CATHOLIC NEWS WORLD: SAT. NOV. 6, 2010: HEADLINES-
AUSTRALIA: DELEGATE AT CLIMATE CONFERENCE
CATH NEWS REPORT; A delegation from the Edmund Rice Centre and the Pacific Calling Partner
ship is attending a major climate change meeting hosted by the low-lying Kiribati island, reports The Catholic Leader.The High-Level Ministerial Conference on Climate Change began on Thursday and continues until Tuesday.ERC director Phil Glendenning and ERC Eco-Justice Program co-ordinator Jill Finnane are attending as observers. It follows a visit in September by a 10-member ERC/PCP delegation to Kirabati led by one of Australia's most senior indigenous leaders Patrick Dodson.Ms Finnane said it was "indeed an honour" to be invited to this week's ministerial conference.The high-profile list of invitees includes the World Bank, UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) secretariat, the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations), Greenpeace and the Pacific Conference of Churches.Ms Finnane said the ERC/PCP September delegation to Kiribati had witnessed first hand the impact of rising sea levels on the low-lying island."We witnessed many examples of shore erosion and helped plant 4000 mangrove (trees)," Ms Finnane said. The delegation heard stories of resilience in the face of increasing storm surges and longer droughts."We received a glimpse into the challenges inherent in the adaptation initiatives and heard people's fears and hopes for what the future holds for their children."
http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=24089
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AMERICA: USA: BISHOPS VOTE ON RECOGNITION OF BAPTISM
USCCB REPORT: Bishops to Vote on Baptism Agreement with Reformed Christians at November MeetingWASHINGTON (November 4, 2010) — The U.S. Catholic bishops will vote on an agreement with four Protestant communities to mutually recognize one another’s baptism as valid when they meet for their annual Fall General Assembly, November 15-18, in Baltimore. The proposed Common Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Baptism is the result of six years of study and discussion between the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and representatives from the Presbyterian Church-USA, the Reformed Church in America, the Christian Reformed Church, and the United Church of Christ.“The U.S. bishops stand at an important juncture in affirming the unity that Christ has given to the baptized members of his body, a unity that is ever fragile and always in need of support from the pastors of the Church,” said Atlanta Archbishop Wilton Gregory, chairman of the USCCB Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, on the importance of the agreement.The Catholic Church has recognized the validity of baptisms of most major Christian communions since the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). In 2002, concerns over certain practices (such as baptism by sprinkling) and spoken formulas (such as baptism in the name of the Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier) used by some Christians led the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity to urge national bishops’ conferences to study their mutual understanding of baptism with other Christians. These questions were examined and resolved by Round Seven of the Reformed-Roman Catholic Dialogue-USA, which produced the Common Agreement, as well as a study entitled “These Living Waters.”The Common Agreement affirms that both Catholic and Reformed Christians hold that baptism is the sacramental bond of unity for the Body of Christ, which is to be performed only once, by an authorized minister, with flowing water, using the Scriptural Trinitarian formula of “Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” The agreement encourages all local Christian communities to keep baptismal records. The Common Agreement has already been ratified by the Presbyterian Church-USA.The bishops will vote on the Common Agreement and an accompanying Reception Statement that calls upon bishops and pastors in the U.S. to recognize as valid baptisms from the Reformed communities in question. This will apply to baptisms performed after the agreement has gone into effect and if a baptismal certificate is provided stating that the traditional Trinitarian formula was used. While other bishops’ conferences around the world have entered into similar agreements with the Protestant communities of their region, this document is unprecedented for the Catholic Church in the United States. As the Common Agreement would be an official agreement with other Christians, it is not amendable. The Reception Statement, however, can be discussed and amended by the bishops. http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2010/10-199.shtml
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VATICAN: POPE: ENTERS SPAIN AS A PILGRIM
BENEDICT XVI: I HAVE COME AS A PILGRIM TO SANTIAGO VATICAN CITY, 6 NOV 2010 (VIS REPORT) - This morning Benedict XVI began the nineteenth apostolic trip of his pontificate, which is taking him to two places of ancient Catholic tradition in Spain: Santiago de Compostela, traditionally associated with the practice of pilgrimages to the tomb of the Apostle James the Great and currently celebrating a Jubilee Year, and Barcelona where the Pope will consecrate the as-yet-unfinished church of the Sagrada Famila, 128 years after building work began. Santiago de Compostela, the first stop on the Holy Father's trip, owes its name to the Apostle St. James (Santiago in Spanish) and to the Latin phrase "campus stellae" (Compostela), a reference to the star which, according to tradition, indicated the site containing the remains of the Apostle who, following his martyrdom in Jerusalem, was miraculously transported to Spain. At the site of the discovery of the saint's body, which took place in the year 823, King Alfonso II ordered a church to be built and entrusted it to the Benedictine monks, but in 997 it was destroyed by the Muslim troops of Almanzor. Rebuilt and transformed by King Bermudo II, it eventually became the third most important pilgrimage site after Jerusalem and Rome. In 1985 the city of Santiago de Compostela was declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The Pope departed from Rome's Fiumicino airport at 8.30 a.m. and landed at Santiago de Compostela at 11.30 a.m., where he was welcomed at the steps of his aircraft by Their Royal Highnesses Felipe de Borbon y Borbon and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, Prince and Princess of Asturias, and by Archbishop Julian Barrio Barrio of Santiago de Compostela. The welcome ceremony took place at the airport's southern terminal, inaugurated for this occasion, and was attended by authorities from the central government, the autonomous region of Galicia, and the town