Dear brothers and sisters, on this World Mission Day my thoughts turn to all the local Churches. Let us not be robbed of the joy of evangelisation! I invite
you to immerse yourself in the joy of the Gospel and nurture a love that can light up your vocation and your mission. I urge each of you to recall, as if you were making an interior pilgrimage, that 'first love' with which the Lord Jesus Christ warmed your heart, not for the sake of nostalgia but in order to persevere in joy. The Lord's disciples persevere in joy when they sense his presence, do his will and share with others their faith, hope and evangelical charity.
Let us pray through the intercession of Mary, the model of humble and joyful evangelisation, that the Church may become a welcoming home, a mother for all peoples and the source of rebirth for our world".

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LET US IMITATE JESUS IN FACING THE HUMAN TROUBLES WE ENCOUNTER EVERY DAY
Vatican City, 14 June 2014 (VIS) - This morning in St. Peter's Square the Holy
Father met with the National Confederation for Mercy and the Fratres, Italian groups of blood donors. "All your service takes its meaning and form from this word: 'mercy', a Latin word whose etymological root is 'miseris cor dare', 'to give one's heart to the poor'. This is what Jesus did: he opened his heart wide
to man's suffering". The Pope underlined that the Gospel shows clearly "the gratuity of His love for the suffering and the weak", and "the closeness, goodness, the tenderness with which Jesus drew alongside the suffering and consoled them, brought them relief, and often healed them".
He went on to emphasise that we too are called upon "to be close to and to share the conditions of the people we encounter. Our words, gestures and attitudes must express our solidarity, the desire not to remain removed from the pain of others, and must do so with fraternal warmth and without descending
to any form of paternalism". He continued, "there is the risk of being spectators, highly informed but detached from these realities, or of making beautiful speeches that conclude with verbal solutions but a lack of commitment
with regard to real problems. Instead, we are required to let ourselves get involved in the human hardships that call out to us every day. Let us imitate Jesus: He went out on the streets and did not plan His encounters with the poor, or the sick, or the incapacitated who crossed His path; however, He stopped with the first He saw, offering succour, a sign of God's closeness which is goodness, providence and love".
Pope Francis commented that the activity of the Association is inspired by the
seven works of corporal mercy: to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to shelter the homeless, to visit the sick, to visit the imprisoned, to bury the dead. "I encourage you to carry forth your activity with joy and to model it on that of Christ, ensuring that those who suffer may encounter you and depend upon you in their moment of need".

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THE HOLY FATHER'S PROGRAMME FOR JULY AND AUGUST
Vatican City, 14 June 2014 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office published further
information on the Pope's engagements during the months of July and August 2014.
During the month of July, all Wednesday general audiences will be suspended. They will resume on the first Wednesday of August in the Vatican, taking place on 6, 20 and 27 August.
On Wednesday, 13 August, there will be no general audience as the Pope will travel to Korea (from 13 to 18 August).
The Angelus prayer will continue to take place in the Vatican every Sunday in July, except during the days of the Holy Father's absence during his trip to Korea (Sundays 15 and 17 August).
The morning mass at the Domus Sanctae Marthae will be suspended during the summer, from early July until the end of August, and will resume at the beginning of September.

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POPULORUM PROGRESSIO FOUNDATION: INCREASE PROJECTS IN EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Vatican City, 14 June 2014 (VIS) - From 11 to 13 June, at the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", the managing board of the Populorum Progressio Foundation held its annual meeting. This year it was held in Rome, primarily to ask Pope Francis for guidance in planning the future of the Foundation after 22 years of
work, in the light of his pastoral experience in Latin America.
Of the 135 projects presented in 2014 for the various ecclesiastical jurisdictions in Latin America and the Caribbean, 125 were approved, in conformity with the criteria of the Populorum Progressio, with a total value of
1,800,000 dollars. The majority were initiatives connected to children and young people. In this way, the Foundation will be able to support small communities in their projects for development and human advancement. They are primarily micro-projects in various fields: not only education, but also the creation of wells for drinking water, the institution of revolving funds and seed banks, the construction of community halls, the funding of healthcare projects, and so on.
On Friday Pope Francis received in audience the members of the managing board.
During 40 minutes the prelates spoke with him on matters linked to the Latin American continent, taking into account the activity carried out by this Foundation. The Holy Father affirmed, first of all, that Catholic institutions are not NGOs and that they must put into action an anthropology that does not see the person solely as "a mouth to feed", but must also take into consideration the spiritual dimension, and the yearning for God that every person holds in his heart.
Secondly, the issue of indigenous populations was discussed, and the question of evangelisation and its relationship to charitable works in the context of the works of corporal mercy that cannot be separated from spiritual works. The Holy Father also commented on the ideology centred on the "god of money", leading to the rejection of two categories of person: children, the future of society, and the elderly, who are its historical memory. He also underlined the
dramatic problem of youth unemployment, which leads generations of young people
without a future, easy prey to addiction and criminality. Francis asked the Populorum Progressio to pay attention to this sector of the population through projects for education and professional training. The dialogue was frank, open and constructive.
Holding the meeting in Rome made it possible for the managing board to consult
with entities such as the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, whose secretary Guzamn Carriquiry Lecour spoke upon request by Cardinal Marc Ouellet,
P.S.S., president of the Commission, during the round table of the first day of
the meeting. A very fruitful exchange took place regarding the theme of indigenism and the question of formation. It is also worth noting that the Foundation has undertaken a collaborative project with the Catholic University San Antonio de Murcia to establish training courses for agents of pastoral care, often directly responsible to the Foundation's projects in the same area.
The Foundation must face the great challenge of enlarging the geographical horizons of its donations, with the aim of ensuring that all the projects presented may be accepted by the Pope's charity. In this regard, the members of
the Foundation were given the aim of increasing awareness among the particular Churches and persons of good will so that the funds available will allow this this work, so greatly appreciated by the Holy Father, to continue with ever greater intensity.

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CARDINAL CYPRIEN LACROIX TAKES POSSESSION OF HIS TITULAR CHURCH
Vatican City, 16 June 2014 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that on Sunday, 22 June, at 10.30 a.m., Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroix, archbishop of Quebec, Canada, will take possession of the title of San Giuseppe all'Aurelio (Via Boccea, 362).

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AUDIENCES
Vatican City, 16 June 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Monica Jimenez de la Jara, ambassador of Chile, presenting her letters of credence.
- Archbishop Luigi Bianco, apostolic nuncio in Honduras.
On Saturday, 14 June, the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 14 June 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:
- appointed Archbishop George Panikulam, formerly apostolic nuncio in Ethiopia
and Djibouti and apostolic delegate in Somalia, as apostolic nuncio in Uruguay.
- appointed Bishop Gary Gordon of Whitehorse, Canada as Bishop of Victoria (area 33,197, population 729,000, Catholics 98,400, priests 47, religious 80), Canada.
- appointed Msgr. John J. Jenik, Fr. Peter J. Byrne, and Fr. John J. O'Hara as
auxiliaries of the archdiocese of New York (area 12,212, population 5,854,721, Catholics 2,634,624, priests 1,515, permanent deacons 292, religious 3,840), U.S.A.
Bishop-elect Jenik was born in Manhattan, U.S.A. in 1944 and was ordained a priest in 1970. He holds a bachelor's degree in theology from the St. Joseph's seminary, Yonkers, and a master's degree in education from the Fordham University, Yonkers. He has served as deputy priest of the "St. Jerome's Parish" and the "St. Thomas Aquinas Parish" in the Bronx, New York, and is currently priest of the "Our Lady of Refuge Parish", the Bronx, New York and regional vicar for north-west Bronx. He was named Prelate of Honour of His Holiness in 1995.
Bishop-elect Byrne was born in Manhattan, U.S.A. in 1951 and was ordained a priest in 1984. He holds a bachelor's degree in history and social sciences from the Fordham University, Yonkers, and a bachelor's degree in theology from the St. Joseph's seminary, Yonkers. He has served as deputy priest of the "Holy
Family Parish" in the Bronx, New York, and administrator and subsequently priest of the "Immaculate Conception" and the "St. John the Baptist" parishes in Staten Island. He is currently priest of the "St. Elizabeth Parish" in Manhattan, New York.
Bishop-elect O'Hara was born in Jersey City, U.S.A. in 1946 and was ordained a
priest in 1984. He holds a bachelor's degree in English from the Seton Hall University, South Orange, and carried out his ecclesiastical studies at the St.
Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers. He has served as deputy priest of the "St. Augustine Parish", New City, the "St. Charles Parish", Staten Island, and the "St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus Parish", Staten Island, where he subsequently became priest in 2000. He is also director for Strategic Parish Planning for the archdiocese of New York.
- appointed Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, archbishop emeritus of Santiago de Chile, Chile, as his special envoy to the Third World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM III), to be held in Bogota, Colombia from 15 to 19 August 2014.

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For more information and to search for documents refer to the site: www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS): the news contained in the services of the Vatican
Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting
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Cardinal Walter KASPER, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Vatican City
Cardinal Angelo SCOLA, archbishop of Milan, Italy
Cardinal Carlo CAFFARRA, archbishop of Bologna, Italy
Cardinal Lluøs MART═NEZ SISTACH, archbishop of Barcelona, Spain
Cardinal AndrΘ VINGT-TROIS, archbishop of Paris, France
Cardinal John TONG HON, bishop of Hong Kong (Xianggang), China
Cardinal Orani Joπo TEMPESTA, O. Cist., archbishop of Sπo Sebastiπo do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Cardinal Andrew YEOM SOO-JUNG, archbishop of Seoul, Korea
Cardinal Philippe Nakellentuba OU╔DRAOGO, archbishop of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Cardinal Fernando SEBASTI┴N AGUILAR, C.M.F., archbishop emeritus of Pamplona and Tudela, Spain
Cardinal Elio SGRECCIA, president emeritus of the Pontifical Academy for Life,
Italy
Cardinal Giuseppe BERTELLO, president of the Governorate of Vatican City State, Vatican City
Archbishop Giovanni TONUCCI of Loreto, Italy
Archbishop Edoardo MENICHELLI of Ancona-Osimo, Italy
Archbishop Carlos AGUIAR RETES of Tlalnepantla, Mexico, president of the Latin
American and Caribbean Bishops' Conferences (C.E.L.AM.)
Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas COUTO of Delhi, India
Archbishop Victor Manuel FERN┴NDEZ, rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, Argentina
Bishop Alonso Gerardo GARZA TREVI╤O of Piedras Negras, Mexico
Bishop Edgard Amine MADI of Nossa Senhora do Løbano em Sπo Paulo de los Maronitas, Brazil
Bishop Enrico SOLMI of Parma, president of the Commission for Life and the Family of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Italy
Bishop Pio Vito PINTO, dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, Vatican City
Rev. Fr. Franτois-Xavier DUMORTIER, S.J., rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome, Italy
Rev. Fr. Antonio SPADARO, S.J., Director of the journal "La Civiltá Cat≤lica",
Italy
Rev. Fr. Manuel Jes·s ARROBA CONDE, C.M.F., professor of canon law at the Pontifical Lateran University of Rome, Italy
XIII. UNDER SECRETARY OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS
Bishop Fabio FABENE, Vatican City
B LIST OF OTHER PARTICIPANTS ACCORDING TO ORDER OF PARTICIPATION
I. COLLABORATORS OF THE SPECIAL SECRETARY
Msgr.Tony ANATRELLA, psychoanalyst, specialist in social psychiatry, consultor
of the Pontifical Council for the Family, consultor of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers, France
Rev. GΘrard BERLIET, professor of Sacred Scriptures in the provincial seminary
of Lyons, head of pastoral care of divorced and remarried faithful for the diocese of Dijon, France
Rev. Fr. Bruno ESPOSITO. O.P., professor and ordinary in canon law at the Pontifical University St. Thomas Aquinas, Italy
Rev. Fr. Alfonso FERN┴NDEZ BENITO, professor of moral theology and the sacrament of marriage in the "San Ildefonso" Higher Institute for Theological Studies, director of the Institute for Religious Sciences of Santa Maria de Toledo, Spain
Rev. Fr. Arul Raj GALI, C.S.C., national director of the "Holy Cross Family Ministries in India", India
Jeffrey GOH, professor of systematic theology in the Archdiocesan Seminary of Kuching, Malaysia; judge of the Ecclesiastical Tribunal of Kuching, Malaysia
Rev. Maurizio GRONCHI, professor and ordinary in dogmatic theology at the Urbanian Pontifical University of Rome; consultor of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Italy
Rodrigo GUERRA L╙PEZ, director general of the Centro de Investigaci≤n Social Avanzada [CISAV], Mexico
Jocelyne KHOUEIRY, member of the Episcopal Commission for the Family and Life,
APECL, Lebanon
Helen Kyung Soo KWON, member of the executive committee of the "Helen Kim Scholarship Foundation" at Ewha Women's University, Korea
Rev. Fr. Sabatino MAJORANO, C.SS.R., professor of systematic moral theology at
the Alphonsianum Academy, Rome, Italy
Christopher Laurence MENEY, director of the Centre for Life, Marriage and the Family of the archdiocese of Sydney, Australia
MIANO - DE SIMONE
Giuseppina DE SIMONE in MIANO, extraordinary professor of philosophy at the Theological Faculty of Southern Italy in Naples, Italy
Francesco MIANO, professor and ordinary in moral philosophy at the "Tor Vergata" University of Rome and ex-president of Italian Catholic Action, Italy
Carmen PE╤A GARC═A, specialist in marriage, professor in the faculty of canon law at the Pontifical University of Comillas, defender of the bond and promotor
of justice of the Metropolitan Tribunal of Madrid, Spain
Rev. Fr. George Henri RUYSSEN, S.J., professor in the faculty of Oriental canon law in the Oriental Pontifical Institute of Rome, Belgium
II. AUDITORS
Messrs AS ZAMBERLINE
Arturo and Hermelinda AS ZAMBERLINE, heads of the "╔quipe Notre-Dame" for the super-region of Brazil, Brazil
Messrs AZZO and HABEEB
Riyadh Albeer Naoom AZZO and Sanaa Namir Ibrahim HABEEB, witnesses of Christian family life in an Islamic context, Iraq
Messrs BOTOLO and KISANGA SOSAWE
Le≤n BOTOLO and Marie Valentine KISANGA SOSAWE, founders of the CommunautΘ Famille ChrΘtienne, Democratic Republic of Congo
Zelmira Marøa BOTTINI DE REY, director of the institute for Couples and Families of the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina; president of the Latin-American Network of Institutes for the Family in Catholic Universities, Argentina
CAMPOS
George CAMPOS, director of Couples for Christ, Philippines, and Cynthia CAMPOS, member of Couples for Christ, Philippines
Inßcio AmΓndio CHA┌QUE, formator of young couples, Mozambique
Joan CLEMENTS, director of the managing board of the World Organisation Ovulation Method Billings (WOOMB), Australia
Messrs CONWAY
Stephen and Sandra CONWAY, regional heads for Africa de Retrouvailles, South Africa
Dr. Ute EBERL, head of family and matrimonial pastoral in Berlin, Germany
Messrs JESEN ACU╤A - ESCUDERO
Ms Pilar ESCUDERO DE JENSEN, member of the vicariate general for Pastoral Care
of the archdiocese of Santiago de Chile; member of the Pontifical Council for the Laity; member of the Schoenstatt Institute for Families, Chile
Luis JENSEN ACU╤A, member of the Bioethical Centre of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile; president of the "Fundaci≤n MΘdico Cultural Porta Vitae"; member of the Schoenstatt Institute for Families, Chile
GATSINGA - TUMUHAYIMPUNDU
Dr Jean DieudonnΘ GATSINGA and Emerthe GATSINGA TUMUHAYIMPUNDU, responsible for young families in the Focolari movement for Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda (Rwanda)
Messrs HEINZEN
Mr Jeffrey HEINZEN, director of Natural Family Planning in the diocese of La Crosse, U.S.A. Mrs Alice HEINZEN, member of the Natural Family Planning Advisory Board of the Episcopal Conference (U.S.A.)
Dr Ilva Myriam HOYOS CASTA╤EDA, delegate procurator for the Defence of the Rights of Childhood, Adolescence and the Family, Colombia
Messrs KHOURY
SΘlim and Rita KHOURY, heads of the Office for Family Pastoral Care in the Patriarchal Curia of Antioch of the Maronites, Lebanon
Marøa LACALLE NORIEGA, director of the Francisco de Vitoria Centre for Family Studies and Social and Economic Studies; secretary general of the Spanish Society for Bioethics and Biojustice, Spain
Rev. Cajetan MENEZES, director of the Apostolate for the Family in Bombay, India
Messrs PETRACCA CIAVARELLA and MIGLIONICO
Giuseppe PETRACCA CIAVARELLA and Lucia MIGLIONICO in PETRACCA CIAVARELLA, medical doctors, members of the National Advisory Council for Family Pastoral Care, Italy
Sister Margaret MULDOON, ex superior general of the Sisters of the Holy Family
of Burdeos, Ireland
Francisco PADILLA, head of the Couples for Christ Movement Foundation for family and life, Philippines
Algirdas PETRONIS, deputy president of the International Federation for Catholic Families. Director of the Family Centre of the archdiocese of Vilnius,
Lithuania
Messrs PIROLA
Romano and Mavis PIROLA, directors of Australian Catholic Marriage and Family Council, Australia
Messrs ROUSSY
Olivier and Xristilla ROUSSY, heads of the apostolic branch of Amour et VΘritΘ, France
Messrs SCHULTZ
Steve and Claudia SCHULTZ, members of the International Catholic Engaged Encounter (U.S.A.)
MichΦle TAUPIN, president of the EspΘrance et Vie movement, France
Jeannette TOUR╔, national president of the Association of Catholic Women in Cote d'Ivoire [AFEC], Cote d'Ivoire.
C. LIST OF FRATERNAL DELEGATES
Ecumenical Patriarchate
His Eminence ATHENAGORAS, metropolitan of Belgium
Patriarchate of Moscow
His Eminence HILARION, president of the Department of External Church Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow, Russian Federation
Coptic Orthodox Church
His Eminence BISHOY, metropolitan of Damietta, Kafr Elsheikh and Elbarari, Egypt
Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch
His Eminence Mar YOSTINOS, archbishop of Zhale and Bekau, Lebanon
Anglican Communion
His Grace Paul BUTLER, bishop of Durham, England, Great Britain
Lutheran World Federation
Mr Ndanganeni Petrus PHASWAHA, president of the Lutheran Evangelical Church in
South Africa
World Communion of Reformed Churches
Rev. Benebo FUBARA-MANUEL, president of the Nigerian Communion of Reformed Churches, Nigeria
Baptist World Alliance
ValΘrie DUVAL-POUJOL, professor of biblical exegesis at the Catholic Institute
of Paris, France.

