SUMMARY:
-
PROCLAIMING CHRIST IN AMERICA TODAY
-
ANGELUS: THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
- THE
POWER OF GRACE IS STRONGER THAN EVIL
- MARY
IMMACULATE: THE CERTAINTY THAT GOD DOES NOT FAIL
- OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
PROCLAIMING
CHRIST IN AMERICA TODAY
Vatican
City, 10 December 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon the International
Congress "Ecclesia in America" on the Church in the
American continent was inaugurated with a Eucharistic celebration in
St. Peter's Basilica. The congress was organised by the Pontifical
Commission for Latin America and the Knights of Columbus in
collaboration with the Institute for Guadalupan Studies, and will be
inspired by the work of the Synodal Assembly, convoked by Blessed
John Paul II in November and December 1987, entitled "Encounter
with the living Jesus Christ: The way to conversion, communion and
solidarity in America".
The Holy
Father, who arrived at the Basilica at 7 p.m., greeted the
participants, first recalling that "Blessed John Paul II had the
foresight and intuition to improve the relationships of cooperation
between the particular Churches throughout North, Central and South
America, at the same time facilitating greater solidarity among the
nations of the continent. Today these themes merit review in order to
put Christ's redeeming message into practice with greater diligence,
in the hope of reaping abundant rewards of sanctity and ecclesial
renewal. The theme that guided the reflections of the Synodal
Assembly can also serve as an inspiration for your work during these
days. ... In effect, Jesus Christ's love and the power of His grace
must take root ever more intensely in the hearts of the people,
families and Christian communities of your nations, to allow them to
progress with dynamism along the paths of harmony and fair progress".
The
Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in America" focuses on
"current challenges and difficulties which present specific and
complex characteristics. Indeed, secularism and various religious
groups are spreading throughout the continent, giving rise to
numerous problems. Education and the promotion of a culture of life
are matters of fundamental urgency in view of a widespread mentality
that tends to attack the dignity of the person and damage the
institution of marriage and family. How can one fail to be concerned
about painful situations of emigration, displacement or violence,
especially when linked to organised crime, narcotrafficking,
corruption and arms dealing? And how should we face the painful
inequalities and areas of poverty caused by questionable economic,
political and social measures?"
The Pope
emphasised that all these important questions require careful study,
"yet in addition to their technical evaluation, the Catholic
Church is convinced that the light for an adequate solution can only
come from the encounter with the living Christ, which gives rise to
attitudes and ways of acting based on love and truth. This is the
decisive force which will transform the American continent. ... The
love of Christ impels us to devote ourselves without reserve to
proclaiming His name throughout America, bringing it freely and
enthusiastically to the hearts of all its inhabitants. ... For this
reason we ought to take up this commitment, ... encouraging priests,
deacons and consecrated men and women and pastoral agents to purify
and strengthen their interior lives ever more fully through a sincere
relationship with the Lord and a worthy and frequent reception of the
sacraments. This will be encouraged by suitable catechesis and a
correct and ongoing doctrinal formation marked by complete fidelity
to the Word of God and the Church's Magisterium and aimed at offering
a response to the deepest questions and aspirations of the human
heart. ... A renewed missionary spirit and zealous generosity in your
commitment will be an irreplaceable contribution to what the
universal Church expects and needs from the Church in America",
concluded the Pope.
ANGELUS:
THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
Vatican
City, 9 December 2012 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI appeared
at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to pray
the Angelus with the faithful and pilgrims gathered below in St.
Peter's Square. The Pope, in the Gospel of this second Sunday of
Advent, commented on the figure of St. John the Baptist, who is
presented by all four Gospels at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, as
his precursor, while St. Luke offers us a posterior reading.
