VATICAN CITY, 25 JAN 2011 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today published the calendar of celebrations due to be presided by the Holy Father between February and April.
FEBRUARY
Wednesday 2: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and the World Day of Consecrated Life. At 5.30 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Vespers with members of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life.
Saturday 5: At 10 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Mass and episcopal ordination.
Monday 21: At midday in the Concistory Hall, concistory for certain causes of canonisation.
MARCH
Wednesday 9: Ash Wednesday. At 4.30 p.m. in the basilica of Sant'Anselmo, "statio" and penitential procession. At 5 p.m. in the basilica of Santa Sabina, blessing and imposition of the ashes.
Sunday 13: First Sunday of Lent. At 6 p.m. in the "Redemptoris Mater" Chapel of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, beginning of the spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia.
Saturday 19: At 9 a.m. in the "Redemptoris Mater" Chapel, conclusion of the spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia.
Sunday 20: Second Sunday of Lent. At 9 am, Mass and dedication of the new Roman parish of "San Corbiniano all'Infernetto - Casal Palocco".
APRIL
Sunday 17. Palm Sunday and the Passion of the Lord. At 9.30 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, blessing of palms, procession and Mass.
Thursday 21. Holy Thursday. At 9.30 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Chrism Mass. At 5.30 p.m. in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, beginning of the Easter Triduum with the Mass of the Last Supper.
Friday 22. Good Friday. At 5 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, celebration of the Lord's Passion. At 9.15 p.m. at the Colosseum, Way of the Cross.
Saturday 23. Holy Saturday. At 9 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Easter vigil.
Sunday 24. Easter Sunday. Mass in St. Peter's Square at 10.15 a.m. At midday, from the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, "Urbi et Orbi" blessing.
OCL/ VIS 20110125 (340)
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
ALL THE BAPTISED MUST COMMUNICATE THE GIFT OF THE GOSPEL
VATICAN CITY, 25 JAN 2011 (VIS) - Made public today was the Pope's Message for the eighty-fifth World Mission Day, which falls this year on Sunday 23 October. The theme of the document is: "As the Father has sent me, so I send you".
The call to take the Gospel to everyone, "with the same enthusiasm as the early Christians", as the Venerable John Paul II wrote in the Jubilee Year 2000, "resounds every year in the celebration of World Mission Day", says Benedict XVI in his Message.
"The announcement of the Gospel is destined for everyone", the Pope writes. The Church "exists to evangelise", he says. "Her activity, in conformity with the word of Christ and under the influence of His grace and charity, becomes fully and truly present in all individuals and all peoples in order to lead them to faith in Christ.
"This task has lost none of its urgency", he adds. "We cannot rest easy at the thought that, after two thousand, there are people who still do not know Christ, who have not yet heard His message of salvation.
"What is more, there are growing numbers of people who, though having received the Gospel announcement, have forgotten or abandoned it and no longer identify themselves in the Church; and many environments, even in traditionally Christian societies, are reluctant to open themselves to the word of faith. A cultural shift is taking place, which also draws nourishment from globalisation, from new schools of thought and from the prevailing relativism; a shift which leads to mentalities and lifestyles that ignore the Evangelical message as if God did not exist, and which exalt the search for wellbeing, easy earnings, career and success as the goal of life, even at the expense of moral values".
The Holy Father recalls how "the universal mission always involves everyone and everything. The Gospel is not the exclusive prerogative of those who received it, but a gift to be shared, a piece of good news to be passed on. This gift-commitment is entrusted not just to the few, but to all baptised people".
"Evangelisation", he writes, "is a complex process and includes various elements. Among these, missionary activity has always given particular attention to solidarity, ... sustaining the institutions necessary to establish and consolidate the Church, ... and contributing to improving the living conditions of people in countries most affected by problems of poverty, malnutrition especially among children, disease, and lack of healthcare and education services. This too is part of the mission of the Church. In announcing the Gospel, she embraces human life in the fullest sense of the term".
The Pope continues his Message: "It is unacceptable, as Servant of God Paul VI said, for evangelisation to overlook questions associated with human development, justice, and liberation from all forms of oppression, though obviously while respecting the autonomy of the political sphere. Ignoring the temporal problems of humanity would mean 'forgetting the Gospel lesson of love for our suffering and needy neighbours'. It would not be in keeping with Jesus' own behaviour Who 'went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness'.
