PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 22 May 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:

- appointed as members of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia the following cardinals, created during the consistory of 22 February 2014:

1. In the Congregation for the Oriental Churches: Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin; Cardinal Vincent Gerard Nichols, archbishop of Westminster, Great Britain; Cardinal Mario Aurelio Poli, archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith;

2. In the Congregation for the Causes of Saints: Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops; Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy;

3. In the Congregation for Bishops: Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin; Cardinal Vincent Gerard Nichols, archbishop of Westminster, Great Britain; Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, archbishop of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, Italy; Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops; Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy;

4. In the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples: Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin; Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, archbishop of Seoul, Korea; Cardinal Philippe Nakellentuba Ouedraogo, archbishop of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso;

5. In the Congregation for the Clergy: Cardinal Vincent Gerard Nichols, archbishop of Westminster, Great Britain; Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, archbishop of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, Italy; Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, archbishop of Seoul, Korea;

6. In the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life: Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroix, archbishop of Quebec, Canada; Cardinal Jean-Pierre Kutwa, archbishop of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire; Cardinal Gerard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy;

7. In the Congregation for Catholic Education: Cardinal Orani Joao Tempesta, archbishop of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati Andrello, archbishop of Santiago de Chile, Chile; Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy;

8. In the Pontifical Council for the Laity: Cardinal Jean-Pierre Kutwa, archbishop of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire; Cardinal Orani Joao Tempesta, archbishop of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Cardinal Mario Aurelio Poli, archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

9. In the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity: Cardinal Vincent Gerard Nichols, archbishop of Westminster, Great Britain; Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, archbishop of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, Italy; Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith;

10. In the Pontifical Council Justice and Peace: Cardinal Leopoldo Jose Brenes Solorzano, archbishop of Managua, Nicaragua; Cardinal Jean Pierre Kutwa, archbishop of Abidjan. Cote d'Ivoire; Cardinal Orlando B. Quevedo, archbishop of Cotabato, Philippines; Archbishop Chibly Langlois, bishop of Les Cayes, Haiti;

11. In the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue: Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroix, archbishop of Quebec, Canada; Cardinal Philippe Nakellentuba Ouedraogo, archbishop of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Cardinal Orlando B. Quevedo, archbishop of Cotabato Philippines;

12. In the Pontifical Council for Culture: Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroix, archbishop of Quebec, Canada; Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

- appointed as adviser of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, and the following as members of the same Pontifical Commission: Cardinal Leopoldo Jose Brenes Solorzano, archbishop of Managua, Nicaragua; Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati Andrello, archbishop of Santiago de Chile, Chile; Cardinal Cardinal Chibly Langlois, Vescovo di Les Cayes, Haiti.

CARDINAL KELVIN EDWARD FELIX TAKES POSSESSION OF HIS TITULAR CHURCH

Vatican City, 22 May 2014 (VIS) – The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that on Saturday, 31 May, at 6.30 p.m., Cardinal Kelvin Edward Felix, archbishop emeritus of Castries, Saint Lucia, will take possession of the title of Santa Maria della Salute a Primavalle (Via Tommaso De Vio, 5).

THE PONTIFICAL MUSICAL CHOIR OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL TO SING IN MOSCOW

Vatican City, 22 May 2014 (VIS) – The Pontifical Musical Choir of the Sistine Chapel, known as “the Pope's choir”, will sing in Moscow on 25, 26 and 27 May. The initiative forms part of an ecumenical project that has already seen the participation of the Anglican Choir of Westminster Abbey (2012) and the Lutheran TomanerChor of Leipzig (2013) in the solemn celebration of Saints Peter and Paul on 29 June.

This year, the Synodal Choir of the Patriarchate of Moscow will sing in the Vatican basilica during the celebration of the patron saints. Prior to this event, the Pontifical Musical Choir of the Sistine Chapel will travel to Moscow, where it will sing on 25 May in the Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On 26 May the Pontifical Musical Choir of the Sistine Chapel and the Choir of the Patriarchate of Moscow will rehearse together in preparation for the Eucharistic celebration of Saints Peter and Paul, to take place in the Vatican on 29 June. On the same day, both choirs will perform traditional Orthodox and Catholic religious music in the Armoury of the Kremlin. The concert is organised by the Patriarchate of Moscow.

Finally, on 27 May, in the Great Hall of the Pyotr Tchaikovsky Conservatory, the Pontifical Musical Choir of the Sistine Chapel and the Synodal Choir of Moscow will perform in a concert of religious music in honour of the fifth anniversary of Patriarch Kirill's enthronement.

