Holy See asks sick to pray for priests, beatification of John Paul II

Vatican City, Oct 13, 2009 / (CNA)

Writing in the context of the Year for Priests, Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, the President of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, has sent a letter to those who are sick and suffering, asking them to pray for priests and the beatification of Pope John Paul II.

The purpose of the Year is to call the whole Christian community to “rediscover the beauty of the priestly vocation and thus to pray for priests,” the archbishop said, noting that this includes the sick.

Archbishop Zimowski reminded sick people in his October 1 letter that priests play an important role in their lives. “A priest at the bedside of a sick person represents Christ himself, the Divine Physician, who is not indifferent to the fate of those who suffer. Indeed, through the sacraments of the Church, administered by a priest, Jesus Christ offers to a sick person healing through reconciliation and the forgiveness of sins, through anointing with holy oil and lastly in the Eucharist, in the viaticum in which Christ himself becomes, as Giovanni Leonardi used to say, ‘the medicine of immortality’ by which ‘we are comforted, nourished, transformed into God, and participants in the divine nature,” he wrote.

The head of the Council for Health Care Workers also pointed out that the conclusion of the Year for Priests coincides with the 25th anniversary of the founding of Pontifical Council. Pope John Paul II, he recalled, founded the Council on the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes to demonstrate the Church's care for the sick.

“Because of this providential anniversary,” Archbishop Zimowski wrote, “I am near to each one of you and I invite you, dear sick brothers and sisters, to unceasingly address your prayers and the offering up of your sufferings to the Lord of life for the holiness of your well loved priests, so that they can with devotion and pastoral charity perform the ministry that is entrusted to them by Christ, the physician of bodies and souls.”

During the Year for Priests, he encouraged the faithful who are sick and suffering to “rediscover the beauty of the prayer of the Holy Rosary for the spiritual benefit of priests, in a special way during the month of October.” He also exhorted the sick to participate in Mass and adoration of the Eucharist, “every first Thursday and every first Friday of the month, which are respectively dedicated to devotion to the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”

“I would like to remind you that in praying for priests one can obtain special indulgences this year,” the archbishop added.

Looking ahead to April 2010, the Polish archbishop asked for their prayers for the pilgrimage of hospital chaplains that is being first in the French towns of Lourdes and Ars to mark the Pontifical Council's anniversary.

Archbishop Zimowski summed up his prayer requests by saying, To you, therefore, dear sick and suffering brothers and sisters, I entrust the Church which needs your prayers and sufferings, the person of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, and all the bishops and priests in the world, who strive every day for your sanctification. I ask from you a special prayer for priests who are sick and afflicted in their bodies who every day experience, like you, the weight of pain, together with the force of saving grace which comforts and heals the soul.”

The Polish prelate also urged the sick to pray for “the beatification and canonization of the Servant of God John Paul II” recommending that they offer a prayer for the needs of the Church, authored by the late Pontiff.

Benedict XVI: Jesus calls us to the total gift of our lives.

Holy Father canonizes five new saints

Vatican City, Oct 11, 2009 / (CNA).

Today, Pope Benedict XVI canonized five new saints in St. Peter’s Basilica, including Fr. Damian of Molokai. During his homily, the Holy Father noted that all of the saints followed the invitation of Christ: "Come, follow me!"

Speaking to the faithful packed in St. Peter’s Basilica this morning, the Pope described the invitation of Christ saying that he "invites his disciples to the total gift of their lives, without calculation and human self-interest, with a wholehearted faith in God."

This call, the Holy Father continued, is welcome by the saints who "place themselves in humble obedience" to follow the Lord.

They no longer focus on themselves, the Pope explained, but by their "logic of faith," they choose "to go against the trends of the time living according to the Gospel."

Benedict XVI then gave a brief description of each of the five newly-canonized saints: a bishop, a Trappist brother, two priests and a nun.

