SUMMARY:
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What do the angels of children tell God about us?
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Francis praises the late Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte
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Holy Week
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Holy Thursday: the tasks of a priest demand compassion
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The Pope washes the feet of twelve detainees in Rebibbia prison
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Good Friday: In Christ abandoned, we see all those abandoned in the
world
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Easter Vigil Mass: learn from the women how to enter into the Paschal
mystery
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Easter Sunday: may the consoling and healing voice of the Lord reach
us all
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Regina Coeli: Christ is risen! Repeat this with our witness of life
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Pope's telegram for the attack on Garissa University College
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Other Pontifical Acts
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What
do the angels of children tell God about us?
Vatican
City, 8 April 2015 (VIS) – During today's Wednesday general
audience in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father continued with his
cycle of catechesis on the family, completing his reflection on
children, “the most beautiful fruit of the blessing that the
Creator has bestowed on man and woman”. This week he focused on the
“stories of passion” that many children sadly experience. “Many
children, from the very beginning, are rejected, abandoned, robbed of
their childhood and their future. One might even dare say, almost as
a justification, that it was a mistake to bring them into the world.
This is shameful! Please, let us not punish them for our own errors!
Children are never a mistake!”
“Those
who have the task of governing and educating – indeed, I would say,
all adults – are responsible for children, and everyone must do
what he can to change this situation. I refer to the passion of
children. Every marginalised, abandoned child, living on the streets
by begging or by any other expedient, without schooling, without
medical care, is a cry lifted up to God and an accusation against the
system we have constructed. … However, none of these children are
forgotten by the Father in Heaven. None of their tears are in vain.
And our responsibility must not be forgotten either, the social
responsibility of persons and countries”.
Francis
recalled how Jesus urged the apostles to let the children come to
Him, and remarked that “thanks to God, children with serious
difficulties very often find extraordinary parents, willing to make
any sacrifice and to spare no act of generosity”. However, he
added, “these parents should not be left alone! We must accompany
them in their efforts, but also offer them moments of shared joy and
carefree pleasure, so that they are not entirely consumed by the
routines of therapy”. The Pope also mentioned that often children
suffer the consequences of lives damaged by precarious or underpaid
employment, unreasonable working hours, immature relationships and
irresponsible separations. “Often they experience violence that
they are not able to overcome, and before the eyes of adults are
forced to grow accustomed to degradation”.
The
Holy Father emphasised that the well-being of children must always be
taken seriously, and noted that now, as in the past, the Church
offers her maternity in the service of children and families.
“Imagine a society that decided, once and for all, to establish the
principle that … where the children who come into this world are
concerned, no sacrifice on the part of adults may be judged as too
costly or too great, so as to avoid any child believing himself to be
a mistake, without value, or being abandoned to the wounds inflicted
by life”. He concluded, “May the Lord judge our life by listening
to what the angels of children bring to Him, those angels that always
see the face of the Father in heaven. Let us always ask ourselves,
what do they tell God about us, these children's angels?”
Francis
praises the late Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte
Vatican
City, 8 April 2015 (VIS) – Pope Francis has sent a telegram of
condolences to Archbishop Christian Lepine of Montreal, Canada, for
the death of Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, archbishop emeritus of
the same city, at the age of 78. The Holy Father expresses his
sadness upon learning of the passing of the cardinal and offers his
condolences to his family and former diocesans. “At this time, in
which we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord”, he writes, “I
ask Him to welcome in the light of eternal life this faithful pastor
who served the Church with devotion, not only in his diocese but also
at national level, as president of the Episcopal Conference of
Canada, and as an accomplished member of several Roman dicasteries”.
The
Pope describes the departed cardinal as a “committed pastor,
attentive to the challenges of the contemporary Church”, recalling
his participation in the Synod of Bishops in 1994 dedicated to
“Consecrated life and its role in the Church and in the World”,
and his key role in the 1997 Synod on America. Francis also imparts a
special apostolic blessing to the cardinal's family and loved ones,
his parishioners and all those who will attend the funeral.
Holy
Week
Holy
Thursday: the tasks of a priest demand compassion
Vatican
City, 2 April 2015 (VIS) – At 9.30 this morning, in St. Peter's
Basilica, Pope Francis presided at the Chrism Mass, the liturgy
celebrated today, Holy Thursday, in all cathedral churches. The
cardinals, bishops and priests (diocesan and religious) present in
Rome concelebrated with the Holy Father.
