SPEAKING ABOUT GOD IN OUR TIMES
(IMAGE SOURCE FACEBOOK) Vatican City, 28 November 2012 (VIS) - "How do we speak to God in our times? How can we communicate the Gospel to open the way to its salvific truth?" The Holy Father offered an answer to these questions in his catechesis during today's general audience, held in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall.
"In Jesus of Nazareth", the Pope said, "we encounter the face of God, descended from Heaven to immerse Himself in the world of mankind and to teach 'the art of living', the road to happiness; to free us from sin and to make us true children of God".
He continued, "speaking about God means, first and foremost, being clear about what we must bring to the men and women of our time. God has spoken to us, … not an abstract or hypothetical God, but a real God, a God Who exists, Who entered history and remains present in history: the God of Jesus Christ ... as a response to the fundamental question of why and how to live. Therefore, speaking about God requires a continual growth in faith, familiarity with Jesus and His Gospel, a profound knowledge of God and strong passion for His plan for salvation, without giving in to the temptations of success. … We must not fear the humility of taking small steps, trusting in the leaven that makes the dough rise slowly and mysteriously. In speaking about God, in the work of evangelisation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we must return to the simplicity and essential nature of proclamation: the concrete Good News of God Who cares about us, the love of God which Jesus Christ brought close to us, even unto the Cross, and which in the Resurrection opens us to life without end, to eternal life".
The Pope explained that for St. Paul, communicating the faith did not mean "showing himself, but rather saying openly and publicly what he had seen and heard in his encounter with Christ, and how much his life had been transformed by that encounter. … The Apostle was not satisfied with merely proclaiming the words, but committed his entire existence to the great work of faith. … To speak about God, we must make space for Him, confident that He acts upon our weakness. We must make space for Him without fear, with simplicity and joy, in the profound conviction that the more we place Him - and not ourselves - at the centre of our lives, the more fruitful our communication will be. ... This also holds true for Christian communities. They are called to communicate the transforming action of God's grace, overcoming individualism, closure, selfishness and indifference, bringing the love of God to daily relationships. We must must act to ensure ... we always announce Christ, not ourselves".
"At this point", the Holy Father continued, we must ask ourselves "how Jesus Christ Himself communicated. Jesus … spoke about His Father (Whom He called 'Abba') and about the Kingdom of God, looking with compassion on the discomforts and difficulties of human existence. … From the Gospel we see how Jesus was interested in every human situation He encountered, He immersed Himself in the lives of the men and women of His time, with complete trust in the help of the Father. … In Him, proclamation and life were entwined: Jesus acted and taught, always taking as a starting point His intimate relationship with God the Father. This approach gives fundamental indications to Christians: living in faith and charity is a way of speaking about God in our times, because it demonstrates the credibility of what we say in words through a life lived in Christ. We must take care to grasp the signs of our times, and thereby to identify the potential, the desires and the obstacles we encounter in contemporary culture, in particular the desire for authenticity, the yearning for transcendence, the sensibility for protecting creation. And we must communicate without fear the answer offered by faith in God".
"Speaking about God, therefore, means enabling others to understand through words and acts that God is not a competitor in our existence but rather its true guarantor, the guarantor of the greatness of the human person. Thus we return to the beginning: speaking about God means communicating, with power and simplicity, through words and the life we lead, that which is essential: the God of Jesus Christ, the God Who showed us a love so great that He took on human flesh, died and rose again for us; the God Who asks us to follow Him and to allow ourselves to be transformed by His immense love in order to renew our lives and our relationships; the God Who gave us the Church, to allow us to journey together and, through the Word and the Sacraments, to renew the entire City of Man so that it might become the City of God", concluded the Pope.
(IMAGE SOURCE FACEBOOK) Vatican City, 28 November 2012 (VIS) - "How do we speak to God in our times? How can we communicate the Gospel to open the way to its salvific truth?" The Holy Father offered an answer to these questions in his catechesis during today's general audience, held in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall.
"In Jesus of Nazareth", the Pope said, "we encounter the face of God, descended from Heaven to immerse Himself in the world of mankind and to teach 'the art of living', the road to happiness; to free us from sin and to make us true children of God".
