Will you get the press release on Fiducia supplicans to appease the critics?

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Vatican rules on blessings for "same-sex and irregular couples"

Will you get the press release on Fiducia supplicans to appease the critics?

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, presided over by Argentine Cardinal Victor Fernandez, has tried through a press release to clarify the confusing aspects and to guide in the application of the declaration. Fiducia supplicans.

Arturo Cattaneo-January 11, 2024-Reading time: 5 minutes

On January 4, just 17 days after the publication by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Declaration Fiducia supplicansThe same Dicastery has issued a press release "to help clarify the reception" of that Declaration.

Something quite surprising, but understandable considering that numerous bishops' conferences (more than twenty) and many bishops and cardinals have expressed from perplexity to outright rejection of the proposal to bless irregular or same-sex couples, although the Declaration clearly states that these blessings (called "pastoral") are to be done without liturgical rite, avoiding that they can be confused with the priestly blessing of a wedding, and "without officially validating their status nor alter in any way the perennial teaching of the Church on Marriage" (presentation of "Fiducia supplicans").

News and confusion

Apart from the novelty constituted by the blessing of same-sex couples - to which I will return shortly - another aspect that may have contributed to a certain tension among broad sectors of the episcopate is the fact that, although the Declaration does not impose these blessings, but always speaks only of "possibility", it is affirmed that the Church's closeness to every situation in which God's help is requested through a simple blessing should not be "prevented or forbidden" ("Fiducia supplicans", 38).

The Note qualifies this statement somewhat, recognizing that "prudence and attention to the ecclesial context and local culture could admit various modes of application". However, the Note goes on to emphasize what the Declaration indicates: there can be "various modes of application, but not a total or definitive denial of this step that is being proposed to priests" (note 2).

These critical voices may come as a surprise, considering that this is a text in which the pastoral yearning of Pope Francis, his lively desire to welcome and accompany every person or couple, showing them the maternal face of the Church with that "pastoral gesture, so dear and widespread" ("Fiducia supplicans", 12) proper to blessings, is clearly breathed. The Church also wants to show her closeness to the faithful in these difficult situations, always offering them consolation and encouragement, inviting them "to draw ever closer to the love of Christ" ("Fiducia supplicans", 44), in the certainty that God abandons no one. Evidently, these intentions, which are more than praiseworthy, have not prevented the proposal to allow the blessing of irregular or same-sex couples from provoking perplexity or rejection. The point that is causing the most difficulties has been the novelty of the blessing of homosexual couples.

In this regard, it should be recalled that both the Roman Ritual of 1985 and the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith itself, in a Responsum published in 2021, had clearly excluded this possibility. In fact, the Roman Ritual had demanded that in order to perform a blessing "it must not deal with things, places or contingencies contrary to the law or the spirit of the Gospel" (n. 13). Even more explicit was the prohibition pronounced in 2021 by the same Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which stated: "When a blessing is invoked on certain human relationships, it is necessary - beyond the right intention of those who participate - that what is blessed be objectively and positively ordered to receive and express grace, according to the designs of God inscribed in Creation and fully revealed by Christ the Lord. Therefore, only those realities are compatible with the essence of the blessing imparted by the Church that are in themselves ordered to serve these designs. For this reason, it is not licit to impart a blessing to relationships, or even to stable couples, which involve a sexual praxis outside marriage (that is, outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open, by itself, to the transmission of life), as is the case with unions between persons of the same sex. The presence in such relationships of positive elements, which in themselves are to be appreciated and valued, is not, however, capable of justifying them and making them the licit object of an ecclesial blessing, because such elements are at the service of a union that is not ordered to God's plan" (Responsum of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, signed by the then Prefect Cardinal Luis F. Ladaria, 22-II-2021).

Do not legitimize anything

The authors of "Fiducia supplicans" were certainly aware that the novelty of blessings to irregular or same-sex couples could give rise to a serious misunderstanding and confusion: that of interpreting the blessing as "a form of moral legitimacy to a union that presumes to be a marriage or to an extramarital sexual practice" (11). Consequently, the text specifies that the blessing considered here is a gesture that "does not intend to sanction or legitimize anything" (34) and also that it is intended "only to open one's life to God, to ask for his help to live better and also to invoke the Holy Spirit so that the values of the Gospel may be lived with greater fidelity" (40).

All this has now been reaffirmed in the Note and, in a special way, the fact that "this form of non-ritualized blessing, with the simplicity and brevity of its form, is not intended to justify something that is not morally acceptable. It is clearly not a marriage, but it is not even an 'approval' or a ratification of anything. It is only the response of a pastor to two people who ask for God's help" (5). In the following point of the Note, it is insisted again "that this type of blessing is not a ratification of the life of those who request it" and that in blessing these couples "we are not consecrating them, nor are we congratulating them, nor are we approving this type of union" (6).

The question then arises as to why the criticism and rejection of the Declaration in spite of so many clarifications.

The criticism is understandable if one takes into account that the very term "bless" means "to say good" and in common parlance means not only a plea, a request for help from God, but also an approval. It is said, for example, that an initiative has been "blessed". But to approve the union between two persons of the same sex would constitute a flagrant contradiction with the teaching of the Magisterium, contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church in points 2352-2359 and 2390. I quote only the latter: "The sexual act must take place exclusively in marriage; outside of marriage it always constitutes a grave sin and excludes from sacramental communion".

Couples, unions, individuals

The Note proposes to distinguish between "couple" and "union", in the sense of affirming that the "couple" is blessed but not their "union", pointing out that these are pastoral blessings "of irregular couples (not unions)" (2). This distinction does not seem clear, since the concept of couple necessarily includes a reference to a relationship, and not simply to two persons. Two persons without a particular relationship between them are not a couple.

The Declaration specifies that this "non-ritualized" blessing is "a simple gesture that provides an effective means of increasing trust in God in those who ask for it" (36). It also specifies that with such a blessing the ordained minister joins "the prayer of those persons who, although they are in a union that can in no way be compared to marriage, wish to entrust themselves to the Lord and to his mercy, to invoke his help, to allow themselves to be guided towards a greater understanding of his plan of love and life" (30). And again: "These forms of blessing express a plea to God to grant those helps that come from the promptings of his Spirit" (31). All this leads to consider this blessing rather as a "prayer", "invocation of God's mercy and help", or a "supplication to God". Very probably so many perplexities and controversies could have been avoided by using these terms instead of "blessing".

Vatican rules on blessings for "same-sex and irregular couples"

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Three medieval sages and the existence of God

ColumnistsSantiago Leyra Curiá

Three modern philosophers and the existence of God

In this article, we review the thoughts on the existence of God of three philosophers: Nicholas of Cusa, Descartes and Pascal.

January 11, 2024-Reading time: 5 minutes

The ancients and the existence of God Related News

Nicholas of Cusa was born in the German city of Cusa (Kues), born in 1401 and died in 1464. His main book and masterpiece is "De docta ignorantia".. According to him, there are several ways of knowing: first, by the senses, which do not give us a sufficient truth, but only by means of images or sensations. Secondly, by reason or understanding, which understands in an abstract and fragmentary way those images or sensations in their diversity. Thirdly, by the intelligence which, aided by supernatural grace, leads us to the truth of God. This truth makes us understand that the infinite Being is impenetrable; we then understand our ignorance with respect to the infinite Being; this is what true philosophy leads us to, to the "learned ignorance"The highest knowledge consists in this.

A friend of Pope Eugene IV, the Pope of the union of Christians, he was a member of the papal delegation that accompanied Emperor John VIII and Patriarch Joseph on their journey from Constantinople to Italy, which resulted in the return and union of the Greek Orthodox Church to the Roman Catholic Church.

On that return voyage from his mission to Constantinople, on the high seas he had a decisive experience for his philosophical conception: how the horizon of the sea seems to be stretched out like a straight line; and yet what is seen is part of a circle with a very large radius due to the spherical shape of the Earth. This experience influenced the content of his work "De docta ignorantia": we know that our finitude can never reach the truth in all its fullness and precision; and the more we are aware of our ignorance the more it becomes a learned ignorance, a philosophical wisdom; this wisdom starts from doubt, but presupposes the existence of truth, which can only be founded on an infinite, eternal and creative intelligence.

The union of the Churches was proclaimed on 6-7-1439 in the church of Santa Maria dei Fiori, in Florence. But this union failed after a short time. Metropolitan Isidore of Kiev proclaimed the union upon his arrival in Moscow, but was soon arrested by Prince Vasili, who forbade the Russian church to accept any union with the Latins.

In the Byzantine Empire, the Greek bishops, returning from Florence, found an adverse popular climate; although the union was promulgated in the cathedral of St. Sophia on 12-12-1452, in the presence of Emperor Constantine XI, the papal legate and the Byzantine patriarch, a violent tumult was started by the clergy and monks who raised the cry, seconded by the masses: "Let the turban of the Turks reign over Constantinople rather than the mitre of the Latins!".

Half a year later, that cry would have its sad fulfillment: on May 29, 1453, the capital fell to the Turks, the last emperor of the Eastern Empire died in battle and the Byzantine Empire ended its days. In Rome, Isidore of Kiev, fled from Russia, and Bessarion of Nicaea, who became two cardinals of the universal Church, were for years like a living memory of something that could have been, but was not because men did not want it to be. Meditating on the fall of Constantinople, Nicholas of Cusa conceived his grandiose vision of a future universal conciliation, in his work "De pace fidei". (On the Peace of Faith), completed before 14-1-1454.

Following Pope Pius II to the Adriatic coast, where the fleet of the Christian crusade against the Turkish invasion would meet, Nicholas suffered the last attack of a chronic illness and died in Todi (Umbria) on 11-8-1464. Three days later his friend Aeneas Silvius, Pope Pius II, died in Ancona. The remains of Nicholas of Cusa were transferred to Rome and buried in the titular cardinal's church, St. Peter in Vinculis. His heart rests in Kues (Cusa), about 50 km northeast of Trier, in one of his foundations, the hospital of St. Nicholas, which for more than five centuries has housed the poor and sick and where valuable classical, patristic and medieval manuscripts that Nicholas had collected in his travels in the East and West are kept.

René Descartes, a native of The Hague (in Touraine, France), was born in 1596 and died in 1650. He was educated at the Jesuit school in La Fleche. In 1640 he went to Paris and there he felt a total skepticism. In order to see the world, he embraced military life in Holland, where he resided from 1629. From 1649 he resided in Stockholm at the invitation of Queen Christina, whose conversion to Catholicism was influenced by his conversations with Descartes himself, who had previously converted.

He thinks that thought does not deserve trust, because it often falls into error. On the other hand, mathematics and logic are not sciences that serve to know reality. And he will not admit in his philosophy a single truth that can be doubted. There is nothing certain but I, and I am nothing but a thing that thinks. This is the first indubitable, evident truth: the "cogito, ergo sum".

But, further on, Descartes says: I find in my mind the idea of God, of a most perfect, infinite, omnipotent entity, who knows everything. This idea cannot come from nothing, nor can it come from myself, who am imperfect, finite, weak, full of ignorance, because then the effect would be superior to the cause, and this is impossible. Therefore, the idea The idea of God must have been placed in me by a superior entity that reaches the perfection of that idea, that is to say, by God himself.

Born in 1623 in Clermont-Ferrand, France, to a family of jurists and financiers, he received a humanistic and scientific education. In 1647, in Paris, he became acquainted with Descartes' philosophy and with Descartes himself, from whom he distanced himself and whom he harshly criticized.

On November 23, 1654, he experienced a profound shock that radically transformed his life, which he recorded in his writing, the "Memorial".. In this writing he describes his encounter with the living God, "the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not the God of the wise men and philosophers: the God of Jesus Christ". He conceived the project of writing a broad apologia for Christianity and began to take notes and jottings, which were published, after his untimely death, on August 19, 1662, under the title of "Thoughts.".

To the incredulity of the "erudite libertines" and to the cold and self-confident reason, Descartes-like, which Pascal calls the "spirit of geometry"-, is contrasted with a "spirit of refinement," which opens itself to the totality of human experience, both lofty and dramatic. This spirit includes the heart, because "the heart has reasons that reason does not understand"..

Knowing oneself to be miserable and in need of regeneration is the initial step on the path that leads to recovering one's own original greatness. Pascalian wisdom is ordered, then, to conversion. One of the enemies of that conversion is divertimento, existential superficiality, the flight from the real by means of the surrender to diversions with which one tries to avoid any confrontation with the essential; another enemy is the self-sufficiency of the self that encloses itself in a cold and geometric reasoning that drowns the heart.

For Pascal, God is a Being, partly hidden and partly manifest: he manifests himself sufficiently so that we can perceive his reality; but he also hides himself, so that approaching him implies faith, surrender and merit. God reveals himself to us in Jesus Christ as the living God, a God who is accessed through a faith and a love that, starting from the recognition of sin, opens up to trust in his mercy.

The authorSantiago Leyra Curiá

Corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation of Spain.

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The Rosary in the light of St. John Paul II

Initiatives

Students joining together to pray the Rosary and eat Italian sweets

On December 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, about a year and a half ago, the Rosary and cannoli meeting was made official for the students of a school in the United States.

Jennifer Elizabeth Terranova-January 11, 2024-Reading time: 3 minutes

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Have you ever felt guilty if you didn't begin your New Year's resolutions precisely on January 1? After all, we have the entire year, don't we?

Whatever date I begin every year, improving my Spanish, saving more money, and praying the Rosary daily are the top three on my list.

Promoting a devotion to the Rosary seems part of many Catholics' to-do lists, especially for Reverend Justin Cinnante O. Carm, who is the chaplain at Iona Preparatory, a private Catholic, pre-K-to-12 all-boys school in New Roshelle, New York, where students meet once a month for Rosary and Cannoli.

Omnes had a chance to speak with Father Cinnante about the evolution of this dynamic duo.

Omnes had a chance to speak with Father Cinnante about the evolution of this dynamic duo. It all started one day when Father Cinnante was chatting with some students and encouraging them to pray. He hoped to do something that would inspire the boys to pray the Rosary and remembered an adult community group in New York City called "The Rosary and Bourbon." But he knew that would not be viable, but said perhaps, "something along those lines to encourage people" to pray together and create that fraternity. Leave it to an Italian American priest to devise a plan involving il dolce Italiano. Father Cinnante recalled, "I was just joking with these kids from the Italian club and said we should do something like Rosary and Cannoli." The students liked the idea and said they'd "definitely come to that, Father!"

A divine intercession

The first meeting was with the boys with whom Father Cinnante had spoken, and one of them brought some cannoli. "We had a nice little time of prayer and fraternity," said Father.

That sparked the idea to "open it up to the whole school," recalled Father Cinnante. He said he spoke to the Italian club's Italian teacher and she said that the Italian club might sponsor it.

We know that there are no coincidences when it comes to our Blessed Mother. One of the boys in the Italian club's parents owns an Italian pastry shop, and the Italian teacher informed Father Cinnante that they would "probably provide a discount."

Mother Mary helped refill the guests' glasses at the Wedding Feast at Cana, and she would also intercede to procure a discount so that all might come to pray the Rosary.

Father Cinnante made an announcement after morning Mass one day, and said, "We are going to honor our Lady after school and the Italian club would sponsor the Rosary and cannoli; in addition, there would be some "fraternity afterward." "Wow," recalled one of the teachers when sixty-five students showed up. Father and the teacher agreed, "We should do this more regularly." And they did.

Tradition at school

On December 8, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception about a year and a half ago, the Rosary and Cannoli meet became official.

They meet monthly, starting in October and ending in May, and most months welcome between 100-to 150 students. It has been a success, and on the grand final in May of last year, 350 students, both present and alumni, processed around the track. And there was plenty of cannoli: a whopping 500, to be exact.

While a cannoli may entice the palate, its appeal is not everlasting, as is the love and protection of our Blessed Mother. She promises many things to those who recite the Rosary; for example, "Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces." And she promises her special protection and the most extraordinary graces to all those who recite the Rosary. These are just two of the many gifts and graces from our Lady.

It's no wonder that one of Iona's former students, John Capozzoli, was in attendance for a Rosary and Cannoli meet. In an interview, he said, "A lot of people believe that the boys come for the cannoli, but I truly believe that everybody comes here to pray... a lot of kids leave without the cannoli because they want the experience of praying."

Another former student, Michael Olveri, said, "I think it's a great thing to raise awareness about and to spread love throughout the world and peace, and that's…what Father [Cinnante]is trying to do here is spread it around the school, and a nice little touch is a cannol[o], but that's not the whole point… it's to raise the awareness."

The Rosary takes place right after the bell, and many of the boys have to go to practice and come only to do the Rosary, said Father Cinnante. And while he doesn't doubt that many students come for the "fraternal aspect," he believes that "the majority of kids...come for the Rosary.

He was also proud to share that their daily Mass is well-attended and is usually during students' lunch period. He told Omnes they have Adoration, and kids are constantly in the chapel and living the "sacramental life."

Bravo, Father, and to all the faithful students!

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Missionary childhood: "Jenet, Michelle and Íscar represent all the children of the world".

Evangelization

Missionary Childhood helps more than 4 million children

This Sunday, January 14, the Missionary Childhood Day organized by the Pontifical Mission Societies will be celebrated in Spain with the theme "I share what I am".

Loreto Rios-January 10, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

The Pontifical Mission Societies held a press conference today at its headquarters in Madrid to inform about the forthcoming Missionary Childhood Day to be held on January 14. The presentation was attended by José María Calderón, director of OMP Spain, Elvira Pillado, a missionary in Tangier, and the young Mateo Méndez, who has participated in several Pontifical Missionary Works camps.

The Day of Missionary Childhood is celebrated all over the world, although with different dates. In Spain it takes place on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, which corresponds, in the case of 2024, to January 14.

The work of Infancia Misionera extends to 120 countries and helps more than 4 million children. The contributions collected by this pontifical work support the work and labor of missionaries in 1122 mission territories, with more than 2500 projects of evangelization, formation, health, etc.

More than 12 million euros

During 2022, Missionary Childhood provided more than 12 million euros for 2458 projects around the world. The majority of these funds, more than 7 million, went to the African continent, where there are 1400 projects, followed by Asia, which received more than 4 million. This is followed by the Americas, Oceania and Europe.

All countries contribute in donations, including those that are recipients of aid. In 2023, for example, Togo contributed 25,122.25 euros.

Spain is positioned in 2023 as the country that has contributed the most to Infancia Misionera, with 2,325,225.17 €.

Children are also missionaries

The director of OMP Spain, José María Calderón, emphasized at the beginning of the press conference that Infancia Misionera is not an NGO, but that its mission is for the Church to be present in areas where, without its help, it would be very difficult for it to survive, although it also carries out social projects.

In addition, another of the objectives of Infancia Misionera is to "make children aware that they are also missionaries", and to make adults aware of the need to help the missions financially.

Mateo Méndez, a boy in the first year of ESO who in 2022 visited the camps organized by OMP in Navarra, Spain. There he enjoyed not only the sports and activities that were carried out, but also the prayer when they got up, in which they all gave thanks to God together and prayed for the five continents. "You don't have to go to the Congo to be a missionary," said Mateo, although he recognizes that this is also necessary. However, he commented that small gestures such as praying for the missionaries, or blessing the table on your birthday in front of your friends, also help to spread the Gospel. Mateo also pointed out that being a missionary is not just about doing good deeds, since this can also be done by non-believers. The difference is that a missionary tries to bring Jesus to others.

Finally, Elvira Pillado, a nun of the Congregation of Jesus-Mary and missionary in Tangier, where they attend the nursery "Sacred Heart", for children from 3 to 5 years old whose families cannot afford early childhood education, and the shelter "Dar-Tika" for girls from 6 to 14 years old. The missionary thanked for the aids to be able to continue with these projects and commented that it is a work to which "we must dedicate soul, life and heart".

Intervention by Mateo Méndez

Missionary childhood: "Jenet, Michelle and Íscar represent all the children of the world".

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Celibacy questioned? A gift of Christ to the Church

One of the topics that usually generates the most expectation in the media in relation to the Catholic Church is, without a doubt, celibacy.

Francisco Otamendi-January 10, 2024-Reading time: < 1 minute

The tradition of the gift of celibacy in the Catholic Church in the West is full of "positive experiences," Pope Francis noted as a cardinal. He has not changed his position after the deep wound of abuse, the shortage of vocations, or the argument that it is a disciplinary issue. Dear Amazonia or its recent Message to French seminarians support the encyclical Sacerdotalis coelibatus, of St. Paul VI (1967).

One of the topics that usually generates the most expectation in the media in relation to the Catholic Church is, without a doubt, celibacy, which St. Paul VI defined .....

The full text of this article can be read in the January 2024 issue of Omnes magazine, available to subscribers.

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The authorFrancisco Otamendi

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"Baptism is a new birthday," Pope Francis explains.

Pope warns against personal and social gluttony

At the General Audience this Wednesday, Pope Francis reflected on personal gluttony, "the madness of the belly," as the ancient Fathers called it, and social gluttony. We were made to be "Eucharistic" men and women, capable of giving thanks, and we have become "predatory consumers," with a gluttony that destroys the planet.

Francisco Otamendi-January 10, 2024-Reading time: 4 minutes

The third session of catechesis on the vices and virtues, after the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, focused this Wednesday on gluttonyThe readers in the eight languages in the eight languages in which we operate. Readership in the eight languages in the Audience The participants were seven lay people from different countries, including men and women, and a Polish nun. "Tell me how you eat, and I will tell you what soul you possess," the Pope stressed.

In his first words, Francis looked to the Gospel, as he usually does, to focus on Jesus. "His first miracle, at the wedding feast at Cana, reveals his sympathy for human joys: he takes care that the feast ends well and gives the bride and groom a large quantity of good wine. Throughout his ministry, Jesus appears as a prophet very different from the Baptist: if John is remembered for his asceticism - he ate what he found in the desert - Jesus is, instead, the Messiah we often see at the table".

"His behavior arouses scandal, because he is not only benevolent towards sinners, but even eats with them; and this gesture demonstrated his willingness to commune with people whom everyone rejected."