During
the Eucharistic celebration, the priests renewed the vows made during
their ordination. The oil used to anoint the sick and catechumens,
and the Chrism, were then blessed.
“'My
hand shall ever abide with him, my arms also shall strengthen him'.
This is what the Lord means when he says: 'I have found David, my
servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him'. It is also what our
Father thinks whenever he 'encounters' a priest. And he goes on to
say: 'My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him. He
shall cry to me, “You are my Father, my God and the rock of my
salvation”'.
“It
is good to enter with the Psalmist into this monologue of our God. He
is talking about us, his priests, his pastors. But it is not really a
monologue, since he is not the only one speaking. The Father says to
Jesus: 'Your friends, those who love you, can say to me in a
particular way: “You are my Father”'. If the Lord is so concerned
about helping us, it is because he knows that the task of anointing
his faithful people is not easy, it is demanding; it can tire us. We
experience this in so many ways: from the ordinary fatigue brought on
by our daily apostolate to the weariness of sickness, death and even
martyrdom.
“The
tiredness of priests! Do you know how often I think about this
weariness which all of you experience? I think about it and I pray
about it, often, especially when I am tired myself. I pray for you as
you labour amid the people of God entrusted to your care, many of you
in lonely and dangerous places. Our weariness, dear priests, is like
incense which silently rises up to heaven. Our weariness goes
straight to the heart of the Father.
“Know
that the Blessed Virgin Mary is well aware of this tiredness and she
brings it straight to the Lord. As our Mother, she knows when her
children are weary, and this is her greatest concern. 'Welcome! Rest,
my child. We will speak afterwards'. 'Whenever we draw near to her,
she says to us: 'Am I not here with you, I who am your Mother?'. And
to her Son she will say, as she did at Cana, 'They have no wine'.
“It
can also happen that, whenever we feel weighed down by pastoral work,
we can be tempted to rest however we please, as if rest were not
itself a gift of God. We must not fall into this temptation. Our
weariness is precious in the eyes of Jesus who embraces us and lifts
us up. 'Come to me, all who labour and are overburdened, and I will
give you rest'. “Whenever a priest feels dead tired, yet is able to
bow down in adoration and say: 'Enough for today Lord', and entrust
himself to the Father, he knows that he will not fall but be renewed.
The one who anoints God’s faithful people with oil is also himself
anointed by the Lord: 'He gives you a garland instead of ashes, the
oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of
a faint spirit'.
“Let
us never forget that a key to fruitful priestly ministry lies in how
we rest and in how we look at the way the Lord deals with our
weariness. How difficult it is to learn how to rest! This says much
about our trust and our ability to realise that that we too are
sheep: we need the help of the Shepherd. A few questions can help us
in this regard.
“Do
I know how to rest by accepting the love, gratitude and affection
which I receive from God’s faithful people? Or, once my pastoral
work is done, do I seek more refined relaxations, not those of the
poor but those provided by a consumerist society? Is the Holy Spirit
truly 'rest in times of weariness' for me, or is he just someone who
keeps me busy? Do I know how to seek help from a wise priest? Do I
know how to take a break from myself, from the demands I make on
myself, from my self-seeking and from my self-absorption? Do I know
how to spend time with Jesus, with the Father, with the Virgin Mary
and St. Joseph, with my patron saints, and to find rest in their
demands, which are easy and light, and in their pleasures, for they
delight to be in my company, and in their concerns and standards,
which have only to do with the greater glory of God? Do I know how to
rest from my enemies under the Lord’s protection? Am I preoccupied
with how I should speak and act, or do I entrust myself to the Holy
Spirit, who will teach me what I need to say in every situation? Do I
worry needlessly, or, like Paul, do I find repose by saying: 'I know
him in whom I have placed my trust'?
“Let
us return for a moment to what today’s liturgy describes as the
work of the priest: to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim
freedom to prisoners and healing to the blind, to offer liberation to
the downtrodden and to announce the year of the Lord’s favour.
Isaiah also mentions consoling the broken-hearted and comforting the
afflicted.
