Subject: VISnews 110302
Organization: VIS - Ufficio Stampa della Santa Sede
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
TWENTY FIRST YEAR - N. 41
ENGLISH
WEDNESDAY, 2 MARCH 2011
SUMMARY:
- St. Francis of Sales: Great Master of Spirituality and Peace
- Pope Receives the Executive Director of the WFP
- Presentation of Volume Two of "Jesus of Nazareth"
- Declaration on Assassination of Pakistani Minister Bhatti
- Cardinals to Take Possession of Diaconate Churches
___________________________________________________________
ST. FRANCIS OF SALES: GREAT MASTER OF SPIRITUALITY AND PEACE
VATICAN CITY, 2 MAR 2011 (VIS) - During today's general audience, which was
held in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope spoke about St. Francis de Sales, bishop
and doctor of the Church who lived in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries.
Born in 1567 to a noble family in the Duchy of Savoy, while still very
young Francis, "reflecting on the ideas of St. Augustine and St. Thomas
Aquinas, underwent a profound crisis which led him to question himself about
his own eternal salvation and about the destiny God had in store for him,
experiencing the principle theological questions of his time as an authentic
spiritual drama". The saint "found peace in the radical and liberating truth
of God's love: loving Him without asking anything in return and trusting in
divine love; this would be the secret of his life".
Francis de Sales, the Holy Father explained, was ordained a priest in 1593
and consecrated as bishop of Geneva in 1602, "in a period in which the city
was a stronghold of Calvinism. ... He was an apostle, preacher, writer, man
of action and of prayer; committed to realising the ideals of the Council of
Trent, and involved in controversies and dialogue with Protestants. Yet,
over and above the necessary theological debate, he also experienced the
effectiveness of personal relations and of charity".
With St. Jane Frances de Chantal he founded the Order of the Visitation,
characterised "by a complete consecration to God lived in simplicity and
humility". St. Francis of Sales died in 1622.
In his book "An Introduction to the Devout Life", the saint "made a call
which may have appeared revolutionary at that time: the invitation to belong
completely to God while being fully present in the world. ... Thus arose
that appeal to the laity, that concern for the consecration of temporal
things and for the sanctification of daily life upon which Vatican Council
II and the spirituality of our time have laid such emphasis".
Referring then to the saint's fundamental work, his "Treatise on the Love
of God", the Pope highlighted how "in a period of intense mysticism" it "was
an authentic 'summa' and at the same time a fascinating literary work. ...
Following the model of Holy Scripture, St. Francis of Sales speaks of the
union between God and man, creating a whole series of images of
interpersonal relationships. His God is Father and Lord, Bridegroom and
Friend".
The treatise contains "a profound meditation on human will and a
description of how it flows, passes and dies, in order to live in complete
abandonment, not only to the will of God, but to what pleases Him, ... to
His pleasure. At the apex of the union with God, beyond the rapture of
contemplative ecstasy, lies that well of concrete charity which is attentive
to all the needs of others".
Benedict XVI concluded his catechesis by noting that "in a time such as
our own, which seeks freedom, ... we must not lose sight of the relevance of
this great master of spirituality and peace who gave his disciples the
'spirit of freedom', true freedom, at the summit of which is a fascinating
and comprehensive lesson about the truth of love. St. Francis of Sales is an
exemplary witness of Christian humanism. With his familiar style, with his
parables which sometimes contain a touch of poetry, he reminds us that
inscribed in the depths of man is nostalgia for God, and that only in Him
can we find true joy and complete fulfilment".
AG/ VIS
20110302 (600)
POPE RECEIVES THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WFP
VATICAN CITY, 2 MAR 2011 (VIS) - At the end of his general audience this
morning, the Pope received in private audience Josette Sheeran, executive
director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), who has just
returned from a mission to the border between Libya and Tunisia.
Following the meeting, the executive director of the WFP spoke of the Holy
Father's concern for the innocent people trapped in this terrible tragedy,
and expressed her own gratitude for the Catholic Church's support in the
task of feeding the hungry around the world.
.../ VIS
20110302 (100)
PRESENTATION OF VOLUME TWO OF "JESUS OF NAZARETH"
VATICAN CITY, 2 MAR 2011 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office at 5 p.m. on
Thursday 10 March, a press conference will be held to present the book:
"Jesus of Nazareth. From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection",
written by Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) and published by the Vatican
Publishing House.
The conference will be presented by Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S, prefect
of the Congregation for Bishops, and by Claudio Magris, a writer and German
scholar.
The book is being published in seven languages - German, Italian, English,
Spanish, French, Portuguese and Polish - and has nine chapters and an
epilogue.
