The Record Newspaper 27 October 2010

THE R ECORD

Humans, animals, ethics... Are we really that different?

If

Eco-friendly fertility way a lifeline for girls, women

A Notre Dame Behavioural Science student had no idea of the hidden effects of the Pill and the benefits and science behind natural approaches to fertility until she found herself working as an intern with Archdiocesan agency, Natural Fertility Services

BY BRIDGET SPINKS

AMANDA Wilson, 23, a fifth year Behavioural Science and Science student at Notre Dame, Fremantle had never heard of Natural Family Services until she ‘found it on the net’ when researching for an internship placement.

Natural Fertility Services is an organisation that helps couples achieve or avoid pregnancy for natural family planning by using the natural changes and symptoms of the woman’s body to recognise times of fertility.

She said the “natural part of it” deterred her.

But after completing 230 hours of placement, 80 hours more than required, Amanda prefers to describe NFS as an “eco-friendly fertility service” because “it’s good for you and for the environment”.

While the internship involved a lot of administrative tasks, it gave Amanda the opportunity to do the Natural Family Planning Teacher Training Programme.

This involved weekly seminars on the various aspects of natural fertility including the Please turn to Page 2

St Mary’s

Victoria

found the experience of teaching students in Catholic schools, most of whom seemed to assume that the contraceptive Pill is ‘healthy,’ challenging but rewarding, especially the opportunity to communicate the physical, emotional and relational benefits of natural approaches.

PHOTO: BRIDGET SPINKS

Vatican’s newspaper marks St Mary’s great day

Theworldneedspriests

God's presence

GIOVANNI MARIA VIAN

DowestillneedSaintsandpriests? ItwasBenedict XVI whoaskedthis questioninthecontextoftheCanonizationsatwhichhepresidedinSt Peter'sSquareandinhisLetterto Seminarians. And it isa radical questionbecause itconcernsGod'spresenceinthe world.ThesixSaintsproclaimedby thePope–amongthemfourwomen,includingthefirstAustralian, MaryMacKillop, atrulyexceptional andcourageousleader–understood it,lettingthispresenceshineoutin allitssplendour.InthedarknessoftheNazifury, peoplewereconvincedthatinthe newGermanypriestswouldno longerbeneeded,asBenedict XVI remindedtheseminarians.Hesaid soinadirectandimportanttext thatisnotaddressedexclusivelyto thosepreparingforthepriesthood becauseitspeaksoffaithasinthe verseofLuke'sGospel(18:8),on whichthePopecommentedinthe Massforthecanonizations:“When theSonofMancomes,willhefind faithonearth?”. ThetoneofBenedict XVI'sLetter isonceagainalmostconfidentialand letsaprofoundpersonalexperience shineout.Inthefaceoftheconvictionthatpriestsbelongtothepast, thePopeanswersthat,onthecontrary,todaytoothereisaneedfor them,thatis,aspeoplewhoexist “toservehimandbringhimtoothers”.Infact,“lifegrowsempty”if Godisnolongerperceived.Thisis whybecomingpriestsisworthwhile, onajourneythatonedoesnotmake alone–thisisthewisdomofthe Seminary–butinacommunity. Benedict XVI describesthepriest asessentially“amanofGod”.However,heisamanwhoisnotsome strangerwholeftthesceneafterthe “bigbang”butrather,onewho showedhimselfinJesus,theGod whoisclosetous.Andthepriest, whoisnotjustanykindofadministrator,ishismessenger.Forthisreasonthepriestmust“neverlose[his] innerclosenesstoGod”:soitisin thissense,thePopeexplains,that theLord'sexhortationto“prayconstantly”shouldbeunderstood.

ONTINUEDONPAGE 2

Benedict XVI'sGeneralAudienceCatechesis

MenwillalwaysneedGodandGodwillalwaysneedmento speakabouthimonearth;thisiswhytodayitstillmakessense toenterintothepriesthood.Benedict XVI hisLettertoSeminariansincelebrationoftheFeastofStelaboratesthisideain LuketheEvangelist,18October.ThePoperemindsthemofthe sufferingoftheabusevictims,andreiteratesthateventhough theseactsarereprehensible,nevertheless,theyshouldnot discreditthepriestlymission,whichremains“greatandpure”.

DearSeminarians, WheninDecember1944Iwas draftedformilitaryservice,thecompanycommanderaskedeachofuswhat weplannedtodointhefuture.Ian-

sweredthatIwantedtobecomea Catholicpriest.Thelieutenantreplied: “Thenyououghttolookforsomethingelse.InthenewGermanypriests arenolongerneeded”.Iknewthat this“newGermany”wasalreadycomingtoanend,andthat,afterthe enormousdevastationwhichthatmadnesshadbroughtuponthecountry, priestswouldbeneededmorethanever.Todaythesituationiscompletely changed.Indifferentways,though, manypeoplenowadaysalsothinkthat theCatholicpriesthoodisnota“job” forthefuture,butonethatbelongs moretothepast.You,dearfriends, havedecidedtoentertheseminary

KnowingandlovingGod AttheGeneralAudienceonWednesday,13October,theHolyFathercommentedonthemedievalmysticBlessedAngelaofFoligno. Acarefreewifeandmother,whoaftertragiceventsandsuffering, wasleadtoadecisivemomentofconversion.

PAGE 3

HolyFather's‘MotuProprio’ Ubicumqueetsemper ApostolicLetterestablishingthePontifical CouncilforPromotingtheNewEvangelization wasreleased12October,whichdemandsthe renewalofthespirittospreadtheGospel.

PAGE 6

andtoprepareforpriestlyministryin theCatholicChurchinspiteofsuch opinionsandobjections.Youhave doneagoodthing.Becausepeoplewill alwayshaveneedofGod,eveninan agemarkedbytechnicalmasteryof theworldandglobalization:theywill alwaysneedtheGodwhohasrevealed himselfinJesusChrist,theGodwho gathersustogetherintheuniversal Churchinordertolearnwithhimand throughhimlife'struemeaningandin ordertoupholdandapplythestandardsoftruehumanity.Wherepeople nolongerperceiveGod,lifegrows empty;nothingiseverenough.People thenseekescapeineuphoriaandviolence;thesearetheverythingsthatincreasinglythreatenyoungpeople.God isalive.Hehascreatedeveryoneofus andheknowsusall.Heissogreat thathehastimeforthelittlethingsin ourlives:“Everyhairofyourheadis numbered”.Godisalive,andheneeds peopletoservehimandbringhimto others.Itdoesmakessensetobecome apriest:theworldneedspriests,pastors,today,tomorrowandalways,untiltheendoftime. Theseminaryisacommunityjourneyingtowardspriestlyministry.I havesaidsomethingveryimportant here:onedoesnotbecomeaprieston one'sown.The“communityofdisciples”isessential,thefellowshipof thosewhodesiretoservethegreater Church.InthisletterIwouldliketo pointout–thinkingbacktomyown timeintheseminary–severalelementswhichIconsiderimportantfor theseyearsofyourjourneying. 1.Anyonewhowishestobecomea priestmustbefirstandforemosta “manofGod”,tousetheexpressionof StPaul(1Tim6:11).ForusGodis notsomeabstracthypothesis;heisnot somestrangerwholeftthesceneafter the“bigbang”.GodhasrevealedhimselfinJesusChrist.InthefaceofJesus ChristweseethefaceofGod.Inhis wordswehearGodhimselfspeaking tous.Itfollowsthatthemostimportantthinginourpathtowardspriesthoodandduringthewholeofour priestlylivesisourpersonalrelationshipwithGodinJesusChrist.The priestisnottheleaderofasortofassociationwhosemembershiphetriesto maintainandexpand.HeisGod's messengertohispeople.Hewantsto leadthemtoGodandinthiswayto fosterauthenticcommunionbetween allmenandwomen.Thatiswhyitis soimportant,dearfriends,thatyou learntoliveinconstantintimacywith God.WhentheLordtellsusto“pray constantly”,heisobviouslynotasking ustoreciteendlessprayers,buturging usnevertoloseourinnerclosenessto God.Prayingmeansgrowinginthis intimacy.Soitisimportantthatour dayshouldbeginandendwithprayer; thatwelistentoGodastheScriptures

Celebrating Australia’s first saint: The 20 October edition of L’Osservatore Romano, which reports on Mary MacKillop’s canonisation and can be found inside this week’s edition of The Record

THIS week’s Record fulfills the promise we made in last week’s MacKillop souvenir edition of The Record to continue the celebrations of the canonisation of St Mary of the Cross.

Inside this edition, all readers and subscribers of The Record will find the English Edition of L’Osservatore Romano (Roman Observer), the official newspaper of the Vatican.

L’Osservatore Romano gave special permission to The Record to publish its 20 October edition in which St Mary of the Cross and matters Australian feature prominently in the paper’s

coverage of the canonisation of six saints by Pope Benedict XVI on 17 October. Also included in this special liftout edition of L’Osservatore Romano is an article by Record journalist Anthony Barich, who was in Rome for the canonisation with Ballajura Parish Priest Fr John Jegorow and fellow parish pilgrims from Perth’s only parish named for St Mary MacKillop. The paper also carries the full text of Cardinal George Pell’s homily at the special Mass of Thanksgiving, which saw thousands of Australians converge on St Paul’s Outside the Walls in Rome the day after Mary MacKillop’s canonisation.

Readers who want to stay

in touch with news of the Church from the unique standpoint of the Vatican’s official newspaper will also find a special subscription offer for L’Osservatore Romano Record Editor Peter Rosengren said this edition of L’Osservatore Romano makes a unique memento of the historic canonisation of Australia’s first official saint which can be kept for many years for future reference. He urged readers to consider taking advantage of the special subscription offer to L’Osservatore Romano, which provides the view from Rome on the Church and so many events in the news, which rarely get a hearing in today’s mediashaped world.

New Perth Faith Centre edges closer to opening

THE establishment of an Archdiocesan evangelisation centre is one step closer with the appointment of Monica Podestà as the coordinator who will oversee its creation.

Ms Podestà has been charged with establishing the infrastructure required for the evangelisation centre to operate at 450 Hay Street, Perth; a site currently occupied by the Catholic Marriage Education Services and the Cathedral parish hall.

Monica Podest à in her office in the main Archdiocesan offices at Victoria Square opposite St Mary’s Cathedral. She has been given the job of establishing the new Archdiocesan Evangelisation Centre.

PHOTO: PETER ROSENGREN

It is envisaged that the evangelisation centre will reach out primarily to unchurched people as well as those who have fallen away Please turn to Page 4

Family Spring Fair

SPRING is here and those looking for a great family day out can take advantage of the Schoenstatt Spring Fair to be held on Sunday, 7 November.

All are invited to come and grab a bargain at the silent auction, knick knack or book stalls and to enjoy the tasty international food available all day. Lots of fun and activities are available for children.

The fair will be held at the Schoenstatt Shrine at 9 Talus Drive, Armadale, running from 9.30am till 2.00pm.

Ten-dollar vouchers are available now or on the day. For further information contact Mary on 0400 553 140 or Sr M Gerogina on 9399 2349 or email shrine@elink.net.au.

Amanda Wilson in the grounds of

Cathedral near her NFS office in

Square, Perth. She

AT A GLANCE

A roundup of events in the Archdiocese

St Anne’s, Belmont

All Saints

Mass will be celebrated in the Extraordinary Form (Latin) for the Feast of All Saints at 12.10pm and 6.30pm at St Anne’s, Belmont. Any queries, phone Fr Michael Rowe  9444 9604.  All welcome.

When: 1 November at St Anne’s Church, 11 Hehir St, Belmont

All Souls

Mass will be celebrated thrice in the Extraordinary Form (Latin) to commemorate All Souls at St Anne’s, Belmont. Low Mass at 12.10pm, again at 12.40pm and Sung Solemn Mass at 6.30pm. There will be Exposition of Blessed Sacrament after 12.40pm Mass till the evening Benediction at 6.05pm. Plenary indulgence under usual conditions is granted to those who visit a church and recite a Pater and Credo

When: 2 November at St Anne’s Church, 11 Hehir St, Belmont

St Bernadette’s, Glendalough

Red, White & Blue Rosary Walk for Chastity

The SBG young adults and the Little Sisters of the Poor have been walking around Lake Monger praying four mysteries of the Rosary for Chastity every First Saturday since May this year. This monthly tradition will continue into November and everyone is welcome to come along and receive the graces.

The Rosary walk around the lake begins at 4pm and is open to every-

one: young people, families, children, the elderly. Enquires and RSVP to st.bernadettesyouth@gmail.com.

When: 3.45 for 4pm start on 6 November. Meeting at Lake Monger at the Powis St carpark.

St Joseph’s, Subiaco

Concert for HOPE

Featuring young emerging artistsThe Western Australian Vocal Ensemble is joined by the Two Cent Professionals for what will be an evening of sublime and suave music-making.

The concert will feature the world premiere of the specially commissioned work by award-winning composer Perry Joyce.

Tickets are $20 at the door but bought online via www.hopeuganda.org.au/ news-events are only $18. The evening will be a treat of classical through jazz to genius contemporary.

All funds go to Hope Uganda, a not for profit organisation that seeks to provide health, opportunity, prosperity and empowerment to Ugandan women. Visit www.hopeuganda.org.au/news-events for more information.

When: 7-9.30pm on 7 November at St Joseph’s Church, 3 Salvado Road, Subiaco.

Knights of the Southern Cross

Young Christian Workers Winery Tour Fundraiser

To raise money for Perth’s Young Christian Workers and Timor Leste Vision, the YCW in partnership with The Knights of the Southern Cross Faith in Action Branch are organising a Swan Valley Winery tour and planning to visit Lancaster Wines, Charlies Estate, Mondo Nougat as well as stop in at Chapel Farm for Mongolian BBQ Lunch. There will

be raffle prizes too. Tickets cost $80 and prepaid bookings are essential (while tickets last).

Email tjkolay@gmail.com quoting ‘Winery’ in subject line.  For all enquiries contact TK - 04127 32329. The tour meeting spot is at East Perth train station at 10am for a 10.15 sharp departure. The the group will return by 5pm. For more information on the causes, visit YCW at http://www.ycw.org.au/ index.html and TLV at http://www.tlv. org.au

When: 10am-5pm on 20 November in the Swan Valley.

Embrace the Grace

Life. Truth. Freedom. ETG.

The annual Perth youth conference affectionately known as ETG will be held in New Norcia in this its seventh year. This year’s theme is “There is no true freedom where life is not welcomed and loved; and there is no fullness of life except in freedom,” taken from Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life).

The promo is out and the event is on Facebook and all youth and young adults over 16 are invited. This year’s conference reflects on everyday experiences of the world and the value of freedom.

It is being organised by the Respect Life Office who have organised key speakers such as Anna Krohn, Jonathon Doyle and Paul Kelly.

The RLO can send digital or paper registration forms by request. Phone 9444 5320 or email respectlife@perthcatholic.org.au to arrange your copy.

When: 8-12 December at New Norcia. Cost $270 but sponsorship is available.

Got an item for At A Glance? Send it to baspinks@therecord.com.au

Natural fertility work inspired UNDA Intern

Continued from Page 1 scientific basis of natural indicators, ovulation method, mucus changes, charting and interpretation and other topics.

“The seminars were designed to encourage open discussion of personal values and principles and determine the level of accurate knowledge regarding anatomy and client interaction,” Amanda said.

Discussion groups, a written assignment and role-playing were all part of the programme.

By doing the course, Amanda became a qualified “Family Life Educator” (FLE) and as part of her internship watched other FLEs give school presentations on the subject.

As part of her internship, Amanda gave six presentations to up to 200 students in Year 9 at Lumen Christi College, Gosnells as part of a health seminar in June this year.

Two months later, she returned to the Gosnells Catholic School as a qualified FLE to present the message of natural fertility awareness to another 200 students at the same school, this time to the Year 10s.

Amanda said teaching the Year 10 students was “intense” and “challenging” because it was hard to tell what they were thinking and because of the questions they asked.

From classroom comment, Amanda noticed that the students were under the impression that the Pill was a “healthy choice”.

signs their body is telling them. By taking the NFP teacher-training programme, Amanda learnt how to use the charting method, which she found “fascinating”.

“I could learn about my body but also [how] to make a more healthy lifestyle,” she said adding that she felt “more in-tune” with her body.

“I was able to keep an eye on my hormone balance and reproductive health.

“I liked how charting the different signs and symptoms of fertility would allow me to see how natural and lifestyle factors were interacting, and contributing to how I was feeling,” she said.

In the classroom, Amanda taught the students that NFS was important, as it would help them understand the changes in their body with their reproductive cycle.

“I tried to get them to realise that everything about them was unique - not just their personality, but their body as well,” she said.

Through the internship, Amanda has become a trained Family Life Educator and is able to go into schools and give school-based and community programmes that promote awareness of sexuality, reproductive health and healthy relationships.

“But I had to teach them that the Pill changes everything: the mucus, the lining of the uterus and ovulation.

“And that’s in tune with where NFS fits in. We want to help people get in tune with the natural

“I’ve always had an interest in sexual health; I knew that sexuality was primary in defining who you were. When I went to the FLE teacher training seminars, they had the same view, that you need to know who you are sexually as part of your identity,” she said.

Amanda is now casually employed at Natural Fertility services as a Family Life Educator, and looking to do honours after she finishes her degree this year.

BY BRIDGET SPINKS

The Vatican’s former top man in charge of mission outreach to children and youth of the world was in Perth last week to thank supporters for their ongoing support.

Fr Patrick Byrne SVD, who for the decade from 1999-2009 was Secretary General for the Pontifical Council of the Holy Childhood Association, is in Australia for two weeks to thank those who have donated to Catholic Mission, the Australian Catholic Bishops’ agency which acts for the Association in this country.

The Association was established in 1843 with a specific agenda to alleviate the suffering of poor and vulnerable children in the world but in Australia it is known as “Children’s Mission”, and operates as part of Catholic Mission.

During his visit to Perth, Fr Byrne spoke to The Record about Girl-Child education before his public lecture with Fr Erasmus Norviewu-Mortty on the same topic at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle on 25 October.

“One of the major aspects of Holy Childhood is Girl education because we know that educating women, educating girls, is going to be very important for the growth of any country for its stability, for its development,” he said.

Among numerous other initiatives, the Holy Childhood Association funds extensive education such as schools in underdeveloped areas throughout the world and is responsible for the education of hundreds of thousands of children annually who otherwise would find it impossible to have access to even basic forms of schooling. Girls are often the

Croatian Church window

The Croatian Church in North Fremantle has embraced Australia’s first official saint with a new stained glass window

A life-like and meticulously hand painted stained glass window honouring Australia’s first saint, Mary MacKillop, has been installed in a church in North Fremantle to celebrate her canonisation.

The windows at St Anne’s Church at the corner of Stirling Highway and Alfred Road are the work of internationally recognised glass artist and master craftsman Kim Fitzpatrick.

“The window has been nine months in the making and the hand-painted and kiln-fired glass has now been pieced together in the new stained glass window and is beautifully hand painted to resemble her likeness,” said Mr Fitzpatrick from North Fremantlebased Tradition Stained Glass.

The magnificent window measures two metres high by half a metre wide and is a stunning piece of classic ecclesiastical work.

“This window will be a lasting legacy for a remarkable Australian woman,” said Mr Fitzpatrick.

The window was commissioned by Father Nikola Cabraja and donated by the friends of the Croatians of Western Australia.

“Mary MacKillop provides an inspiring example to us all on how to live a better life and this element added to the motivation to create this work,” he said.

last to have access to education. In this regard, he said, Australia’s first official Saint, Mary MacKillop, was ahead of her times.

She had, he said, clearly suffered for the advances she wanted to make in education in early Australia.

“Mary MacKillop was very original in her thinking on education. The actual Church didn’t know how to deal with her because she was ahead of her time. And now the Church recognises that, by canonising her. It’s a basic right of everyone to be educated, whether boy or girl,” he said.

As part of his role with the Holy Childhood Association, Fr Byrne represented the Vatican and attended the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Children in 2002, a follow-up conference to the “World Summit of Children” held in 1990.

He said that he agreed with the sentiments of a 14 year old Bolivian girl who asked on the last day whether they would see any action.

“You could ask the same question now, how many things have changed?” he said.

“It is a long process to inculcate everyone with a sense of justice where the education of children and of girls is concerned,” he said.

Currently, Holy Childhood is responsible for over 2,700 projects involving child health clinics, feeding centres, clean water and sanitation systems, pre-schools, primary schools and orphanages run by Catholic missionaries in over 160 developing countries world-wide.

Fr Byrne has recently been elected the Superior General of the Divine Word Missionaries for Britain

The window is believed to be the first in Western Australia to honour the saint who was canonised on 17 October.

“A hundred years on from now, this work will continue to inspire the Croatian community as well as all West Australians,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.

Too often forgotten: Fr Patrick Byrne SVD discusses the plight of the world’s children, particularly those in Third World and developing nations. The former Secretary General of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Holy Childhood Association was in Perth this week to thank those who support the work of the Association.

PHOTO: PETER ROSENGREN

BY BRIDGET SPINKS

The Vatican’s former top man in charge of mission outreach to children and youth of the world was in Perth last week to thank supporters for their ongoing support.

Fr Patrick Byrne SVD, who for the decade from 1999-2009 was Secretary General for the Pontifical Council of the Holy Childhood Association, is in Australia for two weeks to thank those who have donated to Catholic Mission, the Australian Catholic Bishops’ agency which acts for the Association in this country.

The Association was established in 1843 with a specific agenda to alleviate the suffering of poor and vulnerable children in the world but in Australia it is known as “Children’s Mission”, and operates as part of Catholic Mission.

During his visit to Perth, Fr Byrne spoke to The Record about Girl-Child education before his public lecture with Fr Erasmus Norviewu-Mortty on the same topic at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle on 25 October.

“One of the major aspects of Holy Childhood is Girl education because we know that educating women, educating girls, is going to be very important for the growth of any country for its stability, for its development,” he said.

Among numerous other initiatives, the Holy Childhood Association funds extensive education such as schools in underdeveloped areas throughout the world and is responsible for the education of hundreds of thousands of children annually who otherwise would find it impossible to have access to even basic forms of schooling. Girls are often the

The Croatian Church in North Fremantle has embraced Australia’s first official saint with a new stained glass window

A life-like and meticulously hand painted stained glass window honouring Australia’s first saint, Mary MacKillop, has been installed in a church in North Fremantle to celebrate her canonisation.

The windows at St Anne’s Church at the corner of Stirling Highway and Alfred Road are the work of internationally recognised glass artist and master craftsman Kim Fitzpatrick.

“The window has been nine months in the making and the hand-painted and kiln-fired glass has now been pieced together in the new stained glass window and is beautifully hand painted to resemble her likeness,” said Mr Fitzpatrick from North Fremantlebased Tradition Stained Glass.

The magnificent window measures two metres high by half a metre wide and is a stunning piece of classic ecclesiastical work.

“This window will be a lasting legacy for a remarkable Australian woman,” said Mr Fitzpatrick.

The window was commissioned by Father Nikola Cabraja and donated by the friends of the Croatians of Western Australia.

“Mary MacKillop provides an inspiring example to us all on how to live a better life and this element added to the motivation to create this work,” he said.

last to have access to education. In this regard, he said, Australia’s first official Saint, Mary MacKillop, was ahead of her times.

She had, he said, clearly suffered for the advances she wanted to make in education in early Australia.

“Mary MacKillop was very original in her thinking on education. The actual Church didn’t know how to deal with her because she was ahead of her time. And now the Church recognises that, by canonising her. It’s a basic right of everyone to be educated, whether boy or girl,” he said.

As part of his role with the Holy Childhood Association, Fr Byrne represented the Vatican and attended the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Children in 2002, a follow-up conference to the “World Summit of Children” held in 1990.

He said that he agreed with the sentiments of a 14 year old Bolivian girl who asked on the last day whether they would see any action.

“You could ask the same question now, how many things have changed?” he said.

“It is a long process to inculcate everyone with a sense of justice where the education of children and of girls is concerned,” he said.

Currently, Holy Childhood is responsible for over 2,700 projects involving child health clinics, feeding centres, clean water and sanitation systems, pre-schools, primary schools and orphanages run by Catholic missionaries in over 160 developing countries world-wide.

Fr Byrne has recently been elected the Superior General of the Divine Word Missionaries for Britain

The window is believed to be the first in Western Australia to honour the saint who was canonised on 17 October.

“A hundred years on from now, this work will continue to inspire the Croatian community as well as all West Australians,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.

Too often forgotten: Fr Patrick Byrne SVD discusses the plight of the world’s children, particularly those in Third World and developing nations. The former Secretary General of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Holy Childhood Association was in Perth this week to thank those who support the work of the Association.

PHOTO: PETER ROSENGREN

Seeking the God who is seeking you

Scripture and prayer were front and centre for participants in the Seek 2010 Conference hosted by Riverton parish

BY ANITA PARKER

Catholics were urged to seek God with everything they have at a conference in Riverton earlier this month.

Initiated by Perth’s Auxiliary Bishop, Don Sproxton, the Seek 2010 conference took place at the Queen of Apostles Parish on 7 – 9 October focusing on the importance of Scripture and Prayer in everyday life.

Bruce Downes, from Impact Catholic Ministry, opened with the scriptural theme, You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart: Moving beyond the game of ‘hide and seek.’

“If we want God in our life, then we have to be seeking God wholeheartedly” Mr Downes said.

Bishop David Walker, Bishop of Broken Bay Diocese, shared his passion on Lectio Divina and the importance of meditating on the scriptures.

With the focus on Scriptures, the Acts 2 Come Catholic Bible College also arranged with The Bible Society WA for every attend-

ee to receive a Bible as part of their conference package to ensure continued readings of the Scriptures at home.

A dedicated youth night featured a great debate on the question: ‘Is it important to connect with God daily?’

The key message of the night was delivered by Catholic Youth Ministry Director Anita Parker on how young people can connect with God daily through modern technology (Internet and mobile phones) as well as through the more traditional prayers of the Church.

Conference workshops ranged from Mums on the Run (Rosemary Downes), Worship with Music (Nick Dabbs), Traditional Prayer in the Church (Fr Chris Ross), to Prayer in the Family (Stephen and Carmen Court).

Conference organisers strove to provide equal access for deaf and hearing impaired participants with the use of live captioning and Auslan interpreters throughout the conference.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd women provided catechesis for children from 3-13 years old throughout the family conference while a creche was available for people with younger children.

The conference was brought to a close by Fr Nicholas Aazine SVD from Alice Springs with an enthronement ceremony for each participant to make a prayerful commitment to Scripture in their daily lives.

New centre moves closer

Continued from Page 1 and would like to re-establish their relationship with God and the Catholic faith.

Apart from providing programmes and seminars, the centre will also house a library and reading room as well as facilities to develop resources for evangelisation, such as video production, faith formation programmes and web-based evangelisation.

The centre will also aim to assist parishes in their own evangelisation programmes.

Monica Podestà was previously employed by the Museum of Western Australia where she managed volunteers for the Pompeii Exhibition.

She has also spent many years working as a volunteer with the homeless and disadvantaged throughout Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. Ms Podestà is seeking volunteers for each stage of the evangelisation centre’s development. If you are interested in assisting with the setting up phase of the centre, please contact Monica at monica.p@perthcatholic.org.au.

Pope chooses 2012 theme

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope Benedict XVI has chosen “new evangelisation” as the theme for the next world Synod of Bishops in 2012. The Pope said the topic reflects a need to re-evangelise in countries where Christian faith and practice have declined, and where people “have even moved away from the Church.” The Pope made the announcement at the end of his homily at the closing Mass on 24 October for the special Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, which focused on the pastoral challenges of the region.

He said that during the October Synod, Bishops spoke of the “need to offer the Gospel anew to people who do not know it very well. What was often evoked was the need for a new evangelisation for the Middle East as well. This was quite a widespread theme, especially in the countries where Christianity has ancient roots,” he said. The Pope said he chose the next Synod topic, “The new evangelisation for the transmission of the Christian faith,” after consulting with the world’s episcopate. He recently created the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, and has made re-evangelising a main theme of his pontificate.

Catholics, Orthodox seek higher profile

RHODES, Greece (CNS)European Catholic and Orthodox representatives praised a growing awareness of religious rights on their continent and urged governments to allow Churches a more active role in ethical debates. In a joint statement from the Greek island of Rhodes, the representatives said Bishops and theologians at the second Catholic-Orthodox Forum had welcomed the legal protection given to religious rights by Europe’s democratic constitutions, as well as by international instruments such as the 2000 Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Tara Peters, at top, from Impact Catholic Ministry speaks with Jane Borg on How Do You See God, of SEEKs keynote sessions. Catholic Youth Ministry’s Anita Parker, above left, enjoys the moment during a presentation to youth; Impact Ministry’s Bruce Downes addresses the conference, above, and Susan Bates teaches participants how to use AUSLAN sign language for the deaf to sign the prayer of the Our Father. At left, speakers Romano Sala Tenna and Bishop David Walker answer questions.

Ellenbrook a community of busy bees

BY BRIDGET SPINKS

Bishop Donald Sproxton and St Helena’s Catholic primary school parish priest, Fr Francis Nguyen visited the school in Ellenbrook to help staff, families, parents and pupils lay a new garden bed at a Saturday morning busy bee on 23 October.

The garden initiative at the school comes from the Year 3 Classroom Teacher and Society and Environment Coordinator, Gen Felon.

St Helena’s Catholic Primary in Ellenbrook is a Waste Wise School and part of the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative.

Through the Waste Wise WA, Ms Fenlon obtained a small grant for the school and then the support from the school’s P&F Association to cover the extra costs involved.

To augment this, the members of the school community threw their support behind the initiative and donated fruit trees, small plants and seedlings as well as their time and strength at the busy bee.

Ms Fenlon said the garden was important for the pupils as it would help them learn “basic ecological principles first-hand”.

She also said it would spark the children’s “natural curiosity and creativity” as learners and help them “experience the many joys of nature and make connections between Religious Education, Science, Society and Environment, Mathematics and English”.

St Helena’s Principal, Roger Saulsman, said that the develop-

ment of a school garden which contains a compost system and worm farm was an “obvious” and “natural extension” to what the school is currently doing to reduce energy and water usage as well as to produce less waste.

The first stage of installation involved laying the initial foundation for the garden.

This meant clearing the site, fencing off the area, installing the reticulation pipes for the garden beds and fruit trees, laying down weed matting and compacting the crushed gravel walking areas for around the raised garden beds.

Ms Fenlon planned the garden in such a way as to ensure the garden belongs to the whole school community, to optimise the benefits of the garden.

She said she hopes to “integrate the garden into the school community” and weave the learning benefits of the garden through all levels of the curriculum.

“Teaching the children how to live in a more sustainable way is one of the most important lessons we can offer them for the future. In this way, the flow-on effect will go beyond the school fence,” she told The Record

Although these primary school children will not be old enough to attend World Youth Day in Madrid 2011, the theme for next year’s gathering uses the analogy of a garden.

The theme comes from Paul’s letter to the Colossians 2:7 “Planted and Built Up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith”.

Above: Auxilliary Bishop Donald Sproxton joins (L-R) Katrina Bennett, Olivia Croswell and Society and Environment coordinator, Gen Fenlon and the school community at the St Helena’s Catholic Primary School busy bee on 23 October. St Helena’s Ellenbrook first welcomed students in 1999 and the school motto is “Something beautiful for God”. The garden will be officially opened before the end of the year.

Top Left: Alex pulls Ruby along and greets Bishop Don Sproxton at the busy bee. Top Right: Parents enjoy the school community gardening experience. Middle Left: Friends (L-R) Sarah, Abbey, Bryony, Kate, Alanah and Amelie go to school on a Saturday. Middle Right: Tom, Harry and Liam get stuck into the gardening and lend their strength to the project. Below Left: Keisha and Tiffany help out at the busy bee. Below Right: Kate and Abby apply the rake to the gravel with Bishop Donald as they do a spot of gardening.

PHOTOS COURTESY: ST HELENA’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL ELLENBROOK

Ellenbrook a community of busy bees

BY BRIDGET SPINKS

Bishop Donald Sproxton and St Helena’s Catholic primary school parish priest, Fr Francis Nguyen visited the school in Ellenbrook to help staff, families, parents and pupils lay a new garden bed at a Saturday morning busy bee on 23 October.

The garden initiative at the school comes from the Year 3 Classroom Teacher and Society and Environment Coordinator, Gen Felon.

St Helena’s Catholic Primary in Ellenbrook is a Waste Wise School and part of the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative.

Through the Waste Wise WA, Ms Fenlon obtained a small grant for the school and then the support from the school’s P&F Association to cover the extra costs involved.

To augment this, the members of the school community threw their support behind the initiative and donated fruit trees, small plants and seedlings as well as their time and strength at the busy bee.

Ms Fenlon said the garden was important for the pupils as it would help them learn “basic ecological principles first-hand”.

She also said it would spark the children’s “natural curiosity and creativity” as learners and help them “experience the many joys of nature and make connections between Religious Education, Science, Society and Environment, Mathematics and English”.

St Helena’s Principal, Roger Saulsman, said that the develop-

ment of a school garden which contains a compost system and worm farm was an “obvious” and “natural extension” to what the school is currently doing to reduce energy and water usage as well as to produce less waste.

The first stage of installation involved laying the initial foundation for the garden.

This meant clearing the site, fencing off the area, installing the reticulation pipes for the garden beds and fruit trees, laying down weed matting and compacting the crushed gravel walking areas for around the raised garden beds.

Ms Fenlon planned the garden in such a way as to ensure the garden belongs to the whole school community, to optimise the benefits of the garden.

She said she hopes to “integrate the garden into the school community” and weave the learning benefits of the garden through all levels of the curriculum.

“Teaching the children how to live in a more sustainable way is one of the most important lessons we can offer them for the future. In this way, the flow-on effect will go beyond the school fence,” she told The Record

Although these primary school children will not be old enough to attend World Youth Day in Madrid 2011, the theme for next year’s gathering uses the analogy of a garden.

The theme comes from Paul’s letter to the Colossians 2:7 “Planted and Built Up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith”.

Above: Auxilliary Bishop Donald Sproxton joins (L-R) Katrina Bennett, Olivia Croswell and Society and Environment coordinator, Gen Fenlon and the school community at the St Helena’s Catholic Primary School busy bee on 23 October. St Helena’s Ellenbrook first welcomed students in 1999 and the school motto is “Something beautiful for God”. The garden will be officially opened before the end of the year.

Top Left: Alex pulls Ruby along and greets Bishop Don Sproxton at the busy bee. Top Right: Parents enjoy the school community gardening experience. Middle Left: Friends (L-R) Sarah, Abbey, Bryony, Kate, Alanah and Amelie go to school on a Saturday. Middle Right: Tom, Harry and Liam get stuck into the gardening and lend their strength to the project. Below Left: Keisha and Tiffany help out at the busy bee. Below Right: Kate and Abby apply the rake to the gravel with Bishop Donald as they do a spot of gardening.

PHOTOS COURTESY: ST HELENA’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL ELLENBROOK

How serious?

One of the greatest hopes of Christian parenthood and marriage is the prospect of raising children to know God. It is a slow process, a journey, in partnership between two spouses. It has always been fraught with pitfalls and challenges but it has always been a journey of hope. To see children raised who see God as a personal, living reality must surely be one of the true joys of Christian marriage that make all the sufferings experienced well worth the while.

But in Australia today less and less parents experience these joys. The children depart, never to return.

The numeric decline of the Catholic Church in Australia and the well-studied and measured decline in participation in areas such as parish life and Mass attendance is a direct expression of the decline of Catholic marriage and family life. How has this happened? One can form a general but accurate idea by looking at the key formational factors that influence an individual’s attitude to issues such as faith, religious belief and the meaning of life.

In the life of any person, the most important formative influences from the moment of birth are, first, mother and, secondly, father. In their complementarity and unity, both work to raise children materially and spiritually. The goal of Catholic marriage for children is to lead them to an encounter with the living reality of God, by word and by example.

However, in any Australian child’s life, the major influence experienced after parents is television, to which most children are exposed for several hours a day for the rest of their lives. Usually this experience seems to begin at around two years of age.

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At about the age of four children enter formal schooling where they form friendships and experience peer attitudes and pressures.

Peer pressure is a good thing, meant to reinforce good values, but in almost all schools across the nation the peer pressure is that of a secular and moral relativist society that values money and pleasure and a distorted version of personal autonomy above truth, and the concept of authentic freedom balanced by personal responsibilities. Religious faith is regarded as an option by others because it is incomprehensible. It is incomprehensible because it prevents an individual from achieving happiness. Sadly, this is just as true for Catholic schools where the vast majority of families appear to seek affordable private education but are, demographically and in outlook in matters such as faith, indistinguishable from contemporary Australian secular society.

As a child grows in the home, he or she is increasingly shaped less by the concerned influence of parents and more by the fundamental messages of television, the Internet and peer pressure. Of these three, peer relationships are the most powerful because they are personal. Today, one can add mobile phones into the mix of key influences in a young person’s life.

The final major influence is the media in general and the background noise of society that is sometimes described as culture. In the modern era, the media both shapes culture and becomes an expression of it. The media is an extraordinarily powerful communicator of values because its reach is pervasive and it operates ceaselessly. Driven primarily by corporate values, it must also conform to social fashions and fads in order to register the highest possible profit for shareholders at the end of the financial year. In the final analysis it is driven purely by profit and therefore will always conform as far as possible to whatever maximises this.

The problem is that approximately half a century ago all these major influences basically, if only in a vague and implicit kind of way, reinforced and supported the task of parents in building stable marriage and fulfilling families, which included the values they were trying to communicate to their children.

In early 21st century Australia, the key social influences in a child’s life after parents have all, in a very real sense, gone toxic and feral and are on the attack. We wonder why children suffer from anorexia, are sexualised, or participate in gang behaviour of a sexual nature, to name just a few instances of what is now resonably common. Television, the Internet, mobile phones, peer pressure and friendships experienced in school and outside it all powerfully convey values which are directly opposed implictly or explicitly to those of their Christian parents.

All this may sound disheartening or pessimistic but to adopt this attitude would be fundamentally incorrect. Christianity is the business of hope, and it is essential to understand as accurately as possible the key influences which are at work isolating children from the faith and values of parents and of the Church.

If, in effect, parents and Christian marriage have been effectively isolated by a society that has embraced the allure of materialism and morality without responsibility, and sequestered in a way that makes their love and their values seem increasingly irrelevant to their children as they grow older, then the answer to isolation is communion and friendship between families and marriages.

The basic elements for success are simple: solid professional formation and development for parents in the business of marriage and parenting. Every Catholic diocese in Australia worth its salt should make a Diocesan Office for Marriage and Family which is sufficiently resourced to educate and resource parents and marriages, and therefore families, its number one priority. As a Church, we also need to encourage strongly, and formally, a culture of families and family-centred communities of faith rather than relying on organisational structures which are all too often of no discernable use in the context of a corrosive culture and in a battle which is of ideas and values rather than of structures. Such measures are quite simple to enact. Whether we will do so will be sufficient evidence of whether we are really serious.

I say I say A glass of MacKillop red...

By Mark Reidy

You can drink a Mary MacKillop Shiraz, you can eat a cake named after her, you can wear her gold and sapphire encrusted image, you can see a musical on her life, you can even lick the back of her head and stick her on an envelope, but how many people are truly aware of the relationship with her Heavenly Father that founded her very existence?

There are many positive aspects to the secular attention that is being bestowed upon Australia’s first saint, as the publicity generated has reached far beyond the confines of the Catholic Church.

We have her image scattered across the nation, from the Sydney Harbour Bridge to a commemorative gold coin and her tireless, wonderful work with the underprivileged has been promoted in a public square that is more accustomed to negative perceptions of the Church.

These are all great things, however I’m not so sure that Mary herself would be so enthralled by the celebrity-hype surrounding her

Letters to the editor

Thanks to Record readers

Thank you so much to The Record and its readers for your support. The article you ran on Linda’s House of Hope has touched many people (they have phoned and told me so).

We raised $11,000.00 and that took us a mighty amount of pressure off us. While this amount is amazing, we still need more donations to cover the Christmas/New Year period. Once again, thank you very much from the bottom of my heart and I thank every one who responded. Bless you.

Linda Watson

Linda’s House of Hope

Right on, Newman

Correspondence in The Record (29 September) correctly questions the belief that Newman founded the Oxford Movement.

At the beginning of the 19th century, a group of scholars in Oriel College Oxford, outstanding among whom were John Henry Newman, John Keble, Richard Hurrell Froude, Robert Wilberforce and Isaac Williams, began what was to become known as the Oxford Movement. Their aim was to restore the full sacramental life of the Church of England, whose worship had become formal and

canonisation - because it seems that the God that she loved with such passion has been trampled underfoot by the increasingly commercialised stampede.

It could even be argued that within Church circles it has been Mary’s works that have become the primary focus of her earthly life, a concept that I’m sure she would be the first to reject.

To define Mary, or any of the saints recognised by the Church, by their external deeds, is to undermine the very meaning of their existence.

As with all Christians, what we do with our lives is secondary to why we do it. The life of St Theresa of Lisieux, who became a nun at the age of 15, spent the next nine years in a cloistered convent and then died at the age of 24, is no more or less important than the life of Mary MacKillop.

What these two women have in common, however, and what is recognised by the Church, is that they were both obedient to what they believed to be God’s will for them, and they persevered despite the hardships and opposition that they encountered.

That is not to belittle anything that Mary achieved in this world, in fact, it is to acknowledge it with even more honour than she is even now being given, because it was the fulfilment of why God created her. Mary achieved what we are all

sterile and its adherents considerably reduced in numbers.

On 14 July 1822, the Movement officially began with a decision to fight for the Apostolic Succession and the integrity of the Book of Common Prayer. As a result of this initiative, the life of the Church of England was renewed and the monastic life restored. It may be said that the Anglo-Catholic movement began at this time as a counter to the prevailing Protestantism of the preceding three centuries. Anglo- Catholics sincerely believe that the Anglican Church is a true part of the Catholic Church, despite its denial of Papal authority and jurisdiction. Newman, of course, came to the conclusion that this was an illogical position and was received into the Catholic Church in 1845. Many former Anglo-Catholics have taken the same path, myself included.

Fr Geoff Beyer Swanbourne

The Rosary month

I’m sorry it is at the end of the month of the Holy Rosary - October, but may I share a story that really has to be told? It should give more than a little motivation to pray the Rosary and to appreciate more the power of this wonderful prayer. You might call it a Vocations (factual) story as well.

