News Vatican Information Service 03/31/2010

SUMMARY:

- Easter Triduum Leads Us to Christ
- University Students: Bear Witness to Christ in All Places
- Telegram for Victims of Bomb Attacks in Moscow
- Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for April
- Other Pontifical Acts
- Notice

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EASTER TRIDUUM LEADS US TO CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, 31 MAR 2010 (VIS) - The Easter Triduum was the central theme of Benedict XVI 's catechesis during his general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square.

  "We are", the Pope began, "living through the holy days that invite us to meditate upon the central events of our Redemption, the essential nucleus of our faith". In this context, he encouraged everyone "to experience this period intensely, that it may decisively guide everyone's life to a generous and strong adherence to Christ, Who died and rose again for us".

  At the Chrism Mass of Holy Thursday, apart from the blessing of the oil used for catechumens, the sick and those being confirmed, priests will renew their vows. "This year the gesture has particular significance because it takes place in the context of the Year for Priests, which I called to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the death of the holy 'Cure of Ars'. To all priests I would like to reiterate the hope I expressed at the end of my Letter inaugurating the Year: 'In the footsteps of the Cure of Ars, let yourselves be enthralled by Christ. In this way you too will be, for the world in our time, heralds of hope, reconciliation and peace!'".

  On the evening of Holy Thursday "we will celebrate the moment of the institution of the Eucharist" when Christ, "in the species of the bread and the wine, makes Himself truly present with the Body He gave and the Blood He split as a sacrifice of the New Covenant. At the same time He made the Apostles and their successors ministers of this Sacrament, which He consigned to His Church as the supreme proof of His love".

  On Good Friday, in memory of the passion and death of the Lord, we will recall how "Jesus offered His life as a sacrifice for the remission of the sins of humankind, choosing the most cruel and humiliating death: crucifixion. There exists an indissoluble link between the Last Supper and the death of Jesus", said Pope Benedict , explaining how in the Upper Room "Jesus offered His Body and Blood (that is, his earthly existence, Himself), anticipating His own death and transforming it into an act of love. And so death, which by its nature is the end, the destruction of all relations, is made by Him an act of communication of Self, an instrument of salvation and a proclamation of the victory of love".

  Easter Saturday "is characterised by a great silence. ... At this time of expectation and hope, believers are invited to prayer, reflection and conversion, also through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so that, intimately renewed, they may participate in the celebration of Easter", said the Holy Father.

  On the night of Easter Saturday, "that silence will be broken by the cry of Alleluia, which announces the resurrection of Christ and proclaims he victory of light over darkness, of life over death. The Church will joy in the meeting with her Lord, entering the day of Easter which the Lord inaugurated by rising from the dead", the Pope concluded.
AG/EASTER TRIDUUM/...                                                             VIS 100331 (530)

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: BEAR WITNESS TO CHRIST IN ALL PLACES

VATICAN CITY, 31 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Among his greetings at the end of today's general audience, the Pope addressed a group of 4,000 university students from thirty countries who are participating in an international congress promoted annually by the Prelature of Opus Dei. The theme of this year's gathering is: "Can Christianity inspire a global culture?"

  "Dear friends, you have come to Rome in Holy Week for an experience of faith, friendship and spiritual enrichment", said the Holy Father. "I invite you to reflect on the importance of university study for the formation of that 'universal Catholic mentality' which St. Josemaria described in these terms: 'a breadth of vision and a vigorous endeavour to study more deeply the things that are permanently alive and unchanged in Catholic orthodoxy'. May there be, in each of you, a growing desire to meet Jesus Christ personally, so as to bear joyful witness to Him in all places".
AG/GREETINGS/...                                                                        VIS 100331 (170)

TELEGRAM FOR VICTIMS OF BOMB ATTACKS IN MOSCOW

VATICAN CITY, 31 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Made public yesterday afternoon was a telegram of condolence sent by the Pope to Dimitry Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, for the victims of last Monday's bomb attacks on the Moscow underground.

  "Having learned the news of the attacks on the Moscow underground in which numerous people lost their lives, I wish to manifest my profound sorrow and firm condemnation for those barbaric acts of violence, and to send an expression of my solidarity, spiritual closeness and condolences to the families of the victims. With assurances of my fervent prayers for the lives so abruptly cut short, and while invoking heavenly consolation for those who mourn their tragic loss, I readily send my blessings and greetings, with a particular thought for the injured".
TGR/BOMB ATTACK/MOSCOW                                                 VIS 100331 (140)
 
BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR APRIL

VATICAN CITY, 31 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for April is: "That every tendency to fundamentalism and extremism may be countered by constant respect, by tolerance and by dialogue among all believers".

