ADDRESSES, DISCOURSES, MESSAGES

MESSAGE FOR INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
ON 'JOHN PAUL II AND VATICAN-II'
10/28/08


Here is the official Vatican translation of the address Benedict XVI sent Oct. 28 to the international congress on the theme "The Second Vatican Council in the Pontificate of John Paul II." The event was sponsored by the St. Bonaventure Theological Faculty and the Institute for Documentation and Study of the Pontificate of John Paul II.

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To the Most Reverend Father Marco Tasca
Minister General of the Friars Minor Conventual and Grand Chancellor
of The Pontifical Theological Faculty of St Bonaventure Seraphicum:


I learned with joy that the Pontifical Theological Faculty, together with the Institute for Documentation and Study of the Pontificate of John Paul II, has chosen to promote an International Congress on the theme "The Second Vatican Council in the Pontificate of John Paul II".

With this initiative, the Theological Faculty's intention among other things, is to develop a deeper reflection on the current situation of the Church in view of the celebration of the eighth centenary of the Rule that St Francis presented to Pope Innocent III in 1209, for which he received verbal approval.

With this important scientific event the Institute for Documentation and Study proposes to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the election of Karol Wojtyla to the See of Peter with a view to making better known the great Pontiff's teaching and love for the Church in the historical and theological context of the Council which was so dear to his heart.

Dear Minister General, as I address my cordial greeting to you, I ask you to express to your Conventual Confreres, the Professors of the Athenaeum, the Director and Members of the Institute and all who are taking part in the Congress the sentiments of fatherly affection that I feel for each one of them.

I can only rejoice at the choice of a theme that unites two topics of quite special interest to me: on the one hand, the Second Vatican Council, in which I had the honour of taking part as an expert and on the other, the figure of my beloved Predecessor John Paul II who made a significant personal contribution to that Council as a Council Father and subsequently, by God's will, became its first executor during the years of his Pontificate.

In this context it seems only right also to recall that the Council sprang from the great heart of Pope John XXIII, the 50th anniversary of whose election to the Chair of Peter we are commemorating today, 28 October.

I said that the Council sprang from John XXIII's heart, yet it would be more accurate to say that ultimately, like all the great events in the Church's history, it came from the Heart of God, from his saving will: "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (Jn 3: 16).

To make divine salvation accessible to contemporary man was Pope John XXIII's main reason for convoking the Council, and the Fathers worked with this in mind.

For this very reason, "As the years have passed, the Conciliar Documents" as I recalled on 20 April 2005, the day after my election to the Pontificate, "have lost none of their timeliness; indeed, their teachings are proving particularly relevant to the new situation of the Church and the current globalized society" (Message to Cardinals, 20 April 2005).

In practically all his documents, and especially in his decisions and his behaviour as Pontiff, John Paul II accepted the fundamental petitions of the Second Vatican Council, thus becoming a qualified interpreter and coherent witness of it.

His constant concern was to make known to all the advantages that could stem from acceptance of the Conciliar vision, not only for the good of the Church but also for that of civil society itself and of the people working in it.

"We have contracted a debt to the Holy Spirit", he said in his Reflection prior to the Angelus on 6 October 1985, referring to the extraordinary session of the Synod of Bishops which was about to be celebrated precisely in order to reflect on the Church's response during the 20 years that had passed since the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council.

"We have contracted a debt to the Spirit of Christ.... This, in fact, is the Spirit who speaks to the Churches (cf. Rv 2: 7); during the Council and by means of it, his word has become particularly expressive and decisive for the Church" (ore, 14 October 1985, p. 12).

We are all truly indebted to him for this extraordinary ecclesial event. The multiple doctrinal legacy that we find in its Dogmatic Constitutions, Declarations and Decrees still stimulates us to deepen our knowledge of the Word of God in order to apply it to the Church in the present day, keeping clearly in mind the many needs of the men and women of the contemporary world who are extremely in need of knowing and experiencing the light of Christian hope.

The Synod of Bishops that has just ended placed these needs at the centre of its own rich and fruitful reflections, reaffirming the hope expressed in the past by the Constitution Dei Verbum: "So may it come that, by the reading and study of the sacred books, "the Word of God may speed on and triumph' (2 Thes 3: 1), and the treasure of the Revelation entrusted to the Church may more and more fill the hearts of men" (n. 26), bringing them the salvation of God and with it authentic happiness.

This is a commitment that I am pleased to entrust in particular to you, dear Professors of the Pontifical Theological Faculty, who venerate the Seraphic Doctor St Bonaventure as its heavenly Patron.

In the wealth of his thought, St Bonaventure can offer interpretative keys which are still up-to-date and with which you may approach the Conciliar Documents to seek in them satisfactory answers to the many questions of our time.

The anxiety for humanity's salvation which motivated the Council Fathers, guiding their commitment in the search for solutions to the numerous problems of the day was equally alive in St Bonaventure's heart as he faced the hopes and anguish of the people of his own time.

On the other hand, since the basic questions that man carries in his heart do not change with the changing of times, the answers the Seraphic Doctor attained have remained substantially applicable also in our day.

In particular, the Itinerarium mentis in Deum that St Bonaventure composed in 1259 has remained valid. Although it is a guide to the heights of mystical theology, this precious little book also speaks to all Christians of what is essential in their lives.

The ultimate goal of all our activities must be communion with the living God. Thus, for the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council too, the ultimate aim of all the individual aspects of the Church's renewal was to lead the faithful to the living God revealed in Jesus Christ.

I am certain that the Pontifical Faculty of St Bonaventure and the Institute for Documentation and Study on the Pontificate of John Paul II will continue to develop their reflection on the Conciliar texts, also availing themselves of the insights shared during this Congress.

I assure you in this regard of the support of my prayers and, as a pledge of heavenly illumination for work that will yield abundant fruit, I impart the Apostolic Blessing to you, Most Reverend Minister General, to the Relators of the Congress and to all the participants, as well as to the John Paul II Foundation which generously contributed to it.

From the Vatican, 28 October 2008

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MESSSAGE TO HINDUS
FOR DIWALI FESTIVAL
10/28/08


The festival is celebrated annually by all Hindus, and is also known as Deepavali, which means 'row of oil lamps'. Symbolically founded on ancient mythology, the festival celebrates the victory of virtue over deception, light over shadows, life over earth, good over evil.

The celebration itself lasts three days and marks the start of a new year, reconciliation within families, especially between brothers and sisters, and adoration of God.

This year, Diwali falls on October 28. Here is the Englsh text of the customary greeting to Hindus from the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialog for the occasion. The theme this year is particularly appropriate.

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Christians and Hindus:
Together in favour of non-violence

Dear Hindu Friends,

1. On behalf of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, I am pleased to send you and your communities my cordial greetings as you prepare to celebrate Diwali, the festival of light.

2. Traditionally on this occasion, we share a reflection on a matter of common interest. I would like to propose then considering together how we can live harmoniously in today's society, witnessing to the truth, light and hope that Diwali celebrates.

While religions are often blamed for society’s ills, we know that it is rather the manipulation of religion, contrary to its fundamental beliefs, that is used to carry out so many forms of violence.

3. In this regard, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI said, "In the world there is too much violence, too much injustice, and therefore this situation cannot be overcome except by countering it with more love, with more goodness".

He added, "This more comes from God. Thus by the mercy of God … it is possible to tip the balance of the world from evil to good, when we recognize that it begins in that small and decisive ‘world’ which is the human heart" (Address, "Angelus", 18 February 2007).

For Christians, in the "Sermon on the Mount" Jesus called on his disciples to love their enemies, to pray for those who hated them, to do good to those who wronged them, to walk the extra mile with their opponents (Cf.Matthew 5).

4. In the Hindu tradition, non-violence is one of the more important teachings. Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian nation, is respected and held in high regard by people of different generations around the world for his complete dedication to the service of humanity.

During the course of his struggle for freedom, he realized that "an eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind". Throughout his life, he developed among others, the concept of Ahimsa (non-violence). He is a model for non-violence and he led by example to the point of laying down his life because of his refusal to engage in violence.

5. Non-violence is not merely a tactical manœuvre but is the attitude of one who, as the Pope affirmed, "is so convinced of God’s love and power" (ibid) that he is not afraid to tackle evil with the weapons of love and truth alone. Love of one’s enemy is the revolution of love, a love that does not rely ultimately on human resources but is a gift of God.

6. Non-violence is encouraged by many other religions. Non-violence is central to our beliefs as the way to promote truth, light, mutual respect, freedom and harmony.

As religious leaders called to uphold the truth found in our respective religions, let us help to foster non-violence among our followers and support it in their actions.

Let us do all we can to promote the sacredness of human life, the good of the poor and lowly in our midst and collaborate, through dialogue, to foster the dignity of the human person regardless of race or caste, creed or class.

As Hindus and Christians, especially in the present situation, let us be won over by love without reserve, with the conviction that non-violence is the only way to build a global society that is more compassionate, more just and more caring. It is our hope and our prayer!

7. Once again, let me wish you peace and joy as you gather with your loved ones and your community to celebrate the gift of Light that illumines all hearts. Happy Diwali!


Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran
President
Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata
Secretary
Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialog

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TRIBUTE TO JOHN XXIII
50 YEARS AFTER
HIS ELECTION AS POPE


On Wednesday evening, Pope Benedict XVI paid homage before the body of Blessed John XXIII in the chapel at St. Peter's Basilica where his remains are venerated.

Afterwards, he greeted more than 3,000 pilgrims who had come from Bergamo, the late Pope's home province for the Golden Jubilee celebration in Rome.


Here is a translation of the Holy Father’s address:

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Lord Cardinal Secretary of State,
Venerated brothers in the Episcopate and priesthood,
Dear brothers and sisters!

I am happy to be able to share with you this act of homage to Blessed John XXIII, my beloved predecessor, on the anniversary of his election to the Chair of Peter.

I rejoice with you at this initiative and give thanks to the Lord who has allowed us to relive that announcement of ‘great joy’ (gaudium magnum) that resounded 50 years ago on this day and at this hour from the Loggia of this Basilica.

It was a prelude and a prophecy of the experience of paternity which God would offer abundantly through the words, acts and ecclesial service of the “good Pope’. The grace of God was preparing a demanding and promising season for the Church and for society, and found - in the obedience to the Holy Spirit that distinguished the entire life of John XXIII - good ground for concord, hope, unity and peace, to germinate for the good of all mankind.

Papa Giovanni showed that faith in Christ and belonging to the Church, mother and teacher, is a guarantee of fecund Christian testimony in the world. Thus, in the strong conflicts of his time, the Pope was a man and pastor of peace, who opened in both East and West unexpected horizons of brotherhood among Christians and dialog with all.

