Pope at General Audience: No One Is Excluded From God’s Mercy
Reflecting on Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Stresses Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox Are ‘Really Brothers,’ Have a ‘Common Mission’
JANUARY 20, 2016DEBORAH CASTELLANO LUBOV
No one is excluded from God’s mercy. No One.
Pope Francis stressed this during his General Audience this morning in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, as he reflected on this being the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, he reminded those gathered that all Christians are to transmit this mercy throughout the world.
The Pontiff explained that this year’s theme was drawn from the First Letter of Peter, in which Peter encourages the first Christians to acknowledge the great gift received in Baptism and to live in a way worthy of it.
Recalling that Peter tells them, ‘You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,’ Francis stresses that this week invites us to reflect on our ‘unity in Christ as God’s people.’
“All the baptized, reborn to new life in Christ, are brothers and sisters, despite our divisions,” he stressed.
Through Baptism, Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox, Francis stressed, are all brothers and are “God’s holy people.”
Together, he said, we are to rediscover how to transmit this mercy we received to others, especially the poor and abandoned.
Sharing in Baptism means having the awareness, he stressed, “that we are all sinners and we need to be saved, redeemed and freed from evil.”
“We Christians are able to announce to all the strength of the Gospel, committing ourselves to share the corporal and spiritual works of mercy,” that are “a concrete sign of unity.”
Therefore, he continued, all Christians have a “common mission” to “transmit the mercy we’ve received to others.”
“Let all of us disciples of Christ,” Pope Francis urged, “find a way to collaborate to carry the Father’s mercy throughout all the world.”
Pope Francis stressed this during his General Audience this morning in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, as he reflected on this being the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, he reminded those gathered that all Christians are to transmit this mercy throughout the world.
The Pontiff explained that this year’s theme was drawn from the First Letter of Peter, in which Peter encourages the first Christians to acknowledge the great gift received in Baptism and to live in a way worthy of it.
Recalling that Peter tells them, ‘You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,’ Francis stresses that this week invites us to reflect on our ‘unity in Christ as God’s people.’
“All the baptized, reborn to new life in Christ, are brothers and sisters, despite our divisions,” he stressed.
Through Baptism, Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox, Francis stressed, are all brothers and are “God’s holy people.”
Together, he said, we are to rediscover how to transmit this mercy we received to others, especially the poor and abandoned.
Sharing in Baptism means having the awareness, he stressed, “that we are all sinners and we need to be saved, redeemed and freed from evil.”
“We Christians are able to announce to all the strength of the Gospel, committing ourselves to share the corporal and spiritual works of mercy,” that are “a concrete sign of unity.”
Therefore, he continued, all Christians have a “common mission” to “transmit the mercy we’ve received to others.”
“Let all of us disciples of Christ,” Pope Francis urged, “find a way to collaborate to carry the Father’s mercy throughout all the world.”
—
GENERAL AUDIENCE: On Christian Unity
‘God’s mercy, which operates in Baptism, is stronger than our divisions.’
JANUARY 20, 2016POPE FRANCIS
Here is a ZENIT translation of Pope Francis’ General Audience address this morning in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall:
***
Holy Father’s Catechesis:
Dear Brothers and Sisters, good morning!
We have heard the biblical text that, this year, guides the reflection during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which is going on this week, from January 18th to 25th. The passage from the First Letter of Saint Peter was chosen by an ecumenical group of Latvia, requested by the Ecumenical Council of Churches and by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
At the center of the Lutheran Cathedral of Riga, there is a baptismal font that dates back to the 12th Century, to the time when Latvia was evangelized by Saint Maynard. That font is an eloquent sign of an origin of faith recognized by all Christians of Latvia — Catholics, Lutherans and Orthodox. This origin is our common Baptism. The Second Vatican Council affirmed: “Baptism constitutes the sacramental bond of the unity in force among all those that have been regenerated through it” (Unitatis Redintegratio, 22). The First Letter of Peter is addressed to the first generation of Christians, to make them aware of the gift received in Baptism and of the demands that it entails. In this Week of Prayer, we are also invited to rediscover all this, and to do so together, going beyond our divisions.
First of all, to share in Baptism, means that we are all sinners and are in need of being saved, redeemed, liberated from evil. This is the negative aspect, which the First Letter of Peter calls “darkness” when he says, “[God] has called you out of darkness to lead you into His marvelous light.” This is the experience of death, which Christ made His own, and which is symbolized in Baptism. We affirm that all of us — Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox — share the experience of being called from the merciless and alienating darkness to the encounter with the living God, full of mercy. All of us, unfortunately, experience egoism, which generates division, closure and contempt. To begin again from Baptism means to rediscover the font of mercy, font of hope for all, because no one is excluded from God’s mercy.
