http://www.news.va/enWed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200http://www.news.va/en/news/communique-on-the-society-of-st-pius-x-2Vatican City, 16 May 2012 (VIS) - Early this afternoon, the Holy See Press Office issued the following communique regarding the Society of St. Pius X: "As reported by news agencies, today, 16 May 2012, an Ordinary Session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith met to discuss the question of the Society of St. Pius X. In particular, the text of the response of Bishop Bernard Fellay, received on 17 April, 2012, was examined and some observations, which will be considered in further discussions between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X, were formulated. Regarding the positions taken by the other three bishops of the Society of St. Pius X, their situations will have to be dealt with separately and singularly"....Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200http://www.news.va/en/news/communique-on-the-society-of-st-pius-x-2http://www.news.va/en/news/prayer-in-the-letters-of-st-paulVatican City, 16 May 2012 (VIS) - After having examined prayer in the Acts of the Apostles, Benedict XVI announced that he will dedicate his next series of catechesis to prayer in the Letters of St. Paul, which always begin and end with an expression of prayer and which have given us a rich range of forms of prayer. In Wednesday's general audience, celebrated in St. Peter's Square before more than 11,000 people, the Pope explained that the Apostle to the Gentiles wants us to understand that prayer "should not be seen as a simple good deed made to God, an action of our own. It is above all a gift, fruit of the living [and] revitalizing presence of the Father and of Jesus Christ in us". When we pray we feel "our weakness ... our creatureliness, because we find ourselves before God's omnipotence and transcendence ... and we perceive our limitations ... and the necessity to trust ever more in Him". This then is when "the Holy Spirit helps us in our incapacity ... and guides us to turn toward God". Prayer, therefore, is mainly "the action of the Holy Spirit in our humanity that takes charge of our weakness and transforms us from persons who are bound to material reality into spiritual persons". Among the effects of the action of the Spirit of Christ as the internal principle of all our acts, the Holy Father observed first that "prayer inspired by the Spirit gives us the possibility to abandon and overcome all forms of fear or slavery, living the true freedom of the children of God". Another consequence is that "our relationship with God becomes so deep that it is no longer affected by deeds or situations. We understand that prayer doesn't free us from trials or tribulations but we can live them in union with Christ, with His suffering, in view of also participating in His glory". THERE IS NO HUMAN CRY THAT GOD DOES NOT HEAR "Many times", the Pope said, "we ask God to deliver us from physical and spiritual evil ... however, we often have the impression that He doesn't hear us and we run the risk of becoming discouraged and of not persevering. In reality, there is no human cry that God does not hear. ... God the Father's answer to His son was not the immediate freedom from suffering, from the cross, or from death: through the cross and His death, God answered with the Resurrection". Finally, "a believer's prayer, if open to the human dimension and to creation as a whole ...does not remain locked in on itself. It opens itself to share in the suffering of our time. It is thus converted into ... the channel of hope for all of creation and an expression of God's love that is poured into our hearts by means of the Spirit". The apostle, the Holy Father concluded, teaches us that when we pray "we have to open ourselves to the presence and the action of the Holy Spirit ... in order to turn ourselves to God with our whole heart and our whole being. Christ's Spirit becomes the strength of our our 'weak' prayer, the light of our 'dim' prayer, ... teaching us to live while facing the trials of existence, in the certainty that we are not alone, opening ourselves to the horizons of humanity and the creation that 'is groaning in labour pains'"....Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200http://www.news.va/en/news/prayer-in-the-letters-of-st-paulhttp://www.news.va/en/news/pope-telegram-to-french-president Pope Benedict XVI wrote to the newly sworn-in President of France, Francois Hollande. In his telegram, the Holy Father expresses the hope that France continue to be, "a factor of peace and solidarity in the active search for the common good, respect for life and the dignity of every person and all peoples," in Europe and the international community. The Pope prays also that the French President may, with the help of God and, "respecting the noble spiritual and moral traditions of the country, persevere with courage toward the achievement of the tasks of building a more just and fraternal society, open to the world and in solidarity with the poorest nations."...Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-telegram-to-french-presidenthttp://www.news.va/en/news/germany-a-departure-and-a-new-start The German Church is holding its bi-annual meeting, more commonly known as Katholikentag , in Mannheim, with over 30 thousand participants and guests assembled to discuss, to worship, to celebrate and to share the current state of the Church in Pope Benedict XVI’s homeland. From Mannheim, Father Bernd Hagenkord S.J. reports. Listen The book containing all the events of this „Katholikentag“ is nearly 600 pages long, all 1.200 events show the breadth and length of the catholic Church in Germany. There are lectures and discussions, there are presentations and new initiatives, and as during every „Katholikentag“ the city is strewn with white tents, every one of them containing an initiative, parish, diocese, association, or other catholic organization. Ecumenism, mission, parish organization, moral theology, music, social responsibility: There seems to be no topic not represented here. The whole four day meeting is framed by liturgies and prayer-services. A particular focus this year is local Church. For lack of money, of priests many parishes have had to be merged with other parishes, creating administrative units rather than living communities. So the focus is on how to make this work and how to bring to life this changing structure with new initiatives or ideas. This meeting of Catholics shows the signs of the times. Alois Gluck, president of the German Catholics lay council which organizes the „Katholikentag“, comments during a press conference on the character of the event. It shows the signs of the times to the church as well as the contribution the Church can make to the society. The event wants to inspire all those coming here. This seems to be a rather necessary thing, since the Church perceives itself as being in crisis. After the sex-abuse scandals and the loss of significant numbers of Catholics, many perceive the church as being stale or numb, without answers to today’s crisis or challenges. Therefore the title of the meeting is „Aufbruch“ - meaning departure as well as new start. The Church - hierarchy as well as laity - want to find a way out of what Alois Gluck called the inner blockade in many questions. The price to pay is to give up a lot of much-loved customs or structures. However, this is necessary to move the Church forward. How to do this: to discuss that is what this Katholikentag is for. ...Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200http://www.news.va/en/news/germany-a-departure-and-a-new-starthttp://www.news.va/en/news/pope-caritas-serving-those-most-in-need During his Wednesday audience Pope Benedict XVI had a very special greeting for the President of Caritas Internationalis, Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, and Members of the Executive Board and Representative Council of the global Catholic organisation. Speaking in English he said: “Your presence here today expresses your communion with the Successor of Peter and your readiness to welcome the new juridical framework of your organisation. I thank you for this and I am certain that the new structures will support and encourage your important service to those most in need.” As Caritas Internationalis President, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga received updated Statutes and Rules and a General Decree from the Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone on behalf of Pope Benedict on 2 May. The revised Statutes and Rules provide a legal basis reflecting the new standing of Caritas as a ‘public canonical juridical personality’ bestowed by Blessed John Paul II in 2004. The new status formally recognises that Caritas carries out its charitable activities in the name of the Catholic Church and strengthens its working relationship with the Holy See. The Representative Council is meeting 15 to 17 May in Rome followed by the first meeting of the Executive Board. On Tuesday evening Card. Rodríguez Maradiaga attended a photo exhibition sponsored by the US Embassy to the Holy See, titled “Woman at risk: Images from Nepal”. He spoke to Alessandro Gistotti about challenges and risks that migrant women face Listen: ...Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-caritas-serving-those-most-in-needhttp://www.news.va/en/news/pope-vii-world-meeting-of-families Milan, Italy’s economic hub, is the host city for the VII World Meeting on the theme The Family: Work and Celebration . From Wednesday May 30th to Sunday June 3rd, it will welcome Catholic families from around the globe to celebrate together the vocation to family life and its specific role within the life of the universal Church. Listen to Emer McCarthy's report: Activities include a theological pastoral congress, an international family fair, workshops and liturgies of prayer and adoration. But without doubt, the defining moment for many taking part will be the opportunity to pray and witness together to family life in the presence of the Pope. The Holy Father is scheduled to arrive in Milan on the evening of Friday June 1 st . His first public appointment a Friday evening address to participants before Milan’s Duomo, dedicated to Our Lady, whose statue holds vigil over the city from the crown of the majestic Cathedral. From there the Pope will make the short trip to another iconic building synonymous with Italian culture: La Scala Opera House. There - in the theatre once home to the giant’s of Italian Opera such composers Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini – Pope Benedict whose passion for classical music is widely known, will attend a concert in his honour with the official delegations to the World Meeting of Families. The following morning, the Pope pray the Hora Media" at the cathedral with priests, religious and laity from the diocese, during which he will read a meditation and venerate the relics of the iconic Cardinal and son of Lombardy, St. Charles Borromeo. Just before midday, in Meazza Soccer Stadium home to ACMilan footbal club, the Pope is scheduled to speak to and pray the Angelus with children who are being confirmed. Later that evening, he will meet with civil authorities in the Archbishop’s residence and, just after sunset, will address the participants of the "Celebration of Witnesses" that will take place in the metropolitan park of Bresso. Bresso Park will also be the location for the great concluding Mass on Sunday, 3 June, at 10:00am, his final public appointment before his return to Rome that evening....Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-vii-world-meeting-of-families