EXAMINATION OF AMENDMENTS TO SYNOD FATHERS' PROPOSITIONS

VATICAN CITY, 23 OCT 2008 (VIS) - No General Congregation will be held today. Instead, this morning and this afternoon, the relator general of the Synod, with the special secretary and the relators of the language groups, will study the collective amendments to the Synod Fathers' propositions.
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DIALOGUE HELPS TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES

VATICAN CITY, 23 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message sent by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., in the Pope's name, to Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio S.J., archbishop of Buenos Aires, for a celebration held in the Argentinean capital's Pontifical Catholic University on 16 October to mark the 30th anniversary of John Paul II's mediation between Argentina and Chile.

  The cardinal recalls that the reason for the celebration is "to recall the pontifical mediation that helped resolve a controversy which was running the risk of turning into a conflict, and to reflect upon the fruits of peace which matured then and have lasted to our own time".

  "The recollection of the events of the 30 years ago is indissolubly linked to the beloved figure of Pope John Paul II and to the outstanding work of his special delegate Cardinal Antonio Samore, both highly committed to the search for peace and harmony between the people of Argentina and Chile who have been united for centuries by firm bonds of faith and solidarity", the Message reads.

  The secretary of State also mentions Cardinal Agostino Casaroli and his collaborators who, "after the death of Cardinal Samore, continued the mediation efforts, until the signing of a joint declaration of peace and friendship in the Vatican on 23 January 1984. It was an admirable example of building peace by the principal and ever-relevant method of dialogue, which aims not at the supremacy of power or interest, but at affirming impartial and solidary justice, the sure and stable foundation for coexistence among peoples".

  This mediation, the Message continues, "still stands as an example to call to the international community's attention because, apart from the patience and sense of responsibility of the parties involved, it shows how in all controversies dialogue does not prejudice rights, rather it broadens the field of reasonable possibilities for solving differences".

  "Thus it is necessary to continue using diplomacy and its methods of negotiation, which draw strength from people's moral resources giving them the confidence to guarantee peace, security and wellbeing. The new generation, bearing in mind the lessons of ancient and modern history, are called to look to the future with eyes of hope and to commit themselves to building the civilisation of love, of which John Paul II was prophet, though not always heard".
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 23 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 - Cardinal Francis E. George O.M.I., Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson and Msgr. David Malloy, respectively president, vice-president and secretary general of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

 - Archbishop Charles Maung Bo S.D.B. of Yangon, Myanmar, on his "ad limina" visit.

 - Four prelates from the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop Julio Cesar Teran Dutari S.J. of Ibarra.

    - Bishop Nestor Rafael Herrera Heredia of Machala.

    - Bishop Manuel Valarezo Luzuriaga O.F.M. apostolic prefect of Galapagos.

    - Bishop Rafael Cob Garcia, apostolic vicar of Puyo.

  On 22 October he received in audience Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller of Regensburg, Germany.
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SYNOD FATHERS MEET IN LANGUAGE GROUPS

VATICAN CITY, 22 OCT 2008 (VIS) - This morning the Synod Father met in language groups to continue preparing the collective amendments to the more than 50 propositions that have been made.

  This afternoon the meetings of the language groups are scheduled to continue. At the end of the afternoon session the propositions will be delivered to the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops.
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PAUL: THE RISEN CHRIST AND THE MYSTERY OF SALVATION

VATICAN CITY, 22 OCT 2008 (VIS) - In his general audience this morning, Benedict XVI proceeded with his series of catecheses on St. Paul, focusing on the Apostle of the Gentile's teaching on "the central role of the Risen Christ in the mystery of salvation". The audience, held in St. Peter's Square, was attended by 17,000 people.

  For Paul, the Pope explained, Christ "is the principle for understanding the world and discovering the path of history". The Apostle of the Gentiles, said the Holy Father "was not concerned with narrating the individual episodes of Jesus' life" because "his pastoral and theological intention, which sought to sustain the nascent communities, concentrated above all on announcing Jesus Christ as the 'Lord', living and present, now among His people".

  The essential characteristic of Pauline Christology, said Benedict XVI, apart from announcing the living Christ, is "announcing the central fact of ... the death and resurrection of Jesus as the culmination of His earthly journey and as the root of the subsequent development of all Christian faith, of all the reality of the Church. For the Apostle, the Resurrection is not some isolated event, separate from His death: the Risen Christ is always same Christ Who before was crucified".

  "The Apostle contemplates in fascination the secret hidden in the Crucifixion-Resurrection and, through the suffering Christ experienced in His humanity, is led back to the eternal existence in which Christ is one with the Father". However, to understand Paul's thought on "pre-existence and ... the incarnation of Christ" we need to know "certain Old Testament texts which highlight the role of Wisdom before the creation of the world, ... such as those that speak of creative Wisdom".

  "These texts ... also speak of the descent of Wisdom which pitched its tent among us" as a premonition of "the tent of flesh" mentioned by St John the Evangelist. "But this descent of Wisdom ... implies the possibility of its being rejected", and St. Paul makes it clear that "Christ, like Wisdom, can be rejected, above all by those who dominate this world, so that in God's plan a paradoxical situation may be created in which ... the Cross ... is transformed into the way of salvation for all humankind".

  In his Letter to the Philippians Paul "further develops this idea of Wisdom which descends to be exalted despite its rejection. ... The gesture of the Son of God is the opposite of pride, it is a gesture of humility which is the realisation of love, and love is divine. Hence Christ's descent, the radical humility with which He contrasts human pride, truly is an expression of divine love, and it is followed by that elevation to heaven to which God draws us".

  In the Letters to the Colossians and Ephesians, Christ is described as "firstborn". This, the Pope explained, means that "the first among many children ... came down to make us His brothers and sisters".

  Finally, in the Letter to the Ephesians the Apostle considers "the divine plan of salvation", saying that "in Christ God wished to recapitulate all things. ... Christ reassumes all things and guides us to God. Thus He involves us in a movement of descent and ascension, inviting us to share in His humility, in other words His love for others and, hence, His glorification".
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