Subject: VISnews 110523
Organization: VIS - Ufficio Stampa della Santa Sede
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
TWENTY FIRST YEAR - N. 96
ENGLISH
MONDAY, 23 MAY 2011
SUMMARY 21 - 23 MAY:
- Catholic University of the Sacred Heart 90th Anniversary
- Pope Speaks with Space Station Astronauts
- Interreligious Dialogue, Holy See and Al-Azhar
- Holy See Defends Universal Access to Medical Care
- New Testament Puts Stop to God's Invisibility
- Commemoration of Sts. Cyril and Methodius
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts
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CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF THE SACRED HEART 90TH ANNIVERSARY
VATICAN CITY, 21 MAY 2011 (VIS) - This afternoon in the Paul VI Hall of the
Vatican, Benedict XVI met with administrators, teachers, and students of the
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Italy on the occasion of the 90th
anniversary of its foundation.
The Pope referred to "great and rapid transformations" that are affecting
the university: "humanist culture is being affected by a progressive
deterioration; ... there exists the tendency to reduce the human horizon to
what can be measured, to eliminate the fundamental question of meaning from
systematic and critical knowledge". In this sense, he noted that "in the way
in which the empirical sciences monopolize the territories of reason, it
seems that there is no more room for reasons to believe; the religious
dimension is relegated to the sphere of what is opinion and private. In this
context, the very motivations and characteristics of the institution of the
university are called into question".
"The Christian perspective", he continued, "is not in contradiction of
scientific knowledge or the achievements of human ingenuity. Just the
opposite, it considers faith as the horizon of meaning, the path to full
truth, and the guide of authentic development. Without an orientation to the
truth, without a humble and ardent attitude of investigation, every culture
crumbles, decays into relativism, and becomes lost in the ephemeral".
Benedict XVI emphasized that "faith and culture are indissolubly united, a
manifestation of that 'desiderium naturale vivendi Deum' that is present in
each human being. When this tie is broken, humanity tends to fold in on
itself and become locked within its own creative capacities".
"The question of Truth and the Absolute - the question of God - ... is the
fundamental question upon which the discovery of the meaning of the world
and of life depends. ... Knowledge of the faith, therefore, illuminates
human research, interprets it, humanizing it, integrates it in projects for
the good, rooting out the temptation of calculative thought that
instrumentalizes knowledge and turns scientific discoveries into ways of
enslaving persons".
The Holy Father stressed that "the horizon that animates the work of a
university can and should be the authentic passion for the human being. ...
Serving humanity is doing the truth in love, it is loving life, always
respecting it, beginning with the situations in which it is most fragile and
defenseless. This is one of our tasks, especially in times of crisis: the
history of cultures shows that human dignity has been truly recognized in
its totality in the light of the Christian faith".
"The attitude of closure or detachment in the face of the proposal of
faith means forgetting that throughout history, and even today, it has been
an impetus of culture and light for human intelligence, a stimulus to
develop all its positive capacities for the true good of humanity".
While highlighting that "the testimony of the faith and of love are
inseparable", the Pope noted that "in Jesus we discover that God is love and
only in love can we know Him. ... The pinnacle of knowing God is reached in
love. ... The human person needs love, needs the truth, in order not to ruin
the fragile treasure of freedom and be exposed to the violence of the
passions and to clear or hidden conditionings".
Addressing in particular the professors, Benedict XVI reminded them that
they have been entrusted with "a decisive role: showing how the Christian
faith can be an impetus of culture and light for the intelligence".
The Pope concluded, pointing out that "the Chapel is the beating heart
that constantly nourishes the life of the university, along with the
pastoral centers connected to it where the spiritual assistants of the
different branches are called to carry out their precious priestly mission,
which is essential for the identity of the Catholic University".
AC/ VIS
20110523 (630)
POPE SPEAKS WITH SPACE STATION ASTRONAUTS
VATICAN CITY, 21 MAY 2011 (VIS) - This Saturday, Benedict XVI held a
conversation with the group of cosmonauts and astronauts aboard the
International Space Station, on the occasion of the space shuttle
Endeavour's last mission.
From a room in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace the Pope could see the
astronauts on a television screen while they could only hear his voice on an
audio channel.
During the conversation, the Holy Father asked the astronauts five
questions. The first: "When you are contemplating the Earth from up there,
do you ever wonder about the way nations and people live together down here,
or about how science can contribute to the cause of peace?".
United States astronaut Mark Kelly answered that, from space, you cannot
see the borders between the nations, but "we realize that people fight with
each other and there is a lot of violence in this world ... The science and
the technology that we put into the Space Station to develop a solar power
capability, gives us pretty much an unlimited amount of energy. And if those
technologies could be adapted more on Earth, we could possibly reduce some
of that violence".
While emphasizing "the responsibility we all have towards the future of
our planet", the Pope asked how the astronauts see Earth's situation from
their "extraordinary observation point?".
United States astronaut Ron Garan answered that, "we can see how
indescribably beautiful the planet that we have been given is; but on the
other hand, we can really clearly see how fragile it is".