Father William Creede, CSsR is a personal friend of mine who worked some time back from the North Perth Community and now is part of the Kogarah, NSW Redemptorist Community. He has done three Parish Missions for me in two different Parishes. He is a great preacher, retreat giver (especially in demand by Bl Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in many countries, which is a huge compliment in itself), a man of prayer, writer of prose and poetry - plus a ‘wicked’ sense of humour and magic for the children.

He grew up in Brisbane with two brothers and five sisters. His

called to do, to follow the example of Christ and “Seek not my own will, but the will of Him who sent me” (John 5:30).

While Mary undeniably put her whole heart into what she did, no doubt she would have done the same had she determined that God wanted her to marry and raise a family or to clean toilets in a cloistered convent.

We only have to read from the notes preserved by a participant at a retreat presented by Mary to truly understand what drove and sustained her throughout her life:

“Let us place ourselves in the presence of Our God, of Our God Who created us, Our God Who redeemed us, Our God Who sanctified us. Let us bring to this great God all the powers of our minds, our memory, our understanding, our will. Let us humble ourselves before our God, in Whose presence we are not worthy to appear, our Great Creator. We dare not, of ourselves, so much as approach Thee, but, confiding in the merits of our Redeemer, we come to tell Thee that we wish to love Thee, that we wish to please and glorify Thee; we wish to serve Thee faithfully. But in order to do this, we desire to know ourselves, our complete nothingness, our entire dependence on Thee as our first beginning and our last end ...”

It is a prayer all Christians should pray. It could make saints of us all!

mother and father and their eight children migrated from Northern Ireland in the hope that the change in climate might help the mother’s bronchial problems. Every night, the family prayed ten Decades of the Rosary, with each person leading one decade. Liam, who was the youngest of the children, was usually asleep when it came time to lead the tenth decade and needed to be roused from slumber, sometimes in the form of a dig in the ribs. Guess what happened? The five girls all entered Religious Life and the three boys were ordained Priests (two Redemptorists and the other a Vincentian) and all have persevered. There are, of course, many factors in the children answering the call of God but I’m sure that the nightly listening, meditating, and praying about the events in the life of Jesus through the eyes of Mary had a substantial effect.

Like the late, great, John Paul II, the Rosary is “my favourite prayer” too, apart, of course, from the Holy Mass, Holy Breviary and Holy Hours before the Tabernacle. Some may be called to pray even more than the usual five decades per day in these troubled times. Why not aim at 20? I once knew a 90 year old bedridden man who used pray at least eight Rosaries each day. That’s 40 decades. I was always inspired by the gentleness, kindness and positive attitude of this gentleman who has now gone to God.

A final thought. St Louis Simon De Montfort confirms the multiplication of merit when works are done in unison. He says in the Secret of the Rosary: “Someone who says the Rosary alone only gains the merit of one Rosary, but if he says the Rosary together with 30 other people he gains the merit of 30. This is the law of public prayer. How profitable, how advantageous this is!”

Conclusion? Always ask someone to join you in telling the Beads when possible.

Fr Brian Ahearn Dongara

Fundraising Fiesta a precurser to Madrid WYD

BY BRIDGET SPINKS

Fr Roy Pereira, originally from Kuala Lumpur, has been in youth ministry for 35 years.

Since his ordination to the priesthood in Albany in 1998 for the diocese of Bunbury he has been to three WYDs and is conscious that many young people in Perth “have not come to terms” with the fact that it is very expensive to go to Madrid for WYD in 2011.

“They should have started fundraising yesterday in their parish, not today or tomorrow,” he said.

Fr Roy has voluntarily “taken on responsibility for all the young people” who can’t afford to go, including country youth.

The young people have to do their own parish fundraising, but he is offering scholarships to help them out, he said.

By organising fundraising events with the newly formed multiethnic Malayasian-Singaporean Catholic Community of Australia (MSCCA), Fr Roy hopes to be able to subsidise the WYD costs for over 50 young people.

Bishop Donald Sproxton blessed the MSCCA in February this year, and since then the community has organised two fundraising events.

The community’s first event,

held in July, drew a crowd of 650 for an event that catered for 500 and raised $18,000.

The Spring Dance, their second event, was held at Victoria Park on 15 October.

It drew together 600 people from the Perth Archdiocese including Malaysian Consul-General Puan Hamidah Ashari.

Local entertainment was provided by John Paul Youth Ministry who performed an Indian dance.

Country music duo, Virgil and

Colleen Reutens also performed as did retro band, Loose Connections.

Their third MSCCA WYD event is planned for July 2011 at the Perth Convention Centre.

Fr Roy, one of 25 committee members who coordinate these events, hopes to invite 1,000 people mostly from the mining industry and corporate companies to the next event in July 2011 at the Perth Convention Centre.

Local postgraduate software engineering student, Collin Nunis,

24, from Malaysia is a Melkite Catholic and responsible for coordinating the recipients of the MSCCA WYD scholarships.

He said that for Malaysians, going to WYD is a “distant dream”.

“People couldn’t afford to go to past WYDs in Canada and Germany and the diocesan youth ministry didn’t coordinate anything in Malaysia,” he said.

This is why the community in Australia is motivated to send people to WYD, he said.

“Now that a lot of us are in Australia, we’re trying to make that dream a reality for people who have migrated here, for locals and to support some indigenous Australians as well,” Collin said.

Applications are still open for the MSCCA WYD subsidy. If anyone would like to apply, applications close early next year. To apply contact MSCCA chairperson, Soma 0403 536 805 or for more information, visit: www.mscca.org.au.

Grace made Fr Tom Gaine a remarkable Priest

Although he was known, among other things, for calling a spade a spade, Fr Tom Gaine was loved for his willingness and readiness to accept people as they were, neither condemning nor judging. And he was always ready to share with them his love for God and his love of life, writes Elizabeth Brennan in this tribute

In 2002, Winter Has Passed – the story of the life of Fr Thomas Columba Gaine – was published in Perth, Western Australia. The book was a collaboration between myself and Fr Tom, with whom I worked for over 20 years as his Pastoral Associate; a friend of our family since 1979; a friend with whom my family kept close contact after his retirement to Ireland in 2001; a friend who had a remarkable influence on our lives.

In the preface to the book, Fr Tom wrote: “For the past 45 years, I have found happiness and fulfilment in my vocation as a priest of the Catholic Church. I love my God, my Church and its people. I believe the Lord has been very close to me.

“He has guided me through my many trials, pitfalls and temptations as well as the many good times. As I look back today, I am full of a knowing that He has been leading me on, slowly but surely, to become more human and compassionate: as a person first and then as a priest.

“I have come to know, in the winter of my life, that opportunities are given to us every day to learn

something new about ourselves and others. And in this knowing, we find God.

“The command to Take up your cross daily and follow Me is only possible with His assistance. I have learned the wisdom of His advice: Learn of me because I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your soul.”

Fr Tom entered St Kieran’s Seminary in Kilkenny in September 1951 with the knowledge that, after his ordination, he would travel to Perth in Western Australia, a land of which he knew very little.

He was ordained on Sunday, 2 June 1957 and arrived in Perth on 22 November 1957.

On his arrival, Fr Tom met Archbishop Prendiville, a fellow Kerryman. The young Fr Tom was delighted to hear the familiar Kerry accent. The Archbishop’s advice to the young priest stayed with him for over 40 years:

“You may be a great preacher, you may be a learned man, but if you don’t visit your people, forget about it. Get to know your people.”

During a special Mass in 1991 to celebrate Fr Tom’s 40th Anniversary of his Ordination, it was my great privilege to be able to say a few

words of tribute. In doing so, I drew upon some parallels with the Celtic Church, of whom Columba, one of the great Saints of the Celtic Church, prayed:

“Let me do my daily work, gathering seaweed, catching fish, giving to the poor. Let me say my daily prayers, sometimes chanting, sometimes quiet, always thanking God.”

On that special day in which we, the Parish Community of Our Lady of Mercy in Girrawheen, celebrated Fr Tom’s 40th Anniversary of Ordination, we acknowledged that we had gathered together to celebrate another Celtic son: Thomas Columba Gaine; one who, 40 years ago, had left the country of his birth, a country he loved, his mother and three brothers, his friends and loved ones to journey to a strange land.

All he had with him was a deep and abiding love for his God and an utter and complete trust and faith that the hand of his God would guide him.

In time, he came to love his new country with its wide and open spaces, its golden beaches and sparkling seas and developed a deep respect for the land of the Great Spirit. Like his namesake of long ago, he had an adventurous spirit and eagerly set his hand to the plough his God had handed him. As he moved from parish to parish, with his typical openness to life and exuberance and love of his God, he quickly endeared himself to young and old alike.

Although he became known for calling a spade a spade, he was loved for his willingness and readiness to accept people as they were, neither condemning nor judging but always ready to share with them his love for God and his love of life.

As a parish community, we were all happy to have the chance to thank Fr Tom for his authenticity, for being the person and priest he was.

For his dedication and faithfulness to his priesthood; for his willingness to share with us his love of the God of his ancestors, his love of the Mass and the healing power of the Sacraments in a way that spoke to us in a language we understood;

for helping us to find God in our human experiences. We were happy to thank him for sharing with us his wonder and awe of God’s creation, for his reverence for silence and a willingness to listen to God in the depths of our hearts. We thanked him for his sense of justice, for his love of the poor and his boundless generosity. for his love and respect for all people. We thanked him for his willingness to sit with us in our kitchens, celebrating with us in times of gladness and weeping with us in times of sorrow. We were happy to thank him for the respect he showed for our own worth and for giving us the opportunity to discern our own giftedness. And we thanked him for his humility and courage to show his own limitations and idiosyncrasies, his

funny little ways that sometimes drove us up the wall but that we had, nevertheless, grown to love. We thanked him for accepting our own.

In my collaboration with Fr Tom in the writing of Winter Has Passed, I was happy to acknowledge that, in popular parlance, it was not the story of a remarkable man. However, it was the story of a remarkable life. It was – and is – remarkable because it acknowledged a priest who went about his daily life touching the everyday lives of ordinary people. The grace of God is remarkable as it is manifested in the life of ordinary people, ordinary priests, doing ordinary things, empowering others to ‘stay in there’. The gift of life and the grace of Fr Tom Gaine, an ordinary man, made him a remarkable one. May he rest in peace.

Spanish national colours: Around 600 attended the Malaysian-Singaporean Spring Dance gathering on 15 October to raise funds to help send young adults to World Youth Day in Madrid 2011. Fr Roy Pereira, pictured above right, with members of the Malaysian-Singaporean community.

PHOTOS: BRIDGET SPINKS

Fundraising Fiesta a precurser to Madrid WYD

BY BRIDGET SPINKS

Fr Roy Pereira, originally from Kuala Lumpur, has been in youth ministry for 35 years.

Since his ordination to the priesthood in Albany in 1998 for the diocese of Bunbury he has been to three WYDs and is conscious that many young people in Perth “have not come to terms” with the fact that it is very expensive to go to Madrid for WYD in 2011.

“They should have started fundraising yesterday in their parish, not today or tomorrow,” he said.

Fr Roy has voluntarily “taken on responsibility for all the young people” who can’t afford to go, including country youth.

The young people have to do their own parish fundraising, but he is offering scholarships to help them out, he said.

By organising fundraising events with the newly formed multiethnic Malayasian-Singaporean Catholic Community of Australia (MSCCA), Fr Roy hopes to be able to subsidise the WYD costs for over 50 young people.

Bishop Donald Sproxton blessed the MSCCA in February this year, and since then the community has organised two fundraising events.

The community’s first event,

held in July, drew a crowd of 650 for an event that catered for 500 and raised $18,000.

The Spring Dance, their second event, was held at Victoria Park on 15 October.

It drew together 600 people from the Perth Archdiocese including Malaysian Consul-General Puan Hamidah Ashari.

Local entertainment was provided by John Paul Youth Ministry who performed an Indian dance.

Country music duo, Virgil and

Colleen Reutens also performed as did retro band, Loose Connections.

Their third MSCCA WYD event is planned for July 2011 at the Perth Convention Centre.

Fr Roy, one of 25 committee members who coordinate these events, hopes to invite 1,000 people mostly from the mining industry and corporate companies to the next event in July 2011 at the Perth Convention Centre.

Local postgraduate software engineering student, Collin Nunis,

24, from Malaysia is a Melkite Catholic and responsible for coordinating the recipients of the MSCCA WYD scholarships.

He said that for Malaysians, going to WYD is a “distant dream”.

“People couldn’t afford to go to past WYDs in Canada and Germany and the diocesan youth ministry didn’t coordinate anything in Malaysia,” he said.

This is why the community in Australia is motivated to send people to WYD, he said.

“Now that a lot of us are in Australia, we’re trying to make that dream a reality for people who have migrated here, for locals and to support some indigenous Australians as well,” Collin said.

Applications are still open for the MSCCA WYD subsidy. If anyone would like to apply, applications close early next year. To apply contact MSCCA chairperson, Soma 0403 536 805 or for more information, visit: www.mscca.org.au.

Grace made Fr Tom Gaine a remarkable Priest

Although he was known, among other things, for calling a spade a spade, Fr Tom Gaine was loved for his willingness and readiness to accept people as they were, neither condemning nor judging. And he was always ready to share with them his love for God and his love of life, writes Elizabeth Brennan in this tribute

In 2002, Winter Has Passed – the story of the life of Fr Thomas Columba Gaine – was published in Perth, Western Australia. The book was a collaboration between myself and Fr Tom, with whom I worked for over 20 years as his Pastoral Associate; a friend of our family since 1979; a friend with whom my family kept close contact after his retirement to Ireland in 2001; a friend who had a remarkable influence on our lives.

In the preface to the book, Fr Tom wrote: “For the past 45 years, I have found happiness and fulfilment in my vocation as a priest of the Catholic Church. I love my God, my Church and its people. I believe the Lord has been very close to me.

“He has guided me through my many trials, pitfalls and temptations as well as the many good times. As I look back today, I am full of a knowing that He has been leading me on, slowly but surely, to become more human and compassionate: as a person first and then as a priest.

“I have come to know, in the winter of my life, that opportunities are given to us every day to learn

something new about ourselves and others. And in this knowing, we find God.

“The command to Take up your cross daily and follow Me is only possible with His assistance. I have learned the wisdom of His advice: Learn of me because I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your soul.”

Fr Tom entered St Kieran’s Seminary in Kilkenny in September 1951 with the knowledge that, after his ordination, he would travel to Perth in Western Australia, a land of which he knew very little.

He was ordained on Sunday, 2 June 1957 and arrived in Perth on 22 November 1957.

On his arrival, Fr Tom met Archbishop Prendiville, a fellow Kerryman. The young Fr Tom was delighted to hear the familiar Kerry accent. The Archbishop’s advice to the young priest stayed with him for over 40 years:

“You may be a great preacher, you may be a learned man, but if you don’t visit your people, forget about it. Get to know your people.”

During a special Mass in 1991 to celebrate Fr Tom’s 40th Anniversary of his Ordination, it was my great privilege to be able to say a few

words of tribute. In doing so, I drew upon some parallels with the Celtic Church, of whom Columba, one of the great Saints of the Celtic Church, prayed:

“Let me do my daily work, gathering seaweed, catching fish, giving to the poor. Let me say my daily prayers, sometimes chanting, sometimes quiet, always thanking God.”

On that special day in which we, the Parish Community of Our Lady of Mercy in Girrawheen, celebrated Fr Tom’s 40th Anniversary of Ordination, we acknowledged that we had gathered together to celebrate another Celtic son: Thomas Columba Gaine; one who, 40 years ago, had left the country of his birth, a country he loved, his mother and three brothers, his friends and loved ones to journey to a strange land.

All he had with him was a deep and abiding love for his God and an utter and complete trust and faith that the hand of his God would guide him.

In time, he came to love his new country with its wide and open spaces, its golden beaches and sparkling seas and developed a deep respect for the land of the Great Spirit. Like his namesake of long ago, he had an adventurous spirit and eagerly set his hand to the plough his God had handed him. As he moved from parish to parish, with his typical openness to life and exuberance and love of his God, he quickly endeared himself to young and old alike.

Although he became known for calling a spade a spade, he was loved for his willingness and readiness to accept people as they were, neither condemning nor judging but always ready to share with them his love for God and his love of life.

As a parish community, we were all happy to have the chance to thank Fr Tom for his authenticity, for being the person and priest he was.

For his dedication and faithfulness to his priesthood; for his willingness to share with us his love of the God of his ancestors, his love of the Mass and the healing power of the Sacraments in a way that spoke to us in a language we understood;

for helping us to find God in our human experiences. We were happy to thank him for sharing with us his wonder and awe of God’s creation, for his reverence for silence and a willingness to listen to God in the depths of our hearts. We thanked him for his sense of justice, for his love of the poor and his boundless generosity. for his love and respect for all people. We thanked him for his willingness to sit with us in our kitchens, celebrating with us in times of gladness and weeping with us in times of sorrow. We were happy to thank him for the respect he showed for our own worth and for giving us the opportunity to discern our own giftedness. And we thanked him for his humility and courage to show his own limitations and idiosyncrasies, his

funny little ways that sometimes drove us up the wall but that we had, nevertheless, grown to love. We thanked him for accepting our own.

In my collaboration with Fr Tom in the writing of Winter Has Passed, I was happy to acknowledge that, in popular parlance, it was not the story of a remarkable man. However, it was the story of a remarkable life. It was – and is – remarkable because it acknowledged a priest who went about his daily life touching the everyday lives of ordinary people. The grace of God is remarkable as it is manifested in the life of ordinary people, ordinary priests, doing ordinary things, empowering others to ‘stay in there’. The gift of life and the grace of Fr Tom Gaine, an ordinary man, made him a remarkable one. May he rest in peace.

Spanish national colours: Around 600 attended the Malaysian-Singaporean Spring Dance gathering on 15 October to raise funds to help send young adults to World Youth Day in Madrid 2011. Fr Roy Pereira, pictured above right, with members of the Malaysian-Singaporean community.

PHOTOS: BRIDGET SPINKS

Bevelled edge glass plaque

Bi-fold religious plaque

Woodgrain look hanging plaque $14.95$5.95 $11.95 $6.95$7.95 Pass by The Record Bookshop to find more St Mary of of books, cds, dvds, clothi

Celebrating St Mary of Tri votive candleholder

Visor

WEEKLYEDITION Unicuiquesuum INENGLISH Nonpraevalebunt

LettertoSeminarians

Theworldneedspriests

God's presence

GIOVANNI MARIA VIAN

DowestillneedSaintsandpriests?

ItwasBenedict XVI whoaskedthis questioninthecontextoftheCanonizationsatwhichhepresidedinSt Peter'sSquareandinhisLetterto Seminarians.

And it isa radical questionbecause itconcernsGod'spresenceinthe world.ThesixSaintsproclaimedby thePope–amongthemfourwomen,includingthefirstAustralian, MaryMacKillop, atrulyexceptional andcourageousleader–understood it,lettingthispresenceshineoutin allitssplendour.

InthedarknessoftheNazifury, peoplewereconvincedthatinthe newGermanypriestswouldno longerbeneeded,asBenedict XVI remindedtheseminarians.Hesaid soinadirectandimportanttext thatisnotaddressedexclusivelyto thosepreparingforthepriesthood becauseitspeaksoffaithasinthe verseofLuke'sGospel(18:8),on whichthePopecommentedinthe Massforthecanonizations:“When theSonofMancomes,willhefind faithonearth?”.

ThetoneofBenedict XVI'sLetter isonceagainalmostconfidentialand letsaprofoundpersonalexperience shineout.Inthefaceoftheconvictionthatpriestsbelongtothepast, thePopeanswersthat,onthecontrary,todaytoothereisaneedfor them,thatis,aspeoplewhoexist “toservehimandbringhimtoothers”.Infact,“lifegrowsempty”if Godisnolongerperceived.Thisis whybecomingpriestsisworthwhile, onajourneythatonedoesnotmake alone–thisisthewisdomofthe Seminary–butinacommunity.

Benedict XVI describesthepriest asessentially“amanofGod”.However,heisamanwhoisnotsome strangerwholeftthesceneafterthe “bigbang”butrather,onewho showedhimselfinJesus,theGod whoisclosetous.Andthepriest, whoisnotjustanykindofadministrator,ishismessenger.Forthisreasonthepriestmust“neverlose[his] innerclosenesstoGod”:soitisin thissense,thePopeexplains,that theLord'sexhortationto“prayconstantly”shouldbeunderstood.

CONTINUEDONPAGE 2

MenwillalwaysneedGodandGodwillalwaysneedmento speakabouthimonearth;thisiswhytodayitstillmakessense toenterintothepriesthood.Benedict XVI elaboratesthisideain hisLettertoSeminariansincelebrationoftheFeastofSt

DearSeminarians, WheninDecember1944Iwas draftedformilitaryservice,thecompanycommanderaskedeachofuswhat weplannedtodointhefuture.Ian-

LuketheEvangelist,18October.ThePoperemindsthemofthe sufferingoftheabusevictims,andreiteratesthateventhough theseactsarereprehensible,nevertheless,theyshouldnot discreditthepriestlymission,whichremains“greatandpure”.

sweredthatIwantedtobecomea Catholicpriest.Thelieutenantreplied: “Thenyououghttolookforsomethingelse.InthenewGermanypriests arenolongerneeded”.Iknewthat this“newGermany”wasalreadycomingtoanend,andthat,afterthe enormousdevastationwhichthatmadnesshadbroughtuponthecountry, priestswouldbeneededmorethanever.Todaythesituationiscompletely changed.Indifferentways,though, manypeoplenowadaysalsothinkthat theCatholicpriesthoodisnota“job” forthefuture,butonethatbelongs moretothepast.You,dearfriends, havedecidedtoentertheseminary

PopewelcomesnewmembersintotheCommunionofSaints

Acelebrationof Sainthood

KnowingandlovingGod

AttheGeneralAudienceonWednesday,13October,theHolyFathercommentedonthemedievalmysticBlessedAngelaofFoligno. Acarefreewifeandmother,whoaftertragiceventsandsuffering, wasleadtoadecisivemomentofconversion.

HolyFather's‘MotuProprio’ Ubicumqueetsemper

ApostolicLetterestablishingthePontifical CouncilforPromotingtheNewEvangelization wasreleased12October,whichdemandsthe renewalofthespirittospreadtheGospel.

andtoprepareforpriestlyministryin theCatholicChurchinspiteofsuch opinionsandobjections.Youhave doneagoodthing.Becausepeoplewill alwayshaveneedofGod,eveninan agemarkedbytechnicalmasteryof theworldandglobalization:theywill alwaysneedtheGodwhohasrevealed himselfinJesusChrist,theGodwho gathersustogetherintheuniversal Churchinordertolearnwithhimand throughhimlife'struemeaningandin ordertoupholdandapplythestandardsoftruehumanity.Wherepeople nolongerperceiveGod,lifegrows empty;nothingiseverenough.People thenseekescapeineuphoriaandviolence;thesearetheverythingsthatincreasinglythreatenyoungpeople.God isalive.Hehascreatedeveryoneofus andheknowsusall.Heissogreat thathehastimeforthelittlethingsin ourlives:“Everyhairofyourheadis numbered”.Godisalive,andheneeds peopletoservehimandbringhimto others.Itdoesmakessensetobecome apriest:theworldneedspriests,pastors,today,tomorrowandalways,untiltheendoftime.

Theseminaryisacommunityjourneyingtowardspriestlyministry.I havesaidsomethingveryimportant here:onedoesnotbecomeaprieston one'sown.The“communityofdisciples”isessential,thefellowshipof thosewhodesiretoservethegreater Church.InthisletterIwouldliketo pointout–thinkingbacktomyown timeintheseminary–severalelementswhichIconsiderimportantfor theseyearsofyourjourneying.

1.Anyonewhowishestobecomea priestmustbefirstandforemosta “manofGod”,tousetheexpressionof StPaul(1Tim6:11).ForusGodis notsomeabstracthypothesis;heisnot somestrangerwholeftthesceneafter the“bigbang”.GodhasrevealedhimselfinJesusChrist.InthefaceofJesus ChristweseethefaceofGod.Inhis wordswehearGodhimselfspeaking tous.Itfollowsthatthemostimportantthinginourpathtowardspriesthoodandduringthewholeofour priestlylivesisourpersonalrelationshipwithGodinJesusChrist.The priestisnottheleaderofasortofassociationwhosemembershiphetriesto maintainandexpand.HeisGod's messengertohispeople.Hewantsto leadthemtoGodandinthiswayto fosterauthenticcommunionbetween allmenandwomen.Thatiswhyitis soimportant,dearfriends,thatyou learntoliveinconstantintimacywith God.WhentheLordtellsusto“pray constantly”,heisobviouslynotasking ustoreciteendlessprayers,buturging usnevertoloseourinnerclosenessto God.Prayingmeansgrowinginthis intimacy.Soitisimportantthatour dayshouldbeginandendwithprayer; thatwelistentoGodastheScriptures

Benedict XVI'sGeneralAudienceCatechesis

AUDIENCES

Monday11October

ArchbishopJosephWilliamTobin, CSSR,titular ArchbishopofObba,SecretaryoftheCongregationforInstitutesofConsecratedLifeandSocieties ofApostolicLife,withhisrelatives

ArchbishopGiorgioLingua,titular ArchbishopofTuscania,Apostolic NuncioinJordanandinIraq,withhis relatives

BishopIgnacioCarrascodePaula, titularBishopofThapsus,Presidentof

VATICAN BULLETIN

thePontificalAcademyforlife,with hisrelatives

BishopEnricodalCovolo, SDB,titularBishopofEraclea,RectorMagnificentofthePontificalLateranUniversity,withhisrelatives

Wednesday,13October

CardinalJoachimMeisner,ArchbishopofCologne

RabbiDavidRosen,Consultantto theChiefRabbinateofIsraelandDirectoroftheDepartmentforInterreligiousAffairsoftheAmericanJewish CommitteeandHeilbrunnInstitutefor

God'spresence

CONTINUEDFROMPAGE 1

Butinpracticehow?Bybeginning andendingthedaywithprayer,by readingandlisteningtoScripture, becomingawareofourerrorsbutalsoofallthebeautyandgoodness;by celebratingtheEucharistandunderstandinghowtheChurch'sLiturgy hasdevelopedintime,andhowit hasbeenshapedbycountlessgenerationsinanuninterruptedcontinuity; byhumblyreceivingthesacramentof Penanceinorderto“resistthecoarseningofoursouls”.

WhatBenedict XVI describesinthe Letter–withindicationsthatdeserve attentiononaccountoftheirsimplicityandwisdom–istrulyaprogrammeforthepriestbutusefulto everybeliever.Itrecommendssensitivitytopopularpietyandatthe sametimeshowstheimportanceof study,whichisnothingotherthan theattempt“tounderstandandappreciatetheinternalstructureofthe faith”,throughfamiliaritywithScrip-

tureinitsunity.Thisisachieved throughknowledgeoftheFathers andthroughtheimportantCouncils, anin-depthexaminationofthevariousbranchesoftheology,withanorientationtothegreatreligions,the studyofphilosophyandcanonlaw, definedasthe“conditionoflove”, withcouragethatgoesagainstthe tide.

Itwastobeexpectedthattheattentionofthemediawouldonce againfocusonwhatthePopewrites aboutthescandalofthesexualabuse ofchildrenandyoungpeopleby priests.ButBenedict XVI wentfurther bystressingthatthedimensionof sexualitymustbeintegratedwithin theperson,forotherwiseit“becomes banalanddestructive”.Astheinnumerableexamplesofauthenticpriests –andSaints–show,whoareconvincingforthisveryreason;aboveall byradiatingthelightofGodwhoillumineseveryhumanbeing.

G M V

InternationalInterreligiousUnderstanding.

Thursday,14October

MrMuhammadal-Sammak,PoliticalCounselloroftheGrandMuftiof Lebanon,forSunniIslam;andMrAyatollahSeyedMostafaMohagheghAhmadabadi,Ph.D.,Professoratthe ShahidBeheshtiUniversityofTeheran, Iran,andaMemberoftheIranian AcademyofSciencesforShiiteIslam

Saturday,16October

CardinalMarcOuellet, PSS,Prefect oftheCongregationforBishops

CardinalStanisławDziwisz,ArchbishopofKrakow,Poland,withArchbishopJózefMichalikofPrzemyślfor Latins,PresidentofthePolishBishops' Conference,withBishopStanisław Budzik,titularBishopofHólar,AuxiliaryofTarnów,Poland,GeneralSecretaryofthesameBishops'Conference, andwithArchbishopKazimierzNycz ofWarsaw

H.E.MrBronisławKomorowski, PresidentoftheRepublicofPoland, withhiswifeandentourage

MaestroEnochzuGuttenberg,conductor,withhisrelatives

CHANGESIN EPISCOPATE

TheHolyFatheracceptedtheresig-

nationofCardinalSeverinoPolettoas ArchbishopofTurin,Italy.Itwaspresentedinaccordwithcan.401§1of theCodeofCanonLaw(11Oct.).

TheHolyFatherappointedasArchbishopofTurin,ArchbishopCesare Nosiglia.UntilnowhehasbeenArchbishop-BishopofVicenza(11Oct.).

Archbishop-BishopNosiglia,66,was borninRossiglione,Italy.HeholdslicencesintheologyandinSacredScripture.Hewasordainedaprieston29 June1968.HewasordainedaBishopon 14September1991,subsequenttohisappointmentastitularBishopofVictoriana. HewasalsoVicegerentofRome,withthe personaltitleofArchbishop,andwas transferredtotheDioceseofVicenzain 2003.

TheHolyFatherappointedasArchbishopofSanAntonio,UnitedStates ofAmerica,BishopGustavoGarciaSiller, MSpS.UntilnowhehasbeentitularBishopofOescusandAuxiliaryof Chicago(14Oct.).

BishopGarcia-Siller,53,wasbornin SanLuisPotosí,Mexcico.Hemadehis firstprofessionfortheCongregationof theMissionariesoftheHolySpiritand wasordainedaprieston22June1984. HewasordainedaBishopon19March 2003,subsequenttohisappointmentas titularBishopofOescusandAuxiliaryof Chicago.

Benedict XVI speaksaboutAngelaofFolignoattheGeneralAudience

Godhasthousandsofwaystomakehimself knownandloved

OnWednesday,13October,atthe GeneralAudienceinStPeter'sSquare theHolyFathercommentedonBlessed AngelaofFoligno,a13th-centurymystic. Thefollowingisatranslationofthe Pope'sCatechesis,whichwasgivenin Italian.

DearBrothersandSisters,

TodayIwouldliketospeaktoyou aboutBlessedAngelaofFoligno,a greatmedievalmysticwholivedinthe 13thcentury.Peopleareusuallyfascinatedbytheconsummateexperience ofunionwithGodthatshereached, butperhapstheygivetoolittleconsideration toherfirststeps,herconversion andthelongjourneythatledfromher starting point, the “great fear ofhell”, to hergoal,totalunionwiththeTrinity.

ThefirstpartofAngela'slifewas certainlynotthatofaferventdisciple oftheLord.Shewasbornintoawellofffamilyinabout1248.Herfather diedandshewasbroughtupina somewhatsuperficialmannerbyher mother.Shewasintroducedata ratheryoungageintotheworldlycirclesofthetownofFoligno,whereshe metamanwhomshemarriedatthe ageof20andtowhomsheborechildren.Herlifewassocarefreethatshe wasevencontemptuousoftheso-called “penitents”,whoaboundedinthatperiod;theywerepeoplewho,inorderto followChrist,soldtheirpossessionsand livedinprayer,fasting,inserviceto theChurchandincharity.

Certainevents,suchastheviolent earthquakein1279,ahurricane,the endlesswaragainstPerugiaandits harshconsequences,affectedthelifeof Angelawholittlebylittlebecame awareofhersins,untilshetookadecisivestep.In1285shecalleduponSt Francis,whoappearedtoherinavisionandaskedhisadviceonmakinga goodgeneralConfession.Shethen wenttoConfessionwithaFriarinSan Feliciano.

Threeyearslater,onherpathof conversionshereachedanotherturning point:shewasreleasedfromanyemotionalties.Inthespaceofafew months,hermother'sdeathwasfollowedbythedeathofherhusband andthoseofallherchildren.She thereforesoldherpossessionsandin 1291enrolledintheThirdOrderofSt Francis.ShediedinFolignoon4January1309.

TheBookofVisionsandInstructions ofBlessedAngelaofFoligno,inwhich isgatheredthedocumentationonour Blessed,tellsthestoryofthisconversionandpointsoutthenecessary means:penance,humilityandtribulation;anditrecountsthesteps,Angela's successiveexperienceswhichbeganin 1285.

Rememberingthemaftershehad experiencedthem,Angelathenendeavouredtorecountthemthrough herFriarconfessor,whofaithfullytranscribedthem,seekinglatertosort themintostages–whichhecalled “stepsormutations”–butwithout managingtoputthementirelyinorder(cf. IlLibrodellabeataAngelada Foligno, CiniselloBalsamo1990,p. 51).

ThiswasbecauseforBlessedAngela theexperienceofunionmeantthetotalinvolvementofboththespiritual andphysicalsensesandshewasleft withonlya“shadow”inhermind,as itwere,ofwhatshehad“understood” duringherecstasies.

“Itrulyheardthesewords”,she confessedafteramysticalecstasy,but itisinnowaypossibleformetoknow ortellofwhatIsawandunderstood, orofwhathe[God]showedme,althoughIwouldwillinglyrevealwhatI understoodwiththewordsthatI heard,butitwasanabsolutelyineffableabyss”.

AngelaofFolignopresentedher mystical“life”,withoutelaboratingon itherselfbecausetheseweredivineilluminationsthatwerecommunicated suddenlyandunexpectedlytohersoul. HerFriarconfessortoohaddifficulty inreportingtheseevents,“partlybecauseofhergreatandwonderfulreserveconcerningthedivinegifts”(ibid., p.194).InadditiontoAngela'sdifficultyinexpressinghermysticalexperiencewasthedifficultyherlisteners

Asshewastosay:only“trueand purelove,thatcomesfromGod,isin thesoulandensuresthatonerecognizesone'sownshortcomingsandthe divinegoodness....Suchlovebringsthe soultoChristanditunderstandswith certaintythatinhimnodeceptioncan befoundorcanexist.Noparticleof worldlylovecanbemingledwiththis love”(ibid., p.124-125).

Thismeantopeningherselfsolely andtotallytoGod'slovewhosegreatestexpressionisinChrist:“Omy God”sheprayed,“makemeworthyof knowingtheloftiestmysterythatyour mostardentandineffablelovebrought aboutforoursake,togetherwiththe loveoftheTrinity,inotherwordsthe loftiestmysteryofyourmostholyIncarnation....Oincomprehensiblelove! Thereisnogreaterlovethanthislove

myliberationfromsinsandfromhell andconversiontopenancewasfar greater,orhiscrucifixionforme” (ibid., n.41).

Thiswastheprecariousbalancebetweenloveandsuffering,thatshefelt throughoutherarduousjourneytowardsperfection.Forthisveryreason shepreferredtocontemplateChrist Crucified,becauseinthisvisionshe sawtheperfectbalancebroughtabout. OntheCrosswastheman-God,ina supremeactofsufferingwhichwasa supremeactoflove.Inthethird Instruction theBlessedinsistedonthis contemplationanddeclared:“The moreperfectlyandpurelywesee,the moreperfectlyandpurelywelove.... ThereforethemoreweseetheGod andman,JesusChrist,themorewe aretransformedinhimthroughlove.... foundinunderstandingher. Itwasasituationwhich showedclearlythattheone trueTeacher,Jesus,dwells intheheartofeverybelieverandwantstotaketotal possessionofit.Soitwas withAngela,whowroteto aspiritualson:“Myson,if youweretoseemyheart youwouldbeabsolutely obligedtodoeverything Godwants,becausemy heartisGod'sheartand God'sheartismine”.Here StPaul'swordsringout: “ItisnolongerIwholive, butChristwholivesinme” (Gal2:20).

Letusthenconsideronly a few “steps” ofour Blessed's richspiritualjourney.The first,infact,isanintroduction:“Itwastheknowledge ofsin”,assheexplained, “afterwhichmysoulwas deeplyafraidofdamnation; inthisstageIshedbitter tears”(IlLibrodellabeata AngeladaFoligno, p.39). This“dread”ofhellcorrespondstothetypeoffaith thatAngelahadatthe timeofher“conversion”;it wasafaithstillpoorin charity,thatis,inloveof God.Repentance,thefear ofhellandpenanceunfoldedtoAngelatheprospect ofthesorrowful“Wayof theCross”,whichfromthe eighthtothe15thstages wastoleadhertothe“way oflove”.

HerFriarconfessorrecounted:“The faithfulwomanthentoldme:Ihave hadthisdivinerevelation:‘afterthe thingsyouhavewritten,writethat anyonewhowishestopreservegrace mustnotlifttheeyesofhissoulfrom theCross,eitherinthejoyorinthe sadnessthatIgrantorpermithim’” (ibid., p.143).However,inthisphase Angela“didnotyetfeellove”.She said:“Thesoulfeelsshameandbitternessanddoesnotyetfeellovebutsuffering”(ibid., p.39),andisunrequited.

AngelafeltsheshouldgivesomethingtoGodinreparationforhersins, butslowlycametorealizethatshehad nothingtogivehim,indeed,thatshe “wasnothing”beforehim.Sheunderstoodthatitwouldnotbeherwillto giveherGod'slove,forherwillcould giveonlyherown“nothingness”,her “non-love”.

WhatIsaidoflove...Ialso sayofsuffering:themore thesoulcontemplatesthe ineffablesufferingofthe GodandmanJesusChrist themoresorrowfulitbecomesandistransformed throughsuffering”(ibid., p. 190-191).Thus,unifying herselfwithandtransformingherselfintotheloveand sufferingofChrist Crucified, shewasidentifyingherself withhim.

Angela'sconversion, whichbeganfromthat Confessionin1285,wasto reachmaturityonlywhen God'sforgivenessappeared tohersoulasthefreelygivengiftoftheloveofthe Father,thesourceoflove: “Noonecanmakeexcuses”,shesaid,“becauseanyonecanloveGodandhe doesnotaskthesoulfor morethantolovehim,becausehelovesthesouland itishislove”(ibid., p.76).

OnAngela'sspiritual journeythetransitionfrom conversiontomysticalexperience,fromwhatcanbe expressedtotheinexpressible,tookplacethroughthe CrucifiedOne.Heisthe “God-manofthePassion”, whobecameher“teacher ofperfection”.

Thewholeofhermysticalexperience,therefore, consistedinstrivingfora perfect“likeness”withhim, thatbroughtmyGodtobecomeman inordertomakemeGod”(ibid., p. 295).However,Angela'sheartalways borethewoundsofsin;evenaftera goodConfessionshewouldfindherself forgivenandyetstillstrickenbysin, freeandyetconditionedbythepast, absolvedbutinneedofpenance.

Andthethoughtofhellaccompaniedhertoo,forthegreaterthe progressthesoulmadeonthewayof Christianperfection,themoreconvinceditisnotonlyofbeing“unworthy”butalsodeservingofhell.

Andsoitwasthatonthismystical journeyAngelaunderstoodthecentral realityinaprofoundway:whatwould saveherfromher“unworthiness”and from“deservinghell”wouldnotbeher “unionwithGod”orherpossessionof the“truth”butJesusCrucified,“his crucifixionforme”,hislove.

Intheeighthstep,shesaid,“However,Ididnotyetunderstandwhether

througheverdeeperandevermore radicalpurificationsandtransformations.Angelathrewherwholeself, bodyandsoul,intothisstupendous undertaking,neversparingherselfof penanceandsuffering,frombeginning toend,desiringtodiewithallthesorrowssufferedbytheGod-mancrucified inordertobetotallytransformedin him.

“OchildrenofGod”,sherecommended,“transformyourselvestotally intheman-Godwhosolovedyouthat hechosetodieforyouamostignominiousandalltogetherunutterably painfuldeath,andinthemostpainful andbitterestway.Andthiswassolely forloveofyou, O man!” (ibid.,p. 247).

ThisidentificationalsomeantexperiencingwhatJesushimselfexperienced:poverty,contemptandsorrow, because,asshedeclared,“through

Benedict XVI tothenewAmbassadorofChile

Consolidatinganational identitymarkedby Catholicsentiment

OnThursday,9October,HisHolinessBenedict XVI receivedH.E.MrFernando ZegersSantaCruz,AmbassadorofChiletotheHolySee,inhisPrivateLibraryfor thepresentationofhisLettersofCredence.Thefollowingisatranslationofthe SpanishtextofthePope'sAddresstothenewambassador.

MrAmbassador,

Iampleasedtoreceiveyou,Your Excellency,atthissolemnceremonyin whichyoupresenttometheLetters accreditingyouasAmbassadorExtraordinaryandPlenipotentiaryof ChiletotheHolySee.Iwishtoexpresstoyoumymostcordialwelcome. AtthesametimeIthankyouforthe wordsofgreetingfromH.E.DrSebastiánPiñeraEchenique,Presidentofthe Republic,andfromhisGovernment.

YourpresenceattheHolySee, YourExcellency,vividlyremindsmeof acountrywhichalthoughitisgeographicallyfarfromhere,isveryclose tomyheart,especiallysincetherecent devastatingearthquake.

FromtheveryfirstmomentIwantedtoexpressmyclosenesstothe Chileanpeopleand,throughCardinal TarcisioBertone'svisit,mySecretary ofState,Iconveyedmycomfortand hopetothevictims,totheirfamilies andtothemanyinjured,whomIkeep verypresentinmyprayers.NordoI forgettheminersoftheAtacamaregionandtheirlovedones,forwhomI prayfervently.

InthisregardIwouldliketoemphasizetheimportanceoftheunityof theChileanpeopleinthefaceofdisaster,oftheirmostgenerousandsupportiveresponsewhensufferingworsensand,likewise,fortheimmenseeffortthattheCatholicChurchinChile –manyofwhosecommunitieshavealsobeensorelytriedbytheearthquake –ismakingtohelpthosewhoaremost inneed.

YourExcellency,youarebeginning yourmissiontotheHolySeeinthe veryyearinwhichChileiscelebrating theBicentenaryofit'sIndependence.

Thisaffordsmetheopportunityto pointoutonceagaintheroleofthe Churchinyourcountry'smostimportantevents,aswellasintheconsolidationofanationalidentityofitsown, deeply marked by Catholic sentiment.

