SUMMARY:
-
BENEDICT XVI: IT IS RATIONAL TO BELIEVE
- APPEAL
FOR PEACE IN GAZA
- THE
POPE GIVES THANKS TO CLOISTERED RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES
-
CATHOLIC AND MUSLIM COOPERATION IN PROMOTING JUSTICE
-
AUDIENCES
- OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
BENEDICT
XVI: IT IS RATIONAL TO BELIEVE
Vatican
City, 21 November 2012 (VIS) - "As the Year of Faith progresses
we carry in our hearts the hope of rediscovering our joy at believing
and our enthusiasm for communicating the truth of faith to all. …
This leads us to discover that our encounter with God brings value
to, perfects and elevates that which is true, good and beautiful in
mankind", said the Pope in his catechesis during today's general
audience, held in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall.
Faith, he
explained, "means knowing God as Love, thanks to His own love.
The love of God … opens our eyes and allows us to know all reality
beyond the limited horizons of individualism and subjectivism which
distort our awareness".
Benedict
XVI dedicated his catechesis to the rationality of faith in God,
emphasising that the Catholic tradition "has always rejected the
so-called principle of 'fideism', that is, the will to believe
against reason. … Indeed, although a mystery, God is not absurd. …
If, in contemplating the mystery, reason sees only darkness, this is
not because the mystery contains no light, rather because it contains
too much. Just as when we turn our eyes directly to the sun, we see
only shadow - who would say that the sun is not bright? Faith allows
us to look at the 'sun' that is God, because it welcomes His
revelation in history. … God has sought mankind and made Himself
known, bringing Himself to the limits of human reason".
"At
the same time, God, with His grace, illuminates reason and opens up
new horizons, immeasurable and infinite. Therefore, faith is a
continuous stimulus to seek, never to cease or acquiesce in the
inexhaustible search for truth and reality. … Intellect and faith
are not foreign or antagonistic to divine Revelation, they are both
prerequisites for understanding its meaning, for receiving its
authentic message, for approaching the threshold of the mystery. …
The Catholic faith is therefore rational and also nurtures trust in
human reason. … Knowledge of faith, furthermore, is not contrary to
reason. … In the irresistible desire for truth, only a harmonious
relationship between faith and reason can show the correct path to
God and to self-fulfilment".
"A
correct relationship between science and faith is also based on this
fruitful interaction between comprehension and belief. Scientific
research leads to the knowledge of new truths regarding mankind and
the cosmos. The true good of mankind, accessible through faith,
indicates the direction his path of discovery must follow. Therefore,
it is important to encourage, for example, research which serves life
and seeks to combat disease. Investigations into the secrets of our
planet and the universe are also important for this reason, in the
knowledge that man is placed at the peak of creation, not not in
order exploit it senselessly, but rather to protect it and render it
inhabitable.
"In
this way, faith does not enter into conflict with science but
co-operates with it, offering fundamental criteria to ensure it
promotes universal good, and asking only that science desist from
those initiatives that, in opposition to God's original plan, may
produce effects which turn against man himself. Another reason for
which it is rational to believe is this: if science is a valuable
ally of faith in our understanding of God's plan for the universe,
faith also directs scientific progress towards the good and truth of
mankind, remaining faithful to that original plan.
"This
is why it is vital for man to open himself to faith, and to know God
and His plan for salvation through Jesus Christ. The Gospel
establishes a new humanism, an authentic 'grammar' of humankind and
reality", the Holy Father concluded. "It is rational to
believe, as it is our very existence that is at stake".
APPEAL
FOR PEACE IN GAZA
Vatican
City, 21 November 2012 (VIS) - "I am following with grave
concern the escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians
in the Gaza Strip", said the Pope during his greetings following
today's general audience. "Along with my prayers for the victims
and for those who suffer, it is my duty to emphasise once again that
hatred and violence are not the solutions to these problems.
