Holy Father’s Message for Lent 2017

The following is the full text of the Holy Father Francis’ message for Lent 2017 on the theme “The Word is a gift. Other persons are a gift”.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Lent is a new beginning, a path leading to the certain goal of Easter, Christ’s victory over death. This season urgently calls us to conversion. Christians are asked to return to God “with all their hearts” (Joel 2:12), to refuse to settle for mediocrity and to grow in friendship with the Lord. Jesus is the faithful friend Who never abandons us. Even when we sin, He patiently awaits our return; by that patient expectation, He shows us His readiness to forgive (cf. Homily, 8 January 2016).
Lent is a favourable season for deepening our spiritual life through the means of sanctification offered us by the Church: fasting, prayer and almsgiving. At the basis of everything is the word of God, which during this season we are invited to hear and ponder more deeply. I would now like to consider the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (cf. Lk 16:19-31). Let us find inspiration in this meaningful story, for it provides a key to understanding what we need to do in order to attain true happiness and eternal life. It exhorts us to sincere conversion.
1. The other person is a gift
The parable begins by presenting its two main characters. The poor man is described in greater detail: he is wretched and lacks the strength even to stand. Lying before the door of the rich man, he fed on the crumbs falling from his table. His body is full of sores and dogs come to lick his wounds (cf. vv. 20-21). The picture is one of great misery; it portrays a man disgraced and pitiful.
The scene is even more dramatic if we consider that the poor man is called Lazarus: a name full of promise, which literally means “God helps”. This character is not anonymous. His features are clearly delineated and he appears as an individual with his own story. While practically invisible to the rich man, we see and know him as someone familiar. He becomes a face, and as such, a gift, a priceless treasure, a human being whom God loves and cares for, despite his concrete condition as an outcast (cf. Homily, 8 January 2016).
Lazarus teaches us that other persons are a gift. A right relationship with people consists in gratefully recognising their value. Even the poor person at the door of the rich is not a nuisance, but a summons to conversion and to change. The parable first invites us to open the doors of our heart to others because each person is a gift, whether it be our neighbour or an anonymous pauper. Lent is a favourable season for opening the doors to all those in need and recognising in them the face of Christ. Each of us meets people like this every day. Each life that we encounter is a gift deserving acceptance, respect and love. The word of God helps us to open our eyes to welcome and love life, especially when it is weak and vulnerable. But in order to do this, we have to take seriously what the Gospel tells us about the rich man.
2. Sin blinds us
The parable is unsparing in its description of the contradictions associated with the rich man (cf. v. 19). Unlike poor Lazarus, he does not have a name; he is simply called “a rich man”. His opulence was seen in his extravagant and expensive robes. Purple cloth was even more precious than silver and gold, and was thus reserved to divinities (cf. Jer 10:9) and kings (cf. Jg 8:26), while fine linen gave one an almost sacred character. The man was clearly ostentatious about his wealth, and in the habit of displaying it daily: “He feasted sumptuously every day” (v. 19). In him we can catch a dramatic glimpse of the corruption of sin, which progresses in three successive stages: love of money, vanity and pride (cf. Homily, 20 September 2013).
The Apostle Paul tells us that “the love of money is the root of all evils” (1 Tim 6:10). It is the main cause of corruption and a source of envy, strife and suspicion. Money can come to dominate us, even to the point of becoming a tyrannical idol (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 55). Instead of being an instrument at our service for doing good and showing solidarity towards others, money can chain us and the entire world to a selfish logic that leaves no room for love and hinders peace.
The parable then shows that the rich man’s greed makes him vain. His personality finds expression in appearances, in showing others what he can do. But his appearance masks an interior emptiness. His life is a prisoner to outward appearances, to the most superficial and fleeting aspects of existence (cf. ibid., 62).
The lowest rung of this moral degradation is pride. The rich man dresses like a king and acts like a god, forgetting that he is merely mortal. For those corrupted by love of riches, nothing exists beyond their own ego. Those around them do not come into their line of sight. The result of attachment to money is a sort of blindness. The rich man does not see the poor man who is starving, hurting, lying at his door.
Looking at this character, we can understand why the Gospel so bluntly condemns the love of money: “No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money” (Mt 6:24).
3. The Word is a gift
The Gospel of the rich man and Lazarus helps us to make a good preparation for the approach of Easter. The liturgy of Ash Wednesday invites us to an experience quite similar to that of the rich man. When the priest imposes the ashes on our heads, he repeats the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”. As it turned out, the rich man and the poor man both died, and the greater part of the parable takes place in the afterlife. The two characters suddenly discover that “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Tim 6:7).
We too see what happens in the afterlife. There the rich man speaks at length with Abraham, whom he calls “father” (Lk 16:24.27), as a sign that he belongs to God’s people. This detail makes his life appear all the more contradictory, for until this moment there had been no mention of his relation to God. In fact, there was no place for God in his life. His only god was himself.
The rich man recognizes Lazarus only amid the torments of the afterlife. He wants the poor man to alleviate his suffering with a drop of water. What he asks of Lazarus is similar to what he could have done but never did. Abraham tells him: “During your life you had your fill of good things, just as Lazarus had his fill of bad. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony” (v. 25). In the afterlife, a kind of fairness is restored and life’s evils are balanced by good.
The parable goes on to offer a message for all Christians. The rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, who are still alive. But Abraham answers: “They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them” (v. 29). Countering the rich man’s objections, he adds: “If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead” (v. 31).
The rich man’s real problem thus comes to the fore. At the root of all his ills was the failure to heed God’s word. As a result, he no longer loved God and grew to despise his neighbor. The word of God is alive and powerful, capable of converting hearts and leading them back to God. When we close our heart to the gift of God’s word, we end up closing our heart to the gift of our brothers and sisters.
Dear friends, Lent is the favorable season for renewing our encounter with Christ, living in his word, in the sacraments and in our neighbor. The Lord, who overcame the deceptions of the Tempter during the forty days in the desert, shows us the path we must take. May the Holy Spirit lead us on a true journey of conversion, so that we can rediscover the gift of God’s word, be purified of the sin that blinds us, and serve Christ present in our brothers and sisters in need. I encourage all the faithful to express this spiritual renewal also by sharing in the Lenten Campaigns promoted by many Church organizations in different parts of the world, and thus to favor the culture of encounter in our one human family. Let us pray for one another so that, by sharing in the victory of Christ, we may open our doors to the weak and poor. Then we will be able to experience and share to the full the joy of Easter.
From the Vatican, 18 October 2016,
Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist

Meeting with Patriarch of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church: A New Time of Fraternal Friendship

Vatican City, 29 February 2016 (VIS) – This morning, Pope Francis welcomed His Holiness Abune Mathias, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. During the meeting the Bishop of Rome emphasized that the patriarch's visit strengthens the fraternal bonds that already unite both churches. He mentioned as milestones of the common path towards unity His Holiness Abune Paulos' encounters with St. John Paul II in 1993 and with Benedict XVI in 2009, who invited him to participate in the Synod of Bishops for Africa as was common practice in the early Church for representatives to be sent to the synods of other Churches. Likewise, a delegation from the Holy See was present at the 2012 funeral of Patriarch Abune Paulos.

Moreover, as Francis explained, since 2004 the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches have deepened their communion through theological dialogue in the International Joint Commission, which over the years has analysed the fundamental concept of the Churches' communion understood as participation in the communion between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Many things have been found in common: one faith, one baptism, one Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and many elements of the monastic traditions and the liturgy. "What unites us," the Pope said, "is greater than what divides us."

He continued, "We truly feel that the words of the Apostle Paul apply to us: 'If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.' Shared sufferings have enabled Christians, otherwise divided in so many ways, to grow closer to one another. Just as in the early Church the shedding of the blood of martyrs became the seed of new Christians, so today the blood of the many martyrs of all the Churches has become the seed of Christian unity. The martyrs and saints of all the ecclesial traditions are already one in Christ. Their names are inscribed in the one martyrologium of the Church of God. The ecumenism of the martyrs is a summons to us, here and now, to advance on the path to ever greater unity."

The Pope recalled that the Orthodox Tewahedo Church has been, from the beginning, a Church of martyrs and that still today "you are witnessing a devastating outbreak of violence against Christians and other minorities in the Middle East and in some parts of Africa. We cannot fail, yet again, to implore those who govern the world’s political and economic life to promote a peaceful coexistence based on reciprocal respect and reconciliation, mutual forgiveness and solidarity." He also acknowledged the great strides being made in Ethiopia "to improve the living conditions of its people and to build an ever more just society, based on the rule of law and respect for the role of women". In particular, he noted the problem of access to water, with its grave social and economic repercussions. "There is great room for cooperation between the Churches in the service of the common good and the protection of creation," he stated, certain of "the readiness of the Catholic Church in Ethiopia to work together with the Orthodox Tewahedo Church".