“These
are not easy or purely mechanical jobs, like running an office,
building a parish hall or laying out a soccer field for the young of
the parish. The tasks of which Jesus speaks call for the ability to
show compassion; our hearts are to be 'moved' and fully engaged in
carrying them out. We are to rejoice with couples who marry; we are
to laugh with the children brought to the baptismal font; we are to
accompany young fiancés and families; we are to suffer with those
who receive the anointing of the sick in their hospital beds; we are
to mourn with those burying a loved one. All these emotions, if we do
not have an open heart, can exhaust the heart of a shepherd. For us
priests, what happens in the lives of our people is not like a news
bulletin: we know our people, we sense what is going on in their
hearts. Our own heart, sharing in their suffering, feels
'com-passion', is exhausted, broken into a thousand pieces, moved and
even 'consumed' by the people. Take this, eat this. These are the
words the priest of Jesus whispers repeatedly while caring for his
faithful people: Take this, eat this; take this, drink this… In
this way our priestly life is given over in service, in closeness to
the People of God, and this always leaves us weary.
“I
wish to share with you some forms of weariness on which I have
meditated. There is what we can call 'the weariness of people, the
weariness of the crowd'. For the Lord, and for us, this can be
exhausting – so the Gospel tells us – yet it is a good weariness,
a fruitful and joyful exhaustion. The people who followed Jesus, the
families which brought their children to him to be blessed, those who
had been cured, those who came with their friends, the young people
who were so excited about the Master, they did not even leave him
time to eat. But the Lord never tired of being with people. On the
contrary, he seemed renewed by their presence. This weariness in the
midst of activity is a grace on which all priests can draw. And how
beautiful it is! People love their priests, they want and need their
shepherds! The faithful never leave us without something to do,
unless we hide in our offices or go out in our cars wearing
sunglasses. There is a good and healthy tiredness. It is the
exhaustion of the priest who wears the smell of the sheep, but also
smiles the smile of a father rejoicing in his children or
grandchildren. It has nothing to do with those who wear expensive
cologne and who look at others from afar and from above. We are the
friends of the Bridegroom: this is our joy. If Jesus is shepherding
the flock in our midst, we cannot be shepherds who are glum,
plaintive or, even worse, bored. The smell of the sheep and the smile
of a father. Weary, yes, but with the joy of those who hear the Lord
saying: 'Come, O blessed of my Father'.
“There
is also the kind of weariness which we can call 'the weariness of
enemies'. The devil and his minions never sleep and, since their ears
cannot bear to hear the word of God, they work tirelessly to silence
that word and to distort it. Confronting them is more wearying. It
involves not only doing good, with all the exertion this entails, but
also defending the flock and oneself from evil. The evil one is far
more astute than we are, and he is able to demolish in a moment what
it took us years of patience to build up. Here we need to implore the
grace to learn how to 'offset' (and it is an important habit to
acquire): to thwart evil without pulling up the good wheat, or
presuming to protect like supermen what the Lord alone can protect.
All this helps us not to let our guard down before the depths of
iniquity, before the mockery of the wicked. In these situations of
weariness, the Lord says to us: 'Have courage! I have overcome the
world!'. The Word of God gives us strength.
“And
finally – I say finally lest you be too wearied by this homily
itself! – there is also 'weariness of ourselves'. This may be the
most dangerous weariness of all. That is because the other two kinds
come from being exposed, from going out of ourselves to anoint and to
do battle (for our job is to care for others). But this third kind of
weariness is more 'self-referential': it is dissatisfaction with
oneself, but not the dissatisfaction of someone who directly
confronts himself and serenely acknowledges his sinfulness and his
need for God’s mercy, His help; such people ask for help and then
move forward. Here we are speaking of a weariness associated with
'wanting yet not wanting', having given up everything but continuing
to yearn for the fleshpots of Egypt, toying with the illusion of
being something different. I like to call this kind of weariness
'flirting with spiritual worldliness'. When we are alone, we realise
how many areas of our life are steeped in this worldliness, so much
so that we may feel that it can never be completely washed away. This
can be a dangerous kind of weariness. The Book of Revelation shows us
the reason for this weariness: 'You have borne up for my sake and you
have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have
abandoned the love you had at first'. Only love gives true rest. What
is not loved becomes tiresome, and in time, brings about a harmful
weariness.