Healthy joy at the wedding feast of Cana

Jesus taught us to be capable of loving "the wholesome joy of the wedding feast at Cana; to seat the poor and sinners at our table as a sign of communion; not to subject ourselves superstitiously to rules of impurity, but to consider everything as a gift from God, entrusted to our care," the Pope summarized in his meditation.

However, "more and more our society shows signs of having lost the authentic sense of the relationship with the goods of the earth. Many eating disorders express the suffering of so many people in the face of this reality. We have gone from being stewards of divine goods, to being consumers, holders of an insatiable voracity that is destroying the planet".

Eating disorders are spreading

Further on, the Pope developed some concepts. "The serene relationship that Jesus established with regard to food should be rediscovered and valued, especially in societies supposedly of well-being, where so many imbalances and pathologies manifest themselves. We eat too much, or too little. Eating is often done in solitude. Eating disorders are spreading: anorexia, bulimia, obesity... And medicine and psychology are trying to tackle the bad relationship with food".

These are illnesses, often very painful, "related above all to torments of the psyche and the soul. As Jesus taught, it is not the food itself that is bad, but the relationship we have with it".

"Food is the manifestation of something interior," the Pope continued. "The predisposition to balance or to immoderation; the ability to give thanks or the arrogant claim to autonomy; the empathy of those who know how to share food with those in need, or the selfishness of those who hoard it all for themselves. Tell me how you eat, and I will tell you what soul you possess".

Social gluttony, dangerous for the planet

The Pontiff's last reflection referred to the concept of predatory consumers of the planet.

"If we read it from a social point of view, gluttony is perhaps the most dangerous vice that is killing the planet. Because the sin of one who gives in to a piece of cake, after all, does not cause great harm, but the voracity with which we have been unleashed, for some centuries now, towards the goods of the planet, is compromising the future of all".

In the Pope's opinion, "we have rushed, above all, to make ourselves masters of everything, when everything had been consigned to our custody. This then is the great sin, the fury of the belly. We have abjured the name of men, to assume another, consumers".

We didn't even realize that someone had started calling us that, he has denounced. "We were made to be Eucharistic men and women, capable of giving thanks, discreet in our use of the earth, and instead we have become predators, and now we are realizing that this form of "gluttony" has done much harm to us and to the environment in which we live."

"Let us allow the Gospel to cure us of personal and social gluttony", he concluded, before praying the Pater noster and give the Blessing to the faithful in the Paul VI Hall.

Greetings to seminarians in Paris and other groups

In his cordial greetings to the pilgrim groups, the Pope expressly mentioned, first of all, the seminarians of the Paris seminary. At the beginning of December, the Holy Father wrote a letter, signed by the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to the seminarians of France. It was echoed by the January 2024 issue of Omnes magazinewhich delves into the celibacy with the collaboration of experienced authors.

In it, the Pope invites the seminarians of France, among other things, "to root well in your souls these fundamental truths that will be the basis of your life and of your very identity. And at the heart of this identity, configured to the Lord Jesus, is celibacy. The priest is celibate - and wants to be celibate - simply because Jesus was celibate".

Pilgrims from Korea, the United States, Poland...

In greeting the English-speaking pilgrims, The Pope paid special attention to the groups from Korea and the United States of America, and also greeted the priests of the Institute of Ongoing Theological Formation of the Pontifical North American College. I invoke upon all of you and upon your families the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ," he said.

Later, addressing the Poles, he stressed that at the beginning of the new year, "it is important to remember that peace, so desired by all, is born in the heart of man. May Mary, Queen of Peace, sustain you so that your plans and decisions are born of the desire for good for yourselves, your families, your homeland and the whole world".

Ukrainian, Palestinian and Israeli peoples

At the end of the Audience, in Italian, the Holy Father's thoughts were addressed to the young, the sick, the elderly and the newlyweds: "I invite all of you to

to work always in the newness of life shown to us by the Son of God, who became incarnate to save man".

And as he always does with insistence, he once again prayed for peace, saying that he renews his prayerful closeness "to the beloved Ukrainian people so tried and to all those who suffer the horror of war in Palestine and Israel, as well as in other parts of the world".

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

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Veronica SevillaWomen are a factor of change in the Church".

ColumnistsMartha Reyes

Woman, don't cry; young man, stand up

The miracle of Nain is for those who need the God of the impossible to strike fear into the unbelievers, flood the impoverished with love, lift up the discouraged with power, and resurrect all that was thought to be needlessly dead.

January 10, 2024-Reading time: 6 minutes

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Let us visit with Jesus the village of Nain, the "amphitheater" where one of the most chilling dramas of the Gospels will be played out. Its gate was a narrow arch of simple architecture which mysteriously became a very important crossroads; the face to face meeting of two caravans with such different agendas and directions: the procession of death and the procession of life.

Jesus that day was accompanied by a large festive crowd following the succulent itinerary of wonders and miracles, novel teachings and imaginative parables of the unpredictable master of Galilee. These had already tasted flashes of blessings, witnessed miracles of healings in previous towns and villages, and as in a symphonic crescendo anticipated from a good conductor, they expected more depth and intensity as the day progressed until they were brought to a standing ovation of enthusiasm. And they were not disappointed.

Processions of the heart

The contrast could not have been more marked. In the town of Naim, another crowd was already gathered in the style of the funeral processions of all times and cultures. They were bringing to bury a young man, the only son of a widow who had been mercilessly struck by life with two consecutive and irreparable losses. We can imagine people with darkened faces wrapped in a contagious collective sadness, questioning the meaninglessness of a brief existence. Dressed in mourning, they walked with slow steps like Hebrews lost in the desert or like soldiers who lost a war. When reality is not accepted, some argue, others rebel, a few resign themselves, but many submerge in their silences and drown in their tears. The amalgam of human reactions to tragedy is very diverse.

Both processions confronted each other under the shadow of the small arch at the entrance to Nain, but which one enters? which one leaves? As when at the gates of the human heart the entrance or exit of sadness or joy, of hope or despair is disputed. Which of these feelings ends up ruling our heart? Which of the two crowds will star in the event? In which of these two processions do you and I walk?

The members of the Nain funeral procession did not have to make the decision whether to stop the procession or to proceed: Jesus made the decision for them. The Master's feet crossed the threshold of Nain's gate before the fallen ones left "Nain" carrying the shadows of their lost and departed children. Only Jesus has traversed the impenetrable frontier of the afterlife, and in this gospel he gives us a foretaste.

Woman, do not cry

In reality, there are many women, like Naim's widow, who live motherhoods full of pain because they stopped smiling when they lost their children to vices, mental problems, destructive lifestyles, or because their children simply abandoned the faith of their parents. All of these are also experiences of death and grief.

Suddenly Jesus pronounced the words that have become commands to the heart, which he continues to utter before the hearts of all mothers who groan and implore for their lost children: "Woman, weep no more". For the miracle in Nain was also for the mother as it will be for all mothers who can no longer bear the grief of carrying dying children through the darkened alleys of their stories. I will transform your mourning into a joyful dance.

The Gospel says that Jesus had compassion on the mother. With mothers becoming intercessors for their children, turning their sleeplessness and sacrifices into reverent and untiring prayers, Jesus spares no mercy in moving his children from paths of death to paths of life. These are miracles we see daily in the conversion and healing retreats where dying young people come to participate and return to life and know new joys.

Therefore, woman and mother, when you pray for your children, remember verse 15 of this beautiful Gospel: the young man who was dead arose, began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. The joy of this woman was not scheduled in human calendars! Just as the father of the prodigal son burst with joy at the return of a son whom he had thought was lost forever! No wonder there is a feast in heaven enlivened by heavenly choirs every time a child of God returns to the Father's house!

And with the authority that stopped the storm on the Sea of Galilee, commanded the passage of death to be stopped, intercepted the violence of grief, touched the dead young man and said to him, "Young man arise."

Young man stand up

No wonder someone said and we all repeat, "just one word from you would be enough to heal me". Which of these words do we need: be done, stop, follow me, look, walk, cleanse yourself, believe, arise?

Naim's miracle is for young people who lost their innocence, their freedom, their illusions, because they ended up tied to harmful ideologies and behaviors or seduced by the lie of sin. They must remember that life is that borrowed time, a contract with strict conditions, sometimes it passes slowly and other times it passes very fast and without realizing it. In the same way they must remember that death is that enigma, mystery, punishment or reward, book that closes or eternity that begins. But more than anything else, listening to the voice of God is the moment to offer the flesh and its passions as a seed that falls to the ground, to free the spirit to its true destiny, to stop chasing after ephemeral dreams and to go in search of supernatural purposes. That revelation and awareness also raised the prodigal son from his error (Luke 15:11-32) and returned him, not to a new life, but to the life of before that he had temporarily lost in the deceitfulness of sin.

The miracle is for everyone

The inhabitants of Nain did not have to continue in the funeral procession. They were invited to join the procession of life. They took off their mourning clothes and armed themselves with new illusions and strength by choosing to continue believing and trusting in life even when the present reality was disconcerting. There is hope if we believe in a God who can do everything, for whom nothing is impossible! The sobbing of those who wept was transformed into well-tuned notes, into the song of those reanimated by the prophetic hopes that would characterize the visit of the Messiah on earth:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me and sent me with good news to the humble. To heal wounded hearts, To announce to the banished and the imprisoned His return to the light. To publish a Happy Year full of Yahweh's favors. To comfort those who mourn, And give to Zion's afflicted. A wreath instead of ashes, The oil of joyful days instead of mourning clothes. Songs of happiness instead of sorrow."
Isaiah 61:1-3

Naim's miracle is for those who need the God of the impossible to strike fear into the unbelievers, flood the impoverished with love, lift up the discouraged with power, and resurrect all that was thought to be needlessly deceased.

The author of life visited the threshold of death. Of Jesus' many miracles of healing the sick and freeing captives, there are three events that present a God personally engaged in the restorative action of human beings at three stages of life: when he brings back to life the daughter of Jairus (Matthew 5:21-43), the young son of the widow of Naim (Luke 7:11-17), and Lazarus of Bethany (John 11). In bringing a girl, a young man and a grown man back to life, God's healing power is offered in the totality of human life.

God is always on time

In these three gospels of "resurrections" we see that a fallen humanity, dismantled from its original dignity as children of God, will need more than healing gestures; it will need a violent intervention of its Creator to wrench it from the clutches of death and from the silence of the suffocating tombs where sin often encloses it and wants to destroy it.

God is sometimes late, but he always arrives on time. If Jesus had arrived in Nain hours earlier, perhaps the miracle would have been to heal a sick person. If Jesus had arrived at Nain hours later, the miracle would have been to bring comfort to the mother and the people. The same Jesus who chose to arrive at that precise moment to Nain also knows the urgencies and the urgencies of your life to rescue you in time from the despair and affliction that the various experiences of death force you to suffer.

Therefore, woman and mother, weep no more for God promises you that your children will arise. Therefore, children, leave the paths of death and join the procession of life.

The authorMartha Reyes

D. in Clinical Psychology.

Martha Reyes: "Without faith, psychology is paralyzed". Related News

Veronica SevillaWomen are a factor of change in the Church".

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Surrogate motherhood "exploits women," denounce Spanish bishops

Pope Francis says no to surrogacy

In Pope Francis' address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, the issue of the defense of life took on an important nuance. The Pope was forceful in his rejection of the practice of surrogacy.

Andrea Gagliarducci-January 10, 2024-Reading time: 4 minutes

Pope denounces "war in pieces" and surrogacy to diplomatic corps Related News

It is nothing new for the Holy See to link the question of the defense of life to peace. For there can be no peace where human life is despised, and certainly human life is despised if the human being is eliminated before birth or killed before the natural end of life. However, in Pope Francis' address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, the question of the defense of life took on an even more important nuance. For Pope Francis also said a firm "no" to the practice of the surrogate motherhoodcalling for an international ban on the practice of surrogacy.

A courageous and valuable position, which comes on the eve of an important conference to be held in Rome, on April 5 and 6, on the Casablanca Declaration, which aims to seek a legal instrument precisely to prevent the practice of surrogacy. A position that Pope Francis had already taken in 2022, meeting with members of the Council of the Federation of European Catholic Family Associations (FAFCE), and which places the Holy See at the forefront of the fight against surrogacy.

Why the Pope's speech is important

The position on surrogacy speaks volumes about how the Holy See's diplomatic activity impacts various issues. Pope Francis' January 8 address to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See is a case in point.

The speech is a tradition. Every year, on the first Monday after Epiphany, the Pope meets with the ambassadors and, on the occasion of New Year's greetings, delivers a speech outlining the Holy See's diplomatic priorities for the year. The Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with 184 States around the world, and the Pope's address is one of the few moments when they are all together, bearing in mind that not all ambassadors are resident ambassadors to the Holy See.

One of the guidelines is usually the theme of the message for the World Day of Peace, set by Paul VI on January 1. This year's theme was "Artificial Intelligence and Peace," and it addressed issues that the Holy See has been dealing with for some time, starting with lethal autonomous weapons. It is a theme that was touched upon in the Pope's address.

However, Pope Francis' speech covered several topics. In 45 minutes, the Pope referred to all the conflict scenarios that are close to him: from the Holy Land to Ukraine, passing through the situation in Nagorno Karabakh (the Pope spoke of the South Caucasus, to avoid the dispute over the name of the region in dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan), also denouncing what is happening in Nicaragua and the tensions in Venezuela and Guyana, and touching on the difficult situations on the African continent.

Perhaps an allusion to the possible Chinese crisis, to the possible crisis over the Taiwan Strait, which could also have repercussions on relations between the Holy See and China, and to the recently renewed provisional agreement for the appointment of bishops, was missing. But it was a sign of diplomatic prudence, of the need to maintain a difficult balance in difficult situations.

Pathways to peace

The speech was not only a geopolitical examination, but also intended to indicate some possible paths towards peace. A peace that passes through interreligious dialogue, multilateral dialogue between States, care for creation -one of the key themes of the pontificate-, and attention to migrants. Above all, a peace that starts from the premise that we work for human beings, and that they are faces, flesh, blood, lives. The Pope points out that war is now global, that it almost always affects civilians as well, and warns of the danger of considering civilian deaths as "collateral damage". At the same time, Pope Francis reiterates the theme of the migration crisis, and even then asks to look at migrants not as numbers, but as human beings, with their crises, with their difficulties, with their difficult life choices.

Hence the call to respect international conventions that aim to humanize a war, and even Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, went so far as to propose an office to judge to what extent the parties "humanize" a war, i.e. respect humanitarian law.

The human person as the key to the Holy See's diplomacy

As can be seen, the guiding thread of the Holy See's diplomacy is always the human person and the common good. This is the true international agenda of the Holy See.

Human rights are vigorously defended, but serious doubts are raised about the validity of second- and third-generation human rights, those of individual freedoms, which do not meet with unanimous consensus, but are based above all on individualistic ideologies, in the name of which the so-called "right to abortion" is also sought to be attributed.

The no to surrogate motherhood becomes a powerful tool for the Holy See's diplomacy. It says no to the throwaway culture, underlines the limitation of considering children not as a gift but as the fruit of a contract, and above all appeals to the conscience of all people of good will. This is not a Catholic appeal, but a political act that conveys a precise message on the centrality of the human being.

This is probably the most innovative passage of the Pope's speech to the diplomatic corps. And one can already assume some initiative of the Holy See in this direction, which will also break the silence that reigns on the issue of surrogacy when it is no longer fashionable. The images of children born in Ukraine by surrogacy and caught by war in the early 2020s remain in our eyes, completed with advertisements explaining how these children were well cared for while waiting for the arrival of their "fathers". Because war also does this: highlight the diabolical nature of man in times of peace.

This will probably be the big issue of the future.

The authorAndrea Gagliarducci

Pope denounces "war in pieces" and surrogacy to diplomatic corps Related News

Surrogate motherhood "exploits women," denounce Spanish bishops

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The Brotherhood of the School of Christ. A focus of faith and tradition in Guatemala

Latin America

The Black Christ of Esquipulas, the devotion beyond Guatemala

Devotion to the Black Christ of Esquipulas has spread widely outside Guatemala, especially in Central America, Mexico and the United States.

Gonzalo Meza-January 9, 2024-Reading time: 3 minutes

Every January 15, Guatemala celebrates the feast of the Black Christ of Esquipulas, a city located 222 kilometers from the country's capital. This feast attracts to Esquipulas about four million pilgrims from different parts of Guatemala. They come to give thanks or ask favors to the Black Christ.

Around that date, processions, novenas, Masses, as well as diverse cultural expressions that express the faith and popular piety of the villagers take place in that town. The devotion spreads in several countries of Central America and the United States, because the image contributes to increase the fervor and piety, but it is also an element of identity and social cohesion outside the country. Guatemalans find in the Black Christ a factor of union and attachment to their traditions and culture.

The image of the Black Christ

The image is a sculpture of the crucified Christ made in the XVI century in polychrome wood. Its authorship is attributed to the sculptor Quirio Cataño. There are many versions and legends about the dark tonality. There are no manuscripts that refer that the original color of the wood was totally black, the certain thing is that the smoke of the candles, the candles, the incense, the dust and the hands of the pilgrims have contributed to its darkening.

According to some researchers, the black tonality of the Christs or Virgins in America is attributed to four factors: religious syncretism, the materials of the pieces (based on cane paste, corn and dark woods), the demand for representations that evoke a sense of belonging and the Afro-American community in New Spain.

Since the 18th century, the clergymen of the Sanctuary of Esquipulas sought to channel popular devotion and connect it with the dark tone of the image. For example, Canon Juan Paz Solórzano wrote in 1914: "When the hour of the Passion arrived, Christ walked to Calvary under a burning and embracing sun, amidst a cloud of dust produced by the throng of the impious mob that followed Him. Whence then, this admiration, on seeing the sacred image represented under a dark shadow?"

In this regard, during his visit to the shrine of Esquipulas on February 6, 1996, John Paul II He pointed out: "For four centuries the believing men and women of these beloved lands have prostrated themselves, full of love and trust before the Christ, which the passage of time and the expressions of devotion have blackened. This image, so venerated by the Guatemalans and the inhabitants of the neighboring countries, is like a light that reveals to us the way to God".

Devotion in America

In Central America there are 272 sanctuaries dedicated to the Lord of Esquipulas and in the American continent there are more than 420, of which more than 370 are in Central America and 80 % of them are related to the Christ of Esquipulas. In Mexico there are images with dark tonalities of the Christ of Chalma, Tila, Otatitlán and the Lord of the Poison in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico.

Devotion to the Lord of Esquipulas has spread widely outside Guatemala, especially in Central America, Mexico and the United States, in California, Florida, Texas and New York, states that concentrate the largest Guatemalan population in the United States. Guatemalans are the sixth largest population of Hispanic origin in the country. From 2000 to 2021 the number increased from 410 thousand to 1.8 million.

The researcher Leonardo D. Rosas Paz points out in his work of investigation on the diffusion of the devotion of the Christ of Esquipulas in the United States, that the city of Los Angeles has been the center of propagation of the devotion of the Black Christ to other North American localities. One of the first places where he was venerated was in the Church of Our Lady Queen of Los Angeles (Placita Olvera) in the historic center of Los Angeles. The image of the Lord of Esquipulas arrived in 1986.

Another pioneer church was the Immaculate Conception in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles. Since the year 2000 other churches in that archdiocese initiated the devotion, a factor that increased since 2010, probably due to the increase in the number of Guatemalan communities that have arrived in various migratory waves from Central America to the United States.

The party at the present time

Currently there are about 20 sites in the metropolitan area of Los Angeles and 6 in San Francisco where this devotion takes place. In these places, brotherhoods of the Christ of Esquipulas have been established and around January 15 they organize novenas, festivals, masses and various celebrations that serve to publicize the rich traditions of that country in the United States. In 2024, dozens of churches in California will carry out the celebrations in honor of the Black Christ.

Other cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Florida, Georgia, Maryland and New York will also hold festivities. Many of the Masses will be presided by bishops in the churches where it is venerated or in the Cathedral, as in the case of St. Patrick's in New York. Cardinal Alvaro Leonel Ramazzini of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, presided at the ceremony on Sunday, January 7.

America

The Brotherhood of the School of Christ. A focus of faith and tradition in Guatemala

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Baptisms in the Sistine Chapel

The brother of one of the baptized follows "attentively" the Baptism ceremony presided over by Pope Francis. The celebration took place in the Sistine Chapel on January 7, 2024, feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

Maria José Atienza-January 8, 2024-Reading time: < 1 minute

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Padre Pio" actor receives Confirmation

Rome Reports-January 8, 2024-Reading time: < 1 minute

The actor Shia LeBeouf received the sacrament of confirmation on January 2. It was in a ceremony presided over by Bishop Barron and the actor himself has announced his entry into the Catholic Church.

LeBeouf had to spend some time with the Franciscan friars for his role in the Padre Pio film. This experience attracted him to Catholicism and he is already a member of the Church.

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Pope denounces "war in pieces" and surrogacy to diplomatic corps

At the beginning of the year, Pope Francis received in audience the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See. The need to work for peace and the obstacles to dialogue were the focus of his speech.

Maria José Atienza-January 8, 2024-Reading time: 6 minutes

The Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See held its traditional audience with Pope Francis.

In addition to congratulating the new year, the Pontiff highlighted the growth of the "diplomatic family". In this regard, he welcomed the new diplomatic relations with the Sultanate of Oman, the appointment of the Pontifical Resident Representative in Hanoi and the Supplementary Agreement with Kazakhstan.

Francis also mentioned special anniversaries in 2023, such as "the centenary of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Panama, the seventieth anniversary of relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, the sixtieth anniversary of relations with the Republic of Korea and the fiftieth anniversary of relations with Australia".

The "pieces" of World War III

The Pope began his speech by focusing on the theme that ran through his words: peace. Peace is "first of all a gift of God" and "at the same time it is our responsibility". This task also includes the role of the Holy See, which must "within the international community, be a prophetic voice and a call to conscience". Francis alluded, once again, to the third world war in pieces that, in the pontiff's opinion, is ravaging our world.

