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VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
ANNO XXII - N° 53
DATA 09-03-2012
Summary:
- POPE ADDRESSES UNITED STATES BISHOPS ON CRISIS OF MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY
- NEW EVANGELISATION ALSO BEGINS IN THE CONFESSIONAL
- TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL JOSE T. SANCHEZ
- AUDIENCES
___________________________________________________________
POPE ADDRESSES UNITED STATES BISHOPS ON CRISIS OF MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY
Vatican City, 9 March 2012 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican Benedict XVI
received a group of prelates from the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, who have recently competed their "ad limina" visit. Extracts of his
English-language remarks
to them are given below:
"In this talk I would like to discuss ... the contemporary crisis of marriage
and the family, and, more generally, of the Christian vision of human
sexuality. It is in fact increasingly evident that a weakened appreciation of
the indissolubility of the
marriage covenant, and the widespread rejection of a responsible, mature
sexual ethic grounded in the practice of chastity, have led to grave societal
problems bearing an immense human and economic cost".
"In this regard, particular mention must be made of the powerful political and
cultural currents seeking to alter the legal definition of marriage. The
Church’s conscientious effort to resist this pressure calls for a
reasoned defence of marriage
as a natural institution consisting of a specific communion of persons,
essentially rooted in the complementarity of the sexes and oriented to
procreation. Sexual differences cannot be dismissed as irrelevant to the
definition of marriage. Defending the
institution of marriage as a social reality is ultimately a question of
justice, since it entails safeguarding the good of the entire human community
and the rights of parents and children alike.
"In our conversations, some of you have pointed with concern to the growing
difficulties encountered in communicating the Church’s teaching on
marriage and the family in its integrity, and to a decrease in the number of
young people who approach
the Sacrament of Matrimony. Certainly we must acknowledge deficiencies in the
catechesis of recent decades, which failed at times to communicate the rich
heritage of Catholic teaching on marriage as a natural institution elevated by
Christ to the
dignity of a Sacrament, the vocation of Christian spouses in society and in
the Church, and the practice of marital chastity".
"On the practical level, marriage preparation programmes must be carefully
reviewed to ensure that there is greater concentration on their catechetical
component and their presentation of the social and ecclesial responsibilities
entailed by Christian
marriage. In this context we cannot overlook the serious pastoral problem
presented by the widespread practice of cohabitation, often by couples who
seem unaware that it is gravely sinful, not to mention damaging to the
stability of society. I encourage
your efforts to develop clear pastoral and liturgical norms for the worthy
celebration of matrimony which embody an unambiguous witness to the objective
demands of Christian morality, while showing sensitivity and concern for young
couples".
"In this great pastoral effort there is an urgent need for the entire
Christian community to recover an appreciation of the virtue of chastity. ...
It is not merely a question of presenting arguments, but of appealing to an
integrated, consistent and
uplifting vision of human sexuality. The richness of this vision is more sound
and appealing than the permissive ideologies exalted in some quarters; these
in fact constitute a powerful and destructive form of counter-catechesis for
the young. ...
Chastity, as the Catechism reminds us, involves an ongoing &ldqu
apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom”.
In a society which increasingly tends to misunderstand and even ridicule this
essential dimension of Christian
teaching, young people need to be reassured that “if we let Christ into
our lives, we lose nothing, absolutely nothing, of what makes life free,
beautiful and great”.
"Let me conclude by recalling that all our efforts in this area are ultimately
concerned with the good of children, who have a fundamental right to grow up
with a healthy understanding of sexuality and its proper place in human
relationships. Children
are the greatest treasure and the future of every society: truly caring for
them means recognising our responsibility to teach, defend and live the moral
virtues which are the key to human fulfilment. It is my hope that the Church
in the United States,
however chastened by the events of the past decade, will persevere in its
historic mission of educating the young and thus contribute to the
consolidation of that sound family life which is the surest guarantee of
intergenerational solidarity and the
health of society as a whole".
