News Vatican Information Service 12/12-14/2009

SUMMARY: 12 - 14 DECEMBER

- Pope Receives Prime Minister of Albania
- Other Pontifical Acts
- Concrete Gestures of Love and Closeness to the Sick
- Angelus: Nativity Scenes Are a School of Life
- Prime Minister of Montenegro Received by the Pope
- Audiences

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POPE RECEIVES PRIME MINISTER OF ALBANIA

VATICAN CITY, 12 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office published the following communique at midday today:

"This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Sali Berisha, prime minister of the Republic of Albania. The prime minister subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"During the cordial discussions views were exchanged on the current international situation, with particular reference to the western Balkan region.

"Various aspects of bilateral relations were also examined, jointly expressing a positive evaluation of their development. Mention was also made of traditional family values, which are the common heritage of the Albanian people".
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 12 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Jose Elias Rauda Gutierrez O.F.M., auxiliary of Santa Ana, El Salvador, as bishop of San Vicente (area 2,056, population 502,428, Catholics 454,574, priests 50, religious 138), El Salvador.

- Maria Emmaus Voce, president of the Work of Mary - Focolari Movement, as a consultor of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

- Jochen Messemer, administrative president of ERGO International, as international reviser, for a three-year period, of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See..
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CONCRETE GESTURES OF LOVE AND CLOSENESS TO THE SICK

VATICAN CITY, 13 DEC 2009 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father visited the Sacred Heart Hospice, a private clinic in Rome offering free medical assistance to patients suffering from cancer in its final stages, Alzheimer's and motor neuron disease. The centre came into being at the initiative of two groups: the "Circolo San Pietro" and the "Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Roma". Over eleven years, the number of patients has risen from three to more than thirty.

"We know", said the Holy Father in his address, "how certain serious diseases inevitably cause the sick to suffer moments of crisis and disorientation, and make them reflect seriously about their personal situation.

"Progress in medical science", he added, "often offers the instruments necessary to face these challenges, at least as concerns their physical aspects. Yet, it is not always possible to find a cure for every disease".

"Today", Pope Benedict went on, "the predominant efficiency-oriented mentality often tends to marginalise [the sick], holding them to be a burden and a problem for society. Yet, people who have a sense of human dignity know that they must be respected and supported as they face the difficulties and suffering associated with their health. To this end, ... alongside the vital clinical cures, it is necessary to offer the sick concrete gestures of love, closeness and Christian solidarity in order to meet their need for understanding, comfort and constant encouragement".

After then highlighting how, "over the centuries, the Church has always shown herself to be a loving mother to people who suffer in body and in spirit", the Pope encouraged those people who, "making themselves icons of the Good Samaritan, ... offer appropriate and attentive assistance to the needs of everyone".

The Holy Father also assured the sick of his prayers and invited them "to find support and comfort in Jesus, in order never to lose faith and hope. Your sickness is a painful and unique trial, but in the face of the mystery of God Who took on our mortal flesh it acquires its full meaning, and becomes a gift and an opportunity for sanctification".

And he continued: "When suffering and discomfort are greatest, think that Christ is associating you with His cross because, through you, He wishes to pronounce a word of love to all those who have lost their way in life and, closed in their own egoism, live in sin, far from God. Your state of health bears witness to the fact that true life is not here, but with God".

The Pope concluded by recalling how "the period of Advent, in which we are currently immersed, speaks to us of the visit of God and invites us to prepare the way for Him. In the light of faith we can see sickness and suffering as a special experience of Advent, a visit from God Who, in a mysterious way, comes out to meet us and so frees us from solitude and non-meaning, transforming pain into a time for meeting Him, a time of hope and salvation".
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ANGELUS: NATIVITY SCENES ARE A SCHOOL OF LIFE

VATICAN CITY, 13 DEC 2009 (VIS) - This morning, following his visit to Rome's Sacred Heart Hospice, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his private study to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square and, following a Roman tradition on this third Sunday of Advent, blessed the statues of the Baby Jesus which will be placed in nativity scenes in homes and parishes.

"It is a source of joy for me", said the Holy Father, "to know that your families still conserve the custom of making nativity scenes. Yet it is not enough to repeat the traditional gesture, however important it may be. We must seek to live what the nativity scene represents in the reality of our everyday lives: that is, the love of Christ, His humility and His poverty".

"The blessing of the 'Bambinelli' - as they are called in Rome - reminds us that the nativity scene is a school of life where we can learn the secret of true joy. This does not consist in possessing many things but in feeling ourselves to be loved by the Lord, in making ourselves a gift for others, and in loving one another. Let us consider the nativity scene: the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph do not appear to be a very privileged family, they had their first child amidst great hardship, yet they are full of intimate joy because they love one another, they help one another and, above all, they are certain that God is at work in their story".

"And the shepherds", the Pope asked, "what reason do they have to be happy? That newborn infant will certainly not alter their poverty and marginalisation. Yet faith helps them to recognise in the 'child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger', the 'sign' of the fulfilment of God's promises for all the men and women 'whom He favours', even for them!"

For this reason, Benedict XVI explained, true joy consists in "feeling that our individual and community lives are touched by and filled with a great mystery, the mystery of the love of God. In order to be joyful we need ... love and truth, we need a God Who is near, Who warms our hearts and responds to our most profound expectations".

After praying the Angelus, the Pope noted how Rome is today celebrating the "Day for new church buildings", because "in our city there are communities that do not have an adequate place of worship, ... or structures for formative activities". In this context, he called on everyone to help in creating the necessary pastoral centres.

