News Vatican Information Service 06/12/2012

SUMMARY:

- COMMUNIQUE CONCERNING DOCTRINAL ASSESSMENT OF LCWR

- PLENARY MEETING OF HOLY SEE - ISRAEL BILATERAL COMMISSION

- THE HOLY SEE HAS NOT CHANGED ITS POSITION ON EAST JERUSALEM

- COMMUNIQUE ON THE INTEGRATION OF VIS INTO THE NEWS.VA PORTAL AND THE HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE BULLETIN

- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

______________________________________

COMMUNIQUE CONCERNING DOCTRINAL ASSESSMENT OF LCWR

Vatican City, 12 June 2012 (VIS) - Given below is the text of an English-language statement released by the director of the Holy See Press Office concerning a meeting held at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith about the doctrinal Assessment of the LCWR.

"Today the superiors of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith met with the president and executive director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in the United States of America. Archbishop Peter J. Sartain of Seattle, the Holy See’s delegate for the doctrinal assessment of the LCWR, also participated in the meeting.

"The meeting provided the opportunity for the Congregation and the LCWR officers to discuss the issues and concerns raised by the doctrinal assessment in an atmosphere of openness and cordiality.

"According to Canon Law, a conference of major superiors such as the LCWR is constituted by and remains under the supreme direction of the Holy See in order to promote common efforts among the individual member institutes and cooperation with the Holy See and the local conference of bishops (cf. Code of Canon Law, canons 708-709). The purpose of the doctrinal assessment is to assist the LCWR in this important mission by promoting a vision of ecclesial communion founded on faith in Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Church as faithfully taught through the ages under the guidance of the Magisterium.

PLENARY MEETING OF HOLY SEE - ISRAEL BILATERAL COMMISSION

Vatican City, 12 June 2012 (VIS) - The Bilateral Permanent Working Commission between the Holy See and the State of Israel held a plenary meeting today in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, to continue negotiations pursuant to the Fundamental Agreement article 10 paragraph 2.

"The negotiations took place in a thoughtful and constructive atmosphere. The Commission took notice that significant progress was made towards the conclusion of the Agreement", reads an English-language communique made public today.

"The Commission further acknowledged the exemplary service of Archbishop Antonio Franco and Ambassador Mordechay Lewy on the occasion of their retirement.

"The Parties have agreed on future steps and to hold the next plenary meeting on 6 December 2012 at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs".

The Holy See delegation was headed by Msgr. Ettore Balestrero, under secretary for Relations with States, and the Israeli delegation by Danny Ayalon M.K. deputy minister of Foreign Affairs.

THE HOLY SEE HAS NOT CHANGED ITS POSITION ON EAST JERUSALEM

Vatican City, 12 June 2012 (VIS) - Given below are extracts from an interview given to Vatican Radio by Msgr. Ettore Balestrero, under secretary for Relations with States, concerning the conclusion of the plenary meeting of the Bilateral Permanent Working Commission between the Holy See and the State of Israel.

Question: Over recent days there have been persistent rumours in some circles that the Agreement, which has been in preparation for thirteen years, would finally be signed. Yet it was not signed. What has happened?

Answer: Nothing in particular. It is true that in some circles there was talk of signing the Agreement, but that was not in fact scheduled. As I have said before, progress has been made, but questions still remain to be resolved.

Q: There has been concern among Palestinians that, by signing this Agreement, the Holy See would indirectly recognise Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem and other territory occupied in the war of 1967.

A: The Agreement in question concerns the life, activity and tax status of the Catholic Church in Israel. It does not enter into territorial disputes. There will be no mention of East Jerusalem or of anywhere in the West Bank.

Q: But there has been talk of a draft agreement in which certain places in East Jerusalem and the West Bank are mentioned.

A: Since the beginning of the negotiations we have worked on a plan for a Comprehensive Agreement which also included the so-called 'Schedule One'; that is, a list of individual properties belonging to the Holy See and to certain institutions of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land which, over the years, have been subjected to onerous provisions by Israel. And it is true that some of those properties are in East Jerusalem or in areas occupied in 1967. The aim was to resolve concrete problems. However, for some time now, it has been decided that the Agreement to be signed will only deal with certain properties which are not in East Jerusalem or the West Bank. Therefore it is incorrect to say that, by this Agreement, the Holy See would be violating the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war. The confusion and concern were due to the undue use of a working instrument, which has long since been superseded and which, in any case, is still being elaborated.

Q: Has the position of the Holy See on East Jerusalem changed?

A: The Holy See's position has not changed. It was affirmed in the 'Basic Agreement' between the Holy See and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), it has been reiterated on various occasions, and will be mentioned again in the 'Global Agreement' with the PLO, currently being prepared.

Q: A final question. It has been written that this Agreement which the Holy See is preparing with Israel will damage agreements that France, Italy and other countries have with Israel.

A: That is untrue, The Agreement concerns the Holy See and the State of Israel, and has no effect on agreements Israel has made with other States. The validity of those agreements depends first and foremost on the will of the parities involved and not on the existence of an agreement those parties have with a third party, in this case the Holy See. This is, moreover, a commonly accepted principle of international law.

COMMUNIQUE ON THE INTEGRATION OF VIS INTO THE NEWS.VA PORTAL AND THE HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE BULLETIN

Vatican City, 12 June 2012 (VIS) - "As of 31 July 2012 the Vatican Information Service (VIS) will cease to exist as a separate office providing information distinct from the Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office. However, the subscribers of VIS will continue to receive a comprehensive information service", according to a communique released this morning by the Holy See Press Office.

"As part of the development and coordination of the Holy See's social communications activities, and following guidance received from the Secretariat of State, the personnel of VIS will be transferred. Some of them will go to reinforce the multilingual 'news.va' portal which was established a year ago in the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, others will be employed in the multilingual development of the Press Office Bulletin.

