(Vatican Radio) The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on Wednesday inaugurating the new premises of the Apostolic Nunciature (Vatican Embsassy) to Slovenia, in the capital Ljubljana.
Listen to Cardinal Parolin’s Address:
“This is a significant moment in the relations between Slovenia and the Holy See, which allows me to recall that the Holy See was among the very first to recognize the independence of Slovenia, on 13th January 1992,” Cardinal Parolin said.
He said this latest development means the Pope now has “his own house” in Slovenia.
“As we inaugurate this building, it is, of course, important to recall that an Apostolic Nuncio must be competent above all in building the bridges of human relationships, through dialogue and an openness to the humanity at the heart of every problem,” Cardinal Parolin said. “That is ultimately the vocation of each and every Christian and underlines that the solid foundation from which we must start building is always Christ.”
The full text of Cardinal Parolin’s Speech is below
Speech of His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness Pope Francis, at the Blessing and Inauguration ceremony of the new premises of the Apostolic Nunciature in Ljubljana
February 3rd, 2016
Dear Mister President of the Republic of Slovenia,
Distinguished Members of the National Government and of the Municipality of Ljubljana,
Distinguished Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Excellencies, Members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference
Distinguished Representatives of the Religious Denominations
Dear Guests,
Thank you Mr President (Archbishop Janusz, Apostolic Nuncio) for your kind words. I was delighted to accept the invitation to preside at this ceremony to bless and inaugurate the new buildings of the Apostolic Nunciature in Ljubljana. This has happily afforded me the opportunity to visit the wonderful country of Slovenia during this year of celebrations for twenty-five years of Independence. Whilst recognising the increased role which the country now plays within the international community, it is impossible to think of Slovenia without calling to mind its Christian tradition, its love of learning, and its cultural and architectural heritage.
This is a significant moment in the relations between Slovenia and the Holy See, which allows me to recall that the Holy See was among the very first to recognize the independence of Slovenia, on 13th January 1992. Very soon thereafter, on 8th February 1992, diplomatic relations were established. In the following years Slovenia twice welcomed Pope John Paul II, in May 1996 and in September 1999, and these visits remain vivid in the memory of your people.
The friendly and constructive relationship blossomed between Slovenia and the Holy See, and a major step came on 14th December 2001, with an agreement addressing juridical questions, which was subsequently ratified on 28th May 2004. Now it is our hope that our constructive cooperation might lead to further steps being made together.
So it is with great joy that we are now able to bless and officially inaugurate this Apostolic Nunciature, the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to Slovenia.
The term “Holy See” is frequently used in the language of international law and international relations. The word “see” derives from the Latin word sedes and refers to the seat or chair of Saint Peter. All subsequent Popes, who are successors of Peter, occupy this seat or chair. The Holy See also refers to the residence of the Pope along with the Roman Curia and the central administration of the Catholic Church. This term, however, is not synonymous with Rome, the Vatican, or the Vatican City State. Its significance, in essence transcends the restriction of geographic location. The Holy See is a unique entity amongst other subjects of international law. Aside its uniqueness, the Holy See enjoys an international personality similar to that of individual States. Its existence as a sovereign entity transcends territorial possession. It is a truly international person because its presence, unlike that of States, is universal.
One might ask why the Successor of Peter has need for diplomatic relations with States and with International Organizations. It is worth pointing out that the Holy See has exercised the right of legation almost from the beginning of its history. When, at the end of the fifteenth century the Nation-States were coming into being, the Roman Pontiff sent his representatives to them. Indeed, Papal diplomacy is one of the oldest in the world, and history bears witness to the Holy See’s long and vibrant presence in the international sphere.
The Holy See’s mission is multifaceted: offering a moral voice in the world of international relations; reminding the world of the existence of transcendent values; and defending the pillars on which every civil society stands, such as the family – under severe pressure from a complicated interplay of forces in today’s world. On these issues, the Holy See speaks out not just for some, but for all of humanity.
In order to speak, it is first necessary to listen. “Be quick to hear” the Book of Sirach reminds us (5:11), and, in the words of Pope Francis, we need to consider that “Sometimes it is a matter of hearing the cry of entire peoples, the poorest peoples of the earth, since ‘peace is founded not only on respect for human rights, but also on respect for the rights of peoples’. […] To speak properly of our own rights, we need to broaden our perspective and to hear the plea of other peoples and other regions than those of our own country. We need to grow in a solidarity which ‘would allow all peoples to become the artisans of their destiny’, since ‘every person is called to self-fulfilment” (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 190).
