APPEAL FOR SYRIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST: RAISE A CRY FOR PEACE

Vatican City, 4 September 2013 (VIS) – “This coming Saturday we will experience together a special day of fasting and prayer for pace in Syria, the Middle East”, said the Pope at the end of the catechesis of today's general audience. “I renew my invitation to all the Church to live this day intensely, and from this moment on, express my gratitude to those brothers and sisters, Christians and of other religions, and to men and women of good will who wish to join, wherever they may be and in their own way, in this moment. I particularly urge the faithful and pilgrims in Rome to participate in the prayer vigil here in St. Peter's Square at 7 p.m., to invoke from the Lord the gift of peace. Let us raise a cry for peace all over the world!”

AUDIENCE WITH THE CAPTAINS REGENT OF SAN MARINO

Vatican City, 4 September 2013 (VIS) – This morning the Holy Father received in audience, in the study of the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, Antonella Mularoni and Denis Amici, the Captains Regent of the Republic of San Marino, and their entourage.

Previously the two heads of State, accompanied by Pasquale Valentini, secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Policy, met with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

During the cordial discussions, in which satisfaction was expressed regarding the good relations enjoyed between the Holy See and the Republic of San Marino, mention was made of the grave situation affecting the eastern Mediterranean area and it was agreed that only concerted commitment on the part of all nations would guarantee a peaceful solution to the current conflict and ensure the security of the entire region.

ACTIVITIES OF POPE FRANCIS DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST

Vatican City, 3 September 2013 (VIS) - We offer below a list of the activities of Pope Francis during the month of August. It includes the Angelus, audiences, other pontifical acts, telegrams, messages and other news. The activities are presented in chronological order under their respective headings:

ANGELUS

4.- The Pope gives thanks to the Lord for World Youth Day in Rio and in the day's Gospel, alludes to the absurdity of basing happiness in consumerism, reminding us that the true wealth is God's love shared with one's brothers and sisters.

11.- Jesus taught his disciples by showing them what he held in his heart: detachment from earthly goods, trust in God's providence and actively awaiting the Kingdom of God. The Pope emphasizes that the love of God gives value and beauty to everything around us.

15.- From Castel Gandolfo, Francis invites us to say “yes” to God, as a step towards eternal life, and recalls the 25th anniversary of the Blessed Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter “Dignitatem Mulieris”.

18.- Continuing the theme of saying "yes" to God, the Pope explains that faith is not an ornament for decorating life, but rather involves choosing God as a criterion and basis for life.

25.- Jesus is the “little” door that leads to the Father; it is always open and invites all to pass, promising full and everlasting joy. Francis prays for the situation in Syria and encourages a resolution of these problems through encounter and dialogue rather than war.

MESSAGES AND TELEGRAMS

1. The Holy Father writes a message to Muslims around the world to mark the end of the Ramadan festival, with the theme "Promoting mutual respect through education." The message has been sent routinely every year since 1967 by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, with the exception of 1991 when Blessed John Paul II chose to personally send this message to Muslims.

2. Publication of the letter in which the Holy Father appoints Cardinal Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino, archbishop of San Cristobal de La Habana, Cuba, as his special envoy to the closing ceremony of the first centenary of the elevation to metropolitan archdiocese of San Salvador and the erection of the diocese of Santa Ana and San Miguel, as well as the ceremony of the national Eucharistic Congress of El Salvador on 11 August.

6. Message for the 87th World Mission Day, to be celebrated on 20 October, shortly before the end of the Year of Faith. The Pope recalls those Christians in various parts of the world who struggle to profess their faith and to find recognition of their right to live with dignity, and wholeheartedly blesses missionaries and all those who accompany and support the Church's fundamental commitment to proclaiming the Gospel.

7. Francis sends a video message to participants in the feast of San Cayetano in Argentina, where the saint is the patron of "bread and work", asking that she might come to the assistance of the most needy.

8. Telegram of condolence for the victims of an explosion in a building in Rosario, Argentina.

9. Message to the Knights of Columbus on the occasion of their 131st International Convention, celebrated in San Antonio, Texas.

