THE CHURCH IS NOT A
POLITICAL PARTY BUT A MORAL ENTITY WHICH SIDES WITH FREEDOM
Vatican City, 24 March 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday morning, before boarding his flight for Mexico, Benedict XVI was greeted at Rome's Fiumicino airport by Mario Monti, prime minister of Italy. Later, during the course of the journey, the Holy Father participated in the traditional in-flight press conference with the more than seventy journalists accompanying him on the plane. He answered questions on a wide range of subjects, from drug trafficking and violence in Mexico to the social situation in Cuba and new evangelisation on the Latin American continent. (IMAGES SOURCE: RADIO VATICANA)
The Pope noted that his journey was taking him in the footsteps of John Paul II, who had made five visits to Mexico and one to Cuba, and that he hoped to continue the work begun by his predecessor. "I share the joys and hopes, but also the suffering and difficulties" of the Mexican people, he said. "I am going to bring encouragement but also to learn, to bring comfort in faith, hope and love; a commitment to goodness and to the struggle against evil. Let us hope that the Lord will help us".
A Mexican journalist asked the Pope how the Church in Mexico can help to resolve the problem of drug trafficking, which has caused more than 50,000 deaths in the last five years. The Holy Father replied: "we are well aware of the beauty of Mexico, but also of this great problem of drug trafficking and violence. This is certainly a great responsibility for the Catholic Church in a country that is 80 per cent Catholic. We must do everything we can against this evil, which is so destructive of humanity and of our young people. The first thing is to announce God. God the judge. God Who loves us, but Who asks us to abide in goodness and truth, and to reject evil.
"Therefore, one great responsibility the Church has is to educate people to moral responsibility and to unmask evil, to unmask the idolatry of money which enslaves man. ... We must remember that men and women need the infinite. If there is no God, they replace Him by creating their own heavens, a seeming infinity which is really only a lie. This is why it is so important for God to be present and accessible. ... In this way the Church can unmask evil, making people aware of God's goodness, His truth, authentic infinity. This is the great duty facing the Church".
Another Mexican journalist pointed out that great social inequalities persist in Latin America and that the at times the Catholic Church is not sufficiently encouraged to intervene in this field.
"The Church must of course ask if she does enough for social justice on that great continent", the Pope replied. "It is a question of conscience which we must always pose ourselves. ... What must the Church do? What can she not do? What must she not do? The Church is not a political power, she is not a party but a moral entity, a moral power. ... I reiterate what I have already said. The Church's first concern is to educate minds in both individual and public ethics, thus creating the necessary sense of responsibility. Here perhaps there are some shortcomings. In Latin America, as elsewhere, no small number of Catholics show a kind of schizophrenia between individual and public morals. ... We must educate people to overcome this schizophrenia, educate them not only in ... individual morality, but also in public morality. This we must seek to do with the social doctrine of the Church because, of course, such public morality must be areasonable morality, shared and shareable by non believers. We, of course, in the light of faith can better see many things that are also visible to reason, but it is faith which serves to liberate reason from the false interests that cloud it. Thus we must use social doctrine to create fundamental policy models, and so ... overcome these divisions".
Another journalist recalled the words used by John Paul II on his trip to Cuba, "may Cuba open to the world and, and may the world open to Cuba", and noted that many defenders of human rights had spoken out in anticipation of Benedict XVI's visit to the island.
The Pope reiterated the continuity of his ideas with the words of John Paul II "which are still highly relevant". The visit marked, he said, "the beginning of a journey of collaboration and constructive dialogue, a long journey which requires patience but which is moving forward. It is clear today that Marxist ideology as it was conceived no longer responds to reality. ... In order to build a new society new models must be discovered, patiently and constructively. In this process, which requires patience but also firmness, we wish to make our contribution in a spirit of dialogue, in order to avoid traumas and facilitate the way to a fraternal and just society for all people. Obviously, the Church is always on the side of freedom, freedom of conscience, freedom of religion. ... The faithful can also contribute to the progress of this journey".
Finally the Holy Father responded to a question about new evangelisation in Latin America, in the light of the Aparecida Conference.
"The path of new evangelisation began with Vatican Council II. This was the fundamental intention of Blessed John XXIII, it was also emphasised by John Paul II and its importance in a world undergoing such great changes has become even more evident. The Gospel must be expressed in new was. ... There is a condition which exists throughout the world: secularisation, the absence of God, the difficulty of seeing Him as a reality which concerns us. ... It is today, in the context of modern day rationality, that we can rediscover God as a fundamental guide for life, the fundamental hope for life, the foundation of the values upon which our society rests. ... I think it is very important to announce a God Who responds to our reason. ... However, we also have to take account of concrete reality. It is important to bear in mind that, in Latin America as a whole, religion is a question not of reason but of the heart. ... Yet this intuition of the heart must belinked to the rationality of faith, and to the profundity of faith that goes beyond reason. We must not lose the heart, but unite heart and reason, ... only in this way is the human being complete".
BENEDICT XVI ARRIVES IN MEXICO AS A PILGRIM OF FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE
Vatican City, 24 March 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday at 4.30 p.m. local time (11.30 p.m. in Rome), Benedict XVI landed at the international airport of Guanajuato in the Mexican city of Leon, where he was greeted by Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, president of Mexico, and by Archbishop Jose Guadalupe Martin Rabago of Leon. Also present were representatives of the civil authorities and the diplomatic corps, a number of Mexican prelates and thousands of faithful including a choir and a mariachi group who sang for the Pope.
Following the salute of the flag and the playing of the national anthems of Vatican City State and the United Mexican States, and after listening to an address by President Calderon Hinojosa, the Holy Father pronounced his first words on Mexican soil.
"I am very happy to be here", he said, "and I give thanks to God for allowing me to realise the desire, kept in my heart for a long time; to confirm in the faith the People of God of this great nation in their own land. The affection of the Mexican people for the Successor of Peter, whom they always remember in their prayers, is well known. I say this here, considered to be the geographical centre of your land, which my venerable predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, wanted to visit during his first apostolic journey. Although he was not able to come, on that occasion he left a message of encouragement while flying over its airspace. I am happy to repeat his words here on land among you: “I am grateful”, he said in the message, “to the faithful of El Bajio and Guanajuato for your affection towards the Pope and your faithfulness to the Lord. May God be with you always”".
