Subject: VISnews130123
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VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXIII - N° 16
DATE 23-01-2013
Summary:
- BELIEVING IN GOD FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ABRAHAM
- POPE CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY WITH POPULATION OF INDONESIA
- HOLY SEE BECOMES EXTRA-REGIONAL OBSERVER OF CENTRAL AMERICAN INTEGRATION
SYSTEM
- AUDIENCES
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
___________________________________________________________
BELIEVING IN GOD FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ABRAHAM
Vatican City, 23 January 2013 (VIS) - "I believe in one God", the first
article of the profession of faith that accompanies our lives as believers,
was the theme of Benedict XVI's catechesis during this morning's general
audience. This sentence is "a
fundamental affirmation, seemingly simple in essence, but which opens us to
the infinite world of a relationship with the Lord and with His mystery.
Believing in God means adherence, … acceptance, … and obedience
… Faith is a
personal act and a free response... Being able to say that you believe in God
is thus both a gift and … a human responsibility in an experience of
dialogue with God who, out of love 'speaks to men and women as friends'."
Where can we hear the voice of God who speaks to us? "Fundamentally," the Pope
said, in "Sacred Scripture, … which speaks to us of faith …
narrating a story in which God carries out His plan of redemption and draws
near to humanity through
… persons who believe in Him and who entrust themselves to Him." One of
these persons is Abraham, "the first great role model in speaking about faith
in God." Abraham, who was able to leave his homeland, trusting in God alone
and His promise, is
considered the "father of all believers". His was a leap in darkness, "but the
darkness of the unknown is illuminated by the light of a promise. … In
the divine plan he was destined to become 'father of a multitude of nations'
and to enter a new
land to live in."
"Faith," the pontiff continued, "leads Abraham along a paradoxical path. He
will be blessed, but without the visible signs of blessing. He receives the
promise of becoming a great nation, but has a life marked by the sterility of
his wife, Sarah. He is
led to a new land, but will have to live there as a foreigner." …
Nevertheless, "Abraham is blessed because, with faith, he is able to discern
the divine blessing, going beyond appearance, trusting in God's presence even
when His paths seem
mysterious."
That is why, "when we affirm that 'I believe in God', we are saying, as does
Abraham, 'I trust in You. I entrust myself to You, Lord'. … Saying 'I
believe in God' means basing my life on Him, letting His Word guide me every
day in my concrete
choices, without fear of losing something of myself. … Abraham, the
believer, teaches us faith and, like a foreigner on earth, points out our true
homeland. Faith makes us pilgrims on earth, situated in the world and in
history, but on the path
toward our heavenly homeland. Believing in God thus makes us heralds of values
that often do not coincide with fashion or the opinion of the moment. …
In many societies, God has become the 'great absentee' and many idols have
taken His place,
above all the desire for possessions and the autonomous 'I'. Also, the
significant and positive progress in science and technology has given humanity
the illusion of omnipotence and self-sufficiency and a growing selfishness has
created m
any
imbalances in personal relationships and in social behaviour."
"And yet," the Holy Father emphasized, "the thirst for God is not quenched and
the Gospel message continues to resonate through the words and deeds of many
men and women of faith. Abraham, the father of all believers, continues to be
the father of the
many children who are willing to walk in his footsteps and who make their way
in obedience to the divine call, trusting in the Lord's benevolent presence
and accepting His blessing in order to become a blessing for all. It is the
blessed world of faith
to which we are all called, to walk without fear following the Lord Jesus
Christ."
"Affirming that 'I believe in God', then, compels us to leave, to continuously
go out of ourselves just as Abraham did, in order to bring the certainty that
comes to us from faith into our daily realities. It is the certainty of God's
presence in
history, even today; a presence that brings life and salvation."
___________________________________________________________
POPE CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY WITH POPULATION OF INDONESIA
Vatican City, 23 January 2013 (VIS) – Following the Wednesday catechesis
of this morning's general audience, the Holy Father made an appeal for
assistance to Indonesia, which has been struck by a wave of bad weather. "I am
following with concern,"
he said, "the news arriving from Indonesia", where a flood has devastated the
capital, Jakarta, "causing casualties, leaving thousands of people homeless,
and creating massive damage. I want to express my nearness to the people
affected by this natural
disaster, assuring them of my prayers, and I ask for assistance so that no one
may be left without the necessary help."
