Pope at Audience: Give Food, Drink to Needy … But Donations Don’t Replace You... from ZENIT of Roswell, Georgia, United States for Wednesday, 19 October 2016Like
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Pope at Audience: Give Food, Drink to Needy … But Donations Don’t Replace You by Deborah Castellano Lubov
When we give to the needy, God’s mercy is present, Pope Francis says. Yet, he warns, don’t think solidarity campaigns and donations are enough, you must personally realize your responsibility….The Pope stressed this today during his address at his weekly General Audience, in which he continued his catechesis on the theme of mercy as the Jubilee Year nears its end. This week, Francis focused on the fact that among the works of mercy, is that of feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty.
Stressing that access to food and water is a universal right, he stressed that we need to personally respond to this urgent reality. The Holy Father recalled how often the media tells of those who are suffering from lack of food and water, with serious consequences particularly for children.
“Faced with some news and especially certain images, the public feels touched and responds occasionally with solidarity campaigns. The generous donations made this way, can help alleviate the suffering of so many.”
Charity, in forms of solidarity campaigns, donations, and so on, is important, but perhaps does not involve us directly enough, the Pope observed.
“But when, going down the street,” he explained, “we cross a person in need, or a poor man comes knocking at the door of our house, it is very different, because they are no longer in front of an image, but we are personally involved. There is no longer any distance between me and him or her.”
“In these cases, what is my reaction?” he asked those present to consider.
He told those present to ponder how often we say when praying the Our Father, “Give us this day our daily bread,” and yet we do not really focus on those words.
Every day, Francis lamented, many are starving, right next to abundance and waste.
Citing the Apostle James, he reminded those gathered that faith without works is dead, and that we cannot delegate our responsibility to help the starving and thirsty.
“This poor [person],” he urged those to realize, “needs me, my help, my word, my commitment.” He reminded them how Jesus instructs us to do so in Gospel.
If we offer the little we have, entrusting those in need to Jesus’ hands, and remain prayerful, the Jesuit Pope highlight, this can do great things.
Citing his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, in his Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, Francis quoted: “Feed the hungry (cf. Mt 25: 35, 37, 42) is an ethical imperative for the universal Church…It is necessary to cultivate a public conscience that considers food and access to water as universal rights of all human beings, without distinction or discrimination.”
The Holy Father concluded, stressing how we are to give food to the hungry and drink to the thirsty, imitating the mercy of the Lord, who said ‘I am the bread of life’ and ‘He who is thirsty come to me.’
***
On ZENIT’s Web page:
Full text: To be made available shortly
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The Trouble With the ‘You Go Girl’ Culture
by Bishop Robert Barron
Two recent films, Deepwater Horizon with Mark Wahlberg and Sully starring Tom Hanks, represent something of a breath of fresh air, for both movies feature men who are intelligent, virtuous, and quietly heroic. If this strikes you as a banal observation, that just means you haven’t been following much of the popular culture for the past 20 years.One of the distinctive marks of films and television programs the last couple of decades has been the Homer Simpsonization of men. Don’t get me wrong: I’m a big fan of the The Simpsons and laugh at Homer’s antics as much as the next guy. But the father of the Simpson family is stupid, boorish, drunk most of the time, irresponsible, comically incompetent, and childish. In the cartoon world, he is echoed, of course, by Family Guy’sPeter Griffin, who is similarly buffoonish. In both cases, the wives—Marge in The Simpsons and Lois in Family Guy—have the brains, the competence, and the moral responsibility. And in The Simpsons, Homer is imitated by his son Bart, who is sneaky, stupid, and unmotivated, and Marge by daughter Lisa, who is hyper-smart, uber-competent, and morally alert. In one memorable episode, Lisa is worried that she has inherited her father’s terrible qualities but is relieved to discover, by the show’s end, that the “stupid gene” is communicated only to the males in the Simpson line. In another of my favorite Simpsons scenes, Homer is told, at a moment of moral crisis, to consult that “little voice that tells you right from wrong,” and he responds, “You mean Lisa?”
If you think this male-bashing is restricted to cartoons, think again. Ray Romano’s character in Everybody Loves Raymond, Ed O’Neill’s hopeless father in Married With Children, and Ty Burrell’s hapless goofball in Modern Family—all are variations on the Homer Simpson theme. Add to all this the presentation of fathers as not just inept, but horrific in Game of Thrones, and the absent, indifferent fathers of Stranger Things.
And I wonder whether you’ve noticed a character that can be found in practically every movie made today? I call her the “all conquering female.” Almost without exception, she is underestimated by men and then proves herself more intelligent, cleverer, more courageous, and more skilled than any man. Whether we’re talking about a romantic comedy, an office-drama, or an adventure movie, the all conquering female will almost inevitably show up. And she has to show her worth in a domineering way, that is to say, over and against the men. For her to appear strong, they have to appear weak. For a particularly good case in point, watch the most recent Star Wars film.
Now I perfectly understand the legitimacy of feminist concerns regarding the portrayal of women in the media as consistently demure, retiring, and subservient to men. I grant that, in most of the action/adventure movies that I saw growing up, women would typically twist an ankle or get captured and then require rescuing by the swashbuckling male hero—and I realize how galling this must have been to generations of women. And therefore, a certain correction was undoubtedly in order. But what is problematic now is the Nietzschean quality of the reaction, by which I mean, the insistence that female power has to be asserted over and against males, that there is an either/or, zero-sum conflict between men and women. It is not enough, in a word, to show women as intelligent, savvy, and good; you have to portray men as stupid, witless, and irresponsible. That this savage contrast is having an effect especially on younger men is becoming increasingly apparent.
In the midst of a “you-go-girl” feminist culture, many boys and young men feel adrift, afraid that any expression of their own good qualities will be construed as aggressive or insensitive. If you want concrete proof of this, take a look at the statistics contrasting female and male success at the university level. And you can see the phenomenon in films such as Fight Club and The Intern. In the former, the Brad Pitt character turns to his friend and laments, “we’re 30-year-old boys;” and in the latter, Robert De Niro’s classic male type tries to whip into shape a number of 20-something male colleagues who are rumpled, unsure of themselves, without ambition—and of course under the dominance of an all conquering female.
It might be the case that, in regard to money, power, and honor, a zero-sum dynamic obtains, but it decidedly does not obtain in regard to real virtue. The truly courageous person is not threatened by another person’s courage; the truly temperate man is not intimidated by the temperance of someone else; the truly just person is not put off by the justice of a countryman; and authentic love positively rejoices in the love shown by another. And therefore, it should be altogether possible to hold up the virtue of a woman without denying virtue to a man. In point of fact, if we consult the “all conquering female” characters in films and TV, we see that they often exemplify the very worst of the traditional male qualities: aggression, suspicion, hyper-sensitivity, cruelty, etc. This is what happens when a Nietzschean framework has replaced a classical one.
My point is that it is altogether possible—and eminently desirable—to say “you go boy” with as much vigor as “you go girl.” And both the boys and the girls will be better for it.
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Pope Encourages Youth to Meditate on Christ’s Passion by ZENIT Staff
At the end of today’s catechesis at the general audience, Pope Francis noted today’s feast of a Polish martyr.“Today the liturgy remembers the blessed martyr Don Popieluszko,” he said to Polish faithful. “He personally expounded the cause of workers and their families, asking for justice and dignified living conditions, civil liberty and the religious freedom for his homeland. The words of St. Paul, ‘Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good’ were the motto of his ministry. May these words also be for all families and the Polish people today a challenge for building a just social order in the daily life, in the search for evangelical good.”
