News Vatican Information Service 01/18/2013

SUMMARY:

- FRENCH AND GERMAN BISHOPS RECALL ELYSEE TREATY AND ASK FOR MORE SOLIDARITY IN EUROPE

- AUDIENCES

- FROM THE ORIENTAL CHURCHES

- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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FRENCH AND GERMAN BISHOPS RECALL ELYSEE TREATY AND ASK FOR MORE SOLIDARITY IN EUROPE

Vatican City, 18 January 2013 (VIS) – Today, the French and German Bishops' Conferences published a joint declaration marking the 50th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty, signed on 22 January 1963 by General Charles de Gaulle and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to seal the reconciliation between the two opposing nations after the Second World War. On 8 July 1962, both heads of state attended a Mass of reconciliation in the French cathedral of Rheims.

The declaration stressed the friendship between the two peoples and, reflecting on the peace gained at such a high price, extended a call for understanding in facing Europe's present and future.

"Simultaneously, the Elysee Treaty," the text reads, "was the height of the reconciliation between the two enemy nations and the starting point for the deepening of friendly relations through political and social contact at all levels. As bishops, we warmly embrace everything gained in the signing of the 'Treaty of Friendship'. Today, Franco-German friendship seems obvious and neither politicians nor citizens have a feeling for the exceptional nature of these relations. And yet, the friendship between our two countries and peoples is now more important than ever for overcoming the current crisis and for shaping the future of Europe. …"

"The crisis has revealed irresponsible behaviour in various areas and has sorely tested the solidarity between the European countries. Solidarity and responsibility must be more closely connected to the future of Europe. In this regard, the Franco-German reconciliation remains an example of political responsibility and solidarity."

At the Mass of reconciliation in the cathedral of Rheims, Konrad Adenauer and Charles de Gaulle "symbolized the awareness that politics is built upon foundations that it cannot build itself. Love for one's enemies is a strong Gospel demand that the two statesmen were capable of carrying out. Since then, the European Union has brought peace and prosperity to its countries. With the economic crisis, however, we see that contempt and mistrust between the European nations are reappearing: the rejection of foreigners, the absence of solidarity. The global economy and the cultural and religious mixture have given rise to other enemies. All over Europe, populist movements advocating withdrawal into self interests are flourishing. The economic crisis reveals a moral crisis, where the meaning of life no longer forms part of relationship with others or the demands of justice."

France and Germany "can and must return to the history of their reconciliation and friendship in order to face the consequences of our current problems. We can also draw inspiration from the past in order to help the European Union establish long-term, solid political structures and an authentic social market economy. We must act to ensure that the respect for human dignity, the common good, and the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity always guide European integration."

The Church also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty as "an opportunity to recall, particularly for the youngest generations, that reconciliation is not an empty word but an actual path."

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 18 January 2013 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and

six prelates from the Basilicata region of the Italian Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Agostino Superbo of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo,

- Archbishop Salvatore Ligorio of Matera-Irsina,

- Archbishop Giovanni Ricchiuti of Acerenza,

- Bishop Francescantonio Nole, O.F.M. Conv., of Tursi-Lagonegro

- Bishop Gianfranco Todisco, P.O.C.R., of Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa, and

- Bishop Vincenzo Carmine Orofino of Tricarico.

This afternoon he is scheduled to receive Cardinal Manuel Monteiro de Castro, major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary, accompanied by Bishop Krzysztof Jozef Nykiel, regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary.

FROM THE ORIENTAL CHURCHES

Vatican City, 18 January 2013 (VIS) – The Synod of Bishops of the Coptic Catholic Church meeting in Cairo, Egypt, from 12 – 16 January, having consulted the Holy Father, accepted the resignation from office presented by His Beatitude Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, in accordance with canon 126 para. 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches

On 15 January, the same synod canonically elected His Beatitude Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak as Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts and the Holy Father granted the "Ecclesiastica Communio" requested of him by His Beatitude in accordance with canon 76 para. 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Born in 1955 in Beni Shiqeir in the Eparchy of Asyut, Egypt, ordained to the priesthood in 1980, and ordained to the episcopate in 2002, the patriarch-elect was previously bishop of Minya (Ermopoli Maggiore: Minieh, Coptic), Egypt.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 18 January 2013 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father:

- appointed Bishop Heiner Koch as bishop of the diocese of Dresden-Meissen (area 17,000, population 4,271,000, Catholics 139,890, priests 241, permanent deacons 11, religious 208), Germany. Bishop Koch, titular of Ros Cré, was born in 1954 in Dusseldorf, Germany, was ordained to the priesthood in 1980, and received episcopal ordination in 2006. Bishop Koch was previously auxiliary of Köln (Cologne), Germany.

