VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 149   
   DATE 08-09-2014   
      
   Summary:   
   - POPE'S TELEGRAM FOR THE THREE NUNS KILLED IN BURUNDI   
   - INTERNATIONAL MEETING FOR PEACE: WE CANNOT BE INDIFFERENT TO WAR   
   - ANGELUS: THE STEPS OF FRATERNAL CORRECTION   
   - NEW APPEAL FOR PEACE IN UKRAINE   
   - THE POPE WRITES TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF   
   CUBA: REJOICE, RISE AND PERSEVERE   
   - THE POPE TO THE BISHOPS OF CAMEROON: EVANGELISATION IS CLOSELY LINKED TO   
   HUMAN DEVELOPMENT   
   - 28 SEPTEMBER: DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE SYNOD ON THE FAMILY   
   - CARDINAL ORTEGA Y ALAMINO, POPE'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE   
   "MOTHER CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA"   
   - AUDIENCES   
   - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    POPE'S TELEGRAM FOR THE THREE NUNS KILLED IN BURUNDI   
    Vatican City, 8 September 2014 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro   
   Parolin has sent a telegram of condolences on behalf of the Holy Father to   
   Archbishop Evariste Ngoyagoye of Bujumbura, Burundi, for the killing of three   
   Italian Xaverian Missionary sisters yesterday, Sunday 7 September, in their   
   convent in Kamenge, north of the capital Bujumbura.   
    Cardinal Parolin writes, "His Holiness Pope Francis has learned with great   
   sadness of the murder of three nuns, Sister Bernadetta Bogiann, Sister Lucia   
   Pulici and Sister Olga Raschietti, who were in the pastoral service of the   
   parish of Saint Guido Maria Conforti in Bujumbura. The Holy Father begs the   
   Lord to welcome into his kingdom of peace and light these three faithful and   
   devout nuns. In these tragic circumstances, he expresses his closeness to   
   their religious community, to the families of the victims, and the entire   
   diocesan community. He imparts the comfort of a heartfelt and affectionate   
   apostolic blessing to all those affected by their sudden loss. I join the Holy   
   Father in offering my condolences and wish to assure those close to the   
   departed Sisters of my fervent prayers".   
    The Secretary of State also sent another telegram to Sister Ines Frizza,   
   superior general of the Xaverian Missionary Sisters of Mary, in which he   
   expresses his sadness for the tragic death of the missionaries and "assures   
   his heartfelt participation in the profound suffering of the Congregation for   
   the loss of such dedicated sisters". The Holy Father, "in the hope that the   
   blood they have shed may become the seed of hope to build true fraternity   
   between peoples, raises fervent prayers for the eternal repose of their souls   
   and for their generous witness of the Gospel. To their families, the entire   
   Institute and those who mourn their loss, he imparts the comfort of his   
   apostolic blessing", the Cardinal concludes.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    INTERNATIONAL MEETING FOR PEACE: WE CANNOT BE INDIFFERENT TO WAR   
    Vatican City, 8 September 2014 (VIS) - This Sunday the Holy Father sent a   
   video message to all the representatives of the Christian Churches, ecclesial   
   communities and all heads of world religions who will meet in the Belgian city   
   of Antwerp from 7 to 9 September for the International Meeting for Peace   
   organised by the Sant'Egidio Community. This year's theme, "Peace is the   
   Future", commemorates the dramatic outbreak of the First World War one hundred   
   years ago, and evokes a future in which mutual respect, dialogue and   
   cooperation will help banish the sinister phantom of armed conflict.   
    "In these days, in which many people throughout the world need help to find   
   the way to peace, this anniversary teaches us that war is never a satisfactory   
   means of redressing injustice or reaching balanced solutions to social and   
   political discord. In the final analysis every war, as Pope Benedict XV stated   
   in 1917, is a 'useless massacre'. War drags populations into a spiral of   
   violence that is then shown to be difficult to control; it demolishes what   
   generations have worked to build and paves the way for injustice and even   
   worse conflicts".   
    Pope Francis stressed that "we cannot remain passive" when faced with "the   
   innumerable conflicts and wars, declared and undeclared, that nowadays afflict   
   the human family and ruin the lives of the youngest and of the elderly,   
   poisoning long-standing relationships of co-existence between different ethnic   
   groups and religions". He remarked that with the power of prayer "our various   
   religious traditions are able, in the the spirit of Assisi, to offer a   
   contribution to peace. ... I hope that these days of prayer and dialogue will   
   serve to remind us that the search for peace and understanding through prayer   
   can create lasting bonds of unity and prevail over the passions of war. War is   
   never necessary, nor is it inevitable. There is always an alternative: the   
   path of dialogue, encounter and the sincere search for truth".   
