Subject: VISnews120208
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VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
ANNO XXII - N° 28
DATA 08-02-2012
Summary:
- JESUS' PRAYER BEFORE DYING
- POPE CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY TOWARDS VICTIMS OF BAD WEATHER
- COOPERATION WITH THE AUTHORITIES IS VITAL IN THE STRUGGLE TO COMBAT SEXUAL
ABUSE
___________________________________________________________
JESUS' PRAYER BEFORE DYING
Vatican City, (VIS) - The prayer of Jesus at the moment of His death, as
narrated by St. Mark and St. Matthew was the theme of Benedict XVI's
catechesis during his general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall.
"In the structure of the narrative", the Pope said, "Jesus' cry rises at the
end of three hours of darkness, which had descended upon the earth from midday
to three o'clock in the afternoon. Those three hours of darkness were, in
their turn, the
continuation of an earlier period which also lasted three hours and began with
the crucifixion. ... In biblical tradition darkness has an ambivalent meaning:
it is a sign of the presence and action of evil, but also of the mysterious
presence and action
of God Who is capable of vanquishing all darkness. ... In the scene of Jesus'
crucifixion darkness envelops the earth, the darkness of death in which the
Son of God immerses Himself, in order bring life with His act of love".
"Insulted by various categories of people, surrounded by a darkness covering
everything, at the very moment in which He is facing death Jesus' cry shows
that, along with His burden of suffering and death apparently accompanied by
abandonment and the
absence of God, He is entirely certain of the closeness of the Father, Who
approves this supreme act of love and of total giving of Self, although we do
not hear His voice from on high as we did in earlier moments".
Yet, the Holy Father asked, "what is the meaning of Jesus' prayer? The cry
addressed to the Father: 'my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" He
explained that "the words Jesus addresses to the Father are the beginning of
Psalm 22, in which the
Psalmist expresses the tension between, on the one hand, being left alone and,
on the other, the certain knowledge of God's presence amongst His people. ...
The Psalmist speaks of a 'cry' to express all the suffering of his prayer
before the apparently
absent God. At moments of anguish prayer becomes a cry.
"This also happens in our own relationship with the Lord", the Pope added. "In
the face of difficult and painful situations, when it seems that God does not
hear, we must not be afraid to entrust Him with the burden we are carrying in
our hearts, we
must not be afraid to cry out to Him in our suffering".
"Jesus prays at the moment of ultimate rejection by man, at the moment of
abandonment. However, He is aware that God the Father is present even at the
instant in which He is experiencing the human drama of death. Yet nonetheless,
a question arises in
our hearts: how is it possible that such a powerful God does not intervene to
save His Son from this terrible trial?"
The Holy Father explained that "it is important to understand that the prayer
of Jesus is not the cry of a person who meets death with desperation, nor that
of a person who knows he has been abandoned. At that moment Jesus appropriates
Psalm 22, the
Psalm of the suffering people of Israel, at that moment He takes upon Himself
not only the suffering of His people, but also that of all men and women
oppressed by evil. ... And He takes all this to the heart of God in the
certainty that His cry will be
heard in the resurrection. ... His is a suffering in communion with us and for
us, it derives from love and carries within itself redemption and the victory
of love.
"The people at the foot of Jesus' cross were unable to understand, they
thought His cry was a supplication to Elijah. ... We likewise find ourselves,
ever and anew, facing the 'today' of suffering, the silence of God - many
times we say as much in our
prayers - but we also find ourselves facing the 'today' of the Resurrection,
of the response of God Who took our sufferings upon Himself, to carry them
with us and give us the certain hope that they will be overcome".
"In our prayers", the Holy Father concluded, "let us bring God our daily
crosses, in the certainty that He is present and listens to us. The cry of
Jesus reminds us that in prayer we must cross the barrier of 'self' and our
own problems, and open
ourselves to the needs and sufferings of others. May the prayer of the dying
Jesus on the cross teach us to pray with love for so many brothers and sisters
who feel the burden of daily life, who are experiencing moments of difficulty,
who suffer and
hear no words of comfort, that they may feel the love of God Who never
abandons us.