"With this brief visit, I wish to greet all Mexicans and to include all the nations and peoples of Latin America, represented here by many bishops. Our meeting in this place, where the majestic monument to Christ the King on Mount Cubilete, gives testimony to the deep roots of the Catholic faith among the Mexican people, who receive His constant blessings in all their vicissitudes.
"Mexico, and the majority of Latin American nations, have been commemorating in recent years the bicentennial of their independence. There have been many religious celebrations in thanksgiving to God for this important and significant moment. During these celebrations, as in the Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Most Holy Mary was invoked fervently, she who gently showed how the Lord loves all people and gave Himself for them without distinction. Our Heavenly Mother has kept vigil over the faith of her children in the formation of these nations and she continues to do so today as new challenges present themselves.
"I come as a pilgrim of faith, of hope, and of love. I wish to confirm those who believe in Christ in their faith, by strengthening and encouraging them to revitalise their faith by listening to the Word of God, celebrating the Sacraments and living coherently. In this way, they will be able to share their faith with others as missionaries to their brothers and sisters and to act as a leaven in society, contributing to a respectful and peaceful coexistence based on the incomparable dignity of every human being, created by God, which no one has the right to forget or disregard. This dignity is expressed especially in the fundamental right to freedom of religion, in its full meaning and integrity.
"As a pilgrim of hope, I speak to them in the words of St. Paul: “But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope”. Confidence in God offers the certainty of meeting Him, of receiving His grace; the believer’s hope is based on this. And, aware of this, we strive to transform the present structures and events which are less than satisfactory and seem immovable or insurmountable, while also helping those who do not see meaning or a future in life. Yes, hope changes the practical existence of each man and woman in a real way. ... Moreover, when it takes root in a people, when it is shared, it shines as light that dispels the darkness which blinds and takes hold of us. This country and the entire continent are called to live their hope in God as a profound conviction, transforming it into an attitude of the heart and a practical commitment to walk together inthe building of a better world".
"Together with faith and hope, the believer in Christ - indeed the whole Church - lives and practises charity as an essential element of mission. In its primary meaning, charity “is first of all the simple response to immediate needs and specific situations”, as we help those who suffer from hunger, lack shelter, or are in need in some way in their life. Nobody is excluded on account of their origin or belief from this mission of the Church, which does not compete with other private or public initiatives. In fact, the Church willingly works with those who pursue the same ends. Nor does she have any aim other than doing good in an unselfish and respectful way to those in need, who often lack signs of authentic love".
"In these days I will pray to the Lord and to Our Lady of Guadalupe for all of you so that you may be true to the faith which you have received and to its best traditions. I will pray especially for those in need, particularly for those who suffer because of old and new rivalries, resentments and all forms of violence. I know that I am in a country which is proud of its hospitality and wishes no one to feel unwelcome. I already knew this, and now I can see it and feel it in my heart. I sincerely hope that many Mexicans who live far from their homeland will feel the same way and that nothing will cause them to forget it or to lose the wish to see it growth in harmony and in authentic integral development".
Having concluded his address, the Holy Father travelled by popemobile to Miraflores College where he spent the night.
POPE'S VIDEO MESSAGE TO THE FRENCH CHURCH AS SHE MARKS ANNIVERSARY OF VATICAN COUNCIL II
Vatican City, 24 March 2012 (VIS) - The French Episcopal Conference has organised a meeting on the theme: "Joy and Hope, Fifty Years after Vatican Council II". The event is being held in the French shrine of Lourdes on 24 and 25 March, and is being attended by French bishops and some 2,500 lay people, religious and priests from all over the country. For the occasion, Benedict XVI recorded a video message which was projected this morning before the first session began. Extracts of the message are given below.
"Vatican Council II was a genuine sign of God for our time. If we know how to interpret and accept it within the tradition of the Church, and under the secure guidance of the Magisterium, it will become an increasingly important driving force for the future of the Church. For this reason I hope this anniversary will be - for you and for the entire Church in France - an occasion of spiritual and pastoral renewal".
"This renewal, which is part of a continuous and ongoing process, takes many forms. For the Year of the Faith, to which I have called the entire Church, we must seek a more conscious faith and renew our adherence to the Gospel. To this end, we must become increasingly open to the person of Christ, and rediscover the pleasure of the Word of God in order to achieve a profound conversion of heart and walk the paths of the world, proclaiming the Gospel of hope to the men and women of our time, in respectful dialogue with everyone. May this time of grace also make it possible to consolidate communion within the great family of the Catholic Church, and contribute to restoring unity among all Christians, which was one of the main objectives of the Council".
"The renewal of the Church also includes the witness of Christians' own lives, that the Word of Truth the Lord left us may shine forth. If you approach witnesses of faith such as St. Bernadette the humble seer of Lourdes, Pauline Jaricot who gave new missionary drive to the Church, and many others who have made the soil of France fruitful, you will gain a deeper knowledge of Christ. ... St. Joan of Arc, the sixth centenary of whose birth falls this year, is one shining example. She brought the Gospel into the most dramatic events of the history of France and of her time. Rediscovering the joy of believing and the enthusiasm of communicating the power and beauty of the faith is a fundamental challenge of the new evangelisation to which the whole Church is called".
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 24 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed :
- Archbishop Santo Gangemi, apostolic nuncio to the Solomon Islands, also as apostolic nuncio to Papua New Guinea.
- Msgr. Wieslaw Smigiel of the clergy of Pelplin, Poland, head of pastoral theology at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, as auxiliary of Pelplin (area 12,890, population 780,000, Catholics 730,000, priests 569, permanent deacons 1, religious 292). The bishop-elect was born in Swiec nad Wilsa, Poland in 1969 and ordained a priest in 1994. He has worked in pastoral care and education, as well as serving for two years as secretary and chaplain to the bishop of Pelplin.
