simplicity the encounter between the Old and New Testaments", explained the
Pope to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus. "The
two women, both expectant mothers, incarnate both expectation and the expected
One. The older
Elizabeth symbolises Israel, whereas the younger Mary carries within her the
fulfilment of expectation, to the benefit of all humanity".
"Elizabeth, welcoming Mary, recognises that God's promise to humanity is being
realised and exclaims: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the
fruit of your womb! How is it that the
Subject: VISnews121228
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
mother of my Lord should come to me?”. John's leap
for joy recalls David's dance when he accompanied the entrance of the Ark of
the Covenant into Jerusalem. The soon-to-be-born John exults with joy before
Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant, who bears Jesus in her womb, the Son of God
made man.
"The scene of the Visitation also expresses the beauty of hospitality: where
there is mutual welcome, listening, accommodating the other, there we find God
and the joy that emanates from him. Let us imitate Mary during the Christmas
season, visiting
those who are in difficulty, especially the sick, prisoners, the elderly and
children. And let us also imitate Elizabeth who welcomes the guest as if he
were God Himself: unless we wish for the Lord we will never know Him; unless
we expect Him, we will
never meet Him, unless we seek Him, we will never find Him. With the same joy
as Mary, who hastens to Elizabeth, we too must approach the Lord, who in turn
comes to us. Let us pray that all men seek God, and in doing so discover that
it is God Himself
who comes first to us", concluded the Holy Father.
___________________________________________________________
NOTICE
Vatican City, 28 December 2012 (VIS) - The staff of the Vatican Information
Service wishes all its readers a Happy New Year. The next VIS bulletin will be
transmitted on Wednesday 2 January 2013.
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VISnews121228
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE YEAR XXII - N° 235DATE 28-12-2012
Summary: - PAPAL AND HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS
FOR SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER
2012 - BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR JANUARY 2013 - ST.
STEPHEN, MODEL OF NEW EVANGELISATION - CHRISTMAS MESSAGE: MAY PEACE
SPRING FROM THE EARTH - MIDNIGHT MASS: MAY GOD GRANT US THE CURIOSITY TO
KNOW HIM - OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS - THE VISITATION REPRESENTS THE BEAUTY OF HOSPITALITY - NOTICE
PAPAL AND HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS FOR SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2012
Vatican City, 28 December 2012 (VIS) - The following are highlights of the
activities of Pope Benedict XVI and of the Holy See for the months of
September to December 2012.
SEPTEMBER
4: Message from the Holy Father for the funeral of Cardinal Carlo Maria
Martini, S.J., archbishop emeritus of Milan, Italy, who died on 31 August at
the age of 85.
10: The Holy Father receives the second group of bishops from the Episcopal
Conference of Colombia, at the end of their five-yearly "ad limina" visit.
14-16: Apostolic Visit to Lebanon.
14: Publication of Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of the Special
Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, "Ecclesia in Medio
Oriente" in Beirut, Lebanon.
18: The Holy Father appoints the Synod Fathers for the Thirteenth Ordinary
General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which takes place from 7 to 28
October on the theme "The new evangelisation for the transmission of the
Christian faith".
20: Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, penitentiary major emeritus of the
Apostolic Penitentiary, dies at the age of 77.
21: The Holy Father receives prelates from the Episcopal Conference of
France on their "ad limina" visit.
25: "God, the unknown. Dialogue between believers and non-believers" is the
theme of the "Atrium of St. Francis", an initiative organised by the
Pontifical Council for Culture, the Holy Convent of Assisi and the "Oicos
Riflessioni" Association.
OCTOBER
4: Pastoral visit to Loreto, Italy, to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary
of the Blessed Pope John XXIII's pilgrimage to the Marian city.
5: By a decree made public today and signed by Cardinal Manuel Monteiro de
Castro and Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, respectively penitentiary major and regent
of the Apostolic Penitentiary, Benedict XVI grants faithful Plenary Indulgence
for the occasion
of the Year of Faith. The indulgence will be valid from the opening of the
Year on 11 October 2012 until its end on 24 November 2013.
7-28: Thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, on the
theme: "The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian
faith".
8: Benedict XVI proclaims St. John of Avila and St. Hildegard of Bingen as
Doctors of the Universal Church and presides at the Eucharistic celebration
during which he inaugurates the thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the
Synod of Bishops.
8: Cardinal Lucian Muresan, major archbishop of Fagaras and Alba Julia of
the Romanians, Romania, takes possession of the title of Sant'Atanasio, Via
del Babuino 149, Rome.
10: In the general audiences, an Arabic speaker joins the other speakers
providing a summary of the papal catechesis in various different languages.
11: Beginning of the Year of Faith.
