SUMMARY:
-
PRODUCTIVE EXCHANGE OF VIEWS BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND CROATIA
- CHURCH
PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE INTEGRATION OF MIGRANTS
- PAPAL
MESSAGE FOR THE WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
- NEW
EVANGELISATION APPLIES TO THE WHOLE OF CHURCH LIFE
- THE
SYNOD IS A REDISCOVERY OF THE BEAUTY OF BEING CHURCH
- THE
CHURCH IS NOT JUST OF ONE CONTINENT BUT UNIVERSAL
-
DECLARATION OF THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION "ECCLESIA DEI"
-
AUDIENCES
- OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
PRODUCTIVE
EXCHANGE OF VIEWS BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND CROATIA
Vatican
City, 29 October 2012 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father Benedict
XVI received in audience Zoran Milanovic, prime minister of the
Republic of Croatia. The prime minister subsequently went on to meet
with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was
accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations
with States.
The
cordial discussions enabled a productive exchange of opinions on the
challenges the country finds itself having to face during the current
economic crisis, as well as on issues of mutual interest within the
framework of bilateral relations. On this subject, mention was made
of a conference to be held this afternoon marking the twentieth
anniversary of diplomatic relations. As regards the well-known case
of Dajla, the two parties agreed to resolve the question as soon as
possible, in the spirit of traditional friendship between the Holy
See and the Republic of Croatia.
Finally,
the Holy See reiterated its support for Croatia's legitimate
aspirations to full European integration, and consideration was given
to the regional situation, with particular reference to the situation
of Croatians in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
CHURCH
PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE INTEGRATION OF MIGRANTS
Vatican
City, 29 October 2012 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press
Office Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio and Archbishop Joseph
Kalathiparambil, respectively president and secretary of the
Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant
Peoples, presented the Pope's Message for the ninety-ninth World Day
of Migrants and Refugees, which falls on 13 January 2013 and will
have as its theme: "Migrations: Pilgrimage of Faith and Hope".
"Today
the phenomenon of migration is striking for the vast number of people
involved", said Cardinal Veglio. "Suffice it, for example,
to read the International Organisation for Migration's World
Migration Report 2011, which estimates a total of 214 million
international migrants". To these must be added internally
displaced persons, who numbered around 740 million in 2010. "Adding
the two figures together, we see that nearly one billion human
beings, a seventh of the global population, is today experiencing
some form of migration", the cardinal said.
"On
their existential pilgrimage towards a better future, migrants carry
with them feelings of faith and hope, even if they are not yet aware
exactly what they are searching for. To say that they are trying only
to improve their economic or social situation would be to over
simplify the issue. ... It is true that not all migrants - even if
they have a profound faith that, in migrating, God will be at their
side - consider their journey as a movement towards God; i.e., a
journey animated by faith. Nonetheless, it is precisely the people
who do not yet know that they can discover God Who stretches out his
hand to them, who may experience (and especially in countries of
ancient Christian tradition) the genuine goodness of many ecclesial
institutions who welcome and help them.
"It
is, in fact, here in the immense context of migration", the
president of the pontifical council added, "that the Church is
called to show her maternal solicitude without distinction. In his
message, the Holy Father identifies two channels for activity, which
are not parallel but complementary. On the one hand is the more
tangible element which, we could say, is more easily identifiable by
the mass media and takes form in 'the creation of programmes aimed at
meeting emergencies'. ... This is the most immediate form of
attention. ... The second element, more laborious and less 'media
friendly' because it often requires a change of mentality, is: ...
supporting and accompanying the integration of migrants into their
new socio-cultural surroundings".
Cardinal
Veglio then went on to point out that the message for this World Day
is being presented soon after the Pope's journey to Lebanon. "Thus",
he said, "our gaze can turn specifically to the countries of the
Middle East where the presence of Christian migrants, among believers
of other religions, has a significant role in creating the very
special identity of that region. ... And this is true not only of the
Middle East, but of the entire world. The phenomenon of migration
obliges us to encounter different lifestyles and different cultures,
stimulating the creation of new relationships".
