The Vatican

The Order of Malta renews itself: new Constitutional Charter is promulgated

Following the crisis that originated in 2016 within the Order of Malta, Pope Francis has just promulgated the new constitution, while waiting for the General Chapter next January 2023 to confirm the normality of this long process.

Giovanni Tridente-September 6, 2022-Reading time: 5 minutes

Translation of the article into English

The first phase of an intricate affair involving the historic and widespread Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta (S.M.O.M.), known simply as the "Order of Malta" for several years, at least since 2016, has come to an end these days.

Pope Francis, in fact, with his own Decree that came into force on September 3, promulgated the new constitutional charter of the order and the corresponding Melitense Code, revoking at the same time the high offices and dissolving the Sovereign Council. The document is already available on the website of the organism.

Now begins the second phase that will lead the S.M.O.M. to an internal renewal that has taken at least seven years, and numerous vicissitudes, to identify the modalities with the new Constitution. The Pontiff himself has set January 25, 2023, feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, as the date for the Extraordinary General Chapter, which is to appoint the new leadership of the Order, including the Grand Master - vacant since 2020 following the death of Fra' Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto - according to a Regulation approved by the Pope.

In the meantime, a provisional Sovereign Council of 13 members has been constituted to assist the Pope's special delegate (Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi) and the Grand Master's lieutenant (Fra' John T. Dunlap), who is still in office, in the preparation of the General Chapter, which will be co-chaired by the latter.

The history of the Order

The Order of Malta has a secular history dating back to the first century of the second millennium. Since 1113 it has been recognized as a subject of international law and maintains diplomatic relations with more than 100 States, with the European Union and is a permanent observer at the United Nations.

It is a Catholic lay religious order operating in 120 countries, where it is mainly engaged in charitable, medical, social and humanitarian activities. It is organized into 11 Priories, 48 National Associations, 133 diplomatic missions, 33 relief corps and 1 international aid agency, in addition to managing numerous hospitals, medical centers and specialized foundations.

It was Pope Paschal II who officially recognized the monastic community of the "Opitalieri of St. John of Jerusalem" with the document Pie Postulatio Voluntatis, giving a weight of sovereignty and independence to that first monastic community that since half a century earlier (1048) had been caring for poor pilgrims in a hospital in Jerusalem, and transforming it into a lay religious order. The first leader and Grand Master was Blessed Fra' Gerard, a native of Scala, a few kilometers from Amalfi, in southern Italy.

The new Constitutional Charter incorporates the objectives of the Order, which refer mainly to the promotion of "the glory of God and the sanctification of its members" through the defense of the faith and attention to the poor and the suffering "in the service of the Holy Father". Its members are led "to be credible disciples of Christ" and the whole Order "bears witness to the Christian virtues of charity and fraternity".

The events of recent years

On several occasions, the Holy See has intervened with the Knights of Malta to affirm their identity and help them overcome crises, as Pope Francis reports in his latest decree. And this has also occurred during this pontificate, according to a series of vicissitudes that have represented an internal division of its members, which began with an initial defenestration of one of the previous grand chancellors (Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager) in December 2016.

At that time, the patronage of the order was entrusted to Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke (appointed by Pope Francis on November 8, 2014), who had already been a member since 2011. The purpose of this position is to represent the Pontiff and promote the spiritual interests of the order, as well as to maintain relations with the Holy See. The Grand Master of the Order was Fra' Matthew Festing.

At this juncture, between the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017, the first disagreements occurred, which would then lead in the following years to various measures of the Pontiff for a complete reorganization of the order and its relations with the Apostolic See.

The origin of the vicissitudes, as mentioned, goes back to the forced dismissal of Grand Chancellor Boaselager in early December 2016, accused of having distributed condoms during a humanitarian initiative in Myanmar in previous years. He has defended himself by claiming that he was unaware of the matter, which was decided at the local level, and that he intervened as soon as he became aware of it.

The then Cardinal Patronus had informed the Pope, probably to obtain his support for the decision to dismiss Grand Chancellor Boaselager, but it seems that in a letter addressed to Burke and the order, the Pontiff, while stressing the moral relevance of the question, had asked for a "dialogical" resolution to understand the reasons for the incident, without any particular shock. But this practice was not carried out. Then, a couple of missives from the Secretariat of State, signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, were addressed to the Grand Master to underline what the Pope had asked for: "dialogue on how to address and resolve any problem".

The Pope's request

At this point, a few weeks later, on December 22, 2016, the Pontiff created a first commission of inquiry to clarify the matter, of which the then Monsignor Silvano Maria Tomasi and the Jesuit canonist Gianfranco Ghirlanda, among others, were members, both now cardinals.

January 2017 saw a new stage in the affair, with the resignation of Grand Master Festing, a position usually for life, requested by the Pope after the order's leader himself opposed the papal commission, claiming full autonomy for the Knights of Malta and denying any collaboration.

The following month, Pope Francis, "in view of the extraordinary chapter that is to elect the new grand master" of the S.M.O.M., appoints as special delegate the then substitute for general affairs of the Secretariat of State, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, called to collaborate with the interim lieutenant "for the greater good of the order and reconciliation among all its components, religious and laity".

On May 2, 2018, Fra' Giacomo Dalla Torre, a balanced person and excellent mediator between sensitivities and internal conflicts, was elected grand master, but he died prematurely on April 29, 2020. In the meantime, the Pope had renewed Becciu's appointment to continue "the path of spiritual and juridical renewal" of the Order, but this process was interrupted by his resignation following the notorious "Palace of London" affair. He was succeeded on November 1, 2020 by Scalabrinian Silvano Maria Tomasi, with the task of continuing the office "until the conclusion of the process of updating the Constitutional Charter".

On November 11, 2020, the order elected by a large majority the new lieutenant grand master, Fra' Marco Luzzago, who also died of illness on June 8 of this year. The following week Pope Francis appointed the Canadian Fra' John Dunlap as the new lieutenant, acknowledging that the order is "living a new moment of consternation and uncertainty."

Months later, the order has concluded the constitutional reform process and is preparing to celebrate the extraordinary general chapter on January 25, with the hope of Pope Francis that the unity "and the greater good" of the S.M.O.M. can finally be safeguarded.

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EditorialOmnes

Holiness of the Church and the reality of sin

Editorial of issue 719 of the printed magazine. September 2022. 

The reality of sin is undeniable, but this does not mean that the Church ceases to be holy. Conjugating these two realities allows us to understand correctly the Creed's affirmation of the Church's holiness.

September 6, 2022-Reading time: 2 minutes

For some time now, society, and within it the Church, has been witnessing waves of information that fill it with perplexity and sadness in the face of serious scandals of various kinds, or less scandalous but not very exemplary behavior, or simply in the face of the sins and human failings of Christians. 

Of course, the baptized have more motives and more help to do good, and they should know more clearly the goal to which their condition as followers of Christ summons them, which is holiness. In particular, the duty of exemplarity is greater in those who in some way represent the Church publicly. 

As a first step, these situations make us aware that, as far as the possibilities of doing evil are concerned, all people are equal. But in addition, and in the first place, they must serve the baptized to become aware of the need to rectify one's conduct in many aspects, to convert and do penance, to have recourse to divine mercy, to have recourse to the grace offered in the sacrament of Confession; if one knows one's evident personal fallibility, all this is inseparable from the true desire to progress along the path of Jesus Christ. Sacred Scripture refers to human life as a "militia" in which each one struggles with himself. The holiness to which we are all called is not a reality that comes about automatically by the very fact of being "Catholic". Its crowning will come at the end, and it will be after a judgment in which each one will be tested by his works. 

What about the Church as such, that which we proclaim in the Creed as "holy"? 

In what sense have we used this expression since the early days of Christianity? Above all, is this attribution of "holiness" still valid today? After abuses, errors, etc., to what extent is this affirmation affected, or does it need to be corrected? Some feel an intellectual reaction similar to that of those who found it difficult to continue to speak of God after Auschwitz; others may think that holiness can be "demanded" of Catholics, as if the only possible Church were that of the pure; there will also be those who trust that the most appropriate disciplinary and juridical measures will solve the problems. 

Now, as Francis often explains, the reform of the Church, as far as it is appropriate and precisely in order to be effective, must begin with a reform of the hearts of each person.

The authorOmnes

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The Vatican

After 728 years, a Pope opens the holy door of the Celestinian Perdonanza

On August 28, Pope Francis visited L'Aquila to celebrate the feast of the "Perdonanza" created by Celestine V. We offer the first person account of one of the attendees.

Giancarlos Candanedo-September 5, 2022-Reading time: 5 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsPope Francis opens the Jubilee of "Forgiveness".Related NewsPope Francis and the message of forgiveness at Celestine V's tomb

We have heard of plenary indulgences and holy doors. However, few know that it was in a small town in central Italy that the tradition of granting plenary indulgence for devout participation in a liturgical celebration began in the year 1294. In that year in the city of L'Aquila, on the occasion of the liturgical memory of the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist and the beginning of his pontificate, Pope St. Celestine V granted by means of the bull "Inter sanctorum solemnia" the plenary indulgence to those who "sincerely repentant and confessed enter the church of St. Mary of Collemaggio from the eve of the vigil of the feast of St. John until the eve immediately following the feast". Since then, every year from August 29 to 30, the inhabitants of L'Aquila exercise with great devotion the right and grace granted to them by Pope Celestine V, a feast known as "Perdonanza Celestiniana".

Several pontiffs have passed through these lands of Abruzzo, including St. John Paul II and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, but it has taken 728 years for a Roman pontiff to expressly preside over this feast of forgiveness. Francis is the first pontiff to open the holy door of the Collemaggio so that thousands of faithful may benefit from the "Perdonanza".

The Feast of the Pardonanza

On Sunday, August 28, on the esplanade of the Basilica of St. Mary of Collemaggio, Francis presided at Holy Mass and celebrated the rite of the opening of the Holy Door. Together with his Archbishop, Card. Giuseppe Petrocchi, L'Aquila dressed up to welcome the Pope. From very early in the morning, despite the bad weather forecast and a dense fog, thousands of people came to the esplanade with the façade of the imposing basilica as a backdrop. In the atrium, a metal structure had been elegantly set up as a presbytery. To the right was a choir composed of hundreds of men and women who performed a beautiful repertoire. Thousands of booklets were distributed to follow the liturgical celebration and all the decorations and ornaments were designed with motifs and symbology of the Archdiocese of L'Aquila.

The Pope's visit was brief but intense. At 8.30 a.m. we heard the helicopter flying overhead that was bringing him from Rome, but due to the fog it was impossible to see him. There were some problems but finally, in the midst of the fog, a space of light opened up that allowed the helicopter to land and thus began the visit that was to end at noon.

With the victims of the earthquake

The first event was the Pope's greeting to families who were victims of the earthquake that destroyed a large part of L'Aquila on April 6, 2009 and in which 309 people died. The meeting took place in the Cathedral Square. It could also be followed on giant screens set up on the Collemaggio esplanade.

A smiling Francis, despite the ailments that force him to move around in a wheelchair, offered words of encouragement to those who have lost everything, including loved ones. He invited them not only to material reconstruction but also to spiritual reconstruction, but always together, "insieme", as they say in Italian. He was warmly reciprocated by the applause of those present and also by those of us who were in Collemaggio. Then, escorted by Card. Petrocchi, he inspected the reconstruction works of the Cathedral, still closed due to the damage caused by the earthquake. Immediately after, he moved to Collemaggio and entered the esplanade in the mobile pope, enthusiastically greeting all those present.

Holy Mass

At 10:00 a.m. the Holy Mass began. By then the fog had given way to a radiant sun that accompanied us throughout the celebration. The Mass was preceded by the Pope, although a large part of the liturgy was celebrated by Card. Petrocchi, due to Francis' limited mobility. In the homilycentered on humility - referring to Pope Celestine V - and forgiveness, Francis recalled that "everyone in life, without necessarily experiencing an earthquake, can, so to speak, experience an 'earthquake of the soul', which puts him in contact with his own fragility, his own limitations, his own misery".

He also said that in the midst of these miseries a space of light opens up, as happened to them in the helicopter, and that when we see this space we have to run towards it because they are the wounds of Christ that await us to purify us, to heal us, to forgive us. Finally, he encouraged the faithful of L'Aquila to make this city "a true capital of forgiveness, peace and reconciliation! 

Opening of the holy door

After the heartfelt words of thanks from Card. Petrocchi's heartfelt words of thanks to the Pope, he moved to the left side of the basilica to fulfill the rite of opening the holy door. Seated in his wheelchair before the ancient closed wooden door, Francis listened to the choir intoning the litany of the saints, after which he stood up, took a few steps to approach the door and received a wooden stick with which he hit hard, three times, the door that opened and where he prayed for a moment and then went through it to pray before the remains of St. Celestine V, located in the right side chapel of the basilica.

Thus the "Perdonanza Celestiniana" (Celestinian Forgiveness) remained open until the eve of August 30. Pope Francis left the basilica, said goodbye to the civil and ecclesiastical authorities and boarded a small white car that took him to the place where the helicopter was waiting to take him to Rome. 

Photo: The holy door of the basilica of Collemaggio. 

Extension of indulgence

Participating in this event and experiencing firsthand the faith, hope and pride of the citizens of L'Aquila for their land and traditions was a gift. And when we thought that the "Perdonanza" was over, Pope Francis surprised us. Through the Apostolic Penitentiary the Holy Father has extended the "Celestinian Pardon" for one year. That is to say that until August 28, 2023, all those who wish to do so can benefit from the Celestinian pardon by fulfilling the conditions established for this purpose: recite the Creed, the Our Father and a prayer according to the Pope's intentions, go to confession and receive communion within eight days before or after participating in a rite in honor of Celestine V, or after praying before his remains in the basilica of Collemaggio.

Getting to know this part of Italy of great natural beauty was the occasion to gain the plenary indulgence. Thousands will be able to do the same this year.      

The authorGiancarlos Candanedo

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Latin America

Chile decided on a new Constitution

60% of Chileans have voted against the proposed Constitution. A result that shows that Chile does not want a Constitution that drastically breaks with the political, cultural and values tradition of the country.

Pablo Aguilera-September 5, 2022-Reading time: 4 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsWhat is happening in Chile? At the gates of a constituent referendumRelated NewsChile: "It is necessary to promote Christian values in the new Fundamental Charter".Related NewsChile: triumph for religious freedom

Chile, October 2020: in a plebiscite, 78 % of Chileans voted for a new Constitution and chose to have it drafted by a Constituent Convention (50 % of the electoral roll voted). In July 2021, this Convention, formed by 155 members, elected by democratic vote, began to function. They concluded their work in July 2022. On September 4, the Plebiscite was held in which Chileans over 18 years of age were required to vote. If the majority of Chileans approved it, the Chilean Congress would enact it. On the other hand, if the majority rejected it, the current 1980 Constitution would remain in force.

On the same night of Sunday 4, the Electoral Service (autonomous entity of the State) informed that the draft Constitution was rejected by 61.9 % of the citizens, obtaining an approval of only 38.1 1 %. This overwhelming result was a great surprise.

Abortion in Chile's proposed constitution

In March of this year, the Episcopal Conference (CECH) warned that: "A Political Constitution with a norm about abortion The free will will not be felt and assumed as their own by many Chileans, among them many people who profess a religious faith, because respect for human life from conception is not something secondary or whose consideration is optional, but a fundamental value that we affirm supported by reason and faith. If this decision is not changed, the Constitutional Convention puts an insurmountable obstacle for many citizens to give their approval to the constitutional text that is being elaborated".

In July the proposal for a new Constitution was submitted to the country. Again the CECH, with the signature of all the bishops, expressed that "A great part of the proposals on how to organize the 'common house' fall within what is open to opinion, before which a plurality of options is legitimate. (...) But, we make a negative evaluation of the norms that allow the interruption of pregnancy, those that leave open the possibility of euthanasia, those that disfigure the understanding of the family, those that restrict the freedom of parents on the education of their children, and those that pose some limitations on the right to education and religious freedom. We consider particularly serious the introduction of abortion, which the proposed constitutional text calls "the right to voluntary interruption of pregnancy".

Euthanasia

The Chilean bishops strongly criticized that "the article establishes that the State guarantees the exercise of this right, free from interference by third parties, whether individuals or institutions, which not only excludes the participation of the father in this decision, but also the exercise of personal and institutional conscientious objection (...) It is striking that the constitutional proposal recognizes the rights of nature and expresses concern for animals as sentient beings, but does not recognize any dignity or any right to a human being in the womb".

They went on to say that "the constitutional norm that assures every person the right to a dignified death is a cause for concern. Under this concept, euthanasia is introduced in our culture, which is an action or omission with the purpose of directly causing death, and thus eliminating pain.

Regarding the family, they pointed out that the text "broadens the concept of family by speaking of "families in their diverse forms, expressions and ways of life, without restricting them to exclusively filial and consanguineous ties".

Education

Regarding education, they pointed out that the proposal "is not entirely clear in expressing a preferential and direct right of parents to educate their children (...) Also of concern, in this field, is the strong presence of gender ideology in the text, as it gives the impression that it seeks to impose itself as a single thought in the culture and the educational system, which damages the principle of freedom of education of parents with respect to their children. (...) Furthermore, there is a manifest silence in the draft constitutional text with respect to subsidized private education, which also has an obvious public function.

If more than 55% of Chilean students study in the subsidized private system, with a very high percentage of vulnerable students, why is not the constitutional right to those other private initiative proposals, subsidized with public funds of Education, under the supervision of the State, to guarantee the freedom of education? (...), it does not expressly establish the right of parents to create and support educational establishments of different types, nor the obligation to provide the relevant economic resources".

Religious freedom

On religious freedom they said that this proposal "does not recognize some essential elements, such as the internal autonomy of the confessions, the recognition of their own rules and the ability of these to enter into agreements that ensure their full freedom in the care of members of the same, especially in situations of vulnerability (hospitals, places of serving sentences, children's homes, etc.). Finally, it seems to us that the system established to give legal recognition to the confessions, leaves in the hands of administrative bodies their existence or suppression, which may endanger the full exercise of religious freedom."

Chileans have said, with an overwhelming majority, that they do not want a Constitution that drastically breaks with the political, cultural and value tradition of the country. Surely the political parties represented in Congress will agree on how to make changes to the current Constitution, or what mechanism would be established to propose a new text.

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RelatedRelated NewsWhat is happening in Chile? At the gates of a constituent referendumRelated NewsChile: "It is necessary to promote Christian values in the new Fundamental Charter".Related NewsChile: triumph for religious freedom
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The Vatican

Pope Francis: "With his smile, Pope Luciani succeeded in transmitting the goodness of the Lord".

On the rainy morning of September 4, Pope Francis beatified John Paul I in St. Peter's Square. In his homily he highlighted Luciani's joy and his following of Christ through the cross.

Javier García Herrería-September 4, 2022-Reading time: 3 minutes
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The beatification took place this morning in Rome of John Paul IPope Luciani. The onset of rain prevented many of the faithful from coming to St. Peter's Square, which had a very poor entrance for such an eagerly awaited occasion. In his homily, Pope Francis commented on the Gospel of the day, pointing out how following Jesus by taking up his cross can be seen as "an unattractive and very demanding discourse".

Trying to understand the context of the Gospel scene, the Pontiff added that "we can imagine that many had been fascinated by his words and amazed by the gestures he performed; and, therefore, had seen in him a hope for their future. What would any teacher of that time have done, or - we can ask ourselves - what would an astute leader have done when he saw that his words and his charisma attracted the crowds and increased his popularity? It also happens today, especially in times of personal and social crisis, when we are more exposed to feelings of anger or we are afraid of something that threatens our future, we become more vulnerable; and so, letting ourselves be carried away by emotions, we put ourselves in the hands of those who with skill and cunning know how to handle that situation, taking advantage of the fears of society and promising to be the savior who will solve the problems, while in reality what he wants is to increase his acceptance and power".

The divine way of acting

Jesus Christ's way of acting is not calculating or deceitful, "He does not exploit our needs, he never uses our weaknesses to aggrandize himself. He does not want to seduce us with deceit, he does not want to distribute cheap joys, nor is he interested in human tides. He does not profess the cult of numbers, he does not seek acceptance, he is not an idolater of personal success. On the contrary, he seems to be concerned that people follow him with euphoria and easy enthusiasm. Thus, instead of being attracted by the allure of popularity, he asks everyone to carefully discern the motivations that lead them to follow him and the consequences that this entails".

As Pope Francis has often pointed out, there can be many wrong or not very upright reasons for following Jesus. Concretely, he pointed out that "behind a perfect religious appearance can hide the mere satisfaction of one's own needs, the search for personal prestige, the desire to have a position, to have things under control, the desire to occupy spaces and obtain privileges, and the aspiration to receive recognition, among other things. God can be instrumentalized to obtain all this. But it is not the style of Jesus. And it cannot be the style of the disciple and of the Church. The Lord asks for another attitude".

Words of Pope Luciani

The Holy Father then spoke of the dignity of carrying the cross of Christ, living a life of self-giving in imitation of Christ's love for our neighbor, without putting "anything before this love, not even the deepest affections and the greatest goods. To live up to the love of God, it is necessary "to purify ourselves of our distorted ideas about God and our closed-mindedness, to love him and others, in the Church and in society, even those who do not think as we do, and even our enemies.

Remembering John Paul I Pope Francis recalled some words of his in which he said: "if you want to kiss Jesus crucified 'you cannot but bend down towards the cross and let them prick some thorns of the crown, which has the head of the Lord on it" (General Audience, September 27, 1978). The Holy Father ended his words recalling how Pope Luciani "was a gentle and humble shepherd. He considered himself as the dust on which God had deigned to write. For this reason, he used to say: 'The Lord has recommended us so much to be humble! Even if you have done great things, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.

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Initiatives

Extreme Stations of the Cross

In Poland, they have launched an initiative that has already is spreading to more parts of the world. It is a Extreme Way of the Cross, where the practice of this Lenten prayer with asceticism, sports, sports, and and adventure.

Ignacy Soler-September 3, 2022-Reading time: 4 minutes
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The manifestation of the Christian faith is joined to practices of popular devotion that go beyond the ecclesiastical sphere to fill the streets of cities or the roads of the countryside, with all kinds of processions, pilgrimages or pilgrims. In the Hispanic world, it is enough to remember the importance of the Holy Week processions. In the Christian Middle Ages, the pilgrimages to Rome, Jerusalem or Santiago. For those of us who have walked the Camino, we have always had, in spite of everything, the spiritual character of that long pilgrimage. What we call the Extreme Way of the Cross is a popular Polish initiative that wants to unite the practice of the Stations of the Cross in Lent with the asceticism, sport and adventure of the anchorites of the desert. I will briefly explain what this new "religious event" consists of.

A different Way of the Cross

The idea is to consider the Stations of the Cross outside of a church or ecclesiastical environment to be done in the countryside, walking at night along a previously prepared path. The walk should be about 40 kilometers long, in silence and in a solitary manner, although in a group or team of about ten people. For this form of Lenten piety to have the name of Extreme Way of the Cross, the propagators of this devotion demand five conditions: 1) That at least 20 kilometers are walked, 44 km are recommended. 2) That each participant walks for at least eight hours. 3) That the walk should not be through urbanized areas. 4) It should be done at night. In addition to these conditions, it is good to explain the concrete way to proceed.

Whoever organizes the Extreme Stations of the Cross must carry out the following steps: 1) Invite a group of friends or acquaintances, it is advisable not to be too many, for example, no more than ten. 2) Prepare the route to be followed and the 14 Stations of the Cross where all the participants will gather to meditate on the text of the Stations of the Cross. 3) Give each of the participants a link with all the indicated places so that they can reach each station with their cell phones. 4) Prepare the texts of the Stations of the Cross that will be read together at each station, and then each participant will meditate on them in silence.

An adventure of faith

In Poland, the Extreme Stations of the Cross began to be held in 2010. Each year, the texts of the Extreme Stations of the Cross are prepared according to a central idea or motto. Until 2021 these have been the themes: "Overcome evil with good, The strong side of reality, Ideals and dedication, The mission, The measure of man and his greatest challenge, Christian leaders, The way of change, On the way to a beautiful life, The Church of the 21st century, The way of forgiveness: from the fall to salvation, The revolution of the whole person".

More than one hundred thousand people have already covered the Extreme Way of the Cross. I can attest that this devotion is spreading more and more because recently, when I was helping in a parish during Holy Week, I was invited to participate. I asked if it wasn't a bit dangerous and they told me yes, that everything has its risks because in the dark and in the countryside you don't know very well what vermin you are going to find. I was also told that there are safety measures. For example: each participant is equipped with a flashlight and a powerful spray that scares away all kinds of animals, has fluorescent signs on his clothes and is advised to always have in sight the participant in front of him a few hundred meters away. In addition, everyone is
The stations are connected to each other and all meet at each station of the Extreme Stations of the Cross, so the risk of accidents, loss or animal attacks is greatly reduced.

Renunciation, fortitude and prayer

The routes of the Extreme Way of the Cross are very varied. Eighteen groups of routes have been established, 16 of them within Poland and two of them outside Poland. One of the groups distributes routes through the rest of Europe, and another through America. There are European routes planned from several major cities, including Poland.
mo Amsterdam, Birmingham, Cardiff, Eindhoven, Munich, Oslo, Prague, or Tallinn.

A sample of the hardness of the challenge are the recommendations offered from the website: "Remember that the whole way is in silence. During the walk, meditate on 14 Stations of the Cross that can be downloaded from the website. Walk in small groups, less than 10 people. You can go with acquaintances or look for someone after the sending Mass. Inform someone in your family or friends that you are going to the Extreme Stations of the Cross. Because it is during the night, it is important to know that it is very difficult to return home if someone is tired and cannot follow the way. That's why it's important to have someone who can come with a car just in case."

Practical advice

It is necessary to carry a flashlight, the best solution is a headlamp. Most of the way is off-road, but just in case it is important to have something reflective. The important thing is to bring appropriate shoes (the best are "trekking" shoes with a thick sole) because the route can be muddy and slippery. Bring warm clothes with you (it can get cold during the night).

It is suggested to bring something to eat (sandwich, fruit, chocolate) and drink (at least 1 liter). It is necessary to have a recharged cell phone (best with a powerbank). At least one of the people in the group must carry the map, the downloaded GPS track (see the page with your route) and the application that shows the way. Think about how you are going to get back from your destination. Remember that each participant goes at his or her own risk. Contact the person in charge of the trail if you have any doubts or need more information".

The basic idea of the organizers is to pray in silence, alone, walking in the dark and meditating on the texts heard during the previous station. A way of the Cross in struggle against the temptation of discouragement and of not being able to, against the temptation of fleeing from the cross to live a comfortable life without problems. Undoubtedly this is a pious exercise that demands renunciation, fortitude, prayer and a good physical condition. More detailed information can be found in the Via Crucis Extreme website.

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  • Dostoyevsky's "The Idiot": "Beauty will save the world".
Books

Dostoyevsky's "The Idiot": "Beauty will save the world".

We continue our selection of great works of world literature with a special Christian imprint. On this occasion, we are dealing with "The Idiot" by the Russian genius Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Juan Ignacio Izquierdo Hübner-September 3, 2022-Reading time: 6 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsDante's Divine ComedyRelated NewsA liberal education

Conversation is an art that is difficult to practice. Its quality depends on the richness of our inner world and trust with the interlocutor. Maybe that's why I like conversations about books so much, because then the weight of interest is not so much on my own shoulders, but on those of the author. And if you lean on the back of Dostoyevsky (1821-1881), that interest can very easily escalate into passion. I say this because a few months ago I had a brilliant idea (something that doesn't happen to me very often): I agreed with a friend to undertake together the reading of "The idiot"and, after reading it, we took a walk to discuss it. The question we asked ourselves then motivated me to write this article, and I'm sure it will intrigue you too. 

