Pope Benedict XVI

Friday, April 20, 2012

News Vatican Information Service 04/19-20/2012

SUMMARY:

- THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT CONFINED TO WRITING
- WWW.VATICAN.VA WIDGET FOR SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF PONTIFICATE
- ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER MONTI VISITS THE POPE FOR HIS BIRTHDAY
- AUDIENCES

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THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT CONFINED TO WRITING

Vatican City, 20 April 2012 (VIS) - The Pontifical Biblical Commission today concludes its annual plenary session, during which it has been examining the theme: "Inspiration and Truth in the Bible". For the occasion the Holy Father has sent a message to Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and president of the commission.

The Pope notes that the theme of this year's gathering is vital "for a correct interpretation of the biblical message. It is inspiration as an act of God which ensures that human utterance can express the Word of God", he writes. "Indeed, any interpretation of Sacred Scripture which overlooks or forgets its inspiration fails to take account of its most important and precious characteristic; that is, the fact that it comes from God".

"Thanks to the charisma of inspiration", the Benedict XVI goes on, "the books of Sacred Scripture have a direct and tangible appeal. Yet the Word of God is not confined to writing, for although the Revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle, the revealed Word has continued to be announced and interpreted by the living Tradition of the Church. Thus the Word of God, fixed in the holy texts, is not an inert matter at the heart of the Church but the supreme rule of her faith and her life force. The Tradition she draws from the Apostles advances with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, and grows through reflection and study on the part of believers, through the individual experience of spiritual life and the preaching of bishops".

Hence the need for deeper study on the theme of inspiration and truth in the Bible, because it is "fundamental for the life and mission of the Church that Sacred Scripture be interpreted according to its nature; and inspiration and truth are constituent characteristics of that nature".

In conclusion, the Pope expresses his appreciation to the Pontifical Biblical Commission for the activities it undertakes to promote knowledge, study and acceptance of the Word of God in the world.

WWW.VATICAN.VA WIDGET FOR SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF PONTIFICATE

Vatican City, 20 April 2012 (VIS) - The Vatican internet service released a communique yesterday announcing that, as of 19 April, seventh anniversary of the election of the Holy Father Benedict XVI, the new www.vatican.va widget will be available to users of the Internet.

By using this interface it will be possible, automatically and dynamically, to transfer some of the most important content contained in the institutional website www.vatican.va to another user's website.

Pontifical Magisterium is thus enriched with a another means of communication, making the content of the institutional website more widely known, and using all the opportunities technology offers in order to spread the word of the Holy Father.

In particular, using the new widget it will be possible to export all the principal novelties, the Sunday Angelus, Audiences and the Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office.

The "Focus" area of the homepage www.vatican.va contains the mail address at which users may request the code to insert on the own homepage of their own websites in order to visualise the "vatican.va widget".

ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER MONTI VISITS THE POPE FOR HIS BIRTHDAY

Vatican City, 20 April 2012 (VIS) - Among the many people who have contacted the Holy Father Benedict XVI to congratulate him on his birthday, and on the seventh election of his election, was Mario Monti, the Italian prime minister, who made a private visit to the Vatican to see the Pope on Wednesday.

The visit reflects the climate of understanding and collaboration between Italy and the Holy See, which was also on display later that day, during the traditional reception offered by the apostolic nunciature to Italy to mark the anniversary of the papal election. Prime Minister Monti attended and was welcomed by the nuncio, Archbishop Adriano Bernardini. Also present were the ministers of justice, employment, and economic development, as well as other national, regional and local authorities, and ecclesiastical figures. During the event, Prime Minister Monti held a long talk with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B.

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also sent the Pope a message of congratulation, in the name of President Barack Obama. The message highlights Benedict XVI's tireless efforts "to unite peoples of different faiths" in the one creed of peace.

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 20 April 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience:

- Stanislaw Tillich, minister president of the Free State of Saxony, Germany, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.

- Archbishop Giovanni d'Aniello, apostolic nuncio to Brazil.

- Fifteen prelates of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Jose Horacio Gomez of Los Angeles, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Thomas J. Curry, Gerald E. Wilkerson, Edward William Clark, Alexander Salazar and Oscar Azarcon Solis, and by Cardinal Roger Michael Mahony, archbishop emeritus.

- Bishop Armando Xavier Ochoa of Fresno.

- Bishop Richard John Garcia of Monterey in California.

- Bishop Tod David Brown of Orange in California, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Dominic Mai Luong.

- Bishop Gerald Richard Barnes of San Bernardino, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Rutilio Juan Del Riego.

- Bishop Robert Henry Brom of San Diego, accompanied by Coadjutor Bishop Cirilo B. Flores.

You can find more information at: 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.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

News Vatican Information Service 04/18/2012

SUMMARY:

- THE CHURCH MUST NOT FEAR PERSECUTIONS BUT TRUST IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
- THE POPE ASKS FOR PRAYERS TO HELP HIM CONTINUE TO SERVE THE CHURCH
- COMMUNIQUE FROM THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION "ECCLESIA DEI"
- FOURTH CENTENARY OF VATICAN SECRET ARCHIVES: 85 KM OF DOCUMENTS
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
- NOTICE

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THE CHURCH MUST NOT FEAR PERSECUTIONS BUT TRUST IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Vatican City, 18 April 2012 (VIS) - Returning to a recent series of catecheses on the theme of prayer, Benedict XVI dedicated his general audience this morning to what has been called the "Little Pentecost", an event which coincided with a difficult moment in the life of the nascent Church.