Finally the Pope mentioned the missionaries Fr. Daniel Cizimya, Fr. Louis Blondel, Fr. Gerry Roche, and Sr. Denise Kahambu, who were killed recently in Africa. "They were", he said, " faithful witnesses of the Gospel, which they announced with courage even at the risk of their own lives". He also expressed his closeness to the missionaries' relatives and religious communities, and asked everyone to join him in prayer that the Lord, with His coming, may bring "reconciliation and peace".
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PRIME MINISTER OF MONTENEGRO RECEIVED BY THE POPE

VATICAN CITY, 14 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:

"This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Milo Djukanovic, prime minister of Montenegro. The prime minister subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"In the course of the cordial discussions a fruitful exchange of opinions took place on questions concerning current international affairs, as well as on the situation in the region and the main challenges it is facing. The positive contribution made to Montenegrin society by the significant Catholic minority was also highlighted. Finally attention turned to certain topics of current interest, in particular the government's commitment to promoting peace and harmony among the different peoples and religious confessions present in the country".
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 14 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Five prelates from the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus on their "ad limina" visit:

- Cardinal Kazimierz Swiatek, archbishop emeritus of Minsk-Mohilev and apostolic administrator "ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Pinsk, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Kazimierz Wielikosielec.

- Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Minsk-Mohilev, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Antoni Dziemianko.

- Bishop Aleksander Kaszkiewicz of Grodno.

- Hans-Dietrich Genscher, former German foreign minister.

- Bishop Jean Laffitte, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family, accompanied by members of his family.

- Bishop Mario Toso S.D.B., secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, accompanied by members of his family.

- Bishop Giovanni D'Ercole F.D.P., auxiliary of L'Aquila, Italy accompanied by members of his family.

On Saturday 12 December he received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Vinko Puljic, archbishop of Vrhbosna-Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- Archbishop Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich and Freising, Germany.

- Archbishop Giacinto Berloco, apostolic nuncio to Belgium and Luxemburg.

- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
AL:AP/.../... VIS 091214

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News for 12/11/2009

SUMMARY:

- The Issue of God Is Central in Our Time
- Pope Receives a Vietnamese President for First Time Ever
- Irish Bishops Meet with Pope
- Audiences
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THE ISSUE OF GOD IS CENTRAL IN OUR TIME

VATICAN CITY, 11 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father has sent a Message to Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, metropolitan archbishop of Genoa, Italy, and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), for the occasion of a conference entitled: "God today: to be with Him or without Him changes everything". The conference is being held in Rome from 10 to 12 December.

"The issue of God", writes the Pope in his Message, "is central in our time, which often tends to reduce man to a single dimension - the 'horizontal' dimension - in the belief that his openness to the Transcendent is irrelevant to his life. However, the relationship with God is essential for the journey of humankind. ... The Church and all Christians have the task of causing God to be present in this world, of seeking to open access to God for all men and women".

The Holy Father then goes on to highlight how, on the one hand, the conference "aims to show the various paths that lead to affirming the truth about the existence of God, the God Whom humanity has always in some way known and ... Who revealed Himself ... fully and definitively in Jesus Christ" and, on the other, it seeks "to throw light on the essential importance that God has for us, for our personal and social life, ... and for the salvation awaiting us after death".

These themes will be examined from various points of view: through theological and philosophical reflection, through the longing for God that is apparent in the arts, and through the development of the sciences "which seek to look into the depths of natural mechanisms, fruit of the intelligent work of God the Creator".

"In a cultural and spiritual situation such as the present, where there is a growing tendency to relegate God to the private sphere, to consider Him as irrelevant and superfluous or even to reject Him explicitly, it is my heartfelt hope that this event may contribute, at the least, to dispersing the shadow that makes modern man hesitant and timorous before the idea of openness to God", writes the Pope.

And he concludes his Message: "The experiences of the past, even the recent past, teach us that when God disappears from man's horizon, humankind loses its sense of direction and risks taking steps towards its own destruction". Yet "faith in God opens man to the horizon of a certain hope".
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POPE RECEIVES A VIETNAMESE PRESIDENT FOR FIRST TIME EVER

VATICAN CITY, 11 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:

"This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Nguyen Minh Triet, president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The president subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"This was the first meeting of a president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam with His Holiness and with high-ranking officials of the Secretariat of State.

"The Holy See expressed its pleasure at the visit, a significant stage in the progress of bilateral relations with Vietnam, and expressed the hope that outstanding questions may be resolved as soon as possible.

"The cordial discussions provided an opportunity to touch upon certain themes concerning co-operation between Church and State, also in the light of the Message the Holy Father sent to the Church in Vietnam for the opening of the current Jubilee Year. Attention likewise turned to the current international situation, with particular reference to the commitment of Vietnam and of the Holy See in the multilateral field".
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IRISH BISHOPS MEET WITH POPE

VATICAN CITY, 11 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following English-language communique at midday today:

"Today the Holy Father held a meeting with senior Irish bishops and high-ranking members of the Roman Curia. He listened to their concerns and discussed with them the traumatic events that were presented in the Irish Commission of Investigation's Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin.

"After careful study of the report, the Holy Father was deeply disturbed and distressed by its contents. He wishes once more to express his profound regret at the actions of some members of the clergy who have betrayed their solemn promises to God, as well as the trust placed in them by the victims and their families, and by society at large.

