2015
Wow Walk with Christ in #Australia with over 6000 - Record Breaking!
#PopeFrancis creates new Tribunal for Sex Abuse cases
Saint June 10 : St. Getulius & Companions
10th Walk With Christ Procession Breaks All Records
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
9 Jun 2015
9 Jun 2015
A record crowd of over 6,000 people took to the streets for the 10th Anniversary of the Walk With Christ Procession
"With clear blue skies, bright sunshine and temperatures at a warm 22 degrees, the number of people who turned out broke all previous records since our first Procession back in 2005 and even exceeded last year's Procession when we had a turnout of more than 5500 taking part," says Catherine Kennedy, Director of the Archdiocese of Sydney's Catholic Renewal and Evangelisation Office (CREDO).
Setting up earlier in the day in the forecourt of St Mary's Cathedral, Catherine says there was a constant stream of passersby coming into CREDO's Information tent wanting to know what was happing, and what all the activity was about.
In the early afternoon two mothers with six children aged between four and 10 called in at the tent.
"They told me a couple of the children attended Catholic primary schools and when we told them about the Procession, they seemed keen to participate. So we gave them two of the Books of Life, each one filled with prayer petitions, to carry in the Procession and they gathered the children and headed for Lang Park at Church Hill, which is where we all gathered before the start of the Procession," Catherine says.
Bishop Terry Brady speaks about the link between the Holy Eucharist and charity
Their spontaneity and joy echoed the mood of the entire afternoon.
"It was a really wonderful day and a great way to celebrate our 10th year," says Catherine.
Led by Bishop Terry Brady, Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Sydney, the Walk with Christ Eucharistic Procession left Church Hill at 2.30pm travelling down to George Street, up Hunter Street and along Macquarie Street past Martin Place before turning into College Street and arriving in the forecourt of St Mary's Cathedral at around 3.30pm.
Staff and students from schools across Sydney carried banners as did many of those from the city's many parishes. Also taking part were seminarians from both the Seminary of the Good Shepherd and the Redemptoris Mater Seminary of the Catechumenal Way. Sydney's Capuchin Franciscan Friars of Australia, members of different movements, congregations and religious communities were among the participants. Sydney's Chinese Catholic community was well represented as were members of Eastern Catholic Orthodox Churches, the Tongan and Samoan Catholic communities and many other Catholics from Sydney's different ethnic and cultural communities.
But above all, the participants were ordinary mums and dads with their kids, grandparents, teenagers and everyday people from all walks of life. There were even several families and groups who were visiting Sydney from other states for the long weekend, and decided to take part.
"The Procession has become a much loved tradition and as word of mouth spreads, more and more people want to participate," says Catherine.
In past years Sydney's unpredictable winter weather has proved the only drawback. But despite slightly lower turnouts in the rain and cold, the only year where a Procession had to be cancelled at the last moment was 2013. "There was a ferocious storm and winds were almost gale force so at the eleventh hour it was decided to transfer everything to St Mary's Cathedral," she says.
CREDO evangelisers donned blue shirts and approached onlookers to explain and collect prayer petitions
As the Procession wound its way through the CBD, thousands prayed the rosary and sang hymns.
With the Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP currently meeting with World Youth Day officials in Krakow, Poland, Bishop Brady led the Procession and was accompanied by Deacon Frank Zacka of the Archdiocese of Sydney's Permanent Diaconate who proclaimed the Gospel. Also at the front of the Procession was the newly appointed Master of Ceremonies at St Mary's Cathedral, Fr Emmanuel Seo, a group of seminarians from Sydney's two seminaries together with Knights of the Holy Sepulchre.
"The Walk with Christ achieves three wonderful things each year. The first is the public demonstration of faith and the opportunity for us to express our belief in the real Presence," Catherine says. "The second is the opportunity to pray for the city and the third is the chance to evangelise to onlookers who stop to watch, and want to know more about our faith and what Corpus Christi means."
The 30 marshals who directed the crowds throughout the procession were easily identified by their bright orange T-shirts, while Catherine and her team of evangelisers were dressed in blue.
"We walk the periphery of the Procession and talk to passersby who want to know more about the march and what it means. Many also want to give us their prayer petitions and we received well over 30 of these," she says.
The faithful came from across Sydney for the procession that ended at St Mary's Cathedral
The practice began last year after Bishop Peter Comensoli, then Apostolic Administrator for the Archdiocese and now Bishop of Broken Bay, on the spur of the moment, decided to bless each of these important city and government institutions.
