was received by the country's president, Paul Biya, after which he also received greetings from Archbishop Simon-Victor Tonye Bakot of Yaounde, president of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, and from Cardinal Christian Wiyghan Tumi, archbishop emeritus of Douala.
Having greeted other high-ranking State officials, and diplomatic, religious and military figures, the Holy Father pronounced his address.
"I come among you as a pastor", he said, "to confirm my brothers and sisters in the faith. This was the role that Christ entrusted to Peter at the Last Supper, and it is the role of Peter's successors. When Peter preached to the multitudes in Jerusalem at Pentecost, there were visitors from Africa present among them. And the witness of many great saints from this continent during the first centuries of Christianity ... guarantees a distinguished place for Africa in the annals of Church history. Right up to the present day, waves of missionaries and martyrs have continued to bear witness to Christ throughout Africa, and today the Church is blessed with almost a hundred and fifty million members"
The Pope told his audience that he had come "to celebrate with you the life-giving faith in Christ that sustains and nourishes so many of the sons and daughters of this great continent". Then, turning his attention to the forthcoming Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, he said: "This moment of grace is a summons to all the bishops, priests, religious and lay faithful of the continent to rededicate themselves to the mission of the Church to bring hope to the hearts of the people of Africa, and indeed to people throughout the world.
"Even amid the greatest suffering, the Christian message always brings hope", he added. "In the face of suffering or violence, poverty or hunger, corruption or abuse of power, a Christian can never remain silent. ... Here in Africa, as in so many parts of the world, countless men and women long to hear a word of hope and comfort. Regional conflicts leave thousands homeless or destitute, orphaned or widowed
"In a continent which, in times past, saw so many of its people cruelly uprooted and traded overseas to work as slaves, today human trafficking, especially of defenceless women and children, has become a new form of slavery. At a time of global food shortages, financial turmoil, and disturbing patterns of climate change, Africa suffers disproportionately: more and more of her people are falling prey to hunger, poverty, and disease. They cry out for reconciliation, justice and peace, and that is what the Church offers them".
The Church does not propose "new forms of economic or political oppression, but the glorious freedom of the children of God. Not the imposition of cultural models that ignore the rights of the unborn, but the pure healing water of the Gospel of life. Not bitter inter-ethnic or inter-religious rivalry, but the righteousness, peace and joy of God's kingdom".
The Holy Father praised the local Church's concern for sick people, describing the fact that AIDS sufferers in Cameroon are able to receive treatment free of charge as "particularly commendable". He also mentioned Church commitment to education, especially in the work of the Catholic University for Central Africa, "a sign of great hope for the future of the region".
He went on: "Cameroon is truly a land of hope for many in Central Africa. Thousands of refugees from war-torn countries in the region have received a welcome here. It is a land of life, with a government that speaks out in defence of the rights of the unborn. It is a land of peace: by resolving through dialogue the dispute over the Bakassi peninsula, Cameroon and Nigeria have shown the world that patient diplomacy can indeed bear fruit. It is a land ... blessed with a young population full of vitality and eager to build a more just and peaceful world. Rightly is it described as 'Africa in miniature', home to over two hundred different ethnic groups living in harmony with one another".
"As I come among you today", the Pope concluded, "I pray that the Church here and throughout Africa will continue to grow in holiness, in the service of reconciliation, justice and peace".
Having completed his remarks, the Holy Father travelled to the apostolic nunciature in Yaounde where he spend the night. PV-CAMEROON/ARRIVAL/YAOUNDE VIS 090318 (770)
MEETING WITH BISHOPS OF CAMEROON
VATICAN CITY, 18 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Having celebrated Mass in private at the chapel of the apostolic nunciature in Yaounde, Cameroon, the Pope travelled to the Unity Palace to pay a courtesy visit to the country's president, Paul Biya.
His meeting with the president over, the Pope moved on to the church of Christ-Roi in Tsinga, Yaounde, where he met with the 31 bishops of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon.
"In this year dedicated to St. Paul", the Pope began his address, "it is most opportune to recall the urgent need to proclaim the Gospel to everyone".
"The pastors of the Church must be united by a profound communion with one another", he said, noting that "effective collaboration between dioceses, particularly with regard to better distribution of priests in your country, cannot fail to promote relations of fraternal solidarity with the poorer dioceses, so that the proclamation of the Gospel should not suffer through lack of ministers".
Explaining the importance of bishops and priests maintaining relations of close communion, the Pope emphasised how "the words and example of their bishop have a key role in inspiring [priests] to give their spiritual and sacramental life a central place in their ministry, spurring them on to discover and to live ever more deeply the particular role of the shepherd as, first and foremost, a man of prayer. The spiritual and sacramental life is an extraordinary treasure, given to us for ourselves and for the good of the people entrusted to us".
The Holy Father also spoke of his joy at the fact that "many young men are presenting themselves as candidates for the priesthood. ... It is essential", he noted, "that serious discernment should take place", giving priority "to the choice and training of formators and spiritual directors".
"From the earliest days of the Christian faith in Cameroon, men and women religious have made an essential contribution to the life of the Church. I join you in giving thanks to God for this, and I rejoice at the development of consecrated life among the sons and daughters of your country".
The Holy Father also highlighted the fact that catechists "have played and continue to play a key role. ... Through their work, an authentic inculturation of the faith is taking place. Their human, spiritual and doctrinal formation is therefore indispensable", he said.
Pope Benedict then turned to consider the "many challenges" facing the bishops, among which "the situation of the family is of particular concern. The difficulties ... inspire you to defend vigorously the essential values of the African family, and to give high priority to its thorough evangelisation", promoting "a better understanding of the nature, dignity and role of marriage, which presupposes an indissoluble and stable union.
"The liturgy occupies an important place in the expression of your communities' faith", he added. "It is therefore essential that the joy expressed in this way does not obstruct, but rather facilitates dialogue and communion with God".
"The spread of sects and esoteric movements, and the growing influence of superstitious forms of religion, as well as relativism, constitute an urgent invitation to give new impetus to the formation of children and young adults, especially in university settings and intellectual circles".
The Pope spoke of his happiness at the large number of lay associations in dioceses. "In this regard", he said, "I am pleased to highlight and to encourage the active involvement of women's associations in several areas of the Church's mission, which shows a genuine recognition of the dignity of women and their particular vocation in the ecclesial community and in society".
He concluded: "The bishop's mission leads him to be the defender of the rights of the poor, to call forth and encourage the exercise of charity, which is a manifestation of the Lord's love for the 'little ones'". This "leaves no room for ethnocentrism or factionalism, and it contributes towards reconciliation and co-operation among ethnic groups for the good of all".
"So it is the duty of Christians, particularly lay people with social, economic and political responsibilities, to be guided by the Church's social teaching, in order to contribute to the building up of a more just world where everyone can live with dignity". PV-CAMEROON/MEETING BISHOPS/YAOUNDE VIS 090318 (710)
VATICAN CITY, 18 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Jan Romeo Pawlowski, nunciature counsellor at the Section for Relations with States, as apostolic nuncio to the Republic of Congo and Gabon, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Biskupiec, Poland in 1960 and ordained a priest in 1985. NN/.../PAWLOWSKI VIS 090318 (70) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
17 March 2009
Vatican News Update 17 March 2009
| 03.17.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 51 |
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SUMMARY OF PAPAL TRIP TO CAMEROON AND ANGOLA:
- Benedict XVI Due to Arrive in Cameroon Later Today
OTHER NEWS:
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BENEDICT XVI DUE TO ARRIVE IN CAMEROON LATER TODAY
VATICAN CITY, 17 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 10.20 a.m. today, the Holy Father departed from Rome's Fiumicino airport bound for Yaounde, Cameroon. Following a six-hour flight his plane is due to land at Nsimalen airport at around 4 p.m., thus beginning his first apostolic trip to Africa which will also include three days in the Angolan capital Luanda, from 20 to 22 March.
President Paul Biya of Cameroon will receive the Pontiff as he descends from his aircraft; after which the Pope will be greeted by Archbishop Simon-Victor Tonye Bakot of Yaounde, president of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, and by Cardinal Christian Wiyghan Tumi, archbishop emeritus of Douala. The civil and political authorities will also be present, as will members of the diplomatic corps, bishops of Cameroon, a group of faithful and a choir.
Following a speech by the president, Benedict XVI will pronounce the first address of this his eleventh apostolic trip outside Italy as Pontiff. The ceremony concluded, he will travel by popemobile to the apostolic nunciature in Yaounde where he will dine and spend the night.
Tomorrow morning, the Pope will celebrate a private Mass in the chapel of the apostolic nunciature before paying a courtesy visit to the president of the Republic of Cameroon. He will then go on to meet with the country's bishops in the church of Christ-Roi in Tsinga, Yaounde. PV-CAMEROON/.../YAOUNDE VIS 090317 (240)
VATICAN CITY, 17 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, major archbishop of Kyiv-Halyc, Ukraine, with the consent of the Synod of the Greek-Catholic Ukrainian Church and in accordance with Canon 85, para. 2,2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, has transferred Bishop Wasyl Ihor Medwit O.S.B.M., from the office of curial bishop of the major archbishopric of Kyiv-Halyc to that of auxiliary bishop of the archiepiscopal exarchate of Donetsk-Kharkiv (Catholics 8,000, priests 44, religious 22) Ukraine. NA/.../HUSAR:MEDWIT VIS 090317 (90) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
16 March 2009
Vatican News Update 16 March 2009
| 03.16.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 50 |
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SUMMARY: 14 - 16 MARCH
- Ministers of Penance and Educators of Conscience - Episcopal Ministry at the Service of Unity - Angelus: the Grace of the Gospel Can Renew Africa - University Pastoral Care in All Particular Churches - Holy Father Announces a Special Year for Priests - St. Jean Marie Vianney: Patron Saint of All Priests - Chinese Language to Be Added to Holy See Website
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MINISTERS OF PENANCE AND EDUCATORS OF CONSCIENCE
VATICAN CITY, 14 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, Cardinal James Francis Stafford, penitentiary major of the Apostolic Penitentiary, read out a Message from the Pope to participants in a course on the "internal forum". The course, organised annually by the Apostolic Penitentiary, was held this week in Rome.
"One pastoral priority of our own times", writes the Pope in his Message, "is the correct formation of believers' consciences, because ... in the extent to which the idea of sin is lost, so unfortunately the sense of guilt increases, which it is then sought to eliminate through inadequate palliative remedies".
In order to form consciences, the Pope mentions such means as "catechism, preaching, homilies, spiritual guidance, the Sacrament of Penance and the celebration of the Eucharist".
"Adequate catechesis", he says, "stimulates consciences to better perceive the sense of sin, which today has become somewhat faded or, worse still, obfuscated by an 'etsi Deus non daretur' way of thinking and living, ... denoting a relativism closed to the true meaning of life,
"Catechesis must be accompanied by a wise use of preaching", he adds, highlighting how the homily "is without doubt the most widespread form of preaching with which the consciences of millions of faithful are educated every Sunday. In the recent Synod of Bishops, dedicated to the Word of God in the Church, a number of Synod Fathers rightly stressed the value and importance of homilies, which must be adapted to the modern mentality".
Benedict XVI continues his Message: "Spiritual guidance also has a contribution to make to the formation of consciences. Today more than ever there is need for wise and saintly 'masters of the spirit'. Theirs is an important ecclesial service which requires interior vitality, to be implored as a gift of the Holy Spirit through intense and prolonged prayer, and through carefully-acquired training.
"Priests", he adds, "are called to administer divine mercy in the Sacrament of Penance, through which they remit sins in the name of Christ and help penitents to follow the demanding path of sanctity with an upright and informed conscience. In order to accomplish this indispensable ministry, each priest must nourish his own spiritual life and ensure his own ongoing theological and pastoral 'aggiornamento'".
The Pope also highlights how "believers' consciences are purified through devout and conscientious participation in Mass, which is the sacrifice of Christ for the remission of sin".
At the end of his Message, the Holy Father calls upon participants in the course "to maintain an awareness of the need to be worthy ministers of divine mercy and responsible educators of consciences, May you draw inspiration from the saintly confessors and masters of the spirit, among whom I particularly wish to mention St. Jean Marie Vianney, 'Cure of Ars', the 150th anniversary of whose death is being commemorated this year". MESS/INTERNAL FORUM/PENT VIS 090316 (480)
EPISCOPAL MINISTRY AT THE SERVICE OF UNITY
VATICAN CITY, 14 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Benedict XVI today received a first group of prelates from the Argentinean Episcopal Conference, who have just completed their five-yearly "ad limina" visit. Such visits, the Pope told them, "represent a significant moment in the lives of those entrusted with the pastoral care of the People of God, because they thereby express and reinforce their communion with the Roman Pontiff".
