Napoli 2007 - A WORLD WITHOUT VIOLENCE - Faiths and Cultures in Dialogue

This article on the annual interfaith summit organised this year in Naples by the Community of Sant'Egidio is taken from European Jewish Press:


Violence committed in God’s name is "blasphemy," dignitaries of the world’s main religions said as they wrapped up a "peace summit" in Naples on Tuesday.

"We can say with more emphasis than before that whoever uses God’s name to hate others, to commit violent acts, to make war, blasphemes the name of God," the some 300 Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu leaders and political figures said in a joint declaration.

The three-day summit on the theme "A World Without Violence: Faiths and Cultures in Dialogue," is an annual event organised by the Rome-based lay Catholic community Sant’Egidio.
Topics this year included AIDS, immigration, the plight of Africa and the quest for peace in the Middle East.

"As (Pope) Benedict XVI told us (on Sunday): ’Never, evoking the name of God can one justify evil and violence’," the statement said.

The pope addressed the inter-faith meeting while on a pastoral visit to the southern Italian city on Sunday, calling on them to "promote reconciliation among peoples ... with respect for the differences among various religions."

Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, the Ashkenazi great rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger, imam Ibrahim Ezzedin of the United Arab Emirates, Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams and the head of the Ecumenical Council of Churches Samuel Kobia attended, as well as several Catholic cardinals.

Before parting ways on Tuesday, the delegations prayed separately at various venues in Naples, then took part in a "peace procession" attended by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.
In the declaration, they said violence was a "contagious disease" that "takes the form of war, terrorism, poverty and despair, and exploitation of the planet."

Violence "strikes innocents (and) disfigures humanity," they said, adding that "violence is always a defeat for all of us." Sant’Egidio’s next inter-faith summit will take place in Cyprus, the organisers said.

Here is the text of the Peace Appeal 2007:

In the heart of the Mediterranean Sea and in this extraordinary city, which is well acquainted with poverty and greatness of heart, we stooped down upon the wounds of the world. There is an illness that pollutes every thing and its name is violence. Violence is the grim daily companion of too many men and women on our planet. Violence becomes war, terrorism, poverty and despair, exploitation of our planet. It is fuelled by contempt, it stuns people with hatred, it kills hope and sows fear, it strikes down the innocent, and debases humanity. Violence seduces the hearts of human beings and tells them, “nothing can change”. This pessimism makes people believe that living together is impossible.

From Naples we can say, stronger than before, that anyone who uses the name of God to hate the other, to practice violence, or to wage war, is cursing the name of God.

As Benedict XVI told us, “Never can evil and violence be justified by invoking the name of God”.
We focused on our diverse religious traditions, we heard the sorrow of the South of the World, and we felt the burden of pessimism rising from the 20th century with its weight of war and shattered illusions. We need the strength that comes from the spirit of love, which helps rebuild and mend the unity of humankind. The power of the spirit changes the hearts of men and women and transforms history.

In the depths of our religious traditions we have discovered that a world without dialogue is a world without hope, where people are fated to fear each other. Dialogue does not cancel differences. Dialogue enriches life and dispels pessimism that makes one see the other as a threat. Dialogue is not the illusion of the weak, it is the wisdom of the strong, who rely on the weak power of prayer. And prayer changes the world and the destiny of humankind. Dialogue weakens no-one’s identity, and it encourages everyone to see the best in the other. Nothing is lost with dialogue, everything is possible through dialogue.

To those who still kill, to those who still sow terrorism and wage war in the name of God, we say: “Stop! Do not kill! Violence is always a defeat”.

We commit ourselves to learn the art of living together and to offer it to our fellow believers. There is no alternative to the unity of the human family. We need brave builders, in all cultures, and in all religious traditions. We need the globalization of the spirit, which reveals to us what we no longer see: the beauty of life and of the other, in all circumstances, even the hardest.Our religious traditions teach us that prayer is an active power in history, and it moves peoples and nations. Humbly, we offer this ancient wisdom to the service of all peoples, of every man and every woman, to open a new era of freedom from fear and contempt for the other. It is the spirit of Assisi, and here, from Naples, full of courage and strength, it challenges violence and any abuse of religion as a pretext for violence.

Following in this path, confident that peace can be a gift to the whole world, we commit ourselves to the Most High.

Naples, 23 October 2007

European Cardinals to be created at consistory

A consistory to create new cardinals will be held on 24 November 2007. The following Europeans will be added to the College of Cardinals at that time:
Giovanni Lajolo, President of the Governatorate of Vatican City State.
Paul Josef Cordes, President of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum"
Angelo Comastri, President of the Fabric of St. Peter
Stanisław Ryłko, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity
Raffaele Farina, S.D.B., Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives
Agustín García-Gasco y Vicente, Archbishop of Valencia, Spain
Seán B. Brady, Archbishop of Armagh, Ireland
Lluís Martínez Sistach, Archbishop of Barcelona, Spain
André Armand Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris, France
Angelo Bagnasco, Archbishop of Genova {Genoa}, Italy

Plus 3 over 80, namely:
Giovanni Coppa, Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus to Czech Republic
Urbano Navarrete, S.J., già Rettore della Pontificia Università Gregoriana
Umberto Betti, O.F.M., già Rettore della Pontificia Università Lateranense,

making a total of 13 of the 23 new cardinals, well over half the total number.

Pope meets youth at Loreto

“Dare un nuovo slancio alla pastorale giovanile nelle 226 diocesi del nostro Paese e rendere i giovani sempre più protagonisti nel cammino della Chiesa”. Questo l’obiettivo dell’Agorà dei giovani italiani, il percorso pastorale triennale promosso dalla Conferenza Episcopale Italiana. Finalità e contenuti dell’Agorà dei giovani italiani, che impegnerà le comunità ecclesiali italiane dall’autunno 2006 all’estate 2009, sono legati sia alle tematiche proposte da Benedetto XVI per il percorso di avvicinamento alla Gmg di Sydney 2008, sia alle indicazioni fornite dalla Chiesa Italiana.“

Al centro dell’intero cammino c’è la missione”, spiega mons. Paolo Giulietti, responsabile del Servizio nazionale per la pastorale giovanile della Cei, per il quale “la comunicazione del Vangelo appare come il grande orizzonte entro il quale ripensare la vita e l’azione della Chiesa, chiamata ad evangelizzare e ad assumere allo stesso tempo atteggiamenti e metodi adeguati al terzo millennio”. In questa prospettiva, l’Agorà rappresenta per le comunità cristiane e gli operatori impegnati nella pastorale giovanile una proposta di riflessione e di sperimentazione nel campo della comunicazione del Vangelo con particolare attenzione ai giovani. “Il triennio, che simbolicamente abbiamo chiamato Agorà per evocare il senso di uno spazio e di un laboratorio di confronto, si inserisce organicamente - sottolinea Giulietti - all’interno del prossimo decennio tracciato dalla Chiesa italiana dopo il 4° Convegno ecclesiale nazionale di Verona”.

L’Agorà sarà scandita da alcuni grandi eventi: oltre all’incontro nazionale dei giovani a Loreto nel settembre 2007, sono previsti nel luglio 2008 la Giornata Mondiale della Gioventù a Sydney e nell’estate 2009 un meeting nazionale “in simultanea” negli antichi e nuovi “santuari” dei vari territori diocesani.

Il percorso pastorale si articola su tre temi. Il primo anno (2006-2007) è dedicato all’ascolto del mondo giovanile e ha come obiettivo quello di portare la Chiesa (le comunità, i giovani, i sacerdoti, gli operatori...) fuori dei propri spazi, per instaurare nuove relazioni con i giovani. Il momento clou sarà il raduno nazionale di Loreto che culminerà nell’incontro con il Papa e sarà preceduto da alcune giornate di condivisione e riflessione sul tema “Come io vi ho amato” (dal 29 al 31 agosto). L’appuntamento nella città del santuario mariano è stato definito dal Governo, con un’apposita ordinanza, “grande evento”.

Il secondo anno (2007-2008) è dedicato alla dimensione interpersonale dell’evangelizzazione e si pone in continuità con la dinamica estroversa del primo anno, a livello di testimonianza e presenza quotidiana negli ambienti di vita, ma anche di iniziative straordinarie di missione. L’appuntamento centrale del secondo anno, che ha per tema “"Mi sarete testimoni", è la GMG di Sydney 2008 che offrirà ai giovani la possibilità di approfondire il senso del mandato missionario, in un contesto culturale e sociale estremamente stimolante. La partecipazione, fisica o “virtuale”, all’evento di Sydney è quindi un passaggio importante per tutti coloro che sono coinvolti nel cammino triennale.

Il terzo anno (2008-2009), dedicato alla dimensione culturale e sociale dell’evangelizzazione, focalizza l’attenzione sulla testimonianza cristiana nelle frontiere delle grandi questioni culturali e sociali. Tutto l’itinerario si conclude con un evento vissuto simultaneamente in ciascuna delle diocesi italiane, nelle piazze, nei santuari diocesani o in qualche “nuovo santuario” del nostro tempo (centri commerciali, stazioni, cinema, piazze, stadi, luoghi dell’emarginazione...). Il tema, "Fino ai confini della terra", sottolinea l’esigenza che l’annuncio del Vangelo si declini nei linguaggi e nelle culture dei giovani di oggi, spesso assai distanti da quelli delle precedenti generazioni.

EEA 3 Sibiu

Papst Benedikt XVI schrieb an die Präsidenten der beiden Organisatoren:

An Kardinal Péter Erdö, Präsident des Rates der Europäischen Bischofskonferenzen (CCEE),
und an Pasteur Jean-Arnold de Clermont, Präsident der Konferenz Europäischer Kirchen (KEK)

Von Herzen grüße ich alle Delegierten und Teilnehmer der Dritten Europäischen Ökumenischen Versammlung in Sibiu, die sich mit dem für die Neuevangelisierung Europas wichtigen Thema beschäftigt: "Das Licht Christi scheint auf alle Menschen. Hoffnung auf Erneuerung und Einheit in Europa", und die es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht hat, "in dem gekreuzigten und auferstandenen Christus wieder neues Licht zu erkennen für den Weg der Versöhnung zwischen den Christen in Europa".

Ich grüße jeden von Ihnen, und durch Sie richte ich meinen Gruß an den Rat der Europäischen Bischofskonferenzen und die Konferenz Europäischer Kirchen. Es ist meine aufrichtige Hoffnung, daß diese wichtige Versammlung dazu beiträgt, auf dem ökumenischen Weg voranzuschreiten, um die volle, sichtbare Einheit aller Christen wiederzufinden. Dies ist eine pastorale Priorität, der ich seit Beginn meines Pontifikats große Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt habe. Die Sorge um die sichtbare Einheit aller Christen ist wesentlich, damit das Licht Christi allen Menschen leuchten kann.

