(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the President of Cuba, Raul Castro, on Sunday morning in private audience at the Vatican. A note from the Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, explains that Castro arrived at 9:30 AM, and stayed a little over an hour, during the course of which the Pope and the President spent considerable time in conversation in the Holy Father’s study inside the Paul VI Hall.
The meeting between the Pope and the President lasted over 50 minutes, and was very friendly. The President told reporters before leaving the Vatican that he had thanked the Holy Father for the active role he played in favor of improving relations between Cuba and the United States of America, and also presented to the Pope the sentiments of the Cuban people – sentiments of expectation and preparation for the Holy Father’s visit the island in September.
The note also reports a significant exchange of gifts: the President of Cuba gave the Pope a precious commemorative medal of the Cathedral of Havana, and a framed work of contemporary art, which depicts a large Ccross composed of the relics of wrecked barges, before which is present a migrant in prayer. The Cuban artist Kcho, who was present, told the Pope that he was inspired by Francis’ great commitment to bringing the plight of migrants and refugees to the attention of the wider world, especially through the Pope’s visit to the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa. The Pope gave the President a copy of his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii gaudium , and a large medallion which represents St. Martin in the act of covering the poor with his cloak. The Pope noted that he was particularly happy to give this last gift, as it recalls not only the duty to help and protect the poor, but also actively to promote dignity.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the bishops of Mozambique on Saturday in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. The bishops are in Rome for their ad limina visits. The role of the bishop as pastor – the shepherd appointed by Christ to care for Christ’s flock, and so to serve Christ by serving and building up His people – was the central focus of the Holy Father’s remarks, which were prepared in Portuguese and delivered in written form on Saturday morning. “Jesus is the supreme Pastor of the Church,” writes Pope Francis, “it is in His name and by His mandate that we are to take care to keep his flock, fully ready to give everything, even our lives,” in that service. The Holy Father also encouraged the bishops to form and maintain strong relationships with their priests, caring for their spiritual and material needs. He had special praise for the role the Church plays in the larger society of Mozambique, especially in the fields of education and health care. Care for – and defense of – the family was another major focal point of Pope Francis’ remarks, in which he told the bishops to spare no effort in supporting the family and the defense of life from conception to natural death. “The family,” writes Pope Francis, “is always to be defended as a prime source of fraternity and of respect for others, as well as a primary way of peace.” Finally, Pope Francis recalled the missionary vocation of all the baptized, and the bishops’ peculiar role as guardians and nurturers of the missionary spirit. “When we go out to take the Gospel with true apostolic spirit, He walks with us,” writes Pope Francis. “He precedes us, and for us this is fundamental: God always goes before us.” (from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a Message to the participants in a major interreligious gathering in Israel. Organized by the Neocatechumenal Way – a group dedicated to giving Christian formation to people who are already members of the Church – the three-day gathering brought more than a hundred Rabbis, seven Cardinals, and dozens of Bishops, together with Catechists of the Neocatechumenate from May 4-7.
The twofold purpose of the gathering was to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the promulgation of the Conciliar Decree Nostra aetate and to mark the 70 th anniversary of the conclusion of WWII, and the Shoah.
In a written Message, Pope Francis told the participants: “United to you I pray to the Lord that He may listen to the cry of the innocents and He may heal the pain of all those who are suffer. I pray that the hearts may be opened to the invocation of the innocents all over the world.”
Below, please find the full text of the English-language press release on the event, issued by the Neocatechumenal Way
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On May 4-7, 2015, in the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, as well as in the recognition of the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the Shoah, we have gathered in Galilee, in the State of Israel. 120 Rabbis coming from all over the world, 7 Cardinals, 25 Bishops and 50 Priests, met with initiators of the Neocatechumenal Way, Kiko Argüello, Carmen Hernandez, together with Fr. Mario Pezzi and some itinerants, to live together for three days in communion and love.
We have felt the presence of the Lord and we have been witnesses of a really impressive event that has left all the participants deeply moved.
Through this experience, we have understood that something profound is changing in the relations between Jews and Christians, and that truly, after Nostra Aetate, God is committed to open a way of communion between Judaism and the Catholic Church.
