BENEDICT XVI TO BECOME HONORARY CITIZEN OF INTROD

VATICAN CITY, 28 JUL 2009 (VIS) - Benedict XVI is to be granted honorary citizenship of Introd, the Italian alpine locality which includes Les Combes, site of the Salesian-owned villa where the Pope is currently spending a holiday.

  The announcement was made by Osvaldo Naudin, mayor of Introd, who explained that the decision was taken unanimously at a meeting of the town council held last week. Benedict XVI has spent his July holiday at Introd on three occasions, in 2005, 2006 and 2009, while the town has hosted holidaying Pontiffs on a total of thirteen occasions. The conferral of citizenship will take place in Rome this winter, probably in December when a delegation from Introd makes a traditional visit to the Vatican to wish the Pope a happy Christmas.

  On a separate front, Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. announced on Vatican Radio that the Pope has confirmed his intention to attend the exposition of the Shroud of Turin, due to take place in that Italian city in the spring of 2010. The Holy Father thus accepts the invitation of Cardinal Severino Poletto, archbishop of Turin with whom he had lunch last Sunday, although the exact date of the trip has not yet been settled.
.../HONORARY CITIZENSHIP SHROUD/INTROD            VIS 20090728 (220)

CARDINAL BERTONE DELIVERS A TALK ON "CARITAS IN VERITATE"

VATICAN CITY, 28 JUL 2009 (VIS) - At midday today Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. pronounced an address on Benedict XVI's recent Encyclical "Caritas in veritate" before the Italian Senate, at the invitation of Renato Schifani, president of that institution.

  Cardinal Bertone highlighted certain anthropological and theological aspects of the text, recalling how in 2004 the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had given a "lectio magistralis" in the Senate library on the theme: "Europe. Its spiritual roots, yesterday, today and tomorrow". On that occasion, he recalled, the future Pontiff had focused on certain themes that are now contained in his third Encyclical, such as "the affirmation of the profound reasons behind the dignity of individuals and their rights", and marriage and the family as elements that have forged European identity.

  The Secretary of State expressed the view that "over and above differences in formation and in personal convictions", the representatives of the Italian people will "find in the Pope's words an exalted and profound source of inspiration when carrying out their mission, and so be able to respond adequately to the ethical, cultural and social challenges of today".
SS/CARITAS IN VERITATE/BERTONE                        VIS 20090728 (200)