EUROPE : GREAT BRITAIN : 1,000 ATTEND MARIAN PROCESSION
ASIA: PHILIPPINES: MISSIONARY PRIEST MURDERED
AMERICA: GUATEMALA: MARCH FOR PEACE OCT. 22
AFRICA: KENYA: 7 KILLED IN ATTACK IN NGAREMARA
AUSTRALIA: DOMUS DEDICATED IN ROME- END AD LIMINA VISIT
TODAY'S SAINT: OCT. 17: ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH
TODAY'S GOSPEL: OCT. 17: LUKE 12: 13 - 21
BENEDICT XVI ANNOUNCES THE "YEAR OF FAITH"
VIS REPORTS - During Mass this morning in the Vatican Basilica, celebrated to mark the end of an international meeting on new evangelisation organised by the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, Benedict XVI announced that he was calling a forthcoming "Year of Faith". (IMAGE RADIO VATICANA)The Year will begin on 11 October 2012, fiftieth anniversary of the opening of Vatican Council II, and will come to an end on 24 November 2013, Feast of Christ the King. Its aim "is to give renewed energy to the Church's mission to lead men and women out of the desert in which they so often find themselves, and towards the place of life, towards friendship with Christ Who gives us life in all its fullness". The Year will likewise be an opportunity "to strengthen our faith in Christ and joyfully to announce Him to the men and women of our time", the Pope said.
Commenting on this Sunday's readings, the Holy Father explained that the mission of the Church must be considered in the light of "the theological meaning of history. Epoch-making events, the rise and fall of great powers, all lie under the supreme dominion of God. No earthly power can take His place. The theology of history is an essential aspect of the new evangelisation, because the men and women of our time, following the tragic period of the totalitarian empires of the twentieth century, need to rediscover a global vision of the world and history. They need a truly free and peaceful vision, the vision which Vatican Council II transmitted in its documents and which my predecessors, Servant of God Paul VI and Blessed John Paul II, illustrated with their Magisterium".
"In order to be effective evangelisation needs the strength of the Spirit, which enlivens the message and infuses the person who bears it with the 'full conviction' of which St. Paul speaks. ... New evangelisers are called to be the first to walk along the Path which is Christ, in order to lead others to the beauty of the life-giving Gospel. On this Path we are never alone, but always in company; it is an experience of communion and fraternity which is offered to everyone we meet, bringing them to share in our experience of Christ and His Church. Thus, witness associated with announcement can open the hearts of those who seek the truth, helping them discover the meaning of their own lives".
Finally the Holy Father turned his attention to the Gospel episode of the tribute to be paid to the emperor. Jesus command to "give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's", he said, "is rich in anthropological significance and cannot be reduced only to the political sphere. The Church, then, does not limit herself to reminding men and women of the just distinction between the authority of Caesar and that of God, between the political and religious spheres. The mission of the Church, like that of Christ, is essentially that of speaking about God, evoking His sovereignty, calling everyone - and especially Christians who have lost their identity - of God's rights over that which belongs to Him: our lives".
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DUAL TASK: THE MISSION AD GENTES AND NEW EVANGELISATION
VATICAN CITY, 16 OCT 2011 (VIS) - Following this morning's Mass for the closure of an international meeting on the new evangelisation, Benedict XVI prayed the Angelus with faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. In his remarks he recalled how Blessed John Paul II had been "both a strong supporter of the mission 'ad gentes' (that is, the mission to peoples and lands where the Gospel has not yet put down firm roots), and a herald of the new evangelisation. These are both aspects of the one mission of the Church and it is important to consider them together during this month of October, characterised by the celebration of World Mission Day which falls next Sunday".
The Holy Father then went on to speak of the "Year of Faith" he had announced during his homily this morning, the motivations, goals and guiding principles of which are to be announced in a forthcoming Apostolic Letter. "Paul VI also called a 'Year of Faith'", he said, "to mark the nineteenth centenary of the martyrdom of the Apostles Peter and Paul in 1967, a period of great cultural upheaval. Half a century after the opening of Vatican Council II, associated with the happy memory of Blessed John XXIII, I feel it is appropriate to recall the beauty and importance of the faith, and the need to strengthen and intensify in individuals and communities; and to do this not so much in a perspective of celebration as of mission, in the perspective of the mission 'ad gentes' and of the new evangelisation".
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APOSTOLIC LETTER "MOTU PROPRIO DATA", "PORTA FIDEI"
VATICAN CITY, 17 OCT 2011 (VIS) - Made public today was "Porta fidei", the Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" with which Benedict XVI proclaims a "Year of Faith", to begin on 11 October 2012, fiftieth anniversary of the opening of Vatican Council II, and due to end on 24 November 2013, Feast of Christ the King. Extracts from the English-language version of the Letter are given below:
"The 'door of faith' is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into His Church. It is possible to cross that threshold when the word of God is proclaimed and the heart allows itself to be shaped by transforming grace".
