Pope’s Advice for Accompanying the Suffering: Don’t Give Speeches. Be Close. Caress....from ZENIT of Roswell, Georgia, United States for Tuesday, 27 September 2016Like
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Pope’s Advice for Accompanying the Suffering: Don’t Give Speeches. Be Close. Caress. by Kathleen Naab
Spiritual desolation is something everyone will experience at some point, says Pope Francis, and when we see a loved one going through this darkness, we need to offer comfort and support with our closeness, not our counsels.The Pope said this today during morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta, reported Vatican Radio.
Drawing from the reading from Job, the Holy Father noted, “Spiritual desolation is something that happens to all of us: it can be stronger or weaker … but that feeling of spiritual darkness, of hopelessness, mistrust, lacking the desire to live, without seeing the end of the tunnel, with so much agitation in one’s heart and in one’s ideas… Spiritual desolation makes us feel as though our souls are crushed, we can’t succeed, we can’t succeed and we also don’t want to live: ‘Death is better!’ This was Job’s outburst. It was better to die than live like this. We need to understand that when our soul is in this state of generalized sadness we can barely breathe: This happens to all of us … whether strong or not … to all of us. (We need to) understand what goes on in our hearts.”
The solution to spiritual desolation is prayer, the Pontiff said.
“What should we do when we experience these dark moments, be it for a family tragedy, an illness, something that weighs us down?”
Noting that some people would think of taking a pill to sleep and remove them from their problems or drinking “one, two, three or four glasses” he warned that these methods “do not help.” Instead, today’s liturgy shows us how to cope with this spiritual desolation, “when we are lukewarm, depressed and without hope.”
The Pope said the way out from this situation is to pray, to pray loudly, just as Job did, day and night until God listens. “It is a prayer to knock at the door but with strength! ‘Lord, my soul is surfeited with troubles. My life draws near to Hell. I am numbered among those who go down into the pit; I am a man without strength.’ How many times have we felt like this, without strength? And here is the prayer. Our Lord himself taught us how to pray in these dreadful moments. ‘Lord, you have plunged me into the bottom of the pit. Upon me, your wrath lies heavy. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.’ This is the prayer and this is how we should pray in our darkest, most dreadful, bleakest and most crushed moments that are really crushing us. This is genuine prayer. And it’s also giving vent just like Job did with his sons. Like a son.”
Comfort the afflicted
For those close to the people who are suffering, the way to proceed is with closeness, silence and prayer, since words and speeches in these situations can do harm, the Pontiff suggested.
“First of all, we must recognize in ourselves these moments of spiritual desolation, when we are in the dark, without hope and asking ourselves why. Secondly, we must pray to the Lord like today’s reading from Psalm 87 teaches us to pray during our dark moments. ‘Let my prayer come before you, Lord.’ Thirdly, when I draw close to a person who is suffering, whether from illness, or whatever other type of suffering and who is experiencing a sense of desolation, we must be silent: but a silence with much love, closeness and caresses. And we must not make speeches that don’t help in the end and even can do harm.”
The Pope concluded his homily by asking the Lord to grant us these three graces: the grace to recognize spiritual desolation, the grace to pray when we are afflicted by this feeling of spiritual desolation and also the grace to know how to be close to people who are suffering terrible moments of sadness and spiritual desolation.
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Readings provided by the US bishops’ conference:
Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest
Lectionary: 456
Reading 1 JB 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23
Job opened his mouth and cursed his day.
Job spoke out and said:Perish the day on which I was born,
the night when they said, “The child is a boy!”
Why did I not perish at birth,
come forth from the womb and expire?
Or why was I not buried away like an untimely birth,
like babes that have never seen the light?
Wherefore did the knees receive me?
or why did I suck at the breasts?
For then I should have lain down and been tranquil;
had I slept, I should then have been at rest
With kings and counselors of the earth
who built where now there are ruins
Or with princes who had gold
and filled their houses with silver.
There the wicked cease from troubling,
there the weary are at rest.
Why is light given to the toilers,
and life to the bitter in spirit?
They wait for death and it comes not;
they search for it rather than for hidden treasures,
Rejoice in it exultingly,
and are glad when they reach the grave:
Those whose path is hidden from them,
and whom God has hemmed in!
Responsorial Psalm PS 88:2-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8
R. (3) Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
O LORD, my God, by day I cry out;
at night I clamor in your presence.
