POPE AT CASAL DEL MARMO: AS PRIEST AND BISHOP, I MUST BE AT YOUR SERVICE

Vatican City, 29 March 2013 (VIS) – At 5:00pm yesterday afternoon, Holy Thursday, Pope Francis left the Vatican to go to the Casal del Marmo Penitential Institute for Minors where he celebrated the “in Coena Domine”—the Lord's Supper—Mass, which is the first of the Easter Triduum. Around fifty of the boys and girls detained at the juvenile centre located on the outskirts of Rome were in attendance. The Pope washed the feet of ten boys and two girls and, in his homily, said that their obligation is to help others “as a priest and as a bishop should be at your service. It is a duty that comes from my heart.”

At the moment of washing their feet, Pope Francis kneeled six times, each time washing the feet of the young people in front of him. The Holy Father began by washing their feet, then dried them, and finally kissed them. The girls whose feet he washed were an Italian and an Eastern European. Following is the full text of the homily that the Pope delivered after the Gospel was read.

“This is touching. Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. Peter did not understand anything; he refused. But Jesus explained to him. Jesus—God—has done this! And He himself said to his disciples: 'Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me “teacher” and “master”, and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.' (Jn 13:12-15)”

“This is the Lord's example: He is the most important one and He washes [other's] feet because those who are the highest among us must be at the service of others. And this is a symbol, a sign, isn't it? Washing someone's feet is [saying] 'I am at your service'. And us too, among us, shouldn't we wash one another’s feet every day—but what does this mean? That we must help each other, help one another. Sometimes I'm angry at someone … but … let it go. Forget it. And, if someone asks a favour of you, do it. Help each other.”

“This is what Jesus teaches us and this is what I am doing. I do it wholeheartedly because it is my duty. As priest and as bishop I must be at your service. But it is a duty that comes from my heart: I love it. I love this and I love doing it because the Lord has taught me this. But you as well, help each other; always help each other; help one another.”

“And so, in helping one another we do good to each other. Now we'll have this ceremony of washing of the feet and we will think, each of us will think: 'Am I truly ready, am I ready to serve and to help another?' Let's just think of that. And let's think that this sign is Jesus' caress that Jesus does because He came precisely for this: to serve and to help us.”

Concelebrating the Mass with the Holy Father were Cardinal Agostino Vallini, vicar general of Rome, Archbishop Angelo Becciu, substitute of the Secretariat of State, Msgr. Alfred Xuereb, the Pope's personal secretary, and the institute's chaplain, Fr. Gaetano Greco, a tertiary Capuchin of Our Lady of Sorrows, with one of his confreres. The Mass was celebrated in the institute's chapel, which is dedicated to the “Merciful Father”. Of the youth in attendance, around 11 were girls. At the end of the ceremony, Pope Francis again gathered with the youth in the institute's gym where, among others, the Italian Minister for Justice, Paola Severino, was present. The youth of the detention centre gave the Pope a wooden crucifix and kneeler, which they had made themselves in the institute's workshop.

Before leaving, the Pope thanked the youth for welcoming him and when one of the youth asked him why he had decided to visit their detention centre the Pope answered that his heart had compelled him. “It is a feeling that came from my heart; I felt it. Where are those who, perhaps, will help me most to be humble, to be a server as a bishop must be? And I thought, I asked: 'Where are people who would like me to visit?' And they told me: 'Perhaps Casal del Marmo.' And when they told me that, I came here. But it just came from my heart. Matters of the heart cannot be explained; they just come [to you]. Thanks!” On bidding them farewell he told the youth: “I'm going now. Thank you so much for your welcome. Pray for me. Don't let yourselves be robbed of hope. Always go forward. Thank you very much!”