___________________________________________________________
NEW EVANGELISATION ALSO BEGINS IN THE CONFESSIONAL
Vatican City, 9 March 2012 (VIS) - This morning Benedict XVI received 1,300
priests and deacons who are participating in an annual course on the "internal
forum" organised by the Apostolic Penitentiary.
Benedict XVI underscored the importance of adequate theological, spiritual and
canonical preparation for confessors, noting that the Sacrament of
Reconciliation is essential to the life of faith and is closely associated
with the announcement of the
Gospel. "The Sacraments and the announcement of the Word must, in fact never
be seen as separate from one another", he said. "The priest represents Christ,
the Envoy of the Father, and continues His mission through 'word' and
'Sacrament', in the
totality of body and soul, of sign and word".
Thus sacramental Confession is an important aspect of new evangelisation.
"True conversion of hearts, which means opening ourselves to the transforming
and regenerative action of God, is the 'motor' of all reform and turns into an
authentic force for
evangelisation. During Confession, the repentant sinner, thanks to the
gratuitous action of divine Mercy, is justified, forgiven and sanctified. ...
Only those who allow themselves to be profoundly renewed by divine Grace can
internalise and therefore
announce the novelty of the Gospel". All the saints of history bear witness to
this close relationship between sanctity and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
New evangelisation itself "draws life blood from the sanctity of the sons and
daughters of the
Church, from the daily process of individual and community conversion,
conforming itself ever more profoundly to Christ".
The Pope reminded his audience that, in administering the Sacrament of
Penance, priests are instruments facilitating the meeting between mankind and
God. The repentant sinner feels a profound desire to change, to receive mercy,
to re-experience, through
the Sacrament, "the encounter and embrace of Christ.
"Thus you will", the Holy Father added, "become collaborators and protagonists
of as many possible 'new beginnings' as sinners you encounter. ... New
evangelisation also begins in the confessional, in the mysterious encounter
between man's endless plea
... and the mercy of God, which is the only adequate response to
humankind’s need for the infinite". If the faithful are truly able to
experience the mercy of Christ in the Sacrament "they will become credible
witnesses of sanctity, which is the
goal of new evangelisation".
The Pope went on to explain that these questions become even more critical
when the people involved are priests who, to collaborate in new
vangelisation, must be the first to renew an awareness of themselves as
sinners, and of their need to seek
sacramental forgiveness in order to renew their encounter with Christ.
In conclusion Benedict XVI exhorted his listeners to ensure "that the novelty
of Christ is always the focus of, and the reason for, your priestly lives, so
that the people who meet you may, through your ministry, proclaim as Andrew
and John did that 'we
have found the Messiah'. Thus each Confession, from which each Christian will
emerge renewed, will represent a step forward for new evangelisation".
___________________________________________________________
TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL JOSE T. SANCHEZ
Vatican City, 9 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father has sent a telegram of
condolence to Cardinal Ricardo. J. Vidal, archbishop emeritus of Cebu,
Philippines, for the death of Cardinal Jose T. Sanchez, prefect emeritus of
the Congregation for the Clergy.
Cardinal Sanchez died this morning in Manila at the age of 91.
In the text of his telegram Benedict XVI gratefully recalls "the late
cardinal's dedicated service to the Lord as a priest and bishop in his native
country, as well as our service together in the Roman Curia during the
pontificate of Blessed John Paul
II". The Pope commends Cardinal Sanchez's "noble soul" to the Lord and prays
"that his witness will inspire others to dedicate their lives to the service
of the Lord and His Holy Church, especially in the priesthood".
___________________________________________________________
AUDIENCES
Vatican City, 9 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience:
- Eight prelates of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, on their
"ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop George Joseph Lucas of Omaha, accompanied by Archbishop emeritus
Elden Francis Curtiss.
- Bishop William J. Dendinger of Grand Island.
- Bishop Fabian Wendelin Bruskewitz of Lincoln.
- Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas.
