December 28, 2011

Pope Benedict: The importance of prayer in the family

    After a busy weekend of Christmas ceremonies Pope Benedict welcomed the faithful on Wednesday who had gathered in the Paul VI hall for his last General Audience of 2011. Continuing his catechesis on prayer, the Pope told those gathered that families should be schools of prayer. We must, he continued, follow the example of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
   “May the example of the Holy Family inspire all Christian families to be schools of prayer, where parents and children alike come to know that closeness to God which we joyfully celebrate in these days of Christmas.”The Holy Father explained that prayer is an inescapable model for Christians, because it is through prayer, “that we draw near to God with intimacy and depth”.
   Jesus’ unique relationship with his heavenly Father was reflected in the prayer life of the Holy Family and stands at the heart of all Christian prayer.
   The Pope went on to say that it is important that parents provide an example of prayerful meditation to their children just like Mary and Joseph did.
   “In the home of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we learn to contemplate the mystery of God’s presence and to grow as faithful disciples of Christ. The Gospels present Mary as the supreme model of prayerful mediation on the mysteries of Christ’s life; in praying the Rosary, in fact, we unite ourselves to her contemplation of those mysteries in faith and hope. Saint Joseph fulfilled his vocation as the father of the Holy Family by teaching Jesus the importance of quiet fidelity to work, prayer and observance of the precepts of the Law.”
Concluding his catechesis Pope Benedict urged the faithful to “rediscover the beauty of praying together as a family.
   Finally, the Holy Father had greetings for all those in the Paul VI Hall in various languages including English.
   “I offer a warm welcome to the students and teachers from the Oak International Academies. Upon all the English-speaking visitors present, including the pilgrimage groups from Ireland, and the United States, I cordially invoke an abundance of joy and peace in Christ our Newborn Saviour!”

December 26, 2011

Pope expresses his sadness at "senseless" violence in Nigeria

   Pope Benedict made a heart felt appeal this St Stephen’s Day for the people whose lands as he put it “are drenched with innocent blood. He spoke in particular about the violence that was wreaked on Christmas Day in Nigeria.

   A blast outside a St Theresa’s Church near the capital Abuja killed at least 35 people, and in the city of Jos another bomb went off near the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church.

   The Pope expressed his closeness to the Christian community in the country and all those who have been affected by what he called “this senseless act.”

   He also reinforced his call for peace, respect, reconciliation and love adding that violence is a path that only leads to pain, destruction and death.

   The Holy Father made the appeal at the Angelus this 26^th of December in St Peter’s Square. He also recalled St Stephen who was the first Christian martyr.

   “Today we celebrate Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr. May his example inspire us to be courageous in living our faith in Christ our Saviour and ready to forgive those who harm us.”

   Speaking in Italian the Pope described how St Stephen gave his life for God adding that even as he was being stoned to death he said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" and begged forgiveness for his accusers.

   Pope Benedict went on to explain that after the generation of the Apostles, the martyrs gained a prominent place in the consideration of the Christian community.

   In times of increased persecution, he continued, their praise revives the arduous journey of the faithful and encourages those in search of the truth to be converted to the Lord.

   The Holy Father also underlined the importance of the martyrs as figures in the Church saying, that they are venerated and honoured as "teachers of virtue," "living witnesses," and "silent messengers."

   On this feast of St Stephen Pope Benedict greeted the faithful in St Peter’s Square in a number of languages including English and pray that Our Lady Queen of Martyrs would protect the faithful in times of adversity.

December 25, 2011

Urbi et Orbi: Christ come to save us

   Christ is born for us! Come to save us! Those were Pope Benedict’s words to the city and the World this Christmas Day.

   As the sun shone and the bands played, the Holy Father on the dot of 12 midday came out onto the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica for the traditional Urbi et Orbi message.

   The Pope asked the faithful to repeat the words “Come to save us!” in spiritual union with the many people to are experience particularly difficult situations, people who have no voice.

   Those people included the many thousands affected by insecurity, hunger and food shortages in the Horn of Africa. The Pope appealed to the international community during his message to continue to offer assistance to those displaced from that region and as he put it “whose dignity has been sorely tried”. Staying on the continent of Africa, Pope Benedict prayed also that political stability would reign in the Great Lakes Region of Africa and South Sudan.

   The Holy Father during his message recalled the birthplace of the Christ Child and prayed that Prince of Peace would bring stability peace and dialogue between Israeli’s and Palestinians, an end to violence in Syria and reconciliation in Iraq and Afghanistan. May the Lord also grant, said the Pope, “renewed vigour to all elements of society in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East as they strive to advance the common good.”

   2011 saw a number of natural disasters occur in the world and Pope Benedict turned his attention to South East Asia, particularly Thailand and the Philippines and to those who have been stricken by severe floods.

   He also prayed that the birth of Saviour would bring about shared solutions in Myanmar, also known as Burma.

   This address focusing on peace, stability and reconciliation was followed by Christmas greetings given by the Pope given in over 65 languages including Italian, Tamil, Irish, Arabic and Hebrew.

   The Pope’s Urbi et Orbi message came less than 24 hours after the Holy Father celebrated the traditional Christmas Eve Mass in the splendour of St Peter’s Basilica.

   Those gathered including the faithful and members of the diplomatic corps listened as Pope Benedict told them that the Christmas celebration had become too commercial and there was a need for people to look to the simplicity of the occasion to discover true “joy and true light.”