The diocese of Bergamo is celebrating and cannot be absent at this spiritual encounter with its most illustrious son, “a brother who became a father through the will of our Lord”, as he himself used to say.

His venerated mortal remains rest beside the Confessional Altar of the Apostle Peter. From this place dear to all baptized persons, he repeats, “I am Giuseppe, your brother”.

You have come to reaffirm your common links and the faith that has opened you to a truly catholic dimension. Because of this, you have wanted to meet the Bishop of Rome, who is the universal Father, led by your pastor, Mons. Roberto Amadei and his Auxiliary Bishop.

I am grateful to Mons. Amadei for the kind words that he addressed in the name of all, and I extend to each of you my gratitude for the affection and devotion which inspire you. I am encouraged by your prayer, even as I exhort you to follow the example and teaching of the Pope who was your countryman.

The Servant of God John Paul II proclaimed him blessed, recognizing that the marks of his sanctity as father and pastor continue to shine before the entire human family.

In the Holy Mass presided by the Cardinal Secretary of State, the Word of God has welcomed and introduced you, in the perfect grace of Christ, to the Father. In him we meet the saints and the blessed ones, and those who have preceded us in the sign of faith. Their legacy is placed in our hands.

A truly special gift, offered to the Church with John XXIII, was the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, which was decided, prepared and started by him. We are all engaged in adequately receiving that gift, continuing to meditate on its teachings and to translate its operative indications in life.

It is what you yourself have been seeking to do these years, as individuals and as a diocesan community. In particular, you have recently been engaged in the diocesan Synod, dedicated to the parish: in this you returned to the conciliar sources to draw that supplement of light and warmth that have been shown to be necessary to make the parish a vibrant and dynamic articulation of the diocesan community.

It is in the parish that one learns to concretely live one’s faith. This allows us to keep alive the rich tradition of the past and to re-propose its values in a secularized society which is often hostile or indifferent.

Precisely thinking of situations of this sort, papa Giovanni said in his encyclical Pacem in Terris: the believer “should be a spark of light, a center of love, a vivifying ferment in the mass: and the more he is, the more that in intimacy, he lives in communion with God (No. 162).

This was the program of life of the great Pontiff and this can become the ideal of every believer and every Christian community who can draw, in the Eucharistic celebration, from the source of the love that is freely given, the faithful and merciful love of the Crucified and Risen Lord.

Allow me to refer particularly to the family, the central subject of ecclesial life, cradle of education in the faith, and irreplaceable cell of social life.

In this respect, the future Pope John wrote in a letter to his relatives: “The education which leaves the most profound traces is always that received at home. I have forgotten much that I have read in books, but I still remember very well everything that I learned from my parents and from older people” (December 20, 1932).

In particular, it is in the family that one learns to live daily the fundamental Christian precept of love. It is on the family that the Church counts, which has the mission to manifest everywhere, through its children, “the greatness of Christian charity, of which nothing else is more valid to uproot the sprouts of discord, nothing is more effective to favor concord, just peace and the fraternal union of everyone” (Gaudet Mater Ecclesia, 33).

In conclusion, to return to the parish, the theme of your diocesan Synod, you know the concern that Pope John XXIII had for this organism so important in the life of the Church. With great confidence, Papa Roncalli entrusted to the parish, family of families, the task of nourishing among the faithful sentiments of communion and fraternity.

Formed by the Eucharist, the parish can become, he thought, a ferment of healthy unease in the widespread consumerism and individualism of our time, reawakening solidarity and opening in faith the eyes of the heart to recognize the Father, who is love, and desirous of sharing his own joy with his children.

Dear friends, you have been accompanied to Rome by the image of Our Lady that Pope John received as a gift when he visited Loreto, a few days before the Council opened. He wanted the statue to be installed in the diocesan seminary named for him in his native diocese, and I see with great joy that there are so many seminarians here who are enthusiastic about their vocation.

I gladly entrust to the Mother of God all the families and parishes, proposing to them the model of the Holy Family of Nazareth. May they be the first 'seminary' that will allow to grow, in its natural sphere, vocations for the priesthood, mission, religious consecration, and familial life according to the heart of Christ.

In a famous visit during the first month of his Pontificate, the Blessed John asked his audience what, according to them, was the sense of the meeting, and he answered it himself, “The Pope has looked you eye to eye and placed his heart next to your hearts.” (Visit to Regina Caeli jail, Rome, 1958). I pray to Pope John that he may allow us to experience the closeness of his attention and his heart so that we may truly feel ourselves to be the family of God.

With these wishes, I gladly impart my affectionate Apostolic Blessing to all the pilgrims from Bergamo, particularly those from Sotto il Monte, the native town of the Blessed Pontiff, which I had the occasion to visit many years ago, as well as to the authorities, to the Roman and Oriental faithful present here, and all those dear to them.

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RESERVED FOR
ADDRESS TO THE NEW CANADIAN AMBASSADOR
10/30/08 - DELIVERED IN FRENCH

ADDRESS TO INTERNATIONAL JEWISH COMMITTEE
FOR INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOG, 10/30/08


Here is the English text of the Holy Fahter's address to a delegation from the International Jewish Committee on Inter-Religious Consultations on Thursday.




Dear Friends,

I am pleased to welcome this delegation of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations.

For over thirty years your Committee and the Holy See have had regular and fruitful contacts, which have contributed to greater understanding and acceptance between Catholics and Jews.

I gladly take this occasion to reaffirm the Church’s commitment to implementing the principles set forth in the historic Declaration Nostra Aetate of the Second Vatican Council.

That Declaration, which firmly condemned all forms of antisemitism, represented both a significant milestone in the long history of Catholic-Jewish relations and a summons to a renewed theological understanding of the relations between the Church and the Jewish People.

Christians today are increasingly conscious of the spiritual patrimony they share with the people of the Torah, the people chosen by God in his inexpressible mercy, a patrimony that calls for greater mutual appreciation, respect and love (cf. Nostra Aetate, 4).

Jews too are challenged to discover what they have in common with all who believe in the Lord, the God of Israel, who first revealed himself through his powerful and life-giving word.

As the Psalmist reminds us, God’s word is a lamp and a light to our path; it keeps us alive and gives us new life (cf. Ps 119:105). That word spurs us to bear common witness to God’s love, mercy and truth. This is a a vital service in our own time, threatened by the loss of the spiritual and moral values which guarantee human dignity, solidarity, justice and peace.

In our troubled world, so frequently marked by poverty, violence and exploitation, dialogue between cultures and religions must more and more be seen as a sacred duty incumbent upon all those who are committed to building a world worthy of man.

The ability to accept and respect one another, and to speak the truth in love, is essential for overcoming differences, preventing misunderstandings and avoiding needless confrontations.

As you yourselves have experienced through the years in the meetings of the International Liaison Committee, dialogue is only serious and honest when it respects differences and recognizes others precisely in their otherness.

A sincere dialogue needs both openness and a firm sense of identity on both sides, in order for each to be enriched by the gifts of the other.

In recent months, I have had the pleasure of meeting with Jewish communities in New York, Paris and here in the Vatican. I thank the Lord for these encounters, and for the progress in Catholic-Jewish relations which they reflect.

In this spirit, then, I encourage you to persevere in your important work with patience and renewed commitment. I offer you my prayerful good wishes as your Committee prepares to meet next month in Budapest with a delegation of the Holy See's Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, in order to discuss the theme: "Religion and Civil Society Today".

With these sentiments, dear friends, I ask the Almighty to continue to watch over you and your families, and to guide your steps in the way of peace.

ADDRESS TO INTERNATIONAL JEWISH COMMITTEE
FOR INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOG, 10/30/08


Here is the English text of the Holy Fahter's address to a delegation from the International Jewish Committee on Inter-Religious Consultations on Thursday.




Dear Friends,

I am pleased to welcome this delegation of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations.

For over thirty years your Committee and the Holy See have had regular and fruitful contacts, which have contributed to greater understanding and acceptance between Catholics and Jews.

I gladly take this occasion to reaffirm the Church’s commitment to implementing the principles set forth in the historic Declaration Nostra Aetate of the Second Vatican Council.

That Declaration, which firmly condemned all forms of antisemitism, represented both a significant milestone in the long history of Catholic-Jewish relations and a summons to a renewed theological understanding of the relations between the Church and the Jewish People.

Christians today are increasingly conscious of the spiritual patrimony they share with the people of the Torah, the people chosen by God in his inexpressible mercy, a patrimony that calls for greater mutual appreciation, respect and love (cf. Nostra Aetate, 4).

Jews too are challenged to discover what they have in common with all who believe in the Lord, the God of Israel, who first revealed himself through his powerful and life-giving word.

As the Psalmist reminds us, God’s word is a lamp and a light to our path; it keeps us alive and gives us new life (cf. Ps 119:105). That word spurs us to bear common witness to God’s love, mercy and truth. This is a a vital service in our own time, threatened by the loss of the spiritual and moral values which guarantee human dignity, solidarity, justice and peace.

In our troubled world, so frequently marked by poverty, violence and exploitation, dialogue between cultures and religions must more and more be seen as a sacred duty incumbent upon all those who are committed to building a world worthy of man.

The ability to accept and respect one another, and to speak the truth in love, is essential for overcoming differences, preventing misunderstandings and avoiding needless confrontations.

As you yourselves have experienced through the years in the meetings of the International Liaison Committee, dialogue is only serious and honest when it respects differences and recognizes others precisely in their otherness.

A sincere dialogue needs both openness and a firm sense of identity on both sides, in order for each to be enriched by the gifts of the other.

In recent months, I have had the pleasure of meeting with Jewish communities in New York, Paris and here in the Vatican. I thank the Lord for these encounters, and for the progress in Catholic-Jewish relations which they reflect.

In this spirit, then, I encourage you to persevere in your important work with patience and renewed commitment. I offer you my prayerful good wishes as your Committee prepares to meet next month in Budapest with a delegation of the Holy See's Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, in order to discuss the theme: "Religion and Civil Society Today".

With these sentiments, dear friends, I ask the Almighty to continue to watch over you and your families, and to guide your steps in the way of peace.

ADDRESS TO STUDENTS
OF THE PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITIES
October 30, 2008


Here is a translation of the Holy Father's address to the students of the Roman pontifical universities at St. Peter's Basilica after the Mass to celebrate the opening of the academic year:



Eminent Cardinals.
Venerated brothers in the Episcopate and Priesthood,
dear brothers and sisters!

