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The World Seen From Rome
Daily dispatch - June 17, 2008
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VATICAN DOSSIER Holy See Takes Up Issue of Church Property in Vietnam Events to Mark 50th Anniversary of Pius XII's Death Rome Auxiliary Named President of Life Academy WORLD FEATURES Dive Deep Into the Paschal Mystery, Urges Cardinal Cardinal: Mass Is "Essential" Experience of Faith Pilgrim Walking the World for Christian Unity Prelate: Iraq Visit Reveals More Than Violence INTERVIEW The Hour of the Eucharist (Part 1) LITURGY Rite of Marriage DOCUMENTS Cardinal Rigali's Address to Eucharistic Congress Homily for Iraqi Mass at Westminster Cathedral Pope's Message to U.N. Food Summit
VATICAN DOSSIER
Holy See Takes Up Issue of Church Property in Vietnam
Delegation Returns From Weeklong Trip
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- The Holy See revisited the issue of Vietnam's nationalization of Church property, affirming that a solution to the situation needs to take into account the requirements of justice, charity and the common good.
This was one of the topics discussed by a Holy See delegation who visited Vietnam last week. The delegation was made up of Monsignor Pietro Parolin undersecretary for relations with states; Monsignor Luis Mariano Montemayor, nunciature-counselor at the secretariat of state; and Monsignor Barnabe Nguyen Van Phuong, bureau chief at the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
According to a Vatican communiqué released today, the program for the June 9-15 visit "involved a series of meetings with the government authorities, both at central and local level, and with the Catholic community."
It added: "The working sessions with the government's Office for Religious Affairs, presided by Nguyen The Doanh, enabled discussions to be held, in a frank and cordial atmosphere, on various aspects of the life and activity of the Church in the country, particularly as concerns episcopal appointments, the gradual restoration of formerly-nationalized property to Church use, the application of norms on religious freedom, the contribution of Catholics to human promotion, the spread of a culture of solidarity toward the weakest sectors of the population, and the moral education of future generations."
The Holy See delegation met with Vietnam's deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs, Pham Gia Khiem, exchanging views on the "current international situation with reference, above all, to the seat as a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council that Vietnam will occupy for the first time this July."
Relations
The leaders also discussed the "hoped-for normalization of bilateral relations." The communiqué said that a working group -- entrusted with defining calendars and means -- is expected to begin work "as soon as possible."
The Holy See delegation also met with Nguyen The Thao, president of the Popular Committee of Hanoi. The communiqué affirmed that "mention was made, among other things, of the events that involved numerous faithful from the archdiocese at the end of last year and the beginning of 2008."
Around Christmas of 2007, large numbers of the faithful held peaceful protests requesting the return of Church property that had been nationalized by the state in the '50s. The main dispute involved the 2.5-acre property that used to be the headquarters of the apostolic nuncio in Vietnam.
"In this context, consideration was given -- as it has been on various other occasions -- to the importance of continuing to pacify the situation, avoiding measures that may create contrary effects, and to maintain dialogue between interested parties in the search for adequate solutions that take into account the needs of justice, of charity and of the common good," the communiqué stated. "The delegation expressed its gratitude to the local authorities of the province of Quang Tri for their decision to return the land around the Marian shrine of La Vang to Church use, and for their will to face, along with the Archdiocese of Hue, the outstanding problems for the effective implementation of the decision."
According to the communiqué: "A particularly moving moment was the visit and Mass at the Marian shrine of La Vang. The delegation, [...] along with participants from the Archdiocese of Hue, from other dioceses in Vietnam and from abroad, prayed that that place, so dear to Vietnamese Catholics and venerated even by non-Catholics, may become ever more a center of unity and reconciliation for all the inhabitants of that beloved country, without ethnic, religious or political distinction."
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Events to Mark 50th Anniversary of Pius XII's Death
Show Pope of "Great Stature"
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- A conference and exhibition on the near 20-year pontificate of Pope Pius XII and the years leading up to his election to the See of Peter will mark the 50th anniversary of the Servant of God's death.
Today in the Vatican press office, the two commemorative initiatives were presented. Pius XII served as Pope from 1939-1958.
Bishop Salvatore Fisichella, rector of the Pontifical Lateran University, spoke of the Pontiff's "great stature, especially in spiritual terms, but also intellectually and diplomatically."
It fell to Pius XII to lead the Church during various significant historical situations, the bishop recalled, including "the genocide of the Jews, the communist occupation of various Christian nations, the Cold War, new advances of science, and the innovations of certain schools of theology."
Bishop Fisichella further pointed out that "what remains largely unknown is Pius XII's influence on Vatican Council II."
In this context, he mentioned the 43 encyclicals "that marked his pontificate, and the many discourses in which he examined the most controversial questions of his time."
The rector suggested that certain traits are particularly characteristic of Pius XII's magisterium. He summarized them in three points: "Firstly the promotion of doctrine, the definition of the dogma of the Assumption in 1950 being particularly memorable; [...] secondly defending doctrine and indicating errors," such as in the encyclical "Humani generis" of 1950 where Pius XII examines "the serious problem of theological relativism. [...] Finally, Pius XII never failed to make his voice heard clearly and explicitly when circumstances required it."
Alma mater
The conference on Pius XII's magisterium is scheduled for November and will be held at two universities where the future Pope studied, the Gregorian and Lateran Universities. (The Lateran University at the time was the Roman Seminary of Sant'Apollinare.)
Jesuit Father Gianfranco Ghirlanda, rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University, spoke of the itinerary of the conference.
"The first day will be dedicated to four introductory lectures on the general views of Pius XII and the cultural and historical context in which that great Pontiff developed his magisterium," Father Ghirlanda explained. The themes will include: the development of biblical studies, evangelization, religious freedom and Church-state relations, and the social communications media.
The morning of the second day will focus on "Pius XII's teaching in the fields of ecclesiology, liturgy and the role of the laity. The afternoon will be dedicated to his vision of relations between the Church and the world, Mariology, medicine and morals and, finally, questions of canon law," he added.
Man and Pope
Monsignor Walter Brandmuller, president of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, presented the other commemorative event: a photographic exhibition titled "Pius XII: the Man and the Pontificate."
The exhibit "will illustrate the life of this great and exceptional Pontiff who was already an object of admiration among his contemporaries," Monsignor Brandmuller noted. "It has been sought to reconstruct Eugenio Pacelli's life from boyhood to death, using images -- many of them unpublished -- as well as documents, personal objects, gifts and clothes: his formation at the Pontifical Roman Athenaeums, his training for a diplomatic career at the Secretariat of State; his mission to Germany -- first in Bavaria then in Berlin; his return to the Vatican as secretary of state and, finally, his election to the pontifical throne."
