News Vatican Information Service 03/06/2012

SUMMARY:

-TELEGRAMS FOR RAIL ACCIDENT IN POLAND AND EXPLOSIONS IN CONGO
-SEVENTY PER CENT OF WORLD POPULATION LIVE IN COUNTRIES WITH HIGH RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
-WESTMINSTER ABBEY CHOIR TO SING IN ST. PETER'S
-OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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TELEGRAMS FOR RAIL ACCIDENT IN POLAND AND EXPLOSIONS IN CONGO

Vatican City, 6 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father, through Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., has sent a telegram of condolence to Archbishop Jozef Michalik, president of the Polish Episcopal Conference, for the victims of the 3 March train crash at Szczekociny near Zawiercie, which killed fifteen people and left many others injured.

In the telegram, the Pope makes known his sadness on hearing the news and his spiritual closeness to everyone affected by the tragedy. He also gives assurances of his prayers for the victims and shares the mourning of families and of the entire nation. He implores divine mercy and eternal life for the deceased and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured. He also asks for the gift of courage and peace for those who suffer and comforts them with the words of St. Paul to the Thessalonians: "Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died".

The Holy Father has likewise sent a telegram, also through Cardinal Bertone, to Archbishop Louis Portella-Mbuyu, president of the Episcopal Conference of Congo, for the death of more than 200 people in Brazzaville in the wake of a series of explosions in an arms depot.

Having been informed of this "tragic catastrophe" the Holy Father expresses his profound condolence to the families and friends of the victims, and asks the Lord to welcome the deceased into His peace and light. The Pope also expresses his thanks for the efforts of rescue workers and appeals to God to bring "consolation and hope" to the injured and to everyone affected by this dramatic event.

SEVENTY PER CENT OF WORLD POPULATION LIVE IN COUNTRIES WITH HIGH RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Vatican City, 6 March 2012 (VIS) - "Terrorist attacks on Christians in Africa, the Middle East and Asia increased 309 per cent between 2003 and 2010. Approximately 70 per cent of the world’s population lives in countries with high restrictions on religious beliefs and practices, and religious minorities pay the highest price". These words were pronounced on 1 March by Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi C.S., permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations at Geneva, during the course of the nineteenth ordinary session of the Human Rights Council.

Speaking English, Archbishop Tomasi recalled how, "in general, rising restrictions on religion affect more than 2.2 billion people. Those affected have either lost the protection of their societies or have experienced some government-imposed and unjust restrictions, or have become victims of violence resulting from an impulsive bigotry".

Among the causes of this phenomenon, the archbishop mentioned "the evolving political situation, wrong perceptions of the role of religion, expediency, and subtle ambiguities in the understanding of secularism". In the current situation, it is vital for the international community "to assure the protection of people in their exercise of freedom of religion and religious practice".

In this context, the Holy See observer noted that States must guarantee all their citizens the right to religious freedom, at both the individual and community level. Freedom of religion is not a derived or granted right, "but a fundamental and inalienable right of the human person. ... The task of government is not to define religion, ... but to confer upon faith communities a juridical personality so that they can function peacefully within a legal framework.

"Respect for the religious freedom of everyone may be at stake in places where the concept of “State religion” is recognised, especially when the latter becomes the source of unjust treatment of others, whether they believe in other faiths or have none".

The archbishop went on: "Above the institutional considerations, the critical problem facing the promotion and protection of human rights in the area of religious freedom is the intolerance that leads to violence and to the killing of many innocent people each year simply because of their religious convictions. The realistic and collective responsibility, therefore, is to sustain mutual tolerance and respect of human rights and a greater equality among citizens of different religions in order to achieve a healthy democracy where the public role of religion and the distinction between religious and temporal spheres are recognised. ... But to achieve this desirable goal, there is a need to overcome a culture that devalues the human person and is intent on eliminating religion from public life".

"Religions are not a threat, but a resource", he said. "They contribute to the development of civilisations, and this is good for everyone. Their freedom and activities should be protected so that the partnership between religious beliefs and societies may enhance the common good. ... The educational system and the media have a major role to play by excluding prejudice and hatred from textbooks, from newscasts and from newspapers, and by disseminating accurate and fair information on all component groups of society.

"But lack of education and information, that facilitates an easier manipulation of people for political advantages, is too often linked to underdevelopment, poverty, lack of access to effective participation in the management of society. Greater social justice provides fertile ground for the implementation of all human rights. Religions are communities based on convictions and their freedom guarantees a contribution of moral values without which the freedom of everyone is not possible. For this reason", Archbishop Tomasi concluded, "it becomes an urgent and beneficial responsibility of the international community to counteract the trend of increasing violence against religious groups and of mistaken and deceptive neutrality that in fact aims at neutralising religion".

