Statement by the OECS Authority at its 58th Meeting on The Ruling by the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic on Nationality

Nov. 25, 2013 - We, the Authority of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) meeting in Montserrat at our 58th Meeting, express our collective abhorrence at the 23 September 2013 ruling of the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic that effectively renders stateless, thousands of men, women and children mostly of Haitian descent.

The decision of the Constitutional Court is repulsive and discriminatory. We deeply regret the failure of the Government of the Dominican Republic to take corrective measures.  Accordingly, we call on the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) of which our individual countries are also Members, to suspend immediately any consideration of the application by the Dominican Republic for membership of CARICOM.

Further, until this injustice has been addressed, the Member States of the OECS would find it extremely  difficult to engage with the Dominican Republic in various fora including within the councils of the Caribbean Forum of African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (CARIFORUM).

Equally, consideration ought to be accorded by the relevant authorities to the continued participation in the Petro Caribe Agreement of the Dominican Republic  until a credible plan of corrective measures be elaborated for implementation in the shortest possible time by the Government of the Dominican Republic regarding the issue at hand.

We also call on other regional and hemispheric organisations such as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to speak out unequivocally in condemnation of this ruling. The individual and collective voices of all who believe in and are committed to human rights and justice for all must now be raised to urge the Dominican Republic to right this terrible wrong.

Begin 'new chapter' of joyful evangelization, Pope exhorts

Vatican City, Nov 26, 2013 / 04:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his first apostolic exhortation, “The Joy of the Gospel,” Pope Francis urged the Christian faithful to begin “a new chapter of evangelization,” marked by the joy that is “constantly born anew” with Christ.

“The Joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus,” the Pope wrote, inviting Christians to “a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ.”

The apostolic exhortation, also known as “Evangelii Gaudium,” is the fruit of the 2012 bishops' synod on the new evangelization, which was held as part of the Year of Faith. Released Nov. 26, the papal document stressed the need for Christian joy.

“There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter,” the Pope said. Despite different ways of expressing joy and the difficulties of experiencing joy in suffering, he said, we must all allow joy to be part of our lives.

At the core of preaching is “the God who revealed his immense love in the crucified and risen Christ,” the Holy Father explained. Christians should appear not as someone seeming to solely impose new obligations, but as those “who wish to share their joy, who point to a horizon of beauty and who invite others to a delicious banquet.”

Examining challenges to evangelization including relativism and secularization, Pope Francis observed a “profound cultural crisis” in marriage and the family, which is the “fundamental cell of society.”

The Pontiff rejected “an economy of exclusion and inequality,” which marginalizes people and treats them as disposable. Money has become an idol in the modern culture of indifference, he said, stressing the need for human-centered ethics in the financial system.

Furthermore, the Pope encouraged pastoral workers to see their faith as tied integrally to their identity, and to embrace a missionary spirituality without selfishness, sloth or pessimism. He discouraged worldliness as well as warring among different groups within the Church.

He recognized the important role of the laity in the Church, particularly noting the unique gifts of women, while affirming the male priesthood.

Turning to the call of every Christian to evangelize, Pope Francis acknowledged the necessity of explicitly proclaiming Christ as Lord.

He assured that “cultural diversity is not a threat to Church unity,” and explained that unity “is never uniformity, but a multifaceted and inviting harmony.” He rejected the imposition of a “specific cultural form” accompanying evangelization, preferring rather that each culture retain their expressions, while being renewed by the “transcultural” content of the Gospel.

The Roman Pontiff discussed the importance of the homily as the “supreme moment” of dialogue between God and his people. Homilies “should be brief and avoid taking on the semblance of a speech or a lecture,” but should instead be a heart-to-heart conversation between the Father and his children, addressing the needs that are truly part of their lives.

Homilies should be prepared with “a prolonged time of study, prayer, reflection and pastoral creativity,” he said, and preachers should themselves be transformed by the text. He also advised the use of images, a simple vocabulary, clarity of message, and a focus on being positive.

All Christian formation must begin with an emphasis on God’s saving love before proclaiming moral obligations and doctrines, the Pope stated. Evangelization must be alluring, using the “way of beauty” and showing the attractiveness of the moral life.

In addition, there is a need for patience, as well as “respectful and compassionate listening” as a key component of evangelization, he explained.

“The Gospel tells us to correct others and to help them to grow on the basis of a recognition of the objective evil of their actions, but without making judgments about their responsibility and culpability … our personal experience of being accompanied and assisted, and of openness to those who accompany us, will teach us to be patient and compassionate with others, and to find the right way to gain their trust, their openness and their readiness to grow.”

In addition, Pope Francis pointed to a “profound connection between evangelization and human advancement,” saying that the “Gospel is not merely about our personal relationship with God” but rather that it includes clear social content.

He emphasized that religion cannot be “restricted to the private sphere,” but is concerned with society, since “all Christians … are called to show concern for the building of a better world.”

The Pontiff highlighted the preferential option for the poor, which “is primarily a theological category rather than a cultural, sociological, political or philosophical one,” and is a reflection of mercy.

Rather than any ideology, the “authentic option for the poor” is based on love of the poor person precisely as a person, he said, adding that “this is why I want a Church which is poor and for the poor. They have much to teach us. Not only do they share in the sensus fidei, but in their difficulties they know the suffering Christ. We need to let ourselves be evangelized by them.”

The Bishop of Rome called everyone to have this closeness to the poor, shown through concrete action. No one is exempt because they have to give their attention elsewhere, he said.

“I fear that these words too may give rise to commentary or discussion with no real practical effect,” he lamented.

The Pope examined economic policies, saying welfare projects are “merely temporary responses,” and that we should “reject the absolute autonomy of markets.”

“The dignity of each human person and the pursuit of the common good are concerns which ought to shape all economic policies,” he stressed.

The Roman Pontiff advocated a “better distribution of income,” while being “far from proposing an irresponsible populism.” He recalled both the universal destination of goods and that “the private ownership of goods is justified by the need to protect and increase them, so that they can better serve the common good.”

“(F)or this reason, solidarity must be lived as the decision to restore to the poor what belongs to them.”

Pope Francis also mentioned a need to care especially for the human dignity of migrants, trafficked persons and the unborn. He emphasized that the Church's teaching on abortion “is not something subject to alleged reforms … it is not 'progressive' to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life,” while at the same time acknowledging that more needs to be done to accompany women in crisis pregnancies.