"The Holy Father shares the outrage, betrayal and shame felt by so many of the faithful in Ireland, and he is united with them in prayer at this difficult time in the life of the Church.

"His Holiness asks Catholics in Ireland and throughout the world to join him in praying for the victims, their families and all those affected by these heinous crimes.

"He assures all concerned that the Church will continue to follow this grave matter with the closest attention in order to understand better how these shameful events came to pass and how best to develop effective and secure strategies to prevent any recurrence.

"The Holy See takes very seriously the central issues raised by the report, including questions concerning the governance of local Church leaders with ultimate responsibility for the pastoral care of children.

"The Holy Father intends to address a Pastoral Letter to the faithful of Ireland in which he will clearly indicate the initiatives that are to be taken in response to the situation.

"Finally, His Holiness encourages all those who have dedicated their lives in generous service to children to persevere in their good works in imitation of Christ the Good Shepherd".
OP/MEETING BISHOPS/IRELAND VIS 091211 (340)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 11 DEC 2009 (VIS) - This evening the Holy Father is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
AP/.../... VIS 091211 (40)

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News Vatican Information Service for 12/10/2009

SUMMARY:

- Pope Receives President of Gabon
- Cuba: Concrete Signs of Openness to Religious Freedom
- Diplomatic Relations between Holy See and Russia
- Ratification of Agreement between Holy See and Brazil
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts

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POPE RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF GABON

VATICAN CITY, 10 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:

"This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Ali Bongo Ondimba, president of the Republic of Gabon. The president subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"During the cordial discussions, mention was made of the recently-deceased President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba. Pleasure was then expressed at the good relations that exist between the Holy See and Gabon, by virtue of the Framework-Agreement stipulated in 1997 and its developments. Attention also dwelt on the contribution Catholics make to the development of the country, and to the integral progress of the Gabonese people, particularly in the field of education".
OP/AUDIENCE/PRESIDENT GABON VIS 091210 (150)

CUBA: CONCRETE SIGNS OF OPENNESS TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

VATICAN CITY, 10 DEC 2009 (VIS) - Eduardo Delgado Bermudez, the new Cuban ambassador to the Holy See, today presented his Letters of Credence to the Holy Father.

In his remarks to the diplomat the Pope noted how, "through hopes and difficulties, Cuba has conquered a leading role, especially in the economic and political context of the Caribbean and Latin America. Moreover, certain signs of openness in relations with the neighbouring United States presage new opportunities for a mutually beneficial rapprochement, in full respect for the sovereignty and rights of States and their citizens".

Cuba, "by continuing to collaborate with many countries in such fundamental areas as literacy and healthcare, favours international co-operation and solidarity without subordinating these factors to any interests other than those of helping people in need. It is to be hoped that all this may contribute to fulfilling the call made by my venerated predecessor Pope John Paul II on his historic visit to your island: 'May Cuba, with all its magnificent potential, open itself up to the world, and may the world open itself up to Cuba'".

Like other countries Cuba is also suffering "the consequences of the serious world crisis which, in addition to the devastating effects of natural disasters and the economic embargo, particularly affects the poorest people and families. ... The Catholic Church in Cuba which at the present time, as always, feels herself to be close to the people, wishes to offer her own modest but effective assistance", said the Holy Father. He also highlighted how greater co-operation with the Cuban authorities "has enabled the realisation of important aid and reconstruction projects, especially in the wake of natural catastrophes".

"It is my hope", he went on, "that tangible signs of openness in the exercise of religious freedom will continue to increase, as has been happening over recent years". These signs include: "the celebration of Mass in various prisons, the performance of religious processions, the repair and restitution of certain church buildings and the construction of a number of religious houses, as well as the extension of social security to cover priests and religious".

"In order to continue along this path, especially for the benefit of the citizens of Cuba", the Pope continued his address to the ambassador, "it is also to be desired that dialogue may continue with a view to reaching mutual agreement - following forms similar to those established with other States, yet while respecting the specific characteristics of your country - on a juridical framework to define the existing (and never-interrupted) relations between the Holy See and Cuba, a framework capable of guaranteeing the sound development of the life and pastoral activity of the Church in that nation".

Finally the Holy Father expressed his hope that the climate "which has made it possible for the Church to offer her own modest charitable contribution, may also favour her participation in the social communications media and in complementary educational duties, consistent with her specific pastoral and spiritual mission".
CD/LETTERS CREDENCE/CUBA:DELGADO VIS 091210 (510)

DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND RUSSIA

VATICAN CITY, 10 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office has published a communique announcing that "the Holy See and the Russian Federation, in the desire to promote their mutual friendly relations, have decided by joint agreement to establish diplomatic relations, at the level of apostolic nunciature on the part of the Holy See and of embassy on the part of the Russian Federation".
OP/DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS/RUSSIA VIS 091210 (80)

RATIFICATION OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND BRAZIL

VATICAN CITY, 10 DEC 2009 (VIS) - In the Vatican Apostolic Palace today, Thursday 10 December, the exchange took place of the instruments of ratification of an Agreement between the Holy See and the Federative Republic of Brazil. The Agreement was signed on 13 November 2008.

According to a communique, the ceremony was attended for the Holy See by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States, and for the Federative Republic of Brazil by Luiz Felipe de Seixas Correa, ambassador plenipotentiary.

