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#1478 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Mon Dec 14, 2009 1:05 am
Subject: Benedict XVI Shares Secret of True Joy 		richard372000
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Benedict XVI Shares Secret of True Joy
Underlines Lessons from the Creche
VATICAN CITY, DEC. 13, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is encouraging families to go to the Baby Jesus in the Manger, and to learn from him the way to authentic Christian joy.

As is tradition on this Third Sunday of Advent, the Pope addressed the children of Rome who came to St. Peter's Square for a blessing on their little statues of Baby Jesus that will be placed in the family crèches.

In an address to the pilgrims gathered for a blessing and the praying of the midday Angelus, the Pontiff affirmed that the Church "helps us to rediscover the sense and the taste of Christian joy, so different from the world's joy."

He acknowledged the "many children and young people" present, stating, "It is a cause of joy for me to know that in your families you continue the custom of making the crèche."

The Holy Father continued: "But it is not enough to repeat a traditional gesture, however important. It is necessary to try to live every day what the crèche represents, that is, Christ's love, his humility, his poverty."

We must follow the example of St. Francis, who "represented the scene of the Nativity to try to contemplate and adore it, but above all to know better how to put into practice the message of the Son of God, who left everything behind and became a little child out of love for us," Benedict XVI said.

The "secret of true joy," he affirmed, "does not consist in having a lot of things, but in feeling loved by the Lord, in making oneself a gift for others, in loving."

The Pope explained: "The Madonna and St. Joseph do not seem to be a very fortunate family; they had their first child in the midst of great hardships; and yet they are full of deep joy, because they love each other, they help each other and above all they are certain that God is at work in their history, God who made himself present in the little Jesus."

God's promises

As well, he added, the shepherds have a special reason to rejoice, even though "that newborn certainly would not change the facts of poverty and marginalization in their lives."

Rather, the Pontiff said, "faith helps them to recognize in the 'child wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger' the 'sign' of the accomplishment of God's promises for all men, 'whom he loves,' even them!"

True joy, he affirmed, consists in "feeling that our personal and communal existence is visited and filled by a great mystery, the mystery of God's love."

The Holy Father said: "To be joyful we do not just have need of things, but love and truth: We need a God who is near, who warms our heart, and responds to our profound desires.

"This God is manifested in Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary. This is why that Baby, whom we place in the stable or the cave, is the center of everything, the heart of the world."


Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

Découvrez les photos les plus intéressantes du jour!

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#1477 From: acpg@...
Date: Sat Oct 3, 2009 11:33 pm
Subject: Re: [SFO Fraternity] SFO information 		acpg1
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To Deacon Luis and all members of the group,
 
Please check out this wonderful short film about the SFO by the National Minister of the Order.    http://secularfranciscans.blip.tv/
 
I hope you'll find it informative.
 
Happy feast day to all,
Pax,
Anna
 


May the Lord be above you to inspire you,
beneath you to support you.
May the Lord go ahead of you to guide you
and be behind you to protect you.
May the Lord be alongside of you to accompany you today and always!

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#1476 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Sat Oct 3, 2009 1:42 pm
Subject: Feast of S. Francis of Assisi, October 4 		richard372000
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Feast of S. Francis of Assisi, October 4


  "Francis will, repair my church which, as you see it falling apart."


This is the call that Francis received contemplating the crucifix of San Damiano after a long search to find meaning in his life.


And what he saw around him there was only ruins ... he did not hesitate a moment, he began the task, but not alone, he sought help people of Assisi, who gave him stones and other essential materials in exchange for prayers and blessings Francis gives us the example of "make whole" have an innate sense of fraternity lived there.


For you, those who will, for many reasons remain only where they are now, you can through prayer you to join the Franciscan family around the world to give thanks to the Father of us have given Francis and Jesus, who guided us to the FATHER LOVE all of which Francis was distressed that so few people appreciated this LOVE when he reportedly said "LOVE IS NOT LIKED"

Convent of San Damiano

  In this day of the Feast of our guide Francis of Assisi, as a suggestion, take advantage of those moments of celebration to renew itself, or in a group our commitment to the evangelical life, and why not tell each other how God made us discover our Christian and Franciscan vocation?


  "Good St. Francis, you Franciscans and Franciscan
and friends from anywhere on earth!


(Original in french, traducted by Google)

Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

Découvrez les photos les plus intéressantes du jour!

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#1475 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Wed Sep 30, 2009 2:50 pm
Subject: Pope to Youth: Christ Wants to Make You Happy 		richard372000
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header_original_mod

Pope to Youth: Christ Wants to Make You Happy

Encourages Them to Have Open Hearts

STARA BOLESLAV, Czech Republic, SEPT. 28, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is telling youth that Christ wants to make them happy, and that his voice is not difficult to hear for those who have their hearts open.

The Pope reflected on Christ's call today when he spoke with young people gathered on the third and last day of his visit to the Czech Republic.

"As he did with Augustine, so the Lord comes to meet each one of you," he said. "He knocks at the door of your freedom and asks to be welcomed as a friend. He wants to make you happy, to fill you with humanity and dignity. 

"The Christian faith is this: encounter with Christ, the living Person who gives life a new horizon and thereby a definitive direction. And when the heart of a young person opens up to his divine plans, it is not difficult to recognize and follow his voice."

The Holy Father reflected on the Lord's specific call for each person, and he urged them to holiness in their vocations.

"Many of you he calls to marriage, and the preparation for this sacrament constitutes a real vocational journey," he said. "Consider seriously the divine call to raise a Christian family, and let your youth be the time in which to build your future with a sense of responsibility. Society needs Christian families, saintly families!"

"And if the Lord is calling you to follow him in the ministerial priesthood or in the consecrated life," the Pontiff continued, "do not hesitate to respond to his invitation. In particular, in this Year of Priests, I appeal to you, young men: Be attentive and open to Jesus's call to offer your lives in the service of God and his people."

"The Church in every country," he reflected, "including this one, needs many holy priests and also persons fully consecrated to the service of Christ, Hope of the world."




Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

Devenez un meilleur amigo grâce à Yahoo! Courriel

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#1474 From: "Richard" <richard.chamberland@...>
Date: Wed Sep 30, 2009 2:55 pm
Subject: Hi Dick---SFO information 		richard372000
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Hi Dick, how are you, here very well. do you now this french site I have build ?
http://ofs-de-sherbrooke.over-blog.com/ 

Pax Richard

--- In sfocommunicationcenter@yahoogroups.com, dick bonini <retiredboss962@...> wrote:
>
> Peace and all good.  This group was started a number of years ago in order that Secular Franciscans and others interested in the Franciscan charism  could have a place to "meet and greet and exchange information".  It was set up to be as unstructured as possible so that all might share and learn in an unrestricted setting. Welcome to all and the blessings of Francis and Claire enfold all who come here.
> dick SFO
>
> --- On Tue, 9/29/09, Diacono Luis R.O'Neill luisraon@... wrote:
>
> From: Diacono Luis R.O'Neill luisraon@...
> Subject: [SFO Fraternity] SFO information
> To: sfocommunicationcenter@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 5:34 AM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  
>
>
>
>
>
> Peace and Good: My brothers.Please send me more information about you fraterity.I am a SFO here in Puerto Rico and Permanent Deacon.
>  
> In the name of the Lord and Our Father Fancis
>  
> Deacon Luis R. O'Neill,OFS
>

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#1473 From: dick bonini <retiredboss962@...>
Date: Wed Sep 30, 2009 2:22 am
Subject: Re: [SFO Fraternity] SFO information 		retiredboss962
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Peace and all good.  This group was started a number of years ago in order that Secular Franciscans and others interested in the Franciscan charism  could have a place to "meet and greet and exchange information".  It was set up to be as unstructured as possible so that all might share and learn in an unrestricted setting. Welcome to all and the blessings of Francis and Claire enfold all who come here.
dick SFO

--- On Tue, 9/29/09, Diacono Luis R.O'Neill <luisraon@...> wrote:

From: Diacono Luis R.O'Neill <luisraon@...>
Subject: [SFO Fraternity] SFO information
To: sfocommunicationcenter@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 5:34 AM

 

Peace and Good: My brothers.Please send me more information about you fraterity.I am a SFO here in Puerto Rico and Permanent Deacon.
 
In the name of the Lord and Our Father Fancis
 
Deacon Luis R. O'Neill,OFS


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#1472 From: canon603@...
Date: Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:42 pm
Subject: Re: [SFO Fraternity] SFO information PICS AND INFO. CONTINUED 		sfo.hermitage
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Note:  These are miscellaneous items that are not in any particular order; some older some newer.
 

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#1471 From: canon603@...
Date: Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:30 pm
Subject: Re: [SFO Fraternity] SFO information PICS AND INFO. CONTINUED 		sfo.hermitage
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#1470 From: canon603@...
Date: Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:47 pm
Subject: Re: [SFO Fraternity] Thank you. TO Hermits 		sfo.hermitage
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Good to hear from you sister.  I am at a hermitage now.  I am sending another SFO permanent deacon a number of items.  I notice that they go to an email mailing list which you are on.  How many are on the list?
 
Pax et bonum
 
Christopher

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#1469 From: canon603@...
Date: Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:36 pm
Subject: Re: [SFO Fraternity] SFO information 		sfo.hermitage
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Greetings brother,
 
We have much information in accordance with your request.
 