"Episcopal ministry", he went on, "serves the unity and communion of the entire mystical Body of Christ. ... And the bishop, who is the visible foundation of unity in his particular Church, is called to promote and defend the integrity of the faith and discipline which the whole Church shares, at the same time teaching the faithful to love all their brothers and sisters".
The Holy Father expressed his appreciation to Argentinean bishops for "their firm resolve to maintain and consolidate unity, both within the episcopal conference and in diocesan communities. Thanks to such friendly and effective collegiality", he said, "no bishop is alone because he always remains closely linked to Christ the Good Shepherd and - by virtue of episcopal ordination and hierarchical communion - to his brethren in the episcopate and to the person chosen by the Lord as Peter's Successor".
Highlighting the fact that this spirit of communion "is particularly applicable to a bishop's dealings with his priests", Benedict XVI called upon the prelates "to show great charity and prudence" in "correcting teachings, attitudes and forms of behaviour which contrast with the priestly state" of their closest collaborators and that "can, furthermore, damage and confuse the faith and life of the Christian faithful".
"The fundamental role priests play", he said, "must encourage you to make great efforts to promote priestly vocations. In this context, it would be appropriate to plan a more incisive form of pastoral care of marriage and the family, bearing in mind Christians' vocational dimension, and a more determined pastoral care of youth, one that helps young people to respond generously to God's call to them".
"The faithful too, by virtue of their Baptism, are called to co-operate in constructing the Body of Christ", the Pope concluded. "To this end they must be led to a more profound experience of Jesus Christ and the mystery of His love. A permanent relationship with the Lord though an intense life of prayer and adequate spiritual and doctrinal formation will increase the joy of all Christians in believing and celebrating their faith and in belonging to the Church, encouraging them to active participation in the mission of proclaiming the Good News to all mankind". AL/.../ARGENTINA VIS 090316 (450)
VATICAN CITY, 14 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun S.D.B., bishop of Hong Kong, China, as his special envoy to celebrations marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the pastoral visit of Servant of God John Paul II to Thailand, due to take place in Bangkok on 10 and 11 May.
- Appointed Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, as his special envoy to celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Shrine of Christ the King in Almada, Portugal. The event is due to take place there on 17 May.
- Appointed Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, apostolic nuncio to Cuba, as apostolic nuncio to Lithuania and Estonia.
- Erected the new territorial prelature of Esquel (area 78,074, population 68,609, Catholics 56,440, priests 14) Argentina, with territory taken from the diocese of Comodoro Rivadavia, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan church of Bahia Blanca. He appointed Msgr. Jose Slaby C.Ss.R., superior and pastor of the Redemptorist community of Esquel, as the first bishop-prelate of the new prelature. The bishop-elect was born in Zeleznikowa, Poland in 1958 and ordained a priest in 1984. ECE:NER:NN:NA/.../... VIS 090316 (200)
ANGELUS: THE GRACE OF THE GOSPEL CAN RENEW AFRICA
VATICAN CITY, 15 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At the Angelus today, the third Sunday of Lent, Benedict XVI dedicated his reflections to his imminent trip to Africa. The Pope, who will visit Cameroon and Angola from 17 to 23 March, told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square that in Cameroon he will deliver the "Instrumentum laboris" of the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, due to be held in the Vatican in October, before going on to Angola, "a country that, following a long civil war, has rediscovered peace and is now called to rebuild itself in justice.
"With this visit", he added, "my aim is to embrace the entire African continent: its thousand facets and its profound religious soul; its ancient cultures and its difficult journey towards development and reconciliation; its serious problems, its painful wounds and its enormous potential and hopes. I intend to confirm Catholics in their faith, to encourage Christians to ecumenical commitment, and to bring to everyone the announcement of peace that the risen Lord entrusted to the Church".
"I leave for Africa with the awareness of having nothing to propose or to give to those I will meet save Christ and the Good News of His cross, the mystery of supreme love, of divine love which overcomes all human resistance and even makes it possible to forgive and love our enemies. This is the grace of the Gospel, capable of transforming the world; this is the grace that can also renew Africa, because it generates an irresistible force for peace and profound and radical reconciliation. The Church, then, does not pursue economic, social or political objectives; the Church announces Christ, certain that the Gospel can touch and transform everyone's heart, renewing people and society from within".
The Pope entrusted to St. Joseph - who with Mary was compelled escape to Egypt, in Africa, in order to save the newborn Jesus - all the peoples of the continent "with the challenges that confront them and the hopes that move them. In particular", he concluded, "my thoughts for to the victims of hunger, illness and injustice, of the fratricidal conflicts and of all forms of violence which, unfortunately, continue to strike adults and children, not sparing missionaries, priests, religious and volunteers". ANG/AFRICA/... VIS 090316 (390)
UNIVERSITY PASTORAL CARE IN ALL PARTICULAR CHURCHES
VATICAN CITY, 15 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Having prayed the Angelus today, the Pope reminded the thousands of people filling St. Peter's Square that the Pauline Jubilee for university students and teachers came to an end today with a Eucharistic celebration in the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls.
The Holy Father recalled that this Jubilee event was promoted by the Congregation for Catholic Education and the Pontifical Council for Culture, and organised by the Vicariate of Rome on the theme: "What you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. Gospel and culture for a new humanism".
Addressing professors and delegates for pastoral care in universities, who have come from all continents to participate in the International University Forum, held in Rome from 12 to 15 March, Benedict XVI said "this event is an important stage in the living dialogue between the Church and universities".
The Pope expressed the hope that "pastoral care in universities may be developed in all particular Churches, for the formation of young people and the creation of a Gospel-inspired culture".
"Dear university students and teachers", he concluded, "I encourage you and accompany you in my prayers". ANG/PAULINE JUBILEE/... VIS 090316 (200)
VATICAN CITY, 15 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, Germany.
On Saturday 14 March, he received in separate audiences:
- Edward Fenech Adami, president of the Republic of Malta, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.
- Eleven prelates from the Argentinean Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio S.J., archbishop of Buenos Aires.
- Archbishop Agustin Roberto Radrizzani S.D.B. of Mercedes-Lujan.
- Bishop Virginio Domingo Bressanelli S.C.I. of Comodoro Rivadavia.
- Bishop Esteban Maria Laxague S.D.B. of Viedma.
- Bishop Fernando Carlos Maletti of San Carlos de Bariloche.
- Bishop Marcelo Angiolo Melani S.D.B. of Neuquen.
- Bishop Nestor Hugo Navarro of Alto Valle del Rio Negro, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Jose Pedro Pozzi S.D.B.
- Bishop Juan Carlos Romanin S.D.B. of Rio Gallegos.
- Bishop Jean-Abdo Arbach B.C., apostolic exarch for faithful of Greek-Melkite rite resident in Argentina.
- Bishop Vartan Waldir Boghossian S.D.B. of San Gregorio de Narek en Buenos Aires, apostolic exarch for faithful of Armenian rite resident in Latin America and Mexico.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. AP:AL/.../... VIS 090316 (200)
HOLY FATHER ANNOUNCES A SPECIAL YEAR FOR PRIESTS
VATICAN CITY, 16 MAR 2009 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican the Holy Father received members of the Congregation for the Clergy, who are currently celebrating their plenary assembly on the theme: "The missionary identity of priests in the Church as an intrinsic dimension of the exercise of the 'tre munera'".
"The missionary dimension of a priest arises from his sacramental configuration to Christ the Head", said the Pope. This involves "total adherence to what ecclesial tradition has identified as 'apostolica vivendi forma', which consists in participation ... in that 'new way of life' which was inaugurated by the Lord Jesus and which the Apostles made their own".
Benedict XVI highlighted the "indispensable struggle for moral perfection which must dwell in every truly priestly heart. In order to favour this tendency of priests towards spiritual perfection, upon which the effectiveness of their ministry principally depends, I have", he said, "decided to call a special 'Year for Priests' which will run from 19 June 2009 to 19 June 2010". This year marks "the 150th anniversary of the death of the saintly 'Cure of Ars', Jean Marie Vianney, a true example of a pastor at the service of Christ's flock".
"The ecclesial, communional, hierarchical and doctrinal dimension is absolutely indispensable for any authentic mission, and this alone guarantees its spiritual effectiveness", he said.
"The mission is 'ecclesial'", said the Pope, "because no-one announces or brings themselves, ... but brings Another, God Himself, to the world. God is the only wealth that, definitively, mankind wishes to find in a priest.
"The mission is 'communional' because it takes place in a unity and communion which only at a secondary level possess important aspects of social visibility. ... The 'hierarchical' and 'doctrinal' dimensions emphasise the importance of ecclesiastical discipline (a term related to that of 'disciple') and of doctrinal (not just theological, initial and permanent) formation".
Benedict XVI stressed the need to "have care for the formation of candidates to the priesthood", a formation that must maintain "communion with unbroken ecclesial Tradition, without pausing or being tempted by discontinuity. In this context, it is important to encourage priests, especially the young generations, to a correct reading of the texts of Vatican Council II, interpreted in the light of all the Church's doctrinal inheritance".
Priests must be "present, identifiable and recognisable - for their judgement of faith, personal virtues and attire - in the fields of culture and of charity which have always been at the heart of the Church's mission".
"The centrality of Christ leads to a correct valuation of priestly ministry, without which there would be no Eucharist, no mission, not even the Church. It is necessary then, to ensure that 'new structures' or pastoral organisations are not planned for a time in which it will be possible to 'do without' ordained ministry, on the basis of an erroneous interpretation of the promotion of the laity, because this would lay the foundations for a further dilution in priestly ministry, and any supposed 'solutions' would, in fact, dramatically coincide with the real causes of the problems currently affecting the ministry". AC/PRIESTS MISSION/CPC VIS 090316 (530)
ST. JEAN MARIE VIANNEY: PATRON SAINT OF ALL PRIESTS
VATICAN CITY, 16 MAR 2009 (VIS) - "Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests" is the theme of the Year for Priests announced today by the Holy Father, according to a communique issued by the Holy See Press Office.
The Pope will inaugurate the Year on 19 June, presiding at Vespers in St. Peter's Basilica where the relics of the saintly 'Cure of Ars' will be brought for the occasion by Bishop Guy Bagnard of Belley-Ars, France. He will close the year on 19 June 2010, presiding at a "World Meeting of Priests" in St. Peter's Square.
During the course of the Year, Benedict XVI will proclaim St. Jean Marie Vianney as patron saint of all the priests of the world. A "Directory for Confessors and Spiritual Directors" will also be published, as will a collection of texts by the Supreme Pontiff on essential aspects of the life and mission of priests in our time.
The Congregation for the Clergy, together with diocesan ordinaries and superiors of religious institutes, will undertake to promote and co-ordinate the various spiritual and pastoral initiatives which are being organised to highlight the role and mission of the clergy in the Church and in modern society, and the need to intensify the permanent formation of priests, associating it with that of seminarians. OP/YEAR FOR PRIESTS/... VIS 090316 (230)
CHINESE LANGUAGE TO BE ADDED TO HOLY SEE WEBSITE
VATICAN CITY, 16 MAR 2009 (VIS) - An English-language communique published today by the Holy See Press Office explains that, "for the occasion of the Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary and Patron of the Universal Church, the official website of the Holy See will be enhanced by the addition of a new section in Chinese".
Chinese "will be the eighth language to be represented on the www.vatican.va website, which also includes Italian, English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Latin.
"Thanks to the new service", the communique concludes, "internet users from throughout the world will be able to navigate in Chinese to access the texts of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI which will be available in both traditional and simplified Chinese characters". OP/CHINESE LANGUAGE INTERNET/HOLY SEE VIS 090316 (140) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 13 March 2009
| 03.13.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 49 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Promoting Authentic Eucharistic Adoration
___________________________________________________________
PROMOTING AUTHENTIC EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
VATICAN CITY, 13 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At midday today, the Holy Father received participants in the plenary assembly of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, who have been meeting to consider the question of Eucharistic adoration.
The Pope expressed the hope that collegial reflection upon this theme "may help to clarify, within the limits of the dicastery's remit, the liturgical and pastoral means by which the Church of our time can promote faith in the real presence of the Lord in the Blessed Eucharist, and to ensure that the celebration of Mass fully incorporates the aspect of adoration".
"The doctrine of the transubstantiation of the bread and wine, and of the real presence, are a truth of faith, already evident in Holy Scripture and later confirmed by the Fathers of the Church", said Benedict XVI.
After then explaining that, "in the Eucharist, adoration must become union: union with the living Lord and with His mystical Body", the Pope recalled words he had pronounced at World Youth Day 2005 in the German city of Cologne: "God no longer simply stands before us as the One who is totally Other. He is within us, and we are in Him. His dynamic enters into us and then seeks to spread outwards to others until it fills the world, so that His love can truly become the dominant measure of the world.