The Acts of the Apostles tell us how Peter and John were released from prison following their arrest for preaching the Gospel. They returned to their companions who, listening to their account of what had happened, did not reflect on how to react or defend themselves, or on what measures to adopt; rather, "in that moment of trial they all raised their voices together to God", Who replied by sending the Holy Spirit.

"This was the unanimous and united prayer of the whole community, which was facing persecution because of Jesus", the Pope explained. It involved the community "because the experiences of the two Apostles did not concern only them, but the entire Church. In suffering persecution for Jesus' sake, the community not only did not give way to fear and division, but was profoundly united in prayer".

When believers suffer for the faith, "unity is consolidated rather than undermined, because it is supported by unshakeable prayer. The Church must not fear the persecutions she is forced to suffer in her history, but must trust always, as Jesus did in Gethsemane, in the presence, help and strength of God, invoked in prayer".

Before trying to understand what had happened the first community sought to interpret events through the faith, using the Word of God. In the Acts of the Apostles St. Luke notes how the community of Jerusalem began by invoking God's greatness and immensity. Then, using the Psalms, those early Christians recalled how God had acted in history alongside His people, "showing Himself to be a God Who is concerned for human beings, Who does not abandon them", Benedict XVI said. Subsequently the events were read "in the light of Christ, Who is the key to understanding all things, even persecution. The opposition to Jesus, His passion and death were reread ... as the accomplishment of the plan of God the Father for the salvation of the world. ... In prayer, meditating on Sacred Scripture in the light of the mystery of Christ helps us to interpret current reality as part of the history of salvation which God enacts in the world".

Thus the plea the first Christian community of Jerusalem made to God in prayer was not "to be defended, to be spared from trials or to enjoy success, but only to be able to proclaim ... the Word of God frankly, freely and courageously". The community also asked that "their proclamation be accompanied by the hand of God so that healing, signs and wonders could be accomplished. In other words, they wanted to become a force for the transformation of reality, changing the hearts, minds and lives of men and bringing the radical novelty of the Gospel".

"We too", the Holy Father concluded his catechesis, "must bring the events of our daily lives into our prayer, in order to seek their most profound significance. And we too, like the first Christian community, allowing ourselves to be illuminated by the Word of God and meditating on Sacred Scripture, may learn to see that God is present in our lives, even at moments of difficulty, and that everything ... is part of a plan of love in which the final victory over evil, sin and death is truly is that of goodness, grace, life and God".

THE POPE ASKS FOR PRAYERS TO HELP HIM CONTINUE TO SERVE THE CHURCH

Vatican City, 18 April 2012 (VIS) - After greeting the pilgrims attending his general audience this morning, who had come from many different countries including South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Lithuania and Peru, the Holy Father expressed his thanks for the congratulations he has received over recent days. "I would like to express my gratitude for the good wishes you have been sending me for the seventh anniversary of my election", he said. "I ask you to support me always with your prayers so that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I may continue my service to Christ and the Church".

COMMUNIQUE FROM THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION "ECCLESIA DEI"

Vatican City, 18 April 2012 (VIS) - The Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei", today released the following communique:

"On 17 April, as requested during the 16 March meeting held at the offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Commission received the response of Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X. The text of the response will be examined by the dicastery then submitted to the Holy Father for his judgement".

FOURTH CENTENARY OF VATICAN SECRET ARCHIVES: 85 KM OF DOCUMENTS

Vatican City, 18 April 2012 (VIS) - The Vatican Secret Archives, where all the documentation relating to the Holy See is conserved and catalogued, are this year celebrating their fourth centenary. Among the initiatives organised to mark the occasion is a congress entitled "Religiosa Archivorum Custodia", which began yesterday in the Vatican and is examining the history of the archives, their cultural importance and the results of the most recent research.

Due perhaps to an erroneous interpretation of the name (the word "secret" is to be understood in its Latin definition of "private"), the archives have always been surrounded by an aura of mystery. They were established by Pope Paul V in 1611 and originally contained the manuscripts from the pontificate of Gregory VII (1073-1085) which had survived the Avignon schism. Speaking on Vatican Radio Msgr. Sergio Pagano, prefect of the Vatican Secret Archives, explained that they "contain centuries and centuries of catalogued letters sent or received by Popes, documents of the Apostolic Camera, diplomatic papers from the various nuncios and diplomatic missions, as well as documents from Councils and Synods, etc. The archives were originally contained in 400 metres of shelf space, now they cover 85 kilometres".

In 1881 Pope Leo XIII opened the archives for free consultation by researchers. According to the German historian Arnold Esch, "it is the greatest archive in the world as regards the Middle Ages. Above all it is an archive which contains material of universal value and importance".

Despite the efforts of academics a large part of the Vatican Secret Archives remains unexplored, chiefly the vast amount of material originating in apostolic nunciatures, and from the period of World War II.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 18 April 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of Rio Gallegos, Argentina, presented by Bishop Juan Carlos Romanin S.D.B., in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

NOTICE

Vatican City, 18 April 2012 (VIS) - No VIS bulletin will be transmitted tomorrow, Thursday 19 April, the anniversary of the election of Benedict XVI and a holiday in the Vatican. Service will resume on Friday 20 April.