ZENIT
The World Seen From Rome
Daily dispatch - April 01, 2009
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VATICAN DOSSIER Pope Recalls Trip to Cameroon and Angola Put Person Before Profit, Urges Cardinal WORLD FEATURES Notre Dame Students Organize Prayer Rally Protest US Dioceses to Welcome 150,000 New Catholics Australian Prelate: Criticism of Pope "Erroneous" US Bishops Declare Reiki Therapy Unchristian NEWS BRIEFS DVD Details John Paul's Death, Benedict's Election Iraqi Christians Wary of Withdrawal, Says Prelate WORDS MADE FLESH The Passion of Jesus Is Our Reason for Hope WEDNESDAY'S AUDIENCE On Benedict XVI's Africa Trip
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VATICAN DOSSIER
Pope Recalls Trip to Cameroon and Angola
Makes Balance During General Audience
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 1, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI made an extensive balance of his trip to Cameroon and Angola during this week's general audience in St. Peter's Square.
Although he limited his journey to the two African countries, the Pontiff said he "wished to embrace all the African people and bless them in the name of the Lord."
The Holy Father called Cameroon, the "heart of Africa," and noted its many characteristics, including "its profound religious soul, which unites the very numerous ethnic groups that inhabit it."
"In Cameroon," he explained, "more than a quarter of the population is Catholic, and they coexist peacefully with the other religious communities. This is why in 1995 my beloved Predecessor John Paul II chose precisely the capital of this nation to promulgate the apostolic exhortation 'Ecclesia in Africa,' after the first synodal assembly dedicated precisely to the African continent."
Benedict XVI's trip to the continent coincided with the publication of the "instrumentum laboris" for the Second Special Assembly for Africa, which will take place in October.
He presented the working document for the synod during a Mass at Yaoundé's Amadou Ahidjo Stadium, which he said was "undoubtedly one of the culminating moments of the journey."
"The synodal assembly will take place in Rome," the Pope noted, "but in a certain sense it has already started in the heart of the African continent, in the heart of the Christian family that lives, suffers and hopes there."
"Faith in the 'God who is close,'" he added, "who has shown us in Jesus his face of love, is the guarantee of a sure hope, for Africa and for the whole world, guarantee of a future of reconciliation, justice and peace."
Reconstruction
After the liturgy, the Holy Father met with members of the Special Council for Africa of the Synod of Bishops: "We reflected together on the history of Africa from a theological and pastoral perspective.
"It was almost as the first meeting of the synod itself, in a fraternal debate between the various episcopates and the Pope in view of the synod of reconciliation and peace in Africa."
Benedict XVI explained: "In the present age, which witnesses an Africa determined to consolidate its political independence and the building of its national identities in a globalized context, the Church accompanies Africans offering the great message of Vatican Council II, implemented through the first, and now the second special synodal assembly.
"In the midst of conflicts, unfortunately numerous and tragic, that still afflict the different regions of this continent, the Church knows she is a sign and instrument of unity and reconciliation so that the whole of Africa can build, united, a future of justice, solidarity and peace, carrying out the teachings of the Gospel."
The Pope recalled his meetings with bishops both in Cameroon and Angola, during which he spoke to them about "the urgency of evangelization," and the need to "always an example for their priests and for all the faithful."
Turning his attention to Angola, which has recently ended a long civil war and is now working to reconstruct, the Pontiff called the nation "emblematic": "In Angola one touches with one's hand what my venerated predecessors have repeated: Everything is lost with war, everything can be reborn with peace.
"But to reconstruct a nation, many moral energies are necessary. And because of this, once again, the role of the Church is important, called to develop an educational function, working in depth to renew and form consciences."
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Put Person Before Profit, Urges Cardinal
Sends Message to G-8 Social Summit
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 1, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- There's no doubt that the current global economic crisis is due in part to business practices that put profit before the person, says Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
The Vatican's secretary of state wrote this in a statement he sent to the three-day Group of Eight summit that was held in Rome from Sunday to Tuesday. The Vatican released the note today.
The meeting, called the social summit, had as its focus to discuss how to strengthen welfare systems and help put people back to work. It gathered the labor secretaries from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. Representatives of Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Mexico and South Africa also joined the summit.
