SUMMARY:
-
To the bishops of the Congo: build fraternity rooted in forgiveness
and solidarity
-
Catholics and Lutherans are brothers in faith, not adversaries
-
The Holy Father thanks the Pontifical Swiss Guard for their hard work
-
Pope's message for the 750th anniversary of the birth of Dante
-
Visit to the Roman parish of Santa Maria Regina Pacis
-
Regina Coeli: true Christians who do good for society
-
The Pope presides at the Mass and day of reflection dedicated to
Friar Junipero Serra
-
Francis to the faithful of Molise and Abruzzo: job creation cannot be
postponed
-
Globalising solidarity: the Pope's message for the inauguration of
the Milan Universal Exposition
-
To the Cursillos in Christianity: take your charism to the
existential peripheries
-
Four cardinals to take possession of titles and diaconates
-
Audiences
-
Other Pontifical Acts
______________________________________
To
the bishops of the Congo: build fraternity rooted in forgiveness and
solidarity
Vatican
City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) – The bishops of the Episcopal Conference of
Congo were received in audience by Pope Francis this morning, at the
end of their “ad Limina” visit. The Holy Father handed them a
written discourse in which he emphasises the vitality of the Catholic
Church in this country, which has led to the creation of three new
dioceses, and the work of pastors in the work of evangelisation, as
well as the Church's contribution in the education and healthcare
sectors and her role in national reconciliation following the grave
crisis of the 1990s.
Francis
praises the work of the Episcopal Conference with regard to the
mission of the laity in the Church and society, and mentioned the
importance of forming and accompanying laypeople to offer Christian
witness in socio-political sectors, which constitute a specific
sector for the apostolate. “Family pastoral ministry is an integral
part of this accompaniment. The reluctance of the faithful to embark
on Christian marriage reveals the need for profound evangelisation,
which involves not only the inculturation of faith, but also the
evangelisation of local traditions and culture”.
In
these sectors, as in many others, priests are the bishops' first
collaborators and as a result, their living conditions and
sanctification must be central to their concerns. “The immense
pastoral needs of the local Church require rigorous discernment, so
that the People of God are able to count on zealous pastors who edify
the faithful through their testimony of life, especially in relation
to celibacy and the spirit of evangelical poverty”. The Pope also
remarks that in some dioceses there are great difficulties due to the
lack of available financial and material resources.
“I
am aware of the magnitude of the problems and the worries related to
this situation in the heart of a pastor. Therefore, I encourage you
to resolutely engage your dioceses in embarking on the path of
autonomy, a gradual takeover of control and solidarity between the
particular Churches in your country, following a tradition that dates
back to the first Christian communities. In this respect, you must be
careful to ensure that economic aid to your particular Churches in
support of your specific mission does not limit your freedom as
pastors or obstruct the freedom of the Church, which must have a free
hand to proclaim the Gospel in a credible way. … With regard to
mutual aid and solidarity between local Churches, this must also be
reflected in the promotion of the missionary spirit first within
Africa”, affirmed Francis, quoting Paul VI in his 1969 discourse in
Kampala: “By now, you Africans are missionaries to yourselves”.
In-depth
evangelisation is another great challenge for the bishops, and one
which requires “special attention to the concrete conditions of
life for the populations; that is, ultimately, to the development of
the human person. Again here the commitment of the Catholic Church in
the Congo is important: in the fields of education, healthcare, and
aid to the various categories of people in need, including refugees
from neighbouring countries, your diocese contribute in a significant
way. As pastors, continue to ensure that your social ministry is
increasingly carried out in the spirit of the Gospel and perceived as
a work of evangelisation, and not as the action of a non-governmental
organisation”.
The
Pope concludes by noting that in certain sectors of society, the
wounds caused by the grave crisis that affected the Congo at the end
of the 1990s have left deep scars that have not yet fully healed. “In
this respect, in particular, the Church, strong in the Gospel of
Jesus, has received the mission of building new fraternity anchored
in forgiveness and solidarity. You, pastors, continue to be models
and prophets in this sense!”.
Catholics
and Lutherans are brothers in faith, not adversaries
Vatican
City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) – This morning the Pope received in audience
the Lutheran archbishop of Uppsala, Sweden, Antje Jackelen, who led a
delegation to the Vatican from the Evangelical-Lutheran Church.
