News Vatican Information Service 03/14/2012

SUMMARY:

- VENERATING THE MOTHER OF GOD MEANS LEARNING TO BECOME A COMMUNITY OF PRAYER
- BENEDICTINE TORCH IN ROME
- POPE TO VISIT ROME'S SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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VENERATING THE MOTHER OF GOD MEANS LEARNING TO BECOME A COMMUNITY OF PRAYER

Vatican City, 14 March 2012 (VIS) - During his general audience this morning the Holy Father began a new cycle of catecheses, dedicated to the subject of prayer in the Acts of the Apostles and the Letters of St. Paul. The Pope focused his remarks today on the figure of Mary as she appears in the Acts, when with the Apostles she awaits the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Benedict XVI told the more than 10,000 pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square that "it was with Mary that Jesus' earthly life began, and it was with her that the Church took its first steps. ... She discreetly followed her Son's journey during His public life, even unto the foot of the cross. Then, with silent prayer, she continued to follow the progress of the Church", he explained.

The stages of Mary's own journey from the house of Nazareth to the Upper Room of Jerusalem "were marked by her capacity to maintain an ongoing state of contemplation, meditating upon each event in the silence of her heart, before God. The Mother of God's presence with the Eleven after the Ascension ... has great significance because with them she shared the most precious of things: the living memory of Jesus in prayer".

After Jesus' Ascension to heaven, the Apostles met with Mary to await the gift of the Holy Spirit, without which it is not possible to bear witness to Christ. "She, who had already received the Spirit in order to generate the incarnate Word, shared the entire Church’s expectation of the same gift. ... If it is true that there could be no Church without Pentecost, it is also true that there could have been no Pentecost without the Mother of Jesus, because she had a unique knowledge of what the Church experiences every day by the action of the Holy Spirit".

The Pope went on to recall how the Vatican Council II Dogmatic Constitution "Lumen gentium" had emphasised this special relationship between the Virgin and the Church. "We see the Apostles before the day of Pentecost 'constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women including Mary the mother of Jesus'", he said. "Mary's place is in the Church, 'wherefore she is hailed as a pre-eminent and singular member, ... and as its type and excellent exemplar in faith and charity'.

"Venerating the Mother of Jesus in the Church means, then, learning from her how to become a community of prayer", the Holy Father added. "This is one of the essential aspects of the first description of the Christian community given in the Acts of the Apostles".

Our prayers "are often dictated by difficult situations, by personal problems which cause us to turn to the Lord in search of light, comfort and aid. But Mary invites us to open prayer to other dimensions, to address God not only in moments of need and not only for ourselves, but unanimously, perseveringly, faithfully and with 'one heart and soul'".

Benedict XVI also pointed out that Mary "was placed by the Lord at decisive moments of the history of salvation, and she always responded with complete readiness as a result of her profound bond with God matured through assiduous and intense prayer. ... Between the Ascension and Pentecost, she was 'with' and 'in' the Church, in prayer. Mother of God and Mother of the Church, Mary exercises her maternity until the end of history".

The Pope concluded by saying that "Mary teaches us the need for prayer and shows us how only through a constant, intimate and complete bond of love with her Son can we courageously leave our homes ... to announce the Lord Jesus, Saviour of the world".

BENEDICTINE TORCH IN ROME

Vatican City, 14 March 2012 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, Benedict XVI greeted a delegation led by Archbishop Renato Boccardo of Norcia, Italy, and by the abbots of the Montecassino and Subiaco. They have recently returned from Malta where last Sunday the Benedictine torch "Pro Pace et Europa Una" was lit. The torch will return to the saint's home town of Norcia on 20 March.

The Benedictine torch has been carried around European capital cities since the year 1964 which Paul VI proclaimed St. Benedict as patron saint of Europe. The torch is intended to symbolise the fraternity and peace proclaimed in the Gospel, beyond all political, ideological and religious divides. In the past it has been lit in Berlin, Prague, Bucharest, Strasbourg, Budapest, Madrid, Lisbon, Warsaw, Brussels, Vienna, Moscow and Jerusalem. In 2001 it was taken to New York to bring a message of hope following the attacks of 11 September, while last year it was lit in London during the course of an ecumenical ceremony in Westminster Abbey.

POPE TO VISIT ROME'S SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY

Vatican City, 14 March 2012 (VIS) - At 11 a.m. on Thursday 3 May the Holy Father will visit the Roman campus of the Sacred Heart Catholic University, where he will pronounce an address to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the "Agostino Gemelli" Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, according to a communique released today by the Holy See Press Office.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 14 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Adalberto Martinez Flores of San Pedro, Paraguay, as military ordinary for Paraguay.