"it is my fervent hope that this meeting will mark a new chapter of fraternal friendship between our Churches. We are conscious that history has left us with a burden of painful misunderstandings and mistrust, and for this we seek God’s pardon and healing. Let us pray for one another," the pontiff concluded, "invoking the protection of the martyrs and saints upon all the faithful entrusted to our pastoral care. May the Holy Spirit continue to enlighten us and guide our steps towards harmony and peace. May he nourish in us the hope that one day, with God’s help, we will be united around the altar of Christ’s sacrifice in the fullness of Eucharistic communion."

Pope praises work of Rome-St. Peter's Carabinieri squad

Vatican City, 29 February 2016 (VIS) – One hundred and fifty members of the Rome-St. Peter's Carabinieri Squad who work with the competent bodies of the Holy See to regulate events in and around St. Peter's Square throughout the year were received by Pope Francis in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican this morning. The pontiff thanked them for their work in service of pilgrims and tourists, noting that it is work that "requires professionalism and a sense of responsibility as well as attention to people---many of whom are elderly---continuous patience and availability to all. These are not easy qualities, which is why it is important to rely on God's help."

"The Holy Year of Mercy," he continued, "opens the possibility of renewal to all of us, beginning with inner purification, which is reflected in how we act and in how we carry out our daily activities. This spiritual dimension of the Jubilee compels each of us to question our actual commitment in responding to the demands of faithfulness to the Gospel to which the Lord calls us from our state in life. The Jubilee thus becomes a propitious occasion for personal and community verification. The 'paradigm' to test ourselves against are works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual. The Lord reminds us: 'Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

"May this teaching of Jesus also guide you, who are responsible for the protection of public order, and help you to foster solidarity in every circumstance, especially towards the weak and defenceless. To be guardians of the right to life through the commitment to safety and the safety of persons. In carrying out this mission, may we always be aware that every person is loved by God and is his creature deserving of welcome and respect. May the grace of the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy," the Pope concluded his brief address, "renew the spirit which you dedicate to your profession, bringing you to live it with extra attention, devotion, and generosity.

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for March

Vatican City, 29 February 2016 (VIS) - The Holy Father's universal prayer intention for February is: “That families in need may receive the necessary support and that children may grow up in healthy and peaceful environments”.

His intention for evangelisation is: “That those Christians who, on account of their faith, are discriminated against or are being persecuted, may remain strong and faithful to the Gospel, thanks to the incessant prayer of the Church".

Holy Father's calendar for March and April

Vatican City, 29 February 2016 (VIS) – The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff has published the following calendar of liturgical celebrations at which the Holy Father will preside in the months of March and April 2016:

MARCH

Friday 4: At 5 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, penitential celebration.

Sunday 6: Fourth Sunday of Lent. In Ariccia, beginning of the spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia.

Friday 11: Conclusion of the spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia.

Tuesday 15: At 10 a.m. in the Consistory Hall, consistory for causes of canonisation.

Sunday 20: Palm Sunday and the Passion of the Lord. At 9.30 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, blessing of the palms, procession and Holy Mass.

Thursday 24: Holy Thursday. At 9.30 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Chrism Mass.

Friday 25: Good Friday. At 5 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, celebration of the Passion of the Lord.

At 9.15 p.m. at the Colosseum, Rome: Via Crucis (Way of the Cross).

Saturday 26: Holy Saturday. At 8.30 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Easter vigil

APRIL

Saturday 2: At 6 p.m. in St. Peter's Square, prayer vigil and Jubilee for adherents to the spirituality of Divine Mercy.

Sunday 3: Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday). At 10.30 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, Holy Mass and Jubilee for adherents to the spirituality of Divine Mercy Sunday.

Angelus: never too late to repent, let us begin today!

