VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXIV - # 88   
   DATE 14-05-2014   
      
   Summary:   
   - FORTITUDE, THE GIFT TO OVERCOME DIFFICULT MOMENTS   
   - FRANCIS PRAYS FOR THE MINERS OF SOMA AND FOR AN END TO THE MASSACRE OF   
   MIGRANTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN   
   - THE POPE TO DELEGATION FROM THE "LAND OF FIRE AND POISON": DIGNITY AND THE   
   RIGHT TO HEALTH PRECEDE ANY OTHER INTEREST   
   - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    FORTITUDE, THE GIFT TO OVERCOME DIFFICULT MOMENTS   
    Vatican City, 14 May 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father, in the catechesis of this   
   Wednesday's general audience, mentioned the first three gifts of the Holy   
   Spirit considered during the previous weeks: wisdom, understanding and   
   counsel, and went on to talk about the fourth gift, fortitude. To explain the   
   importance of this gift, he offered the example of the parable of the sower.   
   The seeds which fall on the road are eaten by birds, and those which fall   
   among the stones dry out; only those that fall on good soil grow and bear   
   fruit.   
    The sower is the Father, who sows the seeds of His Word. "The seeds often   
   encounter the aridity of our heart and, even when accepted, risk remaining   
   sterile. With the gift of fortitude, however, the Holy Spirit wakes the ground   
   of our heart from its torpor, uncertainty and all the fears that may hold it   
   back, so that the Word of the Lord may be put into practice, in an authentic   
   and joyful manner". The Pope spoke about all those difficult moments and   
   extreme situations in which the gift of fortitude manifests itself in an   
   extraordinary way, and remarked that the Church is "resplendent with the   
   witness of many brothers and sisters who have not hesitated to give their   
   lives in order to remain faithful to the Lord and to His Gospel", and that   
   nowadays there are still many Christians who offer witness to their faith in   
   perilous circumstances. He added, "We all know people who have experienced   
   difficult situations and great suffering. But, think of these men, these   
   woman, who lead difficult lives, who struggle to maintain their families, to   
   bring up their children: they do all of this because the spirit of fortitude   
   helps them. ... These brothers and sisters of ours are saints, everyday   
   saints, saints who are concealed among us; they have the gift of fortitude   
   that allows them to carry out their duties as persons, as fathers, mothers,   
   brothers, sisters and citizens. ... And it is good for us to think about these   
   people: if they do all this, if they can do it, why can't I? It is good for us   
   to ask the Lord for the gift of fortitude".   
    However, "it should not be thought that the gift of fortitude is necessary   
   only on some occasions or in particular situations. This gift must constitute   
   the base note of our Christian being, nurturing in us a sanctity lived in the   
   ordinariness of our daily life". Pope Francis commented that the phrase of the   
   apostle Paul, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me". Before   
   concluding, the Pontiff added that "at times we are tempted by idleness or we   
   are discouraged, especially when faced with the burdens and trials of life. In   
   these cases, we must not lose heart, but must instead invoke the Holy Spirit,   
   so that the gift of fortitude might lift our hearts and transmit new strength   
   and enthusiasm to our life and to our following of Jesus".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    FRANCIS PRAYS FOR THE MINERS OF SOMA AND FOR AN END TO THE MASSACRE OF   
   MIGRANTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN   
    Vatican City, 14 May 2014 (VIS) - Following the catechesis of today's general   
   audience, Pope Francis mentioned the 201 victims of the explosion in the mine   
   in Soma, 120 kilometres from Esmima, Turkey, and the other miners, more than   
   400, who remain trapped underground.   
    "Bear brothers", he said, "I invite you to pray for the miners who died   
   yesterday in the mine of Soma, in Turkey, and for those who are still trapped   
   in the tunnels. May the Lord welcome the deceased to His home and give comfort   
   to their families.   
