VATICAN CITY, SEP 4, 2007 (VIS) - Following is a list of Pope Benedict's activities during the month of August. It includes the Angelus, general and private audiences, other pontifical acts, letters, messages, telegrams and other news. The activities are presented in chronological order under their respective headings.
ANGELUS
- 5: From Castelgandolfo, Benedict XVI comments on the Gospel reading of this 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time, calling for reflection upon our relationship with material goods. "Wealth," the Pope says, "though a good thing in itself, must not be considered as an absolute good." The Pope also recalls his predecessor, Servant of God Paul VI who died on August 6, 1978.
- 12: Three days before the Solemnity of the Assumption, the Pope invites people to ask Mary to help us "not to forget that here on earth we are just passing through, and to teach us to prepare ourselves for the meeting with Jesus" in heaven. The Holy Father expresses his sympathy for the victims of floods in a number of southeast Asian countries.
- 15: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Benedict XVI highlights the fact that when the Virgin ascended to heaven she did not abandon us, but remains close to each one of us. "We all need her help and consolation in order to face the trials and challenges of every day," says the Pope.
- 19: Commenting on today's Gospel reading, the Holy Father affirms that Christ's peace "is the fruit of a constant struggle against evil" and that in order to combat God's enemy and man's, Satan, while remaining faithful to God, its is necessary to face misunderstandings and, at times, persecutions. Benedict XVI gives assurances of his prayers, and encourages others to pray, for earthquake victims in Peru.
- 26: The Pope indicates that the 'passport' which identifies us as 'true friends' of the Lord, and which will enable us to enter eternal life, is expressed "in humility, meekness and mercy, in love for justice and truth, and in sincere and honest compromise for peace and reconciliation."
WEDNESDAY GENERAL AUDIENCES
- 1: Following a three-week break, the Pope returns to his series of catechesis on the Apostolic Fathers. In today's general audience, held in the Paul VI Hall, he comments upon the life and writings of St. Basil, a fourth-century bishop in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey.
- 8: In today's audience the Pope turns his attention to St. Gregory Nazianzus, a fourth-century Church Father, illustrious theologian, orator and defender of Christian life. In the year 381, while attending the Second Ecumenical Council, he was appointed as bishop of Constantinople and assumed the presidency of the Council.
- 22: Benedict XVI continues his catechesis on St. Gregory Nazianzus and specifically on the mission with which God entrusted him. The Pope indicates how St. Gregory brought the light of the Trinity to shine by defending the faith proclaimed at the Council of Nicaea: One God in three equal and distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
- 29: St. Gregory of Nyssa, born in the fourth century, was the subject of today's general audience. The Pope explained how this great theologian participated in the Council of Constantinople which established the divinity of the Holy Spirit. He stood up against heretics, defending the truth of the divine nature of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and the perfect humanity of Christ. At the end of the audience the Pope, referring to flooding and fires in various countries, criticized "the irresponsible conduct of people who place the lives of others at risk and destroy the natural environment."
LETTERS, MESSAGES AND TELEGRAMS
- 1: The Holy Father sends a telegram of condolence to His Eminence Daniel, regent of the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate of Bucharest, for the death of His Beatitude Teoctist, patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
- 4: Message from the Pope to Venerable Kahjun Handa, Supreme Head of the Tendai Buddhist Denomination, for the 20th anniversary of the "Religious Summit Meeting" on Mount Hiei in Japan.
- 6: The Holy Father sends a telegram of condolence to Archbishop Andre Vingt-Trois of Paris, France, for the death at the age of 80 of Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, archbishop emeritus of Paris.
- 16: Telegram of condolence to bishops of Peruvian dioceses which, on August 15, were struck by an earthquake that caused many victims.
- 27: Telegrams of condolence to Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, archbishop of Montreal, Canada, and to Fr. Lawrence B. Terrien, superior general of the Fathers of St. Suplice, for the death at the age of 89 of Cardinal Edouard Gagnon P.S.S., president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Family, and of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses.
OTHER NEWS
- 3: Publication of the schedule for Benedict XVI's forthcoming apostolic trip to Austria, due to take place from September 7 to 9 for the 850th anniversary of Shrine of Mariazell.
- 9: The Holy Father receives in audience at Castelgandolfo a group of young Spaniards from dioceses in the ecclesiastical circumscription of Madrid who are participating in the "Young People's Mission." Also present at the meeting were Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid; Bishops Jesus Esteban Catala Ibanez of Alcala de Henares and Joaquin Lopez de Andujar y Canovas del Castillo of Getafe; three auxiliary bishops of Madrid, and Esperanza Aguirre, president of the Comunidad de Madrid.
- 15: For the Solemnity of the Assumption, the Pope celebrates Mass and delivers a homily at the pontifical parish church of St. Thomas of Villanova in Castelgandolfo.
AUDIENCES
- 18: The Holy Father receives in audience Cardinal Christoph Schonborn O.P., archbishop of Vienna, Austria accompanied by Bishop Egon Kapellari of Graz-Seckau, Austria.
- 31: The Holy Father receives in audience Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
- 4: Appointment of Msgr. Crispin Barrete Varquez as bishop of Borongan, Philippines. Appointment of Archbishop Mounged El-Hachem, apostolic nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen and Qatar, and apostolic delegate to the Arabian Peninsula, as apostolic nuncio to the United Arab Emirates. Elevation of Fr. Sergio Pagano B., prefect of the Vatican Secret Archives, to the dignity of bishop. Appointment of Cardinal Godfried Danneels, archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, Belgium, as special papal envoy to Reims, France, for celebrations marking the millennium of the construction of the basilica of Saint-Remi, due to be held on October 7.
- 6: Appointment of Bishop Lorenzo Voltolini, auxiliary of Portoviejo, Ecuador, as metropolitan archbishop of the same archdiocese. He succeeds Archbishop Jose Mario Ruiz Navas, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese was accepted by the Holy Father, upon having reached the age limit.
- 11: Appointment of Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. as pontifical legate for the closing celebrations marking the 90th anniversary of apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal. The event is due to take place in Fatima on October 12 and 13.
- 14: Appointment of Msgr. Robert Joseph Baker as bishop of Birmingham, U.S.A. Appointment of Fr. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo as coadjutor bishop of Oyo, Nigeria.
- 27: Appointment of Archbishop Paul Tschang In-Nam, apostolic nuncio to Bangladesh, as apostolic nuncio to Uganda.
- 28: Appointment of Bishop Kizito Bahujimihigo of Ruhengeri, Rwanda, as bishop of Kibungo, Rwanda. He succeeds Bishop Frederic Rubwejanga, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese was accepted by the Holy Father, upon having reached the age limit.
- 29: Archbishop Varkey Vithayathil, C.SS.R, archbishop major of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars, India, with the consent of the synod of bishops and after consulting the Holy See, erects the new eparchy of Bhadravathi of the Syro-Malabars, India. The Holy Father gives his assent to the canonical election of Fr. Joseph Erumachadath M.C.B.S. as the first bishop of the new eparchy.
BXVI-ACTIVITIES AUGUST/.../... VIS 20070904 (1310)
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