SUMMARY:
-
ANGELUS: THE RICH MUST ENTER INTO THE LOGIC OF GOD
-
RELIGION REMINDS SOCIETY OF OBJECTIVE MORAL NORMS
- DURING
THE SYNOD WE AND OUR CONTEMPORARIES JOURNEY TOGETHER
-
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND EQUATORIAL GUINEA
- OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
ANGELUS:
THE RICH MUST ENTER INTO THE LOGIC OF GOD
Vatican
City, 14 October 2012 (VIS) - "God can conquer the heart of a
person with many possessions and lead him towards solidarity and
sharing with the poor and needy, so that he can enter into the logic
of giving", said the Pope commenting on today's Gospel reading
which narrates Jesus' meeting with a rich young man.
"Jesus
teaches that it is very difficult but not impossible for a rich
person to enter the kingdom of God", said the Holy Father in his
remarks before praying the Angelus. "Indeed, through the 'the
logic of giving', a person may follow the path of Jesus Christ Who,
as the Apostle Paul wrote, 'for your sake ... became poor although he
was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich'".
Benedict
XVI went on to remind faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square that
the young man in question had scrupulously observed all the
commandments of God's Law, but "had not found true happiness.
For this reason, he asked Jesus 'what must I do to inherit eternal
life?' On the one hand he was attracted, like everyone else, to the
fullness of life; on the other, being used to his wealth, he thought
he could somehow 'buy' eternal life, perhaps by observing some
special commandment".
Christ
was aware of the man's desires but also of his weakness, "his
sense of attachment to his great riches". Therefore He suggested
giving everything to the poor so that "his treasure - and
therefore his heart - should be in heaven and not on earth. Jesus
told the man: 'Come, follow me!' However, instead of welcoming Jesus'
invitation with joy, he went away sadly because he could not give up
his possessions, which could never give him happiness and eternal
life".
It was at
this point that Jesus pronounced the famous phrase: "It is
easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one
who is rich to enter the kingdom of God". However, seeing His
disciples' perplexity he added: "For human beings it is
impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God".
Commenting on this parable, St. Clement of Alexandria wrote: "Let
it teach the prosperous that they are not to neglect their own
salvation, as if they had been already condemned, nor, on the other
hand, to cast wealth into the sea, or condemn it as a traitor and an
enemy to life, but learn in what way and how to use wealth and obtain
life".
"The
history of the Church", the Pope concluded, "is full of
examples of rich people who have used their wealth evangelically,
even attaining sainthood. Suffice to mention St. Francis, St.
Elisabeth of Hungary and St. Charles Borromeo".
After
praying the Angelus the Pope mentioned yesterday's beatification in
Prague, Czech Republic, of Frederic Bachstein and thirteen companions
of the Order of Friars Minor, who died for their faith in 1611. "They
are the first blesseds of the Year of Faith, and martyrs", he
said. "They remind us that believing in Christ also means being
ready to suffer with Him and for Him".
Finally,
the Holy Father concluded by noting that "today Poland and
Polish parishes throughout the world are celebrating the 'Day of the
Pope', with the theme: 'John Paul II - the Pope of the Family'. ...
It is my hope that all Polish families may burn with the living flame
of faith, goodness and evangelical love".
RELIGION
REMINDS SOCIETY OF OBJECTIVE MORAL NORMS
Vatican
City, 15 October 2012 (VIS) - On 14 October, Fr. Miguel Angel Ayuso
Guixot M.C.C.J., secretary of the Pontifical Council for
Inter-religious Dialogue, addressed the Istanbul World Forum,
dedicated to the theme: "Justice and the Construction of a New
Global Order". In his remarks during the meeting, which took
place from 13 to 14 October, Fr. Ayuso examined the essential
contribution that social justice and religious freedom make to peace,
and the indispensable role religions have in promoting peace and
justice in global society.
"Religion",
said Fr. Ayuso speaking English, "has a role in contributing to
the national conversation of any given society. That conversation
needs to engage with all the complexities that societies face in the
modem world. Concepts such as 'justice' and 'social justice' are an
integral part of that conversation. Thus, we ask ourselves, what is
the contribution of religion to the national conversation about
'justice' and 'social justice'? Justice is a divine attribute, and
religious teaching certainly contributes to the reflection on the
right ordering of relationships, in other words, social justice.
Catholic tradition, however, maintains that justice is accessible by
means of human reason, to all men and women of goodwill, both
religious and non religious".