"As is now well known, the 'news.va' portal gathers the principal news items concerning the Holy See and the life of the Church, as published daily by the Press Office, the 'Osservatore Romano', Vatican Radio and Fides News Agency. It then presents them in an easily accessible format, accompanied by Vatican Television Centre videos and photographs from the photographic service of the 'Osservatore Romano'. One of the characteristics of the portal - which currently operates daily in Italian, English, Spanish and French - is that it is structured in such a way as to make it easy to share the material on social networks (such as Facebook and Twitter) and to make it accessible with new applications on mobile devices.

"The Press Office Bulletin has thus far been published principally in Italian, unless the original texts were in other languages, while VIS has worked regularly in four languages. Integrating the English-, French- and Spanish-language staff of VIS into the everyday activities of the Holy See Press Office will enable the online publication of the Bulletin to be renewed, with the inclusion of complete translations of various texts and language summaries of texts that cannot be fully translated. These measures will be gradually introduced beginning in September 2012.

"The translated parts of the Bulletin, together with the summaries in languages other than Italian, will continue to be sent to the 60,000 VIS subscribers who thus will not lose a service they have received and appreciated for so long. Moreover, the extensive archive of more than 85,000 articles in various languages, produced by VIS in more than twenty years of activity, will be conserved and integrated, with a simple and rapid search engine, into the site of the Press Office".

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 12 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- As members of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity: His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, major archbishop of Kyiv-Halyc, Ukraine; Archbishop Zbignev Stankevics of Riga, Lithuania; Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai S.D.B., secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples; Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller of Regensburg, Germany, and Bishop Donald Joseph Bolen of Saskatoon, Canada.

- As consultors of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity: Fr. Aimable Musoni S.D.B., professor of ecclesiology and ecumenism at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome, and Fr. Robert Francis Christian O.P., vice dean of the Faculty of Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

- As members of the Congregation for Catholic Education: Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga S.D.B., archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux, France; Cardinal Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay, India; Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle of Manila, Philippines; Archbishop Alfredo Horacio Zecca of Tucuman, Argentina; Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller of Regensburg, Germany, and Bishop Charles Morerod O.P. of Lausanne, Geneve et Fribourg, Switzerland.

- Fr. Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage of the clergy of the diocese of Badulla, Sri Lanka, professor at the Faculty of Missiology at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, as under secretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.

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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 06/09 -11/2012

SUMMARY:

- FAITHFULNESS, AN EXPRESSION OF THE UNIQUE BOND BETWEEN THE POPE AND HIS DIRECT COLLABORATORS

- CHURCH'S MISSION OF EVANGELISATION ALSO INVOLVES AIRPORTS

- DIVIDING THE EUCHARISTIC BREAD RENEWS OUR CAPACITY TO SHARE

- POPE HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF THE EVANGELISATION OF CULTURE TO BISHOPS OF NEW GUINEA AND SOLOMON ISLANDS

- COMMUNIQUE OF THE HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE

- CARDINAL BERTELLO, SPECIAL ENVOY TO CAMALDOLI JUBILEE

- AUDIENCES

- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

______________________________________

FAITHFULNESS, AN EXPRESSION OF THE UNIQUE BOND BETWEEN THE POPE AND HIS DIRECT COLLABORATORS

Vatican City, 11 June 2012 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican the Holy Father received forty members of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. He noted that they were meeting "as the academic year draws to a close and as, for some of you, the day is approaching when you will depart for service in papal representations throughout the world. The Pope also counts on you for assistance in fulfilling his universal ministry", he said.

In his remarks to the group, Benedict XVI underlined the virtue of faithfulness which, he said, "well expresses the unique bond existing between the Pope and his direct collaborators, both in the Roman Curia and in the papal representations: for many, it is a bond grounded in the priestly character that they have received, which is then specified in the particular mission entrusted to each in the service of the Successor of Peter.

"In the Bible, faithfulness is above all a divine attribute", he added. "God reveals Himself as the One Who remains ever faithful to His Covenant with His people, despite their unfaithfulness. ... In our case, the virtue of faithfulness is profoundly linked to the supernatural gift of faith; it becomes the expression of that steadfastness proper to those who have made God the foundation of their entire lives".

"With this in mind, I encourage you to cultivate a personal bond with the Vicar of Christ as a part of your spirituality. Certainly, this is something which ought to apply to every Catholic, and even more to every priest. Yet for those who work in the Holy See, it is of particular importance, since they spend much of their energy, their time and their daily ministry in the service of the Successor of Peter. This entails a serious responsibility, but also a special gift which as time goes on should make you grow in closeness to the Pope, a closeness marked by interior trust, a natural 'idem sentire', which is exactly expressed by the word 'faithfulness'".

The Holy Father went on: "Faithfulness to Peter, who sends you forth, also gives rise to a special faithfulness towards those to whom you are sent. The representatives of the Roman Pontiff and their collaborators are called upon to interpret his solicitude for all the Churches, as well as the affectionate concern with which he follows the journey of all peoples. You should therefore cultivate a relationship of profound esteem and benevolence, and indeed true friendship, towards the Churches and the communities to which you will be sent. You are also bound to faithfulness in their regard, a faithfulness concretely manifested each day by your diligence and devotion to your work, by your presence among them at moments of joy, sadness and even tragedy, by your coming to know their culture, their journey as a Church, and by your appreciation of all that God’s grace has accomplished in every people and nation".

