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The World Seen From Rome
Daily dispatch - April 03, 2009
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VATICAN DOSSIER
Pontiff Requests Formation for Chinese Catholics
Pope: Charity Is More Than Philanthropy
Dominican Republic Urged to Fight Corruption
Vatican Affirms Buddhist Shared Value of Poverty
Church Needs Holy Clergy, Says Pontiff
2 Laypeople Approach Canonization
WORLD FEATURES
Belgian Bishops Lament Government's Papal Protest
Youth Ministry Can't Be Mediocre, Says Cardinal
Cuban Prelate Lauds Improved US Relations
NEWS BRIEFS
Pope Names New Westminster Prelate
DOCUMENTS
Message to Buddhists on Vesak
Pontiff Requests Formation for Chinese Catholics
Commission Deplores Arrest of Bishop Jia ZhiguoVATICAN CITY, APRIL 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is stressing the importance of faith formation for Chinese Catholics so that they can give testimony in their country of the beauty and rationality of Christianity.
On Monday in the Vatican, the Pope received members of a commission that he established in 2007 to study the life of the Church in China.
A Vatican communiqué reported Thursday that the Holy Father highlighted the need "to help Catholics in China to make known to others the beauty and rationality of the Christian faith and to present it as the proposal that gives the best answer from the intellectual and existential point of view."
The Pontiff thanked those present for their efforts in the area of formation, and encouraged them to continue their service for the good of the Church in China.
In this second plenary meeting, which began Monday and ended Thursday, the commission held discussions on the formation of seminarians and consecrated persons, and on the permanent formation of priests. The first meeting took place in March of 2008.
The commission concluded that "the principal leaders of ecclesial communities will attempt to promote, in union with the bishops of the Church in China, a more adequate human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral formation of the clergy and of consecrated persons, who have the important task of acting as faithful disciples of Christ and as members of the Church, as well as of contributing to the good of their country as exemplary citizens."
Missionaries
Commission members, including representatives of the Roman Curia and of the Church in China, recalled the Pope's words in a 2007 letter to Chinese Catholics: "The Church, missionary always and everywhere, is called to proclaim and witness the Gospel.
"The Church in China must feel in its heart the missionary zeal of its founder and teacher [...]. Now it is up to you, Chinese disciples of the Lord, to be courageous apostles of the Kingdom of Christ. I am certain that your response will be great and generous."
The communiqué reported that the participants in the meeting, "referring to their own experience, at times painful, highlighted the complex problems of the present situation of the Church in China, which stem not only from the internal difficulties of the Church but also from the less than easy relations with civil authorities."
During the meeting, the commission received "with great sorrow the news of the new detention of Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of the diocese of Zhengding."
They noted, however, that the arrest "is not, unfortunately, an isolated case: other ecclesiastics are deprived of their liberty or are the object of undue pressures and limitations in their pastoral activities; to all of them the participants wish to transmit their fraternal closeness and constant prayer, in this Lenten season illumined by the Paschal mystery."
The statement continued, "Situations of this kind create obstacles to that constructive dialogue with the competent authorities which, as is known, the Holy Father in his above-mentioned letter expressed the hope might be pursued."
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Pope: Charity Is More Than Philanthropy
Invites Contemplation of Cross as Source of HopeVATICAN CITY, APRIL 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is affirming that Christian charitable action, more than mere philanthropy, is a form of evangelization, based on Gospel values and the desire to share them with others.
The Pope said this today in an address to members of the Circle of St. Peter, a Roman charitable organization, in an audience in the Hall of Popes of the Apostolic Palace.
The charity's president, Duke Leopold Torlonia, gave the Pontiff the Peter's Pence donation collected this year in the parishes of Rome.
The Holy Father expressed gratitude for this gesture, which implied "a concrete participation in the economic effort that the Apostolic See makes to meet the growing urgent needs of the Church, especially in the poorest countries of the earth."