This traditional encounter with the Roman ecclesiastical universities at the start of the academic year is always a reason for joy.

I greet you all with great affection, starting with Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, who presided at Holy Mass, and whom I thank for the kinds words that he expressed on your behalf.

I am happy to greet the other cardinals and prelates present, as well as the rectors, professors, officials and superiors of the various seminaries and colleges, and of course, you, dear students, who have come from various countries to complete your studies in Rome.

This year, during which we celebrate the bimillenial jubilee of the birth of the Apostle Paul, I wish to linger briefly with you on one aspect of his message which seems particularly appropriate for you, scholars and students, and on which I spoke yesterday at the catechesis for the General Audience.

This is about what St. Paul wrote on Christian wisdom, particularly in his first Letter to the Corinthians, a community in which rivalries among the disciples had erupted.

The Apostle confronts the problem of such divisions within a community, seeing it as a sign of false wisdom, a mentality that is still immature because it is carnal, not spiritual (cfr 1 Cor 3,1-3). Referring to his own experience, Paul reminded the Corinthians that Christ ordered him to announce the Gospel "not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning (1,17).

This gives way to a reflection on 'the wisdom of the Cross', that is, on the wisdom of God as opposed to the wisdom of the world. The Apostle insists on the contrast between the two wisdoms, of which only one is true - the divine - whereas the other is really 'foolishness'.

Now, the amazing novelty - which demands always to be rediscovered and grasped - is that, in Christ, divine wisdom has been given to us, has been shared with us.

At the end of Chapter 2 of the Letter to the Corinthians, there is an expression that summarizes this novelty and precisely for this reason, never ceases to amaze. St. Paul writes: "Now we have the mind of Christ" (2,16).

This opposition between the two wisdoms is not to be identified with the difference between theology, on the one hand, and philosophy and the sciences, on the other. It is about two different fundamental attitudes.

The 'wisdom of this world' is a way of living and seeing things that sets God aside, and follows dominant opinions with their criteria of success and power.

'Divine wisdom' consists in following the mind of Christ - it is Christ who opens the eyes of the heart to follow the path of truth and love.

Dear students, you have come to Rome to deepen your knowledge in the theological field, and even if you study subjects other than theology - such as law, history, human sciences, art, etc - it is still spiritual formation according to the mind of Christ that remains fundamental for you - this remains the perspective of your studies.

That is why the words of the Apostle Paul and that which we shall read next, also from the first Letter to the Corinthians, is very important to you: "Who knows what pertains to a person except the spirit of the person that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God" (2,11-12).

And here we are again within that scheme of opposing human wisdom to divine wisdom. To know and to understand spiritual things, you must be spiritual men and women, because if one is simply carnal, one falls back inevitably into foolishness, even if perhaps one has studied much and has become 'educated' and subtle logicians of this world (1,20).

We can see in this Pauline text a very significant analogy to the verses of the Gospel which report the blessing addressed by Jesus to God the Father, because, says the Lord, "you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike" (Mt 11,25).

The 'wise' that Jesus speaks of are those whom Paul calls 'the wise men of this world', whereas the 'childlike' are those whom the Apostle describes as 'foolish', 'weak', 'ignoble and despised' by the world (1,27-28), but who, in fact, if they accept 'the word of the Cross' (1,18), become the true wise ones.

To the point that Paul exhorts those who consider themselves wise according to the criteria of the world to 'become fools' in order to become truly wise before God (3,18). This is not an anti-intellectual attitude, not a contradiction of recta ratio [correct reason).

Paul, following Jesus, opposes the kind of intellectual arrogance in which man, though he may know a lot, loses his sensitivity for the truth and the readiness to open up to the novelty of divine action.

Dear friends, this Pauline reflection does not intend to undervalue the human commitment necessary for knowledge, but places it on a different level: Paul wants to emphasize - and he does this without half terms - what is really important for salvation and what could instead bring division and ruin.

The Apostle denounces the poison of false wisdom, which is human pride. It is not knowledge in itself that can be bad, but presumption, 'boasting' of what one has come to know - or presumes to have come to know.

It is from this that factions and discords in the Church arise, and analogously, in society. Therefore, it is all about cultivating knowledge, not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, We know very well that in St. Paul, the words 'flesh' and 'carnal' do not mean the body, but the way of living for oneself only and according to the criteria of the world.

That is why, according to St. Paul, it is always necessary to purify one's heart of the poison of pride, which is present in each of us. We too should cry out with St. Paul: "Who will free us?" And we too can receive with him the answer: the grace of Jesus Christ, whom the Father has given us through the Holy Spirit (cfr Rom 7,25).

"The mind of Christ', which by grace we have received, is what we receive through the Church and in the Church, in allowing ourselves to be borne along by the river of its living tradition.

This is expressed very well by the iconography which shows Jesus as Wisdom in the lap of Mother Mary, symbol of the Church: In gremio Matris sedet Sapientia Patris - in the lap of the Mother sits the Wisdom of the Father, namely, Christ.

Remaining faithful to that Jesus whom Mary offers us, to the Christ whom the Church presents to us, we can engage ourselves intensely in intellectual work, interiorly free of the temptation to pride and 'boasting' always and only of the Lord.

Dear brothers and sisters, this is the wish that I have for you at the beginning of this academic year, invoking on you all the maternal protection of Mary, Sedes Sapientiae (Seat of Wisdom), and the Apostle Paul.

And with this goes my affectionate Benediction.

ADDRESS TO
THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
10/31/08



Here is the text of the Holy Father's address to participants in the annual plenary session of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on Friday, Oct. 31. It was delivered in English.



Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am happy to greet you, the members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, on the occasion of your Plenary Assembly, and I thank Professor Nicola Cabibbo for the words he has kindly addressed to me on your behalf.

In choosing the topic 'Scientific Insight into the Evolution of the Universe and of Life', you seek to focus on an area of enquiry which elicits much interest. In fact, many of our contemporaries today wish to reflect upon the ultimate origin of beings, their cause and their end, and the meaning of human history and the universe.

In this context, questions concerning the relationship between science’s reading of the world and the reading offered by Christian Revelation naturally arise.

My predecessors Pope Pius XII and Pope John Paul II noted that there is no opposition between faith’s understanding of creation and the evidence of the empirical sciences.

Philosophy in its early stages had proposed images to explain the origin of the cosmos on the basis of one or more elements of the material world. This genesis was not seen as a creation, but rather a mutation or transformation; it involved a somewhat horizontal interpretation of the origin of the world.

A decisive advance in understanding the origin of the cosmos was the consideration of being qua being and the concern of metaphysics with the most basic question of the first or transcendent origin of participated being.

In order to develop and evolve, the world must first be, and thus have come from nothing into being. It must be created, in other words, by the first Being who is such by essence.

To state that the foundation of the cosmos and its developments is the provident wisdom of the Creator is not to say that creation has only to do with the beginning of the history of the world and of life. It implies, rather, that the Creator founds these developments and supports them, underpins them and sustains them continuously.

Thomas Aquinas taught that the notion of creation must transcend the horizontal origin of the unfolding of events, which is history, and consequently all our purely naturalistic ways of thinking and speaking about the evolution of the world.

Thomas observed that creation is neither a movement nor a mutation. It is instead the foundational and continuing relationship that links the creature to the Creator, for he is the cause of every being and all becoming (cf. Summa Theologiae, I, q.45, a. 3).

To "evolve" literally means "to unroll a scroll", that is, to read a book. The imagery of nature as a book has its roots in Christianity and has been held dear by many scientists.

Galileo saw nature as a book whose author is God in the same way that Scripture has God as its author. It is a book whose history, whose evolution, whose "writing" and meaning, we "read" according to the different approaches of the sciences, while all the time presupposing the foundational presence of the author who has wished to reveal himself therein.

This image also helps us to understand that the world, far from originating out of chaos, resembles an ordered book; it is a cosmos. Notwithstanding elements of the irrational, chaotic and the destructive in the long processes of change in the cosmos, matter as such is "legible".

It has an inbuilt "mathematics". The human mind therefore can engage not only in a "cosmography" studying measurable phenomena but also in a "cosmology" discerning the visible inner logic of the cosmos.

We may not at first be able to see the harmony both of the whole and of the relations of the individual parts, or their relationship to the whole.

Yet, there always remains a broad range of intelligible events, and the process is rational in that it reveals an order of evident correspondences and undeniable finalities: in the inorganic world, between microstructure and macrostructure; in the organic and animal world, between structure and function; and in the spiritual world, between knowledge of the truth and the aspiration to freedom.

Experimental and philosophical inquiry gradually discovers these orders; it perceives them working to maintain themselves in being, defending themselves against imbalances, and overcoming obstacles. And thanks to the natural sciences we have greatly increased our understanding of the uniqueness of humanity’s place in the cosmos.

The distinction between a simple living being and a spiritual being that is capax Dei, points to the existence of the intellective soul of a free transcendent subject. Thus the Magisterium of the Church has constantly affirmed that "every spiritual soul is created immediately by God – it is not ‘produced’ by the parents – and also that it is immortal" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 366). This points to the distinctiveness of anthropology, and invites exploration of it by modern thought.

Distinguished Academicians, I wish to conclude by recalling the words addressed to you by my predecessor Pope John Paul II in November 2003: "scientific truth, which is itself a participation in divine Truth, can help philosophy and theology to understand ever more fully the human person and God’s Revelation about man, a Revelation that is completed and perfected in Jesus Christ. For this important mutual enrichment in the search for the truth and the benefit of mankind, I am, with the whole Church, profoundly grateful".

Upon you and your families, and all those associated with the work of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, I cordially invoke God’s blessings of wisdom and peace.

ADDRESS TO CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC MOVEMENTS
10/31/08 - To translate from Italian

HOMILY AT MASS FOR
DECEASED CARDINALS AND BISHOPS, 11/3/08

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's homily at the Mass today at St. Peter's Basilica in memory of the bishops and cardinals who passed away in the past 12 months.


Eminent cardinals,
Venerated brothers in the episcopate and priesthood,
dear brothers and sisters!

The day after the liturgical commemoration of all the faithful departed, we are gathered today, following a beautiful tradition, to celebrate the Eucharistic Sacrifice in memory of our brother cardinals and bishops who left the world in the past year.

Our prayers are inspired and comforted by the mystery of the communion of saints, a mystery which in the past days we have contemplated anew in order to understand it, accept it and live it ever more intensely.

In this communion, we remember with great affection the eminent cardinals Stephen Fumio Hamao, Alfons Maria Stickler, Aloisio Lorscheider, Peter Porekuu Dery, Adolfo Antonio Suárez Rivera, Ernesto Corripio Ahumada, Alfonso López Trujillo, Bernardin Gantin, Antonio Innocenti and Antonio José Gonzáles Zumárraga.

