SUMMARY:
-
To the bishops of Ukraine: indicate the values that bind Ukrainian
society
-
Communique from the Managing Board and the College of Auditors of the
Vatican Pensions Fund
-
The Holy See at the United Nations: social development policies must
address the spiritual and ethical dimension of the human person
-
Audiences
______________________________________
To
the bishops of Ukraine: indicate the values that bind Ukrainian
society
Vatican
City, 20 February 2015 (VIS) - “I welcome you to this house, which
is also yours. And you are well aware of this, as the Successor of
Peter has always welcomed his brothers from Ukraine with fraternal
friendship”, begins the Pope's written discourse to the bishops of
the Ukrainian Episcopal Conference, at the end of their “ad Limina”
visit. The encounter takes place in the context of a serious and
prolonged conflict within the country, which “continues to claim
many innocent victims and to cause great suffering to the entire
population”.
The
Pope met with the bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, the
bishop of Mukachevo of Byzantine rite, and the bishops of the
Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops in separate audiences in the
Sala Clementina of the Apostolic Palace. The signed discourse was
handed to the representatives of each the three Ukrainian
ecclesiastical jurisdictions.
“In
this period”, continues Francis, “I am particularly close to you
in my prayers for the deceased and for all those who have been
afflicted by violence, with my plea that the Lord might grant peace
soon, and with my appeal to all interested parties to implement joint
agreements and to respect the principle of international law, and
especially to observe the recently signed armistice and all other
commitments that are conditions for avoiding a resumption of
hostilities”.
“I
know the historical events that have scarred your land and which are
still present in your collective memory. These are issues that in
part have a political basis, to which you are not required to respond
directly; but there are also socio-cultural realities and human
tragedies that await your direct and positive contribution. In such
circumstances, it is important to listen attentively to the voices
that come from the land, from the people entrusted to your pastoral
care. Listening to your people, you are able to solicit those values
that characterise them: encounter, collaboration, the capacity to
resolve disagreements. In short: the search for a possible peace. You
are able to nurture this ethical heritage with charity, the divine
love that stems from the heart of Christ”.
The
Holy Father acknowledges that, “at local level, there are specific
and practical agreements between you, heirs to two legitimate
spiritual traditions – Oriental and Latin – as well as the other
Christians among you. This, as well as a duty, is also an honour that
must be recognised”. He also reiterates that the bishops, at
national level, are full citizens of their country and therefore have
the right to express their thought, also jointly, regarding its
destiny, “not in the sense of promoting concrete political action,
but in the indication and reaffirmation of the values that constitute
the binding element of Ukrainian society, persevering in the tireless
search for harmony and the common good, even when faced with serious
and complex difficulties”. He emphasises, “The Holy See is by
your side, also in international forums, to ensure that your rights,
concerns and the right Gospel values that inspire you are understood,
and seeks also to help meet the pastoral needs of those
ecclesiastical structures that also find themselves having to face
new legal questions”.
The
crisis unfolding in Ukraine has undoubtedly had “serious
repercussions on family life. United with this is a misunderstood
sense of economic freedom that has enabled a small group of people to
become enormously rich at the expense of the great majority of
citizens. The presence of this phenomenon has also contaminated
public institutions, to varying degrees. It has generated an
inequitable poverty in a generous and rich land”. Therefore, the
Pope exhorts the bishops to tirelessly remind their fellow citizens
of “the considerations that faith and pastoral responsibility
suggest to you. The meaning of justice and truth is first moral
rather than political, and this is incumbent upon you as pastors. How
much freer you will be as ministers of Christ's Church, as, in spite
of your poverty, you become defenders of families, of the poor, of
the unemployed, of the weak, the sick, the elderly, invalids and
displaced persons”.
After
encouraging the Ukrainian bishops to renew their zeal for the
constant announcement of the Gospel and to pray attention to
vocations to the priesthood and to consecrated life, the Ponfiff then
goes on to consider the rapport between bishops, while aware of the
“complex historical factors that weigh upon your mutual relations,
as well as aspects of personal character”.