One of the primary responsibilities of the Holy See is to foster communion within the Church: between the Successor of Peter, the Pope, and the Successors of the Apostles, the Bishops, in every part of the world. In addition, the Holy See, in union with local Bishops, seeks to promote relations between the Church and the State, not forgetting relations with other religious groups that are present in a particular country.
In order properly to exercise this mission, to be truly attentive to the particular Churches and to all human necessity, the Holy See needs to be present in an adequate manner in different parts of the world.
In Slovenia the Catholic Church carries out numerous activities that benefit the whole of society: in the field of charity and education, in preserving cultural heritage and in providing spiritual assistance.
The Agreement between Slovenia and the Holy See, which I mentioned earlier, recalls the principles of religious freedom guaranteed by the Slovenian Constitution and by those universally-recognised fundamental Human Rights concerning freedom of thought, conscience and religion. At the same time the Catholic Church, with its juridical personality recognised by the State, is free to operate with respect for Slovenian Laws. The mutual collaboration between these two independent and autonomous entities is beneficial for the promotion of the human person and of the common good.
The construction of an Apostolic Nunciature, such as this, is a sign of the will of the Holy See to consolidate a stable and permanent presence in a State, in a spirit of understanding and effective collaboration with the Government and with the local Church.
Bringing such a building to completion is not always easy and sometimes requires a considerable amount of time. I know that the President of the Republic, the Mayor of Ljubljana and many important figures present here today, have accompanied this process with particular care and attention and a willingness to help. To them – to you – I would like to express the gratitude of the Holy See. At the same time, we are very grateful to the Archdiocese of Ljubljana, which for more than twenty years has offered such a convenient location for the offices and the residence of the Apostolic Nuncio.
The Pope and the Holy See now has its own house in Slovenia! This is a place that speaks of solidarity and affection; a place of meeting and exchange, where relationships are cultivated; a place which is made human by the authenticity of those relationships. And, allow me to add that, in these times marked by the mobility of increasing numbers of people, an attitude of openness and mutual acceptance needs to be fostered by all.
I would also like to publicly recognise the effort of the Apostolic Nuncios who sought out this location and helped to bring the project for this building to fruition. Allow me to recall how much was done by Archbishop Edmond Farhat and by Archbishop Santos Abril y Castellò, now Cardinal and Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. Your current Nuncio, Archbishop Juliusz Janusz (who is also Dean of the Diplomatic Corps), has accumulated extensive experience in building new Nunciatures. Indeed, after Mozambique and Hungary, this is the third building that stands as testimony to his ability.
And this building, the Nuncio tells me, has a very Slovenian touch. In the part that was renovated, the architectural style of an existing historical house was preserved, whilst in the new building there is a chapel designed and executed by a famous Slovenian artist, Father Ivan Marko Rupnik. I want to thank all those, who with their skill and hard work have contributed to this magnificent building.
As we inaugurate this building, it is, of course, important to recall that an Apostolic Nuncio must be competent above all in building the bridges of human relationships, through dialogue and an openness to the humanity at the heart of every problem. That is ultimately the vocation of each and every Christian and underlines that the solid foundation from which we must start building is always Christ.
I cordially invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace for the people and leaders of the noble Slovenian nation.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday greeted members of the American Circus, which performed during his weekly general audience.
Speaking off the cuff, Pope Francis thanked the performers, and reiterated his remarks from last week , when another circus performed in St. Peter’s Square.
“I am going to repeat what I said a week ago, when there was another performance such as this one,” Pope Francis said. “You make beauty, and beautiful things bring us closer to God. Thank you for this.”
However, Pope Francis said he wanted to emphasize another point: Such a performance “cannot be improvised.”
“Behind this beautiful show, there are hours and hours of exhausting training,” Pope Francis said.
“Training is hard work,” continued the Holy Father. “The Apostle Paul tells to get to cross finish line and win, you must rain, and this is an example to us all – because the seduction of an easy life, to seek a good outcome without effort, it’s a temptation.”
Pope Francis concluded his remarks to the circus by thanking them for their example.
“With what you have done today, and with the training behind, gives witness to the truth that a life without constant striving is a life of mediocrity,” he said.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis told consecrated men and women to never forget the beauty of their call to religious life, reminding them that the marrow of consecrated life is prayer.
“And go forth! Each of us has a place, a work in the Church,” the Pope told religious men and women in St Peter’s Square, after celebrating Mass in the basilica for the end of the Year of Consecrated Life .
“Today the Lord continues to call you with that love with which you were called,” he said. “Do not forget, do not forget that beauty, that wonder of the first call.”