Christian charitable action, he said "is not just philanthropic action, though useful and meritorious," but a "privileged form of evangelization, in the light of the teaching of Jesus, who will consider whatever we do for our brothers as done to himself."
Christian charity goes beyond material aid, he added, "as it makes visible, and I would say almost tangible, on one hand, the infinite mercy of God toward every human being and, on the other, our faith in Him."
Benedict XVI explained that this charity consists in "harmonizing our gaze with Christ's gaze, our heart with his heart." He added, "In this way, loving support offered to others is translated into participation and sharing with the weakest and the marginalized."
Given the proximity of Holy Week, the Pope invited his audience to "relive intensely" these mysteries as a "propitious occasion to reaffirm and purify your faith, to open yourselves to the contemplation of the Cross which is a mystery of infinite love from which to draw strength to make your life a gift to brothers."
He continued, "From the Cross springs joy and peace of heart, which make us witnesses of that hope of which we see there is great need in these times of widespread and generalized economic crisis."
Commissioned
The Circle of St. Peter is a charitable institution founded in Rome in 1869 by the initiative of a group of young people of the city's nobility and high bourgeoisie, who wished to make a gesture of fidelity to the Pope -- in response to the anti-clerical attacks of the time -- through the press and public gestures.
However, on receiving them for the first time in audience, Pope Pius IX entrusted to them, as their first mission, charity toward the poorest of Rome.
This was fulfilled, especially during the difficult moments of World War II, to the point that for more than 100 years, this charitable work is known among Romans as "the Pope's soup."
At present, the circle distributes some 50,000 daily rations of food to the poor as well as giving hospitality to the homeless.
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Dominican Republic Urged to Fight Corruption
Pope Affirms Birthplace of Church in Latin AmericaVATICAN CITY, APRIL 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is appealing to the Dominican Republic to remember its Catholic roots, and to make a greater effort in its struggle against institutional corruption.
The Pope affirmed this today in an audience with Víctor Manuel Grimaldi Céspedes, the new ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the Holy See.
The Pontiff noted, "Whatever is oriented to the strengthening of institutions is essential for the well-being of society."
The well-being of society, he added, rests on "pillars such as the cultivation of honesty and transparency, juridical independence, care and respect of the environment and the development of the social, welfare, health and educational services of the whole population."
The Holy Father acknowledged the country's recent "notable achievements, both in the economic as well as the social planes."
However, he said, "there is still a long way to go to ensure a worthy life for Dominicans and to eradicate the blots of poverty, drug trafficking, marginalization and violence."
Benedict XVI stressed the need for "strong determination to finally eradicate corruption."
Affirm values
"In establishing a climate of true concord and the pursuit of effective and stable answers and solutions to the most pressing problems," he continued, "the Dominican authorities will always find the outstretched hand of the Church, for the building of a more free, peaceful, just and fraternal civilization."
The Pope noted that "in the significant political and social changes in which the Dominican Republic has been immersed" in recent times it "is of utmost importance that those noble principles" be maintained "which distinguish the rich Dominican history from the foundation of its homeland."
He encouraged the "defense and diffusion of such basic values as recognition and tutelage of the dignity of the person, respect for human life from the moment of conception to its natural death and the safeguarding of the institution of the family based on marriage between a man and a woman."
"These are irreplaceable elements of the social fabric which can never be given up," he added.
The Pontiff affirmed the "profound Catholic roots" of the country, which "already evokes in its very name adherence to the Christian message by the majority of its people, alluding to Saint Dominic Guzman, illustrious preacher of the Word of God."
He noted that at present the country is living through "a renewed missionary and evangelizing dynamism," fostered by the forthcoming commemoration of the 5th centenary of the creation of the archdiocese of Santo Domingo [erected on August 8, 1511] and by the continental mission stimulated by the 5th General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean, held in 2007 in Aparecida, Brazil.
