Pope Francis Friday addressed the Catholic Biblical Federation and, as I read his words I started laughing, not because of what the Holy Father said, of course, but because I remembered what Italian comedian Roberto Benigni once said about the Bible: He said it was the only book whose author, God, also created its readers!
VATICAN INSIDER SHARES TIME WITH D.VA, WOMEN IN THE VATICAN
My very special guest this weekend on Vatican Insider’s interview segment is also a longtime friend and a colleague when we both worked at Vatican Radio for many years – Tracey McClure. Tracey and a few others made some history not long ago by founding D.Va – Donne in Vaticano – Women in the Vatican – the first ever women’s association approved by the Vatican! Full disclosure: I am a member of D.VA (pronounced diva) and have participated in many activities but I wanted Tracey to give you the behind the scenes input.
This is Part II of our conversation. Part I aired on April 12. Part II was to have aired last weekend but was pre-empted by Triduum and Holy Week liturgies.
IN THE UNITED STATES, you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (stations listed at http://www.ewtn.com) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio, or on http://www.ewtn.com. OUTSIDE THE U.S., you can listen to EWTN radio on our website home page by clicking on the right side where you see “LISTEN TO EWTN.” VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. On the GB-IE feed (which is on SKY in the UK and Ireland), VI airs at 5:30am, 12 noon and 10pm CET on Sundays. Both of these feeds are also available on the EWTN app and on http://www.ewtnradio.net ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI archives: http://www.ewtn.com/multimedia/audio-library/index.asp (write Vatican Insider where it says Search Shows and Episodes)
POPE FRANCIS: BIBLE BRINGS GOD’S BREATH INTO THE WORLD
Pope Francis on Friday met with the Catholic Biblical Federation on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, and told his guests that the Bible is not a beautiful collection of sacred books to study, it is the Word of life to be proclaimed through the streets of the world.
In order to highlight the fruits of its 50 years of activity, the Catholic Biblical Federation has been holding an International Biblical-Pastoral Congress this week on the theme “Word and Life, Biblical Animation of the life and pastoral activity of the Church”.
The Pope dedicated his remarks to “Word and life,” and began by noting that, “the word of God is alive; it does not die or even age; it remains forever.” He said that, “The Word brings God’s breath into the world, it infuses the heart with the warmth of the Lord. All the academic contributions and volumes that are published are and cannot but be at the service of this.”
The Holy Father explained that, in the Church, “the Word is an irreplaceable injection of life. That is why homilies are fundamental. … Preaching, is not an exercise in rhetoric, nor is it a set of wise human notions. Instead, it is a sharing of the Spirit, of the divine Word that touches the heart of the preacher, who communicates that warmth, that anointing.”
Pope Francis expressed the hope that there would be “a new season of greater love for Sacred Scripture flourishing on the part of all the members of the People of God”, so that it would deepen our relationship with Jesus. The Word, he added, “gives life to each believer by teaching them to renounce themselves in order to announce Him.”
A Church that lives by listening to the Word, said Pope Francis, “is never satisfied with her own security. She is docile to the unpredictable novelty of the Spirit.”
In concluding remarks, Francis said he prayed the Bible would not remain in a library but would be proclaimed through the streets of the world where people await it. (source: vaticannews)
Joan's Rome 