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VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - N° 157
DATE 25-07-2013
Summary:
- FRANCIS AT APARECIDA: MAKE THE YOUNG THE ARCHITECTS OF JUSTICE, SOLIDARY
AND FRATERNITY
- REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN IN THE ABYSS AND SAY: YOU CAN STAND AGAIN
- THE POPE PRAYS FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE RAIL ACCIDENT IN COMPOSTELA
___________________________________________________________
FRANCIS AT APARECIDA: MAKE THE YOUNG THE ARCHITECTS OF JUSTICE, SOLIDARY AND
FRATERNITY
Vatican City, 24 July 2013 (VIS) – The Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida,
patron of Brazil, was the scene of the first public Mass celebrated by Pope
Francis on the American continent. The Pope wished to include a visit to this
sanctuary, of great
importance to Brazilians and to Catholics throughout the continent, on the
itinerary for his apostolic trip on the occasion of World Youth Day.
The story of Our Lady of Aparecida dates back to 1717 when, after several
fruitless attempts at fishing in the River Paraiba, three fishermen cast their
net and pulled it back to find a statue of the Virgin, without a head. Upon
their next cast they
found the head of the statue. Casting the net a third time, they brought it to
shore full of fish. The statue, to which the 'miraculous' haul was attributed,
remained for fifteen years in the house of one of the fishermen, and his
neighbours gathered
there to pray the Rosary. With the grace received, devotion to Our Lady
Aparecida gradually spread throughout the various regions of Brazil. In 1734 a
Chapel was built, and construction of the existing “Old Basilica”
began in 1834. The image
of the Virgin was crowned in 1904, and in 1929 Pope Pius XI proclaimed Our
Lady Aparecida the “Queen and patron of Brazil”. The bishops and
redemptorist missionaries initiated the construction of the existing “New
Basilica”, the world's largest marian structure, in 1955, and it was
blessed by John Paul II during his apostolic voyage to Brazil in 1980. The
sanctuary is visited by over seven million pilgrims each year. On 13 May 2007
Pope Benedict XVI
inaugurated in Aparecida the work of the Fifth General Conference of the
Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, which established pastoral
guidelines for the continent for the coming years.
Pope Francis arrived at the shrine at 10.00 a.m. (local time; 15.00 Rome
time), where he was welcomed by the rector. He went to the Room of the Twelve
Apostles to pray for a minute before the image of Our Lady of Aparecida. The
Holy Mass – which
was attended only by the bishops of the province, as the prelates of World
Youth Day were engaged in the catechesis sessions in Rio de Janeiro –
began at 10.30 a.m.
The Holy Father began his homily by recalling that, on the day following his
election as Bishop of Rome, he went to the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome
to entrust his ministry to the Virgin. This time he has come to Aparecida to
“ask Mary our
Mother for the success of World Youth Day and to place at her feet the life of
the people of Latin America”. Afterwards, referring to the Fifth General
Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, in which he
participated, he said
that “something beautiful took place here. … I saw how the
Bishops – who were discussing the theme of encountering Christ,
discipleship and mission – felt encouraged, supported and in some way
inspired by the thousands of
pilgrims who came here day after day to entrust their lives to Our Lady. That
Conference was a great moment of Church. It can truly be said that the
Aparecida Document was born of this interplay between the labours of the
bishops and the
simple faith of the pilgrims, under Mary’s maternal protection. When the
Church looks for Jesus, she always knocks at his Mother’s door and asks:
“Show us Jesus”. It is from Mary that the Church learns true
discipleship. That is
why the Church always goes out on mission in the footsteps of Mary”.
He continued, “Today, looking forward to the World Youth Day which has
brought me to Brazil, I too come to knock on the door of the house of Mary
– who loved and raised Jesus – that she may help all of us,
pastors of God’s
people, parents and educators, to pass on to our young people the values that
can help them build a nation and a world which are more just, united and
fraternal. For this reason I would like to speak of three simple attitudes,
… : hopefulness,
openness to being surprised by God, and living in joy”.
To explain the first of these attitudes, hopefulness, the Pope spoke about the
second reading of the Mass, which presents a dramatic scene: a woman –
an image of Mary and the Church – being pursued by a Dragon – the
devil – who
wants to devour her child. “But the scene is not one of death but of
life, because God intervenes and saves the child. How many difficulties are
present in the life of every individual, among our people, in our communities;
yet as great as these
may seem, God never allows us to be overwhelmed by them. In the face of those
moments of discouragement we experience in life, in our efforts to evangelize
or to embody our faith as parents within the family, I would like to say
forcefully: Always know
in your heart that God is by your side; he never abandons you! Let us never
lose hope! Let us never allow it to die in our hearts! The 'dragon', evil, is
present in our history, but it does not have the upper hand. The one with the u
pper
hand is God, and God is our hope!”