Francis greeted them cordially and commented that last year was the
fiftieth anniversary of the Vatican Council II decree on ecumenism,
“Unitatis Redintegratio”, which continues to be the key point of
reference for the ecumenical efforts of the Catholic Church. “This
document is an invitation to all Catholics to undertake the path of
unity to overcome division between Christians, which is “not only
openly opposed to the will of Christ, but is also a scandal to the
world and damages the holiest of causes: the preaching of the Gospel
to every creature”.
The
decree “expresses a profound respect and appreciation for those
brothers and sisters separated from us, to whom in daily coexistence
we at times risk giving little consideration. In reality, they are
not perceived as adversaries or as competitors, but instead
acknowledged for what they are: brothers and sisters in faith.
Catholics and Lutherans must seek and promote unity in dioceses, in
parishes, in communities throughout the world”, the Pope
emphasised, mentioning the recent document “From conflict to
communion. The Lutheran-Catholic Common Commemoration of the
Reformation in 2017”, published by the Lutheran-Catholic Commission
for Unity. “We sincerely hope that this initiative may encourage,
with God's help and collaboration between Him and among us, the
achievement of further steps on the path of unity”.
The
call to unity also implies “a pressing exhortation to joint
commitment at the charitable level, in favour of all those who suffer
in the world as a result of poverty and violence, and have a special
need for our mercy; the witness of our persecuted brothers and
sisters in particular drives us to grow in fraternal communion. The
question of the dignity of human life, always to be respected, is of
urgent relevance, as are issues regarding the family, marriage and
sexuality, that may not be set aside or ignored for fear of
jeopardising the ecumenical consensus already received. It would be a
pity if new confessional differences were to be consolidated with
regard to these important questions”.
Francis
concluded his address by giving thanks first to the Swedish Lutheran
Church, “for the welcome given to so many South American migrants
in the times of the dictatorships, a fraternal welcome that has
enabled families to grow”, and secondly, to Jackelen, “for the
delicacy that you, dear sister, have had in appointing my dear
friend, the pastor Anders Root: I have shared with him the chair in
spiritual theology and he has helped me greatly in spiritual life”.
The
Holy Father thanks the Pontifical Swiss Guard for their hard work
Vatican
City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) - “'Greater love has no one than this, that
someone lay down his life for his friends'. In the history of the
Church, many men and women have heeded the call of this great love.
The Swiss Guards who fought during the Sack of Rome and who gave
their lives in defence of the Pope responded to this call. And
answering this call with devotion means following Christ”, said the
Holy Father as he received in audience the new recruits to the
Pontifical Swiss Guard who will take their oath of loyalty tomorrow,
6 May.
“In
the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola, who in his youth was
a soldier, spoke of the 'call of the Christ the King', who wishes to
build His Kingdom and choose his collaborators. The Lord wishes to
build His Kingdom with the collaboration of men. He needs decisive
and courageous people. … At the same time, Ignatius compares the
world to two military camps, one with the standard of Christ, the
other under the flag of Satan. There are only these two camps. For
the Christian the choice is clear: he follows Christ's standard”.
“Christ
is the true King. He Himself goes ahead and His friends follow Him.
One of Christ's soldiers participates in the life of His Lord. This
is also the call that is addressed to you: to take on the concerns of
Christ, to be His companions. In this way you learn, day by day, to
'feel' with Christ and with the Church. A Swiss Guard is a person who
truly seeks to follow the Lord Jesus and who loves the Church in a
special way; he is a Christian with genuine faith”, emphasised the
Pontiff. “You too, like every Christian, must live all this through
the Sacraments of the Church: with diligent participation in Mass and
frequent Confession. You can live this by reading the Gospel every
day. What I say to all, I repeat to you: keep a pocket-sized Gospel
close to hand, so you can read it whenever you have a free moment.
Your personal prayer, especially the Rosary, will also help you,
during your guards of honour. And it will help you in your service to
the poor, the sick, to those in need of a good word”.
The
Pope remarked that when the Swiss Guards meet people and pilgrims
they transmit to them, with their “kindness and competence”, this
“great love” that comes from their friendship with Christ.
