SUMMARY:
-
ANGELUS: THE CHRISTIAN VOCATION IS TO BE A LAMP SHINING WITH THE
LIGHT OF CHRIST
-
POPE FRANCIS: THE DIGNITY OF THE PERSON REMAINS INTACT EVEN IN THE
WEAK AND NEEDY
-
POPE FRANCIS ASKS FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION IN SRI LANKA
-
DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS
-
CARDINAL CANIZARES LLOVERA, POPE'S SPECIAL ENVOY
-
AUDIENCES
-
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
-
NOTICE
______________________________________
ANGELUS:
THE CHRISTIAN VOCATION IS TO BE A LAMP SHINING WITH THE LIGHT OF
CHRIST
Vatican
City, 9 February 2014 (VIS) – At midday today Pope Francis appeared
at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with the faithful
gathered in St. Peter's Square and, before the Marian prayer, he
commented on this Sunday's Gospel reading in which Jesus says to his
disciples, “You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of
the world”.
“It
is rather surprising, if we consider to whom Jesus addressed these
words. Who were those disciples? They were fishermen, simple people.
But Jesus saw them through God's eyes, and his statement may be
understood precisely as a consequence of the Beatitudes. He meant to
say, if you are poor in spirit, if you are meek, if you are pure of
heart, if you are merciful .. you will be the salt of the earth and
the light of the world!”
And
to better understand the meaning of Christ's phrase, the Holy Father
explained that Jewish law prescribed the addition of a little salt to
every offering presented to God, as a sign of alliance, and light was
for Israel the symbol of the messianic revelation, triumphant over
the darkness of paganism. “Christians, the new Israel, therefore
received a mission in relation to all mankind: with faith and charity
they were able to guide, consecrate and make fruitful all humanity.
We all, as baptised persons, are missionary disciples, and are called
to become a living gospel in the world: by a holy life we bring
'flavour' to many contexts, and defend them against corruption, like
salt; and we will bring the light of Christ with our witness of true
charity”.
But
if we Christians “lose our flavour, and renounce our presence as
salt and light, we lose our effectiveness. But our mission to bring
light to the world is beautiful! … And it is also beautiful to
preserve the light we have received from Jesus. … The Christian
must be a luminous person, who brings light, who always gives light!
… A light that is not his or hers, but rather a gift from God, and
a gift from Jesus. And we bring this light. If the Christian allows
this light to be extinguished, his life no longer has meaning; he is
a Christian by name only”.
The
Pope concluded by asking the faithful in the square if they wanted to
live as shining lamps or as lights that had gone out; when they
responded, “Shining lamps!”, he added, “It is God himself who
gives us this light, and we offer it to others. Shining lamps! This
is the Christian vocation”.
POPE
FRANCIS: THE DIGNITY OF THE PERSON REMAINS INTACT EVEN IN THE WEAK
AND NEEDY
Vatican
City, 9 February 2014 (VIS) – Following today's Angelus prayer, the
Pope recalled that next Tuesday, 11 February, the feast of the Virgin
of Lourdes, will also be World Day of the Sick, “a propitious
occasion for placing the sick at the centre of the community”, and
he asked all those present to pray for them and with them, and to be
close to those suffering ill-health. “In particular, let us imitate
Jesus' attitude towards the sick, those who suffered from every type
of malady: the Lord cares for all, shares in their suffering and
opens hearts to hope”.
He
also gave thanks to all healthcare professionals for their valuable
work. “Every day they encounter in the sick not merely bodies
marked by fragility, but also people, to whom appropriate attention
and responses must be given. The dignity of the person is never
reduced to his or her faculties or capacities, and is no less when
that person is weak, disabled or in need of help. I also think of
families, where it is normal to care for those who are sick; but at
times the situation can become more difficult. ... Many people write
to me, and today I would like to assure a prayer to all these
families, and I say to them: do not be afraid of fragility! Help each
other with love, and you will all be aware of God's consoling
presence”.
The
Bishop of Rome mentioned that in these days the Winter Olympics will
begin in Sochi, Russia, and greeted all the organisers and athletes,
expressing his hope that it will be “a true celebration of sport
and friendship”.
Finally,
Pope Francis offered some words to those affected by natural
disasters in various countries, including those here in Rome. He
assured them of his closeness and commented, “nature challenges us
to be united and attentive in caring for his Creation, also to
prevent, as far as possible, the most serious consequences”.
