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20-02-2015 - Year XXII - Num. 037
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Summary | |||||
| - To the bishops of Ukraine: indicate the values that bind Ukrainian society | |||||
| - Communique from the Managing Board and the College of Auditors of the Vatican Pensions Fund | |||||
| - The Holy See at the United Nations: social development policies must address the spiritual and ethical dimension of the human person | |||||
- Audiences
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| To the bishops of Ukraine: indicate the values that bind Ukrainian society Vatican City, 20 February 2015 (VIS) - “I welcome you to this house, which is also yours. And you are well aware of this, as the Successor of Peter has always welcomed his brothers from Ukraine with fraternal friendship”, begins the Pope's written discourse to the bishops of the Ukrainian Episcopal Conference, at the end of their “ad Limina” visit. The encounter takes place in the context of a serious and prolonged conflict within the country, which “continues to claim many innocent victims and to cause great suffering to the entire population”. The Pope met with the bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, the bishop of Mukachevo of Byzantine rite, and the bishops of the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops in separate audiences in the Sala Clementina of the Apostolic Palace. The signed discourse was handed to the representatives of each the three Ukrainian ecclesiastical jurisdictions. “In this period”, continues Francis, “I am particularly close to you in my prayers for the deceased and for all those who have been afflicted by violence, with my plea that the Lord might grant peace soon, and with my appeal to all interested parties to implement joint agreements and to respect the principle of international law, and especially to observe the recently signed armistice and all other commitments that are conditions for avoiding a resumption of hostilities”. “I know the historical events that have scarred your land and which are still present in your collective memory. These are issues that in part have a political basis, to which you are not required to respond directly; but there are also socio-cultural realities and human tragedies that await your direct and positive contribution. In such circumstances, it is important to listen attentively to the voices that come from the land, from the people entrusted to your pastoral care. Listening to your people, you are able to solicit those values that characterise them: encounter, collaboration, the capacity to resolve disagreements. In short: the search for a possible peace. You are able to nurture this ethical heritage with charity, the divine love that stems from the heart of Christ”. The Holy Father acknowledges that, “at local level, there are specific and practical agreements between you, heirs to two legitimate spiritual traditions – Oriental and Latin – as well as the other Christians among you. This, as well as a duty, is also an honour that must be recognised”. He also reiterates that the bishops, at national level, are full citizens of their country and therefore have the right to express their thought, also jointly, regarding its destiny, “not in the sense of promoting concrete political action, but in the indication and reaffirmation of the values that constitute the binding element of Ukrainian society, persevering in the tireless search for harmony and the common good, even when faced with serious and complex difficulties”. He emphasises, “The Holy See is by your side, also in international forums, to ensure that your rights, concerns and the right Gospel values that inspire you are understood, and seeks also to help meet the pastoral needs of those ecclesiastical structures that also find themselves having to face new legal questions”. The crisis unfolding in Ukraine has undoubtedly had “serious repercussions on family life. United with this is a misunderstood sense of economic freedom that has enabled a small group of people to become enormously rich at the expense of the great majority of citizens. The presence of this phenomenon has also contaminated public institutions, to varying degrees. It has generated an inequitable poverty in a generous and rich land”. Therefore, the Pope exhorts the bishops to tirelessly remind their fellow citizens of “the considerations that faith and pastoral responsibility suggest to you. The meaning of justice and truth is first moral rather than political, and this is incumbent upon you as pastors. How much freer you will be as ministers of Christ's Church, as, in spite of your poverty, you become defenders of families, of the poor, of the unemployed, of the weak, the sick, the elderly, invalids and displaced persons”. After encouraging the Ukrainian bishops to renew their zeal for the constant announcement of the Gospel and to pray attention to vocations to the priesthood and to consecrated life, the Ponfiff then goes on to consider the rapport between bishops, while aware of the “complex historical factors that weigh upon your mutual relations, as well as aspects of personal character”. “The fact that both episcopates are Catholic and Ukrainian remains indisputable, in spite of differences of rites and traditions. I am personally saddened to hear that there are incomprehensions and that harm has been done. There is a need for a doctor, and this doctor is Jesus Christ, whom