For Immediate Release From Vatican News!
(A Ten-Minute Read)
Pope At Canonization Mass: 'Service Is The Christian Way Of Life'
Pope Francis presides at the Canonization Mass for 14 new Saints, including 11 martyrs killed in Syria for refusing to renounce their faith, and upholds their Christian witness by noting they lived Jesus’ way of service. By Linda Bordoni
Father Manuel Ruiz López and his seven companions, the brothers Francis, Mooti, and Raphael Massabki, Father Joseph Allamano, Sister Marie Leonie Paradis, and Sister Elena Guerra, canonized by Pope Francis on Sunday, each exemplified heroic virtue and bore witness to holiness within their unique vocations.
As the Pope noted in his homily at the Canonization Mass in St. Peter’s Square on World Mission Sunday, “These new saints lived Jesus’ way: service.”
“The faith and the apostolate they carried out did not feed their worldly desires and hunger for power but, on the contrary, they made themselves servants of their brothers and sisters, creative in doing the good, steadfast in difficulties and generous to the end,” he said.
The Pope noted that their witness invites Christians to heed Jesus’ invitation to serve, not to seek glory.
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‘Are You Able To Drink The Cup That I Drink?’
Taking his cue from the Gospel passage from Mark, he invited Christians to contemplate the profound questions Jesus asked His disciples, James and John: "What is it you want me to do for you?" and "Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?" These questions, noted Pope Francis, shine light on our hidden desires and cast away any illusions of self-interest.
The Holy Father explained that through these questions, Jesus calls us to a deeper relationship with Him.
He said that James and John, though faithful disciples, approached Jesus with expectations rooted in worldly glory, seeking honour and positions of power.
They longed for a place at His right and left in His glory, imagining a victorious Messiah who would reign with might. But, the Pope continued, their understanding was flawed.
“Jesus doesn’t stop at their request,” the Pope said, “He delves deeper, revealing the desires behind their words. He challenges them, as He challenges us, to see beyond human ambition.”
A King Who Came To Serve
The true Messiah, Pope Francis recalled, is not a king of power and dominance but a Servant-King who came not to be served, but to serve, even to the point of offering His life on the cross.
He added that the image Jesus presents to His disciples is a radical departure from worldly notions of power.
"On His right and left, there would be no thrones, but two thieves, crucified alongside Him, suffering and dying with Him in ignominy."
This death, said the Pope, is the cup Jesus speaks of—a life of love, a baptism of suffering and service.
Pope Francis pointed out that the true path of discipleship is not one of seeking to dominate but of learning to serve.
“Those who follow Christ, if they wish to be great, must serve,” he said.
The Example Of The Saints
Pope Francis concluded by upholding the examples of the 14 Saints canonized on Sunday, saying they were men and women who did not live for their own glory but for the glory of God, making themselves servants to their brothers and sisters.
He invited Christians to pray through their intercession, “so that we too can follow Christ, follow him in service, and become witnesses of hope for the world.”
Learn more HERE!:
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/20... ********
Pope Francis: 'Sports Are The Hymn To Life'
Pope Francis sends a message to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Corriere dello Sport-Stadio, and challenges the Italian newspaper to report on the victories and defeats of athletes as “a way of thinking and living sport as a hymn to life.” By Kielce Gussie
In a message commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Italian newspaper, Corriere dello Sport-Stadio, on October 20, Pope Francis celebrated the news outlet's work, saying, “You have run a beauitful race over these hundred years.”
Sports As A Safe Space
The Pope reflected on his own memories of playing football as a child in Argentina. He described the sport as an experience of the “sense of fraternity,” because friends would play “knowing only opponents on the field, never enemies.”
Sports offer lessons in life, he said, as players learn from the highs of winning, the effort it takes to win, and the loss of defeat.
Pope Francis used the example of a Salesian priest in Argentina, Fr. Lorenzo Massa, who opened the doors of the parish oratory to boys to play soccer.
The Pope also stressed the need to continue to have safe places to play sports.
He then explained how important it is to have “adults who genuinely welcome children and young people, who listen to their dreams and wish for a better future alongside them.”
