2016
#PopeFrancis "...our unity in Christ as God’s People.” #ChristianUnity #Audience - Text/Video
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on a cold Wednesday morning in Rome greeted the thousands of people in the warmth of the Paul the VI hall who had gathered for his General Audience.
The Holy Father, during his Catechesis focused his attention on Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which is currently underway. Pope Francis reflected on the theme for the week taken from the first letter of Saint Peter, "Called to proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord”, which he said was chosen by an ecumenical group in Latvia.
Listen: 
The Pope explained that this Week of Prayer invites us to “reflect on, and bear witness to, our unity in Christ as God’s People.”
He went on to say, that all those baptized, reborn to new life in Christ, are brothers and sisters, despite, “our divisions.”
Continuing on the theme of baptism, he said that it meant rediscovering the source of mercy, which is a source of hope for all, and he underlined, “no one is excluded from God's mercy.” Sharing this grace, he added “creates an unbreakable bond between us Christians”, so that, by virtue of Baptism, we can consider ourselves brothers.
Concluding his Catechesis, the Holy Father prayed that during this Week of Prayer, the Lord would help all Christians to grow in that unity “which is greater than what divides us,” adding, “together, may we respond to his call to share with others, especially with the poor and forgotten of our world, the gift of divine mercy which we ourselves have received.”
(Lydia O'Kane)
English Language summary of Catechesis from Vatican. Va
Speaker:
Dear Brothers and Sisters: In these days we celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This year’s theme is drawn from the First Letter of Peter, and was chosen by an ecumenical group from Latvia. In his Letter, Saint Peter encourages the first Christians to acknowledge the great gift received in Baptism and to live in a way worthy of it. He tells them: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people”. This Week of Prayer invites us to reflect on, and bear witness to, our unity in Christ as God’s People. All the baptized, reborn to new life in Christ, are brothers and sisters, despite our divisions. Through Baptism we have been charged, as Saint Peter tells us, “to proclaim the mighty works of the one who has called us out of darkness into his marvellous light”. During this Week of Prayer, let us ask the Lord to help all Christians to grow in that unity which is greater than what divides us. Together, may we respond to his call to share with others, especially with the poor and forgotten of our world, the gift of divine mercy which we ourselves have received.
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including those from New Zealand and the United States of America. In the context of this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, I offer a special greeting to the group from the Bossey Ecumenical Institute. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke an abundance of joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all!
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19-01-2016 - Year XXVI - Num. 11
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Summary | |||||||||||
| - Cardinal Parolin to the Global Foundation: encourage an economy at the service of our common home, the world | |||||||||||
| - Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, sole non-Muslim speaker at the First Arab Thinkers Forum | |||||||||||
- In memoriam
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| Cardinal Parolin to the Global Foundation: encourage an economy at the service of our common home, the world Vatican City, 19 January 2016 (VIS) – Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin spoke yesterday at round table organised by the Global Foundation on the theme "Rejecting the globalisation of indifference – towards a more inclusive and sustainable global economy". This initiative, he said, emphasises the Foundation's "commitment to being a privileged place of dialogue between major economic and political players, as well as a catalyst for ideas for the construction of an economic system at the service of integral economic development". Cardinal Parolin affirmed that since the beginning of his Pontificate, faced with the many difficulties which afflict the world, the Pope has emphasised "the grave consequences of indifference and of the lack of responsibility", calling for the correction of an economy that causes exclusion and inequality. "He invites the rich and the poor, the powerful and simple, politicians and entrepreneurs to put the creative power of human intelligence at the service of the common good, with a spirit of solidarity and – I would add – mercy". "Without forgetting how much has been done in these first years of the third millennium to help people escape from extreme poverty, Pope Francis continues to underscore his conviction that much more still needs to be done, and that in times of crisis and economic hardship a spirit of global solidarity must not be lost. It goes without saying – that part of this great effort is the creation and distribution of wealth. The right use of natural resources, the proper application of technology and the harnessing of the spirit of enterprise are essential elements of an economy which seeks to be modern, inclusive and sustainable. That will be possible, keeping in mind the definition of justice of the Roman jurist Ulpian and of St Augustine of Hippo – “Iustitia est constans et perpetua voluntas ius suum cuique tribuendi” (Justice is the constant and perpetual will to render to every man his due), which the Pope quoted in his address to the United Nations on 25th September 2015, with reference to the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, in order to say to those responsible for global affairs that our world demands of all government leaders a will which is effective, practical and constant, concrete steps and immediate measures for preserving and improving the natural environment and thus putting an end as quickly as possible to the phenomenon of social and economic exclusion". The Secretary of State concluded by highlighting the importance of the meeting organised by the Global Foundation, which is "an important space for encouraging an increase in global awareness of the serious problems of environmental degradation and exclusion. It will thus provide a stimulus to strengthen the action which has already begun, and is starting to show positive and enduring results. … I reiterate the wish that these days might bring forth worthwhile contributions to encourage an economy which is increasingly at the service of our common home, which is the world as a whole". |
| Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, sole non-Muslim speaker at the First Arab Thinkers Forum Vatican City, 19 January 2016 (VIS) – "Interreligious Dialogue and Extremism: reasons and remedies" was the title of the First Arab Thinkers Forum, held in Abu Dhabi from 17 to 18 January at the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research. The only non-Muslim speaker was Fr. Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, who intervened during the first session during which the Grand Mufti of Lebanon, Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan, also gave an address. In the other sessions there were contributions from various figures from the Arab Emirates, Egypt and Morocco. Fr. Ayuso Guixot structured his discourse around five key points: extremism, the culture of encounter, the key role of religious leaders, the need for sincere dialogue and the importance of prayer. He emphasised that it was not his intention to pursue considerations on the economic, political, social and cultural reasons for extremism, well known to those present, preferring to focus instead on Pope Francis' recommendations to the international community on how to construct peace which can serve to counter extremism. He began by citing the Holy Father's address to the Diplomatic Corps on 11 January this year, in which he affirmed that "extremism and fundamentalism find fertile ground not only in the exploitation of religion for purposes of power, but also in the vacuum of ideals and the loss of identity – including religious identity – which dramatically marks the so-called West. This vacuum gives rise to the fear which leads to seeing the other as a threat and an enemy, to closed-mindedness and intransigence in defending perceived notions. Yet the greatest challenge we face is that overcoming indifference in order to work together for peace, a good which must constantly be sought, by the promotion of a 'culture of encounter'. … Pope Francis believes that the motivation for interreligious dialogue must rest in the mutual commitment to peace and justice, thus making them the basic principles for all exchanges". With reference to the key role of religious leaders, the secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue underlined that "extremist tendencies, irrespective of their origin, are actually among the most dangerous threats to world peace and security", and are incompatible with a truly religious ethic. Consequently, there is a need for "genuine effort by religious leaders and opinion makers to identify those persons who portray false beliefs and behaviours as part of their religious ideology". Political leaders "must support this campaign of awareness in order to prevent extremism in society and to lay the groundwork for moderation", has said, adding that "As religious leaders, we are obliged to denounce all violations against human dignity and human rights. Human life, a gift of God the Creator, possesses a sacred character. As such, any violence that seeks religious justification warrants the strongest condemnation because the Omnipotent is the God of life and peace". In relation to the need for sincere interreligious dialogue, the prelate underlined that believers are united in the path of life, starting from our own identify for the good of our brothers and sisters. "Every one of us offers the witness of our identity to others and engages in dialogue with others. Then dialogue can move on to theological questions. But even more important and beautiful is to walk together without betraying our own identity, without disguising it, without hypocrisy". Finally he recalled that "we believers have no recipe for these problems, but we have one great resource: prayer. As believers we pray. We must pray. Prayer is our treasure, which we draw from according to our respective traditions, to request the gifts for which humanity longs". |
| In memoriam Vatican City, 19 January 2016 (VIS) – The following prelates have died in recent weeks: - Bishop Joseph Roduit, C.R.A, abbot-bishop emeritus of Saint-Maurice, Switzerland, on 17 December 2015 at the age of 76. - Bishop Placidus Gervasius Nkalanga, O.S.B., emeritus of Bukoba, Tanzania, on 18 December 2015 at the age of 96. - Bishop Joseph Leopold Imesch, emeritus of Joliet in Illinois, United States of America, on 22 December 2015 at the age of 84. - Archbishop Grégoire Haddad, emeritus of Beirut and Jbeil of the Greek-Melkites, Lebanon, on 23 December 2015 at the age of 91. - Bishop Youhannes Ezzat Zakaria Badir, emeritus of Luxor of the Copts, Egypt, on 27 December 2015 at the age of 66. - Bishop Daniel Leo Ryan, emeritus of Springfield in Illinois, United States of America, on 31 December 2015 at the age of 85. - Bishop Barnabas Rugwizangonga Halem ’Imana, emeritus of Kabale, Uganda, on 3 January 2016 at the age of 87. - Bishop Alberto Iniesta Jimenez, auxiliary emeritus of Madrid, Spain, on 3 January 2016 at the age of 92. - Bishop Raymond William Lessard, emeritus of Savannah, Georgia, United States of America, on 3 January 2016 at the age of 85. - Bishop Carlos Milciades Villalba Aquino, emeritus of San Juan Bautista de las Misiones, Paraguay, on 8 January 2016 at the age of 91. - Bishop Paul-Marie Francois Rousset, Ist. del Prado, emeritus of Saint-Etienne, France, on 9 January 2016 at the age of 94. - Archbishop Francis Thomas Hurley, emeritus of Anchorage, Alaska, USA, on 10 January 2016 at the age of 88. - Bishop Albert Onyembo Lomandjo, C.S.Sp., emeritus of Kindu, Democratic Republic of Congo, 11 January 2016 at the age of 84. - Archbishop Daniel Joseph Bohan, of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, on 15 January 2016 at the age of 74. - Archbishop Francis Bible Schulte, emeritus of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America, on 17 January 2016 at the age of 89. |
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18-01-2016 - Year XXVI - Num. 10
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| The Pope receives in audience Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco Vatican City, 18 January 2016 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in audience His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, accompanied by Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene. The Prince subsequently met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States. During the cordial discussions, the existing good bilateral relations were emphasised and reference was made to the historical contribution of the Catholic Church to the life of the Principality. Attention then turned to various matters of common interest, such as the protection of the environment, humanitarian aid and the integral development of peoples. Finally, the parties considered some issues affecting the international community, such as peace and security, the acceptance of migrants and the general situation in the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. |