Listen to Ann Schneible’s report:
Pope Francis stressed the importance of prayer for consecrated persons in continuing forward. “The marrow of the consecrated life is prayer: pray! And thus to grow old, but you will grow old like a good wine!”
He expressed special appreciation for elderly religious who have maintained a rich spiritual life.
“I really enjoy finding those religious women or men, old but with shining eyes, because they have the fire of the spiritual life still burning,” he said.
Finally, the Pope urged religious men and women to pray for new vocations “so that our work of consecration may go ahead.”
The Year for Consecrated Life, which was celebrated throughout the world, began on the First Sunday of Advent in November 2014 and came to a close on the World Day of Consecrated Life on 2 February 2016.
Below find Vatican Radio’s translation of Pope Francis’ remarks at the end of Mass:
Dear consecrated brothers and sisters, thank you so much! You have participated in the Eucharist out in the cool air! But the heart is on fire!
Thank you for having finished this Year of Consecrated Life in this way, all together. And go forth! Each of us has a place, a work in the Church. Please, don’t forget your first vocation, your initial call. Remember! Today the Lord continues to call you with that love with which you were called. Do not forget, do not forget that beauty, that wonder of the first call. And then continue to work. How beautiful it is to continue! There is always something to do. The most important thing is to pray. The marrow of the consecrated life is prayer: pray! And thus to grow old, but you will grow old like a good wine!
I have one thing to tell you. I really enjoy meeting with those religious women or men, old but with shining eyes, because they have the fire of the spiritual life still burning. It hasn’t gone out, that light hasn’t gone out! Go forward today, every day, and continue to work and to look to tomorrow with hope, always asking the Lord to send us new vocations, so that our work of consecration may go ahead. Memory: Don’t forget the initial call! The work of every day, and then the hope to go ahead and seed well, because those who come after us may receive the heritage we will leave for them.
Now let us pray to Mary. Hail Mary…
Have a good evening and pray for me!
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Tuesday called on consecrated men and women to make courageous and prophetic choices, to not be afraid of getting their hands dirty and of walking the geographical and existential peripheries of mankind today.
The Pope was speaking to consecrated men and women during the closing Mass of the Year of Consecrated Life in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Year, which was celebrated throughout the world, began on the First Sunday of Advent in November 2014 and came to a close on the World Day of Consecrated Life on 2 February 2016.
The initiative, called for by Pope Francis, aimed to be an occasion of renewal for men and women in consecrated life, of thanksgiving among the faithful for the service of sisters, brothers, priests, and nuns, and an invitation to young Catholics to consider a religious vocation.
During his homily the Pope described the just-ended Year of Consecrated Life as “a river”, saying “it now flows into the sea of mercy, into the immense mystery of love that we are experiencing through the Extraordinary Jubilee”.
The final days of the Year of Consecrated Life were marked in the Vatican with a theological symposium on religious life , on the theme Consecrated Life in Communion. A common foundation in the diversity of style s.
Please find below Vatican Radio translation of the Pope’s homily:
Today, before our eyes is a simple, humble and great fact: Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. He is a child like many others, just like the others, but He is unique: He is the Lord’s only son who has come for all mankind. This Child has brought the mercy and the tenderness of God: Jesus is the face of the Father’s Mercy. This is the icon the Gospel offers us at the conclusion of the Year of Consecrated Life, a year which has been lived with much enthusiasm. Like a river, it now flows into the sea of mercy, into the immense mystery of love that we are experiencing through the Extraordinary Jubilee.
Today’s feast, especially in the East, is called the Feast of the Encounter. As a matter of fact, in the Gospel we can read of several encounters (cf. Lk 2,22-40). In the temple Jesus comes towards us and we go to meet him. We contemplate the encounter with the aged Simeon who represents Israel that trustingly awaits the coming of the Lord and the exultation of the heart for the fulfillment of the promise. We can also admire the encounter with the prophetess, Anna, who upon seeing the Child exults with joy and praises God. Simeon and Anna are the awaiting and the prophecy, Jesus is the good news and the fulfillment: He presents himself to us as God’s perpetual surprise; in this Child who was born for all, the past, made of memory and promise, and the future, which is full of hope, meet.
In this we can see the beginning of consecrated life. Consecrated men and women are called first and foremost to be men and women of encounter. Vocation, in fact, is not motivated by a project that has been planned “at the drawing table”, but by the grace of the Lord who comes to us through a life-changing encounter. Those who really meet Jesus cannot stay the same as before. He is the novelty that makes all things new. He who lives this meeting becomes a witness and makes the meeting possible for others; he also becomes a promoter of the culture of encounter, avoiding a self-referential attitude that causes one to remain closed within oneself.