The sharing of this grace creates an indissoluble bond among us Christians, so that, in virtue of Baptism, we can really consider ourselves brothers. We are really the holy People of God, even if, because of our sins, we are yet not a fully united people. God’s mercy, which operates in Baptism, is stronger than our divisions. In the measure in which we receive the grace of mercy, we become ever more fully People of God, and we also become capable to proclaim to all His wonderful works, beginning, in fact, from a simple and fraternal witness of unity. We Christians can proclaim to all the strength of the Gospel, committing ourselves to share the works of corporal and spiritual mercy. And this is a concrete witness of unity among us Christians: Protestants, Orthodox and Catholics.
In conclusion, dear brothers and sisters, all of us Christians, through the grace of Baptism, have obtained mercy from God and have been received in His People. All of us, Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants form a royal priesthood and a holy nation. This means that we have a common mission, which is to transmit the mercy [we’ve] received to others, beginning with the poorest and most abandoned. During the Week of Prayer, we pray that all of us, disciples of Christ, will find the way to collaborate together to bring the Father’s mercy to all parts of the world.
[Original text: Italian] [Translation by ZENIT] Greeting in Italian:
I address a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking pilgrims. In particular, I greet the members of the Penelope Association, of the Delta Society and of the Confesercenti. I greet the parish groups, the Ugandan youngsters of the Africa Mission Movement and the students of the Bossey Ecumenical University Institute on a study visit to Rome. I wish for us all that the celebration of the Jubilee, with the crossing of the Holy Door, will convert our hearts and open them to love of God and of brothers.
A special thought goes to young people, the sick and newlyweds. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity reminds us that, through Baptism, all believers in Christ are part of the People of God. Dear young people, pray that all Christians may become increasingly one great family; dear sick, offer your sufferings for the cause of the unity of the Church of Christ; and you, newlyweds, cultivate merciful and gratuitous love as God has for us.
[Original text: Italian][Translation by ZENIT] —
***
Holy Father’s Catechesis:
Dear Brothers and Sisters, good morning!
We have heard the biblical text that, this year, guides the reflection during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which is going on this week, from January 18th to 25th. The passage from the First Letter of Saint Peter was chosen by an ecumenical group of Latvia, requested by the Ecumenical Council of Churches and by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
At the center of the Lutheran Cathedral of Riga, there is a baptismal font that dates back to the 12th Century, to the time when Latvia was evangelized by Saint Maynard. That font is an eloquent sign of an origin of faith recognized by all Christians of Latvia — Catholics, Lutherans and Orthodox. This origin is our common Baptism. The Second Vatican Council affirmed: “Baptism constitutes the sacramental bond of the unity in force among all those that have been regenerated through it” (Unitatis Redintegratio, 22). The First Letter of Peter is addressed to the first generation of Christians, to make them aware of the gift received in Baptism and of the demands that it entails. In this Week of Prayer, we are also invited to rediscover all this, and to do so together, going beyond our divisions.
First of all, to share in Baptism, means that we are all sinners and are in need of being saved, redeemed, liberated from evil. This is the negative aspect, which the First Letter of Peter calls “darkness” when he says, “[God] has called you out of darkness to lead you into His marvelous light.” This is the experience of death, which Christ made His own, and which is symbolized in Baptism. We affirm that all of us — Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox — share the experience of being called from the merciless and alienating darkness to the encounter with the living God, full of mercy. All of us, unfortunately, experience egoism, which generates division, closure and contempt. To begin again from Baptism means to rediscover the font of mercy, font of hope for all, because no one is excluded from God’s mercy.
The sharing of this grace creates an indissoluble bond among us Christians, so that, in virtue of Baptism, we can really consider ourselves brothers. We are really the holy People of God, even if, because of our sins, we are yet not a fully united people. God’s mercy, which operates in Baptism, is stronger than our divisions. In the measure in which we receive the grace of mercy, we become ever more fully People of God, and we also become capable to proclaim to all His wonderful works, beginning, in fact, from a simple and fraternal witness of unity. We Christians can proclaim to all the strength of the Gospel, committing ourselves to share the works of corporal and spiritual mercy. And this is a concrete witness of unity among us Christians: Protestants, Orthodox and Catholics.
In conclusion, dear brothers and sisters, all of us Christians, through the grace of Baptism, have obtained mercy from God and have been received in His People. All of us, Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants form a royal priesthood and a holy nation. This means that we have a common mission, which is to transmit the mercy [we’ve] received to others, beginning with the poorest and most abandoned. During the Week of Prayer, we pray that all of us, disciples of Christ, will find the way to collaborate together to bring the Father’s mercy to all parts of the world.
[Original text: Italian] [Translation by ZENIT] Greeting in Italian:
I address a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking pilgrims. In particular, I greet the members of the Penelope Association, of the Delta Society and of the Confesercenti. I greet the parish groups, the Ugandan youngsters of the Africa Mission Movement and the students of the Bossey Ecumenical University Institute on a study visit to Rome. I wish for us all that the celebration of the Jubilee, with the crossing of the Holy Door, will convert our hearts and open them to love of God and of brothers.
