SUMMARY:
-
POPE RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIA: CONTINUE PEACE PROCESS
NEGOTIATIONS
-
PRESENTATION OF PONTIFICAL YEARBOOK 2013
-
POPE CANONIZES MARTYRS OF OTRANTO, COLOMBIAN LAURA MONTOYA, AND
MEXICAN GUADALUPE GARCIA ZAVALA
-
REGINA COELI: BANISH VIOLENCE AND DEFEND LIFE'S SACREDNESS
-
AUDIENCES
-
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
POPE
RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIA: CONTINUE PEACE PROCESS NEGOTIATIONS
Vatican
City, 13 May 2013 (VIS) – This morning in the Vatican Apostolic
Palace, the Holy Father received in audience His excellency Mr. Juan
Manuel Santos Calderon, president of the Republic of Colombia.
President Santos then met with the Secretary of State, Cardinal
Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., accompanied by Archbishop Dominique
Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
In
the course of cordial conversations, the actuality of Mother Laura
Montoya Upegui, first Colombian saint and fruitful interpreter of the
country's Christian roots, who had been canonized the preceding day
in St. Peter's Square, was discussed. Also covered was the Church's
contribution in promoting a “culture of encounter” and her works
in service of the country's human and spiritual progress,
particularly for the most in need and the youth.
The
challenges that the country must face were taken into consideration,
especially in regard to social inequalities. Reference to the
undergoing process of peace and the victims of conflict was not
overlooked, with the wishes that the parties involved carry on
negotiations, inspired by a sincere search for the common good and
for reconciliation. Finally, the Church's commitment in favour of
life and of families was emphasized.
PRESENTATION
OF PONTIFICAL YEARBOOK 2013
Vatican
City, 13 May 2013 (VIS) – This morning, Cardinal Secretary of State
Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., and Archbishop Angelo Becciu, substitute for
General Affairs, presented the Holy Father with the 2013 edition of
the "Annuario Pontificio" (Pontifical Yearbook, the Holy
See's annual directory), in the presence of the officials responsible
for compiling and printing the volumes. The "Annuarium
Statisticum Ecclesiae" (the Church's Statistical Yearbook),
which the same discastery is also responsible for, was also
presented.
A
reading of the information given shows some changes relative to the
life of the Catholic Church in the world from 2012 to the election of
Pope Francis.
In
that period, it is noteworthy that there were erected: 11 new
episcopal Sees; two personal ordinariates; one apostolic vicariate;
and one apostolic prefecture. Also, one territorial prelature was
elevated to the rank of diocese and two apostolic exarchates were
elevated to the rank of eparchies.
The
statistical information, which refers to the year 2011, reveals
details about the Catholic Church in the 2,979 ecclesiastical
circumscriptions around the planet. The number of Catholics in the
world increased from 1.196 million in 2010 to 1.214 million in 2011,
an increase of eighteen million faithful, corresponding to a growth
of 1.5%. Over the last three years the presence of baptised Catholics
in the world has remained stable at around 17.5%.
The
number of Catholics with respect to the total population varies
considerably between the continents. Their numbers have increased in
Africa (by 4.3%), which has reported a 2.3% increase of its
population between 2010 and 2011. In Asia, an increase in Catholics
greater to an increase in the population was also recorded (of 2%
compared to 1.2%). In the Americas and in Europe the increase in
numbers of Catholics is equal to the population increase (.3%). In
2011, the total of baptised Catholics had a distribution of, by
continent: the Americas (48.8%); Europe (23.5%); Africa (16%); Asia
(10.9%); and Oceania (.8%).
From
2010 to 2011, the number of bishops increased from 5,104 to 5,132, a
relative increase of .55%. The increase mainly involved Oceania
(+4.6%) and Africa (+1%) while Asia and Europe are slightly below the
world average and no variation is seen in the Americas.
The
steady increase in the number of priests which began in the year 2000
has continued. On 31 December 2011, their numbers stood at 413,418
compared to last year's 412,236. Nevertheless, this was not
homogeneous growth. In Africa and Asia the increase was,
respectively, +39.5% and +32% (with an increase of more than 3,000 in
2011 alone). In the Americas the situation is stationary (122,000
priests) while, over the last decade, Europe has seen a decrease of
more than 9%.
