News Vatican Information Service 01/14/2010

SUMMARY:

- Support for Families and Young People
- Catholic and Jewish Teaching on Creation, Environment

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SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE

VATICAN CITY, 14 JAN 2010 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Pope received Gianni Alemanno, mayor of the City of Rome; Esterino Montino, vice president of the Region of Lazio, Italy, and Nicola Zingaretti, president of the Province of Rome, each accompanied by an entourage, for the traditional exchange of New Year greetings.

  Opening his remarks to them, the Pope pointed out that heads of public institutions must "constantly pursue the common good", favouring "healthy debate, because the more decisions and measures are shared, the more they will bring real development to the inhabitants of the territory".

  Going on to refer to urban development plans, the Holy Father highlighted how these "must favour the process of socialisation, avoiding the emergence and growth of individualism and of exclusive concern for personal interest, which are harmful to human coexistence".

  Benedict XVI expressed the hope that "in outlying areas as in the rest of the city", structures may be built "to help young parents in their educational duties. I likewise hope that further provisions may be made in support of families, especially large families, so that the entire city may benefit from the irreplaceable role of this institution, which is the first and indispensable cell of society.

  "As part of the promotion of the common good, the education of the new generations ... is a predominant concern", the Pope added. In this context he indicated that "it is vital to help young people base their lives on authentic values, values that refer to an 'exalted' view of man which finds one of its most sublime expressions in Christian religious and cultural heritage".

  "When educating on the great questions of affectivity and sexuality, which are so important for life, we must avoid showing adolescents and young people ways that tend to devalue these fundamental dimensions of human existence. To this end the Church calls for everyone to collaborate, especially those who work in schools, to educate the young to a lofty vision of human love and sexuality. Thus I invite everyone to understand that, in pronouncing her 'noes', the Church is really saying 'yes' to life, to love lived in the truth of the giving of self to the other, to the love that opens up to life and does not close itself in a narcissistic view of the couple".

  Before concluding his address the Pope encouraged the competent authorities "to pay constant and coherent attention to the world of sickness and suffering. May the healthcare structures, which are so numerous in Rome and Lazio and which provide an important service to the community, administer the public weal with ever greater care, showing professional competency and generous dedication to the sick, the welcome and care of whom must be the supreme criterion for those who work in this field".

  "I trust, then", he concluded, "that despite the persisting economic difficulties, these structures may receive adequate support for the valuable service they provide".
AC/.../REGION:PROVINCE:ROME                                              VIS 100114 (500)

CATHOLIC AND JEWISH TEACHING ON CREATION, ENVIRONMENT

VATICAN CITY, 14 JAN 2010 (VIS) - The ninth meeting of the Commission for Dialogue between Jews and Catholics is due to be held in Rome from 17 to 20 January. The event will be attended by a delegation from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and one from the Holy See Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, according to a communique made public today.

  The theme of the meeting will be "Catholic and Jewish teaching on creation and the environment. The challenges of human intervention in natural order". On Sunday 17 January, both delegations will be present for Benedict XVI's visit to the synagogue of Rome. On Monday 18 January, Fr. Patrick Desbois, president of the Yahad-in Unum organisation, will deliver a lecture on the Holocaust at Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University.

  The delegation of the Chief Rabbinate will be headed by Shear Yashuv Cohen, chief rabbi of Haifa, while the Holy See delegation is to be led by Cardinal Jorge Mejia, archivist and librarian emeritus of Holy Roman Church.
.../JEWISH CATHOLIC DIALOGUE/COHEN:MEJIA                 VIS 100114 (180)

You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.visnews.org

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.
Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

News Vatican Information Service 01/13/2010

SUMMARY:

- Mendicant Orders: Profound Ecclesial Renewal
- Papal Appeal Following Earthquake in Haiti
- Holy Father Receives Susanna Maiolo

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MENDICANT ORDERS: PROFOUND ECCLESIAL RENEWAL

VATICAN CITY, 13 JAN 2010 (VIS) - Benedict XVI dedicated his catechesis, during the general audience held this morning in the Paul VI Hall, to the mendicant orders that came into being in the thirteenth century, focusing on the most famous: Franciscans and Dominicans founded, respectively, by the Italian Francis of Assisi and the Spanish Dominic de Guzman.

  "The saints", said the Pope, "guided by the light of God, are the true reformers of the life of the Church and society. Teachers by their words and witnesses by their example, they are able to promote stable and profound ecclesial renewal".

