PONTIFICAL REPRESENTATIVES' DAYS

Vatican City, 20 June 2013 (VIS) – As part of the Year of Faith, the pontifical representatives, the apostolic nuncios, will meet with the Holy Father this Friday and Saturday, 21-22 June.

Tomorrow, Friday at 10:30am, the Pope will receive the nuncios in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace. In the afternoon, from 4:30 to 5:45pm in the pontifical basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, Eucharistic adoration will be held and vespers will be celebrated, presided by Cardinal James Michael Harvey, archpriest of the Basilica. Finally, a meditation will be led by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture. At the conclusion of the ceremonies, participants will visit the Basilica's scavi. In the evening, at 8:30pm, they will have dinner with the Holy Father in the Oval Patio of the Casina of Pius IV.

On Saturday, 22 June, in the Chapel of the St. Peter's Basilica Choir, Mass will be concelebrated at 9:00am, presided by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., secretary of State. At 10:45am, Terce will be prayed in the New Synod Hall and the pontifical representatives will have a working meeting with the superiors of the Secretariat of State. After the meeting finishes they will have lunch at the Domus Sanctae Marthae (without the Pope). The Days will conclude with a concert at 5:30pm in the Paul VI Audience Hall.

PREFECTURE FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS: MEETING OF VATICAN'S ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTORS

Vatican City, 20 June 2013 (VIS) – Yesterday morning, the old Synod Hall was the site of a meeting—organized by the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See—of the administrative heads of the various dicasteries and dependent agencies of the Vatican, according to a note issued by the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J.

The meeting, attended by all the personnel of the Prefecture along with international auditors, is the second of its kind, the first having been held in December of last year for the presentation of the Prefecture's new rules. It will be followed, probably each six months, by other similar reunions.

After reading a short greeting from the Holy Father, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., and an introduction by Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, president of the Prefecture, an interesting agreement was presented, by virtue of which Banco Santander offered its availability to place its contacts and formative resources, drawing upon the wide network of the Bank's relationships with the international academic world, at the Prefecture's disposition.

Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu, substitute of the Secretariat of State, also spoke, giving his greetings and encouragement. The Prefecture's secretary, Msgr. Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, and Accountant General, Dr. Stefano Fralleoni spoke, in turn, to explain the historical development of the Prefecture's preparation of the consolidated financial statements and the importance of properly preparing budgets in the governance of the economical administration.

In particular, information was given on the progress made in preparing a consolidated financial statement that isn't limited to the two specific areas of the Curia and the Vatican City Sate, but which also extends to the areas of the pastoral outreach and charitable activities that are overseen by the Holy See.

The financial statements in question will be presented in documented and detailed form at the next meeting of the Council of Cardinals—the so-called “Council of Fifteen”, which will meet, as usual, in the first days of July—to study the Holy See's organizational and economic problems. The meeting was followed by a series of addresses and questions on the part of the participants, among which are to be noted the speeches by the international auditors, whose presence and participation were highly appreciated by all present.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 20 June 2013 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father appointed Dr. Venerando Marano, previously adjunct judge of the Tribunal of Vatican City State, as a permanent judge of that tribunal.

GENERAL AUDIENCE: HOW CAN WE HAVE UNITY AMONG CHRISTIANS IF AS CATHOLICS WE AREN'T UNITED?

Vatican City, 19 June 2013 (VIS) - Pope Francis dedicated his catechesis of the Wednesday general audience to the expression “of the body” that the Second Vatican Council used to indicate the nature of the Church: the Church is the body of Christ. The Pope recalled the text of the conversion of Saul, who became Paul, in order to explain how the Apostle, with that experience, tells us how profound the union between Christians and Christ is.

“The image of the body helps us to understand this deep bond between Church and Christ, which St. Paul particularly developed,” the Pope said. “The Church … is a living body … and this body has a head, Jesus, who guides, nourishes, and sustains it. … [But], the same way that in a body it is important that the lifeblood courses for it to live, so must we allow Jesus to work in us, so that his Word might guide us, his Eucharistic presence might nourish and inspire us, and so that his love might give strength to our love for our neighbour.”

“In the Church, therefore,” the pontiff continued, “there is a variety, a diversity of tasks and functions. There is no dull uniformity but the richness of the gifts that the Holy Spirit distributes. There is communion and unity: all are in relation to one another and all combine to form a single vital body, profoundly connected to Christ. Let us remember this well: being part of the Church means being united to Christ and receiving from him the divine life that makes us to live as Christians. It means remaining united to the Pope and bishops who are instruments of unity and communion and it also means learning to overcome selfishness and divisions, to understand one another better, and to harmonize the variety and richness of each one. In a word, loving God and the persons around us, in our families, parishes, and associations, better. Body and limbs must be united in order to live!”

Speaking extemporaneously, the Holy Father added: “Unity is always greater than conflict. Conflicts, if they aren't resolved well, separate us from one another, separate us from God. Conflict can help us grow but it can also divide us. Let's not take the path of division and struggle between one another. All united, all united with our differences but always united: this is Jesus' path.”

“How much damage is caused to the Church by divisions among Christians, by being apart, by narrow interests! The divisions among us,” he continued, “but also the divisions between the communities: evangelical Christians, Orthodox Christians, Catholic Christians, why are we divided? We must try to bring unity. … We must pray together as Catholics and also with other Christians, must pray that the Lord grant us unity, unity between us. But how will we have unity among Christians if we aren't capable of having it among us Catholics? Of having it in our family? How many families fight and are divided! Seek unity, the unity that makes the Church. Unity comes from Jesus Christ. He sends us the Holy Spirit to create unity.”

FRANCIS: FACE OF CHRIST IS ETCHED IN REFUGEES. THE CHRISTIAN IS ONE WHO SAYS YES TO LIFE

Vatican City, 19 June 2013 (VIS) – After giving his catechesis at the general audience, the Holy Father spoke of World Refugee Day, which is commemorated on this day. This year the pontiff asked for “special consideration of the situation of refugee families who are often forced to quickly leave their home and homeland and who lose their every good and safety in order to flee from violence, persecution, or severe discrimination on religious grounds, or for belonging to a particular ethnic group, or for their political views.”

“In addition to the dangers of the journey, these families often find themselves at risk of being torn apart and, in the country that receives them, they have to deal with cultures and societies that are different from their own. We cannot be insensitive to these families or towards our refugee brothers and sisters. We are called to help them, opening ourselves to understanding and hospitality. May there be no lack of persons and institutions around the world to assist them. In their faces is etched the face of Christ!”

The Pope then recalled that last Sunday, as part of the Year of Faith, “we celebrated God who is Life and the source of life, Christ who gives us the divine life, and the Holy Spirit who keeps us in the vital relationship of true children of God. I wish to extend once more,” he added, “the invitation to receive and to proclaim the 'Gospel of life', to promote and defend life in all its dimensions and all its stages. The Christian is the one who says 'yes' to life, the one who says 'yes' to God, the Living One.”