VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 217   
   DATE 05-12-2014   
      
   Summary:   
   - The Pope reminds the Theological Commission of the importance of listening   
   to the People of God   
   - The family, special home of solidarity   
   - Pope's message to the Santa Marta Group in London against human trafficking   
   - Peace, central theme of the Advent sermons in the Redemptoris Mater chapel   
   - Fr. Lombardi's response to questions on Cardinal George Pell's article in   
   "Catholic Herald"   
   - Audiences   
   - Other Pontifical Acts   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    The Pope reminds the Theological Commission of the importance of listening to   
   the People of God   
    Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received   
   the members of the International Theological Commission (CIT), whose president   
   is Cardinal Gerhard L. Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of   
   the Faith. The Commission was established shortly after Vatican Council II   
   following the request by the Synod of Bishops in order to enable the Holy See   
   to make more direct use of the reflection of theologians from various parts of   
   the world. The mission of the Commission is therefore that of "examining   
   doctrinal questions of major importance", especially those that present new   
   aspects and, in this way, of offering assistance to the Magisterium of the   
   Church.   
    This mission, as Francis remarked, presupposes not only intellectual   
   competences but also spiritual dispositions; among the latter, the Pope   
   focused in particular on listening. He cited the passage from Ezekiel: "Son of   
   man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you",   
   emphasising that "the theologian is, above all, a believer who listens to the   
   living Word of God and welcomes it into his heart and mind ... but he must   
   also humbly listen to what the Spirit tells the Church through the different   
   manifestations of faith lived by the People of God".   
    Indeed, this activity is mentioned in the recent document of the Commission   
   on "The sensus fide in the life of the Church". The Pope continued, "Along   
   with the Christian people, the theologian opens his eyes and ears to the signs   
   of the times. He or she is required to "hear, distinguish and interpret the   
   many voices of our age, and to judge them in the light of the divine word, so   
   that revealed truth can always be more deeply penetrated, better understood   
   and set forth to greater advantage".   
    In this light, the Pope expressed his satisfaction at the increasingly   
   diverse composition of the Commission, in particular the presence of women, "a   
   presence that is an invitation to reflect on the role that women can and   
   should occupy in the field of theology", and the contribution that they bring   
   to "the intelligence of faith".   
    Another aspect of the Commission is its international character, which   
   reflects "the Catholicity of the Church". Therefore, "the diversity of points   
   of view must enrich Catholicity without prejudice to unity", since "the unity   
   of Catholic theologians derives from their common reference to a single faith   
   in Christ and is nurtured by the diversity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit".   
   "Starting from this foundation in a healthy pluralism, various theological   
   approaches, developed in different cultural contexts and using different   
   methods, cannot ignore each other, but must enrich and correct each other in   
   theological dialogue".   
    The Holy Father commented that "the Virgin is a teacher of authentic   
   theology" since, as a "privileged witness to the great events of salvation   
   history", she "treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart".   
   "Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and with all the resources of her   
   female wisdom, she never ceased to further enter into 'all the truth'. Mary is   
   therefore the icon of the Church who, anxiously awaiting her Lord, progresses   
   day after day in the intelligence of faith, thanks to the patient work of   
   theologians, male and female".   
      
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    The family, special home of solidarity   
    Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - "The future of humanity depends upon   
   the family, and it is therefore necessary to allow it to play its role",   
   writes the Pope in his message to the participants in the Festival of the   
   Family, taking place in Riva del Garda, Italy, on the theme "The Life and Work   
   Ecosystem". "But", he adds, "it is not enough to reiterate the importance of   
   the family and to affirm its rights: it is necessary to consider how the tasks   
   of the family and of society can be structured in real terms, especially with   
   regard to the relationship between professional life and family life".   
    The family has its own mission, in the service of its members, its   
   development, and life; it has rights and therefore needs support and   
   guarantees to be able to exercise them. On the other hand, the family also has   
   a duty to society; it must offer its collaboration in the service of the   
   community. It is a privileged environment for the harmonious practice of   
   solidarity and subsidiarity, or rather a synergy between public and private,   
   enterprise and families. Precisely on account of the effort and responsibility   
   required to raise and educate children, families need appropriate assistance   
   from public agencies and companies, in the context of mutual collaboration.   
   The worrying demographic trend requires an extraordinary and courageous   
   strategy, on the part of all interested parties, in favour of families. This   
   may also give rise to an economic recovery for the country. In this regard,   
   the crisis of unemployment, especially amongst the young, must be addressed   
   and resolved".   
    The Pope goes on to write about policy in relation to families, the social   
   and legal status of the family in general, the assistance that should be   
   offered to those who are materially or morally disadvantaged, and the   
   attention that should be given to female work. "We must ensure that women are   
   not, for economic reasons, compelled to undertake too heavy a burden or accept   
   excessive working hours, which are then added to all their responsibilities in   
   housekeeping and raising children. But above all, it is necessary to recognise   
   that women's work, at all levels of family life, also constitutes an   
   unparalleled contribution to the family and the future of society".   
      