___________________________________________________________

For more information and to search for documents refer to the site: www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS): the news contained in the services of the Vatican
Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting
the source: V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service. http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/vis_en.html

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Pope Francis: "On 25 November, Strasbourg, to speak at the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. And then, perhaps, on 28 November, Turkey, to be there to celebrate the feast of St. Andrew, with the Patriarch Bartholomaios".
Q: "We have understood that you have a vision of Albania that is a little different to that of the Europeans; that is, we look at Europe almost as if it were the European Union, whereas you have chosen, as the first European country
to visit, a peripheral country that does not belong to the European Union. What
would you say to those who look only at the Europe of the 'powerful'?"
Pope Francis: "That my trip is a message, it is a sign: it is a sign I wish to
give".
Q: "We all saw you weep, I think, for the first time, we saw you very moved during that encounter: it was, I think, the most moving moment of the trip..."
Pope Francis: "To hear a martyr speak of his own martyrdom was very powerful. I think that all of us who were there were moved, all of us. And they spoke as if they were talking about other people, simply and with humility. It did me a great deal of good".

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The Holy Father receives the president of Latvia
Vatican City, 20 September 2014 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy Father Francis received in audience Andris Berzins, president of the Republic of Latvia, who subsequently met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
During the discussions, which took place in a cordial atmosphere, the existing
good relations between Latvia and the Holy See were evoked, as well as the positive contribution made by the Catholic Church to society, especially in the
fields of education and social welfare.
Mention was then made of various aspects of life in the country, as well as international matters of common interest, particularly in view of Latvia's upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union, from 1 January 2015. Special attention was paid to the situation in Ukraine, in the hope that a political solution, based on law, may be sought through dialogue.

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The Church needs pastors able to kneel before others
Vatican City, 22 September 2014 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican's Clementine Hall, the Holy Father received the bishops participating in the seminar organised by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. Pope Francis praised the courage of the bishops, who have not allowed themselves "to
be intimidated by the difficulties and challenges of the current world, that make the mission of bishops even more arduous nowadays", but have instead placed their trust in the Lord, "in imitation of the first disciples".
He reminded them of the urgent need for missionary conversion "that involves every baptised person and every parish", emphasising that pastors are required to be the first to live and witness this conversion as the leaders of the particular Churches. Therefore, he added, "I encourage you to direct your life and your episcopal ministry towards this missionary transformation that currently challenges the People of God".
"Service to humanity is at the centre of this missionary conversion of the Church. ... A shining example of this pastoral service is offered by the Korean
martyr saints ... whose liturgical memory we celebrate today. Anchored in Christ, the Good Shepherd, they did not hesitate to shed their own blood for the Gospel, of which they were faithful dispensers and heroic witnesses. The Church needs pastors, that is, servants, bishops, who are able to kneel before others to wash their feet. Pastors who are close to the people, meek fathers and brothers, patient and merciful; who embrace poverty both as freedom for the
Lord and as simplicity and austerity in life".
"Make efforts to give a new missionary impetus to your diocesan communities, so that they continue to grow with new members, thanks to your witness of life and your episcopal ministry, exercised as a service to the People of God. Be close to your priests, pay attention to religious life, and love the poor". He concluded by urging them to promote pastoral care for the family, "so that families, accompanied and educated, may be increasingly better able to offer their contribution to the life of the Church and society", and so that they may
provide the foundation for the work of evangelisation, "through their educational mission and with their active participation in the life of parish communities".

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The Church must be a sign of closeness to God's mercy
Vatican City, 20 September 2014 (VIS) - The participants in the international meeting, "The pastoral project of Evangelii gaudium", organised by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of New Evangelisation" and chaired by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, were received in audience by Pope Francis in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall yesterday.
In his address, the Holy Father spoke of the urgency of the evangelising mission in our times, presenting as an example, first and foremost, the passage
from the Gospel according to Matthew in which Jesus feels compassion towards the crowd that follows Him, tired and exhausted like a flock without a shepherd.
"How many people, in so many of the existential peripheries of our time, are tired and exhausted, and await the Church? They await us!" he exclaimed. "How can we reach them? ... It is not the task of the Pope to offer a detailed and complete analysis of contemporary reality, but to invite all the Church to grasp the signs of the times that the Lord continually offers us. ... These signs ... must be reread in the light of the Gospel: this is the moment of solid commitment, the context in which we are called upon to work in order to enable the growth of God's Kingdom. How much poverty and solitude we see in today's world, unfortunately! How many people live in conditions of great suffering and ask the Church to be a sign of the Lord's goodness, solidarity and mercy. This is a task, in particular, for those who have the responsibility
of pastoral ministry. ... They are required to recognise and interpret these signs of the times in order to offer a wise and generous response".
"Before so many pastoral needs, before the many demands of men and women, we run the risk of being afraid and of turning inwards in an attitude of fear and defence. Herein there lie the temptations of sufficiency and clericalism, of the codification of faith in rules and instructions, just as the scribes, pharisees and doctors of the law did in Jesus' time. Everything is clear and orderly, but the population of believers and seekers will continue to hunger and thirst for God. I have said many times that the Church seems like a military hospital to me: many injured people who need our closeness, who ask of
us what they asked of Jesus: closeness, proximity. And if we assume the attitude of the scribes, the doctors of the law and the pharisees, we will never offer a testimony of closeness".
In this regard, the Pope cited the parable in which Jesus speaks of the owner of a vineyard who, in need of workers, left his home at different times of the day to look for them. "He did not go out just once", he emphasised. "All those who are responsible for pastoral care can find a good example in this parable. Go forth at all times of the day to find those who are in search of the Lord. Reach the weakest and the least fortunate to offer them support so they can be useful in the Lord's vineyard, even if it is only for an hour".
"Another aspect: please, let us not follow the song of the sirens who call us to transform pastoral care into a convulsive series of initiatives, without grasping the essence of commitment to evangelisation. At times it appears as if
they are more concerned with multiplying their activities rather than taking care of people and their encounter with God. A pastoral care that lacks this attention will gradually become sterile".
Finally, the Pope advised those present to consider two important qualities: patience and perseverance. "The Word of God entered with 'patience' in the moment of the Incarnation and thus unto death on the Cross. Patience and perseverance. We do not have a 'magic wand' for everything, but we do have our trust in the Lord Who accompanies us and never abandons us. ... Let us do good,
but without expected to be recompensed. Let us sow and offer witness. Our witness is the beginning of an evangelisation that touches the heart and transforms is. Words without example are of no use! Our witness is that which brings and gives validity to our words".
"Thank you for your commitment", he concluded. "I bless you and, please, do not forget to pray for me, because I have to talk a lot and also give a little Christian witness!".

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Special Commission to study marriage annulment reform
Vatican City, 22 September 2014 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today issued
the following communique:
"On 27 August 2014, the Holy Father decided to institute a special Commission to study the reform of the canonical marriage annulment process.
The Commission will be chaired by Msgr. Pio Vito Pinto, dean of the tribunal of the Roman Rota, and will be composed of the following members: Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts; Msgr. Luis Francisco Ladario, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Bishop Dimitri Salachas, Apostolic Exarch of the Greek Byzantine Catholic Church; Msgrs. Maurice Monier, Leo Xavier Michael Arokiaraj and Alejandro W. Bunge, prelate auditors of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota; the
Rev. Fr. Nikolaus Schoch, O.F.M., substitute promotor of Justice of the Supreme
Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura; Fr. Konstanc Miroslav Adam, O.P., rector of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum); Fr. Jorge Horta Espinoza, O.F.M., Dean of the Faculty of Canon Law of the Pontifical University Antonianum; and Prof. Paolo Moneta, formerly professor of Canon Law at the University of Pisa.
The work of the Special Commission will begin as soon as possible and will focus on the preparation of a proposal for the reform of the marriage annulment
process, seeking to simplify and streamline the procedure, while safeguarding the principle of the indissoluble nature of marriage".

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Cardinal Scola special envoy to Cologne
Vatican City, 22 September 2014 (VIS) - Today a letter was published, written in Latin and dated 6 August, by which the Holy Father appoints Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, as his special envoy to the celebrations for the 850th anniversary of the translation of relics of the Magi from Milan to Cologne, Germany, scheduled to take place on 28 September. The pontifical mission accompanying the cardinal will be composed of Msgr. Klaus Kramer of the
clergy of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, president of Missio-Aachen, and Rev. Provost Hubertus Bottcher of the clergy of Paderborn, dean of Arnsberg.

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Audiences
Vatican City, 20 September 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in audience:
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops;
- Thorbjorn Jagland, secretary general of the Council of Europe, and entourage;
- Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference;
- Cardinal Lluis Martinez Sistach, archbishop of Barcelona, Spain;
- Bishop Alcides Jorge Pedro Casaretto, emeritus of San Isidro, Argentina;
- Cristina Fernandez Kirchner, president of the Argentine Republic.

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 20 September 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed:
- Bishop Blase J. Cupich of Spokane, U.S.A., as metropolitan archbishop of Chicago (area 3,654, population 6,251,000, Catholics 2,438,000, priests 1,559, permanent deacons 660, religious 2,787), U.S.A. He succeeds Cardinal Francis E.
George, O.M.I., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same metropolitan archdiocese, upon reaching the age limit, was accepted by the Holy
Father.
- Rev. Fr. Riccardo Luca Guariglia, O.S.B., as ordinary abbot of the territorial abbey of Montevergine (area 3, population 232, Catholics 232, priests 12, religious 27), Italy. Fr. Guariglia is currently lecturer in fundamental theology at the "Madonna delle Grazie" Theological Institute in Benevento, Italy, and claustral prior and master of novices of the monastic community of Montevergine.
- Cardinal Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay, India, as his special envoy to the celebrations for the 500th anniversary of the evangelisation of Myanmar,
to be held in Yangon from 21 to 23 November 2014.
- Msgr. Paolo Rudelli, nunciature advisor, as special advisor and Holy See permanent observer at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

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"Your witness, as athletes", he exclaimed, "is a great sign of hope. It is the
proof that in every person there is potential that at times we do not imagine, and that may develop with trust and solidarity. God the Father is the first to know this! He knows us better than any other, and He looks upon us with trust, He loves us as we are, but he enables us to grow according to what we are able to become. In this way, in your efforts for sport without barriers, for a world
without exclusion, you are never alone" God our Father is with you!".
"May sport therefore be for you a place where you are able to train every day,
in relation to yourselves and others, a gymnasium that offers you the chance to
get to know new people and environments and that helps you to be an active part
of society".

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Christians in the Middle East: the Church cannot remain silent before the persecution of her children
Vatican City, 4 October 2014 (VIS) - This morning in the Pauline Chapel Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin celebrated Holy Mass for the papal representatives in the Middle East at the end of the meeting convoked at the behest of the Holy Father, dedicated to the situation faced by Christians in the region. Extensive extracts from his homily are published below:
"Today we celebrate this Holy Eucharist with concern for what is happening in various countries in the Middle East. We are profoundly troubled to see the growing threats to peace and disturbed by the conditions in which Christian communities live in the territories from Syria to Iraq, controlled by an entity
that disregards rights and adopts terrorist methods to increase its power".
"Such communities, which inhabit these lands since apostolic times, therefore find themselves facing situations of grave danger and open persecution, and are
frequently forced to abandon everything and flee from their homes and their country. It is sad to note how persistent and active the forces of evil are, and how in some corrupt minds the conviction has taken hold that violence and terror are methods that can be used to impose one's will for power over others,
under the pretext of affirming a specific religious concept. It is clearly a perversion of authentic religious meaning, with dramatic results and to which it is necessary to respond. The Church cannot remain silent before the persecution of her sons and daughters, and the international community cannot remain neutral between victims and the aggressor".
"'Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge'. Thus the psalmist prays. He, who was no stranger to difficulty and violent adversaries, confidently turns to
the Lord. The wicked and their machinations do not frighten him, because his life is in the Lord's hands. He knows that his true strength and safety is the Lord Who gives him peace and joy and Who prepares a definitive and joyful future. ... It is the joy of every faithful Christian who knows that History is
led by Providence and that the forces of evil shall not prevail".
"This certainty that we rejoice in, far from leaving us as idle or inert spectators, encourages us as individuals and as a Christian community, as Church, in constant and trusting prayer and urges us to put into effect all those concrete initiatives that help influence governments and public opinion. Nothing must be neglected that it may be possible to do to alleviate the suffering of our brethren in need and to stop the aggressors. Providence wishes
also to make use of us, of our freedom and our industriousness, our initiative and our daily efforts".
"Persecuted Christians and all those who suffer unjustly must be able to recognise that the Church is the institution that defends them, that prays and acts for them, that is not afraid of stating the truth, becoming the word for those without a voice, defence and support for those who are abandoned, who seek refuge, who are discriminated against. Indeed, everything depends on God and His Grace, but it is necessary to act as if it all depended on us, on our prayer and our solidarity".

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In brief
Vatican City, 4 October 2014 (VIS) - THE HOLY FATHER HAS SENT A VIDEO MESSAGE to the International Centre of the Focolare Movement in Loppiano, Italy, on the
fiftieth anniversary of its foundation by Chiara Lubich. The Pope remarked that
Loppiano "inspired by the Gospel of fraternity ... lives in the service of the Church and the world", and offers a "living and effective witness of communion among persons of different nations, cultures and vocations" and maintaining, above all, mutual and continual charity in everyday life.
NO MORE WAR OR HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, affirm the papal representatives in the Middle East at the end of their meeting in the Vatican from 2 to 4 October,
during which they discussed the situation faced by Christians in the region. They expressed their serious concerns regarding the actions of various extremist groups, in particular the "Islamic State", before whose violence and abuses it is impossible to remain indifferent. The international community cannot remain inert, they remarked, when faced with massacres carried out on the pretext of religious belief or ethnic origin or the exodus of thousands of people and the destruction of their places of worship. The participants in the meeting emphasised that it is acceptable to stop an unjust aggressor, always with respect for international law. However, the problem cannot be entrusted solely to the usual military response, but must be faced in more depth, starting from the root causes that are exploited by fundamentalist ideology. An
important role can be played by religious leaders, Christian and Muslim, collaborating to promote dialogue and education in mutual understanding, and clearly denouncing the abuse of religion to justify violence. Faced with the crisis of so many people forced to leave their homes in a brutal fashion, the participants highlighted the need to recognise the rights of Christians and other ethnic and religious groups to be able to remain in their homelands and, should it be necessary for them to leave, to return in suitable conditions of safety, with the possibility of living and working in freedom and with prospects for the future. In the current circumstances this requires commitment
on the part of the governments involved and the international community as a whole. Finally, they stressed that we cannot resign ourselves to imagining a Middle East without Christians, who for two thousand years have confessed the name of Jesus Christ there.

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Audiences
Vatican City, 4 October 2014 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy Father received the following in separate audiences:
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops;
- Archbishop Joseph Edward Kurtz of Louisville, U.S.A., president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, with Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, archbishop of Galveston-Houston, deputy president, Msgr. Ronny E. Jenkins, secretary general and J. Brian Bransfield, adjunct secretary general;
- Archbishop Wojciech Zaluski, apostolic nuncio in Burundi;
- Msgr. Paolo Rudelli, special envoy and Holy See Permanent Observer at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 6 October 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:
On Saturday, 4 October the Holy Father: - accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Arundel and Brighton, England, presented by Bishop Kieran Conry, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
- appointed Fr. Stane Zore, O.F.M., as metropolitan archbishop of Ljubljana (area 6,134, population 776,336, Catholics 554,417, priests 428, permanent deacons 221, religious 546), Slovenia. The bishop-elect was born in Sel Pri Kamniku, Slovenia in 1958, gave his solemn vows in 1984, and was ordained a priest in 1985. He has served in a number of roles, including parish priest, rector of the national Shrines of Brezje and Sveta Gora, guardian in various fraternities, master of novices, and provincial minister of the province of the
Holy Cross in Slovenia. He is currently provincial minister of his order and president of the Conference of Men and Women Religious in Slovenia (KORUS).