Vatican City, 28 February 2016 (VIS) – "Every day, unfortunately, bad news is reported: murders, accidents, disasters, … In today's Gospel passage Jesus refers to two tragic events, which at the time caused quite a stir: the bloody crackdown by Roman soldiers inside the temple and the collapse of the tower of Siloam in Jerusalem, which claimed eighteen victims." These are the words that Pope Francis started with this afternoon before the Angelus, relating our current lived experience to the Gospel of the day. "Jesus knows the superstitious mentality of his listeners," he continued, "and knows that they interpret those kinds of events wrongly. In fact, they think that, if those persons died so cruelly, it's a sign that God has punished them for some grave offence they had committed, as if to say 'They deserved it.' And the fact that they had been spared from the disaster was equivalent to being 'okay'. They 'deserved it' but I 'am good'.

The Pope explained that "Jesus clearly rejects this view because God does not allow tragedies in order to punish sins. He affirms that those poor victims were not worse than others. Rather, he invites us to draw a warning from such painful events, a warning for all because we are all sinners. He said to those who are asking him: 'If you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!' Even today, in the face of certain misfortunes and tragic events, we might feel the temptation to 'dump' the responsibility onto the victims or even onto God himself. But the Gospel invites us to reflect: what is our idea of God? Are we convinced that God is this way or is it not just our own projection, a god made 'in our image and likeness'? In contrast, Jesus calls us to a change of heart, to make a radical change in our life's path, abandoning the pacts with evil – and we all do this, make pacts with evil, hypocrisy, I believe that we all have at least one piece of hypocrisy – to decisively take the Gospel path".

"But here again is the temptation to justify ourselves: 'What should we convert from? Aren't we all basically good people?' How many times have we thought that: 'All in all, I'm a pretty good person?' – haven't we? – 'Aren't we believers, who even practice enough?' And we think, therefore, that we are justified". The Pope stressed that we justify ourselves as believers and even practising ones. Unfortunately, each of us looks a lot like a tree that, for years, has given much evidence of sterility. But luckily for us, Jesus is like the peasant farmer who, with limitless patience, still gives another deferment to the barren fig tree. 'Leave it for this year,' he says to the master. 'It may bear fruit in the future'".

"A 'year' of grace", he continued, "the time of Christ's ministry, the time of the Church before his glorious return, the time of our life punctuated by a number of Lents, which are offered to us as opportunities for repentance and salvation, the time of a Jubilee Year of Mercy. Jesus' invincible patience. Have you thought on God's patience? Have you thought about his unyielding concern for sinners as they should provoke impatience in how we see ourselves! It is never to late for us to convert, never! God's patience waits for us up till the last minute. Remember the the story of St. Therese of the Child Jesus when she prayed for the man condemned to death, a criminal, who did not want to receive the comfort of the Church. He declined a priest's visit, didn't want it. He wanted to die that way. And she prayed, in the convent. And exactly at the moment of his execution he turned to the priest, took the crucifix and kissed it. God's patience! He does the same with us, with all of us! How many times – we don't know. We will know in Heaven – how many times we are there [about to fall] and the Lord saves us. He saves us because he has great patience with us. And this is his mercy. It is never too late to repent but it is urgent, the time is now. Let us begin today".

Before finishing, Pope Francis called upon the Virgin Mary "to sustain us so that we may open our hearts to God's grace, to his mercy. And help us to never judge others but to let daily misfortunes be the opportunity to make a serious examination of conscience and repent".

Tragedy of refugees in Pope's prayers

Vatican City, 28 February 2016 (VIS) – Greeting the faithful after the Marian prayer, the Holy Father again noted the tragedy of those fleeing wars, emphasising that countries like Greece "on the front lines are giving generous aid, which requires the cooperation of all nations. A unified response can be effective and distribute the weight evenly. This is why we need to focus firmly and unreservedly on negotiations".

"At the same time." he added, "I have hopefully welcomed the news about the cessation of hostilities in Syria and I invite all to pray so that this window of opportunity can give relief to those suffering , encouraging the necessary humanitarian aid and opening the way to dialogue and a much desired peace".

Pope Francis also expressed his nearness to the people of Fiji, hard hit by a devastating cyclone. "I pray for the victims and for those who are committed to relief operations". Before leaving, the pontiff recalled that today marks "Rare Disease Day" and directed his special prayers and encouragement to all associations that offer help in this area.