I can start to insert items into email and also attach files.  You can let me know if the attachments are viewable and /or printable.  I will attempt to do some downloading each day until you get the bulk of information.  This takes time so the process needs to be spaced out so as not to take up too much time in one sitting.
 
Pax et bonum!
 
Christopher
 

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#1468 From: "Diacono Luis R.O'Neill" <luisraon@...>
Date: Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:34 am
Subject: SFO information 		luisraon
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Peace and Good: My brothers.Please send me more information about you fraterity.I am a SFO here in Puerto Rico and Permanent Deacon.
 
In the name of the Lord and Our Father Fancis
 
Deacon Luis R. O'Neill,OFS

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#1467 From: margaret-marie maines <angelafraternity@...>
Date: Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:01 am
Subject: Re: [SFO Fraternity] Thank you. TO Hermits 		angelafrater...
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peace.....tks so much for the photos; they are great!  are you in a hermitage now?  I am living in a franciscan capuchin retreat cottage in Ontario, called Little Portion.....I have had quite a winding journey and hope it settles down now.....God Bless, sr. margaret-marie+

From: "canon603@..." <canon603@...>
To: sfocommunicationcenter@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 2:14:55 PM
Subject: [SFO Fraternity] Thank you. TO Hermits

 
 

Yahoo! Canada Toolbar : Search from anywhere on the web and bookmark your favourite sites. Download it now!


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#1466 From: canon603@...
Date: Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:14 pm
Subject: Thank you. TO Hermits 		sfo.hermitage
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#1465 From: Kristen <franciscan12000@...>
Date: Mon Sep 28, 2009 7:39 pm
Subject: hello etc. 		franciscan12000
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Hello Everyone-  I  just  want to tell you that i  prayed  for all of you while i was in italy.  Are your families okay there in the Philippines?  I  heard and saw flooding on the  news and newspapers and the   flooding was  in Manila area.   I will  be  praying for you as well as your  families to be  safe. Take care and May the Lord  give you his peace.  Kristen Doherty, SFO.


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#1464 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Tue Sep 15, 2009 2:48 am
Subject: Florida Bishop Weighs in on Health Care Reform 		richard372000
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Florida Bishop Weighs in on Health Care Reform

Says US Prelates Aren't Giving up the Debate

ORLANDO, Florida, SEPT. 11, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The bishop of Orlando is affirming that the U.S. prelates are not going to give up the debate and the appeal for "genuine" health care reform that respects life.

Bishop Thomas Wenski affirmed this in an article published Wednesday in the Orlando Sentinel.

He addressed the current national debate over health care reform, which has "generated much heat and little light."

The prelate underlined the position of the U.S. Catholic bishops, affirming the need for "reform that leads to health care for all."

"Any reform should aim at health care that is accessible, affordable and respects the life and dignity of every human being from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death," he asserted.

The prelate stressed the Church's knowledge in the field, as "an employer and thus a purchaser of health care" as well as "a provider of health care."

Furthermore, he stated, "in our parishes, our pantries, our Catholic Charities offices, we strive to help the people who have fallen through the cracks -- those who are not served or who are underserved by our present system of health care delivery."

Thus, the bishop said, "we bring no little experience to the debate."

Fundamental issue

He affirmed: "We support truly universal access to health care. We want care accessible and affordable to the poor and vulnerable. 

"We champion efforts to improve efficiency and quality while restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers."

Bishop Wenski stated, "For the Church, the fundamental issue is one of human life and dignity."

For this reason, he explained, the bishops' conference "has remained engaged in the current debate" so that, "through dialogue over principles and policies" they can "ensure that any enacted legislation will be something positive."

"At any rate," the prelate said, "we continue to insist that health care reform is too important and legitimate a goal to allow it to be hijacked by destructive agendas."

"As the debate continues," he stated, "the bishops will continue to advocate for health care reform that is truly universal and that protects human life at every stage of development."

Bishop Wenski concluded: "Our government and laws must also retain explicit protection for the freedom of conscience of health care workers and health care institutions. 

"Genuine health care reform that protects the life and dignity of all is a moral imperative and a vital national obligation.

Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

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#1463 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Tue Sep 8, 2009 11:52 pm
Subject: Pope Urges Discovering Beauty of Creation 		richard372000
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Pope Urges Discovering Beauty of Creation

Reflects on Bonaventure's Gift to Church

BAGNOREGGIO, Italy, SEPT. 7, 2009 (Zenit.org).- St. Bonaventure, like his spiritual father, St. Francis, has a message for today, according to Benedict XVI: Creation should be appreciated in the light of God.

The Pope reflected on this aspect of Bonaventure's teachings when he visited the saint's birthplace on Sunday.

The Holy Father, who studied Bonaventure as a doctoral student, acknowledged that the "rich cultural and mystical patrimony" left by the saint is difficult to summarize. 

He thus reflected on just a few points of Bonaventure's legacy: his testimony as a seeker of God, his love for creation, and his witness to hope.

Regarding this second point, the Pontiff called Bonaventure a "seraphic singer of creation" who "learned to 'praise God in all and through all creatures.'" 

He added: "St. Bonaventure presents a positive vision of the world, gift of God's love to men. [...] How useful it would be if also today we rediscovered the beauty and value of creation in the light of divine goodness and beauty! 

"In Christ, observed St. Bonaventure, the universe itself can again be the voice that speaks of God and leads us to explore his presence; exhorts us to honor and glorify him in everything."

The Bishop of Rome also pointed to the saint as "a messenger of hope."

He observed, "We find a beautiful image of hope in one of his Advent homilies, where he compares the movement of hope to the flight of a bird, which spreads its wings as far as possible, and employs all its energies to move them. [...] To hope is to fly, says St. Bonaventure."

Drawing from his second encyclical, the Holy Father said that when we are sustained by the hope that God gives, "we never run the risk of losing the courage to contribute, as the saints did, to the salvation of humanity, and 'we can open ourselves and open the world so that God will enter, God, who is truth, love and goodness.'"


Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

Découvrez les photos les plus intéressantes du jour!

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#1462 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Wed Sep 2, 2009 10:40 pm
Subject: Edward Kennedy's Last Letter to Pope 		richard372000
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Edward Kennedy's Last Letter to Pope

Message Is Unveiled at Funeral

WASHINGTON, D.C., SEP. 1, 2009 (Zenit.org).- At Saturday's funeral of U.S. Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy, a letter was revealed in which the dying man wrote to Benedict XVI, confessing his imperfections and asking for prayers.

In Arlington National Cemetery, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, former archbishop of Washington, read parts of the letter that Kennedy wrote to the Pope shortly before his death.

The letter, which was hand delivered to the Pontiff by U.S. President Barack Obama last June, stated, "I am writing with deep humility to ask that you pray for me as my own health declines."

The senator explained: "I was diagnosed with brain cancer more than a year ago and although I continue treatment, the disease is taking its toll on me. I am 77 years old and preparing for the next passage of life."

The gift of faith, Kennedy affirmed, "has sustained and nurtured and provides solace to me in the darkest hours."

He acknowledged, "I know that I have been an imperfect human being, but with the help of my faith I have tried to right my path."

The senator underlined his belief "in a conscience protection for Catholics in the health field," and emphasized his commitment to "continue to advocate for it as my colleagues in the Senate as I work to develop an overall national health policy that guarantees health care for everyone."

His letter concluded: "I have always tried to be a faithful Catholic, Your Holiness, and though I have fallen short through human failings, I have never failed to believe and respect the fundamental teachings of my faith.

"I continue to pray for God's blessings on you and on our church and would be most thankful for your prayers for me."

Cardinal McCarrick noted that the Holy Father sent a response with Obama to give to Kennedy, who died Aug. 25.

The prelate read excerpts of it, in which the Pontiff expressed a prayer for that the senator would be "sustained in faith and hope, and granted the precious grace of joyful surrender to the will of God, our merciful Father."



Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

Découvrez les photos les plus intéressantes du jour!

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#1461 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Sat Aug 29, 2009 2:49 am
Subject: 68 Protestant Leaders Applaud Encyclical 		richard372000
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68 Protestant Leaders Applaud Encyclical

Call on All Christians to Respond to "Caritas in Veritate"

WASHINGTON, D.C., AUG. 28, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI's latest encyclical was lauded by 68 Evangelical Protestant community leaders from the United States, Canada, England, the Netherlands, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

In a message released last month, titled "Doing the Truth in Love," a group of university leaders and professors, press editors and presidents of various institutions signed a message to "applaud" the Pope's encyclical, "Caritas in Veritate."

The message called on Christians everywhere to "read, wrestle with, and respond to 'Caritas in Veritate' and its identification of the twin call of love and truth upon our lives as citizens, entrepreneurs, workers and, most fundamentally, as followers of Christ."

It commended the way in which the encyclical "considers economic development in terms of the true trajectory for human flourishing."

The evangelicals echoed the call for "a new vision of development that recognizes the dignity of human life in its fullness, and that includes a concern for life from conception to natural death, for religious liberty, for the alleviation of poverty, and for the care of creation."

They underlined the document's analysis of global affairs that "rejects the oversimplifying polarization of free market and active government solutions."

"Economic institutions," they added, "including markets themselves, must be marked by internal relations of solidarity and trust."

The message affirmed the encyclical's emphasis on "business efforts guided by a mutualist principle that transcends the dichotomy of for-profit and not-for-profit and that instead pursues social ends while covering costs and providing for investment."