"We have now made it part of the Procession," says Catherine.
"We have now made it part of the Procession," says Catherine.
Once the Procession reached St Mary's Cathedral the 6000-plus participants crowded into the Cathedral's forecourt for Adoration and Proclamation of the Gospel followed by a homily by Bishop Brady who spoke about the link between the Holy Eucharist and charity. He also spoke of how the Eucharist keeps us centred and reminds us what faith is all about, explaining that when he is busy or becomes distracted, it is the Eucharist that brings him back to centre and to Jesus.
"When he finished the homily everyone was enormously moved and in a spontaneous gesture, began clapping," says Catherine. "You don't often hear applause after a homily but people wanted to show their appreciation for the homily and Bishop Brady's words, and also for what had been a wonderful day," says Catherine.
#PopeFrancis creates new Tribunal for Sex Abuse cases
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has created a new Vatican tribunal section to hear cases of bishops who fail to protect children from sexually abusive priests. The head of the Vatican press office, Fr Federico Lombardi, made the announcement during a briefing on the work of the Council of nine cardinals which met with Pope Francis at his Santa Marta residence from Monday June 8th to Wednesday June 10th. The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors presented a five point plan to the Pope and his closest advisors at this week’s meeting, including the establishment of a “new judicial section” to examine all cases of bishops accused of abusing their office and failing to report crimes committed by priests in their care. The new office will be set up within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which will be mandated to judge all such cases connected to the abuse of children and vulnerable adults.
Fr Lombardi said Pope Francis will appoint a Secretary and some permanent staff for the new department, which will have a five year period to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of these new procedures. The move marks an important step in the ongoing process to hold Church leaders accountable for the actions of abusive priests – something that abuse survivors have insisted is essential to both the healing and prevention efforts..
Also under discussion at the Council of Cardinals meeting this week was the ongoing financial reforms, presented by Australian Cardinal George Pell who heads the new Vatican Secretariat for the Economy. He spoke of three new working groups which have been set up to examine income and investments, another to manage human resources and a third to evaluate the effectiveness of the Holy See’s information technology systems.
The cardinals also heard a report from the director of the Vatican Television Centre, Msgr Dario Viganò who heads a new commission for the reorganization of Vatican communications. That commission is working on a restructuring plan for a gradual integration of the different media offices to take place over four years, without requiring job losses.
Finally the Council of Cardinals also discussed the Pope’s forthcoming encyclical on the environment due to be released on June 18th under the auspices of the Pontifical Justice and Peace Council. Bishops around the world have been sent some introductory and educational material to highlight and hopefully better promote what Fr Lombardi described as this “important event in the life of the Universal Church”.
The next meeting of the Council of Cardinals is scheduled to take place between 14th and the 16th September 2015.
Please see below the English translation of Fr Lombardi's briefing regarding the Protection of Minors
In the afternoon session of 8 June 2015, the Council of Cardinals received a report from Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley, OFM Cap. with a proposal for the Holy Father regarding allegations of the abuse of office by a bishop connected to the abuse of minors, originally prepared by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Cardinal O'Malley’s report also included a proposal regarding allegations of sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults by clergy.
For each proposal, the report indicated the general terms which define it, issues relating to procedure and to the Tribunal which judges the cases, as well as the advantages of the proposal compared with other possible solutions. The text concludes with a list of five specific proposals made to the Holy Father, which are listed below. It is proposed:
1. That because the competence to receive and investigate complaints of the episcopal abuse of office belongs to the Congregations for Bishops, Evangelization of Peoples, or Oriental Churches there is the duty to report all complaints to the appropriate Congregation.
2. That the Holy Father mandate the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to judge bishops with regard to crimes of the abuse of office when connected to the abuse of minors.
3. That the Holy Father authorize the establishment of a new Judicial Section in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and appointment of stable personnel to undertake service in the Tribunal. The implementation of this decision would follow consultation with the Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
4. That the Holy Father appoint a Secretary to assist the Prefect with the Tribunal. The Secretary will have responsibility for the new Judicial Section and the personnel of the Section will also be available to the Prefect for penal processes regarding the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults by clergy. This appointment will also follow the consultation with the Prefect of the Congregation.
5. That the Holy Father establish a five-year period for further development of these proposals and for completing a formal evaluation of their effectiveness.