“The
most profound and mysterious image of how the Lord deals with our
pastoral tiredness is that, 'having loved his own, he loved them to
the end': the scene of his washing the feet of his disciples. I like
to think of this as the cleansing of discipleship. The Lord purifies
the path of discipleship itself. He 'gets involved' with us, becomes
personally responsible for removing every stain, all that grimy,
worldly smog which clings to us from the journey we make in his name.
“From
our feet, we can tell how the rest of our body is doing. The way we
follow the Lord reveals how our heart is faring. The wounds on our
feet, our sprains and our weariness, are signs of how we have
followed Him, of the paths we have taken in seeking the lost sheep
and in leading the flock to green pastures and still waters. The Lord
washes us and cleanses us of all the dirt our feet have accumulated
in following Him. This is something holy. Do not let your feet remain
dirty. Like battle wounds, the Lord kisses them and washes away the
grime of our labours.
“Our
discipleship itself is cleansed by Jesus, so that we can rightly feel
'joyful', 'fulfilled', 'free of fear and guilt', and impelled to go
out 'even to the ends of the earth, to every periphery'. In this way
we can bring the good news to the most abandoned, knowing that 'He is
with us always, even to the end of the world'. And please, let us ask
for the grace to learn how to be weary, but weary in the best of
ways!”.
The
Pope washes the feet of twelve detainees in Rebibbia prison
Vatican
City, 2 April 2015 (VIS) – This afternoon Pope Francis celebrated
Holy Mass “in Coena Domini” in Rome's Rebibbia penitentiary,
where he arrived around 5.15 p.m. He greeted the authorities, staff
and a group of detainees in the prison courtyard. Shortly before 6
p.m., in the “Padre Nostro” church in the New Complex of
Rebibbia, the Pope presided at the Holy Mass that begins the Easter
Triduum, during which he washed the feet of twelve detainees, six men
and six women from the nearby women's penitentiary.
In
his improvised homily, the Pope remarked that on a Thursday like
today, Jesus was at the table with His disciples, celebrating the
feast of the Passover. “The Gospel reading we have just heard
contains a phrase which is precisely at the centre of what Jesus did
for all of us: 'having loved his own who were in the world, he loved
them to the end'. Jesus loved us. Jesus loves us. Without limits,
always, to the end. … And each one of us can say, 'He gave His life
for me'. … For everyone, name and surname. This is how His love is:
personal. Jesus' love never disappoints, as He never tires of loving,
just as He never tires of forgiving, of embracing us. This is the
first thing I wanted to say to you: Jesus loved us, each one of us,
unto the end”.
“And
then, he does what the disciples did not understand: washing their
feet. In that time, it was a custom, as when people arrived at a
house their feet were dirty from the dust of the road. … But the
master of the house did not do this. It was a task for the slaves.
And Jesus, like a slave, washes our feet, the feet of His disciples,
and therefore says to Peter: 'What I am doing you do not understand
now, but afterwards you will understand'. So great is Jesus' love
that He made Himself into a slave to serve us, to heal us, to cleanse
us”.
“And
today, in this Mass, the Church wishes for her priest to wash the
feet of twelve people, in memory of the Twelve Apostles. But in our
hearts we must be sure that the Lord, when He washes our feet, washes
us entirely, He purifies us, He lets us feel His love once more. In
the Bible there is a beautiful phrase, from the prophet Isaiah: 'Can
a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion
on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget
you'. This is what God's love for us is like”.
“And
today”, he concluded, “I will wash the feet of twelve of you, but
all of you, all people, are in these brothers and sisters. You
represent them. But I too need to be washed by the Lord, and
therefore pray during this Mass that the Lord may wash away my
impurities, so that I may become more of a slave than you, more of a
slave in the service of the people, as Jesus was”.
Good
Friday: In Christ abandoned, we see all those abandoned in the world
Vatican
City, 3 April 2015 (VIS) – At 9.15 p.m. today, Good Friday, at
Rome's ancient Colosseum, Pope Francis offered a meditation following
the torch-lit Via Via Crucis in which thousands of faithful
participate every year, accompanying Christ's journey to the Cross.