"The
Church plays an important role in the process of integration",
the cardinal concluded. "She does this by accentuating the
centrality and dignity of the person, emphasising the protection of
minorities and appreciation for their cultures; the contribution of
migration to universal peace; the ecclesial and missionary dimension
of migration, and the importance of dialogue and encounter within
civil society, the ecclesial community and different confessions and
religions. Moreover, in her efforts to resolve the human, social and
religious problems of emigration, the Church does not fail to give
this increasingly significant phenomenon a distinctly humanist and
Christian imprint".
Archbishop
Kalathiparambil focused his remarks on the issue of refugees,
highlighting the growing difficulties they face in seeking asylum. He
made particular mention of the restrictive measures imposed by
certain States "to hinder access to their territories",
such as "the requirement of visas, sanctions applied to
transporters, and lists of safe countries of origin. These measures",
he said, "have encouraged the activities of smugglers and
traffickers, and led to dangerous sea crossings during which far too
many human lives have already been lost".
The
archbishop went on: "All this comes about despite the
international community's obligation to protect refugees and asylum
seekers, out of respect for the Declaration and the spirit of human
rights, refugees' rights and international humanitarian law. Access
to requesting asylum comes first and foremost; this also includes
such primary needs as food, shelter, clothing and medical assistance,
but also the right to work and free movement. It cannot be over
emphasised that asylum seekers find themselves having to travel
beyond the frontiers of their own countries, and it is their right
not to possess valid travel or identity documents".
PAPAL
MESSAGE FOR THE WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
Vatican
City, 29 October 2012 (VIS) - "Migrations: Pilgrimage of Faith
and Hope" is the theme chosen by the Holy Father for the World
Day of Migrants and Refugees, which is celebrated every year on 13
January. The text of the English-language version of the Message,
given below, is dated from the Vatican, 12 October 2012.
"The
Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, in the Pastoral Constitution
'Gaudium et Spes', recalled that 'the Church goes forward together
with humanity'; therefore 'the joys and the hopes, the grief and
anguish of the people of our time, especially of those who are poor
or afflicted, are the joys and hopes, grief and anguish of the
followers of Christ as well. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to
raise an echo in their hearts'. The Servant of God Paul VI echoed
these words when he called the Church an 'expert in humanity' , as
did Blessed John Paul II when he stated that the human person is 'the
primary route that the Church must travel in fulfilling her
mission... the way traced out by Christ himself'. In the footsteps of
my predecessors, I sought to emphasise in my Encyclical 'Caritas in
Veritate' that 'the whole Church, in all her being and acting - when
she proclaims, when she celebrates, when she performs works of
charity - is engaged in promoting integral human development'. I was
thinking also of the millions of men and women who, for various
reasons, have known the experience of migration. Migration is in fact
'a striking phenomenon because of the sheer numbers of people
involved, the social, economic, political, cultural and religious
problems it raises, and the dramatic challenges it poses to nations
and the international community', for 'every migrant is a human
person who, as such, possesses fundamental, inalienable rights that
must be respected by everyone and in every circumstance'.
"For
this reason, I have chosen to dedicate the 2013 World Day of Migrants
and Refugees to the theme 'Migrations: pilgrimage of faith and hope',
in conjunction with the celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary
of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and the
sixtieth anniversary of the promulgation of the Apostolic
Constitution 'Exsul Familia', and at a time when the whole Church is
celebrating the Year of Faith, taking up with enthusiasm the
challenge of the new evangelisation.
"Faith
and hope are inseparable in the hearts of many migrants, who deeply
desire a better life and not infrequently try to leave behind the
'hopelessness' of an unpromising future. During their journey many of
them are sustained by the deep trust that God never abandons his
children; this certainty makes the pain of their uprooting and
separation more tolerable and even gives them the hope of eventually
returning to their country of origin. Faith and hope are often among
the possessions which emigrants carry with them, knowing that with
them, 'we can face our present: the present, even if it is arduous,
can be lived and accepted if it leads towards a goal, if we can be
sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the
effort of the journey'.
