Wednesday, May 25, 2005

NOTICE

VATICAN CITY, MAY 25, 2005 (VIS) - As previously advised, due to tomorrow's solemnity of Corpus Christi, a holiday in the Vatican, there will be no VIS service. It will resume on Friday, May 27.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS


VATICAN CITY, MAY 25, 2005 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Fr. Antonio Roberto Cavuto O.F.M. Cap., pastor and guardian of the Fraternity of St. Sebastian in the diocese of Uberlandia, Brazil, as bishop of Itapipoca (area 11,266, population 446,606, Catholics 402,933, priests 27, religious 55), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Espirito Santo do Pinhal, Brazil, in 1944 and ordained a priest in 1971. He succeeds Bishop Benedito Francisco de Albuquerque, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Bishop Fernando Mason O.F.M. Conv., of Caraguatatuba, Brazil, as bishop of Piracicaba (area 5,402, population 988,326, Catholics 763,246, priests 82, permanent deacons 34, religious 256), Brazil.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 25, 2005 (VIS) - Following today's general audience, the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

 - Blaise Compaore, president of Burkina Faso, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.

 - Amadou Toumani Toure, president of the Republic of Mali accompanied by an entourage.

 - Absalom Themaba Dlamini, prime minister of the Kingdom of Swaziland, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.

 - Archbishop Marco Dino Brogi O.F.M., apostolic nuncio to the Arab Republic of Egypt.

 - Archbishop Ivo Scapolo, apostolic nuncio to Bolivia.
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ARCHBISHOP FOLEY IN U.S. TO ADDRESS COMMUNICATIONS GROUPS


VATICAN CITY, MAY 25, 2005 (VIS) - Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications is in the United States where he spoke today in Orlando, Florida on the topic "Keeping 5,000 Communicators Happy" at the joint meeting of the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada and the Catholic Academy of Communications Arts Professionals.

  Two additional events are scheduled for the Catholic Press Association in Orlando. Tomorrow he will speak at the Catholic News Service breakfast at the association and on May 27 he will deliver the homily in Orlando at a memorial Mass for the association.

  Archbishop Foley will then travel in early June to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and to Camden, New Jersey, where he will deliver addresses on June 1, 2 and 3.
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GRATITUDE TO THE LORD WHO FREES US FROM FEAR OF DEATH


VATICAN CITY, MAY 25, 2005 (VIS) - In his weekly general audience, which was held this morning in St. Peter's Square, the Pope spoke on Psalm 115, "Thanksgiving in the Temple."

  Benedict XVI pointed out to the 27,000 people present that this psalm is mentioned by St. Paul when he tells the Corinthians: "Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote 'I believed and so I spoke,' we too believe, and so we speak." The Pope referred to the spiritual harmony between the Apostle and the Psalmist "in serene faith, and sincere witness, despite human suffering and weakness." This psalm, together with Psalm 114, constitutes "a single act of thanksgiving, addressed to the Lord  Who frees us from the terror of death."

  The text of the psalm describes "a tormented past. The Psalmist has held high the torch of faith, even when the bitterness of desperation and sorrow rise to his lips. Around him was an icy wall of hatred and deceit, because men appeared false and unfaithful. However, the supplication becomes gratitude because the Lord has raised His faithful servant from the dark abyss of falsehood."

  In off-the-cuff remarks, the Pope then added that "Christ was the first martyr, and gave His own life in a context of hatred and falsehood; yet He transformed His passion into 'Eucharist' that is 'joy and salvation'."

  Returning to his prepared catechesis, he continued: "The Psalmist prepares, then, to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, in which he will drink at the ritual chalice, the cup of sacred libation that is a sign of recognition for having been set free."

  The Pope indicated how the Psalmist bears witness of his own faith in the presence of all the people and how, "having been saved from death, feels himself to be the Lord's  'servant,' and 'son of His handmaiden;' a beautiful Oriental expression indicating a person born in the same house as his master. The Psalmist humbly and joyfully professes his association with the House of God, with the family of created beings united to him in love and faithfulness."

  "The entire people of God," he concluded, "thank the Lord of life, Who never abandons the just in the dark bosom of pain and death, but leads then to hope and to life."

  At the end of the audience, Benedict XVI invited everyone to participate in the Mass he will celebrate at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Solemnity of Corpus Christi, in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, and in the traditional procession to St. Mary Major, in order "to express together faith in Christ, Who is present in the Eucharist."
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