WESTMINSTER ABBEY CHOIR TO SING IN ST. PETER'S

Vatican City, 6 March 2012 (VIS) - The Choir of Westminster Abbey in London, England, is due to sing alongside the "Cappella Musicale Pontificia", or Sistine Choir, on 29 June, in an event which will be broadcast across the world. The Westminster Choir has been invited to the Holy See through Msgr. Massimo Palombella, director of the Sistine Choir.

A joint communique made public today notes that "this momentous ecumenical occasion is the first time in its over-500 year history that the Sistine Chapel Choir has joined forces with another choir. The invitation to Rome came after Pope Benedict XVI visited the Abbey in September 2010 when he attended Evening Prayer and prayed at the tomb of St. Edward the Confessor with Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, as part of his State visit to England and Scotland".

Speaking about the forthcoming visit, the primate of the Anglican Church has highlighted how St. Peter is patron of both the Vatican Basilica and of Westminster Abbey, therefore "celebrating together his apostolic witness and example is a powerful reminder of the call that our Churches share to be faithful to the apostolic fullness of the Gospel today".

The two choirs will together sing at First Vespers in the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls on 28 June, and at Mass in the Vatican Basilica on the morning of 29 June. The Westminster Abbey Choir will also travel to the Benedictine monastery at Montecassino to sing Vespers and Mass with the monastic community at the burial place of St Benedict. It was Benedictine monks who established a tradition of daily worship which continues to this day in Westminster Abbey, founded in the year 960.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 6 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father erected the new eparchy of Faridabad of the Syro-Malabars (priests 44, religious 200) India. He appointed Msgr. Kuriakose Bharanikulangara of the clergy of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars, India, counsellor of the apostolic nunciature to Germany, as first bishop of the new diocese, conferring upon him the title of archbishop "ad personam". The archbishop-elect was born in Karippassery, India in 1959 and ordained a priest in 1983. He studied in Rome before entering the diplomatic service of the Holy See, with which he has served in a number of different countries.

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Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

News Vatican Information Service 03/03-05/2012

SUMMARY:

- THE PARISH IS THE PLACE IN WHICH WE LEARN TO LIVE OUR FAITH IN THE 'US' OF THE CHURCH
- CHRIST GIVES US INNER LIGHT TO OVERCOME THE TRIALS OF LIFE
- POPE AND ROMAN CURIA CONCLUDE THEIR SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
- AUDIENCES
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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THE PARISH IS THE PLACE IN WHICH WE LEARN TO LIVE OUR FAITH IN THE 'US' OF THE CHURCH

Vatican City, 4 March 2012 (VIS) - This morning Benedict XVI, as Bishop of Rome, visited the Roman parish of "San Giovanni Battista de La Salle al Torrino", an area in the south of the city inhabited by many young families.

On arrival the Pope was welcomed by children who receive catechesis in the parish, who gave him a number of gifts they had prepared. He mentioned this meeting in his homily, saying: "We truly are the family of God, and the fact that you also think of the Pope as a father is something I find very beautiful and encouraging . But now we must remember that the Pope is not our ultimate recourse; our ultimate recourse is the Lord and we must look to Him in order to discern, to understand - insofar was we can - something of the message of this second Sunday of Lent".

In this context, Benedict XVI turned his attention to today's Gospel passage on the Transfiguration. "Jesus took the three disciples [Peter, James and John] with Him to help them understand that the path to glory, the path of dazzling love which vanquishes darkness, involves the total gift of self, it involves the scandal of the cross. ... The Transfiguration is a moment of light which helps us too to look to Jesus' passion with the eyes of faith. Yes, it is a mystery of suffering, but it is also a 'blessed passion' because it is essentially a mystery of God's extraordinary love. It is the definitive exodus which opens the door to the freedom and novelty of the Resurrection, the salvation from evil".

"Like the three Apostles in the Gospel, we too need to climb the mountain of the transfiguration and receive the light of God, so that His Face can illuminate our faces. It is in individual and community prayer that we encounter the Lord, not as an idea or as a moral concept, but as a Person Who wants to enter into a relationship with us, Who wants to be our friend and to renew our lives by making them like unto His".

Turning then to address the parishioners, the Pope said: "Let us not wait for others to bring different messages, which do not lead to authentic life. You yourselves must become missionaries of Christ to your brothers and sisters wherever they live, work, study or pass their free time. ... Faith must be lived together, and the parish is the place in which we learn to live our faith as part of the 'us' of the Church".