The Council of Cardinals agreed unanimously on these proposals and resolved that they be submitted to the Holy Father, Pope Francis. The Holy Father approved the proposals and authorized that sufficient resources will be provided for this purpose.
Today's Mass Readings and Video : Wed. June 10, 2015
Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 361
Reading 12 COR 3:4-11
Brothers and sisters:
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.
Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit
for anything as coming from us;
rather, our qualification comes from God,
who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant,
not of letter but of spirit;
for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious
that the children of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses
because of its glory that was going to fade,
how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious?
For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious,
the ministry of righteousness will abound much more in glory.
Indeed, what was endowed with glory
has come to have no glory in this respect
because of the glory that surpasses it.
For if what was going to fade was glorious,
how much more will what endures be glorious.
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.
Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit
for anything as coming from us;
rather, our qualification comes from God,
who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant,
not of letter but of spirit;
for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious
that the children of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses
because of its glory that was going to fade,
how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious?
For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious,
the ministry of righteousness will abound much more in glory.
Indeed, what was endowed with glory
has come to have no glory in this respect
because of the glory that surpasses it.
For if what was going to fade was glorious,
how much more will what endures be glorious.
Responsorial PsalmPS 99:5, 6, 7, 8, 9
R. (see 9c) Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
O LORD, our God, you answered them;
a forgiving God you were to them,
though requiting their misdeeds.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Teach me your paths, my God,
and guide me in your truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
O LORD, our God, you answered them;
a forgiving God you were to them,
though requiting their misdeeds.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
AlleluiaPS 25:4B, 5A
R. Alleluia, alleluia.Teach me your paths, my God,
and guide me in your truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 5:17-19
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
#BreakingNews 88 Christians Kidnapped by ISIS in #Libya - Please PRAY
Latest #News of #PopeFrancis and #Vatican - US agreement on Tax Evasion - and more
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10-06-2015 - Year XXII - Num. 108
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Summary | ||||
| - General audience: the family, the closest hospital | ||||
| - The tenth meeting of the Council of Cardinals comes to an end | ||||
| - The Holy See and the United States sign agreement against tax evasion | ||||
| - The Holy See at the 39th Conference of the FAO: sustainable human development | ||||
| - Audiences | ||||
- Other Pontifical Acts
| ||||
| General audience: the family, the closest hospital Vatican City, 10 June 2015 (VIS) – Illness, a common experience in the life of families from childhood until advanced age, was the theme of the Pope's catechesis during this week's Wednesday general audience. “The family has always been the 'closest hospital'. And still, today, in many parts of the world, the hospital is a privilege enjoyed by few, and is often far away. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and grandparents provide care and help heal the sick”. In the Gospel there are many encounters between Jesus and the sick, and his commitment to caring for them. Christ “presents himself publicly as one who fights against sickness and who has come to cure man of every ill: ills of the spirit and of the body”. The Pope remarked that the scene in the Gospel of Mark – “that evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons” – is “truly moving. … If I think of today's great cities, I ask myself, where are the doors before which we can bring the sick, hoping they will be healed. Jesus never withdrew from their care, He never passed them by, He never turned away. And when a father or a mother, or even simply friends brought an invalid before Him, for Him to touch and heal, He wasted no time; healing came before the law, even sacred laws such as rest on the Sabbath”. Jesus sent His disciples to fulfil the same task and He gave them the power to heal. “We must keep in mind what He said to the disciples in the episode of the man born blind. The disciples – with the blind man before them – debated about who had sinned, him or his parents, to provoke his blindness. The Lord said clearly: neither him nor his parents; 'but that the works of God might be displayed in him'. And He healed him. Here is the glory of God! Here is the task of the Church! To help the sick, not to get lost in talk. To help, console, alleviate, always to be near: this is her task”. “The Church invites us to continual prayer for our dear ones who are sick, and prayer for them must never be lacking. Rather, we must pray more, both personally and as a community. … Faced with sickness, difficulties can also arise in the family as a result of human weakness. But in general illness strengthens family bonds. And I think of how important it is to educate children, starting from infancy, on the importance of solidarity in times of sickness. An education that shelters them from sensitivity to human sickness hardens the heart and anaesthetises the young to the suffering of others, rendering them incapable of facing up to suffering and living the experience of limits”. “The weakness and suffering of our most loved ones … can be … a school of life … and especially when illness is accompanied by prayer and the fraternal, affectionate closeness of families. The Christian community is well aware that the family, during the trials of sickness, must not be left alone. … This Christian closeness of family to family, is a true treasure for a parish: a treasure of wisdom, that helps families in difficult moments and enables them to understand the Kingdom of God more clearly than through words”. |
