"ECCLESIA IN AMERICA" - FIFTEEN YEARS ON

Vatican City,  (VIS) - A press conference was held in the Holy See Press Office this morning to present the International Congress "Ecclesia in America" on the Church in the American continent, which will take place in Vatican City from 9 to 12 December. The Congress is promoted by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Knights of Columbus in collaboration with the Institute for Guadalupan Studies. Participating in the conference were Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, Professor Guzman Carriquiry, secretary of the same Commission, and Carl Anderson, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus.

Cardinal Ouellet began by recalling the Synodal Assembly that took place in November and December 1997, convoked by Blessed John Paul II, which was dedicated to the American continent and addressed the theme of the "Encounter with the living Jesus Christ: The way to conversion, communion and solidarity in America". This theme will inspire the Congress as it works towards its aim of "re-examining the prophetic intuition of Blessed John Paul II and the basic content of the exhortation 'Ecclesia in America', as well as intensifying the communion and co-operation of the Churches in Canada and the United States with the Churches of Latin America in order to address common problems and challenges faced by the mission of the Church in the American continent".

"The valuable heritage of Christian faith, which is at the origin of the American 'New World' and inspires the life of its people, is now subject to erosion caused by waves of secularisation and the impact of a global culture increasingly distant from and hostile to the proliferation of 'sects', and needs to be revitalised, reformulated and brought up to date. The encounter between the strengths and experiences of the Churches of God from different latitudes of the continent will surely be fruitful and rewarding. Such an exchange already occurs within the providential 'laboratory' created by the increasingly important Hispanic presence in the United States and Canada".

The cardinal went on to mention some of the common problems and challenges which have arisen during the last fifteen years and which the Churches of North, Central and South America  must face together. "The theme of immigration is a controversial topic in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America; narcotrafficking networks, drug abuse and related policies are subject of serious concern and debate; there is an increase in urban violence, especially among marginalised youths; the culture of life and the institution of the family are gravely threatened throughout the continent; the defence and promotion of religious liberty is of concern everywhere, and situations of poverty and indigence are widespread. ... This is all located within a context of shifting political, economic and cultural relationships between the United States, Canada, and the countries of Latin America, which are seeking improved dialogue, comprehension and respect, and solidarity and justice".

In order to face these problems "in the light of the Church's mission", it is fundamental to "strengthen the sense of communion in each of the Churches and among them. This international Congress hopes to co-operate in the creation of networks of friendship throughout the continent, with a loyal sense of belonging to the Church. Without true, strong unity, she cannot hope to exercise missionary and social influence. In this respect, it can be understood why this inter-American Congress is being held in the Vatican. Indeed, this highlights the universal care of the Churches which represent over fifty percent of the world's Catholics, in trust and devotion to Peter's Successor, universal Pastor, first witness and guarantor of unity and communion".

Professor Guzman Carriquiry explained that the congress will be attended by over two hundred participants linked to the American continent, including both clergy and lay persons. It will open and conclude with two Eucharistic celebrations: the first on 9 December in St. Peter's Basilica, in which the Holy Father will greet the participants, and the second on 12 December, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the Church of Santa Maria in Traspontina.

On the morning of 10 December in the Synod Hall, debates will be held on "the event in Guadalupe as the origin of evangelisation in the New World", "The post-Synodal Exhortation: prophecy, teaching and commitment" and "The Apostolic Exhortation 'Ecclesia in America' with the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, star of the new evangelisation and mother of the civilisation of love". Later there will be a discussion on fundamental issues regarding co-operation between Churches throughout the continent. The day conclude with the conference "The meaning of the Year of Faith", presented by Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer S.J., secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

On 11 December participants will pray the rosary before the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Vatican Gardens, followed by a screening of a documentary on the image of the Patron of the Americas. On 12 December participants will attend the Holy Father's general audience. In the afternoon Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley O.F.M., archbishop of Boston, USA, will lead a conference on "Scenarios and proposals for communion and co-operation between the Churches of the Americas and for solidarity among their peoples".

Carriquiry added, "The results of the Congress will be communicated to the dicasteries of the Roman Curia, the Episcopal Conferences of the continent, and to the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM). 