He continued, "speaking about God means, first and foremost, being clear about what we must bring to the men and women of our time. God has spoken to us, … not an abstract or hypothetical God, but a real God, a God Who exists, Who entered history and remains present in history: the God of Jesus Christ ... as a response to the fundamental question of why and how to live. Therefore, speaking about God requires a continual growth in faith, familiarity with Jesus and His Gospel, a profound knowledge of God and strong passion for His plan for salvation, without giving in to the temptations of success. … We must not fear the humility of taking small steps, trusting in the leaven that makes the dough rise slowly and mysteriously. In speaking about God, in the work of evangelisation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we must return to the simplicity and essential nature of proclamation: the concrete Good News of God Who cares about us, the love of God which Jesus Christ brought close to us, even unto the Cross, and which in the Resurrection opens us to life without end, to eternal life".
The Pope explained that for St. Paul, communicating the faith did not mean "showing himself, but rather saying openly and publicly what he had seen and heard in his encounter with Christ, and how much his life had been transformed by that encounter. … The Apostle was not satisfied with merely proclaiming the words, but committed his entire existence to the great work of faith. … To speak about God, we must make space for Him, confident that He acts upon our weakness. We must make space for Him without fear, with simplicity and joy, in the profound conviction that the more we place Him - and not ourselves - at the centre of our lives, the more fruitful our communication will be. ... This also holds true for Christian communities. They are called to communicate the transforming action of God's grace, overcoming individualism, closure, selfishness and indifference, bringing the love of God to daily relationships. We must must act to ensure ... we always announce Christ, not ourselves".
"At this point", the Holy Father continued, we must ask ourselves "how Jesus Christ Himself communicated. Jesus … spoke about His Father (Whom He called 'Abba') and about the Kingdom of God, looking with compassion on the discomforts and difficulties of human existence. … From the Gospel we see how Jesus was interested in every human situation He encountered, He immersed Himself in the lives of the men and women of His time, with complete trust in the help of the Father. … In Him, proclamation and life were entwined: Jesus acted and taught, always taking as a starting point His intimate relationship with God the Father. This approach gives fundamental indications to Christians: living in faith and charity is a way of speaking about God in our times, because it demonstrates the credibility of what we say in words through a life lived in Christ. We must take care to grasp the signs of our times, and thereby to identify the potential, the desires and the obstacles we encounter in contemporary culture, in particular the desire for authenticity, the yearning for transcendence, the sensibility for protecting creation. And we must communicate without fear the answer offered by faith in God".
"Speaking about God, therefore, means enabling others to understand through words and acts that God is not a competitor in our existence but rather its true guarantor, the guarantor of the greatness of the human person. Thus we return to the beginning: speaking about God means communicating, with power and simplicity, through words and the life we lead, that which is essential: the God of Jesus Christ, the God Who showed us a love so great that He took on human flesh, died and rose again for us; the God Who asks us to follow Him and to allow ourselves to be transformed by His immense love in order to renew our lives and our relationships; the God Who gave us the Church, to allow us to journey together and, through the Word and the Sacraments, to renew the entire City of Man so that it might become the City of God", concluded the Pope.
ASIA : BANGLADESH : RIP FR. CORBA = PIME MISSIONARY
ASIA NEWS REPORT
He died last night of respiratory complications. The funeral will be tomorrow, in the cathedral of Dinajpur. Animated by great missionary zeal, Fr. Corba was described as a leader, but shy at the same time. Three times regional superior, in 1997 he founded a training center for catechists and lay people.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) - Fr. Enzo Corba died last night, a PIME missionary (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) of 81 years, more than 50 of which were spent in Bangladesh. As a result of respiratory complications, he was hospitalized yesterday afternoon at St. Vincent's diocesan hospital in Dinajpur. A few hours later, at 1:20 a.m., he died. The funeral will be held tomorrow at 10:30 (local time) in the Cathedral of Dinajpur. The body will be buried next to the church of Singra, near the center of formation for catechists and lay people which he founded in 1997 and directed until his death.
Described as a born animator of enormous moral stature, Fr. Corba was considered a "guru" and a leader among his brethren, for the great missionary zeal that animated him. Attentive to pastoral work, serving the poor and interreligious dialogue, the priest devoted himself primarily to the evangelization of unbelievers. A shy man and sometimes critical of the Church and of the PIME, he always made his presence constructive, never opting out and remaining supportive and involved in the mission.
