SUMMARY:
- THE
HOLY FATHER MEETS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF BENIN
- CHRIST
GUIDES THE JOURNEY OF HUMANITY
-
BENEDICT XVI CONGRATULATES THE NEW COPTIC ORTHODOX PATRIARCH
- THE
POPE TO FRENCH BISHOPS: EXERCISE THE PROPHETIC DIMENSION OF YOUR
MINISTRY
- THE
"CHRISTIAN SCIENCE OF SUFFERING" IN HOSPITALS
- OPENING
UP TO GOD DOES NOT DETACH US FROM THE WORLD
-
CARDINAL DUKA TO TAKE POSSESSION OF HIS TITLE
-
AUDIENCES
- OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
THE
HOLY FATHER MEETS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF BENIN
Vatican
City, 19 November 2012 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father Benedict
XVI received in audience Thomas Boni Yayi, president of the Republic
of Benin. The president 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.
During
the cordial discussions pleasure was expressed at the good relations
that exist between the Holy See and Benin, with particular reference
to the Holy Father's apostolic visit there last year. Mention was
also made of the positive contribution that the Catholic Church makes
to development in the country.
Attention
then turned to the question of the value of local cultures in Africa,
and to the important role the Church has in educating people in peace
and reconciliation. Finally consideration was given to certain
regional challenges currently affecting the continent, which are of
particular interest to the head of State in his role as president of
the African Union.
CHRIST
GUIDES THE JOURNEY OF HUMANITY
Vatican
City, 18 November 2012 (VIS) - At midday today the Holy Father
appeared at the window of his study to recite the Angelus with
faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. He commented on this
Sunday's Gospel, focusing on Jesus' words about the end of time,
often considered one of the most difficult texts in the Gospel.
"This
difficulty derives from both the content and the language",
explained Benedict XVI. "It describes a future that exceeds our
own categories of comprehension, and Jesus therefore uses images and
words from the Old Testament, but above all, He introduces a new
centre, Himself, the mystery of His person, His death and His
resurrection. … It is Jesus Himself who connects present and
future; the ancient words of the prophets finally find a point of
reference in the Nazarene Messiah: He is the true foundation which,
amid the world's disorder, remains firm and stable".
"We
know that in the Bible the Word of God is the origin of creation. All
of creation, starting from the heavenly bodies - the sun, the moon
and heavens - obey the Word of God, and exist inasmuch as they are
'called into being' by the Word. This creative power of the Divine
Word is concentrated in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, and passes
through His human words, the true 'firmament' that guides man's
thoughts and actions on earth. Therefore, Jesus does not describe the
end of the world, and when He uses apocalyptic images, He does not
act as a 'seer'. On the contrary, He wishes to ensure that His
disciples in every age remain unmoved by dates and predictions, and
gives them instead a more profound understanding, showing them the
right path to take, now and in the future, towards eternal life.
Everything changes, the Lord reminds us, but the Word of God does not
change, and before it each of us is responsible for our own actions.
It is on this basis that we will be judged".
"Natural
disasters occur in our times too, as, unfortunately, do wars and
violence. We too need a stable foundation for our lives and our
hopes, especially in view of the relativism that surrounds us. May
the Virgin Mary help us to find this stable centre in the person of
Christ and His Word", the Pope concluded.
Following
the Angelus, in his greetings in several languages the Pope mentioned
the fact that Maria Crescencia Perez (1897-1932) had been beatified
yesterday in Pergamino, Argentina. She was a religious of the
Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Orchard and was
known as "an example of gentleness inspired by faith. We give
thanks to God for her witness", Benedict XVI said.
BENEDICT
XVI CONGRATULATES THE NEW COPTIC ORTHODOX PATRIARCH
Vatican
City, 18 November 2012 (VIS) - His Holiness Pope Tawadros II,
recently elected as the one hundred and eighteenth patriarch of the
Coptic Orthodox Church, was enthroned today at St. Mark's Cathedral
in Cairo, Egypt. The ceremony was attended by Cardinal Kurt Koch,
president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity,
who brought a letter from the Holy Father.
In the
text, Benedict XVI expresses his hope that the Almighty may grant
"abundant spiritual gifts to strengthen you in your new
ministry, as you guide the clergy and laity along the paths of
holiness, for the good of your people and the peace and harmony of
the whole of society".
The Holy
Father mentions Tawadros II's predecessor, Pope Shenouda III, his
interest in improving relations with other Christian Churches, and
his concern that this might "reinforce our hope that one day all
the followers of Christ will find themselves united in that love and
reconciliation which the Lord so earnestly desires".
He adds,
"I pray that the Holy Spirit will sustain you in your ministry,
so that the flock entrusted to your care may experience the teaching
of the Good Shepherd. May they be blessed with the serenity to offer
their valuable contribution to the good of society and the well-being
of all their fellow-citizens".
The Pope
concludes, "I pray too that the relations between the Catholic
Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church will continue to grow closer,
not only in a fraternal spirit of collaboration, but also through a
deepening of the theological dialogue that will enable us to grow in
communion and to bear witness before the world to the saving truth of
the Gospel".
