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FIDES Service – 30 September2005

FIDES SPECIAL ISSUE

Instrumentum mensisSeptembris

pro lectura Magisterii

Summi Pontifici Benedicti XVI, pro evangelizatione

in terris missionum

Annus I – Numerus VI, September A.D. MMV

Although Pope Benedict XVI spent most of September at his Summer Residence in Castel Gandolfo, he continued is normal activity of meeting visitors from all over the world on Sundays for the midday Angelus prayer, he received bishops and ambassadors, prominent figures in the world of culture and science. Every Wednesday he flew by helicopter to Rome for the audience in St Peter’s Square. The celebration of the 11th Synod of Bishops and the conclusion of the special Year of the Eucharist were recurrent themes in his reflection before the Angelus prayer. The Pope encouraged Catholics to accompany the work of the synod with prayer, he spoke of the sanctification of priests in the sacrament of the Eucharist and the bond between the Eucharist and charity. In Castel Gandolfo the Pope held an important interreligious meeting with Chief Rabbis of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar and Rabbi Yona Metzger. He recalled the 40th anniversary of the Nostra Aetate issued by Vatican II. A text still useful today for Catholic relations with members of other religions, Jews in particular. During this month the Holy Father received four different groups of Mexican Bishops on ad limina visit. He spoke profoundly on the situation and the situation of the Church in Mexico, and formation of clergy. He reminded the Bishops of the need to base missionary activity on the sacrament of the Eucharist, “source and summit of the life and mission of the Church”.

  • SYNTHESIS INTERVENTUUM

4September 2005 – Angelus

4 September 2005 –Message9th Inter-Christian Symposium

7 September 2005 –General Audience

8 September 2005 –Audiencefirst group of Mexican Bishops on Ad limina visit

11 September 2005 – Angelus

14 September 2005 –General Audience

15 September 2005 –Audience second group of Mexican Bishops on Ad limina visit”

15 September 2005 – AudienceChief Rabbis of Israel

16 September 2005 – AudienceCongress on ‘Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church’

18 September 2005 – Angelus

21 September 2005 – General Audience

23 September 2005 –Audiencethird group of Mexican Bishops on Ad limina visit

25 September 2005 – Angelus

28 September 2005 –General Audience

29 September 2005 –Audiencefourth group of Mexican Bishops on Ad limina visit

30 September 2005 – Address at Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital

  • VERBA PONTIFICIS

Dialogue

Natural disasters

Eucharist

Trust in the Lord

Mission

Sacred Scripture

  • INTERVENTUS SUPER QUAESTIONES

Natural disasters – “We are deeply grateful for the many prayers assured and offerings sent to our offices and other Church offices all over the country” Mgr John E. Kozar national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States

Natural disasters – local Salesians with numerous other organisations in rescue, aid and rebuilding,

Natural disasters: Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum carries Pope’s solidarity to people affected by Hurrican Katrina

Natural disasters: Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes of New Orleans has appealed to Catholics the world over for prayers and material aid to support efforts 90% of church structures damaged

Natural disasters: Despite this major catastrophe preparations for Mission Sunday 23 October continue, indeed the tragedy prompted more in-depth reflection

Natural disasters: As the archbishop of New Orleans, and a fellow evacuee, I share in your sufferings, hold you in prayer and want to serve you in your needs” said archbishop Alfred HughesEucharist: Eucharist, heart of Christian life and source of the Church’s mission:

1st University Eucharistic Congress in Spain

Eucharist: Pakistan holds 1st National Eucharistic Congress attended by 20,000 people, great media coverage

Eucharist: Year of the Eucharist Bishops of Mozambique stress importance of authentic inculturation and liturgical renewal

Mission: National Missionary Formation and SpiritualityWeek in Assisi issues Letter to our Parish Priests

Mission: Marianist Missionaries in Solomon Islands form 200 young evangelisers

Mission: The whole continent at the service of new evangelisation and mission ad gentes: goal of CAM3

Mission: The encounter with Peter strengthens the bonds of communion between our local Churches and the Church of Rome” said Archbishop Héctor González Martínez of Durango Mexico. Diocesan mission, catechesis, parishes pastoral priorities for coming years

Mission: Local Church of vitality and hope but need to improve formation for clergy and laity say Portuguese speaking Bishops meeting in Maputo

Mission: Three quarters of Africans surveyed in different countries said religious leaders were the most trustworthy. “An encouragement for our work” says missionary

Mission: S. African Cardinal Napier in Australia presents mission month theme ‘Proclaiming Life for All – Witness, Liberate, Teach and Celebrate’

Mission: Priestly Fraternity of the Missionaries of St Charles Borromeo celebrates 20th anniversary.

