VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 200   
   DATE 13-11-2014   
      
   Summary:   
   - Pope Francis receives the president of Austria   
   - "Habemus Papam": first historical documentation of the music of a Conclave   
   - Catholics and Muslims, working together to serve others   
   - Audiences   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Pope Francis receives the president of Austria   
    Vatican City, 13 November 2014 (VIS) - This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic   
   Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the president of the   
   Republic of Austria, Heinz Fischer, who subsequently went on to meet with   
   Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop   
   Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.   
    During the cordial discussions, after emphasising the positive bilateral   
   relations between Austria and the Holy See, the Parties focused on themes of   
   common interest, including the importance of promoting religious freedom and   
   human rights, and commitment to interreligious and intercultural dialogue.   
    Finally, various issues of an international nature were examined, especially   
   regarding the situation in the Middle East.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    "Habemus Papam": first historical documentation of the music of a Conclave   
    Vatican City, 13 November 2014 (VIS) - This morning a press conference was   
   held in the Holy See Press Office to present the CD "Habemus papam", a   
   compilation of the music of all the celebrations of the 2013 Conclave   
   performed by the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir under the direction of the   
   maestro Msgr. Massimo Palombella, S.D.B. and issued by Deutsche Grammaphon.   
   The speakers at the conference were Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of   
   the Pontifical Council for Culture; Msgr. Massimo Palombella, S.D.B., director   
   of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir; Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., director   
   general of Vatican Radio, and Mirko Gratton, director of the Classical   
   Division of Deutsche Grammophon Italia.   
    Maestro Palombella explained that in September 2014 an exclusive agency   
   contract was signed between the record label Deutsche Grammophon and the   
   Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir two produce two musical collections. The   
   first, "great ecclesial events", which opens with the CD "Habemus papam", is   
   dedicated to live recordings by Vatican Radio of celebrations at which Pope   
   Francis has presided. The second consists of studio recordings by the Sistine   
   Chapel Choir of its characteristic repertoire, music composed throughout   
   history for papal celebrations.   
    The double CD "Habemus papam", on sale in Italy from 11 November and in the   
   rest of the world from 28 November, contains all the music performed during   
   the celebrations of the Conclave in 2013 (Mass for the election of the Roman   
   Pontiff in St. Peter's Basilica, entry into the Conclave, Mass with the   
   Cardinal Electors in the Sistine Chapel and Mass for the inauguration of the   
   Petrine Ministry in St. Peter's Square), along with the "Habemus Papam"   
   announcement and Pope Francis' first address from the Loggia of the Blessings.   
   This publication is presented as the first historical documentation of the   
   music of a Conclave", commented Msgr. Palombella. "They are all live   
   recordings, with the qualities and limits that this entails. Indeed, one   
   perceives the freshness of "authenticity" along with the background noise,   
   coughs, the clicks of cameras and even a helicopter circling above St. Peter's   
   Square".   
    The prelate remarked that the Pontifical Choir is the oldest choral   
   institution in the world and is composed of 20 permanent adult singers and   
   around 30 child choristers. The Choir normally performs at Celebrations   
   presided at by the Pope, providing a primarily ecclesial service. Its concert   
   activity is therefore directed exclusively towards evangelisation and to the   
   promotion of ecumenical dialogue. To this end, on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter   
   and Paul, the Choir sang alongside the Anglican Choir of Westminster, in 2013   
   with the Leipzig Thomanerchor, and in 2014, with the Orthodox Choir of the   
   Patriarchate of Moscow. In September 2014, the Choir made an historic tour in   
   China, performing in Hong Kong, Macao and Taipei.   
    "For the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir, the agreement with the prestigious   
   German record label Deutsche Grammophon is a tangible response to its mandate,   
   which requires it on the one hand to safeguard the great musical heritage of   
   the Church, and on the other, especially in the liturgical sphere, to   
   participate in fruitful dialogue with modernity", concluded the maestro.   
