(Vatican Radio) The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said “we cannot be paralyzed by fear” over the possibility of terrorist acts.
The Cardinal was answering a question about security concerns surrounding the Jubilee of Mercy, which began in December.
“I think we must be realistic in these difficult times, and recognize, with sincerity and humility, our fear about what has happened, and can unfortunately happen again,” Cardinal Parolin said in a wide-ranging interview with the Spanish magazine Vida Nueva .
The Cardinal went on to say he was sure the Italian authorities are taking every appropriate security measure to prevent any attack, but he said succumbing to fear “is just what the terrorists want.”
He also said the so-called ‘Islamic State’ threatens “the peace and stability of the world”, and therefore must be fought within the framework of international law, and, in particular, through the framework of the United Nations Security Council.
Cardinal Parolin also reaffirmed that Muslim leaders are called to “unequivocally condemn” any terrorist attacks committed in the name of Islam, and noted most of the victims of Islamic extremism are themselves Muslim.
“We must also recognize that there have been leaders in the Islamic world who have denounced and condemned terrorism and, during the attacks in Paris which happened in January and November last year, there were Muslims who acted courageously to save lives,” he said.
“The Catholic Church, for its part, must continue to engage in interfaith dialogue, because today more than ever we need to meet and talk,” Cardinal Parolin said.
“At the same time, we must do more to understand the phenomenon of extremism, examining how and why young people become attracted to these ideologies,” he continued.
“Obviously, there are economic, social and political causes, but there are also spiritual causes,” Cardinal Parolin explained. “In this sense, the Church should redouble its efforts to fill the void created by spiritual nihilism, especially in our Western world, thus avoiding things which are filled with hatred and violence.”
Cardinal Parolin also addressed the current migration crisis, caused in part by the violence in the Middle East.
“It is urgent for the European Union to find solutions quickly,” he said. “Europe has the legal, technical, and – above all – the cultural means to address the migration issue in a manner which respects the dignity and rights of both its citizens and immigrants.”
When asked about the ongoing reform of the Roman Curia, Cardinal Parolin said he still sees a “coordinating role” for the Secretariat of State within the Curia, but any “excesses” can be avoided “with a greater emphasis on the practice of collegiality and synodality,” adding the creation of the Council of Cardinals and the enhancement of the Synod of Bishops are “crucial steps” in this direction.
The Cardinal also said the economic affairs of the Holy See are “less problematic” than is sometimes seen in public.
Speaking about working with Pope Francis, Cardinal Parolin said he is “easily accessible,” and both of them will call each other to discuss any issues which may arise.
“When confronting issues, the Pope is very interested to hear the views and opinions of the person with whom he is speaking, and when it is me, I feel free to speak and express my point of view,” he said.
“In addition, two things strike me during my encounters with the Holy Father,” Cardinal Parolin said.
“The first is the way he put himself in a constant state of discernment when facing any decision; a state where prayer has an important role to play, taking the decision before the Lord and making it according to his will” – he said – “The second is his serenity when facing any situation – even the complicated and difficult ones – which comes from a deep inner peace.”
Cardinal Parolin also said the Jubilee of Mercy is an “extraordinary moment of grace and spiritual renewal,” which returns people to the centre of Christian life, which is mercy.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday met with a delegation from Rome’s Colegio Sacerdotal Argentino, which forms priests for Argentina. “It was a meeting of a shepherd with his flock,” said Father Ángel Hernández, the rector of the College. In an interview with Vatican Radio’s Spanish service, Father Hernández said the Holy Father told them when they returned to Argentina, they should take care of their prayer life, and preach the Word of God in the place they have been sent. The rector also said Pope Francis told him there are “many saints in the Church,” and “there are many saints in the Roman Curia.” (from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday met with Jean Todt, the president of Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), which sanctions many auto racing events, including Formula One and World Rally Championship. Todt also serves as the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, and it was in this capacity he met with the Holy Father. He was accompanied by a delegation from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The UN General Assembly proclaimed the period 2011–2020 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety, with a goal to stabilize and then reduce the forecast level of road traffic fatalities around the world by increasing activities conducted at the national, regional and global levels. Every year, nearly 1.3 million people die and between 20 million and 50 million more are injured as a result of road crashes. More than 90 per cent of these deaths occur in low-income and middle-income countries, which have less than half of the world’s vehicles. “We know the Holy Father’s strong commitment to address problems of inequality, and address problems of poverty, and … this is a sign of poverty,” said Christian Friis Bach, the Executive Secretary of UNECE, who also met Pope Francis. Listen to the interview by Vatican Radio’s Antonino Galofaro with Christian Friis Bach:
“This is still a problem in the rich countries. It’s a severe, serious problem in the poor countries,” Bach told Vatican Radio. “So once again, the poor people and the poor children around in the world are those who are most vulnerable, because the countries have not invested in safe cars; they have not invested in safe roads; they have not educated their drivers to drive safely, and don’t drink when they drive,” he said. Bach said Pope Francis was very attentive during the meeting, and gave his support to the United Nations initiative. “I think all of us who have kids, we remember the first days sending them to school, and praying and hoping that they would come safe back from school again,” Bach said. “Every single day, 500 kids do not make it. They get killed by a car, or by an accident on the road.” (from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Faith always wins, because it turns even defeat into victory, but it is not something “magical” – it is a personal relationship with God that cannot be learned in books, and is in fact a gift from God, a gift that is our for the asking: this was the essence of Pope Francis’ reflections following the Readings of the Day at Mass on Thursday morning in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican.
