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VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
ANNO XXII - N° 43
DATA 24-02-2012
Summary:
- CHRISTIANS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEIR FAITH IN ORDER TO HELP OTHERS TO GOD
- CHARITY, A PRIVILEGED FORM OF EVANGELISTATION
- THE KING OF TONGA RECEIVED BY THE POPE
- VIETNAM - HOLY SEE JOINT WORKING GROUP TO MEET AT THE END OF THE MONTH
- AUDIENCES
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
___________________________________________________________
CHRISTIANS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEIR FAITH IN ORDER TO HELP OTHERS TO GOD
Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday morning the Holy Father met
with priests of the diocese of Rome. Following a reading from the Letter of
St. Paul to the Ephesians, Benedict XVI delivered a long off-the-cuff
commentary on the Gospel
passage.
The Apostle says: "I ... beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which
you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, bearing with one
another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in
the bond of peace".
The first call we receive is that of Baptism, the Pope explained, the second
is the vocation to be pastors at the service of Christ. "The great ill of the
Church in Europe and the West today is the lack of priestly vocations. Yet,
the Lord calls always,
what is lacking are ears to listen. We listened to the Lord's voice and must
remain attentive when that voice is addressed to others. We must help to
ensure the voice is heard so that the call will be accepted".
According to St. Paul, the primary virtue which must accompany vocation is
humility. This is the virtue of the followers of Christ Who, "being equal to
God, humbled Himself, accepting the status of servant, and obeying even unto
the cross. This was the
Son's journey of humility, which we must imitate. ... The opposite of humility
is pride, the root of all sin. Pride means arrogance, which above all seeks
power and appearance. ... It has no intention of pleasing God; rather of
pleasing itself, of being
accepted, even venerated, by others. The 'self' becomes the centre of the
world; the prideful self which knows everything. Being Christian means
overcoming this original temptation, which is also the nucleus of original
sin: being like God, but without
God".
By contrast "humility is above all truth, ... recognition that I am a thought
of God in the construction of His world, that I am irreplaceable as I am, in
my smallness, and that only in this way am I great. ... Let us learn this
realism; not seeking
appearance, but seeking to please God and to accomplish what He has thought
out for us, and thus also accepting others. ... Acceptance of self and
acceptance of others go together. Only by accepting myself as part of the
great divine tapestry can I also
accept others, who with me form part of the great symphony of the Church and
Creation". In this way, likewise, we learn to accept our position within the
Church, knowing that "my small service is great in the eyes of God".
Lack of humility destroys the unity of Christ's Body. Yet at the same time,
unity cannot develop without knowledge. "One great problem facing the Church
today is the lack of knowledge of the faith, 'religious illiteracy'", the Pope
said. "With such
illiteracy we cannot grow. ... Therefore we must reappropriate the contents of
the faith, not as a packet of dogmas and commandments, but as a unique reality
revealed in its all its profoundness and beauty. We must do everything
possible for
catechetical renewal in order for the faith to be know, God to be known,
Christ to be known, the truth to be known, and for unity in the truth to grow".
We cannot, Benedict XVI warned, live in "a childhood of faith". Many adults
have never gone beyond the first catechesis, meaning that "they cannot - as
adults, with competence and conviction - explain and elucidate the philosophy
of the faith, its great
wisdom and rationality" in order to illuminate the minds of others. To do this
they need an "adult faith". This does not mean, as has been understood in
recent decades, a faith detached from the Magisterium of the Church. When we
abandon the
Magisterium, the result is dependency "on the opinions of the world, on the
dictatorship of the communications media". By contrast, true emancipation
consists in freeing ourselves of these opinions, the freedom of the children
of God. "We must pray to
the Lord intensely, that He may help us emancipate ourselves in this sense, to
be free in this sense, with a truly adult faith, ... capable of helping others
achieve true perfection ... in communion with Christ".
The Pope went on: "Today the concept of truth is viewed with suspicion,
because truth is identified with violence. Over history there have,
unfortunately, been episodes when people sought to defend the truth with
violence. But they are two contrasting
realities. Truth cannot be imposed with means other than itself! Truth can
only come with its own light. Yet, we need truth. ... Without truth we are
blind in the world, we have no path to follow. The great gift of Christ was
that He enabled us to see
the face of God".