- appointed Fr. André Gueye as bishop of the diocese of Thies (area 9,055, population 2,436,000, Catholics 52,641, priests 72, religious 146), Senegal. The bishop-elect was born in 1967 in Thies and was ordained to the priesthood in 1992. Fr. Gueye previously taught philosophy at the St. Jean Marie Vianney Major Seminary of Brin in the diocese of Ziguinchor, Senegal.

- appointed Msgr. Eamon Martin as coadjutor archbishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Armagh (area 2,550, population 333,758, Catholics 227,120, priests 187, religious 391), Ireland. The bishop-elect, previously diocesan administrator of the diocese of Derry since 2010, was born in 1961 in Derry, Ireland, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1987. Msgr. Martin was appointed chaplain to His Holiness in 2011.

- elevated the apostolic exarchate for Ukrainian faithful of the Byzantine rite resident in Great Britain, to the rank of eparchy with the title "Holy Family of London". He appointed Bishop Hlib Borys Sviatoslav Lonchyna, M.S.U., as first bishop of the new eparchy. Bishop Lonchyna, previously apostolic exarch of Great Britain (Ukrainian) and titular of Bareta, was born in 1954 in Steubenville, Ohio, USA, was ordained to the priesthood in 1977, and received episcopal ordination in 2002.

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News Vatican Information Service 01/17/2013

SUMMARY:

- POPE: ADVANCE IN WAYS OF ECUMENISM AND COOPERATE IN SERVICE OF MORE JUST AND FRATERNAL SOCIETY

- AUDIENCES

- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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POPE: ADVANCE IN WAYS OF ECUMENISM AND COOPERATE IN SERVICE OF MORE JUST AND FRATERNAL SOCIETY

Vatican City, 17 January 2013 (VIS) – Today the Pope received in audience an ecumenical delegation from the Lutheran Church of Finland during their annual pilgrimage to Rome on the occasion of the feast of Saint Henry of Uppsala, patron saint of Finland.

The Holy Father once again showed his pleasure in receiving the delegates on this traditional visit, observing that it was also fitting that the meeting took place on the eve of the celebrations to take place during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The theme for this year's ecumenical Week of Prayer, "What does God require of us?", is taken from a passage in the book of the prophet Micah.

"The Prophet," said the Pope, "makes clear, of course, what the Lord requires of us. It is 'to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God'. The Christmas season that we have just celebrated reminds us that it is God who from the beginning has walked with us and who, in the fullness of time, took flesh in order to save us from our sins and to guide our steps in the way of holiness, justice and peace."

"Walking humbly in the presence of the Lord, in obedience to his saving word and with trust in his gracious plan, serves as an eloquent image not only of the life of faith, but also of our ecumenical journey on the path towards the full and visible unity of all Christians. On this path of discipleship, we are called to advance together along the narrow road of fidelity to God’s sovereign will in facing whatever difficulties or obstacles we may eventually encounter."

Therefore, "to advance in the ways of ecumenical communion," the pontiff emphasized, "demands that we become ever more united in prayer, ever more committed to the pursuit of holiness, and ever more engaged in the areas of theological research and cooperation in the service of a just and fraternal society. Along this way of spiritual ecumenism, we truly walk with God and with one another in justice and love, for, as the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification affirms: 'We are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works'."

The Pope concluded his address expressing the desire that the Finnish delegation's visit to Rome "will help to strengthen ecumenical relations between all Christians in Finland. Let us thank God for all that has been achieved so far and let us pray that the Spirit of truth will guide Christ’s followers in your country towards ever greater love and unity as they strive to live in the light of the Gospel and to bring that light to the great moral issues facing our societies today. By walking together in humility along the path of justice, mercy and righteousness which the Lord has pointed out to us, Christians will not only dwell in the truth, but also be beacons of joy and hope to all those who are looking for a sure point of reference in our rapidly changing world."

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 17 January 2013 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in audience six prelates from the Abruzzo-Molise region of the Italian Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari of L’Aquila, with the diocese's auxiliary:

- Bishop Giovanni D’Ercole, F.D.P., titular of Dusa, and

- Archbishop Tommaso Valentinetti of Pescara-Penne,

- Bishop Michele Seccia of Teramo-Atri,

- Bishop Angelo Spina of Sulmona-Valva, and

- Bishop Pietro Santoro of Avezzano.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 17 January 2013 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father appointed Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo as apostolic nuncio to Kenya as well as permanent observer to the United Nations Environment and Human Settlements Programs (UNEP and UN-Habitat). Archbishop Balvo, titular of Castello, was previously apostolic nuncio to New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, Vanuatu, and apostolic delegate to the Pacific Ocean region.

