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VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXIII - N° 17
DATE 24-01-2013
Summary:
- TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL JOZEF GLEMP
- POPE ASSESSES SOCIAL MEDIA POSITIVELY
- MESSAGE FOR 47TH WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY
- TELEGRAM IN COMMEMORATION OF GIOVANNI AGNELLI
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
___________________________________________________________
TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL JOZEF GLEMP
Vatican City, 24 January 2013 (VIS) – The Holy Father has sent a
telegram of condolence to Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, metropolitan archbishop of
Warsaw, Poland for the death of Cardinal Jozef Glemp, archbishop of that
archdiocese from 1981 to 2006.
Cardinal Glemp died yesterday at the age of 83.
Following are ample excerpts from his telegram.
"'Caritati in iustitia'—for charity in justice—this episcopal
motto accompanied him throughout his entire life and guided his way of
thinking, of judging , of making decisions, and in offering guidelines of
pastoral outreach. He was a 'just'
man, in the spirit of St. Joseph, his patron, and those who, in biblical
tradition, knew how to listen to the voice of God's call, addressed not just
to them personally, but also to the communities to which they were sent. Such
justice, full of humble
obedience to God's will, was the basis of his deep love for God and man, which
was his light, inspiration, and strength in the difficult ministry of leading
the Church at a time when significant social and political transformations
were affecting Poland
and Europe."
"The love of God and of Church and his concern for the life and dignity of
every person made him an apostle of unity against division, of harmony in the
face of confrontation, of the building of a happy future based on the past
joyous and sorrowful
experiences of the Church and the nation. Continuing the work of Cardinal
Stefan Wyszynski, in constant communion with and spiritually connected to Pope
John Paul II, he resolved many issues and problems in the political, social,
and religious life of
the Polish people with great prudence. Trusting in Divine Providence, he
looked hopefully toward the new millennium into which he led the community of
believers in Poland."
"The last stage of his life was tried by suffering, which he endured with a
serenity of spirit. Even in this test he remained a witness to trusting in the
goodness and love of omnipotent God."
"Personally, I always appreciated his sincere goodness, his simplicity, his
openness, and his cordial dedication to the cause of the Church in Poland and
in the world. Thus will he remain in my memory and my prayers. May the Lord
welcome him in His
glory."
___________________________________________________________
POPE ASSESSES SOCIAL MEDIA POSITIVELY
Vatican City, 24 January 2013 (VIS) – Benedict XVI's message for the
47th World Communications Day was presented this morning in the Press Office
of the Holy See. The Day, which will take place this year on Sunday, 12 May,
has the theme of "Social
Networks: Portals of Truth and Faith; New Spaces for Evangelisation".
Participating in the presentation were Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli,
president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, and Msgr. Paul
Tighe, secretary of that same
dicastery.
"The message of this World Communications Day," said Archbishop Celli,
"presents a positive assessment, though not a naive one for that matter, of
social media. They are considered an opportunity for dialogue and debate and
capable of strengthening the
bonds of unity among people and effectively promoting the harmony of the human
family. However, this positive character requires that one's actions be
conducted with concern for privacy, with responsibility and dedication to the
truth, and with
authenticity, given that it has to do not only with information and knowledge
but, essentially, with communicating a part of our very selves."
"The social dynamic of the social media, it is appropriate to point out, lies
within the even richer and more profound dynamic of the human heart's
existential search. There is an interweaving of questions and answers that
gives meaning to the human
person's path. In this context, the Pope touches upon a delicate aspect of the
matter when he speaks of the ocean of excessive information that overwhelms
'the gentle voice of reason'."
"The theme of the Day speaks of new spaces for evangelisation: evangelisation
that announces the Word, that proclaims Jesus Christ. In this regard we must
remember what Benedict XVI wrote in his message for the World Communications
Day in 2011, when he
emphasized that it was not only an explicit expression of the Faith, but
essentially, an effective witness 'in the way one communicates choices,
preferences and judgements that are fully consistent with the Gospel, even
when it is not spoken of
specifically'."
Following Archbishop Celli's address, Msgr. Tighe explained that "the Pope
takes for granted the importance of the digital environment as a reality in
the lives of many people. It is not some sort of parallel or merely virtual
world but an existential
environment where people live and move. It is a ‘continent’ where
the Church must be present and where believers, if they are to be authentic in
their presence, will seek to share with others the deepest source of their joy
and hope, Jesus
Christ. The forum created by the social networks allows us to share the truth
that the Lord has passed to His Church, to listen to others, to learn about
their cares and concerns, to understand who they are and for what they are
searching."