you both serve with generosity and with all your hearts. You are a single body and, as both St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI have done in the past, I exhort you to find between you a way to accept each other and to support each other generously in your apostolic labours. The unity of the episcopate, aside from giving a good example to the People of God, represents an inestimable service to the nation at a cultural, social, and above all spiritual level”. You are united in fundamental values and have the most valuable treasure in common: faith and the People of God. Therefore, I regard joint meetings of the bishops of all the “sui iuris” Churches present in Ukraine to be of the highest importance”. “Whether Greek-Catholics or Latins, you are sons of the Catholic Church, which has been subject to martyrdom in your land too”, remarks Francis. “May the blood of your witnesses, who intercede from Heaven on your behalf, be a further inspiration to a true communion of hearts. Unite your strength and support each other, transforming historical events into a reason for sharing and unity. Well-rooted in the Catholic community, you can also apply yourselves with faith and patience to ecumenism, so that all Christians may grow in unity and cooperation. I am sure that your decisions, in accordance with the Successor of Peter, will be able to take on board the expectations of all your People. I invite you all to govern the Communities entrusted to you ensuring as far as possible your presence and closeness to the priests and faithful. I hope that you may maintain respectful and fruitful relations with the public authorities”. Finally, the Holy Father exhorts them to pay great attention to the poor. “They are your wealth”, he emphasises. “You are the pastors of a flock entrusted to you by Christ; always be clearly aware of this, even within your internal organs of self-governance, which must always be understood as instruments of communion and prophecy. In this sense, I hope that your intentions and your actions will always be oriented towards the overall good of the Churches entrusted to you. … I impart with affection a special apostolic blessing to you, your communities and the dear population of Ukraine”. |
| Communique from the Managing Board and the College of Auditors of the Vatican Pensions Fund Vatican City, 20 February 2015 (VIS) – The following is the full text of the communique issued today by the Managing Board and the College of Auditors of the Vatican Pension Fund: “Since for some months, and amplified by press reports, alarming data has been circulating regarding the situation of the Vatican Pensions Fund and on the sustainability of honouring the commitments undertaken towards present and future subscribers, the Managing Board of the Fund and the College of Auditors consider it opportune to officially communicate the actuarial situation, assets and income of the aforementioned Fund, as it appears in the actuarial Technical Financial Statements drawn up by the actuary and the Financial Statements regularly approved by the Secretary of State. With regard to the actuarial aspect, there is a substantial balance between available resources and commitments to current and future employees, due also to interventions (approved by the Secretary of State following proposals by the Managing Board) both in terms of contributions (increase of rates throughout the years up to the current rate of 26% on the total of taxable income) and in relation to performance (increase of two years of working life, raising the age of retirement to 67 for laypersons and 72 for clergy and persons religious. The working Statements also show, throughout the years, the solidity of the assets and financial structure of the Fund itself. The funding ratio of the Pensions Fund is 0.95%. From a strictly income-based perspective, the economic and financial situation of the institution records a gradual increase of financial and real estate resources both in terms of capital resources which, from 1993 to 2013 increased on average from € 22,256,196 per year, and in terms of the upward trend in net profit, which during the last 6 years has passed from € 23,583,882 to € 26,866,657, sums sufficient to cover the current costs of pensions. To complete the picture, the Fund’s assets on 31 December 2014 were recorded at € 477,668,000. Adding the budget surplus for 2015, estimated to be around € 27,140,000, a net worth by 31 December 2015 of over 504 million euros may be hypothesised, confirming the real solidity of the Fund, which has progressed from an initial budget of 10 billion of the old Italian lire in 1993 to over 500 million euros in little more than twenty years”. |
