VATICAN INSIDER: LEARN ABOUT THE NAPA INSTITUTE WITH JOHN MEYER
My guest on “Vatican Insider” this week in the interview segment is John Meyer, executive director of the California-based Napa Institute. This was founded in 2010 to help Catholic leaders face the challenges posed in what the Institute calls the “next America” and to heed Christ’s call for ongoing evangelization. John is a native of Illinois, but lives now in Irvine, California. We met in Rome at a conference that Institute members were attending at the Pontifical Holy Cross University.
Among its goals, says the Napa Institute on its website are: 1) Deepening the knowledge of Catholic leaders in the teachings of the Church so they can evangelize others and defend their faith in secular society; 2) Encouraging religious freedom throughout our hemisphere; 3) Inspiring Catholic leaders to a better stewardship of their time, treasure, and talents.
AN UPDATE ON LISTENING TO VATICAN INSIDER: As you know, in the United States, you can listen to Vatican Insider on a Catholic radio station near you (there is a list of U.S. stations at www.ewtn.com) or on Sirius-XM satellite radio. If you live 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.” Vatican Insider airs Saturday mornings at 9:00 am (Eastern time). On the SKY satellite feed to the UK and parts of Europe, VI airs on audio channel 0147 at 11:30 am CET on Saturdays, and 5:30am and 10pm CET on Sundays. It’s also available on demand on the EWTN app and on the website. Check for your time zone. Past shows are in VI archives: http://www.ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/file_index.asp?SeriesId=7096&pgnu=
60,000 IN ROME TO CELEBRATE JUBILEE FOR YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS
More than 60,000 adolescents from all over the world will be in Rome from April 23 to 25 to participate in the Jubilee for Young Boys and Girls on the theme “Merciful Like the Father.” The Jubilee consists of three days of prayer, confession and pilgrimage to the Holy Door, as well as celebration and sharing in the Year of Mercy, according to a press release from the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization.
Saturday, April 23, will start with a pilgrimage to the Holy Door, beginning with a procession from Castel Sant’Angelo along Via della Conciliazione up to St. Peter’s Square. The Bernini Colonnade will thus be transformed into the Father’s “embrace” that the young boys and girls may experience with the help of more than 150 priests who will be present continuously, in alternation, from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. to administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation in various languages.
In the afternoon, following the Jubilee itinerary inside the Basilica, which will conclude with the profession of faith at the Tomb of St. Peter, the young people will transfer to the Olympic Stadium for a large celebration with music and testimonies, beginning at 8.30 p.m., with the participation of personalities from the worlds of cinema, sport and astronomy.
On Sunday, April 24 Mass will be celebrated by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square, the culmination of this major Jubilee event. The day will continue with a visit to Mercy marquees set up for the occasion of this pilgrimage in seven squares throughout the centre of Rome (San Silvestro, Piazza di Spagna, San Salvatore in Lauro, Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Maria in Vallicella-Chiesa Nuova, Piazza Pia in Castel Sant’Angelo, and the area of the Pincio Terrace), in which, from Saturday to Monday, pilgrims and citizens of Rome may hear testimonies of works of spiritual and corporal mercy.
SPECIAL COLLECTION SUNDAY IN EUROPE’S CHURCHES FOR UKRAINE
(Vatican Radio) – The Congregation for the Oriental Churches on Friday released a press statement, expressing support for the extraordinary collection to take place this Sunday in churches across Europe for the people suffering from the war in Ukraine. (Congregation prefect, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri presiding at Mass)
During his Regina Coeli address on April 3, Pope Francis announced a special charity collection to support the people of Ukraine, telling the faithful it would be possible to contribute to the collection in all Catholic Churches in Europe on Sunday, April 24. He renewed his appeal during his weekly General Audience on Wednesday, April 20.
In its statement, the Oriental Dicastery invites all people ‘to contribute generously so as to assure assistance to those people most weakened in body and spirit by violence’. It also recognizes the solidarity and material aid of many Dioceses and charitable organisations.
The statement goes on to list the many fruits of this charitable act.
“May the renewed gesture of charity which Pope Francis has asked of the Churches of Europe be again a sign of the brotherhood which unites us to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, who are often forgotten as are many painful situations in the world. May the expression of closeness by many people be like a little lantern which reignites hope in those wounded hearts; may it help all the Pastors of the Christian Churches console and cure the pain of their own faithful; and may it force those who carry the fates of peoples to promote respect for human rights and peace.”
The statement concludes with a short prayer to the Holy Mother of God for all the people of Europe.
‘To the Most Holy Mother of God, ‘the Door of Mercy’ who watched over the opening of the Jubilee Year in St. Peter’s Square, may she watch over Europe and inspire with her prayer the desire for reconciliation and a renewed capacity to know how to live together as brothers and sisters.’
HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE UPDATES SITUATION IN UKRAINE
On the eve of the special collection for Ukraine,, the Holy See Press Office issued a detailed communiqué on the current situation in the country:
“The armed conflict in east Ukraine began in spring 2014 and continues despite the ceasefire of September 2015, claiming victims due mostly to the large amount of mines that have not been removed, and by relentless artillery fire. There have been around 9,000 confirmed deaths, to which disappearances and prisoners, often illegally held, must be added.
“The situation of instability, the unceasing armed threat and the consequent spread of uncontrolled arms groups subject the population to grave hardships, not only in the territories directly affected, but throughout the country. The outlook has worsened as a result of the general economic situation, affected by extreme inflation that has drastically reduced purchasing power; over half a million people are urgently in need of food. There are over 1.5 million displaced persons within the country.
“In the areas most directly affected, the greatest needs are in the health sector, as more than 120 health care centres have been damaged or destroyed. Expectant mothers are at particular risk, and the likelihood of the spread of AIDS and tuberculosis is significant. Anaesthetics are scarce and operations are often carried out without. Where medicines exist (many pharmacies have been closed), the price of medicine has reached prohibitive levels.
“In the regions currently most afflicted by the conflict there currently reside around 3 million people, in conditions of extreme hardship. The majority are elderly people who are unable to leave the combat zone.
“With regard to homes: Between 12,000 and 15,000 houses have been damaged, and more than a thousand completely destroyed. The situation is likely to become critical in view of the very low temperatures expected in autumn and winter.
“Many children are unable to attend school. At least 200,000 children have been evacuated to the regions of Ukraine outside the afflicted areas: one child in four is displaced. Many are affected by grave forms of psychological trauma, due to the violence they have witnessed or experienced; some have even lost the ability to read and write.
“The state of conflict constitutes the principle difficulty in the search for a solution to the humanitarian crisis. In particular, there are limitations on the importation of commercial goods including medicines, as well as enormous difficulties in facilitating the arrival of international aid to the most troubled areas.
“Ukrainian society is reacting by showing its extraordinary capacity for resistance. The best functioning aid network is constituted of religious confessions. These include Catholics who in Ukraine make up around 10 per cent of the population and are a small minority in the most affected area. They are fully mobilized to assist those in need, although their resources are inadequate to face the enormity of the most urgent needs.
“The Holy See is preparing specific interventions for the benefit of the entire population, without discrimination on the basis of religion or confession, in order to confront the humanitarian crisis, especially in the most critical areas. Therefore the mechanisms are in preparation for the gathering and selection of projects to be financed via a specific Commission in loco, responsible for overseeing them; the Pontifical Council ‘Cor Unum’ will approve and evaluate the technical management of the funds, reporting on its activity as appropriate.
Joan's Rome 