In the message, which the cardinal addressed to the Italian Labor Minister Maurizio Sacconi, the summit's president, he said that the initiative to put work at the center of the debate "is very appropriate, because there are no longer any doubts about the ethical dimension of the crisis, caused by a globalized management of finances that only pursued profit and not the common good and dignity of the person."
Foundation
In this connection, the secretary of state reminded the minister that the principle of human dignity, foundation of the Social Doctrine of the Church, stems from the fact that "the person, in as much as center and summit of all that exists on earth, is the end of all social institutions and of the whole economic endeavor."
The service of the most essential needs of all men, especially of the poorest, is therefore a "fundamental pillar and stone of comparison of all measures directed to resolving the economic crisis that currently affects all countries without exception," Cardinal Bertone explained.
Because of this, he continued, "beyond the necessary measures, relating to the present moment, to stem the financial turbulence and to come out of the generalized recession, it is necessary to make every effort to give back the human dimension to the economy."
The paradigm of social sustainability of the Rome meeting, noted the cardinal, must "be corroborated by a world social consciousness, the awareness that in the world, humanity is only one family."
From the numerous multilateral discussions on the crisis "the world expects concrete and effective proposals, able to guarantee everyone, including those who have lost their job or are at risk of losing it, an essential level of income and security," Cardinal Bertone said.
In the same way, he concluded, what is required is that "the essential rights of workers always be respected and promoted."
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WORLD FEATURES
Notre Dame Students Organize Prayer Rally Protest
Holy Cross Superior Makes Pro-Life Appeal to Obama
By Genevieve Pollock
SOUTH BEND, Indiana, APRIL 1, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- A coalition of student groups at the University of Notre Dame will hold a prayer rally to protest the school's choice to honor President Barack Obama at this year's commencement.
The rally, to take place on Palm Sunday, is sponsored by Notre Dame Response, a coalition that formed to speak out against the Catholic university's decision to invite the U.S. president to give its commencement speech, and to receive an honorary law degree.
In a press statement released Tuesday, the coalition noted its hope "that through this prayerful and public demonstration on Palm Sunday, the university community will be respectfully reminded to celebrate its Catholic character and to defend those non-negotiable principles for which Notre Dame stands, including an overarching recognition of the inherent dignity and value of all human life.
The event will include an address on the role of Catholic institutions in the abortion debate, praying of the rosary and an offering of flowers at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.
The coalition reiterated its commitment to "acts of witness that will be characterized by respect, prayerfulness, outspoken fidelity to the Church, and true concern for the good of our university."
Disappointment
Stephen Wallace, president of the St. Thomas More Society, a law school student group and part of the coalition, told ZENIT that the university's choice of commencement speaker is "deeply and bitterly disappointing."
The law student described Notre Dame as a whole, a "serious Catholic institution" in which "the sacraments are a vital and ever-present part of campus life."
Wallace explained that the school's decision to honor Obama "sends conflicting messages to the faithful and encourages dissent against the rightful authority of the bishops, who as a body have spoken clearly on this matter."
"Those are wounds against the Church that are heavy to bear," he added.
In an editorial article published Tuesday in the Notre Dame student newspaper, law professor Charles Rice denounced the university's leadership as "reckless" for making the invitation to the pro-abortion president.
Our leaders, he asserted, "have committed, in perception but also in fact, the name and prestige of Notre Dame to the side that is hostile to the imperatives of faith and reason affirmed by the Catholic Church."
The professor continued: "Our leaders act in what they think is the best interest of Notre Dame. But that is no excuse. The invitation should be withdrawn. It implies no personal animosity to suggest that Father Jenkins and the other fellows and trustees responsible for this fiasco should resign or be removed."
He suggested responding to this situation with an appeal "to a higher authority," by "peaceful prayer" during the commencement ceremonies, "to make reparation and to petition Notre Dame, Our Lady, for Notre Dame, our university."
Superior appeal
In a letter dated March 22, publicly released this week, the superior general of the Congregation of Holy Cross, the founding order of the university, wrote to Obama with a pro-life appeal.
Father Hugh Cleary told the president, "I have been deluged with angry e-mails regarding Notre Dame's decision to invite you to campus for the honors you are to receive."
He noted his inability to influence these decisions, given the legal alienation of the congregation from the university, and the primary role of the boards of fellows and trustees.