The
number of permanent deacons registered a strong increase: from 29,000
in 2001 to 41,000 in 2011. Those present in North America and Europe
count for 97.4% of the total.
The
number of non-ordained male religious increased, slightly surpassing
55,000. Their numbers are increasing in Africa and Asia (+18.5% and
+44.9% respectively) and decreasing in the Americas (-3.6%), in
Europe (-18%), and in Oceania (-21.9%).
The
is a strong decrease in the number of female religious, which
currently registers 713,000 members in contrast to 792,000 in 2001.
There are fewer female religious in Europe (-22%), Oceania (-21%),
and the Americas (-17%). Nevertheless there is significant growth in
their numbers in Africa (+28%) and in Asia (18%).
Candidates
for the priesthood, diocesan and religious, have increased since 2001
(112,244) by 7.5%. In 2011 there were 120,616 registered. The
strongest increase in seminarians was in Africa (+30.9%), and Asia
(+29.4%), while Europe and the Americas registered a decrease in
their numbers of 21.7% and 1.9% respectively.
POPE
CANONIZES MARTYRS OF OTRANTO, COLOMBIAN LAURA MONTOYA, AND MEXICAN
GUADALUPE GARCIA ZAVALA
Vatican
City, 12 May 2013 (VIS) – “Let us look to the new saints in light
of the Word of God that has been proclaimed,” the Pope said during
his homily at the Mass in which three new saints were canonized. “It
is a Word that has invited us to faithfulness to Christ, even unto
martyrdom. It has recalled for us the urgency and beauty of bearing
Christ and his Gospel to all. It has spoken to us of the witness of
charity, without which even martyrdom and mission lose their
Christian savour.”
The
Martyrs of Otranto were more than 800 men from the southern Italian
city who had survived the siege and invasion of Otranto only to be
decapitated on the outskirts of the city when they refused to
renounce their faith and died witnessing to the Risen Christ. “Where
did they find the strength to remain faithful,” the Pope asked.
“Precisely from the faith, which makes us see beyond the limits of
our human sight, beyond this earthly life … God will never leave us
without strength and serenity. While we venerate the Martyrs of
Otranto, let us ask God to sustain the many Christians who, precisely
at this time, now, and in many parts of the world, are still
suffering violence, that He give them the valour to be faithful and
to respond to evil with good.”
The
second saint canonized, Mother Laura Montoya, “was an instrument of
evangelisation, first as a teacher and then as the spiritual mother
of the indigenous peoples in whom she instilled hope, embracing them
with the love she had learned from God, bringing them to him with a
pedagogical efficiency that respected their culture and didn't put
itself in opposition to it. … This first saint born in the
beautiful Colombian land teaches us to be generous with God, to not
live the faith in isolation—as if it were possible to live the
faith in an isolated way—but to communicate it, to bear the joy of
the Gospel with words and witness of life in every sphere in which we
find ourselves. … She teaches us to see Jesus' face reflected in
others, to overcome indifference and selfishness, which corrode
Christian communities and corrode our hearts, and she teaches us to
embrace everyone without prejudice, without discrimination, and
without reticence, but with sincere love, giving them the best of
ourselves and above all sharing with them what we have that is most
precious—not our deeds or our institutions. No! What we have that
is most precious is Christ and his Gospel.”
Saint
Guadalupe Garcia Zavala, “renouncing a life of ease—and how
damaging the easy life, well-being, can be; the “embourgeoisement”
of our hearts that paralyses us—...to follow Jesus' call, who
taught her to love poverty so that she could love the poor and the
sick more. … The poor, the abandoned, the ill, the marginalized are
the flesh of Christ. Mother Lupita touched Christ's flesh and taught
us this way of acting: of not being embarrassed, not being afraid,
not being disgusted to 'touch the flesh of Christ'! … This new
Mexican saint invites us to love as Jesus has loved us and this
entails not being locked up in oneself, in our own problems, our own
ideas, our own interests, in this little world that causes us so much
harm, but to go out and go in search of who needs attention,
understanding, and help, in order to bring them the warm nearness of
God's love through tactful gestures of sincere affection and love.”
At
the end of his homily, the Pope emphasized that the new saints teach
us “faithfulness to Jesus and his Gospel, to proclaim him in word
and with our lives, witnessing to God's love with our love and with
our charity towards all.”
