Subject: VISnews120215
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
--Boundary_(ID_gzKbd0Wi1OE4jUlmsspTGw)
Content-type: text/plain; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
body, html { font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;
color: #000000; }
.txt { font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; color:
#000000; }
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
ANNO XXI - N° 34
DATA 15-02-2012
Summary:
- JESUS' PRAYER BEFORE DYING
- LARGE FAMILIES ARE WITNESSES OF FAITH, AND A SOURCE OF WEALTH FOR NATIONS
- HOLY SEE AND UK GOVERNMENT, UNITED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
___________________________________________________________
JESUS' PRAYER BEFORE DYING
Vatican City, 15 February 2012 (VIS) - For the second consecutive week the
Holy Father focused his catechesis during his general audience on Jesus'
prayer before dying, basing his remarks on three phrases Christ pronounced
from the cross, as narrated in
the Gospel of St. Luke. The audience was held in the Paul VI Hall in the
presence of some 6,000 pilgrims from all over the world.
Jesus' first phrase: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are
doing", was pronounced as soon as He had been crucified and while the soldiers
were dividing His garments. "This first prayer to the Father", the Pope
explained, "was a
request to forgive His executioners". At the same time, however, "it is an
interpretation of what is happening. The men who crucified Him 'do not know
what they are doing'. In other words, Christ presents ignorance, 'not
knowing', as a reason for
requesting forgiveness of the Father, because that ignorance opens the way to
conversion".
The second phrase: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise",
addressed to the "good thief" crucified at Christ's side, is "a word of hope",
the Holy Father said. Jesus thereby reaffirmed "that God's goodness can touch
us even in the
final instant of existence, and that sincere prayer, even after a misspent
life, encounters the open arms of the good Father Who awaits the return of His
child".
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit", the last words Christ
pronounced, are "a prayer of 'entrustment', full of faith in God's love.
Jesus' prayer before dying is as dramatic as its is for all men and women but,
at the same time, it is pervaded
by that profound calm which arises from faith in the Father and the desire to
entrust oneself to Him completely".
"When life was about to leave Him, He sealed His final decision in a prayer.
Jesus allowed Himself to be consigned 'into human hands', but it was into the
hands of the Father that He placed His spirit. Thus, as John the Evangelist
says, all things were
accomplished, the supreme act of love was carried to the end".
"Jesus' words on the cross in the final instants of His earthly existence
provide binding guidelines for our own prayer, but they also open the way to
serene trust and firm hope. By asking the Father to forgive those who are
crucifying Him, Jesus
invites us to make the difficult gesture of praying for the people who do us
wrong, ... that the light of God may illuminate their hearts. In other words,
He invites us to adopt, in our prayer, the same attitude of mercy and love
which God shows towards
us", the Pope said.
"At the same time Jesus, at the extreme moment of death, entrusted Himself
entirely into the hands of God the Father, communicating to us the certainty
that, however difficult our trials ... or burdensome our suffering, we will
never fall out of
God’s hands, the hands which created us, and which support and accompany
us on life’s journey".
___________________________________________________________
LARGE FAMILIES ARE WITNESSES OF FAITH, AND A SOURCE OF WEALTH FOR NATIONS
Vatican City, 15 February 2012 (VIS) - "In today's social environment,
families with many children are witnesses of faith, courage and optimism,
because without children there is no future". The Pope addressed these words
to representatives from the
Italian National Association of Large Families who were attending his general
audience this morning. "I hope", Benedict XVI went on, "that adequate social
and legislative measures will continue to be promoted to support and protect
larger families, who
are a source of wealth and hope for the entire country".
Speaking to young people and the sick, Benedict XVI recalled the fact that
yesterday marked the Feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, who spread the faith
among Slavic peoples. "May their witness also help you to be apostles of the
Gospel, the leaven for
authentic renewal in personal, family and social life", he said.
The general audience concluded with the recitation of the Our Father and the
apostolic blessing.
___________________________________________________________
HOLY SEE AND UK GOVERNMENT, UNITED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Vatican City, 15 February 2012 (VIS) - Given below is the text of an
English-language joint communique of the Holy See and the government of the
United Kingdom concerning an official ministerial visit marking the thirtieth
anniversary of the
establishment of full diplomatic relations between the two States. The
delegation, led by Baroness Sayeeda Hussain Warsi, met with Cardinal Secretary
of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. and was received by Pope Benedict XVI.