The Unifying Power Of Sport
Sports make people as one, Pope Francis said, walking “united, feeling part of one single family and a family of nations,” even in the midst of conflict and violence.
As an example, he highlighted the successful and inspiring stories that came out of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Pope also pointed out the newspaper’s role in reporting on the victories and defeats of athletes as “a way of thinking and living sport as a hymn to life.”
Pope Francis’ message warned against intolerance, challenging everyone to use sports as a means of teaming up regardless of race, religion, or class.
In conclusion, he encouraged the newspaper to promote authenticity and acceptance and to “reject every logic of exclusion and violence.”
Learn more HERE!:
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/20... ********
Pontifical Commission For Protection of Minors To Strengthen Ties With DDF
A statement released on Friday, October 17, by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors says the body looks ahead to the pilot Annual Report and to strengthening ties with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. By Vatican News
The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors held its Plenary Assembly in Rome from October 7-11. In a statement released on Friday, the Commission said the gathering brought together 30 expert members from across five continents to discuss the strategic direction of the Commission under the leadership of newly appointed Secretary Bishop Luis Manuel Ali Herrera and Adjunct Secretary Teresa Kettelkamp.
Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley, OFM Cap., President of the Commission, celebrated Mass for the opening of the Assembly.
“Those who are hurting have a particular claim on our love,” he said in his homily, “The Commission has an opportunity and obligation to make the Church a more Samaritan Church.”
Collaboration With DDF
The statement explained that the working sessions revolved around three key areas of strategic importance: enhancing local safeguarding capacity, reviewing the Universal Guidelines Framework, and preparing for the release of the Pilot Annual Report on Safeguarding Policies and Procedures in the Catholic Church.
A joint session featured Archbishop John Kennedy, Secretary of the Disciplinary Section of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, along with Father Robert Geisinger, S.J., and Father Brian Taylor from the Dicastery.
This meeting explored ongoing procedures for addressing s*xual abuse and continued the development of safeguarding guidelines. The collaboration between the Commission and the Dicastery was seen as an expression of unity in their mission to prevent abuse.
The Assembly dedicated considerable attention to the upcoming Pilot Annual Report, a project requested by Pope Francis in 2022. Aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of current safeguarding policies and offer recommendations for improvement, the statement said it is hoped that it will serve as a foundation for sustainable change in the Church’s safeguarding practices.
Members also reviewed the blueprint, Instrumentum Laboris, for the 2024/2025 report, which promises to be an important mechanism for furthering accountability and transparency.
Universal Guidelines Framework And Global Outreach
The Commission continued to develop its Universal Guidelines Framework during the Assembly, incorporating feedback from local churches.
The pilot phase, currently being tested in Costa Rica, Zimbabwe, Poland, and Tonga, will inform the consolidated safeguarding framework—one of the Commission’s primary long-term goals.
Over the past six months, the Commission has met with 13 national bishops’ conferences during their Ad Limina visits to Rome.
The statement noted that these meetings provided opportunities to assess local safeguarding efforts and address resource gaps in vulnerable dioceses and that the ongoing dialogue aims to ensure that local churches worldwide have the necessary tools and resources to safeguard against abuse and to provide care for victims.
The “Memorare Initiative” and capacity building
The Assembly also evaluated the progress of the Memorare Initiative, a program designed to help local churches build safeguarding capacities aligned with Vos estis lux mundi.
The initiative is active across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, with 12 additional local churches currently in the process of implementing it. The program focuses on establishing structures for managing complaints transparently and providing professional support to those affected by abuse.
Institutional Cooperation
During the summer months, the Commission held important meetings with various Roman Curia partners, including the Dicastery for Clergy, the Dicastery for Bishops, and the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life. These discussions focused on furthering the institutional cooperation necessary for the effective safeguarding of vulnerable people within the Church.
Read the full article HERE!:
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city... ********
Mission Sunday: TPMS Invites Catholics To Hope, Faith, Action
Ahead of the 98th World Mission Sunday, set for October 20, the Pontifical Mission Societies releases a video to showcase the faces and voices of missionaries working in all corners of the globe. By Lorena Leonardi
"As we embark on this journey together, we ask you not to be mere spectators but active participants in the Church's mission. It is more than an invitation and a call to be part of something greater. This is our moment: together, we can bring hope, faith, and action to every corner of the earth."