Pope Francis receives president of the Argentine Republic

Vatican City, 27 February 2016 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis received in audience Mauricio Macri, president of the Argentine Republic, who subsequently met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States.

During the cordial discussions, which demonstrated the good bilateral relations between the Holy See and the Argentine Republic, themes of common interest were considered, such as assistance for integral development, respect for human rights, the fight against poverty and drug trafficking, justice, peace and social reconciliation. In this context, the positive contribution of the episcopate and Catholic institutions in Argentine society was reiterated, especially in the fields of human promotion and the formation of the new generations, and particularly in the current economic climate.

Finally, reference was made to various issues of broader significance and interest at regional and global levels.

Pope to businesspeople: seek a new humanism of work

Vatican City, 27 February 2016 (VIS) – This morning in the Paul VI Hall Pope Francis received in audience seven thousand Italian members of Confindustria (the General Confederation of Italian Industry). It was the first encounter in the Vatican in the history of the association, and took place within the context of the Jubilee Year of Mercy. The Holy Father observed that with this meeting, the men and women of Italian business confirm their commitment to contributing to a more just society, to reflecting together on the ethics of business, and to strengthening their attention to values, the "spinal column" of projects that offer a concrete alternative to the consumerist model of profit at any cost.

The theme "working together" inspires collaboration, sharing and preparing the way for relations regulated by a sense of joint responsibility. "In the complex world of business, working together means investing in projects able to involve those who are often forgotten or neglected, especially families. … And, alongside them, we cannot forget the weakest and most marginalised categories, such as the elderly, who may still have the resources and energy for active collaboration, but are too often discarded as useless and unproductive. Then there are potential workers, especially the young who, imprisoned by uncertainty or long periods of unemployment, do not receive offers of work providing them with not only an honest salary but also the dignity that they are often deprived of".

Working together means "basing work not on the solitary genius of an individual, but on the collaboration of many. It means, in other words, building a network to bring to the fore the gifts of all, without however neglecting the unique qualities of each person. At the centre of every business, therefore, is the person: not abstract, ideal or theoretical, but a real person with dreams, needs, hopes and hardships. … Faced with the many barriers of injustice, solitude, distrust and suspicion that continue to be built in our times, the world of work, in which you are on the front line, is required to take courageous steps so that encountering each other and working together is not merely a slogan, but rather a plan for the present and the future".

The Holy Father reminded those present of their "noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving our world", for which they are called to be builders of the common good and promoters of a "new humanism of work".

"You are called to safeguard professionalism, and at the same time to pay attention to the conditions in which work is carried out", he said. "May you always be guided by justice, which refuses the shortcuts of favouritism, and the dangerous deviations of dishonesty and easy compromise. May the supreme law always be attention to the dignity of others, an absolute and indispensable value. May this aim of altruism always distinguish your work: it will lead you to refuse categorically the infringement of the dignity of the person in the name of productive demands, which mask individualistic short-sightedness, sad selfishness and thirst for profit".

The Pope concluded by urging the members of Confindustria to represent, instead, a business open to the "broader meaning of life", allowing them "truly to serve the common good, by striving to increase the goods of this world and to make them more accessible to all", so that it is "not insensitive to the gaze of those in need. This is truly possible, provided that the simple proclamation of economic freedom does not prevail over the real freedom of man and his rights, that the market is not absolute, but rather honours the needs of justice and, in the final analysis, of the dignity of the person. There is no freedom without justice and no justice without respect for the dignity of every person".

Friday of Mercy: Pope pays surprise visit to San Carlo drug rehabilitation community

Vatican City, 27 February 2016 (VIS) – Yesterday afternoon the Pope paid a surprise visit to the San Carlo rehabilitation centre, near Castel Gandolfo, which belongs to the Italian Solidarity Centre, founded by Fr. Mario Picchi to prevent and combat exclusion, especially of those affected by drug abuse. The visit forms part of the Holy Father's "Friday of mercy" programme, in which he performs one of the corporal or spiritual works of mercy every Friday throughout the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

The San Carlo Community houses 55 people, mostly young, following a rehabilitation programme to free themselves from drug dependency. Francis' visit was unannounced and was a great surprise to all present. He spoke to the guests and staff, listened to their stories and expressed his closeness, urging them not to let themselves be devoured by the "metastasis" of drugs. He embraced them and explained that the path they have undertaken in the centre will offer them a real possibility of starting a new life worthy of a human being. Francis emphasised the need always to trust in the strength of mercy that continues to sustain our pilgrimage and, accompanying us even in our darkest hours, lets us feel the warmth of His presence and clothes man in dignity.