The Holy Father called the evangelization of the Dominican Republic the "first seed" of the Church in Latin America.
He explained, "The Holy Mass was celebrated there for the first time on the American continent, now more than five centuries ago, and from the Island of Hispaniola missionaries left charged with proclaiming the Good News of salvation in the continent."
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Vatican Affirms Buddhist Shared Value of Poverty
Expresses Hope for Stronger Bonds of DialogueVATICAN CITY, APRIL 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The interreligious dialogue council sent a message to Buddhists to affirm a mutual value of poverty, and a desire to strengthen bonds of friendship so as to share spiritual treasures.
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue published this message to Buddhists today, on the occasion of the feast of Vesak, in which they commemorate the major events of the life of Gautama Buddha.
This year the festival will be celebrated on April 8 in Japan and Taiwan, May 2 in Korea and May 8 in all other countries of the Buddhist tradition.
The message, signed by the council's president, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, and secretary, Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, expressed the hope that this feast will "once again bring joy and serenity to the hearts of all Buddhists throughout the world."
They noted the opportunity to "strengthen the existing bonds of friendship and to create new ones" between Catholics and Buddhists, in order "to share with each other our joys, hopes and spiritual treasures."
The message affirmed that "together we are able not only to contribute, in fidelity to our respective spiritual traditions, to the well-being of our own communities, but also to the human community of the world."
It noted the challenge "before us all represented, on the one hand, by the ever more extensive phenomenon of poverty in its various forms and, on the other hand, by the unbridled pursuit of material possessions and the pervasive shadow of consumerism."
Two types
Quoting an address of Benedict XVI, the council stated that poverty can be of two types: a poverty "to be chosen" and a poverty "to be fought."
It explained: "For a Christian, the poverty to be chosen is that which allows one to tread in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. By doing so a Christian becomes disposed to receive the graces of Christ, who for our sake became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty we might become rich.
"We understand this poverty to mean above all an emptying of self, but we also see it as an acceptance of ourselves as we are, with our talents and our limitations. Such poverty creates in us a willingness to listen to God and to our brothers and sisters, being open to them, and respecting them as individuals.
"We value all creation, including the accomplishments of human work, but we are directed to do so in freedom and with gratitude, care and respect, enjoining a spirit of detachment which allows us to use the goods of this world as though we had nothing and yet possessed all things."
Cardinal Tauran wrote that the other type of poverty is a deprivation, "which God does not desire and which should be fought; a poverty that prevents people and families from living as befits their dignity; a poverty that offends justice and equality and that, as such, threatens peaceful co-existence."
Continuing to quote the Pope, he noted the other kinds of poverty seen in advanced wealthy societies, the "affective, moral, and spiritual" types, seen in "people whose interior lives are disoriented and who experience various forms of malaise despite their economic prosperity."
The council addressed the Buddhists, saying: "We wish to thank you for your inspiring witness of non-attachment and contentment. Monks, nuns, and many lay devotees among you embrace a poverty 'to be chosen' that spiritually nourishes the human heart, substantially enriching life with a deeper insight into the meaning of existence, and sustaining commitment to promoting the goodwill of the whole human community."
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On ZENIT's Web page:
Full text: http://www.zenit.org/article-25562?l=english
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Church Needs Holy Clergy, Says Pontiff
Urges "Extensive and Incisive" EvangelizationVATICAN CITY, APRIL 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is encouraging Argentine bishops to continue their evangelizing mission, bringing priests and laity to a fuller knowledge and love of God so they become witnesses to the world.
The Pope said this to a group of prelates, headed by Archbishop Alfonso Delgado Evers of San Juan de Cuyo, on their five-yearly visit to Rome, the second Argentine group this year.
The Pontiff affirmed that it is urgent "to carry out an extensive and incisive evangelizing action," in Argentina and in all countries. He stated that it must not consist "only in transmitting or teaching a doctrine, but of proclaiming Christ, the mystery of his Person and his love."
