Blog by-the-Sea

Benedict XVI's Christmas Greetings to the Roman Curia

The Pertinacious Papist has posted the full text of Pope Benedict's Christmas Greetings to the Roman Curia on December 22, and Sandro Magister posted the bulk of it, both of them offering commentary.  Zenit also has a translation.  An official English translation has not been released, and I will plan to add a link here after it is.

The Pope's reference to marriage as a lifelong bond between a man and a woman drew news attention as he spoke of the importance of including in the Christian message "a testimonial for the Spirit Creator present in all of nature, but specially in the nature of man, who was created in the image of God." 

The overall theme of his greeting was one of the joy given by the Holy Spirit, which he described as a joy "of being in harmony with oneself, which can only be achieved by being in harmony with God and his creation."

With this post, I would like to summarize, and more or less outline, the Pope's greeting, in order to place that portion of the greeting in its context.  Of course, it is well worth reading the entire message.

In his greeting, the Pope looked back over the Church's key events of the past year:

    1.    It was a year of anniversaries that bring us to the future: 50 years since the death of Pope Pius XII and election of Pope John XXIII; 40 years since the Encyclical Humanae Vitae; 30 years since the death of Pope Paul VI.

    2.    June 28 marked the inauguration of the Pauline Year.

    3.    World Youth Day, the papal journeys to the U.S. and France, and the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God stand out in particular.  Speaking of the Synod, he said of Scripture:

"This Word has shaped our common history and will continue to do so. And so we realize all over that precisely because the Word is so personal, then we can understand it correctly and totally only within the 'we' of the community instituted by God - always conscious that we can never exhaust it completely, that it always has something new to say to each generation."

Speaking of World Youth Day in Sydney, he mentioned the "long exterior and interior path" that leads to the week of World Youth Day, including the procession of the cross and the icon as a part of the spiritual preparation, and also mentioned the long road that follows, as new friendships are inspired that are "capable of making new places of faith emerge in the world, which are also places of hope, and of charity that is practised and lived." 

The central theme of the World Youth Day in Sydney, he said, was joy as a fruit of the Holy Spirit.  The Pope pointed out "the orientation that was implicit in the theme", discussing four dimensions of pneumatology (the knowledge of the Holy Spirit) and their implications:

    1.    "Faith in the Creator Spirit is an essential element of the Christian Creed. . . .
The ultimate basis of our responsibility towards the earth is our faith in creation."  The Church "should validate this responsibility in public. . . . In so doing, it should defend not just the earth, water and air as gifts of Creation that belong to everyone. She should also protect man from destroying himself." 

The Holy Father then mentioned the Scholastics who spoke of marriage, as a lifelong bond between a man and a woman, as a "sacrament of creation."  The Church's message cannot be limited to "only the message of salvation."  Rather, he said, "Part of the announcement that the Church should bring to men is a testimonial for the Spirit Creator present in all of nature, but specially in the nature of man, who was created in the image of God."

    2.    Addressing other aspects of pneumatology, the Holy Father said that faith tells us that "the Spirit speaks, so to say, in human words; it has entered history, and as the force that shapes history, it is also a Spirit that speaks. It is the Word which comes to us in ancient Scriptures and in the New Testament."

    3.    The third dimension of pneumatology consists "in the inseparability of Christ and the Holy Spirit."

    4.    The fourth dimension of pneumatology is "the connection between the Spirit and the Church."  The Body of Christ is "an organism of the Holy Spirit."  The Holy Father said:

"Thus with the subject of the Holy Spirit which oriented World Youth Day in Australia, and in a more hidden way, the weeks of the Bishops Synod, the entire breadth of Christian faith is made visible, a breadth which leads, from responsibility for Creation and for man's existence in tune with Creation, through Scriptures and the story of salvation, to Christ, and from there, to the living community of the Church - in its structure and responsibility, as in its vastness and freedom, expressed as much in the multiplicity of charisms as in the Pentecostal image of the multitude of languages and cultures."

An integral part of celebration, he said, is joy given by the Holy Spirit. "It is the expression of happiness, of being in harmony with oneself, which can only be achieved by being in harmony with God and his creation."  "The missionary spirit of the Church," he said, is "nothing but the impulse to communicate the joy that has been given to us."

At the close of the year, he expressed a wish that such joy "may always be alive in us and thus irradiate the world in its tribulations" and that it "may be given to us abundantly in the New Year."

