POPE TO VISIT A ROMAN HOSPITAL OF THE ORDER OF MALTA

VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2007 (VIS) - On Sunday, December 2, Benedict XVI is due to visit the Roman hospital of St. John the Baptist, which belongs to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and specializes in the treatment and rehabilitation of people suffering from neurological disorders.

  The Pope will celebrate Mass for the patients and their families before going on to visit the reanimation unit, one of the few Italian healthcare structures specifically dedicated to providing specialized therapy for patients recovering from comas.

  According to a note published by the communications office of the Order of Malta, this event has a twofold historical significance: firstly because it is "the first visit by a Pope to this hospital," and secondly because the hospital itself has a long-standing link to the See of Peter, "being built on the site of the ancient 'Castello della Magliana,' used by Pontiffs for centuries as their summer residence."
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HOLY SEE DELEGATION AT ANNAPOLIS CONFERENCE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy See delegation to the International Middle East Conference which begins today in Annapolis, U.S.A., will be made up of Msgr. Pietro Parolin, under-secretary for Relations with States, and Msgr. Francesco Coppola, nunciature counsellor, according to a statement by Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J.

  Last Sunday, after praying the Angelus, the Pope had encouraged faithful to join the Day of Prayer called by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to ask for peace in the Holy Land and for "the gifts of wisdom and courage for all participants in this important meeting."

  In Annapolis, the Holy Father said on Sunday, "Israelis and Palestinians, with the help of the international community, aim to relaunch the negotiating process in order to find a just and definitive solution to the conflict which, for the last 60 years, has bloodied the Holy Land and brought so many tears and so much suffering to the two peoples."
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of N'Zerekore, Guinea, presented by Bishop Philippe Kourouma, upon having reached the age limit.
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MEETING OF THE HOLY FATHER AND COLLEGE OF CARDINALS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 24, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office yesterday released information concerning the meeting for prayer and reflection between the Pope and the members of the College of Cardinals, which took place on November 23 in the Vatican's New Synod Hall.

  The morning session began with a greeting pronounced by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, who was celebrating his 80th birthday that day.

  After congratulating Cardinal Sodano, the Pope introduced the theme he had chosen for the day's discussion, "ecumenical dialogue in the light of prayer and of the Lord's command: 'Ut unum sint'."

  Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, then "provided a broad outline of the current situation of ecumenical dialogue and relations, focussing on three main areas: relations with the ancient Churches of the East; relations with the ecclesial communities that came into being in the wake of the Reform of the 16th century; relations with charismatic and Pentecostal movements that developed above all during last century."

  Cardinal Kasper also presented "the results achieved in each of these fields, describing progress made to date and problems still outstanding."

  The subsequent debate "included a wide-ranging exchange of experiences and opinions, reflecting a variety of situations. Seventeen cardinals spoke and numerous problems were addressed, among them the joint ecumenical commitment of Christians in the social and charitable fields, and in defending moral values in the transformation of modern societies.

  "It was particularly noted," the communique adds, "that the Church's social doctrine and its implementation is one of the most promising areas for ecumenism. Mention was also made of the commitment to continue the 'purification of memory' and to use forms of communication" that no not "wound the sensibility of other Christians.

  "It was suggested that profound consideration be given to the possibilities for ecumenical development," in which context "recent and highly significant events were mentioned, such as the ecumenical assembly of Sibiu, Romania, the ecumenical and inter-religious meeting of Naples, Italy, the journey to Paris of Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow, and the great ecumenical gatherings of ecclesial movements at Stuttgart, Germany."

  Finally, "in the wider context, attention turned to relations with Judaism and to inter-religious dialogue."

  The meeting continued at 5 p.m. with the celebration of Vespers, after which contributions were forthcoming from 16 cardinals.

  "On the theme of ecumenism, further attention was given to questions such as collaboration among Christians of different confessions for the defense of the family in society and in legislative systems, and the importance of spiritual ecumenism and of personal relations with the faithful and with authorities of other Christian confessions.

  "A number of the contributions touched on relations with the Jews and with Islam. Mention was made of the encouraging sign represented by the letter from 138 Muslim leaders and by the visit of the king of Saudi Arabia to the Pope."

