ZENIT, Daily dispatch
The World Seen From Rome
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VATICAN DOSSIER
* Successful Catechists Aren't Acting, Says Pope
* Youth-Day Work Pleases Laity Council
WORLD FEATURES
* Bishops: Beatification of 498 Martyrs Not Political
* Holy Land to Lose Its Christian TV Outlet
* Violence in God's Name a "Curse"
NEWS BRIEFS
* Jewish Leaders Briefed on Youth Day Event
INTERVIEW
* Catholic Tide Is Turning: Interview With Author David Hartline
WEDNESDAY'S AUDIENCE
* On St. Ambrose of Milan
DOCUMENTS
* Papal Address to the Vatican Chapter
* Peace Appeal From Encounter of Peoples and Religions
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VATICAN DOSSIER
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Successful Catechists Aren't Acting, Says Pope
Reflects on Holy Example of St. Ambrose of Milan
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 24, 2007 (ZENIT.org).- Being a teacher of the faith is more than just a job, says Benedict XVI, it is something inseparable from living a Christian life.
The Pope said this today to more than 30,000 people who gathered in St. Peter's Square to participate in the general audience. The Holy Father, continuing his reflections on figures of the early Church, spoke of St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, who was a key figure in the conversion of St. Augustine.
"Without speaking a word, he spoke with the testimony of life," the Pope said of the catechetical method of the bishop of Milan.
Ambrose was born in Trier, which formed part of the Roman prefecture of Gaul, in the year 340. After his father's death when Ambrose was still a boy, his mother took him to Rome to prepare him for a civil career.
His was sent to Milan around 370, said the Holy Father, where the Church was deeply divided over the Arian heresy. Ambrose intervened to bring peace, and was spontaneously acclaimed bishop of Milan by the people, despite the fact that he wasn't even a baptized member of the Church.
The bishop, who had no formal religious education, recounted Benedict XVI, began to study Scripture using as a guide the writings of the third-century Christian writer Origen of Alexandria.
The Pope said that Bishop Ambrose learned from Origin the practice of meditating on Scripture known as "lectio divina," and from that point the bishop's preaching and writing "emerged precisely from prayerful listening to the word of God."
Regarding St. Ambrose's catechetical style, however, the Pontiff said that it was the bishop's example that counted more than his words.
Testimony
The Holy Father gave as an example the experience of St. Augustine, which he recounted in his "Confessions." Augustine's conversion, said the Pope, didn't come about as a result of Bishop Ambrose's "beautiful homilies," but rather as a result of "the testimony of the bishop and the Church in Milan, which prayed and sang, united as a single body."
From Bishop Ambrose, continued the Holy Father, Augustine learned the importance of "reading sacred Scripture in a prayerful attitude, in order to truly receive it in one's heart, and to assimilate the word of God."
Benedict XVI said that the heart of Ambrosian catechesis lies in truly assimilating the word of God: "Scripture itself, profoundly assimilated, suggests the content of what one must announce in order to achieve conversion of hearts."
"Catechesis is inseparable from the testimony of life," he added.
"Educators of the faith," said the Pope, "cannot run the risk of looking like some sort of clown, who is simply playing a role."
The catechist, he added, "should be like the beloved disciple, who rested his head on the master's heart and there learned how to think, speak and act."
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Youth-Day Work Pleases Laity Council
SYDNEY, Australia, OCT. 24, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Vatican representatives and a 200-member international delegation visited Australia to have a look at the venues for next July's World Youth Day, and said they were pleased with the preparations.
Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko led the delegation from the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the dicastery that oversees World Youth Day preparations and promotes the initiative around the world.
The cardinal expressed his appreciation for the Church in Sydney and its archbishop, Cardinal George Pell, as well as the organizing committee, headed by Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Fisher. Cardinal Rylko also thanked the civil authorities, noting that "right from the beginning, [they have] been very open and supportive of this initiative."
The delegates received briefings on World Youth Day '08 planning and operations, and provided organizers with advice and feedback. They visited Randwick Racecourse, where Benedict XVI will celebrate a vigil and the closing Mass on July 20.
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WORLD FEATURES
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Bishops: Beatification of 498 Martyrs Not Political
Spaniards Recognized for Witness to Faith
MADRID, Spain, OCT. 24, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The beatification of 498 martyrs, victims of religious persecution in the 1930s, is a testament of their virtue and faith, not a political statement, according to the Spanish bishops' conference.
