WHITE HOUSE, VATICAN STATEMENTS ON BIDEN-CARDINAL ZUPPI MEETING

WHITE HOUSE, VATICAN STATEMENTS ON BIDEN-CARDINAL ZUPPI MEETING

(White House, July 18, 2023) –  “President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference.  President Biden shared his wishes for Pope Francis’s continued ministry and global leadership and welcomed the recent nomination of a U.S. archbishop as cardinal.  They also discussed the Holy See’s efforts providing humanitarian aid to address the widespread suffering caused by Russia’s continuing aggression in Ukraine, as well as the Vatican’s advocacy for the return of forcibly deported Ukrainian children.”

(Vatican News, July 19, 2023) – Vatican News added, “they went on to discuss the Vatican’s “advocacy” for the return of the estimated 19,000 Ukrainian children who have been brought to Russia since the renewed invasion on 24 February 2022.

Cardinal Zuppi travelled to Washington on 17 July, along with an official from the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, and his visit is due to conclude on Wednesday.

Vatican file photo Cardinal Zuppi –

Ahead of his meeting with President Biden, the cardinal met on Capitol Hill with several members of the US Congress.

The Holy See Press Office had announced on Monday that Cardinal Zuppi would visit Washington to “promote peace in Ukraine”.

His mission, according to a press statement, “seeks to facilitate the exchange of ideas and opinions regarding the current tragic situation, as well as to provide support for humanitarian initiatives aimed at alleviating the suffering of the most vulnerable people, particularly children.”

Nuncio’s comment on Zuppi’s mission
Speaking on Tuesday to several Italian media outlets, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States said Cardinal Zuppi’s mission is to “open a dialogue: to listen and be listened to.”

Cardinal-elect Christophe Pierre said Pope Francis hopes to “contribute to peace, and more specifically to find inroads on humanitarian grounds, particularly with regard to children.”

“The idea is to consider peace, amid the complicated context,” he said. “The Cardinal is very realistic, and we try to do what we can.”  https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-07/cardinal-matteo-zuppi-us-president-biden-ukraine.html

 

BIDEN TO RECEIVE CARDINAL ZUPPI AT WHITE HOUSE TODAY – POPE FRANCIS TO WELCOME NEW PERSONAL SECRETARY – POPE FRANCIS CONFIRMS EPISCOPAL NOMINATION MADE BY CHINESE AUTHORITIES

BIDEN TO RECEIVE CARDINAL ZUPPI AT WHITE HOUSE TODAY

President Biden will welcome Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, to the White House on July 18. Cardinal Zuppi is travelling to Washington at the request of Pope Francis. President Biden and Cardinal Zuppi will discuss the widespread suffering caused by Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine. They will also discuss efforts by the United States and Holy See to provide humanitarian aid to those affected, and the Papal See’s focus on repatriating Ukrainian children forcibly deported by Russian officials.  https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/07/17/statement-from-white-house-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-on-the-visit-of-cardinal-zuppi/

The Vatican published this yesterday: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-07/pope-francis-sends-cardinal-zuppi-usa-peace-mission-ukraine.html

POPE FRANCIS TO WELCOME NEW PERSONAL SECRETARY

This morning, Msgr. Jorge García Cuerva, the new Archbishop of Buenos Aires, announced that Fr. Daniel Pellizon, a priest of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, has been summoned by Pope Francis to be his personal secretary.

“I share with joy that Father Daniel Pellizon, priest of this Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, has been summoned by Pope Francis to be his personal secretary, replacing Father Gonzalo Aemilius. At the beginning of August he will travel to Rome to begin the task entrusted to him. We pray for him in this new mission entrusted to the service of the Church.

Father Daniel Pellizon was born in this City of Buenos Aires on January 24, 1983. In 2011 and 2012 he collaborated with the then archbishop in the organization of his personal archive. He was ordained a priest on November 3, 2018. He developed his ministerial life first as a deacon and then as parochial vicar for five years accompanying pilgrims at the San Cayetano de Liniers Shrine. Last March he was assigned as vicar to the Parish of Our Lady of Mercy to date.

Pbro. Daniel Pellizon nuevo secretario personal del Papa Francisco

POPE FRANCIS CONFIRMS EPISCOPAL NOMINATION MADE BY CHINESE AUTHORITIES

The weekend here was a scorcher in several ways, one being the extremely high temperatures in Italy, triple-digit, historically high temps in some areas that are supposed to remain throughout the week.

The other was the hot-off-the-press Vatican announcement that Pope Francis, once again, made a stunning appointment on what should have been a quiet July weekend of his staycation at the Vatican. In fact, he approved the appointment of Bishop Joseph Shen Bin of Shanghai who, 3 months ago, was installed by Chinese communist authorities without the Vatican’s approval.

Many saw this as the Holy Father giving in to Chinese authorities.

What’s at stake here is the Provisional Agreement signed in September 2018 by the Holy See and China –  ratified in 2020 and 2022 – that regulates appointments and transfers of bishops in country.