___________________________________________________________
HOLY SEE BECOMES EXTRA-REGIONAL OBSERVER OF CENTRAL AMERICAN INTEGRATION SYSTEM
Vatican City, 23 January 2013 (VIS) – According to information made
public by the Press Office of the Holy See today, on Monday, 21 January, at
the headquarters of the Central American Integration System (SICA) in San
Salvador, El Salvador, an
agreement was signed between the Holy See and SICA that makes the Holy See an
extra-regional observer of that organization. The signatories were, for the
Holy See, Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto, apostolic nuncio to El Salvador and, for
SICA, Juan Daniel
Aleman, secretary general of SICA. Many ambassadors to the nations of the
South American continent attended the ceremony.
Previously, the Ordinary Summit of heads of state and government of the
countries of SICA, which took place in Managua, Nicaragua, this past December,
had welcomed the Holy See's interest in participating in SICA as an
extra-regional observer owing to
the contribution that the Holy See and the Catholic Church offer to
development in the social, cultural, and educational sectors as well as those
of human rights and democratic security.
___________________________________________________________
AUDIENCES
Vatican City, 23 January 2013 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy Father received
in audience six prelates from the Calabria region of the Italian Episcopal
Conference on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Vittorio Luigi Mondello of Reggio Calabria-Bova,
- Archbishop Santo Marciano of Rossano-Cariati,
- Bishop Luigi Renzo of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea,
- Bishop Giuseppe Fiorini Morosini, O.M., of Locri-Gerace,
- Bishop Nunzio Galantino of Cassano all’Jonio, and
- Bishop Francesco Milito of Oppido Mamertina-Palmi.
___________________________________________________________
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 23 January 2013 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father appointed
Archbishop Francesco Gioia, O.F.M. Cap., as president of the "Peregrinatio ad
Petri Sedem" (Pilgrimage to the See of Peter) for the next three years.
Archbishop Gioia, emeritus of
Camerino-San Severino Marche, Italy, is also the pontifical delegate to the
Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, Italy.
___________________________________________________________
Per ulteriori informazioni e per la ricerca di documenti consultare il
sito: www.wisnews.org e www.vatican.va
Il servizio del VIS viene inviato soltanto agli indirizzi di posta
elettronica che ne hanno fatto richiesta. Se per qualunque motivo
non si desidera continuare a riceverlo, si prega di visitare nostra pagina
dinizio:
http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/italinde.php
Copyright (VIS): Le notizie contenute nei servizi del Vatican
Information Service possono essere riprodotte parzialmente o totalmente
citando la fonte: V.I.S. - Vatican Information Service.
--Boundary_(ID_aw98/x50bmrn8MInE85yZg)
Content-type: text/html; CHARSETUS-ASCII
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VISnews130123
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE YEAR XXIII - N° 16DATE 23-01-2013
Summary: - BELIEVING IN GOD FOLLOWING IN
THE FOOTSTEPS OF ABRAHAM
- POPE CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY WITH POPULATION OF INDONESIA - HOLY SEE
BECOMES EXTRA-REGIONAL OBSERVER OF CENTRAL AMERICAN INTEGRATION SYSTEM -
AUDIENCES - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS ___________________________________________________________
BELIEVING IN GOD FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ABRAHAM
Vatican City, 23 January 2013 (VIS) - "I believe in one God", the first
article of the profession of faith that accompanies our lives as believers,
was the theme of Benedict XVI's catechesis during this morning's general
audience. This sentence is "a
fundamental affirmation, seemingly simple in essence, but which opens us to
the infinite world of a relationship with the Lord and with His mystery.
Believing in God means adherence, … acceptance, … and obedience
… Faith is a
personal act and a free response... Being able to say that you believe in God
is thus both a gift and … a human responsibility in an experience of
dialogue with God who, out of love 'speaks to men and women as friends'."
Where can we hear the voice of God who speaks to us? "Fundamentally," the
Pope said, in "Sacred Scripture, … which speaks to us of faith …
narrating a story in which God carries out His plan of redemption and draws
near to humanity
through … persons who believe in Him and who entrust themselves to
Him." One of these persons is Abraham, "the first great role model in speaking
about faith in God." Abraham, who was able to leave his homeland, trusting in
God alone and His
promise, is considered the "father of all believers". His was a leap in
darkness, "but the darkness of the unknown is illuminated by the light of a
promise. … In the divine plan he was destined to become 'father of a
multitude of nations' and to
enter a new land to live in."
"Faith," the pontiff continued, "leads Abraham along a paradoxical path. He
will be blessed, but without the visible signs of blessing. He receives the
promise of becoming a great nation, but has a life marked by the sterility of
his wife, Sarah. He
is led to a new land, but will have to live there as a foreigner." …
Nevertheless, "Abraham is blessed because, with faith, he is able to discern
the divine blessing, going beyond appearance, trusting in God's presence even
when His paths seem
mysterious."
