SUMMARY:
-
CHRISM MASS: POPE FRANCIS WARNS PRIESTS THAT INSATISFACTION COMES
FROM NOT GOING OUT OF ONESELF
-
PROMULGATION OF DECREES BY CONGREGATION FOR CAUSES OF SAINTS
-
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
CHRISM
MASS: POPE FRANCIS WARNS PRIESTS THAT INSATISFACTION COMES FROM NOT
GOING OUT OF ONESELF
Vatican
City, 28 March 2013 (VIS) – This morning, Pope Francis warned
Catholic priests around the world that “the reason why some priests
grow dissatisfied, lose heart and become in some sense collectors of
antiques or novelties” comes from seldom going out of oneself,
which leads to “missing out on the best of our people”. Instead,
he strongly urged priests to be “shepherds who have the smell of
their sheep'.”
The
solemn Holy Thursday Chrism Mass celebrated in the Vatican Basilica
opens the Paschal Triduum of Holy Week. During the course of the
Mass, celebrated in all the churches and cathedrals throughout the
world, priests renew the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience
that they made at their ordination. Also, the oil used to anoint
catechumens and the oil used to anoint the sick as well as the chrism
oil—olive oil scented with balsam—used to anoint those being
baptised, confirmed, or receiving Holy Orders is blessed.
The
Chrism Mass presided over by the Holy Father was concelebrated by the
over 2,000 cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests present and
was attended by over 10,000 faithful. Francis pointed out to them
that the “clear proof” to recognizing a good priest is “by the
way his people are anointed”. He added that “it is not in
soul-searching or constant introspection that we encounter the Lord:
self-help courses can be useful in life, but to live our priestly
life by going from one course to another, from one method to another,
leads us to become pelagians and to minimize the power of grace,
which comes alive and flourishes to the extent that we, in faith, go
out and give ourselves and the Gospel to others”.
He
developed this theme throughout his homily, which he began by
recalling that this Mass was a reminder to all priests—including
himself—of the day of their ordination. In this context the Pope
explained what it means to be anointed ones, to “be for” others,
and he focused on the meaning of the liturgical vestments. “When we
put on our simple chasuble, it might well make us feel, upon our
shoulders and in our hearts, the burdens and the faces of our
faithful people, our saints and martyrs, of which we have so many in
our times.”
At
the same time, he noted how “the beauty of all these liturgical
things ... is not so much about trappings and fine fabrics” as it
is destined to the action expected of priests. “The ointment, dear
brothers, is not intended just to make us fragrant, much less to be
kept in a jar, for then it would become rancid … and the heart
bitter.”
The
Holy Father also gave concrete details to inspire priests in their
pastoral mission, commenting that: “our people like to hear the
Gospel preached with 'unction', they like it when the Gospel we
preach touches their daily lives, when it runs down like the oil of
Aaron to the edges of reality, when it brings light to moments of
extreme darkness, to the 'outskirts' where people of faith are most
exposed to the onslaught of those who want to tear down their faith.
People thank us because they feel that we have prayed over the
realities of their everyday lives, their troubles, their joys, their
burdens and their hopes. And when they feel that the fragrance of the
Anointed One, of Christ, has come to them through us, they feel
encouraged to entrust to us everything they want to bring before the
Lord: '“Pray for me, Father, because I have this problem', 'Bless
me, Father', 'Pray for me'.”
“What
I want to emphasize,” the Pope said, “is that we need constantly
to stir up God’s grace and perceive in every request, even those
requests that are inconvenient and at times purely material or
downright banal—but only apparently so—the desire of our people
to be anointed with fragrant oil, since they know that we have it. To
perceive and to sense, even as the Lord sensed the hope-filled
anguish of the woman suffering from haemorrhages when she touched the
hem of his garment.”
Before
finishing his homily, the Holy Father also addressed the lay
faithful, urging them to “be close to your priests with affection
and with your prayers, that they may always be shepherds according to
God’s heart.”
