“During the last few Sundays I have suggested to all of you to obtain a small
copy of the Gospel, to carry with you during the day, so you can read it
frequently. Then I thought of an ancient tradition of the Church during Lent,
of giving the Gospel to catechumens, and to those who are preparing for
Baptism. So, today I wish to offer you, here in the square – but as a sign to
all – a pocket-sized Gospel. It will be distributed free. … And like Him, I
say to you, freely you have received, freely give – give the message of the
Gospel! … Let us do something: in exchange for this give, carry out an act of
charity, a gesture of love, freely given; a prayer for enemies, 
econciliation, something. Today we can also read the Gospel using many
technological instruments. You can carry the entire Bible around with you in a
smartphone, in a tablet. The important thing is to read the Word of God, by
any means– read the Word of God, is it Jesus who is speaking to you!”

___________________________________________________________

 POPE'S AUDIENCE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA: APPRECIATION FOR THE CHURCH'S
COMMITMENT TO PEACE
 Vatican City, 5 April 2014 (VIS) – Today, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace,
the Holy Father Francis received in audience Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president
of the Republic of Liberia, who subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal
Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by the secretary for Relations
with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.
 During the cordial discussions, emphasis was placed on the good relations
between the Holy See and Liberia, and satisfaction was expressed regarding the
positive progress made in strengthening the country’s democratic structures.
Particular appreciation was shown for the Church’s commitment to peace and
national reconciliation, as well as her important contribution in the fields
of social welfare and education.
 Finally, there was an exchange of views on the current international and
regional situation, with special reference to areas of crisis.
___________________________________________________________

 THE POPE TO ITALIAN MAYORS: BE MEDIATORS, NOT INTERMEDIARIES
 Vatican City, 5 April 2014 (VIS) – This morning Pope Francis received in
audience the members of the National Association of Italian Municipalities
(ANCI), whose president is the mayor of Turin, Piero Fassino. In his address,
the Holy Father mentioned Cardinal Michel Pellegrino, archbishop of the city
from 1965 and 1977 who, he revealed, helped the Bergoglio family find work in
the post-war period.
 “His gesture was a beautiful one”, said the Pope, addressing the president of
the ANCI. “It recalls these men of the Church, these man and women of the
Church – priests, nuns, laypeople – who knew how to walk alongside their
people, within and next to their people. And the identity of the mayor is a
little like this. … The mayor is surrounded by the people.  It is
inconceivable that a mayor is not there, because the mayor is a mediator, in
the midst of the needs of the people. And the danger is that of becoming a
mayor who is not a mediator, but rather an intermediary”.
 The difference between one and the other, Pope Francis explained, is that
“the intermediary exploits the needs of the various acts and takes a part for
himself. … Instead, the mediator, is one who gives his life for the unity and
the needs of his people, to help them along. After a period of time dedicated
to the work of a mayor, these men or women tire and need to rest a little, but
nevertheless their hearts are full of love because they have acted as
mediators. And this is what I wish for you: that you will be mediators. In the
midst of your people, to create unity, to make peace, to resolve problems and
to answer to the needs of the people”.
 “I think of Jesus: he was not a mayor, but perhaps the image is useful to us.
I think of Jesus in a moment of his life, when he was in the midst of the
crowds: the crowd pushed him, the Gospel tells us, almost to the point of not
being able to breathe. And this is how the mayor should be, with his people,
with him, with her, because this means that the people seek him because he
knows how to answer, as they did with Jesus. This is what I wish for you.
Tiredness, in the midst of the people, and that the people seek you because
they know that you always know how to respond well to them”.

___________________________________________________________

 COMMUNIQUE FROM THE SECRETARIAT FOR THE ECONOMY
 Vatican City, 5 April 2014 (VIS) – The Secretariat for the Economy
communicates that Professor Franco Dalla Sega, lecturer at the Catholic
University of the Sacred Heart, has been appointed as “ad interim” special
adviser to the Extraordinary Section of APSA. Aside from assisting the
secretary of APSA in the conduct of the activities of the Section, Professor
Dalla Sega will be assigned specific tasks and projects and may be asked for
specific advice on the reorganisation of APSA in accordance with the broader
revision of the economic-administrative structure of the Holy See.