As it pursues human development and the common good, the Church must dialogue with states and cultures, proposing the fundamental values of human life, and the harmony between faith and reason, he said.

Religious liberty is important, he added, and society should not reduce religions “to the quiet obscurity of the individual’s conscience or to relegate them to the enclosed precincts of churches, synagogues or mosques. This would represent, in effect, a new form of discrimination and authoritarianism.”

Pope Francis concluded his exhortation with a call to be missionaries, motivated by love. He turned to the Blessed Mother, noting that her “interplay of justice and tenderness, of contemplation and concern for others, is what makes the ecclesial community look to Mary as a model of evangelization.”

Pope issues first Apostolic Exhortation: Evangelii Gaudium

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has issued his first Apostolic Exhortation on Tuesday, Evangelii Gaudium, translated into English as The Joy of the Gospel. The 224-page document outlines the Pope’s vision for a missionary Church, whose “doors should always be open”. The Pope speaks on numerous themes, including evangelization, peace, homiletics, social justice, the family, respect for creation, faith and politics, ecumenism, interreligious dialogue, and the role of women and of the laity in the Church.


The Joy of the Gospel is the title Pope Francis has chosen for this first major document of his pontificate, putting down in print the joyous spirit of encounter with Christ that characterizes every public appearance he has made so far. The man who has constantly kept the media’s attention with his desire to embrace and share his faith with everyone he meets, now urges us to do exactly the same. To “recover the original freshness of the Gospel”, as he puts it, through a thorough renewal of the Church’s structures and vision. Including what he calls “a conversion of the papacy” to make it better able to serve the mission of evangelization in the modern world. The Church, he says, should not be afraid to re-examine “customs not directly connected to the heart of the Gospel” even if they may have deep historical roots.
In strikingly direct and personal language, the Pope appeals to all Christians to bring about a “revolution of tenderness” by opening their hearts each day to God’s unfailing love and forgiveness. The great danger in today’s consumer society, he says, is “the desolation and anguish” that comes from a “covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience.” Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests , he warns, “there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor.”
As we open our hearts, the Pope goes on, so the doors of our churches must always be open and the sacraments available to all. The Eucharist, he says pointedly, “is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak” And he repeats his ideal of a Church that is “bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets” rather than a Church that is caught up in a slavish preoccupation with liturgy and doctrine, procedure and prestige. “God save us,” he exclaims, “from a worldly Church with superficial spiritual and pastoral trappings!” Urging a greater role for the laity, the Pope warns of “excessive clericalism” and calls for “a more incisive female presence in the Church”, especially “where important decisions are made.”
Looking beyond the Church, Pope Francis denounces the current economic system as “unjust at its root”, based on a tyranny of the marketplace, in which financial speculation, widespread corruption and tax evasion reign supreme. He also denounces attacks on religious freedom and new persecutions directed against Christians. Noting that secularization has eroded ethical values, producing a sense of disorientation and superficiality, the Pope highlights the importance of marriage and stable family relationships.
Returning to his vision of a Church that is poor and for the poor, the Pope urges us to pay particular attention to those on the margins of society, including the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly, migrants, victims of trafficking and unborn children. While it is not “progressive” to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life, he says, it’s also true that “we have done little to adequately accompany women in very difficult situations, where abortion appears as a quick solution to their profound anguish.”
Finally the new papal document also focuses on the themes of promoting peace, justice and fraternity, through patient and respectful dialogue with all people of all faiths and none. Better relations with other Christians, with Jews and with Muslims are all seen as indispensable ways of promoting peace and combatting fundamentalism. While urging Christians to “avoid hateful generalisations” about Islam, the Pope also calls “humbly” on Islamic countries to guarantee full religious freedom to Christians”


The full text of the new Apostolic Exhortation can be found on the Vatican website, while the main points are outlined in the synopsis below:

“The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus.” Thus begins the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, by which Pope Francis develops the theme of the proclamation of the Gospel in the contemporary world, drawn from, among other sources, the contribution of the work of the Synod held in the Vatican, from 7 to 28 October 2012, on the theme “The new evangelization for the transmission of the faith”. “I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come” (1). It is a heartfelt appeal to all baptized persons to bring Christ’s love to others, “permanently in a state of mission” (25), conquering “the great danger in today’s world”, that of an individualist “desolation and anguish” (2).


The Pope invites the reader to “recover the original freshness of the Gospel”, finding “new avenues” and “new paths of creativity”, without enclosing Jesus in “dull categories” (11). There is a need for a “pastoral and missionary conversion, which cannot leave things as they presently are” (25) and a “renewal” of ecclesiastical structures to enable them to become “more mission-oriented” (27). The Pontiff also considers “a conversion of the papacy” to help make this ministry “more faithful to the meaning which Jesus Christ wished to give it and to the present needs of evangelization”. The hope that the Episcopal Conferences might contribute to “the concrete realization of the collegial spirit”, he states, “has not been fully realized” (32). A “sound decentralization” is necessary (16). In this renewal, the Church should not be afraid to re-examine “certain customs not directly connected to the heart of the Gospel, even some of which have deep historical roots” (43).


A sign of God’s openness is “that our church doors should always be open” so that those who seek God “will not find a closed door”; “nor should the doors of the sacraments be closed for simply any reason”. The Eucharist “is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak”. These convictions have pastoral consequences that we are called to consider with prudence and boldness” (47). He repeats that he prefers “a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church … concerned with being at the centre and then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures. If something should rightly disturb us … it is the fact that many of our brothers and sisters are living without … the friendship of Jesus Christ” (49).


The Pope indicates the “temptations which affect pastoral workers” (77): “individualism, a crisis of identity and a cooling of fervour” (78). The greatest threat of all is “the grey pragmatism of the daily life of the Church, in which all appears to proceed normally, which in reality faith is wearing down” (83). He warns against “defeatism” (84), urging Christians to be signs of hope (86), bringing about a “revolution of tenderness” (88). It is necessary to seek refuge from the “spirituality of well-being … detached from responsibility for our brothers and sisters” (90) and to vanquish the “spiritual worldliness” that consists of “seeking not the Lord’s glory but human glory and well-being” (93). The Pope speaks of the many who “feel superior to others” because “they remain intransigently faithful to a particular Catholic style from the past” whereby “instead of evangelizing, one analyses and classifies others” (94). And those who have “an ostentatious preoccupation for the liturgy, for doctrine and for the Church’s prestige, but without any concern that the Gospel have a real impact” on the needs of the people (95). This is “a tremendous corruption disguised as a good … God save us from a worldly Church with superficial spiritual and pastoral trappings!” (97).