The Pope also dedicated some words to the forthcoming Year of Faith, expressing the hope that it would be "a favourable occasion ... to develop and consolidate the experience of catechesis on the great truths of Christian faith, is such a way as ... to make the Creed of the Church known, and to overcome that 'religious illiteracy' which is one of the greatest problems we face today".

"From Tabor, the mount of the Transfiguration, the Lenten journey leads us to Golgotha, the mount of the ultimate sacrifice of love of the one Priest of the new and eternal Covenant. That sacrifice encapsulates the greatest power for the transformation of man and history. Taking all the consequences of evil and sin upon Himself, Jesus arose on the third day as victor over death and the Evil One. Lent prepares us to participate personally in this great mystery of the faith, which we will celebrate in the Triduum of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ".

CHRIST GIVES US INNER LIGHT TO OVERCOME THE TRIALS OF LIFE

Vatican City, 4 March 2012 (VIS) - Having returned to the Vatican following his visit to the Roman parish of "San Giovanni Battista de La Salle al Torrino", the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study in the Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

Before the prayer, Benedict XVI recalled how the Gospel on this second Sunday of Lent recounts the episode of the Transfiguration of Christ. He noted that Matthew, Mark and Luke all agree on the essential elements of the narrative: Jesus climbed the mountain in the company of His disciples Peter, James and John, and was transfigured before their eyes. His face and clothing irradiated a dazzling light, then a cloud enveloped the summit of the mountain and the Father’s voice was heard saying: ''This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him".

The Pope explained how the mystery of the Transfiguration must be seen in the context of the itinerary Jesus was following. At that time His mission was coming to its end, and He knew He would have to suffer the cross. He had announced as much to His followers but they had failed to understand and refused to accept. For this reason Jesus took three disciples with Him to the mountain, "to reveal His divine glory, splendour of Truth and of Love. Jesus wanted this light to illuminate the hearts of the people who would have to experience the black night of His passion and death, when the scandal of the cross would be unbearable to them.

"God is light", the Holy Father added, "and Jesus wanted His most intimate friends to experience this light, which dwelt within Him. Following that event, He would become an inner light in them, capable of protecting them from the onslaught of darkness. Even in the darkest night Jesus is the lantern which never goes out".

"We all need an inner light to overcome the trials of life. This light comes from God and it is Christ Who gives it to us. ... Let us climb the mountain of prayer with Jesus and, contemplating His face full of love and truth, let us allow ourselves to be filled from within which His light". After the Angelus prayer, Benedict XVI invited the faithful to dedicate a moment every day during Lent to silent prayer and listening to the Word of God.

POPE AND ROMAN CURIA CONCLUDE THEIR SPIRITUAL EXERCISES

Vatican City, 3 March 2012 (VIS) - This morning Benedict XVI and the Roman Curia concluded their annual Lenten spiritual exercises. The meditations this year were guided by Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, who focused on the theme of: "the communion of Christians with God".

At the close the Holy Father, speaking in name of everyone who had participated in the retreat, addressed some words of thanks to the cardinal for having guided them "with great exegetical competence and spiritual and pastoral experience", and for having included stories and examples into his meditations "which helped us and brought us joy". The Pope made particular mention of a story involving a friend of the cardinal who, while in a coma, had had the impression of being in a dark tunnel at the end of which he saw light and heard music. "It seems to me", Pope Benedict said, "that this could be a parable for our own lives. Often we find ourselves in a dark tunnel in the dead of night, but, thanks to the faith, in the end we see light and hear music. We see the beauty of God, of earth and sky, of the Creator and the creature, and so it is true that in hope we are saved".

The Holy Father has also written a letter to Cardinal Monsengwo Pasinya thanking him for his service. "Commenting upon certain passages from the First Letter of St. John, you guided us on a journey of rediscovery of the mystery of communion, of which we are part by virtue of our Baptism. Thanks also to this itinerary you so wisely prepared, the silence of prayer of these days, and particularly the Eucharistic adoration, were filled with profound gratitude to God for the great love He has given us, the love with which He binds us to Himself in a filial relationship".

"For me, one particular cause for joy was to see, venerable brother, in your presence and your bearing, the specific witness of faith of the Church which believes, hopes and loves on the African continent. Her spiritual heritage is a great treasure for all the People of God, and for the whole world, especially in view of the new evangelisation. As a son of the Church in Africa, you enabled us to experience once again that exchange of gifts which is one of the most beautiful aspects of ecclesial communion, in which different geographical and cultural backgrounds find a way to express themselves harmoniously in the unity of the mystical Body".

