Subject: VISnews120430
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
--Boundary_(ID_LCW1stlk3qJPUqBIqpAfhg)
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
YEAR XXII - N° 84
DATE 30-04-2012
Summary:
- PRIESTS' EUCHARISTIC-SACRIFICIAL MISSION IS INSEPARABLE FROM THEIR PASTORAL
MISSION
- DAY FOR VOCATIONS: TO BE FREE IS TO RESPOND TO THE LOVE OF GOD
- PERENNIAL IMPORTANCE OF THE ENCYCLICAL "PACEM IN TERRIS"
- INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON BLINDNESS
- BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MAY
- AUDIENCES
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
- NOTICE
___________________________________________________________
PRIESTS' EUCHARISTIC-SACRIFICIAL MISSION IS INSEPARABLE FROM THEIR PASTORAL
MISSION
Vatican City, 29 April 2012 (VIS) - Today, the fourth Sunday of Easter,
Benedict XVI conferred priestly ordination upon nine deacons from Roman
diocesan seminaries. During the ceremony, which was held in St. Peter's
Basilica, the Holy Father told the
ordinands that the Roman tradition of celebrating ordinations on this Sunday,
known as Good Shepherd Sunday, is rich in significance, its meaning being
"associated with the convergence between the Word of God, the liturgical rite
and the period of
Easter in which it falls. The figure of the pastor in particular, so relevant
in Sacred Scripture and naturally very important for our definition of
priests, acquires its full truth and clarity in the face of Christ, in the
light of the mystery of His
death and resurrection", he said.
The Pope commented on the reading from the Gospel of St. John, which begins
with Jesus' words: "I am the good shepherd" who "lays down his life for the
sheep". This phrase leads us immediately "to the apex of the revelation of God
as pastor of His
people", he explained. "This centre or apex is Jesus ... Who died on the cross
then rose from the grave on the third day. He rose with all His humanity, and
so He involves us all ... in His transition from death to life. This event -
Christ’s
Easter - in which God's pastoral work was fully and definitively achieved, was
a sacrificial event; therefore the Good Shepherd and the High Priest come
together in Jesus, Who gave His life for us".
The second reading, from the First Letter of St. John, tells us of "the fruits
of Christ's Easter: the fact that we have become children of God. ... In fact,
man's status as child is the result of the salvific act of Jesus. Through His
incarnation,
death and resurrection, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, He gave man a new
relationship with God: His own relationship with the Father. ... This
relationship is already real in every sense, but it is not yet fully manifest;
it will be in the end when -
if God wills - we see His face unveiled.
"This, dear ordinands, is where the Good Shepherd wishes to lead us", the Pope
added. "This is where the priest is called to lead the faithful under his
care: to true life, to life 'in abundance'". At the same time, Jesus reaffirms
that the
characteristic of the true pastor is that of giving his life. "The biblical
figure of the king-pastor, whose main task is to support the people of God,
keep them united and guide then ... is fully realised in Jesus Christ in the
sacrificial dimension,
in His offer of life. It is realised ... in the mystery of the cross; that is,
in the supreme act of humility and oblational love".
This, the Pope noted, is the direction in which the formulae used in the rite
of Ordination lead. Indeed, among the questions regarding the "promises of the
elect", the last, which is as the culmination and summary of the others, says
"do you wish to be
ever more closely united to Christ, the High Priest Who, as pure victim,
offered Himself to the Father for us, consecrating yourselves to God together
with Him for the salvation of all mankind?"
By responding, "the priest becomes uniquely involved in the mystery of
Christ's sacrifice, through a personal bond with Him that prolongs His
salvific mission. This union, which comes about through the Sacrament of Holy
Orders, requires 'ever closer
union' through the generous response of the priest himself".