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As the Council stated, the Church's role is to ensure that each member of the faithful shall be led in the Holy Spirit to the full development of his own vocation in accordance with Gospel preaching, and to sincere and active charity' and to exercise that liberty with which Christ has set us free. It is through us, Pope Benedict continues, that the Lord reaches souls, instructs, guards and guides them. St Augustine, in his Commentary on the Gospel of St John, says: let it therefore be a commitment of love to feed the flock of the Lord; this is the supreme rule of conduct for the ministers of God, an unconditional love, like that of the Good Shepherd, full of joy, given to all, attentive to those close to us and solicitous for those who are distant, gentle
towards the weakest, the little ones, the simple, the sinners, to manifest the infinite mercy of God with the reassuring words of hope.
Therefore, said the Pontiff, the Church is Christ's - she is His bride - and all the bishops, in communion with the Successor of Peter, have the task and the duty of guarding her and serving her, not as masters but as servants. The Pope, in this context, is not the supreme lord but rather the supreme servant -
"Il servus servorum Dei", the guarantor of the obedience and the conformity of the Church to the will of God, to the Gospel of Christ, and to the Tradition of
the Church, setting aside every personal whim, despite being - by the will of Christ Himself - the supreme Pastor and Teacher of all the faithful and despite
enjoying supreme, full, immediate, and universal ordinary power in the Church.
Finally, Francis reminded those present that there remains a year before the next Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in which to develop, with true spiritual discernment, the ideas that have been proposed, and to find
concrete solutions to many difficulties and innumerable challenges that families must confront; to give answers to the many discouragements that surround and suffocate families. There is a year to work on the "Relatio Synodi", the faithful and clear summary of everything that has been said and discussed in this hall and in the small groups. He concluded by asking the Lord
to accompany and guide all the participants in the Synod in their journey.

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Audience with the Prime Minister of Vietnam: important step in relations with the Holy See
Vatican City, 18 October 2014 (VIS) - Today His Holiness Pope Francis received
in audience the prime minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Nguyen Tan
Dung, who subsequently met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
In the course of the cordial conversations, the Parties expressed their satisfaction at today's meeting, which marks an important step in the process of strengthening bilateral relations between the Holy See and Vietnam, this being the second visit of Prime Minister Dung to the Vatican, following that of
2007. The Church's commitment to contributing to the development of the country, thanks to its presence in various areas which benefit society as a whole, was highlighted. In this context, sincere appreciation was expressed for
the support given by the Authorities to the Catholic community in keeping with the developments sanctioned by the Constitution of 2013 with regard to religious policy, as well as for the assistance given to the non-resident Papal
Representative of the Holy See to Vietnam in the discharge of his mission, which is aimed at promoting relations between Church and State with a view also
to the common objective of diplomatic relations. The Parties then discussed some issues which, it is hoped, will be further examined and resolved through the existing channels of dialogue.
Finally, there was an exchange of views on some current regional and international issues, with particular reference to initiatives aimed at promoting peace and stability in the Asian continent.

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Christians and Hindus: together to foster a culture of inclusion
Vatican City, 20 October 2014 (VIS) - "Christians and Hindus: together to foster a culture of inclusion" is the theme of the Message addressed to followers of Hinduism by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, on the occasion of Deepavali, the festival of lights, to be celebrated on 23 October this year. The document was co-authored by Fr. Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, M.C.C.J., secretary of the same dicastery.
"It is true that globalisation has opened many new frontiers and provided fresh opportunities to develop, among other things, better educational and healthcare facilities", according to the text. "It has ushered in a greater awareness of democracy and social justice in the world, and our planet has truly become a 'global village' due in large part to modern means of communication and transportation. It can also be said, however, that globalisation has not achieved its primary objective of integrating local peoples into the global community. Rather, globalisation has contributed significantly to many peoples losing their sociocultural, economic and political identities".
"The negative effects of globalisation have also had an impact on religious communities throughout the world since they are intimately related to surrounding cultures. In fact, globalisation has contributed to the fragmentation of society and to an increase in relativism and syncretism in religious matters, as well as bringing about a privatisation of religion. Religious fundamentalism and ethnic, tribal and sectarian violence in different
parts of the world today are largely manifestations of the discontent, uncertainty and insecurity among peoples, particularly the poor and marginalised who have been excluded from the benefits of globalisation".
"The negative consequences of globalisation, such as widespread materialism and consumerism, moreover, have made people more self-absorbed, power-hungry and indifferent to the rights, needs and sufferings of others. This, in the words of Pope Francis, has led to a globalisation of indifference which makes us slowly inured to the suffering of others and closed in on ourselves. Such indifference gives rise to a 'culture of exclusion' in which the poor, marginalised and vulnerable are denied their rights, as well as the opportunities and resources that are available to other members of society. They are treated as insignificant, dispensable, burdensome, unnecessary, to be used and even discarded like objects. In various ways, the exploitation of children and women, the neglect of the elderly, sick, differently-abled, migrants and refugees, and the persecution of minorities are sure indicators of
this culture of exclusion".
"Nurturing a culture of inclusion thus becomes a common call and a shared responsibility, which must be urgently undertaken. It is a project involving those who care for the health and survival of the human family here on earth and which needs to be carried out amidst, and in spite of, the forces that perpetuate the culture of exclusion".
"As people grounded in our own respective religious traditions and with shared
convictions, may we, Hindus and Christians, join together with followers of other religions and with people of good will to foster a culture of inclusion for a just and peaceful society".

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Audiences
Vatican City, 20 October 2014 (VIS) - On the afternoon of Friday, 17 October, the Holy Father received in audience Park Geun-hye, president of the Republic of Korea, and entourage.

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 20 October 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:
- appointed Rev. Can. Gyorgy Snell as auxiliary of the diocese of Esztergom-Budapest (area 1,543, population 2,088,000, Catholics 1,254,000, priests 443, permanent deacons 23, religious 734), Hungary. The bishop-elect was born in Kiskiralysag, Hungary in 1949 and was ordained a priest in 1972. He
has served in a number of pastoral roles, including deputy parish priest in Kiskunlachaz-Pereg and Budapest-Rakoskeresztur, parish priest in Budapest-Rakoskeresztur, and dean. He is currently priest of St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest, director of the diocesan superintendency for Catholic schools, and canon of the metropolitan chapter.
- accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Mati, Philippines, presented by Bishop Patricio H. Alo, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law
On Saturday, 18 October, the Holy Father:
- accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Malta, presented by Archbishop Paul Cremona, O.P., in accordance
with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law;
- appointed Bishop Norbert Turini of Cahors, France, as bishop of Perpignan-Elne (area 4,116, population 454,737, Catholics 302,600, priests 85, permanent deacons 20, religious 79), France.
- appointed new members of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and renewed the mandate of members of the previous five-year term. The aforementioned Commission for the 2014-2019 is composed of the following members:
Rev. Knut Backhaus, Germany;
Fr. Pietro Bovati, S.J., Italy;
Sister Nuria Calduch Benages, M.N., Spain;
Rev. Eduardo Cordova Gonzalez, Mexico;
Professor Bruna Costacurta, Italy;
Msgr. Pierre Deberge, France;
Rev. Juan Miguel Diaz Rodelas, Spain;
Rev. Luis Henrique Eloy e Silva, Brazil;
Pr. Francolino Goncalves, O.P., Portugal;
Rev. Adrian Graffy, Great Britain;
Professor Mary E. Healy, United States of America;
Rev. John ChijiokeIwe, Nigeria;
Rev. Thomas Manjaly, India;
Rev. Hugo Orlando Martinez Aldana, Colombia;
Rev. Levente Balazs Martos, Hungary;
Rev. Jean Bosco Matand Bulembat, Democratic Republic of Congo;
Rev. Fearghus O'Fearghail, Ireland;
Rev. Johan Yeong-Sik Pahk, Korea;
Rev. Eleuterio Ramon Ruiz, Argentina;
Rev. Henryk Jozef Witczyk, Poland.
- appointed Professor Yves Coppens, lecturer in paleoanthropology and prehistory at the College de France in Paris, France, and Professor Ada E. Yonath, lecturer in biochemistry and director of the Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, as ordinary members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

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"Throughout its history, Europe has always reached for the heights, aiming at new and ambitious goals, driven by an insatiable thirst for knowledge, development, progress, peace and unity. ... But in order to progress towards the future we need the past, we need profound roots. We also need the courage not to flee from the present and its challenges. We need memory, courage, a sound and humane utopian vision. ... Truth appeals to conscience, which cannot be reduced to a form of conditioning. Conscience is capable of recognising its own dignity and being open to the absolute; it thus gives rise to fundamental decisions guided by the pursuit of the good, for others and for one's self; it is itself the locus of responsible freedom. ... It also needs to be kept in mind that apart from the pursuit of truth, each individual becomes the criterion for measuring himself and his own actions. The way is thus opened to a subjectivistic assertion of rights, so that the concept of human rights, which has an intrinsically universal import, is replaced by an individualistic conception of rights".
"This kind of individualism leads to human impoverishment and cultural aridity, since it effectively cuts off the nourishing roots on which the tree grows. Indifferent individualism leads to the cult of opulence reflected in the
throwaway culture all around us. ... And so today we are presented with the image of a Europe which is hurt, not only by its many past ordeals, but also by
present-day crises which it no longer seems capable of facing with its former vitality and energy; a Europe which is a bit tired and pessimistic, besieged by
events and winds of change coming from other continents. ... Europe should reflect on whether its immense human, artistic, technical, social, political, economic and religious patrimony is simply an artefact of the past, or whether it is still capable of inspiring culture and displaying its treasures to mankind as a whole. In providing an answer to this question, the Council of Europe with its institutions has a role of primary importance".
"The history of Europe might lead us to think somewhat naively of the continent as bipolar, or at most tripolar ... and thus to interpret the present
and to look to the future on the basis of this schema, which is a simplification born of pretentions to power. But this is not the case today, and we can legitimately speak of a 'multipolar' Europe. Its tensions - whether constructive or divisive - are situated between multiple cultural, religious and political poles. Europe today confronts the challenge of creatively 'globalising' this multipolarity" which calls for "striving to create a constructive harmony, one free of those pretensions to power which, while appearing from a pragmatic standpoint to make things easier, end up destroying the cultural and religious distinctiveness of peoples".
To speak of European multipolarity is to speak of peoples which are born, grow
and look to the future. The task of globalising Europe's multipolarity cannot be conceived by appealing to the image of a sphere - in which all is equal and ordered, but proves reductive inasmuch as every point is equidistant from the centre - but rather, by the image of a polyhedron, in which the harmonic unity of the whole preserves the particularity of each of the parts".
"The second challenge which I would like to mention is transversality. ... Were we to define the continent today, we should speak of a Europe in dialogue,
one which puts a transversality of opinions and reflections at the service of a
harmonious union of peoples. To embark upon this path of transversal communication requires not only generational empathy, but also an historic methodology of growth. In Europe's present political situation, merely internal
dialogue between the organisations (whether political, religious or cultural) to which one belongs, ends up being unproductive. Our times demand the ability to break out of the structures which 'contain' our identity and to encounter others, for the sake of making that identity more solid and fruitful in the fraternal exchange of transversality. A Europe which can only dialogue with limited groups stops halfway; it needs that youthful spirit which can rise to the challenge of transversality".
"In the light of all this, I am gratified by the Council of Europe's desire to
invest in intercultural dialogue, including its religious dimension, through the Exchanges on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue. Here is a valuable opportunity for open, respectful and enriching exchange between persons and groups of different origins and ethnic, linguistic and religious traditions, in a spirit of understanding and mutual respect".
"This way of thinking also casts light on the contribution which Christianity can offer to the cultural and social development of Europe today within the context of a correct relationship between religion and society. ... European society as a whole cannot fail to benefit from a renewed interplay between these two sectors, whether to confront a form of religious fundamentalism which
is above all inimical to God, or to remedy a reductive rationality which does no honour to man. There are in fact a number of pressing issues which I am convinced can lead to mutual enrichment, issues on which the Catholic Church - particularly through the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE) - can cooperate with the Council of Europe and offer an essential contribution".
"Similarly, the contemporary world offers a number of other challenges requiring careful study and a common commitment, beginning with the welcoming of migrants. ... Then too, there is the grave problem of work. ... It is my profound hope that the foundations will be laid for a new social and economic cooperation, free of ideological pressures, capable of confronting a globalised
world while at the same time encouraging that sense of solidarity and mutual charity which has been a distinctive feature of Europe, thanks to the generous efforts of hundreds of men and women - some of whom the Catholic Church considers saints - who over the centuries have worked to develop the continent,
both by entrepreneurial activity and by works of education, welfare, and human development. These works, above all, represent an important point of reference for the many poor people living in Europe. How many of them there are in our streets! They ask not only for the food they need for survival, which is the most elementary of rights, but also for a renewed appreciation of the value of their own life, which poverty obscures, and a rediscovery of the dignity conferred by work".
"Finally, among the issues calling for our reflection and our cooperation is the defence of the environment, of this beloved planet earth. It is the greatest resource which God has given us and is at our disposal not to be disfigured, exploited, and degraded, but so that, in the enjoyment of its boundless beauty, we can live in this world with dignity".
"Pope Paul VI called the Church an 'expert in humanity'. In this world, following the example of Christ and despite the sins of her sons and daughters,
the Church seeks nothing other than to serve and to bear witness to the truth. This spirit alone guides us in supporting the progress of humanity. In this spirit, the Holy See intends to continue its cooperation with the Council of Europe, which today plays a fundamental role in shaping the mentality of future
generations of Europeans. This calls for mutual engagement in a far-ranging reflection aimed at creating a sort of new agora, in which all civic and religious groups can enter into free exchange, while respecting the separation of sectors and the diversity of positions, an exchange inspired purely by the desire of truth and the advancement of the common good. For culture is always born of reciprocal encounter which seeks to stimulate the intellectual riches and creativity of those who take part in it; this is not only a good in itself,
it is also something beautiful. My hope is that Europe, by rediscovering the legacy of its history and the depth of its roots, and by embracing its lively multipolarity and the phenomenon of a transversality in dialogue, will rediscover that youthfulness of spirit which has made this continent fruitful and great".

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The Pope receives the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Vatican City, 25 November 2014 (VIS) - Yesterday, 24 November, Pope Francis received in audience Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, president of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Following this encounter the president met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
During the cordial exchange, discussions focused on the situation in the Egyptian nation, highlighting the closeness and solidarity of the Church to all
the people of Egypt during this period of political transition. At the same time, hope was expressed that within the framework of guarantees enshrined by the new Constitution in terms of the safeguard of human rights and religious freedom, the peaceful coexistence among all components of society may be strengthened and the path to inter-religious dialogue may continue to be pursued.
Furthermore, themes of common interest were discussed with particular reference to the role of the country in the promotion of peace and stability in
the Middle East and North Africa. In this regard, it was reiterated that dialogue and negotiation are the only options to put an end to the conflicts and to the violence that endanger defenceless populations and cause the loss of
human lives.

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The Pope to convoke a conference in Haiti in January 2015, five years after the earthquake that devastated the island
Vatican City, 25 November 2014 (VIS) - This morning the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" announced that its president, Cardinal Robert Sarah, will visit Haiti from 25 to 29 November, five years on from the earthquake that brought devastation to the island and its population, causing around 230 thousand deaths. The main aim of the trip is to bring a sign of concrete spiritual closeness to those who are still engaged in reconstruction works, and to inaugurate the "Notre Dame des Anges" school in Leogane, built through the work
of the local Church and with the coordination of the apostolic nunciature.
On the occasion of this trip, the Holy Father has expressed his wish to convoke a conference on Haiti, to be held in the Vatican on 10 January 2015, to
ensure that attention remains focused on this humanitarian catastrophe, the impact of which is still felt, and to emphasise the Church's closeness to the Haitian people. The meeting will be organised by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", in collaboration with local bishops.
Meanwhile, on 26 November, during his visit to the island, Cardinal Sarah will
meet with representatives of Caritas Haiti, Msgr. Erick Touissant, the president and the director, Fr. Herve Francois, as well as other Caritas representatives present on the island. He will then meet with other Catholic humanitarian organisations working in Haiti.
On 27 November he will participate in the opening of the school "Notre Dame des Anges" in Leogane, managed by the Society of Jesus and built using funds sent directly by the Holy Father during the five years following the earthquake. On the same day he will meet with the local authorities, and in particular with the president of the Republic of Haiti.
On 28 November the prelate will meet with the Episcopal Conference of Haiti, the priests, religious and laypersons who offer their assistance not only in the reconstruction of infrastructure but also in the full human development of the population. The Cardinal will communicate the Pope's special encouragement to all to continue their work with dedication.

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Audiences
Vatican City, 25 November 2014 (VIS) - On the afternoon of Monday 24 November,
the Holy Father received in audience Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, director general of the Islamic Educational Cultural and Scientific Organisation, and entourage.

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"The prophet invites those who listen to him - including us, today - to spread
among the people this message of hope: that the Lord consoles us. And to allow room for the Lord's consolation", he continued. "But we cannot be messengers of
God's consolation if we do not first experience the joy of being consoled and loved by Him. This happens especially when we listen to the Word, the Gospel, which we should carry with us in our pockets ... and when we remain in silent prayer in His presence, when we encounter Him in the Eucharist or in the sacrament of Reconciliation".
The Pope recalled those who are "oppressed by suffering, injustice and abuse; those who are slaves to money, to power, to success and worldliness. "Theirs are false consolations, they are not the true consolation of the Lord! We are all called to console our brethren, showing that only God can eliminate the causes of existential and spiritual crisis". The Pontiff went on to encourage all those present to allow themselves to be consoled by the Lord, and he concluded by entrusting to Mary the hopes for salvation and peace for all men and women of our time.