From the terrace of the Palatine Hill, the Holy Father listened to
the reflections that accompanied each of the fourteen stations, all
of which were united by the constant reference to the gift of being
protected by God's love, and in particular that of the crucified
Jesus, and the task of being, in turn, protectors of the whole of
Creation, especially the poorest and most marginalised. He reflected
on the situation of men and women who are persecuted and martyred for
their faith or for working to promote justice and peace, on the
family, on the condition of life for women, on human trafficking and
violence against children in its various forms.
The
cross was carried between the fourteen stations by the cardinal
archbishop of Rome, Agostino Vallini, a large family, another family
with adopted children, two patients, citizens of Iraq, Syria,
Nigeria, Egypt and China, women religious from secular institutes and
of Our Lady of Piety in Latin America, and two custodians of the Holy
Land.
At
the end of the Via Crucis, the Pope recited the following prayer:
“O
Christ crucified and victorious, Your Way of the Cross is the summary
of Your life, the icon of Your obedience to the will of the
Father,and the realisation of Your infinite love for us sinners. It
is the proof of Your mission. It is the final fulfilment of the
revelation and the history of salvation. The weight of Your cross
frees us from all of our burdens.
“In
Your obedience to the will of the Father, we become aware of our
rebellion and disobedience. In You, sold, betrayed, crucified by Your
own people and those dear to You, we see our own betrayals and our
own usual infidelity. In Your innocence, Immaculate Lamb, we see our
guilt. In Your face, slapped, spat on and disfigured, we see the
brutality of our sins. In the cruelty of Your passion, we see the
cruelty of our heart and of our actions. In Your own feeling of
abandonment, we see those abandoned by their families, by society, by
attention and by solidarity. In Your body, sacrificed, ripped and
torn, we see the body of our brothers who have been abandoned along
the way, disfigured by our negligence and our indifference. In Your
thirst Lord, we see the thirst of Your merciful Father, who desired
to embrace, forgive and save all of humanity. In You, Divine Love, we
see even today, before our very eyes, and often with our silence and
complicity, our persecuted brothers and sisters, decapitated,
crucified for their faith in You.
“Imprint
in our heart, Lord, sentiments of faith, hope and charity, of sorrow
for our sins, and lead us to repent for our sins that have crucified
You. Lead us to transform our conversion with words into a conversion
of life and works. Help us to preserve within us a living memory of
Your disfigured face, so that we may never forget the terrible price
You paid to free us. Crucified Jesus, strengthen in us a faith that
does not collapse in the face of temptations; awaken in us the hope
that does get lost following the temptations of the world. Preserve
in us the charity that is not fooled by the corruption of
worldliness. Teach us that the cross is the way to the resurrection.
Teach us that Good Friday is the way to the Easter of light. Teach us
that God never forgets any of his children, and never tires of
forgiving us and embracing us with His infinite mercy. But also teach
us to never tire of asking Him for forgiveness and believing in the
boundless mercy of the Father”.
Easter
Vigil Mass: learn from the women how to enter into the Paschal
mystery
Vatican
City, 4 April 2015 (VIS) – The solemn Easter Vigil began this
evening at 8.30 in St. Peter's Basilica. Pope Francis presided over
the rites which began in the church atrium with a blessing of the new
fire and the preparation of the Paschal candle. After the procession
to the altar with the lighted candle the celebration continued with
the singing of the “Exsultet”, and Liturgy of the Word. The Holy
Father went on to administer the sacraments of Christian initiation
(Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion) to ten people from Italy,
Portugal, Albania, Kenya and Cambodia.
Following
the Gospel reading, the bishop of Rome pronounced a homily in which
he commented that the women were the first to enter into the empty
tomb, and urged those present to learn from these women, Jesus'
disciples, never to lose faith or hope.
“Tonight
is a night of vigil”, he said. “The Lord is not sleeping; the
Watchman is watching over his people, to bring them out of slavery
and to open before them the way to freedom. The Lord is keeping watch
and, by the power of His love, He is bringing His people through the
Red Sea. He is also bringing Jesus through the abyss of death and the
netherworld.
