In response to a question on the commissions he has instituted for the
reform of the IOR (Institute for Religious Works) and the case of Msgr.
Scarano, director of the accounting analysis service of the Administration of
the Patrimony of the
Apostolic See (APSA) arrested by the Italian authorities in the context of a
corruption and fraud investigation, he stated that the commissions have been
established to reform and rectify the IOR and that some advised him it should
be an ethical bank, a
support fund or that it should even be shut down. “I trust in the work
of the commission
Subject: VISnews130730
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
members”, he commented. “Transparency and honesty must be the
criteria inspiring this entity. He expressed his sadness regarding the case of
Msgr.
Scarano, imprisoned “and not because he resembled Blessed Imelda
… I am pained by these events because they cause scandal … but
in the Curia there are also saintly people … and even if there are some
who are
not, they are those who make the most noise: everyone knows that one falling
tree makes more noise than a growing forest”.
The Pope also referred to Msgr. Ricca, a prelate of the IOR, about whom an
Italian magazine published compromising information relating to his personal
life, and on the so-called “gay lobby” within the Vatican.
“On Msgr.
Ricca”, he said, “an 'investigatio previa' (an investigation prior
to being appointed as a prelate) was carried out and nothing emerged. But I
would like to add one more thing: I see that very often in the Church, there
is a tendency to seek
out sins committed in youth, and make them public. I am not speaking about
crimes: the abuse of minors is a crime. But if a layperson, or a priest, or a
nun, has sinned, the Lord forgives and forgets. And this is important –
the Lord forgets. We
do not have the right to not forget. … St. Peter committed one of the
most serious sins, apostasy, and yet they made him Pope. Much is written about
the gay lobby … but I haven't found gay identity cards in the
Vatican, although they say they exist. I think that when we encounter a gay
person, we must distinguish the fact of being gay from that of forming part of
a lobby, as not all lobbies are good. That is the problem. But if a person is
gay and seeks God
and has good will, who am I to judge him?”
Similarly the Pope did not elude the theme of sacraments for the divorced
and remarried. “I think this is the moment for mercy. The divorced may
have access to the sacraments. The problem regards those who are in a second
marriage … who
cannot receive communion. But, in parenthesis, the Orthodox have a different
praxis. They follow the theology of economy, and they give a second chance:
they allow that. But I think that this problem – and here I close the
parenthesis –
should be studied within the framework of matrimonial pastoral care. One of
the themes that the Council of Cardinals will consider in the meeting in
… October is how to proceed in relation to matrimonial pastoral care.
… A few days ago I
met with the secretary of the Synod of Bishops, for the theme of the next
Synod and, speaking … we saw this anthropological theme: how faith
helps in the planning of the person, in the family, and enters into the
pastoral of
matrimony. … We are on the way towards a deeper matrimonial pastoral
care … This is a problem for many people”.
With regard to the participation of women in the Church, Francis said that
John Paul II had closed the door to the question of ordination, but emphasised
that “Mary was more important than the Apostles, bishops, and so women
in the Church are
also more important than bishops and priests … there is a great need
for theology to better explore the role of women in the Church”.
Speaking of the presence of Benedict XVI in the Vatican, he affirmed,
“It is like having a grandfather at home, but a wise grandfather. When
in a family the grandfather is at home, he is venerated, loved and listened
to. He is a prudent man who
does not intrude. I have said to him many times, 'Your Holiness, receive
visitors, carry on with your life, come with us … He came to the
inauguration and blessing of the statue of St. Michael … Yes, it is
like having a grandfather at
home, my father. If I had any difficulty or did not understand something, I
would telephone him to ask, 'Tell me, can I do this, or that?' And when I went
to speak to him about the serious problem of Vatileaks, he explained it all to
me with great
simplicity”.
For the full Italian text of the press conference with the Holy Father,
see: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/speeches/2013/j
ly/documents/papa-francesco_20130728_gmg-conferenza-stampa_it.html
___________________________________________________________
THE POPE JOINS IN THE SUFFERING OF THE PEOPLE OF CAMPANIA
Vatican City, 30 July 2013 (VIS) – Cardinal Secretary of State
Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. has sent a telegram, in the name of the Holy Father,
to Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, archbishop of Naples and president of the
Episcopal Conference for the
region of Campania, for the road accident last Sunday in which 38 people lost
their lives when a bus fell from a viaduct on the A16 road between Naples and
Canosa.
Profoundly saddened by the news of the tragic accident, the Pope raises
fervent prayers for the souls of the deceased and conveys his deepest
condolences to their families. He invokes the Lord for the rapid recovery of
the injured, and imparts the
comfort of an apostolic blessing as a sign of consolation for those who mourn
the loss of their loved ones.
___________________________________________________________
PAPAL AND HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS FOR JANUARY-APRIL 2013
Vatican City, 30 July 2013 (VIS) - Following are highlights of the
activities of Pope Benedict XVI and of the Holy See for the months of January
to April 2013.