World Day of Peace: "Fighting Poverty to Build Peace"

From Pope Benedict XVI's Message for the World Day of Peace 2009 (New Year's Day), released today, with the topic "Fighting Poverty to Build Peace":

"2. . . .If it were a question of material poverty alone, then the social sciences, which enable us to measure phenomena on the basis of mainly quantitative data, would be sufficient to illustrate its principal characteristics. Yet we know that other, non-material forms of poverty exist which are not the direct and automatic consequence of material deprivation. For example, in advanced wealthy societies, there is evidence of marginalization, as well as affective, moral and spiritual poverty, seen in people whose interior lives are disoriented and who experience various forms of malaise despite their economic prosperity. On the one hand, I have in mind what is known as “moral underdevelopment”, and on the other hand the negative consequences of “superdevelopment”. . . .

"3. Poverty is often considered a consequence of demographic change. For this reason, there are international campaigns afoot to reduce birth-rates, sometimes using methods that respect neither the dignity of the woman, nor the right of parents to choose responsibly how many children to have; graver still, these methods often fail to respect even the right to life. The extermination of millions of unborn children, in the name of the fight against poverty, actually constitutes the destruction of the poorest of all human beings. And yet it remains the case that in 1981, around 40% of the world's population was below the threshold of absolute poverty, while today that percentage has been reduced by as much as a half, and whole peoples have escaped from poverty despite experiencing substantial demographic growth. This goes to show that resources to solve the problem of poverty do exist, even in the face of an increasing population. . . .

"10. . . .Objectively, the most important function of finance is to sustain the possibility of long- term investment and hence of development. Today this appears extremely fragile: it is experiencing the negative repercussions of a system of financial dealings – both national and global – based upon very short-term thinking, which aims at increasing the value of financial operations and concentrates on the technical management of various forms of risk. The recent crisis demonstrates how financial activity can at times be completely turned in on itself, lacking any long-term consideration of the common good. This lowering of the objectives of global finance to the very short term reduces its capacity to function as a bridge between the present and the future, and as a stimulus to the creation of new opportunities for production and for work in the long term. Finance limited in this way to the short and very short term becomes dangerous for everyone, even for those who benefit when the markets perform well. . . ."

California Propositions in the Upcoming Election

Here are some videos on 3 of the voter propositions that will be on the November ballot for California voters:

Proposition 2: The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act

Proposition 4: Sarah's Law on Parental Notification of Abortion for Minors

Proposition 8: Marriage Protection Act

And here are some websites about the same propositions:

Humane Society of the United States President and CEO on Proposition 2

Statement of the Catholic Bishops of California on Proposition 4

Statement of the Catholic Bishops of California on Proposition 8

USCCB Faithful Citizenship Website

The Vatican and the Diplomacy of Human Rights in World Affairs

Three recent addresses highlight the Vatican's concerns in world affairs, rooted in human rights and a Catholic view of history.  The addresses particularly highlight the 60th anniversary of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Yesterday, Pope Benedict XVI's Address to the Diplomatic Corps (scroll down for the English translation) summarized the Holy Father's concerns for the state of the world for diplomats from other countries to the Vatican.

Today, the Vatican published an Address to the Sixth Session of the U.N. Human Rights Council by Msgr. Silvano Tomasi, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See.

Sandro Magister today highlights the Holy Father's homily for the Solemnity of the Epiphany, in an article titled The Church's Diplomacy Has a Fixed Star: That of the Magi.  The homily, which preached Benedict XVI's theology of history, is provided by Magister in English translation with commentary stating that, without this homily, the Pope's address to the Diplomatic Corps "remains halting and incomprehensible."

New Year's Day at the Vatican: Mary, the Mother of God; the Family; and Peace

Pope Benedict XVI began the new year yesterday evening with a First Vespers service in St. Peter's Basilica for the Feast of Mary, Mother of God.   Catholic News Service has an article on the Holy Father's words.  Full translations are available from the Vatican, Zenit and Papa Ratzinger Forum.  He reminded people that while the calendar turns to a new year, the Church is still in Christmastide, so that we should first give thanks for the Incarnation of Christ.  The prayer of thanksgiving, he said, is also a prayer for God's continued help in the coming year, mentioning particularly help for those living in poverty and those living in a banalisation of sexuality.  He asked people to be beacons of hope for a better future.

Vatican Radio has an audio report on the service.  The audio report also looks over the events of the past year, including the various papal journeys of 2007.