Likewise, the Holy Father "identifies some of the challenges that we must
address if our presence is to be effective. We must become more fluent in the
language of the social networks; a language that is born of the convergence of
text, image and sound,
a language that is characterized by brevity and that seeks to engage hearts
and minds as well as the intellect. In this regard, the Pope reminds us to
draw on our Christian heritage which is rich in signs, symbols and artistic
expression. We need to
remember a basic truth of communications: our witness – our actions and
our patterns of behaviour – is often more eloquent than our words and
proclamations in expressing who we are and what we believe. In the digital
arena, the Pope suggests
that our willingness to engage patiently and respectfully with the questions
and doubts of those we encounter in the networks can be a powerful expression
of our care and concern for them. Notwithstanding the challenges, we should a
lways
be hopeful."
___________________________________________________________
MESSAGE FOR 47TH WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY
Vatican City, 24 January 2013 (VIS) – "Social Networks: Portals of Truth
and Faith; New Spaces for Evangelisation" is the title chosen by the Pope for
his message for the World Communications Day this year. The message is dated
from the Vatican,
24 January, the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron of writers and
journalists. Following is the full text of the message.
"As the 2013 World Communications Day draws near, I would like to offer you
some reflections on an increasingly important reality regarding the way in
which people today communicate among themselves. I wish to consider the
development of digital social
networks which are helping to create a new 'agora', an open public square in
which people share ideas, information, and opinions, and in which new
relationships and forms of community can come into being.
These spaces, when engaged in a wise and balanced way, help to foster forms of
dialogue and debate that, if conducted respectfully and with concern for
privacy, responsibility, and truthfulness, can reinforce the bonds of unity
between individuals and
effectively promote the harmony of the human family. The exchange of
information can become true communication, links ripen into friendships, and
connections facilitate communion. If the networks are called to realize this
great potential, the people
involved in them must make an effort to be authentic since, in these spaces,
it is not only ideas and information that are shared, but ultimately our very
selves.
The development of social networks calls for commitment: people are engaged in
building relationships and making friends, in looking for answers to their
questions and being entertained, but also in finding intellectual stimulation
and sharing knowledge
and know-how. The networks are increasingly becoming part of the very fabric
of society, inasmuch as they bring people together on the basis of these
fundamental needs. Social networks are thus nourished by aspirations rooted in
the human heart.
The culture of social networks and the changes in the means and styles of
communication pose demanding challenges to those who want to speak about truth
and values. Often, as is also the case with other means of social
communication, the significance
and effectiveness of the various forms of expression appear to be determined
more by their popularity than by their intrinsic importance and value.
Popularity, for its part, is often linked to celebrity or to strategies of
persuasion rather than to the
logic of argumentation. At times the gentle voice of reason can be overwhelmed
by the din of excessive information and it fails to attract attention, which
is given instead to those who express themselves in a more persuasive manner.
The social media
thus need the commitment of all who are conscious of the value of dialogue,
reasoned debate and logical argumentation; of people who strive to cultivate
forms of discourse and expression that appeal to the noblest aspirations of
those
engaged in the communication process. Dialogue and debate can also flourish
and grow when we converse with and take seriously people whose ideas are
different from our own. 'Given the reality of cultural diversity, people need
not only to accept the
existence of the culture of others, but also to aspire to be enriched by it
and to offer to it whatever they possess that is good, true and beautiful'.
The challenge facing social networks is how to be truly inclusive: thus they
will benefit from the full participation of believers who desire to share the
message of Jesus and the values of human dignity which His teaching promotes.
Believers are
increasingly aware that, unless the Good News is made known also in the
digital world, it may be absent in the experience of many people for whom this
existential space is important. The digital environment is not a parallel or
purely virtual world, but
is part of the daily experience of many people, especially the young. Social
networks are the result of human interaction, but for their part they also
reshape the dynamics of communication which builds relationships: a considered
understanding of this
environment is therefore the prerequisite for a significant presence there.
The ability to employ the new languages is required, not just to keep up with
the times, but precisely in order to enable the infinite richness of the
Gospel to find forms of expression capable of reaching the minds and hearts of
all. In the digital
environment the written word is often accompanied by images and sounds.
