Subject: VISnews 110218
Organization: VIS - Ufficio Stampa della Santa Sede
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
TWENTY FIRST YEAR - N. 33
ENGLISH
FRIDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2011
SUMMARY:
- Challenges and Achievements of the Church in Philippines
- Communique Concerning Beatification of John Paul II
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts
___________________________________________________________
CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE CHURCH IN PHILIPPINES
VATICAN CITY, 18 FEB 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican Benedict XVI
received prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines,
who have just completed their "ad limina" visit. Addressing them in English,
the Pope recalled "the deep links which Catholics enjoy with the Successor
of Peter", noting that this has "always been a significant characteristic of
faith in your country, I pray that this communion will continue to grow and
flourish as you consider the present challenges of your apostolate", he
said.
"While the Philippines continues to face many challenges in the area of
economic development, we must recognise that these obstacles to a life of
happiness and fulfilment are not the only stumbling blocks that must be
addressed by the Church. Filipino culture is also confronted with the more
subtle questions inherent to the secularism, materialism, and consumerism of
our times. When self-sufficiency and freedom are severed from their
dependence upon and completion in God, the human person creates for himself
a false destiny and loses sight of the eternal joy for which he has been
made. The path to rediscovering humanity's true destiny can only be found in
the re-establishment of the priority of God in the heart and mind of every
person.
"Above all", the Holy Father added, "to keep God at the centre of the life
of the faithful, the preaching of you and your clergy must be personal in
its focus so that each Catholic will grasp in his or her innermost depths
the life-transforming fact that God exists, that He loves us, and that in
Christ He answers the deepest questions of our lives. Your great task in
evangelisation is therefore to propose a personal relationship with Christ
as key to complete fulfilment. ... At the same time, it must be recognised
that new initiatives in evangelisation will only be fruitful if ... those
proposing them are people who truly believe and live the message of the
Gospel themselves".
The Pope then went on to remark on the positive impact basic ecclesial
communities have had throughout the country, highlighting how the "the
Church in the Philippines is fortunate to have a number of lay organisations
which continue to draw people to the Lord. In order to confront the
questions of our times", he explained, "the laity need to hear the Gospel
message in its fullness, to understand its implications for their personal
lives and for society in general, and thus be constantly converted to the
Lord. I therefore urge you to take special care in shepherding such groups,
so that the primacy of God may remain in the forefront".
In the Philippines, the Pope continued, faith "plays a very important role
in the lives of many young people, a fact that is due in large part to the
patient work of the local Church to reach out to youth at all levels. ...
Care must also be given to showing young people the importance of the
Sacraments as instruments of God's grace and assistance. This is
particularly true of the Sacrament of Matrimony, which sanctifies married
life from its very beginning, so that God's presence may sustain young
couples in their struggles".
Finally the Pope noted how "the pastoral care of young people which aims
to establish the primacy of God in their hearts, tends inherently to result
not only in vocations to Christian marriage but also in plentiful callings
of all kinds". However, "it appears that in many dioceses the number of
priests and the corresponding number of parishes is not yet sufficient to
meet the spiritual needs of the large and growing Catholic population. With
you, I therefore pray that young Filipinos who feel called to the priesthood
and the religious life will respond generously to the promptings of the
Spirit".
AL/ VIS
20110218 (650)
COMMUNIQUE CONCERNING BEATIFICATION OF JOHN PAUL II
VATICAN CITY, 18 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the
following communique at midday today.
"The beatification of Servant of God Pope John Paul II will be a major
ecclesial event divided into the following five stages:
"A preparatory vigil organised by the diocese of Rome will take place at
the Circus Maximus on the evening of Saturday 30 April (preparation from
8.30 to 9 p.m., vigil from 9 to 10.30 p.m.), organised by the diocese of
Rome which had the Venerable Servant of God as its bishop. The vigil will be
led by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, His Holiness' vicar general for the
diocese of Rome, while the Holy Father Benedict XVI will be spiritually
present through video linkup.
"The beatification ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday 1 May in St.
Peter's Square, presided by the Holy Father. Participation in the event does
not require a ticket, although access to the Square and surrounding areas
will be regulated by the police.
"The veneration of the remains of the new blessed will be possible for all
faithful, beginning immediately after the beatification ceremony on Sunday 1
May. The remains of the new blessed will remain exposed for veneration in
front of the Altar of the Confession in the Vatican Basilica for as long as
the faithful continue to arrive.
"A Mass of thanksgiving is scheduled to take place in St. Peter's Square
at 10.30 a.m. on Monday 2 May, presided by Cardinal Secretary of State
Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B.
"The interment of the remains of the new blessed in the Chapel of St.
Sebastian in the Vatican Basilica will take place privately".
OP/ VIS
20110218 (290)
AUDIENCES
VATICAN CITY, 18 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate
audiences six prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the
Philippines on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Patricio A. Buzon S.D.B. of Kabankalan.
- Bishop Jose F. Advincula of San Carlos.
- Bishop Jose Romeo O. Lazo of San Jose de Antique.
- Bishop Gilbert A. Garcera of Daet.
- Bishop Joel Z. Baylon of Legazpi.
- Bishop Jose R. Rojas of Libmanan.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal William
Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
AL:AP/ VIS 20110218
(110)
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
VATICAN CITY, 18 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:
- Fr. Stephen Dami Mamza of the clergy of Maiduguri, Nigeria, currently in
Ireland where he is studying for a master's degree in human development, as
bishop of Yola (area 34,850, population 3,445,000, Catholics 180,652,
priests 37, religious 26), Nigeria. The bishop-elect was born in Bazza,
Nigeria in 1969 and ordained a priest in 1996.
- Fr. Pio Goncalo Alves de Sousa, dean of the cathedral chapter of Braga,
Portugal, as auxiliary of the diocese of Porto (area 3,010, population
2,100,000, Catholics 1,900,000, priests 506, permanent deacons 16, religious
1,348), Portugal. The bishop-elect was born in Lanheses, Portugal in 1945
and ordained a priest in 1968.
NER:NEA/ VIS
20110218 (120)
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