Related: A multi-part ZENIT interview with the martyr’s mom
The Holy Father affectionately greeted pilgrims from Slovakia, especially the parish groups and the Salesian Youth of Bratislava, noting that next Sunday will be World Missionary Day, “a valuable opportunity to reflect on the urgency of the missionary effort of the Church and of every Christian. We too are called to evangelise in the places where we live and work”.
His final greetings were reserved for the young, the ailing and newly-weds. “Today the liturgy celebrates St. Paul of the Cross, priest and founder of the Passionists,” he said. “Dear young people, especially those participating in the Festival of Diplomacy: may the meditation on the Passion of Jesus teach you the greatness of His love for others; dear sick, bear your cross in union with Christ to have relief in times of difficulty; and you, dear newly-weds, dedicated time to prayer, so that your married life may be a journey of Christian perfection.”
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Iraqi Christians Rejoice Over Liberation of Qaraqosh by Maria Lozano
Qaraqosh, a formerly major Christian town on Iraq’s Nineveh Plain, has been liberated as part of the campaign to liberate Mosul, Iraq’s largest city. Before ISIS overran the Plane in the summer of 2014, Qaraqosh, which is also knows Baghdida, had a population of 50,000, the great majority of them Christian. The city has 10 churches. All of the inhabitants fled to Kurdish Iraq—and are now beginning to dream of a return to their homes.Speaking from exile in France, Aded, who lost a son and nephew when ISIS attacked the city, said: “Today all the Christians who used to live in this area are very happy, yet we are worried about the future. People are afraid to return to their homes, and as long as there are no international forces to protect them, they will not return.”
Newly ordained Chaldean priest Father Martin Baani, speaking from Baghad with international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, said: “The first thing I want to do is to give thanks to God. I am so happy. I always believed it would happen one day, but I almost cannot wait to see the town. When I heard the news, I thought: Good has triumphed over evil. God does not want to see his people still more unhappy; he wants us to be happy. We are very happy, and we are praying to be able to return to our homes one day. Now the eyes of the whole world are on Mosul.”
Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Rafael Louis Sako I spoke from Berlin: “I hope the liberation of Mosul and the Nineveh plain that has started can be successful. This is a sign of hope for all of us. After the liberation and the end of these conflicts, the Western governments involved should assist the refugees in returning to their homes; securing areas of conflict; providing full protection for them; restoring their rights and properties; contributing to the reconstruction of towns and cities; compensating the resulted damages and helping the restoration of the cultural and religious heritage of all its components.”
George Marlin, Chairman of ACNUSA, said: “This is a great beginning of the battle to oust ISIS from Iraq—and ultimately Syria—altogether. But we must be patient and be prepared for the huge challenge of making it possible for Christians to return to their homes and to guarantee their security for the long term. One thing is certain: Aid to the Church in Need will do everything possible to continue to help them.”
Since 2014, ACN has provided more than $24 million in aid for the Christians of Iraq, supplying emergency aid and funding projects for education, food and shelter for the refugees.
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Holy See’s Note on 1st Anniversary of Adoption of Sustainable Development Goals by Deborah Castellano Lubov
Below is the text of the Holy See’s Note On 1st Anniversary Of Adoption Of Sustainable Development Goals, written by Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations. It was published on Oct.18. on The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nation website:***
Introduction
1. With proper and laudable aspirations, the 2030 Agenda, a non-binding international plan of action, was adopted by the General Assembly in the form of a resolution.[1] It is divided into five parts: (a) the preamble; (b) the Declaration; (c) the Sustainable Development Goals and targets; (d) the means of implementation and the Global Partnership; (e) the follow-up and review.
2. In fulfilling its specifically spiritual and moral mission in the international community and within the framework of its particular status in the United Nations, the Holy See actively participated in the negotiations over the course of nearly two and a half years, both in the Open Working Group of the General Assembly on Sustainable Development Goals and in the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda.
3. Pope Francis, in his address to the General Assembly on 25 September 2015, described the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the summit as “an important sign of hope”. A hope that will be realized if the Agenda is truly, fairly and effectively implemented.
4. However, Pope Francis has warned the international community about the danger of falling into “a declarationist nominalism”, which means the practice of “assuaging consciences” with solemn and agreeable declarations, rather than rendering “truly effective the struggle against all scourges”. The Holy See, for example, expresses its hope that the current indicator of extreme poverty, approximately a dollar a day, could be accompanied by or substituted with more ambitious and broader indicators. The Holy Father has also alerted the international community to the peril of thinking that “a single theoretical and aprioristic solution will provide an answer to all the challenges”.
5. Heeding the words of Pope Francis, the Holy See wishes to consider certain principles in evaluating the 2030 Agenda and in interpreting and implementing it at the national and international levels. To this end, the present note is divided into two parts. Part I sets out the key points contained in the address of Pope Francis to the United Nations as they relate to the 2030 Agenda. Part II considers the 2030 Agenda in the light of these and other principles.
Part I: general principles
6. Understanding integral human development. The pillars of integral human development, namely, the right to life and, more generally, the right to existence of human nature itself, are threatened when we no longer recognize any instance above ourselves or see nothing else but ourselves. This can only be remedied by recognition of a moral law that is written into human nature itself, one which includes absolute respect for life in all its stages and dimensions and the natural difference between man and woman. Human rights derive from a correct understanding of human nature, the human person, inherent human dignity and the moral law.
7. Recognizing the poor as dignified agents of their own destiny.To enable men and women to escape from extreme poverty, they must be dignified agents of their own destiny, taking into consideration that integral human development and the full exercise of human dignity cannot be imposed, but rather allowed to unfold for each individual, for every family, in relation to others, and in a right relationship with those areas in which human social life develops.[2]
8. Providing both spiritual and material means. At the same time, the minimum spiritual and material means are needed to enable a person to live in dignity and to create and support a family, which is the primary cell of any social development. In practical terms, this means: religious freedom and education, as well as lodging, labour, land, food, water and health care.
9. Respect for the principle of justice. Justice[3] requires concrete steps and immediate measures for preserving and improving the natural environment and putting an end to the phenomenon of social and economic exclusion, with its baneful consequences.[4]
10. The right to education in the light of the transcendent destiny of the human person. The right to a quality and integral education must include religious education. This presupposes a holistic approach, which is ensured first and foremost by respecting and reinforcing the primary right of the family to educate its children, as well as the right of churches and social groups to support and assist families in this endeavour. Indeed, education, which etymologically means “to bring out” or “to lead out”, has a fundamental role in helping people to discover their talents and potential for putting them at the service of mankind: each person has something to offer to society and must be enabled to provide his or her contribution. An authentic education should focus on relationships because development is the fruit of good relations.
11. Respect for the rule of law. It follows that if we want true integral human development for all, we must work to avoid conflict between nations and between peoples by ensuring the uncontested rule of law.
12. Peaceful resolution of disputes. We must have recourse to the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue, negotiation, mediation and arbitration; the renewal and acceleration of efforts in the disarmament process; transparency in the sale of arms and prohibitions in this trade to countries in conflict.
13. Service to others and respect for the common good. This calls for a wisdom which is open to the reality of transcendence and which recognizes that the full meaning of individual and collective life is found in selfless service to others and in the prudent and respectful use of creation for the common good.
14. Building the foundation of universal fraternity. In the final analysis, the common home of all men and women must continue to be constructed on the foundations of a correct understanding of universal fraternity and respect for the sacredness of created nature, beginning with every human life.
