Subject: VISnews121210
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
--Boundary_(ID_3n/T++VRf1JCs3wAcHODWw)
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° 224
DATE 10-12-2012
Summary:
- PROCLAIMING CHRIST IN AMERICA TODAY
- ANGELUS: THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
- THE POWER OF GRACE IS STRONGER THAN EVIL
- MARY IMMACULATE: THE CERTAINTY THAT GOD DOES NOT FAIL
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
___________________________________________________________
PROCLAIMING CHRIST IN AMERICA TODAY
Vatican City, 10 December 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon the International
Congress "Ecclesia in America" on the Church in the American continent was
inaugurated with a Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's Basilica. The
congress was organised by the
Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Knights of Columbus in
collaboration with the Institute for Guadalupan Studies, and will be inspired
by the work of the Synodal Assembly, convoked by Blessed John Paul II in
November and December 1987,
entitled "Encounter with the living Jesus Christ: The way to conversion,
communion and solidarity in America".
The Holy Father, who arrived at the Basilica at 7 p.m., greeted the
participants, first recalling that "Blessed John Paul II had the foresight and
intuition to improve the relationships of cooperation between the particular
Churches throughout North,
Central and South America, at the same time facilitating greater solidarity
among the nations of the continent. Today these themes merit review in order
to put Christ's redeeming message into practice with greater diligence, in the
hope of reaping
abundant rewards of sanctity and ecclesial renewal. The theme that guided the
reflections of the Synodal Assembly can also serve as an inspiration for your
work during these days. ... In effect, Jesus Christ's love and the power of
His grace must take
root ever more intensely in the hearts of the people, families and Christian
communities of your nations, to allow them to progress with dynamism along the
paths of harmony and fair progress".
The Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in America" focuses on "current challenges
and difficulties which present specific and complex characteristics. Indeed,
secularism and various religious groups are spreading throughout the
continent, giving rise to
numerous problems. Education and the promotion of a culture of life are
matters of fundamental urgency in view of a widespread mentality that tends to
attack the dignity of the person and damage the institution of marriage and
family. How can one fail
to be concerned about painful situations of emigration, displacement or
violence, especially when linked to organised crime, narcotrafficking,
corruption and arms dealing? And how should we face the painful inequalities
and areas of poverty caused by
questionable economic, political and social measures?"
The Pope emphasised that all these important questions require careful study,
"yet in addition to their technical evaluation, the Catholic Church is
convinced that the light for an adequate solution can only come from the
encounter with the living
Christ, which gives rise to attitudes and ways of acting based on love and
truth. This is the decisive force which will transform the American continent.
... The love of Christ impels us to devote ourselves without reserve to
proclaiming His name
throughout America, bringing it freely and enthusiastically to the hearts of
all its inhabitants. ... For this reason we ought to take up this commitment,
... encouraging priests, deacons and consecrated men and women and pastoral
agents to purify and
strengthen their interior lives ever more fully through a sincere relationship
with the Lord and a worthy and frequent reception of the sacraments. This will
be encouraged by suitable catechesis and a correct and ongoing doctrinal
formation ma
rked
by complete fidelity to the Word of God and the Church's Magisterium and aimed
at offering a response to the deepest questions and aspirations of the human
heart. ... A renewed missionary spirit and zealous generosity in your
commitment will be an
irreplaceable contribution to what the universal Church expects and needs from
the Church in America", concluded the Pope.
___________________________________________________________
ANGELUS: THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
Vatican City, 9 December 2012 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI appeared
at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus
with the faithful and pilgrims gathered below in St. Peter's Square. The Pope,
in the Gospel of
this second Sunday of Advent, commented on the figure of St. John the Baptist,
who is presented by all four Gospels at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, as
his precursor, while St. Luke offers us a posterior reading.
"John, as the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, both of priestly families, is
not only the last of the prophets, but also represents the whole priesthood of
the Old Covenant and therefore prepares mankind for the spiritual worship of
the New Covenant
inaugurated by Jesus", explained the Pope. "John the Baptist is defined as the
'voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight
his paths'. The voice proclaims the word, but in this case the Word of God
precedes, as it
comes to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness".
"Thus he plays an important role, but always in relation to Christ", said the
Pope, recalling the words of St. Augustine: 'John is the voice that passes
away, Christ is the eternal Word'. Our task today is to listen to that voice,
to give space to Jesus
and to welcome Him, the Word that saves us, into our hearts. In this time of
Advent, let us prepare to see, through the eyes of faith, God's salvation in
the humble stable in Bethlehem. In our consumerist society, where we seek joy
in material things,
the Baptist teaches us to live in an essential way, so that Christmas is not
only experienced externally as a superficial holiday, but rather as the feast
of the Son of God who came to bring peace, life and true joy to mankind".