Benedict XVI also mentioned the formula used at the moment of consigning the
bread and wine to the new priests: "Receive the offer of the holy people for
the Eucharistic sacrifice. Understand what you do, imitate what you
administer; conform your life
to the mystery of the cross of Christ the Lord". These words, he said,
"underline the fact that, for priests, celebrating Mass every day does not
mean merely undertaking a ritual function, but accomplishing a mission which
involves all of existence, in
communion with the risen Christ Who continues to enact the redeeming sacrifice
in His Church".
The Holy Father went on to note that "Eucharistic and sacrificial aspects are
inseparable from the pastoral aspect, of which they are the nucleus of truth
and salvific strength upon which the effectiveness of all activity depends.
... The preaching,
works and other activities which the Church carries out with her many
initiatives would lose their salvific fruitfulness if the celebration of
Christ's sacrifice were lacking. This celebration is entrusted to ordained
priests. ... Only through the
'door' of the Paschal sacrifice can men and women of all times and places
enter eternal life. It is through this 'holy path' that they can make the
exodus which leads them to the 'promised land' of true freedom, to the 'green
fields' of endless peace
and joy.
"Dear ordinands, "the Holy Father added in conclusion, "may this Word of God
illuminate your lives. And when the weight of the cross becomes more
burdensome, know that that is the most precious moment, for you and for the
people entrusted to your care.
By faithfully and lovingly renewing your 'yes with God's help I want it', you
help Christ, High Priest and Good Pastor, to feed His sheep; perhaps only the
sheep which was lost, but for which there will be great joy in heaven".
___________________________________________________________
DAY FOR VOCATIONS: TO BE FREE IS TO RESPOND TO THE LOVE OF GOD
Vatican City, 29 April 2012 (VIS) - At midday today, the World Day of Prayer
for Vocations, the Holy Father asked people to pray "that all young people may
be attentive to the inner voice of God, which speaks to their hearts and calls
them to abandon
everything in order to serve Him". Addressing faithful gathered in St. Peter's
Square for the Regina Coeli Benedict XVI affirmed that "the Lord calls always,
but often we are not listening.
"We are distracted by many things, by other more superficial voices", he
added. "We are afraid to listen to the voice of the Lord because we believe it
can detract from our freedom. The truth is that each of us is the fruit of
love; the love of our
parents, of course, but also and more profoundly the love of God. ... When we
become aware of this our lives change; they become a response to that love
which is greater than any other, and thus our freedom is fully realised".
The Pope then mentioned the new priests he had ordained that morning during
Mass in the Vatican Basilica. "They are no different to other young men", he
affirmed, "But they have been profoundly touched by the beauty and love of
God, and could not but
respond with the whole of their lives". They discovered the love of God in
Jesus Christ, in His Gospel, in the Eucharist and in the community of the
Church. "In the Church we discover that the life of each human being is a
story of love", he said.
To conclude Benedict XVI exhorted the faithful to pray that "the seeds of
vocation which God so generously scatters" may germinate and come to fruit in
all areas of the Church, "in the joy of having been called and in the variety
of gifts. Families in
particular must be the first place in which to 'breathe' the love of God,
which gives inner strength even in the midst of the difficulties and trials of
life. People who experience the love of God in their family, receive a
priceless gift which, in
time, will come to bear fruit".
___________________________________________________________
PERENNIAL IMPORTANCE OF THE ENCYCLICAL "PACEM IN TERRIS"
Vatican City, 30 April 2012 (VIS) - The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
has been holding its eighteenth plenary session in Rome over recent days,
during which participants focused their attention on the contribution Blessed
John XXIII’s
Encyclical "Pacem in Terris" has made to the social doctrine of the Church.
"At the height of the Cold War, when the world was still coming to terms with
the threat posed by the existence and proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, Pope John addressed what has been described as an “open
letter to the world”.
It was a heartfelt appeal ... for the cause of peace and justice to be
vigorously promoted at every level of society, nationally and in
ernationally". These words were expressed by Benedict XVI in a message to Mary
Ann Glendon, president of the academy.