Among these pieces that occupy the Pope's head and heart, Francis recalled what is happening in Israel and Palestine and wanted to condemn the terrorist attack of October 7 and "every form of terrorism and extremism". The Pope reiterated his "appeal to all parties involved to agree to a cease-fire on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and for the immediate release of all hostages in Gaza. I ask that the Palestinian population receive humanitarian aid and that hospitals, schools and places of worship be provided with all the necessary protection."

He also called on the "international community to promote with determination the solution of two states, one Israeli and one Palestinian, as well as a special internationally guaranteed status for the City of Jerusalem, so that Israelis and Palestinians can finally live in peace and security".

This conflict adds to the instability of an area fraught with tensions, as underlined by the Pope, who did not forget in his speech "the Syrian people, who live in economic and political instability, aggravated by the earthquake of last February", as well as "the social and economic situation in which the dear Lebanese people are plunged".

In front of the international representatives, the Pope recalled the conflict that year after year plagues the Rohingya community in Myanmar.

Also the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which is approaching its third year, has had a place in the Pope's words to which he stressed that "we cannot allow a conflict that is becoming more and more gangrenous, to the detriment of millions of people, to prolong itself".

The tense situation in the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan was also part of the Holy Father's speech.

Francis recalled "the dramatic humanitarian situation of the inhabitants of that region", and made an "appeal to encourage the return of the displaced to their homes in a legal and safe manner, as well as to respect the places of worship of the various religious denominations present in the area".

The conflicts that are developing on the African continent are one of the Pope's constant appeals, materialized, in fact, in his trips to this continent. Thus, the Pope wished to recall "the suffering of millions of people due to the multiple humanitarian crises affecting various sub-Saharan countries, due to international terrorism, complex socio-political problems, and the devastating effects of climate change, to which must be added the consequences of military coups d'état in some countries and of certain electoral processes characterized by corruption, intimidation and violence".

Among these conflicts, Francis referred to the violence in Ethiopia as well as the situations of displaced persons in Cameroon, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

Finally, the Pope turned his gaze to his continent of origin, South America, highlighting the strong tensions between some countries, for example between Venezuela and Guyana and his concern for "the situation in Nicaragua; it is a crisis that has been dragging on for some time with painful consequences for the whole of Nicaraguan society, in particular for the Catholic Church".

Immorality of nuclear weapons

The Pope wanted to emphasize that "modern wars no longer take place only on defined battlefields and that there no longer seems to be a distinction between military and civilian targets". In this regard, he stressed that "serious violations of international humanitarian law are war crimes, and that it is not enough to highlight them, but it is necessary to prevent them".

Francis made a particular denunciation of the enormous amount of money that states spend on armaments, and in particular he wanted to reiterate "once again the immorality of manufacturing and possessing nuclear weapons".

In addition to this, he made a strong call to "root out the causes of wars, the first of which is hunger and also natural and environmental catastrophes".

As he has been doing in recent years, the drama of migration also had a place in the Pope's address to the diplomatic corps. Recalling his recent trip to Marseilles, the Pope pointed out how these people are forgotten by many and stressed the need that "migration must be regulated in order to welcome, promote, accompany and integrate migrants, while respecting the culture, sensitivity and security of the people who are responsible for their reception and integration.

On the other hand, it is also necessary to remember the right to be able to remain in one's own country and the consequent need to create the conditions for this right to be truly put into practice".

Call for a ban on surrogacy

Perhaps one of the most novel topics on the Pope's agenda before the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See was the Holy Father's call for the prohibition of the practice of "so-called surrogate motherhood, which gravely offends the dignity of women and children; and is based on the exploitation of the mother's situation of material need".

In this regard, the Pope made an "appeal to the international community to commit itself to the universal prohibition of this practice. At every moment of its existence, human life must be preserved and protected, even though I note with regret, especially in the West, the persistent spread of a culture of death which, in the name of a false compassion, discards children, the elderly and the sick".

All this is part of what the Pope has described as "ideological colonizations that provoke wounds and divisions between States, instead of favoring the construction of peace".

Dialogue for peace

The last part of the Pope's speech focused on the efforts needed to achieve this peace. Efforts that pass, in the first place, through the strengthening of the structures of multilateral diplomacy that emerged after the Second World War, now weakened through the recovery of "the roots, the spirit and the values that gave rise to these bodies, while taking into account the new context and paying due attention to those who do not feel adequately represented by the structures of international organizations".

"The road to peace passes through political and social dialogue, for this is the basis of civil coexistence in a modern political community," the Holy Father emphasized, adding to this area of dialogue that of "interreligious dialogue, which requires above all the protection of religious freedom and respect for minorities. It pains us, for example, to note that more and more countries are adopting models of centralized control of religious freedom, with the massive use of technology. Elsewhere, minority religious communities often find themselves in an increasingly dramatic situation. In some cases they are in danger of extinction, due to a combination of terrorist actions, attacks on cultural heritage and more underhand measures such as the proliferation of anti-conversion laws, manipulation of electoral rules and financial restrictions."

Artificial intelligence and technological progress also emerge as necessary agents in this dialogue for peace as long as it preserves "the centrality of the human person, whose contribution cannot and will never be replaced by an algorithm or a machine".

Road to the Jubilee 2025

The Pope closed his speech by referring to the upcoming Jubilee Year 2025. "Perhaps today more than ever we need the Jubilee year," said the pontiff, "the Jubilee is the announcement that God never abandons his people".

Referring to Isaiah, Francis expressed his wish that the future Jubilee year would be for all "the time when swords are broken and ploughshares are made of them; the time when one nation no longer lifts up sword against another, nor learns the art of war".

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Vocations

Sister Maristela. A dedication to the poorest for the love of Jesus the Eucharist.

An unsuccessful soccer match completely changed the life of this young Brazilian woman. Today, this religious, Daughter of Poverty of the Blessed Sacrament Toca of Assisi, dedicates her life to Eucharistic adoration and to caring for the poorest of the poor in the streets of the capital of Ecuador.

Juan Carlos Vasconez-January 8, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

To understand the history and present life of Sister Maristela, we have to go back almost two decades. Exactly to the year 2004; and to locate ourselves in a concrete place: Uberabaa small town in Minas Gerais, Brazil. On a normal day of that year, in those streets was where the protagonist of this page lived an encounter that completely transformed her existence.

She herself recalls that "what was initially going to be an afternoon to watch her boyfriend play soccer turned into a transcendental moment in which she discovered the Love of loves: Eucharistic Jesus present on the altar.".

The encounter could not have been more fortuitous and almost paradoxical. It all began when they arrived at the field and found that the game had been cancelled. "because a meeting of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal was to be held at the same place".. Out of curiosity, more than anything else, they stayed to see what it was all about and "that was the first time, of many others." Maristela highlights.

Molded by Jesus

One thing led to another. Placing herself in front of the Eucharist was molding this young Brazilian woman who "he felt that the Lord was asking more and more of him."

So, within a relatively short time, she left her boyfriend, and "he went from a life quite distant from God to a total surrender".

Today, at 36 years of age, she has almost 20 years of consecration within the Institute of the Daughters of Poverty of the Blessed Sacrament Toca of Assisi. Maristela has become Sister Maristela and she dedicates her life "to a Eucharistic charism inspired by St. Francis of Assisi".

Their vocation is manifested in alleviating the suffering of the helpless, being aware of the fact that "only strengthened and loved by Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament can they recognize the divine presence in the poor.".

Sister Maristela currently lives in Quito, where she is on mission. Her daily workday takes place between "We spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and work for the neediest of the little brothers and sisters. Breakfast and lunch are prepared for them".

In search of the most needy

Once a week, Sister Maristela goes out at night, together with the other nuns, to look for the most needy and assist them in the places where they spend the night. Over the years they have found almost all the places in the Historic Center of Quito, where those known as "homeless" sleep in the open.

In addition, once a month they have a "A special day, where they are welcomed into their home. There, they change their clothes, offer them a hot shower and they can have a better-presented meal. They take the opportunity to cut their nails and hair. Several volunteers talk with them or play board games. It's very nice, they give them back their dignity.

Sister Maristela maintains that "now, for me, the essence of my existence lies in the meaning of donating myself". Seeks, in every day of his life, to express what it means to give himself completely "to the Christ who is closest to all of us".. For her, total surrender is "an act of love and service to others, reflecting the mercy he receives daily as he encounters Jesus in the Eucharist." Sister Maristela weaves her legacy with threads of generosity, compassion and love, inspiring those who know her to follow the path of selfless dedication for the good of others and, above all, for the love of the Eucharistic Jesus.

People who count

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Getting down to work. Baptism of the Lord (B)

"Baptism is a new birthday," Pope Francis explains.

On January 7, 2024, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In his Angelus and Mass messages, Pope Francis emphasized that Christ "wants to be close to sinners."

Paloma López Campos-January 7, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

On Sunday, January 7, the Catholic Church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord. As is customary on this feast, Pope Francis baptized the children of some Vatican workers in the morning.

The Holy Father said during the homily that little ones who are baptized receive "the most beautiful gift, the gift of faith, the gift of the Lord." However, he stressed that children also give a gift to those who accompany them during the ceremony. The newly baptized, Francis explained, bear witness to how the faith should be received: "with innocence, with openness of heart."

Children of God by baptism

A few hours later, the pope prayed the Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter's Square. There he began his message on this Sunday's feast by saying that Christ's Baptism "shows us that he wants to be close to sinners."

The Holy Father pointed out what a great feast the day of our baptism is for all of us. At that moment, "God enters into us, purifies, heals our hearts, makes us his children forever". Even more. Francis said that, through this sacrament, "God becomes intimate with us and no longer leaves."

The Pope encouraged Catholics to keep in mind the date of their baptism, to thank parents for bringing the faith closer to their children and godparents for taking care of it. He also invited everyone to "celebrate one's own baptism," for it is essentially "a new birthday."

Finally, the Pontiff posed two questions for everyone to ponder:

- "Am I aware of the immense gift I carry in me through baptism?"

-Do I recognize in my life the light of God's presence, who sees me as his beloved son, as his beloved daughter?"

Christmas for the communities of the East

After the Angelus, Pope Francis asked for prayers for the newly baptized children in the Vatican and the world. He also remembered the people kidnapped in Colombia and those affected by floods in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Holy Father greeted the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square, "especially the young people from the parish of Santissimo Crocifisso in Rome, the Milano 35 scout group and the 'Totus Tuus' association of Potenza".

In addition, the Pope wished the ecclesial communities of the East "light, charity and peace" as they celebrate Holy Christmas today, since they follow the Julian calendar.

Pope Francis greets people gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus on January 7, 2024 (CNS photo/Vatican Media).

Getting down to work. Baptism of the Lord (B)

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Nuns who will reside at "Mater Ecclesiae" arrive at the Vatican

The "Mater Ecclesiae" monastery is once again the residence of a contemplative order. It is a separate branch of the Benedictine Order of the Abbey of St. Scholastica in Victoria, Argentina.

Giovanni Tridente-January 7, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

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With the beginning of the new year, the "Mater Ecclesiae" monastery in the Vatican Gardens is once again the residence of a contemplative order, a separate branch of the nuns of the Benedictine Order of the Abbey of St. Scholastica of Victoria, in the province of Buenos Aires (Diocese of San Isidro), in Argentina.

It has been the Pope Francis who welcomed the small community of six nuns to the Vatican, which was installed on January 3. The nuns were received by the President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, the body to which the Pontiff has entrusted the management of all matters concerning the monastery.

Until December 31, 2022, as will be recalled, the "Mater Ecclesiae" housed Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who had chosen it as his residence immediately after his resignation, to continue to stay in the "precincts of Peter" and pray for his successor.

However, on October 1, 2010, through a letter the Pope wanted to reestablish the previous custom of dedicating the monastery to the contemplative life, which dated back to 1994 at the behest of St. John Paul II. The original purpose, in fact, was to host contemplative orders to support the Holy Father in his daily solicitude for the whole Church "through the ministry of prayer, adoration, his own and reparation, thus being a prayerful presence in silence and solitude," a note explained.

Residence at "Mater Ecclesiae".

According to the Statute of the Monastery, every five years different monastic orders alternate. From 1994 to 1999 it was occupied by the Poor Clares; then, until 2004, by the Discalced Carmelites; from 2004 to 2009 by the Benedictines, and until 2012 - before the entry of Benedict XVI - by the Visitation nuns.

The "Mater Ecclesiae" monastery is located only a few hundred meters from St. Martha's house and is divided into two parts: a two-story chapel to the west and the monastic quarters with 12 cells on four levels. There is also an orchard next to the monastery.

For its part, the Abbey of St. Scholastica, where the six new residents of the last house of Benedict XVI come from, is a monastery founded in 1941 and belongs to the Congregation of the Southern Cone. Located in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, the Benedictine community of worship "wants to be for all the inhabitants of the city like a beacon that with its prayerful and contemplative life, with its praise and its work, illuminates the path of men and accompanies their sometimes feverish and agitated steps, their great questions and sufferings, their labors and fatigues, their longings and hopes", as its web page says.

From now on, at least for the next five years, these nuns will accompany the labors and all the yearnings of hope of the Successor of the Apostles, a few meters from the seat where he exercises his Magisterium.

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TribuneGigi Rancilio

Artificial intelligence, in the face of fear or indifference

The irruption of artificial intelligence in practically all aspects of life leads each of us to ask ourselves what position to adopt in the face of the epochal change resulting from the extensive application of this tool.

January 7, 2024-Reading time: 6 minutes

"Artificial Intelligence and Peace". The theme chosen by Pope Francis for the World Day of Peace The date of January 1, 2024 contains three words that have become more topical than ever in the past year. Since the world learned ChatGPT in November 2022, the term artificial intelligence has not only become familiar to all, but has entered (sometimes returned) to be part of ethical reflections, conferences, articles and analyses.

After years of digital being considered "just for experts," we have all come to realize how profoundly it affects everyone's lives. However, peace cannot be talked about enough. Because in the world, as Pope Francis has repeatedly reminded us, the third world war has long been raging in pieces. And in particular two of its pieces, Ukraine and the Middle East, we in Europe feel very close to it.

Obviously - and not by chance - Pope Francis wanted to bring artificial intelligence and peace together to point out a very real danger: "new technologies are endowed with disruptive potential and ambivalent effects". We have all become aware of this by now, especially in the last year: "We are all aware of this, especially in the last year.The remarkable progress made in the field of artificial intelligence is having an increasingly profound impact on human activity, personal and social life, politics and the economy."

Not everyone understands this, but what is happening in the digital world is a double challenge: on the one hand, economic and power (whoever manages the large Artificial Intelligence systems will in fact manage important parts of the world), and on the other hand, cultural, social and anthropological. Whoever creates an Artificial Intelligence system knows very well that one of the things he must try to avoid is to train the machines with his own preconceived ideas, not only cultural ones.

Already today there are systems that distort reality and cause "the logic of violence and discrimination to take root (...) at the expense of the most fragile and excluded". If we think about it, the world needs the use of artificial intelligences to be done in a responsible way, "so that they may be at the service of humanity and the protection of our common home (...). The protection of the dignity of the person and the care of a fraternity truly open to the whole human family are indispensable conditions for technological development to contribute to the promotion of justice and peace in the world".

It is impossible not to agree with the words of Pope Francis, but it is equally impossible, after reading them, not to ask: what can I do in my own small way to make them fruitful? Not all of us are experts in these matters. And not all of us can make ourselves heard by those who have to make decisions about them. Moreover, it is not uncommon for many to feel so far removed from these things that they delegate "to the experts" every reasoning, every decision, every word on such complex issues.

From this point of view, we Europeans are luckier than other peoples. After more than 36 hours of negotiations, on December 9, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the Parliament reached an agreement on the text of the so-called "European Union Convention". AI Actthe European law on artificial intelligence. It is the world's first regulatory framework on Artificial Intelligence systems.

The first objective is to ensure that artificial intelligence systems marketed in Europe and used in the EU are safe and respect EU fundamental rights and values. To this end, a system has been devised that divides AI systems according to their risk. The maximum refers to AI systems operating in public utility and neuralgic sectors such as water, gas, electricity, healthcare, access to education, law enforcement, border control, administration of justice and democratic processes, as well as procurement.

Biometric systems for identification, categorization and emotion recognition are also considered high risk. What Europe has done is an important step and one that will guide (at least in part) the regulation being discussed by other major powers such as the U.S. All good, then? Yes and no. Because it is true that this is one of the right paths to follow in the approach to Artificial Intelligence, but it is no less true that other realities of the world, Eastern, Russian and African, above all, seem determined to get out of these rules.

Because, as we have written, it is an economic challenge (which already moves billions of dollars) but also - and above all - one of power. Because beyond the success of chatbots as ChatGPT, there are already three thousand systems in our lives that use artificial intelligence and are governing and, in some cases, directing it. In the words of sociologist Derrick de Kerckhove, one of the world's leading experts on digital culture and new media, "AI is powerful and effective in so many fields, from medicine to finance, from law to war. It overcomes the human with the algorithm and creates a radical separation between the power of human speech and the power of speech made of sequences of calculations."

In short, the use of Artificial Intelligence is changing us. It changes the way we move (we are getting lazier and looking for easy shortcuts) and to some extent even our reasoning. It pushes us towards a binary system, of 0s and 1s, of blacks and whites and opposites, gradually eliminating all the shades in between.

Not to mention how Artificial Intelligence can push us in a certain direction by exploiting our cognitive biases. And here the Pope's words come back with a vengeance: "new technologies are endowed with a disruptive potential and ambivalent effects". With Artificial Intelligence, announced Bill Gates, "we will be able to defeat hunger in the world"In many hospitals, including Italian hospitals, it is already being used to better understand certain diseases in order to treat and prevent them more effectively.

Positive examples are numerous and affect almost every field. Even in the Catholic sphere, there are those who have tried to educate ChatGPt so that they can create valuable homilies. The result, in the latter case, has been little more than sufficient but good enough to scandalize some priests and make some of the faithful reflect on how many Sunday homilies are, unfortunately, no better than those of ChatGPT.

It is true that we are talking about machines, but those who train, think and create them, and those who interact with them, through commands (the so-called prompts), are people.

In the end, there are two small truths that we must always keep in mind when we read and talk about artificial intelligence. The first is that things change so fast in this field that each time what we write runs the risk, at least in part, of being overtaken by the facts. The second is that each of us, even those who admit to knowing very little, approaches the subject with our own idea in mind.

A preconceived idea that is also the result of the books we have read, the movies and TV series we have seen: from Asimov's novels to the reflections of Luciano Floridi, from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Terminator to the latest episodes of Black Mirror. And each time, our greatest fear is always the same: becoming slaves to machines and/or becoming like machines, giving up our humanity in either case.

After all, if the world did not discover the existence of artificial intelligence until November 2022, we owe it to the fact that the advent of ChatGPT has shown us the existence of a machine that does (although it would be better to say: tricks us into doing) things that until recently were the prerogative of men alone. Namely, writing, drawing, creating art and dialoguing. That's why, every time ChatGPT or another AI makes a mistake, we get a smile on our face and take a deep breath. It's a sign that, for a while yet, we'll be safe.

On the other side, there are already those who are creating weaponry commanded by artificial intelligence. Authentic war machines that only know how to kill and have no guilt. Even more: precisely because they seem to act autonomously, they erase the feeling of guilt in those who created them and in those who put them on the battlefield. As if to say: it was not me who killed, it was the machine. Therefore, the fault is theirs alone.

No one knows exactly what the future holds, but not a day goes by without ominous-sounding announcements. One of the latest concerns the Agi, or artificial general intelligence. It is the next evolution of artificial intelligence. According to Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank and a leading technology expert, "will arrive in ten years and will be at least ten times more intelligent than the sum total of all human intelligence." The confirmation also seems to come from Open AI, creator of ChatGPT.

The company has announced that it is forming a team dedicated to managing the risks associated with the possible development of an artificial intelligence capable of crossing the threshold of what is acceptable and becoming "superintelligent". If you think these frontiers are science fiction, you should know that a group of scientists at John Hopkins University have asked themselves: what if instead of trying to make artificial intelligence look like human intelligence, we were to do the opposite, i.e. transform parts of the human brain as the basis for the computers of the future?

This technique is called organoid intelligence (IoT) and uses three-dimensional cultures of neural cells obtained in the laboratory from stem cells. Because while it is true that artificial intelligences process data and numbers much faster than humans, our brains are still far superior when it comes to making complex, logic-based decisions.

And here we return to the question posed many lines ago: what can each of us do in the face of all this? First of all, we should be aware that the citizen of the 2000s and the Christian of the 2000s should be interested in these changes. Without alarmism, but with the awareness that we are facing epochal changes.

The authorGigi Rancilio

Journalist for "Avvenire"

Artificial intelligence

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Estefania LanderasThe Lord wants children to know Him".

Learning from children: world children's day

During the Angelus for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Pope announced that the first World Children's Day will be held in Rome from May 25-26, 2024.

Jennifer Elizabeth Terranova-January 7, 2024-Reading time: 3 minutes

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In December 2023, at the Angelus on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Pope Francis announced that the first World Children's Day will be held in Rome from May 25-26, 2024.

The Dicastery for Culture and Education sponsored the initiative and organizers anticipate that "thousands of boys and girls" from around the world and faithful little disciples of Jesus will gather in Rome on its first official day.

It is certainly inspiring and good news to hear about the upcoming World Children's Day, especially at a time when we live in a world where we dispose of children as if they were inhuman. For example, today, we have normalized, accepted and, in some circles, encouraged very late-term abortions. Moreover, we intentionally remain childless, not seeing the vocation of motherhood as a precious gift.

Also, in many American cities, children are killing each other and the streets are a bloodbath. There seems to be nowhere to run or hide, and it can seem like a war against children, as it once was when King Herod executed children. The first reading for the feast of the Holy Innocents says, "Out of Egypt I called my son." Our Lord so threatened King Herod that he slaughtered countless children. If he had seen the joy and lessons that children bring to everyone, our Holy Family would not have had to flee. And all we have to do is spend just a few moments with a child, and we will encounter God's greatest treasures.

Learning from children

Not long ago, on November 6, the Holy Father received in audience in the Paul VI Hall children from 84 countries. The event "Children Meet the Pope" was organized by the Dicastery for Culture and Education with the theme: "Let us learn from children".