- Bishop John B. Brungardt of Dodge City.
- Bishop Michael Owen Jackels of Wichita.
- Bishop-elect Edward J. Weisenburger of Salina.
___________________________________________________________
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_LqNPhQdeoSuRs9ySSN/AcQ)
Content-type: text/html; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
VISnews120309
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE ANNO XXII - N° 53DATA 09-03-2012
Summary: - POPE ADDRESSES UNITED STATES
BISHOPS ON CRISIS OF MARRIAGE AND
THE FAMILY - NEW EVANGELISATION ALSO BEGINS IN THE CONFESSIONAL -
TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL JOSE T. SANCHEZ - AUDIENCES ___________________________________________________________
POPE ADDRESSES UNITED STATES BISHOPS ON CRISIS OF MARRIAGE AND THE
FAMILY
Vatican City, 9 March 2012 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican Benedict XVI
received a group of prelates from the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, who have recently competed their "ad limina" visit. Extracts of his
English-language
remarks to them are given below:
"In this talk I would like to discuss ... the contemporary crisis of
marriage and the family, and, more generally, of the Christian vision of human
sexuality. It is in fact increasingly evident that a weakened appreciation of
the indissolubility of
the marriage covenant, and the widespread rejection of a responsible, mature
sexual ethic grounded in the practice of chastity, have led to grave societal
problems bearing an immense human and economic cost".
"In this regard, particular mention must be made of the powerful political
and cultural currents seeking to alter the legal definition of marriage. The
Church’s conscientious effort to resist this pressure calls for a
reasoned defence of
marriage as a natural institution consisting of a specific communion of
persons, essentially rooted in the complementarity of the sexes and oriented
to procreation. Sexual differences cannot be dismissed as irrelevant to the
definition of marriage.
Defending the institution of marriage as a social reality is ultimately a
question of justice, since it entails safeguarding the good of the entire
human community and the rights of parents and children alike.
"In our conversations, some of you have pointed with concern to the growing
difficulties encountered in communicating the Church’s teaching on
marriage and the family in its integrity, and to a decrease in the number of
young people who
approach the Sacrament of Matrimony. Certainly we must acknowledge
deficiencies in the catechesis of recent decades, which failed at times to
communicate the rich heritage of Catholic teaching on marriage as a natural
institution elevated by Christ to
the dignity of a Sacrament, the vocation of Christian spouses in society and
in the Church, and the practice of marital chastity".
"On the practical level, marriage preparation programmes must be carefully
reviewed to ensure that there is greater concentration on their catechetical
component and their presentation of the social and ecclesial responsibilities
entailed by
Christian marriage. In this context we cannot overlook the serious pastoral
problem presented by the widespread practice of cohabitation, often by couples
who seem unaware that it is gravely sinful, not to mention damaging to the
stability of society. I
encourage your efforts to develop clear pastoral and liturgical norms for the
worthy celebration of matrimony which embody an unambiguous witness to the
objective demands of Christian morality, while showing sensitivity and concern
for young
couples".
"In this great pastoral effort there is an urgent need for the entire
Christian community to recover an appreciation of the virtue of chastity. ...
It is not merely a question of presenting arguments, but of appealing to an
integrated, consistent and
uplifting vision of human sexuality. The richness of this vision is more sound
and appealing than the permissive ideologies exalted in some quarters; these
in fact constitute a powerful and destructive form of counter-catechesis for
the young. ...
Chastity, as the Catechism reminds us, involves an ongoing &ldqu
apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom”.
In a society which increasingly tends to misunderstand and even ridicule this
essential dimension of Christian
teaching, young people need to be reassured that “if we let Christ into
our lives, we lose nothing, absolutely nothing, of what makes life free,
beautiful and great”.
"Let me conclude by recalling that all our efforts in this area are
ultimately concerned with the good of children, who have a fundamental right
to grow up with a healthy understanding of sexuality and its proper place in
human relationships.
