(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a video message to the participants in India’s National Eucharistic Congress, taking place in Mumbai from November 12-15. In the message, Pope Francis praises the gathering, saying, “The Eucharistic Congress is God’s gift not only to the Christians of India but to the entire population of a country so culturally diverse and yet so spiritually rich.” The theme of the Congress is the Eucharist as nourishment, which moves and inspires us to nourish others.
Click below for the full audio of Pope Francis’ message in English
Please find the full text of the Holy Father’s message, below
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My dear Brother Cardinal Thuttunkal Baselios Cleemis, President of the Bishops Conference,
My dear Brother Cardinal Oswald Gracias, President of the Organizing committee of the National Eucharistic Congress,
Beloved Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of India, brother priests and men and women religious, believers in Jesus Christ and all people of good will in India,
It is with great joy that I greet you as you gather for the National Eucharistic Congress. This Congress has great significance as it marks the golden jubilee ofthe International Eucharistic Congress celebrated in Mumbai in 1964, which was the first Congress to be personally presided over by the Holy Father. The National Eucharistic Congress this year also possesses another special quality because it will be celebrated just before the beginning of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy which I have so desired. The theme chosen for the Eucharistic Congress, Nourished by the Eucharist to nourish others, is indeed very inspiring.
The Eucharistic Congress is God’s gift not only to the Christians of India but to the entire population of a country so culturally diverse and yet so spiritually rich. For thousands of years India has been permeated with a desire for truth and a search for the divine, seeking goodness and kindness. As you celebrate this great event, I think of the words of Pope Paul VI in his address to the members of non-Christian religions on 3December 1964: “The Eucharist is the commemoration of Jesus Christ and his love for God the Father in heaven, and for all men, a love unto death. This love of Jesus is not a matter of the past; it is meant to remain present and to live in every human heart. Christ is dear also to this country, not only to those who are Christians – they are a minority – but to the millions of people who have come to know and love him as an inspiration of love and self-sacrifice”.
The Eucharist, as the theme of the Congress rightly points out, nourishes us. As I emphasized in my homily on Corpus Domini : “The Eucharist actualizes the Covenant that sanctifies us, purifies us and unites us in the marvellous Communion with God. Thus we learn that the Eucharist is not only a reward for the good but also the strength for the weak and for sinners. It is forgiveness and sustenance which helps us on our journey” (4 June 2015).
Human beings all over the word today need nourishment. And this nourishment is not only for satisfying physical hunger. There are other hungers – for love, immortality, affection, being cared for, forgiveness, mercy. These hungers can be satisfied only by the Bread that comes from above. Jesus himself is the living Bread that gives life to the world (cf. Jn 6:51). His Body offered for our sake on the cross and his Blood shed for the pardon of the sins of humanity are made available to us in the Eucharist.
But the Eucharistdoes not end withthe partakingof the Body and Blood of the Lord. It leadsus to solidarity withothers. Communion with the Lord is necessarily a communionwith our fellow brothers and sisters.And, therefore, the one who is fed and nourished by the very Body andBlood of Christ cannot remainunaffected when he sees his brothers and sisters suffering want and hunger. Thosenourished by theEucharist are called to bringthe joy of theGospel to those who have not yet received it. Strengthened by the living Bread,we are called to bring hope to those who live in darkness and despair.“In the Eucharist the Lord makes us walk on his road, that of service, of sharing, of giving; and ifit is shared, that littlewe have, that little we are, becomesriches, for the power of God – which is the power of love –comesdown into poverty to transform it” ( Homily for Corpus Domini , 2013).
May this Eucharistic Congress be abeacon of light to thepeople of India. May it be the herald ofgreat joy and happiness. May it be an occasion for my Indian brothers and sisters to come together in unityand love. May all those who participate in this Eucharistic Congress walk withMary our Mother singing the Magnificat for all thatthe Lord has done for us.
I bless all of you, my dear brothers and sisters in India. May God be with you and your great country.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Press Office of the Holy See issued a statement on Wednesday confirming that a pair of Italian journalists are under investigation by Vatican police (the Gendarmeria ), under the direction of judicial magistrates probing the leak of confidential documents that allegedly indicate mismanagement at high levels of the Roman Curia.
Journalists Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi each wrote a book released earlier this month, claiming to give details of what they describe as resistance to the Holy Father’s efforts to reform the machinery of central Church governance.
Click below to hear our report
In his statement, Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, said other officials are under scrutiny for possible involvement in the document leak as well.
Please find the full text of Fr. Lombardi, SJ’s statement, in Vatican Radio’s English translation, below
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The Vatican Gendarmeria , in its capacity as judicial police, had informed the Vatican judiciary of the operations of two journalists [Gianluigi] Nuzzi and [Emiliano] Fittipaldi, in connection with [their] possible participation in dissemination of reserved information and confidential documents – a crime under the Vatican City criminal code (Law n.IX SCV, of 13 July 2013 Art. 116b).