"The Agreement, which further consolidates the traditional bonds of friendship and collaboration that exist between the two sides, is made up of a preamble and twenty articles which govern various areas, among them: the juridical status of the Catholic Church in Brazil; the recognition of academic qualifications; the teaching of religion in State schools; canonical marriage and the fiscal regime.

"With today's ceremony", the communique adds in conclusion, "the Agreement comes into force".

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 10 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Robert Sarah, secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

- Carl A. Anderson, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus, accompanied by Bishop William Edward Lori of Bridgeport, U.S.A.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 10 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the diocese of Legazpi, Philippines, presented by Lucilo B. Quiambao, in accordance with canons 411 and 401 para. 1 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana, apostolic nuncio to India, as apostolic nuncio to Canada.
RE:NN/QUIAMBAO:QUINTANA VIS 091210 (70)

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News Vatican Information Service 12/8 - 9/2009

SUMMARY: 8 - 9 DECEMBER

- Turn to the Virgin Mary in Times of Difficulty
- Each Human Story Is Sacred and Demands Respect
- Rupert of Deutz: Study of the Faith and Contemplation
- Message to Cartagena Summit on Anti-Personnel Mines
- Benedict XVI to Preside at Vespers with University Students
- Other Pontifical Acts
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TURN TO THE VIRGIN MARY IN TIMES OF DIFFICULTY

VATICAN CITY, 8 DEC 2009 (VIS) - At midday today, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square below.

The Holy Father commented on the title of "Immaculate" by referring to the book of Genesis and the account of the Annunciation in the Gospel of St. Luke. "It is through woman that God Himself will triumph", he said. "That woman is the Virgin Mary from whom was born Jesus Christ Who, with His sacrifice, defeated the ancient tempter once and for all. For this reason, in so many paintings and statues of the Immaculate, she is shown in the act of crushing a serpent under her foot.

"For his part", he added "the Evangelist Luke shows us the Virgin Mary receiving the announcement from the heavenly messenger. She appears as the humble and authentic daughter of Israel, the true Zion in which God wishes to establish His dwelling. She is the branch from which the Messiah, the just and merciful King, will grow. ... Unlike Adam and Eve, Mary remains obedient to the Lord's will. With all of herself she pronounces her 'yes' and fully places herself at the disposal of the divine plan. She is the new Eve, the true 'mother of all creatures'; that is, of everyone who, through faith in Christ, receives eternal life".

"What an immense joy it is", Pope Benedict exclaimed, "to have Mary Immaculate as our mother! Whenever we experience our own fragility and the lure of evil, we can turn to her and our hearts receive light and comfort. Even in the trials of life, in the storms that unsettle our faith and hope, we know that we are her children and that the roots of our life lie deep in the infinite grace of God. In her the Church, though exposed to the negative influences of the world, always finds a star by which to guide herself and to follow the route Christ shows her. Mary is, in fact, the Mother of the Church, as solemnly proclaimed by Pope Paul VI and Vatican Council II".

The Pope concluded by rendering thanks unto God "for this marvellous sign of His goodness", and by entrusting to the Virgin Immaculate "each one of us, our families and communities, the whole Church and the world entire".
ANG/IMMACULATE/... VIS 091209 (420)

EACH HUMAN STORY IS SACRED AND DEMANDS RESPECT

VATICAN CITY, 8 DEC 2009 (VIS) - Today at 4.15 p.m. Benedict XVI travelled by car to Rome's Piazza di Spagna to place the traditional floral wreath at the foot of the statue of Mary in celebration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

Before arriving in the square, the Holy Father stopped briefly at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity to greet the Dominican Friars and the members of the Via Condotti Storeowners Association. Once in the square, in the presence of thousands of faithful, he blessed a basket of roses which was placed at the foot of the column bearing Mary's statue.

"What does Mary say to the city" What does her presence call to mind?" the Pope asked. "She reminds that 'where sin increased, grace abounded all the more'. ... She is the Immaculate Mother who tells the men and women of our time: do not be afraid".

"What need we have of this beautiful piece of news!" the Holy Father exclaimed. "Every day, through newspapers, television and radio, evil is recounted, repeated, amplified, making us accustomed to the most terrible things, making us insensitive and, in some way, intoxicating us, because the negative is never fully purged and accumulates day after day. The heart becomes harder and thoughts become darker. For this reason, the city needs Mary who ... brings us hope even in the most difficult situations".

The Pope went on to recall how our cities are inhabited by "invisible men and women", people who "now and again appear on the front pages or on television screens, and are exploited to the last drop for as long as their news and image attract attention. This is a perverse mechanism which unfortunately we find difficult to resist. The city first hides people them exposes to the public, without pity or with false pity", when the truth is that "each human story is a sacred story and calls for the greatest respect.

"The city is made up of us all", Benedict XVI added. "Each of us contributes to its life and its moral climate, for good or for evil. The confine between good and evil passes through each of our hearts". Yet, "the mass media tend to make us feel as if we are spectators, as if evil only concerned others, and that certain things could never happen to us. Whereas we are all 'actors' and, in evil as in good, our behaviour has an effect on others".

After then asking Mary Immaculate to help us "rediscover and defend the profundity of human beings", the Pope paid homage to all those people who, "in silence, ... strive to practice the evangelical law of love, which moves the world". They are "men and women of all ages who have understood that condemnation, complaint and recrimination serve no purpose, and that it is more worthwhile to respond to evil with good. This changes things; or rather, it changes people and, as a consequence, improves society".
BXVI-HOMAGE/IMMACULATE/... VIS 091209 (510)

RUPERT OF DEUTZ: STUDY OF THE FAITH AND CONTEMPLATION

VATICAN CITY, 9 DEC 2009 (VIS) - In his general audience, held this morning in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, the Pope turned his attention to another twelfth century monk: Rupert of Deutz, a German city near Cologne and site of a famous monastery.

