AGREEMENT TO DIGITISE 82,000 MANUSCRIPTS IN THE VATICAN APOSTOLIC LIBRARY

Vatican City, 20 March 2014 (VIS) – This morning in the Holy See Press Office a press conference was held to present the agreement signed by NTT Data and the Vatican Apostolic Library for the plan to digitally archive 82,000 manuscripts. The speakers were: Archbishop Jean-Louis Brugues, O.P., archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church, Msgr. Cesare Pasini, prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library, and Toshio Iwamoto and Patrizio Mapelli, presidents and CEOs of the NTT Data Corporation and the NTT Data EMEA respectively. NTT Data is a technological services provider known throughout the world for its expertise in the field of IT and communications structures.

“With this project, the Library consolidates one of its many relationships with institutions in various regions of the world, in the light of its overall policy, its aims and its objectives”, explained Archbishop Brugues. “It does so through is manuscripts, which are a sign of the universality of culture: the manuscripts which will be digitally archived range from pre-Columbian America to the Chinese and Japanese Far East, encompassing all the cultures and languages that have inspired European culture. The humanistic mission that characterises the Library opens it to all that is human, including mankind's various 'cultural peripheries'; and with this humanistic spirit it seeks to conserve and make available the immense treasure of humanity that has been entrusted to it. For this reason, the Library will digitise it and make it available on the web”.

The project consists of an initial four-year phase during which three thousand manuscripts will be digitised, which may be extended into a second phase to include the 82,000 volumes – more than 40 million pages – of manuscripts preserved in the Library and dating from between the second and twentieth centuries.

“All manuscipts digitised through this operation will be released on the Vatican Apostolic Library's website as high-definition data. As a result, numerous researchers in the fields of academia and in various fields of knowledge will be able to interpret the valuable manuscripts, to which access had long been restricted, in their original form”, declared the president of the NTT Data Corporation.

CARDINAL ANTONELLI, POPE'S SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE RECONSTRUCTION OF MONTECASSINO

Vatican City, 20 March 2014 (VIS) – A letter was published today, written in Latin and dated 19 March, by which the Holy Father appoints Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Family, as his special envoy to the celebration of the seventieth anniversary of the destruction and reconstruction of the Italian abbey of Montecassino, which will take place there tomorrow, 21 March.

FRANCIS TO FATHERS: BE LIKE ST. JOSEPH, WALK ALONGSIDE YOUR CHILDREN

Vatican City, 19 March 2014 (VIS) – “St. Joseph the educator” was the theme of the catechesis of today's general audience on the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Mary's spouse and patron of the Universal Church. The Holy Father recalled the great mission of the saint who was able to “protect the Holy Virgin and the Son Jesus”. “We look upon Joseph as the model of the educator, who protects and accompanies Jesus in his journey of growth in wisdom, age and grace, as the Gospel tells us. He was not Jesus' father – Jesus' father was God – but he was a father to Jesus in order to raise him. And how did he enable him to grow? In wisdom, age and grace. … He raised him, ensuring that he lacked nothing necessary for his healthy development”.

He continued, “St. Joseph's mission is certainly unique and unrepeatable, as Jesus is absolutely unique. However, in protecting Jesus, in teaching him how to grow in age, wisdom and grace, he is a model for every educator, and in particular for every father”. Pope Francis gave his best wishes to all the fathers present and encouraged them always to be close to their children, “letting them grow, but always being nearby. They need you, your presence, your closeness, your love. Be, for them, like St. Joseph: protectors of their growth in age, wisdom and grace. Guardians of their path, and educators: walk alongside them. And with this closeness, you will be true educators”.

Before concluding, the Pope mentioned all those who have lost their fathers, and asked those present to pray the “Our Father” for all fathers, living and departed.

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 20 March 2014 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in audience Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and entourage.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 20 March 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:

- appointed Bishop Jose Trinidad Zapata Ortiz of San Andres Tuxtla, Mexico, as bishop of Papantla (area 12,000, population 2,138, Catholics 1,729,000, priests 89, permanent deacons 1, religious 128), Mexico.

- appointed Bishop Jose Valmor Cesar Teixeira, S.D.B. of Bom Jesus da Lapa, Brazil, as bishop of Sao Jose dos Campos (area 56,300, population 397,000, Catholics 316,000, priests 34, religious 56), Brazil.

On Wednesday, 19 March, the Holy Father:

- accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Alindao, Central African Republic, presented by Bishop Peter Marzinkowski, C.S.Sp., upon reaching the age limit. He is succeeded by Bishop Cyr-Nestor Yapaupa, co-adjutor of the same diocese.

- appointed Bishop Henrique Soares da Costa of Aracaju, Brazil, as bishop of Palmares (area 3,797, population 456,000, Catholics 301,000, priests 32, permanent deacons 4, religious 67), Brazil. He succeeds Bishop Genival Saraiva de Franca, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.

- appointed Fr. Francis Serrao, S.J., provincial superior of the Society of Jesus in India, as bishop of Shimoga (area 21,405, population 8,040,000, Catholics 21,241, priests 72, religious 293), India. The bishop-elect was born in Moodbidri, India in 1959, entered the Society of Jesus in 1979, was ordained a priest in 1992 and gave his solemn vows in 1999. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including priest in Mundgod, diocese of Karwar, director of the Regional Theologate, Bangalore, priest of the St. Joseph Church, Anekal, Mangalore, superior of the Bejapur Jesuit community, and rector of St. Aloysius College, Mangalore.