VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 217
DATE 05-12-2014

Summary:
- The Pope reminds the Theological Commission of the importance of listening
to the People of God
- The family, special home of solidarity
- Pope's message to the Santa Marta Group in London against human trafficking
- Peace, central theme of the Advent sermons in the Redemptoris Mater chapel
- Fr. Lombardi's response to questions on Cardinal George Pell's article in
"Catholic Herald"
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts

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 The Pope reminds the Theological Commission of the importance of listening to
the People of God
 Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received
the members of the International Theological Commission (CIT), whose president
is Cardinal Gerhard L. Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith. The Commission was established shortly after Vatican Council II
following the request by the Synod of Bishops in order to enable the Holy See
to make more direct use of the reflection of theologians from various parts of
the world. The mission of the Commission is therefore that of "examining
doctrinal questions of major importance", especially those that present new
aspects and, in this way, of offering assistance to the Magisterium of the
Church.
 This mission, as Francis remarked, presupposes not only intellectual
competences but also spiritual dispositions; among the latter, the Pope
focused in particular on listening. He cited the passage from Ezekiel: "Son of
man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you",
emphasising that "the theologian is, above all, a believer who listens to the
living Word of God and welcomes it into his heart and mind ... but he must
also humbly listen to what the Spirit tells the Church through the different
manifestations of faith lived by the People of God".
 Indeed, this activity is mentioned in the recent document of the Commission
on "The sensus fide in the life of the Church". The Pope continued, "Along
with the Christian people, the theologian opens his eyes and ears to the signs
of the times. He or she is required to "hear, distinguish and interpret the
many voices of our age, and to judge them in the light of the divine word, so
that revealed truth can always be more deeply penetrated, better understood
and set forth to greater advantage".
 In this light, the Pope expressed his satisfaction at the increasingly
diverse composition of the Commission, in particular the presence of women, "a
presence that is an invitation to reflect on the role that women can and
should occupy in the field of theology", and the contribution that they bring
to "the intelligence of faith".
 Another aspect of the Commission is its international character, which
reflects "the Catholicity of the Church". Therefore, "the diversity of points
of view must enrich Catholicity without prejudice to unity", since "the unity
of Catholic theologians derives from their common reference to a single faith
in Christ and is nurtured by the diversity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit".
"Starting from this foundation in a healthy pluralism, various theological
approaches, developed in different cultural contexts and using different
methods, cannot ignore each other, but must enrich and correct each other in
theological dialogue".
 The Holy Father commented that "the Virgin is a teacher of authentic
theology" since, as a "privileged witness to the great events of salvation
history", she "treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart".
"Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and with all the resources of her
female wisdom, she never ceased to further enter into 'all the truth'. Mary is
therefore the icon of the Church who, anxiously awaiting her Lord, progresses
day after day in the intelligence of faith, thanks to the patient work of
theologians, male and female".

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 The family, special home of solidarity
 Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - "The future of humanity depends upon
the family, and it is therefore necessary to allow it to play its role",
writes the Pope in his message to the participants in the Festival of the
Family, taking place in Riva del Garda, Italy, on the theme "The Life and Work
Ecosystem". "But", he adds, "it is not enough to reiterate the importance of
the family and to affirm its rights: it is necessary to consider how the tasks
of the family and of society can be structured in real terms, especially with
regard to the relationship between professional life and family life".
 The family has its own mission, in the service of its members, its
development, and life; it has rights and therefore needs support and
guarantees to be able to exercise them. On the other hand, the family also has
a duty to society; it must offer its collaboration in the service of the
community. It is a privileged environment for the harmonious practice of
solidarity and subsidiarity, or rather a synergy between public and private,
enterprise and families. Precisely on account of the effort and responsibility
required to raise and educate children, families need appropriate assistance
from public agencies and companies, in the context of mutual collaboration.
The worrying demographic trend requires an extraordinary and courageous
strategy, on the part of all interested parties, in favour of families. This
may also give rise to an economic recovery for the country. In this regard,
the crisis of unemployment, especially amongst the young, must be addressed
and resolved".
 The Pope goes on to write about policy in relation to families, the social
and legal status of the family in general, the assistance that should be
offered to those who are materially or morally disadvantaged, and the
attention that should be given to female work. "We must ensure that women are
not, for economic reasons, compelled to undertake too heavy a burden or accept
excessive working hours, which are then added to all their responsibilities in
housekeeping and raising children. But above all, it is necessary to recognise
that women's work, at all levels of family life, also constitutes an
unparalleled contribution to the family and the future of society".