ThefruitsthattheGospelhasyieldedinthisblessedlandareverynumerous;abundantfruitsofholiness,charity,humanadvancement,oftheconstantsearchforpeaceandpeacefulcoexistence.InthisregardIwishtorecallthecelebrationlastyearofthe 25thanniversaryofthesigningofthe TreatyofPeaceandFriendshipwith thesisterNationofArgentinawhich, withPapalmediation,putanendto thesoutherndisagreement.ThishistoricAccordwillremainforthegenerationstocomeasashiningexampleof theimmensegoodthatpeacebrings,as wellastheimportanceofsafeguarding andfosteringthosemoralandreligious valuesthatconstitutethedeepestfabricofapeople'ssoul.

Onecannotclaimtoexplainthetriumphofthislongingforpeace,harmonyandunderstanding,ifonefailsto realizehowdeeplyinscribedin Chilean hearts is the seedoftheGospel.

Inthisregard,itisimportant–especiallyinthepresentcircumstancesin whichsomanychallengesthatthreatenculturalidentitymustbefaced–to encourageespeciallyamongyoung people,ahealthypride,arenewedappreciationandre-evaluationoftheir faith,theirhistory,theirculture,their traditionsandartisticwealth,andof allthatconstituteChile'sgreatestand richestspiritualandhuman patrimony.

InthiscontextIwouldliketoemphasizethatalthoughtheChurchand theStateareautonomousandinde-

AMBASSADOR ZEGERS SANTA CRUZ

H.E.MrFernandoZegersSantaCruz,78,ismarriedwithfourchildren.He holdsadegreeinlawandthetitleofAdvocate.Hewasvice-editortheneditor-in-chiefof E!Diarioillustrado (1960-63)andbothlecturerandco-founder oftheSchoolofJournalismattheCatholicUniversity.Hebeganhisdiplomaticcareerin1964attheMinistryforForeignAffairs,servingasminister-counsellorinBrazil(1965-66),as“alternate”representativetotheUN(1968-71) andasPresidentoftheChileanDelegationattheThirdUNConferenceon MaritimeLaw(1968-1982).

HewasdirectorofAndrésBelloDiplomaticAcademy,(1986-90),Delegate onspecialmissiontotheUNAssembly(1972,1973,1975),Directorofthe DepartmentoftheForeignMinistryforpropagatingChileancultureabroad (1973)andambassadoronspecialmissioninNicaragua(1974).Hewasalso “alternate”ambassadortotheUNinGeneva(1974-76)andPresidentofthe ChileanDelegationfortheAntarticTreatyandtheAntarticSystem(197589),aswellasambassadorinBrazil(1978-81),DirectorGeneralofForeign Affairs(1981-83)ambassadortoSpain(1984-86);DirectoroftheAntarticInstituteofChile(1990-91)andambassadortoAustralia(1992-96).Since1996 hehasbeenEditor-in-chiefofthedaily ElMercurio.

pendentofeachotherintheirown fields,nevertheless,botharecalledto collaborateinaloyalandrespectful waytoservethepersonalandsocial vocationofpeoplethemselves(cf. GaudiumetSpes, n.76).

InthefulfilmentofherspecificmissiontoproclaimtheGoodNewsofJesusChrist,theChurchseekstorespond totheexpectationsandquestionsof menandwomen,relyingonthefundamentalvaluesandanthropological

God'swaystomakehimselfknownandloved

CONTINUEDFROMPAGE 3

temporalpovertythesoulwillfind eternalriches;throughcontemptand shameitwillobtainsupremehonour andverygreatglory;throughalittle penance,madewithpainandsorrow, itwillpossesswithinfinitesweetness andconsolationtheSupremeGood, EternalGod”(ibid., p.293).

Fromconversiontomysticunion withChristCrucified,totheinexpressible.Averyloftyjourney,whose secretisconstantprayer.“Themore youpray”,shesaid,“themoreilluminedyouwillbeandthemoreprofoundlyandintenselyyouwillseethe supremeGood,thesupremelygood Being;themoreprofoundlyandintenselyyouseehim,themoreyou willlovehim;themoreyoulovehim themorehewilldelightyou;andthe morehedelightsyou,thebetteryou willunderstandhimandyouwill becomecapableofunderstanding him.Youwillthenreachthefullness of light,for you will understand

thatyoucannotunderstand”(ibid., p. 184).

Dearbrothersandsisters,Blessed Angela'slifebeganwithaworldlyexistence,ratherremotefromGod.Yet hermeetingwiththefigureofSt Francisand,finally,hermeetingwith ChristCrucifiedreawakenedhersoul tothepresenceofGod,forthereason thatwithGodalonelifebecomestrue life,because,insorrowforsin,itbecomesloveandjoy.Andthis is how Blessed Angela speakstous.

Todayweallrisklivingasthough Goddidnotexist;heseemssodistant fromdailylife.However,Godhas thousandsofwaysofhisownforeach one,tomakehimselfpresentinthe soul,toshowthatheexistsandknows andlovesme.AndBlessedAngela wishestomakeusattentivetothese signswithwhichtheLordtouchesour soul,attentivetoGod'spresence,soas tolearnthewaywithGodandtowardsGod,incommunionwith ChristCrucified.LetuspraytheLord thathemakeusattentivetothesigns

ofhispresenceandthatheteachus trulytolive.Thankyou.

Tospecialgroups

DearBrothersandSisters, IampleasedtowelcomethedelegatesoftheInternationalAssociation ofFinancialExecutivesInstitutes.I alsoextend greetings to all the Englishspeakingpilgrimsandvisitors,especiallythosefromEngland,Scotland, Ireland,Denmark,Norway,South Africa,Australia,Indonesia,the Philippines,ThailandandtheUnited States.MayGodblessyouall!

Inowaddressthe youngpeople, the sick andthe newlyweds. Mythoughts turntoOurLadyofFatima,whose lastApparitionwearecommemoratingonthisveryday.Ientrustyou, dear youngpeople, totheheavenly MotherofGodsothatyoumayrespondgenerouslytotheLord'scall. MayMarybeforyou,dearsickpeople,acomfortinyoursuffering;and maysheaccompanyyou,dear newlyweds, inyourfamilyjourneythatis justbeginning.

principlesandethicsthatarerootedin thenatureofthehumanbeing.

WhentheChurchraiseshervoicein thefaceoftoday'sgreatchallengesand problems,suchaswar,hunger,theextremepovertyofsomanyhumanbeings,thesafeguardofhumanlifefrom itsconceptiontoitsnaturalend,and thepromotionofthefamilyfounded onmarriagebetweenamananda womanandprimarilyresponsiblefor theeducationofthechildren,sheis notactinginherowninterestoron behalfofprinciplesthatcanonlybe perceivedbythosewhoprofessaspecificreligiouscreed.

Shedoessorespectingtherulesof democraticcoexistence,shedoessofor thegoodofthewholeofsocietyand onbehalfofvaluesthateveryupright personcanshare(AddresstothePresidentofItaly, 20November2006; L’OsservatoreRomano Englishedition,13 December2006,p.5).

InthisregardtheChileanpeople knowwellthattheChurchinthisnationcollaborates sincerelyandeffectivelyandwishestocontinuedoingsoin allthatcontributestothepromotionof thecommongood,justprogressand thepeaceful and harmonious coexistence ofall who live in thisbeautifulcountry.

MrAmbassador,beforeconcluding thisMeeting,Iexpressmybestwishes toyouforthefulfilmentofyourlofty mission,whileIassureyouofthecordialwelcomeandavailabilityofmy collaborators.

Withthesesentiments,I cordiallyinvokeuponyou,YourExcellency,upon yourfamilyandupontheothermembers of this diplomatic mission, as wellas uponthewholebelovedChileanPeopleanditsleaders,throughtheintercessionofOurLadyofMountCarmel, anabundanceofdivineBlessings.

Fightinghungerwithamodelbasedonfraternity

OntheoccasionofWorldFoodDay2010,celebratedonSaturday,16October,theHoly FatheraddressedaMessagetoMrJacquesDiouf,Director-GeneraloftheFoodand AgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNations(FAO).Thedaywasestablishedatthe Organization's2othGeneralConferenceinNovember1979.ThefollowingisthePope's MessagewritteninEnglishanddated15October.

turesrecognizeasymbolicvalueinwater,fromwhichthere“springsaninvitationtobefullyawareoftheimportanceofthispreciouscommodity,and consequentlytorevisepresentpatterns ofbehaviourinordertoguarantee,todayandinthefuture,thatallpeople shallhaveaccesstothewaterindispensablefortheirneeds,andthatproductiveactivities,andagriculturein particular,shallenjoyadequatelevels ofthispricelessresource”(Messagefor the2002WorldFoodDay,13October 2002).

ToMrJACQUES DIOUF DirectorGeneralofthe FoodandAgricultureOrganization oftheUnitedNations(FAO)

TheannualcelebrationofWorldFood Dayisanoccasiontodrawupabalance-sheetofallthathasbeen achievedthroughthecommitmentof theFoodandAgricultureOrganization oftheUnitedNations(FAO)toguaranteedailyfoodformillionsofourbrothersandsistersthroughouttheworld.It alsoprovidesasuitableoccasionto notethedifficultiesthatareencounteredwhenthenecessaryattitudesof solidarityarelacking.

Toooften,attentionisdivertedfrom theneedsofpopulations,insufficient emphasisisplacedonworkinthe fields,andthegoodsoftheearthare notgivenadequateprotection.Asaresult,economicimbalanceisproduced, andtheinalienablerightsanddignity ofeveryhumanpersonareignored.

Thethemeofthisyear'sWorld FoodDay, UnitedagainstHunger,isa timelyreminderthateveryoneneedsto makeacommitmenttogivetheagriculturalsectoritsproperimportance. Everyone–fromindividualstotheorganizationsofcivilsociety,Statesand internationalinstitutions–needsto giveprioritytooneofthemosturgent goalsforthehumanfamily:freedom fromhunger.Inordertoachievefreedomfromhungeritisnecessarytoensurenotonlythatenoughfoodis available,butalsothateveryonehas dailyaccesstoit:thismeanspromoting whateverresourcesandinfrastructures arenecessaryinordertosustainproductionanddistributiononascalesufficienttoguaranteefullytherightto food.

Theeffortstoachievethisgoalwill surelyhelptobuilduptheunityofthe humanfamilythroughouttheworld. Concreteinitiativesareneeded,informedbycharity,andinspiredby truth–initiativesthatarecapableof overcomingnaturalobstacleslinkedto thecyclesoftheseasonsortoenvironmentalconditions,aswellasmanmadeobstacles.Charity,practisedin thelightoftruth,canbringanendto divisionsandconflictssoastoallow thegoodsoftheearthtopassbetween peoplesinalivelyandcontinuousexchange.

Animportantstepforwardwasthe internationalcommunity'srecentdecisiontoprotecttherighttowater which,asFAOhasalwaysmaintained, isessentialtohumannutrition,torural activitiesandtotheconservationof nature.Indeed,asmyvenerablepredecessorPopeJohnPaul II observedin hisMessageforthe2002WorldFood Day,manydifferentreligionsandcul-

Iftheinternationalcommunityisto betruly“united”againsthunger,then povertymustbeovercomethrough authentichumandevelopment,basedonthe ideaofthepersonasaunityofbody, soulandspirit.Today,though,thereis atendencytolimitthevisionofdevelopmenttoonethatsatisfiesthematerialneedsoftheperson,especially throughaccesstotechnology;yetauthenticdevelopmentisnotsimplya functionofwhataperson“has”,it mustalsoembracehighervaluesoffraternity,solidarityandthecommon good.

Amidthepressuresofglobalization,

undertheinfluenceof intereststhatoftenremainfragmented,itis wisetoproposea modelofdevelopment builton fraternity:ifit isinspiredbysolidarityanddirectedtowardsthecommon good,itwillbeable toprovidecorrectives tothecurrentglobalcrisis.Inorderto sustainlevelsoffoodsecurityinthe shortterm,adequatefundingmustbe providedsoastomakeitpossiblefor agriculturetoreactivateproductioncycles,despitethedeteriorationofclimaticandenvironmentalconditions.These conditions,itmustbesaid,havea markedlynegativeimpactonrural populations,cropsystemsandworking

patterns,especiallyincountriesthat arealreadyafflictedwithfoodshortages.Developedcountrieshavetobe awarethattheworld'sgrowingneeds requireconsistentlevelsofaidfrom them.Theycannotsimplyremain closedtowardsothers:suchanattitude wouldnothelptoresolvethecrisis.

Inthiscontext,FAOhastheessen-

“Inordertoachievefreedom fromhungeritisnecessary toensurenotonlythatenoughfoodis available,butalsothateveryone hasdailyaccesstoit”

tialtaskofexaminingtheissueof worldhungerattheinstitutionallevel andproposingparticularinitiatives thatinvolveitsmemberStatesinrespondingtothegrowingdemandfor food.Indeed,thenationsoftheworld arecalledtogiveandtoreceivein proportiontotheireffectiveneeds,by reasonofthat “pressingmoralneedfor renewedsolidarity,especiallyinrelation-

shipsbetweendevelopingcountriesand thosethatarehighlyindustrialized” (CaritasinVeritate,49).

Therecentworthycampaign“1BillionHungry”,bywhichFAOseeksto raiseawarenessoftheurgencyofthe fightagainsthunger,hashighlighted theneedforanadequateresponseboth fromindividualcountriesandfromthe internationalcommunity,evenwhen theresponseislimitedtoassistanceor emergencyaid.Thisiswhyareformof internationalinstitutionsaccordingto theprincipleofsubsidiarityisessential, since“institutionsbythemselvesare notenough,becauseintegralhuman developmentisprimarilyavocation, andthereforeitinvolvesafreeassumptionofresponsibilityinsolidarityon thepartofeveryone”(ibid., 11).

Inordertoeliminatehungerand malnutrition,obstaclesofself-interest mustbeovercomesoastomakeroom forafruitful gratuitousness, manifested ininternationalcooperationasanexpressionofgenuinefraternity.This doesnotobviatetheneedforjustice, though,anditisimportantthatexistingrulesberespectedandimplemented,inadditiontowhateverplansfor interventionandprogrammesofaction mayprovenecessary.Individuals,peoplesandcountriesmustbeallowedto shapetheirowndevelopment,taking advantageofexternalassistanceinaccordancewithprioritiesandconcepts rootedintheirtraditionaltechniques, intheirculture,intheirreligiouspatrimonyandinthewisdompassedon fromgenerationtogenerationwithin thefamily.

Invokingtheblessingofthe AlmightyupontheactivitiesofFAO,I wishtoassureyou,MrDirectorGeneral,thattheChurchisalwaysready toworkforthedefeatofhunger.Indeed,sheisconstantlyatwork, throughherownstructures,toalleviatethepovertyanddeprivationafflictinglargepartsoftheworld'spopulation,andsheisfullyconsciousthather ownengagementinthisfieldforms partofacommoninternationaleffort topromoteunityandpeaceamongthe communityofpeoples.

FromtheVatican,15October2010

Benedict XVI's“Motuproprio”establishesthePontificalCouncilforPromotingtheNewEvangelization

Ubicumqueetsemper

monunderstandingofbasichumanexperiences:i.e.,birth,death,lifeina family,andreferencetoanatural morallaw.

Eventhoughsomeconsiderthese thingsakindofliberation,theresoon followsanawarenessthataninterior desertresultswheneverthehumanbeing,wishingtobethesolearchitectof hisnatureanddestiny,findshimself deprivedofthatwhichisthevery foundationofallthings.

APOSTOLIC LETTER intheformof MOTUPROPRIO

UBICUMQUEET SEMPER oftheSupremePontiff BENEDICTXVI establishingthe PontificalCouncilfor PromotingtheNewEvangelization ItisthedutyoftheChurchtoproclaimalwaysandeverywherethe GospelofJesusChrist.He,thefirst andsupremeevangelizer,commanded theApostlesonthedayofhisAscensiontotheFather:“Gothereforeand makedisciplesofallnations,baptizing theminthenameoftheFatherandof theSonandoftheHolySpirit,teachingthemtoobserveallthatIhave commandedyou”(Mt28:19-20). Faithfultothismandate,theChurch–apeoplechosenbyGodtodeclarehis wonderfuldeeds(cf.1Pet2:9)–ever sinceshereceivedthegiftoftheHoly SpiritonthedayofPentecost(cf.Acts 2:14),hasnevertiredofmakingknown tothewholeworldthebeautyofthe GospelasshepreachesJesusChrist, trueGodandtrueman,thesame“yesterdayandtodayandforever”(Heb 13:8),who,byhisdeathandResurrection,broughtussalvationandfulfilled thepromisemadeofold.Hencethe missionofevangelization,acontinuationoftheworkdesiredbytheLord Jesus,isnecessaryfortheChurch:it cannotbeoverlooked;itisanexpressionofherverynature.

Inthecourseofhistory,thismission hastakenonnewformsandemployed newstrategiesaccordingtodifferent places,situations,andhistoricalperiods.Inourowntime,ithasbeenparticularlychallengedbyanabandonmentofthefaith–aphenomenonprogressivelymoremanifestinsocieties andcultureswhichforcenturies seemedtobepermeatedbytheGospel. Thesocialchangeswehavewitnessed inrecentdecadeshavealongand complexhistory,andtheyhaveprofoundlyalteredourwayoflookingat theworld.Weneedonlythinkofthe manyadvancesinscienceandtechnology,theexpandingpossibilitieswith regardtolifeandindividualfreedom, theprofoundchangesintheeconomic sphere,andthemixingofracesand culturescausedbyglobal-scalemigrationandanincreasinginterdependence ofpeoples.Allofthishasnotbeen withoutconsequencesonthereligious dimensionofhumanlifeaswell.Ifon theonehandhumanityhasderived undeniablebenefitsfromthesechanges, andtheChurchhasdrawnfromthem furtherincentivesforbearingwitnessto thehopethatiswithinher(cf.1Pet 3:15),ontheotherhandtherehas beenatroublinglossofthesenseofthe sacred,whichhasevencalledinto questionfoundationsoncedeemedunshakeablesuchasfaithinaprovident creatorGod,therevelationofJesus ChristastheoneSaviour,andacom-

TheSecondVaticanCouncilalreadyincludedamongitscentraltopics thequestionoftherelationshipbetweentheChurchandthemodern world.Inviewofthisconciliarteaching,myPredecessorsreflectedfurther ontheneedtofindadequatewaysto helpthepeopleofourtimetohearthe livingandeternalWordoftheLord.

Withforesight,theServantofGod Paul VI notedthatthetaskofevangelization,“asaresultofthefrequentsituationsofdechristianizationinour day,alsoprovesequallynecessaryfor innumerablepeoplewhohavebeen baptizedbutwholivequiteoutside Christianlife,forsimplepeoplewho haveacertainfaithbutanimperfect knowledgeofthefoundationsofthat faith,forintellectualswhofeeltheneed toknowJesusChristinalightdifferentfromtheinstructiontheyreceived aschildren,andformanyothers” (ApostolicExhortation EvangeliiNuntiandi,n.52).Moreover,havingin mindthosedistantfromthefaith,he addedthattheevangelizingactionof theChurch“mustconstantlyseekthe propermeansandlanguageforpresenting,orrepresenting,tothemGod's revelationandfaithinJesusChrist” (ibid., n.56).

TheVenerableServantofGodJohn Paul II madethisurgenttaskacentral pointofhisfar-reachingMagisterial teaching,referringtoitasthe“new evangelization,”whichhesystematicallyexploredindepthonnumerousoccasions–ataskthatstillbearsupon theChurchtoday,particularlyinregionsChristianizedlongago.Although thistaskdirectlyconcernstheChurch's wayofrelating adextra,itnevertheless presupposesfirstofallaconstantinteriorrenewal,acontinuouspassing,so tospeak,fromevangelizedtoevangelizing.Itisenoughtorecallwhatwas affirmedinthePost-SynodalApostolic Exhortation ChristifidelesLaici:“Whole countriesandnationswherereligion andtheChristianlifewereformerly flourishingandcapableoffosteringa viableandworkingcommunityof faith,arenowputtoahardtest,and insomecases,areevenundergoinga radicaltransformation,asaresultofa constantspreadingofanindifferenceto religion,ofsecularismandatheism. Thisparticularlyconcernscountries andnationsoftheso-calledFirst World,inwhicheconomicwell-being andconsumerism,evenifcoexistent withatragicsituationofpovertyand misery,inspiresandsustainsalifelived ‘asifGoddidnotexist'.Thisindifferencetoreligionandthepracticeofreligiondevoidoftruemeaninginthe faceoflife'sveryseriousproblems,are notlessworryingandupsettingwhen comparedwithdeclaredatheism. SometimestheChristianfaithaswell, whilemaintainingsomeoftheexternalsofitstraditionandrituals,tends tobeseparatedfromthosemomentsof humanexistencewhichhavethemost significance,suchas,birth,suffering anddeath[...].

“Ontheotherhand,inotherre-

gionsornationsmanyvitaltraditions ofpietyandpopularformsofChristian religionarestillconserved;buttoday thismoralandspiritualpatrimony runstheriskofbeingdispersedunder theimpactofamultiplicityofprocesses,includingsecularizationandthe spreadofsects.Onlyare-evangelizationcanassurethegrowthofaclear anddeepfaith,andservetomake thesetraditionsaforceforauthentic freedom.

“Withoutdoubtamendingofthe Christianfabricofsocietyisurgently neededinallpartsoftheworld.But forthistocomeaboutwhatisneeded is tofirstremaketheChristianfabricof theecclesialcommunityitself presentin thesecountriesandnations”(n.34).

Makingmyowntheconcernsofmy venerablePredecessors,Iconsiderit opportunetoofferappropriateresponsessothattheentireChurch,allowing herselftoberegeneratedbythepower oftheHolySpirit,maypresentherself tothecontemporaryworldwithamissionaryimpulseinordertopromote thenewevangelization.Aboveall,this pertainstoChurchesofancientorigin, whichliveindifferentsituationsand havedifferentneeds,andthereforerequiredifferenttypesofmotivationfor evangelization:incertainterritories,in fact,despitethespreadofsecularization,Christianpracticestillthrivesand showsitselfdeeplyrootedinthesoulof entirepopulations;inotherregions, however,thereisaclearlyadistancing ofsocietyfromthefaithineveryrespect,togetherwithaweakerecclesial fabric,evenifnotwithoutelementsof livelinessthattheSpiritneverfailsto awaken;wealsosadlyknowofsome areasthathavealmostcompletely abandonedtheChristianreligion, wherethelightofthefaithisentrusted tothewitnessofsmallcommunities: theselands,whichneedarenewedfirst proclamationoftheGospel,seemparticularlyresistanttomanyaspectsof theChristianmessage.

Thisvarietyofsituationsdemands carefuldiscernment;tospeakofa “newevangelization”doesnotinfact meanthatasingleformulashouldbe developedthatwouldholdthesame forallcircumstances.Andyetitisnot difficulttoseethatwhatallthe ChurcheslivingintraditionallyChristianterritoriesneedisarenewedmissionaryimpulse,anexpressionofa new,generousopennesstothegiftof grace.Indeedwecannotforgetthat thefirsttaskwillalwaysbetomake ourselvesdociletothefreelygivenactionoftheSpiritoftheRisenOnewho accompaniesallwhoareheraldsofthe Gospelandopenstheheartsofthose wholisten.Toproclaimfruitfullythe WordoftheGospeloneisfirstasked tohaveaprofoundexperienceofGod.

AsIstatedinmyfirstEncyclical DeusCaritasEst:“BeingChristianis nottheresultofanethicalchoiceora loftyidea,buttheencounterwithan event,aperson,whichgiveslifeanew horizonandadecisivedirection”(n. 1).Likewise,attherootofallevangelizationliesnotahumanplanofexpansion,butratherthedesiretoshare theinestimablegiftthatGodhas wishedtogiveus,makingussharersin hisownlife.

Therefore,inthelightofthesereflections,havingexaminedeverything carefullyandhavingelicitedtheopinionsofexperts,Iestablishanddecree thefollowing:

Art.1.

§ 1.ThePontificalCouncilforPromotingtheNewEvangelizationisestablishedasaDicasteryoftheRoman CuriaincompliancewiththeApostolic Constitution PastorBonus § 2.TheCouncilpursuesitsown endsbothbyencouragingreflectionon topicsofthenewevangelization,and byidentifyingandpromotingsuitable waysandmeanstoaccomplishit.

Art.2.

TheactionoftheCouncil,whichis carriedoutincollaborationwiththe otherDicasteriesandOrganismsofthe RomanCuria,withrespectfortheir relativecompetencies,isattheservice oftheparticularChurches,especially inthoseterritoriesofChristiantraditionwherethephenomenonofsecularizationismoreobviouslyapparent.

Art.3.

Amongthespecifictasksofthe Councilareparticularlythefollowing:

1°.toexamineindepththetheologicalandpastoralmeaningofthenew evangelization;

2°.topromoteandtofoster,inclose collaborationwiththeBishops'Conferencesconcerned–whichmayestablish adhoc organisms–thestudy,dissemination,andimplementationofthePapalMagisteriumrelatedtotopicsconnectedwiththenewevangelization;

3°.tomakeknownandtosupport initiativeslinkedtothenewevangelizationthatarealreadybeingputinto practiceinvariousparticularChurches,andtopromotetherealizationof newprojectsbyactivelyinvolvingthe resourcespresentinInstitutesofConsecratedLifeandinSocietiesofApostolicLife,aswellasingroupsofthe faithfulandinnewcommunities;

4°.tostudyandtoencouragethe useofmodernformsofcommunication asinstrumentsforthenewevangelization;

5°.topromotetheuseofthe CatechismoftheCatholicChurch asanessentialandcompleteformulationofthe contentofthefaithforthepeopleof ourtime.

Art.4.

§ 1.TheCouncilisdirectedbyan ArchbishopPresident,assistedbya Secretary,byanUnder-Secretaryand byanappropriatenumberofOfficials, inaccordancewiththenormsestablishedbytheApostolicConstitution PastorBonus andbytheGeneralRegulationsoftheRomanCuria.

§ 2.TheCouncilwillhaveitsown Membersandmayavailitselfofits ownConsultors.

Iorderthatallthathasbeenestablishedbythis MotuProprio mayhave fullandpermanentvalue,notwithstandinganythingtothecontrary, evenifitbeworthyofparticularmention,andIestablishthatitbepromulgatedthroughpublicationinthedaily newspaper L'OsservatoreRomano and thatitcomeintoforceonthedayof itspromulgation.

GivenatCastelGandolfoonthe 21stdayofSeptember2010,theFeast ofSaintMatthew,ApostleandEvangelist,thesixthyearofmyPontificate.

GeneralSecretaryofSynodofBishops'Reflection

NewvigourtoChristian witnessintheMiddleEast

OnMondaymorning,11October,inthepresenceoftheHolyFather,theFirstGeneral CongregationoftheSpecialAssemblyfortheMiddleEasttookplaceintheSynodHall. AfterthePresidentDelegate,CardinalLeonardoSandri,hadwelcomedtheHolyFather ArchbishopNikolaEterović,GeneralSecretaryoftheSynodofBishops,gaveareportin Italian.Thefollowingisatranslationofhisdiscourse.

HolyFather, Your Eminences andYour Excellencies, DearBrothersandSisters,

“Gofromyourcountryandyour kindredandyourfather'shousetothe landthatIwillshowyou.AndIwill makeofyouagreatnation,andIwill blessyou,andmakeyournamegreat, sothatyouwillbeablessing”(Gen 12:1,2).Abram,borninUrofthe Chaldeans,heardthesewordsaddressedtohimbyGodinHaran.He passedthroughtheregionandsettled neartheOakofMoreh(cf.Gen12:6).

HethenpitchedhistentinNegeb(cf. Gen12:9),wentdownintoEgypt(cf. Gen12:10-20),returnedtoNegeb, wenttoBethel(cf.Gen13:1,2)and thentothelandofCanaan(cf.Gen 12:12),wherehecameanddweltby theOaksofMamre,atHebron(cf. Gen13:18).Godmadeacovenant withhisservantAbram,whobecame Abraham,becausehewasgivenaspecialmission:“Behold,mycovenantis withyou,andyoushallbethefather ofamultitudeofnations.Nolonger shallyournamebeAbram,butyour

nameshallbeAbraham;forIhave madeyouthefatherofamultitudeof nations”(Gen17:4,5).Knowingthe faithandrighteousnessofAbram(cf. Gen15:6),Godmadehimathreefold promise:ason,anumerouspeopleand aland.TheGodofIsraelwillnever fail,tokeephispromiseasmoreover, StPaulattests(cf.Rom9:1-11,36).

“IamwhoIam!”(Ex3:14),are theholywordsoftheLordGodof Abraham,IsaacandJacob,whoappearedonMountHorebintheburningbushwhichburntbutwasnotconsumed.TheywereaddressedtoMoses torevealhisholynameandtoentrust Moseswiththemissionoffreeinghis peoplefromslaveryinEgypt:“Ihave seentheafflictionofmypeoplewho areinEgypt,andhaveheardtheircry becauseoftheirtaskmasters;Iknow

CardinalSandrigreetstheHolyFather Ecumenicalbrotherhood

AftertheMeditationgivenbytheHolyFatheronMonday,11 October,CardinalLeonardoSandri,PrefectoftheCongregationfortheEasternChurches,PresidentDelegateonDuty, greetedthePopeandthosepresentinItalian.Thefollowingis atranslation.

MostHolyFather,

WegivethankstoGod,togetherwithYourHoliness, forthecommunionwiththeSuccessorofPeterwhich makesusfeelwearetheChurchofChrist,eternallyloved byHim.Throughhisholypeople,Heloveshumanityand todaytoowantstopresentHimselfastheLordofhistory. WegivethanksforthisexpressionofepiscopalandcollegialbrotherhoodforthebenefitoftheChurchintheMiddleEast.

Withyou,HolyFather,wetrustinthemercyofGod andaskthatHisKingdomoftruth,loveandjusticemay arrivesoon,intheEastandintheWest.

NothingwillseparateusfromtheloveofChrist(Rom 8:35):thisistheconfirmationwereceiveinthesedays, whilewealwayslisten“towhattheSpiritsaystothe churches”(Rev2:11)andtowhatYourHolinessconfides totheChristiansoftheMiddleEast.

Now,hereinRome,wecarrytheEastinourhearts andtheprecioustreasuresofitsspiritualtradition:thegloryandmerits,aswellasthetrialsofitspast;sufferingand expectationsforthepresentandofthefuture.A“golden bond”unitesalltheerasoftheEasternChurch:Christian martyrdom.Todaytoomartyrsdemonstratefaithfulnessto theGospelwhichhaswrittenindeliblepagesofecumenical brotherhood.Whilerecordingsomeimprovementinthe situation,insomecontextsCatholics,alongwithother Christians,stillendurehostility,persecutionandalackof respectforthefundamentalrightofreligiousfreedom.TerrorismandotherformsofviolencedonotspareourJewish andMuslimbrethreneither.Humanlyshamefulevents multiplyandstrikeinnocentvictims.

Thelossofindividualsandgoods,andofreasonable perspectives,generatestherealityofemigration,whichis sadandunfortunatelypersistsoverandabovecertainpositiveexceptions.Distressoftenresurfacesgivingrisetothe crucialquestionofwhethertherecaneverbedaysof peaceandprosperityintheMiddleEastorwhetherinthe futurethesurvivalofthe plebssanctaDei itselfisnotat risk.

You,HolyFather,haveneverlosthope.Rather,youinstilitintheChurchesoftheEastbecausetheylivethe mysteryevokedbytheProphetEzekiel,the“gloryofYahweh”which“enteredtheTemplebythegatefacingeast” (Ezek43:4).

TheEastanswersbyperseveringincommunionandin witness;itanswerswiththefirmdeterminationtooffer andreceivethehopeoftheCross.

IntheUpperRoomoftheSynod subumbraPetri the sonsanddaughtersoftheEasternChurcheswishtojoin withtheirpastors:theywishtobe“oneheartandsoul” (Acts4:32)andmaketheirownthepriestlyprayerof

Christ“utunumsint”(Jn17:21).TheEastconfirmsits missionbeforeYourHoliness,themissionofcooperatingin theunityofallChristians,especiallytheEasternones,in accordancewiththemandateoftheSecondVatican Council(cf. OrientaliumEcclesiarum 24).

Today,11October,istheliturgicalMemorialofBl. John XXIII.LetusentrusttothebelovedPontiff,“sincere friendoftheEast”,ourprayerfortheworkoftheSynod.

Weseethesameloveinyou,HolyFather.Therefore,I vouchforthefaithfulnessandcompleteadherenceofthe faithfuloftheMiddleEasttoyouandtoyourMagisterium,whileinthenameofthePresidentDelegates,the GeneralRelator,theGeneralandSpecialSecretariesand alltheparticipantsIexpressourdeepestgratitudetoyou, YourHoliness.

MaytheintercessionoftheMostHolyMotherofGod bearabundantfruitsforthisprovidentialinitiativeforthe goodoftheChurch,inthehopeofpeacefortheMiddle Eastandfortheworld.

Thankyou,HolyFather.

theirsufferings....Come,Iwillsend youtoPharaohthatyoumaybring forthmypeople,thesonsofIsrael,out ofEgypt”(Ex3:7-10).Strongwiththe supportoftheGodoftheFathers, Moses,surmountingnumerousdifficulties,guidedtheJewishpeoplethrough theRedSeaandthedeserttothe PromisedLand.Hecouldonlyseeit from“MountNebo,whichisinthe landofMoab,oppositeJericho”(Dt 32:49),wherehediedandwasburied “oppositeBeth-pe'or”(Dt34:6). ThroughMoses,hisfriend(cf.Ex 33:11),Godestablishedacovenant withtheChosenPeopleonMount Sinai.Ifthepeoplewillhearthevoice ofYahwehandobservehislaw,they willbeforhim“akingdomofpriests andaholynation”(Ex19:6).GodentrustedtotheChosenPeoplethe“Ten Words”[Decalogue],theTenCommandments,whichwerethetermsand basisofthecovenant(cf.Ex20-24).

“Truly,truly,Isaytoyou,before Abrahamwas,Iam”(Jn8:58).Inhis discussionwiththeJewsinthetemple ofJerusalemJesusalludedtothedivinenamerevealedtoMoses(cf.Ex 33:14),implicitlydeclaringhimselfto beGod,borninBethlehemtosavehumanity(cf.Lk1:4-14).“Yourfather Abrahamrejoicedthathewastosee myday;hesawitandwasglad”(Jn 8:56).JesusChrist,“SonofDavid,Son ofAbraham”(Mt1:1),alsomakeshis owntheexpression“DayoftheLord”, whichintheOldTestamentwasreservedforGodalone,therebydesignatinghimselfasthetrueobjectofthe promisemadetoAbrahamandofthe joyheexperiencesinthebirthofhis son,Isaac(cf.Gen12:1-3).

After30yearsofhiddenlifein Nazareth,Jesus,ashepreached throughoutGalilee(cf.Mt4:23)and wentabout“allthecitiesandvillages” (Mt9:35),hadalsotoindicatehisrelationshiptothegreatprophet,Moses. Atthebeginningofhispubliclife,by theSeaofTiberias,hecalledthediscipleswhowereconvincedthattheyhad found“himofwhomMosesinthelaw andalsotheprophetswrote,Jesusof Nazareth,thesonofJoseph”(Jn1:45). Theirconvictionwasconfirmedon MountTabor,when“twomentalked withhim,MosesandElijah,whoappearedingloryandspokeofhisdeparture,whichhewastoaccomplishat Jerusalem”(Lk9:30,31).InhisdiscussionwithhisfellowJewsinthetempleofJerusalem,Jesusagainrefersto thetestimonyofMoses:“IfyoubelievedMoses,youwouldbelieveme, forhewroteofme”(Jn5:46).John theEvangelistsumsupinthefollowing wordsthedifferentcontributionof bothinsalvationhistory:“Forthelaw wasgiventhroughMoses;graceand truthcamethroughJesusChrist”(Jn 1:17).

ThesebriefcitationsfromtheOld andNewTestamentsshowtheimportanceofthebiblicalgeographyofthe MiddleEastforallChristiansandin particularforthosewholiveinthe HolyLand,thelandwhichJesussanctifiedwithhisbirthinBethlehem,his flightintoEgypt,hishiddenlifein NazarethandhispreachinginGalilee, SamariaandJudea,whichwasaccompaniedbysignsandmiraclesand aboveallbyhisPassion,deathand Resurrectionintheholycityof Jerusalem.Thememoryofthehistory

ReflectionofGeneralSecretaryofSynodofBishops

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ofsalvation,whichtookplaceinthe MiddleEast,livesonintheheartsof theinhabitantsoftheregionandparticularlyofChristians.Theyareacontinuationofthebiblicalpeoples.

Throughthemtheeventsthathappenedcenturiesagoremainalive,not onlythroughthepoweroftheWordof God,alwayslivingandeffective(cf. Heb4:12),butalsothroughtheirvital linkwiththislandthatwassanctified bythespecialpresenceofGod,who revealedhimselfinthefullnessoftime (cf.Heb9:26)inhisOnly-Begotten Son,JesusChrist.Asthesepeoplesof theBibleexisttoday,sotoowemay speakofBishopsoftheBible,withreferencetotheplaceswheretheyexercisetheirpastoralactivity.

TherearemanysuchPastorsatthis SynodalAssemblywhichgathersall theOrdinariesofthe101Ecclesiastical CircumscriptionsoftheMiddleEast, towhomIaddressaquitespecial greeting.WeshouldaddtothesePastorsthe23OrdinariesfromtheDiasporawhowiththeirpastoralcareaccompanythefaithfulwhohaveemigratedfromtheMiddleEasttovarious partsoftheworld.

InacertainwayallBishopsare BishopsoftheBible.Inadditiontothe Bishopsofthebiblicalgeography,there arealsoBishopsofbiblicalcommunion.Thepresenceofrepresentativesof allthefivecontinentsclearlyshowsthe interestofChristiansacrosstheworld intheCatholicChurchonpilgrimage intheMiddleEast.Tothemshouldbe added19Bishopsfromneighbouring countriesorfromcountriesparticularly involvedinthespiritualandmaterial assistanceoftheirbrothersandsisters intheHolyLand.

ThetotalnumberofSynodFathers atthisSpecialAssemblyfortheMiddle Eastis185,159ofwhomareparticipating exofficio,and17byPapalappointment.TheSynodFathersinclude ninePatriarchs,19Cardinals,65Archbishops,10TitularArchbishops,53 Bishops,21AuxiliaryBishops,87religious,fourofwhomareelectedbythe UnionofSuperiorsGeneral.Asforthe officestheyhold,nineareHeadsof SynodsofBishopsoftheEastern CatholicChurches suiiuris,fiveare PresidentsofInternationalAssemblies ofEpiscopalConferences,sixarePresidentsofEpiscopalConferences,14are HeadsofDicasteriesoftheRomanCuria,oneisaCoadjutorArchbishop, fourareemeritus,twoofwhomare Cardinals,andthenthereistheLatin PatriarchemeritusofJerusalem.

TheHolyLandisdeartoallChristians.Ihavethehonourofextendinga specialgreetingtotheFraternalDelegatesof13ChurchesandEcclesial Communities.

TheMiddleEastisalsohometoour JewishandMuslimbrothersandsisters,becauseitistheplacewherethese twomonotheisticreligionswereborn.I amthereforegladtoannouncethatin thecourseoftheSynodweshallhave thejoyoflisteningtopresentationsby aRabbiandbytwoeminentrepresentativesofIslam,aSunniandaShiite.

Ialsogreet36expertsand34Auditors,whowillinglyacceptedtheirnominationandhavecometoenrichthe reflectionoftheSynodwiththeirwitnessandtheirrichpastoralexperiences,whichmaturedmainlyinthe MiddleEast.Includedinthisgroup arealsoseveralrepresentativesoforganizationswhichgivepracticalhelpto theChurchesintheregion.

Iamverygratefultotheassistants, translatorsandtechnicians,aswellas

tothegenerousstaffmembersofthe GeneralSecretariatoftheSynodof Bishops,fortheirvaluableassistance, fullyawarethatwithouttheirskilland generouseffortsthisSynodalgathering wouldnothavebeenbepossible.

Thisreportisinfivesections:

I) Cyprus:Aninaugurationinspirit oftheSpecialAssembly;

II) Somestatisticaldata;

III) TheconvocationoftheSpecial AssemblyfortheMiddleEast;

IV) PreparationsfortheSpecialAssemblyfortheMiddleEast;and

V) Notesonmethodologyandprocedures

VI) Conclusion

I)Cyprus:Aninaugurationin SpiritoftheSpecialAssembly

MostHolyFather, InthenameoftheSynodFathers andofalltheparticipantsatthisSynodalAssemblyandinanticipationof theremarkstobegivenbyCardinal LeonardoSandri,President-Delegate, PrefectoftheCongregationforthe EasternChurches,Ihavethehonour ofexpressingonceagainmycordial greetingandthankstohimforconvokingthisSynodalAssemblyandfor launchingitinspiritatNicosia, Cyprus,duringyourApostolicVisit from4to7June2010.

TheSpecialAssemblyfortheMiddleEastwasnotplannedlonginadvance.HolyFather,youacceptedwith exemplarypromptnesstheproposalof variousBishopsfromtheMiddleEast tosummonthemtoRometolistento theirjoysandsorrows,theirhopesand anxietiesforChristiansandforallpeopleofgoodwillintheMiddleEast,an especiallyimportantregionforthe Churchandforthewholeworld.Your Holiness,thisistheFourthSynodal Assemblytobeheldinthefiveyearsof yourPontificate.TheVenerableServantofGodPopeJohnPaul II once saidthatgiventhenumberofSynods

atwhichhehadpresided,hewouldbe rememberedasthePopeoftheSynods,the“SynodalPope”.1 YourHoliness,itseemsthatyoumightbefollowingasimilarpathinyourconcernas BishopofRome,incommunionwith yourBrotherBishopsintheEpiscopate andattheserviceofthefaithfulentrustedtotheirpastoralcare.

InyourPontificate,YourHoliness, youhavealreadyvisitedtheMiddle Eastthreetimes.YourFirstApostolic Visit(28November–1December 2006)wastoTurkey.Westillhave vividmemoriesofyourPilgrimageto Jordan,IsraelandPalestine(8–15 May2009).Thehighpointofyour above-mentionedVisittoCypruswas theconsignmentofthe Instrumentum Laboris totheCatholicBishopsofthe MiddleEast,representedbysevenPatriarchsandbythePresidentofthe Bishops'ConferenceofIran.Unfortunately,BishopLuigiPadovese, OFM Cap,ApostolicVicarofAnatoliaand PresidentoftheBishops'Conferenceof Turkeywasabsent;hehadbeenbrutallykilledontheeveofthePapalVisit.Duringtheconsignmentofthe InstrumentumLaboris,YourHoliness spokeofhimwithaffection,expressing yourgratitudeforhiscontributionto draftingtheDocumentsinpreparation fortheSynod,the Lineamenta andthe InstrumentumLaboris.Wepraythe Lordtowelcomehisfaithfulservant intohisKingdomoflife,happinessand peace,sothatfromHeavenhemayintercedeforthesuccessofthisSynodal Assembly.Mayhissacrificeopennew pathsofmutualunderstandingand collaborationinrespectforreligious freedominallthecountriesofthe MiddleEastandoftheworld.Atthe sametime,wepraythatthosewho wereinvolvedinhistragicdeathwill haveachangeofheart.