Years ago I had read other novels by the same author: "Crime and Punishment", "Memories of the House of the Dead" and, more recently, "The Brothers Karamazov". Each of them gave me different feelings. Now I chose "The Idiot", which is not my autobiography (as another friend ironized when I told him about it), but something like an episode in the life of a 19th century Russian "Don Quixote". This reading itinerary has influenced me powerfully. As Nikolai Berdiaev says in "The Spirit of Dostoyevsky": "An attentive reading of Dostoyevsky is a life event in which the soul receives like a baptism of fire". As it is, fire is a good metaphor to describe it.

Okay, let's get to the point (as the dermatologist would say): "Beauty will save the world". This is the key phrase of the play, and the main source of the intrigue we feel with my friend. What an expressive phrase, isn't it? It makes me want to stop writing, look out the window and wander among the clouds. But I will write, because I want to share with you the answers I have found, in the clouds, in the novel and in other books, because you deserve it. It will be necessary for us to put the sentence in context, so let's go in parts (I would add Jack the Ripper):

What the novel is about (no spoilers, don't worry)

Prince Myshkin is a 26-year-old man, cordial, frank, compassionate and naive, who has been living in Switzerland for four years for treatment of epilepsy. When the doctor dies, the prince feels he has enough strength to travel to St. Petersburg, visit a distant relative and try to start a normal life. His qualities, however, lead him to have extravagant encounters with all sorts of people: the most relevant, which will draw him throughout the novel like a lighthouse to a lost ship, will be his love/compassion relationship with a beautiful woman, but who carries within her the pain of a history of abuse. Her name is Nastasya Filippovna. The plot thickens when the prince falls in love, with a noble and pure love, with a young woman from a good family, who in turn reciprocates. Her name is Agláya Ivánovna, and when they ask about her, he replies, "She is so beautiful that it is frightening to look at her." The prince, by the way, is not alone in the field: there are several suitors for one girl and for the other. In this scenario, controversies of all kinds arise, which the characters discuss, making us think and suffer and grow.

Beauty will save the world

About halfway through the book (fear not, I said I won't do spoilers), Ippolit's confession appears on the scene. It is about a 17-year-old boy who is crippled and the doctor has predicted that he has less than a month to live. The prince invites the sick man to stay in the house where he is living, although the others do not understand why he is taking in a young man who, besides being sick, is nihilistic, vehement and inopportune. 

One evening, a small group of acquaintances and friends arrive at the dacha (country house) that the prince is renting to celebrate his birthday. They are drinking champagne, chatting happily, when the young Ippolit expresses a burning and delirious desire to open his heart. The others do not want to hear him, but he asks to speak for the right of those condemned to death. Finally, despite the reluctance of the audience, he begins a long reading of some confessions he had written the day before. But just before he began to read, Ippolit turned to the prince and asked him in a loud voice, provoking the astonishment of all: "Is it true, prince, that you once said that the world will be saved by 'beauty'? Gentlemen," he said, addressing everyone, "the prince assures us that beauty will save the world! And I, for my part, assure you that if he comes up with such perverse ideas, it is because he is in love."

What beauty is Dostoyevsky referring to, what beauty will save the world, why does Ippolit say that this idea came to him because he was in love, where is the strength to discover it, treasure it and spread it with all our energies? Unsurprisingly, this was the main topic of discussion I had with my friend as we strolled under the trees on the campus of the University of Navarra. 

Ippolit's relationship with the author

Both Ippolit and Dostoyevsky himself were condemned to death. The former for tuberculosis and the author, in his youth, for having been caught in a cafe where "revolutionary" (not very serious) ideas were discussed. This biographical episode is narrated wonderfully well by Stefan Zweig in "Stellar Moments of Humanity". 

Fyodor was already blindfolded and waited by the wall to be shot. He was going to die, there was no way out, unless a miracle happened. At the last second - and here is the stellar moment of humanity - the news came that the Tsar had commuted his sentence. "Death, wavering, crawls out of numb limbs," writes Zweig. Dostoyevsky could live; in return, he would have to do four years of hard labor in Siberia and then devote five years to military service. That day, a fundamental man for universal literature was saved, and the idea of a character who could see the world from the perspective of death was born. That gaze could be rebellious, like that of Ippolit, tragic and profound, like that of Dostoyevsky, or compassionate, like that of Prince Myshkin. 

A man who has felt the breath of death behind his ear is in a better position to understand the pain of the most famous person condemned to death in history: Jesus Christ. It seems that I am getting long-winded, but no, I ask you to trust me and to read one last background, for it holds the most important clue before reaching the conclusion.

Holbein's Christ

There are paintings that please, others that surprise and others that change lives. Dostoyevsky's experience in the Basel museum almost sent him into an epileptic seizure. It happened during a trip through Europe with his second wife, Anna Grigorievna, on August 12, 1867. Fyodor was on his way to Geneva with her and they took the opportunity to visit the museum in Basel. There they came across a canvas two meters long and thirty centimeters high that caught the attention of a 46-year-old Dostoyevsky. It was the 'Dead Christ', painted in 1521 by Hans Holbein the Younger. Now you also look at the image, contemplate it slowly, you will see that it is a particularly emaciated, bloodless and run over Christ. 

Dead Christ, Hans Holbein, 1521. ©Wikipedia Commons

How is it possible - I imagine Dostoyevsky wondered as he admired that destroyed body - that Christ paid "that" price to save us? 

Is Christ the beauty that will save the world? He who was defined as "the most beautiful among the sons of men" (Psalm 44) could testify to an unparalleled physical beauty. But Holbein's painting shows a disfigured Christ, which rather reminds us of Isaiah's prophecy: "There is in Him neither beauty that attracts the eyes nor beauty that pleases" (Is 53:2). Let's see, then, what beauty are we talking about? 

Ultimately, there is no greater beauty than the love that has conquered death. The love of the One who gives his life for his friends is the most beautiful thing known to the world. The beauty that saves, that truly saves, is the beauty of love that goes to the extreme of redemptive sacrifice. Therefore, the beauty that will save the world is Christ. God became man to save us, he died to give us life and offer us resurrection. The story of the corpse so crudely portrayed by Holbein has an epilogue, or better, a second part, which confirms the triumph of beauty over death: the overwhelming beauty of the Resurrection. Let us say it in the words of the Apocalypse: "And the city needed neither sun nor moon, for the light of God shone upon it, and the Lamb was its lamp" (Rev 21:23). 

The beauty of Christ's love, which saves us, is what we must discover, treasure and spread with all our strength. Are we not here facing the most important mystery of our lives? To love others as Christ loved us, that is, to love to the point of suffering and dying for the sake of others, is the secret of the meaning of our existence. If we learn this, we will participate in the salvation of the world. No small thing, eh?

The authorJuan Ignacio Izquierdo Hübner

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The Vatican

Pope's video against death penalty

The "World Network of Prayer for the Pope" has published the video with the Pope's monthly intention. The Holy Father invites "to all people of goodwill to mobilize for the abolition of the death penalty throughout the world".

Javier García Herrería-September 2, 2022-Reading time: 2 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsPope's monthly video: for small and medium-sized entrepreneursRelated NewsThe death penalty and human dignity

Pope Francis' monthly video for September calls for the abolition of the death penalty. On this occasion, Francis invites us to pray "that the death penalty, which violates the inviolability and dignity of the person, may be abolished in the laws of all the countries of the world".

Pope Francis' words throughout the video say:

"Every day the NO to the death penalty grows more and more throughout the world. For the Church this is a sign of hope. 

From a legal point of view, it is not necessary. 

Society can effectively repress crime without definitively depriving the perpetrator of the possibility of redeeming himself. 

Always, in every sentence, there must be a window of hope. Capital punishment does not offer justice to the victims, but encourages revenge. And it avoids any possibility of undoing a possible miscarriage of justice. 

On the other hand, morally the death penalty is inadequate, it destroys the most important gift we have received: life. Let us not forget that, until the last moment, a person can be converted and can change.  

And in the light of the Gospel, the death penalty is inadmissible. The commandment "thou shalt not kill" refers to both the innocent and the guilty. 

I therefore call on all people of goodwill to mobilize for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide. 

Let us pray that the death penalty, which violates the inviolability and dignity of the person, be abolished in the laws of all countries of the world".

World Network of Prayer for the Pope

The Pope's Video is an official initiative aimed at disseminating the Holy Father's monthly prayer intentions. It is developed by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, with the support of Vatican Media. The Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network is a Pontifical Work whose mission is to mobilize Catholics through prayer and action in the face of the challenges of humanity and the mission of the Church.

It was founded in 1844 as the Apostleship of Prayer and is made up of more than 22 million Catholics. It includes its youth branch, the Eucharistic Youth Movement (EYM). In December 2020 the Pope constituted this pontifical work as a Vatican foundation and approved its new statutes.

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  • Why does the Church get involved in social issues? A lay vocation
Family

Why does the Church get involved in social issues? A lay vocation

Poverty, inequalities, corruption, laws that trample on human dignity, religious persecution, suffering, violence, racism, discrimination... The Church, in particular the lay faithful, called to be "like the soul of the world", intervenes in social issues because "a fundamental moral value is at stake: justice", says Gregorio Guitián, dean of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarra, in his latest book.

Francisco Otamendi-September 2, 2022-Reading time: 5 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsVicente Bosch. "The laity manifest that the Christian spirit is capable of empowering and vivifying everything human."

"Behind social problems there are injustices. Injustice harms people and is an offense against God - a sin - which Jesus Christ wanted to heal and redeem. That is why the Church has always sought to contribute to a more just society", writes the theologian Gregorio Guitián in a didactic 155-page study entitled 'Como el alma del mundo', which he describes as a "brief approach to social morality and the Social Doctrine of the Church", and "which does not pretend to be a manual". The edition is published by Palabra in its Buscando entender collection.

"There is a general consensus that Jesus Christ was not part of any religious-political group of his time (such as the Zealots, the Pharisees, the Essenes, etc.). However, he did have concern for social problems (...), he fulfilled his civic obligations, such as paying taxes; he recognized civil authority ('Render unto Caesar...)". His teaching is of a religious and moral nature, but it has a clear application in social life, even though he was not dedicated to reforming politics nor was he a political leader," the professor points out.

For example, when Jesus teaches "love one another as I have loved you", or when he says: "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you", "he is laying the foundations for overcoming social discrimination", he stresses.

Social commitment of Christians

And "from the example of Jesus, primitive Christianity, even in the midst of a pagan society - often hostile to the Gospel - and without any capacity to reform structures because Christians were nobody, made an effort to alleviate extreme social situations or to respect and obey authority". "With the passing of the centuries, and in an officially Christian society, the social commitment of Christians will be a constant," explains Professor Guitián, who holds a doctorate in Theology from the University of the Holy Cross and a degree in Business Administration from the Autonomous University of Madrid.

Benedict XVI recalled how the Emperor Julian (+363), who rejected the Christian faith, wanted to restore a reformed paganism. However, he wrote in one of his letters that 'the only aspect that impressed him was the charitable activity of the Church,'" the author adds, specifying that "there has always been in the Church an organized charity to serve everyone by attending to spiritual and material needs; and also a concern and reflection on social issues."

Who is responsible for this task?

guitian laity
Gregorio Guitián

"I think it would be worth emphasizing the importance of lay people in all social issues," Professor Gregorio Guitián told Omnes , as well as "the need for them to be well trained in these matters and their irreplaceable importance in improving the world, particularly in all fields where the challenges are palpable (politics, law, economics, science, family and education, communication, art and culture, health and care of people, fashion, technology, cinema, the world of technology, care of the environment, etc.)."

"The very title of the book," he says, "is placed thinking especially of them, who are called to be like the soul of the world, and the opening pages on the lay faithful can serve as a reference."

"Faced with the mass of evil crystallized in society, one might ask: what to do? The world needs redemption. Jesus Christ has taken upon himself these evils [see pp. 24-25], and seeks at every moment of history to bring the balm of charity and justice to these wounds. Jesus looks to his disciples with this hope: "'You are the salt of the earth (...) You are the light of the world'" (Matthew 5:13-14).

In the world there are about 1,327 million lay Catholics, out of a total of 7.8 billion inhabitants, in addition to the Pope, cardinals, bishops, priests, religious men and women, permanent deacons, major seminarians... "One can see the importance of the lay faithful for the mission of the Church in the world," writes the author, being "called to be like the leaven in the midst of the dough" (cf. Matthew 13:33)".

The laity in the mission of the Church

"To discover the enormous relevance of the role of the laity in society, and to awaken the desire to bring light to the world from one's own place, should be objectives of Christian social morality. Of the laity, as of all Christians, it can also be said that they are called to be 'like the soul of the world'. This is what the 'Letter to Diognetus' said in the 2nd century: "What the soul is in the body, so are Christians in the world (Epistula ad Diognetum, 6, 1)", explains Professor Guitián.

The Second Vatican Council, in the Apostolic Constitution Lumen gentiumThe Pope, on the Church, pointed out that the laity are called to contribute from within, like the leaven in the dough, to the sanctification of the world through the exercise of their proper tasks (n. 31).

Gregorio Guitián also recalls that Pope Francis has asked "the lay faithful to make a real commitment to 'the application of the Gospel to the transformation of society', complaining that, at times, we think only of how to involve them more in intra-ecclesial tasks, while the social, political or economic world remains to be informed with Christian values (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, n. 102)".

In this regard, it is useful to recall here the Pope's frequent appeals not to remain indifferent. For example, in a speech to the members of the Centesimus Annus Foundation on October 23 last year, the Pontiff said: "We cannot remain indifferent. But the response to injustice and exploitation is not only denunciation: it is above all the active promotion of good: denouncing evil, but promoting good".

Bringing the world to God

How to address these tasks, the author asks. And he quotes St. John Paul II, who suggested "three lines of action in the most important magisterial document on the laity to date (the exhortation 'Christifideles laici', on the lay faithful: 1. Overcome the fracture between the Gospel and one's own life to achieve a unity inspired by the Gospel. 2. To commit themselves with courage and creativity in the effort to solve social problems. 3. To do their work with professional competence and honesty, for this is the path to their own sanctification.

Guitián reinforces his thesis on the laity in an important way in the book. "Although it may seem surprising, the vocation that God has thought of to solve a good number of the evils of this world is, above all - though not exclusively - the lay vocation. Yes, the lay faithful, men and women whose vocation is to bring the world to God, as it were from within. They are like "the special forces" of the Church. (...)"

"There, in that 'kitchen of the world', the humanity or inhumanity of society is gestated, and there the lay faithful must be there to lead the world back to God". "The role of the Church in the world is to be 'a sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of the whole human race' (Gaudium et spes, n. 42)," he reminds us.

Summary

In summary, since we have focused only on some aspect of Professor Guitián's book, it can be said that the work has an introduction, 8 chapters, a brief summary at the end of each chapter, a conclusion and a bibliography.

They deal with the social commitment of Christians, the fundamental principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church, the common good, the Christian vision of the political community, the international community, two sections dedicated specifically to the economy, and a final chapter dedicated to the care of creation, "the responsibility of all", in which some of the ideas of the encyclical are offered as a program. Laudato si'  (nn. 209 and 227).

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

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Gorbachev and John Paul II: The Forging of a Friendship

Mikhail Gorbachev, one of the most important political figures of the late 20th century, passed away on August 30. His friendship with John Paul II was essential for the opening of the Soviet Union and the fall of communism in Russia. The author of the text, José R Garitagoitia, is an expert on the relationship between these two figures.

José Ramón Garitagoitia-September 1, 2022-Reading time: 4 minutes

Translation of the article into Italian

Seventy-four years of history elapsed between the fall of the Empire of the Czars in 1917 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. During that long period, the destinies of the USSR, stretching from the Urals to the steppes of Central Asia and the confines of Siberia, were decided by one leader.

Those who, on March 11, 1985, placed the Mikhail Gorbachev (Privolnoie 1931) at the pinnacle of power had no conscience to elect the last General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party. At 54, he was the youngest member of the Politburo and, when the time came, a natural candidate to succeed the aging Konstantin Chernienko. For the first time in Soviet history, the Kremlin couple, Mikhail and his wife Raisa, four years younger, were not older than the White House.

Gorbachev's policy

Although not doctrinaire, Gorbachev was a communist convinced of the fundamental principles of socialist ideology, and he tried to maintain his commitment. Along with the policy of transparency (Glasnost), Perestroika was his great objective: reforming the system from within, and from above, without renouncing socialism.

Whether out of conviction or necessity, given the complicated economic and social situation of the USSR, from the beginning of his mandate he promoted rapprochement with the United States. The summit with Reagan in Geneva in November 1985 opened the way to détente. The new international climate made possible nuclear arms reduction agreements and an international thaw. History recognizes his role in the fall of the Berlin Wall, and in the non-violent transformations of 1989 in Central and Eastern Europe: he could have reacted Soviet-style, as in the Hungarian (1956) and Czechoslovakian (1968) crises, and chose to let the people go their own way in freedom. 

Gorbachev's decisive role in those events did not go unnoticed by another great protagonist of Europe's transformation: John Paul II. I devoted my thesis in political science to analyzing the influence of the first Slavic pope on those events, and Gorbachev accepted my invitation to write the book's introduction. Recently I have published a long article about their relationship. In those years I met personally with both of them, and I saw their mutual appreciation. Gorbachev records his admiration for John Paul II in the letters he wrote to me on the occasion of his thesis. Documents for history that I donated some time ago to the general archive of the University of Navarra.

The birth of a friendship

Since their first meeting at the Vatican, on December 1, 1989, a current of admiration and appreciation arose between them. Two decades later, spokesman Navarro-Valls recalled that, among all the meetings he had during the 27 years of his pontificate, "one of those that Karol Wojtyla liked most was the one he had with Mikhail Gorbachev.". On that day the spokesman asked John Paul II his impression of Gorbachev: he is "a man of principle," the Pope replied, "a person who believes so much in his values that he is ready to accept all the consequences that follow."

After the death of John Paul II, Gorbachev was interviewed on Radio Free Europe. The journalist asked, "Mikhail Sergeevich, you were the first Soviet leader to meet Pope John Paul II. Why did you decide at that time to request an audience?" The answer recalled the very special circumstances of that extraordinary year: "Many things had happened that had not happened in the previous decades. I think this is related to the fact that, in 1989, we had already come a long way."

Mutual trust

What facilitated the connection between the two personalities? For the last Soviet leader the key was in history and geography: they were both Slavs. "Initially," Gorbachev recalled after John Paul II's death, "to show to what extent the Holy Father was a Slav, and how he respected the new Soviet Union, he proposed that we spend the first 10 minutes alone together and he spoke in Russian. Wojtyla had prepared himself for the conversation, brushing up on the Russian language: "I have broadened my knowledge for the occasion." he said at the outset. 

The relationship between the two personalities is a clear example of the 'social friendship' that Pope Francis describes in "Fratelli tutti"The verb "to draw near, to express oneself, to listen to one another, to look at one another, to get to know one another, to try to understand one another, to seek points of contact, all of this is summed up in the verb 'to dialogue'" (n. 198). John Paul II and Mikhail Gorbachev made the effectiveness of the encounter possible by their attitude. They showed their "ability to respect the other's point of view while accepting the possibility that he may hold some legitimate convictions or interests. From his identity, the other has something to contribute, and it is desirable that he deepen and expose his own position so that the public debate may be even more complete" (n. 203). 

The memory of Gorbachev

The two Slavs were impressed by that conversation in the Library of the Apostolic Palace. They were struck by the rapport that emerged so naturally. "When the meeting took place," Gorbachev recalled years later, "I told the Pope that one often finds the same or similar words in my statements and in his. It was no coincidence. So much coincidence was a sign that there was "something in common at the base, in our thoughts." The meeting was the beginning of a special relationship between two personalities, at first very distant. "I think I can rightly say that during those years we became friends," Gorbachev wrote on the centenary of John Paul II. 

With the passage of time the breadth of his revolution will be better understood, and will place Mikhail Gorbachev in his rightful place in the history of the 20th century.

The authorJosé Ramón Garitagoitia

D. in Political Science and Public International Law

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ColumnistsAntonio Moreno

The tree of good and evil

When the life of animals and plants is placed above that of people and peoples, love of creation becomes a monstrosity, an idolatry. This is what Chesterton reminded us a century ago when he coined the phrase, which is still current today, that "where there is animal worship, there is human sacrifice".

September 1, 2022-Reading time: 3 minutes

On this World Day for the Care of Creation, we had to talk about the felling of the ficus tree in the parish of San Jacinto in Seville. The Google News algorithm has surely bombarded you too these days with the multiple information and opinion articles that the news has provoked. 

If this is still the first time you have heard about it, let me give you some background information: a parish community, in agreement with its bishopric, with the province of the religious congregation that serves it, with the neighborhood associations and active forces of the neighborhood where it is located and with the socialist city council of the town; decides, after years of studies and search for alternatives, to cut down a tree whose excessive growth has caused accidents with serious injuries due to falling branches and threatens to destroy the multi-secular temple (declared of Cultural Interest) because it has caused damage to its foundations and structure.

Despite this, a citizens' movement in favor of the ficus, with the collection of signatures and activists perched on the branches of the tree, managed a few days ago that a judge paralyzed its felling as a precautionary measure before it definitively ended with the majestic specimen. The fact would have gone unnoticed if there were not two circumstances that have turned it into headline fodder: firstly, the fact that it took place during the month of August, making it a summer snake, which is what we call in the journalistic field to the news of relatively little importance that are extended in the summer period due to the information drought of the season; and secondly, because the Catholic Church is involved, a spicy ingredient that makes it irresistible for the addictive salseo. There is no doubt that the issue would not have been reported in the local press if the owner had been a community of neighbors, a private individual, a company or a public or private institution.

As I write this article, I am unaware of the last chapter of the soap opera, but the case gives me cause to reflect on the Church's teaching on the care of all creatures that reflect, "each in its own way - as the Catechism says - a ray of God's infinite wisdom and goodness."

At Caritas in veritateBenedict XVI affirmed that "The Church has a responsibility towards creation and must assert it in public. In doing so, she must not only defend the earth, water and air as gifts of creation that belong to all. Above all, it must protect man against the destruction of himself". This concept is further developed by Francis in his ecological encyclical, Laudato Si' under the term "integral ecology", which is nothing other than incorporating the human and social dimensions into the care of creation.

When the life of animals and plants is placed above that of people and peoples, love of creation becomes a monstrosity, an idolatry. History is littered with peoples who fell into this worship of creatures that ended up turning against themselves by despising their own life. This is what Chesterton reminded us a century ago when he coined the phrase, which is still current today, that "where there is animal worship, there is human sacrifice".

Each of the creatures of the planet has a mission and it is up to us to carry it out. God has given mankind the gift of intelligence, which is why he has entrusted him to "subdue" the earth. The correct interpretation of the book of Genesis explains to us that this dominion is not that of a savage exploiter of nature, but that of a lieutenant of God, that of a steward who is accountable to the owner of the vineyard. This responsible dominion leads us to have to make decisions that are sometimes painful but necessary for the common good.

Let us walk, as the Church asks of us, towards the necessary ecological conversion that seeks, in the final analysis, the good of all humanity. And let us praise the Lord, with St. Francis of Assisi, for all creatures, especially for the one whose existence in our times seems to be in danger of extinction: human intelligence.

The authorAntonio Moreno

Journalist. Graduate in Communication Sciences and Bachelor in Religious Sciences. He works in the Diocesan Delegation of Media in Malaga. His numerous "threads" on Twitter about faith and daily life have a great popularity.

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Sunday Readings

The power of Christ's liberation. 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Andrea Mardegan comments on the readings for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time and Luis Herrera offers a short video homily. 

Andrea Mardegan-August 31, 2022-Reading time: 2 minutes

Solomon asks God for the gift of wisdom to be a just king and to judge according to God's will. He asks: "What man can know the will of God? Who can guess what the Lord wills?".

Revelation contains many elements to know what the Lord wants, and the Church offers many reflections and examples to follow, but there are times when this is not enough. Let us therefore ask God for wisdom, the gift of the Spirit to discern what to do or what path to take, what decision to make.

The letter to Philemon is surprising: a note of recommendation to a friend is recognized as the inspired word of God and sent to the whole Church forever.

Onesimus, Philemon's slave, who stayed with Paul to help him in his imprisonment, was brought to faith by him: he calls him "my son". The decision to send him back to Philemon, asking him to treat him no longer as a slave but as a brother in the Lord, is made by Paul in the wisdom and spirit of God.

He could keep him with him to avoid uncertainty, but he returns him to his master, taking the risk that Philemon will not understand his exhortation and will continue to consider him a slave.

"I would have liked to have had him with me to assist me in your place, now that I am chained by the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your advice, so that the good you do may not be forced, but voluntary.". The message about overcoming slavery with the power of Christ's deliverance is very strong, and helps to understand the importance of this letter.

Suggests to Philemon that the newness of his relationship with Onesimus means for him to have much more than this relationship "both as a man, and as a brother in the Lord.". It is a growth in the awareness of human dignity, which the revelation of Christ leads us to discover.

Jesus, seeing that many people follow him, fascinated by his teaching, perhaps seeking in his company a solution to life's problems, a path to success, points out two decisive aspects that allow us to verify whether their dispositions are suitable to be his disciples, as are the twelve he has chosen.

The first is the relationship with those who have given us life and with whom we have shared it: father, mother, brothers and sisters, and with our own life. Then, the sphere of possessions: they must be willing to give up everything. Those first ones had been asked for a real detachment, which made them available to go anywhere without a saddlebag and with no place to lay their heads.

For all Christians who live their faith in ordinary life, this order of values is interior, and helps, when love of Jesus contrasts with love of family and possessions, to always choose the former.

Homily on the readings of Sunday 23rd Sunday

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

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The Vatican

What was discussed at the Consistory of Cardinals

The concept of synodality and the role of the laity in the Church were the two topics at the center of the Consistory of Cardinals held on August 29-30 in Rome.

Stefano Grossi Gondi-August 31, 2022-Reading time: 4 minutes
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Translation of the article into Italian

The Church gathered in Rome with the Pope to reflect on the future during four intense days. Prior to the consistory, on Saturday, August 27, the official appointment of 20 new cardinals from around the world took place, and then, on the 29th and 30th, some 200 cardinals met behind closed doors to discuss aspects of the "Praedicate Evangelium"The College of Cardinals is made up of 227 people, a large majority of whom are very representative of the ecclesial community. The entire College of Cardinals is made up of 227 people, so that on this occasion a large majority, very representative of the ecclesial community, participated.

Opening homily

In his opening homily, Pope Francis exhorted those present about the fire that Jesus came to "cast on the earth," a fire that the Holy Spirit also kindles in the hearts, hands and feet of those who follow him. A fire that can be powerful or be an ember, in which a particular style of God is manifested, when it is communicated with gentleness, with fidelity, with closeness and tenderness. 

"The double way of expressing fire reminds us," Francis said, "that the man of apostolic zeal is animated by the fire of the Spirit to deal courageously with things great and small."

With these introductory words, the Pope encouraged the participants in the Consistory to approach the topics under discussion with a courageous spirit. 

What is synodality?

Two themes emerged most forcefully at the central meeting: understanding what is synodality and to clarify the circumstances in which lay people can lead a dicastery. On the first question, some eminences observed that synodality is a serious matter, suggesting, above all, that "the bishops make the synod."

Other prelates expressed various perplexities about the misuse of the term "synodality," which would now be used to indicate everything, including things that would have more to do with communion than with synodality as it has always been understood.

The role of the laity

The other issue dealt with concerned the laity. It is known that the new constitution calls for a greater participation of the laity in the structures of the vertex, although without going into the question in depth. In more than one working group it was proposed to enumerate the dicasteries that can have a lay person at the head, without leaving everything in a generic vagueness. 

On the basis of the first day of the consistory, some cardinals raised the idea of defining the source of jurisdiction at the doctrinal level: is it the sacrament of orders or is it the supreme power of the Pope? These are not exactly accidental disquisitions, so clarifications will be useful in the near future.  

