(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent his condolences to the President of Romania, after the tragic fire Friday evening at a nightclub in Bucharest, which killed 32 people, and left over 130 others injured.
In a telegram, the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, said Pope Francis expressed his “deep sorrow” over the tragedy, especially given the youth of the victims, and ensured his “spiritual closeness to the families of the victims, government authorities, and the entire nation,” as well as “commending to the mercy of the Lord the many who died” in the fire.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Tuesday celebrated Mass in St Peter’s Basilica for all the cardinals and bishops who have died over the past year. Recalling with gratitude the vocation of those Church leaders, the Pope noted that the principle task of all ordained ministers is that of service to others.
Listen to Philippa Hitchen’s report:
Pope Francis said just as Jesus knelt to wash the feet of his closest disciples, so he calls all his ministers today to renew their commitment to service in his Church. Just as Jesus came to serve and not to be served, the Pope insisted, so his ministers are called in turn to be pastors, ready to give their lives for their flock. In the eyes of this world, he said, those who serve are seen as losers: but in reality it is those who give their lives and lose themselves in the love of Christ who will overcome death and give life to the world.
Pope Francis recalled the words of Jesus that “God so loved the world” that he sent his Son as a servant to take on our sins and to save us from death by dying for us. Just as the Israelites were saved from death, after being bitten by poisonous snakes, by looking at the bronze snake that Moses held up on a pole, so Christ saves us from death through his death on the Cross.
To our eyes, death seems dark and fearful, just as those who died from snake bites in the desert were full of fear and suffering. Yet Jesus took fully upon himself all these contradictions, the Pope said, so that “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life”.
This style of service and humility, he continued, has much to teach us. Though we find it hard to accept this mystery, he said, the secret lies in the strength of God’s love for us. Through the mystery of Easter, Jesus not only conquered death but transformed evil into good – not through words, but deeds, not on the surface but at the root. He has transformed the Cross into a bridge towards life and we can do the same if we choose to follow his example of service and humility.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis visited the crypt beneath St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Monday evening, for a time of private prayer for the repose of the souls of his predecessors in the office of bishop of Rome, who have departed this life.
It is a tradition for Popes to pray for their departed predecessors in this way on the Solemnity of All Souls – the day on which the whole Church prays for the dead, recommending friends, enemies, loved-ones, relatives and strangers alike to the mercy of God.
The month of November begins with the Solemnities of All Saints and All Souls, in which Christians give glory to God for the witness of the countless people who lived their lives of holiness in secret, and then express their solicitude for all those, who have gone before us out of time and into eternity.
The whole month of November is in fact focused in a particular way on our care and concern for the dead, and the Church recommends those who have passed to the Father of Mercies.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Vatican City authorities detained and arrested two people over the weekend, in connection with the unauthorized sharing of confidential documents. The two persons were the cleric, Msgr. Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, and Dr. Francesca Chaouqui, who in the past were respectively secretary and member of the COSEA (Commission for Reference on the Organization of the Economic-Administrative Structure of the Holy See), established by the Pope in July 2013 and subsequently dissolved after the completion of its mandate. At the time the statement was issued, Dr. Chaouqui had been released from custody.
Below, please find Vatican Radio’s English translation of the communiqué from the Press Office of the Holy See regarding the developments
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As part of criminal investigations carried out by the Vatican Gendarmerie, which have been underway for several months, regarding the unauthorized removal and sharing of confidential documents, two people were summoned for questioning this past Saturday and Sunday [Oct. 31 and Nov. 1] on the basis of the evidence gathered and the indications thereof.
The two persons were the cleric, Msgr. Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, and Dr. Francesca Chaouqui, who in the past were respectively secretary and member of the COSEA (Commission for Reference on the Organization of the Economic-Administrative Structure of the Holy See), established by the Pope in July 2013 and subsequently dissolved after the completion of its mandate.
Following the results of the interrogation these two people were held under arrest in view of the continuation of the investigation.
Today [Monday] the Office of the Promoter of Justice [the Vatican prosecutor] has, in the persons of Prof. Adv. Gian Piero Milano, Promoter of Justice, and Prof. Avv. Roberto Zannotti, Adjunct Promoter of Justice, confirmed the arrest of the aforesaid. The Promotor of Justice has taken the further step of releasing Dr. Chaouqui, against whom there were seen no evident reasons to keep her in custody, and also in view of her cooperation with the investigation.
The position of Msgr. Vallejo Balda remains under consideration of the Office of the Promoter of Justice.
It must be remembered that divulging confidential documents is a crime under the criminal code of the Vatican City State (Law IX, art. 10 and art. 116 bis c.p. – passed 13 July, 2013)
As for the books announced for the next few days it should be said clearly once again on this occasion as in the past, that they are the result of a serious betrayal of the trust placed in certain individuals by the Pope, and, as far as the authors are concerned, of an operation to draw advantage from a gravely unlawful act, i.e. the delivery of confidential documents, an operation, the legal and possibly penal implications of which are currently the object of study in view of possible further measures by the Prosecutor’s Office, which will resort, if necessary, to international cooperation.
Publications of this kind do not contribute in any way to the establishment of clarity and truth, but rather to the creation of confusion and partial and tendentious interpretations. We must absolutely avoid the mistake of thinking that this is a way to help the mission of the Pope.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday travelled across Rome to the city’s Verano cemetery to celebrate Mass for All Saints Day. In his homily the Pope reflected on the words of the Beatitudes spoken by Jesus as he taught the crowds gathered on the hillside around the Lake of Galilee. Pope Francis said we may ask ourselves how can the poor in spirit, or those who mourn be blessed or happy? Because those whose hearts are free of worldly cares and those who have experienced the sadness and pain of others, the Pope said, are those who will be welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven and will feel God’s tenderness and consolation in their own lives. Reflecting on the words, ‘Blessed are the meek’, Pope Francis said how often we act in exactly the opposite way, fretting, complaining and raising our voices, instead of following God’s path of patience and humility. Like parents who show endless patience towards their children, he said, Jesus also followed the path of meekness, suffering exile and persecution, false accusations and even death on the Cross for our sake. The Pope spoke of the words ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness’ saying they will be filled with God’s justice. ‘Blessed are the merciful’, he continued, reminds us that we are all sinners and every one of us needs to be forgiven, just as we must show mercy and forgiveness to others. Finally the Pope reflected on Jesus’ words ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’, saying those who patiently work to build peace and reconciliation are those who find true happiness, unlike those who cheat, or gossip, or take advantage of others. Let us ask God for the grace to be simple, humble people, the Pope concluded, the grace to be meek and learn how to cry, the grace to work for justice and peace and, above all, the grace to ask God’s forgiveness that we may become instruments of his mercy for others. (from Vatican Radio)…