14: Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan, archbishop of New York, takes
possession of the title of Nostra Signora di Guadalupe a Monte Mario, Piazza
Nostra Signora di Guadalupe 12, Rome.
14: Cardinal George Alencherry, major archbishop of Ernakulam Angamaly of
the Syro-Malabars, takes possession of the title of San Bernardo alle Terme,
Via Torino 94, Rome.
18: Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States,
receives the Letters of Credence of Carl-Henri Guiteau, ambassador of Haiti to
the Holy See.
20: Cardinal Julien Ries takes possession of the diaconate of
Sant’Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia, Circonvallazione Appia
150, Rome.
20: The "Ratzinger Prize" is conferred upon historian and philosopher Remi
Brague, and scholar of patrology and theology Fr. Brian Edward Daley S.J.
21: Papal Mass for the canonisation of seven new saints: Jacques Berthieu,
martyr and priest of the Society of Jesus (1838-1896); Pedro Calungsod, lay
catechist and martyr (1654-1672); Giovanni Battista Piamarta, priest and
founder of the
Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth and of the Congregation of the
Humble Sister Servants of the Lord (1841-1913); Maria del Carmen (born Maria
Salles y Barangueras), foundress of the Conceptionist Missionary Sisters of
Teaching (1848-1911);
Marianne Cope, nee Barbara, religious of the Sisters of the Third Order of St.
Francis in Syracuse U.S.A. (1838-1918); Kateri Tekakwitha, laywoman
(1656-1680), and Anna Schaeffer, laywoman (1882-1925).
23: Cardinal Thomas Christopher Collins, archbishop of Toronto, Canada,
takes possession of the title of San Patrizio, Via Boncompagni 31, Rome.
25: Cardinal Edwin Frederick O'Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order
of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, takes possession of the
diaconate of San Sebastiano al Palatino, Via di San Bonaventura, Rome.
29: Pope's Message for the ninety-ninth World Day of Migrants and Refugees
(13 January 2013) on the theme: "Migrations: Pilgrimage of Faith and Hope".
31: The Holy Father presides at the first Vespers of the Solemnity of All
Saints in the Sistine Chapel to commemorate the five-hundredth anniversary of
the unveiling of the ceiling frescoes painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and
1512.
NOVEMBER
10: By the Motu Proprio "Latina lingua" Benedict XVI establishes the
Pontifical Academy for Latin, under the auspices of the Pontifical Council for
Culture.
12: The Holy Father visits the Sant Egidio Community's "Viva gli Anziani"
rest home for the elderly in Rome, to mark the occasion of the European Year
for Active Ageing and Solidarity Among Generations.
16: Holy Father's Message for the 28th World Youth Day 2013, which will
take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in July 2013, with the title "Go and
make disciples of all nations!"
17: Pope's address to prelates from the Episcopal Conference of France on
their "ad limina" visit.
20: Presentation to the international press of the book "The Infancy
Narratives", third volume of Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI's "Jesus of
Nazareth" trilogy.
24: Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of six new cardinals.
30: Pope's address to the third group of prelates from the Episcopal
Conference of France on their "ad limina" visit.
DECEMBER
1: Publication of Benedict XVI's Apostolic Letter issued "motu proprio" on
"The Service of Charity", dated 11 November 2012.
9: Inauguration of the International Congress "Ecclesia in America" on the
Church in the American continent with a Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's
Basilica.
12: The Pope enters Twitter with a blessing.
13: Audience with six new ambassadors and non-resident ambassadors
accredited to the Holy See: Bizwayo Newton Nkunika of Zambia, Chalermpol
Thanchitt of Thailand, Ravinatha Pandukabhaya Aryasinha of Sri Lanka, Wafic
Rida Said of St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Aminatou Batoure Gaoh of Niger and Ibrahima Sory Sow of Guinea.
16: Third Sunday of Advent "Gaudete", pastoral visit to the Roman parish of
San Patrizio al Colle Prenestino, celebration of the Eucharist at 9.30 a.m.
17: The Holy Father receives in audience Mahmoud Abbas, president of the
Palestinian Authority.
17: The Holy See and the Republic of China complete the necessary
procedures to allow the entry in force of the Agreement between the
Congregation for Catholic Education and the Ministry of Education of the
Republic of China on collaboration in the
field of higher education and on the recognition of studies, qualifications,
diplomas and degrees.
Vatican City, 28 December 2012 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer
intention for January 2013 is: "That in this Year of Faith Christians may
deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the
gift of faith in him".
His mission intention is: "That the Christian communities of the Middle
East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the
strength of fidelity and perseverance".
Vatican City, 26 December 2012 (VIS) - At midday today, Feast of St.
Stephen the Deacon and Protomartyr, the Holy Father appeared at the window of
his study to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered below in St. Peter's
Square.