  His mission intention is: "That Christians persecuted for the sake of the Gospel may persevere, sustained by the Holy Spirit, in faithfully witnessing to the love of God for the entire human race".
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 31 MAR 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. William Hanna Shomali, chancellor of the patriarchal diocese of Jerusalem of the Latins, as auxiliary of the same diocese (Catholics 160,700, priests 271, permanent deacons 2, religious 1,432). The bishop-elect was born in Beit-Sahour, Palestine in 1950 and ordained a priest in 1972.
NEA/.../SHOMALI                                                                           VIS 100331 (60)

NOTICE

VATICAN CITY, 31 MAR 2010 (VIS) - As previously advised, the VIS bulletin will be suspended from tomorrow Wednesday 1 April to Tuesday 6 April, the holy days of Easter and holidays in the Vatican. Service will resume on Wednesday 7 April.
.../.../...                                                                                               VIS 100331 (50)

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 03/30/2010

SUMMARY:

- Benedict XVI Recalls the Unshakeable Faith of John Paul II
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts

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BENEDICT XVI RECALLS THE UNSHAKEABLE FAITH OF JOHN PAUL II

VATICAN CITY, 30 MAR 2010 (VIS) - In the Vatican Basilica at 6 p.m. yesterday, Benedict XVI presided at a Mass in commemoration of his predecessor, Venerable Servant of God John Paul II, who died on 2 April 2005. This year's Mass has been brought forward because 2 April coincides with Good Friday.

  The Holy Father addressed a special greeting to Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, archbishop of Krakow and former private secretary of John Paul II, and to the many other pilgrims from the late Pope's native country of Poland.

  In his homily Benedict XVI commented on the prophet Isaiah's parable of the servant whose faith is unshakeable and whose energy does not diminish until completing the task assigned him. "What the inspired prophet says of the servant", Pope Benedict explained, "we can apply to the beloved John Paul II. The Lord called him to His service and, entrusting him with tasks of ever greater responsibility, accompanied him with His grace and His continual assistance. During his long pontificate, he made prodigious efforts to proclaim the right firmly, without weakness or hesitation, especially when he had to face resistance, hostility and rejection. He knew the Lord had taken him by the hand, and this enabled him to exercise a fruitful ministry for which, once again, we give fervent thanks to God".

  Benedict XVI continued by referring to the Gospel episode in which, at the house of Lazarus, Mary of Bethany washed Christ's feet and anointed them with perfume, offering the most precious thing she had in a gesture of profound devotion, while the fragrance filled the house. "The meaning of Mary's gesture, which is a response to the infinite Love of God, spread among all the dinner guests", said the Pope. "Each gesture of charity and of authentic devotion to Christ does not remain a personal matter, it does not concern only the relationship between the individual and the Lord, but involves the entire body of the Church. It is contagious and infuses love, joy and light".

  "The whole life of the Venerable John Paul II passed under the sign of this charity, of the capacity to give himself generously, unreservedly, without measure or calculation. What moved him was the love for Christ to Whom he had consecrated his life, a superabundant and unconditional love. And it was precisely because he became increasingly close to the Lord in love, that he was able to be a travelling companion for modern man, spreading the perfume of the Love of God in the world.

  "Those who had the joy of knowing and frequenting him", the Holy Father added, "had palpable experience of his certainty of seeing 'the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living'. ... This certainty accompanied him throughout his existence, revealing itself in a particular way during the last period of his pilgrimage on this earth: his progressive physical weakness did not, in fact, affect his solid faith, his luminous hope or his fervent charity. He allowed himself to be consumed by Christ, for the Church and for the whole world. His was a suffering lived to the end for love and with love".

  In closing, Benedict XVI addressed some words to Polish pilgrims. "The life and work of John Paul II", he told them, "is something of which you can be proud. However, you must remember that it is also a great call to be faithful witnesses of the faith, hope and love which he uninterruptedly taught us".
HML/JOHN PAUL II/...                                                                    VIS 100330 (600)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 30 MAR 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, archbishop of Krakow, Poland.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 30 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Holy Father appointed Bishop Luis Madrid Merlano of Cartago, Colombia, as metropolitan archbishop of Nueva Pamplona (area 6,751, population 211,700, Catholics 203,834, priests 81, religious 73), Colombia. The archbishop-elect was born in Cartagena, Colombia in 1946, he was ordained a priest in 1971 and consecrated a bishop in 1988.
NER/.../MADRID                                                                             VIS 100330 (60)

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