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City,  (VIS) -  The Holy Father appointed Fr. Alberto German Bochatey O.S.A., rector of the Santa Monica International College, Rome, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of La Plata (area 4,652, population 917,000, Catholics 845,792, priests 146, permanent deacons 6, religious 396), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1981. He studied philosophy in the monastery of Santa Maria de la Vid in Spain and theology in Rome. He has held the roles of director of the Institute of Bioethics at the Catholic University of Buenos Aires, editor of the magazine "Vida y etica". In 2010 he became rector of the Santa Monica International College in Rome.

MAN IS CONSIDERED IN BIOLOGICAL TERMS OR AS "HUMAN CAPITAL"

Vatican City,  (VIS) - The Holy Father today gave an address to the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace.

"Man is nowadays considered in predominantly biological terms or as 'human capital', a 'resource', part of a dominant productive or financial mechanism. Although we continue to proclaim the dignity of the person, new ideologies - the hedonistic and egotistic claim to sexual and reproductive rights, or unregulated financial capitalism that abuses politics and derails the true economy - contribute to a concept of the worker and his or her labour as 'minor' commodities and undermine the natural foundations of society, especially the family. In fact, the human being, .... transcendent by comparison to other beings or earthly goods, enjoys true supremacy and responsibility for himself and for creation. ... For Christianity, work is fundamental for man, for his identity, socialisation, the creation of a family and his contribution to peace and the common good. For precisely this reason, the aim of access to work for all is always a priority, even in periods of economic recession.

"From new evangelisation of the social sphere, we can derive a new humanism and renewed cultural and prospective commitment", the Pope continued. The new evangelisation "helps to dethrone modern idols, replacing individualism, materialistic consumerism and technocracy with a culture of fraternity and gratuity, and with mutual love. Jesus Christ summarised these precepts and gave them the form of a new commandment - 'Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another' - and here lies the secret of every fully human and pacific social life, as well as the renewal of politics and of national and global institutions. Blessed John XXIII motivated efforts to build a world community, with a corresponding authority precisely on love for the common good of the human family".

"The Church certainly does not have the task of suggesting, from a judicial or political point of view, the precise configuration of an international system of this type, but rather offers   a set of principles for reflection, criteria for judgement and practical guidelines able to guarantee an anthropological and ethical structure for the common good. However, it is important to note that one should not envisage a superpower, concentrated in the hands of the few, dominating all peoples and exploiting the weakest among them, but rather that such an authority should be understood primarily as a moral force, a power to influence according to reason, or rather as a participatory authority, limited in competence and by law", concluded the Holy Father.

THE POPE ADDRESSES THE VENERABLE ENGLISH COLLEGE OF ROME

Vatican City,  (VIS) - This morning Benedict XVI addressed members of the Venerable English College of Rome, the Catholic seminary for the formation of priests from England and Wales. The College, which celebrates its 650th anniversary this year, has its origins in an ancient English hospice which accommodated British pilgrims to Rome.

The Holy Father, following his greeting to Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, a former rector of the College, emphasised the "long tradition of zeal for the faith and loyalty to the Apostolic See" in the Catholic community in England and Wales. He remarked that it was his predecessor, Pope Gregory the Great, who sent St. Augustine of Canterbury to "plant the seeds of Christian faith on Anglo-Saxon soil. The fruits of that missionary endeavour are only too evident in the six-hundred-and-fifty-year history of faith and martyrdom that distinguishes the English Hospice of Saint Thomas à Becket and the Venerable English College that grew out of it".

Addressing the seminarians, he continued, "you too ... are the men God has chosen to spread the message of the Gospel today, in England and Wales, in Canada, in Scandinavia ... Your first task, then, is to come to know Christ yourselves, and the time you spend in seminary provides you with a privileged opportunity to do so. Learn to pray daily, especially in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, listening attentively to the word of God and allowing heart to speak to heart, as Blessed John Henry Newman would say.  ... Allow the fascination of His person to capture your imagination and warm your heart. He has chosen you to be His friends, not His servants, and He invites you to share in His priestly work of bringing about the salvation of the world".

"You have heard much talk about the new evangelization, the proclamation of Christ in those parts of the world where the Gospel has already been preached, but where to a greater or lesser degree the embers of faith have grown cold and now need to be fanned once more into a flame. ... Fire in sacred Scripture frequently serves to indicate the divine presence. ... Just as a small fire can set a whole forest ablaze, so the faithful testimony of a few can release the purifying and transforming power of God’s love so that it spreads like wildfire throughout a community or a nation".

