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VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXIII - N° 128
DATE 14-06-2013
Summary:
- POPE RECEIVES ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY: PATH TOWARD UNITY, PRAYING AND
WORKING TOGETHER
- FRANCIS: LOWER DEFENCES AND OPEN DOORS
- CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN RELATIONS BETWEEN VIETNAM AND HOLY SEE
- HARLEY-DAVIDSON RIDES INTO THE ETERNAL CITY
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
___________________________________________________________
POPE RECEIVES ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY: PATH TOWARD UNITY, PRAYING AND WORKING
TOGETHER
Vatican City, 14 June 2013 (VIS) – This morning in the Vatican, Pope
Francis received the Primate of all England and head of the worldwide Anglican
Communion, Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, England, with the same words
that Paul VI greeted
his predecessor, Michael Ramsey, during his historic visit to the Vatican in
1966: “Your steps have not brought you to a foreign dwelling ... we are
pleased to open the doors to you, and with the doors, our heart, pleased and
honoured as we are
... to welcome you ‘not as a guest or a stranger, but as a fellow
citizen of the Saints and the Family of God’.” He also recalled
that, at the ceremony of his taking possession of the Cathedral of Canterbury,
the archbishop prayed for
the new Bishop of Rome, a gesture that the Pope was deeply grateful for. He
added: “Since we began our respective ministries within days of each
other, I think we will always have a particular reason to support one another
in
prayer.”
“The history of relations between the Church of England and the Catholic
Church,” the Pope continued, “is long and complex, and not without
pain. Recent decades, however, have been marked by a journey of rapprochement
and fraternity,
and for this we give heartfelt thanks to God. This journey has been brought
about both via theological dialogue, through the work of the Anglican-Roman
Catholic International Commission, and via the growth of cordial relations at
every level through
shared daily lives in a spirit of profound mutual respect and sincere
cooperation. In this regard, I am very pleased to welcome alongside you
Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster. These firm bonds of friendship have
enabled us to remain on course
even when difficulties have arisen in our theological dialogue that were
greater than we could have foreseen at the start of our journey.”
Francis expressed his gratitude to the archbishop for “the sincere
efforts that the Church of England has made to understand the reasons that led
... Pope Benedict XVI, to provide a canonical structure able to respond to the
wishes of those groups
of Anglicans who have asked to be received collectively into the Catholic
Church.” He stated that the structure “will enable the spiritual,
liturgical, and pastoral traditions that form the Anglican patrimony to be
better known and
appreciated in the Catholic world.”
The pontiff then noted that their meeting is an opportunity to recall that
“the search for unity among Christians is prompted not by practical
considerations, but by the will of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who made us
his brothers and sisters,
children of the One Father. Hence the prayer that we make today is of
fundamental importance.”
Their praying together “gives a fresh impulse to our daily efforts to
grow towards unity, which are concretely expressed in our cooperation in
various areas of daily life. Particularly important among these is our witness
to the reference to God
and the promotion of Christian values in a world that seems at times to call
into question some of the foundations of society, such as respect for the
sacredness of human life or the importance of the institution of the family
built on marriage.
… Then there is the effort to achieve greater social justice, to build
an economic system that is at the service of man and promotes the common good.
Among our tasks as witnesses to the love of Christ is that of giving a voice
to the cry of the
poor, so that they are not abandoned to the laws of an economy that seems at
times to treat people as mere consumers.”
“I know that Your Grace,” the Holy Father asserted, “is
especially sensitive to all these questions, in which we share many ideas, and
I am also aware of your commitment to foster reconciliation and resolution of
conflicts between
nations. In this regard, together with Archbishop Nichols [the Catholic
Archbishop of Westminster, England], you have urged the authorities to find a
peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict such as would guarantee the security
of the entire population,
including the minorities, not least among whom are the ancient local Christian
communities. As you yourself have observed, we Christians bring peace and
grace as a treasure to be offered to the world, but these gifts can bear fruit
only when Christians
live and work together in harmony. This makes it easier to contribute to
building relations of respect and peaceful coexistence with those who belong
to other religious traditions, and with non-believers.”
“The unity we so earnestly long for,” concluded the Pope,
“is a gift that comes from above and it is rooted in our communion of
love with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. … May the merciful
Father hear and grant the
prayers that we make to him together.”
___________________________________________________________
FRANCIS: LOWER DEFENCES AND OPEN DOORS
Vatican City, 14 June 2013 (VIS) – Dialogue, discernment, and frontier:
These were the three words that the Pope suggested to the personnel of the
Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica (Catholic Civilization), which is
published in Italian from
Rome, whom he received in audience this morning.
