Today, when we remember our dear departed, many people visit the cemetery   
   which, as its name itself implies, is a "place of rest", where we await the   
   final awakening. "Jesus himself revealed that the death of the body is like a   
   sleep from which he awakens us", explained the Holy Father. "With this faith   
   we stop - also spiritually - at the graves of our loved ones. ... But today we   
   are called to remember everyone, even those who no one remembers. We remember   
   the victims of war and violence; the many 'little ones' of the world,   
   oppressed by hunger and poverty. We remember the nameless who rest in common   
   graves. We remember our brothers and sisters killed because they are   
   Christians; and those who sacrificed their lives to serve others".   
    "Church tradition has always urged prayer for the dead, in particular by   
   offering the celebration of the Eucharist for them: it is the best spiritual   
   help that we can give to their souls, particularly to the most abandoned ones.   
   The foundation of prayers of remembrance is found in the communion of the   
   Mystical Body. Remembering the dead, caring for their tombs and prayers of   
   suffrage are testimony to confident hope, rooted in the certainty that death   
   does not have the last word on human destiny, as humanity is destined for a   
   life without end, that has its root and its fulfilment in God", said Francis,   
   who concluded the Angelus with a prayer for the departed by the Passionist   
   Antonio Rungi:   
    "God of infinite mercy, we entrust to Your immense goodness all those who   
   have left this world for eternity, where you await all humanity, redeemed by   
   the precious blood of Christ Your Son, who died to save us from our sins. Look   
   not Lord, at our poverty, misery and human weaknesses when we present   
   ourselves before You to be judged in happiness or condemned. Gaze upon us with   
   pity, born of Your tender heart and help us to walk the path of purification.   
   May none of your children be lost to the eternal fires of hell, where   
   repentance is no more. We entrust to You Lord, the souls of our beloved   
   departed, of those who died without the comfort of the Sacraments or who did   
   not have the opportunity to repent, not even at the end of their life. May no   
   one fear the encounter with You at the end of their earthly pilgrimage, in the   
   hope of being welcomed within the embrace of your infinite mercy. May sister   
   death find us in prayerful vigilance, and full of all the good we have done   
   during our existence, be it long or short. Lord, may nothing distance us from   
   you on this earth, may everything and everyone support us in our ardent hope   
   to serenely and eternally rest in You. Amen".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    The Pope celebrates Mass for the cardinals and bishops departed during the   
   last year   
    Vatican City, 3 November 2014 (VIS) - Following tradition, this morning the   
   Holy Fther celebrated Mass in the Vatican Basilica in memory of all the   
   cardinals and bishops deceased during the last twelve months, whom he   
   remembered with gratitude, and recalling their service to the Church. "This   
   celebration, thanks to the Word of God, is completely illuminated by faith in   
   the Resurrection", he affirmed.   
    "All divine revelation is the fruit of the dialogue between God and His   
   peole, and also faith in the Resurrection is linked to this dialogue, which   
   accompanies the people of God in history. It is not surprising that such a   
   mystery as great, decisive and superhuman as the Resurrection had to come all   
   the way up to Jesus Christ. He was able to say "I am the resurrection and the   
   life", as in Him this mystery is not only fully revealed, but also put into   
   effect, becoming reality for the first time and definitively. ... Every one of   
   us is invited to enter into this event. We are called first to stay before   
   Jesus' cross, to hear the cry of Jesus, his last breath, and finally that   
   silence that lasts the whole of Holy Saturday. And then we are called to His   
   tomb, to see that the great stone has been set aside, to hear the   
   announcement: 'He has risen! He is not here'. And herein lies the answer. Here   
   there is the foundation, the rock. Not in 'persuasive and knowing discourse,   
   but in the living word of the Cross and of Jesus' resurrection.   
    "This is what the apostle Paul preached: Jesus Christ, crucified and   
   resurrected. If He had not risen again, our faith would be empty and   
   inconsistent. But since He rose again, or rather, He is the Resurrection, our   
   faith is full of truth and eternal life".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    The Holy See at the United Nations advocates a peaceful use of space   
    Vatican City, 3 November 2014 (VIS) - "For a peaceful use of space" was the   
   theme of the intervention by Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Holy See Permanent   
   Observer at the United Nations, during the session of the Special Political   
   and Decolonisation Committee which took place on 17 October and focused on   
   "International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space".   
    "Since the earliest days of human history, humanity has looked to the sky   
   with wonder, longing to understand celestial realities and their meaning in   
   relation to humanity itself", observed the nuncio. "Because of the fundamental   
   questions it has always raised, the exploration of the universe has also   
   deepened the understanding of faith and its rapport with science. The Holy See   
   believes that faith is capable of both expanding and enriching the horizons of   
   reason; thus, it rejoices in the marvellous progress of science, seeing it   
   both as a product of the enormous God-given potential of the human mind and as   
   manifestation of the vastness and richness of creation".   
    "Our responsibility is to ensure that the fruits of these advances also   
   benefit the poor around the world", he continued. "My delegation is fully   
   aware of the constraints to a universal access to the beneficial uses of outer   
   space, considering the huge investments put into explorations and questions   
   related to intellectual property, patents, etc. However, in a time when outer   
   space has become a huge economic asset and hosts information and   
   communications technologies, States must work together to ensure that these   
   benefits do not become yet another cause of increasing economic and social   
   inequalities, but rather a shared resource for the common good of the entire   
   global community. Vital to promoting this common good is ensuring the peaceful   
   use of outer space. To this end, the ongoing discussion on the development of   
   an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities represents a   
   positive step toward furthering a fairer and safer use of outer space. It   
   would undoubtedly help toward preventing an arms race in outer space and,   
   consequently, toward averting a new, grave threat to international peace and   
   security".   
    The archbishop went on to emphasise the importance of using outer space for   
   an ever greater understanding of our planet. "Satellites monitor the health of   
   oceans and forests. They provide data on water cycles, climate patterns and   
   other atmospheric phenomena. We trust that this knowledge can convince us to   
   change lifestyles and practices detrimental to our environment. If we do not   
   work together, there will be no winners, only losers".   
    "The Holy See wishes to highlight the use of satellites in the diffusion of   
   knowledge and the elimination of illiteracy", he concluded. "Indeed,   
   satellites can reach not only those places where illiteracy is a thing of the   
   past, but also those where many still cannot read or write, especially in   
   far-flung areas. However, care must be taken that this outer space technology   
   does not become an instrument of dominion and a vehicle to impose certain   
   cultures and values on others".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Other Pontifical Acts   
    Vatican City, 3 November 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has accepted the   
   resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, presented   
   by Bishop Jesus Moline Labarta upon reaching the age limit. He has appointed   
   Rev. Fr. Robert Francis Prevost, O.S.A., as apostolic administrator of the   
   same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. in 1955,   
   gave his solemn vows in 1981 and was ordained a priest in 1982. He holds a   
   degree in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas   
   (Angelicum), Rome, and has served in a number of pastoral roles, including   
   chancellor of the diocese of Chulucanas, Peru; promoter of vocational pastoral   
   care and director of missions of his Order in the Province of Chicago, U.S.A.;   
   director of the seminary of his Order in Trujillo, Peru, and prior general of   
   the Augustinian Province of Chicago. He is currently director of formation in   
   the Convent of St. Augustine in Chicago and provincial vicar of the Province   
   Our Lady of Good Counsel.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
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   www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va   
      
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