Father Juan Antonio Martínez Camino, secretary-general of the Spanish bishops' conference and director of the conference's office for saints' causes, made that affirmation in a recent interview with the Spanish Veritas news agency.
Speaking about the political reading that some have given to the beatifications, which will take place in Rome this Sunday, the priest said, "It does not surprise us that there would be incorrect political interpretations; those who have made a purely political reading of a clearly religious event have always been mistaken. But that is the law of history."
He continued, "The martyrs of the first stage of Christianity, who gave their lives for Christ, were classified as traitors of Rome; the martyrs of the French Revolution were classified as traitors of the revolution, and the martyrs of the 20th century in Russia, central Europe or Spain, were classified as people who have hindered the advance of history."
"To say that those who the Church now beatifies were a political group is to be ignorant of history, to fail to understand the religious fact, and to fail to do justice to the facts," Father Martínez Camino contended. "We Christians are hurt by this misrepresentation of facts, but it doesn't surprise us, and in this sense, we accept it serenely."
Holiness
The priest said that what is most notable in the lives of those to be beatified is "the mix of strength, and at the same time humility, with which the martyrs accepted the tragic situation of having to choose between their lives or their fidelity to God and the Church."
He added, "Strength is the first thing that is noticed, but also humility, joy, the simplicity with which they confronted this situation, which was dramatic, singing on the buses that carried them to be shot, supporting themselves with prayer and with encouragement in the prisons, writing from prison to their families just hours before being assassinated [] leaving above all, a testimony of forgiveness and serenity for their families, or in some cases, for their girlfriends."
Teaching
Father Martínez Camino explained that the Spanish bishops have tried to educate the faithful about the phenomenon of martyrdom.
"Every effort is being made to explain the difference between a martyr and a person who is unjustly assassinated," he said. "There were many people assassinated during the 20th century in Spain, during the '30s, before, during and after the Civil War.
"The bishops' conference, in 'God's Fidelity Lasts Forever. A Look at the 20th Century Through the Eyes of Faith,' published in November 1999, laments that there has been in the 20th century, and concretely in Spain in the '30s, so many unjust assassinations of our fellow citizens, and have declared that the blood of all of them continues clamoring to the heavens for pardon and reconciliation, so that violent methods are never again used.
"This petition of forgiveness of God made for all those assassinated, regardless of what group they were in, is clearly expressed. God is asked to forgive for all those 'actions the Gospel prohibits,' committed by one or another of the groups formed by the war."
Father Martínez Camino clarified that apart from those who were unjustly killed, "there were some that were assassinated expressly and specifically because they did not want to renounce their faith and their fidelity to Christ and the Church, and these are martyrs."
The priest affirmed that the Church and the bishops have often lamented the assassinations, but that those who are martyrs are honored as witnesses of the faith.
"And these witnesses of the faith are not witnesses because they have been or not been members of a political party or a fighting group," Father Martínez Camino said, "but rather because they have died for their faith, and all who have died for their faith will be recognized, regardless of the group to which they belonged."
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Holy Land to Lose Its Christian TV Outlet
Cites Debt, Threats and Woes WIth Palestinian Officials
BETHLEHEM, West Bank, OCT. 24, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Bethlehem's only Christian television station, The Nativity, has just one week left to broadcast.
"It is with great regret that we are informing you of our decision to close The Nativity -- 'Al-Mahed' -- television station," said its director and owner, Samir Qumsieh, "in spite of its inestimable service to the Church and to the existence of the Christian community in the Holy Land."
Qumsieh, a member of the Greek Orthodox Church, founded The Nativity in 1996. The broadcasts of this private channel are considered a voice of Christianity from the Middle East, and became a meeting place for Christians, Jews and Muslims. The station aired Masses and other Christian services, a weekly Christian program, news and entertainment, and Muslim prayers on Fridays.
It made a reputation during the siege of the Church of the Nativity in 2002, covering the event 24 hours a day for six weeks.
According to AsiaNews, Qumsieh has had frequent death threats for more than a year and the station has had to endure trouble from Palestinian authorities.
A valiant project
Vatican Radio on Saturday reported the upcoming closure of the station, noting that it was the only Christian station in the Holy Land, and that its broadcasts reached the West Bank, Jordan and Israel.
"It was a valiant project, an occasion for communication between Christians, Jews and Muslims," lamented the Vatican station.
