(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis confirmed on Saturday he will be visiting Mexico from 12-18 February. Later, the Vatican released the full schedule of his trip to the country.
Friday 12 February 2016
12:30 Departure from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport for Mexico City
19:30 Arrival at “Benito Juárez” International Airport in Mexico City
OFFICIAL RECEPTION
Saturday 13 February 2016
09:30 WELCOMING CEREMONY at the National Palace
COURTESY VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
10:15 MEETING with CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND DIPLOMATIC CORPS (Discourse by the Holy Father)
11:30 MEETING with the BISHOPS of MEXICO in the Cathedral (Discourse by the Holy Father)
17:00 HOLY MASS in the Basilica of Guadalupe (Homily by the Holy Father)
Sunday 14 February 2016
09:20 Transfer by helicopter to Ecatepec
10:30 Holy Mass in the area of the Study Centre of Ecatepec (Homily/Angelus by the Holy Father)
12:50 Transfer by helicopter to Mexico City
13:10 Arrival in Mexico City
16:30 VISIT TO THE PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL “Federico Gómez” (Greetings by the Holy Father)
18:00 MEETING WITH THE WORLD OF CULTURE in the National Auditorium (Discourse by the Holy Father)
Monday 15 February 2016
07:30 Departure by plane for Tuxtla Gutiérrez
09:15 Transfer by helicopter to San Cristóbal de Las Casas
10:15 HOLY MASS with the indigenous community of Chiapas at the Municipal Sports (Homily by the Holy Father)
13:00 Lunch with indigenous representatives and the Papal entourage
15:00 VISIT TO THE CATHEDRAL OF SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS
15:35 Transfer by helicopter to Tuxtla Gutiérrez
16:15 MEETING with FAMILIES in “Víctor Manuel Reyna” Stadium at Tuxtla Gutiérrez (Discourse by the Holy Father)
18:10 Departure by plane for Mexico City
20:00 Arrival at the airport in Mexico City
Tuesday 16 February 2016
07:50 Departure by airplane for Morelia
10:00 HOLY MASS with priests, religious, consecrated persons, and seminarians (Homily by the Holy Father)
15:15 VISIT TO THE CATHEDRAL
16:30 MEETING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE at “José María Morelos y Pavón” Stadium (Discourse by the Holy Father)
18:55 Departure by plane for Mexico City
20:00 Arrival in Mexico City
Wednesday 17 February 2016
08:35 Departure by plane for Ciudad Juárez
10:00 Arrival at “Abraham González” International Airport in Ciudad Juárez
10:30 Visit to a prison (CeReSo n.3) (Discourse by the Holy Father)
12:00 MEETING with the WORLD of WORK at con il MONDO del LAVORO at the Colegio de Bachilleres dello Stato of Chihuahua (Discourse by the Holy Father)
16:00 HOLY MASS at the fairgrounds of Ciudad Juárez (Homily + greeting by the Holy Father)
19:00 DEPARTURE CEREMONY at Ciudad Juárez International Airport
19:15 Departure by plane for Rome (Ciampino Airport)
Thursday 18 February 2016
14:45 Arrival at Rome’s Ciampino Airport
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Saturday evening, saying Mary “has experienced the divine mercy, and has hosted the very source of this mercy in her womb: Jesus Christ.”
The Holy Father used the homily to reflect on mercy – and asked that this jubilee year “will be a planting of merciful love in the hearts of individuals, families and nations.”
The Pope said “no sin can cancel [Jesus’] merciful closeness or prevent him from unleashing the grace of conversion, provided we invoke it.”
Pope Francis called on Christian communities be “oases and sources of mercy, witnesses to a charity that does not allow exclusions.”
Pope Francis also confirmed he will visit Mexico from 12-18 February 2016.
