Subject: VISnews 110718   
   Organization: VIS - Ufficio Stampa della Santa Sede   
   From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt    
      
   VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
      
   TWENTY FIRST YEAR - N. 133   
   ENGLISH   
   MONDAY, 18 JULY 2011   
      
   SUMMARY: 16 - 18 JULY   
      
   - Declaration Concerning Illegitimate Ordination in China   
   - Angelus: Recognising the Primacy of God the Father   
   - The Holy Father Calls for Aid to Somalia   
   - Benedict XVI Receives Prime Minister of Malaysia   
   - Other Pontifical Acts   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   DECLARATION CONCERNING ILLEGITIMATE ORDINATION IN CHINA   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 16 JUL 2011 (VIS) - At midday today the Holy See released an   
   English-language declaration regarding the episcopal ordination of Fr.   
   Joseph Huang Bingzhang, which took place on Thursday 14 July in the diocese   
   of Shantou (Province of Guangdong, Mainland China).   
      
    "1. Fr. Joseph Huang Bingzhang, having been ordained without papal mandate   
   and hence illicitly, has incurred the sanctions laid down by canon 1382 of   
   the Code of Canon Law. Consequently, the Holy See does not recognise him as   
   bishop of the diocese of Shantou, and he lacks authority to govern the   
   Catholic community of the diocese.   
      
    "Fr. Huang Bingzhang had been informed some time ago that he could not be   
   approved by the Holy See as an episcopal candidate, inasmuch as the diocese   
   of Shantou already has a legitimate bishop; Fr. Huang had been asked on   
   numerous occasions not to accept episcopal ordination.   
      
    "2. From various sources the Holy See had knowledge of the fact that some   
   bishops, contacted by the civil authorities, had expressed their   
   unwillingness to take part in an illicit ordination and also offered various   
   forms of resistance, yet were reportedly obliged to take part in the   
   ordination.   
      
    "With regard to this resistance, it should be noted that it is meritorious   
   before God and calls for appreciation on the part of the whole Church. Equal   
   appreciation is also due to those priests, consecrated persons and members   
   of the faithful who have defended their pastors, accompanying them by their   
   prayers at this difficult time and sharing in their deep suffering.   
      
    "3. The Holy See reaffirms the right of Chinese Catholics to be able to   
   act freely, following their consciences and remaining faithful to the   
   Successor of Peter and in communion with the universal Church.   
      
    "The Holy Father, having learned of these events, once again deplores the   
   manner in which the Church in China is being treated and hopes that the   
   present difficulties can be overcome as soon as possible".   
   OP/ VIS   
   20110718 (330)   
      
   ANGELUS: RECOGNISING THE PRIMACY OF GOD THE FATHER   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 17 JUL 2011 (VIS) - At midday today Benedict XVI appeared at   
   the balcony overlooking the inner courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at   
   Castelgandolfo, to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered there.   
      
    Commenting, as he does every Sunday, on that morning's Gospel reading, the   
   Pope explained how the parables are "brief narratives which Jesus uses to   
   announce the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven. Using images and situations   
   taken from everyday life, the Lord wishes to show us the true foundation of   
   all things. He shows us ... the God Who acts, Who enters our daily lives".   
      
    Using these narratives, "the divine Master invites us to recognise, first   
   and foremost, the primacy of God the Father. Where He is not present,   
   nothing good can exist. He is a decisive priority in all things. The Kingdom   
   of heaven means, in fact, the lordship of God; in other words, His will must   
   be assumed as the criterion-guide for our existence".   
      
    In today's Gospel Jesus compares heaven to a field of wheat, "in order to   
   help us understand that something small and hidden, but possessing an   
   irrepressible life force, is sown within us. Despite all the obstacles, the   
   seed will develop and the fruit ripen, but the fruit will be good only if   
   the terrain of life has been cultivated in accordance with the divine will.   
      
    "For this reason", the Pope added, "in the parable of the weeds among the   
   wheat Christ warns us that, after the master had sown his seed, 'while   
   everybody was asleep an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat'. The   
   meaning of this is that we must be ready to protect the grace we received on   
   the day of Baptism, continuing to nourish faith in the Lord, which prevents   
   evil from taking root".   
      
    Finally, the Pope turned his attention to the first reading of this   
   morning's Mass, a passage from the Book of Wisdom underscoring the mercy and   
   power of God. "If, then, we are all children of such a great and good   
   Father", he said, "let us seek to resemble Him. This was the goal Jesus set   
   Himself with His preaching, when He told His hearers: ''Be perfect ... as   
   your heavenly Father is perfect".   
   ANG/ VIS   
   20110718 (380)   
      
   THE HOLY FATHER CALLS FOR AID TO SOMALIA   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 17 JUL 2011 (VIS) - After praying the Angelus today in the   
   inner courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo, the Pope spoke of   
   the "deep concern with which I am following news from the Horn of Africa,   
   especially Somalia, where a serious drought followed, in some areas, by   
   torrential rains, has led to a humanitarian catastrophe. Countless people   
   are fleeing terrible famine in search of food and assistance.   
      
