PUBLIC OFFICE MUST BE EXERCISED WITH DIGNITY, RESPONSIBILITY

VATICAN CITY, 14 OCT 2011 (VIS) - "The exercise of civil authority is so important as to have an almost 'sacred' character; therefore it must be exercised with great dignity and a lively sense of responsibility". These words were pronounced this morning by the Holy Father to Italian provincial prefects, accompanied by Roberto Maroni, minister of the Interior, in an audience arranged as part of the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of Italian unification.

In his address the Pope highlighted how throughout the country "we can see the traces which the Christian faith has left impressed in the customs of the Italian people, giving rise to noble and deep-rooted religious and cultural traditions, as well as to an artistic heritage unique in the world". Today too the Catholic Church "is an important presence among the people, aware of their deepest needs which she interprets in a logic of readiness and service".

"Conscious of the fact that, as John Paul II said, we depend upon one another, the Church wishes to unite with other institutions and with the various territorial organisations, in order to create a firm platform of moral virtues upon which to build a coexistence worthy of man. In this mission the Church knows she can rely on the effective and friendly collaboration of prefects, whose function it is to guarantee ... social cohesion and civil rights".

Benedict XVI recalled the position of the Social Doctrine of the Church vis-a-vis public administration, "which is not to be conceived as impersonal or bureaucratic, but rather as an act of generous assistance for citizens, undertaken with a spirit of service". He also noted how the work of prefects today has become more complex and arduous due to economic and social uncertainty, and exhorted them not to be disheartened by difficulties. "Handle the matters entrusted to you with prudence and a great sense of duty, never failing in your commitment to truth and or in your courage to defend the supreme good. ... As high-level representatives of State, you are called to combine authority and professionalism in the exercise of your responsibilities, especially at times of tension and discord", he said.

The Pope concluded by inviting the prefects to follow the example of their patron, St. Ambrose, "so that your work may always serve justice, peace, freedom and the common good. God will not fail to support your efforts, rewarding them with abundant fruits to spread the civilisation of love".
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 14 OCT 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Fr. Julian Carron, president of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation.

- Seven prelates from the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Mark Benedict Coleridge of Canberra and Goulburn.

- Archbishop Adrian Leo Doyle of Hobart.

- Archbishop-Bishop Djibrail Kassab of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Sydney of the Chaldeans.

- Bishop Daniel Eugene Hurley of Darwin.

- Bishop Gregory O'Kelly S.J. of Port Pirie.

- Archbishop John Alexius Bathersby of Brisbane.

- Bishop James Foley of Cairns.

This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
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HOLY FATHER RECEIVES THE PRESIDENT OF HONDURAS

VATICAN CITY, 13 OCT 2011 (VIS) - "This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Porfirio Lobo Sosa, president of the Republic of Honduras. The president subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States", according to a communique released at midday today by the Holy See Press Office.

"During the cordial discussions appreciation was expressed for the great contribution the Church makes to development in Honduras, especially in the fields of education and healthcare. Emphasis was also given to the importance of continuing to foment reconciliation, mutual understanding, solidarity and peace in the country, in a persistent search for the common good.

"The parties went on to take note of the improved situation of Honduras' international relations, as well as giving attention to other questions regarding the international scene".
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PAPAL MASS FOR THE PEOPLE OF LATIN AMERICA

VATICAN CITY, 13 OCT 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father is due to celebrate Mass for the people of Latin America for the bicentenary of their independence, according to a communique released by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. The celebration will take place in St. Peter's Basilica at 5.30 p.m. on 12 December, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron of Latin America.

The communique explains that "this initiative is a gesture of the concern, affection and solidarity felt by the Holy Father towards the peoples and nations of the 'Continent of Hope', as it has been called by Roman Pontiffs from Paul VI to Benedict XVI. It is a clear expression of the pastoral solicitude with which Benedict XVI embraces those peoples, among whom the Gospel of Jesus Christ was sown and brought forth precious fruit. They represent 40 percent of the baptised of the Catholic Church, united in filial devotion to Most Holy Mary, while their local Churches remain in faithful communion with the See of Peter".

"The initiative is indicative of the original contribution the Catholic Church wishes to make to the commemoration of this bicentenary, in the light of historical truth, so as to throw light on the current situation in Latin America and nourish hope in a future of peace and justice".

The 12 December Mass will be attended by the Roman Curia, the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See and to the Italian government, Latin American priests religious and citizens who study or reside in Rome, and public figures from the Latin American continent.
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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGION, NATURE AND ART

VATICAN CITY, 13 OCT 2011 (VIS) - The relationship between religion, nature and art is being examined in a conference which began today at the Vatican Museums, organised by the Museums and by the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture. The conference, which comes to an end tomorrow, will focus on the concern for nature felt in the Catholic world, also highlighting the presence of ecological awareness, as expressed in art, in other religions and cultures.

The initiative is entitled "Religion, Nature and Art" and is being held under the patronage of Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Governorate of Vatican City State. It is being attended by experts from all over the world, from Finland to Japan, and has been organised by Laura Hobgood-Oster, a professor at Southwestern University, U.S.A., for the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, and by Fr. Nicola Malpelli and Katherine Aigner for the Vatican Missionary Ethnological Museum.

The papers being delivered over the two days of the conference will focus on such subjects as "The Entanglement of Religion and Art: Joseph Beuys, Shamanism and Ritual"; "Representation and Conceptions of Nature"; "Global Indigenous Perceptions and the Sacred World"; "Reading Religion and Resistance in Earth Art and the Book of Nature", and "Spirituality-based Environmental Activism, Nature, Art".

The programme of events also includes a visit to the exhibition "Rituals of Life: the Culture and Spirituality of Aboriginal Australians", which was inaugurated last year at the Missionary Ethnological Museum of the Vatican Museums.
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