Part II: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
15. The 2030 Agenda is a clear sign that, in spite of differences in some areas, the international community has come together and affirmed its commitment to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions and to ensure that all children, women and men throughout the world will have the conditions necessary to live in true freedom and dignity. Keeping in mind that the Holy See agrees with most of the goals and targets enumerated in the Agenda, at this point, the Holy See, in conformity with its nature and particular mission, wishes to make clarifications and reservations on some of the concepts used in the 2030 Agenda. The Holy See wishes to highlight the fact that the comments made herein take into consideration the reservations it entered into the record concerning targets 3.7 and 5.6, paragraph 26 of the Agenda as well as certain expressions, the full details of which can be found in the Holy See’s position statement on the 2030 Agenda.[5]
16. Interpretation. The 2030 Agenda acknowledges that it must be interpreted in accordance with international law, including international human rights law (General Assembly resolution 70/1, paras. 10, 18 and 19).
(a) That the Agenda should be interpreted pursuant to these norms means — and the Holy See emphasizes — a “proper interpretation” in accordance with consolidated and recognized principles.[6]
(b) In this regard, the Holy See maintains that the 2030 Agenda should be construed in good faith according to the ordinary meaning of the terms in their context and in the light of the 2030 Agenda’s object and purpose, which is set out in the preamble and reaffirmed in the Declaration.
(c) It follows that the goals, targets and eventual indicators should not be considered in isolation from the Agenda.
(d) The Holy See is guided by the concept of the common good, as defined in the present note (see para. 19 (b)), in addition to the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity, which are explicitly reflected in the 2030 Agenda, in a variety of ways.
(e) The principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of States are also explicitly acknowledged along with the “different approaches, visions, models and tools available to each country” (ibid., para. 59; see also preamble, para. 5 and paras. 3, 5, 18, 21, 38, 47, 55, 56).
17. Purpose of the Agenda. With the 2030 Agenda, the international community is committed to “eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions” (preamble, para. 1) based on the “centrality of the human person as the subject primarily responsible for development” and the related pledge that “no one will be left behind” (preamble, para. 2 and paras. 4, 48).[7]
(a) It is in this perspective that the entire 2030 Agenda should be read, and this includes the respect for the right to life of the person, from conception until natural death.[8]
(b) The poles of human life have been described by Pope Francis as “the strength” and “memory” of the family in underlining that “[a] people incapable of caring for children and caring for the elderly is a people without a future, because it lacks the strength and the memory needed to move forward”.[9]
18. Centrality of the human person. That the human person is the primary subject responsible for development (preamble, paras. 1, 2, 5 and 7 and paras. 1, 2, 27, 50, 52, 74 (e)), means that we need a deeper appreciation “of our common origin, of our mutual belonging, and of a future to be shared with everyone”.[10]
(a) This, in turn, entails a growing awareness of our general human nature, of the transcendent dimension of human existence as well as respect for the human body in its femininity or masculinity.[11]
(b) A correct understanding of the human person, as a unity of body and soul, leads to a recognition that sexuality is an important dimension of human identity.
(c) Sexuality must be lived in accordance with the dignity of each person, who does not have individual sexual rights, since a sexual relationship requires full respect for the dignity and liberty of each person forming the couple.
19. The concept of human dignity. The 2030 Agenda uses the term “dignity” in a variety of ways (preamble, para. 4 and paras. 4, 8, 50).
(a) It acknowledges the dignity of every human being in using the term “human dignity”, which the Holy See understands to mean inherent and inalienable human dignity, that is, the transcendent worth of the human person, from which rights and duties derive.[12]
(b) The Agenda also speaks of persons who live in dignity, which the Holy See relates to the principle of the common good: an objective evaluation of a relatively thorough and ready access to the sum of conditions of social life directed to integral development and genuine fulfillment.[13]
(c) In addition, the Holy See maintains that each person has an “acquired dignity” that is developed when one freely maximizes or perfects his or her possibilities in accordance with right reason, and for believers, such reason is illumined by faith.[14]
20. Promotion of women and men, girls and boys. We must acknowledge that women have a special role to play in the family and society and with specific regard to integral human development per se.
(a) This is due to their unique presence in the creation of life as physical and spiritual mothers, who have special, but not exclusive gifts, that include defending, nurturing, and caring for life, from conception until natural death.
(b) It follows that women must be promoted and given the means to realize their inherent dignity as feminine persons and protected from psychological and physical violence, through all forms of abortion, including female feticide and female infanticide, so that they can contribute their gifts in all contexts of society, including informal peace processes (such as the family and various organizations) and formal peace processes.
(c) The Holy See emphasizes that any references to “gender”, “gender equality” and “gender equality and empowerment of women and girls” are understood according to the ordinary, generally accepted usage of the word “gender” based on the biological identity that is male and female, which is, in turn, reinforced by the numerous references in the 2030 Agenda to both sexes (paras. 15, 20, 25). Pope Francis, following in the footsteps of his predecessors, has frequently spoken about the perils of “gender ideology” which denies the relevance of biological sex, male and female, in opining that there is a plethora of “genders” based on one’s subjective perceptions.[15]
(d) By using the term “promotion”, instead of “empowerment”, the Holy See seeks to avoid a disordered view of authority as power rather than service,[16] and expresses the hope that women and girls, in particular, will challenge this flawed perspective of authority with a view to humanizing the situations in which they live.
(e) Consequently, to avoid ideological and political connotations, the expression “promotion of women” should be understood as respect for the dignity of women, strengthening them, educating them, giving them a voice when they have none and helping them to develop abilities and assume responsibilities.
(f) However, the promotion of women is difficult to achieve without the “promotion of men”, in the sense of encouraging and supporting them to be responsible husbands and fathers and to assume their responsibilities in advancing the integral development of women and girls.
21. Health. The Holy See supports and promotes access to basic health care and affordable medicines as well as a broad health-care context which includes clean water, sanitation, electricity for hospitals and health-care units and the training of nurses and doctors. The Holy See reads Goal 2 as including the right to food and Goal 6 as including the right to water and the concept of affordable water.
(a) The term “healthy life” is to be understood to mean the health of the person as a whole — including the most vulnerable, the unborn, the sick, the disabled — during all stages of development of the life of the person, taking into consideration every dimension (physical, psychological, spiritual and emotional).
(b) Since the right to health is a corollary to the right to life, it can never be used as a way to end the life of a person, who is such from conception until natural death. The same is true for targets 3.7 and 5.6. In brief, target 3.7 advocates “universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes” while target 5.6 calls for “universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights”.
(c) In regard to “reproductive health” and related expressions, including “sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights” (target 5.6), the very terms “reproduction” and “reproductive” are problematic since they obscure the transcendent dimension of human procreation. The term “procreation” is preferred because it reflects the participation of the couple, man and woman, in God’s work of creation.
(d) The Holy See does not consider such terms as applying to a holistic concept of health, as they fail to embrace, each in their own particular way, the person in the entirety of his or her personality, mind and body, and they further fail to foster the achievement of personal maturity in sexuality and in the area of mutual love and decision-making, thereby overlooking the characteristics of the conjugal relationship between a married man and woman that are in accordance with moral norms.[17] The Holy See rejects the interpretation that considers abortion or access to abortion, maternal surrogacy or sex-selective abortion, and sterilization as dimensions of these terms.
(e) In regard to Goal 10 devoted to reducing inequality within and among countries and target 10.b on development assistance, it should be understood that States and international organizations are not permitted to use coercion or the exertion of pressure on other States and organizations in order to impose policies that undermine the ethical and cultural foundations of the society through international economic assistance or development programmes.[18]
(f) Similarly, national governments should ensure that public and private health care respect the inherent dignity of the human person and ethical and medical protocols, based on right reason, as well as the freedom of religion and right to conscientious objection of health-care workers and providers.
22. The rights and duties of the family. That the human person, a social being, is at the heart of the 2030 Agenda means — and the Holy See emphasizes — that the family, the natural and fundamental unit of society, based on marriage between one man and one woman, is also at the centre of development, and in accordance with international human rights law is entitled to protection by society and the State.[19] The 2030 Agenda also rightly recognizes the importance of “cohesive communities and families” (para. 25).