Born March 5, 1931 in Montefiascone (Viterbo), Fr. Corba was ordained a PIME priest in 1956. In 1958, he departed for Dinajpur (then East Pakistan). His first experiences were at Ruhea, with Fr. Luigi Alvigini and brother Massimo Teruzzi, in Bonpara, with Fr. Luigi Pinos, at Beneedwar, with Fr. Giuseppe Cavagna, and among the Santal tribes. Thrice elected Regional Superior, it was during his second term that the War of Independence broke out. At the end of 1971 Bangladesh was created, and to remain with his people and his community, Fr. Corba renounced participating in the Chapter Update. Upon his third re-election - in 1972 - the missionary declined the office. Called by the Bishop of Chittagong (in the southern part of the country), for 17 years he lived in the village of Rajarapur. Here, living at the level of the people, he was able to establish relationships of dialogue and cooperation between Muslims, Hindus and Christians, helping them to overcome their mutual closure. From 1991 to 1997 he was in the Philippines: along with Fr. Sebastiano D'Ambra and Fr. Salvatore Carzedda (killed in 1992), he founded the Euntes Asian Centre. Back in Bangladesh, Fr. Corba returned to the north of the country. In Singra (about 40km from Dinajpur) he opened a training center for catechists of the village and lay people in general, which he directed until his death.
SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS IT
He died last night of respiratory complications. The funeral will be tomorrow, in the cathedral of Dinajpur. Animated by great missionary zeal, Fr. Corba was described as a leader, but shy at the same time. Three times regional superior, in 1997 he founded a training center for catechists and lay people.
_1128_-_Necrologio_padre_Corba.jpg)
Dhaka (AsiaNews) - Fr. Enzo Corba died last night, a PIME missionary (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) of 81 years, more than 50 of which were spent in Bangladesh. As a result of respiratory complications, he was hospitalized yesterday afternoon at St. Vincent's diocesan hospital in Dinajpur. A few hours later, at 1:20 a.m., he died. The funeral will be held tomorrow at 10:30 (local time) in the Cathedral of Dinajpur. The body will be buried next to the church of Singra, near the center of formation for catechists and lay people which he founded in 1997 and directed until his death.
Described as a born animator of enormous moral stature, Fr. Corba was considered a "guru" and a leader among his brethren, for the great missionary zeal that animated him. Attentive to pastoral work, serving the poor and interreligious dialogue, the priest devoted himself primarily to the evangelization of unbelievers. A shy man and sometimes critical of the Church and of the PIME, he always made his presence constructive, never opting out and remaining supportive and involved in the mission.
Born March 5, 1931 in Montefiascone (Viterbo), Fr. Corba was ordained a PIME priest in 1956. In 1958, he departed for Dinajpur (then East Pakistan). His first experiences were at Ruhea, with Fr. Luigi Alvigini and brother Massimo Teruzzi, in Bonpara, with Fr. Luigi Pinos, at Beneedwar, with Fr. Giuseppe Cavagna, and among the Santal tribes. Thrice elected Regional Superior, it was during his second term that the War of Independence broke out. At the end of 1971 Bangladesh was created, and to remain with his people and his community, Fr. Corba renounced participating in the Chapter Update. Upon his third re-election - in 1972 - the missionary declined the office. Called by the Bishop of Chittagong (in the southern part of the country), for 17 years he lived in the village of Rajarapur. Here, living at the level of the people, he was able to establish relationships of dialogue and cooperation between Muslims, Hindus and Christians, helping them to overcome their mutual closure. From 1991 to 1997 he was in the Philippines: along with Fr. Sebastiano D'Ambra and Fr. Salvatore Carzedda (killed in 1992), he founded the Euntes Asian Centre. Back in Bangladesh, Fr. Corba returned to the north of the country. In Singra (about 40km from Dinajpur) he opened a training center for catechists of the village and lay people in general, which he directed until his death.
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AUSTRALIA : YOUTH RETREAT - STRONGER - CATHOLIC FAITH
ARCHDIOCESE
OF MELBOURNE REPORT
Searching
for something stronger
Tuesday 27
November 2012
By Lauren Hill
CANDLES flicker in a dimly lit meeting room. A light
reflects onto the rugged wood of a large cross, which is mounted before a
backdrop of deep red satin. A silent peace permeates through the space, as 80
young people gather in reflection.View
gallery
All at once, they are standing. Guitar strings are gently strummed and keyboard notes are played as a familiar refrain emerges. The atmosphere transforms. Kneeling, some bow their heads in reverence. Voices slowly unite, reciting the eminent lyrics. Some shed a tear, their attention never departing from the focus of their devotion.