“It is true that nowadays, to some extent, everyone, including our young
people, feels attracted by the many idols which take the place of God and
appear to offer hope: money, success, power, pleasure. Often a growing sense
of loneliness and
emptiness in the hearts of many people leads them to seek satisfaction in
these ephemeral idols. Dear brothers and sisters, let us be lights of hope!
Let us maintain a positive outlook on reality. Let us encourage the generosity
which is typical of the
young and help them to work actively in building a better world. Young people
are a powerful engine for the Church and for society. They do not need
material things alone; also and above all, they need to have held up to them
those non-material values
which are the spiritual heart of a people, the memory of a people. In this
Shrine, which is part of the memory of Brazil, we can almost read those
values: spirituality, generosity, solidarity, perseverance, fraternity, joy;
they are valu
es
whose deepest root is in the Christian faith”.
Moving on to the second attitude, openness to being surprised by God, the Pope
said, “Anyone who is a man or a woman of hope – the great hope
which faith gives us – knows that even in the midst of difficulties God
acts and he surprises
us. The history of this Shrine is a good example: three fishermen, after a day
of catching no fish, found something unexpected in the waters of the Parnaiba
River: an image of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Whoever would have
thought that the
site of a fruitless fishing expedition would become the place where all
Brazilians can feel that they are children of one Mother? God always surprises
us, like the new wine in the Gospel we have just heard. God always saves the
best for us. But he asks
us to let ourselves be surprised by his love, to accept his surprises. Let us
trust God! Cut off from him, the wine of joy, the wine of hope, runs out. If
we draw near to him, if we stay with him, what seems to be cold water, diffic
ulty,
sin, is changed into the new wine of friendship with him”.
Finally, the third attitude relates to living in joy. “If we walk in
hope, allowing ourselves to be surprised by the new wine which Jesus offers
us, we have joy in our hearts and we cannot fail to be witnesses of this joy.
Christians are joyful,
they are never gloomy. God is at our side. We have a Mother who always
intercedes for the life of her children. ... Jesus has shown us that the face
of God is that of a loving Father. Sin and death have been defeated.
Christians cannot be pessimists!
They do not look like someone in constant mourning. If we are truly in love
with Christ and if we sense how much he loves us, our heart will 'light up'
with a joy that spreads to everyone around us”.
“We have come to knock at the door of Mary’s house”, Francis
concluded. She has opened it for us, she has let us in and she shows us her
Son. Now she asks us to 'do whatever he tells you'. Yes, dear Mother, we are
committed to doing
whatever Jesus tells us! And we will do it with hope, trusting in God’s
surprises and full of joy”.
After the Holy Mass, the Pope appeared on the balcony of the sanctuary to
bless the faithful present, and to greet the thousands of faithful and
pilgrims who were unable to enter and who followed the ceremony outside under
pouring rain. He added a few
improvised words in Spanish, promising at the end that he would return to
Aparecida for the 300th anniversary of the discovery of the statue of Maria.
“Irmaos e Irmas … Irmaos e Irmas, eu nao falo brasileiro”
(“Brothers and sisters, I don't speak Brazilian, ed.”). Forgive
me, I will speak to you in Spanish. Obrigado (thank you, ed.) for being here.
I thank you from my
heart, with all my heart, and I ask that the Virgin, Our Lady of Aparecida,
bless you, that she bless your families, that she bless your children, that
she bless your parents, that she bless your homeland. Let's see, now I will
know if you understand
me. I have one question – does a mother forget her children? She does
not forget us: she loves and cares for us. Now we ask for the blessing, the
blessing of God Almighty. May the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
descend upon you, forever. I
ask a favour of you – pray for me, pray for me, I need your prayers. May
God bless you, and may Our Lady of Aparecida care for you. Until 2017, when I
will return”.
The Holy Father then proceeded by Popemobile to the Missionary Seminary of Bom
Jesus, a distance of three kilometres, to have lunch with the bishops of the
province and the seminarians. Upon arrival he blessed an image of Frei Galvao
(St. Antonio de
Santana Galvao, canonised by Pope Benedict XVI in Sao Paulo during his
apostolic trip in 2007), which is located in the sanctuary dedicated to the
saint in the town of Guaratingueta.
After lunch, the Pope returned to the heliport near Aparecida and from there,
returned by helicopter to Rio de Janeiro to visit the San Francisco de Asis
Hospital.