"In
the vast sector of migration, the Church shows her maternal concern
in a variety of ways. On the one hand, she witnesses the immense
poverty and suffering entailed in migration, leading often to painful
and tragic situations. This inspires the creation of programmes aimed
at meeting emergencies through the generous help of individuals and
groups, volunteer associations and movements, parochial and diocesan
organisations in cooperation with all people of good will. The Church
also works to highlight the positive aspects, the potential and the
resources which migrations offer. Along these lines, programmes and
centres of welcome have been established to help and sustain the full
integration of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees into a new
social and cultural context, without neglecting the religious
dimension, fundamental for every person’s life. Indeed, it is to
this dimension that the Church, by virtue of the mission entrusted to
her by Christ, must devote special attention and care: this is her
most important and specific task. For Christians coming from various
parts of the world, attention to the religious dimension also entails
ecumenical dialogue and the care of new communities, while for the
Catholic faithful it involves, among other things, establishing new
pastoral structures and showing esteem for the various rites, so as
to foster full participation in the life of the local ecclesial
community. Human promotion goes side by side with spiritual
communion, which opens the way 'to an authentic and renewed
conversion to the Lord, the only Saviour of the world'. The Church
always offers a precious gift when she guides people to an encounter
with Christ, which opens the way to a stable and trustworthy hope.
"Where
migrants and refugees are concerned, the Church and her various
agencies ought to avoid offering charitable services alone; they are
also called to promote real integration in a society where all are
active members and responsible for one another’s welfare,
generously offering a creative contribution and rightfully sharing in
the same rights and duties. Emigrants bring with them a sense of
trust and hope which has inspired and sustained their search for
better opportunities in life. Yet they do not seek simply to improve
their financial, social and political condition. It is true that the
experience of migration often begins in fear, especially when
persecutions and violence are its cause, and in the trauma of having
to leave behind family and possessions which had in some way ensured
survival. But suffering, great losses and at times a sense of
disorientation before an uncertain future do not destroy the dream of
being able to build, with hope and courage, a new life in a new
country. Indeed, migrants trust that they will encounter acceptance,
solidarity and help, that they will meet people who sympathise with
the distress and tragedy experienced by others, recognise the values
and resources the latter have to offer, and are open to sharing
humanly and materially with the needy and disadvantaged. It is
important to realise that 'the reality of human solidarity, which is
a benefit for us, also imposes a duty'. Migrants and refugees can
experience, along with difficulties, new, welcoming relationships
which enable them to enrich their new countries with their
professional skills, their social and cultural heritage and, not
infrequently, their witness of faith, which can bring new energy and
life to communities of ancient Christian tradition, and invite others
to encounter Christ and to come to know the Church.
"Certainly
every state has the right to regulate migration and to enact policies
dictated by the general requirements of the common good, albeit
always in safeguarding respect for the dignity of each human person.
The right of persons to migrate - as the Council’s Constitution
'Gaudium et Spes', No. 65, recalled - is numbered among the
fundamental human rights, allowing persons to settle wherever they
consider best for the realisation of their abilities, aspirations and
plans. In the current social and political context, however, even
before the right to migrate, there is need to reaffirm the right not
to emigrate, that is, to remain in one’s homeland; as Blessed John
Paul II stated: 'It is a basic human right to live in one’s own
country. However this rights become effective only if the factors
that urge people to emigrate are constantly kept under control'.
Today in fact we can see that many migrations are the result of
economic instability, the lack of essential goods, natural disasters,
wars and social unrest. Instead of a pilgrimage filled with trust,
faith and hope, migration then becomes an ordeal undertaken for the
sake of survival, where men and women appear more as victims than as
agents responsible for the decision to migrate. As a result, while
some migrants attain a satisfactory social status and a dignified
level of life through proper integration into their new social
setting, many others are living at the margins, frequently exploited
and deprived of their fundamental rights, or engaged in forms of
behaviour harmful to their host society. The process of integration
entails rights and duties, attention and concern for the dignified
existence of migrants; it also calls for attention on the part of
migrants to the values offered by the society to which they now
belong.
