(Vatican Radio) The Holy See and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a framework agreement on Friday regarding matters of common interest. A communiqué from the Press Office of the Holy See explains that the agreement, consisting of a preamble and 21 articles, notes the respective independence and autonomy of the Church and the State and their good relations, and sets the legal framework for mutual relations.
In particular, the document establishes the legal position of the Catholic Church in the civil sphere in the country, and so the liberty of the Church to apostolic activity and regulate matters within its competence.
Various specific areas are addressed, including the institutions of Catholic education, the teaching of religion in schools, the welfare and charitable activities of the Church, pastoral care in the armed forces and prison and hospital institutions, as well as property tax and the obtaining of entry visas and residence permits for religious personnel.
The framework agreement also provides for the implementation of functional understandings between the Bishops’ Conference and the State on certain matters of common interest.
(from Vatican Radio)…
The
Egyptian Armed Forces have announced that pieces of the wreckage of the
Egyptair plane which disappeared yesterday have been found. According to
spokesperson, Brigadier General Mohamed
Samir: “on Friday military aircraft and the Egyptian Navy found wreckage of the airplane and passenger
items in the area north of Alexandria, 295 km” from the coast. Human remains,
two seats and luggage were found in the sea where the search continues. A
telegram, signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, was sent by the
Pope to the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. The commission created to
investigate the cause of the crash “will go immediately to the site to examine
the wreckage and the two black boxes upon their detection”, according to
airport sources in Cairo. The commission is led by Ayman El Mokadem, head of
the investigative commission for the Ministry for Civil Aviation who also led
the investigation of the Russian charter which
exploded in Sinai in October. These experts “will hold meetings with
French investigators of Airbus”. The creation of the Committee was announced
yesterday by the Office of the President of Egypt. Three
experts of the France’s investigative agency BEA and an Airbus technician
arrived this morning in Cairo to assist the team already on the group in Egypt.
The head of diplomacy announced that tomorrow he will receive the victims
families at the Quai d’Orsay….
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has issued a binding clarification of a question arising under Canon Law with regard to the proper procedure for the creation of new diocesan Institutes of Consecrated Life. Specifically, the Holy Father has, by way of Papal Rescript, established that prior consultation by the local Ordinary who desires to erect a new Institute of Consecrated Life within his jurisdiction and under his authority, must have prior consultation with the Holy See before deciding to erect any such new Institute.
The Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta, told Vatican Radio the Rescript does not require local Ordinaries to obtain permission, per se , but only to consult with and hear from the Holy See (through the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life ) before proceeding.
“The bishop is always responsible in his diocese – but he has to evaluate the answer, the opinion, of the Congregation [ for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life ]: after [hearing] the opinion of the Congregation, he remains free to act in one sense or in the other; but he has to balance, to think about, the opinion – the very high[ly regarded] opinion – of the Congregation, and that is important – very important – even in diocesan governance.”
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The Rescript followed a request from the Congregation for Consecrated Life, and came from the Holy Father through the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The operative sentences – which clarify the meaning of Canon 579 of the Code of Canon Law – read: In the Audience granted to the undersigned Secretary of State on April 4, 2016, the Holy Father ruled that the prior consultation of the Holy See is to be understood as being necessary ad validitatem for the erection of a diocesan Institute of consecrated life, on pain of nullity of the decree of erection of the same Institute. This rescript will be promulgated by publication in L’Osservatore Romano , entering into force on 1 June 2016, and then published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis .
(from Vatican Radio)…
Br Francesco Patton is the new Custos of
the Holy Land, succeeding Br Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who led the Custody for
the past ten years. The nomination by the General Council of the Order of
Friars Minor was ratified by the Holy See, according to the Pontifical Statutes
dealing with this entity of the Franciscan Order. The
new Custos was born in Vigo Meano, Italy in the Archdiocese of Trent on 23
December 1963, and belongs to the Province of St Anthony of the Friars Minor of
northern Italy. He made his first
religious profession on 7 September 1983 and his solemn profession on 4 October
1986. He was ordained a priest on 26 May 1989. In 1993 he earned a Licentiate
in Communication Sciences at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome. He
has served in various capacities in his province and also within the Order. He
was twice Secretary General of the General Chapters in 2003 and 2009; Visitator
General in 2003; Minister Provincial of St Vigilium of Trent from 2008 to 2016;
and President of the Conference of Provincial Ministers of Italy and Albania (COMPI) from 2010 to 2013. Br
Francesco has also served in many capacities outside of the Order, including:
as member of the Diocesan Presbyteral Council and secretary of the Diocesan
Pastoral Council of the Archdiocese of Trent; professor of Social
Communications at the Studio Teologico Accademico Tridentino; collaborator of
the Diocesan Weekly, of Diocesan Radio and of Telepace Trento. He has also been
enrolled with the journalists of Trentino-Alto Adige as a publicist since 1991….
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday urged Italian football (soccer) players to not just be champions in their sport but above all champions in their lives, by displaying key moral values such as brotherhood, mutual respect, understanding and forgiveness. His remarks came during an audience at the Vatican with top representatives of Italy’s Seria A Football League as well as players from the Juventus and AC Milan teams. The two Seria A teams play each other at the weekend in the final of the Italian cup (Coppa Italia) in Rome’s Olympic Stadium.
A keen football fan himself, Pope Francis reminded the players, that as role models for many fans, especially the young, their behaviour should always reflect “the authentic values of sport.” He said the success of a team depends on a fusion of human and moral virtues such as “harmony, loyalty, friendship, dialogue and solidarity.” By being a witness of those moral virtues, he continued, you can emphasize even more the real purpose of the world of sport that is “sometimes marred by negative episodes.”
The Pope reminded the players that they are not just footballers but first and foremost a human being, each with their own conscience, and urged them to always show “brotherhood, mutual respect, understanding and forgiveness.” “Be champions in sport but above all champions in your life,” he stressed.
Pope Francis concluded by encouraging the players to always highlight whatever is “truly good and beautiful” and to not be afraid to share and display with their fans “the moral and religious principles” on which they wish to base their life.
(from Vatican Radio)…