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Decrees of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Vatican City, 7 December 2014 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, 6 December, Pope Francis received in private audience Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. During the audience, the Holy Father
authorised the promulgation of the following decrees regarding:
MIRACLES, attributable to the intercession of:
- Blessed Jeanne-Emilie de Villeneuve, France, foundress of the Sisters of the
Immaculate Conception of Castres (1811-1854);
- Blessed Marie-Alphonsine (nee Maryam Sultanah Danil Ghattas), Turco-British Palestine, co-foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Rosary of Jerusalem of the Latins (1843-1927);
- Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified (nee Maryam Baouardy), Turkish Palestine, professed nun of the Order of Discalced Carmelites (1846-1878);
HEROIC VIRTUES
- Servant of God Carmela of Jesus (nee Francesca Paola Prestigiacomo), Italy, foundress of the Institute of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of the Incarnate Word (1858- 1948);
- Servant of God Maria Seiquer Gaya, Spain, foundress of the Apostolic Sisters
of Christ Crucified (1891-1975);
- Servant of God Adalberta (nee Vojtecha) Hasmandova, Czech Republic, superior
general of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of St. Charles Borromeo (1914-1988);
- Servant of God Praxedes Fernandez Garcia, Spain, laywoman and member of the Third Order of St. Dominic (1886-1936);
- Servant of God Elisabetta Tasca, Italy, laywoman and mother (1899-1978).

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Director of the Holy See Press Office on the inquiry on two ex-executives of the IOR
Vatican City, 7 December 2014 (VIS) - The director of the Holy See Press Office has issued the following statement in response to questions from the press:
"I can confirm that the Promoter of Justice of the Vatican City State Tribunal
has opened an investigation against two former executives of the IOR for suspected embezzlement of funds in the context of real estate transactions that
took place during the period from 2001 to 2008. The investigation has also been
extended to a lawyer for involvement in the case.
The matter was presented to the Vatican City State judiciary by the IOR authorities as a result of the internal audit carried out last year.
The accounts of those concerned in the IOR were frozen as a precautionary measure a few weeks ago.

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Telegram for the death of Queen Fabiola of Belgium
Vatican City, 6 December 2014 (VIS) - The Pope has sent a telegram of condolences to His Majesty the King Philippe of Belgium for the death of Queen Fabiola yesterday, 5 December, at the age of 86.
In the text, Francis communicates to the monarch and all the Royal family, along with the Government and the Belgian people, his sorrow at learning of the
death of the Queen, and expressed his deepest condolences. "I fervently pray that the Lord may receive his faithful servant in His Kingdom of Light, and that He may grant comfort and hope to all those affected by her departure", he writes.

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Pope's video message for the Christians and people of Iraq
Vatican City, 9 December 2014 (VIS) - Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, archbishop of Lyon, France, will transmit a video message from Pope Francis to the Christians and the population as a whole in Iraq, to be screened this afternoon
in the city of Erbil. The twinning of the diocese with Mosul, which began last summer, has given rise to several initiatives to support the Iraqi population. The full text of the Pope's message is published below:
"I would like to greet each and every one of you, along with Cardinal Philippe
Barbarin, who once again brings you the concern and the love of the entire Church. I too would like to be there with you, but since I am unable to travel,
I will do this instead ... but I am very close to you in these difficult moments. I said, during my return journey from Turkey: Christians are being driven out of the Middle East, with suffering. I thank you for the witness you give; and there is a great deal of suffering in your witness. Thank you! Many thanks.
"It would seem that there they do not want there to be any Christians, but you
bear witness to Christ. I think of the wounds, of the pain of women with their children, the elderly and the displaced, the wounds of those who are victims of
every type of violence.
"As I mentioned in Ankara, particular concern is caused by the fact that above
all, due to an extremist and fundamentalist group, entire communities, especially, - but not only - Christians and Yazidi, have suffered and continue to suffer inhuman violence because of their religious and ethnic identity. Christians and Yazidis have been forced out of their homes, they have had to abandon everything to save their lives, but they have not denied their faith. Even holy buildings, monuments, religious symbols and cultural heritage have been affected by the violence, almost as if to cancel every trace, every memory
of the other.
"As religious leaders, we are obliged to denounce all violations of the dignity and rights of humanity.
"Today I wish to draw closer those of you who tolerate this suffering, and to be close to you ... And I think of St. Therese of the Baby Jesus, who said that
she and the Church were like a rod: when the wind rises and the storm comes, the rod bends but it does not break. At the moment, you are like this rod: you bend painfully, but you have the strength to carry forth your faith, which is a
testimony to us. You are God's rod today! The rods that bend under this ferocious wind, but then rise up again.
"I wish to thank you again. I pray that the Spirit, Who makes all things new, will give each of you strength and resistance. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
And I strongly urge, as I did in Turkey, greater international collaboration to
resolve the conflicts that cause blood to be shed in your lands of origin, to combat the other causes that lead people to leave their homelands and to promote suitable conditions for them to remain or return. I hope that you will return, that you will be able to return.
"Dear brothers and sisters, you are in my heart and my prayers, and in the hearts and prayers of all Christian communities, whom I will ask to pray in a special way for you on 8 December, to pray to Our Lady to protect you: she is our mother and will protect you.
"Brothers and sisters, your resistance is martyrdom, it is dew that brings fruitfulness. Please, I ask you to pray for me. May the Lord bless you and Our Lady protect you.
May God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, bless you".

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Audiences
Vatican City, 6 December 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops;
- Cardinal George Pell, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy;
- Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla, apostolic nuncio in Korea and Mongolia;
- Bishop Pier Giorgio Debernardi of Pinerolo, Italy;
- Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B.;
- Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy.

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 9 December 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed:
- Bishop Martin Musonde Kivuva of Machakos, Kenya, as archbishop of Mombasa (area 38,000, population 2,214,000, Catholics 323,000, priests 116, religious 321), Kenya.
- Msgr. Adolfo Ramon Canecin as coadjutor of the diocese of Goya (area 33,603,
population 307,500, Catholics 283,000, priests 48, religious 51), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in Formosa, Argentina in 1958 and was ordained a priest in 1988. He has served as vicar in the parish of "Maria Madre de la Iglesia" and parish priest of the "Sagrada Familia" parish, Formosa; rector of the cathedral of Formosa; and vicar general and rector of "La Encarnacion" interdiocesan seminary in Resistencia, Chaco. He is currently episcopal vicar for pastoral ministry and parish priest in the "San Francisco de Asis" parish.
On Monday, 8 December, the Holy Father appointed Bishop Filomeno do Nascimento
Vieira Dias of Cabinda, Angola, as archbishop of Luanda (area 343, population 3,682,000, Catholics 2,717,000, priests 14, religious 493), Angola.

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For more information and to search for documents refer to the site: www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS): the news contained in the services of the Vatican
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This immense task, which calls for courage, patience and perseverance, deserves the appreciation of the whole Church and society. Yet, of itself, it is not sufficient to end the scourge of the exploitation of human persons. There is also need for a threefold commitment on the institutional level: to prevention, to victim protection and to the legal prosecution of perpetrators. Moreover, since criminal organisations employ global networks to achieve their goals, efforts to eliminate this phenomenon also demand a common and, indeed, a
global effort on the part of various sectors of society.
States must ensure that their own legislation truly respects the dignity of the human person in the areas of migration, employment, adoption, the movement of businesses offshore and the sale of items produced by slave labour. There is
a need for just laws which are centred on the human person, uphold fundamental rights and restore those rights when they have been violated. Such laws should also provide for the rehabilitation of victims, ensure their personal safety, and include effective means of enforcement which leave no room for corruption or impunity. The role of women in society must also be recognised, not least through initiatives in the sectors of culture and social communications.
Intergovernmental organisations, in keeping with the principle of subsidiarity, are called to coordinate initiatives for combating the transnational networks of organised crime which oversee the trafficking of persons and the illegal trafficking of migrants. Cooperation is clearly needed at a number of levels, involving national and international institutions, agencies of civil society and the world of finance.
Businesses have a duty to ensure dignified working conditions and adequate salaries for their employees, but they must also be vigilant that forms of subjugation or human trafficking do not find their way into the distribution chain. Together with the social responsibility of businesses, there is also the
social responsibility of consumers. Every person ought to have the awareness that 'purchasing is always a moral - and not simply an economic - act'.
Organisations in civil society, for their part, have the task of awakening consciences and promoting whatever steps are necessary for combating and uprooting the culture of enslavement.
In recent years, the Holy See, attentive to the pain of the victims of trafficking and the voice of the religious congregations which assist them on their path to freedom, has increased its appeals to the international community
for cooperation and collaboration between different agencies in putting an end to this scourge. Meetings have also been organised to draw attention to the phenomenon of human trafficking and to facilitate cooperation between various agencies, including experts from the universities and international organisations, police forces from migrants' countries of origin, transit, or destination, and representatives of ecclesial groups which work with victims. It is my hope that these efforts will continue to expand in years to come.
Globalising fraternity, not slavery or indifference
6. In her 'proclamation of the truth of Christ's love in society', the Church constantly engages in charitable activities inspired by the truth of the human person. She is charged with showing to all the path to conversion, which enables us to change the way we see our neighbours, to recognise in every other
person a brother or sister in our human family, and to acknowledge his or her intrinsic dignity in truth and freedom. This can be clearly seen from the story
of Josephine Bakhita, the saint originally from the Darfur region in Sudan who was kidnapped by slave-traffickers and sold to brutal masters when she was nine
years old. Subsequently - as a result of painful experiences - she became a 'free daughter of God' thanks to her faith, lived in religious consecration and
in service to others, especially the most lowly and helpless. This saint, who lived at the turn of the twentieth century, is even today an exemplary witness of hope for the many victims of slavery; she can support the efforts of all those committed to fighting against this 'open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge upon the body of Christ'.
In the light of all this, I invite everyone, in accordance with his or her specific role and responsibilities, to practice acts of fraternity towards those kept in a state of enslavement. Let us ask ourselves, as individuals and as communities, whether we feel challenged when, in our daily lives, we meet or
deal with persons who could be victims of human trafficking, or when we are tempted to select items which may well have been produced by exploiting others.
Some of us, out of indifference, or financial reasons, or because we are caught
up in our daily concerns, close our eyes to this. Others, however, decide to do
something about it, to join civic associations or to practice small, everyday gestures - which have so much merit! - such as offering a kind word, a greeting
or a smile. These cost us nothing but they can offer hope, open doors, and change the life of another person who lives clandestinely; they can also change
our own lives with respect to this reality.
We ought to recognise that we are facing a global phenomenon which exceeds the
competence of any one community or country. In order to eliminate it, we need a
mobilisation comparable in size to that of the phenomenon itself. For this reason I urgently appeal to all men and women of good will, and all those near or far, including the highest levels of civil institutions, who witness the scourge of contemporary slavery, not to become accomplices to this evil, not to
turn away from the sufferings of our brothers and sisters, our fellow human beings, who are deprived of their freedom and dignity. Instead, may we have the
courage to touch the suffering flesh of Christ, revealed in the faces of those countless persons whom he calls 'the least of these my brethren'.
We know that God will ask each of us: What did you do for your brother? The globalisation of indifference, which today burdens the lives of so many of our brothers and sisters, requires all of us to forge a new worldwide solidarity and fraternity capable of giving them new hope and helping them to advance with
courage amid the problems of our time and the new horizons which they disclose and which God places in our hands".

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"Love is our mission: the family, fully alive": theme of the 7th World Meeting
of Families
Vatican City, 10 December 2014 (VIS) - The 7th World Meeting of Families will take place from 22 to 27 September 2015 in Philadelphia, U.S.A., and its theme will be "Love is our mission: the family fully alive", as announced by Pope Francis in a letter addressed to Bishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, in which he also confirms his attendance at the event.
"The mission of the Christian family, today as in the past, is that of announcing God's love to the world, with the strength of the nuptial Sacrament.
From this same announcement a living family is born and is constructed, that places love at the centre of all its human and spiritual dynamism. If, as St. Irenaeus said, 'Gloria Dei vivens homo', also a family that lives fully its vocation and mission, with the Lord's grace, renders glory to Him".
Francis remarked that during the recent Synod on the family the most urgent issues affecting the family in our society were identified, and he underlined that "we cannot qualify a family with ideological concepts, we cannot speak about a conservative family or a progressive family. The family is the family! The values and virtues of the family, its essential truths, are the strong points on which the family nucleus rests, and they cannot be called into question". We are required, instead, to "review our style of life, that is always open to the risk of being 'contaminated' by a worldly mentality - individualist, consumerist, hedonistic - and to rediscover the high road, to live and to propose the greatness and beauty of marriage and the joy and being and forming a family".
Both the indications given in the Final Report of the Synod and those that guide the path to the October 2015 Ordinary Assembly "invite us to continue in our efforts in announcing the Gospel of marriage and the family, and of experiencing the pastoral proposals in the social and cultural context in which
we live. The challenges of this context stimulate us to broaden our capacity for faithful love open to life, to communion, to mercy, to sharing and to solidarity", concluded Pope Francis, exhorting married couples, priests, and associations to let themselves "be guided by the Word of God, on which there rest the foundations of the holy edifice of the family, domestic Church and family of God".

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 10 December 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed Rev. Fr. Eduardo Vieira dos Santos and Rev. Fr. Devair Araujo da Fonseca as auxiliaries of the archdiocese of Sao Paulo (area 655, population 6,633,912, Catholics 4,776,416, priests 995, permanent deacons 72, religious 2,316), Brazil.
The bishop-elect Eduardo Vieira dos Santos was born in Bom Sucesso, Brazil in 1965 and was ordained a priest in 2000. He holds a licentiate in canon law and has served in a number of pastoral roles, including: pastoral assistant, parish
priest of the "Sao Joao Gualberto" parish, chaplain of the Parque Gethsemani cemetery, coordinator of extraordinary ministry of the Communion for the archdiocese of Sao Paulo and vice rector of the Sao Paulo seminary of theology.
He is currently archdiocesan chanceller of parish priest of the Cathedral of Sao Paulo.
The bishop-elect Devair Araujo da Fonseca was born in Franca, Brazil in 1968 and was ordained a priest in 1998. He holds a licentiate in dogmatic theology and has served in a number of pastoral roles, including: parish vicar, parish priest in the "Sao Crispim" parish, rector of the "Nossa Senhora do Carmo" diocesan seminary, chaplain of Carmelo de Santa Teresa, professor at the Joao XXIII Institute of Theology, secretary and president of the OSIB (Organisation of Seminaries and Institutes of Brazil). He is currently parish priest of the "Sao Jose" parish in Orlandia and diocesan coordinator for pastoral ministry.

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For more information and to search for documents refer to the site: www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS): the news contained in the services of the Vatican
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"The Holy Mother of God not only visited these people, but she chose to remain
with them. ... By her intercession, the Christian faithful started to become the richest treasure of the soul of the American people, whose precious pearl is Jesus Christ. It is a patrimony which is transmitted and manifest today in the many baptism of multitudes of people, in the faith, hope and charity of many; in precious popular piety; and in that popular ethos that reveals itself in an awareness of human dignity, in the passion for justice, in solidarity with the poorest and suffering, in hope that is sometimes against every hope".
"That is why, here today, we can continue to praise God for the wonders he has
brought to the lives of the Latin American people. ... In the wonders which the
Lord has achieved in Mary, she recognises her Son's style and way of acting in the story of Salvation. Sweeping away worldly judgements, destroying idols of power, riches, success at any cost, denouncing self-sufficiency, pride and a secularised which distances from God, the Mary's Magnificat professes that God delights in subverting ideologies and worldly hierarchies. He lifts up the lowly, comes to the aid of the poor and the smallest among us, he fills with goodness, blessings and hope those who trust in his mercy from generation to generation, while he casts down the rich, the powerful, and rulers from their thrones. The 'Magnificat' introduces us to the Beatitudes, the earliest synthesis of the Gospel. In the light of the Beatitudes we feel compelled to ask that the future of Latin America be forged for the poor and those who suffer, for the humble, those who hunger and thirst for justice, for the compassionate, the pure of heart, those who work for peace, and for those who are persecuted because of Christ's name, 'for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven'.
May theirs be the grace of being forged by those who today the idolatrous system of the throwaway culture relegates to the category of slaves, objects to
be used or simply denied".
"And we make this request because Latin America is the 'continent of hope'! Because she hopes in new ways of development which combine traditional Christianity and civil progress, justice and equity with reconciliation, scientific development and technology with human wisdom. Fruitful suffering with joyful hope. We can protect this hope only with great amounts of truth and
mercy, the basis for all realities and revolutionary engines of an authentically new life".
"We place these realities and these desires on the altar as a gift pleasing to
God. ... He is the only Lord, the 'liberator' of all of our slavery and misery derived from sin. He calls us to live the true life, a more human life, to live
together as children and brothers, now that the doors to 'the new heaven and the new earth' are open. We implore the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the name 'Our Lady of Guadalupe' - the Mother of God, our Queen, our Lady, the young woman, our Little One (as called St. Juan Diego called her), and with all the loving names which popular piety has given her - that she may continue to accompany, help and protect our people. May she lead by the hand all pilgrim children in these lands to the encounter with her Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord, present in the Church, in its holiness, especially in the Eucharist, present in
the treasure of his Word and teachings, present in the faithful and holy people
of God, in those who suffer and in the humble of heart. So be it. Amen!".