He appeals to ecclesial communities not to fall prey to envy and jealousy: “How many wars take place within the people of God and in our different communities!” (98). “Whom are we going to evangelize if this is the way we act?” (100). He highlights the need to promote the growth of the responsibility of the laity, often kept “away from decision-making” by “an excessive clericalism” (102). He adds that there is a need for “still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church”, in particular “in the various settings where important decisions are made” (103). “Demands that the legitimate rights of women be respected … cannot be lightly evaded” (104). The young should “exercise greater leadership” (106). With regard to the scarcity of vocations in many places, he emphasizes that “seminaries cannot accept candidates on the basis of any motivation whatsoever” (107).


With regard to the theme of inculturation, he remarks that “Christianity does not have simply one cultural expression” and that the face of the Church is “varied” (116). “We cannot demand that peoples of every continent, in expressing their Christian faith, imitate modes of expression which European nations developed at a particular moment of their history” (118). The Pope reiterates that “underlying popular piety … is an active evangelizing power” (126) and encourages the research of theologians, reminding them however that “the Church and theology exist to evangelize” and urges them not to be “content with a desk-bound theology” (133).


He focuses “somewhat meticulously, on the homily”, since “many concerns have been expressed about this important ministry and we cannot simply ignore them” (135). The homily “should be brief and avoid taking on the semblance of a speech or a lecture” (138); it should be a “heart-to-heart communication” and avoid “purely moralistic or doctrinaire” preaching (142). He highlights the importance of preparation: “a preacher who does not prepare is not ‘spiritual’; he is dishonest and irresponsible” (145). Preaching should always be positive in order always to “offer hope” and “does not leave us trapped in negativity” (159). The approach to the proclamation of the Gospel should have positive characteristics: “approachability, readiness for dialogue, patience, a warmth and welcome, which is non-judgmental” (165).


In relation to the challenges of the contemporary world, the Pope denounces the current economic system as “unjust at its root” (59). “Such an economy kills” because the law of “the survival of the fittest” prevails. The current culture of the “disposable” has created “something new”: “the excluded are not the ‘exploited’ but the outcast, the ‘leftovers’” (53). “A new tyranny is thus born, invisible and often virtual”, of an “autonomy of the market” in which “financial speculation” and “widespread corruption” and “self-serving tax-evasion reign” (56). He also denounces “attacks on religious freedom” and the “new persecutions directed against Christians. … In many places the problem is more that of widespread indifference and relativism” (61). The family, the Pope continues, “is experiencing a profound cultural crisis”. Reiterating the indispensable contribution of marriage to society” (66), he underlines that “the individualism of our postmodern and globalized era favours a lifestyle which … distorts family bonds” (67).


He re-emphasizes “the profound connection between evangelization and human advancement” (178) and the right of pastors “to offer opinions on all that affects people’s lives” (182). “No one can demand that religion should be relegated to the inner sanctum of personal life, without a right to offer an opinion on events affecting society”. He quotes John Paul II, who said that the Church “cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice” (183). “For the Church, the option for the poor is primarily a theological category” rather than a sociological one. “This is why I want a Church that is poor and for the poor. They have much to teach us” (198). “As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved … no solution will be found for this world’s problems” (202). “Politics, although often denigrated”, he affirms, “remains a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity”. I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by … the lives of the poor!” (205). He adds an admonition: “Any Church community”, if it believes it can forget about the poor, runs the risk of “breaking down”.


The Pope urges care for the weakest members of society: “the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned” and migrants, for whom the Pope exhorts “a generous openness” (210). He speaks about the victims of trafficking and new forms of slavery: “This infamous network of crime is now well established in our cities, and many people have blood on their hands as a result of their comfortable and silent complicity” (211). “Doubly poor are those women who endure situations of exclusion, mistreatment and violence” (212). “Among the vulnerable for whom the Church wishes to care with particular love and concern are unborn children, the most defenceless and innocent among us. Nowadays efforts are made to deny them their human dignity” (213). “The Church cannot be expected to change her position on this question … it is not ‘progressive’ to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life” (214). The Pope makes an appeal for respect for all creation: we “are called to watch over and protect the fragile world in which we live” (216).


With regard to the theme of peace, the Pope affirms that “a prophetic voice must be raised” against attempts at false reconciliation to “silence or appease” the poor, while others “refuse to renounce their privileges” (218). For the construction of a society “in peace, justice and fraternity” he indicates four principles (221): “Time is greater than space” (222) means working “slowly but surely, without being obsessed with immediate results” (223). “Unity prevails over conflict” (226) means “a diversified and life-giving unity” (228). “Realities are more important than ideas” (231) means avoiding “reducing politics or faith to rhetoric” (232). “The whole is greater than the part” means bringing together “globalization and localization” (234).


“Evangelization also involves the path of dialogue,” the Pope continues, which opens the Church to collaboration with all political, social, religious and cultural spheres (238). Ecumenism is “an indispensable path to evangelization”. Mutual enrichment is important: “we can learn so much from one another!” For example “in the dialogue with our Orthodox brothers and sisters, we Catholics have the opportunity to learn more about the meaning of Episcopal collegiality and their experience of synodality” (246); “dialogue and friendship with the children of Israel are part of the life of Jesus’ disciples” (248); “interreligious dialogue”, which must be conducted “clear and joyful in one’s own identity”, is “a necessary condition for peace in the world” and does not obscure evangelization (250-251); in our times, “our relationship with the followers of Islam has taken on great importance” (252). The Pope “humbly” entreats those countries of Islamic tradition to guarantee religious freedom to Christians, also “in light of the freedom which followers of Islam enjoy in Western countries!” “Faced with disconcerting episodes of violent fundamentalism” he urges us to “avoid hateful generalisations, for authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are opposed to every form of violence” (253). And against the attempt to private religions in some contexts, he affirms that “the respect due to the agnostic or non-believing minority should not be arbitrarily imposed in a way that silences the convictions of the believing majority or ignores the wealth of religious traditions” (255). He then repeats the importance of dialogue and alliance between believers and non-believers (257).