REGINA
COELI: BANISH VIOLENCE AND DEFEND LIFE'S SACREDNESS
Vatican
City, 12 May 2013 (VIS) – At the end of the Mass for the
canonization of the new saints, the Pope greeted the official
delegations from Italy, Colombia, and Mexico, led respectively by
Italian Minister of Justice Anna Maria Cancellieri; the President of
the Republic of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos Calderon; and the
Adjunct General Director for Religious Affairs of the Presidency of
the Republic of Mexico, Roberto Herrera Mena.
“May
the Martyrs of Otranto,” he exclaimed, “help the dear Italian
people to look hopefully to the future, entrusting in the nearness of
God who never abandons us, even in difficult times.”
The
he asked for the intercession of Mother Laura Montoya that the Lord
may “grant new missionary and evangelizing impetus to the Church
and that, inspired by this new saint's example of harmony and
reconciliation, the beloved children of Colombia might continue
working for the progress of peace and justice in their country.”
“In
the hands of St. Guadalupe Garcia Zavala, we place all the poor, the
sick, and those who assist them, and we entrust to her intercession
the noble Mexican nation so that, all violence and insecurity
banished, it may advance ever more along the path of solidarity and
fraternal coexistence.”
The
Holy Father also noted that yesterday, Saturday 11 May, Fr. Luigi
Novarese, founder of the volunteer Centre of the Suffering and the
Silent Works of the Cross, was beatified in Rome. Fr. Novarese was
“an exemplary priest who renewed the pastoral outreach to the sick,
making them active subjects in the Church.”
Finally,
the Bishop of Rome greeted those participating in the “March for
Life” that took place today in Rome, inviting them all to “keep
everyone's attention alive to the very important topic of respect for
human life from the moment of its conception. In this regards I would
also like to note the signatures being gathered today in many Italian
parishes for the purpose of sustaining the European citizens'
initiative 'One of Us', to guarantee legal protection to embryos,
protecting every human being from the first instant of their
existence. A special moment for those who have the defence of the
sacredness of human life at heart will be the 'Evangelium Vitae Day',
which will take place here in the Vatican within the context of the
Year of Faith, this 15-16 June.”
AUDIENCES
Vatican
City, 13 May 2013 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received twelve
prelates from the Puglia region of the Italian Episcopal Conference
on their "ad limina" visit:
-
Archbishop Francesco Cacucci of Bari-Bitonto,
-
Archbishop Giovanni Battista Pichierri of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie,
-
Archbishop Donato Negro of Otranto,
-
Archbishop Francesco Pio Tamburrino, O.S.B., of Foggia-Bovino,
-
Archbishop Michele Castoro of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni
Rotondo,
-
Bishop Raffaele Calabro of Andria,
-
Bishop Mario Paciello of Altamura-Gravina-Acquaviva delle Fonti,
-
Bishop Lucio Angelo Renna, O. Carm., of San Severo,
-
Bishop Felice di Molfetta of Cerignola-Ascoli Satriano,
-
Bishop Luigi Martella of Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi,
-
Bishop Pietro Maria Fragnelli of Castellaneta, and
-
Bishop Domenico Cornacchia of Lucera-Troia.
On
Saturday, 11 May, the Holy Father received:
-
Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for
Bishops, and
-
Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio, president of the Pontifical Council
for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 13 May 2013 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father elevated Fr.
Victor Manuel Fernandez to the dignity of archbishop, assigning him
the Titular Archiepiscopal See of Tiburnia. The archbishop-elect was
born in Alcira Gigena, Cordoba, Argentina in 1962 and was ordained a
priest in 1986. Since ordination he has served in several pastoral,
academic, and administrative roles including, since 2011, as rector
of The Catholic University of Argentina.
On
Saturday, 11 May, the Holy Father accepted the resignation from the
the office of auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Szczecin-Kamien,
Poland, presented by Bishop Marian Blazej Kruszylowicz, O.F.M. Conv.,
upon having reached the age limit.
You
can find more information at: www.visnews.org
The
news items contained in the Vatican Information Service may be used,
in part or in their entirety, by quoting the source:
V.I.S.
-Vatican Information Service.
Copyright
© Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City
No comments:
Post a Comment