(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the Prime Minister of Grenada, Keith Mitchell, Thursday morning in the Vatican. Mr. Mitchell subsequently met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States. A communiqué issued by the Holy See Press Office stated that “In the course of the cordial…
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(Vatican Radio) Every Christian is called to work for the unity of the Church, allowing ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit who creates unity in diversity, said Pope Francis at Mass Friday morning at Casa Santa Marta.
Pope Francis based his homily on the First Reading from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, in which the Apostle – a prisoner for the Lord – urges the community to live in a manner worthy of the call they have received, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit. “Building the unity of the Church – said the Pope – is the work of the Church and of every Christian throughout history”.
Pope Francis noted that when the Apostle Peter “speaks of the Church, he speaks of a temple made of living stones , that is us”. The Pope warned that the opposite to this is “that other temple of pride, which was the Tower of Babel”. The first temple “brings unity”, the second “is the symbol of disunity, lack of understanding, the diversity of languages”.
“Building the unity of the Church, building the Church, this temple, this unity of the Church: this is the task of every Christian, every one of us. When constructing a temple or a building, the first thing ones does is find suitable land. Then one lays the cornerstone, the Bible says. And the cornerstone of the unity of the Church, or rather the cornerstone of the Church, is Jesus and the cornerstone of the unity of the Church is Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper: ‘Father, that they may be one!’. And this is its strength!”.
Pope Francis continued that Jesus is “the rock on which we build unity in the Church”, “without this stone, all else is impossible. There is no unity without Jesus Christ at the basis: He is our certainty”. The Pope then asked, who “builds this unity?”: “It is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the only one capable of building the unity of the Church. And that is why Jesus sent him: to make the Church grow, to make it strong, to make it one”. The Spirit builds “the unity of the Church” in the “diversity of nations, cultures, and people.”
Again Pope Francis posed a question: How is “this temple built?”. Speaking on this topic, the Apostle Peter said “that we were living stones in this building”. Saint Paul on the other hand “advises us not to be stones, to be weak bricks”. The advice of the Apostle to the Gentiles in building this unity is “weak advice, according to human thought”.
“Humility , gentleness, magnanimity: These are weak things, because the humble person appears good for nothing; gentleness, meekness appear useless; generosity, being open to all, having a big heart … And then he says more: Bearing with one another through love . Bearing with one another through love , having what at heart? Preserving unity. The weaker we are with these virtues of humility, generosity, gentleness, meekness, the stronger we become as stones in this Temple “.
Pope Francis continued this is “the same path as Jesus” who “became weak” to death on the Cross “and then became strong!”. We too, should do as much: “Pride, self-sufficiency are useless”. When you construct a building, “the architect has to draw up plans. And what is the ground plan for the unity of the Church?”.
” The hope to which we have been called: the hope of journeying towards the Lord, the hope of living in a living Church, made of living stones, with the power of the Holy Spirit. Only in the ground plan of hope can we move forward in the unity of the Church. We have been called to a great hope. Let’s go there! But with the strength that Jesus prayer’ for unity gives us; with docility to the Holy Spirit, who is capable of making living stones from bricks; and with the hope of finding the Lord who has called us, to encounter Him in the fullness of time”.
(from Vatican Radio)…
The 3rd Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, took place here in the Vatican, Oct. 5 to 19, on the theme, “Pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization”. Half-way through the 2-week meeting, the synod on Oct. 13, came out with a mid-term report called the ‘Relatio post disceptationem, or ‘report after discussions’, summarizing the first 5 days of the synod. It was the first time that a synod report was released to the public. And soon news reports spread like wild fire that the Synod of Bishops in unexpected conciliatory language has called for greater acceptance and appreciation of divorced and remarried Catholics, cohabitating couples and homosexuals. The twist given to the some of the texts of the Relatio, caused surprise, alarm and disappointment among many a synod father. However, at midday on Oct.18, the last working day of the synod, a press briefing was held in the Vatican before that day’s voting on the revised final synod report. Holy See’s spokesman Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi, presented to reporters three synod fathers: Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Brazilian Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis and Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. All the three cardinals first expressed their views on the synod on the family, including Cardinal Gracias. Listen:
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) If the international community is serious about eradicating extreme poverty then it cannot rely on “one-size-fits-all solutions”. Moreover, it’s not just a question of “increasing the amount of money a day a person lives on”. In the long term it’s a question of eradicating inequality.
This was the message at the heart of the Holy See’s address to the United Nations in New York on the issues of eradicating extreme poverty.