"Thus you will also encourage and help the particular Churches to grow in faithfulness to the Roman Pontiff and to find in the principle of communion with the universal Church a sure direction for their own pilgrimage through history. Not least, you will also help the Successor of Peter to be faithful to the mission he has received from Christ, enabling him to know better the flock entrusted to his care and to be present to it more effectively by his words, his closeness, his affection. Here I can only mention with gratitude the assistance that I receive every day from my many collaborators in the Roman Curia and in papal representations, as well as the support that comes to me from the prayers of countless brothers and sisters worldwide".

Benedict XVI concluded: "Dear friends, to the extent that you are faithful, you will also be worthy of faith. We know too that the faithfulness proper to the Church and to the Holy See is no 'blind' loyalty, for it is enlightened by our faith in the One Who said: 'You are Peter, and on on this rock I will build my Church'".

CHURCH'S MISSION OF EVANGELISATION ALSO INVOLVES AIRPORTS

Vatican City, 11 June 2012 (VIS) - Participants in the fifteenth World Seminar for Catholic Civil Aviation Chaplains and Chaplaincy Members were received this morning in audience by the Holy Father. Their patron, the Pope recalled, is Our Lady of Loreto who is also the patron saint of all air travellers, in accordance with the tradition that attributes to the angels the transportation of Mary’s house from Nazareth to Loreto, Italy.

The seminar is reflecting on new methods and new forms of evangelisation in the field in which the chaplains exercise their ministry, and the Pope encouraged them always to be "conscious that you are called to embody in the world’s airports the Church’s mission of bringing God to man and leading man to the encounter with God.

"Airports", he added, "are places that increasingly reflect the globalised reality of our time. Here one finds people of a wide variety of nationalities, cultures, religions, social status and age. One also comes across all manner of difficult human situations that demand increasing attention. I think, for example, of people waiting anxiously as they seek to pass through border controls without the necessary documentation, either as immigrants or asylum seekers. I think of the inconvenience caused by anti-terrorism security measures. ... This is the human and spiritual environment in which you are called to proclaim the Good News with renewed vigour by your words, by your presence, by your example and by the witness you bear. Be assured that even in chance encounters, people are able to recognise a man of God, and that often a small seed falling on good soil can bring forth abundant fruit".

The Pope went on: "In airports, moreover, you have daily contact with a great many men and women who work in an environment marked by continuous mobility and constant technological development, both of which tend to obscure the centrality of the human person. Often more attention is paid to efficiency and productivity than to the love of neighbour and the solidarity that should always characterise human relations. Here too, your presence is of great value and importance: it is a living witness to a God Who is close to human beings, and it serves as a reminder never to show indifference to those one meets, but to treat them generously and lovingly. I encourage you to be radiant signs of this charity of Christ which brings serenity and peace", the Holy Father concluded.

DIVIDING THE EUCHARISTIC BREAD RENEWS OUR CAPACITY TO SHARE

Vatican City, 10 June 2012 (VIS) - "Today Italy and many other countries are celebrating Corpus Christi, the solemn Feast of the Body and Blood of the Lord ... which every year renews Christians' joy and gratitude at Jesus' Eucharistic presence among us", said the Pope to faithful gathered at midday in St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus.

This feast "is a great public act of worship of the Eucharist, the Sacrament in which the Lord's presence is extended beyond the time of celebration, to remain among us always, through the hours and the days. St. Justin, who left us one of the most ancient descriptions of Eucharistic liturgy, affirms that, after the distribution of communion to those present, the consecrated bread was taken by deacons to those who were absent. For this reason the most sacred place in churches is where the Eucharist is kept.

"At this point my thoughts cannot but go to the many churches seriously damaged by the recent earthquake in Emilia Romagna", the Holy Father added, "to the fact that in some cases Christ’s Eucharistic Body in the tabernacle has been buried under the rubble. With great affection I pray for the communities forced with their priests to gather for Mass in the open air or in tents. I thank them for their witness and for their efforts in favour of the entire population. This situation highlights the importance of being united in the name of the Lord, the strength that comes from the Eucharistic Bread, also called the 'bread of pilgrims'. Sharing this Bread creates and renews the capacity to share our life and goods, to carry one another’s burdens, to be hospitable and welcoming".

Benedict XVI also noted how the Solemnity of Corpus Christi calls our attention to the importance of Eucharistic adoration. "The prayer of adoration can be performed individually, kneeling before the tabernacle, or as a community with psalms and songs, but always laying the emphasis on silence so as to hear the Lord speaking within us, the Lord Who is alive and present in the Sacrament. The Virgin Mary is our guide also in this prayer, because no one better or more than her was able to contemplate Jesus with the gaze of faith, and to welcome in her heart the intimate echo of His human and divine presence".

Following the Marian prayer the Pope greeted, among others, a group of Polish faithful and the inhabitants of the the Polish cities of Krakow, Lodz, Bydgoszcz and Gdansk who, in the presence of Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., are currently commemorating the apostolic pilgrimage made by John Paul II twenty-five years ago. "One fruit of that visit", the Holy Father said, "is the Feast of the Eucharist being celebrated today in Lodz, where a Study Centre dedicated to Blessed John Paul II is being inaugurated. Tomorrow in Bydgoszcz a meeting will be held to examine the contents of the Encyclical 'Caritas in veritate'. I express my thanks for the Study Centre there dedicated to my own name. May these meetings strengthen your bond with Christ, Who loved us unto the end".

POPE HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF THE EVANGELISATION OF CULTURE TO BISHOPS OF NEW GUINEA AND SOLOMON ISLANDS

Vatican City, 9 June 2012 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican Benedict XVI received in audience prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, who have just completed their "ad limina" visit. Speaking English, he began by highlighting how the Church provides for the basic needs of the poor, the marginalised and the sick, especially those suffering from HIV/AIDS, through the work of diocesan agencies. He also noted that the bishops exercise an important aspect of their pastoral ministry when they "speak publicly as an objective moral voice on behalf of those in need".