The Pope concludes his letter by imparting an apostolic blessing upon both the cardinal and the priests and faithful entrusted to his pastoral care.

As of today the Holy Father resumes his normal activities. Tomorrow he is due to visit the Roman parish of "San Giovanni Battista de La Salle al Torrino", where he will preside at Mass.

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 4 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Archbishop Julio Murat, apostolic nuncio to Zambia, accompanied by members of his family.

On Saturday 3 March he received in audience Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 5 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed as members of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples: Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue; Archbishop Jose Octavio Ruiz Arenas, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, and Bishop Joseph Kalathiparambil, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.

On Saturday 3 March it was made public that he appointed Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, as his special envoy to the opening celebrations for the pilgrimage of the "Holy Robe", marking the fifth centenary of the first public display of the relic. The event will be held in the cathedral of Trier, Germany on 13 April.

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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.

Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

News Vatican Information Service 03/02/2012

SUMMARY:

- THE CHURCH MUST COMBAT LIES AND DECEIT, IN HERSELF AND IN THE WORLD
- THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH: MASTERS OF FAITH
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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THE CHURCH MUST COMBAT LIES AND DECEIT, IN HERSELF AND IN THE WORLD

Vatican City, 2 March 2012 (VIS) - This year's meditations during the Lenten spiritual retreat of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia are being guided by Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, who is focusing on the theme of "the communion of Christians with God". Beginning with the sign of the cross, the cardinal has been reflecting upon God as light, truth, mercy and loving guide, before turning to consider love of the world, lack of faith in Christ and the sin of priests.

The sign of the cross is much more than a habit, it is an "act whereby we add the splendour of knowledge and the dynamism of freedom to our every action". It is a sign which means "sacrifice for love. It is death for resurrection". Therefore, it implies the rejection of vanity, prestige, possession and domination, and the consecration of our activity to Christ.

In the context of his meditations upon God as the way, truth and life, Cardinal Monsengwo Pasinya made reference to some of the most dramatic events of our times, such as war, genocide, political violence, abortion and all forms of manipulation of human beings. He also invited his listeners not to remain indifferent "to repression and man's exploitation of man", and not to lower their guard, "even if the mystery of sin is beyond us".

"We must walk in the light", the cardinal said. "In other words, we must choose to abandon sin" and let the Truth transform our lives via a journey of conversion. Understanding God as truth is particularly important for people "who have no awareness of their own sins, for people who have lost the sense of sin because they no longer pose themselves the problem of God", and for people who do no longer possess moral criteria and confuse good and evil. This tendency is related to "religious indifference which affirms that all religious are alike but which, in reality, is seeking a lax morality".

The cardinal warned that priests are not free from these errors, "in the measure to which spiritual barrenness leads them into the same defects", he said. "Priestly ministry thus becomes mere functionality and has no true sense of God". The archbishop of Kinshasa also used the example of the Apostles Peter and Judas. The former "was betrayed by his generosity, his attachment to Christ; nonetheless, he fell because he was reckless and exposed himself to danger, although he immediately abandoned the place of his fall and bitterly bewailed his sin". This is a lesson for all priests. "Our generosity does not protect us from sin. We must be prudent, and not recklessly expose ourselves to the possibility of falling. In all situations, whatever happens, the Lord is always at our side. The biggest affront we can show Him is to doubt in His mercy, as Judas did".

"To live in truth", the cardinal said, "is is to live according to the Beatitudes. It means repudiating the lies of our words and actions. It means rejecting the hypocrisy which impels us to appear other than as we are". The Church too must combat lies and deceit, both within herself and in the world, and struggle "so that the truth of Christ's Gospel may be known and lived".

THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH: MASTERS OF FAITH

Vatican City, 2 March 2012 (VIS) - The Prefecture of the Pontifical Household yesterday made known the theme of this year's Lenten sermons which, as is customary, will be preached on four consecutive Fridays in the presence of the Pope, beginning on 9 March. That theme, taken from the Letter to the Hebrews, is: "Remember your leaders and imitate their faith. The Fathers of the Church: Masters of Faith". The Holy Father and the Roman Curia are currently dedicating the first week of Lent to their annual spiritual exercises.

In the note released by the prefecture, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa O.F.M. Cap., preacher of the Pontifical Household, explains that "in preparation for the Year of Faith called by the Holy Father Benedict XVI, the four Lenten sermons will seek to energise and refresh our beliefs through a renewed contact with 'giants of faith' of the past". Each week's sermon will be dedicated to one of four great doctors of the Eastern Church: St. Athanasius, St. Basil, St. Gregory Nazianzen and St. Gregory Nyssen, "to see what each of them has to say to us today about the dogma they championed, respectively: the divinity of Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Trinity and knowledge of God".