Let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my call for help.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
For my soul is surfeited with troubles
and my life draws near to the nether world.
I am numbered with those who go down into the pit;
I am a man without strength.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
My couch is among the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom you remember no longer
and who are cut off from your care.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
You have plunged me into the bottom of the pit,
into the dark abyss.
Upon me your wrath lies heavy,
and with all your billows you overwhelm me.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
Alleluia MK 10:45
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 9:51-56
When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?”
Jesus turned and rebuked them,
and they journeyed to another village.
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Liturgy Q-and-A: On Receiving Communion Multiple Times 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 our parish I have been noticing during the past few years that the Eucharistic ministers receive Communion every time they come to distribute the blessed Eucharist. On Fridays we do more than 10 Masses. Some Eucharistic ministers receive communion up to six or seven times as they feel it essential to receive the blessed Eucharist whenever they come to distribute the same. As far as I understand from the Code of Canon Law and the Catechism, the faithful can receive Communion only two times a day. Even if he receives the second time, he should have attended the full Mass. — V.R., United Arab Emirates
A: Our reader is correct in interpreting canon law on this point.
The key canon for this question is No. 917. It states, “A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates, without prejudice to the prescript of can. 921 §2.”
Canon 921.2 says, “Even if they have been nourished by holy communion on the same day, however, those in danger of death are strongly urged to receive communion again.”
Thus, a Catholic may receive Communion a second time but only during a Mass which he attends. Outside of Mass a second or even third Communion may only be received as viaticum for the dying.
Except in the case of viaticum, one should fast for an hour before both receptions of Communion.
The instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum also repeats this general principle:
“95. A lay member of Christ’s faithful ‘who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist may receive it again on the same day only within a Eucharistic Celebration in which he or she is participating, with due regard for the prescriptions of can. 921 § 2.’”
The difference between the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and Redemptionis Sacramentum is that the latter refers to “a lay member of Christ’s faithful.” This takes into account that canon law foresees that priests might sometimes have to celebrate three Masses for pastoral reasons.
There is a theological reason for this, in that the priest as minister of the holy sacrifice is required to complete the sacrifice by partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ. He should do this before distributing Communion to others.
Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are deputed to assist in administrating the sacrament in a convenient way, but they do not have any obligation to partake of the sacrament as has the priest. They do have an obligation to follow the general norms of the Church and as such, should they generously offer their service at more than two Masses, they must choose at which two Masses they receive Communion and at which they should refrain from doing so.
When they do not receive Communion they are not obliged to attend the entire Mass but could only enter at the moment their service was required. In this they would be in a similar situation as that of many priests before the institution of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. At that time it was common for the other priests of the parish to enter the church after the Our Father and assist in the distribution of Communion. They would not receive Communion themselves. Also, at that time canon law did not allow for more than one Communion a day except in the case of viaticum for the dying.
In most countries this is not a real problem, as most scheduled Masses will have assigned extraordinary ministers, if they are required, and only occasionally will they have to offer their service at more than one Mass.
It would appear that in our reader’s ecclesial context there is a shortage of those who are willing and/or able to qualify for this service, and the burden falls on relatively few.
Therefore, until this shortage is remedied, I would suggest that the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion who are not going to communicate should wait until those EMHCs who are going to receive Communion have done so, and then approach the altar to simply receive the ciborium for administrating the sacrament to the rest of the faithful.
* * *
Follow-up: Why We Have Liturgy
An eminent theologian has honored me with a comment on my September 13 column on the nature of the liturgy. He says: “In your fine column answering briefly the basic question about what the liturgy is, you say our offerings are ‘alongside’ Christ’s. It seems to me it would be better to say that he gathers our offering up in his. For we are not able to make any offering at all on our own or by ourselves, but we can really offer any work we do as his members, because that really does belong both to us and to him.”
Our reader is correct in his assertions, although I think the word alongside could still be acceptable in the context of the final doxology of the Eucharistic Prayer. In this wonderful synthesis of the Eucharist, and in a way, of the entire Christian existence, all honor and glory are offered to the Father “through, with and in” our Lord Jesus Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit. For me “alongside” expresses somewhat the “with” even though it is inseparable from the “through” and the “in.”
