Subject: VISnews 110418
Organization: VIS - Ufficio Stampa della Santa Sede
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
TWENTY FIRST YEAR - N. 74
ENGLISH
MONDAY, 18 APRIL 2011
SUMMARY 16-18 APRIL:
- Spain's First Female Ambassador Presents Credential Letters
- Audiences
- God Desires to Lift the Human Being to Himself
- Angelus: Pope Asks for End of Violence in Colombia
- Program of the Pope's Apostolic Trip to Croatia
- Other Pontifical Acts
- Notice
___________________________________________________________
SPAIN'S FIRST FEMALE AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS
VATICAN CITY, 16 APR 2011 (VIS) - Benedict XVI, who celebrates his 84th
birthday today, received in audience Maria Jesus Figa Lopez-Palop, the first
woman to serve as Spain's Ambassador to the Holy See.
At the beginning of his address, the Pope recalled his visit to Santiago
de Compostela and Barcelona this past November where, he said, "I saw many
demonstrations of the vitality of the Catholic faith of those lands that
have seen the births of so many saints and which are sown with cathedrals,
centers of assistance and culture, which are inspired by the fertile
tradition and faithfulness of its inhabitants to their religious beliefs.
This also entails the responsibility of diplomatic relations between Spain
and the Holy See that always endeavor to promote, with mutual respect and
collaboration, within each one's legitimate autonomy in their respective
areas, everything that promotes the good of persons and the authentic
development of their rights and freedoms, which include the expression of
their faith and conscience, both in the public as well as in the private
sphere".
The Holy Father highlighted that "the Church, in carrying out her mission,
seeks the whole good of each nation and its citizens, acting in the area of
her competency and fully respecting the autonomy of civil authorities. She
seeks the good of those who are dear to her and those who ask God to serve
Him in society with generosity, honor, skill, and justice. This goal, in
which the Church's mission and the function of the state meet, moreover has
given expression to bilateral accords between Spain and the Holy See".
Referring afterwards to the difficult economic situation today, with its
resultant unemployment "that provokes discouragement and frustration,
especially in the youth and less-privileged families", the Pope assured his
prayers that God "will enlighten those with public responsibilities, that
they will tirelessly seek a path of recovery that is beneficial to all of
society". In this regard he emphasized the praiseworthy work that the
Catholic institutions are carrying out to swiftly assist those most in
need".
"The Church", he continued, "offers something inherent to her, which
benefits persons and nations: She offers Christ, the hope that encourages
and strengthens, like an antidote to the deception offered by other fleeting
proposals or to the hearts lacking in values that wind up hardening to the
point of not being able to perceive the genuine emotion of life and the
reason of things. This hope gives birth to confidence and collaboration,
thus changing the bleak present into the spirit's effort to face the future
with hope, both as a person as well as a family and a society".
Benedict XVI lamented that "in place of living and organizing society in
such a way that favors openness and excellence, there are ways of living,
often even having a certain sophistication, that are hostile to faith. ...
There are certain environments that tend to consider religion as a socially
insignificant factor that seek to offend it. This does not excuse the
marginalization of religion, that at times takes place through denigration,
ridicule, discrimination, and even indifference in the face of clear
profanation. Such is a violation of the fundamental right to religious
freedom inherent to the dignity of the human person, the "true weapon of
peace because it can change and better the world".
"The Church", he said, "Keeps watch over fundamental human rights. ... She
keeps watch over the right to human life from its conception to its natural
end because life is sacred and nobody can dispose of it arbitrarily. She
keeps watch over the protection of and assistance to the family, defending
the economic, social, and juridical means by which men and women contract
marriage and form a family so that it has the support necessary to fulfill
its vocation and to be the sanctuary of love and life. She also champions
education that integrates moral and religious values according to parents'
convictions as their right and as is beneficial to the complete development
of youth. For that same reason this is included, as is the provision of
teaching the Catholic religion in all centers for those who choose it, in
the Church's own legal ordinances.
Before concluding, the Pope expressed the desire that the next World Youth
Day that will take place in Madrid in August, "will bear abundant spiritual
fruit for the youth and for Spain. I also note the availability,
cooperation, and generous assistance that the [Spanish] government as well
as autonomous and local authorities are extending for the success of an
initiative that will attract the attention of the entire world and will
demonstrate once more the greatness of the hearts and souls of the Spanish
people".
CD/ VIS
20110418 (780)
AUDIENCES
VATICAN CITY, 16 APR 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate
audiences:
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
- Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of
Peoples.
AP/ VIS
20110418 (30)
GOD DESIRES TO LIFT THE HUMAN BEING TO HIMSELF
VATICAN CITY, 17 APR 2011 (VIS) - Benedict XVI presided over the thousands
of persons who filled St. Peter's Square for the Eucharistic celebration of
Palm Sunday and the Lord's Passion and the day that celebrates, at a
diocesan level, the XXVI World Youth Day on the theme "Rooted and Built in
Christ: Firm in the Faith" (cf. Col 2:7).
Before Mass the Pope blessed the palms and olive branches at the obelisk
of the square, then he moved in the Popemobile to the altar.
In the homily the Holy Father, reflecting on the meaning of Jesus'
pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover, explained that "he
knew that ... he himself would take the place of the sacrificial lambs by
offering himself on the cross. ... The ultimate goal of his pilgrimage was
the heights of God himself; to those heights he wanted to lift every human
being".
"But", he asked, "how can we keep pace with this ascent? Isn't it beyond
our ability? Certainly, it is beyond our own possibilities. From the
beginning men and women have been filled - and this is as true today as ever
- with a desire to 'be like God', to attain the heights of God ... And yet
the force of gravity which draws us down is powerful. With the increase of
our abilities there has been an increase not only of good. Our possibilities
for evil have increased and appear like menacing storms above history. Our
limitations have also remained: we need but think of the disasters which
have caused so much suffering for humanity in recent months".