The Pope explained that in the Acts of the Apostles St. Stephen is
portrayed as a "man filled with grace and the Holy Spirit; in him we find the
fulfilment of Jesus' promise ... that the believers called to bear witness in
difficult and dangerous
circumstances will not be abandoned or left defenceless: the Spirit of God
will speak within them. Indeed, the deacon Stephen was inspired by the Holy
Spirit as he worked, spoke and died, bearing witness to the love of Christ
even to the point of the
most extreme sacrifice... Filled with the Holy Spirit, just before his eyes
were dimmed forever, he turned his gaze upon 'Jesus standing at the right side
of God', the Lord of all, who draws all to Him ... Allowing ourselves to be
drawn to Christ, like
St. Stephen, means opening our lives to the light that calls, guides and makes
us follow the path of good, the path of humanity according to God’s
loving plan".
St. Stephen is, furthermore, "a model for all those who wish to serve the
new evangelisation", continued the Holy Father. "He demonstrates that the
newness of proclamation does not consist primarily in the use of original
methods or techniques,
although these are certainly useful, but rather relies on the presence of the
Holy Spirit in our lives, and on allowing ourselves to be guided by Him. The
newness of proclamation resides in profound immersion in the mystery of
Christ, in the
assimilation of His Word and His presence in the Eucharist, so that He, the
living Christ, might speak and act through His envoy. In essence, the
evangeliser becomes capable of effectively bringing Christ to others when he
lives the life of Christ, when
the newness of the Gospel is made manifest in his own life. We pray to the
Virgin Mary that the Church, in this Year of Faith, might see more men and
women who, like St. Stephen, are able to bear convinced and courageous witness
to
the Lord Jesus".
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE: MAY PEACE SPRING FROM THE EARTH
Vatican City, 25 December 2012 (VIS) - At midday today, Solemnity of the
Nativity of the Lord, the Pope pronounced his traditional Christmas Message
from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica, and imparted the 'Urbi et
Orbi' blessing.
"In this Year of Faith, I express my Christmas greetings and good wishes in
these words taken from one of the Psalms: 'Truth shall spring out of the
earth'", said the Holy Father in his message. "Today these prophetic words
have been fulfilled! In
Jesus, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary, kindness and truth do indeed
meet; justice and peace have kissed; truth has sprung out of the earth and
justice has looked down from heaven. Saint Augustine explains with admirable
brevity: ... 'The Truth
which heaven cannot contain has sprung out of the earth, to be laid in a
manger. For whose benefit did so lofty a God become so lowly? Certainly not
for his own, but for our great benefit, if we believe'.
"'If we believe'. Here we see the power of faith! God has done everything;
He has done the impossible: He was made flesh. His all-powerful love has
accomplished something which surpasses all human understanding: ... And yet,
this same God cannot
enter my heart unless I open the door to Him.
"Porta fidei! The door of faith! We could be frightened by this, our
inverse omnipotence. This human ability to be closed to God can make us
fearful. But see the reality which chases away this gloomy thought, the hope
that conquers fear: truth has
sprung up! God is born! ... In this world there is a good soil which God has
prepared, that He might come to dwell among us. ... This good earth exists,
and today too, in 2012, from this earth truth has sprung up! Consequently,
there is hope in the
world, a hope in which we can trust, even at the most difficult times and in
the most difficult situations. Truth has sprung up, bringing kindness, justice
and peace.
"Yes, may peace spring up for the people of Syria, deeply wounded and
divided by a conflict which does not spare even the defenceless and reaps
innocent victims. Once again I appeal for an end to the bloodshed, easier
access for the relief of
refugees and the displaced, and dialogue in the pursuit of a political
solution to the conflict.
"May peace spring up in the Land where the Redeemer was born, and may He
grant Israelis and Palestinians courage to end to long years of conflict and
division, and to embark resolutely on the path of negotiation.
"In the countries of North Africa, which are experiencing a major
transition in pursuit of a new future – and especially the beloved land
of Egypt, blessed by the childhood of Jesus – may citizens work together
to build societies founded
on justice and respect for the freedom and dignity of every person.
"May peace spring up on the vast continent of Asia. May the Child Jesus
look graciously on the many peoples who dwell in those lands and, in a special
way, upon all those who believe in Him. May the King of Peace turn His gaze to
the new leaders of
the People’s Republic of China for the high task which awaits them. I
express my hope that, in fulfilling this task, they will esteem the
contribution of the religions, in respect for each, in such a way that they
can help to build a fraternal
society for the benefit of that noble People and of the whole world.
"May the Birth of Christ favour the return of peace in Mali and concord in
Nigeria, where savage acts of terrorism continue to reap victims, particularly
among Christians. May the Redeemer bring help and comfort to the refugees from
the east of the
Democratic Republic of Congo, and grant peace to Kenya, where brutal attacks
have struck the civilian population and places of worship.
