(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a letter to his special envoy at the centenary of the birth of Blessed Oscar Romero, Cardinal Andrello Ricardo Ezzati of Santiago de Chile.
Cardinal Ezzati was chosen to represent Pope Francis at the centenary celebrations in San Salvador, El Salvador, which take place on 15 August.
He will be accompanied at the event by Msgr. Rafael Edgardo Urrutia Herrera, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of San Salvador, and Don Reinaldo Sorto Martìnez, parish priest of San José de la Montaña.
Click here to find out more about Blessed Romero.
Please find the full letter (in Latin) below:
Venerabili Fratri Nostro
RICHARDO S .R.E. Cardinali EZZATI ANDRELLO , S.D.B.
Archiepiscopo Metropolitae Sancti Iacobi in Chile
Centum mox anni complentur ab ortu beati Ansgarii Arnolfi Romero, episcopi et martyris, illustris pastoris et testis Evangelii, clari defensoris Ecclesiae et dignitatis hominis. Dilectae terrae Salvatoriae filius gentibus aetatis nostrae de salvifica opera Domini nostri Iesu Christi loquitur eiusque amore erga omnes, potissimum pauperes, derelictos et a societate segregatos. Tum in sacerdotali tum in episcopali navitate singularem progressionem spiritalem ostendit atque iustitiam, reconciliationem et pacem propagavit.
Nos, qui ei beatorum honores decrevimus, laeto omnino animo notitiam accepimus Episcopos Salvatoriae simul cum clero fidelique populo in urbe Sancti Salvatoris in America die XV proximi mensis Augusti, in Assumptione videlicet Beatae Mariae Virginis, centesimam anniversariam memoriam ortus beati Ansgarii Arnolfi celebraturos esse, ad sibi suisque fidelibus divina dona per intercessionem huius martyris exposcendum. Fausta hac occasione data, sacri Pastores Salvatoriae in Conferentia mense Ianuario huius anni congregati humanissime Nosmet Ipsos invitaverunt ut sollemni huic celebrationi praeessemus. Grati omnino de invitatione, aliquem
tamen eminentem decrevimus Virum seligere, qui Nostras vices in dicta urbe gerat.
Ad Te quidem, Venerabilis Frater Noster, decurrimus, qui Metropolitanam Sedem Sancti Iacobi in Chile per Evangelii semitas diligenter ducis quique dignus Nobis videris ad id munus fructuose explendum. Te igitur hisce Litteris MISSUM EXTRAORDINARIUM NOSTRUM nominamus ad celebrationem centesimae anniversariae memoriae ortus beati Ansgarii Arnolfi Romero, episcopi et martyris, quae illo die in urbe Sancti Salvatoris in America sollemni modo agetur. De pondere vitae testimoniique beati loquens, omnes adstantes adhortaberis ut praecepta Domini servent, novis viribus novaque diligentia peculiarem dilectionem Christi Ecclesiae et Evangelii, Beata Maria Virgine intercedente, demonstrent atque (idei zelo in vita cotidiana ferveant, iustam et nobilem societatem aedificantes.
Rogamus Te etiam ut nomine Nostro omnes ibi congregatos salutes, Archiepiscopum praesertim Sancti Salvatoris in America ceterosque sacros Pastores, sacerdotes, religiosos viros ac mulieres, christifideles laicos, vicissim Nostram cum beati cultoribus necessitudinem significes.
Nos autem Te, Venerabilis Frater Noster, in tua missione implenda precibus comitabimur. Denique Benedictionem Nostram
Apostolicam libentes Tibi impertimur, signum Nostrae erga te benevolentiae et caelestium donorum pignus, quam omnibus celebrationis participibus velis transmittere; a cunctis vicissim preces expostulamus, ut pergrave Petrinum munus secundum divinam voluntatem diligenter adimpleamus.
Ex Aedibus Vaticanis, die XVIII mensis Iulii, anno MMXVII, Pontificatus Nostri quinto.
FRANCISCUS
(from Vatican Radio)…
Bulletin for 08/06/2017
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has released a video message accompanying his monthly prayer intention for August.
This month’s intention is for artists: “That artists of our time, though their creativity, may help us discover the beauty of creation.”
The text of the video message reads:
The arts give expression to the beauty of the faith and proclaim the Gospel message of the grandeur of God’s creation.
When we admire a work of art or a marvel of nature, we discover how everything speaks to us of Him and of His love.
That artists of our time, though their creativity, may help us discover the beauty of creation.
The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network of the Apostleship of Prayer developed the “Pope Video” initiative to assist in the worldwide dissemination of monthly intentions of the Holy Father in relation to the challenges facing humanity.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Vatican on Friday issued an urgent appeal to Venezuela’s leaders to suspend the new Constituent Assembly which, it says, is threatening the future of the South American nation.
Listen to Philippa Hitchen’s report:
The strongly worded communique, issued by the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, says Pope Francis is following closely the situation in Venezuela , where President Nicolas Maduro is headed towards a showdown with the opposition, as he pushes ahead with the inauguration of his new Assembly.
The statement comes as the body’s 545 delegates were expected to be installed at the legislative palace in the capital, Caracas, close to the chamber where the opposition-controlled National Assembly meets.
Erosion of democracy
The new Constituent Assembly has been tasked with rewriting the country’s constitution and holds powers that override all other government branches.
Opposition leaders have denounced the erosion of democracy and vowed they will only be removed by force. Over a hundred and twenty-five people have already been killed in over three months of violent anti-government protests.
Respect rights enshrined in Constitution
The Vatican statement expresses “profound concern for the radicalisation and worsening of the crisis”, including the increase in deaths, injuries and arrests of protesters. It calls on all the country’s politicians, in particular, the government, to guarantee “full respect for human rights and basic freedoms, as well as for the existing Constitution”.
Suspend Constituent Assembly
It says initiatives such as the new Constituent Assembly should be “avoided or suspended” since they “foment a climate of tension and conflict” which “mortgages the future” of the country, rather than fostering reconciliation and peace.
The statement calls for a negotiated solution, along the lines already indicated in a previous letter from the Secretary of State on December 1st 2016. These solutions must take into account “the serious suffering of the people”, due to a lack of security, as well as the shortages of food and medicine.
Pray for Venezuela
Finally the statement calls on all members of Venezuelan society, in particular the security forces, to avoid violence or an excessive use of force. It says the pope assures all Venezuelans of his prayers and invites people across the globe to pray intensely for the country at this moment of crisis.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a letter to the 30th Prayer Meeting on Mount Hiei in Kyoto, Japan, inviting all religions to “pray and work together for peace”.
“It is my pleasure to send my cordial greetings to you and to the distinguished representatives of the different religious traditions,” he wrote.
The Pope’s letter was delivered and read to participants by Cardinal John Tong Hon, Bishop-emeritus of Hong Kong.
It was addressed to Venerable Koei Morikawa, the Supreme Priest of the Tendai Buddhist Denomination, with whom Pope Francis met privately in the Vatican on September 16, 2016.
“This annual religious summit contributes in a special way to the building up of that spirit of dialogue and friendship which allows the followers of the world’s religions to work together to open new paths for peace in our human family.”
Pope Francis also said prayer “inspires and sustains our efforts for peace, because it helps to deepen our reciprocal respect for each other as persons, strengthens the bonds of love between us, and spurs us to make decisive efforts towards promoting just relations and fraternal solidarity.”
The annual prayer meeting closes on 6 August in commemoration of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.
(from Vatican Radio)…