"Ever since the start of my ministry as Successor of Peter, I have spoken of the need to rediscover the journey of faith so as to shed ever clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ. ... Whereas in the past it was possible to recognise a unitary cultural matrix, broadly accepted in its appeal to the content of the faith and the values inspired by it, today this no longer seems to be the case in large swathes of society, because of a profound crisis of faith that has affected many people".
"In the light of all this, I have decided to announce a Year of Faith. It will begin on 11 October 2012, the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of Vatican Council II, and it will end on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King, on 24 November 2013. The starting date of 11 October 2012 also marks the twentieth anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a text promulgated by my Predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, with a view to illustrating for all the faithful the power and beauty of the faith".
"Moreover, the theme of the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops that I have convoked for October 2012 is 'The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith'. This will be a good opportunity to usher the whole Church into a time of particular reflection and rediscovery of the faith. It is not the first time that the Church has been called to celebrate a Year of Faith. My venerable Predecessor the Servant of God Paul VI announced one in 1967. ... It concluded with the Credo of the People of God, intended to show how much the essential content that for centuries has formed the heritage of all believers needs to be confirmed, understood and explored ever anew, so as to bear consistent witness in historical circumstances very different from those of the past".
"It seemed to me that timing the launch of the Year of Faith to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of Vatican Council II would provide a good opportunity to help people understand that the texts bequeathed by the Council Fathers. ... I would also like to emphasise strongly what I had occasion to say concerning the Council a few months after my election as Successor of Peter: 'if we interpret and implement it guided by a right hermeneutic, it can be and can become increasingly powerful for the ever necessary renewal of the Church'.
"The renewal of the Church is also achieved through the witness offered by the lives of believers: by their very existence in the world, Christians are called to radiate the word of truth that the Lord Jesus has left us. The Council itself, in the Dogmatic Constitution 'Lumen Gentium', said this: ... the Church ... clasping sinners to her bosom, is at once holy and always in need of purification".
The Year of Faith, from this perspective, is a summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the one Saviour of the world. In the mystery of His death and resurrection, God has revealed in its fullness the Love that saves and calls us to conversion of life through the forgiveness of sins. For St. Paul, this Love ushers us into a new life. ... Through faith, this new life shapes the whole of human existence according to the radical new reality of the resurrection. ... 'Faith working through love' becomes a new criterion of understanding and action that changes the whole of man's life".
"Through His love, Jesus Christ attracts to Himself the people of every generation: in every age He convokes the Church, entrusting her with the proclamation of the Gospel by a mandate that is ever new. Today too, there is a need for stronger ecclesial commitment to new evangelisation in order to rediscover the joy of believing and the enthusiasm for communicating the faith. In rediscovering His love day by day, the missionary commitment of believers attains force and vigour that can never fade away. Faith grows when it is lived as an experience of love received and when it is communicated as an experience of grace and joy".
"Only through believing, then, does faith grow and become stronger; there is no other possibility for possessing certitude with regard to one's life apart from self-abandonment, in a continuous crescendo, into the hands of a love that seems to grow constantly because it has its origin in God".
"We want to celebrate this Year in a worthy and fruitful manner. Reflection on the faith will have to be intensified, so as to help all believers in Christ to acquire a more conscious and vigorous adherence to the Gospel, especially at a time of profound change such as humanity is currently experiencing. We will have the opportunity to profess our faith in the Risen Lord in our cathedrals and in the churches of the whole world; in our homes and among our families, so that everyone may feel a strong need to know better and to transmit to future generations the faith of all times. Religious communities as well as parish communities, and all ecclesial bodies old and new, are to find a way, during this Year, to make a public profession of the Credo.
"We want this Year to arouse in every believer the aspiration to profess the faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope. It will also be a good opportunity to intensify the celebration of the faith in the liturgy, especially in the Eucharist, which is 'the summit towards which the activity of the Church is directed; ... and also the source from which all its power flows.' At the same time, we make it our prayer that believers' witness of life may grow in credibility. To rediscover the content of the faith that is professed, celebrated, lived and prayed, and to reflect on the act of faith, is a task that every believer must make his own, especially in the course of this Year".
"A Christian may never think of belief as a private act. Faith is choosing to stand with the Lord so as to live with Him. This 'standing with Him' points towards an understanding of the reasons for believing. Faith, precisely because it is a free act, also demands social responsibility for what one believes. ... Profession of faith is an act both personal and communitarian. It is the Church that is the primary subject of faith. In the faith of the Christian community, each individual receives Baptism, an effective sign of entry into the people of believers in order to obtain salvation".