Giovanni Morello, president of the Foundation for the Artistic Patrimony and Activity of the Church, noted that the exhibition will follow the Pontiff's life "through contemporary photographs, many of them supplied by the photographic service of L'Osservatore Romano, documents and personal effects, loaned both by the Pacelli family and by the 'Famiglia Spirituale Opera.'"
The exhibition will be on display in the Charlemagne Wing off St. Peter's Square from Oct. 21 to Jan. 6.
"[It] begins with the birth of the future Pope -- in Rome on March 2, 1876 -- and follows his youthful and scholastic activities up to the moment of his priestly ordination on April 2, 1899," Morello explained.
Young Father Pacelli soon entered the service of the Holy See; he was consecrated a bishop by Pope Benedict XV in the Sistine Chapel in 1917, then appointed as nuncio, first in Bavaria (1917-1924) and subsequently in Berlin (1925-1929), at a crucial moment in German history.
On Dec. 16, 1929, Pius XI named him a cardinal and soon afterward appointed him as secretary of state.
The young cardinal thus became the Pope's main collaborator, Morello said, noting as proof "the corrections and notes Cardinal Pacelli made in preparing some of the most important documents, including the famous encyclical 'Mit brennender Sorge,'" written in 1937 on the German Reich.
"During this period, Cardinal Pacelli made many journeys abroad; he was the first secretary of state, after many centuries, to travel as papal legate," Morello mentioned. Among the countries he visited were Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, the United States and France.
An art lover
The exhibition will also cover the events of Pius XII's pontificate, particularly the Second World War, and the Holy See's humanitarian efforts in support of individuals and peoples, including the people of Rome.
"The exhibition, apart from its historical and documentary aspects," Morello continued, "is also of great artistic interest. Indeed, not everyone is aware that the first nucleus of the modern art collection in the Vatican Museums, later expanded during the pontificate of Paul VI, dates back to an initiative of Pius XII. [...] Ten works from this original nucleus will be on display, including paintings by Carra, De Chirico, De Pisis, Morandi, Rouault, Sironi and Utrillo, as well as a number of sketches presented for the competition for the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica for the Holy Year 1950."
"The artistic side of the exhibition is enriched by the presence of various valuable 'gifts' given to Pius XII during his pontificate, such as the 'Peace' offered by Luigi Einaudi, president of Italy; the precious desk service by Giovanni Valadier, a gift from the city authorities in 1956, and a small table clock given to the Pope by the first personal representative of the U.S. president," Morello added. "All these items used to be kept by the Vatican Apostolic Library and are now held in the Vatican Museums. [...] They will be on display with the vestments and other objects used by Pius XII, which today are conserved in the Pontifical Liturgical Treasury."
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Rome Auxiliary Named President of Life Academy
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI named Auxiliary Bishop Salvatore Fisichella of Rome as the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, simultaneously elevating him to the dignity of archbishop.
Archbishop-designate Fisichella, 56, succeeds Bishop Elio Sgreccia, who retired for reasons of age. Bishop Sgreccia turned 80 earlier this month.
The new president was the rector of the Pontifical Lateran University.
Salvatore Fisichella was born in Italy in 1951 and ordained in 1976. He was consecrated a bishop in 1998.
Monsignor Ángel Rodríguez Luño, a member of the academy, told L'Osservatore Romano today that bioethics has gained so much importance in modern society that the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life will now be given the dignity of archbishop.
This title, the monsignor said, reflects "the important service of this institution and the trust that the Pope places in it as an expression of the Church's commitment to the promotion and defense of the life of every man, created in the image of God."
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WORLD FEATURES
Dive Deep Into the Paschal Mystery, Urges Cardinal
Says Much Remains to Be Learned
QUEBEC CITY, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- Don't remain at the edge of the mystery of the Eucharist, but rather dive deep into it to learn what remains to be known, urged the archbishop of Krakow.
Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz said this today in a homily he delivered on the second day of the 49th International Eucharistic Congress, under way in Quebec through Sunday.
Some 11,000 pilgrims, 50 cardinals and more than 100 bishops have gathered to reflect on the theme, "The Eucharist, the Gift of God for the Life of the World."
"The Eucharist is not only a memorial of the paschal mystery in the sense of a memory and of making our Lord's paschal journey present," said Cardinal Dziwisz. "The Eucharist is also a memorial which places the believer before the question of his own 'I remember; I recall,' a memorial that places the whole community of the Church before the question: What does 'I remember, I recall' mean?"
"'I remember' means 'I am present' to the paschal mystery, 'I let myself be drawn' into such a dimension of the world, in which God saves each man and the whole of humanity," explained the cardinal.
He continued: "It is with the grace of faith [...] that I ascend to Calvary to see, to contemplate the one and only paschal Lamb. I leave the Galilee of miracles, the Samaria of questions on the living water and the Jerusalem of debates with the Pharisees, I take leave of the Sea of Galilee -- the lake of abundant and miserable fish, the lake of tempest and calm -- and I arrive to Golgotha, and I am there, at the heart of the mystery of salvation.
"'I remember, I recall, in a Eucharistic way,' means that I am not anywhere but in the heart of the Church, in the heart of man and in the heart of God himself."
"'I remember' means that I also make that mystery present here, where I am," he added.
"The man who has once set foot on Golgotha," said Cardinal Dziwisz "with the gift of the grace of faith, always bears in his heart the mark of the paschal sacrifice. 'I remember in a Eucharistic way' means that I am a living image and witness of the death and resurrection of our Lord."
"We would be ungrateful to the Eucharist," he continued, "if we locked it up on the altars of the whole world. We would be simple spectators of Christ's sacrifice of salvation on Calvary, if we ourselves did not become Calvary."
Mystery
The 69-year-old cardinal then contemplated the paschal mystery. "Above all, one must be humble before the mystery.
"Humility before the mystery means a simple and profound faith, knowing that for God the bread and wine, the Body and Blood are sufficient to ransom the whole world."
"The mystery does not invite only to humility," Cardinal Dziwisz added. "The mystery also calls for knowledge.
"If I know that I am at the edge of an ocean, I ask myself what there is beyond the horizon. At the same time, with this question there comes a pure desire to leave, to discover and know something that is still unimaginable, inconceivable today. [...]
"If then the Eucharist is a paschal mystery, and we are aware of still being at the edge of this great mystery, let us not be afraid and stay outside of it. Let us allow ourselves to be carried by this natural desire to know that which is still impenetrable. Let us not think that we know everything and that we have already learned everything."
The cardinal continued: "He who stays at the edge of a great ocean means to say in fact that there is nothing new beyond the horizon. To believe that the Eucharist is a mystery is, in fact, to never tire of getting to knowing our Lord's paschal journey more profoundly."
Liberation
"Easter is above all the path to freedom," continued Cardinal Dziwisz. "When the chosen people sat down at the table in Egypt on that unforgettable evening, the tenth of the first month, to eat the paschal lamb, all the people thought it was the last evening of captivity.