The communique states that the "Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government
agreed on the urgent need for action to strengthen the universal commitment to
religious freedom as a fundamental human right, and to its practical
application with a view to
promoting respect for all religions in all countries. The Holy See and the
British government look forward to working together to combat intolerance and
discrimination based on religion, wherever it is manifest.
"The Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government reaffirmed the need to
promote integral and sustainable global development, based on the centrality
of the human person and grounded in the principle of the inherent human
dignity and worth of each
person. Much progress has been made over the last decade in improving health
and well-being for many people. However, there are still significant gaps and
challenges in the long and complex path towards ensuring integral human
development for everybody.
Too many people are still hungry, too many people do not have access to
education and to decent work, too many women die in childbirth. In view of
these challenges we recognise a shared obligation to achieve a fair
international financial and trade
framework. And we will strive for a better future for all humanity, taking
into particular account care for the poorest people in the world.
"Looking ahead to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development at Rio de
Janeiro in June this year and to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
implementation process, we share the conviction that in order to take forward
a human-centred and
sustainable global development, there is a need to continue to strengthen the
integration of its interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars: the
economic, the social and the environmental, as well as the connection between
combating poverty and
tackling climate change.
"The Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government share a commitment to work at
the United Nations and other fora to strengthen the international focus on
conflict prevention, disarmament, arms control and non proliferation, aimed at
protecting human
life and building a world more respectful of human dignity. As part of this
effort, we look forward to positive outcomes in July to the final negotiations
to agree upon a robust Arms Trade Treaty with a wide scope, and to the 2nd
Review Conference of
the UN Programme on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons.
"With regard to the changes which have occurred in North Africa and the Middle
East, the Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government stressed the importance
of undertaking real reforms in the political, economic and social realms, in
order better to
ensure the unity and development of each nation, in responding positively to
the legitimate aspirations of many people for peace and stability. In this
context, reference was made to the role which Christians can play and to the
importance of
inter-religious dialogue. The Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government
expressed the hope for a resumption of negotiations in good faith between
Israelis and Palestinians so as to bring about a lasting peace. They renewed
their appeal for an
immediate end to violence in Syria and stressed the need for co-operation to
overcome the present crisis and work towards a harmonious and united
coexistence.
"As the London Conference on Somalia approaches, the Holy See and the British
Government encourage the international community to support a coherent
strategy on Somalia in order to end the crisis there, placing as a priority
the protection and welfare
of the people of the Horn of Africa.
"Her Majesty’s Government welcomed His Holiness Pope Benedict’s
support for the ongoing process of reconciliation in Northern Ireland, the
establishment of stable, inclusive political institutions, and efforts to
build a peaceful, stable and
prosperous future for all parts of the community. Her Majesty’s
Government and the Holy See agreed that the use of violence for political ends
is deplorable, and must be set aside in favour of constructive dialogue for
the well-being of the whole
community.
"As the United Kingdom prepares to host the London Olympic and Paralympic
Games, and to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, both
sides look forward to a year characterised by the spirit of the Olympic
Charter and the Olympic Truce:
at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting
a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.
"There was in addition a good exchange of views on a wide range of social,
economic, political and cultural issues, including on developing the
UK’s collaboration with the Vatican Museums. Both sides recognised in
particular the role of faith and
education in the development of a culture of social responsibility and the
underpinning of a healthy society. In this context, appreciation was expressed
for the significant contribution which the Catholic Church, and Christians in
general, have made
and continue to make to the good of British society. The Holy See emphasised
the need to ensure that institutions connected with the Catholic Church can
act in accordance with their own principles and convictions and stressed the
necessity of
safeguarding the family based on marriage, religious freedom and freedom of
conscience. Both sides look forward to further strengthening their
relationship by working together through their respective networks and global
partnerships, includin
g the
Commonwealth of Nations, to promote the common good".
___________________________________________________________
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 15 February 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:
- Bishop Airton Jose dos Santos of Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil, as metropolitan
archbishop of Campinas (area 2,133, population 1,789,000, Catholics 1,304,000,
priests 175, permanent deacons 21, religious 484), Brazil.