(a) The communion between husband and wife gives life to the love and solidarity of all members of the family, from which local, national, regional and international solidarity derive. For purposes of international law, a distinction must be made between the family as a “unit of society” and “household”, the term used in Goal 5, target 5.4.
(b) The latter term includes a variety of living situations (for example, child-headed households, single mothers with children under their care, cohabitating couples), whose individual members and their well-being are always of concern for the State. On the other hand, such protection should never detract from the special protection that must be given to the family which is the natural and fundamental unit of society as a subject of rights and duties prior to the State.[20]
(c) On this point, the Holy See relies on the “Charter of the Rights of the Family” (1983) in relation to what protection for the family might entail through its consideration of the issues based on right reason.
(d) In the words of Pope Francis, “[w]e cannot call any society healthy when it does not leave real room for family life. We cannot think that a society has a future when it fails to pass laws capable of protecting families and ensuring their basic needs”.[21]
23. The rights and duties of parents. The recognition of the special protection to be given the family based on the marriage between one man and one woman, recognized in international law, means that the international community favours the transmission of life with the intimate relationship of parents and care of their children.
(a) This reality is supported by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, when it recognizes that the family is “the natural environment for the growth and well-being of all its members and particularly children” (Convention on the Rights of the Child, preamble, para. 5); and when it acknowledges that a child has the “right to know and be cared for by his or her parents” (Convention on the Rights of the Child, art. 7).
(b) The Holy See underlines that it cannot endorse methods of family planning which fundamentally separate the essential dimensions of sexuality, namely the unitive and procreative elements of the conjugal act between a husband and a wife.[22]
(c) Moreover, the responsible and moral decisions concerning the number of children and the spacing of births belong to parents, who must be free from all coercion and pressure from public authorities, including any demographic data that might induce fear and anxiety about the future. Fertility awareness and education are fundamental in the promotion of responsible parenthood.[23]
(d) The governments of countries should also be free from similar coercion and pressure, especially by “oppressive lending systems”.[24] In this regard, Pope Francis has also underlined the perils of “ideological colonization”, that is, when the cost of receiving the money is the imposition of an idea upon the people that “changes, or means to change, a mentality or a structure”.[25]
(e) Furthermore, in the first instance, parents have the responsibility to protect the rights of the children “before as well as after birth” and together with the State must ensure access “to pre-natal and post-natal health care” (Convention on the Rights of the Child, preamble, para. 9 and para. 24).
(f) Consequently, the Holy See reads the 2030 Agenda, with particular regard to the reduction of preventable “newborn, child and maternal mortality”, so as to include the unborn child.
(g) With specific regard to young parents, so that a man and a woman of the appropriate age may marry each other, conditions must be developed to assist these couples with particular attention to work, education, rest and family balancing issues.
(h) In addition, the Holy See has continually emphasized the prior rights of parents to educate their child according to their religious and moral beliefs, including dimensions of human love and related matters concerning the nature of sexuality, marriage and the family.[26]
24. Freedom of religion. From the perspective of the Holy See, the phrase ending “poverty in all its forms” (General Assembly resolution 70/1, preamble, para. 1), includes material, social and spiritual poverty. The 2030 Agenda acknowledges intercultural understanding and recognizes international human rights law, both of which include religious freedom.
(a) The Holy See wishes to emphasize that the religious dimension is not a “subculture without right to a voice in the public square”; it is a fundamental part of every people and every nation and “by its nature, transcends places of worship and the private sphere of individuals and families”.[27]
(b) Religious freedom “shapes the way we interact socially and personally with our neighbours whose religious views differ from our own” and interreligious dialogue, permits us to speak to one another, as opposed to taking up arms.[28]
(c) Taking into consideration the ongoing atrocities against Christians and other religious minorities, the Holy See maintains that issues relating to religious freedom per se and freedom of conscience as well as interreligious and intrareligious dialogue must be given priority for the ultimate success of the 2030 Agenda.
(d) Indeed, the separate goals in the 2030 Agenda relating to peace and inclusive societies are of particular importance for the related crisis concerning the increasing numbers of migrants, refugees and displaced persons, who are obviously bringing with them various religious traditions.
(e) The strength, determination and perseverance of these people “remind us of the transcendent dimension of human existence and our irreducible freedom in the face of any claim to absolute power”.[29]
25. Integral human development. According to the 2030 Agenda, it is an “integrated” development plan based on the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental, which, as noted above, puts the human person at the heart of the plan (preamble).
(a) This means that the success of the 2030 Agenda depends upon going beyond the language of economics and statistics precisely because the real emphasis is on the human person and his or her activities.[30]
(b) Therefore, considerations of a moral, spiritual and religious dimension cannot be ignored without serious detriment to the human person and his or her full development.
(c) It follows that Goal 12 on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns should be understood as not only regarding limits on natural resources but also as including criteria that relates to the promotion of solidarity and self-restraint.
(d) With regard to the term “sustainable development” the Holy See understands the concept as referring to the acknowledgement of “the limits of available resources, and of the need to respect the integrity and the cycles of nature … [as well as] the nature of each being and of its mutual connection in an ordered system, which is precisely the cosmos”.[31]
(e) The Holy See prefers to use the expression “integral human development”, which includes sustainable development.
1. General Assembly resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.
2. For example, families, friends, communities, towns and cities, schools, businesses and unions, provinces and nations.
3. It is noteworthy that the perennial concept of justice is the constant and perpetual will to give to the other what is his or her due.
4. For example, human trafficking, the marketing of human organs and tissues, the sexual exploitation of boys and girls, slave labour, including prostitution, the drug and weapons trade, terrorism and international organized crime.
5. Position statement of the Holy See on the outcome document of the United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (New York, 1 September 2015); see also the explanation of position and reservations of the Holy See on the report of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (A/68/970/Add.1, pp. 22-23).
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. Pope Francis, “Prayer vigil for the Festival of Families: address of the Holy Father”, Philadelphia, 26 September 2015.
10. Position statement on the 2030 Agenda.
11. Ibid.
12. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, preamble, para. 1; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, preamble, paras. 1 and 2; and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, preamble, paras. 1 and 2.
13. See Catechism of the Catholic Church 1905-1912, 1924-1927 (1993); and Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the modern world, Gaudium et Spes, 7 December 1965, No. 26.
14. Pontifical Council for the Family, “The family and human rights”, 1998, No. 13.
15. See, for example, Pope Francis, “Address to the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Puerto Rico on their Ad Limina visit”, Domus Sanctae Marthae, 8 June 2015; see also encyclical letter “Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home”, 24 May 2015, No. 155; and “Address to the United Nations Organization”, New York, 25 September 2015.
16. Pope Francis, homily, 19 March 2013; see also Congregation on the Doctrine of the Faith, “Letter to the bishops of the Catholic Church on the collaboration of men and women in the Church and in the world” (2004).
17. See Report of the International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, 5‑13 September 1994 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.95.XIII.18), chap. V, para. 27; see also position statement on the 2030 Agenda.
18. In “Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home”, No. 50, the Pope lamented that “[i]nstead of resolving the problems of the poor and thinking of how the world can be different, some can only propose a reduction in the birth rate” and apply international pressure on developing countries, “which make economic assistance contingent on certain policies of ‘reproductive health’”.
19. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, art. 16.3; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, art. 23.1; and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, art. 10.1.