POPE
FRANCIS ASKS FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION IN SRI LANKA
Vatican
City, 8 February 2014 (VIS) – The Church in Sri Lanka was
consecrated to the Virgin seventy-five years ago, and to mark this
occasion, the faithful of the island have made a pilgrimage to Rome,
where they were greeted this morning by Pope Francis in St. Peter's
Basilica. The Holy Father commented that shortly before the outbreak
of the Second World War, the archbishop of Colombo, Jean-Marie
Masson, made a vow to build a shrine in honour of Our Lady if the
island were preserved from foreign invasion. So it came about that
after the end of the war the Shrine of Our Lady of Lanka at Tewatte
was constructed.
“Our
Lady is always close to us, she looks upon each one of us with
maternal love and accompanies us always on our journey”, said the
Pontiff. “Do not hesitate to turn to her for every need, especially
when the burden of life with all its problems makes itself felt”.
“Your
homeland is called the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, on account of its
natural beauty and its shape”, he continued. “They say that the
pearl is formed from the tears of the oyster. Unfortunately, many
tears have been shed in recent years, on account of the internal
conflict which caused so many victims and so much damage. It is not
easy, I know, to heal the wounds and cooperate with yesterday’s
enemy to build tomorrow together, but it is the only path that gives
hope for the future, for development and for peace. For this reason,
I assure you that you have a particular place in my prayer. I ask the
Lord to grant you the gift of peace and reconciliation, and to help
you in your effort to ensure a better future for all who live in Sri
Lanka”.
The
Pope concluded by entrusting the faithful to the maternal
intercession of Mary, Our Lady of Lanka, and asked them to pray for
him.
DECREES
OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS
Vatican
City, 7 February 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father today received in
audience Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation
for the Causes of Saints. During the audience he authorised the
promulgation of decrees concerning the following causes:
MARTYRDOM
-
Servant of God Francesco Zirano, Italian professed priest of the
Order of Friars Minor Conventual killed in hatred of the faith in
Algiers, Algeria, Czech Republic in 1603.
-
Servants of God Paolo Yun Ji-chung, layperson, and 123 companions
killed in hatred of the faith in Korea between 1791 and 1888.
HEROIC
VIRTUES
-
Servant of God Jesus Maria Echavarria y Aguirre, Mexican bishop of
Saltillo and founder of the Guadalupan Catechist Sisters (1858-1954).
-
Servant of God Faustino Ghilardi (ne Guglielmo Giacomo), Italian
professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor (1858-1937)
-
Servant of God Maria Rocio of Jesus Crucified (nee Maria Rafaela
Rodriguez Xuarez de la Guardia), Spanish professed nun of the
Congregation of Sisters of the Love of God (1923-1956).
CARDINAL
CANIZARES LLOVERA, POPE'S SPECIAL ENVOY
Vatican
City, 8 February 2014 (VIS) – In a letter made public today,
written in Latin and dated 16 January, the Holy Father nominated
Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, prefect of the Congregation for
Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, as his special
envoy to Panama for the concluding celebrations for the jubilee year
for the fifth centenary of the erection of the first diocese (Santa
Maria la Antigua) on the American Continent, scheduled to take place
from 14-15 February 2014.
AUDIENCES
Vatican
City, 10 February 2014 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in
audience:
-
Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, prefect of the Congregation for
Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
-
Cardinal Agostino Vallini, vicar general of His Holiness for the
diocese of Rome.
-
Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith.
-
Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Turin, Italy.
On
Saturday, 8 February, the Holy Father received in audience:
-
Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for
Bishops.
Nineteen
prelates of the Polish Episcopal Conference on their “ad limina”
visit:
-
Archbishop Andrzej Dziega of Szczecin-Kamien, with his auxiliary,
Bishop Marian Blazej Kruszylowicz, O.F.M. Conv.;
-
Bishop Edward Dajczak of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg, with his auxiliary,
Bishop Krzysztof Zadarko;
-
Bishop Stefan Regmunt of Zielona Gora-Gorzow, with his auxiliary,
Bishop Tadeusz Litynski, and former auxiliary, Bishop Pawel Socha,
C.M.;
-
Archbishop Slawoj Leszek Glodz of Gdansk, with Archbishop emeritus
Tadeusz Goclowski, C.M.M
-
Bishop Ryszard Kasyna of Pelplin, with his auxiliary, Bishop Wieslaw
Smigiel;
-
Bishop Andrzej Wojciech Suski of Turun, with his auxiliary, Bishop
Jozef Szamocki;
-
Archbishop Wojciech Ziemba of Warmia, with his auxiliary, Bishop
Jacek Jezierski;
-
Bishop Jan Styrna of Elblag, with his auxiliary, Bishop Jozef
Wysocki;
-
Bishop Jerzy Mazur, S.V.D. of Elk, with his auxiliary, Bishop Romuald
Kaminski.