Economy of charity

It called on other evangelicals to "rethink who must be included among corporate stakeholders and what the moral significance of investment is."

The evangelicals endorsed "the affirmation that an economy of charity demands space for myriad human communities and institutions, not just for the state and the market, but also families and the many relationships of civil society."

"Ethical globalization," they wrote, "demands of evangelical churches everywhere that we attend to the call to do the truth in love, as we continue to respond to the great commission to 'disciple the nations.'"

They affirmed a shared fear about the "growth of an overweening welfare state, which degrades social and civic pluralism," and agreed that "subsidiarity and solidarity must be held in tandem."

The message voiced a commitment to be, as "Caritas in Veritate" stated, protagonists in the effort for "global solidarity, economic justice, and the common good, as norms that transcend and transform the motives of economic profit and technical progress."

It concluded with a call for "serious dialogue among all Christians and with many others to make these goals practical realities."

Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

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#1460 From: "retiredboss962" <retiredboss962@...>
Date: Thu Aug 27, 2009 3:53 am
Subject: Annual International Congress of the Pilgrims of St. Michael 		retiredboss962
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Brothers and Sisters:
Peace and all Good


I have been asked to share the following with you.  I am doing so.  I do not
know about the group and thus do not necessarily espouse their positions or
philosophy. I leave those decisions to God and Holy Mother the Church.  My only
purpose is to make you aware of them.
Information concerning them is available on the web to any who wish to know
more.







    Annual International Congress of the
         Pilgrims of St. Michael

         Louis Even Institute
         for Social Justice


         Louis Even founder
         1885-1974



         September 5-6-7, 2009

         in the House of the Immaculate
         1101 Principale St., Rougemont, QC, Canada — J0L 1M0


         CANADA: Rougemont: (450) 469-2209

         U.S.A.:  (413) 665-5052 (phone & fax)
                      (888) 858-2163 (toll free)

         mail@...
          www.michaeljournal.org



         August 28-Sept. 4: Week of study

         on the Social Doctrine of the Church
         and its application
         to overcome the crisis and poverty

         All our subscribers are welcome! Bring newcomers!



         Rougemont is located 50 km. east of Montreal, on Highway 112

         There will be representatives from the five continents present, as well
as several Bishops and priests from various nations; all our subscribers and
their friends are invited to this very important meeting, which will be preceded
by a week of study on Social Credit. For meals, each one brings his own food.
There are also restaurants not far from our grounds. And all those who come to
our Congress are put up, free of charge. Here is the program for the weekend:

         Program of the Congress

          Saturday, September 5, 2009

         1:30 p.m.: Opening - Rosary - Introduction
         2:30 p.m.: Conferences
         4:00 p.m.: Holy Mass
         5:30 p.m.: Supper
         7.00 p.m.: Presentation of the United States, Mexico, Canada

         Sunday, September 6, 2009

         9 a.m.: Rosary
         Conferences: Presentation of France and Poland,
         South America and Central America
         Noon: Lunch time
         1:30 p.m.: Presentation of Africa, Madagascar, the Ivory Coast, Congo,
Togo
         16:30 p.m.: Procession in the street
         17:00 p.m.: Holy Mass — Supper
         19:30 p.m.: Apostles of MICHAEL and the distributers
         of leaflets from around the world.

         Monday, September 7, 2007

         9:00 a.m.: Holy Mass
         10 a.m.: Projects for the future from each country
         14:00 p.m.: Pilgrimage to St. Joseph's Oratory

         Tuesday, September 8th: Pilgrimage to Our Lady of the Cape

         Modesty in dress

         The Pilgrims of St. Michael are defenders of the dignity of the human
person, created in the image and likeness of God. We must dress as dignified men
and women of God. We must give a good example. The women do not wear trousers,
but must wear a dress, with a length past the knees, with sleeves and a collar.
In the norms of the Church, it is recommended that the sleeves go at least up to
the elbow. Mini-skirts, shorts, bermudas are forbidden on our grounds and in our
houses, and the men must wear a jacket.






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#1459 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:40 am
Subject: Testimony of Michele Canone, OFS 		richard372000
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Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

SFO International Council - Quarterly edition
  Vol. 4- N. 1 - 2009 - February

Testimony of Michele Canone, SFO

“If you cut a photograph in half, each part only shows a fraction of the complete image. But if you divide a hologram, each part shows the whole picture in its entirety. No matter how small the subdivisions are, each piece still shows the whole image.†(P. Senge, The Fifth Discipline)

Dear brothers and sisters,

This fascinating ‘image of the hologram’ is, in my opinion, at this historic time, the best illustration of the International ‘vision’ of the SFO. Basically, the hologram fascinates me because it leads me inevitably to think of the ‘particle’, to which the same principle of ‘indivisible wholeness’ applies. No matter how small the consecrated bread is, each granule will always contain the same body of Jesus.

Today’s Franciscan Secular Order needs to reacquire the true sense of identity and belonging. Emanuela De Nunzio reminded the capitulars that “Every discussion of belonging, for every individual, is closely linked to that of identity and presupposes it. […] There is no identity without belonging and there is no belonging without identity: they are distinct, yet forever fundamentally joined. It is, therefore, obvious that to talk of belonging, it is necessary to talk of identity: to have self-awareness and to distinguish oneself dialogically from othersâ€.
You know, the hologram divided into so many pieces does indeed show the same image, but it keeps letting us see it from a different angle and this is exactly what we notice on occasions like the General Chapter. Pausing with many of the capitulars to exchange ideas, opinions and experiences, I became more and more aware of how they represent for me the unique identity of the SFO, enriched by its very own outlook and perspective. The sense of belonging is so alive in the brothers, whose commitment is such that the unique ‘vision’ of the Order is for them the ‘background music’ to all that they do in their lives.

Attending the Chapter was for me a gift of infinite grace! Today I would like to thank the Presidency Council, not only for giving me the opportunity to be there, at the Chapter, but especially for giving me the honour of giving witness of the wonder of belonging to a Family so rich in its many forms and colours.

In Budapest, I was pleasantly surprised to have all my expectations proved wrong. Let me be honest with you. I confess that at thirty years of age, fifteen years of which I have devoted to Franciscan Youth, I found it difficult to imagine that I could find men and women aged 50 to 60 so full of light and charged with energy. I was always convinced that the light received by the thousands of young people I have met during these years with Franciscan Youth was unique and unrepeatable. I was wrong; today I know that that light, if it be real, cannot fade; indeed it must assume a nature determined enough to eliminate any shadow which might threaten the complete vision of the world.

The Lord has been generous to me. He has enabled me to experience the internationalism of Francis since my earliest years in Franciscan Youth. The first time I encountered Franciscan brothers and sisters outside Italy was in 1995, on the occasion of the III Interobediential Franciscan Youth Chapter (unity was still a long way off) in Pinarella di Cervia, a chapter linked to the European event EUROHOPE (Euro-hope of peace), strongly wished for by John Paul II during the years of the war in ex-Yugoslavia. I was barely 17, and you can imagine what it meant for a young man in love with Francis, a lover of foreign languages and cultures (I was specialising in languages at high school), to be able to share with young people like myself from Great Britain, Malta, Poland, France…. however, in those days Franciscan Youth did not have a proper ‘international impetus’ and so that meeting was just a one-off.

The true light, the one that allowed me to discover the furthest corners of the room, was lit in 2003, thanks to the “III European Congress of Franciscan Youth†in Croatia and Slovenia. There are no words to express fully the type of joy one experiences in ‘reciprocal universal sharing’. There then followed the “I International Meeting†in Cologne in 2005, the “IV European Meeting†in Assisi, the “I International Assembly†in Barcelona in 2005 and finally the “II International Meeting†in Sydney.

Thanks to this close collaboration with Brothers Ivan Matic, ofm and Xavi Ramos, sfo, Assistant and International Counsellor of Franciscan Youth respectively, I met some brothers and sisters of the Council of Presidency. In particular, Encarnacion del Pozo, an incredibly ‘maternal’ and ‘fraternal’ lady:  we are in good hands and it is no coincidence that she was re-elected almost unanimously.

However, what was I doing in Budapest? 
I have to laugh, because, in spite of the fact that it was 10 days’ hard work, what with secretarial work, musical activities, translating the proceedings and press releases and the coordination of the communication & web commission, I am convinced more than ever that, when it comes to giving and receiving, I surely have done much more receiving.

I would like to convey the emotions which packed my heart when each of the capitulars was called to confirm their own availability. So much peace and serenity. Both Encarnación Del Pozo, and the Canadian, Doug Clorey, elected vice-Minister General, actually appeared before everyone hand in hand with husband and wife respectively,  confirming not only their own, but also their whole family’s availability to support the Order. Do you realize how involved their family, work and everything else must be in such a mission?

Today I feel I should tell you about how much consideration Ciofs is giving to certain aspects.
Personally, I like the direction it is intended to take in the next in the next six years. Reflecting once more on the ‘sense of identity and belonging’ in the light of the grace of the Profession is truly a responsible gesture against the relativism and subjectivism prevalent in this century. Entering into dialogue to create a shared vision will make us more genuine in the spirit of our mission. Today, belonging no longer means ‘taking part in’ but ‘being part of’. The emphasis needs to be placed on ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’, because it is identity which leads to action and not the other way round; on being opposed to the fashion of ‘believing but not belonging’, or believing without commitment, because we know that we believe in a God who asks no more of us than that we ‘remain part of his kingdom’. What article 30.1 of our Constitutions expresses in this regard is very beautiful: ‘Brothers are jointly responsible for the life of the Fraternity to which they belong and of the SFO as an organic union of all Fraternities throughout the world’. And like the hologram, wherever we are, we are part of the whole.

