VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 194   
   DATE 04-11-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - General audience: the importance of forgiveness in the family   
   - Fr. Federico Lombardi on the discussions on economic issues of the Holy See   
   - Cardinal Parolin appoints new counsellors for the Bambino Gesu Foundation   
   - On current investigations in Vatican City   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    General audience: the importance of forgiveness in the family   
    Vatican City, 4 November 2015 (VIS) - Giving and mutual forgiveness, without   
   which no love can be lasting, were the theme of the Pope's catechesis during   
   this Wednesday's general audience.   
    Before examining this issue in depth, the Holy Father recalled that the   
   recently concluded assembly of the Synod of Bishops had reflected at length on   
   the vocation and mission of the family in the life of the Church and in   
   contemporary society. "It was an event of grace. At the end the Synod Fathers   
   submitted to me the text containing their conclusions. I wanted this text to be   
   published, so that everyone could participate in the work we have been devoted   
   to together for two years. This is not the moment to examine the conclusions,   
   on   
   which I myself have to reflect".   
    "In the meantime, however, life does not come to a halt, and in particular the   
   live of families does not stop! You, dear families, are always journeying. And   
   you already continually write in the pages of concrete life the beauty of the   
   Gospel of the family. In a world that at times becomes arid of life and love,   
   every day you speak of the great gift that is marriage and the family".   
    The Pope went on to introduce the central theme of his catechesis, reciting   
   the   
   words of the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who   
   trespass against us". "It is not possible to live without forgiveness, or at   
   least you cannot live well, especially in the family. Every day we wrong each   
   other. We must take account of these errors that we make due to our fragility   
   and our selfishness. However, what is required of us is to heal the wounds we   
   make straight away, to immediately weave again the threads we have broken. If   
   we   
   wait too long, it all becomes more difficult. And there is a simple secret for   
   healing wounds and undoing accusations: never let the day finish without   
   apologising. ... If we learn to say we are sorry immediately and to offer   
   mutual   
   forgiveness, the wounds are healed, the marriage is strengthened, and the   
   family   
   becomes an increasingly solid home, that resists the shocks of our evils, great   
   and small".   
    "If we learn to live this way within the family, we will also do so outside,   
   wherever we find ourselves. It is easy to be sceptical about this. Many -   
   Christians included - think it is an exaggeration. ... But thanks to God this   
   is   
   not the case. Indeed, it is precisely by receiving God's forgiveness that, in   
   turn, we are able to forgive others. ... And it is essential that, in an at   
   times   
   pitiless society, there be places such as the family where we can learn to   
   forgive each other".   
    "The Synod also revived our hope in this regard: the capacity to forgive   
   others   
   and oneself forms part of the vocation and mission of the family. ... The   
   Church,   
   dear families, is always beside you to help you build your home on the rock   
   Jesus spoke of", exclaimed Francis. "And I assure you that if you are capable   
   of   
   journeying ever more decisively along the path of the Beatitudes, learning and   
   teaching to forgive each other, then in all the great family of the Church the   
   capacity to bear witness to the renewing power of God's forgiveness will grow".   
    "Otherwise, we will give beautiful sermons and perhaps even cast out the odd   
   demon, but in the end the Lord will not recognise us as His disciples, as we   
   have not been able to forgive or to allow ourselves to be forgiven. Christian   
   families can truly do much for today's society, and also for the Church. ...   
   Let   
   us pray that families may be increasingly able to live and build concrete roads   
   to reconciliation, where no-one feels abandoned to the burden of his own   
   trespasses".   
    Finally the Pope, accompanied by the with the thousands of faithful gathered   
   in   
   St. Peter's Square, repeated the phrase from the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our   
   trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Fr. Federico Lombardi on the discussions on economic issues of the Holy See   
    Vatican City, 4 November 2015 (VIS) - The following are reflections by Fr.   
   Federico Lombardi, S.J., director of the Holy See Press Office, regarding a new   
   chapter in discussions on the economic matters of the Holy See.   
    "As is known, a significant part of what has been published is the result of   
   the disclosure of reserved information and documents, and therefore of an   
   illicit activity that must therefore be prosecuted forthwith by the competent   
   Vatican authorities. But this is not what we now wish to speak about, given   
   that   
   it is already the object of much attention.   
    Now, instead, we are interested in considering the content of the disclosures.   
   It can be said that it consists mostly of information that is already known,   
   although often less widely and with less detail, but above all it must be noted   
   that the documentation published relates mostly to an significant effort to   
   gather data and information, initiated by the Holy Father himself in order to   
   carry out a study and reflection on the reform and improvement of the   
   administrative situation of Vatican City State and the Holy See.   
    The COSEA (Commission for Reference on the Organisation of the   
   Economic-Administrative Structure of the Holy See), from whose archive the   
   majority of the published information originates, was instituted by the Pope   
   for   
   the purpose on 18 July 2013 and then dissolved after the fulfilment of its   
   task.   
    This is not, therefore, information obtained against the will of the Pope or   
   of   
   the heads of the various institutions, but generally information obtained or   
   provided with the collaboration of these same institutions, for a common   
   positive purpose.   
    Naturally, a great deal of information of this type must be studied,   
   understood   
   and interpreted with care, equilibrium and attention. Often the same data can   
   give rise to different readings.   