"Both
believer and non believer can subscribe to the innate dignity of the
human person, and agree that such dignity is the reason for the
inalienable rights of each individual, the protection of which is the
objective of justice. ... These rights are antecedent and independent
of the State, and the measure of the justice of the State is the
extent by which it respects and vindicates these antecedent rights,
for justice requires that all persons should be left in the free
enjoyment of their rights. ... When the State fails to administer
justice or, indeed, acts unjustly, it no longer has any moral
authority or legitimacy. This implies that the State is subject to
judgement, that it does not have absolute power, that it can, and
indeed, must be held to account. Our question is, therefore, who or
what can hold the State to account, to ensure that it acts justly?
The question is not political but moral, although the answer will
require political choices".
"Since
the ultimate question is moral in nature then it follows that the
hallmark of a civil and just society is the proper and due space
afforded to religion, which has a unique contribution in being the
voice for the voiceless, a voice for the downtrodden, a voice for the
oppressed, a voice for the persecuted, a prophetic voice calling all
to act in peace and justice. Religion calls forth the conscience of
society to act genuinely in favour of the common good. Religion,
therefore, has a role in political debate, not in providing concrete
political solutions, which lies outside the competence of religion,
but to recall to society the objective moral norms at the basis of
justice and the just society".
DURING
THE SYNOD WE AND OUR CONTEMPORARIES JOURNEY TOGETHER
Vatican
City, 13 October 2012 (VIS) - Before lunching yesterday with Synod
Fathers, the Council Fathers of Vatican II and presidents of the
world's episcopal conferences, Benedict XVI greeted those present
with some brief remarks.
"It
was a fine tradition begun by Blessed Pope John Paul II to include a
communal luncheon as part of the Synod. And it is a great honour for
me to be sitting between His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew I of
Constantinople and Archbishop Rowan Williams from the Anglican
Communion", the Holy Father said.
He
continued: "For me this communion is a sign that we are on the
journey towards unity and that we are progressing in our hearts; the
Lord will help is to progress externally too. This joy, I believe,
also gives us strength in the mandate to evangelise. 'Synodos' means
'shared journey', 'journeying together', and thus the word 'synodus'
makes me think of the famous journey the Lord made with the two
disciples of Emmaus who, to some extent, represent today's agnostic
world. Jesus, their hope, had died; the world was empty; it truly
seemed either that God did not exist or that He was not interested in
us. With this desperation in their hearts and, nonetheless, with a
small flame of faith, they walked on. The Lord walked mysteriously
with them, and helped them to a better understanding of the mystery
of God, of His presence in history, of his silent presence at our
side. In the end, at dinner, when the words of the Lord had inflamed
their hearts and illuminated their minds, they recognised Him and
finally their hearts began to see.
"In
the same way, during the Synod we and our contemporaries journey
together", the Pope added. "We pray to the Lord to
enlighten us, to inflame our hearts that they might see, to
illuminate our minds. And we pray that, at dinner, at Eucharistic
communion, we may truly be opened and see Him, and thus inflame our
world with His light".
AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Vatican
City, 13 October 2012 (VIS) - The Holy See and the Republic of
Equatorial Guinea today signed an agreement regulating relations
between the Catholic Church and the State. The signing ceremony took
place in the city of Mongomo in the presence of Teodoro Obiang Nguema
Mbasogo, president of Equatorial Guinea, and many other leading
government figures.
The
Agreement was signed on the part of the Holy See by Archbishop Piero
Pioppo, apostolic nuncio to the country and, on the part of
Equatorial Guinea, by Agapito Mba Mokuy, foreign minister.
The
Agreement, which is made up of nineteen articles and an additional
protocol, will come into effect with the exchange of the instruments
of ratification.
"Within
the context of the independence and autonomy of Church and State, and
in order to further their shared desire to collaborate", reads
an explanatory note released today, the Agreement "establishes a
juridical framework for reciprocal relations recognising, in
particular, the juridical status of the Church and her institutions.
The Agreement also covers canonical marriage, places of worship,
educational institutions, and spiritual assistance to Catholic
faithful in hospitals and prisons".
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 15 October 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the
resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of
Duitama-Sogamoso, Colombia, presented by Bishop Carlos Prada
Sanmiguel, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon
Law.
On
Saturday 13 October it was made public that the Pope appointed
Cardinal Gaudencio B. Rosales, archbishop emeritus of Manila,
Philippines, as his special envoy to the tenth plenary assembly of
FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences). The event is to be
held at the Xuan Loc Diocese Pastoral Centre from 19 to 25 November,
and the concluding ceremony will take place in the cathedral of Ho
Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
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