The Holy Father went on: "When the Church voices her concern in the public square, she does so legitimately and in order to contribute to the common good, not proposing concrete political solutions, but rather helping to 'purify and shed light upon the application of reason to the discovery of objective moral principles'. Such principles are accessible to all through right reason and are necessary for the just ordering of civil society. In view of this, I encourage you to continue to dialogue and to work with the civil authorities so that the Church may be free to speak and to provide services for the common good in a manner fully consonant with Gospel values".

In their reports the bishops had spoked of spoken of pastoral efforts aimed at the evangelisation of culture. "This", the Holy Father noted, "is of great importance since the human person can 'achieve true and full humanity only by means of culture'. We also observe the essential role of culture in salvation history, since the Triune God gradually revealed Himself in time, culminating in the sending of His only Son, Who Himself was born into a particular culture".

Moreover, "while acknowledging the respective contribution of each culture and at times calling upon its resources in fulfilling her mission, the Church has been sent to preach the Gospel to all nations, transcending man-made boundaries. In the work of evangelisation then, my brother bishops, continue to apply the eternal truths of the Gospel to the customs of the people whom you serve, in order to build upon the positive elements already present and to purify others when necessary. In this way, you play your part in the Church’s mission to lead people of every nation, race and language to Jesus Christ the Saviour in Whom we find revealed the fullness and truth of humanity".

The family plays a key role in this aspect of evangelisation, since it is "the first place where faith and culture are appropriated. Although society has recognised the important role of the family throughout history, particular attention needs to be given at the present time to the religious, social and moral goods of fidelity, equality and mutual respect that must exist between husband and wife. The Church tirelessly proclaims that the family is based on the natural institution of marriage between a man and a woman and, in the case of baptised Christians, it is a covenant which has been raised by Christ to the supernatural level of a Sacrament". Commending the prelates' efforts to give pastoral priority to the evangelisation of marriage and the family in accordance with Catholic moral teaching, the Pope also recalled Blessed Peter To Rot, the centenary of whose birth is currently being celebrated and "who shed his blood in defence of the sanctity of marriage".

Finally the Holy Father turned his attention to the importance of "a properly catechised laity and well formed clergy and religious" in order that they may "resist the temptations of the secular world" and "be wise enough not to be deceived by attempts to convert them to overly simplistic versions of Christianity that are often based solely on false promises of material prosperity. ... These witnesses and those they teach, with your guidance and support, will help to ensure that the Church in your countries will continue to be an effective instrument of evangelisation, attracting those who do not yet know Christ and inspiring those who have become lukewarm in their faith".

COMMUNIQUE OF THE HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE

Vatican City, 9 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique yesterday afternoon:

"The Holy See was surprised and concerned to learn of recent developments involving Professor Gotti Tedeschi. It has the greatest confidence that the Italian judicial authorities will honour and respect the sovereign prerogatives which the Holy See is recognised as having under international law.

"Moreover the Holy See confirms its complete confidence in the people who, with great commitment and professionalism, dedicate their labours to the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), and it is carefully examining the possibility that any harm, to its own rights or to those of its institutions, may have arisen from the current circumstances.

"Finally, it must be reiterated that the motion of no confidence passed against Professor Gotti Tedeschi by the Administrative Board of the IOR was founded on objective reasons concerning the governance of the IOR. It was not determined by any purported opposition to the policy of transparency which, in fact, the Holy See authorities and the IOR itself have very much to heart".

CARDINAL BERTELLO, SPECIAL ENVOY TO CAMALDOLI JUBILEE

Vatican City, 9 June 2012 (VIS) - Made public today was the letter in which the Holy Father appoints Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State, as his special envoy to celebrations marking the millennium of the foundation of the Holy Hermitage of Camaldoli, Italy, due to take place on 19 June.

The names of the priests who will accompany Cardinal Bertello on his mission were also made public. They are: Fr. Giuseppe Cicchi O.S.B. Cam., member of the general council and vice prior of the monastery of Camaldoli, and Fr. Roberto Fornaciari O.S.B. Cam., professor at the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences of Arezzo and secretary of the jubilee celebrations at the Holy Hermitage.

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 11 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Miltiadis Hiskakis, ambassador of Greece, on his farewell visit.

On Saturday 9 June he received in audience:

- Ten prelates of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, on their "ad limina" visit

- Archbishop Stephen Joseph Reichert O.F.M. Cap. of Madang.

- Bishop Otto Separy of Aitape.

- Bishop Christian Blouin C.M.M. of Lae.

- Bishop Cesare Bonivento P.I.M.E. of Vanimo.

- Bishop Anthony John Burgess of Wewak.

- Archbishop Douglas Young S.V.D. of Mount Hagen.

- Bishop Francesco Sarego S.V.D. of Goroka.

- Bishop Anton Bal of Kundiawa.

- Bishop Donald Lippert O.F.M. Cap. of Mendi.

- Bishop Arnold Orowae of Wabag.

- Cardinal William Joseph Levada and Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer S.J., respectively prefect and secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 11 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Fabio Duque Jaramillo O.F.M. of Armenia, Colombia, as bishop of Garzon (area 9,667, population 542,000, Catholics 522,000, priests 111, religious 144), Colombia.

- Fr. Constantino Barrera Morales of the clergy of the diocese of San Vicente, El Salvador, rector of the major national seminary "San Jose de la Montana", as bishop of Sonsonate (area 1,225, population 551,000, Catholics 441,000, priests 47, religious 61), El Salvador. The bishop-elect was born in Canton Rojita, El Salvador in 1963 and ordained a priest in 1990. He studied in El Salvador and in Spain, and has worked in pastoral care in parishes and as vicar forane.