Indeed”, he exclaimed, “you are a banner for the Holy See! I
thank you and encourage you in your work”.
“I
know that your service is demanding. When there is extra work to be
done, we are always able to count on the Swiss Guard. I thank you
with affection and express my great appreciation for all that you do
for the Church and for me, as the Successor of Peter”, he
concluded.
Pope's
message for the 750th anniversary of the birth of Dante
Vatican
City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) – This morning, with the commemoration in
the Senate, there began the events with which all Italy will
celebrate the birth of Dante Alighieri (Florence 1265 – Ravenna
1321), the author of “The Divine Comedy”. The Pope participated
with a message to Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the
Pontifical Council for Culture, also present at the ceremony presided
over by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, and attended
by the minister for Culture Dario Franceschini and the actor Roberto
Benigni, who read Canto XXXIII of Paradise.
“With
this message, I wish to join the chorus of those who consider Dante
Alighieri to be an artist of the highest universal value, who still
has much to say and to offer, through his immortal works, to those
who wish to follow the route of true knowledge, of the authentic
discovery of the self, of the world, of the profound and transcendent
meaning of existence”, writes the Pope.
He
notes that many of his predecessors celebrated the anniversaries of
Dante with documents of great importance, in which the figure of
Dante Alighieri is presented precisely for his continuing relevance
and his greatness, not only artistic but also theological and
cultural. He cites, among these, Benedict XV who dedicated his
encyclical “In praeclara summorum” (1921) to Dante on the sixth
centenary of his death, affirming and highlighting “the intimate
union of Dante with the See of Peter”. Blessed Paul VI dedicated
the Apostolic Letter “Altissimi cantus”, at the closure of
Vatican Council II, to Dante, affirming that “Dante is ours! Ours,
as in of Catholic faith”. St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI also
often referred to the works of the great poet and mentioned him on
numerous occasions. Pope Francis added that in his first encyclical,
“Lumen Fidei”, he drew upon the “immense patrimony of images,
symbols and values that constitute Dante's work”.
On
the eve of the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, the Holy Father
expresses his hope that during this year the figure of Dante and his
work will also accompany us on this personal and community path.
“Indeed”, he remarks, “the Comedy may be read as a great
itinerary, or rather as a true pilgrimage, both personal and
interior, and communal, ecclesial, social and historical. It
represents the paradigm of every authentic journey in which humanity
is called upon to leave what Dante defines as 'the threshing-floor
that makes us so ferocious' to attain a new condition, marked by
harmony, peace and happiness. And this is the horizon of every true
humanism”.
“Dante
is, therefore, a prophet of hope, herald of the possibility of
redemption, of liberation, of the profound transformation of every
man and woman, of all humanity. He continues to invite us to
rediscover the lost or obscured meaning of our human path and to hope
to see again the shining horizon on which there shines in all its
fullness the dignity of the human person. Honouring Dante Alighieri,
as Paul VI has already invited us to do, we are able to enrich
ourselves with his experience in order to cross the many dark forests
still scattered on our earth and to happily complete our pilgrimage
in history, to reach the destination dreamed of and wished for by
every man: 'the love that moves the sun in heaven and all the
stars'”.
Visit
to the Roman parish of Santa Maria Regina Pacis
Vatican
City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) – Yesterday afternoon Pope Francis visited
another parish in his diocese – Santa Maria Regina Pacis at the
Ostia Lido. Before celebrating Mass, the bishop of Rome visited the
community of the Little Sisters of Jesus, of Charles de Foucauld,
also known as the “Luna Park Fraternity” since they live in
caravans, and met with the elderly, the sick, and young scouts from
the parish, as well as parents who have baptised their children this
year.
The
Pope greeted the elderly, emphasising that they possess the wisdom of
life, experience, pain and patience, as well as the memory of the
people and the family. He remarked that the sick “resemble Jesus:
they suffer like Jesus and bear the cross like Jesus”, and praised
the parish community for lovingly caring for the sick and the
elderly, since “when they are not cared for by the community, that
community does not function; it lacks something”.
