Subject: VISnews 110617   
   Organization: VIS - Ufficio Stampa della Santa Sede   
   From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt    
      
   VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
      
   TWENTY FIRST YEAR - N. 114   
   ENGLISH   
   FRIDAY, 17 JUNE 2011   
      
   SUMMARY:   
      
   - Indian Bishops: Promoting the Charism of Unity   
   - Homage of Artists for Pope's 60th Anniversary as Priest   
   - Audiences   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   INDIAN BISHOPS: PROMOTING THE CHARISM OF UNITY   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 17 JUN 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican the Holy   
   Father received a fourth group of Indian prelates (from Madras-Mylapore,   
   Madurai, Pondicherry and Raipur), who have just completed their "ad limina"   
   visit. Continuing his reflections on the life of the Church in India, he   
   spoke of the bishops' responsibilities towards clergy and religious.   
      
     "You are set over God's people as pastors, and you are called to teach,   
   sanctify and govern the local Churches", the Pope told them, speaking   
   English. "You do this through your preaching of the Gospel, your celebration   
   of the Sacraments, and your care for the sanctity and effective pastoral   
   action of the clergy. ... You are also called to govern in charity by means   
   of a prudent vigilance in your legislative, executive and judicial   
   capacities. In this delicate and demanding role, the bishop, as pastor and   
   father, should so unite and mould his flock into one family that all,   
   conscious of their duties, will wish to live and act as one in charity.   
      
     "Promoting the charism of unity, which is a powerful testimony to the   
   oneness of God and a mark of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church,   
   is among the most important responsibilities of the bishop", he added. "By   
   your ministry, you are called to strengthen the people whom God has chosen   
   to be His own, to serve them and to build them into a unified temple, a   
   worthy dwelling-place for the Spirit".   
      
     "You are to be supportive of your priests, your closest collaborators, and   
   to be attentive to their needs and aspirations, showing solicitude for their   
   spiritual, intellectual and material well-being. They, as sons and   
   co-workers, are called in turn to respect your authority, working   
   cheerfully, humbly and with complete dedication to the good of the Church,   
   but always under your direction. The bonds of fraternal love and mutual   
   concern which you foster with your priests will become the basis for   
   overcoming any tensions that may arise, and will promote those conditions   
   which are most propitious for the service of the people of God, .... leading   
   them to know their worth and to assume the dignity which is theirs as   
   children of God".   
      
     The Holy Father went on: "Religious men and women also look to you for   
   guidance and support. The witness of your own deep love for Jesus Christ and   
   His Church will serve to inspire them as they devote themselves with perfect   
   poverty, chastity and obedience to the life to which they have been called".   
      
     Benedict XVI concluded his remarks to the group by underlining the   
   importance of consecrated life, and he asked the prelates to ensure that   
   consecrated people "receive a solid human, spiritual and theological   
   foundation". Finally, he expressed his particular appreciation for "the many   
   women religious of the Church in India. They bear witness to its holiness,   
   vitality and hope. They offer countless prayers and perform innumerable good   
   works, often hidden, but nevertheless of great value to the up-building of   
   God's kingdom".   
   AL/                                                                     VIS   
   20110617 (510)   
      
   HOMAGE OF ARTISTS FOR POPE'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY AS PRIEST   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 17 JUN 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office   
   a press conference was held to present the exhibition: "The splendour of   
   truth, the beauty of charity: Homage of sixty artists to Benedict XVI for   
   the sixtieth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood".   
      
     Today's press conference was presented by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi,   
   president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, and Msgr. Pasquale   
   Iacobone, director of the council's Art and Faith Department.   
      
     The exhibition will be inaugurated by the Holy Father in the atrium of the   
   Vatican's Paul VI Hall on 4 July, and will be open to the public from 5 July   
   to 4 September.   
      
     Cardinal Ravasi explained that the idea to hold the exhibition arose from   
   the Pope's meeting with artists in the Sistine Chapel on 21 November 2009.   
   The artists participating in this initiative, most of them Italian,   
   represent different categories: painting, sculpture, architecture,   
   photography, literature, poetry, music, cinema and jewellery design.   
      
     The exhibition "has particular significance for the dialogue between the   
   Church and artists, and because of the presence of famous modern artists   
   from various areas of expression, who are tackling themes of great   
   importance and spiritual profundity", Cardinal Ravasi said.   
   OP/                                                                     VIS   
   20110617 (210)   
      
   AUDIENCES   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 17 JUN 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate   
   audiences:   
      
    - Four prelates from the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, on their   
   "ad limina" visit:   
      
       - Bishop Devadass Ambrose Mariasdoss of Tanjore.   
      
       - Bishop Patras Minj S.J. of Ambikapur.   
      
       - Bishop Emmaniel Kereketta of Jashpur.   
      
       - Bishop Paul Toppo of Raigarh.   
      
    - Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Peter's   
   in the Vatican, vicar general of His Holiness for Vatican City and president   
   of the Fabric of St. Peter's.   
      
    - Bishop Paul Hinder O.F.M. Cap., apostolic vicar of South Arabia.   
      
    - Bishop Camillo Ballin M.C.C.J., apostolic vicar of North Arabia.   
      
     This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Marc Ouellet   
   P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.   
   AL:AP/                                                          VIS 20110617   
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