LETTERS OF CREDENCE OF NEW GERMAN AMBASSADOR

VATICAN CITY, 7 NOV 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican the Holy Father received the Letters of Credence of Reinhard Schweppe, the new German ambassador to the Holy See. In his remarks to the diplomat he recalled his own recent visit to the country of his birth which, he said, provided an opportunity "to reflect upon the service the Catholic Church and the Holy See can make in a pluralistic society".

"Many of our contemporaries see the influence of Christianity, and of other religions as a way of imposing a specific culture and lifestyle upon society", the Pope observed. "This view is not incorrect, but it is not a complete understanding of the Catholic Church, ... which has not only formed different kinds of cultural community in different countries, but has herself been moulded by the traditions of individual nations".

"The Church is aware - thanks to her faith - that she knows the truth about man, and thus that she is obliged to protect those values which are valid for mankind as such, over and above individual cultures", the Holy Father went on. "Fortunately, a fundamental part of shared human values became law in the German Constitution of 1949 and in the Declaration of Human Rights after World War II. ... Today, however, certain basic values of human life are again been put into question, values which defend the dignity man possesses simply by virtue of being a man. It is here that the Church sees she has a duty, over and above her faith, to defend truths and values that are under threat".

Pope Benedict went on: "We are not qualified to judge - to speak of one particularly important topic - whether an individual is 'already a person' or 'still a person'; even less so do we have the right to manipulate and, so to say, 'to create' man. Only a society which unconditionally respects and defends the dignity of each human being, from conception to natural end, can call itself a human society. ... If the Holy See enters into the field of lawmaking on fundamental questions that involve man's dignity - such as those that arise today concerning the prenatal existence of man - she does so not as a way of indirectly imposing her faith upon others, but of defending values which are evident to everyone because they concern the truth about human beings".

Benedict XVI then went on refer to gender discrimination against women, describing it as "a critical problem which, due to materialistic and hedonistic tendencies, seems to be on the increase, above all in the Western world". The Pope highlighted how "a relationship which fails to take account of the fact that man and woman have equal dignity represents a grave affront to humankind. The time has come to take an energetic stance against prostitution and the widespread availability of erotic and pornographic material, also on the Internet. The Holy See will ensure that the Catholic Church in Germany takes clear and decisive initiatives against this form of abuse".

In conclusion, the Pope thanked the German federal government and the governments of the Lander for supporting the Catholic Church "which enjoys excellent openings in Germany", both to announce the Gospel and to help people in need through her social and charitable institutions "the work of which, in the final analysis, is of benefit to all citizens".
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 7 NOV 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience:

- Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the United States of America.

- Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, apostolic nuncio to the Czech Republic.

- Archbishop Richard William Smith of Edmonton, Canada, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, Metropolitan Archbishop-elect Paul-Andre Durocher of Gatineau (currently bishop of Alexandria-Cornwall), vice president, and Msgr. Patrick Powers, secretary general.

- Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of Lviv of the Latins, Ukraine.

On Saturday 5 November he received in audience:

- Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

- Six prelates of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Henry Joseph Mansell of Hartford, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Peter Anthony Rosazza.

- Bishop Willìam Edward Lori of Bridgeport.

- Bishop Michael Richard Cote of Norwich.

- Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Providence, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Robert C. Evans.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 7 NOV 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Darwin Rudy Andino Ramirez C.R.S., auxiliary of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, as bishop of Santa Rosa de Copan (area 17,360, population 1,289,000, Catholics 1,160,000, priests 60, religious 63), Honduras. He succeeds Bishop Luis Alfonso Santos Villeda S.D.B., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
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ANGELUS: LEARNING TO LIVE AND DIE IN HOPE

VATICAN CITY, 6 NOV 2011 (VIS) - At midday today the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus with pilgrims and faithful gathered below in St. Peter's Square. Before the Marian prayer, Benedict XVI made some brief comments on the readings from today's liturgy which, he said, "invite us to continue the reflections on eternal life we began with the commemoration of All Souls Day. On this question there is a clear difference between those who believe and those who do not believe or, we could say, between those who hope and those who do not".

"St. Paul reminded the Christians of Ephesus that, before they accepted the Good News, they had had 'no hope' and had been 'without God in the world'. The religion of the Greeks, the pagan cults and myths were unable to throw light on the mystery of death. Indeed, one ancient inscription read: 'How quickly we fall back from nothing to nothing'. If we eliminate God, if we eliminate Christ, the world falls into emptiness and darkness. This also emerges in contemporary forms of nihilism by which, alas, young people are so often unknowingly affected".

The Pope also referred to the reading from the Gospel of St. Matthew, "the famous parable of the ten bridesmaids invited to a wedding banquet, symbol of the kingdom of heaven, of eternal life", he said. "Of the ten, five entered the banquet because, when the bridegroom arrived, they had oil to light their lamps, while the other five could not enter because they had foolishly failed to bring oil with them. What does this 'oil' represent?" the Holy Father asked. "St. Augustine and other ancient writers saw it as a symbol of love: a love which we cannot buy but receive as a gift, which we keep in our hearts and practise in good works. True wisdom is to take advantage of mortal life to do works of mercy, because this will not be possible after death. When we reawaken for the final judgement, we will be assessed on the basis of the love we have shown during our earthly lives. This love is a gift of Christ, poured upon us by the Holy Spirit. Those who believe in God-Love carry an invincible hope, like a lamp with which to cross the night after death and to reach the great feast of life".

In conclusion, the Pope invited the faithful to learn from the Virgin Mary "to live and die in the hope that does not disappoint".
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APPEAL FOR AN END TO VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA

VATICAN CITY, 6 NOV 2011 (VIS) - After praying the Angelus this morning, the Pope expressed his concern at recent tragic events in Nigeria. He gave assurances of his prayers for the victims, at the same time launching an appeal "to end all violence, which does not resolve problems but accentuates them by sowing hatred and discord, also among believers".

Speaking then in Spanish and referring to this morning's liturgy he said: "The meeting with God cannot be improvised, it is something that must last our whole lives long. God is found by those who seek Him. I would also like to recall here that a year ago tomorrow, I had the joy of consecrating the basilica of the 'Sagrada Familia' in Barcelona, admirable compendium of technology, beauty and faith designed by that architectural genius, Servant of God Antonio Gaudi".

"My thoughts today cannot but go to the city of Genoa, Italy, which has been seriously affected by floods. I give assurances of my prayers for the victims, their families and for everyone who has suffered serious damage. May the Madonna della Guardia support the dear people of Genoa as together they seek to overcome this trial".
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