"Evidently, knowledge of the content of faith is essential for giving one's own assent, that is to say for adhering fully with intellect and will to what the Church proposes. Knowledge of faith opens a door into the fullness of the saving mystery revealed by God. The giving of assent implies that, when we believe, we freely accept the whole mystery of faith, because the guarantor of its truth is God who reveals Himself and allows us to know His mystery of love.
"On the other hand, we must not forget that in our cultural context, very many people, while not claiming to have the gift of faith, are nevertheless sincerely searching for the ultimate meaning and definitive truth of their lives and of the world. This search is an authentic 'preamble' to the faith, because it guides people onto the path that leads to the mystery of God. Human reason, in fact, bears within itself a demand for 'what is perennially valid and lasting'. This demand constitutes a permanent summons, indelibly written into the human heart, to set out to find the One Whom we would not be seeking had He not already set out to meet us. To this encounter, faith invites us and it opens us in fullness.
"In order to arrive at a systematic knowledge of the content of the faith, all can find in the Catechism of the Catholic Church a precious and indispensable tool. It is one of the most important fruits of Vatican Council II. ... It is in this sense that that the Year of Faith will have to see a concerted effort to rediscover and study the fundamental content of the faith that receives its systematic and organic synthesis in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. ... The Catechism provides a permanent record of the many ways in which the Church has meditated on the faith and made progress in doctrine so as to offer certitude to believers in their lives of faith".
"In this Year, then, the Catechism of the Catholic Church will serve as a tool providing real support for the faith, especially for those concerned with the formation of Christians, so crucial in our cultural context. To this end, I have invited the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, by agreement with the competent Dicasteries of the Holy See, to draw up a note, providing the Church and individual believers with some guidelines on how to live this Year of Faith in the most effective and appropriate ways, at the service of belief and evangelisation.
"To a greater extent than in the past, faith is now being subjected to a series of questions arising from a changed mentality which, especially today, limits the field of rational certainties to that of scientific and technological discoveries. Nevertheless, the Church has never been afraid of demonstrating that there cannot be any conflict between faith and genuine science, because both, albeit via different routes, tend towards the truth.
"One thing that will be of decisive importance in this Year is retracing the history of our faith, marked as it is by the unfathomable mystery of the interweaving of holiness and sin. While the former highlights the great contribution that men and women have made to the growth and development of the community through the witness of their lives, the latter must provoke in each person a sincere and continuing work of conversion in order to experience the mercy of the Father which is held out to everyone".
"The Year of Faith will also be a good opportunity to intensify the witness of charity. ... Faith and charity each require the other, in such a way that each allows the other to set out along its respective path. Indeed, many Christians dedicate their lives with love to those who are lonely, marginalised or excluded, as to those who are the first with a claim on our attention and the most important for us to support, because it is in them that the reflection of Christ's own face is seen. Through faith, we can recognise the face of the risen Lord in those who ask for our love".
"Having reached the end of his life, St. Paul asks his disciple Timothy to 'aim at faith' with the same constancy as when he was a boy. We hear this invitation directed to each of us, that none of us grow lazy in the faith. It is the lifelong companion that makes it possible to perceive, ever anew, the marvels that God works for us. Intent on gathering the signs of the times in the present of history, faith commits every one of us to become a living sign of the presence of the Risen Lord in the world. What the world is in particular need of today is the credible witness of people enlightened in mind and heart by the word of the Lord, and capable of opening the hearts and minds of many to the desire for God and for true life, life without end".
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THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AND THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH
VATICAN CITY, 15 OCT 2011 (VIS) - "Over the last 120 years, during which the social doctrine of the Church has developed, many great changes have taken place which were not even imaginable at the time of Leo XIII's historic Encyclical 'Rerum novarum'. Nonetheless, the alteration in external circumstances has not changed the inner richness of the social Magisterium, which always promotes human beings and the family in their life context, including that of business".
These words were addressed by the Pope this morning to participants in the annual congress of the "Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice" foundation, who are focusing their reflections on the relationship between families and business. The 2011 congress coincides with the twentieth anniversary of John Paul II's Encyclical "Centesimus annus" (published 100 years after "Rerum novarum"), and with the thirtieth anniversary of the Apostolic Exhortation "Familiaris consortio".
"Vatican Council II spoke of families as a 'domestic Church', an inviolable sanctuary", said the Pope, "and economic laws must always take account of the interests and the protection of this fundamental cell of society". He then went on to recall how John Paul II, in his "Familiaris consortio", identified four tasks for the family: forming a community of persons; serving life; participating in the development of society, and sharing in the life and mission of the Church. "All four of these functions are founded on love, which is the goal of all education and formation in the family. ... It is first and foremost in the family that we learn that, in order to live well in society (including the world of work, economy and business), we must be guided by 'caritas', following a logic of gratuitousness, solidarity and mutual responsibility".