Vatican City, 24 March 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday morning, before boarding his flight for Mexico, Benedict XVI was greeted at Rome's Fiumicino airport by Mario Monti, prime minister of Italy. Later, during the course of the journey, the Holy Father participated in the traditional in-flight press conference with the more than seventy journalists accompanying him on the plane. He answered questions on a wide range of subjects, from drug trafficking and violence in Mexico to the social situation in Cuba and new evangelisation on the Latin American continent. (IMAGES SOURCE: RADIO VATICANA)
The Pope noted that his journey was taking him in the footsteps of John Paul II, who had made five visits to Mexico and one to Cuba, and that he hoped to continue the work begun by his predecessor. "I share the joys and hopes, but also the suffering and difficulties" of the Mexican people, he said. "I am going to bring encouragement but also to learn, to bring comfort in faith, hope and love; a commitment to goodness and to the struggle against evil. Let us hope that the Lord will help us".
A Mexican journalist asked the Pope how the Church in Mexico can help to resolve the problem of drug trafficking, which has caused more than 50,000 deaths in the last five years. The Holy Father replied: "we are well aware of the beauty of Mexico, but also of this great problem of drug trafficking and violence. This is certainly a great responsibility for the Catholic Church in a country that is 80 per cent Catholic. We must do everything we can against this evil, which is so destructive of humanity and of our young people. The first thing is to announce God. God the judge. God Who loves us, but Who asks us to abide in goodness and truth, and to reject evil.
"Therefore, one great responsibility the Church has is to educate people to moral responsibility and to unmask evil, to unmask the idolatry of money which enslaves man. ... We must remember that men and women need the infinite. If there is no God, they replace Him by creating their own heavens, a seeming infinity which is really only a lie. This is why it is so important for God to be present and accessible. ... In this way the Church can unmask evil, making people aware of God's goodness, His truth, authentic infinity. This is the great duty facing the Church".
Another Mexican journalist pointed out that great social inequalities persist in Latin America and that the at times the Catholic Church is not sufficiently encouraged to intervene in this field.
"The Church must of course ask if she does enough for social justice on that great continent", the Pope replied. "It is a question of conscience which we must always pose ourselves. ... What must the Church do? What can she not do? What must she not do? The Church is not a political power, she is not a party but a moral entity, a moral power. ... I reiterate what I have already said. The Church's first concern is to educate minds in both individual and public ethics, thus creating the necessary sense of responsibility. Here perhaps there are some shortcomings. In Latin America, as elsewhere, no small number of Catholics show a kind of schizophrenia between individual and public morals. ... We must educate people to overcome this schizophrenia, educate them not only in ... individual morality, but also in public morality. This we must seek to do with the social doctrine of the Church because, of course, such public morality must be areasonable morality, shared and shareable by non believers. We, of course, in the light of faith can better see many things that are also visible to reason, but it is faith which serves to liberate reason from the false interests that cloud it. Thus we must use social doctrine to create fundamental policy models, and so ... overcome these divisions".
Another journalist recalled the words used by John Paul II on his trip to Cuba, "may Cuba open to the world and, and may the world open to Cuba", and noted that many defenders of human rights had spoken out in anticipation of Benedict XVI's visit to the island.
The Pope reiterated the continuity of his ideas with the words of John Paul II "which are still highly relevant". The visit marked, he said, "the beginning of a journey of collaboration and constructive dialogue, a long journey which requires patience but which is moving forward. It is clear today that Marxist ideology as it was conceived no longer responds to reality. ... In order to build a new society new models must be discovered, patiently and constructively. In this process, which requires patience but also firmness, we wish to make our contribution in a spirit of dialogue, in order to avoid traumas and facilitate the way to a fraternal and just society for all people. Obviously, the Church is always on the side of freedom, freedom of conscience, freedom of religion. ... The faithful can also contribute to the progress of this journey".
Finally the Holy Father responded to a question about new evangelisation in Latin America, in the light of the Aparecida Conference.
"The path of new evangelisation began with Vatican Council II. This was the fundamental intention of Blessed John XXIII, it was also emphasised by John Paul II and its importance in a world undergoing such great changes has become even more evident. The Gospel must be expressed in new was. ... There is a condition which exists throughout the world: secularisation, the absence of God, the difficulty of seeing Him as a reality which concerns us. ... It is today, in the context of modern day rationality, that we can rediscover God as a fundamental guide for life, the fundamental hope for life, the foundation of the values upon which our society rests. ... I think it is very important to announce a God Who responds to our reason. ... However, we also have to take account of concrete reality. It is important to bear in mind that, in Latin America as a whole, religion is a question not of reason but of the heart. ... Yet this intuition of the heart must belinked to the rationality of faith, and to the profundity of faith that goes beyond reason. We must not lose the heart, but unite heart and reason, ... only in this way is the human being complete".
BENEDICT XVI ARRIVES IN MEXICO AS A PILGRIM OF FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE
Vatican City, 24 March 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday at 4.30 p.m. local time (11.30 p.m. in Rome), Benedict XVI landed at the international airport of Guanajuato in the Mexican city of Leon, where he was greeted by Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, president of Mexico, and by Archbishop Jose Guadalupe Martin Rabago of Leon. Also present were representatives of the civil authorities and the diplomatic corps, a number of Mexican prelates and thousands of faithful including a choir and a mariachi group who sang for the Pope.
Following the salute of the flag and the playing of the national anthems of Vatican City State and the United Mexican States, and after listening to an address by President Calderon Hinojosa, the Holy Father pronounced his first words on Mexican soil.
"I am very happy to be here", he said, "and I give thanks to God for allowing me to realise the desire, kept in my heart for a long time; to confirm in the faith the People of God of this great nation in their own land. The affection of the Mexican people for the Successor of Peter, whom they always remember in their prayers, is well known. I say this here, considered to be the geographical centre of your land, which my venerable predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, wanted to visit during his first apostolic journey. Although he was not able to come, on that occasion he left a message of encouragement while flying over its airspace. I am happy to repeat his words here on land among you: “I am grateful”, he said in the message, “to the faithful of El Bajio and Guanajuato for your affection towards the Pope and your faithfulness to the Lord. May God be with you always”".