- Fr. Eduardo Jose Castillo Pino of the clergy of the archdiocese of Guayaquil, Ecuador, pastor and episcopal vicar of "Santa Elena", as auxiliary of Portoviejo (area 21,000, population 1,332,723, Catholics 1,298,917, priests 111, religious 311), Ecuador. The bishop-elect was born in Guayaquil in 1970 and ordained a priest in 1994. After studying for his doctorate in Rome, he worked in his home country as a professor in seminaries and schools. He collaborates with the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference and is author of numerous historical and theological works.

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Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

News Vatican Information Service 03/13/2012

SUMMARY:

- TELEGRAM FOR DEATH OF ITALIAN ENGINEER KILLED IN NIGERIA

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TELEGRAM FOR DEATH OF ITALIAN ENGINEER KILLED IN NIGERIA

Vatican City, 13 March 2012 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a telegram sent by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. to Archbishop Enrico Masseroni of Vercelli, Italy, for the funeral of the Italian engineer Francesco Lamolinara. Mr Lamolinara and a British colleague were kidnapped in Nigeria on 12 May 2011 and both men were killed last Thursday in the course of a failed rescue attempt.

"Benedict XVI, informed of the tragic death of the engineer Francesco Lamolinara, wishes to express his deepest condolences to members of the late man's family, and to assure them of his heartfelt participation in their mourning. Recalling the deceased's generous openness towards others and his contribution to peaceful coexistence among peoples, the Pope raises fervent prayers of Christian suffrage for his soul, sending his relatives and friends the comfort of an apostolic blessing, which he extends to everyone participating in the funeral and to the deceased's fellow citizens of Gattinara.

"I too join the mourning and the prayers, and remain close to the relatives and friends whom I met last August to support them in their hope at that difficult moment".

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News Vatican Information Service 03/10-12/2012

SUMMARY:

- VIOLENCE IS CONTRARY TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD
- POPE AND ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY TOGETHER CELEBRATE FEAST OF ST. GREGORY THE GREAT
- PRESENTATION OF PONTIFICAL YEARBOOK 2012
- BOOK ON THE CHALLENGES OF NEW EVANGELISATION IN LATIN AMERICA
- HOLY SEE PARTICIPATES IN THE WORLD WATER FORUM
- AUDIENCES
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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VIOLENCE IS CONTRARY TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Vatican City, 11 March 2012 (VIS) - At midday today, the third Sunday of Lent, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered below in St. Peter's Square.

The Pope commented on today's reading from the Gospel of St. John which recounts how Jesus drove animal sellers and money changers from the Temple, arousing great wonder among His disciples and the people. "How must we interpret this gesture?" the Pope asked. "First of all we must note that it did not cause any reaction from the guardians of public order, because it was seen as a typically prophetical act. Prophets, in fact, in the name of God often denounced abuses, sometimes with symbolic gestures. If anything, the problem was their authority. That is why the Jews asked Jesus 'what sign can you show us for doing this?'; in other words, show us that you are truly acting in God's name.

"The cleansing of the Temple has also been interpreted as a political-revolutionary gesture", the Holy Father added, "with Jesus being seen as part of the Zealots movement. The Zealots were, indeed, 'zealous' for the law of God and ready to use violence to ensure it was respected. In Jesus' time they were awaiting a Messiah who would free Israel from Roman rule. But Jesus disappointed that hope, causing some disciples to abandon Him, while Judas Iscariot even betrayed Him. The truth is that it is impossible to interpret Jesus as violent. Violence is contrary to the Kingdom of God. It is an instrument of the Antichrist. Violence never serves man, but dehumanises him".

"The words Jesus used while accomplishing His gesture - 'Take these things our of here!Stop making my Father's house a market-place!' - reminded His disciples of the words of the Psalm: 'It is zeal for your house that has consumed me'. The Psalm is a cry for help in a situation of extreme danger caused by the hatred of enemies, which is what Jesus would experience in His passion. Zeal for the Father and His house would take Him to the cross. His is the zeal of the love which pays in person, not that which seeks to serve God through violence. Indeed, the 'sign' Jesus would give as proof of His authority would be His death and resurrection. 'Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up', which St. John glosses with the words: 'he was speaking of the temple of his body'. At Easter Jesus inaugurated a new cult: the cult of love, and a new temple: Himself, the risen Christ, through Whom all believers can adore God the Father 'in spirit and truth'".

"The Holy Spirit began to build this temple in the Virgin's womb", Benedict XVI concluded. "Through her intercession let us pray that each Christian may become a living stone in this spiritual building".

Following the Marian prayer the Pope launched an appeal for the people of Madagascar who have been suffering the devastating effects of tropical storms, the most recent of which left at least seventy dead and many missing, as well as causing material damage affecting 70,000 people.