"When Jesus, the paschal Lamb, was immolated on the cross, God, with the death of his Son, set humanity free on the path of liberty."
He continued, "Everyday in the Eucharist, on the altars of the entire world, God says [...] 'You are no longer a slave, but a son.'"
"It's the gift of the Eucharist for the world," the archbishop of Krakow affirmed. "The gift assures the end of captivity, Easter liberates everyone.
"To celebrate Easter also means to eat. One can also say that there is no passage, no path to liberty, without eating the Pasch."
"If for us the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the Pasch of the New Covenant, and the Eucharist is the memorial and the presence, it is difficult to speak of the liberating gift of the Eucharist if it isn't eaten," said Cardinal Dziwisz. "Neither the Body nor the Blood of the Lord will ever be a gift for us or for the world if they are not eaten with dignity."
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Cardinal: Mass Is "Essential" Experience of Faith
Laments That More Don't Attend Regularly
QUEBEC CITY, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- Although Sunday Mass is the "essential" experience of faith, less than half of North American Catholics attend regularly, according to the archbishop of Philadelphia.
Cardinal Justin Rigali spoke Monday at the 49th International Eucharistic Congress, which is being held through Sunday in Quebec.
Some 11,000 pilgrims, 50 cardinals and more than 100 bishops have gathered to reflect on the theme, "The Eucharist, the Gift of God for the Life of the World."
In his address the cardinal touched on various aspects of the devotion to the Eucharist in North American, beginning with Sunday Mass.
"The Sunday celebration of the Eucharist is the essential experience of the faith and the source of our people’s identity as the Church," he said. "It is the central act of parish life in which the faithful offer adoration and thanksgiving to God for their salvation in Christ and seek the grace of the Holy Spirit to grow as faithful disciples."
"Despite this central focus on the Eucharist in parochial life," Cardinal Rigali added, "studies report that less than 50% of our people regularly attend Sunday Mass with any regularity."
He said that many Catholics only regularly attend at Christmas and Easter, and return occasionally for weddings, baptisms and funerals.
Cardinal Rigali affirmed: "The lives of these people reflect an indifference to God that permeates the culture. This situation certainly calls for increased efforts at catechesis to invite a return to the Eucharist of those who do not fully participate in it, and to help strengthen the fidelity of practicing Catholics."
Study
The cardinal said the celebration of the Liturgy of the Word within the Mass has "transformed the lives of many of the people in our parishes."
"This weekly encounter with Christ through the proclamation of the word and the homily has provided a school of spiritual formation and a source of teaching the faith of the Church," he said.
Cardinal Rigali also noted the existence of many Bible study groups, which help the faithful "to reach a deeper relationship with Christ when they come to the liturgy."
Adoration
Cardinal Rigali reported that the practice of Eucharistic adoration is growing. "This intimate union with the Eucharistic Lord in continuous prayer is a sign of increased reverence and devotion as well as a source of many graces and blessings, not least of which is the discernment of priestly and religious vocations by many of our young people."
The cardinal emphasized the need for proper catechesis on the relationship between Mass and Eucharistic adoration that "enables the faithful to understand that exposition is a continuation of the supreme adoration begun in the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice and a deepening of our union with God and one another."
Music
Regarding music in the liturgy, Cardinal Rigali noted the need to make sure that the "lyrics authentically express the truth contained in the texts of the rites and that the forms of music are respectful of the sacred mysteries celebrated."
"Music has successfully engaged the faithful in the action of the rite, leading to adoration, praise and thanksgiving," he said. "As such, it has had a formative role within the celebration of the Mass."
"Yet there is a need to reexamine the forms of music that are used and the lyrics that are sung."
Transformation
Cardinal Rigali then reflected on the transforming power of the Eucharist.
He said: "Many parishes who devoutly and faithfully celebrate the Eucharist and deeply reflect on the mystery they have experienced, are undergoing a profound moral transformation that empowers them as witnesses of justice and charity.
"Communion with God is leading so many communities to communion with others; as a result the face of God is more often recognized in others and the bonds of mutual love in Christ are strengthened.
"As a result parishes commit themselves to the practice of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy in service to the community. This is an exhilarating effect of Eucharistic piety."
The celebration of the Eucharist in North America, Cardinal Rigali concluded, "bears splendid witness to the mighty works that God is accomplishing in and for his people. In a world that God is always drawing closer to himself through the Blood of the Lamb, the celebration of the Eucharist in the midst of the Church is the great sign of her vitality and the assurance of her share in Christ’s victory."
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Cardinal Rigali's address: http://www.zenit.org/article-22936?l=english
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Pilgrim Walking the World for Christian Unity
Inviting People to Join in Praying For One United Church
ROME, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- At 4:01 p.m. every day, people around the world (in their respective time zones) stop to pray "for one" -- for one united Church.
The initiative was begun by Australian Samuel Clear. But Clear was not satisfied with recruiting just family and friends for the 4:01 prayer crusade. So he decided to start an around-the-world pilgrimage seeking Christian unity, called "walk4one." He's been walking for some 11,000 miles -- since beginning in Brazil in December 2006, inviting whomever he can to pray for a united Church.
Clear began in the eastern-most point of the Americas. A Web site and blog keep his followers aware of his progress; he's currently in Spain and will be back in Australia for this summer's World Youth Day.
Clear told ZENIT how he decided to walk around the world to pray for unity. Though he has a degree in mechanical engineering, he spent five years in his native Australia as a missionary.
"In that time in Australia I began to see a lot of division within the churches. Particularly as a Catholic missionary I was being batted around the head quite seriously for not being 'Christian,' because I was Catholic," Clear explained. "But a lot of the problems that people had with me being Catholic weren't true; they were founded on half truths.
"There're a lot of problems. What really struck me, though, was [the conversion of] a Pentecostal and an evangelical man who became Catholic. And both of them lost their friends and family because they became Catholics and their friends and family believed they had dishonored Christ.
"In that moment, I guess I kind of glimpsed the pain of Christ at the broken Church and I couldn't let it rest. It just kept eating at me and as much as I tried to forget it, it [got] to the point where I had to do something."
I need you
It was through prayer that Clear decided what he would do: "I was kneeling down in Mass one day and just prayed: 'Lord, love to help you, but sorry, mate, you're on your own. I can't help you.' And once I had shut up, once I was quiet, I just felt the Lord saying: 'You know, Samuel, you're right. You can't fix it, but I can. I need you to pray.'"
Clear had already begun the 4:01 prayer initiative, but as he noted on the walk4one Web site, "I began to get frustrated at not being able reach more people outside my immediate friendship group."
"That's been the mission," Clear told ZENIT. "I just pray, pray for unity and that invitation to pray for unity got to the point where I was looking at a map one day and I thought I could just walk. I really wanted to not just pray for unity but to extend the invitation to pray for unity.