"In
this regard, we must not overlook the question of irregular
migration, an issue all the more pressing when it takes the form of
human trafficking and exploitation, particularly of women and
children. These crimes must be clearly condemned and prosecuted,
while an orderly migration policy which does not end up in a hermetic
sealing of borders, more severe sanctions against irregular migrants
and the adoption of measures meant to discourage new entries, could
at least limit for many migrants the danger of falling prey to such
forms of human trafficking. There is an urgent need for structured
multilateral interventions for the development of the countries of
departure, effective countermeasures aimed at eliminating human
trafficking, comprehensive programmes regulating legal entry, and a
greater openness to considering individual cases calling for
humanitarian protection more than political asylum. In addition to
suitable legislation, there is a need for a patient and persevering
effort to form minds and consciences. In all this, it is important to
strengthen and develop understanding and cooperation between
ecclesial and other institutions devoted to promoting the integral
development of the human person. In the Christian vision, social and
humanitarian commitment draws its strength from fidelity to the
Gospel, in the knowledge that 'to follow Christ, the perfect man, is
to become more human oneself'.
"Dear
brothers and sisters who yourselves are migrants, may this World Day
help you renew your trust and hope in the Lord who is always at our
side! Take every opportunity to encounter him and to see his face in
the acts of kindness you receive during your pilgrimage of migration.
Rejoice, for the Lord is near, and with him you will be able to
overcome obstacles and difficulties, treasuring the experiences of
openness and acceptance that many people offer you. For 'life is like
a voyage on the sea of history, often dark and stormy, a voyage in
which we watch for the stars that indicate the route. The true stars
of our life are the people who have lived good lives. They are lights
of hope. Certainly, Jesus Christ is the true light, the sun that has
risen above all the shadows of history. But to reach him we also need
lights close by – people who shine with his light and so guide us
along our way'.
"I
entrust each of you to the Blessed Virgin Mary, sign of sure hope and
consolation, our 'guiding star', who with her maternal presence is
close to us at every moment of our life. To all I affectionately
impart my Apostolic Blessing".
NEW
EVANGELISATION APPLIES TO THE WHOLE OF CHURCH LIFE
Vatican
City, 28 October 2012 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican Basilica,
Benedict XVI presided at a celebration of the Eucharist with Synod
Fathers for the closure of the thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly
of the Synod of Bishops, which began on 7 October and has been
examining the theme: "The New Evangelisation for the
Transmission of the Christian Faith". Extracts from the Holy
Father's homily are given below.
"The
whole of Mark’s Gospel is a journey of faith, which develops
gradually under Jesus’ tutelage. The disciples are the first actors
on this journey of discovery, but there are also other characters who
play an important role, and Bartimaeus is one of them. His is the
last miraculous healing that Jesus performs before His passion, and
it is no accident that it should be that of a blind person, someone
whose eyes have lost the light. We know from other texts too that the
state of blindness has great significance in the Gospels. It
represents man who needs God’s light, the light of faith, if he is
to know reality truly and to walk the path of life. It is essential
to acknowledge one’s blindness, one’s need for this light,
otherwise one could remain blind for ever.
"Bartimaeus,
then, at that strategic point of Mark’s account, is presented as a
model. He was not blind from birth, but lost his sight. He represents
man who has lost the light and knows it, but has not lost hope: he
knows how to seize the opportunity to encounter Jesus and he entrusts
himself to Him for healing. ... And when Jesus calls him and asks
what he wants from Him, he replies: 'Master, let me receive my
sight!' ... In the encounter with Christ, lived with faith,
Bartimaeus regains the light he had lost, and with it the fullness of
his dignity: he gets back onto his feet and resumes the journey,
which from that moment has a guide, Jesus, and a path, the same that
Jesus is travelling".
"St.
Augustine, in one of his writings, makes a striking comment. ...
'Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, had fallen from some position of
great prosperity, and was now regarded as an object of the most
notorious and the most remarkable wretchedness, because, in addition
to being blind, he had also to sit begging'. ... This interpretation
... invites us to reflect on the fact that our lives contain precious
riches that we can lose, and I am not speaking of material riches.