"In our own difficult times we are unfortunately witnessing a crisis in work and the economy which is associated with a crisis in families. ... What we need, therefore, is a new and harmonious relationship between family and work, to which the social doctrine of the Church can make an important contribution". In this context, the Pope referred to his own Encyclical "Caritas in veritate" saying that :"Commutative justice - 'giving in order to acquire' - and distributive justice - 'giving through duty' - are not sufficient in the life of society. In order for true justice to exist, it is necessary to add gratuitousness and solidarity. 'Solidarity is first and foremost a sense of responsibility on the part of everyone with regard to everyone, and it cannot therefore be merely delegated to the State'".
"Charity in truth, in this case, requires that shape and structure be given to those types of economic initiative which, without rejecting profit, aim at a higher goal than the mere logic of the exchange of equivalents, of profit as an end in itself", said Benedict XVI.
"It is not the task of the Church to find ways to face the current crisis", he concluded. "Nonetheless, Christians have the duty to denounce evils, and to foment and bear witness to the values upon which the dignity of the person is founded, promoting forms of solidarity which favour the common good, so that humankind may increasingly become the family of God".
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HOLY FATHER TO USE MOBILE PLATFORM AT MASS IN ST. PETER'S
VATICAN CITY, 15 OCT 2011 (VIS) - "During the entrance procession from the sacristy to the main altar at tomorrow's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father will use the mobile platform previously adopted by John Paul II", said Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. today.
"The purpose is exclusively to alleviate the efforts of the Holy Father, as already happens with his use of the Popemobile during entrance processions in outdoor ceremonies and in St. Peter's Square".
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MONGOLIA: COOPERATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE
VATICAN CITY, 17 OCT 2011 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:
"This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, president ofMongolia. The president subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
"The cordial discussions provided an opportunity to reflect upon the good relations that exist betweenMongolia and the Holy See, as well as the understanding and co-operation between Church and State in the fields of education and social care.
"Attention also turned to the political situation in Asia, with particular reference to the importance of inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue for the promotion of peace and justice".
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THE HOLY FATHER has sent a message to Jacques Diouf, director general of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, for the occasion of World Food Day 2011. In the text Benedict XVI makes particular mention of the dramatic situation in the Horn on Africa, affirming that "immediate aid is essential, but it is also necessary to prepare medium- and long-term projects so that international activity is not reduced merely to responding to emergencies. ... Feelings of compassion and humanity towards others, accompanied by the duty to show solidarity and ensure justice, must be reinstated as the foundation for all activities, including those of the international community".
MEMBERS OF THE PERMANENT SYNOD OF THE SYRO-MALABARCHURCH, led by His Beatitude George Alencherry, major archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars, India, were received in audience by the Pope on Monday 17 October. The Holy Father noted that "the Syro-MalabarChurch in Kerala continues to enjoy the respect of the local community for its work in education and for its social and charitable institutions at the service of the whole community. I know that life for Christians has been complicated by sectarian mistrust and even violence, but I would urge you to continue to work with people of good will of all religions in the area, in order to maintain the peace and harmony of the region, for the good of the Church and that of all citizens".
THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR PROMOTING NEW EVANGELISATION has held a meeting on the theme: "The Word of God grows and spreads". On the evening of Saturday 15 October participants were received in audience by the Pope who told them that "the world today needs people who announce and bear witness to the fact that it is Christ Who teaches us the art of living, Who shows us the path to true happiness, because He Himself is the path of life. It needs people who first and foremost keep their own gaze fixed on Jesus, Son of God. Announcement must always be immersed ... in an intense life of prayer. The world today needs people who speak to God in order to be able to speak of God".
BENEDICT XVI has written a message marking the fiftieth anniversary of "Adveniat" Episcopal Action. The message was addressed to Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck of Essen, Germany, president of "Adveniat". "Thanks to their generous donations and their disinterested commitment in the field", the Pope writes, "German Catholics have been able to implement many ecclesial aid projects in Latin American countries. This generous expression of Christian charity merits sincere recognition". He also invites "Adveniat" Episcopal Action to "care for men and women in their totality, with a view to their natural and their supernatural needs. If we do this, the Kingdom of God will truly grow among us".
THE VATICAN MUSEUMS, as it has in previous years, participated in the Frankfurt Book Fair, which took place from 12 to 16 October and brought together 7,500 exhibitors from 111 countries. The "Edizioni Musei Vaticani" presented a number of new books including an important historical-artistic work in four volumes: "The Sistine Chapel. The Word of God in Human Images" by Timothy Verdon. The catalogue of the "Edizioni Musei Vaticani" includes academic, instructional and popular works, both series and monographs, all featuring high-quality text and images, and many available in various languages.
