VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 159   
   DATE 18-09-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - Pope's video message for Cuba: I will be among you as a missionary of mercy   
   - The Pope praises the work of the Vatican Observatory   
   - The Apostolic Almoner assists refugees   
   - Audiences   
   - Other Pontifical Acts   
      
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    Pope's video message for Cuba: I will be among you as a missionary of mercy   
    Vatican City, 18 September 2015 (VIS) - In view of his imminent trip to Cuba,   
   the Pope has sent a message to the country, to be broadcast on television at   
   8.30 p.m. local time (2.30 in Rome), the full text of which is reproduced   
   below:   
    "There are only a few days remaining before my trip to Cuba. For this reason,   
   I   
   wish to send a fraternal greeting before we meet in person. I will visit you to   
   share faith and hope, so that we can strengthen each other in following Jesus.   
   It is very good for me and of great help to me to think of your faithfulness to   
   the Lord, of the spirit in which you face everyday difficulties, of the love   
   with which you help and support each other on the path of life. Thank you for   
   this very valuable witness.   
    For my part, I wish to convey a very simple message, but one that I think is   
   important and necessary. Jesus loves you very much. Jesus loves you truly. And   
   He always carries you in His heart; He knows better than anyone what each   
   person   
   needs, what he yearns for, his deepest desire; He knows our heart. He never   
   abandons anyone; when we do not behave as He would hope, He is always ready to   
   welcome us, to console us, to give us new hope, a new chance, a new life. He is   
   always there.   
    I know that you are preparing for this visit with a prayer. I thank you   
   infinitely. We need to pray, we need prayer, this contact with Jesus and Mary.   
   And it gives me great joy to know that, following the advice of my brother   
   bishops of Cuba, you are repeating several times a day the prayer we learned as   
   children. Sacred Heart of Jesus, make my heart like yours. It is beautiful to   
   have a heart like Jesus', so as to know how to love like Him, to forgive, to   
   give hope and to accompany.   
    I wish to be among you as a missionary of God's mercy and tenderness, but   
   allow   
   me to encourage you too to be missionaries of God's infinite love. May no-one   
   lack the witness of our faith and our love. May all the world know that God   
   always forgives, that God always stays by our side, that God loves us.   
    I will go to the Shrine of Our Lady of Cobre as a pilgrim, as a child who   
   looks   
   forward to arriving at his mother's house. To her I entrust this trip and also   
   all Cubans. And please, I ask you to pray for me. May Jesus bless you and the   
   Holy Virgin care for you. Thank you".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    The Pope praises the work of the Vatican Observatory   
    Vatican City, 18 September 2015 (VIS) - The Vatican Observatory is holding an   
   international symposium to celebrate the eightieth anniversary of its transfer   
   to Castel Gandolfo at the behest of Pope Pius XI, who decided upon the move   
   since the lights of the city of Rome made it impossible for astronomers to   
   study   
   the less bright stars. The observatory is one of the oldest in the world,   
   established in the second half of the sixteenth century when Gregory XIII   
   erected in the Vatican the Tower of the Winds and invited the the Jesuits,   
   astronomers and mathematicians of the Roman College to prepare the reform of   
   the   
   calendar promulgated in 1582.   
    Today the Pope received in audience the participants in this meeting,   
   affirming   
   that "the universe is more than a scientific problem to be solved: it is a   
   joyful mystery that we contemplate with wonder and praise". He added, "St.   
   Ignatius of Loyola understood this language well. He himself said that his   
   greatest consolation was to look at the sky and the stars, as when he did so he   
   felt a great desire to serve the Lord".   
    Francis recalled that throughout the years the astronomers of the Observatory   
   have undertaken paths of research, creative paths following in the wake of the   
   astronomers and Jesuits of the Roman College, from Fr. Christoph Clavius   
   (celebrated for his contribution to the creation of the Gregorian calendar) to   
   Fr. Angelo Secchi (pioneer of astronomical spectroscopy), by way of Fr. Matteo   
   Ricci and many others.   
    "On this anniversary, I wish to recall Benedict XVI's address to the Fathers   
   of   
   the last General Congregation of the Society of Jesus, in which he remarked   
   that   
   the Church urgently needed consecrated persons to dedicate their lives to the   
   frontier between faith and human knowledge, between faith and modern science.   
   ...   
   In the context of interreligious dialogue, more urgent today than ever before,   
   scientific research into the universe can offer a unique perspective, shared by   
   believers and non-believers alike, to help achieve a better religious   
   understanding of creation. In this respect the Schools of Astrophysics that the   
   Observatory has organised in the last thirty years represent a valuable   
   opportunity for young astronomers throughout the world to engage in dialogue   
   and   
   to collaborate in the search for truth".   
    Francis also mentioned that during the symposium the members of the   
   Observatory   
   discussed the importance of communicating that the Church and her pastors   
   embrace, encourage and promote genuine science. "It is very important that you   
   share the gift of your scientific knowledge of the universe with the people,   
   freely giving what you have freely received", he said.   
    "In the spirit of gratitude to the Lord for the witness of science and faith   
   that the members of the Observatory have given in these decades, I encourage   
   you   
   to continue on your path ... with those who share the enthusiasm and effort of   
   the   
   exploration of the universe", he concluded.   
      
