Vatican City, Feb 11, 2015 / 08:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his general audience address Pope Francis said that children are gift to parents and society, and that there is no future for a civilization which views them as merely an inconvenience. &ldq... Read more

Vatican City, Feb 11, 2015 / 06:11 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi told journalists Tuesday that rumors circulating about a possible assassination attempt on Pope Francis during his visit to the Philippines are unfounded. “In the last few days there's been talk of this hypothesis of an assassination attempt during the trip to the Philippines. Cardinal (Luis Antonio) Tagle, who has his good sources, said the information is unreliable,” the spokesman said Feb. 11. Philippine media have reported that a man affiliated with Al-Qaeda had planned to place a bomb to be detonated along the route of the papal convoy, but police had gotten wind of the plan and altered the route. Due to Cardinal Tagle’s closeness to the situation in the Philippines as Archbishop of Manila, Fr. Lombardi agreed that the rumors are “unfounded.” Fr. Lombardi’s comments came during a press briefing on activities of Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinals, who are meeting this week to discuss matters of Church governance and reform. Pope Francis traveled to the Philippines Jan. 15-19 for an apostolic visit to the country, where he met with victims of the country’s recent typhoons as well as former street children. Read more

Vatican City, Feb 10, 2015 / 05:47 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis made a surprise stop at a shantytown on his way to celebrate Mass at a Roman parish Feb. 8 – a “secret” plan that only the pontiff knew about and which prompted tears of joy from residents. “We forgot that we can cry also for joy. We cry for shame and for suffering. Today, we remembered that we can pray for joy. This was the best day of our lives.”   According to Gianna Iasilli, who spoke with CNA Feb. 10, these were the sentiments of those who live in the “Arcobaleno” shantytown, where Pope Francis made a stop on his way to celebrate Mass at the Roman Parish of San Michele Arcangelo Feb. 9.   A member of the Sant’Egidio community, Iasilli was one of three representatives from the community who accompanied 30 of the shantytown’s inhabitants to the papal Mass. After stopping briefly at the town itself, Pope Francis met with the 30 individuals in the parish hall before Mass began.   Built in the 1930s, the block where the town is located was constructed as a provisional allocation for those evicted from their homes in downtown Rome following the restructuring of the city by early 20th century Prime Minister, Benito Mussolini.   Pope Francis' visit to the Arcobaleno “was a visit that the Holy Father left a secret, truly a secret. No one knew,” Iasilli said, revealing that the Pope had asked his driver to stop at the town’s address while on his way to the parish.   She noted that when the Pope arrived he couldn’t find the shanties, and had to call the parish priest for additional directions. Once he arrived, the Pope was greeted by a mainly Latin American group, as they live closest to the entrance.   Francis greeted the group in Spanish, asking how many of them spoke his language. His question was met with a resounding “todos!” meaning “all of us!”   In addition to Latin Americans, the shantytown is also inhabited by Ukrainians, Romanians, Poles, Eritreans and Russians. Of these, the Ukrainians and Romanians “are the least well off,” Iasilli said.   Among the 30 shantytown inhabitants present at the parish for the Pope’s Mass were all nationalities except for Latin Americans and Eritreans.   The encounter between the Pope and the Arcobaleno dwellers “was a significant gesture that showed depth and mercy,” Iasilli noted, revealing that the Pope came into the parish hall before Mass and closed the door, before asking for each of them where they came from.   “It was very moving. They were moved. Many are alcoholics, many live in the shanties or sleep on the streets. They live in front of shops, looking for a bit of warm air at night,” she said, and recalled how Pope Francis asked to know which ones lived on the streets.   She said that some of the participants in the papal encounter don’t have places to stay in the town, but are too embarrassed to return to their own countries. Many used to work, but have lost their jobs, she noted.   Many who were present in the papal audience asked for peace, including the Ukrainians and the Russians, who said that while they live side-by-side in the town, their countries are at war.   Iasilli recalled how Pope Francis told them that “he prays for peace every day between the nations.”   Several individuals approached the Pope asking for prayers, including a man who had hurt his hand. When he asked for prayers for his healing, the Pope took his hand “and prayed at length” for his recovery.   There was also a former mercenary who had fought in Afghanistan that asked the Pope to forgive him for his sins and for “not having loved.” He bowed before the Pope, who blessed him.   Pope Francis also offered his blessing to a woman who asked forgiveness for having “greatly sinned.” The Pope, Iasilli noted, “told her that we’re all sinners. She repeated it and he blessed her.”   Many also asked for prayers regarding their health, because “if you get sick on the streets, it’s very difficult.”   Upon hearing that many of the people in the audience and in the Arcobaleno suffer from violence, including alcoholism and arson fires that destroy their homes, the Pope told those present that people call them homeless, “but without saying your names.”   The encounter, Iasilli said, “was very moving because it was so profound,” and noted that there was “a sense of mystery” in everyone.   Sant’Egidio has been working with the shantytown for 15 years and is on a first-name basis with many of the inhabitants. In additions to offering showers in a local parish where the homeless can get new clothes and sheets, the community brings dinner to the town every Tuesday and Thursday.   The Pope thanked the community for their “generosity and patience,” and told inhabitants that he gives them “courage from the Holy Spirit because your lives are like ash. When the fire goes out the ashes remain. But if the wind blows, the fire is rekindled. That wind is the Holy Spirit.”   Despite the difficult reality of those who participated in the encounter, the Pope’s visit “was a gesture that helps us to understand that we’re able to change the cities to make them more united, more human, so they can be more inclusive to the people,” Iasilli said.   She recalled how the Pope told them that Rome must rebuild itself “from the peripheries. Only in this way is a city able to start over. If we exclude the poor, we exclude God.”   Iasilli also spoke about the recent Vatican initiative to include showers for the homeless in the bathrooms of St. Peter’s Square.   Calling the move a model of “revolution,” she said that the act serves as a sign that “it’s possible for everyone if it’s possible for the Vatican and for the Pope.”   “The city and the way we live should be rethought and also how we should live with more solidarity,” she said.   To live with the poor “is a great joy. This I can bear witness to. Being a friend to the poor brings joy. It’s a great joy to be with the poor.” Read more