THE
POPE TO FRENCH BISHOPS: EXERCISE THE PROPHETIC DIMENSION OF YOUR
MINISTRY
Vatican
City, 17 November 2012 (VIS) - "Your nation has a long and rich
Christian history that cannot be ignored or diminished, which bears
eloquent witness to truth", said the Pope in his address to
prelates from the Episcopal Conference of France on their five-yearly
ad limina visit.
"The
Year of Faith helps us to grow in confidence in the intrinsic
strength and richness of the evangelical message", observed the
Pope. "How many times have we seen that it is precisely the
words of faith, those simple and direct words filled with the wisdom
of the Divine Word, that best touch our hearts and minds, and best
illuminate our decisions? … The Divine Word contains those words,
basic convictions and ways of thinking which alone are able to bring
hope to the world.
"In
society's key debates, the voice of the Church must make itself heard
ceaselessly and with determination. This must be achieved with full
respect for the French tradition regarding the distinction between
the respective spheres of competence of Church and State. It is
precisely in this context that the harmony between faith and reason
gives you special reassurance: the message of Christ and His Church
is not merely a religious identity that demands to be respected as
such; it carries also the wisdom that permits us to provide concrete
answers to the pressing and sometimes troubling questions of our
times. In continuing to exercise the prophetic dimension of your
ministry, as you do at present, you bring to these debates the
indispensable word of truth, which frees our hearts and opens them to
hope".
The Pope
went on to praise the many French intellectuals, believers and
non-believers, who "are aware of the enormous challenges of our
age, where the Christian message is an irreplaceable point of
reference", and recalled the vitality of religious and
especially monastic communities which "enrich the whole of
society, not only the Church" in France. He also mentioned the
liturgy and its "contribution to the civilising work" of
the Church, emphasising how "respect for its established norms
expresses love and fidelity to the faith of the Church. The beauty of
her celebrations, far more than innovations and subjective
adjustments, constitutes a durable and effective form of
evangelisation".
Benedict
XVI also turned his attention to the question of transmitting the
faith to the young generations. "You are well aware of the
challenges in that field", he told the bishops. These challenges
include "family and social difficulties associated with the
transmission of received faith, those associated with a faith adopted
by people as they enter adulthood, or with a break in transmission as
when several generations drift away from living faith. There is also
the enormous challenge of living in a society which does not always
share the teachings of Christ and at times ridicules and marginalises
the Church in the attempt to confine her to an exclusively private
sphere. To face these immense challenges, the Church needs credible
witnesses".
"While
remaining aware of the importance of example, you must also find the
necessary words and gestures to encourage the faithful to incarnate
the 'unity of life'", continued the Pope. "They must feel
involved in their faith, that it represents liberation and not a
burden, that its coherence is a source of joy and fruitfulness. This
also applies to their observance of the moral teaching of the Church,
for example in demonstrating the courage to adhere to their Christian
convictions - devoid of arrogance but with respect - in the various
environments in which they live. In this context, those who are
engaged in public life bear special responsibility. Along with
bishops, they must be wary of planned legislation which threatens
marriage between a man and a woman, the protection of life from
conception to death, and the correct guidance of bioethics in harmony
with magisterial documents. It is necessary, more than ever, for
Christians to follow the path of the common good and to deepen their
awareness of the social doctrine of the Church".
THE
"CHRISTIAN SCIENCE OF SUFFERING" IN HOSPITALS
Vatican
City, 17 November 2012 (VIS) - This morning Benedict XVI addressed
the participants in a conference being held by the Pontifical Council
for Health Care Workers (for Health Pastoral Care) on the theme of
"The Hospital, setting for evangelisation: a human and spiritual
mission". The Church, he told them, "turns to those who
experience pain with a spirit of brotherly participation, inspired by
the Spirit of the One Who, through the power of love, restored
meaning and dignity to the mystery of suffering.
"With
the same sense of hope, the Church also reaches out to healthcare
workers and volunteers", the Pope continued. "Yours is a
unique mission which requires study, sensitivity and experience.
However, for those who choose to work in the world of suffering,
experiencing their activity as a 'human and spiritual mission', an
additional competence is required, beyond academic qualifications.
This is the 'Christian science of suffering', described by the
Council as 'the only truth capable of answering the mystery of
suffering. … Christ did not do away with suffering. He did not even
wish to unveil to us entirely the mystery of suffering. He took
suffering upon Himself and this is enough to make you understand all
its value'.
"Be
experts in this 'Christian science of suffering!' The fact that you
are Catholic ... gives you greater responsibility in society and in
the Church. … This is a commitment of new evangelisation also in
times of economic crisis in which resources are withdrawn from
healthcare. Precisely in this context, hospitals and health centres
must rethink their role in order to ensure that healthcare remains a
universal right to be guaranteed and defended, rather than becoming a
mere commodity subject to market laws, and thus a privilege reserved
to the few. We must never forget the special attention due to the
dignity of the suffering, applying the principles of subsidiarity and
solidarity also in the field of healthcare policy".