Concentrating on our presence throughout the world, Encarnita’s words, directed even towards the Ministers General of the First Order, stress the following: “I am convinced that the First Order, the Second and the Third Order Regular need, at all levels, the knowledge that we can offer†as people completely immersed “in situations of daily life and in problems relating to work, the family, politics, and education and science, not forgetting situations of extreme poverty and all types of misfortuneâ€. We must be proud and aware of our being salt mixed through every situation of daily living.

The outcome of the Capitulars’ reflections has been condensed into a programme of 5 priorities:

  1. Formation/Training
  2. Communication
  3. Franciscan Youth
  4. Presence in the world
  5. Emergent National Fraternities

I would like to pay particular attention to communication and Franciscan Youth
Communication: in the past, this meant to the Order little more than issuing a ‘circular’ which informed everyone about important events. Today, communication is ‘action’, communicating means living communion and making this known so that others can live it. This is the greatest challenge. Not to separate the two at the very outset, as Training will be necessary in Communication, which is the soul of sharing!

Franciscan Youth: it is nice to see Ciofs paying attention to Franciscan Youth. What surprises me is not so much that it does so, but how it does so. Encarnita has definitively asserted that “Franciscan Youth is not the future of the Order, but its presentâ€. The youthful expression of Franciscanism which enables it to spread its presence in the world not only geographically but at a generational level. This is among the priorities since, although in the last six years a lot has been done, now is the time to involve the International Fraternity through the setting up of a coordinating committee to help heighten the sense of belonging and identity among young people as well.

Thanks to Elizabeth, Francis and Claire and overall thanks to the Father because he keep giving me such any chances to grow up in a very incredible and unique way and even if I don’t feel like deserving all of this but I’m sure He knows the reason to let me do this.


Source: www.ciofs.org


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#1458 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:42 am
Subject: Cardinal Bertone on "Caritas in Veritate" 		richard372000
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An important document, I think...
 
Cardinal Bertone on "Caritas in Veritate"
"It Is Also Possible to Do Business by Pursuing Aims That Serve Society"

