Vatican Radio REPORT – On
the final working day of the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelisation as the
Father’s presented him with the list of 38 Propositions, fruit of three weeks of
intense work, Pope Benedict XVI took the floor to address all those who had
taken part, to tell them that their testimonies proved that the Church is alive
and is growing, despite often contrary winds. Emer McCarthy reports:
Below a Vatican Radio translation of the Holy Father’s words
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
before thanking you on my part, I would like to make an announcement.
In the context of the reflections of the Synod of Bishops, "The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith," and at the end of a process of reflection on the themes of seminaries and Catechesis, I am pleased to announce that I have decided, after further reflection and prayer to transfer jurisdiction over Seminaries from the Congregation for Catholic Education, to the Congregation for the Clergy and competence of Catechesis from the Congregation for the Clergy, to the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization.
The relative documents will be forthcoming in the form of an Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio to identify the fields and their faculties. Let us pray to the Lord to accompany the three Dicasteries of the Roman Curia in this important mission, with the collaboration of the entire Church.
I would also like to express my cordial greetings to the new Cardinals. With this little Consistory I wanted to complete the Consistory of February, in the context of the new evangelization, with a gesture of the universality of the Church, showing that the Church is the Church of all peoples, she speaks in all languages, she is always a Church of Pentecost; not the Church of one continent, but a universal Church. This was precisely my intention, to express this in this context, this universality of the Church, which is also the beautiful expression of this Synod. For me it was really uplifting, comforting and encouraging to see here a reflection of the universal Church with its suffering, threats, dangers and joys, experiences of the Lord's presence, even in difficult situations.
We heard how the Church today lives and grows. I think, for example, of what we were told about Cambodia, where the Church, the faith has been born again, or even of Norway, and many others. We see how, even today, where we least expect it, the Lord is present and powerful and the Lord also operates through our work and our reflections.
Even though the Church feels contrary winds, above all it feels the wind of the Holy Spirit that helps us, shows us the right way, and so, with renewed enthusiasm, I think, we are on that path and we thank the Lord for gifting us this truly Catholic encounter.
I Thank you all: the Synod Fathers, the Auditors, with the often very moving testimonies, the Experts, the fraternal delegates who have helped us, and we know that we all want to proclaim Christ and his Gospel and fight, in this difficult time, for the presence of Christ's truth and his proclamation.
I would like to especially thank our Presidents who have guided us gently and firmly, the Realtors who have worked day and night. I always think it goes somewhat against natural law to work at night, but if they do so willingly they deserve our thanks and we should be grateful, and of course, our Secretary General, firm and full of ideas.
Now these Propositiones are a testament, a gift given to me for us, to process everything into a document that comes from life and should generate life. We hope and pray for this, but in any case, we forge ahead with the Lord's help. Thank you all. Many will see each other again in November – at the Consistory. Thank you.
STATEMENT ON DIALOGUE WITH SSPX
Vatican Radio) Below, please find the full text of the statement from the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" regarding the ongoing dialogue with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X:
The Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei” takes this occasion to announce that, in its most recent official communication (6 September 2012), the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X has indicated that additional time for reflection and study is needed on their part as they prepare their response to the Holy See’s latest initiatives. The current stage in the ongoing discussions between the Holy See and the Priestly Fraternity follows three years of doctrinal and theological dialogues during which a joint commission met eight times to study and discuss, among other matters, some disputed issues in the interpretation of certain documents of Vatican Council II. Once these doctrinal dialogues were concluded, it became possible to proceed to a phase of discussion more directly focused on the greatly desired reconciliation of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X with the See of Peter. Other critical steps in this positive process of gradual reintegration had already been taken by the Holy See in 2007 with the extension of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite to the Universal Church by the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum and in 2009 with the lifting of the excommunications. Just a few months ago, a culminating point along this difficult path was reached when, on 13 June 2012, the Pontifical Commission presented to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X a doctrinal declaration together with a proposal for the canonical normalization of its status within the Catholic Church. At the present time, the Holy See is awaiting the official response of the superiors of the Priestly Fraternity to these two documents. After thirty years of separation, it is understandable that time is needed to absorb the significance of these recent developments. As Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI seeks to foster and preserve the unity of the Church by realizing the long hoped-for reconciliation of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X with the See of Peter – a dramatic manifestation of the munus Petrinum in action – patience, serenity, perseverance and trust are needed.
SHARED FROM RADIO VATICANA
Comments