PAV ON FRENCH ABORTION BILL: THERE CANNOT BE A ‘RIGHT’ TO TAKING A HUMAN LIFE

PAV ON FRENCH ABORTION BILL: THERE CANNOT BE A ‘RIGHT’ TO TAKING A HUMAN LIFE

The Pontifical Academy for Life issues a statement upholding French bishops’ opposition to the amendment that would make abortion a constitutional right.

By Vatican News

The Pontifical Academy for Life (PAV) has expressed its support to the French Church’s firm opposition against a constitutional amendment that would make France the first country to enshrine abortion as a constitutional right.

The proposed bill presented by President Emmanuel Macron’s government has been approved by both the National Assembly and the Senate, and is been discussed this afternoon in a joint session of Parliament for its expected final approval by a three-fifths majority.

In the era of universal human rights, there cannot be a ‘right’ to taking a human life

In a statement issued on Monday PAV echoed the stance put forward by the French Bishops’ Conference  (CEF) that  abortion, “which remains an attack on life” cannot be seen “exclusively from the perspective of women’s rights”, and joined the bishops in expressing regret that the  proposal “does not  mention support measures for those who would like to keep their child.”

The Pontifical Academy insisted that “in the era of universal human rights, there cannot be a ‘right’ to taking a human life.”

“All governments and religious traditions, they said, must “do their best so that at this stage in history, the protection of life becomes an absolute priority, with concrete steps in favor of peace and social justice and with effective measures for a universal access to resources, education and healthcare.”

Protecting the most vulnerable

“The particular life situations and difficult and dramatic contexts of our time must be addressed with the tools of a legal civilization that looks first of all to the protection of the weakest and most vulnerable,” PAV said.

“Protection of life, ought to be humanity’s “first objective,” and is something that can only develop in a world voice of conflict and with the fields of science, technology, and industry serving both “the human person and brotherhood.”

The defence of life is not an ideology

Citing Pope Francis, PAV said that for the Catholic Church, “the defence of life is not an ideology, it is a reality, a human reality that involves all Christians, precisely because they are Christian and because they are human.”

“It is about acting on the cultural and educative level to pass on to future generations the attitude of solidarity, of care, of welcome, knowing well that, the culture of life is not the exclusive heritage of Christians, but it belongs to all those who, working to build fraternal relations, recognize the value of every single person, even the fragile and suffering,” the statement said.

 

IN BRIEF

On this day in 1506, Pope Julius II laid the cornerstone for what would be the new St. Peter’s basilica. It was completed 120 years later.

The Motu proprio released yesterday on the voting age limit for bishops in Eastern Churches was the 62nd of Pope Francis’ pontificate.   Interestingly enough, Pope John Paul II, whose papacy lasted just under 27 years, issued only 30 motu proprio in that time (source: Motu Proprio | John Paul II (vatican.va)

IN BRIEF

POPE SETS EASTERN CHURCHES BISHOPS’ AGE LIMIT FOR VOTING AT SYNODS: In an Apostolic Letter issued in the form of a ‘Motu proprio’, Pope Francis amended the Canon Law of the Oriental Churches by providing that the bishops emeritus who have reached the age of 80 will no longer be able to vote in the Episcopal Synods of which they are members, though the rule does not apply to those who are already in office. The Pope’s decision meets a longstanding request made by “some Patriarchs, Major Archbishops and Bishops”, as reads the Latin title of the Motu proprio “Iam pridem” (“For some time now”). The text specifies that the new legislation, which will come into force in a month’s time, “will not apply to the Patriarchs, Major Archbishops, Eparchial Bishops and Exarchs” currently in office “despite them having reached the age of eighty.” (FULL TEXT: Pope sets Eastern Churches Bishops’ age limit for voting at Synods – Vatican News

POPE: 2024 OLYMPICS A CHANCE TO BEAR JOYFUL WITNESS TO CHRIST: As France prepares to host the 33rd Olympic Games in the summer of 2024, Pope Francis has sent a message to French Catholics to urge them to get involved in the sporting event. Paris hosts the Summer Olympics from July 26 to August 11, 2024, along with 16 other cities across metropolitan France and Tahiti, an island within French Polynesia. In his message, Pope Francis expressed his hopes that the Olympics may be “an occasion for profound and fruitful encounter between people from all walks of life, belonging to different peoples, cultures, and religions.”   The Pope said it should be a “joy to welcome the whole world” to France for the Games, as well as a “responsibility.” FULL STORY: Pope: 2024 Olympics a chance to bear joyful witness to Christ – Vatican News

 

POPE MODIFIES INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF CDF – THE FEMALE GENIUS INSPIRING THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD IN DIFFICULT TIMES – TRIAL OF JIHADIST MURDER OF FR. JACQUES HAMEL STARTS

POPE MODIFIES INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF CDF

By means of a motu proprio entitled Fidem servare (“preserving the faith”; cf. 2 Tim. 4:7), Pope Francis has modified the internal structure of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) by establishing two distinct sections, a doctrinal and a disciplinary section, each with their own secretary. Henceforth, the Cardinal prefect of the Dicastery will have two chief deputies. The aim of the reform is to give due importance to the doctrinal section and its fundamental role of the promotion of the faith, without diminishing the disciplinary activity, after decades in which a great deal of effort and human resources have been committed to examining abuse cases. With the new structure, each section, with its own secretary, will have greater authority and autonomy. Pope modifies CDF: Two sections with distinct secretaries – Vatican News