Atthepresentationofthe InstrumentumLaboris,YourHolinessdrewattentiontothebiblicalmottooftheSynodalAssembly:“Nowthecompanyof

thosewhobelievedwereofoneheart andsoul”(Acts4:32),stressingthe timelinessofcommunionandwitness intheChristianlife.Youthensummed upintwopointsthepurposeofour gathering:1)“todeepenthebondsof communionbetweenthemembersof yourlocalChurches,aswellasthe communionoftheChurchesthemselves witheachotherandwiththeuniversal Church”;and2)“toencourageyouin thewitnessoffaithinChristthatyou arebearinginthecountrieswherethis faithwasbornanddeveloped”.2 As wellasthesemaingoals,theSpecial AssemblyfortheMiddleEastwasalso convokedforotherreasons.Itisapropitiousopportunity,“forChristiansin therestoftheworldtoofferspiritual supportandsolidaritytotheirbrothers andsistersintheMiddleEast”3 and abovealltothosewhoareenduring greattrialsasaresultofthedifficulties intheregiontoday.

Furthermore,theSpecialAssembly affordsanopportunityto“bringout theimportantvalueofthepresence andwitnessofChristiansinthecountriesoftheBible,notonlyforthe Christiancommunityonaglobalscale butalsoforyourneighboursandyour fellow-citizens”.4 Christians,whohave livedintheMiddleEastforalmost 2,000years,wanttoliveinpeaceand harmonywiththeirJewishandMuslimneighbours.Christiansdeserve recognitionfortheinvaluablerolethey play,frequently“aspeacemakersinthe difficultprocessofreconciliation”.5 Consequently,alltheirrightsshould alwaysberespected,includingthoseof freedomofworshipandofreligion.

II)Somestatisticaldata

Letusthankthegoodandmerciful Lordtogetherfortheabundantgifts whichtheChurchintheMiddleEast hasreceivedinthealmost2,000years ofherexistence.TheLordJesus'disciples,ofteninadversecircumstances, borewitnesstoalivingfaith,anardenthopeandfruitfulcharity,evento thepointofmartyrdom.Thankstothe helpoftheHolySpirit,thecontinuous presenceofChristiansintheHoly Landisalsoaneffectivecausefor hope,fortheirpresentsituationand fortheirfutureinthisimportantregion.TheHolyLandistheirnative land,theirhomelandtowhoseconstructionindemocraticandprosperous Statestheydesiretomakeaprecious anduniquecontribution,willingto collaboratewithallpeoplesofgood willandespeciallywiththefaithfulof JudaismandofIslam.

Inthisregard,itwouldseemuseful toprovidesomestatisticsontheMiddleEast.InthepreparatoryDocumentsoftheSynodalAssembly,namelythe Lineamenta andthe InstrumentumLaboris,thename“MiddleEast” means,inadditiontoJerusalemand thePalestinianTerritories,thefollowing16States:Bahrain,Cyprus,Egypt, Iran,Iraq,Israel,Jordan,Kuwait, Lebanon,Oman,Qatar,SaudiArabia, Syria,Turkey,theUnitedArabEmiratesandYemen.

Thisvastregioncoversmorethan 7,180,912squarekilometres.Thetables givenhereshowthat356,174,000peopleliveintheMiddleEast,including 5,707,000Catholics,whoaccountfor 1.6%ofthepopulation.Thisinformationcomesfromthemostrecentedition(2010)ofthe AnnuariumStatisticumEcclesiae2008.Butitwasnot easytoobtainreliabledataonthe numberofChristiansintheMiddle East.Theapproximatenumberof Christiansis20,101,866,thatis,5.9%

ofthepopulation.Theinformation, evenifapproximate,givessomeideaof thepresenceoftheChristianminority inapredominantlyMuslimregion, withtheexceptionofIsrael,where Jewsaccountfor75.6%ofthepopulation,Muslims,16.7%Christians, 2.1%,Druse,1.6%andothers,4%.6

Thetableshowstworegionsofthe MiddleEast.Thefirstregioniswhere Christianshavetraditionallybeenpresent,andwhich,unfortunately,isdisplayingasignificantdownturn,evenin comparisonwiththedatafrom1980. Thisisnotsomuchinthenumberof Catholicsasratherinthepercentageof Catholicsintherespectivecountries. ThenumberofCatholicshasnotfollowedthedemographicgrowthofthe inhabitants.ThesecondgrouprepresentscountrieswheretheChristian presencehasconsiderablyincreasedin thepast10years,thankstothemany faithfulwho,insearchofworkand betterlivingconditions,havecometo liveheretemporarily.Thanksbeto God,thereisanoppositetrendin thesecountries,giventhatCatholics areincreasingbothinnumberandin percentage.Thisisoneofthesignsof thetimesthatthewholeChurchand thePastorsoftheChurchintheMiddleEastmustproperlyevaluate,giving thankstoGodwhocanwriteevenin unexpectedwaysandtimesthehistory oftheworld'ssalvation.

InhisdiscourseinNicosiaonthe occasionoftheconsignmentofthe InstrumentumLaboris,theHolyFather, PopeBenedict XVI pointedoutthe considerablecontributionofChristians totheintegraldevelopmentofthe countriesinwhichtheylive:“Youcontributeincountlesswaystothecommongood,forexamplethrougheducation,careofthesickandsocialassistanceandyouworktobuildsociety”.7

Someofthedataavailableclearly confirmstheaffirmationoftheBishop ofRomesaidonhisApostolicVisitto Jordan,9May2009,whenheblessed thefoundationstoneoftheUniversity ofMadabaintheLatinPatriarchateof Jerusalem.IntheMiddleEastthe CatholicChurchruns686nursery schoolswith92,661pupils,869primaryschoolswith343,705pupilsand548 middleschoolswith183,995pupils. Therearealso13institutesforadvancedstudies,includingfouruniversities.Asforthenumberofstudents, 2,443attendinstitutesforadvanced studies;1,654areinvolvedinecclesiasticalstudiesand34,506studyother universitysubjects.8 ItisusefultoremembertheseschoolsarenotonlyattendedbyCatholicsandChristiansbut areopentostudentswhobelongto otherreligions,andinparticularto

Muslims.ThisisapracticalandeffectivewayinwhichtheChurchcontributestotheeducationofyouth,the hopeoftheChurchandofsociety.

TheCatholicChurchisalsointhe frontlineintheapostolateofcharity withregardtosick,elderly,disabled andpoorpeople.IntheMiddleEast theChurchhas544Catholichealthcarestructures:76hospitalsandnursinghomes,113health-careinstitutions fortheelderly,331health-carecentres anddispensaries,24health-carefacilitiesforthedisabledandrehabilitation centresmanagedbyvariousinstitutes ofconsecratedlife.Theseinstitutions arealsoopentootherChristians,Muslimsandallpersonsinneed.

Manyinitiativestohelpourneediest brethrenareoperatedby Caritas organizationsoftheMONAregion(Middle East,HornofAfrica,NorthAfrica).

Valuableassistanceisofferedtoour brothersandsistersintheMiddleEast bytheSovereignMilitaryOrderof Malta,bytheEquestrianOrderofthe HolySepulchreofJerusalemand,especially,bytheCongregationforthe EasternChurcheswhichcoordinates assistancethroughvariousorganizations,includingtheAssemblyofOrganizationsforAidtotheEastern Churches(ROACO).

III)ConvocationoftheSpecial AssemblyfortheMiddleEast

On19September2009,duringhis meetingwiththePatriarchsandMajor ArchbishopsoftheEasternCatholic Churches suiiuris,theHolyFather, PopeBenedict XVI announcedhisdecisiontoconvoketheSpecialAssembly fortheMiddleEastoftheSynodof Bishops.

TheideaofconvokingthisSynodal Assemblyarosefromtwopastoralconcerns.Ontheonehand,variousBishops,mainlyfromthemoretroubledregionsintheMiddleEast,suchas,for example,Iraq,askedtheHolyFather togathertheBishopsoftheregionto listenpersonallytowhattheyhadto sayabouttheoftendramaticsituation ofthefaithfulentrustedtotheirpastoralcare,and,withthegraceofthe HolySpiritandinepiscopalcommunion,toidentifypossiblewaystoimprovethesituation,startingwithcommunionwithintheChurchesandwith thecommunionoftheseChurches

amongthemselves.ThisdesireofPastorsingraveadversitywasalsochampionedbyseveralCardinalsand PrelatesoftheRomanCuriawhohave frequentcontacts,institutionaland personal,withthePastorsandChristiansoftheHolyLand.

Ontheotherhand,duringhisApostolicVisitstoTurkeyandlatertoJordan,IsraelandPalestine,theHolyFathersawwithhisowneyesandpersonallyexperiencedthejoysandsorrows ofthevariouslocalChurches.Thushe acceptedtheBishops'desirenottofeel isolatedandtheirwishtostrengthen theirbondsofcommunionwiththe universalChurchthroughtheBishop ofRome,whopresidesoverthe Churchincharity.Moreover,theannouncementoftheconvocationofthe SynodalAssemblywasmadeintheatmosphereofthePope'sdeepcommunionwiththeHeadsoftheEastern CatholicChurches suiiuris,whomhe receivedatCastelGandolfo.Thisimportantgesture,afraternalencounter and agape, wasalsopromptedbyyour wish,YourHoliness“tolistentothe voicesoftheChurchesyouservewith admirableself-denialandtoreinforce thebondsofcommunionthatbind themtotheApostolicSee”.9 Moreover, HolyFather,youexpressedyourwish to“encouragetheSynodalitysodear toEasternecclesiologyandacknowledgedwithappreciationbytheSecond VaticanEcumenicalCouncil”.10 Then recallingthe Appealforpeace presented toyoubythePatriarchsduringthe 12thOrdinaryGeneralAssemblyof theSynodofBishopsontheWordof God,youturnedyourthoughtsprimarilytothesufferingregionsofthe MiddleEast.InthiscontextyouannouncedtheSpecialAssemblyforthe MiddleEastoftheSynodofBishops, entrustingtheresultstothematernal intercessionoftheBlessedVirgin Mary,sodeeplyhonouredinthevenerableEasternCatholicChurches,as wellasbyourbrothersandsistersof otherChristianChurches.

IV)PreparationsfortheSpecial AssemblyfortheMiddleEast AttheAudiencegrantedtomeon 13June2009,theHolyFatherBenedict XVI spokeoftheconvocationofa

StAndréBessette (1845-1937)

StAndréBessette (intheworld:AlfredBessette)was bornon9August 1845inSaint-Grégoired’Iberville, nearMontreal, Canada.Hewas theeighthof12 children,twoof whomdied.Alfred's fathermoved the familytoFarnhan in1849,inthe hopeofimproving thefamily'ssituationwhileworking asacarpenterand lumberman.Alfred'sfatherwas killedbyafalling

chapel,today knownastheOratory,thatwasto become theworld's greatestshrine dedicatedtoSt Joseph.In1931 theGreatDepressionputastopto theconstruction. In1936,thesuperiorsoftheCongregationofHoly Crosscalledaspecialmeetingtodecidewhetherthe project shouldcontinue.TheProvincialaskedBro. Andréforhis opinion.Hesaid treewhenAlfredwas nine.Hismother diedthreeyearslaterfromtuberculosis,leaving10childrentocarefor. Muchlater,Bro.Andréwasheardto say:“Iseldomprayedformymother, butIoftenpraytoher”.

Attheageof12,Alfredwasforced toleaveschooltolearnatradeandto seekwork;hecouldbarelywritehis nameorreadhisprayerbook.

Inspiteoffrailhealth,Alfredtried tomakealivingasanunskilled labourer,goingfromjobtojobasan apprenticeandwaseasilyexploited.

LikemanyFrench-Canadianemigrants, hewent tothe U.S. and worked forfouryearsintextilemills.Alfred

returned to Canada in1867, puttinghiswholeheartinto hiswork.

Threeyearslater,atthe suggestionofFrAndré Provençal,hisparishpriest whohelpedhim,Alfred presentedhimselfasacandidateatthenovitiateof theofHolyCrossinMontreal.Becauseofhisfrail health,hissuperiorsatfirst haddoubtsabouthisreligiousvocation,atlasthe wasacceptedandgiventhe name“BrotherAndré”.

Hewasmadeporterat theCollegeNotre-Damedu Sacré-Coeur,theschoolhis communityfounded,and did menial tasks buthesoon startedtowelcomethesick andthebroken-hearted.He invitedthemtopraytoSt Josephtoobtainfavours. Beforelong,manypeople werereportingthattheir prayershadbeenanswered.

For25years,inhissmall officeorinthetramway stationacrossthestreet, Bro.Andréspentsixto eighthoursadayreceiving visitors.Thereweresoon rumoursofhealingsthat doctorscouldnotexplain. Bro.Andrébegantovisit thesickandearnedthe reputationofbeingamiracle-worker.Buthestrongly protested:“Iamnothing... onlyatoolinthehandsof Providence,alowlyinstrumentattheserviceofSt Joseph”.Hewentevenfurther:“Peoplearesillyto thinkthatIcanperform miracles.ItisGodandSt Josephwhocanhealyou, notI”.

Duringhislife,Bro.Andréstrovetobuildthe

“Thisisnotmywork,itistheworkof StJoseph.Putastatueofhiminthe middleofthebuilding.Ifhewantsa roofoverhishead,he'lltakecareof it”.Twomonthslater,theCongregationhadthenecessaryfundstocontinuethebuildingwork.

Bro.Andrédiedon6January1937. Hewas92andnewspapersreported thatmorethanamillionpeopleattendedhisfuneral.Todayhisbody liesinasimpletombintheBasilica onMountRoyal.Theinscription reads: Pauper,servisahumilis (apoor andhumbleservant).PopeJohnPaul II beatifiedBro.Andréon23May 1982.

StBattistaCamilladaVarano (1458-1524)

StBattistaCamilla daVarano (inthe world:Camillada Varano)wasborn inCamerino, Italy,on9April 1458toPrince GiulioCesareda VaranoandDonnaCecchinadi MaestroGiacomo. Camillawasborn outofwedlockbut wasnonetheless broughtupand educatedinherfather'spalacein theartsandliteratureunderthe tutelageofGiovannaMalatesta,

throughatimeof deepspiritual struggletoresist theattractionof theworldbutdid notabandonher sufferingLord,on thecontrary,she begantoleada moreaustereway oflife.InLent 1479,ontheeve oftheAnnunciationintheChurch ofSanPietrodi Muralto,during thepreachingof Fra.Francescoda UrbinoCamilla receivedanilluminationthatenthePrince'swife.

Whenshewasaboutnineyearsold, afterhearinganexhortationbyFra DomenicodaLeonessa,shemadea vowtomeditateeveryFridayonthe PassionofChristandtoshedatleast onetear.Thissimpleresolutionwhich sheperformedwithchildlikeenthusiasmandfaithfulnessdespitethesacrificesitcosther,openedanunexpected horizonofgracetoanintensespiritual life.Camillawrotelater:“Thatholy word,whichIuttered,movedbythe HolySpirit,madesuchanimpression onmytenderandchildlikeheartthat Ialwaysrememberedit”.

Fromtheageof18to21,shewent

StGiuliaSalzano(1846-1929)

StGiuliaSalzano wasborn on13October1846inSantaMariaCapuaVeterein theSouthernItalian ProvinceofCaserta.Her motherwasAdelaide Valentinoandherfather, DiegoSalzano,wasaCaptainintheLancersofKing Ferdinand II ofNaples.Giulia'sfatherdiedwhenshe wasfouryearsoldandshe wasentrustedforherupbringingtotheSistersof CharityintheRoyalOrphanageofSanNicolaLa Strada.Shestayedwith themuntilshewas15.She earnedateachingdiploma andthentaughtatthelocal

abledhertounderstandtheprecious giftofconsecratedvirginity.

HavingthuspreparedherselftobelongtotallytoChristandovercoming parentalresistancesheenteredthe monasteryofthePoorClare'sin Urbinoon14November1481.She tookthereligiousnameof“SrBattista”.In1484shereturnedto Camerinoandon4Januaryfounded anewcommunityofPoorClaresina monasterythatherfatherhadpurchasedfromtheOlivetanmonks.

DailymeditationonSacredScriptureandtheLiturgyandlivingconstantlyinGod'spresenceenabledSr Battistatowritevariousmysticaltexts

SacredHeart.Shedevoted herlifetothecharismof catechesis,affirming:“While Ihaveanylifeleftinme,I shallcontinuetoteachthe Catechism.Andthen,Iassureyou,Iwouldbevery happytodieteachingthe Catechism”.

Shelikewiseexhortedher daughters:“TheSisterCatechistmustbereadyatevery momenttoinstructthelittle onesandtheuneducated. Shemustnotcountthesacrificessuchaministrydemands,indeedsheshould desiretodiewhiledoingit, ifthisbeGod'swill”.AnotherBlessed,LudovicodaCaschoolatCasoria,intheProvinceofNaples, whereherfamilyhadmovedinOctober1865. ShetookagreatinterestintheCatechism andininstructingchildren,youngpeopleand adultsinthefaith.ShealsoencourageddevotiontotheVirginMary.

TogetherwithStCaterinaVolpicelli,her friendandco-worker,shepromotedloveofand devotiontotheSacredHeart,puttinginto practicethemotto: AdmaioremCordisIesugloriam.ForGiuliatheSacredHeart,asaliving symbolandimageoftheinfiniteloveofJesus Christ,wastheenlighteningcontentofcatechesis.

ThedefinitionintheCatechism“Godcreatedustoknowhim,lovehimandservehimin thislife...”,wasthesparkthatkindledwithin herapassionforteachingChristiandoctrine. shewasconvincedthatwithoutknowledgeof God,theworldcanneitherlovenorservehim. Becauseofherconstantconcerntomake knowntheteachingsandlifeofJesusthrough educationandwitness,in1905shefoundedthe CongregationoftheCatecheticalSistersofthe

soria,predictedalmostprophetically:“Take carenottobetemptedtoabandonthechildrenofourdearCasoria,becauseitisGod's willthatyoushouldliveanddieamongthem”. Andsoitwas.Shediedon17May1929in Casoria,thedayaftershehadexamined100 childrenforFirstCommunion.“DonnaGiulietta”,asshewascalledbythepeopleofCasoria, wassowellknownforherholinessthatthe CauseforherCanonizationwasintroducedon 29January1937.On25January1994the Positio forhercause,wasconsignedtotheCongregationfortheCausesforSaints.On23 April2002PopeJohnPaul II approvedthe Decreerecognizingherheroicvirtuesandon 20DecemberthatsameyearhesignedtheDecreerecognizingamiracleattributedtotheintercessionofGiuliaSalzano,andbeatifiedher in2003.

GiuliaSalzano'sholinessisdistinguishedby hervocationalandcharismaticinsight:sheis theonlyFoundresswhofocusedoncatechesis. Indeed,onaccountofhercharismshemaybe consideredaProphetessoftheNewEvangelization.

whoseloftyspiritualitywas appreciatedbysuchremarkableSaintsand churchmenasStPhilip Neri.Shewasfirstelected Abbesswhenshewas35, anofficesheheldforseveralterms.Thefirsttrialshe facedwasspiritualdryness, whichlastedfrom1488to 1493.Inthisperiodsheexperiencethesilenceofthe Onewhowasheronly raisond'être.Echoesofthis spiritualdesolationarewell documentedintheautobiographicalletterknownas TheSpiritualLife.

Hersecondtrialwoundedherdeeply:Pope Alexander VI firstexcommunicatedherfatherwith herthreebrothersandthen hadthemkilled.Thisevent obligedhertoseekasylum intheKingdomofNaples. Onlyafterthedeathof Alexander VI couldshereturntoCamerino,where heryoungestbrotherrestoredtheLordshipofthe daVaranofamily.

On28January1505

PopeJulius II sentherto foundanewcommunityof PoorClaresinFermo whereshestayedfortwo years.Shefoundedanother communityofPoorClares atSanSeverinoMarche (1521-22).Hercharitable spiritledhertoserveher neighbourinmanyways.

On31May1524,after 43yearsasacloistered nun,thenewSaintdiedin hermonasteryatCamerino,whereherremainsstill repose,duringaplagueepidemic.Shewas63years old.Shewasbeatifiedin 1843byPopeGregory XVI

StMaryoftheCrossMacKillop (1842-1909)

StMaryofthe CrossMacKillop (intheworld: MaryHelen MacKillop)was bornon15January1842inMelbourne,Australia. Shewastheeldest ofeightchildren borntoAlexander MacKillopand FloraMacDonald, poorScottishimmigrants.

Maryinher teenswasaskedto helpwiththefamilyfinances,soshe beganworkingas

Pius IX.Shewent homewithsupport foracentralized government.

Throughouther lifeMarysuffered frompoorhealth butusedherillnessestocome closertoGod.At theageof60,she hadastrokewhile visitingNew Zealand;butshe continuedinthe officeofSuperior.

StStanisławKazimierczyk Sołtys(1433-1489)

StStanisławKazimierczykSołtys was bornon27September1433in Krakow,Poland. Hisparents,MaciejandJadwiga Sołtysweredevout Catholicswho broughthimupto beagoodChristian. Fromearly childhoodStanisławhadclose tieswithhisparish ChurchofCorpus Christi,werehe wasbaptizedand receivedhisfirst

humble,patient chasteandmodest, devotedhimself zealouslytotheofficesentrustedto himandliveda rigorousandasceticlifestyle.

By1905thedeteriorationof MotherMary's healthwasevident agovernessinPenolawhereshemet FrJulianTenisonWoods,theparish priestofalargepartofSouthEast andSouthAustralia.Mary'sdreamof givingpoorruralCatholicchildrena freeeducationcorrespondedwiththat ofFrWoods.Hebecamehermentor andspiritualdirector,encouragingher inhervocation.

TheyconceivedofaCongregation ofSisterswhowouldworkwherever therewasaneed,especiallyinrural areas.InJanuary1866theCongregationbecamearealitywhenMaryand

twoSistersbeganteaching inPenola,SouthAustralia.

On15August1867,she andhercompanionsprofessedthevowsofpoverty, chastityandobediencein AdelaideandMarytook thename“SrMaryofthe Cross”.Otheryoungwomenjoinedherandtogether theyeducatedthepoor.In asocietywithnosocialwelfaresystem,Maryalso openedhercharitableheart tothedestituteandtheelderly.By1869,60Sisters wereworkinginschools,orphanagesandsheltersfor women.

AcomplexsetofcircumstancesledtheBishopof Adelaide,formerlyafriend andbenefactor,toexcommunicateMaryin1871for presumeddisobedience.She calmlyacceptedtheexcommunicationandthedismissalofmanyofherSisters.TheBishoprevoked thesentencebeforehis death,lessthansixmonths later.Marywentbackto herworkandmostofthe dismissedSistersreturnedto theInstitute.

Shewasadvisedtogoto Rometoseekthehelpof PopePius IX.TheInstitute neededacentralizedgovernmentwhichwouldenableMarytosendtheSisterswherevertheywere needed,ratherthanbeing restrictedtoaspecificdiocese.

ThoughMarydidnot thenreceivedefinitiveapprovalforherInstitute–whichwouldcomein1888 –shemetwithencouragement,especiallyduringher threemeetingswithPope

butsheremainedcheerful.HerattentiontoGod'swillinspiredherto write:“ThewillofGodistomea verydearbookandInevertireof readingit”.Andoneofherfavourite sayingswas:“Neverseeaneedwithoutdoingsomethingaboutit”.She diedpeacefullyon8August1909.

ThreePopes–Paul VI,JohnPaul II andBenedict XVI –haveprayedat hertomb,nottomentionthousandsof pilgrimsfromacrosstheworld.

Australia'sfirstSaintwasbeatified in1995byJohnPaul II

Stanisławalso taughtyoungreligiousinwhomhe alwayssoughtto inculcatealove fortheBlessed Sacramentequal tohisown.They heldhiminhigh esteemandtrusted him,sincenotonlydidheteach educationattheparishschool.

Heearneddegreesintheologyand philosophyattheJagiełłonianUniversity.In1456heenteredthenovitiate oftheOrderoftheCanonsRegularof theLateran,acongregationwith which,asaparishioner,hehadbeen acquaintedfromchildhood.Herehe madehisvowsandwasordaineda priest.

Inthissamechurchhewasappointedpreacher,“lector”andnovice master,aswellasvice-priorofthe community.Stanisław,aprofoundly

StCándidaMaríadeJesús CipitriayBarriola(1845-1912)

StCándidaMaríadeJesús CipitriayBarriola (inthe world:JuanaJosefa)was bornon31May1845,in Berrospe,Andoain,Guipuzcoa,Spain,thefirstchild borntoJuanMiguel,a weaver,andMaríaJesús. Shewasbaptizedthatsame dayintheparishChurchof SanMartín.Shewasconfirmedin1848andatthe ageoftenmadeherfirst communion,whichfilledher withlastingjoy.

“IamforGodalone”was heranswertoGod'sfirst call.On8December1871, MotherCándidaMaríade Jesúsfoundedanewcongre-

themtheChristiandoctrine,butalso witnessedtoitwithhisownlife.

Stanisławsawhislifeasaconstant struggleforholiness,buthiscommitmentincaringforeveryaspectofthe convent,hisdedicatedattentiontothe novicesandtothepoorpeoplewho knockedatthedoor,thediligence withwhichhecomposedhishomilies, hisdedicationtohearingconfessions and,lastly,hisforthrightandfervent devotion,earnedhimhighesteemand greatrespectaspeopleconsideredhim alivingsaint.

andtoenduremuchsuffering.Trustwasamarked characteristicofherspirituality.Herwords,“Idistrust myselfandplaceallmy hopeinyou,mydearest Mother”,revealshow deeplyshetrustedinOur Lady,“Starofourway”. MotherCándida'sentire lifewassteepedintheexperienceofGod'sclosenessand inherpersonallovefor Christ.Herprayerfulspirit wasoutstanding.Shedideverythingforthegloryof God.Shewasacontemplative,awomanimmersedin God,whospentlonghours beforethetabernacle,intrigationinSalamancafortheChristianeducationofchildrenandyouthandfortheadvancementofwomen.Hersimplebackground andscanteducationandmeansatthebeginningofthefoundationandthroughoutherlife servedonlytohighlighthertrustfulresponseto God'scallwhichmadeherasuitableinstrumentforfulfillinghermission.

MotherCándidaopenedschoolsforchildren andadolescentsfromallsocialbackgrounds andSunday-schoolsforgirlsemployedasdomestics.ShethusinvolvedtheCongregationof theDaughtersofJesusinthepastoralplanof theChurchofhertime.

Indeed,theuniversaldimensionofher charismcontinuestobeacommitmentworth considering,aprecursorofwhatwecall“social justice”today.Shebasedherspiritualityonthe SpiritualExercisesofStIgnatius.WiththecollaborationofFrHerranz, SJ shewrotethe Constitutionsforherreligiousfamilyandthey wereapprovedbyPopeLeo XIII in1902.

EndowedwithmanygiftsoftheHolySpirit, shewascalmlyabletoachieveagreatdeal

alsandsufferingshehadthefortitudetoremainserene.Asaresultshedidnotcomplain aboutthepresentandwasnotdisturbedbythe future.Shetriedtoinculcatethisspiritinher daughtersandamongthepupilsatherschools. Shelivedandlovedpovertyaboveall:“Where thereisnoroomformypoor,thereisnoroom formeeither”,sheoncesaid,whileworkingas amaidinBurgos.AsFoundressandSuperior General,shewasdociletothewillofGodand exercisedherauthorityinaspiritofserviceto herbrothersandsisters,governingherreligious asdaughtersofGod.MotherCándidawitnessedtoGod'spower.Sheexpressedconvictionwithdeepsincerity:“WithouttheCrosswe cangonowhere.Letcrossescomeandmay God'swillbedone”.

MotherCándidadiedinSalamanca,Spain, on9August1912andthefameofholinessshe alreadyenjoyedinherlifetimehascontinued toincrease.On6July1993,PopeJohnPaul II beatifiedherinRomeon12May1996.

TheCongregationshefoundedispresenttodayin17countriesinEurope,Africa,the AmericasandAsia.

Thisopinionwasreinforcedimmediatelyafter Stanisław'sdeathon3May 1489.Inthefirstyearafter hediedthefaithfulbegan topraytoGodforhisintercessionandtheconvent's recordsnotealmost200 gracesattributedtoit.Stanisław'scontemporariesand thefollowinggenerations testifiedtotheexcellenceof hislifeandhisexceptional virtues.

Stanisławwasburiedunderthefloornearthealtar ofStMaryMagdalen,Patronessofweavers,because hisfatherwasaweaver.

In1632aspecialaltar wasbuiltforStanisław's relics.Todaydozensofpictureshangonthisaltar,depictingeventsofhislife.

AlthoughStanisławwas veneratedasaSaintimmediatelyafterhisdeath,it wasnotuntil1773thatthe Canonspresentedanofficial requesttotheHolySeeto confirmhiscult.Theywere obligedtowaitduetoadverseeventsuchas:the PartitionsofPoland,the twoWorldWarsandthe CommunistGovernment.

AsBishopofKrakow KarolWojtyławasaferventchampionofthecause ofbeatificationofStanisław KazimierczykSołtys.He visitedtheChurchofCorpusChristiseveraltimes and,asPope,beatifiedStanisławKazimierczykon18 April1993.

On19December2009

Benedict XVI confirmeda miracleobtainedthrough theintercessionofBlessed Stanisław,therebypaving thewaytohisCanonization.

Benedict XVI invitesthefaithfultofollowexampleofsixnewSaintsduringtheirCanonizationMass

AcelebrationofSainthood

OnSundaymorning,17October,the29thSundayinOrdinaryTime,theHolyFather presidedatMassinStPeter'sSquarefortheCanonizationofsixnewSaints:Stanisław KazimierczykSołtys,PriestoftheOrderofCanonsRegularoftheLateran;André(Alfred) Bessette,ReligiousoftheCongregationoftheHolyCross;CándidaMaríadeJesús(Juana Josefa)CipitriayBarriola,Virgin,FoundressoftheCongregationoftheDaughtersof Jesus;MaryoftheCross(MaryHelen)MacKillop,Virgin,FoundressoftheCongregation oftheSistersofStJosephoftheSacredHeart;GiuliaSalzano,Virgin,Foundressofthe CongregationoftheSistersCatechistsoftheSacredHeart;andBattistaCamillada Varano,Virgin,oftheOrderofPoorClares.Takingpartwere80,000faithfulfromacross theworld.ThefollowingisatranslationofthePope'sHomily,whichwasgiveninItalian, Polish,French,SpanishandEnglish.

DearBrothersandSisters, Thecelebrationofholinessisrenewed todayinStPeter'sSquare.Ijoyfullyaddressmycordialwelcometoyouwho havecomefromevenveryfarawayto takepartinit.Iofferaspecialgreeting totheCardinals,totheBishopsandto theSuperiorsGeneraloftheInstitutes foundedbythenewSaints,aswellasto theOfficialDelegationsandtoallthe

thosewhopraytohim.Godinfactis generosityinperson,heismercifuland isthereforealwaysdisposedtolistento prayers.Thereforewemustneverdespairbutalwayspersistinprayer. TheconclusionoftheGospelpassage speaksoffaith:“WhentheSonofMan comes,willhefindfaithonearth?”(Lk 18:8).Itisaquestionthatintendsto elicitanincreaseoffaithonourpart.

ForBrotherAndré,“believingmeant submittingfreelythroughlovetothe divinewill.Whollyinhabitedbythe mysteryofJesus,helivedtheblessedness ofpurehearts,thatofpersonal rectitude....Forhim,everythingspokeof GodandofGod'spresence”

CivilAuthorities.Letusseektogetherto understandwhattheLordtellsusinthe SacredScripturesproclaimedjustnow.

ThisSunday'sLiturgyoffersusafundamentalteaching:theneedtoprayalways,withouttiring.Attimeswegrow wearyofpraying,wehavetheimpressionthatprayerisnotsousefulforlife, thatitisnotveryeffective.Weare thereforetemptedtothrowourselvesintoactivity,touseallthehumanmeans forattainingourgoalsandwedonot turntoGod.Jesushimselfsaysthatitis necessarytoprayalways,anddoessoin aspecificparable(cf.Lk18:1-8).

Thisparablespeaksto usofajudgewhodoes notfearGodandisno respecterofpersons:a judgewithoutapositive outlook,whoonlyseeks hisowninterests.He neitherfearsGod's judgementnorrespects hisneighbour.Theother figureisawidow,apersoninasituationof weakness.IntheBible, thewidowandtheorphanaretheneediest categories,becausethey aredefencelessandwithoutmeans.Thewidow goestothejudgeand askshimforjustice.Her possibilitiesofbeing heardarealmostnone, becausethejudgedespisesherandshecanbring nopressuretobearon

Indeeditisclearthat prayermustbeanexpressionoffaith,otherwiseitis nottrueprayer.Ifonedoes notbelieveinGod'sgoodness,onecannotprayina trulyappropriatemanner. Faithisessentialasthe basisofaprayerfulattitude.Itwassoforthesix newSaintswhoareheldup todayforthevenerationof theuniversalChurch:Sta-

nisławSołtys,AndréBessette,Cándida MaríadeJesúsCipitriayBarriola, MaryoftheCrossMacKillop,Giulia SalzanoandBattistaCamillaVarano. StStanis awKazimierczyk,areligious ofthe15thcentury,canalsobeanexampleandanintercessorforus.His wholelifewasboundtotheEucharist, firstofallintheChurchofCorpusDominiinKazimierz,knowntodayas Krakow,where,besidehismotherand father,helearnedfaithandpiety.Here hemadehisreligiousvowswiththe CanonsRegular;hereheworkedasa priestandeducator,attentivetothecare

encedsufferingandpovertyatavery early age.Theyledhimtohaverecourse toGodthroughprayerandanintense innerlife.AsporteroftheCollegeof NotreDameinMontreal,hedemonstratedboundlesscharityandstroveto relievethedistressofthose whocameto

him.Shecannotevenappealtoreligious principlesbecausethejudgedoesnot fearGod.Thereforethiswidowseems withoutanyrecourse.Butsheinsists,she askstirelessly,importuninghim,andin theendshesucceedsinobtainingaresultfromthejudge.

AtthispointJesusmakesareflection, usingtheargument afortiori: ifadishonestjudgeendsbylettinghimselfbe convincedbyawidow'splea,howmuch morewillGod,whoisgood,answer

oftheneedy.However,hewaslinkedin aspecialwaytotheEucharistthrough hisardentloveforChristpresentunder thespeciesoftheBreadandtheWine; bylivingthemysteryofthehisdeath andResurrection,whichisfulfilledinan unbloodywayinHolyMass;bythe practiceofloveforneighbour,ofwhich Communionisasourceandasign. Bro.AndréBessette,anativeofQuebecinCanada,andareligiousofthe CongregationoftheHolyCross,experi-

confideinhim.With verylittleeducation, hehadneverthelessunderstoodwheretheessentialofhisfaithwas situated.Forhim,believingmeant submittingfreelyandthrough lovetothedivinewill. Whollyinhabitedby themysteryofJesus, helivedthebeatitude ofpureofheart,that ofpersonalrectitude. Itisthanks tothissimplicitythatheenabled manypeopletosee God.Hehadbuiltthe OratoryofStJosephof MountRoyal,whose faithfulcustodianhe remaineduntilhis deathin1937.Hewas thewitnessofinnumerablecuresandconver-

sions.“Donotseektohaveyourtrials removed”,hesaid,“askratherforthe gracetobearthemwell”.Forhim,everythingspokeofGodandofGod's presence.Maywe,inhisfootsteps,seek Godwithsimplicityinordertodiscover himeverpresentintheheartofourlife!

MaytheexampleofBro.Andréinspire CanadianChristianlife! WhentheSonofmancomestodo justicetothechosenones,willhefind thisfaithonearth?(cf.Lk18:8).Today,

contemplatingfiguressuchasMother CándidaMaríadeJesúsCipitriayBarriola,wecansay“yes”withreliefand firmness.Thatgirlofsimpleoriginson whoseheartGodhadsethissealand whomhebroughtverysoon,withthe guidanceofherJesuitspiritualdirectors, tomakethefirmdecisiontolive“for Godalone”.Shefaithfullykepttoher decisionassheherselfrecalledwhenshe wasabouttodie.ShelivedforGodand forwhathemostdesires:toreacheveryone,tobringeveryonethehopethat doesnotdisappoint,especiallytothose whoneeditmost.“Wherethereisno roomforthepoor,thereisnoroomfor meeither”thenewSaintsaid,andwith

MaryMacKillop“attendedtothe needsofeachyoungperson entrustedtoher,withoutregardfor stationorwealth,providingboth intellectualandspiritual formation....mayherfollowers todaycontinuetoserve...withfaith andhumility!”

limitedmeanssheimbuedtheotherSisterswiththedesiretofollowJesusand todedicatethemselvestotheeducation andadvancementofwomen.Soitwas thattheHijasdeJesús[DaughtersofJesus]cameintobeing;todaytheyhavein theirFoundressaveryloftymodeloflife toimitateandanexcitingmissionto carryonMotherCándida'sapostolate withherspiritandaspirations,inmany countries.

“Rememberwhoyourteacherswere–

fromtheseyoucanlearnthewisdom thatleadstosalvationthroughfaithin ChristJesus”.Formanyyearscountless youngpeoplethroughoutAustraliahave beenblessedwithteacherswhowereinspiredbythecourageousandsaintlyexampleofzeal,perseveranceandprayer ofMotherMaryMacKillop.Shededicatedherselfasayoungwomantothe educationofthepoorinthedifficultand demandingterrainofruralAustralia,inspiringotherwomentojoinherinthe firstwomen'scommunityofreligioussistersofthatcountry.Sheattendedtothe needsofeachyoungpersonentrustedto her,withoutregardforstationor wealth,providingbothintellectualand spiritualformation.Despitemanychallenges,herprayerstoStJosephandher unflaggingdevotiontotheSacredHeart ofJesus,towhomshededicatedhernew congregation,gavethisholywomanthe gracesneededtoremainfaithfultoGod andtotheChurch.Throughherintercession,mayherfollowerstodaycontinuetoserveGodandtheChurchwith faithandhumility!

Inthesecondhalfofthe19thcentury,inCampania,inthesouthofItaly, theLordcalledayoungelementary teacher,GiuliaSalzano,andmadeher anapostleofChristianeducation, FoundressoftheCongregationofthe CatechistSistersoftheSacredHeart. MotherGuliaunderstoodwelltheimportanceofcatechesisintheChurch and,combiningpedagogicaltraining withspiritualfervour,dedicatedherself withgenerosityandintelligence,contributingtotheformationofpeopleof everyageandsocialclass.ShewouldrepeattotheSistersthatshewishedto catechizetotheverylasthourofher life,showingwithherwholeselfthatif “Godcreatedustoknowhim,lovehim andservehiminthislife”,itisnecessary toputnothingbeforethistask.Maythe exampleandintercessionofStGiulia SalzanosustaintheChurchinher perennialdutytoproclaimChristandto formauthenticChristianconsciences.

StBattistaCamillaVarano,aPoor Clarenunofthe15thcentury,witnessed tothedeepevangelicalmeaningoflife, especiallythroughperseveringprayer. SheenteredthemonasteryinUrbinoat theageof23,fittingintothatvast movementofthereformofFranciscan femalespiritualitywhichaimedtorecoverfullythecharismofStClareofAssisi. Shepromotednewmonasticfoundations inCamerinowhereshewasseveraltimes electedAbbess,inFermoandinSan Severino.StBattista'slife,totallyimmersedindivinedepths,wasaconstant ascentonthewayofperfection,witha heroicloveofGodandneighbour.She wasmarkedbyprofoundsufferingand mysticconsolation;infactshehaddecided,assheherselfwrites,“toenterthe mostSacredHeartofJesusandto drownintheoceanofhismostbitter suffering”.Inaperiodinwhichthe Churchwasundergoingaperiodof morallaxity,shetookwithdeterminationtheroadofpenanceandprayer,enlivenedbyanardentdesirefortherenewaloftheMysticalBodyofChrist.

Dearbrothersandsisters,letusthank theLordforthegiftofholinessthatis resplendentintheChurchandtoday shinesoutonthefacesofthesebrothers andsistersofours.Jesusalsoinviteseach oneofustofollowhiminordertoinheriteternallife.Letusallowourselves tobeattractedbytheseluminousexamplesandtobeguidedbytheirteaching, sothatourlifemaybeacanticleof praisetoGod.MaytheVirginMary andtheintercessionofthesixnew Saintswhomwejoyfullyveneratetoday obtainthisforus.Amen.

AttheendoftheCanonizationMassin StPeter'sSquare,theHolyFather welcomedallthepilgrimsandbefore leadingtherecitationoftheAngelus, greetedthosewhohadcomeforthe CanonizationofthesixnewSaintsin variouslanguages.Thefollowingisa translationofthePope'sGreeting,which wasgiveninItalian,French,English, German,SpanishandPolish. Attheendofthissolemncelebration,I wishtorenewmycordialgreetingto allthepilgrimswhocametohonour thenewSaints. IgreetwithpleasuretheFrenchspeakingpilgrimsandinparticularthe OfficialDelegationfromCanadaand alltheCanadianspresenthereforthe CanonizationofBro.AndréBessette.In takinguphismessage,Iencourageyou tofollowinhisfootstepstowelcome God's will in your life freely andthrough love.Mayyoutoo,ashewas,beoverflowingwithcharityforyourbrothers andsisters who are experiencingdistress. MayGodblessyouallandyourfamilies!HaveapleasantstayinRome!

IwarmlygreetalltheEnglish-speakingpilgrims,especiallythosewhohave comeinsuchgreatnumbersfortoday's Canonization.MaythesenewSaints accompanyyouwiththeirprayersand inspireyoubytheexampleoftheir holylives.IgreetespeciallytheOfficial DelegationsfromCanadaandAustralia whohavetravelledtoRomeinhonour ofStAndréBesetteandStMary MacKillop.MayGodblessandkeep youall,aswellasyourfamiliesand lovedonesathome.