Quoting words of Servant of God Paul VI, Fr. Cantalamessa notes that "returning to the Fathers of the Church is part of that return to the roots of Christianity without which it would be impossible to undertake biblical renewal, liturgical reform and the new theological research endorsed by Vatican Council II".

The sermons will be held at 9 a.m. in the "Redemptoris Mater" Chapel of the Vatican Apostolic Palace.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 2 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the apostolic vicariate of Puerto Gaitan, Colombia, presented by Bishop Jose Alberto Rozo Gutierrez S.M.M., upon having reached the age limit.

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Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

News Vatican Information Service 03/01/2012

SUMMARY:

- JESUS, OUR CONTEMPORARY
- SOLIDARITY WITH CHRISTIANS IN THE HOLY LAND
- BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH

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JESUS, OUR CONTEMPORARY

Vatican City, 1 March 2012 (VIS) - A congress organised by the Cultural Project Committee of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) was held recently in Rome on the theme: "Jesus, Our Contemporary". For the occasion, Benedict XVI sent a message to Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa and president of the CEI.

"The name and the message of Jesus of Nazareth", the Pope writes, "frequently arouse interest and exert strong attraction, even among people who do not succeed in adhering to His word of salvation. We are therefore impelled to evoke an increasingly profound and thorough understanding, in ourselves and everywhere, of the real figure of Jesus Christ. This can only spring from the hermeneutic of faith, placed in a fruitful relationship with historical reason. It was for this purpose that I wrote my two books on Jesus of Nazareth".

"On several occasions in the course of my pontificate, I have recalled the need to give priority to opening a pathway to God in human hearts and lives. ... We cannot entrust our lives to an indefinite superior body or to a cosmic force, but to God Whose face as Father has been made familiar by the Son, 'full of grace and truth'. Jesus is the key that opens the door of wisdom and love to us, that dispels our loneliness and keeps hope alive in the face of the mystery of evil and death. The life of Jesus of Nazareth, in Whose name many believers in various countries of the world today still face suffering and persecution, cannot therefore be confined to a distant past but is crucial to our faith today.

"What does it mean", the Pope adds, "to say that Jesus of Nazareth, Who lived between Galilee and Judea two thousand years ago is a 'contemporary' of every man and woman alive today, and in every epoch? Romano Guardini explains it to us in words that remain as timely as when they were written: 'His earthly life entered into eternity and in this way is related to every hour of earthly time, redeemed by His sacrifice'".

"Jesus enters human history forever, where He lives on in all His beauty and power in that frail body which is the Church, ever in need of purification but also full of divine love. To Him she turns in the liturgy, to praise Him and to receive authentic life. The contemporaneity of Jesus is revealed in a special way in the Eucharist, in which He is present with His passion, death and resurrection. It is this that makes the Church contemporaneous with every human being, capable of embracing all people and all epochs because she is guided by the Holy Spirit in order to perpetuate the work of Jesus in history".

SOLIDARITY WITH CHRISTIANS IN THE HOLY LAND

Vatican City, 1 March 2012 (VIS) - Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, has sent a letter to the bishops of the world concerning the traditional Good Friday collection for the Holy Land. The letter, which also bears the signature of Archbishop Cyril Vasil S.J., secretary of the congregation, has the purpose of sensitising the Catholic Church around the world with regard to the Holy Land, and of promoting initiatives of prayer and fraternal charity towards Christians of Jerusalem, Israel, Palestine and neighbouring countries.

"The Son of God made man, after having crossed this land announcing the Kingdom and confirming the word with mighty works, wonders and signs, went up to the Holy City to immolate Himself", reads the English-language version of the letter. "From that time, every Christian finds himself at home in that City and in that Land. This is possible thanks to the pastors in this place, who, by the will of the Lord Jesus, continue in our day also to gather our brothers and sisters in the faith to celebrate the love of Him Who 'makes all things new'.

"The Congregation for the Oriental Churches hereby reminds the bishops of the entire world of the unceasing request of Pope Benedict XVI that the mission of the Church in the Holy Places be generously supported. Although specifically pastoral, this mission at the same time offers a praiseworthy social service to all without exception. In this way, fraternity, which can overcome division and discrimination, increases and gives renewed impetus to ecumenical dialogue and inter-religious collaboration. This constitutes an admirable work of peace and reconciliation, which is all the more necessary today, as we share the Holy Father’s preoccupation 'for the people of those countries where hostilities and acts of violence continue, particularly Syria and the Holy Land'".

