VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 149
DATE 08-09-2014

Summary:
- POPE'S TELEGRAM FOR THE THREE NUNS KILLED IN BURUNDI
- INTERNATIONAL MEETING FOR PEACE: WE CANNOT BE INDIFFERENT TO WAR
- ANGELUS: THE STEPS OF FRATERNAL CORRECTION
- NEW APPEAL FOR PEACE IN UKRAINE
- THE POPE WRITES TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF
CUBA: REJOICE, RISE AND PERSEVERE
- THE POPE TO THE BISHOPS OF CAMEROON: EVANGELISATION IS CLOSELY LINKED TO
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
- 28 SEPTEMBER: DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE SYNOD ON THE FAMILY
- CARDINAL ORTEGA Y ALAMINO, POPE'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE
"MOTHER CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA"
- AUDIENCES
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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 POPE'S TELEGRAM FOR THE THREE NUNS KILLED IN BURUNDI
 Vatican City, 8 September 2014 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro
Parolin has sent a telegram of condolences on behalf of the Holy Father to
Archbishop Evariste Ngoyagoye of Bujumbura, Burundi, for the killing of
three Italian Xaverian Missionary sisters yesterday, Sunday 7 September, in
their convent in Kamenge, north of the capital Bujumbura.
 Cardinal Parolin writes, "His Holiness Pope Francis has learned with
great sadness of the murder of three nuns, Sister Bernadetta Bogiann,
Sister Lucia Pulici and Sister Olga Raschietti, who were in the pastoral
service of the parish of Saint Guido Maria Conforti in Bujumbura. The Holy
Father begs the Lord to welcome into his kingdom of peace and light these
three faithful and devout nuns. In these tragic circumstances, he expresses
his closeness to their religious community, to the families of the victims,
and the entire diocesan community. He imparts the comfort of a heartfelt
and affectionate apostolic blessing to all those affected by their sudden
loss. I join the Holy Father in offering my condolences and wish to assure
those close to the departed Sisters of my fervent prayers".
 The Secretary of State also sent another telegram to Sister Ines Frizza,
superior general of the Xaverian Missionary Sisters of Mary, in which he
expresses his sadness for the tragic death of the missionaries and
"assures his heartfelt participation in the profound suffering of the
Congregation for the loss of such dedicated sisters". The Holy Father,
"in the hope that the blood they have shed may become the seed of hope
to build true fraternity between peoples, raises fervent prayers for the
eternal repose of their souls and for their generous witness of the Gospel.
To their families, the entire Institute and those who mourn their loss, he
imparts the comfort of his apostolic blessing", the Cardinal
concludes.

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 INTERNATIONAL MEETING FOR PEACE: WE CANNOT BE INDIFFERENT TO WAR
 Vatican City, 8 September 2014 (VIS) - This Sunday the Holy Father sent a
video message to all the representatives of the Christian Churches,
ecclesial communities and all heads of world religions who will meet in the
Belgian city of Antwerp from 7 to 9 September for the International Meeting
for Peace organised by the Sant'Egidio Community. This year's theme,
"Peace is the Future", commemorates the dramatic outbreak of the
First World War one hundred years ago, and evokes a future in which mutual
respect, dialogue and cooperation will help banish the sinister phantom of
armed conflict.
 "In these days, in which many people throughout the world need help
to find the way to peace, this anniversary teaches us that war is never a
satisfactory means of redressing injustice or reaching balanced solutions
to social and political discord. In the final analysis every war, as Pope
Benedict XV stated in 1917, is a 'useless massacre'. War drags populations
into a spiral of violence that is then shown to be difficult to control; it
demolishes what generations have worked to build and paves the way for
injustice and even worse conflicts".
 Pope Francis stressed that "we cannot remain passive" when faced
with "the innumerable conflicts and wars, declared and undeclared,
that nowadays afflict the human family and ruin the lives of the youngest
and of the elderly, poisoning long-standing relationships of co-existence
between different ethnic groups and religions". He remarked that with
the power of prayer "our various religious traditions are able, in the
the spirit of Assisi, to offer a contribution to peace. ... I hope that
these days of prayer and dialogue will serve to remind us that the search
for peace and understanding through prayer can create lasting bonds of
unity and prevail over the passions of war. War is never necessary, nor is
it inevitable. There is always an alternative: the path of dialogue,
encounter and the sincere search for truth".
 "The moment has arrived for the heads of all religions to cooperate
effectively in the task of healing wounds, of resolving conflicts and
seeking peace. Peace is the sure sign of commitment to God's cause".
The Pontiff concluded by encouraging all those present to be "builders
of peace" and to convert communities into "schools of respect and
dialogue with those of other ethnic or religious groups, places in which we
learn to overcome tensions, promote equitable and peaceful relations among
peoples and social groups, and build a better future for the generations to
come".