IofferawarmwelcometotheGerman-speakingpilgrimsandvisitors. SaintsarethelivingimageofGod's love.Today,therefore,wearerejoicing inthesixnewSaints,Stanis awKazimierczykSołtys,AndréBesette,CándidaMaríaCipitria,MaryMacKillop, GiuliaSalzanoandCamilladaVarano.MaytheybemodelsandintercessorsforourChristianlife.Maythe Lordblessyouall. IcordiallygreettheSpanish-speakingpilgrimswhohavetakenpartinthe solemnceremonyofCanonizationthis morning,especiallytheCardinalsand

Bishops,aswellastheOfficialDelegationfromSpain.IentrusttheReligious,theDaughtersofJesus,totheintercessionofStCándida,their Foundress.IalsoaskGodthatthenew Saintsmayserveasmodelstothe Christianpeople,particularlytoyouth, sothatthosewhoaccepttheLord'scall andgivetheirwholelivestoproclaimingthegreatnessofhislovemaybeevermorenumerous.

IwarmlygreetallthePoleswho havecomefortheCanonization.IwelcomeinparticulartheRepresentatives oftheEpiscopateandthePresidentof theRepublicofPoland.Irejoicewith youinthegloryoftheholinessofyour compatriot,Stanis awKazmierczyk. Letuslearnfromhimthespiritof prayer,contemplationandsacrificefor ourneighbour.MayhekeepinGod's presencetheChurchofPoland,you whoarehere,yourlovedonesand yourHomeland.Iwarmlyblessyou. IgreettheItalianpilgrimswhoare celebratingStBattistadaVaranoand StGiuliaSalzano,aswellastheOfficialDelegationwhohascomeherefor thishappyoccasion.Inparticular,my thoughtsturntotheirspiritualdaughters,aswellastothefaithfulwhohave comefrom the MarchesandCampania. InthinkingofItaly,Iamanxiousto recallthattoday,inReggioCalabria, the46thSocialWeekforItalian Catholicsisdrawingtoaclose.Ithas markedouta“programmeofhope”for thecountry'sfuture.Iaddressacordial greetingtotheparticipantsinthe Congress,whoareconnectedvialive broadcastatthismoment,andIhope thatthesearchforthecommongood willalwaysbethereliablereferencefor thecommitmentofCatholicsinsocial andpoliticalaction. LetusnowturninprayertoMary MostHoly,whomGodhasplacedin thecentreofthegreatassemblyof Saints.LetusentrustthewholeChurch tohersothatilluminedbytheirexampleandsustainedbytheirintercession shemaywalkwithevernewenthusiasmtowardstheheavenlyHomeland.

HolyFather'sAngelusReflection

StMaryoftheCrossMacKillop ‘Neverseeaneed withoutdoing somethingaboutit’

ANTHONY BARICH

TheCanonizationofStMaryofthe CrossMacKillopinStPeter'sSquare attheVaticanon17Octoberwasa momentofgraceforover8,000AustraliansinRomefortheevent.

ForthemarginalizedinAustralia andforyoungCatholicsstrugglingto liveanauthenticChristianlifeina sometimeshostile,heavilysecular country,theeventwasalsoaconcrete reminderofthepowerofGod'slove thatcanovercomeall.

PopeBenedict XVI canonized MacKillopinStPeter'sSquarewith fiveotherBlesseds–PolishpriestStanisławSołtys,CanadianBrotherofthe CongregationoftheHolyCrossAndré Bessette,DaughtersofJesusFoundress CándidaMariadeJesúsCipitriay BarriolafromSpain,andfromItaly, CatechistsoftheSacredHeart FoundressGiuliaSalzanoandOrderof StClarememberBattistadaVarano.

StilloperatingbyMacKillop'smotto:“Neverseeaneedwithoutdoing somethingaboutit”.The‘Josephites’ astheSistersareknowntoday,operate inAustralia,NewZealand,Peru,Ireland,Brazil,EastTimorandrefugee campsinUgandaandThailand.

InremoteAustralia,whereAboriginalsonthefringesofAustraliansociety arebenefitingfromtheSisters'love andeducationintheirmanymissions acrossthecountry,manypeopleare experiencingtheSaint'slegacyina uniqueway.

TheCanonizationwasapowerful eventforthe40Aboriginalsfrom aroundAustraliawhotheJosephites sponsoredtotakepartinthe17OctobereventinStPeter'sSquare.

Oneofthem,LisaBuxtonofSydney'sArchdiocesanCatholicEducation Office,saidtakingpartinthehistoric eventwasaonceinalifetimeopportunityforAustralianswhootherwise wouldneverbeabletowitnesssuchan occasion–letalonegooverseas.

Shesaidapproximately660indigenous Australians are enrolled inCatholic schoolsintheSydneyArchdiocese,and arethusinvolvedinthelegacyof MacKillop,whowasapioneerof Catholiceducationinthecountry.

“TheyoungonesaresoproudtoexpresstheirculturewiththeirAboriginaleldersintheirconnectiontoMary MacKillop,asshewascommittedto education,andourchildrenhavebeen apartofthat.Wehavevery,very strongCatholicAboriginalcommunitiesacross Australia, wholive theirfaith withintheirownAboriginalspirituality.Tobeabletocombineandexpress thatinasettinglikeStPeter'sSquare isjustphenomenal”,Lisasaidjustas twoAboriginalyouthsangandplayed thetraditionalindigenousmusicalinstrumentthedidgeridoointhepiazza.

MarlonRileywastheindigenous Australianwhosanginthepiazzaas hisfriendMitchellFirthfromTamworth,NewSouthWalesplayedthe didgeridoo.MarlonworksforBrisbaneMurrayMinistrythatvisitscaresfor their fellow Aboriginals includingprison visitations,saidhisworkissimplya caseoflovingothers,whichcomesnaturally,asitdidforMacKillop.

“Welookoutforthoseinourcommunity,butwedonotputatitleon it,wejustdowhatwedo.Wehavea

Josephite,SrKayMcPadden,inour ministry,whohelpsusalot”,hesaid.

Lisasaidthat,justasMacKillop spokeoutforthepoor,thedispossessed andthevoicelessinsociety,sotoodo herJosephitestoday,especiallyforindigenous Australians oftenonthefringe ofmodern-dayAustraliansociety.

Becauseofthis,shesaidthat,asindigenousAustralianswhohavebeen involvedinherlegacyofeducation, theyareimmenselyproudtoactually participateinthiscanonization.

CardinalGeorgePellsaidthat MacKillop'slife,especiallythewayshe bravelyenduredpersecutionandill health,showsthecountry'syouththat theloveofGodcanovercomeall,even intheworstofcircumstances.

“OurfaithtellsusthatGodisgood; andthatmeansthatnomatterwhat ourdifficultiesare,ortheterriblecircumstancesinwhichwefindourselves, ultimatelythescalesofjusticewillbalanceoutineternity,”theCardinal continued.

“OurCreatorGodisgood;andwe alsobelievethathewassointerestedin usthatHesendHisSon.Oneof Christ'smostremarkableteachingswas thatyoucanusesufferinganddisappointmentandevenconfrontingevil andinsomewaysturnittogood.

“That'swhytheCross–theCrucifix –isthesymbolofourredemption. MaryMacKilloplivedthat.Sheher-

selfsaidthatshecouldn'thavegot throughthedifficultiesinherlife–andshehadmorethanhershare–if shedidn'thaveherfaith.

“Sofaithbringshope;andthereare quiteanumber ofpeopleinoursociety whoneedabitofhope.We'vegotone ofthemostwonderfulsocietiesinthe world,butahighrateofyouthsuicide. It'satragedy.Noyoungpeopleshould feelsohopelessthattheydothat”.

Hesaidthatwhile“certainlyit'snot alwayseasytopracticeChristianityin Australia–you'llgetrubbishedabit”, thereisanopennessamongthecountry'syouth,evenamongthosewho “mightnotallbereligiouslyinformed, butthey'llgiveyouahearingifyou've gotsomethingtosay”.

CanonizationMass,17October ASaintforAustralians

JOANNE FORD

TheRiteofCanonizationforsix newSaintstookplaceonSunday morning,amongthemAustralia's first,MotherMaryoftheCross MacKillop.Iwasoverjoyedto shareinthishistoricmomentwith manyotherAustralianpilgrimson thepodiuminStPeter'sSquare,so closetotheHolyFather.

Thousandsofpilgrimscamefrom allovertheworldtobepartofthis greateventinthelifeofthe Church, coming together to celebrate theiradditiontotheCommunionof Saints,andprayingwiththePope thatwemay“beguidedbytheir teachings,sothatourlivesmaybe acanticleofpraisetoGod”.

ThepreparationforMaryofthe Cross'Canonizationbeganlongago forthepostulatorsofhercausewho tooktoheartthewordsofthelate Cardinal Patrick Moran, Archbishop ofSydney,whowaswithherinher finalmomentson4August1909:“I considerIhavethisdayassistedat thedeathbedofasaint”.

ThesimplepilgrimatStPeter's onSundayalsomadetheirown personalpreparationsforthecelebrationofherCanonization, whetheritwastravellingfromthe othersideoftheworldorfromthe othersideofRome.Thelandscape ofthelocalChurchinAustraliais changedforeverwithourownSaint tointercedeforus,withalocal modelofholinesstoinspireus.Well

awareoftheimportanceofthisoccasion,IwenttoConfessionthat morningtobeabletofullypartake inthegraceofthemoment.Ialso joinedwithotherAustralianpilgrimsfortheLatinMassattheAltaroftheTransfigurationinStPeter'sBasilicaonthemorningsleadinguptothebigday.

Butwhatnow?Whataspectsin herlifecanImirrorinmyown? CanImakeadifferenceinthe world?Itisanopportunetimeto takeupherinvitationtoactwhere wecantohelpthepooranddisadvantaged,andatthesametime convertourownhearts.

StMary ofthe Cross, prayforus!

“(Inthisway),theMaryMacKillop storyhassomethingtosay.Therewere badthingsinthestorybutshebattled throughthem”,CardinalPellsaid.

“Thepeoplewhoarerubbishingus orgivingusabitofcheek,(itshows that)they'reinterested,andthat'san indirectAustralianwayofshowing thatinterest”.

BornofScottishparentsinFitzroy, Victoriaon15January,1842astheeldestofeightchildren,MacKillopcofoundedtheSistersofStJosephofthe SacredHeartinPenola,SouthAustraliaatage24in1866withFrJulian TenisonWoodstoeducatepoorchildren.

Shealsoopenedorphanages,providencestocareforthehomelessand destitute,bothyoungandold,and refugesforex-prisonersandex-prostituteswhowishedtomakeafreshstart inlife.

ArchbishopPhilipWilsonofAdelaide,PresidentoftheAustralian CatholicBishops'Conference,said whenPopeBenedictapprovedthesecondmiraclethroughMacKillop'sintercessioninJanuary2010thatshe “couldbequitefeistyandstubborn”, eveninthefaceofpersecution.

TheOrder'scurrentcongregational leader,SrAnneDerwin RSJ,told The Record Catholic newspaperoftheArchdioceseofPerththatshewasdogged byIrishclergy“determinedtobring herdown”foravarietyofreasons.

Theseincludedquestionsabouther drinkinghabits,obedience,thewayshe governedherOrderandallegationsof notpayingherdebts.BishopLawrence Shielexcommunicatedheron22 September1871whenshewasaged29 –lessthanthreeyearsafterhehadapprovedthecongregation.

Shewasclearedofallaccusations duringherlifetimeandtheprelatereversedtheorderonhisdeathbed,realizingthatbyexcommunicating MacKillop,BishopShielhadsetin motionaprocessforclosingdownat leasttwothirdsofthe60-plusCatholic schoolsinthecolony.

AdocumentbyJosephitehistorian SrMariaFoaledetailingthereasons forherexcommunicationrevealedthe Saint'senduringholinessevenduring theworstofherpersecutions.

“Forherpart,Marystillrespected (BishopShiel)andwasveryupsetover whatwasbeingwritteninthepapers”, thedocumentsaid.“Infact,throughoutthissadtimeshebehavedinanexemplarymannerandwouldnotallow anyonetospeakagainsttheBishop whileinherpresence”.

MaryHelenMacKillopsuffereda strokein1902andherhealthcontinuedtodeclineuntilherdeathin1909.

GEORGE PELL*

StMaryoftheCross

Morethan8,000AustraliansinStPeter'sSquareandhundredsandthousandsaroundtheworld,sawagreat momentinourhistoryyesterday.Pope Benedict XVI presidedovertheCanonisationofourfirstSaint,awoman,St MaryoftheCross.

Itwasamomentforustobehumbleandalsoamomenttobeproud.As ayoungcountrywithaminorityof Catholicpopulation,Australiahas donewell,despitetheunfinishedbusinessofeffectivelyrightingthewrongs donetotheoriginalinhabitants,our aboriginalbrothersandsisters.

Wearealsoveryfortunatetoreceive ourfirstSaintsoearlyinourhistory. Humblebecauseherewasawoman whosufferedmuchandwastreated verybadlyonoccasionsbyherfellow Australians.Proudbecauseourfirst Sainthadanextraordinarydepthof faithandhope,whichsheusedtoperseverethrougheverychallenge.

Mary MacKillop respected andloved peopleevenattheirworstbecauseshe couldlookbeyondtheirwrongdoings, theirmistakes,toseeinthemthedignityofthehumanperson,thehidden Christ.Sheresolveddifficultieswith undiminishedrespect,charityand truth.MaryMacKillopisknownto havespokenofaninnerpeacethatno degreeofpaincouldtakefromher.

Lookingatallthosepeoplewho gatheredinStPeter'sremindedmeof thetimewhenIwasyoungandfoolish andusedtosayAustralianswerenot badenoughtoneedaSaint.FortunatelyIhaveimproved,andchanged mymind,atleastonthisissue.Weall needSaints.CatholicsneedMary

MacKillopasoneoftheirown.All AustraliarecogniseMaryMacKillopas oneoftheirown.

ItisnoteasytobecomeaSaintdespitewhatsomecriticsclaim,misunderstandorsimplyrefusetoacknowledge.Ittakeshardworktofollow Christ'steachingsheroicallyacrossa lifetime.TheVaticanconductsadetailedexaminationoftheevidenceover manyyears.Itisnotapopularitycontestoratalentquest.Saintsarenot made,theyarerecognisedfortheirlifetimeofholiness.Saintsarepresented withthe challenges of their time, answer themandpromotereligiousrenewal. InMary'scase,shebroughteducation andreligiousinstructiontomanypoor youngsters,especiallyinthebush.

MaryMacKillopstandsattheheart ofCatholictradition.Shewasunusual

inherfaithandprayer,inherability toinspireotherstojoinher,herability toforgiveaswellasherloyaltytoher fellowsistersandtheChurchleadershipwhichdidnotalwaystreather well.ShelookedtoRomeandthe Popefor protection andshereceivedit.

Iwonderhowmanywouldhavethe strengthtofacewhatMarydidand stillremainfaithful.Excommunicated byanill-advisedandspectacularlyunwiseBishop,treatedbadlybyanother Bishop,accusedofimmorality,financialirresponsibilityandantagonismtowardspriests,sheremainedfaithfulto Christ,loyaltothepriestsandobedienttotheBishops.

MaryMacKillopwascertainlyno weakling,eventhoughshesufferedill healthformanyyears.Shestoodher groundbutalwayscharitablyand

StAndréBessette'slegacylivesonintheCongregationofHolyCross

Oneman'shumbleworkinspiresustobeartheCross

TANIA MANN

TheygavethenewbornJosephAlfred Bessettenomorethanadaytolive. Theywerewrong.Instead,Brother André–ashewaslatercalled–would persevereuntilage91,continually beatingtheoddsandgivinghopeto othersthatmiraclesreallydohappen.

Anorphanfromage12whowasfrequentlyillandbarelyliterate,Bro.André'slifewasriddledwithsuffering. Butinthenearly40yearsofhiswork intheHolyCrossCongregationasa doorman,hefoundmeaningandhealinginChristandhelpedthoseheencounteredtodothesame.

“WhenIjoinedthiscommunity,the superiorsshowedmethedoor”,Bro. Andréisknowntohavesaidkiddingly ofhisjobastheporteratNotreDame Collegein Montreal. Joking aside,however,theHolyCrossCongregationhad infactonceturnedAndréaway,thinkinghispoorhealthwouldimpedehis ministry.Ratherhishumbleworkof hospitality carved a path of holinessthat hasnowextended all thewaytoRome. OnSunday,17October,Bro.André becametheCongregation'sfirstSaint.

FrEdwinObermiller, CSC,Assistant ProvincialoftheIndianaProvince, wasoneamongthethousandsofpilgrimswhotravelledfromacrossthe globetoRomeforBro.André'sCanonization.AftertheceremonyonSunday,hesaid:“Myexperiencetoday tookmebacktotheheartofwhyIbe-

cameaHolyCrossreligious:thatsense ofhospitalityandcareforthoseamong us,especiallyforthosewhoareinneed ofnotonlyphysicalbutalsoemotional andspiritualhealing”.

TheHolyCrossCongregationwas establishedin1837byFrBasilAnthonyMoreau,whoBenedict XVI beatifiedin2007.Todaythelegacyofboth Bl.MoreauandStBessetteliveson throughtheCongregation'spresencein 16differentcountries.

TheOrderrunsseveraluniversities intheUnitedStates,forexample,includingtheUniversityofNotreDame inNotreDame,Indiana.Inhishomily duringOpeningMassthisfall,theinstitution'sPresident,FrJohnJenkins, CSC,emphasizedaneedtolearnfrom Bro.André'sexample:“Andréhas somethingtoteachus”,Jenkinssaid. “Hedidnotmakegreatplans,but simplywatchedthedoor,andwaited... HesaweachvisitorasacallfromGod torespondwithcompassion,attentiveness,andfaith.And,remarkably, miraculoushealingsoccurred”.

Indeed,Andrécametobeknownin hisdayasthe“MiracleManofMontreal”–anicknametowhichheobjected.HepointedinsteadtoSt Joseph,thepatronoftheHolyCross Congregation.

Inadditiontoferventlyencouraging prayerforJoseph'sintercession,the doorkeeperalsoemphasizedaviewof theLordasonewhoisneartousand alwayslistening.Hewasknowntosay,

calmly.ShewantedtodowhatGod wanted andsucceededbrilliantlywhich iswhyGodblessedhereffortswithso muchfruit.Herstrongfaithgaveher thetenacitytosticktoherplans,to refusetoabandonherprinciples.

IthinkthereasonwhyMary MacKillopissowidelyacceptedby Catholicsandnon-Catholicsalikeis thatshewassoobviouslyverygood butalsoverynormal,notatalleccentricorpretentious.Weclaimher strengthsandqualitiesastypically Australian.

FollowingthishistoriceventIhope ouryoungpeopleespeciallywillseea greatdealtobeadmiredinMaryand followhercourageanddetermination, faith,hopeandlove.Sheperseveredin thefaceofadversity,resistedinjustice resolutely,forgavethosewhotreated herunfairlyandfollowedalifeoffaith andprayer.Thatisaninspirationto usandwillremainsoforallsucceedinggenerationsofAustralians.

Marywouldsay,“neverseeaneed withoutdoingsomethingaboutit”.I hopeallgenerationstocomewillrememberthosewordsbecausetheyare thewordsofaholywoman.

Finally,duringthecenturiesoldceremonyyesterday,Irecalledthesimple wordsofCardinalPatrickMoranin SydneyinAugust1909whenhervisitedadyingMotherMaryoftheCross. HesaidtotheSisters:“Herdeathwill bringmanyblessings,notonlyon yourselves,andyourcongregation,but onthewholeAustralianChurch”.And headdedashelefttheconvent:“I considerIhavethisdayassistedatthe deathbedofaSaint”.Indeedhehad.

*CardinalArchbishopofSydney

forexample,that“whenyousayto God,‘OurFather’,hehashisearright nexttoyourlips”.

Thisintimaterelationshipwaswhat bolsteredAndré'sfaithinGod'said.

“André'sowninnatetrustinDivine Providence”–explainedFrAndrew Gawrych, CSC,AssociateDirectorof theOfficeofVocationsinIndianaand theEasternProvinces—“wassonurturedinHolyCrossthatitempowered himto persevere inbuildingStJoseph's Oratorydespiteallthesetbacks,famouslyaskingforastatueofJesus'foster-fathertobeplacedinsidetheunfinishedshrinesotheSainthimselfmight dothefinalfundraising.Andhedid!”.

Bro.Andréwastowork16-hour daysintheOratoryasitsguardian, welcomingthepilgrimswhoflocked thereandprayingwiththemforhealing.Often,thoseprayersweresaidto bemiraculouslyanswered.Today,St Joseph'sOratoryofMountRoyalis thethird-largestbasilicaofitskindin theworldanddrawscloseto2million visitorsayear.

AsidefromrunningtheOratoryand severaltop-tieruniversities,theHoly CrossCongregationisalsodedicatedto servingthepoor.OneoftheirbestknowneffortsinthisveinisAndré House,whichservesthepoorand homelessArizona,U.S.A.Gawrych, whowasrecentlystationedthere,describedtheHouseasonewaythatAndré'scharism“continuestoflourishin thecommunity'sministrytoday”.

WithAndré'sofficialrecognitionas aSaintcomesaninvitationtotheuniversalChurchtoparticipateincarryingonhislegacy.Itisacallto“search forGodwithsimplicity,inorderto discoverhimalwayspresentatthecore ofourlives”, astheHoly Fathersaidin Sunday'sCanonizationMassHomily.

“Canonizationallowspeopletosee thattheycanmakeadifferenceinthe world,”saidObermiller.“Webeginto realizethecapacityweeachhaveto effectchangeintheworld.Lookingto StAndré,whodidn'tevenhavea sixth-gradeeducation,wecanstartto imaginethekindofpotentialwehave togivebacktotheChurch–toshow thefaceofJesustoothers,incompassion,understandingandsupport”.

PhotobyStevenScardina

ReflectionofGeneralSecretaryofSynodofBishops

CONTINUEDFROMPAGE 9

SpecialAssemblyfortheMiddleEast oftheSynodofBishops.Toexamine thematterproperly,hewaswillingto holdastudymeetingattheGeneral Secretariaton8July2009.Taking partinthismeetingweretheheadsof thefourDicasteriesoftheRomanCuriathataremorefrequentlyintouch withtheEasternChurches:thePrefects oftheCongregationforEastern ChurchesandoftheCongregationfor theEvangelizationofPeoples,andthe PresidentsofthePontificalCouncilfor thePromotionofChristianUnityand ofthePontificalCouncilforInterreligiousDialogue.Representativesfrom theSectionforRelationswithStatesof theSecretariatofStatewerealsopresent.Afteranexchangeofinformation onthesituationoftheChurchandsocietyintheregion,theproposalsofa convocationoftheSpecialAssembly fortheMiddleEast,ofthepossible themesfortheAssembly,ofthenumberofparticipantsandofthedateof itscelebrationwereanalyzed.Emphasiswasplacedontheneedtosetupa Pre-SynodalCouncilfortheMiddle EasttopreparetherespectiveDocuments.

AtthePapalAudiencegrantedto meon7September,Ipresentedtothe HolyFather,PopeBenedict XVI the resultsoftheabove-mentionedmeeting forstudy.Aftermaturereflection,His Holinessmadeknownhisdecisionto convoketheSpecialAssemblyforthe MiddleEastfrom10to24October 2010totreatthetopic: TheCatholic ChurchintheMiddleEast:Communion andWitness.“Nowthecompanyofthose whobelievedwereofoneheartandsoul” (Acts4:32).Asmentionedabove,the announcementofthisimportantevent wasmadepersonallybytheHolyFatherhimselfon19September2009. HisHolinessalsoestablishedthatthe membersofthePre-SynodalCouncil fortheMiddleEastwouldincludeall sevenPatriarchs,namely,sixofthe EasternCatholicChurches suiiuris andtheLatinPatriarchofJerusalem aswellasthetwoPresidentsofthe Bishops'ConferencesofTurkeyandof Iran.

Giventherelativelyshorttimefor thepreparationofthisSynodalAssembly,theGeneralSecretariatorganized thefirstmeetingofthePre-Synodal CouncilfortheMiddleEastfrom21to 22September2009,immediatelyafter theHolyFather'smeetingwiththePatriarchsandMajorArchbishops.

Thepurposeofthismeetingwasto preparethe Lineamenta,thedocument ofreflectiononthethemeoftheSynodalAssembly.AfteranampleexchangeofopinionsonthecomplexsituationintheMiddleEast,theCouncil membersagreedonanoutlineforthe Lineamenta withpreciseinstructionsfor itscontent.

Atthemeetingfrom24to25 November2009,themembersofthe Pre-SynodalCouncilexaminedthe draftofthe Lineamenta.Strengthened bytheirpastoralexperienceintheindividualcountriesoftheMiddleEast, theymadevariousmodificationsthat werelaterinsertedintothetext.The documentwasthensentbyelectronic mailtotheCouncilmembersfortheir finalapproval;theywereaskedtosubmitanyfurthersuggestionsbytheend ofNovember.Afterexaminingtheir comments,theGeneralSecretariatof theSynodofBishopsfinalizedtheDocumentthatwastranslatedintofour languages:Arabic,French,Italianand English.

On19January2010,Archbishop

NikolaEterović,GeneralSecretaryof theSynodofBishops,andMons.FortunatoFrezza,Undersecretary,presentedthe Lineamenta,dated8December2009attheHolySeePressOffice. Thedocumentwaswidelydistributed andwasalsopostedontheinternetat theVaticanwebsite,undertheGeneral SecretariatoftheSynodofBishops.

TheEasternCatholicChurches sui iuris,theBishops'Conferences,theDicasteriesoftheRomanCuria,the UnionofSuperiorsGeneralandthe otherinstitutionsconcernedhaduntil Easter2010–providentiallyobserved byallChristiansofeverytraditionon 4April–tosubmittotheGeneral SecretariatoftheSynodofBishops theiranswerstotheQuestionnaireof the Lineamenta.Theanswerswould serveindraftingthe InstrumentumLaboris,the“workingdocument”forthe SpecialAssemblyfortheMiddleEast oftheSynodofBishops.

InstrumentumLaboris

Despitethelimitedtimeavailableto examinethe Lineamenta,thepercentageofresponseswasverysatisfactory. Theyweredividedintovariouscategoriesaccordingtotheinstitutions withwhichtheGeneralSecretariatof theSynodofBishopsmaintainsofficial relations.

Institutions n – Responses (%)

EasternCatholicChurches suiiuris 6–6(100%)

LatinPatriarchateofJerusalem1–1(100%)

Bishops'Conferences 3–3(100%)

DicasteriesoftheRomanCuria26 11 –14(56%)

UnionofSuperiorsGeneral1–1 (100%)

TheGeneralSecretariatoftheSynodofBishopsalsoreceivedcomments fromvariousinstitutesforadvanced studies,universities,religiouscommunitiesandlaygroupsandfromindividuallaypeople,allofwhomhaveat heartthepresentandfutureofthe CatholicChurchintheMiddleEast.

ThePre-SynodalCouncilforthe MiddleEastmeton23and24April 2010toexaminetheanswersreceived bytheGeneralSecretariatoftheSynodofBishops.Theywereincorporated inadraftdocumentcompiledbythe GeneralSecretariatwiththehelpof severalexperts.Itessentiallymaintainedthestructureofthe Lineamenta, therebyfacilitatingtheCouncil'stask ofexaminingthedocument.Respectingtheinputfromtheabove-mentionedepiscopalbodiesineachcountry,thePre-SynodalCouncilmembers enrichedthedraftwiththeindividual contributionsresultingfromtheirfruitfulpastoralexperiences,providing validindicationsforthecompletionof thetextbytheGeneralSecretariat. TheDocumentwasthensentbyelectronicmailtothemembersofthePreSynodalCouncilwiththerequestthat theysubmitanyfurtherobservations by15May2010.Afterincorporating theserecommendations,theDocument wasfinalizedandtranslatedintothe fourlanguages:Arabic,French,Italian andEnglish.

On7June2010,inNicosia,Cyprus, theHolyFatherwaskindenoughto presentitpersonallytothemembersof thePre-SynodalCouncil,representing thewholeEpiscopateoftheMiddle East.

Afterthepresentationofthe InstrumentumLaboris bytheHolyFather, whoagainexpresseddeepgratitudeto theCouncilmembers,thedocument waswidelydistributedbytheGeneral SecretariatoftheSynodofBishops,us-

ing,amongothermeans,itsownwebpageontheVaticanwebsite.

AppointmentofthePresidency oftheSynodalAssembly

On24April2010,theSupreme Pontiff,PopeBenedict XVI appointed themembersofthePresidencyofthe SpecialAssemblyfortheMiddleEast:

TwoPresidentsDelegate adhonorem: H.B.CardinalNasrallahPierreSfeir, PatriarchofAntiochforMaronites, Lebanon;andH.B.CardinalEmmanuel II Delly,PatriarchofBabylon forChaldeans,Iraq.

TwoPresidentsDelegate:Cardinal LeonardoSandri,PrefectoftheCongregationfortheEasternChurches; andH.B.IgnaceYoussif II Younan, PatriarchofAntiochforSyrians, Lebanon.

GeneralRelator:H.B.Antonios Naguib,PatriarchofAlexandriafor Copts,Egypt.

SpecialSecretary:Archbishop JosephSoueif,ArchbishopofCyprus forMaronites,Cyprus.12

V)Observations on Methodology

TheSynodofBishopsistheprivilegedplaceofEpiscopalcommunion. BishopsataSynodstrengthenthe bondsofeffectiveandaffectivecommunionwitheachotherandwiththeRomanPontiff.Thisisnotonlyasentiment,howevernoble,butanecclesial realitywhichrequiresanassiduous presence,patientlistening,greatopenness,attentiontoone'sneighbour,considerationfortheneedsofothers,collaborationwithone'sbrethrenandsacrificeforthegoodofall.Iamsure thatwithsuchaspiritofecclesialservice,everySynodFatherwillbeready toacceptandfulfilthetaskthatwill beentrustedtohim,byelection,appointmentordesignation,eachone makinghisowncontributiontothe successoftheSynodalAssembly.Inorderthatthegreatestpossiblenumber ofSynodFathersplayanactiverole forthewholeAssembly,itiswarmly recommendedthateachoneexercise onlyoneoffice.

AttheAudienceIwasgrantedon 26March2010,theHolyFather, Benedict XVI approvedthecriteriafor participationinthisSynodAssembly.. IthadbeenagreedbythePre-Synodal CouncilfortheMiddleEastofthe GeneralSecretariatoftheSynodof Bishopsatitsmeetingon24and25 November2009.Afterreceivingthe SupremePontiff'sapproval,thesecriteriawerecommunicatedtothePatriarchsoftheEasternCatholicChurches suiiuris andtothepresidentsofthe Bishops'Conferencesoftheregion.

InaccordancewiththeHolyFather'sdecision,alltheactiveBishopsin theMiddleEast,OrdinariesandAuxiliariesandthosewithequivalentresponsibility,weretotakepartas exofficio membersoftheSynod.Thisgroup includesCardinals,regardlessoftheir age,andheadsofthemajorEastern CatholicChurches suiiuris.Bishopsof therespectiveEasternChurchesinthe Diasporawerealsoentitledtoparticipate.

TheHolyFatherthenapproved thatthecountriesofNorthEastAfrica shouldberepresentedbyoneBishops. Inaddition,HisHolinessarranged thatthePresidentsoftheBishops' Conferencesofthefivecontinentstake partintheSynodalAssembly.Their presenceisasignoftheclosenessofthe world'sBishopstotheirbrotherBishopsintheMiddleEast.Tothisgroup wereaddedBishopsrepresentingthe

countriesthatwelcomemembersofthe faithfulwhocomefromtheMiddle EastandthatoffertheCatholic Churchintheregionconsiderable help,bothwiththeworkofmissionariesandwithfinancialresources.In conformitywiththenormsofthe Ordo SynodiEpiscoporum,theHolyFather thencompletedthenumberofSynod Fatherswithappointmentsofhisown.

TheHolyFather,PopeBenedict XVI willinglyacceptedtheproposalofthe Pre-SynodalCounciltoinvitealarge numberofAuditors,menandwomen involvedinevangelizationandhuman promotionintheMiddleEast.Their presenceandcommentswillmakepossibleabroadvisionoflifeinthe Churchandinsocietyintheregion, alsofromtheviewpointoflaypeople. AlargenumberofExpertsarealso presenttoassisttheSpecialSecretary andtheGeneralRelatorduringthe Synodwiththeirtrainingandexperience.

Synodmethodologyhasnotundergonegreatchangesincomparisonwith theproceduresadoptedfortherecent SynodsatwhichtheHolyFather, PopeBenedict XVI haspresided.Nevertheless,itmightbeusefultorecall someimportantpoints:

1)EachSynodFatherisstrongly advisedtoreadattentivelythe Vademecum hehasreceived.Followingthe normsoftheApostolicLetter Apostolica Sollicitudo andthe OrdoSynodiEpiscoporum,aswellasSynodpracticesover theyears,thisdocumentdescribesin detailthewaytoproceedatthisSynodalAssembly.

2)The Vademecum isprintedinfour languages:Arabic,French,Italianand English,whereasforconveniencethe Kalendarium,[workschedule],isin Latin,stilltheofficiallanguageofthe SynodofBishops.Itshowsthatthere are14GeneralCongregationsandsix meetingsofthe circuliminores (small groups);

3)Tomaximiseparticipationduring thisAssembly,eachSynodFatherwill beabletospeakintheSynodHall for fiveminutes. Itishopedthatasmany SynodFathersaspossiblewillbeable tospeak.InanycaseeverySynodFathermaysubmithisinterventionin writing;itwillbeexaminedwithfull considerationandtakenintoaccount whenthe Propositiones andDocuments aredrafted.

4)Toencourageathoroughexaminationofthetopicsontheagenda,at theendofGeneralCongregationsin theafternoon,from6:00p.m.to7:00 p.m.therewillbe anhourofopendiscussion. TheSynodFatherswhoaskfor thefloormayspeakfornomorethan threeminutes; Inthisregard,mayIbepermitted tomaketwoobservations.Duringthe opendiscussion,itisimportanttofocus onthetopicoftheSynod: “TheCatholic ChurchintheMiddleEast:Communion andWitness”. Thisisaverysignificant subject,richincontent,thatrequires thoroughexaminationfromvariousecclesialperspectivesandmustbeexpressedinpastoralinitiatives.The PresidentsDelegatearethereforerequestedtoensurethatthediscussion doesnotstrayfromtheestablished theme.ItisalsoappropriatethatduringtheopendiscussiontheFathers speakanddonotreadatext.They shoulddosolikewiseinthecaseof theirofficialinterventionsattheGeneralCongregations.Theymayhave notesbutspeechesthataregivendirectly,notreadout,andwithspontaneousremarksarepreferable,evenif theirformulationislessthanperfect;

5)Toavoidtheunnecessaryrepeti-

tionoftopics,IhaveaskedthePatriarchsoftheEasternCatholicChurches toagreeuponthesubjectsoftheindividualmembers'presentationssothat thepositionoftherespectiveSynodof BishopsofeachChurch suiiuris may befaithfullypresented,initsentirety andwitharichvarietyoftopics.The GeneralSecretariatwillensurethatthe voicesofalltheEasternCatholic Churchareheard,includingthosewith fewerBishops.Toensureanorderly presentationoftheinterventions,the SynodFathersshouldrequestthefloor assoonaspossible.Moreover,sincethe SynodalAssemblylastsfortwoweeks, onlythefirstweekisreservedforthe interventionsoftheSynodFathersin thisHall.

6)TheSynodFathersarecordially askedtomakesummariesoftheirinterventions.Thesesummariesarenormallypublished.If,forsomereason, someonedoesnotwishhissummaryto bepublished,heshouldnotifythe GeneralSecretariat.Thisisalsothe caseforthetexts inscriptis thatmay alwaysbesubmittedtotheGeneral Secretariat.

7)TheGeneralSecretariathasarrangedforsimultaneoustranslationsin thefourofficiallanguagesoftheSynodalAssembly:Arabic,English, FrenchandItalian.InterventionsduringtheSynodmaybemadeinanyof theselanguages.

8)The Propositiones mayalsobe draftedinthesefourlanguages.Itis stronglyrecommendedthateachproposalbeconciseandtreatonesubject only.Keepinginmindthedoctrineof theChurchwhichitisnotnecessaryto repeat,SynodFathersshouldrather makerecommendationswhichaimat deepeningecclesialcommunionandrevivingChristianwitnessintheMiddle EastforthegoodoftheCatholic Church.

9)Toencouragegreatercommunion amongtheSynodFathers,thethree circuliminores willbeinthreelanguages:Arabic,FrenchandEnglish. Youwillshortlyreceivethelistof membersforeachlanguage-group,usuallyformedinaccordancewithwhat yousaidaboutyourknowledgeoflanguages.Itisonlypossibletochange fromonegrouptoanotherforaseriousreasonandinagreementwiththe GeneralSecretary.

10)Electronicequipmentwillbe usedduringthisAssemblytofacilitate theSynod'swork.The Vademecum providesspecificinstructionsforitsuse.If necessary,theSynodFathersshould helpeachother,particularlyinthe firstdays,byshowingtheirneighbour howtousetheequipment.Inany

case,techniciansarepresentinthe SynodHallwhoseassistancemaybe requested.Itisimportantthateach SynodFatheroccupytheseatassigned tohimaccordingtoprecedence,since eachseatislinkedtoagivennumber intheelectronicvotingsystem.Among otherthings,thiselectronicequipment willbeusedfortheroll-calleachday. Variouselectionsandvotingwillmake useofthedeviceavailabletoyou.

11)Itisnowcustomarytoinvite severalFraternalDelegates,representativesofotherChurchesandEcclesial Communities.Theirparticipationin thisSynodalAssemblyisparticularly significant,giventheirpresenceinthe HolyLandandintheMiddleEast. TheywillbeabletoaddresstheAssemblyandtakepartinworkofthe smallgroups.Christianseverywhere, butespeciallyintheLandofJesus,are calledtocontinueonthepaththatwill leadtothefullunityofallwhobelieve intheLordJesusandwhohavereceivedtheHolySpirit,toglorifywith theirwordsandaboveallwiththeir deedsOurFather,whoisinHeaven.

12)InthecourseoftheSynod's work,threeespeciallyinvitedguests arealsoexpected:RabbiDavidRosen, DirectoroftheDepartmentforInterreligiousAffairsoftheAmericanJewish CommitteeandHeilbrunnInstitutefor InternationalInterreligiousUnderstanding,Israel;andtwoMuslimrepresentatives:Muhammadal-Sammak, PoliticalCounselloroftheGrand MuftiofLebanon,aSunni,andAyatollahSeyedMostafaMohagheghAhmadabadi,Ph.D.,ProfessorintheLaw DepartmentofShahidBeheshtiUniversity,Tehran,andMemberofthe IranianAcademyofScience,aShiite.

Wearegratefulthatthesethree guestshaveacceptedtheHolyFather's invitationtotakepartinthisSynodal Assembly.Thisisasignificantgesture thatreaffirmstheCatholicChurch's determinationtocontinuethedialogue withJudaism,withwhichsheshares mostoftheOldTestamentbooks.The presenceoftwodistinguishedMuslims alsorepresentstheChurch'sdesireto proceedinthevitaldialoguebetween ChristiansandtheworldofIslamfor thegoodofthefaithfuloftherespectivereligionsandalsoforalltheinhabitantsoftheMiddleEastandof thewholeworld.

VI)Conclusion

“Gointoalltheworldandpreach theGospeltothewholecreation”(Mk 16:15).Thesewordswerespokenby theRisenLordinJerusalem,beforehe ascendedintoHeaventobeseatedat

RomefromtheHolyLandtopresent tohimpersonallythesituationofthe CatholicChurchintheMiddleEast. Theyhavecometodeepenthesenseof Catholiccommunion,mindfultooofits ecumenicaldimension,andtorevive Christianwitness.UnderthewiseguidanceofHisHoliness,PopeBenedict XVI,theseproposalswillcertainlybe implemented.Atthesametime,the SynodFathersoftheMiddleEastare verygratefultotheHolyFatherforhis constantsupport–ofwhichthisSynodalAssemblyisaprivilegedexpression–andforhistirelesseffortstoseek justandlastingsolutionstotheserious problemsoftheregionand,aboveall, theadventofpeaceinjustice.

therighthandoftheFather(cf.Mk 16:19).TheTeacherassuredhisdisciples“andlo,Iamwithyoualways,to thecloseoftheage”(Mt28:20). Therefore,theLordaccompaniedthe disseminationoftheGospel,whichbeganintheHolyLandandwasextendedtotheentireworld:“Andtheywent forthandpreachedeverywhere,while theLordworkedwiththemandconfirmedthemessagebythesignsthat attendedit”(Mk16:20).TheproclamationoftheGoodNewspresupposes twoessentialaspects:communionand witness,whichhavebeenconnaturalto Christianityfromtheveryfirst.Jesus ChristhadchosentheTwelveApostles (cf.Mt10:1-4;Mk13:13-19;Lk6:1316),formingthenucleusofthe Church.SubsequentlyJesusdesignated another72disciples,sendingthem “twobytwo,intoeverytownand placewherehehimselfwasaboutto come”(Lk10:1).Amonghisdisciples, whosenumbergrewsteadily,were“alsosomewomenwhohadbeenhealed ofevilspiritsandinfirmities...,who providedforthemoutoftheirmeans” (Lk8:2,3).Intheirmanyvocations andthetasksentrustedtothem,all werededicatedtolivingtheidealof theChristianlife:“Nowthecompany ofthosewhobelievedwereofone heartandsoul”(Acts4:32).Atthe sametime,theLord,beforeascending intoHeaven,saidtohisdisciples:“you shallreceivepowerwhentheHoly Spirithascomeuponyou;andyou shallbemywitnessesinJerusalemand inallJudeaandSamariaandtothe endoftheearth”(Acts1:8).

TheWordoftheLordJesuswasput intopractice,aswitnessedinthemissionoftheApostlesinthethen-known world.ItsufficestorememberthemissionsoftheApostlesinthethenknown world,theirwitness,eventothepoint ofmartyrdom,aswellasthefoundationofthefirstChristiancommunities, inaccordancewiththeGospelidealof “oneheartandsoul”(Acts4:32).