"Where there is truth, there is charity", the Pope concluded. "This, thanks be
to God, can be seen in all centuries, despite many sad events. The fruits of
charity have always been present in Christianity, just as they are today. We
see it in the
martyrs, we see it in so many nuns, monks, and priests who humbly serve the
poor and the sick. They are the presence of Christ's charity and a great sign
that the truth is here".
___________________________________________________________
CHARITY, A PRIVILEGED FORM OF EVANGELISTATION
Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received members
of the "Circolo di San Pietro" who gave him, as they traditionally do every
year, the "Peter's Pence" collection which is raised annually in parishes and
religious institutes
of the diocese of Rome. The sum is offered to the Pope to help him respond to
the many petitions that come to him from around the world, especially from the
poorest countries.
Benedict XVI thanked the members of the group for their efforts in favour of
the needy, including canteens for the poor, shelters and international aid,
and he encouraged them to ensure that faith, charity and witness continue to
be the guiding
principles of their apostolate.
"Lent has just begun", the Pope noted, "a liturgical period which invites us
to reflect upon the nucleus of Christian life: charity. ... The witness of
charity has a particular effect upon the heart of mankind; the new
evangelisation ... requires great
openness of spirit and a sagacious readiness to accept everyone", he said.
The Holy Father highlighted how "the authenticity of our faithfulness to the
Gospel may also be measured in terms of the concern and solicitude we
effectively strive to show towards others, especially the weak and the
marginalised. Concern for others
involves wishing their good in all aspects: physical, moral, and spiritual.
Although modern culture seems to have lost a sense of good and evil, we must
reaffirm that goodness exists and it triumphs.
"Responsibility towards our fellows means, then, wanting and doing good for
others, hoping that they too will open themselves to the logic of goodness",
he added. "Concern for our brothers and sisters means opening our eyes to
their needs, overcoming
that hardness of heart which makes us blind to others' suffering. Thus the
service of charity becomes a privileged form of evangelisation, also in the
light of Jesus' teaching, Who will consider what we have done to our fellows,
especially the smallest
and weakest, as having been done to Him".
Concluding his address, Benedict XVI highlighted the need to "bring our hearts
into harmony with Christ's heart, so that our loving support for others may be
translated into participation and sharing of their suffering and hopes. This
will reveal both
God's infinite mercy for all mankind, ... and our own faith in Him. Meeting
others and opening our hearts to their needs is an opportunity for salvation
and beatitude".
The "Circolo di San Pietro" was founded in Rome in 1869 by a group of young
people under the guidance of Cardinal Jacobini and delegated by the Pope to
exercise charity towards the poor.
___________________________________________________________
THE KING OF TONGA RECEIVED BY THE POPE
Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father Benedict
XVI received His Majesty Siaosi Tupou V, King of Tonga. The King subsequently
went on to meet with Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations
with States.
The cordial discussions dwelt on various aspects of the country's social and
economic life, as well as on the positive contribution the Catholic Church
makes in various sectors of society, and her activities of human promotion.
There followed an
exchange of opinions on the international situation, with particular reference
to the Pacific island States.
___________________________________________________________
VIETNAM - HOLY SEE JOINT WORKING GROUP TO MEET AT THE END OF THE MONTH
Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Fr.
Federico Lombardi S.J. today issued the following declaration:
"In accordance with the decision taken at the end of the second meeting of the
Vietnam - Holy See Joint Working Group, held in the Vatican on 23 and 24 June
2010, the third meeting of the Joint Working Group will take place in Hanoi,
Vietnam, on 27 and
28 February. Following a number of visits by the non-resident Pontifical
representative to Vietnam, the meeting will serve to strengthen and develop
bilateral relations".
___________________________________________________________
AUDIENCES
Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in
audience:
- Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general emeritus of His Holiness for the
diocese of Rome.
- Archbishop Adriano Bernardini, apostolic nuncio to Italy and the Republic of
San Marino.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal William Joseph
Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
___________________________________________________________
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Erected the new eparchy of Segheneity (area 29,499, population 850,000,
Catholics 35,557, priests 52, religious 70) Eritrea, with territory taken from
the eparchy of Asmara. He appointed Fr. Fikremariam Hagos Tsalim, vicar
general of Asmara, as first
bishop of the new diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia
in 1970 and ordained a priest in 1996. He studied in Rome and has been active
in pastoral work in and around Asmara.