The final chapter is dedicated to “spirit-filled evangelizers”, who are those who are “fearlessly open to the working of the Holy Spirit” and who have “the courage to proclaim the newness of the Gospel with boldness (parrhesía) in every time and place, even when it meets with opposition” (259). These are “evangelizers who pray and work” (262), in the knowledge that “mission is at once a passion for Jesus and a passion for his people” (268): “Jesus wants us to touch human misery, to touch the suffering flesh of others” (270). He explains: “In our dealings with the world, we are told to give reasons for our hope, but not as an enemy who critiques and condemns” (271). “Only the person who feels happiness in seeking the good of others, in desiring their happiness, can be a missionary” (272); “if I can help at least one person to have a better life, that already justifies the offering of my life” (274). The Pope urges us not to be discouraged before failure or scarce results, since “fruitfulness is often invisible, elusive and unquantifiable”; we must know “only that our commitment is necessary” (279). The exhortation concludes with a prayer to Mary, “Mother of Evangelization”. “There is a Marian ‘style’ to the Church’s work of evangelization. Whenever we look to Mary, we come to believe once again in the revolutionary nature of love and tenderness” (288).

Pope meets Russian President Putin

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis had a private meeting in the Vatican on Monday afternoon with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. During their cordial discussion, the two leaders talked about the need for peace in Syria and the wider Middle East, as well as about the life of the Catholic community in Russia.
It’s the fourth time the Russian leader has been here to the Vatican – he met twice with Pope John Paul II in 2000 and 2003 and had an audience with Pope Benedict in 2007.
In September this year, Pope Francis also wrote directly to President Putin, as the city of St Petersburg prepared to host the G20 summit of world economic leaders. In that letter, the Pope spoke of the need for a more just global financial framework, stressing that “the world economy will only develop if it allows a dignified way of life for all human beings, from the eldest to the unborn child, not just for citizens of the G20 member states but for every inhabitant of the earth, even those in extreme social situations or in the remotest places... “
Pope Francis also focused in that letter on the need for an urgent solution to the Syrian conflict, saying: “It is regrettable that, from the very beginning of the conflict in Syria, one-sided interests have prevailed and in fact hindered the search for a solution that would have avoided the senseless massacre now unfolding..”

Please find below the full text of the statement from the Holy See press office:

In the afternoon of Monday 25 November 2013, the President of the Russian Federation, His
Excellency Mr. Vladimir Putin, was received in audience by the Holy Father Francis. Mr. Putin
subsequently went on to meet with the Secretary of State, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, who was
accompanied by the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.

During the cordial discussions, satisfaction was expressed for the good existing bilateral
relations, and the Parties focused on various questions of common interest, especially in relation
to the life of the Catholic community in Russia, revealing the fundamental contribution of
Christianity in society. In this context, mention was made of the critical situation faced by
Christians in some regions of the world, as well as the defence of and promotion of values
regarding the dignity of the person, and the protection of human life and the family.

Furthermore, special attention was paid to the pursuit of peace in the Middle East and the
grave situation in Syria, with reference to which President Putin expressed thanks for the letter
addressed to him by the Holy Father on the occasion of the G20 meeting in St. Petersburg.
Emphasis was placed on the urgency of the need to bring an end to the violence and to ensure
necessary humanitarian assistence for the population, as well as to promote concrete initiatives
for a peaceful solution to the conflict, favouring negotiation and involving the various ethnic and
religious groups, recognising their essential role in society.

Pope Francis: Sunday Angelus

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis dedicated the Sunday Angelus to persecuted and suffering Christians around the world. He prayed the Angelus on Sunday with faithful gathered in St Peter's Square for Mass to mark the Feast of Christ the King and to close the Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope emeritus Benedict XVI. In brief remarks before the traditional prayer of Marian devotion, Pope Francis greeted the pilgrims who had come from all around the world to take part in the celebrations.

He also had special greetings for the Ukrainian community, which is commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Holodomor - the great famine provoked by the Soviet Union, in which many millions of people perished. Pope Francis also expressed gratitude to missionaries who throughout the history of the Church have taken the Good News to the ends of the Earth. Below, please find Vatican Radio's translation of Pope Francis' remarks.

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Before concluding this celebration, I wish to greet all the pilgrims, families, Church groups, movements and associations, who have come from many countries. Greetings also go to the participants of the National Congress of Mercy; I also greet the Ukrainian community, which is commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Holodomor, the "great hunger" caused by the Soviet regime, which caused millions victims.

On this day, our gratitude goes to the missionaries who, over the centuries, have proclaimed the Gospel and spread the seed of faith in many parts of the world, among them Blessed Junipero Serra, the Spanish Franciscan missionary, whose 300th birthday we are marking this Sunday.

I would not like to conclude without a word of thanks to all those who worked so hard during this Year of Faith: to Archbishop Rino Fisichella [President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization], who guided this journey. I heartily thank him and all his co-workers. Many thanks!

Now let us pray the Angelus together. With this prayer, we invoke the protection of Mary, especially for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted because of their faith.

Pope Francis: homily at Year of Faith closing Mass

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis delivered the homily at Mass on Sunday to mark the Solemnity of Christ the King and close the Year of Faith proclaimed by his predecessor, emeritus Pope Benedict XVI. Below, please find the official English translation of Pope Francis' prepared remarks.