He reminded the bishops of Paul VI's "Evangelii Nuntiandi," explaining that to evangelize "is, first of all, to give witness, in a simple and direct way, of God revealed by Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit."
The Holy Father emphasized: "One must always have very present that the first way of evangelization is the witness of one's own life. Holiness of life is a precious gift that you can offer your communities on the path of the true renewal of the Church."
Today, "more than ever," he said, holiness "is a requirement of the ageless present, given that the man of our time feels the urgent need of a clear and attractive witness of a consistent and exemplary life."
"There is nothing more beautiful than to know him and to communicate to others one's friendship with him," he added.
Proclaim the Gospel
Benedict XVI stated that this "clear and explicit" proclamation "of Christ as Savior of mankind, is inserted in that exciting search for truth, beauty and goodness that characterizes the human being."
Moreover, he said, this proclamation "must not be imposed," but must spring "from a triple love: of the Word of God, of the Church and of the world."
In order to fulfill this, the Pope asked the bishops, on one hand, "to facilitate access to Sacred Scripture for all the faithful" and, on the other, to "promote the spirit of communion and fidelity to the Magisterium, especially in those who have the mission to transmit fully the message of the Gospel."
The Pontiff also requested that the bishops pay "special attention to the priests," as "the challenges of the present time require more than ever virtuous priests, full of the spirit of prayer and sacrifice, with a solid formation and dedicated to the service of Christ and of the Church through the exercise of charity."
He continued: "The priest has the great responsibility to appear irreproachable in his conduct before the faithful, following Christ closely with the support and encouragement of the faithful, above all with his prayer, understanding and spiritual affection."
The Holy Father also stressed the importance of acknowledging the role that the laity is called to undertake in this task. The laity, he said, "must be ever more conscious of its vocation, as living members of the Church and genuine disciples and missionaries of Christ in all things."
He added, "How many benefits can be expected, also for civil society, from the resurgence of a mature laity that seeks holiness in its temporal affairs, in full communion with its pastors, and firm in its apostolic vocation to be evangelical leaven in the world."
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2 Laypeople Approach Canonization
Heroic Virtues of 3 Female Founders Also RecognizedVATICAN CITY, APRIL 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI approved today the proclamation of the heroic virtues of an Italian layman and a French laywoman, bringing both of them closer to canonization.
The heroic virtues of Giacomo Gaglione (1896-1962) and Benoite Rencurel (1647-1718) were among 11 proclamations that the Pope approved today in a meeting with Archbishop Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints' Causes.
The other decrees of heroic virtue were regarding:
-- Austrian Bishop Franz Joseph Rudigier of Linz (1811-1884);
-- Father Johannes Evangelist Wagner, a German diocesan priest (1807-1886);
-- Innocenzo da Caltagirone Marcinnò (born Giuseppe), Italian minister-general of the Capuchin Friars Minor (1589-1655);
-- Teresa de la Cruz Candamo Álvarez Calderón, Peruvian founder of the Congregation of Canonesses of the Cross (1875-1953);
-- María Inés-Teresa del Santísimo Sacramento Arias Espinosa (born Manuela de Jesús), Mexican founder of the Poor Clare Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and the Missionaries of Christ for the Universal Church (1904-1981);
-- Marie de la Ferre, French co-founder of the Daughters of St. Joseph of La Fleche (now the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph) (1589/1590-1652);
-- Teresita del Niño Jesús Pérez de Iriarte Casado (born Felisa), Spanish Dominican (1904-1954);
-- Dulce Lopes Pontes (born Maria Rita), Brazilian sister of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God (1914-1992).
The Holy Father also approved the proclamation of a miracle attributed to the intercession of Maria Pierina de Micheli, an Italian sister of the Daughters of the Immaculate Conception of Buenos Aires (1890-1945).
