Only faith and reason together will save man, says Cardinal Re

Paris, France, Oct 5, 2009 / (CNA).-

During his remarks at the opening of the Plenary Assembly of the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe, the prefect for the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, referred to Pope Benedict XVI’s recent encyclical “Caritas en veritate” and said, “Only faith and reason together will save man.”

In his speech the cardinal said, “Reason always needs to be purified by the faith and at the same time religion always needs to be purified by reason in order to show its authentic human face.”

He also stressed the importance of promoting an appropriate relationship between Church and State, “a healthy secularism that allows co-existence and collaboration between faith and reason, so that they mutually help one another.”

The current crisis affecting Europe, Cardinal Re said, “constitutes a challenge” for believers, who must not yield in their efforts to save “non-negotiable values such as life, the family, the centrality of the human person, freedom of education and of religion.”

For this reason, he stressed, “the European Union must not be merely a market for economic exchange or a place of free circulation, but rather it must become an authentic community of nations that desire to unite their destinies and live in justice and solidarity, promoting what Paul VI called the civilization of love.”

African Cardinal: Why Not a Black Pope?

By Jesús Colina

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 5, 2009 (Zenit.org).- There is no reason why the Church couldn't have a black Pope, according to a top African cardinal.

Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, the archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana, said this today during a press conference in Rome on the first working day of the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops.

The African cardinal is the relator-general of the three-week synod, which will discuss the situation of the Church on the continent.

Cardinal Turkson was asked if t was possible that the Church could soon have a black Pope. The reporter noted U.S. President Barack Obama as an example from international politics.

"Why not?" the cardinal responded. "If God would wish to see a black man also as Pope, thanks be to God."

Cardinal Turkson also noted that the election of a black Pope is a real possibility, as there are various Africans who are members of the College of Cardinals.

He also noted that when a priest is ordained, it is part of the "package" to be willing to be a bishop, and also a Pope.

Pope Benedict sees changing hearts as ultimate challenge for African Church

Vatican City, Oct 5, 2009 (CNA).-

The Synod for Africa held its first full meeting on Monday morning at the Vatican, with 226 of the Synod Fathers and the Pope present. The Holy Father told the assembly that while it is important to gather statistical data to understand the problems facing the African Church, the most important analytical approach is to “see everything in the light of God.”

The Pontiff began the session by making some brief opening remarks in which he referred to the problems of Africa and to the goals of reconciliation, justice and peace.

"It is right to carry out empirical studies," he said, "yet practical analyses, though conducted with precision and competence, do not indicate the true problems of the world if we do not see everything in the light of God."

However, Pope Benedict cautioned, "our analyses are deficient if we do not realize that behind the injustice of corruption, and all such things, is an unjust heart, a closure towards God and thus a falsification of the fundamental relationship upon which all other relationships are founded."

The assembly was then addressed by Cardinal Francis Arinze, followed by Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, who explained the activities of the council of the secretariat general since the last synodal assembly (First Special Assembly for Africa of 1994) and illustrated the preparations for the current synod.

Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana, then took the floor and gave a report on the current state of the Church in Africa. Cardinal Turkson is serving as the relator general for the synod, which involves facilitating and moderating the discussions.

Cardinal Turkson recalled the history of the last synod on Africa in 1994, saying that the meeting “inspired a message of hope for Africa” when it was confronting a dark chapter of its history.

Fourteen years later, the cardinal said, “the Church still bears some of the 'lights and shadows' that occasioned the first Synod, it has also 'changed considerably. This new reality requires a thorough study in view of renewed evangelization efforts, which call for a more in-depth analysis of specific topics, important for the present and future of the Catholic Church on the great continent.'"

The leader of the Church in Cape Coast described the positive growth of the Church but noted that it is confined to the 48 Sub-Saharan nations of Africa. In addition, the Church is being confronted with failures in “fidelity and commitment of some clergy and religious to their vocations,” as well as the “loss of members to new religious movements and sects."

Despite the mixed results, Cardinal Turkson noted that there is “an emerging continental desire on the part of African leaders themselves for an 'African renaissance.'” There is, he explained, a radical relationship between governance and economy: “bad governance begets bad economy. This explains the paradox of the poverty of a continent which is certainly the most richly endowed in the world.”