December 25, 2011

Homily of Pope Benedict at Mass on Christmas Eve

   A celebration of light, colour and song. An event watched by millions of people across the world. But also an opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.
   The Mass presided over by Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican on Christmas Eve was all of this and more. St Peter’s Basilica was indeed a blaze of lights, illuminating the faces of pilgrims and visitors representing every corner of the earth – to which the ceremony itself was broadcast, via radio, television and on the internet. But it was the Pope’s homily that set the tone of the celebration by reminding us that Christmas is an “epiphany”, marking the appearance of God, and of His great light, in a Child that is born for us. Benedict XVI invited us to “dismount from the high-horse” of our “enlightened reason”, to “set aside our false certainties and intellectual pride”, in order to find and recognize the God who appeared as a Child…

Here follows the full text in English of the Holy Father’s homily:

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
   The reading from Saint Paul’s Letter to Titus that we have just heard begins solemnly with the word “apparuit”, which then comes back again in the reading at the Dawn Mass: apparuit – “there has appeared”. This is a programmatic word, by which the Church seeks to express synthetically the essence of Christmas. Formerly, people had spoken of God and formed human images of him in all sorts of different ways. God himself had spoken in many and various ways to mankind (cf. Heb 1:1 – Mass during the Day). But now something new has happened: he has appeared. He has revealed himself. He has emerged from the inaccessible light in which he dwells. He himself has come into our midst. This was the great joy of Christmas for the early Church: God has appeared. No longer is he merely an idea, no longer do we have to form a picture of him on the basis of mere words. He has “appeared”. But now we ask: how has he appeared? Who is he in reality? The reading at the Dawn Mass goes on to say: “the kindness and love of God our Saviour for mankind were revealed” (Tit 3:4). For the people of pre-Christian times, whose response to the terrors and contradictions of the world was to fear that God himself might not be good either, that he too might well be cruel and arbitrary, this was a real “epiphany”, the great light that has appeared to us: God is pure goodness. Today too, people who are no longer able to recognize God through faith are asking whether the ultimate power that underpins and sustains the world is truly good, or whether evil is just as powerful and primordial as the good and the beautiful which we encounter in radiant moments in our world. “The kindness and love of God our Saviour for mankind were revealed”: this is the new, consoling certainty that is granted to us at Christmas.
   In all three Christmas Masses, the liturgy quotes a passage from the Prophet Isaiah, which describes the epiphany that took place at Christmas in greater detail: “A child is born for us, a son given to us and dominion is laid on his shoulders; and this is the name they give him: Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace. Wide is his dominion in a peace that has no end” (Is 9:5f.). Whether the prophet had a particular child in mind, born during his own period of history, we do not know. But it seems impossible. This is the only text in the Old Testament in which it is said of a child, of a human being: his name will be Mighty-God, Eternal-Father. We are presented with a vision that extends far beyond the historical moment into the mysterious, into the future. A child, in all its weakness, is Mighty God. A child, in all its neediness and dependence, is Eternal Father. And his peace “has no end”. The prophet had previously described the child as “a great light” and had said of the peace he would usher in that the rod of the oppressor, the footgear of battle, every cloak rolled in blood would be burned (Is 9:1, 3-4).
   God has appeared – as a child. It is in this guise that he pits himself against all violence and brings a message that is peace. At this hour, when the world is continually threatened by violence in so many places and in so many different ways, when over and over again there are oppressors’ rods and bloodstained cloaks, we cry out to the Lord: O mighty God, you have appeared as a child and you have revealed yourself to us as the One who loves us, the One through whom love will triumph. And you have shown us that we must be peacemakers with you. We love your childish estate, your powerlessness, but we suffer from the continuing presence of violence in the world, and so we also ask you: manifest your power, O God. In this time of ours, in this world of ours, cause the oppressors’ rods, the cloaks rolled in blood and the footgear of battle to be burned, so that your peace may triumph in this world of ours. Christmas is an epiphany – the appearing of God and of his great light in a child that is born for us. Born in a stable in Bethlehem, not in the palaces of kings. In 1223, when Saint Francis of Assisi celebrated Christmas in Greccio with an ox and an ass and a manger full of hay, a new dimension of the mystery of Christmas came to light. Saint Francis of Assisi called Christmas “the feast of feasts” – above all other feasts – and he celebrated it with “unutterable devotion” (2 Celano 199; Fonti Francescane, 787). He kissed images of the Christ-child with great devotion and he stammered tender words such as children say, so Thomas of Celano tells us (ibid.). For the early Church, the feast of feasts was Easter: in the Resurrection Christ had flung open the doors of death and in so doing had radically changed the world: he had made a place for man in God himself. Now, Francis neither changed nor intended to change this objective order of precedence among the feasts, the inner structure of the faith centred on the Paschal Mystery. And yet through him and the character of his faith, something new took place: Francis discovered Jesus’ humanity in an entirely new depth. This human existence of God became most visible to him at the moment when God’s Son, born of the Virgin Mary, was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. The Resurrection presupposes the Incarnation. For God’s Son to take the form of a child, a truly human child, made a profound impression on the heart of the Saint of Assisi, transforming faith into love. “The kindness and love of God our Saviour for mankind were revealed” – this phrase of Saint Paul now acquired an entirely new depth. In the child born in the stable at Bethlehem, we can as it were touch and caress God. And so the liturgical year acquired a second focus in a feast that is above all a feast of the heart. This has nothing to do with sentimentality. It is right here, in this new experience of the reality of Jesus’ humanity that the great mystery of faith is revealed. Francis loved the child Jesus, because for him it was in this childish estate that God’s humility shone forth. God became poor. His Son was born in the poverty of the stable. In the child Jesus, God made himself dependent, in need of human love, he put himself in the position of asking for human love – our love.
   Today Christmas has become a commercial celebration, whose bright lights hide the mystery of God’s humility, which in turn calls us to humility and simplicity. Let us ask the Lord to help us see through the superficial glitter of this season, and to discover behind it the child in the stable in Bethlehem, so as to find true joy and true light. Francis arranged for Mass to be celebrated on the manger that stood between the ox and the ass (cf. 1 Celano 85; Fonti 469). Later, an altar was built over this manger, so that where animals had once fed on hay, men could now receive the flesh of the spotless lamb Jesus Christ, for the salvation of soul and body, as Thomas of Celano tells us (cf. 1 Celano 87; Fonti 471). Francis himself, as a deacon, had sung the Christmas Gospel on the holy night in Greccio with resounding voice. Through the friars’ radiant Christmas singing, the whole celebration seemed to be a great outburst of joy (1 Celano 85.86; Fonti 469, 470). It was the encounter with God’s humility that caused this joy – his goodness creates the true feast. Today, anyone wishing to enter the Church of Jesus’ Nativity in Bethlehem will find that the doorway five and a half metres high, through which emperors and caliphs used to enter the building, is now largely walled up. Only a low opening of one and a half metres has remained. The intention was probably to provide the church with better protection from attack, but above all to prevent people from entering God’s house on horseback. Anyone wishing to enter the place of Jesus’ birth has to bend down. It seems to me that a deeper truth is revealed here, which should touch our hearts on this holy night: if we want to find the God who appeared as a child, then we must dismount from the high horse of our “enlightened” reason. We must set aside our false certainties, our intellectual pride, which prevents us from recognizing God’s closeness. We must follow the interior path of Saint Francis – the path leading to that ultimate outward and inward simplicity which enables the heart to see. We must bend down, spiritually we must as it were go on foot, in order to pass through the portal of faith and encounter the God who is so different from our prejudices and opinions – the God who conceals himself in the humility of a newborn baby. In this spirit let us celebrate the liturgy of the holy night, let us strip away our fixation on what is material, on what can be measured and grasped. Let us allow ourselves to be made simple by the God who reveals himself to the simple of heart. And let us also pray especially at this hour for all who have to celebrate Christmas in poverty, in suffering, as migrants, that a ray of God’s kindness may shine upon them, that they – and we – may be touched by the kindness that God chose to bring into the world through the birth of his Son in a stable. Amen.