"With this brief visit, I wish to greet all Mexicans and to include all the nations and peoples of Latin America, represented here by many bishops. Our meeting in this place, where the majestic monument to Christ the King on Mount Cubilete, gives testimony to the deep roots of the Catholic faith among the Mexican people, who receive His constant blessings in all their vicissitudes.
"Mexico, and the majority of Latin American nations, have been commemorating in recent years the bicentennial of their independence. There have been many religious celebrations in thanksgiving to God for this important and significant moment. During these celebrations, as in the Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Most Holy Mary was invoked fervently, she who gently showed how the Lord loves all people and gave Himself for them without distinction. Our Heavenly Mother has kept vigil over the faith of her children in the formation of these nations and she continues to do so today as new challenges present themselves.
"I come as a pilgrim of faith, of hope, and of love. I wish to confirm those who believe in Christ in their faith, by strengthening and encouraging them to revitalise their faith by listening to the Word of God, celebrating the Sacraments and living coherently. In this way, they will be able to share their faith with others as missionaries to their brothers and sisters and to act as a leaven in society, contributing to a respectful and peaceful coexistence based on the incomparable dignity of every human being, created by God, which no one has the right to forget or disregard. This dignity is expressed especially in the fundamental right to freedom of religion, in its full meaning and integrity.
"As a pilgrim of hope, I speak to them in the words of St. Paul: “But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope”. Confidence in God offers the certainty of meeting Him, of receiving His grace; the believer’s hope is based on this. And, aware of this, we strive to transform the present structures and events which are less than satisfactory and seem immovable or insurmountable, while also helping those who do not see meaning or a future in life. Yes, hope changes the practical existence of each man and woman in a real way. ... Moreover, when it takes root in a people, when it is shared, it shines as light that dispels the darkness which blinds and takes hold of us. This country and the entire continent are called to live their hope in God as a profound conviction, transforming it into an attitude of the heart and a practical commitment to walk together inthe building of a better world".
"Together with faith and hope, the believer in Christ - indeed the whole Church - lives and practises charity as an essential element of mission. In its primary meaning, charity “is first of all the simple response to immediate needs and specific situations”, as we help those who suffer from hunger, lack shelter, or are in need in some way in their life. Nobody is excluded on account of their origin or belief from this mission of the Church, which does not compete with other private or public initiatives. In fact, the Church willingly works with those who pursue the same ends. Nor does she have any aim other than doing good in an unselfish and respectful way to those in need, who often lack signs of authentic love".
"In these days I will pray to the Lord and to Our Lady of Guadalupe for all of you so that you may be true to the faith which you have received and to its best traditions. I will pray especially for those in need, particularly for those who suffer because of old and new rivalries, resentments and all forms of violence. I know that I am in a country which is proud of its hospitality and wishes no one to feel unwelcome. I already knew this, and now I can see it and feel it in my heart. I sincerely hope that many Mexicans who live far from their homeland will feel the same way and that nothing will cause them to forget it or to lose the wish to see it growth in harmony and in authentic integral development".
Having concluded his address, the Holy Father travelled by popemobile to Miraflores College where he spent the night.
POPE'S VIDEO MESSAGE TO THE FRENCH CHURCH AS SHE MARKS ANNIVERSARY OF VATICAN COUNCIL II
Vatican City, 24 March 2012 (VIS) - The French Episcopal Conference has organised a meeting on the theme: "Joy and Hope, Fifty Years after Vatican Council II". The event is being held in the French shrine of Lourdes on 24 and 25 March, and is being attended by French bishops and some 2,500 lay people, religious and priests from all over the country. For the occasion, Benedict XVI recorded a video message which was projected this morning before the first session began. Extracts of the message are given below.
"Vatican Council II was a genuine sign of God for our time. If we know how to interpret and accept it within the tradition of the Church, and under the secure guidance of the Magisterium, it will become an increasingly important driving force for the future of the Church. For this reason I hope this anniversary will be - for you and for the entire Church in France - an occasion of spiritual and pastoral renewal".
"This renewal, which is part of a continuous and ongoing process, takes many forms. For the Year of the Faith, to which I have called the entire Church, we must seek a more conscious faith and renew our adherence to the Gospel. To this end, we must become increasingly open to the person of Christ, and rediscover the pleasure of the Word of God in order to achieve a profound conversion of heart and walk the paths of the world, proclaiming the Gospel of hope to the men and women of our time, in respectful dialogue with everyone. May this time of grace also make it possible to consolidate communion within the great family of the Catholic Church, and contribute to restoring unity among all Christians, which was one of the main objectives of the Council".
"The renewal of the Church also includes the witness of Christians' own lives, that the Word of Truth the Lord left us may shine forth. If you approach witnesses of faith such as St. Bernadette the humble seer of Lourdes, Pauline Jaricot who gave new missionary drive to the Church, and many others who have made the soil of France fruitful, you will gain a deeper knowledge of Christ. ... St. Joan of Arc, the sixth centenary of whose birth falls this year, is one shining example. She brought the Gospel into the most dramatic events of the history of France and of her time. Rediscovering the joy of believing and the enthusiasm of communicating the power and beauty of the faith is a fundamental challenge of the new evangelisation to which the whole Church is called".
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 24 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed :
- Archbishop Santo Gangemi, apostolic nuncio to the Solomon Islands, also as apostolic nuncio to Papua New Guinea.
- Msgr. Wieslaw Smigiel of the clergy of Pelplin, Poland, head of pastoral theology at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, as auxiliary of Pelplin (area 12,890, population 780,000, Catholics 730,000, priests 569, permanent deacons 1, religious 292). The bishop-elect was born in Swiec nad Wilsa, Poland in 1969 and ordained a priest in 1994. He has worked in pastoral care and education, as well as serving for two years as secretary and chaplain to the bishop of Pelplin.
AMERICA : NEW MOVIE ABORTION SURVIVOR OCTOBER BABY
OCTOBER BABY RELEASE: OCTOBER BABY is a coming of age story of Hannah, a beautiful 19 year old college freshman. In spite of her energetic (if somewhat naïve) personality, Hannah has always felt like an outsider. Something is missing. She has always carried a deep-seated sense that she has no right to exist.