The unity of the Holy Spirit can refer to the Trinitarian union in love but, in a liturgical context, can also refer to the unity that gathers us together as a Church. Indeed the ancient text that inspired Eucharistic Prayer II (the third-century work “The Apostolic Tradition”) makes this quite specific:
“[T]hat we may praise you and glorify you,
through your son Jesus Christ,
through whom to you be glory and honor,
Father and Son,
with the Holy Spirit,
in your Holy Church,
now and throughout the ages of the ages.
Amen.”
In this way the liturgy is entering into the life of the Trinity, but we do so, not so much as individuals but insofar as we are united by the Spirit as Christ’s Church.
The individual does not disappear but insofar as he relates to God he cannot ever be separate from the Church. Indeed we can say that it is practically impossible for a Christian to pray exclusively for himself, for every authentic prayer is in the Body and sanctifies the whole Body. Every authentic Christian prayer is a prayer in the Body of Christ. What is added in liturgical prayer is that it is not just a prayer in the Body, but of the Body of Christ, Head and members together, in giving glory to the Father in the Holy Spirit.
It is this great reality that makes living the liturgy cause such wonder and awe when we begin to grasp its depth.
I wish to thank our reader for this pertinent observation which helps to deepen the theme once more.
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Cardinal Parolin: Peace in Colombia Needs a Focus on ‘Reconstructing the Person’ by ZENIT Staff
The Pope’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, attended the signing of the Final Agreement between the government of Colombia and the FARC-EP in Cartagena on Monday, a solemn act attended by a handful of Latin American heads of state and 2,500 invitees, including the former king of Spain, Juan Carlos I, and the U.S. secretary of State, John Kerry, along with 250 victims of the conflict from all over Colombia.In the homily he pronounced during the Liturgy of the Word for the signing of the Agreement, the cardinal first conveyed Pope Francis’ closeness to the dear Colombian people and authorities, recalling that the Holy Father has followed closely the efforts made during recent years in the search for harmony and reconciliation. On a number of occasions he has encouraged these efforts without taking part in the concrete solutions that have been negotiated, on which the citizens themselves will decide in a free, informed and conscientious way. “The Pope has always promoted respect for human rights and Christian values, which are at the heart of Colombian culture”, said the Secretary of State. “I believe that all of us present here are aware that, in essence, we are at the conclusion of negotiations but also at the beginning of a process of change, still open, which requires the contribution and respect of all Colombians”.
He went on to recall that more than 350 years ago, in the ancient port of Cartagena, which represents in a sense the very history of Colombia itself, St. Peter Claver devoted his life to the slaves brought from Africa. “We might say that, just as centuries ago slaves and merchants entered the ports sick and ill-treated, today many Colombians are uprooted and suffering, with their dignity wounded or torn from them. They have faced torment and dark clouds, without losing their hope. They need to be redeemed and loved, and they thirst for fresh water”.
“The relics of St. Peter Claver rest below the altar of this church, situated close to his convent. In more than forty years, he knew how to value the dignity of the many human beings treated as commodities, submitted to every form of atrocity, captured and deported from their homelands as slaves. By being willing to meet with charity those victims of injustice, he honoured their dignity and restored hope to them”.
“In the same way, today too Jesus awaits us to free us from the chains of slavery, both our own and that which others procure for us. He is eager to embrace us, to heal our wounds, to dry our tears, to give us bread and water of life to eat and drink, to look upon us with love in the depth of our soul, to carry us in His arms towards a safe port. … We know that the suffering of victims, offered at the foot of the Cross, are transformed into a receptacle to receive His mercy”.
Cardinal Parolin referred to the letter he had sent to express the Pope’s wish to visit these lands, in which he said that “it is necessary to take the risk of transforming, with the entire Church, every parish and every institution into a field hospital, into a safe place of refuge for those who have suffered atrocities and those who have acted on the side of violence”. “Evidently, it is from this encounter that Colombia must alleviate the pain of its many inhabitants who have been humiliated and oppressed by violence and must stop the hatred and change the direction of her history, so as to build a better future with just and solid institutions”, he emphasised. However, “the peace that Colombia yearns for goes far beyond the necessary refinement of certain structures or conventions, and finds its focus in the reconstruction of the person: indeed, the deeper causes of the conflict that has lacerated the country during recent decades may be found in the wounds of the heart”.