    "The moment has arrived for the heads of all religions to cooperate   
   effectively in the task of healing wounds, of resolving conflicts and seeking   
   peace. Peace is the sure sign of commitment to God's cause". The Pontiff   
   concluded by encouraging all those present to be "builders of peace" and to   
   convert communities into "schools of respect and dialogue with those of other   
   ethnic or religious groups, places in which we learn to overcome tensions,   
   promote equitable and peaceful relations among peoples and social groups, and   
   build a better future for the generations to come".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    ANGELUS: THE STEPS OF FRATERNAL CORRECTION   
    Vatican City, 7 September 2014 (VIS) - Fraternal correction, as it is   
   presented by St. Matthew in this Sunday's Gospel reading, was the theme of the   
   Pope's reflection during today's Angelus, at midday. "Jesus teaches us that if   
   my Christian brother wrongs me or offends me, I must be charitable towards him   
   and, first of all, speak to him personally, explaining that what he has said   
   or done is not good. And what if my brother does not listen to me? Jesus   
   suggests a way of intervening gradually: first, to speak to him again with   
   another two or three people, so that he is more aware of the mistake he has   
   made. If, in spite of this, he does not accept this exhortation, it is   
   necessary to tell the community, and if he does not even listen to the   
   community, then we have to let him know of the fracture and detachment that he   
   himself has caused, by failing in communion with his brothers and sisters in   
   the faith".   
    "The steps in this itinerary show the strength that the Lord asks of the   
   community to support those who err, so that they are not lost. Above all it is   
   necessary to avoid the clamour of news and gossip in the community. The   
   attitude must be that of gentleness, prudence, humility and care in relation   
   to those who have erred, avoiding words that may harm or kill our brother.   
   Because even words can kill! When I gossip or when I unjustly criticise, when   
   I curse a brother with my tongue, this means destroying the reputation of the   
   other person. ... At the same time, this discretion in speaking to him alone   
   has the aim of not pointlessly mortifying the sinner. ... In view of this   
   need, we can understand the following series of interventions, which include   
   the involvement of other witnesses and finally even the community. The aim is   
   to help the person to understand what they have done, and to be aware that   
   they have thereby offended not just one person, but everyone. But it also   
   helps us to rid ourselves of anger and resentment ... that bitterness of the   
   heart that leads to anger and resentment leads us to insult and offend. It is   
   very unpleasant to see insults and aggression from a Christian. ... To insult   
   is not Christian".   
    "In reality", he continued, "before the Lord we are all sinners and all in   
   need of forgiveness. All of us. Indeed, Jesus told us not to judge. Fraternal   
   correction is an aspect of the love and the communion that should reign in the   
   Christian community; it is a mutual service that we can and must render to   
   each other ... and it is possible and effective only if each person recognises   
   himself as a sinner and in need of the Lord's forgiveness. The same awareness   
   that enables me to recognise the errors of the other, first of all reminds me   
   that I myself have made, and make mistakes, many times".   
    "Therefore, at the beginning of Mass, we are invited each time to acknowledge   
   ourselves as sinners before the Lord, expressing with words and gestures the   
   sincere repentance of the heart", he concluded. "And Jesus Himself invites all   
   of us, saints and sinners, to his table, bringing us together at the various   
   crossroads in in the different situations of our lives. And among the   
   conditions that unite all the participants in the Eucharistic celebration, two   
   are fundamental: we are all sinners, and God offers His mercy to us all".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    NEW APPEAL FOR PEACE IN UKRAINE   
    Vatican City, 7 September 2014 (VIS) - After today's Angelus prayer, the Pope   
   launched an appeal for peace in Ukraine. "In recent days, significant steps   
   have been taken to reach a truce in the regions affected by the conflict in   
   eastern Ukraine, even though today we have received news that gives little   
   cause for comfort", he said.   
    "However", he added, "I hope that this may bring relief to the population and   
   contribute to efforts towards lasting peace. Let us pray that, in the logic of   
   encounter, the dialogue that has begun may continue and bear the hoped-for   
   fruit. Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us".   
    He also joined the bishops of Lesotho in making a plea for peace in their   
   country. "I condemn every act of violence and pray to the Lord that the peace   
   may be re-established in the Kingdom of Lesotho, in justice and fraternity".   
    Pope Francis also recalled that this Sunday a convoy of thirty Italian Red   
   Cross volunteers leaves for Iraq, headed for the area of Dohuk near Erbil,   
   where there are tens of thousands of displaced Iraqis. "I express my heartfelt   
   appreciation for this generous and valid work, and impart my blessing to all   
   of them and all those who seek to offer concrete assistance to our persecuted   
   and oppressed brothers. May the Lord bless you".   
    Finally, he commented that on Monday will be the liturgical feast of the   
   Nativity of Mary. "It means it would be her birthday. And what do we do when   
   our it is our mother's birthday? We greet her and offer her our best wishes.   
   Tomorrow remember, in the early morning, to greet the Virgin from your heart,   
   and say to her, 'Best wishes!'. And say a Hail Mary from your heart, as a son   
   or a daughter".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    THE POPE WRITES TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF   
   CUBA: REJOICE, RISE AND PERSEVERE   
    Vatican City, 6 September 2014 (VIS) - On 8 September, the festivity of the   
   Nativity of Mary, Cubans also celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Charity   
   of El Cobre, the patroness of the island. To commemorate the occasion, the   
   Pope has written a letter to the metropolitan archbishop of Santiago de Cuba,   
   Dionisio Guillermo Garcia Ibanez, president of the Conference of Catholic   
   Bishops of Cuba (C.O.O.C.), extensive extracts from which are published below:   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)