December 18, 2011

Pope Benedict: Mary and the mystery of Christmas

    During his Angelus reflections Pope Benedict focused on the Gospel this fourth Sunday of Advent which recounts the Angel’s annunciation to Mary and in particular on the significance of her virginity in salvation history: “the virginity of Mary is unique and unrepeatable, but its spiritual significance concerns every Christian. It, in essence, is tied to faith: in fact, those who trust deeply in God, welcome Jesus and His divine life within them, through the action of the Holy Spirit. This is the mystery of Christmas.”

   Speaking from the window of his study overlooking St Peter’s square, the Holy father spoke of his concern in the aftermath of the Typhoon Washi, which slammed ashore Mindanao island while people slept late on Friday and early Saturday. Rescuers are still searching for more than 800 people missing in the flash floods and landslides that swept houses into rivers and out to sea, killing more than 650 people.

   The Pope said: “I want to assure the populations of the southern Philippines, hit by a violent tropical storm, of my closeness. I pray for the victims, mostly children, the homeless and the many missing.”

Below a Vatican Radio translation of Pope Benedict XVI’s Angelus reflections:

Dear brothers and sisters!
   In this fourth and final Sunday of Advent, the liturgy presents this year, the annunciation to Mary. Contemplating the beautiful icon of the Blessed Virgin, when she receives the divine message and gives her answer, we are internally illuminated by the light of truth which shines, always new, from that mystery. In particular, I would like to dwell briefly on the importance of the virginity of Mary, that is, the fact that she conceived Jesus while remaining a virgin.
   In the background of the event’s at Nazareth is the prophecy of Isaiah. "Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and call him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). This age-old promise has found superabundant fulfillment in the Incarnation of the Son of God. In fact, not only did the Virgin Mary conceive, but she did so through the Holy Spirit, which is God himself. The human being that begins to live in her womb takes the flesh from Mary, but his existence is derived entirely from God 'fully human, made of earth - to use the biblical symbol - but he comes from above, from heaven. The fact that Mary conceived while remaining a virgin is, therefore, essential for the understanding of Jesus and our faith, because it witnesses that it was God’s initiative and above all it reveals who is conceived. As the Gospel says: " Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God." (Luke 1.35). In this sense, the virginity of Mary and the divinity of Jesus reciprocally guarantee one another.
   This is why that one question that Mary, 'very upset', addresses to the Angel 'How can this be, since I have no relations with a man? '(Lk 1.34) is so important. In her simplicity, Mary is wise: She does not doubt the power of God, but wants to better understand his will, to fully comply with this will. Mary is infinitely surpassed by the mystery, yet perfectly occupies the place that, at the very heart of it, she was assigned. Her heart and mind are fully humble, and, because of her singular humility, God expects the "yes" of this young girl to achieve His purpose. He respects her dignity and freedom. Mary's "yes" means both motherhood and virginity, and her wish that her everything be for the glory of God and that the Son who will be born to Her may be a gift of grace for all.
   Dear friends, the virginity of Mary is unique and unrepeatable, but its spiritual significance concerns every Christian. It, in essence, is tied to faith: in fact, those who trust deeply in God, welcomes Jesus and his divine life within, through the action of the Holy Spirit. This is the mystery of Christmas.
   I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at this Angelus prayer. The Gospel of today's liturgy recounts the Archangel Gabriel's Annunciation to the Virgin Mary, That She Would conceive and bear a son To Be Called Jesus. Just as the Immaculate Virgin Brought God to us, May we be not afraid to let her bring us to God. In this final week of Advent, let us intensify our efforts to prepare for His coming. Upon you and your loved ones, I invoke the blessings of Almighty God!

December 14, 2011

Pope Benedict: Trusting in God’s answers to our prayers

    "When we pray we must not expect the immediate fulfillment of our petitions, of our will" instead, we must accept the will of God, who "is the God of life, who brings hope, capable of reversing humanly impossible situations", said Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday as he delivered the latest in his series of catecheses on prayer in the Paul VI Hall.

   Continuing his focus on Christ’s own prayer, with special attention to the context of his miracles of healing, Pope Benedict said: “Both the cure of the deaf man (Mk 7:32-37) and the raising of Lazarus (Jn 11:1-44) show us Jesus at prayer before cases of human suffering. His prayer on these occasions reveals not only his profound identification with the suffering but also his unique relationship with the Father. In the case of the deaf man, Jesus’ compassion leads him to introduce his prayer with a deep sigh (v. 34). In the case of Lazarus, he is deeply moved by the sorrow of Martha and Mary, and weeps before the tomb of his friend”.
   Pope Benedict went on to say that, at the same time, Christ sees the tragedy of Lazarus’ death in the light of the Father’s will and of his own identity and mission.
   “Jesus’ example teaches us that in our own prayers we must always trust in the Father’s will and strive to see all things in the light of his mysterious plan of love. We too must join petition, praise and thanksgiving in every prayer, knowing that the greatest gift God can give us is his friendship, and that our example of prayer can open our hearts to our brothers and sisters in need and point others to God’s saving presence in our world”.
   The Holy Father also had special greetings for English-speaking pilgrims:
   “I offer a warm welcome to all the English-speaking visitors present, including the groups from Vietnam, Nigeria and the United States. As we prepare to celebrate the Saviour’s birth at Christmas, I cordially invoke upon you and your families his abundant blessings of joy and peace!”
   This Wednesday’s catechesis was the latest in a series of catechetical reflections on prayer and on the human person in prayer, which began in May of this year and has run to more than a dozen instalments.

