(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis is set to release a new children’s book in February, entitled “ Love before the World ”.
The book – published by Loyola Press (orig. Italian title “ L’amore prima del mondo ”) – contains the Holy Father’s responses to letters written by children from around the world.
What did God do before creating the world? “God loved.”
Why do my parents fight sometimes? “They are human.”
These are some of the questions put to Pope Francis by children between the ages of 6-13 from 26 countries, including Albania, China, Nigeria, and the Philippines.
Fr. Antonio Spadaro, SJ, director of ‘ La Civiltà Cattolica ’, met with the pope at the Casa Santa Marta several times during the last months, giving the Holy Father a chance to respond to the children’s letters spontaneously.
“These are hard questions,” Pope Francis said, smiling.
The drawings and questions of 31 children were chosen for the book, which will be presented to the Holy Father by several of the children who wrote the letters on 22 February.
Love before the World hits shelves in Italy on 25 February 2016, and on 1 March in the rest of the world.
It comes just after the release of the Holy Father’s book The Name of God is Mercy .
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the participants in a gathering of Italy’s Christian Workers Movement on Saturday, together with representatives from other Christian labor organizations from Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
Italy’s Movimento Cristiano Lavoratori was created in 1972, with the union of two major workers’ organizations committed to building a “capitalism with a human face” as the Movement explains, “in the profound conviction that market freedom, solidarity and subsidiarity are complementary components to any sane liberalism.”
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In his prepared remarks to the participants, Pope Francis focused on three key words: education, sharing, witness.
“To educate ,” said Pope Francis, “means ‘to draw out’: it is the capacity to extract the best from one’s heart – it is not only instruction in this or that technique, nor is it imparting a particular set of notions, but rather it means making ourselves and the reality that surrounds us both more human.” The Holy Father went on to say, “this is particularly valid as far as the world of work is concerned: it is necessary to form people for ‘a new humanism of work’ in which man, and not profit, is at the center; in which the economy serves man, and does not simply make use of him.”
Nor is education therefore merely theoretical. It also helps people to resist the falsehood according to which work, daily effort, giving of self and serious study have no intrinsic value. “Today,” said Pope Francis, “it is urgently necessary to teach people how to take the way – luminous as it is challenging – of honesty – avoiding the shortcuts of favoritism and “old boys’ networks (It. raccomandazioni ).” The Holy Father also condemned corruption and lawlessness in the world of work as being like a giant, tentacled sea creature that ensnares and poisons its victims and drags them into the unseen depths from which it strikes.
About sharing , Pope Francis praised the civil service projects initiative of the movement particularly, and encouraged the members of the Movement to continue to recognize the hours of the working day as an opportunity to foster unity among colleagues and co-workers.
Under the rubric of witness , Pope Francis recalled the plight of the great many people – especially young people – who desire to work and have good training, but cannot find appropriate employment. “Human justice requires that everyone have access to work,” he said. “High-sounding words will not avail,” he added, “what is needed is rather to communicate hope, to comfort with presence, to sustain with concrete help,” those who would work and can find none.
“I encourage you to bear witness starting with your personal lifestyle and in that of your association – witness of the free gift of self, of a spirit of service,” Pope Francis said. “The disciple of Christ, when he is transparent in his heart and sensible in life, brings the light of Christ into the places where he lives and works.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) In a surprise move on Friday afternoon Pope Francis continued with his program of putting mercy into practice during this Jubilee Year by visiting two homes for elderly and disabled people on the outskirts of Rome.
A statement from the press office said there was great surprise and joy among the 33 residents of the Bruno Buozzi home for the elderly as the Pope spent talking to each one of them. He was accompanied by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, head of the Vatican’s Council for New Evangelisation and one of the principle organisers of activities during this Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Pope Francis has repeatedly emphasized the great value of the elderly and particularly the important role of grandparents in the Church and in society.
Before returning to the Vatican, Pope Francis also visited the nearby Casa Iride where six severely disabled patients in a vegetative state are cared for by their families and by a team of medical staff.
Today’s visits were part of the Pope’s decision to make some practical gestures of charity on one Friday of each month throughout this Year of Mercy.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) “How is my faith in Jesus Christ?” This was the question Pope Francis addressed in his remarks to the faithful following the readings of the day at Mass on Friday morning in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta. The Holy Father focused particularly on the Gospel reading, stressing that, in order really to understand Jesus, we should not have a “closed heart”, but ought to follow the path of forgiveness and humiliation. “Faith,” he said, “is something that no one can one can buy,” it is “a gift” that changes our life.