The children warmly welcomed Pope Francis and, upon his entrance, he was greeted by "children representing five continents, from Syria, Ukraine, Benin, Guatemala and Australia". The Holy Father answered questions prepared by fourteen children of various nationalities. Some of the questions asked were: What do you dream about at night? Can you explain to us how peace is made? In your opinion, why do children get killed during wars and nobody defends them? What is the most important thing you have experienced in your life? The Pope kindly answered all of them.

In his speech, he thanked everyone for attending, both the children and those accompanying them; he also extended his gratitude to the Dicastery for Culture and Education for their efforts, as well as to the organizers and associations for "giving us this great joy of being here." He also stated that the "theme of our meeting is "Let us learn from children," and said he understood if anyone found it "a strange title." Aren't children the ones who need to learn? But His Holiness took the occasion to revel in the gifts of God's children.

The joy of childhood

The Pope shared his feelings of joy when he had the opportunity to meet the children because he learned from them and because he said, "You remind me how beautiful life is in its simplicity, and how beautiful it is to be together!" And he continued, "I see it in your lively eyes and in your smiles; I hear it in your squeaky voices, in the songs you have sung and in the bursts of joy that vibrate throughout this room. These are the cheers with which we want to fill the world, not the cheers of bombs, but the cheers of your joy and your joyful laughter...".

The message comes at a time of war in Holy Land and Ukraine, and in other places where children are so often displaced and witness abject violence. The Pope also reminded the children and those in attendance that "Jesus has given us, the immense family of the Church, open to all the children of the world. For this is how it should be: wherever they go, all the children of this world should always feel at home, always welcomed with such love....".

If we open our eyes and ears, we will hear God's messages through the lips and actions of his little angels on earth. A Spanish-speaking girl went viral for her tribute to Jesus on social networks. In it, she holds a comic book in her hands and throws it and denounces the traditional "superheroes" and their costumes and "bombs" and says: "There is good news, the ultimate comic book, the best superhero in the world is this baby sent from heaven to save us all... I say Jesusito... Jesusito because he is humble". Maybe he should be on the World Children's Day committee.

The idea of a day dedicated to children was suggested to the Pope in July by a boy named Alessandro. What a clever boy!

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"To adore Jesus is not to waste time," Pope says on Epiphany.

On the Epiphany of the Lord, the Magi teach us to "keep our eyes fixed on heaven", on the path of life, of faith, in the Church, so as "not to divide ourselves according to our ideas" and "to abandon ideologies" and open ourselves to hope, said Pope Francis, quoting Benedict XVI. At the Angelus, he stressed that "to adore Jesus in the Eucharist is not a waste of time".

Francisco Otamendi-January 6, 2024-Reading time: 5 minutes

The Epiphany of the Lord had its epicenter this morning in St. Peter's Basilica, with a Mass presided over by the Holy Father and concelebrated by the Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, together with other cardinals.

The celebration was attended by numerous cardinals, bishops and high ecclesiastics, priests and lay faithful. Also present were the six Benedictine nuns from Argentina who now form the monastic community of the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, where the Pope Emeritus resided. Benedict XVI during these years, until his death.

Image of the towns

"The Magi set out on a journey in search of the King who has been born. They are the image of peoples on a journey in search of God, of strangers who are now led to the mountain of the Lord, of those far away who can now hear the proclamation of salvation, of all those who are lost and feel the call of a friendly voice," the Pope began by pointing out in the homilyFor now, in the flesh of the Babe of Bethlehem, the glory of the Lord has been revealed to all nations, and "every man shall see the salvation of God.

"Let us observe these wise men who come from the East and let us dwell on three aspects: they have their eyes fixed on heaven, their feet on earth, their hearts prostrate in adoration," the Pope pointed out.

Eyes fixed on the sky

"The Magi have their eyes fixed on heaven. They raise their heads to await a light that illuminates the meaning of their lives, a salvation that comes from above. And so they see a star arise, the most luminous of all, which attracts them and sets them on their way. This is the key that reveals the true meaning of our existence: if we live enclosed within the narrow perimeter of earthly things (...), our life is extinguished," Francis meditated.

"Brothers and sisters, eyes fixed on the sky!" he encouraged. "We need to have our gaze raised upwards, also to learn to see reality from above."

In particular, the Pontiff pointed out three areas in which we need the Lord. In the first place, "we need him on the path of life, to be accompanied by the friendship of the Lord, by his love that sustains us, by the light of his Word that guides us like a star in the night.

"We need it in the journey of faith, so that it is not reduced to a set of religious practices or an external habit, but becomes a fire that burns us from within and makes us passionate seekers of the face of the Lord and witnesses to his Gospel.

"We need it in the Church."

And thirdly, "we need him in the Church, where, instead of dividing ourselves according to our ideas, we are called to put God at the center. we need him to abandon ideologies in the Church." "Ecclesiastical ideologies no, ecclesial vocation, yes," he added outside the written text.

"He, and not our ideas or our plans. Let us start again from God, let us seek in Him the courage not to stop in the face of difficulties, the strength to overcome obstacles, the joy to live in communion and harmony", he continued.

God opens us to a great hope

The Magicians teach us that "the encounter with God opens us to a greater hope, which makes us change our way of life and transforms the world," the Holy Father went on to say.

Francis quoted Benedict XVI on this point: "If true hope is lacking, happiness is sought in drunkenness, in the superfluous, in excesses, and people ruin themselves and the world. [For this reason, we need men who nourish great hope and therefore possess great courage. The courage of the Magi, who set out on a long journey following a star, and who knew how to kneel before a Child and offer him their precious gifts (Benedict XVI, Homily, 6 January 2008)".

Adoration: a taste for prayer

Finally, the Magi have their hearts prostrated in adoration, the Pope affirmed. "A king who came to serve us, a God who became man, who has compassion on us, suffers with us and dies for us. Before this mystery, we are called to bow our hearts and bend our knees in adoration: to adore the God who comes in littleness, who dwells in the normality of our homes, who dies for love," he stressed.

"Let us rediscover the joy of the prayer of adoration," he urged the faithful. "Let us recognize Jesus as our God and Lord and offer him the gifts we have, but above all the gift that we are, ourselves." "There is a lack of prayer among us," he commented, also outside the planned text. "May the Lord give us the grace to know how to adore," concluded the Pope.

At the Angelus

Afterwards, at noon, the Pope prayed the Marian prayer of the Angelus from the window of the Apostolic Palace, and has extended to the faithful his considerations on the feast of the Epiphany.

For example, he recalled that "today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, that is, his manifestation to all peoples, represented by the Magi," who "after allowing themselves to be challenged by the appearance of a star, set out and arrived in Bethlehem. There they meet Jesus, "with Mary, his mother", prostrate themselves and offer him "gold, frankincense and myrrh".

"To adore Jesus in the Eucharist is to give meaning to time."

"In the Child Jesus, we see God made man. Therefore, let us contemplate him, let us marvel at his humility. To contemplate Jesus, to stand before him, to adore him in the Eucharist: it is not to waste time, but to give meaning to time; it is to find the direction of life in the simplicity of a silence that nourishes the heart. Let us also place ourselves before the Child, let us pause before the manger".

And we also find time to look at the children, the little ones who also speak to us of Jesus, with their trust, their immediacy, their amazement, their healthy curiosity, their capacity to cry and laugh spontaneously, to dream. God is like this: childlike, trusting, simple, a lover of life (cf. Wis 11:26), a dreamer: he became flesh and loves to share with us the mystery of life, made of tears and smiles.

Playing with children, like grandparents do

"Let us stop, then, to talk, play and laugh with our children; with patience, as grandparents know how to do! Let us listen to what they tell us and what God tells us through them. If we place ourselves before the Child Jesus and in the company of children, we will learn to be amazed and we will leave simpler and better, like the Magi. And we will know

to take a new and creative look at the world's problems".

"May Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, increase our love for the Child Jesus and all children, especially those tested by wars and injustice," he prayed.

Prayer for peace, Missionary Childhood

After praying the Angelus, Francis mentioned that it was the 60th anniversary of the meeting in Jerusalem between St. Paul VI and the Orthodox Patriarch Athenagoras, with the aim of praying together, of walking together, of having a gesture of unity.

Let us pray for peace in the Middle East, in Palestine, in Israel, in Ukraine and throughout the world, encouraged the Pope, who expressed his closeness to the victims and families of the explosions in the Middle East. Iran.

The Holy Father recalled the Missionary Childhood DayHe mentioned the children around the world who are involved in spreading the Gospel.

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

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The Three Wise Men are all of us

The Magi teach us that "it's worth it."

The example of the three wise men can serve as a guide to understand that any effort made to get closer to those who think or live differently is worthwhile.

Hector Razo-January 6, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

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The solemnity of the Epiphany that we Catholics celebrate year after year immerses us in the Gospel scene where three wise men from the East arrive at the grotto of Belen to worship the King of the Jews.

We know well that these three magi set out on their journey following the appearance of a Star. Not an ordinary star, but one that, with its special radiance, announced to the entire universe the birth of the Messiah, the Emmanuel, the Savior.

Travel back then was very different from what we do now. Not only because of the slowness with which they were made -which I imagine was a reason that used to be always taken into consideration-, but also because any long journey entailed a series of discomforts -to travel for miles on a camel, a horse and an elephant must not be easy- and a considerable amount of dangers to face -and even more if one was carrying such coveted gifts as gold, frankincense and myrrh-. Nevertheless, if Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar decided to set out, it was because they knew that this Child was worth meeting.

The example of these three kings can serve as a guide for us, poor inhabitants of an increasingly polarized society, to understand that any effort made to get closer to those who think or live differently from the way we think and live is worthwhile.

Richness in the encounter

Some years ago a Mexican philosopher wrote that the legacy of the Marxist struggle had been the establishment of a conception of the world according to which all those who thought differently from the way one did were not simply people with different points of view but enemies to be defeated. Nothing could be more wrong, because today we know -and perhaps it was also known before, but it was better to ignore it- that when man -due to that capacity of infinite expansion proper to human nature- comes into contact with someone who looks at the world with other eyes, both are enriched; without this, obviously, implying unanimity of opinions. We cannot lose sight of the fact that the same reality, depending on the angle from which it is observed, is concave or convex.

The example of the Magi

Let us ask the King of the Jews that, as this year begins -which, being an electoral year in Mexico, will not be free of polarization-, our vital attitude may not be one of struggle and dispute, but of understanding and dialogue.

Finally, let us not lose sight of the fact that, although it helps, the world does not change when structures change. The world changes when each of us decides to change personally.

The authorHector Razo

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Culture

Pilgrimage to Germany: the Aachen Cathedral

One of the great undertakings undertaken by Charlemagne was the construction of the palatine chapel ("Pfalzkapelle"), the forerunner of today's Aachen Cathedral.

José M. García Pelegrín-January 6, 2024-Reading time: 5 minutes

"Urbs Aquensisurbs regalis, regni sedes principalis, prima regum curia".. "City of Aachen, royal city, chief seat of the kingdom, first court of kings." Thus begins the hymn composed in 1165 for the canonization of Charlemagne, which is still sung today at both secular and liturgical celebrations.

Aachen, royal seat

The "Hymn of Aachen" highlights the significant importance of this city, especially during the time of Charlemagne in the late eighth and early ninth centuries.

At that time, the Frankish (pre-German) kingdom had no fixed capital, being an itinerant monarchy to maintain proximity to the vassals. The king and his entourage moved from one "Pfalz" (royal palace) to the next; the time spent in one or the other varied greatly.

Aachen stood out as a place of residence, not only because of its geopolitical location, but also because of the personal preference of Charlemagne, who, affected by gout, found relief in the thermal waters with medicinal properties since Roman times.

The name "Aquae Granni" or "Aquisgrani", from which both the Spanish and Italian names of the city derive, refers to the thermal waters associated with the Celtic god "Grannus". The German name "Aachen" or the Dutch "Aken" also allude to the thermal waters.

The Carolingian Renaissance

The construction of the "Pfalz" in Aachen began with Pipin the Short, Frankish king from 751 and father of Charlemagne (747/748-814). However, it was the latter who gave it the decisive impetus by making it his winter residence as early as the first of his reign in 768.

From 777, the royal "curia" hosted leading scholars from all over Europe (Alcuin, Paulinus II of Aquileia, Paulus Diaconus, Theodulf of Orleans). It became a center of Latin scholarship (theology, historiography, poetry), to which the new writing, the so-called "Carolingian minuscule" script, particularly contributed, and the inspiration spread from there to the whole Frankish Empire. Thus began the so-called "Carolingian renaissance", after decades of cultural decline.

Palatine Chapel of Aachen

One of the great undertakings undertaken by Charlemagne was the construction of the palatine chapel ("Pfalzkapelle"), the forerunner of today's Aachen Cathedral.

The octagonal building, erected between 795 and 803, was modeled on Byzantine churches, especially San Vitale in Ravenna.

Built on the remains of a Roman thermal complex, it used building materials from various parts of the Frankish Empire, including "spolia" such as ancient columns and other Roman building materials.

The interior octagon is surrounded by a hexadecagonal construction (16-sided polygon), crowned by an imposing dome.

At 31.40 meters high, the chapel was not only unparalleled north of the Alps; it would take more than 200 years for a similar building to be constructed.

The 1:1 ratio between height and width of the central construction alludes to the harmony of the heavenly Jerusalem: "the length, height and breadth of it are equal" (Rev 21:16).

The palatine chapel will be the place of coronation of the German kings between 936 and 1531. More than the presentation of the crown and other imperial insignia, the constitutive act is the enthronement of Charlemagne on the throne.

Especially in the first centuries, until the "Investiture Quarrel" (1075-1122) achieved the division between "throne" and "altar" - one of the most significant milestones of Western culture, considered by some as its founding event - the coronation/ enthronement has a sacred character.

According to one of the oldest coronation ordinances, used for the Ottonians in the 10th century, the king was acclaimed with the words "Thou art Melchizedech", the paradigm of the personal union between king and priest.

At the coronation Mass, the king read the Gospel and wore the episcopal miter. For this reason, Henry II ordered the construction, between 1002 and 1014, of the pulpit covered with gold, precious stones and ivories, one of the most splendid treasures of Ottonian art, and the most precious of the present cathedral, together with the altar with the front ("Pala d'oro") of the 9th century and the "Barbarossa candlestick", donated by Emperor Frederick I "Barbarossa" on the occasion of the canonization of Charlemagne.

Pilgrimage destination

In addition to being the eternal resting place of Charlemagne and Otto III (died 1002), today's Aachen Cathedral stands out as one of the most important places of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages.

Four textile relics are venerated in Aachen (Virgin's dress, swaddling clothes of the Infant Jesus, perizonium or canvas of the crucifixion and the cloth used in the beheading of St. John the Baptist), which probably arrived in Aachen under Charlemagne.

Frankish imperial annals relate that a legendary treasure of relics was sent from Jerusalem for the consecration of the Palatine Chapel in 799.

Although pilgrimages were already taking place at that time, they experienced a great impulse in the 13th century, during the reign of Emperor Frederick II.

Devotion to the relics also had constructive repercussions. Although they had been displayed from the tower gallery since 1322, the construction of the Gothic choir began in 1355, since the Carolingian building was insufficient to accommodate the large number of pilgrims visiting Aachen.

This construction was completed in 1414 and has remarkable dimensions: 25 meters long, 13 meters wide and 32 meters high. Its outer wall, largely divided by stained glass windows, is 25.55 meters high, one of the highest Gothic style in Europe.

With more than 1,000 square meters of glass, it is known as the "Aachen Glass House". Simultaneously, a set of chapels was erected around the octagon to offer pilgrims a space for devotion and prayer.

After the devastating plague epidemic that struck Europe from 1349 onwards, pilgrimages were held every seven years. In the 14th and 15th centuries, Aachen became the third most important pilgrimage destination in the West along with Santiago de Compostela and Rome.

The last one was scheduled for 2021, but due to COVID restrictions, it was postponed to June 2023. However, the next pilgrimage is planned for 2028, resuming the original cycle.

Marian dedication

The dedication of the Palatine Chapel or Church of the Virgin as a cathedral is relatively recent, as Aachen did not become an episcopal see until the 19th century. Until then it was under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Maastricht/Liege or that of Cologne.

It was Napoleon who designated Aachen as the episcopal see of the diocese he founded in 1802 for the new departments of Roer and Rhine and Moselle. In 1821, however, the diocese was abolished by the papal bull "De salute animarum" and incorporated into the archbishopric of Cologne.

The re-establishment of the diocese of Aachen would not take place until August 13, 1930, by decision of Pope Pius XI. Joseph Vogt became the first bishop of the diocese after his election in December 1930. Since September 2016, Helmut Dieser, until then auxiliary bishop of Trier, has held the episcopal see.

Today's Aachen Cathedral was recognized as a World Heritage Site in September 1978, during the second session of the UNESCO committee.

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"Young people are needed to resist the aging of the soul."

Evangelization

Thirst for God, wealth of youth

Youth is the "future of the Church" and the "torch of hope. This is indicated by the Popes and is demonstrated by the many initiatives by and for young people who work throughout the world to bring the faith and love of Christ to others.

Paloma López Campos-January 5, 2024-Reading time: 3 minutes

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"Youth by itself is a singular richness of man, of a girl or of a boy," said St. John Paul in his apostolic letter "Dilecti AmiciThe "Youth and Youth" campaign is aimed at young people around the world.

In 1985, the Polish Pope addressed the younger generations to remind them of their privileged role in the Church. "Your youth is not only something of yours, something personal or of a generation, but something that belongs to the whole of that space that every man travels in the itinerary of his life, and is at the same time 'a special good of all'. A good of humanity itself".

St. John Paul II recalled that youth is a treasure, "it is the richness of discovering and at the same time of planning, of choosing, of foreseeing and of taking one's first decisions as one's own". Also "the question about the meaning of life is part of the particular richness of youth".

The Polish Pope also expressed that youth has to be "growth", a "gradual accumulation of all that is true, good and beautiful". To achieve this, the Holy Father said, "of enormous importance is 'contact with the visible world, with nature'".

At the end of his letter, the saint recalled that "the Church looks at young people". And he went even further by affirming that "the Church in a special way 'looks at herself in the young'". He encouraged everyone to recognize, care for and value this responsibility.

Not afraid to love

For his part, Pope Benedict XVI also encouraged young people to grow, saying in a message in 2027 that they have to cultivate their talents "not only to conquer a social position, but also to help others 'to grow'". In this way they will succeed in being "witnesses of charity" throughout the world.

The German Pope invited young people to be courageous, to "dare to love, to desire nothing more than a strong and beautiful love, capable of making your whole life a joyful realization of the gift of yourselves to God and to your brothers and sisters, imitating Him who, through love, has conquered hatred and death forever." To achieve this love, Benedict said, "the indispensable help of divine grace" is essential. He also indicated that "the great school of love is the Eucharist".

Youth of hope

In recent years, Pope Francis has also addressed young people on several occasions. In his message for the XXXVIII World Youth Day wanted to encourage the hope of the new generations. However, he also admitted the complexity of the current situation in the world.

That is why with great affection the Holy Father said: "Dear young people, when the thick fogs of fear, doubt and oppression surround you, and you fail to see the sun, follow the path of prayer".

Francis encouraged young people to be "torches of hope for others". But for this, he noted, faith has to be "concrete, attached to reality and to the stories of brothers and sisters."

Young initiatives

This "active" faith and hope of youth has thousands of different representations within the Catholic Church. The initiatives of the new generations to bring the light of Christ to the world are multiplying all over the globe. Since it is not possible to mention all the existing ones, here are some of the initiatives that the youth of the Church have in place:

-"Christ in the City". College students and young professionals take to the streets in the United States to care for the underprivileged. Their main motivation is to create bonds of friendship with those who are homeless.

-"FOCUS". Apostolate in universities by and for young people.

–Hakuna. The well-known group of young people enthusiastic about their faith. It is widely known for its songs.

Of course, there are also the hundreds of young people who share their faith on social media and the internet to help other Catholics. For example:

–Father Casey. A Franciscan monk who uploads videos to YouTube talking about Catholic Church topics, from the most controversial to the simple ones.

–Grilex. A famous rapper who talks about God in his songs.

–Katie Ascough. A young Irish mother who has a platform for the formation of Catholics.

It seems that, in one way or another, the youth of the Church are aware of their role. They are thirsty for God and that is their richness.

Youth

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Omnes delves into the archdiocese of Las Vegas

Las Vegas: Catholic faith amidst neon lights

The Archdiocese of Las Vegas encompasses 39,000 square miles comprising five counties in Nevada. It has one cathedral, one shrine, 28 parishes and five missions.

Gonzalo Meza-January 5, 2024-Reading time: 4 minutes

Seen from the international space station, Las Vegas is one of the most illuminated spots on the planet. On land it is an ocean of neon lights that illuminate its streets, hotels and establishments. Along the downtown avenues, dozens of cars and people move from one place to another walking among imposing hotels or replicas of monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, the pyramids of Egypt or the canals of Venice, 24 hours a day. There are extravagant shows for all tastes, from circus arts to expensive Broadway productions featuring local and international artists.

However, the most notable feature of this city is its casinos. "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" announces a marquee welcoming visitors to the "entertainment capital of the world". Located in the Nevada desert, Las Vegas is synonymous with gambling and casino games inside sumptuous hotels. Inside, hundreds of people bet tens or even thousands of dollars on slot machines, table games, poker or roulette wheels. They hope to win, although most of the time they are disappointed.

History of the city

The native peoples, particularly the "Paiutes" or "people of the desert" already inhabited some parts of the territory centuries before its founding. The city of Las Vegas was founded in 1905, when a new railroad station was opened linking this town with southern California and Salt Lake City.

Las Vegas grew gradually, first with small businesses and ranches and then starting in 1931 in the midst of the economic depression (the economic crisis of 1929-1933) with the construction of a water dam called "Hoover Dam". This new project attracted a considerable flow of workers to the area. In that same decade, Nevada's residency and divorce laws were liberalized, making it easier to obtain legal residency in Nevada.

As the years went by and the population increased, it was necessary to establish schools, infrastructure and establishments to provide services to the new settlers. Among these services was entertainment. The first gaming license was granted in 1931. Ten years later, in 1941, during the Second World War, the construction of the Las Vegas Army Air Field, today called "Nellis Air Force", began.