"My thoughts go", he said, "to the dear people of Madagascar who have recently been struck by violent natural calamities that caused serious damage to people, infrastructures and crops. While giving assurances of my prayers for the victims and for their sorely tried families, I encourage the international community to send aid".

POPE AND ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY TOGETHER CELEBRATE FEAST OF ST. GREGORY THE GREAT

Vatican City, 10 March 2012 (VIS) - This evening the Holy Father presided at Vespers in the Roman monastery of San Gregorio al Celio, in a ceremony marking the thousandth anniversary of the foundation of the mother house of the Camaldolese Order of St. Benedict, the Feast of the Transit of St, Gregory, and the visit to Rome of His Grace Rowan Williams, archbishop of Canterbury and primate of the Anglican Communion.

Following readings from the Psalms and the Gospel, Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury each pronounced a homily.

"Today’s celebration is", the Pope said, "marked by a profoundly ecumenical character which, as we know, is part and parcel of the modern Camaldolese spirit. This Roman Camaldolese monastery has developed with Canterbury and the Anglican Communion, especially since the Vatican Council II, links that now qualify as traditional. Today, for the third time, the Bishop of Rome is meeting the Archbishop of Canterbury in the home of St. Gregory the Great. And it is right that it should be so, because it was from this monastery that Pope Gregory chose Augustine and his forty monks and sent them to bring the Gospel to the Angles, a little over 1,400 years ago".

The Holy Father recalled how St. Gregory's "blameless ministry" was "full of zeal for the Gospel. Truly, what St. Paul wrote of himself applies equally to Gregory: the grace of God in him has not been fruitless. This, indeed, is the secret for the lives of every one of us: to welcome God’s grace and to consent with all our heart and all our strength to its action. This is also the secret of true joy and profound peace".

"At the root of everything, is the grace of God, the gift of the call, the mystery of the encounter with the living Jesus. But this grace demands a response from those who have been baptised: it requires the commitment to be re-clothed in Christ’s sentiments: tenderness, goodness, humility, meekness, magnanimity, mutual forgiveness, and above all ... 'agape', the love that God has given us through Jesus, the love that the Holy Spirit has poured into our hearts".

Pope Benedict went on to recall that the Camaldolese Order "has completed a thousand years of history, feeding daily on the word of God and the Eucharist, as their founder St. Romuald taught them, according to the 'triplex bonum' of solitude, community life and evangelisation". He also mentioned the order's many saints, blesseds and martyrs, men of learning, historians and pastors of the Church "exemplary men and women of God" who "have revealed the horizons and the great fruitfulness of the Camaldolese tradition".

The Holy Father completed his homily by expressing the hope that "all the faithful, both Catholic and Anglican, ... as they visit the glorious tombs of the holy apostles and martyrs in Rome, may renew their commitment to pray constantly and to work for unity, and to live fully in accordance with the “ut unum sint” that Jesus addressed to the Father".

In his remarks, Archbishop Williams referred to the "certain yet imperfect" communion between the Catholic and Anglican Churches. Both, he said, share "a vision of the restoration of full sacramental communion, of a Eucharistic life that is fully visible, and thus a witness that is fully credible, so that a confused and tormented world may enter into the welcome and transforming light of Christ". At the same time, "our recognition of the one Body in each other’s corporate life is unstable and incomplete; yet without such ultimate recognition we are not yet fully free to share the transforming power of the Gospel in Church and world".

At the end of Vespers the Holy Father and the Archbishop of Canterbury entered the Chapel of St. Gregory where they lit two candles to honour the memory of St. Gregory the Great and of St. Augustine of Canterbury.

PRESENTATION OF PONTIFICAL YEARBOOK 2012

Vatican City, 10 March 2012 (VIS) - This morning, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. and Archbishop Angelo Becciu, substitute for General Affairs, presented the Holy Father with the 2012 edition of the "Annuario Pontificio" or pontifical yearbook, and the "Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae". Also present were the officials responsible for compiling and printing the volumes.

A note concerning the presentation highlights some of the facts contained in the new edition. In 2011, the Pope erected eight new episcopal sees, one personal ordinariate and one military ordinariate. One archdiocese and eight dioceses were elevated to the rank of metropolitan see; one prelature, one apostolic vicariate and one apostolic prefecture were elevated to the rank of diocese, and one "sui iuris" mission was elevated to the rank of apostolic prefecture.

The statistical information, which refers to the year 2010, reveals details about the Catholic Church in the 2,966 ecclesiastical circumscriptions on the planet. The number of Catholics in the world moved from 1,181 million in 2009 to 1,196 million in 2010, an increase of fifteen million faithful, corresponding to a growth of 1.3 percent. Over the last two years the presence of baptised Catholics in the world has remained stable at around 17.5 per cent.