"John,
as the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, both of priestly families, is
not only the last of the prophets, but also represents the whole
priesthood of the Old Covenant and therefore prepares mankind for the
spiritual worship of the New Covenant inaugurated by Jesus",
explained the Pope. "John the Baptist is defined as the 'voice
of one crying in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make
straight his paths'. The voice proclaims the word, but in this case
the Word of God precedes, as it comes to John the son of Zacharias in
the wilderness".
"Thus
he plays an important role, but always in relation to Christ",
said the Pope, recalling the words of St. Augustine: 'John is the
voice that passes away, Christ is the eternal Word'. Our task today
is to listen to that voice, to give space to Jesus and to welcome
Him, the Word that saves us, into our hearts. In this time of Advent,
let us prepare to see, through the eyes of faith, God's salvation in
the humble stable in Bethlehem. In our consumerist society, where we
seek joy in material things, the Baptist teaches us to live in an
essential way, so that Christmas is not only experienced externally
as a superficial holiday, but rather as the feast of the Son of God
who came to bring peace, life and true joy to mankind".
THE
POWER OF GRACE IS STRONGER THAN EVIL
Vatican
City, 8 December 2012 (VIS) - At 3.45 p.m., on the Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception, Benedict XVI made his way to Piazza di Spagna
in Rome for the traditional act of veneration of the image of the
Virgin Mary on the column situated in front of the Embassy of Spain
to the Holy See.
During
his journey, the Holy Father stopped briefly at the Church of the
Most Holy Trinity, where he greeted the members of the Via Condotti
Storeowners Association. Once in the square, the Pope began by
offering a prayer, followed by a reading from the Apocalypse of St.
John, a homily and the offering of a floral tribute to the image of
the Virgin. In his address, the Pope reflected on the Gospel of this
solemnity, the Gospel of the Annunciation.
Benedict
XVI began by explaining that the encounter between the angel and
Mary, the decisive moment in which God became Man, "was
enveloped in a great silence. ... That which is truly great often
goes unnoticed and calm silence is more fruitful than the frenzy that
characterises our cities, and which, in due proportion, was also
present in the important cities of those times, such as Jerusalem.
All this action prevents us from pausing, allowing ourselves to be
calm and listening to the silence in which the Lord makes his
discreet voice heard."
On the
day of the Annunciation, Mary was "deep in thought and yet ready
to listen to God. There was no obstacle within her, no barrier,
nothing that would separate her from God. This is the meaning of her
being without original sin. Her relationship with God is free from
even the slightest rift; there is no separation, no shadow of
selfishness, but rather perfect harmony. Her little human heart was
perfectly 'centred' in the great heart of God. ... Coming here,
before this monument to Mary, in the centre of Rome, reminds us first
that the voice of God is not recognised amid noise and turmoil; his
plan for our life as individuals and as a society are not visible on
the surface; we need to descend to a deeper level where the forces at
work are not economic or political but moral and spiritual. It is at
this deeper level that Mary invites us to enter into harmony with
God's action."
Secondly,
Mary Immaculate teaches us that "the salvation of the world is
not the work of man - of science, technology or ideology - but of
Grace. ... Grace means love in its purity and beauty. It is God
Himself as revealed in the salvific narrative of the Bible and
fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Mary is called the 'favoured one' and this
identity recalls to us God's primacy in our life and in the history
of the world. She reminds us that the power of God's love is stronger
than evil, and that it fills the void that selfishness creates in the
history of people, families, nations and the world. Such emptiness
can become a form of hell, where human life is dragged to its lowest
depths and towards emptiness, losing meaning and light. The false
remedies the world offers to fill the void ... in fact widen the
abyss. Only love can save us from falling, but not merely any love.
It must have the purity of Grace, which God transforms and renews to
fill intoxicated lungs with fresh, clean air and new vital energy.
Mary tells us that, however far a man may fall, he never falls beyond
the reach of God, who has descended even into hell. However far
astray our heart may be led, God is always 'greater than our heart'.
The soft breath of Grace can disperse the darkest clouds, and make
life beautiful and rich in meaning even in the most inhumane
situations."