While the majority of their contemporaries enjoy a wild Saturday night out on the town, gathering in trendy clubs across the country, a cluster of young people aged 16 to 26, has chosen a different gathering—the annual Stronger Retreat hosted by the Sandhurst Diocese. They have travelled to Harrietville, in Victoria’s Alpine country, from country towns and bustling cities, from local dioceses and interstate parishes. They have travelled by air and by road, journeyed with friends and even alone.
Each person has answered a call to be present and the evening is reassurance for that response. It is a culmination of grace. It is a gift for their swimming against the tide of expectation, encountered each day as young Catholics in the world. It is reward for their belief in something more. Every young person kneeling in adoration in the room is hopeful. They desire something greater. They are searching for it. And their search has bought them here.
Melissa Mewburn, 21, is a beautiful young woman from Bendigo. The opportunity to gather with other young Catholics is one reason for her having made the journey to the retreat. “I wanted to find a community who wanted to be involved, to be faith-filled, and live a life that is Christ-like,” she said. “To know that those people going are wanting that as well—that community and relationship. There are not many of us out there who express their faith. So you want to connect with people who do.”
Initiated in 2008 by Maltese-born priests Fr Robert Galea, who was a seminarian at the time, and former Bishop of Sandhurst, Joseph Grech, who died suddenly in 2010, the retreat provides an opportunity for teenagers and young adults from across the Victorian diocese of Sandhurst, and across Australia, to join together for a weekend of dynamic speakers, prayer, sacraments, music and more.
Unlike large Catholic events such as World Youth Day, which is held every few years, Fr Rob highlighted that the retreat, along with other Stronger-related events held throughout the year, offers young Catholics continual direction for their faith journey.
“As the name suggests, Stronger events offer young people the opportunity to grow stronger in their Catholic faith. The purpose is to build disciples in the local parish. To give a decent and fair chance to young people to follow Jesus,” Fr Rob said.
For those unsure of what the Stronger events really have to offer them, Melissa assures hesitant youth that they will certainly “experience something amazing” at the retreat. “It’s not always talking about faith. It’s living life. That’s what’s fun,” she said.
Melissa observes that it is the Stronger Program’s ability to “meet people where they’re at” in discovering more about their faith, that is most unique. “Together we are stronger. We grow and develop together,” she said.
This year’s Stronger retreat will be held from 7-9 December in Harrietville, and will feature Pat Keady, Worship Director of the Catholic band ‘emmanuelworship’ who will travel from Brisbane to join Fr Rob as a motivating guest speaker.
For more information about the Stronger Program and to register for the 2012 Stronger Retreat, visit the website at www.stronger.org.au. Registrations close at midnight on Friday 30 November 2012.
Photos by Fiona Basile
By Lauren Hill
CANDLES flicker in a dimly lit meeting room. A light
reflects onto the rugged wood of a large cross, which is mounted before a
backdrop of deep red satin. A silent peace permeates through the space, as 80
young people gather in reflection.View
galleryAll at once, they are standing. Guitar strings are gently strummed and keyboard notes are played as a familiar refrain emerges. The atmosphere transforms. Kneeling, some bow their heads in reverence. Voices slowly unite, reciting the eminent lyrics. Some shed a tear, their attention never departing from the focus of their devotion.
While the majority of their contemporaries enjoy a wild Saturday night out on the town, gathering in trendy clubs across the country, a cluster of young people aged 16 to 26, has chosen a different gathering—the annual Stronger Retreat hosted by the Sandhurst Diocese. They have travelled to Harrietville, in Victoria’s Alpine country, from country towns and bustling cities, from local dioceses and interstate parishes. They have travelled by air and by road, journeyed with friends and even alone.
Each person has answered a call to be present and the evening is reassurance for that response. It is a culmination of grace. It is a gift for their swimming against the tide of expectation, encountered each day as young Catholics in the world. It is reward for their belief in something more. Every young person kneeling in adoration in the room is hopeful. They desire something greater. They are searching for it. And their search has bought them here.
Melissa Mewburn, 21, is a beautiful young woman from Bendigo. The opportunity to gather with other young Catholics is one reason for her having made the journey to the retreat. “I wanted to find a community who wanted to be involved, to be faith-filled, and live a life that is Christ-like,” she said. “To know that those people going are wanting that as well—that community and relationship. There are not many of us out there who express their faith. So you want to connect with people who do.”
Initiated in 2008 by Maltese-born priests Fr Robert Galea, who was a seminarian at the time, and former Bishop of Sandhurst, Joseph Grech, who died suddenly in 2010, the retreat provides an opportunity for teenagers and young adults from across the Victorian diocese of Sandhurst, and across Australia, to join together for a weekend of dynamic speakers, prayer, sacraments, music and more.
