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Monday, October 24, 2011

CATHOLIC NEWS WORLD: MON. OCT. 24, 2011

VATICAN : POPE : RECEPTION OF ORDINARIES AND OTHER NEWS

TODAY'S SAINT: OCT. 24: ST. ANTHONY MARY CLARET

TODAY'S GOSPEL: OCT. 24: LUKE 13: 10- 17

VATICAN : POPE : RECEPTION OF ORDINARIES AND OTHER NEWS

THE POPE RECEIVES MILITARY ORDINARIES

VATICAN CITY, 22 OCT 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience bishops and priests who have been participating in the sixth international congress of military ordinaries, and in the third international training course on human rights for military chaplains. These initiatives have been promoted by the Congregation for Bishops and by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Apostolic Constitution "Spirituali militum curae", promulgated by Blessed John Paul II whose liturgical memory falls today.

The purpose of that Apostolic Constitution, the Pope explained, was "to give military ordinaries the chance to foster appropriate and well-organised pastoral care for an important part of the People of God: military men and women, and their families. ... This involves forming Christians who possess profound faith, who practice their religion with conviction, and who are authentic witnesses of Christ in their own environments. To achieve this, it is important for military bishops and chaplains to be aware of their responsibility to announce the Gospel and administer the Sacraments wherever the military and their families are present. ... Clearly, priests involved in this ministry must have a solid human and spiritual formation, constant concern for their own interior lives and, at the same time, a readiness to listen and enter into dialogue, so as to understand the individual and joint difficulties faced by the people entrusted to their care". (IMAGE SOURCE: RADIO VATICANA)

"The Church", the Pope went on, "wishes to offer the military and their families all means of salvation, providing not just ordinary pastoral care, but also the specific help they need to carry out their mission in a spirit of Christian charity. The military life of a Christian must, in fact, be seen in the light of the first and greatest of the Commandments, that of love for God and for neighbour, because Christians in the military are called to create a fusion whereby they can be soldiers for love, achieving the 'ministerium pacis inter arma'.

"I am thinking in particular", he added "of soldiers who practice charity by saving victims of earthquakes and floods, or by helping refugees, placing their courage and skills at the service of the weakest. I am thinking of soldiers who, at risk of their own lives, practice charity by removing mines in areas which were once theatres of war, or soldiers on peace missions who patrol cities and territories to ensure that their brothers do not kill one another. There are many men and women in uniform, full of faith in Jesus, who love truth and wish to foster peace and, as true disciples of Christ, serve their country by defending fundamental human rights"

Benedict XVI concluded by asking those present, and the priests and deacons who help them, to promote "a general renewal of hearts, which is a precondition for that universal peace to which all the world aspires".

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BENEDICT XVI PRAISES THE MUSIC OF ANTON BRUCKNER

VATICAN CITY, 22 OCT 2011 (VIS) - This evening in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, the Bavarian State Opera gave a concert in honour of Benedict XVI. The programme included the Ninth Symphony and the "Te Deum" by Anton Bruckner, played by the Bavarian State Orchestra and the "Audi Jugendchorakademie", conducted respectively by Kent Nagano and Martin Steidler.

At the end of the performance the Pope rose to thank the musicians. Listening to Bruckner's music, he said, "is like finding oneself in a great cathedral, surrounded by its imposing structures which arouse emotion and lift us to the heights. There is however an element that lies at the foundations of Bruckner's music, both the symphonic and the sacred: the simple, solid, genuine faith he conserved throughout his life".

"The great conductor Bruno Walter used to say that 'Mahler always sought after God, while Bruckner had found Him'. The symphony we have just heard has a very specific title: 'Dem lieben Gott' (To the Beloved God), almost as if he wished to dedicate and entrust the last and most mature fruit of his art to the One in Whom he had always believed, the One Who had become his only true interlocutor in the last stage of his life", the Holy Father said.

"Bruckner asked this beloved God to let him enter His mystery, ... to let him praise the Lord in heaven as he had on earth with his music. 'Te Deum laudamus, Te Dominum confitemur'; this great work we have just heard - written at one sitting then reworked over fifteen years as if reconsidering how better to thank and praise God - sums up the faith of this great musician", Pope Benedict concluded. "It is also a reminder for us to open our horizons and think of eternal life, not so as to escape the present, though burdened with problems and difficulties, but to experience it more intensely, bringing a little light, hope and love into the reality in which we live".

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APPOINTMENTS FOR THE SYNOD ON NEW EVANGELISATION

VATICAN CITY, 22 OCT 2011 (VIS) - In view of the thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, due to take place in the Vatican from 7 to 28 October 2012 on the theme "The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith", the Holy Father appointed:

- Cardinal Donald William Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, U.S.A., as relator general.

- Archbishop Pierre-Marie Carre, archbishop of Montpellier, France, as special secretary.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 22 OCT 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, Italy, and Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux, France, as members of the Council of Cardinals for the Study of the Organisational and Economic Problems of the Holy See.

- Appointed Cardinal Joachim Meisner archbishop of Cologne, Germany, as his special envoy to celebrations marking the eighth centenary of the birth of St. Agnes ofBohemia, due to take place in the cathedral of Prague, Czech Republic, on 12 November.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese ofDhaka,Bangladesh, presented by Archbishop Paulinus Costa, upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Patrick D'Rosario C.S.C.

- Appointed Fr. Piotr Greger of the clergy of the diocese of Bielsko-Zywiec, Poland, vice director of the St. John Cantius Theological Institute, as auxiliary of the same diocese (area 3,000, population 770,000, Catholics 681,000, priests 633, religious 646). The bishop-elect was born in Tychy, Poland in 1964 and ordained a priest in 1989. He has worked as vice pastor and pastor in parishes of the diocese of Bielsko-Zywiec, and serves as the bishop's permanent delegate on the council of the "St. Edwige Foundation" at the Pontifical University of Krakow. He is also a member of the association of Polish theologians and a canon of the cathedral.

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LIVES OF THE NEW SAINTS WERE TRANSFORMED BY DIVINE CHARITY

VATICAN CITY, 23 OCT 2011 (VIS) - At 10 a.m. today Benedict XVI celebrated the Eucharist in the Vatican Basilica, and canonised the following three blesseds: Guido Maria Conforti, Italian archbishop-bishop and founder of the Pious Society of St. Francis Xavier for Foreign Missions (1865-1931); Luigi Guanella, Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Servants of Charity and of the Institute of the Daughters of Our Lady of Providence (1842-1915), and Bonifacia Rodriguez de Castro, Spanish foundress of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters, Servants of St. Joseph (1837-1905).

In the homily he pronounced following the rite of canonisation, the Pope first recalled how today marks World Mission Day, which annually seeks "to reawaken energy and commitment for the mission". He then went on to describe the characteristics of the three new saints who, he said, "allowed themselves to be transformed by divine love, around which they moulded their entire lives. In different situations and with different charisms, they loved the Lord with all their heart, and their neighbours as themselves, becoming an example to all believers".

The Holy Father explained how the motto of St. Guido Maria Conforti, "Caritas Christi urget nos" (Christ's Charity impels us), "sums up the programme of the missionary institute ... he founded: a religious family entirely dedicated to evangelisation, under the protection of the great apostle of the East, St. Francis Xavier". In his episcopal mission this new saint "dedicated his every effort to the good of the souls entrusted to his care, especially those who had abandoned the way of the Lord. His life was marked by many trials, some of them serious", but "in all circumstances, even amidst the most mortifying failures, he was able to recognise the plan of God Who guided him to build His Kingdom, particularly by self-denial and daily acceptance of divine will. ... He was the first to practise and bear witness to what he taught his missionaries: that perfection consists in doing God's will, following the model of the crucified Christ".

Speaking of St. Luigi Guanella, the Pope highlighted how "he practised the Gospel of Charity, which is 'the great commandment', with great courage and determination". He was "companion and teacher to the poorest and the weakest, their comfort and relief. Love of God made him desire the good of the people in his care, in the tangible reality of everyday life". Don Guanella, as he is known in Italy, "cultivated in his heart the hope that all human beings, created in the image and likeness of God, ... may draw out and give the best of themselves to others. ... In his witness, so charged with humanity and concern for the weakest, we see a glowing sign of the presence and benevolent action of God", the Holy Father said.

"From her beginnings", St. Bonifacia Rodriguez de Castro, "was able to unite her daily activities with adherence to Christ. She worked from childhood, not just as a way to avoid being a burden to others, but also a means to be free to realise her own vocation. This gave her the chance to attract and form other women who recognised God and heard His loving call in the world of work, discerning and realising their own life project. Thus the Sisters Servants of St. Joseph came into being, in the midst of that evangelical humility and simplicity which sees the home of Nazareth as a school ofChristian life. ...We entrust ourselves to her intercession and plead to God for all workers, especially those who undertake the most humble and sometimes insufficiently appreciated tasks, so that, in the midst of their daily cares, they may discover the friendly hand of God and bear witness to His love, transforming their fatigue into a hymn of praise to the Creator".

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ANGELUS: BLESSED JOHN PAUL II AND PILGRIMAGE TO ASSISI

VATICAN CITY, 23 OCT 2011 (VIS) - Following this morning's Mass for the canonisation of Guido Maria Conforti, Luigi Guanella and Bonifacia Rodriguez de Castro, the Pope prayed the Angelus from the atrium of the Vatican Basilica, with faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

"May the example and intercession of these shining figures encourage everyone to a renewed commitment to live their faith in Christ to the full, and to bear witness to that faith in the various areas of society", he said.

Turning then to address Polish pilgrims, he recalled how on 22 October, "together with the diocese of Rome and the Church in Poland, we celebrated the liturgical memory of Blessed John Paul II". Finally, he invoked the Blessed Virgin to intercede for "the Day of reflection, dialogue and prayer for peace and justice in the world: a pilgrimage to Assisitwenty-five years after the pilgrimage called by Blessed John Paul II".

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MEMBERS OF JOHN PAUL II FOUNDATION RECEIVED BY THE POPE

VATICAN CITY, 24 OCT 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Clementine Hall of the VaticanApostolicPalace, the Holy Father received members of the John Paul II Foundation, who are currently celebrating their institution's thirtieth anniversary.

Speaking English, Benedict XVI addressed a special greeting to Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, former secretary of Blessed John Paul II, and to the promoters and the current president of the foundation. He then went on to recall how its goal is to conserve and develop the spiritual heritage of John Paul II in order to transmit it to future generations. Through its "Centre for the Documentation and Study of the Pontificate of John Paul II", the foundation "not only collects archives, bibliographical material and museum items, but also promotes publications, exhibitions, congresses and other scientific and cultural events, in order to disseminate the teaching and the pastoral and humanitarian activity of the Blessed Pontiff".

Pope Benedict also laid emphasis on "one task of great human and cultural value, explicitly desired by John Paul II and undertaken by the foundation: that of assisting the 'formation of the clergy and the laity, especially those from the countries of Central andEastern Europe'. Every year, students arrive in Lublin, Warsaw andKrakow from countries which, in former times, suffered the ideological oppression of the communist regime, in order to pursue studies in the various branches of science, so as to live new experiences, to encounter different spiritual traditions, and to broaden their cultural horizons. Then they return to their own countries, enriching the various sectors of social, economic, cultural, political and ecclesial life. More than 900 graduates is a precious gift for those nations. ... I hope that this work will continue, develop and bear abundant fruits".

The Holy Father concluded by noting that one primary accomplishment of the foundation has been the "spiritual union of thousands of people in various continents, who not only support it materially but constitute the Circles of Friends, communities of formation based on the teaching and the example of Blessed John Paul II. ... They discern the needs of the present, they look to the future with solicitude and confidence, and they commit themselves to imbue the world more deeply with the spirit of solidarity and fraternity. Let us thank the Lord for the gift of the Holy Spirit Who unites, enlightens and inspires you".

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HOLY SEE CALLS FOR REFORM OF GLOBAL FINANCE

VATICAN CITY, 24 OCT 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office, a press conference was held to present a note from the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace entitled: "Towards reforming the international financial and monetary systems in the context of a global public authority". The document was presented by Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson andBishop Mario Toso S.D.B., respectively president and secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and by Leonardo Becchetti, professor of political economy at the RomanUniversity of "Tor Vergata".

Cardinal Turkson mentioned the sixth summit meeting of heads of government of the G-20 nations, due to take place in Cannes, France, on 3 and 4 November to discuss issues related to finance and the global economy. "The Holy Father and the Holy See", he said, "are following these matters with particular concern, constantly calling not just for 'joint action', but for 'examination of every facet of the problem: social, economic, cultural and spiritual'. It is in this spirit of discernment that the Holy See, with the note of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, wishes to make a contribution which might be useful to the deliberations of the G-20 meeting".

Bishop Toso explained that the aim of the note is "suggest possible paths to follow, in line with the most recent social Magisterium, for the implementation of financial and monetary policies ... that are effective and representative at a global level, and which seek the authentic human development of all individuals and peoples".

The Church does not wish to enter into the technical issues behind the current economic crisis, but remains within the ambit of her religious and ethical functions. Thus she highlights not just the moral causes of the crisis but, more specifically, the ideological causes. Old ideologies have been replaced by new ones, "neo-liberalist, neo-utilitarian, and technocratic which, by reducing the common good to economic, financial and technical questions, place the future of democratic institutions themselves at risk".

Bishop Toso spoke of the need to overcome these ideologies by "a new global humanism, open to transcendence, ... an ethic of brotherhood and solidarity, and by subordinating economy and finance to politics, which is responsible for the common good".

The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, drawing from the social Magisterium of recent Pontiffs particularly John XXIII and Benedict XVI, proposes "that globalisation be regulated by a global public authority", Bishop Toso explained. The council also suggests the reform of current international institutions. They "must become an expression of free and shared agreement among peoples; more representative, and with greater levels of participation and legitimacy. ... They must be 'super partes', at the service of the universal good, capable of offering effective guidance and, at the same time, of allowing each country to express and pursue its own common good, according to the principle of subsidiarity and in the context of the global common good. Only in this way will international institutions manage to favour effective monetary and financial systems; in other words, free and stable markets regulated by an appropriate legal framework and working towards sustainable development and social progress for everyone".

This global authority "must see its power to lead and to deicide - and to impose penalties on the basis of the law - as a form of service to the various members States, a way of ensuring that they possess efficient markets".

To this end, Bishop Toso concluded, "it is necessary to restore the primacy of ethics and, therewith, the primacy of politics, which is responsible for the common good".

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 24 OCT 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences five bishops from the Episcopal Conference of Angola and Sao Tome, on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Jose de Queiros Alves C.SS.R. of Huambo.

- Archbishop Damiao Antonio Franklin of Luanda, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Anastacio Kahango O.F.M. Cap., and by Cardinal Alexandre do Nascimento, archbishop emeritus.

- Archbishop Gabriel Mbilingi C.S.Sp. of Lubango.

On Saturday 22 October he received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

- Archbishop Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

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ASIA: TURKEY: EARTHQUAKE KILLS 217 OVER 1000 POSSIBLE VICTIMS

ASIA NEWS REPORT: by NAT da Polis
The earthquake shook the area of Van in the south east of the country, one of the most under-developed. Immediate offers of international aid, including that of Israel. Ankara declines, but without using harsh tones.

Istanbul (Asia News) - A tremendous earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale has hit the area of Van in south-eastern Turkey near the border with Iran and Armenia, not far from those areas where the last weeks there has been a resurgence of fighting between Turkish troops and Kurdish PKK groups. The affected areas are among the most under-developed in Turkey, and although the earthquake risk is very high, buildings there still do not meet the seismic criteria.

For the moment, 217 people have been declared dead, at least 1090 injured and 450 missing. Dozens of tall buildings have collapsed. According to the estimates of the Istanbul Geological Institute the death toll will probably rise to over 1000, in the most optimistic estimates.
Prime Minister Erdogan, accompanied by several cabinet ministers, immediately went to the area to coordinate relief and aid efforts.

NATO, China, the United States, Azerbaijan, Israel and several European countries have offered aid to the government in Ankara. Among the first to do so was the government in Tel Aviv, whose relations with Turkey were severed after the Israeli special forces attack on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara (May 31, 2010) which resulted in the death of 10 Turkish citizens. The Mavi Marmara was bound for Gaza to deliver aid to the Palestinian population victim of the Israeli blockade.

Israeli President Perez called the Turkish President Gul to express his solidarity and offer to send aid and logistical support to the Turkish people affected by the earthquake. This gesture has been interpreted by observers as an attempt to relaunch relations between Turkey and Israel, given the precedent with Greece and Turkey, after the terrible 1999 earthquake that struck the area of Izmir (ancient Nicaea). At the time it offered an opportunity to break the ice between Greece and Turkey after Greece has sent special teams to help the Turkish people.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barack announced to the media that Turkey has refused the aid offered by Israel. The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, to smooth tones said that for the time being Ankara has refused all foreign aid. Clearly the time is not yet ripe

AUSTRALIA: JOINT VENTURE KEEPING KIDS IN MIND

Go to Keeping Kids in Mind News Story

DIOCESE OF PARRAMATTA REPORT: CatholicCare Social Services - Diocese of Parramatta (CCSS) has joined with three other Catholic social welfare agencies in forming a program which assists separated families in Sydney.

The 'Keeping Kids in Mind' (KKIM) Program is the result of four years of collaborative work between CCSS, CatholicCare Sydney, CatholicCare Wollongong and Centacare Broken Bay.

Each year, more than 45,000 couples apply for divorce. Many more, who are not married but living together, separate. More than 50 per cent of these separations involve children.

The innovative KKIM joint venture supports families through the separation process, especially families where there are high levels of parental conflict, mental health issues and other complex needs.

The program provides an integrated case management model and offers a range of therapeutic, educational and family dispute resolution services to couples and families experiencing conflict in separation. The project is designed to inform and improve parents’ awareness regarding the impact of their conflict on their children’s psychological and emotional development and to increase the resiliency of children and families in separated situations. The service is accessible through a single 1800 number (1800 55 46 46) or through the KKIM website.

The collaboration between the four agencies also means separated families can be assisted in a coordinated way across a broad geographic area, and creating a streamlined access point ofr the Courts, family lawyers and other referrers.

“It is not uncommon for separated families to live both within and beyond boundaries of service organisations,” CCSS Executive Director Otto Henfling said.

This new collaborative project between our four agencies enables a much greater coordinated response for families and will assist in improving outcomes for children where their parents are experiencing high levels of conflict.

“The aim of KKIM is to assist separated parents focus on the needs of their children, and to find ways to develop more cooperative parenting practices.”

PROPER SUPPORT FOR PARENTS WITH COMPLEX NEEDS

Keeping Kids in Mind News Story
The Honourable Chief Justice Diana Bryant, Family Court of Australia and Federal Magistrate Dale Kemp.
KKIM was launched on Thursday 14 July by

the Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia Diana Bryant, who said Australia has the environment in which programs such as KKIM can grow and flourish.

Keeping Kids in Mind is a unique and innovative program. It is a tailored post-separation service bringing together four locations, and it is targeted to disadvantaged families,” Chief Justice Bryant said.

Chief Justice Bryant also said the strengths of the program were the use of a common assessment framework and the provision for providing feedback to Courts.

It provides support services to families to enable them to be better parents."

CatholicCare Sydney CEO Bernard Boerma said children are particularly vulnerable during the separation process.

It can be difficult for parents to provide support when they are stressed and caught up with their own feelings of grief and loss,” he said.

An important component of achieving good outcomes for children is to ensure that parents with complex needs are properly supported and have access to specialist services that support their needs.”

The project includes an educational DVD and a group work program for separated parents experiencing medium to high levels of conflict. Centacare Broken Bay Executive Director Deidre Cheers said the group work program has been independently evaluated by the Family Action Centre at the University of Newcastle and has shown very positive results.

There has been a need in the community for evidence based programs that can assist families manage complex post separation situations,” she said.

The great benefits expected from the KKIM consortium are improved outcomes for children in families experiencing post separation conflict and an improvement in family relationships generally.

The new program includes an approach to helping separated families that places an emphasis on the importance of the first contact a family makes with the service and assisting a family through the process.

CatholicCare Wollongong Executive Director Kath MacCormack said theprogram's case management approach for separated families avoids the burden for those seeking help to repeat their story to a number of different people.

It will assist people in complex post separation situations to have their needs assessed and responded to in a more integrated and individualised way,” she said.

Visit CatholicCare Social Services - Diocese of Parramatta

Visit Keeping Kids In Mind

AFRICA: GHANA: MEETING OF SYMPOSIUM OF BISHOPS

Agenzia Fides REPORT - The second annual meeting of the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) is taking place in Accra, Ghana, from October 23 to 26. A statement sent to Agenzia Fides recalls that on the occasion of World Mission Sunday, celebrated yesterday, Sunday, October 23, members of the Committee visited several parishes in Accra to concelebrate the Mass and talk about the importance of the mission.
During the four days of meetings, the Permanent Committee of SECAM will discuss: a) The theme of the Plenary Assembly of the SECAM to be held in 2013 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. b) The issues discussed between a representative of the SECAM and the Episcopal Conference of Germany in Monaco of Bavaria and Berlin, in March 2011. c) The evaluation of a working visit of a SECAM delegation to the Episcopal Conference of the United States in May 2011. d) The report on World Youth Day (WYD) in Madrid in August 2011, and the possibility of hosting World Youth Day in Africa in a not too distant future. e) The Apostolic Visit of Pope Benedict XVI in Benin, where the Apostolic Exhortation of the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa will be promulgated. f) The financial and budgetary situation of the SECAM Secretariat for the year 2012.
The Committee will also examine issues related to the European and African bishops' meeting to be held in Rome in February 2012. During the meeting Mgr. Giovanni Battista Gandolfo, Responsible of the Service for Charitable Interventions in the Third World of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), the project "Solar energy" funded by the CEI in favor of the Secretariat of SECAM will be inaugurated. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 24/10/2011)

EUROPE: GREAT BRITAIN: CHANGES TO LAW AGAINST CATHOLICS


IND. CATH. NEWS REPORT:
PM proposes change in law to allow Catholics to marry Royals | Act of Settlement, Royal Family, marry a Catholic,Commonwealth leaders’ summit
Prime Minister David Cameron has proposed changes to the Act of Settlement, which currently forbid any member of the Royal Family from ascending to the throne if they marry a Catholic.

Speaking ahead of the Commonwealth leaders’ summit in Australia later this month, Mr Cameron said the ban was an "historical anomaly" and could not "continue to be justified."

But he did not propose changing the ban on Roman Catholic monarchs, because the British monarch is also supreme governor of the Church of England.

Any changes will require the agreement of all 16 Commonwealth nations who have the Queen as their monarch. These are: the UK; Canada; Australia; New Zealand; Jamaica; Antigua and Barbuda; the Bahamas; Barbados; Grenada; Belize; St Christopher and Nevis; St Lucia; the Solomon Islands; Tuvalu; St Vincent and the Grenadines and Papua New Guinea.

Commonwealth minister Lord David Howell said he said he expected the reforms would be approved by all the members.
http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=19157

AMERICA: CANADA: MESSAGE FROM NEW PRESIDENT OF BISHOPS' CONFERENCE

CCCB – REPORT- The Catholic Bishops of Canada have been in Plenary Assembly this week, since 17 October, at the Nav Canada Centre in Cornwall, Ontario. About 75 Bishops from across the country participated. They reviewed activities from the past year, shared their pastoral experiences and discussed the life of the Church as well as the major events that shape society. The main guest speaker this year was the Most Reverend Robert Le Gall, O.S.B., Archbishop of Toulouse. Archbishop Le Gall led the Bishops in reflections on the two most recent Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortations of Pope Benedict XVI:Sacramentum Caritatis(following the Synod on the Eucharist as Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church) and Verbum Domini(following the Synod on the Word of God in the Life andMission of the Church).Plenary2011_4
Mgr Patrick Powers, P.H., Secrétaire général,
Mgr Pierre Morissette, Mgr Robert Le Gall,
archevêque de Toulouse, et Mgr Richard Smith

In the opening remarks of his two-year term as CCCB President (2011-2013), Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmontonfirst of all thanked his predecessor as President, Bishop Pierre Morissette of Saint-Jérôme. “On behalf of all the Bishops,” Archbishop Smith said, “I wish to express our gratitude for the serenity, calmness and wisdom with which you guided our Episcopal Conference these past two years.” Archbishop Smith observed how Bishop Morissette had been a President who listens, who gives true leadership, and who profoundly loves the Church, the Episcopal Conference and his brother Bishops. “Thank you for your service as President and for having been on our Executive over the past eight years,” the new President said to Bishop Morissette. Archbishop Smith also affirmed the importance of unity and collegiality within the CCCB as it assists the Church in Canada and the communion of the universal Church.