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News Vatican Information Service 01/16/2013

SUMMARY:

- SEEKING THE FACE OF GOD

- THAT CHRISTIANS MIGHT PROFESS TOGETHER THAT JESUS IS SAVIOUR

- ARCHBISHOP MAMBERTI: FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND RELIGION

- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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SEEKING THE FACE OF GOD

Vatican City, 16 January 2013 (VIS) -Salvation history, that is, the account of God's saving interaction with humanity, was the theme of the Holy Father's catechesis during this Wednesday's general audience.

The Old Testament narrates how, after creation, God, in spite of original sin, again offers human beings the possibility of His friendship "through the covenant with Abraham and the path of a small people, of Israel, whom He chooses not according to the criteria of earthly power but simply out of love. … For this task He used mediators, like Moses and the prophets and judges, to communicate His will to the people. They recalled the necessity of faithfulness to the covenant and kept alive the hope of the full and definitive realization of His divine promises."

God's revelation reaches its fullness in Jesus of Nazareth. In Him, "God visits His people, He visits humanity in a way that goes beyond all expectations. He sends His Only Begotten Son; God himself becomes man. Jesus does not tell us something about God's nearness, doesn't simply speak of the Father: ... He reveals the face of God to us." Within Jesus' statement, "'Whoever has seen me has seen the Father' ... the newness of the New Testament is contained. … God could be seen, God has revealed His face, He is visible in Jesus Christ."

Benedict XVI recalled the importance of the search for the face of God throughout the Old Testament, that is, for "a 'You' who can enter into relationship, who is not locked away in His heaven, looking down on humanity from on high. Certainly, God is above all things, but He turns toward us and listens to us: He sees us, speaks, extends covenants, and is capable of loving. Salvation history is the story of God with humanity. It is the story of this relationship of God who progressively reveals Himself to mankind."

"Something completely new occurs, however, with the Incarnation. The search for the face of God is unimaginably changed because this face can now be seen. It is that of Jesus, of the Son of God who is made man. In Him God's path of revelation, which began with the call of Abraham, is fulfilled. He is the fullness of this revelation because He is the Son of God as well as 'the mediator and the fullness of all revelation'. In Him coincide the content of Revelation and the One who reveals … Jesus, true God and true man, is not simply one of the mediators between God and humankind, but is 'the mediator' of the new and eternal covenant. … In Him we see and encounter the Father. In Him we can call God by the name of 'Abba, Father'. In Him we are given salvation."

"The desire to truly know God, that is, to see the face of God, is inherent to every human being, including atheists. Perhaps we also, unconsciously, have this desire to simply see who He is. … But this desire is fulfilled in following Christ thus … we finally see God as a friend. What is important is that we follow Christ not only when we need Him or when we find a minute of time among our thousands of daily tasks. … Our entire existence must be directed toward meeting Jesus Christ, toward love for Him. In such an existence, love for our neighbour must take a central position; that love that, in light of the Crucifix, allows us to recognize the face of Jesus in the poor, the weak, and in those who are suffering."

THAT CHRISTIANS MIGHT PROFESS TOGETHER THAT JESUS IS SAVIOUR

Vatican City, 16 January 2013 (VIS) – After his Wednesday catechesis, Benedict XVI noted that the day after tomorrow, Friday 18 January, will begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This year its theme is "What does God require of us?", inspired by a passage from the prophet Micah. The Pope invited all "to pray, asking insistently of God, for the great gift of unity between all of the Lord's disciples. May the Holy Spirit's limitless strength arouse us to the sincere commitment to seek unity, so that we might all profess together that Jesus is the saviour of the world."

ARCHBISHOP MAMBERTI: FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND RELIGION

Vatican City, 16 January 2013 (VIS) - Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for the Holy See's Relations with States, was interviewed by Vatican Radio on the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in several cases relating to freedom of conscience and religion.

"On 15 January, the European Court of Human Rights published its judgements on four cases relating to the freedom of conscience and religion of employees in the United Kingdom. Two of these cases concern employees’ freedom to wear a small cross around their neck in the workplace, while the other two concern the freedom to object in conscience to the celebration of a civil union between persons of the same sex and to conjugal counselling for couples of the same sex."

Some time ago, the Holy See’s Mission to the Council of Europe published a Note on the Church’s freedom and institutional autonomy. The archbishop explained the context of the Note as "the issue of the Church’s freedom in her relations with civil authorities," which "is at present being examined by the European Court of Human Rights in two cases involving the Orthodox Church of Romania and the Catholic Church. These are the Sindacatul 'Pastorul cel Bun' v. Romania and Fernandez Martinez v. Spain cases. On this occasion, the Permanent Representation of the Holy See to the Council of Europe drew up a synthetic note explaining the Magisterium [official Church teaching] on the freedom and institutional autonomy of the Catholic Church."