"On that occasion", he added, "I also reminded young people that in the Eucharist we experience the fundamental transformation of violence into love, of death into life. This brings other changes in its wake".
The Pope highlighted the importance of a renewal of Eucharistic adoration. This, he said, "will only be possible through a greater awareness of the mystery in complete faithfulness to Sacred Tradition, and by enhancing liturgical life within our communities". In this context, he also expressed his appreciation at the fact that the plenary had examined the question of "the formation of all the People of God in the faith, with particular concern for seminarians, favouring their development in a spirit of authentic Eucharistic adoration".
"Recalling three penitential practices particularly dear to biblical and Christian tradition (prayer, almsgiving and fasting)", he concluded, "let us encourage one another to rediscover and practice fasting with renewed fervour, not only as a form of asceticism but also as a preparation for the Eucharist and as a spiritual weapon to fight against any disordered attachment to ourselves". AC/EUCHARISTIC ADORATION/... VIS 090313 (420)
VATICAN CITY, 13 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Twelve prelates from the Argentinean Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio S.J., archbishop of Buenos Aires, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Joaquin Mariano Sucunza, Eduardo Horacio Garcia, Raul Martin, Oscar Vicente Ojea, and Enrique Eguia Segui.
- Bishop Fernando Maria Bargallo of Merlo-Moreno.
- Bishop Luis Guillermo Eichhorn of Moron.
- Bishop Sergio Alfredo Fenoy of San Miguel.
- Bishop Ruben Oscar Frassia of Avellaneda-Lanus.
- Bishop Guillermo Rodriguez-Melgarejo of San Martin.
- Bishop Oscar Domingo Sarlinga of Zarate-Campana.
- Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in separate audiences ten prelates from the Argentinean Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Jose Maria Arancedo of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz.
- Archbishop Mario Luis Bautista Maulion of Parana, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Cesar Daniel Fernandez.
- Bishop Luis Armando Collazuol of Concordia.
- Bishop Jorge Eduardo Lozano of Gualeguaychu.
- Bishop Martin de Elizalde O.S.B. of Nueve de Julio.
- Bishop Eduardo Eliseo Martin of Villa de la Concepcion del Rio Cuarto.
- Bishop Jose Vicente Conejero Gallego of Formosa.
- Bishop Roberto Rodriguez of La Rioja.
- Msgr. Pedro Candia, diocesan administrator of the Military Ordinariate.
- Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer S.J., secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. AL:AP/.../... VIS 090313 (240) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 12 March 2009
| 03.12.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 48 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Letter on Remission of Excommunication Lefebvre Bishops - Fr. Lombardi: Pope Feels his Responsibility as Pastor - May Jews, Christians and Muslims Live in Peace in Holy Land
___________________________________________________________
LETTER ON REMISSION OF EXCOMMUNICATION LEFEBVRE BISHOPS
VATICAN CITY, 12 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Made public today was the Letter of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the bishops of the Catholic Church concerning the remission of the excommunication of the four bishops consecrated by Archbishop Lefebvre.
The Letter is dated 10 March and has been published in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese. The complete text of the English-language version is given below:
"Dear brothers in the episcopal ministry.
"The remission of the excommunication of the four Bishops consecrated in 1988 by Archbishop Lefebvre without a mandate of the Holy See has for many reasons caused, both within and beyond the Catholic Church, a discussion more heated than any we have seen for a long time. Many bishops felt perplexed by an event which came about unexpectedly and was difficult to view positively in the light of the issues and tasks facing the Church today. Even though many bishops and members of the faithful were disposed in principle to take a positive view of the Pope's concern for reconciliation, the question remained whether such a gesture was fitting in view of the genuinely urgent demands of the life of faith in our time. Some groups, on the other hand, openly accused the Pope of wanting to turn back the clock to before the Council: as a result, an avalanche of protests was unleashed, whose bitterness laid bare wounds deeper than those of the present moment. I therefore feel obliged to offer you, dear brothers, a word of clarification, which ought to help you understand the concerns which led me and the competent offices of the Holy See to take this step. In this way I hope to contribute to peace in the Church.
"An unforeseen mishap for me was the fact that the Williamson case came on top of the remission of the excommunication. The discreet gesture of mercy towards four bishops ordained validly but not legitimately suddenly appeared as something completely different: as the repudiation of reconciliation between Christians and Jews, and thus as the reversal of what the Council had laid down in this regard to guide the Church's path. A gesture of reconciliation with an ecclesial group engaged in a process of separation thus turned into its very antithesis: an apparent step backwards with regard to all the steps of reconciliation between Christians and Jews taken since the Council - steps which my own work as a theologian had sought from the beginning to take part in and support. That this overlapping of two opposed processes took place and momentarily upset peace between Christians and Jews, as well as peace within the Church, is something which I can only deeply deplore. I have been told that consulting the information available on the internet would have made it possible to perceive the problem early on. I have learned the lesson that in the future in the Holy See we will have to pay greater attention to that source of news. I was saddened by the fact that even Catholics who, after all, might have had a better knowledge of the situation, thought they had to attack me with open hostility. Precisely for this reason I thank all the more our Jewish friends, who quickly helped to clear up the misunderstanding and to restore the atmosphere of friendship and trust which - as in the days of Pope John Paul II - has also existed throughout my pontificate and, thank God, continues to exist.
"Another mistake, which I deeply regret, is the fact that the extent and limits of the provision of 21 January 2009 were not clearly and adequately explained at the moment of its publication. The excommunication affects individuals, not institutions. An episcopal ordination lacking a pontifical mandate raises the danger of a schism, since it jeopardises the unity of the College of Bishops with the Pope. Consequently the Church must react by employing her most severe punishment - excommunication - with the aim of calling those thus punished to repent and to return to unity. Twenty years after the ordinations, this goal has sadly not yet been attained. The remission of the excommunication has the same aim as that of the punishment: namely, to invite the four bishops once more to return. This gesture was possible once the interested parties had expressed their recognition in principle of the Pope and his authority as Pastor, albeit with some reservations in the area of obedience to his doctrinal authority and to the authority of the Council. Here I return to the distinction between individuals and institutions. The remission of the excommunication was a measure taken in the field of ecclesiastical discipline: the individuals were freed from the burden of conscience constituted by the most serious of ecclesiastical penalties. This disciplinary level needs to be distinguished from the doctrinal level. The fact that the Society of Saint Pius X does not possess a canonical status in the Church is not, in the end, based on disciplinary but on doctrinal reasons. As long as the society does not have a canonical status in the Church, its ministers do not exercise legitimate ministries in the Church. There needs to be a distinction, then, between the disciplinary level, which deals with individuals as such, and the doctrinal level, at which ministry and institution are involved. In order to make this clear once again: until the doctrinal questions are clarified, the society has no canonical status in the Church, and its ministers - even though they have been freed of the ecclesiastical penalty - do not legitimately exercise any ministry in the Church.
"In light of this situation, it is my intention henceforth to join the Pontifical Commission 'Ecclesia Dei' - the body which has been competent since 1988 for those communities and persons who, coming from the Society of Saint Pius X or from similar groups, wish to return to full communion with the Pope - to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. This will make it clear that the problems now to be addressed are essentially doctrinal in nature and concern primarily the acceptance of the Vatican Council II and the post-conciliar Magisterium of the Popes. The collegial bodies with which the congregation studies questions which arise (especially the ordinary Wednesday meeting of cardinals and the annual or biennial plenary session) ensure the involvement of the prefects of the different Roman congregations and representatives from the world's bishops in the process of decision-making. The Church's teaching authority cannot be frozen in the year 1962 - this must be quite clear to the Society. But some of those who put themselves forward as great defenders of the Council also need to be reminded that Vatican II embraces the entire doctrinal history of the Church. Anyone who wishes to be obedient to the Council has to accept the faith professed over the centuries, and cannot sever the roots from which the tree draws its life.
"I hope, dear brothers, that this serves to clarify the positive significance and also the limits of the provision of 21 January 2009. But the question still remains: Was this measure needed? Was it really a priority? Aren't other things perhaps more important? Of course there are more important and urgent matters. I believe that I set forth clearly the priorities of my pontificate in the addresses which I gave at its beginning. Everything that I said then continues unchanged as my plan of action. The first priority for the Successor of Peter was laid down by the Lord in the Upper Room in the clearest of terms: 'You ... strengthen your brothers'. Peter himself formulated this priority anew in his first Letter: 'Always be prepared to make a defence to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you'. In our days, when in vast areas of the world the faith is in danger of dying out like a flame which no longer has fuel, the overriding priority is to make God present in this world and to show men and women the way to God. Not just any god, but the God Who spoke on Sinai; to that God Whose face we recognise in a love which presses 'to the end' - in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. The real problem at this moment of our history is that God is disappearing from the human horizon, and, with the dimming of the light which comes from God, humanity is losing its bearings, with increasingly evident destructive effects.
"Leading men and women to God, to the God Who speaks in the Bible: this is the supreme and fundamental priority of the Church and of the Successor of Peter at the present time. A logical consequence of this is that we must have at heart the unity of all believers. Their disunity, their disagreement among themselves, calls into question the credibility of their talk of God. Hence the effort to promote a common witness by Christians to their faith - ecumenism - is part of the supreme priority. Added to this is the need for all those who believe in God to join in seeking peace, to attempt to draw closer to one another, and to journey together, even with their differing images of God, towards the source of Light - this is inter-religious dialogue. Whoever proclaims that God is Love 'to the end' has to bear witness to love: in loving devotion to the suffering, in the rejection of hatred and enmity - this is the social dimension of the Christian faith, of which I spoke in the Encyclical 'Deus caritas est'.
"So if the arduous task of working for faith, hope and love in the world is presently (and, in various ways, always) the Church's real priority, then part of this is also made up of acts of reconciliation, small and not so small. That the quiet gesture of extending a hand gave rise to a huge uproar, and thus became exactly the opposite of a gesture of reconciliation, is a fact which we must accept. But I ask now: Was it, and is it, truly wrong in this case to meet half-way the brother who 'has something against you' and to seek reconciliation? Should not civil society also try to forestall forms of extremism and to incorporate their eventual adherents - to the extent possible - in the great currents shaping social life, and thus avoid their being segregated, with all its consequences? Can it be completely mistaken to work to break down obstinacy and narrowness, and to make space for what is positive and retrievable for the whole? I myself saw, in the years after 1988, how the return of communities which had been separated from Rome changed their interior attitudes; I saw how returning to the bigger and broader Church enabled them to move beyond one-sided positions and broke down rigidity so that positive energies could emerge for the whole. Can we be totally indifferent about a community which has 491 priests, 215 seminarians, 6 seminaries, 88 schools, 2 university-level institutes, 117 religious brothers, 164 religious sisters and thousands of lay faithful? Should we casually let them drift farther from the Church? I think for example of the 491 priests. We cannot know how mixed their motives may be. All the same, I do not think that they would have chosen the priesthood if, alongside various distorted and unhealthy elements, they did not have a love for Christ and a desire to proclaim Him and, with Him, the living God. Can we simply exclude them, as representatives of a radical fringe, from our pursuit of reconciliation and unity? What would then become of them?
"Certainly, for some time now, and once again on this specific occasion, we have heard from some representatives of that community many unpleasant things - arrogance and presumptuousness, an obsession with one-sided positions, etc. Yet to tell the truth, I must add that I have also received a number of touching testimonials of gratitude which clearly showed an openness of heart. But should not the great Church also allow herself to be generous in the knowledge of her great breadth, in the knowledge of the promise made to her? Should not we, as good educators, also be capable of overlooking various faults and making every effort to open up broader vistas? And should we not admit that some unpleasant things have also emerged in Church circles? At times one gets the impression that our society needs to have at least one group to which no tolerance may be shown; which one can easily attack and hate. And should someone dare to approach them - in this case the Pope - he too loses any right to tolerance; he too can be treated hatefully, without misgiving or restraint.