Archbishop Zygmunt Szczesny Feliński of Warsaw, founder of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary, was committed to evangelization and support for the poor, defending the oppressed during the Russian occupation of Poland, and was sentenced to 20 years in exile in Jaroslaw on the Volga. "His gift of himself to God and man," the Holy Father said in Polish, was "full of confidence and love," and "becomes a shining example for the entire Church."

To those younger generations today who "are not satisfied with what they have," the Pontiff gave the example of Rafael Arnaiz Baron, who came from a wealthy family and was a bit "of a dreamer." He died when he was 27 years old, a Cistercian oblate, considered one of the greatest mystics of the twentieth century.

The Pontiff next spoke of Dominican Father Francisco Coll y Guitard, founder of the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of the Annunciation Blessed Virgin Mary. Through his preaching, the saint spread his love of the Word of God and the Sacrament of Reconciliation among people especially the young.

Father Damian, the famous apostle of lepers, at 23 years of age left Flanders, Belgium to go on a mission to modern day Hawaii. "Not without fear and loathing," Pope Benedict underlined, "Father Damian made the choice to go on the island of Molokai in the service of lepers who were there, abandoned by all. So he exposed himself to the disease of which they suffered. With them he felt at home. The servant of the Word became a suffering servant, leper with the lepers, during the last four years of his life."

He continued, "To follow Christ, Father Damian not only left his homeland, but has also staked his health so he, as the word of Jesus announced in today's Gospel tells us, received eternal life."

The figure of Father Damian, Benedict XVI added, "teaches us to choose the good fight not those that lead to division, but those that gather us together in unity."

And finally, the Pope spoke of St. Mary of the Cross, of the Little Sisters of the Poor, and her "wonderful work to help the most vulnerable elderly." He noted that her initiatives and goals are "still valid today, given that many elderly people suffer from multiple poverty and loneliness, sometimes even being abandoned by their families."

The Pope concluded by inviting all present "to allow themselves to be attracted by the shining example of these saints, to be guided by their teachings so that our entire life becomes a hymn of praise to God's love."

Congolese hostage situation forces bishop to leave synod in Rome

Vatican City, Oct 10, 2009 / (CNA).

A Congolese bishop participating in the Synod for Africa in Rome has had to return home after several of his priests were taken hostage in an attack on a church in his archdiocese.

Archbishop of Bukavu François Xavier Rusengo told the Synod he had to return to the war-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo because last Friday uniformed men burnt down one of his parishes, attacked priests and took others hostage.

The archdiocese had to pay a huge ransom for the hostages’ release, the Catholic Information Service for Africa (CISA) reports.

“Through these acts, it is the Church, remaining the only support for a terrorized, humiliated, exploited and dominated people who they would reduce to silence. Lord, may your will be done, may your kingdom of peace arrive,” Archbishop Rusengo said on Tuesday.

The synod issued a statement of solidarity with the archbishop and the Christians of Bukavu. The statement expressed hope that “reconciliation and the Good News of the Gospel” may be welcomed as the path to achieve conditions of human life founded on justice and reinforced by peace, “a gift from God.”

According to CISA, the synod also called on the Congolese government to do everything possible to restore a just order and to guarantee the peace necessary for a normal life.

DI BINTIOCHO DJADUMINGU SIKLO B

Promé Lektura : Sabiduria 7, 7-11
Salmo : Salmo 90, 12-17
Di dos Lektura : Hebreonan 4, 12-13
Evangelio : Marko 10, 17-30