JANUARY
7: Video-message from the Holy Father Benedict XVI on the occasion of the
National Congress of the Church in Cambodia on the theme of "Vatican Council
II and the Church".
8: "Go and do likewise" is the theme for the Holy Father's message on the
21st World Day of the Sick to be celebrated 11 February, the liturgical feast
of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes, which will take place this year at the
Marian Shrine of
Altotting, Germany.
10: The Holy Father receives in audience Mrs. Slavica Karacic, the new
ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Holy See, presenting her
credential letters.
12: The Holy Father receives in audience His Serene Highness Prince Albert
II of Monaco and his wife, Princess Charlene.
13: Celebration of World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
18-25: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on the theme: "What does God
require of us?", inspired by a passage in the book of the prophet Micah.
18: The French and German Bishops' Conferences publish a joint declaration
marking the 50th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty, signed on 22 January 1963
by General Charles de Gaulle and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to seal the
reconciliation between the
two opposing nations after the Second World War.
19: Benedict XVI receives in audience participants in the plenary session
of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum on the theme: “Charity, Christian
Anthropology, and Global Ethics".
22: The Holy Father Benedict XVI receives in audience for the first time
the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of
Vietnam, His Excellency Nguyen Phu Trong.
24: Death of Cardinal Jozef Glemp, archbishop emeritus of Gniezno and
Warsaw and primate of Poland, at the age of 83.
24: Presentation of Benedict XVI's message for the 47th World
Communications Day (12 May) on the theme: "Social Networks: Portals of Truth
and Faith; New Spaces for Evangelisation".
25: Study Day on “The Code: A Reform Desired and Requested by the
Council” marking the 30th anniversary of the promulgation of the Code of
Canon Law.
25: With the Motu Proprio “Fides per doctrinam”, signed 16
January, the Holy Father modifies the apostolic constitution "Pastor bonus",
transferring responsibility for catechesis from the Congregation for the
Clergy to the Pontifical
Council for Promoting New Evangelisation.
FEBRUARY
1: Presentation of the Holy Father's Lenten Message, dated 15 February 2013
and entitled "Believing in Charity Calls Forth Charity: 'We have come to know
and to believe in the love God has for us'".
6-9: Annual Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for Culture,
dedicated to the theme "Emerging Youth Cultures".
8: Death of Cardinal Giovanni Cheli, president emeritus of the Pontifical
Council for Pastoral Care, at the age of 94.
11: In the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father
presides over an ordinary public consistory for the canonization of the
blesseds: Antonio Primaldo and Companions, martyrs, (1480); Laura de Santa
Catalina de Siena Montoya y Upegui
(1874 -1949), virgin, foundress of the Congregation of the Missionaries of
Mary Immaculate and St Catherine of Siena; and Maria Guadalupe Garcia Zavala,
co-foundress of the Congregation of the Handmaids of St Margaret Mary
(Alacoque) and the Poor.
During the course of the consistory, the Pope decrees that blesseds Antonio
Primaldo and his companions, Laura di Santa Caterina da Siena Montoya y Upegui
and Maria Guadalupe Garcia Zavala be inscribed in the book of saints on
Sunday, 12 May 2013.
11: At the end of the consistory for causes for canonization Benedict XVI
announces to the College of Cardinals, in a declaration read in Latin, his
resignation from his ministry as Bishop of Rome, from 8 p.m. on 28 February
2013.
14: “I will always be near to all of you in prayer” says the
Holy Father to the priests and clergy of the Diocese of Rome, accompanied by
Cardinal Agostino Vallini, vicar general, and auxiliary bishops.
14: Archbishop Georg Ganswein, prefect of the Papal Household and secretary
to Benedict XVI, continues to carry out both roles and thus accompanies the
Pope during his stay at Castel Gandolfo and at the monastery that he will
retire to after his
resignation from the papacy.
15: The Holy Father Benedetto XVI receives in audience Traian Basescu,
president of the Republic of Romania.
15: The Commission of Cardinals for the Institute for the Works of Religion
(IOR) appoints, in accordance with the Institute’s statutes, a new
president of the Supervisory Board, Ernst von Freyberg.
16: The Pope receives Senator Mario Monti, Prime Minister of the Italian
Republic, in a private audience.
16: The Pope receives in audience Otto Perez Molina, president of the
Republic of Guatemala.
22: The Holy See and the Republic of South Sudan establish diplomatic
relations at the level of Apostolic Nunciature on the part of the Holy See and
the Embassy on the part of the Republic of South Sudan.
23: The Holy Father receives in a farewell audience the president of the
Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, accompanied by his wife.
24: Final Angelus of Benedict XVI's pontificate, attended by over 200,000
people.
25: Publication of an Apostolic Letter in the form of a Motu Proprio by
Holy Father Benedict XVI on amendments concerning the election of the Roman
Pontiff, in which the College of Cardinals is granted the faculty to bring
forward the start of the
Conclave.
25: Death of Belgian Cardinal Julien Ries at the age of 92.
