do not realise that it is precisely because of this presumption - that we are   
   Christians, good and doing the right thing - that we must convert from the   
   supposition that all things considered, it is fine this way and we are not in   
   need of any form of conversion".   
    "The voice of the Baptist still cries in today's deserts of humanity ...   
   closed   
   minds and hardened hearts. It causes us to ask ourselves if we actually are   
   following the right path, living a life according to the Gospel. Today, as   
   then,   
   he admonishes us with the words of the prophet Isaiah: 'Prepare the way of the   
   Lord!'. It is a pressing invitation to open our heart and receive the salvation   
   that God incessantly, almost stubbornly offers, because he wants us all to be   
   free of the slavery of sin. ... And salvation is offered to every man, and   
   every   
   people, without excluding anyone, to each one of us. None of us can say, 'I am   
   a   
   saint; I am perfect; I am already saved'. No. We should always accept this   
   offer   
   of salvation, and that is the reason for the Year of Mercy: to advance further   
   in this journey of salvation, this path that Jesus has taught us. God wants all   
   mankind to be saved by the mediation of Jesus, the only mediator".   
    The Pope recalled that "each one of us is called to make Jesus known to those   
   who still do not know Him. But this does not mean proselytising: no. It means   
   opening a door. 'Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!', St. Paul declared.   
   ...   
   I leave you with this question: Am I truly in love with Jesus? Am I convinced   
   that Jesus offers me and gives me salvation? And, if I am in love, I have to   
   make Him known! But we should be courageous: level the the mountains of pride   
   and rivalry; fill in the valleys of indifference and apathy; straighten the   
   paths of our laziness and our comforts".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    There is no unity without forgiveness   
    Vatican City, 7 December 2015 (VIS) - Following today's Angelus prayer the   
   Pope   
   greeted the pilgrims present in the Square and affirmed that he is following   
   closely the work of the Climate Conference in Paris. "What kind of world do we   
   want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?",   
   he asked. For the good of our common home, for all of us and for the future   
   generations, every effort should be directed toward mitigating the impact of   
   climate change and, at the same time, curbing poverty and enabling human   
   dignity   
   to flourish". He urged those present to pray that the Holy Spirit "enlighten   
   all   
   those who are called to make such important decisions and give them the courage   
   always to let themselves be guided in their decisions by the criterion of the   
   greater good of the human family".   
    He recalled that 7 December marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Common   
   Declaration of Paul VI and the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, in which the   
   memory of the mutual sentences of excommunication exchanged between the Church   
   of Rome and Constantinople in 1054 was eliminated. "There is no authentic path   
   toward unity without a plea for forgiveness, to God and between us, for the sin   
   of division" he said, asking for prayers for the Ecumenical Patriarch   
   Bartholomaios and the other leaders of the Orthodox Churches so that "relations   
   between Catholics and Orthodox always be inspired by fraternal love".   
    He also mentioned that yesterday in Chimbote, Peru, the Conventual Franciscans   
   Michael Tomaszek and Zbigniew Strzalkowski and the priest Alessandro Dordi were   
   beatified. "May the fidelity of these martyrs in following Jesus give all of   
   us,   
   especially Christians persecuted in different parts of the world, the strength   
   to bear witness to the Gospel with courage".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Francis lights up the Assisi Christmas tree   
    Vatican City, 7 December 2015 (VIS) - On Sunday afternoon, from the Vatican   
   Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father remotely lit up the Christmas tree installed   
   by the Franciscans in the square in front of the lower Basilica of St. Francis   
   in the Italian city of Assisi. "Jesus is always with us, even in difficult   
   moments", he said, also recalling the many migrants who have died in the sea.   
   "They are with the Lord now. But He came to give us hope, and we must take this   
   hope. He came to tell us that He is stronger than death, that He is greater   
   than   
   any evil. He came to tell us that He is merciful ... and this Christmas I   
   invite   
   you to open your heart to mercy, to forgiveness", even though, the Pope added,   
   "it is not easy to forgive these tragedies".   