The passage from the Letter to the Hebrews that we just heard, reminds us that Jesus himself, in his meeting with us, did not hesitate to share our human condition: ” Since the children have flesh and blood, Christ too shared in their humanity” (v. 14). Jesus did not save us “from the outside”, He did not stay out of our drama, he wanted to participate in our life. Consecrated persons are called to be a concrete and prophetic sign of God’s closeness, of this sharing in a condition of fragility, of sin and of the wounds of man in our time. All forms of consecrated life, each according to its characteristics, are called to be in a permanent state of mission, sharing “The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted” ( Gaudium et Spes , 1).
The Gospel also tells us that “Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what was said about Him” (v. 33). Joseph and Mary safeguard the wonder for this encounter which is full of light and hope for all people. And we too, as Christians and as consecrated persons, we are custodians of wonder. A wonder that asks to be constantly renewed; woe betide routine in spiritual life; woe betide the crystallization of our charisms in abstract doctrine: the charisms of the founders – as I have said before – are not to be sealed in a bottle, they are not museum pieces. Our founders were moved by the Spirit and they were not afraid to get their hands dirty with everyday life, with people’s problems, they were not afraid to courageously walk the geographic and existential peripheries. They did not stop before the obstacles and misunderstandings of others, because they kept the wonder of their encounter with Christ in their hearts. They did not tame the grace of the Gospel; they had a healthy yearning for the Lord in their hearts, the yearning to bring Him to others, just as Mary and Joseph did in the temple. We too, are called today, to make prophetic and courageous choices.
Finally, we learn from today’s feast to live the gratitude for the encounter with Jesus and for the gift of a vocation to consecrated life. To thank, to give thanks for the grace: the Eucharist. How beautiful it is when we meet the happy face of consecrated persons, who are perhaps already advanced in years, like Simeon and Anna, happy and full of gratitude for their vocation. This is a word that can sum up everything we have lived in this Year of the Consecrated Life: gratitude for the gift of the Holy Spirit, which always inspires the Church through its various charisms. The Gospel ends with this expression: “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him” (v. 40). May the Lord Jesus, through the maternal intercession of Mary, grow within us, and each increase in each of us the desire of encounter, the custody of wonder and the joy of gratitude. Then others will be attracted by His light, and will be able to meet the Father’s mercy.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Vatican City, February 2016 (VIS) – To mark the occasion of the upcoming Chinese New Year, the Holy Father Francis has granted an extensive interview to the online daily Asia Times, Hong Kong. The Pope took the opportunity to express his wishes to President Xi Jinping and all the Chinese people, and his high esteem for the Chinese people and their culture, in the hope that the Chinese contribution to dialogue between peoples may contribute to peace and the integral development of the human family. The original text can be found on the Asia Times website at atimes.com.; an abridged version is published below. Asia Times: “What is China for you? How did you imagine China to be as a young man, given that China, for Argentina, is not the East but the far West? What does Matteo Ricci mean to you?” Pope Francis: “For me, China has always been a reference point of greatness. A great country. But more than a country, a great culture, with an inexhaustible wisdom. For me, as a boy, whenever I read anything about China, it had the capacity to inspire my admiration. … Later I looked into Matteo Ricci’s life and I saw how this man felt the same thing in the exact way I did, admiration, and how he was able to enter into dialogue with this great culture, with this age-old wisdom. He was able to “encounter” it. … Ricci’s experience teaches us that it is necessary to enter into dialogue with China, because it is an accumulation of wisdom and history. It is a land blessed with many things. And the Catholic Church, one of whose duties is to respect all civilisations, before this civilisation, I would say, has the duty to respect it with a capital “R”. The Church has great potential to receive culture”. Asia Times: “China, for the first time in its thousands of years of history, is emerging from its own environment and opening to the world, creating unprecedented challenges for itself and for the world. You have spoken of a third world war that is furtively advancing: what challenges does this present in the quest for peace?” Pope Francis: “Being afraid is never a good counsellor. … And it is obvious that so much culture and so much wisdom, and in addition, so much technical knowledge – we have only to think of age-old medicinal techniques – cannot remain enclosed within a country; they tend to expand, to spread, to communicate. Man tends to communicate, a civilisation tends to communicate. It is evident that when communication happens in an aggressive tone to defend oneself, then wars result. But I would not be fearful. It is a great challenge to keep the balance of peace. … The Western world, the Eastern world and China all have the capacity to maintain the balance of peace and the strength to do so. We must find the way, always through dialogue; there is no other way. Encounter is achieved through dialogue. The true balance of peace