“This
was a night of vigil for the disciples of Jesus, a night of sadness
and fear. The men remained locked in the Upper Room. Yet, the women
went to the tomb at dawn on Sunday to anoint Jesus’ body. Their
hearts were overwhelmed and they were asking themselves: 'How will we
enter? Who will roll back the stone of the tomb?” But here was the
first sign of the great event: the large stone was already rolled
back and the tomb was open.
“'Entering
the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in
a white robe'. The women were the first to see this great sign, the
empty tomb; and they were the first to enter. 'Entering the tomb'. It
is good for us, on this Vigil night, to reflect on the experience of
the women, which also speaks to us. For that is why we are here: to
enter, to enter into the Mystery which God has accomplished with his
vigil of love. We cannot live Easter without entering into the
mystery. It is not something intellectual, something we only know or
read about. It is more, much more!
“'To
enter into the mystery' means the ability to wonder, to contemplate;
the ability to listen to the silence and to hear the tiny whisper
amid great silence by which God speaks to us. To enter into the
mystery demands that we not be afraid of reality: that we not be
locked into ourselves, that we not flee from what we fail to
understand, that we not close our eyes to problems or deny them, that
we not dismiss our questions. To enter into the mystery means going
beyond our own comfort zone, beyond the laziness and indifference
which hold us back, and going out in search of truth, beauty and
love. It is seeking a deeper meaning, an answer, and not an easy one,
to the questions which challenge our faith, our fidelity and our very
existence.
“To
enter into the mystery, we need humility, the lowliness to abase
ourselves, to come down from the pedestal of our 'I' which is so
proud, of our presumption; the humility not to take ourselves so
seriously, recognising who we really are: creatures with strengths
and weaknesses, sinners in need of forgiveness. To enter into the
mystery we need the lowliness that is powerlessness, the renunciation
of our idols ... in a word, we need to adore. Without adoration, we
cannot enter into the mystery.
“The
women who were Jesus’ disciples teach us all of this. They kept
watch that night, together with Mary. And she, the Virgin Mother,
helped them not to lose faith and hope. As a result, they did not
remain prisoners of fear and sadness, but at the first light of dawn
they went out carrying their ointments, their hearts anointed with
love. They went forth and found the tomb open. And they went in. They
had kept watch, they went forth and they entered into the Mystery.
May we learn from them to keep watch with God and with Mary our
Mother, so that we too may enter into the Mystery which leads from
death to life”.
Easter
Sunday: may the consoling and healing voice of the Lord reach us all
Vatican
City, 5 April 2015 (VIS) – At 10.15 today, Easter Sunday, the Holy
Father Francis celebrated the solemn Mass of the Resurrection of the
Lord in St. Peter's Square, which had been decorated for the occasion
with 40,000 plants and flowers (tulips, narcissus and hyacinths)
offered by Dutch florists, mostly in yellow and white, the colours of
Vatican City State. The celebration, which began with the
"Resurrexit" rite – the opening of an icon of the Risen
Lord, placed next to the papal altar – was attended by more than
50,000 faithful from all around the world, whom the Pope thanked.
The
Holy Father did not pronounce a homily, but following Mass at midday
he delivered an Easter message and imparted his “Urbi et Orbi”
blessing from the central balcony of the Vatican basilica. He
addressed the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square and all those
following the event on radio or television, making a special Easter
appeal for the world not to submit to arms traffickers, recalling the
tragedies in Yemen, Libya, Syria and Iraq, the persecution of
Christians in these and other countries, the conflicts in the Holy
Land and the war in Ukraine. He also made a plea for peace in
Nigeria, South Sudan and the Republic of Congo, and mentioned in
particular the poor, the incarcerated and immigrants, who are
frequently scorned and rejected. He then imparted his “Urbi et
Orbi” blessing, to the city and the world.
“Dear
Brothers and Sisters, Happy Easter! Jesus Christ is risen!”
exclaimed the Pope. “Love has triumphed over hatred, life has
conquered death, light has dispelled the darkness! Out of love for
us, Jesus Christ stripped Himself of His divine glory, emptied
Himself, took on the form of a slave and humbled Himself even to
death, death on a cross. For this reason God exalted him and made him
Lord of the universe. Jesus is Lord! By His death and resurrection,
Jesus shows everyone the way to life and happiness: this way is
humility, which involves humiliation. This is the path which leads to
glory. Only those who humble themselves can go towards the 'things
that are above', towards God. The proud look 'down from above'; the
humble look 'up from below'.