Effective communication, as in the parables of Jesus, must involve the
imagination and the affectivity of those we wish to invite to an encounter
with the mystery of God’s
love. Besides, we know that Christian tradition has always been rich in signs
and symbols: I think for example of the Cross, icons, images of the Virgin
Mary, Christmas cribs, stained-glass windows and pictures in our churches. A
significant part of
mankind’s artistic heritage has been created by artists and musicians
who sought to express the truths of the faith.
In social networks, believers show their authenticity by sharing the profound
source of their hope and joy: faith in the merciful and loving God revealed in
Christ Jesus. This sharing consists not only in the explicit expression of
their faith, but also
in their witness, in the way in which they communicate 'choices, preferences
and judgements that are fully consistent with the Gospel, even when it is not
spoken of specifically'. A particularly significant way of offering such
witness will be through a
willingness to give oneself to others by patiently and respectfully engaging
their questions and their doubts as they advance in their search for the truth
and the meaning of human existence. The growing dialogue in social networks
about faith and
belief confirms the importance and relevance of religion in public debate and
in the life of society.
For those who have accepted the gift of faith with an open heart, the most
radical response to mankind’s questions about love, truth and the
meaning of life – questions certainly not absent from social networks
– are found in the
person of Jesus Christ. It is natural for those who have faith to desire to
share it, respectfully and tactfully, with those they meet in the digital
forum. Ultimately, however, if our efforts to share the Gospel bring forth
good fruit, it is always
because of the power of the word of God itself to touch hearts, prior to any
of our own efforts. Trust in the power of God’s work must always be
greater than any confidence we place in human means. In the digital
environment, too, where it is easy
for heated and divisive voices to be raised and where sensationalism can at
times prevail, we are called to attentive discernment. Let us recall in this
regard that Elijah recognized the voice of God not in the great and strong
wind, not
in the
earthquake or the fire, but in 'a still, small voice'. We need to trust in the
fact that the basic human desire to love and to be loved, and to find meaning
and truth – a desire which God himself has placed in the heart of every
man and woman
– keeps our contemporaries ever open to what Blessed Cardinal Newman
called the 'kindly light' of faith.
Social networks, as well as being a means of evangelisation, can also be a
factor in human development. As an example, in some geographical and cultural
contexts where Christians feel isolated, social networks can reinforce their
sense of real unity
with the worldwide community of believers. The networks facilitate the sharing
of spiritual and liturgical resources, helping people to pray with a greater
sense of closeness to those who share the same faith. An authentic and
interactive engagement
with the questions and the doubts of those who are distant from the faith
should make us feel the need to nourish, by prayer and reflection, our faith
in the presence of God as well as our practical charity: 'If I speak in the
tongues of men and of
angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal'.
In the digital world there are social networks which offer our contemporaries
opportunities for prayer, meditation and sharing the word of God. But these
networks can also open the door to other dimensions of faith. Many people are
actually discovering,
precisely thanks to a contact initially made online, the importance of direct
encounters, experiences of community and even pilgrimage, elements which are
always important in the journey of faith. In our effort to make the Gospel
present in the digital
world, we can invite people to come together for prayer or liturgical
celebrations in specific places such as churches and chapels. There should be
no lack of coherence or unity in the expression of our faith and witness to
the Gospel in whatever
reality we are called to live, whether physical or digital. When we are
present to others, in any way at all, we are called to make known the love of
God to the furthest ends of the earth.
I pray that God’s Spirit will accompany you and enlighten you always,
and I cordially impart my blessing to all of you, that you may be true heralds
and witnesses of the Gospel. 'Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to
the whole creation'."
___________________________________________________________
TELEGRAM IN COMMEMORATION OF GIOVANNI AGNELLI
Vatican City, 24 January 2013 (VIS) – Cardinal Secretary of State
Tarcisio Bertone ,S.D.B., sent a telegram in the Holy Father's name to
Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Turin, Italy for the memorial Mass of Sen.
Giovanni Agnelli, president of the
Fiat automobile manufacturer, on the tenth anniversary of his death.
In the text the Pope recalls the senator who, "over more than a half century,
was the centre of national and international attention for his remarkable
entrepreneurial skills" as well as "his Christian faith, which crowned a long
and fruitful existence."
