VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 200
DATE 13-11-2014

Summary:
- Pope Francis receives the president of Austria
- "Habemus Papam": first historical documentation of the music of a Conclave
- Catholics and Muslims, working together to serve others
- Audiences

___________________________________________________________

 Pope Francis receives the president of Austria
 Vatican City, 13 November 2014 (VIS) - This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic
Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the president of the
Republic of Austria, Heinz Fischer, who subsequently went on to meet with
Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop
Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
 During the cordial discussions, after emphasising the positive bilateral
relations between Austria and the Holy See, the Parties focused on themes of
common interest, including the importance of promoting religious freedom and
human rights, and commitment to interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
 Finally, various issues of an international nature were examined, especially
regarding the situation in the Middle East.

___________________________________________________________

 "Habemus Papam": first historical documentation of the music of a Conclave
 Vatican City, 13 November 2014 (VIS) - This morning a press conference was
held in the Holy See Press Office to present the CD "Habemus papam", a
compilation of the music of all the celebrations of the 2013 Conclave
performed by the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir under the direction of the
maestro Msgr. Massimo Palombella, S.D.B. and issued by Deutsche Grammaphon.
The speakers at the conference were Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of
the Pontifical Council for Culture; Msgr. Massimo Palombella, S.D.B., director
of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir; Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., director
general of Vatican Radio, and Mirko Gratton, director of the Classical
Division of Deutsche Grammophon Italia.
 Maestro Palombella explained that in September 2014 an exclusive agency
contract was signed between the record label Deutsche Grammophon and the
Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir two produce two musical collections. The
first, "great ecclesial events", which opens with the CD "Habemus papam", is
dedicated to live recordings by Vatican Radio of celebrations at which Pope
Francis has presided. The second consists of studio recordings by the Sistine
Chapel Choir of its characteristic repertoire, music composed throughout
history for papal celebrations.
 The double CD "Habemus papam", on sale in Italy from 11 November and in the
rest of the world from 28 November, contains all the music performed during
the celebrations of the Conclave in 2013 (Mass for the election of the Roman
Pontiff in St. Peter's Basilica, entry into the Conclave, Mass with the
Cardinal Electors in the Sistine Chapel and Mass for the inauguration of the
Petrine Ministry in St. Peter's Square), along with the "Habemus Papam"
announcement and Pope Francis' first address from the Loggia of the Blessings.
This publication is presented as the first historical documentation of the
music of a Conclave", commented Msgr. Palombella. "They are all live
recordings, with the qualities and limits that this entails. Indeed, one
perceives the freshness of "authenticity" along with the background noise,
coughs, the clicks of cameras and even a helicopter circling above St. Peter's
Square".
 The prelate remarked that the Pontifical Choir is the oldest choral
institution in the world and is composed of 20 permanent adult singers and
around 30 child choristers. The Choir normally performs at Celebrations
presided at by the Pope, providing a primarily ecclesial service. Its concert
activity is therefore directed exclusively towards evangelisation and to the
promotion of ecumenical dialogue. To this end, on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter
and Paul, the Choir sang alongside the Anglican Choir of Westminster, in 2013
with the Leipzig Thomanerchor, and in 2014, with the Orthodox Choir of the
Patriarchate of Moscow. In September 2014, the Choir made an historic tour in
China, performing in Hong Kong, Macao and Taipei.
 "For the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir, the agreement with the prestigious
German record label Deutsche Grammophon is a tangible response to its mandate,
which requires it on the one hand to safeguard the great musical heritage of
the Church, and on the other, especially in the liturgical sphere, to
participate in fruitful dialogue with modernity", concluded the maestro.
 The director of Vatican Radio, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., spoke about the
experience accumulated by the radio station in the field of sound recording
and broadcasting of numerous concerts in the Vatican, especially in the Paul
VI Hall. "We all recall the concerts of exceptional quality during the
pontificate of Benedict XVI". He offered the example of the extraordinary
Christmas 1937 concert in the Hall of Blessings, broadcast live to 23
countries. "A concert directed by the Maestro Lorenzo Perosi, Msgr.
Palombella's predecessor, with the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir, recorded
by Vatican Radio and broadcast with the help of German technology", as during
that year the new Telefunken transmitter was inaugurated.
 Fr. Lombardi also highlighted the activity of Vatican Radio in the production
and exchange of quality recordings within the framework of the EBU/UER, the
European Broadcasting Union, which brings together the public broadcasters of
all European countries. Vatican Radio offers on average around ten high
quality recordings per year as part of the EBU concert exchange circuit.
Vatican Radio is also engaged in research and experimental activities in the
field of sound recording, using new generation microphones, in collaboration
with the Centre for Technological Research and Innovation of the Technological
Strategies Directorate of the RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana).

___________________________________________________________

 Catholics and Muslims, working together to serve others
 Vatican City, 13 November 2014 (VIS) - The third seminar of the
Catholic-Muslim Forum was held in Rome from 11 to 13 November, on the theme
"Working Together to Serve Others". Three specific issues were considered:
working together to serve young people, enhancing interreligious dialogue, and
service to society.
 The Catholic delegation was headed by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president
of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Prince Ghazi bin
Muhammad of Jordan, co-ordinator of the Muslim side, was unable to attend the
event for health reasons. The assembled participants sent him a message
expressing their good wishes. The Muslim delegation was therefore headed by
Seyyed Hossein Nasr, professor of Islamic Studies at the George Washington
University, Washington D.C., U.S.A.
 The delegates acknowledged many examples across the world of active
Catholic-Muslim collaboration in educational, charitable, and relief efforts.
After the presentations of the papers and the discussions, which ensued in a
cordial and fraternal atmosphere, the participants agreed on the following
points:
 1. The delegates recognised that their gathering took place in a time of
severe tension and conflict in the world, underlining the vital importance of
enhanced service and mutual cooperation. In this context the delegates
unanimously condemned acts of terrorism, oppression, violence against innocent
persons, persecution, desecration of sacred places, and the destruction of
cultural heritage. It is never acceptable to use religion to justify such acts
or to conflate such acts with religion.
 2. The education of young people, be it in the family, school, university,
church or mosque, is of the utmost importance for the promotion of a
well-rounded identity which builds respect for others. To this end, school
curricula and textbooks should portray an objective and respectful image of
the other.
 3. The participants affirmed the importance of the culture of interreligious
dialogue for deepening mutual understanding. This is required to overcome
prejudice, distortions, suspicions, and inappropriate generalisations, all of
which damage the peaceful relationships we all seek.
 4. It was felt that dialogue should lead to action, particularly among young
people. The participants encouraged Christians and Muslims to multiply
opportunities for encounter and cooperation on joint projects for the common
good.
 On Wednesday, 12 November, Pope Francis received the participants in
audience, encouraging them to persevere on the path of Christian-Muslim
dialogue, and he expressed his approval of their shared commitment to the
selfless service of society.
 Finally, the delegates expressed their satisfaction at this fruitful
encounter and their hopes for the next meeting of the Forum.

___________________________________________________________

 Audiences
 Vatican City, 13 November 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has received in
audience:
 - Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity;
 - Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum";
 - Archbishop Joseph Marino, apostolic nuncio in Malaysia and East Timor,
apostolic delegate in Brunei.

___________________________________________________________

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

Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican
Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by 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=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)