SUMMARY:
- GOD IS
CAPABLE OF MULTIPLYING OUR GESTURES OF LOVE
- SYRIA
AND IRAQ: SPARE NO EFFORTS IN SEEKING PEACE AND RECONCILIATION
- PAPAL,
HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS FOR JANUARY - APRIL 2012
- OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
GOD IS
CAPABLE OF MULTIPLYING OUR GESTURES OF LOVE
Vatican
City, 29 July 2012 (VIS) - The miracle of the multiplication of the
loaves and fishes and its association with the Eucharist, and the
importance of sharing our possessions, were the central themes of the
Pope's remarks before praying the Angelus today with faithful
gathered in the internal courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at
Castelgandolfo.
In the
narrative of feeding the five thousand as recounted in today's
Gospel, "the emphasis on the topic of 'bread' which is shared,
and on giving thanks, are references to the Eucharist", the Holy
Father explained. The narrative also mentions a boy who, seeing the
difficulty in feeding so many people, shared the little he had: five
loaves and two fish. Thus "the miracle did not come from
nowhere, it came from an ordinary boy's desire to share what he had.
Jesus does not ask us what we do not possess, but shows us that if
each of us offers the little we have, a miracle can always happen.
God is able to multiply every one of our small deeds of love and make
us share in His gift".
In this
episode "the crowds were struck by wonder. They saw Jesus as a
new Moses, worthy of power, and the new manna as a guarantee for the
future. But they stopped at the material aspect, at what they ate,
while the Lord, realising 'they were about to come and take him by
force to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself'.
Jesus is not an earthly king who rules, but a king who serves, who
bends to man's level to meet not only his material hunger, but his
deeper hunger, his hunger for guidance, meaning and truth, his hunger
for God".
"Let
us ask the Lord to help us rediscover the importance of nourishing
ourselves not only with bread, but with truth, love, Christ, the body
of Christ. ... At the same time, we wish to pray that no one may lack
the bread necessary for a dignified life, and that all inequalities
be removed, not through weapons and violence, but through sharing and
love".
SYRIA
AND IRAQ: SPARE NO EFFORTS IN SEEKING PEACE AND RECONCILIATION
Vatican
City, 29 July 2012 (VIS) - "I am continuing to follow with
concern the tragic and increasing violence in Syria, with its
depressing sequence of deaths and injuries, also among civilians, and
huge numbers of internally displaced persons and refugees in
neighbouring States", said the Pope after praying the Angelus.
"I therefore ask that the necessary humanitarian assistance and
aid be guaranteed. In renewing the expression of my closeness to the
suffering people, and my recollection of them in my prayers, I renew
my appeal for all violence and bloodshed to end. I ask God to give
wisdom of heart, especially to those in positions of greatest
responsibility, so that no effort many be spared in the search for
peace, also on the part of the international community, through
dialogue and reconciliation, with a view to finding an adequate
political solution to the conflict.
"My
thoughts also go", he added, "to the dear nation of Iraq
which has recently suffered numerous serious attacks that have left
many dead and injured. May that great country discover the path to
stability, reconciliation and peace".
Benedict
XVI also turned his attention to the ILVA steelworks in the Italian
city of Taranto, which may soon be forced to close due to problems
associated with the emission of toxic waste. "I wish to express
my closeness to the workers and their families, who are experiencing
this difficult time with great apprehension", he said. "While
giving assurances of the prayers and support of the Church, I exhort
everyone to show a sense of responsibility, and I encourage national
and local institutions to make every effort to reach an equitable
solution to the issue, one which protects both the right to health
and the right to work, especially at this time of economic crisis".
PAPAL,
HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS FOR JANUARY - APRIL 2012
Vatican
City, 30 July 2012 (VIS) - Following are highlights of the activities
of Pope Benedict XVI and of the Holy See for the months of January to
April 2012. Another summary, covering the period from May to July,
will be published tomorrow.
JANUARY
1:
Benedict XVI presides at a Eucharistic celebration for the Solemnity
of Mary Mother of God, and for the forty-third World Day of Peace
which has as its theme this year: "Educating Young People in
Justice and Peace".
3:
Publication of the Holy Father's Message for the World Day of the
Sick, to be held on 11 February, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. The
message, dated from the Vatican on 20 November 2011, Solemnity of our
Lord Jesus Christ Universal King, is entitled: "Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you".
14: The
Holy Father receives in audience Mario Monti, prime minister of the
Republic of Italy.
19: The
Holy Father receives a group of prelates from the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops (Regions 4 and 6), at the end of their
"ad limina" visit.
20: The
Pontifical Council for the Laity publishes a decree approving the
celebrations contained in the Catechetical Directory of the
Neo-Catechumenal Way. The decree, dated 8 January, Feast of the
Baptism of the Lord, bears the signatures of Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko
and Bishop Josef Clemens, respectively president and secretary of the
council.
24:
Presentation of Benedict XVI's Message for the forty-sixth World Day
of Social Communications, entitled: "Silence and Word: Path of
Evangelisation".