"In these cases," the archbishop said, "the European Court must decide whether the civil power respected the European Convention on Human Rights in refusing to recognize a trade union of priests [in the Romanian case] and in refusing to appoint a teacher of religion who publicly professes positions contrary to the teaching of the Church [in the Spanish case]. In both cases, the rights to freedom of association and freedom of expression were invoked in order to constrain religious communities to act in a manner contrary to their canonical status and the Magisterium. Thus, these cases call into question the Church’s freedom to function according to her own rules and not to be subject to civil rules other than those necessary to ensure that the common good and just public order are respected. The Church has always had to defend herself in order to preserve her autonomy with regard to the civil power and ideologies. Today, an important issue in Western countries is to determine how the dominant culture, strongly marked by materialist individualism and relativism, can understand and respect the nature of the Church, which is a community founded on faith and reason."

Faced with this situation, "the Church is aware of the difficulty of determining the relations between the civil authorities and the different religious communities in a pluralist society with regard to the requirements of social cohesion and the common good. In this context, the Holy See draws attention to the necessity of maintaining religious freedom in its collective and social dimension. This dimension corresponds to the essentially social nature both of the person and of the religious fact in general. The Church does not ask that religious communities be lawless zones but that they be recognized as spaces for freedom, by virtue of the right to religious freedom, while respecting just public order. This teaching is not reserved to the Catholic Church; the criteria derived from it are founded in justice and are therefore of general application."

"Furthermore, the juridical principle of the institutional autonomy of religious communities is widely recognized by States that respect religious freedom, as well as by international law. The European Court of Human Rights itself has regularly stated this principle in several important judgements. Other institutions have also affirmed this principle. This is notably the case with the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] and also with the United Nations Committee for Human Rights in, respectively, the 'Final Document' of the Vienna Conference of 19 January 1989 and 'General Observation no. 22 on the Right to Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion' of 30 July 1993. It is nevertheless useful to recall and defend this principle of the autonomy of the Church and the civil power.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 16 January 2013 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father appointed Archbishop Joseph Salvador Marino as apostolic nuncio to Malaysia and to East Timor and as apostolic delegate to Brunei. Archbishop Marino, titular of Natchitoches, was previously apostolic nuncio to Bangladesh.

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News Vatican Information Service 01/15/2013

SUMMARY:

- A FARM UNDER HEAVEN IN ST. PETER'S SQUARE

- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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A FARM UNDER HEAVEN IN ST. PETER'S SQUARE

Vatican City, 15 January 2013 (VIS) – Thursday, 17 January in celebration of the Feast of St. Anthony Abbot, patron and protector of animals the Italian Association of Livestock Farmers (AIA) will hold its traditional exhibition of farm animals, "A Farm under Heaven", in front of St. Peter's Square.

The day will officially begin with Mass for the farmers and their families to be celebrated in the Vatican Basilica at 10:30 a.m., presided by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, vicar general of His Holiness for Vatican City. This will be followed by the solemn blessing of a procession of horses and riders along Via della Conciliazione. Even from 9:00 a.m. on, however, in the Pio XII Square directly in front of the Bernini colonnade around St. Peter's Square, there will be an exhibit of the national agriculture and livestock association's production including cows, goats, sheep, chickens, and more.

Just as in past years, pet owners are invited to bring their cats and dogs for a free check-up from veterinarians provided by the association.

The tradition of celebrating St. Anthony Abbot's feastday, deeply rooted in the farming community, is very widespread in all of the Italian agricultural communities. In the words of the president of AIA, Nino Andena, "it is a moment of celebration that we want to share with others in order to testify to the active role of farmers and ranchers within society."

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 15 January 2013 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father appointed Bishop Desiderius Rwoma as bishop of Bukoba (area 8,608, population 876,350, Catholics 527,515, priests 128, religious 438),Tanzania. Bishop Rwoma, formerly bishop of Singida, Tanzania, was also named as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the Diocese of Singida. He succeeds Bishop Nestorius Timanywa of Bukoba, whose resignation from the pastoral care of that diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

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News Vatican Information Service 01/12-14/2013

SUMMARY:

- BENEDICT XVI PRAISES WORK OF VATICAN'S PUBLIC SAFETY INSPECTORATE

- IN BAPTISM JESUS IS IN SOLIDARITY WITH US

- BEING A CHRISTIAN MEANS CHOOSING PATH OF RESPONSIBILITY

- IMMIGRANTS ARE BEARERS OF FAITH AND HOPE

- POPE RECEIVES PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF MONACO

- CARDINAL BERTONE: DIVINE WISDOM FOR THE DELICATE AND SERIOUS TASK OF ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

- POPE RECEIVES CORPS OF VATICAN GENDARMERIE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT

- AUDIENCES

- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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BENEDICT XVI PRAISES WORK OF VATICAN'S PUBLIC SAFETY INSPECTORATE

Vatican City, 14 January 2013 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received members of the General Inspectorate of Public Safety in the Vatican as is customary at the beginning of the new year, to exchange greetings for the new year. In his address he emphasized the dedication and professionalism with which they undertake their tasks, especially during events with faithful and pilgrims who "arrive from all over the world to meet the successor of Peter and to visit the tomb of the Prince of the Apostles, as well as to pray at the tombs of my venerated predecessors, particularly Blessed John Paul II.