Das Zweite Vatikanische Konzil hat, wie es mein verehrter Vorgänger Papst Johannes Paul II. zum Ausdruck brachte, "die katholische Kirche unumkehrbar dazu verpflichtet, den Weg der Suche nach der Ökumene einzuschlagen und damit auf den Geist des Herrn zu hören, der uns lehrt, aufmerksam die 'Zeichen der Zeit' zu lesen" (Ut unum sint, 3). "An Christus glauben heißt, die Einheit wollen; die Einheit wollen, heißt, die Kirche wollen" (ebd., 9). In diesem Bewußtsein wird die katholische Kirche stets voll Zuversicht auf dem Weg der Einheit und der Gemeinschaft unter den Christen voranschreiten, der zwar schwierig, aber reich an Freude ist (vgl. ebd., 2).

Wie viele "Zeichen der Zeit" haben uns in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten und bei den vorangegangenen ökumenischen europäischen Versammlungen in Basel (1989) und Graz (1997) bis hin zur Unterzeichnung der Charta Oecumenica in Straßburg (2001) auf diesem Weg ermutigt und unterstützt! Auch die zahlreichen ökumenischen Begegnungen und Feiern zusammen mit dem geduldigen theologischen Dialog auf lokaler und internationaler Ebene haben ermutigende Zeichen gesetzt und uns "die Kirche als Geheimnis der Einheit wieder mehr bewußt gemacht" (Novo millenio ineunte, 48). Wirklicher Dialog entsteht erst, wo nicht nur das Wort, sondern wo auch Hören ist, und wo im Hören sich Begegnung, in der Begegnung Beziehung und in der Beziehung Verstehen als Vertiefung und Verwandlung unseres Christseins vollzieht. So betrifft der Dialog nicht bloß den Bereich des Wissens und dessen, was wir tun können. Er bringt vielmehr die glaubende Person, ja den Herrn in unserer Mitte selber zur Sprache.

Zwei Elemente müssen für unsere Bemühungen richtungweisend sein: der Dialog der Wahrheit und die Begegnung im Zeichen der Brüderlichkeit. Sie brauchen als Fundament den geistlichen Ökumenismus. Schon das Zweite Vatikanische Konzil formulierte: "Diese Bekehrung des Herzens und die Heiligkeit des Lebens sind zusammen mit den privaten und öffentlichen Bittgebeten für die Einheit der Christen als Seele der ganzen ökumenischen Bewegung zu erachten" (Unitatis Redintegratio, 8). Das Gebet für die Einheit stellt den Königsweg zur Ökumene dar. Es leitet die Christen Europas zu einem neuen Blick auf Christus und die Einheit Seiner Kirche an. Zudem befähigt es dazu, sich schmerzhaften Erinnerungen, an denen es in der europäischen Geschichte nicht fehlt, sowie sozialen Belastungen im Zeitalter des heute weithin vorherrschenden Relativismus mutig zu stellen. In jedem Zeitalter waren Menschen des Gebetes, zu denen die zahlreichen Blutzeugen des Glaubens aller Konfessionen zählen, die hauptsächlichen Bauleute von Versöhnung und Einheit. Sie inspirierten die getrennten Christen, den Weg der Versöhnung und der Einheit zu suchen.

Wir Christen müssen uns unserer Aufgabe bewußt sein, Europa und der Welt die Stimme dessen zu geben, der gesagt hat: "Ich bin das Licht der Welt. Wer mir nachfolgt, wird nicht in der Finsternis umhergehen, sondern wird das Licht des Lebens haben" (Joh 8, 12). Es ist unsere Aufgabe, vor den Männern und Frauen von heute das Licht Christi leuchten zu lassen: nicht das eigene Licht, sondern das Licht Christi. Erbitten wir von Gott die Einheit und den Frieden für die Menschen in Europa und erklären wir unsere Bereitschaft, für eine wahre gesellschaftliche Entwicklung des Kontinents in Ost und West zusammenzuarbeiten. Beim Treffen in Sibiu werden gewiß wertvolle Erkenntnisse zur Weiterführung und Vertiefung der besonderen Berufung Europas gewonnen werden können, die dann helfen mögen, eine bessere Zukunft für seine Völker zu schaffen.

Ich wünsche der Dritten Europäischen Ökumenischen Versammlung in Sibiu, daß es ihr gelingt, Begegnungsräume der Einheit in legitimer Vielfalt zu schaffen. In einer Atmosphäre des gegenseitigen Vertrauens und des Bewußtseins, daß die gemeinsamen Wurzeln viel tiefer liegen als unsere Spaltungen, wird falsche Selbstgenügsamkeit aufgebrochen, Fremdheit überwunden und das gemeinsame Fundament des Glaubens geistlich erfahren. Europa braucht Orte der Begegnung und geistgeführte Einheitserfahrungen im Glauben. Ich bitte Gott, mit seinem Geist Ihre Versammlung in Sibiu zu einem solchen Ort werden zu lassen.

Das Licht Christi erhelle den Weg des europäischen Kontinents! Der Herr segne Ihre Familien, Gemeinschaften, Kirchen und alle diejenigen, die sich in jeder Region Europas als Jünger Christi bekennen.

Aus Castel Gandolfo, am 20. August 2007

BENEDICTUS PP.X


And here is the Assembly Message:
Saturday, 8th September 2007

The light of Christ shines upon all!

We, Christian pilgrims from all over Europe and beyond, witness to the transforming power of this light, which is stronger than darkness, and we proclaim it as all-embracing hope for our Churches, for all of Europe and for the entire world.

In the name of our Triune God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we have assembled in the city of Sibiu, Romania (4th-9th September 2007). This third European Ecumenical Assembly was marked especially by the richness of Orthodox spirituality and tradition. We recall and renew the serious commitments we already made in Basel and Graz and we regret that, up to now, we have failed to fulfil some of them. However, our confidence in the transforming energy of the light of Christ is stronger than the darkness of resignation, fatalism, fear and indifference.

Our third European Ecumenical Assembly began in 2006 in Rome and continued in 2007 in Wittenberg. This ecumenical pilgrimage involved many regional meetings and those of Orthodox Churches in Rhodes and young people in St. Maurice*. We welcome with joy the young people’s commitment and the contribution they made to the Assembly. Assisted and motivated by the Charta Oecumenica, our Assembly pursued the work started in earlier assemblies and has been an occasion for an exchange of gifts and of mutual enrichment.

We are not alone on this pilgrimage. Christ is with us and within the cloud of witnesses (Heb 12:1), the contemporary martyrs accompany us: the witness of their life and death inspires us individually and corporately. In communion with them, we commit ourselves to let the light of the transfigured Christ shine through our own witness deeply rooted in prayer and love. This is our humble response to the sacrifice of their lives.

The light of Christ in the Church

The light of Christ leads us to live for others and in communion with one another. Our witness to hope and unity for Europe and for the world will be credible only if we continue our journey towards visible unity. Unity is not uniformity. There is enormous value in experiencing afresh that koinonia and exchanging those spiritual gifts that energised the ecumenical movement from its beginning.

In Sibiu we again felt the painful wound of division between our Churches. This even concerns our understanding of the Church and its unity. The distinct historical and cultural developments in Eastern and Western Christianity have contributed to these differences, and understanding them requires our urgent attention and ongoing dialogue.

We are convinced that the wider Christian family has to deal with doctrinal questions, and it must also seek a broad consensus about moral values derived from the Gospel and a credible Christian lifestyle that joyfully witnesses to the light of Christ in our challenging modern secular world, in private as well as in public life.

Our Christian spirituality is a precious treasure: once opened, it reveals the variety of its riches and opens our hearts to the beauty of the face of Jesus and to the strength of prayer. Only if we are closer to our Lord Jesus Christ, can we become closer to one another and experience true koinonia. We cannot but share these riches with all men and women who are seeking light in this continent. Spiritual men and women begin with their own conversion and this leads to the transformation of the world. Our witness to the light of Christ is a faithful commitment to listen, live and share our stories of life and hope, which have shaped us as followers of Christ.

Recommendation One: We recommend renewing our mission as individual believers and as Churches to proclaim Christ as the Light and the Saviour of the world;
Recommendation Two: We recommend continuing the discussion on mutual recognition of baptism, taking into account the important achievements on this topic in several countries and being aware that the question is deeply linked to an understanding of eucharist, ministry and ecclesiology in general;
Recommendation Three: We recommend finding ways of experiencing the activities which can unite us: prayer for each other and for unity, ecumenical pilgrimages, theological formation and study in common, social and diaconal initiatives, cultural projects, supporting society life based on Christian values;
Recommendation Four: We recommend the full participation of the whole people of God in the lives of our Churches and, at this Assembly in particular, note the appeal of young people, the elderly, ethnic minorities, and disabled people.

The light of Christ for Europe

We consider that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:27) and deserves the same degree of respect and love, despite differences of belief, culture, age, gender, or ethnic origin. Being aware that our common roots lie much deeper than our divisions, while looking for renewal and unity and the role of the Churches in today’s European society, we focussed on our encounter with people of other religions. Aware in particular of our unique relationship with the Jewish peoples as people of the Covenant, we reject all forms of contemporary anti-Semitism and, with them, will foster Europe as a continent free of every form of violence. There have been periods in our European history of harsh conflicts but there have also been periods of peaceful co-existence among people of all religions. In our day there is no alternative to dialogue: not compromise, but a dialogue of life where we can speak the truth in love. We all need to learn more about all religions, and the recommendations of Charta Oecumenica should be developed further. We appeal to our fellow Christians and all who believe in God to respect other people’s right to religious freedom, and express our solidarity with Christian communities who live in the Middle East, Iraq, and elsewhere in the world as religious minorities and feel that their very existence is under threat.

As we meet Christ in our needy sisters and brothers (Mt 25:44-45), together enlightened by the Light of Christ, we Christians, according to biblical injunctions to the unity of humanity (Gen 1.26-27), commit ourselves to repent for the sin of exclusion; deepen our understanding of ‘otherness’; defend the dignity and rights of every human being, and ensure protection to those in need of it; share the light of Christ which others bring to Europe; call upon European states to stop unjustifiable administrative detention of migrants, make every effort to ensure regular immigration, the integration of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, uphold the value of family unity and combat trafficking in human beings and exploitation of trafficked persons. We call on Churches to increase their pastoral care of vulnerable immigrants.

Recommendation Five: We recommend that our Churches should recognise that Christian immigrants are not just the recipients of religious care but that they can play a full and active role in the life of the Church and of society; offer better pastoral care for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees; and promote the rights of ethnic minorities in Europe, particularly the Roma people.