“On
Easter morning, alerted by the women, Peter and John ran to the tomb.
They found it open and empty. Then they drew near and 'bent down' in
order to enter it. To enter into the mystery, we need to 'bend down',
to abase ourselves. Only those who abase themselves understand the
glorification of Jesus and are able to follow him on his way. The
world proposes that we put ourselves forward at all costs, that we
compete, that we prevail. But Christians, by the grace of Christ,
dead and risen, are the seeds of another humanity, in which we seek
to live in service to one another, not to be arrogant, but rather
respectful and ready to help. This is not weakness, but true
strength! Those who bear within them God’s power, His love and His
justice, do not need to employ violence; they speak and act with the
power of truth, beauty and love.
“From
the risen Lord we ask today the grace not to succumb to the pride
which fuels violence and war, but to have the humble courage of
pardon and peace. We ask Jesus, the Victor over death, to lighten the
sufferings of our many brothers and sisters who are persecuted for
his name, and of all those who suffer injustice as a result of
ongoing conflicts and violence. There are so many of them. We ask for
peace, above all, for beloved Syria and Iraq, that the roar of arms
may cease and that peaceful relations may be restored among the
various groups which make up those beloved countries. May the
international community not stand by before the immense humanitarian
tragedy unfolding in these countries and the drama of the numerous
refugees. We pray for peace for all the peoples of the Holy Land. May
the culture of encounter grow between Israelis and Palestinians and
the peace process be resumed, in order to end years of suffering and
division.
“We
implore peace for Libya, that the present absurd bloodshed and all
barbarous acts of violence may cease, and that all concerned for the
future of the country may work to favour reconciliation and to build
a fraternal society respectful of the dignity of the person. For
Yemen too we express our hope for the growth of a common desire for
peace, for the good of the entire people. At the same time, in hope
we entrust to the merciful Lord the framework recently agreed to in
Lausanne, that it may be a definitive step toward a more secure and
fraternal world. We ask the risen Lord for the gift of peace for
Nigeria, South Sudan and for the various areas of Sudan and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. May constant prayer rise up from
all people of goodwill for those who lost their lives – I think in
particular of the young people who were killed last Thursday at
Garissa University College in Kenya –, for all who have been
kidnapped, and for those forced to abandon their homes and their
loved ones.
“May
the Lord’s resurrection bring light to beloved Ukraine, especially
to those who have endured the violence of the conflict of recent
months. May the country rediscover peace and hope thanks to the
commitment of all interested parties. We ask for peace and freedom
for the many men and women subject to old and new forms of
enslavement on the part of criminal individuals and groups. Peace and
liberty for the victims of drug dealers, who are often allied with
the powers who ought to defend peace and harmony in the human family.
And we ask peace for this world subjected to arms dealers, who profit
from the blood of men and women.
“May
the marginalised, the imprisoned, the poor and the migrants who are
so often rejected, maltreated and discarded, the sick and the
suffering, children, especially those who are victims of violence;
all who today are in mourning, and all men and women of goodwill,
hear the consoling and healing voice of the Lord Jesus: 'Peace to
you!'. 'Fear not, for I am risen and I shall always be with you'.
Regina
Coeli: Christ is risen! Repeat this with our witness of life
Vatican
City, 6 April 2015 (VIS) – At midday today the Holy Father appeared
at the window of his study to pray the Regina Coeli, the prayer that
substitutes the Angelus during Easter time, with the thousands of
faithful and pilgrims reunited in St. Peter's Square. Before reciting
the Marian prayer, Francis commented on the day's Gospel reading,
remarking that the angel announced to the women in the tomb that
Jesus was risen, and asked them to take the news to the disciples and
to tell them to go to Galilee, where they would encounter the
Messiah. “Today, too, He is with us, here in the square”. The
Pope also noted that this is the announcement that the Church has
repeated since the very first day. “Christ is risen!” “It is
the good news we are called upon to take to others everywhere,
inspired by the Holy Spirit. Faith in the resurrection of Jesus and
the hope that He has brought to us is the most beautiful gift that
the Christian can and must offer to his brethren. … Christ is
risen! Let us repeat this in words, but above all with the witness of
our life”.