THE FEMALE GENIUS INSPIRING THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD IN DIFFICULT TIMES

An international inter-university congress in March shines the light on the relevance of Women Doctors of the Church and Patron Saints of Europe in today’s world.Therese of Lisieux, Hildegard of Bingen, Teresa of Ávila, Edith Stein, Bridget of Sweden and Catherine of Siena are just some of the women chosen, by the Church, to offer hope and inspiration in times of daunting challenges and fear. Upholding the relevance of their work and the testimonies provided by their lives, Catholic academics believe these remarkable figures can be seen as beacons of light and can provide much-needed hope and help restore momentum as humanity searches for the best way forward. Organized by the Pontifical Urbaniana University, the Institute for Advanced Studies on Women of the Pontifical University Regina Apostolorum, and the Catholic University of Avila, the congress scheduled for 7 and 8 March is entitled “Female Doctors of the Church and Patron Saints of Europe in Dialogue with Today’s World”. The female genius inspiring the Church and the world in difficult times – Vatican News

Hildegard of Bingen

TRIAL OF JIHADIST MURDER OF FR. JACQUES HAMEL STARTS

As the trial against four alleged accomplices in the heinous assassination of Father Jacques Hamel began in Paris on Monday, the Archbishop of Rouen, Dominique Lebrun, says he hopes that it will shed light on one of the most gruesome jihadist attacks that has occurred in France in recent years and that it will spur fraternal relations between Muslims and Christians in France. The 85-year-old French priest’s throat was slit with knife whilst he stood on the altar celebrating Mass on 26 July, 2016, at his church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, a suburb of Rouen in northwest France. Hamel’s murder came as the country was grappling with an unprecedented wave of jihadist terrorist attacks that began with the massacre at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris in January 2015 and which have claimed more than 250 lives. Trial over jihadist murder of Father Hamel begins in Paris – Vatican News

POPE FRANCIS ON FRENCH ABUSE REPORT: “TO YOU, LORD THE GLORY, TO US THE SHAME” – TRUE FREEDOM FLOWS FROM THE CROSS OF CHRIST – VATICAN TRIBUNAL ORDERS FURTHER INVESTIGATION IN FRAUD TRIAL – VATICAN ABUSE TRIAL: COURT CLEARS FORMER ALTAR BOY AND EX-YOUTH SEMINARY RECTOR OF CRIMES

There is such a quantity of important news today that I barely know where to start. There are reports about two trials being held in the Vatican as well as words spoken by Pope Francis at today’s general audience about a report from France on decades of sex abuse by clergy.

The general audience catechesis on St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians continued with a remarkable text on freedom, based on Paul’s writings, from the Holy Father. I’ll start with the general audience and work my way through the Vatican trials.

POPE FRANCIS ON FRENCH ABUSE REPORT: “TO YOU, LORD THE GLORY, TO US THE SHAME”

Following his weekly general audience catechesis on St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians and summaries in diverse languages given by monsignori who work in the Secretariat of State, Pope Francis, obviously feeling pain and sadness, spoke of the just-released report on sex abuse cases in the Church in France:

 “Yesterday, the French Bishops’ Conference and the Conference of French men and women religious received received the report from the independent commission on sexual abuse in the Church, charged with assessing the extent of the phenomenon of sexual assaults and violence against minors from 1950 onwards.  “Unfortunately,” lamented the Holy Father, “this resulted in considerable numbers. I wish to express to the victims my sadness and my pain for the traumas they have suffered and my shame, our shame, my shame, for the inability of the Church for so long to put them at the center of her concerns, assuring them of my prayers.

“And I pray – and we all pray together: ‘To you Lord the glory, to us the shame’: this is the moment of shame. I encourage the bishops and you, dear brothers who have come here to share this moment, I encourage the bishops and religious superiors to continue to make all efforts so that similar tragedies do not happen again. I express closeness and paternal support to the priests of France in the face of this trial, which is difficult but healthy, and I invite French Catholics to assume their responsibilities to ensure that the Church is a safe home for all. Thank you.”

TRUE FREEDOM FLOWS FROM THE CROSS OF CHRIST

Today’s general audience took place in a jam-packed Paul VI Hall, to the obvious delight of the many pilgrims and visitors present for the weekly gathering with the Holy Father. It was pouring rain outside but the hall was warm and sunny with miles and applause as Pope Francis continued his catechesis on St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (Vatican photo)

“We now consider the Apostle’s teaching on Christian freedom,” Francis began. “Freedom is a treasure that is truly appreciated only when it is lost. For many of us who are used to being free, it often appears to be an acquired right rather than a gift and a legacy to be preserved. How many misunderstandings there are around the topic of freedom, and how many different views have clashed over the centuries!”