___________________________________________________________
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 24 January 2013 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father appointed as
members of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology: Dr. Carlo
Ebanista, associate professor of Christian and Medieval Archaeology in the
Humanities and Social
Sciences faculty of the University of Molise, Italy and professor of
Antiquities and Medieval Archaeology in the Arts and Philosophy department of
the Federico II University in Naples, Italy; Dr. Emilio Marin, tenured
professor of Roman Archaeology at
the University of Split, Croatia and member of the Academie des Inscriptions
et Belles Lettres of the Institut de France.
___________________________________________________________
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VISnews130124
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE YEAR XXIII - N° 17DATE 24-01-2013
Summary: - TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF
CARDINAL JOZEF GLEMP - POPE
ASSESSES SOCIAL MEDIA POSITIVELY - MESSAGE FOR 47TH WORLD COMMUNICATIONS
DAY - TELEGRAM IN COMMEMORATION OF GIOVANNI AGNELLI - OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 24 January 2013 (VIS) – The Holy Father has sent a
telegram of condolence to Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, metropolitan archbishop of
Warsaw, Poland for the death of Cardinal Jozef Glemp, archbishop of that
archdiocese from 1981 to
2006. Cardinal Glemp died yesterday at the age of 83.
Following are ample excerpts from his telegram.
"'Caritati in iustitia'—for charity in justice—this episcopal
motto accompanied him throughout his entire life and guided his way of
thinking, of judging , of making decisions, and in offering guidelines of
pastoral outreach. He was a
'just' man, in the spirit of St. Joseph, his patron, and those who, in
biblical tradition, knew how to listen to the voice of God's call, addressed
not just to them personally, but also to the communities to which they were
sent. Such justice, full of
humble obedience to God's will, was the basis of his deep love for God and
man, which was his light, inspiration, and strength in the difficult ministry
of leading the Church at a time when significant social and political
transformations were affecting
Poland and Europe."
"The love of God and of Church and his concern for the life and dignity of
every person made him an apostle of unity against division, of harmony in the
face of confrontation, of the building of a happy future based on the past
joyous and sorrowful
experiences of the Church and the nation. Continuing the work of Cardinal
Stefan Wyszynski, in constant communion with and spiritually connected to Pope
John Paul II, he resolved many issues and problems in the political, social,
and religious life of
the Polish people with great prudence. Trusting in Divine Providence, he
looked hopefully toward the new millennium into which he led the community of
believers in Poland."
"The last stage of his life was tried by suffering, which he endured with a
serenity of spirit. Even in this test he remained a witness to trusting in the
goodness and love of omnipotent God."
"Personally, I always appreciated his sincere goodness, his simplicity, his
openness, and his cordial dedication to the cause of the Church in Poland and
in the world. Thus will he remain in my memory and my prayers. May the Lord
welcome him in His
glory."
Vatican City, 24 January 2013 (VIS) – Benedict XVI's message for the
47th World Communications Day was presented this morning in the Press Office
of the Holy See. The Day, which will take place this year on Sunday, 12 May,
has the theme of
"Social Networks: Portals of Truth and Faith; New Spaces for Evangelisation".
Participating in the presentation were Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli,
president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, and Msgr. Paul
Tighe, secretary of that
same dicastery.
"The message of this World Communications Day," said Archbishop Celli,
"presents a positive assessment, though not a naive one for that matter, of
social media. They are considered an opportunity for dialogue and debate and
capable of strengthening
the bonds of unity among people and effectively promoting the harmony of the
human family. However, this positive character requires that one's actions be
conducted with concern for privacy, with responsibility and dedication to the
truth, and with
authenticity, given that it has to do not only with information and knowledge
but, essentially, with communicating a part of our very selves."
"The social dynamic of the social media, it is appropriate to point out,
lies within the even richer and more profound dynamic of the human heart's
existential search. There is an interweaving of questions and answers that
gives meaning to the human
person's path. In this context, the Pope touches upon a delicate aspect of the
matter when he speaks of the ocean of excessive information that overwhelms
'the gentle voice of reason'."
"The theme of the Day speaks of new spaces for evangelisation:
evangelisation that announces the Word, that proclaims Jesus Christ. In this
regard we must remember what Benedict XVI wrote in his message for the World
Communications Day in 2011, when
he emphasized that it was not only an explicit expression of the Faith, but
essentially, an effective witness 'in the way one communicates choices,
preferences and judgements that are fully consistent with the Gospel, even
when it is not spoken of
specifically'."
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* Origin: NetMgr+ @ Sursum Corda! BBS Meridian MS USA (1:396/45)