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VATICAN CITY, 17 OCT 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- His Beatitude George Alencherry, major archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Siro-Malabars,India.
- Archbishop Joseph Chennoth, apostolic nuncio to Japan.
On Saturday 15 October he received in separate audiences:
- Archbishop Juliusz Janusz, apostolic nuncio in Slovenia, with the role of apostolic delegate to Kosovo.
- Ten prelates from the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Brian Heenan of Rockhampton.
- Bishop Brian Vincent Finngan, apostolic administrator "ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Toowoomba.
- Bishop Michael Ernest Putney of Townsville.
- Archbishop Denis James Hart of Melbourne, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Leslie Rogers Tomlinson, Timothy Costelloe S.D.B. and Peter John Elliott.
- Bishop 'Ad Abikaram of Saint Maron of Sydney of the Maronites.
- Bishop Christopher Charles Prowse of Sale.
- Msgr. Francis Marriott, diocesan administrator of Sandhurst.
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VATICAN CITY, 17 OCT 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Drazen Kutlesa, official of the Congregation for Bishops, as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Porec i Pula (area 2,839, population 218,125, Catholics 185,472, priests 116, permanent deacons 1, religious 83), Croatia. The bishop-elect was born in Tomislavgrad, Bosnia Herzegovina in 1968 and ordained a priest in 1993. Msgr. Kutlesa has worked as parish administrator, professor of canon law and vice chancellor of the diocesan Curia.
On Saturday 15 October it was made public that he appointed Archbishop James Patrick Green, apostolic nuncio to Peru, as apostolic nuncio to South Africa,Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland andBotswana.
EUROPE : GREAT BRITAIN : 1,000 ATTEND MARIAN PROCESSION
CATHOLIC HERALD REPORT: More than 1,000 people take part in a Marian procession in Manchester
By STAFF REPORTER on Thursday, 13 October 2011
The statue of Our Lady is carried from St Edward’s church in Rusholme (Photo: John Fryer)
More than 1,000 people took part in a procession on Saturday to mark the month of October.
Organised by the Christian Life Movement, the procession was aimed at bringing together Catholics from all walks of life and promoting devotion to the Virgin Mary.
The centrepiece was an eight-foot statue of the Madonna, brought all the way from Peru, which led the crowd from St Edward’s church in Rusholme to a nearby park.
Many people applauded as the crowd filed past.
The statue was carried in turns by over 40 men. Petals were strewn in front of the Madonna by schoolchildren, which was immediately followed by a cohort of local clergy. A pipe band played many devotional tunes. Onlookers were amazed at the sight of so many people walking through city streets on a scorching hot morning, singing hymns and praying.
Paddy Walsh, a construction worker and volunteer who helped carry the statue, said: “Today has been amazing. It is wonderful to come here and witness to our faith in a way that turns people’s heads. I love Mary as my mother. We hope that this has a good effect on our faith and encourages others to think.”
Inspector Damian O’Reilly, who managed the policing of the event, said: “I remember the old days and it’s nice to get something going again. This is just going to get bigger and bigger.”
The Marian Community of Reconciliation, who are in the same spiritual family as the Christian Life Movement, were responsible for the event.
AMERICA: GUATEMALA: MARCH FOR PEACE OCT. 22
Mgr. Vian Morales said that this date was chosen because on October 22 the liturgical feast of Blessed John Paul II is celebrated, who "always invited us to overcome violence". A further reason, he said, to "remember the testimony of John Paul II, a defender of life and a peacemaker".
According to the groups and humanitarian organizations and pro-justice, Guatemala (14.5 million inhabitants) is one of the most dangerous countries in the region, where about 18 violent deaths occur every day. Guatemala is among the countries of Latin America considered to have the highest number of murderers (42 homocides per hundred thousand inhabitants), according to a recent study of a specialized office of the United Nations. According to the organizers of the march of the archdiocese, the presence of more than 40 000 people is expected, especially Catholics of different parishes, groups, schools and religious congregations. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 17/10/2011)
ASIA: PHILIPPINES: MISSIONARY PRIEST MURDERED
Rome (AsiaNews) – Shock and dismay have overtaken the family of Fr Fausto Tentorio on receiving the news of his death. The PIME missionary was killed this morning in Arakan Valley in the Diocese of Kidapawan. The family of Fr Fausto live in Santa Maria di Rovagnate, in the province of Lecco.Felix, his brother, two years older than Fr. Fausto, told AsiaNews: "We are shocked and dismayed. The last time my brother came to Italy, a year and a half ago, he told us that the situation in Kidapawan was not tense at all, that there was nothing to fear. And now this news ... We always advised him to be cautious, be careful .... ".
