Coaches, be an example of integrity

Vatican City, 15 May 2015 (VIS) – Pope Francis has sent a message to Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, for the international study seminar on the theme “Coaches: Educating People”, organised by the dicastery's Church and Sport section.

“We all, in life, need educators: mature, wise and balanced people who help us to grow in the family, in study, in work, in faith”, writes the Holy Father. “The presence of a good coach-educator is shown to be providential especially during the years of adolescence and early youth, when the personality is developing and in search of role models to refer to and identify with. ...In this delicate phase of life, a coach bears a great responsibility: he often has the privilege of spending many hours each week with the young and of having a great influence on them in terms of their behaviour and personality. … How important it is, then, that a coach be an example of integrity, coherence, good judgement, impartiality, and also joy, patience, and the capacity for appreciation and benevolence towards all, and especially the most disadvantaged!”.

“And how important it is for him to offer an example of faith!”, he adds. “Faith always helps us to raise our gaze towards God, and not to treat any of our activities as absolute, including sport … as well as to maintain the just distance and wisdom to put into perspective both our defeats and our victories. Faith gives us this outlook of goodness towards others which helps us overcome the temptation of excessive rivalry and aggression, which enables us to understand the dignity of each person, including those who are less gifted or privileged. The coach, in this respect, may make a very valuable contribution to creating a climate of solidarity and inclusion in relation to marginalised young people or those at risk socially, finding suitable ways and methods to involve them in sport and in the experience of socialisation. A coach with human and spiritual balance will also know how to preserve the authentic values of sport and its fundamental nature as a game and social activity, ensuring that it does not become distorted under the pressure of many interests, especially those of an economic nature, which are increasingly evident nowadays”.

Canonisation of Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas and Maryam Baouardy: a sign of hope for the men and women of the Middle East

Vatican City, 15 May 2015 (VIS) – This morning in the Holy See Press Office Fr. Rifat Bader, director of the Catholic Centre for Studies and Media in Amman, Jordan, presented the figure of the Palestinian blesseds Sister Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas, founder of the Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of Jerusalem, and the descalzed Carmelite Maryam Baouardy (Mary of Jesus Crucified). Along with another two women religious, the French Jeanne-Emilie de Villeneuve and the Italian Maria Cristina of the Immaculate Conception Brando, they will be canonised by Pope Francis this coming Sunday in St. Peter's Square.

The solemn celebration will be attended by cardinals and bishops resident in Rome and from various parts of the world, including a delegation of 2124 people from the Palestine territories and Jordan headed by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal. The Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas will also be present, along with numerous prelates from Lebanon, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Cyprus.

“Patriarch Fouad Twal affirmed that 'the declaration of the sainthood of the two nuns from Palestine is a spiritual event of prime importance for the citizens of the Holy Land, amid the difficulties we are experiencing, as the two saints enlighten our path'”, said Fr. Badir. “As the Holy Land, wrecked by violence and dissent, has for some time had a tarnished image, our two saints emerge to restore its sanctity, reminding us that sanctity is possible even in the most difficult circumstances. The canonisation of the two girls from the East during these dark times is an invitation from His Holiness Pope Francis to pray, knowing that only prayer can miraculously help save our faith in the midst of these times of trial. Now we have two new saints who represent a model of perfection for Christians, as well as for Muslims and Jews alike. They are both named Mary, and this name is widespread and commonly used among all three traditions. It is a sign of our modern time which suggests that we can talk about the three religions without any discrimination”.

“This grand event”, added Fr. Badir, “is a message of solidarity and encouragement to the Christians of the Holy Land, especially for those in all other Middle East countries, to those who have been forcibly displaced and deported from their home countries, and to all those who suffer persecution, and whose persecutors sometimes think that by killing they are offering a sacrifice to God, as Jesus Himself warned”.

The new saint Mary of Jesus Crucified was “subjected to acts of extremism and an attempt on her life, seeking to force her to change her religion. She now intercedes for those who are being killed because of their religion and their religious affiliation. Her life and intercession are a cry urging respect for religious and ethnic differences as well as acknowledging human beings as creatures who are made in the image and likeness of God”. St. Marie-Alphonsine “succeeded in gaining the support of the religious authorities to set up the first Arab religious congregation, and placing the Arab world on the map in the fields of education and religious teaching”.

“Furthermore, the rosary schools associated with this Arab religious congregation have a prominent and influential presence in Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, the Gulf states and Rome. We realise that during the late 19th and early 20th century this religious congregation contributed to increasing the Arab role in culture, social awareness, spiritual guidance and education of generations of men and women. Illiteracy has been eliminated in many parts of the Middle East as a direct result of the active contribution of nuns and religious congregations to literacy education”.

He concluded, “The two saintly nuns, whose canonisation coincides with the Church celebrations of the year of consecrated life and the blessed Marian Month of May, pray that the Lord would bring peace and calmness to our hearts and minds, and that we will return to worshipping the Almighty. … We view the consecration of the founder of the Rosary Sisters as an invitation to intensify the daily Rosary prayers in Churches, houses, and parish groups to bring peace, love and mutual respect among all the peoples of the Middle East”.