| To the Finnish ecumenical delegation: Christians are called upon to be credible witnesses to unity and artisans of peace and reconciliation Vatican City, 18 January 2016 (VIS) – This year, as is traditional, an ecumenical delegation from Finland, led this year by the Lutheran bishop of Helsinki, Irja Askola, came to visit the bishop of Rome for the feast day of St. Henry of Uppsala, patron of the country. "Your ecumenical pilgrimage is an eloquent sign of the fact that, as Lutherans, Orthodox and Catholics, you have recognised what unites you and together you wish to bear witness to Jesus Christ, Who is the foundation of unity", said the Pope, expressing his joy at their visit. "In a special way, we can thank the Lord for the fruits of the dialogue between Lutherans and Catholics", he continued. "Here I think in particular of the common document on 'Justification in the Life of the Church'. Building on these foundations, our dialogue is making promising progress towards a shared understanding, on the sacramental level, of Church, Eucharist and Ministry. These steps forward, made together, lay a solid basis for a growing communion of life in faith and spirituality, as our relations develop in a spirit of serene discussion and fraternal sharing". Although in this dialogue, differences still remain in doctrine and in practice, "This must not discourage us, but instead spur us along our journey towards ever greater unity, not least by working to overcome old ideas and suspicions. In a world frequently torn by conflict and marked by secularism and indifference, we are called to join in professing our faith in Jesus Christ, and thus to become ever more credible witnesses of unity and promoters of peace and reconciliation", concluded the Holy Father. |
| Francis thanks public security personnel in the Vatican Vatican City, 18 January 2016 (VIS) – This morning the Holy Father received in audience in the Clementine Hall the members of the General Inspectorate for Public Security in the who serve in the Vatican. The agents also accompany the Pope on his pastoral visits in Italy, and the Pope also thanked them for their service in this role. During his address to the security personnel, Francis affirmed that his meeting with them was very important this year in the context of the Holy Year of Mercy, an event of spiritual significance which has already brought tens of thousands of pilgrims from around the world to Rome in this first month alone. The managers, officials and agents of the public security service are therefore required to make even greater efforts "to ensure that the celebrations and events connected with the extraordinary Jubilee take place in a regular and fruitful way. External order, over which you keep careful watch, can only benefit inner order, permeated with serenity and peace". "We have just concluded Christmas time, but in many places, as in St. Peter's Square, the nativity remains on display, and invites us to protect within us, following the example of Our Lady, the mystery we have celebrated. Mary offered us Jesus as the beginning of a new life. The Child is the true consoler of hearts, the true light that illuminates our life, conquering the darkness of sin. In Him we have contemplated the face of the mercy of God the Father, and we have received a renewed invitation to convert to love and forgiveness. May this spiritual experience accompany us throughout the entire Holy Year, and may the Jubilee of Mercy be for all of us a time that is strong for the spirit, a time of reconciliation with God and with our brothers", concluded the Holy Father. |
| Francis visits the Great Synagogue of Rome Vatican City, 17 January 2016 (VIS) – Yesterday, following in the footsteps of St. John Paul II and Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, Pope Francis visited the Great Synagogue of Rome to greet the Jewish community of the capital, the longest-established in the world. The Holy Father was received by the president of the Community of Rome, Ruth Dureghello, the president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, Renzo Gattegna and the Chief Rabbi of Rome, Riccardo Di Segni, who gave a welcome address. "Toda rabba", (thank you), responded Francis, who then went on to speak about the importance that he has always attributed to the relationship between Jews and Christians ever since his days in Buenos Aires, when he met with the Argentine Jewish community and closely followed its celebrations and ceremonies. "In Jewish-Christian dialogue, there is a unique and special bond, by virtue of the Jewish roots of Christianity: Jews and Christians should consider themselves brothers, united by the same God and by a rich common spiritual heritage on which we base and continue to build the future". In this respect, he recalled that on 13 April 1986 St. John Paul II, during his visit to the same synagogue, coined the expression "elder brothers" to describe Jews in relation to Christians, and indeed, he affirmed "you are our elder brothers and sisters in faith. We all belong to the same family, the family of God, Who accompanies us and protects us as His people". Francis noted that 2015 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the conciliar Declaration "Nostra aetate", which enabled systematic dialogue between the Catholic Church and Judaism, transforming the relationship between Christians and Jews. "From enemies and strangers, we have become friends and brothers. … 'Yes' to the rediscovery of the Jewish roots of Christianity, 'no' to any form of anti-Semitism, and condemnation of every injustice, discrimination and persecution that may derive from it". The Pope also highlighted the theological dimension of this dialogue, affirming that "Christians, to understand themselves, cannot but refer to these Jewish roots, and the Church, while professing salvation through faith in Christ, acknowledges the irrevocable nature of the Old Covenant and God's constant, faithful love for Israel". However, alongside the theological questions, the Pope also spoke about the challenges that today's world must face, beginning with that of the integral ecology that both Jews and Christians must respond to by offering "to humanity as a whole the Bible's message regarding