Subject: VISnews 111115
Organization: VIS - Ufficio Stampa della Santa Sede
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
TWENTY FIRST YEAR - N. 197
ENGLISH
TUESDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 2011
SUMMARY:
- Benin Prepares to Welcome the Pope
- Statistics for the Catholic Church in Benin
- Other Pontifical Acts
___________________________________________________________
BENIN PREPARES TO WELCOME THE POPE
VATICAN CITY, 15 NOV 2011 (VIS) - A press conference was held yesterday in
the Holy See Press Office to present the visit of Benedict XVI to Benin,
which is due to begin on Friday 18 November and to come to an end on Sunday
20 November, Solemnity of Christ the King.
Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. outlined the
most important reasons for the Pope's return to Africa following his 2009
trip to Angola and Cameroon, first among them the signing of the
Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of the Second Special Assembly for Africa
of the Synod of Bishops. The signing ceremony is due to take place in the
presence of thirty-five presidents of national episcopal conferences, and
the seven heads of the continent's regional conferences.
Secondly Benin, a small African county of scarcely nine million
inhabitants, has always been a place of great spiritual importance for the
Church. It was, in fact, from Benin that, 150 years ago, the great work of
evangelisation spread into neighbouring countries, from Togo to Ghana and
Niger. Thus, Fr. Lombardi explained, the Pope's visit has raised great
expectations. "It will certainly arouse an atmosphere of hope for the
African Church, and be an encouragement to the continent of Africa as a
whole. Naturally, it will emphasise existing problems, but from a positive
perspective, underlining commitment to reconciliation, justice and peace,
and the announcement of the Gospel as part of man's integral development. In
other words, the trip seeks to be extremely constructive".
Another key moment will be the Pope's visit to the tomb of the Beninese
Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, who died in 2008 but is still much loved by his
people, Fr. Lombardi explained. This affection is shared by the Holy Father
because Cardinal Gantin "was very close to the Pope for various reasons,
having been prefect of the Congregation for Bishops at the time that
Benedict XVI was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
and having been his immediate predecessor as dean of the College of
Cardinals. In Benin he is considered as a national hero, a person who enjoys
truly immense public affection. For this reason, the Pope's visit to his
tomb will be one of the most significant episodes of the trip".
In closing the director of the Holy See Press Office turned his attention
to the artistic and cultural event scheduled to take place in Cotonou on the
evening of Friday 18 November. It will bring together three major African
singers - Papa Wemba, Bonga and Fifito - in a concert which will have the
themes of peace, justice and reconciliation.
PV-BENIN/ VIS
20111115 (450)
STATISTICS FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN BENIN
VATICAN CITY, 15 NOV 2011 (VIS) - For the occasion of Benedict XVI's
apostolic trip to Benin to sign the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of
the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, due to take
place from 18 to 20 November, statistics have been published concerning the
Catholic Church in that country. The information, updated to 31 December
2010, comes from the Central Statistical Office of the Church.
Benin, the capital of which is Porto Novo, has a surface area of 112,622
square kilometres and a population of 8,779,000 of whom 2,984,000 (34 per
cent) are Catholic. There are 10 ecclesiastical circumscriptions, 338
parishes and 801 parish centres. Currently there are 11 bishops, 811
priests, 1,386 religious, 30 lay members of secular institutes and 11,251
catechists. Minor seminarians number 308 and major seminarians 497.
A total of 57,771 students attend 234 centres of Catholic education, from
kindergartens to universities. Other institutions belonging to the Church or
run by priests or religious in Benin include 12 hospitals, 64 clinics, 3
leper colonies, 7 homes for the elderly or disabled, 41 orphanages and
nurseries, 3 family counselling centres and other pro-life centres, and 3
institutions of other kinds.
OP/ VIS
20111115 (210)
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
VATICAN CITY, 15 NOV 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of
Feldkirch, Austria, presented by Bishop Elmar Fischer, upon having reached
the age limit.
- Appointed Archbishop Adriano Bernardini, apostolic nuncio to Argentina,
as apostolic nuncio to Italy and to the Republic of San Marino.
RE/ VIS
20111115 (60)
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