___________________________________________________________
THE POWER OF GRACE IS STRONGER THAN EVIL
Vatican City, 8 December 2012 (VIS) - At 3.45 p.m., on the Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception, Benedict XVI made his way to Piazza di Spagna in Rome
for the traditional act of veneration of the image of the Virgin Mary on the
column situated in
front of the Embassy of Spain to the Holy See.
During his journey, the Holy Father stopped briefly at the Church of the Most
Holy Trinity, where he greeted the members of the Via Condotti Storeowners
Association. Once in the square, the Pope began by offering a prayer, followed
by a reading from the
Apocalypse of St. John, a homily and the offering of a floral tribute to the
image of the Virgin. In his address, the Pope reflected on the Gospel of this
solemnity, the Gospel of the Annunciation.
Benedict XVI began by explaining that the encounter between the angel and
Mary, the decisive moment in which God became Man, "was enveloped in a great
silence. ... That which is truly great often goes unnoticed and calm silence
is more fruitful than the
frenzy that characterises our cities, and which, in due proportion, was also
present in the important cities of those times, such as Jerusalem. All this
action prevents us from pausing, allowing ourselves to be calm and listening
to the silence in which
the Lord makes his discreet voice heard."
On the day of the Annunciation, Mary was "deep in thought and yet ready to
listen to God. There was no obstacle within her, no barrier, nothing that
would separate her from God. This is the meaning of her being without original
sin. Her relationship
with God is free from even the slightest rift; there is no separation, no
shadow of selfishness, but rather perfect harmony. Her little human heart was
perfectly 'centred' in the great heart of God. ... Coming here, before this
monument to Mary, in the
centre of Rome, reminds us first that the voice of God is not recognised amid
noise and turmoil; his plan for our life as individuals and as a society are
not visible on the surface; we need to descend to a deeper level where the
forces at work are not
economic or political but moral and spiritual. It is at this deeper level that
Mary invites us to enter into harmony with God's action."
Secondly, Mary Immaculate teaches us that "the salvation of the world is not
the work of man - of science, technology or ideology - but of Grace. ... Grace
means love in its purity and beauty. It is God Himself as revealed in the
salvific narrative of
the Bible and fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Mary is called the 'favoured one' and
this identity recalls to us God's primacy in our life and in the history of
the world. She reminds us that the power of God's love is stronger than evil,
and that it fills
the void that selfishness creates in the history of people, families, nations
and the world. Such emptiness can become a form of hell, where human life is
dragged to its lowest depths and towards emptiness, losing meaning and light.
The false remedies
the world offers to fill the void ... in fact widen the abyss. Only love can
save us from falling, but not merely any love. It must have the purity of
Grace, which God transforms and renews to fill intoxicated lungs with fresh,
clean a
ir and
new vital energy. Mary tells us that, however far a man may fall, he never
falls beyond the reach of God, who has descended even into hell. However far
astray our heart may be led, God is always 'greater than our heart'. The soft
breath of Grace can
disperse the darkest clouds, and make life beautiful and rich in meaning even
in the most inhumane situations."
Finally, Mary Immaculate speaks to us of joy, "the true joy that emanates from
a heart freed from sin. Sin carries a negative sadness that induces us to
close up. Grace brings true joy, which does not depend on possessing things,
but is rooted in the
innermost, deepest part of the self, and which nothing and no one can take
away. Even though some believe that Christianity is an obstacle to joy because
they see it as an ensemble of prohibitions and rules, it is essentially a
'Gospel', a 'good
tiding'. In fact, Christianity is the proclamation of the victory of Grace
over sin, of life over death. Even if it entails sacrifice and a discipline of
the mind, heart and behaviour, it is because in man we find the poisonous root
of selfishness that
causes harm to the self and to others. We must therefore learn to say 'no' to
the voice of selfishness and 'yes' to that of real love. Mary's joy is
complete because in her heart sin casts no shadow. This joy coincides with the
presence of
Jesus
in her life".
"In this time of Advent", the Pope concluded, "Mary Immaculate teaches us to
listen to the voice of God that speaks to us in silence; to welcome His Grace
that frees us from sin and selfishness, so that we may experience true joy".
___________________________________________________________
MARY IMMACULATE: THE CERTAINTY THAT GOD DOES NOT FAIL
Vatican City, 8 December 2012 (VIS) - In the Angelus of the Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception, Benedict XVI emphasised that Mary is Immaculate "by a
gratuitous gift of the Grace of God, which she accepted, however, with perfect
willingness and
cooperation. In this respect she is 'blessed' because she 'believed', because
of her firm faith in God".