| The Holy See at the United Nations: social development policies must address the spiritual and ethical dimension of the human person Vatican City, 20 February 2015 (VIS) – Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Holy See Permanent Observer at the United Nations in New York addressed the 53rd Session of the Commission for Social Development on 10 February. He highlighted the Holy See's concerns regarding economic growth which has led to new challenges, but has not benefited everyone in society equally. Significant inequalities remain and many of the most vulnerable groups in society have been left behind. Without addressing these inequalities, especially as we transition into the post 2015 development agenda, we risk undermining the impact of economic growth on poverty and on the well-being of society as a whole. “To be sustainable and beneficial for all, social development must be ethical, moral and person-centred”, he said. “We must be attentive to those indicators that give a complete picture of the well-being of every individual in society while promoting policies that encourage a truly integral approach to the development of the human person as a whole”. He continued, “It is not enough to have gainful employment. Work must also be dignified and secure. Investments in education, access to basic health-care services, and the creation of social safety nets are primary, not secondary factors to improving a person’s quality of life, and ensuring the equitable distribution of wealth and resources in society. By placing the human person at the centre of development and encouraging investments and policies that meet real needs, the progress made towards eradicating poverty remains permanent and society more resilient in the face of potential crises”. The archbishop reiterated that the market economy does not exist to serve itself, but rather to serve the common good of all of society, and therefore particular attention must be given to the welfare of the most vulnerable. He added that “the authentic integral development of the person and the eradication of poverty are achievable only by focusing on the tremendous value of the family to society”, and by adopting a strategic approach towards the eradication of poverty, “based on true social justice in order to help reduce the suffering of millions of our brothers and sisters. … Social development policies must address not only the economic and political needs, but also the spiritual and ethical dimension of each human person”. |
| Audiences Vatican City, 20 February 2015 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in audience: - Prelates of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, on their “ad Limina” visit: - His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, major archbishop of Kyiv-Halyc, accompanied by his auxiliaries, Bishop Bohdan Dzyurakh and Bishop Yosyf Milan; - Bishop Stepan Meniok, archiepiscopal exarch of Donetsk; - Bishop Mykhaylo Bubniy, archiepiscopal exarch of Odessa; - Bishop Josaphat Oleh Hovera, archiepiscopal exarch of Lutsk; - Archbishop Volodymyr Viytyshyn of Ivano-Frankivsk, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Yosafat Moshchych; - Bishop Vasyl Ivasiuk, of Kololyia-Chernivtsi; - Bishop Ihor Voznyak, archbishop of Lviv of the Ukrainians, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Venedykt Aleksiychuk; - Bishop Jaroslav Pryriz of Sambir-Drohobych, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Hryhoriy Komar; - Bishop Mykhaylo Koltun of Sokal-Zhovkva; - Bishop Taras Senkiv of Stryi. accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Bohdan Manyshyn; - Archbishop Vasyl Semeniuk of Ternopil-Zboriv; - Bishop Dmytro Hryhorak, Vescovo di Buchach; - Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, archiepiscopal exarch of Kharkiv; - Bishop Dionisio Lachovicz, apostolic visitator for the Ukrainian faithful of Byzantine Rite resident in Italy and Spain; *** - Bishop Milan Sasik of Mukachevo of Byzantine Rite, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Nil Yuriy Lushchak: *** Prelates of the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops in Ukraine on their “ad Limina” visit: - Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki, of Lviv of the Latins; - Bishop Leonid Dubrawski of Kamyanets-Podilskyi, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Radoslaw Zmitrowicz; - Bishop Stanislav Szyrokoradiuk of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Marian Buczek and his auxiliary, Bishop Jan Sobilo; - Archbishop-Bishop Petro Herkulan Malchuk of Kyiv-Zhytomir; - Bishop Vitaliy Skomarovskyi of Lutsk; - Bishop Antal Majnek of Mukachevo of the Latins; - Bishop Bronislaw Bernacki of Odessa-Simferopol, with his auxiliary Bishop Jacek Pyl. |
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19-02-2015 - Year XXII - Num. 036
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| The Pope meets with the parish priests of Rome Vatican City, 19 February 2015 (VIS) – The traditional Lenten meeting of the Bishop of Rome and “his” priests – between the Pope and the parish priests of the diocese – took place this morning in the Paul VI Hall. As announced by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, vicar of His Holiness for the diocese of Rome, the theme this year was the homily. After Cardinal Vallini's greetings, the Pope introduced the meeting by referring to his 2005 address to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Saints on the theme of the Ars celebrandi, the test of which was distributed to the participants in advance. The meeting then proceeded in dialogue with the priests present. |