___________________________________________________________

 POPE FRANCIS' NEXT PASTORAL VISITS IN ITALY
 Vatican City, 5 April 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has accepted the
invitation to make two pastoral visits in Italy during the months of June and
July. He will visit the diocese of Cassano all'Jonio, Calabria on 21 June, and
the diocese of Campobasso and Isernia, Molise, on 5 July.

___________________________________________________________

 AUDIENCES
 Vatican City, 7 April 2014 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy Father received in
audience:
 - Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the
Evangelisation of Peoples.
 - Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt, J.C.D., permanent observer at the
United Nations in New York and at the Organisation of American States.
 - Ten prelates of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina"�
visit:
 - Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Ruwa'ichi, O.F.M. Cap., of Mwanza, apostolic
administrator of Shinyanga;
 - Bishop Renatus Leonard Nkwande of Bunda;
 - Bishop Damian Denis Dallu of Geita;
 - Bishop Almachius Vincent Rweyongeza of Kayanga;
 - Bishop Michael George Mabuga Msonganzila of Musoma;
 - Bishop Severine Niwemugizi of Rulenge-Ngara;
 - Archbishop Josaphat Louis Lebulu of Arusha;
 - Bishop Beatus Kinyaiya, O.F.M. Cap., of Mbulu;
 - Bishop Isaac Amani Massawe of Moshi;
 - Bishop Rogath Fundimoya Kimaryo of Same.
 This afternoon, he is scheduled to receive in audience His Majesty Abdullah
II Ibn Al Hussein, King of Jordan.
 On Saturday, 5 April the Holy Father received in audience:
 - Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
 - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of the Republic of Libera, and entourage.
 - Eight prelates of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina"�
visit:
 - Bishop Tarcisius Ngalalekumtwa of Iringa, apostolic administrator "sede
vacante ed at nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Songea;
 - Bishop Bruno Pius Ngonyani of Lindi;
 - Bishop Evaristo Marc Chengula, I.M.C., of Mbeya;
 - Bishop John Chrisostom Ndimbo of Mbinga, with Bishop emeritus Emanuel A.
Mapunda;
 - Bishop Gabriel Mmole of Mtwara;
 - Bishop Alfred Leonhard Maluma of Njombe;
 - Bishop Castor Paul Msemwa of Tunduru-Masasi.

___________________________________________________________

 OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
 Vatican City, 5 April 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:
 - appointed Fr. Bruno Ateba Edo, S.A.C., as bishop of Maroua-Mokolo (area
14,332, population 2,000,000, Catholics 70,000, priests 66, permanent deacons
10, religious 134), Cameroon. The bishop-elect was born in Zoetele, Cameroon
in 1964, gave his perpetual vws in 1994 and was ordained a priest in 1995. He
holds a licentiate in pastoral theology from the Pallottine Theological
Institute in Vallendar, Germany. He has served in a number of pastoral roles,
including priest of the parish of "Sts. Peter and Paul"� in Mfoundi, Yaounde,
Cameroon; rector of the the Pallottine Theologate and of the basilica
"Marie-Reine-des-Apotres"� at Mvolye, Yaounde; and regional rector of the
Pallottine Society for Cameroon and Nigeria. He is currently president of the
Conference of Major Superiors of Cameroon. He succeeds Bishop Philippe Albert
Joseph Stevens, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese
the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the agelimit.
 - appointed Fr. Joseph Tran Van Toan as auxiliary of Long Xuyen (area ,
population , Catholics , priests , permanent deacons , religious ), Vietnam.
The bishop-elect was born in Thai Binh, Vietnam in 1955 and was ordained a
priest in 1992. He holds a doctorate in education from the De La Salle
University of Manila, Philippines, and has served in a number of pastoral
roles, including vicar of the parish of "Our Lady of the Rosary" in Lang Sen
and vicar forane of Vinh Thanh in Long Xuyen. He is currently director of the
pastoral centre and coordinator of pastoral and missionary activities for the
diocese, rector of the minor seminary of St. Theresa, and teacher of
missiology at the interdiocesan major seminary of Can Tho.
 - appointed Bishop Francois Eid, emeritus of Le Caire dei Maroniti and
procurator in Rome for Antioch of the Maronites, as a member of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
 - appointed Bishop Mansueto Bianchi, previously bishop of Pistoia, as general
ecclesiastical assistant of Italian Catholic Action.

___________________________________________________________

For more information and to search for documents refer to the site:
www.wisnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican
Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially quoting the
source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/vis_en.html

--- MPost/386 v1.21
 * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Meridian MS=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)