We believe and feel they are with the God of the living. We also remember some of the Archbishops and Bishops who in the past 12 months have gone on to the House of the Lord.

We pray for all of them, while allowing ourselves to be illuminated in our minds and hearts by the Word of God that we have just heard.

The First Reading, from the Book of Wisdom (4,7-15), reminded us that
"the age that is honorable comes not with the passing of time, nor can it be measured in terms of years. Rather, understanding is the hoary crown for men, and an unsullied life, the attainment of old age".

And if the Lord calls someone 'before his time', it is because he had a special plan for him that is unknown to us. The premature death of a person dear to us becomes an invitation not to continue living in a mediocre way, but to be attentive right away to the fullness of life.

There is in this Wisdom text a vein of paradox that we also find in the Gospel passage (Mt 11,25-30). In both readings, there emerges a contrast between what man's superficial look sees and that which the eyes of God see.

The world considers he who lives long as fortunate, but God looks to an upright heart not to one's age. The world gives credit to 'wise' and 'cultured' persons, while God favors the 'little ones'.

The overall teaching from both is that there are two dimensions of the real: one which is more profound, true and eternal; the other marked by finiteness, provisoriness, and appearance. It is important to underscore that these two dimensions are not placed in a simple temporal succession, as if true life only begins after death.

In fact, true life, eternal life, already begins in this world, even while it is within the precariousness of historical events. Eternal life begins to the degree that we open ourselves to the mystery of God and welcome him in our midst. God is the Lord of life, and in him "we live, move and exist" (Acts 17,28), as St. Paul said in the Areopagus of Athens.

God is also the true wisdom that never ages, the authentic wealth that does not rot, the happiness to which the heart of every man aspires. This truth, from the Wisdom books re-emerging in the New Testament, finds its fulfillment in the life and teaching of Jesus.

In the perspective of evangelical wisdom, death itself is the bearer of a salutary lesson, because it forces us to face reality, It urges us to recognize the transience of that which appears great and strong in the eyes of the world.

In the face of death, every reason for human pride is of no importance, and what emerges is that which truly matters. Everything ends, and we are all just passing through this world. Only God has life in himself - he is Life.

Our life is a shared life - given ab alio, to others, and thus, man can achieve eternal life only through the particular relationship to the Creator that the Creator has given him.

God, seeing man's alienation from him, took a farther step, and created a new relationship between himself and us, about which the Second Reading today speaks: he, Christ, who "gave his life for us" (1 Jn 3,16).

If God, John writes, has loved us freely, we too can and should allow ourselves to be involved in this movement of oblation (sacrificial offering) movement, and make of ourselves a free gift to others.

In this way, we will know God as he knows us. In this way, we dwell in him, as he wished to dwell in us, and we pass from death to life (cfr 1 Jn 3,14) like Jesus Christ, who defeated death with his resurrection, thanks to the glorious power of his celestial Father's love.

Dear brothers and sisters, this Word of life and hope is of profound comfort to us in the face of the mystery of death, especially when it strikes the persons who are most dear to us.

The Lord assures us today that our lamented brothers, for whom we pray particularly in this Holy Mass, have gone from death to life because they chose Christ, they welcomed the gentle yoke (cfr Mt 11,29), and consecrated themselves to service of their brothers.

Thus, even if they must expiate their part of sin due to human frailty - which marks us all, helping us to remain humble - their faithfulness to Christ allows them to enter into the freedom of the children of God.

Therefore if it has saddened us to be detached from them, and their loss still pains us, our faith fills us with intimate comfort in the thought that, as it was with the Lord Jesus - and always thanks to him - death no longer has power over them (cfr Rm 6,9).

Passing in this life through the merciful heart of Christ, they have entered 'a place of rest' (Wis 4,7). And we now fondly think of them in the company of the saints, finally relieved of the disappointments of this life, so that we too feel the desire to be able one day to join them in such happy company.

In the Responsorial Psalm, we repeated these comforting words: "Only goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come" (Ps 23[22],6).

Yes, we hope that the Good Shepherd welcomed our brothers, for whom we celebrate this divine sacrifice, in the sunset of their earthly life and has introduced them to his blessed intimacy.

The blessed oil - referred to in the Psalm (v. 5) - was anointed three times on their head and once on their hands; the glorious chalice (ibid) of Jesus High Priest had been the chalice that they raised day after day, praising the name of the Lord. Now they have reached the pastures of heaven, where the signs become reality.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us join together in prayer and raise it to the Lord of every goodness and mercy so that, through the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin, the encounter with the fire of his love may soon purify our departed friends of every imperfection and transform them into praise for his glory.

Let us pray that we, pilgrims on earth, may always keep our eyes and our hearts fixed on the final goal that we yearn for, the House of the Lord, heaven. So be it.

ADDRESS TO NEW EGYPTIAN ENVOY
11/06/08 - To translate from French

ADDRESS TO PARTICIPANTS
OF FIRST-EVER SEMINAR OF
THE CATHOLIC-MUSLIM FORUM
11/6/08


Here is the English text delivered by the Holy Father at the audience he granted today to the participants of the Cathoilc-Muslim Forum seminar on "love of God and love of neighnor'. He met them at the Sala Clementina of the Apostolic Palace. The three-day seminar ended today with a public session at the Pontifical Gregorian University.




Dear Friends,

I am pleased to receive you this morning and I greet all of you most cordially. I thank especially Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran as well as Shaykh Mustafa Cerić and Mr Seyyed Hossein Nasr for their words.

Our meeting takes place at the conclusion of the important Seminar organized by the Catholic-Muslim Forum established between the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and representatives of the 138 Muslim leaders who signed the Open Letter to Christian leaders of 13 October 2007.

This gathering is a clear sign of our mutual esteem and our desire to listen respectfully to one another. I can assure you that I have prayerfully followed the progress of your meeting, conscious that it represents one more step along the way towards greater understanding between Muslims and Christians within the framework of other regular encounters which the Holy See promotes with various Muslim groups.

The Open Letter "A Common Word between us and you" has received numerous responses, and has given rise to dialogue, specific initiatives and meetings, aimed at helping us to know one another more deeply and to grow in esteem for our shared values.

The great interest which the present Seminar has awakened is an incentive for us to ensure that the reflections and the positive developments which emerge from Muslim-Christian dialogue are not limited to a small group of experts and scholars, but are passed on as a precious legacy to be placed at the service of all, to bear fruit in the way we live each day.

The theme which you have chosen for your meeting – "Love of God, Love of Neighbour: The Dignity of the Human Person and Mutual Respect" – is particularly significant. It was taken from the Open Letter, which presents love of God and love of neighbour as the heart of Islam and Christianity alike.

This theme highlights even more clearly the theological and spiritual foundations of a central teaching of our respective religions.

The Christian tradition proclaims that God is Love (cf. 1 Jn 4:16). It was out of love that he created the whole universe, and by his love he becomes present in human history.

The love of God became visible, manifested fully and definitively in Jesus Christ. He thus came down to meet man and, while remaining God, took on our nature. He gave himself in order to restore full dignity to each person and to bring us salvation. How could we ever explain the mystery of the incarnation and the redemption except by Love?

This infinite and eternal love enables us to respond by giving all our love in return: love for God and love for neighbour. This truth, which we consider foundational, was what I wished to emphasize in my first Encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, since this is a central teaching of the Christian faith. Our calling and mission is to share freely with others the love which God lavishes upon us without any merit of our own.

I am well aware that Muslims and Christians have different approaches in matters regarding God. Yet we can and must be worshippers of the one God who created us and is concerned about each person in every corner of the world.

Together we must show, by our mutual respect and solidarity, that we consider ourselves members of one family: the family that God has loved and gathered together from the creation of the world to the end of human history.

I was pleased to learn that you were able at this meeting to adopt a common position on the need to worship God totally and to love our fellow men and women disinterestedly, especially those in distress and need.

God calls us to work together on behalf of the victims of disease, hunger, poverty, injustice and violence. For Christians, the love of God is inseparably bound to the love of our brothers and sisters, of all men and women, without distinction of race and culture.

As Saint John writes: "Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen" (1 Jn 4:20).

The Muslim tradition is also quite clear in encouraging practical commitment in serving the most needy, and readily recalls the "Golden Rule" in its own version: your faith will not be perfect, unless you do unto others that which you wish for yourselves.

We should thus work together in promoting genuine respect for the dignity of the human person and fundamental human rights, even though our anthropological visions and our theologies justify this in different ways.

There is a great and vast field in which we can act together in defending and promoting the moral values which are part of our common heritage.

Only by starting with the recognition of the centrality of the person and the dignity of each human being, respecting and defending life which is the gift of God, and is thus sacred for Christians and for Muslims alike – only on the basis of this recognition, can we find a common ground for building a more fraternal world, a world in which confrontations and differences are peacefully settled, and the devastating power of ideologies is neutralized.

My hope, once again, is that these fundamental human rights will be protected for all people everywhere.

Political and religious leaders have the duty of ensuring the free exercise of these rights in full respect for each individual’s freedom of conscience and freedom of religion.

The discrimination and violence which even today religious people experience throughout the world, and the often violent persecutions to which they are subject, represent unacceptable and unjustifiable acts, all the more grave and deplorable when they are carried out in the name of God.

God’s name can only be a name of peace and fraternity, justice and love. We are challenged to demonstrate, by our words and above all by our deeds, that the message of our religions is unfailingly a message of harmony and mutual understanding.

It is essential that we do so, lest we weaken the credibility and the effectiveness not only of our dialogue, but also of our religions themselves.

I pray that the Catholic-Muslim Forum, now confidently taking its first steps, can become ever more a space for dialogue, and assist us in treading together the path to an ever fuller knowledge of Truth.

The present meeting is also a privileged occasion for committing ourselves to a more heartfelt quest for love of God and love of neighbour, the indispensable condition for offering the men and women of our time an authentic service of reconciliation and peace.

Dear friends, let us unite our efforts, animated by good will, in order to overcome all misunderstanding and disagreements.

Let us resolve to overcome past prejudices and to correct the often distorted images of the other which even today can create difficulties in our relations; let us work with one another to educate all people, especially the young, to build a common future.

May God sustain us in our good intentions, and enable our communities to live consistently the truth of love, which constitutes the heart of the religious man, and is the basis of respect for the dignity of each person.

May God, the merciful and compassionate One, assist us in this challenging mission, protect us, bless us and enlighten us always with the power of his love.