Here is an unofficial Vatican Radio translation of the Pope’s homily
“The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; he will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, he will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.” (Zep 3:17-18). These words of the prophet Zephaniah, addressed to Israel, may also be referred to Mary, the Church, and every person, all of whom are loved by God’s merciful love. Yes, God loves us so much that he even rejoices and takes pleasure in us. He loves us with gratuitous love, love without limits, and without expecting anything in return. This merciful love is the most striking attribute of God, the synthesis of which is condensed the Gospel message, the faith of the Church.
The word “mercy” – misericordia – is composed of two words: misery and heart. The heart indicates the capacity to love; mercy is that love, which embraces the misery of the human person. It is a love that “feels” our poverty as its own, with a view to freeing us of it. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 Jn 4:9-10). “The Word became flesh,” with the intention of sharing all our frailties – with the intention of experiencing our human condition, even unto taking upon himself the Cross, with all the pain of human existence. Such is the abyss of compassion and mercy: a fusion, in order to make himself company, and to place himself in the service of a wounded humanity. No sin can cancel his merciful closeness or prevent him from unleashing the grace of conversion, provided we invoke it.
Indeed, sin itself makes more radiant the love of God who, to ransom a slave, sacrificed his Son. That mercy of God comes to us with the gift of the Holy Spirit in Baptism, enables, generates and nourishes the new life of his disciples. For, howsoever great and grave the sins of the world, the Spirit, who renews the face of the earth, makes possible the miracle of a life that is more human, more full of joy and hope. Let us, too, shout with jubilation: “The Lord is my God and Savior!”
“The Lord is near,” says the apostle Paul, and nothing should make us anguished. The greatest mercy lies in his being in our midst, in our being in his presence and company. He walks with us, he shows us the path of love, lifts us up in our falls, holds us to our labors, accompanies us in all circumstances of our existence. He opens our eyes to see themselves and the world miseries, but also fills us with hope. “The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:4-7). This is the source of our life made peaceful and happy; nothing can steal this peace and joy, despite the sufferings and trials of life. Let us cultivate this experience of mercy, peace and hope during Advent, through which we are making our way in light of the Jubilee year. Announcing the Good News to the poor, as John the Baptist, performing works of mercy, is a good way to look for the coming of Jesus at Christmas.
In Mary, God rejoices and is especially pleased. In one of the prayers most cherished by Christians, the Salve Regina, we call Mary “mother of mercy.” She has experienced the divine mercy, and has hosted the very source of this mercy in her womb: Jesus Christ. She, who has always lived intimately united with her Son, knows better than anyone what he wants: that all men be saved, and that God’s tenderness and consolation will not fail anyone. May Mary, Mother of Mercy, help us to understand how much God loves us.
To Blessed Mary we entrust the sufferings and joys of people throughout the Americas, who love her as a mother and recognize her as Patroness under the beloved title of Our Lady of Guadalupe. That “the sweetness of her gaze be with us in this Holy Year, so that we might rediscover the joy of the tenderness of God” (Cf. Bull Misericordiae vultus, 24). We ask her that this jubilee year will be a planting of merciful love in the hearts of individuals, families and nations. Let us convert and become merciful people, and may all Christian communities be oases and sources of mercy, witnesses to a charity that does not allow exclusions. Let us implore her to guide the footsteps of the American people, a pilgrim people looking for the Mother of mercy and asks her to show them her Son Jesus.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Holy See has reacted to the “Concluding observations on the sixteenth to twenty-third periodic reports of Holy See” made by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
The periodic report is required by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, to which the Holy See is one of 177 signatories.
“What struck me, in particular, was the emphasis the members of the Commission stressed on the positive role of Pope Francis at this particular time, through the clarity with which he addresses the issue of discrimination and the way he speaks of the inclusion of all in society and the respect of every person,” said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations offices in Geneva.
“Another positive aspect has been the recognition of the new legislation that the Vatican, as a state, has introduced which punish crimes based on racial discrimination,” Archbishop Tomasi said.
The Archbishop also said the recommendations of the Committee were made in a “constructive and positive” tone.