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    The Apostolic Almoner assists refugees   
    Vatican City, 18 September 2015 (VIS) - According to a press release issued   
   today by the Apostolic Almoner, the parish community of St. Anna in the Vatican   
   has received a family of refugees, consisting of a father, mother and two   
   children. They are Syrian, Christians of Catholic Greek-Melkite rite, and fled   
   from their war-torn home city of Damascus, arriving in the Vatican on Sunday 6   
   September, when during the Angelus the Pope launched an appeal to each parish,   
   religious community, monastery and shrine to offer shelter to a family.   
    The four members of the family will stay in an apartment in the Vatican, near   
   St. Peter's. The procedures for requesting international protection were   
   initiated immediately. According to the law, for the first six months after   
   presenting the request for asylum, applicants may not accept paid work. In this   
   period they will be assisted and accompanied by the St. Anna parish community.   
   Until the decision is made in Italy as to whether or not their status of   
   refugee   
   will be granted, further information regarding this family cannot be given.   
   Furthermore, to protect them during this phase it would be appropriate for the   
   mass media to respect their wish not to be sought or interviewed.   
    With regard to the accommodation of a second family in the Vatican parish of   
   St. Peter, the Almoner is not currently able to provide further information.   
    In this context of Christian charity towards those who flee war and famine, it   
   is worth highlighting that for many years the Popes, through the Apostolic   
   Almoner, have contributed to the payment of taxes for the issue of stay permits   
   for refugees through the Centro Astalli, directed by the Jesuits (since 2014,   
   50,000 euros have been disbursed for this purpose). In addition, the Almoner,   
   again on behalf of the Pope, helps many individuals and families of refugees on   
   a daily basis, as well as meeting needs, including healthcare, for many   
   reception centres located in Rome.   
    Furthermore, for some days a modern mobile clinic, donated to the Pope a few   
   years ago and so far reserved solely for events at which he presides, was made   
   available several times a week to assist refugees in reception centres,   
   including irregular ones, situated in the outskirts of Rome. The volunteers,   
   who   
   are doctors, nurses and Swiss Guards, are employees of Vatican City State   
   institutions, the University of Rome at Tor Vergata, and members of the   
   Association of the "Medicina Solidale Onlus" Institute.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Audiences   
    Vatican City, 18 September 2015 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in   
   audience Anne Brasseur, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council   
   of Europe.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Other Pontifical Acts   
    Vatican City, 18 September 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed Fr.   
   David   
   Tencer, O.F.M. Cap., as bishop of Reykjavik (area 103,000, population 325,671,   
   Catholics 11,454, priests 15, religious 37), Iceland. The bishop-elect was born   
   in Nova Bana, Slovakia in 1963 was ordained a priest in 1986. He gave his   
   solemn   
   vows in 1994. He holds a licentiate in theology and has served as pastor in   
   Holic, rector of the convent of Hrinova, and superior of the convent in Zilina.   
   He transferred to Iceland in 2004 where he has served as vicar of Stella Maris   
   in Reykjavik, and is currently pastor of the parish of St. Þórlákur (Thorlak)   
   in   
   Reyðarfjörður. He succeeds Bishop Peter Burcher, whose resignation from the   
   pastoral care of the same diocese in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the   
   Code of Canon Law was accepted by the Holy Father.   
      
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