December 11, 2011

Pope Benedict XVI: Look to the light of Christ
not the light of commercialism

   Pope Benedict began his Sunday at the Roman parish of Santa Maria delle Grazie where he celebrated Mass and underlined the importance of community spirit. He also referred to the season of Advent which was a theme he returned to back at the Vatican for the recitation of the Angelus.
   He told the faithful in St Peter’s Square that Christians were called to live this period before Christmas without being distracted by commercial messages and by the festive lights even if low key as a result of the economic crisis.
   Instead, he continued, they should look to Christ the “true light of the world”.
   In this season, he said “ we should live waiting for Jesus, and not stop waiting for his coming.”
   As is tradition on this particular Sunday of Advent, thousands of children with their parents gathered in St Peter’s Square for the traditional blessing of the “bambinelli” or little baby Jesus’ statuettes that are put in the crib.
   To the children the Holy Father had a special message. “Dear children,” he said, “when you pray in front of your Nativity scene, remember me as well, as I remember you. Thank you and Merry Christmas!”
   Reflecting on this Sunday’s liturgy called “Gaudete” the Pope said, it was an invitation to a joyful and not a sad watchfulness.
   The essence of true joy underlined the Pope is not having fun in order to divert ourselves from our responsibilities, which at times is important, but it is something much more, it is our ability to have a true relationship with God.
   Finally, before his greetings in a number of languages the Pope recalled the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and stressed that the first right is the right to life.
   He also welcomed the representatives of the Movement for Life, who are in Rome for the ‘Mother of Teresa prize’, which is awarded in memory of Chiara Lubich, founder of the ‘Focolari’ Movement.

December 8, 2011

Pope Benedict XVI marks Immaculate Conception in Rome

   The late afternoon Sun was brilliant in the cloudless blue sky over Rome Thursday afternoon, and the air was unseasonably warm when Pope Benedict XVI made his way through the streets of the city and to the packed quare just off the Spanish Steps, for one of the great traditional Roman appointments of the season: the homage to Mary on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

   The Holy Father this year made a stop en route to receive the homage of the Merchants’ Association of via dei Condotti – the famous shopping street that runs to the base of the Steps.

   After a brief reading from the Book of Revelation, Pope Benedict spoke to the gathered faithful about the meaning of the Church’s constant faith conviction, according to which the Mother of God was conceived without the stain of Original Sin.

   “The only pitfall of which the Church can and should be afraid,” said Pope Benedict, is the sin of her members.”

   “Mary, on the other hand,” he continued, “is Immaculate, free from all stain of sin. The Church is holy, but at the same time marked by our sins.”

   “For this reason,” explained Pope Benedict, “the pilgrim people of God, turn in time to Christ’s celestial Mother and ask her help; they ask that she accompany their journey of faith; that she encourage their commitment to the Christian life and that she support their hope.

   “We need it,” said Pope Benedict, “especially at this difficult moment for Italy, for Europe, for so many parts of the world.”

   Although it has always been part of the Faith of the Church, the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception was defined only in 1854 by Pope Pius IX in his Bull, Ineffabilis Deus, which states that “that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of Original Sin.”

   Earlier in the day, in remarks to the faithful gathered for the Angelus prayer, the Holy Father refered to the Gospel account of the Annunciation in which the angel Gabriel greets Mary as “full of grace.” He said that this expression indicates God’s marvellous work of love which wishes to restore to us our life and our freedom, lost through sin, through the figure of his only begotten Son.

   The Pope went on to say, “It is for this reason, that the Church has since the second century in both the East and the West invoked and celebrated the figure of the Blessed Virgin, who by saying “Yes” brought Heaven closer to Earth.”

   After the traditional prayer of Marian devotion, Pope Benedict greeted pilgrims in many languages, including English.

   I am pleased to greet all the English-speaking visitors on this great feast-day when we honour the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In her sinless perfection, Mary is a great sign of hope for the Church and for the world, a sign of the marvels that God’s grace can accomplish in us, his human creatures. In these days of Advent, in company with the holy and immaculate Mother of God, let us prepare to welcome her Son into our lives and into our hearts. May God bestow his blessings of joy and peace upon all of you, and upon your families and loved ones at home.

December 7, 2011

Pope: Jesus is the source and model of our prayer

   Pope Benedict XVI held his weekly General Audience today, during which he continued his focus on Christian prayer – especially the teaching and example given us by Jesus himself.
   In the “cry of exultation” recorded for us by the evangelists Matthew and Luke, Jesus gives thanks to the Father because he has willed to reveal the mystery of salvation not to the wise and learned, but to the “little ones” (cf. Mt 11:25-30; Lk 10:21-22). This magnificent prayer has its source in Jesus’ profound communion with the Father in the Holy Spirit; as the eternal Son, Jesus alone “knows” the Father and rejoices in complete openness to his will.
   “Indeed,” said Pope Benedict, “no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Lk 10:22).
   In this prayer, then, the Lord expresses his desire to share his knowledge of the Father with the “little ones”, the pure of heart and those open to the divine will. In Saint Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus’ cry of exultation is followed by his words: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest … for my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (11:28).    Pope Benedict concluded his English remarks, saying, “Jesus is the source and model of our prayer; through him, in the Holy Spirit, we can turn with trust to God our Father, confident that, in doing his will, we shall find true freedom and peace.”

December 4, 2011

Pope Benedict: Advent a time for honest self assessment

   “As we prepare for Christmas, it is important that we find time for self contemplation and carry out an honest assessment of our lives”, said Pope Benedict XVI Sunday, in his reflections before the midday Angelus prayer on this second Sunday of Advent.