- Appointed Fr. Dominik Schwaderlapp of the clergy of the archdiocese of
Cologne, Germany, vicar general and canon of the metropolitan chapter, as
auxiliary of the same archdiocese (area 6,181, population 5,200,000, Catholics
2,111,166, priests 1,061,
permanent deacons 317, religious 2,028). The bishop-elect was born in
Selters/Westerwald, Germany in 1967 and ordained a priest in 1993. He has
worked in pastoral care and served for a number of years as private secretary
to the archbishop of Cologne
___________________________________________________________
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VISnews120224
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE ANNO XXII - N° 43DATA 24-02-2012
Summary: - CHRISTIANS NEED TO UNDERSTAND
THEIR FAITH IN ORDER TO HELP
OTHERS TO GOD - CHARITY, A PRIVILEGED FORM OF EVANGELISTATION -
THE KING OF TONGA RECEIVED BY THE POPE - VIETNAM - HOLY SEE JOINT
WORKING GROUP TO MEET AT THE END OF THE MONTH - AUDIENCES - OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS ___________________________________________________________
CHRISTIANS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEIR FAITH IN ORDER TO HELP OTHERS TO GOD
Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday morning the Holy Father
met with priests of the diocese of Rome. Following a reading from the Letter
of St. Paul to the Ephesians, Benedict XVI delivered a long off-the-cuff
commentary on the Gospel
passage.
The Apostle says: "I ... beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to
which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, bearing with one
another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in
the bond of peace".
The first call we receive is that of Baptism, the Pope explained, the
second is the vocation to be pastors at the service of Christ. "The great ill
of the Church in Europe and the West today is the lack of priestly vocations.
Yet, the Lord calls
always, what is lacking are ears to listen. We listened to the Lord's voice
and must remain attentive when that voice is addressed to others. We must help
to ensure the voice is heard so that the call will be accepted".
According to St. Paul, the primary virtue which must accompany vocation is
humility. This is the virtue of the followers of Christ Who, "being equal to
God, humbled Himself, accepting the status of servant, and obeying even unto
the cross. This was
the Son's journey of humility, which we must imitate. ... The opposite of
humility is pride, the root of all sin. Pride means arrogance, which above all
seeks power and appearance. ... It has no intention of pleasing God; rather of
pleasing itself, of
being accepted, even venerated, by others. The 'self' becomes the centre of
the world; the prideful self which knows everything. Being Christian means
overcoming this original temptation, which is also the nucleus of original
sin: being like God, but
without God".
By contrast "humility is above all truth, ... recognition that I am a
thought of God in the construction of His world, that I am irreplaceable as I
am, in my smallness, and that only in this way am I great. ... Let us learn
this realism; not seeking
appearance, but seeking to please God and to accomplish what He has thought
out for us, and thus also accepting others. ... Acceptance of self and
acceptance of others go together. Only by accepting myself as part of the
great divine tapestry can I also
accept others, who with me form part of the great symphony of the Church and
Creation". In this way, likewise, we learn to accept our position within the
Church, knowing that "my small service is great in the eyes of God".
Lack of humility destroys the unity of Christ's Body. Yet at the same time,
unity cannot develop without knowledge. "One great problem facing the Church
today is the lack of knowledge of the faith, 'religious illiteracy'", the Pope
said. "With such
illiteracy we cannot grow. ... Therefore we must reappropriate the contents of
the faith, not as a packet of dogmas and commandments, but as a unique reality
revealed in its all its profoundness and beauty. We must do everything
possible for
catechetical renewal in order for the faith to be know, God to be known,
Christ to be known, the truth to be known, and for unity in the truth to
grow".
We cannot, Benedict XVI warned, live in "a childhood of faith". Many adults
have never gone beyond the first catechesis, meaning that "they cannot - as
adults, with competence and conviction - explain and elucidate the philosophy
of the faith, its
great wisdom and rationality" in order to illuminate the minds of others. To
do this they need an "adult faith". This does not mean, as has been understood
in recent decades, a faith detached from the Magisterium of the Church. When
we abandon the
Magisterium, the result is dependency "on the opinions of the world, on the
dictatorship of the communications media". By contrast, true emancipation
consists in freeing ourselves of these opinions, the freedom of the children
of God. "We must pray to
the Lord intensely, that He may help us emancipate ourselves in this sense, to
be free in this sense, with a truly adult faith, ... capable of helping others
achieve true perfection ... in
communion with Christ".