  Other subjects discussed included "the difficulties faced by the Christian faith in a secularized world, ...the importance of a new evangelization which responds to post-modern man's most profound and permanent hopes for happiness and freedom. On the continent of Latin America there exists a new missionary drive nourished also by the recent general conference of the Latin American episcopate held in Aparedica, Brazil.

  "Certain specific contributions were dedicated to the situation of consecrated life in the world today, and to the formation of seminarians.

  "The Holy Father's important letter to the Catholic Church in China was recalled, and its favorable reception by bishops and faithful was noted.

  "The urgency was underlined of the Church's commitment to peace, to the struggle against poverty and to disarmament, especially nuclear disarmament."

  "Certain purely informative contributions dwelt on the forthcoming international Eucharistic Congress, of Quebec, Canada, the Pauline Year, and the diffusion of the Catholic press and especially of 'L'Osservatore Romano.'

  "Following a brief reply from Cardinal Kasper on a number of specific points, the Holy Father delivered a concluding address, summing up what had been discussed. He thanked the cardinals for their participation and contributions and announced the forthcoming publication of his new Encyclical dedicated to the subject of hope, in response to the deepest expectations of our contemporaries."
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CHRISTIAN GREATNESS LIES NOT IN DOMINATION BUT IN SERVICE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 24, 2007 (VIS) - In the Vatican Basilica this morning, Benedict XVI celebrated his second Ordinary Public Consistory, during which he created 23 new cardinals.

  Following the opening liturgical greeting, the Holy Father read the formula of creation and solemnly proclaimed the names of the new cardinals. The first of them, Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, then thanked the Pope in the name of all the others.

  After a Gospel reading, the Holy Father pronounced his homily.

  The College of Cardinals, he said, recreates "the ancient 'presbyterium' of the bishop of Rome, the members of which, while carrying out their pastoral and liturgical functions in the various Churches, ensured [the Pope] did not lack their precious collaboration in carrying out the duties associated with his universal apostolic ministry.

  "Times have changed," Pope Benedict added, "and the great family of Christ's disciples has today spread to every continent, ... it speaks almost every language of the world and its members include people from all cultures. The diversity of the members of the College of Cardinals, in terms of both geographical and cultural background, serves to underline this providential growth, at the same time highlighting the changing pastoral requirements to which the Pope is called to respond."

  Benedict XVI reminded the cardinals that each one of them "represents a portion of the mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church in every corner of the earth." Referring then to the communities entrusted to their care, he made particular mention of "those most tried by suffering, challenges and difficulties of various kinds" and especially "the dear Christian communities of Iraq."

  Iraqi Christians, he went on, "experience in their own flesh the dramatic consequences of enduring conflict, and are currently living in an extremely fragile and delicate political situation. By calling the Chaldean patriarch to enter the College of Cardinals, I have sought to give concrete expression to my spiritual closeness and affection for those peoples. Together let us reaffirm the solidarity of the entire Church towards Christians in that dear land, and invite people to call upon merciful God for ... the advent of reconciliation and peace."

  Commenting then on the Gospel of St. Mark which relates how "ambition caused the sons of Zebedee to claim for themselves the best positions in the kingdom of the Messiah," the Holy Father emphasized how "all true disciples of Christ aspire to just one thing: sharing His passion without seeking any reward. Christians are called to assume the status of 'servant,' following Jesus' footsteps, in other words to give their lives for others freely and disinterestedly.

  "Not the search for power and success but the humble giving of self for the good of the Church must characterize our every gesture and word," he added. "True Christian greatness, in fact, does not consist of domination but of service."

  "Be apostles of God, Who is Love, and witnesses of evangelical hope. This is what Christian people expect from you," the Pope concluded. "Christ calls on you to confess His truth before mankind, to embrace and to share His cause, and to do all this ... with that inner humility which is the result of cooperation with the grace of God."
 
  At the end of the homily the new cardinals made the profession of faith before the people of God, swearing their faithfulness and obedience to the Pope and his successors.

  One by one, in the order in which they were created, the new cardinals then came and knelt before the Holy Father who imposed the red "biretta" or hat and assigned them a titular or diaconate church in Rome as a sign of their participation in the Pope's pastoral concern for the city.

  The Pope gave each new cardinal his Bull of Creation and exchanged an embrace of peace with them. The cardinals then exchanged the same embrace with each other

  The celebration concluded with the prayer of the faithful, the recitation of the Our Father and the final blessing.
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