ROME, AUG. 22, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of a speech Benedict XVI's secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, gave to the Italian Senate last month. The July 28 discourse was a reflection on the Pope's third encyclical, "Caritas in Veritate."
* * *
Benedict XVI begins his Encyclical with a deep, comprehensive introduction in which he reflects on and analyzes the words of the title which closely link "caritas" and "veritas": love and truth. This is not only a sort of "explicatio terminorum", an initial explanation which seeks to point out the fundamental principles and perspectives of his entire teaching. Indeed, like the musical theme of a symphony, the theme of truth and charity then recurs throughout the document precisely because, as the Pope writes, in it is "the principal driving force behind the authentic development of every person and of all humanity" [1].
But, we ask ourselves, which truth and which love are meant? There is no doubt that today these very concepts give rise to suspicion especially the term "truth" or are the object of misunderstanding, and this is especially the case with the term "love". This is why it is important to make clear which truth and which love the Pope is addressing in his new Encyclical. The Holy Father explains that these two fundamental realities are neither extrinsic to man nor even imposed upon him in the name of any kind of ideological vision; rather, they are deeply rooted within the person. Indeed, "love and truth", the Pope says, "are the vocation planted by God in the heart and mind of every human person" [2], the person who, according to Sacred Scripture, has been created precisely "as an image of the Creator", in other words of the "God of the Bible, who is both "Agápe" and "Lógos": Charity and Truth, Love and Word [3].
This reality is testified to us not only by biblical Revelation but can be grasped by every person of good will who uses right reason in reflecting on himself [4]. In this regard, several passages of an important and meaningful Document that came out just before Caritas in veritate seem to illustrate this view clearly. The International Theological Commission in recent months has given us a text entitled "The Search for Universal Ethics: A New Look at Natural Law". It addresses topics of great importance which I wish to point out and to recommend especially in this context of the Senate, that is, an institution whose main function is legislative. Indeed, as the Holy Father said to the United Nations Assembly in New York during his Visit last year to their headquarters [5], sometimes called the "glass palace", speaking about the foundation of human rights: These rights "are based on the natural law inscribed on human hearts and present in different cultures and civilizations. Removing human rights from this context would mean restricting their range and yielding to a relativistic conception, according to which the meaning and interpretation of rights could vary and their universality would be denied in the name of different cultural, political, social and even religious outlooks". These reflections do not apply solely to human rights. They apply to every intervention by the legitimate authority called to regulate the life of the community in accordance with true justice by means of legislation that is not the result of a mere conventional agreement but aims at the authentic good of the person and of society and hence refers to this natural law.
Now, expounding on the reality of natural law, the International Theological Commission describes precisely how truth and love are essential requirements of every person and are deeply rooted in his being. "In his search for moral good, the human person should recognize what he is and be aware of the fundamental inclinations of his nature" [6], which orient him toward the goods necessary for his moral fulfilment. As is well known, "a distinction has traditionally been made between three important forms of natural dynamism.... The first, in common with every essential being, is comprised of the fundamental instinct to preserve and develop one's own existence. The second, which is shared by all living beings, includes the inclination to reproduce in order to perpetuate the species. The third, which is proper to man as a rational being, constitutes the inclination to know the truth about God and to live in society" [7]. Examining in depth this third form of dynamism which is found in every individual, the International Theological Commission declares that it is "specific to the human being as a spiritual being, endowed with reason, capable of knowing the truth, of entering into dialogue with others and of forming social relationships.... His integral well-being is thus closely linked to community life, which is organized in a political society by virtue of a natural inclination and not a mere convention. The person's relational character is also expressed in his tendency to live in communion with God or the Absolute....
Of course, it may be denied by those who refuse to admit the existence of a personal God, but it remains implicitly present in the search for truth and for meaning that is present in every human being" [8].
Man, therefore, through the "breadth of reason" [9], is made to know the truth in its full depth by "broadening [his] concept of reason", in other words, not limiting himself to acquiring technical knowledge in order to dominate material reality but rather opening himself to the very encounter with the Transcendent and to living fully the interpersonal dimension of love, "the principle not only of micro-relationships (with friends, with family members or within small groups) but also of macro-relationships (social, economic and political ones)" [10]. "Veritas" and "caritas" themselves point out to us the requirements of the natural law which Benedict XVI places as a fundamental criterion for moral reflection on the current socio-economic reality: "'Caritas in veritate' is the principle around which the Church's social doctrine turns, a principle that takes on practical form in the criteria that govern moral action" [11].
Using a cogent expression, the Holy Father thus affirms that "the Church's social teaching... is "caritas in veritate in re sociali": the proclamation of the truth of Christ's love in society. This doctrine is a service to charity, but its locus is truth" [12].
What the Encyclical suggests is neither ideological nor exclusively reserved to those who share belief in the divine Revelation. Rather, it is based on fundamental anthropological realities such as, precisely, truth and charity properly understood or, as the Encyclical itself says, given to the human being and received by him, but neither planned nor willed by him [13]. Benedict XVI wants to remind everyone that it is only by being anchored to this double criterion of "veritas" and "caritas", inseparably bound together, that it is possible to build the authentic good of the human being who is made for truth and love. According to the Holy Father, "only in charity, illumined by the light of reason and faith, is it possible to pursue development goals that possess a more humane and humanizing value" [14].
After this indispensable introduction, of which I have chosen to highlight some of the anthropological and theological aspects of the Papal text that may have attracted fewer comments from journalists, I would now like to explain just a few points, without claiming to cover the vast content of the Encyclical. Moreover, authoritative commentators have already published specific reflections on it in L'Osservatore Romano and elsewhere.
An important message that comes to us from Caritas in veritate is the invitation to supersede the now obsolete dichotomy between the financial sphere and the social sphere. Modernity has bequeathed to us the idea on the basis of which, if we are to be able to operate in the field of the economy, it is essential to achieve a profit and to be motivated chiefly by self-interest; as if to say that if we do not seek the highest profit we are not proper entrepreneurs. Should this not be the case, we must be content with belonging to the social sphere.
This conceptualization, that confuses the market economy that is the genus with its own particular species which is the capitalist system, has led to identifying the economy with the place where wealth or income is generated, and society with the place of solidarity for its fair distribution.
Caritas in veritate tells us instead that it is also possible to do business by pursuing aims that serve society and are inspired by pro-social motives. This is a practical way, if not the only one, of bridging the gap between the economic and the social spheres, given that an economic activity which did not incorporate the social dimension would not be ethically acceptable. It is likewise true that a social policy concerned only with redistribution, that failed to reckon with the available resources, would not be sustainable in the long run: in fact, production must precede distribution.
We should be particularly grateful to Benedict XVI for wishing to emphasize the fact that economic action is not separate from or alien to the cornerstones of the Church's social teaching such as: the centrality of the human person, solidarity, subsidariety, the common good.
It is necessary to supersede the current concept which expects the Church's social teaching and values to be confined to social activities, while experts in efficiency would be charged with guiding the economy. It is the merit and certainly not a secondary one of this Encyclical to contribute to remedying this gap which is both cultural and political.
Contrary to what people think, efficiency is not the fundamentum divisionis for distinguishing between what is business and what is not, for the simple reason that "efficiency" is a category that belongs to the order of means and not of ends. Indeed, efficiency is indispensable in order to achieve as well as possible the purpose one has freely chosen to give one's action. The entrepreneur who gives priority to efficiency that is an end in itself risks being caught by one of the most frequent causes of the destruction of wealth today, as the current economic and financial crisis sadly confirms.
To expand briefly on this theme, to say "market" means saying "competition", in the sense that the market cannot exist where there is no competition (even if the opposite is not true). And there is no one who can fail to see that the fruitfulness of competition lies in the fact that it implies tension, the dialectic that presupposes the presence of another and the relationship with another. Without tension there is no movement, but the movement this is the point to which tension gives rise can also be fatal; in other words it can generate death.
If the purpose of economic action is not synonymous with striving for a common goal as the Latin etymology "cum-petere" would clearly indicate but rather with Hobbes' theory, "mors tua, vita mea" [your death is my life], then the social bond is reduced to commercial relations and economic activity tends to become inhuman, hence ultimately inefficient. Therefore, even in competition, "the Church's social doctrine holds that authentically human social relationships of friendship, solidarity and reciprocity can also be conducted within economic activity, and not only outside it or "after" it. The economic sphere is neither ethically neutral, nor inherently inhuman and opposed to society. It is part and parcel of human activity and precisely because it is human, it must be structured and governed in an ethical manner" [15].
Well, the advantage by no means small that Caritas in veritate offers us is to give special consideration to the concept of market, typical of the tradition of the thought of civil economics, according to which it is possible to live the experience of human sociality within a normal economic life and not outside or beside it. This concept might be defined as an alternative, both regarding the concept that sees the market as a place for the exploitation and abuse of the weak by the strong, and the concept which, in line with anarchic-liberalistic thought, sees it as a place that can provide solutions to all the problems of society.
This way of doing business is differentiated from that of the traditional Smithian economy, which sees the market as the only institution truly necessary for democracy and freedom. The Church's social doctrine, on the other hand, reminds us that a sound society is certainly the product of the market and of freedom, but there are needs that stem from the principle of brotherhood that can neither be avoided nor be referred solely to the private sphere or to philanthropy. Rather, the Church's social doctrine proposes a humanism with various dimensions, in which the market is not combated or "controlled" but is seen as an important institution in the public sphere a sphere which far exceeds State control which, if it is conceived of and lived as a place that is also open to the principles of reciprocity and of giving, can construct a healthy civil coexistence.
I shall now examine one of the themes in the Encyclical which seems to me to have attracted some public interest because of the newness of the principles of brotherhood and free giving in economic activity. "Social and political development, if it is to be authentically human", Pope Benedict XVI says, needs "to make room for the principle of gratuitousness" [16]. "Internal forms of solidarity" are essential. The chapter on the cooperation of the human family is significant in this regard. In it the Pope stresses that "the development of peoples depends, above all, on a recognition that the human race is a single family", which is why "thinking of this kind requires a deeper critical evaluation of the category of relation". And further: "The theme of development can be identified with the inclusion-in-relation of all individuals and peoples within the one community of the human family, built in solidarity on the basis of the fundamental values of justice and peace" [17].
The key word that today expresses this need better than any other is "brotherhood". It was the Franciscan school of thought that gave this term the meaning it has retained over the course of time and that constitutes the complement and exaltation of the principle of solidarity. In fact, whereas solidarity is the principle of social organization that permits those who are unequal to become equal through their equal dignity and their fundamental rights, the principle of brotherhood is that principle of social organization which permits equals to be different, in the sense that they are able to express their plan of life or their charism in different ways.
Let me explain more clearly. The periods we have left behind us, the 19th century and especially the 20th century, were marked by great battles both cultural and political in the name of solidarity. This was a good thing; only think of the history of the trade union movement and of the fight to obtain civil rights. The point is that a society oriented to the common good cannot stop at solidarity because it needs a solidarity that reflects brotherhood, given that while a fraternal society also shows solidarity, the opposite is not necessarily true.
If one overlooks the unsustainability of a human society in which the sense of brotherhood is lacking and in which everything revolves around improving transactions based on the exchange of equivalents or to increasing transfers actuated by public structures for social assistance it then becomes clear why, in spite of the quality of the intellectual forces at work, we have not yet found a credible solution to the great trade-off between efficiency and equity. Caritas in veritate helps us to realize that society can have no future if the principle of brotherhood is lost. In other words, society cannot progress if the logic of "giving in order to have" or of "giving as a duty" is the only one that exists and develops. This is why neither the liberal-individualistic vision of the world, in which (almost) everything is exchange, nor the State-centred vision of society, in which (almost) everything is based on obligation, are reliable guides to lead us out of the shallows in which our societies today have run aground.
Then we ask ourselves the question: why is the perspective of the common good as it has been formulated by the Church's social doctrine, which was banished from the scene for at least two centuries, re-emerging like an underground river? Why is the transition from national markets to the global market that has taken place over the last 25 years rendering the topic of the common good timely once again? I note in passing that what is occurring is part of a broader movement of ideas in economics, a movement whose goal is the link between a religious sense and economic performance. On the basis of the consideration that religious beliefs are of crucial importance in forging people's cognitive maps and in shaping the social norms of behaviour, this movement of ideas is seeking to investigate how far the prevalence in a specific country (or territory) of a certain religious matrix influences the formation of categories of economic thought, welfare programmes, educational policies and so forth. After a long period, during which the celebrated theses of secularization appeared to have had the last word on the religious question at least insofar as the economic field is concerned what is happening today appears truly paradoxical.
