VATICAN : POPE: BE PATIENT UNTIL THE COMING OF THE LORD




VIS REPORTS: CONSTRUCTING HISTORY BY UNITING  FAITH AND CULTURE
(IMAGE SOURCE: RADIO VATICANA)
VATICAN  CITY, 16 DEC 2011 (VIS) - Yesterday evening, in keeping with a pre-Christmas  tradition, the Holy Father presided at Vespers in the Vatican Basilica with  students from Roman universities. Also present at the ceremony - which this  year coincides with the twentieth anniversary of the Office for Pastoral Care  in Universities, established by Blessed John Paul II - were representatives  from a number of academic institutions, and Francesco Profumo, minister for  education, universities and research.

   Benedict XVI's homily, extracts of which are given below, reflected on the  Apostle James' call to "be patient until the coming of the Lord".

   "To you who live at the heart of the cultural and social environment of  our time, who experience new and increasingly refined technologies, who are  protagonists of historical changes which sometimes seem overwhelming, the  Apostle's call may appear to be an anachronism. ... His exhortation to  patient constancy, which in our time may leave us somewhat perplexed, is in  fact the way to a deeper understanding of the question of God and its  importance in life and history; because it is in patience, in faithfulness,  in the constant search for and openness to God, that He reveals His  Face".

   "St. James ... reminds us that ... we are not alone, and that we do not  create history by ourselves. God is not distant from man, He has come close  to him, He became flesh. ... Patience is the virtue of those people who  entrust themselves to this presence in history, who do not let themselves be drawn  by the temptation to place all their hope in the present moment, in a purely  horizontal perspective, in projects that are technically perfect but far  distant from the profound truth that gives human beings their greatest  dignity: the transcendent dimension, the fact of being created in the image  and likeness of God".

   "In the incarnation of the Son, ... God experienced man's temporality,  his growth and development over time and history. The Child is a sign of the  patience of God, Who was the first to be patient, constant and faithful in  His love for us. ... How many times has mankind tried to construct the world  alone, without God or against Him! The result is to be seen in ideologies  which, in the end, revealed themselves as being against man and his profound  dignity".

   "Being constant and patient means learning to construct history together  with God, because only if built upon Him and with Him can it have solid  foundations. ... Let us, then, stoke up hope in our hearts, because the Word  of God reminds us that ... the Lord is with us and that we can build with  Him. ... We can plan our entire history, the history of humanity not as a  utopia but in the certainty that the God of Jesus Christ is present and  accompanies us".

   "The Lord asks each of you to collaborate in constructing the city of  man, uniting faith and culture with seriousness and passion. Therefore I  invite each of you to seek the true Face of God with patient constancy. ...  Announce to everyone that the true Face of God is in the Baby of Bethlehem,  so close to each of us that no one can feel excluded, no one can doubt the  possibility of meeting Him, because He is the patient and faithful God, Who  waits and respects our freedom".

   At the end of the liturgy, a Spanish university delegation consigned the  image of "Maria Sedes Sapientiae" to a delegation from the Roman  University of "La Sapienza". The image will be taken on a  "Peregrinatio Mariae" to various university chaplaincies in the  Italian capital in preparation for an international symposium of university  professors, due to be held in June 2012.
HML/                                                                                                VIS  20111216 (640)

THE CHRISTMAS TREE REMINDS US THAT LIFE ENDURES

VATICAN  CITY, 16 DEC 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received  a delegation from Ukraine, the country which donated the Christmas tree  decorating St. Peter's Square this year. The tree, a spruce from the  Zakarpattia region 30.5 metres high and decorated with 2,500 silver- and  gold-coloured baubles, will be lit this evening in the presence of Ukrainian  bishops. Other smaller trees have also been donated, which will be set up at  other places in Vatican City State.

   The Pope greeted the bishops accompanying the Ukrainian delegation: His  Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyc; Archbishop  Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of Lviv of the Latins, and Bishop Milan Sasik C.M. of  the eparchy of Mukachevo of the Byzantine rite, as well as members of the  Orthodox Church led by the Archbishop of Poltava and Myrhorod.

   This tree, said the Holy Father, is "a significant symbol of Christ's  Nativity because, with its evergreen boughs, it reminds us of enduring life.  The spruce is also a sign of popular religiosity in your country, and of the  Christian roots of your culture. My hope is that these roots may increasingly  reinforce your national unity, favouring the promotion of authentic shared  values. Over the centuries your nation has been a crossroads of different  cultures, a meeting point for the spiritual richness of East and West. By  tenaciously adhering to the values of the faith, may it continue to response  to this unique vocation".