"So I took a year of planning and meeting with my bishop and meeting my director of the mission where I was working and eventually we came to the decision where I would do it. […] So I sold what I had and started walking.
"I walk and pray, simply. And then I stop in all churches along the way: Orthodox, Pentecostal, Protestant, evangelical, and extend the invitation to pray
for unity."
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On the Net:
walk4one:
www.ymt.com.au/walk4one/index_2.php[Interview by Claudia Soberón; writing by Kathleen Naab]
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Prelate: Iraq Visit Reveals More Than Violence
English Bishop Recalls Faith, Courage of Suffering Christians
LONDON, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- The bishop of Portsmouth said a visit to Iraq not only reveals the extent of the nation's suffering, but also gives a look at the courage and fidelity of the Christians there.
Bishop Crispian Hollis affirmed this Monday when he gave the homily at a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor in Westminster Cathedral to pray for Iraqi Christians and a stop to the violence in that country.
Bishop Hollis, chair of the International Affairs department of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and Auxiliary Bishop William Kenney of Birmingham recently visited Erbil, Kirkuk, and Sulemaniyah in northern Iraq, at the invitation of the Chaldean bishops.
The bishops also spent time at the Chaldean Seminary of St Peter in Ainkawa, a Christian town near Erbil.
During the Mass, which was attended by a large group of Iraqi Christians, the Gospel was sung in Arabic and the Our Father was said in Aramaic -- the language closest to Christ's dialect.
Systematic, relentless murder
In his homily, Bishop Hollis noted that during episcopal ordination, prelates receive the duty to have "constant care for all the Churches and gladly come to the aid and support of Churches in need."
He said his trip to Iraq was one manifestation of this duty.
"Our visit […] came hard on the heels of the tragic kidnapping and death of Archbishop Rahho of Mosul," Bishop Hollis noted. The Mosul archbishop was kidnapped Feb. 29 after leading the Way of the Cross. His body was found in a shallow grave some two weeks later.
Bishop Hollis continued: "In this country, we may feel that we know quite a lot about the situation in Iraq but our knowledge largely stems from what we know and read about of the military activity in and around Baghdad and Basra.
"Only occasionally do we look further afield and it's really only when we do that do we become aware of the ways in which the Christian community […] is suffering and being continually harassed and threatened.
"I now have some idea, albeit very superficial, of the sufferings and hardships being faced and endured by your Christian brothers and sisters -- and they are considerable. The continuing violence in the country has seriously wounded your community in a particular way and the murder of lay people and clergy by extremists of all sorts has been both systematic and deliberately relentless."
Partial picture
Nevertheless, Bishop Hollis affirmed, the violence is "only part of the picture."
"My visit, which took me to Erbil, Kirkuk and Sulemanyiah, allowed me to share faith with your bishops, the priests and your fellow citizens," he said. "I was hugely encouraged and strengthened by their courage and fidelity. We visited the seminary in Ainkawa where we found 27 young men studying for the priesthood and we spent fruitful time with them, with their teachers and with the religious communities of sisters who work so tirelessly and fearlessly for the spread of the Gospel.
"Our gathering here today for this celebration of Mass, to which I most warmly welcome you all, is as much about them and the people they serve as it is about being a desperate prayer to the Lord for his gift of peace for a deeply troubled land."
The bishop said his lasting impression from the visit is that of having been "among a people for whom the light of faith is alive."
He concluded urging prayer "in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Iraq; we need to pray for peace -- and Christ's peace, not simply an end to hostilities -- for your country. We need to pray for God's blessings on all who live and suffer there and for all of you who are far from home and yet near to families and friends who live in danger and hardship. And we pray that the Lord fill us with all the blessings and graces that he promises to those who are faithful."
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INTERVIEW
The Hour of the Eucharist (Part 1)
Interview With Speaker at International Congress
By Gisèle Plantec
QUEBEC CITY, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- It is the hour of the Eucharist, but three things are needed for Catholics to go deeper in the Eucharistic mystery, said the founder of a fraternity dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament.
Father Nicolas Buttet is the founder of the Eucharistein Fraternity, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi in its devotion to evangelical simplicity and total reliance on God. The community’s life is centered on Christ in the Eucharist, celebrated in the sacrifice of the Mass and worshipped in the Blessed Sacrament.
The priest spoke today at the International Eucharistic Congress, under way in Quebec through Sunday.
He also spoke with ZENIT about what the congress means for Canada, and what is needed for Catholics to grow in their love for Christ present in the Eucharist.
Q: The Church in Canada expects much from this Eucharistic Congress. Do you believe it can renew the Church? Specifically, what can change?
Father Buttet: When I arrived at the Montreal airport, a young employee assigned to baggage control asked me about my clothes -- I wear a brown tunic and a cross -- saying in his nice Canadian accent: "What is that?" I answered him: "It's a religious habit; I am a religious and a priest." He replied: "Ah, but do people like that still exist?" A good discussion ensued, curious as he was about something of which he seemed to be totally ignorant.
Six months ago, I was in Montreal for a three-day session with business executives. The topic was discernment and there were two speakers: a philosopher and "the monk." Having arrived at the session, a man came up to me and said enthusiastically: "You are a monk?" I answered: "Yes, of a sort." "A Buddhist monk?" he replied with a curiosity which was not feigned. I answered him: "No, Catholic!" "Catholic, like the Pope?" he retorted with a rather disquieted and suspicious air. "Yes!" I replied enthusiastically. And I heard before me an "Oh no!" gushing forth from the innermost depths of disappointment. The session unfolded very well afterward and we were able to discuss frankly this first rather cold contact.
These two examples evidence onerous consequences, of what it is appropriate to call here the "peaceful revolution" of the 60s, a slow tsunami, but a tsunami nevertheless that was ecclesial, religious and cultural.
The World Youth Day of Toronto already shook this torpor that weighs on Canadian society, and particularly on this French-speaking part, which this year celebrates the 400th anniversary of Quebec, called initially "Mary's city."
It was the first visible ecclesial event since the Church was relegated outside the public domain. The Eucharistic Congress is a determinant stage on the path to proposing the faith. It is so because of the visibility of the event, the extent of the organization, and the audacity of certain initiatives of Cardinal [Marc] Ouellet and his team.
I am thinking especially of the spiritual effect, of the mobilization of so many people of good will, of so many parishes, of those perpetual adorations set up in different places, of the prayer engaged in for several months already for this Congress. God hears a Church that prays. God multiplies his works in hearts that are open to his grace.
Q: Can you give us a taste of what you will say at the Congress?
Father Buttet: Cardinal Ouellet asked me to bring, above all, a personal testimony on the Eucharist. Therefore, I will speak of my encounter with Jesus-Host, but also of the overwhelming way that my experiences in the world led me to bring Jesus to so many persons.
I remember a Mass in China, celebrated at the back of a stable, behind the cows so that the police would not come to look for us.
