(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met on Saturday afternoon with the participants of a three-day international conference in Rome, marking the 10th anniversary of Dignitas connubii , the instruction to be observed by diocesan and inter-diocesan tribunals in handling cases of the nullity of marriage.
Listen to the report by Laura Ieraci :
In his prepared text, Pope Francis said the high participation at the three-day conference demonstrates “a generous response to the stresses that every authentic minister of the tribunals of the Church feels for the good of souls.”
It also demonstrates the “importance of Dignitas connubii , which is not directed to law specialists but to the workers in the local tribunals,” he said. “It is, in fact, a modest but useful vademecum (handbook) that really takes the ministers of the tribunals by the hand toward the implementation of a process that is both sure and expeditious.”
“A sure process because it indicates and explains with clarity the goal of the process itself, namely moral certainty: this requires that any prudent, positive doubt of error be totally excluded, even if the mere possibility of the contrary is not excluded,” he said, referring to Article 247, Section 2, of the instruction.
“An expeditious process because—as common experience teaches—those who know well the road to travel, go more quickly,” he continued. “The knowledge and, I would say, the use of this instruction can, even in the future, help ministers of the tribunals to shorten case proceedings, often perceived by spouses as long and wearisome.”
“Up until now, not all of the resources that this instruction makes available for an expeditious process, devoid of every formalism for its own sake, have been explored; nor can we exclude further legislative acts in the future aimed at the same end,” he stated.
“Among the concerns that the Instruction Dignitas connubii manifests, I have already recalled that of the proper and original contribution of the defender of the bond in the marriage process,” he said. “His presence and the faithful fulfillment of his task do not condition the judge, but allow and encourage the impartiality of his judgment, having set before him the arguments for and against the declaration of nullity of marriage.”
The three-day conference on Dignitas Connubii was organized by the faculty of canon law of the Pontifical Gregorian University, with the collaboration of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts and the Consociatio internationalis studio iuris canonici promovendo .
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The vital role that men and women religious of different Christian Churches play in the ecumenical journey was at the heart of Pope Francis’s meeting on Saturday with participants in a conference on consecrated life and the search for Christian Unity. The three day meeting, which concludes on Sunday, comes in the context of both this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Year of Consecrated Life. Participants are concluding each day with Vespers in the Orthodox, Anglican and Catholic traditions, including the liturgy presided over by Pope Francis in the Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls on Sunday.
Listen to the report by Philippa Hitchen:
In his meeting with the men and women religious, Pope Francis recalled the words of the Second Vatican Council document ‘Unitatis Redintegratio’ stressing that spiritual ecumenism is the soul of the whole ecumenical movement. Consecrated people like yourselves, he said, therefore have a particular vocation in this work of promoting unity.
The Pope also mentioned ecumenical communities like Taizé and Bose which have taken up this vocation and are privileged places of encounter between Christians of different denominations.
The Pope spoke of three conditions at the core of the search for Christian unity – firstly, there’s no unity without conversion of heart, which includes forgiving and asking for forgiveness.
Secondly he said there is no unity without prayer and therefore men and women religious who pray for unity are like ‘an invisible monastery’ bringing together Christians of different denominations from different countries around the world.
Thirdly, the Pope said, there is no unity without holiness of daily life. so the more we put our search for unity into practise in our relations with others, the more we will be modelling our lives on the message of the Gospel.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Following Malawian President Peter Mutharika’s declaration on 13 January 2015 that 15 districts in the country are disaster areas, Pope Francis through the office of Apostolic Nunciature in Malawi has conveyed a message of solidarity to the people of Malawi through Archbishop Thomas Msusa, Vice President of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM). The message was forwarded to ECM by the Apostolic Nuncio to Malawi, Archbishop Julio Murat.
In his statement to Archbishop Msusa, the Apostolic Nuncio stated, “I would like to forward you the message of His Holiness Pope Francis on the tragic consequences of heavy rains in Malawi.”
The message signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State at the Vatican reads:
” His Holiness Pope Francis, informed of the tragic consequences of the heavy rains in Malawi, has asked me to convey his closeness and solidarity to you and the Catholic faithful, and all beloved people of Malawi. He assures you of his prayers for the victims, their families and all affected by this catastrophe. The Holy Father invokes God’s blessings of strength and perseverance upon those engaged in the massive work of relief, and he expresses his fervent hope that the international community will respond generously and effectively to the needs of the suffering. To all, as a pledge of hope and peace in the Lord, he sends his blessing.”
At least 200 people are reported killed by floods and tens of thousands evacuated in what has been branded the worst flooding on record in the Southern African nation.
Apart from killing about 200 people, the floods have also displaced at least 200,000. Others left homes and schools submerged in water. Several roads have been washed away by the deluge.
(e-mail: engafrica@vatiradio.va)
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a letter to each of the 20 Churchmen who will be elevated to the College of Cardinals during the consistory on February 14th in the Vatican. In his letter, the Pope reminded the prelates that being a Cardinal is a vocation to serve and stressed the need to be humble.
“Staying humble, whilst serving is not easy,” he said, when people consider the cardinalate “as a prize, or the peak of one’s career,” a dignified position of power or of superior distinction. The Pope urged them to strive every day to stay away from such considerations. And when celebrating the elevation to your new vocation, he continued, do so with humility and ensure that these celebrations are not contaminated by the spirit of worldliness which can intoxicate more than drinking brandy on an empty stomach, and can separate one from Christ’s Cross.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) On Thursday afternoon Pope Francis Francis received in a private audience Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, during which he authorised the Congregation to promulgate the following decrees:
MIRACLES
– attributed to the Venerable Servant of God Maria Teresa Casini, Italian foundress of the Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1864-1937);
MARTYRDOM
– Servants of God Fidela (nee Dolores Oller Angelats) and two companions, Spanish professed nuns of the Institute of Sisters of St. Joseph, killed in hatred of the faith in Spain between 26 and 29 August 1936;
– Servants of God Pio Heredia Zubia and seventeen companions, of the Trappists of Cantabria and the Cistercian nuns of the Congregation of St. Bernard, killed in hatred of the faith in Spain in 1936;
– Servant of God Tshimangadzo Samuel Benedict Daswa (ne Bakali), South African layperson, killed in hatred of the faith in South Africa on 2 February 1990.
HEROIC VIRTUES
– Servant of God Ladislao Bukowinski, Ukrainian diocesan priest (1904-1974);
– Servant of God Aloysius Schwartz, American diocesan priest, founder of the Sisters of Mary of Banneux and the Brothers of Christ (1930-1992);
– Servant of God Cointa Jauregui Oses, Spanish professed nun of the Company of Mary Our Lady (1875-1954);
– Servant of God Teresa Gardi, Italian layperson of the Third Order of St. Francis (1769-1837);
– Servant of God Luis De Trelles y Nuogerol, Spanish layperson and founder of the Nocturnal Adoration Society in Spain (1819-1891);
– Servant of God Elisabeth Maria (nee Erizabe-to Maria) Satoko Kitahara, Japanese layperson (1929-1958);
– Servant of God Virginia Blanco Tardio, Bolivian layperson (1916-1990).
Audiences
Vatican City, 23 January 2015 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
– Cardinal George Pell, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy;
– Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith;
– Msgr. Pio Vito Pinto, dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota;
– College of the Prelate Auditors of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota;
– Maja Marija Lovrencic Svetek, ambassador of Slovenia, on her farewell visit.
Yesterday, Thursday 22 January, the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
(from Vatican Radio)…