“Only God gives us the strength to face such problems and, above all, the capacity to identify with all those who suffer as a result. Therefore, in this country with her Catholic roots, today we are gathered in prayer. … This liturgy is an invocation to the Lord, Who can grant what is normally impossible by human forces alone: the light for the path and for the decisions that Colombians must freely take, the fervour of that respect, listening and serene dialogue that must accompany such decisions. … Therefore, let us ask that God grant us this heroism in solidarity that is necessary to fill, in truth and in justice, the abyss of evil produced by violence. And let us also give thanks to Him for supporting Colombians in the midst of situations of hatred and pain, and for having opening their hearts, over many years, to the steadfast hope that violence and conflict can be avoided; that a different future can be constructed, in which it is possible to co-exist without bloodshed, and in which diverse convictions can be maintained in the framework of respect for democratic rules, human dignity and the Catholic tradition of this great nation”.
“With the historical perspective that the life and times of St. Peter Claver offer us, Colombia has experienced, in her own flesh, that the pursuit of money and power and the resulting exploitation of man at the hand of man, forced deportations, violence and denial of the dignity of victims, can pose a lasting threat to humanity. At this present conjuncture, let us pray to God for the future of this beloved population, so that it may journey on the paths of truth, justice and peace”, said the prelate, who went on to make Colombians the protagonists of the Sermon on the Mount, repeating with each Beatitude, “Blessed are the Colombians”.
The cardinal concluded his homily by emphasising that religions encourage listening, understanding and recognition of the reasoning and value of the other. Faith is opposed to offence to the dignity of the person, which causes the laceration of the fabric of civil society, and is not contrary to secularism when understood as respect for the distinct spheres of competence of the civil and spiritual. Indeed, secular society needs faith, as a necessary point of reference for co-existence and respect. The Catholic Church in particular promotes serene social co-existence, in accordance with the spiritual traditions of the Colombians, without demanding that everyone profess the same religion, and offers points of reference so that people and the collective whole may find and offer light in the search for the common good”. Finally, he implored the protection and intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá, Queen of Colombia.
—
On ZENIT’s Web page:
Full text:
https://zenit.org/articles/cardinal-parolins-homily-at-signing-of-colombia-peace-agreement/
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Report Shows How Amoris Laetitia Has Been Received by ZENIT Staff
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement today about the ongoing, fruitful reception and implementation in the United States of Pope Francis’ Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia.Full statement follows:
A statement from Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville,
President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The Church in the United States, together with the Church throughout the world, has found in Pope Francis’ Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) a wealth of encouragement, guidance, and wisdom about the beautiful gift and vocation of marriage and family life. Since its release date on April 8, 2016, bishops, lay leaders, and families in the United States have proactively sought to receive Pope Francis’s teachings joyfully and to implement them in our shared task of caring for marriages and families.
A request from the Office of the Synod of Bishops for a report on the reception and implementation of Amoris Laetitia in the United States has provided an opportunity to reflect on the good work that is already underway, as well as envisioned future plans to continue absorbing and unpacking this foundational document. As noted in the report, the Church in the United States has already eagerly begun to implement the teaching of Amoris Laetitia in numerous ways.
At a national level, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops looks forward to the anticipated development of a renewed, comprehensive pastoral plan for marriage and family life ministry and advocacy inspired by our Holy Father’s encouragement. This plan will be carefully developed over the next few years and will be a strategic opportunity for the Church here in this country to incarnate the rich vision of marriage and family life found in Amoris Laetitia.
Pope Francis has given us a tremendous gift in Amoris Laetitia. May our ongoing reception of it continue to be an opportunity for the whole Church and society to renew their dedication to protect, promote, and strengthen marriages and families.
The report presented to the Office of the Synod of Bishops, is available at: www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/upload/Report-on-Reception-and-Implementation-of-Amoris-Laetitia-in-the-United-States.pdf.