Many of us are thankful that we have experienced profound changes in Europe in recent decades. Europe is more than the European Union. As Christians we share the responsibility for shaping Europe as a continent of peace, solidarity, participation and sustainability. We appreciate the commitment of the European Institutions, including the EU, Council of Europe, and the OSCE, to an open, transparent and regular dialogue with the Churches of Europe. Europe’s highest political representatives honoured us with their presence and thus expressed strong interest in our work. We have to face the challenge to bring spiritual strengths into this dialogue. Europe was initially a political project to secure peace and it now needs to become a Europe of the peoples, more than an economic space.

Recommendation Six: We recommend developing the Charta Oecumenica as a stimulating guideline for our ecumenical journey in Europe.

The light of Christ for the whole world

The Word of God disquiets us and our European culture: those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again! Christians must be free from fear and insatiable avarice that make us live for ourselves, powerless, narrow-minded and closed. The Word of God invites us to avoid squandering the precious heritage of those who for the last sixty years have worked for peace and unity in Europe. Peace is an extraordinary and precious gift. Entire countries aspire to peace. Entire peoples are waiting to be delivered from violence and terror. We urgently commit ourselves to renewed efforts towards these ends. We reject war as a tool for resolving conflict, promote non-violent means for conflict resolution, and are concerned about military re-armament. Violence and terrorism in the name of religion are a denial of religion.

The Light of Christ shines on the term ‘justice’, linking it to divine mercy. Thus enlightened it escapes any ambiguous pretence. Throughout the world and even in Europe the current process of radical market globalisation is deepening the division of human society between winners and losers, harms the value of countless people, has catastrophic ecological implications and precisely in view of climate change is not compatible with sustaining the future of our planet.

Recommendation Seven: We urge all European Christians to give strong support to the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations as an urgent practical step towards the alleviation of poverty.

Recommendation Eight: We recommend that a consultative process, addressing European responsibility for ecological justice, facing the threat of climate change; European responsibility for the just shaping of globalisation; the rights of Roma people and other European ethnic minorities, be initiated by CCEE and CEC, with the Churches in Europe and with Churches of other continents.

Today more than ever, we acknowledge that Africa, a continent already intertwined with our own history and future, experiences levels of poverty about which we cannot remain indifferent and inactive. The wounds of Africa touched the heart of our Assembly.

Recommendation Nine: We recommend backing initiatives for debt cancellation and the promotion of fair trade.

Through sincere and objective dialogue, we contribute to and promote the creation of a renewed Europe, where unchangeable Christian principles and moral values, derived directly from the Gospel, serve as a witness and promote active engagement in European society. Our task is to promote these principles and values, not only in private but also in public life. We will cooperate with people of other religions who share our concern for creating a Europe of values that also prospers politically and economically.

Concerned about God’s creation, we pray for a greater sensitivity and respect for its wonderful diversity. We work against its shameless exploitation, from which the “whole creation awaits its redemption,” (Rom 8:22) and commit ourselves to working for reconciliation between humanity and nature.

Recommendation Ten: We recommend that the period from the 1st September to the 4th of October be dedicated to prayer for the protection of Creation and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles that reverse our contribution to climate change.

*********
Paying tribute to all who contributed to this journey, particularly the young oikumene, who urged this assembly to be courageous in living the Gospel, we unite in prayer:
O Christ, the True Light, which illumines and sanctifies every human being coming into this world, shine on us the light of your presence, that in it we may behold the unapproachable light, and guide our paths for the work of your commandments. Save us and lead us into your eternal kingdom. For you are our Creator, Provider and Giver of all that is good. Our hope is in you and to you we give glory, now and forever. Amen.


The Youth Statement of the EEA3

Statement of young delegates from all over Europe to the Third European Ecumenical Assembly (EEA3) agreed on during the young delegates' meeting from the 27th-30th of July 2007, St. Maurice, Switzerland, and during the young delegates’ hearing at the EEA3 on the 5th of September 2007.

The young oikoumene stands for the living renewal of the conciliary process for justice, peace and the integrity of the creation. The results of the EEA2 (Graz, 1997) have to be implemented and further reflected upon during the EEA3 and the Charta Oecumenica taken as basis. Therefore, we recommend the following commitments to the delegates.

Unity
Unity does not mean uniformity, but can exist as unity in diversity. We commit ourselves to meet other denominations and traditions with open minds and hearts. One example is the Ecumenical Youth Movement, which unites young people of all denominations in the following of Jesus Christ. These young women and men are not the future of the churches, but their present.

Spirituality
We acknowledge spirituality as expression of faith in all its varieties. We commit ourselves to step into an open dialogue of equal partners with respects to spirituality, taking into account that not only for young people the variety of spiritual life is an important pillar of faith.

Witness
We ask churches to stop competing among themselves and start truly living the Gospel. For we do not witness to the power dynamics of our churches but to Christ.
We engage ourselves not to focus on controversy between verbal and non-verbal witness: action and word should go hand in hand.

Europe
Every person is created by God and as such has dignity and value. Thus, we insist that European churches and European states stand up for the protection of Human Rights. This is the basis for shaping a Europe according to the needs of the people.

Migration
Migration is a fact that has to be acknowledged and met with the idea of human dignity, hospitality and the right of free movement. But mobility and the freedom of movement have remained a privilege for people from EU countries. We engage ourselves to oppose the barriers (restrictions of visa, social difference and financial limits) for people from EU-countries and Non-EU-countries and to enable and promote an equal, ecumenical and European dialogue.

Religions
Diversity of religions has shaped the coexistence of humans in Europe. We commit ourselves to take Sibiu as a starting point of a renewed inter-religious dialogue. The outcome of this process shall be marked by a common declaration similar to the Charta Oecumenica.

Creation
God is the creator of the world we live in and are part of. But instead of living responsibly, we – by an unsustainable lifestyle – contribute to environmental disastrous developments, such as climate change.
We commit ourselves to rethinking our lifestyle in accordance with the biblical witness. This has to be done by concrete steps, such as buying fair-trade products, using renewable energies, reducing our carbon emissions and changing our consumption pattern to a sustainable scenario.

Peace
Peace is not a simple notion – it can be lived on personal level, on the church level and in relationship among churches and governments. Peace is primary about personal attitude: if our soul is not peaceful, we cannot achieve peace with the others.
We commit ourselves to address the silently supported weapon trading and to permanent lobby against weapon producing companies. As counterpart of the European Military Agency we demand the establishing of a European Peace Agency.

Justice
As parts of society the churches are also part of systems of injustice.
We commit ourselves to address the demands and needs of our neighbours to more justice all over the world, to plead loudly against oppressive migration policies and the supremacy of the industrialized countries in the global interaction, promote equal chances of education for every man and woman as foundation of empowerment.

We stress to truly pursue and work on the follow-up and implementation of these commitments as an obligation to ourselves, the delegates of the EEA3 and the churches’ decision taking bodies. This not only represents the precondition for the motivation and further work of young ecumenists, but marks the trustworthiness of the ecumenical movement.

Pope Benedict in Austria

Pope Benedict XVI visited his second home country this week.

Unfortunately the weather was not on his side in Vienna during the first day of the visit.

The climax of his pilgrimage was the visit to the Marian shrine of Mariazell, the main centre of Marian piety in Central Europe with many pilgrims from other countries, for example Hungary and Croatia.

Jürgen Erbacher wrote:

Es ist beinahe wie ein kleiner Heimatbesuch, wenn Papst Benedikt XVI. an diesem Wochenende nach Österreich reist. Schon in seiner Kindheit und Jugend hat er das katholische Nachbarland nahe seiner bayerischen Heimat häufig besucht. Als Kardinal verbrachte er oft seinen Urlaub in der Alpenrepublik. Wo er an diesem Wochenende hinkommt, trifft er auf alte Bekannte und gute Freunde.

"Wer an Österreich denkt, denkt zunächst an die Schönheit der Schöpfung, die der Herr diesem unserem Nachbarland geschenkt hat. Denkt an die Schönheit der Bauten, an die Herzlichkeit der Menschen, aber er denkt vor allen Dingen auch an die Musik". Wenn Benedikt XVI. über Österreich spricht, kommt er nicht selten ins Schwärmen.

Der Mozartliebhaber und begeisterte Wanderer hat dort eine zweite Heimat gefunden. Immer wieder zog es ihn in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten neben vielen offiziellen Terminen auch privat nach Österreich. Regelmäßig kam er zum Sommerurlaub nach Bad Hofgastein, aber auch die Mozartstadt Salzburg, Kärnten, Linz und Wien standen immer wieder auf seinem Reiseprogramm. 1991 verlieh ihm die Republik Österreich das Große Goldene Ehrenkreuz am Bande für seine Verdienste um das Land; Ausdruck der engen Verbundenheit und auch der Wertschätzung von Seiten der Österreicher.

Durch den engen Kontakt kennt das Kirchenoberhaupt die katholische Kirche in Österreich so gut wie kaum eine andere. Aufmerksam verfolgt er die Ereignisse. In Wien empfängt der dortige Erzbischof und Vorsitzende der Österreichischen Bischofskonferenz, Kardinal Christoph Schönborn, den Papst.

Freundschaft mit Kardinal Schönborn
Die beiden kennen sich seit den 1970er Jahren. Damals kam der junge Dominikaner nach Regensburg, um bei Professor Joseph Ratzinger in Dogmatik zu promovieren. Es entsteht eine enge Freundschaft. Als Präfekt der Glaubenskongregation vertraut Ratzinger dann in den 1980er Jahren Schönborn als Hauptverantwortlichem die Redaktion des neuen Weltkatechismus an. In Mariazell wird der zuständige Ortsbischof von Graz, Egon Kapellari, den Papst begrüßen. Die beiden kennen sich seit 40 Jahren. Der damalige Hochschulseelsorger Kapellari hatte den jungen Theologen Joseph Ratzinger zu einem Vortrag eingeladen. Seitdem ist der Kontakt nie abgerissen.

Aber auch an anderen Stellen des Besuchsprogramms trifft der Papst auf alte Bekannte, etwa beim Besuch des Stifts Heiligenkreuz am Sonntag. Abt Gregor Henckel Donnersmarck kennt Joseph Ratzinger seit Anfang der 1970er Jahre.