However, in his role as superior of the school's president, the priest asked the president "to rethink, through prayerful wrestling with your own conscience, your stated positions on the vital 'life issues' of our day, particularly in regard to abortion, embryonic forms of stem cell research and your position on the Freedom of Choice Act before Congress."
"It is clear," he noted, "that your positions on some of the fundamental 'life issues' of our nation can neither be supported by the mission and ministry of the Congregation of Holy Cross, the University of Notre Dame nor the faithful Catholic community."
Father Cleary stated: "Mr. President, may I be so audacious as to suggest that you have made a mistake in your position supporting abortion rights as the law of the land.
"May I suggest, with all humility for I am far from perfect, that you give your conscience a fresh opportunity to be formed anew in a holy awe and reverence before human life in every form at every stage -- from conception to natural death. For we are all the Children of God."
He appealed to Obama to take the Catholic views and principles seriously, and to "stand up for the truth of life, walk through that door and take us, as a nation, with you."
Law student Wallace concluded: "This isn't about academic freedom or judging the president by Catholic standards or anything like that. This is about what a Catholic university has chosen to say, and in this case it has chosen to speak falsely.
"Those who know and love this institution, as I do, and who understand how important it is will take this as a call to renew their efforts to conform that which is lacking at Notre Dame more completely to God's Will for it."
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US Dioceses to Welcome 150,000 New Catholics
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich Joins Church
WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 1, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich, became Catholic on Sunday, the first of thousands that will join the Church at Easter.
The U.S. bishops' conference reported Tuesday that around 150,000 are scheduled to join the Catholic Church this Easter.
The press release noted that "the numbers show the growth and vitality of the Catholic Church in places where it has traditionally been a small minority."
The Archdiocese of Atlanta estimates that 513 catechumens, who have never been baptized, and 2,195 candidates, who were baptized in another Christian community and are seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, will enter the Church this year, not including infant baptisms.
Father Theodore Book, director of the office of Divine worship for the archdiocese, affirmed: "The Archdiocese of Atlanta is in a part of the country with a large non-Catholic population, and has been blessed with an authentic dynamism during recent years, which is perhaps best expressed in our annual Eucharistic congress, which draws some 30,000 participants.
"One of the many blessings that we have received from the Lord is the large number of individuals entering the Church."
The Archdiocese of Seattle expects 736 catechumens and 506 candidates to enter the Church, while the Diocese of San Diego will welcome 305 catechumens and 920 candidates.
The Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama, had to plan three different ceremonies for the Rite of Election, at the beginning of Lent, to accommodate the 445 people in process of becoming Catholic.
One Californian, Heidi Sierras, was chosen to represent North America at the Easter Vigil celebration in the Vatican, where she will be baptized by Benedict XVI.
Last year's Catholic directory reported that adult baptisms in the United States totaled 49,415 in 2007, with 87,363 people coming into full communion with the Church.
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Australian Prelate: Criticism of Pope "Erroneous"
Affirms Pontiff's Dedicated Service to Humanity
MELBOURNE, Australia, APRIL 1, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- The archbishop of Melbourne is correcting a journalist's misrepresentation of Benedict XVI, explaining the truth of the Pontiff's compassion toward Holocaust victims and his efforts to promote dialogue with all.
Archbishop Denis Hart wrote this today in a letter to the Herald Sun, responding to an article published Monday by Alan Howe.
The archbishop asserted that Howe's article, titled "The Pope Betrays Us All," is "erroneous" and "offends well-informed Catholics."
Howe claimed that Benedict XVI "has seen fit to reinstate the poisonous Bishop Richard Williamson" regardless of the latter's denial of facts about the Holocaust.
Archbishop Hart clarified that the Pontiff, "in a paternal gesture to the four bishops, 491 priests, 215 seminarians and thousands of faithful of the Society of St. Pius X -- known as the Lefebvrists -- removed the excommunication of the four bishops, who still remain outside the full communion of the Church."
He added: "They do not exercise any canonical function and do not licitly exercise any ministry within it. They are not 'reinstated' as Mr. Howe suggests."
The prelate affirmed that "Pope Benedict earnestly desires to work for reunion of such a significant group with the Church, and encourages bishops and priests to do likewise."