    "I hope", he added, "that international mobilisation will increase and   
   much-needed aid will continue to reach these our sorely tried brothers and   
   sisters, among whom are many children. May those who suffer not lack our   
   solidarity and the concrete support of all people of good will".   
      
    Turning then to address French-speaking pilgrims the Holy Father remarked   
   that "the holidays are certainly a good time for cultural and spiritual   
   enrichment. Through the many sites and monuments you visit", he told them,   
   "you may discover the beauty of the universal heritage which binds us to our   
   roots. Allow yourselves to be drawn by the beautiful ideal which animated   
   the builders of cathedrals and abbeys when they created those vibrant signs   
   of God's presence in our land. May their ideal become your own and may the   
   Holy Spirit, which looks into the depths of the human heart, inspire you to   
   pray in those places, giving thanks and interceding for humankind in the   
   third millennium".   
      
    The Holy Father then greeted Polish pilgrims in Castelgandolfo, recalling   
   how "yesterday we celebrated Our Lady of the Scapular (Our Lady of Mount   
   Carmel). The scapular", he explained, "is a special sign of union with Jesus   
   and Mary. For those who wear it, it is a sign of filial reliance on the   
   protection of the Immaculate Virgin. In our battle against evil, may Mary   
   our Mother swathe us in her mantle".   
   ANG/ VIS   
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   BENEDICT XVI RECEIVES PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 18 JUL 2011 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the   
   following communique at midday today:   
      
    "This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Najib Bin   
   Abdul Razak, prime minister of Malaysia. The pirme minister subsequently   
   went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who   
   was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations   
   with States.   
      
    "In the cordial conversations the positive developments in bilateral   
   relations were discussed, and an agreement was reached to establish   
   diplomatic relations between Malaysia and the Holy See.   
      
    "In addition, the political and social situation in the world and on the   
   Asian continent was reviewed, with particular reference to the importance of   
   inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue for the promotion of peace,   
   justice and greater understanding between peoples".   
   OP/ VIS   
   20110718 (140)   
      
   OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 18 JUL 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father:   
      
    - Appointed Fr. Jose Manuel Garcia Cordeiro, rector of the Pontifical   
   Portuguese College in Rome, as bishop of Braganca-Miranda (area 6,545,   
   population 151,700, Catholics 149,200, priests 100, permanent deacons 4,   
   religious 119), Portugal. The bishop-elect was born in Vila Nova de Seles,   
   Angola in 1967 and ordained a priest in 1991. He succeeds Bishop Antonio   
   Montes Moreira O.F.M., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same   
   diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.   
      
    - Appointed Antonio Pacella, official of the "Tipografia Vaticana -   
   Editrice L'Osservatore Romano", as head of the management office of the same   
   organisation.   
      
    On Saturday 16 July it was made public that he appointed:   
      
    - Bishop Julio Cesar Vidal Ortiz of Monteria, Colombia, as bishop of Cucuta   
   (area 2,200, population 848,000, Catholics 774,000, priests 140, permanent   
   deacons 8, religious 268), Colombia.   
      
    - Fr. Fulgence Razakarivony M.S., vice secretary of the administrative   
   secretariat of the Episcopal Conference of Madagascar, as bishop of Ihosy   
   (area 40,900, population 400,000, Catholics 72,000, priests 34, religious   
   125), Madagascar. The bishop-elect was born in Betsiholany, Madagascar in   
   1963 and ordained a priest in 1993.   
      
    - Bishop Ruy Rendon Leal, prelate of El Salto, Mexico, as bishop of   
   Matamoros (area 19,457, population 2,018,000, Catholics 1,782,000, priests   
   122, religious 129), Mexico.   
      
    - Msgr. Grzegorz Rys of the clergy of the archdiocese of Krakow, Poland,   
   rector of the major seminary, and Fr. Damian Andrzej Muskus O.F.M.,   
   provincial secretary for formation, as auxiliaries of the archdiocese of   
   Krakow (area 5,730, population 1,601,000, Catholics 1,556,000, priests   
   2,089, religious 4,501). Bishop-elect Rys was born in Krakow in 1964 and   
   ordained a priest in 1988. Bishop-elect Muskus was born in Nowa Sarzyna,   
   Poland in 1967 and ordained a priest in 1993.   
   NER:RE:NA:NEA/ VIS 20110718   
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