"Dear Brothers, during the days when I first had the idea of writing this letter, by chance, during a visit to the Roman Seminary, I had to interpret and comment on Galatians 5:13-15. I was surprised at the directness with which that passage speaks to us about the present moment: 'Do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another'. I am always tempted to see these words as another of the rhetorical excesses which we occasionally find in St. Paul. To some extent that may also be the case. But sad to say, this 'biting and devouring' also exists in the Church today, as expression of a poorly understood freedom. Should we be surprised that we too are no better than the Galatians? That at the very least we are threatened by the same temptations? That we must always learn anew the proper use of freedom? And that we must always learn anew the supreme priority, which is love? The day I spoke about this at the Major Seminary, the feast of Our Lady of Trust was being celebrated in Rome. And so it is: Mary teaches us trust. She leads us to her Son, in Whom all of us can put our trust. He will be our guide - even in turbulent times. And so I would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all the many bishops who have lately offered me touching tokens of trust and affection, and above all assured me of their prayers. My thanks also go to all the faithful who in these days have given me testimony of their constant fidelity to the Successor of St. Peter. May the Lord protect all of us and guide our steps along the way of peace. This is the prayer that rises up instinctively from my heart at the beginning of this Lent, a liturgical season particularly suited to interior purification, one which invites all of us to look with renewed hope to the light which awaits us at Easter
"With a special Apostolic Blessing, I remain Yours in the Lord". BXVI-LETTER/EXCOMMUNICATION BISHOPS/... VIS 090312 (2540)
FR. LOMBARDI: POPE FEELS HIS RESPONSIBILITY AS PASTOR
VATICAN CITY, 12 MAR 2009 (VIS) - In an explanatory note accompanying the Holy Father's Letter to bishops of the Catholic Church concerning the remission of the excommunication of the four bishops consecrated by Archbishop Lefebvre, Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. explains that "it is an unusual document worthy of great attention. Never before in his pontificate has Benedict XVI expressed himself so personally and intensely on a matter of public debate".
"The Pope experienced the ... remission of the excommunication and the consequent reactions with evident concern and suffering", and felt the obligation "to intervene in order to contribute to peace in the Church".
"With his habitual lucidity and humility he recognises the limitations and errors that had a negative influence on the affair, and with great nobility he does not seek to attribute the responsibility for them to others, but expresses solidarity with his collaborators. He speaks of inadequate information in the Williamson case and of insufficient clarity in explaining the procedure and significance of remitting excommunication".
The Williamson case, "fortunately now surpassed", gives the Pope "an opportunity to recall with satisfaction" that moves towards reconciliation with Jews, "beginning with Vatican Council II, is something his own 'work as a theologian had sought from the beginning to take part in and support'".
Above all, however, the Holy Father wishes "to clarify the nature, significance and aims of the remission of excommunication. He explains that since the excommunication was a punishment for individuals who had performed an act that put the unity of the Church at risk by failing to recognise the authority of the Pope, now - after the individuals concerned have expressed their recognition of the Pope's authority - the remission of the excommunication is a warm invitation for them to return to unity".
"Benedict XVI is profoundly aware of his responsibility as pastor of the universal Church and feels the need to give his brothers in the episcopate unambiguous clarification ... of the priorities and spirit with which he is undertaking his service". These are: "leading men and women to God, the God Who speaks in the Bible and in Christ; unity among Christians; dialogue among believers in God in the service of peace; witness of charity in the social dimension of Christian life.
"The Pope continues his considerations", Fr. Lombardi adds in his note, "by inviting his interlocutors to serious reflection, at both the personal and the ecclesial level. The paradoxical fact that a gesture that aimed to be merciful and conciliatory actually created a situation of acute tension, means we must ask questions to discern what spiritual attitudes where ... at work in this case", he says.
Moved by his "deep concern for unity", Benedict XVI does not lose his "critical realism" as he recalls "the grave defects of many of the traditionalists' statements"; yet he reserves the same critical realism "for the members of the Church and society who meet all efforts of reconciliation, or even of the recognition of positive elements in others, with rigid intransigence".
The Pope's Letter concludes, says Fr. Lombardi, "by reiterating an impassioned appeal for love as the absolute priority for Christians, and by expressing a hope for peace in the community of the Church". OP/LETTER BISHOPS/LOMBARDI VIS 090312 (550)
MAY JEWS, CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS LIVE IN PEACE IN HOLY LAND
VATICAN CITY, 12 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At midday today, the Pope received a delegation from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and of the Holy See Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews.
Addressing them in English, the Pope noted how "the important dialogue in which you are engaged is a fruit of the historical visit of my beloved predecessor Pope John Paul II to the Holy Land in March 2000".
During the last seven years of dialogue, said Benedict XVI, "not only has the friendship between the commission and the Chief Rabbinate increased, but you have also been able to reflect on important themes which are relevant to the Jewish and Christian traditions alike".
"During the seven meetings held either here in Rome or in Jerusalem. You have reflected on the sanctity of life, family values, social justice and ethical conduct, the importance of the Word of God expressed in Holy Scriptures for society and education, the relationship between religious and civil authority and the freedom of religion and conscience".
Referring then to his own forthcoming pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the Pope highlighted his intention "to pray especially for the precious gift of unity and peace both within the region and for the world-wide human family".
The Holy Father concluded by expressing the hope that his visit may "also help to deepen the dialogue of the Church with the Jewish people so that Jews and Christians and also Muslims may live in peace and harmony in this Holy Land". AC/PEACE HOLY LAND/ISRAEL RABBINATE VIS 090312 (270)
VATICAN CITY, 12 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Salvador Rangel Mendoza O.F.M., episcopal vicar for the pastoral zone of "Nuestra Senora de la Luz" in the archdiocese of Morelia, Mexico, as bishop of Huejutla (area 6,014, population 530,000, Catholics 502,000, priests 95, religious 63), Mexico. The bishop-elect was born in Tepalcatepec, Mexico in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1974. He succeeds Bishop Salvador Martinez Perez, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit. NER:RE/.../RANGEL:MARTINEZ VIS 090312 (100) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
12 March 2009
Vatican News Update 12 March 2009
| 03.12.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 48 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Letter on Remission of Excommunication Lefebvre Bishops - Fr. Lombardi: Pope Feels his Responsibility as Pastor - May Jews, Christians and Muslims Live in Peace in Holy Land
___________________________________________________________
LETTER ON REMISSION OF EXCOMMUNICATION LEFEBVRE BISHOPS
VATICAN CITY, 12 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Made public today was the Letter of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the bishops of the Catholic Church concerning the remission of the excommunication of the four bishops consecrated by Archbishop Lefebvre.
The Letter is dated 10 March and has been published in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese. The complete text of the English-language version is given below:
"Dear brothers in the episcopal ministry.
"The remission of the excommunication of the four Bishops consecrated in 1988 by Archbishop Lefebvre without a mandate of the Holy See has for many reasons caused, both within and beyond the Catholic Church, a discussion more heated than any we have seen for a long time. Many bishops felt perplexed by an event which came about unexpectedly and was difficult to view positively in the light of the issues and tasks facing the Church today. Even though many bishops and members of the faithful were disposed in principle to take a positive view of the Pope's concern for reconciliation, the question remained whether such a gesture was fitting in view of the genuinely urgent demands of the life of faith in our time. Some groups, on the other hand, openly accused the Pope of wanting to turn back the clock to before the Council: as a result, an avalanche of protests was unleashed, whose bitterness laid bare wounds deeper than those of the present moment. I therefore feel obliged to offer you, dear brothers, a word of clarification, which ought to help you understand the concerns which led me and the competent offices of the Holy See to take this step. In this way I hope to contribute to peace in the Church.
"An unforeseen mishap for me was the fact that the Williamson case came on top of the remission of the excommunication. The discreet gesture of mercy towards four bishops ordained validly but not legitimately suddenly appeared as something completely different: as the repudiation of reconciliation between Christians and Jews, and thus as the reversal of what the Council had laid down in this regard to guide the Church's path. A gesture of reconciliation with an ecclesial group engaged in a process of separation thus turned into its very antithesis: an apparent step backwards with regard to all the steps of reconciliation between Christians and Jews taken since the Council - steps which my own work as a theologian had sought from the beginning to take part in and support. That this overlapping of two opposed processes took place and momentarily upset peace between Christians and Jews, as well as peace within the Church, is something which I can only deeply deplore. I have been told that consulting the information available on the internet would have made it possible to perceive the problem early on. I have learned the lesson that in the future in the Holy See we will have to pay greater attention to that source of news. I was saddened by the fact that even Catholics who, after all, might have had a better knowledge of the situation, thought they had to attack me with open hostility. Precisely for this reason I thank all the more our Jewish friends, who quickly helped to clear up the misunderstanding and to restore the atmosphere of friendship and trust which - as in the days of Pope John Paul II - has also existed throughout my pontificate and, thank God, continues to exist.
"Another mistake, which I deeply regret, is the fact that the extent and limits of the provision of 21 January 2009 were not clearly and adequately explained at the moment of its publication. The excommunication affects individuals, not institutions. An episcopal ordination lacking a pontifical mandate raises the danger of a schism, since it jeopardises the unity of the College of Bishops with the Pope. Consequently the Church must react by employing her most severe punishment - excommunication - with the aim of calling those thus punished to repent and to return to unity. Twenty years after the ordinations, this goal has sadly not yet been attained. The remission of the excommunication has the same aim as that of the punishment: namely, to invite the four bishops once more to return. This gesture was possible once the interested parties had expressed their recognition in principle of the Pope and his authority as Pastor, albeit with some reservations in the area of obedience to his doctrinal authority and to the authority of the Council. Here I return to the distinction between individuals and institutions. The remission of the excommunication was a measure taken in the field of ecclesiastical discipline: the individuals were freed from the burden of conscience constituted by the most serious of ecclesiastical penalties. This disciplinary level needs to be distinguished from the doctrinal level. The fact that the Society of Saint Pius X does not possess a canonical status in the Church is not, in the end, based on disciplinary but on doctrinal reasons. As long as the society does not have a canonical status in the Church, its ministers do not exercise legitimate ministries in the Church. There needs to be a distinction, then, between the disciplinary level, which deals with individuals as such, and the doctrinal level, at which ministry and institution are involved. In order to make this clear once again: until the doctrinal questions are clarified, the society has no canonical status in the Church, and its ministers - even though they have been freed of the ecclesiastical penalty - do not legitimately exercise any ministry in the Church.
"In light of this situation, it is my intention henceforth to join the Pontifical Commission 'Ecclesia Dei' - the body which has been competent since 1988 for those communities and persons who, coming from the Society of Saint Pius X or from similar groups, wish to return to full communion with the Pope - to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. This will make it clear that the problems now to be addressed are essentially doctrinal in nature and concern primarily the acceptance of the Vatican Council II and the post-conciliar Magisterium of the Popes. The collegial bodies with which the congregation studies questions which arise (especially the ordinary Wednesday meeting of cardinals and the annual or biennial plenary session) ensure the involvement of the prefects of the different Roman congregations and representatives from the world's bishops in the process of decision-making. The Church's teaching authority cannot be frozen in the year 1962 - this must be quite clear to the Society. But some of those who put themselves forward as great defenders of the Council also need to be reminded that Vatican II embraces the entire doctrinal history of the Church. Anyone who wishes to be obedient to the Council has to accept the faith professed over the centuries, and cannot sever the roots from which the tree draws its life.
"I hope, dear brothers, that this serves to clarify the positive significance and also the limits of the provision of 21 January 2009. But the question still remains: Was this measure needed? Was it really a priority? Aren't other things perhaps more important? Of course there are more important and urgent matters. I believe that I set forth clearly the priorities of my pontificate in the addresses which I gave at its beginning. Everything that I said then continues unchanged as my plan of action. The first priority for the Successor of Peter was laid down by the Lord in the Upper Room in the clearest of terms: 'You ... strengthen your brothers'. Peter himself formulated this priority anew in his first Letter: 'Always be prepared to make a defence to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you'. In our days, when in vast areas of the world the faith is in danger of dying out like a flame which no longer has fuel, the overriding priority is to make God present in this world and to show men and women the way to God. Not just any god, but the God Who spoke on Sinai; to that God Whose face we recognise in a love which presses 'to the end' - in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. The real problem at this moment of our history is that God is disappearing from the human horizon, and, with the dimming of the light which comes from God, humanity is losing its bearings, with increasingly evident destructive effects.
"Leading men and women to God, to the God Who speaks in the Bible: this is the supreme and fundamental priority of the Church and of the Successor of Peter at the present time. A logical consequence of this is that we must have at heart the unity of all believers. Their disunity, their disagreement among themselves, calls into question the credibility of their talk of God. Hence the effort to promote a common witness by Christians to their faith - ecumenism - is part of the supreme priority. Added to this is the need for all those who believe in God to join in seeking peace, to attempt to draw closer to one another, and to journey together, even with their differing images of God, towards the source of Light - this is inter-religious dialogue. Whoever proclaims that God is Love 'to the end' has to bear witness to love: in loving devotion to the suffering, in the rejection of hatred and enmity - this is the social dimension of the Christian faith, of which I spoke in the Encyclical 'Deus caritas est'.