According to the Italian daily Il Foglio, the decision was ultimately rooted in financial issues. For three years, the station has had an annual debt of $63,000. Qumsieh and his family invested the money to found the station.
"My brothers told me to stop this waste, but for me it would be very hard to close the television station because it is something that involved the whole community," he had told AsiaNews. "If we go off the air, there won't be another voice like ours."
Qumsieh expressed his fear that the closing of the station would be emblematic of a definitive Christian exodus from the Holy Land.
The journalist noted that he is the only one of six siblings still in his homeland. And he foresees leaving as well, once the station has closed.
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Violence in God's Name a "Curse"
Naples Meeting Concludes With Commitment to Dialogue
NAPLES, Italy, OCT. 24, 2007 (Zenit.org).- An appeal carried in the hands of children and handed to representatives of the nations of the world said that violence is an illness polluting the planet.
The appeal for peace, made public by the Catholic lay Community of Sant'Egidio, was presented to the leaders at the concluding ceremony of the 21st International Encounter of Peoples and Religions held in Naples from Sunday through Tuesday. The encounter brought together 315 religious leaders of various creeds.
The peace appeal stated: "From Naples we can say, stronger than before, that anyone who uses the name of God to hate the other, to practice violence, or to wage war, is cursing the name of God. As Benedict XVI told us, 'Never can evil and violence be justified by invoking the name of God.'
"We need the strength that comes from the spirit of love, which helps rebuild and mend the unity of humankind."
The appeal urged a spirit of dialogue among all peoples and religions: "In the depths of our religious traditions, we have discovered that a world without dialogue is a world without hope, where people are fated to fear each other. Dialogue does not cancel differences. Dialogue enriches life and dispels pessimism that makes one see the other as a threat. Dialogue is not the illusion of the weak, it is the wisdom of the strong.
"We commit ourselves to learn the art of living together and to offer it to our fellow believers. There is no alternative to the unity of the human family. We need brave builders, in all cultures, and in all religious traditions. We need the globalization of the spirit, which reveals to us what we no longer see: the beauty of life and of the other, in all circumstances, even the hardest."
Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Sant'Egidio Community, which co-sponsored the event together with the Archdiocese of Naples, announced that the next encounter will be in Cyprus. "This island represents a frontier that can become a bridge of dialogue and peace," he said.
Orthodox Archbishop Chrysostomos II of New Justiniana and All Cyprus said that in his community, "we have friendly relations with our neighbors, both Muslims and Jews." He said he hoped the spirit of Assisi, where the first international encounter was convoked by Pope John Paul II in 1986, will be reinforced by a "spirit of Cyprus."
It is necessary in this century, Chrysostomos II said, "that we are seen as united, despite differences."
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NEWS BRIEFS
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Jewish Leaders Briefed on Youth Day Event
SYDNEY, Australia, OCT. 24, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Jewish leaders in Australia met with World Youth Day organizers for an information session like the one recently hosted for Muslim and Protestant leaders.
Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Fisher, coordinator of the Youth Day, said the briefing was also a chance to consider ways that the Jewish community might collaborate with the Church-sponsored event, to be held July 15-20.
"World Youth Day is an opportunity like no other for the renewal of every aspect of faith life in Australia," Bishop Fisher said. "Although a Catholic initiative, World Youth Days have historically had a positive impact on all faiths in the countries where they have been held. This was one of the key messages we wanted to convey to the leaders."
Bishop Fisher said 15 people attended the briefing including several rabbis and representatives from the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, Jewish schools and services.
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INTERVIEW
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Catholic Tide Is Turning: Interview With Author David Hartline
COLUMBUS, Ohio, OCT. 24, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Young people want something built on a solid foundation after seeing how the culture of death is destroying society, said author David Hartline.
Hartline is the author of the recent book "The Tide Is Turning Toward Catholicism," published by Catholic Report.
In this interview with ZENIT, Hartline considers some of the changing trends in the Church that have come about through courageous Catholic leaders, seen especially in Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
Q: What motivated you to write "The Tide Is Turning Toward Catholicism"?
Hartline: While working for the Church, I began to notice a series of hopeful trends in the Church that few were discussing.
I wrote an article for my Catholic Report Web site that was picked up by a number of Internet sites and publications. Because of its popularity, I decided to write a book filled with data and stories concerning my observations.
Q: In what ways do you see the tide turning?