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, linked this "Friday of Mercy" to the Pope's recent trip to Mexico, characterised by his strong and unequivocal condemnation of drug trafficking. "It worries me greatly that, seduced by the empty power of the world, they exalt chimeras and don their macabre symbols to trade in death. … I implore you not to underestimate the ethical and anti-civic challenge that drug trafficking represents for young people and for society as a whole, including the Church", said Francis during the trip.

Just a few days after his return to Rome, added Archbishop Fisichella, the Pope has given a visible and concrete sign of the affirmation he made in the Cathedral of Mexico City regarding the need for pastors of the Church not to seek refuge in generic condemnations, but rather to reach out to the human and existential peripheries of the cities and to involve families, schools, institutions, the political community and the forces of order in a serious pastoral project aiming at the prevention of a phenomenon that destroys many lives.

IX World Day of Rare Diseases: Message of Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care

Vatican City, 29 February 2016 (VIS) – Today marks the IX World Day of Rare Diseases. On the occasion, Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers (for Health Pastoral Care) wrote a message entitled "The Patient's Voice at the Centre. Join Us in Making the Voice of Rare Diseases Heard". It emphasises how, for years, this dicastery has closely followed the various initiatives for those affected by such diseases, as well as focusing on their families, who are sometimes the only ones who give voice to a problem that should not be ignored by the various civil, scientific, and pastoral agencies.

"This global initiative", the prelate explained, "which aims to give proper emphasis to these diseases and to increase knowledge, also finds growing interest in the Church, so that those who, although suffering from diseases whose incidence is minimal or rare numerically, are not abandoned or isolated. They certainly cannot leave us indifferent. Indeed, their condition, as the theme chosen for this 9th day indicates, cannot but find echo in our hearts and in appropriate research and care".

"In particular", he specified, "this means making these persons more and more the protagonists, equipped with the necessary reference points and, at the same time, raising the awareness of the competent authorities, health professionals, pharmaceutical industry, and anyone who has a sincere interest in rare diseases. All in order to break the curtain of silence or exclusivity that is likely, in many cases, to hide a problem that, however, concerns the whole of society".

"The Church also feels involved in this commitment, constantly spurred by Pope Francis to grow and walk in solidarity. … By means of this dicastery, the Church, as the voice that can from many places have the leverage to achieve the common good and justice in the social and health care field, intends to bring the attention of its pastoral outreach in the area of rare and neglected diseases – defined as diseases that particularly call for solidarity – to this area and to the various scientific research institutions".

"This ecclesial attention will have a specific expression at the next international conference organized by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, which will take place at the Vatican from 10 to 12 November, 2016. This initiative, almost at the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, will be a further occasion for highlighting the work of corporal mercy that is assistance to the sick. It will be a sign of solidarity with persons affected by rare diseases as well as with the poor and vulnerable populations marked by neglected diseases, who usually live in the most remote rural areas of the world".

Audiences

Vatican City, 29 February 2016 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father met separately with:

- three prelates from the Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference: Archbishop Roberto Octavio Gonzalez Nieves, O.F.M., of San Juan de Puerto Rico, president, accompanied by Bishop Alvaro Corrada del Rio, S.J., of Tyler, vice president, and by Bishop Eusebio Ramos Morales of Fajardo-Humacao, secretary general.

- Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington, USA,

- Bishop Paul Tighe, adjunct secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture with members of his family, and

- Cardinal George Pell, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy.

On Saturday 27 February the Holy Father received in audience:

- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation of Bishops, and

- Bishop Carlos Jose Tissera of Quilmes, Argentina.

Other Pontifical Acts

Vatican City, 27 February 2016 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father appointed:

- Cardinal Francesco Monterisi, archpriest emeritus of the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls, as his special envoy to the concluding celebration of the Innocentian Year, commemorating the fourth centenary of the birth of Pope Innocent XII, to be held in Spinazzola, Italy on 13 March.

- Msgr. Maurizio Bravi, nunciature counsellor, as Holy See Permanent Observer at the World Tourism Organisation.