But I have also asked several young people that we receive in our community, young people from the street, from the drug milieu, or those who have experienced depression, to write in a few words their relationship with Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament and what the Mass and adoration offer them. I will share this.
My conclusion will be very clear: It's the hour of the Eucharist! It's the "kairos," because its the hour of Christ and in the Eucharist we have Jesus and the whole mystery of salvation.
John Paul II said that there was no risk of exaggeration in the worship rendered to this mystery because it is Jesus himself that this worship addresses. I think we can engage in a "profound revolution," that of hearts and of society.
Benedict XVI took as a sign and a mission the fact that he ascended the Chair of Peter at the height of the Eucharistic Year. It was for him the occasion to engage in the development of Eucharistic worship, the center of his Petrine ministry. And we know how he went about it. It was he who asked the bishops to introduce in their dioceses at least a place of perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He showed them by example, instituting five [such places] in Rome.
The Eucharist is a school of liberty and a school of charity. But, above all, it is the source of the supernatural life of the baptized, without which one remains human, indeed "too human," Nietzsche would have said.
Q: Catholics, including practicing Catholics, are at times not keen on entering the mystery of the Eucharist. They go to communion without conviction, out of habit. And yet the Eucharist is vital in a Catholic's faith. How can one help believers to understand the profound significance of the Eucharist?
Father Buttet: Quebec's Blessed Dina Belanger, beatified in 1993 by John Paul II, wrote one day in her diary: "If souls but understood what treasure they possess in the divine Eucharist, it would be necessary to protect the tabernacles by impregnable ramparts because, in the delirium of a holy and devouring hunger, they would themselves go to be nourished by the Bread of Angels. The churches would be brimming with adorers consumed by love for the divine prisoner, both during the day and the night."
But one is not there! It's true that the mystery is so great, the distance so enormous between that which our senses perceive -- some bread -- and that which our faith believes -- Jesus -- that it isn't easy to enter into the mystery.
I think there are three things to develop: a Eucharistic catechesis which includes words and examples. "Let us enter the school of saints, great interpreters of authentic Eucharistic piety," John Paul II said at the end of his encyclical on the Eucharist.
Second, light must focus on the consecration at Mass and the tabernacle in churches. I am always astounded by the little devotion there is during the Eucharistic celebration at the moment of consecration. It is a moment that is hurried over. One can believe with words, but with the gestures one poses in these moments one is not fooled.
One day I was with friends. The parents had a three-year-old girl. They had her baptized and then, by tradition and out of duty, went to Mass with her every Sunday. The girl's aunt is a committed Catholic. It was time to go to Mass and the mother asked her little girl: "With whom would you like to go to Mass, with mommy or auntie?" And the girl answered without hesitation: "with auntie!"
"Why?" her mother asked. "Because she believes!" replied the little girl with even less hesitation.
I think there are gestures, attitudes which are a catechesis in themselves.
I was in China. Zachary, an old catechist, who risked his life to proclaim Jesus and who had reached 100 years of age had kept, in a hidden place in his home, a tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament. Happily, he had me discover his treasure behind a hidden door. Hardly had we entered the area when Zachary fell to his knees, prostrated himself with his forehead on the ground and began some prayers. I understood that it was Jesus who was there! There was no hesitation possible.
The third thing is Eucharistic adoration and Eucharistic devotion outside of Mass. This mystery is so great that the liturgy alone will never allow us to go sufficiently deeply. Only a prolonged exposition to the mystery of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament enables us to enter progressively into the Eucharistic wonder.
I am thinking of the testimony of 21-year-old Maxime: "For me, the Eucharist is the center of my life. Jesus-Eucharist has pulled me out of the hell of drugs. Thanks to the Eucharist, my life has been transformed and I am now happy to live to serve Christ. The Eucharist is my strength to love, to follow and serve Christ through joys and sorrows. God loves us infinitely and he will never abandon us."
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LITURGY
Rite of Marriage
And More on Confessions During Mass
ROME, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: I am getting married in Sydney on a Saturday in August. My fiancee and I have been preparing for the ceremony by going through the liturgical books with a fine-toothed comb. One thing in particular troubles us. In the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium (2nd edition, 1991) at No. 53 it says, "omittitur actus paenitentialis" -- "the penitential rite is omitted." Is this ordo in force? Why would the Church want to exclude the penitential rite? Does this mean the Gloria is excluded as well? I also have a copy of "The Complete Rite of Marriage" (approved for use in England and Wales) printed by the Catholic Truth Society, copyright 1976, founded on typical editions from 1969. This is a pamphlet plainly designed for use by couples to prepare their wedding, or maybe even by the congregation. The earlier "Complete Rite of Marriage" includes the penitential rites. I have another question. The 1991 ordo suggests some additions to the proposed readings: Proverbs 31:10-13,19-20,30-31; Romans 15:1b-3a,5-7,13; Ephesians 4:1-6; Philippians 4:4-9; Hebrews 13:1-4a,5-6b. Is it permissible to use these readings, provided that we use the approved translation? -- T.F., Sydney, Australia
A: First of all it is necessary to note that in normal circumstances one may only use the liturgical books approved by the national bishops’ conference. Therefore the preparation for the wedding should be based on whatever rite of marriage is currently in force in Australia. The Latin text, however, may be used everywhere.
Second, the Holy See has historically granted wide leeway to bishops’ conferences to prepare the rites of marriage and funerals according to the particular traditions of each nation. For this reason there are sometimes significant variations among different national rites.
According to the Latin text the penitential rite is omitted. This is not something particular to marriage but is a regular practice in Catholic liturgy whenever there is a special rite at the beginning of Mass. For example, the penitential rite is also omitted when an hour of the Liturgy of the Hours is joined to Mass.
In the case of a wedding this special rite is the one in which the priest greets the future spouses using a set formula. If this omission is not foreseen in the established Australian ritual, then it need not be made.
The Gloria and Creed would be used only if they would normally be used on this day, for example, if the Eucharistic celebration were a Sunday Mass.
Since this wedding will be held on a Saturday and during Ordinary Time, there is no impediment to celebrating the full ritual Mass. This would also be the case if the celebration takes place as a “Sunday” Mass on Saturday evening provided that it is attended primarily by wedding guests.
If, however, the wedding coincides with a regular parish vigil Mass, then the Mass of the corresponding Sunday is celebrated. In this case one reading from the ritual of marriage may replace one of the readings of the day.
If the ritual Mass is to be celebrated along with its readings, then three readings may be chosen, even on a weekday. The extra readings suggested in the 1991 Latin text correspond to the lectionary and may thus be used if an official translation is available.
* * *
Follow-up: Hearing Confessions During Mass
During our comments on hearing confession during Mass (see
June 3), I mentioned that this practice is common in some “Latino” communities. A reader took umbrage at this statement and wrote: “It is about the use of the word 'Latino.' Perhaps, [a] less insulting would be the word 'Hispanic.' After all, the Romans (of the Roman Empire, who spoke Latin) never set foot on America.”
