VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXIV - # 84   
   DATE 08-05-2014   
      
   Summary:   
   - THE POPE RECEIVES HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II AND RECALLS ARMENIA'S 20TH CENTURY   
   MARTYRS   
   - CARDINAL PAROLIN AT THE SHRINE OF THE VIRGIN OF THE ROSARY AT POMPEII: NO   
   PROBLEM CAN BANISH HOPE   
   - COMMUNIQUE ON FALSE VATICAN CONTRACTS   
   - MEETING OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE WITH DIYANET   
   - AUDIENCES   
   - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    THE POPE RECEIVES HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II AND RECALLS ARMENIA'S 20TH CENTURY   
   MARTYRS   
    Vatican City, 8 May 2014 (VIS) - "In the person of Your Holiness I extend my   
   respectful and affectionate thoughts to the members of the family of the   
   Catholicate of All Armenians throughout the world. It is a special grace for   
   us to be able to meet in this house, close to the tomb of the Apostle Peter,   
   and to share a moment of fraternity and prayer".   
    Pope Francis thus began his greeting to His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme   
   Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, in a meeting that took place this   
   morning. He went on to mention how the links between the Armenian Apostolic   
   Church and the Church of Rome have been consolidated during recent years   
   thanks to events such as John Paul II's trip to Armenia in 2001, the presence   
   of the Patriarch in the Vatican on various occasions such as the official   
   visit to Benedict XVI in 2008 and the beginning of Pope Francis' ministry as   
   bishop of Rome in 2013.   
    "However", he added, I would like to recall another celebration, rich in   
   meaning, in which Your Holiness took part: the Commemoration of the Witnesses   
   of faith in the twentieth century, which took place within the context of the   
   Great Jubilee of 2000. In truth, the number of disciples who have shed blood   
   for Christ in the tragic events of the last century is certainly higher than   
   that of the martyrs of the first centuries, and the sons of the Armenian   
   nation have a place of honour in this martyrology. The mystery of the Cross,   
   so dear to the memory of your people, represented in the splendid stone   
   crosses that adorn every corner of your land, has been lived by countless sons   
   of yours, directly participating in the chalice of the Passion. Their witness,   
   both tragic and lofty, must not be forgotten".   
    "The suffering of Christians during recent decades has also made a unique and   
   inestimable contribution to the cause of unity between Christ's disciples. As   
   in the ancient Church the blood of martyrs became the seed of new Christians,   
   in our days too the blood of many Christians has become the seed of unity. The   
   ecumenism of suffering and martyrdom is a powerful reminder to walk the path   
   of reconciliation between the Churches, decisively and trustfully surrendering   
   ourselves to the action of the Spirit. Let us feel the duty of following this   
   path of fraternity also for the debt of gratitude we have towards the   
   suffering of so many of our brothers, which has become salvific by being   
   united with the passion of Christ".   
    In this respect, the Pope thanked Karekin II for his effective support for   
   ecumenical dialogue, and in particular the work of the Joint Commission for   
   theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the oriental Orthodox   
   Churches, and for the significant theological contribution to the Commission   
   offered by the representatives of the Catholicate of All Armenians.   
    "Let us pray for each other", concluded the bishop of Rome. "May the Holy   
   Spirit enlighten us and guide us towards longed-for day in which we may share   
   in the Eucharist. And may the All Holy Mother of God intercede for the   
   Armenian population, now and for ever".   
    Following the meeting, Pope Francis and His Holiness Karekin prayed together   
   in the Redemptoris Mater Chapel.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    CARDINAL PAROLIN AT THE SHRINE OF THE VIRGIN OF THE ROSARY AT POMPEII: NO   
   PROBLEM CAN BANISH HOPE   
    Vatican City, 8 May 2014 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin   
   celebrated Holy Mass this morning at the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary of   
   the Holy Rosary at Pompeii, Italy, a place of Marian devotion, where on 8 May   
   every year thousands of faithful participate in reciting the Supplication to   
   the Virgin, a prayer composed in 1883 by Blessed Bartolo Longo, founder of the   
   Shrine who visited St. John Paul II in 1979 and in 2003 and by Benedict XVI in   
   2008.   
    "We are in a place where charity has pitched her tent", said the cardinal in   
   his homily, "and has taken root as a constitutive element in a history of   
   faith that continues to look ahead, driven by the powerful force of its humble   
   origin: here the prayer, the chaplet of the Rosary of which the founder   
   Bartolo Longo was an apostle, encountered a situation of an entirely different   
   type; of poverty and neglect, injustice and oppression. Man's dignity was   
   trampled and the poor, the last in line, were barely considered".   
    Charity "has opened the doors, has thrown them wide open to hope, giving rise   
   to a new era. No problem, no fear, no matter how strong or reasonable it may   
   be, can drive away a hope that here is made manifest as concrete, made up of   
   works that speak the language of a charity that transforms, constructs and   
   renews. This remains true even though what we experience today does not   
   protect us from trouble and distress, such as the danger of a forever-lurking   
   violence, or the scarce and uncertain job prospects for our young people, for   
   whom not only the current economic crisis, but also delays deep-seated and   
   structural delays make it difficult to look to the future with serenity and   
   confidence".   
    The cardinal emphasised three important concepts which may help us to   
   understand what the Lord wishes to say to us every day. The first is that of   
   proclaiming our faith. The prelate mentioned Peter, who was "pulled along by   
   Jesus into an adventure that was greater than him", with his fears and frail   
   humanity, but with the help of the Lord who sent the Holy Spirit to the   
   Apostles gathered in the Cenacle, he found the strength to proclaim the   
   Kingdom of God. He also mentioned Mary, "humble servant of the Lord and mother   
   of our faith". "We are all baptised and have received, in Confirmation, the   
   gift of the Holy Spirit", he continued. "Let us make this gift bear fruit. Let   
   us proclaim our faith like St. Peter. Even if this costs us dearly, as it did   
   him".   