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discovers she was adopted it comes as a shock, but Hannah's world is rocked even
more when she learns why she was never told before – because she was the
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EUROPE : CARDINAL MARX ELECTED COMECE PRESIDENT
COMECE
RELEASE:
This is the statement of Cardinal Reinhard Marx after his election as the new President of the Commission of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences in the EU. The Archbishop of Munich and Freising was elected by the Bishop Members on 22 March 2012 for a 3-year term of office as the COMECE Chair. He will be assisted by four Vice-Presidents: Mgr Gianni Ambrosio (Bishop of Piacenza-Bobbio, Italy), Mgr Virgil Bercea (Bishop of Oradea Mare, Romania), Mgr Jarecki (Auxiliary Bishop of Warsaw, Poland) and Mgr Jean Kockerols (Auxiliary Bishop of Brussels-Malines, Belgium).
Cardinal Marx has been a member of COMECE since 2006, Chair of its
Social Affairs Commission and Vice President of COMECE since 2009. He stated:
“Regarding the economic and financial crisis, which is striking our
continent, I strongly believe that the European Union has the powers and the
potential to overcome this situation. A global crisis requires a common
response. We need to rediscover the sense of responsibility and togetherness.
This is a prerequisite for being able to solve our common problems. We
are at a decisive moment for the future of Europe”.
Besides the election of the Presidium, the 23 Bishops who participated in the Spring Plenary Assembly (21-23 March 2012) also discussed the main topic of this session, “Active ageing and intergenerational solidarity” with several experts from the European Commission, from the academic field and from the Catholic lay community Sant’Egidio.
The COMECE Bishops would like to reaffirm that ageing should not be considered simply as a burden but as a benefit for society: elderly people are gifted with professional and life experience which has to be passed on to the younger generations. The willingness of elderly people to engage in volunteering activities, in civic movements and especially in pastoral work within parishes and church communities, is crucial for the common good of our societies. Generations cannot live only for themselves but they have to rely on each other. The Dialogue and Solidarity between elder and younger generation is the basis of the human development of our societies: it brings hope and personal fulfilment.
The key role of the family in looking after elderly people requires the support of the State and other public bodies. This can, for example, take the form of paid time off for care workers. It is also important to recognise the value, including the economic value, of family care in the home for elderly members. This must be reinforced by financial and other types of support. Furthermore, the time spent at home for family care commitments should be taken into account in assessing the terms for retirement and pensions.
Because the evidence suggests that people in Europe aspire to have more children than they in fact have, there is a need for policies which can turn these unfulfilled desires into reality. But the appropriate conditions have first to be put in place: for example, family-friendly fiscal policies, child-care facilities and other measures for a better balance between work and family life.
Download
the Programme in PDF
- 21 March : Plenary Opening
Download the opening speech of President van Luyn in English, French, German
- 21 March : Evening debate
Speech of Michel Camdessus in French
Speech of Mgr van Luyn in English and Italian
- 22 March : Main Topic Active ageing
http://www.comece.org/site/en/activities/plenaryassemblies/2012/article/4641.html?SWS=21d3538892f8525a5397da26fa982602
This is the statement of Cardinal Reinhard Marx after his election as the new President of the Commission of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences in the EU. The Archbishop of Munich and Freising was elected by the Bishop Members on 22 March 2012 for a 3-year term of office as the COMECE Chair. He will be assisted by four Vice-Presidents: Mgr Gianni Ambrosio (Bishop of Piacenza-Bobbio, Italy), Mgr Virgil Bercea (Bishop of Oradea Mare, Romania), Mgr Jarecki (Auxiliary Bishop of Warsaw, Poland) and Mgr Jean Kockerols (Auxiliary Bishop of Brussels-Malines, Belgium).
Cardinal Marx has been a member of COMECE since 2006, Chair of its
Social Affairs Commission and Vice President of COMECE since 2009. He stated:
“Regarding the economic and financial crisis, which is striking our
continent, I strongly believe that the European Union has the powers and the
potential to overcome this situation. A global crisis requires a common
response. We need to rediscover the sense of responsibility and togetherness.
This is a prerequisite for being able to solve our common problems. We
are at a decisive moment for the future of Europe”.Besides the election of the Presidium, the 23 Bishops who participated in the Spring Plenary Assembly (21-23 March 2012) also discussed the main topic of this session, “Active ageing and intergenerational solidarity” with several experts from the European Commission, from the academic field and from the Catholic lay community Sant’Egidio.
The COMECE Bishops would like to reaffirm that ageing should not be considered simply as a burden but as a benefit for society: elderly people are gifted with professional and life experience which has to be passed on to the younger generations. The willingness of elderly people to engage in volunteering activities, in civic movements and especially in pastoral work within parishes and church communities, is crucial for the common good of our societies. Generations cannot live only for themselves but they have to rely on each other. The Dialogue and Solidarity between elder and younger generation is the basis of the human development of our societies: it brings hope and personal fulfilment.
The key role of the family in looking after elderly people requires the support of the State and other public bodies. This can, for example, take the form of paid time off for care workers. It is also important to recognise the value, including the economic value, of family care in the home for elderly members. This must be reinforced by financial and other types of support. Furthermore, the time spent at home for family care commitments should be taken into account in assessing the terms for retirement and pensions.
Because the evidence suggests that people in Europe aspire to have more children than they in fact have, there is a need for policies which can turn these unfulfilled desires into reality. But the appropriate conditions have first to be put in place: for example, family-friendly fiscal policies, child-care facilities and other measures for a better balance between work and family life.
Presentation of the new Presidium here
Youtube interviews
with experts and Bishops
Available Speeches:
- 21 March : Plenary Opening
Download the opening speech of President van Luyn in English, French, German
- 21 March : Evening debate
Speech of Michel Camdessus in French
Speech of Mgr van Luyn in English and Italian
- 22 March : Main Topic Active ageing
http://www.comece.org/site/en/activities/plenaryassemblies/2012/article/4641.html?SWS=21d3538892f8525a5397da26fa982602
AUSTRALIA : OVER 500 CHILDREN IN DETENTION
ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY REPORT:
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
22 Mar 2012
Dr John Falzon, CEO of the National Council of St
Vincent de Paul Society has denounced the Government's broken promise to release
the majority of asylum seeker children held in mandatory detention by June
2011.