A special thought goes to young people, the sick and newlyweds. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity reminds us that, through Baptism, all believers in Christ are part of the People of God. Dear young people, pray that all Christians may become increasingly one great family; dear sick, offer your sufferings for the cause of the unity of the Church of Christ; and you, newlyweds, cultivate merciful and gratuitous love as God has for us.
[Original text: Italian][Translation by ZENIT] —
Homeless Woman Gives Birth Near St. Peter’s Square
Pope Will Offer Hospitality
JANUARY 20, 2016DEBORAH CASTELLANO LUBOV
A homeless woman has given birth near St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican will be offering hospitality.
Today, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, briefed journalists on the Maria Claudia, a 36-year-old Romanian woman, who gave birth to a little girl last night at 2 a.m. on the sidewalk of Piazza Pio XII.
The woman was brought to the nearby Hospital of Santo Spirito, where Papal Almoner, Msgr. Konrad Krajeswski, paid a special visit.
Father Lombardi shared these details with journalists and assured that the mom and daughter are doing well.
The Vatican spokesman also stressed that they will be offered, on behalf of the Pope, accommodation for one year at the home for unwed mothers run by the Sisters of Mother Teresa in Rome’s Primavalle.
Last night, Vatican police responded very quickly, arriving promptly to help the mother and Irene, the baby girl. An officer covered the baby with his jacket, to keep her safe and warm. Shortly after, the ambulance arrived to bring mother and daughter to the nearby Santo Spirito Hospital.
In the past, Maria Claudia had been invited to find shelter in the dormitories the Vatican recently opened to give some 34 homeless a place to sleep.
However, she always refused the offer, only making use only of the showers and other services the Holy Father made available for the Vatican’s homeless.
Today, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, briefed journalists on the Maria Claudia, a 36-year-old Romanian woman, who gave birth to a little girl last night at 2 a.m. on the sidewalk of Piazza Pio XII.
The woman was brought to the nearby Hospital of Santo Spirito, where Papal Almoner, Msgr. Konrad Krajeswski, paid a special visit.
Father Lombardi shared these details with journalists and assured that the mom and daughter are doing well.
The Vatican spokesman also stressed that they will be offered, on behalf of the Pope, accommodation for one year at the home for unwed mothers run by the Sisters of Mother Teresa in Rome’s Primavalle.
Last night, Vatican police responded very quickly, arriving promptly to help the mother and Irene, the baby girl. An officer covered the baby with his jacket, to keep her safe and warm. Shortly after, the ambulance arrived to bring mother and daughter to the nearby Santo Spirito Hospital.
In the past, Maria Claudia had been invited to find shelter in the dormitories the Vatican recently opened to give some 34 homeless a place to sleep.
However, she always refused the offer, only making use only of the showers and other services the Holy Father made available for the Vatican’s homeless.
—
Cardinal Dolan’s Statement on Friday’s Anniversary of Roe v Wade
We who present the pro-life message must always strive to be better messengers. A cause that teaches the inexpressibly great value of each and every human being cannot show disdain or disrespect for any fellow human being. We should celebrate human freedom, always reminding others that this freedom is ours so we can freely choose the good – and that to enjoy this freedom, each of us must first of all be allowed to live.
JANUARY 20, 2016TIMOTHY DOLAN
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, last week released a statement on this Friday’s 43rd anniversary of the Supreme Court decisions which legalized abortion in the United States, Jan. 22, 1973.
Hundreds of thousands are expected to participate Friday in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., despite forecasts for a huge snow storm. Several thousand more will gather in San Francisco over the weekend for the annual West Coast Walk for Life.
Here is the cardinal’s statement:
—
What a wrenching thing it is each year. Just last month we celebrated the birth of the baby Jesus, fruit of Mary’s humble “yes” to God’s gift of new life. This month we celebrated the arrival of the Wise Men to greet the newborn King, who “appeared and the soul felt its worth.” Then we observe the birthday of a great preacher whose basic message was the dignity of the human person and the sacredness of all human life. And then we turn, as we must each year, to recall a legal decision that said “no” to new life, has led so many women and others involved in abortion to grieve their loss and doubt their own worth, and has deprived a whole class of people — pre- born babies — of their right to life.
Such an anniversary cannot be celebrated. But it does offer an opportunity to take stock — to ask where we are, forty-three years after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions, and where we need to go.
We live in an increasingly divided nation, where people of different views as well as different races, religions, and national origins often seem to lack the patience and good will to respect each other and try to live in harmony. Abortion itself, despite the endorsement of our highest legal tribunal and many political and cultural elites, is as controversial as ever. Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason – though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us. Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as “pro-life,” a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others.