The decade of the 1940s also marked the appearance of numerous theme resorts (hotel-casinos), which multiplied after 1960. The proliferation of these establishments led to an enormous increase in population in the following decades. Las Vegas went from 556,000 inhabitants in 1985 to almost 3 million in the year 2022, in addition to 38 million tourists who visited the place in just one year, 2022. It is expected that the number of visitors will continue to increase every year.

Archdiocese of Las Vegas

The first Mass in the territory of what would become Nevada was celebrated by Franciscan priest Francisco Garces in 1776, in the town of Laughlin on the Colorado River. At that time the state of Nevada was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain (until the beginning of Mexican Independence in 1810). For 38 years it was part of the nascent Mexican Republic, but in 1848 the country lost a considerable part of its territory during the Mexican-American War. That is why until 1840 the territory of Nevada was under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Diocese of Sonora, then it passed to the Diocese of Monterey, California. In 1853, as Nevada became a U.S. territory, it came under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

Later, in 1886, the Apostolic Vicariate of Salt Lake City was established in the state of Utah, which also included the future Diocese of Las Vegas. It was in 1931 when the Diocese of Reno, Nevada was created with Thomas K. Gorman with its first bishop. In 1976 it acquired the name "Diocese of Reno-Las Vegas".

In the 1990s, due to population growth, the Holy See separated the dioceses of Reno and Las Vegas and thus the new Diocese of Las Vegas was established in 1995. Its first bishop was Daniel F. Walsh. Almost 30 years later, on May 30, 2023, Pope Francis elevated Las Vegas to the rank of archdiocese, leaving as suffragans the dioceses of Reno, Nevada and Salt Lake City, Utah. George Leo Thomas is the first Archbishop, although he had already begun his ministry as Bishop of Las Vegas in May 2018.

The Archdiocese of Las Vegas encompasses 39,000 square miles comprising five counties in Nevada. It has one cathedral, one shrine, 28 parishes and five missions. The official count of the registered Catholic population is 620,000 (26% of the Las Vegas population) although the actual figure is higher because many Hispanic families, estimated at 200,000, do not register with their parishes. The Hispanic community represents 30% of its population, followed by the Asian community with 10%. In addition to Archbishop Thomas, Las Vegas has one auxiliary bishop and one bishop emeritus.

As of August 2023, there are a total of 87 priests, of whom 52 are active, 36 are incardinated, 22 are externs and 29 are priests of religious orders or institutes. There are also 32 active permanent deacons, 2 religious brothers and 8 religious sisters.

In the territory there is a Catholic hospital, with three branches; 16 social assistance centers and 8 schools where more than eleven thousand students study. Thousands of members join the church every year. In 2021, 3,520 children received the sacrament of baptism; 1,644 received first communion and 1,281 received confirmation. In that period, 419 couples received the sacrament of marriage. Today, these figures are higher because the data correspond to the pandemic period.

On June 29, 2023, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Archbishop Thomas received the Pallium from Pope Francis at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The ceremony for the imposition of the Pallium will take place on October 2 at the Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer in Las Vegas. The Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S., Cardinal Christophe Pierre, will be present. "I am deeply honored," said Archbishop Thomas upon receiving the Pallium in Rome, "It is a testament to the tireless work and dedication of our priests, deacons and lay people who contribute to our community. Their commitment and hard work have played an integral role in the growth and transformation of our archdiocese," said the prelate.

Gregory W. Gordon, auxiliary bishop of Las Vegas, said: "Las Vegas has grown in population and size since we became a diocese in 1995. It has also grown spiritually with an increase in baptisms, vocations to the priesthood and religious life. And we continue to build new parishes and welcome the newly ordained. This new archdiocese rank reflects that growth," Bishop Gordon said.

Omnes delves into the archdiocese of Las Vegas

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Culture

"Leo" and "Abbé Pierre", the proposals to watch this month.

Two very different stories for different audiences. Leochildren's animated film and the film Abbé Pierreabout the story of the French priest Henri Groues are the proposals to watch this month.

Patricio Sánchez-Jáuregui-January 5, 2024-Reading time: < 1 minute

Each month, we recommend new releases, classics, or audiovisual content that you have not yet seen from your favorite platforms. This month, the recommendations focus on the adventures of a unique lizard and a beautiful story of humanity and vocation.

Leo

Adam Sandler expands his professional and dramatic range with an animated musical comedy about aging as seen through the eyes of a lizard. Leo is one of the mascots of a class of elementary school children, and when he discovers he has only a year to live, he plans to escape to experience life on the outside. Instead, he is chained to, and then devoted to, the students' problems.

Witty animations, catchy songs and excellent voice work from a cast led by Adam Sandler help Leo strike a nice balance between the satirical and the affectionate, which builds an uplifting message for the whole family.

Leo

DirectorsRobert Marianetti, Robert Smigel, David Wachtenheim

ScriptRobert Smigel, Adam Sandler, Paul Sado

ActorsAdam Sandler, Bill Burr, Cecily Strong, Cecily Strong

PlatformNetflix

Abbé Pierre

Born and raised Catholic, Henri Groues is determined to become a priest. The Second World War begins and he decides otherwise: he joins the Resistance.

Losing a friend on the battlefield, facing the horrors of war but the beauty and strength of brotherhood, Henri Groues emerges as a new man: Abbé Pierre.

From the end of World War II until his death in 2007, Abbé Pierre will live many lives and face many battles. Founder of Emmaus, he will fight for the homeless and give voice to those who are speechless.

Abbe Pierre is a beautifully crafted commercial dramatization of life aimed at a general audience, although it may err on the side of being coffee for very coffee drinkers.

Abbé Pierre

DirectorFrédéric Tellier

ScriptOlivier Gorce, Frédéric Tellier

ActorsBenjamin Lavernhe Emmanuelle Bercot, Michel Vuillermoz

Platform: Movistar+

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Gospel

Getting down to work. Baptism of the Lord (B)

Joseph Evans comments on the readings for the Baptism of the Lord (B) and Luis Herrera offers a short video homily.

Joseph Evans-January 5, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

Why is the Baptism of Our Lord so important and why does the Church return us to Ordinary Time with this feast? The point is that, just as Baptism launched Christ's public ministry, our baptism launched our mission as Christians, to be lived out in ordinary activity. Strengthened every day by our baptism, no matter how many years ago it took place, we enter into our ordinary life to proclaim God and his saving plan.

As already mentioned, the Baptism of Christ is precisely the launching of his public mission. After 30 years of hidden life, it is made public with a spectacular demonstration. In modern marketing, to launch a new product, special guests are invited and an attempt is made to do something memorable so that people see why the product is so significant. This "launch" of Christ far surpasses any human marketing act. The guests are the three persons of the Trinity: we hear the voice of the Father, the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove, and what is "launched" is not just a product, but a divine person, the second person of the Trinity. The demonstration is the opening of heaven: the heavens were rent, as Mark so dramatically puts it. And the message could not be clearer and more dramatic: "Thou art my beloved Son, in Thee I take pleasure".

During the last few weeks we have seen how God hides his glory and comes to us in weakness: like a small and helpless baby. But today God draws back the veil for a moment, as he will also do later in the Transfiguration, to let us glimpse his glory. The almighty God, whose sandals we are not worthy to untie, comes down to our level.

We can go out into ordinary life aware, yes, of our unworthiness, but certain that we are God's beloved children, and that he has the power to break down all the barriers that humanity has erected between itself and him. As children of God, we too, as we heard in the first reading, have received the Holy Spirit in order to make "justice to the nations"We miss Christmas with all its connotations of tenderness, the sweetness of the Child God, the intimacy of the stable. We miss Christmas with all its connotations of tenderness, the sweetness of the Christ Child, the intimacy of the stable. But just as the Child Jesus grows up and launches himself into public activity, with all its demands, so must we. Life cannot be a perpetual Christmas. It is time to get to work.

Homily on the readings of the Baptism of the Lord (B)

The priest Luis Herrera Campo offers its nanomiliaA short one-minute reflection for these Sunday readings.

Sunday Readings

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Kénosis, music with sense to the Sense

ColumnistsLupita Venegas

Grilex, from vacuum to kenosis

Grilex is a famous rap singer who has dared to be different, to go against the current and be free.

January 5, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

I invite you to meet Grilex. He is a famous and different rap singer. He heard a young girl say: "I want you to know that thanks to a song of yours I have not committed suicide".

Wow, this surprised the young musician and defined the definitive direction for his compositions.

It was not always like that. In order to sign with his label, he initially produced violent, insolent, aggressive lyrics with which he had great success, but an existential void reigned in the depths of his heart.

He met a girl with whom he had a deep conversation and was happy to talk like this. At the end, she wanted to give him an opinion about his lyrics, Grilex was very interested of course, he expected her to congratulate him without further ado, but the phrase he heard marked him decidedly... She said: "what a pity that with the gift you have, you make such garbage".

For 7 months she was unable to write anything. She wondered what she was doing with her talents and decided to embrace faith (which her friend was introducing her to) and dedicate her work to God.

Thanks to her and a group of young people doing apostolate in Spain, Grilex had a real encounter with God. A unique experience that allowed him to experience authentic love. We are all thirsty for love and our yearnings are filled to the full by letting ourselves be embraced by Our Good God.

Pope Francis has made many appeals to young people to live happiness in God's way, which is the way of love. He wrote to them: a better world is built thanks also to you, young people, to your desire for change and your generosity. Do not be afraid to listen to the Holy Spirit suggesting bold choices, do not delay when your conscience asks you to take the risk of following the Master. The Church also wants to hear your voice, your sensitivity, your faith; even your doubts and criticisms. May your cry be heard, may it resound in the communities and reach the pastors.

And he published in March 2019 a beautiful letter to young people entitled "Christus Vivit"Christ lives, our hope"... He is the most beautiful youth of this world. Everything He touches becomes young, becomes new, becomes full of life. He lives and wants you alive!

You young people are the present and the future of humanity. You will keep alive the faith that you will carry more than in words, in your skin. Grilex has dared to be different, to go against the current and be free. After learning about that girl who did not commit suicide because of the new lyrics she composed, he dedicated a new song to this girl and to all those who might have suicidal ideation, young people who are deeply sad, with low self-esteem, with anorexia problems or any other kind of problems because they do not feel loved and accepted. Only God has the answers that today's young people need. The letters of gratitude he receives are abundant.

It is up to you to carry the essence of the Gospel in the language of the 21st century. Grilex invites us not to be afraid to be heroes of love.

Get to know him and be inspired by his testimony. Become a light for other young people today.

The authorLupita Venegas

Youth

Kénosis, music with sense to the Sense

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Doctrine of the Faith clarifies certain points of the Fiducia suplicans

The Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has issued a press release to clarify several questions about the Declaration. Fiducia Supplicans.

Maria José Atienza-January 4, 2024-Reading time: 4 minutes

Just two weeks after the publication of Fiducia suplicans, Victor Manuel Fernandez, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, has issued a press release in which he intends to clarify various problems that have arisen in the reception of the document.

On December 18, 2023, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued the Declaration Fiducia suplicanswhich opened the door to "the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples" under certain conditions.

The declaration stressed that it is a pastoral and not a doctrinal document, and recalled the doctrine on marriage as "an exclusive, stable and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, naturally open to the begetting of children" and on sexuality, reiterating that this is an unaltered teaching. However, both the somewhat convoluted wording of the document and the novelty it introduced in allowing non-ritual blessings for irregular or same-sex couples have opened the door to widely differing interpretations, leading to a situation of confusion in many places.

Opposing reactions

In this regard, in fact, the reactions have been very diverse. Bishops such as Georg BatzingThe President of the German Bishops' Conference, expressed their satisfaction with this document and welcomed "the pastoral perspective it brings". It is worth remembering the particular context of the Church in Germany, where various groups have demanded and implemented public blessings of homosexual couples.

Oscar Ojea, who pointed out that "living in an irregular situation or in a homosexual union does not obscure many aspects of the lives of people who seek to be enlightened with a blessing, and when they receive it, it becomes the greatest possible good for these brothers and sisters, since it leads to conversion".

On the other hand, many bishops, especially in African and even Asian dioceses, have taken a stand against these blessings. The bishops of Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo or Ivory Coast have refused to allow such blessings in their dioceses, as have Archbishop Tomash Peta and Auxiliary Bishop Athanasius Schneider of the Archdiocese of St. Mary in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Other prelates, such as the Spanish Jose Ignacio Munilla, have stressed that, although the document is not contrary to doctrine, it creates a state of confusion that must be addressed pastorally. And Ukrainian Archbishop Sviestoslav Shevchuk, of the Byzantine rite, explained that the document cannot be applied in his church, precisely because of the disciplinary difference.

A clarifying statement

These diverse, and even opposing, reactions to the document have been Fiducia suplicans This was the reason why the Prefect of the Dicastery of the Faith wanted to "clarify" some points of this statement that, in his opinion, have not been well understood by the faithful. He did so through a press release issued by the Dicastery.

The Prefect shows understanding for the difficulties of some bishops or Episcopal Conferences, and points out that "what these Episcopal Conferences have expressed cannot be interpreted as doctrinal opposition, because the document is clear and classic on marriage and sexuality", and reiterates that it seeks to bless the couple (persons) and not the union (state). All this, through "blessings without liturgical form that do not approve or justify the situation in which these people find themselves" made in a spontaneous way, brief and far from any element that confuses them with a liturgical blessing.

The prefect recalls that many of these opposing reactions come from countries that "to varying degrees condemn, prohibit and criminalize homosexuality. In these cases, beyond the question of blessings, there is a broad, long-term pastoral task that includes formation, defense of human dignity, teaching of the Social Doctrine of the Church and various strategies that do not admit of haste".

The novelty of Fiducia suplicans

Cardinal Fernandez explains in the communiqué the real novelty of the document: the invitation to distinguish between two different forms of blessings: "liturgical or ritualized" and "spontaneous or pastoral".

The prefect maintains that in this sense, Fiducia suplicans offers "a specific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings, which makes it possible to broaden and enrich the classical understanding of blessings closely linked to a liturgical perspective", i.e. it is about "increasing pastoral blessings, which do not require the same conditions as blessings in a liturgical or ritual context" and asks the bishops "to make an effort of serene reflection, with the heart of pastors, outside of any ideology".

The note even includes an example of what such blessings might look like in which God's help is asked for in a spontaneous and non-ritual way:

Bishop Victor Manuel Fernandez appeals to the pastoral prudence and knowledge of his own faithful on the part of each bishop who can, on the other hand, "enable this type of simple blessings, with all the recommendations of prudence and care, but in no way are they authorized to propose or enable blessings that may resemble a liturgical rite".

Neither approval nor acquittal

"Gestures of pastoral closeness": this is the nature of this type of blessing, clarifies the prefect of the doctrine of the faith. Nor are they absolution, because these gestures are far from being a sacrament or a rite. they are simple expressions of pastoral closeness that do not have the same requirements as a sacrament or a formal rite.

A "novel" figure for which the cardinal calls for a previous catechesis that helps to understand them and "to free us from the fear that our blessings may express something inadequate".

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Christ, light of the Gentiles. Epiphany Preface

On Saturday, January 6, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. In the Preface of Christmas I, the light illuminated the mind of everyone; here, the manifestation of Christ illumines all nations. God manifests himself not only to the chosen people, but to all men, represented by the Magi who came from the East to adore the King of the Jews.

Giovanni Zaccaria-January 4, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

The original text of this preface was obtained from the union of two very ancient prefaces: the first is found in the Veronese Sacramentary and, according to some authors, is the work of Pope Damasus (366-384), while others place its origin in the 5th century; the second text is present in the ancient Gelasian Sacramentary, as well as in the Ambrosian tradition.

Quia ipsum in Christo salútis nostræ mystérium
hódie ad lumen géntium revelásti,
et, cum in substántia nostræ mortalitátis appáruit,
nova nos immortalitátis eius glória reparásti.
For [Today] in Christ, the light of the world,
you have revealed to the nations the mystery of salvation,
and in Him who appeared in our mortal flesh,
you have renewed us with the glory of divine immortality.

Epiphany Preface

The text is very well constructed, since there are two coordinated parts. The first is contained in the first two stanzas of the text and affirms that, in Christ, the Father revealed the very mystery of our redemption, so that the nations might be enlightened by him.

As we saw in the Christmas Preface IThe theme of light also returns in this Preface: if there it was the light that illumines the mind of each person, here the manifestation of Christ takes on a universalist tinge, for he is the light that illumines all nations; after all, the very heart of this feast is precisely the manifestation of God not only to the chosen people, but to all men, represented by the Magi from the East to worship the King of the Jews.

The content of this illumination is the revelation of the mystery of the salvation of the human race in Christ Jesus. His person, his actions, his words, his whole life, but also and above all his death and resurrection are the way that the Father, in his design of ineffable love, has chosen to bring us salvation.

The theology of the Incarnation

The second part of the Preface explains that this is possible thanks to the reparation (reparasti) made by the Incarnation (apparuit). Here we return to the idea of the admirabile commercium, that admirable interchange, which underlies our salvation and which we have already seen in the Christmas Preface IIIThe substantia nostrae mortalitatis is saved by the immortalitatis eius gloria, which is expressed here by a beautiful antithetical parallelism in the form of a chiasmus: the substantia nostrae mortalitatis is saved by the immortalitatis eius gloria.

In a few words the whole theology of the Incarnation is summed up, according to which "what is not assumed is not saved, but what is united to God is also redeemed" (St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Epistle 101).

This is expressed in a very plastic way with the use of the terms substantiaas if to indicate the materiality of mortal human nature, and gloryThe link between the two parts of the Preface is thus made manifest: the true epiphany is the EncarnacionThe Father, through the flesh of Christ, opens to humanity the possibility of salvation, thus tearing away the darkness that enveloped human life with the light of his eternal splendor.

The authorGiovanni Zaccaria

Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Rome)

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Sisters of Charity: "Where there is charity and love, there God is".

Elizabeth Seton, a record-breaking saint

Elizabeth Ann Bailey Seton, the first American Catholic saint, died on January 4, 1821. She was also the founder of the first congregation of women religious in the United States, the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph.

Paloma López Campos-January 4, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

In 1774, the Charlton family lived in New York. That Episcopalian household, where there was no economic hardship, suffered a hard blow in 1777: the mother died during childbirth, followed shortly after by the death of one of the younger members of the family.

Elizabeth Ann Bailey Charlton lived through these events when she was only three years old. The girl's father remarried another woman of strong Christian convictions, who taught Elizabeth from an early age to care for the vulnerable.

Stability did not last long in the Charlton household and the couple separated after having five children. The father left for England and the stepmother refused to take Elizabeth in. Together with her sister, the young girl went to live with her uncle and during this time she recorded her strong spiritual concerns in a diary.

Marriage and birth of children

While staying with her aunt and uncle, Elizabeth met William Magee Seton. At the age of nineteen she married him at a wedding celebrated by the first Episcopalian bishop of New York. Together they had five children and, at first, lived comfortably. However, her husband's business went bankrupt over the years and they decided to take a trip to Italy in search of new opportunities.

The move killed William, who contracted tuberculosis during the journey. Widowed before her thirtieth birthday and with five children to support, Elizabeth sought help in the home of her husband's partner, Felipe Felicchi.

Conversion to Catholicism

The Italian home of Felicchi and his wife was deeply Catholic. They welcomed the Setons and there Elizabeth came to Catholicism. In fact, when she returned to New York she asked to be baptized, after spending hours praying before the Blessed Sacrament in a New York City parish.

Elizabeth Seton's conversion was a courageous step that took its toll on her. As a means of subsistence she had opened a school in New York. However, when it became known that she had embraced the Catholic faith, many friends and family members turned their backs on her. The parents of her students gradually removed the girls from the school and Seton found herself on the edge.

While trying to find a solution, she met a French priest who offered her a position in Baltimore as the founder of a Catholic school for girls. Elizabeth accepted the position and moved with her daughters.

Last stage of his life

A year after arriving in the new city, in 1809, Seton took private vows and founded the religious community of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph, dedicated to the education of destitute girls.

When Elizabeth Seton died on January 4, 1821, those who knew her said that she had always been a very pleasant woman, with great devotion to the Virgin Mary and the Eucharist. In spite of the difficulties she encountered, she broke several records in the United States: first saint and founder of the first American congregation of religious sisters. Her merits have not only elevated her to the altars, but have also earned her a place in the "The Eucharist".National Women's Hall of Fame" in New York.

Sisters of Charity: "Where there is charity and love, there God is".

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ColumnistsRafael Domingo Oslé

Nobility and splendor of Christian celibacy

Celibacy is a kind of falling in love with the divine. The celibate person directs all his erosthat is, his desire for possessive love, towards God, and from God, to others.

January 4, 2024-Reading time: 3 minutes

The Christian celibacyThe celibate heart, whether of the laity, priests or religious, is a divine gift by which the human heart is embedded in the Heart of Christ. To the rhythm of the beating of its Beloved, the celibate heart is progressively enlarged until it incorporates within it all humanity without distinction of race, culture, age or language, thus announcing to the world the radiant love of the Kingdom of God.

The celibacy spiritual life is not properly an act of human choice, but the free acceptance of a divine invitation. The human person does not choose between getting married and being celibate, as he chooses, on the other hand, between getting married and remaining single.

What the celibate really does is to accept, with an unconditional yes, fruit of a loving and free discernment, a divine proposal of eternal spousal love.

Celibacy is accepted in the same way as the Son of God freely accepted his passion and death out of love for his Father, or the Virgin Mary, the divine design to be the Mother of the Redeemer. Yes was indispensable for the development of a plan lovingly designed by the Father from all eternity.

The celibacy contributes to the sanctification of the world and all creation in a different way than marriage. They are two complementary spousal modes: one sacramental, the other donational.

Marriage forms a family; celibacy cares for humanity as a family. Marriage divinizes human love. Celibacy humanizes divine love. Marriage begets carnal children; celibacy, spiritual children. Marriage propagates and educates the human species, celibacy the offering.