The message, written in English, was made public today.
"While the global political landscape has changed significantly in the
intervening half-century, the vision offered by Pope John still has much to
teach us as we struggle to face the new challenges for peace and justice in
the post-Cold-War era, amid
the continuing proliferation of armaments", the Pope writes. "Pope
John’s Encyclical was and is a powerful summons to engage in that
creative dialogue between the Church and the world, between believers and
non-believers, which Vatican Council II
set out to promote. It offers a thoroughly Christian vision of man’s
place in the cosmos, confident that in so doing it is holding out a message of
hope to a world that is hungry for it, a message that can resonate with people
of all beliefs and
none, because its truth is accessible to all.
"In that same spirit, after the terrorist attacks that shook the world in
September 2001, Blessed John Paul II insisted that there can be “no
peace without justice, no justice without forgiveness”. The notion of
forgiveness needs to find its
way into international discourse on conflict resolution, so as to transform
the sterile language of mutual recrimination which leads nowhere. If the human
creature is made in the image of God, a God of justice Who is “rich in
mercy”, then
these qualities need to be reflected in the conduct of human affairs. ...
Forgiveness is not a denial of wrong-doing, but a participation in the healing
and transforming love of God which reconciles and restores".
"Historic wrongs and injustices can only be overcome if men and women are
inspired by a message of healing and hope, a message that offers a way
forward, out of the impasse that so often locks people and nations into a
vicious circle of violence. Since
1963, some of the conflicts that seemed insoluble at the time have passed into
history. Let us take heart, then, as we struggle for peace and justice in the
world today, confident that our common pursuit of the divinely established
order, of a world
where the dignity of every human person is accorded the respect that is due,
can and will bear fruit", the Holy Father concludes.
___________________________________________________________
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON BLINDNESS
Vatican City, 28 April 2012 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral
Care has organised an international congress entitled: "The Blind. 'My
Teacher, let me see again!'" The event is due to be held on 4 and 5 May in the
Pius X Hall on Via della
Conciliazione in Rome, and will focus primarily on the theological-pastoral
and medical-scientific aspects of treating blind and partially sighted persons.
Participants will include Cardinal Peter Kodwo Turkson, president of the
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and Silvio Paolo Mariotti, head of
the blindness and deafness prevention programme of the World Health
Organisation. Also present will be
Msgr. Roberto Brunelli, director of the diocesan museum of Mantua, Italy, who
will illustrate the planning and realisation of a special room for blind
people, and the results obtained. Two touch-perceptible versions of works from
the museum will be on
display at the congress.
___________________________________________________________
BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MAY
Vatican City, 30 April 2012 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention
for May is: "That initiatives which defend and uphold the role of the family
may be promoted within society".
His mission intention is: "That Mary, Queen of the World and Star of
Evangelisation, may accompany all missionaries in proclaiming her Son Jesus".
___________________________________________________________
AUDIENCES
Vatican City, 30 April 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience:
- Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic
Signatura, accompanied by Bishop Frans Daneels, secretary of the tribunal.
- Archbishop Jean-Louis Brugues O.P., secretary of the Congregation for
Catholic Education.
- Archbishop Luciano Russo, apostolic nuncio to Rwanda, accompanied by members
of his family.
On Saturday 28 April he received in audience:
- Cesar Castillo Ramirez, the new Peruvian ambassador to the Holy See, for the
presentation of his Letters of Credence.
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
___________________________________________________________
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 30 April 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:
- Msgr. Pawel Malecha as substitute promoter of justice at the Supreme
Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, and Fr. Jose Fernando Mejia Yanez M.G.,
as head of the chancellery of the same tribunal.
- Antonio Chiminello, consultor of the prefecture for the Economic Affairs of
the Holy See, as vice director of the Auditors Office of Vatican City State.