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Today’s solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, the crowning of the liturgical year, also marks the conclusion of the Year of Faith opened by Pope Benedict XVI, to whom our thoughts now turn with affection and gratitude. By this providential initiative, he gave us an opportunity to rediscover the beauty of the journey of faith begun on the day of our Baptism, which made us children of God and brothers and sisters in the Church. A journey which has as its ultimate end our full encounter with God, and throughout which the Holy Spirit purifies us, lifts us up and sanctifies us, so that we may enter into the happiness for which our hearts long.
I offer a cordial greeting to the Patriarchs and Major Archbishops of the Eastern Catholic Churches present. The exchange of peace which I will share with them is above all a sign of the appreciation of the Bishop of Rome for these communities which have confessed the name of Christ with exemplary faithfulness, often at a high price.
With this gesture, through them, I would like to reach all those Christians living in the Holy Land, in Syria and in the entire East, and obtain for them the gift of peace and concord.
The Scripture readings proclaimed to us have as their common theme the centrality of Christ. Christ as the center of creation, the center of his people and the center of history.
1. The apostle Paul, in the second reading, taken from the letter to the Colossians, offers us a profound vision of the centrality of Jesus. He presents Christ to us as the first-born of all creation: in him, through him and for him all things were created. He is the center of all things, he is the beginning. God has given him the fullness, the totality, so that in him all things might be reconciled (cf. Col 1:12-20).
This image enables to see that Jesus is the center of creation; and so the attitude demanded of us as true believers is that of recognizing and accepting in our lives the centrality of Jesus Christ, in our thoughts, in our words and in our works. When this center is lost, when it is replaced by something else, only harm can result for everything around us and for ourselves.
2. Besides being the center of creation, Christ is the center of the people of God. We see this in the first reading which describes the time when the tribes of Israel came to look for David and anointed him king of Israel before the Lord (cf. 2 Sam 5:1-3). In searching for an ideal king, the people were seeking God himself: a God who would be close to them, who would accompany them on their journey, who would be a brother to them.
Christ, the descendant of King David, is the “brother” around whom God’s people come together. It is he who cares for his people, for all of us, even at the price of his life. In him we are all one; united with him, we share a single journey, a single destiny.
3. Finally, Christ is the center of the history of the human race and of every man and woman. To him we can bring the joys and the hopes, the sorrows and troubles which are part of our lives. When Jesus is the center, light shines even amid the darkest times of our lives; he gives us hope, as he does to the good thief in today’s Gospel.
While all the others treat Jesus with disdain – “If you are the Christ, the Messiah King, save yourself by coming down from the cross!” – the thief who went astray in his life but now repents, clinging to the crucified Jesus, begs him: “Remember me, when you come into your kingdom” (Lk 23:42). And Jesus promises him: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (v. 43). Jesus speaks only a word of forgiveness, not of condemnation; whenever anyone finds the courage to ask for this forgiveness, the Lord does not let such a petition go unheard.
Jesus’ promise to the good thief gives us great hope: it tells us that God’s grace is always greater than the prayer which sought it. The Lord always grants more than what he has been asked: you ask him to remember you, and he brings you into his Kingdom!
Let us ask the Lord to remember us, in the certainty that by his mercy we will be able to share his glory in paradise.
Amen!

Pope Francis welcomes Catechumens in Saint Peter’s Basilica

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday evening presided over a gathering of Catechumens in Saint Peter’s Basilica, in one of the final events of the Year of Faith.
At the beginning of the gathering, the Holy Father welcomed some 35 men and women by presiding over the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens. This was followed by a celebration of the Liturgy of the Word.
In his catechesis, which followed the reading of the Gospel of John 1:35-42, the Pope emphasized “how important it is to keep this desire [for God] alive, this yearning to encounter the Lord and experience him, his love, his mercy!”“The faith,” he continued, “gives us the certainty of Jesus’ constant presence in every situation, also the most painful or difficult to understand. We are called to journey, to enter always more deeply into the mystery of God’s love, who is above us and enables us to live with serenity and hope.”

In an interview with Vatican, Fr Geno Sylva, an official of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, explained the significance of this gathering.
As the Year of Faith comes to a close, he said, “what continues is the commitment of every Christian to respond daily to the Lord Jesus who calls us to be his disciples, sent out into the world to announce the Gospel, and to bear witness to the joy of a life lived in faith.”
The Year of Faith officially ends on Sunday with Mass, the presentation of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, followed by the veneration of the relics of St Peter the Apostle, which are being shown for the first time in history.
Presenting the relics of St. Peter, Fr Sylva said, is a “powerfully symbolic way to end the Year of Faith.”
“The whole purpose of the Year of Faith was to reawaken the faith of the first Christians in the hearts of present-day and contemporary Christians.”
“This final, culminating sign,” he continued, “will confirm once again that the door for the encounter with Christ is always open and awaits to be crossed with that very same passion and enthusiasm, and the very same conviction of the very first believers.”

Pope Francis: priests must excercise their ministry in humility and mercy

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday called on priests to be servants of the Sacrament of Forgiveness.
Speaking to the the faithful during the weekly General Audience in St. Peter's Square, the Pope said the Church accompanies us on our journey of conversion for the whole of our lives, calling us to experience reconciliation in its communal and ecclesial dimension.
He said that we receive forgiveness through priests who are the servants of this sacrament, and that they must recognise - he said - that they too are are in need of forgiveness and healing and thus they must excercise their ministry in humilty and mercy.
Below, please find Pope Francis' remarks to English speaking pilgrims, read out in English by an assistant:
Dear Brothers and Sisters: Today I would like to speak again on the forgiveness of sins by reflecting on the power of the keys, which is a biblical symbol of the mission Jesus entrusted to the Apostles. First and foremost, we recall that the source of the forgiveness of sins is the Holy Spirit, whom the Risen Jesus bestowed upon the Apostles. Hence, he made the Church the guardian of the keys, of this power.
The Church, however, is not the master of forgiveness, but its servant. The Church accompanies us on our journey of conversion for the whole of our lives and calls us to experience reconciliation in its communal and ecclesial dimension. We receive forgiveness through the priest. Through his ministry, God has given us a brother to bring us forgiveness in the name of the Church. Priests, who are the servants of this sacrament, must recognize that they also are in need of forgiveness and healing, and so they must exercise their ministry in humility and mercy. Let us then remember always that God never tires of forgiving us. Let us truly value this sacrament and rejoice in the gift of pardon and healing that comes to us through the ministry of priests.

Pope: Lord save us from the subtle conspiracies of worldliness

(Vatican Radio) Drawing inspiration from a reading in the Book of the Maccabees, Pope Francis warned the faithful to be attentive in our secularized and pleasure-seeking life-style which often attacks the Church and imposes unjust rules on Christians.


Referring to the first Reading of the day, the Pope spoke of the passage which portrays the effort by the Jews to regain their cultural and religious identity after Antiochus IV Epiphanes suppressed the observance of Jewish laws and desecrated the temple after having convinced the people of God to abandon their traditions.

Lord, the Pope prayed, give me the discernment to recognize the subtle conspiracies of worldliness that lead us to negotiate our values and our faith.

During his homily, Pope Francis warned the faithful against what he described as a “globalized uniformity” which is the result of secular worldliness.

Often he said, the people of God prefer to distance themselves from the Lord in favour of worldly proposals. He said worldliness is the root of evil and it can lead us to abandon our traditions and negotiate our loyalty to God who is always faithful. This – the Pope admonished – is called apostasy, which he said is a form of “adultery” which takes place when we negotiate the essence of our being: loyalty to the Lord.