It never crossed my mind that this word could be insulting to anyone, but then words can be tyrants or servants, depending on social contexts.
I admit that I chose the word as being the most apt for the context. I sought an expression that covered Spain, Portugal, Mexico, all Spanish-speaking Central and South American countries, and Portuguese-speaking Brazil.
The word "Latin America" leaves out the European motherlands, and "South America" omits Mexico and Central America. "Hispanic" was unusable because it ignored millions of Portuguese speakers. I thought about using "Iberian culture," but this expression, while historically and culturally correct, is used almost exclusively in Spain.
Therefore I opted for "Latino." I have friends from almost every one of the countries referred to, and they readily refer to themselves as Latin Americans without the slightest hint of its being a derogatory expression. Likewise the Holy See has a special office for coordinating with the bishops of this region called the Commission for Latin America.
A Spaniard or Portuguese would not spontaneously refer to himself as “Latino,” but he would accept that the term could be used to describe the common cultural and religious milieu shared with former colonies.
Another question from a Maltese priest referred to the place for hearing confession during Mass: “In a parish church, in the body of the church but somewhat hidden, a confessional has just been placed. Is it according to or against the spirit of the liturgy that during the Mass confession be celebrated in the church, even if the confessional is not seen by the faithful in the church? If the practice of hearing confessions in the body of the church during Mass is not according to some instruction or other, would it be acceptable if the confessional is, say, in the sacristy or in a room where confessions are also heard?”
I would suggest that if, as explained in the previous column, there is a true need for hearing confessions during Mass, then it is best done in a confessional within the body of the church so that those awaiting the sacrament can participate in as much of the Mass as possible. The sacristy is possible if those in line are waiting inside the church.
The confessional should be sufficiently soundproofed so that both priest and penitent can hear one another.
* * *
Readers may send questions to liturgy@zenit.org. Please put the word "Liturgy" in the subject field. The text should include your initials, your city and your state, province or country. Father McNamara can only answer a small selection of the great number of questions that arrive.
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DOCUMENTS
Cardinal Rigali's Address to Eucharistic Congress
"The Eucharist in the Midst of the Church Is the Great Sign of Her Vitality"
QUEBEC CITY, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- Here is the address Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia, gave Monday at the 49th International Eucharistic Congress, which is being held through Sunday in Quebec. He spoke on the Eucharist in North America.
* * *
The Sunday Celebration
Although my topic is the Eucharist in North America, my pastoral experience is limited to the United States and particularly to the two Archdioceses that I have served: Philadelphia and, prior to this, St. Louis. I am convinced, however, that for so many parishes in North America the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist is the essential experience of the faith and the source of our people’s identity as the Church. It is the central act of parish life in which the faithful offer adoration and thanksgiving to God for their salvation in Christ and seek the grace of the Holy Spirit to grow as faithful disciples.
According to a survey conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate Georgetown University, 2007, feeling the presence of God as well as prayer and reflection are important aspects of Mass for people in the United States. These aspects are in fact realized in the Sunday celebration.
In the sacred Liturgy, the proclamation of the Word immediately begins to draw the faithful into an encounter with Christ through which the Father’s will for daily life is revealed. After our people participate in the Eucharistic action, their reception of the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion strengthens their unity -- begun at Baptism -- with the Most Blessed Trinity and with one another. At this point, the People of God are then sent forth as witnesses of justice, truth and charity in their communities.
With different degrees of realization, the faithful of our dioceses perceive this mysterious plan of God and this is a great blessing for the Church. So many of our parishes have begun to appreciate the centrality of the Eucharist and become vital families of faith. The teaching of Vatican II expressed in the Liturgical Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium has borne fruit in our parishes: “The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; it is also the font from which all her power flows” (no. 10).
Despite this central focus on the Eucharist in parochial life, studies report that less than fifty percent of our people regularly attend Sunday Mass with any regularity. For many people the feasts of Christmas and Easter, together with the occasional family baptism, marriage or funeral, are the only encounters with the great mysteries of their faith and the community that celebrates them. The lives of these people reflect an indifference to God that permeates the culture. This situation certainly calls for increased efforts at catechesis to invite a return to the Eucharist of those who do not fully participate in it, and to help strengthen the fidelity of practicing Catholics.
Scripture and the Mass
The celebration of the Liturgy of the Word within the Mass has in fact transformed the lives of many of the people in our parishes. This weekly encounter with Christ through the proclamation of the Word and the homily has provided a school of spiritual formation and a source of teaching the faith of the Church. The people have been guided by zealous priests and deacons through this experience in the application of the faith to their daily lives. In this way they have more deeply experienced the community of the Church.
The Liturgy of the Word has also become the means of catechesis for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the preparation of children for the sacraments of Penance, Holy Communion and Confirmation. Those participating in Scripture study groups, lectio divina and many lay ecclesial movements are being assisted to reach a deeper relationship with Christ when they come to the Liturgy.
Frequent Holy Communion
Every Sunday many of the faithful regularly receive the Body and Blood of Christ and are drawn into an intimate union with Christ. This Sunday Communion is the primary source of their spiritual nourishment on the path to holiness and of their empowerment to live out faithfully the commandments in a culture that is so often opposed to the Gospel.
At the same time, there is a great need to reemphasize what is required for the proper reception of Holy Communion so that the Blessed Sacrament is duly appreciated and reverently received. This would include occasions such as Christmas, Easter, Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals where inactive Catholics or members of other Christian denominations are present. So many Mass booklets used in the United States print the norms of the Bishops for the reception of Holy Communion, indicating the need to both be Catholic and spiritually prepared. A very succinct statement of Pope John Paul II is very relevant to emphasize in today’s situation: “If a Christian’s conscience is burdened by serious sin, then the path of penance through the sacrament of Reconciliation becomes necessary for full participation in the Eucharistic sacrifice” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 37).
Eucharistic Adoration
Through the Rite of Eucharistic Exposition, the adoration of Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament is growing throughout the United States. Parishes are re-establishing the custom of the Forty Hours Devotion, erecting chapels of perpetual adoration and scheduling Holy Hours with extended exposition. This intimate union with the Eucharistic Lord in continuous prayer is a sign of increased reverence and devotion as well as a source of many graces and blessings, not least of which is the discernment of priestly and religious vocations by many of our young people.
At the same time, there is the need to safeguard and teach the proper relationship between the celebration of the Mass and Eucharistic Exposition. This must be done through appropriate catechesis that enables the faithful to understand that exposition is a continuation of the supreme adoration begun in the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice and a deepening of our union with God and one another. Pope Benedict XVI summarized this aspect in Sacramentum Caritatis: “The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the celebration itself” (no. 66).
