Latest from #Vatican News and #PopeFrancis - Clarification on Mexicanisation and End of Life Assistance...

25-02-2015 - Year XXII - Num. 040  Summary - Clarification of the Pope's use of the expression “avoid Mexicanisation” in a private and informal email - Other Pontifical Acts - End of life assistance to the elderly, theme of the 21st assembly of the Pontifical Council pro Vita - In Memoriam Clarification of the Pope's use of the expression “avoid Mexicanisation” in a private and informal email Vatican City, 25 February 2015 (VIS) – The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., announced yesterday afternoon that the Secretariat of State has sent a Note to the Mexican ambassador to the Holy See to clarify that in using the expression “avoid Mexicanisation”, the Pope did not in any way intend to offend the Mexican population, for whom he holds special affection, nor to underestimate the commitment of the Mexican government in its fight against narcotics trafficking. As is known, the expression “avoid Mexicanisation” was used by the Pope in an email of a strictly private and informal nature, in response to an Argentine friend who is deeply involved in the battle against drug abuse, who had used the phrase. The Note demonstrates that evidently the Pope intended only to emphasise the seriousness of the phenomenon of the drug trafficking that afflicts Mexico and other countries in Latin America. It is precisely this importance that has made the fight against drug trafficking a priority for the government; to combat violence and restore peace and serenity to Mexican families, acting on the causes at the root of this scourge. It is a phenomenon that, like others in Latin America, that the Pope has drawn attention to on various occasions, including in his encounters with the bishops, emphasising the need to adopt policies of cooperation and collaboration at all levels. Other Pontifical Acts Vatican City, 25 February 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed: - Fr. Joseo Aristeu Vieira as bishop of Luz (area 24,990, population 494,000, Catholics 397,000, priests 75, religious 47), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Rio Vermelho, Brazil in 1952 and was ordained a priest in 1979. He served in a number of pastoral roles, including parish priest, spiritual director and professor of the “Sagrado Coracao de Jesus” provincial seminary in Diamantina; and coordinator of vocational pastoral ministry and works for priestly vocations. He is currently parish priest of the “ Imaculada Conceicao” parish in Buritizeiro, Brazil. - Fr. Luiz Goncalves Knupp as bishop of Tres Lagoas (area 57,876, population 252,000, Catholics 190,000, priests 17, permanent deacons 12, religious 54), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Mandaguari, Brazil in 1967 and was ordained a priest in 1999. In the course of his pastoral ministry he has served as parish administrator, parish priest; spiritual director of the seminaries of theology, philosophy and preparation in Maringa. located in Londrina. He is currently parish priest of the “Nossa Senhora de Fatima” parish in Marialva, Brazil. - Fr. Janusz Danecki, O.F.M. Conv., as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Campo Grande (area 43,762, population 913,096, Catholics 543,292, priests 106, permanent deacons 3, religious 280), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Lowicz, Poland in 1951, gave his solemn vows in 1975 and was ordained a priest in 1977. He exercised his pastoral ministry in the Franciscan parishes of Niepokalanow and Lodz before transferring to Brazil as a missionary, where he has served as formator of postulants and Superior of the “Jardim da Imaculada” community in Luziania; national director of the Militia Immaculatae, parish priest; rector of the Franciscan seminary in Brasilia, guardian of the convent and secretary of the Custodian; provincial vicar and formator in Brasilia. He is currently parish priest of the “Nossa Senhora de Fatima” parish in Jurua, Brazil.

24-02-2015 - Year XXII - Num. 039

End of life assistance to the elderly, theme of the 21st assembly of the Pontifical Council pro Vita Vatican City, 24 February 2015 (VIS) – The Pontifical Academy pro Vita will dedicate its upcoming general assembly to end of life assistance to the elderly. The assembly, which will take place in the New Synod Hall from 5 to 7 March, is the 21st to be held by this institution, and the official theme is “Assisting the Elderly and Palliative Care”. During the assembly, on 6 March, there will be a workshop open to the public, especially scholars, healthcare and pastoral workers, and students who are interested in acquiring a deeper knowledge of the theme from a number of viewpoints: theological-philosophical, ethical and medical, cultural and social. In the first session of the Workshop, “Clinical care for the elderly at the end of life”, following a brief general introduction to the theme by Bishop Ignacio Carrasco de Paula, president of the Pontifical Academy pro Vita, a number of specific issues will be considered, such as medical care for the elderly with chronic degenerative illlnesses, the use and abuse of analgesics in palliative care, nursing care for the terminally ill, and clinical decision-making processes for the elderly at the end of life. The second session will be dedicated to ethical and anthropological perspectives, and will focus on the central role of relationships with the elderly in family, social and hospital contexts, and guidelines for accompanying the elderly as they near death, with respect for their dignity and avoiding any form of abandonment or euthanasia. The day will conclude with the analysis of socio-cultural perspectives. The third session will be dedicated to the spirituality of the elderly in later year, legal aspects of the end of life, pastoral care and the role of the family, ending with the question, “What is social solidarity?”.

In Memoriam Vatican City, 24 February 2015 (VIS) – The following prelates have died in recent weeks: - Archbishop Pierre-Andre Fournier of Rimouski, Canada, on 10 January at the age of 71. - Bishop James Naanman Daman, O.S.A, of Shendam, Nigeria, on 12 January at the age of 58. - Bishop Joseph Mukasa Zuza of Mzuzu, Malawi, on 15 January at the age of 59. - Bishop Jose Maria Hernandez Gonzalez, emeritus of Netzahualcoyotl, Mexico, on 19 January at the age of 88. - Archbishop Jose Martins da Silva, S.D.N. emeritus of Porto Velho, Brazil, on 29 January at the age of 78. - Bishop Adalberto Arturo Rosat, O.F.M., prelate emeritus of Aiquile, Bolivia, on 31 January at the age of 81. - Bishop Vincent Valentine Egwuchukwu Ezeonyia, C.S.Sp., of Aba, Nigeria, on 8 February at the age of 73. - Cardinal Karl Josef Becker, S.J. †Deacon of San Giuliano Martire, on 10 February at the age of 86. - Bishop Abel Costas Montano, emeritus of Tarija, Bolivia, on 11 February at the age of 94. - Bishop Thomas Bhalerao, S.J. emeritus of Nashik, India, on 13 February at the age of 82. - Bishop Magnus Mwalunyungu, emeritus of Tunduru-Masasi, Tanzania, on 13 February at the age of 84. - Bishop Joseph Devellerez Thaung Shwe , emeritus of Pyay, Myanmar, on 17 February at the age of 79. - Archbishop Antonio Lanfranchi, of Modena-Nonantola, Italy, on 17 February at the age of 68. - Bishop Bernardo Enrique Witte, O.M.I. emeritus of Concepcion, on 21 February at the age of 88.