Pope Francis has told participants of the Pontifical Academy for Life that Virtue is the best that the heart of man offers.
“Virtue is not just a habit, but it is the constantly renewable ability to choose good. Virtue is not an emotion, is not a skill that is acquired through a refresher course, let alone a biochemical mechanism, it is the highest expression of human freedom. Virtue is the best that the heart of man offers,” the Holy Father speaking in Italian told participants who went to see him at the Sala Clementina (Clementine Hall) of the Apostolic Palace.
In Africa, Burkina Faso, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo are members of the Pontifical Academy for Life.
The Academy is holding its general assembly in the Vatican from 3 to 5 March under the theme, “Virtues in the Ethics of Life.”
Established in 1994, the Pontifical Academy studies issues connected with the promotion and the defense of human life from an interdisciplinary perspective. Among other activities, the Academy aims at fostering a culture of life.
The academy categories Pro-life as applying to those members whose principal activity is pastoral or social assistance, or who are active in Pro-life organisations nationally or internationally.
In general, members of the academy have expertise in different fields of biomedical sciences and related disciplines.
(Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va)
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday received Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (East Timor), His Excellency Rui Maria de Araújo, who subsequently met with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who was accompanied by the under-secretary for Relations with States, Msgr. Antoine Camilleri.
A press statement from the Holy See Press Office called the discussions cordial, and said “the good relations between the Holy See and Timor-Leste were evoked, as well as the historical contribution of the Church to building up the nation and collaboration with the civil Authorities in various social areas, such as education, health and the fight against poverty.”
At the end of the meeting with the Secretary of State, in the Hall of Treaties in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, there took place the exchange of instruments for the ratification of the Accord between the Holy See and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, signed in Dili on 14 August 2015.
The exchange signifies ratification of the agreement which contains 26 articles that recognizes the Church as having juridical rights.
Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin addressed those gathered. He noted that the agreement is the result of many years of negotiations backed by a common spirit of dialogue and cooperation, recognizing the important role the Catholic Church plays in the life of the Timorese people. Commitments have been made in the area of education, health and the fight against poverty.
The legal framework, the Cardinal noted, does not mean special privileges for the Church but simply allows the Church to contribute freely to building a more harmonious society, animated by justice and peace.
The Cardinal concluded by entrusting the people of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to the maternal protection of the Mary, Mother of God.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Acknowledging that we are sinners and being
able to ask for forgiveness is the first step in a decisive response to the
question that Jesus asks each of us directly: “are you with me or against me?”.
Thus, during Mass at Santa Marta on Thursday, 3 March, the Pope invited us to
open ourselves unconditionally to God’s mercy. At
the beginning of the first reading, Francis noted, the prophet Jeremiah
(7:23-28), “reminds us of God’s pact with his people: ‘Listen to my voice; then
I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I
command you, so that you may prosper”. It is “a faithfulness pact”. Both
readings, he continued, “tell us another story: this pact failed and today the
Church makes us reflect on it; we can call it a history of failed
faithfulness”. In reality, “God always remains faithful, because he cannot deny
himself”. However the people amass infidelities, “one after another: they
become unfaithful, they are unfaithful!”. The
Book of Jeremiah recounts that the people do not hold true to the pact: ‘But
they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed’”. Scripture also tells us, Francis
explained, of the “many things that God did in order to attract the hearts of
his people: ‘From the day that your fathers left the land of Egypt even to this
day, I have sent you untiringly all my servants the prophets. Yet they have not
obeyed me nor paid heed; they have stiffened their necks and done worse than
their fathers’”. This passage of Jeremiah ends on a strong note: “Faithfulness
has disappeared”, it is “cut off from their lips”. The
“unfaithfulness of the People of God”, like our own unfaithfulness, “hardens
the heart: it closes the heart!”, and it keeps out “the voice of the Lord who,
as loving father, asks us to always open ourselves to his mercy and his love”.
In Psalm 95[94] “we prayed together: hear today the voice of the Lord: harden
not your hearts!”. It’s true, the Pontiff stated, “the Lord always speaks to us
this way”, and “with fatherly tenderness he tells us: return to me with all
your heart, for I am merciful and compassionate”. However,
“when your heart is hard you cannot understand this”, Francis explained. In
fact, “God’s mercy is understood only if you are able to open your heart, so it
can enter”. And this continues, it “goes on: the heart hardens, and we see the
same story” in the day’s passage from the Gospel of Luke (11:14-23). “There
were people, the doctors of the law, who had studied the Scriptures, who knew
theology, but were very, very closed-minded. The crowd was amazed:
astonishment! Because the crowd was following Jesus. Someone might say: ‘But
they followed him in order to be healed, this is why they were following him’”. The
reality, Francis pointed out, was that the people “trusted Jesus! Their hearts
were open: imperfect, sinful, but their hearts were open”. On the other hand,
“the theologians had a closed-minded attitude” and “were always looking for an
explanation so as not to understand Jesus’ message”. Thus, in this specific
case, as Luke writes, they said: “No, this man casts out demons in the name of
the prince of demons”. They were always seeking other pretexts, the Gospel
continues, “to put him to the test: they asked him for a sign from heaven”. The
underlying problem, the Pope remarked, was that they were “always closed”.