20. Ibid.
21. See “Prayer vigil for the Festival of Families: address of the Holy Father”, 2015; see also the intervention of the Secretary for Relations with States at the United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, New York, 27 September 2015: “The family, the natural and fundamental unit of society, is the primary agent of sustainable development, and therefore the model of communion and solidarity among nations and international institutions. A shared concern for the family and its members is a sure contributor to poverty reduction, better outcomes for children, equality between girls and boys, women and men, as well as improved work-family-rest balance, and stronger intra- and intergenerational bonds. It would do us well not to forget the ample evidence that family-friendly policies — including respect for religion and the right of parents to educate their children — contribute effectively to the achievement of development goals, including the cultivation of peaceful societies”.
22. See position statement on the 2030 Agenda; see also Report of the International Conference on Population and Development, chap. V, para. 27.
23. See Pope Francis, “Meeting with representatives of civil society: address of the Holy Father”, Apostolic journey to Ecuador, Plurinational State of Bolivia and Paraguay, July 2015.
24. See “Address to the United Nations Organization”, New York, 25 September 2015.
25. See Pope Francis, in-flight press conference from the Philippines to Rome, 19 January 2015; see also “Meeting with families: address of His Holiness Pope Francis”, Mall of Asia Arena, Manila, 16 January 2015.
26. Ibid.
27. See Pope Francis, “Meeting for religious liberty with the Hispanic community and other immigrants: address of the Holy Father”, Philadelphia, 26 September 2015.
28. Ibid.
29. Ibid.
30. See position statement on the 2030 Agenda; see also the intervention of the Secretary for Relations with States, New York, 27 September 2015.
31. Pope John Paul II, encyclical letter, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 30 December 1987, Nos. 26
and 34.
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Leader of Church’s Charity Network to Visit Haiti by ZENIT Staff
Caritas secretary-general Michel Roy will be in Haiti this Friday through Tuesday. He will visit the hurricane-affected areas of Les Cayes, Jérémie and Nippes.More than 900 people died in Haiti as a result of Hurricane Matthew, which passed over the south of Haiti at the beginning of October.
Roy will visit Haiti to discuss the Caritas response to the disaster and to show solidarity.
“Our friends at Caritas Haiti have described an apocalyptic situation in large parts of the south of Haiti. People are facing the challenges of hunger, thirst, illness and rebuilding their homes. They need all the help they can get,” he explained.
“Caritas is calling for a surge of global solidarity to ensure the resources are available to provide support to communities,” Roy added. “By walking hand in hand with Haitians during this terrible time, we ensure their suffering will not put on the back-burner.”
Read more about Caritas’ post-hurricane work.
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GENERAL AUDIENCE: On Giving Food to Hungry, Drink to Thirsty by ZENIT Staff
Here is a ZENIT working translation of Pope Francis’ prepared address during this morning’s general audience in St. Peter’s Square.__
Dear Brothers and Sisters, good morning!
A consequence of so-called “wellbeing” is one which leads people to withdraw into themselves, making them insensitive to the needs of others. Everything is done to deceive them, presenting ephemeral models of life, which disappear after a few years, as if our life were a fashion to follow and to change at every season. It’s not so. Reality must be accepted and faced for what it is, and often it makes us meet situations of urgent need. It is because of this that the cry of hunger and thirst is found among the works of mercy: to feed the hungry — there are so many today — and give drink to the thirsty. How many times themedia informs us of populations that suffer from the lack of food and water, with grave consequences, especially for children.
In face of certain news and, especially, of certain images, public opinion feels touched and from time to time, aid campaigns are launched to stimulate solidarity. Donations are generous and thus, one can contribute to alleviate the suffering of many. This form of charity is important, but, perhaps, it does not involve us directly. Instead, when we go on the street and come across a person in need, or a poor man comes to knock on the door of our home, it’s very different, because we are no longer before an image but we are involved personally. There is no longer any distance between me and him or her, and I feel challenged. Poverty in the abstract does not challenge us, but it makes us think, it makes us lament, but when we see poverty in the flesh of a man, of a woman, of a child, this challenges us! And because of this, we have that habit of fleeing from the needy, of not getting close to them, of falsifying somewhat the reality of the needy with fashionable habits to distance ourselves from it. When I come across him, there is no longer any distance between me and the poor one. In such cases, what is my reaction? Do I turn my gaze away and pass beyond? Or do I stop to talk to him and to be interested in his state? And if you do this, one won’t be lacking who says: “This is crazy, why does he talk to a poor one!” Do I see if I can receive that person in some way or do I try to be free of him soonest? But perhaps he is asking only for the necessary: something to eat and to drink. Let us reflect for a moment: how often do we recite the “Our Father,” and yet we do not really pay attention to those words: “Give us this day our daily bread.”
A Psalm in the Bible says that God is He who “gives bread to all flesh” (136:25). The experience of hunger is harsh. Someone who has lived periods of war and want knows it. Yet this experience is repeated every day and it exists beside abundance and waste. The Apostle James’ words are always timely: ‘What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (2:14-17) because it is incapable of doing works, of doing charity, of loving. There is always someone who is hungry and thirsty and is in need of me. I cannot delegate it to any other. This poor one is in need of me, of my help, ofmy word, of my commitment. We are all involved in this.
It is also the teaching of the page of the Gospel in which Jesus, seeing the many people who had been following him for hours, asks His disciples: “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” (John 6:5). And the disciples answered: “It’s impossible, it would be better if you dismissed them …” Instead, Jesus says to them: “No, you yourselves give them to eat” <cf. Mark 14:16). He has them give him the few loaves and fish they have, he blesses them, breaks them and has them distributed to all. It is a very important lesson for us. It says to us that the little we have, if we entrust it to Jesus’ hands and share it with faith, becomes superabundant richness.
In the Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI affirms: “Feed the hungry is an ethical imperative for the universal Church… The right to food, like the right to water, has an important place within the pursuit of other rights … It is therefore necessary to cultivate a public conscience that considers food and access to water as universal rights of all human beings, without distinction or discrimination[65]” (n. 27). Let us not forget Jesus’ words: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35) and “If anyone who thirsts, come to me and drink” (John 7:37). These words are a provocation for all of us believers, a provocation to recognize that our relationship with God passes through feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty, a God who revealed in Jesus His merciful face.[Original text: Italian] [Translation by ZENIT]
Italian-Greetings
A warm welcome goes to the Italian-speaking pilgrims. I receive joyfully the faithful of the Diocese of Caltagirone, with the Bishop, Monsignor Calogero Peri, on the occasion of the bicentenary of its foundation; the Confirmed of the Diocese of Faenza-Modigliana, accompanied by Monsignor Mario Toso; the participants in the Seminar promoted by the University of the Holy Cross; the youngsters of Catholic Action of Brindisi-Ostuni and the faithful of Mistretta.
I greet the pilgrimage of the Sisters of Saint John the Baptist, gathered here for the Canonization of Saint Alphonsus Maria Fusco, and I hope that the Founder’s charism is spread also in today’s society. I greet the officials of the Academy of Modena; the Center of National CreativityFoundation; the Association of the Variously Disabled and the participants in the Second Meeting Women, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
Finally, a thought goes to young people, the sick and newlyweds. Today the liturgy remembers Saint Paul of the Cross, priest Founder of the Passionists: dear young people, especially the youngsters adhering to the Festival of Diplomacy, may meditation on Jesus’ Passion teach you the greatness of His love for us; dear sick, carry your cross in union with Christ to have relief in the hour of trial; and you, dear newlyweds, dedicate time to prayer, so that your conjugal life is a journey of Christian perfection.[Original text: Italian] [Working Translation by ZENIT]
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English Summary of Pope’s General Audience by ZENIT Staff
Here is the Vatican-provided English-language summary of Pope Francis’ General Audience this morning in St. Peter’s Square:***
Speaker: Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our catechesis for this Holy Year of Mercy, we have reflected on God’s mercy and our own responsibility, as followers of Jesus, to be “merciful like the Father”. Among the corporal works of mercy, the first is that of feeding the hungry. Access to food and water is a basic human right, yet so many members of our human family, especially children, continue to suffer from hunger and thirst. While grateful for the generosity and solidarity shown in the case of many tragic situations worldwide, we must never forget that this work of mercy calls us to respond personally to concrete situations of need in our own lives. Saint James warns against ignoring the practical needs of our brothers and sisters, for faith without works is dead (Jas 2:14-17). In the miracle of the loaves and fishes, Jesus tells his disciples to provide food for the crowds, yet he shows them that, in sharing what they have, he will give it increase. Jesus himself is the bread of life, and he makes it clear that our relationship with the Father depends on the way we respond to the hunger and thirst of our brothers and sisters.