Benedict XVI asked if, "in the midst of your intense work and research",
the astronauts ever stop and reflect on the mystery of creation - perhaps
even to say a prayer to the Creator? The Italian astronaut Roberto Vittori,
who before leaving for space had received a medal from Benedict XVI
representing the Creation of Man as painted by Michelangelo on the Sistine
Chapel ceiling, responded. On seeing the beauty of the planet, he said, "I
do pray: I do pray for me, for our families, for our future".
The Pope addressed his fifth and final question to the Italian astronaut
Paolo Nespoli, assuring him of his prayers for the astronaut's recently
deceased mother and asking him how he was living through this time of
sorrow; if on the station he felt "far away and isolated, if you suffer a
sense of separation or if you feel united to and included in a community
that accompanies you with care and affection?".
Thanking the pontiff for his prayers on the death of his mother, Nespoli
agreed that, being outside the world, "we have a vantage point to see the
Earth and to feel everything around us".
The Holy Father concluded the conversation by thanking them for "this
wonderful opportunity to meet and dialogue with you. You have helped me and
many other people to reflect together on important issues that regard the
future of humanity. I wish you the very best for your work and for the
success of your great mission at the service of science, international
collaboration, authentic progress, and for peace in the world".
BXVI-ASTRONAUTS/ VIS 20110523
(510)
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE, HOLY SEE AND AL-AZHAR
VATICAN CITY, 21 MAY 2011 (VIS) - Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran and Archbishop
Pier Luigi Celata, respectively president and secretary of the Pontifical
Council for Interreligious Dialogue, met with the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the Arabic Republic of Egypt and newly elected Secretary General
of the League of Arab States, Mr. Nabil Al-Arabi, during his visit to Rome
the past Wednesday, 18 May.
At this meeting, according to a communique issued today, the minister
conveyed the greetings of Sheikh of al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyib, and
expressed the Grand Imam's desire that the recent difficulties in the
relationship with the Holy See would be overcome.
Cardinal Tauran reiterated the esteem of Pope Benedict XVI for the people
and authorities of Egypt and the Holy See's readiness to continue on the
path of interreligious dialogue and cooperation with al-Azhar, carried on
regularly since 1998.
CON-DIR/ VIS
20110523 (140)
HOLY SEE DEFENDS UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE
VATICAN CITY, 21 MAY 2011 (VIS) - Last Wednesday, 18 May, Archbishop Zygmunt
Zimowski, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care spoke
at the 64th World Health Assembly underway in Geneva, Switzerland from 16 to
24 May. His address was dedicated to the theme "Guaranteeing Universal
Access to Medical Care".
"The World Health Report 2010", he said, "emphasizes health system
financing as the conduit to the much desired universal coverage in health
service provision. It also notes with concern that despite the progress made
in some countries, on the whole, we are still a long way from universal
coverage. This sad fact highlights the need for a true global solidarity, in
which high income countries do not only promise, but effectively meet their
commitments on development assistance".
Then, citing the papal encyclical "Caritas in veritate", he noted that, in
it, Benedict XVI asserted that "more economically developed nations should
do all they can to allocate larger portions of their gross domestic product
to development aid, thus respecting the obligations that the international
community has undertaken in this regard".
As regards the World Health Organization's Draft HIV Strategy 2011-2015,
"the Holy See appreciates the emphasis laid on eliminating new HIV
infections in children and expanding and optimizing HIV treatment and care
for them, which up to date has been lagging behind the progress made in
treating adults. In this area, the archbishop emphasized "the importance of
education in changing human behavior and responsible living as a key element
of the prevention campaign".
Lastly, the president of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care
affirmed that his delegation "fully shares the concerns ... for child injury
prevention. ... the Holy See would like to appeal to the international
community to support transfer of knowledge on measures and instruments for
the prevention of child injury to low- and middle-income countries, where
95% of child injury deaths occur", oftentimes provoked by "long civil wars".
DELSS/ VIS 20110523
(320)
NEW TESTAMENT PUTS STOP TO GOD'S INVISIBILITY
VATICAN CITY, 22 MAY 2011 (VIS) - "This Sunday's Gospel ... proposes a
double mandate of the faith: Believe in God and believe in Jesus. These are
not two separate acts but one single act of faith. Full adherence to the
salvation worked by the Father through His only Son", the Pope said while
praying the Regina Coeli with the faithful gathered today at noon in St.
Peter's Square.
"The New Testament has put an end to the invisibility of the Father", the
pontiff continued. "The Son of God, by His incarnation, death, and
resurrection has freed us from the slavery of sin, giving us the freedom of
sons and daughters of God: He has shown us the face of God, which is love.
We can see God, He is visible in Christ".
"Faith in Jesus means following Him daily in the simple actions that make
up our day. ... For Christians, for each of us, therefore, the way toward
the Father is letting ourselves be guided by Jesus, by His word of truth,
welcoming the gift of His life. ... The challenge of proclaiming Jesus as
'the way, the truth, and the life' constitutes the Church's main task", the
Holy Father finished.