Benedict XVI concluded by mentioning his visit to the United Kingdom in 2010. He said, "I saw for myself that there is a great spiritual hunger among the people. Bring them the true nourishment that comes from knowing, loving and serving Christ. Speak the truth of the Gospel to them with love. Offer them the living water of the Christian faith and point them towards the bread of life, so that their hunger and thirst may be satisfied. Above all, however, let the light of Christ shine through you by living lives of holiness, following in the footsteps of the many great saints of England and Wales, the holy men and women who bore witness to God’s love, even at the cost of their lives".

THE POPE ON TWITTER: VOICE OF UNITY AND LEADERSHIP FOR THE CHURCH

Vatican City,  (VIS) - A press conference was held this morning in the Holy See Press Office to explain the presence of the Pope on Twitter and to provide additional information on the use of the new media in the Vatican.

The conference was presented by Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Msgr. Paul Tighe, secretary of the same dicastery, Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, Vatican Radio and the Vatican Television Centre, Professor Gian Maria Vian, editor of 'L'Osservatore Romano' and Greg Burke, media advisor to the Secretariat of State. Claire Diaz-Ortiz, Twitter's director of Social Innovation, was also present.

Given below are extracts from the English-language Note explaining the presence of the Holy Father on Twitter:

"The Pope's presence on Twitter is a concrete expression of his conviction that the Church must be present in the digital arena. ... The Pope's presence on Twitter can be seen as the 'tip of the iceberg' that is the Church's presence in the world of new media. The Church is already richly present in this environment – there exist a whole range of initiatives from the official websites of various institutions and communities to the personal sites, blogs and micro-blogs of public church figures and of individual believers. The Pope's presence on Twitter is ultimately an endorsement of the efforts of these 'early adapters' to ensure that the Good News of Jesus Christ and the teaching of his Church is permeating the forum of exchange and dialogue that is being created by social media. His presence is intended to be an encouragement to all Church institutions and people of faith to be attentive to develop an appropriate profile for themselves and their convictions in the 'digital continent'.  The Pope's tweets will be available to believers and non-believers to share, discuss and to encourage dialogue. It is hoped that the Pope's short messages, and the fuller messages that they seek to encapsulate, will give rise to questions for people from different countries, languages and cultures". 

"Part of the challenge for the Church in the area of new media is to establish a networked or capillary presence that can effectively engage the debates, discussions and dialogues that are facilitated by social media and that invite direct, personal and timely responses of a type that are not so easily achieved by centralized institutions. Moreover, such a networked or capillary structure reflects the truth of the Church as a community of communities which is alive both universally and locally. The Pope's presence on Twitter will represent his voice as a voice of unity and leadership for the Church but it will also be a powerful invitation to all believers to express their 'voices', to engage their 'followers' and 'friends' and to share with them the hope of the Gospel that speaks of God’s unconditional love for all men and women".  

"In addition to the direct engagement with the questions, debates and discussions of people that is facilitated by new media, the Church recognizes the importance of new media as an environment that allows to teach the truth that the Lord has passed to His Church, to listen to others, to learn about their cares and concerns, to understand who they are and for what they are searching. ... It is for this reason that it has been decided to launch the Pope's Twitter channel with a formal question and answer format. This launch is also an indication of the importance that the Church gives to listening and is a warranty of its ongoing attentiveness to the conversations, commentaries and trends that express so spontaneously and insistently the preoccupations and hopes of people".

The first tweets from the Pope's handle on Twitter will be given on 12 December, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Initially tweets will be published with the Wednesday general audiences, although they may subsequently become more frequent. The first tweets, on 12 December, will respond to questions put to the Pope on matters of faith. The public can send questions between now and 12 December in the languages listed below. The official Papal handle is @pontifex.

In addition to English, tweets will also be published in the following languages:

Spanish @pontifex_es
Italian @pontifex_it
Portuguese @pontifex_pt
German @pontifex_de
Polish @pontifex_pl
Arabic @pontifex_ar
French @pontifex_fr

Other languages may be added in the future. Further information can be obtained at http://blog.twitter.com/