“The
fact that both episcopates are Catholic and Ukrainian remains
indisputable, in spite of differences of rites and traditions. I am
personally saddened to hear that there are incomprehensions and that
harm has been done. There is a need for a doctor, and this doctor is
Jesus Christ, whom you both serve with generosity and with all your
hearts. You are a single body and, as both St. John Paul II and
Benedict XVI have done in the past, I exhort you to find between you
a way to accept each other and to support each other generously in
your apostolic labours. The unity of the episcopate, aside from
giving a good example to the People of God, represents an inestimable
service to the nation at a cultural, social, and above all spiritual
level”. You are united in fundamental values and have the most
valuable treasure in common: faith and the People of God. Therefore,
I regard joint meetings of the bishops of all the “sui iuris”
Churches present in Ukraine to be of the highest importance”.
“Whether
Greek-Catholics or Latins, you are sons of the Catholic Church, which
has been subject to martyrdom in your land too”, remarks Francis.
“May the blood of your witnesses, who intercede from Heaven on your
behalf, be a further inspiration to a true communion of hearts. Unite
your strength and support each other, transforming historical events
into a reason for sharing and unity. Well-rooted in the Catholic
community, you can also apply yourselves with faith and patience to
ecumenism, so that all Christians may grow in unity and cooperation.
I am sure that your decisions, in accordance with the Successor of
Peter, will be able to take on board the expectations of all your
People. I invite you all to govern the Communities entrusted to you
ensuring as far as possible your presence and closeness to the
priests and faithful. I hope that you may maintain respectful and
fruitful relations with the public authorities”.
Finally,
the Holy Father exhorts them to pay great attention to the poor.
“They are your wealth”, he emphasises. “You are the pastors of
a flock entrusted to you by Christ; always be clearly aware of this,
even within your internal organs of self-governance, which must
always be understood as instruments of communion and prophecy. In
this sense, I hope that your intentions and your actions will always
be oriented towards the overall good of the Churches entrusted to
you. … I impart with affection a special apostolic blessing to you,
your communities and the dear population of Ukraine”.
Communique
from the Managing Board and the College of Auditors of the Vatican
Pensions Fund
Vatican
City, 20 February 2015 (VIS) – The following is the full text of
the communique issued today by the Managing Board and the College of
Auditors of the Vatican Pension Fund:
“Since
for some months, and amplified by press reports, alarming data has
been circulating regarding the situation of the Vatican Pensions Fund
and on the sustainability of honouring the commitments undertaken
towards present and future subscribers, the Managing Board of the
Fund and the College of Auditors consider it opportune to officially
communicate the actuarial situation, assets and income of the
aforementioned Fund, as it appears in the actuarial Technical
Financial Statements drawn up by the actuary and the Financial
Statements regularly approved by the Secretary of State.
With
regard to the actuarial aspect, there is a substantial balance
between available resources and commitments to current and future
employees, due also to interventions (approved by the Secretary of
State following proposals by the Managing Board) both in terms of
contributions (increase of rates throughout the years up to the
current rate of 26% on the total of taxable income) and in relation
to performance (increase of two years of working life, raising the
age of retirement to 67 for laypersons and 72 for clergy and persons
religious.
The
working Statements also show, throughout the years, the solidity of
the assets and financial structure of the Fund itself. The funding
ratio of the Pensions Fund is 0.95%. From a strictly income-based
perspective, the economic and financial situation of the institution
records a gradual increase of financial and real estate resources
both in terms of capital resources which, from 1993 to 2013 increased
on average from € 22,256,196 per year, and in terms of the upward
trend in net profit, which during the last 6 years has passed from €
23,583,882 to € 26,866,657, sums sufficient to cover the current
costs of pensions.
To
complete the picture, the Fund’s assets on 31 December 2014 were
recorded at € 477,668,000. Adding the budget surplus for 2015,
estimated to be around € 27,140,000, a net worth by 31 December
2015 of over 504 million euros may be hypothesised, confirming the
real solidity of the Fund, which has progressed from an initial
budget of 10 billion of the old Italian lire in 1993 to over 500
million euros in little more than twenty years”.
The
Holy See at the United Nations: social development policies must
address the spiritual and ethical dimension of the human person
Vatican
City, 20 February 2015 (VIS) – Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Holy See
Permanent Observer at the United Nations in New York addressed the
53rd Session of the Commission for Social Development on 10 February.