The celibate person must value marriage highly, but must also learn to transcend it. For this reason, celibacy exalts marriage. Without the institution of marriage, there is no celibacy, but pure singleness; and without celibacy, marriage is easily degraded and trivialized.

The celibate person loves all human beings, beginning with those to whom he owes the most: his parents, relatives and friends. But in the celibate heart there is no room for an exclusive love other than God himself.

In this sense, celibacy is a sort of falling in love with the divine. The celibate person directs all his or her erosthat is, his desire for possessive love, towards God, and from God, towards others, this time already in the form of agape. The married person loves God in his or her spouse; the celibate, on the other hand, loves everyone in God.

Celibacy as a gift

It is true that the celibacy is not only a gift but also a task that demands total continence. But this joyful duty does not imply the repression of the sexual impulse but rather its liberation through the education of the affections and the redemption of one's ego with the grace that flows from the gift received.

A celibacy not properly discerned or not nourished with the love of God day by day, like a burning bonfire, runs the risk of turning into a caricature of celibacywith disastrous consequences for the ecclesial and human community. I refer to the facts.

Celibacy and marriage

The person who has received the precious gift of celibacy admires and loves the institution of marriage, even if he or she realizes in the depths of his or her soul that it is only and exclusively for God.

The sacramentally married person, for his part, admires and loves the gift of celibacy in the world, also for his children, as a sign and a foretaste of the kingdom of Heaven. But let each traveler follow his own path, as the poet said, for there is no such a thing as too much, too little.

The celibate person should have in much the capacity of effort and sacrifice of the married person for her spouse and children; the married person, on the other hand, should admire the contemplative capacity of the celibate, her total detachment, even living in the midst of the world, and her desire to give herself to every human being, to every child of God, without distinction of race, color or religion.

Marriage and celibacy thus constitute two ways of living the same and unique Christian vocation in a holy way: the first emphasizes the union of Christ with his Church, the second the certain and actual presence of Christ's kingdom among us.

*The print magazine Omnes January 2024 delves into the topic of celibacy with competent authors, and notes on the teaching of the Popes and the Tradition of the Church.

The authorRafael Domingo Oslé

Professor and holder of the Álvaro d'Ors Chair

ICS. University of Navarra.

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Gospel

A new star. Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (B)

British priest Joseph Evans comments on the readings for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord corresponding to cycle B.

Joseph Evans-January 4, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

To the Magi, who were looking at the stars, a new star suddenly appeared in the sky. It was certainly different and much brighter than any other star they had seen so far, but they still noticed it and gave it importance. Others either did not see it, or saw no special significance in it. The Magi set out, the others did not.

We all face the danger of blind routine, which leads to a general insensitivity to the people and life around us. Too often we live insensitive to the world, to beauty, to nature, to others and, of course, to God. We fail to recognize the stars that God sends us to guide us to joy and to Himself. The Magi saw the star in their daily activity, as wise men and astronomers.

God speaks to us in different ways in our daily lives, and we should not get used to these "stars". It is not a matter of daydreaming, wishing our daily reality were different: "I wish a star would come to me and take me somewhere else, on a long and exotic journey like that of these Magi".

They were not wise by indulging in escapist fantasies or by running away from responsibility: they did neither one nor the other. They were wise because they responded to God's call. We can all find our daily work and family obligations demanding, and sometimes we are tempted to run away from them.

We can all wish we were somewhere else. We can all be tempted to want to leave our clothes on the beach and disappear into a better life, free of worries and responsibilities. This is not the answer. We would not find happiness, we would not escape our weaknesses and shortcomings, and we would not escape God.

Centuries ago, one of the people who wrote the Psalms experienced something similar: the desire to flee from God. But as he contemplated the impossibility of doing so, it also led him to consider that God's presence and vision everywhere are not to oppress us, but to sustain us and lead us to happiness. Read Psalm 139 for yourself to delve deeper into this.

It was precisely this God who sees and acts everywhere who saw and loved those Magi in their distant eastern land and sent them a star to call them to Himself.

As they looked to heaven for meaning, God came down from heaven to lead them to an answer. And in our place too, God looks down on us and continues to send us his stars, if only - like the Magi - we are willing to perceive them.

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Pope's teachings

Passion for evangelization

Throughout the year 2023, Pope Francis has dedicated numerous catecheses of the Wednesday general audiences to the theme of evangelization. This article presents the Holy Father's main teachings on this theme.

Ramiro Pellitero-January 4, 2024-Reading time: 8 minutes

The Pope has dedicated 29 general audiences from January 11 to December 6, 2023 to the passion for evangelization. First of all, we should ask ourselves if evangelization is something that really "impassions" us Christians.

At the same time, the fact that an entire year has been dedicated to this theme undoubtedly highlights the priority that evangelization has in Francis' teachings.

What evangelization is or what it consists of is something that should be evaluated according to its own teachings, since it is a word that has been used since the beginning of time. Vatican Council II has been acquiring different meanings. It began by signifying the first missionary proclamation of the faith.

Today it means the entire apostolic work of the Church: everything that is done in her, both individually by individual Christians and institutionally, to spread the message of the Gospel, the "good news" of salvation in Christ. All this, knowing that it is not simply a matter of "informing" about a message, but of continuing to exercise the "divine pedagogy" of Revelation: with deeds and words, communicating a message that is, at the same time, Life for each person and for the world.

The contemporary magisterium conceives evangelization as a process with different stages or moments (cf. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi1975, n. 17 ff.): each of them is distinguished from the others and represents, at the same time, a dimension that in some way is present in all of them. Thus, for example, the first is the witness, which is like the preparation for the first proclamation (kerygma).

However, both are still present in the later elements. "Evangelization, we have said, is a complex step, with varied elements: renewal of humanity, witness, explicit proclamation [clear proclamation of Jesus Christ], adhesion of the heart, entry into the community, acceptance of the signs [sacraments], apostolic initiatives. These elements may seem contrasting, even exclusive. In reality, they are complementary and mutually enriching. Each of them must always be seen as integrated with the others." (ibid., 24).

Due to space constraints, we limit ourselves here to presenting the first part of the catechesis (up to and including March 22). That is, the first eight Wednesdays, in which the Pope explained the nature and structure of evangelization. Then, and almost to the end, he showed us the figures of Christians who have left us an exemplary testimony of what passion for the Gospel means.

All Christians must be "Church in going out".

Francis introduced his catechesis as ".an urgent and decisive theme for Christian life: the passion for evangelization, that is, apostolic zeal. [...] This is a vital dimension for the Church, the community of the disciples of Jesus is born apostolic and missionary".. Everything starts from the call to the apostolate (January 11, 2023) that Christ addressed to his apostles (cf. Mt 9:9-13).

From the beginning it is revealed who is the protagonist of the evangelization that manifests the being "going out" of the Church: "...".The Holy Spirit shapes her going out - the Church going out, going forth - so that she does not close in on herself, but is extroverted, a contagious witness of Jesus - faith is also contagious - spreading out to radiate her light to the ends of the earth.".

But what happens if this apostolic ardor wanes, eclipses or cools?"When Christian life loses sight of the horizon of evangelization, the horizon of proclamation, it becomes sick: it closes in on itself, becomes self-referential, atrophies. Without apostolic zeal, faith withers. Mission, on the other hand, is the oxygen of Christian life: it invigorates and purifies it.".

The Pope is preparing to "to rediscover the evangelizing passion, starting from Scripture and the teaching of the Church, in order to draw apostolic zeal from its sources.". And it begins with the call of Matthew, whom Jesus chooses after looking at him with mercy (cf. Mt 9:9-13) and changing him interiorly, healing him of his miseries. The apostle begins his task from his own home, from his own environment, with those who know him. He went there and gave an attractive and joyful witness of Jesus.

Jesus, model and teacher of proclamation

In fact, the model of evangelizing proclamation is Jesus himself (cf. General Audience, January 18, 2023). "God does not stand contemplating the fold of his sheep, nor does he threaten them so that they will not leave. Rather, if one goes out and gets lost, he does not abandon it, but seeks it out. He does not say, 'She's gone, it's her fault, it's her own business!' The pastoral heart reacts differently: the pastoral heart suffers, the pastoral heart takes risks. It suffers: yes, God suffers for those who leave and, as he weeps for them, he loves them even more.".

In evangelization, therefore, it is not a matter of seeking others so that they may be "one of us" (which would be mere proselytism), but of loving them so that they may be happy children of God. "Because without this love that suffers and risks, our life does not go well: if we Christians do not have this love that suffers and risks, we run the risk of shepherding only ourselves. Shepherds who are shepherds of themselves, instead of being shepherds of the flock, dedicate themselves to combing sheep. We must not be shepherds of ourselves, but shepherds of all.".

Jesus is not only a model, but also a master of evangelizing proclamation (cf. General Audience, January 25, 1992). In his preaching in the synagogue of Nazareth (cf. Lk 4:17-21), Jesus manifests the essential elements of proclamation: joy, because he affirms that he has been anointed and "sent to bring the Good News to the poor(v. 18); liberation, because he has come to proclaim liberation to the captives (ibid.), not to impose burdens, but to show the beauty of the Christian life; light: he comes to restore the "..." (ibid.).sight for the blind(ibid.) bringing the light of sonship, because life is illuminated when we know we are children of the Father; healing, because it comes to "..." (ibid.).to set the oppressed free"(ibid.) for the sicknesses and faults of sin (cf. v. 19); and, finally, amazement, before the action of God's grace.

And all this without forgetting that it is a "happy announcement", precisely because it is addressed "to the poor. "To welcome the Lord, each one of us must become 'poor inside'. With that poverty that makes you say... 'Lord, I need forgiveness, I need help, I need strength'".

Root, content and mode of the announcement

And what did Jesus' disciples do? What was their first apostolate like? (cf. General Audience, Feb. 15, 2023). He called them and "instituted twelve, whom He called apostles, to be with Him and to send them out to preach, to preach the gospel." (Mk 3:14). Following the tradition of Christian preaching, the Pope points out this need to "be" with Jesus in order to be able to "go", to evangelize; and vice versa (for there is no "being" without "going").

And there he underlines three aspects: firstly, the reason for evangelization, the beauty and gratuitousness of the proclamation of faith; its content (the closeness, mercy and tenderness of God); and finally, the fundamental aspect, the witness of the faith., which involves thought, affection and action. Other conditions are: humility and meekness, detachment and ecclesial communion.

The Holy Spirit and the "principle of proclamation".

Jesus commands "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"(Mt 28:29). The protagonism of the Holy Spirit is seen continually after Pentecost, in the book of the Acts of the Apostles (cf. General Audience, 22 Feb. 2023). The historic decision of the "Council of Jerusalem" (cf. Acts 15:28) teaches us what the Pope calls "the principle of proclamation", that is to say: "Every option, every use, every structure, every tradition must be evaluated to the extent that it favors the proclamation of Christ.".

If it is important to start from surveys and sociological analyses of the situation, challenges, expectations and complaints, it is much more important to start from our own experiences of the Spirit (to seek them out, study them, interpret them).

The duty of evangelization

The Pope dedicated two audiences to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council on evangelization. In the first, he presented evangelization as ecclesial service (cf. 1 Cor 15:1-2) (cf. General Audience, 8-III-2023). Since the Holy Spirit is the principle of unity and life, "architect of evangelization"This is always done by transmitting what we have received. in Ecclesia. This ecclesial dimension of evangelization is important, because there is always the temptation to go "alone", especially when there are difficulties and more effort is required.

"Equally dangerous -the bishop of Rome said. is the temptation to follow easier pseudo-church paths, to adopt the mundane logic of numbers and polls, to rely on the strength of our ideas, programs, structures, on the 'relationships that matter'.". And that, he says, is secondary.

You have a lot of resources in "the school of the Second Vatican Council"(and specifically in the decree Ad gentes, on the missions) we learn that the impetus for evangelization arises from God the Father's love for all, because no one is excluded.. It is the duty of the Church to continue the mission of Christ and to follow the same path of poverty, obedience, service and immolation until death, a path that ends in the resurrection.

Therefore, apostolic zeal is not enthusiasm, but God's grace and service.. And that corresponds to all Christians, not only to those who preach. That is why: "If you do not evangelize, if you do not set an example, if you do not give testimony of the Baptism you have received, of the faith the Lord has given you, you are not a good Christian.". What we have received we must give to others, with a sense of responsibility, even if it is sometimes by difficult paths.

This is also expressed in the "creative search for new ways of proclaiming and witnessing, for new ways of encountering the wounded humanity that Christ took upon himself. In short, new ways of rendering service to the Gospel and of rendering service to humanity.".

On the following Wednesday (cf. General Audience 15-III-23), Francis insisted on the declaration of the Council: ".The Christian vocation, by its very nature, is also a vocation to the apostolate."(Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, 2). This is, in the Church, for all and the responsibility of all, each according to his or her own condition and gifts. It is therefore also the duty of the laity, who are made sharers in the priestly, prophetic and kingly mediation of Christ.

We all have the vocation to serve others, and for that we must try to dialogue, to begin, among ourselves, to know how to listen to each other and to flee from the vanity of positions.

**– Supernatural Evangelii nuntiandithe magna carta magna of evangelization**

The magna carta of evangelization is the apostolic exhortation of St. Paul VI Evangelii nuntiandi (EN) of 1975. The Pope elaborated on this text in his audience of March 22.

Paul VI points out that evangelization is more than a simple doctrinal and moral transmission: it is first and foremost a witness.. Pope Montini famously said: "The world needs "evangelists who speak to them about a God whom they themselves know and treat familiarly." (EN, 76). "Contemporary man listens more willingly to those who bear witness than to those who teach [...], or, if they listen to those who teach, it is because they bear witness." (EN, 41).

This is, following the witness of Christ and united to Him, the primary means of evangelization (cf. ibid.) and an essential condition for its efficacy (EN, 76), so that the proclamation of the Gospel may be fruitful. Witness, says Francis, is "to transmit God who becomes life in me".

The Pope notes that witness includes professed faith, that is, faith that transforms our relationships, criteria and evaluations. "Witness, therefore, cannot do without consistency between what is believed and what is proclaimed and what is lived." That is why the opposite of witnessing is hypocrisy. Hence the question: Do you believe what you proclaim? Do you live what you believe? Do you proclaim what you live?

In this sense, the witness of Christian life implies the path of holiness, based on baptism: "...".Paul VI teaches that zeal for evangelization springs from holiness, flows from a heart full of God. Nourished by prayer and above all by love for the Eucharist, evangelization in turn makes the people who carry it out grow in holiness." (EN, 76). At the same time, without holiness the word of the evangelizer "It will hardly make a breakthrough in the hearts of the men of this time. It runs the risk of becoming vain and infertile". (ibid.).

It is also important to be aware that the recipients of evangelization are not only others, but also ourselves. This is why Paul VI says that "the Church as such must also begin to evangelize itself". (EN, 15).

This means, Francis points out, "to walk a demanding path, a path of conversion, of renewal"without taking refuge in the "it has always been done this way". To this end, we must enter into dialogue with the contemporary world, weave fraternal relationships, seek spaces for encounter, carry out good practices of hospitality, welcome, recognition and integration of the other and of otherness, and care for the common home that is creation.

As a synthesis of the catechesis, in his last audiences (from November 15 to December 6), the Pope emphasized four fundamental characteristics of evangelization: the proclamation of evangelization is joy; it is joy for all; it must be joy today (in a way that is meaningful and relevant in today's circumstances); and it must be joy as a gift of the Holy Spirit. "In fact -warns the Bishop of Rome-In order to 'communicate God', the joyful credibility of the witness, the universality of the proclamation and the timeliness of the message are not enough. Without the Holy Spirit, all zeal is vain and falsely apostolic: it would be ours alone and would not bear fruit.".

Pope Francis

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Christian life involves constant struggle, Pope says

The Christian life requires a constant struggle against sin and growth in holiness, the Pope said at the first General Audience of this year 2024, in his summary for English-speaking pilgrims and faithful. He also wished them "the joy of this Christmas, finding in prayer the Savior who wants to be close to everyone".

Francisco Otamendi-January 3, 2024-Reading time: 3 minutes

Today, Wednesday, in the first General Audience Pope Francis continued this year's cycle of catecheses on "vices and virtues", and on this occasion he focused on the spiritual struggle of the Christian, based on the reading of Mt 3:13-15, the "Vices and Virtues". baptism of the Lordwhose feast is celebrated next Sunday.

This reflection "helps us to overcome the nihilistic culture in which the contours between good and evil remain blurred," he said. "The spiritual life of the Christian is not peaceful, linear and unchallenged, but, on the contrary, requires a constant struggle. It is not by chance that the first anointing that every Christian receives in the sacrament of Baptism - the catechumenal anointing - symbolically announces that life is a struggle."

The anointing of the catechumens makes it immediately clear that Christians, like everyone else, "will have to descend into the arena, because life is a succession of trials and temptations," the Pontiff said.

Jesus was tempted

He also reminded the English pilgrims and faithful that "Jesus, Himself without sin, submitted to John's baptism and was baptized by John. tempted in the desertto teach us the need for spiritual rebirth, conversion of mind and heart, and unwavering trust in God's mercy and grace".

"May our weekly reflections on the virtues and vices help us to imitate the example of the Lord, to grow in wisdom and self-understanding, and to discern between good and evil. As we grow in the knowledge and practice of the virtues, let us experience the joy of closeness to God, the source of all good, of authentic happiness and of the fullness of eternal life," he said.

He then expressly welcomed "all the English-speaking pilgrims, especially the groups from Malta and the United States of America. I wish you and your families the joy of this Christmas, finding in prayer the Savior who wants to be close to everyone. God bless you!

Message of peace among friends and colleagues

At various points during the Audience, in his message to the faithful and pilgrims who filled the Paul VI Hall, Francis reminded young Italians "like Mary, to know how to keep, meditate and follow the Word that became flesh in Bethlehem, so as to spread his message of Christmas and peace among their friends and companions".

He also greeted the priests of Modena, who are commemorating their 40th anniversary of ordination, and encouraged them "to persevere on the path of fidelity to the Lord".

And he pleaded that "we should not forget the people who are at war. War is madness, it is a defeat, it is always a defeat". With several Ukrainian flags at the General Audience, the Pope asked that "we pray for the people in Palestine. Israel, Ukraine, and for so many other places where there is war. And let us not forget our brothers rohingyawho are persecuted.

Finally, he addressed the young, the sick, the elderly and the newlyweds. "To all I exhort you to continue in faithful adherence to Jesus, and in generous support for the spread of his Gospel."

"Not living on the moon."

Our whole life is a struggle, marked by contrasts and temptations, which are necessary to advance on the path of virtue, because they bring us face to face with the reality of our littleness, the Pope reiterated in various ways in his catechesis.

"Whoever considers that he has already achieved a certain degree of perfection, that he does not need conversion, that he does not need to go to confession, or that it is not worth the effort, lives in the moon, lives in darkness and does not know right from wrong. On the contrary, we must ask Jesus to give us the ability and the strength to confront our weakness, the courage to abandon ourselves to his mercy and the wisdom not to let our guard down in this effort. The enemy is lying in wait and we must be alert so as not to be deceived," the Pope encouraged.

Specifically, to the Spanish-speaking pilgrims he pointed out. "Today we remember the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. Let us ask the Lord for light to keep us on the path of goodness and his grace to persevere in it, without fearing challenges and trials. May God bless you and the Holy Virgin watch over you."

At the end, before saying the Our Father and giving the Blessing, Pope Francis prayed and invited people to address the Lord in this way: "Jesus, do not go away from me, I am a sinner".

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

Jesus Christ at the center of Christian life and evangelization

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Gospel

Contemplating with Mary. Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (B)

Joseph Evans comments on the readings for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (B) and Luis Herrera offers a short video homily.

Joseph Evans-January 3, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

When the shepherds went to see the baby Jesus in Bethlehem it was like a new beginning for humanity. They became the first witnesses, outside of the Holy Family, to the birth of the God-man. Through these poor, simple men, God's saving plan began to be known to mankind, and later, through the Magi, the news of this plan would spread to the pagan world.

In this text the Greek verb is used three times laleówhich means "to speak" or "to tell". The shepherds come and repeat what the angels had "told" them; the people are amazed at what the shepherds "tell" them; and they return praising God "...".for all that they had heard and seen, according to what had been told them". It is precisely Good News, and the very nature of news is that it is meant to be told, to be spread.

It is not surprising, therefore, that we begin the New Year with this Gospel, and under Mary's protection, for every new year is a new beginning. We begin another year in human history by going with the shepherds to see this wonder, God made man, made baby, for our salvation. With this vision, with this knowledge, having received this news, we can face the year ahead. All that the angel told the shepherds is true: the "sign" of God's saving plan for humanity is in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes (Lk 2:12). God has come down in humility to save us from our pride and its disastrous effects.

But Maria tells nothing. She treasures and reflects. Interestingly, the word "treasure" or "keep safe" is also used in Mk 6:20, when Herod was guarding John the Baptist, protecting him (at least until that moment) from Herodias' desire to kill him. And Jesus, in his parable, uses the same verb to teach that new wine is kept in new wineskins (Mt 9:17). While counting is a form of "pouring out," there is also the need to preserve, to keep safe, the action of God in our lives.

Counting can be a holy action to proclaim God's great works (Mary herself does so in her Magnificat), entering into an exchange that includes even the angels in heaven. But if we limit ourselves to counting, we will merely pour out words and our conversation will be empty. We also need to "drink," as Mary did while contemplating the Child God on her lap. Prayer is certainly talking, talking to God, and it can lead us to talk about God to others. But even higher forms of prayer are meditation and contemplation, often without words, like Mary treasuring, keeping safe, the divine life she carried in her womb.

Homily on the readings of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (B)

The priest Luis Herrera Campo offers its nanomiliaa small one-minute reflection for these readings.

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This is what the College of Cardinals will look like in 2024

Rome Reports-January 3, 2024-Reading time: < 1 minute

Of the 132 cardinal electors who make up the College of Cardinals, 13 will reach the age of 80 in 2024 and will therefore lose the right to vote.

Italy is the country with the highest number of purpurates (14), followed by the United States (11) and Spain (8).

AhNow you can enjoy a 20% discount on your subscription to Rome Reports Premiumthe international news agency specializing in the activities of the Pope and the Vatican.