To
the scouts, he commented that “in the art of climbing, the
important thing is not that you do not fall, but rather that you do
not stay on the ground”. He continued, “We all fall, we all make
mistakes, even sins, all of us. But what is witness? It is getting up
again with God's grace. … This is what the world needs from you,
the witness of going ever onwards; although weak, we must go ahead”.
He also encouraged the young to transmit their faith with joy and, in
difficult moments when joy is obscured, to “overcome those moments
with dignity, in the hope that the Holy Spirit gives us strength …
and consolation … until our joy returns”.
Finally,
he reminded the parents of recently baptised children that baptism is
not an isolated event, and invited them to walk with their children
along the new path of faith, staying close to the parish community.
In
the Pope's homily, in which he commented on the Gospel reading of the
vine and the branches, he insisted on the importance of remaining
united with Christ, which also means “wanting to be forgiven by
Him, but also to be 'pruned', so as to bear more fruit”. He added,
“abiding with Jesus means doing the same as He did: doing good,
helping others, praying to the Father, healing the sick, helping the
poor, having the joy of the Holy Spirit”.
“There
are also other branches, to which Jesus does not refer here, but He
does so elsewhere; those that present themselves as Jesus' disciples,
but do the opposite of what a disciple does, and these branches are
hypocrites. Perhaps they go to Mass every Sunday, perhaps they show
themselves to be saintly and pious, but then they live as if they
were pagans. And Jesus, in the Gospel, calls them hypocrites. Jesus
is good, he invites us to abide in Him. He gives us strength, and so
if we slide into sinfulness – and we are all sinners – He
forgives us, because He is merciful. But He wants two things – that
we abide in Him and that we are not hypocrites. And this is how
Christian lives go onwards”.
Regina
Coeli: true Christians who do good for society
Vatican
City, 3 May 2015 (VIS) – The union of Jesus with those who follow
Him, explained through the image of the vine and the branches that
Christ presents to the disciples at the Last Supper, was the central
theme considered by the Pope during this Sunday's Regina Coeli.
“We
can all be joined to Jesus in a new way. If, on the contrary, one
loses this union with Him, he becomes sterile, indeed harmful to the
community. And to express this reality, Jesus uses the image of the
vine and the branches, and says: 'As the branch cannot bear fruit by
itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you
abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches'”. … Through Him
– like the sap in a tree – the love of God Himself, the Holy
Spirit, passes to the branches; through this parable Jesus enables us
to understand the importance of remaining united with Him. The
branches are not self-sufficient, but depend totally on the vine, the
source of their life”.
“The
same is true for us as Christians. Grafted to Christ through Baptism,
we have received from Him the freely-given gift of new life; we can
stay in vital communion with Christ”. However, the Pontiff
emphasised, “it is necessary to stay faithful to Baptism, and to
grow in friendship with the Lord through prayer, the prayer of every
day, through listening and obedience to His Word – read the Gospel
– and participation in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and
the Sacrament of Reconciliation”, as “if one is intimately joined
to Jesus, he or she receives the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which –
as St. Paul tells us – are 'love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control'. As a consequence,
a Christian brings great good to his neighbour and to society.
Indeed, from these characteristics, it is possible to recognise who
is a true Christian, just as we can recognise a tree from its fruits.
The fruits of this deep union with Jesus are wonderful. … We
receive a new way of being, the life of Christ becomes our own; we
can think like Him, act like Him, see the world and other things
through Jesus' eyes. As a consequence, we are able to love our
brothers, beginning with the poorest and the suffering … and thus
bring into the world the fruits of goodness, charity and peace. …
Let us trust in the intercession of Our Lady, so that we too may be
living branches in the Church and give coherent witness of our faith,
consistency between life and thought, life and faith – aware that
we all, according to our specific vocations, participate in the sole
salvific mission of Christ”.
Following
the Regina Coeli the Pope mentioned that yesterday in Turin the
Italian Luigi Bordino was proclaimed blessed. A consecrated layman of
the Priestly Society of St. Joseph Benedict Cottolengo, the new
blessed “devoted his life to the sick and those who suffer, and
dedicated himself tirelessly to the poorest, curing and cleansing
their wounds”.