On Saturday 9 June it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. Max Leroy Mesidor of the clergy of the diocese of Les Gonaives, Haiti, vicar general and pastor of the cathedral, as bishop of Fort-Liberte (area 1,600, population 480,000, Catholics 345,600, priests 46, religious 78), Haiti. The bishop-elect was born in Saint-Marc, Haiti in 1962 and ordained a priest in 1988. He has served as pastor in a number of different parishes and presides the diocesan commissions for catechises and for the liturgy.

- Appointed Msgr. Juan Antonio Anarez Cobo, vicar general of the archdiocese of Pamplona and Tudela, Spain, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese (area 10,421, population 636,924, Catholics 629,094, priests 674, permanent deacons 2, religious 1,975). The bishop-elect was born in Eibar, Spain in 1961 and ordained a priest in 1990. He studied in Spain and in Rome and, apart from working as pastor in various parishes, is professor of Sacred Scripture at, among other places, the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre.

- Accepted the resignation from the office of librarian and archivist of Holy Roman Church presented by Cardinal Raffaele Farina S.D.B., 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

News Vatican Information Service 06/07-08/2012

SUMMARY:

- THE CHURCH IS COMMITTED TO THE COMMON GOOD IN SRI LANKA

- EUCHARISTIC COMMUNION AND CONTEMPLATION ARE INSEPARABLE

- THE CHURCH IS NOT INDIFFERENT TO SPORT

- AUDIENCES

- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

______________________________________

THE CHURCH IS COMMITTED TO THE COMMON GOOD IN SRI LANKA

Vatican City, 8 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:

"This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Mahinda Rajapaksa, president of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The president subsequently went on to meet with Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"During the cordial discussions the parties illustrated the steps taken to favour socio-economic development, and reconciliation among the communities hit by the long internal conflict which has affected the country. The hope was expressed that a global joint solution may soon be found corresponding to the legitimate expectations of all the parties involved.

"Finally, emphasis was given to to how the Catholic Church - which makes an important contribution to the life of the country with her religious witness and educational, healthcare and social assistance activities - will continue to commit herself to the common good, reciprocal understanding and the integral development of all citizens".

EUCHARISTIC COMMUNION AND CONTEMPLATION ARE INSEPARABLE

Vatican City, 8 June 2012 (VIS) - At 7 p.m. today, Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Benedict XVI celebrated Mass in the basilica of St. John Lateran, then led a Eucharistic procession along Via Merulana to the basilica of St. Mary Major.

During the liturgical celebration, the Pope pronounced a homily in which he focused on the sacredness of the Eucharist, and in particular on the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

"A unilateral interpretation of Vatican Council II has penalised this dimension", the Holy Father explained, "effectively limiting the Eucharist to the moment of celebrating Mass. It is, of course, very important to recognise the importance of celebration, in which the Lord calls His people, bringing them together around the table of the Word and Bread of life, nourishing them and uniting them to Himself in the sacrificial offering. This interpretation of the liturgical gathering, in which the Lord works and achieves His mystery of communion, naturally retains all its validity, but a rightful balance must be restored. ... By concentrating our relationship with the Eucharistic Christ only on Mass we run the risk that the rest of time and space is emptied of His presence. Thus our perception of Jesus' constant, real and close presence among us and with us is diminished".

"It is a mistake to establish a contrast between celebration and adoration, as if they were in competition with one another. The opposite is true. The cult of the Blessed Sacrament represents the spiritual 'environment' within which the community can celebrate the Eucharist correctly and truthfully. Only if preceded, accompanied and followed by this interior attitude of faith and adoration, can liturgical activity express its full meaning and value", the Pope said.

He then went on to explain that, at the moment of adoration, we are all at the same level, "on our knees before the Sacrament of Love. The common and ministerial priesthood come together in the cult of the Eucharist. ... By remaining together in silence before the Lord, present in His Sacrament, we have one of the most authentic experiences of being Church, one that is complementary to our celebration of the Eucharist. ... Communion and contemplation cannot be separated, they go together", and if contemplation is lacking "even sacramental communion can become a superficial gesture on our part".

Turning then to consider the sacredness of the Eucharist, Benedict XVI noted that here too, in the recent past, there has been "some misunderstanding of the authentic message of Holy Scripture. The Christian novelty of worship has been influenced by a certain secularist mentality of the 1960s and 1970s. It is true, and it remains valid, that the centre of worship is no longer in the ancient rites and sacrifices, but in Christ Himself, His person, His life, His Paschal Mystery. Yet this fundamental novelty must not lead us to conclude that the sacred no longer exists".

Christ "did not abolish the sacred but brought it to fulfilment, inaugurating a new worship which is entirely spiritual but which nonetheless, as long as our journey in time continues, still uses signs and rites. These will only fall into disuse at the end, in the celestial Jerusalem where there will be no temple".

Moreover, the Holy Father went on, "the sacred has an educational function. Its disappearance inevitably impoverishes culture, and especially the formation of the new generations. ... Our Father God ... sent His Son into the world, not to abolish the sacred but to bring it to fulfilment. At the culmination of this mission, at the Last Supper, Jesus established the Sacrament of His Body and His Blood, the Memorial of His Paschal Sacrifice. By doing so he put Himself in the place of the ancient sacrifices, but He did so in the context of a rite, which he ordered the Apostles to perpetuate as a supreme sign of the true sacrifice, which is Him. With this faith, ... day after day we celebrate the Eucharistic Mystery, and adore it as the centre of our lives and the heart of the world".

THE CHURCH IS NOT INDIFFERENT TO SPORT

Vatican City, 8 June 2012 (VIS) - Benedict XVI has sent a message to Archbishop Jozef Michalik, president of the Polish Episcopal Conference, for the European Football Championships, which will be held over coming weeks in Poland and Ukraine.