hall of Santiago, as well as by Spanish cardinals, the executive committee of the Spanish Episcopal Conference and several hundred faithful. After the playing of the national anthems and a speech by the Prince of Asturias, the Pope addressed some words to those present. "I have come as a pilgrim in this Holy Year of Compostela and I bring in my heart the same love of Christ which led the Apostle Paul to embark upon his journeys, with a desire also to come to Spain. I wish to join the great host of men and women who down the centuries have come to Compostela from every corner of this peninsula, from throughout Europe and indeed the whole world, in order to kneel at the feet of St. James and be transformed by the witness of his faith. They, at every step and filled with hope, created a pathway of culture, prayer, mercy and conversion, which took shape in churches and hospitals, in inns, bridges and monasteries. In this way, Spain and Europe developed a spiritual physiognomy indelibly marked by the Gospel. "Precisely as a herald and witness of the Gospel", the Holy Father added, "I am also going to Barcelona, in order to nourish the faith of its welcoming and dynamic people. A faith sown already at the dawn of Christianity, one which blossomed and grew in the warmth of countless examples of holiness, giving rise to countless institutions of beneficence, culture and education. A faith which inspired the gifted architect Antoni Gaudi to undertake in that city, with the fervour and co-operation of many people, that marvel which is the church of the Sagrada Familia. It will fall happily to me to dedicate that church, which reflects all the grandeur of the human spirit in its openness to God. "I am very pleased to be once again in Spain, which has given the world a constellation of great saints, founders and poets, like Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Jesus, John of the Cross, Francis Xavier, among many others; in the twentieth century it raised up new institutions, groups and communities of Christian life and apostolic activity and, in recent decades, it has advanced in harmony and unity, in freedom and peace, looking to the future with hope and responsibility. Moved by her rich patrimony of human and spiritual values, she seeks likewise to progress amid difficulties and to offer her solidarity to the international community". Benedict XVI continued his remarks: "These contributions and initiatives which have distinguished your long past, as well as the present, together with the significance of the two beautiful places I will visit on this occasion, lead me to look also to all the peoples of Spain and Europe. Like the Servant of God John Paul II, who from Compostela exhorted the old continent to give a new impulse to its Christian roots, I too wish to encourage Spain and Europe to build their present and to project their future on the basis of the authentic truth about man, on the basis of the freedom which respects this truth and never harms it, and on the basis of justice for all, beginning with the poorest and the most defenceless; a Spain and a Europe concerned not only with people's material wants but also with their moral and social, spiritual and religious needs, since all these are genuine requirements of our common humanity and only in this way can work be done effectively, integrally and fruitfully for man's good", the Pope concluded. He then completed his remarks with some words in Galician. "Dear friends, I renew my thanks for your kind welcome and for your presence at this airport. I renew my affection and closeness to the beloved sons and daughters of Galicia, Catalonia and the other peoples of Spain. In commending my stay among you to the intercession of the Apostle St. James, I ask God to bestow his blessings on all of you. Thank you very much". Following the welcome ceremony, the Holy Father held a brief private meeting in the airport's VIP room with the Prince and Princes of Asturias, before travelling by popemobile to the city of Santiago de Compostela.PV-SPAIN/ VIS 20101106 (1020)
BENEDICT XVI: I HAVE COME AS A PILGRIM TO SANTIAGO VATICAN CITY, 6 NOV 2010 (VIS REPORT) - This morning Benedict XVI began the nineteenth apostolic trip of his pontificate, which is taking him to two places of ancient Catholic tradition in Spain: Santiago de Compostela, traditionally associated with the practice of pilgrimages to the tomb of the Apostle James the Great and currently celebrating a Jubilee Year, and Barcelona where the Pope will consecrate the as-yet-unfinished church of the Sagrada Famila, 128 years after building work began. Santiago de Compostela, the first stop on the Holy Father's trip, owes its name to the Apostle St. James (Santiago in Spanish) and to the Latin phrase "campus stellae" (Compostela), a reference to the star which, according to tradition, indicated the site containing the remains of the Apostle who, following his martyrdom in Jerusalem, was miraculously transported to Spain. At the site of the discovery of the saint's body, which took place in the year 823, King Alfonso II ordered a church to be built and entrusted it to the Benedictine monks, but in 997 it was destroyed by the Muslim troops of Almanzor. Rebuilt and transformed by King Bermudo II, it eventually became the third most important pilgrimage site after Jerusalem and Rome. In 1985 the city of Santiago de Compostela was declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The Pope departed from Rome's Fiumicino airport at 8.30 a.m. and landed at Santiago de Compostela at 11.30 a.m., where he was welcomed at the steps of his aircraft by Their Royal Highnesses Felipe de Borbon y Borbon and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, Prince and Princess of Asturias, and by Archbishop Julian Barrio Barrio of Santiago de Compostela. The welcome ceremony took place at the airport's southern terminal, inaugurated for this occasion, and was attended by authorities from the central government, the autonomous region of Galicia, and the town hall of Santiago, as well as by Spanish cardinals, the executive committee of the Spanish Episcopal Conference and several hundred faithful. After the playing of the national anthems and a speech by the Prince of Asturias, the Pope addressed some words to those present. "I have come as a pilgrim in this Holy Year of Compostela and I bring in my heart the same love of Christ which led the Apostle Paul to embark upon his journeys, with a desire also to come to Spain. I wish to join the great host of men and women who down the centuries have come to Compostela from every corner of this peninsula, from throughout Europe and indeed the whole world, in order to kneel at the feet of St. James and be transformed by the witness of his faith. They, at every step and filled with hope, created a pathway of culture, prayer, mercy and