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VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE YEAR XXIII - N° 119 DATE 03-06-2013
Summary: - POPE RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF CAPE
VERDE: CHURCH'S JURIDICAL
STATUS AND CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS IDENTITY OF CAPE VERDE CENTRAL THEMES
- WHOLE WORLD UNITES IN EUCHARISTIC ADORATION WITH POPE IN ST. PETER'S
BASILICA - 50 YEARS FROM DEATH OF JOHN XXIII - ANGELUS: JESUS
WORRIED ABOUT THOSE WHO
FOLLOWED HIM BEING HUNGRY - FRANCIS ASKS FOR RELEASE OF THOSE KIDNAPPED
IN SYRIA, RECALLS SIGNS OF HOPE IN LATIN AMERICA, AND PRAYS FOR VICTIMS OF
WAR - LET US PRAY FOR VICTIMS OF THE MADNESS OF WAR - POPE
RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF
URUGUAY - CARDINAL CORDES ENVOY TO EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS OF GERMANY
- WE HEAR GOD'S WORDS BUT
WE DON'T REALLY LISTEN TO THEM - “GOD LOVES YOU VERY
MUCH” - AUDIENCES - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
POPE RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF CAPE VERDE: CHURCH'S JURIDICAL STATUS AND
CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS IDENTITY OF CAPE VERDE CENTRAL THEMES
Vatican City, 3 June 2013 (VIS) – Today in the Vatican Apostolic
Palace, the Holy Father received in audience His excellency Mr. Jorge Carlos
de Almeida Fonseca, president of the Republic of Cape Verde. President Fonseca
then went on to meet
with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., accompanied by
Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
During the course of the cordial discussions, the good relations between
the Holy See and the Republic of Cape Verde were recalled. Spoken of in
particular was the Accord between the Republic and the Apostolic See regarding
the Catholic Church's
juridical status in that country, which will be signed shortly in the capital,
Praia, during Archbishop Mamberti's upcoming trip to the archipelago.
Also mentioned was the cultural and religious identity of the Cape Verdean
population, which is almost entirely Christian, as well as the role that the
Catholic Church has played and continues to carry out in the country with her
educational and
health institutions.
In conclusion, some important challenges and situations that particularly
concern the region and the topic of the presence of numerous Cape Verdeans in
various countries around the world were also noted.
WHOLE WORLD UNITES IN EUCHARISTIC ADORATION WITH POPE IN ST. PETER'S
BASILICA
Vatican City, 3 June 2013 (VIS) – For the Solemnity of Corpus Christi
yesterday, at 5:00 in the afternoon in St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father
presided over Eucharistic Adoration, an initiative of the Year of Faith
inviting the faithful of
all the dioceses of the world to unite spiritually.
It was a historic event. For the first time in the history of the Church
all the cathedrals around the world where synchronized to the time in Rome
and, for an hour, were in communion with the Pope in Eucharistic Adoration,
under the theme of
“One Lord, One Faith”. The initiative involved not only the
world's cathedrals, but also parishes, religious congregations—mainly
cloistered monasteries—and lay associations around the globe.
The Sistine Chapel Choir accompanied Pope Francis' journey along St.
Peter's central nave where he prayed for the intentions: “For the Church
spread throughout the world and united today in the adoration of the Most Holy
Eucharist as a sign of
unity. May the Lord make her ever more obedient to hearing his Word in order
to stand before the world ‘ever more beautiful, without stain or
blemish, but holy and blameless.’ That through her faithful
announcement, the Word that saves may
still resonate as the bearer of mercy and may increase love to give full
meaning to pain and suffering, giving back joy and serenity.”
Pope Francis’ second intention was: “For those around the world
who still suffer slavery and who are victims of war, human trafficking, drug
running, and slave labour. For the children and women who are suffering from
every type of
violence. May their silent scream for help be heard by a vigilant Church so
that, gazing upon the crucified Christ, she may not forget the many brothers
and sisters who are left at the mercy of violence. Also, for all those who
find themselves in
economically precarious situations, above all for the unemployed, the elderly,
migrants, the homeless, prisoners, and those who experience marginalization.
That the Church’s prayer and its active nearness give them comfort and
assistance in hope
and strength and courage in defending human dignity.”
Vatican City, 3 June 2013 (VIS) – On 3 June 1963, Angelo Giuseppe
Roncalli, popularly referred to as 'the Good Pope', died after a five-year
long pontificate that left its mark on the Church with historic reforms.