On Saturday 28 April it was made public that the Holy Father:
- Appointed Msgr. Tadeusz Litynski of the clergy of Zielona Gora-Gorzow,
Poland, pastor of the parish of Christ the King at Gorzow Wielkopolski, as
auxiliary of Zielona Gora-Gorzow (area 10,805, population 1,120,158, Catholics
1,088,947, priests 629,
religious 297). The bishop-elect was born in Kozuchow, Poland in 1962 and
ordained a priest in 1988. He has worked in pastoral care in a number of
parishes, and has served in the diocesan tribunal, first as notary, then as
defender of the bond and judge.
- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Gweru,
Zimbabwe, presented by Bishop Martin Munyanyi, in accordance with canon 401
para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law, appointing Bishop Michael Dixon Bhasera of
Masvingo as apostolic
administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Gweru.
___________________________________________________________
NOTICE
Vatican City, 30 April 2012 (VIS) - Tomorrow Tuesday 1 May, feast of St.
Joseph the Worker and a holiday in the Vatican, no VIS bulletin will be
transmitted. Service will resume on Wednesday 3 May.
___________________________________________________________
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_LCW1stlk3qJPUqBIqpAfhg)
Content-type: text/html; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
VISnews120430
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE YEAR XXII - N° 84DATE 30-04-2012
Summary: - PRIESTS' EUCHARISTIC-SACRIFICIAL
MISSION IS INSEPARABLE FROM
THEIR PASTORAL MISSION - DAY FOR VOCATIONS: TO BE FREE IS TO RESPOND TO
THE LOVE OF GOD - PERENNIAL IMPORTANCE OF THE ENCYCLICAL "PACEM IN
TERRIS" - INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON BLINDNESS - BENEDICT XVI'S
PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR
MAY - AUDIENCES - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS - NOTICE ___________________________________________________________
PRIESTS' EUCHARISTIC-SACRIFICIAL MISSION IS INSEPARABLE FROM THEIR PASTORAL
MISSION
Vatican City, 29 April 2012 (VIS) - Today, the fourth Sunday of Easter,
Benedict XVI conferred priestly ordination upon nine deacons from Roman
diocesan seminaries. During the ceremony, which was held in St. Peter's
Basilica, the Holy Father told the
ordinands that the Roman tradition of celebrating ordinations on this Sunday,
known as Good Shepherd Sunday, is rich in significance, its meaning being
"associated with the convergence between the Word of God, the liturgical rite
and the period of
Easter in which it falls. The figure of the pastor in particular, so relevant
in Sacred Scripture and naturally very important for our definition of
priests, acquires its full truth and clarity in the face of Christ, in the
light of the mystery of His
death and resurrection", he said.
The Pope commented on the reading from the Gospel of St. John, which begins
with Jesus' words: "I am the good shepherd" who "lays down his life for the
sheep". This phrase leads us immediately "to the apex of the revelation of God
as pastor of His
people", he explained. "This centre or apex is Jesus ... Who died on the cross
then rose from the grave on the third day. He rose with all His humanity, and
so He involves us all ... in His transition from death to life. This event -
Christ’s
Easter - in which God's pastoral work was fully and definitively achieved, was
a sacrificial event; therefore the Good Shepherd and the High Priest come
together in Jesus, Who gave His life for us".
The second reading, from the First Letter of St. John, tells us of "the
fruits of Christ's Easter: the fact that we have become children of God. ...
In fact, man's status as child is the result of the salvific act of Jesus.
Through His incarnation,
death and resurrection, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, He gave man a new
relationship with God: His own relationship with the Father. ... This
relationship is already real in every sense, but it is not yet fully manifest;
it will be in the end when -
if God wills - we see His face unveiled.
"This, dear ordinands, is where the Good Shepherd wishes to lead us", the
Pope added. "This is where the priest is called to lead the faithful under his
care: to true life, to life 'in abundance'". At the same time, Jesus reaffirms
that the
characteristic of the true pastor is that of giving his life. "The biblical
figure of the king-pastor, whose main task is to support the people of God,
keep them united and guide then ... is fully realised in Jesus Christ in the
sacrificial dimension,
in His offer of life. It is realised ... in the mystery of the cross; that is,
in the supreme act of humility and oblational love".