| The tenth meeting of the Council of Cardinals comes to an end Vatican City, 10 June 2015 (VIS) – The director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., gave a briefing this morning on the work of the tenth meeting of the Council of Cardinals, which began on Monday and concluded this morning in the Domus Sanctae Marthae. The Holy Father attended all the sessions, both morning and afternoon, on Mondayand Tuesday; however as usual he did not participate in this morning's session due to theWednesday general audience. Cardinal Laurent Mosengwo Pasinya was unable to attend the meeting. The first day was dedicated largely to the examination of the draft Preamble of the new Constitution, which will be further elaborated. With regard to financial and economic reform, Cardinal Pell, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, presented a report with updated information on the financial reforms. He mentioned the appointment of the new Auditor General, the approval of the new Statute for Pension Funds and the completion of the list of bodies subject to the control and supervision of the Council for the Economy, in accordance with its Statutes. He also referred to three new initiatives of the Council for the Economy, constituting three working groups: one for the analysis of income and investments; one for human resources management, and a third for the study of the existing IT systems, their compatibility and their efficiency. He concluded by reporting on the progress of the various current activities of the Secretariat for the Economy. In the afternoon session of 8 June 2015, the Council of Cardinals received a report from Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, OFM Cap. with a proposal for the Holy Father regarding allegations of the abuse of office by a bishop connected to the abuse of minors, originally prepared by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Cardinal O'Malley’s report also included a proposal regarding allegations of sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults by clergy. For each proposal, the report indicated the general terms which define it, issues relating to procedure and to the competent Tribunal, as well as the advantages of the proposal compared with other possible solutions. The text concludes with a list of five specific proposals made to the Holy Father, which are listed below. It is proposed that: 1. because the competence to receive and investigate complaints of the episcopal abuse of office belongs to the Congregations for Bishops, Evangelisation of Peoples, or Oriental Churches, there is the duty to report all complaints to the appropriate Congregation; 2. the Holy Father mandate the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to judge bishops with regard to crimes of the abuse of office when connected to the abuse of minors; 3. the Holy Father authorise the establishment of a new Judicial Section in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and appointment of stable personnel to undertake service in the Tribunal. The implementation of this decision would follow consultation with the prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; 4. the Holy Father appoint a secretary to assist the prefect with the Tribunal. The secretary will be responsible for the new Judicial Section and the personnel of the section will also be available to the prefect for penal processes regarding the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults by clergy. This appointment will also follow the consultation with the prefect of the Congregation; 5. the Holy Father establish a five-year period for further development of these proposals and for completing a formal evaluation of their effectiveness; The Council of Cardinals agreed unanimously on these proposals and resolved that they be submitted to the Holy Father, Pope Francis, who approved the proposals and authorised the provision of sufficient resources for this purpose. In the morning of 9 June the Council of Cardinals heard a report given by Msgr. Dario Vigano, director of the Vatican Television Centre and president of the Commission for Vatican communications instituted by the Holy Father Francis on 23 April 2015 (made public on 30 April), and expressed its unanimous approval of the feasibility study conducted by the same Commission. Starting from the analyses and reports of McKinsey and the previous commissions (COSEA and the Vatican Media Commission chaired by Lord Chris Patten), the current Commission presented a plan for reform to be implemented over a four-year period, ensuring the protection of staff and a gradual integration of institutions. These are the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, the Holy See Press Office, Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Centre, the Osservatore Romano, the Photographic Service, the Vatican Publishing House, the Vatican Typography and the Internet Office. The Council of Cardinals expressed a positive judgement to the Holy Father, also in relation to the expected time span. The constitution of the dicastery will be drafted, and the necessary appointments made during the coming months to enable the process to be initiated. The Commission is currently continuing its work, which has yet to be completed. On Wednesday morning, the Council heard a communique from Fr. Michael Czerny of the Pontifical Council “Justice and Peace” regarding the Holy Father's new encyclical and the preparation for its publication. Fr. Czerny explained that, at the Pope's behest, emails will be sent, introduced by a letter from Cardinal Turkson, to inform ordinaries throughout the world of the upcoming publication of the encyclical and to provide suggestions and assistance on the teaching and previous interventions by the Pope on the theme of the environment. It is hoped that this will allow individual bishops and episcopates to prepare for the new document and to accompany it with appropriate explanations and comments, so as to ensure that the publication of the encyclical is experienced as an important event in the life of the universal Church and in communion with the Holy Father. The next meeting of the Council of Cardinals is scheduled for 14 to 16 September. |