That Agreement has never been made public. In fact, it has been routinely criticized over the years for, among other things, its lopsided character that so far has seemed to favor the Chinese.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, in a highly unusual explanatory note in Vatican media Saturday, said Pope Francis wanted to “remedy the canonical irregularity created in Shanghai, in view of the greater good of the diocese and the fruitful exercise of the bishop’s pastoral ministry….(His) “intention is fundamentally pastoral” and will allow the bishop to “work with greater serenity to promote evangelization and foster ecclesial communion.”

Bishop Shen’s installation in April by the CCP was in direct violation of the Holy See’s provisional agreement with Beijing on the appointment of bishops and the second such unauthorized appointment in the past year.

However, Cardinal Parolin did chide China when he said, it is “indispensable,” then, “that all episcopal appointments in China, including transfers, be made by consensus, as agreed, and to keep alive the spirit of dialogue between the Parties. Together we must prevent disharmonious situations that create disagreements and misunderstandings.”

The Catholic Herald had a headline that very neatly expresses the misgivings over the Holy See-China Provisional Agreement: “Just how much faith should Rome place in a deal which China routinely flouts?”

 

NEWS BRIEFS: THE VATICAN, UKRAINE AND RUSSIA – ST. MARY MACKILLOP’S APOSTOLIC ZEAL WITH AUSTRALIA’S ABORGINES – ARE THE WORLD’S DIOCESES TO FOLLOW THE VATICAN CURIA RENEWAL?

NEWS BRIEFS: THE VATICAN, UKRAINE AND RUSSIA

Ukraine: According to the director of the Holy See Press Office, a delegation of wives of Ukrainian diplomats is in Rome and attended the Pope’s general audience this morning where they met the pontiff, together with the Ukrainian ambassador to the Holy See. They will be present tomorrow at the papal Mass for the feast of St. Peter and Paul, Apostles.

Russia: ANSA news agency and Italian journalists in Moscow to cover the visit of the papal envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, report that the cardinal’s agenda is top secret. A report this morning from a RAI TV correspondent at 11 am Moscow time said Cardinal Zuppi had just returned to the nunciature where he is staying. He was out several hours but nothing has been said of where he was, whom he saw, etc. “Mouths are sewed shut,” wrote the journalist. The Kremlin spokesperson Peskov did confirm that a meeting was scheduled between the cardinal and Putin’s foreign policy advisor Ushakov. Cardinal Zuppi will say Mass in Moscow’s cathedral tomorrow night at 7, Moscow time, for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. No word at all on whether the cardinal will meet or not with Orthodox Patriarch Kirill

MARY MACKILLOP’S APOSTOLIC ZEAL WITH AUSTRALIA’S ABORGINES

At the Wednesday general audience, his first since June 7 and the last before the July summer break, Pope Francis reflected on the apostolic zeal of St. Mary MacKillop, praising her desire to bring Christ and good education to the aboriginal peoples of rural Australia. She founded the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Born near Melbourne to Scottish immigrants to Australia, Mary felt called from a young age to serve God in a special way.

Pope Francis said Mary MacKillop believed she was sent “to spread the Good News and invite others to encounter the living Christ.”

She read the signs of her times, he said, and felt drawn to found several schools to spread the Gospel through Catholic education.

“One essential characteristic of her zeal for the Gospel,” he said, “was her desire to care for the poor and marginalized. This pushed her to go where others refused or were unable to go.”

The Pope highlighted her belief that education should promote “the integral development of the person both as an individual and as a member of the community, which requires wisdom, patience, and charity on the part of every teacher.”

“Education consists not in filling heads with ideas,” he said, “but is about accompanying and encouraging students along their path of human and spiritual growth, showing them how friendship with the Risen Jesus opens their hearts and makes their lives more human.”

Pope Francis praised this insight as relevant to our own times, as shown in his own calls for a Global Compact on Education to unite families, schools, and societies. For a ton of great photos, click here: General Audience – Activities of the Holy Father Pope Francis | Vatican.va

ARE THE WORLD’S DIOCESES TO FOLLOW THE VATICAN CURIA RENEWAL?

The following communique was released last evening just before 7 pm by the Vatican press office. As I read it, I began to wonder if the second paragraph was alerting the world’s bishops that the renewal of the Roman Curia, as seen in Apostolic Constitution Praedicate evangelium, was now coming to a diocese near them! The key word seems to be “implement.” I could be reading too much into this but am going to see if, indeed, there is a deeper meaning to Cardinal Ghirlanda’s words.

“The Council of Cardinals met on 26 and 27 June. Together with the Holy Father, all the Cardinals who are part of it and the Secretary of the Council participated.

“During the session, with the collaboration of Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda, the first steps were taken in reflecting on how to implement the spirit, principles and criteria of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate evangelium in diocesan curias.

“The theme of synodality was the subject of discussion, with reference to the ongoing Synod, with an update on the passages of recent months brought by Cardinal Mario Grech, in view of the October Assembly.