From an early age Rupert showed an inclination for the monastic life and a complete adherence to the See of Peter. He was appointed abbot of Deutz in 1120 and died in 1129. He "teaches us that when controversy arises in the Church, reliance on the Petrine ministry is a guarantee of faithfulness to healthy doctrine and brings inner serenity and freedom".

Recalling Rupert's many works, which are "still of great interest today", Benedict XVI highlighted how "he intervened forcefully" in the theological discussions of his day, such as "the defence of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist". In this context the Pope warned against "the danger of reducing Eucharistic realism, considering it only as a rite of communion or socialisation, which easily leads us to forget that the risen Christ is really present - with His risen Body - and puts Himself in our hands to incorporate us into His own immortal Body and lead us to a new life. ... This is a mystery to adore and to love ever anew", he said.

The Holy Father also referred to another controversy in which the abbot of Deutz was involved: "the problem of conciliating the goodness and omnipotence of God with the existence of evil". In this, Rupert based himself "on the goodness of God, on the truth that God is supremely good and cannot but want what is good. Thus he identified the origin of evil in man, and in the erroneous use he makes of his own freedom".

Rupert, the Pope went on, "maintained that the Incarnation, the central event of all history, had been foreseen since eternity, independent of man's sin, so that all Creation could praise God the Father and love Him as a single family gathered around Christ".

Rupert "was the first writer to identify the bride in the Song of Songs with Mary Most Holy. Thus his commentary on that book of Scripture may be seen as a kind of Mariological 'summa' presenting the privileges and excellent virtues of Mary". Likewise, "he was careful to insert his own Mariological doctrine into ecclesiological doctrine; in other words, in the Blessed Virgin he saw the most sacred part of the entire Church". Much later this was echoed at Vatican Council II with its solemn proclamation of Mary as Mother of the Church.

Rupert of Deutz, the Pope concluded, "like all representatives of monastic theology, was able to unite the rational study of the mysteries of the faith with prayer and contemplation, considered as the apex of any knowledge of God".
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MESSAGE TO CARTAGENA SUMMIT ON ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES

VATICAN CITY, 9 DEC 2009 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from the Holy Father, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., to Susan Eckey, president of the second conference called to examine the Convention prohibiting the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines. The conference was held in Cartagena, Colombia, from 30 November to 4 December.

"Since its adoption, the convention has gained the approval of a majority of States in the world, though unfortunately adherence is not universal", reads the Message. "For this occasion, the Holy See makes an appeal to all States to recognise the deplorable humanitarian consequences of anti-personnel mines. ... The thousands of victims they continue to reap remind us (were it necessary to repeat it) of the illusion of seeking to build peace and stability on an exclusively military vision. In this circumstance it is appropriate to reiterate that peace, security and stability cannot exist only by virtue of military security; rather, they depend above all on creating conditions that enable the full development of the human person, conditions often hindered by the use and presence of anti-personnel mines".
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BENEDICT XVI TO PRESIDE AT VESPERS WITH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

VATICAN CITY, 9 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that at 5.30 p.m. on Thursday 17 December in the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, the Holy Father will presided at Vespers with students of Roman universities.
OCL/VESPERS/UNIVERSITY STUDENTS VIS 091209 (60)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 9 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Daniel E. Flores, auxiliary of Detroit, U.S.A., as bishop of Brownsville (area 10,945, population 1,170,776, Catholics 995,160, priests 120, permanent deacons 65, religious 178), U.S.A. He succeeds Bishop Raymundo J. Pena, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
NER:RE/FLORES:PENA VIS 091209 (70)

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News Vatican Information Service 12/07/2009

SUMMARY: 5 - 7 DECEMBER

- Benedict XVI Recalls the Fall of the Berlin Wall
- Pope Receives President of Germany
- Catholic Institutions, an Expression of Church Heritage
- The Word of God Moves Human History
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts
- Notice
___________________________________________________________

BENEDICT XVI RECALLS THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL

VATICAN CITY, 5 DEC 2009 (VIS) - Yesterday evening in the Sistine Chapel, the Pope attended a concert offered by Horst Kohler, president of the Federal Republic of Germany, to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the foundation of that State, and the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The "Augsburger Domsingknaben" and the "Residenz-Kammerorchester Munchen", conducted by Reinhard Kammler, played Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 (Cantatas I-III).

In his remarks at the end of the concert, the Holy Father recalled how the Berlin Wall was "a frontier of death which for many years divided our homeland, forcibly separating people, families, neighbours and friends. Many at the time saw the events of 9 November 1989 as an unexpected dawn of freedom after a long and harsh night of violence and oppression due to a totalitarian system which, in the end, led to nihilism, to an emptying of souls.

"Under the communist dictatorship no action was held to be evil and always immoral in itself. What served the aims of the party was good, however inhuman it could be", the Pope added.

He went on to note how the current Federal Republic of Germany is proof that "the social order of the West is better and more humane". This is largely due to the "Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany" which "exhorts men and women, responsible before God the Creator, to give priority to human dignity, to respect marriage and the family as the foundation of all societies, and to show esteem and profound respect for what is sacred to others.