But 15 months after the self imposed deadline more than 528 children remain in mandatory detention or held in alternative places of detention across Australia.
"I am deeply saddened to learn just how many children remain in detention," he said describing Australia's policy of mandatory detention, especially in the case of minors, as "an appalling practice and serious abuse of human rights."
"The continued detention of people who pose no danger to the community is unjustifiable by any moral standards," Dr Falzon says and urged the government to honour its promise of October 2010 to remove children from detention and into community care.
The National President of Vinnies, Anthony Thornton endorses Dr Falzon's comments and reiterates the Government's pledge to make changes to the nation's immigration detention policy and reverse what it described as "a shameful chapter in our history" by promising to "use detention only as a last resort and for the shortest practicable time."
Vinnies call for urgent Government action comes a day after
the release of "Captured Childhoods," a devastating report by the International
Detention Coalition (IDC) on the effect of detention on children which will be
presented to the 19th Session of the United Nations Rights Council in Geneva
later this year.
Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) together with Catholic Mission, Vinnies, Amnesty International Australia, ChilOut and other local refugee and asylum seeker organisations have given their full support to the IDC and its international campaign which has been financed in part by the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.
Applauding IDC's efforts to put an end to a practice that causes so much long term emotional and mental damage to children, many of whom have fled civil war, conflict and persecution, Dr Falzon urged all Australians to sign the IDC's global petition against child detention.
"Every day around the world, thousands of children are locked up simply because they do not hold the right documentation. Many of these children are unaccompanied minors. The effect on children's physical, emotional and psychological development is devastating and must be stopped," the IDC states in its "Captured Childhood" report.
While many countries, including Australia continue
to incarcerate children in detention centres, the IDC report reveals a handful
of countries around the world such as Belgium, Argentina and Japan have
successfully put the interests and wellbeing of the child first, and use
community based alternatives to immigration detention.
"Holding children in detention is unacceptable and clearly in breach of Australia's responsibilities under the Refugee Convention and the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child," says Sister Anne Higgins, OSLH of Catholic Religious Australia who has worked with asylum seeker children and families for more than 10 years.
In addition to the 528 children still being held in locked facilities, 4255 adults remain in similar conditions at detention centres across the country according to statistics released by the Department of Immigration last month. A further 551 children under 18 are living in residential detention within the community.
But as Fr Jim Carty, coordinator for the Marist Asylum Seeker and Refugee Centre says, the number of children released from detention remains far below that promised by Minister of Immigration Chris Bowen in October 2010. He cites the wide ranging investigation by the Australian Human Rights Commission in 2004 which found that not only did mandatory detention have a deleterious effect on children, but that those held in detention centres across the country were denied adequate healthcare, counselling and education.
The most recent
example of this was the Government's decision to send 200 unaccompanied teenage
boys to the remote Leonora Detention Centre in the WA outback, despite the fact
they cannot be accommodated at the local high school and the centre has no
schooling or education facilities.
At Broadmeadows in Melbourne, where unaccompanied teenage boys are also being held in detention as well as at Christmas Island, Darwin and Curtin there has been an increasing number of incidents of self harm and suicide attempts among children held as detainees. Many youngsters have also become so depressed and despairing after more than 314 days in detention, they are now isolated, withdrawn and non responsive.
"If our attitude to refugees is any measure of our humanity, we will be found badly wanting," warns Bishop Christopher Saunders, Chairman of the Australian Catholic Justice Council.
The IDC "Captured Childhood" Report was launched in Melbourne yesterday as well as in Britain, the USA, Europe and Malaysia.
To find out more and sign the global petition log on to www.endchilddetention.org
SOURCE: http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/2012322_781.shtml
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
22 Mar 2012
Mandatory detention of children an abuse of
Human Rights
But 15 months after the self imposed deadline more than 528 children remain in mandatory detention or held in alternative places of detention across Australia.
"I am deeply saddened to learn just how many children remain in detention," he said describing Australia's policy of mandatory detention, especially in the case of minors, as "an appalling practice and serious abuse of human rights."
"The continued detention of people who pose no danger to the community is unjustifiable by any moral standards," Dr Falzon says and urged the government to honour its promise of October 2010 to remove children from detention and into community care.
The National President of Vinnies, Anthony Thornton endorses Dr Falzon's comments and reiterates the Government's pledge to make changes to the nation's immigration detention policy and reverse what it described as "a shameful chapter in our history" by promising to "use detention only as a last resort and for the shortest practicable time."
Unaccompanied minors kept for more than a year
at Broadmeadow in desperation
sewed their lips together in protest
at Broadmeadow in desperation
sewed their lips together in protest
Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) together with Catholic Mission, Vinnies, Amnesty International Australia, ChilOut and other local refugee and asylum seeker organisations have given their full support to the IDC and its international campaign which has been financed in part by the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.
Applauding IDC's efforts to put an end to a practice that causes so much long term emotional and mental damage to children, many of whom have fled civil war, conflict and persecution, Dr Falzon urged all Australians to sign the IDC's global petition against child detention.
"Every day around the world, thousands of children are locked up simply because they do not hold the right documentation. Many of these children are unaccompanied minors. The effect on children's physical, emotional and psychological development is devastating and must be stopped," the IDC states in its "Captured Childhood" report.
Razor wire and detention no place
for children or adults
for children or adults
"Holding children in detention is unacceptable and clearly in breach of Australia's responsibilities under the Refugee Convention and the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child," says Sister Anne Higgins, OSLH of Catholic Religious Australia who has worked with asylum seeker children and families for more than 10 years.
In addition to the 528 children still being held in locked facilities, 4255 adults remain in similar conditions at detention centres across the country according to statistics released by the Department of Immigration last month. A further 551 children under 18 are living in residential detention within the community.
