VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXV - # 85   
   DATE 07-05-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - European Churches and Ecclesiastic Communities: Collaborating in Solidarity   
   to   
   Welcome Immigrants   
   - Pope thanks Bishops of Mali for Safeguarding Interreligious Dialogue   
   - Pope Francis receives Sporting Association of Lazio, Italy: True Sports help   
   overcome Situations of Injustice   
   - Audiences   
   - Other Pontifical Acts   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    European Churches and Ecclesiastic Communities: Collaborating in Solidarity to   
   Welcome Immigrants   
   Vatican City,7 May 2015 (VIS) ? This morning Pope Francis received members of   
   the joint committee of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), whose   
   objective is facilitating ecumenism throughout the continent, where many of the   
   divisions and wars between Christians began. The current situation is very   
   different. Thanks to ecumenical dialogue, ecclesiastic communities have taken   
   great steps on the path to reconciliation and peace, as demonstrated by the   
   recent European Ecumenical Assemblies and the Ecumenical Charter written in   
   Strasbourg, France in 2001. These are landmarks in the collaboration between   
   the   
   CEC and the Council of the Bishops' Conferences of Europe (CCEE) that give rise   
   to the hope of achieving full and visible union between believers in Christ.   
   The Holy Father, who noted that the ecumenical journey, even with all   
   itsdifficulties, is already an integral part of the process of reconciliation   
   and communion, recalled that the conciliar decree Unitatis Redintegratio   
   affirms   
   that the division between Christians ?damages the holy cause of preaching the   
   Gospel to every creature?. ?This is evident,? he stated, ?when, for example,   
   the   
   European Churches and ecclesiastic communities have different points of view on   
   important anthropological or ethical questions. Nevertheless, I hope that   
   opportunities for common reflection in light of Sacred Scripture and shared   
   tradition will not be lacking and that they will be fruitful ? and that we   
   might   
   find common answers to the questions that contemporary society asks of   
   Christians. The closer we are to Christ, the closer we are united among   
   ourselves.?   
   ?Today the European Churches and ecclesiastic communities face new and decisive   
   challenges, that can only be effectively answered by speaking with one voice,?   
   the Pope affirmed.?I am thinking, for example, of the challenges of legislation   
   that, in the name of a misunderstood principle of tolerance wind up blocking   
   citizens from freely expressing and practicing their religious convictions   
   peacefully and legitimately. Moreover, faced with the attitude that Europe   
   seems   
   to have toward the dramatic and often tragic emigration of thousands of persons   
   fleeing war, persecution, and misery, the European Churches and ecclesiastic   
   communities have the duty to promote solidarity and hospitality. European   
   Christians are called upon to intercede with prayer and by actively working to   
   bring dialogue and peace to current conflicts.?   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Pope thanks Bishops of Mali for Safeguarding Interreligious Dialogue   
   Vatican City, 7 May 2015 (VIS) ? The peaceful coexistence among believers of   
   different religions, the safeguarding of interreligious dialogue, the common   
   commitment of Christians and Muslims in defense of cultural heritage, promotion   
   of women, and the consolidation of the family were some of the topics that Pope   
   Francis addressed in the speech he delivered this morning to the bishops of the   
   Episcopal Conference of Mali, at the end of their ?ad Limina? visit. Following   
   are extensive excerpts from the address.   
   ?I would like to direct your attention toward the person of Christ in the   
   delicate situation that your country has faced in recent years, including   
   security challenges. At times, this situation has undermined the coexistence   
   between the various sectors of society as well as the harmony between men and   
   women of different religions present in the land of Mali,which is rich with a   
   glorious past, synonymous with admirable traditions among which are tolerance   
   and cohesion. I thank your Episcopal Conference for knowing how to preserve the   
   spirit of interreligious dialogue in this delicate context. The common   
   commitment of Christians and Muslims to safeguard the Mali's cultural   
   treasures,   
   especially the large libraries of Timbuktu, patrimony of humanity, is an   
   eloquent example. When you return, I want you to express my nearness, not only   
   to your faithful, but also to your fellow citizens of all social classes and   
   religions, men and women of good will involved in the fight against intolerance   
   and exclusion.?   
   ?In this situation, the Christian communities and their pastors are called to   
   give an even greater witness to their faith based on the unconditional   
   acceptance of the Gospel values. You are already following this path in   
   translating the Bible into local languages because, in order to live the Word   
   of   
   God and towitness to it faithfully, we must first know it, diligently study it,   
   and assimilate it. In this sense, the efforts made in your dioceses to develop   
   new Catechesis manuals are to be welcomed. Thanks to a solid formation, the   
   lives of the faithful will be even more rooted in faith and strengthened to   
   withstand all threats.?   
   ?Despite the serious problems facing it, the Church in Mali shows a beautiful   
   dynamic in its work of evangelization, preserving a profound respect of   
   conscience. Christ's followers grow in number and fervor. But the Christian   
   witness of the family still needs greater coherence. In your cultural context,   
   also marked by divorce and polygamy, Catholics are called upon to concretely   
   proclaim, through their witness, to the Gospel, life, and the family. I also   
   encourage you to continue your pastoral work, paying particular attention to   
   the   
   situation of women: promoting the role of women in society and fighting against   
   abuse and violencetoward women is also a way of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus   
   Christ, who chose to be born of a woman, the Virgin Mary.?   