We were impressed by how, in the Neocatechumenal Way, faith is being transmitted to the children, families are being rebuilt and people are coming to know the Scriptures and the roots Christianity: from this a great respect and love for the Jewish people is born.
A Symphonic Homage and Prayer, composed by Kiko Argüello, remembering the tragedy of the Shoah, helped us to focus on the suffering of the innocents, which continues today also among Christians in some countries of Africa and the Middle East. We expressed our shared commitment to the presence of God in the world and our common desire to engage in tikkun olam, in repair of the world for all humanity, including increased concern for the suffering of the poor, for greater respect for creation and for strengthening the family.
Reflecting on Nostra Aetate and the dramatic change it promoted, great opportunities and challenges were highlighted. However an immense change from the prejudices and divisions of the past is being born and this event foreshadows a new relationship between Judaism and Christianity.
Pope Francis sent a personal message to the participants where he wrote: “United to you I pray to the Lord that He may listen to the cry of the innocents and He may heal the pain of all those who are suffer. I pray that the hearts may be opened to the invocation of the innocents all over the world.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Cardinal George Pell has praised the efforts of participants in an historic international gathering of Christian and Jewish leaders in Israel to mark the 50 th anniversary of the promulgation of the Conciliar declaration Nostra aetate , on the Church’s relation to non-Christian religions.
Sponsored and organized by the Neocatechumenal Way, and conducted in Israel from May 4-7, the meeting brought together 120 Rabbis from all over the world, along with 7 Cardinals, 25 Bishops and 50 Priests, who met with initiators of the Neocatechumenal Way, Kiko Argüello, Carmen Hernandez, and Fr. Mario Pezzi, as well as some itinerant catechists of the post-Conciliar movement founded by Argüello and Hernandez in the slums of Madrid in the mid-60’s.
The Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy offered his praise in a homily he delivered during Mass celebrated at the closing of the three.day event. “Together we have a great mission in front of this generation who seems to have lost its way to truth and life,” he said.
Below, please find the full text of Cardinal Pell’s prepared remarks, in English
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Dearest Brothers and Sisters,
First of all, I am truly grateful to the Lord to share in this meeting with you, who come from all over the world, and, above all, it gives me great joy to be with our “older brothers”, as Pope John Paul II said in the synagogue of Rome, and our “fathers in faith,” as Pope Benedict used to say.
This year marks the 50 th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council’s document Nostra Aetate , which was a milestone in the relationships between the Catholic Church and the Jewish world.
“ The Church – we read in Nostra Aetate – cannot forget that she received the revelation of the First Testament through that people with whom God in His ineffable mercy established the First Covenant. Nor can she forget that she draws sustenance from the root of that good olive tree onto which have been grafted the branches of the wild olive-tree, the goyim. The Church keeps ever in sight the words of the Apostle Paul about his brothers: ‘theirs is the adoption and the glory, the covenant, the Torah, the worship and the promises’” and all these immense gifts, Pope John Paul II asserted in the synagogue of Rome, have never been revoked!
This concert, taking place during these days in which we remember also the 70 years that have passed since the end of the Holocaust, makes us to reflect on the many sufferings and injustices caused by false ideologies, which befell the innocent. Why so much pain? Why does all this happen, we ask? How has man arrived at this point? This is a mystery of iniquity! When, in a society, evil rises without any limits, we are reminded of the prophet Ezekiel’s sword, which has appeared many times in history.
While I was listening to this symphony I thought about the words which John Paul II – now a Saint – addressed on the 24 th of March 2000 on this very mountain to thousands of young people from the Neocatechumenal communities of 72 nations. On that occasion, the Pope spoke of Mount Sinai, where the Ten Words of life were revealed to the Chosen people, and of the Sermon on the Mountain pronounced here by Jesus.
Today, we hear, again what the saintly Pope said: “ Blessed are the violent, blessed those who prosper at any cost, who do not have any scruples, who are without mercy, dishonest, who make war instead of peace and persecute those who are an obstacle in their way… No, it is not true! Blessed are you who seem to be losers because you are the true winners… ” and he concluded: “ Now at the dawn of the third millennium it is your turn to go out into the world and to announce the message of the Ten Commandments and of the Beatitudes ”.