Children are the greatest treasure and the future of every society: truly
caring for them means recognising our responsibility to teach, defend and live
the moral virtues which are the key to human fulfilment. It is my hope that
the Church in the United
States, however chastened by the events of the past decade, will persevere in
its historic mission of educating the young and thus contribute to the
consolidation of that sound family life which is the surest guarantee of
intergenerational solidarity
and the health of society as a whole".
NEW EVANGELISATION ALSO BEGINS IN THE CONFESSIONAL
Vatican City, 9 March 2012 (VIS) - This morning Benedict XVI received 1,300
priests and deacons who are participating in an annual course on the "internal
forum" organised by the Apostolic Penitentiary.
Benedict XVI underscored the importance of adequate theological, spiritual
and canonical preparation for confessors, noting that the Sacrament of
Reconciliation is essential to the life of faith and is closely associated
with the announcement of the
Gospel. "The Sacraments and the announcement of the Word must, in fact never
be seen as separate from one another", he said. "The priest represents Christ,
the Envoy of the Father, and continues His mission through 'word' and
'Sacrament', in the
totality of body and soul, of sign and word".
Thus sacramental Confession is an important aspect of new evangelisation.
"True conversion of hearts, which means opening ourselves to the transforming
and regenerative action of God, is the 'motor' of all reform and turns into an
authentic force for
evangelisation. During Confession, the repentant sinner, thanks to the
gratuitous action of divine Mercy, is justified, forgiven and sanctified. ...
Only those who allow themselves to be profoundly renewed by divine Grace can
internalise and therefore
announce the novelty of the Gospel". All the saints of history bear witness to
this close relationship between sanctity and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
New evangelisation itself "draws life blood from the sanctity of the sons and
daughters of the
Church, from the daily process of individual and community conversion,
conforming itself ever more profoundly to Christ".
The Pope reminded his audience that, in administering the Sacrament of
Penance, priests are instruments facilitating the meeting between mankind and
God. The repentant sinner feels a profound desire to change, to receive mercy,
to re-experience,
through the Sacrament, "the encounter and embrace of Christ.
"Thus you will", the Holy Father added, "become collaborators and
protagonists of as many possible 'new beginnings' as sinners you encounter.
... New evangelisation also begins in the confessional, in the mysterious
encounter between man's endless
plea ... and the mercy of God, which is the only adequate response to
humankind’s need for the infinite". If the faithful are truly able to
experience the mercy of Christ in the Sacrament "they will become credible
witnesses of sanctity, which is
the goal of new evangelisation".
The Pope went on to explain that these questions become even more critical
when the people involved are priests who, to collaborate in new
vangelisation, must be the first to renew an awareness of themselves as
sinners, and of their need to seek
sacramental forgiveness in order to renew their encounter with Christ.
In conclusion Benedict XVI exhorted his listeners to ensure "that the
novelty of Christ is always the focus of, and the reason for, your priestly
lives, so that the people who meet you may, through your ministry, proclaim as
Andrew and John did that
'we have found the Messiah'. Thus each Confession, from which each Christian
will emerge renewed, will represent a step forward for new evangelisation".
TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL JOSE T. SANCHEZ
Vatican City, 9 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father has sent a telegram of
condolence to Cardinal Ricardo. J. Vidal, archbishop emeritus of Cebu,
Philippines, for the death of Cardinal Jose T. Sanchez, prefect emeritus of
the Congregation for the
Clergy. Cardinal Sanchez died this morning in Manila at the age of 91.
In the text of his telegram Benedict XVI gratefully recalls "the late
cardinal's dedicated service to the Lord as a priest and bishop in his native
country, as well as our service together in the Roman Curia during the
pontificate of Blessed John
Paul II". The Pope commends Cardinal Sanchez's "noble soul" to the Lord and
prays "that his witness will inspire others to dedicate their lives to the
service of the Lord and His Holy Church, especially in the priesthood".
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/v
s/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_LqNPhQdeoSuRs9ySSN/AcQ)--
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