"The Holy Mother of God not only visited these people, but she chose to
remain with them. ... By her intercession, the Christian faithful started to
become the richest treasure of the soul of the American people, whose precious
pearl is Jesus Christ. It is a patrimony which is transmitted and manifest
today in the many baptism of multitudes of people, in the faith, hope and
charity of many; in precious popular piety; and in that popular ethos that
reveals itself in an awareness of human dignity, in the passion for justice,
in solidarity with the poorest and suffering, in hope that is sometimes
against every hope".
 "That is why, here today, we can continue to praise God for the wonders he
has brought to the lives of the Latin American people. ... In the wonders
which the Lord has achieved in Mary, she recognises her Son's style and way of
acting in the story of Salvation. Sweeping away worldly judgements, destroying
idols of power, riches, success at any cost, denouncing self-sufficiency,
pride and a secularised which distances from God, the Mary's Magnificat
professes that God delights in subverting ideologies and worldly hierarchies.
He lifts up the lowly, comes to the aid of the poor and the smallest among us,
he fills with goodness, blessings and hope those who trust in his mercy from
generation to generation, while he casts down the rich, the powerful, and
rulers from their thrones. The 'Magnificat' introduces us to the Beatitudes,
the earliest synthesis of the Gospel. In the light of the Beatitudes we feel
compelled to ask that the future of Latin America be forged for the poor and
those who suffer, for the humble, those who hunger and thirst for justice, for
the compassionate, the pure of heart, those who work for peace, and for those
who are persecuted because of Christ's name, 'for theirs is the kingdom of
Heaven'. May theirs be the grace of being forged by those who today the
idolatrous system of the throwaway culture relegates to the category of
slaves, objects to be used or simply denied".
 "And we make this request because Latin America is the 'continent of hope'!
Because she hopes in new ways of development which combine traditional
Christianity and civil progress, justice and equity with reconciliation,
scientific development and technology with human wisdom. Fruitful suffering
with joyful hope. We can protect this hope only with great amounts of truth
and mercy, the basis for all realities and revolutionary engines of an
authentically new life".
 "We place these realities and these desires on the altar as a gift pleasing
to God. ... He is the only Lord, the 'liberator' of all of our slavery and
misery derived from sin. He calls us to live the true life, a more human life,
to live together as children and brothers, now that the doors to 'the new
heaven and the new earth' are open. We implore the Blessed Virgin Mary, under
the name 'Our Lady of Guadalupe' - the Mother of God, our Queen, our Lady, the
young woman, our Little One (as called St. Juan Diego called her), and with
all the loving names which popular piety has given her - that she may continue
to accompany, help and protect our people. May she lead by the hand all
pilgrim children in these lands to the encounter with her Son, Jesus Christ
Our Lord, present in the Church, in its holiness, especially in the Eucharist,
present in the treasure of his Word and teachings, present in the faithful and
holy people of God, in those who suffer and in the humble of heart. So be it.
Amen!".

___________________________________________________________

 "I received my first ecumenical sermon from my grandmother, in front of you",
says the Pope to the Salvation Army
 Vatican City, 13 December 2014 (VIS) - Yesterday, Friday 12 December, Pope
Francis received in audience a delegation from the Salvation Army, well-known
for their mission of evangelisation and voluntary work.
 "Your visit is one of the good fruit of the more frequent and beneficial
contacts that have developed during recent years between the Salvation Army
and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; contacts among which
we must recall a series of theological conversations intended to promote
better mutual understanding, mutual respect and regular collaboration. ... I
hope with all my heart that Catholics and Salvationists may continue to bear
witness to Christ and the Gospel together in a world that greatly needs to
experience God's mercy. Catholics and Salvationists, along with other
Christians, recognise that the needy have a special place in God's heart, to
the extent that the Lord Jesus Christ made Himself poor for us. As a
consequence, they frequently encounter one another in the same human
peripheries, and it is my fervent hope that common faith in our Saviour Jesus
Christ, the sole mediator between God and Man, may become an increasingly
solid foundation for friendship and collaboration between us".
 "I pray that in today's world, all Christ's disciples may offer their
contribution with the same conviction and the same dynamism that the Salvation
Army demonstrates in its devoted and valued service. The differences between
Catholics and Salvationists on theological and ecclesiological matters must
not obstruct the witness of our shared love for God and for our neighbour, a
love that is able to inspire energetic efforts to restore the dignity of those
who live at the margins of society".
 The Pope concluded by recounting an anecdote. When he was four years old -
the year was 1940 - he was walking along the street with his grandmother. "At
that time, there was the idea that all Protestants would go to hell. On the
other side of the road there were two women from the Salvation Army, wearing
their hats. And, I remember as if it were yesterday, I asked my grandmother,
'Who are those people? Nuns?', and she answered, 'No, they are Protestants,
but they are good'. And so my grandmother, thanks to your good witness, opened
the door to ecumenism for me. I received my first ecumenical sermon in front
of you. Thank you very much".