For this reason, the water flowing on the words of life at the entrance to the library announce that these words are source of life for our times. Together we have a great mission in front of this generation who seems to have lost its way to truth and life.
I wish to tell you that I appreciate immensely this important initiative promoted by the Neocatechumenal Way. I have known the Way for many years from when I was in Melbourne and Sydney as Archbishop and I can verify personally to its great fruits.
The Neocatechumenal Way is born of the II Vatican Council, and at its centre, the brothers and sisters listen to the Word of God: Shema Israel, as we have just sung together. This immersion in the Scriptures leads to the rediscovery of the Jewish roots of Christianity and, therefore, to a great love of the Jewish people from whom all these gifts come to us.
I can assure you that Pope Francis also has a great appreciation and esteem for the Way as he demonstrated at the last meeting on 6 March in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican. On that occasion, he sent 32 groups missio ad gentes, formed from numerous families of the Neocatechumenal communities with many children to a host of Gentile nations in the five continents – including China, Vietnam, Cambodia – and he said “ this Way is a true gift of Providence !”
The Pope reaffirmed the mission of the Way: “ How much loneliness, how much suffering, how much distance from God in many peripheries of Europe, of America and in many cities of Asia. How much need has today’s man in every latitude to hear that God loves him and that love is possible… awaken the faith! ”
I think that this is the true meaning of this historic meeting: to help modern man open himself to Transcendence. We ask the Lord to send us His Spirit so that the Chosen People may be faithful to His call and, in this way, support the mission of the Church to bring to the whole world the blessing of Abraham: in you will be blessed all the nations of the world!
Amen.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Statutes for the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors were made public on Friday. They were approved by Pope Francis on April 21st, and will be in effect “ad experimentum” for three years.
The Commission was officially instituted last year, and is headed by Cardinal Seán O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., the Archbishop of Boston.
The text of the statutes is below
♦ Statutes of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors
Statutes
Chirograph of the Holy Father Francis for the Institution of a Pontifical Commission for the Protection of minors (22 March 2014)
On 21 April the Cardinal Secretary of State approved by mandate of the Supreme Pontiff, ad experimentum for three years, the Statute of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the draft of which had been presented for approval by Cardinal Seán O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., President of the same Commission.
The Statutes will then be published in the Italian original and in English.
To ensure the completeness of the documentation, the Chirograph of 22 March 2014, by which the Pope officially instituted the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, will be published contemporaneously.
Statutes
Art. 1
NATURE AND COMPETENCE
§ 1. The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors is an autonomous institution attached to the Holy See, with public juridic personality (can. 116 CIC). The Commission is an advisory body at the service of the Holy Father.
§ 2. The protection of minors is of paramount importance. The purpose of the Commission is to propose initiatives to the Roman Pontiff, according to the procedures and determinations specified in these Statutes, for the purposes of promoting local responsibility in the particular Churches for the protection of all minors and vulnerable adults.
§ 3. Proposals submitted to the Holy Father by the Commission must be approved by a majority of two-thirds of the Members.
§ 4. In developing the proposals referred to in § 2, when the matter concerns the competence of other ecclesial bodies, the President of the Commission, assisted by the Secretary, shall consult promptly the offices responsible for the protection of minors in local churches, episcopal conferences, conferences of superiors of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, as well as the dicastery of the Roman Curia competent in the matter. This consultation will be shared in a transparent manner with the Commission Members.
§ 5. The Commission may require an account of the effectiveness of work carried out by the competent bodies mentioned in § 4.
§ 6. The legal seat of the Commission is in the Vatican City State.
Art. 2
COMPOSITION AND MEMBERS
§ 1. The Commission is composed of a maximum of eighteen members appointed by the Holy Father for a period of three years, which may be reconfirmed.
§ 2. Members are chosen from among persons of good and proven reputation and with recognized competence in the various fields of interest which are entrusted to the Commission.
§ 3. The President is appointed by the Roman Pontiff from among the members of the Commission for a period of three years and the term of office may be reconfirmed.
