SUMMARY:
- POPE RECALLS VICTIMS OF ANTI PERSONNEL MINES
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
- IN MEMORIAM
- NOTICE
______________________________________
BENEDICT
XVI RECALLS HIS APOSTOLIC TRIP TO MEXICO AND CUBA
Vatican
City, 4 April 2012 (VIS) - Benedict XVI dedicated his remarks during
this morning's general audience today to his recent trip to Mexico
and Cuba by which, he said "I sought to embrace the entire
continent, inviting everyone to live together in hope in concrete
commitment to united progress towards a better future". The
audience was held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 11,000
people.
The
Holy Father recalled the reasons for his journey: The bicentenary of
the independence of Mexico and other Latin America countries, the
twentieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mexico and the
Holy See, and the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the
image of "Nuestra Senora de la Caridad del Cobre" in Cuba.
The
Pope noted how his visit had been characterised by "the
extraordinary, festive and vivacious welcome" of Mexicans, a
sign of "the warm embrace of an entire people". He
specifically mentioned his stay in the city of Leon where, in the
presence of the civil and religious authorities, he had "underscored
the need to recognise and protect fundamental human rights, among
which religious freedom is particularly important", and had
given guarantees of his "closeness to those who suffer social
ills such as conflicts, old and new, corruption and violence".
Nonetheless, he remarked, the widespread enthusiasm bore witness "to
the tenacious hope of Mexican Christians, a hope that remains alive
in peoples' hearts despite moments of difficulty".
Also
in Leon, the Pope met with children and adolescents, whose joy
"expressed the deep-felt desire of all young people in Mexico,
Latin America and the Caribbean to live in peace, serenity and
harmony, in a just and reconciled society".
The
Holy Father continued his reminiscences: "The Lord's disciples
must seek to augment the joy of being Christian and the joy of
belonging to the Church. Such joy foments the energies necessary to
serve Christ in situations of difficulty and suffering". For
this reason the Pope had exhorted the thousands of faithful
participating in Sunday Mass in Leon's Parque Bicentenario "to
trust in the goodness of Almighty God, which can transform unbearable
and incomprehensible situations from within, from the heart". He
had also expressed his gratitude "to those who spread the Gospel
in complex situations beset with restrictions".
Benedict
XVI had left Mexico calling on the Mexican people "to remain
faithful to the Lord and His Church, firmly anchored in their
Christian roots".
The
Pope then turned his attention to the Cuban leg of his journey. "I
went there", he said, "to support the mission of the
Catholic Church, which is committed to the joyful announcement of the
Gospel, notwithstanding limited means and despite the difficulties
which still have to be overcome before religion can offer its
spiritual and educational services in the public arena". The
Holy Father highlighted the good relations that exist between the
State and the Holy See, relations "which aim to serve the living
and constructive presence of the local Church. I also gave assurances
that the Pope carries the concerns and aspirations of all Cubans in
his heart, especially those suffering due to restrictions on
freedom".
"One
moment of intense spirituality", the Pope recalled, was the
first Mass he celebrated on Cuban soil, marking the four hundredth
anniversary of the discovery of the image of "Nuestra Senora de
la Caridad del Cobre", patron of the island. The thousands of
people who turned out for the ceremony were the "sign of a
Church which is emerging from a difficult situation, but which has a
vivacious witness of charity and an active presence in people's
lives".
"I
invited Cuban Catholics and the entire population, who are hoping for
a better future, to give renewed vigour to their faith and, with the
courage to forgive and comprehend, so as to help build an open and
renewed society, where there is ever more space for God, because
without God the world becomes an inhospitable place for mankind".
On
the second stage of his Cuban journey, Havana, the young "were
the main participants in the enthusiastic welcome I received as I
made my way to the nunciature. There I was able to meet with local
bishops to discuss the challenges the Cuban Church is called to face,
in the awareness that people are looking to her with increasing
trust", the Pope said.
During
Mass on Sunday morning "I reminded everyone that Cuba and the
world need change. This will only come about if everyone opens to the
integral truth about man (an indispensable premise in order to
achieve freedom) and decides to spread reconciliation and fraternity.