It is not difficult to explain the return to the contemporary cultural debate in the perspective of the common good, a true and proper symbol of Catholic ethics in the social and economic field. As John Paul ii explained on many occasions, the Church's social teaching should not be considered as yet another ethical theory as regards the numerous theories already available in literature. Instead it should be seen as their "common grammar", since it is based on a specific viewpoint, the preservation of the human good. In truth, while the various ethical theories are rooted either in the search for rules (as happens in the positivist doctrine of natural law), or in action (as in Rawls' neo-contractualism or neo-utilitarianism), the social doctrine of the Church embraces "being with" as its Archimedean point. The ethical sense of the common good explains that in order to understand human action we must see it from the perspective of the acting person [18] and not from the viewpoint of the third person (as does natural law) or of the impartial spectator (as Adam Smith had suggested). In fact since the moral good is a practical reality, it is known first and foremost by those who practise it rather than by those who theorize about it. They can identify it and hence choose it unhesitatingly every time it is questioned.
Next, let us speak of the principle of free giving in the economy. What would be the practical consequence of applying the principle of free giving in economic activity? Pope Benedict XVI replies that the market and politics need "individuals who are open to reciprocal gift" [19]. The consequence of acknowledging that the principle of gratuitousness has a priority place in economic life has to do with the dissemination of culture and of the practice of reciprocity.
Together with democracy, reciprocity defined by Benedict XVI as "the heart of what it is to be a human being" [20] is a founding value of a society. Indeed, it could also be maintained that democratic rule draws its ultimate meaning from reciprocity.
In what "places" is reciprocity at home? In other words, where is it practised and nourished? The family is the first of these places: only think of the relationships between parents and children and between siblings. It is in the context of one's family that the relationship characteristic of brotherhood and based on giving develops. Then there are the cooperative, the social enterprise and associations in their various forms. Is it not true that the relationship between family members or the members of a cooperative are relations of reciprocity? Today we know that a country's civil and economic progress depends fundamentally on the extent to which reciprocity is practised by its citizens. Today there is an immense need for cooperation: this is why we need to extend the forms of free giving and to reinforce those that already exist. Societies that uproot the tree of reciprocity from their land are destined to decline, as history has been teaching us for years.
What is the proper role of the gift? It is to make people understand that beside the goods of justice are the goods of gratuitousness and, consequently, that the society whose members are content with the goods of justice alone is not authentically human. The Pope speaks of "the astonishing experience of gift" [21].
What is the difference? The goods of justice are those that derive from a duty. The goods of giving freely are those that are born from an obbligatio. That is, they are goods born from the recognition that I am bound to another and that, in a certain sense he is a constitutive part of me. This is why the logic of gratuitousness cannot be simplistically reduced to a purely ethical dimension. Indeed, gratuitousness is not an ethical virtue. Justice, as Plato formerly taught, is an ethical virtue, and we are all in agreement as to the importance of justice; but gratuitousness concerns rather the supra-ethical dimension of human action because its logic is superabundance, whereas the logic of justice is the logic of equivalence. Well, Caritas in veritate tells us that to function well and to progress, a society needs to have in its economic praxis people who understand what the goods of gratuitousness entail, in other words, who understand that we must let the principle of gratuitousness circulate anew in the channels of our society.
Benedict XVI asks us to restore the principle of gift to the public sphere. The authentic gift affirming the primacy of relationship over its reciprocation, of the inter-subjective bond over the good that is given, of personal identity over assets must find room for expression everywhere, in every context of human action, including the economy. The message that Caritas in veritate offers us is to think of gratuitousness hence brotherhood as a symbol of the human condition and thus to see the practice of giving as the indispensable prerequisite for the State and the market to function, with the common good as their goal. Without the widespread practice of giving, it would still be possible to have an efficient market and an authoritative (and even just) State, but people would certainly not be helped to achieve joie de vivre. Because, even if efficiency and justice are combined, they are not enough to guarantee people's happiness.
In Caritas in veritate Pope Benedict XVI reflects on the profound (and not on the immediate) causes of the current crisis. It is not my intention to review them and I shall limit myself to summing up the three principal factors of the crisis, identified and examined.
The first concerns the radical change in the relationship between finance and the production of goods and services which has gradually been consolidated in the past 30 years. From the mid-1970s various Western countries have based their promises of pension funds on investments that depended on the sustainable profitability of the new financial instruments, thereby exposing the real economy to the caprices of finance and generating the growing need to earmark value-added quotas to the remuneration of savings invested in these. The pressure on businesses deriving from stock exchanges and private equity funds have had repercussions in various directions: on directors, obliged to continuously improve the performance of their management in order to receive a growing number of stock options; on consumers, to convince them to buy more and more, even in the absence of purchasing power; on businesses of the real economy to convince them to increase the value for the shareholder.
And so it was that the persistent demand for increasingly brilliant financial results had repercussions on the entire economic system, to the point that it became a true and proper cultural model.
The second factor that contributed to causing the crisis was the dissemination in popular culture of the ethos of efficiency as the ultimate criterion of judgement and the justification of the financial reality. On the one hand, this ended by legitimizing greed which is the best known and most widespread form of avarice as a sort of civic virtue: the greed market that replaces the free market. "Greed is good, greed is right", preached Gordon Gekko, who starred in Wall Street, the famous 1987 film.
Lastly, in Caritas in veritate the Pope does not omit to reflect on the cause of the causes of the crisis: the specificity of the cultural matrix that was consolidated in recent decades on the wave of the globalization process on the one hand, and on the other, with the advent of the third industrial revolution, the revolution of information technology. One specific aspect of this matrix concerns the ever more widespread dissatisfaction with the way of interpreting the principle of freedom. As is well known, there are three constitutive dimensions of freedom: autonomy, immunity, and empowerment.
Autonomy means freedom of choice: one is not free unless one is in a position to choose. Immunity, on the other hand, means the absence of coercion by some external agent. It is substantially negative freedom (in other words it is "freedom from"). Lastly, empowerment (literally: the capacity for action) means the capacity to choose, that is, for achieving the objectives, at least in part or to some extent, that the person has set himself. One is not free even if one succeeds (even only partially) in realizing one's plan of life.
As can be understood, the challenge is to bring together all three dimensions of freedom: this is the reason why the paradigm of the common good appears as a particularly interesting perspective to explore.
In the light of what has been said above, we can understand why the financial crisis cannot claim to be an unexpected or inexplicable event. This is why, without taking anything from the indispensable interventions in a regulatory key or from the necessary new forms of control, we shall not succeed in preventing similar episodes from arising in the future unless the evil is attacked at the root, or in other words, unless we intervene by dealing with the cultural matrix that supports the economic system. This crisis sends a double message to the Government authorities. In the first place, that the sacrosanct criticism of the "intervening State" can in no way ignore the central role of the "regulatory State". Secondly, that the public authorities at different levels of government, must allow, indeed enhance, the emergence and reinforcement of a pluralist financial market. A market, in other words, should allow different people to work in conditions of objective parity to achieve the specific aim they have set themselves. I am thinking of the regional banks, of cooperative credit banks, ethical banks, of various ethical foundations. These are bodies that not only propose creative finance to their branches but above all play a complementary, hence balancing, role with regard to the agents of speculative finance. If in recent decades the financial authorities had removed the many restrictions that burden agents in alternative finance, today's crisis would not have had the devastating power that we are experiencing.
Before concluding, I would like to thank Hon. Mr Renato Schifani, President of the Senate of the Italian Republic, for permitting me to explain to this qualified audience several features of Benedict XVI's latest Encyclical.
In a certain way it is as if today the Holy Father were returning to the Headquarters of the Senate of the Republic, where, in the Library of the Senate on 13 May 2004, the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger gave an unforgettable "lectio magistralis" on the theme: "Europe. Its spiritual foundations yesterday, today and tomorrow".
It is interesting to note how, in that discourse, among other things the future Pontiff touched on certain topics that we rediscover today in his most recent Encyclical. Let us think, for example, of the affirmation of the profound reason for the dignity of the person and of his rights: "they are not created by the legislator", the then- Cardinal Ratzinger said, "nor are they conferred upon citizens, "but rather they exist through their own law, they are always to be respected by the legislator, they are given to him in advance as values of a superior order". This validity of human dignity prior to any political action and any political decision refers ultimately to the Creator; he alone can establish values that are based on the essence of the human being and are intangible. That there are values that cannot be manipulated by anyone is the true and proper guarantee of our freedom and of human greatness; the Christian faith sees in this the mystery of the Creator and of the condition of the image of God who has conferred them on man". In Caritas in veritate Benedict XVI repeats that "human rights risk being ignored" when "they are robbed of their transcendent foundation" [22], that is, when people forget that "God is the guarantor of man's true development, inasmuch as, having created him in his image, he also established the transcendent dignity of men and women" [23].
Further, in the "lectio magistralis" given five years ago, the current Pontiff recalled that "a second point in which the European identity appears is marriage and the family. Monogamic marriage, as a fundamental structure of the relationship between a man and a woman and at the same time as a cell in the formation of the State community, was forged on the basis of biblical faith. It has given its special features and its special humanity to Western and Eastern Europe, also and precisely because the form of fidelity and renunciation outlined here must always be acquired anew, with great effort and much suffering.
Europe would no longer be Europe if this fundamental cell of its social edifice were to disappear or to be essentially altered". In Caritas in veritate this warning is extended until it becomes universal, we might say global, and reaches all who are responsible for public life; we read in it, in fact: "It is thus becoming a social and even economic necessity once more to hold up to future generations the beauty of marriage and the family, and the fact that these institutions correspond to the deepest needs and dignity of the person. In view of this, States are called to enact policies promoting the centrality and the integrity of the family founded on marriage between a man and a woman, the primary vital cell of society, and to assume responsibility for its economic and fiscal needs, while respecting its essentially relational character" [24].
Of course, Caritas in veritate is addressed, as it says in its official title, to all the members of the Catholic Church and to "all people of good will". Yet, because of the principles it illumines, the problems it tackles and the guidelines it offers, it seems to me that this Papal Document which gave rise to so many expectations beforehand and then to so much attention and appreciation, especially in the social, political and economic contexts can find a special echo in this institutional Headquarters of the Senate of the Republic. I am convinced that, over and above differences in training and in personal conviction, those who have the delicate and honourable responsibility of representing the Italian people and of exercising legislative power during their mandate, may find in the Pope's words a lofty and profound inspiration for carrying out their mission so as to respond adequately to the ethical, cultural and social challenges which call us into question today and which, with great lucidity and completeness, the Encyclical Caritas in veritate sets before us. My hope is that this document of the ecclesial Magisterium which I have endeavoured to describe to you today, at least in part, may find here the attention it deserves and thus bear positive and abundant fruit for the good of every person and of the entire human family, starting with the beloved Italian Nation.
--- --- ---
Notes
[1] Caritas in veritate, n. 1
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid., n. 3.
[4] "Truth is the light that gives meaning and value to charity. That light is both the light of reason and the light of faith, through which the intellect attains to the natural and supernatural truth of charity" (ibid.).
[5] Discourse to the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization, 18 April 2008.
[6] The Search for Universal Ethics: A New Look at Natural Law, n. 45.
[7] Ibid., n. 46.
[8] Ibid., n. 50.
[9] Discourse to the University of Regensburg, 12 September 2006.
[10] Caritas in Veritate, n. 2
[11] Ibid., n. 6.
[12] Ibid., n. 5.
[13] "Truth which is itself a gift, in the same way as charity is greater than we are, as St Augustine teaches. Likewise the truth of ourselves, of our personal conscience, is first of all given to us. In every cognitive process, truth is not something that we produce, it is always found, or better, received. Truth, like love, 'is neither planned nor willed, but somehow imposes itself upon human beings'" (Caritas in Veritate, n. 34).
[14] Ibid., n. 9.
[15] Ibid., n. 36.
[16] Ibid., n. 34.
[17] Ibid., nn. 53-54.
[18] Cf. Veritatis Splendor, n. 78.
[19] Cf. ibid., nn. 35-39.
[20] Ibid., n. 57.
[21] Ibid., n. 34.
[22] Ibid., n. 56.
[23] Ibid., n. 29.
[24] Ibid., n. 44.
Source: www.zenit.org
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#1457 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:56 pm
Subject: Sri Lankan Amputee Meets Pope 		richard372000
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Sri Lankan Amputee Meets Pope