The Gospel reading on Friday was drawn from the Gospel according to St. Mark, and recounts the miraculous healing of a paralytic in Capernaum.
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The people of Capernaum were ready to do anything to get closer to Jesus – they did not heed even risks that may be incurred in order to be able to listen or simply get close enough to brush Him. So many were the people in and around the house where Jesus was, that they had to open the roof and lower the paralyzed man in search of healing into the house. “They had faith,” the Pope said, “the same faith as that lady who, also in a crowd, arranged to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, Jesus’ robe, when He going to the house of Jairus, that she too might be healed.” It was the same faith of the centurion, who desired the healing of his servant. “Strong faith, courageous, forward – looking,” said Pope Francis – hearts to faith.”
If we have closed hearts, we cannot understand Jesus
In the story of the paralytic, he noted, “Jesus goes a step further.” In Nazareth, the beginning of His ministry, “He went into the Synagogue and said he had been sent to free the oppressed, prisoners, to give sight to the blind … to inaugurate a year of grace,” a year “of pardon, of growing closer to the Lord – to inaugurate a way to God.” Here, however, He goes a step further: not only healing the sick but forgiving their sins:
“There were those there who had their hearts closed, but accepted – up to a point – that Jesus was a healer – but forgiving sins is strong! This man is over the top! He has no right to say this, because only God can forgive sins. Only Jesus knew what they were thinking and said: ‘I am God’? – No, He did not say that. [He said,] ?Why are you thinking these things? Because you know that the Son of Man has the power – this is what makes him special [It. è il passo avanti ] – to forgive sins: ‘Arise, take up your mat and be healed.’ He begins to speak the language that at some point will discourage people, some of disciples who followed him – for, hard is this language, when he speaks of eating his body as a way of salvation.”
Let us ask ourselves if faith in Jesus really changes our lives
When Jesus shows up with a power greater than that of a man, “To give that forgiveness, to give life, to recreate humanity, even His disciples doubt, and [some of them] go away.” Jesus asked a small group, ‘Do you also want to go away?’”:
“Faith in Jesus Christ: how is my faith in Jesus Christ? Do I believe that Jesus Christ is God, the Son of God? And has this faith been life-changing? Does my faith make this year of grace begin in my heart, this year of pardon, this year of growing in nearness to the Lord? Faith is a gift. No one ‘deserves’ faith. No one can buy it. It is a gift. Does ‘my’ faith in Jesus Christ, bring me to humiliation? I do not say humility: humiliation, repentance, prayer asking: ‘Forgive me, Lord. You are God. You ‘can’ forgive my sins.”
The test of our faith is the ability to praise God
Let the Lord “make us grow in faith,” was the prayer of Pope Francis. The people, he noted, “sought Jesus in order that they might hear Him, because he spoke “with authority, not as the scribes speak.” Also, he added, they followed Him because He healed people, because he performed miracles – but in the end, “these people, after seeing this, went away and they were all amazed, and glorified God”:
“Praise: the proof that I believe that Jesus Christ is God in my life, that He was sent to me to ‘forgive me’, is praise; if I have the ability to praise God. Praise the Lord. This is free – praise is gratis . It is a sentiment that the Holy Spirit gives and that brings you to say: ‘You are the only God.’ May the Lord make us grow in faith in Jesus Christ, God, who forgives us, who gives us a year of grace – and this faith leads us to praise.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Cardinal Peter Turkson, on Friday spoke during a special event in Geneva discussing Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter Laudato si’ .
“Pope Francis puts forward the concept of integral ecology, which clearly respects the human and social dimensions of the crisis,” Cardinal Turkson said. “This is an inclusive, dynamic paradigm to articulate the fundamental relationships of each person with God, with other human beings including him- or her-self, and with creation.”
The Cardinal said in its relationship with the environment, humanity is faced with a crucial challenge that requires the development of adequate policies that continue to be discussed on the global agenda.
“The challenges of true commitment and real implementation are even greater, as all of you know,” said Cardinal Turkson. “Is Laudato si’ relevant to that agenda? Yes.”
The Cardinal spoke about the lead-up to COP21 climate talks in Paris, and said the world community needed to hear that we inhabit a common home, that every decision in that home carries an ethical dimension, and that our hope lies in profound conversion.