In the discussions, there is an emerging focus on making the role in the Christian community "more missionary" and opening the door to a greater presence of lay people and women, including through more frequent meetings and discussions.  

Second day of the consistory

The second day of meetings confirmed the centrality of the theme of the laity, which is evidently understood as relevant to the evolution of the Church. Again taking the "Praedicate Evangelium" as a reference, the cardinals present discussed in linguistic groups, where proposals were made, and then met in plenary session. 

The most frequently heard topic was that of the laity, taking as a reference what was stated in ".Praedicate Evangelium"Every Christian, by virtue of Baptism, is a disciple-missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus". This cannot be overlooked in the updating of the Curia, whose reform, therefore, must provide for the participation of the laity, also in functions of governance and responsibility. 

He then reaffirmed the idea that "there are dicasteries in which it is convenient to have lay people at the head". The affirmation of the laity and their role is linked by some to the development of the missionary spirit, thinking that "sooner or later we will arrive at a different consciousness, where everything is missionary and missionary even, it may seem paradoxical, the Curia offices themselves" (Cardinal Paolo Lojudice).

Balance

The Cardinal Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, concluded his participation by speaking of an "extraordinarily edifying" meeting. "We spoke as friends, as brothers, with immense charity and deep love for the Church, about very practical matters," the cardinal said. "I'm glad it happened. It was eagerly awaited."

Pope Francis concluded the consistory with a Holy Mass. In his homily he seemed to refer to some of the issues mentioned here for the future of the Church. "If, together with the disciples, we respond to the Lord's call and go to Galilee, to the mountain indicated by Him, we experience a new amazement. This time, what enchants us is not the plan of salvation itself, but the fact - even more surprising - that God involves us in his plan: it is the reality of the mission of the apostles with the risen Christ... The words of the Risen One still have the power to move our hearts two thousand years later. The unfathomable divine decision to evangelize the world starting from that miserable group of disciples, who, as the Evangelist points out, were still in doubt, never ceases to amaze us. But, if we look at it closely, the astonishment is no different if we look at ourselves, gathered here today, to whom the Lord has repeated those same words, that same sending".

The authorStefano Grossi Gondi

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Pope Francis begins catechesis on discernment

Pope Francis begins a new cycle of catechesis for his Wednesday public audiences. This time on the human reality of personal "discernment" that is so often necessary in our daily lives.

Javier García Herrería-August 31, 2022-Reading time: 2 minutes
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Pope Francis has dedicated the last six months to a catechesis on the elderly and their role in the family, the Church and the world. Beginning this Wednesday, August 31, he will begin to reflect on "discernment" in audiences. "Discernment" - these are the Pope's words - "is an important act that concerns everyone, because choices are an essential part of life. One chooses food, clothes, a course of study, a job, a relationship. In all of them a life project is realized, and also our relationship with God".

Deciding involves using our intelligence, evaluating our interests and affections, involving our will to follow the good we want. Thus, a few months lie ahead in which the Pontiff will reflect on very anthropological questions.

The effort to decide

As Ortega rightly explained, human life is not a closed project, but one that man must decide for himself countless times each day. For this reason, Pope Francis pointed out that "discernment implies an effort. According to the Bible, we do not find before us, already packaged, the life we are to live. God invites us to evaluate and choose: he created us free and wants us to exercise our freedom. Discernment is therefore a challenge.  

We have often had this experience: choosing something we thought was good and instead it wasn't. Or knowing what our true good was and not choosing it. Or knowing what our true good was and not choosing it. Man, unlike animals, can make mistakes, can be unwilling to choose correctly. The Bible demonstrates this from its very first pages. God gives man a precise instruction: if you want to live, if you want to enjoy life, remember that you are a creature, that you are not the criterion of good and evil, and that the choices you make will have a consequence, for you, for others and for the world (cf. Gen 2:16-17); you can make the earth a magnificent garden or you can turn it into a desert of death. A fundamental teaching: it is not by chance that this is the first dialogue between God and man. 

Discernment is exhausting

With humor, Pope Francis pointed out that "discernment is exhausting but indispensable for living". If, in addition, one is in charge of special family responsibilities The Holy Father recommends to keep in mind the divine filiation: "God is the Father and does not leave us alone. To achieve this, the Holy Father recommends keeping in mind divine filiation: "God is Father and does not leave us alone; he is always ready to advise us, to encourage us, to welcome us, but he never imposes his will. But he never imposes his will. Why? Because he wants to be loved and not feared. And love can only be lived in freedom. To learn to live, one must learn to love, and for this it is necessary to discern.

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Consistory of Cardinals on "Praedicate Evangelium" concludes

Rome Reports-August 31, 2022-Reading time: < 1 minute
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The cardinals have reflected on a document that is expected to be the starting point for a renewed, more missionary, more synodal, more economically transparent and less bureaucratized curia.

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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  • Luis Alberto RosalesCARF's work goes ahead because there are three saints who are very committed to it".
Vocations

Luis Alberto RosalesCARF's work goes ahead because there are three saints who are very committed to it".

Luis Alberto Rosales is the Chief Executive Officer of the Roman Academic Center Foundation (CARF)) which, since 1989, assists in the formation of priests and seminarians from all over the world in the ecclesiastical faculties of the University of Navarra and the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.

Maria José Atienza-August 31, 2022-Reading time: 6 minutes
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Thanks to the work of the Centro Académico Romano Foundation (CARF) in its little more than 30 years of life, more than 40,000 people, including priests, seminarians, religious men and women, have been able to broaden their formation in these faculties to serve the Church in more than 130 countries. The reality of this project "that would make any economist's head explode," says Luis A. Rosales, "is possible thanks to many small donors. Many times we don't know how things are going to turn out and they do, and I always say that it is because we have three saints committed to this".

The CARF Foundation was born more than 30 years ago. What was the reason for this project?

-In relation to the birth of CARF, we can speak of two origins: a closer one, the establishment, as such, of the Foundation on February 14, 1989, and a more distant one. The distant one began in 1978, when John Paul II was elected Pope. Once in the See of Peter, John Paul II spoke with Álvaro del Portillo, whom he knew from the sessions of the Second Vatican Council and who had succeeded Josemaría Escrivá as head of the Opus Deito indicate to him that Opus Dei should establish a university in Rome.

St. John Paul II was aware of a key point of the spirit of Opus Dei that St. Josemaría, who had died shortly before, defended: love for the Church, for the Pope and for priests. Alvaro del Portillo replied that there were the ecclesiastical faculties in Pamplona, but John Paul II insisted on the need for the presence of a university in Rome. He also pointed out two characteristics that it had to have: on the one hand, solid doctrine and, on the other, studies in communication, because priests had to know about communication. To this was added the need to solve the residence of priests and seminarians who would go to study in Rome and Pamplona. That is to say, it would be necessary to have a seminary in Rome and another one in Pamplona, and residences?

They then began the search for a building for the university in Rome and for a seminary in Rome and another in Pamplona; and they also began to arrange loans, rentals, hiring of personnel, services... Until, in 1984, what is today the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross began.

Students began to arrive: priests, seminarians, religious men and women... and, in a few years, there was an economic collapse. The reason is simple: in Spain, for example, we have very clear "how much it costs" a priest; social security, salaries... etc., but in countries like Brazil, Benin, Kenya or Nigeria, a priest "costs" much less, they are ridiculous amounts for Italy or Spain also at that time. The amounts contributed by the superiors and bishops for their students were those and, evidently, with what can be allocated to a priest in those countries a private university is not paid, nor a residence in Rome or Pamplona... So, a collapse was produced: payroll and services could not be paid...

Faced with this panorama, the need for a foundation was seen and what we know today as CARF was born.

But CARF's raison d'être is not only economic...

-No. In fact, Alvaro del Portillo wanted this foundation to have two key missions: the first is that CARF should spread the good name of priests and foster priestly vocations... and the second is that it should be viable: that bishops around the world could have the opportunity to send priests and seminarians, or the superiors of religious orders their brothers and sisters, to study in these two ecclesiastical faculties.

Don Alvaro, who was a consultant to several Vatican congregations, was aware that there were priests who behaved badly, but also that, for every one of these who acted badly, thousands of others gave their lives for others, and not only in distant countries but also in New York, Rome or Berlin, and there was no right to the bad image that priests and the Church already had at that time.

For this reason, although financial help is always needed, the primary purpose of CARF is to foster vocations and spread the good name of priests, so if someone cannot give money, they can help by spreading the word about CARF.

In this sense, how does CARF help those who want to study in these faculties in Rome or Pamplona?

-The way it works is as follows: interested religious superiors (male or female) and bishops apply to the ecclesiastical faculties of the University of Navarra or the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, requesting a place and, subsequently, if they cannot afford the cost of these studies, they ask for a scholarship.

From CARF we ask that, at least, they contribute what it would cost to maintain them in their countries of origin because "everything for free" is not formative. There are times when we are faced with the problem of places, because there is not always room in the residences and seminars. At Rome are covered, to a certain extent, by the national Colleges, but it is not the same thing. In the residences and international seminars they are very well cared for, it is a family and they appreciate it in a special way.

What countries do the students come from and are they all on scholarship?

-In the ecclesiastical faculties of the University of Navarra and the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross we find students from more than a hundred nationalities. In fact, the third country with the largest number of students is the United States. Logically, an American, a German or a Spaniard who can afford to pay for his studies is not given a scholarship.

What type of person collaborates with CARF?

-CARF is a Spanish foundation. Although it supports students of 133 nationalities, most of our members are Spanish. It is true that there is more and more variety, since the Internet is reaching everywhere.

Our channels are the newsletter, our website and social networks, through which donations from other countries have come in. Most of them are "humble" donations: many people who give 5 euros per month or 20 euros per year. The vast majority, 80%, are of this type of small contributions. This is very nice. Obviously large donations are needed because otherwise this is not viable, but most of them are small amounts.

CARF does not accept anonymous donations. They all have names and surnames; although we do not know the 90% of those who make these donations. They are many good people, who see the Bulletin in their parish or some publication in social networks. Once they help us we try to keep more or less a small follow-up from the foundation in case any issue arises. We can say that there is no cause-effect relationship between our work and what happens, and things happen. I put it down to the fact that there are three saints (St. John Paul II, St. Josemaría and Blessed Álvaro del Portillo) who are very determined that this should go ahead, because it's amazing. In any commercial activity the business is known, and here we don't know where most of it comes from.

The Ecclesiastical Faculties of Navarra and the University of the Holy Cross are linked to Opus Dei. How do they know CARF and its work outside the Work?

-The reality is that 85 % of the scholarship recipients have no relationship with Opus Dei. In our history we have worked with more than 1,200 dioceses and hundreds of religious congregations. This means that CARF is well known among bishops and religious superiors around the world. The prestige of the Universities of Navarra and Holy Cross is also very high. Bishops and superiors choose these faculties for many reasons and, with the help of CARF, they also solve issues such as housing and student care.

With more than 30 years of experience, what is your assessment of CARF's work?

-We are very happy. When Blessed Alvaro del Portillo entrusted the mission to this foundation, it was all a dream. It is a joy and a reason to thank God. It is really a marvel to see where we have reached. And looking to the future, where we will arrive will be wherever God wills.

No brand plan would have dreamed of this: to be known and to help people all over the world... and even less without being sure how this money, which is a lot, can come out, and, in spite of everything, in the end, things come out. They work out because we have three pairs of hands up there to help us.

Some figures

In its Memoria 2021, the Foundation Centro Académico Romano collects some of the main issues of its work.

Last year, the foundation obtained 9,715,000 euros through regular donations, wills, occasional donations and income derived from assets. Of this figure, 75.04% went to the formation of priests and seminarians and 0.8% to the board of trustees for social action.

In Rome

Priests and seminarians studying in Rome attend the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, which has four ecclesiastical faculties: Theology, Philosophy, Canon Law and Institutional Social Communication, and a Higher Institute of Religious Sciences.

At the residential level, Rome is home to the Sedes Sapientiae International Seminary and the Altomonte and Tiberino Priestly Colleges.

Spain

The Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Navarra are composed of the faculties of Theology, Philosophy, Canon Law, and the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences.

In Pamplona, students can reside at the Bidasoa International Seminary and also at the Echalar, Aralar and Albáizar Colleges, together with the Los Tilos residence.

18,000 per year: approximately 11,000 euros for room and board, 3,500 euros for academic training, 2,700 euros for university tuition and 800 euros for human and spiritual formation.

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Pope Francis and lay ministries

Pope Francis has invited the Bishops' Conferences to share their experiences of how lay ministries have developed over the past 50 years.

Ricardo Bazan-August 30, 2022-Reading time: 3 minutes

Last August 24, Pope Francis published a letter addressed to the whole Church on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the motu proprio of St. Paul VI, Ministeria quaedamin which the pope instituted the lay ministries. In this case, Francis invites us to reflect on the ministries, that is, certain functions that some of the faithful carry out in the Church.

On that occasion, Pope Montini put an end to a stage in the Church in which the entrance to the clerical state was done through the tonsure, an act that consisted of cutting a little hair of the candidate to holy orders, which were divided into minor orders and major orders. Since the entry into force of Ministeria quaedamOn January 1, 1973, the ministries of lector and acolyte could be conferred not only on candidates for the priesthood, but also on lay faithful.

Ministries accessible to lay people

Francis has introduced some changes along the lines of the ministries instituted by Paul VI. On the one hand, on January 10, 2021, the motu proprio was issued Spiritus Domini, which allowed the conferring of the lectorate and the acolyte to women. On the other hand, on May 10 of the same year, the motu proprio Antiquum ministeriumwhich created the ministry of catechist. Therefore, the pontiff points out, it is a question of deepening the doctrine of ministries rather than a rupture, since from the beginning of the Church we find various ministries, gifts of the Holy Spirit for the edification of the Church. Thus, these ministries are directed to the common good of the Church and the edification of the community.

In the present letter, Francis warns that ministries cannot be subject to ideologies or arbitrary adaptations, but are the fruit of discernment in the Church, following the example of the apostles who found it necessary to replace Judas, so that the Apostolic College would be complete.

Thus, the pastors of the Church must discern what the community needs at each moment, guided by the Holy Spirit, and must make adaptations aimed at fulfilling the mission that Christ entrusted to the apostles, a supernatural mission that aims at sanctification.

Therefore, it is not a matter of creating ministries so that everyone in the Church has something to do during Mass, but to serve, which is what the word ministry means, and to contribute to the edification of the Church, each according to his or her state.

Here we find a latent danger in the Church, the clericalization of the laity, that is, to attribute certain functions to the laity, some of them proper to the clerical state, as if the laity did not have a function of their own. Hence the definition of the Code of Canon Law is very poor in defining the laity, pointing out that the laity are those who are neither clerics nor consecrated (cfr. 207 § 1).

On the other hand, the dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium presents what the laity really are: "It belongs to the laity, by their own vocation, to seek to obtain the kingdom of God by managing temporal affairs and ordering them according to God. They live in the world, that is, in each and every one of the duties and occupations of the world, and in the ordinary conditions of family and social life, with which their existence is as it were interwoven. There they are called by God, so that, carrying out their own profession guided by the evangelical spirit, they may contribute to the sanctification of the world as from within, in the manner of leaven." (Lumen Gentium, n. 31).

With these ideas in mind, Pope Francis invites the Episcopal Conferences to share their experiences of how these ministries instituted by Paul VI over the past 50 years, as well as the recent ministry of the catechist, as well as extraordinary ministries, for example, the extraordinary minister of Communion, and those carried out de facto, when a parish organizes for some of the faithful to do the readings at Mass or assist in the celebration of the Eucharist, without having been officially instituted as lectors or acolytes.

It remains to be seen when and how this dialogue or exchange of experiences will take place, which we hope will move along the two lines indicated by the Pope in his letter, the common good and the edification of the community, that is, the Church of Christ.

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ColumnistsSantiago Leyra Curiá

The drama of Arthur Schopenhauer

The life of Arthur Schopenhauer (Danzing, 1788-Frankfurt, 1860), one of the greatest German philosophers of all times, coincided with a cultural moment of extraordinary vitality: the birth of German idealism and romanticism.

August 29, 2022-Reading time: 5 minutes

His was a dramatic existence, marked by the figures of a domineering father and a mother with literary ambitions, and by an indomitable will to succeed in the dense intellectual environment in which he lived, where thinkers such as Kant, Fichte, Schelling and Hegel had shone.

At a time when the cult of reason prevailed, Schopenhauer already intuited some of the features that shape our present: irrationalism, tragic pessimism, the primacy of will, instincts and desire, as well as the importance of art to understand the nature of the human being. It is a pity that such an intelligent man lacked the humility of one who knows God".

In the wonderful biography dedicated to him by Rüdiger Safranski, it is stated that it is often forgotten that we are dealing with a philosopher of the early nineteenth century, although of late influence, especially through his disciple Nietszche.

For him, the will is both the source of life and the substratum in which all misfortune nests: death, the corruption of the existing and the background of the universal struggle. Schopenhauer swims against the current of his time: he is not animated by the pleasure of action, but by the art of abandonment.

In addition to his famous pessimism, his work has some useful elements such as his philosophy of inner strength and the invitation to silence.

Towards the end of his life he once said to an interlocutor, "A philosophy between whose pages one does not hear the tears, the howling and gnashing of teeth, as well as the dreadful din of the universal crime of all against all, is not a philosophy."

His father, a rich merchant, wanted to make him a merchant too (a man of the world and of fine manners). But Arthur, favored at this point by the early suicide of his father (from whom he would learn courage, pride, sobriety and a firm and hurtful arrogance) and helped by his mother, with whom he would later become enemies, became a philosopher. His passion for philosophy arose from amazement at the world and, since he had inherited fortune, he was able to live for philosophy and did not need to live from it.

His main work, The world as will and representationwas for him the real task of his existence and was not successful when it was published. He then retired from the stage without ever having performed, and he dedicated himself to contemplating the sometimes cruel carnival of life from the sidelines.

Being a man of prodigious self-esteem, he knew how to think and outline the three great humiliations of human megalomania: the cosmological humiliation (our world is but one of the innumerable spheres that populate infinite space and on which a layer of mold with living and cognizant beings moves); the biological humiliation (man is an animal in which intelligence serves him exclusively to compensate for the lack of instincts and inadequate adaptation to the environment); and the psychological humiliation (our conscious self does not rule its own house).

In the work of the philosopher from Danzing as well as in his biography, we can discover that Schopenhauer was a child without sufficient love (his mother did not love his father and some say that he took care of Arthur only out of obligation), which left wounds covered later by pride. In his Metaphysics of Manners he will say that the human being "will carry out all sorts of frustrated attempts and do violence to his character in the details; but on the whole he will have to bend to it" and that "if we want to grasp and possess anything in life we have to leave innumerable things to the right and left, renouncing them. But if we are incapable of making up our minds in this way and we throw ourselves on everything that attracts us in a provisional way, as children do at the annual fair, we run in this way in zigzag and get nowhere. He who wants to be everything can become nothing".

Influenced by the reading of Voltaire's Candide and overwhelmed by the desolation of life as he contemplated illness, old age, pain and death, he lost what little faith he had at the age of 17, at the age of 17 he lost what little faith he had and affirmed that "the clear and evident truth that the world expressed soon overlapped with the Judaic dogmas that had been inculcated in me and I came to the conclusion that this world could not be the work of a benevolent being but, in any case, the creation of a devil who had called it into existence to recreate himself in the contemplation of its pain". At the same time and paradoxically he will attack materialism saying that "the materialist will be comparable to the baron of Münchausen, who, swimming on horseback in the water, tried to pull the horse with his legs and to drag himself pulled his own pigtail forward".

And it is precisely his renunciation of Christian truths that will turn him into an individual of unbearable treatment and unhappy existence: he will end his days alone, angry for years with his mother and his only sister, without having managed to commit himself to any of the women he took advantage of, denounced by a neighbor who claimed that he threw her down the stairs in an argument because of the noise she made when talking, and found dead by his housekeeper on the sofa of his house.

When his mother took Schopenhauer's dissertation The quadruple rootArthur replied: "it will be read when not a single one of your writings is left in the back room" and his mother replied: "of yours, the whole edition will be about to be released".

However, throughout his life he would have moments of lucidity as when he gave importance to compassion in the lives of men (he himself left his inheritance to a charitable organization) or when he liked to climb the mountains and contemplate the beauty of the landscape from above. In his diary he wrote: "If we take away from life the brief moments of religion, art and pure love, what is left but a succession of trivial thoughts? And in a letter to his mother he will come to say: "the pulsations of divine music have not ceased to sound through the centuries of barbarism, and an immediate echo of the eternal has remained in us, intelligible to all the senses and even above vice and virtue".

In the political field, patriotism is strange to him, war events are "thunder and smoke", an extraordinarily foolish game. He was "fully convinced that I was not born to serve mankind with my fist but with my head, and that my fatherland is greater than Germany. For him, the state is a necessary evil, a social machine which, at best, couples collective egoism with the collective interest of survival and which has no moral competence. He does not want a State with a soul which, as soon as it can, tries to possess the souls of its subjects. Schopenhauer uncompromisingly defends freedom of thought.

In 1850 he finished his last work, the Parerga and Paralipomena, secondary writings, scattered but systematically ordered thoughts on various subjects. Among them are the Aphorisms on the wisdom of living, which later became so famous (together with The Art of Being Right: Exposed in 38 Stratagems). They do not lack the sense of humor of their author, who affirmed that taking ourselves too seriously in the present turns us into laughable people and that only a few great spirits managed to leave that situation to become laughable people. Shortly before his death he said: "Humanity has learned from me things it will never forget". Let us learn from his virtues and his mistakes.

The authorSantiago Leyra Curiá

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Pope Francis opens the Jubilee of "Forgiveness".

Rome Reports-August 29, 2022-Reading time: < 1 minute
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Pope Francis opened the door of the Jubilee in the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio in the town of L'Aquila. This opening marked the beginning of the Jubilee of Forgiveness, which has been celebrated here every year since 1294.

He is the first Pope to open this Holy Door since Celestine, 728 years ago.

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What will be discussed at the Consistory of Cardinals on August 29-30?

An important meeting of cardinals, an extraordinary consistory, will take place on August 29 and 30. We review the topics to be addressed and the composition of the College of Cardinals.

Andrea Gagliarducci-August 28, 2022-Reading time: 5 minutes
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The extraordinary consistory to be held on August 29-30 will be the first of its kind convened by Pope Francis since 2015. Previously, it was customary that, once the cardinals had been summoned to Rome to the creation of the new red capsIn addition, an extraordinary consistory, i.e., a meeting of all the cardinals on topics of common interest, will be held.

Pope Francis had maintained this practice for the Consistory of 2014 and that of 2015. In 2014, the theme was the family, saw the report of Cardinal Walter Kasper and introduced the great debate on the topic of the Special Synod on the Family. In 2015, the theme was instead the reform of the Curia, and saw several reports from the cardinals involved in the reform, as well as a wide-ranging debate.

After the 2015 Consistory, Pope Francis called cardinals from around the world for the creation of new red birettas in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Five more consistories, which, however, did not then have a general meeting. In the meantime, the work on the reform of the Curia continued and was completed. And at the same time, the College of Cardinals was being profoundly modified.

Now Pope Francis is resuming this custom of the extraordinary consistory, but everything has changed. Starting with the very face of the College of Cardinals. Let's see how.

Changes in the College of Cardinals

At the 2015 Consistory, Pope Francis had created 15 cardinal electors and 5 non-electors. In the following consistories, he created 73 more cardinals, of whom 48 are electors. The face of the College of Cardinals has changed profoundly in recent years, but the cardinals have not known each other.

After the August consistory, there will be 132 cardinal electors, 12 more than the limit of 120 set by Paul VI. By the end of 2022, six more cardinals will turn 80, thus losing their right to vote in the conclave. In total, Pope Francis will have created 82 of the 126 cardinals. This means that, in a possible conclave, the cardinals created by Pope Francis will be slightly more than 65%. The quorum for the election of a pope is two-thirds, or 84 cardinals. The cardinals created by Pope Francis will therefore be only two less than the quota needed to elect the successor at the end of 2022.

As can be seen, this is a profoundly changed College of Cardinals. The debate on the reform of the Curia will serve, more than anything else, to allow the cardinals to get to know each other and to know where they stand on certain issues. The Extraordinary Consistory of August 29-30 is also expected for this purpose.

The modalities of the Consistory

However, the Extraordinary Consistory will be profoundly different from what we have been used to so far. There are no papers, no reports, and only an open debate is scheduled for the morning of August 30. All the cardinals have received a report on the reform of the Curia, drafted by Msgr. Marco Mellino, secretary of the Council of Cardinals, and already published in L'Osservatore Romano, as well as presented at the last interdicasterial meeting.

In his 11-page report, Bishop Mellino dwells on some particular aspects of the reform. Among the interesting details is the fact that the text of the "Praedicate Evangelium" -that is the name of the apostolic constitution that regulates the competencies and tasks of the offices of the Curia as of June 2022- is firmly in the hands of the Pope since 2020, and that therefore any subsequent changes must be attributed only to the Holy Father, in his role as supreme legislator.

Then there is the question of the role of the laity, who now - as we know - can become heads of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia. Mellino thus interprets the canon that provides for the cooperation of the laity in the power of ordained ministers as a "having part" of the same power, understanding that there are tasks and prerogatives that can only concern ordained ministers.

Mellino also explains the emphasis placed on the theme of evangelization, as well as that of Charity. For this reason, it was decided to transform the Apostolic Almonerate into a true dicastery of the Roman Curia.

The text, however, is only an introduction, and many cardinals are already preparing their comments. In general, from what can be gleaned from various conversations, the cardinals are focusing on substance rather than functionality. The question is no longer how the Curia is organized, but whether this organization can really support evangelization. Will there be room for a debate on this question?

Differences with the last extraordinary session

All remains to be seen. In 2015, 164 cardinals from around the world participated in the Consistory. There was a first extensive report on economic issues, with reports from Cardinal George Pell, then Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy; Cardinal Reinhard Marx, President of the Council for the Economy; Joseph F.X: Zahra, Vice President of the Council for the Economy; and Jean-Baptise de Franssu, President of the Board of Superintendence of the IOR.

Then, the following day, there was a report from the Council of Cardinals (then C9) on the reform of the Curia. Cardinal Sean O'Malley then spoke about the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, which had just been created.

This time, apart from Bishop Mellino's report, no other report is planned. Instead, the cardinals will be called to divide into language groups, each group with a moderator, and only in these small groups will the discussion take place. A bit like what happens at the Synod, after all.

In the morning debate on August 30, the moderators will present the conclusions of the groups and there will be space for discussion. But it will remain a debate of limited duration. In the afternoon, the Pope's Mass with the new cardinals will conclude the three days of appointments.

To get to know each other, the cardinals will have two lunches and two dinners together, and some discussion on the sidelines. They will comment on the reform of the Curia, but conscious that the reform is already a reality and already structured: it cannot be changed, or at least not substantially.

A new type of consistory?

Certainly, it is a strong break with the tradition of the consistories. Consistories were especially important in the Middle Ages as a governing body, and also served as a court of justice. Pope Innocent III went so far as to convene three meetings of the cardinals per week.

After the reform of the Curia by Sixtus V in the 16th century, the consistories lost their governing weight. The cardinals assisted the pope in the government of the Church through their work in the Vatican congregations, while the consistories were convened to give solemnity to certain important moments of the Church.

It must be said that the consistory acquired a renewed importance after the Second Vatican Council. Father Gianfranco Grieco, Vatican historian for L'Osservatore Romano, in his book "Paul VI. Ho visto, ho creduto" ("I have seen, I have believed"), recounted how Pope Montini always wanted the cardinals gathered in the consistory to wait for him upon his return from an international trip, to exchange with them the first opinions of the journey.

John Paul II convoked six extraordinary consistories during his pontificate, which dealt with various topics such as the renewal of the Curia, the Church and culture, the financial situation, the Jubilee, threats to life, the challenge of sects.