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Belgian Bishops Lament Government's Papal Protest
Says Lawmakers Didn't Hear Pope's Whole MessageBRUSSELS, APRIL 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Belgium's bishops lament a government proposal to protest Benedict XVI's comment that condoms are not the solution to fighting AIDS, saying the lawmakers didn't take into account the Pope's overall message.
The Belgian Parliament passed a proposal today that asked the government to condemn the Pope's "unacceptable" comments, and to "officially protest before the Holy See."
The Holy Father said in a press conference aboard the papal plane en route to Cameroon this month that "the problem [of AIDs] cannot be overcome by the distribution of prophylactics: On the contrary, they increase it."
The bishops' conference of Belgium affirmed in a note today that they "respect the democratic character of this decision, but lament its content."
The episcopate said the resolution didn't take into account Benedict XVI's overall message, which was that "without an education in responsible education, all other methods of prevention will fall short."
"What our country and Africa need," they added, "is a calm reflection about the means that need to be put into practice to stop the AIDs pandemic."
Free speech
Speaking on Vatican Radio, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, cited the Pope's democratic right to express his opinions: "It would appear to be obvious to any democratic country that the Holy Father and the Catholic Church are free to express their own positions."
"The great tradition and experience of the Church in the educational and health fields, in particular in the poorest countries, is so evident that there is no need for a demonstration or comments," he continued.
The Jesuit added: ''It also needs to be asked whether the Holy Father's position has been considered with sufficient attention and seriousness, or instead through a subjective and unbalanced filter of news items in the Western press."
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Youth Ministry Can't Be Mediocre, Says Cardinal
Says It Requires a "Pastoral Passion"ROME, APRIL 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Those who work in youth ministry must throw off mediocrity and be filled with a "pastoral passion" to announce the message of Christ to young people, says Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko.
The president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity said this today upon opening the three-day "International Meeting of Youth Ministers: From Sydney 2008 to Madrid 2011."
The organizational leaders of the 2008 World Youth Day in Sydney are participating through Sunday in an evaluation of the fruits of World Youth Day in their country, with talks by Cardinal George Pell and Bishop Anthony Fisher, archbishop and auxiliary of Sydney.
The meeting will include youth ministry leaders from Madrid, Spain, host of World Youth Day 2011, as well as delegates from 70 countries, and representatives from 35 international Catholic communities, associations and movements. The meeting is the first step in preparing for the 2011 youth day.
Cardinal Rylko called the youth events "youth ministry workshops," and reminded those present that youth ministry "is not an appendage to the ordinary ministry work of the Church, but it is its core, its heart.”
Youth ministry can't be "ordinary or mediocre," he affirmed. "It requires the ongoing conversion of the heart and the ongoing pursuit of ever-new ways to announce Christ. And it requires a veritable pastoral passion for young people."
"And it is an extremely exacting task," he added, "since the young have extremely exacting expectations of adults, in whom they want to find not just teachers but above all genuine and consistent witnesses."
Underlining the importance of the youth events, Cardinal Rylko said they "have become providential catalysts of the pastoral work of the Church for the young generations. They play a valuable role as guidance, inspiration and encouragement."
Observatory
The cardinal said the meetings have also turned out to be "an extraordinary observatory of the world's youth," in which one is able to note the trends among youth, and which are "hardly ever covered by the media."
The president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity credited the world days with the birth of a "new generation of youth pastoral workers, who know how to respond to the real problems of the youth.”
Cardinal Rylko said the youth events have also "given rise to a new generation of young people who know how to oppose the general trends of the prevalent post-modern culture. These are the young who say ‘yes’ to Christ and to His Church, the young who pursue the true meaning of life.”
"They are a minority," he noted, "but a 'creative' one, one of those minorities that are decisive for the future of mankind."
World Youth Day is an annual event, which is celebrated every 2-3 years on an international level in various locations. When it is not celebrated internationally, World Youth Day is celebrated on a diocesan level on Palm Sunday.