And he spoke of the contradiction that is inherent in the fact that we are not ready to negotiate values, but we negotiate loyalty. This attitude – he said – “is a fruit of the devil who makes his way forward with the spirit of secular worldliness”.

And referring again to the passage in the Book of Maccabees, in which all nations conformed to the king’s decree and adopted customs foreign to their culture, the Pope pointed out that this “is not the beautiful globalization, unity of all nations, each with their own customs but united, but the uniformity of hegemonic globalization, it is – he said - the single thought: the result of secular worldliness”

And Pope Francis warned that this happens today. Moved by the spirit of worldliness, people negotiate their fidelity to the Lord, they negotiate their identity, and they negotiate their belonging to a people that God loves.

And with a reference to the 20^th century novel “Lord of the World” that focuses on the spirit of worldliness that leads to apostasy, Pope Francis warned against the desire to “be like everyone else” and what he called an “adolescent progressivism”. “What do you think?” – he said bitterly – “that today human sacrifices are not made? Many, many people make human sacrifices and there are laws that protect them”.

What consoles us – he concluded – is that the Lord never denies himself to the faithful. “He waits for us, He loves us, He forgives us. Let us pray that His faithfulness may save us from the worldly spirit that negotiates all. Let us pray that he may protect us and allow us to go forward, leading us by the hand, just like a father with his child. Holding the Lord’s hand we will be safe”. 

Pope issues Motu Proprio on new Financial Intelligence Authority

(Vatican Radio) The Vatican press office on Monday announced the publication of a Motu Proprio in which Pope Francis officially approves the new statutes of the Holy See’s Financial Intelligence Authority. This document follows up on earlier regulations from Pope Francis, and from his predecessor Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, to put in place norms on financial transparency and oversight of the Institute of Works of Religion (IOR), commonly known as the Vatican Bank.

Please find below the full English text of the note from the Vatican press office on the new Motu Proprio:

The Apostolic Letter issued Motu Proprio of 15 November 2013, by which Pope Francis has approved the attached new Statutes of the Financial Intelligence Authority (F.I.A.), is being published today. This pontifical document will enter into force on 21 November 2013.
As is known, with his Motu Proprio of 8 August 2013 and with the Law N. XVIII of 8 October 2013 on norms on transparency, supervision and financial intelligence, Pope Francis had strengthened further the institutional framework of the Holy See and the Vatican City State to prevent and contrast potential illicit activities in the financial sector and had accorded to the F.I.A., in addition to the functions that it already had on the basis of the Motu Proprio of Benedict XVI of 30 December 2010, the function of prudential supervision of those entities that carry out professionally financial activities. The present Statutes adapt F.I.A.’s internal structure to the functions it is now called to perform.
In particular, the Statutes distinguish the role and functions of the President, the Board of Directors and the Directorate, so as to ensure that the F.I.A. may fulfill even more adequately its institutional functions in full autonomy and independence and in a manner consistent with the institutional and legal framework of the Holy See and the Vatican City State. In addition, the new Statutes establish a specific office for prudential supervision, providing it with the necessary professional resources. 

Vatican removes 'La Repubblica' interview from its website

Vatican City, Nov 17, 2013 / 08:07 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Holy See's press officer announced Nov. 15 that the Vatican had chosen to take down the text of Pope Francis' interview in La Repubblica, which had been featured among his speeches, from it's website.

“The information in the interview is reliable on a general level but not on the level of each individual point analyzed: this is why it was decided the text should not be available for consultation on the Holy See website,” Fr. Federico Lombardi told journalists Nov. 15.

“Its removal is a final update on the nature of this text. Some mistakes were made regarding its value, which was questioned.”

The interview was conducted by Eugenio Scalfari, editor of the Italian publication La Repubblica  and an atheist. In additio n to its publication in Scalfari's newspaper Oct. 1, the text appeared in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano and on the Vatican's website.

The accuracy of the text was quickly met with skepticism; several sources suggested that the printed text, while overall faithful to the Pope's thought, may not have captured his exact words.

On Oct. 3, staff at La Repubblica told Jean-Marie Guén ois, deputy editor of the French daily Le Figaro, that “the interview was not recorded, nor were notes taken. What is reflected in the interview is fruit of the memory of that which the Pope and Scalfari said during their encounter.”

It later emerged that Pope Francis was aware that his reported words in the interview could be misunderstood, and took measures concerning this.

Antonio Socci, a Catholic columnist for the Italian newspaper Libero, wrote Oct. 27 that after the publication of the interview, Pope Francis was fully aware of the risk of misunderstanding of some of his words, particularly those on conscience.

The Pope's knowledge that he could be misunderstood is why, according to Socci, Fr. Lombardi, was “told to maintain that the text of the interview had not been revised by Pope Francis and that it was penned by Scalfari after an informal chat.”

Fr. Lombardi had also underlined that “the interview is not part of Pope Francis' Magisterium.”

According to Socci, Pope Francis “regretted” the publication of the interview in L’Osservatore Romano and “complained of it to the director, Gian Maria Vian, in Assisi on Oct. 4.”

On Friday, Fr. Lombardi indicated that “the Secretariat of State took the decision” to remove the text from the Vatican's website, and not the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as was rumored.

Pope Francis at Angelus: Don’t be tricked by false saviours who try to substitute Jesus: Pray for the many persecuted Christians.

(Vatican Radio) At his Angelus address Pope Francis warned the faithful not to be taken in by false saviours or leaders in our world who seek to influence the minds of people, especially the young. He also urged solidarity with the many Christians undergoing persecution throughout the world, praising their courage and testimony.


The Pope’s Angelus reflections were taken from this Sunday’s gospel reading where Jesus warns his disciples of the future trials and tribulations they will face along with the false prophets they will encounter en route. The Pope said the two main messages contained here are: “Firstly, do not be taken in by false messiahs and don’t be paralysed by fear . Secondly, live this time of waiting as a time of witness and perseverance.”

He told the faithful that this message from Jesus is just as valid in our present time and encourages us to show "discernment. " “Nowadays,” he continued, “there are many false saviours who try to substitute Jesus, leaders in this world, fake saints and personalities who wish to influence the hearts and minds of people, especially the young.” But Jesus warns us, said the Pope: “Don’t follow them.” At the same time, Jesus also helps us not to be afraid when faced with "wars, revolutions and natural disasters."