The
Pope presides at the Mass and day of reflection dedicated to Friar
Junipero Serra
Vatican
City, 2 May 2015 (VIS) – Today the Pontifical North American
College holds a day of reflection dedicated to “Friar Junipero
Serra, apostle of California, witness of holiness”, with the aim of
spreading knowledge of the life, mission and witness of holiness of
this blessed who will be canonised in Washington on 23 September
during the Holy Father's apostolic journey to the United States. The
day, organised by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the
Pontifical North American College, with the sponsorship of the
archdiocese of Los Angeles, culminated with the celebration of a Holy
Mass at the college at midday, at which Pope Francis officiated.
In
his homily, the Pope emphasised three aspects of the life of the
future saint: his missionary impulse, his Marian devotion and his
witness of holiness.
“First
of all, he was a tireless missionary”, the Pontiff affirmed. “What
made Friar Junipero leave his home and country, his family,
university chair and Franciscan community in Mallorca to go to the
ends of the earth? Certainly, it was the desire to proclaim the
Gospel ad gentes, that heartfelt impulse which seeks to share with
those farthest away the gift of encountering Christ: a gift that he
had first received and experienced in all its truth and beauty. Like
Paul and Barnabas, like the disciples in Antioch and in all of Judea.
… These missionary disciples who have encountered Jesus, the Son of
God, who have come to know him through his merciful Father, moved by
the grace of the Holy Spirit, went out to all the geographical,
social and existential peripheries, to bear witness to charity. They
challenge us! Sometimes we stop and thoughtfully examine their
strengths and, above all, their weaknesses and their shortcomings.
But I wonder if today we are able to respond with the same generosity
and courage to the call of God, who invites us to leave everything in
order to worship him, to follow him, to rediscover him in the face of
the poor, to proclaim him to those who have not known Christ and,
therefore, have not experienced the embrace of his mercy. Friar
Junipero’s witness calls upon us to get involved, personally, in
the mission to the whole continent, which finds its roots in
Evangelii Gaudium”.
Secondly,
“Friar Junipero entrusted his missionary activity to the Blessed
Virgin Mary. We know that before leaving for California, he wanted to
consecrate his life to Our Lady of Guadalupe and to ask her for the
grace to open the hearts of the colonizers and indigenous peoples,
for the mission he was about to begin. … Since then, Our Lady of
Guadalupe has become, in fact, the Patroness of the whole American
continent. You cannot separate her from the hearts of the American
people. She represents our shared roots in this land. Indeed, today's
mission to the continent is entrusted to her, the first, holy
missionary disciple, a constant presence and companion, our source of
comfort and hope. For she always hears and protects her American
children”.
Thirdly,
the Pope invited those present to contemplate the witness of holiness
given by Friar Junipero, “one of the founding fathers of the United
States, a saintly example of the Church’s universality and special
patron of the Hispanic people of the country. In this way may all
Americans rediscover their own dignity, and unite themselves ever
more closely to Christ and his Church”. He went on to cite the
example of many American saints, who have distinguished themselves
through their various charisms: contemplatives like Rose of Lima,
Mariana of Quito and Teresita de los Andes; pastors who bear the
scent of Christ and of his sheep, such as Toribio de Mogrovejo,
Francois de Laval, and Rafael Guizar Valencia; humble workers in the
vineyard of the Lord, like Juan Diego and Kateri Tekakwitha; servants
of the suffering and the marginalised, like Peter Claver, Martin de
Porres, Damian of Molokai, Alberto Hurtado and Rose Philippine
Duchesne; founders of communities consecrated to the service of God
and of the poorest, like Frances Cabrini, Elizabeth Ann Seton and
Katharine Drexel; tireless missionaries, such as Friar Francisco
Solano, José de Anchieta, Alonso de Barzana, Maria Antonia de Paz y
Figueroa and Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero; martyrs like Roque
Gonzalez, Miguel Pro and Oscar Arnulfo Romero, and so many other
saints and martyrs, whom I do not mention here, but who pray before
the Lord for their brothers and sisters who are still pilgrims in
those lands. There ha been so much holiness in America, so much
holiness sown”.
“May
a powerful gust of holiness sweep through all the Americas during the
coming Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy!” exclaimed the Holy Father.