BeinginRome,itisonlyrighttorecallwithgratitudetheexampleofSts PeterandPaulwho,leavingtheir homeland,broughttheGospeltothe centreoftheRomanEmpireandendedtheirpreachingwithmartyrdom, thesupremeexpressionofChristian witness.Sincethattimeaflourishing Christiancommunityhasexistedin Rome,headedbyitsownBishopwho, throughdivineprovidence,presidesin charityoverthewholeChurch.

PopeBenedict XVI,the264thSuccessoroftheApostlePeter,andlikewiseoftheApostolicheritageofPaul, extendsacordialwelcometohis BrotherBishopswhohavecometo

Theyarealsogratefultothe SupremePontiffbecause,withthe Petrinecharism,hewillhelptheBishopsoftheMiddleEasttoachievethis SynodalAssembly'sgoal.Itistobe hopedthatontheirreturnfromRome attheendoftheSynodthePastorsof thepraiseworthyEasternCatholic ChurchesandalsotheChurchofLatin traditionwillbeabletoglorifyGodfor arenewedsenseofcommunionandfor freshvigourinChristianwitnessinthe environmentsinwhichtheyliveandin theircontacts,notonlywithChristians butalsowiththemembersofotherreligiousdenominations,especiallyJews andMuslims.

Forthishopetocometrue,letusinvoketheintercessionofalltheSaints oftheregion,inparticularthenumerousmartyrsoftheHolyLand,and, aboveall,theBlessedVirginMary, MotherofGodandMotherofthe Church.Shewillnotfailtowatchover thebelovedCatholicChurchinthe landwhereshelivedandcollaborated inthefulfilmentofthesublimemystery oftheIncarnationandoftheredemptionofthehumanbeingandofhumanity.Ininvitingus:“dowhatever hetellsyou”(Jn2:5),sheurgesusnot toputourtrustinourownstrength andplansbutratherinthepromise: “Fearnot,littleflock,foritisyourFather'sgoodpleasuretogiveyouthe kingdom”(Lk12:32).

Thankyouforyourpatientlistening.MaythegraceoftheHolySpirit guideusinourworkattheSynod.

NOTES:

1 JohnPaul II,Addresstothe MembersoftheFederationofAsian Bishops'Conferences—FABC(15 January1995), L'OsservatoreRomano, WeeklyEditioninEnglish,24January 1995,p.6.

2 Benedict XVI, AdPatriarchaset ArchiepiscoposMaioresOrientales:AAS 101(2009)858.

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid.

5 Ibid.

6 Cf. CalendarioAtlanteDeAgostini 2010,IstitutoGeograficoDeAgostini, Piotello(MI)2009,p.678.

7 Benedict XVI,Discourseatthe Presentationofthe InstrumentumLaboris oftheSpecialAssemblyforthe MiddleEastoftheSynodofBishops(6 June2010),Nicosia,Cyprus; L'OsservatoreRomano WeeklyEditioninEnglish, 9June2010,p.13

8 TheStatisticsaretakenfromthe 8AnnuariumStatisticumEcclesiae 2008, VaticanCity2010,pp.281,285-287.

9 Benedict XVI, AdPatriarchaset ArchiepiscoposMaioresOrientales: AAS 101(2009)858.

10 Ibid.

11 Athoughthe Lineamenta wassent toall26Dicasteries,theanswerscame fromthosethatfollowmorecloselythe ecclesialsituationintheMiddleEast andwhoseHeadstakepartintheSynodalAssemblies.

12 Cf. L'OsservatoreRomano Weekly EditioninEnglish,5May2010,p.4.

ReflectionbyHisBeatitudeAntoniosNaguibofAlexandria

Abetterfutureforgenerationstocome

AttheconclusionoftheFirstGeneralCongregation,whichtookplaceonMondaymorning,11October,HisBeatitudeAntoniosNaguib,PatriarchofAlexandriaforCopts, Egypt,GeneralRapporteurgavethefollowingreport:the“Relatioantedisceptationem”, beforethegeneraldiscussion.

MostHolyFather, YourEminences,Beatitudesand Excellencies, FraternalDelegatesoftheSister ChurchesandEcclesialCommunities, DearExpertsandInvitedGuests,

Firstofall,Iwouldliketoexpress mydeepgratitudetoHisHoliness, PopeBenedict XVI forhavingappointedmeasGeneralRapporteurofthis SpecialAssemblyfortheMiddleEast. ThisisthefirsttimeIhavetakenon suchanawesometask.Iwilltryto carryitouttothebestofmyability, relyingontheLord'sassistanceand yourunderstanding.

PREFACE

SaintLukereportsintheActsofthe ApostlesthatJesus,beforetakingleave ofhisApostles,gavethemtheseinstructions:“Youshallreceivepower whentheHolySpirithascomeupon you;andyoushallbemywitnessesin JerusalemandinallJudeaand Samariaandtotheendoftheearth” (Acts1:8).

TheApostles,afterhavingreceived theHolySpirit,undertooktheirmissionandbeganfearlesslytoannounce theGoodNewsoftheLord'slife, deathandresurrection(cf.Acts2:32). Peter'sfirstproclamationresultedin theconversionandBaptismofapproximately3,000personsandmanyothers afterthem,allofwhomwereradically transformed:“Nowthecompanyof thosewhobelievedwereofoneheart andsoul,andnoonesaidthatanyof thethingswhichhepossessedwashis own,buttheyhadeverythingincommon”(Acts4:32).

ThesehappeningsattheChurch's origininspiredthetopicandthegoal ofourSpecialAssemblyfortheMiddle EastoftheSynodofBishops:communionandwitness–bothcommunal andpersonal–flowingfromalife groundedinChristandanimatedby theHolySpirit.Overthecenturies,the exampleoftheChurchoftheApostles hasalwaysbeenthemodelforthe Churchineveryage.OurSynodalAssemblyaimsatofferingusassistancein returningtothisideal,inhelpingus examineourlivessoastogivethema renewedenergyandvitalitywhichwill purify,regenerateandinvigorateus.

TheHolyFatherpersonallyconsignedtousthe InstrumentumLaboris ofthisSpecialAssemblyduringhis ApostolicVisittoCyprus,agesture whichshowedhisparticularconcern forourChurches.Yesterdaymorning's SolemnEucharisticConcelebration,at whichHisHolinesswastheprincipal celebrant,isthebestguaranteeof God'sblessingonthisAssembly.Assuredofthisheavenlyassistanceand relyingonthehelpandguidanceof theBlessedVirginMary,weconfidentlyapproachourtask.

INTRODUCTION

Allofusreceivedtheannouncement oftheSpecialAssemblyfortheMiddle EastoftheSynodofBishopswith greatjoy,enthusiasm,gratitudeand fervour.TheHolyFather'sdecision wasseenashisfatherlyacceptanceofa proposalwhichwasofparticularconcerntousandademonstrationofhis

specialcareforourChurchesasBishop ofRomeandastheSupremeShepherd oftheCatholicChurch.Wehavealreadywitnessedhisspecialconsiderationonvariousoccasionsandfrequentlyduringhishomiliesanddiscourses. Weexperienceditinaparticularmanner,duringhisApostolicVisitsto Turkey(2006),toJordan,Israeland Palestine(2009)andmostrecentlyto Cyprus(2010).However,theactual presenceoftheHolyFatherinour midst,duringtheseproceedings,brings thelove,solidarity,prayerandsupport oftheSuccessorofPeter,theHolySee andtheentireChurch.

AssoonastheHolyFatherannouncedtheeventon19September 2009,theGeneralSecretariatofthe SynodofBishopsworkedwiththePreSynodalCouncilfortheMiddleEast topreparetheLineamenta,and,subsequently,the InstrumentumLaboris. For themostpart,thesedocumentsfind theirbasisinSacredScripture,with referencestothedocumentsofVatican Council II,theCodeofCanonsofthe EasternChurchesandtheCodeof CanonLaw.Particularconsideration wasgiventothe10PastoralLettersof theCouncilofPatriarchsoftheMiddle East.Ibelievethattheworkwaswell done,despitethelimitedtimeavailable inpreparation.

Ifeelitwouldbeusefultopropose thefollowingtopicsinthe Instrumen-

tumLaboris formoredetailedtreatmentinthecourseofourwork.

A.TheGoalofthe Synod(nn.3-6)

ThetwofoldaimoftheSynodwas wellreceivedandappreciatedinour CatholicChurches,namely:

1)toconfirmandstrengthenthe Church'smembersintheirChristian identity,throughtheWordofGodand thesacraments;and

2)tofosterecclesialcommunionbetweentheChurches suiiuris,sothat theymayofferanauthenticandeffectivewitness.Essentialelementsinthis witnessinourlivesareecumenism,interreligiousdialogueandthemissionaryeffort.

The InstrumentumLaboris insistson theneedandimportancethatthesynodfathersgiveourChristianpeople reasonsfortheirpresenceinourcountriesandconfirmthemintheirmission ofbeing,andcontinuingtobe,authenticwitnessesoftheRisenChrist,ineveryaspectoftheirlives.Amidstoften verydifficultyetpromisingcircumstancesinlife,theyareavisibleiconof Christ,the“fleshandblood”incarnationofhisChurchandthepresent-day instrumentoftheHolySpirit'sactivity.

B.AReflectionguidedby HolyScripture(nn.7-12)

Weareproudtocomefromlands wheremen,inspiredbytheHolySpirit,wrotetheHolyBooksinsomeof ournativelanguages.This,however,

makesdemandsonus.HolyScripture mustbethesoulofourreligiouslife andwitness,bothasindividualsand communities.TheHolyLiturgyisthe centreandsummitofourecclesiallife, wherewecelebrateandlistenregularly totheWordofGod.Inourreading, prayingandmeditatingupontheHoly Bible,whetherasaChurch,insmall groupsorindividually,wemustlook forandfindtheanswerstothemeaningofourpresenceinourcountries, ourcommunionandourwitness,takingintoconsiderationoursurroundings andthepresent-daychallengesofnew situations.

The InstrumentumLaboris drawsattentiontoaninsufficientresponseto thegreatthirstofourfaithfulforthe WordofGod,itsunderstandingandits assimilationintheirheartsandlives. Inthisregard,appropriateinitiatives needtobeconsidered,undertaken,encouragedandsupported,particularly throughutilisingthemodernmedia whichareavailabletoday.Individuals, who,invirtueoftheirvocation,are moredirectlyincontactwiththe WordofGod,haveaspecialresponsibilitytowitnessandintercedeforthe PeopleofGod.Memorisationofbiblicaltextsisalwaysbeneficialandfruitful.

“Salvationhistory”needstobe highlightedintheexegesisandinterpretationoftheSacredScriptures, whichrevealtheunique,divineplan, unfoldingovertheagesandintimately boundtoboththeOldandtheNew Testament,aplanwhichfindsitscenterandsummitinJesusChrist.InasmuchastheBibleistheBookofthe Christiancommunity,thebiblicaltext canonlybecorrectlyinterpretedwithintheChurch.Therefore,theChurch's traditionandteaching,especiallyin ourEasterncountries,aretheindisputablereference-pointforunderstandingandinterpretingtheBible.

TheWordofGodisthesourceof theology,moralityandapostolicand missionaryspiritualityandvitality. TheWordshedslightonlife'shappenings,therebytransforming,guiding andgivingthemmeaning.Someunthinkingorbad-intentionedpersonsuse theBibleasa“recipebook”orabasis forsuperstitiouspractices.Wehavethe responsibilitytoeducateourfaithful nottogivecredencetosuchpeople. TheWordofGodalsoshed'slighton communitiesandpersonalchoicesin life,providingresponsestothechallengesoflife,inspirationtoecumenical andinter-religiousdialogueandthe mannerofdutifullyapproachingpoliticallife.TheWordofGod,therefore, needstobethereference-pointfor Christiansineducationandwitness,so astoindicatetopeopleofgoodthe pathwhichleadstotheGodforwhom theyaresearching.

I.TheCatholicChurchinthe MiddleEast

A.TheSituationofChristians intheMiddleEast

1. Abriefhistoricalsketch:UnityinDiversity(nn.13-18)

KnowledgeofthehistoryofChristianityintheMiddleEastisimportant forus,asitisfortherestoftheChristianworld.Intheseverylands,God choseandguidedthepatriarchs,Moses andthePeopleoftheOldCovenant. Here,hespokethroughtheprophets, judges,kingsandwomenoffaith.In thefullnessoftime,JesusChrist,the Saviorbecamemanandlivedinthese

lands,choosingandforminghisdisciplesandaccomplishinghisworkofsalvation.TheChurchofJerusalem,born onthedayofPentecost,gaveriseto theparticularChurches,whichcontinued–andcontinuetoday–thework ofChristintime,throughtheactionof theHolySpiritandundertheguidanceoftheHolyFather,theSuccessor ofPeter.

Afterinitial,minorconflicts,the Churchunderwentsuccessivedivisions duringtheCouncilsofEphesus(431) andChalcedon(451).Thuswereborn the“ApostolicAssyrianChurchofthe East”,andthe“EasternOrthodox Churches”:Coptic,SyrianandArmenian.Duringthe11thcentury,the GreatSchismbetweenConstantinople andRomeoccurred.Thesedivisions, basedontheologicalcontroversies, weremainlytheresultofpolitical-culturalfactors.Toassistecumenicaldialogue,historicalandtheologicalstudies needtofocusmoreonthesetragicperiodsandevents.

Asbitterfruitsfromthepast,all thesedivisionsstillexisttodayinour countries.ThanksbetoGodthatthe SpiritisworkingintheChurchesto fulfilChrist'sprayer:“thattheymay allbeone...sothattheworldmaybelievethatthouhastsentme”(Jn 17:21).

2. ApostolicityandtheMissionary Vocation(nn.19-23)

OurChurches,blessedbythepresenceofChristandtheApostles,were thecradleofChristianityandthe homeofthefirstgenerationsofChristians.Forthisreason,ourChurches arecalledtokeepalivethememoryof theChurch'sbeginnings,tostrengthen thefaithoftheirmembersandtorenewinthemthespiritoftheGospel, sothatGod'sWordmightguidetheir livesandrelationswithothers,both Christiansandnon-Christiansalike.

Apostolicinorigin,ourChurches have,inturn,theparticularmissionof cooperatingintheproclamationofthe Gospel.StudyingthemissionaryhistoryofourChurcheswouldhelpstimulatethisevangelicaleffort,whichcharacterisedourbeginnings.“Beingmissionary”isnecessarilyourduty,which arisesfromourChurches'rootsand fromourrichandvariedpatrimonies. Whatwehavereceived,wemustfreely givetoallinneed.OurChurchesmust undertakethetaskofrenewingwithin themselvestheevangelicalmissionary effort.Becomingmoreopentothe poweroftheSpiritwillhelpusshare

withourfellowcitizenstherichesof loveandthelightofhope(cf.Rom 5:5).Infact,“Weare,inthesociety welivein,asignofthepresenceof Godinourworld.Thisinvitesustobe ‘with’,‘in’,and‘for’thesocietywelive in.Itisanessentialrequirementofour faith,ofourvocationandofourmission”.1 “TheChurchcannotbemeasuredstatisticallybynumbers,butby thelivingconscienceitschildrenhave oftheirvocationandtheirmission”.2

ToensurethefutureofourCommunities,thePastorsmustspeciallydevote themselvestoencouragingvocations througheffectiveandsuitablepastoral programmes,aimedparticularlytowardstheyoungandfamilies.While renderingthankstoGodforthevocationsinourChurches,weacknowledge thatsomediocesesandeparchiesare seriouslyinneedofthem.Perhapswe needtobeginassumingourdutyof “beingmissionary”withinthe eparchiesanddiocesesofourChurches intheregion.Thegoodexampleof priestsandwomenandmenreligious, whoaredevout,content,edifyingand unitedinfellowship,isthebestmanner ofattractingyoungpeopletototally consecratethemselvestoGod.This Synodcouldbetheoccasiontoreview theprogrammes,methodsandwayof lifeinseminariesandhousesofformation.

Coordinationandmutualaidamong congregations,religiousordersand Bishopsisofgreatassistanceingeneratingvocations.Wemustalsosearch forappropriatemeansinsupporting andfortifyingcongregationsandinstitutesofconsecratedlife.Whileencouragingcontemplativelifewhereitexists, wemust,throughprayer,preparethe terrainfortheSpirit'sactivity,ifwe aretobringaboutcontemplativecommunitieswheretheydonotexist.The religiousordersinourcountriescould taketheinitiativetoestablishcommunitiesinothercountriesandplacesin theregion.

3. TheroleofChristiansinsociety, althoughasmallminority(nn.24-31)

Oursocieties,despitetheirdifferences,havecertaincharacteristicsin common:anattachmenttotradition,a traditionalwayoflife,confessionalism andauniquenessbasedonreligiousaffiliation.Thesefactorsprovidebridges andapointofunionbetweenpeoples, buttheycanalsobeasourceofalienationanddivision.Christiansare“nativecitizens”intheircountries,memberswithfullrightsintheirciviccom-

B.TheChallengesFacingChristians I Politicalconflictsinthe Region(nn.32-35)

Thesocio-politicalsituationsofour countriesdirectlyaffectChristians,who moredeeplyfeeltheirnegativeaspects. InthePalestinianTerritories,lifeis verydifficultandoftenunsustainable. ThepositionofChristianArabsisa verydelicateone.Whilecondemning violencewhateveritsoriginandcalling forajustandlastingsolutiontotheIsraeli-Palestinianconflict,weexpress oursolidaritywiththePalestinianpeople,whosesituationtodayisparticularlyconducivetotheriseoffundamentalism.ListeningtothevoiceoflocalChristianscouldhelpinbetterunderstandingthesituation.Considerationshouldbegiventotheimportant statusofthecityofJerusalemforthe threereligions:Christianity,Islamand Judaism.

munities.Theyconsiderthemselves“at home”,andhaveoftentimeslivedin countriesforaconsiderablelengthof time.Theirpresenceandparticipation inthelifeofacountryareavaluable commoditytobeprotectedandmaintained.Apositivelaicitywouldpermit aneffectiveandfruitfulcontributionof theChurchandhelpstrengthenthe ideaofcitizenship,foundedonthe principlesofequalityanddemocracy, foreverypersoninthecountry.

Inherpastoral,culturalandsocial activity,theChurchneedstoutilise, increasinglyandinamoreeffective manner,moderntechnologyandthe meansofsocialcommunications.Specialisedpersonsshouldbeformedwith thisinmind.EasternChristiansshould committhemselvestoworkingforthe commongood,inallitsaspects,as theyalwayshavedone.Theycanhelp createthesocialconditionsthatcan fosterthedevelopmentofpersonality andsociety,incollaborationwiththe effortsofpoliticalauthorities.Although theyareasmallminorityinmany countries,theirdynamismisinspiring andmuchappreciated.Theyneedto besupportedandencouragedtomaintainthisattitude,evenindifficultcircumstances.Whileresistingthetemptationtowardsaghettomentality, thesepersonscouldbegreatlyassisted bystrengtheningnotonlytheirlifeof faithbutalsotheirsocialtiesand bondsofsolidarity.

ThroughthepresentationofthesocialdoctrineoftheChurch,ourcommunitiesofferavaluablecontribution tobuildingsociety.Promotionofthe familyandthedefenceoflifeneedto becentralinourChurch'steaching andmissionprogrammes.Educationis aprivilegedpartofouractivityanda majorinvestment.Asmuchaspossible, ourschoolsneedtoprovidemoreassistancetothoselessfortunateamongus. Throughtheirsocial,healthcareand charitableactivities,accessibletoall membersofsociety,schoolscollaborate inarealwayforthecommongood. ThisispossiblethankstothegenerosityoflocalChurchesandthemagnanimityoftheuniversalChurch.Toensureherevangelicalcredibility,the Churchneedstofindthemeansto guaranteetransparencyinthemanagementoffinancesandtoestablishappropriatemeanstoclearlydistinguish whatbelongstotheChurchandwhat belongspersonallytothoseintheserviceoftheChurch.

Itisregrettablethatworldpolitics doesnotsufficientlytakeintoaccount theplightofChristiansinIraq,who aretheprimaryvictimsofthewarand itsconsequences.InLebanon,greater unitybetweenChristianswouldhelp ensuregreaterstabilityinthecountry. InEgypt,theChurcheswouldgreatly benefitfromcoordinatingtheirefforts instrengtheningthefaithofthefaithfulandcollaboratinginworksforthe goodofthecountry.Accordingtothe meansavailableineachcountry, Christiansshouldfosterdemocracy, justice,peaceanda“positivelaicity” whichdistinguishesbetweentheState andreligionandrespectsallreligions. BoththeChurchandsocietyneedto respondpositivelyanddutifully.

2. Freedomofreligionand conscience(nn.36-40)

Humanrights,thefoundationguaranteeingthegoodofeveryhumanpersonandthecriteriaforallpoliticalsystems,flowsfromtheorderofcreation itself.HewhodoesnotrespectGod's creationaccordingtotheorderestablishedbyHim,doesnotrespectthe Creator.Thepromotionofhuman rightsrequirespeace,justiceandstability.

Religiousfreedomisanessential componentofhumanrights.Freedom ofworshipisbutoneaspectoffreedom ofreligion.Inmostofourcountries, freedomofworshipisguaranteedby theconstitution.Buteveninthiscase, certainlawsorpracticesinsomecountrieslimititsapplication.Anotheraspectisfreedomofconscience,basedon aperson'sfreewill.Itsabsenceimpedesfreedomofchoiceinthosewho wishtofollowtheGospel,yetfearvariousactsofharassmenttothemselves andtheirfamilies.Freedomofconsciencecandevelopandexistonlyin relationtothegrowthofrespectfor humanrightsintheircompletenessand entirety.

Inthisregard,educationtowards greaterjusticeandequalityunderthe lawisapreciouscontributiontothe culturalprogressofacountry.The CatholicChurchfirmlycondemnsall proselytism.Perhapssomeprofitcan resultfromcalmlyconsideringthese questionsatvariousplacesandongivenoccasionsofdialogueineachcountry.TheChurch'smanyeducational institutionsatourdisposalareaprivilegedplaceinthismatter.Healthcentresandsocialservicesarealsoaneloquentwitnessofloveforone'sneighbour,withoutdistinctionordiscrimination.Promotingdays,eventsandcelebrationsdedicatedtothesetopics,on thelocalandinternationallevel,helps spreadandreinforcethepositiveaspectsofculture,whichshouldalsobe propagatedbythemassmedia.

ReflectionbyHisBeatitudeAntoniosNaguibofAlexandria

CONTINUEDFROMPAGE 19

3. Christiansandtheevolutionof contemporaryIslam(nn.41-42)

Since1970,wehavewitnessedthe riseofpoliticalIslamintheregion, consistingofmanydifferentreligious currents,whichhasaffectedChristians, especiallyintheArabworld.ThisphenomenonseekstoimposetheIslamic wayoflifeonallcitizens,attimesusingviolentmethods,thusbecominga threatwhichwemustfacetogether.

4. Emigration(nn.43-48)

EmigrationintheMiddleEastbegantowardstheendofthe19thcenturyforpoliticalandeconomicreasons. Insomecase,religiousconflictduring sometragicperiodswasthecause.Today,emigrationinourcountrieshas increasedprimarilyasaresultofthe Israeli-Palestinianconflict,thewarin Iraq,adversepoliticalandeconomic situations,theriseofMuslimfundamentalismandtherestrictionoffreedomandequality.Youngpeople,educatedpeeopleandaffluentpeopleform

rites,tothefaithfuloftheEastern ChurcheswhofindthemselvesinLatin territories.Thesaleofpropertyinthe countryoforiginisagreattragedy, sincemaintainingtheproperty,oreven acquiringland,couldserveasanincentivetoreturn.Thecommunitiesof theDiasporahavethetaskofpromotingandconsolidatingtheChristian presenceintheMiddleEastby strengtheningChristianwitnessand supportingcausesforthegoodofthe countryortheregion.Appropriate pastoralactivityshouldtakeintoaccountemigrationwithinthecountry.

5. Immigration ofChristians to the Middle Eastfromtheworldover(nn.49-50)

MiddleEasterncountriesareundergoinganewphenomenon,namelythe arrivalofmanyimmigrantworkers fromAfricaandAsia,themajorityof whicharewomen.Oftentheyare facedwithinjusticeandabusetothe pointthatinternationallawsandconventionsareviolated.OurChurches mustmakeagreaterefforttohelp thembywelcomingthemandprovidingreligiousandsocialguidance

depthanddeterminingtheprioritiesof lifeandmission.

Specialemphasismustgiventohighlightingandtrainingkey-personsand groupsatalllevels,sothattheycanbe modelsofwitnessing,andtherebyprovidesupportandencouragementto theirbrothersandsisters,especially duringdifficulttimes.Thesepersons andgroupsshouldbesoformedthat theycanproperlypresentthetenetsof ChristianitytoChristianswithlittle contactwiththeChurchordistant fromitaswellastonon-Christians. Thequalityofthethesekey-peopleis moreimportantthantheirnumber. Ongoingformationisindispensable. Specialattentionmustbefocusedon youngpersonswhoarethestrengthof thepresentmomentandthehopeof thefuture.Christiansmustbeencouragedtotakepartinpubliclifewith thepurposeofbuildingcivicsociety.

II.EcclesialCommunion DiversityintheCatholicChurch,far fromadetriment,isasourceofen-

themajorityofthoseleaving,thusdeprivingtheChurchandthecountryof valuableresources.

Thoseinpoliticallifeneedto strengthenpeace,democracyanddevelopment,soastofavouraclimateof stabilityandtrust.Christians,withall peopleofgoodwill,arecalleduponto committhemselvestoachievingthis goal.Agreatersensitivitytointernationalbodies,whosedutyistocontributetothedevelopmentofour countries,couldgreatlyhelpinthis matter.TheparticularChurchesinthe westernworldcouldprovideabeneficialandeffectiveinfluenceinthisactivity.ThePastorsneedtomakethe faithfulmoreawareoftheirhistorical roleasbearersofthemessageofChrist intheircountries,despitedifficultiesor persecution.Theirabsencecouldseriouslyaffectthefuture.Adefeatistattitudeorencouragingemigrationasa preferredchoiceneedtobeavoided.

Atthesametime,emigrationbrings notablesupporttotheMiddleEastern countriesandtheChurches.The Churchinthecountryoforiginmust seektomaintainstrongtieswiththe emigratingfaithfulandensuretheir spiritualassistance.Itisessentialto providetheLiturgy,intheirrespective

throughappropriatepastoralcareina coordinatedeffortamongBishops,religiouscongregationsandsocialand charitableorganisations.

C.TheResponseofChristiansin DailyLife(nn.51-53)

Nomatterwhatthecircumstances, theappropriateresponseinallinstancesisChristianwitness.Fromthe beginning,monasticlifehashadan importantroleinChristianwitness.In thecontemplativelife,theactofprayingfulfillsthemissionofintercession onbehalfoftheChurchandsociety.

PerfectingChristianwitness,byseekingtofollowJesusChristmoreand more,isarequirementforevery Churchmember:clergy,membersof religiousorders,congregationsandinstitutesandsocietiesofapostoliclife, nottomentionlaypeople,eachaccordingtoone'svocation.Theformationoftheclergyandthefaithful, homiliesandcatechesismustbeconcernedwithstrengtheningandmore deeplydevelopingthemeaningoffaith anditsroleandmissioninsocietyand supplyingthemeansoftranslatingthis faithintoactsofwitness.Forecclesial renewaltobeachievedrequires:conversionandpurification,spiritual

greatworthandverytimelyintheir content.Ineachcountry,communion isreinforcedbytheassembliesofPatriarchsandBishopsorbyEpiscopal Conferences.Inaspiritofbrotherhood andcooperation,theystudyshared concerns,providedirectivesforChristianwitnessandcoordinatepastoral activities.Hopefully,aregionalassemblycanbeestablishedwhichgathers theepiscopateoftheMiddleEastat intervalsdeterminedbytheCouncilof CatholicPatriarchsoftheMiddleEast. AlthoughtheEasternCatholic Churches suiiuris areopentoevery Catholic,onemustcarefullyseekto avoidcausinganyonetoleavetheir Churchoforigin.

Moreover,emphasisneedstobe placedonrelationsamongourEastern ChurchesandtheChurchesofthe Latintradition(“WesternChurch”). Weneedeachother.Weneedtheir prayers,solidarityandlong,richspiritual,theologicalandculturalexperience.Atthesametime,theytooneed ourprayers,ourexampleoffaithfulness totherich,variedheritageofourbeginningsandourunityinvarietyand multiplicity.“TheancientlivingtreasureofthetraditionsoftheEastern Churches enriches theuniversalChurch andcouldneverbeunderstoodsimply asobjectstobepassivelypreserved”.3 CommunionbetweentheChurches doesnotmeanuniformitybutmutual loveandanexchangeofgifts.

B.CommunionamongtheBishops, Clergyandfaithful(nn.57-62)

hancement.ThemysteryoftheHoly TrinityisthefoundationofChristian communion.TheChurchistheMysteryandtheSacramentofCommunion.Loveisatthecentreofthisreality:“Thisismycommandment:love oneanotherasIhavelovedyou(Jn 15:12).Continuouslyfacedwiththe challengesofpluralism,wearecalled toaconstantconversion,passingfrom amentalityofconfessionalismtoan authenticsenseoftheChurch.

A.CommunionintheCatholicChurch andamongthedifferentChurches (nn.55-56)

Theprincipalsignsthatmanifest communionintheCatholicChurch are:Baptism,theEucharistandcommunionwiththeBishopofRome, CoryphaeusoftheApostles(hâmatarRusul).TheCodeofCanonsofthe EasternChurches(CCEC)regulatesthe canonicalaspectsofthiscommunion, accompaniedandassistedbytheCongregationfortheEasternChurches andthevariousRomanDicasteries.

AmongtheCatholicChurchesinthe MiddleEast,communionismanifested bytheCouncilofCatholicPatriarchs oftheMiddleEast(CCPO).TheCouncil'spastorallettersaredocumentsof

Inone'sChurch,communionis achievedbyfollowingthemodelof communionwiththeuniversalChurch andtheBishopofRome.InthePatriarchalChurch,thiscommunionisexpressedthroughtheSynodofBishops withthePatriarch,theFatherand HeadofhisChurch.IntheEparchy, communionismanifestedthroughthe Bishop,whomustkeepwatchoverthe harmonyofthegathering.Structures forthesework-groupsandpastoralcoordinationcouldhelpreinforcecommunion,whichcanonlybeachieved onthebasisofspiritualmeans,notably prayer,theEucharistandtheWordof God.ThePastors,consecratedpersons, animatorsanddiocesanandparishauthoritieshavethegravedutyofbeing examplesandmodelsforothers.This Synodprovidestheopportunityto makeaseriousassessmentoflifeinthe lightofafruitfulconversion,while consideringasamodeltheprimitive Christiancommunity:“Nowthecompanyofthosewhobelievedwereofone heartandsoul”(Acts4:32).

Participationofthelayfaithfulin thelifeandmissionoftheChurchis anindispensablepresuppositionfor communion.Presentstructuresmight perhapshideacertaintemptationfor themtoremainpassive,orgivethe ideathattheserolesareexclusivelyfor theChurch'sleaders.Laypersons, however,needtoparticipateeffectively inreflection,themakingofdecisions andcarryingoutthetaskathand.In unionwiththePastors,theirvalidand positivepastoralinitiativesshouldbe encouragedaswellastheircommitmenttosociety.Theplaceandtherole ofwomenintheChurch,whetherreligiousorlay,mustbebroadenedand developed.Pastoral,parish,diocesan andnationalcouncilsneedtobedeveloped.Internationalassociationsand movementsneedtoadaptbettertothe mentality,traditions,cultureandlanguageoftheChurchandcountry whichwelcomesthem,andworkin closecoordinationwiththelocalBishop.IntegrationintheEasterntradition isgreatlyrecommended.Thisequally

appliestoreligiouscongregationsof westernorigin.

III.Christianwitness

A.Witnessing inthe Church: Catechesis 1. ACatechesisforourtimes, byProperlypreparedmembersofthe faithful(nn.62-64)

TobeaChristianmeanstobea witnessofJesusChrist,awitnesswho isanimatedandguidedbytheHoly Spirit.TheChurchexiststobearwitnesstoherLord,whoisthecentreof herproclamation.Thiswitnessiscommunicatedbymeansofexemplaryliving,goodworksandcatechesis,especiallythoughinitiationinthefaithand thesacraments.TheChurchmustaddresshermessagetoallagegroups–children,youthandadultsalike.After duepreparation,youngpeoplecanbe goodcatechiststotheirsiblings.Wellpreparedparentsneedtoparticipatein catecheticalactivitiesinboththeir familiesandparishes.Catholicschools, apostolicassociationsandmovements aretheprivilegedplacesforteaching thefaith.

Thepresenceandassistanceofa spiritualdirectoramongyoungpersons andotheragegroupsserveasavaluableassistanceinreligiousformation byemphasizingtheproperapplication offaithtotheconcreteinstancesoflife. Inparishesaswellaseducationaland spiritualinstitutions,religiousformationneedstobegivenitsproperplace andtakeintoaccounttherealproblemsandchallengesoftoday.Theformationofthosewhoteachthefaith shouldbeguaranteed.Withoutthe witnessoftheirlives,theteachingof catechistsremainsfruitless,because theyareprimarilywitnessesofthe Gospel.Catechesisshouldalsopromote moralandsocialvalues,respectfor others,acultureofpeaceandnon-violenceaswellasacommitmenttowards justiceandtheenvironment.Thesocial doctrineoftheChurch,atpresent somewhatlacking,isanintegralpart offormationinthefaith.

2. Catecheticalmethods(nn.65-69)

Today,catecheticalactivitycannot belimitedtooralcommunicationonly; actionsarenecessary.Childrenand youngpersonsarenaturallydisposed togroupparticipation,forexample,in theLiturgy,sports,choirs,scoutsand otheractivities.Suchopportunitiesfor groupparticipationneedtobeprovidedwheretheyarenon-existent.However,wemustensurethattheydonot

becomemerelysocialactivitieswithout aplaceforformationinthefaith.

Thenewmediaareveryeffectivein proclaimingandbearingwitnesstothe Gospel.OurChurchesneedpeople specializedintheseareas.Perhapswe couldhelpformthosewhoaremore talentedinthisareaandhirethemfor thistask.InLebanon,“TheVoiceof Charity”(Sawtal-Mahabba)and TéléLumière/Noursat provideagreatservicetoChristiansinourregionand arealsoheardandseenonothercontinents.Othercountriesintheareahave undertakensimilarinitiatives,which shouldbegivensupportandencouragement.

Catechesismusttakeintoaccount thesituationofconflictinthecountries oftheMiddleEastandseekto

strengthenthefaithfulintheirfaith andformthemsothattheycanlive thecommandmentofloveandbeartisansofpeace,justiceandforgiveness. Commitmentinpubliclifeisaduty whichrequireswitnessandamission tobuildtheKingdomofGod.This workdemandsaformationthatgoes beyondconfessionalism,sectarianism andinternalquarrelsandseesGod's faceineachindividualandcollaborateswithothersinbuildingafuture ofpeace,stabilityandwell-being.

B.ARenewedLiturgyfaithfulto tradition(nn.70-75)

Liturgy“isthesummittowards whichtheactivityoftheChurchisdirected;atthesametimeitisthefont fromwhichallherpowerflows”.4 In ourEasternChurches,theDivine

Liturgyisatthecentreofreligiouslife. ItplaysanimportantroleinmaintainingChristianidentity,strengtheninga senseofbelongingtotheChurchand animatingalifeoffaith.ThecelebrationoftheDivineLiturgyisalsoa sourceofattractiontothosewhomay befarfromthefaithorevendisbelievers.Consequently,theLiturgyisan importantpartoftheproclamation andwitnessofaChurchwhichnotonlyprays,butacts.

Agreatmanypeoplearedeeplydesiringliturgicalrenewal,which,while remainingfaithfultotradition,would takeintoaccountmodernsensitivities aswellastoday'sspiritualandpastoral needs.Theworkofliturgicalreform wouldrequireacommissionofexperts. Perhapssomeusefulnessmightresult fromadaptingliturgicaltextstocelebrations withchildrenand youth,while remainingfaithfultoeachChurch's heritage.Thiscouldbetheworkofan interdisciplinarygroup of experts.Some lookforliturgicalrenewalinthearea ofdevotionalpractices.Whateverthe case,adaptationandreformmustconsidertheecumenicalaspect.Theparticularlydelicatequestionofcommunicatioinsacrisrequiresspecialstudy. c.Ecumenism(nn.76-84)

“Maytheyallbeone...thatthe worldmaybelieve”(Jn17:21).Christ's prayermustberepeatedbyhisdisciplesthroughouttheages.Thedivision ofChristiansiscontrarytothewillof Christ,ascandalandanobstacleto proclamationandwitness.Missionand ecumenismarecloselyaligned.The CatholicandOrthodoxChurcheshave manyelementsincommontothepoint thatPopesPaul VI,JohnPaul II and Benedict XVI speakaboutan‘almost completecommunion',whichdeserves greaterrecognitionratherthandifferences.Baptismisthebasisofrelations withtheotherChurchesandecclesial communitieswhichallowsandeven callsformanyactivitiesandinitiatives incommon.Religiousinstruction shouldexpresslyincludeecumenism. Anyoffensiveortroublingpublications shouldbecarefullyavoided.

Sincereeffortsshouldbemadeto overcomeprejudices,betterunderstand eachotherandseekfullcommunionin thefaith,sacramentsandhierarchical service.Thisdialoguetakesplaceon variouslevels.Ontheofficiallevel,the HolySeeembarksonmanyinitiatives withtheEasternChurches,representativesofwhichareparticipatingatthis synodalassembly.Anewformofpracticeofprimacy,withoutabandoning whatisessentialtothemissionofthe BishopofRome,mustbefound.5 A hopefulsignwouldbetoestablishlocal commissionsofecumenicaldialogue. StudyingthehistoryoftheEastern CatholicChurches,aswellasthatof theChurchoftheLatintradition, wouldpermittheopportunitytoclarifythecontext,attitudesandperspectivesassociatedwiththeirorigin.

Properactionsarerequiredinthe workofecumenicism:prayer,conversion,sanctificationandthemutualexchangeofgifts,allinaspiritofrespect,friendship,mutualcharity,solidarityandcollaboration.Theseactions andattitudesshouldbecultivatedand encouragedthroughteachingandthe variousmediaoutlets.Anessentialpart ofecumenismisdialogue,whichrequiresapositiveapproachtounderstanding,listeningandbeingopento others.Thisleadstoovercomingmistrust,workingtogethertodevelopreligiousvalues,joininginsociallyuseful projectsandfacingtogetherproblems incommon.

Initiativesandstructureswhichexpressandsupportunityneedtobefurtherencouraged,suchas,theCouncil

ReflectionbyHisBeatitudeAntoniosNaguibofAlexandria

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ofChurchesoftheMiddleEastand theWeekofPrayerforChristianUnity.The‘purificationofmemory'isan importantstepinseekingfullunity. Collaborationandcooperationinbiblical,theological,patristicandcultural studiesfosterthespiritofdialogue.Actionincommoncouldtakeplacein theformationofmediaexpertsinthe locallanguages.Inbothproclamation andmission,proselytismandanything opposedtotheGospelshouldbecarefullyavoided.Furthereffortsareneededintheworkofestablishingdatesin commonforthecelebrationofChristmasandEaster.

D.RelationswithJudaism

1. Vatican II:TheTheologicalBasisfor RelationswithJudaism(nn.85-87)

TheDeclaration NostraAetate ofthe SecondVaticanCouncilspecifically dealswiththerelationsbetweenthe Churchandnon-Christianreligions. Judaismholdsanimportantplacein theserelations.Thisdocumentwas writteninthecontextofboththeDogmaticConstitutionontheChurch LumenGentium andtheDogmaticConstitutiononDivineRevelation DeiVerbum. ThefirstassertsthatthePeopleof theOldTestamentweretherecipients ofcovenantsandpromisesandthatJesusChristwasborn,accordingtothe flesh,fromthisPeoplewhichcontinues inthatoftheNewAllianceandwhich pointstotheOldTestamentpre-figurationsoftheChurch.ThesecondconstitutionconsiderstheOldTestament asapreparationfortheGospelandan integralpartofsalvationhistory.

2. ThePresent-DayMagisteriumofthe Church(nn.88-89)

Basedontheabovetheologicalprinciples,certaininitiativesfordialogue withJudaismwereundertakenbythe HolySeeandlocalChurches.TheIsraeli-Palestinianconflicthasaffected relationsbetweenChristiansandJews. Severaltimes,theHolySeehasclearly expresseditsposition,especiallyduring thevisitofHisHoliness,PopeBenedict XVI totheHolyLandin2009.

Atthistime,heassertedtherightof thePalestinianstoasovereignstate,secureandinpeacewithitsneighbours, within“internationallyrecognized boundaries”.6 ThecityofJerusalem“is calledthemotherofallmen.Amother canhavemanychildren,shemust gatherandnotdivide”.7 TheHolyFathervoicedhishopetotheIsraelisthat thetwopeoplescouldliveinpeace, havingtheirowncountries,withsecure boundaries,whichareinternationally recognized.8 HesaidtothePresidentof theStateofIsrael:“...lastingsecurityis amatteroftrust,nurturedinjustice andintegrity,andsealedthroughthe conversionofhearts”.9

3. Thedesireanddifficultyofdialogue withJudaism(nn.90-94)

WhileourChurchesdenounceevery formofanti-Semitismandanti-Judaism,theyacknowledgethatthedifficultiesinrelationsbetweentheArab andJewishpeoplesareduetoconflictingpoliticalsituations,whichnecessitatesadistinctionbetweenthereligious andpoliticalreality.Christiansare calledtobeartisansofreconciliation andpeace,basedonjusticeforboth parties.LocalpastoralinitiativesfordialoguewithJudaismarepresentlytakingplace,suchas,prayingincommon, particularlythePsalms,andreading andmeditatinguponbiblicaltexts.

Theseinitiativescreateawillingness tomakeconcertedefforts,callingfor

peace,reconciliation,mutualforgivenessandgoodrelations.Problemsarise whencertainbiblicalversesareerroneouslyinterpretedtojustifyorfoster violence.ReadingtheOldTestament andbecomingmoreacquaintedwith JudaictraditionsleadtoabetterunderstandingoftheJewishreligion, therebyofferingcommongroundfor seriousstudiesandassistanceinbetter knowingtheNewTestamentandEasterntraditions.Otherpossibilitiesfor collaborationarealsoavailabletoday.