ADDRESS TO LITHUANIAN AMBASSADOR
11/7/08


Here is the text of the address deliverrd in English by the Holy Father at the presentation of credentials by the new Lithuanian ambassador to the Holy See, H.E. Vytautas Ališauskas.





Your Excellency,

I am pleased to welcome you at the start of your mission and to accept the Letters accrediting you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to the Holy See.

I thank you for your kind words and for the greetings you bring from President Valdas Adamkus. Please convey to him my respectful good wishes and the assurance of my prayers for all the people of your nation.

I am particularly heartened by your comments concerning the need for modern Europe to draw upon the tradition that flows from the teaching of the Gospel.

Your country has a long and noble Christian history, reaching back to the days of Saint Casimir and beyond. In recent centuries, the faith of the Lithuanian people has sustained them through periods of foreign domination and oppression, and has helped them to preserve and consolidate their identity.

Now that the Republic has regained its independence, it can offer moving testimony to the values which enabled its people to survive those difficult years.

As my predecessor Pope John Paul II knew from his personal experience, shared faith is a wonderful source of strength and unity in the midst of adversity. Communities that have lived under such circumstances acquire a deep conviction that true happiness is to be found in God alone. They know that any society which denies the Creator inevitably begins to lose its sense of the beauty, truth and goodness of human life.

As Your Excellency has observed, however, a new generation has now grown up in the former Eastern bloc countries, a generation which did not share in that experience of totalitarian government, and tends therefore to take its political freedom for granted. In consequence of this, there is a risk that some of the fruits which matured in testing times may begin to be lost.

Your Excellency understands well the dangers facing today’s society which, although free, suffers increasingly from fragmentation and moral confusion. In this context, it is vitally important that Lithuania, and indeed the whole of Europe, cultivates the memory of the history that shaped it, in order to preserve its true identity and thus to survive and flourish in the world of the twenty-first century.

It is both a paradox and a tragedy that in this era of globalization, when the possibilities of communication and interaction with others have increased to a degree that earlier generations could scarcely have imagined, so many people feel isolated and cut off from one another.

This gives rise to many social problems which cannot be resolved on the political plane alone, since even the best structures "function only when the community is animated by convictions capable of motivating people to assent freely to the social order" (Spe Salvi, 24).

The Church has a vital part to play here, through the message of hope that she proclaims. She seeks to build a civilization of love by teaching that "God is love", and exhorting people of good will to enter into a loving relationship with him.

Since "love of God leads to participation in the justice and generosity of God towards others" (ibid., 28), the practice of Christianity leads naturally to solidarity with one’s fellow citizens and indeed with the whole of the human family.

It leads to a determination to serve the common good and to take responsibility for the weaker members of society, and it curbs the desire to amass wealth for oneself alone.

Our society needs to rise above the allure of material goods, and to focus instead upon values that truly promote the good of the human person.

The Holy See values its diplomatic links with your country, marked as it is by centuries of Christian witness.

Working together, we can help to forge a Europe in which priority is given to the defence of marriage and family life, to the protection of human life from conception to natural death, and to the promotion of sound ethical practices in medical and scientific research: practices which are truly respectful of the dignity of the human person.

We can promote effective solidarity with the poor, the sick, the vulnerable, and all those on the margins of society.

These values will strike a chord with all those, especially the young, who are seeking answers to their profound questioning about the meaning and purpose of life.

They will resonate with all who are anxious to discover the truth that is so often obscured by the superficial messages propagated by post-modern society.

They will appeal to all who are discriminating enough to reject the world-view built upon relativism and secularism, and who aspire instead to live in a manner befitting the true nobility of the human spirit.

Your Excellency, I pray that the diplomatic mission which you begin today will further strengthen the bonds of friendship that exist between the Holy See and the Republic of Lithuania.

I assure you that the various departments of the Roman Curia are always ready to offer help and support in the fulfilment of your duties.

With my sincere good wishes, I invoke upon you, your family, and all your fellow citizens abundant blessings of peace and prosperity. May God bless Lithuania!

ADDRESS ON ORGAN DONATION, 11/7/08


Here is a translation of the Holy Father's address to participants in an international congress entitled: "A Gift for Life. Considerations on Organ Donation", held in Rome Nov. 6-8, organised by the Pontifical Academy for Life, in collaboration with the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations and the National Transplant Centre.





Venerated brothers in the Episcopate,
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen:

Organ donation is a special form of charity. In a time like ours, often marked by various forms of selfishness, it becomes ever more urgent to understand how determinative it is for a correct concept of life to enter into the logic of gratuity - giving freely.

In fact, there is a responsibility of love and charity which would have one make a gift of one's own life for others if one wants to realize himself. As our Lord Jesus taught us, only he who gives his own livf can save it (cfr Lk 9,24).

In greeting all who are present, with a special thought for Senator Maurizio Sacconi, Minister of Labor, Halth and Social Policy, I thank Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, for the words he addressed to me, for illustrating the profound importance of this meeting, and for presenting a summary of what the congress has done so far.

I join him in thanking the president of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations and the director of the National Transplant Center (of Italy), underscoring my appreciation for the value of the collaboration between these organizations in a field like that of organ transplantation which has been the object, distinguishd ladies and gentlemen, of your study and discussions in the past few days.

The history of medicine evidently shows the great advances that have made it possible to allow a life that is more worthy for every person who suffers. The transplantation of tissues and organs represents a great conquest of medical science and is certainly a sign of hope for so many persons who are in grave and often extreme clinical conditions.

If we extend our look worldwide, it is easy to identify so many complex cases in which, thanks to the technique of organ transplantation, many persons have overcome highly critical phases and have been restored to the joy of living.

This could never have happened if the commitment of physicians and the competence of researchers had not been able to count on the generosity and altruism of those who have donated organs.

The problem of availability of vital organs for transplantation, unfortunately, is not theoretical but tragically practical. This can be verified in the long waiting lists for so many sick persons whose only chance of survival is linked to scarce offerings that do not correspond to actual need.

It is useful, especially in today's context, to reflect back on this scientific conquest so that the multiplication of requests for transplants does not lead to subverting basic ethical principles.

As I said in my first encyclical, the body can never be considered as a mere object (cfr Deus caritas est, No. 5); otherwise, the logic of the market would prevail.

The body of every person, together with the soul which is given singularly to each one, constitute an inseparable unity on which is impressed the image of God himself. To do away with this dimension would lead to perspectives that are incapable of grasping the totality of the mystery in every single human being. Therefore, it is necessary, to consider, above all, respect for the dignity of the individual and protection of his personal identity.

As for organ donation itself, it means that one can donate only if one's own health and identity are not placed in serious danger, and that it is done for a morally valid and proportionate reason.

The eventual logic of a market for organs, as well as the adoption of discriminatory or utilitarian criteria, would be so stridently against the underlying significance of organ donation that they should be considered out of the question as being morally illicit.

The abuses in organ transplants and trafficking in organs - which usually affect innocent persons including children - should find the scientific and medical community promptly united in rejecting these as unacceptable practices. Indeed, they must be condemned as abominable.

The same ethical principle must be applied when it concerns the creation and destruction of human embryos destined for therapeutic purposes. The very idea of considering the embryo as 'therapeutic material' contradicts the cultural, civil and ethical bases on which the dignity of the human being rests.

It often happens that organ transplantation is made possible by a gesture of complete gratuity by the relatives of patients whose death has been ascertained. In such cases, informed consent previously given [by the donor patient] must be a pre-condition so that the transplant has the characteristic of a gift and cannot be interpreted as a coercive or exploitative act.

It is useful to remember, nonetheless, that single vital organs cannot be taken except ex cadavere, from a dead body, which still has a dignity that must be respected.

In recent years, science has achieved further advances in ascertaining when a patient is dead. It would be good if such results receive the consensus of the entire scientific community in order to favor solutions that can assure certainty for all concerned.

In a field such as this, in fact, there cannot be the least suspicion of arbitrariness, and where certainty has not been reached, the principle of caution must prevail.

For this, it is useful that research and inter-disciplinary reflection be increased so that public opinion may be presented with the most transparent truth on the anthropological, social, ethical and juridical implications of organ transplantation.

In these cases, nonetheless, the principal criterion should be respect for the donor's life, so that removing an organ is only done after real death (cfr Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 476).

The act of love that is expressed in donating one's own vital organs endures as a genuine testimonial of charity which can look beyond death so that life may triumph.

The recipient should be very conscious about the value of such a gesture. He is the beneficiary of a gift that goes beyond therapeutic benefit. What he receives, in fact, is not just an organ, but primarily a testimonial of love which should inspire an equally generous response, thus enriching the culture of giving and gratuity.

The master path to follow - until science can discover new and more progressive forms of therapy - should be the formation and diffusion of a culture of solidarity which is open to all and does not exclude anyone.

Transplantation medicine corresponding to an ethic of donation demands from everyone a commitment to invest every possible effort in formation and information, in order to increasingly sensitize consciences to a problem that directly invests the lives of so many persons.

It will be necessary, therefore, to avoid prejudices and misunderstandings, to dissipate suspicions and fears, and replace these with certainties and guarantees that will allow the growth in everyone of an ever broader consciousness of the great gift of life.

With these sentiments, and while I wish each one to continue in your own task with the necessary competence and professionalism, I invoke the aid of God on the work of the Congress, and impart my benediction to all from the heart.

ADDRESS TO AMBASSADOR FROM TAIWAN, 11/8/08


Here is the text of the address delivered in English by the Holy Father at the presentation of credentials by the new ambassador from Taiwan to the Holy See, H.E. Wang Larry Yu-yuan.





Your Excellency,

I am pleased to welcome you at the start of your mission and to accept the Letters accrediting you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of China to the Holy See.

I thank you for your kind words and for the greetings you bring from President Ying-jeou Ma. Please convey to him my cordial good wishes on his recent election, as well as the assurance of my prayers for him, the first Catholic to be elected President of the Republic, and for all the people in Taiwan.

The Government in Taipei has a keen sense of belonging to a world community, a global human family. This is expressed in many ways, not least in the generosity with which aid and emergency relief is supplied to poorer nations.

In this regard, your country makes a valuable contribution to the building of a more secure and stable world. The Holy See is pleased to work together with all those who seek to promote peace, prosperity and development, and appreciates the Republic of China’s commitment to that noble cause.

Although Catholics in the Republic of China represent little more than one per cent of the population, they are eager to play their part in building up a society that is humane, just, and marked by genuine concern for the welfare of the weaker members of the community.

It is part of the Church’s mission to share her "expertise in humanity" with all people of good will in order to contribute to the well-being of the human family.

