SUMMARY:
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POPE FRANCIS' PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND BEGINS IN JORDAN
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
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POPE
FRANCIS' PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND BEGINS IN JORDAN
Vatican
City, 24 May 2014 (VIS) – Today the Pope began his pilgrimage to
the Holy Land, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the encounter
between Pope Paul VI and the Patriarch Athenagoras in Jerusalem. The
aeroplane carrying the Holy Father departed at 8.15 from Rome's
Fiumicino airport and landed at 1 p.m. local time, midday in Rome, in
the “Queen Alia” airport of Amman, Jordan.
The
Pope was welcomed upon arrival by the representative of King Abdullah
II, Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, along with the Patriarch of Jerusalem
of the Latins, His Beatitude Fouad Twali and the Custodian of the
Holy Land, Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, O.F.M. A child offered him a
black orchid, the flower that symbolises the Hashemite Kingdom of
Jordan. Following a brief conversation with the representative of the
monarch in the Royal Pavilion, the Pope transferred by car to the
Al-Husseini Royal Palace of Amman, where King Abdullah II and Queen
Rania awaited him.
During
Paul VI's visit to the Holy Land in 1964, King Hussein, father of the
current monarch, accompanied the Pope to the doors of Jerusalem.
Abdullah II welcomed St. John Paul to the Holy Land in 2000, and Pope
Benedict XVI in 2009; in return, he has been received twice by Pope
Francis, first in 2013 and again in April this year.
Following
a short private meeting with the king and his family, Francis entered
the palace hall where he was awaited by around three hundred people,
including the kingdom's highest authorities, representatives of the
diplomatic corps and the main leaders of other religions, and he gave
his first address in the Holy Land. He remarked first that Jordan is
a land “rich in history and with great religious significance for
Judaism, Christianity and Islam”.
He
continued, “Jordan has offered a generous welcome to great numbers
of Palestinian and Iraqi refugees, as well as to other refugees from
troubled areas, particularly neighbouring Syria, ravaged by a
conflict which has lasted all too long. Such generosity merits the
appreciation and support of the international community. The Catholic
Church, to the extent of its abilities, has sought to provide
assistance to refugees and those in need, especially through Caritas
Jordan. While acknowledging with deep regret the continuing grave
tensions in the Middle East, I thank the authorities of the Kingdom
for all that they are doing and I encourage them to persevere in
their efforts to seek lasting peace for the entire region. This great
goal urgently requires that a peaceful solution be found to the
crisis in Syria, as well as a just solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The
Holy Father took the opportunity to reiterate his “profound respect
and esteem for the Muslim community and my appreciation for the
leadership of His Majesty the King in promoting a better
understanding of the virtues taught by Islam and a climate of serene
coexistence between the faithful of the different religions”,
adding, “You are known as a man of peace and a peacemaker. I am
grateful that Jordan has supported a number of important initiatives
aimed at advancing interreligious dialogue and understanding between
Jews, Christians and Muslims. I think in particular of the Amman
Message and the support given within the United Nations Organisation
to the annual celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week”.
He
addressed an affectionate greeting to the Christian communities
“present in Jordan since apostolic times, contributing to the
common good of the society of which they are fully a part. Although
Christians today are numerically a minority, theirs is a significant
and valued presence in the fields of education and health care,
thanks to their schools and hospitals. They are able to profess their
faith peaceably, in a climate of respect for religious freedom.
Religious freedom is in fact a fundamental human right and I cannot
fail to express my hope that it will be upheld throughout the Middle
East and the entire world. The right to religious freedom 'includes
on the individual and collective levels the freedom to follow one’s
conscience in religious matters and, at the same time, freedom of
worship… the freedom to choose the religion which one judges to be
true and to manifest one’s beliefs in public'. Christians consider
themselves, and indeed are, full citizens, and as such they seek,
together with their Muslim fellow citizens, to make their own
particular contribution to the society in which they live”.
He
concluded his discourse by invoking “peace and prosperity upon the
Kingdom of Jordan and its people. I pray that my visit will help to
advance and strengthen good and cordial relations between Christians
and Muslims”, and, citing the King's discourse, he prayed that God
might free all from fear of change. He thanked the King and Queen for
their courteous welcome and concluded, “May the Almighty and
Merciful God grant happiness and long life to Your Majesties, and may
he bless Jordan abundantly. Salaam!”
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 24 May 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed Msgr.
Franco Maria Giuseppe Agnesi, Fr. Paolo Martinelli, O.F.M. Cap., and
Msgr. Pierantonio Tremolada as auxiliaries of the archdiocese of
Milan (area 4,208, population 5,451,090, Catholics 4,970,975, priests
2,783, permanent deacons 131, religious 7,318), Italy.
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Msgr. Franco Maria Giuseppe Agnesi was born in Milan, Italy in 1950
and was ordained a priest in 1974. He has served in a number of
pastoral and administrative roles, including vice-rector of the
seminary of Saronno, diocesan assistant for the youth sector of
Catholic Action, general diocesan assistant for Catholic Action and
head of youth pastoral, head of the Federation of Milanese Oratories,
pro vicar general and moderator of the Curia for the archdiocese of
Milan, president of the Council of Economic Affairs, and president of
Caritas Ambrosiana, priest of the parish of San Giovanni Battista in
Cesano Boscone and dean of the deanery of Cesano Boscone, provost of
Busto Arsizio and dean of the deanery of Busto Arsizio. He is
currently episcopal vicar of Zone II (Varese) and member of the Milan
Episcopal Council. In 1995 he was named Prelate of Honour of His
Holiness.
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Fr. Paolo Martinelli, O.F.M. Cap., was born in Milan, Italy in 1958
and was ordained a priest in 1985. He holds a doctorate in theology
from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and has served in a
number of academic and administrative roles, including: extraordinary
professor and subsequently president of the Franciscan Institute of
Spirituality at the "Antonianum" Pontifical Athenaeum in
Rome” University, consultor of the Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith, and consultor for the General Secretariat of the Synod of
Bishops.
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Msgr.Pierantonio Tremolada was born in Lissone, Italy in 1956 and was
ordained a priest in 1981. He holds a degree in sacred scriptures
from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, and has served in the
following academic and pastoral roles: lecturer in theology and the
archiepiscopal seminary of Venegono Inferiore, rector responsible for
the formation of permanent deacons, and collaborator for the
continuing formation of the clergy (young clergy). He is currently
episcopal vicar for evangelisation and the sacraments. He was named
Prelate of Honour of His Holiness in 2012.
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