His might have seemed destined to be a transitional pontificate, but the
Good Pope John, elected after three days in conclave, “knew how to
rejuvenate the Church and resume dialogue with the modern world in loving
trust,” according to the
words of John Paul II, who declared him a Blessed in September of 2000.
Although John XXIII was not able to see much of the fruit of the changes he
had proposed, they profoundly transformed the Catholic Church of the time. He
was a Pope who fought for peace in the world, as his 1963 encyclical
“Pacem in
Terris” (Peace on Earth) demonstrated. He revolutionized the Church by
convening the Second Vatican Council to modernize and develop the institution
of the Church and reformed the Mass, which came to be celebrated ordinarily in
the modern
languages rather than in Latin.
The five years of his pontificate did not pass unnoticed and, even a half
century later, as he said himself at the time, it continues to “throw
open the doors and windows of the Church to let in the fresh air”. It
was a phrase that was
recalled frequently during the recent election of Cardinal Bergoglio, whom the
international press described as “the new Roncalli”.
Early this evening, in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis will receive
2,000 pilgrims from the Good Pope's native province: Bergamo, Italy. They will
commemorate Blessed John XXIII, who earned the appreciation and love of the
faithful thanks to his
generous, caring, and simple nature.
ANGELUS: JESUS WORRIED ABOUT THOSE WHO FOLLOWED HIM BEING HUNGRY
Vatican City, 2 June 2013 (VIS) – At noon today, Pope Francis
appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with the thousands of
faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, informing them that this past
Thursday was the celebration of
the Solemnity of Corpus Christi—”the Feast of the Eucharist, the
Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ”—which in Italy and
other countries is celebrated today.
Commenting on the Gospel that narrates the miracle of the loaves and fish,
the Bishop of Rome said that there is an aspect of this story that always
surprises him and causes him to reflect. “We are on the shore of the Sea
of Galilee. Evening
draws near. Jesus is concerned for the people who, for so many hours, have
been with him. There are thousands of them and they are hungry. What is to be
done? The disciples are also discussing the problem and they say to Jesus:
'Dismiss the crowd' so
they can go to the nearby villages and find something to eat. Instead, Jesus
tells them: 'Give them some food yourselves'. The disciples are baffled and
answer: 'Five loaves and two fish are all we have', that is, just enough for
us.”
“Jesus knows well what must be done but he wants to involve his
disciples, wants to educate them. The disciples' attitude is the human one,
which seeks the most realistic solution, the one that doesn't create too many
problems: Dismiss the
crowd, they say, and let each of them fend for themselves. Anyway, you have
already done so much for them: you have preached, you have healed the sick
… Dismiss the crowd.”
“Jesus' attitude is completely different and is dictated by his union
with the Father and his compassion for the people—by that compassion
that Jesus has for us all. Jesus hears our problems, feels our weaknesses and
our needs. Faced with
those five loaves, Jesus thinks: here's providence. From this little bit God
can bring forth what everyone needs. Jesus trust completely in the heavenly
Father, knowing that, with Him, everything is possible. Therefore he tells the
disciples to seat the
people of groups of fifty. This isn't an accident—it means that they are
no longer a crowd but become communities, nourished by the bread of
God.”
“Then he takes the bread and the fish, lifts his eyes to heaven,
recites the blessing—which is a clear reference to the Euc
arist—then breaks them, begins to give them to his disciples, and the
disciples distribute it. And the bread
and fish don't stop … here is the miracle! More than a multiplication
it is a sharing, inspired by faith and prayer. They all ate and there were
leftovers. This is the sign of Jesus, the bread of God for humanity.”
The disciples,” the Pope noted, “saw, but they didn't grasp the
message. They were caught up, like the crowd, in this success. Once again they
followed human logic, not that of God, which is the logic of service, love,
and faith. The
Feast of Corpus Christi asks us to convert to faith in Providence, asks us to
know how to share the little that we are and that we have, and asks that we
not ever get locked up in ourselves. Let us ask our Mother Mary to help us in
this conversion, to
truly follow more closely Jesus whom we adore in the Eucharist.”
FRANCIS ASKS FOR RELEASE OF THOSE KIDNAPPED IN SYRIA, RECALLS SIGNS OF HOPE
IN LATIN AMERICA, AND PRAYS FOR VICTIMS OF WAR
Vatican City, 2 June 2013 (VIS) – After praying the Angelus, the Pope
expressed his great concern regarding the continuation of the conflict that,
“for more than two years now has inflamed Syria, especially affecting
the civilian
population that aspires to peace in justice and understanding.”