| The Holy See and the United States sign agreement against tax evasion Vatican City, 10 June 2015 (VIS) – This morning Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States, and the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Kenneth F. Hackett, signed an historic agreement between the Holy See (acting also in the name of and on behalf of Vatican City State) and the United States of America to improve international tax compliance and the exchange of tax information in view of the U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). This agreement – which is the first formal intergovernmental agreement between the Holy See and the United States – underscores the commitment of both parties to promote and ensure ethical behaviour in the financial and economic fields. In particular, this agreement will prevent tax evasion and facilitate the compliance of fiscal duties by those U.S. citizens who conduct financial activities in Vatican City State. Ensuring the payment of taxes and preventing tax evasion are of crucial economic importance for every community since adequate tax revenues and public spending are indispensable for governments to become instruments of development and solidarity, to encourage employment growth, to sustain business and charitable activities, and to provide systems of social insurance and assistance designed to protect the weakest members of society. In a context of economic globalisation, it is therefore essential to strengthen the exchange of information with the view to prevent tax evasion. The present agreement is thus based on the most up-to-date global standards to curtail offshore tax evasion through the automatic exchange of tax information. |
| The Holy See at the 39th Conference of the FAO: sustainable human development Vatican City, 10 June 2015 (VIS) – Msgr. Fernando Chica Arellano, head of the Holy See delegation at the 39th session of the Conference of the FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation), being held in Rome from 6 to 13 June, spoke this morning at the seventh plenary session dedicated to the theme “Breaking the cycle of rural poverty and hunger by strengthening rural resilience: social protection and sustainable agricultural development". Tomorrow in the Vatican the Holy Father will receive in audience the 450 attendees of the Conference. “The member States and various intergovernmental institutions who work in the sector of development and cooperation keep a close eye on the FAO and its activities, as does civil society in its different and valuable forms of organisation. The work that this organisation is called upon to undertake, in the present and in the near future, in the various regions of the world, must be focused on this reality”, affirmed the prelate. “This requires extra effort: in facing the problems of the rural world and the needs of those who suffer from hunger and malnutrition it is also necessary to consider the condition of agricultural workers and their earnings, but without forgetting that the agricultural worker is not solely an economic subject. He or she is a person capable of participating in decision-making regarding production, conservation and distribution of the fruits of the land”. “Therefore, more than sustainable development, it would be far more incisive and coherent to speak about sustainable human development, or rather a development that places at the centre the human person, with his or her real capacities, limitations, peculiarities and needs, both individually and as a family. If the economic parameters do not take all this into account, the resulting damage is clear and irreparable, for greater progress can never be equivalent to less humanity. An ethical and human vision of development requires us instead to share resources, strategies and financing, but above all reminds us of the urgency and importance of solidarity as well as determination to put an end, once and for all, to the underdevelopment of the rural world. The Organisation may then continue to be the competent 'centre' for the gathering, study and dissemination of information on agriculture, production methods and regulations, as its Constitution stipulates and as is justly expected of it at all levels”. “The Holy See delegation wishes here to reaffirm the willingness of the Catholic Church, in her structures and organisational forms, to contribute to this effort”, concluded Msgr. Chica Arellano. |
| Audiences Vatican City, 10 June 2015 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in audience Archbishop Piergiorgio Bertoldi, apostolic nuncio in Burkina Faso and Niger, with family members. This afternoon, he is scheduled to receive in audience Vladimir V. Putin, president of the Russian Federation, and entourage. |
| Other Pontifical Acts Vatican City, 10 June 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has accepted: - the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Amargosa, Brazil, presented by Bishop Joao Nilton dos Santos Souza, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law. - appointed Bishop Teodoro Mendes Tavares, C.S.Sp., auxiliary of the archdiocese of Belem do Para, Brazil, as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Ponta de Pedras (area 2,082, population 2,253,045, Catholics 1,857,243, priests 199, permanent deacons 82, religious 545), Brazil. |
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09-06-2015 - Year XXII - Num. 107