The number of Catholics with respect to the total population varies considerably between the continents. Their numbers have dropped in South America (from 28.54 per cent to 28.34 per cent) and in Europe (from 24.05 per cent to 23.83 per cent), while they have increased in Africa (from 15.15 per cent to 15.55 per cent) and in South-East Asia (from 10.47 per cent to 10.87 per cent).

The number of bishops went from 5,065 to 5,104, a growth of 0.77 per cent. This increase involved Africa (sixteen new bishops), America (fifteen) and Asia (twelve), while numbers fell slightly in Europe (from 1,607 to 1,606) and in Oceania (from 132 to 129).

The steady increase in the number of priests which began in the year 2000 has continued. In 2010 their numbers stood at 412,236, composed of 227,009 diocesan priests and 135,227 regular priests; whereas in 2009 they numbered 410,593 (275,542 diocesan and 135,051 regular). The number of clergy has increased in Asia (by 1695), Africa (765), Oceania (52) and the Americas (42), while their numbers have fallen by 905 in Europe.

Numbers of permanent deacons have increased by 3.7 per cent, from 38,155 in 2009 to 39,564 in 2010. They are present above all in North America and Europe, which respectively represent 64.3 per cent and 33.2 per cent of the world total.

The negative tendency in the number of non-ordained male religious reversed, as their number passed from 54,229 in 2009 to 54,665 in 2010. Numbers fell by 3.5 per cent in South America and by 0.9 per cent in North America, in Europe they remained stationary while Asia and Africa saw an increase of 4.1 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively.

The number of female religious is undergoing a strong decline, moving from 729,371 in 2009 to 721,935 in 2010. Numbers fell by 2.9 per cent in Europe, by 2.6 per cent in Oceania and by 1.6 per cent the Americas. Nonetheless they increased by around 2 per cent in both Africa and Asia

The number of students of philosophy and theology in diocesan and religious seminaries has increased constantly over the last five years, from 114,439 in 2005 to 111,990 in 2010, a growth of 4 per cent.

Numbers of major seminarians have fallen by 10.4 per cent in Europe, and by 1.1 per cent in the Americas, but are increasing in Africa (14.2 per cent,) Asia (13 per cent) and Oceania (12.3 per cent).

BOOK ON THE CHALLENGES OF NEW EVANGELISATION IN LATIN AMERICA

Vatican City, 10 March 2012 (VIS) - The Pontifical Commission for Latin America has recently published a work entitled "Reflections on New Evangelisation in Latin America: Challenges and Priorities". The book, 130 pages long, is the outcome of a study day organised by the commission which took place on 11 November 2011.

The book begins with an introduction by Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, and includes the text of three lectures delivered during the course of the study day: "New Evangelisation in the Light of the Pontifical Magisterium" by Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation; "From the Evangelisation of Jesus Christ to the Continental Mission as New Evangelisation" by Bishop Santiago Jaime Silva Retamales, secretary of the Latin American Episcopal Council, and "New Evangelisation in Latin America Today: Challenges and Priorities" by Guzman Carriquiry Lecour, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. There then follows a list of forty-one recommendations for new evangelisation on the American continent.

The work will be sent to all members and counsellors of the commission, to the bishops of Latin America and to the prefects and presidents of the various dicasteries and offices of the Roman Curia.

A communique from the pontifical commission accompanying today's publication states that the book contains "a number of useful contributions to that 'new evangelisation' which has been repeatedly invoked by John Paul II and by Benedict XVI, ... and which found a significant response in the 'continental mission' launched during the Fifth General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean held in 2007 in Aparecida, Brazil. That mission is in the process of being accomplished". The book also "aims to contribute to the many discussions and reflections which are taking place in view of the forthcoming General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October, ... and the subsequent Year of Faith".

HOLY SEE PARTICIPATES IN THE WORLD WATER FORUM

Vatican City, 12 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy See has sent a delegation to participate in the Sixth World Water Forum, being held in the French city of Marseille from 12 to 17 March. For the occasion the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has prepared a document entitled: "Water, an Element Essential for Life".

The text highlights how, despite a certain amount of progress, a large part of the world population still does not enjoy guaranteed access to potable water. The document also underscores the need for improved management of water resources by public authorities, private sector operators and civil society, and invites those bodies to act with responsibility, sobriety and solidarity, while taking account of the principles of justice and subsidiarity.

The World Water Fora are organised every three years by the World Water Council. They bring together private and State entities, as well as representatives of various associations, to analyse and develop a long term vision of the status and utilisation of this indispensable resource.

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 10 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience:

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

- Archbishop Jerome George Hanus O.S.B. of Dubuque.

- Bishop Martin John Amos of Davenport.

- Bishop Richard Edmund Pates of Des Moines, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Joseph Leo Charron C.PP.S.