“Let
us proclaim Christ's resurrection when His light illuminates the
darkest moments of our existence and we are able to share it with
others; when we know how to smile with those who smile, and weep with
those who weep; when we walk alongside those who are sad and at risk
of losing hope; when we recount our experience of faith to those who
are in search of meaning and happiness. With our attitude, our
witness, our life, we say: Jesus is risen! We say this with all our
soul. … Easter is the event that brought radical newness to every
human being, for history and for the world: it is the triumph of life
over death; it is the celebration of reawakening and regeneration.
Let our existence be conquered and transformed by the Resurrection!”
concluded the Pope, urging those present to pray to the Virgin Mary
to “let the joy of Easter grow in us”.
Following
the Regina Coeli prayer, Francis greeted the faithful, wishing them a
happy Easter and encouraging them to read a passage from the Gospel
every day. He addressed some words to the Shalom Movement, which has
reached the final stage of its relay race to raise public awareness
of the persecution of Christians throughout the world. “You have
reached the end of your itinerary, but we must all continue on the
spiritual path of intense prayer, concrete participation and tangible
aid in the defence and protection of our brothers and sisters who are
persecuted, exiled, killed, decapitated, for the mere fact of being
Christians. They are our present-day martyrs, and there are many of
them; indeed, we might say that there are more of them than in the
first centuries”.
Francis
also urged the international community “not to remain silent and
inert in the face of this unacceptable crime, which constitutes a
worrying erosion of the most elementary human rights. I truly hope
that the international community does not look away”.
Pope's
telegram for the attack on Garissa University College
Vatican
City, 3 April 2015 (VIS) – Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro
Parolin sent a telegram of condolences on behalf of the Holy Father
to Cardinal John Njue, archbishop of Nairobi, Kenya, following the
attack on the university campus of Garissa which caused the death of
147 students and many casualties.
“Deeply
saddened by the immense and tragic loss of life caused by the recent
attack on the Garissa University College, the Holy Father sends
assurances of his prayers and spiritual closeness to the families of
the victims and to all Kenyans at this painful time. He commends the
souls of the deceased to the infinite mercy of Almighty God, and he
prays that all who mourn them will be comforted in their loss. In
union with all people of good will throughout the world, His Holiness
condemns this act of senseless brutality and prays for a change of
heart among its perpetrators. He calls upon all those in authority to
redouble their efforts to work with all men and women in Kenya to
bring an end to such violence and to hasten the dawn of a new era of
brotherhood, justice and peace”.
Other
Pontifical Acts
Vatican
City, 8 April 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:
-
accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the
archdiocese of Morelia, Mexico, presented by Archbishop Octavio
Villegas Aguilar upon reaching the age limit.
On
Tuesday, 7 April, the Holy Father appointed:
-
Rev. Fr. Ernesto Jose Romero Rivas, O.F.M. Cap., as apostolic vicar
of Tucupita (area 40,200, population 167,676, Catholics 120,000,
priests 8, religious 20), Venezuela. The bishop-elect was born in
Machiques, Venezuela in 1960, gave his solemn vows in 1990, and was
ordained a priest in the same year. He holds a licentiate in
catechetics from the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome and has
served in a number of roles, including parish administrator in
Tucupita; and master of post-novices, counsellor, superior, rector,
bursar and vice provincial counsellor of the Order of Friars Minor in
Venezuela. He is currently pro-vicar of Tucupita and parish priest.
-
appointed Rev. Fr. Vincent Aind as bishop of Bagdogra (area 1,200,
population 1,015,000, Catholics 54,301, priests 58, religious 185),
India. The bishop-elect was born in Kalchini, India in 1955 and was
ordained a priest in 1984. He holds a doctorate in philosophy from
the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and has served in a number
of roles, including parish vicar and parish priest in the diocese of
Jalpaiguri; lecturer, spiritual director, rector and dean of the
Morning Star regional seminary, Barrackpore; and principal of the
Morning Star College. He is currently diocesan consulter and member
of the council for economic affairs of the diocese of Jalpaiguri, and
regional secretary of the Commission for the Clergy, Religious and
Seminarians of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Bengal.
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