OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 1 October 2013 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father:

- appointed Archbishop Joseph Spiteri as apostolic nuncio to Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. Archbishop Spiteri was previously apostolic nuncio to Sri Lanka.

- appointed Fr. Riccardo Ferri of the clergy of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli as prelate secretary to the Pontifical Academy of Theology. Fr. Ferri is a lecturer in theology, ordinary academic and council member of the Lateran Pontifical University.

- appointed Fr. Rafael Garcia de la Serrana Villalobos of the clergy of the personal prelature of Opus Dei as director of the Department of Technical Services of the Governorate of Vatican City State. Fr. Garcia de la Serrana Villalobos was previously vice director of the same department.

- accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Rockhampton, Australia, presented by Bishop Brian Heenan, upon having reached the age limit.

- accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Waterford and Lismore, Ireland, presented by Bishop William Lee, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

THE POPE INSTITUTES A COUNCIL OF CARDINALS TO ASSIST IN THE GOVERNANCE OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

Vatican City, 30 September 2013 (VIS) – We publish below the full text of the Chirograph by by which the Holy Father institutes a Council of Cardinals to assist him in the governance of the universal Church and to draw up a project for the revision of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor bonus on the Roman Curia.

“Among the suggestions that emerged from the General Congregations of Cardinals prior to the Conclave, mention was made of the expediency of instituting a limited group of Members of the Episcopate, from various parts of the world, with whom the Holy Father could consult, individually or collectively, on specific matters. Once elected to the See of Rome, I have had the opportunity to reflect on this issue on a number of occasions, and consider that such an initiative would be of significant use in fulfilling the pastoral ministry of Peter’s Successor entrusted to me by my brother cardinals.

“For this reason, on 13 April I announced the constitution of the aforementioned group, at the same time indicating the names of those who had been called to participate. Now, following reflection, I consider it opportune that such a group, by means of the present Chirograph, be instituted as a 'Council of Cardinals', with the task of assisting me in the governance of the universal Church and drawing up a project for the revision of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor bonus on the Roman Curia. It will be composed of the same persons previously nominated, who may be called upon, both in Council and singly, on matters that I will from time to time consider worthy of attention. The aforementioned Council which, with regard to the number of members, I will compose in the most appropriate way, will constitute a further expression of Episcopal communion and of the aid to the munus petrinum that the Episcopate, disseminated throughout the world, may offer”.

The chirograph is dated 28 September 2013, the first year of Francis' Pontificate.

TO THE ST. EGIDIO COMMUNITY: DIALOGUE CONQUERS WAR

Vatican City, 30 September 2013 (VIS) – Today in the apostolic palace the Holy Father received in audience participants in the international meeting for peace organised by the St. Egidio Community. The meeting, held in Rome from 29 September to 1 October, is entitled “Courage and Hope: religions and cultures in dialogue”. Francis mentioned John Paul II's invitation in Assisi to religious leaders to pray for peace not one against the other, but rather alongside each other, and praised the St. Egidio Community for continuing along this path and ensuring that this did not remain an isolated event. “You have gained pace”, he said, “with the participation of important figures from all religions and from lay representatives and humanists”.

The Pope underlined that “there is no religious justification for violence”, and, as emphasised by Benedict XVI two years ago, “it is necessary to eliminate every form of violence motivated by religion, and to keep vigil together to ensure that the world no longer falls prey to the violence inherent in every plan for civilisation that is based on a 'no' to God”.

The Pope emphasised that peace is the responsibility of all, and that a religious leader is a man of peace, because “the commandment of peace is inscribed in the depths of religious traditions”. He also remarked that “Peace requires tenacious, patient, strong, intelligent dialogue, for which nothing is lost. Dialogue can win over war. Dialogue enables people of different generations, who often ignore each other, to live together; it enables the co-existence of citizens of different ethnic origins, of different convictions. Dialogue is the way of peace”.

The Pope described religious leaders as “dialoguers”, working to build peace; not as intermediaries seeking benefit, but rather as authentic mediators with peace as their ultimate goal. In conclusion, he encouraged them to continue their work, as “this courage of peace gives the courage of hope to the world”.

CONSISTORY FOR SEVERAL CAUSES FOR CANONISATION

Vatican City, 30 September 2013 (VIS) - This morning at 10 a.m. in the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father presided over an ordinary public consistory for the canonization of the blessed Popes John XXIII and John Paul II.

During the course of the consistory, the Pope decreed that blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II be inscribed in the book of saints on Sunday, 27 April 2014, Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday.

MEETING OF COUNCIL OF CARDINALS TO BEGIN TOMORROW

Vatican City, 30 September 2013 (VIS) – The first of three meetings between Pope Francis and the Council of Cardinals, instituted by the Holy Father's Chirograph of 28 September, will take place tomorrow, 1 October.

The council is composed of Cardinals Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Governorate of Vatican City State; Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, archbishop emeritus of Santiago de Chile, Chile; Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay, India; Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich and Freising, Germany; Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Sean Patrick O'Malley O.F.M. Cap., archbishop of Boston, USA; George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia; Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga, S.D.B., archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in the role of coordinator; and Bishop Marcello Semeraro of Albano, Italy, in the role of secretary.

During the three days the Council will meet in the private library of the third loggia in the papal apartment, and the working sessions will take place in the morning and in the evening. The Holy Father will participate, except on Wednesday morning during the general audience, explained the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., who went on to clarify that the conversations will be private, so no communication is to be given at the end. He also emphasised that, as stated in the Chirograph published today, the Pope reserves the faculty of configuring the Council in the most suitable form, and may therefore increase the number of members.

He also observed that all the members of the Council, with the exception of the Secretary and Cardinal Bertello (who represents the Curia) are archbishops with large dioceses and in most cases with broad pastoral experience. “The institution of the Council of Cardinals”, he said, “is a further enrichment provided by the Pope to the governance of the Church”, and recalled that during his pontificate Francis has frequently made use of consultation, as is demonstrated by the case of the meeting with the heads of the dicasteries and his interest in reviving the working method of the Synod.

The Council has no relation with other Church institutions and is not an element of the architecture of the latter, but rather an organ of consultation for the Pope, Fr.Lombardi continued, explaining that since the announcement in April of the institution of a group of eight cardinals to assist the Pope in the governance of the Church, the members have received suggestions and proposals in their respective areas of competence. Furthermore, in preparation for the October meeting, contributions of various types have been sent to the Pope, the opinions of the heads of dicasteries have been sought, and the Secretary of State and College of Cardinals have been consulted. “The Council has eighty documents that have been circulated amongst its members, and the secretary, Bishop Semeraro, has prepared a comprehensive synthesis. Similarly, over these months the members have have also spoken with each other and on occasion with the Holy Father".