Speaker: I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from England, Scotland, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Malta, Ghana, Uganda, South Africa, Indonesia, China, Singapore, Japan, the Philippines and the United States of America. With prayerful good wishes that the present Jubilee of Mercy will be a moment of grace and spiritual renewal for you and your families, I invoke upon all of you joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text]
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Bishop Appointed for Gwalior, India by Kathleen Naab
The Holy Father has appointed Fr. Thomas Thennatt, as bishop of Gwalior, India. He is a priest of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (SAC).Thomas Thennatt was born in 1953 in Koodalloor, India, gave his solemn vows in 1975 and was ordained a priest in 1978. He belongs to the group of Syro-Malabar faithful known as Canaanites. He studied theology in the seminary of Poona and has served in a number of pastoral roles.
He is currently parish priest in Mankapur, in the archdiocese of Nagpur, member of the Commission for Christian Life, and president of the Pastoral Commission of the Province. He succeeds Bishop Joseph Kaithathara, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese was accepted by the Holy Father.
The diocese has a population of 6.5 million but with less than 5,000 Catholics. They are served by around 35 priests and 80 religious.
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Pope’s Morning Homily: When World Deserts You, God Remains... from ZENIT of Roswell, Georgia, United States for Tuesday, 18 October 2016
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Pope’s Morning Homily: When World Deserts You, God Remains by Deborah Castellano Lubov
A ‘good shepherd’ is one who follows Jesus to the very end, even if they are left without money and means and company, and does so without letting oneself become bitter nor resentful.According to Vatican Radio, this was at the heart of Pope Francis’ homily today during his daily morning Mass at his residence Casa Santa Marta.
Drawing inspiration from the Second Letter to Timothy, Francis’ homily examined the struggles the Apostles, including Paul, face late in their lives when they had been deserted and left with nothing.
“Alone, begging, abandoned by all and the victim of fury. But this is the great Paul, the man who heard the voice of the Lord, the call of the Lord!…. who made the Apostles understand that the Lord wants Gentiles to enter into the Church as well,” Francis pondered, adding the irony that his life ends “in desolation: not in resentment or bitterness but with an inner desolation.”
Peter and St John the Baptist, Francis also stressed, suffered similar privations in the final stage of their lives. The latter, he highlighted, even had his head cut off owing to “the caprice of a dancer and the revenge of an adulterous woman.”
More recently, the Jesuit Pope continued, we see the same for Maximilian Kolbe, who created a worldwide apostolic movement and yet died in the prison cell of a death camp.
Faithful apostles, the Holy Father lamented, know they too can expect the same end that Jesus faced.
But Don’t Forget
Despite this sad reality, Francis reminded, the Lord stays close and does not abandon them and offers them strength.
“This is the Law of the Gospel: if the grain of wheat doesn’t die it doesn’t produce new seeds” and reminded that a theologian of the early centuries wrote that the blood of martyrs are the seeds of Christians.
“To die in this way like martyrs, as witnesses of Jesus, is the grain that dies and gives rise to new seeds and fills the earth with new Christians. When a pastor lives like this he is not embittered: maybe he feels desolate but he has that certainty that the Lord is beside him.
“When a pastor during his life was attached to other things, rather than to the faithful – for example he was attached to power, money, being part of a clique, to many things – then at his death he won’t be alone, maybe his grandchildren (heirs) will be there waiting for him to die so they can see what possessions they can take away with them.”
Francis described the attitude of many elderly priests now living in retirement homes who despite their sufferings remain close to the Lord.
“When I go to visit the retirement homes for elderly priests I find so many of these great shepherds who have given their lives for the faithful. There they are, sick, paralyzed, in wheelchairs but you can see them smiling straight away. ‘He’s well, Lord; he’s well, Lord,’ because they feel the Lord very close to them. They have these shining eyes and they are asking: ‘how is the Church? How is the diocese faring? How are vocations going?’ (It’s this way) right to the end because they are fathers, because they gave their lives for others.”
Francis recalled again how Paul realized that as all had deserted him, the only one who always remained at his side was the Lord.
“The Good Shepherd, the shepherd must have this certainty,” Francis stressed, “if he journeys along the path of Jesus, the Lord will be close to him right to the end.”
Pope Francis concluded, praying, “Let us pray for the shepherds who are at the end of their lives and who are waiting for the Lord to take them with Him. And let us pray so that the Lord may give them strength, consolation and the certainty that, although they feel sick and alone, the Lord is with them, close to them. May the Lord give them this strength.”
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Postures at Communion by Fr. Edward McNamara
Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of theology at the Regina Apostolorum university.Q: In your column dated June 21, 2016, you spoke at length regarding the frequency of the reception of Communion and various practical reasons why the frequency fluctuated throughout the centuries. In your introduction you mentioned that you would necessarily have to limited yourself to a narrow answer, which is quite reasonable, and thus you could not speak to things like the posture of the faithful during reception. However, I think that question in itself would be very interesting to investigate from the perspective of historical development. Could you perhaps give us a brief history of the posture and practice of the faithful during the Rite of Communion? — M.S., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
A: The posture for receiving Communion has varied over time and still varies among the several rites of the Church. It also depends on the frequency of Communion, the distribution of one or both species, and the manner of distribution of both species.
Regarding the place for the faithful’s reception of Communion, the early Latin tradition favored approaching the altar and, indeed, most later solutions maintained some relationship with the altar even though it was physically in a different place. In some areas, where there were many communicants the clergy would come to the places of the faithful.
When the sanctuary was separated from the main body of the church by gates, these were left open at the time of Communion so that the faithful could enter and receive at a side altar. This practice was curtailed from the early ninth century on. After this, the sanctuary began to be surrounded by a high wall and the faithful would approach a transept altar erected outside the screen. In some places such as North Africa people would approach a rail. This rail was higher than later altar rails and would reach chest level. Therefore, until this time the custom was to receive standing. This is still the practice of most Eastern Churches for whom knelling is not a common liturgical posture.
From the ninth century on, the practice of receiving only the host and directly on the tongue became the norm. Likewise, between the 11th and 16th centuries, the custom of receiving the Lord’s Body while kneeling gradually gained ascendancy in the Latin rite.
Around the 13th century it became customary in some places to spread a cloth, held by two ministers, for kneeling communicants. Later on, in the 16th century it was common to place the cloth on a table or bench located between the nave and the sanctuary. Since this proved quite convenient for administering Communion they gradually evolved into the fixed wooden, metal or stone altar rails which were practically universal from the 17th century until recently.
Although the Second Vatican Council did not call for the removal of altar rails, in fact, they have been removed in many places. The practice of receiving Communion standing rather than kneeling and on the hand rather than on the tongue is also far more common. The more frequent distribution of Communion under both species, taking the Precious Blood directly from the chalice, has also influenced this change of posture.
The liturgical norms still allow for kneeling, although allowing leeway to the bishops’ conference to emit other norms but not to disallow kneeling.