Characteristically, it is in the fields of education, healthcare and charitable assistance that she offers this contribution. Your Government’s firm commitment to freedom of religion has made it possible for the Church to carry out her mission of love and service, and to express herself openly through worship and the proclamation of the Gospel.

On behalf of all the Catholics in Taiwan, I would like to express my appreciation of this freedom that the Church enjoys.

Thanks to their "innate spiritual insight and moral wisdom" (Ecclesia in Asia, 6), there is great religious vitality and capacity for renewal among the peoples of Asia. Hence the ground is particularly fertile for inter-religious dialogue to take root and grow.

Asians continue to demonstrate a "natural openness to the mutual enrichment of peoples in the midst of a plurality of religions and cultures" (ibid.). How important it is in today’s world for different peoples to be able to listen to one another in an atmosphere of respect and dignity, conscious that their shared humanity is a bond far deeper than the cultural variations that seem to divide them!

Such growth in mutual understanding offers a much-needed service to society at large. By bearing clear witness "to those moral truths which they hold in common with all men and women of good will, religious groups … exert a positive influence on the wider culture" (Address to Representatives of Other Religions, Washington, 17 April 2008).

Frank and constructive dialogue is also the key to the resolution of the conflicts that threaten the stability of our world. In this regard, the Holy See welcomes the recent positive developments in relations between Taiwan and mainland China.

Indeed the Catholic Church is eager to promote peaceful solutions to disputes of whatever kind, "giving attention and encouragement to even the faintest sign of dialogue or desire for reconciliation" (Address to the General Assembly of the United Nations, 18 April, 2008).

In this way, she wishes to support the efforts of Governments to become "staunch champions of human dignity and courageous builders of peace" (Message for the 2007 World Day of Peace, 16).

Your Excellency, I assure you of my good wishes and prayers for the success of the diplomatic mission which you begin today. At all times you will find that the various departments of the Roman Curia are ready to offer help and support in the fulfilment of your duties.

With sentiments of sincere esteem, I invoke God’s abundant blessings upon you, your family, and all the people in Taiwan.

ADDRESS ON PIUS XII AND HIS MAGISTERIUM, 11/8/08



The Holy Father's latest speech on Pius XII gets main play in tomorrow's issue of L'Osservatore Romano.

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's address to participants of a conference on Pope Pius XII organized by the Pontifical Lateran and Gregorian Universities.


Eminent Cardinals,
Venerated brothers in the Episcopate end Priesthood,
dear brothers and sisters!

I am pleased to welcome you on the occasion of your congress on "The legacy of the Magisterium of Pius XII and the second Vatican Council", promoted by the Pontifical Lateran University together with the Pontifical Gregorian University.

It is an important congress for the subject chosen and for the erudite persons, coming from various nations, who are taking part.

In extending my greetings to everyone, I particularly thank Mons. Rino Fisichella, Rector Magnificus of the Lateran University, and Fr. Gianfranco Ghirlanda, Rector Magnificus of the Gregorian, for the kind words that they expressed in your behalf.

I appreciate the demanding subject on which you have concentrated your attention. In recent years, when Pius XII has been talked about, attention has been excessively concentrated on only one aspect, which moreover, has been treated in a rather unilateral manner.

Quite apart from any other consideration, this has impeded an adequate approach to a figure of such great historical and theological weight as Pope Pius XII.

The ensemble of the impressive activities carried out by this Pontiff and, in a very special way, his Magisterium on which you have dwelt in the past few days, are eloquent proof of what I have just said.

His Magisterium is, in fact, characterized by its vast and beneficial impact, as for its exceptional quality, so we can well say that it constitutes a precious legacy which the Church has considered - and continues to consider - a treasure.

I have referred to the 'vast and beneficial' breadth of this Magisterium. Suffice it to recall, in this respect, the encyclicals and the many discourses and radio messages contained in the 20 volumes of his "Teachings".

He issued more than 40 encyclicals, among which Mystici Corporis stands out, in which the Pope confronts the subject of the true and intimate nature of the Church. With ample inquiry, he brings to light our profound ontological union with Christ and - in him, for him, and with him - with all the other faithful who are inspired by his Spirit, who are nourished by his Body, and, transformed in him, allow a continuing extension in this world of his salvific work.

Intimately connected with Mystici Corporis are two other encyclicals: Divino afflante Spiritu on Sacred Scripture, and Mediator Dei on sacred liturgy, which present the two sources from which those who belong to Christ - Head of that mystical Body which is the Church - must always draw.

In this context of great breadth, Pius XII dealt with various categories of persons who, by the will of the Lord, make up part of the Church, although with different vocations and tasks: priests, religious and laymen.

Thus he issued wise norms on the formation of priests, who must distinguish themselves by their personal love for Christ, by simplicity and moderation in life, by their loyalty to their bishops, and their availability to all those who are entrusted to their pastoral care.

In the encyclical Sacra Virginitas and in other documents on the religious life, Pius XII also clearly highlighted the excellence of the 'gift' that God concedes to certain persons in inviting them to consecrate themselves totally to his service and to that of others, in the Church.

In this perspective, the Pope insisted strongly on a return to the Gospel and to the authentic charism of the Founders of the various religious orders and congregations, even projecting the need for some healthy reforms.

There were numerous occasions on which Pius XII dealt with the responsibility of laymen in the Church, profiting particularly from the great international congresses dedicated to this subject.

He gladly tackled the problems of various professionals, for example, indicating the duties of judges, lawyers, social workers, physicians. The Supreme Pontiff devoted many discourses to doctors, illustrating the deontological (morally obligatory) norms that they must respect in their activities.

In the encyclical Miranda prorsus, the Pope dwelt on the great importance of modern means of communication, which in increasingly incisive way, have been influencing public opinion. Precisely because of this, the Supreme Pontiff, who valued to the maximum the invention of the radio, underlined the duty of journalists to furnish information that is true and respectful of moral norms.

Pius XII also devoted his attention to science and the extraordinary progress achieved in that field. While admiring the conquests it has made, the Pope never failed to warn of the risks that can come with research which ignores moral values.

One example will suffice: his address on the successful fission of the atom became famous. With extraordinary farsightedness, the Pope admonished preventing at all costs that such genial scientific progress would be used to construct murderous weapons which could provoke untold catastrophes and even the total destruction of mankind.

And how can we not recall his long and inspired addresses on the hoped-for reordering of civil, national and international society, for which he advocated that the inevitable basis was justice, the true prerequisite for peaceful coexistence among peoples: Opus iustitiae pax (Peace is the work of justice) [Pius XII's papal motto].

Equally deserving of special mention is Pius XII's Mariological teaching, which culminated in the proclamation of the dogma of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Mary, by which the Pope intended to underscore the eschatologic dimension of our existence as well as to exalt the dignity of women.

What can we say about the quality of Pius XII's teaching? He was against improvisations: he wrote with the greatest of attention each of his discourses, weighing each sentence and each word before saying them in public. He carefully studied various questions and made it a habit to consult eminent specialists about topics that required their particular competence.

By nature and temperament, Pius XII was a measured and realistic man, alien to facile optimism, but also immune to the danger of pessimism which is unworthy of a believer. Sterile polemics bored him and he was profoundly mistrustful of fanaticism and sentimentalism.

These internal attitudes confer value and profundity, but also reliability, on his teaching, and explain the faithful adherence to it bot only by the faithful but also by so many persons who do not belong to the Church.

Considering the great breadth and high quality of Pius XII's Magisterium, we can ask how he succeeded to do so much, since he had had to dedicate himself to numerous other tasks in his position as Supreme Pontiff: the daily governance of the Church, the selection and naming of bishops and their visits with him, the visits of heads of state and diplomats, the countless audiences he gave to private persons and groups of the most diverse kind.

Everyone acknowledged in Pius XII an uncommon intelligence, an iron memory, a singular mastery of foreign languages and a remarkable sensitivity. It has been said that he was a complete diplomat, an eminent jurist, and an optimal theologian.

All that is true, but it does not explain everything. There was also in him the continuous effort and the firm will to give himself to God without reserve and without regard for his delicate health. This was the true motive for what he did: everything was born from his love for the Lord Jesus Christ, for the Church and for mankind.

Indeed, he was, first of all, the priest in constant and intimate union with God, the priest who found the strength for his huge task in long periods of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, in silent conversation with his Creator and Redeemer. It is from there that his Magisterium drew its origin and impulse, as did every other activity of his.

Therefore, it is no wonder that his teaching continues even today to spread light in the Church. Fifty years have passed since his death, but his polyhedral and fertile Magisterium still remains of inestimable value even for Christians today.

Certainly, the Church - mystical Body of Christ - is a living and vital organism, which is not stuck unmoving where it was 50 years ago. But development takes place within a consistency.

That is why, the legacy of Pius XII's Magisterium was harvested by the Second Vatican Council and re-proposed to successive Christian generations. It is well known that in the oral and written presentations of the Conciliar fathers, there were more than a thousand references to Pius XII's Magisterium.

Not all the documents of Vatican-II have end notes, but in those that do, the name of Pius XII occurs more than 200 times. This means that, other than Sacred Scripture, this Pope was the source most frequently cited.

It is also known that the notes appended to these documents were not, in general, mere explanatory notes but were often truly integral parts of the conciliar texts - furnishing not only justification and support for what was affirmed by the text, but offering an interpretative key for it.

We can very well say therefore that in the person of the Supreme Pontiff Pius XII, the Lord gave his Church an exceptional gift, for which we should all be thankful to him.

I renew my appreciation of the important work you undertook in the preparation and actual course of this international symposium on the Magisterium of Pius XII, and I wish continued reflection on the precious legacy left to the Church by this immortal Pope, so that we may draw profitable applications to the problems that emerge today.

With this wish, and while I invoke the help of the Lord for your task, I impart from the heart my blessing to everyone.

ADDRESS TO BOLIVIAN BISHOPS, 11/10/08


Here is a translation of the Holy Father's address delivered in Spanish to the bishops of Bolivia on their ad-limina visit.


Your Eminence,
Beloved Brothers in the Episcopate:

It is my pleasure to receive you, the bishops of Bolivia, who have come to Rome for your ad-limina visit to pray before the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul, and to renew the ties of unity, love and peace with the Successor of Peter (cf. Lumen gentium, 22).

From my heart I thank Cardinal Julio Terrazas Sandoval, Archbishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra and president of your bishops' conference, for the kind words that he addressed to me in the name of everyone.

I wish, first of all, to express my appreciation to you and to assure you of my support in the generous service that you are rendering in the great task of guarding and nourishing the faith of the people of God.