Delivering the intervention, the Vatican’s Permanent Observer to the UN, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, said “countries should develop evidence-based policies and strategies to combat extreme poverty, rather than relying on pre-conceived one-size-fits-all solutions”
He noted that “the ever-increasing economic inequality excludes and leaves behind large segments of populations, because the affluent become more affluent by gaining most of the development benefits”.
Abp. Auza said “reports show that, in many parts of the world, women and children form the majority of the poor and are affected by the burden of poverty in very specific ways”.
He continued that this “often compounds an already unacceptable gap between men and women, between boys and girls in terms of access to basic services and education and in terms of the exercise of basic human rights”.
The Archbishop concluded that the global fight to eradicate extreme poverty “should be inspired and guided by ground-based policies rather than ideology, by inclusion rather than exclusion, by solidarity rather than survival of the fittest”.
Below please find the full text of Abp.Auza’s address
Mr. Chair,
As we come closer to the completion of the Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2008-2017), my delegation believes that bold commitments like the Millennium Development Goals, the new Sustainable Development Goals and the Post-2015 Development Agenda are important tools to shape development strategies, marshal resources, coordinate efforts, monitor implementation and measure results.
My delegation believes that countries should develop evidence-based policies and strategies to combat extreme poverty, rather than relying on pre-conceived one-size-fits-all solutions. Analyses and suggested solutions need to be based on on-the-ground expertise and lived experience, rather than on imposed ready-made solutions from the outside, which are not always devoid of ideological colorings.
In other words, my delegation believes that our fight to eradicate extreme poverty should be inspired and guided by ground-based policies rather than ideology, by inclusion rather than exclusion, by solidarity rather than survival of the fittest. We have to question economic models that heighten exclusion and inequality, in particular those that cause an exponentially growing gap between the haves and the have-nots, those that exclude and marginalize masses of people without work, without possibilities, without any means of escape from poverty (cf. Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium n.53).
Mr. Chair,
My delegation believes that sustainable development requires the participation of all in the life of families, communities, organizations and societies. Participation is the antidote to exclusion, be it economic, social, political or cultural. Structures and practices that exclude and leave behind members of the human family will always be barriers to full human development. The ever-increasing economic inequality excludes and leaves behind large segments of populations, because the affluent become more affluent by gaining most of the development benefits. Concrete cases of poverty, especially extreme poverty, tell us that the rising tide does not always lift all boats; often it only lifts the yachts, keeps a few boats afloat, sweeps away many and sinks the rest. This cannot be the path to a life of dignity for all. This is not the future we want.
Another barrier to sustainable development is the exclusion of women from equal and active participation in the development of their communities. Excluding women and girls from education and subjecting them to violence and discrimination violate their inherent dignity and fundamental human rights. Reports show that, in many parts of the world, women and children form the majority of the poor and are affected by the burden of poverty in very specific ways. Poverty often compounds an already unacceptable gap between men and women, between boys and girls in terms of access to basic services and education and in terms of the exercise of basic human rights. The Holy See commends those countries where significant progress has been achieved in these areas, and respectfully invites those where this problem is not yet effectively addressed to do so as a matter of urgency.
Mr. Chair,
My delegation wishes to highlight that poverty is not mere exclusion from economic development; it is as multifaceted and multidimensional as the human person himself or herself. Other than its more obvious economic expression, poverty also manifests itself in the educational, social, political, cultural and spiritual dimensions of life. Individuals and communities experience these dimensions of poverty when they are excluded from or deprived of the social, cultural, political and spiritual benefits that should be accessible to all. While economic exclusion underpins in a large measure these other forms of exclusion and poverty, we cannot equate poverty with economic poverty alone, lest we fail to grasp the complexity of the realities of poverty and human development. We must thus resist the temptation to reduce poverty eradication to merely increasing the amount of money a day a person lives on. Development is more than the sum total of resources invested into development projects and their measurable material results; it includes as well those elements that, though at times intangible and imperceptible, also truly contribute to life-transforming and greater human flourishing.
In our efforts to eradicate poverty, we must always return to the foundational principle of our efforts, namely to promote the authentic development of the whole person and of all peoples. Each of us needs to contribute. Each of us can benefit. This is solidarity.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) If the international community is serious about eradicating extreme poverty then it cannot rely on “one-size-fits-all solutions”. Moreover, it’s not just a question of “increasing the amount of money a day a person lives on”. In the long term it’s a question of eradicating inequality. This was the message at the heart of…
Read more