___________________________________________________________
REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN IN THE ABYSS AND SAY: YOU CAN STAND AGAIN
Vatican City, 25 July 2013 (VIS) – At 6.30 p.m., local time, Pope
Francis arrived at the Hospital Sao Francisco de Assis na Providencia de Deus
(St Francis of Assisi of the Providence of God Hospital) of the Venerable
Third Order of St. Francis, a
centre dedicated to drug- or alcohol-dependent patients and which provides
free medical and surgical assistance for indigenous peoples. The hospital has
approximately five hundred beds and is managed by the eponymous Association,
founded in 1985 by
Brother Francis. Upon arrival Pope Francis was received by the director of the
Association and by the secretary of State for health, and proceeded directly
to the chapel where he was welcomed with songs, prayers, greetings and the
profound testimony of
two patients.
“God has willed that my journey, after the Shrine of Our Lady of
Aparecida, should take me to a particular shrine of human suffering –
the St. Francis of Assisi Hospital”, said the Pope, who went on to speak
of the saint's conversion:
“the young Francis abandoned the riches and comfort of the world in
order to become a poor man among the poor. He understood that true joy and
riches do not come from the idols of this world – material things and
the possession of them
– but are to be found only in following Christ and serving others”.
In his address, the Holy Father emphasised that we all have to learn to
embrace those in need, as Saint Francis did. “There are so many
situations in Brazil, and throughout the world, that require attention, care
and love, like the fight against
chemical dependency. Often, instead, it is selfishness that prevails in our
society. How many 'dealers of death' there are who follow the logic of power
and money at any cost! The scourge of drug-trafficking, that favours violence
and sows the seeds of
suffering and death, requires of society as a whole an act of courage. A
reduction in the spread and influence of drug addiction will not be achieved
by a liberalization of drug use, as is currently being proposed in various
parts of Latin America.
Rather, it is necessary to confront the problems underlying the use of these
drugs, by promoting greater justice, educating young people in the values that
build up life in society, accompanying those in difficulty and giving them hope
for
the future. We all need to look upon one another with the loving eyes of
Christ, and to learn to embrace those in need, in order to show our closeness,
affection and love”.
The Pope continued, “We must hold the hand of the one in need, of the
one who has fallen into the darkness of dependency perhaps without even
knowing how, and we must say to him or her: You can get up, you can stand up.
It is difficult, but it is
possible if you want to. Dear friends, I wish to say to each of you, but
especially to all those others who have not had the courage to embark on our
journey: You have to want to stand up; this is the indispensible condition!
You will find an
outstretched hand ready to help you, but no one is able to stand up in your
place. But you are never alone! The Church and so many people are close to
you. Look ahead with confidence. Yours is a long and difficult journey, but
look ahead, there is a
sure future, set against a different horizon with regard to the illusory
enticements of the idols of this world, yet granting new momentum and strength
to our daily lives”.
He urged all of those present, “Do not let yourselves be robbed of hope!
And not only that, but I say to us all: let us not rob others of hope, let us
become bearers of hope!”, and continued, “I believe that here, in
this hospital, the
parable of the Good Samaritan is made tangible. Here there is no indifference,
but concern. There is no apathy, but love”.
Finally, the Pope thanked all medical professionals and their associates
working in the hospital: “Your service is precious; undertake it always
with love. It is a service given to Christ present in our brothers and
sisters. As Jesus says to us:
'As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to
me'”.
He also emphasised to all those “who struggle against drug addiction,
and to those family members who share in your difficulties” that
“the Church is not distant from your troubles, but accompanies you with
affection. The Lord is near
you and he takes you by the hand. Look to him in your most difficult moments
and he will give you consolation and hope. And trust in the maternal love of
his Mother Mary. … Where there is a cross to carry, she, our Mother, is
always there with
us, by our side”.
At the end of his visit, the Holy Father addressed some words to the young
Italians who followed the proceedings live from Maracanazinho, exhorting them
to “Trust Christ, listen to him, follow in his footsteps. He never
abandons us, not even in
the darkest moments of our lives. He is our hope. Tomorrow in Copacabana we
will have an opportunity to explore this truth more deeply, in order to shine
his light on our lives. See you tomorrow!”
___________________________________________________________
THE POPE PRAYS FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE RAIL ACCIDENT IN COMPOSTELA
Vatican City, 26 July 2013 (VIS) – Pope Francis has sent a telegram to
Archbishop Julian Barrio Barrio of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, to convey
his condolences for the 78 dead and more than 140 casualties due to the
derailment of a train in the
city station yesterday evening. The full text of the telegram is given below:
“Profoundly saddened by the serious rail accident near Santiago de
Compostela, which has claimed numerous victims and many further casualties, I
raise fervent prayers to the Almighty for all those killed and injured in this
tragic event. With
great suffering I ask your excellency to kindly convey my spiritual closeness,
affection and sincere fraternal solidarity to those who have suffered in this
tragedy and to their families. I assure them of my prayers for the eternal
repose of the souls
of the dead, and for all those afflicted in their time of grief, in the hope
of their speedy and complete recovery.
