VATICAN CITY, 18 MAR 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Bishop Jonas Guerrero Corona, auxiliary of Mexico, Mexico, as bishop of Culiacan (area 37,800, population 2,474,898, Catholics 2,399,672, priests 185, permanent deacons 4, religious 273), Mexico. He succeeds Bishop Benjamin Jimenez Hernandez, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
- Appointed Bishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze of Uromi, Nigeria, as metropolitan archbishop of Benin City (area 13,678, population 1,761,701, Catholics 123,350, priests 69, religious 146), Nigeria. The archbishop-elect was born in Kaduna, Nigeria in 1956, he was ordained a priest in 1987 and consecrated a bishop in 2006.
- Appointed Fr. Malachy John Goltok, pastor and bursar of the archdiocese of Jos, Nigeria, as bishop of Bauchi (area 64,605, population 6,105,000, Catholics 78,000, priests 33, religious 8), Nigeria. The bishop-elect was born in Bauchi in 1965 and ordained a priest in 1990.
NER:RE/ VIS 20110318 (170)
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
CARDINAL MAZOMBWE TO TAKE POSSESSION OF TITULAR CHURCH
VATICAN CITY, 15 JAN 2011 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that at 6 p.m. on Saturday 26 March Cardinal Medardo Joseph Mazombwe, archbishop emeritus of Lusaka, Zambia, will take possession of the title of St. Emerentiana at Tor Fiorenza, Via Lucrino 53, Rome.
OCL/ VIS 20110317 (60)
OCL/ VIS 20110317 (60)
IN MEMORIAM
VATICAN CITY, 17 MAR 2011 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:
- Bishop Juan Garcia-Santacruz Ortiz of Guadix, Spain, on 12 March at the age of 78.
- Bishop Oswald Georg Hirmer, emeritus of Umtata, South Africa, on 5 March at the age of 81.
.../ VIS 20110317 (50)
- Bishop Juan Garcia-Santacruz Ortiz of Guadix, Spain, on 12 March at the age of 78.
- Bishop Oswald Georg Hirmer, emeritus of Umtata, South Africa, on 5 March at the age of 81.
.../ VIS 20110317 (50)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
MESSAGE FOR THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITALIAN UNIFICATION
VATICAN CITY, 16 MAR 2011 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from the Holy Father addressed to Giorgio Napolitano, president of the Italian Republic, for the 150th anniversary of the political unity of Italy, which falls tomorrow 17 March.
In the Message, which Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. delivered to President Napolitano during a visit to the Quirinal Palace this morning, Benedict XVI highlights Christianity's contribution to building Italian identity "through the efforts of the Church and of her educational and care institutions, which established rules of behaviour, institutional structures and social relationships; but also through her vast artistic activity". In this context he also mentions the influence of such saints as Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Siena.
"For complex historical, cultural and political reasons, the Italian 'Risorgimento' has been seen as a movement against the Church, against Catholicism and sometimes even against religion in general", the Holy Father says. However he also mentions the contribution to the formation of the unified State made by Catholic figures such as Gioberti, Rosmini and Manzoni.
Going on then to refer to the so-called "Roman Question" and "the divisive effects it had on the individual and collective conscience of Italian Catholics", Benedict XVI nonetheless notes that "no conflict took place in society, which was marked by a profound friendship between the civil and ecclesial communities. The national identity of the Italians, so strongly rooted in Catholic traditions, constituted, in effect, the most solid foundation for the political unity that had been achieved".
"The fundamental contribution of Italian Catholics to the republican Constitution of 1947 is well known", Pope Benedict writes. "This was the starting point for the highly significant involvement of Italian Catholics in politics, ... and in civil society, offering their fundamental contribution to the growth of the country, demonstrating their absolute faithfulness to the State and dedication to the common good, and projecting Italy towards Europe".
