VATICAN CITY, 17 JUL 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt, apostolic nuncio to Iraq and Jordan, as Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations in New York.
NA/ VIS 20100719 (40)
Monday, July 19, 2010
THE WORD OF GOD GIVES MEANING TO DAILY ACTIVITY
VATICAN CITY, 18 JUL 2010 (VIS) - At midday today Benedict XVI appeared at the balcony overlooking the central courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered there.
Before the Marian prayer, the Pope reflected on this Sunday's Gospel reading which recounts Jesus' visit to the house of Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus. Martha busies herself with domestic chores and reproaches Mary for not lending a hand but sitting rapt at the Master's feet.
The Holy Father quoted Jesus' words in Luke's Gospel: "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her", and he explained: "The words of Christ are very clear: they show no disdain for an active life, or for generous hospitality, but contain an evident reference to the fact that what is truly necessary is something else: to listen to the Word of the Lord. And in that moment the Lord is there, present in the Person of Jesus. All the rest will pass and be taken away from us, but the Word of God is eternal and gives meaning to our daily activities".
"This Gospel episode is highly appropriate for the holiday season because it recalls the fact that, although human beings must work and dedicate themselves to domestic and professional duties, above all they need God, Who is the inner light of Love and Truth. Without love, even the most important activities become valueless and bring no joy. Without profound meaning, all our actions are reduced to sterile and disordered activism.
"And who gives Love and Truth if not Jesus Christ?" the Holy Father asked. "Let us learn then, brothers and sisters, to help one another, to collaborate, but first and foremost together to chose the 'better part', which is and will always be our greatest good".
ANG/ VIS 20100719 (340)
Before the Marian prayer, the Pope reflected on this Sunday's Gospel reading which recounts Jesus' visit to the house of Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus. Martha busies herself with domestic chores and reproaches Mary for not lending a hand but sitting rapt at the Master's feet.
The Holy Father quoted Jesus' words in Luke's Gospel: "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her", and he explained: "The words of Christ are very clear: they show no disdain for an active life, or for generous hospitality, but contain an evident reference to the fact that what is truly necessary is something else: to listen to the Word of the Lord. And in that moment the Lord is there, present in the Person of Jesus. All the rest will pass and be taken away from us, but the Word of God is eternal and gives meaning to our daily activities".
"This Gospel episode is highly appropriate for the holiday season because it recalls the fact that, although human beings must work and dedicate themselves to domestic and professional duties, above all they need God, Who is the inner light of Love and Truth. Without love, even the most important activities become valueless and bring no joy. Without profound meaning, all our actions are reduced to sterile and disordered activism.
"And who gives Love and Truth if not Jesus Christ?" the Holy Father asked. "Let us learn then, brothers and sisters, to help one another, to collaborate, but first and foremost together to chose the 'better part', which is and will always be our greatest good".
Friday, July 16, 2010
POPULORUM PROGRESSIO STUDIES 230 PROJECTS IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITIES OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
VATICAN CITY, 16 JUL 2010 (VIS) - The Administrative Council of the Populorum Progressio Foundation will meet from 20 - 23 July to deliberate on the financing of projects in support of poor indigenous, mixed race, African-American, and rural communities of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The administrative council is composed of the following members: Cardinal Paul J. Cordes, president of the foundation and of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum"; Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez, archbishop of Guadalajara, Mexico and president of the council; Archbishop Edmundo Luis Abastoflor Montero of La Paz, Bolivia; Archbishop Alberto Taveira Correa of Belem do Para, Brazil; Archbishop Antonio Arregui Yarza of Guayaquil, Ecuador; Bishop Jose Luis Astigarraga Lizarralde C.P., apostolic vicar of Yurimaguas, Peru; and Msgr. Segundo Tejado Munoz, representative of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”. Also present at the meeting will be Msgr. Giovanni Battista Gandolfo, the new president of the Italian Episcopal Conference’s committee for charitable initiatives in favour of the Third World, which is the main supporter of the Foundation.
According to a communique made public today, it is emphasized that "this is the first time that the annual meeting of the Administrative Council is being held in a Caribbean country, a geographical area with significant cores of African-American and rural communities".