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Pope Francis is concerned about the continuing tensions triggered by the situation in North Korea. Responding to a question about the delicate situation on the Korean Peninsula, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke said today: “I can confirm that the concern of the Holy Father and the Holy See about the continuing tensions in the area on account of the nuclear tests carried out by North Korea, was reiterated today by Msgr. Antoine Camilleri, the Holy See’s Undersecretary for Relations with States, speaking in Vienna at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”[From Vatican Radio]-------
Cardinal Parolin’s Homily at Signing of Colombia Peace Agreement by ZENIT Staff
A liturgy of the word was held at the signing of the Colombian peace agreement. The Pope’s secretary of state gave a homily, which we translate below:
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Mister President of the Republic of Colombia, Doctor Juan Manuel Santos Calderon,
Gentlemen Heads of State and Government,
His Majesty the King Don Juan Carlos,
Gentlemen Ministers and Gentlemen Heads of the Delegations Here Present,
Distinguished Colombian Authorities and Those of Other Countries,
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
I wish, in the first place, to transmit Pope Francis’ closeness to the beloved Colombian people and their Authorities, especially in the present circumstance of the signing of the Final Agreement between the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP. The Holy Father followed with great attention the efforts of these last years, in the quest for concord and reconciliation. He encouraged these efforts several times without taking part in the concrete solutions that have been negotiated, and on which the citizens themselves will decide in conscience in a free, informed way. The Pope has always encouraged respect for human rights and for Christian values, which are at the center of Colombian culture.
I think that all of us who are present here are aware that, at bottom, we are, yes, at the end of a negotiation, but also at the beginning of a process, yet open, of change, which requires the contribution and respect of all Colombians.
We have gathered for this Liturgy of the Word in the thought-provoking setting of Cartagena of the Indies, whose evolution in time represents in some way the very history of this country. More than 350 years ago, in the old port of Cartagena, Saint Peter Claver consumed his life with admirable abnegation and extraordinary charity in favor of the slaves brought from Africa.
We could say that, as centuries ago the slaves and merchants arrived at port sick and mistreated, today many Colombians move uprooted and sorrowful, with their dignity wounded or taken away. They have lived through storms and dark clouds, without losing hope. They need to be rescued and loved; they thirst for fresh water.
The remains of Saint Peter Claver rest just under the altar of this church, located near his convent. In the course of more than four decades, he was able to perceive the great dignity of so many human beings treated as merchandise, subjected to all sorts of atrocities, recruited and displaced from their lands for slavery. Going out with charity to meet these victims of injustice, he honored their dignity and gave them hope.
Likewise, today also Jesus awaits us to free us from the chains of slavery – our own and those caused by others. He is anxious to embrace us, to cure our wounds, to dry our tears, to give us to eat and drink the water and bread of life, to look at us with love in the depth of our soul, to take us in His arms to a safe port … We know that the suffering of the victims, offered at the foot of the Cross, become a bowl to receive His mercy.
In the letter I sent you expressing the Pope’s desire to visit these lands, I said that “it is necessary to take the risk to convert, with the whole Church, each parish and each institution into a field hospital, into a safe place in which those can meet again who experienced atrocities and those who acted from the side of violence.” Obviously, it is from encounter that Colombia must alleviate the pain of so many of its inhabitants, humiliated and oppressed by violence; it must stop the hatred and change the direction of its history, to build a better future within just and solid institutions.
The best method to begin a better future is to reconstruct the dignity of those that suffer, and to do this it is necessary to approach them without restrictions of time, to the point of identifying with them. In other words, the peace that Colombia yearns for goes beyond the also necessary obtaining of certain structures or conventions, and it is centered on the reconstruction of the person: in fact, it is in the wounds of the human heart where the profound causes of the conflict are found, which in the last decades have rent this country.
God alone gives us the strength to address such problems and, above all, the capacity to identify ourselves with all those who suffer because of them. Therefore, we have gathered today in prayer in this country of Catholic roots. We do not regard this meting as one more event, but as a manifestation of the confidence of the Authorities and of all those who follow us with the strength of prayer to God. This Liturgy is an invocation to the Lord, who can grant what is often impossible for human strength alone: light for the way and for the decisions that Colombians must freely take, in the warmth of respect, of listening and of serene dialogue that must accompany such decisions.
Moreover, our prayer attests, perhaps in an almost unconscious way, what Saint John Paul II wrote when he came on pilgrimage to Colombia:“in the light of faith, solidarity tends to surpass itself, being clothed with the specifically Christian dimensions of total gratitude, forgiveness and reconciliation” (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 40). Therefore, we ask God to grant us this heroism in solidarity, which is necessary to fill, in truth and in justice, the abyss of evil caused by violence. And we also want to thank Him for having sustained Colombians amidst situations of hatred and pain, and for having opened their hearts, over many years, to the firm hope that violence and conflict are avoidable: a different future can be built, in which to coexist without massacring one another and in which different convictions can be held, in the framework of respect of the democratic rules, of human dignity and of the Catholic tradition of this great nation.