Full, Conscious, Active Participation
One of the goals of Vatican II was the call to full, conscious and active participation in the Liturgy so that the faithful may grow in holiness and apostolic works. Our people are actively engaged so often when they gather for the celebration of the Eucharist. Through programs of catechesis dedicated to formation and instruction, many have come to understand the mysteries they celebrate, uniting themselves through the action of the rite with our Lord Jesus Christ, and recognizing the consequences for their daily lives of what they celebrate. At the same time, responding to their baptismal graces, our people have assumed many of the liturgical ministries envisioned by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.
Liturgical Music
The liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council have highlighted the integral role of music within the celebration of the liturgy, especially the Mass. Music has successfully engaged the faithful in the action of the rite, leading to adoration, praise and thanksgiving. As such, it has had a formative role within the celebration of the Mass. For so many parishes, music is normative at the Sunday Mass. In addition to the retention by some communities of traditional Gregorian chant, many forms of contemporary music are effectively used. Yet there is a need to re-examine the forms of music that are used and the lyrics that are sung. Since music is at the service of the Liturgy, it is important that the lyrics authentically express the truth contained in the texts of the rites and that the forms of music are respectful of the sacred mysteries celebrated. Work must continue in this important field.
Inculturation
Within the North American continent a variety of ethnic communities, both native to this land and those who have immigrated, reside and celebrate the Catholic faith. The diversity is great and a manifestation of the universality of God’s kingdom. On any given Sunday, Mass is celebrated in a great variety of languages as the Church strives to meet the needs of the people. In addition to language, cultural aspects, as permitted and approved by Church law, have been included in the liturgy. Much more needs to be accomplished in this area, under the guidance of the Church, to engage the different communities and their cultures in the faith. In this process, the proper balance between the unity of the faith and cultural diversity needs to be constantly maintained.
Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of the Priest
In certain areas of the continent due to the shortage in the number of priests, parishes do not have regular access to the Sunday Mass. Instead, a Sunday Liturgy of the Word with or without the Distribution of Holy Communion is celebrated, or one of the hours of the Liturgy of the Hours. Doctrinal questions concerning the true meaning of the Eucharist and the nature of the ordained ministry can arise when these interim rites are celebrated frequently. These celebrations call for an increase in prayer for vocations to the priesthood, as well as a proper catechesis on the meaning of the Eucharist as sacrifice, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the nature of the ordained priesthood and its essential role in the Church.
The Eucharist as Source of Justice and Charity
Many parishes who devoutly and faithfully celebrate the Eucharist and deeply reflect on the mystery they have experienced, are undergoing a profound moral transformation that empowers them as witnesses of justice and charity. Communion with God is leading so many communities to communion with others; as a result the face of God is more often recognized in others and the bonds of mutual love in Christ are strengthened. As a result parishes commit themselves to the practice of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy in service to the community. This is an exhilarating effect of Eucharistic piety.
The celebration of the Eucharist in North America continues to be filled with many challenges. At the same time it bears splendid witness to the mighty works that God is accomplishing in and for His people. In a world that God is always drawing closer to Himself through the Blood of the Lamb, the celebration of the Eucharist in the midst of the Church is the great sign of her vitality and the assurance of her share in Christ’s victory.
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Homily for Iraqi Mass at Westminster Cathedral
"We Need to Pray in Solidarity With Our Brothers and Sisters in Iraq"
LONDON, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- Here is the homily Bishop Crispian Hollis, chair of the International Affairs department of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, gave Monday at a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor in Westminster Cathedral to pray for Iraqi Christians and a stop to the violence in that country.
* * *
One of the solemn duties that is laid on every bishop when he is ordained is that he should have "a constant care for all the churches and gladly come to the aid and support of churches in need." We do this in all sorts of ways in England and Wales, but particularly through the Department for International Affairs in the Bishops' Conference.
At the moment, it is my privilege to head up the work of the department and it's this responsibility which has enabled me to work in support of fellow Christians in the Middle East and in Southern Africa, especially Zimbabwe -- a country which desperately needs our prayer and support at this time.
My most recent overseas solidarity visit was to Iraq, which is home to so many of you who have gathered here for this Mass today. Together with Bishop William Kenney, I spent some days in the north of the country at the invitation of Bishop Andreas Abouna, who will be well known to many of you following the years that he spent in London as Chaplain to the Iraqi community. Our visit -- and his invitation -- came hard on the heels of the tragic kidnapping and death of Archbishop Rahho of Mosul.
In this country, we may feel that we know quite a lot about the situation in Iraq but our knowledge largely stems from what we know and read about of the military activity in and around Baghdad and Basra. Only occasionally do we look further afield and it's really only when we do that do we become aware of the ways in which the Christian community -- your Christian community -- is suffering and being continually harassed and threatened.
I now have some idea, albeit very superficial, of the sufferings and hardships being faced and endured by your Christian brothers and sisters -- and they are considerable. The continuing violence in the country has seriously wounded your community in a particular way and the murder of lay people and clergy by extremists of all sorts has been both systematic and deliberately relentless.
But this is only part of the picture. My visit, which took me to Erbil, Kirkuk and Sulemanyiah, allowed me to share faith with your bishops, the priests and your fellow citizens. I was hugely encouraged and strengthened by their courage and fidelity. We visited the seminary in Ainkawa where we found 27 young men studying for the priesthood and we spent fruitful time with them, with their teachers and with the religious communities of sisters who work so tirelessly and fearlessly for the spread of the Gospel.
Our gathering here today for this celebration of Mass, to which I most warmly welcome you all, is as much about them and the people they serve as it is about being a desperate prayer to the Lord for his gift of peace for a deeply troubled land.
We've listened today to St Paul exhorting his readers -- and us -- to place all our cares into the Lord's hands, at the same time as constantly striving for all that is true, honourable, upright and pure.
In the situation, which faces the Christian community in Iraq today, it would be easy to lose hope and allow ourselves to succumb to the relentless cycle of violence, recrimination and revenge. But we know that this cannot be the Christian way.
Our calling, however hard and demanding it may be -- and I acknowledge that it is easy for me to say this in the relative comfort of the context of the situation that faces us here in England -- is to strive to become more and more like Christ, the Son of God. Living in his shadow and in the light of his call, we begin to discover the blessing of the Kingdom that belongs to the poor in spirit. In Him, and as we become more and more like Him, we inherit the earth as promised to the gentle; we receive the comfort of those who mourn and the mercy for those who show mercy, the vision of God for those who are single-minded in His service. The persecuted -- and you find yourselves either directly or indirectly among them -- are children of God, even if that means that, like Christ, you are crucified in your thirst for peace.
But my lasting impression from my visit was not one of despair and hopelessness; much more, I will remember and treasure the memory that I have been among a people for whom the light of faith is alive. It was a blessing for me to have been able to experience that and share in that in some small way. As is so often the case, I think I received in my visit to Iraq far more than I was able to contribute.