"Thus, by responsible participation in the mission of Christ, Christians become builders of the peace and solidarity that Christ gives us, and they collaborate in achieving God's plan of salvation for all humankind", Benedict XVI concluded. "May World Mission Day revive in everyone the desire to 'go out' to meet humankind, bringing Christ to everyone".
MESS/ VIS 20110125 (610)
The call to take the Gospel to everyone, "with the same enthusiasm as the early Christians", as the Venerable John Paul II wrote in the Jubilee Year 2000, "resounds every year in the celebration of World Mission Day", says Benedict XVI in his Message.
"The announcement of the Gospel is destined for everyone", the Pope writes. The Church "exists to evangelise", he says. "Her activity, in conformity with the word of Christ and under the influence of His grace and charity, becomes fully and truly present in all individuals and all peoples in order to lead them to faith in Christ.
"This task has lost none of its urgency", he adds. "We cannot rest easy at the thought that, after two thousand, there are people who still do not know Christ, who have not yet heard His message of salvation.
"What is more, there are growing numbers of people who, though having received the Gospel announcement, have forgotten or abandoned it and no longer identify themselves in the Church; and many environments, even in traditionally Christian societies, are reluctant to open themselves to the word of faith. A cultural shift is taking place, which also draws nourishment from globalisation, from new schools of thought and from the prevailing relativism; a shift which leads to mentalities and lifestyles that ignore the Evangelical message as if God did not exist, and which exalt the search for wellbeing, easy earnings, career and success as the goal of life, even at the expense of moral values".
The Holy Father recalls how "the universal mission always involves everyone and everything. The Gospel is not the exclusive prerogative of those who received it, but a gift to be shared, a piece of good news to be passed on. This gift-commitment is entrusted not just to the few, but to all baptised people".
"Evangelisation", he writes, "is a complex process and includes various elements. Among these, missionary activity has always given particular attention to solidarity, ... sustaining the institutions necessary to establish and consolidate the Church, ... and contributing to improving the living conditions of people in countries most affected by problems of poverty, malnutrition especially among children, disease, and lack of healthcare and education services. This too is part of the mission of the Church. In announcing the Gospel, she embraces human life in the fullest sense of the term".
The Pope continues his Message: "It is unacceptable, as Servant of God Paul VI said, for evangelisation to overlook questions associated with human development, justice, and liberation from all forms of oppression, though obviously while respecting the autonomy of the political sphere. Ignoring the temporal problems of humanity would mean 'forgetting the Gospel lesson of love for our suffering and needy neighbours'. It would not be in keeping with Jesus' own behaviour Who 'went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness'.
"Thus, by responsible participation in the mission of Christ, Christians become builders of the peace and solidarity that Christ gives us, and they collaborate in achieving God's plan of salvation for all humankind", Benedict XVI concluded. "May World Mission Day revive in everyone the desire to 'go out' to meet humankind, bringing Christ to everyone".
MESS/ VIS 20110125 (610)
CONDOLENCES FOR VICTIMS OF BOMB ATTACK IN MOSCOW
VATICAN CITY, 25 JAN 2011 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. has sent a telegram of condolence, in the Holy Father's name, to Dimitry Anatolevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, in the wake of yesterday's bomb attack at Domodedovo airport in Moscow, which left many people dead and injured.
Benedict XVI expresses "profound suffering and firm condemnation at this serious act of violence", and his desire "to transmit his sentiments of spiritual closeness and deep condolence to the relatives of the victims".
TGR/ VIS 20110125 (100)
Benedict XVI expresses "profound suffering and firm condemnation at this serious act of violence", and his desire "to transmit his sentiments of spiritual closeness and deep condolence to the relatives of the victims".
TGR/ VIS 20110125 (100)
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
VATICAN CITY, 25 JAN 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Ildo Augusto Dos Santos Lopes Fortes, "fidei donum" priest, chancellor of the diocese of Mindelo, Cape Verde, and pastor of the parish of "Sao Vincente", as bishop of Mindelo (area 2,230, population 166,000, Catholics 149,230, priests 19, religious 58). The bishop-elect was born in Sal, Cape Verde in 1964 and ordained a priest in 1992.
NER/ VIS 20110125 (70)
NER/ VIS 20110125 (70)
Monday, January 24, 2011
LAW IS INTRINSICALLY LINKED TO THE ESSENCE OF MARRIAGE
VATICAN CITY, 22 JAN 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received the dean, judges, promoters of justice, defenders of the bond, officials and lawyers of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, for the occasion of the inauguration of the judicial year.
In his address the Holy Father examined the juridical aspect of marriage which, he said, "is inherent to the pastoral activity of preparation for and admission to marriage".