"So if the arduous task of working for faith, hope and love in the world is presently (and, in various ways, always) the Church's real priority, then part of this is also made up of acts of reconciliation, small and not so small. That the quiet gesture of extending a hand gave rise to a huge uproar, and thus became exactly the opposite of a gesture of reconciliation, is a fact which we must accept. But I ask now: Was it, and is it, truly wrong in this case to meet half-way the brother who 'has something against you' and to seek reconciliation? Should not civil society also try to forestall forms of extremism and to incorporate their eventual adherents - to the extent possible - in the great currents shaping social life, and thus avoid their being segregated, with all its consequences? Can it be completely mistaken to work to break down obstinacy and narrowness, and to make space for what is positive and retrievable for the whole? I myself saw, in the years after 1988, how the return of communities which had been separated from Rome changed their interior attitudes; I saw how returning to the bigger and broader Church enabled them to move beyond one-sided positions and broke down rigidity so that positive energies could emerge for the whole. Can we be totally indifferent about a community which has 491 priests, 215 seminarians, 6 seminaries, 88 schools, 2 university-level institutes, 117 religious brothers, 164 religious sisters and thousands of lay faithful? Should we casually let them drift farther from the Church? I think for example of the 491 priests. We cannot know how mixed their motives may be. All the same, I do not think that they would have chosen the priesthood if, alongside various distorted and unhealthy elements, they did not have a love for Christ and a desire to proclaim Him and, with Him, the living God. Can we simply exclude them, as representatives of a radical fringe, from our pursuit of reconciliation and unity? What would then become of them?
"Certainly, for some time now, and once again on this specific occasion, we have heard from some representatives of that community many unpleasant things - arrogance and presumptuousness, an obsession with one-sided positions, etc. Yet to tell the truth, I must add that I have also received a number of touching testimonials of gratitude which clearly showed an openness of heart. But should not the great Church also allow herself to be generous in the knowledge of her great breadth, in the knowledge of the promise made to her? Should not we, as good educators, also be capable of overlooking various faults and making every effort to open up broader vistas? And should we not admit that some unpleasant things have also emerged in Church circles? At times one gets the impression that our society needs to have at least one group to which no tolerance may be shown; which one can easily attack and hate. And should someone dare to approach them - in this case the Pope - he too loses any right to tolerance; he too can be treated hatefully, without misgiving or restraint.
"Dear Brothers, during the days when I first had the idea of writing this letter, by chance, during a visit to the Roman Seminary, I had to interpret and comment on Galatians 5:13-15. I was surprised at the directness with which that passage speaks to us about the present moment: 'Do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another'. I am always tempted to see these words as another of the rhetorical excesses which we occasionally find in St. Paul. To some extent that may also be the case. But sad to say, this 'biting and devouring' also exists in the Church today, as expression of a poorly understood freedom. Should we be surprised that we too are no better than the Galatians? That at the very least we are threatened by the same temptations? That we must always learn anew the proper use of freedom? And that we must always learn anew the supreme priority, which is love? The day I spoke about this at the Major Seminary, the feast of Our Lady of Trust was being celebrated in Rome. And so it is: Mary teaches us trust. She leads us to her Son, in Whom all of us can put our trust. He will be our guide - even in turbulent times. And so I would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all the many bishops who have lately offered me touching tokens of trust and affection, and above all assured me of their prayers. My thanks also go to all the faithful who in these days have given me testimony of their constant fidelity to the Successor of St. Peter. May the Lord protect all of us and guide our steps along the way of peace. This is the prayer that rises up instinctively from my heart at the beginning of this Lent, a liturgical season particularly suited to interior purification, one which invites all of us to look with renewed hope to the light which awaits us at Easter
"With a special Apostolic Blessing, I remain Yours in the Lord". BXVI-LETTER/EXCOMMUNICATION BISHOPS/... VIS 090312 (2540)
FR. LOMBARDI: POPE FEELS HIS RESPONSIBILITY AS PASTOR
VATICAN CITY, 12 MAR 2009 (VIS) - In an explanatory note accompanying the Holy Father's Letter to bishops of the Catholic Church concerning the remission of the excommunication of the four bishops consecrated by Archbishop Lefebvre, Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. explains that "it is an unusual document worthy of great attention. Never before in his pontificate has Benedict XVI expressed himself so personally and intensely on a matter of public debate".
"The Pope experienced the ... remission of the excommunication and the consequent reactions with evident concern and suffering", and felt the obligation "to intervene in order to contribute to peace in the Church".
"With his habitual lucidity and humility he recognises the limitations and errors that had a negative influence on the affair, and with great nobility he does not seek to attribute the responsibility for them to others, but expresses solidarity with his collaborators. He speaks of inadequate information in the Williamson case and of insufficient clarity in explaining the procedure and significance of remitting excommunication".
The Williamson case, "fortunately now surpassed", gives the Pope "an opportunity to recall with satisfaction" that moves towards reconciliation with Jews, "beginning with Vatican Council II, is something his own 'work as a theologian had sought from the beginning to take part in and support'".
Above all, however, the Holy Father wishes "to clarify the nature, significance and aims of the remission of excommunication. He explains that since the excommunication was a punishment for individuals who had performed an act that put the unity of the Church at risk by failing to recognise the authority of the Pope, now - after the individuals concerned have expressed their recognition of the Pope's authority - the remission of the excommunication is a warm invitation for them to return to unity".
"Benedict XVI is profoundly aware of his responsibility as pastor of the universal Church and feels the need to give his brothers in the episcopate unambiguous clarification ... of the priorities and spirit with which he is undertaking his service". These are: "leading men and women to God, the God Who speaks in the Bible and in Christ; unity among Christians; dialogue among believers in God in the service of peace; witness of charity in the social dimension of Christian life.
"The Pope continues his considerations", Fr. Lombardi adds in his note, "by inviting his interlocutors to serious reflection, at both the personal and the ecclesial level. The paradoxical fact that a gesture that aimed to be merciful and conciliatory actually created a situation of acute tension, means we must ask questions to discern what spiritual attitudes where ... at work in this case", he says.
Moved by his "deep concern for unity", Benedict XVI does not lose his "critical realism" as he recalls "the grave defects of many of the traditionalists' statements"; yet he reserves the same critical realism "for the members of the Church and society who meet all efforts of reconciliation, or even of the recognition of positive elements in others, with rigid intransigence".
The Pope's Letter concludes, says Fr. Lombardi, "by reiterating an impassioned appeal for love as the absolute priority for Christians, and by expressing a hope for peace in the community of the Church". OP/LETTER BISHOPS/LOMBARDI VIS 090312 (550)
MAY JEWS, CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS LIVE IN PEACE IN HOLY LAND
VATICAN CITY, 12 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At midday today, the Pope received a delegation from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and of the Holy See Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews.
Addressing them in English, the Pope noted how "the important dialogue in which you are engaged is a fruit of the historical visit of my beloved predecessor Pope John Paul II to the Holy Land in March 2000".
During the last seven years of dialogue, said Benedict XVI, "not only has the friendship between the commission and the Chief Rabbinate increased, but you have also been able to reflect on important themes which are relevant to the Jewish and Christian traditions alike".
"During the seven meetings held either here in Rome or in Jerusalem. You have reflected on the sanctity of life, family values, social justice and ethical conduct, the importance of the Word of God expressed in Holy Scriptures for society and education, the relationship between religious and civil authority and the freedom of religion and conscience".
Referring then to his own forthcoming pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the Pope highlighted his intention "to pray especially for the precious gift of unity and peace both within the region and for the world-wide human family".
The Holy Father concluded by expressing the hope that his visit may "also help to deepen the dialogue of the Church with the Jewish people so that Jews and Christians and also Muslims may live in peace and harmony in this Holy Land". AC/PEACE HOLY LAND/ISRAEL RABBINATE VIS 090312 (270)
VATICAN CITY, 12 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Salvador Rangel Mendoza O.F.M., episcopal vicar for the pastoral zone of "Nuestra Senora de la Luz" in the archdiocese of Morelia, Mexico, as bishop of Huejutla (area 6,014, population 530,000, Catholics 502,000, priests 95, religious 63), Mexico. The bishop-elect was born in Tepalcatepec, Mexico in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1974. He succeeds Bishop Salvador Martinez Perez, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit. NER:RE/.../RANGEL:MARTINEZ VIS 090312 (100) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 11 March 2009
| 03.11.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 47 |
|
SUMMARY:
- St. Boniface: Word of God and Union with the Pope - Pope Condemns Northern Ireland Attacks
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ST. BONIFACE: WORD OF GOD AND UNION WITH THE POPE
VATICAN CITY, 11 MAR 2009 (VIS) - In today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square, the Pope focused his remarks on St. Boniface, "apostle of the Germans".
This saint, Benedict XVI explained, was born in Great Britain around the year 675 "and baptised with the name of Winfred. Attracted by the monastic ideal, he entered a monastery while still very young. ... Having been ordained a priest at the age of around thirty, he felt called to pursue the apostolate among the pagans of continental Europe".
"In the year 716 Winfred and several companions travelled to Frisia (modern-day Holland) but he encountered opposition from a local chieftain and the attempted evangelisation failed. ... Two years later he went to Rome to meet Pope Gregory II who, ... having given him the new name of Boniface, granted him official letters entrusting him with the mission of preaching the Gospel among the people of Germany".
Boniface "achieved great results" and the Pontiff consecrated him as a bishop. "Showing great prudence" the saint "restored ecclesiastical discipline, called a number of synods to ensure the authority of sacred canons, and strengthened communion with the Roman Pontiff".
The Holy Father also recalled how Boniface "backed the foundation of various monasteries, for both men and women, to act as beacons irradiating human and Christian faith and culture in the region".
Shortly before his eightieth birthday, Boniface "readied himself for a new evangelising mission, ... returning to Frisia where his work had begun". There, "as he was celebrating Mass in Dokkum on 5 June 754, he was attacked by a band of pagans" and killed.
"What message", Pope Benedict asked, "can we draw from the teaching and the prodigious activities of this great missionary and martyr?" Firstly, he went on, "the central importance of the Word of God, lived and interpreted in the faith of the Church, which he preached and to which he bore witness even unto the supreme gift of self in martyrdom". Secondly, "his faithful communion with the Apostolic See, which was a fixed and central principle of his missionary work".
"One result of this commitment was the firm spirit of cohesion around Peter's Successor which Boniface transmitted to the Churches in his mission territories, uniting England, Germany and France to Rome, and thus making a decisive contribution to establishing the Christian roots which would produce fertile fruits over later centuries".
A third characteristic of the saint identified by the Holy Father was his "promotion of the encounter between Roman Christian culture and Germanic culture. Transmitting the ancient heritage of Christian values, he gave the people he evangelised a more humane lifestyle, thanks to which the inalienable rights of the person enjoyed greater respect".
"Boniface's courageous witness", said the Pope, "is an invitation to us all to welcome the Word of God into our lives as an essential point of reference, to love the Church passionately, to feel a joint responsibility for her future, and to seek unity around Peter's Successor. At the same time, he reminds us that Christianity, favouring the spread of culture, promotes the progress of mankind. Now it is up to us to show ourselves worthy of such a prestigious heritage, and to bring it to fruit to the advantage of coming generations".
The Holy Father concluded by saying that if we compare St. Boniface's "burning faith and dedication to the Gospel" with "our own faith, often lukewarm and bureaucratised, we have to ask ourselves: how can we renew it so as to ensure the precious gift of the Gospel reaches our own times?" AG/ST. BONIFACE/... VIS 090311 (610)
POPE CONDEMNS NORTHERN IRELAND ATTACKS
VATICAN CITY, 11 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience the Holy Father made an appeal for an end to violence in Northern Ireland, where recent attacks have left two soldiers and a policeman dead.
"It was with deep sorrow that I learned of the murders of two young British soldiers and a policeman in Northern Ireland. As I assure the families of the victims and the injured of my spiritual closeness, I condemn in the strongest terms these abominable acts of terrorism which, apart from desecrating human life, seriously endanger the ongoing peace process in Northern Ireland and risk destroying the great hopes generated by this process in the region and throughout the world. I ask the Lord that no one will again give in to the horrendous temptation of violence and that all will increase their efforts to continue building - through the patient effort of dialogue - a peaceful, just and reconciled society". AG/APPEAL/NORTHERN IRELAND VIS 090311 (170) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
10 March 2009
Vatican News Update 10 March 2009
| 03.10.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 46 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Care for HIV/AIDS Sufferers, Shared between Men and Women - Agreement on Patrimonial Relations Holy See - Austria
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CARE FOR HIV/AIDS SUFFERERS, SHARED BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
VATICAN CITY, 10 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York, yesterday addressed the fifty-third session of the Economic and Social Council's Commission on the Status of Women, which was meeting to consider the equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS.
Care for HIV/AIDS sufferers must "be shared between all women and men, in households as well as in the public sector", he said. "In particular, it is more and more untenable that there continue to be attitudes and places - even in healthcare - where women are discriminated against and their contribution to society is undervalued simply because they are women. Recourse to social and cultural pressure in order to maintain the inequality of the sexes is unacceptable".
Continuing his English-language remarks, the nuncio indicated how "HIV/AIDS calls into question the values by which we live our lives and how we treat, or fail to treat, one another".
