(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday asked the faithful to join him in prayer for all families “who are feeling the effects of unemployment and for those who are persecuted because of their faith as well as for every family that is suffering”.
The Pope’s words came in a message signed by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on his behalf. It was addressed to participants in the X National Pilgrimage of Families for the Family organized by the “Renewal in the Spirit” movement.
Hosted, this year by the town of Scafati and Pompei in Italy’s southern Campania region, there are over 10,000 participants from all over Italy.
In his message the Pope sends greetings to all participants assuring them of his spiritual closeness. He also expressed his pleasure that organizers have placed the event within a programme of preparations for the 2018 World Meeting of Families in Dublin.
The General Secretary of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Nunzio Galantino, joined the Pope’s greetings with a message of his own in which he highlighted the valuable witness of the “Renewal in the Spirit” movement, and recalled the fundamental role of the family in the current social, anthropological and institutional context.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Bulletin for 09/17/2017
(Vatican Radio) The Vatican is following closely the plight of the Rohingya people , as Pope Francis prepares to visit Myanmar and Bangladesh at the end of November.
Archbishop Paul Gallagher , the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, confirmed on Friday that the pope raised his concerns with Myanmar’s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, during her private visit to the Vatican in May. He said the country’s bishops will continue to put pressure on the government to stop the attacks on Rohingya villages and to respect the rights of these suffering people.
The Vatican foreign minister discussed the plight of the Rohingyas recently with top Iranian leaders in Teheran. During that September 5th to 9th visit, he also had “very frank” discussions about the difficulties facing Christians in Iran , as well as in war torn Syria and Iraq.
In an interview with Vatican Radio, Archbishop Gallagher also spoke of the latest escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula , insisting that the crisis must be seen in a broader context of “unprecedented dangers” due to the worst global insecurity since the Second World War.
Listen to Philippa Hitchen’s interview with Archbishop Paul Gallagher:
Archbishop Gallagher said the Holy See is “extremely concerned” about increasing tensions on the Korean peninsula . Noting that there was no formal resolution of the Korean war, he said the Holy See “remains committed to promoting a nuclear free world ”, based “on an ethic of fraternity, rather than the ethics of aggression”.
Pressure on North Korea
He urged the international community to “continue to make pressure on North Korea”, adding that the Vatican offers “whatever encouragement we can”. Recalling his trips to Pyongyang 20 years ago, he said today “our channels [of communication] with North Korea are very weak indeed”.
Danger of global insecurity
Speaking of his forthcoming visit to the UN, the Vatican foreign minister stressed the need for a united approach to North Korea and other areas of conflict. He said it’s “very important for the international community to see the crisis on the Korean peninsula as also part of a general situation of great insecurity”, adding that “we should be really waking up to the great dangers which are now facing the world, unprecedented dangers since the Second World War”.
Iran’s role in Syria and Iraq
Sharing details of his encounter with Iranian government leaders in Teheran, Archbishop Gallagher spoke of efforts underway in Geneva to end the Syria conflict. Asked about the future of the Christian communities in Syria and Iraq, Archbishop Gallagher replied that many of those who’ve fled the fighting will not return. Those in refugee camps in Lebanon and Jordan, he said, will come back if there are assurances of peace and incentives, such as an initiative regarding the renewal of villages on the Nineveh plain.
Christian presence in Middle East
The Vatican foreign minister stressed that Christians play “an essential role in the Middle East, they’re a bit like the cement that holds society” together. In the midst of ethnic or religious conflicts, he said, “Christians, who’ve been there forever, need to continue to be part of that society, to be citizens like everybody else, and to make their contribution for the rebuilding of these nations”.
Difficulties for Catholics in Iran
Discussing the difficulties facing Catholics in Iran, Archbishop Gallagher said he raised these concerns openly in talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. He spoke of the different understandings of religious freedom, saying that the Iranian authorities were “very complimentary about the role and contribution that Christians make” but at the same time “it’s also quite clear that rules of the game are very demanding on our Christian communities”. He said he hoped his visit would draw attention to their plight and lead to future cooperation “to face some of the practical problems of these communities”.
Possible papal visit to Teheran?
Asked about the possibility of a papal visit to Iran, Archbishop Gallagher said: “I think we’re a long way from that,”. He noted the positive relations with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue but said he stressed “that good relations with the Holy See are also supposed to be reflected in good relations with local Christian communities”.
Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis
The Vatican Secretary for Relations with States said he discussed the Rohingya crisis with Iran’s political and religious leaders. He said both Pope Francis and Cardinal Parolin raised their concerns with Aung San Suu Kyi during her visit to the Vatican, noting that “her reply was in line with other things that have been said in recent days”. Cardinal Bo and local bishops, he added, will continue to put pressure on the authorities “in a very complex and difficult situation”, while the Holy See will follow developments closely in preparation for the pope’s visit there.
Pope concern for plight of refugees
Archbishop Gallagher stressed how Pope Francis has shown “great courage” in speaking out at times which could have jeopardized progress in bilateral relations. But he added, “the pope is clear that the plight and suffering of ordinary people is as important to him as the interests of the great and powerful”. Asked if the crisis could jeopardise the papal visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh, he replied: “As we all know, it takes quite a lot to discourage the pope”.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis sent a letter on Friday to the papal legate for the celebration of the 8th centenary of the consecration of the Basilica of the Casamari Cistercian Abbey in Italy.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, was appointed on 19 August as the papal legate for the celebration, which takes place on 15 September.