I shall return before too long, but today, we need to pray in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Iraq; we need to pray for peace -- and Christ's peace, not simply an end to hostilities -- for your country. We need to pray for God's blessings on all who live and suffer there and for all of you who are far from home and yet near to families and friends who live in danger and hardship. And we pray that the Lord fill us with all the blessings and graces that He promises to those who are faithful.
Bishop Crispian Hollis
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Pope's Message to U.N. Food Summit
"Hunger and Malnutrition Are Unacceptable"
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 17, 2008 (
Zenit.org).- Here is a Vatican translation of the address Benedict XVI sent to the participants attending the U.N.-sponsored High-level Conference on World Food Security, held June 3-5 in Rome. The meeting was titled "The Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy."
* * *
Mr President of the Italian Republic,
Distinguished Heads of State and Government,
Mr Director General of the FAO,
Mr Secretary General of the UN,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am pleased to address my respectful and cordial greeting to you, who, in different capacities, represent the various components of the human family and are gathered in Rome to negotiate suitable solutions to face the problem of hunger and malnutrition.
I have asked Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, my Secretary of State, to express to you the particular attention with which I am following your work and assure you that I attribute great importance to the arduous duty that awaits you. Millions of men and women look to you while new snares threaten their survival and worrisome situations put the security of their Nations at risk. In fact, the growing globalization of markets does not always favour the availability of foodstuffs and the systems of production are often conditioned by structural limits not to mention by political protection and speculative phenomena that relegate entire populations to the margins of development processes. In light of this situation, one must strongly repeat that hunger and malnutrition are unacceptable in a world that, in reality, possesses production levels, resources and sufficient knowledge to put an end to these dramas and their consequences. The great challenge of today is ""to globalize' not only economic and commercial interests, but also the expectations of solidarity, with respect for and valuing the contribution of each component of society" (cf. Address to the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, 31 May 2008).
To the FAO and to its Director General, therefore, go my appreciation and my gratitude, for having again drawn the international community's attention to what obstructs the fight against hunger and for having solicited it to take action, an action that must be united and coordinated in order to be effective.
In this spirit, to the high-level Personages participating in this Summit I should like to renew the wish that I expressed during my recent Visit to the UN Headquarters: it is urgent to overcome the "paradox of a multilateral consensus that continues to be in crisis because it is still subordinated to the decisions of a few" (Address to United Nations' General Assembly, 18 April 2008). Furthermore, may I invite you to cooperate in an ever more transparent manner with the organizations of civil society committed to filling the growing gap between wealth and poverty. Again I exhort you to continue with those structural reforms that, on a national level, are indispensable to successfully confront the problems of underdevelopment, of which hunger and malnutrition are direct consequences. I know how arduous and complex it all is!
Yet, how can one remain insensitive to the appeals of those who, on the various continents, are not able to feed themselves enough to live? Poverty and malnutrition are not a mere fatality caused by adverse environmental circumstances or by disastrous natural calamities. On the other hand, considerations of an exclusively technical or economic character must not prevail over the rights of justice toward those who suffer from hunger. "The right to nutrition responds principally to an ethical motivation: "give the hungry to eat' (cf. Mt 25: 35), that prompts a sharing of material goods as a sign of the love which we all need.... This primary right to nutrition is intrinsically linked to the safeguarding and to the defence of human life, the solid and inviolable rock upon which the whole edifice of human rights is founded" (Address to the new Ambassador of Guatemala, 31 May 2008). Each person has the right to life: therefore it is necessary to promote the effective actualization of such rights and the populations that suffer from lack of food must be helped to gradually become capable of satisfying their own needs for sufficient and healthy nutrition.
At this particular moment, in which food security is threatened by the rise in price of agricultural products, new strategies need to be worked out in the fight against poverty and the promotion of rural development. This must also happen through structural reform processes, that would enable the challenges of the same security and of climatic changes to be faced. Furthermore, it is necessary to increase the food available by promoting industrious small farmers and guaranteeing them access to the market. The global increase in the production of agricultural products, however, can be effective only if production is accompanied by effective distribution and if it is primarily destined to satisfy essential needs. It certainly is not easy, but it would allow, among other things, to rediscover the value of the rural family: it would not be limited to preserving the transmission, from parents to children, of the cultivation methods, of conserving and distributing foodstuffs, but above all it would preserve a model of life, of education, of culture and of religiosity. Moreover, from the economic profile, it ensures an effective and loving attention to the weakest and, by virtue of the principle of subsidiarity, it could assume a direct role in the distribution chain and the trading of agricultural food products reducing the costs of intermediaries and favouring small scale production.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today's difficulties show how modern technology by itself, is not sufficient to provide for the lack of food, neither are statistical calculations nor, in emergency situations, the sending of food supplies. All this certainly has a great impact, yet it must be completed and oriented to a political action that, inspired by those principles of the natural law which are written on the human heart, protect the dignity of the person. In this way, also the order of Creation is respected and one has "the good of all as a constant guiding criterion" (Message for the World Day of Peace, 1 January 2008, n. 7). Hence, only by protecting the person is it possible to overcome the main causes of hunger, such as being closed to one's neighbour which dissolves solidarity, justifies models of consumeristic life and unravels the social fabric, preserving, if not actually deepening the furrows of unjust balances and neglecting the most profound demands of good (cf. Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est, n. 28). If, therefore, respect for human dignity were given its worth on the negotiation table, in making decisions and accomplishing them, it would be possible to rise above otherwise insurmountable obstacles and it would eliminate, or at least diminish, the disinterest in the good of others. Consequently, it would be possible to adopt courageous measures that would not stop before hunger and malnutrition, as if they were simply considered unsolvable, endemic phenomena. It could help if, in the defence of human dignity, international action - even emergency action - were to estimate the superfluous in the perspective of the needs of others and to administer the fruit of Creation according to justice, placing it at the disposition of all generations.
In the light of these principles, I hope that the Delegations present at this meeting will take on new commitments and be resolved to accomplish them with great determination. The Catholic Church, for her part, desires to join in these efforts! In a spirit of collaboration, drawing on ancient wisdom, inspired by the Gospel, she makes a firm and heartfelt appeal that is very relevant for those participating in the Summit: "Give to eat to the one who is starving of hunger, because, if you do not give to him to eat, you will kill him" (cf. Decretum Gratiani, c. 21, d. LXXXVI). I assure you that, along this path, you can count on the support of the Holy See. Although it differentiates itself from States, it is united to their most noble objectives to seal a commitment that, by her nature, involves the entire international community: to encourage every People to share the needs of other Peoples, placing in common the goods of the earth that the Creator has destined for the entire human family. With these sentiments, I express my most fervent wishes for the success of your work and invoke the Blessing of the Most High upon you and upon those who are committed to the authentic progress of the person and of society.
From the Vatican, 2 June 2008
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI
© Copyright 2008 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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