“Confident in Jesus’ promise, which we heard today in the Gospel,
we ask God for this special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We ask the
Risen Jesus, Lord of all ages, that the life of our American
continent may be rooted ever more deeply in the Gospel it has
received; that Christ may be ever more present in the lives of
individuals, families, peoples and nations, for the greater glory of
God. We pray too that this glory may be manifested in the culture of
life, brotherhood, solidarity, peace and justice, with a preferential
and concrete love for the poor, through the witness of Christians of
various confessions and communities, together with believers of other
religious traditions, and people of upright conscience and good will.
Lord Jesus, we are merely your missionary disciples, your humble
co-workers so that your Kingdom may come!”
“With
this heartfelt prayer”, he concluded, “I ask Our Lady of
Guadalupe, Friar Junipero and all the American saints to lead me and
guide me during my approaching apostolic journeys to South America
and North America. I ask all of you to keep this intention in your
prayers, and to continue to pray for me”.
Francis
to the faithful of Molise and Abruzzo: job creation cannot be
postponed
Vatican
City, 2 May 2015 (VIS) – More than seven thousand faithful of the
diocese of Isernia-Venafro, which the Pope visited in July last year,
were received in audience in the Vatican by the Holy Father this
morning. Francis thanked them for the warmth and joy with which they
welcomed him, without neglecting to mention the serious difficulties
that continue to afflict the area, which he spoke about during his
visit.
The
Pontiff mentioned first of all the chronic unemployment that
especially affects the youngest generations, who increasingly leave
the area for other countries, and he also underlined that lack of
adequate services to respond to the effective needs of the
population. “Faced with this worrying scenario, a general
mobilisation is necessary, to unite the strengths of the population,
the institutions, private entities and various civil bodies”, he
affirmed. “It is not possible to defer the concrete steps that need
to be taken to favour the creation of new jobs, thus offering the
young the possibility of realising their potential through honest
work”.
The
diocese is celebrating, on the other hand, a jubilee year dedicated
to Pope Celestine V, originally from the region, which offers the
opportunity for a new missionary impulse in order to go “beyond a
static religious reality” and to “return to Christ, to the
Gospel; to be reconciled with God and neighbour. And thus there is
reborn the desire to bring His love to all, especially those who are
alone, marginalised, humiliated by suffering and by social injustice;
to the many who, tired of human words, feel a profound nostalgia for
God”. The jubilee year will also provide a preparatory stage for
the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, and the parishes, where
“ecclesial communion finds its most immediate and visible
expression”, is called upon to be the “privileged place for
listening to and announcing the Gospel; a house of prayer around the
Eucharist; a true school of communion, where the ardour of charity
prevails over the temptation to a superficial and arid religiosity”.
“When
difficulties seem to obscure the prospects for a better future, when
we experience failure and emptiness around us, it is the moment of
Christian hope, based in the Risen Lord and accompanied by charitable
strength towards those most in need. This is how your diocesan path,
already admirably orientated to this way of charity, can involve more
people and more social and institutional bodies in assisting those
who are homeless or jobless, as well as those who are affected by
forms of poverty both old and new, not only in order to take care of
their urgent needs but also to build alongside them a more welcoming
society, more respectful of diversity, more just and fraternal. …
Problems can be overcome with solidarity. I encourage you, therefore,
to be witnesses of solidarity in your cities and towns, at work, at
school, in your families, and in the places where you meet”.
Finally,
Francis commended all those present to Our Lady and the saints of
Molise and Abruzzo, so they might be “supported by these powerful
intercessors”, in order to look “without fear and with hope to
your future and that of your land”.
Globalising
solidarity: the Pope's message for the inauguration of the Milan
Universal Exposition
Vatican
City, 1 May 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father spoke at the inauguration
of the Universal Exposition of Milan (1 May – 31 October 2015), on
the theme “Feeding the planet, energy for life” via a video
message transmitted life, in which he emphasises the importance of
the event for giving a voice to the poor, globalising solidarity and
defending the environment.