- Bishop Ralph Walker Nickless of Sioux City.

- Archbishop Robert James Carlson of Saint Louis, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Edward M. Rice, and by former Auxiliary Bishop Robert Joseph Hermann.

- Bishop John Raymond Gaydos of Jefferson City.

- Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City-Saint Joseph, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Raymond James Boland.

- Bishop James Vann Johnston of Springfield-Cape Giradeau, accompanied by Bishop emeritus John Joseph Leibrecht.

- Frere Alois, prior of Taize.

- His Grace Rowan Williams, Anglican archbishop of Canterbury and primate of the Anglican Communion.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 10 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Archbishop Francesco Alfano of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi - Conza - Nusco - Bisaccia, Italy, as archbishop of Sorrento-Casellamare di Stabia (area 205, population 240,900, Catholics 240,000, priests 169, permanent deacons 6, religious 501), Italy. He succeeds Archbishop Felice Cece, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Cardinal Christoph Schonborn O.P., archbishop of Vienna, Austria, as his special envoy to celebrations marking the 450th anniversary of the formal renewal of the archbishopric of Prague, due to take place on 12 May.

- Appointed Archbishop Mario Roberto Cassari, apostolic nuncio to Croatia, as apostolic nuncio to South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland.

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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 03/09/2012

SUMMARY:

- POPE ADDRESSES UNITED STATES BISHOPS ON CRISIS OF MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY
- NEW EVANGELISATION ALSO BEGINS IN THE CONFESSIONAL
- TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL JOSE T. SANCHEZ
- AUDIENCES

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POPE ADDRESSES UNITED STATES BISHOPS ON CRISIS OF MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY

Vatican City, 9 March 2012 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican Benedict XVI received a group of prelates from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who have recently competed their "ad limina" visit. Extracts of his English-language remarks to them are given below:

"In this talk I would like to discuss ... the contemporary crisis of marriage and the family, and, more generally, of the Christian vision of human sexuality. It is in fact increasingly evident that a weakened appreciation of the indissolubility of the marriage covenant, and the widespread rejection of a responsible, mature sexual ethic grounded in the practice of chastity, have led to grave societal problems bearing an immense human and economic cost".

"In this regard, particular mention must be made of the powerful political and cultural currents seeking to alter the legal definition of marriage. The Church’s conscientious effort to resist this pressure calls for a reasoned defence of marriage as a natural institution consisting of a specific communion of persons, essentially rooted in the complementarity of the sexes and oriented to procreation. Sexual differences cannot be dismissed as irrelevant to the definition of marriage. Defending the institution of marriage as a social reality is ultimately a question of justice, since it entails safeguarding the good of the entire human community and the rights of parents and children alike.

"In our conversations, some of you have pointed with concern to the growing difficulties encountered in communicating the Church’s teaching on marriage and the family in its integrity, and to a decrease in the number of young people who approach the Sacrament of Matrimony. Certainly we must acknowledge deficiencies in the catechesis of recent decades, which failed at times to communicate the rich heritage of Catholic teaching on marriage as a natural institution elevated by Christ to the dignity of a Sacrament, the vocation of Christian spouses in society and in the Church, and the practice of marital chastity".

"On the practical level, marriage preparation programmes must be carefully reviewed to ensure that there is greater concentration on their catechetical component and their presentation of the social and ecclesial responsibilities entailed by Christian marriage. In this context we cannot overlook the serious pastoral problem presented by the widespread practice of cohabitation, often by couples who seem unaware that it is gravely sinful, not to mention damaging to the stability of society. I encourage your efforts to develop clear pastoral and liturgical norms for the worthy celebration of matrimony which embody an unambiguous witness to the objective demands of Christian morality, while showing sensitivity and concern for young couples".

"In this great pastoral effort there is an urgent need for the entire Christian community to recover an appreciation of the virtue of chastity. ... It is not merely a question of presenting arguments, but of appealing to an integrated, consistent and uplifting vision of human sexuality. The richness of this vision is more sound and appealing than the permissive ideologies exalted in some quarters; these in fact constitute a powerful and destructive form of counter-catechesis for the young. ... Chastity, as the Catechism reminds us, involves an ongoing “apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom”. In a society which increasingly tends to misunderstand and even ridicule this essential dimension of Christian teaching, young people need to be reassured that “if we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, absolutely nothing, of what makes life free, beautiful and great”.

"Let me conclude by recalling that all our efforts in this area are ultimately concerned with the good of children, who have a fundamental right to grow up with a healthy understanding of sexuality and its proper place in human relationships. Children are the greatest treasure and the future of every society: truly caring for them means recognising our responsibility to teach, defend and live the moral virtues which are the key to human fulfilment. It is my hope that the Church in the United States, however chastened by the events of the past decade, will persevere in its historic mission of educating the young and thus contribute to the consolidation of that sound family life which is the surest guarantee of intergenerational solidarity and the health of society as a whole".