Click below to hear our report
Taken from the Book of Samuel, the First Reading told of the defeat of the People of God at the hands of the Philistines. “the slaughter was very great,” and the people lost everything, “[even] their dignity.” The Holy Father asked, “What led to this defeat?” and answered that the people, “slowly walked away from the Lord, lived in a worldly fashion, and even kept with idols.” The people went out to the Sanctuary of Shiloh, but, “as if it were a mere cultural habit – they had lost their filial relationship with God – they did not worship God – and He left them alone. The people even used the Ark of the Covenant to win the battle, though they did so as though the Ark were a sort of magical talisman. “In the Ark,” recalled Pope Francis, “was the Law – the Law that they did not keep and which they had abandoned.” There was no longer “a personal relationship with the Lord – they had forgotten the God who had saved them,” and were defeated. 30 thousand Israelites were slain, the Ark was taken by the Philistines, the two sons of Eli, “those criminal priests who exploited people in the Sanctuary of Shiloh,” met their end. It was, “A total defeat,” the Pope said. “Thus does a people that has distanced itself from God meet its end.”
The Gospel of the day, however, speaks of a victory:
“At that time, a leper came to Jesus and begged him on his knees – precisely in a gesture of adoration – and said, ‘Look, you can make me clean.’ He challenged the Lord, saying, ‘I have been defeated in life – the leper had suffered defeat, insofar as he could not live life in common with others, he was always cast off – but you [he said to the Lord] can turn this defeat into victory!.’ That is: ‘Look, you can make me clean.’ Before this Jesus had compassion, he stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘I desire that you be made clean!’ So, simply: this fight is over in two minutes and ends in victory; that other last all day long, and ends with the defeat. The man had something that drove him to go to Jesus and send up the challenge: he had faith.”
The Apostle John says that the victory over the world is our faith. “Our faith wins, always!”:
“Faith is the victory. Faith: like [that of] this man [who said], ‘If you want to, you can do it.’ The losers of the First Reading prayed to God, bearing the ark, but they had no faith, they had forgotten it. This leper had faith, and when you ask with faith, Jesus himself told us mountains will move. We are able to move a mountain from one place to another: faith is capable of this. Jesus himself said, ‘Whatever you ask the Father in my name, you will be given. Ask and you shall receive; knock and it shall be opened,’ but with faith – and this this is our victory.”
Pope Francis concluded his remarks to the faithful with this prayer:
“We ask the Lord that our prayers always have that root of faith, that they be born of faith in Him. The grace of faith: faith is a gift. You do not learn from books. It is a gift that the Lord gives you, but just ask for it: ‘Give me faith!’ ‘I believe, Lord!’, said the man who asked Jesus to heal his son: ‘I ask Lord, that you help my unbelief.’ Prayer with faith … and the man is healed. We ask God for the grace to pray with faith, to be sure that everything we ask of Him we will be given, with the confidence that faith gives us – and this is our victory, our faith.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Two refugee families are now being hosted by the two parishes of the Vatican, in response to the September 6, 2015, Angelus appeal of Pope Francis for every parish in Europe to welcome a family of refugees.
The parish of Sant’Anna has provided a nearby apartment for a Christian Syrian family, consisting of the parents and two children.
The parish of St. Peter’s Basilica has provided an apartment for an Eritrean family consisting of a mother and her five children: Three of whom are already in Italy, and two others who are still in a refugee camp in Ethiopia, although they are expected to be reunited in the coming weeks. Another woman and her child also live in the apartment.
The parishes were assisted in the process by the Almoner of His Holiness, Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, and the Sant’Egidio Community.
Pope Francis met briefly with the Syrian family shortly after they moved into their apartment in September.
(from Vatican Radio)…