VARATIONS IN PAPAL COAT OF ARMS

Vatican City, 29 March 2013 (VIS) – The Vatican website has released a new version of the papal coat of arms that incorporates a few changes. For the Marian symbol, instead of a five-pointed star, there is now an eight-pointed star, which also represents the 8 beatitudes. The nard flower representing St. Joseph, patron of the Universal Church, has been made to more closely represent that flower. Finally, Francis' motto “miserando atque eligendo” underneath the shield has been placed upon a scroll of white parchment with a red backside. The Jesuit emblem remains the same. More details on the coat of arms can be found in the “FRANCIS' COAT OF ARMS” notice of the bulletin of 19 March: www.vis.va.

CHRISM MASS: POPE FRANCIS WARNS PRIESTS THAT INSATISFACTION COMES FROM NOT GOING OUT OF ONESELF

Vatican City, 28 March 2013 (VIS) – This morning, Pope Francis warned Catholic priests around the world that “the reason why some priests grow dissatisfied, lose heart and become in some sense collectors of antiques or novelties” comes from seldom going out of oneself, which leads to “missing out on the best of our people”. Instead, he strongly urged priests to be “shepherds who have the smell of their sheep'.”

The solemn Holy Thursday Chrism Mass celebrated in the Vatican Basilica opens the Paschal Triduum of Holy Week. During the course of the Mass, celebrated in all the churches and cathedrals throughout the world, priests renew the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience that they made at their ordination. Also, the oil used to anoint catechumens and the oil used to anoint the sick as well as the chrism oil—olive oil scented with balsam—used to anoint those being baptised, confirmed, or receiving Holy Orders is blessed.

The Chrism Mass presided over by the Holy Father was concelebrated by the over 2,000 cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests present and was attended by over 10,000 faithful. Francis pointed out to them that the “clear proof” to recognizing a good priest is “by the way his people are anointed”. He added that “it is not in soul-searching or constant introspection that we encounter the Lord: self-help courses can be useful in life, but to live our priestly life by going from one course to another, from one method to another, leads us to become pelagians and to minimize the power of grace, which comes alive and flourishes to the extent that we, in faith, go out and give ourselves and the Gospel to others”.

He developed this theme throughout his homily, which he began by recalling that this Mass was a reminder to all priests—including himself—of the day of their ordination. In this context the Pope explained what it means to be anointed ones, to “be for” others, and he focused on the meaning of the liturgical vestments. “When we put on our simple chasuble, it might well make us feel, upon our shoulders and in our hearts, the burdens and the faces of our faithful people, our saints and martyrs, of which we have so many in our times.”

At the same time, he noted how “the beauty of all these liturgical things ... is not so much about trappings and fine fabrics” as it is destined to the action expected of priests. “The ointment, dear brothers, is not intended just to make us fragrant, much less to be kept in a jar, for then it would become rancid … and the heart bitter.”

The Holy Father also gave concrete details to inspire priests in their pastoral mission, commenting that: “our people like to hear the Gospel preached with 'unction', they like it when the Gospel we preach touches their daily lives, when it runs down like the oil of Aaron to the edges of reality, when it brings light to moments of extreme darkness, to the 'outskirts' where people of faith are most exposed to the onslaught of those who want to tear down their faith. People thank us because they feel that we have prayed over the realities of their everyday lives, their troubles, their joys, their burdens and their hopes. And when they feel that the fragrance of the Anointed One, of Christ, has come to them through us, they feel encouraged to entrust to us everything they want to bring before the Lord: '“Pray for me, Father, because I have this problem', 'Bless me, Father', 'Pray for me'.”

“What I want to emphasize,” the Pope said, “is that we need constantly to stir up God’s grace and perceive in every request, even those requests that are inconvenient and at times purely material or downright banal—but only apparently so—the desire of our people to be anointed with fragrant oil, since they know that we have it. To perceive and to sense, even as the Lord sensed the hope-filled anguish of the woman suffering from haemorrhages when she touched the hem of his garment.”

Before finishing his homily, the Holy Father also addressed the lay faithful, urging them to “be close to your priests with affection and with your prayers, that they may always be shepherds according to God’s heart.”