He noted the Holy Father's words that "Bishop Williamson must distance himself in an absolutely unequivocal and public way from his positions regarding the Holocaust, which were unknown at the time of the remission of the excommunication."
Solidarity
The prelate named several moments when the Pontiff "spoke of his compassion for all involved in the Holocaust," which was, in his words, "a crime against God and humanity."
Archbishop Hart said that he wrote to members of the Jewish community in Melbourne along these same lines, "expressing solidarity and support." He added, "The enormity of the Holocaust is one of the great tragedies of the story of the whole human race."
Responding to Howe's accusations that the Pope, "who has too few qualities" has "divided Catholics," the prelate described Benedict XVI's efforts to reach out to bishops worldwide with a letter clarifying the events surrounding the Lefebvrite bishops.
Archbishop Hart reported that the Pontiff explained "the motive behind his compassionate gesture to begin dialogue, and the coincidence with Bishop Williamson's hateful statements, reiterating his love for the Jewish people and the readiness to work with people of all faiths as he has shown in his pontificate."
The prelate concluded: "Pope Benedict is a great teacher and theologian and a man of God. He cannot be dismissed as one 'who has too few qualities.'
"Rather, it is those who do not know him who are not open to his towering gifts as theologian, teacher and pastor, dedicated to the service of all humanity."
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US Bishops Declare Reiki Therapy Unchristian
Denounce Its Use in Catholic Institutions
WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 1, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- Reiki, a Japanese alternative medicine, lacks scientific credibility and is outside Christian faith, making it unacceptable for Catholic health care institutions, the U.S. bishops' conference stated.
On Saturday, the conference issued the "Guidelines for Evaluating Reiki as an Alternative Therapy," developed by their committee on doctrine, headed by Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and approved by the administrative committee Friday.
The document notes that "the Church recognizes two kinds of healing: healing by divine grace and healing that utilizes the powers of nature," which "are not mutually exclusive."
Reiki, however, "finds no support either in the findings of natural science or in Christian belief," it explained.
The guidelines note that this technique of healing "was invented in Japan in the late 1800s by Mikao Usui, who was studying Buddhist texts."
The report continues: "According to Reiki teaching, illness is caused by some kind of disruption or imbalance in one's 'life energy.' A Reiki practitioner effects healing by placing his or her hands in certain positions on the patient's body in order to facilitate the flow of Reiki, the 'universal life energy,' from the Reiki practitioner to the patient."
Spiritual healing
It further explains that the therapy has several aspects of a religion, being "described as a 'spiritual' kind of healing," with its own ethical precepts or "way of life."
Reiki "has not been accepted by the scientific and medical communities as an effective therapy," noted the guidelines. "Reputable scientific studies attesting to the efficacy of Reiki are lacking, as is a plausible scientific explanation as to how it could possibly be efficacious."
Nor can faith be the basis of this therapy, the bishops affirmed, as Reiki is different than the "divine healing known by Christians."
They explained, "The radical difference can be immediately seen in the fact that for the Reiki practitioner the healing power is at human disposal." For Christians, they said, "access to divine healing is by prayer to Christ as Lord and Savior," while Reiki is a technique passed from "master" to pupil, a method that will "reliably produce the anticipated results."
Insoluble problems
The guidelines state: "For a Catholic to believe in Reiki therapy presents insoluble problems. In terms of caring for one's physical health or the physical health of others, to employ a technique that has no scientific support -- or even plausibility -- is generally not prudent."
On a spiritual level, the document states, "there are important dangers." It explains: "To use Reiki one would have to accept at least in an implicit way central elements of the worldview that undergirds Reiki theory, elements that belong neither to Christian faith nor to natural science.
"Without justification either from Christian faith or natural science, however, a Catholic who puts his or her trust in Reiki would be operating in the realm of superstition, the no-man's-land that is neither faith nor science.
"Superstition corrupts one's worship of God by turning one's religious feeling and practice in a false direction. While sometimes people fall into superstition through ignorance, it is the responsibility of all who teach in the name of the Church to eliminate such ignorance as much as possible."
The document concludes, "Since Reiki therapy is not compatible with either Christian teaching or scientific evidence, it would be inappropriate for Catholic institutions, such as Catholic health care facilities and retreat centers, or persons representing the Church, such as Catholic chaplains, to promote or to provide support for Reiki therapy."