Hartline: It is turning in many ways. In a nutshell, wherever Church orthodoxy is taught the Church is flourishing. This extends to the young and old. In the book, I note that in dioceses where Church orthodoxy is emphasized, we see increases in seminarians and youth involvement in the Church.
For example in the United States, the Archdioceses of Denver, St. Louis, and Omaha, along with the Diocese of Lincoln, known for their clear observance of Church orthodoxy, have the same number of men studying for the priesthood than less-orthodox led dioceses that have five to 10 times as many Catholics.
We also see vibrant parishes involved in Scripture study, catechism courses, apologetics, Eucharist adoration, rosary devotions, as well as programs to assist those in need. This is the springtime of evangelization that John Paul II spoke of some years ago. Because of these efforts, we are seeing many converts embrace the Church.
There have been some well-known converts in the last 20 years, starting with Scott Hahn, Deacon Alex Jones, Francis Beckwith and even bishops from other churches. However, these are just a few illustrative examples; there are millions of converts who came into the Church in the last few years who were well versed in the teachings of their previous churches, some who were even proudly anti-Catholic. However in their quest to prove Catholicism wrong, many found the Catholic Church to be the one Jesus founded.
Often, converts approach me at the various talks I give and say three things kept them from Catholicism; the Eucharist, Mary and the papacy. When I asked what brought them into the Church they basically give the same answer, the Eucharist, the Blessed Mother and the Holy Father, or the magisterium.
These were all subjects they knew little about until the read the early Church Fathers and saw the continuum of 2,000 years of the Church's history and teachings.
While there are hopeful signs in the United States and Latin America, and even glimmers of hope in Europe, the most vibrant areas of the Church can be found in Africa and Asia. In 2006 alone, some 8 million converts came into the Church and 3,000 priests were ordained in Asia and Africa.
On these continents, the faithful often have many struggles, political and religious oppression along with poverty. However, "the least of these" sure seem to be showing the wealthier parts of the Catholic world how to live and practice their faith.
Recently, a priest originally from Uganda was visiting the United States to raise money for his parish in Sudan. This visiting priest told me he was taken aback by some in the Western world who verbally attack the Church, some of whom were even members of the Church. He said such a thing would be unthinkable in much of Africa, since the Church, its teachings and graces, such as the sacraments, are embraced with awe, wonder and gratitude.
Finally, one can't talk about the turning tide without mentioning the worldwide influence of Mother Teresa and Mother Angelica. One was called to help the forgotten and the poorest of the poor, while the other was called to launch a worldwide television and radio ministry to evangelize and defend the Church throughout the four corners of the earth.
Q: In the United States you trace this turning tide to World Youth Day in Denver that occurred in 1993. Why do you see this event as a catalyst?
Hartline: There are three events I believe helped turn the tide.
The first took place with the election of John Paul II in 1978, the second was World Youth Day in Denver in 1993, and the third was the huge outpouring of love from millions of people both in Rome and throughout the four corners of the world after the death of John Paul II and the election of Benedict XVI.
World Youth Day in 1993 was a stunning success. It almost had the quality of a biblical parable. There were some in the Church in the United States who warned John Paul II that the crowds would be small, since American youth and the Western world weren't very faithful.
However, the Holy Father knew that young people always desire the truth, which brought them in great numbers to Denver. After the stunning success of World Youth Day 1993, many vocations were realized along with a resurgence in youth ministry programs.
Additionally, the importance of the election of John Paul II cannot be understated. His strong leadership with emphasis on Church orthodoxy and Eucharistic and Marian devotions laid the groundwork for many, especially the young, to embrace these important gifts.
The travels of John Paul II gave him a platform to help spread the "good news" and to remind the faithful of the forgotten gifts of the Church. The death of John Paul II and the election of Benedict XVI gave the world an unscripted and powerful image of the 2,000-year-old Church.
The outpouring of love shown to John Paul II through the 5 to 7 million who came to Rome, about one quarter of whom were under 25, gave the world a view of the Church that had been scarcely seen in the world press. The beautiful liturgy, the ancient customs such as the transfer of the body of the pontiff to St. Peter's, accompanied by the chanting of the litany of the saints, provided the world with a powerful image of the ancient Church.
The election of Benedict XVI, a close confidant of John Paul II, is keeping the continuum in place. Many skeptics were surprised at the joy, admiration and love directed to Benedict XVI by the youth at the 2005 World Youth Day in Germany.