Quoting from Christ’s warning to his disciples about “the painful trials and persecutions” facing Christians , the Pope said these trials are an opportunity for witness and stressed they should not cause us to move away from the Lord. Let us spare a thought, he continued, for "our many Christian brothers and sisters who suffer persecution because of their faith. There are so many of them. Maybe, many more than in the early centuries.” “We admire their courage and testimony.”

In his address after the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis noted that Sunday was the World Day in memory of the Victims of Road Accidents and urged drivers to be prudent and respect the rules, saying this helps to protect both the driver and other road users. He concluded by holding up a small box containing 59 threaded beads of the rosary and urging those in the crowd to collect a box from the volunteers distributing it as they left St. Peter’s Square. The Pope described it as “a spiritual medicine,” saying it helps “our souls” and helps “to spread love, forgiveness and fraternity.” 

Pope: missionary outreach is paradigm for pastoral action

(Vatican Radio) Missionary outreach is “the paradigm for all pastoral action,” said Pope Francis in his remarks on Saturday in a video message to participants at a four-day pilgrimage-encounter in Mexico. The conference, held 16-19 November, was organized by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

The Pope spoke about the need for creativity and about the missionary impulse in the evangelizing work of the Church, making reference to the conclusions of the Fifth General Conference of Latin American Bishops, held in 2007, commonly referred to as Aparecida.

“Aparecida,” he said, “proposes to put the Church in a permanent state of mission… And this, in the certainty that missionary outreach, more than being one activity among others, is a paradigm, that is, the paradigm for all pastoral action.”

The intimacy of the Church with Jesus is an “itinerant intimacy,” he said, which calls people out of themselves to reach out to others.

“It is vital for the Church not to close in on itself, not to feel already satisfied and sure with what it has accomplished,” he said. “If this happens, the Church will get sick, it will get sick with imaginary abundance… in a certain sense it will ‘get indigestion’ and will weaken.”

All pastoral activity is oriented by the missionary impulse to reach everyone, he continued. “It is necessary to go out of one’s community and to have the boldness to go to the existential peripheries, which need to feel God’s closeness,” he said.

Evangelization is not exclusive and it considers the circumstances in which people find themselves. Christians must share the joy of having encountered Christ and not impose new obligations, reprimand others or complain about that which they consider to be lacking.

“The work of evangelization demands much patience,” he said. It also presents the “Christian message in manner that is serene and gradual… as did the Lord”.

It privileges that which is “essential and most necessary, that is, the beauty of the love of God, communicated in Christ, who died and resurrected.”

He urged Christians to step outside of their usual ways of doing things. “We must force ourselves to be creative in our methods,” he said. “We cannot remain confined in our common space of ‘it was always done this way’.”

THE TEMPTATION OF CLERICALISM
The Pope also addressed the role of clerics and religious in the Church. He said a bishop leads the pastoral life of the Church with tenderness and patience, “manifesting the maternity of the Church and the mercy of God”. The attitude of the true pastor must not be that of a prince or of a bureaucrat. Instead, a bishop must care for his people, knowing how to discern the movement of the Holy Spirit.

Pope Francis also addressed the need to deal with clericalism. “The temptation of clericalism, which does much damage to the Church in Latin America, is an obstacle to the development of maturity and Christian responsibility of a good part of the laity,” he said.

He described clericalism as a “group attitude” that is “self-referential” and which impoverishes encounter with Christ, which is what creates disciples.

“Therefore, I believe it is important, urgent, to form ministers capable… of encounter, who know how to enflame the hearts of people, walk with them, enter into dialogue with their hopes and fears,” he said.

He added that today’s culture requires good priestly formation, and he questioned whether the Church had “sufficient capacity to be self-critical in order to evaluate the results of very small seminaries, which have a shortage of formative staff”.

The Pope also said consecrated life is leaven for the Church and urged consecrated men and women to be faithful to their communities’ charisms, which are a “great prophecy… for the good of the Church”.

The Pope concluded by urging his listeners to live their baptismal call in faith and to share it with others. 

Pope Francis: God's only weakness is our prayer

(Vatican Radio) The Lord is a fierce warrior in defence of His people – the prayers of His people are His only weakness. These were the words of Pope Francis during Mass on Saturday morning in the Vatican’s Santa Marta.




Pope Francis focused his homily on the strength of the Lord as saviour of His chosen people, and on the strength which His people can find in prayer.


Jesus tells His disciples a parable about the necessity of praying without ever becoming weary, like the widow who insistently petitioned a dishonest judge for justice, until she eventually obtained it. God “will secure the rights of His chosen ones who call out to him day and night”, Pope Francis said, just as He did when Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt.


When God calls Moses, He says to him: “I have heard the cry, the lament of my people”. The Lord listens, Pope Francis said: His “all-powerful word from heaven’s royal throne bounded, a fierce warrior”. That’s what the Lord is like, the Pope explained, when He defends His people: He is a fierce warrior, He saves His people.


This is the strength of God, Pope Francis continued, but what is our strength? Ours is the strength of the widow: to knock at the heart of God, to knock, to lament our many problems, many pains, to ask the Lord to free us from these pains, from these sins, from these problems. Our strength is prayer, the Pope said, and the prayer of a humble person is the weakness of God. The Lord is weak only in this one sense: He is weak before the prayers of His people.


You are like the widow, Pope Francis said to those present, you must pray, ask, knock at the heart of God every day. The widow never tired, she was always brave. And the Lord listens to His people’s prayer. You, Pope Francis concluded, are the privileged representatives of the people of God, and you must pray to the Lord for the many needs our Church and of humanity. 

New Secretary of State arrives at Vatican

(Vatican Radio) Archbishop Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s new Secretary of State, arrived in the Vatican on Saturday and will be in his office at the Apostolic Palace as of Monday.

Archbishop Parolin was installed as Secretary of State in absentia on 15 October, due to an unexpected surgical procedure he had to undergo that day.

Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, made the announcement and said the archbishop thanks the Pope and those who were close to him in this period.

The archbishop will reside at the Casa Santa Marta for the time being. 

Pope ordains bishop in Saint Peter’s Basilica

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis ordained Fernando Vérgez Alzaga bishop on Friday afternoon in Saint Peter’s Basilica. Bishop Alzaga serves as the Secretary of the Governatorate of Vatican City State. The homily delivered by Pope Francis was the one proposed by the ritual for ordination of bishops, with a few personal remarks added by the Holy Father. “In the name of the Church I thank you,” the Pope said, for “a humble and quiet service, a filial and fraternal service

Pope Francis’ top ten reasons to go to confession

By Carol Glatz and Catholic Review Staff

There's been lots of anecdotal evidence of a boom in people going to confession because of what Pope Francis has been saying about it.