   The Holy Father also drew attention to a series of upcoming anniversaries this week and in doing so to the plight of millions worldwide, without a country to call their own: “In the coming days, in Geneva and other cities, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the World Organization for Migration, the 60th anniversary of the Convention on the Status of Refugees and the 50 th anniversary of the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. I entrust to the Lord all those who, often forcibly, must leave their homeland, or who are stateless. While I encourage solidarity for them, I pray for all those who are doing their utmost to protect and assist these brothers and sisters in emergency situations, even if it means exposing themselves to serious hardships and dangers”.

   Pilgrims and visitors to St Peter’s this Sunday huddled under umbrella’s as the mild December weather gave way to incessant rain. A decidedly Advent atmosphere permeated the square where the nativity scene is currently under construction. This year it will be dedicated Mary, the Mother of God, and as is tradition it will be inaugurated on 24 December. Waiting for midday and the Pope to appear, children gathered around an enormous Christmas tree, that will be hoisted into position next to the central obelisk by a crane on Monday. The gigantic spruce is a gift to the Holy Father from the Zakarpattia region in Ukraine and is a towering 30.5 metres high. The tree will be blessed and lit on 16 December in the presence of the bishops of Ukraine.

   With preparations for Christmas well underway at the Vatican, commenting on this Sunday’s Gospel Pope Benedict spoke of Advent as the season of inner preparation for the coming of the Lord:

Dear brothers and sisters!

   This Sunday marks the second stage of Advent. This period of the liturgical year highlights the two figures who played a prominent role in preparation for the historical coming of the Lord Jesus, the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist. In fact today’s Gospel of Mark focuses on the figure of the Baptist. Indeed it describes the personality and mission of the Precursor of Christ (cf. Mk 1.2 to 8). Beginning with his outward appearance, John is presented as a very ascetic figure dressed in camel skin, he feeds on locusts and wild honey, found in the desert of Judea (cf. Mk 1.6). Jesus himself once held him in contrast to those who "wear fine clothing” in the “royal palaces " (Mt 11.8). The style of John the Baptist was meant to call all Christians to choose a sober lifestyle, especially in preparation for the feast of Christmas, when the Lord - as Saint Paul would say - "became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich"(2 Cor 8.9).

   With regard to the John’s mission, it was an extraordinary appeal to conversion: his baptism "is tied to a fiery invitation to a new way of thinking and acting, it is above all linked to the announcement of God's justice" (Jesus of Nazareth I, Milan 2007, p. 34) and the imminent appearance of the Messiah, defined as "he who is mightier than I" and who will "baptize with the Holy Spirit" (Mk 1,7.8). Therefore, John’s appeal goes far beyond and deeper than a call to a sober lifestyle: it is a call for inner change, starting with the recognition and confession of our sins. As we prepare for Christmas, it is important that we find time for self contemplation and carry out an honest assessment of our lives. May we be enlightened by a ray of the light that comes from Bethlehem, the light of He who is "the Greatest" and made himself small, he who is "the Strongest" but became weak.

   All four Evangelists describe the preaching of John the Baptist referring to a passage from the prophet Isaiah: "A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God"(Isaiah 40.3 ). Mark also adds a quote from another prophet, Malachi, who says: "Now I am sending my messenger— he will prepare the way before me" (Mk 1.2, see Mal 3.1). These references to the Old Testament Scriptures "speak of the saving intervention of God, coming out of his inscrutability to judge and save, we must open the door to Him, preparing the way" (Jesus of Nazareth, I, p. 35).

   To the maternal intercession of Mary, the Virgin who awaits, we entrust our journey towards the Lord who comes, as we continue our journey of Advent to prepare our hearts and our lives for the coming of Emmanuel, God-with-us.

December 2, 2011

Pope to ITC: Christian clarity for the good of society

   Pope Benedict XVI is asking Christians to render clearly present their religious motives when they work with non-believers to achieve common ends in society. The Holy Father was speaking to the participants in the Plenary Assembly of the International Theological Commission, which concluded its annual session today at the Vatican. The International Theological Commission was established in 1969 to examine questions of doctrinal importance - to act as a bridge between the Magisterial offices of the Roman Curia and the worldwide community of theologians.

   The commission consists of not more than 30 members, appointed for 5-year terms, during which a series of areas are established for special consideration. The current commission has been exploring the basic question of God and the understanding of monotheism, the importance of the Church’s social doctrine, and the place and role of theology itself in the life of the Church.

   Each of these three areas was an object of Pope Benedict XVI’s reflections on Friday, as he met with the participants in this year’s Plenary Assembly.

   “Christian theology,” said Pope Benedict, “together with the lives of all the faithful, must restore to happy and crystalline visibility the impact of Trinitarian revelation on the life of our community.” He went on to discuss the concrete ways in which this should inform Christians’ participation in broader society, saying, “In the necessary collaboration in faovr of the common good with those who do not share our faith, we must make present the true and profound religious motivations of our social commitment, just as we expect of others that they manifest their own motivations, so that our work together can be carried out in clarity.”

   “He, who has perceived the foundations of Christian social action,” said Pope Benedict, “may thus also discover a stimulus for taking faith in Jesus Christ into consideration.”

November 30, 2011

Pope Benedict: support for efforts to eliminate death penalty

    Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday offered his support to a major international meeting underway this week through the sponsorship of the Sant’Egidio Community aimed at eliminating capital punishment: 
   I greet the distinguished delegations from various countries taking part in the meeting promoted by the Community of Sant’Egidio on the theme: No Justice without Life. I express my hope that your deliberations will encourage the political and legislative initiatives being promoted in a growing number of countries to eliminate the death penalty and to continue the substantive progress made in conforming penal law both to the human dignity of prisoners and the effective maintenance of public order.

   The Holy Father’s appeal came at the end of his weekly General Audience, during which he continued his series of catecheses on Christian prayer.

   The Pope on Wednesday focused on how Christ, Himself, prays, saying that Christ’s example most fully reveals the mystery of Christian prayer.