“Your fidelity to the Church still needs you to stand strong against the
hypocrisies that result from a closed and sick heart. But your main task isn't
to build walls but bridges. It is to establish a dialogue with all persons,
even those who
don't share the Christian faith but “who cultivate outstanding qualities
of the human spirit” and even with “those who oppress the Church
and harass her in manifold ways. … Through dialogue it is always
possible to get closer to
the truth, which is a gift of God, and to enrich one another.” Pope
Francis reiterated that dialogue means “being convinced that the other
has something good to say, making room for their point of view, their opinion,
their proposals,
without falling, of course, into relativism. For dialogue [to exist] it is
necessary to lower the defences and open the doors.”
The Holy Father then highlighted spiritual discernment, his second area of
focus, to those present, calling it “a Jesuit treasure … that
seeks to recognize the Spirit of God's presence in human and cultural reality,
the seed already planted
by his presence in events, feelings, desires, in the deep tensions of our
hearts and in social, cultural, and spiritual contexts.”
Mentioning Fr. Matteo Ricci, S.J., as an example, Francis observed that it is
necessary to keep open hearts and minds and to avoid the spiritual illness of
self-referentiality. Even the Church, when it becomes self-referential, gets
sick and old. May
our gaze, well fixed upon Christ, always be prophetic and dynamic towards the
future. In this way you will always remain young and daring in your reading of
events!”
The Holy Father declared that the fracture between the Gospel and culture is
undoubtedly a tragedy. “You,” he said, “are called to make
your contribution to heal this rift, which even passes through each of your
and your readers'
hearts. This ministry is typical of the Society of Jesus. … Please, be
men of the frontier, with that qualification that comes from God. In today's
world, which is subject to quick changes and is shaken by questions of great
importance for the
life of faith, it is urgent to have a courageous commitment to educating a
convinced and mature faith that is capable of giving meaning to life and of
giving convincing answers to those in search of God. This means sustaining the
Church's activity in
all the areas of her mission. ... Be strong! I'm sure I can count on
you.”
___________________________________________________________
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN RELATIONS BETWEEN VIETNAM AND HOLY SEE
Vatican City, 14 June 2013 (VIS) – The Working Group Meeting between the
Holy See and Vietnam met for the fourth time from 13 to 14 June, in the
Vatican. The meeting was co-chaired by Msgr. Antoine Camilleri,
nder-secretary for Relations with
States, and by Mr. Bui Thanh Son, Vietnam's vice-minister of Foreign Affairs.
As reported in a press release, the two sides informed each other about their
respective situation and reviewed and discussed Vietnam – Holy See
relations and other issues related to the Catholic Church in Vietnam.
The Vietnamese side stressed the consistent implementation and continuous
improvements in policies by the Party and State of Vietnam related to the
respect and assurance of freedom of religion and religious beliefs, as well as
continued encouragement of
different religions, and the Vietnam Catholic Church in particular, in taking
active part in the national construction and socio-economic development
process. The Holy See side expressed appreciation and gratitude for the
attention given by various
levels of Government to the activities of the Vietnam Catholic Church,
particularly the 10th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian
Bishops’ Conferences held in Xuan Loc and Ho Chi Minh City in December
2012, as well as the pastoral visits of
the non-resident Papal Representative, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli. The Holy
See stressed the desire to develop further Vietnam – Holy See relations
and underlined the need to have as soon as possible a Papal Representative res
ident
in the country, for the benefit of all concerned.
The two sides believe that Vietnam – Holy See relations have progressed
in a spirit of goodwill, constructive exchange and respect for principles in
the relationship. In this spirit, and in view of the commitment to develop
further mutual
relations, the work of the non-resident Papal Representative will be
facilitated in order to allow him to carry out his mission even more
fruitfully. The two sides agreed to meet for the 5th Round of the Joint
Working Group between Vietnam and the Holy
See in Hanoi. The time of the meeting will be arranged through diplomatic
channels.
___________________________________________________________
HARLEY-DAVIDSON RIDES INTO THE ETERNAL CITY
Vatican City, 14 June 2013 (VIS) – This weekend, Rome will have a unique
soundtrack coming from the roaring pistons of some 35,000 Harly-Davidsons
that, since yesterday, have begun to invade the capital for the 110th
anniversary celebrations of
the American motorcycle maker's founding.