Benedict XVI also used to precede the consistories for the creation of new cardinals with moments of exchange. It remains to be seen whether this new format desired by Pope Francis is only an extraordinary way of organizing consistories or whether it will be formalized as a new modality. Certainly, the next extraordinary consistory has its own particularity that must be taken into account.

The authorAndrea Gagliarducci

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  • Enzo PetroniloThere are more than 48,000 deacons and their number is growing".
Evangelization

Enzo PetroniloThere are more than 48,000 deacons and their number is growing".

There are 414,000 priests in the world, which is too few to adequately carry out the task of evangelization. For this reason, the increasing number of deacons is seen with ever greater hope.

Federico Piana-August 27, 2022-Reading time: 3 minutes
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In the Church there is a reality, perhaps still little known, which is growing steadily in the world: that of the diaconate. "In recent years there are more than 48,000 deacons present in all continents and their number is increasing. For example, from 2018 to 2019 they grew by 1,000. A true gift of the Holy Spirit," says Enzo Petrolino, 73, permanent deacon and president of the Diaconate Community in Italy.

But who are the deacons? To this question, Enzo Petrolino, who is also a husband and happy father of three children, answers by reweaving the thread of history: "To understand them well, we must start from the Acts of the Apostles, in which the evangelist Luke tells us about the institution of the first seven deacons, who were chosen to respond to a need of the first Christian communities: to care for the widows of the Hellenes, who had previously been abandoned. The deacons, in essence, were born to serve".

Is diakonia, which in Greek means service, reserved for someone in particular?

- It is a vocation that concerns all the baptized and can be considered the heart of the Church's mission, because Jesus himself said: "I did not come to be served but to serve", to be a deacon of the Father. History teaches us that deacons then disappeared for 1,500 years and only the Vatican Council IIThe Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium reintroduced in the Church this figure, called not to ministry but to service. 

What is the importance of the diaconate in the Church today?

- The actuality is found in the Magisterium of Pope Francis. The Holy Father, since the beginning of his pontificate, has said that he wants a poor Church for the poor and for this reason it must be diaconal, outgoing: attentive to the last and to the peripheries, not only physical but also existential.

What are the areas of competence of deacons?

- The areas of competence cover various fronts: there are deacons who work in local Caritas or in the pastoral care of health; there are those who work in prisons or those who dedicate themselves to the service of the liturgy and evangelization. Another important front is that of the family: here deacons have more opportunities to help because 98% of them are married.  

What is the trend in diaconal vocations compared to priestly vocations?

- Unfortunately, in Western countries priestly vocations are decreasing, while there continues to be a sharp decline in the number of seminarians, the greatest number of whom are in Asia, Africa and America: Europe is at the bottom of the list. It is different in the case of diaconal vocations, which are growing steadily in all countries of the world. The greatest number of deacons is to be found in the United States, Brazil and Italy, third in the world, but first in Europe.

The role of wives in the diaconal vocational journey is fundamental: if the wife of an aspiring married deacon does not agree, the husband cannot be ordained. How do wives participate in this journey?

- The involvement of the wives is an aspect on which our community is insisting a lot, trying to make the wives aware of what they will face once their husband becomes a deacon. We focus on their formation, parallel to that of the aspiring deacons.

What future do you envision for the diaconate in the world?

- I imagine it will be a very interesting future and it will be linked to an increasingly extroverted Church. The deacons will have to learn to be more synodal, walking together, facing the new needs of the world and the Church. Our challenge will be to avoid an acting diaconate that serves no purpose.

The authorFederico Piana

 Journalist. He works for Vatican Radio and collaborates with L'Osservatore Romano.

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Sunday Readings

Another beatitude present in the Gospel. 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Andrea Mardegan comments on the readings for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time and Luis Herrera offers a short video homily. 

Andrea Mardegan-August 26, 2022-Reading time: 2 minutes

The reading from the wise Sirach introduces the theme of meekness and humility so dear to Jesus. "Son, do your deeds with meekness, and you will be more beloved than a generous man. The greater you are, the more humble you will be, and you will find favor with the Lord. Many are the proud and haughty, but to the meek God reveals his secrets." The Responsorial Psalm, on the other hand, introduces the theme of God's care for the poor and destitute: "Father of the fatherless and defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling place. To the lonely, God makes a home; he brings out the captives with joy."

Jesus goes to eat at the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees, and we want to think about how he does not avoid the environments that are hostile to him and does not miss the opportunity to try to change their behavior and mentality, trusting that they can understand and with the intention that we too, who are far from the time and culture of that environment, receive a teaching. Jesus prefers to pick up aspects of daily life to propose his teaching, to change our daily life and to make us understand the logic of the Kingdom of God, which is revealed and realized in daily life.

The passage begins with his entrance into the house and everyone's eyes fixed on him. Then Luke narrates the healing of a man sick with dropsy, about which the guests cannot say anything even if it happens on the Sabbath, because Jesus makes them keep silent with the consideration that if one of their children or an ox fell into the well on the Sabbath they would pull him out. Love wins over the letter of the law. Meanwhile, Jesus looks back at them and notices the guests' eagerness to put themselves first. He then tells them the parable of the wedding guests, to teach and correct without hurting, but he does not refer only to good social manners, nor does he recommend a trick to get to the top: rather he reveals a profound feature of God's logic, which we find in the whole history of salvation: the one who is
humble will be exalted. The image of the wedding feast is an eschatological image of the Kingdom.

In that meal, after the healing of the man who was cured and the parable about the humility of choosing the last place at the wedding banquet, the third teaching is a piece of advice addressed directly to the host, to whom he suggests to live in his concreteness the logic that God has in his salvation history: to make his daily life reflect God's style, which privileges the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind. And he promises him that he is the recipient of another of the beatitudes found in the Gospels: "You will be blessed because they cannot repay you; they will repay you at the resurrection of the just".

The homily on the readings of Sunday 22nd Sunday

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

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  • Hosenfeld, the officer who saved the life of the "pianist of the Warsaw Ghetto".
Evangelization

Hosenfeld, the officer who saved the life of the "pianist of the Warsaw Ghetto".

Roman Polanski's film "The Pianist" (2002) made Wilm Hosenfeld, a Wehrmacht officer, known all over the world; but Wladyslaw Szpilman was not the only one whose life he saved, but also many other Poles, Jews and Catholics. It is now 70 years since Wilm Hosenfeld's death in August 1952.

José M. García Pelegrín-August 26, 2022-Reading time: 7 minutes
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Translation of the article into English

Wilm (Wilhelm) Hosenfeld was born on May 2, 1895 in Mackenzell, in the province of Hessen-Nassau, into a Catholic family. He finished his teaching studies a week after the outbreak of World War I, in which he participated as a soldier. He was discharged after suffering a leg injury at the beginning of 1918.

In 1920 he married Annemarie Krummacher (1898-1972), who came from a Protestant family but converted to Catholicism before marriage. After various posts in different schools, in 1927 he was appointed headmaster of the elementary school in Thalau. He moved there with his wife and two children, Helmut and Anemone; the next three children, Detlev, Jorinde and Uta, were born there. The Hosenfeld family was living in Thalau at the time of Hitler's rise to power in 1933.

Attraction to and differences from National Socialism

Hosenfeld was initially attracted to National Socialism. He even joined the Nazi party NSDAP in 1935, probably impressed by the "Law for the Creation of the Army" of March 1935, with which Hitler broke the Treaty of Versailles. Moreover, he twice attended the Party Convention in Nuremberg, in 1936 and 1938.

However, with some aspects of National Socialist doctrine, such as the race ideology, he never agreed. Nevertheless, the first clear conflict with the regime arose for him in connection with youth policy: as a father and teacher, he saw how the party sought to influence the youth completely; compulsory membership in the Hitler Youth alienated boys between the ages of 10 and 18 from their parents and from school. In particular, the principle of "autonomous education" ("youth is led by youth") ran counter to his convictions and experience. Another aspect that disappointed him was the anti-Christian character of Nazism and its open hostility against the Church, as he actively participated in the activities of his parish and maintained personal contact with the priest.

World War II

The outbreak of World War II did not catch Wilm Hosenfeld unawares, for as early as 26 August 1939 he was called up, initially with the rank of sergeant with which he had ended the Great War. In the same month of September, his battalion was transferred to Poland, where he remained until he was arrested on January 17, 1945.

His first assignment was - after the capitulation of the surprised Poland on September 27 - the organization of a prison camp in Piabanice for some ten thousand Polish soldiers. Already in these first moments on Polish soil, the still German non-commissioned officer showed his humanity and his ability to interpret his military orders with a wide berth: although it was forbidden, he allowed family members to visit the prisoners. Hosenfeld not only released some of these prisoners, but also befriended two families - Cieciora and Prut: Wilm traveled repeatedly, even accompanied by his wife, to the country home of the Cieciora family; the Prut family also invited him to their home on several occasions during the war.

Shortly afterwards, he was sent to Warsaw as a "sports officer"; his job was to organize sports activities for German soldiers, but he also took charge of teaching those who did not have a high school education, even inviting teachers from Germany. He also took advantage of the relative freedom he enjoyed to employ several Poles, both Christians and Jews, which saved their lives. He also ignored the order forbidding "fraternization" with the Polish population; in addition to visiting Polish families, he attended Mass in Polish parishes, even in uniform.

Correspondence with his wife

Wilm Hosenfeld's extensive correspondence with his wife has been preserved, as well as several diaries, as he had the foresight to give them to his wife when he was on vacation, or she came to Warsaw. They have been published, occupying almost 1,200 pages, in a book with the significant title "Ich versuche, jeden zu retten" ("I try to save everyone"), an entry in his diary during the brief time he presided over a military tribunal, which tried members of the Polish resistance. Contrary to customary practice, Hosenfeld did not hand down a single death sentence.

Three main ideas stand out in these writings: in the first place, Hosenfeld's love for his family, palpable in every letter: concern for his wife, for his sons who were called up, but also the pain of not being able to accompany his sons except from afar. A second aspect is the practice of faith: "On Sunday I went to church early and went to communion. I spent about two hours in church, praying, among other things, the litany of the Holy Name of Jesus," she wrote on August 3, 1942. From his diary it is clear that he frequently went to confession and prayed, which gave him the strength to overcome the situation.

Separation from Nazism

The third aspect refers to the inner liberation from Nazism. It was a long process, which can be seen above all in his correspondence and in his notes of the years 1942/43, when he begins to learn about the Nazi cruelties in Poland and the Jewish holocaust. In an annotation of February 14, 1943 one reads: "It is incomprehensible that we could have committed such atrocities to the defenseless civilian population, to the Jews. I ask myself: How is this possible? There is only one explanation: the people who could do it and who ordered it, have lost all measure of ethical responsibility. They are perverse, crass egoists and deep materialists.

When, last summer, the horrible massacres of Jews, children and women took place, then I knew very clearly: now we are going to lose the war, for with that a struggle which was legitimized by the search for food and land had lost all meaning. It had degenerated into an inhuman and unmeasured genocide against culture, which could never be justified to the German people and which would be condemned by the entire German people". Already in July 1942 he had referred - in the context of the ghetto deportation - to his "concern for the future of our people, who will one day have to atone for all these atrocities".

The ghetto massacre

From July 1942 are the following words: "The last remnant of the Jewish population of the ghetto has been annihilated (...) The whole ghetto is a ruin. And this is how we want to win the war! They are beasts. With this horrible murder of the Jews we have lost the war. We have brought upon ourselves an indelible infamy, an indelible curse. We deserve no grace; we are all guilty. I am ashamed to go through this city; every Pole has the right to spit in front of us. Every day German soldiers are killed; but it will still be worse and we have no right to complain. We don't deserve anything else."

Further on we can read, in relation to the holocaust: "There are hardly any precedents in history; perhaps primitive men practiced cannibalism; but that in the middle of the 20th century a people, men, women and children are annihilated, we are burdened with such horrible guilt of blood that one would like the earth to swallow it (...) Is it true that the devil has taken human form? I do not doubt it".

The problem of evil

Photo: Wilm Hosenfeld in army uniform.

Hosenfeld's reaction was not only to try to "save everyone" as many as he could, but he also reflects on the moral responsibility for such acts, also their own: "How cowardly we are, that precisely we, who wanted to be better, allowed all this to happen. For that we will also be punished and the punishment will also reach our innocent children; we are also guilty for allowing these atrocities" (August 13, 1942).

In the face of such crimes, Hosenfeld of course raises a "question of Theodicy"; to his first-born son Helmut he writes on August 18, 1942: "I firmly believe that the Providence of God directs the destiny of universal history and the life of peoples. Men and peoples are in his hand; he holds them or lets them fall according to his wise plan, the meaning of which we cannot understand in this life. For example, what is happening now with the Jewish people! They want to annihilate them and they are doing it.

Thus the immensity of human evil and animalism comes to light. How many innocent people have to perish? Who is asking for Law and Justice? Does all this have to happen? Why not, why should God not let the low instincts of men come to the surface: murder, strive, you have the mind and the talent for both, for hate and for love. This is what I would think if my creatures behaved like vermin. What the wisdom of God intends for them, who knows?"

Meeting with "the pianist

Shortly before the entry of the Red Army into Warsaw is when the meeting with the pianist takes place. Wladyslaw SzpilmanThe German officer helped him to find a hiding place in the building where the German command headquarters would be established shortly afterwards, and provided him with food that helped him survive the two months until the conquest of Warsaw by the Soviet Union in January 1945. Hosenfeld said goodbye to Wladyslaw Szpilman on December 12, 1944.

Later, the pianist would declare that Hosenfeld was "the only one person in German uniform" that he knew. As a token of gratitude to the German officer who saved his life, without him - despite all his efforts - being able to get him released from Soviet captivity, Wladyslaw Szpilman wanted to open the first concert he gave on Warsaw Radio after the war with the same "Nocturne in C-minor" by Chopin, which he played spontaneously on November 17, 1944 to Wilm Hosenfeld in that abandoned house at 223 Aleja Niepodległości.

Release attempts

Although Szpilman and many others such as Leon Warm-Warczynski and Antoni Cieciora petitioned for his release, these requests were unsuccessful. Hosenfeld was transferred to a special camp for officers in Minsk; later he went to Brobrujsk, where on July 27, 1947 he suffered a cerebral infarction, which left him paralyzed on his right side and made it difficult for him to speak. After spending a few months in the lazaretto of this camp, he was transferred in early December 1947 to a hospital. With 250 other convicts, he arrived in Stalingrad in August 1950.

Due to his poor health, he was admitted to the "Special Hospital 5771". Although he improved and was even able to leave the hospital, this situation did not last long: on February 20, 1952 he suffered a new attack. He was never to leave the hospital again; on August 13 he suffered a rupture of the aorta, which caused his death within minutes at the age of 57. Wilm Hosenfeld was buried in a cemetery near the hospital. 

Righteous among the nations

On February 16, 2009, following a request by Wladyslaw Szpilman in 1998 and after several years of efforts by the "pianist's" son, Wilm Hosenfeld was named "righteous among the nations" by the committee of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. The extraordinariness of this honor is made clear in an official statement from this committee: "Very few Nazi army officers receive this recognition, because the German army is intimately connected with Adolf Hitler's 'final solution': the genocide of 6 million Jews." Wilm Hosenfeld is one of those rare people who wore the German uniform and who have been recognized as "righteous among the nations".

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  • An open letter to Albino Luciani in the style of those of "Distinguished Gentlemen".
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An open letter to Albino Luciani in the style of those of "Distinguished Gentlemen".

Today, August 26, marks the anniversary of the election of John Paul I as successor of Peter. Before becoming pontiff, he published in the press a series of fictitious letters to famous writers and literary figures. They were later collected in a book entitled "Illustrious Gentlemen". These lines collect a fictitious letter sent to him and in the style in which he wrote them.

Vitus Ntube-August 26, 2022-Reading time: 8 minutes
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Illustrious Pope:

I write to you with gratitude.

Some years ago I received your book "Most Illustrious Gentlemen." which was a collection of letters you wrote to illustrious men and women and published in the press. Thanks to this book, I "learned" to read, I fell in love with literature. Your book encouraged me to read more books and taught me how to read them, that is, to make the characters and authors always present and to be an interlocutor with them. Reading has become an encounter, a dialogue, thanks to you.

I enjoyed your book very much and have longed to read more of your writings. I dare say I have read all of your proclamations as Pope. They were thirty-three days of papacy for you, so it was an easy project to accomplish. I found that you did not abandon your style in your audiences and speeches as pope. Literary figures and examples never ceased to appear in your speech. It was a style I liked very much.

In your book Your ExcellenciesYou wrote to authors I liked, you opened new horizons for me to discover other authors as well. Of course, you have not written to all the illustrious authors, but you have written to writers like Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Alessandro Manzoni, Johann Goethe, Chesterton or to literary characters like Pinocchio or Penelope, etc. I remember you told Mark Twain about your reaction to quoting him. You wrote: "My students were enthusiastic when I told them: Now I'm going to tell you another Mark Twain story. I fear, however, that my diocesans will be scandalized: 'A bishop quoting Mark Twain!

Although you did not write specifically to Shakespeare, you mentioned him. The same with Leo Tolstoy, whose stories made it into your letters to other illustrious men, even though he did not receive a personal letter. I have no doubt that you would have written to more illustrious authors if time had permitted. You probably would have written to Albert Camus, Stefan Zweig, C. S. Lewis, Jane Austen, Solzhenitsyn, and perhaps to literary characters such as Don Quixote de la Mancha or Christina, daughter of Lavrans, Frodo, Samsagaz, and Monsieur Myriel from Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables." You would also have come into contact with more literary people from all over the world, with Chinua Achebe, with Confucius, with Shūsaku Endō, etc.

You did write to saints; I suppose St. Francis de Sales was your favorite. He received a letter and made many appearances in other letters. He was your theologian of love. You would also have written to other recent saints. Perhaps to St. Josemaría Escrivá on the need for holiness for all people, as you emphasized in your letter to St. Francis de Sales. You spoke of being devout and how "holiness ceases to be a privilege of convents and becomes the power and duty of everyone". Holiness is an ordinary undertaking that man can achieve "by the fulfillment of the common duties of every day, but not in a common way." These are your words, and it was what St. Josemaría taught.

I just found out that you had written about him in another article in Il GazzettinoI was born on July 25, 1978, a month before he was elected Pope. Of course, in the article you made reference to St. Francis de Sales and even said that St. Josemaría went further than him in some aspects. You said that faith and competent work go hand in hand and that they are "the two wings of holiness. Well, I don't know if you would have liked this image that I would use now to describe faith and competent work: What if I compared them to the two blades of a pair of scissors? Would anyone dare to say that one of the blades is not necessary? Tell me what you think of my image. I have taken it from C. S. Lewis.

Well, surely you would also have written to the fathers of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. You received with joy the news of the cause of their beatification in your letter to Lemuel, King of Massah. I am sure you would be delighted that they are saints now.

You talked to poets, mothers, queens, young and old, etc. You spoke with Pinocchio and compared him to your childhood experiences. You also talked to the elderly, as in your letter to Alvise Cornaro in which you said that "the problems of the elderly are today more complicated than in your time and, perhaps, humanly deeper, but the key remedy, dear Cornaro, is still your own: to react against all pessimism or selfishness".

But what you taught me, above all, was how to maintain that dialogue and what the nature of that encounter can be. You showed how to balance a dialogue between generations. You avoided being anchored in an old way of doing things and accepted the reality of your time. You knew how to bring the different generations into dialogue. You did not consider the old as outdated and the new as the only relevant thing. This gap between generations can be compared to arriving at noon to a meeting scheduled at nine o'clock in the morning. If the conversation has been going on for the previous three hours, the latecomer will have missed many details and will be in danger of repeating what has already been said. It is this ability to incorporate the conversation started at nine o'clock into the present moment that you have shown in your letters. In your letters you had conversations on various topics: feminism, education, chastity, vacations, "fakenews" and relativism and you even have a letter to an anonymous painter. You were a man who knew how to converse.

I write to you with gratitude also because you taught me that books can be reread as you did many times on the anniversary of the birth or death of an author, or on any other occasion. I reread your book again on the occasion of your beatification this year as you taught me. I hope people will have the opportunity to read those letters of yours on this occasion.

"Let us praise illustrious men, our fathers according to their generations. They were men of good, whose merits have not been forgotten." - Ecclesiasticus 44:1,10

Illustrious Albino, I am writing to you because you are now one of the illustrious men. You are illustrious not because of your literary ability, but because of your holiness, which the Church will soon recognize with your beatification. You have taught me to be an interlocutor - in your letter to St. Luke the Evangelist and in your letter to Jesus - to dialogue with the characters of the Gospel and to dialogue with Christ. This was the source of your holiness. You were a man of prayer, a man who dialogued with God. When you wrote to Jesus, you wrote to Him trembling, showing that you were in constant conversation with Him. In your letter, you wrote that:

"Dear Jesus:

I have been the object of some criticism. "He is a bishop, he is a cardinal - they say - he has worked exhaustingly writing letters in all directions: to M. Twain, to Péguy, to Casella, to Penelope, to Dickens, to Marlowe, to Goldoni and I don't know how many others. And not a single line to Jesus Christ!"

You know that. I try to maintain a continuous conversation with you. But translated into a letter I find it difficult: they are personal things. And so insignificant!"

You were in constant conversation with Christ. This is the true source of your illustrious nature and what you have taught me is of primary importance. You ended your letter to Christ by saying that "the important thing is not that one should write about Christ, but that many should love and imitate Christ."

I write to you with gratitude because you are a humble man. You took "Humilitas" as your episcopal motto. In your letter to King David, you manifested a dimension of this and how many times you tried to bury the pride you had. Many times you held a funeral and sang the requiem to pride. About this, you told King David that, "I rejoice when I find it, for example, in the short Psalm 130, written by you. You say in that psalm: Lord, my heart is not haughty. I try to follow in your footsteps, but unfortunately, I have to limit myself to asking: Lord, I wish that my heart would not run after proud thoughts...!

Too little for a bishop, you will say. I understand that, but the truth is that a hundred times I have celebrated the funerals of my pride, believing I had buried it six feet under with so much requiescat, and a hundred times I have seen it rise again more awake than before: I have realized that I still disliked criticism, that praise, on the contrary, flattered me, that I was concerned about the judgment of others about me."

It was the virtue of humility that you also recommended in your first general audience as Pope. Not only did you recommend the virtue of humility, but you also considered yourself the lowest. You wrote to Mark Twain showing him how you considered yourself the lowest among the bishops.

"As there are many kinds of books, so there are many kinds of bishops. Some, indeed, look like eagles gliding with masterly documents of the highest order; others are like nightingales singing wonderfully the praises of the Lord; others, on the contrary, are poor sparrows who, on the last branch of the ecclesiastical tree, do nothing but chirp, trying to say the odd thought on vastly vast subjects. I, dear Twain, belong to the latter category."

I write to you with gratitude because you have spoken of our service to Truth. We are servants and not masters of the Truth. This is what you wrote in your personal pontifical diary. You became a collaborator of the Truth. You taught us to seek the truth with docility in recognition of the fact that we do not believe it. You wrote to Quintilian about education and how to seek truth through it. You wrote that "dependence is natural to the mind, which does not create truth, but must only bow to it, wherever it comes from; if we do not take advantage of the teachings of others, we will waste much time searching for truths already acquired; it is not always possible to achieve original discoveries; it is often enough to be critically certain of discoveries already made; finally, docility is also a useful virtue. [...] On the other hand, which is better: to be confidants of great ideas or original authors of mediocre ideas?"

We do not make our own truths, but learn from those who have gone before us and in turn become collaborators with the truth. You even showed how we can easily serve the truth through images and examples from literature. You made many of your teachings known through literary images. You even gave a case in which you explained the incoherence of religious relativism using a story by Tolstoy. At the end, you said that "what Rahner sometimes fails to clarify with his volumes of theology, Tolstoy can solve with a simple comic strip!"

I write to you with gratitude because you have spoken of joy and the charity that accompanies it. You are known as the Pope of the smile. When you wrote to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, you spoke of a joy that is exquisite charity when it is shared. You told the story of the Irishman whom Christ asked to enter paradise because of how he communicated his joy. Christ told him, "I was sad, downcast, prostrate and you came and told a few jokes that made me laugh and restored my spirits. to paradise!" In his third general audience as pope, you spoke of how St. Thomas declared that joking and making people smile was a virtue. He said it was "in line with the 'glad tidings` preached by Christ, with the "hilaritas" recommended by St. Augustine; it defeated pessimism, it clothed the Christian life with joy, it invited us to be encouraged by the wholesome and pure joys we encounter on our way."

You are the Pope of the smile. Your writings radiate joy, as does your catechesis. You were a man of joy, of good humor.

I write to you with gratitude because you also held gratitude in high esteem. The choice of your name is itself a concrete example of your spirit of gratitude. In your first Angelus address you said how gratitude to the two previous Popes, John XXIII and Paul VI, led you to choose a binomial name for the first time. You explained this well in your first Angelus address. I have listened to the recording of this speech on the website of the foundation created in your name by the Vatican. I enjoyed listening to the speech in your own voice. One can imagine how you turned red when Paul VI put the stole on your shoulders as you say in that speech.

I have made public my first letter to an illustrious man. I have no doubt that you would like these letters, these dialogues, to continue with other illustrious men. We would try to maintain your legacy, especially that of your holiness. With joy we would be celebrating your beatification.

If this letter has been a bit baroque and with a lot of details, it is probably because I have tried to copy the style of your letters and I have done it badly. In your letters there was no lack of examples of texts. I am writing to you as you liked to write. Perhaps you would like to read it that way too.

The authorVitus Ntube

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The Vatican

What's New in Vatican Finance. A guide to understanding the changes

The publication of the balance sheets of the Holy See and of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, known by its acronym APSA, show the state of the Vatican's finances, one of the major areas reformed in recent years.

Andrea Gagliarducci-August 25, 2022-Reading time: 6 minutes
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How is the Vatican money? Mainly in the real estate sector and in conservative investments, with not excessive but safe yields.

What is the Vatican's money used for? First of all to carry out the mission of the Church, and therefore, for institutional purposes, to keep the Roman Curia, the "ministries" of the Pope that carry out the mission, functioning.

The answers to these questions can be found by reading the balance sheet of the Holy See and the balance sheet of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, known by its acronym APSA.

The balance sheets were published at the beginning of August, unfortunately only accompanied by an institutional interview with the top management, but without a press conference or additional explanations. To understand them, it is necessary to read them carefully.

It must be kept in mind that the balance sheets are snapshots of a financial situation that is still in the process of change. As we write, Pope Francis has established with a "rescriptum" that all investments and movable property transactions of the Holy See and related institutions must pass through the Institute for the Works of Religion and that all funds must be transferred to the so-called "Vatican bank" by September 30. However, this does not change anything in the budgets we are analyzing.

The two budgets

These are two very different budgets. The budget of the Holy See includes all the entities related to it. Until last year, some 60 entities were considered. Now the perimeter of entities has been expanded to 92, and also includes the administration of, for example, the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, linked to the Secretariat of State. The budget also includes the Vatican Health Care Fund and the Vatican Pension Fund, two entities that have generally been considered to have an autonomous budget and whose management has experienced moments of crisis.

The APSA budget, instead, is the budget of the entity that acts as the Vatican's "central bank" and the entity that is the central investor. With the transfer of funds from the Secretariat of State to the management of APSA, decided by Pope Francis last year, all investments, revenues and financial decisions become managed by APSA.

Needless to say, the approaches of the two budgets are very different. The Holy See's budget is 11 pages long, is written entirely in English and attempts to put together, in a very technical way, the numbers. However, in the end it is difficult to find the figures broken down for all the entities. There is no exact list of which entities were previously included in the counts and which were not, and the fact that all the accounts are now put together makes it impossible to know how each entity operated. The budget wants to show the new approach, but the comparison with the old one is difficult to make.