Unlike large Catholic events such as World Youth Day, which is held every few years, Fr Rob highlighted that the retreat, along with other Stronger-related events held throughout the year, offers young Catholics continual direction for their faith journey.
“As the name suggests, Stronger events offer young people the opportunity to grow stronger in their Catholic faith. The purpose is to build disciples in the local parish. To give a decent and fair chance to young people to follow Jesus,” Fr Rob said.
For those unsure of what the Stronger events really have to offer them, Melissa assures hesitant youth that they will certainly “experience something amazing” at the retreat. “It’s not always talking about faith. It’s living life. That’s what’s fun,” she said.
Melissa observes that it is the Stronger Program’s ability to “meet people where they’re at” in discovering more about their faith, that is most unique. “Together we are stronger. We grow and develop together,” she said.
This year’s Stronger retreat will be held from 7-9 December in Harrietville, and will feature Pat Keady, Worship Director of the Catholic band ‘emmanuelworship’ who will travel from Brisbane to join Fr Rob as a motivating guest speaker.
For more information about the Stronger Program and to register for the 2012 Stronger Retreat, visit the website at www.stronger.org.au. Registrations close at midnight on Friday 30 November 2012.
Photos by Fiona Basile
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AMERICA : PANAMA : GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF BISHOPS - CENTRAL AMERICA
Agenzia Fides REPORT – Since Monday, November
26, 60 Bishops of the Central American region have been in Panama for the 2012
General Assembly of the Bishops' Secretariat of Central America (SEDAC). The
meeting is being held in the retreat house "Monte Alverna" of Panama City. The
Bishops come from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and
Panama. Outgoing President of the organism is Mgr. Leopoldo Brenes, Archbishop
of Managua, waiting for the Bishops to elect the new President. Archbishop of
Panama, Mgr. José Domingo Ulloa opened the meeting.
According to information sent to Fides Agency, today, November 28, the Bishops will attend the opening of the Jubilee Year 2012-2013 for the 500th anniversary of the first Diocese Santa Maria la Antigua. The agenda also includes the celebration of the Year of Faith and the exchange of pastoral experiences in the region. The meeting will conclude on Friday 30 November.
One of the recurring themes in the various meetings of the Bishops of the region, and that will be addressed during this meeting, concerns the exploitation of mineral resources in the various member countries. In 2010, in the conclusive document, the Bishops had said, "we raise our voices asking our MPs to create laws that prohibit the mining of metals through the use of cyanide ... As Pastors in our missionary work, we want to intensify the awareness of all the faithful, that the environmental dimension is an integral part of Christian spirituality." (CE) (Agenzia Fides 28/11/2012)
According to information sent to Fides Agency, today, November 28, the Bishops will attend the opening of the Jubilee Year 2012-2013 for the 500th anniversary of the first Diocese Santa Maria la Antigua. The agenda also includes the celebration of the Year of Faith and the exchange of pastoral experiences in the region. The meeting will conclude on Friday 30 November.
One of the recurring themes in the various meetings of the Bishops of the region, and that will be addressed during this meeting, concerns the exploitation of mineral resources in the various member countries. In 2010, in the conclusive document, the Bishops had said, "we raise our voices asking our MPs to create laws that prohibit the mining of metals through the use of cyanide ... As Pastors in our missionary work, we want to intensify the awareness of all the faithful, that the environmental dimension is an integral part of Christian spirituality." (CE) (Agenzia Fides 28/11/2012)
CATHOLIC MOVIES - WATCH ST. JOHN BOSCO- PART 3
IN HONOR OF
THE YEAR OF FAItH - JCE NEWS WILL BE SHOWING SOME OF THE TOP CATHOLIC MOVIES OF
ALL TIME. TUNE IN FOR THE NEXT PART OF ST. JOHN BOSCO- TOMORROW
TODAY'S MASS ONLINE : WED. NOV. 28, 2012
| Luke
21: 12 - 19
| |
| 12 | But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. |
| 13 | This will be a time for you to bear testimony. |
| 14 | Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; |
| 15 | for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. |
| 16 | You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; |
| 17 | you will be hated by all for my name's sake. |
| 18 | But not a hair of your head will perish. |
| 19 | By your endurance you will gain your lives. |
TODAY'S SAINT: NOV. 28: ST. JAMES OF THE MARCHES
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