Audiences

Vatican City, 15 May 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father received in audience:

- Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith;

- Daniel Ramada Piendibene, ambassador of Uruguay to the Holy See, on his farewell visit;

- nine prelates of the Episcopal Conference of the Central African Republic on their “ad Limina” visit:

- Archbishop Dieudonne Nzapalainga, C.S.Sp., of Bangui;

- Bishop Peter Marzinkowski, C.S.Sp., of Alindao, with his coadjutor, Bishop Cyr-Nestor Yapaupa;

- Bishop Edouard Mathos of Bambari;

- Bishop Dennis Kofi Agbenyadzi, S.M.A., of Berberati;

- Bishop Nestor-Desire Nongo-aziagbia, S.M.A., of Bossangoa;

- Bishop Armando Umberto Gianni, O.F.M. Cap., of Bouar;

- Bishop Albert Vanbuel, S.D.B., of Kaga-Bandoro; and

- Bishop Guerrino Perin, M.C.C.I., of Mbaiki.

Other Pontifical Acts

Vatican City, 15 May 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed:

- Bishop Francescantonio Nole, O.F.M. Conv., of Tursi-Lagonegro, Italy, as metropolitan archbishop of Cosenza-Bisignano (area 2,537, population 384,000, Catholics 382,000, priests 230, permanent deacons 40, religious 377), Italy. He succeeds Archbishop Salvatore Nunnari, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.

- Msgr. Domenico Pompili as bishop of Rieti (area 1,818, population 99,046, Catholics 93,003, priests 96, deacons 15, religious 227), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Rome, Italy in 1963 and was ordained a priest in 1988. He holds a licentiate and doctorate in moral theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and has served in a number of pastoral and administrative roles in the diocese of Anagni-Alatri, including parish priest, special secretary to the bishop, director of the diocesan office for social communications and episcopal vicar for pastoral ministry. He is currently director of the national office for social communications of the Italian Episcopal Conference, under-secretary of the Italian Episcopal Conference, secretary of the Communication and Culture Foundation, and lecturer in moral theology at the Pontifical Theological Leonian Institute of Anagni.

Yesterday, Thursday 14 May, the Holy Father appointed Msgr. Patrick McKinney as bishop of Nottingham (area 13,000, population 4,535,000, Catholics 155,000, priests 163, permanent deacons 39, religious 92), England. The bishop-elect was born in Birmingham, England in 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1978. He holds a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, and has served in a number of pastoral roles in the archdiocese of Birmingham, including parish assistant, teacher of fundamental theology and subsequently rector of the Seminary of St. Mary's, parish priest, episcopal vicar for the northern sector of Birmingham, and vicar forane of the deanery of Dudley. He was named Prelate of Honour of His Holiness in 1990.

The three key words of the family: please, thank you, sorry

Vatican City, 13 May 2015 (VIS) - “Please, thank you and sorry” are the three words that Pope Francis “would write on the door of every family home” as they are the key to living well and in peace both inside and outside the home. They are simple words, much easier to say than to put into practice, but “they contain great strength: the strength of protecting the home, even through a thousand difficulties and trials; instead, when they are lacking, cracks gradually open up that can even lead it to collapse”.

The Pope dedicated the catechesis of today's general audience to these three words, normally considered as the words of politeness. “A great bishop, St. Francis of Sales, said that kindness is halfway to holiness. However, beware”, he warned, “as in history we have also known a formalism of good manners that can become a mask to conceal an arid heart and lack of interest in others. … Not even religion is immune to this risk, in which formal observance may slip into spiritual worldliness. The devil who tempts Jesus shows off his good manners and cites the Sacred Scriptures. His style appears correct, but his intention is to deviate from the truth of God's love”.

The first word is “please. “To enter into the life of another person, even when that person forms part of our life, requires the delicacy of a non-intrusive attitude, that renews trust and respect. Confidence, then, does not authorise us to take everything for granted. Love, the more intimate and profound it is, the more it demands respect for freedom and the capacity to wait for the other to open the door of his or her heart”.

The second phrase is “thank you”. “At times”, observed the Holy Father, “it seems that we are becoming a civilisation of poor manners and unpleasant words. … Politeness and the capacity to thank are seen as a sign of weakness, and at times even arouse distrust. This tendency should be opposed within the family itself. We must become intransigent in the education of gratitude and recognition: the dignity of the person and social justice both come from this. If this approach is neglected in family life, it will also be lost in social life”.

The third word is “sorry”, as “when it is lacking, small cracks become larger … to the point of becoming deep trenches. It is not by chance that in the prayer taught by Jesus, the Lord's prayer that summarises all the essential questions for our life, we find the expression 'forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us'. Acknowledging our errors and being willing to restore what has been removed – respect, sincerity, love – makes one worthy of forgiveness. … If we are not capable of apologising, it means we are not capable of forgiveness either. … Many hurt feelings, many lesions in the family begin with the loss of those precious words: 'I am sorry'. In married life there are many arguments … but I advise you never to let the day end without making peace. And for this, a small gesture is enough”.

“These three key words for the family are simple words, and perhaps at first they make us smile. But … perhaps our education neglects them too much. May the Lord help us to restore them to their rightful place in our heart, in our home, and also in our civil co-existence”.