But as Fr Jim Carty, coordinator for the Marist Asylum Seeker and Refugee Centre says, the number of children released from detention remains far below that promised by Minister of Immigration Chris Bowen in October 2010. He cites the wide ranging investigation by the Australian Human Rights Commission in 2004 which found that not only did mandatory detention have a deleterious effect on children, but that those held in detention centres across the country were denied adequate healthcare, counselling and education.
Dr John Falzon
At Broadmeadows in Melbourne, where unaccompanied teenage boys are also being held in detention as well as at Christmas Island, Darwin and Curtin there has been an increasing number of incidents of self harm and suicide attempts among children held as detainees. Many youngsters have also become so depressed and despairing after more than 314 days in detention, they are now isolated, withdrawn and non responsive.
"If our attitude to refugees is any measure of our humanity, we will be found badly wanting," warns Bishop Christopher Saunders, Chairman of the Australian Catholic Justice Council.
The IDC "Captured Childhood" Report was launched in Melbourne yesterday as well as in Britain, the USA, Europe and Malaysia.
To find out more and sign the global petition log on to www.endchilddetention.org
SOURCE: http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/2012322_781.shtml
AFRICA : MALI : MILITARY COUP ARRESTS PRIME MINISTER
Cisa News REPORT:
BAMAKO, March 23, 2012 (CISA) -Leaders of the
military coup against President Amadou Toumani Touré’s Mali government must
release the prime minister and other politicians from custody and take steps to
protect human rights, Amnesty International has said.
BAMAKO, March 23, 2012 (CISA) -Leaders of the
military coup against President Amadou Toumani Touré’s Mali government must
release the prime minister and other politicians from custody and take steps to
protect human rights, Amnesty International has said.
At least three members of the government
including the prime minister, Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé, the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga, and the Minister of the Territorial
administration, Kafougouna Koné, were arrested on Thursday March 22.
It is thought they are being held at the
military camp in Kati 20 km from the capital Bamako.
The president of the Economic and Social
Council and the president of the High Council on Territorial Communities plus
former prime minister, Modibo Sidibé, have also been arrested and are reportedly
being held at the national police camp (camp de la police nationale).
As the country plunged into a period danger and
uncertainty, Amnesty International’s researcher on West Africa Gaëtan Mootoo
said: “With the suspension of all the legal institutions and the curfew that has
been imposed, all the basic safeguards for the respect of human rights have been
put on hold.”
Three people were killed by stray bullets fired
by soldiers in the centre of Bamako and their bodies were taken to Gabriel Toure
hospital where 28 people injured during the coup are also being treated.
Shops have been looted and vehicles have been
seized by soldiers throughout Thursday.
The coup comes against the backdrop of a two
month rebellion by Tuareg armed groups in the north of the country.
Since the outbreak of this conflict, some
200,000 people have fled their homes, including approximately 100,000 who found
refuge in neighbouring countries including Niger, Algeria, Mauritania and
Burkina Faso.
“We call on the soldiers who have staged this
coup to release immediately the political leaders and to prevent any violation
of human rights and to restore the rule of law”, said Gaëtan Mootoo.
On the evening of Wednesday 21 March, a mutiny
broke out in the military barracks in the town of Kati about 20 km north of
Bamako. The trigger for this uprising was the soldiers’ military discontent
about the way the armed conflict in the North was being handled. The soldiers
accused the government of failing to give them the means to fight the Tuareg
armed groups.
The soldiers of the newly formed National
Committee for the Restoration of Democracy and State (CNRDR) have said they will
hand back power back to a democratically elected president as soon “as the
country is reunified and its integrity is no longer threatened”.
Kenya’s minister for foreign affair Mr Moses
Wetangula and three government officials are some of the foreigners stranded in
Bamako.
SOURCE: CISANEWSAFRICA.COM
ASIA : IRAQ : CHURCH OF OUR LADY RE-OPENED
ASIA NEWS
REPORT:
by Joseph Mahmoud
The church was damaged by a bomb in 2006, during which a boy was killed. After a patient restoration work, the place of worship was opened with a Mass presided by Msgr. Sako. "The blood of the martyrs - the prelate says - is an invitation to persevere in faith."
Kirkuk (AsiaNews) - The Christian community of Kirkuk in northern Iraq, is celebrating the official reopening - after a painstaking restoration - of the parish church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For one evening last week the violence and massacres, including the series of bombings of 20 March and the killing of a believer on February 22 in Mosul, were forgotten as the religious minority celebrated a joyous moment gathered round their pastor and priests of the community. In his homily, Archbishop Mgr. Louis Sako asked those present to "witness the faith" between persecution and abuse, urging them not to leave the country but on the contrary, "to remain" to help create a future of hope.
The parish church, opened in 1965, was fully restored through the efforts of the Chaldean archbishop of Kirkuk. On the evening of March 22, Msgr. Louis Sako has chaired the inaugural mass, concelebrated in the presence of many priests and faithful who packed the place of worship. A Christian says that "the church was full" and "priests from other parishes also arrived "for a moment of "real celebration".
On 29 January 2006, the church of the Virgin was a target of violent attacks by Islamic fundamentalists (see AsiaNews, 01/29/2012 Bomb attacks on Churches in Baghdad and Kirkuk), the extremists attacked the Christian worship, in response to the Pope's address in Regensburg, which had sparked controversy with the Muslim world. The explosion of a car bomb had also caused the death of a 13 year old altar boy named Fadi Raad Elias, who, returning from school, had stopped by the church to pray "to thank Jesus for good school grades".
During his homily, Msgr. Sako recalled the sacrifice of the young Iraqi Christian "martyr", and his death and bloodshed, the prelate explained, are "an invitation to persevere" despite the "challenges" that the community will face. "Our number is decreasing - added the archbishop - due to emigration, but our presence, the witness and the implications it generates depends on the cultural, moral and spiritual quality that we can offer to a dynamic participation in society ".
"The decrease in the number of Christians - said Msgr. Sako - should not bring down the influence of the minority on Iraqi society. Here and now we need to rethink the meaning of the Christian presence and the way in which we witness our faith."