26: After the end of his Pontificate Benedict XVI will be “Pontiff
emeritus” or “Pope emeritus”, and will keep the name of
“His Holiness, Benedict XVI”. He will dress in a simple white
cassock without the
mozzetta.
27: Benedict XVI celebrates his final general audience, attended by
thousands of people.
27: The Holy Father receives in audience Ivan Gasparovic, President of
Slovakia.
28: The Holy Father Benedict XVI greets the College of Cardinals on the
last day of his pontificate.
28: Death of Cardinal Jean Honoré, archbishop emeritus of Tours,
France, at the age of 92.
28: Shortly after 5:00pm, Benedict XVI leaves the Vatican for the last time
as Supreme Pontiff, destined for Castel Gandolfo where he will reside
temporarily before transferring to the Monastery on the Vatican Hill, which
has previously housed four
cloistered orders.
MARCH
1: On the first day of the Sede Vacante, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of
the College of Cardinals, summons the cardinals to the first of the General
Congregations, in accordance with the Apostolic Constitution “Universi
Dominici
Gregis”.
8: The eighth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals decides that
the Conclave will begin on Tuesday, 12 March 2013.
12: “Pro eligendo Romano Pontifice” Mass, presided by Cardinal
Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, and concelebrated by over one
hundred cardinals, electors and non-electors.
12: The 115 Cardinal electors enter into the Conclave.
13: Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., is elected Supreme Pontiff, the
265th successor of Peter, and chooses the name Francis, the first Pope to do
so.
14: The Holy Father's first liturgical celebration with the 114 cardinals
who participated in the Conclave. They concelebrate the “Pro
Ecclesia” Mass in Latin, with readings in Italian.
15: The new Roman Pontiff receives all the Cardinals, electors and
non-electors in the Clementine Hall.
16: The Holy Father greets over 6,000 journalists and media workers
accredited in Rome, permanently or temporarily, in the Vatican's Paul VI
Hall.
17: Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Vatican parish of St. Anna.
17: First Angelus of the pontificate of Pope Francis.
18: Audience and lunch with Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, President of
Argentina.
19: Solemnity of St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, in St. Peter's
Square. Celebration of the Mass inaugurating Pope Francis' Petrine Ministry.
20: Audience with the Fraternal Delegates.
20: The Pope receives in audience Dilma Vana Rousseff, president of Brazil,
and entourage.
22: The Pope receives in audience members of the diplomatic corps
accredited to the Holy See in the Sala Regia.
23: Meeting with the Pope emeritus Benedict XVI and lunch in the Apostolic
Palace at Castel Gandolfo.
25: The Square Garden (“Giardino Quadrato”), created in the
1500s at the behest of Pope Paul III Farnese, who commissioned Michelangelo's
“The Last Judgment” in 1534, will be open to visitors of the
Vatican Museums.
27: Pope Francis' first General Audience, reflecting on Holy Week.
28: Pope Francis celebrates the “in Coena Domine”—the
Lord's Supper—Mass at the Casal del Marmo Penitential Institute for
Minors and not in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, as is usual on this
day.
APRIL
5: Presentation of the new print and digital versions of the Jesuit journal
“La Civilta Cattolica” (Catholic Civilization).
7: In the Basilica of St. John Lateran on Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francis
celebrates Mass, during which he officially takes possession of the Cathedra
of the Bishop of Rome.
7: Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, takes
possession pf the title of San Saturnino, Via Avigliana, 3, Roma.
9: The Holy Father receives in audience Ban Ki-moon, secretary-general of
the United Nations, with his wife and entourage.
10: Death of Cardinal Lorenzo Antonetti, president emeritus of the
Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, former pontifical
delegate to the Patriarchal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, at the age of
90.
11: The Holy Father receives in audience Alberto Clementino Vaquina, prime
minister of Mozambique.
13: The Holy Father establishes a group of cardinals to advise him in the
government of the Universal Church and to draw up a plan for revising the
Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia, 'Pastor Bonus'.
14: Pope Francis presides over Mass at Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls on his
first visit there as Bishop of Rome.
15: The Holy Father receives in audience Mariano Rajoy Brey, prime minister
of Spain, with his wife and entourage.
16: Presentation of the Vatican Foundation “International Family
Centre in Nazareth”, to be erected on the outskirts of Nazareth above
the hill dominating the city centre and the Basilica of the Annunciation.
17: The Holy Father receives Saleh Mohammad Al Ghamdi, ambassador of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Italy, bearer of a message from King Abdullah bin
Abdulaziz Al Saud.
- 19: The Holy Father receives in audience Rafael Correa Delgado, president
of the Republic of Ecuador, and entourage.
- 22: Cardinal Rubén Salazar Gómez takes possession of the
title of St. Gerardo Maiella, Via Romolo Balzani, 74, Roma.
- 26: The Holy Father receives in audience Andry Nirina Rajoelina,
president of the High Transitional Authority of Madagascar.
- 30: The Holy Father receives in audience Shimon Peres, president of the
State of Israel.
___________________________________________________________
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