“Cardinal O’Malley briefed on the recent Plenary of the Commission for the Protection of Minors in May and the work of the Commission to update regulations and practices throughout the Church so that child protection mechanisms are effective in each diocese.

“The ongoing conflict in Ukraine was the subject of reflection.

“The next session will be in December of this year.”

POPE FRANCIS TO TAKE SUMMER BREAK AS OF JULY 1 – POPE FRANCIS IS SENDING CARDINAL MATTEO ZUPPI AS HIS ENVOY TO MOSCOW – CARDINAL KRAJEWSKI VISITS UKRAINE ON “EVANGELICAL EXPEDITION” – POPE ACCEPTS RESIGNATION OF BISHOP STIKA OF KNOXVILLE

POPE FRANCIS TO TAKE SUMMER BREAK AS OF JULY 1

In keeping with custom during the summer season, all of Pope Francis’ audiences – including the general audiences and those with particular groups – will be temporarily suspended throughout the month of July. This was announced today by the Prefecture of the Papal Household through a statement from the Holy See Press Office. Papal audiences will resume in August, with the first general audience scheduled for Wednesday, 9 August. Pope’s audiences temporarily suspended in July for summer break – Vatican News

POPE FRANCIS IS SENDING CARDINAL MATTEO ZUPPI AS HIS ENVOY TO MOSCOW

Cardinal Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, will embark on a visit June 28-29, 2023, that aims to strengthen “gestures of humanity that can contribute to promoting a solution to the current tragic situation and find paths toward a just peace.”

Accompanied by an official from the Secretariat of State, he will likely uphold Pope Francis desire for a resolution to the war on the European continent. The Pope has been a vocal advocate for peace, consistently calling on world leaders and individuals alike to work towards resolving conflict through peaceful means. He has made countless appeals for prayers for people suffering due to the war in Ukraine. Cardinal Zuppi visited Kyiv June 5-6 June, during which he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other high-level government officials. Cardinal Zuppi to visit Moscow as Pope Francis’ peace envoy – Vatican News

CARDINAL KRAJEWSKI VISITS UKRAINE ON “EVANGELICAL EXPEDITION”

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the Papal Almoner, is currently visiting the Ukrainian city of Kherson for his sixth mission to provide aid and solace to the war-torn country and its affected population. In recent weeks, the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson experienced the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam, resulting in the flooding of more than 80 villages and towns, the devastation of 20,000 hectares of farmland, and the spilling of over 150 tons of oil. Cardinal Krajewski arrived in Kherson, driving a truck laden with food supplies (mainly sourced from South Korea, including over 100,000 freeze-dried soups). He also brought with him vital medicines from the Vatican, Gemelli Hospital, and a solidarity fund based in Naples. (Vatican media)

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Departing from Rome on June 22, the Cardinal embarked on a journey of over 3,125 kilometers. “So many roads, so many kilometers,” he recounted. After spending Sunday night in the Ukrainian city of Odessa, Cardinal Krajewski visited Drohobyč on Monday, the area’s second-largest economic center located nearly 100 kilometers from Lviv. He toured a Greek Catholic humanitarian center that extends aid and refuge to those in need. The Cardinal then visited a local hospital, a center for alcoholics, and a children’s center, which now serves as a sanctuary for refugees during vacations. On Tuesday, Cardinal Krajewski traveled to Mikołajów, where he visited an active parish that remarkably remains open despite extensive Russian bombardment.  https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-06/cardinal-konrad-krajewski-ukraine-kherson-interview.html

POPE ACCEPTS RESIGNATION OF BISHOP STIKA OF KNOXVILLE

The Vatican announced today that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Richard Stika of the diocese of Knoxville. Bishop Stika also announced on his Facebook page that the Pope had accepted his resignation letter,  sent a month ago to the Holy Father. Stika turns 66 on July 4. Bishops rarely retire before the mandatory age of 75 unless a health issue intervenes. On a bishop’s 75^th birthday he is required by law to submit his resignation to the Pope. The diocese announced that Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville, will be the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Knoxville and serve until the appointment and installation of a new bishop.

Stika wrote on Facebook, “I recognize that questions about my leadership have played out publicly in recent months. I would be less than honest if I didn’t admit that some of this has weighed on me physically and emotionally. For these reasons, I asked the Holy Father for relief from my responsibilities as a diocesan bishop.

In recent years, in fact, Stika has led the diocese amid accusations of pastoral and governing mismanagement and, in particular, questions about protecting a former seminarian who had been accused of raping a diocesan employee. Lawsuits are pending in several cases.  The Vatican has been investigating the accusations against Stika and his management of the diocese.

He also spoke of many illnesses that had plagued him in recent years. He has been in Knoxville since 2009 but said on Facebook today that both he and Cardinal Justin Rigali, who has lived with him in Knoxville for 12 years, will be moving to St. Louis, the home diocese of both.