"This sporting event involves not only the organisers, the athletes and the fans but, in various ways, the whole of society", the Pope writes. "The Church cannot remain indifferent to such an event, and in particular to the spiritual needs of the participants".

Benedict XVI quoted words of Blessed John Paul II, who said that "the potentialities of sport make it an important instrument for the overall development of the person, and a useful factor for the construction of a more human society".This is because "the sense of brotherhood, magnanimity, honesty and respect for the body - virtues which are undoubtedly indispensable for every good athlete - contribute to building a civil society where competition replaces antagonism, where agreement replaces conflict and loyal confrontation replaces rancorous opposition".

Pope Benedict goes on: "Team sports such as football are an important way to educate people to respect one another including their adversaries, to show a spirit of personal sacrifice for the good of the entire group, and to respect the gifts of each member of the team; in a word, to overcome the logic of individualism and selfishness which often characterise human dealings, and so leave space for the logic of fraternity and love, the only thing capable of authentically promoting the common good, at all levels".

The Pope concludes his message by encouraging participants in the championships "to work to ensure that this event is experienced as an expression of the most noble human virtues and actions, in a spirit of joy and peace".

AUDIENCES

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

- Eleven prelates of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, on their "ad limina" visit

- Archbishop John Ribat M.S.C. of Port Moresby.

- Bishop Rolando Santos C.M. of Alotau-Sideia.

- Bishop Gilles Cote S.M.M. of Daru-Kiunga.

- Bishop Patrick Taval M.S.C. of Kerema.

- Archbishop Francesco Panfilo S.D.B. of Rabaul.

- Bishop Bernard Unabali of Bougainville.

- Bishop William Fey O.F.M. Cap. of Kimbe.

- Archbishop Adrian Thomas Smith S.M. of Honiara, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop John Doaninoel S.M.

- Bishop Christopher Cardone O.P. of Auki.

- Bishop Luciano Capelli S.D.B. of Gizo.

- Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 8 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Fr. Antonio Manuel Moiteiro Ramos of the clergy of Guarda, Portugal, pastor of the diocesan cathedral, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Braga (area 2,857, population 963,900, Catholics 885,900, priests 507, permanent deacons 8, religious 784), Portugal. The bishop-elect was born in Aldea de Joao Pires, Portugal in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1981. He has been a member of the diocesan secretariat for Christian education, and professor and spiritual director in the local major seminary.

- Msgr. Nelson J. Perez of the clergy of the archdiocese of Philadelphia, U.S.A., pastor of the parish of St. Agnes in West Chester, and Msgr. Robert J. Brennan of the clergy of the diocese of Rockville Centre, U.S.A., vicar general, moderator of the Curia and pastor of the parish of St. Mary of the Isle, as auxiliaries of Rockville Centre (area 3,164, population 3,527,942, Catholics 1,737,498, priests 485, permanent deacons 270, religious 1,241). Bishop-elect Perez was born in Miami, U.S.A. in 1961 and ordained a priest in 1989. He has served in a number of parishes and, among other roles, has worked as director of the Catholic Institute for Evangelisation. Bishop-elect Brennan was born in New York, U.S.A. in 1962 and ordained a priest in 1989. He has worked as a pastor in various parishes and served as private secretary to bishops of Rockville Centre.

On Thursday 7 June it was made pubic that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Cesar Daniel Fernandez, auxiliary of Parana, Argentina, as bishop of Jujuy (area 20,082, population 580,000, Catholics 524,000, priests 68, permanent deacons 7, religious 152), Argentina.

- Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, Australia, presented by Bishop Patrick Percival Power, in accordance with canons 411 and 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

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News Vatican Information Service 06/06/2012

SUMMARY:

- WORLD MEETING IN MILAN: AN EPIPHANY OF THE FAMILY

- PAPAL MESSAGE FOR THE DIAMOND JUBILEE OF ELIZABETH II

- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

- NOTICE

______________________________________

WORLD MEETING IN MILAN: AN EPIPHANY OF THE FAMILY

Vatican City, 6 June 2012 (VIS) - Benedict XVI focused his catechesis during this morning's general audience on his recent trip to Milan, his first pastoral trip as Peter's Successor to that Italian archdiocese where he had participated in the seventh World Meeting of Families.

The Holy Father recalled the first stage of his journey, which had taken him to Piazza del Duomo, heart and symbol of Milan, where he had exhorted the hundreds of thousands gathered to greet him "to live the faith as part of their individual and community experience, their private and public life, so as to create a stable and authentic 'well being' on the basis of the family, which must be rediscovered as mankind's most important heritage".

That evening the Holy Father had attended a concert at the La Scala opera house, in which "the notes of Beethoven's ninth symphony expressed that aspiration to universality and fraternity which the Church tirelessly seeks by announcing the Gospel; a fraternity which bursts forth in the famous 'Hymn to Joy'". At the end of the concert, he said, "I spoke of the contrast between this ideal and the dramatic events of history, and of the need for a God Who is near, Who shares our sufferings, as my thoughts went to so many of our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of the earthquake". Benedict XVI also recalled how he had spoken of the family in the third millennium. "It is in families that we first experience how human beings are not created to live closed in themselves, but in relation with others. It is in the family that the light of peace begins to burn in people's hearts, so as to illuminate our world".

On Saturday, addressing priests, religious, seminarians and Church leaders in the cathedral of Milan, the Pope had reaffirmed "the importance of celibacy and consecrated virginity, which was to dear to the great St. Ambrose. ... These are a luminous sign of love for God and for our brothers and sisters, founded on an increasingly intimate relationship with Christ in prayer and expressed in the total gift of self".