___________________________________________________________

 Cardinal Turkson to travel to Sierra Leone and Liberia to bring the
solidarity of the Church to two of the countries hardest hit by the Ebola virus
 Vatican City, 15 December 2014 (VIS) - Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of
the Pontifical Council "Justice and Peace", will travel to Sierra Leone on 16
December, followed by a visit to Liberia, two of the countries most affected
by the Ebola virus. The World Health Organisation confirms around 18,000
probable or suspected cases and more than 6,500 deaths as a result of this
disease. The cardinal wishes to offer "a message of solidarity and hope for
the Church, for healthcare workers and for the population".
 Cardinal Turkson will be accompanied by Msgr. Robert J. Vitillo, special
health consultor for Caritas Internationalis. "The Church, including Caritas,
religious congregations and other Catholic-inspired organisms, has been on the
front line in response to Ebola", affirmed Vitillo. "As well as providing
healthcare for other illnesses, establishing stringent procedures for
infection control and creating screening areas, the Church, to prevent the
transmission of the virus in the healthcare setting, has trained communities
with the aim of involving the clergy and local parish groups in renewed
efforts to stop the spread of this lethal virus".
 "On a number of occasions the Holy Father has expressed his profound concern
for those affected by Ebola and for their loved ones. I hope to express the
solidarity of the Pope and of all the Church".

___________________________________________________________

 Audiences
 Vatican City, 15 December 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in
audience:
 - Dragan Covic, Croatian member of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
and entourage;
 - Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, apostolic nuncio in Malta and Libya;
 - Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, apostolic nuncio in Pakistan;
 - Dennis Anthony Savoie, ambassador of Canada to the Holy See, presenting his
letters of credence;
 - Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental
Churches;
 - Don Pier Giorgio Perini, founder of the Parish Cells of Evangelisation.
 On Saturday, 13 December the Holy Father received in audience:
 - Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops;
 - Matteo Renzi, prime minister of Italy, with his wife and entourage;
 - Archbishop George Kocherry, apostolic nuncio in Bangladesh;
 - Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, archbishop of Boston, U.S.A.;
 - George Weigel.

___________________________________________________________

 Other Pontifical Acts
 Vatican City, 13 December 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed Msgr.
Marek Szkudlo and Fr. Adam Wodarczyk as auxiliaries of the archdiocese of
Katowice (area 2,400, population 1,520,900, Catholics 1,477,900, priests
1,105, religious 1,013), Poland.
 The bishop-elect Marek Szkudlo was born in Tychy, Poland in 1952 and was
ordained a priest in 1978. He has served in a number of pastoral roles,
including deputy priest in the parishes of "St. Margaret Lyski" and "St.
Michael Archangel" in Katowice, chaplain of the scouts and member of the
diocesan liturgical commission; parish priest of Our Lady Mother of the Church
in Jastrzebie Zdroj and dean of Jastrzebie Gorne, chaplain for workers and
miners, moderators for young priests and member of the Council of Consultors.
He is currently episcopal vicar for permanent formation of priests, member of
the college of consultors, of the presbyteral council and president of the
diocesan commission for the clergy.
 The bishop-elect Adam Wodarczyk was born in Tarnowskie Gory, Poland in 1968
and was ordained a priest in 1994. He holds a licentiate from the Catholic
University of Liblino and a doctorate in pastoral theology from the Silesia
State University and has served as deputy curate of the "St. Hedwig of
Silesia" parish in Chorzow, and regional moderator of the "Light-Life"
Movement. He is currently moderator general of the Light-Life Movement,
appointed by the Polish Episcopal Council and, at national level, consultor of
the Council for youth pastoral, of the Committee for new evangelisation and
the missionary radio.

___________________________________________________________

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)