News

Cardinal Ouellet presides over opening mass of international congress on “Ecclesia in America”

11/12/2012

Cardinal Ouellet

A three day International Congress on the Church in America commenced yesterday with Mass celebrated in Saint Peter’s Basilica.

The congress coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Synod of Bishops for America. Blessed John Paul II released the post-synodal exhortation, entitled Ecclesia in America, in 1999.

The Prefect for the Congregation of Bishops and president of the Pontifical Council for Latin America, Canadian prelate Cardinal Marc Ouellet, was the principal celebrant for the opening Mass of this year’s international congress… Read more »

Pope calls on faithful to look at the example of St. John the Baptist

11/12/2012

Our task today is to listen to that voice, to give space to Jesus and to welcome Him, the Word that saves us, into our hearts. In this time of Advent, let us prepare to see, through the eyes of faith, God’s salvation in the humble stable in Bethlehem.

During the Angelus, Pope Benedict XVI invited the faithful and the pilgrims gathered to follow the example of St… Read more »

Holy See and Germany reflect upon the economic crisis

06/12/2012

Joachim Gauck

This morning in the Vatican Apostolic Palace the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Joachim Gauck, who subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., accompanied by Msgr. Ettore Balastrero, under secretary for Relations with States.
The discussions highlighted the cordial nature of bilateral relations; attention was given to the Christian view of the person, as well as to the challenges currently posed by globalisation and the secularisation of society… Read more »

Living the Advent as an act of faith in God’s plan for humanity

06/12/2012

Marking the first week of Advent and the beginning of the new liturgical year, Pope Benedict XVI dedicated his general audience catechesis to living the season as an act of faith in God’s benevolent plan for humanity.

The humanitarian crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo was top of Pope Benedict XVI’s concerns this Wednesday as he began his greetings in Italian with another appeal for aid for the people of the nation, the scene of armed clashes and violence… Read more »

New Diocesan Office for Voluntary Work

06/12/2012

Nhar l-Erbgħa 5 ta’ Diċembru 2012, l-Arċisqof Pawlu Cremona O.P. inawgura uffiċċju ġdid fil-Kurja tal-Arċisqof li se jkun qiegħed jikkordina l-ħidma tal-volontarjat li qed issir fil-Knisja u jkompli joħloq għarfien dwar il-valur tal-volontarjat. L-Uffiċċju se jitmexxa mill-voluntiera, li ser joffru servizz kontinwu lill-entitajiet tal-Knisja bil-għan li tissaħħaħ l-organizzazzjoni u l-koordinazzjoni tal-volontarjat fid-Djoċesi ta’ Malta.

Il-ħidma ta’ dan l-Uffiċċju, li se jitmexxa minn persuni volontarji, huma:

  • li joħloq sensibilità għall-valur tal-volontarjat fost il-pubbliku;
  • jiġbor data tal-persuni volontieri fi ħdan il-Knisja, u jżommha aġġornata;
  • jiġbor informazzjoni tal-ħtiġijiet għall-volontarjat li hemm fid-diversi entitajiet fi ħdan il-Knisja f’Malta u jżommha aġġornata;
  • jilqa’, jipproċessa, u jindirizza t-talbiet li jsiru għall-volontarjat jew tal-ħtiġijiet għall-volontarjat;
  • jieħu ħsieb il-proċess ta’ reklutaġġ ta’ volontiera ġodda (tal-iscreening tagħhom) u tal-formazzjoni tagħhom, biex ikunu imħejjija  għall-volontarjat li ser joffru;
  • jorganizza induction course (wieħed jew tnejn) kull sena  għall-volontiera ġodda;
  • joħloq programm ta’ formazzjoni permanenti għall-volontiera fi ħdan  il-Knisja f’Malta;
  • jieħu ħsieb jagħmel budget ta’ kull sena u jsegwi l-aspett finanzjarju tal-proġett;
  • jagħmel rapport annwali tal-andament tal-proġett u jippreżentah lis-Segretarju Pastorali…

    • Read more »

Pope Benedict XVI launches Twitter account

05/12/2012

Pope on Twitter

The Holy See Press Office officially announced Pope Benedict XVI’s presence on Twitter. The Holy Father is set to send out his first tweet on December 12, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, under the username @pontifex.

Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communication, noted the significance of the Pope’s presence on Twitter was not so much an emphasis on the modern world nor a tribute to technology, but more importantly a means to show that technology “is put in our hands to announce the Gospel.”

“The desire of this Pontiff is to enter into dialogue with the man and woman of today, and to speak with them in places where they are found,” Archbishop Celli said… Read more »