conversion, which took shape in churches and hospitals, in inns, bridges and monasteries. In this way, Spain and Europe developed a spiritual physiognomy indelibly marked by the Gospel. "Precisely as a herald and witness of the Gospel", the Holy Father added, "I am also going to Barcelona, in order to nourish the faith of its welcoming and dynamic people. A faith sown already at the dawn of Christianity, one which blossomed and grew in the warmth of countless examples of holiness, giving rise to countless institutions of beneficence, culture and education. A faith which inspired the gifted architect Antoni Gaudi to undertake in that city, with the fervour and co-operation of many people, that marvel which is the church of the Sagrada Familia. It will fall happily to me to dedicate that church, which reflects all the grandeur of the human spirit in its openness to God. "I am very pleased to be once again in Spain, which has given the world a constellation of great saints, founders and poets, like Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Jesus, John of the Cross, Francis Xavier, among many others; in the twentieth century it raised up new institutions, groups and communities of Christian life and apostolic activity and, in recent decades, it has advanced in harmony and unity, in freedom and peace, looking to the future with hope and responsibility. Moved by her rich patrimony of human and spiritual values, she seeks likewise to progress amid difficulties and to offer her solidarity to the international community". Benedict XVI continued his remarks: "These contributions and initiatives which have distinguished your long past, as well as the present, together with the significance of the two beautiful places I will visit on this occasion, lead me to look also to all the peoples of Spain and Europe. Like the Servant of God John Paul II, who from Compostela exhorted the old continent to give a new impulse to its Christian roots, I too wish to encourage Spain and Europe to build their present and to project their future on the basis of the authentic truth about man, on the basis of the freedom which respects this truth and never harms it, and on the basis of justice for all, beginning with the poorest and the most defenceless; a Spain and a Europe concerned not only with people's material wants but also with their moral and social, spiritual and religious needs, since all these are genuine requirements of our common humanity and only in this way can work be done effectively, integrally and fruitfully for man's good", the Pope concluded. He then completed his remarks with some words in Galician. "Dear friends, I renew my thanks for your kind welcome and for your presence at this airport. I renew my affection and closeness to the beloved sons and daughters of Galicia, Catalonia and the other peoples of Spain. In commending my stay among you to the intercession of the Apostle St. James, I ask God to bestow his blessings on all of you. Thank you very much". Following the welcome ceremony, the Holy Father held a brief private meeting in the airport's VIP room with the Prince and Princes of Asturias, before travelling by popemobile to the city of Santiago de Compostela.PV-SPAIN/ VIS 20101106 (1020)
LIVE LIVES ENLIGHTENED BY THE TRUTH OF CHRIST VATICAN CITY, 6 NOV 2010 (VIS) - On his arrival at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the Pope entered the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament before going on to greet faithful from the Portico de la Gloria, a granite construction dating from the twelfth century the columns of which are decorated with the figures of Christ, the Apostles, saints, prophets, angels, symbolic creatures and episodes from the Bible. The Holy Father then exited the cathedral by the Royal Door and re-entered by the Holy Door. After a moment of prayer before the tomb of St. James he gave the traditional embrace to the statue of the Apostle. Then, following a brief greeting by Archbishop Julian Barrio Barrio of Santiago de Compostela, the Pope pronounced his address. "To go on pilgrimage", he said, "is not simply to visit a place to admire its treasures of nature, art or history. To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God where He has revealed Himself, where His grace has shone with particular splendour and produced rich fruits of conversion and holiness among those who believe". "In this Holy Year of Compostela, I too, as the Successor of Peter, wished to come in pilgrimage to the 'House of St. James', as it prepares to celebrate the eight-hundredth anniversary of its consecration. I have come to confirm your faith, to stir up your hope and to entrust to the Apostle's intercession your aspirations, struggles and labours in the service of the Gospel. As I embraced the venerable statue of the saint, I also prayed for all the children of the Church, which has her origin in the mystery of the communion that is God". Benedict XVI explained how the "Church is this embrace of God, in which men and women learn also to embrace their brothers and sisters and to discover in them the divine image and likeness which constitutes the deepest truth of their existence, and which is the origin of genuine freedom. "Truth and freedom are closely and necessarily related", he added. "Honestly seeking and aspiring to truth is the condition of authentic freedom. One cannot live without the other. The Church, which desires to serve unreservedly the human person and his dignity, stands at the service of both truth and freedom. She cannot renounce either, because what is at stake is man himself, because she is moved by love for man, 'the only creature on earth which God has wanted for its own sake', and because without this aspiration for truth, justice and freedom, man would lose his very self. The Pope continued: "From Compostela, the spiritual heart of Galicia and at the same time a school of unbounded universality, allow me to exhort all the faithful of this beloved archdiocese, and those of the Church in Spain, to live their lives enlightened by the truth of Christ, confessing the faith with joy, consistency and simplicity, at home, at work and in their commitment as citizens. "May the joy of knowing that you are God's beloved children bring you to an ever deeper love for the Church and to co-operate with her in her work of leading all men and women to Christ", the Holy Father told the faithful. "Pray to the Lord of the harvest that many young people will devote themselves to this mission in the priestly ministry and in the consecrated life. Today, it is as worthwhile as ever to dedicate one's whole life to the proclamation of the newness of the Gospel. "I cannot conclude without first expressing my appreciation and gratitude to the Catholics of Spain for the generosity with which they support so many institutions of charity