The APSA balance sheet, instead, has 91 pages and a more descriptive and historical approach, which goes beyond the data and tries to explain the ways of acting. It is a balance sheet that aims to clarify the philosophy and raison d'être of what has become a sort of central bank, but which began as a special administration to manage the money of the "Conciliazione", the agreement signed with the Italian State in 1929. In fact, Italy settled the dispute with the Holy See that had arisen with the invasion of the Papal State in 1870, granting the Pope the small territory of the Vatican City State and compensation for the land and the State that had been expropriated from him.

The main objective of the Vatican's finances

The primary purpose of the Vatican's finances, as mentioned, is to support the Pope's mission, i.e., the Pope's "ministries," the Roman Curia. It is not surprising, therefore, that since 2011 APSA has been obliged to send at least 20 million a year to the Curia, plus an amount to be calculated from other benefits, of which 30% goes to the Curia and 70% to APSA itself. This year, it is more than 30 million.

Curiously, the consolidated accounts of the Curia do not include the contribution of the APSA, but they do include 15 million euros allocated to the Holy See by the governorship, 22.1 million euros paid by the IOR 1 million and St. Peter's obolus. It is a contribution that cannot cover all the expenses of the Holy See.

The Dicastery for Communication is the one that spends the most, 40 million euros, while the nunciatures account for 35 million and the Evangelization of Peoples for 20 million. The Dicastery for the Oriental Churches costs 13 million a year, the Vatican Library 9 million a year and Charity 8 million.

It is worth noting that among the items with the highest expenditure is the Pontifical Lateran University, which accounts for 6 million a year. This is more than the Dicastery for Integral Development (4 million) or the Vatican Archives (4 million), while the amount spent on the Vatican Tribunal, amounted to 3 million, although it will probably see its expenses increase due to the ongoing trial. In fact, the same trial could have an impact on the 27.1 million of consulting services, which will surely increase if the costs of the different legal consultancies related to the same trial are taken into account.

In the words of the presidents

The statements accompanying the budgets are very optimistic. Father Antonio Guerrero Alves, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, pointed out that the Holy See has gone from total assets of 2.2 billion in 2020 to 3.9 billion in 2021, a figure that could be misleading if it were not remembered that previously some 60 entities were on the balance sheet, now 92, including the Bambino Gesù Hospital and, precisely, Vatican entities such as the Health Care Fund and the Pension Fund. And it is obvious that, as the number of entities increases, so do the assets: in 2020 it was 1.4 billion, today it is 1.6 billion.

On the other hand, Bishop Nunzio Galantino, president of APSA, pointed out that there was a surplus of 8.1 million euros, despite the difficulties created by the pandemic.

The fruits of real estate investment

– Supernatural APSA is not only the "central bank", but also has the task of managing and investing assets. Historically, since the creation of the "Special", APSA has been committed to conservative investments and has mainly developed an investment policy in the real estate sector.

There are 4,086 properties with a surface area of 1.5 million square meters, of which 30% are destined for the free market. The remaining 70% are for institutional needs, and are therefore rented at favorable prices or at zero rent to employees and entities of the Holy See.

Overseas properties are managed by historic companies, established as far back as the 1930s, which from time to time make headlines as if they were novelties. They are not.

"Grolux, which manages real estate in the UK, is, among others, owned in 49% by the Vatican Pension Fund. It is now renovating a building for £16 million, which will be re-let at a potential rent of £1.2 billion. A similar operation to that of the Secretariat of State building on "Sloane Avenue" in London, after all.

In Switzerland, there were 10 companies, all now channeled into the historic "Profima", which made purchases of social housing. In France, everything is managed by "Sopridex".

In addition, APSA launched the "Maxilotti 1" and "Maxilotti 2" projects to renovate 140 homes that had become vacant and in poor condition. It should be noted that only 30% of APSA's housing units are put on the market, while 70% are for institutional purposes, granted at zero rent or subsidized.

In movable assets, APSA has maintained high liquidity and invested conservatively, with only 25% of the package allocated to shares. The investee companies are mainly located in France (€8.6 million), the United Kingdom (€5.2 million) and Switzerland (€1.1 million).

Towards full transparency

The publication of the two balance sheets is a step towards full financial transparency of the Holy See. APSA, in particular, has published its financial statements for the second time, while the Holy See has recently begun to present a consolidated financial statement prepared according to these criteria.

Missing, however, are the financial statements of the Governatorato, that is, of the Vatican City State Administration, which have not been published since 2015. The goal was to have a consolidated one that would pool the financial statements of the Governatorato and of the Holy See, but this has not yet happened. And the Governatorate is the administration most likely to make a good profit, because it also manages the Vatican museum center, and counts on the ticket revenues from the great mass of visitors who buy the Vatican Museums every year.

The authorAndrea Gagliarducci

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Photo Gallery

Vigils and prayers for Nicaragua

A Nicaraguan exile during the "Vigil of Faith and Freedom" to protest the arrest of Bishop Rolando Alvarez of Matagalpa held in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral in San Jose, Costa Rica, August 19, 2022.

Maria José Atienza-August 25, 2022-Reading time: < 1 minute
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The Vatican

Pope Francis: "Our destiny is heaven".

The Pope concluded his catechesis on old age by looking at "the destiny of mankind": heaven and the resurrection.

Maria José Atienza-August 24, 2022-Reading time: 2 minutes

The recent celebration of the Assumption of Our Lady was the anchor used by the Holy Father to place before the faithful the reality of death, our "second birth, the birth in heaven" as well as the truth of faith of the resurrection of the body.

In fact, the Pope wanted to emphasize that "after death, we are born into heaven, into God's space, and we continue to be those who have walked this earth. In the same way that happened to Jesus: the Risen One continues to be Jesus: he does not lose his humanity, his lived experience, not even his corporeality, no, because without it he would no longer be Him, he would not be Jesus: that is, with his humanity, with his lived experience".

As he recalled shortly afterwards, "we are certain that it will keep our faces recognizable and allow us to remain human in God's heaven."

"The best of life remains to be seen."

In this last catechesis dedicated to the elderly, the Pope wanted to draw a kindly image of Christian death. In this line, Francis emphasized that for a Christian "death is like a stepping stone to an encounter with Jesus who is waiting to take me to Him" and alluded to the Gospel images of heaven as a feast or a wedding.

He also addressed the elderly, the protagonists of his catecheses in recent months, pointing out how "in old age, the importance of the many 'details' of which life is made up becomes more acute: a caress, a smile, a gesture, an appreciated job, an unexpected surprise, a hospitable joy, a faithful bond. The essentials of life, what we appreciate most as we approach farewell, become definitively clear to us." This sensitivity to detail is for Francis a sign of that new birth which must also "give light to others".

"The best of life is yet to be seen," the Pope told them, "But we are old, what else do we have to see?". The best, because the best of life is yet to be seen. Let us wait for this fullness of life that awaits us all, when the Lord calls us".

Although he did not hide that the proximity of death is "a little scary because we do not know what it means and go through that door, there is always the hand of the Lord that makes you move forward and once through the door there is celebration. Let us be careful, dear "old men" and dear "old women", let us be careful, He is waiting for us, just one step and then the celebration".

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Latin America

What has happened and what may happen in the Nicaraguan crisis

The social and political crisis in Nicaragua has increased markedly this summer, especially with regard to the harassment of the Church. We explain why the voice of the Church has become so respected among citizens and review the main events that have led to this situation. 

Javier García Herrería-August 24, 2022-Reading time: 5 minutes
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Article in English

At the end of June 2022, the international media were perplexed by the Nicaraguan government's decision to expel the harmless Daughters of Charity from the country.How was it possible that nuns, known throughout the world for their selfless and peaceful work, had to be expelled? The answer is quite simple: in their small medical clinics they were treating the wounded following police attacks in an attempt to quell the protests in the streets. Since the government had forbidden the protesters to go to public hospitals, they only had the option of going to those who never ignore those in need. Only the courage of these women was able to mitigate the damage. The crisis in Nicaragua reached an even higher point.

These serious protests originated in 2018, following the government's decision to lower pensions by 5% and increase corporate taxes. Police violence then left more than 300 dead and 2,000 injured, and the only place the protesters have found refuge has been in churches. Most of the country's parish priests have opened the doors of their parishes to them. The report The United Nations' report on the serious human rights crisis that was taking place in the country.

A bishop arrested

These two facts allow us to understand the determination that Daniel Ortega, the president of the country, has had since then and until now to silence the voice of the Church. On Friday, August 19, Nicaragua was again in the news in all the international media. Bishop Rolando Alvarez, of the diocese of Matagalpa, was arrested in the middle of the night at the archbishop's palace, along with several priests and seminarians. He is currently under house arrest again. 

In this way, the government was putting strong pressure on one of the main voices dissenting with the regime, surely in the hope that he would leave the country as a few priests and pastors have been forced to do. 

New harassment of the Church

In recent weeks the government has intensified surveillance of parishes. Many of them have police patrols at the door during Sunday masses. If the priest does not keep a delicate balance with respect to the situation in the country, the faithful are forbidden to enter the ceremonies. This is the reason why in recent days many photos and videos are being seen on social networks showing the faithful taking communion through the gates of the parish estates, under the watchful eye of the police. 

In this way, the government tries to pressure priests not to denounce the abuses committed and the causes of the political and social crisis that Nicaragua has been dragging along for fifteen years. A situation that has generated more than 150,000 refugees, most of them displaced to neighboring Costa Rica. 

Elimination of dissidents

One wonders why the Church has such a prominent leadership, to the point of currently being the government's number one target. Over the last decade, political repression in the country has been intense, resulting in numerous opposition leaders being exiled or imprisoned (18 opponents have been jailed in the last year). The judiciary has bowed to government interests, so that the separation of powers no longer really exists. 

Nicaragua, a small country with less than 7 million inhabitants, has nine bishops. One of them, Monsignor Silvio Baez, was forced into exile in 2019. But the government's pressure has not been limited only to the hierarchy, but in recent months it has closed Catholic television and radio stations.

The Church has tried to play as constructive a role as possible - within the tense and unstable situation - but over time it has become the only public voice with sufficient authority to denounce attacks on human rights. This has made many people respect and appreciate its strength. If we add to this the Catholic tradition of the country, it is logical that the Church is viewed favorably by the majority of the population and not by the government.

Chronology of the crisis and repression against the Church:

  • 1985-1990. Daniel Ortega is president of Nicaragua. 
  • January 2007. Daniel Ortega wins the elections again. His government is left-wing, heir to Sandinismo, and over the years it has become increasingly communist. 
  • October 2009. Nicaragua's supreme court accepts that Ortega can run again in the elections, despite the express prohibition of the constitution. The separation of powers is increasingly weakened. 
  • Ortega is reelected in 2012, 2017 and 2021.
  • May 2014. The bishops of the country meet with the president and his wife (then government spokesperson) to discuss the pastoral letter which the prelates had written analyzing the situation of the country and their proposals for improvement. The text denounced the lack of freedom of expression, the corrosion of the separation of powers, police violence and electoral rigging, among other things. 

2018

  • April 2018. Daniel Ortega reduces pensions by 5% and increases company and worker contributions. Demonstrations and social protests begin, strongly repressed by the regime. Priests across the country open church doors to shelter protesters who were being attacked by police and paramilitary groups.
  • June 2018. The main bishops of the country process with the Blessed Sacrament in the middle of a demonstration, thanks to which a police massacre is avoided. The bishops ask the government for an early election to appease the mood of the citizens after the rigging of the 2017 elections.
  • July 2018. Government supporters harass Bishop Silvio Baez, who is lightly injured, when he went to verify reports of violence in which the country's security forces were allegedly involved.
  • August 2018. United Nations issues a report on the situation in the country. It noted the existence of a serious human rights crisis as a result of the social protests, which have resulted in approximately 300 people killed and 2,000 injured. 
  • December 2018. The United States imposes economic sanctions on the country. 

2019-2022

  • April 2019. Bishop Silvio Baez goes into exile at the request of Pope Francis, following pressure from the government before the Holy See.
  • July 2020. The cathedral of Managua suffers an attack, in the form of a fire.
  • November 2021. Ortega wins a rather corrupt election. Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia and Russia are the only countries that accept the result without reservations. 
  • March 2022. The government expels the nuncio from the country. 
  • May 2022. The government closes Channel 51, owned by the Episcopal Conference.
  • June 2022. The government outlaws more than one hundred NGOs, both confessional and secular. 
  • June 2022. The Missionaries of Charity are expelled from the country. The reason given by the government is that the dispensaries they attended were receiving donations from abroad and this money was used to buy weapons and destabilize the country. No evidence has been presented to corroborate this accusation.
  • July and August 2022. Several priests are arrested. The government closes 13 Catholic radio stations. 

August 2022. 

  • Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, bishop of Matagalpa, and main denouncer of the human rights attacks, is arrested at his residence along with other priests and seminarians. 
  • The government accuses Catholic organizations of not complying with the law against Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism. The reason is that it understands that those who help opponents of the regime favor divisions, protests, violence and terrorism against the state. 
  • Subsequent reports of the United Nations show the repression and lack of freedoms in Nicaragua. 
  • The Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, Rodrigo Guerra, explains that there is an intense shadow diplomatic work at the Holy See. 
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The Vatican

What is the status of the College of Cardinals?

Rome Reports-August 24, 2022-Reading time: < 1 minute
rome reports88
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The College of Cardinals resulting from the next consistory will be made up of cardinals of very diverse origins. Although the presence of European cardinals continues to predominate, the origins of some of the new cardinals include Tonga and Papua New Guinea.

Moreover, as of the August 27 consistory, almost 60% of the cardinal electors are Francis' choice.

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Integral ecology

Experts urge revision of Spanish euthanasia law

After one year of the law In the case of the 2021 organic law regulating euthanasia in Spain, professors such as Navarro-Valls and Martínez-Torrón, and Professor María José Valero, urge its modification. They request, for example, that "the register of objectors should be eliminated, due to the foreseeable dissuasive and inhibiting effect it could have", and that "the possibility of institutional conscientious objection to the practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide" in private entities should be expressly recognized.

Francisco Otamendi-August 23, 2022-Reading time: 5 minutes
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Since before its entry into force, and throughout these months, numerous medical professionals and various experts have criticized articles of the organic law regulating euthanasia, which was passed by Parliament in the middle of the pandemic at the initiative of the Socialist group, without consultation or dialogue with civil society, professional associations, or the Committee of Bioethics of Spain. An advisory body remodeled The Committee has been almost entirely reinstated in the middle of the summer by the Minister of Health, and only one member of the former Committee remains on the Committee.

Well, experts from the academic sphere now carry out a systematized analysis, reviewing concepts such as the constitutional and international protection of freedom of conscience, and conscientious objection in comparative law, in the book 'Euthanasia and conscientious objection', recently published by Palabra. It includes, in its final pages, a section entitled 'A law that should be revised as soon as possible', where the authors synthesize aspects developed previously (epigraph 7 and last).

"If a new right has been introduced into the Spanish legal system - the right to die and to be helped to do so - it is natural to refer to the limits that derive from other rights, such as the freedom of conscience of those who could be obliged prima facie to collaborate in this intentionally provoked death", point out the authors, Rafael Navarro-Valls, Javier Martínez-Torrón and María José Valero (pp. 104-105)..

Important ethical issues

Why this reference to freedom of conscience? Numerous reasons could be mentioned, but perhaps these will suffice. The Spanish law "not only decriminalizes euthanasia and assisted suicide, but also transforms the wish of certain persons to die voluntarily into an obligatory and free service provided by the State through its health system and those who work for it" (introduction), as Omnes has been reporting.

Naturally, "no one can be surprised" that "important ethical problems are generated for a large number of health professionals". "These problems are easily understandable since, for many, the notion of medicine is intrinsically linked to the protection of life and health, and in no case justifies its elimination, whatever the reasons given for ending a human life and the lawfulness of such conduct from the perspective of the law" (pp. 13-14). (pp. 13-14).

"In fact," the authors add, "Organic Law 3/2021 itself, as we will see below, regulates conscientious objection by physicians and other health professionals" (art. 16).

Freedom of conscience

"Freedom of conscience is a fundamental right protected both by the Spanish Constitution and by international human rights instruments," And "the latter, since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, have included 'freedom of thought, conscience and religion' as part of the essential legal heritage of the person, which the State does not grant graciously, but is obliged to recognize and protect," write the jurists.

Other international instruments binding on Spain include the European Convention on Human Rights (art. 9) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (art. 18), as well as the Charter of Fundamental Rights (art. 10) in the European Union.

The Spanish Constitution does not expressly cite the term "freedom of conscience", but "the Constitutional Court, from the beginning of its work, has been very clear in declaring that 'freedom of conscience is a concretion of the ideological freedom' recognized in Article 16 of the Constitution and that this implies 'not only the right to freely form one's own conscience, but also to act in accordance with the imperatives of the same," point out Navarro-Valls, Martínez-Torrón and Valero.

We could expand on the conflicts between conscience and law, which the pages of the book also address, but it would be better to read it, together with some of the reflections that Navarro-Valls has recently made in El Mundo.

Restrictive attitude toward freedom and objection

Article 16 on conscientious objection is the subject of a detailed analysis in the book. Before stating their request to revise the law, the authors note that the text "literally indicates that health professionals may exercise their right to conscientious objection, as if it were a gracious concession from the legislator. pro bono pacisto avoid problems with professionals who, in a very high percentage, had expressed their opposition to this law, and whose professional associations had not been consulted during the legislative process".

"Indeed," in his opinion, "the text of article 16 seems to show a distrust of the legislator towards this fundamental right. As if it recognizes it because it has no other choice, but is more concerned with outlining its operational limitations than its legal guarantees".

For example, paragraph 1 restricts the exercise of the right to "health professionals directly involved in the provision of assistance in dying". And it discusses what is to be understood by 'health professionals' and another reflection on the concept of 'directly involved'. It also recalls that "the Spanish Bioethics Committee, on the basis that the so-called 'provision of aid in dying' cannot in any case be conceptualized as a medical act, but simply as a healthcare act, affirms that the expression 'healthcare professionals' should be interpreted in a broad sense", and not be restricted to "those who intervene directly in the act...".

Suggestions for a revision of the law

In sections 5 and 6 of the book, the experts point out aspects of the current Spanish regulations that, in their opinion, "need to be modified". At the end, they summarize some of them as follows

–"Review and amend the text of the current Organic Law 3/2021 through a procedure that runs in frank dialogue and collaboration with civil society."These include professional associations, other types of social actors, jurists with experience in the protection of freedom of conscience and health law, bioethicists (including the Spanish Bioethics Committee), representatives or persons with moral authority in the main religious denominations operating in Spain, etc.

"This process should have been carried out prior to the enactment of the law. The strong criticisms raised by a text that can clearly be improved should make the government reflect on the importance of undertaking the revision of the law as soon as possible," they add.

During the parliamentary procedure, in the Senate, according to the authors, "the most critical voices came from the spokesman of the Izquierda Confederal Group, Koldo Martinez (intensivist physician, from Geroa Bai), who reminded the government of 'the lack of legal certainty' of the new regulations. 'The law is deficient, it is written with very little quality and leads to enormous confusion,' he assured." (pp. 56-57).

–"The register of objectors should be eliminated, due to the foreseeable dissuasive and inhibiting effect that it can have -and in fact seems to be having in some places in Spain-, on the freedom of conscience of health personnel in such delicate and transcendental material".

The authors go on to suggest doing it the other way around. That is, "in view of the widespread rejection of the law by health professionals, the current registry may well be replaced at this time by a database containing (confidential) information on individuals and teams willing to participate in the provision of aid in dying."

The latest published data show that in Spain, up to July, around 175 euthanasiasand that the number of registered conscientious objectors exceeds 4,000.

-A third suggestion, "of special significance, both theoretical and practical," is to "expressly recognize the possibility of institutional objection to the practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide in the case of private institutions, whether for profit or not-for-profit, whose ethical ideology is contrary to such actions".

In the case of religious denominations, "their autonomy has been clearly recognized internationally. And in other types of institutions, "including for-profit institutions, comparative jurisprudence is beginning to show sensitivity in recognizing the importance of their identity including moral values that determine their actions, and those of those who work for them".

In July of last year, Federico de Montalvo, professor of law at Comillas Icade and president of the Spanish Bioethics Committee until a few weeks ago, considered in an interview with Omnes that denying conscientious objection to the law on euthanasia exercised by institutions and communities "is unconstitutional". to recognize as an organic law the entire article 16 of the law, without excluding its first paragraph, since it all refers to the development of the freedom of conscience protected by the Constitution".

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

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Initiatives

Pilgrimage to Rome with CARF

The Roman Academic Center Foundation has organized a pilgrimage to the heart of Christianity from October 18 to 23, 2022.

Sponsored space-August 23, 2022-Reading time: < 1 minute

Rome is the destination of the pilgrimage organized by the Centro Academico Romano Foundation, which will take place from October 18 to 23.

Pilgrims will have the opportunity to attend the weekly audience with Pope Francis and visit, in an extraordinary way, the necropolis located under St. Peter's Basilica. They will also visit Castel Gandolfo and enjoy dinner in Piazza Navona. You will also have plenty of free time to stroll, pray and visit Rome at your leisure.

Priests thanks to CARF

One of the most awaited moments in the pilgrimages organized by CARF is the meeting with the priests and seminarians who are studying in Rome, many of them thanks to the scholarships and grants provided by the members of this foundation.

During this pilgrimage, the participants will enjoy two conferences at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and will be able to share moments of social gatherings at the Sedes Sapientiae Seminary and Holy Mass at the Tiberino Priestly Residence.

Meeting with the Prelate of Opus Dei

The pilgrims will have a meeting with Bishop Fernando Ocáriz, current Prelate of Opus Dei and Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. They will also be able to visit the Prelatic Church of St. Mary of Peace where the remains of St. Josemaría Escrivá are buried, where they will be able to attend Holy Mass.

Information and reservation

All the information about this pilgrimageThe details of the trip, accommodation, etc., can be consulted on the CARF website. Through the website you can also reserve your travel place for this magnificent pilgrimage.

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  • Columnists
  • Who are the cardinals of the next consistory?
ColumnistsAlfonso Riobó

Who are the cardinals of the next consistory?

The last week of August will see an important meeting of all the cardinals, the famous consistory. In these lines we review the cardinals we have interviewed over the last few years, both those who will be appointed on August 27, as well as other more veteran cardinals.

August 23, 2022-Reading time: 6 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsWhat is a consistory of cardinals?Related NewsWhat are the new cardinals chosen by Francis like?Related NewsThe Pope announces the creation of new cardinals

On August 27, Pope Francis will create new cardinals in a ceremony on ordinary sessionThe Cardinals will meet on March 29 and 30 for an extraordinary meeting to study some aspects of the reform of the Roman Curia, which was carried out on March 19, 2022, by the Apostolic Constitution "Praedicate Evangelium"..

Since such a meeting had not been convened since February 2015, some people have understood this meeting as an opportunity for the cardinals to get to know each other better, to collaborate more easily and, perhaps, to decide on a more informed basis when they have to choose one of them as the future pope. 

But this moment can also be an opportunity for the public to get to know them better. Readers of Omnes already know some of them, as we will say in a moment. Let us first recall the essential data on the new cardinals: there are 20 bishops and archbishops, 5 of whom will not be electors because they are over 80 years of age, and 15 will be; and among the latter there is 1 from Oceania, 5 from Asia, 2 from Africa, 3 from Europe (another Belgian bishop declined the nomination) and 4 from America.

The new cardinals, in Omnes

Omnes has interviewed four of the new cardinals in recent months. It is not necessary, nor superfluous, to point out that having interviewed them does not respond to any "filter", selection or preference; for the same reason, I will mention them in alphabetical order of surname.

Giorgio MarengoItalian and Consolata missionary, will be the youngest of the cardinals at the end of the month, since he is only 48 years old. He is the Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. A conversation with him allows not only to get to know the person, but also to approach the reality of a small Church, located in a distant and different country. Nevertheless, the number of Catholics there is growing, and according to Marengo this is due to two reasons: the accompaniment of converts and consistency of life. 

Giorgio Marengo: "The most important thing is fidelity to the Lord".

In the month of May, Arthur Roche explained to Omnes the work of the Dicastery for Divine Worship, which he has presided over since 2012. The English archbishop wanted to emphasize in the conversation the need to promote the liturgical formation of all the baptized, and announced a document of the Holy See directed to that end. It would be published, in fact, shortly afterwards under the name of. "Desiderio desideravi".

Bishop Arthur Roche: "Soon a document on the liturgical formation of all the baptized".

He will also become a cardinal at the end of August. Leonardo Ulrich SteinerArchbishop of Manaus, which is the capital of the state of Amazonia, in northern Brazil. The Pope's interest in that territory led him to convene a specific Synod in 2019. Steiner understands that his appointment responds to the Pope's desire for "a missionary Church perfectly incarnated in the Amazon, which is Samaritan and therefore close to the native peoples". 

Ulrich Steiner: "For me, becoming a cardinal means to be able to serve more and better".

A long record of service to the institutions of the Holy See has the archbishop Fernando VérgezSpanish, Legionary of Christ. He began working in them in 1972, and in 2021 he has been appointed President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of that State. Omnes spoke with him about the workings of these institutions. But his vision goes beyond the Vatican walls, and he affirms that "there is a need for witnesses to the Gospel who know how to shake consciences".

Msgr. Fernando Vérgez, L.C.: "We need witnesses to the Gospel who know how to shake consciences".

The previous cardinals, in Omnes

The new cardinals will be accompanied by their brothers with more time in the College of Cardinals. And not only because of the natural fraternal closeness, but also because in the following days (August 29-30) Pope Francis has called a meeting of all the cardinals to reflect on the new Apostolic Constitution "Praedicate evangelium", which reorganizes the Roman Curia.

Among this group, there are many who are already known to Omnes readers through the corresponding interviews. We will now recall only some of them, without any particular intention that motivates this selection, and also mentioning them in alphabetical order.

The first name comes from Latin America, specifically from Santiago de Chile, where the Cardinal Cardinal Celestino Aósa Capuchin born in Spain. In this interview he responds to a wide variety of topics based on his desire to put Jesus Christ at the center. And he sums up his vision of the present moment in Latin America as follows: "It is time to work together and build together, taking care of the weakest and most needy. In the midst of so much death and selfishness, it is so beautiful to announce and work for life and love! 

Bishop Celestino Aós: "It is time to build a Latin America of greater solidarity".

From Sweden, Cardinal Anders ArboreliusArchbishop of Stockholm and a Carmelite, always brings a message of hope, also in the dialogue with Omnes. He thinks that this dimension of hope must return to Europe, and offers the Swedish experience of "return from secularization" as an example. In 2018 he addressed that topic with Omnes, among other issues. He also participated as a guest at the Omnes Forum which can be viewed hereIn April 2021, he published in our magazine an article on unity in diversity of church members in Sweden.

Cardinal Arborelius: "We need the oxygen of hope".

The president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is a Spaniard, a Comboni Missionary. Miguel Angel Ayuso. The focus of the interview with Cardinal Ayuso was on interreligious dialogue as a space for encounter and a commitment to the future, on which he spoke at a meeting in Spain. He dwelt on what the Pope often calls "a world war in pieces", which causes a divided world and calls for a climate of relationship and collaboration.

Cardinal Ayuso: "What the Holy Father and the Church are doing for peace is essential".

One of the faces of the social dimension of Francis' pontificate is the Jesuit cardinal Michael Czerny. Shortly after his creation as a cardinal in October 2019, Omnes published a conversation with him containing a biographical, intellectual and spiritual profile of the cardinal. As early as 2022, he granted us another interview upon his return from Ukraine, where he served as a Francisco's special envoy to try to "bring to the people the attention, the hopes, the anguish and the active commitment of the Pope in the search for peace".

Cardinal M. Czerny: "The Church must weep with the cry of the poor".