-
Cardinal Julian Herranz.
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 10 February 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:
-
appointed Rev. Moses Hamungole as bishop of Monze (area 61,160,
population 1,682,000, Catholics 302,205, priests 81, religious 166),
Zambia. The bishop-elect was born in Kafue, Zambia in 1967 and was
ordained a priest in 1994. He holds a licentiate in social
communications from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and a
doctorate in social communications from the Catholic University of
Leuven, Belgium. He has served in the following pastoral and
administrative roles: vicar of the “New Kanyama” and
“Railway-Chowa” parishes, director of Radio Yatsani and the
communications office of the archdiocese of Lusaka, secretary for
communications for the AMECEA in Nairobi, Kenya, and president of
SIGNIS, Africa. He is currently director of English and Kishwahili
programmes for Vatican Radio. He succeeds Bishop Emilio Patriarca,
whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, upon
having reached the age limit, was accepted by the Holy Father.
-
appointed Msgr. Demetrio Jiminez Sanchez-Mariscal, O.S.A., as bishop
prelate of the territorial prelature of Cafayate (area 46,847,
population 64,572, Catholics 57,352, priests 13, permanent deacons 1,
religious 31), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in Los Carralbos,
Spain in 1963, took his perpetual vows in 1986 and was ordained a
priest in 1988. He holds a licentiate in philosophy from the
Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome, and a
Master's degree in Science of Religions from the Pontifical Comillas
University of Madrid, Spain. He has served in a number of pastoral
and academic roles, including professor and bursar of the monastery
of Santa Maria de la Vid, Burgos, Spain, vicar of the parish of San
Manuel y San Benito, Madrid, vicarial secretary of the Agostinian
region of San Jose, Argentina, regional vicar of the Agostinian Order
in Argentina and Uruguay, priest of San Agustin in Buenos Aires,
lecturer in the Tagaste Agostinian centre for theological studies and
in the Instituto Teologico Escurialense, affiliated to the Pontifical
University of Salamanca, visiting professor in theology of religions
and interreligious dialogue in the Centro di Misionologia del Cono
Sur Juan Pablo II, co-ordinator general and ordinary professor of the
Escuela di Teologia y Ciencias Religiosas of the prelature of
Cafayate, adjunct professor of philosophy at the Catholic University
of Argentina, and associate professor in the faculty of philosophy at
the St. Thomas Aquinas University in Buenos Aires. He currently works
in the “Nuesta Senora de la Candelaria” parish and legal
representative of the San Agustin college in Catamarca, Cafayate. He
succeeds Bishop Mariano Anastasio Moreno Garcia, O.S.A., whose
resignation from the pastoral care of the same territorial prelature,
upon having reached the age limit, was accepted by the Holy Father.
On
Saturday, 8 February, the Holy Father:
-
appointed Msgr. Fabio Fabene, office head of the Congregation for
Bishops, as under-secretary of the Synod of Bishops.
-
appointed Rev. John Keenan as bishop of Paisley (area 580, population
372,800, Catholics 88,600, priests 58, permanent deacons 6, religious
37), Scotland. The bishop-elect was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1964
and was ordained a priest in 1995. He holds a “Bachelor of Laws”
degree from the University of Glasgow, a licentiate in philosophy and
a baccalaureate in theology from the Gregorian Pontifical University.
He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including vicar of the
parish of “Christ the King” in King's Park, and chaplain of the
Holyrood Secondary School in Glasgow. He is currently chaplain of the
University of Glasgow, priest of the parish of “St. Patrick's” in
Anderston, and director of vocations for the archdiocese of Glasgow.
NOTICE
Vatican
City, 10 February 2014 (VIS) – No VIS bulletin will be transmitted
tomorrow, the eighty-fifth anniversary of the institution of Vatican
City State by the signing of the Lateran Pacts. Service will resume
on Wednesday, 12 February.
You
can find more information at: www.visnews.org
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