25: The
Holy See, acting also in the name and on behalf of Vatican City
State, adheres to the International Convention for the Suppression of
the Financing of Terrorism (New York, 1999) and to the United Nations
Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime (Palermo, 2000). On
the same date the Holy See ratifies, likewise in the name and on
behalf of Vatican City State, the United Nations Convention against
Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
(Vienna, 1988), which it had already signed in the year in which it
was adopted.
31:
Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, former archbishop of Philadelphia,
U.S.A., dies at the age of 88.
FEBRUARY
6: The
Pope receives Laurence Argimon-Pistre, head of the delegation of the
European Union, for the presentation of her Letters of Credence.
7:
International symposium entitled "Towards Healing and Renewal"
bringing together bishops and religious superiors from all over the
world with the aim of relaunching the Church's commitment to
protecting minors and vulnerable people from child abuse.
7:
Publication of the 2012 Lenten Message of the Holy Father Benedict
XVI, the title of which is taken from the Letter to the Hebrews: "Let
us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good
works".
13:
Publication of the Pope's Message for the forth-ninth World Day of
Prayer for Vocations. The Day is due to be celebrated on 29 April on
the theme: "Vocations, the Gift of the Love of God".
14:
Official visit to the Vatican of a delegation of ministers from the
United Kingdom to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment
of full diplomatic relations with the Holy See.
16: The
Pope receives Budiarman Barar, the new ambassador of Indonesia to the
Holy See, for the presentation of his Letters of Credence.
16: The
Pope receives Daniel Edgardo Ramada Piendibene, the new ambassador of
Uruguay to the Holy See, for the presentation of his Letters of
Credence.
18:
Benedict XVI celebrates the fourth ordinary public consistory of his
pontificate, during which he creates twenty-two new cardinals.
24: The
Holy Father receives in audience His Majesty Siaosi Tupou V, King of
Tonga.
29:
Inauguration of an exhibition entitled "'Lux in Arcana' - the
Vatican Secret Archives unveiled", organised to mark the fourth
centenary of the foundation of the Archives.
MARCH
4:
Benedict XVI visits the Roman parish of "San Giovanni Battista
de La Salle al Torrino".
9:
Cardinal Jose T. Sanchez, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for
the Clergy, dies at the age of 91.
9: The
Holy Father receives a group of prelates from the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops, at the end of their "ad limina"
visit.
10: The
Holy Father presides at Vespers in the Roman monastery of San
Gregorio al Celio, to mark the visit to Rome of His Grace Rowan
Williams, archbishop of Canterbury and primate of the Anglican
Communion.
14:
Presentation, in the German embassy to the Holy See, of a work by
Joseph Ratzinger: "The People and the House of God in
Augustine's Doctrine of the Church". The book, the Pope's
doctoral thesis from 1953, is part of a series of sixteen volumes
which aims to bring together all Joseph Ratzinger's theological works
up to the time of his election to the papal throne in 2005.
16: The
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith opens a new domain within
the official website of the Holy See, to facilitate the consultation
of its documents which, having the express approbation of the Holy
Father, participate in his ordinary Magisterium as Peter's Successor.
23-28:
The Holy Father makes an apostolic trip to Mexico and Cuba.
APRIL
7: His
Beatitude Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect emeritus of the
Congregation for Oriental Churches and patriarch emeritus of Antioch
of the Syrians, dies in Rome at the age of 82.
10:
Cardinal Luis Aponte Martinez, archbishop emeritus of San Juan de
Puerto Rico, dies at the age of 89.
14:
Benedict XVI sends a message to Bishop Stephan Ackermann of Trier,
Germany, for the fifth centenary of the first public display of the
"Heiliger Rock", said to be the Holy Robe which Jesus wore
before His crucifixion.
19: On
this seventh anniversary of the election of the Holy Father Benedict
XVI, the new www.vatican.va widget becomes available to users of the
Internet.
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 30 July 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted:
- The
resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of
Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, presented by Bishop Paul Friedrich
Wehrle, in accordance with canons 411 and 401 para. 2 of the Code of
Canon Law.
- The
resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Magangue,
Colombia, presented by Bishop Jorge Leonardo Gomez Serna O.P., in
accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
On
Saturday 28 July it was made public that the Holy Father appointed:
-
Cardinal Santos Abril y Castello, archpriest of the papal basilica of
St. Mary Major in Rome, as his special envoy to celebrations marking
the 950th anniversary of the diocese of Sape, Albania, due to take
place on 29 September.
- Fr.
Edoardo Aldo Cerrato C.O., procurator general of the Congregation of
the Oratory and superior of the Oratorian House in Rome, as bishop of
Ivrea (area 1,850, population 213,200, Catholics 208,000, priests
139, permanent deacons 17, religious 242), Italy. The bishop-elect
was born in Turin, Italy in 1949 and ordained a priest in 1975. Among
other things he has worked in pastoral ministry, as preacher during
spiritual exercises and retreats for lay people and religious, and as
a professor in various institutions.
- As
members of the Congregation for Bishops: Archbishop Pier Luigi
Celata, vice chamberlain of Holy Roman Church, and Archbishop Zygmunt
Zimowski, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral
Care.
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