E.RelationswithMuslims(nn.95-99)

TheDeclaration NostraAetate ofthe SecondVaticanCouncilalsoservesas thebasisforrelationsbetweenthe CatholicChurchandMuslims.It statesthefollowing:“TheChurchregardswithesteemalsotheMuslims. TheyadoretheoneGod,livingand subsistinginhimself;mercifulandallpowerful,theCreatorofHeavenand earth,whohasspokentohumankind”.10 Intheyearsfollowingthe Council,manyencounterstookplace betweenrepresentativesofbothreligions.Atthebeginningofhispapacy, PopeBenedict XVI declared:“InterreligiousandinterculturaldialoguebetweenChristiansandMuslimscannot bereducedtoanoptionalextra.Itis infactavitalnecessity,onwhichin largemeasureourfuturedepends”.11

Later,theHolyFathervisitedthe BlueMosqueinIstanbul,Turkey(30 May2006)andtheAl-HusseinBin TalalMosqueinAmman,Jordan(11 May2009).ThePontificalCouncilfor Inter-ReligiousDialoguecontinuesthis veryimportantdialogue.Werecommendthecreationoflocalcommissions forinter-religiousdialogue.Primary placeneedstobegiventowhatis called“thedialogueoflife”,whichsets anexamplebyaneloquentyetsilent witnessandwhichsometimesisthe solewaytoproclaimtheKingdomof God.OnlyChristianswhoareauthenticwitnessestothefaithcanqualifyas credibleparticipantsininter-religious dialogue.Ourfaithfulneedtobeeducatedinthewaysofdialogue.

Thereasons to foster relations between ChristiansandMuslimsinclude:their

statusasfellowcitizensandtheirsharingthesamelanguageandthesame culture,nottomentionthesamejoys andsufferings.Furthermore,Christians arecalledtoliveaswitnessesofJesus Christinsociety.Fromitsbeginnings, Islamhasfoundcommonrootswith ChristianityandJudaism,astheHoly Fathermentioned.12 Arab-Christianliteratureshouldbegivengreaterconsiderationandbettervalued.

TheIslamicreligionisnotauniformity,insteadtheprofessionofIslam hasconfessional,culturalandideologicaldifferences.Infact,difficultiesin therelationsbetweenChristiansand MuslimsgenerallyarisewhenMuslims donotdistinguishbetweenreligion andpolitics.Onthisbasis,Christians senseanuneasinessatbeingconsidered non-citizens,despitethefactthatthey havecalledthesecountries“home” longbeforeIslam.Christiansdeserve fullrecognition,passingfrombeing merelytoleratedtoajustandequal statuswhichisbasedoncommoncitizenship,religiousfreedomandhuman rights.Onthisbasis,harmoniousliving isguaranteed.

Christiansaretobecomemoreintegratedinthebroadersocietyandresist thetemptationtoretreatintoclosed minoritygroups.Theyneedtojoin othersinpromotingpeace,freedom, humanrights,theenvironment,and thevaluesoflifeandfamily.Problems arisingfromsocio-politicalcircumstancesneedtobefaced,notsomuch asarighttobeclaimedforChristians asmuchasauniversalright,which Christiansand Muslims defendtogether forthecommongood. Wemustemerge fromalogicindefenceoftherightsof Christiansonlyandengageinthedefenceoftherightsofall.Withthisin mind,youngpeoplearetojoinconscientiouslywithothersintheseefforts.

Allprejudicesconcerningothersand anyoffensivetalkorargumentation needstobeeliminatedfromtextbooks inschools.Instead,weshouldtryto understandtheother'spointofview, whilerespectingdifferencesinbeliefs andpractices.Weshoulddevelopcommonground,especiallyinspiritualand

moral matters. The Blessed VirginMary isaveryimportantmeeting-point,as exemplifiedintherecentdeclaration makingtheFeastoftheAnnunciation anationalholidayinLebanon.Religionisthebuilderofunityandharmonyandanexpressionofcommunion betweenindividualsandGod.

F.Witnessinginsociety(nn.100-117)

Allcitizensinourcountrieshaveto facetwocommonchallenges:peace andviolence.Ourexperiencesofwar andconflictarespurningfurtherviolenceandarebeingexploitedbyworld terroristgroups.Generallyspeaking, theWestisidentifiedwithChristianity, andthus,thechoicesmadebywestern countriesarewronglytakenasthoseof theChurch,despitethefactthattoday,thesegovernmentsaresecularand increasinglyopposedtotheprinciples oftheChristianfaith.Thissituation needstobebetterunderstoodandfurtherexplanationgiventothemeaning of“apositivelaicity”whichmakesa distinctionbetweenpoliticsandreligion.

Withinthiscontext,eachChristian hasthedutyandmissiontospeakof andlivethevaluesarisingfromthe Gospel.Eachonemustalsospreadthe wordoftruth(qawlal-haqq),when confrontedwithinjusticeandviolence. Tobeartisansofpeacedemandsgreat courage.Prayingforpeaceisindispensable,sincepeaceisprimarilyagiftof God.

1. Theambiguityof‘modernity’ (nn.103-105)

Theinfluenceofmodernisation, globalisationandsecularisationinour societieshasaneffectonthemembers ofourChurches.Modernitytotally permeatesallaspectsofoursocieties, especiallyasaresultoftheTVnetworksoftheworldandtheInternet. Whilethephenomenonintroducesnew values,othersarelostintheprocess, thusmakingitanambiguousreality. Ontheonehand,modernityhasa senseofattractionwithitspromisesof well-beingandtheliberationfromtraditions,ofequality,ofthedefenceof humanrightsandofprotectionforthe vulnerable.Ontheotherhand,many Muslimsviewmodernityasatheistic, immoralandinvasive,disturbingand threateningculturestothepointthat manyareaggressivelyfightingagainst it.

ModernityisathreatalsoforChristians,bringingthedangersofmaterialism,practicalatheism,relativismand indifferenceandthreateningourfamilies,oursocietiesandourChurches.As aresult,weneedtoformindividuals, throughourteachinginstitutionsand themedia,inknowinghowtodiscern andchooseonlywhatisbest.Wemust bealwaysmindfuloftheplaceofGod inourlives,aspersons,families, Churchesandsocieties,anddevote ourselvesmoretoprayer.

2. MuslimsandChristiansmustpursue acommonpathtogether(nn.106-110)

Weallhavethedutyascitizens, MuslimsandChristiansalike,towork togetherforthecommongood.Christianshaveanaddedmotivationby reasonoftheirmissiontocontributeto buildingasocietymoreinkeeping withGospel-values,especiallyasregardsjustice,peaceandlove.Indoing this,wefollowinthefootstepsofgenerationsofChristians,who,through theirexample,haveplayedanessential roleinthebuildingofsocieties.Many werepioneersintherenaissanceof Arabnationsandculture.Todayalso, despitetheirlimitednumbers,therole

ofChristiansisacknowledgedandappreciated,especiallyintheareasofeducationandthepromotionofculture andsocialprogrammes.Weshouldencouragethelaymembersofour Churchestomakeanevengreater commitmentinsociety.

Everynationalconstitutionofthe countriesintheMiddleEastaffirms theequalityofallcitizens.However,in StateswithaMuslimmajority,apart fromsomeexceptions,Islamisthe Statereligionandthe sharia isthe mainsourceoflegislation.Asforthe statusofaperson,somecountrieshave specialstatutesfornon-Muslimsand recognizethejurisdictionoftheir courtsinthisregard.Othersapplyspecialstatutestonon-Muslimsintheir ordinarycourts.Freedomofworshipis recognizedbutnotfreedomofconscience.Withtheincreasinggrowthof fundamentalism,attacksagainstChristiansareontherise.

G.ThespecificanduniquecontributionofChristians(nn.111-117)

ThespecificcontributionofChristiansinthesocietyinwhichtheylive isirreplaceable.Throughtheirwitness andactions,theyenrichsocietywith thevaluesbroughtbyChristtohumanity.Sincemanyofthesevaluesare sharedincommonwithMuslims,the interestandpossibilityexisttopromote themtogether.Catechesismustform believerstobeactivecitizens.Acommitmenttosocialprogrammesand civiclife,devoidofGospelvalues,isa counter-witness.

IntheIsraeli-Palestinianconflict, Christianscanandmustmakeaspecificcontributionbybringingjusticeand peacetobear,indenouncingevery kindofviolence,encouragingdialogue andcallingforreconciliationbasedon mutualforgiveness,whichcomesfrom thepoweroftheHolySpirit.Thisis theonlywaytobringaboutanewreality.Aspartoftheirmission,Christiansarealsotoassistthosewhosuffer asaresultofconflictsandhelpthem opentheirheartstotheactionofthe HolySpirit.

ThecontributionofGospel-values byChristiansdependsonthesituation ineachcountry.Primarily,Christians needtobetaughttoviewcontributing tothecommongoodasasacredduty. Theyaretoworkwithothersfor peace,developmentandharmonious living.Theyaretomakeeffortstopromotefreedom,responsibilityandgood citizenship,sothatpeoplearerespectedasindividualsandnotfortheirreli-

gionorsocialstatus.Theyarealsoto demand,byusingpeacefulmeans,respectforandtherecognitionoftheir rights.

Ourmostimportantwitnessinsocietyisourloveforothers,whichis freelygiven.Thisloveisexpressedand livedinourteaching,medical,social andcharitableinstitutionsbywelcomingandprovidingservicetothewhole ofhumanitywithoutdistinction.Serviceonbehalfofothersisaspecific characteristicofouridentityasChristiansandnottoourbelongingtoa particularconfession.Ourprimarytask istolivethefaithandallowouractionstospeak;tolivethetruthand proclaimitwithcharityandcourage; andtopracticesolidarityinourinstitutions.Wemustliveamaturefaith–notasuperficialone–supportedand animatedbyprayer.Ourcredibility requiresharmonywithintheChurch, thepromotionofunityamongChristiansandareligiouslifeofconviction, whichtranslatesintoagoodlife.This eloquentwitnessdemandseducation andongoingguidanceforchildren, youngpeopleandadults.

CONCLUSION

WhatdoesthefutureholdforChristiansintheMiddleEast?“Donotbe afraid.Olittleflock!”

A.WhatliesaheadforMiddleEastern Christians?(nn.118-119)

Present-daysituationsgiveriseto difficultiesandconcerns.However,empoweredbytheHolySpiritandguidedbytheGospel,wecanfacethem withhopeandfilialtrustinDivine Providence.Today,thoughwearenot numericallysignificantintheregion, ouractionsandwitnesscanmakeusa considerablepresence.IntheMiddle East,conflictsandlocalproblems,as wellasinternationalpolitics,haveled toimbalance,violenceandflightto otherlands.Thisistheprimaryreason forourrespondingtoourvocationand engaginginourmissionaswitnessesin servicetosociety.

Facedwiththetemptationofdiscouragement,weneedtoremindourselvesthatwearedisciplesoftheRisen Christ,theConquerorofSinand Death.Herepeatstous:“Donotbe afraid,Olittleflock!”(Lk12:32). Throughhim,withhimandinhim, weindeedhaveafuture!Ourresponsibilityistosecurelygraspit,incollaborationwithallpeopleofgoodwill,for thesakeofthevitalityofourChurches

andthegrowthofournationsinjustice,peaceandequality.“Goddidnot giveusaspiritoftimidity,butthe Spiritofpowerandloveandself-control”(2Tim1:7).Weareguidedby faithinourcallingandthemission, entrustedusbytheLord,knowingfull wellthatheiscommittedtous,toour beingartisansofpeaceandtocreating acultureofpeaceandlove.

B.Hope(nn.120-123)

JesusChrist,bornintheHolyLand, isthesolebeareroftruehopeforhumanity.Sincehisfirstcoming,thissure hopehasstrengthenedandsupported individualsandentirepeoplesintheir momentsofsuffering.Thishoperemainsthesourceoffaith,charityand joy,evenamidsttoday'sdifficultiesand challenges,intheformationofthose whobearwitnesstotheRisenChrist, whoispresentamongus.Withhim andthroughhim,wecanbearour crossandoursuffering.Moreover, hopegivesusthestrengthtobe“God's fellowworkers”(1Cor3:9)andto contributetotheconstructionofthe KingdomofGodonearth.Inthis way,webuildabetterfutureforgenerationstocome.

Thisworkrequiresmorefaith,more communionandmoreloveonour part.OurChurchesneedbelievers-witnessesamongthePastorsaswellas amongtherestoftheChurch'smembers.TheproclamationoftheGood Newscanonlybefruitful,ifBishops, priests,consecratedmenandwomen andthelaityareonfirewiththelove ofChristandzealouslyseektomake himknownandloved.WeareconfidentthatthisSynodwillnotsimplybe apassingevent,butonewhichwill trulyallowtheSpirittomoveour Churches.

On12May2009,inJerusalem,the HolyFather,PopeBenedict XVI addressedthefollowingwordstoChristiansintheHolyLand:“Youare calledtoservenotonlyasabeaconof faithtotheuniversalChurch,butalso asaleavenofharmony,wisdomand equilibriuminthelifeofasociety whichhastraditionallybeen,andcontinuestobe,pluralistic,multi-ethnic andmulti-religious”.13

LetusimploretheHolyVirgin Mary,whoishonouredandbelovedin ourChurches,toformourheartsafter theexampleoftheHeartofherSon, Jesusandputherwordsintoaction: “Dowhateverhetellsyou”(Jn2:5).

Notes:

1 CouncilofCatholicPatriarchsof theMiddleEast,SecondPastoralLetterontheVocationoftheChurchesof theEast:“TheChristianPresencein theEast,MissionandWitness”,GeneralSecretariat,Bkerké,1992.

2 CouncilofCatholicPatriarchsof theMiddleEast,firstPastoralLetter “MessageoftheCatholicPatriarchsof theEast”,GeneralSecretariat,Bkerké, 1991.

3 Benedict XVI,ApostolicPilgrimagetotheHolyLand.Discourseto ConsecratedPersonsandMembersof ChurchMovements(9May2009), Amman,Jordan: L'OsservatoreRomano weeklyEditioninEnglish,20May 2009,p.6.

4 SecondVaticanEcumenical Council,ConstitutionontheSacred Liturgy SacrosanctumConcilium, 10.

5 Cf.JohnPaul II,EncyclicalLetter UtUnumSint (25May1995),95: AAS 87(1995)977-978.

6 Cf.Benedict XVI,ApostolicPilgrimagetotheHolyLand.Discourse duringtheWelcomingCeremonyat Bethlehem(13May2009): L'OsservatoreRomano weeklyEditioninEnglish, 20May2009,p.11.

7 CustosoftheHolyLand,CommentsduringHolyMassintheValley of Josephat in Jerusalem (12 May2009).

8 Cf.Benedict XVI,ApostolicPilgrimagetotheHolyLand.Discourse atBen-GurionAirportinTelAviv(11 May2009): L'OsservatoreRomano weeklyEditioninEnglish,20May 2009,p.3.

9 Benedict XVI,ApostolicPilgrimagetotheHolyLand.Discoursetothe PresidentofIsrael(11May2009): L'OsservatoreRomano weeklyEditionin English,20May2009,p.3.

10 SecondVaticanEcumenical Council,DeclarationontheChurch's RelationswithNon-ChristianReligions NostraAetate, 3.

11 Benedict XVI,DiscoursetoRepresentativesfromVariousMuslimCommunities(Cologne,20August2005): L'OsservatoreRomano weeklyEditionin English,24August2005,p.9.

12 Cf. Benedict XVI, Apostolic PilgrimagetotheHolyLand.Meetingwith JournalistsduringtheFlight(8May 2009): L'OsservatoreRomano weekly EditioninEnglish, 20May2009,p.2.

13 Benedict XVI,Apostolic Pilgrimage totheHolyLand.HomilytoChristiansintheHolyLand(12May 2009): L'OsservatoreRomano weekly EditioninEnglish,20May2009, p.6.

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areread;thatwesharewithhimour desiresandourhopes,ourjoysand ourtroubles,ourfailuresandour thanksforallhisblessings,andthus keephimeverbeforeusasthepointof referenceforourlives.Inthiswaywe growawareofourfailingsandlearnto improve,butwealsocometoappreciateallthebeautyandgoodnesswhich wedailytakeforgrantedandsowe growingratitude.Withgratitude comesjoyforthefactthatGodisclose tousandthatwecanservehim.

2.ForusGodisnotsimplyWord. Inthesacramentshegiveshimselfto usinperson,throughphysicalrealities. Attheheartofourrelationshipwith GodandourwayoflifeistheEucharist.Celebratingitdevoutly,and thusencounteringChristpersonally, shouldbethecentreofallourdays.In StCyprian'sinterpretationofthe Gospelprayer,“Giveusthisdayour dailybread”,hesaysamongother thingsthat“our”bread–thebread whichwereceiveasChristiansinthe Church–istheEucharisticLordhimself.InthispetitionoftheOurFather, then,wepraythathemaydailygive us“our”bread;andthatitmayalwaysnourishourlives;thattheRisen Christ,whogiveshimselftousinthe Eucharist,maytrulyshapethewhole ofourlivesbytheradianceofhisdivinelove.Thepropercelebrationof theEucharistinvolvesknowing,understandingandlovingtheChurch'sliturgyinitsconcreteform.Intheliturgy wepraywiththefaithfulofeveryage –thepast,thepresentandthefuture arejoinedinonegreatchorusof prayer.AsIcanstatefrompersonal experience,itisinspiringtolearnhow italldeveloped,whatagreatexperienceoffaithis reflected inthestructure of the Mass, and how it has beenshaped bytheprayerofmanygenerations.

3.ThesacramentofPenanceisalso important.Itteachesmetoseemyself asGodseesme,anditforcesmetobe honestwithmyself.Itleadsmetohumility.TheCuréofArsoncesaid: “Youthinkitmakesnosensetobeabsolvedtoday,becauseyouknowthat tomorrowyouwillcommitthesame sinsoveragain.Yet”,hecontinues, “Godinstantlyforgetstomorrow'ssins inordertogiveyouhisgracetoday”. Evenwhenwehavetostrugglecontinuallywiththesamefailings,itisimportanttoresistthecoarseningofour soulsandtheindifferencewhichwould simplyacceptthatthisisthewaywe are.Itisimportanttokeeppressing forward,withoutscrupulosity,inthe gratefulawarenessthatGodforgivesus everanew–yetalsowithouttheindifferencethatmightleadustoabandon altogetherthestruggleforholinessand self-improvement.Moreover,byletting myselfbeforgiven,Ilearntoforgive others.Inrecognizingmyownweakness,Igrowmoretolerantandunderstanding of the failings of my neighbour.

4.Iurgeyoutoretainanappreciationforpopularpiety,whichisdifferentineverycultureyetalwaysremains verysimilar,forthehumanheartisultimatelyoneandthesame.Certainly, popularpietytendstowardstheirrational,andcanattimesbesomewhat superficial.Yetitwouldbequite wrongtodismissit.Throughthat piety,thefaithhasenteredhuman heartsandbecomepartofthecommon patrimonyofsentimentsandcustoms, shapingthelifeandemotionsofthe community.Popularpietyisthusone oftheChurch'sgreattreasures.The faithhastakenonfleshandblood. Certainlypopularpietyalwaysneeds

LettertoSeminarians

tobepurifiedandrefocused,yetitis worthyofourloveandittrulymakes usintothe“PeopleofGod”.

5.Aboveall,yourtimeintheseminaryisalsoatimeofstudy.TheChristianfaithhasanessentiallyrational andintellectualdimension.Wereitto lackthatdimension,itwouldnotbeitself.Paulspeaksofa“standardof teaching”towhichwewereentrusted inBaptism(Rom6:17).Allofyou knowthewordsofStPeterwhichthe medievaltheologianssawasthejustificationforarationalandscientifictheology:“Alwaysbereadytomakeyour defencetoanyonewhodemandsfrom youan‘accounting’(logos)forthe hopethatisinyou”(1Pet3:15). Learninghowtomakesuchadefence isoneoftheprimaryresponsibilitiesof youryearsintheseminary.Icanonly pleadwithyou:Becommittedtoyour studies!Takeadvantageofyouryears ofstudy!Youwillnotregretit.Cer-

tainly,thesubjectswhichyouare studyingcanoftenseemfarremoved fromthepracticeofthe Christianlife andthepastoralministry. Yetitiscompletelymistakentostart questioning theirpractical valuebyasking:

Willthisbehelpfultomeinthe future?Willitbe practicallyorpastorallyuseful?The pointisnotsimplyto learnevidentlyuseful things,buttounderstand andappreciatetheinternalstructureofthefaithas awhole,sothatitcanbecomearesponsetopeople's questions,whichonthesurface changefromonegenerationtoanother yetultimatelyremainthesame.For thisreasonitisimportanttomovebeyondthechangingquestionsofthe momentinordertograspthereal

essaryitisandvaluingitspracticalapplications:asocietywithoutlawwould beasocietywithoutrights.Lawisthe conditionoflove.Iwillnotgoonwith thislist,butIsimplysayoncemore: lovethestudyoftheologyandcarryit outintheclearrealizationthattheologyisanchoredinthelivingcommunity oftheChurch,which,withherauthority,isnottheantithesisoftheological sciencebutitspresupposition.Cutoff fromthebelievingChurch,theology wouldceasetobeitselfandinsteadit wouldbecomeamedleyofdifferent disciplineslackinginnerunity.

6.Youryearsintheseminaryshould alsobeatimeofgrowthtowardshumanmaturity.Itisimportantforthe priest,whoiscalledtoaccompanyothersthroughthejourneyoflifeupto thethresholdofdeath,tohavethe rightbalanceofheartandmind,reasonandfeeling,bodyandsoul,andto behumanlyintegrated.Tothetheo-

bearwitnessthatonecanattaintoan authentic,pureandmaturehumanity inthisstateandspecificallyinthelife ofcelibacy.Admittedly,whathashappenedshouldmakeusallthemore watchfulandattentive,preciselyinordertoexamineourselvesearnestly,beforeGod,aswemakeourwaytowards priesthood,soastounderstand whetherthisishiswillforme.Itisthe responsibilityofyourconfessorand yoursuperiorstoaccompanyyouand helpyoualongthispathofdiscernment.Itisanessentialpartofyour journeytopractisethefundamental humanvirtues,withyourgazefixedon theGodwhohasrevealedhimselfin Christ,andtoletyourselvesbepurifiedbyhimeveranew.

7.Theoriginsofapriestlyvocation arenowadaysmorevariedanddisparatethaninthepast.Todaythedecisiontobecomeapriestoftentakes shapeafteronehasalreadyentered

questions,andsotounderstandhow theanswersarerealanswers.Itisimportanttohaveathoroughknowledge ofsacredScriptureasawhole,inits unityastheOldandtheNewTestaments:theshapingoftexts,theirliterarycharacteristics,theprocessby whichtheycametoformthecanonof sacredbooks,theirdynamicinnerunity,aunitywhichmaynotbeimmediatelyapparentbutwhichinfactgives theindividualtextstheirfullmeaning. Itisimportanttobefamiliarwiththe FathersandthegreatCouncilsin whichtheChurchappropriated, throughfaith-filledreflection,theessentialstatementsofScripture.Icould easilygoon.Whatwecalldogmatic theologyistheunderstandingoftheindividualcontentsofthefaithintheir unity,indeed,intheirultimatesimplicity:eachsingleelementis,intheend, onlyanunfoldingofourfaithinthe oneGodwhohasrevealedhimselfto usandcontinuestodoso.Idonot needtopointouttheimportanceof knowingtheessentialissuesofmoral theologyandCatholicsocialteaching. Theimportancenowadaysofecumenicaltheology,andofaknowledgeofthe differentChristiancommunities,isobvious;asistheneedforabasicintroductiontothegreatreligions,tosay nothingofphilosophy:theunderstandingofthathumanprocessofquestioningandsearchingtowhichfaithseeks torespond.Butyoushouldalsolearn tounderstandand–dareIsayit–to lovecanonlaw,appreciatinghownec-

logicalvirtuestheChristiantradition hasalwaysjoinedthecardinalvirtues derivedfromhumanexperienceand philosophy,and,moregenerally,from thesoundethicaltraditionofhumanity.Paulmakesthispointthisvery clearlytothePhilippians:“Finally, brothers,whateveristrue,whateveris honourable,whateverisjust,whatever ispure,whateverispleasing,whatever iscommendable,ifthereisanyexcellenceandifthereisanythingworthy ofpraise,thinkaboutthesethings”(4: 8).Thisalsoinvolvestheintegrationof sexualityintothewholepersonality. SexualityisagiftoftheCreatoryetit isalsoataskwhichrelatestoaperson'sgrowthtowardshumanmaturity. Whenitisnotintegratedwithinthe person,sexualitybecomesbanaland destructive.Todaywecanseemany examplesofthisinoursociety.Recentlywehaveseenwithgreatdismaythat somepriestsdisfiguredtheirministry bysexuallyabusingchildrenand youngpeople.Insteadofguidingpeopletogreaterhumanmaturityandsettingthemanexample,theirabusive behaviourcausedgreatdamagefor whichwefeelprofoundshameandregret.Asaresultofallthis,manypeople,perhapsevensomeofyou,might askwhetheritisgoodtobecomea priest;whetherthechoiceofcelibacy makesanysenseasatrulyhumanway oflife.Yeteventhemostreprehensible abusecannotdiscreditthepriestlymission,whichremainsgreatandpure. ThankGod,allofusknowexemplary priests,menshapedbytheirfaith,who

uponasecularprofession.Oftenit growswithintheCommunities,particularlywithintheMovements, whichfavoura communalencounterwith Christandhis Church,spiritual experiencesand joyintheservice ofthefaith.Italsomaturesinvery personalencounterswiththenobilityandthe wretchednessofhumanexistence.Asa result,candidatesfor thepriesthoodoftenlive onverydifferentspiritual continents.Itcanbedifficult torecognizethecommonelementsofone'sfuturemandate anditsspiritualpath.Forthisvery reason,theseminaryisimportantasa communitywhichadvancesaboveand beyonddifferencesofspirituality.The Movementsareamagnificentthing. YouknowhowmuchIesteemthem andlovethemasagiftoftheHoly

SpirittotheChurch.Yettheymustbe evaluatedbytheiropennesstowhatis trulyCatholic,tothelifeofthewhole ChurchofChrist,whichforallhervarietystillremainsone.Theseminaryis atimewhenyoulearnwithoneanotherandfromoneanother.Incommunitylife,whichcanattimesbedifficult, youshouldlearngenerosityandtolerance,notonlybearingwith,butalso enrichingoneanother,sothateachof youwillbeabletocontributehisown giftstothewhole,evenasallservethe sameChurch,thesameLord.This schooloftolerance,indeed,ofmutual acceptanceandmutualunderstanding intheunityofChrist'sBody,isanimportantpartofyouryearsintheseminary.

Dearseminarians,withthesefew linesIhavewantedtoletyouknow howoftenIthinkofyou,especiallyin thesedifficulttimes,andhowcloseI amtoyouinprayer.Pleaseprayfor me,thatImayexercisemyministry well,aslongastheLordmaywish.I entrustyourjourneyofpreparationfor priesthoodtothematernalprotection ofMaryMostHoly,whosehomewas aschoolofgoodnessandofgrace.May AlmightyGodblessyouall,theFather,theSonandtheHolySpirit.

FromtheVatican,18October2010, theFeastofStLuketheEvangelist.

YoursdevotedlyintheLord,

“Chasuble”byHenriMatisse,1951

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Academic ponders morality among the animals

A University of Notre Dame ethics lecturer was inspired by a gorilla who helped an injured bird to fly ...

On completion of his PhD thesis on love as a social phenomenon, Philosophy and Ethics lecturer Dr Richard Hamilton says he was left wondering how to explain morality and culture as an intrinsically natural and biological aspect of life.

With a particular interest in Virtue Ethics, the study of moral character, Dr Hamilton extended this research beyond human behaviour and psychology to include the concept of animal morality based on his argument that culture is a natural phenomenon, containing biological implications for both humans and animals.

“Culture has implications for how you reproduce, how much you reproduce and with whom you reproduce. The nature of our species is such that we do our biological business through culture,” said Dr Hamilton.

“Culture is not an opposing term to biology, it’s a feature of our biology. It’s distinctive but not unique to our species. I am interested in accounts of biology that are rich enough to incorporate culture and don’t treat culture as contrary to biology.”

Spending much of his earlier work debunking Evolution Psychology, a theory which claims the brain was designed to operate in a pre-historic environment,

Dr Hamilton set out to show that morality is not only an inherited biological trait but one that is also shaped by our surrounding culture.

“I find Evolution Psychology to be a very crude account of evolution and society. It’s a simplistic explanation for a whole series of social problems, claiming issues such as drug abuse or domestic violence are the result of our primitive design,” he said.

“It misses out, for example, the plasticity of the brain and how it responds to conditions. It will claim that gender roles are predetermined, so in other words we’re just going to have to accept that women only want to have babies and aren’t interested in careers, which I think is absolutely astounding.”

Dr Hamilton said these traditional views and attempts to claim culture as a fleeting feature of life led him to look into animal behaviour as an example of its intrinsic possibility and extension to other species.

“A lot of work I’m interested in recently is how other animals have culture. There’s an increasing body of data suggesting that other primates, even birds such as crows, pass on traditions behaviourally,” he said. Also, there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating empathy across species. A famous account from Frans De Waal reports on a gorilla in Arkham Zoo, Holland, which assists a wounded bird to fly by gently flapping its wings - this is not extrapolated from the gorilla’s own experience; he’s seeing it from the bird’s perspective. That’s quite striking.

“We tend to overemphasise the differences between us and other

animals and say, for instance, that if a dog or cat loves its owner, it’s cupboard love (based on reward).

We forget that in the human case

US prelate shuts down hermit group

Omaha association of hermits suppressed after lay board rejects reforms

BY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

OMAHA, Neb (CNS) - Saying that the step was necessary to “guard the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church,” Archbishop George Lucas of Omaha has suppressed a public association of hermits in his Archdiocese and dismissed its 48 vowed members from Religious life.

“From this point forward, the Intercessors of the Lamb Inc is in no way associated with the Catholic Church,” the Archbishop said in a 15 October letter.

“Catholic faithful worldwide should be aware that any alms given to the Intercessors of the Lamb Inc are not being given to a Catholic organisation.”

A news release from the Archdiocese of Omaha said a majority of the lay board that had guided the finances of the Association of the Hermit Intercessors of the Lamb had “impeded (the Archbishop) from helping the association accomplish the necessary reforms identified by a recent canonical visitation.”

“For reasons that they have refused to share with me, the board of directors does not want to work with the Church to implement the necessary reforms,” Archbishop Lucas said.

Among the problems uncovered during the visitation by Jesuit Father James Conn, a canon law professor at Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, were “serious disunity within the community;

widespread dissatisfaction with leadership; lack of safe environment policies; questionable financial practices; ... use of intimidation tactics to secure obedience from members;” and “illegitimate and irreverent custody of the Blessed Sacrament,” the news release said.

Archbishop Lucas took the action two weeks after accepting the resignation of Mother Nadine Brown, founder of the association, as its director and appointing Father Gregory Baxter, pastor of St Margaret Mary Parish in Omaha and a former chancery official, as trustee of the Intercessors for up to 12 months.

Citing Canon 1194 of the Code of Canon Law, Archbishop Lucas said “the vows of the former members have ceased and they are to set aside the habit and refrain from using the titles ‘Mother,’ ‘Brother’ or ‘Sister.’ They are no longer considered to be in consecrated life or assimilated to it in the Church.”

The 48 members of the association - 32 women and 16 men, including five priests - were transferred by bus to a Catholic retreat center in Schuyler, where they were receiving food, clothing, housing and spiritual direction, according to news reports.

“I am providing for the care of the former members in the short term and remain committed to helping them in any way I can in the future,” the Archbishop said in his letter.

The Archdiocese described the Association of the Hermit Intercessors of the Lamb as “a contemplative, intercessory and mixed (lay men, women and clerics) public association of hermits.”

In addition to the 48 vowed members, there were as many as 3,000 laypeople who were considered “companions” or “associates.”

The group was recognised as a private association of the faithful in 1992 and as a public association of the faithful in 1998.

“When the association asked to be recognised as a Catholic entity in accord with Church law, it agreed to recognise the pastoral authority of the Archbishop and follow Catholic practices,” said Deacon Timothy McNeil, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Omaha, in the news release. “In other words, you cannot make the claim you’re a Catholic organisation and at the same time separate yourself from the teaching, sanctifying and governing role of the Archbishop.”

When he became Archbishop of Omaha in July 2009, Archbishop Lucas “tried on several occasions to meet with directors of Intercessors of the Lamb Inc to share his vision and hope for the hermit community,” the news release said.

“The majority of the board refused his invitations and took steps to undermine his pastoral oversight of the association.”

The Omaha World-Herald newspaper reported that the board of directors still owns the 75 acre property on which members of the association lived, as well as 13 nearby homes and at least a dozen cars and SUVs.

In a statement released through attorney David Levy, the board said it “disagrees with many of the actions, statements and findings of the Archdiocese” and would “meet very soon to discuss how best to continue the corporation’s mission.”

“The corporation has provided for the hermits for decades, and has continued to do so after the Archdiocese removed Mother Nadine from her home of 30 years on the Bellwether campus two weeks ago,” the statement added.

Theory, Dr Hamilton said there was a fairly good rationale for why a living being would have empathy for its own kin but observation of cross-species accounts inspired him to look into human and animal relationships in more depth.

“Darwinian explanations are about pair bonding but human love transcends that. The basic fact that any sensible theory of human nature has to account for is the fact we cooperate way across kin boundaries with strangers” he said.

“For example, if you find yourself in a strange city, you ask for help in the expectation that others will help you. That’s a feature in human moral life that has to be accounted for. So in our theoretical thinking about morality, we tend to emphasise things like impartiality and philosophers will deny that other animals have morality because they are not sufficient in reasoning to reach that level of impartiality.”

Dr Hamilton said he felt this view was simplistic as it only took into account human interaction as a model for morality. Moreover, it set the bar so high for morality that most humans would fail to attain it.

we also love our mothers in the first instance because they protect us and provide us with food.” In terms of support for Darwinian

“I would argue by contrast that that’s the feature of morality as it functions within our species, based on our complex cooperation, which fosters the type of morality that we have,” he said. “Any theory of morality or politics is going to have some assumptions built into it about human nature. However, most people are prepared to conceive that biology has some implications for what’s possible for us morally, socially and politically and to a less complex extent, I would argue the same for animals.”

UK Anglican Bishop signals intention to enter ordinariate

BY SIMON CALDWELL

LONDON (CNS) - The Bishop who leads the largest Anglo-Catholic group in the Church of England said he plans to resign by the end of the year and join a personal ordinariate when it is established in England and Wales.

“I am not retiring, I am resigning,” Bishop John Broadhurst of Fulham told a 15 October meeting of Forward in Faith, the traditionalist group of which he is chairman. He added to applause that he expects to “enter the ordinariate.”

Bishop Broadhurst told CNS in an 18 October telephone interview that he was “absolutely, absolutely” certain that a personal ordinariate would soon come into existence in England but did not know exactly when.

Pope Benedict XVI established the mechanisms to create personal ordinariates last November through his apostolic constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus (“Groups of Anglicans”) in response to repeated requests for a means of group reception from disaffected Anglican Bishops around the world.

The structures will resemble military dioceses and allow former Anglican communities to retain their distinctive patrimony and practices, including married priests.

“If the Pope makes you an offer, you can’t ignore it,” Bishop Broadhurst told CNS. He decided to enter the Catholic faith after the General

Synod of the Church of England voted in July to ordain women as Bishops by 2014 without provisions to satisfy Anglicans who objected.

“The Church of England has been saying to conservative Anglicans like me that ‘we can’t give you jurisdiction and living space because it wouldn’t be catholic,’ but Rome has said ‘we can give you that.’ It is very interesting,” he said.

The Bishop’s announcement came two weeks after St Peter’s Parish in Folkestone, within the Anglican Archdiocese of Canterbury, became the first to vote to join a future ordinariate. Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury is the leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Several Anglican organisations have reacted to mounting speculation of many more conversions by announcing in a 19 October statement that they can amend the Church’s legislation on women Bishops to protect the rights of objectors.

They believe they can force the Church of England to recognise the newly established Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda as an Anglican equivalent of the Catholic ordinariate that would offset the many possible defections to the Catholic Church. The society will be nearly identical in structure to a Catholic ordinariate, having no women priests or Bishops, and its members will be served by their own Bishop rather than the local diocesan Bishop.

University of Notre Dame Philosophy Lecturer, Dr Richard Hamilton. He has been doing a lot of thinking on biological bases to morality. PHOTO: UNDA

Europeans, Curial officials, dominate new Cardinals

BY JOHN T HAVIS

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - “The universality of the Church,” proclaimed the headline across the top of the Vatican newspaper, as it announced Pope Benedict XVI’s choice of 24 new Cardinals from 13 different countries.

Yet those expecting the Cardinal selections to further globalise the College of Cardinals were no doubt disappointed. Fifteen of the 24 new Cardinals are European; 10 are from Italy; and 14 are current or former officials of the Roman Curia.

Instead of expanding the geographical reach of the college, the Pope appeared to be pulling it back to its historical base in Rome and Europe.

Europeans will now make up a majority of voters in a potential conclave, with 62 of the 121 Cardinals under the age of 80. Roman Curia officials will comprise a full 30 percent of the Cardinal voters.

The nomination of so many Europeans and Italians this time around did not surprise close Vatican observers. Over the past three years, Pope Benedict has named more than 10 European prelates to Vatican positions that often bring a red hat, and those expectations came due this fall.

As a result, many heads of Archdioceses around the world are still waiting - and may wait a long time. In this batch of nominees, the most striking aspect was that only 10 were residential Archbishops: three from Europe, three from Africa, two from Latin America, one from North America and one from Asia. The Roman Curia

grows a recurrent crop of potential Cardinals, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. Three heads of Vatican agencies might conceivably be made Cardinals the next time around. In addition, five Roman Curia Cardinals will reach retirement age over the next year, and their replacements will also be standing in line for the red hat.

For years, Pope John Paul II slowly shifted the geographical balance in the College of Cardinals, naming more Cardinals from “younger” Church communities in Africa and Asia. Quite often, he passed over Vatican officials whose

job descriptions didn’t require them to be Cardinals. With his latest nominations, Pope Benedict seems to be going in the opposite direction. The crux of the issue is the current limit of 120 Cardinals who are under age 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave. That’s something the Pope could easily change, if he wanted to. For centuries, the College of Cardinals had a limit of 70 members, and all had a vote in a conclave. It was Pope John XXIII who began to raise the number of Cardinals, a trend that has continued with every successive pope.

Pope Paul VI established the maximum of 120 electors, all of whom were to be under age 80. However, the 120 limit has been set aside several times - Pope John Paul II went way over in 2003 with 135 voting age Cardinals; Pope Benedict will exceed the maximum by one this time around.

The Pope could do away with the numerical ceiling of 120 with the stroke of a pen, and thus open up many more Cardinal positions. This would create room for a much greater number of residential Archbishops, and allow the Pope to elevate prelates in places where

the Church is growing but has not traditionally had a Cardinal. Expanding the number of voting age Cardinals would likely be seen as giving more equal representation to Catholic populations around the world, and as correcting existing imbalances. To cite just one example, Italy currently has 25 voting age Cardinals, a number greater than the total of every continent except Europe.

Yet that kind of reasoning may be the biggest reason Pope Benedict is not eager to break the paradigm when it comes to the College of Cardinals. He does not want to make any move that suggests this body is a kind of Church “parliament” where seats are allotted by population, or where Cardinals are seen as representing the interests of their constituent Catholic communities.

The Pope has described the College of Cardinals as the Church’s “Senate,” but not a political one. In 2007, addressing participants in his second consistory, he highlighted the college’s geographical diversity but said its role above all was to promote unity with the Bishop of Rome. Its actions, he added, should reflect “humble self-giving” and not the search for power or domination. Pope Benedict will have named 40 percent of potential Cardinal electors after the 20 November consistory. Over the next three years, he would have the opportunity to name at least 32 more. When that happens, the Pope will have left his definitive mark on a future conclave, having named more than two-thirds of the Cardinals who will choose his successor.

Cardinal designate a vocal leader on politics, morals

BY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON (CNS) - When Cardinal-designate Raymond L Burke was named in 2008 to head the Vatican’s highest tribunal, he came to the post with the reputation of being one of the most outspoken US Bishops on moral and political issues.

Some pundits wondered whether the appointment to the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature would in effect sideline someone so vocal but, since taking the Vatican post, he has been anything but silent. He has insisted that Holy Communion be refused to Catholic politicians who actively support legal abortion, said the Democratic Party in the United States “risks transforming itself definitively into a ‘party of death,’” and said nothing could justify casting a ballot for a candidate who supports “anti-life” and “anti-family” legislation.

During the 2004 US elections, he was one of the first US Bishops to say publicly that he would withhold Communion from Catholic politicians with voting records that contradicted Church teaching on abortion, euthanasia and other fundamental moral issues.

Afterward, he told Catholic News Service he was convinced of the need to raise pro-life issues with voters and to continue to promote “awareness of the moral law.”

Pope Benedict XVI named the 62 year old prelate as one of 24 new Cardinals on 20 October. After he is installed in the College of Cardinals on 20 November at the Vatican, Cardinal-designate Burke will serve as an adviser to the Pope and be eligible to vote in a papal election until his 80th birthday.

“Only the knowledge of God’s immeasurable and unceasing outpouring of mercy and love from

the glorious pierced heart of Jesus gives me the confidence to accept the great honour and burden which His Holiness intends to confer upon me,” Cardinal-designate Burke said in a statement. He expressed gratitude to the Pope and said his thoughts also turned to his late parents, his many family members, priests, Religious and laypeople who have supported him in his vocation for the last 35 years.

But he also is mindful of “the many challenges which the Church faces in our day in carrying out her divine mission for the salvation of the world ... I am deeply conscious of the critical importance of the loving witness of the Church to the truth,” he said. The Cardinaldesignate had been in St Louis as

Archbishop for four years when Pope Benedict named him the head of the Apostolic Signature. Before that, he was Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin, from 1995 to 2004.

A canon lawyer, the Archbishop worked for the Apostolic Signature from 1989 to 1994 and was named a member of the body in July 2006. He also served on the Roman Rota, the Church’s central appeals court which hears appeals from lower Church court decisions around the world, chiefly in marriage annulment cases.

Last year, he also was named to the Congregation for Bishops, a congregation that meets about every two weeks to review candidates for vacant dioceses and make their recommendations to

the Pope. He will help shape the world’s episcopate. In July of this year, he also became a member of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes.

The Cardinal-designate was born on 30 June 1948. Following college and theological studies at Holy Cross Seminary, The Catholic University of America in Washington and Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, he was ordained a priest on 29 June 1975 by Pope Paul VI at St Peter’s Basilica.