Fr. Tentorium, more than 32 years on mission for PIME (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) in the Philippines, in 2003 had narrowly escaped being executed, on one of his visits to tribals in the Arakan Valley, Kitaotao.
Since then the situation had calmed down and there were no major signs of tension.
His nephew, Simone, 27, a bank clerk, visited his uncle in the Philippines last January. "He was very peaceful and serene, even if he was prudent. When we passed areas that he did not know, he locked the car and closed the windows. But there seemed to be no problems. I even walked to visit the place and the house where he had escaped execution in 2003. "
Simon is still impressed by the simplicity and poverty in which his uncle lived. "He was a person who wanted to live exactly like the local people and he was loved because of this".
So far there appears to be no apparent motive for the murder of the missionary. Fr. John Vettoretto, who lived with Fr Fausto, thinks that his confrere could be the victim of some revenge attack. In the Diocese of Kidapawan, Fr. Tentorio was head of the Filipino Apostolate for the tribals. It is possible that among the motives there is precisely his commitment to the defense of indigenous peoples and against the mining companies who are occupying the lands of the tribals.
The family of Fr Fausto received the news of his death directly from the Philippines. Early this morning they received the visit of the PIME superior in Milan. This evening, a memorial Mass will be held for Father Fausto Tentorio in the parish of his native town at 20.30.
AUSTRALIA: DOMUS DEDICATED IN ROME- END AD LIMINA VISIT
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT;
17 Oct 2011
Australian bishops gathered at the Rome pilgrim centre Domus Australia for the Dedication of the Altar Mass as their Ad Limina visit drew to a close.
The St Peter Chanel chapel at Domus Australia, recently restored and the heart of the pilgrim centre, looked magnificent as the bishops, clergy and religious from both Australia and Rome, and guests gathered for the special mass celebrated by Cardinal Pell and concelebrated by Archbishop Denis Hart of Melbourne, Archbishop Barry Hickey of Perth and Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett of Lismore.
The Rector of Domus Australia, Fr Anthony Denton, also assisted Cardinal Pell.
It is to this chapel Pope Benedict XV1 will come on Wednesday to officially open Domus Australia.
The St Mary's Cathedral Choir, under the direction of Thomas Wilson, has travelled to Rome for the official opening but was also singing at the Dedication of the Altar today.
The voices of the 23 boys and 12 men in the choir filled the chapel with sacred music and a prayerful but stark contrast to the destructive street riots of Rome during the past 24 hours.
One of the new Paul Newton paintings in the Chapel, that of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was also a reminder this night one year ago was the eve before Australia was to have our first saint.
The Australian bishops had spent the day at Domus following their Ad Limina visit where they give an account of their dioceses to the Pope, the Successor of Peter.
The Rite of Dedication of the Altar is a very sacred moment as the altar is the table of sacrifice and banquet.
The choir sang the Litany of Saints which was followed by the placement of relics beneath and at the back of the altar - an ancient and venerable tradition.
"This is also a mark of respect and a symbol of truth that the sacrifice of it's members has it's source in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church," Cardinal Pell explained.
The relics enclosed in the altar were those of Saint Peter Chanel, Priest and Protocol-Martyr of Oceania ; Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest and Companions, Martyrs of Vietnam; Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin and Martyr; Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Religious, First Saint of Australia; Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church; and Saint Pius V, Pope.
"The relic of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop reminds us, on the eve of the first Anniversary of her Canonisation, of our first Australian Saint," Cardinal Pell said.
"The relics of the Vietnamese Martyrs remind us of the rich history of the Catholic Church and the diverse historical influences that have made the Church in Australia what it is today and will carry us into the future.
"And the relic of St Peter Chanel was obtained from St Patrick's, Church Hill in Sydney, the site where Catholics in a private house adored the Blessed Sacrament in the early colonial days before they enjoyed religious freedom and were allowed to have a Priest."
This moment in Australian Catholic Church history is also featured in a Paul Newton painting near the altar.
Cardinal Pell then read a Prayer of Dedication which was followed by the Rites of Anointing, Incensing, Covering and Lighting of the Altar.
The altar is anointed with chrism which makes the altar a symbol of Christ, who is called The Anointed One.
A bowl of incense was then burned in the centre of the altar with the incense wafting high above the altar and signifying Christ ascending to God and the prayers of the people rising up.
Young Australian seminarians studying in Rome then covered the altar,
Repairing it for the sacrificial banquet.
Finally here was the Lighting of the Altar showing Christ is the light of the world.