The same emotion from the young was seen again in Brazil earlier this year. Many young people have embraced Benedict XVI's warning against the "dictatorship of relativism." With their own eyes, the young have seen how relativism and the culture of death are destroying societies, especially those in the West.
These young people want something built on a solid foundation. The connection Jesus made with Peter being the rock and giving him the keys to the kingdom (Matthew 16:16-19) is a powerful example of apostolic succession to the youth so shaken by cultural and religious trends that come and go with the wind.
Q: One chapter of your book focuses on the Catholic vote. What are your thoughts about the Catholic vote and the upcoming U.S. presidential election?
Hartline: This question is a microcosm of the whole turning-tide phenomena. Many faithful Catholics were angered by politicians who spoke about the importance of their Catholic faith, only to denounce or ignore the teachings of the faith.
However, as more Catholic prelates have taken a courageous stance in defending the Church, it has inspired not only more clergy to the same, but lay people as well. There is still a long way to go in this effort, but at least the battle has been joined.
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Wednesday's Audience
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On St. Ambrose of Milan
"Catechesis Is Inseparable From the Testimony of Life"
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 24, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered today at the general audience in St. Peter's Square on St. Ambrose of Milan.
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Dear brothers and sisters:
The saintly Bishop Ambrose, of whom I will speak to you today, died during the night in Milan between April 3-4, 397. It was the dawn of Holy Saturday. The day before, toward 5 p.m., he began to pray as he was lying in bed with his arms open in the form of the cross. That is how he participated in the solemn Easter triduum, in the death and resurrection of Our Lord. "We saw him moving his lips," testified Paulinus, the faithful deacon who was invited by Augustine to write Ambrose's biography entitled "Vita," "but his voice could not be heard."
Suddenly, the situation seemed to come to an end. Honoratus, bishop of Vercelli, who helped Ambrose and who slept upstairs from him, was awakened by a voice that repeated: "Get up, quick! Ambrose is approaching death." Honoratus immediately went downstairs, Paulinus recounted, "and offered the saint the Body of the Lord. After having taken it, Ambrose surrendered his spirit, carrying with him viaticum. Thus, his soul, strengthened by virtue of that food, now enjoys the company of angels" ("Vita," 47).
On that Good Friday of 397, the open arms of the dying Ambrose expressed his mystical participation in the death and resurrection of Our Lord. This was his last catechesis: Without speaking a word, he spoke with the testimony of life.
Ambrose was not old when he died. He was not even 60, for he was born around 340 in Trier, where his father was prefect of the Gauls. The family was Christian. When his father died, and he was still a boy, his mother brought him to Rome to prepare him for a civil career, giving him a solid rhetorical and juridical education. Around 370, he was sent to govern the provinces of Emilia and Liguria, with headquarters in Milan. It was precisely there where the struggle between orthodox Christians and Arians was seething, especially after the death of Auxentius, the Arian bishop. Ambrose intervened to pacify those of both factions, and his authority was such that, despite the fact that he was nothing more than a simple catechumen, he was acclaimed by the people as bishop of Milan.
Until that moment, Ambrose had been the highest magistrate of the Roman Empire in northern Italy. Highly prepared culturally, but deficient in knowledge of Scriptures, the new bishop began to study them energetically. He learned to study and comment on the Bible from the works of Origen, the undisputed master of the school of Alexandria. In this way, Ambrose brought to the Latin environment the practice of meditating on Scriptures initiated by Origen, beginning the practice of "lectio divina" in the West.
The method of "lectio" soon guided the preaching and writing of Ambrose, which emerged precisely from prayerful listening to the word of God. A famous opening from one Ambrosian catechesis distinctly demonstrates how the holy bishop applied the Old Testament to Christian life: "When we read the histories of the patriarchs and the maxims of Proverbs, we come face to face with morality," the bishop of Milan told his catechumens and neophytes, "in order that, educated by these, you can then accustom yourselves to enter into the life of the fathers and to follow the path of obedience to the divine precepts" ("I misteri," 1,1).
In other words, neophytes and catechumens, in the opinion of the bishop, after having learned the art of living morally, could then consider themselves prepared for the great mysteries of Christ. In this way, the preaching of Ambrose, which represents the heart of his prodigious literary work, originates from the reading of sacred books ("The Patriarchs," the historical books, and "Proverbs," the sapiential books), to live in conformity with divine revelation.