Thus, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 160, has a slightly different text in the United States and in other English-speaking countries.
In England and Wales it says:
“The priest then takes the paten or ciborium and goes to the communicants, who, as a rule, approach in a procession. The faithful are not permitted to take the consecrated Bread or the sacred chalice by themselves and, still less, to hand them from one to another. The faithfulcommunicate either kneeling or standing, as determined by the Conference of Bishops. When they communicate standing, however, it is recommended that they make an appropriate sign of reverence, as determined in the same norms, before receiving the Sacrament.”
In the United States:
“… The norm for reception of Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States is standing. Communicants should not be denied Holy Communion because they kneel. Rather, such instances should be addressed pastorally, by providing the faithful with proper catechesis on the reasons for this norm.
“When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister. The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant. When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood.”
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Readers may send questions to zenit.liturgy@gmail.com. Please put the word “Liturgy” in the subject field. The text should include your initials, your city and your state, province or country. Father McNamara can only answer a small selection of the great number of questions that arrive.
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Have You Heard of How the Church Saved the Macuxis, Indigenous of Brazil? by ZENIT Staff
By Rodrigo Arantes of Aid to the Church in NeedMissionaries abducted and murdered; their church burned down.
Far from the headlines, this is happening in the Indigenous Territory of Raposa Serra do Sol, in the state of Roraima, in northern Brazil. The area was colonized, and the indigenous people, the Macuxis, were enslaved, and forced to work prospecting for minerals and producing rice. Their pay? Cheap alcohol that got them hooked.
The Catholic Church, from the beginning of the 20th century, has been fighting back on behalf of the native people. The efforts of missionaries led to the decision by the indigenous peoples to give up alcohol. Those who wished to continue using it had to leave the tribe.
This decision infuriated the local colonial landowners who thus lost their source of cheap labor—they started going after the Church. In 2004 they murdered some of the indigenous people and abducted three Consolata missionaries, and the following year a band of some 150 masked and armed men set fire to the whole of the mission complex, including the church of St Joseph and the school run by the mission. The landowners were aiming to push Macuxis into rebelling against authorities, provoking a bloody crackdown.
However, a local leader, wielding a reading from the Bible, reminded his people that they were Catholic indigenous peoples and that God asks his faithful to forgive, not to take revenge. All the people calmed down and did not take revenge. This prudent response was a key factor in Raposa Serra do Sol being formally declared an indigenous people’s homeland in 2005. All non-indigenous peoples were forced to leave the region.
A simple reading of the Word of God prevented a massacre. The Macuxi people are still very Catholic; they build their own churches with their own materials and their own labor, they translate the Catholic hymns into their native Macuxi language. And Tuxaua Jacir, the leader who prevailed over his people, is known to two Popes on account of his peaceful rule.
Nonetheless, there is still one thing they are unhappy about; the fact that they don’t have a Bible translated in their own language, and they are concerned about their future leadership. There are fundamentalist Christian sects coming into the region, trying to woo them away from Catholicism. And some newcomers are even offering the native people alcohol once again, so many locals are very concerned, above all for their children and young people.
International Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need recently committed to produce the translation of its Child’s Bible into the Macuxi language. A theologian who has a profound knowledge of the language is currently working on the translation, and very soon thousands of copies will be made available for the children! It’s the beginning of ensuring a bright future for this faithful native people.
—
Aid to the Church in Need is an international Catholic charity under the guidance of the Holy See, providing assistance to the suffering and persecuted Church in more than 140 countries. www.churchinneed.org (USA); www.acnuk.org (UK); www.aidtochurch.org (AUS); www.acnireland.org (IRL); www.acn-aed-ca.org (CAN)www.acnmalta.org (Malta)
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INTERVIEW: What Isn’t Known About Father Brochero? by Sergio Mora
On Sunday, October 16, Jose del Rosario Brochero, the first saint born in Argentina, was canonized. What don’t know about Father Brochero? This question was the subject of ZENIT’s interview with the ‘gaucho priest’s’ postulator, Bishop Santiago Olivera of Cruz del Eje, President of the Episcopal Commission of Social Communication, on the eve of the ceremony of canonization.***
Q: What isn’t known about Father Brochero?
Bishop Olivera: Little is known, for instance, that Father Brochero was essentially a man of a profound life of prayer. A short while ago, we had the grace to learn, from the work of forensic anthropologists that the Justice Department of the city of Cordoba ceded us, about the preservation of the body of this holy priest, the marks of whose knee bones show that he was a man who kneeled much. So we understood what the Breviary of the Common of Pastors says: “He is a good Pastor who prays for his people.”
Q: The gaucho priest is identified a lot with his mule, no?
Bishop Olivera: When someone asks about Father Brochero, the people say: ‘he went around with his disgruntled mule, shack by shack,’ and it’s true, but in addition to that, he created schools, bridges, roads, retreat houses, aqueducts, etc. They were social activities that stemmed from his spiritual life, which was founded on a life of prayer.
ZENIT: There is talk of the gaucho priest’s popular language. How true is it?
Bishop Olivera: Although in these last times, Brochero’s figure acquired its true dimension, there was much legend about Brochero, many fables and commentaries because he had a very popular language. However, he never used bad words, but he did use more earthy expressions, but never an insult or double meaning. In other words, the gaucho priest was identified only as a simple person of little intellectual flair, forgetting that he had the intelligence to adapt his language and his message to the simple people to whom he was sent. And often that image of the earthy priest prevailed, forgetting he was pretty smart and intelligent.
ZENIT: So the people identified him as a priest with little education …
Bishop Olivera: In addition, he was a doctor and teacher of Philosophy in the Faculty of Cordoba; he studied with distinguished men, one of whom was governor of the city of Cordoba, another was a President of Argentina, who being his friends helped him to find the contacts that led, among other things, to the construction of the railroad. There is even a law that he obtained for the construction of a railroad in our land, which we hope will now be concretized, to join important villages, from Villa de Soto, Cruz del Eje to Villa Dolores. It was done to promote the regional economies and the sale of products and to help the northeast of Cordoba come out of poverty.
ZENIT: With a university title, he could have had a post of more social prestige, no?
Bishop Olivera: Certainly, but for the fact that he was far from the idea of a career, he only wanted sanctity. He was a Canon of the Cathedral and he was in the Seminary, but he wanted to be with his village and his people, and he had the intelligence to adapt his language and to be creative in his pastoral care. So he understood that the men and women of his time would achieve the improvement of his curacy if they encountered Jesus, because the encounter with Christ transforms and heals realities.
ZENIT: Why did he go to preach in such an isolated area, was he from there?
Bishop Olivera: No, he was from the plains, from Santa Rosa of Rio Primero. After having him for three years as his priest, his Bishop sent him to that curacy, which was behind the highlands, where there was difficulty to communicate with Cordoba and with the rest of the country. When he crossed the highlands, he said: “There is everything to be done here.” The isolation of the area gave the possibilities to evildoers and bandits to hide here and indulge in vices and live a bad life. But Brochero said he wanted to change that area through Saint Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises to seek, desire and follow the will of God.