NEW EVANGELISATION ALSO BEGINS IN THE CONFESSIONAL

Vatican City, 9 March 2012 (VIS) - This morning Benedict XVI received 1,300 priests and deacons who are participating in an annual course on the "internal forum" organised by the Apostolic Penitentiary.

Benedict XVI underscored the importance of adequate theological, spiritual and canonical preparation for confessors, noting that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is essential to the life of faith and is closely associated with the announcement of the Gospel. "The Sacraments and the announcement of the Word must, in fact never be seen as separate from one another", he said. "The priest represents Christ, the Envoy of the Father, and continues His mission through 'word' and 'Sacrament', in the totality of body and soul, of sign and word".

Thus sacramental Confession is an important aspect of new evangelisation. "True conversion of hearts, which means opening ourselves to the transforming and regenerative action of God, is the 'motor' of all reform and turns into an authentic force for evangelisation. During Confession, the repentant sinner, thanks to the gratuitous action of divine Mercy, is justified, forgiven and sanctified. ... Only those who allow themselves to be profoundly renewed by divine Grace can internalise and therefore announce the novelty of the Gospel". All the saints of history bear witness to this close relationship between sanctity and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. New evangelisation itself "draws life blood from the sanctity of the sons and daughters of the Church, from the daily process of individual and community conversion, conforming itself ever more profoundly to Christ".

The Pope reminded his audience that, in administering the Sacrament of Penance, priests are instruments facilitating the meeting between mankind and God. The repentant sinner feels a profound desire to change, to receive mercy, to re-experience, through the Sacrament, "the encounter and embrace of Christ.

"Thus you will", the Holy Father added, "become collaborators and protagonists of as many possible 'new beginnings' as sinners you encounter. ... New evangelisation also begins in the confessional, in the mysterious encounter between man's endless plea ... and the mercy of God, which is the only adequate response to humankind’s need for the infinite". If the faithful are truly able to experience the mercy of Christ in the Sacrament "they will become credible witnesses of sanctity, which is the goal of new evangelisation".

The Pope went on to explain that these questions become even more critical when the people involved are priests who, to collaborate in new evangelisation, must be the first to renew an awareness of themselves as sinners, and of their need to seek sacramental forgiveness in order to renew their encounter with Christ.

In conclusion Benedict XVI exhorted his listeners to ensure "that the novelty of Christ is always the focus of, and the reason for, your priestly lives, so that the people who meet you may, through your ministry, proclaim as Andrew and John did that 'we have found the Messiah'. Thus each Confession, from which each Christian will emerge renewed, will represent a step forward for new evangelisation".

TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL JOSE T. SANCHEZ

Vatican City, 9 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father has sent a telegram of condolence to Cardinal Ricardo. J. Vidal, archbishop emeritus of Cebu, Philippines, for the death of Cardinal Jose T. Sanchez, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy. Cardinal Sanchez died this morning in Manila at the age of 91.

In the text of his telegram Benedict XVI gratefully recalls "the late cardinal's dedicated service to the Lord as a priest and bishop in his native country, as well as our service together in the Roman Curia during the pontificate of Blessed John Paul II". The Pope commends Cardinal Sanchez's "noble soul" to the Lord and prays "that his witness will inspire others to dedicate their lives to the service of the Lord and His Holy Church, especially in the priesthood".

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 9 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience:

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

- Archbishop George Joseph Lucas of Omaha, accompanied by Archbishop emeritus Elden Francis Curtiss.

- Bishop William J. Dendinger of Grand Island.

- Bishop Fabian Wendelin Bruskewitz of Lincoln.

- Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas.

- Bishop John B. Brungardt of Dodge City.

- Bishop Michael Owen Jackels of Wichita.

- Bishop-elect Edward J. Weisenburger of Salina.

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

News Vatican Information Service 03/08/2012

SUMMARY:

- THEOLOGY TODAY: PERSPECTIVES, PRINCIPLES AND CRITERIA
- VATICAN MUSEUMS CONTRIBUTE TO THE EXHIBITION: "THE ETRUSCANS: HEROIC IDEAL AND LUSTROUS WINE"
- AUDIENCES
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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THEOLOGY TODAY: PERSPECTIVES, PRINCIPLES AND CRITERIA

Vatican City, 8 March 2012 (VIS) - The International Theological Commission is today publishing an English-language document entitled: "Theology Today: Perspectives, Principles and Criteria".

