OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 7, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Accepted the resignation from the office of president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, presented by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, upon having reached the age limit, and appointed Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa, Italy, as the new president of that episcopal conference.

 - Appointed Bishop Severino Batista de Franca O.F.M. Cap., auxiliary of Santarem, Brazil, as bishop of Nazare (area 5,986, population 925,000, Catholics 787,000, priests 44, permanent deacons 1, religious 108), Brazil.

 - Appointed Fr. Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit, pastor of the cathedral of Bangkok, Thailand, as bishop of Nakhon Sawan (area 93,547, population 8,327,052, Catholics 11,605, priests 35, religious 49), Thailand. The bishop-elect was born in Ban Rak, Thailand in 1949 and ordained a priest in 1976.

 - Appointed Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, as his special envoy to the solemn celebrations marking the fifth centenary of the death of St. Francis of Paola, due to be held in Paola, Italy, on May 4.

 - Appointed Fr. Paolino Rossi O.F.M. Cap., as bureau chief at the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
NA:NER/.../...                                VIS 20070307 (210)

CLEMENT: NO CONFLICT BETWEEN LAITY AND CHURCH HIERARCHY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 7, 2007 (VIS) - During today's general audience Benedict XVI continued with his series of catecheses on the origins of the Church, focussing on the Apostolic Fathers. The audience was held in the Paul VI Hall in the presence of 16,000 people.

  The Pope turned his attention to the figure of St. Clement, the third successor of St. Peter after Sts. Linus and Anacletus, who reigned in the late first century. Clement, as Bishop St. Irenaeus of Lyon writes, had known the Apostles personally and "still had their preaching in his ears and their tradition before his eyes."

  The author of an important Letter to the Corinthians, which represents "the first exercise of the primacy of Rome after the death of Peter," Clement returns to "the perennially important theological dialectic between the indicative of salvation and the imperative of moral commitment." And he invites people to respond to "the announcement of salvation with a generous and courageous journey of conversion."

  The Letter gives Clement the possibility to describe "the identity of the Church and her mission" and, recalling the liturgy of ancient Israel, he "unveils his idea of the Church," in which "the clear distinction between the laity and the hierarchy does not mean conflict but the organic interconnection of a body, an organism with various functions."

  For this Apostolic Father, the Pope went on, "the Church is not a place of confusion and anarchy," but "an organized structure in which each member undertakes his or her mission according to their vocation. ... St. Clement highlights how the Church has a sacramental and not a political structure. The action of God, which we draw near to in the liturgy, precedes our own decisions and our own ideas."

  The "great prayer" with which the Letter ends is particularly important, said the Holy Father, being "an invocation on behalf of political leaders. After the texts of the Old Testament this is the oldest prayer for political institutions," and contains "a teaching that, down the centuries, has guided the attitude of Christians towards politics and the State."

  Clement wrote his Letter shortly after the death of the emperor Domitian and his persecution of Christians who, "though aware that the persecutions would continue, did not cease to pray for those same authorities that had unjustly condemned them.

  "Praying for the authorities," the Holy Father added in conclusion, "Clement recognized the legitimate authority of political institutions in the order established by God. At the same time he expressed his concern that those authorities ... should exercise their power with peace and gentleness, Caesar is not everything. There is another kingship, the origin and essence of which are not of this world."
AG/APOSTOLIC FATHERS:ST. CLEMENT/...            VIS 20070307 (460)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 6, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Bishop Kevin Joseph Farrell, auxiliary of Washington, U.S.A., as bishop of Dallas (area 19,475, population 3,473,568, Catholics 955,298, priests 197, permanent deacons 152, religious 225), U.S.A.. He succeeds Bishop Charles Victor Grahmann, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Msgr. Glenn John Provost of the clergy of the diocese of Lafayette, U.S.A., pastor of the parish of Our Lady of Fatima, as bishop of Lake Charles (area 13,755, population 284,000, Catholics 84,000, priests 74, permanent deacons 32, religious 41), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Lafayette in 1949 and ordained a priest in 1975.
NER:RE/.../FARRELL:GRAHMANN:PROVOST            VIS 20070306 (130)

PRESENTATION OF POST-SYNODAL DOCUMENT ON THE EUCHARIST

VATICAN CITY, MAR 6, 2007 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office at 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 13, the presentation will take place of the post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Sacramentum Caritatis" on the Eucharist, source and summit of the life and mission of the Church. Participating in the press conference will be Cardinal Angelo Scola, patriarch of Venice, Italy, relator general of the 11th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which was held in October 2005, and Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops.
OP/APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION/...                VIS 20070306 (100)

RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THE MOTHER CHURCH OF JERUSALEM

VATICAN CITY, MAR 6, 2007 (VIS) - As is customary at the beginning of Lent, Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, has sent a letter "to all of the pastors of the Universal Church" requesting "assistance for the needs of a portion of the Church which is both forever old and forever young, ... Catholic Christians living in the Holy Land."

  In his letter, published in English, Spanish, French and Italian, the cardinal recalls how the first collection for the Holy Land dates back "to the pontificate of Martin V. In 1421 he promulgated norms to regulate the gathering of offerings. ... This collection has since been marked by pontifical approval; was confirmed by various succeeding pontiffs, and was applied directly and with utmost solicitude for the aid of the Christian community in the Land of the Lord.

  "The Congregation for Oriental Churches," he continues, "shares in this concern, and always stands in solidarity with Christians in the Holy Land and those throughout the Middle East. We are aware, too, that the political and economic crisis of this area has not yet been resolved and shows evidence each day of unspeakable suffering. This situation impresses upon all of us that there is an absolute and urgent need to support our brothers and sisters in this land, and to do so in every possible manner. In particular, we continually invoke upon them that peace which comes only from the Most High."

  Benedict XVI, writes Cardinal Daoud, "recalled this obligation during his visit to Turkey" when he said "we ask peace for Jerusalem and for the entire world." The prefect also emphasizes the grave responsibility of "the universal Church with regards to the Mother Church of Jerusalem.

  "Therefore," he continues, "all Catholics of the world must offer their prayers and expressions of solidarity, including economic solidarity, to the Christian community of that blessed Land. Despite their countless difficulties, these Christians offer day by day, and in silence, an authentic witness to the Gospel."

  The cardinal concludes his letter by saying: "It is appropriate also to acknowledge the Latin Patriarch, the Custody, ... the Oriental Catholic Churches and all of the institutes and organizations operative in this territory. To each I express profound gratitude. It is a gratitude filled with confidence that the particular Churches of the world will continue to respond favorably to this vital cause of the Holy Land.

  "The heartfelt appreciation of the Holy Father is also extended. He assures his prayers and blessing for all of the Churches and upon all of the benefactors of the Land of the Lord."
CEO/HOLY LAND COLLECTION/DAOUD            VIS 20070306 (450)