§ 4. The Secretary is appointed by the Roman Pontiff from among persons of recognized competence in the protection of minors for a period of three years, and the term of office may be reconfirmed. The Secretary is a member of the Commission ex officio.
Art. 3
THE PLENARY ASSEMBLY
§ 1. The Commission is convened in Plenary Assembly twice each year. On the request of two thirds of the Members, and with the consent of the President, an extraordinary Plenary Assembly can be convened. For a Plenary Assembly to be validly convened, the presence of at least two thirds of the members is required. On the same conditions, a Plenary Assembly may also meet by videoconference.
§ 2. During the Plenary Assembly, the Members act collegially under the direction of the President.
§ 3. The Members elect from within their midst, by an absolute majority of votes, two members to serve on the Agenda Committee for the next Plenary Assembly, together with the President and the Secretary. The Agenda Committee continues its work until the Minutes of the Assembly are completed.
§ 4. The Agenda Committee guides the proceedings of the Plenary Assembly, in particular:
a) determining the Agenda;
b) ensuring that the necessary documentation is submitted to the Members at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting;
c) ensuring preparation of the Minutes of the meetings and storing them in the archives of the Commission.
Art. 4
PERSONNEL
§ 1. The President is responsible for ensuring the proper functioning of the Commission, within the framework of its competencies, and for directing its meetings.
§ 2. The role of the Secretary is to assist the President in carrying out his responsibilities, to act in the name of the Commission in ordinary affairs and to direct the Commission’s office. The Secretary also promotes the collaboration of the Commission with the offices responsible for the protection of minors in the particular Churches, episcopal conferences, conferences of superiors of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, and the dicasteries and other institutions of the Roman Curia.
§ 3. The officials working in the Commission’s office assist the President, coordinated by the Secretary. One staff member has particular responsibility for the administration of material resources and in the preparation of the budget, accounting, and financial records of the Commission, in accordance with the norms established for the Holy See.
§ 4. The Secretary is a Prelate Superior, according to art. 3 of the Regolamento Generale della Curia Romana.
§ 5. For the hiring and employment of the personnel, the norms contained in the Regolamento Generale della Curia Romana and Regolamento della Commissione indipendente di valutazione per le assunzioni di personale laico presso la Sede Apostolica are to be observed, together with any eventual changes and additions.
Art. 5
WORKING GROUPS
§ 1. The Commission’s “working groups” prepare the initiatives mentioned in art. 1, § 2 and submit them for approval by the Commission Members. Each working group is constituted to examine a specific theme thoroughly and to present specific proposals to the Plenary Assembly.
§ 2. The drafts prepared by the working groups, in accord with § 1, are made available to the Members through electronic means for their observations. The responsibility of each working group ceases with submission of its proposals to the Plenary Assembly, except when there is need for further study.
§ 3. The President, after consultation with the Members of the Commission, appoints a Member as the Moderator of each working group.
§ 4. The Moderator of each working group submits to the Commission a list of at least three names to be designated as collaborators of the group. These collaborators are chosen from among persons of good and proven reputation, with recognized expertise in the subject being studied by the working group as part of its work.
§ 5. The collaborators in § 4 who are not Commission Members carry out the tasks entrusted to them without becoming members of the Commission and without acquiring any right or function within the same.
Art. 6
GENERAL NORMS
§ 1. The Pontifical Commission, including its office and the working groups, shall be provided with adequate human and material resources, corresponding to its assigned institutional functions.
§ 2. The Commission operates in accord with the norms of its Statutes, the dispositions of universal canon law and the Regolamento generale della Curia Romana.
§ 3. The Members, staff and collaborators of the working groups are bound to observe professional confidentiality with regard to the reports or information which may come to their knowledge in the course of their duties and functions.
§ 4. The languages employed by the Commission are Italian, Spanish and English.
§ 5. The archives of the Commission are kept within the Vatican City State.
§ 6. The norms of these present Statutes shall be observed ad experimentum for a period of three years, at which time the Commission is to present any modifications for the permanent Statutes to be approved by the Supreme Pontiff.
From the Vatican, 21 April 2015
Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State
(from Vatican Radio)…