This morning, the Holy Father celebrated Mass for the Feast of Mary, Mother of God, in a packed St. Peter's Basilica.  Asia News has an article.  Full translations are available from the Vatican, Zenit and Papa Ratzinger Forum.  The Holy Father began the new year by calling on Mary, the Mother of God, for intercession for "the gift of peace, for our families, cities and the whole world."  He remembered the many anniversaries to be held in the coming year, including the 60th anniversary of the U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the 25th anniversary of the Holy See's Charter for the Rights of the Family.  He thus dedicated his Message for this World Day of Peace to The Human Family, a Community of Peace.  He spoke of the world as one great family, and expressed a hope for all to have a greater sense of being a part of that family, seeking peace as a divine gift.

The Holy Father also remembered Mary pondering in her heart the mysteries of the Incarnation as told to her by the angel -- a mystery that cannot be understood by human intelligence alone.   In Mary's school, he said, we can grasp what our eyes and minds alone cannot perceive, and only faith can grasp.  As Mary, in her heart, continued to "put together" the events of the crucifixion and resurrection, she became the path of love to follow in putting together what we live and finding unity, in generous service to others, in the wisdom of the saints.

Articles about the Holy Father's first Angelus address of the year appear at Vatican Radio and Asia News.  Full translations are available from the Vatican, Zenit and Papa Ratzinger Forum.  Addressing 40,000 people in St. Peter's Square, he referenced his Message for World Peace Day, in which he wrote, "'All peoples'—as the Second Vatican Council declared—'are one community and have one origin, because God caused the whole human race to dwell on the face of the earth (cf. Acts 17:26); they also have one final end, God.'" (referencing the Vatican II document Nostra Aetate, 1.  There is thus, he said, a close connection among family, society and peace.  He also spoke of the importance of protection of the family, following his words on Sunday in the Angelus address broadcast to Madrid's demonstration for the family and his Message for World Peace Day. 

Section 5 of the Message for World Day of Peace is one of those he drew from, which says that because the family is the fundamental group unit of society that expresses the human person (Section 4), "Consequently, whoever, even unknowingly, circumvents the institution of the family undermines peace in the entire community, national and international, since he weakens what is in effect the primary agency of peace." In the Message, he listed more specifically those actions he saw as circumventing the institution of the family, including anything that weakens the family based on the marriage of a man and a woman, and anything  that stands in the way of responsible openness to new life, and anything that obstructs the family's right to be responsible for its children's education.  He spoke of peace as both a divine gift and a "commitment that must be pursued with patience."

Maximus of Turin: Observing One's Civic Duties

In today's General Audience, Pope Benedict XVI spoke about Maximus of Turin, who was bishop of Turin in a time of growing unrest, beginning in 398.  Turin was a place to which many people fled from barbarian invaders.  The homilies of Maximus were preached to the wealthy, often speaking of their civic duties at a time when the Roman authority was declining.  The Pope spoke about the importance of paying taxes and commitment to the poor, saying that "living a Christian life means observing one’s civic duties."

An article is available from Asia News.  Full translations are available from the Vatican, Zenit and from Teresa Benedetta at Papa Ratzinger Forum.

Here is a quote from the Holy Father's words in English at the end of the Audience (from Zenit):

"Like many other Bishops of the time, Maximus found himself called upon to take on greater civic authority and responsibility.

"His example and teaching remind us that, whatever the age in which they live, Christian believers are called upon to carry out faithfully their duties as citizens, working to imbue temporal society with the spirit of the Gospel, and striving to achieve a vital synthesis between their duties as citizens of the earthly city and their commitment to work for the coming of God’s Kingdom of holiness, justice and peace."

Alexis II's Address Before the Counsel of Europe

On Tuesday, October 2, Alexis II (also called "Alexy II" or "Alexei II" in English), the Russian Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow and All of Russia, addressed the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as mentioned in a previous post.

An English translation of the address is available on the Council of Europe website. 
Here is an excerpt:

"It was upon this basis of traditional morality and respect for each other’s social models and lifestyle that various religious traditions coexisted in Russia, where no wars of religion were ever known. Now too, our church keeps strengthening peace between the faiths through developing an efficient dialogue and cooperation with other traditional religious communities in Russian and other CIS countries.

"As we all know, Europe and the whole world are today threatened with the extremists and terrorists many of whom wear religious disguises. These destructive forces grow on the soil of religious ignorance and moral scarcity. Therefore I strongly believe that younger generations should have access, if they will, to in-depth study their religious tradition in school. They also need basic knowledge of other faiths since it lays foundation for living together peacefully."

The Council of Europe, founded in 1949, has 47 member countries.  As stated on its website, its objectives include the protection of human rights, pluralistic democracy, and the rule of law, among other things.  One of its foremost achievements was the creation of the European Court of Human Rights.  The Council's website also offers a Video of the address (playable on Windows Media Player -- if the link here does not work, a link may still be available on the Council of Europe home page) and a photo gallery.