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SEEK24. Thousands of young Catholics take St. Louis

General view of the opening Mass of the SEEK24 congress at the America's Center Convention Complex in St. Louis (Missouri) in which some 20,000 young people are participating.

Maria José Atienza-January 3, 2024-Reading time: < 1 minute

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Omnes launches a comprehensive ebook on celibacy

The "Synthesis Report," which contained a summary of the topics discussed during the first Roman phase of the Universal Synod on Synodality, included a mention of the celibacy of priests.

January 3, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

The "Synthesis Report", which contained a summary of the topics dealt with during the first Roman phase of the Universal Synod on Synodality, included a mention of the celibacy of priests. It was among the "questions to be faced" as a topic to be "taken up again at a later date". This ebook wants to contribute to this more detailed study, and brings together some articles that deal with celibacy and consider it from different perspectives.

The "Report" was based on the recognition, accepted by the assembly, of its "theological convenience", while at the same time taking up the insecurity of some who "wonder whether it should necessarily be translated into a disciplinary obligation"; hence the interest in addressing it. In fact, it is well known that reservations about celibacy are frequent and stem from various considerations.

For example, it is not uncommon to hear that abolishing or relaxing it would open the path to the priesthood to a greater number of potential candidates, without forgetting, they point out on the other hand, that it would allow "readmitting" to the priesthood those who once left it to marry; or that the cause of a good part of the sexual abuses by members of the clergy would lie in possible psychological deficiencies caused by it. It seems that none of these suppositions have been proven.

This leads us to reflect on the profound nature of celibacy, which is either a gift of God - and therefore accompanied by the graces that make it possible, in any situation and with the cooperation of man - or it is conceived as a human choice and product, which can be vain.

In the same way, one often hears the statement that for the Church this is a purely disciplinary matter; but does that mean that it has no justification other than an imposed decision, that there is lacking in the history of theology or spirituality a conviction that it is a way of life theologically rooted in the very essence of the priesthood?

On the other hand, it should be remembered that the celibate form of the Christian vocation is not exclusive to the priesthood, but also accompanies the consecrated life and the vocational journey of many lay people.

In short, there are so many aspects of this issue that it would have been impossible to deal with them exhaustively. But the following pages do offer an interesting and useful overview and a wealth of information. The main arguments are outlined, thanks to the contributions of experienced and competent authors.

His articles are completed with brief notes on the teachings of recent Popes and the most significant documents of the Church's Tradition, as well as references to some places where the subject can be further explored. It is not in vain that, in the words of St. Paul VI, it is a question of "a precious gift of Christ to his Church, a gift that needs to be constantly meditated upon and strengthened"..

Buy ebook

The ebook can be purchased here.

The authorOmnes

Celibacy

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Christ always present: a story of conversion

A young student tells his testimony of conversion after a few years away from the faith, his family and his friends.

Louis Ricapet-January 3, 2024-Reading time: 4 minutes

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Years before writing this essay, I led a very ordinary life with my French Christian family with whom I grew up all my life. I was baptized very early, at the age of 2, and I followed the religious teachings that had been instilled in me throughout my childhood. However, when I reached the age of 17, 3 years ago, I realized that I knew nothing of what faith was.

Like many people who call themselves Christians, during my childhood I went to church very often, prayed almost every evening and loved to read a lot of religious books. Throughout this childhood I learned many things about the Christian faith, through catechism from the age of 10 to 13 and from my family, I made Communion and then received Confirmation. Deep down I thought I knew God and that was the basis of my faith. In reality, my faith consisted more of going to church, praying the same thing every night and going to catechism classes. This relationship was obviously fragile, and this fragility had consequences later on.

In the distance

1 year later, at the age of 14, my father died and after that everything was very different. I didn't pray anymore, I had no motivation to go to church, I didn't even take time to read the Bible or other religious texts. What was happening was my first fall in faith. Months later I tried to gradually resume my prayer habits, but something was wrong, it was not like before.

This situation lasted 3 years, during these three years I only prayed when I felt the need and no longer to establish a relationship with God. The truth was that, deep down, I did not know anything about my creator, who he was, why we are on earth... So many questions I asked myself without even wanting to look for the answers.

At the age of 17 I started to discover what life was really about, I am talking about the adult problems that we started to understand, I started to make my first big mistakes and the first difficult decisions of my life. A dark period in my life in which a light appeared in the most unexpected way possible.

Christ reappears

In 2017 I discovered the Tiktok app, like any teenager I installed this app and used it daily. Before long my news feed was filling up with Christian videos, people sharing their experiences, their testimonies as well as their advice. Without me expecting it, I started to realize through other people that I didn't know anything about what faith was. I learned a lot of verses, prayers and new perspectives to understand certain passages of the Bible that I didn't understand before, and little by little God came back into my life, in the most unexpected way possible.

A few months later I felt God begin to act in my life, I felt His presence for the first time in various ways, from people He put in my life to videos that spoke to my specific situation every time I opened the Tiktok application. At that moment I sincerely felt my faith being strengthened, but what was it really?

Far from God, far from home

Two years later, at the age of 19, I made the hardest decision of my life: to leave my family and everything I knew to live in the United States and realize my dream. I decided to settle in Florida for 8 months. These 8 months would be the hardest of my life. Five months after settling in, the loneliness, the lack of loved ones and the distance from my friends made me fall into one of the worst periods of my life, and obviously my faith was impacted.

I could no longer pray, I slept and ate little, to this was added that I no longer had college due to a failed exam, and at that moment I had the impression that everything was going against me, nothing was going well. However, I had that voice, deep inside me, that reassured me, whispering that I should not worry anymore and that everything would return to normal. Since I had no other solution but to find a new university as soon as possible, I searched and found a new university, but day after day new problems arose.

The miracle

A week before the deadline I had before I had to return to my home country, France, I was missing an answer from a member of the university admissions, a wait that lasted months. This answer was decisive for my life and for this dream I had been following. As problems loomed over me, I suddenly decided to pray, to pray from the depths of my heart as I had not done for months. That day, a miracle happened in my life, after praying from the depths of my heart, I received an email the same day, with the answer I was waiting for.

A few days later, almost, I had the impression that all the problems I had at that moment could be solved in an instant. I understood at that moment that my Father, Jesus Christ, had never abandoned me, it was He who had made me understand that I should not worry anymore, He simply wanted me to ask Him for things and from that day on, I know that no matter how many trials, how many times I will have to face whatever happens, He will always be there, and in me forever.

In conclusion, what I would like to convey with this essay is not so much my journey as a message of hope for anyone who feels empty inside having forgotten the power of his Creator, the Father of all. If we listen to Him from the depths of our hearts, He will guide us to the wonderful plan He has prepared for us. The main thing is to trust Him and entrust your life to Him. The process is not easy but what awaits us can only be happiness and peace.

The authorLouis Ricapet

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Silvio Ferrari: "Respect for diversity must start with religions".

Pope prays for the "gift of diversity in the Church".

In January 2024, Pope Francis' prayer intention is for Catholics to pray for "the diversity of charisms in the Church."

Paloma López Campos-January 2, 2024-Reading time: < 1 minute

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This first month of 2024, Pope Francis asks Catholics not to be afraid "of the diversity of charisms in the Church". The Holy Father encourages in his January video to "rejoice in living this diversity," which has been present since "the first Christian communities."

Francis affirms that "to advance along the path of faith we also need ecumenical dialogue" with other religious confessions and different Christian denominations. The Pontiff emphasizes that these conversations cannot be seen as "something that confuses or bothers, but as a gift that God gives to the Christian community so that it may grow as one body, the Body of Christ".

To live this gift, we must allow ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit, the Pope explains. Thanks to him, we remember "that above all we are God's beloved children. We are all equal in God's love and all different.

For this reason, Francis commends Catholics to pray that the Holy Spirit "will help us to recognize the gift of different charisms within Christian communities and to describe the richness of the different ritual traditions within the Catholic Church."

This intention The Holy Father's message comes just in the month in which the Octave for Christian Unity is celebrated. Precisely the motto for the octave of this year 2024 is "You shall love the Lord your God... And your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27).

The full video with the Pope's prayer intention can be seen below:

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Vocations

Asitha Sriyantha: "Training is key to address the challenges of our mission".

Asitha Sriyantha is a native of Sri Lanka. He is now in Pamplona, completing his theological and philosophical formation. From a Catholic family, she studied in a Buddhist school where she was able to explain to her classmates her desire to surrender to God.

Sponsored space-January 2, 2024-Reading time: 3 minutes

His full name is Asitha Sriyantha Lakmal, Kekulu Thotuwage Don. This Sri Lankan seminarian is very clear that his preparation prior to the priesthood is key to the exercise of a fruitful and joyful ministry.

What was your path to the seminary?

-Since my childhood I have had the desire to become a priest. I come from a devout Catholic family, with parents who actively participate in parish activities. Thanks to them, I grew in faith and in my relationship with God. I studied elementary school in the school next to the parish church. It was normal for me to serve at the morning mass.

In high school, I attended a Buddhist school. Many times, when teachers asked us about our ambition, my only answer was: "I want to be a priest." My teachers and friends did not understand. Later, when I explained it to them, they understood my desire a little better and even encouraged me.

At the age of sixteen I entered the minor seminary of St. Aloysius in Colombo. After three years of formation in the minor seminary, I entered the propaedeutic seminary. I did three years of philosophical studies at Our Lady of Lanka National Seminary, Kandy and now I am able to study Theology in Pamplona thanks to CARF Foundation.

How did your family experience the announcement of your vocation?

-At first, my father was not very happy that I entered the seminary, because I am the only son. Now he is proud to have a son preparing to become a priest. My mother is a very devout Catholic, from whom I always learn to pray, and my only sister is always there for whatever is needed. My grandmother lives with us in our home and I admire the simple faith she has. My relatives and friends are happy because I am the first one to become a priest. I hope and pray that some of my relatives will choose this wonderful path of life, to become a priest.

What does the Church in Asia bring to the world?

-Asia is incredibly diverse, with numerous ethnicities, languages and cultural practices.

The Church in Asia contributes to the rich tapestry of Christianity in various ways, reflecting the diverse cultures, traditions, religions and histories of the continent. Indeed, the Church in Asia often embraces and integrates this diversity, fostering a sense of unity in the midst of differences. Asia is home to several major religions, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and others.

The Church in Asia participates in interreligious dialogue, promoting mutual understanding and cooperation among people of different religions, contributing to peace. In many Asian countries Christians carry out their mission in peace and freedom, but in others there are situations of violence and persecution.

Now that you live with young people from other cultures, how has your perspective on the Church changed?

-More than changing, it is expanding. In Sri Lanka, we experienced the local Church. But at Bidasoa International College, where I live in Pamplona, the universality of the Catholic Church is palpable. We may be different with our cultures and languages, but we are one in our faith.

God willing, we will be ordained priests and we will be serving in different parts of the world, but our life is one and we serve one Master. Our thoughts and ideas may differ, but we work together and walk together towards one goal.

What are the challenges for a young priest today?

-I am not yet a priest, but I believe that every priest must fulfill his mission in the face of the thinking of the modern world. Many societies are becoming more and more secular. It is a challenge for priests to engage and attract the interest of the younger generation. There are problems similar to those of previous generations and others that are more specific to the present.

Formation is very important to find innovative ways to address these challenges and to serve actively in the divine mission. If we build on faith in ourselves, we will never bear the fruit that God wants, but if we seek God's grace and guidance, maintaining a close relationship with Him, life will be fruitful and there will be abundant fruit.

CARF

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Brock Martin: "Young people are the future leaders of the Church"

In this interview, Brock Martin talks about the community that is created during the SEEK event, young people as the future of the Church and the commitment of Catholics to the people around them.

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Brock Martin is senior director of Regional Evangelization of FOCUS. Being a young father himself, he is aware of the potential of young people to spread the Gospel. He knows that they are full of vitality and that "they long to be part of something bigger than themselves".

Brock Martin, director of regional evangelization at FOCUS

That's why he collaborates with the SEEK organization and knows first-hand the important details of the event. In this interview, he talks about the community that is created during the five days of the meeting, the youth as the future of the Church and the commitment of Catholics to the people around them.

What is the origin of SEEK and why is it oriented towards young people?

- FOCUS has hosted annual conferences since the very beginning in 1998. In 2013, the name, SEEK, was adopted and it really has become an amazing hub for leaders in the new evangelization to encounter tens of thousands of young people who are asking life's deeper questions. While there will be many participants from all age groups and demographics, young people remain the focal point as they are the future leaders in the Church and in the world.

Thanks to these events, you can be in contact with the youth of the U.S. What do young people miss, what are they looking for?

- I think young people today are starving for authentic connection, and the pandemic exacerbated this! Many of the institutions young people interact with are simply trying to sell them something. At SEEK, people aren't "sold" something, rather they are invited into the dynamic adventure of following the person of Jesus Christ. It reminds me of the great St. Augustine quote, " To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure, and to find him the greatest human achievement." Young people crave being a part of something bigger than just themselves and at SEEK, they will see and hear that invitation clearly.

One of SEEK's mottos is "Be the light". What does it mean and why is it important?

- The motto "be the light" flows from Jesus' words in Matthew 5 where he tells his followers "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden" We live in a day and age where we are often told that our faith must remain relegated to our private lives and shouldn't affect our public lives. Unfortunately, this has led to many problems as people separate their faith from their practice.

At SEEK, we will be reminded of the truth that God desires not just a part of our lives but our "whole" lives and it is contagious! Watching thousands of people commit to following the Lord inspires others to do the same, and when they go back home they can bring that light with them to others in their communities.

How do you achieve a sense of community when you bring together thousands of young people?

- Evangelization should be relational because human beings are relational. Community can be difficult to foster with so many attending, but community is fostered at SEEK in two ways.

First, ideally nobody would attend SEEK alone. Throughout history we know that saints come in clusters and journeying with friends is always more fruitful than journeying alone. Second, What happens at SEEK should notstay at SEEK!

The hope would be that SEEK provides the tools and encouragement to go home and begin or continue to live missionary discipleship with those you know and love at home. This is true whether you are returning to a campus as a student or a parish as a parishioner.

What is the focus of the event? What is the most important thing when you organize it?

- The focus of SEEK is to provide attendees with a powerful encounter with the Jesus Christ who is alive and active, and to inspire them to take that encounter home and live as missionary disciples with new fervor.

The most important thing when organizing the conference is to make sure we are getting out of the way and letting the Holy Spirit drive what happens in each individual's heart. We believe and have come to know that God desires to captivate hearts more than we ever could. We are called to set up an environment where he can work and then we step aside and let it happen!

How do you find the balance between making an event entertaining and maintaining God's presence?

- This balance is extremely important. Some people have said in the past that it is a sin to bore somebody with the gospel. We hope to create an environment that is entertaining and attractive to anyone. However, merely trying to entertain the audience would fall short of the larger purpose of the event, which as I said is to provide attendees with powerful encounters and inspire them to take that home.

We try to balance this by bringing in world-class speakers and entertainment, but the focus of the event remains bringing people together and placing them in God's presence. This is most notable on night 3 where there will be several hours of adoration and worship music all at the feet of Jesus in the Eucharist.

There are many renowned speakers at SEEK, what criteria do you follow to choose the people who participate and give the talks?

- At SEEK we are blessed to welcome so many renowned speakers. At its core, our vetting process starts with our main goals for the event: will this speaker help provide attendees with a powerful encounter with God? Will they help inspire people to take this home and live it out? Furthermore, the world offers people today so many cheap alternatives to the Gospel.

We want those speaking at SEEK to be able to wade into some of the typical questions people are asking and to provide a distinctly catholic way of responding to the issues facing humanity today.

For many young people participating in SEEK the event will be an experience that touches their hearts, what do you expect of them as Catholics who then take to the streets across the country?

- Three key takeaways I hope every attendee receives, in whatever way God is calling them, are: Divine Intimacy, Authentic Friendship, and Clarity and Conviction about living as a missionary disciple.

Regarding divine intimacy, I pray that each and every attendee walks away with the desire to cultivate a daily prayer life and receives the tools and encouragement to take the next step, regardless of where they are.

For authentic friendship, I hope people experience a taste of what it looks like when people commit to living as saints and doing so together. God created us as social creatures and our hearts long to be known, loved, and cared for.

And finally, I hope each attendee hears that, due to their baptism, they are called to be missionary disciples themselves. This isn't a "rule" the Church gives us but an overflow from what God is doing in our hearts. If attendees walk away with these three things then SEEK will have been a success!

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Exchange between the divine and the human. Christmas Preface III

The third Christmas Preface is the result of a reworking of a text found in the Veronese Sacramentary and probably dating from the fifth century, possibly by Leo the Great. Christmas is the mystery of that "marvelous exchange": God assumed human nature so that we could participate in the divine nature.

Giovanni Zaccaria-January 2, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

Christmas Philosophy

The third Preface of Christmas is, as a whole, strongly Christological and is affected by the polemics of the time in which it was composed. It is a strong affirmation of the true faith against AriansApollinarians, Apollinarians, Docetists, etc.

"Per quem hódie commércium nostræ reparatiónis effúlsit, quia, dum nostra fragílitas a tuo Verbo suscípitur, humána mortálitas non solum in perpétuum transit honórem, sed nos quoque, mirándo consórtio, reddit ætérnos."
In Him [today] shines forth in full light the sublime exchange that has redeemed us: our weakness is assumed by the Word, our mortal nature is raised to eternal dignity, and we, united to you in marvelous communion, participate in your immortal life.
Christmas Preface III

The Mystery of Christmas is presented here with the pair of terms commercium-consortium: Christmas is the mystery of this "marvelous exchange":

"O admirable commercium! Creator generis humani, animatum corpus sumens, de Virgine nasci dignatus est; et procedens homo sine semine, largitus est nobis suam deitatem - O marvelous commercium! The Creator took a soul and a body, he was born of a Virgin; made man without the work of man, he gives us his divinity' [Ant. of Vespers in the Octave of Christmas]" (CCC, 526).

The heart of the Christian message at Christmas

After all, this is the heart of the Christian message: that admirable exchange between the divine and the human, thanks to which God assumed human nature so that we could participate in the divine nature. An unequal exchange, brought about by love, the supreme gift of grace.

And at the same time the Mystery of Christmas is consortium, participation, communion. "By the Incarnation, the Son of God united himself in a certain way to every man" (GS, 22).

Concreteness of the Redemption for each person

Around this pair of terms revolves the entire text of the prayer, which gives thanks to God for the gift received with a series of antithetical parallels: thanks to our frailty being assumed by the Word of God, human mortality is not only elevated to perpetual dignity, but each of us is also made eternal.

One perceives in these expressions the desire to underline the concreteness of redemption for each individual person: it is not only humanity in the abstract that is the object of sublime honor, but every human being acquires the immortality that comes from God.

The authorGiovanni Zaccaria

Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Rome)

Christmas

Christmas Philosophy

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Vocations

Carter Griffin: "Celibacy is life-giving"

Carter Griffin, seminary director and author of "Why Celibacy? Reclaiming the Spiritual Fatherhood of the Priest" talks in this interview about the essence of celibate self-giving and the impact this lifestyle has on today's society.

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Priest Carter Griffin is the rector of St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington. While at Princeton University he converted to Catholicism and, after serving as a naval officer, entered the seminary.

For years he has been speaking on issues of anthropology and theology, aware that currently "there is a lot of confusion", something that of course also reaches celibacy. In order to shed light and theological depth on this aspect, he wrote his book on Theology of Celibacy."Why celibacy?: Reclaiming the Fatherhood of the Priest".

In this interview he develops some of the most important points for understanding spiritual paternity, the meaning of celibacy and its value inside and outside the Catholic Church.

What does supernatural fatherhood exactly mean?

– Supernatural fatherhood is living life in the order of grace, which means that you are a part of souls being nourished in grace. It’s healing, protecting, feeding… All those aspects that you find in natural fatherhood and motherhood can be found in supernatural fatherhood.

Some people may be surprised to find the idea of priesthood and fatherhood linked, how are these concepts related?

– I think it’s also probably a language thing, because in English we usually call the priest “father”. So even though people haven’t really thought through why they call them “father”, there is this understanding that priests are fathers. I guess it is a little bit more of a shock for people who don’t have that custom, and believe it or not, that custom in English speaking countries is not even two hundred years old.

Fatherhood and motherhood is really about giving life to others. And ordinarily, we do that in a biological and natural way. But there’s still, for human beings an immortal soul that is generated and that requires an act of God. So just as the mother and father come together to generate a third through the agency of God, so too in the order of grace we generate others. The celibacy of the priest enables him to live a life completely dedicated to that level of fatherhood, of generating life in the order of grace.

What we are made for is to love as human beings,and that love is supposed to be fruitful. Every human being is called to have fruitful love. And so even if people are not married, they are still called to have that kind of love. And the way that the priest does that is through living that kind of spiritual fatherhood.

Celibacy is today a choice that is considered radical, just as it was in Jesus' time, since it was strange for a rabbi or teacher to be unmarried. Do you think that those who say that celibacy is unnatural are partly right?

– I wouldn’t be unnatural in a negative way, it doesn’t do harm to our nature. But it is supernatural. It’s something we are not normally capable of living without grace.

Having said that, I also wanna kind of modify it a little bit, because there have always been people in History that did not get married. They weren’t necessarily celibate for the Kingdom, maybe they were taking care of other people or never found a spouse.

We always see sex and marriage through the lense of sexual revolution, which sort of sees these as an indispensable human need, which is just not true. People can live perfectly good lives, whether or not they are married.

So, on the one hand it is a supernatural vocation to live in the order of grace. On the other hand I think we make so much of the role of sex in the modern world that we forget that people can live a perfectly satisfied and good life without sex in it.

Does celibacy have the same value today as it had in the early days of the Church?

– I would say as much or more. In the early Church many saw celibacy as a way of continuing that complete give of self, which was martyrdom. And after Christianity became legal, you started to have groups of men and women that we would now call religious or consecrated life. There is a piece of History there.