From this perspective, Bartimaeus could represent those who live in
regions that were evangelised long ago, where the light of faith has
grown dim and people have drifted away from God, no longer
considering Him relevant for their lives. These people have therefore
lost a precious treasure, they have “fallen” from a lofty dignity
- not financially or in terms of earthly power, but in a Christian
sense - their lives have lost a secure and sound direction and they
have become, often unconsciously, beggars for the meaning of
existence. They are the many in need of a new evangelisation, that
is, a new encounter with Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, Who can
open their eyes afresh and teach them the path".
"The
new evangelisation applies to the whole of Church life. ... I would
like here to highlight three pastoral themes that have emerged from
the Synod. The first concerns the Sacraments of Christian initiation.
It has been reaffirmed that appropriate catechesis must accompany
preparation for Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. The importance
of Confession, the Sacrament of God’s mercy, has also been
emphasised. ... In fact it has often been said that the real
protagonists of the new evangelisation are the saints: they speak a
language intelligible to all through the example of their lives and
their works of charity.
"Secondly,
the new evangelisation is essentially linked to the 'Missio ad
Gentes'. The Church’s task is to evangelise, to proclaim the
message of salvation to those who do not yet know Jesus Christ.
During the Synod, it was emphasised that there are still many regions
in Africa, Asia and Oceania whose inhabitants await with lively
expectation, sometimes without being fully aware of it, the first
proclamation of the Gospel. So we must ask the Holy Spirit to arouse
in the Church a new missionary dynamism, whose protagonists are, in
particular, pastoral workers and the lay faithful".
"A
third aspect concerns the baptised whose lives do not reflect the
demands of Baptism. ... Such people are found in all continents,
especially in the most secularised countries. The Church is
particularly concerned that they should encounter Jesus Christ anew,
rediscover the joy of faith and return to religious practice in the
community of the faithful. Besides traditional and perennially valid
pastoral methods, the Church seeks to adopt new ones, developing new
language attuned to the different world cultures, proposing the truth
of Christ with an attitude of dialogue and friendship rooted in God
Who is Love".
"Bartimaeus,
on regaining his sight from Jesus, joined the crowd of disciples,
which must certainly have included others like him, who had been
healed by the Master. New evangelisers are like that: people who have
had the experience of being healed by God, through Jesus Christ. ...
Let us put away, then, all blindness to the truth, all ignorance and,
removing the darkness that obscures our vision like fog before the
eyes, let us contemplate the true God".
THE
SYNOD IS A REDISCOVERY OF THE BEAUTY OF BEING CHURCH
Vatican
City, 28 October 2012 (VIS) - At midday today, after presiding at
Mass for the closure of the thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of
the Synod of Bishops, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his
study to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered below in St. Peter's
Square.
The Pope
began by mentioning the Synod. "For three weeks", he said,
"we have discussed the realities of new evangelisation for the
transmission of Christian faith. The entire Church was represented
and, therefore, involved in this activity which, with God's grace,
will not fail to bring forth fruit. First and foremost, however, a
Synod is always a time of strong ecclesial communion and for this
reason, together with you, I wish to thank God Who has once again
allowed us to experience the beauty of being Church, and of being
Church today in this world, as it is, in the midst of this humanity
with all its weariness and its hopes".
The Holy
Father then went on to refer to the "significant fact" that
the Synod coincided with the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of
Vatican Council II, and with the beginning of the Year of Faith.
"Turning our minds back to Blessed John XXIII, to Servant of God
Paul VI, and to the period of the Council ... helped us to recognise
that new evangelisation is not an invention of our own, but a dynamic
that began to develop in the Church in the 1950s, when it became
clear that even countries of ancient Christian tradition had become,
so to speak, 'mission lands'. Thus emerged the need for a renewed
announcement of the Gospel in secularised societies, in the dual
certainty that, on the one hand, only He, Jesus Christ, is the true
novelty that responds to the needs of man at all times and, on the
other that His message needs to be suitably transmitted in changing
social and cultural environments".
The
intense efforts of the Synod Fathers led to "a commitment to the
spiritual renewal of the Church in order to spiritually renew the
secularised world. Such renewal will come about with the rediscovery
of Jesus Christ, of His truth and His grace, of His 'face', at once
human and divine, upon which shines the transcendent mystery of God".