The Pope recalled that the duty of the members of the Inspectorate also extends to his pastoral visits and apostolic trips to Italy and he thanked them for "the manner and spirit that animate your vigilant and qualified service. It is a manner that, at the same time that it honours your identity as functionaries of the Italian State and members of the Church, also attests to the good relations between Italy and the Holy See." He also expressed the desire that this task, not exempt from sacrifice and danger, be always inspired by "a steadfast Christian faith that is, undoubtedly, the most precious treasure and spiritual valour that your families have entrusted you with and which you are called to impart to your children. The Year of Faith that the entire Church is now living is also, for you, an opportunity to return to the Gospel message in order to let it enter more deeply into your consciences and your daily life, courageously witnessing to the love of God in every area, even that of your jobs."

"May your presence be," he concluded, "an ever more valid guarantee of that good order and tranquillity that are fundamental to building a peaceful and calm social life and that, besides being taught by the Gospel message, are a sign of true civilization."

IN BAPTISM JESUS IS IN SOLIDARITY WITH US

Vatican City, 13 January 2013 (VIS) – This morning in the Sistine Chapel the Holy Father baptised 20 children born in the past few months and children of employees of the Vatican City State.

In his homily the Pope recalled that, once an adult, Jesus began his public ministry by going to the River Jordan to receive a baptism of penitence and conversion from John. "Was Jesus in need of penitence and conversion?" the pontiff asked. "Certainly not. And yet … he wanted to place himself alongside the sinners … expressing God's nearness. … He demonstrates solidarity with us, with the weariness we feel in trying to convert, trying to leave aside our selfishness, trying to tear ourselves away from our sins, in order to tell us that, if we accept Him in our lives, He is capable of lifting us back up and leading us to the height of God the Father. … Jesus truly immersed himself in our human condition … and is capable of understanding our weakness and fragility. This is why He is moved to compassion. He chooses to suffer with human beings, to be penitent along with us. This is God's plan that Jesus wants to accomplish: the divine mission of healing the wounded and tending the sick, of taking upon himself the sin of the world."

Afterwards he explained that, at the moment that Jesus lets himself be baptised by John, "the heavens open and the Holy Spirit is visibly manifest in the form of a dove while a voice from above expresses the Father's pleasure, recognizing His Son, the Only Begotten, the Beloved. … Thus the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled … the Lord God comes with power to destroy the works of sin and his arm exercises dominion to disarm the Evil One. However, we realize that this arm is the arm extended on the cross and that the power of Christ is the power of He who suffers for us. This is the power of God, which is different from the world's power. This is how God comes, with the power to destroy sin."

Through Baptism, the children baptised today "will be united profoundly and for all time with Jesus, immersed in the mystery of His power … in the mystery of his death, which is the source of life, in order to participate in His resurrection, to be reborn to new life … The heavens have also opened over your children and God says: these are my children with whom I am well pleased. Included in this relationship and freed from original sin they become living members of the one body that is the Church and become capable of fully living their call to holiness so that they might inherit the eternal life obtained for us through Jesus' resurrection."

Addressing the parents who had asked for Baptism for their children, the Holy Father highlighted that they show their "faith, the joy of being Christians and of belonging to the Church. It is a joy that springs from the awareness of having received a great gift from God: faith, a gift that none of us could have merited but which has been freely given to us and to which we have responded with our 'yes'. ... The path of faith that begins today for these children is based, therefore, on a certainty, on the experience that there is nothing greater than knowing Christ and communicating friendship with Him to others. Only in this friendship are the great potentialities of the human condition truly revealed and what is beautiful and liberating can be experienced."

He reminded the godparents that to them falls "the important duty of sustaining and helping the parents in their task of educating. … May you always know how to set a good example for them through exercising the Christian virtues. It is not easy to openly and uncompromisingly express that which you believe in, especially in the climate we are living in, faced with a society that often considers those who live their faith in Jesus as old-fashioned and out of date. In the wake of this mentality, even Christians run the risk of seeing their relationship with Jesus as limiting, as something that inhibits self-realization. … But that is not so! It is precisely through proceeding along the path of faith that we come to understand how Jesus exercises the liberating activity of God's love in us, which allows us to overcome our selfishness …. in order to lead us to a full life in communion with God and openness to others. 'God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.' These words from the First Letter of John express with remarkable clarity the heart of the Christian faith: the Christian image of God as well as the resulting image of mankind and its path."