“For Paul, that freedom is a gift, the fruit of our new life in Christ. Through baptism, we have been freed from our bondage to sin and freed for a life of generous love in obedience to the Gospel.”

“Above all,” the Holy Father emphasized, “St. Paul’s teaching about freedom is positive. The Apostle proposes the teaching of Jesus that we find in the Gospel of John as well: ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free’. Therefore, the call is above all to remain in Jesus, the source of truth who makes us free. Christian freedom, therefore, is founded on two fundamental pillars: first, the grace of the Lord Jesus; second, the truth that Christ reveals to us and which is He himself.”

Francis explained that, “The second pillar of freedom is the truth. In this case as well, it is necessary to remember that the truth of faith is not an abstract theory, but the reality of the living Christ, who touches the daily and overall meaning of personal life. How many people there are who have never studied, who do not even know how to read and write, but who have understood Christ’s message well, who have this freedom that makes them free.”

“The truth that Christ brings is in fact truthfulness about ourselves. Our journey along the path of Christian freedom is not easy, but guided and sustained by the love of the Crucified Lord, and by his liberating truth, we will find our ultimate fulfilment in accordance with God’s saving plan.”

VATICAN TRIBUNAL ORDERS FURTHER INVESTIGATION IN FRAUD TRIAL

A Vatican tribunal, which in July this year indicted 10 people, including Sardinian Cardinal Giovanni Becciu, of embezzlement, corruption, extortion, money laundering, fraud, and abuse of office, among the charges, today agreed with defense lawyers who, at a hearing on October 5 said the defendants had been deprived of their full rights and the trial should either end or re-start the investigations.

The tribunal today ordered prosecutors to turn over evidence that had not been heretofore seen by the accused, including a videotaped recording of a key witness, a monsignor who worked for the Secretariat of State whose statements led to a number of the indictments.

Only Cardinal Becciu of those indicted was present today among the magistrates and journalists in the courtroom.

At the October 5 hearing, the prosecutor basically admitted to procedural errors and, in a surprise move, instead of asking that the trial be declared null and void, admitted willingness to essentially start over by turning over the requested documents and video recordings.

The trial began on July 27.^.

At that first hearing, tribunal president Giuseppe Pignatone had ordered the consignment of all of Msgr. Alberto Perlasca’s recordings by August 10. However, the magistrates said that they would not comply with that order saying there was a risk that undue disclosure of the files audio and video that would have “irreparably compromised the right to privacy of people involved.”

Those recordings will now be turned over to the defense team. All remaining materials must be turned over by November 3 and the trial will resume on November 17.

A July 3, 2021 Vatican statement explained that, “The investigations, launched in July 2019 following a complaint by the Institute for the Works of Religion and the Office of the Auditor General, involved full collaboration between the Office of the Promoter and the Judicial Police Section of the Gendarmerie Corps. The investigations were also carried out in close and fruitful cooperation with the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rome and the Economic and Financial Police Unit – G.I.C.E.F. of the Guardia di Finanza of Rome. The cooperation of the Public Prosecutor’s Offices of Milan, Bari, Trento, Cagliari and Sassari and their respective judicial police sections was also appreciated.

“Elements also emerged against Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who is being prosecuted, pursuant to the law, for the crimes of embezzlement and abuse of office, also in collaboration, as well as subornation.”

Subornation is inducing someone to commit an unlawful act or to commit perjury.

In its summary of the tribunal statement today, L’Osservatore Romano wrote: “(tribunal president) Pignatone ordered the partial restitution of documents to the promoter of Justice for the defendants: Monsignor Mauro Carlino, for all the crimes ascribed; Enrico Crasso, for some crimes; Tommaso Di Ruzza, former rector of the Financial Information Authority (Aif), for some offenses; Raffaele Mincione, Nicola Squillace and Fabrizio Tirabassi for all crimes ascribed. For Cardinal Becciu, on the other hand, a new interrogation will be carried out limited to the offenses of subornation (an attempt to get retractions from Perlasca) and peculato (payments of amounts drawn from the funds of the Secretariat of State to the Spes Coop Social cooperative, represented legally by his brother Antonino).

This trial is the result of the investigations begun in 2019 concerning financial malfeasance linked to the purchase of a London property by the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. The purchase is reputed to have involved use of monies such as Peter’s Pence – intended only for papal charities – and that eventually led to enormous losses for the Vatican, including questionable fees paid to brokers for the various transactions.

VATICAN ABUSE TRIAL: COURT CLEARS FORMER ALTAR BOY AND EX-YOUTH SEMINARY RECTOR OF CRIMES

(CNA) – The Vatican tribunal cleared a priest who formerly served as a papal altar boy and the ex-rector of a Vatican-based youth seminary of crimes on Wednesday.

Defendant Fr. Gabriele Martinelli, 29, was acquitted of charges of violent sexual assault alleged to have taken place at the Pius X pre-seminary. The school’s former rector, 72-year-old Fr. Enrico Radice, was cleared of charges of cover-up.

The ruling came at the end of a year-long trial for alleged abuse at the Pius X pre-seminary, a residence in Vatican City for about a dozen boys aged 12 to 18 who serve at papal Masses and other liturgies in St. Peter’s Basilica and are considering the priesthood.