___________________________________________________________
POPE CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY TOWARDS VICTIMS OF BAD WEATHER
Vatican City, (VIS) - Following his catechises during this morning's general
audience, Benedict XVI launched an appeal for solidarity with victims of the
current period of extremely cold weather. "Over recent weeks", he said, "a
wave of freezing
weather has affected a number of regions in Europe causing great disruption
and widespread damage. I wish to express my closeness to the people suffering
such extreme meteorological conditions, and ask for prayers for the victims
and their families. At
the same time, I encourage people to show solidarity that, those affected by
these tragic events may receive generous assistance".
___________________________________________________________
COOPERATION WITH THE AUTHORITIES IS VITAL IN THE STRUGGLE TO COMBAT SEXUAL
ABUSE
Vatican City, (VIS) - Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, delivered a lecture before the
international symposium "Towards Healing and Renewal" being held in Rome's
Gregorian University from 6 to 9
February. The event brings together bishops and religious superiors from all
over the world and aims to relaunch the Church's commitment to protecting
minors and vulnerable people from abuse.
Speaking English, Cardinal Levada affirmed that for Church leaders the
question under examination "is both delicate and urgent". It is "important not
to lose sight of the gravity of these crimes" as we seek "to form the priests
of today and tomorrow to
be aware of this scourge and to eliminate it from the priesthood".
Cardinal Levada recalled how Blessed John Paul II's Motu Proprio
"Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela" clarified and updated the list of canonical
crimes, explicitly including the sexual abuse of minors by clerics as one of
the most serious crimes, or
"graviora delicta". Benedict XVI, then prefect of the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith, "was instrumental in implementing these new norms" and
supported "approving the Essential Norms for the United States". In 2010 Pope
Benedict also approved
and ordered the promulgation of stricter revised norms.
"In an effort to aid the Church universal to adopt appropriate measures ...
the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a circular letter to
assist episcopal conferences in developing guidelines for dealing with cases
of sexual abuse of minors
perpetrated by clerics". That letter, dated 2011, calls for standards to
evaluate the suitability of clergy and other persons who minister in Church
institutions and agencies; and for education programmes to be set up for
families and Church communities
to ensure the protection of children and young people.
"For many if not most victims a first need is to be heard, to know that the
Church listens to their stories of abuse, that the Church understands the
gravity of what they have suffered, that she wants to accompany them on the
often long path of healing,
and that she has taken or is willing to take effective steps to ensure that
other children will be protected from such abuse", Cardinal Levada said. In
this context he also noted the example set by the Holy Father in meeting with
abuse victims during
his apostolic trips.
The prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reiterated the
fact that bishops and religious superiors must "exercise even greater scrutiny
in accepting candidates for the priesthood and religious life, as well as
providing formation
programmes that provide the necessary foundational human formation, including
appropriate formation in human sexuality".
"Certainly no less important than any of the other elements, the cooperation
of the Church with civil authorities in these cases recognises the fundamental
truth that the sexual abuse of minors is not only a crime in canon law, but is
also a crime that
violates criminal laws in most civil jurisdictions. ... The Church has an
obligation to cooperate with the requirements of civil law regarding the
reporting of such crimes to the appropriate authorities".
At the end of his address, Cardinal Levada expressed the hope that the
symposium would be "a source of expertise and hope for those who seek to
eliminate the scourge of sexual abuse of minors from society at large".
___________________________________________________________
Per ulteriori informazioni e per la ricerca di documenti consultare il
sito: www.wisnews.org e www.vatican.va
Il servizio del VIS viene inviato soltanto agli indirizzi di posta
elettronica che ne hanno fatto richiesta. Se per qualunque motivo
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dinizio:
http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/italinde.php
Copyright (VIS): Le notizie contenute nei servizi del Vatican
Information Service possono essere riprodotte parzialmente o totalmente
citando la fonte: V.I.S. - Vatican Information Service.