It is evident that the personal testimony of the preacher, and the exemplarity of the Christian community, conditions the efficacy of any preaching. From this point of view a passage from St. Augustine's "Confessions" is significant. Augustine had come to Milan as a professor of rhetoric; he was a skeptic, not a Christian. He was looking, but he wasn't able to truly encounter the Christian truth. For the young African rhetorician, skeptical and desperate, it was not the beautiful homilies of Ambrose that converted him -- despite the fact that he appreciated them immensely. Rather, it was the testimony of the bishop and the Church in Milan, which prayed and sang, united as a single body. It was a Church capable of resisting the bullying of the emperor and his mother, who had demanded again the expropriation of a Church building for Arian ceremonies in early 386.
In the building that was to be expropriated, Augustine wrote, "the devout people of Milan stayed put, ready to die with their own bishop." This testimony in the "Confessions" is invaluable, because it shows that something was moving deep within Augustine. He continued, "Despite the fact that we were still spiritually lukewarm, we participated as well in the fervor of the entire population" ("Confessions" 9, 7).
From the life and example of Bishop Ambrose, Augustine learned to believe and to preach. We can refer to a famous sermon of the African, which deserved to be cited many centuries later in No. 25 of the dogmatic constitution "Dei Verbum": "All the clergy must hold fast to the sacred Scriptures through diligent sacred reading and careful study, especially the priests of Christ and others, such as deacons and catechists who are legitimately active in the ministry of the word. This is to be done so that none of them will become," and here is where Augustine is quoted, "'an empty preacher of the word of God outwardly, who is not a listener to it inwardly.'" He had learned precisely from Ambrose this "to listen inwardly," this diligence in reading sacred Scripture in a prayerful attitude, in order to truly receive it in one's heart, and to assimilate the word of God.
Dear brothers and sisters: I would like to present to you a type of "patristic icon" that, seen in the light of what we have just said, effectively represents the heart of Ambrosian doctrine. In the same book of "Confessions," Augustine recounts his meeting with Ambrose, certainly a meeting of great importance for the history of the Church. He writes in the text that when he came to see the bishop of Milan, the latter was always surrounded by hordes of people with problems, whom he tried to help. There was always a long line of people waiting to speak to Ambrose, looking for comfort and hope. When Ambrose was not with these people -- and this only happened for short periods of time -- he was either filling his body with the food necessary to live, or filling his spirit with reading. In this respect Augustine praises Ambrose, because Ambrose read Scriptures with his mouth closed, and only with his eyes (cf. "Confessions," 6,3).
In the early centuries of Christianity, reading Scripture was thought of strictly in terms of being proclaimed, and reading aloud facilitated understanding, even for the one who was reading it. The fact that Ambrose could read through the pages only with his eyes was for Augustine a singular capacity for reading and being familiar with Scripture. In this reading -- in which the heart seeks to understand the word of God -- this is the "icon" we are talking about. Here one can see the method of Ambrosian catechesis: Scripture itself, profoundly assimilated, suggests the content of what one must announce in order to achieve conversion of hearts.
Thus, according to the teachings of Ambrose and Augustine, catechesis is inseparable from the testimony of life. The catechist may also avail himself of what I wrote in "Introduction to Christianity" about theologians. Educators of the faith cannot run the risk of looking like some sort of clown, who is simply playing a role. Rather, using an image from Origen, a writer who was particularly appreciated by Ambrose, he should be like the beloved disciple, who rested his head on the Master's heart and there learned how to think, speak and act. In the end, the true disciple is he who proclaims the Gospel in the most credible and effective manner.
Like John the Apostle, Bishop Ambrose, who never tired of repeating "Omnia Christus est nobis!" -- Christ is everything for us! -- remained an authentic witness for the Lord. With these same words, full of love for Jesus, we will conclude our catechesis: "Omnia Christus est nobis! If you want to heal a wound, he is the physician; is you burn with fever, he is the fountain; if you are oppressed by iniquity, he is justice; if you need help, he is strength; if you fear death, he is life; if you desire heaven, he is the way; if you are in darkness, he is the light. ... Taste and see how good the Lord is. Blessed is the man who hopes in him!" ("De virginitate," 16,99). We also hope in Christ. In this way we will be blessed and will live in peace.