The Pope went on: "Today the concept of truth is viewed with suspicion,
because truth is identified with violence. Over history there have,
unfortunately, been episodes when people sought to defend the truth with
violence. But they are two
contrasting realities. Truth cannot be imposed with means other than itself!
Truth can only come with its own light. Yet, we need truth. ... Without truth
we are blind in the world, we have no path to follow. The great gift of Christ
was that He enabled
us to see the face of God".
"Where there is truth, there is charity", the Pope concluded. "This, thanks
be to God, can be seen in all centuries, despite many sad events. The fruits
of charity have always been present in Christianity, just as they are today.
We see it in the
martyrs, we see it in so many nuns, monks, and priests who humbly serve the
poor and the sick. They are the presence of Christ's charity and a great sign
that the truth is here".
Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received
members of the "Circolo di San Pietro" who gave him, as they traditionally do
every year, the "Peter's Pence" collection which is raised annually in
parishes and religious
institutes of the diocese of Rome. The sum is offered to the Pope to help him
respond to the many petitions that come to him from around the world,
especially from the poorest countries.
Benedict XVI thanked the members of the group for their efforts in favour
of the needy, including canteens for the poor, shelters and international aid,
and he encouraged them to ensure that faith, charity and witness continue to
be the guiding
principles of their apostolate.
"Lent has just begun", the Pope noted, "a liturgical period which invites
us to reflect upon the nucleus of Christian life: charity. ... The witness of
charity has a particular effect upon the heart of mankind; the new
evangelisation ... requires
great openness of spirit and a sagacious readiness to accept everyone", he
said.
The Holy Father highlighted how "the authenticity of our faithfulness to
the Gospel may also be measured in terms of the concern and solicitude we
effectively strive to show towards others, especially the weak and the
marginalised. Concern for others
involves wishing their good in all aspects: physical, moral, and spiritual.
Although modern culture seems to have lost a sense of good and evil, we must
reaffirm that goodness exists and it triumphs.
"Responsibility towards our fellows means, then, wanting and doing good for
others, hoping that they too will open themselves to the logic of goodness",
he added. "Concern for our brothers and sisters means opening our eyes to
their needs, overcoming
that hardness of heart which makes us blind to others' suffering. Thus the
service of charity becomes a privileged form of evangelisation, also in the
light of Jesus' teaching, Who will consider what we have done to our fellows,
especially the smallest
and weakest, as having been done to Him".
Concluding his address, Benedict XVI highlighted the need to "bring our
hearts into harmony with Christ's heart, so that our loving support for others
may be translated into participation and sharing of their suffering and hopes.
This will reveal
both God's infinite mercy for all mankind, ... and our own faith in Him.
Meeting others and opening our hearts to their needs is an opportunity for
salvation and beatitude".
The "Circolo di San Pietro" was founded in Rome in 1869 by a group of young
people under the guidance of Cardinal Jacobini and delegated by the Pope to
exercise charity towards the poor.
Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father
Benedict XVI received His Majesty Siaosi Tupou V, King of Tonga. The King
subsequently went on to meet with Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for
Relations with States.
The cordial discussions dwelt on various aspects of the country's social
and economic life, as well as on the positive contribution the Catholic Church
makes in various sectors of society, and her activities of human promotion.
There followed an
exchange of opinions on the international situation, with particular reference
to the Pacific island States.
VIETNAM - HOLY SEE JOINT WORKING GROUP TO MEET AT THE END OF THE MONTH
Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Fr.
Federico Lombardi S.J. today issued the following declaration:
"In accordance with the decision taken at the end of the second meeting of
the Vietnam - Holy See Joint Working Group, held in the Vatican on 23 and 24
June 2010, the third meeting of the Joint Working Group will take place in
Hanoi, Vietnam, on 27
and 28 February. Following a number of visits by the non-resident Pontifical
representative to Vietnam, the meeting will serve to strengthen and develop
bilateral relations".
Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Erected the new eparchy of Segheneity (area 29,499, population 850,000,
Catholics 35,557, priests 52, religious 70) Eritrea, with territory taken from
the eparchy of Asmara. He appointed Fr. Fikremariam Hagos Tsalim, vicar
general of Asmara, as
first bishop of the new diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Addis Abeba,
Ethiopia in 1970 and ordained a priest in 1996. He studied in Rome and has
been active in pastoral work in and around Asmara.
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