... I also underlined the fact that the Church does not seek
privileges, but asks to be able to proclaim and celebrate the faith,
also in public, bringing the Gospel's message of hope and peace to
all sectors of society". In this context, Benedict XVI expressed
his appreciation for the progress made by the authorities in Cuba and
highlighted the need to continue this process until achieving
complete religious freedom.
Speaking
of his departure, the Holy Father mentioned the thousands of Cuban
faithful who, despite the rain, had come out to greet him on his way
to the airport. In his farewell address he explained that the moment
had come for the various members of Cuban society "to make a
sincere effort at collaboration and patient dialogue, for the good of
the country". In this light, his own presence on the island was
intended "to encourage people to open their hearts to Christ,
Who is the source of hope and a power for good".
Benedict
XVI affirmed that his pastoral trip to Mexico and Cuba had borne
positive pastoral results, and he expressed the hope that both
countries would harvest abundant fruits, to build a future of peace
and brotherhood.
In
conclusion the Holy Father mentioned the Easter Triduum, the
culmination of the liturgical year which begins tomorrow with the
Mass of the Last Supper. "Each of us", he told the
faithful, "was loved by Jesus 'unto the end'; that is, unto the
giving of Himself on the cross, when He cried: 'It is finished'. Let
us allows ourselves to be touched by this love, let us allow
ourselves to be transformed, so that the resurrection can truly be
achieved in each one of us".
POPE
RECALLS VICTIMS OF ANTI PERSONNEL MINES
Vatican
City, 4 April 2012 (VIS) - After delivering language greetings to the
pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for his general audience, the
Holy Father recalled the fact that today marks the international day
to raise awareness on anti personnel mines. He expressed his
closeness to victims and their families, and expressed his
encouragement to "everyone who works to free humanity from these
terrible hidden devices which, as Blessed John Paul II said when the
Anti Personnel Mines Convention came into force, prevent mankind from
'walking together on the journey of life without fearing destruction
and death'".
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 4 April 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed :
-
Bishop Oscar Omar Aparicio Cespedes, auxiliary of La Paz, Bolivia, as
military ordinary for Bolivia.
-
Msgr. Francesco Milito of the clergy of the archdiocese of
Rossano-Cariati, episcopal vicar for ecumenism and culture, and
director of the archdiocesan historical archives, as bishop of Oppido
Mamertina-Palmi (area 930, population 179,603, Catholics 176,250,
priests 99, permanent deacons 16, religious 182), Italy. The
bishop-elect was born in Rossano, Italy in 1948 and ordained a priest
in 1972. Among other things, he has worked as professor and rector in
a number of seminaries, official of the Secretariat of State and
director of the archdiocesan monthly magazine. He is also author of
numerous essays and articles on the ecclesiastical and cultural
history of the Italian region of Calabria.
-
Msgr. Tulio Luis Ramirez Padilla of the clergy of the archdiocese of
Valencia en Venezuela, vicar general, as auxiliary of the archdiocese
of Caracas (area 790, population 4,435,000, Catholics 3,781,000,
priests 538, permanent deacons 9, religious 1,722), Venezuela. The
bishop-elect was born in Caracas in 1960 and ordained a priest in
1984. He studied in Spain and in Rome and has worked in pastoral care
in a number of parishes.
IN
MEMORIAM
Vatican
City, 4 April 2012 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent
weeks:
-
Bishop John George Chedid, emeritus of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los
Angeles of the Maronites, U.S.A., on 22 March at the age of 88.
-
Archbishop Ante Juric, emeritus of Split-Makarska, Croatia, on 20
March at the age of 89.
-
Bishop Edward Materski, emeritus of Radom, Poland, on 24 March at the
age of 89.
-
Bishop Anarghyros Printesis, apostolic exarch emeritus for Catholics
of Byzantine rite resident in Greece, on 18 March at the age of 74.
-
Bishop Paulino Reale, emeritus of Venado Tuerto, Argentina, on 29
March at the age of 88.
NOTICE
Vatican
City, 4 April 2012 (VIS) - As previously advised, the VIS bulletin
will be suspended from tomorrow Thursday, 5 April to Tuesday 10
April, the holy days of Easter and holidays in the Vatican. Service
will resume on Wednesday 11 April.
You
can find more information at: www.visnews.org
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