"Home-based care is the preferred means of care in many social and cultural settings, and is often more sustainable and successful over the long term when based within communities. In fact, when many members of a community are involved in care and support, there is less likely to be stigma associated with the disease", he said.
"Unfortunately, community- and home-based care is largely unrecognised, and many caregivers face precarious financial situations. Very little of the funds spent every year on providing assistance to those who are suffering as well as on much needed research to combat the disease go to supporting them.
"Studies have shown that community- and home-based caregivers actually experience more stress than medical personnel", he added, "so better support must be provided for these persons, particularly women and older persons".
"Governments should properly recognise that the budget and organisation of public institutions are somewhat relieved by family-based caregiving and should thus adopt migration laws aimed at creating social integration and full protection of immigrant caregivers, and fostering social integration".
"Care in itself", he concluded, "must become a topic of public debate and take on an importance capable of shaping political life and giving men and women the ability to be more concerned for the needs of others, more empathetic and able to focus on others". DELSS/AIDS WOMEN/U.N.:MIGLIORE VIS 090310 (400)
AGREEMENT ON PATRIMONIAL RELATIONS HOLY SEE - AUSTRIA
VATICAN CITY, 10 MAR 2009 (VIS) - On 5 March, at the Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs in Vienna, Archbishop Edmond Farhat, apostolic nuncio to Austria, and Michael Spindelegger, Austrian federal minister for European and International Affairs, signed the sixth additional agreement of the Convention Regulating Patrimonial Relations between the Holy See and the Republic of Austria, of 23 June 1960.
On the ecclesiastical side, the ceremony was attended by Msgr. Christoph Kuhn, nunciature counsellor in Austria and by Walter Hagel, legal advisor to the Austrian Bishop's Conference.
The State was represented by Ambassador Melitta Schubert, head of protocol for the ministry; Ambassador Nikolaus Marschik, the minister's chief of cabinet; Ambassador Helmut Tichy, vice director of the office for questions of international law; Minister-Counsellor Georg Stillfried, head of department; Minister-Counsellor Karin Proidl, counsellor on the minister's cabinet, and Harald Stranzl, vice head of the minister's press and information office. OP/AGREEMENT/AUSTRIA VIS 090310 (160)
VATICAN CITY, 10 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Pascal Delannoy, auxiliary of Lille, France, as bishop of Saint-Denis (area 235, population 1,459,000, Catholics 635,000, priests 130, permanent deacons 26, religious 261), France. NER/.../DELANNOY VIS 090310 (40) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
09 March 2009
Vatican News Update 9 March 2009
| 03.09.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 45 |
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SUMMARY: 7 - 9 MARCH
- Holy Father Thanks Preacher of Spiritual Exercises - Prayer, Fasting, Mercy: Framework of Spiritual Life - Full Respect for the Dignity of Women - Pope to Travel to the Holy Land from 8 to 15 May
SUMMARY OF POPE'S VISIT TO ROME TOWN HALL
- Bishop of Rome's Paternal Concern for His City - Solidarity and Commitment to Overcome Difficulties - Women Entirely Dedicated to God and to Others
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HOLY FATHER THANKS PREACHER OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
VATICAN CITY, 7 MAR 2009 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican's "Redemptoris Mater" Chapel, at the conclusion of the Roman Curia's spiritual exercises, the Pope expressed thanks, in the name of all those present, to the preacher Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. The theme of this year's exercises was: "The priest meets Jesus and follows Him".
The Pope indicated that, through the meditations, Cardinal Arinze had "guided, illuminated and helped us to renew our priesthood".
"You offered us no theological acrobatics", he told the cardinal, "but sound doctrine, the good bread of our faith. ... Your preaching was permeated by Holy Scripture - revealing a great familiarity with the Word of God, seen in the context of the living Church from the Fathers to the Catechism of the Catholic Church - and always contextualised in the readings and in the liturgy. Precisely for this reason, Scripture was present in its full contemporary significance".
The Holy Father explained how he had "admired and enjoyed this tangible experience" of Cardinal Arinze's fifty years of priesthood, "in the light of which you helped us to strengthen our faith. You used the right words, words with real significance for our lives and for our behaviour as priests", he concluded. AC/THANKS PREACHER/ARINZE VIS 090309 (230)
VATICAN CITY, 7 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and preacher of this year's spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia. AP/.../... VIS 090309 (50)
PRAYER, FASTING, MERCY: THE FRAMEWORK OF SPIRITUAL LIFE
VATICAN CITY, 8 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Today, at the Angelus of the second Sunday of Lent, Benedict XVI dedicated his remarks to the recently-concluded spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia. "It was", he said, "a week of silence and prayer. Heart and mind were able to dedicate themselves entirely to God, to listening to His word, to meditating upon the mysteries of Christ".
Addressing the thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope explained that the experience could, in some way, be compared to that of the Apostles Peter, James and John, when Jesus took them with Him to the mountain "where, as He prayed, He was 'transfigured'; His face and person appeared to shine in splendour", as today's Gospel reading recounts.
"Jesus wanted His disciples, and in particular those who would have the responsibility of guiding the nascent Church, to have a direct experience of His divine glory, in order to be able to then face the 'scandal' of the cross". The Transfiguration was "mainly an experience of prayer. In fact, prayer reaches its pinnacle and becomes a source of inner light when the spirit of man joins the spirit of God and their wills fuse almost to form a single whole.
"When Jesus went up the mountain", Pope Benedict added, "he saw the Cross appear before him, the extreme sacrifice needed to free us from the domination of sin and death. In His heart he repeated once again: ... Yes, here I am Father, Your will of love be done. And, as happened after His Baptism in the Jordan, the signs of God's pleasure descended from the heavens: the light transfiguring the Christ and the voice proclaiming Him as "beloved Son'".
The Holy Father went on: "Alongside fasting and works of mercy, prayer is one of the principal structures of our spiritual life. ... During this period of Lent, I encourage you to discover extended moments of silence, if possible of retreat, in order to see your own lives in the light of the heavenly Father's plan of love. In this more intense listening to God, allow yourselves to be guided by the Virgin Mary, teacher and model of prayer. She, in the shadowy darkness of Christ's Passion, never lost the light of the divine Son, but conserved it in her soul". ANG/TRANSFIGURATION/... VIS 090309 (400)
FULL RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF WOMEN
VATICAN CITY, 8 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Having prayed the Angelus with thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope dedicated some remarks to International Women's Day which falls today, 8 March. "It invites us", he said, "to reflect upon the condition of women, and to renew our commitment to ensure that always and everywhere women can live their lives and make full use of their capacities, obtaining complete respect for their dignity.
"Such was the view expressed", he added, "by Vatican Council II and the pontifical Magisterium, in particular by Servant of God John Paul II's Apostolic Letter 'Mulieris dignitatem' (15 August 1988). Yet, of more worth even than documents is the witness of saints; and our own times have seen that of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a humble daughter of Albania who, by the grace of God, became an example for the whole world in the exercise of charity and service to humankind.
"How many other women work unseen every day for the good of humanity and of the Kingdom of God!" he exclaimed.
Benedict XVI concluded by giving assurances of his prayers "for all women, in the hope that their dignity may always be respected and their positive potential turned to good use". ANG/DIGNITY WOMEN/... VIS 090309 (220)
POPE TO TRAVEL TO THE HOLY LAND FROM 8 TO 15 MAY
VATICAN CITY, 8 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At the end of today's Angelus, the Holy Father asked the faithful to pray for "the two apostolic trips I am, God willing, about to make".
He explained: "Next week, from 17 to 23 March, I will travel to Africa, first to Cameroon then to Angola, in order to express my own and the Church's real closeness to Christians and people of that continent, which is particularly dear to me. Then, from 8 to 15 May, I will make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to ask the Lord, while visiting the places sanctified by His earthly life, for the precious gift of unity and peace, for the Middle East and for all humanity. From this moment I hope all of you will give me your spiritual support, that God may accompany me and fill with His grace all the people I meet on my way".
In this context, the Holy See Press Office today announced that, "accepting the invitation of the king of Jordan, of the president of Israel, of the president of the Palestinian National Authority and of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries, His Holiness Benedict XVI will make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from 8 to 15 May, visiting Amman, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth". ANG/TRIPS AFRICA HOLY LAND/... VIS 090309 (230)
VATICAN CITY, 9 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Guire Poulard of Jacmel, Haiti, as bishop of Les Cayes (area 4,649, population 1,500,000, Catholics 975,000, priests 94, permanent deacons 2, religious 241), Haiti. He succeeds Bishop Jean Alix Verrier, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
On Saturday 7 March it was made public that he appointed:
- Bishop Juan Antonio Reig Pla of Cartagena, Spain, as bishop of Alcala de Henares (area 2,586, population 709,298, Catholics 653,141, priests 186, permanent deacons 4, religious 422), Spain.
- As members of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches: His Beatitude Fouad Twal, patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins; Metropolitan Archbishop Jan Babjak S.J. of Presov for Catholics of Byzantine rite, Slovak Republic; Metropolitan Archbishop Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel C.M. of Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, and Metropolitan Archbishop Basil Myron Schott O.F.M. of Pittsburgh of the Byzantines, U.S.A.
- Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, as his special envoy to the closing celebrations of the Jubilee Year marking the seventh centenary of veneration of Our Lady of Europe. The event is due to take place in Gibraltar on 5 May. NER:RE:NA/.../... VIS 090309 (220)
BISHOP OF ROME'S PATERNAL CONCERN FOR HIS CITY
VATICAN CITY, 9 MAR 2009 (VIS) - This morning, Benedict XVI travelled to Rome Town Hall, located on the city's Capitoline Hill, where he met with Mayor Gianni Alemanno and various civic leaders.
The Holy Father was greeted in the square in front of the Town Hall by Gianni Alemanno and his wife Isabella Rauti. He then entered the building and went up to the mayor's office where he emerged onto the balcony which enjoys a panoramic view over the Roman Forum. The ceremony subsequently continued in the Hall of Tapestries where Benedict XVI greeted municipal counsellors and public functionaries, and in the Hall of Flags where he signed the "Libro d'Oro".
At 11.30 a.m. before a gathering of the municipal council in the Julius Caesar Hall, the mayor made a speech in which he announced the construction of a help-centre dedicated to Benedict XVI. The centre, for disadvantaged young people, is to be built on a plot of land belonging to Rome city authorities. The mayor having completed his remarks, the Holy Father rose to deliver his address, at the beginning of which he recalled the three visits of his predecessors to the Capitoline Hill: Blessed Pius IX in 1870, Paul VI in 1966 and John Paul II on 15 January 1998.
"These visits are a testament to the affection and respect Peter's Successors, pastors of the Catholic community of Rome and of the universal Church, have always nourished for Rome, the centre of Latin and Christian civilisation and 'hospitable mother of peoples'", he said.
The Holy Father gave renewed assurances of "the paternal concern that the bishop of the Catholic community" feels for all the inhabitants of the city, and for people who come to Rome for religious or cultural reasons, or for tourism or work. Recalling, then, how the mayor had expressed the hope that "Rome may continue to be a beacon of liberty, promoting ethical civilisation and sustainable development while respecting the dignity of all human beings", the Pope reaffirmed that "the Catholic Church, as always, will not fail to provide her active support for all cultural and social initiatives that seek to promote the authentic good of all people and of the city as a whole".
As evidence of such collaboration, Benedict XVI mentioned the gift of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church he had given to the mayor and to the civic leaders of the city.
"Rome has always been a welcoming city", said the Holy Father noting that, "like Italy and the whole of mankind, it currently finds itself facing unprecedented cultural, social and economic challenges caused by the profound transformations and numerous changes of the last few decades. Rome has come to be inhabited by people from other nations who belong to different cultures and religious traditions; as a consequence it now has the aspect of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious metropolis in which integration is at times demanding and complex".
Benedict XVI emphasised the contribution made by the Catholic community in "protecting the fundamental rights of individuals, while respecting the law", and he expressed the conviction that, drawing energy from a history moulded by "ancient law and Christian faith, Rome will find the strength to ensure that everyone abides by the laws of civil coexistence, and to reject all forms of intolerance and discrimination".
"Recent episodes of violence, which we all deplore, are an expression of a deeper malaise. They are, I would say, a sign of the real spiritual poverty afflicting the heart of modern man. Eliminating God and His law, as a way of achieving man's happiness, has not in fact achieved its goal. On the contrary it deprives man of the spiritual certainties and the hope necessary to face the difficulties and challenges of everyday life".
"Rome must rediscover its most profound soul, its civil and Christian roots, if it wishes to promote a new humanism which focuses upon man, recognised in the fullness of his truth. Man, detached from God, loses his transcendent vocation. Christianity carries a shining message of the truth about man; and the Church, which is the depository of that message, is aware of her responsibility towards contemporary culture".