    An example is that of the situation of the Pension Funds, in relation to which   
   a series of very different evaluations has been expressed, from those who speak   
   with concern of a large "gap", to those that provide instead a reassuring   
   interpretation (as resulted from the official Communiqués published   
   authoritatively through the Holy See Press Office).   
    Clearly there is then the issue of the destination and use of goods belonging   
   to the Holy See. Although regarded in their entirety they appear extremely   
   extensive, they are in fact aimed at supporting over time the vast range of   
   service activities managed by the Holy See or connected institutions both in   
   Rome and in different parts of the world.   
    The origins of the ownership of these goods are varied, and the suitable   
   instruments for knowing their history and development have been available for   
   some time (for example, it would be useful to refer to the economic agreements   
   between Italy and the Holy See in the context of the Lateran Pacts and the work   
   of establishing an effective administration carried out by Pius XI with the   
   assistance of excellent and expert collaborators, a work commonly recognised as   
   wise and far-sighted, also in terms of investments abroad and not only in Rome   
   or Italy).   
    With regard to Peter's Pence it is necessary to observe that it is employed   
   for   
   various purposes, also in situations, according to the judgement of the Holy   
   Father, in which it may be given trustfully by the faithful in support of his   
   ministry. The Pope's works of charity for the poor are certainly one of the   
   essential uses, but is certainly not the intention of the faithful to exclude   
   the possibility that the Pope himself may evaluate situations of urgency and   
   the   
   way of responding, in the light of his service for the good of the universal   
   Church. The Pope's service also includes the Roman Curia, as an instrument of   
   his service; his initiatives outside the Diocese of Rome; communication of his   
   teaching to the faithful in different parts of the world, including the poor   
   and   
   distant; and the support of the 180 Pontifical diplomatic representations   
   throughout the world, which serve the local Churches and intervene as the main   
   agents for distributing the Pope's charity in the various countries, as well as   
   the Pope's representatives in local governments. The history of Peter's Pence   
   illustrates this clearly.   
    These issues return to the fore periodically, but are always occasions for   
   curiosity and polemics. It is necessary to study the situations and specific   
   problems in detail and with professionalism, so as to be able to recognise much   
   that is entirely justified, normal and well-managed (much more than is   
   generally   
   assumed and systematically excluded from the type of publication under   
   consideration here) including the payment of taxes due, and to distinguish   
   where   
   there are problems to be corrected, ambiguities to be clarified, and genuine   
   improprieties or illegal acts to be eliminated.   
    This was precisely the aim of the arduous and complex task initiated at the   
   Pope's behest with the constitution of the COSEA, which completed its work some   
   time ago, and with the decisions and initiatives which are still in the process   
   of development and implementation (or which are at least in part followed up by   
   recommendations from the same COSEA at the end of its work). The reorganisation   
   of the economic Dicasteries, the appointment of the Reviser general, and the   
   regular working of the competent institutions for the supervision of economic   
   and financial activities, etc., are an objective and incontrovertible reality.   
    The publication in bulk of a large quantity of different forms of information,   
   in large part linked to a phase of work by now complete, without the necessary   
   possibility of further clarification and objective evaluation instead produces   
   the result - unfortunately largely intentional - of creating the contrary   
   impression, that of a permanent reign of confusion, lack of transparency or   
   indeed the pursuit of particular or inappropriate interests.   
    Naturally this does not in any way account for the courage and commitment with   
   which the Pope and his collaborators have faced and continue to face the   
   challenge of improving the use of temporal goods in the service of the   
   spiritual. This, instead, is what would be more greatly appreciated and   
   encouraged in the correct work of providing information to respond   
   appropriately   
   to the expectations of the public and the needs of truth. The path of good   
   administration, correctness and transparency continues and proceeds without   
   uncertainties. The is evidently Pope Francis' wish and the Holy See has no lack   
   of those who collaborate loyally and to the best of their abilities".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Cardinal Parolin appoints new counsellors for the Bambino Gesu Foundation   
    Vatican City, 4 November 2015 (VIS) - The new executive board of the   
   Foundation   
   for the Holy See "Bambino Gesu" Paediatric Hospital met this morning for the   
   first time following the appointment of the new executives by Cardinal   
   Secretary   
   of State Pietro Parolin. During the meeting, held in Rome, the board approved   
   the new statutes of the "completely renovated" foundation, which aim "to   
   guarantee transparency, solidarity and innovation", according to the president   
   Mariella Enoc.   
    There are seven new counsellors: the president Enoc, Pietro Brunetti,   
   Ferruccio   
   De Bortoli, Maria Bianca Farina, Caterina Sansone, Anna Maria Tarantola and   
   Antonio Zanardi Landi.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    On current investigations in Vatican City   
    Vatican City, 4 November 2015 (VIS) - The following is the full text of the   
   response given by Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., director of the Holy See Press   
   Office, to questions from journalists regarding the investigations currently   
   underway in Vatican City.   
    "The Office of the Promoter of Justice of Vatican City State Tribunal,   
   following a report from the Financial Intelligence Authority, initiated   
   investigations in February 2015 regarding operations of the purchase and sale   
   of   
   bonds and transactions attributable to Gianpietro Nattino.   
    The same Office has requested the collaboration of the Italian and Swiss   
   judicial authorities by letters rogatory sent via diplomatic channels on 7   
   August 2015".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
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