   ?If in any particular church the synergy inspired by charity is needed to   
   ensure   
   its credibility, then your context of the charity and unity lived in the Church   
   are among the most important signs of fruitful dialogue with other religions,   
   an   
   expression of authentic Christian witness... It is to be hoped that even   
   nowadays these witnesses of members of other religions toward our Christian   
   communities multiply.?   
   ?Likewise, the Gospel lived in its authentic dimension of charity should   
   inspire   
   social ministry. The Church is present in Mali in the areas of education for   
   peace and your Christian communities actively contribute to promoting genuine   
   national reconciliation. In congratulating you for your pastoral sensitivity in   
   the field of promoting the human person without consideration limited to ethnic   
   or religiousaffiliation, I would like to pay tribute to the many Christians who   
   spread the culture of solidarity and hospitality, especially in facing the   
   violence of the last years.?   
   ?Dear Brothers in the Episcopate, strengthened by the Lord's promise to be with   
   his family until the end of time, I am convinced that despite the difficulties   
   on their path, the Church in Mali will continue to be a testament to hope and   
   peace.?   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Pope Francis receives Sporting Association of Lazio, Italy: True Sports help   
   overcome Situations of Injustice   
   Vatican City, 7 May 2015 (VIS) ? Seven thousand players, managers, members, and   
   supporters of the Sporting Association of Lazio (Societa Sportiva Lazio), one   
   of   
   the Italian capital city's two football teams, were welcomed this afternoon in   
   the Paul VI Audience Hall to meet with the Pope. The Association was created 15   
   years ago when a group of youths decided to create a club open to the youth of   
   the city that would perpetuate the moral and ethical values of the sport. ?At   
   that time,? Pope Francis said, ?organized sports were a privilege of the rich.   
   The intention of the founding group was to make it accessible at all levels and   
   in all social categories. I encourage you, therefore, to continue being   
   welcoming, to continue to value various talents. May your sporting association   
   always be an open house where fraternity and harmonywithout discrimination can   
   be found.?   
   The club's motto is a phrase from the Roman historian and politician Sallust:   
   ?Concordia parvae res crescunt, discordia maximae dilabuntur? (small things   
   thrive with harmony; discord brings the greatest things to ruin). The Pope   
   asserted that the sporting association's long history has confirmed that truth,   
   enriched by different associated activities, structured in various sporting   
   sections, and united by the Olympic spirit and mutual solidarity. ?One of   
   [your]   
   merits is that of having worked to bring equal status to all sports. In Italy,   
   as in my country, Argentina, too, there is the risk of speaking always about   
   football and neglecting other sports. Instead, every sports discipline has its   
   value, not only physical or social, but also moral since it offers the   
   possibility to people, especially to children and the young, to develop   
   balance,   
   self-control, sacrifice, and loyalty towards others. I want toemphasize this   
   last one: loyalty. Loyalty towards others because betrayal is increasing a bit   
   everywhere...Loyalty! Sports allows it to grow.?   
   ?The Bible teaches us,? the Pope concluded, ?that the human person is a unity:   
   spirit and body. I therefore encourage you to always cultivate, together with   
   sporting activities ? the religious and spiritual dimension. ? We must not   
   neglect studies, friendship, or the service of the poor either. We can't   
   overlook these things to do just one thing. ...Thanks be to God we have   
   wonderful examples of men and women athletes, even great champions, who never   
   stopped living faithfully and serving others. In fact, true sports allows us to   
   build a more fraternal and supportive world, helping overcome situations of   
   injustice and of human and social discomfort.?   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Audiences   
   Vatican City, 7 May 2015 (VIS) ? Today, the Holy Father received in audience   
   five prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Mali, on their ?ad Limina? visit:   
   - Archbishop Jean Zerbo of Bamako,   
   -Bishop Jonas Dembele of Kayes,   
   - Bishop Jean-Gabriel Diarra of San,   
   - Bishop Augustin Traore of Segou, and   
   - Bishop Jean-Baptiste Tiamaof Sikasso.   
   Yesterday afternoon the Holy Father Francis received in audience Archbishop   
   Luis   
   Hector Villalba of Tucuman, Argentina.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Other Pontifical Acts   
   Vatican City, 7 May 2015 (VIS) ? Today, the Holy Father:   
   - appointed Msgr. Lucio Bonora, of the clergy of the Diocese of Treviso, Italy,   
   as a judge of the Ecclesiastic Tribunal of Vatican City State. The Holy Father   
   has also appointed Fr. Paolo Scevola, of the clergy of the Diocese of Vigevano,   
   Italy, as an actuary notary of the same tribunal. Both will continue in their   
   roles as officials of the Secretary of State in the General Affairs section.   
   - appointed Bishop Esteban Escudero Torres as auxiliary of Valencia (area   
   13,090, population 3,225,000, Catholics 3,041,000, priests 1,541, permanent   
   deacons 16, religious 4,785), Spain, assigning him the Titular See of Diano.   
   Bishop Escudero Torres was previously bishop of Palencia, Spain.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
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