"May the citizens of Germany - faithful to the duty established in the Basic Law concerning spiritual and political renewal in the wake of National Socialism and the Second World War - continue to collaborate for the construction of a freer and more social society".

"The history of Europe in the twentieth century shows how responsibility before God is of vital importance for moral political activity", said the Pope. "God brings mankind together in true communion and shows individuals that, in their communion with others, a greater One is present, One Who is the original cause of our lives and of our joint existence. This is particularly evident in the mystery of the Nativity when this God comes close to us with His love and, as a Child, requests our love".
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POPE RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF GERMANY

VATICAN CITY, 5 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:

"This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Horst Kohler, president of Germany, who was accompanied by his wife. The president subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"During the cordial discussions opinions were exchanged on various themes. Mention was made of the recent concert marking the sixtieth anniversary of the foundation of Federal Republic of Germany and the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which was the reason for the president's visit to the Vatican. Attention also turned to the current economic crisis and its consequences, and to the international situation, with particular reference to Europe and the continent of Africa".
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CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS, AN EXPRESSION OF CHURCH HERITAGE

VATICAN CITY, 5 DEC 2009 (VIS) - Prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Region South 3 and 4), who have just completed their "ad limina" visit, were received in audience this morning by the Holy Father who focused his remarks to them on the places where culture is transmitted (schools and universities) and on the consequences of liberation theology.

"The Catholic school", he said, "cannot be conceived or experienced separately from other educational institutions. It is at the service of society, having a public function and offering a service of public utility which is not reserved exclusively to Catholics but remains open to whoever wishes to receive a quality education. The problem of juridical and economic parity with State schools cannot be correctly understood save by recognising the primary role of families and the subsidiary role of other educational institutions".

Turning then to consider the subject of higher education, the Pope highlighted how the Church "has always supported universities and their vocation to take human beings to the highest level of knowledge, of truth and of dominion of the world in all its aspects". Benedict XVI likewise expressed his gratitude to the religious congregations which founded and still support various famous universities in Brazil, recalling how these places "are not the property of those who founded them, or of those who frequent them, but an expression of the Church and of her heritage of faith".

The Pope then went on to recall how 25 August this year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's Instruction "Libertatis nuntius" concerning certain aspects of liberation theology. That document, he said, "highlights the danger involved in the uncritical absorption, by certain theologians, of theses and methodologies that come from Marxism".

"The more or less visible consequences of that approach - characterised by rebellion, division, dissent, offence and anarchy - still linger today, producing great suffering and a serious loss of vital energies in your diocesan communities".

"I appeal to all who, in the depths of their being, feel in some way attracted, involved or encouraged by some of the misleading principles of liberation theology, to re-examine the aforementioned Instruction, accepting the benign light it emanates. And I remind everyone that 'the supreme rule of the faith [of the Church] derives from the unity which the Spirit has created between Sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture and the Magisterium of the Church in a reciprocity which means that none of the three can survive without the others'".

The Pope concluded by invoking the Virgin Mary, "so loved and venerated ... in Brazil. ... In her we find, pure and un-deformed, the true essence of the Church and we learn to know and love the mystery of the Church which lives in history and of which we feel ourselves to be a part. Thus do we become 'ecclesial souls', learning to resist that 'inner secularisation' which threatens the Church and her teachings".
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THE WORD OF GOD MOVES HUMAN HISTORY

VATICAN CITY, 6 DEC 2009 (VIS) - At midday today, the Pope appeared at the window of his private study overlooking St. Peter's Square, in order to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered below.

The Holy Father explained that on this second Sunday of Advent the Gospel of St. Luke "focuses its attention on John the Baptist, precursor to the Messiah, and very precisely outlines the area and period in which his preaching took place".

"The Evangelist wished to inform those reading or listening that the Gospel is not a legend but the account of a real story, that Jesus of Nazareth was a real person Who lived in that specific context", said the Pope. "The second element worthy of mention is that, following this detailed historical introduction, the subject turns to the 'word of God' presented as a power that descends from on high and alights on John the Baptist".

Benedict XVI then went on to highlight how "the Word of God is the force that moves history, inspires prophets, prepares the way for the Messiah, convenes the Church. Jesus Himself is the divine Word Who became flesh in the virginal womb of Mary. God revealed Himself fully in Him. He told us and gave us everything, opening us to the treasures of His truth and mercy".

"The most beautiful flower to grow from the Word of God is the Virgin Mary. She is the first fruit of the Church, the garden of God upon the earth. But while Mary is Immaculate - and so we will celebrate her the day after tomorrow - the Church has continual need of purification, because sin threatens all her members. Within the Church there is a constant struggle between the desert and the garden, between sin which dries out the land and grace which irrigates it to produce abundant fruits of sanctity. Let us, then, pray to the Lord's Mother that she may help us in this period of Advent, to 'straighten' our path and allow ourselves to be guided by the Word of God".

After praying the Angelus, the Pope recalled how tomorrow, 7 December, the UN climate conference is due to begin in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, "with which the international community will seek to counter the phenomenon of global warming.

"It is my hope", he added, "that the work of the conference will help to identify actions that respect creation and promote development in solidarity, based upon the dignity of human beings and oriented to the common good. The defence of creation requires the adoption of sober and responsible lifestyles, especially with respect to the poor and to future generations. In this context, and in order to guarantee the complete success of the conference, I invite all people of good will to respect the laws established by God over nature and to rediscover the moral dimension of human life".
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 7 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, Germany.