Furthermore, I endorse the initiatives and efforts of those who are
working to promote a ceasefire and negotiations. I also encourage the
authorities of both parties to make courageous decisions in favour of
peace and to bring an end to a dispute which has negative
repercussions throughout the whole of the Middle East, a region riven
by excessive conflict and in need of peace and reconciliation".
THE
POPE GIVES THANKS TO CLOISTERED RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES
Vatican
City, 21 November 2012 (VIS) - Following his catechesis at this
morning's general audience, the Pope mentioned that today, the
liturgical memory of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in
the Temple, is also "pro orantibus Day", in which the
Church shows her support for cloistered religious communities.
"I
would like to express my closeness, and that of the entire ecclesial
community, to the religious called by the Lord to the contemplative
life, and renew my invitation to all Christians to ensure that
monasteries receive the necessary spiritual and material support. We
owe this to those who consecrate themselves fully to praying for the
Church and for the world!"
CATHOLIC
AND MUSLIM COOPERATION IN PROMOTING JUSTICE
Vatican
City, 21 November 2012 (VIS) - "Catholic and Muslim Cooperation
in promoting justice in the contemporary world" was the theme of
the eighth Colloquium of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious
Dialogue and the Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue of the Islamic
Culture and Relations Organisation (ICRO). The meeting was held in
Rome from 19 to 21 November under the joint presidency of Cardinal
Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for
Inter-religious Dialogue, and of Mohammad Bagher Korramshad,
president of the ICRO.
A
communique released today explains how the theme was divided into
four subheadings "from the point of view of Catholics and of
Shi'i Muslims: (1) The concept of justice; (2) Justice for the human
person; (3) Justice for the different constituents of society, and
(4) Justice for the entire human family. The English-language
communique goes on: "Both sides expressed their awareness of and
concern for current challenges, including the economic crisis, the
environmental issue, the weakening of the family as a basic
institution of society and threats to world peace. The participants,
recognising both areas of commonality and difference, focused on
common ground and shared values:
"1.
The belief we share in the One God Who created all things gives each
of us a holistic understanding of justice. The various spheres of its
application are inter-related: personal, communitarian, social,
political, economic, cultural and judicial.
"2.
Justice as a virtue based on human dignity requires the right
exercise of reason and the illumination of God. Recognition of, and
respect for, freedom of conscience, inter alia, are conditions of
justice in our societies.
"3.
The dynamic nature of the concept of justice allows it to be adapted
to meet the new challenges of the contemporary world.
"4.
The responsibility of religious leaders, institutions and, indeed,
every believer to denounce injustice and oppression in all their
forms and to promote justice all around the world. We believe that
our religions possess resources which can inspire people to work to
make justice and peace a reality.
"5.
The demand that, for the sake of the promotion of justice in today’s
world, Muslims and Christians continue to deepen their understanding
of one another through ongoing dialogue and cooperation.
"6.
The need to take the fruits of our meeting and communicate them to
the people of our respective communities and societies so that they
can have a real effect in the world.
"The
participants were pleased and honoured to be received at the end of
the meeting by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, who greeted and
encouraged them to continue on the path of an authentic and fruitful
dialogue. The next Colloquium, preceded by a preparatory meeting,will
take place in Tehran, Iran, in two years".
AUDIENCES
Vatican
City, 21 November 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday the Holy Father received in
audience Cardinal Walter Kasper, president emeritus of the Pontifical
Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 21 November 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:
-
Archbishop George Antonysamy, apostolic nuncio in Liberia, Gambia and
Sierra Leone, as archbishop of Madras and Mylapore (area 3,160,
population 8,222,000, Catholics 327,329, priests 326, religious
1,782), India. He succeeds Archbishop Malayappan Chinappa S.D.B,
whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the
Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
- Msgr.
Lorenzo Piva and Msgr. Camillus Nimalan Johnpillai, officials of the
Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, as bureau chiefs of
the same congregation.
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