    "And let us also pray for those who in have lost their lives in the   
   Mediterranean Sea in these days. May human rights be the first priority and   
   may forces unite to prevent these shameful massacres".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    THE POPE TO DELEGATION FROM THE "LAND OF FIRE AND POISON": DIGNITY AND THE   
   RIGHT TO HEALTH PRECEDE ANY OTHER INTEREST   
    Vatican City, 14 May 2014 (VIS) - In his greetings in various languages at   
   today's general audience, the Holy Father invited Portuguese-speaking   
   pilgrims, among others, to pray the Rosary every day during May, the month of   
   Mary. He also asked the Lord to grant to the faithful of Iraq and Syria the   
   strength to offer, through their actions and their daily life, true witness to   
   Christ and His Gospel.   
    In Italian he greeted the Daughters of St. Camillo, who are currently   
   celebrating their general chapter, and urged them to be a "joyful sign of   
   God's love among the suffering". He thanked the faithful of Sardinia in   
   attendance, returning the Pope's visit to the island last year, and encouraged   
   them to "face the problematic situations that still afflict your beautiful   
   island, persevering in hope and solidarity". I assure you that I have not   
   forgotten you and I pray. I remember well the words you shared with me on the   
   serious problems in Sardinia. I assure you that I am close to you".   
    Finally, he addressed a delegation from the "land of fire and poison", in   
   Campania, so-called on account of the illegal dumping of waste, the   
   incineration of which spreads toxic substances in the atmosphere and in the   
   earth. This is mostly due to the involvement of criminal organisations in the   
   waste management sector, and is causing a high incidence of tumours of various   
   types in the area. Francis expressed his spiritual closeness to the   
   delegation, and emphasised that "the dignity of the human person and the right   
   to health must always take precedence over any other interest".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
    Vatican City, 14 May 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:   
    - accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Colatina,   
   Brazil, presented by Bishop Decio Zandonade, S.D.B., in accordance with canon   
   401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.   
    - appointed Fr. Fernando Barbosa dos Santos, C.M., as bishop prelate of the   
   territorial prelature of Tefe (area 264,677, population 243,000, Catholics   
   185,000, priests 24, permanent deacons 6, religious 45), Brazil. The   
   bishop-elect was born in Sertania, Brazil in 1967, gave his perpetual vows in   
   1995 and was ordained a priest in 1996. He studied philosophy and theology at   
   the Instituto Regional de Pastoral in Olinda, and specialised in letters at   
   the Universidade de Arcoverde, Pesqueira. He has served in a number of   
   pastoral roles, including vicar of the "Santo Antonio" parish in Quixeramobim,   
   formator in the preparatory seminary of the Congregation of the Mission in   
   Fortaleza, formator in the seminary of Belem do Para, provincial superior of   
   the canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law. of Fortaleza, priest in the   
   "Sao Jose" parish in Tucurui, and bursar of the Lazzarist Province of   
   Fortaleza. He is currently priest of the "Nossa Senhora dos Remedios" parish   
   in Fortaleza.   
    - appointed Fr. Kevin Doran as bishop of Elphin (area 301, population 71,650,   
   Catholics 69,270, priests 75, permanent deacons 6, religious 205), Ireland.   
   The bishop-elect was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1953 and was ordained a priest   
   in 1977. He holds a doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical University of   
   St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome. He has served in a number of pastoral   
   and administrative roles, including university chaplain, spiritual director of   
   the Irish College, parish vicar in Foxrock, diocesan and subsequently national   
   direction for vocations, priest of Glendalough, director for the formation of   
   permanent deacons, secretary of the Commission of the Episcopal Conference for   
   Bioethics, member of the managing board of the Mater Misericordiae Hospital in   
   Dublin, and consultor of the Congregation for Catholic Education. He is   
   currently administrator of the "Sacred Heart" parish in Dublin. He succeeds   
   Bishop Christopher Jones, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same   
   diocese, upon reaching the age limit, was accepted by the Holy Father.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
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