“On this day, in which the Church is entrusted to the intercession of
St. James, the celestial patron of Spain and witness to the Risen Christ, I
wish to express my support to all the sons of this noble land, and impart a
heartfelt apostolic
blessing, bearer of the hope that comes from faith and the consolation offered
by authentic love”.
___________________________________________________________
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VISnews130725
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE YEAR XXII - N° 157 DATE 25-07-2013
Summary: - FRANCIS AT APARECIDA: MAKE THE
YOUNG THE ARCHITECTS OF
JUSTICE, SOLIDARY AND FRATERNITY - REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN IN
THE ABYSS AND SAY: YOU CAN STAND AGAIN - THE POPE PRAYS FOR THE VICTIMS
OF THE RAIL ACCIDENT IN COMPOSTELA
FRANCIS AT APARECIDA: MAKE THE YOUNG THE ARCHITECTS OF JUSTICE, SOLIDARY
AND FRATERNITY
Vatican City, 24 July 2013 (VIS) – The Shrine of Our Lady of
Aparecida, patron of Brazil, was the scene of the first public Mass celebrated
by Pope Francis on the American continent. The Pope wished to include a visit
to this sanctuary, of
great importance to Brazilians and to Catholics throughout the continent, on
the itinerary for his apostolic trip on the occasion of World Youth Day.
The story of Our Lady of Aparecida dates back to 1717 when, after several
fruitless attempts at fishing in the River Paraiba, three fishermen cast their
net and pulled it back to find a statue of the Virgin, without a head. Upon
their next cast they
found the head of the statue. Casting the net a third time, they brought it to
shore full of fish. The statue, to which the 'miraculous' haul was attributed,
remained for fifteen years in the house of one of the fishermen, and his
neighbours gathered
there to pray the Rosary. With the grace received, devotion to Our Lady
Aparecida gradually spread throughout the various regions of Brazil. In 1734 a
Chapel was built, and construction of the existing “Old Basilica”
began in 1834. The image
of the Virgin was crowned in 1904, and in 1929 Pope Pius XI proclaimed Our
Lady Aparecida the “Queen and patron of Brazil”. The bishops and
redemptorist missionaries initiated the construction of the existing
“New Basilica”, the world's largest marian structure, in 1955, and
it was blessed by John Paul II during his apostolic voyage to Brazil in 1980.
The sanctuary is visited by over seven million pilgrims each year. On 13 May
2007 Pope Benedict
XVI inaugurated in Aparecida the work of the Fifth General Conference of the
Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, which established pastoral
guidelines for the continent for the coming years.
Pope Francis arrived at the shrine at 10.00 a.m. (local time; 15.00 Rome
time), where he was welcomed by the rector. He went to the Room of the Twelve
Apostles to pray for a minute before the image of Our Lady of Aparecida. The
Holy Mass –
which was attended only by the bishops of the province, as the prelates of
World Youth Day were engaged in the catechesis sessions in Rio de Janeiro
– began at 10.30 a.m.
The Holy Father began his homily by recalling that, on the day following
his election as Bishop of Rome, he went to the Basilica of St. Mary Major in
Rome to entrust his ministry to the Virgin. This time he has come to Aparecida
to “ask Mary
our Mother for the success of World Youth Day and to place at her feet the
life of the people of Latin America”. Afterwards, referring to the Fifth
General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, in which
he participated, he
said that “something beautiful took place here. … I saw how the
Bishops – who were discussing the theme of encountering Christ,
discipleship and mission – felt encouraged, supported and in some way
inspired by the thousands of
pilgrims who came here day after day to entrust their lives to Our Lady. That
Conference was a great moment of Church. It can truly be said that the
Aparecida Document was born of this interplay between the labours of the
bishops and
the simple faith of the pilgrims, under Mary’s maternal protection. When
the Church looks for Jesus, she always knocks at his Mother’s door and
asks: “Show us Jesus”. It is from Mary that the Church learns true
discipleship. That
is why the Church always goes out on mission in the footsteps of
Mary”.
He continued, “Today, looking forward to the World Youth Day which
has brought me to Brazil, I too come to knock on the door of the house of Mary
– who loved and raised Jesus – that she may help all of us,
pastors of God’s
people, parents and educators, to pass on to our young people the values that
can help them build a nation and a world which are more just, united and
fraternal. For this reason I would like to speak of three simple attitudes,
… : hopefulness,
openness to being surprised by God, and living in joy”.
To explain the first of these attitudes, hopefulness, the Pope spoke about
the second reading of the Mass, which presents a dramatic scene: a woman
– an image of Mary and the Church – being pursued by a Dragon
– the devil –
who wants to devour her child. “But the scene is not one of death but of
life, because God intervenes and saves the child. How many difficulties are
present in the life of every individual, among our people, in our communities;
yet as great as
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