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"I received my first ecumenical sermon from my grandmother, in front of you", says the Pope to the Salvation Army
Vatican City, 13 December 2014 (VIS) - Yesterday, Friday 12 December, Pope Francis received in audience a delegation from the Salvation Army, well-known for their mission of evangelisation and voluntary work.
"Your visit is one of the good fruit of the more frequent and beneficial contacts that have developed during recent years between the Salvation Army and
the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; contacts among which we must recall a series of theological conversations intended to promote better mutual understanding, mutual respect and regular collaboration. ... I hope with
all my heart that Catholics and Salvationists may continue to bear witness to Christ and the Gospel together in a world that greatly needs to experience God's mercy. Catholics and Salvationists, along with other Christians, recognise that the needy have a special place in God's heart, to the extent that the Lord Jesus Christ made Himself poor for us. As a consequence, they frequently encounter one another in the same human peripheries, and it is my fervent hope that common faith in our Saviour Jesus Christ, the sole mediator between God and Man, may become an increasingly solid foundation for friendship
and collaboration between us".
"I pray that in today's world, all Christ's disciples may offer their contribution with the same conviction and the same dynamism that the Salvation Army demonstrates in its devoted and valued service. The differences between Catholics and Salvationists on theological and ecclesiological matters must not
obstruct the witness of our shared love for God and for our neighbour, a love that is able to inspire energetic efforts to restore the dignity of those who live at the margins of society".
The Pope concluded by recounting an anecdote. When he was four years old - the
year was 1940 - he was walking along the street with his grandmother. "At that time, there was the idea that all Protestants would go to hell. On the other side of the road there were two women from the Salvation Army, wearing their hats. And, I remember as if it were yesterday, I asked my grandmother, 'Who are
those people? Nuns?', and she answered, 'No, they are Protestants, but they are
good'. And so my grandmother, thanks to your good witness, opened the door to ecumenism for me. I received my first ecumenical sermon in front of you. Thank you very much".

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Cardinal Turkson to travel to Sierra Leone and Liberia to bring the solidarity
of the Church to two of the countries hardest hit by the Ebola virus
Vatican City, 15 December 2014 (VIS) - Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council "Justice and Peace", will travel to Sierra Leone on 16 December, followed by a visit to Liberia, two of the countries most affected by
the Ebola virus. The World Health Organisation confirms around 18,000 probable or suspected cases and more than 6,500 deaths as a result of this disease. The cardinal wishes to offer "a message of solidarity and hope for the Church, for healthcare workers and for the population".
Cardinal Turkson will be accompanied by Msgr. Robert J. Vitillo, special health consultor for Caritas Internationalis. "The Church, including Caritas, religious congregations and other Catholic-inspired organisms, has been on the front line in response to Ebola", affirmed Vitillo. "As well as providing healthcare for other illnesses, establishing stringent procedures for infection
control and creating screening areas, the Church, to prevent the transmission of the virus in the healthcare setting, has trained communities with the aim of
involving the clergy and local parish groups in renewed efforts to stop the spread of this lethal virus".
"On a number of occasions the Holy Father has expressed his profound concern for those affected by Ebola and for their loved ones. I hope to express the solidarity of the Pope and of all the Church".

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Audiences
Vatican City, 15 December 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Dragan Covic, Croatian member of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and entourage;
- Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, apostolic nuncio in Malta and Libya;
- Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, apostolic nuncio in Pakistan;
- Dennis Anthony Savoie, ambassador of Canada to the Holy See, presenting his letters of credence;
- Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches;
- Don Pier Giorgio Perini, founder of the Parish Cells of Evangelisation.
On Saturday, 13 December the Holy Father received in audience:
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops;
- Matteo Renzi, prime minister of Italy, with his wife and entourage;
- Archbishop George Kocherry, apostolic nuncio in Bangladesh;
- Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, archbishop of Boston, U.S.A.;
- George Weigel.

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 13 December 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed Msgr. Marek Szkudlo and Fr. Adam Wodarczyk as auxiliaries of the archdiocese of Katowice (area 2,400, population 1,520,900, Catholics 1,477,900, priests 1,105,
religious 1,013), Poland.
The bishop-elect Marek Szkudlo was born in Tychy, Poland in 1952 and was ordained a priest in 1978. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including deputy priest in the parishes of "St. Margaret Lyski" and "St. Michael Archangel" in Katowice, chaplain of the scouts and member of the diocesan liturgical commission; parish priest of Our Lady Mother of the Church in Jastrzebie Zdroj and dean of Jastrzebie Gorne, chaplain for workers and miners, moderators for young priests and member of the Council of Consultors. He is currently episcopal vicar for permanent formation of priests, member of the college of consultors, of the presbyteral council and president of the diocesan commission for the clergy.
The bishop-elect Adam Wodarczyk was born in Tarnowskie Gory, Poland in 1968 and was ordained a priest in 1994. He holds a licentiate from the Catholic University of Liblino and a doctorate in pastoral theology from the Silesia State University and has served as deputy curate of the "St. Hedwig of Silesia"
parish in Chorzow, and regional moderator of the "Light-Life" Movement. He is currently moderator general of the Light-Life Movement, appointed by the Polish
Episcopal Council and, at national level, consultor of the Council for youth pastoral, of the Committee for new evangelisation and the missionary radio.

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For more information and to search for documents refer to the site: www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS): the news contained in the services of the Vatican
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--- MPost/386 v1.21
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"To hear and accept God's call, to make a home for Jesus, you must be able to rest in the Lord. You must make time each day for prayer. But you may say to me: Holy Father, I want to pray, but there is so much work to do! I must care for my children; I have chores in the home; I am too tired even to sleep well. This may be true, but if we do not pray, we will not know the most important thing of all: God's will for us. And for all our activity, our busy-ness, without prayer we will accomplish very little.
"Resting in prayer is especially important for families. It is in the family that we first learn how to pray. There we come to know God, to grow into men and women of faith, to see ourselves as members of God's greater family, the Church. In the family we learn how to love, to forgive, to be generous and open, not closed and selfish. We learn to move beyond our own needs, to encounter others and share our lives with them. That is why it is so important to pray as a family! That is why families are so important in God's plan for the Church!
"Next, rising with Jesus and Mary. Those precious moments of repose, of resting with the Lord in prayer, are moments we might wish to prolong. But like
St. Joseph, once we have heard God's voice, we must rise from our slumber; we must get up and act. Faith does not remove us from the world, but draws us more
deeply into it. Each of us, in fact, has a special role in preparing for the coming of God's kingdom in our world.
"Just as the gift of the Holy Family was entrusted to Saint Joseph, so the gift of the family and its place in God's plan is entrusted to us. The angel of
the Lord revealed to Joseph the dangers which threatened Jesus and Mary, forcing them to flee to Egypt and then to settle in Nazareth. So too, in our time, God calls upon us to recognize the dangers threatening our own families and to protect them from harm.
"The pressures on family life today are many. Here in the Philippines, countless families are still suffering from the effects of natural disasters. The economic situation has caused families to be separated by migration and the
search for employment, and financial problems strain many households. While all
too many people live in dire poverty, others are caught up in materialism and lifestyles which are destructive of family life and the most basic demands of Christian morality. The family is also threatened by growing efforts on the part of some to redefine the very institution of marriage, by relativism, by the culture of the ephemeral, by a lack of openness to life.
"Our world needs good and strong families to overcome these threats! The Philippines need holy and loving families to protect the beauty and truth of the family in God's plan and to be a support and example for other families. Every threat to the family is a threat to society itself. The future of humanity, as St. John Paul II often said, passes through the family. So protect
your families! See in them your country's greatest treasure and nourish them always by prayer and the grace of the sacraments. Families will always have their trials, but may you never add to them! Instead, be living examples of love, forgiveness and care. Be sanctuaries of respect for life, proclaiming the
sacredness of every human life from conception to natural death. What a gift this would be to society, if every Christian family lived fully its noble vocation! So rise with Jesus and Mary, and set out on the path the Lord traces for each of you.
"Finally, the Gospel we have heard reminds us of our Christian duty to be prophetic voices in the midst of our communities. Joseph listened to the angel of the Lord and responded to God's call to care for Jesus and Mary. In this way
he played his part in God's plan, and became a blessing not only for the Holy Family, but a blessing for all of humanity. With Mary, Joseph served as a model
for the boy Jesus as he grew in wisdom, age and grace. When families bring children into the world, train them in faith and sound values, and teach them to contribute to society, they become a blessing in our world. God's love becomes present and active by the way we love and by the good works that we do.
We extend Christ's kingdom in this world. And in doing this, we prove faithful to the prophetic mission which we have received in baptism.
"During this year which your bishops have set aside as the Year of the Poor, I
would ask you, as families, to be especially mindful of our call to be missionary disciples of Jesus. This means being ready to go beyond your homes and to care for our brothers and sisters who are most in need. I ask you especially to show concern for those who do not have a family of their own, in particular those who are elderly and children without parents. Never let them feel isolated, alone and abandoned, but help them to know that God has not forgotten them. You may be poor yourselves in material ways, but you have an abundance of gifts to offer when you offer Christ and the community of his Church. Do not hide your faith, do not hide Jesus, but carry him into the world
and offer the witness of your family life!
"Dear friends in Christ, know that I pray for you always! I pray that the Lord
may continue to deepen your love for him, and that this love may manifest itself in your love for one another and for the Church. Pray often and take the
fruits of your prayer into the world, that all may know Jesus Christ and his merciful love. Please pray also for me, for I truly need your prayers and will depend on them always".
Following the meeting, the Pope retired to the apostolic nunciature, where he dined privately and spent his second night in the Philippines.

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Conclusion of the meeting of presidents of Doctrinal Commissions
Vatican City, 16 January 2015 (VIS) - From 13 to 15 January the superiors of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith met with the presidents or representatives of the Doctrinal Commissions of the European Episcopal Conferences at the St. Adalbert Centre in Esztergom, Hungary. It was attended by, among others, Cardinal Gerhard L. Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Archbishop Luis F. Ladaria S.J., secretary of the same dicastery, and representatives of the various doctrinal commissions.
The meeting began with the reading of a letter from Pope Francis addressed to the participants, in which he emphasised that the initiative sought to enhance the role of local Episcopates, and in particular their Doctrinal Commissions, "in their responsibility for the unity and integrity of the faith" and its transmission to the young. With reference his apostolic exhortation "Evangelii Gaudium", the Pope expresses in his letter his hope that the meeting will will contribute to finding a collegial solution to the many doctrinal and pastoral difficulties that exist in present-day Europe, and inspire in the faithful "a new missionary zeal and greater openness to the transcendent dimension of life,
without which Europe risks losing the very 'humanistic spirit' that it loves and defends".
During the three-day meeting, which was characterised by cordiality and a spirit of affective and effective collegiality, a number of issues were considered in relation to the unicity and salvific universality of Jesus Christ
and the proclamation of the Gospel as the primary task of the Church in Europe,
questions posed by gender theory, Christian anthropology and religious freedom,
and the practical issues linked to the new evangelisation, the sacrament of reconciliation and the functioning of the Doctrinal Commission.

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 16 January 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed:
- Fr. JosΘ Maria Balina as auxiliary of Buenos Aires (area 203, population 2,944,000, Catholics 2,696,000, priests 782, permanent deacons 10, religious 1,951), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1959, and was ordained a priest in 1989. He has served as parish vicar in the parishes of "Inmaculada Concepcion", "San Pablo Apostol", and "La Sagrada Eucaristia", and parish priest of the parishes of "Resurreccion del Senor" and "San Isidro Labrador". He is a member of the presbyteral council of the archdiocese of Buenos Aires,
- Bishop Nicholas James Samra of Newton of the Greek-Melkites, U.S.A., as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the eparchy
of Nuestra Senora del Paraiso en Mexico of the Greek-Melkites.

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"The female body: between culture and biology", the third point for reflection, "reminds us of the beauty and harmony of the body God gave to women, but also the painful wounds inflicted upon them, often with brutal violence, for the mere fact of being women. A symbol of life, the female body is unfortunately not infrequently attacked and disfigured by those who ought instead to be its protectors and companions in life. The many forms of enslavement, commodification and mutilation of women's bodies require us to work to defeat this form of degradation that reduces them to mere objects to be
sold on various markets". "I wish to draw attention, in this respect, to the suffering of many poor women, forced to life in conditions of danger and exploitation, relegated to the margins of society and rendered victims of a throwaway culture", stressed the Holy Father.
The fourth theme, "Women and religion: flight or new forms of participation in
the life of the Church?" is of particular relevance to believers. The Pope reiterated his conviction that it is urgent to "offer space to women in the life of the Church and to welcome them, bearing in mind the specific features and changes in cultural and social sensibilities. A more capillary and incisive
female presence within the Church is desirable, so that we can see many women involved in pastoral responsibilities and in accompanying individuals, families
and groups, as well as in theological reflection".
Finally, the Holy Father spoke about the indispensable role of women in the family, and highlighted the importance of "encouraging and promoting the effective presence of women in many areas of the public sphere, in the world of
work and in places where the most important decisions are taken", without prejudice to their role in the private domain. "We must not leave women to bear
these burdens and take all these decisions alone; all institutions, including the ecclesial community, must guarantee freedom of choice for women, so that they have the opportunity to assume social and ecclesial responsibilities, in harmony with family life".

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God lives in the city
Vatican City, 9 February 2015 (VIS) - On Saturday Pope Francis received in audience the participants in the Plenary Session of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, "Encountering God in the heart of the city". This year will be the fiftieth anniversary of the closing of Vatican Council II, and to mark the occasion, the Council is preparing a ceremony to commemorate the publication of
the decree on the lay apostolate, Apostolicam actuositatem. "The initiative looks not only to the past, but also the present and the future of the Church".
He remarked that the theme chosen for the assembly reiterates the invitation in
Evangelii gaudium to face the challenge of urban cultures, adding that "the phenomenon of urbanisation has now reached global proportions: more than half the world's population lives in cities".
"The urban context has a strong impact on the mentality, culture, lifestyles, interpersonal relationships and religiosity of the people. In such a varied and
complex context, the Church is no longer the sole generator of meaning, and Christians absorb 'languages, symbols, messages and paradigms which propose new
approaches to life, approaches often in contrast with the Gospel'". He emphasised that, despite these risks, we must remember that God has not abandoned cities. "The title of your Plenary underlines the fact that it is possible to encounter God in the heart of the city. ... It is therefore imperative not to abandon oneself to pessimism and defeatism, but to have an outlook of faith with regard to our cities, a contemplative gaze 'which sees God dwelling in their homes, in their streets and squares'. God is never absent
from the city, as He is never absent from the heart of man!".
"In the city the terrain for the apostolate is often far more fertile than many might imagine. It is important, therefore, to pay attention to the formation of laypeople: to educate in having this gaze of faith, full of hope, that knows how to see the city through God's eyes ... and at the same time it is necessary to nurture in them the desire for witness, so that they can give to others the gift of the faith they have received, accompanying with affection
those brothers who are taking their first steps in the life of faith". Francis commented that Archbishop Giovanni Battista Montini frequently referred to the "search for the essential", and often urged those involved in the great urban mission of Milan to be essential themselves: "that is, to be genuine, authentic
and to live that which truly counts. Only in this way it is possible to propose
in its strength, in its beauty, in its simplicity, the liberating proclamation of God's love and the salvation that Christ offers. Only in this way can one adopt that attitude of respect towards people: offering the essential that is the Gospel".

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Francis to the SECAM: Invest in education in Africa to defend the young from fundamentalism and abuse of religion
Vatican City, 7 February 2015 (VIS) - Providing "a common response to the new challenges facing the continent,allowing the Church to speak with one voice and
to witness to her vocation as a sign and instrument of salvation, peace, dialogue and reconciliation" is the mission of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), the institution conceived and promoted following Vatican Council II to be at the service of the local churches in Africa. This morning Pope Francis received in audience representatives from the Symposium and, in his address, he emphasised that the institution must "remain faithful to its identity as a vibrant experience of communion and of service to the poorest of the poor".
"To this end, pastors must remain free from worldly and political concerns, that they continually strengthen the bonds of fraternal communion with the Successor of Peter, through cooperation with the Apostolic Nunciatures, and easy and direct communication with other Church bodies. At the same time, it is
necessary to maintain the simple ecclesial experiences available to all, as well as streamlined pastoral structures. Experience teaches that large bureaucratic structures approach problems in the abstract and risk distancing the Church from people. For this reason, it is important to be concrete: that which is concrete is in touch with reality".
"Above all, it is the youth who need your witness. Young men and women look to
us. In Africa, the future is in the hands of the young, who need to be protected from new and unscrupulous forms of 'colonisation' such as the pursuit
of success, riches, and power at all costs, as well as fundamentalism and the distorted use of religion, in addition to new ideologies which destroy the identity of individuals and of families. The most effective way to overcome the
temptation to give in to harmful lifestyles is by investing in education. Education will also help to overcome a widespread mentality of injustice and violence, as well as ethnic divisions. The greatest need is for a model of education which teaches the young to think critically and encourages growth in moral values. An important component in this educational process is the pastoral care of students: in Catholic or public schools there is a need to unite academic studies with the explicit proclamation of the Gospel".
"There are various reasons why we are seeing, also in Africa, a trend towards the breakdown of the family. In response, the Church is called to evaluate and encourage every initiative to strengthen the family, which is the real source of all forms of fraternity and the foundation and primary way of peace. More recently, many priests, men and women religious as well as members of the lay faithful have admirably taken responsibility for the care of families, with a special concern for the elderly, the sick and the handicapped. Even in the most
distant and remote regions, your local Churches have proclaimed the Gospel of Life and, following the example of the Good Samaritan, have come to the help of
those most in need. A magnificent witness to charity has been given in response
to the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus, which has struck many communities, parishes and hospitals. Many African missionaries have generously given their lives by remaining close to those suffering from this disease. This path must be followed with renewed apostolic zeal! As followers of Christ, we cannot fail
to be concerned for the welfare of the weakest; we must also draw the attention
of society and the civil authorities to their plight".
"Dear brothers, I express my appreciation for the invaluable contribution made
by so many priests, men and women religious and lay faithful to the proclamation of the Gospel and the social advancement of your people. SECAM is also a means of promoting respect for the law, so as to ensure that the ills of
corruption and fatalism may be healed, and to encourage the efforts of Christians in society as a whole, always in view of the common good. The great work of evangelisation consists in striving to make the Gospel permeate every aspect of our lives so that we, in turn, can bring it to others. For this reason, it must always be borne in mind that evangelisation implies conversion,
that is, interior renewal. The process of purification, which is inherent in evangelisation, means accepting the call of Christ to 'repent and believe the Good News'. As a result of this conversion to salvation,not only individuals but the entire ecclesial community is transformed, and becomes an ever greater and more vital expression of faith and charity.
"May the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit sustain your pastoral efforts. May the Virgin Mary protect you and intercede for you and for the entire continent of Africa. To each of you, I give my Apostolic Blessing. Please pray for me".