He highlighted the Holy See's concerns regarding economic growth
which has led to new challenges, but has not benefited everyone in
society equally. Significant inequalities remain and many of the most
vulnerable groups in society have been left behind. Without
addressing these inequalities, especially as we transition into the
post 2015 development agenda, we risk undermining the impact of
economic growth on poverty and on the well-being of society as a
whole.
“To
be sustainable and beneficial for all, social development must be
ethical, moral and person-centred”, he said. “We must be
attentive to those indicators that give a complete picture of the
well-being of every individual in society while promoting policies
that encourage a truly integral approach to the development of the
human person as a whole”.
He
continued, “It is not enough to have gainful employment. Work must
also be dignified and secure. Investments in education, access to
basic health-care services, and the creation of social safety nets
are primary, not secondary factors to improving a person’s quality
of life, and ensuring the equitable distribution of wealth and
resources in society. By placing the human person at the centre of
development and encouraging investments and policies that meet real
needs, the progress made towards eradicating poverty remains
permanent and society more resilient in the face of potential
crises”.
The
archbishop reiterated that the market economy does not exist to serve
itself, but rather to serve the common good of all of society, and
therefore particular attention must be given to the welfare of the
most vulnerable. He added that “the authentic integral development
of the person and the eradication of poverty are achievable only by
focusing on the tremendous value of the family to society”, and by
adopting a strategic approach towards the eradication of poverty,
“based on true social justice in order to help reduce the suffering
of millions of our brothers and sisters. … Social development
policies must address not only the economic and political needs, but
also the spiritual and ethical dimension of each human person”.
Audiences
Vatican
City, 20 February 2015 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in
audience:
-
Prelates of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic
Church, on their “ad Limina” visit:
-
His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, major archbishop of Kyiv-Halyc,
accompanied by his auxiliaries, Bishop Bohdan Dzyurakh and Bishop
Yosyf Milan;
-
Bishop Stepan Meniok, archiepiscopal exarch of Donetsk;
-
Bishop Mykhaylo Bubniy, archiepiscopal exarch of Odessa;
-
Bishop Josaphat Oleh Hovera, archiepiscopal exarch of Lutsk;
-
Archbishop Volodymyr Viytyshyn of Ivano-Frankivsk, accompanied by his
auxiliary, Bishop Yosafat Moshchych;
-
Bishop Vasyl Ivasiuk, of Kololyia-Chernivtsi;
-
Bishop Ihor Voznyak, archbishop of Lviv of the Ukrainians,
accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Venedykt Aleksiychuk;
-
Bishop Jaroslav Pryriz of Sambir-Drohobych, accompanied by his
auxiliary, Bishop Hryhoriy Komar;
-
Bishop Mykhaylo Koltun of Sokal-Zhovkva;
-
Bishop Taras Senkiv of Stryi. accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop
Bohdan Manyshyn;
-
Archbishop Vasyl Semeniuk of Ternopil-Zboriv;
-
Bishop Dmytro Hryhorak, Vescovo di Buchach;
-
Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, archiepiscopal exarch of Kharkiv;
-
Bishop Dionisio Lachovicz, apostolic visitator for the Ukrainian
faithful of Byzantine Rite resident in Italy and Spain;
***
-
Bishop Milan Sasik of Mukachevo of Byzantine Rite, accompanied by his
auxiliary, Bishop Nil Yuriy Lushchak:
***
Prelates
of the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops in Ukraine on their “ad
Limina” visit:
-
Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki, of Lviv of the Latins;
-
Bishop Leonid Dubrawski of Kamyanets-Podilskyi, accompanied by his
auxiliary, Bishop Radoslaw Zmitrowicz;
-
Bishop Stanislav Szyrokoradiuk of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia, accompanied by
Bishop emeritus Marian Buczek and his auxiliary, Bishop Jan Sobilo;
-
Archbishop-Bishop Petro Herkulan Malchuk of Kyiv-Zhytomir;
-
Bishop Vitaliy Skomarovskyi of Lutsk;
-
Bishop Antal Majnek of Mukachevo of the Latins;
-
Bishop Bronislaw Bernacki of Odessa-Simferopol, with his auxiliary
Bishop Jacek Pyl.
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