After
praying the Angelus, the Pope launched an appeal for Cuba, Haiti,
Jamaica and the Bahamas, devastated by a hurricane which recently
struck the Caribbean region leaving numerous dead and forcing many
people to flee their homes. "I wish to give assurances of my
closeness, and of my concern for those who have been struck by this
natural disaster", he said. "At the same time, I invite
everyone to pray and show solidarity in order to alleviate the
suffering of the victims' families, and to help the many thousands
who have suffered damage".
The Holy
Father concluded by mentioning the inhabitants of the Italian regions
of Basilicata and Calabria, which have been affected by a series of
earthquakes in recent days.
THE
CHURCH IS NOT JUST OF ONE CONTINENT BUT UNIVERSAL
Vatican
City, 27 October 2012 (VIS) - During the twenty-second and final
General Congregation of the Synod of Bishops, during which the
participants voted on the final list of propositions, Benedict XVI
addressed some brief remarks to the Synod Fathers.
"In
the context of the discussion of the Synod of Bishops on 'The New
Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith', and as
the conclusion of a period of reflection on the themes of seminaries
and catechesis, ... I have decided to transfer jurisdiction for
seminaries from the Congregation for Catholic Education to the
Congregation for the Clergy, and jurisdiction for catechesis from the
Congregation for the Clergy to the Pontifical Council for Promoting
New Evangelisation", the Pope announced.
"The
relative documents - in the form of an Apostolic Letter 'Motu
Proprio' defining the respective fields of competence - will follow",
he said. "We pray to the Lord that He may accompany these three
dicasteries of the Roman Curia in their important mission, with the
collaboration of the entire Church.
"Since
I am already speaking", the Holy Father added, "I would
also like to express my cordial best wishes to the new cardinals. I
chose to call this little consistory in order to complete the
consistory of February, within the context of new evangelisation. It
is a gesture towards the universality of the Church, showing that the
Church is the Church of all peoples, that she speaks all languages,
that she is always the Church of Pentecost; not the Church of one
continent, but the universal Church. My intention was to express this
universality of the Church. It will also be a fine expression of this
Synod. I have found it truly edifying consoling and encouraging to
see here the mirror of the universal Church, with her suffering,
threats, dangers and joys, her experiences of the Lord's presence,
even in difficult situations.
"We
have seen how even today the Church lives and grows. ... And even if
she faces headwinds yet does she feel above all the breath of the
Holy Spirit, which helps us and shows us the right way. Thus, with
renewed enthusiasm, I believe, we are on our journey and can thank
God for having given us this truly catholic meeting", the Pope
concluded.
DECLARATION
OF THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION "ECCLESIA DEI"
VATICAN
CITY, 27 October 2012 (VIS) - The following English-language
declaration was issued this morning by the Pontifical Commission
"Ecclesia Dei".
"The
Pontifical Commission 'Ecclesia Dei' takes this occasion to announce
that, in its most recent official communication (6 September 2012),
the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X has indicated that additional
time for reflection and study is needed on their part as they prepare
their response to the Holy See’s latest initiatives.
"The
current stage in the ongoing discussions between the Holy See and the
Priestly Fraternity follows three years of doctrinal and theological
dialogues during which a joint commission met eight times to study
and discuss, among other matters, some disputed issues in the
interpretation of certain documents of Vatican Council II. Once these
doctrinal dialogues were concluded, it became possible to proceed to
a phase of discussion more directly focused on the greatly desired
reconciliation of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X with the See
of Peter.
"Other
critical steps in this positive process of gradual reintegration had
already been taken by the Holy See in 2007 with the extension of the
Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite to the Universal Church by the
Motu Proprio 'Summorum Pontificum' and in 2009 with the lifting of
the excommunications. Just a few months ago, a culminating point
along this difficult path was reached when, on 13 June 2012, the
Pontifical Commission presented to the Priestly Fraternity of St.
Pius X a doctrinal declaration together with a proposal for the
canonical normalisation of its status within the Catholic Church.