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 ANGELUS: THE STEPS OF FRATERNAL CORRECTION
 Vatican City, 7 September 2014 (VIS) - Fraternal correction, as it is
presented by St. Matthew in this Sunday's Gospel reading, was the theme of
the Pope's reflection during today's Angelus, at midday. "Jesus
teaches us that if my Christian brother wrongs me or offends me, I must be
charitable towards him and, first of all, speak to him personally,
explaining that what he has said or done is not good. And what if my
brother does not listen to me? Jesus suggests a way of intervening
gradually: first, to speak to him again with another two or three people,
so that he is more aware of the mistake he has made. If, in spite of this,
he does not accept this exhortation, it is necessary to tell the community,
and if he does not even listen to the community, then we have to let him
know of the fracture and detachment that he himself has caused, by failing
in communion with his brothers and sisters in the faith".
 "The steps in this itinerary show the strength that the Lord asks of
the community to support those who err, so that they are not lost. Above
all it is necessary to avoid the clamour of news and gossip in the
community. The attitude must be that of gentleness, prudence, humility and
care in relation to those who have erred, avoiding words that may harm or
kill our brother. Because even words can kill! When I gossip or when I
unjustly criticise, when I curse a brother with my tongue, this means
destroying the reputation of the other person. ... At the same time, this
discretion in speaking to him alone has the aim of not pointlessly
mortifying the sinner. ... In view of this need, we can understand the
following series of interventions, which include the involvement of other
witnesses and finally even the community. The aim is to help the person to
understand what they have done, and to be aware that they have thereby
offended not just one person, but everyone. But it also helps us to rid
ourselves of anger and resentment ... that bitterness of the heart that
leads to anger and resentment leads us to insult and offend. It is very
unpleasant to see insults and aggression from a Christian. ... To insult is
not Christian".
 "In reality", he continued, "before the Lord we are all
sinners and all in need of forgiveness. All of us. Indeed, Jesus told us
not to judge. Fraternal correction is an aspect of the love and the
communion that should reign in the Christian community; it is a mutual
service that we can and must render to each other ... and it is possible
and effective only if each person recognises himself as a sinner and in
need of the Lord's forgiveness. The same awareness that enables me to
recognise the errors of the other, first of all reminds me that I myself
have made, and make mistakes, many times".
 "Therefore, at the beginning of Mass, we are invited each time to
acknowledge ourselves as sinners before the Lord, expressing with words and
gestures the sincere repentance of the heart", he concluded. "And
Jesus Himself invites all of us, saints and sinners, to his table, bringing
us together at the various crossroads in in the different situations of our
lives. And among the conditions that unite all the participants in the
Eucharistic celebration, two are fundamental: we are all sinners, and God
offers His mercy to us all".

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 NEW APPEAL FOR PEACE IN UKRAINE
 Vatican City, 7 September 2014 (VIS) - After today's Angelus prayer, the
Pope launched an appeal for peace in Ukraine. "In recent days,
significant steps have been taken to reach a truce in the regions affected
by the conflict in eastern Ukraine, even though today we have received news
that gives little cause for comfort", he said.
 "However", he added, "I hope that this may bring relief to
the population and contribute to efforts towards lasting peace. Let us pray
that, in the logic of encounter, the dialogue that has begun may continue
and bear the hoped-for fruit. Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us".
 He also joined the bishops of Lesotho in making a plea for peace in their
country. "I condemn every act of violence and pray to the Lord that
the peace may be re-established in the Kingdom of Lesotho, in justice and
fraternity".
 Pope Francis also recalled that this Sunday a convoy of thirty Italian Red
Cross volunteers leaves for Iraq, headed for the area of Dohuk near Erbil,
where there are tens of thousands of displaced Iraqis. "I express my
heartfelt appreciation for this generous and valid work, and impart my
blessing to all of them and all those who seek to offer concrete assistance
to our persecuted and oppressed brothers. May the Lord bless you".
 Finally, he commented that on Monday will be the liturgical feast of the
Nativity of Mary. "It means it would be her birthday. And what do we
do when our it is our mother's birthday? We greet her and offer her our
best wishes. Tomorrow remember, in the early morning, to greet the Virgin
from your heart, and say to her, 'Best wishes!'. And say a Hail Mary from
your heart, as a son or a daughter".

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 THE POPE WRITES TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF
CUBA: REJOICE, RISE AND PERSEVERE
 Vatican City, 6 September 2014 (VIS) - On 8 September, the festivity of
the Nativity of Mary, Cubans also celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of
Charity of El Cobre, the patroness of the island. To commemorate the
occasion, the Pope has written a letter to the metropolitan archbishop of
Santiago de Cuba, Dionisio Guillermo Garcia Ibanez, president of the
Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba (C.O.O.C.), extensive extracts from
which are published below:

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