Another phenomenon that the Church must vigilant about is the “global emergence of lifestyles, values, attitudes, associations, etc.” that destabilize society. “These attack the basic props of society (marriage and family), diminish its human capital (migration, drug-pushing and arms' trade) and endanger life on the planet," the cardinal said.

"It is clear that, although the continent and the Church on the continent are not yet out of the woods, they can still modestly rejoice in their achievement and positive performance, and begin to disclaim stereotypical generalizations about its conflicts, famine, corruption and bad governance,” he stated.

"The truth is that Africa has been burdened for too long by the media with everything that is loathsome to humankind; and it is time to 'shift gears' and to have the truth about Africa told with love, fostering the development of the continent which would lead to the well-being of the whole world.”

The solution proposed by the Ghanaian cardinal was the same as Pope Benedict's, namely, to pursue “reconciliation, justice and peace, made particularly Christian by their rootedness in love and mercy.”

This path, he said, “would restore wholeness to the Church-Family of God on the continent, and that the latter, as salt of the earth and light of the world, would heal 'wounded human hearts, the ultimate hiding place for the causes of everything destabilizing the African continent.'”

The task demanded of the African Church, Cardinal Turkson explained, is to sow seeds of life on a continent where some people “live under the shadow of conflict and death.” “She must preserve the continent and its people from the putrefying effects of hatred, violence, injustice and ethnocentrism. The Church must purify and heal minds and hearts of corrupt and evil ways; and administer her life-giving Gospel message to keep the continent and its people alive."

DI BINTISHETE DJADUMINGU SIKLO B

Promé Lektura : Génesis 2, 18-24
Salmo : Salmo 128, 1-6a
Di dos Lektura : Hebreonan 2, 9-11
Evangelio : Marko 10, 2-16