“At Paris, solidarity needed to pervade COP21, and thanks be to God we have an agreement which provides a framework for action at every level,” Cardinal Turkson said. “Henceforth, the vision of Laudato si’ continues to be relevant, because the next, more difficult stages of continuous, concerted and effective action require true ecological conversion.”
The full text of Cardinal Turkson’s speech is below
Caring for Our Common Home – the Encyclical Letter Laudato si’
International Conference Centre Geneva, 15 January 2016
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen:
First of all, I greet you all warmly on behalf of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which is honoured to have been called to assist the Holy Father in his teaching ministry by helping to prepare the Encyclical Letter Laudato si’.
Coming from every corner of the globe, your presence reminds us that, from the very beginning, the Encyclical Laudato si’ brings into dialogue all persons and peoples, all institutions and organizations that share this same concern for our common home as the title of today’s Special Event emphasizes. The world situation compels us to discover that different yet equally important perspectives are ever more intertwined and complementary: the riches of faith and of spiritual tradition, the seriousness of business and of scientific research, the concrete efforts at various levels of both government and civil society, all for an equitable and sustainable development.
This type of dialogue can be seen in the Encyclical itself, which relies on a wide range of contributions, many of them acknowledged in the text and the footnotes.
As is well known, the Encyclical takes its name from the invocation of St Francis of Assisi: “Laudato si’ mi’ Signore – Praise be to you, my Lord!” The Canticle of the Creatures calls to mind that the earth, our common home, “is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us” (§ 1). The voice of St Francis also expresses the attitude which the entire Encyclical conveys. Contemplation is the posture of spirit that disposes us to listen to the message. Prayerful contemplation invites us to look towards the “poor one of Assisi” as a source of inspiration. As the Encyclical affirms, St Francis is “the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically.… He shows us just how inseparable is the bond between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace” (§ 10).
Midway through Laudato si’, talking about justice between the generations, the Pope invites us to ask this question: what kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up? (§ 160). The Holy Father continues, “This question does not have to do with the environment alone and in isolation; the issue cannot be approached piecemeal.” This leads us to ask ourselves about the meaning of existence and its values that are the basis of social life: “What is the purpose of our life in this world? Why are we here? What is the goal of our work and all our efforts? What need does the earth have of us?” Such questions are dealt with in Chapter 3 as consequences of the mis-directed anthropocentrism of today. “If we do not ask these basic questions” – says the Pope – “it is no longer enough, then, simply to state that we should be concerned for future generations” (§ 160).
The Holy Father’s deep questions arise from an observation: today, the earth, our sister, is mistreated, abused, and lamenting. Its groans join those of all the world’s forsaken and “discarded”. Pope Francis invites us to listen to them. One might thus discover the real sense of the anthropogenesis of ecological problems. Listening to them means He urges each and every one – individuals, families, local communities, nations and the international community – to an “ecological conversion” according to the expression of St John Paul II. Such a change of heart means to “change direction” by taking on the beauty and responsibility of the task of “caring for our common home”. Here are the words of Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople: “For human beings … to destroy the biological diversity … by causing changes in its climate,” by contaminating “the earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life – these are sins” (§ 8).
At the same time, Pope Francis welcomes the environmental awareness growing world-wide, along with concern for the damage that is being done. And in spite of the enormous threat, the Pope keeps a hopeful outlook on the possibility of reversing the trend: “Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home” (§ 13). “Men and women are still capable of intervening positively” (§ 58). “All is not lost. Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves, choosing again what is good, and making a new start” (§ 205). Hopefully COP21 represents such a choice and new start.
So with hope for a renewed future, Pope Francis puts forward the concept of integral ecology, which clearly respects the human and social dimensions of the crisis (cf. § 137). This is an inclusive, dynamic paradigm to articulate the fundamental relationships of each person with God, with other human beings including him- or her-self, and with creation:
“When we speak of the “environment”, what we really mean is a relationship existing between nature and the society which lives in it. Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live. We are part of nature, included in it and thus in constant interaction with it. Getting to the reasons why a given area is polluted requires a study of the workings of society, its economy, its behaviour patterns, the ways it grasps reality, and so forth. Given the scale of change, it is no longer possible to find a specific, discrete answer for each part of the problem. It is essential to seek comprehensive solutions that consider the interactions within natural systems themselves and with social systems. We are not faced with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather one complex crisis that is both social and environmental. Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the underprivileged, and at the same time protecting nature” (§ 139).