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| Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher at the Council of Europe: the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue Vatican City, 9 June 2015 (VIS) – Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States, spoke at the seminar “Building inclusive societies together: contributions to Sarajevo's exchange on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue” on 8 June at the Council of Europe, in preparation for the 2015 Meeting on this issue to be held in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 8 to 9 September. The archbishop structured his discussion according to four main theses: in the context of growing multipolarity, religions are an essential subject/actor in the area of intercultural dialogue; religions are called to offer a specific contribution to the advancement of a culture of human rights; religious freedom is a key element in the development of a democratic society; and the promotion and protection of the right to religious freedom is a basic task of states and international organisations. “Open and respectful encounters between religious traditions and between these and the social and political world are fundamental for social cohesion”, he said. “The religious dimension continues to be a living reference point for millions of people in Europe, affecting their choices and, to a greater or lesser degree, their identity. It is a dimension which is in continuous transformation, due to new religious forms of life and profound changes experienced within religious communities that have long been present in Europe. ... For intercultural dialogue to bear fruit, it must face not only the religious dimension in general, but also interact with particular religious confessions with all their historic characteristics”. “Without the particular contribution given by religious perspectives on the human person, … the entire culture of human rights, even those of non-believers, would be greatly impoverished. I cannot claim to speak in the name of other religious cultures; but I believe that the specific contribution of the Catholic Church to a common culture of human rights may be seen in concrete ways and I will limit myself to offering a few examples, which are by no means exhaustive. First of all, there is the awareness of a radical equality and fraternity between every human person created in the image and likeness of God. Secondly, the recognition of the worth of the least among us, of the poor and the marginalised, of the dignity of every human life no matter how weak or precarious, from conception through natural death. Thirdly, the capacity to transmit a religious identity which is both firm and respectful of others, open to dialogue with other religions and world views. As can easily be seen, these are universal values, and while they are not exclusive to the Catholic Faith, the latter has offered and continues to offer a unique contribution. Every religious tradition can and must make its own particular contribution, even when it becomes important to find a way to relate honestly to one another, embracing the good that exists in all traditions and also inviting sincere discussion on the perceived limitations of every tradition of thought, be it religious or not”. “In today’s context of multicultural societies, respect for religious freedom is one of the fundamental factors by which the health of a given democracy can be evaluated as being truly a home for everyone. Promoting religious freedom appears particularly important in averting and countering the phenomena of extremist violence and radicalisation, against which governments and international organisations are currently engaged, among them the Council of Europe”. |
| Cardinal Rauber to take possession of his diaconate Vatican City, 9 June 2015 (VIS) – The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that on Saturday 13 June at 11 a.m., Cardinal Karl-Josef Rauber will take possession of the diaconate of Sant'Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia, (Circonvallazione Appia, 150). |
| Other Pontifical Acts Vatican City, 9 June 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed Rev. Fr. Aliaksandr Yasheuski, S.D.B., as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Minsk-Mohilev (area 69,800, population 4,253,000, Catholics 610,000, priests 124, religious 147), Belarus. The bishop-elect was born in 1974 in Smarhon, Belarus, gave his perpetual vows in 1998, and was ordained a priest in 2000. He holds a licentiate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Salesian University of Rome, and has served in a number of pastoral roles in the diocese of Grodno, Belarus, including parish administrator, and within his community as director of the Salesian novitiate in Oktiabrsk in the province of Moscow, Russian Federation. In Minsk he has served as parish vicar, director of the office for education and religious teaching, director of the Salesian community, and teacher of dogmatic theology at the centre for the preparation of catechists. He is currently parish vicar in Smarhon, director of the local Salesian community, and vicar and bursar of the Belarusian delegation of the Salesian society. |
Saint June 10 : St. Getulius & Companions
MARTYRS
Feast: June 10
Information:Feast Day:
June 10
Died:
120 AD
Major Shrine:
Sant'Angelo in Pescheria, Rome Martyr with Amantius, Caerealis, and Primitivus during the reign of Emperor Hadrian (r. 117-138). He was the husband of St. Symphorosa. An officer in the Roman army, he resigned when he became a Christian and returned to his estates near Tivoli, Italy. There he converted Caerealis, the imperial legate sent to arrest him. With his brother Amantius and with Caerealis and Primitivus, Getulius was tortured and martyred at Tivoli. The significance of the conversion rests in part upon the fact that the emperor himself owned a large and famous estate in the same area, an indication of how the Christian faith had established itself among the ranks of the wealthy patrician class of the empire.
(Taken from Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints)
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