Cardinal-designate Burke’s first assignment as a priest was as associate rector of the Cathedral of St Joseph the Workman in La Crosse. He returned to Rome from 1980 to 1984 to study canon law at Gregorian University. He returned briefly to the La Crosse Diocese in 1984, serving as moderator of the curia and vice chancellor of the diocese. The following year, he again returned to Rome as a visiting professor of canon law at Gregorian University and taught at the school until his 1994 appointment as Bishop of La Crosse. He is among a group of eight Bishops who issued a letter in July 2002 asking their fellow prelates to consider holding a plenary council to promote holiness, priestly celibacy and sound sexual morality in the US Church. Their letter said such a council could help to address the root causes of the sexual abuse crisis.

During the 2004 election year, he said he would refuse to give Communion to the Democratic presidential candidate, Sen John Kerry, D-Mass, a Catholic who supports legal abortion. His announcement prompted debate about the Church’s role in politics and about the liturgical rules on denying Communion.

Weeks after the 2004 elections, he told Catholic News Service he was glad he raised pro-life issues with Catholic voters and was convinced of the need to continue to promote “awareness of the moral law.”

“There’s no sense on my part of having accomplished something and now being finished with it,” he said.

He also noted that refusing Communion to lawmakers who do not support Church teaching is a pastoral responsibility and a way for the Church to show it is serious about these fundamental issues.

While he was Archbishop of St. Louis, the Cardinal-designate faced some difficult issues. In 2005, he approved a parish consolidation plan that closed 24 parishes and 10 elementary schools in the Archdiocese.

Before his appointment in St Louis, the Cardinal-designate told the St Louis Review, the Archdiocesan newspaper, that his most fulfilling moments as a priest were his years of teaching, especially in priestly formation.

He said the most difficult challenge he had faced as a Bishop was “dealing with dissent within the Church and with the secular ideas that have insidiously entered in.” The Cardinal-designate, six years ago, also noted that curia and pastors would likely characterise his leadership style as “clear, definite, strong.” At the time, he reaffirmed the top priority that seems to still hold true for him today: “to teach the dignity of human life from conception to natural death.”

“If we don’t teach that, there isn’t much else that we can teach that will make much sense,” he said. “We as Catholics are called constantly to give witness to the inviolability of the life of the unborn.”

Cardinal-designate Raymond Burke, prefect of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature at the Vatican, right, talks with Cardinal-designate Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, before a session of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East at the Vatican on 21 October. Both men were named Cardinals the previous day by Pope Benedict XVI.

PHOTO: CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Europeans, Curial officials, dominate new Cardinals

BY JOHN T HAVIS

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - “The universality of the Church,” proclaimed the headline across the top of the Vatican newspaper, as it announced Pope Benedict XVI’s choice of 24 new Cardinals from 13 different countries.

Yet those expecting the Cardinal selections to further globalise the College of Cardinals were no doubt disappointed. Fifteen of the 24 new Cardinals are European; 10 are from Italy; and 14 are current or former officials of the Roman Curia.

Instead of expanding the geographical reach of the college, the Pope appeared to be pulling it back to its historical base in Rome and Europe.

Europeans will now make up a majority of voters in a potential conclave, with 62 of the 121 Cardinals under the age of 80. Roman Curia officials will comprise a full 30 percent of the Cardinal voters.

The nomination of so many Europeans and Italians this time around did not surprise close Vatican observers. Over the past three years, Pope Benedict has named more than 10 European prelates to Vatican positions that often bring a red hat, and those expectations came due this fall.

As a result, many heads of Archdioceses around the world are still waiting - and may wait a long time. In this batch of nominees, the most striking aspect was that only 10 were residential Archbishops: three from Europe, three from Africa, two from Latin America, one from North America and one from Asia. The Roman Curia

grows a recurrent crop of potential Cardinals, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. Three heads of Vatican agencies might conceivably be made Cardinals the next time around. In addition, five Roman Curia Cardinals will reach retirement age over the next year, and their replacements will also be standing in line for the red hat.

For years, Pope John Paul II slowly shifted the geographical balance in the College of Cardinals, naming more Cardinals from “younger” Church communities in Africa and Asia. Quite often, he passed over Vatican officials whose

job descriptions didn’t require them to be Cardinals. With his latest nominations, Pope Benedict seems to be going in the opposite direction. The crux of the issue is the current limit of 120 Cardinals who are under age 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave. That’s something the Pope could easily change, if he wanted to. For centuries, the College of Cardinals had a limit of 70 members, and all had a vote in a conclave. It was Pope John XXIII who began to raise the number of Cardinals, a trend that has continued with every successive pope.

Pope Paul VI established the maximum of 120 electors, all of whom were to be under age 80. However, the 120 limit has been set aside several times - Pope John Paul II went way over in 2003 with 135 voting age Cardinals; Pope Benedict will exceed the maximum by one this time around.

The Pope could do away with the numerical ceiling of 120 with the stroke of a pen, and thus open up many more Cardinal positions. This would create room for a much greater number of residential Archbishops, and allow the Pope to elevate prelates in places where

the Church is growing but has not traditionally had a Cardinal. Expanding the number of voting age Cardinals would likely be seen as giving more equal representation to Catholic populations around the world, and as correcting existing imbalances. To cite just one example, Italy currently has 25 voting age Cardinals, a number greater than the total of every continent except Europe.

Yet that kind of reasoning may be the biggest reason Pope Benedict is not eager to break the paradigm when it comes to the College of Cardinals. He does not want to make any move that suggests this body is a kind of Church “parliament” where seats are allotted by population, or where Cardinals are seen as representing the interests of their constituent Catholic communities.

The Pope has described the College of Cardinals as the Church’s “Senate,” but not a political one. In 2007, addressing participants in his second consistory, he highlighted the college’s geographical diversity but said its role above all was to promote unity with the Bishop of Rome. Its actions, he added, should reflect “humble self-giving” and not the search for power or domination. Pope Benedict will have named 40 percent of potential Cardinal electors after the 20 November consistory. Over the next three years, he would have the opportunity to name at least 32 more. When that happens, the Pope will have left his definitive mark on a future conclave, having named more than two-thirds of the Cardinals who will choose his successor.

Cardinal designate a vocal leader on politics, morals

BY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON (CNS) - When Cardinal-designate Raymond L Burke was named in 2008 to head the Vatican’s highest tribunal, he came to the post with the reputation of being one of the most outspoken US Bishops on moral and political issues.

Some pundits wondered whether the appointment to the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature would in effect sideline someone so vocal but, since taking the Vatican post, he has been anything but silent. He has insisted that Holy Communion be refused to Catholic politicians who actively support legal abortion, said the Democratic Party in the United States “risks transforming itself definitively into a ‘party of death,’” and said nothing could justify casting a ballot for a candidate who supports “anti-life” and “anti-family” legislation.

During the 2004 US elections, he was one of the first US Bishops to say publicly that he would withhold Communion from Catholic politicians with voting records that contradicted Church teaching on abortion, euthanasia and other fundamental moral issues.

Afterward, he told Catholic News Service he was convinced of the need to raise pro-life issues with voters and to continue to promote “awareness of the moral law.”

Pope Benedict XVI named the 62 year old prelate as one of 24 new Cardinals on 20 October. After he is installed in the College of Cardinals on 20 November at the Vatican, Cardinal-designate Burke will serve as an adviser to the Pope and be eligible to vote in a papal election until his 80th birthday.

“Only the knowledge of God’s immeasurable and unceasing outpouring of mercy and love from

the glorious pierced heart of Jesus gives me the confidence to accept the great honour and burden which His Holiness intends to confer upon me,” Cardinal-designate Burke said in a statement. He expressed gratitude to the Pope and said his thoughts also turned to his late parents, his many family members, priests, Religious and laypeople who have supported him in his vocation for the last 35 years.

But he also is mindful of “the many challenges which the Church faces in our day in carrying out her divine mission for the salvation of the world ... I am deeply conscious of the critical importance of the loving witness of the Church to the truth,” he said. The Cardinaldesignate had been in St Louis as

Archbishop for four years when Pope Benedict named him the head of the Apostolic Signature. Before that, he was Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin, from 1995 to 2004.

A canon lawyer, the Archbishop worked for the Apostolic Signature from 1989 to 1994 and was named a member of the body in July 2006. He also served on the Roman Rota, the Church’s central appeals court which hears appeals from lower Church court decisions around the world, chiefly in marriage annulment cases.

Last year, he also was named to the Congregation for Bishops, a congregation that meets about every two weeks to review candidates for vacant dioceses and make their recommendations to

the Pope. He will help shape the world’s episcopate. In July of this year, he also became a member of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes.

The Cardinal-designate was born on 30 June 1948. Following college and theological studies at Holy Cross Seminary, The Catholic University of America in Washington and Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, he was ordained a priest on 29 June 1975 by Pope Paul VI at St Peter’s Basilica.

Cardinal-designate Burke’s first assignment as a priest was as associate rector of the Cathedral of St Joseph the Workman in La Crosse. He returned to Rome from 1980 to 1984 to study canon law at Gregorian University. He returned briefly to the La Crosse Diocese in 1984, serving as moderator of the curia and vice chancellor of the diocese. The following year, he again returned to Rome as a visiting professor of canon law at Gregorian University and taught at the school until his 1994 appointment as Bishop of La Crosse. He is among a group of eight Bishops who issued a letter in July 2002 asking their fellow prelates to consider holding a plenary council to promote holiness, priestly celibacy and sound sexual morality in the US Church. Their letter said such a council could help to address the root causes of the sexual abuse crisis.

During the 2004 election year, he said he would refuse to give Communion to the Democratic presidential candidate, Sen John Kerry, D-Mass, a Catholic who supports legal abortion. His announcement prompted debate about the Church’s role in politics and about the liturgical rules on denying Communion.

Weeks after the 2004 elections, he told Catholic News Service he was glad he raised pro-life issues with Catholic voters and was convinced of the need to continue to promote “awareness of the moral law.”

“There’s no sense on my part of having accomplished something and now being finished with it,” he said.

He also noted that refusing Communion to lawmakers who do not support Church teaching is a pastoral responsibility and a way for the Church to show it is serious about these fundamental issues.

While he was Archbishop of St. Louis, the Cardinal-designate faced some difficult issues. In 2005, he approved a parish consolidation plan that closed 24 parishes and 10 elementary schools in the Archdiocese.

Before his appointment in St Louis, the Cardinal-designate told the St Louis Review, the Archdiocesan newspaper, that his most fulfilling moments as a priest were his years of teaching, especially in priestly formation.

He said the most difficult challenge he had faced as a Bishop was “dealing with dissent within the Church and with the secular ideas that have insidiously entered in.” The Cardinal-designate, six years ago, also noted that curia and pastors would likely characterise his leadership style as “clear, definite, strong.” At the time, he reaffirmed the top priority that seems to still hold true for him today: “to teach the dignity of human life from conception to natural death.”

“If we don’t teach that, there isn’t much else that we can teach that will make much sense,” he said. “We as Catholics are called constantly to give witness to the inviolability of the life of the unborn.”

Cardinal-designate Raymond Burke, prefect of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature at the Vatican, right, talks with Cardinal-designate Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, before a session of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East at the Vatican on 21 October. Both men were named Cardinals the previous day by Pope Benedict XVI.

PHOTO: CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Architect turns to Designer of it all for youth ministry

Nicole Edmiston

Without a commitment to God it’s very hard to progress in faith and grow in your relationship with Jesus. There are so many competing forces for our attention, like the media.

I don’t have a television because there are very few things about commercialisation and advertising that draws people to Christ. It is a real problem because people don’t realise it or they do but they don’t do anything about it. It’s easier to be complacent.

If I’m finding things difficult I pray for strength, guidance and discernment. I retell myself all the things that God has done for me. I find it useful to keep a journal. I write down what I am saying to God and then write down what I think He is saying back to me.

I try to go to daily Mass and walk there praying the Rosary. I have a conversation with God throughout the day and at night I journal to God about my day.

I keep Sundays free for Him. I attend Gatherings of the Disciples of Jesus Covenant Community. I try to do an hour of Adoration each morning. I am a member of the Disciples of Jesus Community and as part of that I am in a share group on faith. I have formation on topics like the Theology of the Body too.

I also find going on retreats gives my faith greater focus and intensity.

Why I became Catholic

with Debbie Warrier

It’s hard to fit it all in because I go to UWA where I am studying my Masters in Architecture parttime.

I also work part-time as an architect at Integrity Developments in Osborne Park where the Disciples of Jesus are based.

Prior to joining the community, I was discerning life as a nun whilst working fulltime in Sydney. The only Religious Order that appealed to me was the Missionaries of God’s Love that originated from the Disciples of Jesus.

I joined the Youth Mission Team (YMT) and decided to join the community as this would give me an experience similar to living in a Religious Order.

I moved to Perth in my second year of YMT. In the end I found that I could live this way of life but leave myself open to staying single or getting married.

As our 24:7 youth group got older we recognised a need for a young adult singles ministry. We wanted to reach out to people who weren’t in the community too.

So we decided to start and aim Conquest Young Adult Ministry at entry level evangelisation. People who were just entering their faith or were lapsed Catholics were welcome.

We didn’t want to have anything too intense that would turn people off.

We have a social night monthly. Also, once a month we have café nights where we interview special guests about their Catholic faith and allow question time.

There is time to socialise before and afterwards. People we have interviewed have included Bishop Don Sproxton and Keith Carmody, chaplain of the Fremantle Dockers. Those interested can contact me on 0438 719 092.

Our motto is “Winning the battle of mind, heart, body and soul.” Even if everything I had was taken from me, it wouldn’t matter because I would still have God. My faith gives me hope.

Ratzinger

the rift healer

Revealing Ratzinger

Since his election to the papacy, Ratzinger has published three encyclicals, Deus Caritas Est (God is Love), Spe Salvi (Saved by Hope) and Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth), and one apostolic exhortation Sacramentum caritatis (the Sacrament of Charity).

He has also published the first of a several volume series on the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

A recurring theme in these publications is the idea that Christianity is primarily about a person’s participation in the life and love of the Trinity, mediated through Sacraments, particularly the Eucharist.

For Benedict, the reduction of Christianity to the status of an ethical code is an impoverished representation of true Christianity.

He also emphasises the significance of the virtues of faith, hope and love, and argues that these virtues have become mutated by various secularist ideologies.

For example, he believes that faith is coming to mean trust in technology or scientific reason, hope is becoming hope in material progress, and love has become truncated to eros (sexual desire) without a telos (higher end).

He is concerned that for many people these virtues no longer have anything to do with Christ.

In Caritas in Veritate, Benedict engages with various modern philosophies, pointing out the limitations of the secularist notion of development.

Benedict argues that when cultures no longer serve the deepest human needs and actually narrow the spiritual horizons of people, the result is a loss of strong selfidentity and even depression.

The remedy, the Pope believes, is to grasp the fact that truth is something which is given as a divine gift, and that it is not something self-constructed.

Benedict also observes that truth is not determined by majority opinion.

This papacy has also put a lot of energy into mending historical rifts. Foremost among these have

been the rift with the traditionalist Catholics who regard Vatican II as the work of the devil, and the rift with sections of the Catholic Church in England which started in 1533 when Pope Clement VII excommunicated King Henry VIII for purporting to divorce Queen Catherine of Aragon.

In part to heal the rift with the traditionalists, but also because of his own liturgical concerns which are evident in Sacramentum Caritatis, Benedict has lifted all the barriers to priests saying the traditional Latin Mass.

Diplomatic channels are open-

retain their own liturgy and be served by their own clergy. Energy has also been expended improving relations with the various Eastern Orthodox communities, especially the Greek and the Russian.

These initiatives are generally regarded as successful and the Russians have established the Gregory Nazianzen Foundation to help all Christians, Eastern and Western, to defend the faith from attacks within Europe.

Nonetheless, there is a general sense that Benedict XVI’s papacy is encountering wave after wave of opposition.

ing with leaders of the traditionalist movement and attention is now focused on the doctrinal aspects of the documents of the Second Vatican Council.

In order to prepare the diplomatic ground for these negotiations, Pope Benedict lifted the decrees of ex-communication against four Bishops who had been illicitly consecrated without the permission of John Paul II.

After the event, Benedict discovered that one of the men denied the holocaust and the Pope was forced to write a deeply apologetic letter to the Bishops of the world.

On the Anglican front, he has responded to requests from groups such as the Traditional Anglican Communion to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church by establishing an Anglican Ordinariate.

This is a canonical framework by which Anglicans can join the Catholic Church in whole parish communities, rather than on a person by person basis, and can

In a book recently published in Italy called Attacco a Ratzinger, the authors argued that the attacks are coming from three separate sources: from social elites across the Western world who are in favour of secularism and see Benedict XVI as a significant source of intelligent opposition; from elites within the Catholic Church who support the ‘hermeneutic of rupture’ reading of Vatican II, and from the incompetence of the Vatican’s own officials, many of whom, it seems, don’t even know how to Google.

In the medium term, his papacy is likely to be judged by how well it contends with these forces of opposition and incompetence rather than by reference to the solid intellectual framework he has steadily built to support Christianity into the 21st century.

Nevertheless, Benedict’s holiness and desire to preach the gospel of the God of Love shine through in his writings as Pope and through these he is able to reach many millions of his faithful.

Dr Tracey Rowland

Derided by critics as a divisive figure, Benedict XVI has spent the best part of his pontificate trying to bring outsiders back into the fold, reaching out to traditional Catholics and the Orthodox Churches. Above, the Pope greeting people as he arrives for his general audience in St Peter’s Square on 29 September. Photo: CNS/REUTERS

Canonisation: The making of a Saint

The process of Canonisation

The most recent regulations on these processes were given by Pope John Paul II in the Apostolic Constitution Divinus Perfectionis

By Fr John Flader

Magister on 25 January 1983, the same day as he promulgated the Code of Canon Law. Accompanying norms were given on 7 February 1983.

How does the process work?

When someone dies with a reputation for holiness, no process can begin until five years after the death in order to allow greater balance and objectivity in evaluating the case. This period can be waived in extraordinary cases, such as that of Pope John Paul II.

The Bishop of the diocese where the person died then begins an investigation into the person’s life, virtues or martyrdom, reputation for holiness and alleged miracles. The postulator of the cause, who has been appointed for this task, assists the Bishop by gathering the necessary information.

If the Bishop is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence of holiness, he then requests the formal opening of the cause from the Vatican’s Congregation for

the Causes of the Saints. If this is granted, the person is entitled to be called “Servant of God”.

The Bishop then establishes a tribunal to interview people who have been close to the Servant of God, including any who wish to allege something against the cause. They are asked whether the person lived the virtues to a heroic degree, especially the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity and the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance.

The Bishop also appoints two censors to examine all the published writings of the person to see if there is anything in them contrary to faith and morals. In addition, all unpublished writings and any other relevant documents are collected and examined.

When the inquiries are complete, a transcript of all the documentation is sent to the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, together with a copy of the writings of the Servant of God.

A “Relator” from the Congregation is appointed to oversee the cause, helped by the postulator, who normally is to reside in Rome. Their task is to prepare the Positio, or summary of the findings, which demonstrates that the Servant of God lived the virtues to a heroic degree. This is studied by nine theologians who vote on it.

If the majority of theologians are in favour, the cause is examined by Cardinals and Bishops who are members of the Congregation. If their judgement is favourable, the cause is presented to the Holy Father who makes his own judgement and authorises the Congregation to draft the decree

on heroic virtues. When this is made public, the person can be called “Venerable”.

In order for the person to be beatified, a miracle which has taken place after the death must be proven. A miracle is considered to constitute confirmation by God of a judgement by the Church on a person’s virtuous life. It is investigated in the diocese where it took place.

If the miracle involves a medical cure, all the documentation is studied first by a panel of medical specialists and then by theologians who decide whether the cure can be attributed to the intercession of the particular Venerable.

The report is then studied by Cardinals and Bishops of the Congregation and finally by the Holy Father.

If he deems it opportune, a decree on the miracle is made public and the person may then be beatified, or declared “Blessed”, in a public ceremony. With beatification, restricted public veneration may then be celebrated, usually limited to the country or religious community of the Blessed.

For canonisation, another miracle, which ordinarily must take place after the beatification, must be proven following the same procedure.

When the Holy Father approves the miracle, a decree is issued by the Congregation and a date for the canonisation is set.

With canonisation, which involves the exercise of papal infallibility, the person is now called “Saint” and public veneration may be celebrated in the universal Church.

Follow the truth and let the Pope’s record speak for itself.

There

worldwide, Erlandson and Bunson discover whether Pope Benedict was part of the problem or the solution.

FRIDAY, 29 OCTOBER

Medjugorje – Evening of Prayer

7-9pm at Good Shepherd Parish, corner 215 Morley Dr and Altone Rd, Kiara. Evening includes Adoration, Rosary and Benediction concluding with Holy Mass. Celebrant Fr T Bogoni. Free DVD on Donald Calloway’s life of sexual promiscuity, drugs and crime through to his conversion and priesthood available on evening. All warmly welcomed. Enq: Eileen 9402 2480, 0407 471 256 or medjugorje@y7mail.com.

Healing Mass for Cancer Sufferers

7pm at Pater Noster Church, Myaree. Sacrament of Reconciliation followed by Healing Mass in honour of St Peregrine, patron of cancer sufferers and helper of all in need. Celebration will include Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. A light supper will be served after.

SATURDAY, 30 OCTOBER

Novena

5.30pm at Holy Trinity Church, Embleton. Devotions in honour of Our Lady of Good Health, Vailankanni followed by Vigil Mass. Enq: Church Office 9271 5528 or George 9272 1379.

SUNDAY, 31 OCTOBER

Variety Concert and Cake Stall

2pm at Little Sisters Community Hall, 2 Rawlins St, Glendalough. Fundraising concert to assist the homeless and the aged will be held in the presence of His Grace Archbishop Barry Hickey. Featuring The Julian Singers, Local Seniors and Young Talents, Instrumentalists. Tickets $10. Sing along to old favourites. Enq: Mary 9443 3963 or Angela 9275 2066.

FRIDAY, 5 NOVEMBER

Healing and Anointing Mass

7pm at OLMC Parish, 82 Collick St, Hilton. Praise and worship, anointing of the sick, special blessing and praying over. All welcome. Enq: Parish Office 9314 7733.

Pro-Life Witness

9.30am at St Brigid’s, Midland. Commencing with Mass followed by Rosary procession and prayer vigil at neaby abortion clinic led by the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. All welcome to come and pray for the conversion of hearts. Enq: Helen 9402 0349.

Catholic Faith Renewal Evening

7.30pm at St John and Paul’s Parish, Pinetree Gully Rd, Willetton. Songs of Praise, sharing by Fr Erasmus on A personal relationship with Jesus, followed by Mass. Light refreshments afterwards. All welcome to attend and bring family and friends. Enq: Kathy 9295 0913, Ann 0412 166 164 or catholicfaithrenewal@gmail.com.

FRIDAY, 5 NOVEMBER  THURSDAY, 11 NOVEMBER

Creation Spirituality Retreat

St John of God Retreat Centre, Shoalwater. For the weekend or week. Enq: Sr Shelley Barlow and registration 0428 772 784.

SATURDAY, 6 NOVEMBER

Love Ministries - Charismatic Healing and Mass

6pm at All Saints Church, 7 Liwara Pl, Greenwood. Get prayed over and healed from past and present issues or stand in for a loved one who may be ill or facing problems at this time. All welcome. Enq: Fr Giosue 9349 2315, Gilbert 0431 570 322 or Fr Michael Brown ofm 0417 175 796.

Day With Mary

9am at St John and St Paul Church, Corner Pinetree Gully Rd and Wainwright Cl, Willetton. Day of prayer and instruction based on the Fatima message. 9am Video. 10.10am Holy Mass. Reconciliation, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic Adoration, Sermons on Eucharist and Our Lady, Rosaries and Stations of the Cross. BYO lunch. Enq: Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate 9250 8286.

Witness for Life

8.30am at St Augustine’s, Gladstone Rd, Rivervale. Commencing with Mass celebrated by Fr Paul Carey, followed by Rosary procession and prayer vigil at nearby abortion clinic. All welcome to come and pray for the conversion of hearts. Enq: Helen 9402 0349.

SUNDAY, 7 NOVEMBER

All Souls Day Memorial Service

2.30pm at Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park, Crematorium

Chapel. Please note the Memorial Service will not include Mass. Everyone welcome. Enq: Whitford Parish Office 9307 2776.

Schoenstatt Spring Fair

9.30am-2pm at 9 Talus Dr, Armadale. A family affair with entertainment for the children, international food, a variety of stalls, prizes, silent auctions and lots more. Bring all the family and help support the Schoenstatt Sisters, and visit our beautiful shrine where you can leave all your requests and petitions. Enq: 9455 3140.

Divine Mercy

1.30pm at St Francis Xavier Church, 25 Windsor St, Perth. An afternoon with Jesus and Mary. Fr Sharbel will give Homily on All Saints and Holy Souls. Refreshments afterwards. Enq: John 9457 7772.

TUESDAY, 9 NOVEMBER

Council of Christians and Jews WA Inc –Commemoration of Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass)

4pm at Perth Synagogue, Freedman Rd, Menora. Guest speaker Fr Stephen Astill SJ, Senior Lecturer, Notre Dame University. Light refreshments served. All welcome. RSVP by Friday, 5 November. Enq: 9271 0539 or ccjwa@aol. com.

SATURDAY, 13 NOVEMBER

St Padre Pio Day of Prayer

8.30am at Little Sisters of the Poor, 2 Rawlins St, Glendalough. DVD followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary, Divine Mercy, Silent Adoration and Benediction at 10am. 11am Mass, St Padre Pio Liturgy, Confessions available. Bring a plate for shared lunch. Tea and coffee supplied. Enq: Des 6278 1540.

Legion of Mary – Annual Mass

11.30am at St Joachim’s Church, Shepperton Rd, Victoria Park. Celebrating the Life of Frank Duff, Servant of God 1889-1980. Legion Prayers and Rosary followed by Mass. Celebrant Rev Fr Timothy Deeter. Shared Lunch to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the First Legion Meeting. All welcome.

SATURDAY, 20 NOVEMBER

The Annual Holy Mass at the Grotto 10.30am at Richard and Judy Priestley’s Farm. Directions – take Great Eastern Hwy to El Caballo Blanco, turn south into Wariin Rd, turn east into Chinganning Rd, travel 2.2km; the farm gate is on the right. Bring a chair and a hat. BBQ meat will be provided at no cost for lunch. All welcome. Enq: 0428 502 749.

SATURDAY, 20 NOVEMBER AND SUNDAY, 21 NOVEMBER

MenAlive Retreat

8am at Willetton Catholic parish. Registration followed by Retreat at 9am, followed by Mass. BYO lunch. Barbeque dinner provided. Registration required. Enq: 9332 5992 or www.johnpaulwilletton.org.au.

SUNDAY, 21 NOVEMBER

Art Show by North Beach Parish Art Group. 10.30am–5pm Our Lady of Grace Pastoral Centre, 3 Kitchener St, North Beach. Christmas bargains from a range of original and affordable artwork. Icons painted by group members displayed in church will be blessed at Sunday Mass, then taken in procession to the centre exhibition opening. Morning tea provided. Enq: Angela 9349 3173 or Parish 9448 4888.

WEDNESDAY, 24 NOVEMBER

6pm at Michael Keating Room, University of Notre Dame, 10 Cliff St, Fremantle. Refreshments provided. Registration for event required. Enq: 9470 4922 or kswca. office@perthcatholic.org.au.

FRIDAY, 26 NOVEMBER

Medjugorje – Evening of Prayer

7-9pm at Sacred Heart Parish Church, 50 Ovens Rd, Thornlie. An evening of Prayer with Our Lady Queen of Peace. Adoration, Rosary, Benediction concluding with Holy Mass. Celebrant Fr Bogoni. Free DVD on Donald Calloway’s life of sexual promiscuity, drugs and crime through to his conversion and priesthood available on evening. Enq: 9402 2480 or medjugorje@y7mail.com.

SATURDAY, 27 NOVEMBER AND SUNDAY, 28 NOVEMBER

MenAlive Retreat

8am at Infant Jesus Catholic Parish, Morley. Registration followed by Retreat at 9am, followed by Mass. BYO lunch. Barbeque dinner provided. Registration required. Enq: 9276 8336.

Annual Bumper Garage Sale

9am-6pm at Redemptorist Monastery Grounds, 190 Vincent St, North Perth. Homemade Christmas cakes, biscuits, muffins, bric-a-brac, household goods, gift items, books, jams, pickles, plants plus several raffle prizes. Stock up for Christmas, pick up a bargain and have some fun.

EVERY SUNDAY

Pilgrim Mass - Shrine of the Virgin of the Revelation 2pm at Shrine, 36 Chittering Rd, Bullsbrook. Commencing with Rosary followed by Benediction. Reconciliation is available before every celebration. Anointing of the Sick administered during Mass every second Sunday of the month. Pilgrimage in honour of the Virgin of the Revelation, last Sunday of the month. Side entrance to the church and shrine open daily between 9am-5pm. Enq Sacri 9447 3292.

Extraordinary Form of Latin Holy Mass

11am Sunday and 7.30pm Monday except 3rd Monday of the month, at St Joseph’s Parish, 20 Hamilton St, Bassendean.

EVERY SUNDAY IN NOVEMBER

New Studio Sale to support the Cathedral 9am-12pm at 213 Yangebup Rd, Yangebup. Work by Margaret Fane at 50% off and offers considered to make way for new work. Enq: Margaret 0432 834 743 or margaretfane.com.au.

THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH

Oblates of St Benedict

2pm at St Joseph’s Convent, York St, South Perth. Oblates are affiliated with the Benedictine Abbey of New Norcia. All welcome to study the rule of St Benedict and its relevance to the everyday life of today for lay people. Vespers and tea later. Enq: Secretary 9457 5758.

EVERY FOURTH SUNDAY OF THE MONTH

Holy Hour for Vocations to the Priesthood, Religious Life

2-3pm at Infant Jesus Parish, Wellington St, Morley. The hour includes Exposition of the Blessed Eucharist, silent prayer, Scripture and prayers of intercession. Come and pray that those discerning vocations to the priesthood or Religious life hear clearly God’s loving call to them.

LAST MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH

Christian Spirituality Presentation

7.30-9.15pm at the Church hall behind St Swithan’s Anglican Church, 195 Lesmurdie Rd, Lesmurdie. Stephanie Woods presents The Desert Period of Christianity, 260 to 600AD. From this time period came the understanding of the monastic lifestyle and contemplative prayer. No cost. Enq Lynne 9293 3848.

EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT

Novena and Benediction to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

6pm at the Pater Noster Church, Marmion and Evershed Sts, Myaree. Mass at 5.30pm. Enq: John 0408 952 194.

EVERY WEDNESDAY

Holy Spirit of Freedom Community

7.30pm at The Church of Christ, 111 Stirling St, Perth. We are delighted to welcome everyone to attend our Holy Spirit of Freedom Praise Meeting. Enq 9475 0155 or hsofperth@gmail.com.

SECOND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH

Chaplets of the Divine Mercy

7.30pm at St Thomas More Catholic Church, Dean Rd, Bateman. A beautiful and prayerful sung devotion. Accompanied by Exposition and followed by Benediction. All are welcome. Enq: George 9310 9493 home or 9325 2010 work.

EVERY THURSDAY

Cathedral Praise Meeting

7.45pm at 450 Hay St, Perth. A journey of Intercessory Prayer, Revelation and Healing by Kaye Rollings, FMI. Please bring a Bible. Enq: 9382 3668 or 0439 981 515.

Catholic Questions and Answers

7-7.30pm at St Joseph’s Parish Centre, 20 Hamilton St, Bassendean. Catechesis learned easily with questions and answers. The Catechism of the Catholic Church. Adult learning and deepening of the Catholic Faith, with Fr John Corapi DVD series, 7.30-9pm.

Divine Mercy

11am at St John and Paul Church, Pine Tree Gully Rd, Willetton. Pray the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and for the consecrated life especially here in John Paul parish, conclude with veneration of the First Class Relic of Saint Faustina. Please do come and join us in prayer. Enq: John 9457 7771.

Taize Prayer and Meditation

7.30-8.30pm at Our Lady of Grace Church, 3 Kitchener St, North Beach. Prayer and meditation using songs from the Taize phenomenon. In peace and Candlelight we make our pilgrimage. All are warmly invited. Enq: Joan 9448 4457 or parish 9448 4888.

FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH

Holy Hour for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life

7pm at Little Sisters of the Poor Chapel, 2 Rawlins St, Glendalough. Mass, followed by Adoration with Fr Doug Harris. All welcome. Refreshments provided.

Communion of Reparation All Night Vigil

7pm-1am at Corpus Christi Church, Lochee St, Mosman Park. Vigil consists of Mass, Rosary, Confession and Adoration. Celebrant Fr T Bogoni. All warmly welcomed. Enq: Vicky 0400 282 357.

Catholic Faith Renewal Evening

7.30pm at St John and Paul’s Parish, Pinetree Gully Rd, Willetton. Songs of Praise, sharing by a priest followed by Thanksgiving Mass and light refreshments after Mass. All welcome to attend and bring your family and friends. Enq: Kathy 9295 0913, Ann: 0412 166 164 or catholicfaithrenewal@gmail.com.

The Alliance, Triumph and Reign of the United Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

9pm at St Bernadette’s Church, Glendalough. Commences with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament followed by Reflections, Rosary and alternating with healing sessions. Vigil concludes with the Holy Mass at midnight. Come, be healed and be part of the Lord’s Mighty Work. Enq: Fr Doug 9444 6131 or Dorothy 9342 5845.

Healing Mass

7pm at St Peter’s Parish, Wood St, Inglewood. Reconciliation, praise and worship, exposition of Blessed Sacrament, Benediction, anointing of the sick, and special blessing. Celebrants Fr Sam and other clergy. All welcome. Enq: Priscilla 0433 457 352, Catherine 0433 923 083 or Mary-Ann 0409 672 304.

AA ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Is Alcohol costing you more than just money? Enq: AA 3253 5666.

OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE

Emmanuel Self-Help Centre for People with Disabilities is looking for volunteers to transport newspapers and other recyclable paper from its Perth office to a Canning Vale paper mill about every six weeks. Manual car driver’s licence required. Physical fitness is advantageous as heavy lifting is involved; Centre staff will assist. Enq: Fr Paul 9328 8113 or emmanuelcentre@westnet.com.au.

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ACCOMMODATION

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

ESPERANCE 3 bedroom house f/furnished Ph 09 9076 5083.

BOOK BINDING

NEW BOOK BINDING, General Book Repairs; Rebinding; New Ribbons; Old Leather Bindings Restored. Tydewi Bindery 0422 986 572.

TRADE SERVICES

BRENDON HANDYMAN

SERVICES Home, building maintenance, repairs and renovations. NOR. Ph 0427 539 588.

BRICK RE-POINTING

Ph Nigel 9242 2952.

PERROTT PAINTING Pty Ltd

For all your residential, commercial painting requirements. Ph Tom Perrott 9444 1200.

PICASSO PAINTING Top service.

Ph 0419 915 836, fax 9345 0505.

LAWN MOWING

WRR LAWN MOWING & WEED

SPRAYING Garden clean ups and rubbish removal. Get rid of bindii, jojo and other unsightly weeds. Based in Tuart Hill. Enq 9443 9243 or 0402 326 637.

FURNITURE REMOVAL

ALL AREAS. Competitive Rates. Mike Murphy Ph 0416 226 434.

Deadline: 11am Monday

RELIGIOUS PRODUCTS

CATHOLICS CORNER Retailer of Catholic products specialising in gifts, cards and apparel for Baptism, Communion and Confirmation. Ph 9456 1777. Shop 12, 64-66 Bannister Rd, Canning Vale. Open Mon-Sat.

OTTIMO Convenient city location for books, CDs/DVDs, cards, candles, statues, Bibles, medals and much more. Shop 108, Trinity Arcade (Terrace level), 671 Hay St, Perth. Ph 9322 4520. Mon-Fri 9am-6pm.

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My light, my help

Lk 14:25-33 Give up possessions

4 Th St Charles Borromeo, bishop (M)

Wh Phil 3:3-8 Glory from Jesus Christ

Ps 104:2-7 Seek God’s face

Lk 15:1-10 One repentant sinner

5 F Phil 3:17-4:1 My rule of life

Gr Ps 121:1-5 Go to God’s house

Lk 16:1-8 Draw up an account

6 S Phil 4:10-19 Ready for anything

Gr Ps 111:1-2.5-6.8-9 Head raised in glory

Lk 16:9-15 God and money

Adoration for children to be focus of French visit

BY BRIDGET SPINKS

A French priest from the Community of St John has been invited to Perth and Bunbury from 8-16 November to teach children in particular how to adore the Blessed Sacrament.

The programme for the Children of Hope tour developed by Fr Antoine Thomas csj introduces children to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and it has been active in many countries since 1994.

Fr Antoine led the Children of Hope tour in Sydney for the few weeks leading up to the Sydney Congress Embracing the New Evangelisation (SCENE) in 2009 and again in 2010. This will be his second visit to Perth.

St Bernadette’s Glendalough parish priest, Fr Doug Harris, will be hosting Fr Antoine Thomas.

With the blessing of Perth Archbishop Barry Hickey, Divine Mercy College in Yangebup and Fr Doug are sponsoring his stopover in Perth on his way to Christchurch in New Zealand.

After many years in America, Fr Antoine is being sent to New Zealand to be prior of a new foundation of the Community of St John.

There will be opportunities in Perth for the public to attend open talks by Fr Antoine on Children’s Eucharistic Adoration in the third millennium as well to discover the purpose of life.

Fr Antoine will visit several Perth primary schools including St Lawrence Primary, Balcatta; St Jude Primary, Langford and Aranmore Primary, Leederville among others.

Fr Antoine will also teach some high schoolers about Adoration at Divine Mercy College and at Kearnan College, Manjimup.

PAdoration of the Blessed Sacrament is growing in Perth. There are several chapels of perpetual Eucharistic Adoration including in Ocean Reef which is now open most weekdays from 9am to 7 or 9pm for Adoration.

In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI wrote an Apostolic Exultation on the Eucharist as the Source and Summit of the Church’s Life and Mission, Sacramentum Caritatis (Sacrament of Charity).

In this letter, the Holy Father not only encouraged the setting aside of specific churches and oratories for Perpetual Adoration where possible in highly populated areas but he recommended that children learn how to spend time with Jesus.

“I also recommend that, in their catechetical training, and especially in their preparation for First Holy Communion, children be taught the meaning and the beauty of spending time with Jesus, and helped to cultivate a sense of awe before His presence in the Eucharist,” he wrote in 2005.

Further details

THE LAST WORD

Children

Monday, 8 November 7-8.30pm at Sts John and Paul, 5 Ingham Ct, Willetton. Fr Antoine will give a public talk What’s the Purpose of our Life? followed by Family Holy Hour. All welcome.

Tuesday, 9 November 4-5pm at Sts John and Paul, 5 Ingham Ct, Willetton. Fr Antoine will lead a Holy Half Hour from 4-4.30pm for children 4 and up; and at 4.30-5pm will lead a Holy Half Hour for ages 10 and up. All children welcome.

Wednesday, 10 November 5.30-8.30pm at Catholic Youth Ministry, 40/A Mary St, Highgate. Fr Antoine will join the young adults for Mass at 5.30 followed by Holy Hour and at 8pm he will give a short talk. All young adults welcome.

Thursday, 11 November 7.30-9pm at St Bernadette’s, 49

ortugal is a sadly underrated holiday destination that doesn’t quite have the same resonance in the minds of many as, say, Paris (ecotourism), New York (subtlety) and the Ross Island Dependencies off the coast of Antarctica (fabulous nightclubbing). At The Record, we recommend you seriously consider the simple pleasures of life and go in the next few weeks to this often-overlooked beautiful holiday destination on the Iberian Peninsula that most Australian holiday makers, raised on the Internet, don’t even know exists (Maaaaaaaate! Portugal? Isn’t that the new Windows OS?). But in Portugal you can sip Madeira in Porto (or Porto in Madeira) while you listen to the guitarras being softly strummed by the locals in the hot afternoon sun as they sing their fado laments. Wonderful.

Unfortunately ... this will mean you miss out on Christmas shopping - but don’t panic! At The Record we’ve got everything covered. Simply drop in to the Bookshop at 21 Victoria Square, opposite St Mary’s Cathedral, and purchase a Gift Voucher from $5 upwards. Attractively presented on marbled special print paper, a Record Bookshop Gift Voucher can be redeemed against any of the hundreds of books, CDs, DVDs and St Mary’s Cathedral Jarrah products on sale in the Bookshop. Result? You’re gone. Family love you. Easy.

Inquiries: Bibiana on (08) 9220 5900, or bookshop@therecord.com.au

Jugan St, Glendalough. Fr Antoine will give a public talk and formation of children’s Adoration leaders. He will speak about Children’s Eucharistic Adoration in the Third Millennium. All welcome. There will be Mass at St Bernadette’s at 5.45pm beforehand.

Friday, 12 November 7.30-9pm at St Jude’s, 20 Prendiville Way, Langford. Fr Antoine will give a public talk What’s the Purpose of our Life? followed by Family Holy Hour. All welcome.

Saturday, 13 November 9-10am at Christ the King, 61 Lefroy Rd, Beaconsfield. Fr Antoine will lead a Holy Hour for children 4 and up and teenagers, followed by a cup of tea. All welcome.

Sunday, 14 November 1-2pm at St Mary’s Cathedral, 17 Victoria Sq. Fr Antoine will lead a

Holy Hour for families, especially children 4 and up, including teens. All children, parents, Religious, priests, children’s liturgy groups welcome.

7pm at St Bernadette’s, 49 Jugan St, Glendalough. Fr Antoine will join the young adults for Mass. All welcome, especially the young adults of the parish.

Monday, 15 November 7-8pm at Sacred Heart, cnr Guppy and Dean Sts, Pemberton. Fr Antoine will lead a Teen Holy Hour in the parish Church. All teenagers welcome.

Tuesday, 16 November 7.30-8.30pm at St Jude’s Parish Centre, 20 Prendiville Way, Langford. Fr Antoine will give a public talk Challenges of Teenagers in the Third Millennium

All are welcome to these public events.

Off to Portugal then, are we, mate?

Through the experience of Eucharistic Adoration, children can come to discover the wonder of Christ in the Sacrament. PHOTO: CHILDREN OF HOPE

of Hope Tour Programme