care for creation. Conflicts, wars, violence and injustice open up deep wounds in humanity, and we are called upon to strengthen our commitment to peace and justice. Man's violence against man contradicts any religion worthy of the name, and in particular, the three great monotheistic religions. Life is sacred, as a gift from God. The fifth Commandment of the Decalogue says: 'Thou shalt not kill'. God is the God of life, and wishes always to promote it and defend it; and we, created in His image and semblance, are required to do likewise. Every human being, as a creature of God, is our brother, regardless of his origin or his religious belief. … Neither violence nor death will have the final word before God, Who is the God of love and life. We must pray ceaselessly so that in Europe, the Holy Land, the Middle East, Africa and every other part of the world He may help us to practice the logic of peace, reconciliation, forgiveness and life". The ceremony was also attended by the last Italian survivors of the Shoah, and the bishop of Rome spoke to them of how "the Jewish people, throughout their history, have suffered violence and persecution, up to the extermination of European Jews during the Shoah. Six million people, just because they belonged to the Jewish people, were victims of the most inhuman barbarism perpetrated in the name of an ideology that sought to substitute man for God". "On 16 October 1943, more than a thousand men, women and children of the Jewish community of Rome were deported to Auschwitz", he recalled. "Today I wish to remember them with the heart in a special way: their suffering, their anguish, their tears must never be forgotten. And the past must serve as a lesson for the present and for the future. The Shoah teaches us that it is necessary to maintain the highest vigilance, so as to intervene promptly in defence of human dignity and peace. I would like to express my closeness to every living witness of the Shoah, and I greet in particular those of you who are present here". "In the last fifty years, mutual understanding and trust, and friendship, have grown and deepened between us", concluded the Holy Father. "Let us pray together to the Lord so that He might lead us on a path to a better future. God has plans for our salvation". |
| Angelus: Jesus responds to the promises of joy that fill our hearts Vatican City, 17 January 2016 (VIS) – Today, World Day of Migrants and Refugees, the Pope appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, including seven thousand people from various ethnic communities on a pilgrimage to pass through the Holy Door, and to hear the Holy Father speak. Before the Marian prayer Francis spoke about the day's Gospel reading, which narrates Jesus' first miracle, the transformation of water into wine during the wedding party at Cana. "Miracles, then, are extraordinary signs that accompany the preaching of the Good News, and are intended to kindle or strengthen faith in Jesus. In the miracle at Cana, we can see an act of kindness by Jesus towards the newlyweds, a sign of God’s blessing of the marriage. The love between man and woman is therefore a good way to live the Gospel, that is, to walk with joy on the path of holiness". "But the miracle of Cana is not just about the bride and groom", he added. "Every person is called to meet the Lord in his life. The Christian faith is a gift we receive in Baptism, which enables us to meet God. Faith passes through times of joy and sorrow, light and darkness, as in any authentic experience of love. The story of the wedding at Cana invites us to rediscover that Jesus does not come to us as a judge ready to condemn our sins, nor as a commander demanding we blindly follow His orders. He appears as the Saviour of humanity … as the One who answers the expectations and promises of joy that dwell in the heart of every one of us". "Do I truly know the Lord in this way?" asked the Pope. "Do I feel Him next to me, in my life? … This means becoming aware that Jesus searches for us and invites us to make room for Him deep in our heart. And in this journey of faith, with Him, we are not alone: we have received the gift of the Blood of Christ. The large stone jars that Jesus filled with water to transform it into wine are a sign of the passage from the Old to the New Covenant: instead of water used for the purification ritual, we received the Blood of Jesus, poured in a sacramental way in the Eucharist and in a brutal way in the Passion and on the Cross. The Sacraments, which flow from the Paschal Mystery, imbue us with supernatural strength and allow us to enjoy God's infinite mercy". "May the Virgin Mary, model of meditation on the words and gestures of the Lord, help us to rediscover faith with the beauty and richness of the Eucharist and the other Sacraments, which manifest God's faithful love for us. In this way we may deepen our love for the Lord Jesus, our Spouse, and go towards Him with lamps lit with our joyous faith, thus becoming His witnesses in the world", he concluded. |
| The Pope prays for the victims of the attacks in Indonesia and Burkina Faso, and urges migrants not to let themselves be robbed of hope Vatican City, 17 January 2016 (VIS) – After today's Angelus prayer, the Pope affectionately greeted the members of the various ethnic communities present in the Square. "Dear migrants and refugees", he said, "each of you carries a history, a culture, precious values; and often, unfortunately, experiences of poverty, oppression and fear. Your presence in this square is a sign of hope in God. Do not let yourselves to be robbed of hope and the joy of living, that spring from the experience of divine mercy, thanks also to the people who welcome you and help you". "I now invite you all to pray to God for the victims of the attacks that have taken place in recent days in Indonesia and Burkina Faso. May the Lord welcome them into His home, and support the efforts of the international community to build peace", Francis concluded, praying the Hail Mary with all those present. |