Even as Americans remain troubled by abortion, a powerful and well-financed lobby increasingly insists that there is no real issue here – that abortion is just another part of “basic health care” for women, to be seamlessly integrated into our health system and our lives. Planned Parenthood and other abortion promoters say they will no longer call themselves “pro-choice,” apparently realizing that this phrase might allow others to choose a path different from their own. They hold that abortion must be celebrated as a positive good for women and society, and those who cannot in conscience provide it are to be condemned for practicing substandard medicine and waging a “war on women.”
We see this in the rising opposition of some political leaders to the very notion of a right of conscience on abortion. A few years ago, for example, President Obama pledged to defend the conscience rights of those who do not accept abortion, and his Administration assured us that longstanding federal laws protecting these rights must be fully enforced. Yet in the final days of 2015, he and other Democratic leaders were unwilling to support the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act, a modest measure to provide for effective enforcement of these laws.
While this is disturbing, it is also an opportunity. The great majority of Americans are not committed to this extreme ideology. They do not see the unborn child as an illness or a tumor. They are repelled when they see the callousness of the abortion industry, as in the recent undercover videos of Planned Parenthood officials calmly discussing the harvesting of body parts. They do not want to be pushed into actively promoting and paying for abortion. They do not want doctors and nurses who are sensitive to the value of life at its most vulnerable to be driven from the healing professions. They are open to hearing a message of reverence for life.
In taking up this challenge, we who present the pro-life message must always strive to be better messengers. A cause that teaches the inexpressibly great value of each and every human being cannot show disdain or disrespect for any fellow human being. We should celebrate human freedom, always reminding others that this freedom is ours so we can freely choose the good – and that to enjoy this freedom, each of us must first of all be allowed to live. And especially in this Year of Mercy, we recall with Pope Francis that each human life is created by a God whose love is infinite — and that this same love is a source of unbounded mercy and forgiveness for all who have fallen short of God’s plans for us. For its part, through the healing ministry of Project Rachel, the Catholic Church seeks to offer this gift of God’s mercy and reconciliation to all who have been involved in abortion.
I invite all who are concerned about the tragedy of abortion to recommit themselves to this vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one. Catholics in particular can take part in the 9 Days for Life campaign, uniting in prayer and action from January 16-24 for the protection of life at every stage and in every circumstance. Information on the many ways to participate and sign up is available at www.9daysforlife.com.
Finally, let us never be distracted by the false charge that this life-affirming cause is merely a political or partisan issue. It is an essential moral vision that lifts up every human person. With Pope Francis let us remember that “this defense of unborn life is closely linked to the defense of each and every other human right…. It is not ‘progressive’ to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life” (Evangelii Gaudium, nos. 213-4). Genuine progress must be progress for all, beginning with those most vulnerable who cannot speak for themselves. May God bless our efforts to uphold human life!
—
Hundreds of thousands are expected to participate Friday in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., despite forecasts for a huge snow storm. Several thousand more will gather in San Francisco over the weekend for the annual West Coast Walk for Life.
Here is the cardinal’s statement:
—
What a wrenching thing it is each year. Just last month we celebrated the birth of the baby Jesus, fruit of Mary’s humble “yes” to God’s gift of new life. This month we celebrated the arrival of the Wise Men to greet the newborn King, who “appeared and the soul felt its worth.” Then we observe the birthday of a great preacher whose basic message was the dignity of the human person and the sacredness of all human life. And then we turn, as we must each year, to recall a legal decision that said “no” to new life, has led so many women and others involved in abortion to grieve their loss and doubt their own worth, and has deprived a whole class of people — pre- born babies — of their right to life.
Such an anniversary cannot be celebrated. But it does offer an opportunity to take stock — to ask where we are, forty-three years after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions, and where we need to go.
We live in an increasingly divided nation, where people of different views as well as different races, religions, and national origins often seem to lack the patience and good will to respect each other and try to live in harmony. Abortion itself, despite the endorsement of our highest legal tribunal and many political and cultural elites, is as controversial as ever. Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason – though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us. Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as “pro-life,” a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others.
Even as Americans remain troubled by abortion, a powerful and well-financed lobby increasingly insists that there is no real issue here – that abortion is just another part of “basic health care” for women, to be seamlessly integrated into our health system and our lives. Planned Parenthood and other abortion promoters say they will no longer call themselves “pro-choice,” apparently realizing that this phrase might allow others to choose a path different from their own. They hold that abortion must be celebrated as a positive good for women and society, and those who cannot in conscience provide it are to be condemned for practicing substandard medicine and waging a “war on women.”
We see this in the rising opposition of some political leaders to the very notion of a right of conscience on abortion. A few years ago, for example, President Obama pledged to defend the conscience rights of those who do not accept abortion, and his Administration assured us that longstanding federal laws protecting these rights must be fully enforced. Yet in the final days of 2015, he and other Democratic leaders were unwilling to support the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act, a modest measure to provide for effective enforcement of these laws.