Rückkehr nach Mariazell
Zum letzten Mal war Joseph Ratzinger im Oktober 2004 in Österreich gewesen. Damals hatte er an der Wallfahrt mitteleuropäischer Notare teilgenommen: in Mariazell. Mit seiner Pilgerfahrt als Papst kehrt er also jetzt knapp zwei Jahre später an genau diesen Ort zurück. Am Ende seiner Predigt sagte er damals: "Wir bitten die Gottesmutter, dass sie Europa helfe, seine Seele wieder zu finden, die große sittliche und menschliche Kraft, die aus dem Glauben wächst und die diesen Kontinent groß gemacht hat." Im katholischen Österreich, offiziell gibt es über 70 Prozent Katholiken, sieht der Pontifex einen wichtigen Grundpfeiler eines seiner wichtigsten Ziele: der Neuevangelisierung Europas.

Hier hat er über Jahrzehnte eine gesunde Verbindung aus Volksfrömmigkeit, hoher Theologie und europäischem Bewusstsein erlebt. Entsprechend setzt er große Hoffnungen auf Kirche und Gesellschaft in Österreich und das trotz der Krisen die die Kirche dort in den vergangenen Jahren erlebt hat.

New bishops in July

Apart from the new auxiliary in Münster, the month of July saw a number of other episcopal appointments before the Ferragosto summer break - five ordinaries in Italy, two in Spain and one in Switzerland, two auxiliaries in Italy and one in Portugal, and two Latin rite coadjutors in the Ukraine.

The new bishop of Rimini is Mons. Francesco Lambiasi, bishop of Mantova is Mons. Roberto Busti, bishop of Noto is Mons. Mariano Crociato, bishop of Brescia is Mons. Luciano Monari and bishop of Fano-Fossombrone-Cagli-Pergola is Mons. Armando Trasarti (all five dioceses are in Italy).

Mons. Vicente Jiménez Zamora is the new bishop of Santander and Mons. Francisco Pérez González is Archbishop of Pamplona and Bishop of Tudela (all in Spain).

The new bishop of Chur (Switzerland) is Mons. Vitus Huonder.

Apart from a new auxiliary in Braga (Portugal), Fr. António José de Rocha Couta, S.M.P., there are two auxiliary appointments in Milan (Italy), Mons. Mario Delpini amd Mons. Franco Giulio Brambilla.

In the Ukraine the two new Coadjutors are Mons. Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki (Archdiocese of Lviv) and Mons. Marian Buczek (Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia).

Il Papa ha nominato Vescovo di Rimini (Italia) S.E. Mons. Francesco Lambiasi, finora Assistente Ecclesiastico Generale dell’Azione Cattolica Italiana.
S.E. Mons. Francesco Lambiasi è nato a Bassiano (Diocesi di Latina) il 6 settembre 1947.
Ha compiuto gli studi nel Seminario Minore di Sezze e poi nel Pontificio Collegio Leoniano di Anagni. Ha quindi conseguito la Laurea in Teologia, con specializzazione in Teologia Fondamentale, presso la Pontificia Università Gregoriana. È stato ordinato sacerdote il 25 settembre 1971, incardinandosi nella diocesi di Latina-Terracina-Sezze-Priverno.
Nel suo ministero ha ricoperto i seguenti uffici: 1971-1975: Vice Rettore del Seminario Minore diocesano di Sezze; dal 1972 al 1978: Assistente diocesano di Azione Cattolica Giovani; dal 1975 al 1999 Vice Parroco di "S. Maria Goretti" a Latina; dal 1975 al 1999 è stato Assistente e poi Incaricato (dal 1983) all'Università Gregoriana. Dal 1980 al 1999 ha ricoperto l’incarico di Insegnante di Teologia Fondamentale al Pontificio Collegio Leoniano di Anagni ed è stato Preside dell'Istituto di Scienze Religiose della Diocesi di Latina-Terracina-Sezze-Priverno. Dal 1993 al 1999 ha svolto l’ufficio di Rettore del Pontificio Collegio Leoniano di Anagni.
Il 23 maggio 1999 è stato ordinato Vescovo per la sede di Anagni-Alatri. Dal 2000 al 2005 è stato Presidente della Commissione CEI per la Dottrina della fede, l’annuncio e la catechesi.
Il 15 febbraio 2001 è stato nominato Assistente Ecclesiastico Generale dell'Azione Cattolica Italiana.
S.E. Mons. Lambiasi è autore di numerose pubblicazioni ed è membro del Pontificio Consiglio per i Laici e Consultore della Congregazione per i Vescovi.
Nell'ambito della Conferenza Episcopale Italiana è membro della Commissione Episcopale per il Laicato e del Comitato Scientifico e Organizzatore delle Settimane Sociali dei Cattolici Italiani.

Mons. Roberto Busti è nato il 22 novembre 1940 a Busto Arsizio (MI). Ultimo di tre figli, padre caporeparto in una azienda tessile e madre casalinga, è cresciuto in una famiglia di chiara tradizione cristiana.
Dopo le scuole elementari ha frequentato i Seminari Arcivescovili di Milano, liceo classico e studi teologici a Venegono Inferiore (VA). Gli anni degli studi teologici erano quelli dell’annuncio e dell’avvio del Concilio Ecumenico Vaticano II, con Papa Giovanni XXIII; anni di vivacissimo fermento di spiritualità e di prospettiva ecclesiale, soprattutto nei grandi Seminari diocesani. Era allora Arcivescovo di Milano Giovanni Battista Montini, poi Paolo VI.
Fu ordinato sacerdote nel 1964 nel Duomo di Milano dal Cardinale Giovanni Colombo, che subito lo inviò come assistente dell’oratorio di Carate Brianza, in collaborazione con il Prevosto Giovanni Saldarini, divenuto successivamente Ausiliare di Milano e poi Cardinale Arcivescovo di Torino. Con Mons. Saldarini portò a termine la costruzione del Centro Parrocchiale “L’Agorà” che superava il tradizionale concetto dell’oratorio parrocchiale dedicato solo a bambini, ragazzi e giovani, per aprirsi all’accoglienza e alla collaborazione degli adulti, in modo particolare delle famiglie. Fu in quegli anni – fino al 1977 – che Mons. Busti sviluppò l’attività culturale degli oratori come “Centri e Sale della Comunità”. Quel suo impegno iniziale si allargò sia alla grande Diocesi milanese, sia alle realtà pastorali del nostro Paese.
In questo contesto egli divenne consigliere nazionale e in seguito Presidente dell’Associazione Cattolica Esercenti Cinema (ACEC).
Nel 1981 il Cardinale Carlo Maria Martini lo incarica di ristrutturare le iniziative diocesane riguardanti l’intero comparto della comunicazione sociale. Lo nomina suo portavoce e a questo incarico Mons. Busti dedica il suo servizio fino al 1991, anche come giornalista professionista. Nel 1991 viene nominato Prevosto della parrocchia di San Nicolò in Lecco e Decano delle 28 parrocchie che formano il Decanato di Lecco.
Il Santo Padre Benedetto XVI lo sceglie quale Vescovo di Mantova il 13 luglio 2007.La sua Ordinazione Episcopale viene presieduta dal Cardinale Metropolita Arcivescovo di Milano, Dionigi Tettamanzi, il 22 settembre 2007.
Il giorno 7 ottobre 2007 ha inizio il suo Ministero Episcopale in Diocesi.

Il Rev.do Mons. Mariano Crociata è nato a Castelvetrano (Trapani) il 16 marzo 1953. Ha studiato al Seminario Vescovile di Mazara del Vallo ed ha conseguito la maturità classica presso il liceo statale. È stato alunno dell’Almo Collegio Capranica ed ha frequentato i corsi di filosofia e di teologia presso la Pontificia Università Gregoriana, conseguendo il Dottorato in Teologia. Ha ricevuto l’ordinazione sacerdotale il 29 giugno 1979. Ha svolto i seguenti incarichi: Direttore dell’Ufficio Catechistico Diocesano (1983-1986); Parroco a Marinella di Selinunte (1985-1989); Arciprete-Parroco della Chiesa Madre di Marsala (dal 1989). È stato Assistente diocesano dell’Azione Cattolica e Membro della Commissione Centrale nel Sinodo diocesano. Membro del Direttivo nel Consiglio Presbiterale diocesano; Membro del Consiglio dei Consultori; Docente di Teologia Fondamentale alla Pontificia Facoltà Teologica di Sicilia a Palermo e Direttore del Dipartimento di Teologia delle religioni presso la medesima Facoltà. Insegna Teologia Fondamentale e Cristologia all’Istituto di Scienze Religiose di Mazara del Vallo. Dal 2005 è Vicario Generale della diocesi di Mazara del Vallo.

Mons. Crociata è autore di diversi articoli riguardanti il dialogo interreligioso e di pubblicazioni di carattere teologico.

Il nuovo vescovo di Brescia, Mons. Luciano Monari, è nato il 28 marzo 1942 a Sassuolo. Il padre Moisè Arturo era meccanico. La madre, Giuliana Ruini, casalinga. Ha compiuto i primi studi nel luogo d’origine, ha frequentato il Liceo Classico “Muratori” a Modena negli anni 1955-60 e, conseguita la maturità nel 1960, è entrato in Seminario a Reggio Emilia, sua diocesi di appartenenza. In precedenza aveva percorso l’itinerario formativo nell’oratorio “Don Bosco” di Sassuolo, al temine del quale ha maturato gradualmente la decisione di diventare sacerdote.

IN SEMINARIO NEL 1960. Nel 1960 fa quindi il suo ingresso nel seminario reggiano, ma vi resta solo un anno. Con altri due studenti viene inviato a Roma dove frequenta per quattro anni i corsi di Teologia e per altri tre Sacra Scrittura. Dal 1961 al 1965 è all’Università Gregoriana.

SACERDOTE DAL ‘65. Il 20 giugno 1965, il vescovo mons. Gilberto Baroni lo ordina sacerdote. Dal 1965 al 1968, è di nuovo a Roma: consegue prima la licenza in Teologia all’Università Gragoriana (1965) e poi al Pontificio Istituto Biblico in Sacra Scrittura (1968). Rientra quindi nella propria diocesi e subito si dedica all’insegnamento in seminario. è titolare della cattedra di Sacra Scrittura, ma tiene anche corsi di Teologia dogmatica e di Teologia spirituale. Mons. Monari ha insegnato anche allo STAB, lo Studio Teologico Accademico Bolognese e al Seminario Regionale di Bologna. Accanto all’impegno nell’insegnamento, vi è quello nell’Azione Cattolica. Nel 1968 viene nominato vice-assistente diocesano e dal 1970 al 1980 è assistente diocesano. Nel 1980 viene nominato direttore spirituale del seminario reggiano. Ha pubblicato alcuni volumi soprattutto di Sacra Scrittura.