PROMULGATION
OF DECREES BY CONGREGATION FOR CAUSES OF SAINTS
Vatican
City, 28 March 2013 (VIS) – Yesterday, Wednesday 27 March 2013, the
Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B.,
prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. During the
course of the audience the pontiff authorised the dicastery to
promulgate the decrees concerning the following causes::
MIRACLE
-
attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Maria
Theresia Bonzel (nee Regina Christine Wilhelmine Bonzel), foundress
of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in Olpe,
Germany. Born in Olpe on 17 September 1830 and died there on 6
February 1905.
MARTYRDOM
-
Servant of God Manuel Basulto y Jimenez, bishop of Jaen, Spain, and
five Companions; killed in hatred of the faith in Spain between 1936
and 1937.
-
Servant of God Jose Maximo Moro Briz and four Companions, priests of
the Diocese of Avila, Spain; killed in hatred of the faith in Spain
in 1936.
-
Servant of God Vladimir Ghika, priest of the archdiocese of
Bucharest, Romania. Born in Istanbul, Turkey on 25 December 1873 and
killed in hatred of the faith in Bucharest on 16 May 1954.
-
Servant of God Joaquin Jovani Marin and 14 Companions from the
Diocesan Labourer Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; killed in
hatred of the faith in Spain between 1936 and 1938.
-
Servant of God Andres from Palazuelo (ne Miguel Francisco
Gonzalez-Diez Gonzalez-Nunez), professed priest of the Order of
Capuchin Friars Minor, and 31 Companions; killed in hatred of the
faith in Spain between 1936 and 1937.
-
Servant of God Giuseppe Girotti, professed priest of the Order of
Preachers. Born in Alba, Italy, on 19 July 1905 and killed in hatred
of the faith in Dachau, Germany, in 1945.
-
Servant of God Stefano Sandor, professed religious of the Salesians
of Don Bosco. Born in Szolnok, Hungary, on 26 October 1914 and killed
in hatred of the faith in Budapest, Hungary, on 8 June 1953.
-
Servant of God Rolando Rivi, seminarian of the diocese of Reggio
Emilia-Guastalla. Born in Castellarano, Italy, on 7 January 1931 and
killed in hatred of the faith in Piane di Monchio, Italy, on 13 April
1945.
HEROIC
VIRTUES
-
Servant of God Eladio Mozas Santamera, diocesan priest and founder of
the Josephine Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity. Born in Miedes de
Atienza, Spain, on 18 February 1837 and died in Plasencia, Spain, on
18 March 1897.
-
Servant of God Manuel Aparici Navarro, diocesan priest. Born in
Madrid, Spain, on 11 December 1902 and died there on 28 August 1964.
-
Servant of God Moises Lira Serafin, professed priest of the
Missionaries of the Holy Spirit and founder of the Missionaries of
Charity of Mary Immaculate. Born in Zacatlan, Mexico, on 16 September
1893 and died in Mexico City, Mexico on 25 June 1950.
-
Servant of God Generoso of the Crucified (ne Angelo Fontanarosa),
professed priest of the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ.
Born in Vetralla, Italy, on 6 November 1881 and died in Mascalucia,
Italy, on 9 January 1966.
-
Servant of God Olinto Marella, diocesan priest. Born in Pallestrina,
Italy, on 14 June 1882 and died in San Lazzaro di Savena, Italy, on 6
September 1969.
-
Servant of God Antoine Kowalczyk, lay brother of the Missionary
Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Born in Dzierzanow, Poland, on 04 June
1866 and died in Edmonton, Canada on 10 July 1947.
-
Servant of God Silvia Cardoso Ferreiro da Silva, laywoman. Born in
Pacos de Ferreira, Portugal, on 26 July 1882 and died there on 2
November 1950.
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 28 March 2013 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father appointed Bishop
Mario Aurelio Poli as metropolitan archbishop of Buenos Aires (area
203, population 2,891,082, Catholics 2,647,000, priests 834,
permanent deacons 7, religious 2,379), Argentina. The
archbishop-elect was born in Buenos Aires in 1947, was ordained a
priest in 1978, and received episcopal ordination in 2002. Since
ordination he has served in several pastoral and academic roles, most
recently as bishop of Santa Rosa, Argentina. On the Argentine
Episcopal Conference he was a member of the Episcopal Commissions for
Catholic Education and for Ministers and is currently president of
the Episcopal Commission for Catechesis and Biblical Ministry.
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