Ora ku hende konosé postura di Iglesia tokante divorsio, e reakshon mas komun ta skandal: "... e ora ei ta kiko Iglesia ke, ku si nan NO ta felis ... pa nan sigui sufri huntu ?..." ; " Iglesia ta mashá inhustu ku esnan ku a divorsiá..."; "Sigur ku Hesus lo tabatin mas mizerikòrdia...".
Nos amigunan no sa ku Hesus tabata infinitamente mas radikal. Señor a yega di bisa ku si un hende kasá tabata mira un otro anto deseá esaki den su kurason —ripará a ku ni sikiera e ta referí na e parti físiko—, .... ya ela kometé adulterio...
Asina inhumano nos fe ta ku sernan humano? Nos ta biba den un fe ku no ta komprondé problema i difikultat di hende di awe?
Ta e tema di semper. Hasi pa Dios ta presente den nos bida ta nifiká asumí un estilo di bida segun e Evangelio.
Ora un pareha ilushoná ta bai kasa na Misa, nos ta deskubrí ku den mayoria kaso anteriormente nan no ta biba un bida di fe. Di e manera aki kontenido real di loke matrimonio ta nifiká ta keda algu ménos ku ignorá.
Dikon hende ta kasa na Misa?
No laga nos pasa pa ingenuo, nos tur sa esaki. Den mayoria kaso e loke ta bin dilanti komo ménos importante ta esun di fe. Ta bai kòmbersashonnan prematrimonial ku poko mal gana, nan ke kombèrtí Iglesia den un mondi tur na flor, i ora nan ta parti karchi di invitashon pa kasamentu, nan ta lubidá na kombidá Dios na e selebrashon mes. No ta kestion di ta katastrofista simplemente realista. Semper loke a hala atenshon ta e fasilidat ku nos tin den Iglesia pa hasi ménos kaso di interesnan di Evangelio. Nos ta bira kara den otro direkshon, nos ta bin ku èksküs, pero akshon di e Evangelio hopi biaha ta keda un poko “tapá” bou di nòmber di "prudensia" ku den fondo ta refleho di un kobardia mal disimulá.
Dikon hopi saserdote no ta duna balor na e forsa ku ta regenerá i humanisá Evangelio?
Por ta ku nan mes lo no a deskubrié. Nos ta asina pegá den loke ta mundano ku Evangelio pa hopi a bira un molèster ankrá den tempu di ántes.
Dikon e religiosonan no ta eksigí Iglesia un akshon mas kristian dilanti personanan ku ta aserká pa pidi un sakramentu?
Probablemente pasobra nan lo aserka tambe den e mesun kondishonnan pa risibié...
Hesus, provoká pa esnan ku tabata papia kuné ta toka e tema di divorsio, un tema mas ku difísil pa e peso di sufrimentu ku tal situashon ta trese kuné. Den poko tema manera divorsio nos mester di e agentenan pastoral ku mas amor, mas akohida i... ku hopi sentido komun. Laga nos bai den parti.
Ku intenshon di prepará un trampa p’e nan a puntr’é si ta permití e esposo separá di su esposa. Hesus a kontesta nan ku un pregunta: "Kiko Moises ta ordená boso ?" Nan a kontest’é ku e teksto den Dt 24,1.
Hesus ta kontesta nan ku debí na nan tèrkedat di kurason Moises a duna nan tal órden. Pero e Maestro ta bai bek na kuminsamentu bisando ku na prinsipio no tabata asina...
Den Iglesia e ehersisio aki pa aktualisá e mensahe aki na tempu aktual nos tin ku sigui un método paresido. Nos no por biba
den pasado, pero tampoko nos por ignor’e sin mas Semper ta gusta hende ku sentido komun pasobra nan sa di balansa na tur dos banda i si nan ta kreyente, nan lo sa di aktualisá e mensahe di un manera asina natural ku e lo no kreá sufrimentu.
Ki nesesidat di sentido komun nos tin mester den Iglesia i den matrimonio.
Ni esnan tradishonalista ni esnan progresista lo mantené e mensahe aki di Kristu bibu den nan mente, únikamente amor i sentido komun di e santunan ta hasi
e posibel e interkambio aki di tempu i moral, di tempu i hustisia.
Esposonan nan ta yama "cónyuge", nifikashon di e palabra aki ta "esun ku ta uní na e mesun yugo". Hesus tambe a papia un dia di un yugo: "Tur esnan ku ta kansá i kargá , bini serka MI i Ami lo duna boso sosiegu. Tuma mi yugo riba boso skouder i siña di Mi, pasobra Mi ta mansu i humilde; i boso lo haña sosiegu. Pasobra Mi yugo ta suave i Mi karga ta lihé." (Mt 11, 28-30)
Den fondo, loke e teksto ta bisando nos ta ku siendo "cónyuge" di Hesus nos lo por establesé otro komunidatnan kaminda por ta berdaderamente felis.
Divorsio no ta e remedi pa matrimonio ku ya no ta funshoná, esaki nos tur sa, inkluso esnan ku ta forma parti di esaki... Pero nos mester ta balente i sinsero na ora di denunsiá ku hopi matrimonio lo no mester a ser selebrá na Misa, pero nos ta buska argumentu mental pa hustifiká nan. Ser balente pa bisa e hendenan ku únikamente ta mira den matrimonio na Misa un eksposishon mas di banidat, pa nan spera, pa nan reflekshoná i pa nan aserká Kristu, ku nos lo yuda nan riba tal kaminda. Probablemente e hendenan aki lo bisa nos”legumai ko’i kèns , ku e úniko kos ku nan ke ta kasa...
Esnan divorsiá di nos sosiedat den nan mayoria ta katóliko i nos tin ku reflekshoná riba esaki profundamente. Ora nos ta papia di un matrimonio un i indisolubel den un mundu plural i soluble, nos no mester pèrdè nunka di bista ku matrimonio no ta un institushon inventá pa medio di hende, sino algu ku Dios tabata ke. Si pa nos komo katóliko esaki no ta bon kla, nos lo pensa i bisa meskos ku esnan no kreyente. Pero e klaridatnan aki no mester ta na nivel dògmátiko o teóriko sino un eksperensia profundo di bida.
Prepará hóbennan pa un eksperensia real di Kristu resusitá i pa matrimonio ta e mihó remedi kontra divorsio. Tur hende sa ku esaki ta difísil pero no imposibel. Skohementu di e cónyuge por ta desasertante si no a hasié ku orashon, ku madures i ku diskreshon. Esnan namorá ta bai huntu pa kumpra apartamentu, pa kumpra artefakto pa e bibienda nobo, pa invitá amigunan. Mester puntra nos mes kuantu pareha namorá ta bai huntu serka Dios... kuantu a resa huntu pa nan matrimonio... kuantu a buska den lus di e Evangelio e amor ku Dios a pone den nan kurason... i...kuantu a kombidá á Dios na nan kasamentu den Misa...?
Kiko ta e loke den fondo e Evangelio di awe ta bisa nos den profundidat? Ku nos mester haña un sentido moral den nos bida diario, un moral ku ta bini for di Dios; fayonan di situashonnan den bida ta pasobra, probablemente, ainda nos no ta e persona ku e Spiritu por transformá.
Bida kristian ta un konstante siñamentu for di amor i sentido komun. Fayonan den bida diario ta produsí segun ta parse pa tres motibu fundamental:
Ousensia di Dios pasobra nos a kore kuné di nos bida diario.
Ousensia di amor den tur su amplitud i sentido.
Falta di madures tantu humano komo spiritual, pa por tin e bon bista pa sa di interpretá loke Dios ke di nos.
Hende lo duna su mes kuenta ku hopi di esnan namorá di otro ora nan ta bai kasa na Misa, nan ta bisa nan amigunan: "si bo no por bai Misa, bini na e selebrashon..."; e ekspreshon ta basta gráfiko: den Misa ta hasi e ritual, algu alehá di bida; ta manera algu añadí sin importansia pa e bida diario. Pero kaminda nos ta bai selebrá ta kaminda nos ta hasi fiesta, tin alegria, kaminda nos ta balia i kanta, kaminda nos ta deseá tur kos bon i nos ta felisitá, kaminda nos ta hari i soña huntu... Ta posibel ku e tema di divorsio entre katólikonan lo kuminsá disparsé, ora nos ta kapas di transmití na nos rumannan, ku kaminda realmente e fiesta ta, ta kaminda ta pone Dios komo testigu di e amor ku nan tin pa otro i di dia pa dia yen di fruta di Spiritu Santu...