Vatican City, Feb 10, 2015 / 05:12 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Following mixed interpretations of Pope Francis’ words on the crisis in Ukraine, the director of the Holy See press office said on Tuesday that the Holy See's overarching interest is in peace and negotiation. Pope Francis “has always wished to address all the interested parties, trusting in the sincere efforts of each one to implement agreements reached by common consent and invoking the principle of international law, to which the Holy See has referred several times since the beginning of the crisis,” Fr. Federico Lombardi said Feb. 10. Following his General Audience on Feb. 4, the Pope had said that “once again my thoughts go to the beloved people of Ukraine. Unfortunately the situation is deteriorating and the polarity between the parties is growing worse. Let us pray first and foremost for the victims, among whom are so many civilians, and for their families, and let us ask the Lord that this horrible fratricidal violence cease as quickly as possible.” More than 5,400 people have died in the conflict in eastern Ukraine which has lasted since April 2014, when pro-Russian separatists began fighting the Ukrainian government. The rebels are supported by both Russian arms and troops, according to both Ukraine and Western nations. Because of the presence of Russian troops in the east of their country, many Ukrainians took issue with Pope Francis' description of the violence as “fratricidal” – they consider the crisis a product of foreign aggression on the part of Moscow. And when the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow praised Pope Francis' words, the discomfort of Ukrainians – including Catholics – was heightened. Fr. Lombardi clarified that “in the presence of an escalation of the conflict that has claimed many innocent victims, the Holy Father Francis has renewed his appeal for peace on several occasions. By these interventions, while inviting the faithful to pray for those who have been killed and injured as a result of the hostilities, the Pope also underlined the urgency of resuming negotiations as the only possible way out of the logic of mounting accusations and reactions.” He added that Pope Francis is joyfully awaiting the ad limina visit of the Ukrainian bishops, scheduled to take place Feb. 16-21. “This will constitute a further occasion to meet those brother bishops, to be directly informed on the situation of that dear country, to console the Church and those who suffer, and to evaluate together paths for reconciliation and peace,” Fr. Lombardi commented. On the final day of the Ukrainian ad limina, Pope Francis will meet in private with Angela Merkel, the German chancellor. As Merkel is strongly committed to peace negotiations in Ukraine, the issue is likely to dominate, and the Holy See would reaffirm its support for diplomatic action. “I would say that it is natural that the Pope and Angela Merkel will talk about the Ukrainian situation. The principle that the Holy See will not interfere with the government agenda, and will not prompt solutions to crisis, will remain firm. But it is likely that both the Pope and the Secretary of State will express their concern and will encourage any effort to bring peace in the Ukraine,” Fr. Lombardi told CNA Feb. 10. On the other hand, Fr. Lombardi rejected the idea that a declaration from the Secretariat of State on the Ukrainian issue should be expected. Read more