“This troubled situation of war bears with it tragic consequences:
death, destruction, massive economic and environmental damage, as well as the
scourge of kidnapping. In denouncing these events I wish to assure my prayers
of solidarity for
those who have been kidnapped and their families and I appeal to the humanity
of the kidnappers for the release of the victims.”
But the Holy Father also noted that, although there are many conflicts
taking place around the world, there are also “many signs of hope”
and encouraged “the recent steps taken in many Latin American countries
toward reconciliation
and peace”, asking for them to be accompanied by our prayers.
Finally, he noted that the Mass that he had celebrated that morning with
wounded soldiers and family members of servicemen who had fallen in
“peacekeeping missions that seek to promote reconciliation and peace in
countries where so much blood
of one's brothers and sisters is still spilled in wars that are always
madness”. “Everything is lost in war. Everything is gained with
peace. I ask you to pray for the fallen, the wounded, and their
amilies,” the Pope explained, for
the first time asking for silence in St. Peter's Square. “Let us
together now, in silence, in our hearts—all together—say a
prayer” for those wounded and fallen in peacekeeping missions.
Vatican City, 2 June 2013 (VIS) – At 9:30 this morning, the Pope
celebrated Mass at the Domus Sanctae Marthae with family members, mostly
parents, of the Italian armed forces who have been killed on peacekeeping
missions—especially in
Afghanistan—in the past few years, as well as service members who have
been wounded on those missions with their family members. The group was
accompanied by Archbishop Vincenzo Pelvi, military ordinary for Italy, who
concelebrated with the Holy
Father.
There were 55 relatives commemorating 24 fallen servicemen and 13 wounded
servicemen. During the celebration, all fallen soldiers were prayed for, as
well as for peace. Today was chosen for this meeting as it coincides with
Italy's Republic Day
(“Festa della Repubblica”) when the entire nation, as Archbishop
Pelvi noted during his greeting to the Pope, “expresses its debt of love
for the military family with various manifestations”.
In his homily, the Pope commented on the Gospel story of the centurion who
asks Jesus to heal his slave. “Our God,” he said, “is
personal. He listens to everyone with his heart and He loves 'wholeheartedly'.
Today we have come to
pray for our dead, for our wounded, for the victims of the madness that is
war! It is the suicide of humanity because it kills the heart. It kills
precisely that which is the Lord's message: it kills love! War grows out of
hatred, envy, and the desire
for power, as well as—how very many times we see it—from the
hunger for more power.”
“So many times we’ve seen the great ones of the earth wanting
to solve local problems, economic problems, and economic crises with war.
Why?” the Holy Father continued. “Because, for them, money is more
important than people!
And war is just that: it is an act of faith in money, in idols, in the idols
of hatred, in that idol that leads to killing one’s brother, that leads
to killing love. It reminds me of God our Father's words to Cain, who, out of
envy, had killed his
brother: ‘Cain, where is your brother?’ Today we can hear this
voice: it is God our Father who weeps, weeps for this madness of ours, who
asks all of us: ‘Where is your brother?’ Who says to the powerful
of the earth:
‘Where is your brother? What have you done!’”
Pope Francis urged those present to pray to the Lord so that He might
“take all evil far away from us,” and to repeat this prayer
“even with tears, with the tears of the heart”: “'Turn to
us, O Lord, and have mercy on
us, because we are sad, we are in anguish. See our misery and our pain and
forgive our sins'; because behind war there are always sins: the sin of
idolatry, the sin of exploiting persons on the altar of power, of sacrificing
them. ‘Turn to us, O
Lord, and have mercy, because we are sad and in anguish.’ ... We are
confident that the Lord will hear us and will do everything to give us the
spirit of consolation. So be it.”
On concluding Mass, the “Prayer for Italy”, composed by Blessed
John Paul II in 1994, was prayed. Then, as is his custom, the Pope personally
greeted each of those present with warmth and affection. The ecclesial
community of the Military
Ordinary gave the Holy Father a terracotta piece of Neapolitan artisanry that
portrayed St. Joseph the Worker teaching the carpentry tools of his trade to a
young Jesus who is carrying a basket with the objects symbolizing the
crucifixion: nails,
hammer, and pincers.
Vatican City, 1 June 2013 (VIS) – This morning the Holy Father
Francis received in audience His excellency Mr. Jose Alberto Mujica Cordano,
president of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, who then went on to meet with
the Secretary of State,
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., accompanied by Archbishop Dominique
Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
The cordial discussions allowed an exchange of information and reflection
upon the country's socio-political situation and its role within the region.