Finally, the Pope thanked the mayor for the dedication of the help-centre for disadvantaged youth. It will, he said, "bear the name of an old Pontiff who looks trustingly to young people and prays for them every day. ... May this new enterprise be a stimulus for Rome to create a social fabric of acceptance and respect, where the meeting between culture and faith, between social life and religious witness, may co-operate to create a community that is truly free and animated by feelings of peace". BXVI-VISIT/TOWN HALL/ROME VIS 090309 (800)
SOLIDARITY AND COMMITMENT TO OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES
VATICAN CITY, 9 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Having met with civic leaders of the city of Rome, the Pope appeared at the loggia of Palazzo Senatorio to greet people gathered in the square below, including members of Roman volunteer organisations, immigrants and guests of local authority help-centres.
"Having lived in Rome for so many years", said the Holy Father, "I feel I have become a little Roman myself; yet it is as your bishop that I feel most Roman".
Referring then to the city's beauty, Benedict XVI expressed the view that "Rome is beautiful for its ancient remains, for its cultural institutions, for the monuments that tell its history, for the churches and their many artistic masterpieces. But Rome is beautiful above all for the generosity and sanctity of so many of its sons and daughters, who have left eloquent signs of their passion for the beauty of God, the beauty of love that never fades or grows old".
The Pope went on: "The Apostles Peter and Paul, and the ranks of martyrs of early Christendom, were witnesses to this beauty, as were the many men and women - Roman by birth or adoption - who over the centuries gave their lives in the service of young people, of the sick, the poor and all those in need". In this context he mentioned, among others, Deacon Lawrence, Santa Francesca Romana whose feast day falls today, and St. Philip Neri. "Their example", he said, "shows that when people encounter Christ, they do not close in on themselves but open up to the needs of others and, in all areas of society, place the common good before their own interests.
"We also have need of such men and women in our own time", he added, "because no small number of families, no small number of young people and adults, are living in precarious, even dramatic, situations; situations that can only be overcome by working together, as is clear of from the history of Rome, which has seen much more difficult moments than these. ... Apart from the necessary solidarity, and from due commitment on everyone's part, we can always rely upon the certain help of God, Who never abandons His children".
Having completed his address, the Holy Father bid farewell to the mayor then travelled by car to the nearby Via di Teatro Marcello, location of the convent of the Oblate Sisters of Santa Francesca Romana. BXVI-VISIT/GREETINGS/ROME VIS 090309 (410)
WOMEN ENTIRELY DEDICATED TO GOD AND TO OTHERS
VATICAN CITY, 9 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Having left Rome Town Hall, the Pope travelled by car to the nearby convent of the Oblate Sisters of Santa Francesca Romana. There, having paused in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and venerated the saint's body, he pronounced a brief address.
"I am", he said, "particularly grateful to the Lord to be able to pay homage to this 'most Roman of saints'", who was canonised on 29 May 1608 and whose feast day falls today.
"Contemplation and action, prayer and the service of charity, the monastic ideal and social commitment: all these things have found here a 'workshop' that has brought abundant fruit, in close union with the Olivetan Brothers of Santa Maria Nova".
After highlighting how the convent is "located at the heart of the city", Benedict XVI told his audience: "Your community, along with all other communities of contemplative life, is called to be a kind of spiritual 'lung' of society, so that all the activities and all the activism of a city may not lack spiritual 'breath': the reference to God and His plan of salvation".
"Also in our own time, Rome has need of women" like Santa Francesca Romana, he said. Women "entirely dedicated to God and entirely dedicated to others; women capable of prayer and of generous and discreet service; women who know how to obey pastors but also to support and stimulate them with suggestions that arise from their intimacy with Christ and from direct experience in the field of charity, assistance to the sick, the marginalised and young people in difficulties. This is the gift of maternity which is an inseparable part of religious oblation, following the model of Mary Most Holy".
Having concluded his address, the Pope greeted the fifteen nuns of the community before leaving the convent and returning to the Vatican. BXVI-VISIT/SANTA FRANCESCA ROMANA/ROME VIS 090309 (320) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
06 March 2009
Vatican News Update 6 March 2009
| 03.06.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 44 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Lenten Sermons in the Presence of the Holy Father
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LENTEN SERMONS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY FATHER
VATICAN CITY, 6 MAR 2009 (VIS) - At 9.00 a.m. on Friday 13 March in the Redemptoris Mater Chapel of the Apostolic Palace in the presence of the Holy Father, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap., preacher to the Pontifical Household, will deliver the first Lenten sermon. The theme of this year's meditations is: "The law of the Spirit of Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8, 2).
A note issued by the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household explains that, in this year dedicated to St. Paul, the focus will be on the Apostle's view of the work of the Holy Spirit. "In particular, reflections will concentrate on the Holy Spirit as a new law operating through love, as an inner master guiding us through conscience, the Word of God and the Magisterium of the Church, as a force that creates and transforms the cosmos, as the soul of Christian eschatology that drives history to fulfilment".
The following sermons will be given on the Fridays of 20 and 27 March and 3 April. .../LENTEN SERMONS/CANTALAMESSA VIS 090306 (180) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
05 March 2009
Vatican News Update 5 March 2009
| 03.05.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 43 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Pope to Visit Rome Town Hall on 9 March
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POPE TO VISIT ROME TOWN HALL ON 9 MARCH
VATICAN CITY, 5 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Made public today was the programme of Benedict XVI's visit to the Town Hall of Rome, scheduled to take place on the morning of Monday 9 March.
The Pope will arrive at the Town Hall, located on Rome's Capitoline Hill, at 10.50 a.m. where he will be welcomed by Mayor Gianni Alemanno. He will then attend an extraordinary sitting of the municipal council at which he is due to deliver an address. At 12.20 p.m. the Pope will appear at the loggia on Palazzo Senatorio to greet citizens gathered in the square below.
Leaving the Town Hall, the Holy Father will travel to the nearby monastery of Santa Francesca Romana at Tor de' Specchi. Having paused in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and venerated the saint's body in the chapel of the choir, he will pronounce a brief address.
The Holy Father is due to return to the Vatican at 1.15 p.m. OP/POPE VISIT TOWN HALL/ROME VIS 090305 (180)
VATICAN CITY, 5 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Aitape, Papua New Guinea, presented by Bishop Austen Robin Crapp O.F.M., upon having reached the age limit. RE/.../CRAPP VIS 090305 (50) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 4 March 2009
| 03.04.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 42 |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
03 March 2009
Vatican News Update 3 March 2009
| 03.03.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 41 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Statistics for the Catholic Church in Cameroon, Angola
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STATISTICS FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CAMEROON, ANGOLA
VATICAN CITY, 3 MAR 2009 (VIS) - For the occasion of Benedict XVI's forthcoming apostolic trip to Cameroon and Angola, due to take place from 17 to 23 March, statistics have been published concerning the Catholic Church in those two African countries. The information, updated to 31 December 2007, comes from the Central Statistical Office of the Church.
The Republic of Cameroon, the capital city of which is Yaounde, has a population of 18,160,000 of whom 4,842,000 (26.7 percent) are Catholic. There are 24 ecclesiastical circumscriptions, 816 parishes and 3,630 pastoral centres of other kinds. Currently, there are 31 bishops, 1,847 priests, 2,478 religious, 28 lay members of secular institutes and 18,722 catechists. Minor seminarians number 2,249 and major seminarians 1,361.
A total of 410,964 students attend 1,530 centres of Catholic education, from kindergartens to universities. Other institutions belonging to the Church or run by priests or religious in Cameroon include 28 hospitals, 235 clinics, 11 homes for the elderly or disabled, 15 orphanages and nurseries, 40 family counselling centres and other pro-life centres, 23 centres for education and social rehabilitation, and 32 institutions of other kinds.
The Republic of Angola, the capital city of which is Luanda, has a population of 15,473,000 of whom 8,600,000 (55.6 percent) are Catholic. There are 18 ecclesiastical circumscriptions, 307 parishes and 2,976 pastoral centres of other kinds. Currently, there are 27 bishops, 794 priests, 2,276 religious, 5 lay members of secular institutes and 30,934 catechists. Minor seminarians number 1,031 and major seminarians 1,236.
A total of 226,798 students attend 481 centres of Catholic education, from kindergartens to universities. Other institutions belonging to the Church or run by priests or religious in Cameroon include 23 hospitals, 269 clinics, 16 homes for the elderly or disabled, 45 orphanages and nurseries, 37 family counselling centres and other pro-life centres, 28 centres for education and social rehabilitation, and 41 institutions of other kinds. OP/STATISTICS CAMEROON ANGOLA/... VIS 090303 (330)
VATICAN CITY, 3 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:
- Cardinal Stephanos II Ghattas, C.M., patriarch emeritus of Alexandria of the Copts, Egypt, on 20 January at the age of 89.
- Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, archbishop emeritus of Seoul, Korea, on 16 February at the age of 86.
- Cardinal Pio Laghi, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Catholic Education and patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, on 11 January at the age of 86.
- Cardinal Paul Joseph Pham Dinh Tung, archbishop emeritus of Hanoi, Vietnam, on 22 February at the age of 89.
- Bishop Cipriano Calderon Polo, vice-president emeritus of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, on 4 February at the age of 81.
- Archbishop Jean Jadot, former pro-president of the Secretariat for Non-Christians, on 21 January at the age of 99.
- Bishop Philippe Kourouma, emeritus of N'Zerekore, Guinea, on 11 February at the age of 76.
- Bishop Hugh Lindsay, emeritus of Hexham and Newcastle, England, on 19 January at the age of 81.
- Bishop Edward Joseph O'Donnell, emeritus of Lafayette, U.S.A., on 1 February at the age of 77.
- Bishop Jose de Almeida Batista Pereira, emeritus of Guaxupe, Brazil, on 31 January at the age of 91.
- Bishop Jean Remond, former auxiliary of the "Mission de France", on 21 February at the age of 86.
- Bishop Antonio dos Reis Rodrigues, former auxiliary of Lisbon, Portugal, on 3 February at the age of 90.
- Bishop Michael Russell, emeritus of Waterford and Lismore, Ireland, on 12 January at the age of 88.
- Bishop Zef Simoni, former auxiliary of Shkodre, Albania, on 21 February at the age of 80.
- Bishop Louis Simonneaux, emeritus of Versailles, France, on 22 January at the age of 93.
- Bishop Thomas Ambrose Tschoepe, emeritus of Dallas, U.S.A., on 24 January at the age of 93.
- Bishop Andrew Tsien Chih-ch'un, emeritus of Hwalien, Taiwan, on 17 February at the age of 82.
- Bishop Serafin Vasquez Elizalde, emeritus of Ciudad Guzman, Mexico, on 10 February at the age of 86.
- Bishop Thomas Jerome Welsh, emeritus of Allentown, U.S.A., on 19 February at the age of 87. .../DEATHS/... VIS 090303 (380) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 3 March 2009
| 03.02.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 40 |
|
SUMMARY: 28 FEBRUARY - 2 MARCH
- Presentation of Pontifical Yearbook 2009 - Angels: Large Part of the Gospel and Sign of God's Presence - Pope Remains Close to Workers and Their Families - Message from Pope for Return of Church of St. Nicholas
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PRESENTATION OF PONTIFICAL YEARBOOK 2009
VATICAN CITY, 28 FEB 2009 (VIS) - This morning, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. and Archbishop Fernando Filoni, substitute for General Affairs, presented the Holy Father with the 2009 edition of the "Annuario Pontificio" or pontifical yearbook. Also present were the officials responsible for compiling and printing the volume.
A communique regarding the presentation highlights some of the salient facts contained in the new yearbook. In 2008, the Pope erected one metropolitan see and eleven new episcopal sees. Furthermore, four metropolitan sees, two episcopal sees and one apostolic vicariate were elevated. A total of 169 new bishops were appointed.
The number of Catholics in the world increased from around 1,131 million in 2006 to slightly under 1,147 million in 2007. The number of bishops also grew from 4,898 in 2006 to 4,946 in 2007.
The note also indicates that the number of priests has increased over the last eight years, from 405,178 in 2000 to 408,024 in 2007, although their distribution differs from continent to continent. Indeed, while numbers of priestly vocations are growing in Africa and Asia (by 27.6 percent and 21.2 percent respectively), in America they remain more or less stationary, and have fallen in Europe and Oceania (by 6.8 percent and 5.5 percent respectively).
The number of candidates to the priesthood has also grown slightly, from 115,480 in 2006 to 115,919 in 2007. Here too the different continents show a different evolution, with notable increases in Africa and Asia while Europe and America show a drop of 2.1 percent and 1 percent respectively. AP/ANNUARIO PONTIFICIO 2009/BERTONE VIS 090302 (270)
VATICAN CITY, 28 FEB 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- His Beatitude Kristof, metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.