After the Regina Coeli, the Pope greeted pilgrims in Portuguese, showing
his joy for the two new Blesseds, Sr. Maria Clara do Menino Jesus, who was
beatified yesterday in Lisbon, Portugal and Sr. Dulce Lopes Pontes,
beatified today in San Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.
He also addressed, in English, the World Council of Churches, which is
celebrating an International Ecumenical Peace Convocation in Kingston,
Jamaica in these days. This meeting, said Benedict XVI is the culmination of
a decade-long project with the goal of combating all forms of violence. We
pray for "this noble intention and recommit ourselves to eliminating
violence in families, in society, and in the international community".
Finally, he greeted representatives of the Pro-Life Movement in Italian,
thanking them in particular for "the dedication with which you help women
who are facing a difficult pregnancy, as well as engaged and married couples
who desire to procreate responsibly; you are thus acting concretely for a
culture of life".
ANG/ VIS
20110523 (360)
COMMEMORATION OF STS. CYRIL AND METHODIUS
VATICAN CITY, 23 MAY 2011 (VIS) - Today in the Vatican the Pope received in
separate audiences first the president of the Republic of Macedonia, Gjorge
Ivanov, and then the Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria,
Tsetska Tsacheva, both accompanied by their respective delegations, on the
occasion of the annual commemoration of Sts. Cyril and Methodius.
In his address to the delegation from the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, the Holy Father emphasized that the lives of Sts. Cyril and
Methodius "were totally dedicated to their apostolic activity and to the
divine intuition of making the message of Revelation understandable and
accessible to the peoples, which was a reason of unity for different
traditions and cultures. In embracing God's salvific plan, peoples can
rediscover the foundations upon which to build civilizations and societies
that are characterized by a spirit of reconciliation and peaceful living
together. There cannot be true unity without respect for the dignity of each
person and their inalienable rights".
In the later audience with the delegation from the Republic of Bulgaria,
the Pope said that "for the European peoples, who in these years are opening
themselves to new perspectives of cooperation, these two great saints are a
reminder that their unity will be more solid if based on common Christian
roots. Effectively, in the complex history of Europe, Christianity
represents a central and qualifying element. The Christian faith has shaped
the culture of the old continent and is indissolubly interwoven with its
history, to the point that this history would not be understandable without
reference to the events that characterized, first, the great era of
evangelization and, then, the long centuries in which Christianity took on
an ever more relevant role. That is why it is important that Europe also
grown in a spiritual dimension, following the path of its best history. The
unity of the continent, which progressively grows in awareness and is also
being defined in its political aspects, represents a perspective of great
hope".
AC/ VIS
20110523 (330)
AUDIENCES
VATICAN CITY, 23 MAY 2011 (VIS) - Today, in separate audiences, the Holy
Father received two prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India
on their ad limina visit:
- Archbishop Thumma Bala of Hyderbad, and
- Archbishop Mariadas Kagithapu, M.S.F.S., of Visakhapatnam.
On Saturday, 21 May, the Holy Father received, in separate audiences:
- Five prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on their ad
limina visit:
- Bishop John Baptist Thakur, S.J., of Muzaffarpur,
- Bishop Angelus Kujur, S.J., of Purnea,
- Bishop Thomas Thiruthalil, C.M., of Balasore,
- Bishop Sarat Chandra Nayak of Berhampur, and
- Bishop Lucas Kerketta, S.V.D., of Sambalpur.
- as well as Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
AL:AP/ VIS 20110523
(110)
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
VATICAN CITY, 23 MAY 2011 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father appointed Fr. Dabula
Anthony Mpako, of the clergy of Pretoria, South Africa, as bishop of the
diocese of Queenstown (area 25,000, population 2,200,000, Catholics 52,000,
priests 22, permanent deacons 10, religious 26), South Africa. The
bishop-elect was born in 1959 in Eastern Cape, South Africa, and was
ordained in 1986. He is currently pastor of St. Thomas Moore in Monavoni,
South Africa.
On Saturday, 21 May, the Holy Father:
- appointed Archpriest Mikael Mouradian, formerly patriarchal vicar of the
Institute for the Patriarchal Clergy of Bzommar, Lebanon and superior of the
convent of Notre Dame of Bzommar, as bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of
Nareg in New York of the Armenians (Catholics 36,000, priests 10, permanent
deacons 1, religious 16), USA. The bishop-elect was born in Beirut, Lebanon
in 1961 and was ordained a priest in 1987. He succeeds Bishop Manuel
Batakian, I.C.P.B., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same
eparchy the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
- appointed Archbishop Thomas E. Gullickson, apostolic nuncio to Trinidad
and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada,
Guyana, Jamaica, Sts. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Saint Vincent
and Grenadines, and apostolic delegate in the Antilles, as apostolic nuncio
to Ukraine.
- accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of
Koudougou, Burkina Faso, presented by Bishop Basile Tapsoba, in accordance
with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
NA:RE:AN/ VIS
20110523 (240)
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