zondag 1 november 2009
'We are never alone,' Pope exclaims on All Saints Day
To the faithful gathered on Sunday in St. Peter’s Square for the Angelus, Pope Benedict XVI presented the communion of saints, a “beautiful and comforting” reality that says “we are never alone.” In particular he held up the ancient cult of martyrs in the early Church, and in this Year for Priests, “the saintly priests, both those canonized…and those many more that are known to the Lord.”
Pope Benedict also spoke of Monday’s commemoration of the faithful departed, also known as All Souls Day. "I would ask,” he said, “that this liturgical memory be lived in a genuine Christian spirit, that is, in light of the Paschal Mystery.”
Benedict XVI explained that Christ died and rose again and opened the door to the house of the Father, the kingdom of life and peace: “Those who follow Jesus in this life are welcomed where He came before us. So as we visit cemeteries, let us remember that there, in the tombs, are only the mortal remains of our loved ones awaiting the final resurrection.”
Pope Benedict concluded his remarks by teaching that the most proper and effective way to honor and pray for the faithful departed is by offering acts of faith, hope and charity: “In union with the Eucharistic Sacrifice, we can intercede for their eternal salvation, and experience the deepest communion, as we wait to find ourselves together again, to enjoy forever the Love that created and redeemed us."
After the Angelus prayer, the Pope recalled the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Joint Declaration between the World Lutheran Federation and the Catholic Church. "That document,” he said, “attests to an agreement between Lutherans and Catholics on the fundamental truth of the doctrine of justification, a truth that brings us to the very heart of the Gospel and the essential issues of our lives.”
The Holy Father expounded on the acceptance and redemption of man by God, saying, “Our existence is part of the horizon of grace. It is led by a merciful God who forgives our sin and calls us to a new life following in the footsteps of his Son. We live by the grace of God and are called to respond to his gift. This frees us from fear and gives us hope and courage in a world full of uncertainty, anxiety, suffering."
This anniversary, the Pontiff explained, is an occasion to remember the truth about the justification of man, witnessed together, to unite Catholics and Lutherans in ecumenical celebrations and to further investigate this issue and others that are the subject of ecumenical dialogue.
“I sincerely hope that this important anniversary will help bring forward the path towards the full visible unity of all the disciples of Christ.”
Cardinal Levada: No 'celibacy issue' exists in reception of Anglicans into Church
In an extensive clarification released on Saturday by the Vatican press office, Fr. Federico Lombardi made clear, on behalf of the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Levada, that there is no “celibacy issue” delaying the publication of the Constitution that will establish the procedure for Anglicans to be received into the Catholic Church.
In a statement released in English –breaking the common use of Italian- Fr. Lombardi explained that “there has been widespread speculation, based on supposedly knowledgeable remarks by an Italian correspondent Andrea Tornielli.
The Vatican analyst suggested that the delay in the publication of the Apostolic Constitution on Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church is due to "more than ‘technical’ reasons.”
“According to this speculation, there is a serious substantial issue at the root of the delay, namely, disagreement about whether celibacy will be the norm for the future clergy of the Provision,” Fr. Lombardi’s said.
Responding to other claims that the rule of celibacy for Latin rite clergy would be open to discussion, Fr. Lombardi offered the official comments of Cardinal Levada.
“Had I been asked I would happily have clarified any doubt about my remarks at the press conference. There is no substance to such speculation. No one at the Vatican has mentioned any such issue to me.”
According to Cardinal Levada, Pope Benedict’s Apostolic Constitution will be ready “by the end of the first week of November” and its delay “is purely technical in the sense of ensuring consistency in canonical language and references.”
The Prefect of the Congregation also explained that “the drafts prepared by the working group, and submitted for study and approval through the usual process followed by his congregation, have all included the following statement, which is currently Article VI of the Constitution:
- 1. Those who ministered as Anglican deacons, priests, or bishops, and who fulfill the requisites established by canon law and are not impeded by irregularities or other impediments may be accepted by the Ordinary as candidates for Holy Orders in the Catholic Church. In the case of married ministers, the norms established in the Encyclical Letter of Pope Paul VI Sacerdotalis coelibatus, n. 42 and in the Statement "In June" are to be observed. Unmarried ministers must submit to the norm of clerical celibacy of Code of Canon Law 277, §1.
- 2. The Ordinary, in full observance of the discipline of celibate clergy in the Latin Church, as a rule (pro regula) will admit only celibate men to the order of presbyter. He may also petition the Roman Pontiff, as derogation from can. 277, §1, for the admission of married men to the order of presbyter on a case by case basis, according to objective criteria approved by the Holy See.”