- Makram Obeid, ambassador of Syria, on his farewell visit.
- Carlos Rafael Conrado Marion-Landais Castillo, ambassador of the Dominican Republic, on his farewell visit.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
- Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. AP/.../... VIS 090302 (80)
ANGELS: LARGE PART OF THE GOSPEL AND SIGN OF GOD'S PRESENCE
VATICAN CITY, 1 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Today, the first Sunday of Lent, Benedict XVI presided at the praying of the Angelus with faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.
Before the Marian prayer the Pope reflected upon the passage from the Gospel of St. Mark which describes how Satan tempted Jesus in the desert. "In the desert - a place of trial, as evinced by the experience of the People of Israel - the truth of the 'kenosis' becomes dramatically evident: that is, the 'emptying' of Christ Who divested Himself of divine form. He, Who did not sin and could not sin, subjected Himself to trial and so was able to share our weakness".
"Against this dark and shadowy figure who dared tempt the Lord, stand the angels, luminous and mysterious beings" who are "counterpoints to Satan. 'Angel' means 'messenger'. Throughout the Old Testament we find these figures who, in the name of God, help and guide mankind. ... At the beginning of the New Testament Gabriel is sent to announce ... the joyful events that begin our salvation. ... A choir of angels brings the shepherds the good news of the birth of the Saviour, and it is angels who announce to the women the joyous news of His resurrection".
"If we were to disregard these beings sent by God we would remove a considerable portion of the Gospel", said Pope Benedict. "They announce His presence among us and are a sign thereof. Let us, then, call upon them often that they may support us in the task of following Jesus and identifying ourselves with Him".
The Holy Father concluded his remarks by calling upon the angels to watch over him and his collaborators in the Roman Curia as they perform their annual Lenten spiritual exercises, which are due to begin this evening. ANG/ANGELS SPIRITUAL EXERCISES/... VIS 090302 (320)
POPE REMAINS CLOSE TO WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
VATICAN CITY, 1 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Following today's Angelus, the Pope addressed greetings in various languages to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square, among them a group of workers from the factory of the Italian car-maker Fiat located at Pomigliano d'Arco near Naples.
The Holy Father indicated that the workers had come "to express their concern for the future of the factory and of the thousands of people who, directly or indirectly, depend upon it for their work.
"My thoughts also go", he added, "to other equally difficult situations, such as those affecting the area of Sulcis-Iglesiente in Sardinia, Prato in Tuscany and other localities in Italy and elsewhere.
"I join bishops and the various local Churches in expressing my closeness to families affected by this problem, and I entrust them in my prayers to the protection of Mary Most Holy and St. Joseph, patron of workers".
The Pope concluded by encouraging "both political and civil authorities, as well as business people, to collaborate to face this delicate moment. There is, in fact, a need for solid and united commitment, while recalling that priority must be given to workers and their families". ANG/SOLIDARITY WORKERS CRISIS/... VIS 090302 (210)
MESSAGE FROM POPE FOR RETURN OF CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS
VATICAN CITY, 1 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Russian Orthodox church of St. Nicholas in the Italian city of Bari was returned to the custody of the Patriarchate of Moscow during a ceremony held in Bari today. During the celebration, Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, archbishop emeritus of Palermo, Italy, read out a Message from the Holy Father.
"The Russian people", says the Pope in his Message, "have never faltered in their love for this great saint who has always supported them through moments of joy and of difficulty. Evidence of this is also to be found in this Russian Orthodox church of St. Nicholas, built at the beginning of last century to house pilgrims who, often on their way to the Holy Land, stopped at Bari, a meeting point between East and West, to venerate the relics of the saint.
"And how can we not recognise", the Holy Father adds, "that this beautiful church reawakens within us a nostalgia for full unity, and upholds our commitment to work for full union among all Christ's disciples?"
In his Message, Benedict XVI also reiterates his best wishes to Kirill, recently-elected as Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and calls upon the Holy Spirit to illuminate his ministry.
During the ceremony - which was originally due to have taken place on 6 December 2008, Feast of St. Nicholas of Bari, but was postponed due to the death of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexis II - Giorgio Napolitano, president of the Italian Republic, consigned the keys of the Orthodox church of St. Nicholas to Dimitry Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation. MESS/CHURCH ST. NICHOLAS/BARI VIS 090302 (280)
VATICAN CITY, 2 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Bishop Roger Paul Morin, auxiliary of New Orleans, U.S.A., as bishop of Biloxi (area 24,992, population 822,000, Catholics 67,800, priests 79, permanent deacons 26, religious 63), U.S.A.
- Dispensed Msgr. Gerhard Wagner from accepting the office of auxiliary of the diocese of Linz, Austria.
On Saturday 28 February it was made public that he appointed Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio, secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, as president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples. He succeeds Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same office the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit. NER:NA:RE/.../... VIS 090302 (130) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
Vatican News Update 2 March 2009
| 02.27.2009 - Nineteenth Year - Num. 39 |
|
SUMMARY:
- Denouncing the Errors Behind the Economic Crisis - Fighting Poverty Increases Opportunities for Peace - Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for March - Promoting a Culture of Peace
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DENOUNCING THE ERRORS BEHIND THE ECONOMIC CRISIS
VATICAN CITY, 27 FEB 2009 (VIS) - During a meeting with pastors and clergy of the diocese of Rome which took place yesterday in the Hall of Blessings in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, Benedict XVI answered eight questions put to him concerning such matters as the world economic crisis, the formation of priests, evangelisation, the educational emergency and the value of the liturgy.
Benedict XVI explained that the Church has the duty to present a reasonable and well-argued criticism of the errors that have led to the current economic crisis. This duty, he said, forms part of the Church's mission and must be exercised firmly and courageously, avoiding moralism but explaining matters using concrete reasons that may be understood by everyone.
Referring to his forthcoming social Encyclical, the Pope then presented a synthetic overview of the crisis, analysing it at two levels. First he considered the macroeconomic aspects, highlighting the shortcomings of a system founded on selfishness and the idolatry of money, which cast a shadow over man's reason and will and lead him into the ways of error. Here the Church is called to make her voice heard - nationally and internationally - in order to help bring about a change of direction and show the path of true reason illuminated by faith, which is the path of self-sacrifice and concern for the needy.
The second aspect of the Holy Father's analysis concerned the sphere of microeconomics. Large-scale projects for reform, he said, cannot come about unless individuals alter their ways. If there are no just people, then there can be no justice. Hence he invited people to intensify their humble, everyday efforts for the conversion of hearts, an undertaking that above all involves parishes whose activity is not just limited to the local community but opens up to all humanity.
Turning his attention to the question of evangelising work among people who have moved away from the faith, the Pope underlined the importance of personal witness from individuals who live not for themselves but for others. Such witness must be associated with the Word, he remarked, because it is the Word that gives credibility to witness by revealing that the faith is not a philosophy or a utopia, but a truth that becomes life.
To this end, Pope Benedict continued, what we need are priests and catechists who have cultural training, but above all who are capable of speaking to modern man with the simplicity of truth, in order to show people that God is not, in fact, some distant being but a person Who talks and acts in the lives of all human beings.
On the subject of the liturgy, the Pope commented that it is like a school in which to learn the art of being human and to experience familiarity with Christ. The Eucharist in particular must be lived as a sign and seed of charity, he said.
Answering a question concerning the significance of the Bishop of Rome's mission, the Holy Father explained that it is a guarantee of the universality of the Church. The Church does not identify with any particular culture because it transcends nationalism and frontiers to welcome all peoples, respecting their own particular richness and characteristics.
Finally, responding to a question on the educational emergency, Benedict XVI indicated that what is lacking today is a shared view of the world, an ethical orientation that keeps man from falling prey to arbitrariness. Thus, while faith remains open to all cultures, it is also their criterion for discernment and guidance. AC/.../PRIESTS DIOCESE ROME VIS 090227 (600)
FIGHTING POVERTY INCREASES OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEACE
VATICAN CITY, 27 FEB 2009 (VIS) - In the Clementine Hall today, The Pope received members of the Belgian associations "Pro Petri Sede" and "Etrennes Pontificales," both of which offer annual financial aid for the needs of the Holy See.
"The Pauline Year", said the Holy Father addressing the group in French, "by meditating on the words of the Apostle of the Gentiles, enables us to become aware of the fact that the Church is a Body pulsating with a single life, the life of Jesus. Hence, each member of the ecclesial body is profoundly bonded to all the others and cannot ignore their needs. Nourished by the same Eucharistic bread, the baptised cannot remain indifferent when bread is lacking from the tables of other human beings".
"This year", he went on, "you have once again responded to the call to open your hearts to the needs of the disinherited, so that those members of Christ's Body suffering poverty may be helped and thus enabled to live better lives and be freer to bear witness to the Good News".
"Entrusting the fruit of your savings to Peter's Successor", said Benedict XVI, "you enable him to carry out real and active charity, the sign of his solicitude for all Churches, for all the baptised, for all human beings. I thank you from the bottom of my heart in the name of the people whom your generosity will help as they struggle against the evils that threaten their dignity. If we fight against all forms of poverty we give peace more chance to come and take root in our hearts". AC/.../PRO PETRI SEDE:ETRENNES PONTIFICALES VIS 090227 (280)
BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH
VATICAN CITY, 27 FEB 2009 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for March is: "That the role of women may be more appreciated and used to good advantage in every country in the world".
His mission intention is: "That, in the light of the Letter addressed to them by Pope Benedict XVI, the bishops, priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful of the Catholic Church in the Popular Republic of China may commit themselves to being the sign and instrument of unity, communion and peace". BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/MARCH/... VIS 090227 (100)
VATICAN CITY, 27 FEB 2009 (VIS) - Made public yesterday afternoon was the final declaration of the annual meeting of the Joint Committee for Dialogue of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue (Vatican) and the Permanent Committee of al-Azhar for Dialogue among the Monotheistic Religions (Cairo, Egypt). The meeting was held in Rome on 24 and 25 February.
The English-language declaration explains that the annual meeting of the Joint Committee for Dialogue - an institution established in 1998 - was jointly presided by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, and by Sheikh Ali Abd al-Baqi Shahata, secretary general of the Academy for Islamic Research of al-Azhar.
The theme of the meeting - "The Promotion of a Pedagogy and Culture of Peace with Particular Reference to the Role of Religions" - was presented from the Catholic point of view by Bernard Sabella, associate professor emeritus of sociology at Bethlehem University, and from the Islamic standpoint by Sheikh Ali Shahata.
A the end of the meeting the participants agreed on the following:
"1. Peace and security are much needed in our present world marked by many conflicts and a feeling of insecurity.
"2. ... No true and lasting peace can be achieved without justice and equality among persons and communities.
"3. Religious leaders, especially Muslims and Christians, have the duty to promote a culture of peace, each within his respective community, especially through teaching and preaching.
"4. A culture of peace should permeate all aspects of life: religious formation, education, interpersonal relations and the arts in their diverse forms. To this end, scholastic books should be revised in order not to contain material which may offend the religious sentiments of other believers, at times through the erroneous presentation of dogmas, morals or history of other religions.
"5. The media have a major role and responsibility in the promotion of positive and respectful relations among the faithful of various religions.
"6. Recognising the strong link between peace and human rights, special attention was given to the defence of the dignity of the human person and his or her rights, especially regarding freedom of conscience and of religion.
"7. Youth, the future of all religions and of humanity itself, need special care in order to be protected from fanaticism and violence, and to become peace builders for a better world.
"8. Mindful of the suffering endured by the peoples of the Middle East due to unresolved conflicts, the participants, in respect of the competence of political leaders, ask to make use, through dialogue, of the resources of international law to solve the problems at stake in truth and justice".
The next meeting of the joint committee is due to be held in Cairo on 23 and 24 February 2010. OP/DIALOGUE MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS/TAURAN VIS 090227 (470)
VATICAN CITY, 27 FEB 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Masud Barazani, president of the Autonomous Kurdish Region in Iraq.
- Four prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor, auxiliary of Awka.
- Bishop Joseph O. Egerega, apostolic vicar of Bomadi, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Hyancinth Oroko Egbebo M.S.S.P.
- Bishop Timothy Joseph Carroll S.M.A., apostolic vicar of Kontagora.
- Cardinal James Francis Stafford, penitentiary major of the Apostolic Penitentiary.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. AP:AL/.../... VIS 090227 (120)
VATICAN CITY, 27 FEB 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta O. Cist. of Belem do Para, Brazil, as metropolitan archbishop of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro (area 1,261, population 5,940,000, Catholics 3,606,000, priests 605, permanent deacons 63, religious 1,392), Brazil. He succeeds Cardinal Eusebio Oscar Scheid S.C.I., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit. NER:RE/.../TEMPESTA:SCHEID VIS 090227 (80) |
| You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net |