is realised through dialogue. Dialogue does not mean that we end up with a compromise, half the cake for you and the other half for me. This is what happened in Yalta and we saw the results. No, dialogue means: look, we have got to this point, I may or may not agree, but let us walk together; this is what it means to build. And the cake stays whole, walking together. The cake belongs to everyone, it is humanity, culture. Carving up the cake, as in Yalta, means dividing humanity and culture into small pieces. And culture and humanity cannot be carved into small pieces”. Asia Times: “China has experienced over the last few decades tragedies without comparison. Since 1980 the Chinese have sacrificed that which has always been most dear to them, their children. For the Chinese these are very serious wounds. Among other things, this has left enormous emptiness in their consciences and somehow an extremely deep need to be reconciled with themselves and to forgive themselves. In the Year of Mercy what message can you offer the Chinese people?” Pope Francis: “The aging of a population … is happening in many places. … Perhaps behind this there is the fear you are alluding to, the mistaken perception, not that we will simply fall behind, but that we will fall into misery, so therefore, let’s not have children. There are other societies that have opted for the contrary. For example, during my trip to Albania, I was astonished to discover that the average age of the population is approximately 40 years. … Countries that have suffered and opt for youth. Then there is the problem of work. Something that China does not have, because it has the capacity to offer work both in the countryside and in the city. And it is true, the problem for China of not having children must be very painful; because the pyramid is then inverted and a child has to bear the burden of his father, mother, grandfather and grandmother. And this is exhausting, demanding, disorientating. It is not the natural way. I understand that China has opened up possibilities on this front”. Asia Times: “How should these challenges of families in China be faced, given that they find themselves in a process of profound change and no longer correspond to the traditional Chinese model of the family?” Pope Francis: “The history of a people is always a path. A people at times walks more quickly, at times more slowly, at times it pauses, at times it makes a mistake and goes backwards a little, or takes the wrong path and has to retrace its steps to follow the right way. But when a people moves forward, this does not worry me because it means they are making history. And I believe that the Chinese people are moving forward and this is their greatness. … And I would go further: do not be bitter, but be at peace with your own path, even if you have made mistakes. I cannot say my history was bad, that I hate my history. No, every people must be reconciled with its history as its own path, with its successes and its mistakes. And this reconciliation with one’s own history brings much maturity, much growth. … When one takes responsibility for one’s own path, accepting it for what it was, this allows one’s historical and cultural richness to emerge, even in difficult moments. And how can it be allowed to emerge? Here we return to the first question: in dialogue with today’s world. To dialogue does not mean that I surrender myself, because at times there is the danger, in the dialogue between different countries, of hidden agendas, namely, cultural colonisations. It is necessary to recognise the greatness of the Chinese people, who have always maintained their culture. And their culture – I am not speaking about ideologies that there may have been in the past – their culture was not imposed”. Asia Times: “The country’s economic growth proceeded at an overwhelming pace but this has also brought with it human and environmental disasters which Beijing is striving to confront and resolve. At the same time, the pursuit of work efficiency is burdening families with new costs: sometimes children and parents are separated due to the demands of work. What message can you give them?” Pope Francis: “I would suggest a healthy realism; reality must be accepted from wherever it comes. … First, I must be reconciled with reality. I don’t like it, I am against it, it makes me suffer, but if I don’t come to terms with it, I won’t be able to do anything. The second step is to work to improve reality and to change its direction. … If this happens to a company which has worked for twenty years and there is a business crisis, then there are few avenues of creativity to improve it. On the contrary, when it happens in an age-old country, with its age-old history, its age-old wisdom, its age-old creativity, then tension is created between the present problem and this past of ancient richness. And this tension brings fruitfulness as it looks to the future. I believe that the great richness of China today lies in looking to the future from a present that is sustained by the memory of its cultural past”. Asia Times: “On the occasion of the upcoming Chinese New Year of the Monkey, would you like to send a greeting to the Chinese people, to the Authorities and to President Xi Jinping?” Pope Francis: “On the eve of the New Year, I wish to convey my best wishes and greetings to President Xi Jinping and to all the Chinese people. And I wish to express my hope that they never lose their historical awareness of being a great people, with a great history of wisdom, and that they have much to offer to the world. The world looks to this great wisdom of yours. In this New Year, with this awareness, may you continue to go forward in order to help and cooperate with everyone in caring for our common home and our common peoples”….