While this is disturbing, it is also an opportunity. The great majority of Americans are not committed to this extreme ideology. They do not see the unborn child as an illness or a tumor. They are repelled when they see the callousness of the abortion industry, as in the recent undercover videos of Planned Parenthood officials calmly discussing the harvesting of body parts. They do not want to be pushed into actively promoting and paying for abortion. They do not want doctors and nurses who are sensitive to the value of life at its most vulnerable to be driven from the healing professions. They are open to hearing a message of reverence for life.
In taking up this challenge, we who present the pro-life message must always strive to be better messengers. A cause that teaches the inexpressibly great value of each and every human being cannot show disdain or disrespect for any fellow human being. We should celebrate human freedom, always reminding others that this freedom is ours so we can freely choose the good – and that to enjoy this freedom, each of us must first of all be allowed to live. And especially in this Year of Mercy, we recall with Pope Francis that each human life is created by a God whose love is infinite — and that this same love is a source of unbounded mercy and forgiveness for all who have fallen short of God’s plans for us. For its part, through the healing ministry of Project Rachel, the Catholic Church seeks to offer this gift of God’s mercy and reconciliation to all who have been involved in abortion.
I invite all who are concerned about the tragedy of abortion to recommit themselves to this vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one. Catholics in particular can take part in the 9 Days for Life campaign, uniting in prayer and action from January 16-24 for the protection of life at every stage and in every circumstance. Information on the many ways to participate and sign up is available at www.9daysforlife.com.
Finally, let us never be distracted by the false charge that this life-affirming cause is merely a political or partisan issue. It is an essential moral vision that lifts up every human person. With Pope Francis let us remember that “this defense of unborn life is closely linked to the defense of each and every other human right…. It is not ‘progressive’ to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life” (Evangelii Gaudium, nos. 213-4). Genuine progress must be progress for all, beginning with those most vulnerable who cannot speak for themselves. May God bless our efforts to uphold human life!
—
Pope Francis’ Letter to World Economic Forum
“In the face of profound and epochal changes, world leaders are challenged to ensure that the coming “fourth industrial revolution”, the result of robotics and scientific and technological innovations, does not lead to the destruction of the human person – to be replaced by a soulless machine – or to the transformation of our planet into an empty garden for the enjoyment of a chosen few”
The Vatican today released a letter of Pope Francis to the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, dated Dec. 30, 2015. Here is the text:
* * *
To Professor Klaus Schwab
Executive President of the World Economic Forum
Before all else, I would like to thank you for your gracious invitation to address the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters at the end of January on the theme: “Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution”. I offer you my cordial good wishes for the fruitfulness of this meeting, which seeks to encourage continuing social and environmental responsibility through a constructive dialogue on the part of government, business and civic leaders, as well as distinguished representatives of the political, financial and cultural sectors.
The dawn of the so-called “fourth industrial revolution” has been accompanied by a growing sense of the inevitability of a drastic reduction in the number of jobs. The latest studies conducted by the International Labour Organization indicate that unemployment presently affects hundreds of millions of people. The financialization and technologization of national and global economies have produced far-reaching changes in the field of labour. Diminished opportunities for useful and dignified employment, combined with a reduction in social security, are causing a disturbing rise in inequality and poverty in different countries. Clearly there is a need to create new models of doing business which, while promoting the development of advanced technologies, are also capable of using them to create dignified work for all, to uphold and consolidate social rights, and to protect the environment. Man must guide technological development, without letting himself be dominated by it!
To all of you I appeal once more: “Do not forget the poor!” This is the primary challenge before you as leaders in the business world. “Those who have the means to enjoy a decent life, rather than being concerned with privileges, must seek to help those poorer than themselves to attain dignified living conditions, particularly through the development of their human, cultural, economic and social potential” (Address to Civic and Business Leaders and the Diplomatic Corps, Bangui, 29 November 2015).
We must never allow the culture of prosperity to deaden us, to make us incapable of “feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor, weeping for other people’s pain, and sensing the need to help them, as though all this were someone else’s responsibility and not our own” (Evangelii Gaudium, 54).
Weeping for other people’s pain does not only mean sharing in their sufferings, but also and above all realizing that our own actions are a cause of injustice and inequality. “Let us open our eyes, then, and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme and mask our hypocrisy and egoism!” (Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, Misericordiae Vultus, 15).
Once we realize this, we become more fully human, since responsibility for our brothers and sisters is an essential part of our common humanity. Do not be afraid to open your minds and hearts to the poor. In this way, you will give free rein to your economic and technical talents, and discover the happiness of a full life, which consumerism of itself cannot provide.
In the face of profound and epochal changes, world leaders are challenged to ensure that the coming “fourth industrial revolution”, the result of robotics and scientific and technological innovations, does not lead to the destruction of the human person – to be replaced by a soulless machine – or to the transformation of our planet into an empty garden for the enjoyment of a chosen few.