With the Hungarian Cardinal Péter Erdő Omnes conversed in the summer of 2021, shortly before the International Eucharistic Congress held in Budapest in the presence of the Pope. Erdő is a prestigious canonist. The interview appeared in Omnes in two parts. Cardinal Erdő spoke not only about the preparations for the Congress, but also about the religious and cultural situation in Hungary, secularization and the challenges for the Church in today's Europe. 

Cardinal Erdő: "The Catholic Church has its own identity, beyond nationalism."
Cardinal Erdő: "We Catholics in Hungary await the Pope with great affection".

The Cardinal Kevin Farrell was born in Dublin (Ireland), although he lived in the United States, and is the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life. On this occasion he spoke to Omnes about the lay movements, stressing that they are and must feel part of the Church. The Cardinal said that they are an important contribution for her, "because they bring an energy, a grace, a spirit through which they can more easily communicate the Word of God to our contemporaries". 

Cardinal Farrell: "Lay movements must feel an integral part of the Church".

The theology and practice of the priesthood were the topic of an interview with the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet. He addressed the issue of celibacy, denying that it is among the causes that favor sexual abuse. The main cause of abuse would be rather in the lack of self-control and affective imbalance of some priests. 

Cardinal Marc Ouellet: "The real cause of abuse is not celibacy, but lack of self-control and affective imbalance".

The Archbishop of Montevideo (Uruguay) has been a Salesian since 2014. Daniel Sturla. A year later he was named cardinal, and a few months later he gave us an interview that reflects both his style and the focus of his task at the head of "a poor and free, small and beautiful Church", as he described the Catholic Church in Uruguay.

Cardinal Sturla: "The Church encourages a post-pandemic life with more hope".

An undisputed focus of attention in the Church today is the so-called "Synodal Way" initiative in Germany. One of the most prominent figures in the German episcopate is the Cardinal Rainer Maria WoelkiArchbishop of Cologne. In this interview with Omnes, he asks that in the Synodal Path the Pope's indications (such as the Letter to German Catholics of 2019) be listened to. Starting from the Eucharist, Woelki recalls, in the face of the centrifugal forces that "threaten to disintegrate" the Church, that its true center is in Jesus Christ. We also recall the interview with the Cardinal. Reinhardt MarxArchbishop of Munich, which was published in our magazine in April 2014.

Card. Rainer M. Woelki: "I ask that space be given in the synodal journey to the Pope's indications".

I repeat that this is only a casual sample, not exhaustive nor based on any other purpose than to bring to the readers' memory some of these conversations, showing, in the limited space of this text, the variety of people and territories. Both the people mentioned and those who have not been mentioned on this occasion know of our gratitude.

In short, after the Consistory of August 2022, the College of Cardinals will have 229 cardinals, of whom 132 will be electors. Slightly more than 40 % will be European, 18 % will be Latin American, 16 % will be Asian, 13 % will be African, 10 % will be North American, and slightly more than 2 % will be Oceanic.

The authorAlfonso Riobó

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  • Columnists
  • Formation: key to freedom and innovation in the Sisterhoods
ColumnistsIgnacio Valduérteles

Formation: key to freedom and innovation in the Sisterhoods

The complexity of today's society demands a formation that, together with personal experience, will provide the tools for analyzing the environment and making the necessary decisions with freedom.

August 22, 2022-Reading time: 3 minutes

It is not easy to innovate, let alone be disruptive. Only with rigorous preparation and a thorough knowledge of the fundamentals can you try to explore new paths.

Is it necessary to innovate? People and institutions, including fraternities, cannot remain isolated from their environment, determined to do better every day. the usual. The currents of thought are continuously modifying the social models, so it is essential a permanent analysis of reality to anticipate changes and remain faithful to its purpose in the new circumstances, not remain isolated in a non-existent reality; that is the innovation that must promote those responsible for the institutions, in our case of the brotherhoods. That innovation is not done in a vacuum, nor through trial and error, the personal conditions required to undertake this process with guarantees are: training, reflective experience and a clear awareness of the personal freedom.

It is advisable, or rather essential, that the older brothers and sisters and members of the governing boards try to acquire a adequate training in Christian anthropology; moral theology; canon law; history of ideas and brotherhoods, as well as training in management of people's organizations.

This training is the one that provides the necessary tools to analyze the social reality, without assuming the analysis and the consequent story made by others. The story is constructed by me based on my own criteria and my reflective experience. There are people to whom things just "happen" and others who are able to draw lessons from these incidences by contrasting them with their pattern of thinking.

From this point on, the necessary decisions can be made to keep the brotherhoods faithful to their mission, which is what innovation is all about.

This approach is uncomfortable for those who live in their bubble in which they move comfortably between altars of worship, processional outings, social activities and election meetings. Their apparent conservatism, dressed in a certain moral superiority, hides a populist mentality, lacking in fundamentals and in need of an opponent to assert themselves against, usually someone who could burst their bubble by trying to present the real world to them.

People affected by this mentality do not fully understand the value of the freedom. They renounce it, preferring its existence as a set of facts and actions that follow one after the other, without a subject rooted in being. They ignore how the freedom of Christ, manifested in obedience to the Father even to the Cross, is what illuminates the meaning of our freedom, which confers on the person his dignity and his elevation to the condition of children of God. A freedom that does not depend on ideological fashion or the opinion of the majority and that acquires its fullness when it is discovered as a divine gift with which we can collaborate with God in the creation of the world and in the construction of history.

This freedom has a double aspect: freedom of coercions, interferences, impositions and freedom to to do or to be something, to commit oneself; a freedom understood as an ethical task that is, moreover, personal, without taking refuge in the anonymity of massification in which individual responsibility is lost and with it the possibility of living an authentically human relationship with God and with others.

All of this has costs that one must be willing to assume. Today, Goya is recognized as an innovative artist and the aesthetic revolution brought about by his works is studied. Caprices and its Black Paints as an ideological expression of the Century of Reason and an anticipation of contemporary painting; but that innovation was based on his great artistic and technical training, which he left evidence of in his early stages. The road was not easy, until he reached this freedom of artistic expression he had traveled a long path of study and training, he endured bitter criticism, even, with his Caprichos, aroused the interest of the Inquisition who saw in these engravings possible doctrinal deviations.

Today's society is very different from that of fifty years ago and the sisterhoods have to respond to this new situation, they have to innovate to remain faithful to their mission; this innovation requires training that, together with personal experience, will provide the tools for the analysis of the environment, and to make the necessary decisions with freedom, assuming the corresponding responsibility. 

Of course, it is more comfortable not to take risks, to limit oneself to doing "business as usual", without exposing oneself to failure or criticism, but sliding the brotherhood towards mediocrity.

The authorIgnacio Valduérteles

D. in Business Administration. Director of the Instituto de Investigación Aplicada a la Pyme. Eldest Brother (2017-2020) of the Brotherhood of the Soledad de San Lorenzo, in Seville. He has published several books, monographs and articles on brotherhoods.

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  • Focus
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  • Amaya AzconaThe relationship between Red Madre, Caritas and parishes is intense".
Family

Amaya AzconaThe relationship between Red Madre, Caritas and parishes is intense".

In its Programmatic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis called for "a a new protagonism of each of the baptized". (n. 120). Omnes spoke with Amaya Azcona, general director of Mother Network Foundationwho explains the collaboration between CaritasThe "Church that cares", and Red Madre, which helps women with pregnancies, especially unplanned pregnancies.

Francisco Otamendi-August 22, 2022-Reading time: 4 minutes

During the recent apostolic trip to Canada, Pope Francis has had gestures and attitudes that have not gone unnoticed. Among these gesturesThe following can certainly be noted: on July 26, the feast of St. Joachim and St. Anne, before the celebration of Mass in the church of St. John and St. Anne, on the feast of St. John and St. Anne. EdmontonFrancis was able to go around the stadium in the popemobile, and to greet and kiss a score of babies, in front of more than 50,000 attendees. 

The issues of family and life in civil society and the life of the Church are matters in which dioceses and parishes need experts, as is the case with so many things. We speak of co-responsibility of the laity, as you can see in the Special in the summer issue of Omnes. 

Amaya Azcona has been the general director for years of the Red Madre Foundation, an entity that in 2020 alone, for example, served 49,535 pregnant women and new mothers, 17,690 more than in the previous year, and that points out in its Memory that 8 out of 10 pregnant women with doubts who connected with Red Madre went ahead with their pregnancy, as they received the support they needed. 

Pregnancy support

Omnes' question to Amaya Azcona is simple. Since it is a non-denominational entity, and is not part of the ecclesiastical organization, what is its relationship with the dioceses and parishes? Or is there no relationship at all?

"I answer you, because it is a regular activity of Red Madre," replies Amaya Azcona. "Red Madre is a civil law and non-denominational foundation. But since we are a network, we work in a network with other organizations, civil or confessional, public or private. The Catholic Church is an important organization with which we work regularly. We have a great relationship. On the one hand, the parish priest, priests, can refer women to us who have difficulties in accompanying their pregnancy, with doubts about continuing. In fact, pregnant women are usually referred to us from the parishes so that we can accompany them". 

"We also refer many women, once they have given birth and have a more stable career, to Caritas, with which we have a direct relationship practically all over Spain," she adds. "In all the Red Madre associations, sometimes we send families to give them food, other times Caritas de Vallecas asks me for a twin stroller. From small to large. Yes, always with a very good relationship. This with regard to assistance". 

"It must also be said that in some cities we are hosted in parishes. Because they had more than enough space, because there is a friendship between the parish priest and the person who started Red Madre. In Cáceres, for example, we are in a parish, and sometimes the Catholic Church gives us premises so that we can carry out our mission," reports Amaya Azcona.

Defense of motherhood and life

The general director of the Red Madre Foundation now refers to training aspects, in areas such as the prevention of abortion, affective-sex education, etc., and to her mission. "It is common for both spokespersons of associations and myself, more specifically, to be invited to give training. Both in Catholic universities, as well as in civil universities, and in parishes. For example, the CEU invites us regularly, and I have personally given my testimony at congresses on Catholics and Public Life. The year they dedicated to life we conducted a workshop with Red Madre, because they are interested in our mission of defending motherhood and life reaching their people. There is an important relationship with the ACdP".

"And then in parishes, it is very normal for us to go. The last one was in a parish in Malaga, on how to act when faced with the news of an unexpected pregnancy, how to help that woman who is going through a complicated situation. A Catholic can neither ignore nor remain silent.", Amaya Azcona points out. 

"We speak from our message, let's say non-denominational, but which is totally imbricated in what the Church defends: human life in the womb of the mother, from fertilization to natural death." explains the head of Fundación Red Madre.

Prevention and post-abortion support

"We use arguments from reason, from biology, from sociology, from economics, which help Catholics also in their preparation. It is very normal for me to speak at the University of Navarra and others. At the Catholic University of Avila, for example, they have made me an advisor to the chair of St. Teresa of Women, with other people. It is also common for them to invite us, Benigno Blanco, promoter of Red Madre, me, etc., to give very specific training on this defense of the woman mother, not only in private life but also in public life, because motherhood is a public good".

"On the other hand," adds Amaya Azcona, "they ask me for a lot of training on the consequences of abortion, how to prevent it, and how to accompany women who have had an abortion. The Church has programs for post-abortion accompaniment, and sometimes they invite me to give the formative part, perhaps more of a psychological accompaniment in the post-abortion period".

"For example, Catholics cannot ignore situations of unplanned pregnancy," he explains. "We have to help that woman, or that man who has said he got his girlfriend pregnant. In Spain, the number of abortions is decreasing in raw numbers [the number of abortions was 88,000 in 2020, according to sources official], because there are fewer women of childbearing age, but it increases in proportion to pregnant women".

Prenatal diagnosis

We also spoke with Amaya Azcona about prenatal diagnoses, for example, of malformation, in the face of which more or less half of the parents back out and abort. "A tragedy." says the expert. But we'll leave the subject for another time, because space is limited.

We would simply like to remind you that Red Madre also relies on religious institutions that have houses or apartments for pregnant women or mothers who have recently given birth.

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

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Pope speaks for the first time about Nicaragua

Javier García Herrería-August 21, 2022-Reading time: 2 minutes

Following the arrest last Friday of Nicaraguan Bishop Rolando Alvarez, there was much expectation that Pope Francis would make some reference in his Angelus address to the situation of the Church in the country. Until now the Holy Father had maintained a surprising silence. As usually happens in this type of situation, the Vatican diplomacy usually acts discreetlywithout being perceived by the public.

His words on the American country have been: "I follow closely with concern and pain the situation in Nicaragua, which involves people and institutions. I would like to express my conviction and my hope that, through an open and sincere dialogue, we can still find the basis for a peaceful coexistence".

Gospel Commentary

In this Sunday's Gospel passage, a man asks Jesus: "Are there few who are saved?" And the Lord answers: "Try to enter through the narrow gate" (Lk 13:24). "The narrow gate is an image that could frighten us" - Pope Francis said - as if salvation were destined only for the chosen few or the perfect. But this contradicts what Jesus has taught us on many occasions; in fact, a little further on, He affirms: "Many will come from East and West, from North and South, to take their place at the banquet of the Kingdom of God" (v. 29). Therefore, this door is
narrow, but it's open to everyone!"

The pontiff explained what this narrow door is: "To enter into the life of God, into salvation, we must pass through him, we must welcome him and his Word (...). This means that the yardstick is Jesus and his Gospel: not what we think.
but what he says to us. So it is a narrow door, not because it is destined for only a few people, but because belonging to Jesus means following him, committing one's life to love, service and self-giving as he did when he passed through the narrow door of the cross. Entering into the project of life that God proposes to us implies limiting the space of selfishness, reducing the arrogance of the
self-sufficiency, lowering the heights of pride and arrogance, overcoming laziness to take the risk of love, even when it involves the cross.

The Holy Father invited the faithful to think of the loving gestures of so many forgiving people. For example, we can think of "parents who dedicate themselves to their children, making sacrifices and giving up time for themselves; those who care for others and not only for their own interests; those who dedicate themselves to the service of the elderly, the poorest and the most fragile; those who continue to work hard, enduring difficulties and perhaps even misunderstanding; those who suffer because of their faith; those who suffer because of their faith; those who are in the midst of the suffering of the poor and those who suffer because of their faith; to those who continue to work hard, enduring difficulties and perhaps misunderstandings; to those who suffer because of their faith, but continue to pray and love; to those who, instead of following their instincts, respond to evil with good, find the strength to forgive and the courage to begin again. These are just a few examples of people who do not choose the wide door of their convenience, but the narrow door of Jesus, of a life given in love. Brothers and sisters, which side do we want to be on? Do we prefer the easy way of thinking exclusively of ourselves or the narrow door of the Gospel, which puts our lives in crisis?
selfishness but makes us capable of welcoming the true life that comes from God? Whose side are we on?"

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Evangelization

Yoga, mindfulness and Christian prayer

The term "meditation" is used today for a wide variety of practices, such as yoga or mindfulness. Some people seek relaxation in the midst of an intense life, but also something more. How does this search relate to Christian prayer?

Wenceslao Vial-August 21, 2022-Reading time: 12 minutes

"If you want to be successful at work, you first have to manage yourself. This requires inner excellence or spirituality." And this includes a serene life, with less stress.

We agree, but we wonder: who said so? What is it and how to achieve this inner excellence in the suffocating daily work? How to make it compatible with a family: small children and parents who also need care? With professional yearnings and desires to change the world? With the lack of time, the competitiveness of the environment and the numerous commitments?

Without thinking too much, because there is no time, we want to leave the theoretical management of ourselves and spirituality to those who separate themselves from the world. What we desire is to solve the immediate, success, influence, power, money, concrete goods... Although we also long to rest, to have peace, to live serene and relaxed.

The business world has proven that it is not only possible to combine a serene and relaxed life with success and good business, but that it is the best way to achieve it. The largest companies offer relaxation areas for their employees, yoga courses, mindfulness and other activities.
to reduce stress. All of this results in better individual, family and social health.

From traditional forms of rest to meditation

There are many forms of rest and relaxation. Reading a book that is not only interesting but also entertaining, the calm reflection of what has been read..., a walk contemplating nature, enjoying works of art, a piece of music or a painting, tourism that opens up to different cultures. And of course the dedication to the family, the conversation with friends, which makes it easier to take advantage of the weekends to oxygenate the mind and body.

The beneficial effects of sport and exercise are well known, especially when they are carried out with serenity. Less fashionable today are the more fiery methods of relaxation, such as strenuous and intense sports, in short half-day breaks, which were the ideal of every "yuppie" (acronym for young urban professional).

Stretching muscles and gently mobilizing them at all ages is healthy, prevents the risk of injury, reduces joint pain and helps to regain energy, agility and strength. It reduces stress and anxiety, improves mood, sleep quality and immune response.

Sometimes, exercise takes on elegant or poetic forms of the body. For example, in tai chi, adapted from Chinese martial arts, which can be seen in parks all over the world, from Tokyo to Rome: groups of people, in chorus or in isolation, smoothly deploy coordinated movements in perfect synchronization. Even very old people notice the benefit of these practices, with a better quality of life and even a reduced risk of falls and fractures.

These facts remind us that we are body and soul, matter and spirit. Numerous practices, ancient and recent, take this reality into account and try to satisfy both material and spiritual needs. The most common are forms of meditation, which combine introspection with bodily movement and the rhythm of breathing.

Classical meditation consisted of reflecting on the meaning of life, entering into a relationship with the sacred and, perhaps, addressing a creator or a divinity. Today, many people practice it to reduce daily stress, seeking inner and outer peace and calm, in a fluid exchange. The sacred is often forgotten. In practice, it is a matter of concentrating on a serene point of the mind and body, and that this attention somehow cancels the tormenting thoughts.

This pause in mental processes, with or without the sacred, acts as an emotional "reset". After a few moments of physical and mental relaxation, it is possible to see with new perspectives what was stressful before. The ways of dealing with stress are changed and imagination and creativity increase. The
In a certain sense, a reset mind gives way to a "flow", or positive and luminous flow, which improves patience and tolerance.

Diverse practices... and their multiplication

There are many types of practices that include or are a type of meditation. The state of reflective peace can be promoted by visual images, repetitive sounds, smells, textures, the dripping on the skin of oils in Ayurveda, the recitation of a mantra or word that occupies the mind and drives away other thoughts, transcendental meditation that seeks the relaxation of the body, mindfulness, yoga....

Each meditative style requires training to focus attention, and contribute to freeing the mind from negative emotions: fear, shame, anger, sadness, tension. All forms emphasize relaxed, deep and even breathing, using the diaphragm to achieve greater lung expansion.

They are usually done in a comfortable position and posture that does not interfere with the flow of thoughts, and in a quiet place with few distractions, including cell phones. But it is possible to concentrate and exhale calmly while walking, in the dentist's waiting room, or before an exam or public speech. When the technique is learned, the physiological benefits are clear: diaphragmatic breathing, as well as various deep muscle relaxation exercises, lowers heart rate and blood pressure.

Since the 1980s, meditation practices have multiplied and have become part of school and business routines, sports clubs and medical protocols.

Stephen Covey's well-known self-help book "The seven habits of highly effective people"(1989) gives great importance to the seventh habit, "sharpening the saw". Whoever cuts trees, he will say with a graphic example, has to stop from time to time and repair his tool; otherwise, he will progress more slowly in his task, until he completely destroys the tool.

Whoever works and wants to obtain good results must learn to rest, to relax, to take care of his spiritual and physical health - the body as an instrument - to dedicate time to learning, to be with others, to meditate.

In religious circles, where the search for the sacred should not be relegated, there is also a growing interest in Eastern forms of meditation. Advertisements for specialized courses can be found in university advertisements, in the hall of a hospital, on a bus or in places of worship.

We will look at the two most widespread forms of meditation in the West, yoga and mindfulnessThe Christian prayer or meditation is then commented on.

Yoga with its silence and abandonment

Yoga is a word that comes from Sanskrit. There are traces of its use since about 3000 years before Christ. The religious basis is Hinduism and corresponds to one of its six doctrines. Like other forms of meditation, it is presented as a method to reach balance and to leave aside suffering. It also has a moral purpose, the so-called "karma yoga", which consists in self-realization.

According to the doctrine of yoga, the human being is a soul enclosed in a body, which has four parts: the physical body, the mind, the intelligence and the false ego. In the Hindu religion, yoga constitutes a spiritual path to experience contact with the divine: the integration of the individual soul with God (i.e. with the "brahman") or its deity (who is the "avatar") and liberation from material bondage.

Yoga presents the eight steps of a self-realization that rests on three bases: suppressing the modifications of the mind, with silence; non-attachment, or non-self or nullity; abandonment to reach "samadhi", which is the full realization of oneself, an inner awakening, a spiritual force and communication with the divine.

As a form of meditation, it uses various postures (so-called "asana yoga") to act on the body and mind. There would be a special resonance from different energy points of the organism, along the spine. In sports stores around the world offer hundreds of products of all colors to practice yoga. The fundamental thing is to have a mat and a cushion, which are called "sabuton" and "zufu".

The keys to the practice of yoga are: slowness of movement, slow, conscious and directed breathing, and mental attention in a receptive state to what is happening. The postures can be accompanied by the repetition of a mantra, to concentrate on breathing in and out regularly and slowly.

Promoters claim that it has numerous positive effects on the body, especially stress reduction and increased concentration and mental clarity. In the body, for example, yoga exercises improve flexibility, coordination and endurance.

Many people practice yoga for its psychophysical benefit, with rejection or indifference to the religious background. In children's schools in India it is a compulsory discipline. There are also those who turn to yoga as a gateway to more Eastern religious experiences, and often it is not easy to detach from the doctrinal framework that supports it.

From Buddhist sati to mindfulness

Mindfulness is a more recent phenomenon, which takes meditation postures from yoga. It is the modern English translation of the Buddhist term "sati", considered a type of meditation.

Mindfulness is described in the collection of Buddhist writings, compiled with commentaries in the 5th century, in the "Digha nikaya" (DN 22). There it is stated as a prayer: "The path with a single goal, O monks, comes from the four pillars to achieve purification, to overcome weeping and lamentation, to turn away from pain and suffering: to observe the body, to observe sensation, to observe the mind, to observe the elements. The Digha nikaya also describes how mindfulness meditation is performed: with crossed legs and full attention, one should concentrate on breathing in and out, experiencing the body.

According to the promoters of mindfulness, its practice increases mental concentration (the "samatha" or meditation, which obtains tranquility by concentrating on the breath or reciting a mantra); it also sharpens the inner vision (the "vipassana" or meditation that is subordinated to the "sati"): for this it is necessary to focus or fixate on the same concentration.

The main disseminators of mindfulness in the West are the Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thích Nhât Hanh (born in 1926) and his American disciple of Hebrew tradition, the biologist John Kabat-Zinn (born in 1944). It was presented as the essence of Buddhism.

Thích Nhât Hanh gives an example of what mindfulness could be: "When you are washing the dishes, washing the dishes should be the most important thing in your life, the same if you drink tea or if you are in the bathroom...". He adds, "Living in the present moment is the miracle."

A question that expresses what this mindfulness could be would be: your body is present, and your mind is also here? The definition of mindfulness has been extended as total attention in the moment, a "particular attention to the present, with an attitude of acceptance".

Concentration on one's own breath and thoughts, in a non-judgmental and non-reflective way, is insisted upon. The "sati", they say, does not seek to eliminate thoughts or feelings, but not to identify with them. It is about considering them in an impersonal way, so as not to let them drag us down.

The promoters claim that it is a state of mind that everyone can attain, such as concentration, mindfulness and mindfulness. Concentration on the body, thoughts and feelings makes it possible to see the real nature of hatred, greed, suffering and resentment, to distance oneself from them and to reach nirvana. Through concentration, they will say, you empty yourself of yourself and suffering disappears: "sati" manages to move away from the false self ("anatta") and reaches the pinnacle of Buddhist ethics, which is compassion ("karuna"), detachment from selfishness, uniting us with everyone and the universe and lovingly caring for universality.

Mindfulness has cultural manifestations, such as the tea ceremony in Japan, in which the social moment of meeting with others, unique and unrepeatable, is appreciated, sharing a drink and a space for relaxation in one's own home.

Expansion of mindfulness

In the West, it has been insisted that it is a skill without religious overtones. It was introduced in medicine as a mindfulness-based stress reduction technique: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). It is used in depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other pathologies. As in other forms of meditation applied to medicine, adverse effects have been described, due to excessive concentration on one's own thoughts. The hyperreflection can accentuate some psychic disorders.

Mindfulness is offered for children and adults. It is used in addictions, for a better sexual performance, in pregnancy and pre-partum, in burnout, in business and in daily life... There are digital applications that move millions, associated with universities and companies, such as Harvard and
Google to name a few.

It has become a consumer product that is sometimes presented as infallible to give peace. For this reason, some speak ironically of "McMindfulness". Like yoga, it is not always easy to separate it from its religious background.

Most yoga and mindfulness academies insist that they are not a religion, but a discipline that tries to combine the harmony of spirit and body and relaxation. However, in many books and in gyms, concepts from Hinduism or Buddhism are explained. Sometimes perspectives of this type see in the cross of Christ a simple masochism.

The increase in meditation practices, more or less linked to religious concepts, manifests a thirst for spirituality. They can contribute to remedy the dispersion, they give importance and space to the body and its
energies, and help to control and expand the interiority.

How is Christian prayer positioned in the face of the need for peace and wholeness, for spirituality?

Christian prayer as a form of meditation

Prayer, present in many religions, is the most frequent method of meditation. Its health benefits have been proven in numerous clinical trials. The forms are varied, from the repetition of words, sometimes as a mantra, to silent union or dialogue with a higher being.

In Christian prayer, it is affirmed that one speaks with a personal God, who listens to and loves the human being. Although less present than in other religions, the psycho-physical symbolism of the body is not excluded, and of course it is advised to pray with serenity and relaxation. "Prayer involves the whole person": it is
prays with the whole being, which includes the body and the heart or affective world.

Somehow meditation, even without recourse to the sacred, makes one feel not the center of the universe, but part of it, which counteracts the egocentric tendency of the human being. Christian teachings give more clarity to this aspect. The goal is not to observe oneself or to achieve balance alone, but to love others, which involves effort and a certain tension.

To turn to God, to feel his presence in the silence of the heart, stimulates us to go out of ourselves. To discover that there is a God who sees us, hears us and loves us is a good way to focus our conscience on what is important. This can be done through moments of peace in every practice of piety, especially in the following moments
prayer, which permeates thought and action.

It is a good way to reduce worries and negative thoughts about oneself and others, and to discover a new meaning to life. Little by little, those who pray come to interiorize Christ, in an "intimate relationship of friendship", in a prayer of recollection and peace, as St. Teresa wrote.
Jesus was one of us, with our affections, actions, desires and thoughts. It is a matter of observing and imitating his gaze, his face and his heart; and all with the direct help of God himself: the Holy Spirit, who enlightens and gives rest to those who turn to him.

Christian prayer, which, far from leaving aside the sacred, is a dialogue with God, is a source of optimism and reduces stress in a deeper and more permanent way than the meditative relaxation of oriental foundations. The past is abandoned, realizing the mistakes. One faces the present, striving to improve; and one looks to the future with hope, wishing for a better world for all.

We learn to share the earth with men and women from all walks of life, with fish, birds, plants... Inviting to sing "to the sun, the moon and the smallest animals", we renounce "to turn reality into a mere object of use and domination"; and we recognize "nature as a splendid
book," as Pope Francis wrote in Laudato si'.

Many saints emphasize prayer combined with peace. I conclude with a text of St. Basil, which sums up well the full consciousness, meditation or mindfulness of a Christian: "It is beautiful prayer that makes God more present in the soul [...]. This is what the presence of God consists in: to have God within oneself.
of himself, reinforced by memory [...].