Receives Prosthetic Limbs Through Solidarity Campaign

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, AUG. 19, 2009 (Zenit.org).- An 18-year-old Sri Lankan youth who lost his arms and legs had a wish come true today as he met and spoke personally with Benedict XVI.

Rajiv Janine, whose limbs were amputated after a rail accident, was able to meet with the Pope after the general audience at the Pontiff's summer residence of Castel Gandolfo.

Janine told the Holy Father his story, and asked for a blessing on himself and his brother, who will soon be ordained a priest, and his sister, who is a religious in the Philippines. Another sister was with him to assist him on the trip to Italy.

The youth stood with prosthetic limbs, bought with money raised by a solidarity campaign in Italy, L'Osservatore Romano reported.

The Vatican newspaper reported that this campaign was initiated by an Italian priest, Father Giuseppe Iasso, pastor in Mercogliano, in the Avellino province of Southern Italy.

For 25 years he has been promoting initiatives like this to help the needy in Sri Lanka.

Father Iasso told the newspaper that over the years they have been working in two villages to advance interreligious dialogue among the Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims.

He noted that they have been collaborating closely with the civil and religious authorities in supporting schools and hospitals in the area.

Exceptional generosity

The priest affirmed that these projects have been made possible thanks to many Italians whose generosity "reached exceptional levels" after the tsunami that struck Sri Lanka in 2004.

He stated that the money for Janine had been collected by sending letters and knocking on the doors of parishes and families.

In the end, Father Iasso reported, an amount of 40,000 euro [$57,000] was gathered, from many benefactors, including children who emptied their banks and one elderly woman in a wheelchair who gave up her life savings.

After this successful campaign, the priest wrote to the Pontiff in order to tell him about Janine.

"I opened my priestly heart to the Pope," Father Iasso said, and Benedict XVI expressed the desire to receive this youth personally "in order to encourage him."

The priest concluded, "The testimony of Rajiv, with his serenity in spite of the pain and disability, is an invitation for all who suffer to not be discouraged and to never lose hope."


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#1456 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:07 am
Subject: Rick Warren (author Purpose Driven Life) 		richard372000
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Thanks Dick for this very good message.

Pax to all !

Richard

http://ofs-de-sherbrooke.over-blog.com/

 

 

This is my sermon for the day! Let it minister to you in person, and when it has; endeavor to share with others!


 
You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, 'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor ofSaddleback  Church in  California.

In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:  
People ask me, What is the purpose of life?  
And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.  

One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.  
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity..  

We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.  
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.  
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort; God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.  

We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.  
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.  
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.  

Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.  
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.  
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems:  
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.  

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her- It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.  

You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.  
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.  
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.

So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.  
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit.. We made no major purchases.  
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.  

Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.  

Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.  

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?  
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?  

When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do.  
That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.  

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.  
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.  
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.  
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.  
Every moment, THANK GOD..  

If you do not pass it on, nothing will happen. But it will just be nice to pass it on to a friend....just like I have done.  
God's Blessings


HE ARRIVED THIS MORNING, WE HAD PRAYER; SPENT SOME TIME JUST TALKING, AND HE HELD ME FOR AWHILE BECAUSE I WAS HAVING A BAD MORNING.. THEN, HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO YOUR PLACE.




When He gets to your PC, escort Him to the next stop. Please don't allow Him to sleep on your PC. The message He is carrying is very important and needs to go round. May God bless you as you do this- AMEN.

Walking for Jesus!
Say a prayer, and then pass Him on to bless others. Our assignment is to love and spread the gospel throughout the world.

Have a blessed day and touch somebody's life today! I just did. He's walking around the world - via e-mail!! 
 

 
 
 

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#1455 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Fri Jul 31, 2009 9:35 pm
Subject: Pontiff Stresses Interdependence of Creation 		richard372000
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Pontiff Stresses Interdependence of Creation

World Day of Peace Theme Published

VATICAN CITY, JULY 29, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI's message for the next World Day of Peace, which will be celebrated Jan. 1, focuses on the connection between protecting creation and building peace.

A Vatican communiqué reported today that the theme of the Pope's message is "If you want to cultivate peace, protect the creation."

This theme "aims to raise awareness about the strong bond that exists in our globalized and interconnected world between protecting the creation and cultivating peace."

The communiqué noted that this "close and intimate" tie is "further accentuated by the many problems concerning man's natural environment, such as the use of resources, climate change, the application and use of biotechnology, and demographic growth."

It continued, "If the human family is unable to face these new challenges with a renewed sense of social justice and equity, and of international solidarity, we run the risk of sowing seeds of violence among peoples, and between current generations and those to come."

The message referenced the Pontiff's latest encyclical, "Caritas in Veritate," and the guidelines contained in it.

It underlines environmental protection as a challenge for all humankind.

"It is shared and universal duty to respect a collective asset destined for everyone," the statement added.

The message affirmed that all beings depend on each other according to the "universal order established by the Creator."

It explained that the consciousness of this interdependence can combat and eliminate the diverse causes of ecological disasters and guarantee the opportunity of responding when these disasters strike populations and territories.

The message emphasized that "ecological questions must be faced," not only because of the "dreadful prospects that environmental degradation presages."

"They must be translated, above all, into a strong motivation to cultivate peace," it stated.

Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

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#1454 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:55 pm
Subject: Press Sees Hope in "Caritas in Veritate" 		richard372000
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Press Sees Hope in "Caritas in Veritate"

Vatican Spokesman Considers Media Reception

VATICAN CITY, JULY 26, 2009 (Zenit.org).- According to a Vatican spokesman, the media has offered and continues to offer extraordinary coverage of Benedict XVI's new encyclical, seeing in it a "message of hope."

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, gave this evaluation of the press reception of "Caritas in Veritate" during the most recent edition of Vatican Television's "Octava Dies."

He said the encyclical "has had and continues to have a big echo in the world, with numerous commentaries in many different languages."

"The profundity of the anthropological and theological approach and the multiplicity and relevance of the themes treated provide the occasion for a wide gamut of analyses, generally very positive," Father Lombardi observed. "The commentators see that, despite the crisis that we are going through, the encyclical offers a message of hope: Humanity has a mission and the means to transform the world and progress in justice and love in human relations, even in the social and economic field."

The spokesman went on to say that "if development has to be at the service of man and all men, we cannot escape the deepest question: Who is this man to be served."

"Here -- and this is one of the original points of the encyclical -- the horizon expands to themes that were not touched upon in previous social encyclicals: the defense of life, the vision of sexuality and the family," he explained. "On these themes the Pope once again goes courageously against the current of widespread if not dominant cultural tendencies today."

These parts of the encyclical are "essential," Father Lombardi contended, saying they "must be read and taken seriously as part of a unified discourse."

"The Church," the Jesuit concluded, "offers to all, with loyalty, her vision of man, because she is convinced that it is the best way to serve the good of man."


Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

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#1453 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:04 pm
Subject: "Caritas in Veritate": A Defense of Life 		richard372000
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"Caritas in Veritate": A Defense of Life

Pontifical Academy President Comments on Encyclical

By Carmen Elena Villa

ROME, JULY 23, 2009 (Zenit.org).- "Caritas in Veritate" presents the new face of development, true ethics and human dignity, according to the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, who is also rector of the Pontifical Lateran University, gave his evaluation of Benedict XVI's third encyclical during a presentation Wednesday in Rome.

The prelate noted that with the publication of Paul VI's "Populorum Progressio," the primary exhortation was to rescue populations from illiteracy and misery. Now, Archbishop Fisichella said, without excluding those factors, the concept of development "has a broader connotation."

The academy president lamented the incongruity of those who "defend the environment and yet forget human life and its protection." He instead urged a "balance that does not exalt one and humiliate the other, thus falling into neo-paganism." What is needed, the archbishop affirmed, is "integral humanism."

"Only when people know themselves and maintain a longing for the truth can there be a guarantee that society can have coherent development," Archbishop Fisichella said.

He went on to note how "Caritas in Veritate" illustrates true charity, showing "the path for getting out of the tunnel of generalized emotivity."

More than no's

The Vatican official said the Pope's third encyclical reiterates that the Church's message is anything but a list of "thou shalt nots."

Instead, he maintained, the Holy Father lays out a "courageous project" in which the market, businesses and finance "are called above all to answer to needs that are intrinsic to their nature."

Archbishop Fisichella also reflected on the anthropology presented in the encyclical. He cited Paul VI's idea, taken up by Benedict XVI, that "under-development has a cause that is even greater than the lack of thought: It is the lack of fraternity among people and nations."

In this regard, he affirmed that the current economic crisis is rooted in more than finances: Its true cause is a distorted anthropological base.

The encyclical, the prelate said, "shows the path that the person is called to walk along with perseverance."

An ethical framework that takes into account, among other things, just salaries and security and is committed to "educate people so they don't fall into forms of under-development" is needed, the archbishop continued. Such a system has to regard more than technical aspects; it must include the "social, ethical and human factors."

He went on to emphasize the importance of solidarity always being accompanied by subsidiarity.

"Solidarity," Archbishop Fisichella affirmed," is not sufficient if subsidiarity is lacking," since it runs the risk of falling into a mentality of hand-outs. "This perspective is nothing more than an anthropological demand."

Finally, the academy president noted God's role in development: "The spiritual horizon is not an add-on; it is the essence." He pointed to the encyclical's link with "Gaudium et Spes" from the Second Vatican Council, reflecting that "Jesus worked with human hands, thought with a human mind and loved with a human heart."

The originality of this encyclical, he concluded, is that it shows how the "path taken in the light of reason cannot be fulfilled if it is not made in the light of faith."