| The Pope advocates a new humanism of work Vatican City, 16 January 2016 (VIS) – Education, sharing and witness were the three words that the Pope suggested to the members of the Christian Workers' Movement for living the vocation of work, a vocation that "calls us to imitate actively the tireless work of the Father and of Jesus Who, as the Gospel tells us, are always working". In the Paul VI Hall Francis spoke to seven thousand members of the organisation about the importance of education which "is not solely about teaching various techniques or imparting ideas, but rather making ourselves and the reality that surrounds us more human. And this applies in a special way to work: it is necessary to teach a new 'humanism of work'. We live in a time of exploitation of workers, in a time in which work is not at the service of the dignity of the person, but is instead slave labour. We must instruct and educate in a new humanism of work, in which mankind, and not profit, is at the centre; in which the economy does not exploit but instead serves man". Education is fundamental in helping us "not to be deceived into thinking that work, our daily effort, the gift of oneself and study do not have any value. I would add that nowadays, in the world of work – as in every environment – it is urgent to educate in following the luminous and demanding road of honesty, shunning the short cuts of favouritism and influential connections. These temptations, great and small, are always present, but they must always be seen as moral bargains unworthy of man: they are to be rejected, so that the heart is accustomed to staying free. Otherwise, they generate a false and harmful mentality, which must be combated: that of illegality, which leads to the corruption of the person and of society. Illegality is like an unseen octopus, hidden and submerged but which grabs and poisons with its tentacles, contaminating and causing great harm". With regard to sharing, the Pope remarked that work is not merely an individual vocation, but rather an opportunity to enter into relations with others. "Work should unite people, not distance them from each other or cause them to be closed and distant. … It offers the chance to share daily life, to be interested in those near us, to receive as a gift and as a responsibility the presence of others". Referring to the "Civil Service projects", an initiative of the Movement which enables it to bring people and new contexts together and occupy itself with their problems and hopes, he emphasised that others should not simply receive passing attention but should instead be the focus of genuine projects. "Everyone makes plans for himself, but planning for others allows us to take a step further: to place intelligence at the service of love, making the person more complete and life happier, through the capacity to give". Finally, witness. "The apostle Paul encouraged the witness of faith through activity, conquering laziness and indolence, and he set out a very strong and clear rule: 'If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat'. In that time too there were those who made others work so that they themselves could eat. Today, instead, there are people who would like to work but they are not able to, and struggle even to eat. You encounter many young people who do not work; they are truly, as you have said, the new excluded people of our time. Just think that in some countries in Europe, this cultured Europe of ours, youth unemployment reaches 40 per cent, 47 per cent in other countries, 50 per cent in others. But what can a young person do without working? Where does he or she end up? As a victim of addiction, psychological illness, suicide. The statistics of suicide among the young are not always published. It is a tragedy, a tragedy of the excluded people of our time, who are deprived of their dignity. Human justice requires access to work for all. Even divine mercy calls to us: faced with people in difficulty and in situations of hardship – I think of young people for whom getting married or having children is a problem, as they do not have a sufficiently stable job or a house – it is not helpful to give sermons. Instead it is necessary to transmit hope, comfort with presence, and support with concrete assistance". |
| The Pope begins his "Fridays of mercy" Vatican City, 16 January 2016 (VIS) – Yesterday Pope Francis began his "Fridays of mercy" yesterday with a visit to a rest home for the elderly on the outskirts of Rome. He announced this initiative at the beginning of the Jubilee, explaining that one Friday each month he would perform a special gesture of mercy. The Holy Father, accompanied by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, responsible for the organisation of the Jubilee of Mercy, arrived at 4 p.m. at the Bruno Buozzi rest home, which accommodates 33 elderly people. He spoke with all the residents, who were happy and surprised at the visit, which had not been announced in advance. Before returning to the Vatican, the Pope also visited the Casa Iride, which accommodates six patients in a vegetative state. The centre is not organised as a hospital, but rather as a family house where the residents can be continually assisted by members of their families. According to a note from the Holy See Press Office, Pope Francis especially wished to counter the "throwaway culture" on this occasion by highlighting "the great importance and value of the elderly and grandparents, as well as the value and dignity of life in every situation". |
| Audiences Vatican City, January 2016 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in audience: - Christine Lagarde, director general of the International Monetary Fund; - Archbishop Antonio Mennini, apostolic nuncio in Great Britain; - Archbishop Leo William Cushley of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Scotland. On Saturday 16 January the Holy Father received in audience: - Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; - Delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate; - Archbishop Luciano Russo, apostolic nuncio in Rwanda; - Archbishop Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen, apostolic nuncio in Sudan and in Eritrea. |
| Other Pontifical Acts Vatican City, 16 January 2016 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed: - Bishop Stephen Lee Bun Sang, auxiliary of Hong Kong, China, as bishop of Macau (area 30, population 607,500, Catholics 29,872, priests 88, religious 319), China. He succeeds Bishop Jose Lai Hung-seng, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese in accordance with art. 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law was accepted by the Holy Father. - Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto, apostolic nuncio in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Montenegro, as apostolic nuncio in Monaco. |
#BreakingNews 19 Killed in Terrorist attack in #Pakistan - 50 wounded - Please PRAY
Terrorists attack university in Charsadda: at least 19 dead and 50 wounded
Bacha Khan University is located 50 km from Peshawar where the Taliban killed more than 130 students at a military school in 2014. Gunmen attacked at 9:30 am local time. Police evacuated the campus and cordoned off the area. Shooting lasted several hours. Some students and staff members are still trapped inside.