10. Letter to Cardinal Audrys Juozas Backis, archbishop of Vilnius, Lithuania, the Pope's special envoy to the celebration of the 1025th anniversary of the baptism of Rus, Ukraine.

17. Telegram of condolence to the archbishop of Cebu, Philippines, for the sinking of a ship in the town harbour, which claimed many lives and caused numerous casualties.

18. Message to the Meeting for Friendship between Peoples (Rimini, Italy, 18 to 24 August) dedicated this time to the theme "The Human Person: a State of Emergency." The Pope writes about the urgency of restoring man to himself and his dignity, the unique and precious nature of all human existence from conception to natural death, and states that the task of the Church and of every Christian is to serve the human person, searching among his most hidden social and spiritual meanderings.

29. The Holy Father sends a message to Archbishop Andrew Yeom Soo Jung of Seoul, Korea, on the occasion of the proclamation within the archdiocese of September as "Month of martyrs" to commemorate those who have borne witness to their faith in times of persecution.

30. Message to Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, in the hope that the 13th Inter-Christian Symposium (Milan, Italy, 28 to 30 August) might bear “abundant fruit”. The Symposium, on the theme "The life of Christians and civil power — historical questions and current perspectives in East and West", was organised by the Franciscan Institute of Spirituality at the Pontifical University Antonianum and the Department of Theology of the Orthodox Faculty of Theology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in collaboration with the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart.

30.Telegram of condolence for the death of Cardinal Medardo Joseph Mazombwe, archbishop emeritus of Lusaka, Zambia.

AUDIENCES

13.The Pope receives in audience Archbishop Leo Cushley of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Scotland.

24. Audience with the Reverend José María de Paola.

26. Audience with Cardinal Agostino Vallini, vicar general of His Holiness for the diocese of Rome.

27. The Pope receives in audience Cardinal Angelo Sodano, deacon of the College of Cardinals.

28. Audience with Fr. Fernando Vérgez Alzaga L.C., director of telecommunications of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

Audience with Msgr. Antoine Camilleri, under-secretary for Relations between States.

29. The Holy Father receives in audience His Majesty the King of Jordan, Abdallah II Ibn Al Hussein, and Queen Rania.

30. Audience with Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

The Pope receives in audience Fr. Carlo Casalone S.J., Provincial of the Society of Jesus for Italy, with members of the Carlo Maria Martini Foundation.

OTHER NEWS

8. Motu Proprio for preventing and countering money laundering, the financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It extends the application of related Vatican laws, strengthens the monitoring and regulatory function of the Financial Information Authority (AIF), and establishes the function of prudential oversight on the part of the agencies professionally involved in financial affairs such as the Financial Security Committee, in coordinating the relevant authorities of the Holy See and of Vatican City State.

13. The Pope receives in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace a delegation of the national football teams of Argentina and Italy on the occasion of the friendly match to be played in his honour the following day, 14 August, at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. Francis advises the players to regard sport as a gift from God and an opportunity for their talents to bear fruit, but also to be aware of their responsibility as role models for many people.

21. In the San Damaso courtyard of the Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father greets students and teachers from the Bunri Seibu Gakuen Junior High School College of Saitama, Tokyo, Japan, and underscores the value of dialogue as a proponent of peace.

28. At the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter, Francis addresses some words to five hundred young people of the Italian diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio, participants in the "Upon this rock" pilgrimage marking the Year of Faith, and invites them to aim for great ideals and not to fear to “swim against the tide”.

28. In the Roman Basilica of St. Augustine in Campo Marzio, Pope Francis celebrates Mass for the opening of the 184th Ordinary General Chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine. His homily is a reflection on Augustinian disquiet: the restlessness of spiritual seeking, inquietude of the meeting with God, the unrest of love.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

3. Appointment of Archbishop Guido Pozzo, formerly almoner of His Holiness, as secretary of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei". The Pope appoints as almoner of His Holiness Msgr. Konrad Krajewski, formerly Master of Papal Ceremonies, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop.