- Bishop Jose Luiz Ferreira Salles C.Ss.R., auxiliary of Fortaleza, Brazil, as
bishop of Pesqueira (area 10,065, population 441,000, Catholics 397,000,
priests 40, permanent deacons 4, religious 43), Brazil.
___________________________________________________________
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/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_gzKbd0Wi1OE4jUlmsspTGw)
Content-type: text/html; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
VISnews120215
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE ANNO XXI - N° 34DATA 15-02-2012
Summary: - JESUS' PRAYER BEFORE DYING
- LARGE FAMILIES ARE WITNESSES
OF FAITH, AND A SOURCE OF WEALTH FOR NATIONS - HOLY SEE AND UK
GOVERNMENT, UNITED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM - OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 15 February 2012 (VIS) - For the second consecutive week the
Holy Father focused his catechesis during his general audience on Jesus'
prayer before dying, basing his remarks on three phrases Christ pronounced
from the cross, as narrated
in the Gospel of St. Luke. The audience was held in the Paul VI Hall in the
presence of some 6,000 pilgrims from all over the world.
Jesus' first phrase: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they
are doing", was pronounced as soon as He had been crucified and while the
soldiers were dividing His garments. "This first prayer to the Father", the
Pope explained, "was a
request to forgive His executioners". At the same time, however, "it is an
interpretation of what is happening. The men who crucified Him 'do not know
what they are doing'. In other words, Christ presents ignorance, 'not
knowing', as a reason for
requesting forgiveness of the Father, because that ignorance opens the way to
conversion".
The second phrase: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in
Paradise", addressed to the "good thief" crucified at Christ's side, is "a
word of hope", the Holy Father said. Jesus thereby reaffirmed "that God's
goodness can touch us even in the
final instant of existence, and that sincere prayer, even after a misspent
life, encounters the open arms of the good Father Who awaits the return of His
child".
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit", the last words Christ
pronounced, are "a prayer of 'entrustment', full of faith in God's love.
Jesus' prayer before dying is as dramatic as its is for all men and women but,
at the same time, it is
pervaded by that profound calm which arises from faith in the Father and the
desire to entrust oneself to Him completely".
"When life was about to leave Him, He sealed His final decision in a
prayer. Jesus allowed Himself to be consigned 'into human hands', but it was
into the hands of the Father that He placed His spirit. Thus, as John the
Evangelist says, all things
were accomplished, the supreme act of love was carried to the end".
"Jesus' words on the cross in the final instants of His earthly existence
provide binding guidelines for our own prayer, but they also open the way to
serene trust and firm hope. By asking the Father to forgive those who are
crucifying Him, Jesus
invites us to make the difficult gesture of praying for the people who do us
wrong, ... that the light of God may illuminate their hearts. In other words,
He invites us to adopt, in our prayer, the same attitude of mercy and love
which God shows towards
us", the Pope said.
"At the same time Jesus, at the extreme moment of death, entrusted Himself
entirely into the hands of God the Father, communicating to us the certainty
that, however difficult our trials ... or burdensome our suffering, we will
never fall out of
God’s hands, the hands which created us, and which support and accompany
us on life’s journey".
LARGE FAMILIES ARE WITNESSES OF FAITH, AND A SOURCE OF WEALTH FOR
NATIONS
Vatican City, 15 February 2012 (VIS) - "In today's social environment,
families with many children are witnesses of faith, courage and optimism,
because without children there is no future". The Pope addressed these words
to representatives from the
Italian National Association of Large Families who were attending his general
audience this morning. "I hope", Benedict XVI went on, "that adequate social
and legislative measures will continue to be promoted to support and protect
larger families, who
are a source of wealth and hope for the entire country".
Speaking to young people and the sick, Benedict XVI recalled the fact that
yesterday marked the Feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, who spread the faith
among Slavic peoples. "May their witness also help you to be apostles of the
Gospel, the leaven
for authentic renewal in personal, family and social life", he said.
The general audience concluded with the recitation of the Our Father and
the apostolic blessing.
HOLY SEE AND UK GOVERNMENT, UNITED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Vatican City, 15 February 2012 (VIS) - Given below is the text of an
English-language joint communique of the Holy See and the government of the
United Kingdom concerning an official ministerial visit marking the thirtieth
anniversary of the
establishment of full diplomatic relations between the two States. The
delegation, led by Baroness Sayeeda Hussain Warsi, met with Cardinal Secretary
of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. and was received by Pope Benedict XVI.
