(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met for the first time on Thursday with a delegation of the Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Union of Utrecht, reflecting on the shared ecumenical journey since the group broke away from Rome in the 18th century over questions of papal authority. The group was led by the Archbishop of Utrecht Dr Joris Vercammen, president of the International Old Catholic Bishops Conference.
Philippa Hitchen reports :
Noting that the International Dialogue Commission between Rome and the Old Catholic Church has helped build “new bridges” of mutual understanding and practical co-operation, Pope Francis said convergences and consensus have been found, and differences between the two groups have been more clearly identified. At the same time though, he said we are also saddened when we recognize “new disagreements” that have emerged on matters of ministry and ethical discernment, making the theological and ecclesiological questions harder to overcome.
The challenge for Catholics and Old Catholics, Pope Francis said, is to persevere in dialogue and to walk, pray and work together in a deeper spirit of conversion. Noting that there have been “grave sins” on the part of both sides, the Pope said in a spirit of mutual forgiveness and humble repentance, we need now to strengthen our desire for reconciliation and peace. The path towards unity begins with a change of heart, he stressed and on the spiritual journey from encounter to friendship, from friendship to brotherhood, from brotherhood to communion, change is inevitable if we are willing to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
In the meantime, the Pope said, there are many areas in which Catholics and Old Catholics can collaborate in tackling the profound spiritual crisis affecting individuals and societies, especially in Europe which is “so confused about its identity and vocation”. There is an urgent need for a convincing witness to the truth and values of the Gospel, he said and in this we can support and encourage one another, especially at the level of parishes and local communities. The soul of ecumenism, Pope Francis said, lies in a “change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis described Christian life as a continuous battle being waged against Satan, the world and the passions of the flesh. His comments came during his homily at Mass celebrated on Thursday morning at the Santa Marta residence. He stressed that the devil exists and we must fight against him with the armour of truth.
Listen to this report by Susy Hodges:
Pope Francis’s reflections during his homily were taken from the words of St Paul in his letter to the Ephesians where the apostle urged Christians to put on the full armour of God in order to resist Satan’s temptations. A Christian life, he said, has to be defended and it requires both strength and courage. It’s a continuous battle against the three main enemies of Christian life which are the devil, the world and the passions of the flesh.
“From whom do I have to defend myself? What must I do? Pauls tells us to put on God’s full armour, meaning that God acts as a defence, helping us to resist Satan’s temptations. Is this clear? No spiritual life, no Christian life is possible without resisting temptations, without putting on God’s armour which gives us strength and protects us.”
Saint Paul, continued the Pope, underlines that our battle is not against little things but against the principalities and the ruling forces, in other words against the devil and his followers.
“But in this generation, like so many others, people have been led to believe that the devil is a myth, a figure, an idea, the idea of evil. But the devil exists and we must fight against him. Paul tells us this, it’s not me saying it! The Word of God is telling us this. But we’re not all convinced of this. And then Paul describes God’s armour and which are the different types that make up this great armour of God. And he says: ‘So stand your ground, with truth a belt around your waist.’ The truth is God’s armour.”
By contrast, said Pope Francis, the devil is a liar and the father of liars and in order to fight him we must have truth on our side. He also underlined the importance of always having our faith in God, like a shield, when fighting this battle against the devil, who, he noted, doesn’t throw flowers at us but instead burning arrows.
“Life is a military endeavour. Christian life is a battle, a beautiful battle, because when God emerges victorious in every step of our life, this gives us joy, a great happiness: the joy that the Lord is the victor within us, with his free gift of salvation. But we’re all a bit lazy, aren’t we, in this battle and we allow ourselves to get carried away by our passions, by various temptations. That’s because we’re sinners, all of us! But don’t get discouraged. Have courage and strength because the Lord is with us.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) A two day conference marking the 20 th anniversary of the restoration of Michelangelo’s frescos in the Sistine Chapel opened on Thursday in Rome.
The event organised by the Vatican Museums is entitled “The Sistine Chapel 20 years later: New breath, new light.”
The conference will examine the current state of frescoes, as well as new methods being taken to protect the priceless artistic treasure.
On Wednesday evening in the Sistine Chapel the world’s media was invited to view the new lighting and air systems that have been installed, in order show the frescos off to their best advantage and protect the Chapel against humidity.
Lydia O’Kane was in the Sistine Chapel to see the result and spoke to Michel Grabon, Director of AdvanTE3C SC, Carrier HVAC Europe. Listen
According to the Director of the Vatican Museums the new lighting system is meant to provide a gentle but total illumination to the frescos but at the same time is non-invasive thus respecting the stylistic and historic reality of the Sistine Chapel.
The US-based company CARRIER has provided a state-of-the-art heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for the Chapel, specially designed to address the challenges of protecting Michelangelo’s masterpieces against deterioration.
“…the system was extremely advanced, advanced in the sense that we have applied very very advanced technology, we have invented some of the technology to be able to fulfill very very complex requirements”, said Michel Grabon, Director of AdvanTE3C SC, Carrier HVAC Europe, who was in the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday evening and who worked on the project.
He went on to stress the importance on maintaining stable operating conditions inside the Chapel. “You can have 100 people, 2000 people inside, you know in a few minutes it can change, so it is extremely important to be able to respond to the change of the load in a very very quick time.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Vatican and the Italian Ministry of Defense on Wednesday afternoon signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a plan of cooperation to enhance the values of sports as a “cultural and educational phenomenon.”
The President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, and the Italian Defense Minister, Roberta Pinotti, signed the agreement at the Italian Embassy to the Holy See.
The agreement recognizes the value of sports for civil society, in terms of health, integration of young people from different cultural and geographic backgrounds, and social inclusion.
“The defense world has always had strong bonds with the sports world,” said Minister Pinotti, noting the role played by military athletes in promoting the growth of sport in Italy in general. She also mentioned the role played by the military in establishing sports for those with disabilities.
The agreement calls on the Defense Ministry and the Pontifical Council for Culture to collaborate in the use of facilities and personnel for joint initiatives aimed at promoting and preserving the true nature of sport, which focuses on the value of the human person.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has sent a message to the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, which was established for former Anglicans in England in 2011. The message was on the fifth anniversary of Pope Benedict’s apostolic constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, which was released on November 4th 2009.
The Pope Emeritus was responding to a letter he received from Nicolas Ollivant, the chairman of the Friends of the Ordinariate, a charity set up to support the Ordinariate’s work.
Mr. Ollivant’s letter also included information on the Ordinariate’s central church in London, Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory, on Warwick Street. It is the site of the former chapel to the Bavarian embassy to England, which greatly pleased the Pope Emeritus.
The full text of the letter (translated into English on the Ordinariate’s website) is below
Since I know that you read the German language without difficulty, I may answer your friendly letter of 1 September in my mother tongue, since my English would not quite suffice to do so.
Your thanks for the establishment of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham has greatly moved me, and I ask you to convey my thanks to all its members. Naturally, I am particularly glad that the former Bavarian Chapel has now become your Ordinariate’s church, and serves such an important role in the whole Church of God. It has been a long time since I have heard news of this holy place, and it was therefore with all the more interest and gratitude that I read the description with which you accompanied your letter.
Once more, many thanks, and may God bless you all.
(from Vatican Radio)…