Charsadda (AsiaNews) – Armed men stormed the campus of Bacha Khan University Charsadda, in north-western Pakistan. Police surrounded the area and evacuated students and staff.
Shooting stopped several hours after the attack began. The provisional toll is 19 dead and 50 wounded. According to police, at least four terrorists were killed.
The armed group launched the attack at 9:30 am (local time), from the south and entered the campus through a guesthouse.
The city of Charsadda is located 50 km north of Peshawar, where the Taliban killed more than 130 students at a military school in December 2014. A few days ago, Pakistani authorities evacuated schools in the same city after news of an impending attack by militants.
Explosions were heard at Bacha Khan University. The army intervened with heavy vehicles. Despite the evacuation, the university vice chancellor said, “there are staff members, men and women, and students on campus."
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Today's Mass Readings and Video : Wed. January 20, 2016
Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 313
Reading 11 SM 17:32-33, 37, 40-51
David spoke to Saul:
“Let your majesty not lose courage.
I am at your service to go and fight this Philistine.”
But Saul answered David,
“You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him,
for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.”
David continued:
“The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear,
will also keep me safe from the clutches of this Philistine.”
Saul answered David, “Go! the LORD will be with you.”
Then, staff in hand, David selected five smooth stones from the wadi
and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s bag.
With his sling also ready to hand, he approached the Philistine.
With his shield bearer marching before him,
the Philistine also advanced closer and closer to David.
When he had sized David up,
and seen that he was youthful, and ruddy, and handsome in appearance,
the Philistine held David in contempt.
The Philistine said to David,
“Am I a dog that you come against me with a staff?”
Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods
and said to him, “Come here to me,
and I will leave your flesh for the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field.”
David answered him:
“You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar,
but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted.
Today the LORD shall deliver you into my hand;
I will strike you down and cut off your head.
This very day I will leave your corpse
and the corpses of the Philistine army for the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field;
thus the whole land shall learn that Israel has a God.
All this multitude, too,
shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves.
For the battle is the LORD’s and he shall deliver you into our hands.”
The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters,
while David ran quickly toward the battle line
in the direction of the Philistine.
David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone,
hurled it with the sling,
and struck the Philistine on the forehead.
The stone embedded itself in his brow,
and he fell prostrate on the ground.
Thus David overcame the Philistine with sling and stone;
he struck the Philistine mortally, and did it without a sword.
Then David ran and stood over him;
with the Philistine’s own sword which he drew from its sheath
he dispatched him and cut off his head.
“Let your majesty not lose courage.
I am at your service to go and fight this Philistine.”
But Saul answered David,
“You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him,
for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.”
David continued:
“The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear,
will also keep me safe from the clutches of this Philistine.”
Saul answered David, “Go! the LORD will be with you.”
Then, staff in hand, David selected five smooth stones from the wadi
and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s bag.
With his sling also ready to hand, he approached the Philistine.
With his shield bearer marching before him,
the Philistine also advanced closer and closer to David.
When he had sized David up,
and seen that he was youthful, and ruddy, and handsome in appearance,
the Philistine held David in contempt.
The Philistine said to David,
“Am I a dog that you come against me with a staff?”
Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods
and said to him, “Come here to me,
and I will leave your flesh for the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field.”
David answered him:
“You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar,
but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted.
Today the LORD shall deliver you into my hand;
I will strike you down and cut off your head.
This very day I will leave your corpse
and the corpses of the Philistine army for the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field;
thus the whole land shall learn that Israel has a God.
All this multitude, too,
shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves.
For the battle is the LORD’s and he shall deliver you into our hands.”
The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters,
while David ran quickly toward the battle line
in the direction of the Philistine.
David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone,
hurled it with the sling,
and struck the Philistine on the forehead.
The stone embedded itself in his brow,
and he fell prostrate on the ground.
Thus David overcame the Philistine with sling and stone;
he struck the Philistine mortally, and did it without a sword.