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 22 May 2014 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in audience:

- Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, Italy.

- Eighteen prelates of the Mexican Episcopal Conference, on their “ad limina” visit:

Bishop Pedro Vazquez Villalobos of Puerto Escondido;

Bishop Jose Armando Alvarez Cano, prelate of Huautla;

Bishop Hector Guerrero Cordova, S.D.B., prelate of Mixes;

Archbishop Constancio Miranda Weckmann of Chihuahua;

Bishop Jesus Jose Herrera Quinonez of Nuevo Casas Grandes;

Bishop Eduardo Cirilo Carmona Ortega, C.O.R.C., of Parral;

Bishop Rafael Sandoval Sandoval, M.N.M., of Tarahumara;

Archbishop Jose Ulises Macias Salcedo of Hermosillo;

Bishop Felipe Padilla Cardona of Ciudad Obregon;

Archbishop Hipolito Reyes Larios of Jalapa;

Bishop Rutilo Munoz Zamora of Coatzacoalcos;

Archbishop Alfonso Cortes Contreras of Leon;

Bishop Jose Benjamin Castillo Plasencia of Celaya;

Bishop Faustino Armendariz Jimenez of Queretaro;

Archbishop Rafael Romo Munoz of Tijuana;

Archbishop Emilio Carlos Berlie Belaunzaran of Yucatan;

Bishop Jose Francisco Gonzalez Gonzalez of Campeche;

Bishop Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cardenas, L.C., prelate of Cancun-Chetumal.

THE GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE LEADS US TO DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF CREATION AS ITS CUSTODIANS

Vatican City, 21 May 2014 (VIS) – The gift of knowledge, 'scientia', that “is not limited to human knowledge, but which through creation leads us to perceive the greatness of God and His love for His creatures” was the theme of the Pope's catechesis during this Wednesday's general audience.

In the presence of more than 50,000 people in St. Peter's Square, Francis explained that this gift of the Holy Spirit also enables us to discover how the beauty and immensity of the cosmos speaks to us of the Creator and invites us to praise Him “from the depths of our heart and to recognise that all that we have, and all that we are. is an inestimable gift of God and a sign of His infinite love for us”.

In the first chapter of Genesis, at the very beginning of the Bible, it is made clear that God is pleased with His creation, and the beauty and goodness of everything is repeatedly emphasised. If God sees that creation is good and beautiful, then we too should assume this attitude. … And when God finished creating man, He did not say that what he saw was good, but rather that it was 'very good'. In the eyes of God we are the most beautiful, the greatest, the best of His creation: even the angels were beneath us, we are greater than the angels. The Lord loves us, and we should thank Him for this. … The gift of knowledge places us in profound harmony with the Creator and allows us to participate in the clarity of his vision and judgement. And it is from this perspective that we are able to perceive in man and woman the peak of His creation, as the fulfilment of a plan of love that is inherent in each one of us, and enables us to recognise each other as brothers and sisters”.

“All this is a reason for serenity and peace, and makes the Christian a joyful witness to God, like St. Francis of Assisi and many other saints who knew how to praise and to voice their love through the contemplation of creation. At the same time, however, the gift of knowledge helps us to avoid falling prey to the danger of … considering ourselves to be the masters of creation. Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at will; or even less, is it the property of only a few. Creation is a gift that God has given us, so that we might take care of it and make use of it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude. The second mistake is the temptation for us to limit ourselves to creatures, as if they were able to offer the answer to all our expectations”.

The Pope returned to the first risk, that of seeking to appropriate creation instead of protecting it. Creation is “a gift from God to us … and when we exploit it, we destroy the sign of His love. Destroying creation is like saying to God, 'I don't like it', and this is not good, it is a sin. Care for creation is care for God's gift to us, and it means saying to God, 'thank you, I am the custodian of creation, but to enable it to progress, never to destroy your gift'”.

“This must be our attitude in relation to creation”, continued the Holy Father: “to protect it, because if we destroy creation, creation will destroy us! Do not forget this”. He went on to recount a story of a very simple person he once met, who loved flowers and took great care of them. “He said, we must look after these beautiful things God has given us; creation is ours so that we may benefit from it, not to exploit it but to protect it, because God always forgives, we human beings forgive sometimes, but creation never forgives and if you do not protect it, it will destroy you”.

“This should make us think, and to ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of knowledge to understand well that creation is God's most beautiful gift. He has made so many good things for the greatest creation of all, the human person”.