8.Resignation of Bishop Louis Sankalé from the pastoral care of the diocese of Nice, France, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

10. Archbishop Vincenzo Pelvi, military ordinary for Italy, resigns at age 65, in accordance with Italian law governing the service of spiritual assistance to the Armed Forces.

15. The Pope appoints Fr. Ibrahim Salameh M.S.P., formerly pastor of San Jorge in Rosario, Argentina, as apostolic exarch for the Greek-Melkite faithful living in Argentina, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of bishop.

Appointment of Reverend Benôit Gbemavo Goudote as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Dassa-Zoumé, Benin.

17. The Pope appoints Archbishop Jean Marie Speich as apostolic nuncio to Ghana and elevates him to the dignity of archbishop. Archbishop Speich was previously nunciature councillor in the Section for Foreign Affairs of the Secretariat of State.

Appointment of Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, Germany, as the Holy Father's special envoy to the celebrations of the 750th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the cathedral of Xanten, Germany, 13 October 2013.

23. The Reverend Jose Puthenveettil is elected auxiliary bishop of the archieparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars in India. He succeeds Archbishop Thomas Chakiath, who resigns in accordance with canon 210, paragraph 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

24. Bishop Giuseppe Sciacca, formerly secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City, is appointed deputy registrar of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signatura.

The Pope appoints Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, as his special envoy to the celebration of the centenary of the archdiocese of Lille, France, from 26 to 27 October 2013.

30. Bishop José Luis Azuaje Ayala, previously bishop of El Vigia-San Carlos de Zula, Venezuela, is appointed bishop of Barinas, Venezuela. He succeeds Archbishop Ramon Antonio Linares Sandoval, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese upon reaching the age limit is accepted by the Holy Father. The Pope appoints Father Fernando Vérgez Alzaga LC, previously telecommunications director of the Governorate of Vatican City State, as secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

Appointment of Paolo Peruzzi as consultant to the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

31. Cardinal Raffaele Farina S.D.B., archivist and librarian emeritus of the Holy Roman Church, is appointed as the Pope's special envoy to the celebrations of the first centenary of the founding of Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, on 1 November 2013.

ACTIVITIES OF THE HOLY SEE DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST

Vatican City, 3 September 2013 (VIS) - On 3 August the Congregation for the Eastern Churches issues a press release expressing its concern regarding the situation of Fr. Paolo Dell'Oglio S.J., mentioning two bishops and two priests also kidnapped, and recalling the many Syrians and foreigners currently in the same situation.

POPE FRANCIS' PASTORAL VISIT TO ASSISI

Vatican City, 2 September 2012 (VIS) – On Friday 4 October Pope Francis will visit the city of Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis. The Pope will depart from the Vatican at 7 a.m. by helicopter and will land around three quarters of an hour later at the sports field of the Seraphic Institute of Assisi, where he will meet with disabled and sick children.

At 8.45 a.m. he will make a private visit to the Shrine of St. Damian to pray, and from there will proceed to the archbishop's residence, where he will meet with the poor assisted by Caritas. After this meeting he will transfer by car to the Superior Basilica of St. Francis where he will be received by the convent friars and will pray in the crypt where the saint is buried.

At 11 a.m. he will celebrate Holy Mass in Piazza San Francesco. Following the Eucharist he will proceed to the Caritas reception centre near the railway station of Santa Maria degli Angeli where he will have lunch with the poor from the city centre. After lunch he will make a private visit to the Hermitage of the Prisons, where he will pray in St. Francis' cell. At 3.15 p.m. he will meet with clergy, consecrated persons and members of the diocesan pastoral council in the cathedral of St. Rufino. From there he will transfer to the Basilica of St. Clare to venerate the body of the saint and pray in silence before the cross of St. Damian. He will subsequently proceed to the Porziuncola in Santa Maria degli Angeli and at 5.45 p.m. will meet with young people on the terrace in front of the basilica. At 6.30 he will transfer to Rivotorto where he will pray privately in St. Francis' hovel and at 7.15 p.m., after greeting the authorities who received him in the morning, will begin his return trip by helicopter to the Vatican, where he is scheduled to arrive at 8 p.m.