There is also room for faith among the rumbling engines, leather jackets, and
elaborate tattoos. Events began early this morning with Cardinal Angelo
Comastri, archpriest of the Vatican Basilica, saying Mass in St. Peter's
Basilica for two thousand of
the participants. Also, 1,400 bikes with their riders will be blessed by Pope
Francis at the Sunday Angelus as the Via della Conciliazione leading up to the
square becomes a parade route for the motorcyclists. St. Peter's Square will
welcome all the
other Harley-Davidson riders and enthusiasts—on foot—who didn't
win a ticket for their bike.
___________________________________________________________
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 14 June 2013 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father:
- appointed Bishop Jan Franciszek Watroba as bishop of Rzeszow (area 6,000,
population 611,208, Catholics 598,152, priests 722, religious 451), Poland.
Bishop Watroba, previously auxiliary of Cz?stochowa and titular of Bisica,
serves
as a member of the Commission for the Clergy and delegate for the Pastoral
Care of Women in the Conference of the Polish Episcopate. He succeeds Bishop
Kazimierz Gorny, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese
the Holy Father
accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
- appointed Fr. Paolo Selvadagi as auxiliary of the Diocese of Rome (area
850, population 2,843,918, Catholics 2,333,700, priests 4,871, permanent
deacons 116, religious 1,485), Italy, assigning him the Titular See of Salpi.
The
bishop-elect was born in Rome, Italy, in 1946 and was ordained a priest for
the Diocese of Rome in 1972. Since ordination he has served in many
administrative, pastoral, and academic, as well as parochial and diocesan
level roles. Most recently, since
2012, he has been the pastor of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ Parish
and a member of the College of Consultors. He was also named a chaplain of His
Holiness in 1988 and a prelate of honour of His Holiness in 2009.
- appointed Fr. Ansgar Puff as auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Cologne
(area 6,181, population 5,152,000, Catholics 2,080,656, priests 1,014,
permanent deacons 312, religious 1,897), Germany, assigning him the Titular
See of Gordo. The
bishop-elect was born in Monchengladbach, Germany in 1956 and was ordained a
priest in 1987. Since ordination he has served in several pastoral and
diocesan level roles, most recently, since 2012, as director of the
“Care of Souls –
Personnel” department of the archdiocesan curia. He was named chaplain
of His Holiness in 2012.
___________________________________________________________
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VISnews130614
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE YEAR XXIII - N° 128DATE 14-06-2013
Summary: - POPE RECEIVES ARCHBISHOP OF
CANTERBURY: PATH TOWARD UNITY,
PRAYING AND WORKING TOGETHER - FRANCIS: LOWER DEFENCES AND OPEN DOORS - CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN RELATIONS BETWEEN VIETNAM AND HOLY SEE -
HARLEY-DAVIDSON RIDES INTO THE ETERNAL CITY - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS___________________________________________________________
POPE RECEIVES ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY: PATH TOWARD UNITY, PRAYING AND
WORKING TOGETHER
Vatican City, 14 June 2013 (VIS) – This morning in the Vatican, Pope
Francis received the Primate of all England and head of the worldwide Anglican
Communion, Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, England, with the same words
that Paul VI
greeted his predecessor, Michael Ramsey, during his historic visit to the
Vatican in 1966: “Your steps have not brought you to a foreign dwelling
... we are pleased to open the doors to you, and with the doors, our heart,
pleased and honoured as
we are ... to welcome you ‘not as a guest or a stranger, but as a fellow
citizen of the Saints and the Family of God’.” He also recalled
that, at the ceremony of his taking possession of the Cathedral of Canterbury,
the archbishop
prayed for the new Bishop of Rome, a gesture that the Pope was deeply grateful
for. He added: “Since we began our respective ministries within days of
each other, I think we will always have a particular reason to support one
another
in prayer.”
“The history of relations between the Church of England and the
Catholic Church,” the Pope continued, “is long and complex, and
not without pain. Recent decades, however, have been marked by a journey of
rapprochement and
fraternity, and for this we give heartfelt thanks to God. This journey has
been brought about both via theological dialogue, through the work of the
Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, and via the growth of
cordial relations at every level
through shared daily lives in a spirit of profound mutual respect and sincere
cooperation. In this regard, I am very pleased to welcome alongside you
Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster. These firm bonds of friendship have
enabled us to remain on
course even when difficulties have arisen in our theological dialogue that
were greater than we could have foreseen at the start of our jou
ney.”