E esena di e hòmber riku ku nos a skucha awe a laga nos, sin duda, ku un sentimentu di duele. Tabata un enkuentro kasi kasual, esun di e hòmber ku a kore bai kontra Kristu pa puntr’é: "Maestro, kiko mi mester hasi pa mi haña bida eterno?” Na promé momento, nos ta sinti nos mes konmoví pa e pregunta aki. Sinseridat i generosidat di e hòmber ei bon i honrado ta impreshoná nos den forma grato. Kristu ta kontest’é ku pa alkansá bida eterno mester kumpli ku mandamentunan di Dios, i E ta menshoná nan. E hòmber ta kontesta ku semper for di su hubentut ela tené su mes na nan. E ora ei Kristu ta mir’é ku amor i ta bis’é: "Un kos so bo falta. Bai i bende loke bo tin i duna hende pober e plaka i lo bo tin tesoro den shelu. Despues bin i sigui Mi". Pero ora e hòmber a tende e palabranan aki ela bira tristu i a kana bai, pasobra e tabatin hopi rikesa. Loke a kuminsá siendo un esena felis, a konkluí ku un final tristu. Di e hòmber riku ei evangelio no a ni sikiera a warda e nòmber. Tabata un vokashon frakasá, un potensial santu, un ehèmpel ku awe nos lo a proklamá, si su reakshon riba e invitashon di Señor tabata otro.

Pa ser kristian no ta sufisiente pa ta bon, honrado, den sentido di kumpli ku mandamentunan di Dios. Tin un dimenshon nobo, ku mester preokupá nos i ta e generosidat di e kurason na kua Kristu ta yama nos. Evangelio ta un vokashon eksigente ku no ta kumpli únikamente ku atené na mandamentu. Kristianismo ta poseé un dimenshon sosial, hopi bia ignorá, ora nos limitá nos mes na un simpel pietismo, fe komprondé komo simpel práktika di e debernan religioso. Awe nos mester puntra nos mes ku tur sinseridat: kon mi a yega na e bienesnan ku mi ta poseé i ki uso mi ta duna nan? Inhustisia di plaka ta sintá hopi biaha tantu den orígen komo den fin ku nos ta dun'é.

Despues di e esena e hòmber riku ku a alehá su mes tur tristu, Kristu ta pronunsiá un di e frasenan mas fuerte di e evangelio: "Ki difísil ta pa esnan ku tin rikesa drenta den e Reino di Dios". No tin resentimentu den e palabranan aki. Ni tampoko nan ta un yamada insensato pa un lucha di klase, sino un atvertensia serio pa duna rikesa su berdadero dimenshon sosial i kristian. Di akuerdo ku pensamentu di Kristu, na unda malisia esensial di plaka ta sinta? Dikon "ta mas fásil pa un kamel pasa dor di wowo di un angua ku pa un riku drenta den Reino di Dios"? Peliger di plaka ta ku fásilmente e ta hasi kurason di hende egoista, e ta hasié insensibel pa doló di otro, e ta hasi ku no ta preokupá mas pa suerte di otro, e ta priva hende di sentido di hustisia. Plaka ademas ta profundamente malu si a yega n’e a kosto di doló di e próhimo òf si e ta fruta di inhustisia òf eksplotashon. Si ami ta gosa di komodidat, si mi tin un bon kuenta di banko, pero si e ta a kosto di a paga insufisiente salario, mi no tin ningun derecho riba uso di e bienesnan ei. Den e kaso aki, ya no ta kestion di perfekshon, sino di hustisia pa duna bèk loke no ta pertenesé na mi. Pero, ken ta kapas di rekonosé ku nan rikesa ta fruta di un piká sosial? Mashá poko ta esnan ku tin e kurashi pa rekonosé esaki i pa aktua konforme tal konvikshon. Reakshon normal di e riku dilanti e palabranan aki di Kristu ta di ignorá nan, talbes sinti su mes tristu i den hopi kaso, di tilda esun ku ta proklamá e doktrina di Kristu relashoná ku rikesa komo ekstremista.