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On the Net:
Guidelines:
http://www.usccb.org/dpp/doctrine.htm
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NEWS BRIEFS
DVD Details John Paul's Death, Benedict's Election
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 1, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- The Vatican Television Center has made a DVD detailing the last moments of Pope John Paul II's life, the period as the Church awaited a new pope and Benedict XVI's election.
"Tu Es Petrus Benedict XVI: The Keys of the Kingdom" offers previously unpublished images, including the preparation of the conclave according to the protocol stipulated by John Paul II himself. It also looks at the intense scenes of the Polish Pontiff's demise, including the gathering of the multitude in St. Peter's Square during his final moments. And it shows the excitement of the crowds as they welcomed Benedict XVI.
The DVD is available in seven languages, including English.
During April, it is being offered with a 25% discount.
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On the Net:
To view trailer and buy:
www.hdhcommunications.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=181&zenid=feelqrcug3i6idm4shs1s11i96
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Iraqi Christians Wary of Withdrawal, Says Prelate
Doubt Ability of Native Police to Provide Security
VIENNA, APRIL 1, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- According to the archbishop of Kirkuk, Iraq's Christians are worried about a forthcoming withdrawal of international troops from the country since security is still lacking.
Chaldean Archbishop Louis Sako spoke of the security issues and the inability of the Iraqi police to handle the situation on their own at a press conference in Vienna sponsored by Aid to the Church in Need and the organizations Christian Solidarity International, Austria, and "Pro Oriente."
"Under Saddam's regime we had security but no freedom," he said. "Today we have freedom, but the problem is security."
According to a Tuesday report from Aid to the Church in Need, the prelate said that another problem is the tendency of many Iraqis to equate the U.S. troops with Christians.
During the conflict, there has been a mass exodus of Iraqi Christians from Iraq. "Some 200,000 Christians have left the country. This is a tragedy for us," Archbishop Sako lamented.
Nevertheless, the archbishop affirmed, "We have many problems, but we also have great hope. We are not afraid, but rather we want to be able to live together with the Muslims in Iraq in peace."
Archbishop Sako expressed the conviction that a dialogue with Muslims is still possible -- "not a theological dialogue, but a 'dialogue of life.'"
At the same time, the prelate stressed the importance of Muslims finding an understanding of the "responsible freedom" of man. Muslims, he said, should find an interpretation of the Koran for the present time. Instead "the Muslims are living as though in the 7th century, and that is a problem."
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WORDS MADE FLESH
The Passion of Jesus Is Our Reason for Hope
Biblical Reflection for Palm Sunday
Father Thomas Rosica, CSB
TORONTO, APRIL 1, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- The Passion, suffering, death and resurrection of the Lord are the very themes that unite us as a Christian people and a Church during Holy Week.
This year on Palm Sunday, we listen attentively to Mark's Passion story of Jesus' final days and hours on earth. It is a story of striking contrasts. As we hear anew this moving story, Jesus' passion penetrates the numbness of our lives. This week in particular, we have a privileged opportunity to learn from what happened to Jesus and discover not only the identity of those who tried, condemned and killed him long ago, but also what killed Jesus and what vicious circles of violence, brutality, hatred and jealousy continue to crucify him today in his brothers and sisters of the human family.
Zooming in on Mark's Passion narrative
Mark's account (Mark 11:1-10) of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is the most subdued version of the event in the New Testament. For some reason the evangelist places much emphasis on the donkey in this account. It was the custom for pilgrims to enter Jerusalem on foot. Only kings and rulers would "ride" into the city -- most often on great steeds and horses and in ostentatious processions, in order to make their presence known. Jesus, a different kind of king, chooses to ride into the city, not on a majestic stallion but on the back of a young beast of burden.
By being led through the city on the back of a lowly donkey, Jesus comes as a king whose rule is not about being served but serving. His kingdom is not built on might but on compassion and generous service. The donkey Jesus mounts sends us back to the words of the ancient prophet, Zechariah, who foretold this scene five centuries before: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey . . . "
In Mark's jarring Passion story, we witness the anguish of Jesus who has been totally abandoned by friends and disciples. Jesus is resigned to his fate. He makes no response to Judas when he betrays him nor to Pilate during his interrogation. In Mark, Pilate makes no effort to save him, as the Roman procurator does in the other three Gospels.