On Saturday 5 December the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

- Five prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, on their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop Luiz Carlos Eccel of Cacador.

- Bishop Augustinho Petry of Rio do Sul.

- Bishop Jacinto Inacio Flach of Criciuma.

- Bishop Joao Oneres Marchiori , apostolic administrator of Lages.

- Fr. Nilo Buss, diocesan administrator of Tuburao.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 7 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Fr. Pedro Daniel Martinez, rector of the major seminary of San Rafael, as coadjutor of the diocese of San Luis (area 76,748, population 337,000, Catholics 358,000, priests 54, religious 92), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in Mendoza, Argentina in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1981.

- Fr. Marian Eleganti O.S.B., abbot of the monastery of Sankt Otmarsberg, Switzerland, as auxiliary of the diocese of Chur (area 12,272, population 1,645,541, Catholics 689,746, priests 628, permanent deacons 40, religious 374), Switzerland. The bishop-elect was born in Uznach, Switzerland in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1995.

- Msgr. Theodorus Cornelius Maria Hoogenboom of the clergy of the archdiocese of Utrecht, Netherlands, vicar general and provost of the metropolitan chapter, and Fr. Herman Willebrordus Woorts, also of the clergy of Utrecht, episcopal vicar for the region of Utrecht and for the liturgy, and canon of the metropolitan chapter, as auxiliaries of the archdiocese of Utrecht (area 10,000, population 3,938,514, Catholics 766,000, priests 460, permanent deacons 82, religious 1,404). Bishop-elect Hoogenboom was born in Oudewater, Netherlands in 1960 and ordained a priest in 1999. Bishop-elect Woorts was born in Abcoude, Netherlands in 1963 and ordained a priest in 1992.

On Saturday 5 December it was made public that he:

- Erected the two new dioceses of Sisak and of Bjelovar-Krizevci, both in Croatia, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Zagreb, making them suffragans of the same metropolitan church. He appointed Bishop Vlado Kosic, auxiliary of Zagreb, as first bishop of the new diocese of Sisak, and Msgr. Vjekoslav Huzjak of the clergy of the diocese of Varazdin, Croatia, secretary general of the Croatian Episcopal Conference, as first bishop of the new diocese of Bjelovar-Krizevci. Bishop-elect Huzjak was born in Jalzabet, Croatia in 1960 and ordained a priest in 1986.

- Elevated the apostolic prefecture of Gambella, (area 50,000, population 507,000, Catholics 8,430, priests 14, religious 9), Ethiopia, to the rank of apostolic vicariate, with the same name and territorial configuration as before. He appointed Fr. Angelo Moreschi S.D.B., currently apostolic prefect of the same ecclesiastical circumscription, as apostolic vicar of the new vicariate. The bishop-elect was born in Nave, Italy in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1982.

- Elevated the apostolic prefecture of Jimma-Bonga, (area 57,000, population 3,500,000, Catholics 12,185, priests 9, religious 23), Ethiopia, to the rank of apostolic vicariate, with the same name and territorial configuration as before. He appointed Fr. Markos Ghebremedhin C.M., provincial superior of the Lazarist Fathers in Ethiopia, as apostolic vicar of the new vicariate. The bishop-elect was born in Shappa, Ethiopia in 1966 and ordained a priest in 1993.

- Transferred Bishop Method Kilaini from the office of auxiliary of Dar-es-Salam, Tanzania, to that of auxiliary of Bukoba, Tanzania.
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NOTICE

VATICAN CITY, 7 DEC 2009 (VIS) - As previously advised, there will be no VIS service tomorrow Tuesday, December 8, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day and a holiday in the Vatican. Service will resume on Wednesday, December 9.
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You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - 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

News Vatican Information Service 12/04/2009

SUMMARY:

- Holy See and Russia Establish Full Diplomatic Relations
- Pope Attends Sermon for Advent
- Benedict XVI Praises the Spiritual Renewal of Albania
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts

___________________________________________________________

HOLY SEE AND RUSSIA ESTABLISH FULL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

VATICAN CITY, 4 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique yesterday evening:

"This afternoon, 3 December 2009, His Holiness Benedict XVI received in audience Dimitri Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation. The president had previously met with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"During the cordial discussions pleasure was expressed on both sides at the cordial relations that currently exist between them, and it was agreed to establish full diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Russian Federation.

"Following an exchange of opinions on the international economic and political situation - also in the light of the Encyclical "Caritas in veritate" of which the Holy Father presented the president with a copy in Russian - attention turned to the challenges currently facing security and peace. The talks then turned to cultural and social questions of mutual interest, such as the value of the family and the contribution believers make to life in Russia".
OP/AUDIENCE/PRESIDENT RUSSIA VIS 091204 (190)

POPE ATTENDS SERMON FOR ADVENT

VATICAN CITY, 4 DEC 2009 (VIS) - At 9 a.m. today, in the presence of the Holy Father and of the Pontifical Family, the first sermon for Advent was delivered in the "Redemptoris Mater" Chapel of the Vatican Apostolic Palace.

In this Year for Priests the theme of the meditations - pronounced, as is customary, by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa O.F.M. Cap, preacher of the Pontifical Household - is: "Servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries".