and of human development. Continue to maintain these works which benefit society as a whole, and whose effectiveness has been shown in a special way in the present economic crisis, as well as when grave natural disasters have affected certain countries". Speaking then in Galician, Pope Benedict asked "Almighty God to grant all of you the boldness which St. James showed in bearing witness to the Risen Christ. In this way, may you remain faithful in the ways of holiness and spend yourselves for the glory of God and the good of our brothers and sisters in greatest need". Having concluded his remarks the Pope placed some incense in the "botafumeiro", the cathedral's thurible, which is used during important ceremonies and is famous for its enormous size. Operated by eight men known as " tiraboleiros", it swings back and forth as the hymn of the Apostle James is sung and always arouses the admiration of pilgrims. The current botafumeiro is made of gilded brass, it is 1.1 metres high and weighs 50 kilograms. It was constructed in Santiago in the middle of last century. After the ceremony, the Pope went to the archbishopric where he had lunch with Spanish cardinals, the executive committee of the Spanish Episcopal Conference and members of his entourage.PV-SPAIN/ VIS 20101106 (840)
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS VATICAN CITY, 6 NOV 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Roberto Bordi O.F.M., pastor at Magdalena in the apostolic vicariate of El Beni, Bolivia, as auxiliary of the same apostolic vicariate (area 150,686, population 201,695, Catholics 161,321, priests 19, permanent deacons 2, religious 70). The bishop-elect was born in Rome in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1971.
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ASIA: VIETNAM: FLOOD VICTIMS FACE FAMINE
UCAN R
EPORT: The Church in Vietnam says flood victims in the country are now facing famine and poverty in the wake of the disaster.Catholic parishes and agencies continue to send relief but are looking ahead to a potential disaster.Locals are in trouble until the next harvest because recent floods in Ha Tinh, Nghe An and Quang Binh central provinces have washed away their properties and crops, says Bishop Paul Nguyen Thai Hop of Vinh,“It is necessary to give them financial support to buy seeds for new cultivation,” Bishop Hop said.The Church has helped repair and rebuild houses with plans to equip parishes with emergency generators, motorboats and rescue vehicles to ensure prompt assistance in the future.“They are waiting for relief supplies from benefactors,” added Franciscan Father John Baptist Tran Khac Du, who went with benefactors from Ho Chi Minh City to distribute goods to worst-hit parishes Oct. 30-Nov. 4. They gave people rice, instant noodles, bottled water and clothes. The priest added that transferring supplies to remote areas is difficult due to damaged roads.About 150 people were killed in flooding disasters over the past month. Vietnam regularly suffers from tropical storms and flooding at this time of year.
http://www.ucanews.com/2010/11/05/vietnamese-need-urgent-post-flood-aid/
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UCAN R
EPORT: The Church in Vietnam says flood victims in the country are now facing famine and poverty in the wake of the disaster.Catholic parishes and agencies continue to send relief but are looking ahead to a potential disaster.Locals are in trouble until the next harvest because recent floods in Ha Tinh, Nghe An and Quang Binh central provinces have washed away their properties and crops, says Bishop Paul Nguyen Thai Hop of Vinh,“It is necessary to give them financial support to buy seeds for new cultivation,” Bishop Hop said.The Church has helped repair and rebuild houses with plans to equip parishes with emergency generators, motorboats and rescue vehicles to ensure prompt assistance in the future.“They are waiting for relief supplies from benefactors,” added Franciscan Father John Baptist Tran Khac Du, who went with benefactors from Ho Chi Minh City to distribute goods to worst-hit parishes Oct. 30-Nov. 4. They gave people rice, instant noodles, bottled water and clothes. The priest added that transferring supplies to remote areas is difficult due to damaged roads.About 150 people were killed in flooding disasters over the past month. Vietnam regularly suffers from tropical storms and flooding at this time of year.http://www.ucanews.com/2010/11/05/vietnamese-need-urgent-post-flood-aid/
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EUROPE: GREAT BRITAIN: SISTER PEGUS AWARDED PRO ECCLESIA ET PONTIFICE
IND. CATH. REPORT: Sister Teresa-Joseph Pegus, O.Carm., of the Corpus Christi Carmelites has been awared the highest honour the Pope can bestow to lay people.Sister Tere
sa-Joseph has been presented with the Holy Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice ("For the Church and the Pope"), in recognition of her service of God's Kingdom, especially in ministering to young people. The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross is a rarely-bestowed recognition of distinguished service to the Church.In 2008 sister was presented with the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of her contribution to Church and Society.Sister Teresa-Joseph's nomination for the award was organised by friends and former colleagues at YOI Glen Parva, a prison for young offenders near Leicester where sister Joseph was in ministry for many years. Her colleagues felt that, whilst her work had been recognised officially by the State there had been no similar recognition by the church community. They decided to bring her to the attention of the church authorities in Rome who then made this rare award.Sister Teresa-Joseph is a member of the Corpus Christi Carmelite community in Leicester.As Sister is currently in hospital the award was conferred on her there on behalf of the Holy See by her parish priest on 25 October. It is hoped that a proper ceremony involving the Bishop can take place when she is well enough.The Corpus Christi Carmelites were established in Leicester in 1908 where they still have a convent, as well as in Birmingham and York. The Congregation was affiliated to the Carmelite Order in 1927, and in Britain works closely with friars and Lay Carmelites.Teresa-Joseph's sisters in Carmel are delighted that her contribution to the Church has been recognised, and ask well-wishers to keep her in their prayers.Source: Carmelites
http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=17037
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IND. CATH. REPORT: Sister Teresa-Joseph Pegus, O.Carm., of the Corpus Christi Carmelites has been awared the highest honour the Pope can bestow to lay people.Sister Tere