“I
am grateful for the opportunity to unite my voice to those of you
gathered here for this inauguration. It is the voice of the bishop of
Rome, who speaks on behalf of the pilgrim People of God throughout
the whole world; it is the voice of the many poor who form part of
this people and with dignity seek to earn bread through their
labours. I would like to be the spokesman for all these brothers and
sisters of ours, Christians and also non-Christians, whom God loves
as His sons and for whom he gave his life, breaking the brad that is
the flesh of His Son made man. He teaches us to ask God the Father:
'Give us this day our daily bread'. EXPO is an opportune occasion to
globalise solidarity”.
Recalling
the importance of the theme of the EXPO, Francis emphasises that an
issue so important and so essential cannot remain merely as a theme
for the event, but must instead be accompanied by “an awareness of
the faces of the millions of people who are hungry today, who will
not eat today in a way worthy of a human being. I would like every
person who comes to visit the EXPO of Milan, from today onwards,
passing through those wonderful pavilions, to be able to perceive the
presence of those faces. A hidden presence, but which ought in
reality to be the true protagonist of the event; the faces of the men
and women who are hungry, who become ill or even die as a result of
inadequate or harmful diet”.
The
“paradox of abundance” an expression used by St. John Paul II in
his address to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) during the
first Conference on Nutrition in 1992 “still persists, in spite of
the efforts made and some good results. Even EXPO, in some respects,
forms part of this paradox of abundance, if it conforms to the
throwaway culture of waste, and does not contribute to an equitable
and sustainable model of development. Therefore, let us ensure that
EXPO provides the opportunity for a change of mentality, so that we
stop thinking that our daily actions – at every level of
responsibility – do not have an impact on the life of those, near
and far, who suffer from hunger”.
The
Pope comments also on the other 'faces' who play an important role in
the Universal Exposition – those of the many workers and
researchers in the food and agriculture sector. “May the Lord grant
wisdom and courage to every one of them, as their responsibility is
great”, he says, expressing his hope that all those who work in
this field be “involved in a great project for solidarity: that of
feeding the planet with respect for every man and woman who inhabit
it, and with respect for the natural environment”. It is, he adds,
“the great challenge that God presents to humanity in the
twenty-first century: to finally stop abusing the garden God has
entrusted to us, so that all may eat its fruits”.
“However,
everything begins here: from a perception of those faces”, he
concludes, “especially the most anonymous, the most hidden, that
thanks to EXPO have earned bread to take home. May no-one be deprived
of this dignity! And may no bread be the fruit of work unworthy of
mankind! The Lord … is the true 'energy for life': the love to
share bread, 'our daily bread', in peace and fraternity. And may no
man or woman lack bread and the dignity of work”.
To
the Cursillos in Christianity: take your charism to the existential
peripheries
Vatican
City, 1 May 2015 (VIS) – The participants in the third “Ultreya
Europea” organise by the Cursillos in Christianity were received in
audience by Pope Francis yesterday afternoon. Citing the theme of the
encounter, “Ultreya” (“ever onward”, the ancient greeting of
the pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela), he invited them always to
continue and to go forward, inspired by the missionary but not
proselytising spirit of their founders, the Spanish Eduardo Bonnin
Aguilo and the then-bishop of Mallorca, Juan Hervas y Benet. As the
Pope remarked, they and other young laypeople, perceived the need to
reach out to their peers, glimpsing the desire for truth and love
present in their hearts.
“Those
pioneers … went towards the people, involving them with warmth and
accompanying them on their path of faith with respect and love. This
is important: friendliness and company. … I would like to say to
your movement: you have not engaged in proselytism! And this is a
virtue. The Church grows not by proselytism but by witness, as Pope
Benedict said. And it is true. … Today you too wish to announce the
Good News of God's love, making yourself close to others … so that
they can have a personal experience of Christ's infinite love that
frees and transforms life”.
During
the meeting, which had a spontaneous nature, the Pope answered some
questions from the participants in the Ultreya, suggesting to them
how to make their charism fruitful, and beginnning by explaining that
to help others grow in faith, first of all it is necessary to
experience first-hand God's goodness and tenderness to then
communicate it with benevolence and mercy. “This is the amicable
witness of dialogue between friends.