ZENIT: Recently, the Pope asked Argentines to “put the homeland on their shoulders” …
Bishop Olivera: Father Brochero put the homeland on his shoulders in his time. And this Saint invites us to reinforce the Pope’s request, and Father Brochero says to us with moral authority: ‘I put the homeland on my shoulders, you put it <also on yours>.” And he committed himself to the social improvement of his people, so that there would be roads, schools, water, the same possibilities for all and that all would have a fitting life.[Original Text: Spanish] [Translation by ZENIT]
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Nuns Reach 1M Likes on Facebook by ZENIT Staff
In a news cycle in search of a heart-warming story, the Dominican Sisters of Mary take center-stage with the news of reaching one million likes on Facebook. Capturing a glimpse into the beautiful lives of the Sisters, their Facebook page has been visited by approximately 1.5 million loyal people each week from all corners of the globe. Conscientiously posting uplifting spiritual realities for the booming social media cosmos, the Sisters have quietly discovered a window into the lives of so many new friends that they have readily adopted into their ever-expanding family. The decision to join Facebook was led by Sr. Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz, OP, in response to The New Evangelization. Like the ‘Mustard Seed,’ it began with a small idea in 2012, in this case a page on Facebook that has now grown to over 1 million likes.When asked about the impetus for wading into the waters of social media, Sr. Joseph Andrew shared the following: “We always want to be ready to engage as many people for and with God as possible and thus began our Facebook endeavor to simply share bits and pieces of our lives on social media. Like all good inspirations, this too expanded into a much larger ‘family’ than we could have imagined! We are deeply grateful to the million-plus who have welcomed us into their lives, sent us their prayer intentions and have shared us with people far beyond our Sisters’ missions or travel areas. With most of our Sisters being so young, having a presence on Facebook to share daily Scripture verses or other special notes about Saints of the day, etc. was just a natural!”
The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist were canonically established in 1997 and have joyfully taken their messages of faith to the modern world through education, television and music, to name a few of their outreaches. With over 130 Sisters and an average age of 30, they teach in preschool through college all over the United States; their Motherhouse is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They also serve as librarians at the North America Seminary in Rome.
Several of the Sisters have been guests on The Oprah Winfrey Show more than once and made it to the finals of the Game Show Network’s The American Bible Challenge. The Sisters have released two international albums, to wide acclaim including reaching No. 1 for several weeks on Billboard’s Classical Traditional Chart. Their open spirit has unexpectedly attracted widespread international media coverage.
Find the Sisters on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DSMME
For More Information: www.SistersofMary.org
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Ecumenical Resource From Canada’s Bishops Offers Intro to Evangelical Christianity by ZENIT Staff
Today, on the Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), through its Episcopal Commission for Christian Unity, Religious Relations with the Jews, and Interfaith Dialogue, has published a new resource entitled: Our Evangelical Neighbours – A Catholic Reflection on Evangelical Christianity.The resource provides Catholics in Canada an introduction to Evangelical Christianity by exploring its origins, similarities and differences to Catholicism. The resource was developed in close collaboration with The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), an official dialogue partner of the CCCB, since 2010.
The resources underscored that, “As society becomes increasingly secular, Catholics and Evangelicals can see more clearly that what separates them is less significant than what unites them.”
Catholics and Evangelicals in Canada have enjoyed fruitful joint partnerships in efforts to promote Gospel values in Canadian society. Both Christian groups are more frequently entering into marriage with one another which is providing new avenues for dialogue.
The resource notes: “the informal dialogue of the Christian life between believers who have married into one another’s families, who work in the same office, or who pursue justice together in our communities outside abortion clinics and inside soup kitchens… these dialogues, where believers care for, pray for, and work with one another, can prepare the soil in which the results of the more official dialogues can grow.”
In a letter to the Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., Bishop of Hamilton and President of the CCCB, Mr. Bruce Clemenger, the president of the EFC, states that the new resource Our Evangelical Neighbours “offers a clear overview of Evangelical beliefs and practices; I believe that most Evangelicals in Canada would find themselves fairly represented in its pages.”
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The newly released resource is now available on the CCCB website, while printed copies can be ordered from CCCB Publications.
PDF Version
Link to the letter of the President of the EFC
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Syria: “Our World Needs a Revolution Against Violence” by ZENIT Staff
Father Jacques Mourad was prior of the Mar Elian monastery, a pilgrimage centre near the city of al-Qaryatayn that was briefly occupied by ISIS, which destroyed the monastery and kidnapped the monk in November 2015. He was held for five months, before he managed to escape. Now based in Europe, he spoke Oct. 17, 2016, with international Catholic charity Aid to the Church about the situation in Syria.By Berthold Pelster
In early April 2016, al-Qaryatayn was finally freed from ISIS. How is the situation there now?
The city may have been liberated, but normal, everyday life is not yet possible. Most houses have been destroyed. But at least electricity and water have in the meantime been restored. However, most people have not yet returned to al-Qaryatayn. The fear that ISIS will come back is great.
The war in Syria continues unabated. Peace negotiations have repeatedly failed. Many people are fleeing, including Christians. How great is the danger that Christianity will be obliterated in the Middle East?
This obliteration has already become reality. There are regions in Iraq and Syria that no longer have any Christian inhabitants. But the people are not fleeing willingly. They have no other choice. This is especially true for the Christians in Syria, because we are a small minority. The violence that reigns in Syria is unbearable. I do not understand why other countries refuse to see this reality and take action. The world must finally react!
What actions are needed?
If the world is really serious about putting an end to the ravages of the fanatics, then it will have to stop doing business with Saudi Arabia. Because that is where the funding and weapons for ISIS are coming from. Bombing achieves nothing. The US has been bombing Syria and Iraq for years, and now the Russians are doing so too. And what have they achieved? Have they stopped the terrorist violence? Absolutely not!
What is the solution?
The solution cannot be simply eliminating those who persecute us. The only way of stopping the extremists is to enter into a dialogue with Islam. That has been my personal experience. We—all the Christians of my old parish—decided not to resort to violence, even despite the danger. That is why we are still alive. An ISIS leader told us exactly that: “You ‘People of the Book,’ [the term used for Jews and Christians in the Koran] do not even use violence against us.”
Thus, non-violence and dialogue are what Christians can and should contribute?
Last spring, I had the following inspiration during Mass: our world needs a revolution against violence. Only then will it be able to find peace. We want to be instruments of peace. This is how we did it in Mar Elian—we provided aid to the local people without considering any distinctions of religion.
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Aid to the Church in Need is an international Catholic charity under the guidance of the Holy See, providing assistance to the suffering and persecuted Church in more than 140 countries. www.churchinneed.org (USA); www.acnuk.org (UK); www.aidtochurch.org (AUS); www.acnireland.org (IRL); www.acn-aed-ca.org (CAN)www.acnmalta.org (Malta)
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Preparations for Dublin Family Meeting in 2018 to Officially Begin on Saturday by ZENIT Staff
This Saturday will begin the official launch of preparations for the World Meeting of Families to be held in Dublin in 2018.Guest speakers will include the co-chairs of the Council for Marriage and the Family of the Irish Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin who, along with over 600 delegates, will participate in formally launching the preparations.
Drawing on key themes from Amoris Laetitia, the conference will offer strong personal reflections on the joys and challenges of family life today, including on the experience of being a refugee family from Syria, of homeless in Ireland and of the impact on families of various forms of addiction. The event will also include prayer, audience interaction, video testimony, drama, music and singing.
The Dublin World Meeting of Families is scheduled from 22 to 26 August 2018. Pope Francis asked for the 2018 World Meeting of Families to take place in Dublin with the theme “The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World”. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin is the President and host, and Father Timothy Bartlett is its Secretary General.
The World Meeting of Families takes place every three years, and is now coordinated by the Vatican’s new Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.
Established by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1992 as a pastoral initiative, its aim is to strengthen the sacred bonds of the family unit across the globe.
The first World Meeting of Families took place in Rome in 1994, the International Year of the Family. Every three years since 1994, families from all over the world are invited by the Holy Father to attend this global gathering. During a World Meeting, families come together to share experiences, to dialogue, to pray and work together to grow as individuals and as family units. Delegates participate in discussion groups on the role of the Christian family in the Church and society, and are addressed by distinguished speakers. The eighth and most recent World Meeting took place in Philadelphia in September 2015.
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