   The tree and nativity scene, Benedict XVI went on, "are elements of that  typically Christmas atmosphere which is part our communities' spiritual  heritage; a climate impregnated with religiosity and family intimacy which we  must seek to conserve, even in modern societies where consumerism and the  search for material goods sometimes seem to prevail. Christmas is a Christian  feast and its symbols are important references to the great mystery of the  incarnation and birth of Jesus, which the liturgy constantly re-evokes. The  Creator of the universe, by becoming a child, came among us to share our  journey; He became small to enter the heart of man and renew it with His love.  Let us prepare ourselves to welcome Him with faith".
AC/                                                                                                   VIS  20111216 (370)

EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE IN JUSTICE AND PEACE

VATICAN  CITY, 16 DEC 2011 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office at midday today, a  press conference took place to present Benedict XVI's Message for the World Day of Peace 2012, due to be  celebrated on 1  January. The theme of this year's message is: "Educating Young People in Justice  and Peace". The conference was presented by Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah  Turkson and Bishop Mario Toso, S.D.B., respectively president and secretary  of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Extracts of the  English-language version of the Pope's Message are given below.

   The  beginning of a new year,  God's gift to humanity, prompts me to extend to all, with great confidence  and affection, my heartfelt good wishes that this time now before us may be  marked concretely by justice and peace.

   It is true that the year now ending has been marked by a rising sense of  frustration at the crisis looming over society, the world of labour and the  economy, a crisis whose roots are primarily cultural and anthropological.

   I would like therefore to devote this message for the forty-fifth World Day  of Peace to the theme of education: "Educating Young People in Justice  and Peace", in the conviction that the young, with their enthusiasm and  idealism, can offer new hope to the world.

   My Message is also addressed to parents, families and all those involved in  the area of education and formation, as well as to leaders in the various  spheres of religious, social, political, economic and cultural life and in  the media.

   Education ... calls for responsibility on the part of the learners, who must  be open to being led to the knowledge of reality, and on the part of  educators, who must be ready to give of themselves. For this reason, today  more than ever we need authentic witnesses, and not simply people who parcel  out rules and facts. ... A witness is someone who first lives the life that  he proposes to others.

   Where does true education in peace and justice take place? First of all, in  the family, since parents are the first educators. ... It is in the family  that children learn the human and Christian values which enable them to have  a constructive and peaceful coexistence. It is in the family that they learn  solidarity between the generations, respect for rules, forgiveness and how to  welcome others.The family  is the first school in which we are trained in justice and peace.

   We are living in a world where families, and life itself, are constantly  threatened and not infrequently fragmented. Working conditions which are  often incompatible with family responsibilities, worries about the future,  the frenetic pace of life, the need to move frequently to ensure an adequate  livelihood, to say nothing of mere survival - all this makes it hard to  ensure that children receive one of the most precious of treasures: the  presence of their parents. ... I would urge parents not to grow disheartened!  May they encourage children by the example of their lives to put their hope  before all else in God, the one source of authentic justice and peace.

   I would also like to address a word to those in charge of educational  institutions: with a great sense of responsibility may they ensure that the  dignity of each person is always respected and appreciated.

   Every educational setting can be a place of openness to the transcendent and  to others; a place of dialogue, cohesiveness and attentive listening, where  young people feel appreciated for their personal abilities and inner riches,  and can learn to esteem their brothers and sisters.

   I ask political leaders to offer concrete assistance to families and  educational institutions in the exercise of their right and duty to educate.  Adequate support should never be lacking to parents in their task. ... Let  them give young people a transparent image of politics as a genuine service  to the good of all.

   In today's society the mass media have a particular role: they not only  inform but also form the minds of their audiences, and so they can make a  significant contribution to the education of young people.

   Education, indeed, is concerned with the integral formation of the person,  including the moral and spiritual dimension, focused upon man's final end and  the good of the society to which he belongs. Therefore, in order to educate  in truth, it is necessary first and foremost to know who the human person is,  to know human nature. ... Man is a being who bears within his heart a thirst  for the infinite, a thirst for truth - a truth which is not partial but  capable of explaining life's meaning - since he was created in the image and  likeness of God. ... Hence the first step in education is learning to  recognise the Creator's image in man, and consequently learning to have a  profound respect for every human being.