  Saints such as Francis of Assisi and Dominic de Guzman "were able to read the 'signs of the times', and discern the challenges the Church of their time had to face". One of these challenges was the expansion of groups and movements of faithful who, though inspired by a legitimate desire for authentic Christian life, often placed themselves outside ecclesial communion". These groups included the Cathars or Albigensians who revived such ancient heresies as "disdain for the material world, the negation of free will and the existence of a principal of evil comparable with God".

  Movements such as these proved successful, "not only because they were well organised, but also because they denounced a disorder that really did exist in the Church, caused by the un-exemplary behaviour of various members of the clergy".

  And yet the Franciscans and Dominicans showed "that it is possible to live evangelical poverty without separating oneself from the Church". They rejected not only the possession of material goods but also refused the idea that the community could own lands and estates, living "an extremely sober life in order to remain close to the poor and placing their trust in Providence alone.

  "This individual and community lifestyle of the mendicant orders", the Holy Father added, "united to their complete adherence to Church teaching and authority, was much appreciated by the Pontiffs of the time, ... who gave their complete support to these new ecclesial experiences, recognising in them the voice of the Spirit".

  "Today too, though we live in a society in which 'having' often prevails over 'being', we are still receptive to examples of poverty and solidarity", Pope Benedict observed, and he recalled how Paul VI had affirmed that "the world is willing to listen to teachers when they are also witnesses. There is a lesson that must never be forgotten in the work of spreading the Gospel: we must ourselves live what we announce, be mirrors of divine charity".

  The mendicant orders likewise responded to the widespread need for religious instruction felt at the time, preaching and "dealing with topics close to people's lives, especially the practice of the theological and moral virtues, using concrete and easily understood arguments".

  Because of the importance of the mendicant orders, lay institutions such as the guilds and civil authorities often consulted them. Thus Franciscans and Dominicans became "the spiritual animators of mediaeval cities, ... putting into effect a pastoral strategy that was adapted to the transformations of society". At a time in which the cities were expanding they built their monasteries in urban areas and travelled from place to place "abandoning the principle of stability which had characterised monastic life for many centuries". To this end they adopted a new form of organisation, "giving greater importance to the order per se and to the superior general" as opposed to the autonomy which individual monasteries had enjoyed until then. "Thus they were better prepared to meet the needs of the universal Church".

  Another great challenge of the age were the "cultural transformations", which gave rise to lively debate in universities. The friars did not hesitate "to enter the universities themselves, as students and teachers, erecting study centres" of their own "and profoundly influencing the development of thought".

  The Holy Father concluded: "Today too there is a 'charity of and in truth', an 'intellectual charity' that must be brought into play in order to illuminate minds and associate faith with culture. The commitment shown by Franciscans and Dominicans in mediaeval universities is an invitation to us to remain present in the places where knowledge is produced in order to throw the light of the Gospel, with respect and with conviction, on the fundamental questions that concern man, his divinity and his eternal destiny".
AG/MENDICANT ORDERS/...                                                      VIS 100113 (730)

PAPAL APPEAL FOLLOWING EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI

VATICAN CITY, 13 JAN 2010 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, held in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope launched an appeal "for the dramatic situation currently being experienced in Haiti".

  "My thoughts go in particular to the population hit just a few hours ago by a devastating earthquake which has caused serious loss of human life, large numbers of homeless and missing people, and vast material damage.

  "I invite everyone to join my prayers to the Lord for the victims of this catastrophe and for those who mourn their loss. I give assurances of my spiritual closeness to people who have lost their homes and to everyone who, in various ways, has been affected by this terrible calamity, imploring God to bring them consolation and relief in their suffering.

  "I appeal to the generosity of all people so that these our brothers and sisters who are experiencing a moment of need and suffering may not lack our concrete solidarity and the effective support of the international community. The Catholic Church will not fail to move immediately, through her charitable institutions, to meet the most immediate needs of the population".
AG/EARTHQUAKE/HAITI                                                              VIS 100113 (200)

HOLY FATHER RECEIVES SUSANNA MAIOLO

VATICAN CITY, 13 JAN 2010 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. released the following declaration late this morning:

  "At the conclusion of this morning's general audience, the Holy Father had a brief private meeting with Susanna Maiolo in a room adjoining the Paul VI Hall.

  "Ms Maiolo told the Holy Father of her regret for the incident that happened at the beginning of the celebration of Midnight Mass last month. For his part, the Pope expressed his forgiveness, as well as his cordial concern and his best wishes for her health.

  "Ms Maiolo was accompanied by two members of her family.

  "As for the investigations launched by the magistrates of Vatican City State, they will follow their course to their conclusion".
OP/.../MAIOLO                                                                                VIS 100113 (140)

You can find more information at: www.vatican.va - www.visnews.org

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.
Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City