(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a message to the XXXVII Rimini Meeting for the Friendship of Peoples. Each year in the Italian city of Rimini, thousands of people gather for an encounter among persons of different faiths and cultures, with hundreds of speakers from all over the world and from all walks of life.
The Pope’s message for this year’s Meeting was conveyed in a letter signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Listen to Christopher Wells’ report:
In the letter, Cardinal Parolin describes the theme of this year’s Meeting —“You are good for me” — as “courageous”. Too often in the modern world, he says, a certain individualism tempts us to look only at our own concerns, or even to see other people as a burden or a hindrance. But, he continued, in the face of the changing age we are living in, “who can imagine he can save himself by himself, and by his own power?” Rather, “following the example of the Lord Jesus, the Christian always cultivates a thought open to the other, whoever he might be, because he does not consider any person to be definitively lost.
With this attitude, the Cardinal said, Christians can understand their unique contribution to dialogue and communion: in the words of Pope Francis, “the proclamation of the Gospel, which today more than ever finds expression in going forth to bind the wounds of humanity with the powerful yet simple presence of Jesus, and his mercy that consoles and encourages.”
This, Cardinal Parolin said, is the hope of the Holy Father, “who encourages the participants in the Meeting to be especially mindful of the creative personal testimony,” with the understanding that what attracts others is not the strength of the instruments, but the tenacious meekness of the merciful love of the Father, that each person can attain from the outpouring of the grace that God offers in the Sacraments, especially in the Eucharist and in Penance, to then give to the brothers.”
The Rimini Meeting takes place this year from 19-25 August.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Bishop Kevin J. Farrell of the Diocese of Dallas, Texas, said he was “humbled” when Pope Francis asked him to be the new Prefect of the new Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life .
“I was obviously humbled by the fact that the Holy Father would ask me to go and do such an important work,” Bishop Farrell told Vatican Radio.
Listen to the interview of Bishop Kevin Farrell with Charles Collins:
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“I have always considered myself to be just a bishop of the diocese and at service to the people here, so when you get a call from the Holy Father asking you to do something like this you cannot but be amazed and humbled at the same time by the whole venture,” he said.
He takes up his new position in just a matter of weeks: The new Dicastery has a start date of 1 September, taking over the offices of the Pontifical Councils for the Family and for the Laity.
“I look forward to it,” Bishop Farrell said.
“It seems to me to be a great challenge, especially given the fact that the Holy Father’s letter Amoris laetitia is so important and so well-received by the whole world; and being in charge of what was the Council for the Family, obviously that is going to be my number one agenda,” – he continued – “And obviously to promote lay ministry, and to ensure that the lay people take their rightful place in the Church, and to promote the apostolate of the laity in the world. I see it as a challenge. I didn’t expect this at this stage in my life, but that’s where we are!”
When Bishop Farrell arrives in Rome, he will become the second Bishop Farrell at the Vatican: His older brother, Bishop Brian Farrell, is the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
“Yes, I do have a brother there that works there in the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity,” Bishop Kevin Farrell said.
“I am looking forward to it,” – he explained. – “We have been priests for many, many years, but we have never worked together in the same city, so it will be unique, it will be change.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis had a private meeting in the Vatican on Wednesday with France’s President Francois Hollande. Their meeting came three weeks after the brutal murder of the elderly French priest, Father Jacques Hamel, who was killed by two young French terrorists claiming allegiance to the so-called Islamic State group whilst he was celebrating Mass in his church near the city of Rouen.
Following the murder of Father Hamel, President Hollande telephoned Pope Francis to express his closeness and told him that “when a priest is attacked all of France is wounded.” Speaking on his flight to Poland, the Pope thanked the French President “in a special way” for having contacted him like “a brother.”
President Hollande was accompanied on his visit to the Vatican by the French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and the French ambassador to the Holy See, Philippe Zeller.
Wednesday’s encounter marked the second time that Pope Francis and President Hollande have met in the Vatican. Their first meeting, which was an official one, took place on 24th January 2014.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) On Wednesday, the Vatican released a motu proprio by Pope Francis which officially establishes the new dicastery on the Laity, Family, and Life.
Listen to Ann Schneible’s report.
“For many centuries, the Church, a caring mother, has had care and respect for the laity, the family, and life, manifesting the love of the merciful Savior for humanity,” reads the new document, which was signed August 15.
“Our thoughts turn to the laity, the family, and life, to whom we wish to offer support and help, because they are active witness to the Gospel in our time and an expression of the goodness of the Redeemer.”
The new Vatican department will take on the duties of the current Pontifical Council for the Laity and the Pontifical Council for the Family.
The Laity, Family, and Life dicastery will take effect on Sept. 1. At that point, the Pontifical Councils for the Laity and the Family will cease.
Bishop Kevin Joseph Farrell, who until now has served as the bishop of Dallas, Texas, has been appointed as the first prefect of the new dicastery.
He is the brother of Bishop Brian Farrell, secretary for the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) At his General Audience on Wednesday, which was held in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Pope Francis spoke about mercy as the instrument of communion. Listen to Christopher Wells’ report:
Reflecting on the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, taken from the Gospel of St Matthew, the Holy Father focused on Jesus’ compassion for the people who follow after Him. “His compassion is not a vague sentiment,” the Pope said. Jesus “loves us so much, and wants to be close to us.” Jesus’ concern for the crowd is the impetus for the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Jesus, though, does not act alone, but wishes to involve His disciples in the miracle. “He shows them that the few loaves and fishes they have, with the power of faith and of prayer, can be shared by all the people,” the Pope said. “It is a miracle that He does, but it is the miracle of faith, of prayer with compassion and love.” Pope Francis noted that Jesus’ actions in performing the miracle — lifting His eyes to heaven, saying the blessing, breaking the bread, and giving it — are the same actions He performs at the Last Supper — and the same signs performed by every priest when he offers the Sacrifice of the Mass. “The Christian community is born and reborn continually by this Eucharistic communion,” the Pope said. Our communion with Christ, he continued, impels us to go out to the men and women of our day, “to offer them the concrete sign of the mercy” of Christ. In this way, all believers are made “servants of mercy.” Concluding his catechesis, the Holy Father asked us all to pray that the Lord “might always make His Church capable of this holy service,” and might help each of us “to be instruments of communion” in our own relationships, “visible signs of the mercy of God.” (from Vatican Radio)…