Benedict XVI then went on to recall how, in the stadium of San Siro, he had invited young people who had recently received or were about to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation "to say their free and responsible 'yes' to the Gospel of Jesus, and to welcome the gifts of the Holy Spirit which mould them as Christians and enable them to live the Gospel and to be active members of the community".

During his meeting with representatives of government, industry and the world of culture, the Pope had emphasised the fact that "the legislation and activities of State institutions must always be at the service of individuals, safeguarding them in all aspects, beginning with the right to life which must never be deliberately suppressed, and reconsigning the specific identity of the family founded on marriage between a man and a woman".

At the "Celebration of Witnesses" in Milan's Bresso Park the Holy Father had responded to questions put to him by a number of families. "I wanted to provide a sign of the open dialogue that exists between families and the Church, between the world and the Church", he said to the faithful at his general audience. "I was greatly struck by the moving testimonies of couples and children from different continents on the important issues of our day: the economic crisis, the difficulty in reconciling work and family, the spread of separation and divorce, and existential questions which touch adults, young people and children alike. I wish to recall what I have often said in the past in defence of family time, which is threatened by the imposition of work-related commitments. Sunday is the day of the Lord, the day of man, a day in which everyone must be free, free for the family and free for God. By defending Sunday we defend man's freedom".

At Mass on Sunday 3 June for the close of the seventh World Meeting of Families, also celebrated in Bresso Park which "was transformed into a kind of open-air cathedral", Benedict XVI had launched a "call to build ecclesial communities increasingly similar to families, capable of reflecting the beauty of the Blessed Trinity and of evangelising not just with the word but by irradiation, with the power of a love that is lived, because love is the only power that can transform the world".

More than one million people had attended the gathering in Milan meeting which was, the Holy Father concluded, "an 'epiphany' of the family. Families were present in their many different forms, but also in that unicity which is their fundamental identity: a communion of love founded upon marriage and called to be a shrine of life, a small Church, a cell of society. A message of hope went out from Milan to the whole world, a message backed up by real experience that it is possible and joyful, though demanding, to experience a faithful love 'forever', open to life; it is possible to participate as families in the mission of the Church and in the construction of society. ... May the experience of Milan bring abundant fruits to the Church and favour increased attention to the cause of the family, which is the cause of man and of civilisation".

PAPAL MESSAGE FOR THE DIAMOND JUBILEE OF ELIZABETH II

Vatican City, 6 June 2012 (VIS) - Made public today was a message sent by the Holy Father to Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom who is currently celebrating her Diamond Jubilee (sixty years since she became monarch). The English-language text bears the date of 23 May.

"I write to offer my warmest congratulations to Your Majesty on the happy occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of your reign. During the past sixty years you have offered to your subjects and to the whole world an inspiring example of dedication to duty and a commitment to maintaining the principles of freedom, justice and democracy, in keeping with a noble vision of the role of a Christian monarch.

"I retain warm memories of the gracious welcome accorded to me by Your Majesty at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh at the beginning of my apostolic visit to the United Kingdom in September 2010, and I renew my thanks for the hospitality that I received throughout those four days. Your personal commitment to cooperation and mutual respect between the followers of different religious traditions has contributed in no small measure to improving ecumenical and inter-religious relations throughout your realms.

"Commending Your Majesty and all the royal family to the protection of Almighty God, I renew my heartfelt good wishes on this joyful occasion and I assure you of my prayers for your continuing health and prosperity".

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 6 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Jose Gilson O.F.M. Cap., definitor general of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins in Rome, as bishop of Erexim (area 5,586, population 211,685, Catholics 168,800, priests 64, permanent deacons 15, religious 133), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Ibirama, Brazil in 1957 and ordained a priest in 1988. He has held a number of offices in his order including master of postulants, bursar and minister provincial of Curitiba. He has also worked as professor of ecclesiastical history at the "Studium Theologicum" of Curitiba. He succeeds Bishop Gironimo Zanandrea, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Archbishop Julio Murat, apostolic nuncio to Zambia, also as apostolic nuncio to Malawi.

NOTICE

Vatican City, 6 June 2012 (VIS) - No VIS bulletin will be transmitted tomorrow, Solemnity of Corpus Christi and a holiday in the Vatican. Service will resume on Friday 8 June.

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News Vatican Information Service 06/05/2012

SUMMARY:

- CARDINAL QUEZADA TORUNO WAS A GENEROUS SERVANT OF THE CHURCH

- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

______________________________________

CARDINAL QUEZADA TORUNO WAS A GENEROUS SERVANT OF THE CHURCH

Vatican City, 5 June 2012 (VIS) - Benedict XVI has sent a telegram of condolence to Archbishop Oscar Julio Vian Morales S.D.B. of Guatemala, Guatemala, for the death of Cardinal Rodolfo Ignacio Quezada Toruno, archbishop emeritus of that metropolitan see. Cardinal Quezada Toruno died yesterday at the age of 80.

In the telegram the Pope asks the Lord to grant His peace to a man who "served the Church with such intensity and generosity during his pastoral ministry, as guide of the diocese of Zacapa and prelate of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas, then as archbishop of the metropolitan see of Guatemala.

"With faith in the Paschal Mystery of Christ which illuminates moments of suffering and fills them with hope, and in recollection of a pastor committed to the mission of evangelisation", the Pope concludes, "I am pleased to impart my special apostolic blessing to those mourning such a touching loss".

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 5 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Florian Worner of the clergy of Augsburg, Germany, diocesan director for the pastoral care of young people, as auxiliary of the same diocese (area 13,250, population 2,299,092, Catholics 1,360,575, priests 1020, permanent deacons 153, religious 2,125). The bishop-elect was born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany in 1970 and ordained a priest in 1997. He has served in pastoral care in various parishes and has worked in the "Jugend 2000" youth association. Since 2009 he has also been vicar of the cathedral of Augsburg.

