SUMMARY:
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GENERAL AUDIENCE: THE DIVISION OF CHRISTIANS MUST STOP
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NEW CALL FOR PEACE IN SYRIA
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FAITH IS AN INSTRUMENT OF UNITY
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POPE'S MESSAGE FOR THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN DAVOS
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THE HOLY SEE AT THE GENEVA II CONFERENCE ON SYRIA
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AUDIENCES
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GENERAL
AUDIENCE: THE DIVISION OF CHRISTIANS MUST STOP
Vatican
City, 22 January 2014 (VIS) – Pope Francis dedicated the catechesis
of this Wednesday's general audience to the Prayer Week for Christian
Unity, which ends next Saturday, the feast of the Conversion of St.
Paul. It is a spiritual initiative in which Christian communities
have participated for over one hundred years, and is a time dedicated
to prayer for the unity of all baptised persons, in accordance with
Christ's will “that they may all be one”. Every year an
ecumenical group from one region in the world, under the guidance of
the Ecumenical Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity, suggests the theme and prepares the
activities for the Prayer Week. This year the initiatives will be
prepared by the Churches and Ecclesiastical Communities of Canada,
who have proposed the question posed by St. Paul to the Christians of
Corinth: “Is Christ divided?”
“No,
Christ is not divided”, said the Holy Father. “But we must
recognise sincerely, although with suffering, that our communities
continue to experience divisions, which are a scandal. There is no
other word for it: the divisions between Christians are a scandal”.
Evoking the words of St. Paul, he added, “Each one of you is
saying, 'I am of Paul', and 'I of Apollos', and 'I of Cephas', and 'I
of Christ'. Even those who named Christ as their leader were not
applauded by Paul, because they used Christ's name to separate
themselves from others within the Christian community. But the name
of Christ creates communion and unity, not division! Baptism and the
Cross are central elements in our common Christian discipleship.
Divisions, on the other hand, weaken the credibility and
effectiveness of our commitment to evangelization”.
In
his Letter, the Apostle rebukes the Corinthians for their divisions,
but also gives thanks to the Lord because the community has been
enriched in Jesus Christ, “in all speech and all knowledge”.
“These words are not a simple formality, but rather the sign that
first and foremost he sees God's gifts to the community, for which he
is sincerely joyful. In spite of the suffering of divisions, which
unfortunately persist to this day, we welcome Paul's words as an
invitation to rejoice sincerely in the grace conceded by God to other
Christians. We have experienced the same baptism, the same Holy
Spirit has bestowed grace upon us, so let us rejoice!”.
“It
is good to recognise the grace with which God blesses us and,
moreover, to find in other Christians something which we need,
something we can receive as a gift from our brothers and sisters”,
continued the Bishop of Rome. The Canadian group which has prepared
this Prayer Week has not invited the communities to think about what
they might give to their Christian neighbours, but rather has
exhorted us to encounter one another to understand what all
communities can receive from time to time from the others. This
requires something more. It requires humility, reflection and
continual conversion. Let us follow this path, praying for Christian
unity and an end to this scandal”, he concluded.
NEW
CALL FOR PEACE IN SYRIA
Vatican
City, 22 January 2014 (VIS) – After his catechesis, the Pope
commented that an international Conference in support of peace in
Syria opens in Montreux, Switzerland today, to be followed by the
Geneva II Peace negotiations which will begin on 24 January.
“I
pray that the Lord may touch the hearts of all so that, seeking
together the greater good of the Syrian population, so sorely
troubled, they may spare no efforts in urgently bringing to an end
the violence in this conflict that has already caused too much
suffering. I hope that the dear Syrian nation may embark on a
decisive path towards reconciliation, concordance and restructuring
with the participation of all citizens, so that each person may
regard his peers not as enemies or competitors, but rather as
brothers to be welcomed and embraced”.
FAITH
IS AN INSTRUMENT OF UNITY
Vatican
City, 22 January 2014 (VIS) – In his greetings in various
languages, the Pope, addressing the Arab-speaking faithful –
especially those from Egypt – said, “May faith be not a reason
for division but rather an instrument of unity and communion with God
and with our brothers. May the invocation of the name of the Lord be
not a reason for closure but rather a a way to open the heart to the
love that unites and enriches”.
He
also greeted, in Italian, the participants in the Meeting of Regional
Co-ordinators of the Apostolate of the Sea, exhorting them to “be
the voice of those workers who live far from their loved ones and
face dangerous situations and troubles”.
POPE'S
MESSAGE FOR THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN DAVOS
Vatican
City, 22 January 2014 (VIS) – The participants in the 44th World
Economic Forum, to be held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, have
received a message from Pope Francis, in which he invites the Heads
of State, economists and businesspeople attending the meeting to
approach economics from an inclusive perspective, taking into account
the dignity of every human person and the common good. The Pope also
manifested his hope that this encounter may represent an opportunity
for in-depth reflection on the causes of the economic crisis that has
gripped the world during recent years.