We become a temple of God: when the continuity of memory is not interrupted by earthly concerns, when the mind is not disturbed by fleeting feelings, when the one who loves the Lord is detached from everything and takes refuge in God alone, when he rejects everything that incites to evil and spends his life in the fulfillment of virtuous deeds".

Contemplation of the cross of Christ and of his resurrection, of his most holy humanity, which, filled with love for the Father, has compassion for all to the point of giving his life for us, introduces us to the mystery of God's love. This contemplation helps us to root our divine filiation in the depths of our spirit, led by the Holy Spirit, and leads us to cry out "Father!" in all the circumstances of life: in the face of the good and the bad, in the face of what involves going out of oneself and giving oneself sacrificially to others.

Inner peace is proper to those who truly know themselves to be children of God and this truth is strengthened and lived if, docile to the Holy Spirit, we are women and men of prayer, contemplatives in the midst of our existence.

Prayer and our calm actions generate feelings of peace and well-being. How useful is the advice to manage oneself and take care of inner excellence or spirituality, quoted at the beginning. It comes from one of India's greatest entrepreneurs, Grandhi M.R., born in a small and poor village.
of Andhra Pradesh.

Differences between the various practices

Rest

➔ Traditional relaxation: reading, walking, nature, tourism...

➔ Other practices:

  • Not to relegate the search for the sacred.
  • Techniques based on relaxed breathing.

Yoga

➔ Religious basis in Hinduism. The human being as a soul enclosed in a body.

➔ Wanted:

  • Achieve balance and let go of material attachments.
  • Moral end: self-realization.

➔ Techniques: postures, mindfulness, breathing, mantra repetition.

➔ It is not easy to detach it from its religious and doctrinal background.

Mindfulness

➔ Religious basis in Buddhism.

➔ Wanted:

  • Attend to the present moment.
  • Consider thoughts and sensations in an impersonal way, without identifying with them.
  • Reaching nirvana and joining the universe.

➔ Medical tool, but also consumer product.

➔ May remain linked to aspects of Hinduism or Buddhism.

Christian Prayer

➔ One speaks to a personal God, who listens to and loves the human being.

➔ It involves the whole person, which includes the body and the affective world.

➔ Stimulates to get out of oneself:

  • It helps to focus awareness on what is important.
  • It leads to a relationship of friendship with God and to love others.

It is a source of optimism. It reduces stress in a more profound way than meditative relaxation of oriental foundations.

The authorWenceslao Vial

Physician and priest.

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The Vatican

What is a consistory of cardinals?

On August 29 and 30 Pope Francis has convened a consistory of cardinals to analyze the new constitution of the Holy See, "Predicate Evangelium". In these lines we explain what a consistory is and its importance.

Alejandro Vázquez-Dodero-August 20, 2022-Reading time: 3 minutes
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The Holy Father has convoked a consistory. It will be held on August 29 and 30. The day before, he will appoint 21 new cardinals and then they will work on an interesting document: the apostolic constitution of the Holy Father. Predicate Evangelium -on the Roman Curia and its service to the Church-. published last March 19. 

Among the new cardinals are three heads of dicasteries of the Curia: the Congregation for Divine Worship, the Congregation for the Clergy, the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, and the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State. Governatorato. Of the new cardinals, 16 are electors, i.e., under 80 years of age, who could be elected Roman Pontiff in a conclave.

What is a cardinal and the College of Cardinals? 

The cardinalate is the highest ecclesiastical dignity after the Pope. It is called the "prince" of the Church. Several of the cardinals carry out functions in the dependencies of the Curia - dicasteries - to administer the affairs of the Holy See. 

They are appointed by the Pope from among those who meet a series of requirements. As of today, to be named a cardinal, one must have received the order of the presbyterate and be outstanding in doctrine, good morals, piety and prudence. Ordinarily the candidate must be a bishop, but it is possible for the Pope to exempt him from this condition.

All the cardinals make up the College of Cardinals. This body fulfills a dual function, electing the Roman Pontiff and advising him on the government of the Church or any other matter the Pope deems appropriate.

Currently the College of Cardinals is composed of 208 cardinals, of which 117 are electors of a new pope. After the next consistory there will be 229 cardinals, and the total number of electors will be 132.

Who are the members of the consistory and what is their role? 

The cardinals, as we said, are part of the hierarchical organization of the Church for its government, and they do so individually or - when they act as a college of cardinals - as a collective. The consistory consists of a formal meeting of the college of cardinals. It represents the highest organ of the supreme and universal government of the Church.

Its origin maintains a close relationship with the history of the Roman presbyterate or body of the clergy of Rome. In the ancient Roman presbyterate there were deacons, in charge of the temporal affairs of the Church in the different regions of Rome; priests, who headed the main churches of the city; and bishops of the dioceses neighboring Rome. 

The present cardinals have succeeded the members of the former presbyterate, not only in regard to the offices proper to those three degrees - bishops, presbyters and deacons - but above all by assisting the pope in the administration of the affairs of government of the Church.

What types of consistories are there?

There are three types of consistories: ordinary, extraordinary and semi-public.

The ordinary or secret is so called because no one outside the Pope and the cardinals can be present at its deliberations. It is convened for the consultation of the cardinals present in the Holy City - Rome - on certain grave questions or for the performance of certain acts of the highest solemnity. 

The extraordinary meeting is convened when the special needs of the Church or the seriousness of the matters to be discussed so require. It is public in the sense that people outside the College of Cardinals can be invited. This is the case of the appointment of new cardinals, as was the case in August of this year.

And finally the semi-public, so called because in addition to the cardinals, some bishops are part of it, those who reside within a radius of one hundred miles from Rome. In addition, the other bishops of Italy are invited, as well as those who are passing through the Holy City at the time.

What is the rite of creation of a cardinal like?

As for the rite or celebration of the consistory, it usually begins with a brief liturgy of the word, a homily by the Holy Father, and the development of the matter to be discussed. In the case of the consistories of appointment of new cardinals, there is profession of faith and oath, imposition of the cardinal's ring and assignment of the corresponding title, placing of the biretta, and exchange of signs of peace with the Pope and among the new cardinals. On the evening of the celebration, a reception is held to greet the cardinals, and the following day the Roman Pontiff concelebrates Holy Mass with them, in thanksgiving and to pray for their new assignments.

In conclusion to this brief exposition, the faithful should be aware of the imperative need to pray for this instrument of government, since the consistory constitutes the closest collaboration for the Holy Father in the government of the Church.

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Sunday Readings

"The narrow gate and the closed door". XXI Sunday in Ordinary Time (c)

Andrea Mardegan comments on the readings for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time and Luis Herrera offers a short video homily. 

Andrea Mardegan-August 19, 2022-Reading time: 2 minutes

At the end of the book of Isaiah there is a strong message of universalism of salvation. God gathers "the nations of every language; they will come to see my glory". After the return from exile, the people are overwhelmed by many difficulties and the prophet supports them with visions of a future full of hope: God's salvation will come, through Israel, to many other peoples. "I will give them a sign, and from among them I will send survivors to the nations: to Tarshish, Libya and Lydia (bow-shooters), Túbal and Greece, to the distant coasts that never heard my fame nor saw my glory. They shall proclaim my glory to the nations." Perhaps Tarshish means Spain, and Tubal means Cilicia. But they mean all the peoples who will go to Jerusalem, together with the children of Israel.

Jesus himself goes to Jerusalem. A man asked him a common question in the debates among the rabbis: how many will be saved? Some thought: all the Jews; others said: only some. Jesus does not enter into the numerical question, but raises the tone to the quality of the commitment. He does so with two images of the gate: the narrow gate and the gate that the master has closed, in a parable that has as its background the invitation to a banquet: "The Lord of the universe will prepare for all peoples on this mountain a feast of succulent delicacies" (Is 25:6). The Greek verb used by Jesus is sporting: "to compete" to enter through the narrow gate. The fortified cities had a wide gate through which they could enter "on horses, in chariots, on saddles, on mules, on dromedaries", and a narrow gate through which only one person at a time could enter, which was used when the wide gate was already closed. To enter through the narrow gate one had to be free of bulky luggage. It could mean that salvation comes to each one personally.

Once in the city and arriving at the house of the owner who invited to the banquet, the door of his house might already be closed. Then those who have stayed outside will try to get it opened, but the master of the house will say that he does not know them. They point to a familiarity that did not exist: I do not know you, he tells them, so I do not open my house, my privacy, my feast, to strangers. Jesus refers to his contemporaries who honor God with their lips, but their heart is far from him. They will come from all over the world to sit at the table of the kingdom of God, along with the patriarchs and prophets of Israel, but they will be left out. These words guide us so that we do not take it for granted that we please God by being in the number of those who are Christians: thoughts, words and deeds must be in accordance with the heart of Christ.

The homily on the readings of Sunday 21st Sunday

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

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  • Ulrich SteinerFor me, becoming a cardinal means being able to serve more and better".
Latin America

Ulrich SteinerFor me, becoming a cardinal means being able to serve more and better".

For the first time in its history, the Brazilian Amazon will have a cardinal. Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, archbishop of Manaus, a populous urban center in Brazil and capital of the state of Amazonas, located in the north of the country.

Federico Piana-August 19, 2022-Reading time: 4 minutes
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Monsignor Steiner explains that this "decision of Pope Francis was a surprise for me and a joy for my community. The future cardinal will receive the pastoral ring and the cardinal's biretta at the consistory on August 27, during which the pontiff will create 21 cardinals. "For me, becoming a cardinal means being able to serve more and better," explains the Archbishop of Manaus, who reveals how, as soon as he heard the news of his appointment, his life did not change at all. "I have continued and continue to serve my diocese as before," he says with great simplicity.

You will be the first Cardinal from the Brazilian Amazon, what will be the burdens and honors of this decision made by the Pope?

My community, all the faithful, are grateful to the Holy Father for having once again demonstrated his closeness and paternity. Certainly, with this decision, Pope Francis has expressed his desire to want a missionary Church perfectly incarnated in the Amazonto be a Samaritan and therefore close to the native peoples. This appointment has the strength, weight and dignity of service.

As Cardinal, how will you intensify your efforts for the Amazon? What objectives will you try to achieve for the good of this region? 

In the Amazon, the Church is a Church of particular Churches that, together, dream, pray, celebrate and elaborate their pastoral guidelines. It is truly a synodal Church that always tries to learn from the native peoples, seeking to inculturate itself. Throughout time, this Church has also made an enormous effort to preserve our common home. If I can encourage and strengthen this evangelization, as Pope Francis asks in his post-synodal exhortation Dear AmazoniaI will assist the Bishop of Rome in his ministry.

Do you think there may be a connection between the 2019 Synod on Pan-Amazon and your appointment as cardinal?

This synod is a light to strengthen the road already traveled and to seek new paths. The Episcopal Conference for the Amazon, approved by Pope Francis, points to this ecclesial synodal path. My appointment encourages the particular Churches that are in the Amazon to continue to trust in this path and to realize the dreams of Dear Amazonia.

What is the current situation of the Church in the Amazon?

We are a living, missionary and synodal Church. Our communities are welcoming, supportive, with the participation of men and women as missionary disciples. It is a Church that cares for the formation of the laity and clergy, that relies on religious life embedded in the pastoral and missionary life. It needs help to keep ecclesial life alive because of the distances and the simplicity in which a large number of communities live. In addition, it is also a Church attentive to the needs of the native peoples and people living on the periphery. To this end, it is animated by community leaders, non-ordained ministries and social pastoral care. In short, it is a Church in need and, perhaps for this reason, generous and hopeful. 

What are the social and political challenges facing the Amazon?

In my opinion, the main challenges are related to the hermeneutics of Pope Francis: they are social, cultural, environmental and ecclesial challenges. The peripheries of the cities are poor, without infrastructure, without basic sanitation, with a lack of cultural and recreational spaces. The poor, the riverside dwellers, the indigenous people, suffer from the lack of medical services; to this is added violence, which is on the rise. In addition, there are problems related to the underestimation of the different cultures and the devastation of the jungle, the increase in predatory fishing, mining and water pollution: activities that destroy the environment, the home of native peoples.

Then there are the ecclesial challenges. We must strive to be a Church capable of listening to the religious expressions of the communities, of welcoming the religious richness of the rituals of the people, of offering opportunities for commissioning ministries, of perceiving the presence of God in the way of living in harmony with everything and everyone. The challenges are many when the Church seeks to be incarnational and liberating.

What can the international community do to support the Amazon, and what hasn't it done?

The Amazon must live visibly in an autonomous way: it must be respected and not destroyed, cared for and not dominated, cultivated and not exploited. The Amazon must be seen as a complex and harmonious reality; encompassing and unique. The international community could increasingly support the reality, the way of life, the culture, of the native peoples. It is they who care for our common home and can guarantee its future. The international community could contribute to research and support for the conservation of the Amazon. Precisely the international pressure to take better care of the Amazon and its peoples has contributed to the need to address the issue of environmental destruction in the region, but also the need for cultural and religious autonomy of the native peoples.

However, as long as we live in an economic system based on the accumulation of wealth, profit at any price and lack of respect for the dignity of the person and the poor, the Amazon will continue to be destroyed. This has to change. What we have not yet done is to put the economy at the center of the common home, as the etymology of the word says. The Amazon is part of planet Earth, the home of all. It is urgent to awaken humanity to take care of the common home, as Pope Francis affirms in the encyclical Laudato Sì. 

The authorFederico Piana

 Journalist. He works for Vatican Radio and collaborates with L'Osservatore Romano.

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Evangelization

Twenty Years of the Consecration of the World to Divine Mercy

The Consecration of the world to Divine Mercy by John Paul II two decades ago has strongly increased the devotion promoted by St. Faustina Kowalska.

Barbara Stefańska-August 18, 2022-Reading time: 3 minutes
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"God, merciful Father [...] to You we entrust today the destiny of the world and of every man" - said John Paul II 20 years ago in Krakow. This event had a global dimension. And it has not lost its relevance.
The current Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki is the place where he lived and died. Sister Faustina Kowalska during the last years of his life. Her mortal remains are buried there. Through this simple nun, the Lord Jesus reminded the world of his mercy.

A timely message

In August 2002, Pope John Paul II came to Poland for the last time. One of the main objectives of his trip was the consecration of a new shrine, since the old, small church was no longer sufficient for the multitude of pilgrims arriving there. On August 17, a multitude of the faithful gathered at the shrine and in the spacious shrine grounds.

"How much the world today needs God's mercy! On every continent there seems to arise a cry for mercy from the depths of human suffering. Where there is hatred, desire for revenge, where war brings pain and death to the innocent, the grace of mercy is needed which calms human minds and hearts and generates peace. Where there is a lack of respect for life and human dignity, the merciful love of God is needed, in the light of which the unspeakable value of every human being is revealed. Mercy is necessary so that all injustice in the world may find its end in the splendor of truth," the ailing Pope said at the time. How relevant these words are today!

"That is why today, in this Shrine, I wish to make a solemn act of entrusting the world to the mercy of God. I do so with the fervent desire that the message of God's merciful love, proclaimed here through Sister Faustina, may reach all the inhabitants of the earth and fill their hearts with hope. May this message spread from this place to our beloved homeland and to the whole world", with these words John Paul II expressed the purpose of consecrating the world to the mercy of God.

Some enigmatic words

He also recalled the mysterious words of St. Faustina's Diary in which she points out that from Poland must come forth "the spark that will prepare the world for the final coming of Christ" (cf. Diary, 1732). John Paul II also left us all a task: "This spark of God's grace must be kindled. It is necessary to transmit the fire of mercy to the world. In God's mercy, the world will find peace and man will find happiness. I entrust this task to you, dear brothers and sisters, to the Church of Krakow and Poland, and to all those devoted to God's mercy who come here from Poland and from all over the world. Be witnesses of mercy".

The Pope of Mercy

The spread of the cult of Divine Mercy is one of the fruits of the Polish Pope's pontificate. It was, so to speak, an extension of the work he had begun as Metropolitan of Krakow. At that time, he commissioned an analysis of the "Diary" for the purpose of Sister Faustina's beatification process. This required diligent analysis because the Holy See had banned the dissemination of the Divine Mercy cult according to the forms handed down by Sister Faustina in 1959. The ban was lifted in 1978, even before the election of a Polish pope.

Cardinal Wojtyla closed the process at the diocesan stage. As Pope, John Paul II declared Sister Faustina blessed and then a saint. On the day of her canonization, in April 2000, he established for the whole Church the feast of Divine Mercy, set for the first Sunday after Easter. Previously, this feast had already been celebrated in Poland. John Paul II also contributed to spreading devotion to God's mercy through the publication of the encyclical Dives in misericordia in 1980.

The surrender of the world to the mercy of God in 2002 was, so to speak, the final touch to recall this message to the Church and to all men. It is no coincidence that John Paul II died on Saturday, the eve of the Feast of Divine Mercy.

The authorBarbara Stefańska

Journalist and secretary of the editorial staff of the weekly "Idziemy"

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Evangelization

"Friendship and confidences", a game with a lot of background.

"Friendship and confidences" This board game was devised by Father Juan María Gallardo. The objective of this pastime is to get to know oneself, others and Jesus Christ better.

 

Javier García Herrería-August 18, 2022-Reading time: < 1 minute
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"Friendship and confidences" is a board game that helps to cultivate friendship. The Bible teaches that human relationships are a treasure, but growing in them requires generosity, time and mutual knowledge. This game allows us to open our hearts and make ourselves known to others in a simple way, while at the same time helping us to reflect on our friendship with God and with those around us. In this sense, it can be a useful aid for catechesis.

The creator is the Argentinean priest Juan María Gallardo. This first edition of the game is available only in digital version. Can be printed free of charge by accessing the PDF. The project for the future is to make it available for purchase in physical format.

Inspired by the game of the Goose

This entertainment proposal is similar to the well-known Game of the Goose. The game is played on a board with 150 squares that deal with different episodes in the life of Jesus -the friend who never betrays- and Mary, with miniatures or illuminations from Speculum humanae salvaciónis, a Belgian manuscript from the middle of the 15th century. The way to move forward is through letters that ask questions in which one gets to know oneself. 

Becoming familiar with more than a hundred Gospel scenes is certainly a good start to learning about the life of Jesus Christ.

Of course, as in the famous goose game, winning requires a good dose of luck. That is why the game instructions remind us: "We wish you luck. Like the disciple who replaced Judas; the scripture says that there were two candidates and they cast lots and it fell on Matthias.

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The Vatican

Pope Francis: "Old age must bear witness to children that they are a blessing".

The Holy Father continued his Wednesday audiences on old age. As on other occasions, he emphasized the special relationship between the elderly and children.

Javier García Herrería-August 17, 2022-Reading time: 3 minutes
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The anecdote of the audience of this Wednesday, August 17, was the Swiss guard who collapsed a few meters away from Pope Francis. He did his duty to the point of exhaustion. Curiosities aside, the Holy Father continued his catechesis on old age with a reflection on Daniel's prophetic dream. This vision at the beginning of the Apocalypse refers to the resurrected Jesus, who presents himself as Messiah, Priest and King, eternal, omniscient and immutable (1:12-15).

Christian artistic tradition has depicted God the Father as a kindly old man with a white beard. Without puerile sentimentality, the Holy Father stressed the validity of the image: "The biblical term most often used to indicate an old man is `zaqen', which comes from `zaqan', and means `beard'. The snow-white hair is an ancient symbol of a very long time, of an immemorial time, of an eternal existence. There is no need to demystify everything for children: the image of a God who watches over everything with snow-white hair is not a silly symbol, it is a biblical image, it is noble and even tender. The figure of the Apocalypse standing in the midst of the golden candlesticks coincides with that of the "Ancient of Days" of Daniel's prophecy. He is as old as all mankind, even older. He is as old and new as the eternity of God."

Children are a blessing

The Pontiff also highlighted the biblical example of Simeon and Anna in the presentation of Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem. "Old age," Pope Francis pointed out, "on its journey towards a world in which the love that God has infused in Creation will finally radiate without hindrance, must fulfill this gesture made by Simeon and Anna, before taking their leave. Old age must bear witness to the children that they are a blessing". The strength of this sign indicates the dignity and inalienable value of human life, for which the Holy Father underlined that our destiny in life cannot be annihilated, not even by death.

The credibility of the elderly is very great for children, which is why a great complicity is born between them. "Young people and adults," the Pope continued, "are not capable of giving a witness as authentic, tender and moving as that of the elderly. It is irresistible when an elder blesses life as it comes to him, putting aside any resentment for life when he leaves. The testimony of the elderly unites the generations of life, the same as the dimensions of time: past, present and future. It is painful - and harmful - to see the ages of life conceived as separate worlds, in competition with each other, each seeking to live at the expense of the other."

The wisdom of old age

Over the last few months Pope Francis stressed the value of the contribution of the elderly to the family and society today. "The alliance between the elderly and children will save the human family," the pontiff stressed. And he ended his remarks by asking: "Can we give back to children, who need to learn how to be born, the tender witness of the elderly who possess the wisdom of death? Can this humanity, which with all its progress seems like an adolescent born yesterday, recover the grace of an old age that clings to the horizon of our destiny? Death is certainly a difficult passage of life, but it is also one that concludes the time of uncertainty and throws away the clock. Because the beautiful part of life, which no longer has deadlines, begins precisely then".

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The Church's mediation in Panama's social crisis

The government and the different actors of the Panamanian civil society have requested the help of the Church to find solutions to the social conflicts derived from the economic situation of the country.

Giancarlos Candanedo-August 17, 2022-Reading time: 4 minutes

The Catholic Church in Panama has always enjoyed great social recognition, because at all times, even during the most difficult years of the military dictatorship (1968-1989), it has maintained a conciliatory position. Throughout history - also during democracy - it has been the guarantor, at the request of both the rulers in power and civil society, of fruitful dialogues in search of peace and the common good.

This is what is happening at the moment when the product of more than three weeks of protests The national government, headed by President Laurentino Cortizo, asked the Catholic Church to serve as "mediator" so that both the protesting sectors and the government could reach agreements that would lead to the opening of free transit throughout the country and the reestablishment of social peace. 

The causes of discontent

The protests focused on issues such as the high cost of living, mainly the price of fuel that was about to reach US$4.00/gallon, the increase in the basic family basket, corruption, lack of transparency in public finances, among others. It was a national social outburst unprecedented in the Panamanian democratic era. The demonstrators had different leaders in the different regions of the country and this made it difficult for the Government to reach agreements since it did not have a single interlocutor. In fact, the Government's proposal to freeze the price of fuel at US$3.95 was accepted by some sectors, while others rejected it. 

At the request of the national government, the Catholic Church in the country, in the figure of the Metropolitan Archbishop, José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, accepted to be a "facilitator", not a mediator, because as the Archbishop explained, "the Church cannot be a mediator". "To be a mediator is to be in the middle, and the Church will always be on the side of those most in need." Through a communiqué dated July 16, "the Catholic Church accepted to be a facilitator of a process that will not only help to resolve the difficult situation that is being experienced but, above all, to initiate a process of structural change that will really make Panama a more just and equitable country".

Mediation conditions

To this end, the Church proposed some principles that conditioned its acceptance, namely: 1) Dialogue at a single table; 2) Consensus on a single agenda with all the actors; 3) A process divided into stages, first the urgent and, later, a more in-depth dialogue; 4) That the actors in the first stage would be the groups that were expressing their unease and discontent through actions in the streets and roads of the country and that, in the second stage, the actors would be the representatives of all sectors of society; 5) That the Church would begin its work when all the actors officially accepted it along with the conditions established for carrying out its role.

The actors accepted the role of the Church and the process began. When asked why the Church accepted to be facilitatorUlloa pointed out: "Faith is daring. We did not think much about it, and if you look at it with human eyes, it was daring. When we were already at the dialogue table, surrounded by dissatisfied and upset people, on the one hand, and the Government on the other, without the necessary resources to attend to both sides, we understood that the only thing left was to put ourselves in God's hands so that everything would work out well".

Concrete progress

And so the dialogue process is progressing. In the first stage, rapid results have been obtained which led to the reopening of free transit by the demonstrators, as well as the freezing of fuel prices at US$3.25/gallon and price controls on more than seventy products in the shopping basket by the national government. 

Eight topics were agreed to be discussed at the single table: shopping basket, fuel prices, reduction and supply of medicines in the national health system, education financing, energy reduction, discussion of the Social Security Fund, corruption and transparency, intersectoral and follow-up table. However, although important steps are being taken, there are points on which agreements have not been reached in this first stage.

In addition, there is great pressure from business associations and guilds that were not part of the groups that were expressing their discontent through actions in the streets and roads of the country, with the intention of being included from now on in a dialogue that they consider to be exclusive and of which they express fears of a possible imposition of an economic system that limits free enterprise. The Government has requested that other sectors be included, but for the time being the dialogue is still in the first stage, following the road map initially agreed upon.

Other mediators

The Bishops of the Panamanian Episcopal Conference have joined the work initiated by the Metropolitan Archbishop together with a team of facilitators, including the rector of the Santa María la Antigua University, the president of the Justice and Peace Commission, among others.

Ulloa has invited representatives of other churches, who have also contributed their part in this delicate moment, to show that this is a matter of national unity and not only of a Catholic nature. It is worth mentioning the work of lay people and volunteers who have put their hands to work to support a dialogue on which will depend, to a great extent, the stability and social peace of a small and thriving nation, but at the same time with great challenges, one of them, social inequality. 

The authorGiancarlos Candanedo

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Ecumenical work in the Middle East between Christians and Arabs is now a reality

Pedro, together with his team, succeeded in forming a community of Arabic-speaking Christians belonging to different rites: Byzantine, Maronite, Orthodox and Latin. He is currently on mission in the Middle East as part of his priestly formation.

Rome Reports-August 16, 2022-Reading time: < 1 minute
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Franz Reinisch: "Against my conscience - with God's grace - I cannot and will not act".

80 years ago the Austrian priest from Schönstatt Franz Reinisch was executed: he was the only priest who refused to take the oath of allegiance to Hitler.

José M. García Pelegrín-August 16, 2022-Reading time: 4 minutes
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In April 1534, the former Lord Chancellor Thomas More and the Bishop of Rochester John Fisher refused to sign the "Act of Supremacy" passed by the English Parliament, which made King Henry VIII the head of the English Church. More and Fisher were executed for this refusal. John Paul II named Thomas More patron saint of rulers and politicians on October 31, 2000: "From the life and martyrdom of St. Thomas More flows a message that down the centuries speaks to men and women of all times of the inalienable dignity of conscience," said the Motu Proprio for his proclamation.

There have been martyrs of conscience "through the centuries", also in the National Socialist regime. They followed the dictates of their conscience, for example the students of the White Rose as well as other people who refused to obey the anti-Christian and inhuman Nazi system and who paid for their resistance with their lives.

Martyr of conscience

A special form of refusal consisted in the refusal to swear an oath of allegiance to Hitler. After the death of Reich President Paul von Hindenburg on 2 August 1934, the oath formula was changed. Instead of serving "always faithfully and fully my people and my Fatherland", the conscripts were to swear "that I will render unconditional obedience to the Reich and German People's Führer, Adolf Hitler".

Of the 18 million soldiers in the WehrmachtOnly a few refused to take the oath, in contrast to the estimated 30,000 deserters. For desertion there may be different reasons; the oath, on the other hand, was refused for reasons of conscience. Apart from the Jehovah's Witnesses or "Bible Students" - who did not specifically reject Hitler's oath, but military service in general - according to the latest studies about 20 Catholics and nine Protestants took this momentous step.

Along with Franz Jägerstätter and Josef Mayr-Nusser, beatified in 2007 and 2017, respectively, the best known of them is Franz Reinisch, whose beatification process has already passed the diocesan phase. A Pallottine priest from Schönstatt, he was sentenced to death for "undermining the defense force" (Wehrkraftzersetzung) in July 1942 and executed on August 21 of the same year, 80 years ago.