The Vatican announced in May that Pope Francis had decided to move the pre-seminary outside of Vatican City State beginning in September

At the last hearings on July 15-16, the Vatican’s prosecutor had asked judges to sentence Martinelli to eight years in prison, with a reduction to four years, and to sentence Radice to four years in jail.

Tribunal president Giuseppe Pignatone handed down the decision on Oct. 6. The court said that Martinelli could not be punished for crimes while he was a minor (in Vatican law, before his 16th birthday), clearing him of charges of abuse before Aug. 9, 2008.

For accusations of sexual violence from Aug. 9, 2008, to March 19, 2009 (the period before the alleged victim turned 16 years old and was no longer a legal minor), the court said the sexual acts “were proven in their materiality,” but lacked certainty that they were coerced.

In this case, the tribunal continued, the acts would constitute a different crime, “the corruption of minors,” but the statute of limitations had lapsed by four years when the lawsuit was filed in 2018.

The religious group Opera don Folci, which runs the pre-seminary and is overseen by the Diocese of Como, was a defendant in a civil suit regarding the abuse charges.

No decision in the civil suit was announced on Oct. 6.

Attorneys for the defendants, agreeing with the ruling on Oct. 6, said that “there were very many doubts” about whether the alleged crimes took place.

 

RELIGIOUS SISTERS WITH DOWN SYNDROME: THE JOY OF SHARED CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE

I just got back from Sorrento with my niece Christie and her husband Bryan and their four magnificent kids and wanted to be in touch today, after being unable to get to my computer yesterday. We really lucked out today as we had already decided to hire a car and driver to take us to Rome and that was before we knew there was a transportation strike in Italy today!

Our days down south included touring the Amalfi Coast (Positano, Amalfi and stupendous Ravello), visiting Capri over the weekend, and enjoying many other great pleasures this part of the world provides. One of my favorite pastimes is discovering new churches and visiting the ones I know well and love such as the Cathedral of Sts. Philip and James and Our Lady of Carmel. I now have a new favorite – Our Lady of Graces (more later, along with some photos).

I found some time to keep up with Vatican events and post some news when they went on a few excursions that I did not join. They went to Pompeii on Sunday and, as I had already been there a number of times and it was amazingly hot and humid, I stayed in Sorrento to relax and spend an afternoon on the computer for stories breaking over the weekend.

Monday morning they went to a place near Sorrento for snorkeling, swimming and a boat ride back to the Sorrento port and I used that time in Sorrento to research and write. It actually has been fairly quiet at the Vatican with the Holy Father in the last week of his working vacation in the Vatican. In fact, even the vaticannews.va web site has accumulated news and stories from around the Catholic world to write about in lieu of daily papal stories.

One of those stories is below. This is so wonderfully inspiring! IF you need some good news and need a smile, this will do it!

RELIGIOUS SISTERS WITH DOWN SYNDROME: THE JOY OF SHARED CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE

The Little Sisters Disciples of the Lamb live in the centre of France. They are the first contemplative community in the world to welcome into consecrated life people with Down Syndrome, or trisomy 21.

By Cyprien Viet (Vaticannews)

The community, which has a special devotion to Saint Benedict and Saint Theresa of Lisieux, first got the idea in the 1980’s. It started with a friendship. Line was on a spiritual search of her own and felt a calling to work with children. Véronique is a young woman with Down syndrome who felt a vocation to the consecrated life.

Line is now Mother Line, Superior of the Little Sisters Disciples of the Lamb (Petites Soeurs Disciples de l’Agneau). She explains: “I visited several communities that welcomed people with disabilities, but I saw they could not find their place in these communities because they were not suitable for them”. “It was the encounter with Véronique, a girl with Down syndrome that gave us the idea for a new beginning. I told myself I had to help her realize her vocation”.

Véronique wanted to respond to her vocation to serve the Lord, but was refused by all the communities she approached because she has Down syndrome. Canon Law and monastic rules do not provide for the admission of people with mental disabilities to religious life. It took Line and Véronique 14 years to get the statutes of this special community, with its own original style, recognized

Gradual recognition by the Church
Line and Véronique began their community of two in 1985 in a small apartment, a council house. Later, another girl with Down syndrome joined them. In 1990, they asked the future Cardinal and Archbishop of Tours, Jean Honoré (1920-2013), to recognize them as a public association of lay faithful. It was the support of Cardinal Honoré, who defended their case in Rome, which allowed this small community to be recognized.

In 1995, the growing number of “associates” obliged the Little Sisters to move. They settled in Le Blanc, a town of 6,500 inhabitants in the Diocese of Bourges. Pierre Plateau (1924-2018), Archbishop of this diocese in central France, welcomed them warmly. His intervention helped make further progress for them in Rome, with a view to obtaining the status of a contemplative religious institute. This they obtained in 1999.

“Plateau was really a father to our community”, says Mother Line, “he was very close to people with Down syndrome”. The sisters gradually developed the priory and the chapel and in 2011 obtained the definitive recognition of their statutes, thanks to the intervention of Archbishop Armand Maillard, who added his support to the community, considering it a source of life and joy in the area.