"The water with which these children will be baptised in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, will immerse them in the 'source' of life that is God himself and will make them into His children. The seed of the theological virtues, inspired by God?faith, hope, and love?the seed that is today planted in their hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit, must always be nourished with the Word of God and the Sacraments, so that these Christian virtues might grow and arrive at their full maturity, until they make of each one of these a true witness of the Lord," he concluded.

BEING A CHRISTIAN MEANS CHOOSING PATH OF RESPONSIBILITY

Vatican City, 13 January 2013 (VIS) – At noon today, the first Sunday after Epiphany, which concludes the liturgical season of Christmas, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

"Today we celebrate," the Pope said, "the feast of the Baptism of Jesus. That child?born of the Virgin, whom we contemplated in the mystery of his birth?we see as an adult, immersing himself in the waters of the River Jordan and thus sanctifying all waters and the entire world, as an Eastern tradition affirms. But why did Jesus, who had not the shadow of sin, go to be baptised by the prophet John? Why did he want to undertake this gesture of penitence and conversion together with so many others who wanted to prepare for the coming of the Messiah? This gesture that marks the beginning of Christ's public life, as all the evangelists testify, is part of the same line of the Incarnation, of God's descent from the highest heaven to the abyss of hell. The meaning of this divine abasement is summed up in a single word: love, which is the very name of God."

Jesus who is baptised in the River Jordan is 'the new man who wants to live as a child of God, that is, in love; he is the one who, faced with the evils of the world, chooses the path of humility and responsibility, chooses not to save himself, but instead to offer his life for truth and justice. Being a Christian means living this way, but this way of life bears with it a rebirth: being reborn from above, from God, from Grace. This rebirth is the Baptism that Christ gave the Church to renew persons to new life."

The Holy Father, recalling that this morning he had baptised several children in the Sistine Chapel, wanted to extend his blessing and prayers "to all newborns. Above all I would like to invite us all to recall our own Baptism, that spiritual rebirth that opened the path of eternal life to us. May every Christians, in this Year of Faith, discover anew the beauty of being reborn from above, from the love of God, and live as a true child of God."

IMMIGRANTS ARE BEARERS OF FAITH AND HOPE

Vatican City, 14 January 2013 (VIS) – After praying the Angelus, the Pope recalled that today marks the World Day of Migrants and Refugees and, in his annual message for the occasion, compared immigration to "a pilgrimage of faith and hope".

"Those who leave their lands," he emphasized, "do so because they hope for a better future, but also because they trust in God who guides the steps of the human being, as He did with Abraham. In this way immigrants are bearers of faith and hope to the world. Today I greet each one of them with a special prayer and blessing."

In his greetings in French, the Pope repeated this theme, expressing the desire that immigrants and their families, wherever they gather, "be welcomed and assisted so that they might have a dignified existence. Like Jesus," he urged, "we must be near to those who suffer and who have no voice of their own to make themselves heard."

POPE RECEIVES PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF MONACO

Vatican City, 12 January 2013 (VIS) - This morning in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican, the Holy Father received in audience His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco along with his wife, Princess Charlene, and entourage. Following the audience with the Pope, the prince met with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

During the course of cordial discussions several topics were covered including the meaningful contribution of the Catholic Church to the principality’s social life and international interests such as the integral development of peoples and the protection of natural resources and the environment.

CARDINAL BERTONE: DIVINE WISDOM FOR THE DELICATE AND SERIOUS TASK OF ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

Vatican City, 12 January 2013 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., celebrated Mass this morning in the Chapel of Mary Mother of the Family in the Governorate Palace of the Vatican to inaugurate the 84th judicial year of the Tribunal of the Vatican City State.

"We would like to invoke Divine Wisdom," the cardinal said, "for the delicate and serious task of administrating justice." He then greeted, among others, the President of the Tribunal, Giuseppe Dalla Torre, the judges, the promoter of justice, and the various workers in the administrative office, relaying to them "blessed greetings from the Holy Father who follows your appreciated labour with attentive interest."