He did say the Committee overlooked certain things, such as the fact the Church educates 65 million people – the majority non-Catholic – around the world, and runs more than 5,000 hospitals.
“The millions of people who come for assistance are never asked for a passport, nor is there ever any consideration given to race or ethnicity,” Archbishop Tomasi told Vatican Radio.
The Committee also mentioned the genocide in Rwanda, and asked that every effort be made to locate those clergy members who may have participated, so that the can be brought to justice, and Archbishop Tomasi said there can be “no loopholes” for those who have committed these crimes.
“The Committee also pointed out that it is part of its responsibility to ensure that discrimination does not apply to new situations that gradually evolve in society,” Archbishop Tomasi said. “And on this we agree: there should not be discrimination against people, and every person should be respected, while taking into account that we have traditions and principles that sometimes are not compatible with those promoted by the international community.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has issued a legal decree creating a new special commission to help health care organizations belonging to the Church and to Church organizations to manage their finances and stay true to their founding mission and spirit. The decree, called a “rescript”, creates the Pontifical Commission for the Activities of Public Juridical Persons of the Church in the Healthcare Sector.
The new Commission shall be composed by a President and six experts the fields of healthcare, real estate, management, business administration, and finance. It shall have power to carry out general studies to ascertain the sustainability of the healthcare systems of the juridical persons of the Church, and to prepare long-range operational sustainability strategies in keeping with the Social Doctrine of the Church.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met with the Council of Cardinals from 10-12 December for their twelfth meeting. A statement from the Holy See Press Office said the Holy Father was present for every session.
The Statement said during the first morning, the Council heard from Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, who gave them an in-depth look at this “important Congregation”, its activities, responsibilities, and its role in ecumenism.
During this encounter, the Council noted the importance of the Address of the Holy Father on 17 October, during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops.
In this address, the Pope developed extensively the theme of “collegiality”, but also pointed out “the need to proceed with a healthy ‘decentralization’.” The Council underlined the need to reflect on the significance of this speech and its importance for the work of the reform of the Curia, and decided to dedicate a specific session to this subject during the next meeting in February 2016.
The Council then returned to work on two new departments, which had previously been discussed on numerous occasions.
The Department dedicated to “Laity and family life” – the establishment of which Pope Francis announced during the Synod (October 22) – was the subject of a detailed proposal by the Council to the Holy Father. The proposal is now awaiting the final decision of the Holy Father.
The Department dedicated to “Justice, Peace and Migration” was subject to further considerations, in anticipation of creating the final proposal, which will then be given to the Pope.
On Friday, the Council heard two reports on the reform of the economic structures of the Vatican, which were given by Cardinal Reinhard Marx, President of the Council of Economy, and Cardinal George Pell, Prefect for the Secretariat of Economy. The two Cardinals reported on the activities and achievements of the two institutions.
In the course of his presentation, Cardinal Marx discussed the choice of an external auditor for the consolidated financial statements of the Vatican, PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”). Cardinal Pell gave information about the establishment of a working group to reflect on the future of the economic issues of the Holy See and the Vatican City State, including its present state, and the control of expenditure and revenue.
The working group, which has just begun work and had its first meeting, includes representatives of the Secretariat of Economy, Secretariat of State, the Governorate of the Vatican City State, APSA, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Secretariat for Communications and the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR).
The Council of Cardinals recognized the importance of the work done by the Council for the Economy and the and Secretariat for the Economy, and encouraged the continuation of their efforts.
Cardinal Sean O’Malley also reported on the work of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, and its different working groups, such as the development of programs for education and training; assistance to Episcopal Conferences for the drafting of guidelines at the local level; and other areas.
On Saturday, the Council established the calendar of future meetings, as well as the agenda for the first meeting in February.
The meetings in 2016 will take place on the following dates:
8 – 9 February
11-12-13 April
6-7-8 June
12-13-14 September
12-13-14 December
(from Vatican Radio)…