SUMMARY:
- THE
VERBITES "AD GENTES" CENTRE WELCOMES THE POPE
-
MIRACLES ARE NOT A SHOW OF POWER BUT SIGNS OF GOD'S LOVE
- OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
THE
VERBITES "AD GENTES" CENTRE WELCOMES THE POPE
Vatican
City, 9 July 2012 (VIS) - Benedict XVI this morning made a private
visit to the "Ad Gentes Centre" of the Missionaries of the
Divine Word, located in the village of Nemi. It was in that building,
then called the International Centre of the Society of the Divine
Word, that the Vatican Council II Commission on Missions met from 29
March to 3 April 1965. Among the participants was a young theologian
and expert of the conciliar assembly, Joseph Ratzinger.
The Holy
Father left Castelgandolfo by car at 11.30 a.m. and was welcomed on
his arrival at Nemi by Fr. Heinz Kuluke, superior general elect; Fr.
Antonio Pernia superior general, and Fr. Giancarlo Girardi,
procurator general. The Holy Father then moved on to the chapel to
meet with the 150 participants in the general chapter of the order
and the community of the Mother House in Rome. After adoring the
Blessed Sacrament, and listening to a welcome address from Fr.
Pernia, the Pope made some brief remarks.
Having
completed his visit, Benedict XVI returned to the Apostolic Palace.
MIRACLES
ARE NOT A SHOW OF POWER BUT SIGNS OF GOD'S LOVE
Vatican
City, 8 July 2012 (VIS) - At midday today, his first Sunday at
Castelgandolfo, the Pope emerged onto the balcony overlooking the
inner courtyard of the Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus with
faithful gathered below. He remarked on today's reading from St.
Mark's Gospel concerning the refusal of the people of Nazareth to
recognise the divinity of Jesus, and the scandal provoked by the fact
that "the carpenter, the son of Mary" who had lived among
them, should preach like a prophet.
In this
context, the Holy Father mentioned the phrase "Nemo propheta in
patria", meaning no one is a prophet in his own land. This, he
said, "is understandable because their human familiarity made it
hard for them to go further and open themselves to the divine
dimension. It was difficult for them to believe that this son of a
carpenter was the Son of God", while Jesus Himself drew on the
example of the prophets of Israel who were likewise disdained.
Because of this spiritual closure in Nazareth, "Jesus 'could do
no deeds of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick
people and cured them'. Indeed, the miracles of Christ were not a
show of power, but signs of God's love, which is realised wherever it
finds reciprocity in the faith of man".
"The
astonishment and scandal of His fellow citizens was met with
amazement on the part of Jesus. In a certain sense, He too was
scandalised. Although He knew that no prophet is accepted in his own
land, yet His own people's closure of heart was something obscure and
impenetrable to Him. How was it possible that they did not recognise
the light of Truth? Why did they not open to the goodness of God Who
chose to share our humanity?. The man Jesus of Nazareth is the
transparency of God, God dwells in Him fully and, while we always
seek other signs, other prodigies, we do not realise that the true
sign is Him, God made flesh. He is the greatest miracle of the
universe: all the love of God contained in a human heart and a human
face".
After
praying the Angelus the Pope greeted French-speaking pilgrims saying:
"During the summer do not take a vacation from God; pray and go
to Sunday Mass".
He then
addressed some words to Polish faithful, particularly participants in
a pilgrimage organised by the Family of Radio Maria to the shrine of
Jasna Gora where they are praying "for the homeland, families
and freedom of expression". He also greeted members of the "Work
of the New Millennium" Association who are meeting in Lublin
with followers of other religions and who this evening will gather to
pray for peace in the former concentration camp of Majdanek. "I
participate spiritually in these initiatives", the Pope said,
"and implore goodness and peace for the world, for Poland and
for each one of you".
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 7 July 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
-
Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of Ischia, Italy,
presented by Bishop Filippo Strofaldi, in accordance with canon 401
para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
-
Appointed Msgr. Sebastian Francis, vicar general of the diocese of
Melaka-Johor, Malaysia, as bishop of Penang (area 46,855, population
6,500,000, Catholics 66,000, priests 46, religious 97), Malaysia. The
bishop-elect was born in Johor Bahru, Malaysia in 1951 and ordained a
priest in 1977. He studied in Rome and has been active in pastoral
care and in education. He succeeds Bishop Antony Selvanayagam, whose
resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy
Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
-
Appointed Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals,
as pontifical legate to the consecration of the cathedral of the
diocese of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, due to take place on 9 September.
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