That is why, "when we affirm that 'I believe in God', we are saying, as
does Abraham, 'I trust in You. I entrust myself to You, Lord'. … Saying
'I believe in God' means basing my life on Him, letting His Word guide me
every day in my concrete
choices, without fear of losing something of myself. … Abraham, the
believer, teaches us faith and, like a foreigner on earth, points out our true
homeland. Faith makes us pilgrims on earth, situated in the world and in
history, but on the path
toward our heavenly homeland. Believing in God thus makes us heralds of values
that often do not coincide with fashion or the opinion of the moment. …
In many societies, God has become the 'great absentee' and many idols have
taken His place,
above all the desire for possessions and the autonomous 'I'. Also, the
significant and positive progress in science and technology has given humanity
the illusion of omnipotence
and self-sufficiency and a growing selfishness has created many imbalances in
personal relationships and in social behaviour."
"And yet," the Holy Father emphasized, "the thirst for God is not quenched
and the Gospel message continues to resonate through the words and deeds of
many men and women of faith. Abraham, the father of all believers, continues
to be the father of
the many children who are willing to walk in his footsteps and who make their
way in obedience to the divine call, trusting in the Lord's benevolent
presence and accepting His blessing in order to become a blessing for all. It
is the blessed world of
faith to which we are all called, to walk without fear following the Lord
Jesus Christ."
"Affirming that 'I believe in God', then, compels us to leave, to
continuously go out of ourselves just as Abraham did, in order to bring the
certainty that comes to us from faith into our daily realities. It is the
certainty of God's presence in
history, even today; a presence that brings life and salvation."
POPE CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY WITH POPULATION OF INDONESIA
Vatican City, 23 January 2013 (VIS) – Following the Wednesday
catechesis of this morning's general audience, the Holy Father made an appeal
for assistance to Indonesia, which has been struck by a wave of bad weather.
"I am following with
concern," he said, "the news arriving from Indonesia", where a flood has
devastated the capital, Jakarta, "causing casualties, leaving thousands of
people homeless, and creating massive damage. I want to express my nearness to
the people affected by
this natural disaster, assuring them of my prayers, and I ask for assistance
so that no one may be left without the necessary help."
HOLY SEE BECOMES EXTRA-REGIONAL OBSERVER OF CENTRAL AMERICAN INTEGRATION
SYSTEM
Vatican City, 23 January 2013 (VIS) – According to information made
public by the Press Office of the Holy See today, on Monday, 21 January, at
the headquarters of the Central American Integration System (SICA) in San
Salvador, El Salvador, an
agreement was signed between the Holy See and SICA that makes the Holy See an
extra-regional observer of that organization. The signatories were, for the
Holy See, Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto, apostolic nuncio to El Salvador and, for
SICA, Juan Daniel
Aleman, secretary general of SICA. Many ambassadors to the nations of the
South American continent attended the ceremony.
Previously, the Ordinary Summit of heads of state and government of the
countries of SICA, which took place in Managua, Nicaragua, this past December,
had welcomed the Holy See's interest in participating in SICA as an
extra-regional observer owing
to the contribution that the Holy See and the Catholic Church offer to
development in the social, cultural, and educational sectors as well as those
of human rights and democratic security.
Vatican City, 23 January 2013 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy Father
received in audience six prelates from the Calabria region of the Italian
Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Vittorio Luigi Mondello of Reggio Calabria-Bova,
- Archbishop Santo Marciano of Rossano-Cariati,
- Bishop Luigi Renzo of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea,
- Bishop Giuseppe Fiorini Morosini, O.M., of Locri-Gerace,
- Bishop Nunzio Galantino of Cassano all’Jonio, and
- Bishop Francesco Milito of Oppido Mamertina-Palmi.
Vatican City, 23 January 2013 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father appointed
Archbishop Francesco Gioia, O.F.M. Cap., as president of the "Peregrinatio ad
Petri Sedem" (Pilgrimage to the See of Peter) for the next three years.
Archbishop Gioia, emeritus of
Camerino-San Severino Marche, Italy, is also the pontifical delegate to the
Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, Italy.
Per ulteriori informazioni e per la ricerca di documenti consultare il
sito: www.wisnews.org e www.vatican.va Il servizio del
VIS viene inviato soltanto agli indirizzi di posta elettronica che ne
hanno
fatto richiesta. Se per qualunque motivo non si desidera continuare a
riceverlo, si prega di visitare nostra pagina dinizio: http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vi
/italinde.php
Copyright (VIS): Le notizie contenute nei servizi del Vatican
Information Service possono essere riprodotte parzialmente o totalmente
citando la fonte: V.I.S. - Vatican Information Service.
--Boundary_(ID_aw98/x50bmrn8MInE85yZg)--
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