With the historic perspective that the figure of Saint Peter Claver and his time offer us, Colombia has felt, in its flesh, that the ambition for money and power and, because of this, the exploitation of man by man, forced displacement, violence and ignorance of the dignity of the victims, among others scourged, threaten humanity permanently. In the present crossroads, we pray to God for the future of this beloved people, so that they may walk on paths of truth, justice and peace, in keeping with the words of the Psalm we have just heard.
Today we also want to make our own the words of the evangelist Matthew (cf. 5:3-11):
“Blessed are Colombians who are poor in spirit, for theirs the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are Colombians who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are Colombians who are meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are Colombians who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are Colombians who are merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are Colombians who are pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are Colombians who are peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are Colombians who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you Colombians when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”
Religions induce one to listen, to understand and to recognize the reasons and value of the other. Faith is opposed to the harming of a person’s dignity, which causes the laceration of the civil fabric; it is not contrary to secularism, understood as respect for the different spheres of competence of the civil and spiritual reality. In fact, secularism is in need of faith, as a necessary point of reference for coexistence and for respect. The Catholic Church in particular promotes serene social coexistence, in accordance with the spiritual tradition of Colombians, without calling for all to have the same religious confession. She offers points of reference so that individuals and collectivities can find and contribute lights in the quest for the common good.
We implore Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquira, Queen of Colombia, to protect us and to intercede so that it will thus be.
[Original text: Spanish] [Translation by ZENIT]
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Dallas Priest Named to Lead Lubbock Diocese by ZENIT Staff
Mister President of the Republic of Colombia, Doctor Juan Manuel Santos Calderon,
Gentlemen Heads of State and Government,
His Majesty the King Don Juan Carlos,
Gentlemen Ministers and Gentlemen Heads of the Delegations Here Present,
Distinguished Colombian Authorities and Those of Other Countries,
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
I wish, in the first place, to transmit Pope Francis’ closeness to the beloved Colombian people and their Authorities, especially in the present circumstance of the signing of the Final Agreement between the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP. The Holy Father followed with great attention the efforts of these last years, in the quest for concord and reconciliation. He encouraged these efforts several times without taking part in the concrete solutions that have been negotiated, and on which the citizens themselves will decide in conscience in a free, informed way. The Pope has always encouraged respect for human rights and for Christian values, which are at the center of Colombian culture.
I think that all of us who are present here are aware that, at bottom, we are, yes, at the end of a negotiation, but also at the beginning of a process, yet open, of change, which requires the contribution and respect of all Colombians.
We have gathered for this Liturgy of the Word in the thought-provoking setting of Cartagena of the Indies, whose evolution in time represents in some way the very history of this country. More than 350 years ago, in the old port of Cartagena, Saint Peter Claver consumed his life with admirable abnegation and extraordinary charity in favor of the slaves brought from Africa.
We could say that, as centuries ago the slaves and merchants arrived at port sick and mistreated, today many Colombians move uprooted and sorrowful, with their dignity wounded or taken away. They have lived through storms and dark clouds, without losing hope. They need to be rescued and loved; they thirst for fresh water.
The remains of Saint Peter Claver rest just under the altar of this church, located near his convent. In the course of more than four decades, he was able to perceive the great dignity of so many human beings treated as merchandise, subjected to all sorts of atrocities, recruited and displaced from their lands for slavery. Going out with charity to meet these victims of injustice, he honored their dignity and gave them hope.
Likewise, today also Jesus awaits us to free us from the chains of slavery – our own and those caused by others. He is anxious to embrace us, to cure our wounds, to dry our tears, to give us to eat and drink the water and bread of life, to look at us with love in the depth of our soul, to take us in His arms to a safe port … We know that the suffering of the victims, offered at the foot of the Cross, become a bowl to receive His mercy.
In the letter I sent you expressing the Pope’s desire to visit these lands, I said that “it is necessary to take the risk to convert, with the whole Church, each parish and each institution into a field hospital, into a safe place in which those can meet again who experienced atrocities and those who acted from the side of violence.” Obviously, it is from encounter that Colombia must alleviate the pain of so many of its inhabitants, humiliated and oppressed by violence; it must stop the hatred and change the direction of its history, to build a better future within just and solid institutions.