Notice to VIS subscribers

Vatican City, 29 February 2016 (VIS) – From tomorrow, Tuesday 1 March 2016, the Vatican Information Service newsletter will not be transmitted. Below is the link via which the web page including a synthesis in English of the official Holy See Press Office Bulletin may be consulted.

http://press.vatican.va/salastampa/en/bollettino.html

Benedict XVI's first encyclical, "Deus caritas est", remains timely

Vatican City, 26 February 2016 (VIS) "The message of the Encyclical Deus Caritas Est remains timely, indicating the ever relevant prospect for the Church’s journey. The more we live in this spirit, the more authentic we all are as Christians", said Pope Francis this morning as he received in audience in the Clementine Hall the participants in the two-day international congress "Love will never end: Prospects ten years on from the Encyclical Deus Caritas Est", organised by the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", which analysed the theological and pastoral repercussions and prospects opened by Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical.

The text, said Francis, "concerns a theme that allows us to retrace the entire history of the Church, which is also a history of charity. It is a story of the love received from God, to be carried to the world: this charity received and given is the fulcrum of the history of the Church and of the history of each one of us. ... Both for individual members of the faithful and for the Christian community as a whole, the words of Jesus hold true: that charity is the first and greatest of the commandments: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength… You shall love your neighbour as yourself'".

The present Jubilee Year, continued the Holy Father, "is also an opportunity to return to this beating heart of our life and our witness, to the centre of the proclamation of faith: 'God is love'. God does not simply have the desire or capacity to love; God is love: charity is His essence, it is His nature. He is unique, but not solitary; ... He cannot be closed in on Himself because He is communion, He is charity; and charity by its nature is communicated and shared. In this way, God associates man to His life of love, and even if man turns away from Him, God does not remain distant but goes out to meet him. This going out to meet us, culminating in the Incarnation of His Son, is His mercy. It is His way of expressing Himself to us sinners, His face that looks at us and cares for us. The encyclical reads: 'Jesus’ programme is a heart which sees. This heart sees where love is needed and acts accordingly'. Charity and mercy are in this way closely related, because they are God’s way of being and acting: His identity and His name".

The first aspect which the Encyclical recalls for us is the face of God: "who is the God we can encounter in Christ? How faithful and unsurpassable is His love? … All our expressions of love, of solidarity, of sharing are but a reflection of that love which is God. He, without ever tiring, pours out His love on us, and we are called to become witnesses to this love in the world. Therefore, we should look to divine charity as to the compass which orients our lives, before embarking on any activity: there we find direction; from charity we learn how to see our brothers and sisters and the world".

Pope Francis also referred to a second aspect of the Encyclical – the need for charity to be increasingly reflected in the life of the Church. "How I wish that everyone in the Church, every institution, every activity would show that God loves man!", he exclaimed. "The mission that our charitable organisations carry out is important, because they provide so many poor people with a more dignified and human life, which is needed more than ever. But this mission is of utmost importance because, not with words, but with concrete love it can make every person feel loved by the Father, loved as His son or daughter and destined for eternal life with Him".

"I would like to thank all those who daily are committing themselves to this mission which challenges every Christian", he concluded. "In this Jubilee Year, my intention has been to emphasise that we can all experience the grace of the Jubilee by putting into practice the spiritual and corporal works of mercy: to live the works of mercy means to conjugate the verb 'to love' according to Jesus. In this way then, all of us together can contribute concretely to the great mission of the Church: to communicate the love of God which is meant to be spread".

Audiences

Vatican City, 26 February 2016 (VIS) – This morning the Holy Father received in audience:

- Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla, apostolic nuncio in Korea and Mongolia, with family members;

- Bodo Ramelow, minister-president of Thuringia, Germany, with his wife and entourage;

- Archbishop Aldo Giordano, apostolic nuncio in Venezuela;

- Archbishop Jean-Abdo Arbach of Homs of the Greek-Melkites, Syria.

"Love before the world": the Pope answers questions from children

Vatican City, 25 February 2016 (VIS) – "L'amore prima del mondo" ("Love before the world") is the title of a book published by Rizzoli, in the form of 31 letters and drawings sent to the Holy Father by children from various Jesuit institutions from all five continents, asking for advice and explanations, and Francis' replies.

