MESSAGE OF THE POPE FOR THE FUNERAL OF CARDINAL MARTINI

Vatican City,  (VIS) - The Pope has sent a message to the archdiocese of Milan, the Society of Jesus, the relatives of Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, and "all those who loved and esteemed (him) and have chosen to accompany him on his final journey". The message was read out during the funeral of the late cardinal, archbishop emeritus of Milan, Italy, by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the Pope's special envoy to the event.

"'Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path'. The Psalmist's words encapsulate the entire existence of this generous and faithful pastor of the Church. He lived as a man of God, who not only studied Sacred Scripture but loved it intensely, making it the light of his life that all things might be 'ad maiorem Dei gloriam', for the greater glory of God. It was for this reason that he was able to teach believers and seekers after truth that the only word worthy to listen to, accept and follow is that of God, because it leads everyone along the path of truth and love. He lived with great openness of heart, never rejecting encounter and dialogue with anyone, and giving a concrete response to the Apostle’s invitation always 'to be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope'. He lived with a spirit of profound pastoral charity, in keeping with his own episcopal motto of 'Pro veritate adversa diligere', attentive to all situations especially the most difficult, and lovingly close to the lost, the poor and the suffering".

"May the Lord, who guided Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini throughout his life, receive this tireless servant of the Gospel and of the Church in the heavenly Jerusalem".

ACTIVITIES OF POPE BENEDICT XVI IN AUGUST

Vatican City,  (VIS) - Following is a list of Pope Benedict's activities during the month of August. It includes the Angelus, general and private audiences, other pontifical acts, letters, messages, telegrams and other news. The activities are presented in chronological order under their respective headings.

ANGELUS

- 5: The Pope explains that Jesus, the true Bread of Life Who satisfies our hunger for meaning, cannot be "achieved" through human efforts, He comes to us only as a gift of God which we must ask and accept.

- 12: Continuing his comments on the miracle of the loaves and the fishes, the Holy Father affirms that Christ invites people who have satisfied their physical hunger to seek the Bread which satisfies the hunger for eternal life.

- 15: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is the full realisation, in her, of the Paschal Mystery of Christ. In Mary we contemplate the reality of the glory to which all of us are called.

- 19: Benedict XVI invites the faithful to discover the beauty of the Eucharist, which is an expression of the humility and sanctity of God. God becomes a small fragment of the universe in order to reconcile everyone in His love.

- 26: Recalling the fact that many disciples abandoned Jesus in Capernaum when He affirmed that He was the Bread of Life, the Pope recalls how our life is oriented by the decisions we make, and he asks Go to help us better discern the path.

WEDNESDAY GENERAL AUDIENCES

- 1: The Pope focuses his catechesis on the prayer of St. Alphonsus Maria of Liguori, bishop and Doctor of the Church whose liturgical memory falls today.

- 8: The Holy Father tells the faithful that St. Dominic de Guzman, priest and founder of the Order of Friars Preachers, reminds us that prayer lies at the foundation of the witness of faith, which all Christians must show at home, in the workplace and in their social life.

- 22: On today's feast of the Blessed Virgin, Queen of Heaven, the Pope affirms that Mary participates in Christ's own regality, which is service and love.

- 30: The Pope tells the faithful that St. John the Baptist, prophet and martyr, reminds the Christians of our time that they must accept no compromise in their love for Christ, for His Word and for Truth.

MESSAGES AND TELEGRAMS

- 3: Benedict XVI sends a message to Kojun Handa, supreme priest of the Buddhist Temple of Mount Hiei, Japan, to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Inter-religious Meeting of Prayer for Peace in the World.

- 6: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone sends a message, in the name of the Holy Father, to the Knights of Columbus for their 130th Supreme Convention, being held in Anaheim, U.S.A.

- 17: The Holy Father sends a telegram of condolence for the death of His Holiness Abuna Paulos, patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia.

- 19: The Pope sends a message to the twenty-third Meeting for Friendship among Peoples, being held in Rimini, Italy, from 19 to 25 August on the theme: "By Nature, Man is Relation to the Infinite".

- 22: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone sends a telegram of condolence, in the name of the Holy Father, to Girma Wolde-Giorgis, president of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, for the sudden death of Meles Zenawi, prime minister of that country.

- 23: The Holy Father sends a message to the sixth Ordinary Assembly of the International Forum of Catholic Action, being held in the Romanian city of Iasi from 22 to 26 August.

- 23: The Pope sends a telegram of condolence for the death of Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi S.J., bishop emeritus of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

- 28: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone sends a telegram of condolence, in the name of the Holy Father, to Archbishop Diego Rafael Padron Sanchez, president of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, for the death of many people in an explosion at an oil refinery in the town of Amuay.

- 31: The Pope sends a telegram of condolence to Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, Italy, for the death of Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini S.J., archbishop emeritus of the same see.

OTHER NEWS

- 4: The Pope attends a "Bavarian homage" at Castelgandolfo. The event, intended to mark his eighty-fifth birthday, was organised by representatives from the archdiocese of Munich and Friesing, Germany, on pilgrimage to Rome from 1 to 4 August.

- 11: Caritas of Regensburg, Germany, which is currently celebrating ninety years of activity, organises a concert by Thomas Beckmann in honour of the Pope at Castelgandolfo.

- 15: For the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin, the Pope celebrates Mass and pronounces a homily in the parish church of St. Thomas of Villanova in Castelgandolfo.