A trip to Haiti on 22 July was planned before the earthquake that stuck the nation this past January. Each year, the Foundation finances a large number of projects in that country. The delegation will visit the refugee camps organized there by the Catholic Church and will celebrate Mass, together with a local church, in one of them. In the afternoon, a meeting with representatives of the humanitarian organizations present in Haiti will take place at the Apostolic Nunciature as well as a visit to the national Caritas organization. During the visit, Cardinal Cordes will deliver $250,000 in the name of the Holy Father, the first instalment of funds for the project of rebuilding the Saint Francois de Sales School in Port-au-Prince, which was destroyed during the earthquake. He will also deliver, always in the name of the Holy Father, an offering to Caritas Haiti.
The communique notes that this year, 230 projects pertaining to 20 countries have been presented. They are oriented on tending to needs in various areas of: production (agricultural, artisanal, and microbusiness); communal infrastructure (potable water, latrines, community centres); education (training, school resources, publications); health (preventative campaigns, clinic resources); and construction (educational and health centres).
The number of projects presented by country are: Brazil (57), Colombia (41), Peru (21), Haiti (20), Ecuador (19), El Salvador (13), Bolivia (8), Guatemala (8), Chile (7), Argentina (6), Dominican Republic (6), Costa Rica (4), Mexico (4), Paraguay (4), Uruguay (3), Venezuela (3), Cuba (2), Panama (2), Antilles (1), and Nicaragua (1).
CON-CU/ VIS 20100716 (450)
The administrative council is composed of the following members: Cardinal Paul J. Cordes, president of the foundation and of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum"; Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez, archbishop of Guadalajara, Mexico and president of the council; Archbishop Edmundo Luis Abastoflor Montero of La Paz, Bolivia; Archbishop Alberto Taveira Correa of Belem do Para, Brazil; Archbishop Antonio Arregui Yarza of Guayaquil, Ecuador; Bishop Jose Luis Astigarraga Lizarralde C.P., apostolic vicar of Yurimaguas, Peru; and Msgr. Segundo Tejado Munoz, representative of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”. Also present at the meeting will be Msgr. Giovanni Battista Gandolfo, the new president of the Italian Episcopal Conference’s committee for charitable initiatives in favour of the Third World, which is the main supporter of the Foundation.
According to a communique made public today, it is emphasized that "this is the first time that the annual meeting of the Administrative Council is being held in a Caribbean country, a geographical area with significant cores of African-American and rural communities".
A trip to Haiti on 22 July was planned before the earthquake that stuck the nation this past January. Each year, the Foundation finances a large number of projects in that country. The delegation will visit the refugee camps organized there by the Catholic Church and will celebrate Mass, together with a local church, in one of them. In the afternoon, a meeting with representatives of the humanitarian organizations present in Haiti will take place at the Apostolic Nunciature as well as a visit to the national Caritas organization. During the visit, Cardinal Cordes will deliver $250,000 in the name of the Holy Father, the first instalment of funds for the project of rebuilding the Saint Francois de Sales School in Port-au-Prince, which was destroyed during the earthquake. He will also deliver, always in the name of the Holy Father, an offering to Caritas Haiti.
The communique notes that this year, 230 projects pertaining to 20 countries have been presented. They are oriented on tending to needs in various areas of: production (agricultural, artisanal, and microbusiness); communal infrastructure (potable water, latrines, community centres); education (training, school resources, publications); health (preventative campaigns, clinic resources); and construction (educational and health centres).
The number of projects presented by country are: Brazil (57), Colombia (41), Peru (21), Haiti (20), Ecuador (19), El Salvador (13), Bolivia (8), Guatemala (8), Chile (7), Argentina (6), Dominican Republic (6), Costa Rica (4), Mexico (4), Paraguay (4), Uruguay (3), Venezuela (3), Cuba (2), Panama (2), Antilles (1), and Nicaragua (1).
CON-CU/ VIS 20100716 (450)
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
VATICAN CITY, 16 JUL 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Fr. Jose Chittooparambil, C.M.I., as Bishop of the eparchy of Rajkot of the Syro-Malabars (area 109,950, population 15,805,000, Catholics 13,500, priests 149, religious 606), in India. The bishop-elect was born in 1954 in Neeleswaram, India, was ordained to the priesthood in 1985, and is currently Prior General of St. Xavier's Province in Rajkot. He succeeds Bishop Gregory Karotemprel, C.M.I., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese the Holy Father accepted on having reached the age limit.