A communique on the subject, released by the International Theological Commission this morning, states that "the document examines certain contemporary theological issues and proposes, in light of the basic principles of theology, methodological criteria which are vital for Catholic theology with respect to other similar disciplines, such as the religious sciences. The text is divided into three chapters: theology presupposes listening to the Word of God which is accepted in faith (chapter 1); it is practised in communion with the Church (chapter 2); its aim is to elucidate a scholarly approach to the truth of God, in a perspective of authentic wisdom (chapter 3)".

The text of the new document may be consulted on the International Theological Commission's page within the Vatican website (www.vatican.va). On the same day it will appear in the magazine "Origins. CNS Documentary Service" and on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. An Italian translation will shortly be available in "La Civiltà Cattolica" and translations are also being planned in other major languages.

The communique also explains how "work on the document began during the preceding quinquennium 2004-2008, in the sub commission presided by Fr. Santiago del Cura Elena, and it was drawn up while taking account of studies undertaken during the current quinquennium, in the sub commission presided by Msgr. Paul McPartlan".

The text was approved "in forma specifica" by the International Theological Commission on 29 November 2011. It was submitted to the president of the Commission, Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who authorised its publication.

VATICAN MUSEUMS CONTRIBUTE TO THE EXHIBITION: "THE ETRUSCANS: HEROIC IDEAL AND LUSTROUS WINE"

Vatican City, 8 March 2012 (VIS) - "The Etruscans: Heroic Ideal and Lustrous Wine" is the title of an exhibition, which was presented this morning in the Vatican Museums and which will open in Palazzo Mazzetti in the Italian city of Asti on 17 March.

The exhibition brings together more than 300 pieces, some of which are little known or are being put on display for the first time. One hundred and forty artefacts come from the Gregorian Etruscan Museum of the Vatican Museums, and the others from the principal Etruscan collections in Italy.

The exhibition, which documents the historical and cultural ties between the eastern Mediterranean and the Etruscan world, opens with the helmet of Villanova, symbol of the first contact between the Etruscans and the community of the Tanaro Valley. The helmet was discovered in the late nineteenth century in the river which runs through Asti. The first section of the exhibition is dedicated to the importation of heroic and Homeric ideals into Etruria through a number of features (such as myth, trade and athleticism) which characterised the early phases of Etruscan culture. With the spread of Homeric verse in Italy, the image of authority in the Etruscan community began to change, adopting the model of the prince-hero whose merits included not only military prowess but also the accumulation of wealth. One of the most important pieces in this section of the exhibition is the bronze mask, from the Vatican Museums, which also adorns the poster for the event.

Section two is dedicated to banqueting ceremonies in their various forms, as documented on precious objects, and on sculptures and paintings. Among the items on display will be the original layout of the frescoes of the "Tomb of the Black Sow", which were removed from the hypogeum in order to conserve them. Another exhibit is the sarcophagus of the Vipiniana of Tuscania, with the image of the deceased participating in the banquet on the lid (held in the National Archaeological Museum of Florence) and the myth of Niobe depicted on the base (part of the collection of the Gregorian Etruscan Museum). The section closes with a number of votive heads of various kinds including children and old people, and two masks held in the store rooms of the Vatican Museums and which come from Etruscan shrines.

The exhibition closes with the Etruscan room of Racconigi Castle, which belonged to Carlo Alberto of Savoia, an example of the Etruscan artistic style which was popular in Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 8 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience:

- David McAllister, minister president of Lower Saxony, Germany, accompanied by an entourage.

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

- Archbishop John Clayton Nienstedt of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Lee Anthony Piche.

- Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner of Crookston.

- Bishop Paul D. Sirba of Duluth.

- Bishop John Martin LeVoir of New Ulm.

- Bishop John Francis Kinnety of Saint Cloud.

- Bishop John M. Quinn of Winona, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Bernard Joseph Harrington.

- Bishop David A. Kagan of Bismarck.

- Bishop Samuel Joseph Aquila of Fargo.

- Bishop Robert D. Gruss of Rapid City.

- Bishop Paul Joseph Swain of Sioux Falls.

- Nikola Kaloudov, ambassador of Bulgaria, accompanied by his wife, on a farewell visit.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 8 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Liam Stephen Cary of the clergy of the archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, U.S.A., pastor of the parish of St. Mary in Eugene, as bishop of Baker (area 173013, population 502,610, Catholics 37,029, priests 60, permanent deacons 12, religious 25), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Prineville, U.S.A. in 1947 and ordained a priest in 1992. Before ordination he spent many years working with poor people and migrants. Since becoming a priest he has worked in pastoral care in a number of parishes and as vicar forane.

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News Vatican Information Service 03/07/2012

SUMMARY:

- SILENCE IS INDISPENSABLE FOR PRAYER
- ARMENIAN SYNOD: BEAR GENEROUS AND JOYFUL WITNESS TO CHRIST
- AUDIENCES
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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SILENCE IS INDISPENSABLE FOR PRAYER

Vatican City, 7 March 2012 (VIS) - During his general audience this morning Benedict XVI concluded a series of catecheses dedicated to the prayer of Jesus. Today he turned his attention to the theme of alternating words and silence which characterised Christ's earthly life, above all on the Cross, and which is also significant in two aspects of our own lives.

Addressing the 10,000 pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope explained that the first of these aspects "concerns accepting the Word of God. Interior and exterior silence are necessary in order to hear that Word", he said. Yet, "our age does not, in fact, favour reflection and contemplation; quite the contrary it seems that people are afraid to detach themselves, even for an instant, from the spate of words and images which mark and fill our days".

However, "the Gospels often show us ... Jesus withdrawing alone to a place far from the crowds, even from His own disciples, where He can pray in silence". Moreover, "the great patristic tradition teaches us that the mysteries of Christ are linked to silence, and only in silence can the Word find a place to dwell within us".

"This principle", the Holy Father went on, "holds true for individual prayer, but also for our liturgies which, to facilitate authentic listening, must also be rich in moments of silence and of non verbal acceptance. ... Silence has the capacity to open a space in our inner being, a space in which God can dwell, which can ensure that His Word remains within us, and that love for Him is rooted in our minds and hearts, and animates our lives".

The Pope then turned to focus on the second important aspect of the relationship between silence and prayer. "In our prayers", he said, "we often find ourselves facing the silence of God. We almost experience a sense of abandonment; it seems that God does not listen and does not respond. But this silence, as happened to Jesus, does not signify absence. Christians know that the Lord is present and listens, even in moments of darkness and pain, of rejection and solitude. Jesus assures His disciples and each one of us that God is well aware of our needs at every moment of our lives".

"For us, who are so frequently concerned with operational effectiveness and with the results ... we achieve, the prayer of Jesus is a reminder that we need to stop, to experience moments of intimacy with God, 'detaching ourselves' from the turmoil of daily life in order to listen, to return to the 'root' which nourishes and sustains our existence. One of the most beautiful moments of Jesus' prayer is when, faced with the sickness, discomfort and limitations of his interlocutors, He addresses His Father in prayer, thus showing those around him where they must go to seek the source of hope and salvation".

Christ touches the most profound point of His prayer to the Father at the moment of His passion and death, Pope Benedict said. And citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church he concluded by noting that "His cry to the Father from the cross encapsulated 'all the troubles, for all time, of humanity enslaved by sin and death, all the petitions and intercessions of salvation history are summed up in this cry of the incarnate Word. Here the Father accepts them and, beyond all hope, answers them by raising His Son. Thus is fulfilled and brought to completion the drama of prayer in the economy of creation and salvation'".

ARMENIAN SYNOD: BEAR GENEROUS AND JOYFUL WITNESS TO CHRIST

Vatican City, 7 March 2012 (VIS) - At the end of his catechesis during this morning's general audience, the Holy Father addressed some words of greeting to His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, and to bishops of the Armenian Catholic Church who have come to Rome for a Synod. Benedict XVI spoke of his "sincere gratitude" for the patriarch’s faithfulness to his Christian traditions and to the Successor of the Apostle Peter.

"I accompany your Synod with my fervent prayers and with an apostolic blessing, in the hope that it may favour communion and understating among pastors, helping them to guide, with renewed evangelical fervour, Armenian Catholics along the path of generous and joyful witness to Christ and His Church. ... My prayerful thoughts also go to the regions of the Middle East, and I encourage pastors and faithful to persevere with hope amidst the great suffering which afflicts those dear peoples".

Finally the Pope addressed greetings in various languages to the pilgrims gathered before him in St. Peter's Square. Speaking Polish he mentioned the victims of a recent rail accident in the country. "I pray for the eternal repose of the deceased", he said, "and for the speedy return to health of the injured".

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 7 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Wolfgang Schauble, federal minister of finance of the Federal Republic of Germany, accompanied by an entourage.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 7 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Included as members of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches: Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, Italy; Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris, France; Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich and Freising, Germany, and His Beatitude Bechara Boutros Rai, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites.

- Confirmed Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa, Italy, as president of the Italian Episcopal Conference for the next five years.

- Appointed Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary of the Congregation for Bishops, also as secretary of the College of Cardinals.

- Appointed as members of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses: Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, and Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai S.D.B., secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

- Appointed Bishop Paulo Mendes Peixoto of Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil, as metropolitan archbishop of Uberaba (area 27,228, population 746,000, Catholics 539,000, priests 78, permanent deacons 21, religious 181), Brazil. He succeeds Archbishop Aloisio Roque Oppermann S.C.I., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

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