"For her part the Church, thanks also to the broad-ranging freedom she was guaranteed by the Lateran Pacts of 1929, has continued to make an effective contribution to the common good through her institutions and activities. ... The conclusion of an agreement revising the Lateran Pacts, signed on 18 February 1984, marked the move to a new stage in relations between the Church and the State of Italy. ... The agreement, which contributed greatly to defining the healthy secularism that characterises the Italian State and its juridical system, highlighted two overriding principles which must regulate relations between the Church and the political community: the separation of spheres and collaboration. ... The Church is aware not only of the contribution she makes to civil society for the common good, but also of what she herself receives from civil society".
"Contemplating the long course of history", the Pope concludes his Letter, "we must recognise that the Italian nation has always had a sense of the duty, but at the same time the unique privilege, arising from the fact that the See of Peter's Successor, and therefore the centre of Catholicism, is in Italy, in Rome. And the national community has always responded to this awareness by expressing is affectionate closeness, solidarity and assistance towards the Apostolic See, so as to foster its freedom and help create the conditions favourable for the exercise of spiritual ministry in the world by Peter's Successor, who is Bishop of Rome and Primate of Italy".
MESS/ VIS 20110316 (580)
In the Message, which Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. delivered to President Napolitano during a visit to the Quirinal Palace this morning, Benedict XVI highlights Christianity's contribution to building Italian identity "through the efforts of the Church and of her educational and care institutions, which established rules of behaviour, institutional structures and social relationships; but also through her vast artistic activity". In this context he also mentions the influence of such saints as Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Siena.
"For complex historical, cultural and political reasons, the Italian 'Risorgimento' has been seen as a movement against the Church, against Catholicism and sometimes even against religion in general", the Holy Father says. However he also mentions the contribution to the formation of the unified State made by Catholic figures such as Gioberti, Rosmini and Manzoni.
Going on then to refer to the so-called "Roman Question" and "the divisive effects it had on the individual and collective conscience of Italian Catholics", Benedict XVI nonetheless notes that "no conflict took place in society, which was marked by a profound friendship between the civil and ecclesial communities. The national identity of the Italians, so strongly rooted in Catholic traditions, constituted, in effect, the most solid foundation for the political unity that had been achieved".
"The fundamental contribution of Italian Catholics to the republican Constitution of 1947 is well known", Pope Benedict writes. "This was the starting point for the highly significant involvement of Italian Catholics in politics, ... and in civil society, offering their fundamental contribution to the growth of the country, demonstrating their absolute faithfulness to the State and dedication to the common good, and projecting Italy towards Europe".
"For her part the Church, thanks also to the broad-ranging freedom she was guaranteed by the Lateran Pacts of 1929, has continued to make an effective contribution to the common good through her institutions and activities. ... The conclusion of an agreement revising the Lateran Pacts, signed on 18 February 1984, marked the move to a new stage in relations between the Church and the State of Italy. ... The agreement, which contributed greatly to defining the healthy secularism that characterises the Italian State and its juridical system, highlighted two overriding principles which must regulate relations between the Church and the political community: the separation of spheres and collaboration. ... The Church is aware not only of the contribution she makes to civil society for the common good, but also of what she herself receives from civil society".
"Contemplating the long course of history", the Pope concludes his Letter, "we must recognise that the Italian nation has always had a sense of the duty, but at the same time the unique privilege, arising from the fact that the See of Peter's Successor, and therefore the centre of Catholicism, is in Italy, in Rome. And the national community has always responded to this awareness by expressing is affectionate closeness, solidarity and assistance towards the Apostolic See, so as to foster its freedom and help create the conditions favourable for the exercise of spiritual ministry in the world by Peter's Successor, who is Bishop of Rome and Primate of Italy".
MESS/ VIS 20110316 (580)
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
VATICAN CITY, 16 MAR 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Thomas A. Daly of the clergy of the archdiocese of San Francisco, U.S.A., director of priestly vocations and president of the Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield, as auxiliary of San Jose in California (area 3,367, population 1,837,075, Catholics 667,474, priests 343, permanent deacons 20, religious 583), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in San Francisco in 1960 and ordained a priest in 1987.
NEA/ VIS 20110316 (80)
NEA/ VIS 20110316 (80)
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