In his final remarks as President, Bishop Morissette said his experience as President and his service to his brother Bishops and the CCCB had been most enriching for his own ministry as Bishop. “Our Episcopal Conference covers a vast geographical area and is a testimony to the beauty of the Church in our county,” he said. “I have acquired great appreciation for the vibrancy and particularities of the four pastoral regions of our Conference and of each of our diocesan Churches.”

Live broadcasting by Salt + Light Television

For the first time in the history of the CCCB, the Catholic television network Salt + Light TV broadcast live a number of the Plenary events, both on the Internet as well as on television. In all there were 12 hours of Plenary broadcasting by Salt + Light, including the daily Mass, the President’s report, the two presentations by Archbishop Le Gall and the closing of the Plenary. Broadcasting statistics show 3,000 web visitors watched the live-streaming and repeats for a minimum of 12 minutes each. In addition, about 1,000 viewers visited the Plenary webpage on the Salt + Light website. These Plenary broadcasts can still be watched by accessing the Salt + Light video library athttp://saltandlighttv.org/.

In addition, the Plenary texts that have been published to date – including the President’s report and the daily news releases – are available on the CCCB website, www.cccb.ca.

http://www.cccb.ca/site/eng/media-room/3189-message-by-new-president-archbishop-richard-smith

TODAY'S SAINT: OCT. 24: ST. ANTHONY MARY CLARET

St. Anthony Mary Claret
CLARETIAN ARCHBISHOP AND FOUNDER
Feast: October 24
Information:
Feast Day:
October 24
Born:
December 23, 1807, Sallent
Died:
October 24, 1870, Fontfroide
Canonized:
May 7, 1950 by Pope Pius XII
Patron of:
Textile Merchants, Weavers, Savings (taught the poor the importance of savings), Catholic press, Claretians Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The founder of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Anthony Mary Claret died in the Cistercian monastery at Fontfroide in France on this date in 1870. He was canonized in 1950 and listed in the Roman Calendar in 1960. Anthony was born at Salent in the Diocese of Vich in Catalonia, Spain, in the year in which Napoleon invaded Spain. He was trained for manual labor, since his father was a weaver, but in 1829 he entered the seminary at Vich. Ordained to the priesthood in 1835, he was assigned as pastor in his home parish. Later he went to Rome to work for the Propagation of the Faith. He also entered the novitiate of the Jesuits but had to leave because of ill health, so he returned to Spain and was assigned as pastor of a parish. His apostolate consisted of rural preaching, conferences for the clergy and publications (he wrote more than 150 books). Because of his successful apostolate he aroused the animosity of some of the clergy and as a result he left Catalonia for the Canary Islands (1848). After a year he returned to Catalonia and resumed his preaching apostolate.
In 1849 Anthony gathered together five priests who formed the basis of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (popularly known as Claretians). At the suggestion of the Queen of Spain, Isabella II, Anthony was named archbishop of Santiago, Cuba (1850). For the next seven years he made pastoral visitations, preached against the slavery of the Negroes, and regularized numerous marriages. As a result of his activity he was frequently threatened with death and on one occasion an attempt was actually made on his life. In 1857 he was recalled to Spain as confessor to the queen. In this way he was able to exert some influence in the naming of bishops, set up a center of ecclesiastical studies at the Escorial, and work towards the recognition of religious orders in Spain. In 1869 he was in Rome, preparing for the First Vatican Council. He followed Isabella II into exile and at the insistence of the Spanish ambassador, was placed under house arrest in the Cistercian monastery at FontFroide, where he died at the age of 63. His remains were ultimately returned to Vich.
SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/A/stanthonymaryclaret.asp

TODAY'S GOSPEL: OCT. 24: LUKE 13: 10- 17

Luke 13: 10 - 17
10Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.
12And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity."
13And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God.
14But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day."
15Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it?
16And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?"
17As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.