A community of life
There are currently 10 Little Sisters Disciples of the Lamb: eight of them have Down syndrome. The community hopes to welcome more sisters, as those with Down syndrome need assistance and support. Even though, according to Mother Line, they are mostly independent “because the contemplative life allows them to live at their own pace. For people with Down syndrome, changes are difficult, but when life is very regular they manage well,” she says.

That regular lifestyle unfolds in daily functions and tasks. Holy Mass is celebrated every Tuesday in the chapel, and the various activities include weaving and pottery workshops and, most recently, the creation of a garden of medicinal plants. Ultimately, this extraordinary vocation is expressed in the ordinary things of life, in the humility of service, following the “little path” revealed by Saint Teresa of Lisieux, whose spirituality is the source of their inspiration.

“34 years have passed since I heard the call of Jesus”, says Sr Véronique. “I have tried to know Jesus by reading the Bible and the Gospel. I was born with a disability called Down syndrome. I am happy. I love Life. I pray, but I am sad for the children with Down syndrome who will not feel this same joy of living. For those who felt called to live, like Saint Teresa, the vocation to love, the journey was long but her patience and her faith gave their fruits. Jesus made me grow in His love”.

After facing rejection by other communities, Sr Véronique describes experiencing her greatest joy on 20 June 2009 when she made her perpetual vows in the Institute of the Little Sisters Disciples of the Lamb, and became “the bride of Jesus”.

Let love unfold
“At a time when society lacks points of reference, no longer finding meaning in life or giving it value, our community wants to reaffirm the sacred character of life and the human person through the simple witness of our life consecrated to God”, say the Little Sisters.

The Little Sisters extend an open invitation to a period of discernment to all young women who feel “touched by the spirit of poverty and devotion, and who are ready to offer their lives serving Christ in the persons of their little sisters with Down syndrome”.

Young women with Down syndrome, who feel called to consecrated life, go through the same period of discerning their vocation. Mother Line explains how the Lord calls when we come to understand who we are, and what we want. “It is just like for any other vocation”, she says. They understand perfectly well if it is not authentic.

The gift of friendship with Jesus
Mother Line says she has discovered great spiritual strength in her sisters with Down syndrome. “They know the Bible, the lives of the saints, and they have a fabulous memory”, she says. “They are souls of prayer, they are very spiritual, very close to Jesus”.

Mother Line sees in their simplicity a prophetic sign for our time. “Their souls are not disabled! On the contrary, they are closer to the Lord, they communicate with Him more easily. The other sisters of the community admire their ability to forgive, to encourage their sisters by finding the right phrase from the Bible that helps give meaning to the day”.

In 2013, the community was shaken by the premature death of Sr Rose-Claire at the age of 26. Her sisters describe her as having an aura of holiness similar to that of Saint Teresa of Lisieux, whom she loved very much. Mother Line recounts the reaction of the Little Sisters with Down syndrome who embraced their sister’s passing with great serenity, placing everything under the gaze of God. “When I went to their room to talk to them the next morning, one of them told me: ‘It is the desire of Heaven’. Another encouraged me, saying: ‘We must be strong. We have faith’”.

To some, the experience of this community may seem unusual. To others, it responds to an anthropological challenge in a world obsessed with efficiency and productivity. A world in which there appears to be no place for people with Down syndrome. According to Mother Line, however, their capacity to love and to be close to the Lord produces surprising fruits. Theirs is a world to be discovered, she concludes. “They bring joy to society and, above all, they bring love to the world. A world that needs it so much”.

VINCENT LAMBERT, A MARTYR, VICTIM OF MEN’S MADNESS – NO REMAINS FOUND IN VATICAN CEMETERY TOMBS – EMANUELA ORLANDI: THE 36- YEAR- OLD MYSTERY CONTINUES

VINCENT LAMBERT, A MARTYR, VICTIM OF MEN’S MADNESS

The Vatican this morning released a statement on the death in France of Vincent Lambert: “We received the news of Vincent Lambert’s death with pain. We pray that the Lord will welcome him into His house and we express closeness to his loved ones and to those who, up to the end, committed themselves to assist him with love and dedication. Let us remember and reiterate what the Holy Father said when he spoke of this painful affair: ‘God is the only master of life from the beginning to the natural end and it is our duty to remember this always and not to give in to the throwaway culture’.”

Vincent Lambert became a quadriplegic after a motorbike accident 11 years ago and has been in a persistent vegetative state since then. Symbolizing the right to life debate in France – and for some, the right to die – Lambert’s feeding tubes were removed by doctors against the wishes of family.

Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, tweeted today: En ce triste jour, je prie pour le repos éternel de l’âme de Vincent Lambert, mort en martyr, victime de la folie effrayante des hommes de notre temps. Je prie pour sa famille et en particulier pour ses parents, si courageux, si dignes. N’ayons pas peur. Dieu veille. +RS (On this sad day, I pray for the eternal repose of the soul of Vincent Lambert, who died as a martyr, a victim of the frightful madness of the men of our time. I pray for his family and especially for his parents, so brave, so worthy. Do not be afraid. God watches. RS +) https://twitter.com/Card_R_Sarah

A tweet from the Pontifical Academy for Life in both French and Italian: Monsignor Paglia and all the @PontAcadLife pray for the family of #VincentLambert, for the doctors, for all the people involved in this affair. The death of #VincentLambert and his story are a defeat for our humanity. https://twitter.com/PontAcadLife

NO REMAINS FOUND IN VATICAN CEMETERY TOMBS

Holy See Press Office interim director Alessandri Gisotti issued the following statement at noon today:

“The operations at the Campo Santo Teutonico were concluded at 11.15 am within the scope of the investigative tasks of the Orlandi case. Results of the research were negative: no human remains or funerary urns were found. The careful inspection of the tomb of Princess Sophie von Hohenlohe has unearthed a large underground compartment of about 4 meters by 3.70, completely empty. Subsequently the opening operations of the second tomb-sarcophagus took place, that of Princess Carlotta Federica di Mecklemburgo. Inside it, no human remains have been found. The family members of the two Princesses were informed of the results of the research.

“The staff of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, professor Giovanni Arcudi and his staff, in the presence of a trusted expert appointed by the lawyer of the family of Emanuela Orlandi, collaborated with the investigations. The Orlandi family’s lawyer, Laura Sgrò, and Emanuela’s brother, Pietro Orlandi, were present. The Promoter of Justice of the Tribunal of the Vatican City State, Gian Piero Milano, and his Assistant Alessandro Diddi, together with the Commander of the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps, Domenico Giani, followed all phases of the operation.

“For further details, documentary checks are underway concerning the structural interventions that have taken place in the area of the Campo Santo Teutonico, in a first phase at the end of the nineteenth century, and in a second more recent phase between the 1960s and 1970s.

“At the end of the work, we would like to reiterate that the Holy See has always shown attention and closeness to the suffering of the Orlandi Family and in particular to Emanuela’s mother. Attention demonstrated also in this occasion in accepting the specific request of the family to check the Campo Santo Teutonico (for alleged remains).”

Earlier this morning he had released the following statement:

“At 8.15 am this morning, after a prayer led by the Rector of the Teutonic College in front of the two sepulchres, regular operations began at the Campo Santo Teutonico (Teutonic cemetery) as part of the investigative aspects of the Orlandi case. At the moment, it is not possible to predict how much time will be needed for completing such operations that involve about fifteen people.

“In particular, the staff of the Fabbrica di San Pietro is operating for the opening and closing of the tombs, while overseeing the discovery will be done by Prof. Giovanni Arcudi and his staff, in the presence of a trusted expert appointed by the lawyer of the Orlandi family. Present were the Promoter of Justice of the Tribunal of the Vatican City State, Prof. Gian Piero Milano, his Deputy, Prof. Alessandro Diddi, and the Commander of the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps, Domenico Giani.

”As indicated in the decree of the Vatican’s Promoter of Justice, the operations concern the “Tomb of the Angel” of Princess Sophie von Hohenlohe and the adjacent tomb of Princess Carlotta Federica di Mecklemburgo. Although the grave indicated by the lawyer of the Orlandi Family is, in fact, that with the Angel who holds in his hands an open book with the inscription “Requiescat in pace”, the Promoter of Justice, in order to avoid possible misunderstandings about what the indicated grave could be, ordered the opening of both tombs as they are neighboring tombs and both with similar niches.

”For procedural reasons and in accordance with the secrecy of the investigation, the identity of the relatives of the two buried princesses will not be disclosed; obviously these are descendants who have been informed of the operations and who, for the sake of the truth, have guaranteed their complete availability and collaboration with the Holy See and in particular with the Office of the Promoter of Justice.

EMANUELA ORLANDI: THE 36- YEAR- OLD MYSTERY CONTINUES

Since the July 2 announcement by the Vatican that two tombs would be opened on July 11 in its Teutonic Cemetery to ascertain whether or not the remains of Emanuela Orlandi were in one of the tombs, the Vatican has been providing news and background stories, including an interview with the forensic anthropologist commissioned by the Vatican judiciary to examine findings and take samples for DNA testing following the opening of two tombs in the Vatican on Thursday.

Emanuela Orlandi was the daughter of a Vatican employee who vanished mysteriously 36 years ago on her way to a music lesson.

Now we know that today’s findings will not give closure to the many people involved – those workers assembled to open the tombs, the lawyers of the Orlandi family and the families or descendants of the people whose names were on the grave headstones opened today, members of the Orlandi family, Vatican security personnel, witnesses, etc.

The announcement on July 2 of the opening of the tombs said the decision to do so was part of one of the files opened following a request by the family of Emanuela Orlandi who, in recent months, had reported the possible concealment of her body in the small cemetery located within the territory of the Vatican State.

That press office announcement also stated: “The decision comes after a phase of investigations during which the Office of the Promoter – with the help of the Gendarmerie Corps – carried out investigations aimed at reconstructing the main judicial stages of this long and painful and complex case. It should be remembered that for legal reasons the Vatican investigating authority has no jurisdiction to investigate Emanuela Orlandi’s disappearance in Italy; investigations which, moreover, have been conducted by Italian investigators – from the earliest stages – with scrupulosity and professional rigor. Therefore, the Vatican initiative concerns only the ascertainment of the possible burial of the body of Emanuela Orlandi in the territory of the Vatican State.”