The Pope highlighted how "there is only one marriage, which is, by its fundamental nature, a real juridical bond between a man and a woman. It is upon this bond that authentic married life and love rests. ... The juridical aspect is intrinsically linked to the essence of marriage".
"It is in this light that the right to get married, or the 'ius connubii', should be seen", he said. "It is not some subjective pretext which must be fulfilled by pastors through a mere formal and independent recognition of the effective existence of a union. The right to contract marriage presupposes that the parties can and do intend to celebrate it properly; that is, in the truth of its essence, as taught by the Church. No-one has the right to a marriage ceremony; 'ius connubii' refers to the right to celebrate an authentic marriage".
"It must never be forgotten that the immediate objective of preparation [for matrimony] is that of promoting the free celebration of a true marriage; in other words, creating a bond of justice and love between the spouses; a bond which possesses the characteristics of unity and indissolubility, which is ordered for the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of their children and which, among the baptised, represents one of the Sacraments of the New Covenant. This does not mean that some extrinsic ideological message is addressed to the couple, nor that a cultural model is imposed upon them. Rather, they are put in a position in which they are able to discover the truth of the natural inclinations and capacity for commitment which are inscribed in their man-woman relationship. This is the foundation of the law as an essential component of matrimonial relations: it is rooted in the natural potential of the spouses and actualised by their consensual [reciprocal] donation".
The Holy Father then turned his attention to "the means of ascertaining whether the project of the betrothed is truly directed at marriage", foremost among them "the pre-matrimonial examination. The aim of this", he said, "is principally juridical: to ascertain that nothing stands in the way of the valid and legal celebration of the marriage. Juridical, however, does not mean formulaic, as if it were some bureaucratic routine consisting in the compilation of a form on the basis of ritual questions. Rather, it is a unique pastoral opportunity, ... as the pastor seeks to lead the parties to a serious examination of the truth about themselves and about their human and Christian vocation to marriage. In this sense dialogue, always conducted separately with each of the two fiances (though without undervaluing the importance of other interviews with them as a couple) requires a climate of complete sincerity in which emphasis should be given to the fact that the betrothed are those who are most interested, and most obliged in conscience, to celebrate a valid marriage".
"With the various means available for careful preparation and verification, it is possible to develop effective pastoral activities aimed at avoiding the nullification of marriages. Every effort must be made, insofar as possible, to break the vicious circle which often arises between automatic admission to marriage without adequate preparation or a serious examination of the requirements laid down for its celebration, and a juridical declaration, sometimes equally automatic but of an opposing tendency, in which the marriage is considered null only on the basis of the ascertainment of its failure".
In this context, Benedict XVI highlighted the need for the necessary training in basic aspects of canon law "for all pastoral workers, especially those who operate in the field of the pastoral care of families".
The work of ecclesiastical tribunals must "transmit a univocal message concerning the essential aspects of marriage, in harmony with the Magisterium and with canon law, speaking with a single voice", said the Pope. Referring then to "causes concerning consensual incapacity", he pointed out that, "unfortunately, many incorrect positions still remain, such as that of identifying the discretion of judgement required for marriage with the prudence it is to be hoped people will show in deciding to wed. This confuses a question of capacity with another question which is unrelated to validity, rather it concerns the degree of practical wisdom with which a decision - but in any case an authentically matrimonial decision - was taken. And the misunderstanding would be even more serious if we were to attribute invalidating power to imprudent choices made during married life.
"Regarding nullity through exclusion of the essential properties of marriage, there must be a serious commitment to ensure that juridical pronouncements reflect the truth of marriage, the same truth which must illuminate the moment of admission to wedded state", the Holy Father added. In this context, he made particular mention of "the exclusion of 'bonum coniugum'" which, he said, seems to involve the danger "of seeking reasons for nullity in forms of behaviour which are not related to the constitution of the conjugal tie but to its realisation in life".
The Pope went on: "It is important to resist the temptation of transforming simple shortcomings the spouses may show during their married life into defects of consent. In fact, true exclusion only comes about when the ordering of marriage towards the good of the spouses is ... excluded by a positive act of the will".
Finally, the Pope returned to the question of the relationship between law and pastoral care. "In all sectors", he said, "and especially in the field of marriage and the family, it is important to encourage ... profound harmony between pastoral care and the juridical sphere, which will certainly prove fruitful in the service we offer to those who are approaching marriage".
AC/ VIS 20110124 (1030)
In his address the Holy Father examined the juridical aspect of marriage which, he said, "is inherent to the pastoral activity of preparation for and admission to marriage".