The Holy Father continued, "Mary represents that 'remnant of Israel', the holy
root announced by the prophets. The promises of the Old Covenant are welcomed
in her. In Mary the Word of God is listened to, and finds acceptance, a
response; the Word finds
the 'yes' that allows it to take on flesh and to dwell among us. In Mary
humanity and history are truly open to God and accept his Grace, in readiness
to serve his will. Mary is the genuine expression of Grace. She is the new
Israel that the Scriptures
of the Old Testament describe with the symbol of the bride. ... The Fathers of
the Church developed this image and so the doctrine of the Immaculate was
born, first with reference to the Church as virgin-mother, and then to Mary".
"The light that emanates from the figure of Mary helps us also to understand
the true meaning of original sin. Indeed, in Mary the relationship with God,
that may be destroyed by sin, is completely alive and active. There is no
opposition within her
between God and her being; rather, there is full communion, full
understanding. There is a reciprocal 'yes', from God to her and from her to
God. ... She is full of His Grace and His love.
"In conclusion, the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary expresses
the certainty of faith that the promises of God are realised: that His
covenant does not fail, but has produced a holy root, from which has grown the
Fruit most blessed of all
the universe, Jesus the Saviour. Mary Immaculate demonstrates that Grace is
able to bring about a response, that God’s fidelity can generate a true
and good faith".
Following the recitation of the Angelus the Holy Father assured his closeness
to the people of the Philippines, recently struck by a violent hurricane. "I
pray for the victims, for their families and for the many displaced persons.
May faith and charity
provide the strength to face this difficult trial".
Finally, the Holy Father greeted the members of the Movement of Christian
Workers, and in particular the prayer group of the Dermopathic Institute of
the Immaculate (IDI-IRCCS) in Rome, which currently faces significant
challenges. "I hope that a
solution can be found to the difficulties experienced by many Catholic
institutions in the health sector", he concluded.
___________________________________________________________
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 10 December 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Msgr. Pio Vito Pinto, dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, as
president of the Court of Appeal of Vatican City State.
- Appointed Bishop Sebastiano Sanguinetti of Tempio-Ampurias, Italy, as
apostolic administrator "ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the diocese of Ozieri,
Italy. He accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese
presented by Bishop Sergio
Pintor, upon having reached the age limit.
___________________________________________________________
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_3n/T++VRf1JCs3wAcHODWw)
Content-type: text/html; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
VISnews121210
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE YEAR XXII - N° 224DATE 10-12-2012
Summary: - PROCLAIMING CHRIST IN AMERICA
TODAY - ANGELUS: THE
ESSENTIAL NATURE OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST - THE POWER OF GRACE IS
STRONGER THAN EVIL - MARY IMMACULATE: THE CERTAINTY THAT GOD DOES NOT
FAIL - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 10 December 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon the
International Congress "Ecclesia in America" on the Church in the American
continent was inaugurated with a Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's
Basilica. The congress was organised by
the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Knights of Columbus in
collaboration with the Institute for Guadalupan Studies, and will be inspired
by the work of the Synodal Assembly, convoked by Blessed John Paul II in
November and December 1987,
entitled "Encounter with the living Jesus Christ: The way to conversion,
communion and solidarity in America".
The Holy Father, who arrived at the Basilica at 7 p.m., greeted the
participants, first recalling that "Blessed John Paul II had the foresight and
intuition to improve the relationships of cooperation between the particular
Churches throughout North,
Central and South America, at the same time facilitating greater solidarity
among the nations of the continent. Today these themes merit review in order
to put Christ's redeeming message into practice with greater diligence, in the
hope of reaping
abundant rewards of sanctity and ecclesial renewal. The theme that guided the
reflections of the Synodal Assembly can also serve as an inspiration for your
work during these days. ... In effect, Jesus Christ's love and the power of
His grace must take
root ever more intensely in the hearts of the people, families and Christian
communities of your nations, to allow them to progress with dynamism along the
paths of harmony and fair progress".
The Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in America" focuses on "current
challenges and difficulties which present specific and complex c
aracteristics. Indeed, secularism and various religious groups are spreading
throughout the continent, giving rise to
numerous problems. Education and the promotion of a culture of life are
matters of fundamental urgency in view of a widespread mentality that tends to
attack the dignity of the person and damage the institution of marriage and
family. How can one fail
to be concerned about painful situations of emigration, displacement or
violence, especially when linked to organised crime, narcotrafficking,
corruption and arms dealing? And how should we face the painful inequalities
and areas of poverty caused by
questionable economic, political and social measures?"