Commenting on the Gospel reading that focused on St. John the Baptist, the Secretary of State emphasized that the prophet's example and witness are "a summons to believers so that they may set aside attention-seeking, their wanting to be seen, thus reducing their own ego so that the love for Jesus might grow in each of us and in others. He is the Way the, Truth, and the Life. This attitude requires humility of heart, which is a gift from God that we must unceasingly ask for in prayer. This is why the John the Apostle, whom we listened to in the First Reading, … recommends confident prayer to the Father who, if the one who asks is ready to do His will, will grant their request. We also ask and pray for our brothers and sisters, so that they might not remain obstinately in evil and thus refuse conversion. Mutual prayer acquires the value of an exquisite act of charity. St. Paul also recommends several times that we pray for one other and Jesus prays that Peter, after repenting, might confirm the faith of the other apostles."

"In this Mass our prayer community turns to the Lord so that each of us might carry out our service in the administration of justice toward our unique community of the Vatican City State with humility and in truth. I wish all of you who are participating in the inauguration of the judicial year in various ways, to be able to grow in the awareness that harmony, justice, and peace are not fully achievable without dedication to God and acceptance of His grace. Each of us is also invited to an informed openness to the Transcendent, which the Holy Father recommended to the members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See a few days ago. He affirmed that without such an openness, 'humans easily fall pray to relativism and thus find it difficult to act justly or to commit themselves to peace'," the cardinal concluded.

POPE RECEIVES CORPS OF VATICAN GENDARMERIE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT

Vatican City, 11 January 2013 (VIS) - This afternoon, the Holy Father received the Corps of the Gendarmerie and the Fire Department of the Vatican City Sate in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican palace. After a greeting offered by Commander Domenico Giani, director of Security Services and Civil Protection, Benedict XVI addressed those gathered.

“This occasion,” said the Pope, “gives me the opportunity to express to you … my appreciation, my heartfelt encouragement, and mostly my deep gratitude for the generous work you carry out discretely, competently, efficiently, and not without sacrifice. Almost every day I have the opportunity to meet some of you in your various places of work and to personally witness your professionalism in collaborating on and guaranteeing the Pope’s surveillance as well as the necessary safety and order of those who reside in the state and those who take part in the celebrations and events that take place in the Vatican.”

“The Corps of the Gendarmerie is called to carry out, among other tasks, that of courteously and kindly greeting the Vatican’s pilgrims and visitors who come from Rome, Italy, and every part of the world. This labour of vigilance and control, which you conduct with diligence and care, is certainly substantial and delicate. At times it requires more than a little patience, perseverance, and willingness to listen. It is a very useful service to the tranquil and safe conduct of daily life and of the religious events of Vatican City.”

The Pope urged the gendarmes and firefighters to see on each pilgrim and visitor “the face of a brother or sister whom God has placed on your path” and to therefore “to welcome them with courtesy and assist them knowing that they are part of the great human family. Your task,” he emphasized, “will be more efficient for the Holy See and more enriching for you the more that it is undertaken with serenity and harmony. To that end it is necessary that the gendarmes, who for a long time have guaranteed their service within the Corps, and those responsible for their mandate establish, ever more fully, trusting relationships that can sustain and nourish all the members of the Vatican's Gendarmerie, even in difficult moments."

"May your unique presence at the heart of Christianity, where crowds and faithful constantly gather to meet the successor of Peter and to visit the tombs of the Apostles, always arouse in each of you the task of intensifying the spiritual dimension of life as well as the commitment to deepen your Christian faith, bearing courageous witness to it in each area of life with coherent conduct," the Holy Father concluded.

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 14 January 2013 (VIS) – On Saturday, the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

This morning, the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples,

six prelates from the Abruzzo-Molise region of the Italian Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Giancarlo Maria Bregantini, C.S.S., of Campobasso-Boiano;

- Archbishop Bruno Forte of Chieti-Vasto;

- Archbishop Emidio Cipollone of Lanciano-Ortona;

- Bishop Domenico Angelo Scotti of Trivento;

- Bishop Gianfranco De Luca of Termoli-Larino; and

- Bishop Salvatore Visco of Isernia-Venafro.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 12 January 2013 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father:

- appointed Bishop Julio Parrilla Diaz as bishop of Riobamba (area 7,014, population 517,000, Catholics 405,000, priests 79, permanent deacons 7, religious 218), Ecuador. Bishop Parrilla Diaz, previously bishop of Loja, Ecuador, was born in Orense, Spain in 1946, ordained a priest in 1975, and received episcopal ordination in 2008. In the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference he currently serves as president of the Caritas Pastoral Social Commission.

- appointed Bishop Daniel Kozelinski Netto as apostolic visitor to the faithful Byzantine Rite Ukrainians resident in Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, and Venezuela. Bishop Kozelinski Netto is also titular of Eminentiana, apostolic administrator of Santa María del Patrocinio en Buenos Aires of the Ukrainians, Argentina, and auxiliary of the eparchy of Sao Joao Batista em Curitiba of the Ukrainians, Brazil.