"This year, Good Friday seems more fitting than ever as a sign of the needs of both pastors and faithful, which are bound up with the sufferings of the entire Middle East. For the disciples of Christ, hostility is often the daily bread which nourishes the faith and sometimes makes the echo of martyrdom. Christian emigration is exacerbated by the lack of peace, which tends to impoverish hope, changing it into the fear of facing alone a future that seems to exist only in the abandonment of one’s own country.

"Nonetheless, as was the case for the Gospel’s grain of wheat, so the trials of Christians in the Holy Land prepare without doubt a brighter tomorrow. The dawning of this new day, however, requires support now for schools, medical assistance, critical housing, meeting places, and everything else that the generosity of the Church has devised".

"We have the duty to restore the spiritual patrimony which we have received from these Christians’ two millennia of fidelity to the truth of the faith. We can and must do this by our prayer, by concrete assistance, and by pilgrimages. The Year of Faith, which marks the fiftieth anniversary of Vatican Council II, will provide particular motivation for us to direct our steps towards that Land. ... Next Good Friday, around the Cross of Christ, let us be conscious of being together with these brothers and sisters of ours. May the loneliness that is at times strongly felt in their situation be overcome by our fraternity".

Also made public today was a report prepared by the Custody of the Holy Land (a province of the Order of Friars Minor with responsibility for the Holy Places), listing the works carried out with the proceeds of the Good Friday collection of 2011. Restoration and maintenance has been carried out on numerous shrines, churches and convents in the Holy Land including such places as Bethlehem, Jerusalem (Gethsemane and the Shrine of the Flagellation, among others), Jaffa, Magdala and Mount Tabor. Other initiatives sought to improve welcome services for pilgrims.

A significant part of the proceeds was used to fund student scholarships, to help small business, and to build houses, schools and areas for children. Other recipients of aid included families, parish communities, the poor and cultural institutions.

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH

Vatican City, 1 March 2012 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for March is: "That the whole world may recognise the contribution of women to the development of society".

His mission intention is: "That the Holy Spirit may grant perseverance to those who suffer discrimination, persecution or death for the name of Christ, particularly in Asia".

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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:

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Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

News Vatican Information Service 02/29/2012

SUMMARY:

- VIET NAM ENCOURAGES CATHOLIC CHURCH TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- MORE THAN TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN AID TO SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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VIET NAM ENCOURAGES CATHOLIC CHURCH TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Vatican City, 29 February 2012 (VIS) - The third meeting of the Viet Nam - Holy See Joint Working Group took place in Hanoi, Viet Nam, on 27 and 28 February. The meeting was co-chaired by Bui Thanh Son, vice minister for Foreign Affairs and head of the Vietnamese delegation, and by Msgr. Ettore Balestrero, under secretary for Relations with States and head of the Holy See delegation.

The meeting, which "took place in an atmosphere of cordiality, frankness and mutual respect" according to the final communique, served to examine international issues, to review progress in relations following the working group's second meeting in June 2010, and to discuss issues related to the Catholic Church in Viet Nam.

"The Vietnamese delegation", the English-language communique reads, "emphasised that the State of Viet Nam has always implemented and continually improved the policy to respect and ensure freedom of belief and religion for the people; encouraged the Catholic Church in Viet Nam to actively and effectively participate in the current course of national, economic and social development.

"From its part, the delegation of the Holy See took note of these considerations and expressed appreciation for the attention given by civil authorities to the activities of the Catholic Church. ... The Holy See expressed the wish that its role and mission be strengthened and extended in order to enhance the bonds between the Holy See and the Catholic Church in Viet Nam as well as the intention of Viet Nam and of the Holy See to develop their relationship".

The communique goes on: "Both sides recalled the teachings of His Holiness Pope Benedict's XVI, ... and his considerations concerning being a good Catholic and a good citizen, and stressed the need for continued cooperation between the Catholic Church and civil authorities in order to concretely and practically implement those teachings in all activities.

"The two sides came up with an assessment that the Viet Nam - Holy See relationship has attained positive developments on the basis of good will and constructive dialogue, as well as respect for principles in the relationship".

The next meeting will be held in the Vatican on a date to be arranged through diplomatic channels.

While in Viet Nam, the Holy See delegation paid courtesy calls to Pham Binh Minh, minister of Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Thanh Xuan, vice standing chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, and to a number of Catholic institutions.