This is the message from the video distributed by the Pontifical Mission Societies (TPMS) to mark the 98th World Mission Sunday 2024, celebrated on Sunday, October 20, with the theme "Go and invite everyone to the banquet" (cf. Mt 22:9)
Celebrating Community
"The banquet," explains the narrator of the video, produced with the collaboration of TPMS branches worldwide, "is a celebration of community, an open dialogue of faith, and a testament to our commitment to welcome, first and foremost, our brothers and sisters on the margins of society."
The three-minute video presents images of the work done by missionaries around the globe, featuring their faces and voices, along with the national directors and laypeople involved in TPMS.
A special guest, Cardinal Soane Patita Paini Mafi, Bishop of Tonga, also makes an appearance. Each of the brief interventions focus on the words "go," "invite," "proclaim the Gospel," "celebrate," "share," "justice," "joy," and "fraternity."
At The Forefront Of Re-Evangelization
The president of the Pontifical Mission Societies, Archbishop Emilio Nappa, said it is every Christian's mission to proclaim the Gospel.
"Everything we do serves to make this possible," he said. "It is the Gospel that guides us, and the task of the Pontifical Mission Societies is to raise awareness of the mission while also gathering spiritual fruits and financial sacrifices to redistribute according to the needs of local Churches."
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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city... ********
Synod Leaders Address Challenging Questions From University Students
Students from across the United States convene in Rome to engage in conversation with the leadership of the Secretariat of the Synod. By Linda Bordoni
Some 140 university students, primarily from North America, gathered in the Paul VI Hall on Friday evening to engage directly with leaders of the Secretariat of the Synod.
The event, titled “University Students in Dialogue with Synod Leaders,” featured a series of relevant questions posed by the students and answered by Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Relator of the Synod, Sr. Leticia Salazar, Chancellor of the Diocese of San Bernardino, and Bishop Daniel Flores of the Diocese of Brownsville in south Texas.
The roundtable setup, which mirrored that of the ongoing 2nd Session of the Synod on Synodality, symbolized Pope Francis' vision for the Church to walk together on a journey of listening and engagement.
Addressing The Challenge of Listening
The first question came from Asia Chan, a student from Trinidad and Tobago, who expressed her struggle to express her faith in a different culture and asked how the Church could improve future consultations to ensure more voices are heard.
Cardinal Grech responded, acknowledging the challenge and sharing that the Church's current synodal process is unprecedented in its scope of listening. He noted that while there is still room for improvement, this synod has involved significantly more people than previous ones.
“During the Synod on the Family” the Cardinal said, “Only 80 out of 114 Bishops’ Conferences participated. This time 112 out of 114 submitted their report: that means a good chunk of people have been heard.”
He also noted that this time more than 20,000 people participated on a digital platform, so “Participation has been very good and promises to be better in future.”
“Listening is fundamental,” he continued, stressing the importance of hearing not only opinions but also the Holy Spirit's guidance in a process that “will help the Church become more synodal, creating a culture of encounter rooted in listening to both God and to each other.”
Engaging Young People On The Margins
Alejandra, a Venezuelan student who grew up in the Middle East, asked why young people not engaged with the Church should care about synodality, and how the Church could create spaces for those who feel hurt by it.
Read the full article HERE!:
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city... ********
Archbishop Iannone On Church's Fight Against Abuse And Existing Norms
As the Synod on Synodality explores the issue of abuse and the Church's efforts to combat it, Archbishop Filippo Iannone, Prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, speaks to Vatican News about the various procedures being implemented and the efficacy of existing canonical norms. By Andrea Tornielli
The fight against abuse remains a constant concern within the Church, especially in recent years. The topic has also surfaced in the discussions of the ongoing Synod and continues to be monitored closely by the media.
We spoke to Archbishop Filippo Iannone, Prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, to explore some of the procedures being implemented.
Q: Can you tell us where we stand in terms of the laws in force? Are they effective?