   A significant moment in this regard is Jesus’ prayer following his Baptism, which expresses his both his deepest identity as the Son of God and his solidarity with the sinful humanity whom he came to save. Jesus’ prayer reflects his complete, filial obedience to the Father’s will, an obedience which would lead him to death on the Cross for the redemption of our sins.

   “With his human heart,” said Pope Benedict, “Jesus learned to pray from his Mother and from the Jewish tradition, yet the source of his prayer is his eternal communion with the Father.”

   As the incarnate Son, he shows us perfectly how to pray as children of the heavenly Father. Jesus’ example of fidelity to prayer challenges us to examine the time and effort we devote to our own prayer. While prayer is a gift of God, it is also an art learned through constant practice.

   Pope Benedict concluded, saying, “Jesus teaches us to pray constantly, but also to bear witness before others of the beauty of prayer, self-surrender and complete openness to God.”

November 27, 2011

Pope on climate change: A credible response is needed

   Pope Benedict XVI appealed for the success of the climate that are opening tomorrow in Durban, South Africa. Speaking to the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square for the Sunday Angelus prayer, Pope Benedict expressed the hope that “all members of the international community might reach agreement on a responsible, credible response,” to the phenomenon of climate change, which he described as “complex” and “disturbing.”
   The Holy Father also asked that leaders’ response be consonant with the spirit and requirements of solidarity, taking into account the needs of the poorest people and future generations. The Holy Father’s appeal came after the traditional prayer of Marian devotion, ahead of which he spoke about the new liturgical season of Advent, which began this weekend with First Sunday Vespers. It was a theme to which he returned in his English-language remarks, as well:
   I offer a warm welcome to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at this Angelus prayer. Today, the Church begins the celebration of Advent, which marks the beginning of a new liturgical year and our spiritual preparation for the celebration of Christmas. Let us heed the message in today’s Gospel by entering prayerfully into this holy season, so that we may be ready to greet Jesus Christ, who is God with us. I wish you all a good Sunday. May God bless all of you!

November 23, 2011

Pope Benedict: Africa a reservoir of life

   "I ask you to join me in commending all Christ’s followers in Africa to the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Africa, so that by their witness of fidelity to God’s word, their commitment to the spread of the Gospel and their efforts to build communion, peace and solidarity they can become protagonists of a new season of hope for that great Continent," this was Pope Benedict XVI’s appeal Wednesday during his weekly general audience.
   As per tradition the Holy Father dedicated his first major public appointment since his return from Benin, West Africa, on Sunday to the major themes of this three day Apostolic Voyage, during which he handed his guidelines for the future of the Church there, the post-Synodal Exhortation - Africae Munus - to the people of the continent.
   Reflecting on that moment, Sunday morning during Mass in Cotonou stadium, Pope Benedict said: "The Exhortation gathers the fruits of the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, held in Rome two years ago, and it offers guidelines for the Church’s future mission on the continent. In the light of the Synod, the Church in Africa is called to deepened faith and commitment in the service to reconciliation, justice and peace."
   Earlier in comments in Italian the Holy Father told the pilgrims to the Paul VI audience hall: "In Africa I saw a freshness in their yes to life, a freshness of religious awareness and of hope, a perception of reality in its totality with God and not reduced to a positivism which eventually extinguishes hope. All of this speaks of the presence on that continent of a reservoir of life and vitality for the future, on which we can count, on which the Church can rely."
   One of the indelible images of the apostolic visit was the prayer at the tomb of a great churchman and illustrious son of Benin in Africa: "The unforgettable Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, whose revered memory is alive more than ever in his country, which regards him as a Father of the Nation, and the whole continent."
   Pope Benedict spoke of the need for a spirit of reconciliation on the civil level, which he said "requires an openness to the hope that is animating sociopolitical and economic life of the continent, as I was able underline in the meeting with the political institutions, the Diplomatic Corps and Representatives of Religions."
   On that occasion the Holy Father stressed "the hope that should animate the path of the continent, noting that burning desire for freedom and justice, especially in recent months, which animates the hearts of many African peoples."
   "I also stressed the need to build a society in which relations between ethnic groups and religions are characterized by dialogue and harmony. I invited all to be true sowers of hope in every situation and environment."
   The Pope recalled his moving meeting with children: "In the parish church of Santa Rita, I really tasted the joy of living, the joy and enthusiasm of the younger generation who are the future of Africa. Speaking to the ranks of festive children, one of the many resources and wealth of the continent, I pointed to the figure of St. Kizito, a Ugandan boy, who was killed because he wanted to live the gospel, and I urged everyone to bear witness to Jesus with their peers."
   And his visit to the Foyer "Peace and Joy" hospice, of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, a moment of "great emotion, encountering sick and abandoned children, which allowed me to concretely see how love and solidarity know how to make the strength and love of the Risen Christ present in the midst of weakness."
   Finally he greeted pilgrims in various languages, including English: "I offer a cordial greeting to the Sisters of Jesus and Mary taking part in a course of spiritual renewal. I also greet the international group of Marist and Marianist Brothers. My warm welcome likewise goes to the pilgrims from Indonesia. Upon all the English-speaking visitors present at today’s Audience, including the groups from Nigeria, South Korea and the United States of America, I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace."

November 20, 2011

Pope Benedict presents "Africae Munus"

    Pope Benedict XVI's final appointment on the Feast of Christ the King was the Holy Mass he presided over in Cotonou, concelebrating with over 200 Bishops from across the continent.

   To whom, following Mass, he presented the Post -Synodal exhortation: "Africae Munus," which he had already signed the previous day. Veronica Scarisbrick reports:

   The atmosphere was prayerful but joyful in the “Stade de l’amitié,” the friendship stadium just outside Cotonou, the Republic of Benin’s economic capital on Sunday morning.

   It’s a structure which can hold up to 30,000 people . But on Sunday to attend Mass presided over by Pope Benedict XVI there wasn’t space enough for everyone, 80,000 more spilled out around the stadium. An orderly congregation, not just from Benin but from different parts of Africa, eager to welcome the Successor of Peter. They came from neighbouring countries : Togo, Nigeria, Burkina Faso Niger. And the languages used during this mass were often local.

