VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 125
DATE 06-07-2015

Summary:
- The Pope arrives in Ecuador, the first stage of his apostolic trip in Latin
America
- Francis prays to Our Lady at the Basilica of St. Mary Major before his trip
to
Latin America
- To the members of Charismatic Renewal movement: share with all the baptism
you
have received
- Benedict XVI receives Doctorate honoris causa from the Pontifical University
of John Paul II and the Musical Academy of Krakow
- Other Pontifical Acts

___________________________________________________________

 The Pope arrives in Ecuador, the first stage of his apostolic trip in Latin
America
 Vatican City, 6 July 2015 (VIS) - At 10 p.m. yesterday, 5 July, Pope Francis
arrived in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, on the first leg of his ninth
apostolic trip during which he will also visit Bolivia and Paraguay.
 The Holy Father left Rome by air at 9 a.m; during the long flight he spoke
with
the journalists who accompanied him on the aircraft and, as is customary, sent
telegrams to the Heads of State of those countries through whose airspace he
passed.
 Upon arrival in Quito, the Pontiff was received by a group of children dressed
in the traditional costumes of the various Ecuadorian peoples: two of them, a
boy and a girl, offered him a floral tribute. The president, Rafael Correa,
then
gave a welcome address in which, in the light of the Encyclical "Laudato si'",
he mentioned that 20% of the national territory is protected in 44 nature
reserves and parks, and he underlined the diversity of cultures present in
Ecuador, which is home to not only a mestizo majority but also 14 indigenous
nationalities with corresponding ancestral languages, including two populations
who live in the heart of virgin forest, choosing voluntary isolation. The
president also mentioned various documents constituting the pastoral
Magisterium, with clear reference to the Social Doctrine of the Church, and
concluded amiably: "The Argentines very proudly say 'the Pope is Argentine',
and
my dear friend Dilma Rousseff, president of Brazil, says, 'very well, the Pope
is Argentine, but God is Brazilian!'. Of course the Pope is Argentine, and
perhaps God is Brazilian, but one thing is certain: paradise is Ecuadorian!".
 The Pope expressed his joy and gratitude for the warm welcome he received, "a
sign of the hospitality which so well defines the people of this noble nation".
 "I thank you, Mr President, for your words and I appreciate the convergence of
what you have said with my own way of thinking: you have quoted me far too
much,
thank you!", he continued. "I, in turn, express my cordial good wishes for the
exercise of your office: that you may achieve your objectives for the good of
your people. I greet the distinguished government authorities, my brother
bishops, the faithful of the Church in this country, and all those who today
have opened to me their hearts, their homes, their nation. To all of you, I
express my affection and sincere appreciation".
 "I have visited Ecuador on a number of occasions for pastoral reasons. Today
too I have come as a witness of God's mercy and of faith in Jesus Christ. For
centuries that faith has shaped the identity of this people and borne much good
fruit, including the outstanding figures of St. Mariana de Jesus, St. Miguel
Febres, St. Narcisa de Jesus and Blessed Mercedes de Jesus Molina, beatified in
Guayaquil thirty years ago, during the visit of Pope St. John Paul II. These,
and others like them, lived their faith with intensity and enthusiasm, and by
their works of mercy they contributed in a variety of ways to improving the
Ecuadorian society of their day".
 "In our own time too, we can find in the Gospel a key to meeting contemporary
challenges, respecting differences, fostering dialogue and full participation,
so that the growth in progress and development already registered will be
strengthened and ensure a better future for everyone, with particular concern
for the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters who are the debt still
outstanding in Latin America. In these efforts, Mr President, you can always
count on the commitment and cooperation of the Church to serve the Ecuadorian
people who move forward with great dignity".
 "Dear friends, I begin my visit filled with excitement and hope for the days
ahead. In Ecuador is the point closest to outer space: it is the Chimborazo,
which for that reason is called the place 'closest to the sun', the moon and
the
stars. We Christians identify Christ with the sun, and the moon with the
Church;
the moon does not have its own light, indeed if it hides from the sun it will
be
enveloped by darkness. The sun is Jesus Christ and if the Church moves away or
hides from him, she will be in darkness and no longer able to offer witness.
May
the coming days make all of us ever more clearly aware of how close is the sun
which 'dawns upon us from on high'. May each of us be a true reflection of his
light and his love".
 "From this place, I wish to embrace all of Ecuador. From the peak of
Chimborazo
to the Pacific coast; from the Amazon rainforest to the Galapagos Islands, may
you never lose the ability to thank God for what he has done and is doing for
you. May you never lose the ability to protect what is small and simple, to
care
for your children and for your elderly, who are the living memory of your
people, to have confidence in the young, and to be constantly struck by the
nobility of your people and the singular beauty of your country, which,
according to the President, is nothing short of paradise".
 "May the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to which
Ecuador has been consecrated, grant you every grace and blessing. Thank you",
concluded the Pope.
 Following a brief private audience with President Correa, the Pope travelled
by
popemobile the forty kilometres between Mariscal Sucre airport and the centre
of
Quito, the best conserved capital of all South America. It was the first, along
with the Polish city of Krakow, to be declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco
in 1978. During his journey the Pope was greeted by thousands of people who had
gathered around Quito to await his arrival. Upon arrival at the apostolic
nunciature, where he was to dine and rest for a few hours, Francis went out
into
the street to greet the faithful, who applauded him. "I come to bless you
before
we go to rest, and let the neighbours sleep!" he said, and after reciting the
Lord's Prayer with them, he returned inside the nunciature.
 This afternoon the Pope will transfer to Guayaquil where he will visit the
Shrine of Divine Mercy and celebrate Holy Mass.

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 Francis prays to Our Lady at the Basilica of St. Mary Major before his trip to
Latin America
 Vatican City, 4 July 2015 (VIS) - At 7 p.m. today, the eve of his departure
for
Latin America, the Holy Father went to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to
commend
his imminent apostolic trip to Our Lady. He left a floral tribute before the
image of the Virgin, composed of flowers in the colours of the flags of the
three countries he will visit, and spent around twenty minutes in prayer.

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 To the members of Charismatic Renewal movement: share with all the baptism you
have received
 Vatican City, 4 July 2015 (VIS) - Unity in diversity and ecumenism of prayer,
word and blood were the key themes of the Pope's improvised address to the
thousands of members of the Renewal in the Holy Spirit movement yesterday
afternoon, on the occasion of their 38th National Convocation, held in Rome
from
3-4 July on the theme "Ways of Unity and Peace - Voices of prayer for the
martyrs of today and for a spiritual ecumenism". The encounter began at 4 p.m.
in St. Peter's Square, and was attended by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of
the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of
the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco,
president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, along with the Orthodox and
Catholic oriental Patriarchs, Anglican and Lutheran bishops, and Pentecostal
pastors.
 In his address, the Pope emphasised that unity does not mean uniformity. It is
not a "spherical" unity in which "every point is equidistant from the centre
and
there is no difference between one point and another. The model is the
polyhedron, which reflects the confluence of all the parts that nonetheless
maintain their originality, and these are the charisms, in unity but also
diversity. ... The distinction is important because we are speaking about the
work
of the Holy Spirit, not our own. Unity in the diversity of expressions of
reality, as many as the Holy Spirit has wished to inspire".
 Another point the Holy Father considered very important to clarify related to
those who guide. "There exists a great temptation for leaders to believe
themselves indispensable, step by step to head towards authoritarianism, to
personality cults, and not to allow the communities renewed in the Holy Spirit
to thrive. This temptation renders 'eternal' the position of those who consider

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