VATICAN CITY, 29 OCT 2010 (VIS) - For the occasion of Benedict XVI's apostolic trip to the Spanish cities of Santiago de Compostela and Barcelona, due to take place on 6 and 7 November, statistics have been published concerning the Catholic Church in that country. The information, updated to 31 December 2009, comes from the Central Statistical Office of the Church.
Spain has a surface area of 505,992 square kilometres and a population of 45,929,000 of whom 42,470,000 (92.5 percent) are Catholic. There are 70 ecclesiastical circumscriptions and 22,674 parishes. Currently there are 124 bishops, 24,849 priests, 54,599 religious, 2,786 lay members of secular institutes and 101,261 catechists. Minor seminarians number 1,943 and major seminarians 1,963.
A total of 1,596,429 students attend 5,585 centres of Catholic education, from kindergartens to universities. Other institutions belonging to the Church or run by priests or religious in Spain include 93 hospitals, 72 clinics, 788 homes for the elderly or disabled, 435 orphanages and nurseries, 301 family counselling centres and other pro-life centres, 3,036 centres for education and social rehabilitation, and 400 institutions of other kinds.
OP/ VIS 20101029 (190)
Friday, October 29, 2010
BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR NOVEMBER
VATICAN CITY, 29 OCT 2010 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for November is: "That victims of drugs or of other dependence may, thanks to the support of the Christian community, find in the power of our saving God strength for a radical life-change".
His mission intention is: "That the Churches of Latin America may move ahead with the continent-wide mission proposed by their bishops, making it part of the universal missionary task of the People of God".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/ VIS 20101029 (90)
His mission intention is: "That the Churches of Latin America may move ahead with the continent-wide mission proposed by their bishops, making it part of the universal missionary task of the People of God".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/ VIS 20101029 (90)
AUDIENCES
VATICAN CITY, 29 OCT 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Archbishop Giovanni d'Aniello, apostolic nuncio to Thailand and Cambodia, and apostolic delegate to Myanmar and Laos.
- Eight prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Jose Belisario da Silva O.F.M. of Sao Luis de Maranhao.
- Bishop Armando Martin Gutierrez of Bacabal F.A.M., accompanied by Bishop emeritus Henrique Johanpotter O.F.M.
- Bishop Enemesio Angelo Lazzaris F.D.P. of Balsas.
- Bishop Jose Valdeci Santos Mendes of Brejo.
- Bishop Jose Soares Filho O.F.M. Cap. of Carolina.
- Bishop Vilson Basso S.C.J. of Caxias do Maranhao, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Luis D'Andrea O.F.M. Conv.
- Participants in a congress promoted by the "Romano Guardini" Foundation of Berlin, Germany.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in separate audiences seven prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Sebastiao Bandeira Coelho, coadjutor of Coroata.
- Bishop Franco Cuter O.F.M. Cap. of Grajau, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Serafino Faustino Spreafico O.F.M. Cap.
- Bishop Gilberto Pastana de Oliveira of Imperatriz.
- Bishop Ricardo Pedro Paglia M.S.C. of Pinheiro.
- Bishop Xavier Gilles de Maupeou d'Ableiges, emeritus of Viana.
- Bishop Carlos Ellena of Ze Doca.
AP:AL/ VIS 20101029 (220)
- Archbishop Giovanni d'Aniello, apostolic nuncio to Thailand and Cambodia, and apostolic delegate to Myanmar and Laos.
- Eight prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Jose Belisario da Silva O.F.M. of Sao Luis de Maranhao.
- Bishop Armando Martin Gutierrez of Bacabal F.A.M., accompanied by Bishop emeritus Henrique Johanpotter O.F.M.
- Bishop Enemesio Angelo Lazzaris F.D.P. of Balsas.
- Bishop Jose Valdeci Santos Mendes of Brejo.
- Bishop Jose Soares Filho O.F.M. Cap. of Carolina.
- Bishop Vilson Basso S.C.J. of Caxias do Maranhao, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Luis D'Andrea O.F.M. Conv.
- Participants in a congress promoted by the "Romano Guardini" Foundation of Berlin, Germany.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in separate audiences seven prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Sebastiao Bandeira Coelho, coadjutor of Coroata.
- Bishop Franco Cuter O.F.M. Cap. of Grajau, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Serafino Faustino Spreafico O.F.M. Cap.
- Bishop Gilberto Pastana de Oliveira of Imperatriz.
- Bishop Ricardo Pedro Paglia M.S.C. of Pinheiro.
- Bishop Xavier Gilles de Maupeou d'Ableiges, emeritus of Viana.
- Bishop Carlos Ellena of Ze Doca.
AP:AL/ VIS 20101029 (220)
NOTICE
VATICAN CITY, 29 OCT 2010 (VIS) - We would like to remind our readers that there will be no VIS bulletin on Monday 1 November or Tuesday 2 November, respectively All Saints Day and All Souls Day, and holidays in the Vatican. Service will resume on Wednesday 3 November.
.../ VIS 20101029 (50)
.../ VIS 20101029 (50)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
BRAZIL: CHURCH TEACHES MAN HIS DIGNITY AS CHILD OF GOD
VATICAN CITY, 28 OCT 2010 (VIS) - Prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Northeast region 5) who have just complete their five-yearly "ad limina" visit were received this morning by the Holy Father.