Where the Poor Lazarus Can Sit With the Rich Man

In his reflection today before praying the midday Angelus, Pope Benedict XVI spoke about today's Gospel reading for Mass, which is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31.  He said, "The parable shows how earthly iniquity is overturned by divine justice."  In addition, he said that the parable speaks of the poor.

Articles are available from Asia News and Catholic News Agency.  Full translations are available from the Vatican, Zenit and from Teresa Benedetta at Papa Ratzinger Forum. 

Here is an excerpt from his words in which he mentions Pope Paul VI, from Teresa Benedetta's translation:

"This parable also lends itself to a social reading, about which Pope Paul VI's teaching 40 years ago in the encyclical Popularum Progressio is memorable. Speaking of the battle against world hunger, he wrote: "It is a question of building a world in which every man...can live a life that is fully human...where the poor Lazarus can sit at the same table as the rich man" (n. 47)."

The Holy Father's reference to Pope Paul VI today follows a celebration this past Wednesday, September 26, of the 110th anniversary of the birth of Pope Paul VI.  At a concert held that day to honor the occasion, the Holy Father spoke of Pope Paul VI as having "prophetic intuition" about the hopes and fears of the people of his time.  Zenit has an article about his words at the concert.  The entire speech from that occasion can be found in Italian on the Vatican website.

Pope Benedict XVI in Velletri

Today, the Holy Father made a pastoral visit to Velletri, Italy, which is south of Rome.  The Pope was the Titular Cardinal of the Diocese of Velletri for many years.

English translations of the Pope's homily in Velletri are available from the Vatican and Zenit.  In speaking of the readings for Mass from Amos and St. Luke's Gospel, he spoke of a choice between the selfish search for profit, on the one hand, and authentic generosity "expressed in a sincere love for all and is manifested in the first place in prayer" on the other.  Here is what he said about prayer:

"Actually, praying for others is a great act of charity. The Apostle invites us in the first place to pray for those who have tasks of responsibility in the civil community because, he explains, if they aspire to do good, positive consequences derive from their decisions, assuring peace and "a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way" (I Tm 2: 2). Thus, may our prayer never be lacking, a spiritual contribution to building an Ecclesial Community that is faithful to Christ and to the construction of a society in which there is greater justice and solidarity."

After returning to Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father offered a reflection as usual before praying the midday Angelus.  Articles about his words before the Angelus are available from Asia News and Catholic News Agency.  Translations are available from the Vatican and from Teresa Benedetta at Papa Ratzinger Forum.  In that reflection, the Holy Father spoke about today's Gospel reading for Mass, which is Luke 16:1-13, about the use of money to serve God.  In so doing, he spoke both about the positive aspects of capitalism in the freedom of the individual, adding that "capitalism should not be considered as the only valid model for economic organization," and mentioning the goal of "equitable and sustainable development."

Here are the Pope's words in English offered after the Angelus:

"I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at this Angelus.

"Today’s Gospel reading calls us to be good stewards; people of integrity seeking God’s justice which is fulfilled in love.

"May your time here at Castel Gandolfo and in Rome deepen your understanding of our faith, and renew in you the desire to lead lives marked by honesty, trust and compassion. Upon you and your families, I invoke God’s abundant blessings of peace and joy!"

 

Values Enlightening the Daily Work of Christians

From the Holy Father's address on September 21 to a meeting of the Centrist Democrat International political party (Vatican translation posted on Zenit):

"In effect, when human rights are violated, the dignity of the human person suffers; when justice is compromised, peace itself is jeopardized. On the other hand, justice is truly human only when the ethical and moral vision grounding it is centred on the human person and his inalienable dignity. . . .

"In this her mission, the Church is moved only by love for humanity and the desire to work together with all people of goodwill to build a world in which the dignity and inalienable rights of all persons will be safeguarded. For those of you who share a faith in Christ, the Church asks you to bear witness to that faith today with even greater courage and generosity. The integrity of Christians in political life is indeed more necessary than ever so that the "salt" of apostolic zeal does not lose its "flavour", and so that the "lamp" of Gospel values enlightening the daily work of Christians is not obscured by pragmatism or utilitarianism, suspicion or hate."

I have chosen excerpts here that have practical application to the day-to-day practice of my own career.  In the same address, the Pope also spoke to parliamentarians about the crisis of the family, religious liberty, and terrorists who "often claim to act in God's name and harbour an inexcusable contempt for human life."