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"Everything in our life begins with an encounter", he continued. "Let us think
of the Gospel of John, in which he narrates the disciples' first encounter with
Jesus. Andrew, John and Simon felt as if they were seen in depth, known intimately, and this generated surprise in them, a stupor that immediately made
them feel linked to Him. ... This was the decisive discovery for St. Paul, for St. Augustine, and many others: Jesus Christ always precedes us; when we arrive, He is already waiting for us. He is like the flower of the almond tree,
the first to bloom and to herald the spring".
However, this dynamic of encounter that arouses stupor and adhesion without mercy, as "only he who has known the tender caress of mercy truly knows the Lord. The privileged locus of encounter is the caress of Jesus Christ's mercy towards my sin. It is for this reason that, at times, you have heard me say that the privileged locus of encounter with Jesus Christ is sin. It is thanks to that merciful embrace that the wish to respond and to change emerges, and from this there springs a different life. Christian morality is not a titanic and voluntary effort on the part of those who decide to be coherent and achieve
it, a sort of solitary challenge before the world. No. Christian morality is the answer, it is the touched response when faced with the surprising mercy, unpredictable, even 'unjust' according to human criteria, of One who knows me, Who knows my betrayals and loves me all the same, ... who calls me again, has hope in me. ... Christian morality is not about never falling, but about always
getting up again, thanks to His hand that reaches out to us".
"And the way of the Church is also this: letting God's great mercy be shown", he exclaimed. "The road of the Church is that of never condemning anyone eternally; of effusing God's mercy to all those people who ask for it with a sincere heart; the road of the Church is precisely that of leaving behind one's
own yard in order to go and seek those in the distant peripheries of existence;
that of fully adopting God's logic. The Church too must feel the joyful impulse
of becoming almond flowers, like Jesus, for all humanity".
Returning to the celebration of sixty years of Communion and Liberation, the Pope emphasised that after this time the "original charism" has lost neither its freshness nor its vitality. "But, always remember that there is only one centre: Jesus Christ. When I put at the centre my spiritual method, my spiritual path, my way of putting it into practice, I stray from the road. All the spirituality, all the charisms in the Church must be decentred: at the centre there is only the Lord!".
He continued, "Charism cannot be conserved in a bottle of distilled water! Loyalty to the charism does not mean 'petrifying' it - it is the devil who petrifies - does not mean writing it on parchment and framing it. Reference to the legacy that Don Giussani has left you cannot be reduced to a museum of memories, of decisions made, of norms of conduct. It certainly involves faithfulness to tradition, but as Mahler said, this means 'keeping the flame alive and not worshipping the ashes'. Don Giussani would never forgive you if you lost your freedom and transformed into museum guides or worshippers of ashes. Keep alive the memory of that first encounter and be free! In this way, centre in Christ and in the Gospel, you can be the arms, hands, feet, mind and heart of an outbound Church. The path of the Church takes us out in search of those who are far away, in the peripheries, to serve Jesus in every marginalised and abandoned person, without faith, disappointed in the Church, prisoner of his or her own self-centredness".
"Reaching out also means rejecting self-referentiality, in all its forms; it means knowing how to listen to those who are not the same as us, learning from all, with sincere humility. When we are slaves to self-referentiality we end up
cultivating a sort of branded spirituality: 'I am CL'. This becomes your label.
And in this way we fall into the myriad traps set by self-referential complacency, that gazing at oneself in the mirror that leads to disorientation and our transformation into mere impresarios of NGOs".
The Pope concluded his discourse with the words of Don Giussani, from one of his first writings, in which he affirmed that Christianity cannot be realised in history as fixed position to defend, that relate to the new in terms of pure
antithesis, and from his letter to John Paul II in 2004 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of Communion and Liberation: 'I never intended to "found" anything. I believe that the genius of the movement that I have seen come into being is that of having grasped the urgency of proclaiming the need to return to the elementary aspects of Christianity, meaning passion for Christianity as such, in its original elements, and nothing more'."

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The Holy Father to preside at Confession in St. Peter's Basilica on 13 March
Vatican City, 7 March 2015 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that the Holy Father will preside at the rite of the reconciliation of penitents, with individual confession and absolution, on Friday 13 March at 5 p.m in St. Peter's Basilica.

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Oath-taking Ceremony of the Cardinal Camerlengo
Vatican City, 7 March 2015 (VIS) - At 9.30 this morning, in the Chapel of Urban VIII, in the presence of the Holy Father, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, took his oath as Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.

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Cardinal Orlando B. Quevedo, Pope's special envoy to Nagasaki
Vatican City, 7 March 2015 (VIS) - In a letter published today, written in Latin and dated 15 February, the Holy Father appoints Cardinal Orlando B. Quevedo, O.M.I., archbishop of Cotabato, Philippines, as his special envoy to the celebration of the centenary of the discovery of the "hidden Christians of Japan", to be held in Nagasaki, Japan from 14 to 17 March.
The mission accompanying the cardinal will be composed of Rev. Peter Sakae Kojima, vicar general, member of the college of consultors and parish priest of
the Cathedral of Nagasaki, and Fr. Joseph Pasala, S.V.D., missionary from India
and parish vicar of Nishimachi.

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Audiences
Vatican City, 9 March 2015 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church;
- Fourteen prelates of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, on their "ad
Limina" visit:
- Archbishop Hyginus Kim Hee-joong of Gwangju, with his auxiliary, Bishop Simon Ok Hyun-jin;
- Bishop Peter Kang U-il of Cheju;
- Bishop Vincent Ri Pyung-ho of Jeonju;
- Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, archbishop of Seoul, apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of P'youg-yang with his auxiliaires, Bishop Basil Cho Kyu-man, BishopTimothy Yu Gyoung-chon, and Bishop Peter Chung Soon-taek;
- Bishop Luke Kim Woon-hoe of Ch'unch,?n, apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Hamh?ng;
- Bishop Lazzaro You Heung-sik of Daejeon, with his auxiliary, Bishop Augustinus Kim Jong-soo;
- Bishop Boniface Choi Ki-san, with his auxiliary, Bishop John Baptist Jung Shin-chul; and
- Dom Blasio Park Hyun-dong, O.S.B., apostolic administrator "ad nutum Sanctae
Sedis" of the dell'Abbazia di T?kwon
On Saturday, 7 March, the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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Other Pontifical Acts
On Saturday, 7 March, the Holy Father:
- appointed Rev. Fr. David Macaire, O.P., as archbishop of Fort-de-France (area 1,080, population 390,371, Catholics 312,296, priests 54, permanent deacons 12, religious 151), Martinique, France. The bishop-elect was born in Nanterre, France in 1969, gave his perpetual vows in 1998 and was ordained a priest in 2001. He holds a licentiate in theology and canon law from Tolosa, and has served in a number of pastoral roles, including chaplain of various schools, lecturer in theology at the major seminary of Bordeaux, spiritual adviser of the Equipe Notre Dame, master of Dominican students, prior of the Dominican convent in the archdiocese of Bordeaux, and member of the presbyteral
council of the same local Church. He is currently prior of the Dominican convent of La Sainte-Baume, Tolone, and member of the provincial council.
- accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the diocese of Rome
presented by Bishop Paolo Schiavon, upon reaching the age limit.

___________________________________________________________

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Copyright (VIS): the news contained in the services of the Vatican
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themselves to being victims of abuse. These are situations in which it is not enough to safeguard the law to defend the basic rights of the person, and in which the rules, without pity and mercy, do not respond to justice. Within every
country, at times, scandalous and offensive differences are created, especially between indigent peoples, in rural areas or in the peripheries of large cities. If it fails to genuinely defend these people against racism, xenophobia and intolerance, the rule of law loses its very legitimacy".
"Efforts to build bridges, to establish channels of communication, to build relationships and to seek agreement are never in vain. The geographical situation of Panama, in the centre of the American continent, making it a point of encounter between north and south, between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, is certainly a call, pro mundi beneficio, to generate a new order of peace and justice, and to promote solidarity and collaboration, respecting the just autonomy of every nation", writes the Pope, who concludes by expressing his hope
that the Church "may also be an instrument of peace and reconciliation between peoples".

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To formators of consecrated persons: not only teachers, but also witnesses of following Christ
Vatican City, 11 April 2015 (VIS) - "To live in Christ according to the form of
life of the Gospel" is the title of an international conference for formators of
consecrated persons, held in Rome from 7 to 11 April. This morning around 1,400 participants were received in audience by the Pope, who exclaimed, "Seeing so many of you, you would not believe that there is a crisis of vocations!", and went on to highlight the beauty and importance of consecrated life for the world
and for the Church.
However, he noted that the decreasing number of new vocations is an undeniable fact, and "this make the task of formation even more urgent". He expressed his conviction that "there is not a vocational crisis where there are consecrated persons able to transmit, by their own witness, the beauty of consecration. And it is a fruitful witness. If there is not witness, there is no coherence, and if
there is no coherence, there will be no vocations". He added, they are "not only
teachers, but above all witnesses of following Christ in their own charism", as the mission and task of formators is to "truly mould the heart of Jesus in the heart of the young, so that they have the same sentiments".
"In these days of the Resurrection, the word that frequently resounded to me in
prayers was 'Galilee', where it all began, as Peter tells us in his first discourse. Events occurred in Jerusalem, but they began in Galilee. Our life, too, began in a 'Galilee': each one of us has had the experience ... of encountering the Lord, that encounter that cannot be forgotten, but that many times ends up obscured by things, by work, by worries, and also by sins and worldliness. To offer witness it is often necessary to make a pilgrimage to one's own Galilee, to revive the memory of that encounter, that wonder, and to start again from there. But if you do not follow the road of memory there is the
risk of remaining stuck where you are, and also the danger of not knowing why you are there".
"Consecrated life is beautiful: it is one of the most valuable treasures of the
Church, rooted in the baptismal vocation. Therefore, it is beautiful to be its formators, as it is a privilege to participate in the work of the Father, which forms the heart of the Son in those to whom the Spirit calls. At times, this service may be felt as a weight, as if it draws us away from something more important", the Pontiff observed. "But this is a deception, a temptation. The mission is important, but it is equally important to educate in the mission, in the passion of proclamation, of going everywhere, to every periphery, to say to all that the love of Jesus Christ, especially for those who are most distant, to
tell this to the small and the poor, and also to allow oneself to be evangelised
by them. All this requires a solid foundation, a Christian structure of personality that families themselves are rarely able to give. And this increases
your responsibility".
"It is not true that today's young people are mediocre or not generous; but they need to experience that 'It is more blessed to give than to receive', that there is great freedom in a life of obedience, great fruitfulness in a virgin heart, great wealth in possessing nothing. From this there arises the need to be
lovingly attentive to the path of each person and evangelically demanding in every phase of the formative journey, beginning with vocational discernment, so that the eventual crisis in terms of quantity does not lead to a far more serious crisis of quality. And this is the danger. Vocational discernment is important: all those who understand the human personality - be they psychologists, spiritual fathers, spiritual mothers - tell us that young people who at a subconscious level feel they ... have some problem of balance or deviation subconsciously seek out strong structures to protect them, and to protect them against themselves. And here lies discernment: knowing how to say no. Without driving them away - this, no. "I will accompany you, go, go ... and just as you accompany them as they enter, accompany them to the exit, so that they may find their path in life, with the necessary help".
He continued, "Initial formation, this discernment, is only the first step in a
process destined to last a lifetime, and the young people must develop with the humble and intelligent freedom of allowing himself to be educated by God the Father every day of his life, at every age, in the mission as in fraternity, in action as in contemplation".
"In this mission, neither time nor energy must be spared. And we must not be discouraged when results do not fulfil our expectations. It is painful, when a boy or a girl says after three or four years: 'I cannot continue; I have found another love that is not against God, but I cannot continue, I am leaving'. This
is hard. But it is also your martyrdom. Even missteps, these missteps from the formator's point of view, can contribute to your journey of continual formation.
And if at times you may have the feeling that your work is not sufficiently appreciated, know that Jesus is following you with love, and the entire Church is grateful to you".

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Audiences
Vatican City, 13 April 2015 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Archbishop Carlos Jose Nanez of Cordoba, Argentina.
On Saturday, 11 April, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops;
- Daniele Mancini, new ambassador of Italy to the Holy See, presenting his credential letters;
- Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, apostolic nuncio in Indonesia.

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 13 April 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed:
- Msgr. Paolo Rocco Gualtieri, nunciature counsellor, as apostolic nuncio in Madagascar, elevating him to the dignity of archbishop;
- Bishop Francois Eid, emeritus of Cairo of the Maronites and procurator of the
Maronite Patriarchate at the Holy See, as apostolic visitator for the Maronite faithful in Bulgaria, Greece and Romania:
- the following cardinals, created in the Consistory of 14 February 2015, as Members of the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia:
- in the Council of Cardinals and Bishops of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State: Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura;
- in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: Cardinal Ricardo Blazquez Perez, archbishop of Valladolid, Spain;
- in the Congregation for the Oriental Churches: Cardinals Berhaneyesus Demerew
Souraphiel, archbishop of Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, and Edoardo Menichelli, archbishop of Ancona-Osimo, Italy;
- in the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments: Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura;
- in the Congregation for the Causes of Saints: Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura;
- in the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples: Cardinals John Atcherley Dew, archbishop of Wellington, New Zealand; Pierre Nguyen Van Nhon, archbishop of Ha Noi, Viet Nam; Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij, archbishop of Bangkok, Thailand; Arlindo Gomes Furtado, bishop of Santiago de Cabo Verde, Cape Verde; and Soane Patita Paini Mafi, bishop of Tonga;
- in the Congregation for the Clergy: Cardinals Manuel Jose Macario do Nascimento Clemente, patriarch of Lisbon, Portugal, and Alberto Suarez Inda, archbishop of Morelia, Mexico;
- in the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life: Cardinals Charles Maung Bo, archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar, and Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet, archbishop of Montevideo, Uruguay;
- in the Congregation for Catholic Education: Cardinal Jose Luis Lacunza Maestrojuan, bishop of David, Panama;
- in the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity: Cardinal John Atcherley Dew, archbishop of Wellington, New Zealand;
- in the Pontifical Council "Justice and Peace": Cardinals Pierre Nguyen Van Nhon, archbishop of Ha Noi, Viet Nam, and Alberto Suarez Inda, archbishop of Morelia, Mexico;
- in the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum": Cardinals Francesco Montenegro, archbishop of Agrigento, Italy; Arlindo Gomes Furtado, bishop of Santiago de Cabo Verde, Cape Verde; and Soane Patita Paini Mafi, bishop of Tonga;
- in the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples: Cardinals Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, archbishop of Addis Abeba, Ethiopia; and Francesco Montenegro, archbishop of Agrigento, Italy;
- in the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers: Cardinal Edoardo Menichelli, archbishop of Ancona-Osimo, Italy;
- in the Pontifical Council for Culture: Cardinals Charles Maung Bo, archbishop
of Yangon, Myanmar; Ricardo Blazquez Perez, archbishop of Valladolid, Spain; and
Jose Luis Lacunza Maestrojuan, bishop of David, Panama;
- in the Pontifical Council for Social Communications: Cardinals Manuel Jose Macario do Nascimento Clemente, patriarch of Lisbon, Portugal, and Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij, archbishop of Bangkok, Thailand;
- in the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation: Cardinal Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet, archbishop of Montevideo, Uruguay.
On Sunday, 12 April, the Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral
care of the archdiocese of Taunggyi, Myanmar, presented by Archbishop Matthias U. Shwe in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law, and appointed Bishop Basilio Athai, auxiliary of the same archdiocese, as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis".
On Saturday, 11 April, the Holy Father appointed:
- appointed Bishop Jean de Dieu Raoelison, auxiliary of Antananarivo, Madagascar, as bishop of Ambatondrazaka (area 21,000, population 1,536,000, Catholics 277,000, priests 42, religious 208), Madagascar. He succeeds Bishop Antoine Scopelliti, O.SS.T., whose resignation upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.
- Rev. Fr. Dante Gustavo Braida as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Mendoza, (area 63,839, population 1,250,000, Catholics 1,086,000, priests 157, permanent deacons 61, religious 258), Argentina. He bishop-elect was born in Reconquista, Argentina in 1968 and was ordained a priest in 1996. He has served as parish vicar in Villa Ocampo, missionary ad gentes in Cuba, parish priest in Calchaqui,
diocesan assessor for vocational pastoral ministry, formator of the "La Encarnacion" interdiocesan seminary, and member of the presbyteral council and college of consultors. He is currently vicar general of the diocese of Reconquista and parish priest of the "La Inmaculada" parish.

