Shortlythereafter, Saul became Paul, the great saint, the Apostle to the
Gentiles. He had received Stephen?s forgiveness. We can say that Paul was born
of God?s grace and Stephen?s forgiveness.''
''We also are born of God?s forgiveness. Not only in Baptism but every time we
are forgiven our hearts are reborn, are remade. From the beginning, every step
forward in the life of faith is impressed with the seal of divine mercy.
Because
only when we are loved can we in turn love. It does us good to remind ourselves
of this: if we want to move forward in faith, we must first of all receive
God?s
forgiveness. We must meet the Father who is always ready to forgive everything
and who, in forgiving us, heals our hearts and reignites our love. We must
never
tire of asking God?s forgiveness,'' Pope Francis emphasized, ''because it is
only when we are forgiven, when we feel ourselves pardoned, that we can learn
toforgive.''
The Holy Father acknowledged that forgiving ''is not easy. It is always very
difficult.'' He explained that, in order to imitate Christ and forgive the
great
and small offenses that we suffer every day, we have to start with prayer like
St. Stephen. ''It starts from our hearts. We can deal with the resentment we
feel through prayer, entrusting those who have done us wrong to God?s mercy. ?
Then we discover that this inner struggle to forgive purifies us from evil and
that prayer and love set us free from the inner chains of rancor. ? Through
forgiveness we overcome evil with good, we turn hatred into love, and thus make
the world cleaner.''
Before finishing, Pope Francis entrusted to the Virgen Mary all those who,
''like St. Stephen, suffer persecution in the name of the faith, our many
martyrs today. Help direct our prayers to receive and to offerforgiveness.''

___________________________________________________________

 Christmas Message: ''Only God?s Mercy Can Free Humanity from the Many Forms of
Evil''
Vatican City, 25 December 2015 (VIS) ? At noon today, the Solemnity of the
Birth
of the Lord, the Pope gave the traditional Christmas message from the central
balcony of St. Peter?s Basilica. On finishing the address, which is given in
its
entirety below, he imparted the Urbi et Orbi blessing ''to the city [of Rome]
and to the world''.
''Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Christmas!
Christ is born for us, let us rejoice in the day of our salvation!''
''Let us open our hearts to receive the grace of this day, which is Christ
himself. Jesus is the radiant ?day? which has dawned on the horizon of
humanity.
A day of mercy, in which God our Father has revealed his great tenderness to
the
entire world. A day of light, which dispels the darkness offear and anxiety. A
day of peace, which makes for encounter, dialogue and, above all,
reconciliation. A day of joy: a ?great joy? for the poor, the lowly and for all
the people.''
''On this day, Jesus, the Savior is born of the Virgin Mary. The Crib makes us
see the ?sign? which God has given us: ?a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and
lying in a manger?. Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we too set out to see
this sign, this event which is renewed yearly in the Church. Christmas is an
event which is renewed in every family, parish and community which receives the
love of God made incarnate in Jesus Christ. Like Mary, the Church shows to
everyone the ?sign? of God: the Child whom she bore in her womb and to whom she
gave birth, yet who is the Son of the Most High, since he ?is of the Holy
Spirit?. He is truly the Savior, for he is the Lamb of God who takes upon
himself the sin of the world. With the shepherds, let us bowdown before the
Lamb, let us worship God?s goodness made flesh, and let us allow tears of
repentance to fill our eyes and cleanse our hearts. This is something we all
need!''
''He alone, he alone can save us. Only God?s mercy can free humanity from the
many forms of evil, at times monstrous evil, which selfishness spawns in our
midst. The grace of God can convert hearts and offer mankind a way out of
humanly insoluble situations.''
''Where God is born, hope is born. He brings hope. Where God is born, peace is
born. And where peace is born, there is no longer room for hatred and for war.
Yet precisely where the incarnate Son of God came into the world, tensions and
violence persist, and peace remains a gift to be implored and built. May
Israelis and Palestinians resume direct dialogue and reach an agreement which
will enable the two peoples to live together in harmony, ending a conflict
which
has longset them at odds with grave repercussions for the entire region.''
''We pray to the Lord that the agreement reached in the United Nations may
succeed in halting as quickly as possible the clash of arms in Syria and in
remedying the extremely grave humanitarian situation of its suffering people.
It
is likewise urgent that the agreement on Libya be supported by all, so as to
overcome the grave divisions and violence afflicting the country. May the
attention of the international community be unanimously directed to ending the
atrocities which in those countries, as well as in Iraq, Libya, Yemen and
sub-Saharan Africa, even now reap numerous victims, cause immense suffering and
do not even spare the historical and cultural patrimony of entire peoples. My
thoughts also turn to those affected by brutal acts of terrorism, particularly
the recent massacres which took place in Egyptian airspace, in Beirut, Paris,
Bamako andTunis.''
''To our brothers and sisters who in many parts of the world are being
persecuted for their faith, may the Child Jesus grant consolation and strength.
They are our martyrs of today.''
''We also pray for peace and concord among the peoples of the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Burundi and South Sudan, that dialogue may lead to a
strengthened common commitment to the building of civil societies animated by a
sincere spirit of reconciliation and of mutual understanding.''
''May Christmas also bring true peace to Ukraine, offer comfort to those
suffering from the effects of the conflict, and inspire willingess to carry out
the agreements made to restore concord in the entire country.''
''May the joy of this day illumine the efforts of the Colombian people so that,
inspired by hope, they may continue their commitment to workingfor the desired
peace.''
''Where God is born, hope is born; and where hope is born, persons regain their
dignity. Yet even today great numbers of men and woman are deprived of their
human dignity and, like the child Jesus, suffer cold, poverty, and rejection.
May our closeness today be felt by those who are most vulnerable, especially
child soldiers, women who suffer violence, and the victims of human trafficking
and the drug trade.''
''Nor may our encouragement be lacking to all those fleeing extreme poverty or
war, travelling all too often in inhumane conditions and not infrequently at
the
risk of their lives. May God repay all those, both individuals and states, who
generously work to provide assistance and welcome to the numerous migrants and
refugees, helping them to build a dignified future for themselves and for their
dear ones, and to be integrated in the societies which receivethem.''
''On this festal day may the Lord grant renewed hope to all those who lack
employment ? and they are so many! May he sustain the commitment of those with
public responsibilities in political and economic life, that they may work to
pursue the common good and to protect the dignity of every human life.''
''Where God is born, mercy flourishes. Mercy is the most precious gift which
God
gives us, especially during this Jubilee year in which we are called to
discover
that tender love of our heavenly Father for each of us. May the Lord enable
prisoners in particular to experience his merciful love, which heals wounds and
triumphs over evil.''
''Today, then, let us together rejoice in the day of our salvation. As we
contemplate the Crib, let us gaze on the open arms of Jesus, which show us the
merciful embrace of God, as we hear the cries of the Child who whispers tous:
?for my brethren and companions? sake, I will say: Peace be within you?.''