In this context, issues of common interest were treated, including the total
development of the
person, the respect of human rights, justice, and social peace. The Catholic
Church's contribution in the public debate on these issues was not overlooked,
as well as her service in all areas of society, particularly in the areas of
welfare and
education.
CARDINAL CORDES ENVOY TO EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS OF GERMANY
Vatican City, 1 June 2013 (VIS) – Today was made public the letter,
written in Latin and dated 8 May, in which Pope Francis appoints Cardinal Paul
Josef Cordes, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council “Cor
Unum”, as his special
envoy to Germany's National Eucharistic Congress that will take place in
Cologne this 9 June.
The cardinal will be accompanied by a mission composed of the following
members: Msgr. Winfried Haunerland, professor of Liturgy at the University of
Munich, and Fr. Stefan Rau, pastor of St. Josef in Munster.
WE HEAR GOD'S WORDS BUT WE DON'T REALLY LISTEN TO THEM
Vatican City, 1June 2013 (VIS) – At 8:00 yesterday evening, Pope
Francis participated in the praying of the Rosary held in St. Peter's Square
concluding the Marian month of May. The celebration was presided by Cardinal
Angelo Comastri, vicar
general of His Holiness for Vatican City and archpriest of the Vatican
Basilica. At the conclusion of the prayer and before imparting the Apostolic
Blessing to the many faithful present, the Holy Father recalled the feast of
the Visitation of the
Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth and offered a meditation dedicated to the
mystery that shows how Mary faces life's journey with great sensibility,
humanity, and care.
“Three words sum up Mary's attitude: listening, decision, and action.
They are words that also show us the path before us of what the Lord asks of
us in life,” the Holy Father said.
“Mary knows how to listen to God. But be careful: this is not a
simple 'hearing' but a 'listening based on paying attention, a welcoming, an
openness toward God. It isn't the distracted manner that we sometimes have
when dealing with the Lord
or others when we hear their words, but we don't really listen.”
“Mary,” Pope Francis continued, “also listens to the
facts. She reads the events of her life and observes concrete reality without
stopping at the surface of things but going in depth to grasp its meaning.
… This is also true
in our lives: listening to God who speaks to us and listening to our everyday
reality, paying attention to people and to facts because the Lord is at the
door in our lives and He calls in many ways, putting signs along our path and
giving us the ability
to see them.”
“The second word,” the Holy Father continued, “is
decision. … Mary doesn't let herself be carried away by events, doesn't
avoid the burden of making decisions. … In life, it is difficult to
make decisions. Often we
tend to postpone them, to let others decide for us. Often we prefer to be
caught up by events, chasing the fashion of the moment. Sometimes we know what
we have to do, but we don't have the courage or it seems too difficult because
it means going
against the grain. … Mary goes against the current. She listens to God,
reflects and tries to understand the reality [of the situation] and decides to
entrust herself completely to God.”
“Action,” said the pontiff, “is the third word. …
Mary , despite the difficulties and criticism she received for her decision to
leave, doesn't stop at anything. ...Mary isn't rushed, doesn't let herself by
carried away by
the moment. But when it's clear what God is asking of her, what she must do,
she doesn't linger, doesn't hold back but goes 'in haste'.”
“Sometimes,” the Pope concluded, “even we stop with just
listening, just reflecting on what we should do, perhaps we are even clear
about what decision we should make, but we don't take the steps to act upon
it. Above all we don't
put ourselves in play, don't move 'in haste' toward others to bring them our
assistance, our understanding, or our charity.”
Vatican City, 1 June 2013 (VIS) – Yesterday afternoon, in the chapel
of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, Pope Francis met with a group of 22 sick
children who are being treated at the department of paediatric oncology at the
Agostino Gemelli Hospital
in Rome. They were accompanied by their parents, representatives of the
hospital staff and volunteers, and sisters and priests who are travelling with
them on pilgrimages to Lourdes and Loreto.
For one of those trips, the children had sent the Pope drawings of the
Grotto of Lourdes together with a letter offering to come and pray with him.
The meeting took place in an atmosphere of prayer and great emotion,
particularly joy. The Holy Father
prayed the Our Father together with the children and they later sang the
“Ave Maria of Lourdes”.
While speaking with the Pope, one little girl ask that he pray for all the
sick children in the world and that he bless their families. Pope Francis
spoke with them, listening and answering their questions, reminding them that
Jesus is at their side
because “Jesus loves you very much”.
Francis imparted the Apostolic Blessing, explaining to the children that it
was “like a hug from God”. At the end of the meeting, the Holy
Father, as is his custom, individually greeted all those present with great
affection.