Pope Benedict XVI

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

News Vatican Information Services 06/28/2006

SUMMARY:

- James the Less: Solid Expression of Faith
- Plenary Indulgence for World Meeting of Families
- In Brief
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts
- Notice

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JAMES THE LESS: SOLID EXPRESSION OF FAITH

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2006 (VIS) - The Apostle James the Less was the subject of Benedict XVI's catechesis at today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 40,000 people.

The Pope recalled how James the Less "played a preeminent role within the Church in Jerusalem. ... In the apostolic council held there ... he affirmed, together with others, that pagans could be welcomed into the Church without first undergoing circumcision."

"St. Paul," the Pope went on, "names him even before Peter as a 'pillar' of the Church," and "the Jewish-Christians considered him to be their principal point of reference." Together with Peter, he helped "to integrate the original Jewish dimension of Christianity with the need not to impose all the precepts of Mosaic Law upon pagan converts."

"In this way, two significant and complementary results were achieved, both of them still valid: on the one hand, the indissoluble relationship linking Christianity and Judaism was recognized, ... on the other, Christians of pagan origin were allowed to maintain their own sociological identity. ... Thus began a process of reciprocal esteem and respect which, despite unfortunate later misunderstandings, sought by its nature to safeguard the characteristic elements distinguishing each of the two sides."

The New Testament Letter attributed to this Apostle "places much emphasis on the need not to reduce one's own faith to a mere abstract or verbal declaration, but to express it solidly in works of charity. ... He calls us to constancy in trials, ... and to faithful prayer to God for the gift of wisdom, thanks to which we come to understand that the true values of life are not to be found in transitory riches, but rather in knowing how to share our own wealth with the poor and needy."

Following his catechesis, Benedict XVI greeted pilgrims in various languages. Among the groups present were participants in a meeting promoted by the "Family of St. Luigi Orione," for the "Feast of the Pope" the theme of which is: "Many Hearts around the Pope, Evangelizer of Life." The Pope thanked them for this initiative and invited them "to continue bearing witness to the Gospel of life through all your institutions and activities, seeking especially to serve the weak and the needy."
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PLENARY INDULGENCE FOR WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2006 (VIS) - For the occasion of the Fifth World Meeting of Families, due to be held in Valencia, Spain from July 1 to 9, Benedict XVI will concede Plenary Indulgence to those faithful who participate in any of the associated celebrations and in the closing ceremony, according to a decree from the Apostolic Penitentiary made public yesterday afternoon.

The Holy Father will attend the closing ceremony of the meeting and hopes, the decree states, "that the many people from all over the world who come together in Valencia may participate enthusiastically and dutifully in the various initiatives and liturgical celebrations taking place there in favor of the family, and that, having returned to their own homes fortified by the grace of God, they may dedicate themselves generously to moulding their own families and those of their neighbors to the holy rules of the Gospel."

Moreover, the decree continues, the Pope asks the Most Holy Trinity "that great benefit may be forthcoming to the Church; especially through profound reflection on the theme of the family, seat of life and of love, domestic church in which parents transmit to children the priceless gift of faith."

"The Supreme Pontiff," the decree adds, "grants Plenary Indulgence to the faithful under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer in keeping with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff, with the soul completely removed from attachment to any form of sin), if they participate in any of the solemn functions held in Valencia during the Fifth World Meeting of Families, and in the solemn closing ceremony.

"All other faithful who are unable to participate in that event, may obtain the same gift of Plenary Indulgence, under the same conditions, over the days the meeting is held and on its closing day if, united in spirit and thought with the faithful present in Valencia, they recite in the family the 'Our Father,' the 'Creed,' and other devout prayers calling on Divine Mercy to concede the above-mentioned aims."
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IN BRIEF

IN ORDER TO MARK THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ERECTION of the ecclesiastical province of Lithuania and the creation of the archdiocese of Kaunas, the Pope has written a message to Metropolitan Archbishop Sigitas Tamkevicius S.J. The ecclesiastical province "suffered under the blows of harsh Soviet persecution," writes the Holy Father, but, "thanks to the never failing help of God, the years of trial saw the blossoming of a real garden of witnesses and martyrs of the faith. After the fall of the communist dictatorship, the Lithuanian people regained their liberty and entered more deeply into the family of nations, bringing with them their own heritage of values."

THE OFFICE OF LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF today announced that at 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 2, Cardinal Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino, metropolitan archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela will take possession of the tile of St. Mary ai Monti, Via della Madonna dei Monti 41, Rome.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2006 (VIS) - This evening, the Holy Father is due to receive in audience Archbishop Robert Sarah, emeritus of Conakry, Guinea, and secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Dominique Lebrun of the clergy of the diocese of Saint-Denis, France, archpriest of the cathedral and dean of Saint-Denis, as bishop of Saint-Etienne (area 3,000, population 575,540, Catholics 442,000, priests 187, permanent deacons 22, religious 284), France. The bishop-elect was born in Rouen, France in 1957 and ordained a priest in 1984. He succeeds Bishop Pierre Joatton, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Jacques Blaquart of the clergy of the diocese of Angouleme, France, vicar general, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Bordeaux (area 10,000, population 1,288,311, Catholics 1,000,000, priests 288, permanent deacons 16, religious 594), France. The bishop-elect was born in Roumazieres, France in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1982.