Therefore, “it was Jesus who had to justify what he did”. “This
is the story, the history of failed faithfulness”, Francis said, “the history
of closed hearts, of hearts that would not let God’s mercy enter, which had
forgotten the word ‘forgiveness’ — ‘Forgive me, Lord!’ — simply because they
did not feel they were sinners: they felt they were the judges of others”. And
this history goes on for centuries. “Jesus explains this failed faithfulness
with two clear words in order to end the discussion with these hypocrites:
“Whoever is not with me is against me”. In the language Jesus used, the Pope
said, it is clear: “either you are faithful, with your heart open to God who is
faithful to you, or you are against him: ‘Whoever is not with me is against
me’”. Someone may think that there is perhaps “a middle ground for
negotiations”, to escape the clarity of Jesus’ words, “either you are faithful
or you are opposed”. In essence, Francis replied, “there is a way out: confess,
sinner!”. Because “if you say, ‘I am a sinner’, your heart opens, God’s mercy
enters, and you begin to be faithful”. Before
continuing the celebration, the Pontiff advised that we ask “the Lord for the
grace of faithfulness”, knowing that “the first step” on the “path of
faithfulness is feeling we are sinners”. Indeed, “if you do not feel you are a
sinner, you have started off wrong”. Therefore, Francis concluded, “let us ask
for the grace that our hearts not harden, that they be open to God’s mercy”,
and ask for “the grace of faithfulness”. Let us also ask for the “grace to ask
forgiveness” when we find we are unfaithful….
Madrid – Next Sunday, 6 March, “Latin-American Day” with this year’s theme “Prophets of Marcy”, is promoted by the Missions Commission of the Spanish Catholic Bishops’ Conference and OCSHA . To mark the annual Day, representatives of local Churches of Latin America and Spain meet to discuss activities aimed at intensifying communion, collaboration and solidarity between these closely connected peoples and nations. It is also a day to remember all Spanish missionaries in Latin America. According to information issued for the occasion today 970 Spanish fidei donum priests are on missionary service in Latin America. Toledo is the Spanish diocese with the highest number of missionaries in Latin America, Fides learns. “Today, the report says, we express and renew our gratitude to the 31 priests from Toledo serving the Church in Latin American countries, those who are members of OCSHA, and all Spanish, sisters and brothers, priests and lay persons Fidei Donum missionaries for the evangelisation of those lands. Since 1959, on this day of special celebration we remember the numerous missionaries with prayers and church communion made explicit in cooperation among the local Churches ” the note concludes. Link correlati : Materiale per la celebrazione della Giornata:…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says the Church has no need for “blood” money that derives from exploitation of people; what it needs is that the hearts of faithful be open to God’s mercy.
Speaking to the crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the weekly General Audience, the Pope’s catechesis was inspired by the Holy Year of Mercy and he reflected on God’s fatherly love and forgiveness.
When God’s children err in their ways, the Pope said, God calls out to them lovingly and never disowns them.
“The most evil of men, the most evil of women, and the most evil of peoples are His children” he said.
The Lord never disowns us; he always calls us to be close to Him. This – the Pope said – is the love of our Father, the mercy of God.
“To have a Father like this gives us hope and trust” he said.
And commenting on the fact that “when a person is sick he turns to the doctor; when he feels he has sinned” Francis said: “he must turn to God – because if he turns to the witchdoctor he will not be healed”.
Pointing out that “we often choose to tread the wrong paths in search of a justification, justice, and peace” Pope Francis said that these are gifts that are bestowed upon us by the Lord if we choose the right path and turn to Him.
“I think of some benefactors of the Church, who come with an offer for the Church and their offer is the fruit of the blood of people who have been exploited, enslaved with work which was under-payed” he said.
“I will tell these people to please take back their cheques. The People of God don’t need their dirty money but hearts that are open to the mercy of God” he said.
Reflecting on how the prophet Isaiah presents God in the Scriptures, he said that this fatherly love of the Lord also involves correction, a summons to conversion and the renewal of the Covenant.
If he chastises his people, the Pope said, it is to move them to repentance and conversion, and in his mercy, he asks them to turn back to him with all their hearts and to receive a righteousness that is itself his gift.
“Though our sins be like scarlet, he will make them white as snow” he said.
And with a special thought and mention for the many refugees who are attempting to enter Europe and do not know where to go, Pope Francis invited the faithful to be open, during this year of grace, to our heavenly Father’s merciful invitation to come back to him and to experience this miracle of his love and forgiveness.
(from Vatican Radio)…