   But the outreach of this mass wasn’t just local, it was to the entire African continent.

   Two hundred bishops from across Africa concelebrated. They were here with the Holy Father , on the Feast of Christ the King for a special moment. One during which Benedict XVI would personally present them with a document: the Post Synodal Exhortation 'Africae Munus' of which he’d signed four copies the previous day at the Minor Basilica in nearby Ouidah. One in Latin, the universal language of the Catholic Church, and the remaining three in languages commonly spoken across Africa : French , Portuguese and English.

   This exhortation I mentioned, is the concluding document of the 2009 October Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops which took place in the Vatican to discuss the themes of reconciliation, justice and peace..

   Many of the African bishops who were present at the Stadium de L’amitié in Cotonou were the same who attended that Synod. There are 36 Bishop’s conferences across Africa, 7 regional Bishops conferences and a Special Council for Africa.

   We bring you the Pope’s words in English on the occasion of this presentation of the Post Synodal Exhortation which took place following the Eucharistic celebration:

   "One of the first missions of the Church is the proclamation of Jesus Christ and his Gospel ad gentes, that is the evangelization of those at a distance from the Church in one way or another. I hope that this Exhortation will guide you in the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus in Africa. It is not just a message or a word. It is above all openness and adhesion to a person: Jesus Christ the incarnate Word. He alone possesses the words of life eternal (cf. Jn 6:68)! Following the example of Christ, all Christians are called to reflect the mercy of the Father and the light of the Holy Spirit. Evangelization presupposes and brings with it reconciliation and it promotes peace and justice."

   As well as those Benedict XVI pronounced in English during mass:

   "On this feast day, we rejoice together in the reign of Christ the King over the whole world. He is the one who removes all that hinders reconciliation, justice and peace. We are reminded that true royalty does not consist in a show of power, but in the humility of service; not in the oppression of the weak, but in the ability to protect them and to lead them to life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10). Christ reigns from the Cross and, with his arms open wide, he embraces all the peoples of the world and draws them into unity. Through the Cross, he breaks down the walls of division, he reconciles us with each other and with the Father. We pray today for the people of Africa, that all may be able to live in justice, peace and the joy of the Kingdom of God (cf. Rom 14:17). With these sentiments I affectionately greet all the English-speaking faithful who have come from Ghana and Nigeria and neighbouring countries. May God bless all of you!"

November 19, 2011

Pope to government and religious leaders in Benin

   Pope Benedict met on Saturday morning with Benin's president, members of the government, representatives of the diplomatic corps and of the principle religions of the country, gathered at the Presidential Palace in Cotonou. In his address to the gathering, the Pope urged Africa's leaders not to deprive their people of hope.