sa-Joseph has been presented with the Holy Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice ("For the Church and the Pope"), in recognition of her service of God's Kingdom, especially in ministering to young people. The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross is a rarely-bestowed recognition of distinguished service to the Church.In 2008 sister was presented with the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of her contribution to Church and Society.Sister Teresa-Joseph's nomination for the award was organised by friends and former colleagues at YOI Glen Parva, a prison for young offenders near Leicester where sister Joseph was in ministry for many years. Her colleagues felt that, whilst her work had been recognised officially by the State there had been no similar recognition by the church community. They decided to bring her to the attention of the church authorities in Rome who then made this rare award.Sister Teresa-Joseph is a member of the Corpus Christi Carmelite community in Leicester.As Sister is currently in hospital the award was conferred on her there on behalf of the Holy See by her parish priest on 25 October. It is hoped that a proper ceremony involving the Bishop can take place when she is well enough.The Corpus Christi Carmelites were established in Leicester in 1908 where they still have a convent, as well as in Birmingham and York. The Congregation was affiliated to the Carmelite Order in 1927, and in Britain works closely with friars and Lay Carmelites.Teresa-Joseph's sisters in Carmel are delighted that her contribution to the Church has been recognised, and ask well-wishers to keep her in their prayers.Source: Carmeliteshttp://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=17037
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AUSTRALIA: DELEGATE AT CLIMATE CONFERENCE
CATH NEWS REPORT; A delegation from the Edmund Rice Centre and the Pacific Calling Partner
ship is attending a major climate change meeting hosted by the low-lying Kiribati island, reports The Catholic Leader.The High-Level Ministerial Conference on Climate Change began on Thursday and continues until Tuesday.ERC director Phil Glendenning and ERC Eco-Justice Program co-ordinator Jill Finnane are attending as observers. It follows a visit in September by a 10-member ERC/PCP delegation to Kirabati led by one of Australia's most senior indigenous leaders Patrick Dodson.Ms Finnane said it was "indeed an honour" to be invited to this week's ministerial conference.The high-profile list of invitees includes the World Bank, UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) secretariat, the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations), Greenpeace and the Pacific Conference of Churches.Ms Finnane said the ERC/PCP September delegation to Kiribati had witnessed first hand the impact of rising sea levels on the low-lying island."We witnessed many examples of shore erosion and helped plant 4000 mangrove (trees)," Ms Finnane said. The delegation heard stories of resilience in the face of increasing storm surges and longer droughts."We received a glimpse into the challenges inherent in the adaptation initiatives and heard people's fears and hopes for what the future holds for their children."http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=24089
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AMERICA: USA: BISHOPS VOTE ON RECOGNITION OF BAPTISM
USCCB REPORT: Bishops to Vote on Baptism Agreement with Reformed Christians at November MeetingWASHINGTON (November 4, 2010) — The U.S. Catholic bishops will vote on an agreement with four Protestant communities to mutually recognize one another’s baptism as valid when they meet for their annual Fall General Assembly, November 15-18, in Baltimore. The proposed Common Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Baptism is the result of six years of study and discussion between the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and representatives from the Presbyterian Church-USA, the Reformed Church in America, the Christian Reformed Church, and the United Church of Christ.“The U.S. bishops stand at an important juncture in affirming the unity that Christ has given to the baptized members of his body, a unity that is ever fragile and always in need of support from the pastors of the Church,” said Atlanta Archbishop Wilton Gregory, chairman of the USCCB Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, on the importance of the agreement.The Catholic Church has recognized the validity of baptisms of most major Christian communions since the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). In 2002, concerns over certain practices (such as baptism by sprinkling) and spoken formulas (such as baptism in the name of the Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier) used by some Christians led the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity to urge national bishops’ conferences to study their mutual understanding of baptism with other Christians. These questions were examined and resolved by Round Seven of the Reformed-Roman Catholic Dialogue-USA, which produced the Common Agreement, as well as a study entitled “These Living Waters.”The Common Agreement affirms that both Catholic and Reformed Christians hold that baptism is the sacramental bond of unity for the Body of Christ, which is to be performed only once, by an authorized minister, with flowing water, using the Scriptural Trinitarian formula of “Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” The agreement encourages all local Christian communities to keep baptismal records. The Common Agreement has already been ratified by the Presbyterian Church-USA.The bishops will vote on the Common Agreement and an accompanying Reception Statement that calls upon bishops and pastors in the U.S. to recognize as valid baptisms from the Reformed communities in question. This will apply to baptisms performed after the agreement has gone into effect and if a baptismal certificate is provided stating that the traditional Trinitarian formula was used. While other bishops’ conferences around the world have entered into similar agreements with the Protestant communities of their region, this document is unprecedented for the Catholic Church in the United States. As the Common Agreement would be an official agreement with other Christians, it is not amendable. The Reception Statement, however, can be discussed and amended by the bishops. http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2010/10-199.shtml
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AFRICA: DEM. REP. C. - ARCHBISHOP SPEAKS ON DIOCESE OUTREACH