The theme for World Youth Day 2009, which will be observed Sunday, is "We Have Set Our Hope on the Living God" (1 Timothy 4:10).
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Cuban Prelate Lauds Improved US Relations
Says All Win When There Is PeaceHAVANA, APRIL 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The new president of the Cuban bishops' conference is expressing joy at signs of improved relations between the country and its neighbors, saying the Church always rejoices when what was separated comes back together.
Archbishop Dionisio García Ibáñez of Santiago de Cuba was elected as president of the conference at the 130th ordinary assembly of the Cuban episcopate, held March 23-26 in the country's capital.
In an interview with the archdiocesan magazine, Palabra Nueva, he affirmed that "the Church in Cuba has always been close to the people, precisely because we are part of the people."
He continued: "We are not foreign agents to our people because we are also the people, the Catholic people. Because Cuba is plural in faith and in ideology, and it is also plural in expectations and ideas about how to build the country and the nation."
The prelate spoke on the Church's behalf, reiterating his "decision to serve and to be here close to the people." This attitude, manifested especially in the last two years, "will be maintained in the years to come," he promised.
"Years moreover," he added, "in which there is already talk of necessary changes, years in which new perspectives must be opened, and every time changes are made uncertainty is generated and the Church wants to be close in this process."
Speaking about the "necessary changes," Archbishop García Ibáñez said that Catholics "have the same expectations as the rest of the people," adding that there is "an enormous variety of criteria" about what "are" and "are not necessary changes."
He noted that "the first change is that we are speaking of the word change, because three years ago we did not speak about this." He added: "The important thing is that the changes be at the service of the person in our society.
"This is the reason for the expectations and the desire that the necessary changes be made, to solve many of the difficulties that we are living through, and at the same time know how to maintain what must be maintained for the well-being of our people."
Improved relations
Referring to signs of improvement in relations between Cuba and the United States, the prelate stated that "the Church tries to sow communion where there is disunity." He continued: "The mission of the Church and of the bishops is to suggest the need for coming together.
"The Church rejoices when that which was separated is reunited. It is up to the politicians to decide the way it is done, so that the person, in this case the citizens of both sides, are the ones who benefit the most. And we all win when there is peace, stability, justice, solidarity and respect for the dignity of persons."
The archbishop observed that "over the past three years there has been a need to favor and broaden communication between the Church and the authorities of the country."
He noted, however, that there is now "a more positive understanding of the religious factor," influenced by "a greater closeness to Latin America," where Cuban authorities have seen "that the faith is very present in the life of the society." He added, "I believe that this was unknown by the authorities and is now appreciated better."
These meetings between state authorities and Church representatives have also been favored by "those earlier steps," he affirmed, "such as greater tolerance of religious practice [and] the participation of Christians in various social structures."
He concluded: "Also, the fact of living together the same situation influences this, as it would not be very intelligent to ignore one another. I believe it is a continuing process."
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Pope Names New Westminster Prelate
Birmingham Archbishop to Succeed Cardinal Murphy-O'ConnorLONDON, APRIL 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom has a lot to offer to the greater good of society, according to the new archbishop of Westminster.
Benedict XVI appointed today Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Birmingham as the successor of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, who has retired for reasons of age.
Archbishop Nichols, 63, will thus take leadership of an archdiocese where he already served as auxiliary bishop (from 1991 to 2000). The archdiocese ministers to some 500,000 Catholics, with 216 parishes and 380 diocesan priests.
The soccer-loving prelate is known in Britain for his regular appearances on BBC radio and television -- and he was successful at stopping the BBC from running a satirical series about the Vatican called "Popetown."
He also took a leading role in stopping government plans to regulate quotas for acceptance to Catholic schools. Less successfully, Archbishop Nichols also tried to stop British legislation to force Catholic adoption agencies to consider same-sex couples.
