Rome, Italy, Jan 6, 2015 / 03:22 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican's Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin voiced enthusiasm at seeing the high number of American seminarians studying in Rome – calling it a sign that vocations are on the rise. “What strikes me is the number of seminarians who are studying here in this college, which means that at least in some areas vocations are growing,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin told American journalists Jan. 6. Cardinal Parolin made his comments at the end of the dedication ceremony for a new addition to the Pontifical North American College in Rome, over which he presided. After starting on the terrace, the cardinal worked his way down, blessing every floor with prayer and holy water. He was accompanied by seminarians who sang and processed with him throughout the celebration. Inaugurated by Bl. Pius IX in 1859, the seminary has spent the last four years at housing capacity, following a several year lull of incoming vocations. The new space was added to meet the needs of a growing community at the college and to enhance their current program for priestly formation. The new addition contains 36,000 square feet spread out across 10 floors. It includes a bishop's lounge with two guest suites, classrooms, a Mass teaching classroom with an altar at the front and a raised ceiling, new offices and a conference room. A private chapel, named after St. John Paul II, was also added to give seminarians a place for secluded prayer. The chapel contains a relic of the saint, as well as stained glass windows of Venerable Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus; Venerable Fulton Sheen; St. John Paul II; Blessed Teresa of Calcutta; Mary; and Christ. “I am very, very happy to be here and my joy has increased after the ceremony of the blessing of the new building,” Cardinal Parolin said, and emphasized that the large number of seminarians at the college is “very encouraging news.” He expressed his hope that in addition to the rise in the number of vocations, “the quality of vocations” would also increase. Especially, he said, “the missionary vocation, as Pope Francis has asked of the priests, the ministers of the Church, and all of the Church.” This missionary call, the cardinal observed, means placing oneself entirely at the service of the evangelization of the world, and especially at the service of the poor and most vulnerable of society. For a seminarian to study and receive their priestly formation in Rome is important in terms of understanding the universality of the Church, he explained, saying that to experience the “catholicity” of the Church in this way is perhaps the biggest gift the seminarians receive. The cardinal also pointed out that being in such close proximity to the Holy Father “is not taking anything from the local Churches, but is giving them more strength and more energy in the task they are performing.” Americans, he said, offer the universal Church something unique in terms of “their sense of organization,” and lauded the way the seminarians at the college “are really, really giving their life to the Church.”Editor's note, Jan. 7, 2:30 pm: The original version of this article incorrectly identified the inauguration of the North American College as having taken place in 1959 rather than 1859; Fr. McGivney's first name as Arthur rather than Michael; and Fulton Sheen as a Servant of God rather than Venerable. It has since been corrected. Read more

Rome, Italy, Jan 6, 2015 / 04:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A priest on the papal flight for Pope Francis' upcoming visit to the Philippines said the country is anxiously awaiting the pontiff and is anticipating his paternal closeness with those who suffer. “For us Filipinos, (the Pope) is really the representative of Jesus on earth, so it's like Jesus (is) coming to the Philippines,” Father Gregory Gaston told CNA Dec. 9. Local faithful truly view the Pope “as a father, so it's like a father visiting his children,” he said. “The people will listen to him, the people will try to see him as much as they can and experience his message of mercy and compassion.” Fr. Gaston, who currently serves as rector for the Pontifical Filipino College, will accompany Pope Francis on his flights to and from his Jan. 12-19 visit to Sri Lanka and the Philippines as a media correspondent for the Philippine Catholic radio station “Radyo Veritas.” The priest currently speaks with the station on a weekly basis for their nationwide broadcast. With many people in the Philippines currently suffering in either a material, financial or physical way, the Pope's visit promises to be “an uplifting of their spiritual perspective,” Fr. Gaston said. He referred to how Pope Francis, in addition to his time in the Philippine capital of Manila, will visit the eastern city of Tacloban, which has been devastated by two hurricanes since last year. Super typhoon Yolanda ravaged the country just over a year ago, in November 2013, claiming the lives of around 6,000 people, while another typhoon, Hagupit, tore through the eastern islands of the Philippines this past December, causing even more devastation. In his Jan. 17 visit to Tacloban, the Pope will celebrate mass after arriving, and will then have lunch with survivors of typhoon Yolanda. Afterward he will go on to bless the city's “Pope Francis Center for the Poor” and will hold mass for priests, religious, seminarians and families of the typhoon survivors. Fr. Gaston observed how Pope Francis is also slated to meet with victims of recent earthquakes in the surrounding areas, and referred to the encounters as “symbolic.” Although Pope Francis will only be visiting “a specific island, he'll actually be visiting everyone, all those (who are) suffering,” the priest said. He noted how during certain meetings, people representing cities from all over the country will have the opportunity to meet and visit with the Pope. “The theme of the visit is 'Mercy and Compassion,' so people will be experiencing and will try to experience this mercy of God, compassion of God, especially since many Filipinos are suffering in one way or another.” As his second trip to Asia in six months, Pope Francis' visit to the Philippines is also a sign of the continent's potential in terms of faith and Christianity, Fr. Gaston said. The majority of Asia's Catholic population, he added, live in the Philippines. He pointed out how the mayor of Manila, Joseph Estrada, declared a 5-day, non-working holiday for the duration of the Pope's visit due to safety and security concerns with the large number of pilgrims expected to come. The move has also been credited in part as being made in order to allow Catholics to participate in the papal activities. The institution of the holiday, Fr. Gaston said, shows “how much we appreciate the Pope himself.” Although the holidays were primarily declared for logistical purposes, “it also shows how high our regard, our esteem for the Holy Father is.” Read more