News From Vatican Information Services 01/05/2006

SUMMARY:

- Pontifical Household Is Home to All Believers
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts
- Notice

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PONTIFICAL HOUSEHOLD IS HOME TO ALL BELIEVERS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 5, 2006 (VIS) - This morning, Benedict XVI received in audience the officials who provide service and assistance during pontifical audiences, ceremonies and official gatherings, collectively known as "Addetti di Anticamera."

After recalling that they form a centuries-old "Collegio" under the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household, the Pope said: "Times change, usage and customs vary, but what remains the same is the spirit with which each of you is called to work alongside the one called by Divine Providence to govern the Universal Church. Since this household, the Pontifical Household, is home to all believers, you too must ensure that it is hospitable to all those who come to visit the Pope."

The Holy Father emphasized the fact that the service of the "Addetti" brings with it a "commitment to bear witness to Him who is the true Lord of the household: Jesus Christ. This involves maintaining constant dialogue with Him in prayer, growing in friendship and intimacy with Him, and remaining prepared to bear witness to His welcoming love with all you meet. If this is the spirit with which you undertake your duties, ... then [those duties] can become a special apostolate, an opportunity to transmit courteously and cordially the joy of being Christ's disciples in all situations and all moments of our lives."

Recalling that tomorrow is the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, the Pope dwelt on the figure of Mary: "Just as she presented Jesus to the Magi, so the Virgin continues to offer Him to all humanity. Let us accept Him from her hands: Christ fulfils the most profound expectations of our hearts and gives meaning to all out plans and actions. May He be present in families and reign everywhere with the power of His love."
AC/.../ADDETTI DI ANTICAMERA VIS 060105 (310)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 5, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Prince Alessandro Torlonia, assistant to the throne, accompanied by his wife.

- John Joseph Herron, ambassador of Australia, accompanied by his wife, on his farewell visit.

- Frere Alois, prior of Taize.
AP/.../... VIS 060105 (50)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 5, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, presented by Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi S.J., upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Peter Liu Cheng-chung.

- Appointed Fr. Gary Gordon of the clergy of Vancouver, Canada, pastor and archiepiscopal delegate for prisons, as bishop of Whitehorse (area 723,515, population 35,614, Catholics 9,175, priests 13, religious 9), Canada. The bishop-elect was born in Vancouver in 1957 and ordained as a priest in 1982.

- Appointed Msgr. Andrzej Siemieniewski, episcopal vicar for the permanent formation of the clergy and holder of the chair of spiritual theology at the faculty of theology in Wroclaw, Poland, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Wroclaw (area 11,490, population 1,580,000, Catholics 1,470,100, priests 1,163, religious 1,781). The bishop-elect was born in Wroclaw in 1957 and ordained as a priest in 1985.

- Appointed Adalbert Roth as "scriptor latinus" of the Vatican Apostolic Library, and Sever Juan Voicu as "scriptor graecus" of the Vatican Apostolic Library.
RE:NER:NEA:NA/.../... VIS 060105 (190)

NOTICE

VATICAN CITY, JAN 5, 2006 (VIS) - As previously advised, there will be no service tomorrow, Friday, January 6, Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, the next service will be transmitted on Monday, January 9.
.../.../... VIS 060105 (40)

V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.

Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

News From Vatican Information Services 01/04/2006

SUMMARY:

- Audience: Progress brings us closer to Christ
- Telegram to the victims of the German skating rink

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AUDIENCE: PROGRESS BRINGS US CLOSER TO CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, JAN 4, 2006 (VIS) - The first general audience for 2006 was divided into two separate moments: at 10:30 am, the Pope met with the various groups of faithful in the Paul VI Hall, and after that, he returned to the Vatican Basilica to welcome the persons who could not get into the Hall.

The theme for the catechesis for this Wednesday was the Christological hymn from St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians, "Christ was created before any other creature; He is the firstborn of He who resuscitates the dead". The Holy Father said: "The text begins with an ample formula of thanks. This helps us to create a spiritual atmosphere to live these first days of 2006 well, along with our path during the entire new year".

"Praise rises to "God, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ", the source of that salvation that is described negatively as the "liberation from the power of the darkness", (...) then re-proposed from the positive viewpoint as the "participation in the destiny of the saints of light".

Benedict XVI stated that at the beginning of this hymn, "Christ is presented as the firstborn of all of creation". He is the "image of the invisible God". He continued, saying that in the second part of this hymn, "the figure of Christ the Saviour within the history of salvation is dominant. (...) the head of the body, that is to say, the Church: this is the privileged saving horizon where the liberation and the redemption, the vital communion that runs between the head and the parts of the body, that is between Christ and the Christians, is fully manifested".

Improvising, the Pope stated that "St. Paul shows us something of great importance, history has a goal, it has a direction, history moves towards a humanity united in Christ. (...) In other words, St. Paul tells us yes, there is progress in history, there is one if we strive for evolution in history, progress is everything that allows us to come closer to Christ, thus bringing us closer to a united humanity, to true humanism; and behind these indications is also hidden an imperative for us, to work for progress, something we all want: all of us can work towards the closeness of men towards Christ, we can personally conform to Christ, going along the line of true progress".

He continued: "Christ is He who opens the doors to eternal life, tearing us away from the limitation of death and evil. Here in fact, is that "fullness" of life and grace that is in Christ Himself, and is given and communicated to us. With this vital presence, which allows us to participate in divinity, we are transformed internally, reconciled, pacified".

The Holy Father recalled some words from Saint Proclo of Constantinople: "Who redeemed us was not merely man, (...) nor was He a God deprived of a human nature: in fact, He had a body. Had He not transformed into man, He would not have saved me. Appearing in the womb of the Virgin, He became the condemned man. There lies the tremendous exchange, He gave the spirit and took on the flesh".

The Pope concluded saying: "Therefore, we are faced with the work of God, who achieved Redemption because He became man. He is at the same time the Son of God, Saviour, but also our brother and because of this proximity He infuses the Divine Gift in us".
AG/HYMN COLOSSIANS/... VIS 060104 (590)

TELEGRAM TO THE VICTIMS OF THE GERMAN SKATING RINK

VATICAN CITY, JAN 4, 2006 (VIS) - Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State, sent a telegram to Cardinal Friedrich Wetter, Archbishop of München and Freising (Germany), expressing the Pope's condolences to the families of the victims of the collapse of the roof of the skating rink in Bad Reichenhall (Bavarian Alps). The majority of those that died during this accident, which occurred on January 2nd, were young persons.
TGR/COLLAPSE RINK/GERMANY:SODANO:WETTER VIS 060104 (80)

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