"I know that as I prepare to take on this new office in the Church many people will pray to the Lord that I will be strengthened for this task -- and that is what I definitely need," the prelate said. "We often hear of the challenges facing our country in finding cohesion in the face of great diversity. Our churches are places where people are from a wide variety of different racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. They come together, work together and contribute together to the wider good of our society. The Church in this country has a great deal to offer and I hope to do my best to contribute to that project in this new role."
Biography
Vincent Nichols was born in Crosby in 1945. He studied for the priesthood in Rome and was ordained in 1969 as a priest of Liverpool. He went on to study two master's degrees in England and in Chicago, and would later serve as the general secretary of the bishops' conference in England and Wales.
In 2000, he was appointed the archbishop of Birmingham.
Archbishop Nichols will be installed at Westminster Cathedral on May 21.
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"Witnessing to a Spirit of Poverty"
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is the message published by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue on the occasion of the Buddhist feast of Vesak, in which the major events of the life of Gautama Buddha are celebrated.
* * *
Witnessing to a Spirit of Poverty: Christians & Buddhists in Dialogue
Dear Buddhist friends,
1. The forthcoming feast of Vesakh/Hanamatsuri offers a welcome occasion to send you, on behalf of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, our sincere congratulations and cordial best wishes: may this feast once again bring joy and serenity to the hearts of all Buddhists throughout the world. This annual celebration offers Catholics an opportunity to exchange greetings with our Buddhist friends and neighbours, and in this way to strengthen the existing bonds of friendship and to create new ones. These ties of cordiality allow us to share with each other our joys, hopes and spiritual treasures.
2. While renewing our sense of closeness to you, Buddhists, in this period, it becomes clearer and clearer that together we are able not only to contribute, in fidelity to our respective spiritual traditions, to the well-being of our own communities, but also to the human community of the world. We keenly feel the challenge before us all represented, on the one hand, by the ever more extensive phenomenon of poverty in its various forms and, on the other hand, by the unbridled pursuit of material possessions and the pervasive shadow of consumerism.
3. As recently stated by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, poverty can be of two very different types, namely, a poverty "to be chosen" and a poverty "to be fought" (Homily, 1st January 2009). For a Christian, the poverty to be chosen is that which allows one to tread in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. By doing so a Christian becomes disposed to receive the graces of Christ, who for our sake became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty we might become rich (Cf. 2 Corinthians 8, 9). We understand this poverty to mean above all an emptying of self, but we also see it as an acceptance of ourselves as we are, with our talents and our limitations. Such poverty creates in us a willingness to listen to God and to our brothers and sisters, being open to them, and respecting them as individuals. We value all creation, including the accomplishments of human work, but we are directed to do so in freedom and with gratitude, care and respect, enjoining a spirit of detachment which allows us to use the goods of this world as though we had nothing and yet possessed all things (Cf. 2 Corinthians 6, 10).
4. At the same time, as Pope Benedict noted, "there is a poverty, a deprivation, which God does not desire and which should be fought; a poverty that prevents people and families from living as befits their dignity; a poverty that offends justice and equality and that, as such, threatens peaceful co-existence (l.c.)." Furthermore, "in advanced wealthy societies, there is evidence of marginalization, as well as affective, moral, and spiritual poverty, seen in people whose interior lives are disoriented and who experience various forms of malaise despite their economic prosperity" (Message for World Day of Peace 2009, n. 2).
5. Whereas we as Catholics reflect in this way on the meaning of poverty, we are also attentive to your spiritual experience, dear Buddhist friends. We wish to thank you for your inspiring witness of non-attachment and contentment. Monks, nuns, and many lay devotees among you embrace a poverty "to be chosen" that spiritually nourishes the human heart, substantially enriching life with a deeper insight into the meaning of existence, and sustaining commitment to promoting the goodwill of the whole human community. Once again allow us to express our heartfelt greetings and to wish all of you a Happy Feast of Vesakh/Hanamatsuri.
Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran
President
Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata
Secretary
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