As early as 1939 and in the retreat house in Schönstatt, Reinisch had already said: "One cannot take the oath, the oath to the National Socialist flag, to the Führer. That is a sin, for it would be like swearing an oath to a criminal... Our conscience forbids us to follow an authority that only brings to the world crimes and murders for the sake of conquest. To that criminal we cannot take an oath! He maintained his conviction to the end.

Vocation

Franz Reinisch was born on February 1, 1903 in Feldkirch-Levis (Vorarlberg). His father was a lawyer, so he too began studying law at the University of Innsbruck. After a 30-day retreat in Wyhlen, near Basel, and in view of the moral misery he encountered while studying legal medicine in Kiel in 1923, the desire to "win souls for Christ" was awakened in him. He decided to become a priest. After three years at the seminary in Brixen, Reinisch was ordained a priest on June 29, 1928.

He soon came into contact with the Pallottine Fathers in Salzburg. In November he entered the Pallottine novitiate in Untermerzbach, near Bamberg. Through the Pallottines, Franz Reinisch came to know Schoenstatt in August 1934 (until 1964 the Schoenstatt Movement remained closely linked organizationally to the Pallottines). He had finally found his vocation.

It was precisely at this time that he began his confrontation with National Socialism. He was outraged that, in connection with the so-called "Röhm-Putsch" ("Night of the Long Knives") at the end of June 1934, the regime had people murdered without a court sentence, but also that Hitler had incorporated Austria into the German Reich in violation of international law. Like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Reinisch recognizes the alternative: "Either Nazi or Christian", it is not possible to be both.

Road to martyrdom

With the outbreak of the war, the persecution of the Church. Franz Reinisch was forbidden to preach in September 1940, which sealed his fate: since he could not occupy a parish post, he could be drafted. On March 1, 1941, Fr. Reinisch received the order to prepare for conscription; the actual draft order was sent to him on Easter Tuesday 1942.

Franz Reinisch arrives at the Bad Kissingen barracks on April 15, 1942, deliberately one day later than ordered. He immediately declares his refusal to take the oath of allegiance to Hitler, whereupon he is taken to Berlin-Tegel Prison. The trial before the Reich Military Tribunal took place on July 7; but the death sentence had already been passed earlier. He was transferred to Brandenburg-Görden prison for execution.

In his closing argument at the trial, he declared: "The condemned man is not a revolutionary, an enemy of the State and of the people, who fights with violence; he is a Catholic priest who uses the weapons of the spirit and of faith. And he knows what he is fighting for. Franz Reinisch understands his death as a sign of atonement. His earthly life ends on Friday, August 21, 1942, at 5.03 a.m.

Strong parents

Franz Reinisch is the only Catholic priest who refused to take the oath to Hitler, of which he was aware: "I know that many priests think differently than I do; but no matter how much I examine my conscience, I cannot come to any other conclusion. And against my conscience - with God's grace - I cannot and will not act." His parents reaffirmed his decision; in a letter his father told him: "Suffering is brief and soon passes. At the end of the suffering imposed is eternal joy. Finis tuus gloriosus erit! The end of suffering and the beginning of eternity will be magnificent". And his mother: "I have nothing to add but to say that I will pray and sacrifice even more; be strong, Franzl; heaven is our reward."

The process of beatification of Franz Reinisch was closed, in the diocesan phase, in June 2019. The files and documents were forwarded to Rome, to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. As a martyr (of conscience), no miracle is necessary for beatification. This is alluded to by Manfred Scheuer, bishop of Linz and vice president of the Austrian Bishops' Conference, in the one-hour documentary "Pater Franz Reinisch - Der Film" (Angela Marlier, 2016): the martyrdom of Franz Reinisch is "in the line of the martyrs of the early Church who said no to the emperor" and who spelled out the creed saying, "I renounce evil."

Documentary by Angela Marlier
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Origins of the liturgical celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The theologian Antonio Ducay summarizes in this article how the feast of Mary's falling asleep came into being. The author is an expert who has recently published a book on the subject, "The Assumption of Mary: History, Theology, Eschaton"..

Antonio Ducay-August 15, 2022-Reading time: 3 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsCommentary on the readings for the Solemnity of the Assumption of MaryRelated News"Popular devotion is the way in which the Church opens itself to the culture of each region, and Our Lady is the matrix."

– Supernatural veneration of the Virgin Mary has existed since the earliest times of Christianity. Already in the Gospels, the figure of Mary, although treated with sobriety, has a great importance. In the second century, Fathers of the ChurchThe apocryphal writings of that time extol her virginal purity and present her with an almost angelic dignity. 

The first Marian celebrations

In the 3rd century, the prayer "Sub tuum praesidium" speaks of the power of intercession that Christians attributed to the Virgin. We also know of a series of Marian hymns that were sung towards the end of the 4th century, even before the Council of Ephesus solemnly proclaimed in 431 that Mary is the Mother of God ("Theotókos").

Jerusalem in the mid-fifth century knew of only one liturgical commemoration of Mary. This commemoration took place in a church located halfway between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. We know this because the liturgical calendar with the feasts and commemorations celebrated in the Holy City at that time has been preserved in the Armenian language. This calendar also includes the readings for each celebration. One of its entries stated the following: "August 15: Mary Theotokos: on the second mile from Bethlehem". This was not the feast of the Assumption that we celebrate today, nor the feast of the Dormition of Mary, which preceded the Assumption from the 6th century onwards. That day commemorated the repose of the Mother of God ("Theotókos").

Sleep

What kind of rest was it? At that time, there was a legend that Mary, already pregnant, stopped to rest during the journey to Bethlehem. A very ancient apocryphal writing, the "Protoevangelium of James", tells that, halfway between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Mary, already close to giving birth, felt tired and got off the donkey to rest for a while: the moment of the virgin birth was approaching. In memory of this legendary episode, a pious Christian woman, Hikelia, built a church in that place around the middle of the 5th century, which was naturally called the Church of Rest or "Kathisma" ("seat" or "seat" in ancient Greek). This church, the plan of which is still preserved, has as its center the rock on which Mary is said to have sat down to rest. The Armenian calendar referred to it. 

This calendar tells us, therefore, that in the church of the "Kathisma" there was a Marian memorial of Mary Mother of God. The readings of that day contained the well-known prophecy of Isaiah about the Virgin conceiving and giving birth to Emmanuel ("God with us") and the text in which St. Paul tells the Galatians that "when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of woman". It was, therefore, a remembrance in which everything was linked to the birth of Jesus and the virgin birth of Mary. 

The Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin

But then, how did we come to celebrate on August 15 a feast that does not commemorate the birth of Jesus from a virgin mother, but his Assumption into heaven? A later calendar (probably from the late 5th or 6th century), similar to the Armenian one but preserved in the Georgian language, reports a different practice. In it, the Marian commemoration celebrated in the Church of Repose is still present, but it is no longer on August 15: it has been brought forward to the 13th of the same month. On August 15, instead, this calendar indicates a new Marian commemoration, which this time is celebrated in the church of Gethsemane, near the garden where Jesus had prayed before his passion. 

Some apocrypha located there the place where the body of Mary had been deposited after her death, before the Lord transferred it to heaven. According to these writings, this church contained, empty, the tomb of Mary. The readings and hymns of this Georgian calendar show that it is already a commemoration of the Dormition and the transfer of the Virgin to heaven. 

A universal celebration

God had not allowed his Mother's body to remain in the tomb. In the church of Gethsemane, at the end of the 5th century, Christians celebrated this beautiful grace. In the following century, the wide diffusion of these apocryphal writings on the Dormition and Glorification of Mary favored the spread of this Marian commemoration of Gethsemane. Thus it began to be celebrated in other places as well, to the point that, at the end of the 6th century, the emperor Maurice decreed that it be celebrated as a feast throughout the empire. 

Rome established it half a century later (7th century), calling it the Feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven. The Marian feast of August 15 was soon to become the most solemn and popular of Rome's Marian feasts.  

The authorAntonio Ducay

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ColumnistsAntonio Moreno

Mary of the people

Mary, who is more than the apostles, sits down to listen as a disciple, and helps us to put aside our divisions and to feel, like her, members of the Church.

August 15, 2022-Reading time: 3 minutes

The solemnity of the Asunción The feast of the Virgin Mary, in the middle of the month of August, fills our towns and cities with festivities. The whole of Spain comes to a standstill to celebrate, literally, the most popular of our festivities. Popular not only because of its great spread, but because its origin is to be found precisely in the people, in the desire of the simple people to proclaim that Mary was assumed into heaven in body and soul.

This dogma, which dates from 1950, is, in fact, a natural consequence of the immediately preceding Marian dogma (1854), the also defined by popular acclaim of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

This is explained by Pope Pius XII in the apostolic constitution "Munificentissimus Deus"recalling that, "when it was solemnly defined that the Virgin Mother of God, Mary, was immune from the hereditary stain of her conception (Immaculate), the faithful were filled with a more lively hope that as soon as possible the dogma of the bodily Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven would be defined by the supreme magisterium of the Church".

The text goes on to say that "in this pious competition, the faithful were admirably united with their pastors, who, in truly impressive numbers, addressed similar petitions to this chair of St. Peter".

And it is that the synodalityThe neologism that has become fashionable on the occasion of the process convoked by Francis for the period 2021-2023, and which designates the path that we travel together, faithful and pastors, as the People of God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is not something new in the Church, but belongs to her most intimate essence since her beginnings, "it is a constitutive dimension", the Pope points out.

Mary herself, the very Mother of God, also lived synodality. In the book of Acts, which chronicles the birth of the first Christian communities, we see her attentive to the preaching of the apostles, together with the other disciples of Jesus, persevering "with one accord in prayer. The girl from Nazareth, chosen by God to be his most perfect creature, walks as one with the rest of the holy people in following her Son.

Throughout history, too, there have been many occasions in which this journey together of the faithful and their pastors has safeguarded the deposit of faith and the life of the Church.

Today there are many voices, especially outside the Christian community, although sadly also within, that try to break this spirit, trying to sell an image of division within the ecclesial family.

They promote a vision of the Church in which the hierarchy is on one side while the common believers are on the other. Or they focus on the Pope's most controversial decisions or statements with the sole objective of presenting a Church in disunity, and therefore weaker. But this is a false image.

Of course, there is a disparity of opinions and criteria among the faithful and bishops, among bishops among themselves, among the faithful and bishops and the pope, and of course within each Christian community.

There will be decisions of the hierarchy that are accepted better and worse, and there will be pastors who listen more and who listen less to their faithful, but there is a mystery, a glue, the Holy Spirit, that allows to unite what in appearance may seem disunited, like the dry and scattered bones that came together and came to life before the prophet Ezekiel.

Faced with the experts in Vatican intrigues, faced with those who believe themselves to be the owners of the absolute truth and seek to impose it on others, faced with those who slander for gain, the Holy People of God continues to walk together, aware of its limitations and failures, seeking the truth of our faith all together, participating, contributing, "persevering in prayer with one accord" and always under the guidance of the shepherds to whom the Lord entrusted his flock, not to profit, but to lay down their lives for him.

Mary, woman of the people, woman of the people, always attentive to the Spirit, the one who is more than the apostles, but who sits and listens like a disciple, can help us on this her feast to put aside our divisions and to feel, like her, members of the Church.

She precedes us in heaven, and invites us to accompany her. We will achieve this to the extent that we continue to feel part of her people, the one and only Holy People of God.

The authorAntonio Moreno

Journalist. Graduate in Communication Sciences and Bachelor in Religious Sciences. He works in the Diocesan Delegation of Media in Malaga. His numerous "threads" on Twitter about faith and daily life have a great popularity.

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Pope Francis: "The Gospel challenges us to come out of individualism".

In his commentary on the Gospel of the day, the Holy Father invited the faithful to take note of the demands of Jesus Christ's proposals.

Javier García Herrería-August 14, 2022-Reading time: 2 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsHow is Pope Francis really doing?Related News"Bring children close to the elderly", Pope asksRelated News"Pope Francis is the man of the Church for this moment."

Sunday Gospel brings the words of Jesus in which he explains to his disciples that he has "come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already burning" (Lk 12:49). The Holy Father wondered: "What fire is he talking about, and what do these words mean for us today? As we know," the Pope continued, "Jesus came to bring the Gospel to the world, that is, the good news of God's love for each one of us. Therefore, he is telling us that the Gospel is like a fire, because it is a message that, when it bursts into history, burns away the old balances of life, challenges us to come out of individualism, to overcome selfishness, to pass from the slavery of sin and death to the new life of the Risen One. In other words, the Gospel does not leave things as they are, but rather incites us to change and to live in the new life of the Risen One. invites to conversion".

The fire of the Holy Spirit

Pope Francis stressed that the Gospel does not bring a false peace, but is "exactly like fire: while it warms us with the love of God, it wants to burn our selfishness, illuminate the dark sides of life, consume the false idols that make us slaves (...) Jesus is inflamed by the fire of God's love and, to make it burn in the world, he gives himself first of all, loving to the end, even to death and death on a cross (cf. Phil 2:8). He is filled with the Holy Spirit, who is like fire, and with his light and power reveals the merciful face of God and gives hope to those who consider themselves lost, breaks down the barriers of marginalization, heals the wounds of body and soul, renews a religiosity reduced to external practices.

Pope Francis invited the faithful to increase their faith "so that it does not become a secondary reality, or a means of individual well-being, which leads us to avoid the challenges of life and commitment in the Church and in society". Finally, the Pontiff suggested some questions for meditation: "Am I passionate about the Gospel? Do I read it often? Do I carry it with me? Does the faith I profess and celebrate place me in a happy tranquility or does it kindle in me the fire of witness? We can also ask ourselves as Church: in our communities, do we burn with the fire of the Spirit, the passion for prayer and charity, the joy of faith, or do we allow ourselves to be dragged down by weariness and habits, with a dull face and lamentation on our lips?"

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Dennis Petri: "Many Christians unconsciously self-censor themselves."

Religious freedom seems to be increasingly under threat in many parts of the world. To discuss this, we spoke with Dennis P. Petri, one of the researchers who has studied the issue the most and heads an institute focused on this topic.

Javier García Herrería-August 14, 2022-Reading time: 8 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsJuan Ignacio GonzalezBishop of St. Bernard: "It is not clear what religious freedom is".Related NewsTo guarantee religious freedom in all its manifestations and everywhere.

Omnes interviews Dennis P. Petri, director of the International Institute for Religious Freedoma research center responsible for the in-depth study of this fundamental human right around the world. The institution has more than 15 years of experience and has developed a large number of academic studies.

What projects are you working on at the institute? 

Among other things, we publish our own scholarly journal, the "International Journal for Religious Freedom". We also publish books and research reports, facilitate trainings, advise policy makers who wish to promote religious freedom and academics who seek to integrate the issue into their educational curricula and lines of research.

Currently, one of our projects in expansion is the Violent Incident Database. It is an instrument for collecting, recording and analyzing violent incidents related to violations of religious freedom. With this data we seek to influence public policies in the various countries we monitor.

For the time being, the staff of the Observatory of Religious Freedom in Latin America (OLIRE), a program I founded in 2018, maintains this database for Latin America. More recently we have taken the first step to make it a global project, starting with data collection in Nigeria and India.

What is your overall assessment of religious freedom in the world? Are we improving?

Today, there is a wide variety of instruments measuring religious freedom. All, without exception, confirm that religious discrimination in the world is on the rise. It is a global trend that affects all religions and geographic areas, including the Western world. While there are improvements in some countries, on average, there are deteriorations in many more places.

There is still a long way to go before religious freedom is fully guaranteed in the world. Many countries are beginning to recognize and understand what it really means to guarantee religious freedom. It is no longer just a matter of enacting this right in their political constitutions, but of developing public policies that integrate the religious diversity of their countries on an equal footing. 

In an increasingly globalized and polarized world, religious diversity remains a challenge for the culture and governance of many countries. At the same time, it represents an opportunity to strengthen democracy or a risk to it if this dimension of man is reduced only to the private sphere and relegated from its social role.  

Which countries are of particular concern to you at the moment?

One country in the world that is of particular concern to me is Nigeria. It is an extremely complex country. The religious freedom situation is very difficult to interpret because there are so many factors and actors involved. There is some disagreement about whether the conflict is a dispute between farmers and herders over natural resources, or whether there is more to it than that. I think the debate is not whether it is one or the other, but both.

In any conflict there are always multiple factors involved, so we can debate for years whether it is a religious conflict or not, but I think that is not the right debate. In my view, we should recognize that, in addition to a religious conflict, it is also a political, cultural, economic, ethnic and resource conflict. Whether it is religious or not, religious groups are suffering and that is what we should emphasize.

What can you tell us about religious freedom in Latin America, especially in Nicaragua?

In Latin America, the countries to which OLIRE pays special attention are Mexico, Cuba and Nicaragua. Mexico, because of what we have been observing during the last few years, due to the special vulnerability experienced by religious community leaders who carry out their pastoral or community work in areas affected by drug trafficking and human trafficking. These are clear examples of how organized crime has conditioned the religious freedom of many people in the world. And, unfortunately, it has come to light at a global level after the murder of priests and pastors in border areas with the United States.

In Nicaragua, the situation has escalated in a worrying way during the last six months. The role played by various members of the Catholic Church as defenders of human rights has exposed them in a particular way to the arbitrary actions of Daniel Ortega's regime. The actions of the government have increased not only in their level of censorship of the free expression of religious expression or opinion of priests and parishioners, but have even manifested a seriously worrying level of violence. From the various arrests, prosecutions of priests, expulsion of religious men and women from the country, to the violent seizure of various facilities, such as a Catholic radio station closed by the government, the police siege of priests critical of the government, the cordoning off of parishioners to prevent them from participating in their celebrations, among others.

These actions have intimidated not only the bishops and priests, but also the parishioners, who are beginning to perceive it as a risk to participate in a certain parish community, given the constant surveillance and harassment by the police. 

Is there a politician in any country who stands out for his or her defense and fight for religious freedom? 

I had the privilege of working with a Dutch MP, Dr. Pieter Omtzigt, and religious minority rights activist Markus Tozman. In 2012 we organized a public consultation on the situation of the thousand-year-old Syriac Orthodox Mor Gabriël monastery, which was being expropriated by the Turkish government. We called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands to agendize the issue internationally. Unfortunately, the initiative was of little consequence due to the geopolitical realities of the world, although the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, continued to raise the issue.

Also noteworthy are the Colombian politicians who promoted the creation of the Comprehensive Public Policy on Religious Freedom in 2017. This is a unique initiative in the world, which generated a framework for the consultation of religious actors in decision-making on relevant issues. It has had very positive applications in several local governments, including the Municipality of Manizales and the Department of Meta.

Of course, mention can also be made of the International Religious Freedom Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 1998. Following efforts by a broad coalition of religious and human rights organizations, religious freedom became a permanent focus of U.S. foreign policy.

Do you think believers in the West are sufficiently aware of religious persecution in other countries? 

I believe that in the West there is a perception that religious persecution is something that is experienced in distant regions such as the Middle East, Africa, India or China. However, the West is facing other forms of limitation to religious freedom, many of which believers in the West are just beginning to recognize. Secularism, religious intolerance or dictatorial regimes are some of the challenges facing religious freedom in our countries. For example, in Latin America it is believed that, because the continent is mostly believers, these limitations to religious expression should not occur.

However, every day western societies seem to understand that this right is not something that is only fought for in conflictive territories. It happens in the vast majority of our countries without us being aware of the level of self-censorship to which we are subjected by various external agents, such as ideological groups or the misunderstanding of the secular state, among others. 

What is the self-censorship that your reports talk about?

To better understand what we mean by self-censorship, we must first know what the "chilling effect" is. This term was first developed by the Supreme Court of the United States. This phenomenon occurs when an individual who enjoys the freedom to express himself freely, decides to censor himself in order to avoid the negative consequences of expressing his opinion in a given case. 

The "chilling effect" or "intimidation effect" is a term that, in relation to freedom of expression and freedom of religion, can be used to refer to the deterrent effect that arises when people fear the consequences of expressing their religious convictions or even behaving according to their own convictions, which can ultimately lead to self-censorship. Thus, "chilling effect" and self-censorship are two aspects of the same phenomenon. 

We have observed that this phenomenon can occur as a consequence of the implementation of laws and/or policies that indirectly reduce freedom of religious expression. Or when an individual perceives a hostile environment, or suspects that expressing his or her beliefs will have negative consequences.

In June we published a report on self-censorship in Christians entitled "Perceptions on Self-Censorship: Confirming and Understanding the "Chilling Effect". After conducting interviews with Christians in Germany, France, Colombia and Mexico, we gathered very interesting data on the factors that influence this phenomenon. Among the findings we can mention that many Christians often find it necessary to be "prudent", to "self-secularize" or to use "democratic language" to express their ideas. Showing faith-based values with transparency implies a very high social cost: being the object of censure, disqualification or even discrimination in the social or even labor sphere.

Moreover, this behavior is often not recognized as self-censorship by the individuals themselves. In short, we have observed that many Christians unconsciously censor themselves.

In the aftermath of 9/11, the idea has spread that religion breeds violence and therefore we should do everything possible to suppress it. How would you respond to this argument?

The unfortunate events of 9/11 marked a before and after in the field. For much of the 20th century, the social sciences were dominated by the so-called "secularization theory," which argued that the world was becoming secularized. Religion would never disappear completely, but the process of secularization would be inevitable. The unfortunate events of 9/11 were a wake-up call for the international scientific community, because they made it very clear that religion was still a relevant factor to be taken into consideration.

The fact that the scientific community is more interested in religion is significant. The problem is that 9/11 also led to the association of religion with terrorism and violence, which is very worrying, as it obscures the positive role that religious actors have had, and continue to have, in promoting development at many levels. 

It is important to remember that radicalism of any kind, whether religious, ideological or political, is extremely risky and volatile. The 9/11 attacks were carried out by specific individuals, with a radicalized interpretation of their faith, who ultimately did not represent the totality of Muslims in the world or in the Middle East. Unfortunately, the suffering and bewilderment of millions of people in the world has caused us to lose sight of the values, principles and peaceful contributions that most of the religions present in our civilization have brought.

Can we forget the religious dimension?

The religious, spiritual or transcendental dimension of man is essential to his human condition, which is why it has always been and probably will always be present in the new generations. Religious communities have demonstrated throughout history their relevant role as agents of social cohesion, as mediators of conflicts, providers of humanitarian aid, as well as collaborators in the construction of peace and justice. 

To detract from the merit of the various religious communities in the field of humanitarian service, the defense of human rights and the promotion of human dignity, would be to neglect a key strategic actor in the construction of peace. This would be a great loss. Instead of adding peace partners, we reduce the analysis to the idea that all religions lead to violence, when history and facts have shown us that this position on religion is wrong.

Many religions do not accept the gender vision promoted by the UN. How do you think this diversity of opinion will evolve and will religious freedom be threatened by this issue?

It is difficult to predict how the debate will progress in this regard, but I believe that, in order to protect religious freedom in these international arenas, religious advocates and referents must advocate respect for the diversity of religions and religious expressions. It is in this diversity, all together, that they could demand from international agencies consistency with their discourse of inclusion and diversity.

Diversity of opinion on gender will be a threat to the extent that we give up demanding respect for the value of cultural diversity expressed in religiosity. It may sound naïve, but it is important that religious advocates and leaders do not give up on using the human rights advocacy system to assert their voice as one that must be respected. 

The argument often used in these instances is that the majority religions impose their hegemonic vision with respect to gender. However, it would be helpful if the majority religions were understood as part of a cultural diversity that must be respected in the same way as other more "modern" religions, so to speak. It is in the brief renunciation of individuality that religious communities could consolidate a unity of the various religions with a similar idea of gender in order to counteract the threat of arbitrary impositions on the matter.  

Are there universities or other academic institutions where data on religious persecution is studied in depth? Are any of these universities really relevant?

Indeed, in recent years, many university research programs have emerged that are interested in religious freedom. The best example is the Religion and State led by Dr. Jonathan Fox at the University of Bar-Ilan in Israel. This project is the most comprehensive database for analyzing religious discrimination in the world. With nearly 150 indicators, it is currently the "gold standard" for religious freedom data in academia. It has been used in more than 200 publications, including books, academic articles, doctoral and graduate theses.

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Evangelization

PeytrequinWe must show a mission with a face and not a mere activity".

Jafet Peytrequin is responsible for seeking resources to promote the Church's missionary work from the American continent.

Federico Piana-August 13, 2022-Reading time: 3 minutes
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We interviewed Father Jafet Peytrequin, current national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Costa Rica. He has also recently been appointed coordinator of the Pontifical Mission Societies for the entire American continent. In his heart he has a great desire, which he does not want to keep hidden: "From the point of view of the Church's mission, I would like America to be an ever more outgoing continent. This has become necessary.

The priest explains that one of his next commitments will be to "promote, with renewed vigor, the mission"Ad gentes", specifically involving the particular Churches and supporting the bishops in their task of missionary responsibility".

In your opinion, what is the future of the mission in the countries of the American continent? 

The essential thing to remember is that the pilgrim Church is missionary by nature. In essence, mission is not something the Church does, but mission is what the Church does. Therefore, a missionary Church is a living, breathing Church. Giving a new impetus to mission in our continent means to provoke, in the words of St. John Paul II, "a new springtime for the Church". It is a privileged moment to ask ourselves some important questions: What are the challenges that the socio-religious environment poses to mission today? How are we called to mission in these times? How can the particular Churches promote mission more ardently? "Ad gentes"?

What measures could be taken to strengthen this mission?

In the first place, we must reinforce a common language in order to achieve shared concepts. In addition, we must take advantage of and integrate the work done by the missionary centers of the continent and share all its richness. It is important that the Pontifical Missionary Work be integrated into the ordinary pastoral work of our countries and form part of their pastoral plans. I believe that it is fundamental to insist on the universal responsibility that we all have in the mission and to promote missionary cooperation based on joyful animation. It is also important to make the mission visible in the person of the missionaries: we must show a "mission with a face" and not a mere activity. The next American Missionary Congress, to be held in 2024 in Puerto Rico, could help us in this regard.

How are you preparing for this event and what will be the objectives?

The dynamics and the preparation of this congress have been particular. We have tried to return to the synodal essence of the Church, born precisely from the missionary impulse. For this, the local organization leading the congress has been able to count on continental and worldwide support. The objective of this great event will be precisely to promote mission. "Ad gentes", walking together in listening to the Holy Spirit, and being witnesses of faith in Jesus Christ, in the reality of our peoples and to the ends of the earth.

What value have the American Missionary Congresses had for the entire continent?

In the Americas, they have been the result of great common efforts that have passed through different instances, including continental coordination. These congresses have been an indispensable resource to contribute to reflection and local work, but also to offer contributions at the global level, both in terms of animation and missionary cooperation.

Photo: Jafet Peytrequin in a meeting with Cardinal Tagle.

 What is the role of the continental coordinator of the Pontifical Mission Societies that you have recently assumed?

I believe it is a "bridge" service between the different national directorates of the Pontifical Mission Societies and useful to bring together all the national directors to share efforts, expectations, dreams; to support each other and also to reflect on points of common interest and propose joint initiatives.

It is a matter of generating spaces of communion that in turn promote the mission. Communion is in itself missionary and the mission is for communion, as stated in number 32 of the post-synodal exhortation "Christifideles laici" of St. John Paul II. The continental coordinator is also a facilitator of the meeting between the national directorates and the respective world authorities, as well as between the directorates of other continents. 

What have the previous coordinators achieved so far?

In the Americas, the previous coordinators, with their delicate and responsible work, have managed to connect the different national leaderships of the continent in an effective and efficient manner. 

What is the current relationship between the Pontifical Mission Societies in each country of the American continent?

Today we have fluid continental communication and cooperation networks that help us to make better use of resources and enrich us with the contributions of each one of us. The integration of the entire continent has brought much wealth and, at the same time, has made us feel committed to the specific challenges of each country in the continent.

The authorFederico Piana

 Journalist. He works for Vatican Radio and collaborates with L'Osservatore Romano.

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