On the contrary, the present moment offers a precious opportunity to guide and govern the processes now under way, and to build inclusive societies based on respect for human dignity, tolerance, compassion and mercy. I urge you, then, to take up anew your conversation on how to build the future of the planet, “our common home”, and I ask you to make a united effort to pursue a sustainable and integral development.
As I have often said, and now willingly reiterate, business is “a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving our world”, especially “if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good” (Laudato Si’, 129). As such, it has a responsibility to help overcome the complex crisis of society and the environment, and to fight poverty. This will make it possible to improve the precarious living conditions of millions of people and bridge the social gap which gives rise to numerous injustices and erodes fundamental values of society, including equality, justice and solidarity.
In this way, through the preferred means of dialogue, the World Economic Forum can become a platform for the defence and protection of creation and for the achievement of a progress which is “healthier, more human, more social, more integral” (Laudato Si’, 112), with due regard also for environmental goals and the need to maximize efforts to eradicate poverty as set forth in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Mr President, with renewed good wishes for the success of the forthcoming meeting in Davos, I invoke upon you and upon all taking part in the Forum, together with your families, God’s abundant blessings.
From the Vatican, 30 December 2015
FRANCISCUS
—
The Vatican today released a letter of Pope Francis to the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, dated Dec. 30, 2015. Here is the text:
* * *
To Professor Klaus Schwab
Executive President of the World Economic Forum
Before all else, I would like to thank you for your gracious invitation to address the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters at the end of January on the theme: “Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution”. I offer you my cordial good wishes for the fruitfulness of this meeting, which seeks to encourage continuing social and environmental responsibility through a constructive dialogue on the part of government, business and civic leaders, as well as distinguished representatives of the political, financial and cultural sectors.
The dawn of the so-called “fourth industrial revolution” has been accompanied by a growing sense of the inevitability of a drastic reduction in the number of jobs. The latest studies conducted by the International Labour Organization indicate that unemployment presently affects hundreds of millions of people. The financialization and technologization of national and global economies have produced far-reaching changes in the field of labour. Diminished opportunities for useful and dignified employment, combined with a reduction in social security, are causing a disturbing rise in inequality and poverty in different countries. Clearly there is a need to create new models of doing business which, while promoting the development of advanced technologies, are also capable of using them to create dignified work for all, to uphold and consolidate social rights, and to protect the environment. Man must guide technological development, without letting himself be dominated by it!
To all of you I appeal once more: “Do not forget the poor!” This is the primary challenge before you as leaders in the business world. “Those who have the means to enjoy a decent life, rather than being concerned with privileges, must seek to help those poorer than themselves to attain dignified living conditions, particularly through the development of their human, cultural, economic and social potential” (Address to Civic and Business Leaders and the Diplomatic Corps, Bangui, 29 November 2015).
We must never allow the culture of prosperity to deaden us, to make us incapable of “feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor, weeping for other people’s pain, and sensing the need to help them, as though all this were someone else’s responsibility and not our own” (Evangelii Gaudium, 54).
Weeping for other people’s pain does not only mean sharing in their sufferings, but also and above all realizing that our own actions are a cause of injustice and inequality. “Let us open our eyes, then, and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme and mask our hypocrisy and egoism!” (Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, Misericordiae Vultus, 15).
Once we realize this, we become more fully human, since responsibility for our brothers and sisters is an essential part of our common humanity. Do not be afraid to open your minds and hearts to the poor. In this way, you will give free rein to your economic and technical talents, and discover the happiness of a full life, which consumerism of itself cannot provide.
In the face of profound and epochal changes, world leaders are challenged to ensure that the coming “fourth industrial revolution”, the result of robotics and scientific and technological innovations, does not lead to the destruction of the human person – to be replaced by a soulless machine – or to the transformation of our planet into an empty garden for the enjoyment of a chosen few.
On the contrary, the present moment offers a precious opportunity to guide and govern the processes now under way, and to build inclusive societies based on respect for human dignity, tolerance, compassion and mercy. I urge you, then, to take up anew your conversation on how to build the future of the planet, “our common home”, and I ask you to make a united effort to pursue a sustainable and integral development.
As I have often said, and now willingly reiterate, business is “a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving our world”, especially “if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good” (Laudato Si’, 129). As such, it has a responsibility to help overcome the complex crisis of society and the environment, and to fight poverty. This will make it possible to improve the precarious living conditions of millions of people and bridge the social gap which gives rise to numerous injustices and erodes fundamental values of society, including equality, justice and solidarity.
In this way, through the preferred means of dialogue, the World Economic Forum can become a platform for the defence and protection of creation and for the achievement of a progress which is “healthier, more human, more social, more integral” (Laudato Si’, 112), with due regard also for environmental goals and the need to maximize efforts to eradicate poverty as set forth in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Mr President, with renewed good wishes for the success of the forthcoming meeting in Davos, I invoke upon you and upon all taking part in the Forum, together with your families, God’s abundant blessings.