Then David ran and stood over him;
with the Philistine’s own sword which he drew from its sheath
he dispatched him and cut off his head.
Responsorial PsalmPS 144:1B, 2, 9-10
R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
My refuge and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
My refuge and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
AlleluiaSEE MT 4:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 3:1-6
Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.
Saint January 20 : St. Fabian : #Pope and #Martyr
 Information:
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He succeeded St. Anterus in the pontificate in the year 236. Eusebius relates that in an assembly of the people and clergy, held for the election of a pastor in his room, a dove, unexpectedly appearing, settled, to the great surprise of all present, on the head of St. Fabian, and that this miraculous sign united the votes of the clergy and people in promoting him, though not thought of before, as being a layman and a stranger. He governed the church sixteen years, sent St. Dionysius and other preachers into Gaul, and condemned Privatus, a broacher of a new heresy in Africa, as appears from St. Cyprian. St. Fabian died a glorious martyr in the persecution of Decius, in 250, as St. Cyprian and St. Jerome witness. The former, writing to his successor, St. Cornelius, calls him an incomparable man, and says that the glory of his death had answered the purity and holiness of his life.
The saints made God, and the accomplishment of his holy will, the great object of all their petitions in their prayers, and their only aim in all their actions. "God," says St. Austin,[3] "in his promises to hear our prayers, is desirous to bestow himself upon us; if you find any thing better than him, ask it, but if you ask any thing beneath him, you put an affront upon him, and hurt yourself by preferring to him a creature which he framed: pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal prophet said to him, 'Thou, O Lord, art my portion.'[4] Let others choose to themselves portions among creatures; for my part, Thou are my portion, Thee alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance."
(Taken from Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler)
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Saint January 20 : St. Sebastian : #Martyr : #Patron of #Soldiers and #Athletes
Information:
Feast Day:
January 20
Died:
288
Patron of:
Soldiers, plagues, arrows, athletes
Roman martyr; little more than the fact of his martyrdom can be proved about St. Sebastian. In the "Depositio martyrum" of the chronologer of 354 it is mentioned that Sebastian was buried on the Via Appia. St. Ambrose ("In Psalmum cxviii"; "Sermo", XX, no. xliv in PL, XV, 1497) states that Sebastian came from Milan and even in the time of St. Ambrose was venerated there. The Acts, probably written at the beginning of the fifth century and formerly ascribed erroneously to Ambrose, relate that he was an officer in the imperial bodyguard and had secretly done many acts of love and charity for his brethren in the Faith. When he was finally discovered to be a Christian, in 286, he was handed over to the Mauretanian archers, who pierced him with arrows; he was healed, however, by the widowed St. Irene. He was finally killed by the blows of a club. These stories are unhistorical and not worthy of belief. The earliest mosaic picture of St. Sebastian, which probably belongs to the year 682, shows a grown, bearded man in court dress but contains no trace of an arrow. It was the art of the Renaissance that first portrayed him as a youth pierced by arrows. In 367 a basilica which was one of the seven chief churches of Rome was built over his grave. The present church was completed in 1611 by Scipio Cardinal Borghese. His relics in part were taken in the year 826 to St. Medard at Soissons. Sebastian is considered a protector against the plague. Celebrated answers to prayer for his protection against the plague are related of Rome in 680, Milan in 1575, and Lisbon in 1599. His feast day is 20 January.
Actress Patricia Heaton and Stephen Colbert have a Catholic Competition on Air - SHARE
#PopeFrancis "... there is no saint without a past and no sinner without a future”. #Homily - Video - Text
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says God looks beyond appearances and into the heart. He was speaking on Tuesday morning during Mass at Casa Santa Marta.
Drawing inspiration from the First Reading of the day that tells of the choice of the young David as king of Israel, the Pope pointed out that even in the lives of the saints there are temptations and sins, as demonstrated by the life of David.
The Lord – he said - rejected Saul "because his heart was closed", he had not obeyed Him, and He decided to choose another king.
The Pope pointed out that the choice He made was far from human standards since David was the youngest son of Jesse, he was only a boy.
But – he continued – the Lord made it clear to the prophet Samuel that he looks beyond appearances: “the Lord looks into the heart”:
"We are often the slaves of appearances and allow ourselves to pursue appearances: ‘But God knows the truth’. And that is so in this story... Jesse’s seven sons are presented and the Lord does not choose any of them, he lets them pass by. Samuel is in a bit of difficulty and says to Jesse: ‘The Lord has not chosen any of them, are these all the sons you have? And Jesse replied that there was still the youngest, who is tending the sheep’. To the eyes of man this boy did not count”.
He did not matter to men, but the Lord chose him and ordered Samuel to anoint him and “the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David” and from that day on “the whole of David's life was the life of a man anointed by the Lord, chosen by the Lord” the Pope said.