I know very well the difficult circumstances that have afflicted the faithful and the citizens of your country for some time now, and that seem to become even more acute today.

These are certainly a cause for concern and special pastoral solicitude for the Church in Bolivia, which has accompanied closely all Bolivians in sensitive situations, with the sole purpose of keeping up hope, revive faith, promote unity, exhort to reconciliation and safeguard the peace.

With your efforts in this task, carried forward in a fraternal, united and coordinated manner, the Pastors call to mind the Gospel parable of the sower who sows seed abundantly and tirelessly without anticipated calculation of the fruits that he may gain for himself from his work (cfr Lk 8, 4ff).

Nor are other challenges lacking from your pastoral concerns, since the faith planted on Bolivian soil always needs to be nourished and strengthened, especially when there are signs of a certain weakening of Christian life because of factors that have different origins, a widespread inconsistency between professed faith and actual personal and social life, or a superficial formation that leaves the baptized to the influence of dazzling but empty promises.

To face these pitfalls, the Church in Bolivia can count on a powerful means - popular devotion, that precious treasure that has been accumulated for centuries thanks to the work of daring missionaries and maintained with close fidelity by generations of Bolivian families.

It is a gift that must certainly be protected and promoted today, as I know that you are doing at great pains and with dedication, but which requires constant effort, so that the value of signs penetrates into the depths of the heart and may always be illumined by the Word of God and be transformed into firm convictions of faith, consolidated by the sacraments and faithfulness to moral values.

In effect, it is necessary to cultivate a mature faith and "a firm hope to live the faith in a responsible and joyful way, thus radiating it in one's own environment" [Address at the inauguration of the Fifth General Conference of Latin American and Caribbean Bishops, Aparecida, 5/13/07).

To achieve this, one needs a systematic catechesis, generalized and penetrating, which teaches the Catholic faith clearly and integrally. This Pauline Year that we are celebrating is a privileged occasion to emulate the apostolic and missionary zeal of this great Apostle who never cowered when he had to announce the plan of God in all its wholeness, as the Pastors of Miletus said (cf Hch 20.27).

In effect, a partial or incomplete teaching of the evangelical message does not correspond to the mission of the Church nor can it bear fruit. Whereas a general education of quality, which comprehends the spiritual and religious dimension of the person, contributes powerfully to firmly cement the growth of faith.

The Church in Bolivia has numerous educational institutions, some of great prestige, that must constantly receive the attention of their pastors so that they can maintain and be respected in their identities.

In any case, it must not be forgotten that "all Christians - since, through their regeneration with water and the Spirit have been converted to new creatures, and are called, and are, children of God - have a right to a Christian education" (Gravissimum educationis, 2).

I am happy to note your efforts to offer seminarians a solid formation - human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral - through priests who are qualified to accompany them in their vocational discernment and assure their suitability and competence.

This criterion, which is always necessary, is more important than ever now, at a time that favors dispersion of information and dissipation of interiority, "for man has in his heart a law written by God" (cf. Gaudium et spes, 16).

Thus, a subsequent follow-up is also necessary to guarantee the permanent formation of the clergy, as well as other pastoral agents, who should constantly feed their spiritual life and avoid that their work becomes routine or superficial.

The clergy are called to show the faithful, from their own experience, that the words of Jesus are spirit and life (cf Jn 6, 63), "otherwise, how can they announce a message whose content and spirit they do not know at heart?" (Address to the inaugural session, Aparecida).

In the recent Assembly of the Bishops' Synod, it was underscored precisely that "the priority task of the Church, at the start of this new millennium, consists above all of nourishing itself on the Word of God, in order to make effective the commitment for new evangelization, the announcement of the Gospel in our time" (Homily at the Concluding Mass, 10/26/2008).

Thus, I urge you affectionately that in the homilies, catecheses and celebrations in your parishes and in all the dispersed small communities that have their own chapels, as one sees in your country, faithful proclamation, listening to and meditation on Scripture should always be in the foreground because the people of God can find in Scripture their reason for being, their calling and their identity.

Obedient listening to the Word of God gives birth to love for neighbor, and with it, disinterested service to our brothers (cf. ibid.), an aspect which occupies a very relevant place in the pastoral activity in Bolivia, in the face of the poverty, marginalization and neglect of a large part of the population.

The ecclesial community has proven to have, as the good Samaritan did, 'a heart that sees' the brother in difficulty, and through its numerous works and projects, comes solicitously to his aid. It knows that "love, in its pureness and gratuitousness, is the best testimonial to the God in whom we believe and who impels us to love" (Deus caritas est, 31).

In this sense, it is also, so to speak, 'a heart that speaks', which carries in itself the Word which has nestled deep in its being and which it cannot renounce even if sometimes it must remain silent.

In this way, if fraternity with our neediest brothers makes us privileged disciples of the Master, our special dedication and concern for them converts us to missionaries of Love.

At the end of this encounter, I wish to reiterate my support for the mission that you are carrying out as leaders of the Church in Bolivia, as well as the spirit of communion and concord among yourselves. A communion that is enriched by special links of close fraternity with other local Churches, some in far-off lands, which wish to share with you the joys and hopes of evangelization in your country.

Please convey my greeting and gratitude to the emeritus bishops, to your priests and seminarians, the numerous religious men and women who enrich and enliven your Christian communities, to the catechists and other co-workers in the task of bringing the light of the Gospel to all Bolivians.

I entrust your intentions to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, who is so venerated by the Bolivian people in numerous Marian shrines, and from the heart, I impart the Apostolic Blessing on you.

ADDRESS TO THE AMBASSADOR OF SAN MARINO, 11/13/08
- ITALIAN

ADDRESS TO PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE LAITY, 11/15/08



Here is the official Vatican translation of the Holy Father's address to participants in the annual plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity at the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace.


Your Eminences,
Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am pleased to meet all of you today, Members and Consultors of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, as you meet in Plenary Assembly.

I greet Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko and Bishop Josef Clemens, President and Secretary of the Dicastery, and together with them the other Bishops present.

I extend a special welcome to the lay faithful coming from diverse apostolic experiences and various social and cultural contexts. The theme chosen for your Assembly "20 years from Christifideles laici: remembrance, development, new challenges and work" directly introduces us to the service that your Dicastery is called to offer to the Church for the good of the lay faithful of the entire world.

The Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles laici, defined the Magna carta for Catholic laity of our time, is the mature fruit of the reflections and of the exchange of experiences and proposals and of the reflections of the 7th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which took place in the month of October in 1987 on the theme "Vocation and mission of the laity in the Church and in the world".

It involved an organic revisiting of the Second Vatican Council's teachings in regard to lay people: the dignity of the baptized, the vocation to holiness, belonging to the ecclesial communion, participation in the building of the Christian community and the Church's mission, witness in all social contexts and commitment to service of the person for the individual's integral development and for the common good of society themes present above all in the Constitutions Lumen gentium and Gaudium et spes, as well as in the Decree Apostolicam actuositatem.

While taking up again the teachings of the Council, Christifideles laici orients the discernment, examination and orientation of lay efforts within the Church faced with the social changes of these years.

In many different Churches lay participation has grown thanks to pastoral, diocesan and parish councils revealing itself to be very positive insofar as it is animated by an authentic sensus Ecclesiae.

The clear awareness of the Church's charismatic dimension has brought about an appreciation and esteemed the more simple charisms that Divine Providence bestows on individuals as well as those that bring great spiritual, educational and missionary fecundity.

Not by chance does the Document recognize and encourage the "new era of group endeavours of the lay faithful". It is a sign of the "richness and the versatility of resources that the Holy Spirit nourishes in the ecclesial community" (n. 29), which indicate the ecclesial "criteria" necessary on one side for the discernment of Pastors and on the other side for growth of the life of lay associations, ecclesial movements and new communities.

In this respect I would like to thank the Pontifical Council for the Laity in a very special way, for the work completed during the last decades to welcome, accompany, discern, recognize and encourage these ecclesial realities, favouring the knowledge of their Catholic identity, helping them to insert themselves more fully into the great tradition and the living fabric of the Church, and promoting their missionary development.

To speak of Catholic laity means to refer to the countless baptized persons working in multiple and various circumstances to grow as disciples and witnesses of the Lord and to rediscover and experience the beauty in the truth and joy of being Christians.

The current cultural and social condition renders still more urgent this apostolic action to generously share in the treasure of grace and holiness, of charity, doctrine, culture and works, from which the stream of Catholic tradition flows.

The new generations are not only the preferred audience of this transmission and sharing but also those whose hearts await truth and happiness in order to be able to give Christian witness, as happens already in an admirable way.

I myself have been witness to it in Sydney at the recent World Youth Day. And therefore I encourage the Pontifical Council for the Laity to continue the work of this providential global youth pilgrimage in the name of Christ, and to work at the promotion of youth ministry and their authentic education everywhere.

I also know of your commitment regarding issues of special importance, such as that of the dignity and participation of women in the life of the Church and of society.

I have already had the opportunity to appreciate the Convention you sponsored 20 years from the promulgation of the Apostolic Letter Mulieris dignitatem on the theme "Woman and Man, the Humanum in its Entirety".

Man and woman, equal in dignity, are called to enrich themselves mutually in communion and collaboration, not only in matrimony and in the family, but also in society and all of its dimensions.

Christian women are asked to be knowledgeable of and courageous in facing their demanding work, for which, however, they do not lack the support of a distinct tendency towards holiness, of a special acuteness in the discernment of our time's cultural currents, and of the particular passion for human care that characterizes them.

Enough cannot be said for how much the Church recognizes, appreciates and values women's participation in her mission of service to the spreading of the Gospel.

Allow me, dear friends, a last reflection regarding the secular nature that is characteristic of the lay faithful. The world within the scheme of family life, its working and social life is a theological place, an environment and a means in which and through which to realize their vocation and mission (cf. Christifideles laici, 15-17).

Every milieu, circumstance and activity in which we engage that can become resplendent with the unity of faith and life is entrusted to the responsibility of lay faithful, moved by the desire to communicate the gift of encounter with Christ and the certainty of the human person's dignity.

It is their duty to take up the witness of charity especially with the most poor, suffering and needy just as it is to assume every Christian task aimed to construct conditions of ever greater justice and peace within human coexistence, thus opening new horizons to the Gospel!

Therefore I ask the Pontifical Council for the Laity to follow with diligent pastoral care the formation, witness and collaboration of lay faithful in the most varied situations, in which the authentic nature of human life in society is at risk.