The next two sermons will be delivered on Friday 11 and Friday 18 December.
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BENEDICT XVI PRAISES THE SPIRITUAL RENEWAL OF ALBANIA

VATICAN CITY, 4 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience His Beatitude Anastas, archbishop of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, who was accompanied by other representatives of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania.

"As is well known", said the Pope in his English-language address to the group, "Illyricum received the Gospel in apostolic times. Since then, Christ's saving message has borne fruit in your country down to our own day. As the very earliest writings of your culture bear witness, through the survival of an ancient Latin baptismal formula along with a Byzantine hymn about the Lord's Resurrection, the faith of our Christian forefathers left wonderful and indelible traces in the first lines of the history, literature and arts of your people.

"Yet", he added, "the most impressive witness is surely always found in life itself. During the latter half of the past century, Christians in Albania, both Orthodox and Catholic, kept the faith alive there in spite of an extremely repressive and hostile atheistic regime; and, as is well known, many Christians paid cruelly for that faith with their lives".

The Holy Father went on: "The fall of that regime has happily given way to the reconstruction of the Catholic and Orthodox communities in Albania". In this context he praised the archbishop's missionary activity, "particularly in the reconstruction of places of worship, the formation of the clergy and the catechetical work now being done, a movement of renewal which Your Beatitude has rightly described as 'Ngjallja' (Resurrection).

"Since it acquired its freedom, the Orthodox Church of Albania has been able to participate fruitfully in the international theological dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox. Your commitment in this regard happily mirrors the fraternal relations between Catholics and Orthodox in your country and offers inspiration to the entire Albanian people, demonstrating how it is possible for fellow Christians to live in harmony.

"In this light, we would do well to emphasise the elements of faith which our Churches share: a common profession of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan creed; a common Baptism for the remission of sins and for incorporation into Christ and the Church; the legacy of the first ecumenical councils; the real if imperfect communion which we already share, and the common desire and collaborative efforts to build upon what already exists".

Benedict XVI then went on to mention two initiatives currently underway in Albania: the establishment of the Inter-confessional Biblical Society and the creation of the Committee for Inter-religious Relations, describing them as " timely efforts to promote mutual understanding and tangible co-operation, not only between Catholics and Orthodox, but also among Christians, Muslims and Bektashi".

Closing his remarks the Pope expressed his joy at the "spiritual renewal" of the Albanian people, and gave assurances to Archbishop Anastas that the Catholic Church "will do all she can to offer a common witness of brotherhood and peace, and to pursue with you a renewed commitment to the unity of our Churches".
AC/ALBANIA/ANASTAS VIS 091204 (500)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 4 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences eleven prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Murilo Sebastiao Ramos Krieger S.C.I. of Florianopolis.

- Bishop Aloisio Alberto Dilli O.F.M. of Uruguaiana.

- Bishop Gilio Felicio of Bage.

- Bishop Irineu Gassen O.F.M. of Vacaria.

- Bishop Paulo Antonio De Conto of Montenegro.

- Bishop Antonio Carlos Rossi Keller of Frederico Westphalen.

- Bishop Liro Vendelino Meurer, auxiliary of Passo Fundo.

- Bishop Giuseppe Negri P.I.M.E. of Blumenau.

- Bishop Walmir Alberto Valle I.M.C. of Joacaba.

- Bishop Irineu Roque Scherer of Joinville.

- Bishop Manoel Joao Francisco of Chapeco.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 4 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted:

- The resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Southwark, England, presented by Archishop Kevin John Patrick McDonald, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- The resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Nha Trang, Vietnam, presented by Bishop Paul Nguyen Van Hoa, upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Joseph Vo Duc Minh.
RE/.../MCDONALD:NGUYEN:VO VIS 091204 (90)

You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - 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

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Trying A New Idea

As some of the contributors of these blogs are either now ill, or other factors don't allow their being able to contribute here as much as before, I am going to try a “new” approach.

Since the home page for this series of blogs is “Faith of the Fathers” (faithofthefathers.blogspot.com), there will be a new headline animator (courtesy of FeedBurner) for this page placed in the top portion of the sidebar on each page of all the blogs. Since some people read only “Saint Quote of the Day”, “Pope Benedict XVI”, or one of the other of our other 23 total blogs under the Faith of the Fathers blogs (we have a kids section with 6 blogs), those readers may not be aware of the other blogs, and their content.

In the past, Marie, Ginny, Emmy and myself have all contributed our own original writings to “Spirituality and Mysticism”, “Saints of the Faith”, “Spiritual Warfare”, and essentially on all of our pages. Many of those writings (theirs, not mine) were quite good, are still quite good, and are very much worth reading, or even reading again if you've read them before.

So, each week I am going to place on the main page, a posting with some recommended posts from each section, called “Recommended Reading”. I will also have a post for “New Postings” as they occur. The “New Postings” will include “Daily Mass Readings” posts, “Saint Quote of the Day” posts (which are both daily postings), and “Pope Benedict XVI” (which occurs weekdays with news from the Vatican Information Service). Other new postings will be noted as they occur.

Since I will be going solo apparently, I can't promise how often new postings will occur on the other blog pages, but I will do my best.

At the ripe old age of 54, I have given up on the hope of being adopted by near-sighted millionaires who would throw embarrassing amounts of cash my way, which would leave me with the time necessary to write all I want. Since I have grown accustomed to eating and living indoors, it is necessary that I work, and my postings will occur as time permits. So please bear with me.

I hope this will be of help to our readers, and bring some good reading to the readers of all our blogs.

The Peace of Christ to you all!