Benedict XVI highlighted that "man finds himself betwixt this twofold
gravitational force; everything depends on our escaping the gravitational
field of evil and becoming free to be attracted completely by the
gravitational force of God, which makes us authentic, elevates us, and
grants us true freedom".
"God himself must draw us up, and this is what Christ began to do on the
cross. He descended to the depths of our human existence in order to draw
us up to himself, to the living God. ... Only in this way could our pride be
vanquished: God's humility is the extreme form of his love, and this humble
love draws us upwards".
The Pope placed special emphasis on the need we have of God. "he draws us
upwards; letting ourselves be upheld by his hands - by faith, in other words
- sets us aright and gives us the inner strength that raises us on high. We
need the humility of a faith which seeks the face of God and trusts in the
truth of his love. The question of how man can attain the heights, becoming
completely himself and completely like God, has always engaged mankind".
"We are on pilgrimage with the Lord to the heights. We are striving for
pure hearts and clean hands, we are seeking truth, we are seeking the face
of God. Let us show the Lord that we desire to be righteous, and let us ask
him: Draw us upwards! Make us pure!" He concluded, "grant that the words
which we sang in the processional psalm may also hold true for us; grant
that we may be part of the generation which seeks God, 'which seeks your
face, O God of Jacob'"
HML/ VIS
20110418 (550)
ANGELUS: POPE ASKS FOR END OF VIOLENCE IN COLOMBIA
VATICAN CITY, 17 APR 2011 (VIS) - At the end of the celebration of the
solemnity of Palm Sunday and the Lord's Passion, the Holy Father prayed the
Angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. Before the Marian
prayer the Pope addressed those present in various languages, exhorting them
above all, "to live the celebration of the Lord's Passion and Glorification
in order to achieve the fullness of what these feasts mean and hold".
"I am particularly speaking to you, beloved youth" he continued in
Spanish, "that you accompany me at the World Youth Day that will take place
in Madrid this coming August, with the theme of "Rooted and Built in Christ:
Firm in the Faith".
"Today I am also thinking of Colombia", he continued, "where the Day of
Prayer for victims of violence will be held this coming Good Friday. I am
spiritually near to this initiative and earnestly urge Colombians to
participate in it, at the same time I ask God for those in this beloved
nation who have been appallingly stripped of their lives and their
possessions. I renew my urgent call to conversion, repentance, and
reconciliation. No more violence in Colombia, that peace there reign!"
ANG/ VIS
20110418 (200)
PROGRAM OF THE POPE'S APOSTOLIC TRIP TO CROATIA
VATICAN CITY, 18 APR 2011 (VIS) - Following is the program of Benedict XVI's
apostolic trip to Croatia - scheduled for 4 - 5 June - for the National Day
of Croatian Families.
The Pope will leave at 9:30am on Saturday, 4 June, from Rome's Fiumicino
Airport and will land at Pleso International Airport in Zagreb at 11:00am.
After the welcoming ceremony, a courtesy visit will be made to Ivo
Josipovic, the President of the Republic, at the presidential palace,
following which the Pope will meet with Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor at the
apostolic nunciature at 1:50pm. At 6:15pm, in the National Croatian Theater
of Zagreb, he will meet with representatives of civil society, the
political, academic, cultural, and business world, the diplomatic corps, and
religious figures. At 7:30pm, in Josip Jelacic Square, he will preside over
a prayer vigil with the Croatian youth.
On Sunday, 5 June, at 10:00am, he will celebrate Holy Mass on the National
Day of Croatian Families in the Zagreb Hippodrome. At 2:00pm he will have
lunch at the new offices of the Secretary of the Croatian Bishops' Council
with the Croatian and other invited bishops. At 5:00pm he will presided over
vespers with the bishops, priests, religious, and seminarians and will pray
at the tomb of Blessed Aloysius Viktor Stepinac at Zagreb's Cathedral
dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and to St. Stephen.
When finished there he will meet with Cardinal Josip Bozanic, archbishop of
Zagreb, at his residence, and at 7:15pm will travel to Pleso Airport where,
at 7:45pm he will make the return flight to Rome. The flight is scheduled to
land at Rome's Ciampino Airport at 9:15pm.
PV-CROATIA/ VIS 20110418
(270)
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
VATICAN CITY, 18 APR 2011 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father named:
- Fr. Jose Arturo Cepeda of the clergy of the archdiocese of San Antonio,
Texas as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan (area
10,106, population 4,556,000, Catholics 1,515,000, priests 641, religious
1,552, permanent deacons 191), USA. The bishop-elect was born in 1969 in San
Luis de Potosi, Mexico, was ordained to the priesthood in 1996, and, to
date, was Rector of the Assumption Seminary of San Antonio, Texas.
- Cardinal Justin Francis Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(USA) as his special envoy to the bicentennial celebration of the birth of
St. John Nepomuceno Neumann that will take place in Prachatitz, Czech
Republic on 18 June 2011.
On Saturday, 16 April, the Holy Father appointed Bishop Beniamino Pizziol,
auxiliary bishop of Venice, as bishop of Vicenza (area 2,200, population
855,608, Catholics 790,848, priests 732, permanent deacons 38, religious
2,086), Italy.
NER/ VIS
20110418 (150)
NOTICE
VATICAN CITY, 16 APR 2011 (VIS) - Tomorrow, Tuesday 19 April, marks the
sixth anniversary of the election of Benedict XVI, a holiday in the Vatican.
Therefore there will be no service. Transmission will resume on Wednesday 20
April.
.../ VIS
20110418 (30)
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