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    Pope's message to the Santa Marta Group in London against human trafficking   
    Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - The Pope has sent a message to Cardinal   
   Vincent Nichols, archbishop of Westminster and president of the Episcopal   
   Conference of England and Wales on the occasion of the Second Conference of   
   the Santa Marta Group, taking place in London, United Kingdom, on 5 and 6   
   December.   
    The Santa Marta Group - whose name derives from the Holy Father's residence,   
   where the members stayed during their first conference held in the Vatican   
   last April - is composed of High Commissioners of international police forces   
   and bishops from around the world who, along with members of civil society,   
   are working together to prevent and eradicate human trafficking, and to help   
   victims. Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis,   
   London, and Cardinal Nichols are the co-presidents of the group.   
    Francis expressed his deep gratitude to all present for their resolve in   
   combating this evil and for your commitment to carry on the work begun at the   
   conference held in the Vatican in April of this year. "Your labours to promote   
   ongoing dialogue on the legal remedies to human trafficking and on the   
   essential care of those who suffer this enslavement are especially important   
   because of the hidden nature of this crime. We must never forget, nor may we   
   ignore, the suffering of so many men, women and children whose human dignity   
   is violated through this exploitation".   
    He went on to thank the Home Secretary of the British government, the   
   Metropolitan Commissioner of Police, and the Bishops' Conference of England   
   and Wales for organising the event and the delegates "who demonstrate anew   
   their commitment by their participation in this initiative. In assuring you   
   that the Church remains steadfast in her pledge to combat human trafficking   
   and to care for victims of this scourge, I offer the promise of my prayers   
   that Almighty God may bless and guide your efforts".   
      
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    Peace, central theme of the Advent sermons in the Redemptoris Mater chapel   
    Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - This morning in the Redemptoris Mater   
   chapel the Holy Father attended the first sermon of Advent, pronounced by Fr.   
   Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M., preacher of the Papal Household. The theme was   
   "Peace on earth to humanity, loved by the Lord", based on the Gospel of St.   
   Luke.   
    Peace, as Fr. Cantalamessa explained to L'Osservatore Romano, was selected as   
   the theme in part due to its tragic current relevance and also to restore to   
   the word the richness of its meaning as it is used in the Bible.   
    Today's sermon was dedicated to peace as a gift from the Lord Jesus Christ,   
   for as the Preacher of the Papal Household remarked, "the Word of God teaches   
   us that the primary and most important form of peace , is vertical - that is,   
   between God and humanity".   
    The sermon of 12 December will focus on peace as a task that requires work,   
   with reference to the phrase from the Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are the   
   peacemakers". The third meditation will be on peace as a fruit of the Spirit,   
   or rather the inner peace of the soul.   
      
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    Fr. Lombardi's response to questions on Cardinal George Pell's article in   
   "Catholic Herald"   
    Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - The Director of the Holy See Press   
   Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., today issued the following declaration in   
   response to requests for clarification regarding an article by Cardinal George   
   Pell published in the Catholic Herald.   
    "It should be observed that Cardinal Pell has not referred to illegal,   
   illicit or poorly administered funds, but rather funds that do not appear on   
   the official balance sheets of the Holy See or of Vatican City State, and   
   which have become known to the Secretariat for the Economy during the current   
   process of examination and revision of Vatican administration, to acquire a   
   more comprehensive knowledge of the latter in view of the planned   
   rationalisation. It is indeed a sign and result of constructive cooperation   
   between the various Vatican institutions.   
    "Moreover, it was known and had been previously explained, also publicly by   
   the Prefecture of Economic Affairs, that the consolidated balance sheets of   
   the Holy See and Vatican City State, presented every year to the College of   
   Cardinals, do not in any way encompass the totality of the numerous   
   administrations under Vatican auspices, but only the main institutions of the   
   Roman Curia and the State".   
      
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    Audiences   
    Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in   
   audience:   
    - Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the   
   Evangelisation of Peoples;   
    - Archbishop Silvano Maria Tomasi, Holy See Permanent Observer at the United   
   Nations at Specialised Institutions in Geneva and at the World Trade   
   Organisation; Holy See Representative at the International Organisation for   
   Migration;   
    - Salvatore Martinez, president of Renewal in the Holy Spirit in Italy;   
    - Kiko Arguello, founder of the Neocatechumenal Way.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Other Pontifical Acts   
    Vatican City, 5 December 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed Rev.   
   Joseph Obanyi Sagwe as bishop of Kakamega (area 3,517, population 2,744,000,   
   Catholics 696,138, priests 92, religious 410), Kenya. The bishop-elect was   
   born in Kebiro, Kenya in 1967 and was ordained a priest in 1996. He studied at   
   the Pontifical Lateran University and has served as parish vicar and diocesan   
   coordinator for pastoral ministry in the diocese of Kisii, Kenya. He is   
   currently parish priest of the Cathedral and vicar general of the same diocese.   
      
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