- Accepted the resignation as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Pyay, Myanmar, presented by Bishop Gregory Taik Maung, titular bishop of Bocconia, in accordance with canons 411 and 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
- Appointed Fr. Camillus Raymond Umoh as Bishop of the diocese of Ikot Ekpene (area 2,263, population 986,032, Catholics 109,812, priests 93, religious 119), Nigeria. The bishop-elect was born in 1956 in Nto Iblam, Nigeria, was ordained to the priesthood in 1984, and is currently a professor at the Catholic Institute of West Africa in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
- Appointed Fr. Francis Xavier Yu Soo-il, O.F.M., as Military Ordinary for Korea (Catholics 100,862, priests 96, religious 47). The bishop-elect was born in 1945 in Nonsan, South Korea, took his perpetual vows in 1979, was ordained to the priesthood in 1980, and is currently vicar in the Franciscan house of formation in Seoul, South Korea.
NER:RE:NA/ VIS 20100716 (230)
- Appointed Fr. Jose Chittooparambil, C.M.I., as Bishop of the eparchy of Rajkot of the Syro-Malabars (area 109,950, population 15,805,000, Catholics 13,500, priests 149, religious 606), in India. The bishop-elect was born in 1954 in Neeleswaram, India, was ordained to the priesthood in 1985, and is currently Prior General of St. Xavier's Province in Rajkot. He succeeds Bishop Gregory Karotemprel, C.M.I., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese the Holy Father accepted on having reached the age limit.
- Accepted the resignation as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Pyay, Myanmar, presented by Bishop Gregory Taik Maung, titular bishop of Bocconia, in accordance with canons 411 and 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
- Appointed Fr. Camillus Raymond Umoh as Bishop of the diocese of Ikot Ekpene (area 2,263, population 986,032, Catholics 109,812, priests 93, religious 119), Nigeria. The bishop-elect was born in 1956 in Nto Iblam, Nigeria, was ordained to the priesthood in 1984, and is currently a professor at the Catholic Institute of West Africa in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
- Appointed Fr. Francis Xavier Yu Soo-il, O.F.M., as Military Ordinary for Korea (Catholics 100,862, priests 96, religious 47). The bishop-elect was born in 1945 in Nonsan, South Korea, took his perpetual vows in 1979, was ordained to the priesthood in 1980, and is currently vicar in the Franciscan house of formation in Seoul, South Korea.
NER:RE:NA/ VIS 20100716 (230)
Thursday, July 15, 2010
PUBLICATION OF CDF NORMS ON MOST SERIOUS CRIMES
VATICAN CITY, 15 JUL 2010 (VIS) - The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith today published its new "Norms concerning the most serious crimes". Given below is the text of an explanatory note on the new measures, issued by Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J.
In 2001 the Holy Father John Paul II promulgated a very important document, the Motu Proprio "Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela", which gave the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith responsibility to deal with and judge a series of particularly serious crimes within the ambit of canon law. This responsibility had previously been attributed also to other dicasteries, or was not completely clear.
The Motu Proprio (the "law" in the strict sense) was accompanied by a series of practical and procedural Norms, known as "Normae de gravioribus delictis". Over the nine years since then, experience has naturally suggested that these Norms be integrated and updated, so as to streamline and simplify the procedures and make them more effective, and to take account of new problems. This has been achieved principally by the Pope attributing new "faculties" to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; faculties which, however, were not organically integrated into the initial Norms. This has now come about, within the context of a systematic revision of those Norms.
The serious crimes to which the regulations referred concerned vital aspects of Church life: the Sacraments of the Eucharist and of Penance, but also sexual abuse committed by a priest against a minor under the age of eighteen.
The vast public echo this latter kind of crime has had over recent years has attracted great attention and generated intense debate on the norms and procedures applied by the Church to judge and punish such acts.
It is right, then, that there should be complete clarity concerning the regulations currently in force in this field, and that these regulations be presented organically so as to facilitate the work of the people who deal with these matters.
An initial clarification - especially for use by the media - was provided recently with the publication on the Holy See website of a brief "Guide to Understanding Basic CDF Procedures concerning Sexual Abuse Allegations". The publication of the new Norms is, however, quite a different thing, providing us with an official and updated legal text which is valid for the whole Church.