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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 06/04/2012

SUMMARY:

- THE SHIP OF PETER MAY SEEM TO FALTER BUT IT IS LORD WHO GOVERNS THE WORLD

- NOTIFICATION FROM THE CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

- PONTIFICAL LEGATE TO FIFTIETH INTERNATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS IN DUBLIN

______________________________________

THE SHIP OF PETER MAY SEEM TO FALTER BUT IT IS LORD WHO GOVERNS THE WORLD

Vatican City, 4 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father yesterday had lunch with Church leaders in the archbishopric of Milan. He had been staying at the archbishopric during his three-day visit to that northern Italian city for the seventh World Meeting of Families, the closure of which he had presided that morning at an open-air Mass. At the end of the meal the Pope made some brief off-the-cuff remarks.

"I simply want to say thank you for everything I have been able to experience over these days, for this experience of the living Church. If from time to time we may think that the Ship of Peter is at the mercy of ruthless adversaries, it is also true that we see that the Lord is present, He is alive, He truly rose again and holds the government of the world and the heart of mankind in His hand. This experience of the living Church, which lives from the love of God, which lives for the risen Christ has been, let us say, the gift of these days. Thus let us give thanks to the Lord".

NOTIFICATION FROM THE CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

Vatican City, 4 June 2012 (VIS) - The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith today published a "Notification Regarding the Book 'Just Love. A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics' by Sister Margaret A. Farley R.S.M". The document warns the faithful that the work in question "is not in conformity with the teaching of the Church. Consequently it cannot be used as a valid expression of Catholic teaching, either in counselling and formation, or in ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue". The English-language Notification is signed by Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and has been approved by the Holy Father.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith wrote to Sr. Farley in 2010 enclosing a preliminary evaluation of her book and indicating the doctrinal problems it contained, however her answer failed to clarify those issues in a satisfactory manner. The Congregation therefore proceeded to examine the volume following the procedure for "examination in cases of urgency". In June 2011 a commission of experts confirmed that the "book contained erroneous propositions, the dissemination of which risks grave harm to the faithful". Sr. Farley was sent a list of the erroneous propositions and invited to correct them, but her response "did not adequately clarify the grave problems contained in her book" and the Congregation decided to proceed with the publication of this Notification, extracts of which are given below.

"The author does not present a correct understanding of the role of the Church’s Magisterium as the teaching authority of the bishops united with the Successor of Peter, which guides the Church’s ever deeper understanding of the Word of God as found in Holy Scripture. ... In addressing various moral issues, Sr. Farley either ignores the constant teaching of the Magisterium or, where it is occasionally mentioned, treats it as one opinion among others. ... Sr. Farley also manifests a defective understanding of the objective nature of the natural moral law".

"Among the many errors and ambiguities of this book are its positions on masturbation, homosexual acts, homosexual unions, the indissolubility of marriage and the problem of divorce and remarriage".

"Sr. Farley writes: 'Masturbation… usually does not raise any moral questions at all'. ... This statement does not conform to Catholic teaching: “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action. ... For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved".

"Sr. Farley writes: 'My own view ... is that same-sex relationships and activities can be justified according to the same sexual ethic as heterosexual relationships and activities'. ... This opinion is not acceptable. The Catholic Church, in fact, distinguishes between persons with homosexual tendencies and homosexual acts. Concerning persons with homosexual tendencies, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “they must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided” . Concerning homosexual acts, however, the Catechism affirms: “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved”".

"The Church teaches that the respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any way to approval of ... homosexual unions. The common good requires that laws recognise, promote and protect marriage as the basis of the family, the primary unit of society. ... The denial of the social and legal status of marriage to forms of cohabitation that are not and cannot be marital is not opposed to justice; on the contrary, justice requires it".

"Sr. Farley writes: 'My own position is that a marriage commitment is subject to release'. ... This opinion is in contradiction to Catholic teaching on the indissolubility of marriage: “By its very nature conjugal love requires the inviolable fidelity of the spouses. This is the consequence of the gift of themselves which they make to each other. Love seeks to be definitive; it cannot be an arrangement ‘until further notice’. The intimate union of marriage, as a mutual giving of two persons, and the good of the children, demand total fidelity from the spouses and require an unbreakable union between them. ... The Lord Jesus insisted on the original intention of the Creator who willed that marriage be indissoluble. He abrogates the accommodations that had slipped into the old Law".

The Notification also assesses Sr. Farley's opinion that divorced people may remarry, saying: "This view contradicts Catholic teaching that excludes the possibility of remarriage after divorce. ... In fidelity to the words of Jesus Christ, ... the Church maintains that a new union cannot be recognised as valid, if the first marriage was'".

"With this Notification, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith expresses profound regret that a member of an institute of consecrated life, Sr. Margaret A. Farley R.S.M., affirms positions that are in direct contradiction with Catholic teaching in the field of sexual morality. ... Furthermore the Congregation wishes to encourage theologians to pursue the task of studying and teaching moral theology in full concord with the principles of Catholic doctrine".

PONTIFICAL LEGATE TO FIFTIETH INTERNATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS IN DUBLIN

Vatican City, 4 June 2012 (VIS) - Made public on Saturday on 2 June was a letter, written in Latin and dated 14 May, in which Benedict XVI appoints Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, as pontifical legate for the celebration of the fiftieth International Eucharistic Congress, which is due to take place in Dublin, Ireland, from 10 to 17 June.

Cardinal Ouellet will be accompanied on his mission by Fr. Gearoid Dullea, executive secretary of the Irish Episcopal Conference; Msgr. Cirian O'Carroll, rector of the Pontifical Irish College in Rome, and Msgr. Samuele Sangalli, official of the Congregation for Bishops.

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