--Boundary_(ID_qJOHK+PI5nhTJjzi8mOyhQ)
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VISnews120208
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE ANNO XXII - N° 28DATA 08-02-2012
Summary: - JESUS' PRAYER BEFORE DYING
- POPE CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY
TOWARDS VICTIMS OF BAD WEATHER - COOPERATION WITH THE AUTHORITIES IS
VITAL IN THE STRUGGLE TO COMBAT SEXUAL ABUSE
Vatican City, (VIS) - The prayer of Jesus at the moment of His death, as
narrated by St. Mark and St. Matthew was the theme of Benedict XVI's
catechesis during his general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI
Hall.
"In the structure of the narrative", the Pope said, "Jesus' cry rises at
the end of three hours of darkness, which had descended upon the earth from
midday to three o'clock in the afternoon. Those three hours of darkness were,
in their turn, the
continuation of an earlier period which also lasted three hours and began with
the crucifixion. ... In biblical tradition darkness has an ambivalent meaning:
it is a sign of the presence and action of evil, but also of the mysterious
presence and action
of God Who is capable of vanquishing all darkness. ... In the scene of Jesus'
crucifixion darkness envelops the earth, the darkness of death in which the
Son of God immerses Himself, in order bring life with His act of love".
"Insulted by various categories of people, surrounded by a darkness
covering everything, at the very moment in which He is facing death Jesus' cry
shows that, along with His burden of suffering and death apparently
accompanied by abandonment and the
absence of God, He is entirely certain of the closeness of the Father, Who
approves this supreme act of love and of total giving of Self, although we do
not hear His voice from on high as we did in earlier moments".
Yet, the Holy Father asked, "what is the meaning of Jesus' prayer? The cry
addressed to the Father: 'my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" He
explained that "the words Jesus addresses to the Father are the beginning of
Psalm 22, in which the
Psalmist expresses the tension between, on the one hand, being left alone and,
on the other, the certain knowledge of God's presence amongst His people. ...
The Psalmist speaks of a 'cry' to express all the suffering of his prayer
before the apparently
absent God. At moments of anguish prayer becomes a cry.
"This also happens in our own relationship with the Lord", the Pope added.
"In the face of difficult and painful situations, when it seems that God does
not hear, we must not be afraid to entrust Him with the burden we are carrying
in our hearts, we
must not be afraid to cry out to Him in our suffering".
"Jesus prays at the moment of ultimate rejection by man, at the moment of
abandonment. However, He is aware that God the Father is present even at the
instant in which He is experiencing the human drama of death. Yet nonetheless,
a question arises in
our hearts: how is it possible that such a powerful God does not intervene to
save His Son from this terrible trial?"
The Holy Father explained that "it is important to understand that the
prayer of Jesus is not the cry of a person who meets death with desperation,
nor that of a person who knows he has been abandoned. At that moment Jesus
appropriates Psalm 22, the
Psalm of the suffering people of Israel, at that moment He takes upon Himself
not only the suffering of His people, but also that of all men and women
oppressed by evil. ... And He takes all this to the heart of God in the
certainty that His cry will be
heard in the resurrection. ... His is a suffering in communion with us and for
us, it derives from love and carries within itself redemption and the victory
of love.
"The people at the foot of Jesus' cross were unable to understand, they
thought His cry was a supplication to Elijah. ... We likewise find ourselves,
ever and anew, facing the 'today' of suffering, the silence of God - many
times we say as much in
our prayers - but we also find ourselves facing the 'today' of the
Resurrection, of the response of God Who took our sufferings upon Himself, to
carry them with us and give us the certain hope that they will be
overcome".
"In our prayers", the Holy Father concluded, "let us bring God our daily
crosses, in the certainty that He is present and listens to us. The cry of
Jesus reminds us that in prayer we must cross the barrier of 'self' and our
own problems, and open
ourselves to the needs and sufferings of others. May the prayer of the dying
Jesus on the cross teach us to pray with love for so many brothers and sisters
who feel the burden of daily life, who are experiencing moments of difficulty,
who suffer and
hear no words of comfort, that they may feel the love of God Who never
abandons us.