Cardinal Parolin is accompanied by a mission composed of the following ecclesiastics:
– Don Ugo Gianluigi Tagni, abbot vicar general of the Congregation of Casamari;
– Rev. Fr. Sebastiano Paciolla, O.Cist., under-secretary of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life.
The following is the Pope’s full letter to the Cardinal Secretary of State:
Venerabili Fratri Nostro
PETRO S.R.E. Cardinali PAROLIN
Secretario Status
Octingenti transeunt anni ab illo die quo Summus Pontifex Honorius III, Decessor Noster rec. mem., adstantibus Cardinalibus, Episcopis et fidelibus, in sollemni liturgia Basilicam consecravit Casamariensem, sanctis martyribus Romanis dicatam Ioanni et Paulo nec non Beatae Deiparae et Virgini Mariae. Sacra illa aedes saeculis decurrentibus in provincia potissimum spirituali, morali et cultus divini magni ponderis exstitit non solum in terris circumstantibus, sed etiam in tota Italia media et meridionali. Venusta eius architectura animum monachorum Cisterciensium revelans, magnificum constituit testimonium eorum precis, cantus, meditationis atque apud multos peregrinos et visitatores singularem suscitat admirationem.
Fausta ergo occasione memorati iubilaei data, dilecti sodales Congregationis Cisterciensis Casamariensis evangelici itineris elementa altiore usque modo perscrutantur, Domini vocem diligenter auscultant, spiritali ratione fideles abbatiam invisentes sequuntur ut omnes clare Divinam providentiam misericordiamque experiri possint. Die autem XV proximi mensis Septembris sollemnis agetur in memorata sacra aede celebratio, signum gratitudinis erga Deum omnipotentem ob tanta Eius beneficia quae saeculorum decursu fidelibus ibidem orantibus largiri est dignatus. Quapropter Reverendus Dominus Eugenius Romagnuolo, Abbas Praeses Congregationis Cisterciensis Casamariensis, humanissimas Nobis litteras scripsit quibus Nosmet Ipsos ad celebrationem hanc invitavit. Grati omnino hac de invitatione, quam in corde Nostro tenemus, decernimus tamen eminentem Virum illuc mittere qui Nostras vices Casamarii gerat Nostramque erga Christi discipulos ibi commorantes et adstantes dilectionem significet.
Ad Te ergo, Venerabilis Frater Noster, qui munus Secretarii Status studiose exerces, mentem Nostram vertimus Teque hisce Litteris LEGATUM NOSTRUM nominamus ad octavam centenariam memoriam consecrationis Basilicae Casamariensis, quae memorato die Casamarii sollemniter perficietur.
Praeclaro illo in templo sollemni praesidebis Eucharistiae atque omnes adstantes, sacros Pastores, presbyteros, religiosos viros ac mulieres, christifideles laicos, sermone tuo ad diligentiorem usque Christi vitae imitationem cohortaberis: oportet enim ut novis viribus novaque diligentia peculiarem dilectionem Ecclesiae et Evangelii demonstrent atque fidei virtute cotidie ardeant. Singularem insuper salutationem Nostram dilectis monachis Cisterciensibus transmittes; exoptamus omnino ut omnipotens Deus hanc monasticam Congregationem auxiliis suis foveat ita ut, vestigiis suos antecessores secuti, tum in sanctificatione adipiscenda tum in sacro ministerio explendo uberes iugiter fructus colligant (cfr Pius PP. XII, Litterae apostolicae Cum ex Summi Pontificatus, AAS 35 [1943], 392).
Nos autem Te, Venerabilis Frater Noster, in tua missione implenda precibus comitabimur. Denique Benedictionem Apostolicam, caelestium donorum pignus, libentes Tibi impertimur, quam omnibus celebrationis participibus rite transmittes.
Ex Aedibus Vaticanis, die XXV mensis Augusti, anno MMXVII, Pontificatus Nostri quinto.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday met with the Italian National Association of travelling show people, telling them that “theirs is a path that is enlightened by faith.”
Listen to our report:
“The vocation of your life and work is Joy” that is what Pope Francis told travelling circus performers, employees of amusement parks and fairs, street performers, artists, designers puppeteers, and musicians when he met them on Friday in the Vatican.
The Pope said, “I think if we go back to the origins of each of your shows, your caravans, we always find someone , a grandfather, a grandmother, a great-grandfather, who is passionate about this kind of show, he has felt a joyful vocation , and for this reason he/she was willing to make great sacrifices.”
The Holy Father noted that theirs is a path that is enlightened by faith, a faith, he said, “ that you live especially in the family, and this is very important: the family travelling with God, animated by trust in providence.
During the encounter, Pope Francis invited those present to draw close to the sacraments and make time for prayer.
Reiterating comments he made last year for the Jubilee for Circus and Travelling Show People, the Pope reminded them that they were,”artisans of festivities, wonder, and beauty, called to nourish feelings of hope and trust.”
“Your vocation is a mission the Holy Father said, “the mission of offering people, children, but also adults and the elderly, opportunities for healthy, clean fun. And within this vocation and mission, how can there not be the hand of God?”
(from Vatican Radio)…