MORE THAN TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN AID TO SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Vatican City, 29 February 2012 (VIS) - The administrative council of the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel (the sub-Saharan region of Africa which includes countries on the west coast and central part of the continent) recently concluded its thirtieth meeting in Rome.

Speaking on Vatican Radio, Msgr. Giampietro Dal Toso, secretary of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", of which the foundation is part, explained that the administrative council had focused its attention on the financing of a number of projects. "This year", he said, "we have assigned over two million dollars for more than 200 projects in the nine countries which make up the foundation. These projects involve the struggle against desertification and drought, as well as irrigation and education".

Msgr. Dal Toso noted that the re-emergence of the problem of drought in the Sahel highlights the urgency of the measures taken. The lack of food resulting from the impact of drought on agriculture "will reach its peak in the coming months. ... Both the international community and, more specifically, a number of Catholic organisations are seeking to intervene to prevent this crisis, he said.

The secretary of "Cor Unum" pointed out that the Church represents a minority in the countries of the Sahel. "In some cases a truly minuscule minority, in an environment characterised by the presence of Islam and of traditional religions". For this reason the John Paul II Foundation also serves as "an instrument of dialogue with other religions. ... As the Pope's teaching has recently been highlighting, faith is expressed in works, and what we manage to express through charity seeks in its own small way ... to bear witness to Christ".

The John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel came into being following that Pope's first trip to Africa in May 1980, where he was greatly struck by the tragic consequences of desertification. The foundation was established with a Chirograph on 22 February 1984, and is actively involved in managing and protecting natural resources, in the struggle against drought and desertification, in rural development and in the fight against poverty, through the involvement of local people.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 29 February 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Luiz Henrique da Silva Brito of the clergy of the diocese of Campos, Brazil. diocesan chancellor, spiritual director of the diocesan seminary of "Maria Imaculada" and pastor of the parish of "Sao Benedito", as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro (area 1,261, population 6,158,000, Catholics 3,737,000, priests 602, permanent deacons 124, religious 1,044), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Sao Goncalo, Brazil in 1967 and ordained a priest in 1991. He studied in Brazil and in Rome. Apart from his pastoral work, he is defender of the bond at the ecclesiastical tribunal of the archdiocese of Niteroi and professor of moral theology at the archdiocesan seminary.

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News Vatican Information Service 02/28/2012

SUMMARY:

- BENEDICT XVI TO TRAVEL TO MILAN IN JUNE FOR WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES
- THE INDISPENSABLE ROLE OF THE FAMILY IN TRANSMITTING THE FAITH
- REVITALISING CATHOLIC TRADITION IN LATIN AMERICA
- VATICAN SECRET ARCHIVES ON DISPLAY

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BENEDICT XVI TO TRAVEL TO MILAN IN JUNE FOR WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES

Vatican City, 28 February 2012 (VIS) - The programme of the Holy Father's forthcoming trip to Milan, Italy, for the Seventh World Meeting of Families was published today. The meeting is due to last from Tuesday 29 May to Sunday 3 June and will have as its theme: "The Family: Work and Celebration". Benedict XVI will be present for the last three days.

The Holy Father will arrive at Milan's Linate airport at 5 p.m. on Friday 1 June, where he will be welcomed by the local authorities. At 5.30 p.m. he is due to meet citizens in the Piazza del Duomo and deliver an address. At 7.30 p.m. he will visit La Scala opera house where a concert is scheduled to be held in his honour.

At 10 a.m. on Saturday 2 June the Holy Father will celebrate Lauds and pronounce a meditation in the cathedral of Milan, in the company of priests and religious. He will then travel by car to the city's San Siro stadium for a meeting with young people who are due to receive Confirmation this year. In the afternoon Benedict XVI is due to deliver an address before the local authorities. At 8.30 p.m. he will move on to Milan's Parco Nord for the Feast of Testimonies of the World Meeting of Families.

On Sunday 3 June, Benedict XVI will preside at a concelebration of the Eucharist, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in the Parco Nord. After praying the Angelus he will return to the archbishopric where, that afternoon, he will meet with members of the "Milano Famiglie 2012" foundation and with the organisers of his visit. At 5.30 p.m. the Holy Father will bid farewell to the authorities at Linate airport before boarding his return flight to Rome.

The World Meetings of Families trace their origins back to 1981 when Blessed John Paul II promulgated the Apostolic Exhortation "Familiaris consortio" and established the Pontifical Council for the Family. The first meeting was held in Rome in 1994 and they have been taking place every three years since then. Their purpose is to celebrate the divine gift of family, to bring families together to pray, and to increase understanding of the role of the Christian family as a domestic Church and the basic cell of evangelisation.