“The
method of evangelisation of the Cursillos is born precisely of this
ardent wish for friendship with God, Who is the source of our
friendship with our brothers”, he continued. “From the beginning
it was understood that only within a relationship of authentic
friendship was it possible to prepare and accompany people on their
path, a path that begins with conversion, passes through the
discovery of the beauty of a life lived in the grace of God, finally
reaching the joy of becoming apostles in daily life. And in this way,
since then, thousands of people throughout the world have been helped
to grow in the life of faith. In today's context of anonymity and
isolation typical of our cities, the dimension of family welcome, on
a human scale, that you offer in your group meetings is of great
importance”.
It
is also important that these small group meetings are accompanied by
“moments that favour openness to a larger social and ecclesial
dimension, also involving those who come into contact with your
charism but do not habitually participate in the group. …
Effectively, the Church is an 'open-hearted mother' who invites us at
times to 'slow down' and 'stop rushing to remain with someone who has
faltered along the way'”.
Francis
concluded by renewing his invitation to “go ever onwards”,
faithful to their charism, and to “keep alive the zeal and the
flame of the Spirit that always drives Christ's disciples to reach
those who are distant, without proselytism, to leave their comfort
zone and to have the courage to reach out to those peripheries in
need of the light of the Gospel. … Every charism is called upon to
grown as it carries the Holy Spirit inside, and the Holy Spirit makes
it grow. Every charism must take account of different cultures, with
different ways of thinking and different values … letting itself be
guided by the Spirit”.
Four
cardinals to take possession of titles and diaconates
Vatican
City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) – According to a note released today by the
Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, the
following cardinals will take possession of their titles or
diaconates in the coming days:
Cardinal
Luis Hector Villalba, archbishop emeritus of Tucuman, Argentina, will
take possession of the title of San Girolamo a Corviale in Via dei
Buonvisi 3, Rome, at 6 p.m. on Saturday 9 May.
Cardinal
Arlindo Gomes Furtado, bishop of Santiago de Cabo Verde, will take
possession of the title of San Timoteo in Via Apelle 1, Rome, at 10
a.m. on Sunday 10 May.
Cardinal
Julio Duarte Langa, bishop emeritus of Xai-Xai, Mozambique, will take
possession of the title of San Gabriele dell'Addolorata in Via Ponzio
Cominio 93-95, Rome, at 11 a.m. on Sunday 10 May.
Cardinal
Dominique Mamberti, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic
Signatura, will take possession of the diaconate of Santo Spirito in
Sassia, in Via dei Penitenzieri 12, Rome, at 6 p.m. on Sunday 10 May.
Audiences
Vatican
City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in
audience:
-
Archbishop Jose Horacio Gomez of Los Angeles, U.S.A.;
-
Dr. Antje Jackelen, archbishop of Uppsala, of the
Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Sweden, and entourage;
-
Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity;
-
Eleven prelates of the Episcopal Conference of the Republic of the
Congo, on their “ad Limina” visit:
-
Archbishop Anatole Milandou of Brazzaville;
-
Bishop Bienvenu Manamika Bafouakouahou of Dolisie;
-
Bishop Urbain Ngassongo of Gamboma;
-
Bishop Jean Gardin, C.S.Sp., of Impfondo;
-
Bishop Louis Portella Mbuyu of Kinkala;
-
Bishop Daniel Mizonzo of Nkayi, with Bishop emeritus Bernard Nsayi;
-
Bishop Yves-Marie Monot, C.S.Sp., of Ouesso, with Bishop emeritus
Herve Itoua;
-
Bishop Victor Abagna Mossa of Owando; and
-
Bishop Miguel Angel Olaverri Arroniz, S.D.B., of Pointe-Noire.
On
Saturday, 2 May, the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Marc
Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
Other
Pontifical Acts
Vatican
City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed:
-
Bishop Denis Groudin, auxiliary of Quebec, Canada, as metropolitan
archbishop of Rimouski (area 20,225, population 147,352, Catholics
143,960, priests 85, permanent deacons 16, religious 517), Canada.
On
Saturday, 2 May the Holy Father appointed Cardinal Miloslav Vlk,
archbishop emeritus of Prague, Czech Republic, as his special envoy
to the celebrations for the 600th anniversary of the death of Jan
Hus, to take place in the city of Prague on 5 and 6 July 2015.
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