As he does throughout his Gospel, Mark depicts the utter of failure of the disciples to provide any support to Jesus or to even understand what is happening. The enigmatic, young male disciple who flees naked into the night when Jesus is arrested is a powerful symbol in Mark's Gospel of his followers who initially left family and friends behind to follow Jesus. Now that the heat is on, they leave everything behind to flee from him.
When we remember the events of that first Holy Week - from the upper room to Gethsemane, from Pilate's judgment seat to Golgotha, from the cross to the empty tomb, Jesus turns our world and its value system upside down. He teaches us that true authority is found in dedicated service and generosity to others; greatness is centered in humility; the just and loving will be exalted by God in God's good time.
Viewing Mark's Passion through the lenses of fidelity
In the midst of Mark's stories of betrayal and violence, the evangelist inserts a dramatic story of exquisite fidelity. While Jesus visits Simon the Leper in Bethany on the eastern slopes of the Mount of Olives, an anonymous woman breaks, open her alabaster jar of costly perfumed oil, and anoints Jesus' head in good, royal, biblical fashion (14:3-9). As the fragrance of the oil fills the room, those with Jesus are shocked at the woman's extravagant gesture. But Jesus defends her. She had performed an act of true fidelity and love, he tells them, "for she has anticipated anointing my body for burial" (14:8). For this, Jesus promises, she would be remembered wherever the Gospel would be preached (14:9). This woman is the only one in all of the New Testament to be so greatly honored.
While his male disciples and apostles clearly manifest a bold track record of failure, betrayal and abandonment, this anonymous woman embodies boldness, courage, love and fidelity. What an example! Though she may not fully understand the significance of her symbolic and prophetic act of anointing him, nor the timeliness of her action, she only desires simply to be with him and to express to him lavish love and attention.
Is this not what each of us is called to do during Holy Week in particular? Is it not to love Jesus and to be attentive to him throughout the final tragic movements of the symphony of his earthly life, and in the midst of all of the setbacks, failures and betrayals of our own lives? Our lives must be like the woman's jar of expensive ointment poured out so lavishly on the Lord in the final moments of his life on earth.
Who, if not the condemned Savior?
At the conclusion of the Stations of the Cross at Rome's Colosseum on Good Friday night in the Jubilee Year 2000, Pope John Paul II spoke these moving and powerful words:
"Who, if not the condemned Savior, can fully understand the pain of those unjustly condemned?
Who, if not the King scorned and humiliated, can meet the expectations of the countless men and women who live without hope or dignity?
Who, if not the crucified Son of God, can know the sorrow and loneliness of so many lives shattered and without a future?"
What a Savior we have! He truly understands our human condition. He walks with us and shares our sorrows, loneliness and suffering. How do we respond to such outlandish love and genuine solidarity? Passion Sunday invites us to put on what Paul calls the "attitude of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:6-11) in his passion and death: to "empty" ourselves of our own interests, fears and needs for the sake of others. May we reach out to heal those who are hurting and comfort the despairing around us despite our own denials and betrayals.
During the moving liturgies of Holy Week, we are given the special grace to carry on, with joy and in hope, despite rejection, humiliation and suffering. In this way, the Passion of Jesus becomes a reason for hope and a moment of grace for all us as we seek the reign of God in our own lives -- however lonely and painful that search may be. Holy Week gives us the consolation and the conviction that we are not alone.
[The readings for this Sunday are Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Mark 14:1-15:47 or 15:1-39. For use with RCIA, Mark 11:1-10 or John 12:12-16]
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Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, chief executive officer of the Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and Television Network in Canada, is a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. He can be reached at: rosica@saltandlighttv.org.
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On the Net:
Lenten Reflection for Holy Week (Year A) "Why This Week Is Different":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmL3Nd1aljE&feature=relatedSalt and Light Web site:
http://www.saltandlighttv.org
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Wednesday's Audience
On Benedict XVI's Africa Trip
"Build a Future of Reconciliation and Stable Peace for All"
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 1, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today at the general audience in St. Peter's Square.