From the Vatican, 30 December 2015
FRANCISCUS
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In Wake of Bombings, Jesuit Calls on Indonesian Muslims to Fight Islamic Terrorism
Says That Government Must Succeed so Youth Don’t Go Looking for Alternatives Such as ISIS
This report is contributed by Aid to the Church in Need.
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“This attack should serve as an alarm bell for all Indonesians, and above all for Muslims. They need to recognize the danger of terrorism,” said a Jesuit based in the world’s largest Muslim country.
Father Franz Magnis-Suseno, a Jesuit and lecturer in philosophy at the University of Jakarta spoke with international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) about the terrorist attack Jan. 14 in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, which left seven people dead, including five of the attackers. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Jesuit said the violence had nothing to do with tensions between Christians and Muslims in the country, which has been long known for its moderate and tolerant form of Islam. The priest speculated that the target of the violence were not Christians or other religious minorities, and that the attack were meant to send a message to the West, just like recent ISIS-inspired or sponsored terror operations in Istanbul and Egypt.
However, research by ACN has confirmed that Indonesia’s tradition of religious pluralism and harmony is increasingly coming under threat; there has been a significant rise in religious intolerance, driven by radical Islamism. Attacks against churches are on the rise, as demonstrated by the recent violence in the province of Aceh; a growing number of churches are being forced to close.
Other religious communities, such as the Ahmadiyya and Shia sects within Islam, as well as Buddhists, Hindus, adherents of indigenous traditional religions and progressive Sunni Muslims—who speak out against intolerance—are also facing increasing harassment and violence.
Acts of violence are perpetrated by radical Islamist organizations such as the Front Pembela Islam (FPI) or “Islamic Defenders Front,” which routinely carry out attacks on churches, Ahmadi mosques, and Shia communities with impunity. Islamist propaganda is gaining ground on university campuses and in mosques and pesantren, Islamic boarding schools. Islamist ideas are largely imported from the Middle East, particularly through funding for scholarships allowing students to takes courses in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and financial support for the publishing and distribution of Islamist literature.
“The authorities are confident of being able to depend on a strong anti-terrorist strategy, which has been in operation since 1988,” Father Magnis-Suseno said, adding that he nonetheless is concerned about the presence of numerous terrorist groups in the country. “In reality these groups are very much divided among themselves and cannot be lumped together or form a common front. The majority of these groups condemn ISIS, but two groups in particular indirectly support the idea of the caliphate:” the Jemaah Islamiah and the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT).
Father Magnis-Suseno does not think the growth in the number of supporters of Islamic State poses an immediate danger to Indonesia, but much will depend upon the political and economic development of the country, he stressed. “If the government succeeds, as it seems to be doing, in offering real prospects of a better future and reining in the rampant corruption, then young Indonesians will not go looking for alternatives such as ISIS,” the Jesuit said.
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Aid to the Church in Need is an international Catholic charity under the guidance of the Holy See, providing assistance to the suffering and persecuted Church in more than 140 countries. www.churchinneed.org (USA); www.acnuk.org (UK); www.aidtochurch.org (AUS); www.acnireland.org (IRL); www.acn-aed-ca.org (CAN) www.acnmalta.org (Malta)
This report is contributed by Aid to the Church in Need.
* * *
“This attack should serve as an alarm bell for all Indonesians, and above all for Muslims. They need to recognize the danger of terrorism,” said a Jesuit based in the world’s largest Muslim country.
Father Franz Magnis-Suseno, a Jesuit and lecturer in philosophy at the University of Jakarta spoke with international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) about the terrorist attack Jan. 14 in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, which left seven people dead, including five of the attackers. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Jesuit said the violence had nothing to do with tensions between Christians and Muslims in the country, which has been long known for its moderate and tolerant form of Islam. The priest speculated that the target of the violence were not Christians or other religious minorities, and that the attack were meant to send a message to the West, just like recent ISIS-inspired or sponsored terror operations in Istanbul and Egypt.
However, research by ACN has confirmed that Indonesia’s tradition of religious pluralism and harmony is increasingly coming under threat; there has been a significant rise in religious intolerance, driven by radical Islamism. Attacks against churches are on the rise, as demonstrated by the recent violence in the province of Aceh; a growing number of churches are being forced to close.
Other religious communities, such as the Ahmadiyya and Shia sects within Islam, as well as Buddhists, Hindus, adherents of indigenous traditional religions and progressive Sunni Muslims—who speak out against intolerance—are also facing increasing harassment and violence.
