Pope Benedict XVI

Thursday, July 13, 2006

News Vatican Information Services 07/13/2006

SUMMARY:

- Declaration Concerning Archbishop Milingo
- Theme of World Peace Day 2007

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DECLARATION CONCERNING ARCHBISHOP MILINGO

VATICAN CITY, JUL 13, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following declaration at midday today:

"The Holy See has not yet received precise information concerning the aim of the journey to the United States of America by Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, emeritus of Lusaka, Zambia.

"In any case, if the declarations attributed to him concerning ecclesiastical celibacy were to prove authentic, the only thing to do would be to deplore them, Church discipline on this matter being well known."
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THEME OF WORLD PEACE DAY 2007

VATICAN CITY, JUL 13, 2006 (VIS) - In a brief communique made public today the theme was announced of the 40th World Peace Day, due to be celebrated on January 1, 2007: "The Human Person: Heart of Peace."

This theme for reflection, chosen by the Holy Father, "expresses the conviction that respect for the dignity of the human person is an essential condition for peace within the human family," says the communique. "Only through an awareness of the transcendent dignity of each man and woman can the human family follow the path that leads to peace and to communion with God."

The communique continues: "Today, perhaps more persuasively and with more effective means than in the past, human dignity is threatened by aberrant ideologies, assailed by the misguided use of science and technology, and contradicted by widespread incongruent lifestyles. Indeed, ideologies that find their inspiration in nihilism or fanaticism (material or religious) seek to deny or to impose supposed truths upon reality, upon man and upon God."

The note highlights the fact that "often science and technology (especially biomedicine), rather than serving the common good of humanity, are instrumental in serving an egotistical vision of progress and wellbeing. Moreover, propaganda and the growing acceptance of disordered lifestyles contrary to human dignity are weakening the hearts and minds of people to the point of extinguishing the desire for ordered and peaceful coexistence. All this represents a threat to humanity, because peace is in danger when human dignity is not respected and when social coexistence does nor seek the common good.

"The Church," the communique adds, "has the mission of announcing the Gospel of Life, the central position of mankind in the universe and God's love for humanity. Therefore, to the challenges of the present time, the Church responds with a Christian anthropology based on the three pillars of human dignity, sociality and activity in the world, oriented in accordance with the order stamped by God on the universe, and with a view to an integral and solidary humanism that tends towards the development of all of man and of all men."

The communique concludes by affirming that "any offence to the person is a threat to peace; any threat to peace is an offence to the truth of the person: 'The human person is the heart of peace'."
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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.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

News Vatican Information Services 07/12/2006

SUMMARY:

- Telegram for Terrorist Attacks in India
- Presentation of Holy See Financial Statements for 2005
- Other Pontifical Acts

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TELEGRAM FOR TERRORIST ATTACKS IN INDIA

VATICAN CITY, JUL 12, 2006 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano has sent a telegram to the appropriate ecclesiastical and civil authorities in India for the recent terrorist attacks on eight trains in the city of Mumbai, which caused the death of at least 170 people:

"Deeply saddened by the news of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI assures all affected of his spiritual closeness in prayer. While deploring these senseless acts against humanity, the Holy Father commends the many deceased to the loving mercy of the Almighty. Upon their grieving families and the numerous injured he invokes the divine gifts of strength, consolation and comfort."
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PRESENTATION OF HOLY SEE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR 2005

VATICAN CITY, JUL 12, 2006 (VIS) - Cardinal Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, announced this morning in a press conference on the Holy See consolidated financial statements for 2005 that the year closed with a surplus of 9.7 million euro. This, he said, "represents the most significant value of the last eight years." The year 2004 had closed with a surplus of 3.08 million euro.

In terms of the institutional activity of the Holy See (Secretariat of State, congregations, councils, tribunals, the Synod of Bishops and various other offices), the president indicated that the sector closed the year with a deficit of 36.9 million euro, an increase with respect to 2004 which had closed with a deficit of 23.2 million euro.

Cardinal Sebastiani pointed out that the sector of financial activities (7 consolidated administrations, the most important of which is the Extraordinary Section of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, APSA) showed a surplus of 43.3 million euro, an improvement on last year's surplus of 6.1 million euro. This is due, the cardinal explained, "to the improvement of the situation of the financial markets which occurred in the course of 2005. Indeed, a net positive fluctuation of 21.7 million euro was registered in 2005 while a net loss of roughly 11 million euro occurred in 2004 due to fluctuations in the rates of exchange." For its part, the real estate sector closed with a surplus of 22.2 million euro, slightly down on last year's closing figure of 24.9 million euro.

The activity of the media institutions connected with the Holy See (Vatican Radio, the Vatican Printing Office, L'Osservatore Romano newspaper, the Vatican Publishing House and the Vatican Television Center), closed with a deficit of 11.8 million euro, "substantially due to the negative results of Vatican Radio (about 23.5 million euro) and of L'Osservatore Romano (4.6 million euro)," said Cardinal Sebastiani. Nonetheless, "the Vatican Printing Office closed its financial statement with a surplus of 653,000 euro, and the Vatican Television Center closed with a profit of 650,000 euro. ... The Vatican Publishing House also closed its 2005 financial statement with a surplus of 934,000 euro and with a rise of 3.8 million euro in the volume of the activity." In this context, the cardinal recalled how the Vatican Publishing House has been entrusted with the exercise and the guardianship of the copyright of "all the documents by means of which the Supreme Pontiff exercises his teaching."

The final part of the economic report, concerning other income and expense, closed with a negative result of seven million euro, reflecting the costs incurred during the period of vacant see in April 2005.

In closing, the president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See indicated that in the Vatican on July 4, Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano had presided at the 40th meeting of the Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organizational and Economic Problems of the Holy See. On that occasion, said Cardinal Sebastiani, as well as the consolidated financial statement of the Holy See for 2005, the cardinals also examined that of the Governorate of Vatican City State, which closed with a surplus of 29.6 million euro.

Offers from the faithful to Peter's Pence, the fund which goes to the Holy Father's works of evangelical solidarity, came to 46,741,000 euro in the year 2005, an increase of 14.95 percent with respect to 2004.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 12, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Imphal, India, presented by Archbishop Joseph Mittathany, upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Dominic Lumon.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Great Falls-Billings, U.S.A., presented by Bishop Anthony A. Milone, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Bishop Dulcenio Fontes de Matos, auxiliary of Aracaju, Brazil, as bishop of Palmeira dos Indios (area 10,795, population 567,000, Catholics 476,000, priests 38, religious 32), Brazil. He succeeds Bishop Fernando Iorio Rodrigues, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
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