[Translation by ZENIT]
[After the audience, the Pope greeted the people in various languages. In English, he said:]
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In our catechesis on the teachers of the ancient Church, we now turn to Saint Ambrose of Milan. Born into a Christian family in the middle of the fourth century, Ambrose was educated in Rome and sent as governor to Milan, where, although a catechumen, he was soon acclaimed as Bishop. He set about mastering the Scriptures, guided by the writings of Origen and the practice of "lectio divina," a form of prayerful meditation on the word of God. It was Ambrose who introduced this practice to the West, and it deeply permeated his life and preaching. Saint Augustine, who was converted in Milan and baptized by Ambrose, relates the profound impression which Ambrose's engagement with the word of God left upon him. Ambrose, contrary to the custom of the time, did not read the Scriptures aloud, which Augustine interpreted as a sign of how deeply the inspired word had penetrated the holy Bishop's mind and heart. This image can serve as an "icon" of Ambrose as a catechist: his teaching was
inseparable from his prayer and his entire life. For Ambrose, Christ was everything -- Omnia Christus est nobis! -- and so it must be for every catechist and indeed for every one of the Lord's disciples.
I am happy to greet the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother who are gathered in Rome for their Twentieth General Chapter. I also cordially welcome an ecumenical pilgrimage of Catholics and Evangelical Lutherans from the United States of America. Upon all the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims I invoke God's abundant blessings of peace and joy.
© Copyright 2007 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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DOCUMENTS
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Papal Address to the Vatican Chapter
"I Trust in Your Ministry So St. Peter's May Become a Place of Prayer"
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 24, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a Vatican translation of the Oct. 8 address Benedict XVI delivered to members of the Chapter of St. Peter's Basilica.
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ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
TO MEMBERS OF THE CHAPTER
OF THE PAPAL BASILICA
OF SAINT PETER AT THE VATICAN
Vatican's Clementine Hall
Monday, 8 October 2007
Dear Member of the Vatican Chapter,
I have been looking forward to meeting you for a long time and I gladly take this opportunity to express to you my personal esteem and affection. I address a cordial greeting to each one of you.
I greet in particular Archbishop Angelo Comastri, Archpriest, whom I thank for his presentation of this ancient and venerable institution. With him, I greet the Vicar, Bishop Vittorio Lanzani, the Canons and the Coadjutors. I appreciated, Your Excellency, the fact that as Archpriest you referred to the uninterrupted presence of clergy praying in the Vatican Basilica since the time of St Gregory the Great. It has been a continuous, deliberately discreet but faithful and persevering presence.
Properly speaking, however, your Chapter was founded in 1053, when Pope Leo IX confirmed that the Archpriest and Canons of St Peter's who had settled in the Monastery of St Stephen the Great would be granted the same possessions and privileges that his Predecessors had conferred upon them. It was later, during the Pontificate of Eugene III (1145-53), that the General Chapter acquired the characteristics of a well-structured and autonomous community. Indeed, the transition from a monastic structure at the service of the Basilica to today's canonical structure was essentially long and gradual. Under the Archpriest's guidance, the activity of the Vatican Chapter focused from the outset on a wide rang of commitments: the liturgical sphere, for a harmonious celebration and the daily supervision of the services connected to worship; the administrative context, for the management of the patrimony of the Basilica and its affiliated churches; the pastoral sector, in which the Chapter was
entrusted with the care of the Borgo district; the charitable sector, in which the Chapter carried out its own activities of assistance and collaboration with the Santo Spirito Hospital and other institutions.
From the 11th century to this day, at least 11 Popes have belonged to the Vatican Chapter. I would like to recall among them the 20th century Popes in particular, Pius XI and Pius XII.
Ever since the 16th century, when the construction of the new Basilica began -- we celebrated the fifth centenary of the laying of the foundation stone last year -- the history of the Vatican Chapter has been linked to that of the Fabric of St Peter's. They are two separate institutions but are united in the person of the Archpriest, who ensures that their reciprocal collaboration is fruitful.
The Chapter's work in the life of the Vatican Basilica, especially in the last decades of the past century, has sought more and more to rediscover its true, original function that consisted above all in the ministry of prayer. If prayer is fundamental for all Christians, for you, dear brothers, it is as it were a "professional" task.
As I said during my recent Journey in Austria, prayer is at the same time both a service to the Lord who deserves to be ceaselessly praised and adored and a testimony for people.