- 27: Mario Monti, prime minister of Italy, is received by Benedict XVI in private audience.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

- 1: Appointment of Fr. Paul Bird C.Ss.R. as bishop of the diocese of Ballarat, Australia. He succeeds Bishop Peter Joseph Conners, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit. Appointment of Bishop Tarcisio Nascentes dos Santos of Divinopolis, Brazil, as bishop of Duque de Caixas, Brazil.

- 2: Appointment of Bishop Sigifredo Noriega Barcelo of Ensenada, Mexico, as bishop of Zacatecas, Mexico.

- 4: Appointment of Archbishop Paul Tschang In-Nam, apostolic nuncio to Uganda, as apostolic nuncio to Thailand and Cambodia, and apostolic delegate to Myanmar and Laos. Appointment of Fr. Leonardo Sapienza S.C.I. as regent of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household. He succeeds Bishop Paolo De Nicolo, whose resignation from the same office the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- 8: Appointment of Bishop Manoel Delson Pedreira da Cruz O.F.M. Cap. of Caico, Brazil, as bishop of Campina Grande, Brazil.

- 9: Appointment of Bishop Jean-Yves Nahmias, auxiliary of Paris, France, as bishop of Meaux, France. He succeeds Bishop Albert-Marie de Monleon O.P., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- 11: Appointment of Cardinal Josef Tomko, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, as special papal envoy to celebrations marking the 600th anniversary of the archiepiscopal and metropolitan see of Lviv of the Latins, Ukraine, due to take place in Lviv, on 8 September.

- 17: Resignation of Bishop Paul Henry Walsh from the office of auxiliary of the diocese of Rockville Centre, U.S.A., upon having reached the age limit.

- 18: Appointment of Bishop Francois-Xavier Le Van Hong, auxiliary of Hue, Vietnam, as metropolitan archbishop of the same archdiocese. He succeeds Archbishop Etienne Nguyen Nhu The, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit. Appointment of Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, apostolic nuncio to Australia, as apostolic nuncio to Israel and apostolic delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine.

- 24: The Holy Father gives his assent to the election carried out by the Synod of the Major Archiepiscopal Syro-Malabar Church of Fr. George Rajendran Kuttinadar S.D.B. as bishop of the eparchy of Thuckalay of the Syro-Malabars, India. He likewise gives his assent to the election of Fr. Jacob Muricken as auxiliary of the eparchy of Palai of the Syro-Malabars, India.

25: Appointment of Cardinal Raul Eduardo Vela Chiriboga, archbishop emeritus of Quito, Ecuador, as special papal envoy to celebrations marking the 475th anniversary of the first diocese of South America, now the archdiocese of Cuzco, Peru, due to take place from 24 to 28 October.

- 29: Resignation of Archbishop Luis Sainz Hinojosa O.F.M. from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Cochabamba, Brazil, upon having reached the age limit.

- 30: Resignation of Bishop Joseph Boishu from the office of auxiliary of the diocese of Reims, France, in accordance with canons 411 and 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law. Appointment of Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, apostolic nuncio to Israel and apostolic delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, also as apostolic nuncio to Cyprus.

- 31: Resignation of Bishop Michel Pollien from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Paris, France, upon having reached the age limit.

HOLY SEE-RELATED ACTIVITY IN AUGUST

Vatican City,  (VIS) - Following is a chronological presentation of Holy See-related activities for the month of August:

- 2: The Holy See Press Office announces that Benedict XVI has completed the third volume of his work "Jesus of Nazareth", dedicated to the Lord's infancy.

- 3: Message to Muslims for the end of Ramdan, issued by the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue on the theme: "Educating young Christians and Muslims for justice and peace".

- 13: Following the leaking of confidential Vatican documents, Paolo Gabriele is sent for trial on charges of aggravated theft, and Claudio Sciarpelletti on charges of complicity.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City,  (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Andrea Palmieri, official of Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, as under secretary of the same council.

IN MEMORIAM

Vatican City,  (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini S.J., archbishop emeritus of Milan, Italy, on 31 August at the age of 85.

- Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi S.J., bishop emeritus of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on 22 August at the age of 88.

- Bishop Paul Bassim O.C.D., former apostolic vicar of Beirut, Lebanon, on 21 August at the age of 89.

- Bishop Paul Ch'eng Shih-kuang, emeritus of Tainan, Taiwan, on 23 August at the age of 96.

- Bishop Maffeo Giovanni Ducoli. emeritus of Belluno-Feltre, Italy, on 28 August at the age of 93.

- Bishop Aurelio Granada Escudeiro, emeritus of Angra, Portugal, on 25 August at the age of 92.

- Bishop William Pascal Kikoti of Mpanda, Tanzania, on 28 August at the age of 55.

- Bishop Eduardo Koaik, emeritus of Piracicaba, Brazil, on 25 August at the age of 86.

- Bishop Herve.Marie Le Cleac'h SS.CC., emeritus of Taiohae or Tefenuaenata, Marquises Islands, French Polynesia, on 14 August at the age of 97.

- Bishop Louis Ncamiso Ndlovu O.S.M. of Manzini, Swaziland, on 27 August at the age of 67.

- Bishop Riccardo Ruotolo, former auxiliary of the archdiocese of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, on 1 August at the age of 83.

- Bishop Stefan Siczek, auxiliary of Radom, Poland, on 31 July at the age of 74.

- Bishop Manuel Eguiguren Galarraga O.F.M., former auxiliary of El Beni, Bolivia, on 15 July at the age of 82.

- Bishop Vinzenz Guggenberger, former auxiliary of Regensburg, Germany, on 4 July at the age of 83.