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the Catholic Church in alleviating the situations of hardship that characterise some sectors of society. Mention was also made, within the framework of the current international situation, of the worrying spread of violence that continues to affect the eastern Mediterranean and North African areas.
The Parties confirmed their willingness to pursue their active collaboration on
a bilateral level in the context of the international community, especially with
regard to the promotion and protection of religious freedom and the dignity of human beings.

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To the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences: raise awareness of new forms of slavery
Vatican City, 18 April 2015 (VIS) - The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, chaired by Margaret Archer, dedicated its plenary session to human trafficking. This morning the Pope received in audience the members of this institution and thanked them for their work in deepening knowledge of new forms of slavery and in endeavouring to eradicate human trafficking, noting that this scourge afflicts those who suffer as a result of forced labour, prostitution, and trafficking in organs and drugs.
"St. Peter Claver, in an historical moment at which slavery was widespread and socially acceptable, unfortunately - and scandalously - also in the Christian world, as it was a large-scale business, felt himself to be called by the words of the Lord, and consecrated himself as 'a slave of slaves'. And many other saints, such as St. John of Matha, went on to fight slavery, following the mandate of Paul: slaves no more, but brothers and sisters in Christ".
"We know that the historical abolition of slavery as a social structure is a direct consequence of the message of freedom brought to the world by Christ with
its fullness of grace, truth and love, with His programme of the Beatitudes. The
progressive awareness of this message throughout history is the work of the Spirit of Christ and of His gifts, in which there participate the saints and many men and women of good will, who do not identify with a religious faith but who are committed to improving the human condition".
"Unfortunately, in a global economic system dominated by profit, new forms of slavery have developed, in a certain way worse and more inhuman than those of the past. Therefore, following the Lord's message of redemption, we are called upon even more today to denounce and combat them. Firstly, we must raise awareness of this new evil that, in the globalised world, seeks to conceal itself as it is scandalous and 'politically incorrect'. No-one likes to acknowledge that in their own city, region or nation, there are new forms of slavery, yet we know that this wound afflicts almost all countries. We must then
denounce this terrible scourge in all its gravity. Pope Benedict XVI has already
categorically denounced every violation of the principle of equal dignity among human beings. I too have declared several times that these new forms of slavery - human trafficking, forced labour, prostitution, the trade in organs - are serious crimes and 'an open wound on the body of contemporary society'".
Francis launched a final appeal to all of society to become more aware, "especially with regard to national and international legislation, in order to be able to bring traffickers to justice and to redirect their unjust earnings for the rehabilitation of victims. The most suitable methods must be sought to penalise those who are complicit in this inhuman market. We are required to improve the methods of rescuing victims, and their social inclusion, also bringing up to date the legislation on the right of asylum. The civil authorities must be more cognizant of the seriousness of this tragedy, which constitutes a regression for humanity".

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The Pope receives the A.C.I.S.J.F.: let young women know they are called to happiness
Vatican City, 20 April 2015 (VIS) - "I wish to express my gratitude to you for your generous efforts in the service of young women who live in situations of precariousness and suffering", said the Pope this morning as he received, in the
Sala Clementina, seventy members of the International Catholic Association for the Service of Young Women (A.C.I.S.J.F.), founded in Fribourg, Switzerland, by Louise de Reynold in response to the needs of young women who, due to social changes, lived far from their family environment.
The number of these women, as the Pope observed in his address, is increasing, and the many forms of poverty that affect them "call out to us and should inspire a new creativity, to offer them the material and spiritual aid they need. ... Through your ongoing activities to welcome them, and through reflection
to face the new challenges generated by today's world, such as the phenomenon of
migration, your work seeks to be at the service of the life and dignity of the person, demonstrating that 'true faith in the incarnate Son of God is inseparable from self-giving ... from service".
The young are most in need of "attention and to be listened to", and the A.C.I.S.J.F. must help them "to grow in confidence, to find points of reference and to progress in human and spiritual maturity, nourished by Gospel values", he
added. "Be credible witnesses for them, so that they experience the joy of knowing they are loved by God, their Father, and called to happiness. And, at the same time, let yourselves be instructed by these young people whom you accompany and assist. Even amid their difficulties. They often bear witness to those essential virtues of fraternity and solidarity. They also remind us that we are frail and depend on God and on others. May the Lord's merciful gaze touch
us and help us to welcome our poverty in order to go ahead trustfully, and to make efforts together in that 'revolution of tenderness' to which Jesus opened the way through his Incarnation".
He concluded, "I hope that the sense of belonging to the Church, who is a great
family, may grow in you. I invite you to continue to announce to all the joy of the Gospel, bear in mind the diversity of cultures, of religious traditions, and
of the origins of the young women you wish to serve, as well as their richness that demands to be received with respect".

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Telegram for the death of Cardinal Francis Eugene George
Vatican City, 18 April 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has sent a telegram of condolences to the Archbishop of Chicago, U.S.A., Blase J. Cupich, for the death
yesterday, Friday 17 April, of Cardinal Francis Eugene George, O.M.I., emeritus of the same archdiocese, at the age of 78.
In the text the Pope recalls with gratitude Cardinal George's witness of consecrated life as an Oblate of Mary Immaculate, his service to the Church's educational apostolate, and his years of episcopal ministry in the Churches of Yakima, Portland and Chicago, and commends the soul of "this wise and gentle pastor" to the merciful love of the Father.

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The Pope to receive Catholic Charismatic Renewal in audience on 3 July
Vatican City, 18 April 2015 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office has stated that the Holy Father will receive in audience the Movement of Catholic Charismatic Renewal at 10 a.m. on 3 July, in St. Peter's Square.

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Symposium on Friar Junipero Serra, to be canonised 23 September
Vatican City, 18 April 2015 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press office, the Day of Reflection dedicated to "Friar Junipero Serra, apostle of California,
witness of holiness", to be held on Saturday 2 May at the Pontifical North American College of Rome, Italy. At the beginning of the press conference, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., announced that the Pope will canonise Blessed Junipero Serra on 23 September during his apostolic trip to the United States, outside the National Shrine in Washington, D.C.
The event on 2 May, convoked by the Pontifical North American College and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and funded by the archdiocese of Los Angeles, will aim to inform on the life, mission and witness of holiness of Friar Junipero Serra, O.F.M. (1713-1784).
Speakers at the conference were Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., president of the
Pontifical Council for Latin America; Guzman Carriquiry Lecour, secretary of the
vice-presidency of the same dicastery; Fr. Vincenzo Criscuolo, O.F.M. Cap., general rapporteur of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints; and Msgr. James
Francis Checcio, rector of the Pontifical North American College.
The activities to take place on the Day of Reflection include the Pope's visit to the Pontifical North American College, during which he will officiate at Holy
Mass.

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Audiences
Vatican City, 20 April 2015 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples;
- Signor Tomaz Kunstelj, new ambassador of Slovenia to the Holy See, presenting
his letters of credence;
- Archbishop Santo Gangemi, apostolic nuncio in Guinea and Mali;
- Bishop Gonzalo de Villa y Vazquez of Solola-Chimaltenango, Guatemala;
- Six prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Gabon, on their "ad Limina" visit:
- Archbishop Basile Mve Engone of Libreville;
- Bishop Timothee Mobido-Nzockena of Franceville;
- Bishop Mathieu Madega Lebouakehan of Mouila, apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Port-Gentil with Bishop emeritus Dominique
Bonnet, C.S.Sp.;
- Bishop Jean-Vincent Ondo Eyene of Oyem;
- Bishop Joseph Koerber, C.S.Sp., apostolic vicar of Makokou.
On Saturday, 18 April, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 20 April 2015 (VIS) - On Saturday, 18 April, the Holy Father appointed Bishop Misael Vacca Ramirez of Yopal, Colombia, as bishop of Duitama-Sogamoso (area 4,928, population 437,000, Catholics 423,000, priests 115, permanent deacons 13, religious 155), Colombia.

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countries, and he also underlined that lack of adequate services to respond to the effective needs of the population. "Faced with this worrying scenario, a general mobilisation is necessary, to unite the strengths of the population, the
institutions, private entities and various civil bodies", he affirmed. "It is not possible to defer the concrete steps that need to be taken to favour the creation of new jobs, thus offering the young the possibility of realising their
potential through honest work".
The diocese is celebrating, on the other hand, a jubilee year dedicated to Pope
Celestine V, originally from the region, which offers the opportunity for a new missionary impulse in order to go "beyond a static religious reality" and to "return to Christ, to the Gospel; to be reconciled with God and neighbour. And thus there is reborn the desire to bring His love to all, especially those who are alone, marginalised, humiliated by suffering and by social injustice; to the
many who, tired of human words, feel a profound nostalgia for God". The jubilee year will also provide a preparatory stage for the extraordinary Jubilee Year of
Mercy, and the parishes, where "ecclesial communion finds its most immediate and
visible expression", is called upon to be the "privileged place for listening to
and announcing the Gospel; a house of prayer around the Eucharist; a true school
of communion, where the ardour of charity prevails over the temptation to a superficial and arid religiosity".
"When difficulties seem to obscure the prospects for a better future, when we experience failure and emptiness around us, it is the moment of Christian hope, based in the Risen Lord and accompanied by charitable strength towards those most in need. This is how your diocesan path, already admirably orientated to this way of charity, can involve more people and more social and institutional bodies in assisting those who are homeless or jobless, as well as those who are affected by forms of poverty both old and new, not only in order to take care of
their urgent needs but also to build alongside them a more welcoming society, more respectful of diversity, more just and fraternal. ... Problems can be overcome with solidarity. I encourage you, therefore, to be witnesses of solidarity in your cities and towns, at work, at school, in your families, and in the places where you meet".
Finally, Francis commended all those present to Our Lady and the saints of Molise and Abruzzo, so they might be "supported by these powerful intercessors",
in order to look "without fear and with hope to your future and that of your land".

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Globalising solidarity: the Pope's message for the inauguration of the Milan Universal Exposition
Vatican City, 1 May 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father spoke at the inauguration of the Universal Exposition of Milan (1 May - 31 October 2015), on the theme "Feeding the planet, energy for life" via a video message transmitted life, in which he emphasises the importance of the event for giving a voice to the poor, globalising solidarity and defending the environment.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to unite my voice to those of you gathered here for this inauguration. It is the voice of the bishop of Rome, who speaks on
behalf of the pilgrim People of God throughout the whole world; it is the voice of the many poor who form part of this people and with dignity seek to earn bread through their labours. I would like to be the spokesman for all these brothers and sisters of ours, Christians and also non-Christians, whom God loves
as His sons and for whom he gave his life, breaking the brad that is the flesh of His Son made man. He teaches us to ask God the Father: 'Give us this day our daily bread'. EXPO is an opportune occasion to globalise solidarity".
Recalling the importance of the theme of the EXPO, Francis emphasises that an issue so important and so essential cannot remain merely as a theme for the event, but must instead be accompanied by "an awareness of the faces of the millions of people who are hungry today, who will not eat today in a way worthy of a human being. I would like every person who comes to visit the EXPO of Milan, from today onwards, passing through those wonderful pavilions, to be able
to perceive the presence of those faces. A hidden presence, but which ought in reality to be the true protagonist of the event; the faces of the men and women who are hungry, who become ill or even die as a result of inadequate or harmful diet".
The "paradox of abundance" an expression used by St. John Paul II in his address to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) during the first Conference on Nutrition in 1992 "still persists, in spite of the efforts made and some good results. Even EXPO, in some respects, forms part of this paradox of abundance, if it conforms to the throwaway culture of waste, and does not contribute to an equitable and sustainable model of development. Therefore, let us ensure that EXPO provides the opportunity for a change of mentality, so that we stop thinking that our daily actions - at every level of responsibility - do not have an impact on the life of those, near and far, who suffer from hunger".
The Pope comments also on the other 'faces' who play an important role in the Universal Exposition - those of the many workers and researchers in the food and
agriculture sector. "May the Lord grant wisdom and courage to every one of them,
as their responsibility is great", he says, expressing his hope that all those who work in this field be "involved in a great project for solidarity: that of feeding the planet with respect for every man and woman who inhabit it, and with
respect for the natural environment". It is, he adds, "the great challenge that God presents to humanity in the twenty-first century: to finally stop abusing the garden God has entrusted to us, so that all may eat its fruits".
"However, everything begins here: from a perception of those faces", he concludes, "especially the most anonymous, the most hidden, that thanks to EXPO have earned bread to take home. May no-one be deprived of this dignity! And may no bread be the fruit of work unworthy of mankind! The Lord ... is the true 'energy for life': the love to share bread, 'our daily bread', in peace and fraternity. And may no man or woman lack bread and the dignity of work".

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To the Cursillos in Christianity: take your charism to the existential peripheries
Vatican City, 1 May 2015 (VIS) - The participants in the third "Ultreya Europea" organised by the Cursillos in Christianity were received in audience by
Pope Francis yesterday afternoon. Citing the theme of the encounter, "Ultreya" ("ever onward", the ancient greeting of the pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela),
he invited them always to continue and to go forward, inspired by the missionary
but not proselytising spirit of their founders, the Spanish Eduardo Bonnin Aguilo and the then-bishop of Mallorca, Juan Hervas y Benet. As the Pope remarked, they and other young laypeople, perceived the need to reach out to their peers, glimpsing the desire for truth and love present in their hearts.
"Those pioneers ... went towards the people, involving them with warmth and accompanying them on their path of faith with respect and love. This is important: friendliness and company. ... I would like to say to your movement: you
have not engaged in proselytism! And this is a virtue. The Church grows not by proselytism but by witness, as Pope Benedict said. And it is true. ... Today you
too wish to announce the Good News of God's love, making yourself close to others ... so that they can have a personal experience of Christ's infinite love
that frees and transforms life".
During the meeting, which had a spontaneous nature, the Pope answered some questions from the participants in the Ultreya, suggesting to them how to make their charism fruitful, and beginnning by explaining that to help others grow in
faith, first of all it is necessary to experience first-hand God's goodness and tenderness to then communicate it with benevolence and mercy. "This is the amicable witness of dialogue between friends.
"The method of evangelisation of the Cursillos is born precisely of this ardent
wish for friendship with God, Who is the source of our friendship with our brothers", he continued. "From the beginning it was understood that only within a relationship of authentic friendship was it possible to prepare and accompany people on their path, a path that begins with conversion, passes through the discovery of the beauty of a life lived in the grace of God, finally reaching the joy of becoming apostles in daily life. And in this way, since then, thousands of people throughout the world have been helped to grow in the life of
faith. In today's context of anonymity and isolation typical of our cities, the dimension of family welcome, on a human scale, that you offer in your group meetings is of great importance".
It is also important that these small group meetings are accompanied by "moments that favour openness to a larger social and ecclesial dimension, also involving those who come into contact with your charism but do not habitually participate in the group. ... Effectively, the Church is an 'open-hearted mother'
who invites us at times to 'slow down' and 'stop rushing to remain with someone who has faltered along the way'".
Francis concluded by renewing his invitation to "go ever onwards", faithful to their charism, and to "keep alive the zeal and the flame of the Spirit that always drives Christ's disciples to reach those who are distant, without proselytism, to leave their comfort zone and to have the courage to reach out to
those peripheries in need of the light of the Gospel. ... Every charism is called
upon to grown as it carries the Holy Spirit inside, and the Holy Spirit makes it
grow. Every charism must take account of different cultures, with different ways
of thinking and different values ... letting itself be guided by the Spirit".

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Four cardinals to take possession of titles and diaconates
Vatican City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) - According to a note released today by the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, the following cardinals will take possession of their titles or diaconates in the coming days:
Cardinal Luis Hector Villalba, archbishop emeritus of Tucuman, Argentina, will take possession of the title of San Girolamo a Corviale in Via dei Buonvisi 3, Rome, at 6 p.m. on Saturday 9 May.
Cardinal Arlindo Gomes Furtado, bishop of Santiago de Cabo Verde, will take possession of the title of San Timoteo in Via Apelle 1, Rome, at 10 a.m. on Sunday 10 May.
Cardinal Julio Duarte Langa, bishop emeritus of Xai-Xai, Mozambique, will take possession of the title of San Gabriele dell'Addolorata in Via Ponzio Cominio 93-95, Rome, at 11 a.m. on Sunday 10 May.
Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, will take possession of the diaconate of Santo Spirito in Sassia, in Via dei Penitenzieri 12, Rome, at 6 p.m. on Sunday 10 May.

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Audiences
Vatican City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Archbishop Jose Horacio Gomez of Los Angeles, U.S.A.;
- Dr. Antje Jackelen, archbishop of Uppsala, of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church
of Sweden, and entourage;
- Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity;
- Eleven prelates of the Episcopal Conference of the Republic of the Congo, on their "ad Limina" visit:
- Archbishop Anatole Milandou of Brazzaville;
- Bishop Bienvenu Manamika Bafouakouahou of Dolisie;
- Bishop Urbain Ngassongo of Gamboma;
- Bishop Jean Gardin, C.S.Sp., of Impfondo;
- Bishop Louis Portella Mbuyu of Kinkala;
- Bishop Daniel Mizonzo of Nkayi, with Bishop emeritus Bernard Nsayi;
- Bishop Yves-Marie Monot, C.S.Sp., of Ouesso, with Bishop emeritus Herve Itoua;
- Bishop Victor Abagna Mossa of Owando; and
- Bishop Miguel Angel Olaverri Arroniz, S.D.B., of Pointe-Noire.
On Saturday, 2 May, the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Marc Ouellet,
P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed:
- Bishop Denis Groudin, auxiliary of Quebec, Canada, as metropolitan archbishop
of Rimouski (area 20,225, population 147,352, Catholics 143,960, priests 85, permanent deacons 16, religious 517), Canada.
On Saturday, 2 May the Holy Father appointed Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, archbishop emeritus of Prague, Czech Republic, as his special envoy to the celebrations for
the 600th anniversary of the death of Jan Hus, to take place in the city of Prague on 5 and 6 July 2015.