Cardinal Levada further explains that “this article is to be understood as consistent with the current practice of the Church, in which married former Anglican ministers may be admitted to priestly ministry in the Catholic Church on a case by case basis.”
With regard to future seminarians, the Cardinal explains that “it was considered purely speculative whether there might be some cases in which a dispensation from the celibacy rule might be petitioned.”
“Objective criteria about any such possibilities (e.g. married seminarians already in preparation) are to be developed jointly by the Personal Ordinariate and the Episcopal Conference, and submitted for approval of the Holy See,” Cardinal Levada said.
Fiesta di tur Santu
Promé Lektura : Revelashon 7, 2-4, 9-14
Salmo : Salmo 24, 1-4a. 5-6
Di dos Lektura : 1Huan 3, 1-3
Evangelio : Mateo 5, 1-12a
Dia promé di novèmber ta selebrá fiesta di Tur Santu. Pa hinter Iglesia ta un gran selebrashon pasobra tin gran fiesta den shelu. Pa nos ta un gran oportunidat pa gradisí pa tur benefisio, pa tur grasia ku Dios a drama riba hende ku a biba riba e tera aki i ku tabata manera nos, ku mesun debilidatnan i ku tur e fortalesa ku ta bini di Dios mes . Nos ta selebrá e dia aki ku un kurason gradesidu, pasobra Dios tabata grandi ku nos i nos ta kontentu.
Awe ta un bon dia pa reflekshoná riba tur e bon spiritual i material ku pa medio di interseshon di santunan nos a risibí i nos tin te dia djawe, pues e santunan ku a deseá Gloria di Dios for di aki riba tera lo sigui dese’é den vishon beatífiko, i ta kompartí e mesun deseo di Nos Señor Hesukristu di ku tur hende lo ta salbá, ku tur hende ta glorifiká Nos Señor.
Iglesia a instituí Fiesta di Tur Santu pa e siguiente motibunan:
1. Pa alabá i gradisí Señor pa e fabor ku ela hasi na su sirbidónan, santifikando nan riba tera i koronando nan ku gloria den shelu.
2. Pa honra riba e dia aki mas e Santunan pa kende no ta hasi fiesta partikular durante aña.
3. Pa nos risibí hopi mas grasia multiplikando esnan ku intersedé.
4. Pa koregí riba e dia aki e faltanan ku den transkurso di aña nos a kometé riba fiesta partikular di Santunan.
5. Pa animá nos mas na birtut ku ehèmpelnan di tur Santu di tur edat, sekso i kondishon, ku memoria di e rekompensa ku nan ta gosa di dje den shelu.
Mester kurashá nos pa imitá en santunan i konsiderá ku nan tabata mes debil ku nos i eksponé na mesun pashonnan; ku, fortifiká pa e grasia dibino, a bira santu dor di medionan ku nos tambe por hasi uso di dje, i pa méritonan di Hesukristu a primintí nos e mesun gloria ku nan ta gosa di dje den shelu.
Ta selebrá fiesta di Tur Santu ku tantu solemnidat pasobra e ta kubri tur otro fiesta ku durante aña ta selebrá na honor di Santunan i ta símbolo di e fiesta eterno di e gloria.
Pa selebrá fiesta di Tur Santu di manera digno nos mester:
1. Alabá i glorifiká Señor pa e fabornan ku el a hasi pa su sirbidónan i pidiE pa asina tambe konsedé esakinan na nos.
2. Honrá tur Santu komo amigu di Dios i invoká ku mas konfiansa su protekshon.
3. Hasi propósito di imitá su ehèmpelnan pa un dia ser partisipante di e mesun gloria.
Ta importante pa riba e dia asina importante pa Iglesia pa nos para un ratu ketu pa pensa riba tur e bon ku Dios a duna humanidat pa medio di tantu hòmber i muhé ku fiel na bondat di Dios, fiel na su amor tabata testigu di e Reino di Señor. E kantidat di santu, i mártirnan ku a laga marka asina profundo di nan pasashi riba e tera aki ku ni tempu ni kambio di generashonnan no tabata por a kita. I si nos bisa ku ta di tur Santu ta pasobra nos tambe ta selebrá tantu Santu i Mártirnan ku Dios tabata ke tene den anonimato, i ku nos no konosé nan na nòmber pero nos sa ku pa medio di fe ku nan ta dunando gloria na Dios.
Laga nos selebrá e dia aki ku goso, i laga nos pidi Dios Nos Señor permití pa nos por disfrutá riba e tera aki di protekshon di su santunan i ku un dia e permití pa nos pa ta huntu ku nan pa glorifikE den su eternidat.
Ku Mama Maria, Reina di santunan konsedé na nos e alegria di sirbi e tera aki pa por mira i gosa di djE den bida eterno.