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#1452 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:58 pm
Subject: "Great Discoveries" Awaiting in the Catacombs 		richard372000
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"Great Discoveries" Awaiting in the Catacombs
Pope Creates Vatican Post Focused on Archeology

VATICAN CITY, JULY 20, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI has created and filled the post of archeological superintendent of the catacombs, in a move that will bring the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archeology to function more like other Vatican dicasteries.
The Pope on Saturday named Monsignor Giovanni Carrù to the role of secretary of the commission. The monsignor had been servicing as subsecretary of the Congregation for Clergy. Fabrizio Bisconti, the outgoing secretary of the archeology commission, has been named the archeological superintendent of the catacombs, a post that did not previously exist.
In an interview Sunday in L'Osservatore Romano, Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, said that this change reflects an intention to give the commission a "general structure similar to that of other Vatican organizations."
"Monsignor Carrù has extensive experience in the Roman Curia, particularly in an important congregation like that of the clergy," he explained. "He arrives to consolidate within the commission all of the general characteristics of management and functioning that are needed so that the profile of the commission resembles as much as possible that of a Vatican organization."
 
This change, Archbishop Ravasi continued, "has brought about the need to introduce the role of archeological superintendent." The person in this post "will take on the responsibility of offering the president and secretary all of the necessary scientific support, taking into account the importance of the investigations that are being done and the complexity that these types of investigations have acquired at the technical level."
 
The archbishop said the role is like that of a "permanent assessor" and is an "important task entrusted to a scholar with great experience," such as Bisconti.
Bisconti, the prelate affirmed, "in the field of knowledge of the catacombs is certainly a figure of unquestioned importance at the international level."
 
Archbishop Ravasi went on to explain some of the accomplishments achieved in the ongoing work of Bisconti and his team. He noted, for example, the discovery last month of the most ancient icon of St. Paul, found in the catacombs of St. Thecla.
 
He further pointed to the restoration of the burial site on the Via Dino Compagni, which has included some 100 paintings in 10 years of work.
The work of the pontifical commission is extensive, ranging from the excavation in the catacombs of St. Agnes, St. Sebastian and Peter and Marcelino, to projects under way outside of Rome.
"Notable paintings are emerging from the catacombs of Carini in Sicily," Archbishop Ravasi said, "and great discoveries await us. Also, the excavation of the small catacombs on the island of Pianosa is commencing again, and we do not exclude the possibility of finding surprises."
 
The commission is also in the process of compiling an "information census" of the thousands of objects discovered in Italy's catacombs.

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#1451 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Fri Jul 17, 2009 2:05 am
Subject: New sfocommunicationcenter member: Welcome to...? 		richard372000
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Hi brother, what is your name ? 

You are welcomme to the Fraternity OnLine sfocommunicationcenter
    
Comment from user:
I am a Secular Franciscan; minister of St. Elizabeth Fraternity in
Leawood KS and regional secretary of Juan de Padilla region. 
Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 


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#1450 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:31 pm
Subject: "The Proclamation of Christ Is the First and Principal Factor of Development" 		richard372000
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On the G-8 Summit

"The Proclamation of Christ Is the First and Principal Factor of Development"

VATICAN CITY, JULY 12, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today before and after praying the midday Angelus with crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square.

* * *

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

In recent days everyone's attention has been on the G-8 summit in L'Aquila, a city that has suffered so much from the earthquake. Some of the topics on the agenda were dramatically urgent. In the world there are social inequalities and structural injustices that are no longer tolerable, that demand, besides the right and proper immediate interventions, a coordinated strategy to find long lasting general solutions. During the summit the heads of state and of governments of the G-8 again stressed the necessity of arriving at common accords with the purpose of assuring humanity a better future.

The Church does not have technical solutions to present, but, as an expert in humanity, she offers to everyone the teaching of the sacred Scripture on the truth about man and proclaims the Gospel of Love and justice. Last Wednesday, commenting on the encyclical "Caritas in Veritate" during the general audience -- the encyclical was published on the eve of the G-8 summit -- I said that "[a] new economic plan is needed that will reshape development in a global way, basing itself on the fundamental ethics of responsibility before God and before man as a creature of God." This is because -- as I wrote in the encyclical -- "[i]n an increasingly globalized society, the common good and the effort to obtain it cannot fail to assume the dimensions of the whole human family" (No. 7).

Already the great Pontiff, Paul VI, in the encyclical "Populorum Progressio," recognized and pointed to the global horizon of the social question. Following the same route, I too indicated the need to dedicate "Caritas in Veritate" to such a question, that, in our time, has become a "radically anthropological question," in the sense, that is, that the way itself of conceiving man is more and more placed in the hands of man himself by modern biotechnology (cf. ibid. No. 75). The solutions to the current problems of humanity cannot be merely technical, but must take account of all the needs of the person, who is endowed with soul and body, and must thus take the Creator, God, into consideration. The "absolutism of technology," which finds its highest expression in certain practices that are contrary to life, could design gloomy scenarios for the future of humanity. The deeds that do not respect the true dignity of the person, even when they seem to be based on a "loving decision," are in reality the fruit of a "materialistic and mechanistic understanding of human life" that reduces love without truth to "an empty shell, filled in an arbitrary way" (cf. No. 6) and could in this way lead to negative effects for integral human development.

Despite the complexity of the current situation of the world, the Church looks to the future with hope and reminds Christians that "the proclamation of Christ is the first and principal factor of development." Precisely today in the collect of the Mass, the Church invites us to pray: "Grant us, Father, not to hold anything more dear than your Son, who reveals to the world the mystery of your love and the true dignity of man." May the Virgin Mary obtain for us [the grace] to walk the path of development with our whole heart and intelligence, "that is to say, with the ardor of charity and the wisdom of truth" (cf. No. 8).

[After the Angelus the Pope greeted the pilgrims in various languages. Here is a translation of the some of the remarks he made in Italian:]

In these days I am following the events in Honduras with lively concern. Today I would like to invite you to pray for that dear country so that, through the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Suyapa, the authorities of the nation and all its inhabitants can patiently follow the way of dialogue, of reciprocal understanding, and reconciliation. That is possible if, overcoming particularist tendencies, everyone makes an effort to seek the truth and pursue the common good with tenacity: This is the condition for assuring peaceful coexistence and authentic democratic life! I assure the beloved Honduran people of my prayer and impart a special apostolic benediction.

Tomorrow, if it pleases God, I will depart for a brief period of rest in the mountains. I will travel to Valle d'Aosta, to Les Combes, an area that is celebrated for the sojourns of my beloved predecessor John Paul II and also much loved by me. In saying "goodbye" to St. Peter's Square and to the city of Rome, I invite all to accompany me with prayer. Prayer does not know distances and separations: wherever we are, it makes us one heart and one soul.

In regard to departures, I will take this occasion once again to stress the duty of all to be prudent in driving and to respect highway laws. A good vacation truly begins with this!

[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]

Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

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#1449 From: Richard C ofs <richard372000@...>
Date: Sat Jul 11, 2009 3:25 am
Subject: Benedict XVI Offers Life Lessons to Obama 		richard372000
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Benedict XVI Offers Life Lessons to Obama

US President Makes 1st Visit to Vatican

VATICAN CITY, JULY 10, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Abortion, conscience protection and bioethics took center stage as Benedict XVI and U.S. President Barack Obama met for the first time today.

The Pope received the president, who was in Italy for the Group of Eight summit that end today in L'Aquila, for about a half hour in a private, closed-door meeting.

In a communiqué issued shortly after the meeting concluded, the Vatican reported that the "conversation turned first of all to questions which are in the interests of all and which constitute a great challenge for the future of every nation and for the true progress of peoples, such as the defense and promotion of life and the right to abide by one's conscience."

"Reference was also made to immigration with particular attention to the matter of reuniting families," the note added. "The meeting focused as well upon matters of international politics, especially in light of the outcome of the G-8 Summit.

"The conversation also dealt with the peace process in the Middle East, on which there was general agreement, and with other regional situations. Certain current issues were then considered, such as dialogue between cultures and religions, the global economic crisis and its ethical implications, food security, development aid especially for Africa and Latin America, and the problem of drug trafficking.

"Finally, the importance of educating young people everywhere in the value of tolerance was highlighted."

Reading material

Benedict XVI gave to the U.S. president a copy of his recently published encyclical, "Caritas in Veritate," and a copy of the 2009 letter of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith "Dignitas Personae" (The Dignity of a Person), which deals with questions of bioethics.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, told Vatican Radio after the audience that the Pope's gift of the letter "Dignitas Humane" was "very significant."

"In the United States," he explained, "there is currently a great debate on the fundamental value of the defense of life, and in this the perspective of the Church and the politics of President Obama show differences, at time quite significant."

Father Lombardi revealed that the president confirmed that "he has every intention, with the commitment of the government, to reduce as much as possible, the number of abortions."

The two also discussed "moral values in international politics, immigration and the Catholic Church’s contribution in developing countries," added Father Lombardi, and the "the importance of the education of tolerance in every country."

Obama gave to Benedict XVI a stole that had been placed on the remains of St. John Neumann (1811-1860), a Redemptorist who is currently the only canonized bishop of the United States.

An honor

Upon meeting Benedict XVI, Obama told that him that it was a "great honor" to meet him.

The Pontiff asked Obama how the G-8 meetings had gone, and Obama answered that they were "very  productive."

After the private meeting, the Holy Father greeted Obama's wife, Michelle, and their two daughters, Malia and Sasha.

Michelle and the two Obama daughters arrived to the Vatican an hour before the president to visit St. Peter's Basilica.

After the audience with the Pope, the family visited the Vatican Grottoes and the Sistine Chapel, which is currently closed to the public.




Paix et joie, Richard ofs
 

 
 

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