VESCOVO NEL 1995. Mons. Monari è stato ordinato vescovo dal cardinale Camillo Ruini, presidente della Conferenza Episcopale Italiana, da monsignor Gilberto Baroni, vescovo emerito di Reggio Emilia, deceduto il 14 marzo 1999, e da monsignor Paolo Gibertini, vescovo di Reggio Emilia-Guastalla (emerito dal 1998), il 2 settembre 1995 presso il Palazzetto dello Sport di Reggio Emilia. Il giorno 3 settembre ha fatto l’ingresso nella diocesi di Piacenza-Bobbio. Durante il governo della diocesi di Piacenza Bobbio ha promosso diverse iniziative pastorali: la Scuola della Parola in Cattedrale; la visita pastorale alle 428 parrocchie della diocesi; numerosi viaggi pastorali (Brasile, Canada, Inghilterra, Albania, Croazia, Bangladesh-Sri Lanka ed altri); si é impegnato nella predicazione di esercizi spirituali per il clero, per le famiglie, per i giovani e per le associazioni. Nell’anno giubilare del 2000 ha promosso una grande missione popolare diocesana; ha avviato la riforma territoriale della diocesi con l’istituzione di sette vicariati e 39 unità pastorali; molti i documenti per guidare l’attività diocesana.

VICEPRESIDENTE DELLA CEI. Nell’ambito degli incarichi extradiocesani, è stato membro della Commissione Episcopale per la dottrina della fede, l’annuncio e la catechesi. A livello regionale è stato vescovo incaricato dell’Ufficio Catechistico. Il 30 maggio 2005 è stato eletto dalla 54a assemblea generale della Conferenza Episcopale Italiana vicepresidente per l’Italia del Nord. Il mandato é quinquennale. A fine gennaio 2007 insieme ai vescovi della Regione Emilia Romagna è stato ricevuto dal Papa in vista ad limina.

Mons. Armando Trasarti è nato a Campofilone (Ascoli Piceno), il 16 febbraio 1948. Ha compiuto gli studi classici e quelli filosofico-teologici nel Seminario Arcivescovile di Fermo (AP). È stato ordinato sacerdote il 1° novembre 1974. Successivamente, ha conseguito la Licenza in Teologia alla Pontificia Università Lateranense.

Incarichi pastorali più significativi da lui svolti: 1974-1979: Vicario Cooperatore nella Parrocchia di S. Pio X e Vicario Curato nella Parrocchia S. Luigi Gonzaga, a Porto S. Elpidio (AP); 1979-1988: Parroco della Parrocchia di S. Pio X in Porto S. Elpidio (AP); 1988-1999: Parroco della Parrocchia di S. Liborio a Montegranaro (AP); 1994-1999: Vicario Foraneo nella Forania di Montegranaro; 1999-2000: Amministratore Parrocchiale della Parrocchia di S. Lucia in Fermo; 1999-2005: Vicario Generale dell’Arcidiocesi di Fermo; dal 2000: Presidente dell’Opera di Religione dell’Arcidiocesi per l’Animazione Cristiana; Consigliere Ecclesiastico della Coldiretti; dal 2001: Rettore della Basilica Cattedrale Metropolitana di Fermo; dal 2003: Canonico Presidente del Capitolo Cattedrale di Fermo; dal 2003: Presidente della Commissione per i lavori straordinari dell’Ente Seminario di Fermo; dal 2004: Presidente del Collegio dei Consultori; 2005-2006 Amministratore Diocesano di Fermo; dal 2006 Vicario Generale dell’Arcidiocesi di Fermo. È pure Docente di Teologia presso l’Istituto Superiore Marchigiano

Excmo. y Rvdo. Sr. D. Vicente Jiménez Zamora

DATOS PERSONALES:
Nació en Ágreda (Soria), el 28 de enero de 1944. Realizó los estudios eclesiásticos en el Seminario Diocesano de El Burgo de Osma (Soria), en Comillas (Santander) y en Roma. Recibió la ordenación sacerdotal en el Seminario Diocesano, el 29 de junio de 1968, de manos del Obispo, Dn. Saturnino Rubio Montiel.

ESTUDIOS:
- Licenciado en Filosofía (Universidad de Santo Tomás de Roma).- Licenciado en Teología Dogmática (Universidad Gregoriana de Roma).- Especializado en Teología Moral ( Academia Alfonsiana de Roma).

CARGOS PASTORALES:
Ha desempeñado, entre otros, los siguientes cargos:- Formador y Profesor del Seminario Diocesano (1970-1974).- Vicario Parroquial de El Salvador de Soria y Cura Encargado de Fuentetoba (1974-1977).- Profesor de Religión en el Instituto “Antonio Machado” (1974- 1988).- Profesor de Antropología Filosófica, Ética, Teología Moral y Pastoral en el Seminario Diocesano.- Delegado Diocesano de Enseñanza (1978-1985).- Delegado Diocesano del Clero (1985-1992).- Cura encargado de Los Villares de Soria, La Rubia, Ausejo, Cuellar de la Sierra (1977-1985).- Cura Encargado de Golmayo (1985-1993).- Vicario de Pastoral (1988-1993).- Vicario Episcopal para el Sínodo Diocesano (1994-1998)- Canónigo de la S. I. Concatedral de Soria.- Profesor de la Escuela Diocesana de Teología.- Cura Encargado de Valdegeña y Villar del Campo.- Miembro del Consejo Episcopal de Gobierno.- Miembro del Colegio de Consultores.- Miembro del Consejo Presbiteral.- Miembro del Consejo Pastoral Diocesano.- Miembro del Consejo de Asuntos Económicos.
OTRAS ACTIVIDADES:
Pronuncia numerosas conferencias sobre temas de su especialidad. Dirige tandas de Ejercicios Espirituales a sacerdotes, religiosos y laicos. Colabora con frecuencia en los MCS. Es autor de la obra Moral para jóvenes (Madrid 1984).
- Era Vicario General de la Diócesis en 2001.- Elegido Administrador de Osma-Soria, seguidamente a quedar vacante de Obispo la Iglesia Diocesana al tomar posesión el 11 de diciembre de 2003 en Madrid Mons. Francisco Pérez González, como Arzobispo castrense.- D. Vicente fue nombrado Obispo de Osma-Soria por el Papa, Juan Pablo II. Fue hecho público su nombramiento el 21 de mayo de 2004.- El 17 de julio de 2004 era ordenado Obispo en la Catedral de la Villa Burgense y tomaba posesión de la Diócesis de Osma-Soria.
El día 27 de julio de 2007 fue nombrado Obispo de la Diócesis de Santander.

Monseñor Francisco Perez González nació en Frandovínez (Burgos), el 13 de enero de 1947. Ingresó en el Seminario de Burgos en 1958. Ordenado Sacerdote en Trento (Italia) en 1973. Ordenado Obispo en Roma por el Papa Juan Pablo II, el 6 de enero de 1996 y toma posesión de la Diócesis de Osma-Soria, el 11 de febrero de 1996. Nombrado Director nacional de las Obras Misionales Pontificias en el año 2001. Nombrado Arzobispo Castrense de España por el Papa Juan Pablo II, el día 30 de octubre de 2003.
Estudia Humanidades, Filosofía y Teología en el Seminario de Burgos. Cursa Estudios Superiores en la Pontificia Universidad de Santo Tomás “Angélicum” de Roma. Se licencia en Teología Dogmática en la Universidad Pontificia de Comillas, Madrid. Entre otros cargos ha ocupado distintas Vicarías Parroquiales, Formador y Director Espiritual del Seminario Mayor de Madrid, encargado del Diaconado Permanente de la Archidiócesis de Madrid, miembro del Comité del Diaconado Permanente de la Conferencia Episcopal Española, Director Espiritual del Seminario de Nuestra Señora de los Apóstoles de la Diócesis de Getafe y del Colegio Sacerdotal Castrense Juan Pablo II de Madrid, Miembro de las Comisiones Episcopales de la Conferencia Episcopal Española: Clero; Seminarios y Universidades; Misiones y Cooperación con las Iglesias.
El 31 de julio de 2007 es nombrado por Benedicto XVI Arzobispo de Pamplona y Obispo de Tudela, en sustitución de monseñor Fernando Sebastián, que viene rigiendo estas diócesis desde 1993.

Vitus Huonder, Bürger von Disentis GR, wurde am 21. April 1942 in Trun GR geboren. Er verbrachte dort sowie in Thalwil ZH seine Kindheit und Jugendzeit. Von 1958 - 1963 besuchte er das Gymnasium der Klosterschule Disentis. Danach studierte er bis 1971 Philosophie und Theologie in Einsiedeln, Rom und Fribourg (Schweiz). Während seines Studiums widmete er sich während längerer Zeit der Jugendarbeit. Im Jahr 1971 weihte ihn Bischof Dr. Johannes Vonderach in der Pfarrkirche Thalwil zum Priester. Nach der Promotion im Jahre 1973 war er bis 1976 als Universitäts-Assistent in Fribourg und als Dozent für Altes Testament an der Theologischen Hochschule Chur (THC) tätig.
Es folgten zwölf Jahre Einsatz in der Pfarreiseelsorge: 1976 - 1982 als Pfarrer von Kilchberg ZH - in dieser Zeit war er gewähltes Mitglied des Priesterrates und Vizedekan -; 1982 - 1984 als Pfarrhelfer von Sachseln OW und 1984 - 1988 als Pfarrer von Egg ZH.
Nach Abschluss seiner Habilitation in Fribourg ernannte ihn Bischof Wolfgang Haas 1990 zum Generalvikar für Graubünden, Glarus sowie Liechtenstein und berief ihn im gleichen Jahr ins Residierende Domkapitel. Von 1993 bis 1998 nahm Vitus Huonder in Fribourg und Chur verschiedene Lehraufträge in Liturgiewissenschaft wahr.
Auf mehrheitlichen Wunsch der Seelsorgenden ernannte Bischof Amédée Grab 1998 Vitus Huonder zum Generalvikar für Graubünden und zum Moderator Curiae. Diese Aufgaben nimmt er bis zur Amtseinführung als neuer Bischof von Chur wahr.