The
2014 edition of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum will
be attended by 40 heads of State and Government and more than 2,500
other participants from around 100 countries, 1,500 of whom are
business leaders from the thousand companies that make up the Forum,
as well as representatives of international organisations, civil
society, the media, education and arts.
Published
below is the Pope's message to Klaus Schwab, executive president of
the World Economic Forum, which was read by Cardinal Peter Kodwo
Appiah Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council “Justice and
Peace”.
“I
am very grateful for your kind invitation to address the annual
meeting of the World Economic Forum, which, as is customary, will be
held at Davos-Klosters at the end of this month. Trusting that the
meeting will provide an occasion for deeper reflection on the causes
of the economic crisis affecting the world these past few years, I
would like to offer some considerations in the hope that they might
enrich the discussions of the Forum and make a useful contribution to
its important work.
“Ours
is a time of notable changes and significant progress in different
areas which have important consequences for the life of humanity. In
fact, 'we must praise the steps being taken to improve people’s
welfare in areas such as health care, education and communications'
(Evangelii Gaudium, 52), in addition to many other areas of human
activity, and we must recognize the fundamental role that modern
business activity has had in bringing about these changes, by
stimulating and developing the immense resources of human
intelligence. Nonetheless, the successes which have been achieved,
even if they have reduced poverty for a great number of people, often
have led to a widespread social exclusion. Indeed, the majority of
the men and women of our time still continue to experience daily
insecurity, often with dramatic consequences.
“In
the context of your meeting, I wish to emphasize the importance that
the various political and economic sectors have in promoting an
inclusive approach which takes into consideration the dignity of
every human person and the common good. I am referring to a concern
that ought to shape every political and economic decision, but which
at times seems to be little more than an afterthought. Those working
in these sectors have a precise responsibility towards others,
particularly those who are most frail, weak and vulnerable. It is
intolerable that thousands of people continue to die every day from
hunger, even though substantial quantities of food are available, and
often simply wasted. Likewise, we cannot but be moved by the many
refugees seeking minimally dignified living conditions, who not only
fail to find hospitality, but often, tragically, perish in moving
from place to place. I know that these words are forceful, even
dramatic, but they seek both to affirm and to challenge the ability
of this assembly to make a difference. In fact, those who have
demonstrated their aptitude for being innovative and for improving
the lives of many people by their ingenuity and professional
expertise can further contribute by putting their skills at the
service of those who are still living in dire poverty.
“What
is needed, then, is a renewed, profound and broadened sense of
responsibility on the part of all. 'Business is - in fact - a
vocation, and a noble vocation, provided that those engaged in it see
themselves challenged by a greater meaning in life' (Evangelii
Gaudium, 203). Such men and women are able to serve more effectively
the common good and to make the goods of this world more accessible
to all. Nevertheless, the growth of equality demands something more
than economic growth, even though it presupposes it. It demands first
of all 'a transcendent vision of the person' (Benedict XVI, Caritas
in Veritate, 11), because 'without the perspective of eternal life,
human progress in this world is denied breathing-space' (ibid.). It
also calls for decisions, mechanisms and processes directed to a
better distribution of wealth, the creation of sources of employment
and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a simple
welfare mentality.
“I
am convinced that from such an openness to the transcendent a new
political and business mentality can take shape, one capable of
guiding all economic and financial activity within the horizon of an
ethical approach which is truly humane. The international business
community can count on many men and women of great personal honesty
and integrity, whose work is inspired and guided by high ideals of
fairness, generosity and concern for the authentic development of the
human family. I urge you to draw upon these great human and moral
resources and to take up this challenge with determination and
far-sightedness. Without ignoring, naturally, the specific scientific
and professional requirements of every context, I ask you to ensure
that humanity is served by wealth and not ruled by it.
“Dear
Mr Chairman and friends: I hope that you may see in these brief words
a sign of my pastoral concern and a constructive contribution to help
your activities to be ever more noble and fruitful. I renew my best
wishes for a successful meeting, as I invoke divine blessings on you
and the participants of the Forum, as well as on your families and
all your work”.
THE
HOLY SEE AT THE GENEVA II CONFERENCE ON SYRIA
Vatican
City, 22 January 2014 (VIS) – The director of the Holy See Press
Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, today communicated that the Holy See
has been invited to participate in the Geneva II International
Conference on Syria, which will take place in Montreux, Switzerland,
from 22 to 23 January. The delegation is made up of Archbishop
Silvano Tomasi, representative of the Holy See before the United
Nations Office and Specialised Institutions in Geneva and Msgr.
Alberto Ortega Martin from the secretariat of State.
AUDIENCES
Vatican
City, 22 January 2014 (VIS) – Yesterday afternoon the Holy Father
received in audience Bishop Nunzio Galantino of Cassano all'Jonio,
secretary general “ad interim” of the Italian Episcopal
Conference.
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