This is certainly a topic of central concern for the entire Church, as the Pope frequently emphasizes, so it naturally found its way into the interventions of the Synod members. Canon law for the repression and punishment of crimes of abuse against minors and vulnerable adults has been updated in recent years, taking into account the experience gained in past years, various suggestions from local Churches, and individuals working at different levels in combating the phenomenon. Most importantly, it reflects the 2019 meeting in the Vatican, convened by Pope Francis, with the Presidents of Episcopal Conferences from around the world and officials from the Roman Curia.
Canon penal law has been revised, and the new motu proprio Vos estis lux mundi was promulgated, which establishes "universal procedures aimed at preventing and combating these crimes that betray the trust of the faithful." The norms followed by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith when judging crimes reserved to it have also been revised. In all the legislative texts, the focus is increasingly placed on the well-being of those whose dignity has been violated and the desire to ensure a "just" process, respecting the fundamental principles of the legal system. Among other things, the obligation for priests and consecrated persons to report potential abuses to ecclesiastical authorities if they become aware of them has been established.
Regarding the effectiveness of the norms, it is difficult to give a global judgment because it would require access to all relevant data. However, based on my personal experience, I would say yes. In any case, I would like to recall Pope Francis' words: " Even if so much has already been accomplished, we must continue to learn from the bitter lessons of the past, looking with hope towards the future.."
Q: Can you explain how the possible remission of an excommunication is granted? Are there expedited processes for this? Who is involved?
Excommunication, which canon law classifies among the censures, is the penalty that deprives a baptized person who has committed a crime (such as the desecration of the Eucharist, heresy, schism, abortion, or violation of the seal of confession by a priest) and is contumacious (i.e., disobedient) of certain spiritual goods until they cease to persist in this state and are absolved. The spiritual goods, or those attached to them, that the penalty deprives the individual of are those necessary for Christian life, primarily the sacraments.
Excommunication has a strictly “medicinal” purpose, aimed at the recovery and spiritual healing of the person affected, so that, once repentant, they may once again receive the goods from which they have been deprived (the salvation of souls is the supreme law in the Church). Consequently, to obtain remission, the person must demonstrate that this purpose has been achieved. No specific timeframes are set. The necessary condition is that the individual has truly repented of the crime and has made adequate reparation for the scandal
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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city... ********
From Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory - Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, DC
"The Holy Spirit is still at work in the Church: An interview with Cardinal Wilton Gregory
In this interview with Vatican News, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., speaks about the meaning of synodality, the Church’s mission, and the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church today. By Christopher Wells"
Synodality, says Cardinal Wilton Gregory, “is the effort of people listening to one another and believing that the Holy Spirit is prompting those conversations, that the Holy Spirit is the one who plants the hopes, the dreams, the fears… And in the midst of those conversations, I think synodality means that out of those conversations will come a vision and a wisdom that will open up the horizons for tomorrow.”
Speaking with Vatican News on the sidelines of the General Assembly of the Synod, the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., highlighted both the diversity and the atmosphere of the ecclesial gathering.
“I find the Synod an amazing moment of encounter,” the Cardinal told Christopher Wells.
“I find the Synod an amazing moment of encounter.”
After noting the wide variety of Synod participants, even within his small group, Cardinal Gregory said the climate at this year’s meeting “is such that we can talk to each other about our experience of Church in our own culture and our own region, and share both our concerns but also our triumphs.”
He also expressed his hopes for the outcome of the Synod’s deliberations. “I would hope that one of the things that would come out of the Synod is an enthusiasm for the mission of the Church” – a mission that involves “the enthusiastic proclamation of the gospel, the revitalization of our sacramental life.”
Cardinal Gregory said, “I think Pope Francis, as he as he has set up this Synod, believes that as the Holy Spirit guided that early Church in its deliberation and its plans, the Holy Spirit is still working.”
“And I like to say,” he continued, “that if we get out of His way, He will lead us to a level of increased faith and evangelization efforts that will allow us to pass on the faith to a new generation.”
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Posted By: agnes levine
Sunday, October 20th 2024 at 2:31PM
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