PROMULGATION OF DECREES BY CONGREGATION FOR CAUSES OF SAINTS

Vatican City, 28 March 2013 (VIS) – Yesterday, Wednesday 27 March 2013, the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. During the course of the audience the pontiff authorised the dicastery to promulgate the decrees concerning the following causes::

MIRACLE

- attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Maria Theresia Bonzel (nee Regina Christine Wilhelmine Bonzel), foundress of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in Olpe, Germany. Born in Olpe on 17 September 1830 and died there on 6 February 1905.

MARTYRDOM

- Servant of God Manuel Basulto y Jimenez, bishop of Jaen, Spain, and five Companions; killed in hatred of the faith in Spain between 1936 and 1937.

- Servant of God Jose Maximo Moro Briz and four Companions, priests of the Diocese of Avila, Spain; killed in hatred of the faith in Spain in 1936.

- Servant of God Vladimir Ghika, priest of the archdiocese of Bucharest, Romania. Born in Istanbul, Turkey on 25 December 1873 and killed in hatred of the faith in Bucharest on 16 May 1954.

- Servant of God Joaquin Jovani Marin and 14 Companions from the Diocesan Labourer Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; killed in hatred of the faith in Spain between 1936 and 1938.

- Servant of God Andres from Palazuelo (ne Miguel Francisco Gonzalez-Diez Gonzalez-Nunez), professed priest of the Order of Capuchin Friars Minor, and 31 Companions; killed in hatred of the faith in Spain between 1936 and 1937.

- Servant of God Giuseppe Girotti, professed priest of the Order of Preachers. Born in Alba, Italy, on 19 July 1905 and killed in hatred of the faith in Dachau, Germany, in 1945.

- Servant of God Stefano Sandor, professed religious of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Born in Szolnok, Hungary, on 26 October 1914 and killed in hatred of the faith in Budapest, Hungary, on 8 June 1953.

- Servant of God Rolando Rivi, seminarian of the diocese of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla. Born in Castellarano, Italy, on 7 January 1931 and killed in hatred of the faith in Piane di Monchio, Italy, on 13 April 1945.

HEROIC VIRTUES

- Servant of God Eladio Mozas Santamera, diocesan priest and founder of the Josephine Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity. Born in Miedes de Atienza, Spain, on 18 February 1837 and died in Plasencia, Spain, on 18 March 1897.

- Servant of God Manuel Aparici Navarro, diocesan priest. Born in Madrid, Spain, on 11 December 1902 and died there on 28 August 1964.

- Servant of God Moises Lira Serafin, professed priest of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit and founder of the Missionaries of Charity of Mary Immaculate. Born in Zacatlan, Mexico, on 16 September 1893 and died in Mexico City, Mexico on 25 June 1950.

- Servant of God Generoso of the Crucified (ne Angelo Fontanarosa), professed priest of the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ. Born in Vetralla, Italy, on 6 November 1881 and died in Mascalucia, Italy, on 9 January 1966.

- Servant of God Olinto Marella, diocesan priest. Born in Pallestrina, Italy, on 14 June 1882 and died in San Lazzaro di Savena, Italy, on 6 September 1969.

- Servant of God Antoine Kowalczyk, lay brother of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Born in Dzierzanow, Poland, on 04 June 1866 and died in Edmonton, Canada on 10 July 1947.

- Servant of God Silvia Cardoso Ferreiro da Silva, laywoman. Born in Pacos de Ferreira, Portugal, on 26 July 1882 and died there on 2 November 1950.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 28 March 2013 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father appointed Bishop Mario Aurelio Poli as metropolitan archbishop of Buenos Aires (area 203, population 2,891,082, Catholics 2,647,000, priests 834, permanent deacons 7, religious 2,379), Argentina. The archbishop-elect was born in Buenos Aires in 1947, was ordained a priest in 1978, and received episcopal ordination in 2002. Since ordination he has served in several pastoral and academic roles, most recently as bishop of Santa Rosa, Argentina. On the Argentine Episcopal Conference he was a member of the Episcopal Commissions for Catholic Education and for Ministers and is currently president of the Episcopal Commission for Catechesis and Biblical Ministry.