Aus dem Begrüßungswort des neu ernannten Bischofs:
„So darf ich Euch nun alle als Euer Bischof begrüßen. Ich tue dies in Dankbarkeit meinem Vorgänger, Bischof Amédée Grab gegenüber. Ich denke in diesem Augenblick auch an das Wirken der Weihbischöfe Peter Henrici und Paul Vollmar. Schließlich möchte ich Euch allen danken, die Ihr die Arbeit der Kirche vor Ort mitträgt und euch für die Verkündigung der Frohen Botschaft einsetzt.
Ich habe immer noch die Benedictus-Antiphon des dreizehnten Sonntags im Jahreskreis im Ohr: "Der Menschensohn ist nicht gekommen, um Menschen zu vernichten, sondern um sie zu retten." Dieser Text findet sich bei Lk 9,56, scheint aber in der Einheitsübersetzung nicht auf. Von sehr vielen Textzeugen belegt, können wir ihn in der alten lateinischen Übersetzung, in der Vulgata nachlesen. In der Liturgie der Kirche blieb er bis heute erhalten. Er bringt in knapper Form die Bedeutung und die Zielsetzung der Sendung Jesu zum Ausdruck: Den Menschen am Leben erhalten. Dabei geht es nicht nur um das Leben im Sinne unseres Alltags und unseres körperlichen Wohlbefindens, es geht um das Leben als letzte Bestimmung des Menschen, um das ewige Leben, um die ewige Lebensgemeinschaft mit Gott. Wir stehen also im Dienste jenes Herrn, der nicht vernichten will, sondern retten. Dies ist ein wunderbarer Dienst. Wir dürfen wirklich die Liebe Christi in unserer Welt gegenwärtig setzen. Wir dürfen den Menschen durch unseren kirchlichen Auftrag die Liebe Christi offenbaren, ja, sie ihnen schenken. Ich wiederhole: Dies ist ein wunderbarer Dienst.
Ich freue mich, dass ich als Bischof mit Euch diesen Weg Christi und seiner Kirche gehen darf, und möchte Euch allen jene Freude wünschen, von welcher Neh 8,10 sagt: Die Freude am Herrn ist eure Stärke.“
Chur, 10. Juli 2007
+Vitus

New Auxiliary for Münster / Neuer Weihbischof für Münster

The Director of the diocesan Diaconate and Pastoral Ministry Centre, Mons. Franz-Josef Overbeck, was appointed new auxiliary bishop in Münster on July 18th and ordained on September 1st.

Als Weihbischof ersetzt Franz-Josef Overbeck den aus Altersgründen zurückgetretenen Regionalbischof für Münster und den Kreis Warendorf, Friedrich Ostermann.

Klar und wahr.Voll und ganz.
Die römische Studienzeit hat ihn geprägt, als Verantwortlicher für die Ausbildung von Ständigen Diakonen, Pastoralreferen­tinnen und Pastoralreferenten kennt er die Seelsorgerinnen und Seelsorger im gesamten Bistum. Geradlinigkeit und Entschiedenheit charakterisieren den 43-jährigen Dr. Franz-Josef Overbeck, der am 1. September die Bischofsweihe empfing.
Der heutige Papst hat ihn seinerzeit zum Priester geweiht und jetzt zu einem der jüngsten Weihbischöfe der Weltkirche ernannt; der Bischof traut ihm viel zu; seine Eltern geben Rückenstärkung. Franz-Josef Overbeck, ein Kapitel aus der Kirchengeschichte "Vom Glück, katholisch zu sein"?
Tatsächlich verkörpert der 43-Jährige das lebensbejahend Frohmachende am Glauben. Und ist zugleich weit davon entfernt, als leicht entflammbarer Halleluja-Seliger oder rosabebrillter Ignorant kirchlicher Prob­leme zu gelten. Pfarrer Bruno Pottebaum, in dessen Gemeinde St. Sixtus Haltern am See Overbeck nach der Priesterweihe vier Jahre lang Kaplan war, erklärt sich die Ausstrahlung bündig so: "Er ist fromm, und er denkt."
Overbeck wirkt jung, aber nicht jungenhaft. Er strahlt Ernsthaftigkeit aus, aber nicht Strenge – das verhindern die lachenden Augen. Er spricht klar und wahr, aber nicht altklug. Er ist hellwach und zielbewusst, aber nicht überfahrend dominant. Er wirkt korrekt und gesammelt, aber nicht distanziert. Das "aber nicht ..." macht sein Charisma aus.
Mit Blick auf 43 Lebensjahre erstaunt die persönliche Reife, die seine Förderer schätzen. Worin liegt das ­Geheimnis dieser Überzeugungskraft? Die profane Antwort: Da ist kein Geheimnis, alles liegt offen. Franz-Josef Overbeck ist im Reinen mit Gott und der Welt, "einverstanden mit dem, was ist", und er steht mit beiden Beinen auf tragendem Grund.
Das ließ sich beobachten, während er im Bischofshaus der Öffentlichkeit als neuer Weihbischof für die Region Münster/Warendorf vorgestellt wurde. Höflich eine Stufe hinter Bischof Reinhard Lettmann bleibend, schritt Overbeck die Treppe hinunter, an deren Ende auch seine Eltern warteten. Seine ernste Miene hellte sich zum freund­lichen Lächeln auf, als anhaltender Beifall die Sympathie der Menschen im Raum ausdrückte. Seine kurze Ansprache begann Overbeck mit Gott, dann folgte der Papst.
Die Szene beschreibt wichtige Konstanten seines Lebensentwurfs: Gott, der seine Geschöpfe zu beflügeln vermag. Der Papst, dem Overbeck priesterliche Treue gelobte und der ihm nun das Bischofsamt zutraut. Der Bischof, mit dem Overbeck seine Glaubensausprägung teilt – tief verwurzelt, standsicher und fest gewachsen wie eine westfälische Eiche. Die Eltern, die in ihm Urvertrauen zu Gottvertrauen wachsen ließen und seine Berufung stärkten. Und die Menschen, denen er Christi Botschaft nahebringt wie einen geschliffenen Edelstein, der vieles zum Leuchten bringt.

Am Papst bewundert Overbeck "die Mischung zwischen Frömmigkeit und Intellektualität, zwischen Wissen und Weisheit". Bischof Lettmann schätzt er, weil dieser "den großen Abbruch nach dem Konzilsaufbruch mit Anstand und Treue durchgestanden" hat. Die bäuerlich-mittelständische Unternehmerfamilie hat ihm zwei entscheidende Ausprägungen von Führungsstärke vorgelebt: "notwendigerweise risikofreudig zu sein, aber auch geduldig wachsen lassen zu können". Und die Geburtsregion Marl prägte diese Grundzüge weiter aus, "das Ruhr­gebiet die wandlungsfähige Offenheit und das Münsterland die beharrende Tradition". Der flache, fruchtbare Landstrich seiner westfälischen Heimat bildete nicht zuletzt Naturverbundenheit aus, "den Blick in die Weite", den Overbeck heute in seiner münsterischen Wohnung im Schatten des St.-Paulus-Doms zuweilen vermisst.
Andererseits schätzt er die Mutterkirche des Bistums als "Angelpunkt" der Stadt: "Wenn ich am Hauptaltar zelebriere, berührt es mich, dass ich in einer 1200-jährigen Tradition stehe – zu allen Zeiten ging es um Christus und seine eucharistische Präsenz."
In diesem Gotteshaus wird er am 1. September zum Bischof geweiht. Als ihn am Frühstückstisch im Urlaub auf der Insel Korfu das Telefonat von Bischof Lettmann erreichte, der Papst habe ihn zum Weihbischof ernannt, war er "bewegt" und hat "zugleich sehr gerne angenommen", ohne zwanghaft bemühte demütige Verrenkungen. Da und Ja – so schlicht kann Dienstbereitschaft sein.
Ebenso eindeutig hat er im Jahr 2000 zur Einführung als Leiter des Instituts für Diakonat und pastorale Dienste mit einem Dichterwort von Rainer Kunze beschrieben, wie er sein möchte: "Einfach. So genau wie möglich. So einfach, wie die Genauigkeit erlaubt." Darin steckt zugleich eine Ehrbezeugung für die hochgeschätzte Theologie: "Gute Theologie ist immer einfach, aber nie primitiv."
Überflüssig zu betonen, dass Overbeck bei seiner Vorstellung im Bischofshaus keine Regierungserklärung abgibt. Anfängerfehler unterlaufen ihm nicht. Aber er nutzt die Chance hörbereiten Publikums sehr wohl zu dem, was ihm das künftige Amt abverlangt: Er predigt dem Gottesvolk – kurz, klar, einprägsam. Der begeisterte Theologe zitiert Altmeister Paulus mit Denkanstößen zum Bischofsamt aus dessen Hebräerbrief: "... aus den Menschen genommen ... für die Menschen bestellt zum Dienst vor Gott" (5,1).
Mit drei Fragen entschlüsselt Overbeck das Wort: Woher? Wohin? Wozu? Und reiht die Kernaussagen auf: Woher? Alles hat seinen Halt in Gott. Und Papst, Bischof und Eltern festigen durch ihr Vertrauen Overbecks Glaubensgrund. Wohin? Zu den Menschen. Wozu? Da nimmt er sich in die Pflicht: "Um Gottes willen bei den Menschen und für sie da zu sein." Zugleich leistet er sich Leistungs-Grenzen: "Manches wird zu lassen, vieles wird zu tun sein" – in dieser Reihenfolge!
32 mögliche Amtsjahre als Bischof liegen vor ihm; die Strecke vermag ihn nicht zu schrecken: "Ich muss in einer anderen Form von Verantwortlichkeit tun, was auch jedem gleichaltrigen Pfarrer bevorsteht." Und vielleicht wächst ihm noch zu, was er zuweilen an Mitmenschen bewundert: "Den lieben Gott einen guten Mann sein lassen können, süßes Nichtstun genießen."
Solche klaren Gedanken, solche abgewogenen Äußerungen, solch gelassenes Auftreten will erkämpft sein: mit Selbstdisziplin und mit einem selbstkritischen täglichen Rückblick.
Eine lebensbedrohende Krankheit vor fünf Jahren hat die Tragkraft des Glaubens bestätigt, Grundhaltungen profiliert und den Seelsorger verändert: "Meine Aufmerksamkeit für die Menschen ist größer geworden." Und weniger als früher möchte er mit seinem Handeln die eigene Leistungs­fähigkeit bestätigen: "Mit einem Bild des Evangeliums beschrieben: Ich säe – und kann wachsen lassen."
Sieben Jahre Leitung einer bistumszentralen Ausbildungsstätte für Ständige Diakone und Pastoralreferen­tinnen haben dem promovierten Theologen alltagstaugliche Kompromisse zwischen dem pastoral Wünschenswerten und dem abverlangt, was unterschiedlich Belastbare, Engagierte und Begabte leisten können. Schusseligkeit vermochte er am ehesten zu vergeben, wenn "der gute Wille und das gute Herz erkennbar" waren; Hinterfotzigkeit brachte ihn in Rage. Als Weihbischof möchte er den Seelsorgerinnen und Seelsorgern Unsicherheiten nehmen, sie "in der Seele fest machen" und sie davor bewahren, zu "Religionsbeamten" zu werden.
Die prägende Studienzeit in Rom hat sein Verständnis für weltkirchliche Belange vertieft, seine Liebe zu Kultur, blickweitender Bildung und intensivem Lesen genährt und ihn rund zehn Sprachen erproben lassen. Dennoch ist Overbeck längst mitten im Bistum angekommen: Er weiß um die Spannweite seiner künftigen Region Münster/Warendorf zwischen nötigen Impulsen in der City-Pastoral der lauen Bischofsstadt und Aufbrüchen bei der Ida-Verehrung in der Gemeinde seines künftigen Domkapitel-Kollegen Rolf Lohmann in Lippetal-Herzfeld.
Wer den Glauben nur ab und zu als wohliges Gefühl nach Lust und Laune genießen möchte, der darf keine Zustimmung von ihm erhoffen. Für Overbeck geht es mit dem Glauben nicht gut ohne ausreichendes Glaubenswissen, ohne regelmäßiges Gebet, ohne das beharrliche Vertiefen in feierliche Liturgien. In der "gläubigen und kirchlichen Entschiedenheit" sieht er die Zukunft gelungenen Christseins.
Für ihn ist das eine außerordentlich lohnende Anstrengung, das belegt sein Wahlspruch "Magnificat anima mea dominum", Marias Ja zur Erwählung Gottes als Mutter Jesu: "Meine Seele preist die Größe des Herrn."
Seine Übersetzung lässt aufhorchen: "Meine Seele erhebt, macht groß den Herrn." Es geht um den lebendigen Gott. Es geht um den ganzen Menschen. Durch Gott wird der Mensch groß – welch eine Zusage! Dafür will er sich einsetzen: "Voll und ganz." Dazu erbittet er das "Gebet und Vertrauen" der Mitchristen und versichert ihnen: "Das meine schenke ich Ihnen von Herzen."
Text: Hans-Josef Joest