The Pope highlighted how "there is only one marriage, which is, by its fundamental nature, a real juridical bond between a man and a woman. It is upon this bond that authentic married life and love rests. ... The juridical aspect is intrinsically linked to the essence of marriage".
"It is in this light that the right to get married, or the 'ius connubii', should be seen", he said. "It is not some subjective pretext which must be fulfilled by pastors through a mere formal and independent recognition of the effective existence of a union. The right to contract marriage presupposes that the parties can and do intend to celebrate it properly; that is, in the truth of its essence, as taught by the Church. No-one has the right to a marriage ceremony; 'ius connubii' refers to the right to celebrate an authentic marriage".
"It must never be forgotten that the immediate objective of preparation [for matrimony] is that of promoting the free celebration of a true marriage; in other words, creating a bond of justice and love between the spouses; a bond which possesses the characteristics of unity and indissolubility, which is ordered for the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of their children and which, among the baptised, represents one of the Sacraments of the New Covenant. This does not mean that some extrinsic ideological message is addressed to the couple, nor that a cultural model is imposed upon them. Rather, they are put in a position in which they are able to discover the truth of the natural inclinations and capacity for commitment which are inscribed in their man-woman relationship. This is the foundation of the law as an essential component of matrimonial relations: it is rooted in the natural potential of the spouses and actualised by their consensual [reciprocal] donation".
The Holy Father then turned his attention to "the means of ascertaining whether the project of the betrothed is truly directed at marriage", foremost among them "the pre-matrimonial examination. The aim of this", he said, "is principally juridical: to ascertain that nothing stands in the way of the valid and legal celebration of the marriage. Juridical, however, does not mean formulaic, as if it were some bureaucratic routine consisting in the compilation of a form on the basis of ritual questions. Rather, it is a unique pastoral opportunity, ... as the pastor seeks to lead the parties to a serious examination of the truth about themselves and about their human and Christian vocation to marriage. In this sense dialogue, always conducted separately with each of the two fiances (though without undervaluing the importance of other interviews with them as a couple) requires a climate of complete sincerity in which emphasis should be given to the fact that the betrothed are those who are most interested, and most obliged in conscience, to celebrate a valid marriage".
"With the various means available for careful preparation and verification, it is possible to develop effective pastoral activities aimed at avoiding the nullification of marriages. Every effort must be made, insofar as possible, to break the vicious circle which often arises between automatic admission to marriage without adequate preparation or a serious examination of the requirements laid down for its celebration, and a juridical declaration, sometimes equally automatic but of an opposing tendency, in which the marriage is considered null only on the basis of the ascertainment of its failure".
In this context, Benedict XVI highlighted the need for the necessary training in basic aspects of canon law "for all pastoral workers, especially those who operate in the field of the pastoral care of families".
The work of ecclesiastical tribunals must "transmit a univocal message concerning the essential aspects of marriage, in harmony with the Magisterium and with canon law, speaking with a single voice", said the Pope. Referring then to "causes concerning consensual incapacity", he pointed out that, "unfortunately, many incorrect positions still remain, such as that of identifying the discretion of judgement required for marriage with the prudence it is to be hoped people will show in deciding to wed. This confuses a question of capacity with another question which is unrelated to validity, rather it concerns the degree of practical wisdom with which a decision - but in any case an authentically matrimonial decision - was taken. And the misunderstanding would be even more serious if we were to attribute invalidating power to imprudent choices made during married life.
"Regarding nullity through exclusion of the essential properties of marriage, there must be a serious commitment to ensure that juridical pronouncements reflect the truth of marriage, the same truth which must illuminate the moment of admission to wedded state", the Holy Father added. In this context, he made particular mention of "the exclusion of 'bonum coniugum'" which, he said, seems to involve the danger "of seeking reasons for nullity in forms of behaviour which are not related to the constitution of the conjugal tie but to its realisation in life".
The Pope went on: "It is important to resist the temptation of transforming simple shortcomings the spouses may show during their married life into defects of consent. In fact, true exclusion only comes about when the ordering of marriage towards the good of the spouses is ... excluded by a positive act of the will".
Finally, the Pope returned to the question of the relationship between law and pastoral care. "In all sectors", he said, "and especially in the field of marriage and the family, it is important to encourage ... profound harmony between pastoral care and the juridical sphere, which will certainly prove fruitful in the service we offer to those who are approaching marriage".
AC/ VIS 20110124 (1030)
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