The best method to begin a better future is to reconstruct the dignity of those that suffer, and to do this it is necessary to approach them without restrictions of time, to the point of identifying with them. In other words, the peace that Colombia yearns for goes beyond the also necessary obtaining of certain structures or conventions, and it is centered on the reconstruction of the person: in fact, it is in the wounds of the human heart where the profound causes of the conflict are found, which in the last decades have rent this country.
God alone gives us the strength to address such problems and, above all, the capacity to identify ourselves with all those who suffer because of them. Therefore, we have gathered today in prayer in this country of Catholic roots. We do not regard this meting as one more event, but as a manifestation of the confidence of the Authorities and of all those who follow us with the strength of prayer to God. This Liturgy is an invocation to the Lord, who can grant what is often impossible for human strength alone: light for the way and for the decisions that Colombians must freely take, in the warmth of respect, of listening and of serene dialogue that must accompany such decisions.
Moreover, our prayer attests, perhaps in an almost unconscious way, what Saint John Paul II wrote when he came on pilgrimage to Colombia:“in the light of faith, solidarity tends to surpass itself, being clothed with the specifically Christian dimensions of total gratitude, forgiveness and reconciliation” (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 40). Therefore, we ask God to grant us this heroism in solidarity, which is necessary to fill, in truth and in justice, the abyss of evil caused by violence. And we also want to thank Him for having sustained Colombians amidst situations of hatred and pain, and for having opened their hearts, over many years, to the firm hope that violence and conflict are avoidable: a different future can be built, in which to coexist without massacring one another and in which different convictions can be held, in the framework of respect of the democratic rules, of human dignity and of the Catholic tradition of this great nation.
With the historic perspective that the figure of Saint Peter Claver and his time offer us, Colombia has felt, in its flesh, that the ambition for money and power and, because of this, the exploitation of man by man, forced displacement, violence and ignorance of the dignity of the victims, among others scourged, threaten humanity permanently. In the present crossroads, we pray to God for the future of this beloved people, so that they may walk on paths of truth, justice and peace, in keeping with the words of the Psalm we have just heard.
Today we also want to make our own the words of the evangelist Matthew (cf. 5:3-11):
“Blessed are Colombians who are poor in spirit, for theirs the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are Colombians who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are Colombians who are meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are Colombians who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are Colombians who are merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are Colombians who are pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are Colombians who are peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are Colombians who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you Colombians when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”
Religions induce one to listen, to understand and to recognize the reasons and value of the other. Faith is opposed to the harming of a person’s dignity, which causes the laceration of the civil fabric; it is not contrary to secularism, understood as respect for the different spheres of competence of the civil and spiritual reality. In fact, secularism is in need of faith, as a necessary point of reference for coexistence and for respect. The Catholic Church in particular promotes serene social coexistence, in accordance with the spiritual tradition of Colombians, without calling for all to have the same religious confession. She offers points of reference so that individuals and collectivities can find and contribute lights in the quest for the common good.
We implore Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquira, Queen of Colombia, to protect us and to intercede so that it will thus be.
[Original text: Spanish] [Translation by ZENIT]
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Dallas Priest Named to Lead Lubbock Diocese by ZENIT Staff
Pope Francis has named Msgr. Robert Coerver as bishop of the Diocese of Lubbock, Texas, and accepted the resignation of Bishop Plácido Rodríguez.Msgr. Coerver serves as a priest in the Diocese of Dallas.
The appointment and resignation were publicized today.
A native of Dallas, Robert Coerver, 62, was born June 6, 1954. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Dallas, and pursued post-graduate studies at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), in Rome. Bishop-elect Coerver also holds a licentiate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and a master’s degree in counseling and guidance from Texas A & M University. He was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Dallas in 1980.
In 2004, Pope John Paul II named him a prelate of honor with the title of monsignor.
Bishop Rodríguez, who has headed the Diocese of Lubbock since 1994, is 75. Bishop Rodríguez was born in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1940. He was ordained a priest on May 23, 1968, and was appointed auxiliary bishop of Chicago in 1983. On April 5, 1994, he was appointed bishop of Lubbock and was installed on June 1, 1994.
The Diocese of Lubbock comprises 23,382 square miles in the state of Texas. It has a population of 494,458 people of whom 136,894, or 28 percent, are Catholic.
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