Finally,
Mary Immaculate speaks to us of joy, "the true joy that emanates
from a heart freed from sin. Sin carries a negative sadness that
induces us to close up. Grace brings true joy, which does not depend
on possessing things, but is rooted in the innermost, deepest part of
the self, and which nothing and no one can take away. Even though
some believe that Christianity is an obstacle to joy because they see
it as an ensemble of prohibitions and rules, it is essentially a
'Gospel', a 'good tiding'. In fact, Christianity is the proclamation
of the victory of Grace over sin, of life over death. Even if it
entails sacrifice and a discipline of the mind, heart and behaviour,
it is because in man we find the poisonous root of selfishness that
causes harm to the self and to others. We must therefore learn to say
'no' to the voice of selfishness and 'yes' to that of real love.
Mary's joy is complete because in her heart sin casts no shadow. This
joy coincides with the presence of Jesus in her life".
"In
this time of Advent", the Pope concluded, "Mary Immaculate
teaches us to listen to the voice of God that speaks to us in
silence; to welcome His Grace that frees us from sin and selfishness,
so that we may experience true joy".
MARY
IMMACULATE: THE CERTAINTY THAT GOD DOES NOT FAIL
Vatican
City, 8 December 2012 (VIS) - In the Angelus of the Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception, Benedict XVI emphasised that Mary is
Immaculate "by a gratuitous gift of the Grace of God, which she
accepted, however, with perfect willingness and cooperation. In this
respect she is 'blessed' because she 'believed', because of her firm
faith in God".
The Holy
Father continued, "Mary represents that 'remnant of Israel', the
holy root announced by the prophets. The promises of the Old Covenant
are welcomed in her. In Mary the Word of God is listened to, and
finds acceptance, a response; the Word finds the 'yes' that allows it
to take on flesh and to dwell among us. In Mary humanity and history
are truly open to God and accept his Grace, in readiness to serve his
will. Mary is the genuine expression of Grace. She is the new Israel
that the Scriptures of the Old Testament describe with the symbol of
the bride. ... The Fathers of the Church developed this image and so
the doctrine of the Immaculate was born, first with reference to the
Church as virgin-mother, and then to Mary".
"The
light that emanates from the figure of Mary helps us also to
understand the true meaning of original sin. Indeed, in Mary the
relationship with God, that may be destroyed by sin, is completely
alive and active. There is no opposition within her between God and
her being; rather, there is full communion, full understanding. There
is a reciprocal 'yes', from God to her and from her to God. ... She
is full of His Grace and His love.
"In
conclusion, the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
expresses the certainty of faith that the promises of God are
realised: that His covenant does not fail, but has produced a holy
root, from which has grown the Fruit most blessed of all the
universe, Jesus the Saviour. Mary Immaculate demonstrates that Grace
is able to bring about a response, that God’s fidelity can generate
a true and good faith".
Following
the recitation of the Angelus the Holy Father assured his closeness
to the people of the Philippines, recently struck by a violent
hurricane. "I pray for the victims, for their families and for
the many displaced persons. May faith and charity provide the
strength to face this difficult trial".
Finally,
the Holy Father greeted the members of the Movement of Christian
Workers, and in particular the prayer group of the Dermopathic
Institute of the Immaculate (IDI-IRCCS) in Rome, which currently
faces significant challenges. "I hope that a solution can be
found to the difficulties experienced by many Catholic institutions
in the health sector", he concluded.
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 10 December 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
-
Appointed Msgr. Pio Vito Pinto, dean of the Tribunal of the Roman
Rota, as president of the Court of Appeal of Vatican City State.
-
Appointed Bishop Sebastiano Sanguinetti of Tempio-Ampurias, Italy, as
apostolic administrator "ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the
diocese of Ozieri, Italy. He accepted the resignation from the
pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop Sergio Pintor,
upon having reached the age limit.
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