Pope asks Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor to stay on

The following letter has been sent by my namesake, Cardinal Murphy (-O'Connor, if you must!) to the Bishops, Priests and Deacons of the Archdiocese of Westminster.

9 July 2007

Dear Father,

On the occasion of my 75th birthday in August and in accordance with Canon Law, I have written to Pope Benedict offering my resignation as Archbishop of Westminster.

In the response I have received the Holy Father has invited me instead to continue in my present pastoral ministry donec aliter provideatur - that is, until he chooses otherwise. I am very content to accept the Holy Father’s request.

I ask you again for your prayers and I am grateful for your support and co-operation in our care of this Diocese.

With sincere good wishes,

Archbishop of Westminster

It is indeed interesting to reflect on why the Holy Father has asked Cormac to continue!

Other outspoken bishops are immediately relieved of their duties, like Bishop Franz Kamphaus of Limburg, Germany. What then can this signify?

It is more than unlikely that Cardinal Murphy was an enthusiastic Ratzinger elector in the conclave. Is it difficult to find a successor in England and Wales? What about the much-toted Bishop Roche of Leeds?

Or is the Pope planning a visit to Britain?

We may never know the reason, but let's wish Cormac and Westminster every good fortune and God's blessing.

"Le Métier de Prêtre" - un livre à recommander

Le métier de prêtre : Approche sociologique de Céline Béraud

Présentation de l'éditeur

Dans les années 1960, on estimait le nombre de prêtres diocésains à 41 000. Ils ne sont plus que 20 000 aujourd'hui dont deux tiers seulement en activité. Que reste-t-il à dire sur cette population vieillissante et clairsemée ? Le métier de prêtre est-il en voie de disparition ? Les prêtres catholiques constitueraient-ils, comme les " derniers des Mohicans ", une catégorie résistant aux évolutions des sociétés modernes ?

Les entretiens menés par Céline Béraud auprès de prêtres appartenant à des classes d'âge différentes, montrent au contraire qu'ils réinventent leur sacerdoce, notamment en le professionnalisant. Dans un contexte de gestion de la pénurie sacerdotale et d'une collaboration renforcée avec les diacres et les laïcs, l'exercice de leur métier connaît de profondes mutations.

De même, ils n'échappent pas aux aspirations de leurs contemporains et revendiquent, entre autres, leur droit au bonheur et au respect de leur espace privé. Très accessible, l'ouvrage de Céline Béraud offre un bel exemple de ce que l'analyse sociologique peut apporter à la compréhension des évolutions religieuses contemporaines.

Biographie de l'auteur

Docteure en sociologie, Céline Béraud enseigne à l'Institut européen en sciences des religions (EPHE). Elle est également membre du Centre d'études interdisciplinaires des faits religieux (EHESS) où elle consacre ses recherches au catholicisme contemporain.

Editeur : Editions de l'Atelier

ISBN: 978-2708238718

Prix (chez Amazon.fr): 17,01 €

Interview avec l'auteur à voir dans les archives de kto, la foi prise au mot

Summary in English:

A nice little book about the "profession" of a priest from a sociological point of view.

Text of Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum"

VATICAN CITY, JUL 7, 2007 (VIS) - Given below is a non-official English-language translation of the Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" of Pope Benedict XVI,
"Summorum Pontifi-
cum", concerning the use of the Roman liturgy prior to the reform of 1970. The original text is written in Latin.

Up to our own times, it has been the constant concern of supreme pontiffs to ensure that the Church of Christ offers a worthy ritual to the Divine Majesty, 'to the praise and glory of His name,' and 'to the benefit of all His Holy Church.'

Since time immemorial it has been necessary - as it is also for the future - to maintain the principle according to which 'each particular Church must concur with the universal Church, not only as regards the doctrine of the faith and the sacramental signs, but also as regards the usages universally accepted by uninterrupted apostolic tradition, which must be observed not only to avoid errors but also to transmit the integrity of the faith, because the Church's law of prayer corresponds to her law of faith.' (1)

Among the pontiffs who showed that requisite concern, particularly outstanding is the name of St. Gregory the Great, who made every effort to ensure that the new peoples of Europe received both the Catholic faith and the treasures of worship and culture that had been accumulated by the Romans in preceding centuries. He commanded that the form of the sacred liturgy as celebrated in Rome (concerning both the Sacrifice of Mass and the Divine Office) be conserved. He took great concern to ensure the dissemination of monks and nuns who, following the Rule of St. Benedict, together with the announcement of the Gospel illustrated with their lives the wise provision of their Rule that 'nothing should be placed before the work of God.' In this way the sacred liturgy, celebrated according to the Roman use, enriched not only the faith and piety but also the culture of many peoples. It is known, in fact, that the Latin liturgy of the Church in its various forms, in each century of the Christian era, has been a spur to the spiritual life of many saints, has reinforced many peoples in the virtue of religion and fecundated their piety.

Many other Roman pontiffs, in the course of the centuries, showed particular solicitude in ensuring that the sacred liturgy accomplished this task more effectively. Outstanding among them is St. Pius V who, sustained by great pastoral zeal and following the exhortations of the Council of Trent, renewed the entire liturgy of the Church, oversaw the publication of liturgical books amended and 'renewed in accordance with the norms of the Fathers,' and provided them for the use of the Latin Church.

One of the liturgical books of the Roman rite is the Roman Missal, which developed in the city of Rome and, with the passing of the centuries, little by little took forms very similar to that it has had in recent times.

'It was towards this same goal that succeeding Roman Pontiffs directed their energies during the subsequent centuries in order to ensure that the rites and liturgical books were brought up to date and when necessary clarified. From the beginning of this century they undertook a more general reform.' (2) Thus our predecessors Clement VIII, Urban VIII, St. Pius X (3), Benedict XV, Pius XII and Blessed John XXIII all played a part.

In more recent times, Vatican Council II expressed a desire that the respectful reverence due to divine worship should be renewed and adapted to the needs of our time. Moved by this desire our predecessor, the Supreme Pontiff Paul VI, approved, in 1970, reformed and partly renewed liturgical books for the Latin Church. These, translated into the various languages of the world, were willingly accepted by bishops, priests and faithful. John Paul II amended the third typical edition of the Roman Missal. Thus Roman pontiffs have operated to ensure that 'this kind of liturgical edifice ... should again appear resplendent for its dignity and harmony.' (4)

But in some regions, no small numbers of faithful adhered and continue to adhere with great love and affection to the earlier liturgical forms. These had so deeply marked their culture and their spirit that in 1984 the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, moved by a concern for the pastoral care of these faithful, with the special indult 'Quattuor abhinc anno," issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship, granted permission to use the Roman Missal published by Blessed John XXIII in the year 1962. Later, in the year 1988, John Paul II with the Apostolic Letter given as Motu Proprio, 'Ecclesia Dei,' exhorted bishops to make generous use of this power in favor of all the faithful who so desired.

Following the insistent prayers of these faithful, long deliberated upon by our predecessor John Paul II, and after having listened to the views of the Cardinal Fathers of the Consistory of 22 March 2006, having reflected deeply upon all aspects of the question, invoked the Holy Spirit and trusting in the help of God, with these Apostolic Letters we establish the following:

Art 1. The Roman Missal promulgated by Paul VI is the ordinary expression of the 'Lex orandi' (Law of prayer) of the Catholic Church of the Latin rite. Nonetheless, the Roman Missal promulgated by St. Pius V and reissued by Bl. John XXIII is to be considered as an extraordinary expression of that same 'Lex orandi,' and must be given due honour for its venerable and ancient usage. These two expressions of the Church's Lex orandi will in no any way lead to a division in the Church's 'Lex credendi' (Law of belief). They are, in fact two usages of the one Roman rite.

It is, therefore, permissible to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass following the typical edition of the Roman Missal promulgated by Bl. John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated, as an extraordinary form of the Liturgy of the Church. The conditions for the use of this Missal as laid down by earlier documents 'Quattuor abhinc annis' and 'Ecclesia Dei,' are substituted as follows:

Art. 2. In Masses celebrated without the people, each Catholic priest of the Latin rite, whether secular or regular, may use the Roman Missal published by Bl. Pope John XXIII in 1962, or the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1970, and may do so on any day with the exception of the Easter Triduum. For such celebrations, with either one Missal or the other, the priest has no need for permission from the Apostolic See or from his Ordinary.

Art. 3. Communities of Institutes of consecrated life and of Societies of apostolic life, of either pontifical or diocesan right, wishing to celebrate Mass in accordance with the edition of the Roman Missal promulgated in 1962, for conventual or "community" celebration in their oratories, may do so. If an individual community or an entire Institute or Society wishes to undertake such celebrations often, habitually or permanently, the decision must be taken by the Superiors Major, in accordance with the law and following their own specific decrees and statues.

Art. 4. Celebrations of Mass as mentioned above in art. 2 may - observing all the norms of law - also be attended by faithful who, of their own free will, ask to be admitted.