Whatever else can be done to discover what happened to Emanuela Orlandi after more than three decades of various leads have been exhausted is now in the hands of Italian authorities and possibly any police and investigative authorities in other countries with whom Italian officials have been in touch.

NUNCIO IN FRANCE COOPERATES WITH AUTHORITIES, RENOUNCES DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY

NUNCIO IN FRANCE COOPERATES WITH AUTHORITIES, RENOUNCES DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY

Responding to questions from journalists, interim director of the Holy See Press Office, Alessandro Gisotti, stated the following:

“I can confirm that the Holy See renounces jurisdictional immunity enjoyed by the Apostolic Nuncio in France, Msgr. Luigi Ventura, by virtue of the Vienna Convention of 18 April 1961 on diplomatic relations, for the purposes of criminal proceedings concerning him.

“This is an extraordinary gesture that confirms the will of the Nuncio, expressed from the beginning of the story, to collaborate fully and spontaneously with the French judicial authorities, competent for the case. In order to take this decision, the Holy See awaited the conclusion of the preliminary phase of the procedure – communicated to it at the end of June – in which Msgr. Ventura has freely participated. The Holy See’s decision was officially communicated to the French authorities last week.”

VATICAN WEIGHS IN ON RIGHT-TO-DIE CASE IN FRANCE

VATICAN WEIGHS IN ON RIGHT-TO-DIE CASE IN FRANCE

THE BACKGROUND: (BBC)

A French court has ordered doctors to resume life support for a quadriplegic man whose case has become central to the right-to-die debate in France.

Doctors had begun switching off life support for Vincent Lambert, 42, on Monday, before the court order.

Mr. Lambert has been in a vegetative state since a 2008 motorcycle accident.

His care has divided the country and his family. His wife has called for his feeding tubes to be withdrawn; his parents insist he be kept alive.

Mr. Lambert’s mother Viviane, 73, hailed the latest ruling as “a very big victory” in her struggle to maintain her son’s life support. “They are going to restore nutrition and give him drink. For once I am proud of the courts,” she said.

Doctors had earlier on Monday halted the nutrition and hydration Lambert receives, in line with the wishes of his wife and other relatives.

An earlier judicial ruling had said Mr. Lambert should be removed from life support and that process had begun before Monday evening’s dramatic reversal by the Paris Court of Appeal.

JOINT DECLARATION FROM DICASTERY FOR FAMILY, LAITY AND LIFE AND PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LIFE ON VINCENT LAMBERT CASE:

“In fully sharing what was stated by Archbishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort of Reims, and by Auxiliary Bishop Bruno Feillet, in relation to the sad story of Mr. Vincent Lambert, we wish to reiterate the serious violation of the dignity of the person, which the interruption of food and hydration entails The ‘vegetative state’, in fact, was certainly a serious pathological condition, which however does not in any way compromise the dignity of the persons who are in this condition, nor their fundamental rights to life and care, understood as continuity of basic human assistance.

“Nutrition and hydration are a form of essential care that is always proportionate to the maintenance of life: feeding a sick person is never a form of unreasonable therapeutic obstinacy, as long as the person’s body is able to absorb nutrition and hydration, unless doing that causes intolerable suffering or is harmful to the patient.

“The suspension of these treatments represents, rather, a form of abandonment of the patient, based on a merciless judgment on his quality of life, expression of a culture of waste that selects the most fragile and defenseless people, without recognizing their uniqueness and immense value. The continuity of assistance is an inescapable duty.

“We therefore hope that effective solutions can be found as soon as possible to protect the life of Mr. Lambert. To this end, we assure the prayer of the Holy Father and of the whole Church.

Kevin Cardinal Farrell,
Prefect, Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia,
President, Pontifical Academy for Life

BISHOP ROBERT BARRON: HIS WORD WAS ON FIRE IN ROME

Another day to remember in the life of a Rome-based Vatican correspondent. Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron of Los Angeles is in Rome and he came to both give and receive. He gave a lecture at the Dominican-run Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas and the university conferred a Doctor Honoris Causa degree on him. The university is also called the Angelicum or Ang, given that Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, is called “the Angelic Doctor.”

Bishop Barron’s lecture was entitled “The One Who Is, The One Who Gives: Aquinas, Derrida and the Dilemma of Divine Generosity.” He received sustained applause when he was introduced and had a standing ovation after he spoke and when the degree was conferred on him.

An estimated 600 guests were present, including students and teachers from the Angelicum and those from other universities, diplomats, Vatican officials, including two American cardinals, James Harvey and Edwin O’Brien, and people who for years have been fans of the bishop’s Word on Fire ministry.

I’ve been blessed to know Bishop Barron for years and he truly blessed everyone today with his presence and magisterial talk. EWTN was there and you will be able to see video of his time with the media had later. And, God willing, an interview for “Vatican Insider.”