The Pope emphasised that all these important questions require careful
study, "yet in addition to their technical evaluation, the Catholic Church is
convinced that the light for an adequate solution can only come from the
encounter with the living
Christ, which gives rise to attitudes and ways of acting based on love and
truth. This is the decisive force which will transform the American continent.
... The love of Christ impels us to devote ourselves without reserve to
proclaiming His name
throughout America, bringing it freely and enthusiastically to the hearts of
all its inhabitants. ... For this reason we ought to take up this commitment,
... encouraging priests, deacons and consecrated men and women and pastoral
agents to purify and
strengthen their interior lives ever more fully through a sincere relationship
with the Lord and a worthy and frequent reception of the sacraments. This will
be encouraged by suitable catechesis and a correct and ongoing doctrinal
formation marked by complete fidelity to the Word of God and the Church's
Magisterium and aimed at offering a response to the deepest questions and
aspirations of the human heart. ... A renewed missionary spirit and zealous
generosity in your commitment
will be an irreplaceable contribution to what the universal Church expects and
needs from the Church in America", concluded the Pope.
ANGELUS: THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
Vatican City, 9 December 2012 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI
appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to pray
the Angelus with the faithful and pilgrims gathered below in St. Peter's
Square. The Pope, in the Gospel
of this second Sunday of Advent, commented on the figure of St. John the
Baptist, who is presented by all four Gospels at the beginning of Jesus'
ministry, as his precursor, while St. Luke offers us a posterior reading.
"John, as the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, both of priestly families, is
not only the last of the prophets, but also represents the whole priesthood of
the Old Covenant and therefore prepares mankind for the spiritual worship of
the New Covenant
inaugurated by Jesus", explained the Pope. "John the Baptist is defined as the
'voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight
his paths'. The voice proclaims the word, but in this case the Word of God
precedes, as it
comes to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness".
"Thus he plays an important role, but always in relation to Christ", said
the Pope, recalling the words of St. Augustine: 'John is the voice that passes
away, Christ is the eternal Word'. Our task today is to listen to that voice,
to give space to
Jesus and to welcome Him, the Word that saves us, into our hearts. In this
time of Advent, let us prepare to see, through the eyes of faith, God's
salvation in the humble stable in Bethlehem. In our consumerist society, where
we seek joy in material
things, the Baptist teaches us to live in an essential way, so that Christmas
is not only experienced externally as a superficial holiday, but rather as the
feast of the Son of God who came to bring peace, life and true joy to
mankind".
Vatican City, 8 December 2012 (VIS) - At 3.45 p.m., on the Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception, Benedict XVI made his way to Piazza di Spagna in Rome
for the traditional act of veneration of the image of the Virgin Mary on the
column situated in
front of the Embassy of Spain to the Holy See.
During his journey, the Holy Father stopped briefly at the Church of the
Most Holy Trinity, where he greeted the members of the Via Condotti
Storeowners Association. Once in the square, the Pope began by offering a
prayer, followed by a reading from
the Apocalypse of St. John, a homily and the offering of a floral tribute to
the image of the Virgin. In his address, the Pope reflected on the Gospel of
this solemnity, the Gospel of the Annunciation.
Benedict XVI began by explaining that the encounter between the angel and
Mary, the decisive moment in which God became Man, "was enveloped in a great
silence. ... That which is truly great often goes unnoticed and calm silence
is more fruitful than
the frenzy that characterises our cities, and which, in due proportion, was
also present in the important cities of those times, such as Jerusalem. All
this action prevents us from pausing, allowing ourselves to be calm and
listening to the silence in
which the Lord makes his discreet voice heard."
On the day of the Annunciation, Mary was "deep in thought and yet ready to
listen to God. There was no obstacle within her, no barrier, nothing that
would separate her from God. This is the meaning of her being without original
sin. Her relationship
with God is free from even the slightest rift; there is no separation, no
shadow of selfishness, but rather perfect harmony. Her little human heart was
perfectly 'centred' in the great heart of God. ... Coming here, before this
monument to Mary, in the
centre of Rome, reminds us first that the voice of God is not recognised amid
noise and turmoil; his plan for our life as individuals and as a society are
not visible on the surface; we need to descend to a deeper level where the
forces at work are not
--- NetMgr/2 1.0y+
* Origin: NetMgr+ @ Sursum Corda! BBS Meridian MS USA (1:396/45)