Moreover, when God is faithfully praised and worshipped, his blessings are unfailing (cf. Address at Holy Cross Abbey, 9 September 2007; L'Osservatore Romano English edition, 12 September, p. 10). This is the proper nature of the Vatican Chapter and the contribution that the Pope expects of you: to recall with your prayerful presence at Peter's tomb that nothing can come before God; that the Church is entirely oriented to him and to his glory; that the primacy of Peter is at the service of the unity of the Church, and that this in turn is at the service of the saving plan of the Most Holy Trinity.
Dear and venerable Brothers, I trust profoundly in you and in your ministry so that St Peter's Basilica may become an authentic place of prayer, adoration and praise of the Lord. It is more necessary than elsewhere that a permanent community of prayer should exist here, by Peter's tomb, in this sacred place visited every day by thousands of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world, which can guarantee continuity with tradition and at the same time intercede for the Pope's intentions in the Church and in the world today. In this perspective, I invoke upon you the protection of St Peter, of St John Chrysostom, whose relics are preserved precisely in your Chapel, and of the other Saints and Blesseds enshrined in the Basilica. May the Immaculate Virgin watch over you. Her image, which you venerate in the Chapel of the Choir, was crowned by Bl. Pius IX in 1854 and, 50 years later in 1904, St Pius X surrounded it with stars. Once again, I thank you for the zeal with which you carry
out your task, and as I assure you of my special remembrance in Holy Mass, I warmly impart my Apostolic Blessing to you and to your loved ones.
© Copyright 2007 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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Peace Appeal From Encounter of Peoples and Religions
NAPLES, Italy, OCT. 24, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is the text of the message made public Tuesday by the Community of Sant'Egidio, after the 21st International Encounter of Peoples and Religions. The Sant'Egidio Community and the Archdiocese of Naples co-sponsored the event. The appeal was presented by a group of children to representatives of nations of the world at the concluding ceremony of the meeting.
* * *
Naples, Oct. 23, 2007
Men and women of different religions, from many parts of the world, we have gathered here in Naples to forge bonds of brotherhood, and call to God for the great gift of peace. The name of God is peace.
In the heart of the Mediterranean Sea and in this extraordinary city, which is well acquainted with poverty and greatness of heart, we stooped down upon the wounds of the world. There is an illness that pollutes every thing and its name is violence. Violence is the grim daily companion of too many men and women on our planet.
Violence becomes war, terrorism, poverty and despair, exploitation of our planet. It is fuelled by contempt; it stuns people with hatred; it kills hope and sows fear; it strikes down the innocent, and debases humanity. Violence seduces the hearts of human beings and tells them, "nothing can change." This pessimism makes people believe that living together is impossible.
From Naples we can say, stronger than before, that anyone who uses the name of God to hate the other, to practice violence, or to wage war, is cursing the name of God.
As Benedict XVI told us, "Never can evil and violence be justified by invoking the name of God."
We focused on our diverse religious traditions, we heard the sorrow of the South of the world, and we felt the burden of pessimism rising from the 20th century with its weight of war and shattered illusions. We need the strength that comes from the spirit of love, which helps rebuild and mend the unity of humankind. The power of the spirit changes the hearts of men and women and transforms history.
In the depths of our religious traditions, we have discovered that a world without dialogue is a world without hope, where people are fated to fear each other. Dialogue does not cancel differences. Dialogue enriches life and dispels pessimism that makes one see the other as a threat. Dialogue is not the illusion of the weak, it is the wisdom of the strong, who rely on the power of prayer. And prayer changes the world and the destiny of humankind. Dialogue weakens no-one's identity, and it encourages everyone to see the best in the other. Nothing is lost with dialogue; everything is possible through dialogue.
To those who still kill, to those who still sow terrorism and wage war in the name of God, we say: "Stop! Do not kill! Violence is always a defeat."
We commit ourselves to learn the art of living together and to offer it to our fellow believers. There is no alternative to the unity of the human family. We need brave builders, in all cultures, and in all religious traditions. We need the globalization of the spirit, which reveals to us what we no longer see: the beauty of life and of the other, in all circumstances, even the hardest.
Our religious traditions teach us that prayer is an active power in history, and it moves peoples and nations. Humbly, we offer this ancient wisdom to the service of all peoples, of every man and every woman, to open a new era of freedom from fear and contempt for the other. It is the spirit of Assisi, and here, from Naples, full of courage and strength, it challenges violence and any abuse of religion as a pretext for violence.
Following in this path, confident that peace can be a gift to the whole world, we commit ourselves to the Most High.
[Text adapted]
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