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News Vatican Information Service 01/11/2013

SUMMARY:

- CARDINAL SANDRI: GUARANTEE PROFESSION OF FAITH FOR ALL

- IN MEMORIAM

- AUDIENCES

______________________________________

CARDINAL SANDRI: GUARANTEE PROFESSION OF FAITH FOR ALL

Vatican City, 11 January 2013 (VIS) - Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, during his visit to Egypt (6–11 January) to celebrate the Year of Faith with the local Church, met with those responsible for apostolic events in that country. Speaking to them in Cairo this past Wednesday, 9 January, he said to the prelates and others present: "You are the ones who have made yourselves personally available to serve the Church and you have received the ecclesial task of committing yourselves, in faithfulness and constructive cooperation with pastors, so that the life of the Catholic community in Egypt may know how to efficiently announce the Son of God through sacramental life, catechesis, and charity—especially in charitable aid, in education, and in the concrete and daily service of our many brothers and sisters."

"Doubtlessly," he continued, "you are experiencing the desert of this very difficult present situation. Perhaps we must guard against letting the desert advance in our consciences and our hearts precisely while we are trying to advance the Gospel. Do not forget that the Son of God's intense days were preceded and followed by an even more intense dialogue with the Father. … Let us also, dear friends, pause at the oasis of Elim spoken of in the book of Exodus so that, despite the serious worries that the present holds for Christians in the Middle East and in your own dear country, our faithfulness may be reinvigorated while embracing the beauty of friendship with God."

Continuing, the cardinal recalled his meeting in Alexandria with the Egyptian Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, emphasizing the "primacy of charitable action in benefit of the children of this nation". He observed that the construction of the church in Sharm el-Sheikh was "an exceptional example of Christian charity. Many contributed generously: the area's ecclesial community, the Pontifical Representation, and some assistance agencies belonging to ROACO (Reunion of Organisations for Aid to the Oriental Churches) of which the prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches is president."

"We cannot nor do we want to forget," he stressed, "Egypt's secular tradition: the heights of religiousness and culture that it has know and which must be confirmed in the present and the future: a culture ever open to the revelation of God. … Safeguarding and cultivating the faith in the cultural arena constitutes a privileged part of our pastoral mission and, perhaps, collaboration between the various centres that have for some time inspired the apostolic and missionary activity of this nation should be incentivized.

In conclusion, the cardinal entrusted the objectives of the Year of Faith, called by the Holy Father on 11 October 2012, to those responsible for apostolic events. "First of all, we are asked in grace to remain close to the life of the church and to participate directly in it so that we may grow in awareness of the gift we have received increasing, above all, our personal and communal sacramental life."

"In this way, we may share the Church's mission to all peoples. We are expecting a renewed missionary impulse from the Year of Faith because throughout the world the most diverse religions are meeting and facing one another. And we are hoping for the confirmation of the Church's presence in the world, with its due support and the defence of Christians who are not granted religious freedom. The ability to profess one's own creed must be guaranteed to everyone without exception, and thus also to Christians."

Finally, the third objective of the Year of Faith is "to knock at the hearts of tired and indifferent Christians so that they might rediscover the joy of Christ and return to Him in order to have true and eternal life."

Yesterday, Thursday, the cardinal inaugurated the church of Our Lady of Peace in Sharm el-Sheikh. Cardinal Sandri's visit also had the purpose of remembering the centennial of the founding of the Egyptian Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the bicentennial of the founding of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The prelate also met with the Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria, Cardinal Antonios Naguib, and with bishops in Egypt. Likewise, in the sphere of relations with the Orthodox Churches, Cardinal Sandri met with the head of the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, His Beatitude Pope Theodore II, and the new head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II.

IN MEMORIAM

Vatican City, 11 January 2013 (VIS) - The following prelates died recently:

- Bishop Maurice Paul Delorme, auxiliary emeritus of Lyon, France and titular of Ottocium, on 27 December at the age of 93.

- Bishop Edward Thomas Hughes, emeritus of Metuchen, New Jersey, USA, on 25 December at the age of 92.

- Bishop Paul Khoarai, emeritus of Leribe, Lesotho, on 27 December at the age of 79.

- Bishop Rudolf Muller, emeritus of Gorlitz, Germany, on 25 December at the age of 81.

- Archbishop Ignacy Marcin Tokarczuk, emeritus of Przemysl, Poland, on 29 December at the age of 94.

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 11 January 2013 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Renata Polverini, president of the Lazio region of Italy,

- Giovanni Alemanno, mayor of Rome, Italy, and

-Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Peter's in the Vatican, vicar general of His Holiness for Vatican City, and president of the Fabric of St. Peter's.

This afternoon, he is scheduled to receive officers and members of the Corps of the Gendarmerie of Vatican City State in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace.

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