"It
is to be hoped that the language of the 'Christian science of
suffering' - of which compassion, solidarity, sharing, abnegation,
selflessness and self-giving are a part - becomes the universal
lexicon of those who work in the field of healthcare", the Pope
emphasised. "From this point of view, hospitals are to be
considered as an important location for evangelisation, because where
the Church 'is the bearer of the presence of God' she also becomes an
'instrument for the true humanisation of man and the world'. Only by
clearly focusing medical and healthcare activities on the well-being
of man at his most fragile and defenceless, of man who searches for
meaning in the unfathomable mystery of pain, can we conceive of
hospitals as a place in which care is a mission and not merely an
occupation".
The Holy
Father concluded by addressing the sick: "Your silent testimony
is an effective sign and instrument of evangelisation for those who
assist you and for your families, in the certainty that 'no tear,
neither of those who are suffering nor of those who are close to
them, is lost before God'".
OPENING
UP TO GOD DOES NOT DETACH US FROM THE WORLD
Vatican
City, (VIS) - Benedict XVI addressed a message to the participants in
the Portuguese session of the Courtyard of Gentiles, which is being
held in Guimaraes and Braga, Portugal, on 16 and 17 November, on the
theme of "The value of life".
"Awareness
of the sacredness of life … is part of the moral heritage of
humankind", writes the Pope. "We are not the chance product
of evolution; rather, each of us is the fruit of God's will: He loves
us. … God loves every person who, therefore, is unconditionally
deserving of life. 'The blood of Christ, while it reveals the
grandeur of the Father's love, shows how precious man is in God's
eyes, and how priceless the value of his life is'".
"However,
in the modern age, man has sought to subtract himself from the
creating and redeeming gaze of the Father, looking only to himself
and not to divine Power. … In a building without windows, it is man
who has to provide air and light; yet even in such a self-constructed
world, man seeks God's 'resources', which are thereby transformed
into our own products. … We must reopen the windows, look anew upon
the vastness of the world, the sky and the earth, and learn to use
them in the correct way. The value of life becomes evident only if
God exists; therefore it would be good if non-believers could live
'as if God existed'. While they may not have 'the strength to
believe', they should live on the basis of this hypothesis. … So
many problems exist, but they will not be resolved unless God is
placed at the centre … once more visible in the world and crucial
to our lives".
"He
who opens himself to God does not distance himself from the world and
man, but instead finds brothers: in God, the walls that separate us
are broken down, we all become brothers, each a part of the other",
the Pope concludes.
CARDINAL
DUKA TO TAKE POSSESSION OF HIS TITLE
Vatican
City, 19 November 2012 (VIS) - A note released today by the Office of
Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announces that
Cardinal Dominik Duka, archbishop of Prague, Czech Republic, will
take possession of the title of Santi Marcellino e Pietro in Via
Labicana 1, Rome, at 7 p.m. on Sunday 25 November.
AUDIENCES
Vatican
City, 19 November 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in
audience:
- Ten
prelates of the Episcopal Conference of France on their "ad
limina" visit:
-
Archbishop Andre Lacrampe of Besancon.
- Bishop
Claude Schockert of Belfort-Montbeliard.
- Bishop
Jean-Louis Papin of Nancy.
- Bishop
Vincent Jordy of Saint-Claude.
- Bishop
Jean-Paul Mathieu of Saint-Die.
- Bishop
Francois Maupu of Verdun.
-
Archbishop Jean-Pierre Grallet O.F.M. of Strasbourg, accompanied by
Auxiliary Bishop Vincent Dollman.
- Bishop
Pierre Raffin O.P. of Metz.
- Fr.
Daniel Ducasse, diocesan administrator of Pontoise.
-
Archbishop Guido Pozzo, almoner of His Holiness.
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 19 November 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Nil
Yuriy Lushchak O.F.M., professor of philosophy in the major seminary
of Uzhorod, Ukraine, as auxiliary of the eparchy of Mukachevo of the
Byzantine rite (Catholics 58,000, priests 39, permanent deacons 1,
religious 72), Ukraine. The bishop-elect was born in Uzhorod in 1973
and ordained a priest in 1996. He has worked in pastoral service in
various parishes within the eparchy of Mukachevo.
On
Saturday 17 November it was made public that the Holy Father:
- Msgr.
Henryk Ciereszko of the clergy of Bialystok, Poland, as auxiliary
bishop of the same archdiocese (area 5,550, population 515,400,
Catholics 455,400, priests 393, religious 202). The bishop-elect was
born in Hermanowka, Poland in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1981. He
obtained his doctorate from the Catholic University of Lublin and is
currently a teacher in the Seminary of Bialystok, a promoter of
justice at the metropolitan tribunal and a member of the presbyteral
council.
- Bishop
Lorenzo Ghizzoni, auxiliary of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla, Italy, as
archbishop of Ravenna-Cervia (area 1,185, population 223,130,
Catholics 200,000, priests 118, permanent deacons 6, religious 255),
Italy. He succeeds Archbishop Giuseppe Verucchi, whose resignation
from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father
accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
-
Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto, apostolic nuncio to El Salvador and Belize,
as apostolic nuncio to Bosnia and Herzegovina and to Montenegro.
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