SUMMARY:
-
POPE TO ROMAN CLERGY: I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU IN PRAYER
-
BENEDICT XVI: LIVING LENT IN ECCLESIAL COMMUNION OVERCOMING
SELFISHNESS AND RIVALRIES
-
ARCHBISHOP GÄNSWEIN WILL CONTINUE AS BENEDICT XVI'S SECRETARY
-
AGREEMENT BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND STATE OF ITALY ON USAGE OF 'PASSETTO'
-
NUMBER OF ELECTORS DOES NOT DEPEND ON DATE OF CONCLAVE
-
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
POPE
TO ROMAN CLERGY: I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU IN PRAYER
Vatican
City, 14 February 2013 (VIS) – This morning in the Paul VI Audience
Hall, the Pope met with pastors and clergy of the Diocese of Rome,
accompanied by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, vicar general, and the
auxiliary bishops of the diocese. Before entering the hall, they had
processed into St. Peter's Basilica to make a profession of faith at
the altar of the Chair.
Benedict
XVI was greeted with the hymn "Tu es Petrus". "Thank
you all for your affection, for your love for the Church and the
Pope. Thank you!" the Pope said, before being greeted by
Cardinal Vallini.
"For
me, it is a special gift of Providence," he continued
afterwards, "that, before leaving the Petrine ministry, I am
able to see my clergy, the clergy of Rome, one more time. It is
always a great joy to see how the Church lives, how it is alive in
Rome. We have pastors who, in the spirit of the Supreme Pastor, guide
the Lord's flock. It is a truly catholic clergy, that is to say, a
universal clergy, and this is the same essence of the Church in Rome:
to bring universality, catholicity, to all peoples, all races, and
all cultures."
"Today
you have professed the Creed at the tomb of St. Peter. In the Year of
Faith this seems to me a very appropriate, and perhaps necessary,
gesture that the clergy of Rome gather around the tomb of the Apostle
to whom the Lord said: 'I entrust my Church to you. On you I will
build my Church'. Before the Lord, together with Peter, you have
professed: 'You are Christ, the Son of the living God.' Thus the
Church grows, together with Peter, professing Christ, following
Christ. It is what we always do. I am very grateful for your prayers,
which I have felt, as I said on Wednesday, almost physically. Even
though I am now retiring, I will always be near to all of you in
prayer and I am also sure that all of you will be near to me, even if
I am hidden from the world."
Then
the Pope spoke to those present in the Paul VI Hall about his
personal experience during Vatican Council II, as the priests had
requested of him.
BENEDICT
XVI: LIVING LENT IN ECCLESIAL COMMUNION OVERCOMING SELFISHNESS AND
RIVALRIES
Vatican
City, 14 February 2013 (VIS) – Yesterday at 5:00pm, the Holy Father
presided over the rite of blessing and imposition of ashes.
Traditionally, the celebration is held in the Roman Basilica of Santa
Sabina but, given the large influx of persons and the desire of the
cardinals and bishops of the Roman Curia to accompany the Pope in the
final acts of his pontificate, it was moved to St. Peter's Basilica.
Before the ceremony, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone,
S.D.B., address a brief greeting to the pontiff, expressing the
"emotion and respect not only of the Church, but of the entire
world" for Benedict XVI on the news of his decision to renounce
the Petrine ministry. Following are ample excerpts from the Holy
Father's homily.
"Today,
Ash Wednesday, … we have gathered to celebrate the Eucharist
following the ancient Roman tradition of Lenten station Masses. This
tradition calls for the first 'statio' Mass to take place in the
Basilica of Santa Sabina on the Aventine Hill. Circumstances,
however, have suggested that we gather in the Vatican Basilica. We
are great in number around the tomb of the Apostle Peter, also to ask
for his intercession for the Church's journey in this particular
moment, renewing our faith in the Supreme Pastor, Christ the Lord.
For me, this is a opportune occasion to thank everyone, especially
the faithful of the Diocese of Rome, as I prepare to conclude my
Petrine ministry, and to ask for special remembrance in your
prayers."
"The
readings that have been proclaimed give us the idea that, with God's
grace, we are called to make our attitudes and behaviours take
concrete form this Lent. Above all, the Church proposes to us once
again, the strong appeal that the prophet Joel addresses to the
Israelites: Thus says the Lord: 'return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, weeping, and mourning'. Note the expression 'with your
whole heart', which means from the centre of our thoughts and
feelings, from the roots of our decisions, choices, and actions, with
a gesture of total and radical freedom. But is this return to God
possible? Yes, because there is a strength that doesn't reside in our
hearts but that springs from God's own heart. It is the power of His
mercy. … This return to God becomes a concrete reality in our lives
only when the Lord's grace penetrates to our innermost being, shaking
it and giving us the strength to 'rend our hearts'. Again the prophet
makes God's words ring out: 'Rend your hearts, not your garments'.
Indeed, even in our days, many are ready to 'rend their garments' in
the face of scandals and injustice?naturally moved by others'
situations?but few seem willing to act on their own 'heart', on their
own conscience, and their own intentions, to let the Lord transform,
renew, and convert them."
"That
'return to me with your whole heart' then is a reminder that involves
not just the individual but the community. In the first reading we
have heard: 'Blow the horn in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an
assembly!' … The dimension of community is an essential element in
faith and the Christian life. … This is important to remember and
to live in this Lenten period: each of us must be aware that the path
of penitence is not to be faced alone, but together with our many
brothers and sisters in the Church."