    He thanked the Italian Coast Guard, praising the great example of solidarity   
   given by the citizens of the south of Italy. To refugees, he said, "Raise your   
   head, the Lord is near. And with Him there is strength, salvation, hope. The   
   heart perhaps suffers; but keep your head high in the hope of the Lord".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Catholic schools, educating in the fullness of humanity   
    Vatican City, 7 December 2015 (VIS) - An education in the fullness of humanity   
   is should be the defining feature of Catholic schools, said Pope Francis this   
   morning to the members of the Association of Catholic School Parents in Italy   
   (AGESC), whom he received in audience in the Clementine Hall. "Speaking about a   
   Catholic education is equivalent to speaking about the human, about humanism",   
   he emphasised. "An inclusive education finds a place for all and does not   
   select   
   in an elitist way the beneficiaries of its efforts".   
    "Your association is at the service of the school and the family, contributing   
   to the delicate task of building bridges between the school and the territory,   
   between the school and the family, between the school and civil institutions.   
   ...   
   As parents, you are the depositories of the primary and irrevocable duty and   
   right to educate your children, in this way helping in a positive and constant   
   way in the task of the school. You have the right to demand a suitable   
   education   
   for your children, an integral education open to the most authentic human and   
   Christian values. However, it is also your responsibility to ensure that the   
   school is up to the educational task entrusted to it, especially when the   
   education it proposes is described as 'Catholic'. It pray to the Lord that the   
   Catholic school never take for granted the meaning of this adjective".   
    The Pope went on to list the prerequisites for a school to describe itself as   
   truly Catholic. These included transmitting "an integral, not ideological   
   culture" and "promoting harmony in diversity". However, he said to the members   
   of AGESC, "How can this be applied in practice? It is not an easy task". To   
   this   
   end, he invited the parents of pupils in Catholic schools to build bridges   
   between the school and society, and always to remember theneed to construct an   
   educating community in which, along with the teachers, various workers and   
   students, parents are able to be agents in the educational process".   
    "Do not be extraneous to this world; live within it like leaven in the dough",   
   he said. "My invitation to you is simple but bold: know how to make the   
   difference with a high quality formation. Find methods and ways of not passing   
   unnoticed behind the scenes of society and culture, without arousing clamour,   
   not with projects full of rhetoric. Know how to distinguish yourselves for your   
   constant attention to the person, especially the least among us, those who are   
   cast aside, denied and forgotten. Know how to be noticed not for your 'facade',   
   but for educational coherence rooted in the Christian vision of humanity and   
   society". He also remarked that at a time when the economic crisis has led to   
   the closure of many private schools, "the temptation of 'numbers' becomes   
   increasingly insistent, and this leads to discouragement. But despite all this   
   I   
   repeat: it is the quality of your presence that makes the difference, not the   
   quantity of resources you have at your disposal".   
    "Never betray the human and Christian values you bear witness to in the   
   family,   
   in school and in society. Give generously your contribution so that the   
   Catholic   
   school never becomes a fall-back option or a meaningless alternative among the   
   various educational institutions. Collaborate so that Catholic education has   
   the   
   face of new humanism. ... Strive to make Catholic schools truly open to all",   
   concluded the Holy Father.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Judges and lawyers in Vatican City State Tribunal: guaranteeing a fair trial   
    Vatican City, 7 December 2015 (VIS) - The following is the full text of a note   
   from the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J.,   
   regarding the constitution of the Vatican City State Tribunal and the selection   
   of lawyers and judges:   
    In recent weeks, since the opening of the trial for the dissemination of   
   reserved documents commonly known as "Vatileaks 2", many observations and   
   evaluations have been written regarding the judicial system of Vatican City   
   State and in particular on the Tribunal where this trial and its related   
   procedures are taking place. Since many of these observations are   
   inappropriate,   
   or at times entirely unjustified, it would appear opportune to offer some   
   considerations enabling a clearer view and a more just evaluation of this   
   fundamental aspect of the situation.   
    Firstly, although this should be self-evident, it is necessary to recall that   
   Vatican City State has its own legal order, entirely autonomous and separate   
   from the Italian legal system, and has its own judicial bodies for the various   
   levels of judgement and the necessary legislation in terms of criminal matters   
   and procedure.   
    Within this latter there exist all the procedural guarantees characteristic of   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)