   Only in relation to God does man come to understand also the meaning of human  freedom. It is the task of education to form people in authentic freedom.

   Freedom is a precious value, but a fragile one; it can be misunderstood and  misused.

   Deep within his conscience, man discovers a law that he did not lay upon  himself, but which he must obey. Its voice calls him to love and to do what  is good, to avoid evil and to take responsibility for the good he does and  the evil he commits. Thus, the exercise of freedom is intimately linked to  the natural moral law, which is universal in character, expresses the dignity  of every person and forms the basis of fundamental human rights and duties:  consequently, in the final analysis, it forms the basis for just and peaceful  coexistence. The right use of freedom, then, is central to the promotion of  justice and peace, which require respect for oneself and others.

   It is important not to detach the concept of justice from its transcendent  roots. Justice, indeed, is not simply a human convention, since what is just  is ultimately determined not by positive law, but by the profound identity of  the human being. It is the integral vision of man that saves us from falling  into a contractual conception of justice and enables us to locate justice  within the horizon of solidarity and love.

   The "earthly city" is promoted not merely by relationships of  rights and duties, but to an even greater and more fundamental extent by  relationships of gratuitousness, mercy and communion.

   Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining  a balance of powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without  safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for  the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity.

   Peace, however, is not merely a gift to be received: it is also a task to be  undertaken. In order to be true peacemakers, we must educate ourselves in  compassion, solidarity, working together, fraternity, in being active within  the community.

   Peace for all is the fruit of justice for all, and no one can shirk this  essential task of promoting justice, according to one's particular areas of  competence and responsibility. To the young, who have such a strong  attachment to ideals, I extend a particular invitation to be patient and  persevering in seeking justice and peace, in cultivating the taste for what  is just and true, even when it involves sacrifice and swimming against the  tide.

   Dear young people, you are a precious gift for society. Do not yield to  discouragement in the face of difficulties and do not abandon yourselves to  false solutions which often seem the easiest way to overcome problems. Do not  be afraid to make a commitment, to face hard work and sacrifice, to choose  the paths that demand fidelity and constancy, humility and dedication.

   Realise that you yourselves are an example and an inspiration to adults, even  more so to the extent that you seek to overcome injustice and corruption and  strive to build a better future. Be aware of your potential; never become  self-centred but work for a brighter future for all. You are never alone. The  Church has confidence in you, follows you, encourages you and wishes to offer  you the most precious gift she has: the opportunity to raise your eyes to  God, to encounter Jesus Christ, Who is Himself justice and peace.

   Let us look with greater hope to the future; let us encourage one another on  our journey; let us work together to give our world a more humane and  fraternal face; and let us feel a common responsibility towards present and  future generations, especially in the task of training them to be people of  peace and builders of peace.
MESS/                                                                                                         VIS  20111216 (1480)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN  CITY, 16 DEC 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience nine  prelates from the Conferentia Episcopalis Pacifici, on their "ad  limina" visit:

     - Archbishop Anthony Sablam Apuron O.F.M. Cap. of Agana.

     - Bishop Amando Samo of Caroline Islands.

     - Fr. Ryan Jimenez, apostolic administrator of Chalan Kanoa.

     - Fr. Raymundo Sabio M.S.C., apostolic prefect of the Marshall Islands.

     - Archbishop Michel-Marie-Bernard Calvet of Noumea.

     - Bishop Jean Bosco Baremes of Port Vila.

     - Bishop Ghislain de Rasilly S.M. of Wallis and Futuna.

     - Fr. Bruno Mai, apostolic administrator of Papeete.

     - Bishop Pascal Chang-Soi SS.CC. coadjutor of Taiohae.

   This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal William Joseph  Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
AL:AP/                                                                                             VIS  20111216 (130)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN  CITY, 16 DEC 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Jose Leonardo Lemos  Montanet of the clergy of the archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela, Spain,  director of the "Instituto Compostelano Superior de Ciencias  Religiosas", as bishop of Orense (area 5,281, population 299,489,  Catholics 290,275, priests 357, religious 408), Spain. The bishop-elect was  born in Barallobre, Spain in 1953 and ordained a priest in 1979. He has  worked as a formator in minor and major seminaries, as a professor and as  director of the library of the "Instituto Teologico Compostelano".

Comments