- Appointed Msgr. Barry Jones, administrator of the cathedral of the diocese of Christchurch, New Zealand, as coadjutor of the same diocese (area 51,780, population 503,631, Catholics 62,715, priests 73, religious 155). The bishop-elect was born in North Canterbury, New Zealand in 1941 and ordained a priest in 1966.
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NOTICE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2006 (VIS) - As previously announced, there will be no edition of VIS tomorrow, June 29, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul Apostles, and a holiday in the Vatican. Service will resume on Friday, June 30.
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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.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

News Vatican Information Services 06/27/2006

SUMMARY:

- African Church Shares the Challenges of the Continent
- Declaration by Holy See Press Office Director

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AFRICAN CHURCH SHARES THE CHALLENGES OF THE CONTINENT

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2006 (VIS) - This morning, the "Lineamenta" (or draft guidelines) for the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops were presented in the Holy See Press Office. Participating in the press conference were Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops.

Cardinal Arinze began by pointing out that, in order to better understand the "Lineamenta," it would be helpful "to reflect briefly on signs of good news about Church life in Africa," to study the problems and challenges in the areas of reconciliation, justice and peace in African societies, and to consider "what the Catholic Church in Africa has done, or can do, to help."

"There are great differences in the situation of the Church in each of the 53 countries on the African continent," he said. "Growth is a fact. Experts tell us that Africa is the continent with the highest annual percentage growth for Christianity in the world. Many more Africans get baptized each year. In some African countries seminaries and sisters' novitiates have more candidates than they can conveniently accommodate. ... Several beatification causes are being promoted, one of the latest being that of President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania."

"But the Church in Africa is not closed in on herself. She shares the joys and hopes, problems and challenges of the wider society in Africa. The painful situation of violence and even war in Somalia, the tragedy of Darfur and the not yet totally resolved situation in the Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to some extent in the Great Lakes region, are causes of concern."

He continued: "The challenge of building up a nation in harmony and peaceful development out of peoples from many ethnic groups put together as a country by colonial masters remains present, as in Nigeria. Moreover, poverty, disease and especially HIV/AIDS, are real threats and have wiped out large numbers or crippled them."

The prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments also noted some positive signs: "a smooth passage from apartheid to democracy in the Republic of South Africa, the opposition party winning elections without tears in Senegal, Ghana, Malawi and Zambia, and significant steps towards greater democratization in several countries."

"The Catholic Church," Cardinal Arinze concluded, "without any pretence at having a political or economic mission, knows that she has to contribute first by preaching the Gospel to call to a conversion of hearts, respect for the rights of other people, repentance and reconciliation, forgiveness and harmony. ... The dioceses in Africa take practical steps to show Christian solidarity to the poor and the needy. Most bishops' conferences have justice and peace commissions. ... Refugees and displaced persons, find the Church as one of the few institutions that care for them and that can put a smile on their faces."

For his part, Archbishop Eterovic affirmed that for this Second African Synod (the first was held in 1994) Benedict XVI, "accepting the advice of the African episcopate," has approved the theme: "The Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace. 'You are the salt of the earth. ... You are the Light of the World'."

Going on to refer to the "Lineamenta," the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops explained that the document is made up of an introduction and five chapters.

The first chapter, entitled "Africa at the Dawn of the 21st Century," gives a brief description of the social, economic, political, cultural and religious situation of the continent, and examines the role of religions, especially the question of relations between Christianity and Islam.

"Jesus Christ, the Word and Bread of Life, our Reconciler, our Justice and our Peace," is the title of the second chapter which highlights how, in the face of today's serious problems, "Jesus Christ also presents Himself as the Savior of African men and women."

Chapter three: "The Church, Sacrament of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace in Africa," explains how in a continent ravaged by wars "the Church is called to play a prophetic role of reconciliation."

"The Witness of a Church Reflecting the Light of Christ on the World," is the title of chapter four of the document, which focuses on the urgent need to educate lay Catholics who, "guided by Christian principles of service, and concerning themselves with the promotion of the common good," may "change the political and social situation in various countries."

The fifth chapter, "Spiritual Resources for the Promotion of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace in Africa," calls on all members of the Church to announce the Gospel, "both with words and with the example of their lives. The source of this spirituality is to be found in liturgical life, especially in the celebration of Mass, adoration of the Eucharist and other forms of prayer of the Church."

Archbishop Eterovic then pointed out that the document containing the "Lineamenta" ends with a questionnaire containing 32 queries and aiming "to facilitate reflection and debate," and lead to "concrete proposals which will then be examined during the synodal assembly." The two synods of the Eastern Catholic Churches (the Patriarchate of Alexandria of the Copts, Egypt, and the Council of the Ethiopian Church) as well as the 32 episcopal conferences of the African continent must send in their replies no later than November 2008.

On this basis, the Secretariat General of the Synod of Bishops, with the help of the Special Council for Africa, will then prepare the "Instrumentum laboris" or working document for the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops. "The Holy Father," the archbishop concluded, "will then officially announce the date of its celebration."
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DECLARATION BY HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE DIRECTOR

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2006 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following declaration at midday today:

"I have no comments to make on news that has appeared in various organs of the press concerning ongoing contacts between a Holy See delegation and the Chinese authorities."
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