| Lent: call for reconciliation with God, Who knows no hypocrisy Vatican City, 19 February 2015 (VIS) – Yesterday, Ash Wednesday, the Holy Father presided at the traditional penitential procession from the church of St. Anselm on the Aventine Hill to the Basilica of St. Sabina, located on the same Roman hill. A number of cardinals, archbishops and bishops also took part, along with the Benedictine monks of St. Anselm, the Dominican fathers of Santa Sabina, and the faithful. After the procession, Pope Francis presided at the Eucharistic celebration with the rite of the blessing and imposition of the ashes. The Pope received them from the hands of Cardinal Josef Tomko, the titular of the Basilica, and subsequently imposed them upon the cardinals and several monks, consecrated persons and faithful. In his homily, the Pope commented on the Gospel readings of the Mass, beginning with the passage from the Prophet Joel, sent by God to call the population to penance and conversion following the plague of locusts that devastated Judah. “Only the Lord can save from the scourge, and it is therefore necessary to plead through prayer and fasting, confessing one's own sin”. The prophet insists on inner conversion, begging the population to return to God with all their hearts, which means “undertaking a path of conversion that is not superficial or transitory, but rather a spiritual itinerary that involves the most intimate part of our person. The heart, indeed, is the seat of our sentiments, the centre where our decisions and attitudes mature”. Joel's call is not directed solely at individuals: it is extended to the entire community, and is a convocation to all, paying special attention to the prayer of priests, and reiterating that this must be accompanied by tears. “It does good to all, but especially to priests, at the beginning of this Lenten time, to ask for the gift of ears, so as to make our prayer and our path of conversion ever more authentic and free of hypocrisy”, continued the Pope. “It is good for us to ask: 'Do I weep? Does the Pope weep? Do the cardinals weep? Do the bishops weep? Do priests weep? Do we weep in our prayers?”. This is the message, he emphasised, of today's Gospel reading, in which Jesus rereads the three works of mercy prescribed by the Mosaic Law – almsgiving, prayer and fasting – “which over time have been attacked by the rust of external formalism, or have even mutated into signs of social superiority”. He continued, “Jesus highlights a common temptation in these three works, that can be summarised in hypocrisy (mentioned three times): 'Beware of practising your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them … Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do … And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites … For they love to stand and pray ... that they may be seen by others'. Be aware, brothers, that hypocrites do not know how to weep, they have forgotten how, they do not ask for the gift of tears”. “When we do something good, almost instinctively there arises in us the desire to be esteemed and admired for this good action, to receive satisfaction from it. Jesus invites us to carry out these works without any ostentation, and to trust solely in the Father's reward”. “The Lord never ceases to have mercy on us, or to offer his forgiveness once again, whenever we are in need of it, inviting us to turn to him with a renewed heart, purified of evil, purified by tears, in order to participate in His joy. How can we accept this invitation? St. Paul suggests to us: 'We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God'. This effort of conversion is not simply a human task: it is allowing oneself to be reconciled. The reconciliation between us and God is possible thanks to the mercy of the Father Who, out of love for us, did not hesitate to sacrifice His only Son. … In Him, we can become righteous, in Him we can change, if we welcome God's grace and do not allow the 'favourable time' to pass by in vain. Please, let us stop for a moment and let ourselves be reconciled with God”, exclaimed the Holy Father. As a sign of our will to be reconciled with God, “aside from the tears that are shed in secret, we make the public gesture of the imposition of the ashes on the forehead. The celebrant pronounces these words: 'For you are dust, and to dust you shall return', or repeats Jesus' exhortation: 'Repent and believe in the Gospel'. Both formulas constitute a reminder of the truth of human existence: we are limited creatures, sinners always in need of penance and conversion. How important it is to hear and heed this call in our time! The invitation to convert thus inspires us to return, like the son in the parable, into the arms of God, tender and merciful Father, to weep in that embrace, to trust in Him and entrust ourselves to Him”. |
| Audiences Vatican City, 19 February 2015 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in audience: - Archbishop Vito Rallo; This afternoon he is scheduled to receive in audience Archbishop Maury Buendia, apostolic nuncio in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. |
| Other Pontifical Acts Vatican City, 19 February 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed Rev. Fr. Jose Crispiano Clavijo Mendez as bishop of Sincelejo (area 10,523, population 953,000, Catholics 767,000, priests 66, permanent deacons 4, religious 80), Colombia. The bishop-elect was born in Tocancipa, Colombia in 1951 and was ordained a priest in 1988. He holds a licentiate in catechesis and youth pastoral ministry from the Pontifical Salesian University, Rome, and has served in a number of pastoral roles, including parish priest of the “Inmaculada Concepcion” in Chimichagua, chancellor of the diocesan curia, rector of the “Nuestra Senora del Rosario” Cathedral, vicar general, director of the Centre for Evangelisation, parish priest of the “El Espiritu Santo” parish in Valledupar, and episcopal delegate for the clergy and for catechesis. He is currently rector of the “Juan Pablo II” major seminary in Valledupar. |
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