So – Pope Francis asked – “Did the Lord make him a saint?” No, is the answer – he said: “King David is saint King David, this is true, but he became a saint after living a long life” a life during which he sinned:
"A saint and a sinner. A man who managed to unite the Kingdom, he was able to lead the people of Israel. But he fell into temptation ... he committed sins: he was also a murderer. To cover up his lust, the sin of adultery… he commissioned a murder. He did! Did saint King David commit murder? When God sent the prophet Nathan to point this reality out to him, because he was not aware of the barbarity he had ordered, he acknowledged his sin and asked for forgiveness.”
Thus – Pope Francis continued – “his life went on. He suffered personally following the betrayal of his son, but he never he never used God for his own purpose”. And he recalled that when David was forced to flee from Jerusalem he sent back the ark and declared that he would not use the Lord in his defense. And when he was insulted – the Pope said – David would say to himself: “It’s what I deserve”.
And then, Francis noted, “he was magnanimous”: he could have killed Saul “but he did not do so.” Saint King David, a great sinner, but a repentant one. “The life of this man moves me” – the Pope said - it makes us think of our own lives.
“We have all been chosen by the Lord to be Baptized, to be part of His people, to be saints; we have been consecrated by the Lord on the path towards sainthood. Reading about this life, the life of a child – no… not a child, he was a boy – from boyhood to old age, during which he did many good things and others that were not so good. It makes me think that during the Christian journey, the journey the Lord has invited us to undertake, there is no saint without a past and no sinner without a future”.
Saint January 20 : Bl. Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi : Nigerian Priest
 Information:
| Bl. Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi was born in 1903 in Igboezunu, at the edge of: the forest near the ancient city of Aguleri in southern Nigeria. His parents, Tabansi and Ejikwevi, were Igbo farmers who practised the "traditional religion" and gave him the name Iwene at birth. In 1909 he was sent to the Christian village of Nduka, where he was baptized three years later by Irish missionaries and given the name Michael. His peers described him as studious and very demanding with himself, with a precocious personality and deep piety. At the age of 16 he received his first school leaving certificate, which qualified him for teaching. He taught at Holy Trinity Primary School in Onitsha for three years and served for a year as headmaster at St Joseph School in Aguleri. In 1925, against the wishes of his family, he entered St Paul's Seminary in Igbariam. After finishing his philosophical and theological studies, he was ordained a priest in the cathedral of Onitsha on 19 December 1937 by the missionary Bishop Charles Heerey. The second indigenous priest of Onitsha and the first in the Aguleri region, he began his pastoral ministry in the parish of Nnewi. In 1939 he was appointed parish priest of Dunukofia (Umudioka region), where he courageously tackled immoral customs and destroyed the harmful myth of the "cursed forest", which weighed heavily on the peace of consciences and families. To combat premarital cohabitation, he set up marriage preparation centres where girls and young women could be sheltered and receive Christian formation. For the moral education of young people he also established the League of Mary, with remarkable success. On foot or bicycle, Fr Tansi went from village to village preaching, catechizing and setting up prayer centres that eventually became parishes. He spent hours and hours hearing confessions, even until late at night. His zeal, shining example and life of prayer and penance transformed the people into a true Christian community resulting in so many vocations to the priesthood and religious life that his parish held the diocesan record. The same energy characterized his years as parish priest of Akpu, where he served from 1945 until his transfer to Aguleri in 1949. On an unspecified date between 1949 and 1950, during a priests' day of recollection, Bishop Heerey expressed the desire that one of his priests would embrace the monastic life so that he could later establish a contemplative monastery in his Diocese. Fr Tansi immediately said he was willing. Bishop Heerey contacted the Trappist Abbey of Mount St Bernard in Leicestershire, England, which was willing to receive him for a trial period as an oblate. In the summer of 1950 he led his parishioners on a pilgrimage to Rome for the Holy Year and left from there for Mount St Bernard. After two and a half years as an oblate, he was admitted to the novitiate on the vigil of the Immaculate Conception, taking the name Cyprian. One year later he took his simple vows and was solemnly professed on 8 December 1956. For the next seven years he lived a hidden life of prayer and work, humility and obedience, in faithful and generous observance of the Cistercian rule. In 1963, after 13 years of valuable experience as a Trappist, the time now seemed ripe for establishing a monastery in Nigeria. However, political tensions led his superiors to choose neighbouring Cameroon for the foundation instead. This was a hard blow for Fr Cyprian, who had been appointed novice master for the African monastery. It was the only time in 13 years of monastic life that he ever lost his temper, but he quickly regained control and accepted God's will with supernatural heroism. In January 1964 he began experiencing intense pain in one of his legs. Diagnosed as having thrombosis, the following morning he was found unconscious and was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Leicester, where examination revealed an aortic aneurysm. He died the following morning, 20 January 1964. He was buried at Mount St Bernard on 22 January. Present for the funeral liturgy were several Nigerian priests living in London, including his spiritual son, Fr Francis Arinze, the future Archbishop of Onitsha, Cardinal and President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. His body was exhumed in 1988 and reburied in the priests' cemetery near the cathedral of Onitsha, where he had been ordained a priest 51 years earlier. After the beatification ceremonies, his remains will be buried in the parish church of his native village, Aguieri. Shared from Ewtn |
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