    The second concept is to put our faith into practice - that is, to love our   
   neighbour. "It is precisely this that is at the heart of our faith. This is   
   the revolution Jesus brought. Mutual love is the commandment he gave to his   
   followers before dying, defining it as 'his' and 'new'. It is, therefore, the   
   very essence of his teaching". The cardinal explained that the name "New"   
   Pompeii indicated not only the temporal distance between the ancient and   
   splendid excavated city, but also the territory of the desolate Valley that   
   Bartolo Longo encountered, and made the starting point for a "new beginning".   
   The founder was aware of the need to put faith into practice, and made the   
   prayer of the Rosary the central pillar of the Shrine, a "house of the faith   
   and hope of a new people".   
    Being a light for the world - mission - was the final concept set forth by   
   the secretary of State, who emphasised that, as exhorted by Pope Francis, "we   
   must bring this light, this truth to the world, to bear witness to it and to   
   proclaim it to all, and do so with joy". To put these concepts into effect,   
   Cardinal Parolin encouraged those present to look to Mary "who welcomed the   
   gift that God gave her and brought it into the world. In the Magnificat, she   
   professed her faith, living at the same time the concrete love for her   
   brethren. She followed Jesus to the end, below the Cross, as his Stabat,   
   living witness of the light of faith, and even today she continues to give to   
   her children".   
    The Cardinal concluded, "let us entrust to Mary ... all our worries, our   
   anxieties, our needs. Let us pray for the Church, for Pope Francis ... for the   
   whole world, and for peace. May the Child we see on Mary's lap and the   
   mystical crown we see in her hand inspire in us the confidence that we will be   
   heard".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    COMMUNIQUE ON FALSE VATICAN CONTRACTS   
    Vatican City, 8 May 2014 (VIS) - The following is the full text of a   
   communique published today by the Governorate of Vatican City State.   
    "In recent days there has been a series of troubling reports regarding   
   companies which, boasting official assignments received by the Governorate of   
   Vatican City State, are offering false contracts for employment by the same   
   Governorate or with other companies providing services within the State.   
    The Governorate advises that all offers of employment of this type be   
   regarded with suspicion. Recruitment procedures are never entrusted to third   
   parties and, furthermore, new appointments are not expected at this time.   
    It is sadly evident that there are those who take advantage of the good faith   
   of many young people and their families, especially in this period of crisis.   
    The Governorate advises that episodes of this type be reported to the   
   competent Italian authorities and that a copy of the report be forwarded to   
   the Vatican Gendarmeria, and expresses its hope that these serious offences   
   will cease".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    MEETING OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE WITH DIYANET   
    Vatican City, 8 May 2014 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council for Interreligious   
   Dialogue, along with the Presidency of Religious Affairs in Turkey (Diyanet)   
   has organised a meeting to explore the possibility of collaboration between   
   the two entities, as proposed in 2002. The meeting will take place in the   
   premises of the above dicastery during these days.   
    In September 2012, Fr. Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, secretary of the Pontifical   
   Council for Interreligious Dialogue, during an interview in Turkey with the   
   president of Diyanet, aired the idea of relaunching a proposal for   
   collaboration. Therefore, in May 2013, along with Msgr. Khaled Akasheh, head   
   of the Islamic Department, he will pay a courtesy visit to the president of   
   Diyanet, Mehmet Gormez, in order to establish the terms of a formal   
   collaboration between the two entities.   
    The meeting will offer the opportunity to deepen mutual knowledge and to   
   evaluate further perspectives for dialogue.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    AUDIENCES   
    Vatican City, 8 May 2014 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in audience:   
    - Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, apostolic nuncio in Indonesia.   
    - Nine prelates of the Bishops' Conference of Ethiopia and Eritrea on their   
   "ad limina" visit:   
    Metropolitan Archbishop Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel of Addis Abeba, with   
   his auxiliary, Bishop Lisane-Christos Matheos Semahun;   
    Bishop Abune Tesfaselassie Medhin of Adigrat;   
    Bishop Menghesteab Tesfamariam, M.C.C.I., of Asmara, Eritrea;   
    Bishop Thomas Osman, O.F.M. Cap., of Barentu, Eritrea;   
    Bishop Musie Ghebreghiorghis, O.F.M. Cap., of Emdeber;   
    Bishop Kidane Yebio of Keren, Eritrea;   
    Bishop Fikremariam Hagos Tsalim of Segheneity, Eritrea;   
    Bishop Giovanni Migliorati, M.C.C.I., apostolic vicar of Awasa.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
    Vatican City, 8 May 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed Msgr. Camillo   
   Cibotti, vicar-general of the archdiocese of Chieti-Vasto, as bishop of   
   Isernia-Venafro (area 740, population 63,000, Catholics 62,000, priests 72,   
   permanent deacons 10, religious 68), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in   
   Casalbordino, Italy in 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1978. He has served   
   in a number of pastoral roles, including parish priest in Liscia, spiritual   
   father at the regional seminary, priest at Ripa Teatina, and at the parish of   
   the Santissima Trinit  dei Pellegrini in Chieti and rector of the Church of   
   San Domenico in Chieti. He has also served as professor of moral theology at   
   the Abruzzo-Molise theological institute, episcopal vicar for the laity and   
   assistant to the diocesan board for the laity. He was named Chaplain of his   
   Holiness in 2005.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
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   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)