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Francis goes on to emphasise that in the pastoral ministry of the bishops, priests occupy a very special role as "if God sends us to love our neighbour, the closest neighbours of a bishop are the priests, indispensable collaborators", for whom they must always keep their "heart, hand and door" open. "Time spent with them is never wasted", he remarks. The Pope also comments
that the fruitfulness of the episcopal and priestly mission cannot be measured by the number of collaborators, the prestige of the institution, or the quantity
of resources available. Instead, what counts is "being pervaded with Christ's love, allowing oneself to be led by the Holy Spirit, and grafting one's own existence onto the tree of life, which is the Cross of the Lord". From St. Paul,
"insuperable model of the Christian missionary, we know that this means trying to conform to Jesus in His death to participate in His resurrection". In his ministry the apostle "experienced suffering, weakness and defeat, but also joy and consolation". "Jesus' paschal ministry is the heart of the mission of the Church", affirms Francis. "If you abide in this mystery, you will be protected both from a worldly and triumphalist vision of the mission, and the disappointment that may arise when faced with trials and failures".
"However, will there continue to be missionaries like Paul, men and women holding on to Christ's cross, denuded of everything so as to be able to embrace the Whole?", asks the Pope. "We must rejoice for these men and women totally consecrated to Christ". He highlights that the witness of men and women religious in Mozambique, who devote themselves to assisting the poor, to the education of abandoned children, and helping those experiencing all kinds of hardship. He also praises the "heroic dedication" of many doctors and nurses, priests and nuns, who work in clinics and hospitals, and he invites the bishops to thank them, underlining the importance of the inclusion of religious communities in diocesan life. "They are not merely reserve material for the diocese, but rather, charisms that enrich", he stressed.
The Pope exhorts the prelates to live among their faithful, also in the peripheries of their dioceses and in particular in the "existential peripheries", where there is suffering, loneliness and human degradation, as "a bishop who lives among his faithful keeps his ears open to listen to what the Spirit says to the Churches and to the voice of his sheep". He also notes the importance of the diocesan bodies which have the task of advising the bishops and assisting them "through the promotion of loyal and constructive dialogue: presbyteral council, pastoral council, council of economic affairs. It is unthinkable for a bishop not to count on these diocesan bodies. This also means being with the people. I also think at this point of your duty to reside in the diocese: listen to what your people want, what they want to see in their bishop,
walk with them, stay close to them. You need this presence to live and, in a certain sense, to breathe".
"The pastors and the faithful of Mozambique need to further develop a culture of encounter", the Pope observes. "Jesus asks only one thing: that you go out in
search of the neediest". Among these, he mentions the victims of the natural disasters that recently sowed destruction, suffering and death throughout the country, thus increasing the number of displaced persons and refugees. "These people need us to share in their suffering, their worries, their problems. They need us to look upon them with love and you must reach out to them, like Jesus".
Finally, the Pope offers an overview of all Mozambique, where the tensions and conflicts of recent years have undermined the social fabric, destroyed families and jeopardised the future of thousands of young people. "The most effective way
of opposing the mentality of arrogance and inequality, as well as social divisions, it to invest in the field of education, which teaches the young to think critically, and offers a path towards maturity in values. In this sense, it is appropriate to raise awareness among leaders in society and to revive pastoral ministry in universities and schools, combining the task of education with the proclamation of the Gospel. The needs are so great that they cannot be satisfied simply through individual initiatives or by a union of individuals educated in individualism. Community networks are needed to respond to social problems. There is a need for a union of forces and unity of direction: in this,
the Episcopal Conference may help as it has among its functions the unitary dialogue with the political authority for the whole territory. In this respect, I encourage a decisive implementation of good relations with the government, not
of dependency, but rather of solid collaboration".
"Dear bishops", he concludes, "spare no efforts in supporting the family and in
the defence of life from conception to natural death. In this sense, remember the options appropriate to one of Christ's disciples and the beauty of being a mother, accompanied by the support of the family and the local community. The family must always be defended as the main source of fraternity, respect for others and the primary path of peace".

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Cardinal Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet to take possession of his titular church
Vatican City, 10 May 2015 (VIS) - The Office for Liturgical Celebrations today announced that at 6 p.m. on Sunday 17 May Cardinal Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet, S.D.B., archbishop of Montevideo, will take possession of the title of
Santa Galla (Circonvallazione Ostiense, 195).

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Audiences
Vatican City, 11 May 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in audience:
- prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Togo, on their "ad Limina" visit:
- Archbishop Denis Komivi Amuzu-Dzakpah of Lome; with Archbishop emeritus Philippe Fanoko Kossi Kpodzro;
- Bishop Isaac Jogues Kodjo Agbemenya Gaglo of Aneho;
- Bishop Nicodeme Anani Barrigah-Benissan of Atakpame with Bishop emeritus Julien Mawule Kouto;
- Bishop Jacques Nyimbusede Tukumbe Anyølunda of Dapaong;
- Bishop Jacques Danka Longa, Vescovo di Kara;
- Bishop Benoit Comlan Messan Alowonou of Kpalime;
- Bishop Ambroise Kotamba Djoliba of Sokode.
- Adolfo Maria Perez Esquivel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate 1980.
On Saturday, 9 May, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops;
- Juan Carlos Gamarra Skeels, ambassador of Peru to the Holy See, on his farewell visit;
- Eighteen prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique, on their "ad Limina" visit:
- Archbishop Claudio Dalla Zuanna, S.C.I., of Beira;
- Bishop Francisco Joao Silota, M. Afr., of Chimoio;
- Bishop Francisco Lerma Martinez, I.M.C., of Gurue;
- Bishop Hilario Da Cruz Massinga, O.F.M., of Quelimane;
- Bishop Inacio Saure, I.M.C., of Tete;
- Archbishop Francisco Chimoio, O.F.M. Cap., of Maputo, with his auxiliary, Bishop Joao carlos Hatoa Nunes;
- Bishop Adriano Langa, O.F.M., of Inhambane;
- Bishop Lucio Andrice Muandula of Xai-Xai, with his auxiliary, Bishop Alberto Vera Arejula, O. de M., and with the bishop emeritus, Cardinal J·lio Duarte Langa;
- Archbishop Tome Markhweliha, S.C.J., of Nampula, with his auxiliary, Bishop Ernesto Maguengue;
- Bishop Atanasio Amisse Canira of Lichinga, with Bishop emeritus Elio Greselin, S.C.I.;
- Bishop Germano Grachane, C.M., of Nacala;
- Bishop Luiz Fernando Lisboa, C.P., of Pemba, with Bishop emeritus Januario Machaze Nhangumbe.

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 11 May 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed Rev. Fr. Jorge Enrique Izaguirre Rafael, C.S.C., as bishop prelate of the territorial prelature
of Chuquibamba (area 22,151, population 153,100, Catholics 136,600, priests 32, religious 62), Peru. The bishop-elect was born in Casma, Peru in 1968, gave his solemn vows in 1996, and was ordained a priest in 1997. He holds a diploma in pastoral theology from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Boston, U.S.A., and has served in a number of pastoral roles, including rector of the San Jose House of Formation of the Congregation of the Holy Cross in the diocese of Chosica; member of the Council of the district of Peru for his Congregation; assistant to the superior and parish priest. He is current assistant general of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, director of formation and superior of the International House of Formation of his Congregation in Santiago de Chile. He succeeds Bishop Mario Busquets Jorda, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same territorial prelature upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.
On Saturday 9 May the Holy Father appointed Msgr. Michal Janocha as auxiliary of Warsaw (area 3,350, population 1,540,000, Catholics 1,425,000, priests 1,192,
permanent deacons 2, religious 2,599), Poland. The bishop-elect was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1959 and was ordained a priest in 1987. He holds a doctorate in history and history of art from the Academy of Catholic Theology of Warsaw, and has served in a number of roles including parish vicar and catechist at Izabelin, chaplain of the centre for the blind and partially-sighted in Laski, lecturer at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University of Warsaw, and spiritual director of the major seminary of Warsaw. He is currently lecturer in hisotory of art at the state University of Warsaw, member of the diocesan commission for art and architecture, director of the library and confessor for seminarians at the major seminary. In 2004 he was name Chaplain of His Holiness.

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For more information and to search for documents refer to the site: www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS): the news contained in the services of the Vatican
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is achieved "when man is permitted to express with freedom and creativity in certain forms of activity, in collaborative work conducted in the community that
enable full economic and social development to him and to others. We cannot clip
the wings of those, especially the young, who have much to give with their intelligence and capacities; they must be freed of the burdens that oppress them
and prevent them from fully entering the world of work as soon as possible".
Participatory work corresponds to the relational dimension of the person, and involves the establishment of responsible bonds of collaboration. However, "when, due to an 'economistic' vision ... others are regarded as a means and not
an end, work loses its primary meaning as the continuation of God's work, a work
destined for all humanity, so that all may benefit".
Finally, mutually supportive work means responding to the many men and women who have lost their jobs or are seeking employment, above all with closeness and
solidarity. Associations such as the ACLI, as places of welcome and encounter, must also identify opportunities for formation and professional training.
Francis went on to refer to some key aspects of the ACLI. The first is its presence outside Italy, which began with the phase of Italian emigration and continues to be valuable since many young people leave Italy to seek work pertinent to their studies or to enrich their professional experience. "Support them on their path", he said. "In their eyes you may see the reflection of your parents or grandparents who travelled far to work".
The Association is also engaged in the battle against poverty and that of the impoverishment of the middle classes. "Offering support, not only of an economic
nature, to those below the poverty line, who have increased in number in Italy in recent years, can bring benefits to all of society. At the same time, those who yesterday lived a dignified life must be prevented from slipping into poverty. It takes very little these days to become poor: the loss of a job, an elderly relative who is no longer self-sufficient, sickness in the family, or even - think of this terrible paradox - the birth of a child. It is an important
cultural battle, that of ensuring that welfare is considered to be the infrastructure of development rather than a cost. You can act as a coordinator and motor for the 'alliance against poverty', which proposes the development of a national plan for decent and dignified work".
"Christian inspiration and the popular dimension determine that way of understanding and implementing the ACLI's historic triple fidelity to workers, democracy and the Church. In the current context, it may be said that these three attitudes may be summarised in one, new and simple: fidelity to the poor".

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Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero: a martyr who knew how to guide, defend and protect his flock
Vatican City, 23 May 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has sent a letter to Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador, president of the Episcopal Conference of El Salvador, for the beatification of Oscar Arnulfo Romero Galdamez, former archbishop of the same archdiocese and martyr, killed in hatred
of the faith on 24 March 1980. The the beatification Mass, celebrated in Plaza del Divino Salvador del Mundo in the Salvadoran capital, was attended by the Pope's special envoy Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
The following is the full text of the letter:
"The beatification of Msgr. Oscar Arnulfo Romero Galdamex, who was the pastor of this beloved archdiocese, is a cause for great joy for Salvadorans and for those who rejoice in the example of the best sons of the Church. Msgr. Romero, who built peace with the strength of love, bore witness to faith, giving his life to the extreme.
The Lord never abandons His people in difficulties, and always shows solicitude
to its needs. He sees oppression, He hears the cries of pain of His children, and he comes to their aid to free them from oppression and to lead them to a new
land, of 'milk and honey', fertile and spacious. Just as He chose Moses to guide
His people in His name, He continues to raise pastors after His own heart, who graze His flock with wisdom and prudence.
In this beautiful central American country, bathed by the Pacific Ocean, the Lord granted His Church a zealous bishop who, loving God and serving his brothers, converted himself in the image of Christ the Good Shepherd. In times of difficult co-existence, Msgr. Romero knew how to guide, defend and protect his flock, remaining faithful to the Gospel and in communion with all the Church. His ministry was distinguished by his particular care for the poorest and most marginalised. And at the moment of his death, as he celebrated the Holy
Sacrifice of love and reconciliation, he received the grace of fully identifying
himself with He Who gave His life for his flock.
On this day of celebration for the Salvadoran nation, and also for our brother countries in Latin America, let us give thanks to God for granting to the bishop
martyr the capacity to see and hear the suffering of his people, and for forming
his heart so that, in His name, he was guided and enlightened, and his work was filled with Christian charity.
The voice of the newly Blessed continues to resonate today, reminding us that the Church, a convocation of brothers around the Lord, is the family of God, in which there should be no division. Faith in Jesus Christ, when it is well understood and its full consequences are realised, generates communities that are builders of peace and solidarity. This is what the Church is called to do today in El Salvador, America and the world at large: to be rich in mercy, to convert into leaven for reconciliation for society. Msgr. Romero invites us to good sense and reflection, respect for life and harmony. It is necessary to reject 'the violence of the sword, of hatred' and to live 'the violence of love,
which caused Christ to be nailed to a cross, which enables us all to overcome our selfishness and ensures there may no longer be such cruel inequalities between us'. He was able to see and to experience in his own flesh 'the selfishness that lurks in those who do not wish to give what is theirs for the benefit of others'. And, with a father's heart, he cared for the 'poor majority', urging the powerful to transform their weapons into ploughshares.
May those who regard Msgr. Romero as a friend in faith, those who invoke him as
a protector and intercessor, those who admire him, find in him the strength and encouragement to build the Kingdom of God, and to commit themselves to creating a more equitable and dignified social order.
It is the right time for true national reconciliation when faced with today's challenges. The Pope participates in your hopes, and unites himself to your prayers so that the seed of martyrdom may flourish and become entrenched in the true paths of the sons and daughters of that nation, which proudly bears the name of the divine Saviour of the World.
Dear brother, I ask you to pray and to ask for prayers for me, and I impart my apostolic blessing to all those who join in any way in the celebration of the new Blessed".

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Pope's message for the Second International Conference on Women
Vatican City, 23 May 2015 (VIS) - The Pope has sent a message of greetings and encouragement to the participants in the Second International Conference on Women held in Rome, and which today comes to an end. The event was organised by the Pontifical Pontifical Council "Justice and Peace", in cooperation with the World Union of Women's Catholic Organisations and the World Women's Alliance for
Life and Family, on the theme "Women and the post-2015 development agenda: the challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)".
"Women face a variety of challenges and difficulties in various parts of the world", he writes. "In the West, at times they still experience discrimination in the workplace; they are often forced to choose between work and family; they not infrequently suffer violence in their lives as fiancees, wives, mothers, sisters and grandmothers. In poor and developing countries, women bear the heaviest burdens: it is they who travel many miles in search of water, who too often die in childbirth, who are kidnapped for sexual exploitation or forced into marriages at a young age or against their will. At times they are even denied the right to life simply for being female. All of these problems are reflected in the proposals for the post-2015 Development Agenda currently being discussed in the United Nations.
"Issues relating to life are intrinsically connected to social questions. When we defend the right to life, we do so in order that each life - from conception to its natural end - may be a dignified life, one free from the scourge of hunger and poverty, of violence and persecution. Pope Benedict XVI, in his encyclical Caritas in Veritate, highlighted how the Church 'forcefully maintains
this link between life ethics and social ethics, fully aware that a society lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand, radically
acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalised'.
"I encourage you, who are engaged in defending the dignity of women and promoting their rights, to allow yourselves to be constantly guided by the spirit of humanity and compassion in the service of your neighbour. May your work be marked first and foremost by professional competence, without self-interest or superficial activism, but with generous dedication. In this way
you will manifest the countless God-given gifts which women have to offer, encouraging others to promote sensitivity, understanding and dialogue in settling conflicts big and small, in healing wounds, in nurturing all life at every level of society, and in embodying the mercy and tenderness which bring reconciliation and unity to our world. All this is part of that 'feminine genius' of which our society stands in such great need".

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Audiences
Vatican City, 23 May 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in audience:
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops;
- Boyko Borissov, prime minister of Bulgaria, and entourage;
- Nikola Gruevski, president of the government of the ex-Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, with his wife and entourage.

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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 23 May 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed:
- Archbishop Ghaleb Moussa Abdalla Bader of Algiers, Algeria, as apostolic nuncio to Pakistan.
- Sergio Melillo as bishop of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia (area 781, population 74,970, Catholics 74,270, priests 44, permanent deacons 8, religious 80), Italy.
The bishop-elect was born in 1955 in Avellino, Italy and was ordained a priest in 1989. A licentiate in dogmatic theology, he has exercised his pastoral ministry in the diocese of Avellino in the roles of parish priest, vice director
of diocesan Caritas and parish vicar of the Cathedral. He has also served as lecturer in dogmatic theology at the "San Giuseppe Moscati" Higher Institute of Religious Sciences, lecturer in religious culture the Avellino "Universitá della
Terza Etá". He is currently vicar general and a member of the presbyteral council and college of consultors.

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For more information and to search for documents refer to the site: www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS): the news contained in the services of the Vatican
Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting
the source: V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service. http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/vis_en.html

--- MPost/386 v1.21
* Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)