Chapter one deals with "The Entrance into Jerusalem and the Cleansing of
the Temple". Chapter two, which focuses on "Jesus' Eschatological
Discourse", is subdivided into three sections: "The End of the Temple", "The
Times of the Gentiles" and "Prophecy and Apocalyptic in the Eschatological
Discourse". Chapter three has as its subject "The Washing of the Feet" and
contains the following six subheadings: "The hour of Jesus", "You are
clean", " Sacramentum and exemplum - gift and task: The 'new commandment'",
"The mystery of the betrayer", "Two conversations with Peter" and "Washing
of feet and confession of sin".
Chapter four has as its title "Jesus' High-Priestly Prayer" and is
subdivided as follows: "The Jewish Feast of Atonement as Biblical Background
to the High-Priestly Prayer", "Four Major Themes of the Prayer: ('This is
eternal life...', ' Sanctify them in the truth...', ' I have made your name
known to them...', ' That they may all be one...')".
Chapter five is entirely dedicated to "The Last Supper" which is analysed
under the headings: "The Dating of the Last Supper", "The Institution of the
Eucharist", "The Theology of the Words of Institution", and "From the Last
Supper to the Sunday Morning Eucharist".
"Gethsemane", the tile of chapter six, includes sections on: "On the Way
to the Mount of Olives", "The Prayer of Jesus", "Jesus' Will and the Will of
the Father" and "Jesus' Prayer on the Mount of Olives in the Letter to the
Hebrews".
Chapter seven, "The Trial of Jesus", includes sections on "Preliminary
Discussion in the Sanhedrin", "Jesus before the Sanhedrin" and "Jesus before
Pilate". Chapter eight, on the "Crucifixion and Burial of Jesus", begins
with a reflection on "Word and Event in the Passion Narrative", then
continues with "Jesus on the Cross: ('The first of Jesus' words from the
Cross: Father, forgive them', 'Jesus is mocked', 'Jesus' cry of
abandonment', 'The casting of lots for Jesus' garments', 'I thirst', 'The
women at the foot of the Cross - the Mother of Jesus', 'Jesus dies on the
Cross', and ' Jesus' burial')". The chapter concludes with "Jesus' Death as
Reconciliation (Atonement) and Salvation".
The ninth and final chapter is entitled "Jesus' Resurrection from the
Dead" and is subdivided as follows: "What Is the Resurrection of Jesus?",
"The Two Different Types of Resurrection Testimony", "The Confessional
Tradition: ('Jesus' death', 'The question of the empty tomb', 'The third
day', 'The witnesses')", "The Narrative Tradition ('Jesus' appearances to
Paul', 'The appearances of Jesus in the Gospels', 'Summary: The Nature of
Jesus' Resurrection and Its Historical Significance')".
The Holy Father's book concludes with an epilogue entitled: "He Ascended
into Heaven - He Is Seated at the Right Hand of the Father, and He Will Come
Again in Glory".
BXVI-BOOK/ VIS
20110302 (570)
DECLARATION ON ASSASSINATION OF PAKISTANI MINISTER BHATTI
VATICAN CITY, 2 MAR 2011 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a declaration
made this morning by Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi
S.J. concerning the assassination of Shabbaz Bhatti, the Pakistani minister
for minorities.
"The assassination of Shabbaz Bhatti, Pakistani minister for minorities,
is another terrible episode of violence. It shows how right the Pope is in
his persistent remarks concerning violence against Christians and against
religious freedom in general.
"Bhatti was the first Catholic to hold such an office. We recall how he
was received by the Holy Father in September last year, and how he bore
witness to his own commitment to peaceful coexistence among the religious
communities of his country.
"Our prayers for the victim, our condemnation for this unspeakable act of
violence, our closeness to Pakistani Christians who suffer hatred, are
accompanied by an appeal that everyone many become aware of the urgent
importance of defending both religious freedom and Christians who are
subject to violence and persecution".
OP/ VIS
20110302 (180)
CARDINALS TO TAKE POSSESSION OF DIACONATE CHURCHES
VATICAN CITY, 2 MAR 2011 (VIS) - A note published today by the Office of
Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announces details of
forthcoming ceremonies in which two cardinals will take possession of their
diaconate churches:
At 10.30 a.m. on Sunday 6 March, Cardinal Walter Brandmuller, former
president of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, will take
possession of the diaconate of St. Julian of the Flemish, in Via del Sudario
40, Rome.
At 5 p.m. on Saturday 12 March, Cardinal Elio Sgreccia, former president
of the Pontifical Academy for Life, will take possession of the diaconate of
St. Angelo in Pescheria, in della Tribuna di Campitelli 6, Rome.
OCL/ VIS
20110302 (120)
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