Art. 5. § 1 In parishes, where there is a stable group of faithful who adhere to the earlier liturgical tradition, the pastor should willingly accept their requests to celebrate the Mass according to the rite of the Roman Missal published in 1962, and ensure that the welfare of these faithful harmonises with the ordinary pastoral care of the parish, under the guidance of the bishop in accordance with canon 392, avoiding discord and favouring the unity of the whole Church.

§ 2 Celebration in accordance with the Missal of Bl. John XXIII may take place on working days; while on Sundays and feast days one such celebration may also be held.

§ 3 For faithful and priests who request it, the pastor should also allow celebrations in this extraordinary form for special circumstances such as marriages, funerals or occasional celebrations, e.g. pilgrimages.

§ 4 Priests who use the Missal of Bl. John XXIII must be qualified to do so and not juridically impeded.

§ 5 In churches that are not parish or conventual churches, it is the duty of the Rector of the church to grant the above permission.

Art. 6. In Masses celebrated in the presence of the people in accordance with the Missal of Bl. John XXIII, the readings may be given in the vernacular, using editions recognised by the Apostolic See.

Art. 7. If a group of lay faithful, as mentioned in art. 5 § 1, has not obtained satisfaction to their requests from the pastor, they should inform the diocesan bishop. The bishop is strongly requested to satisfy their wishes. If he cannot arrange for such celebration to take place, the matter should be referred to the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei".

Art. 8. A bishop who, desirous of satisfying such requests, but who for various reasons is unable to do so, may refer the problem to the Commission "Ecclesia Dei" to obtain counsel and assistance.

Art. 9. § 1 The pastor, having attentively examined all aspects, may also grant permission to use the earlier ritual for the administration of the Sacraments of Baptism, Marriage, Penance, and the Anointing of the Sick, if the good of souls would seem to require it.

§ 2 Ordinaries are given the right to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation using the earlier Roman Pontifical, if the good of souls would seem to require it.

§ 3 Clerics ordained "in sacris constitutis" may use the Roman Breviary promulgated by Bl. John XXIII in 1962.

Art. 10. The ordinary of a particular place, if he feels it appropriate, may erect a personal parish in accordance with can. 518 for celebrations following the ancient form of the Roman rite, or appoint a chaplain, while observing all the norms of law.

Art. 11. The Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei", erected by John Paul II in 1988 (5), continues to exercise its function. Said Commission will have the form, duties and norms that the Roman Pontiff wishes to assign it.

Art. 12. This Commission, apart from the powers it enjoys, will exercise the authority of the Holy See, supervising the observance and application of these dispositions.

We order that everything We have established with these Apostolic Letters issued as Motu Proprio be considered as "established and decreed", and to be observed from 14 September of this year, Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, whatever there may be to the contrary.

From Rome, at St. Peter's, 7 July 2007, third year of Our Pontificate.


(1) General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 3rd ed., 2002, no. 397.

(2) John Paul II, Apostolic Letter "Vicesimus quintus annus," 4 December 1988, 3: AAS 81 (1989), 899.

(3) Ibid.

(4) St. Pius X, Apostolic Letter Motu propio data, "Abhinc duos annos," 23 October 1913: AAS 5 (1913), 449-450; cf John Paul II, Apostolic Letter "Vicesimus quintus annus," no. 3: AAS 81 (1989), 899.

(5) Cf John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Motu proprio data "Ecclesia Dei," 2 July 1988, 6: AAS 80 (1988), 1498.

Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum": Scottish bishops react

Scotland's Catholic Bishops said today: "The publication of the document on the use of the Roman liturgy prior to the reform of 1970 reflects the pastoral concern of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI for those who find themselves drawn to that form of the Eucharistic celebration – a pastoral concern which the Bishops of Scotland share

"The Bishops of Scotland also share Pope Benedict XVI’s concern about the unity of the Church. In both his writings and his statements the Pope has reminded us of the centrality of the Eucharist as the source of unity in the life of the Church. Writing earlier this year in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis the Holy Father says, “The fact that the one Eucharist is celebrated in each Diocese around its own Bishop helps us see how those particular Churches subsist in and from the Church.”.

"In thanking the Holy Father for this most recent document, the Bishops of Scotland wish to note that since 1970 Catholics in Scotland have embraced the reform of the liturgy, with the same openness of heart as they had already begun to accept the other decisions of the Second Vatican Council. The Holy Father’s decision to issue this document is motivated above all by his desire to mend divisions where they have occurred and to prevent future divisions by helping to bring about “an interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church”. Echoing what the Holy Father says, the Bishops wish to point out that there is no contradiction between the two editions of the Roman Missal (1962 and 1970) and that they in fact demonstrate that in the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress but no rupture.

"Having consulted widely throughout the Church before issuing this document and the norms it sets down, the Pope reminds bishops that each of them is moderator of the liturgy in his own diocese and has the responsibility to be watchful to ensure that all is done in peace and serenity. Bishops are invited to monitor the effect of the norms so that the whole Church can be involved in an evaluation of them in three years time.

"The Bishops of Scotland acknowledge this responsibility and intend to study the Holy Father’s document thoroughly to ensure that that its provisions are fully available to those Catholics in Scotland who may wish to encounter the mystery of the Eucharist through the form of celebration set out in the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal.

"The Bishops of Scotland pray that God will continue to bless our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI in his ministry of love and reconciliation. We ask that the Blessed Virgin Mary will intercede with her Divine Son on behalf of the Church so that together with our Holy Father the Pope we will all be faithful and obedient sons and daughters of God as we carry out his will."

Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum": Conférence de presse du Cardinal Ricard

Le cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, archevêque de Bordeaux et président de la Conférence des évêques de France, a présenté à la presse, ce samedi 7 juillet, le motu proprio Summorum Pontificum sur l’usage de la Liturgie romaine antérieure à la réforme de 1970 ainsi que la lettre adressée par le pape Benoît XVI aux évêques.

Le président de la Conférence des évêques de France a présenté les principaux points du motu proprio et expliqué les raisons profondes qui ont conduit le Pape à publier ce document. Il a également évoqué la mise en oeuvre pratique de ces décisions en contexte français.

Au cours de son exposé, le cardinal Ricard a tout particulièrement insisté sur les motivations du Saint-Père : Benoît XVI porte le souci de l’unité des catholiques. Il veut favoriser la réconciliation entre catholiques et réconcilier l’Eglise avec son passé liturgique. Le Pape souhaite une réconciliation avec les disciples de Mgr Lefebvre. Il fait un geste dans leur direction mais il sait que les différends ne sont pas seulement liturgiques. De plus, ce qu’il dit dans sa lettre sur l’autorité du concile Vatican II et sur le bien-fondé de la réforme liturgique risque de rendre le dialogue un peu plus difficile. Si le Pape tend la main, il ne transige pas avec les convictions de fond. De fait, le motu proprio s’adresse en premier lieu à ces catholiques fidèles au pape et respectueux de l’autorité du Concile qui souhaitent pratiquer avec les livres liturgiques de 1962.

Les points les plus importants du motu proprio, a indiqué le cardinal Ricard, sont les suivants:

- Pour la célébration de messe sans assemblée, tout prêtre peut célébrer selon la forme ordinaire du rite (missel de 1970) ou selon la forme extraordinaire de ce même rite (missel de 1962).

- De même, toute communauté ou congrégation peut célébrer la messe selon l’une ou l’autre de ces formes du rite, après décision de ses supérieurs majeurs.

- Un groupe stable de paroissiens peut demander au curé la célébration de la messe selon le missel de 1962. Si cela lui semble possible, compte tenu du bien spirituel de ce groupe et du contexte particulier de sa paroisse, le curé peut accéder à cette demande.

- Les sacrements de baptême, mariage, pénitence, onction des malades et confirmation peuvent être également célébrés selon l’ancien rituel, ainsi que les funérailles.

- Dans le cas où un curé ne peut répondre positivement, il en réfère à l’évêque qui étudie à son tour la demande. Si celui-ci ne peut pas non plus répondre positivement, le cas peut être soumis à la commission Ecclesia Dei.

Il est clairement indiqué, dans le texte du motu proprio, que la célébration suivant le missel de 1970 est la forme « ordinaire » de la liturgie. La célébration suivant le missel de 1962 en est la forme « extraordinaire ». Il ne s’agit donc pas de bi-ritualisme, mais bien d’un seul rite qui peut être célébré suivant deux formes différentes, dont l’une – celle de 1970 – est la forme habituelle. Autrement dit, il n’est pas question d’un « retour au latin » et ce motu proprio ne changera rien, en pratique, pour une très grande majorité des catholiques.

Le président de la Conférence des évêques de France a également souligné que le Pape, dans le motu proprio comme dans sa lettre aux évêques, rappelle l’autorité du Concile. Pour lui, le
concile Vatican II ne constitue pas une rupture, mais un enrichissement s’inscrivant dans la continuité de l’histoire et de la Tradition de l’Eglise. Le Pape a d’ailleurs, à maintes reprises, invité les catholiques à poursuivre la réception du Concile. Quant à la liturgie ancienne – qui n’a jamais été abrogée – elle ne saurait être supprimée. Il estime qu’elle a nourri la foi des fidèles pendant des siècles et qu’elle peut continuer encore aujourd’hui à nourrir ceux qui y ont recours.

C’est pourquoi Benoît XVI incite à accepter les demandes des personnes attachées à la forme ancienne du rite, tout en restant convaincu que ce mouvement, dans les faits, restera limité.

A ces personnes, le Pape demande expressément de reconnaître les textes conciliaires ainsi que la richesse de la liturgie de 1970. Il indique à ce propos que ces deux formes du rite romain pourront mutuellement s’enrichir.

Benoît XVI sait qu’entre catholiques « conciliaires » et catholiques « traditionalistes » les relations sont parfois tendues. Il demande aux uns et aux autres de prendre un chemin de réconciliation et de communion. Son motu proprio et sa lettre donnent aux uns et aux autres des balises pour poursuivre la route.

Le cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard a également évoqué la mise en pratique de ce motu proprio, demandé par le Pape pour le 14 septembre prochain. Ce délai donne la possibilité aux évêques de réfléchir, avec les prêtres de leur diocèse, à l’application de ce texte. Sans nier les difficultés possibles, le président de la Conférence des évêques de France a appelé à rentrer dans les motivations profondes du Pape – sa passion pour la communion. Le cardinal Ricard a également indiqué que Benoît XVI demandait qu’un point soit fait dans trois ans pour évoquer les fruits positifs de ce dispositif, les difficultés qui n’auront pu être résolues ou les questions nouvelles qui se seront posées.