POPE CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY TOWARDS VICTIMS OF BAD WEATHER
Vatican City, (VIS) - Following his catechises during this morning's
general audience, Benedict XVI launched an appeal for solidarity with victims
of the current period of extremely cold weather. "Over recent weeks", he said,
"a wave of freezing
weather has affected a number of regions in Europe causing great disruption
and widespread damage. I wish to express my closeness to the people suffering
such extreme meteorological conditions, and ask for prayers for the victims
and their families. At
the same time, I encourage people to show solidarity that, those affected by
these tragic events may receive generous assistance".
COOPERATION WITH THE AUTHORITIES IS VITAL IN THE STRUGGLE TO COMBAT SEXUAL
ABUSE
Vatican City, (VIS) - Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, delivered a lecture before the
international symposium "Towards Healing and Renewal" being held in Rome's
Gregorian University from 6 to
9 February. The event brings together bishops and religious superiors from all
over the world and aims to relaunch the Church's commitment to protecting
minors and vulnerable people from abuse.
Speaking English, Cardinal Levada affirmed that for Church leaders the
question under examination "is both delicate and urgent". It is "important not
to lose sight of the gravity of these crimes" as we seek "to form the priests
of today and tomorrow
to be aware of this scourge and to eliminate it from the priesthood".
Cardinal Levada recalled how Blessed John Paul II's Motu Proprio
"Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela" clarified and updated the list of canonical
crimes, explicitly including the sexual abuse of minors by clerics as one of
the most serious crimes, or
"graviora delicta". Benedict XVI, then prefect of the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith, "was instrumental in implementing these new norms" and
supported "approving the Essential Norms for the United States". In 2010 Pope
Benedict also approved
and ordered the promulgation of stricter revised norms.
"In an effort to aid the Church universal to adopt appropriate measures ...
the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a circular letter to
assist episcopal conferences in developing guidelines for dealing with cases
of sexual abuse of
minors perpetrated by clerics". That letter, dated 2011, calls for standards
to evaluate the suitability of clergy and other persons who minister in Church
institutions and agencies; and for education programmes to be set up for
families and Church
communities to ensure the protection of children and young people.
"For many if not most victims a first need is to be heard, to know that the
Church listens to their stories of abuse, that the Church understands the
gravity of what they have suffered, that she wants to accompany them on the
often long path of
healing, and that she has taken or is willing to take effective steps to
ensure that other children will be protected from such abuse", Cardinal Levada
said. In this context he also noted the example set by the Holy Father in
meeting with abuse victims
during his apostolic trips.
The prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reiterated
the fact that bishops and religious superiors must "exercise even greater
scrutiny in accepting candidates for the priesthood and religious life, as
well as providing formation
programmes that provide the necessary foundational human formation, including
appropriate formation in human sexuality".
"Certainly no less important than any of the other elements, the
cooperation of the Church with civil authorities in these cases recognises the
fundamental truth that the sexual abuse of minors is not only a crime in canon
law, but is also a crime
that violates criminal laws in most civil jurisdictions. ... The Church has an
obligation to cooperate with the requirements of civil law regarding the
reporting of such crimes to the appropriate authorities".
At the end of his address, Cardinal Levada expressed the hope that the
symposium would be "a source of expertise and hope for those who seek to
eliminate the scourge of sexual abuse of minors from society at large".
Per ulteriori informazioni e per la ricerca di documenti consultare il
sito: www.wisnews.org e www.vatican.va Il servizio del
VIS viene inviato soltanto agli indirizzi di posta elettronica che ne
hanno
fatto richiesta. Se per qualunque motivo non si desidera continuare a
riceverlo, si prega di visitare nostra pagina dinizio: http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vi
/italinde.php
Copyright (VIS): Le notizie contenute nei servizi del Vatican
Information Service possono essere riprodotte parzialmente o totalmente
citando la fonte: V.I.S. - Vatican Information Service.
--Boundary_(ID_qJOHK+PI5nhTJjzi8mOyhQ)--
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