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Kirkuk:-Christians-celebrate-reopening-of-parish-of-the-Blessed-Virgin-24324.html
by Joseph Mahmoud
The church was damaged by a bomb in 2006, during which a boy was killed. After a patient restoration work, the place of worship was opened with a Mass presided by Msgr. Sako. "The blood of the martyrs - the prelate says - is an invitation to persevere in faith."
Kirkuk (AsiaNews) - The Christian community of Kirkuk in northern Iraq, is celebrating the official reopening - after a painstaking restoration - of the parish church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For one evening last week the violence and massacres, including the series of bombings of 20 March and the killing of a believer on February 22 in Mosul, were forgotten as the religious minority celebrated a joyous moment gathered round their pastor and priests of the community. In his homily, Archbishop Mgr. Louis Sako asked those present to "witness the faith" between persecution and abuse, urging them not to leave the country but on the contrary, "to remain" to help create a future of hope.
The parish church, opened in 1965, was fully restored through the efforts of the Chaldean archbishop of Kirkuk. On the evening of March 22, Msgr. Louis Sako has chaired the inaugural mass, concelebrated in the presence of many priests and faithful who packed the place of worship. A Christian says that "the church was full" and "priests from other parishes also arrived "for a moment of "real celebration".
On 29 January 2006, the church of the Virgin was a target of violent attacks by Islamic fundamentalists (see AsiaNews, 01/29/2012 Bomb attacks on Churches in Baghdad and Kirkuk), the extremists attacked the Christian worship, in response to the Pope's address in Regensburg, which had sparked controversy with the Muslim world. The explosion of a car bomb had also caused the death of a 13 year old altar boy named Fadi Raad Elias, who, returning from school, had stopped by the church to pray "to thank Jesus for good school grades".
During his homily, Msgr. Sako recalled the sacrifice of the young Iraqi Christian "martyr", and his death and bloodshed, the prelate explained, are "an invitation to persevere" despite the "challenges" that the community will face. "Our number is decreasing - added the archbishop - due to emigration, but our presence, the witness and the implications it generates depends on the cultural, moral and spiritual quality that we can offer to a dynamic participation in society ".
"The decrease in the number of Christians - said Msgr. Sako - should not bring down the influence of the minority on Iraqi society. Here and now we need to rethink the meaning of the Christian presence and the way in which we witness our faith."
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Kirkuk:-Christians-celebrate-reopening-of-parish-of-the-Blessed-Virgin-24324.html
TODAY'S MASS ONLINE : SAT. MARCH 24, 2012
| John
7: 40 - 53
| |
| 40 | When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This is really the prophet." |
| 41 | Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? |
| 42 | Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" |
| 43 | So there was a division among the people over him. |
| 44 | Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. |
| 45 | The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?" |
| 46 | The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" |
| 47 | The Pharisees answered them, "Are you led astray, you also? |
| 48 | Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? |
| 49 | But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed." |
| 50 | Nicode'mus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, |
| 51 | "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" |
| 52 | They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee." |
| 53 | They went each to his own house, |
TODAY'S SAINT : MARCH 24 : ST. CATHERINE OF SWEDEN
St. Catherine of Sweden
CO-FOUNDRESS OF THE BRIGITTINES, DAUGHTER OF
ST. BRIGID OF SWEDEN
Feast: March 24
|
Information:
|
|
The fourth child of St. Bridget and her husband, Ulf
Gudmarsson, born 1331 or 1332; died 24 March, 1381. At the time of her death St.
Catherine was head of the convent of Wadstena, founded by her mother; hence the
name, Catherine Vastanensis, by which she is occasionally called. At the age of
seven she was sent to the abbess of the convent of Riseberg to be educated and
soon showed, like her mother, a desire for a life of self-mortification and
devotion to spiritual things. At the command of her father, when about thirteen
or fourteen years, she married a noble of German descent, Eggart von Kürnen. She
at once persuaded her husband, who was a very religious man, to join her in a
vow of chastity. Both lived in a state of virginity and devoted themselves to
the exercise of Christian perfection and active charity. In spite of her deep
love for her husband, Catherine accompanied her mother to Rome, where St.
Bridget went in 1349. Soon after her arrival in that city Catherine received
news of the death of her husband in Sweden. She now lived constantly with her
mother, took an active part in St. Bridget's fruitful labours, and zealously
imitated her mother's ascetic life. Although the distinguished and beautiful
young widow was surrounded by suitors, she steadily refused all offers of
marriage. In 1372 St. Catherine and her brother, Birger, accompanied their
mother on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land; after their return to Rome St.
Catherine was with her mother in the latter's last illness and death.
In 1374, in obedience to St. Bridget's wish, Catherine
brought back her mother's body to Sweden for burial at Wadstena, of which
foundation she now became the head. It was the motherhouse of the Brigittine
Order, also called the Order of St. Saviour. Catherine managed the convent with
great skill and made the life there one in harmony with the principles laid down
by its founder. The following hear she went again to Rome in order to promote
the canonization of St. Bridget, and to obtain a new papal confirmation of the
order. She secured another confirmation both from Gregory XI (1377) and from
Urban VI (1379) but was unable to gain at the time the canonization of her
mother, as the confusion caused by the Schism delayed the process. When this
sorrowful division appeared she showed herself, like St. Catherine of Siena, a
steadfast adherent of the part of the Roman Pope, Urban VI, in whose favour she
testified before a judicial commission. Catherine stayed five years in Italy and
then returned home, bearing a special letter of commendation from the pope. Not
long after her arrival in Sweden she was taken ill and died. In 1484 Innocent
VIII gave permission for her veneration as a saint and her feast was assigned to
22 March in the Roman martyrology. Catherine wrote a devotional work entitled
"Consolation of the Soul" (Sielinna Troëst), largely composed of citations from
the Scriptures and from early religious books; no copy is known to exist.
Generally she is represented with a hind at her side, which is said to have come
to her aid when unchaste youths sought to ensnare her.
(Taken from Catholic Encyclopedia) | ||||||||||
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source: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/C/stcatherineofsweeden.asp#ixzz1q269PON6
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