Benedict XVI: The protection of life cannot be abandoned

Benedict XVI: The love of Christ is our strength

Complete human formation is solution to dictatorship of relativism, Pope says

Vatican City, Sep 30, 2009(CNA).

- With 10,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Benedict XVI dedicated Wednesday’s general audience to retracing the stages of his journey to the Czech Republic. The history of the region, the Pope explained, shows us that progress must either be rooted in “integral human formation” or risk falling prey to dictators. In our day, the dictator is relativism, coupled with the dominance of technology.

The journey to the Czech Republic, he said, “was both a true pilgrimage and a mission to the heart of Europe, a pilgrimage, because Bohemia and Moravia have for over one thousand years been territories of faith and holiness, a mission, because Europe needs to find in God and His love the firm foundation of hope.”

"The love of Christ is our strength,” the Pope stated, explaining that it is "a force which inspires and animates real revolution, peaceful and free, and which sustains us in times of crisis, allowing us to rise again when painfully recovered freedom is in danger of being lost, of loosing its true meaning.”

Recalling his visit to the Church of Our Lady Victorious in the Czech capital, where the famous statue of the Infant of Prague is located, Benedict XVI reminded the faithful that, “The love of Christ began to reveal itself in the face of a child." The Infant of Prague statue, he added, “reminds us of the mystery of God made man, God close to us, the foundation of our hope," and in that church "I prayed for children, parents and the future of families."

Prague’s castle, in the words of Pope Benedict, "contains numerous monuments, environments, institutions, almost like a polis: the cathedral, the palace, the square, the garden. Thus I could touch both the civil and religious which are not juxtaposed but in a harmonious closeness in their distinction.”

Thanking God for the success of the visit, the Pope recalled the ecumenical meeting in the Prague archbishop’s residence, where representatives of various Christian and Jewish communities were present. "Looking back at history and the bitter conflicts of the past,” he said, “it is a cause for gratitude to God to have found ourselves together to share our faith and historical responsibility in the face of current challenges. The effort to move towards a more full and visible unity among us makes our joint commitment to rediscover the Christian roots of Europe stronger and more effective.”

The Holy Father also recounted that in his encounter with the academic world he insisted on the role of universities in the context of the “common commitment to rediscover the Christian roots of Europe.”

"The University,” he concluded, “is a vital environment for society, ensuring peace and development, as demonstrated by the so-called 'Velvet Revolution.'"

"Twenty years afterwards, I raised the idea of integral human formation to counter a new dictatorship, that of relativism combined with the domination of technology. Humanistic and scientific culture cannot be separated, they are two sides of the same coin. The Czech lands themselves remind us of this, being home to great writers like Kafka and to abbot Mendel, pioneer of modern genetics."