"I wish to speak to you today", the Pope told them, "about how the Church's mission to serve as the leavening of human society through the Gospel teaches human beings their dignity as children of God, and their vocation to the unity of all mankind, whence derive the need for justice and social peace in accordance with divine wisdom".
"First, the duty of direct action to ensure a just ordering of society falls to the lay faithful who, as free and responsible citizens, strive to contribute to the just configuration of social life, while respecting legitimate autonomy and natural moral law", the Holy Father explained. "Your duty as bishops, together with your clergy, is indirect because you must contribute to the purification of reason, and to the moral awakening of the forces necessary to build a just and fraternal society. Nonetheless, when required by the fundamental rights of the person or the salvation of souls, pastors have the binding duty to emit moral judgments, even on political themes".
"When forming these judgements, pastors must bear in mind the absolute value of those ... precepts which make it morally unacceptable to chose a particular action which is intrinsically evil and incompatible with human dignity. This decision cannot be justified by the merit of some specific goal, intention, consequence or circumstance, Thus it would be completely false and illusory to defend, political, economic or social rights which do not comprehend a vigorous defence of the right to life from conception to natural end. When it comes to defending the weakest, who is more defenceless than an unborn child or a patient in a vegetative or comatose state?"
"When political projects openly or covertly contemplate the depenalisation of abortion or euthanasia, the democratic ideal (which is truly democratic when it recognises and protects the dignity of all human beings) is betrayed at its very foundations. For this reason, dear brothers in the episcopate, when defending life we must not fear hostility or unpopularity, rejecting all compromise and ambiguity which would conform us to the mentality of this world".
In order to help lay people live their Christian, social and political commitments in a unified and coherent fashion it is necessary, said the Holy Father, to ensure appropriate "social catechesis and an adequate formulation of Church Social Doctrine. ... This also means that on some occasions, pastors must reminds all citizens of the right, which is also a duty, freely to use their vote to promote the common good".
"At this point politics and faith come together", he went on. "The specific nature of faith certainly lies in the meeting with the living God, Who opens new horizons far beyond the sphere of reason. ... Only by respecting, promoting and indefatigably teaching the transcendent nature of the human being can a just society be built. ... 'God has a place in the public realm, specifically in regard to its cultural, social, economic, and particularly its political dimensions'", said the Holy Father quoting his Encyclical "Caritas in veritate".
Benedict XVI concluded his discourse by joining the Brazilian bishops' appeal for religious education and, "more specifically, for the pluralistic and confessional education of religion in State schools". He also indicated that "the presence of religious symbols in public life is both a recollection of man's transcendence and a guarantee of its respect. They have particular value in the case of Brazil where the Catholic religion is a component part of the country's history".
AL/ VIS 20101028 (630)
"I wish to speak to you today", the Pope told them, "about how the Church's mission to serve as the leavening of human society through the Gospel teaches human beings their dignity as children of God, and their vocation to the unity of all mankind, whence derive the need for justice and social peace in accordance with divine wisdom".
"First, the duty of direct action to ensure a just ordering of society falls to the lay faithful who, as free and responsible citizens, strive to contribute to the just configuration of social life, while respecting legitimate autonomy and natural moral law", the Holy Father explained. "Your duty as bishops, together with your clergy, is indirect because you must contribute to the purification of reason, and to the moral awakening of the forces necessary to build a just and fraternal society. Nonetheless, when required by the fundamental rights of the person or the salvation of souls, pastors have the binding duty to emit moral judgments, even on political themes".
"When forming these judgements, pastors must bear in mind the absolute value of those ... precepts which make it morally unacceptable to chose a particular action which is intrinsically evil and incompatible with human dignity. This decision cannot be justified by the merit of some specific goal, intention, consequence or circumstance, Thus it would be completely false and illusory to defend, political, economic or social rights which do not comprehend a vigorous defence of the right to life from conception to natural end. When it comes to defending the weakest, who is more defenceless than an unborn child or a patient in a vegetative or comatose state?"
"When political projects openly or covertly contemplate the depenalisation of abortion or euthanasia, the democratic ideal (which is truly democratic when it recognises and protects the dignity of all human beings) is betrayed at its very foundations. For this reason, dear brothers in the episcopate, when defending life we must not fear hostility or unpopularity, rejecting all compromise and ambiguity which would conform us to the mentality of this world".
In order to help lay people live their Christian, social and political commitments in a unified and coherent fashion it is necessary, said the Holy Father, to ensure appropriate "social catechesis and an adequate formulation of Church Social Doctrine. ... This also means that on some occasions, pastors must reminds all citizens of the right, which is also a duty, freely to use their vote to promote the common good".
"At this point politics and faith come together", he went on. "The specific nature of faith certainly lies in the meeting with the living God, Who opens new horizons far beyond the sphere of reason. ... Only by respecting, promoting and indefatigably teaching the transcendent nature of the human being can a just society be built. ... 'God has a place in the public realm, specifically in regard to its cultural, social, economic, and particularly its political dimensions'", said the Holy Father quoting his Encyclical "Caritas in veritate".
Benedict XVI concluded his discourse by joining the Brazilian bishops' appeal for religious education and, "more specifically, for the pluralistic and confessional education of religion in State schools". He also indicated that "the presence of religious symbols in public life is both a recollection of man's transcendence and a guarantee of its respect. They have particular value in the case of Brazil where the Catholic religion is a component part of the country's history".
AL/ VIS 20101028 (630)
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