In the Encyclical, Pope Francis places the various issues within this framework and approached them in three steps: challenge (§ 13), appeal (§ 14), and hope (§ 15). In the different chapters, they are picked up and continuously enriched starting from different perspectives (cf. § 16):
* the intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet;
* the conviction that everything in the world is intimately connected;
* the critique of the unrestrained alliance between finance and technology and, arising from it, the dominant “technocracy”;
* the value proper to each creature;
* the human meaning of ecology;
* the need for forthright and honest dialogue;
* the serious responsibility of international and local policy;
* the throwaway culture;
* the proposal for a new style of life; and
* the invitation to search for other ways of understanding economy and progress.
The encyclical is divided into six chapters.
Chapter I (§ 17-61) asks “What is happening to our common home?” It provides a spiritual listening to the best scientific conclusions on environmental matters available today. “Our goal is not to amass information or to satisfy curiosity, but rather to become painfully aware, to dare to turn what is happening to the world into our own personal suffering and thus to discover what each of us can do about it” (§ 19). Extremely complex and urgent issues are addressed. Some of them – such as climate changes and especially their causes – are the subject of heated debate. The aim of the Encyclical is not to intervene in what is the responsibility of scientists, and even less to establish exactly in which ways the deteriorating climate is a consequence of human action. In the perspective of the Encyclical – and of the Church – it is sufficient to say that human activity is one of the factors that explain climate change. With that, we have a serious moral responsibility to do everything in our power to reduce our “footprint” and reverse the deterioration of the natural and social environment.
The second step in the Encyclical (ch. II, § 62-100) is a review of the riches of Judaeo-Christian tradition, above all in biblical texts and theological reflection. This expresses the “tremendous responsibility” of human beings for creation, the intimate link between all creatures, and the fact that “the natural environment is a collective good, the patrimony of all humanity and the responsibility of everyone” (§ 95).
The analysis then deals in ch. III (§ 101-136) with the human roots of the ecological crisis (chapter title) “so as to consider not only its symptoms but also its deepest causes” (§ 15). One cause is the technocratic mentality which perceives all of reality as an object that can be manipulated limitlessly and which the economy globalizes. Other roots include modern anthropocentrism, relativism, and disrespect for life, all of which dehumanize human beings. Instead, we need to conceive of “another type of progress, one which is healthier, more human, more social, more integral” (§ 112).
Ch. IV (§ 137-62) goes on to lay out integral ecology. It properly integrates concerns for human life and for the natural environment. It comprehends “our unique place as human beings in this world and our relationship to our surroundings”, in the varied aspects of our life, in economy and politics, in various cultures, in particular those which are most threatened, and in every moment of our daily lives.
On this basis, ch. V (§ 163-201) addresses what we can and must do. Practical proposals should not be developed in ideological, superficial or narrow (reductionist) ways. Instead, dialogue is essential, a term present in the title of every section of this chapter. Pope Francis expresses his concern “to encourage an honest and open debate, so that particular interests or ideologies will not prejudice the common good” (§ 188). Thus, dialogue must go on for the renewal of international, national and local politics, of decision-making processes in the public and business sectors, of the relationship between politics and economy and of the relationship between religion and science. I think that this is what we are doing in today’s Special Event.
Finally, based on the conviction that “change is impossible without motivation and a process of education, ch. VI (§ 202-46) proposes “some inspired guidelines for human development to be found in the treasure of Christian spiritual experience” (§ 15). Pope Francis offers two prayers, the first to be prayed with believers of other religions and the second among Christians. The Encyclical concludes, as it opened, in a spirit of prayerful contemplation.
In its relationship with the environment, humanity is faced with a crucial challenge that requires the development of adequate policies that continue to be discussed on the global agenda. The challenges of true commitment and real implementation are even greater, as all of you know. Is Laudato si’ relevant to that agenda? Yes. In the lead-up to COP21, the world community needed to hear that we inhabit a common home, that every decision in that home carries an ethical dimension, and that our hope lies in profound conversion. At Paris, solidarity needed to pervade COP21, and thanks be to God we have an agreement which provides a framework for action at every level. Henceforth, the vision of Laudato si’ continues to be relevant, because the next, more difficult stages of continuous, concerted and effective action require true ecological conversion. May all joyfully learn to care for all.
I very much look forward to our two panels on the content, impact and call-to-action of Laudato si’.
Thank you!
Cardinal Peter K.A. Turkson
President
(from Vatican Radio)…