Agenzia Fides REPORT: Archbishop of Kisangani “in canoe, on motorcycle, or on foot, to reach faithful in the most extensive diocese of Congo”Kisangani "It's a great joy for us. It is an opportunity to thank the Lord for what he has done for his Church, the family of God in the DRC. We thank the Holy Father for appointing Archbishop Laurent Monsegwo Pasinya, who is the third cardinal in our country. The event will be celebrated with great solemnity and great joy in the DRC. The Christian community formed by the Congolese people who live in Rome is preparing to provide a welcome worthy of the Cardinal-elect," Fides was told by Archbishop Marcel Utempi Tapa of Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo, in a recent interview. Your Excellency, what are the difficulties encountered in your pastoral work? The Archdiocese of Kisangani, with a surface area of 150 thousand km2 and a population of more than 2 million inhabitants, is the most extensive of the 47 Congolese dioceses. Of the two million inhabitants, Catholics number 50%. There are 42 parishes, too few, given the size of the territory of the Archdiocese. The parish jurisdictions are obviously huge surface areas. To cope with this situation, we decided to create new parishes, both within the city of Kisangani and in the rest of the Archdiocese. However, this presents us with a great challenge: the shortage of priests. Their number is still insufficient. Currently we have, thank God, 50 diocesan priests and about thirty missionaries. Our country has been heavily marked by the war that lasted several years. Several infrastructures were destroyed and the economy was severely damaged. As a result, we find it extremely difficult to ask the faithful to take responsibility for the material needs of their Church, in accord with the guidance of the Holy See and the Bishops' Conference of Congo. But, our people are very generous. They can make available to the Church all they have and all the food they can produce. In terms of offerings, we receive substantial in-kind donations. In terms of monetary donations, there are still several difficulties because the economic situation of the country remains difficult. However, we do not give up hope that one day the faithful will be able to take charge of their Church. What are the hopes that support your mission? We are hopeful, despite the difficulties we encounter in our pastoral work. My hope is founded on the vocational ministry, which is bearing fruit. We have 39 students in the seminary studying philosophy and theology, 97 students in the minor seminary, and 12 youth in the preparatory seminary. Hopefully, next year we will have new priests who will enable us to realize the plan of pastoral care to create new parishes. As for the laity, every year we organize a training course of 4-5 days, for the pastoral agents of the whole archdiocese. Your Excellency, what means do you use to move around such a vast diocese? I have a deep desire to meet all the faithful, which is why during the year I organize visits to the parishes of the Archdiocese. The faithful are very happy to meet with their Pastor. For some, it is truly a great joy for them to meet me, because it is the first time in 19-20 years that they have the opportunity to meet their archbishop. These pastoral visits cost a lot of effort and considerable expense, but it is with joy that we engage in this mission. The cross is an integral part of the mission of the Church. Every time I arrive in one of these communities far from the center of the Archdiocese, in motorcycle, canoe, or on foot, I forget my fatigue with the warm welcome of the local faithful. The joy of being expected and then received is the first reward, followed by the joy of sowing the Word of God, administering the Sacraments, and ensuring the formation of the faithful. In terms of human development, what is your primary concern? Education is something that worries me a lot. We have invested heavily in the education of young people. There are 250 primary and secondary schools, but for a population of 2 million inhabitants this is not enough. I can make a comparison with my previous experience in the Diocese of Mahagi-Nioka, where I served as bishop for seven years. The diocese has an area of 21,000 km2 and is 8 times smaller than the Archdiocese of Kisangani. Two years ago, the population there was 1,700,000, Catholics being about 60% of the population (about 900,000 souls). In the diocese, there are 500 primary schools and 200 secondary schools. A number larger than Kisangani, but insufficient to meet the needs of all. In Kisangani, I am planning on creating new schools, which is why I have contacted the Ministry of Education, which has offered us its support.http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=27750&lan=eng
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Agenzia Fides REPORT: Archbishop of Kisangani “in canoe, on motorcycle, or on foot, to reach faithful in the most extensive diocese of Congo”Kisangani "It's a great joy for us. It is an opportunity to thank the Lord for what he has done for his Church, the family of God in the DRC. We thank the Holy Father for appointing Archbishop Laurent Monsegwo Pasinya, who is the third cardinal in our country. The event will be celebrated with great solemnity and great joy in the DRC. The Christian community formed by the Congolese people who live in Rome is preparing to provide a welcome worthy of the Cardinal-elect," Fides was told by Archbishop Marcel Utempi Tapa of Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo, in a recent interview. Your Excellency, what are the difficulties encountered in your pastoral work? The Archdiocese of Kisangani, with a surface area of 150 thousand km2 and a population of more than 2 million inhabitants, is the most extensive of the 47 Congolese dioceses. Of the two million inhabitants, Catholics number 50%. There are 42 parishes, too few, given the size of the territory of the Archdiocese. The parish jurisdictions are obviously huge surface areas. To cope with this situation, we decided to create new parishes, both within the city of Kisangani and in the rest of the Archdiocese. However, this presents us with a great challenge: the shortage of priests. Their number is still insufficient. Currently we have, thank God, 50 diocesan priests and about thirty missionaries. Our country has been heavily marked by the war that lasted several years. Several infrastructures were destroyed and the economy was severely damaged. As a result, we find it extremely difficult to ask the faithful to take responsibility for the material needs of their Church, in accord with the guidance of the Holy See and the Bishops' Conference of Congo. But, our people are very generous. They can make available to the Church all they have and all the food they can produce. In terms of offerings, we receive substantial in-kind donations. In terms of monetary donations, there are still several difficulties because the economic situation of the country remains difficult. However, we do not give up hope that one day the faithful will be