* * *
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
As I announced last Sunday in the Angelus, I will reflect today on my recent apostolic journey to Africa, the first of my pontificate to that continent. It was limited to Cameroon and Angola, but ideally, with my visit I wished to embrace all the African people and bless them in the name of the Lord. I experienced the traditional warm African welcome, given to me everywhere, and I am pleased to take advantage of this occasion to express again my profound gratitude to the episcopates of both countries, to the heads of state, to all the authorities and to all those who in different ways contributed to the success of this pastoral visit of mine.
My stay in African land began on March 17 in Yaoundé, capital of Cameroon, where I found myself immediately in the heart of Africa, and not just geographically. This country, in fact, has many characteristics of that great continent, the first of them being its profound religious soul, which unites the very numerous ethnic groups that inhabit it. In Cameroon, more than a quarter of the population is Catholic, and they coexist peacefully with the other religious communities. This is why in 1995 my beloved Predecessor John Paul II chose precisely the capital of this nation to promulgate the apostolic exhortation "Ecclesia in Africa," after the first synodal assembly dedicated precisely to the African continent. This time, the Pope returned to hand over the "instrumentum laboris" of the second Synodal Assembly for Africa, planned in Rome for next October, and whose theme will be: "The Church in Africa at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace: 'You Are the Salt of the Earth .... You Are the Light of the World' (Matthew 5:13-14)."
In the meetings I had -- two days apart -- with the episcopates of Cameroon, and Angola and São Tomé, I wished -- all the more so in this Pauline Year -- to speak about the urgency of evangelization, which is primarily the province of the bishops, underlining the collegial dimension, based on sacramental communion. I exhorted them to be always an example for their priests and for all the faithful, and to follow closely the formation of seminarians that, thanks be to God, are numerous, and of catechists, who are increasingly necessary for the life of the Church. I encouraged the bishops to promote the pastoral care of marriage and the family, of the liturgy and of culture, also to enable the laity to resist the attack of sects and esoteric groups. I wanted to confirm them with affection in the service of charity and of the defense of the rights of the poor.
I recall the solemn celebration of Vespers that took place in Yaoundé, in the Church of Mary Queen of the Apostles, Patroness of Cameroon, a large and modern church, which rises in the place where the first evangelizers of Cameroon worked, the Spiritan Missionaries. On the eve of the Solemnity of St. Joseph, to whose careful custody God entrusted his most precious treasures, Mary and Jesus, we gave glory to the one Father who is in heaven, together with the representatives of other Churches and ecclesial communities. Contemplating the spiritual figure of St. Joseph, who consecrated his life to Christ and the Virgin Mary, I invited priests, consecrated persons and members of ecclesial movements to be always faithful to their vocation, living in the presence of God and in joyful obedience of his Word.
In the apostolic nunciature of Yaoundé I had the opportunity to meet also with the representatives of the Muslim communities of Cameroon, verifying the importance of interreligious dialogue and collaboration between Christians and Muslims to help the world to open to God. It was a truly cordial meeting.
Undoubtedly one of the culminating moments of the journey was the handing over of the "instrumentum laboris" of the Second Synodal Assembly for Africa, which took place on March 19 -- the feastday of St. Joseph and my name day -- in the stadium of Yaoundé, at the end of the solemn Eucharistic celebration in honor of St. Joseph. This occurred in the cordiality of the people of God, "with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival" -- as the Psalm says (42:5), of which we have had a concrete experience. The Synodal Assembly will take place in Rome, but in a certain sense it has already started in the heart of the African continent, in the heart of the Christian family that lives, suffers and hopes there. That is why the publication of the "working instrument" seemed to me to be a happy coincidence with the feast of St. Joseph, model of faith and hope as Abraham, the first patriarch. Faith in the "God who is close," who has shown us in Jesus his face of love, is the guarantee of a sure hope, for Africa and for the whole world, guarantee of a future of reconciliation, justice and peace.