The celebration of the Eucharist followed after which the congregation had time to reflect and also admire the architecture and artwork of the Chapel.
The parietal decorations, marble walls and pillars, plaster work and wooden items have all been restored to their former glory and the floor completely replaced.
http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/news/latest_news/2011/20111017_1207.shtml
The organ has been completely restored by the same family that built it originally and as well as the Chapel paintings by Sydney artist Paul Newton there is a magnificent crucifix is by Louis Laumen of Melbourne.
"Domus Australia is a religious and cultural centre for pilgrims to Rome," Cardinal Pell said.
"But the heart of the centre will always be the Chapel. Tonight was certainly a beautiful occasion."
AFRICA: KENYA: 7 KILLED IN ATTACK IN NGAREMARA
CISA REPORT –At least seven people were brutally murdered early today in an attack in Ngaremara, Isiolo county. The dead included two children.
Rt Rev Anthony Ireri Mukobo IMC Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Isiolo has said that the government must provide adequate security to his faithful. He added that the security officers were lax in their response to the latest tragedy.
“We have lost innocent people including school going children still in their uniforms and due to this insecurity many families living at Daaba have abandoned their homes towards Archers Post. All schools in Ngaremara, Daaba, Arimet, Chumviele and Atan have also been closed,” he said.
The bishop called upon political leaders in the area to shun tribal politics and uphold the integrity of human beings.
He urged the government to convene a peace meeting in a neutral ground between the affected tribes.
“Let us be guided by the words of our national’s anthem, Let justice be our shield and defender, May we dwell in unity and peace and liberty,” he concluded.
During the raid, nothing was stolen from the victims.
The Catholic Church has taken short-term measures and is giving food to the affected people.
TODAY'S SAINT: OCT. 17: ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH
BISHOP, MARTYR
Feast: October 17
Information:
Feast Day:
October 17
Born:
50 in Syria
Died:
between 98-117, Rome
Major Shrine:
Relics are in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome
Patron of:
against throat diseases, Church in eastern Mediterranean; Church in North Africa
Also called Theophorus (ho Theophoros); born in Syria, around the year 50; died at Rome between 98 and 117.
More than one of the earliest ecclesiastical writers have given credence, though apparently without good reason, to the legend that Ignatius was the child whom the Savior took up in His arms, as described in Mark, ix, 35. It is also believed, and with great probability, that, with his friend Polycarp, he was among the auditors of the Apostle St. John. If we include St. Peter, Ignatius was the third Bishop of Antioch and the immediate successor of Evodius (Eusebius, "Hist. Eccl.", II, iii, 22). Theodoret ("Dial. Immutab.", I, iv, 33a, Paris, 1642) is the authority for the statement that St. Peter appointed Ignatius to the See of Antioch. St. John Chrysostom lays special emphasis on the honor conferred upon the martyr in receiving his episcopal consecration at the hands of the Apostles themselves ("Hom. in St. Ig.", IV. 587). Natalis Alexander quotes Theodoret to the same effect (III, xii, art. xvi, p. 53).
All the sterling qualities of ideal pastor and a true soldier of Christ were possessed by the Bishop of Antioch in a preeminent degree. Accordingly, when the storm of the persecution of Domitian broke in its full fury upon the Christians of Syria, it found their faithful leader prepared and watchful. He was unremitting in his vigilance and tireless in his efforts to inspire hope and to strengthen the weaklings of his flock against the terrors of the persecution. The restoration of peace, though it was short-lived, greatly comforted him. But it was not for himself that he rejoiced, as the one great and ever-present wish of his chivalrous soul was that he might receive the fullness of Christian discipleship through the medium of martyrdom. His desire was not to remain long unsatisfied. Associated with the writings of St. Ignatius is a work called "Martyrium Ignatii ", which purports to be an account by eyewitnesses of the martyrdom of St. Ignatius and the acts leading up to it. In this work, which such competent Protestant critics as Pearson and Ussher regard as genuine, the full history of that eventful journey from Syria to Rome is faithfully recorded for the edification of the Church of Antioch. It is certainly very ancient and is reputed to have been written by Philo, deacon of Tarsus, and Rheus Agathopus, a Syrian, who accompanied Ignatius to Rome. It is generally admitted, even by those who regarded it as authentic, that this work has been greatly interpolated. Its most reliable form is that found in the "Martyrium Colbertinum" which closes the mixed recension and is so called because its oldest witness is the tenth-century Codex Colbertinus (Paris).