___________________________________________________________

 Christmas Eve Mass: ''The Mission of Making Known ''The Prince of Peace'''
Vatican City, 24 December 2015 (VIS) ? This evening, beginning at 9:30pm, Pope
Francis presided over Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. During the
course of the celebration he gave this homily:
''Tonight 'a great light' shines forth; the light of Jesus' birth shines all
about us. How true and timely are the words of the prophet Isaiah which we have
just heard: ''You have brought abundant joy and great rejoicing'! Our heart was
already joyful in awaiting this moment; now that joy abounds and overflows, for
the promise has been at last fulfilled. Joy and gladness are a sure sign that
the message contained in the mystery of this night is truly from God. There is
no room for doubt; let us leave that to the skeptics who, by looking to reason
alone, never find the truth. There isno room for the indifference which reigns
in the hearts of those unable to love for fear of losing something. All sadness
has been banished, for the Child Jesus brings true comfort to every heart.''
''Today, the Son of God is born, and everything changes. The Savior of the
world
comes to partake of our human nature; no longer are we alone and forsaken. The
Virgin offers us her Son as the beginning of a new life. The true light has
come
to illumine our lives so often beset by the darkness of sin. Today we once more
discover who we are! Tonight we have been shown the way to reach the journey's
end. Now must we put away all fear and dread, for the light shows us the path
to
Bethlehem. We must not be laggards; we are not permitted to stand idle. We must
set out to see our Savior lying in a manger. This is the reason for our joy and
gladness: this Child has been ''born to us'; he was ''given to us', as
Isaiahproclaims. The people who for two thousand years have traversed all the
pathways of the world in order to allow every man and woman to share in this
joy
are now given the mission of making known ''the Prince of Peace' and becoming
his effective servant in the midst of the nations.''
''So when we hear tell of the birth of Christ, let us be silent and let the
Child speak. Let us take his words to heart in rapt contemplation of his face.
If we take him in our arms and let ourselves be embraced by him, he will bring
us unending peace of heart. This Child teaches us what is truly essential in
our
lives. He was born into the poverty of this world; there was no room in the inn
for him and his family. He found shelter and support in a stable and was laid
in
a manger for animals. And yet, from this nothingness, the light of God's glory
shines forth. From now on, the way of authentic liberation and perennial
redemption is open toevery man and woman who is simple of heart. This Child,
whose face radiates the goodness, mercy and love of God the Father, trains us,
his disciples, as Saint Paul says, ''to reject godless ways' and the richness
of
the world, in order to live ''temperately, justly and devoutly'.''
''In a society so often intoxicated by consumerism and hedonism, wealth and
extravagance, appearances and narcissism, this Child calls us to act soberly,
in
other words, in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, capable of seeing
and doing what is essential. In a world which all too often is merciless to the
sinner and lenient to the sin, we need to cultivate a strong sense of justice,
to discern and to do God's will. Amid a culture of indifference which not
infrequently turns ruthless, our style of life should instead be devout, filled
with empathy, compassion and mercy, drawn daily from the wellspring ofprayer.''
''Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we too, with eyes full of amazement and
wonder, gaze upon the Child Jesus, the Son of God. And in his presence may our
hearts burst forth in prayer: ''Show us, Lord, your mercy, and grant us your
salvation'.''

___________________________________________________________

 Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 28 December 2015 (VIS) ? Today, the Holy Father appointed Msgr.
Brian McGee as Bishop of Argyll and the Isles (area 31,080, population 77,400,
Catholics 10,179, priests 25, permanent deacons 1, religious 32), Scotland.
Bishop-elect McGee was born in Greenock, in the Diocese of Paisley, in 1965 and
was ordained a priest of the clergy of Paisely in 1989. He has served as a
pastor as well as the Scots College?s spiritual director. He was diocesan
director of the RCIA program as well as Episcopal Vicar for marriage and the
family. Since 2014 he has served as Paisley?s vicar general.
On Thursday, 24 December, the Holy Father appointed Msgr. Wojciech Tomasz Osial
as auxiliary bishop of Lowicz (area 5,806, population 609,479, Catholics
607,825, priests 166, religious 390), Poland. Bishop-elect Osial was born in
Lowicz in 1970 and was ordained a priest in 1995. He holds a doctorate in
catechetics fromRome?s Pontifical Salesian University and has been serving as
Lowicz?s diocesan director for catechism and curial notary. He is also a
professor in the seminaries of Lowicz and Oltarzew as well as the Cardinal
Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw. He has been a canon of the cathedral
chapter since 2014.

___________________________________________________________

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)