After the solemn liturgical assembly and the festive presentation of the working document, I was able to spend time in the apostolic nunciature with members of the Special Council for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, and to live with them a moment of intense communion: We reflected together on the history of Africa from a theological and pastoral perspective. It was almost as the first meeting of the synod itself, in a fraternal debate between the various episcopates and the Pope in view of the synod of reconciliation and peace in Africa. From the beginning Christianity, in fact, and this was visible, has grown deep roots in African soil, as attested by the numerous martyrs and saints, pastors, doctors and catechists that flourished first in the north and later, in subsequent periods, in the rest of the continent: Let us think of Cyprian, Augustine and his mother Monica, Athanasius and then of the martyrs of Uganda, of Giuseppina Bakhita and so many others. In the present age, which witnesses an Africa determined to consolidate its political independence and the building of its national identities in a globalized context, the Church accompanies Africans offering the great message of Vatican Council II, implemented through the first, and now the second special synodal assembly. In the midst of conflicts, unfortunately numerous and tragic, that still afflict the different regions of this continent, the Church knows she is a sign and instrument of unity and reconciliation so that the whole of Africa can build, united, a future of justice, solidarity and peace, carrying out the teachings of the Gospel.
A strong sign of the humanizing action of Christ's message is without a doubt the Cardinal Leger Center of Yaoundé, dedicated to the rehabilitation of disabled people. Its founder was Canadian cardinal Paul-Émil Léger, who wished to retire there after the council in 1968, to work among the poor. In the center, subsequently ceded to the state, I met with numerous brothers and sisters who live in a situation of suffering, sharing with them -- but also receiving from them -- the hope that comes from faith, also in situations of suffering.
Second stage -- and second part of my journey -- was Angola, a country that in certain aspects is emblematic: Having come out of a long internal war, it is now committed to the work of reconciliation and national reconstruction. But how could this reconciliation and reconstruction be genuine if they took place at the cost of the poorest, who have the right as do all to participate in the resources of their land? Herein is the reason why, with this visit of mine, whose first objective as obviously to confirm the faith of the Church, I also wished to encourage the social process in progress. In Angola one touches with one's hand what my venerated predecessors have repeated: Everything is lost with war, everything can be reborn with peace. But to reconstruct a nation, many moral energies are necessary. And because of this, once again, the role of the Church is important, called to develop an educational function, working in depth to renew and form consciences.
St. Paul is the patron of the city of Luanda, capital of Angola: That is why I wanted to celebrate the Eucharist with the priests, seminarians, religious, catechists and the other pastoral agents on Saturday, March 21, in the church dedicated to the Apostle. Once again St. Paul's personal experience spoke to us of his meeting with the Risen Christ, capable of transforming persons and society. The historical contexts change -- and it is necessary to take this into account -- but Christ remains as the true force of the radical renewal of man and of the human community. That is why to return to God, to be converted to Christ, means to go forward, toward the fullness of life.
To express the Church's closeness to Angola's efforts of reconstruction and of so many African regions, I wished to dedicate two special meetings in Luanda to young people and to women respectively. With young people, in the stadium, it was a celebration of joy and hope, saddened unfortunately by the death of two girls, trampled by the crowd at the entrance. Africa is a very young continent, but many of its sons, children and adolescents, have already suffered serious wounds, that only Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, can heal by infusing in them, with his Spirit, the strength to love and to be committed to justice and peace. Then I paid homage to the women for the service that many of them offer to faith, human dignity, life and the family. I reaffirmed their full right to be involved in public life, without hurting, however, their role in the family, an essential mission to develop, always sharing responsibly with the other elements of the society and above all with husbands and fathers.
This is, therefore, the message I gave to the new generations and to the feminine world, extending it also to all in the great Eucharistic assembly of Sunday, March 22, concelebrated with the bishops of the countries of Southern Africa, with the participation of a million faithful. If the African people -- I said to them -- do as ancient Israel did, and base their hope on the Word of God, rich in their religious and cultural heritage, they will really be able to build a future of reconciliation and stable peace for all.
Dear brothers and sisters, how many considerations I have in my heart and how many memories come to mind thinking of this journey! I ask you to thank the Lord for the wonders he has done and continues to do in Africa thanks to the generous action of missionaries, men and women religious, volunteers, priests, catechists, and young communities full of enthusiasm and faith. I also ask you to pray for the peoples of Africa, very dear to me, so that they will be able to address with courage the great social, economic and spiritual challenges of the present moment. I entrust everything and everyone to the maternal intercession of Mary Most Holy, Queen of Africa and of the African saints and blessed.
[Translation by ZENIT]
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