    The director of Vatican Radio, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., spoke about the   
   experience accumulated by the radio station in the field of sound recording   
   and broadcasting of numerous concerts in the Vatican, especially in the Paul   
   VI Hall. "We all recall the concerts of exceptional quality during the   
   pontificate of Benedict XVI". He offered the example of the extraordinary   
   Christmas 1937 concert in the Hall of Blessings, broadcast live to 23   
   countries. "A concert directed by the Maestro Lorenzo Perosi, Msgr.   
   Palombella's predecessor, with the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir, recorded   
   by Vatican Radio and broadcast with the help of German technology", as during   
   that year the new Telefunken transmitter was inaugurated.   
    Fr. Lombardi also highlighted the activity of Vatican Radio in the production   
   and exchange of quality recordings within the framework of the EBU/UER, the   
   European Broadcasting Union, which brings together the public broadcasters of   
   all European countries. Vatican Radio offers on average around ten high   
   quality recordings per year as part of the EBU concert exchange circuit.   
   Vatican Radio is also engaged in research and experimental activities in the   
   field of sound recording, using new generation microphones, in collaboration   
   with the Centre for Technological Research and Innovation of the Technological   
   Strategies Directorate of the RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana).   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Catholics and Muslims, working together to serve others   
    Vatican City, 13 November 2014 (VIS) - The third seminar of the   
   Catholic-Muslim Forum was held in Rome from 11 to 13 November, on the theme   
   "Working Together to Serve Others". Three specific issues were considered:   
   working together to serve young people, enhancing interreligious dialogue, and   
   service to society.   
    The Catholic delegation was headed by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president   
   of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Prince Ghazi bin   
   Muhammad of Jordan, co-ordinator of the Muslim side, was unable to attend the   
   event for health reasons. The assembled participants sent him a message   
   expressing their good wishes. The Muslim delegation was therefore headed by   
   Seyyed Hossein Nasr, professor of Islamic Studies at the George Washington   
   University, Washington D.C., U.S.A.   
    The delegates acknowledged many examples across the world of active   
   Catholic-Muslim collaboration in educational, charitable, and relief efforts.   
   After the presentations of the papers and the discussions, which ensued in a   
   cordial and fraternal atmosphere, the participants agreed on the following   
   points:   
    1. The delegates recognised that their gathering took place in a time of   
   severe tension and conflict in the world, underlining the vital importance of   
   enhanced service and mutual cooperation. In this context the delegates   
   unanimously condemned acts of terrorism, oppression, violence against innocent   
   persons, persecution, desecration of sacred places, and the destruction of   
   cultural heritage. It is never acceptable to use religion to justify such acts   
   or to conflate such acts with religion.   
    2. The education of young people, be it in the family, school, university,   
   church or mosque, is of the utmost importance for the promotion of a   
   well-rounded identity which builds respect for others. To this end, school   
   curricula and textbooks should portray an objective and respectful image of   
   the other.   
    3. The participants affirmed the importance of the culture of interreligious   
   dialogue for deepening mutual understanding. This is required to overcome   
   prejudice, distortions, suspicions, and inappropriate generalisations, all of   
   which damage the peaceful relationships we all seek.   
    4. It was felt that dialogue should lead to action, particularly among young   
   people. The participants encouraged Christians and Muslims to multiply   
   opportunities for encounter and cooperation on joint projects for the common   
   good.   
    On Wednesday, 12 November, Pope Francis received the participants in   
   audience, encouraging them to persevere on the path of Christian-Muslim   
   dialogue, and he expressed his approval of their shared commitment to the   
   selfless service of society.   
    Finally, the delegates expressed their satisfaction at this fruitful   
   encounter and their hopes for the next meeting of the Forum.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Audiences   
    Vatican City, 13 November 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has received in   
   audience:   
    - Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting   
   Christian Unity;   
    - Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum";   
    - Archbishop Joseph Marino, apostolic nuncio in Malaysia and East Timor,   
   apostolic delegate in Brunei.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   For more information and to search for documents refer to the site:   
   www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va   
      
   Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican   
   Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting   
   the source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.   
   http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/vis_en.html   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)