 
   Full text of the Pope's speech to members of government, representatives of the diplomatic corps and the principle religions of Benin as follows:
Mr President,
Distinguished civil, political and religious authorities,
Distinguished heads of the diplomatic missions,
Dear Brother Bishops, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,
[Solemn greeting in Fon] DOO NOUMI!
   Mr President, you have given me the opportunity of this encounter with this distinguished gathering of personalities. I appreciate this privilege, and I offer you my heartfelt thanks for the kind words which you have just expressed to me in the name of all the people of Benin. I also thank the representative of the institutions present for his words of welcome. Allow me to express my best wishes for all of you who are among the foremost protagonists, in various ways, of Benin’s national life.
   Speaking on other occasions, I have often joined the word hope to the word Africa. I did so in Luanda two years ago as well as in reference to the Synod. The word hope is also found several times in the post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Africae Munus which I am shortly going to sign. When I say that Africa is a continent of hope, I am not indulging in mere rhetoric, but simply expressing a personal conviction which is also that of the Church. Too often, our mind is blocked by prejudices or by images which give a negative impression of the realities of Africa, the fruit of a bleak analysis. It is tempting to point to what does not work; it is easy to assume the judgemental tone of the moralizer or of the expert who imposes his conclusions and proposes, at the end of the day, few useful solutions. It is also tempting to analyze the realities of Africa like a curious ethnologist or like someone who sees the vast resources only in terms of energy, minerals, agriculture and humanity easily exploited for often dubious ends. These are reductionist and disrespectful points of view which lead to the unhelpful “objectification” of Africa and her inhabitants.
   I am aware that words do not always mean the same thing everywhere; but the meaning of hope differs little from culture to culture. A few years have now passed since I dedicated an encyclical letter to Christian hope. To talk of hope is to talk of the future and hence of God! The future has its roots in the past and in the present. The past we know well, regretting its failures and acknowledging its successes. The present we live as well as we can, I hope, for the best with God’s help! It is upon this mixture of many contradictory and complementary elements that we must build with the help of God.
   Dear friends, in the light of this experience which ought to encourage us, I would like to mention two current African realities. The first relates in a general way to the socio-political and economic life of the continent, the second to interreligious dialogue. These realities concern all of us, because this century seems to be coming into being painfully and to struggle to make hope grow in these two particular domains.
   During recent months, many peoples have manifested their desire for liberty, their need for material security, and their wish to live in harmony according to their different ethnic groups and religions. Indeed, a new state has been born on your continent. Many conflicts have originated in man's blindness, in his will to power and in political and economic interests which mock the dignity of people and of nature. Human beings aspire to liberty; then to live in dignity; they want good schools and food for their children, dignified hospitals to take care of the sick; they want to be respected; they demand transparent governance which does not confuse private and public interests; and above all they desire peace and justice. At this time, there are too many scandals and injustices, too much corruption and greed, too many errors and lies, too much violence which leads to misery and to death. These ills certainly afflict your continent, but they also afflict the rest of the world. Every people wishes to understand the political and economic choices which are made in its name. They perceive manipulation and their revenge is sometimes violent. They wish to participate in good governance. We know that no political regime is ideal and that no economic choice is neutral. But these must always serve the common good. Hence we are faced with legitimate demands, present in all countries, for greater dignity and above all for greater humanity. Man demands that his humanity be respected and promoted. Political and economic leaders of countries find themselves placed before important decisions and choices which they can no longer avoid.
   From this place, I launch an appeal to all political and economic leaders of African countries and the rest of the world. Do not deprive your peoples of hope! Do not cut them off from their future by mutilating their present! Adopt a courageous ethical approach to your responsibilities and, if you are believers, ask God to grant you wisdom! This wisdom will help you to understand that, as promoters of your peoples’ future, you must become true servants of hope. It is not easy to live the life of a servant, to remain consistent amid the currents of opinion and powerful interests. Power, such as it is, easily blinds, above all when private, family, ethnic or religious interests are at stake. God alone purifies hearts and intentions.
   The Church does not propose any technical solution and does not impose any political solution. She repeats: do not be afraid! Humanity is not alone before the challenges of the world. God is present. There is a message of hope, hope which generates energy, which stimulates the intellect and gives the will all its dynamism. A former Archbishop of Toulouse, Cardinal Saliège, once said: "to hope is never to abandon; it is to redouble one's activity". The Church accompanies the State and its mission; she wishes to be like the soul of our body untiringly pointing to what is essential: God and man. She wishes to accomplish, openly and without fear, the immense task of one who educates and cares, but above all who prays without ceasing (cf. Lk 18:1), who points to God (cf. Mt 6:21) and to where the authentic man is to be found (cf. Mt 20:26, Jn 19:5). Despair is individualistic. Hope is communion. Is not this a wonderful path that is placed before us? I ask all political and economic leaders, as well those of the university and cultural realms to join it. May you also be sowers of hope!
   I would now like to touch upon the second point, that of interreligious dialogue. I do not think it is necessary to recall the recent conflicts born in the name of God, or deaths brought about in the name of him who is life. Everyone of good sense understands that a serene and respectful dialogue about cultural and religious differences must be promoted. True interreligious dialogue rejects humanly self-centred truth, because the one and only truth is in God. God is Truth. Hence, no religion, and no culture may justify appeal or recourse to intolerance and violence. Aggression is an outmoded relational form which appeals to superficial and ignoble instincts. To use the revealed word, the Sacred Scriptures or the name of God to justify our interests, our easy and convenient policies or our violence, is a very grave fault.
   I can only come to a knowledge of the other if I know myself. I cannot love unless I love myself (cf. Mt 22:39). Knowledge, deeper understanding and practice of one's religion, are therefore essential to true interreligious dialogue. This can only begin by sincere personal prayer on the part of the one who desires to dialogue. Let him go in secret to his private room (cf. Mt 6:6) to ask God for the purification of reason and to seek his blessing upon the desired encounter. This prayer also asks God for the gift to see in the other a brother to be loved and, within his tradition, a reflection of the truth which illumines all people (Nostra Aetate, 2). Everyone ought therefore to place himself in truth before God and before the other. This truth does not exclude and it is not confusion. Interreligious dialogue when badly understood leads to muddled thinking or to syncretism. This is not the dialogue which is sought.
    Despite the steps already taken, we know that sometimes interreligious dialogue is not easy or that it is impeded for various reasons. This does not necessarily indicate failure. There are many forms of interreligious dialogue. Cooperation in social or cultural areas can help people to understand each other better and to live together serenely. It is also useful to know that dialogue does not take place through weakness but because of belief in God. Dialogue is another way of loving God and our neighbour (cf. Mt 22:37) without abdicating what we are.
   Having hope does not mean being ingenuous but making an act of faith in a better future. Thus the Catholic Church puts into action one of the intuitions of the Second Vatican Council, that of promoting friendly relations between herself and the members of non-Christian religions. For decades now, the Pontifical Council dedicated to this task has been creating links, holding meetings and publishing documents regularly in order to foster such a dialogue. In this way the Church strives to overcome the confusion of languages and the dispersal of hearts born of the sin of Babel (cf. Gen 11). I greet all religious leaders who have kindly come here to meet me. I would like to assure them, as well as those from other African countries, that the dialogue offered by the Catholic Church comes from the heart. I encourage them to promote, above all among the young people, a pedagogy of dialogue, so that they may discover that our conscience is a sanctuary to be respected and that our spiritual dimension builds fraternity. True faith leads invariably to love. It is in this spirit that I invite all of you to hope.
   These general ideas may be applied especially to Africa. In your continent, there are many families whose members profess different beliefs, and yet these families remain united. This is not just a unity wished by culture, but it is a unity cemented by a fraternal affection. Sometimes, of course, there are failures, but there are also many successes. In this area, Africa can offer all of us food for thought and thus become a source of hope.
   To finish, I would like to use the image of a hand. There are five fingers on it and each one is quite different. Each one is also essential and their unity makes a hand. A good understanding between cultures, consideration for each other which is not condescending, and the respect of the rights of each one are a vital duty. This must be taught to all the faithful of the various religions. Hatred is a failure, indifference is an impasse, and dialogue is an openness! Is this not good ground in which seeds of hope may be sown? To offer someone your hand means to hope, later, to love, and what could be more beautiful than a proffered hand? It was willed by God to offer and to receive. God did not want it to kill (cf. Gen 4:1ff) or to inflict suffering, but to care and to help live. Together with our heart and our intelligence, our hand too can become an instrument of dialogue. It can make hope flourish, above all when our intelligence stammers and our heart stumbles.
   According to Sacred Scripture, three symbols describe the hope of Christians: the helmet, because it protects us from discouragement (cf. 1 Th 5:8), the anchor, sure and solid, which ties us to God (cf. Heb 6:19), and the lamp which permits us to await the dawn of a new day (cf. Lk 12:35-36). To be afraid, to doubt and to fear, to live in the present without God, or to have nothing to hope for, these are all attitudes which are foreign to the Christian faith (St John Chrysostom, Homily XIV on the Letter to the Romans, 6; PG 45, 941 C) and, I am convinced, to all other forms of belief in God. Faith lives in the present, but it awaits future goods. God is in our present, but he is also in the future, a place of hope. The expansion of our hearts is not only hope in God but also an opening to and care for physical and temporal realities in order to glorify God. Following Peter, of whom I am a successor, I hope that your faith and hope will be in God (cf. 1 Pet 1:21). This is my wish for the whole of Africa, which is so dear to me! Africa, be confident and rise up! The Lord is calling you. May God bless you! Thank you.