 

 

“VATICAN INSIDER” EXPLORES VENERABLE ENGLISH COLLEGE – “BE NOT AFRAID” OF “OTHERS,” FOREIGNERS, OUTCASTS AND STRANGERS – NUNCIO TO FRANCE INVESTIGATED FOR ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT

“VATICAN INSIDER” EXPLORES VENERABLE ENGLISH COLLEGE

Join me this weekend on Vatican Insider for Part II of my conversation with my special guest and friend, Msgr. Philip Whitmore, rector of the Venerable English College, the English seminary in Rome. It is truly a venerable institution with a history of over 600 years!

Msgr. Whitmore, rector since June 2013, is from the Archdiocese of Westminster, and before 2013 served in the Roman Curia, working first at the Congregation for Bishops and then at the Secretariat of State. He tells fascinating stories about the college, its amazing and very long history, the young men studying here, the historical Archives project, the summer residence of Pallazola and much more. Some very surprising facts as well.

This photo is from an audience in 2018 with Pope Francis – Msgr. Whitmore is to the Pope’s right as we look at the photo:

In case you missed them last week, here are photos of the seminary’s stunning chapel!

“BE NOT AFRAID” OF “OTHERS,” FOREIGNERS, OUTCASTS AND STRANGERS

“Free from fear”: that is the theme of a 3-day meeting organized by the Migrantes Foundation, Italian Caritas, and the Jesuit-run Astalli Center for Refugees, to discuss reception structures for migrants.

The meeting is being held at the Fraterna Domus, a Welcome and Retreat Center near the town of Sacrofano, about 20 kilometers outside Rome. Consistent with his commitment to welcoming migrants, Pope Francis chose to open the meeting on Friday afternoon by celebrating Mass at the Fraterna Domus Center.

Do not be afraid
In his homily, the Pope focused on the readings chosen for the celebration, which he summed up in a single sentence: “Do not be afraid”.

Pope Francis used the image of the Israelites at the Red Sea, in the Book of Exodus, to illustrate how we are “called to look beyond the adversities of the moment, to overcome fear and to place full trust in the saving and mysterious action of the Lord”.

Free from fear
Turning to the Gospel of St Matthew, the Pope described the disciples crying out in fear at the sight of Jesus walking on the waters, and His response to them: “Courage, it is I, do not be afraid”. Reminding his listeners that “Free from fear” is the theme chosen for this meeting, Pope Francis said it is “through these biblical episodes that the Lord speaks to us today and asks us to let Him free us from our fears”.

Fear of others
“Faced with the wickedness and ugliness of our time”, said Pope Francis, we too, “are tempted to abandon our dream of freedom”. We are tempted to “shut ourselves off within ourselves”, he said, “in our fragile human security…in our reassuring routine”.
The Pope called this retreat into oneself, “a sign of defeat”, one that increases our fear of “others”, foreigners, outcasts and strangers. “This is particularly evident today”, he continued, with the arrival of migrants and refugees “who knock on our door in search of protection, security and a better future”.

Fear is legitimate
While recognizing that fear is legitimate, Pope Francis said it can lead us to “give up encountering others and to raise barriers to defend ourselves”. Instead, he continued, we are called to overcome our fear, knowing “the Lord does not abandon His people”. The encounter with the other”, said the Pope, “is also an encounter with Christ…even if our eyes have difficulty recognizing Him”. He is the one, said Pope Francis, “with ragged clothes, dirty feet, agonized faces, sore bodies, unable to speak our language”.

Overcoming fear
The Pope concluded his homily by suggesting we should “begin to thank those who give us the opportunity of this meeting, that is, the ‘others’ who knock at our door, and offer us the possibility of overcoming our fears, meeting, welcoming and assisting Jesus”.
And those “who have had the strength to let themselves be freed from fear”, he said, “need to help others do the same”, so they too can prepare themselves for their own encounter with Christ.

NUNCIO TO FRANCE INVESTIGATED FOR ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT

Responding to the questions of journalists, interim director of the Holy See Press Office, Alessandro Gisotti, said: “The Holy See has learned in the press that an investigation has been initiated by the French authorities towards Monsignor Luigi Ventura, Apostolic Nuncio in Paris. The Holy See is awaiting the outcome of the investigations “.

CNA/EWTN news reports that Bishop Luigi Ventura, apostolic nuncio to France since 2009 and a long-time Vatican diplomat, is under investigation for alleged sexual assault.
The French newspaper Le Monde reported Friday that Ventura, 74, is being investigated by Paris authorities after he was accused late last month of having inappropriately touched a young male staffer of Paris City Hall.

A Vatican statement Feb. 15 said that it was made aware of the French authorities’ investigation of the envoy through the press and is “awaiting the outcome of the investigations.”
The alleged assault is said to have taken place in Paris’ City Hall Jan. 17, during a reception for the annual New Year address of Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo. The address is usually given to diplomats, religious leaders, and civil society members, with a role by the apostolic nuncio.
The claim against Ventura was brought to French authorities by Paris City Hall six days after it allegedly took place. The alleged victim has not been identified. (To continue: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican-ambassador-under-investigation-for-sexual-assault-71198)