In a particular way, I confirm the necessity and urgency of the evangelical formation and pastoral accompaniment of a new generation of Catholics working in politics, that they be coherent with the professed faith, that they have moral firmness, the capacity of educated judgment, professional competence and passion for service to the common good.

Work in the Lord's large vineyard needs Christifideles laici who, like the Most Holy Virgin Mary, speak and live the "fiat" to God's plan in their life.

With this prospective, I thank you, then, for your precious contribution to such a noble cause and I wholeheartedly impart the Apostolic Blessing to you and those dear to you.

ADDRESS ON PASTORAL CARE
IN THE TREATMENT OF SICK CHILDREN
11/15/08


Here is the official Vatican translation of the Holy Father's address to participants in the 23rd International Conference sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry on "Pastoral Care in the Treatment of Sick Children."

The address was given, coincidentally, teh morning after the final court decison that clears the way for Eluana Englaro's to discontinue her feeding and hydration in order to end 17 years of being in a vegetative state.



Your Eminence,
Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood,
Distinguished Professors,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am glad to meet you on the occasion of the 23rd annual International Congress organized by the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care. I cordially greet Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán, President of the Dicastery, and thank him for his courteous words on your behalf.

I extend my gratitude to the Secretary, to the collaborators of this Pontifical Council, to the speakers, to the academic authorities, to the important figures, to those in charge of health-care institutions, to health-care workers and to those who have offered their collaboration by taking part in various ways in the organization of the Congress whose theme this year is: "Pastoral care in the treatment of sick children".

I am sure that these days of reflection and discussion on such a topical subject will contribute to sensitizing public opinion on the duty to give children all the attention they need for their harmonious physical and spiritual development. If this applies to all children, it is even more important for those who are sick and in need of special medical treatment.

Thanks to the contribution of experts of world renown and people directly in touch with children in difficulty, the theme of your Congress, which ends today, has enabled you to highlight the difficult situation in immense regions of the earth in which a rather large number of children are still living and to propose necessary, indeed, urgent interventions to come to their help.

Medicine has certainly made considerable progress in the past 50 years: this has led to a substantial reduction of infant mortality, although much still remains to be done with this in view. It suffices to remember, as you pointed out, that each year four million newborn babies die within 26 days of birth.

In this context, the treatment of the sick child is a topic that cannot fail to raise attentive interest of all those who are dedicated to health pastoral care.

A detailed analysis of the current state of affairs is indispensable in order to undertake, or continue, a decisive action aimed at preventing illnesses as far as possible and, when they are present, at curing the small patients by means of the most modern discoveries of medical science as well as by promoting better standards of hygiene and sanitation, especially in the less fortunate countries.

The challenge today is to ward off the onset of many pathologies once characteristic of childhood and, overall, to encourage the growth, development and maintenance of good health for all children.

All are involved in this vast action: families, doctors and social and health-care workers.

Medical research is sometimes confronted by difficult decisions when it is a question, for example, of reaching a proper balance between the continuation or abandonment of therapy to ensure adequate treatment for the real needs of the small patients without succumbing to the temptation of experimentation.

It is not superfluous to remember that the focus of every medical intervention must always be to achieve the true good of the child, considered in his dignity as a human being with full rights. Thus it is always necessary to care for him lovingly, to help him to face suffering and sickness, even before birth, as his situation requires.

Then taking into account the emotional impact of the illness and treatment to which the child is subjected which are quite often particularly invasive, it is important to ensure constant communication with his relatives.

If health-care workers, doctors and nurses feel the burden of the suffering of the little patients they are assisting, one can easily imagine how much more acutely their parents must feel it!

The medical and human aspects must never be separated and it is the duty of every nursing and health-care structure, especially if it is motivated by a genuine Christian spirit, to offer the best of both expertise and humanity.

The sick person, especially the child, understands in particular the language of tenderness and love, expressed through caring, patient and generous service which in believers is inspired by the desire to express the same special love that Jesus reserved for children.

"Maxima debetur puero reverentia" (Juvenal, Satire xiv, v. 479): the ancients already acknowledged the importance of respecting the child who is a gift and a precious good for society and whose human dignity, which he fully possesses even unborn in his mother's womb, must be recognized.

Every human being has a value in himself because he is created in the image of God in whose eyes he is all the more precious the weaker he appears to the human gaze. Thus, with what great love should we also welcome an unborn child who is already affected with medical pathologies!

"Sinite parvulos venire ad me", Jesus says in the Gospel (cf. Mk 10: 14), showing us the attitude of respect and acceptance with which we must look after every child, especially when he is weak and in difficulty, suffering and defenceless.

I am thinking above all of little orphans or children abandoned because of the poverty and the disintegration of their family.

I am thinking of children who are the innocent victims of AIDS or of war and of the many armed conflicts that are being fought in various parts of the world.

I am thinking of children who died because of poverty, drought and hunger.

The Church does not forget her smallest children and if, on the one hand she applauds the initiatives of the richer nations to improve the conditions of their development, on the other, she is strongly aware of the need to invite them to pay greater attention to these brothers and sisters of ours, so that thanks to our unanimous solidarity they are able to look at life with trust and hope.

Dear brothers and sisters, while I express the wish that the many conditions of imbalance that still exist may be set right as soon as possible with decisive interventions on behalf of these small brothers and sisters, I also express my deep appreciation of those who dedicate their energy and material resources to serving them.

I think with special gratitude of our Bambino Gesù Hospital and of the numerous Catholic social and health-care associations and institutions which, following the example of Jesus Christ the Good Samaritan, and inspired by his charity, offer human, moral and spiritual support and relief to so many suffering children, loved by God with special predilection.

May the Blessed Virgin, Mother of every human being, watch over sick children and protect all those who do their utmost to nurse them with humane consideration and a Gospel spirit.

With these sentiments, as I express my sincere appreciation of the work of sensitization achieved at this International Congress, I assure you of my constant remembrance in prayer and impart the Apostolic Blessing to all.

ADDRESS TO THE AMBASSADOR FROM LEBANON, 11/17/08


Here is a translation of the address delivered by the Holy Father in French at the presentation of credentials by H.E. Georges Chakib El Khoury, ambassador from Lebanon.





Mr. Ambassador,

I am pleased to welcome you as you present your letters of credence as the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lebanon to the Holy See.

I thank you for your kind words as well as the cordial greetings you have conveyed from His Excellency Michel Sleiman, President of the Republic, whom I had the joy of receiving here at the Vatican not too long ago.

In return, please thank him and reiterate to him the affection and confidence that I feel for all the people of Lebanon, with the wish that he may courageously pursue his efforts to build a united and fraternal society.

As you underscored, Mr.Ambassador, Lebanon is the cradle of an ancient culture which has spread through the Mediterranean region and beyond, as well as the land of numerous religious confessions which have shown they can live together in brotherhood and collaboration.

Rich with this diversity, the Lebanese people have a deep love for their land, their culture and their traditions, while remaining faithful to their calling of universal openness.

This millennial history of your nation, along with its place in the heart of a complex region, gives it the fundamental mission to contribute to peace and concord among everyone.

Through its experience of inter-community and inter-cultural collaboration, Lebanon is a 'treasure' entrusted to all Lebanese. It is thus their duty to preserve it and make it fruitful for the good of the entire nation.

Likewise, I wish that the international community protect and value your country, and by its effective involvement, contribute to avoid making your land a place of confrontation for regional or international conflicts.

Thus, Lebanon should be a laboratory for the search of effective solutions to the conflicts which have shaken the Middle East for such a long time now.

In this perspective, I am very happy at the courageous efforts that have been realized in recent months by the entire nation and by its responsible officials to return political life and the ensemble of national institutions to their normal routine, thanks to the patient efforts of everyone.

The election of the President, the formation of a government of national unity, and the approval of a new electoral law can only favor national unity and contribute to authentic coexistence among the various components of the nation.

Additionally, the 'national dialog', which has been under way for weeks, will certainly be the occasion to clarify the challenges that the nation must face today and to find the compromises necessary to do so.

Therefore, I hope that, by putting aside particular interests and healing the wounds of the past, everyone may be effectively engaged in the path of dialog and reconciliation to allow the nation to progress to stability.

At the same time, the tensions which unfortunately continue to be present show that it is necessary to advance decisively along the path opened a few months ago by the Doha Accords to build together Lebanese institutions.

The fundamental attitude which should guide everyone in this commitment to serve the common good should remain unchanged: that every component of the Lebanese people genuinely feels at home in Lebanon and sees that their respective concerns and legitimate expectations are actually taken into account, with reciprocal respect for the each other's rights.

For this, a veritable education in peace, reconciliation and dialog must be promoted and developed, particularly among the younger generations.

As my venerated predecessor John Paul II wrote: "It must never be forgotten that a gesture of peace can disarm the enemy and can often invite him to respond positively to the hand that is held out, because peace, which is good par excellence, tends to communicate itself" (Apostolic exhortation 'A new hope for Lebanon', No. 98).

This lasting peace, which is a profound aspiration of all Lebanese, is possible to the degree in which there prevails in your country an authentic will to live together on the same land, and to consider justice, reconciliation and dialog as the framework propitious for the resolution of problems among persons and among groups.

In order to build a society which assures all its members a free and dignified existence, an ever more profound cooperation among the components of the nation must be developed, based on trustful relations among persons and among communities.

Mr. Ambassador, in this important stage for your country, the Holy See continues to follow with great attention the developments in the situation and has a particular interest in the efforts deployed towards a definitive settlement of the questions that Lebanon faces.

Particularly sensitive to the sufferings which the peoples of the Middle East have known for such a long time, the Holy See pursues with determination its commitment for peace and reconciliation in Lebanon and in this entire region so dear to all believers.

At the end of this encounter, allow me, Mr. Ambassador, to warmly greet through your kind offices the bishops and Catholic communities of Lebanon. In the aftermath of the recent beatification in Beirut of Fr. Jacques Haddad, Abouna Yaacoub, apostle of mercy and ardent preacher of the Word of God, I invite the Catholics to be - among their compatriots and in profound communion with their Pastors - ardent artisans for unity and fraternity.

May that intense moment - which united all Lebanese of whatever origin and religious affiliation in the recognition of that personality full of wisdom and of the admirable work of one of them - be prolonged into a common engagement in the service of peace and the unity of the nation.

Mr. Ambassador, today you inaugurate the noble mission of representing Lebanon at the Holy See and to continue the excellent relations that unite your country to the Apostolic See.

Please accept my most cordial wishes for your happy success and please be assured that you will always find among my co-workers all the understanding and support that you need.

Upon you, your family, your co-workers at the Embassy, on all the Lebanese and the leaders of your country, I invoke from the heart the abundance of divine blessings.