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, said he repeatedly hears reports from priests that "a lot of people have been going to confession and many have said that while they hadn't gone in a long time, they felt touched by the words of Pope Francis."

"God is happy when he gives us his mercy," and it's that invitation to not be afraid to ask for God's forgiveness that is fueling the boom, said the regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Vatican court that deals with the sacrament of penance.

Msgr. Krzysztof Nykie told Vatican Radio Nov. 14 that the four papal basilicas and churches around the Vatican are "full of people who are asking for confession and for dedicating time for prayer," particularly on a Wednesday general audience day and the day of the Sunday Angelus.

"They are coming to confession with greater confidence and a sincere spirit of repentance," he said.

The pope has been emphasizing the importance of the sacrament of reconciliation because "God's mercy is at the heart of the Gospel message," the monsignor said.

"Jesus came to save those who are lost," and the pope wants all men and women to know that conversion and salvation are always possible at any time in life.

 

The officials at the Apostolic Penitentiary have been sharing this message for a while.  Now it's a message more people seem to be hearing.

Below are some of Pope Francis’ memorable quotes about why Catholics should go to confession:

1.     Confession helps people feel shame for the wrong they have done and embraces them with God's love so that they know they are forgiven and can go out strengthened in the battle to avoid sin in the future.

2.     "But if a person, whether a layperson, priest or sister, goes to confession and converts, the Lord forgives. And when the Lord forgives, he forgets. This is important," Pope Francis told reporters July 28.

3.   The confessional is not a dry cleaners, a business of sorts that's just washes out the stain of sin, the pope said to members of the Vatican's investment agency April 29. 

4.     “…when the door starts closing a bit because of our weakness and sins, confession reopens it.”

5.     “I can’t be baptized two or three or four times, but I can go to confession, and when I go to confession, I renew that grace of baptism,” the pope said at his general audience Nov. 13.

 6. It's not a torture chamber where you'll be raked over the coals.

7. Confession is an encounter with Jesus whose "mercy motivates us to do better."

8. It's not a psychiatric session that neglects the question of sin or a mental email to God that avoids the face-to-face encounter with the Lord through the priest.

9. The sincere and humble admission of one's weaknesses, of having "a sliver of Satan in my flesh," shows that the power of salvation comes from God, not oneself,” Pope Francis said in a morning homily June 14.

10. Confession "is going to praise God, because I -- the sinner -- have been saved by him," who always waits and always forgives "with tenderness."

Also, read Pope Francis’ story about one confession he says changed his life.

- See more at: http://www.catholicreview.org/article/faith/vatican-news/pope-francis-top-ten-reasons-to-go-to-confession#sthash.22F8t0qW.dpuf

AEC issues call on CARICOM to help DR government prevent abuse and discrimination against thousands in DR

AEC calls on CARICOM to help DR government prevent abuse and discrimination and denial of rights to tens of thousands of “the least of its little ones”.

Asks for prayers of the people of the Antilles for those in DR facing loss of national identity

The Antilles Episcopal Conference has become increasingly concerned over the situation and status of  up to four generations of persons born in our sister Caribbean country of the Dominican Republic whose parents were born outside that country, mainly in Haiti.

Following a ruling of the Dominican Constitutional Court on 23 September of 2013, DR  Bishop Rafael Leónidas Felipe Núñez of Barahona whose diocese is on the southern border separating that country from Haiti in a public statement lamented the Court decision, noting that    “"Many Haitians have come to the Dominican Republic and have remained here. They were born in Haiti, it is true, but after that they were brought up here and here they have raised their families. Some of them have lived in the country for 30 or 40 years, with a family. Others have been here for two generations, children and grandchildren, who were born here. If these people have been living in the country for such a long time they know nothing about Haiti, they are, therefore, Dominicans".

On 9 October 2013, the Assembly of superiors of all the religious congregations of the Dominican Republic issued a statement saying “We, Major Religious Superiors, are indignant at the ruling No. 0168/13 of the Constitutional Court of 23 September of 2013 and we condemn it unanimously and totally.”

The heads of the Religious Orders noted that many of those impacted “have obtained their Identity Cards and electoral voting cards and have travelled with their Dominican passports, have married and have their marriage certificates, and now, all of a sudden, Ruling 0168 /13 of the Constitutional Court is denying them Dominican nationality. “

They quoted Exodus 3,7 “Yahweh then said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying for help on account of their taskmasters. Yes I am well aware of their sufferings’” and said that DR religious “cannot remain indifferent to the cry of God in the suffering and the exclusion  of  hundreds of thousands of Dominicans  who are being affected by the ruling of the Constitutional Court.”

They also recalled words of Pope Francis when he stressed that all human beings possess the same dignity. "The foundation of the dignity of the person does not lie in criteria of efficiency, productivity, social class, ethnicity or religious group, but in having been created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1, 26-27) and, moreover, in being children of God; every human being is a child of God.” (The Pope's Message for World Migrants Day, 2013).

In the light of the Word of God, expressed solidarity with all those impacted by  Ruling  0168/13  of the Constitutional Court, and “we raise our voices with their voices and demand that this ruling be annulled which gravely violates  fundamental human rights, since no law can be more important than human beings, nor can it be applied retroactively.”

The AEC shares the concerns and offers full prayerful support to the religious leaders and others in the Dominican Republic working generously and fearlessly to counter the impact that the legislation may have on tens of thousands of the very poorest and marginalised in the Dominican Republic. Christ urges us, "Whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you do for me. .. In so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these you neglected to do it to me” (Matt 25, 31-45)

The AEC invites prayers of the people of the Antilles for the government and people of the Dominican Republic and most especially for those many thousands facing the uncertain future of loss of national identity.

The AEC which includes the dioceses of the CARICOM region, also urges the leadership of individual territories and CARICOM as a body to use their influence with the government of the Dominican Republic so that it may fully protect the rights and humanity of tens of thousands of the “least of its citizens”, and to strive to prevent discrimination and abuse of those least able to protect themselves.

Issued by Archbishop Patrick Pinder of Nassau, Bahamas

President of Antilles Episcopal Conference

15 November 2013

Contact and for additional information

Deacon Mike James AEC General Secretary

Tel: 868-622-2932

E-Mail: secretariat@aecrc.org