Peace:After peace accord new hope for Aceh: everyone must work to start new page in the history of Sumatra

Peace:Maoist rebels in Nepal announce truce, country searching for peace: millions of displaced persons are a serious problem say local Catholic sources

Peace:Scourge of sexual violence focus of meeting organised by Congo Bishops Justice and Peace commission

Peace:Catholics have always worked hard to educate to peace and reconciliation in Burundi

Peace:Appeal for Peace 2005 issued at the end of the annual Meeting of People and Religions in Lyon, France Peace makes a better world possible. The path to peace is dialogue

Sacred Scripture:International Congress on the theme ‘Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church’ for 40th anniversary of the Constitution Dei Verbum

Sacred Scripture:Promote Bible Centres in Africa says President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Democratic Congo when at Meeting of Catholic Exegetes in Kinshasa

Sacred Scripture:Month of the Bible in the Prelature of Moyobamba, 10,000 Bibles to people in rural districts, especially poor families in forest areas

  • QUAESTIONES

Cardinal Sepe presides ordination of newVicar Apostolic of Kuwait: “the duty to proclaim the Gospel belongs in a special way to the bishop who assumes it as a primary duty on the day of his Ordination”.

“Mission remains the Church’s most pressing urgency”: Cardinal Sepe sends message to Meeting of Portuguese speaking Bishops Conferences in Maputo

Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe to bless foundation stone for a church in Baku: after decades of persecution little flock of 150 Catholics takes new hope

Cardinal Sepe praises Catholics in Azerbaijan for keeping the faith “despite long decades of violent persecution” and “for building constructive interreligious dialogue, peaceful co-existence among Muslims, orthodox Christians, Jews and Catholics

The laying of the foundation stone for a new church in Baku “is a dream come true for the local Catholic community” said Cardinal Sepe who also blessed building site for a new Home for the Poor to be entrusted to Mother Teresa’s Sisters

Marian Day of the Family presided by Cardinal Sepe at the Marian shrine of Torreciudad: the family institute is the future of the Church and humanity

China and Europe “different but united”: Cardinal Sepe addresses participants at 5th European Ecumenical Conference on spiritual and cultural relations between China and Europe

“Today Christian witness of family love and communion has unequalled potential for evangelisation”: Cardinal Sepe presides 16th Family Marian Day at Shrine of Our Lady of Torreciudad

October 2005 missionary prayer intention: “For all Christians: besides praying for the missions may they also support missionary activity with material offerings.”Comment by Archbishop Robert Sarah secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples

The Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples appoints new Pontifical Mission Societies general secretaries

SYNTHESIS INTERVENTUUM

4 September 2005 – Angelus

VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI asks the entire Church to be involved in preparations for the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist “with prayer and reflection, giving value to every opportunity, event and meeting”. He also has a special word for hurrican victims in the United States and people in Iraq

Castel Gandolfo (Fides Service) – In his reflection before the Angelus prayer on Sunday 4 September Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the entire Church to feel involved in preparation for the Synod of Bishops 2-23 October on the theme “The Eucharist: source and summit of the life and mission of the Church “and to take part with prayer and reflection, giving greater value to every opportunity, event and meeting”.

Speaking at his Summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father remarked on the imminent conclusion of the special “Year of the Eucharist called by the late dearly beloved Pope John Paul II to revive Christian faith, wonder and love for this important sacrament which constitutes the very treasure of the Church”. The Pope recalled the devotion with which John Paul II celebrated Mass “and how much time he spent in adoring, silent prayer in front of the Tabernacle”, and at the hour of his death he offered his life with that of Christ in the Mass being celebrated at his bedside. “His earthly life came to an end on the Octave of Easter, right at the heart of this Eucharistic Year in which we have passed from his great pontificate to mine. With joy therefore, from the beginning of this service to which the Lord has called me, I reaffirm the centrality of the Sacrament of the real presence of Christ in the life of the Church and that of individual Christians.”

The Pope went on to recall references to the mystery of the Eucharist also on the occasion of World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, during the Vigil on Saturday 20 August, at Marienfeld, “which has adoration of the Eucharist as its culmination”. Several churches in Cologne, Bonn and Düsseldorf organised twenty-four hour adoration with the participation of many young people. Lastly Benedict XVI said he hoped that in every community participation in the Eucharist would be “ever more fervid and frequent”, and in particular he urged Catholics “make holy with joy the ‘Lord’s Day’ Sunday, a holy day for Christians”.

After the Angelus prayer the Pope turned his thoughts to the hurricane victims in America and the people killed in a panic stampede in Baghdad: “In recent days we were all saddened by the disaster caused by a hurricane in the United States of America, New Orleans especially. I wish to assure my prayers for the dead and their families, for the injured and the displaced, for the sick, the children, the old people; I bless those involved in difficult work of rescue and rebuilding. I have charged the President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes to carry my solidarity to the stricken people. My thoughts go also to the people in Iraq who last Wednesday saw hundreds of their fellow citizens , mostly old people, women and children, gathered in Baghdad for a religious commemoration, killed in an irreversible stampede of panic. May Almighty God touch every heart so that an atmosphere of reconciliation and reciprocal trust may be installed at last in that travailed land.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 5/9/2005; righe 38, parole 527)