Vatican City, Feb 10, 2015 / 04:17 pm (National Catholic Register).- Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, the former bishop of Limburg, near Frankfurt, Germany, is to begin a new appointment in March as a delegate on catechesis at the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, the National Catholic Register has learned. An official at the Pontifical Council confirmed on Monday that Bishop Tebartz-van Elst was appointed in December on behalf of Pope Francis through the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. It follows reports in the German press that the bishop had been appointed to the Council, but that the appointment had been subsequently withdrawn by Pope Francis, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The Vatican press office refused to comment on the appointment when asked by the Register last week, neither confirming nor denying it had taken place, although Archbishop Georg Gänswein unofficially confirmed the news to Vatican Magazin on Feb. 7. Bishop Tebartz-van Elst was at the center of allegations that he had approved a $40m remodeling and building project in his diocese that included the bishop’s residence. The expensive project had actually been ordered by his predecessor, Bishop Franz Kamphaus, who retired in 2007. Many believe Tebartz van Elst was the victim of a smear campaign and forced out because of his orthodoxy. In 2008, he drew the ire of some of the German hierarchy when he dismissed a local priest for blessing a same-sex union. Some local priests also criticized his homilies and statements, and drew up a petition. Bishop Kamphaus, on the other hand, sparked controversy in the early 2000s by refusing to comply with several request from Pope John Paul II to stop issuing certificates that opened the way for women to have abortions. The allegations against 55 year-old Bishop Tebartz-van Elst also stand in contrast to the high spending of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, which has just spent $150m on a new diocesan service center. Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who heads the archdiocese and is president of the German bishops' conference, has also just had his residence renovated at a cost of $9m, paid for by the state of Bavaria. But unlike Tebartz-van Elst, the media has paid little attention to the high spending.   The official at the Pontifical Council told the Register Bishop Tebartz-van Elst's position is a new one, and that he had been appointed because his "background is in catechesis."  This article first appeared at the National Catholic Register, Feb. 9, 2015. Read more

Vatican City, Feb 10, 2015 / 01:23 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- In his homily Tuesday, Pope Francis said that Christians must have a certain “restlessness” if they want to know God, who is not found by staring at a computer, but rather by going outside of oneself. “Sedentary Christians, lethargic Christians will not know the face of God: They do not know Him,” the Pope told attendees of his Feb. 10 daily Mass, which took place in the chapel of the Vatican’s Saint Martha guesthouse. “You need a certain restlessness to set out on this path, the same restlessness that God placed in each of our hearts and that brings us forward in search of Him.” Pope Francis launched his reflections by turning to the day’s first reading from Genesis, which recounts God’s creation of Adam and Eve, whom he made in his image and likeness. The Pope spoke of the right and wrong paths that Christians can take when searching for the origins of their own identity. When looking, it is important to note that the image of God cannot be found “on a computer, or in encyclopedias,” he said. Rather, the only way to find the image of God and understand one’s own identity is to “set out on a journey,” Francis said. Of course beginning this journey and allowing God to test us will always involve risks, he said, but pointed out that this is what all the major biblical figures, such as Elijah, Jeremiah and Job, did by allowing themselves to face difficulties and feel defeated. The Pope contrasted the witness of these biblical figures with those in the Gospel who are stationary and falsify their search for God. The Pharisees, who confront Jesus and ask why his disciples eat without performing the normal purification rituals, “are afraid to set out on the path (in search of their identity),” he said. Instead of searching for God, the Pharisees are content “with a caricature of God. It is a fake ID. These lethargic people have silenced the restlessness of their heart, they depict God with commandments and forget God.” By telling Jesus’ disciples that they are neglecting God’s law and are therefore following the tradition of man, the Pharisees themselves turn away from God and when they are insecure, “they invent or make up another commandment,” Pope Francis said. He then turned to the day’s liturgy, saying that the day’s readings provide two “identity cards” that every Christian has. The first is a card that tells us to go out in search of God, and that by doing so, “you will discover your identity, because you are the image of God.” “Get up and seek God,” he said, noting that the second identity card the readings provide is that of fulfilling the commandments, because they show us the face of God. The Pope concluded his homily by praying that the Lord give all “the grace of courage to always set out on the path, to seek the Lord's face, the face that one day we will see, but which we must seek here on Earth.”   Read more