VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 016   
   DATE 22-01-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - Catholics and Lutherans together can bear witness to God's mercy in our   
   societies   
   - The Pope praises the service of the Public Security Inspectorate in the   
   Vatican   
   - Audiences   
   - Other Pontifical Acts   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Catholics and Lutherans together can bear witness to God's mercy in our   
   societies   
    Vatican City, 22 January 2015 (VIS) - "The fact that you come here together   
   is itself a witness to the importance of efforts for unity. The fact that you   
   pray together is a witness to our belief that only through the grace of God   
   can that unity be achieved. The fact that you recite the Creed together is a   
   witness to the one common faith of the whole of Christianity". St. John Paul   
   II addressed these words to the first Finnish ecumenical delegation of the   
   Lutheran Church to come to Rome thirty years ago, and this morning, Pope   
   Francis repeated them to the delegation present today on their annual   
   ecumenical pilgrimage to celebrate the feast of St. Henry of Uppsala, the   
   patron of Finland. The Pope mentioned that this year the visit coincides with   
   the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, to reflect this year on Jesus' words   
   to the Samaritan woman at the well: "Give me to drink".   
    "We are reminded that the source of all grace is the Lord himself, and that   
   His gifts transform those who receive them, making them witnesses to the true   
   life that is in Him alone", said the Holy Father. "As the Gospel tells us,   
   many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of the woman's testimony. As you,   
   Bishop Vikstrom, have said, there is so much that Catholics and Lutherans can   
   do together to bear witness to God's mercy in our societies. A shared   
   Christian witness is very much needed in the face of the mistrust, insecurity,   
   persecution, pain and suffering experienced so widely in today's world".   
    He continued, "This common witness can be sustained and encouraged by   
   progress in theological dialogue between the Churches. The Joint Declaration   
   on the Doctrine on Justification, which was solemnly signed some fifteen years   
   ago between the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church, can produce   
   further fruits of reconciliation and cooperation between us. The Nordic   
   Lutheran-Catholic dialogue in Finland and Sweden, under the related theme   
   Justification in the Life of the Church, has been reflecting on important   
   questions deriving from the Joint Declaration. Let us hope that further   
   convergence will emerge from that dialogue on the concept of the Church, the   
   sign and instrument of the salvation brought to us in Jesus Christ".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    The Pope praises the service of the Public Security Inspectorate in the   
   Vatican   
    Vatican City, 22 January 2015 (VIS) - This morning Pope Francis received in   
   audience a group of agents from the General Inspectorate for Public Security   
   in the Vatican, accompanied by their families. This institution will celebrate   
   the seventieth anniversary of the presence of the Italian forces of order in   
   the Vatican. The Pope thanked them for the work they carry out on a daily   
   basis "with professionalism and dedication". He continued, "We began a new   
   year a short while ago, and we have many hopes and expectations. We also see   
   on the horizon the shadows and dangers that trouble humanity. As Christians we   
   are called upon not to lose heart or to be discouraged. Our hope rests upon an   
   immovable rock: God's love, revealed and given in Christ Jesus, our Lord".   
    In his address, the Holy Father recalled the comforting words of the apostle   
   Paul: "'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or   
   distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... Yet   
   in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us'. ...   
   In the light of this firm hope, your work assumes a different meaning, that   
   brings human and Christian values into play. Indeed, you have the task of   
   protecting and supervising places of the utmost importance for the faith, and   
   of guaranteeing the security of millions of pilgrims. Many people who come to   
   visit the heart of Christian Rome frequently turn to you".   
    He added, "May every person feel helped and protected by your presence and   
   your care. ... We are all called to be our neighbour's guardians. The Lord   
   will call us to account for the responsibilities entrusted to us, for the good   
   and the bad we have brought upon our neighbours".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Audiences   
    Vatican City, 22 January 2015 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in   
   audience:   
    - Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for   
   Promoting New Evangelisation;   
    - Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata; apostolic nuncio, former vice-camerlengo of   
   the Apostolic Camera;   
    - Ignazio Marino, mayor of Rome.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Other Pontifical Acts   
    Vatican City, 22 January 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has accepted the   
   resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Quimper, France,   
   presented by Bishop Jean-Marie Le Vert, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2   
   of the Code of Canon Law.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   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)