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 Pope's message to the Santa Marta Group in London against human trafficking
 Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - The Pope has sent a message to Cardinal
Vincent Nichols, archbishop of Westminster and president of the Episcopal
Conference of England and Wales on the occasion of the Second Conference of
the Santa Marta Group, taking place in London, United Kingdom, on 5 and 6
December.
 The Santa Marta Group - whose name derives from the Holy Father's residence,
where the members stayed during their first conference held in the Vatican
last April - is composed of High Commissioners of international police forces
and bishops from around the world who, along with members of civil society,
are working together to prevent and eradicate human trafficking, and to help
victims. Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis,
London, and Cardinal Nichols are the co-presidents of the group.
 Francis expressed his deep gratitude to all present for their resolve in
combating this evil and for your commitment to carry on the work begun at the
conference held in the Vatican in April of this year. "Your labours to promote
ongoing dialogue on the legal remedies to human trafficking and on the
essential care of those who suffer this enslavement are especially important
because of the hidden nature of this crime. We must never forget, nor may we
ignore, the suffering of so many men, women and children whose human dignity
is violated through this exploitation".
 He went on to thank the Home Secretary of the British government, the
Metropolitan Commissioner of Police, and the Bishops' Conference of England
and Wales for organising the event and the delegates "who demonstrate anew
their commitment by their participation in this initiative. In assuring you
that the Church remains steadfast in her pledge to combat human trafficking
and to care for victims of this scourge, I offer the promise of my prayers
that Almighty God may bless and guide your efforts".

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 Peace, central theme of the Advent sermons in the Redemptoris Mater chapel
 Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - This morning in the Redemptoris Mater
chapel the Holy Father attended the first sermon of Advent, pronounced by Fr.
Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M., preacher of the Papal Household. The theme was
"Peace on earth to humanity, loved by the Lord", based on the Gospel of St.
Luke.
 Peace, as Fr. Cantalamessa explained to L'Osservatore Romano, was selected as
the theme in part due to its tragic current relevance and also to restore to
the word the richness of its meaning as it is used in the Bible.
 Today's sermon was dedicated to peace as a gift from the Lord Jesus Christ,
for as the Preacher of the Papal Household remarked, "the Word of God teaches
us that the primary and most important form of peace , is vertical - that is,
between God and humanity".
 The sermon of 12 December will focus on peace as a task that requires work,
with reference to the phrase from the Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are the
peacemakers". The third meditation will be on peace as a fruit of the Spirit,
or rather the inner peace of the soul.

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 Fr. Lombardi's response to questions on Cardinal George Pell's article in
"Catholic Herald"
 Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - The Director of the Holy See Press
Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., today issued the following declaration in
response to requests for clarification regarding an article by Cardinal George
Pell published in the Catholic Herald.
 "It should be observed that Cardinal Pell has not referred to illegal,
illicit or poorly administered funds, but rather funds that do not appear on
the official balance sheets of the Holy See or of Vatican City State, and
which have become known to the Secretariat for the Economy during the current
process of examination and revision of Vatican administration, to acquire a
more comprehensive knowledge of the latter in view of the planned
rationalisation. It is indeed a sign and result of constructive cooperation
between the various Vatican institutions.
 "Moreover, it was known and had been previously explained, also publicly by
the Prefecture of Economic Affairs, that the consolidated balance sheets of
the Holy See and Vatican City State, presented every year to the College of
Cardinals, do not in any way encompass the totality of the numerous
administrations under Vatican auspices, but only the main institutions of the
Roman Curia and the State".

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 Audiences
 Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in
audience:
 - Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the
Evangelisation of Peoples;
 - Archbishop Silvano Maria Tomasi, Holy See Permanent Observer at the United
Nations at Specialised Institutions in Geneva and at the World Trade
Organisation; Holy See Representative at the International Organisation for
Migration;
 - Salvatore Martinez, president of Renewal in the Holy Spirit in Italy;
 - Kiko Arguello, founder of the Neocatechumenal Way.

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 Other Pontifical Acts
 Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed Rev.
Joseph Obanyi Sagwe as bishop of Kakamega (area 3,517, population 2,744,000,
Catholics 696,138, priests 92, religious 410), Kenya. The bishop-elect was
born in Kebiro, Kenya in 1967 and was ordained a priest in 1996. He studied at
the Pontifical Lateran University and has served as parish vicar and diocesan
coordinator for pastoral ministry in the diocese of Kisii, Kenya. He is
currently parish priest of the Cathedral and vicar general of the same diocese.

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