See the Pope address

4 September 2005 – Message9th Inter-Christian Symposium

VATICAN - “Achieving full communion among Christians must be a goal for all who profess faith in the Church, one, holy, catholic and apostolic” Pope Benedict says in a message to 9th Inter-Christian Symposium

Castel Gandolfo (Fides Service) – The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI sent a message addressed to Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity on the occasion of the 9th Symposium promoted jointly by the Franciscan Institute of spirituality at the pontifical Antonianum University and the Theology faculty at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The symposium which opened yesterday 4 September in Assisi will reflect this year on the theme «The Eucharist in eastern and western tradition with particular refernce to ecumenical dialogue». At the symposium the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity is represented by the under secretary Mgr Eleuterio F. Fortino.

“The search for full visibile unity among all the disciples of Christ is perceived to be particularly urgent in our day and therefore a need is felt for deeper spirituality and stronger reciprocal love” the Pope wrote in his message underlining that the theme for study this year “is highly significant in the life of Christians and for the rebuilding of full communion among all the disciples of Christ”.

Benedict XVI said “the dialogue and comparison in truth and charity, which will be developed during the Symposium will certainly bring to the fore the common faith and theological and liturgial aspects proper to East and West which are complementary and dynamic for the edification of the People of God and are the treasure of the Church”… Achieving full communion among Christians must be a goal for all who profess faith in the Church, one, holy, catholic and apostolic”. By way of conclusion the Pope wrote “The Symposium which follows similar fruitful ecumenical initiatives brings to light common commitment, research and study aimed at clarifying differences and overcoming misunderstandings”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 5/9/2005 – Righe 22, Parole 295)

See the Pope’s message in Italian

7 September 2005 – General Audience

VATICAN - The Pope’s teaching at the general Wednesday audience: “Christ is the principle of unity, the mediator, the final destination towards whom all creation converges. He is the Son par excellence in the great family of the children of God in which Baptism inserts us ”

Vatican City (Fides Service) – “Christ is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead” (vespers Wednesday week 3; reading: cfr Col 1,3.12.15.17-18): this Canticle was the subject of the teaching given by Pope Benedict XVI at the weekly audience this morning, 7 September. The Holy Father flew by helicopter from his Summer residence in Castel Gandolfo to address several thousands visitors gathered in St Peter’s Square.

“The heart of the hymn consists of verses 15-20 with the direct and solemn entrance of Christ referred to as the ‘image’ of the ‘invisible God’”, the Holy Father explained. More than once in his Letters St Paul uses the word “icon”, “applying it both to Christ, perfect icon of God, and to man, image and glory of God. However man with sin « exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of mortal man» (Rom 1,23), choosing to adore idols and becoming similar to them”. The Pope said: “We must continue to shape our image to that of the Son of God, because we have been «freed from the power of darkenss», «transferred to the kingdom of his beloved Son ».”

Christ is before all creation, generated from all eternity and for St Paul , “he is principle of unity («in him all things hold together»), mediator («through him»), and the final destination towards which all creation converges. He is «firstborn of many », that is, Son par excellence in the great family of God in which Baptism inserts us.”

The Cantical passes then to the world of history: “Christ is «the head of the Church» through his Incarnation. In fact he entered the human community, to sustain it and make it hold together in one «body», or in harmonious and fruitful unity. The consistence and growth of humanity are rooted in Christ, the vital hub, «the beginning». Precisely because of this preeminence Christ is able to become the beginning of the resurrection of all, the «firstborn from the dead», because «all will have life in Christ”.

In the conclusion the hymn celebrates the «fullness» of Christ, as gift of love from the Father. “He is the fullness of divinity which irradiates both in the universe and on humanity, becoming the source of peace, unity, perfect harmony”. Through the blood shed by Christ on the cross we were justified and sanctified: “Shedding his blood and giving himself Christ effused peace which, in biblical language is the sum of messianic goods and the fullness of redemption extended to all creation. The hymn ends therefore with a bright horizon of reconciliation, unity, harmony and peace over which there rises the solemn figure of its author, Christ, «beloved Son» of the Father.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 7/9/2005, righe 31, parole 459)

See the Pope’s teaching in various languages

8 September 2005 –Audiencewith 1st group of Mexican Bishops onad limina visit

VATICAN - The Pope reminds first group of Mexican Bishops on ad limina visit to Rome that “present day society questions and observes the Church, demanding coherence and courage in the faith

Castel Gandolfo (Fides Service) – “Meetings among bishops are precious opportunities to experience and deepen unity. In this sense the Bishops’ Conference of Mexico is called to be a bright sign of ecclesial communion aimed to facilitate the ministry of the bishop and strengthen collegiality. Today it is more than ever necessary to unite efforts and share experiences”. This was the exhortation the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI addressed to a first group of Bishops from Mexico («Norte Occidente») received in ad limina visit on Thursday 8 September at his Summer Residence in Castel Gandolfo.