Acts of violence are perpetrated by radical Islamist organizations such as the Front Pembela Islam (FPI) or “Islamic Defenders Front,” which routinely carry out attacks on churches, Ahmadi mosques, and Shia communities with impunity. Islamist propaganda is gaining ground on university campuses and in mosques and pesantren, Islamic boarding schools. Islamist ideas are largely imported from the Middle East, particularly through funding for scholarships allowing students to takes courses in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and financial support for the publishing and distribution of Islamist literature.
“The authorities are confident of being able to depend on a strong anti-terrorist strategy, which has been in operation since 1988,” Father Magnis-Suseno said, adding that he nonetheless is concerned about the presence of numerous terrorist groups in the country. “In reality these groups are very much divided among themselves and cannot be lumped together or form a common front. The majority of these groups condemn ISIS, but two groups in particular indirectly support the idea of the caliphate:” the Jemaah Islamiah and the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT).
Father Magnis-Suseno does not think the growth in the number of supporters of Islamic State poses an immediate danger to Indonesia, but much will depend upon the political and economic development of the country, he stressed. “If the government succeeds, as it seems to be doing, in offering real prospects of a better future and reining in the rampant corruption, then young Indonesians will not go looking for alternatives such as ISIS,” the Jesuit said.
—
Aid to the Church in Need is an international Catholic charity under the guidance of the Holy See, providing assistance to the suffering and persecuted Church in more than 140 countries. www.churchinneed.org (USA); www.acnuk.org (UK); www.aidtochurch.org (AUS); www.acnireland.org (IRL); www.acn-aed-ca.org (CAN) www.acnmalta.org (Malta)
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Papal Visit to Great Mosque of Rome Likely Taking Shape
Delegation today made official invitation; event would be in context of Year of Mercy
JANUARY 20, 2016SERGIO MORA
Pope Francis might soon visit the Great Mosque of Rome.
The Italian ANSA News Agency had reported, and the Vatican today affirmed, that before the general audience this morning, the Pope received a delegation from the mosque, which officially extended the invitation.
The visit would be in the context of the Jubilee of Mercy. In the Bull of Convocation of the jubilee, Francis pointed out that the concept of mercy is common to both religions.
The Great Mosque of Rome is the largest Muslim temple in the West, with a capacity for 12,000 faithful, and 40,000 on particular feasts. It is also the headquarters of the Muslim Cultural Center of Italy. Financed by King Faysal of Saudi Arabia, the first stone of the Mosque was laid in 1984 and the inauguration took place on June 21, 1995.
Last Sunday, on the occasion of the Pope’s visit to the Synagogue of Rome, Imam Yahya Pallavicini, vice president of the Muslim Religious Community, expressed the desire that the Holy Father visit the Mosque. “I wish it and I work for it,” he said to the media.
Pallavicini, together with Abdellah Redouane, director of the Muslim Cultural Center of Italy, who runs the Mosque of Rome, and several ambassadors and representatives of the Administration Council of the Great Mosque, presented the invitation to the Pope today.
Francis would be the first pontiff to visit the Mosque of Rome.
The first pope to enter a Muslim temple was Saint John Paul II in Damascus, on May 6, 2001; it was the Mosque of Omayyadi. Benedict XVI visited the Blue Mosque in Turkey on November 30, 2006. Pope Francis also was there on November 29, 2014, and last November 30 he visited the main Mosque of Koudoukou in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic, as part of his apostolic journey to Africa.
The Italian ANSA News Agency had reported, and the Vatican today affirmed, that before the general audience this morning, the Pope received a delegation from the mosque, which officially extended the invitation.
The visit would be in the context of the Jubilee of Mercy. In the Bull of Convocation of the jubilee, Francis pointed out that the concept of mercy is common to both religions.
The Great Mosque of Rome is the largest Muslim temple in the West, with a capacity for 12,000 faithful, and 40,000 on particular feasts. It is also the headquarters of the Muslim Cultural Center of Italy. Financed by King Faysal of Saudi Arabia, the first stone of the Mosque was laid in 1984 and the inauguration took place on June 21, 1995.
Last Sunday, on the occasion of the Pope’s visit to the Synagogue of Rome, Imam Yahya Pallavicini, vice president of the Muslim Religious Community, expressed the desire that the Holy Father visit the Mosque. “I wish it and I work for it,” he said to the media.
Pallavicini, together with Abdellah Redouane, director of the Muslim Cultural Center of Italy, who runs the Mosque of Rome, and several ambassadors and representatives of the Administration Council of the Great Mosque, presented the invitation to the Pope today.
Francis would be the first pontiff to visit the Mosque of Rome.
The first pope to enter a Muslim temple was Saint John Paul II in Damascus, on May 6, 2001; it was the Mosque of Omayyadi. Benedict XVI visited the Blue Mosque in Turkey on November 30, 2006. Pope Francis also was there on November 29, 2014, and last November 30 he visited the main Mosque of Koudoukou in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic, as part of his apostolic journey to Africa.