Francis expressed his gratitude to the archbishop for “the sincere
efforts that the Church of England has made to understand the reasons that led
... Pope Benedict XVI, to provide a canonical structure able to respond to the
wishes of those
groups of Anglicans who have asked to be received collectively into the
Catholic Church.” He stated that the structure “will enable the
spiritual, liturgical, and pastoral traditions that form the Anglican
patrimony to be better known and
appreciated in the Catholic world.”
The pontiff then noted that their meeting is an opportunity to recall that
“the search for unity among Christians is prompted not by practical
considerations, but by the will of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who made us
his brothers and
sisters, children of the One Father. Hence the prayer that we make today is of
fundamental importance.”
Their praying together “gives a fresh impulse to our daily efforts to
grow towards unity, which are concretely expressed in our cooperation in
various areas of daily life. Particularly important among these is our witness
to the reference to
God and the promotion of Christian values in a world that seems at times to
call into question some of the foundations of society, such as respect for the
sacredness of human life or the importance of the institution of the family
built on marriage.
… Then there is the effort to achieve greater social justice, to build
an economic system that is at the service of man and promotes the common good.
Among our tasks as witnesses to the love of Christ is that of giving a voice
to the cry of the
poor, so that they are not abandoned to the laws of an economy that seems at
times to treat people as mere consumers.”
“I know that Your Grace,” the Holy Father asserted, “is
especially sensitive to all these questions, in which we share many ideas, and
I am also aware of your commitment to foster reconciliation and resolution of
conflicts between
nations. In this regard, together with Archbishop Nichols [the Catholic
Archbishop of Westminster, England], you have urged the authorities to find a
peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict such as would guarantee the security
of the entire population,
including the minorities, not least among whom are the ancient local Christian
communities. As you yourself have observed, we Christians bring peace and
grace as a treasure to be offered to the world, but these gifts can bear fruit
only when Christians
live and work together in harmony. This makes it easier to contribute to
building relations of respect and peaceful coexistence with those who belong
to other religious traditions, and with non-believers.”
“The unity we so earnestly long for,” concluded the Pope,
“is a gift that comes from above and it is rooted in our communion of
love with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. … May the merciful
Father hear and grant the
prayers that we make to him together.”
Vatican City, 14 June 2013 (VIS) – Dialogue, discernment, and
frontier: These were the three words that the Pope suggested to the personnel
of the Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica (Catholic Civilization), which is
published in Italian from
Rome, whom he received in audience this morning.
“Your fidelity to the Church still needs you to stand strong against
the hypocrisies that result from a closed and sick heart. But your main task
isn't to build walls but bridges. It is to establish a dialogue with all
persons, even those who
don't share the Christian faith but “who cultivate outstanding qualities
of the human spirit” and even with “those who oppress the Church
and harass her in manifold ways. … Through dialogue it is always
possible to get closer to
the truth, which is a gift of God, and to enrich one another.” Pope
Francis reiterated that dialogue means “being convinced that the other
has something good to say, making room for their point of view, their opinion,
their proposals,
without falling, of course, into relativism. For dialogue [to exist] it is
necessary to lower the defences and open the doors.”
The Holy Father then highlighted spiritual discernment, his second area of
focus, to those present, calling it “a Jesuit treasure … that
seeks to recognize the Spirit of God's presence in human and cultural reality,
the seed already
planted by his presence in events, feelings, desires, in the deep tensions of
our hearts and in social, cultural, and spiritual contexts.”
Mentioning Fr. Matteo Ricci, S.J., as an example, Francis observed that it
is necessary to keep open hearts and minds and to avoid the spiritual illness
of self-referentiality. Even the Church, when it becomes self-referential,
gets sick and old. May
our gaze, well fixed upon Christ, always be prophetic and dynamic towards the
future. In this way you will always remain young and daring in your reading of
events!”
The Holy Father declared that the fracture between the Gospel and culture
is undoubtedly a tragedy. “You,” he said, “are called to
make your contribution to heal this rift, which even passes through each of
your and your readers'
hearts. This ministry is typical of the Society of Jesus. … Please, be
men of the frontier, with that qualification that comes from God. In today's
world, which is subject to quick changes and is shaken by questions of great
importance for the
life of faith, it is urgent to have a courageous commitment to educating a
convinced and mature faith that is capable of giving meaning to life and of
giving convincing answers to those in search of God. This means sustaining the
Church's activity in
all the areas of her mission. ... Be strong! I'm sure I can count on
you.”
