News From Vatican Information Services 03/02/2006

SUMMARY:
- Christian Life Is a Ceaseless Struggle against Evil
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts

CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A CEASELESS STRUGGLE AGAINST EVIL

VATICAN CITY, MAR 2, 2006 (VIS) - At 4.30 p.m. yesterday, Ash Wednesday, following a brief moment of prayer in the church of St. Anslem on Rome's Aventine Hill, the traditional penitential procession wound its way to the nearby Basilica of Santa Sabina. There Benedict XVI presided at Mass, pronounced the homily and blessed the ashes that were then imposed on all those who participated in the event.
"The penitential procession with which we began today's celebration," said the Pope at the beginning of his homily, "helped us to enter into the atmosphere typical of Lent, which is an individual and community pilgrimage of conversion and spiritual renewal."
The Holy Father went on to explain how Lenten rites, such as the imposition of the ashes and the "stations," or visits to churches containing relics of the martyrs, maintain their significance over the centuries. This is "because they recall the importance, even in our own times, of the uncompromising acceptance of Jesus' words," and help us to understand "that exterior gestures must always be accompanied by sincerity of spirit and coherence of works."
Benedict XVI identified another "combative" aspect of Lenten spirituality, pointing out that "every day, but especially in Lent, Christians face a battle like the one Jesus faced in the desert." Hence, this liturgical time recalls "that Christian life is a struggle without truce using the 'arms' of prayer, fasting and penance. To fight against evil, against all forms of egoism and hatred, ... is the ascetic journey which all Christ's disciples are called to undertake."
"Meekly following the divine Master makes Christians witnesses and apostles of peace." Such an attitude "helps us better to identify what the Christian response must be to the violence that threatens peace in the world: certainly not vengeance, not hatred, nor an escape into false forms of spirituality."
The response of Christ's followers, said the Pope, must be that of "following the road chosen by Him Who, in the face of the evil of His time and of all times, embraced the Cross, following the longer but more effective path of love." This love "must be translated into concrete gestures towards others, especially towards the poor and needy." It constitutes one of the "essential elements of the life of Christians, who are encouraged by Christ to be the light of the world so that men and women, seeing their good works, may render glory to God."
The Pope concluded his homily by stressing the importance of this suggestion "at the beginning of Lent, so that we may gain an ever clearer understanding that 'for the Church, charity is not a kind of welfare activity. ... but is a part of her nature, an indispensable expression of her very being'."
HML/ASH WEDNESDAY/... VIS 060302 (470)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 2, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience the clergy of the diocese of Rome.
This evening, he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
AP/.../... VIS 060302 (50)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 2, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father gave his assent to the canonical election by the Synod of Bishops of the Greek-Catholic Ukrainian Church, of Fr. Yaroslav Pryriz C.Ss.R., "protosincellus" of the eparchy of Sambir-Drohobych, Ukraine, as auxiliary of the same eparchy (area 6,900, population 609,359, Catholics 403,248, priests 245, religious 35). The bishop-elect was born in Lastivka, Ukraine, in 1963 and ordained a priest in 1988.
NEA/.../PRYRIZ VIS 060302 (80)

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News From Vatican Information Services 03/01/2006

SUMMARY:

- Fasting, Almsgiving and Prayer to Conform Us to Christ
- Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for March
- Other Pontifical Acts

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FASTING, ALMSGIVING AND PRAYER TO CONFORM US TO CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, MAR 1, 2006 (VIS) - During the general audience today, Ash Wednesday, Benedict XVI dedicated his catechesis to the liturgical period of Lent which he described to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square as "the itinerary of 40 days that will lead us to the Easter Triduum, memory of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord, heart of the mystery of salvation."

The 40 days of Lent, the Holy Father explained, "possess an undeniable evocative power. Indeed, Lent aims to recall some of the events that marked the life and history of ancient Israel," such as "the 40 days of the flood that led to God's covenant with Noah, and the 40 days Moses spent on Mount Sinai, which was followed by the gift of the tablets of the Law."

He went on: "Above all, the Lenten period invites us to relive with Jesus the 40 days He spent in the desert, praying and fasting before beginning His public mission. Today, we too begin a journey of reflection and prayer with all the Christians of the world. ... Today, all parish communities undertake an austere and symbolic gesture: the imposition of the ashes." Two "evocative formulae" accompany this rite, the Pope said:
"You are dust, and to dust you shall return," words that "evoke the human condition," and, "repent, and believe in the Gospel," an "invitation to place the firm and faithful adhesion to the Gospel at the foundation of individual and community renewal."

"The Lenten journey, by bringing us closer to God, enables us to look upon our brothers and sisters and their needs with new eyes. For this reason, Lent is a favorable moment to convert to love; a love capable of adopting the Lord's attitude of compassion and mercy, as I seek to recall in my Message for Lent, which has as its theme the Gospel passage: 'Jesus, at the sight of the crowds, was moved with pity'."

The Holy Father concluded: "Aware of her mission in the world, the Church does not cease to proclaim the merciful love of Christ, Who continues to turn His compassionate gaze on the men and peoples of all times. ... Fasting and almsgiving - which, together with prayer, the Church particularly proposes in the period of Lent - represent a good opportunity to conform ourselves to that 'gaze'."
AG/LENT/... VIS 060301 (410)

HOLY FATHER'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH

VATICAN CITY, MAR 1, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father's general prayer intention for March is: "That young people who are searching for the sense of life may be understood, respected and accompanied with patience and love."

His mission intention is: "That, throughout the Church, there may grow that shared missionary awareness which favors the collaboration and exchange of those who work in the missions."
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/MARCH/... VIS 060301 (80)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 1, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Atakpame, Togo, presented by Bishop Julien Mawule Kouto, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Fr. Denis Brennan of the clergy of the diocese of Ferns, Ireland, pastor of Taghmon and vicar forane, as bishop of the same diocese (area 3,000, population 108,850, Catholics 99,723, priests 137, religious 198). The bishop-elect was born in Springmount, Ireland in 1945 and ordained a priest in 1970.

- Appointed Fr. Raul Martin of the clergy of the archdiocese of Buenos Aires, pastor of the parish of St. Anthony of Padova in Buenos Aires, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese (area 203, population 2,729,610, Catholics 2,500,000, priests 884, permanent deacons 4, religious 2,366). The bishop-elect was born in Buenos Aires in 1957 and ordained a priest in 1990.
RE:NER:NEA/.../KOUTO:BRENNAN:MARTIN VIS 060301 (160)

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