According to these Acts, in the ninth year of his reign, Trajan, flushed with victory over the Scythians and Dacians, sought to perfect the universality of his dominion by a species of religious conquest. He decreed, therefore, that the Christians should unite with their pagan neighbors in the worship of the gods. A general persecution was threatened, and death was named as the penalty for all who refused to offer the prescribed sacrifice. Instantly alert to the danger that threatened, Ignatius availed himself of all the means within his reach to thwart the purpose of the emperor. The success of his zealous efforts did not long remain hidden from the Church's persecutors. He was soon arrested and led before Trajan, who was then sojourning in Antioch. Accused by the emperor himself of violating the imperial edict, and of inciting others to like transgressions, Ignatius valiantly bore witness to the faith of Christ. If we may believe the account given in the "Martyrium", his bearing before Trajan was characterized by inspired eloquence, sublime courage, and even a spirit of exultation. Incapable of appreciating the motives that animated him, the emperor ordered him to be put in chains and taken to Rome, there to become the food of wild beasts and a spectacle for the people.
That the trials of this journey to Rome were great we gather from his letter to the Romans (par. 5): "From Syria even to Rome I fight with wild beasts, by land and sea, by night and by day, being bound amidst ten leopards, even a company of soldiers, who only grow worse when they are kindly treated." Despite all this, his journey was a kind of triumph. News of his fate, his destination, and his probable itinerary had gone swiftly before. At several places along the road his fellow-Christians greeted him with words of comfort and reverential homage. It is probable that he embarked on his way to Rome at Seleucia, in Syria, the nearest port to Antioch, for either Tarsus in Cilicia, or Attalia in Pamphylia, and thence, as we gather from his letters, he journeyed overland through Asia Minor. At Laodicea, on the River Lycus, where a choice of routes presented itself, his guards selected the more northerly, which brought the prospective martyr through Philadelphia and Sardis, and finally to Smyrna, where Polycarp, his fellow-disciple in the school of St. John, was bishop. The stay at Smyrna, which was a protracted one, gave the representatives of the various Christian communities in Asia Minor an opportunity of greeting the illustrious prisoner, and offering him the homage of the Churches they represented. From the congregations of Ephesus, Magnesia, and Tralles, deputations came to comfort him. To each of these Christian communities he addressed letters from Smyrna, exhorting them to obedience to their respective bishops, and warning them to avoid the contamination of heresy. These, letters are redolent with the spirit of Christian charity, apostolic zeal, and pastoral solicitude. While still there he wrote also to the Christians of Rome, begging them to do nothing to deprive him of the opportunity of martyrdom.
From Smyrna his captors took him to Troas, from which place he dispatched letters to the Christians of Philadelphia and Smyrna, and to Polycarp. Besides these letters, Ignatius had intended to address others to the Christian communities of Asia Minor, inviting them to give public expression to their sympathy with the brethren in Antioch, but the altered plans of his guards, necessitating a hurried departure, from Troas, defeated his purpose, and he was obliged to content himself with delegating this office to his friend Polycarp. At Troas they took ship for Neapolis. From this place their journey led them overland through Macedonia and Illyria. The next port of embarkation was probably Dyrrhachium (Durazzo). Whether having arrived at the shores of the Adriatic, he completed his journey by land or sea, it is impossible to determine. Not long after his arrival in Rome he won his long-coveted crown of martyrdom in the Flavian amphitheater. The relics of the holy martyr were borne back to Antioch by the deacon Philo of Cilicia, and Rheus Agathopus, a Syrian, and were interred outside the gates not far from the beautiful suburb of Daphne. They were afterwards removed by the Emperor Theodosius II to the Tychaeum, or Temple of Fortune which was then converted into a Christian church under the patronage of the martyr whose relics it sheltered. In 637 they were translated to St. Clement's at Rome, where they now rest. The Church celebrates the feast of St. Ignatius on 1 February.
The character of St. Ignatius, as deduced from his own and the extant writings of his contemporaries, is that of a true athlete of Christ. The triple honor of apostle, bishop, and martyr was well merited by this energetic soldier of the Faith. An enthusiastic devotion to duty, a passionate love of sacrifice, and an utter fearlessness in the defense of Christian truth, were his chief characteristics. Zeal for the spiritual well-being of those under his charge breathes from every line of his writings. Ever vigilant lest they be infected by the rampant heresies of those early days; praying for them, that their faith and courage may not be wanting in the hour of persecution; constantly exhorting them to unfailing obedience to their bishops; teaching them all Catholic truth ; eagerly sighing for the crown of martyrdom, that his own blood may fructify in added graces in the souls of his flock, he proves himself in every sense a true, pastor of souls, the good shepherd that lays down his life for his sheep.
TODAY'S GOSPEL: OCT. 17: LUKE 12: 13 - 21
13One of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me."14But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?"15And he said to them, "Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."16And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully;17and he thought to himself, `What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?'18And he said, `I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods.19And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.'20But God said to him, `Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?'21So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
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