"Finally,
the prophet focuses on the prayers of the priests who, with tears in
their eyes, turn to God saying: 'do not let your heritage become a
disgrace, a byword among the nations! Why should they say among the
peoples, "Where is their God?"' This prayer makes us
reflect on the importance of the witness of faith and the Christian
life on the part of each of us and our communities to reveal the face
of the Church as well as how this face, at times is disfigured. I'm
thinking in particular of the blows to Church unity and the divisions
in the ecclesial body. Living Lent in a more intense and evident
ecclesial communion, overcoming selfishness and rivalries, is a
humble and precious sign for those who are far from the faith or
indifferent to it."
"'Behold,
now is the time of favour; behold, now is the day of salvation', The
Apostle Paul's words to the Christians of Corinth resound for us too,
with an urgency that allows for no omissions or inactivity. The word
'now', repeated again and again, says that we cannot let this moment
pass us by, it is offered to us as a unique and unrepeatable
opportunity. The Apostle's gaze focuses on the sharing that Christ
wanted to characterize his existence, taking on everything human even
to the point of bearing the very burden of humanity's sin. … The
reconciliation offered to us has had a high price, that of the cross
raised on Golgotha, on which was hung the Son of God made man. God's
immersion in human suffering and in the abyss of evil lies at the
root of our justification. 'Returning to God with our whole heart'
during our Lenten journey passes through the Cross, following Christ
on the road to Calvary, to the total gift of our self. …"
"In
the Gospel of Matthew, part of the so-called Sermon on the Mount,
Jesus refers to three fundamental practices required by Mosaic Law:
almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. They are also traditional directives
on the Lenten journey to respond to the invitation to 'return to God
with our whole heart'. But Jesus emphasizes that it is both the
quality and the truth of the relationship with God that determine the
authenticity of every religious gesture. This is why He denounces
religious hypocrisy, the behaviour that wants to appear a certain
way, the attitudes seeking applause and approval. The true disciple
doesn't serve himself or the 'public', but serves the Lord in
simplicity and generosity. … Our witness, then, will always be more
effective the less we seek our own glory and we will know that the
reward of the just person is God himself, being united to Him, here,
on the path of faith and at the end of our lives, in the peace and
light of meeting Him face to face forever."
ARCHBISHOP
GÄNSWEIN WILL CONTINUE AS BENEDICT XVI'S SECRETARY
Vatican
City, 14 February 2013 (VIS) – Archbishop Georg Gänswein, Prefect
of the Prefecture of the Papal Household and secretary to Benedict
XVI, will continue to carry out both roles and will thus accompany
the Pope during his stay at Castel Gandolfo and at the monastery that
he will retire to after his resignation from the papacy. The papal
household, or "memores", which has served the Holy Father
during these past eight years will also move to the same monastery.
This was among the information given by Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J.,
director of the Holy See Press Office in today's press briefing.
Fr.
Lombardi also clarified that the cardinals arriving in Rome before 1
March, the official start of the Sede vacante, will not reside in the
Casa Santa Marta residence until that date. At the same time he
commented that the pontiff's fall during the trip to Mexico last year
was not a determining factor in his decision to renounce the Petrine
ministry, nor was the report of the commission of three cardinals
(Julian Herranz, Jozef Tomko, and Salvatore De Giorgi), which the
Pope instituted last April to carry out an internal investigation on
the leak of documents.
AGREEMENT
BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND STATE OF ITALY ON USAGE OF 'PASSETTO'
Vatican
City, 14 February 2013 (VIS) – The Governorate of Vatican City
State and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Italy have
signed, at the ministry's offices, a memorandum of understanding
regarding use of the "Passetto di Borgo", that is, the
covered corridor atop the walls joining the Vatican to Castel
Sant'Angleo, and the Watchtower of that monument.
Signing
for the Holy See was Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, president of the
Governorate of Vatican City State, and, on behalf of the Italian
Republic, Lorenzo Ornaghi, Italy's Minister of Culture.
The
memorandum?following in line with the Exchange of (Diplomatic) Notes
between Italy and the Holy See in 1991 regarding the ownership and
use of the "Passetto di Borgo" and taking into account the
common interest in cooperating for the care and appreciation of the
historic and artistic patrimony?defines the usage of the Watchtower
for the purpose of authorizing the movement of the public within and
outside of the monument and of preparing the adequate infrastructures
to allow access for persons with disabilities.
This
agreement is part of the overall project for the restoration and
appreciation of the "Passetto di Borgo" on behalf of the
Italian Ministry of Culture, with the purpose of opening this
historic corridor leading to the Castel Sant'Angelo National Museum
to the public. The memorandum of understanding, which consists of a
preamble and eight articles, entered into effect upon its signing.
NUMBER
OF ELECTORS DOES NOT DEPEND ON DATE OF CONCLAVE
Vatican
City, 14 February 2013 (VIS) – In a previous story about the future
conclave to elect Benedict XVI's successor it was erroneously stated
that the number of cardinal electors could vary according to the date
that the conclave commences.
In
fact, this number is independent of the date that the conclave begins
because John Paul II's Apostolic Constitution "Universi Dominici
Gregis", which will regulate the conclave, establishes in no. 33
that cardinals who have reached their eightieth birthday before the
day when the Apostolic See becomes vacant will not be cardinal
electors.
For
that reason, for example, Cardinal Walter Kasper, who turns 80 on 5
March will be an elector, as is also the case for Cardinal Severino
Poletto, who turns 80 on 18 March.
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 14 February 2013 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father appointed Msgr.
Laurent Percerou as Bishop of Moulins, (area 7,381, population
347,900, Catholics 346,000, priests 102, permanent deacons 17,
religious 273), France. The bishop-elect was born in Dreux, France in
1961 and was ordained a priest in 1992. He has served in several
pastoral and administrative roles for the diocese of Chartres,
France, most recently as assistant for the Scouts et Guides de
France, director of diocesan catechetical services, and vicar general
of that diocese.
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