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Friday, November 5, 2010

CONSECRATED LIFE IS OF BENEFIT TO THE WHOLE CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, 5 NOV 2010 (VIS) - At midday today in the Vatican the Holy Father received prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Region south 2), who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.

  Speaking of consecrated people, the Pope suggested that "they 'can be compared to a plant with many branches which sinks its roots into the Gospel and brings forth abundant fruit in every season of the Church's life'. Because charity is the first fruit of the Holy Spirit and the greatest of all the charisms", he said, "a religious community enriches the Church (of which it is a living part), first and foremost through love: loving its particular Church, enriching her with its own charism and opening her to a more universal dimension".

  Referring then to the problem of "the diminishing numbers and increasing age of the members of many religious institutes, which is evident in some parts of the world", the Pope noted that "some people are asking themselves whether consecrated life continues to be a proposal capable of attracting young men and women".

  Yet consecrated life, he went on to explain, "has its origins in the Lord Himself, Who chose a lifestyle of chastity, poverty and obedience. For this reason, it can never disappear or die in the Church for it was decided by Jesus Himself as an irremovable part of His Church. Hence the call to a general commitment to vocational pastoral care. If consecrated life is of benefit to the whole Church, something that concerns us all, then pastoral care that seeks to promote vocations to the consecrated life must also be a duty felt by all: bishops, priests, religious and lay people".

  "As the Conciliar Decree 'Perfectae caritatis' says, 'adaptation and renewal depend greatly on the education of religious'. This affirmation is vital for all forms of consecrated life. The formative capacity of a religious institute, both in its initial stage and in later phases, is fundamental for any process of renewal".

  Benedict XVI concluded by asking the bishops to transmit "the Pope's heartfelt gratitude to consecrated people, telling them that he prays for them, and that he particularly recalls the elderly and sick, and those going through moments of crisis, solitude, suffering or confusion, as well as the young who today knock at their doors and ask to be allowed to commit themselves to Jesus Christ through radical dedication to the Gospel".
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CELEBRATIONS TO BE PRESIDED BY THE POPE NOVEMBER - JANUARY

VATICAN CITY, 5 NOV 2010 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today published the calendar of celebrations to be presided over by the Holy Father between the end of November 2010 and January 2011:

NOVEMBER

 - Saturday 20: At 10.30 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of new cardinals.

 - Sunday 21: Thirty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time and Solemnity of Christ the King, at 9.30 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Mass and conferral of cardinals' rings.

 - Saturday 27: At 6 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, First Vespers for the first Sunday of Advent.

DECEMBER

 - Wednesday 8: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At 4 p.m. in Rome's Piazza di Spagna, homage to Mary Immaculate.

 - Sunday 12: Third Sunday of Advent, pastoral visit to the Roman parish of St. Maximilian Kolbe. At 9 a.m., celebration of the Eucharist.

 - Thursday 16: At 6 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Vespers with students of Roman universities.

 - Friday 24: Vigil of the Solemnity of the Birth of Our Lord. At 10 p.m., Mass in the Vatican Basilica.

 - Saturday 25: Solemnity of the Birth of Our Lord. At midday from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica, "Urbi et Orbi" blessing.

 - Friday 31: At 6 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, First Vespers and "Te Deum" of thanksgiving for the past year.

JANUARY 2011

 - Saturday 1: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and forty-fourth World Day of Peace. Mass in the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m.

 - Thursday 6: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. Mass in the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m.

 - Sunday 9: Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. Mass in the Sistine Chapel at 10 a.m., conferment of the Sacrament of Baptism upon a number of children.

 - Tuesday 25: Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. At 5.30 p.m. in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, celebration of Vespers.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 5 NOV 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences twelve prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Archbishop Moacyr Jose Vitti C.S.S. of Curitiba, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Joao Carlos Seneme C.S.S. and Rafael Biernaski.

    - Bishop Antonio Wagner da Silva S.C.I. of Guarapuava, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Giovanni Zerbini S.D.B.

    - Bishop Joao Alves dos Santos O.F.M. Cap. of Paranagua.

    - Bishop Sergio Arthur Braschi of Ponta Grossa.

    - Bishop Ladislau Biernaski C.M. of Sao Jose dos Pinhais.

    - Bishop Joao Bosco Barbosa de Sousa O.F.M. of Uniao da Vitoria.

    - Archbishop Orlando Brandes of Londrina.

    - Bishop Celso Antonio Marchiori of Apucarana.

    - Bishop Getulio Teixeira Guimaraes S.V.D. of Cornelio Procopio.
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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, 5 NOV 2010 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

 - Bishop Francisco Batistela C.SS.R., emeritus of Bom Jesus da Lapa, Brazil, on 20 October at the age of 79.

 - Bishop Jesus Mateo Calderon Barrueto O.P., emeritus of Puno, Peru, on 28 October at the age of 90.

 - Bishop Aldo Lazzarin Stella O.S.A., former apostolic vicar of Aysen, Chile, on 16 October at the age of 83.

 - Bishop Emmanuel Le Phong Thuan of Can Tho, Vietnam, on 17 October at the age of 79.
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NOTICE

VATICAN CITY, 5 NOV 2010 (VIS) - The Vatican Information Service will transmit special bulletins on Saturday 6 November and on Sunday 7 November, for the occasion of the Pope's apostolic trip to Spain.
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