THE INDISPENSABLE ROLE OF THE FAMILY IN TRANSMITTING THE FAITH

Vatican City, 28 February 2012 (VIS) - The Twelfth Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops recently held its seventh meeting. The outcome of their deliberations has been made public in a press communique.

Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod, began by recalling that the thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops is due to be held in the Vatican from 7 to 28 October on the theme: "The new evangelisation for the transmission of the Christian faith". The members of the council then turned their attention to a draft version of the "Instrumentum laboris" or working document of the forthcoming Synod, pausing to examine the issue of "the recipients of the new evangelisation and the identity of Christians in their relationship with Christ".

The communique notes that "debate was particularly intense concerning the primacy of the faith at this time in history, characterised as it is by a crisis in faith which is also a crisis in the transmission of faith. Mention was made of the 'fruitlessness of current evangelisation', also due to the influence of modern culture which makes the transmission of the faith particularly difficult, and represents a challenge for both Christians and the Church. In this context, the Year of Faith will be a good occasion to develop to gift of the faith received from the Lord, to live it and transmit it to others.

"The primary place for the transmission of faith was identified in the family", the communique adds. "There the faith is communicated to young people who, in the family, learn both the contents and practice of Christian faith. The indispensable efforts of families are then extended by catechesis in ecclesial institutions, especially through the the liturgy with the Sacraments and the homily, or by giving space to parish missions popular piety, movements and ecclesial communities".

REVITALISING CATHOLIC TRADITION IN LATIN AMERICA

Vatican City, 28 February 2012 (VIS) - On Sunday 4 March, dioceses in Spain will be celebrating Spanish America Day and, for the occasion, the Pontifical Commission for Latin America has published a message entitled: "Committed with America to the New Evangelisation", signed by Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., president of the commission.

"Today", the message reads, "the Church in Spain and the Church in America are, in some sense, facing the same challenges. Their rich Catholic tradition ... runs the risk of gradual erosion, Secularisation is advancing on all sides. There is no lack of hostility to the presence and message of the Church. The hedonistic and relativist trend of consumer and media society tends to displace and uproot the Christian culture of the people".

Therefore, it is necessary "to update, reformulate and revitalise Catholic tradition, rooting it more firmly in people's hearts, in the lives of families and in the culture of peoples, so that it may shine forth as beauty of truth, and as a promise of happiness and of a more human life for everyone". Both America and Europe are in need of a new evangelisation.

Speaking in the Brazilian city of Aparecida in 2007, Benedict XVI noted that Latin America's most precious heritage is its Catholic faith, which "has animated its life and culture ... for more than five centuries". This heritage, as the bishops gathered in Aparecida said, finds expression "in charity, which on all sides inspires gestures and initiatives of solidarity with the poorest and those most in need". Likewise, it foments "an awareness of the dignity of the person, wisdom about life, passion for justice, hope against all hope, and joy of living even in very difficult circumstances".

The message of the pontifical commission recalls how "calls for a 'new evangelisation' have been made very frequently, by both John Paul II and Benedict XVI, and addressed in particular to Europe and America. ... There is a need for people who show that God is present in their own lives and at all levels of existence and coexistence; people who invite others to share a life that is new, authentic and more human, a life that refers back to the event which made it possible and which continually regenerates it. ... May the People of God not fail to pray in all dioceses on this Day, that divine providence may arouse new missionary vocations".

The message contains a number of recommendations to strengthen missionary commitment to new evangelisation. These include welcoming families and communities of Latin American immigrants, especially in the current period of crisis "because they need the closeness, solidarity, charity, evangelisation and catechesis of Christian communities". Another important aspect is to welcome Latin American priests who undertake pastoral service in foreign dioceses, and to involve young people in new evangelisation, following the journey which began with World Youth Day in Madrid on "a spiritual, educational an missionary pilgrimage" to the next World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro in July 2013.

VATICAN SECRET ARCHIVES ON DISPLAY

Vatican City, 28 February 2012 (VIS) - An exhibition entitled "'Lux in Arcana' - the Vatican Secret Archives unveiled", organised to mark the fourth centenary of the foundation of the Archives, will be inaugurated in Rome's Capitoline Museums tomorrow. The exhibition, which will remain open until 9 September, includes around 100 documents of great importance, including Clement VII's letter to the English parliament on the matrimonial cause of Henry VIII, the bull of excommunication against Martin Luther, documents from the trial of the Templars in France, and a letter from St. Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes to Pope Pius IX.

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.

Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City