But I think that something that connects us with the early Church culturally is a real misunderstanding about the human person. There's anthropological confusion today, related to what makes a man or a woman, sex, the meaning of marriage… There is a lot of confusion about what it means to have a healthy integrated sexuality, just like there was back then. And I think that what celibacy does when it’s well lived is that it helps to dethrone the idolatry of sex.

One of the reasons why I think that celibate priests and women are so threatening in a way to our culture today is not because they are particularly interested in whether I get married or not, it’s because if it’s true that you can live a fulfilling life without sex, then it dismantles one of the key ingredients of the sexual wisdom of today.

Apart from all the other reasons of supernatural fatherhood and all of that, just on a sociological level celibacy teaches something that is indispensable for people today. So we can recover the true dignity of the human person, which is that we are not animals craving the next sexual experience, we are sons and daughters of God. Celibacy has a unique way of helping to restore that.

Is celibacy important in the Catholic Church?

– Yes. The main reason would be at the supernatural level I talked about earlier. Celibacy is ordered to the good of the members of the Church. Celibacy has a really strong order to the building up of the Kingdom of God.

You are a seminary rector, how do you help students understand and integrate celibacy into their lives?

– An important part is understanding that celibacy is not ordered to just growing in discipline or having more time available, but that is something really life-giving. The way we form our virtues of celibacy and supernatural fatherhood are very similar to the way that we should be forming virtues for a natural husband and father.

If you think about the virtues that make a really good husband and father, they are the exact same for the priest. When we put this in the context not of merely ascetism or discipline, but we put it in the context of love, what it means is that so much of our formation happens of natural formation.

I would say that there is a sense of availability in the celibate heart, but it’s different from the availability of time. It’s more like an emotional availability. A husband and father should be, first of all, available to his wife and children, and then other people get what’s left. Whereas for a celibate person, they can focus on whoever is coming.

You wrote the book “Why Celibacy? Reclaiming the Fatherhood of the Priest”. Can you explain the main idea of the book?

– The original idea came from my doctoral dissertation, which I wrote on supernatural fatherhood and celibacy. That topic came around because I went to Rome to do my doctorate and my original idea had to do with John of Ávila and his influence in the Council of Trent. But the two people that could’ve directed that dissertation both had just retired, so I needed to find a new topic. I contacted a priest friend of mine who had worked with Pope Benedict and I asked him what he thought the Pope would want me to write on. He immediately said the theology of celibacy. Pope Benedict had in his mind that there was a real need for a deeper understanding and awareness of the theology of celibacy.

Then the idea of turning the dissertation into a book came about. I think there is a really superficial understanding of celibacy, so having something that can give a little bit more of a theological underpinning for it was really the goal.

If you could give us three main short ideas about what celibacy actually is, what would they be?

– Celibacy is first of all a way of foregoing marriage and human love and sexuality, for the sake of a higher love.

Celibacy is a witness to a reality beyond ourselves and above ourselves. It’s a witness to the fact that God exists and that we have another life that we are living for.

And I think that celibacy is something that helps us, those who are celibate, give ourselves more completely. It’s not just for the people that we serve, but also for us, to expand our hearts.

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Saint Mary, "cathedral of God" and teacher of prayer

Pope Francis has focused his first interventions of 2024 on St. Mary, who teaches us to pray and to be "builders of unity."

Paloma López Campos-January 1, 2024-Reading time: 3 minutes

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Pope Francis made his last public address of 2023 during the celebration of the Vespers of the Solemnity of St. Mary, Mother of God. The Holy Father noted that Christians can live the end of a year with "hope and gratitude", thanks to "faith in Jesus Christ".

The Pope explained that worldly hope and gratitude are different from those of the Christian. The former "lack the essential dimension which is the relationship with the Other and with others, with God and with our brothers and sisters".

In order not to live these virtues in a humanistic way alone, Francis explained that the Church has to learn from the Virgin Mary. She "has always been full of love, full of grace, and for this reason she is also full of trust and hope".

Saint Mary and the Christian's hope

The Holy Father explained that this way of living is not optimism, but something else. "It is faith in God who is faithful to his promises. This faith takes the form of hope in the dimension of time." In short, it implies that "the Christian, like Mary, is a pilgrim of hope." Precisely for this reason, the theme of the Jubilee of 2025 will be "Pilgrims of Hope".

To prepare for the Jubilee, Francis proposed dedicating 2024 to prayer. He pointed to St. Mary as the best teacher to "live every day, every moment, every occupation with our inner gaze turned towards Jesus."

The Pope continued to deepen the figure of Our Lady during the Mass on January 1. During the homily he stressed that "at the beginning of the time of salvation is the Holy Mother of God, our holy Mother".

Francis underscored the title "Mother of God," because it expresses "the joyful certainty that the Lord, tender Child in his mother's arms, has united himself forever to our humanity, to the point that it is no longer ours alone, but also his." This, the Pope said, is not only a dogma of faith, "it is also a 'dogma of hope'; God in man and man in God, forever."

Mother's Creativity

The Holy Father took this opportunity to vindicate the role of women in the Church, which "needs Mary to rediscover its own feminine face". But not only the Church, "the world also needs to look to mothers and women to find peace". Francis said that "every society needs to welcome the gift of women, of every woman: to respect her, to care for her, to value her, knowing that whoever hurts a woman profanes God, born of woman".

The Pontiff ended his homily by asking us to "look to Mary to be builders of unity" and to learn from her "creativity as a Mother, who cares for her children, gathers them together and consoles them, listens to their sorrows and wipes away their tears".

The Pope also dedicated the Angelus January 1 to the Virgin Mary. However, during his reflection he noted "the silence of the Mother", a "beautiful trait". Thanks to "her silence and humility, Mary is the first 'cathedral' of God, the place where He and man can meet".

Wishes for 2024

At the end of the meditation, the Holy Father prayed that "at the beginning of the new year let us look to Mary and, with a grateful heart, let us also think and look to mothers, to learn that love that is cultivated above all in silence, that knows how to give space to others, respecting their dignity, leaving them free to express themselves, rejecting every form of possession, oppression and violence."

Finally, Pope Francis expressed his wish for 2024: that "we may grow in this meek, silent and discreet love that generates life, and open paths of peace and reconciliation in the world."

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Omnes arrives at SEEK24

In this edition of SEEK24, Omnes is attending as a sponsor. During the next few days, you will be able to participate in the activities organized by Omnes at Booth #1816.

Omnes-January 1, 2024-Reading time: < 1 minute

SEEK24 has started and this time Omnes is participating as a sponsor. Over the next few days, attendees will be able to come to booth #1816 to take part in live conversations with people in the Holy Land.

Thanks to the help of CRETIO Voices, Omnes will set up a call at noon on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th with different people living in the Holy Land to discuss current issues.

On January 2, the live conversation will focus on Christians in the land of Jesus, and the relationship with other religious confessions. In addition, they will delve into the importance of the Holy Land for all Catholics.

On January 3, the call will have a strong interfaith character, as a connection will be established between Christians, Jews and Muslims. They, too, will tell those present what daily life is like in the land of Christ.

On January 4 Omnes will connect with people in the Holy Land who will talk about the connection we have with the Bible and its essential role in the life of every Catholic.

Don't miss the opportunity to connect with our friends in the Holy Land during SEEK24! We look forward to seeing you at booth #1816 from January 2-4 at noon.

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The World

Voices from the Holy Land: Testimonies of the War

The international media have long been reporting on the situation in the Holy Land. To better understand the complex reality, two women living there, one Israeli and one Muslim, give their testimony.

Paloma López Campos-January 1, 2024-Reading time: 7 minutes

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It is difficult to understand what is currently happening in the Holy Land. The complexity of the historical, political and social context is coupled with the impartiality of the media and the difficulty of finding reliable sources that shed some light on what is really happening.

Often, the best thing to do when you want to find information is to ask the people on the ground. That's why Omnes, in partnership with CRETIO Voices, has interviewed two women from the Holy Land, one Jewish and one Muslim, and asked them about what is happening.

Testimony from the Israeli side comes from Sarah Sassoon, a Jewish mother, writer and researcher at Bar Ilan University. On the Muslim side, Omnes spoke with Ranin Jojas, an Arab woman who is involved in marketing and content creation, having been a teacher at the Polis institute for years.

The dialogue with both women focused on current events in the Holy Land, the media's approach and the lessons that can be learned by society in the aftermath of the war.

Beginning and current status of the conflict

Sarah Sassoon, Israeli mother, author and researcher

On Saturday, October 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. Gunmen fired on the Israeli population, while thousands of rockets fell on people. Israel's response was almost immediate and the army bombed the Gaza Strip. Benjamin Netanyahu then reported that Israel was at war. Two days later, Gaza was under siege, causing a humanitarian crisis that still affects more than two million people.

When asked about the start of the conflict, Sarah Sassoon summarized what happened by explaining that "Israel was attacked on the Jewish holiday of 'Simchat Torah' on Saturday, October 7, by an army of between 2500 and 3000 Hamas terrorists". On that day, Sassoon continues, the attackers "killed 1200, kidnapped 240 and wounded more than 4500 Israelis."

In the aftermath of that October 7, Ranin Jojas describes the current situation as "frustrating, depressing and full of confusion," to the extent that Jerusalem has become "complicated, complex and unpredictable." The city is today "a gray zone where Palestinians do not know whether they will return home every day or not."

Ranin Jojas, marketing professional and Arabic content creator

In the streets of Jerusalem "the daily situation is the falling missiles" and "the funerals of soldiers who die every day," says Sarah Sassoon. Despite everything, the Israeli woman stresses, "the children go to school, and we try to keep things as normal as possible". In the end, what the inhabitants of the city are trying to do is "to hide our pain. We try to put on a brave face. We refuse to be victims, so we try to maintain a kind of routine punctuated by a lot of volunteering, visiting bereaved homes and supporting our neighbors and friends who are in distress."

Something similar is expressed by Jojas, who says that "routine is no longer really routine". The only thing they can now consider as routine is "the enormous number of wounded and dead". It is a situation that "is causing enormous damage to the mental health of each one of us. We are too exposed to live massacres".

Questions to the outside

Since the outbreak of the conflict, the international media have followed the steps taken by each of the parties. In turn, governments around the world have positioned themselves, provoking tensions in a diplomatic context already weakened by the war in Ukraine. Some have openly shown their support, while others deny it despite funding resources. However, the blocs seem relatively defined.

Among the countries supporting Israel there are the United States, Portugal, England, Norway and Australia. On the other hand, Palestine has the support of states such as Chile, Iran, Afghanistan, Algeria and Venezuela.

Both Ranin and Sarah confess to having doubts about the international reaction. The former high school teacher considers that "the most demanding question is how is it that all human rights and international law and the United Nations 'suddenly' can neither implement protection for the Palestinians nor indict Israel for its war crimes."

For her part, the Israeli mother thinks that Israel and its actions are being criticized "harshly". She thinks that "the facts are being ignored", that "anti-Semitism has increased and people freely protest calling for the death of Israel and the Jews". In the face of this, Sarah Sassoon asks, "where can Jews live in safety? Why is Israel being attacked for defending itself against new attacks like the one on October 7? Why aren't people angry at Hamas and the way it uses its people as a human shield?"

The media

Both women are of the opinion that the international media do not provide a complete picture of the conflict. The Israeli researcher believes that "the international media is overlooking the broader history of the Middle East." Relying on the theories of professors such as Gad Saad, she explains that "if the problem was land, this conflict would have been resolved with the UN Partition Plan in 1947. But Hamas's stated goal is to wipe Israel off the map." For the media to shed real light on the situation, she believes they need to "look at the broader issues and the deeper problems of the 'jihad,' rather than creating a binary story in which Israel is the strong aggressor and Hamas are freedom fighters."

Sassoon also highlights that not all Muslims see what is happening with the same eyes and not all agree with the October 7 attack. "In fact, the World Council of Imams in the first week of the war issued a 'fatwa' against Hamas and anyone who supports it, and the crown prince of Bahrain has openly condemned Hamas."

For her part, Ranin Jojas believes that "the vision of the international media is absolutely biased towards Israel's narrative, without any consideration for the narrative of the Palestinian people". She asserts that the people, everyone, should be given a voice through information. However, she believes, in everything related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, "the international media is the voice of the Israeli government. And not only that, but they hide information, giving a biased perspective, because the media "do not take into account the daily life of the cities outside Gaza".

Lights of hope

Despite the dreadfulness of the conflict, Ranin Jojas and Sarah Sassoon remain hopeful. The Arab content creator thinks there will be hope as long as "the Palestinians continue to believe first in their rights and then in having their own voice in the world." She also thinks it is important that "the world decides to raise its voice as they did with Ukraine".

On the other hand, the Israeli writer not only trusts in the end of the conflict, but hopes for "a vibrant and free Middle East that would take advantage of the cultural richness, knowledge and beauty that this part of the world has to offer". She thinks that "in this dream there is more love and creativity than hate and destruction," and that this is an idea shared by Israelis and Arabs alike.

However, Sassoon considers that in order to achieve this dream it is necessary "the acceptance by the Arabs of the Middle East of the Jewish State". Something that, despite its difficulty, has been reflected in reality in recent years, since Jews live in Israel "with two million Arabs, many of them peacefully and on an equal footing."

Lessons for the future

Still looking to the future, both the Muslim woman and the Jewish mother think there is room to learn from the conflict. Both believe that future generations, and today's society as a whole, can draw important lessons amid the chaos. Both call for common sense, not to be swayed by prejudices or unbiased opinions.

Ranin Jojas wants what is happening to encourage everyone to "educate themselves, to have a space for humanity, to doubt their previous resources and do their own research, and to summon the courage to talk, discuss and debate."

Sarah Sassoon says she would like "society to learn to use its heart wisely." In short, she says, "I want us to support coexistence, love and joy, not hate."

Information warfare

The war between Israel and Palestine is still raging. It is difficult to calculate the damage it is causing, as neither side provides information in a transparent manner. Nevertheless, it is estimated that the Hamas bloc has more than fourteen thousand casualties, thirty-six thousand wounded and seven thousand missing in the Gaza Strip alone. On the Israeli side, it appears that the death toll is over twelve hundred, seven thousand two hundred wounded and over two hundred kidnapped.

In addition, many foreign nationals have also died during the conflict. Especially during the first days several countries denounced the deaths, kidnappings or disappearances of people who were in the Holy Land at the time. From the United States, Thailand, Spain, Ireland or the Philippines, governments from all over the world raised their voices about the death of their citizens.

The situation became so dramatic at the end of November that the combatants had to agree to a temporary truce to allow access for medical supplies and food. During the cease-fire, hostages were also released from both Israel and Palestine.

The reality of what is happening in the Holy Land is difficult to see. Many voices denounce the media manipulation by the fighters, as well as the death of several journalists who were on the ground covering the events.

The core

In the testimonies of Ranin and Sarah, voices from the Holy Land are heard. They are voices involved in a conflict that mixes the religious with the political, the historical with the social. However, both testimonies emphasize that in the Holy Land what is being talked about is people, fallen soldiers, wounded children and separated families.

What is happening, beyond the destruction of a territory, affects thousands of people, and that is where the focus should be. This is what thousands of international organizations that are trying to alleviate the harsh effects of the combat are asking for. They are joined by many members of different religious denominations, including the Pope, who has been calling for peace since the beginning of the conflict.

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Celibacy, and SEEK-USA congress, in the January issue of Omnes magazine

The January 2024 issue of the printed magazine Omnes delves into the topic of celibacy with competent authors and notes on the teaching of the Popes and the Tradition of the Church. It also addresses the SEEK congress, a Catholic event with thousands of young people being held in January in the United States, the ten years of Pope Francis, and the Omnes Forum on the thought of Ratzinger.

Francisco Otamendi-January 1, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes

One of the topics that usually generates most interest in the Catholic Church is celibacy, which Omnes magazine addresses in its January 2024 dossier with the contributions of experienced and competent authors, the arguments that are put forward, and the teaching of recent Popes and the Tradition of the Church.

The dossier takes into account that the celibate form of the Christian vocation is not exclusive to the priesthood, but also accompanies the consecrated life and the vocational journey of many lay people.

The "synthesis report" on the first Roman phase of the recent Universal Synod on Synodality placed the celibacy of priests as one of the "questions to be faced". This issue of Omnes aims to contribute to this more detailed study, and includes articles that approach it from various perspectives.

SEEK Congress with young people in Missouri

SEEK is one of the largest Catholic events in the United States. Each year, thousands of young people gather for several days to foster intimacy with Christ and grow in community with the whole Church.

Brock Martin, FOCUS member and regional evangelism director, told Omnes about the main parameters of the congress, which takes place January 1-5 in St. Louis, Missouri (USA). This year's attendees are expected to exceed the 2023 figure: more than 19,000 people.

Last year's congress was attended by 1,000 parishes, more than 500 priests and 24 bishops, with the participation of 386 university campuses.

Pope Francis' tenth year in 12 steps

Twelve holy cards for 10 years of Pope Francis is another of Omnes' January themes. 87 years of age, 54 years of priesthood, 10 years of pontificate. The last twelve months of pontiff have been marked by various international trips, including World Youth Day in Lisbon and a visit to two African countries (DR Congo and South Sudan), Hungary and Mongolia. In addition, the first Roman phase of the Synod on Synodality, and new documents, such as the encyclical Laudate Deum.

The issue also contains a synthesis of the Pope's catechesis on the passion for the evangelizationThe theme to which he has dedicated 29 general audiences in 2023.

Ratzinger's thought

In December, an Omnes Forum was held with the participation of Professor Pablo Blanco, an expert in the thought of Benedict XVI and recipient of the Ratzinger Prize 2023 by the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation. The theme was Reason and faithwith a special analysis of the Regensburg speech.

In the January issue of Omnes you can find an extensive review of the Forum, whose colloquium was moderated by Juan Manuel Burgos, president of the Spanish Association of Personalism, and an interview with Professor Pablo Blanco.

St. Augustine, Teilhard de Chardin, Artificial Intelligence...

Among other topics, readers will find in this issue St. Augustine of Hippo, Juan Luis Lorda's analysis of the French Jesuit thinker Teilhard de Chardin, current challenges regarding Artificial Intelligence, the work of the British priest Peter Walters in caring for children in the streets of Medellin (Colombia), or Eugenio d'Ors.

The content of this magazine is available to Omnes subscribers. The January 2024 issue of Omnes is now available in its digital version for Omnes subscribers. In the next few days, it will also arrive at the usual address of those who have this type of subscription. subscription.

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

Omnes Magazine

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Pamela Godoy: Passion for promoting and defending life

Pamela Godoy defines herself as "a spoiled daughter of God". This Guatemalan lover of life and family combines her professional work with training in family and life and action in defense of the unborn and most vulnerable.

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Pamela Godoy defines herself as "a spoiled daughter of God". This Guatemalan lover of life and family combines her professional work with her training in family and life and action in defense of the unborn and most vulnerable. Raised in a family of strong convictions, her faith is for her a driving force for her multiple tasks.

When asked about her life and studies, Pamela emphasizes that she has a degree in Business Engineering, in which she graduated "Magna Cum Laude" from Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala in 2014. She also studied a postgraduate degree in International Trade (2016) and holds a Master's degree in Engineering and Innovation Management (2019) from Universidade Federal do ABC in São Paulo, Brazil. During his working life he has held positions in multinational companies such as Colombina, Procter & Gamble and United Way Guatemala. Currently, he serves as Go-to-Market Manager, in the corporate accelerator of a multinational cement company, Progreso X.

Her restlessness to do something more, especially in the field of promotion and defense of life and marriage, led her to do the Diploma in Culture of Life of the International Institute Together for Life (Juvid) in 2019 in the XXI promotion. She has belonged to Juvid since the end of 2019 and for the last 3 years she has been acting as coordinator of that diploma course. Additionally, she studied a Diploma in Family Pastoral from the Catholic University John Paul II of Managua and the Integral Pro-Life Course of the Hispano-American Academy of Politics and Culture.

His life in faith

Pamela points out that she was born in a Catholic home: "I was baptized on February 25, 1990 at St. Anthony Mary Claret Parish in Guatemala, and my godparents were my uncles Plinio Eduardo and Ana Lucrecia Cortes Urioste. Right there, on September 12, 1999, I received the Holy Eucharist for the first time in my First Communion".

his life of faith was linked, in his early youth, to the San Cayetano parish in Guatemala City. In 2002, she learned of the existence of a youth group, Mi Aventura con Cristo, in this parish and began to attend. There, she says, "I was an animada [member/participant] for two years and in 2004, they made me animadora [leader]. I was the advisor [coordinator] of the second stage (Adventure II: 13-17 years old). Being in Cuarto Magisterio (fourth year of high school), many of my friends were confirmed. However, I was not sure about taking such an important and decisive step. In Quinto Magisterio, I finally made up my mind and looked for a place where I could really get to know more about God and have a closer experience with Him.

That search led her to the Confirmation group of the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Guatemala City and "my experience in the group was so good that I decided to do the same for other young people and that is why I was a confirmation catechist for three years". Pamela has also participated as part of the facilitating team for the past 17 years in a retreat on the theme of the Exodus for graduates of the Belgian School. At one of these retreats she saw the testimony of Gianna Jessen, a survivor of a saline abortion and it changed her life: "God planted the seed of passion to promote and defend life from conception".

In favor of life

Pamela began participating in pro-life actions from conception, and in 2019 she organized a 7 Days for Life campaign in Santo André in São Paulo, Brazil. Upon her return to Guatemala, she met the person in charge of the 40 Days for Life, joined the peaceful vigils held twice a year, praying for unborn children or those at risk of being aborted. At that same time, she recalls, "I learned from a friend of mine about Juvid's Diploma in Culture of Life, where I was trained in relation to this topic and many more (euthanasia, gender ideology, feminism, among others). At Juvid, it was where I rediscovered Catholicism and fell in love with the riches of our Church!".

The legacy I would like to leave

Pamela states: "It is interesting to think about how one wants to transcend. I think I would like to leave my legacy along three lines: First, I would love (with much humility) that the people who have met me have been able to experience God through me, in a smile, a hug, a word or a look. Secondly, to be able to impact many people through education. Finally, I would like many people to know the truth of what is happening in our times regarding attacks on life and the family. We are called to be the saints of our times!"

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