(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has appealed for peace and reconciliation in Niger. Speaking on Wednesday at the weekly General Audience, the Pope explicitly referred to brutalities perpetrated against Christians, children and Churches. He invited those present to join him in praying for the victims of recent violence in Niger. Let us invoke the Lord –…
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(Vatican Radio) The Holy See on Wednesday announced the names of the members of the Special College for the Examination of Appeals to the Ordinary Session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which shall be charged with hearing the cases of high-ranking clerics charged with the most serious crimes ( delicta graviora ), specifically: the sexual abuse of minors, and certain serious abuses associated with the Sacrament of Penance. The Holy Father announced the creation of the College in a rescript in November, 2014 .
The College is composed of the following members:
President:
His Excellency, Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna, Auxiliary of Malta.
Members:
His Eminence Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education;
His Eminence Cardinal Attilio Nicora, Papal Legate for the Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Mary of the Angels in Assisi, President-emeritus of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See and the Financial Information Authority of the Holy See;
His Eminence Cardinal Francis Coccopalmerio, President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts;
His Eminence Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, President of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See;
His Excellency Archbishop José Luis Mollaghan, Archbishop-emeritus of Rosario;
His Excellency Archbishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.
Alternate members:
His Eminence Cardinal Julian Herranz, President-emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts;
His Excellency Bishop Giorgio Corbellini, President of the Labour Office of the Apostolic See and the Disciplinary Commission of the Roman Curia.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Vatican City, 21 January 2015 (VIS) – Before proceeding to the Paul VI Hall for this morning’s Wednesday general audience, the Holy Father, following a centuries-long tradition, blessed two lambs in the hall of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, whose wool will be used to weave the pallia imposed on the new archbishops on 29 June, on the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.
During today’s audience, Pope Francis gave an account of his apostolic trip to Sri Lanka and the Philippines. “I will always keep in my heart the recollection of the joyful welcome I received from the crowds”, he confessed. The culmination of his stay in Sri Lanka, he said, was the canonisation of St. Joseph Vaz. “His example of holiness and love for his neighbour continues to inspire the Church in Sri Lanka in her apostolate of charity and education”, he said, adding that the new saint represented “a model for all Christians, who are called upon today to offer the salvific truth of the Gospel in a multi-religious context. With regard to the meeting with the governmental authorities, he emphasised the importance of dialogue, respect for human dignity and efforts to involve all in finding suitable solutions for reconciliation and the common good.
He also spoke about his encounter with religious leaders, which confirmed the good relations that exist between the various communities. “In this context, I wanted to encourage the cooperation that has already been initiated between the followers of different religious traditions, also in order to heal with the balsam of forgiveness those who are still afflicted by the sufferings of recent years”.
In the Philippines, he noted “the constant fruitfulness of the Gospel and its capacity to inspire a society worthy of mankind, in which there is a place for the dignity of each person and the aspirations of the Filipino population”. He explained that the main aim of his visit was to express his closeness to those brothers and sisters who had suffered as a result of the devastation wrought by typhoon Yolanda. “The power of God’s love, revealed in the mystery of the Cross, was made evident in the spirit of solidarity shown by the many acts of charity and sacrifice that marked those days of darkness”. He also mentioned the young volunteer Kristel, killed following his visit to Tacloban by collapsing scaffolding due to extreme weather conditions.
Francis went on to speak about his encounter with families in Manila. “I have heard it said that families with many children and high birth rates are among the causes of poverty. It seems to me a simplistic opinion. I can say that the main cause of poverty is an economic system that has removed the person from the centre and replaced him with the god of money; an economic system that excludes and creates the throwaway culture in which we live. … It is necessary to protect families, which face various threats, so that they can bear witness to the beauty of the family in God’s plan”.
Finally, he spokes about his meeting with the young. “I wanted to offer them my encouragement for their efforts in contributing to the renewal of society, especially through their service to the poor and the protection of the natural environment. Care for the poor is an essential element of our Christian life and witness – because corruption steals from the poor – and requires a culture of honesty”, he concluded….
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday thanked the Lord for his just-ended pastoral visit to Sri Lanka and Philippines.
Speaking to pilgrims gathered in the Paul VI Hall because of the rain, the Pope recalled his journey last week mentioning the wealth of cultural and spiritual traditions of the Asian continent.
He described his visit as a joy-filled encounter with the Catholic communities in the nations he visited and spoke of the occasion he had to encourage inter-religious dialogue a the service of peace, unity and social development.
Highlighting some of the salient moments of his journey, the Pope said that in Sri Lanka he canonized Saint Joseph Vaz: “ a great missionary whose example of charity continues to inspire the faithful in their service to the poor and in respectful relations with the followers of other religions”.
And mentioning that Sri Lanka still suffers the effects of a prolonged civil conflict, Pope Francis said that during his meeting with religious leaders he asked that “we work together as agents of healing, peace and reconciliation.”
His main reason for visiting the Philippines, the Pope said, was “to be close to our brothers and sisters who were affected by the devastation of the Typhoon Yolanda”.
In Tacloban, “the region hardest hit by the typhoon, I paid tribute to the faith and to the capacity to rebuild of the local population” he said.
And he did not neglect to remember the young woman, Kristel, who was killed in an accident at the site of the Mass in Tacloban.
In Manila, he said, “I asked families to cherish and protect the family in its fundamental role in society and in God’s plan”.
He said that it was a reason for consolation and hope to see so many numerous families who welcome each child as a gift of God: “they know that every child is a blessing”.
And commenting on the fact that some affirm that having too many children can be a cause of poverty, Pope Francis said “we can all say that the main cause of poverty is an economic system that, at its center, has replaced man with the god of money”.
“An economic system that excludes children, the elderly and young people who cannot find work, creates the throwaway culture that we live in today” he said.
“We have become used to seeing people who have been discarded. This is the main reason for poverty, and not numerous families” he said.
And Pope Francis mentioned his meeting in Manila with young people during which he challenged them to build a society of integrity and compassion for the poor.
Compassion for the poor, he said, also implies “the rejection of all forms of corruption because corruption steals from the poor” he said.
Concluding Pope Francis said he urged the Filipino to persevere in their precious witness to the Gospel on the great continent of Asia.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday thanked the Lord for his just-ended pastoral visit to Sri Lanka and Philippines. Speaking to pilgrims gathered in the Paul VI Hall because of the rain, the Pope recalled his journey last week mentioning the wealth of cultural and spiritual traditions of the Asian continent. He described his visit…
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