In order to facilitate the reading of the Norms by a non-specialist public, particularly interested in the problems of sexual abuse, we will seek to highlight a number of important aspects:
Among the novelties introduced with respect to the earlier Norms, mention must be made, above all, of measures intended to accelerate procedures, such as the possibility of not following the "judicial process" but proceeding by "extrajudicial decree", or that of presenting (in particular circumstances) the most serious cases to the Holy Father with a view to dismissing the offender from the clerical state.
Another Norm intended to simplify earlier problems and to take account of the evolution of the situation in the Church concerns the possibility of having not only priests but also lay persons as members of the tribunal staff, or as lawyers or prosecutors. Likewise, in order to undertake these functions it is no longer strictly necessary to have a doctorate in canon law, but the required competency can also be proved in another way; for example, with a licentiate.
Another aspect worthy of note is the increase of the statue of limitations from ten years to twenty years, with the possibility of extension even beyond that period.
Another significant aspect is establishing parity between the abuse of mentally disabled people and that of minors, and the introduction of a new category: paedophile pornography. This is defined as: "the acquisition, possession or disclosure" by a member of the clergy, "in any way and by any means, of pornographic images of minors under the age of fourteen".
Regulations concerning the secrecy of trials are maintained, in order to safeguard the dignity of all the people involved.
One point that remains untouched, though it has often been the subject of discussion in recent times, concerns collaboration with the civil authorities. It must be borne in mind that the Norms being published today are part of the penal code of canon law, which is complete in itself and entirely distinct from the law of States.
On this subject, however, it is important to take note of the "Guide to Understanding Basic CDF Procedures concerning Sexual Abuse Allegations", as published on the Holy See website. In that Guide, the phrase "Civil law concerning reporting of crimes to the appropriate authorities should always be followed" is contained in the section dedicated to "Preliminary Procedures". This means that in the practice suggested by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith it is necessary to comply with the requirements of law in the various countries, and to do so in good time, not during or subsequent to the canonical trial.
Today's publication of the Norms makes a great contribution to the clarity and certainty of law in this field; a field in which the Church is today strongly committed to proceeding with rigour and transparency so as to respond fully to the just expectations of moral coherence and evangelical sanctity nourished by the faithful and by public opinion, and which the Holy Father has constantly reiterated.
Of course, many other measures and initiatives are required from the various ecclesiastical bodies. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is currently examining how to help the bishops of the world formulate and develop, coherently and effectively, the indications and guidelines necessary to face the problems of the sexual abuse of minors, either by members of the clergy or within the environment of activities and institutions connected with the Church, bearing in mind the situation and the problems of the societies in which they operate.
This will be another crucial step on the Church's journey as she translates into permanent practice and continuous awareness the fruits of the teachings and ideas that have matured over the course of the painful events of the "crisis" engendered by sexual abuse by members of the clergy.
In order to complete this brief overview of the principal novelties contained in the "Norms", mention must also be made of those that refer to crimes of a different nature. In this case too it is not so much a case of introducing new substance as of integrating rules that are already in force so as to obtain a better ordered and more organic set of regulations on the "most serious crimes" reserved to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
These include crimes against the faith (heresy, apostasy and schism) for which competency normally falls to ordinaries, although the Congregation becomes competent in the case of an appeal; the malicious recording and disclosure of sacramental Confession about which a decree of condemnation was published in 1988; and the attempted ordination of women, about which a decree was published in 2007.
OP/ VIS 20100715 (1190)
In 2001 the Holy Father John Paul II promulgated a very important document, the Motu Proprio "Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela", which gave the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith responsibility to deal with and judge a series of particularly serious crimes within the ambit of canon law. This responsibility had previously been attributed also to other dicasteries, or was not completely clear.
The Motu Proprio (the "law" in the strict sense) was accompanied by a series of practical and procedural Norms, known as "Normae de gravioribus delictis". Over the nine years since then, experience has naturally suggested that these Norms be integrated and updated, so as to streamline and simplify the procedures and make them more effective, and to take account of new problems. This has been achieved principally by the Pope attributing new "faculties" to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; faculties which, however, were not organically integrated into the initial Norms. This has now come about, within the context of a systematic revision of those Norms.