This, the Pope noted, is the direction in which the formulae used in the
rite of Ordination lead. Indeed, among the questions regarding the "promises
of the elect", the last, which is as the culmination and summary of the
others, says "do you wish to
be ever more closely united to Christ, the High Priest Who, as pure victim,
offered Himself to the Father for us, consecrating yourselves to God together
with Him for the salvation of all mankind?"
By responding, "the priest becomes uniquely involved in the mystery of
Christ's sacrifice, through a personal bond with Him that prolongs His
salvific mission. This union, which comes about through the Sacrament of Holy
Orders, requires 'ever closer
union' through the generous response of the priest himself".
Benedict XVI also mentioned the formula used at the moment of consigning
the bread and wine to the new priests: "Receive the offer of the holy people
for the Eucharistic sacrifice. Understand what you do, imitate what you
administer; conform your
life to the mystery of the cross of Christ the Lord". These words, he said,
"underline the fact that, for priests, celebrating Mass every day does not
mean merely undertaking a ritual function, but accomplishing a mission which
involves all of
existence, in communion with the risen Christ Who continues to enact the
redeeming sacrifice in His Church".
The Holy Father went on to note that "Eucharistic and sacrificial aspects
are inseparable from the pastoral aspect, of which they are the nucleus of
truth and salvific strength upon which the effectiveness of all activity
depends. ... The preaching,
works and other activities which the Church carries out with her many
initiatives would lose their salvific fruitfulness if the celebration of
Christ's sacrifice were lacking. This celebration is entrusted to ordained
priests. ... Only through the
'door' of the Paschal sacrifice can men and women of all times and places
enter eternal life. It is through this 'holy path' that they can make the
exodus which leads them to the 'promised land' of true freedom, to the 'green
fields' of endless peace
and joy.
"Dear ordinands, "the Holy Father added in conclusion, "may this Word of
God illuminate your lives. And when the weight of the cross becomes more
burdensome, know that that is the most precious moment, for you and for the
people entrusted to your
care. By faithfully and lovingly renewing your 'yes with God's help I want
it', you help Christ, High Priest and Good Pastor, to feed His sheep; perhaps
only the sheep which was lost, but for which there will be great joy in
heaven".
DAY FOR VOCATIONS: TO BE FREE IS TO RESPOND TO THE LOVE OF GOD
Vatican City, 29 April 2012 (VIS) - At midday today, the World Day of
Prayer for Vocations, the Holy Father asked people to pray "that all young
people may be attentive to the inner voice of God, which speaks to their
hearts and calls them to abandon
everything in order to serve Him". Addressing faithful gathered in St. Peter's
Square for the Regina Coeli Benedict XVI affirmed that "the Lord calls always,
but often we are not listening.
"We are distracted by many things, by other more superficial voices", he
added. "We are afraid to listen to the voice of the Lord because we believe it
can detract from our freedom. The truth is that each of us is the fruit of
love; the love of our
parents, of course, but also and more profoundly the love of God. ... When we
become aware of this our lives change; they become a response to that love
which is greater than any other, and thus our freedom is fully realised".
The Pope then mentioned the new priests he had ordained that morning during
Mass in the Vatican Basilica. "They are no different to other young men", he
affirmed, "But they have been profoundly touched by the beauty and love of
God, and could not but
respond with the whole of their lives". They discovered the love of God in
Jesus Christ, in His Gospel, in the Eucharist and in the community of the
Church. "In the Church we discover that the life of each human being is a
story of love", he said.
--- NetMgr/2 1.0y+
* Origin: NetMgr+ @ Sursum Corda! BBS Meridian MS USA (1:396/45)