In the investigative activity already undertaken, the Judiciary has acquired elements of evidence of the fact of the two journalists’ involvement in the offense, who therefore are now under investigation.
The situations of other persons who, owing to their official positions, could have cooperated in the acquisition of the reserved documents in question, are also under investigation.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) A communiqué released on Wednesday by the Holy See Press Office said that in the past few days partial and imprecise information has appeared in the secular press regarding the content of confidential documents pertaining to APSA, the Office that administrates the patrimony of the Holy See.
Reiterating that APSA continues to and always has collaborated with the competent authorities, the communiqué explains that leaked information appears to suggest that the institution has been used for illegal financial activities.
The Vatican Judiciary Authority – it continues – has opened an investigation into the leaking of these documents, and that APSA, which is not under investigation, continues to carry out its activities within full respect of the rules and regulations in force.
Also on Wednesday, a press release published by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples describes the insinuations proffered by some media as “unacceptable.”
The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples – also known as Propaganda Fide – says it is perfectly in line with Pope Francis’ reform of the Curia and it is committed to respect the will of donors who throughout the years have contributed to the funding of its missionary mandate.
It denies accusations of renting out luxury apartments or of owning smart hotels and points out that all of its properties, which were donated to the Congregation in favour of Missions, are rented at market rate value, or even at lower rates for those in difficulty, and in full respect of Italian real estate legislation.
It also specifies that the Congregation complies with Italian legislation regarding property taxation.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) “The Lord did not follow the world’s ‘marketing’ plan with all its loud and annoying methods. He did not write a book, rather he founded a community, the Church, which is his body” Those were the words of Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, at the inaugural Mass of the 110th Plenary Assembly of the Chilean Episcopal Conference on Tuesday.
The Assembly is taking place in a retreat house at Punta de Tralca until November 13th.
Beginning his homily with the surprising history of the early Christian Church, Cardinal Müller said Jesus refused to follow the ‘loud and annoying marketing methods’ of the world, founding instead a community.
“Jesus never wrote a book, neither did he leave any object related with his person. Rather, he directed his teachings to his disciples, specifically to twelve regular men of his day, and he told them to evangelize the whole world.”
“Whatever his reasons may have been, the Lord did not follow the world’s ‘marketing’ plan with all its loud and annoying methods. He did not write a book, rather he founded a community, the Church, which is his body. Much confidence is required to understand how such an improbable method could have succeeded,” he said.
Decreasing numbers of Catholics
He then addressed the decreasing numbers of the Catholic Church in Chile, down from 70% of the population in 2002 to only 55% in 2015.
“Today, a painful purification is in course,” he said, “but it is the same as when Jesus overturned the tables. Purification is painful and disquieting. May it do its work. Let us remain faithful and not become discouraged. Some left, but we must remain faithful in dialogue with Jesus in his Church.”
Concluding his homily, Cardinal Müller declared that “the work of the Church is not to reflect the opinions of its members. The Church’s job is to reflect the point of view of her Head and founder: Jesus Christ.”
The Prefect of the CDF is also in Chile to participate in two conferences on the challenges facing families today and on the role of the county’s Catholic universities.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Holy See has urged greater efforts to educate people, especially the young, about the impact of climate change, saying we need an ecological education. The appeal was made by the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to UNESCO, Archbishop Francesco Follo, in an address this week to the UN agency. Referring to Pope Francis’ recent encyclical where he issued “an urgent invitation for a new dialogue on the way in which we are building the future of our planet,” Arcbishop Follo explained that the Pope is inviting us to adopt “an ecological education” that must take into account the ethics of life and dialogue.
He stressed that the way in which “mankind treats the environment has a clear influence on the way in which it treats itself and vice-versa. For this reason, said Archbishop Follo, there is “an ethical dimension to ecology” and we must all take care of our planet, manage its resources and cultivate it wisely.
Turning to the issue of responsibility, Archbishop Follo said each generation has inherited a cultural and natural heritage and our task is to hand our planet over intact (or even enriched) to our successors. We also need to educate our children about the importance of this responsibility as they will become the citizens of tomorrow.
Archbishop Follow warned that “no cultural and natural heritage is possible if our common home, the planet where we live, ceases to become habitable.” We all know what our goal is, he said, “to leave the earth habitable or to make it habitable again if we have pillaged it.” In conclusion, Archbishop Follo reminded his listeners of Pope Francis’ appeal for us to respect our common home because in so doing, we will show our love towards our neighbours, be they near or far, or not yet born.
(from Vatican Radio)…