"At
the present time, the Holy See is awaiting the official response of
the superiors of the Priestly Fraternity to these two documents.
After thirty years of separation, it is understandable that time is
needed to absorb the significance of these recent developments. As
Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI seeks to foster and preserve the
unity of the Church by realising the long hoped-for reconciliation of
the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X with the See of Peter - a
dramatic manifestation of the 'munus Petrinum' in action - patience,
serenity, perseverance and trust are needed".
AUDIENCES
Vatican
City, 29 October 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in
audience Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation
for Bishops.
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 27 October 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
-
Appointed Archbishop Jules Mikhael Al-Jamil as a member of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
-
Appointed as members of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious
Dialogue: Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for
the Evangelisation of Peoples; Archbishop Peter Takeo Okada of Tokyo,
Japan; Archbishop Jean Benjamin Sleiman O.C.D. of Baghdad of the
Latins, Iraq; Archbishop Daniel J. Bohan of Regina, Canada;
Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council
for Promoting New Evangelisation; Bishop Michel Dubost C.I.M. of
Evry-Corbeil-Essonnes, France; Bishop Angelito R. Lampon O.M.I.,
apostolic vicar of Jolo, Philippines; Bishop Francesco Biasin of
Barra do Pirai-Volta Redonda, Brazil; Bishop Joseph Chusak Sirisut of
Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand; Bishop Sebastian Francis Shah O.F.M.,
auxiliary of Lahore, Pakistan; Bishop Michael Didi Adgum Mangoria,
coadjutor of El-Obeid, Sudan; Bishop Tomo Vuksic, military ordinary
of Bosnia Herzegovina, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto,
Nigeria.
-
Appointed as members of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum":
Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga S.D.B., archbishop of
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and president of Caritas Internationalis;
Archbishop Alberto Taveira Correa of Belem do Para, Brazil;
Archbishop Paolo Pezzi F.S.C.B. of the archdiocese of the Mother of
God in Moscow; Bishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi S.V.D. of Niigata,
Japan, and vice president for Asia of Caritas Internationalis; Msgr.
Peter Neher, president of "Deutscher Caritasverband"
(Germany); Fr. Francesco Antonio Soddu, national director of Caritas
Italy; Baron Johannes Nepomuk Heereman Von Zuydtwyck, executive
director of Aid to the Church in Need; Carolyn Y. Woo, president of
Catholic Relief Services - U.S.C.C.(U.S.A), Maritza Sanchez Abiyud,
director of Caritas Cuba.
-
Appointed Michel Roy, secretary of Caritas Internationalis, as
consultor of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum".
-
Appointed Fr. Pasquale Cascio of the clergy of the diocese of
Teggiano - Policastro, Italy, pastor and professor of Sacred
Scripture, as archbishop of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi - Conza - Nusco
- Bisaccia (area 1,290, population 84,000, Catholics 83,400, priests
65, permanent deacons 5, religious 101), Italy. The archbishop-elect
was born in Castelcivita, Italy in 1957 and ordained a priest in
1983. He has worked in pastoral care and in teaching.
-
Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of
Brindisi - Ostuni, Italy, presented by Archbishop Rocco Talucci, upon
having reached the age limit.
-
Appointed Fr. Ramon Alberto Rolon Guespa of the clergy of the
archdiocese of Nueva Pamplona, Colombia, rector of the the major
archdiocesan seminary of "Santo Tomas de Aquino", as bishop
of Monteria (area 14,500, population 1,647,000, Catholics 1,565,000,
priests 107, religious 185), Colombia. The bishop-elect was born in
Arboledas, Colombia in 1959 and ordained a priest in 1984. He has
served as pastor in a number of parishes.
-
Appointed Bishop Ryszard Kasyna, auxiliary of Gdansk, Poland, as
bishop of Pelplin (area 12,890, population 780,800, Catholics
731,000, priests 588, permanent deacons 1, religious 298), Poland.
-
Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of
Pemba, Mozambique, presented by Bishop Ernesto Maguengue, in
accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law,
appointing Fr. Fernando Domingos Costa C.P. as apostolic
administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of
the same diocese.
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