The serious crimes to which the regulations referred concerned vital aspects of Church life: the Sacraments of the Eucharist and of Penance, but also sexual abuse committed by a priest against a minor under the age of eighteen.
The vast public echo this latter kind of crime has had over recent years has attracted great attention and generated intense debate on the norms and procedures applied by the Church to judge and punish such acts.
It is right, then, that there should be complete clarity concerning the regulations currently in force in this field, and that these regulations be presented organically so as to facilitate the work of the people who deal with these matters.
An initial clarification - especially for use by the media - was provided recently with the publication on the Holy See website of a brief "Guide to Understanding Basic CDF Procedures concerning Sexual Abuse Allegations". The publication of the new Norms is, however, quite a different thing, providing us with an official and updated legal text which is valid for the whole Church.
In order to facilitate the reading of the Norms by a non-specialist public, particularly interested in the problems of sexual abuse, we will seek to highlight a number of important aspects:
Among the novelties introduced with respect to the earlier Norms, mention must be made, above all, of measures intended to accelerate procedures, such as the possibility of not following the "judicial process" but proceeding by "extrajudicial decree", or that of presenting (in particular circumstances) the most serious cases to the Holy Father with a view to dismissing the offender from the clerical state.
Another Norm intended to simplify earlier problems and to take account of the evolution of the situation in the Church concerns the possibility of having not only priests but also lay persons as members of the tribunal staff, or as lawyers or prosecutors. Likewise, in order to undertake these functions it is no longer strictly necessary to have a doctorate in canon law, but the required competency can also be proved in another way; for example, with a licentiate.
Another aspect worthy of note is the increase of the statue of limitations from ten years to twenty years, with the possibility of extension even beyond that period.
Another significant aspect is establishing parity between the abuse of mentally disabled people and that of minors, and the introduction of a new category: paedophile pornography. This is defined as: "the acquisition, possession or disclosure" by a member of the clergy, "in any way and by any means, of pornographic images of minors under the age of fourteen".
Regulations concerning the secrecy of trials are maintained, in order to safeguard the dignity of all the people involved.
One point that remains untouched, though it has often been the subject of discussion in recent times, concerns collaboration with the civil authorities. It must be borne in mind that the Norms being published today are part of the penal code of canon law, which is complete in itself and entirely distinct from the law of States.
On this subject, however, it is important to take note of the "Guide to Understanding Basic CDF Procedures concerning Sexual Abuse Allegations", as published on the Holy See website. In that Guide, the phrase "Civil law concerning reporting of crimes to the appropriate authorities should always be followed" is contained in the section dedicated to "Preliminary Procedures". This means that in the practice suggested by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith it is necessary to comply with the requirements of law in the various countries, and to do so in good time, not during or subsequent to the canonical trial.
Today's publication of the Norms makes a great contribution to the clarity and certainty of law in this field; a field in which the Church is today strongly committed to proceeding with rigour and transparency so as to respond fully to the just expectations of moral coherence and evangelical sanctity nourished by the faithful and by public opinion, and which the Holy Father has constantly reiterated.
Of course, many other measures and initiatives are required from the various ecclesiastical bodies. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is currently examining how to help the bishops of the world formulate and develop, coherently and effectively, the indications and guidelines necessary to face the problems of the sexual abuse of minors, either by members of the clergy or within the environment of activities and institutions connected with the Church, bearing in mind the situation and the problems of the societies in which they operate.
This will be another crucial step on the Church's journey as she translates into permanent practice and continuous awareness the fruits of the teachings and ideas that have matured over the course of the painful events of the "crisis" engendered by sexual abuse by members of the clergy.
In order to complete this brief overview of the principal novelties contained in the "Norms", mention must also be made of those that refer to crimes of a different nature. In this case too it is not so much a case of introducing new substance as of integrating rules that are already in force so as to obtain a better ordered and more organic set of regulations on the "most serious crimes" reserved to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
These include crimes against the faith (heresy, apostasy and schism) for which competency normally falls to ordinaries, although the Congregation becomes competent in the case of an appeal; the malicious recording and disclosure of sacramental Confession about which a decree of condemnation was published in 1988; and the attempted ordination of women, about which a decree was published in 2007.
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