The communique states that the "Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government
agreed on the urgent need for action to strengthen the universal commitment to
religious freedom as a fundamental human right, and to its practical
application with a view to
promoting respect for all religions in all countries. The Holy See and the
British government look forward to working together to combat intolerance and
discrimination based on religion, wherever it is manifest.
"The Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government reaffirmed the need to
promote integral and sustainable global development, based on the centrality
of the human person and grounded in the principle of the inherent human
dignity and worth of each
person. Much progress has been made over the last decade in improving health
and well-being for many people. However, there are still significant gaps and
challenges in the long and complex path towards ensuring integral human
development for everybody.
Too many people are still hungry, too many people do not have access to
education and to decent work, too many women die in childbirth. In view of
these challenges we recognise a shared obligation to achieve a fair
international financial and trade
framework. And we will strive for a better future for all humanity, taking
into particular account care for the poorest people in the world.
"Looking ahead to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development at Rio de
Janeiro in June this year and to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
implementation process, we share the conviction that in order to take forward
a human-centred and
sustainable global development, there is a need to continue to strengthen the
integration of its interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars: the
economic, the social and the environmental, as well as the connection between
combating poverty and
tackling climate change.
"The Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government share a commitment to work
at the United Nations and other fora to strengthen the international focus on
conflict prevention, disarmament, arms control and non proliferation, aimed at
protecting human
life and building a world more respectful of human dignity. As part of this
effort, we look forward to positive outcomes in July to the final negotiations
to agree upon a robust Arms Trade Treaty with a wide scope, and to the 2nd
Review Conference of
the UN Programme on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons.
"With regard to the changes which have occurred in North Africa and the
Middle East, the Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government stressed the
importance of undertaking real reforms in the political, economic and social
realms, in order better to
ensure the unity and development of each nation, in responding positively to
the legitimate aspirations of many people for peace and stability. In this
context, reference was made to the role which Christians can play and to the
importance of
inter-religious dialogue. The Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government
expressed the hope for a resumption of negotiations in good faith between
Israelis and Palestinians so as to bring about a lasting peace. They renewed
their appeal for an
immediate end to violence in Syria and stressed the need for co-operation to
overcome the present crisis and work towards a harmonious and united
coexistence.
"As the London Conference on Somalia approaches, the Holy See and the
British Government encourage the international community to support a coherent
strategy on Somalia in order to end the crisis there, placing as a priority
the protection and
welfare of the people of the Horn of Africa.
"Her Majesty’s Government welcomed His Holiness Pope Benedict’s
support for the ongoing process of reconciliation in Northern Ireland, the
establishment of stable, inclusive political institutions, and efforts to
build a peaceful, stable
and prosperous future for all parts of the community. Her Majesty’s
Government and the Holy See agreed that the use of violence for political ends
is deplorable, and must be set aside in favour of constructive dialogue for
the well-being of the
whole community.
"As the United Kingdom prepares to host the London Olympic and Paralympic
Games, and to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, both
sides look forward to a year characterised by the spirit of the Olympic
Charter and the Olympic
Truce: at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to
promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human
dignity.
"There was in addition a good exchange of views on a wide range of social,
economic, political and cultural issues, including on developing the
UK’s collaboration with the Vatican Museums. Both sides recognised in
particular the role of faith
and education in the development of a culture of social responsibility and the
underpinning of a healthy society. In this context, appreciation was expressed
for the significant contribution which the Catholic Church, and Christians in
general, have
made and continue to make to the good of British society. The Holy See
emphasised the need to ensure that institutions connected with the Catholic
Church can act in accordance with their own principles and convictions and
stressed the necessity of
safeguarding the family based on marriage, religious freedom and freedom of
conscience. Both sides look forward to further strengthening their
relationship by working together through their respective networks and global
partnerships,
including the Commonwealth of Nations, to promote the common good".
Vatican City, 15 February 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:
- Bishop Airton Jose dos Santos of Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil, as metropolitan
archbishop of Campinas (area 2,133, population 1,789,000, Catholics 1,304,000,
priests 175, permanent deacons 21, religious 484), Brazil.
--- NetMgr/2 1.0y+
* Origin: NetMgr+ @ Sursum Corda! BBS Meridian MS USA (1:396/45)