Rumannan, e hòmber riku a alehá su mes ku tristesa for di Kristu pasobra e tabata biba mashá mará na su rikesa. E no tabata mal hende, e tabata tené su mes na e mandamentunan, e tabata ke poseé Reino di Dios, pero e tabata katibu di su plaka. Kristu ke pa nos ta liber, pa nos sa di kompartí i duna, no pegá na bienesnan ku ta pasa. Awe, ku tur sinseridat di nos kurason, laga nos hasi nos mes e pregunta aki: Ami ta biba e disposishon interior aki di generosidat, di renunsia.... mi por kompartí mi poseshonnan ku otro. Laga nos siña biba manera e promé kristiannan, a lo ménos den spiritu, ku nan no tabata konsiderá nada komo kos propio, sino ku nan tabata poseé tur kos den komun. Solamente asina, siendo liber di paden, nos lo ta riba kaminda di e Reino di Dios i nos lo logra e berdadero pas di kurason.

God, not Obama will bring peace to the Middle East, says Jordanian bishop

Amman, Jordan, Oct 9, 2009 / (CNA).-

The Vicar of Jordan, Most Rev. Selim Sayegh, spoke to CNA in Amman last week about the tensions in the Middle East as well as the diminishing number of Christians in the area. He noted that Catholics can assist those struggling in the region by praying for peace because “true peace comes from the Lord,” not Obama, or Israeli/Palestinian leaders.

Sayegh, who has served Jordan as an auxiliary bishop for 27 years, addressed the plight of Christians in the Middle East, particularly the ones living in Iraq. He noted that the while the situation isn’t desperate, less Christians are living in the area than is considered ideal.

“Why,” the bishop asked, are not only Christians but also Muslims leaving the area? “All of them, they are looking for peace…they want peace for their children,” he answered.

“Once peace is established into these countries...no one would think about leaving.”

He zeroed in on Iraq asking why anyone would leave – it’s “one of the richest countries in the world,” however “there is no hope.”

When Iraqi Christian’s leave, they go to Jordan or Syria, the vicar explained. But, “for the most part, the Christians don’t intend to become established in Jordan,” but they only “stay until they can obtain a visa to the United States, Europe or Australia.”

“It’s a very sad situation,” the bishop lamented, explaining that many of the Iraqis were educated, economically well-off people in their country, but when they leave, all of a sudden, “poof, and they have nothing.”

Bishop Sayegh said that Catholics around the world can help improve the situation in the Middle East not only by being “good citizens,” but also by praying for peace.

“Pray for peace because true peace comes from the Lord, it doesn’t come from Obama or from Netanyahu or from Abu Mazen,” but rather from the “Lord of peace,” the bishop remarked.

Reflecting on Christians’ role in the peace process, Bishop Sayegh said that they have their place, but that they are called to play a role by living out the faith. “That’s why every day in our churches we pray for peace,” since God is the only one who is “able to change the hearts” and to “arrive at peace” in the region.

Vatican appreciates Obama receiving Nobel Peace Prize

Vatican City, Oct 9, 2009 / 12:59 pm (CNA).

The Vatican offered its appreciation today for President Barack Obama’s work for peace on the international level, following the announcement that the president the winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi told L’Osservatore Romano that President Obama’s reception of the award “is greeted with appreciation by the Vatican” due to his efforts “to promote peace in the international arena, particularly in the recent effort in favor of the nuclear disarmament."

Fr. Lombardi also said that he hopes that the honor “may generate the expected results for the future of humanity.”

Reacting to the award, President Obama stated that it isn’t necessarily “a recognition of my own accomplishments,” but rather a “call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.”

Fox News reported that the award committee chose the President due to his work to reduce nuclear weapons, his commitment to easing tensions with the Middle East and his dedication to cooperation.

The chairman of the Norwegian committee charged with choosing the peace prize recipient, Thorbjoern Jagland, said that although the president’s initiatives have yet to bear fruit, “Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future.”

In his statement today, the president also said he does not feel that he deserves “to be in the company of so many transformative figures that have been honored by this prize.”

Previous winners of the award include Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Theodore Roosevelt, Elie Wiesel and Jimmy Carter.