"May the Child Jesus bless the great numbers of the faithful who celebrate
Him in Latin America. May He increase their human and Christian virtues,
sustain all those forced to leave behind their families and their land, and
confirm government leaders
in their commitment to development and fighting crime.
"Dear brothers and sisters! Kindness and truth, justice and peace have met;
they have become incarnate in the child born of Mary in Bethlehem. That child
is the Son of God; He is God appearing in history. His birth is a flowering of
new life for all
humanity. May every land become a good earth which receives and brings forth
kindness and truth, justice and peace. Happy Christmas to all of you!"
Following his Message, the Pope extended Christmas greetings in sixty-five
languages and imparted his blessing "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the
world).
MIDNIGHT MASS: MAY GOD GRANT US THE CURIOSITY TO KNOW HIM
Vatican City, 24 December 2012 (VIS) - The Pope tonight celebrated Midnight
Mass in the Vatican Basilica for the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord.
During the Eucharistic celebration, following the reading of the Gospel,
the Holy Father delivered his homily, ample extracts from which are given
below:
"Again and again it astonishes us that God makes Himself a child so that we
may love Him, so that we may dare to love Him, and as a child trustingly lets
Himself be taken into our arms. It is as if God were saying: I know that my
glory frightens you,
and that you are trying to assert yourself in the face of my grandeur. So now
I am coming to you as a child, so that you can accept me and love me.
"I am also repeatedly struck by the Gospel writer’s almost casual
remark that there was no room for them at the inn. Inevitably the question
arises, what would happen if Mary and Joseph were to knock at my door. Would
there be room for them?
And then it occurs to us that Saint John takes up this seemingly chance
comment about the lack of room at the inn, which drove the Holy Family into
the stable; he explores it more deeply and arrives at the heart of the matter
when he writes: 'he came to
his own home, and his own people received him not'. The great moral question
of our attitude towards the homeless, towards refugees and migrants, takes on
a deeper dimension: ... Does God actually have a place in our thinking? Our
process of thinking is
structured in such a way that He simply ought not to exist. Even if He seems
to knock at the door of our thinking, He has to be explained away. If thinking
is to be taken seriously, it must be structured in such a
way that the 'God hypothesis' becomes superfluous. ... We are so 'full' of
ourselves that there is no room left for God.
"And that means there is no room for others either, for children, for the
poor, for the stranger. By reflecting on that one simple saying about the lack
of room at the inn, we have come to see how much we need to listen to Saint
Paul's exhortation:
'Be transformed by the renewal of your mind'. Paul speaks of ... the whole way
we view the world and ourselves. The conversion that we need must truly reach
into the depths of our relationship with reality. Let us ask the Lord ... that
we may that we
may hear how ... He knocks at the door of our being and willing. Let us ask
that we may make room for Him within ourselves, that we may recognise Him also
in those through whom He speaks to us: children, the suffering, the abandoned,
those who are
excluded and the poor of this world.
"There is another verse from the Christmas story on which I should like to
reflect with you – the angels' hymn of praise, which they sing out
following the announcement of the new-born Saviour: 'Glory to God in the
highest and on earth peace
among men with whom He is pleased.' God is glorious ... the radiance of truth
and love. ... He is ... goodness par excellence. The angels surrounding Him
begin by simply proclaiming the joy of seeing God's glory. ... There is no
question of attempting
to understand the meaning of it all, but simply the overflowing happiness of
seeing the pure splendour of God's truth and love. We want to let this joy
reach out and touch us: truth exists, pure goodness exists, pure light exists.
God is good, and He is
the supreme power above all powers. All this should simply make us joyful
tonight, together with the angels and the shepherds.
"Linked to God's glory on high is peace on earth among men. Where God is
not glorified, where He is forgotten or even denied, there is no peace either.
Nowadays, though, widespread currents of thought assert the exact opposite:
they say that
religions, especially monotheism, are the cause of the violence and the wars
in the world. If there is to be peace, humanity must first be liberated from
them. Monotheism, belief in one God, is said to be arrogance, a cause of
intolerance, because by
its nature, with its claim to possess the sole truth, it seeks to impose
itself on everyone.
"Now it is true that in the course of history, monotheism has served as a
pretext for intolerance and violence. It is true that religion can become
corrupted and hence opposed to its deepest essence, when people think they
have to take God's cause
into their own hands, making God into their private property. We must be on
the lookout for these distortions of the sacred. While there is no denying a
certain misuse of religion in history, it is not true that denial of God would
lead to peace. If
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* Origin: NetMgr+ @ Sursum Corda! BBS Meridian MS USA (1:396/45)