able to take charge of their Church. What are the hopes that support your mission? We are hopeful, despite the difficulties we encounter in our pastoral work. My hope is founded on the vocational ministry, which is bearing fruit. We have 39 students in the seminary studying philosophy and theology, 97 students in the minor seminary, and 12 youth in the preparatory seminary. Hopefully, next year we will have new priests who will enable us to realize the plan of pastoral care to create new parishes. As for the laity, every year we organize a training course of 4-5 days, for the pastoral agents of the whole archdiocese. Your Excellency, what means do you use to move around such a vast diocese? I have a deep desire to meet all the faithful, which is why during the year I organize visits to the parishes of the Archdiocese. The faithful are very happy to meet with their Pastor. For some, it is truly a great joy for them to meet me, because it is the first time in 19-20 years that they have the opportunity to meet their archbishop. These pastoral visits cost a lot of effort and considerable expense, but it is with joy that we engage in this mission. The cross is an integral part of the mission of the Church. Every time I arrive in one of these communities far from the center of the Archdiocese, in motorcycle, canoe, or on foot, I forget my fatigue with the warm welcome of the local faithful. The joy of being expected and then received is the first reward, followed by the joy of sowing the Word of God, administering the Sacraments, and ensuring the formation of the faithful. In terms of human development, what is your primary concern? Education is something that worries me a lot. We have invested heavily in the education of young people. There are 250 primary and secondary schools, but for a population of 2 million inhabitants this is not enough. I can make a comparison with my previous experience in the Diocese of Mahagi-Nioka, where I served as bishop for seven years. The diocese has an area of 21,000 km2 and is 8 times smaller than the Archdiocese of Kisangani. Two years ago, the population there was 1,700,000, Catholics being about 60% of the population (about 900,000 souls). In the diocese, there are 500 primary schools and 200 secondary schools. A number larger than Kisangani, but insufficient to meet the needs of all. In Kisangani, I am planning on creating new schools, which is why I have contacted the Ministry of Education, which has offered us its support.http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=27750&lan=eng
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TODAY'S SAINT: NOV. 6: ST. LEONARD
St. LeonardHERMIT, CONFESSORFeast: November 6Information:Feast Day:November 6Died:559Patron of:politi
cal prisoners, imprisoned people, prisoners of war, and captives, women in labor, as well as horsesSt Leonard, or Lienard, was a French nobleman of great reputation in the court of Clovis I, and in the flower of his age was converted to the faith by St. Remigius, probably after the battle of Tolbiac. Being instructed in the obligations of our heavenly warfare, wherein the prize of the victory is an assured crown of immortal glory, he resolved to lay aside all worldly pursuits, quitted the court, and became a constant disciple of St. Remigius. The holy instructions and example of that saint made every day deeper impressions upon his tender soul, and Leonard seemed to have inherited the very spirit of his master, and to be animated with the same simplicity, disinterestedness, modesty, zeal, and charity. He preached the faith some time; but finding it very difficult to resist the king's importunities, who would needs call him to court, and burning with a desire of giving himself up entirely to the exercises of penance and contemplation, he retired privately into the territory of Orleans, where St. Mesmin or Maximin governed the monastery of Micy (called afterwards St. Mesmin's), which his uncle St. Euspicius had founded, two leagues from the city, in 508. In this house St. Leonard took the religious habit and inured himself to the fervent practices of regular discipline under the direction of St. Mesmin and of St. Lie or Laetus, a holy monk of that house, who afterwards died a hermit.St. Leonard himself aspiring after a closer solitude, with the leave of St. Mesmin left his monastery, travelled through Berry, where he converted many idolaters, and coming into Limousin, chose for his retirement a forest four leagues from Limoges. Here, in a place called Nobiliac, he built himself an oratory, lived on wild herbs and fruits, and had for some time no other witness of his penance and virtues but God alone. His zeal and devotion sometimes carried him to the neighbouring churches, and some who by his discourses were inflamed with a desire of imitating his manner of life joined him in his desert, and formed a community which, in succeeding times, out of devotion to the saint's memory, became a flourishing monastery, called first Noblat, afterwards St. Leonard le Noblat. The reputation of his sanctity and miracles being spread very wide, the king bestowed on him and his fellow-hermits a considerable part of the forest where they lived. The saint, even before he retired to Micy, had been most remarkable for his charity toward captives and prisoners, and he laid himself out with unwearied zeal in affording them both corporeal and spiritual help and comfort, and he obtained of the governors the liberty of many. This was also the favourite object of his charity after he had discovered himself to the world in Limousin, and began to make frequent excursions to preach and instruct the people of that country. It is related that some were miraculously delivered from their chains by his prayers, and that the king, out of respect for his eminent sanctity, granted him a special privilege of sometimes setting prisoners at liberty; which about that time was frequently allowed to certain holy bishops and others. But the saint's chief aim and endeavours in this charitable employment were to bring malefactors and all persons who fell under this affliction to a true sense of the enormity of their sins, and to a sincere spirit of compunction and penance, and a perfect reformation of their lives. When he had filled up the measure of his good works, his labours were crowned with a happy death about the year 559, according to the new Paris Breviary. Many great churches in England of which he is the titular saint, and our ancient calendars, show his name to have been formerly no less famous in England. In a list of holidays published at Worcester in 1240, St. Leonard's festival is ordered to be kept a half-holiday, with an obligation of hearing mass and a prohibition of labour except that of the plough. He was particularly invoked in favour of prisoners, and several miracles are ascribed to him.
SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/L/stleonard.asp
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St. LeonardHERMIT, CONFESSORFeast: November 6Information:Feast Day:November 6Died:559Patron of:politi
cal prisoners, imprisoned people, prisoners of war, and captives, women in labor, as well as horsesSt Leonard, or Lienard, was a French nobleman of great reputation in the court of Clovis I, and in the flower of his age was converted to the faith by St. Remigius, probably after the battle of Tolbiac. Being instructed in the obligations of our heavenly warfare, wherein the prize of the victory is an assured crown of immortal glory, he resolved to lay aside all worldly pursuits, quitted the court, and became a constant disciple of St. Remigius. The holy instructions and example of that saint made every day deeper impressions upon his tender soul, and Leonard seemed to have inherited the very spirit of his master, and to be animated with the same simplicity, disinterestedness, modesty, zeal, and charity. He preached the faith some time; but finding it very difficult to resist the king's importunities, who would needs call him to court, and burning with a desire of giving himself up entirely to the exercises of penance and contemplation, he retired privately into the territory of Orleans, where St. Mesmin or Maximin governed the monastery of Micy (called afterwards St. Mesmin's), which his uncle St. Euspicius had founded, two leagues from the city, in 508. In this house St. Leonard took the religious habit and inured himself to the fervent practices of regular discipline under the direction of St. Mesmin and of St. Lie or Laetus, a holy monk of that house, who afterwards died a hermit.St. Leonard himself aspiring after a closer solitude, with the leave of St. Mesmin left his monastery, travelled through Berry, where he converted many idolaters, and coming into Limousin, chose for his retirement a forest four leagues from Limoges. Here, in a place called Nobiliac, he built himself an oratory, lived on wild herbs and fruits, and had for some time no other witness of his penance and virtues but God alone. His zeal and devotion sometimes carried him to the neighbouring churches, and some who by his discourses were inflamed with a desire of imitating his manner of life joined him in his desert, and formed a community which, in succeeding times, out of devotion to the saint's memory, became a flourishing monastery, called first Noblat, afterwards St. Leonard le Noblat. The reputation of his sanctity and miracles being spread very wide, the king bestowed on him and his fellow-hermits a considerable part of the forest where they lived. The saint, even before he retired to Micy, had been most remarkable for his charity toward captives and prisoners, and he laid himself out with unwearied zeal in affording them both corporeal and spiritual help and comfort, and he obtained of the governors the liberty of many. This was also the favourite object of his charity after he had discovered himself to the world in Limousin, and began to make frequent excursions to preach and instruct the people of that country. It is related that some were miraculously delivered from their chains by his prayers, and that the king, out of respect for his eminent sanctity, granted him a special privilege of sometimes setting prisoners at liberty; which about that time was frequently allowed to certain holy bishops and others. But the saint's chief aim and endeavours in this charitable employment were to bring malefactors and all persons who fell under this affliction to a true sense of the enormity of their sins, and to a sincere spirit of compunction and penance, and a perfect reformation of their lives. When he had filled up the measure of his good works, his labours were crowned with a happy death about the year 559, according to the new Paris Breviary. Many great churches in England of which he is the titular saint, and our ancient calendars, show his name to have been formerly no less famous in England. In a list of holidays published at Worcester in 1240, St. Leonard's festival is ordered to be kept a half-holiday, with an obligation of hearing mass and a prohibition of labour except that of the plough. He was particularly invoked in favour of prisoners, and several miracles are ascribed to him.SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/L/stleonard.asp
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TODAY'S GOSPEL: NOV. 6: Luke 16: 9 - 15
Luke 16: 9 - 159And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations.10"He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.11If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches?12And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?13No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they scoffed at him.15But he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
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Luke 16: 9 - 159And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations.10"He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.11If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches?12And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?13No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they scoffed at him.15But he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
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