The title is drawn from the Pope's answer to the question, "What did God do before the world was made?". The eighty pages of the volume consist of a dialogue between Francis and the Jesuit Fr. Antonio Spadaro, director of La Civilta Cattolica, who took the children's letters and drawings the Domus Sanctae Marthae last summer and to ask for a response. The Pope accepted the proposal and the resulting book has been released in Italian bookshops today. It will shortly be available in other languages.

Francis answers questions on a wide variety of issues, such as how Jesus managed to walk on water: "God doesn't sink", and why He created us if He knew we were going to sin against Him: Because God created us like Him. Free. And being free includes the possibility of sinning. … Freedom can be frightening because it cannot be planned. But it is beautiful and it is the greatest gift". In response to questions from the youngest children regarding the devil and guardian angels, the Pope recalls the importance of liturgy of prayer, or evokes the fantastic imagination of the young: "God defeated the devil on the cross. The devil is like the big scary dragons who are defeated and killed. They have a very long tail which, even if they are beaten and killed, continues to move".

There are also questions regarding war and atrocities; for instance, a child from Nigeria asks how these conflicts could be resolved. "It is necessary to encourage people of good will to speak against war. I cannot solve the conflicts in the world, but you and I can try to make this a better world. We need to convince everyone that the best way to win a war is not to enter into one. It is not easy, I know. But I try. You can try too".

A child from China wants to know why the Pope likes football. "I have never learned well the techniques of the game", admits Francis. "I don't have agile feet. But I like to see the team on the field because it is a game of solidarity". In response to a boy from the United Kingdom asks, "What was your hardest choice in your mission for faith?", the Holy Father replies, "There are many hard choices, but I have to say that the type of decision that is most difficult for me is to remove someone from a responsible job or a position of trust, or a path they are following, for reasons of unsuitability".

Francis to meet the Patriarch of the Orthodox Tewahedo Church of Ethiopia

Vatican City, 25 February 2016 (VIS) – On Monday, 29 February, the Holy Father Francis will meet with His Holiness Abuna Mathias, Patriarch of the Orthodox Tewahedo Church of Ethiopia, who will be present in Rome from Friday 26 to Monday 29. During his stay the Patriarch will visit the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the tomb of the apostle Peter, and will celebrate Holy Mass with the Ethiopian community of Rome on Sunday 28 February in the chapel of the Urbanian College.

The Orthodox Tewahedo Church of Ethiopia currently consists of 35 million faithful, and a large community exists in Rome. It enjoys cordial and increasingly close relations with the Catholic Church, especially following the first visit in 1993 of the then-Patriarch Abuna Paulos to Pope John Paul II.

Religious and migrations: perspectives, response and challenges

Vatican City, 25 February 2016 (VIS) – The international conference "The religious and migrations in the 21st century: perspectives, response and challenges", organised by the representation before the United Nations of the Passionists International, the Congregation of St. Joseph, Augustinians International and the Vincentians, yesterday concluded two days of intense work.

The aim of the meeting, attended by around a hundred men and women religious, as well as laypersons and experts in the sector, was to understand more fully the phenomenon of migration and its repercussions in today's world, especially in the context of the current European situation. It also considered the identification of more effective and shared forms of solidarity. A strong appeal was launched for intensified network-building among congregations, associations and other organisations in countries of origin, transit and destination. The network represents one of the most efficient ways of using energy, skills and resources, to give greater impetus to the already extraordinary work that these entities carry out. In Italy alone, some 23 million people (almost a quarter of the refugees present in the country) are received by parishes, religious communities, monasteries and sanctuaries.

The participants expressed major concerns regarding the large number of often unaccompanied minors involved in migratory flows, as well as the many young women, especially from Nigeria (more than four thousand in 2015) who risk falling into the trap of exploitation and prostitution.

Fr. Emela Xris Obiezu, representative of Augustinians International before the United Nations, emphasised that "In this complex world, and faced with the challenge of migration, it is increasingly necessary to think globally and act locally, also in terms of lobbying and advocacy, to take the voice of the victims and those who work alongside them to every level of attention, from local administrations to the United Nations, so as to influence working decisions, always placing at the centre of attention the person and respect for his or her freedom and dignity".

Audiences

Vatican City, 25 February 2016 (VIS) – Yesterday the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Mario Aurelio Poli, archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina.