VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXIV - # 79
DATE 30-04-2014

Summary:
- THE SECOND GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: GOD'S UNDERSTANDING
- THE POPE GREETS POLISH PILGRIMS AND RECALLS CATHERINE OF SIENA, PATRON
SAINT OF EUROPE
- PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MAY
- HOLY FATHER'S CALENDAR FOR MAY 2014
- INTENSE ACTIVITY OF THE COUNCILS AND COMMISSIONS INSTITUTED BY THE POPE
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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 THE SECOND GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: GOD'S UNDERSTANDING
 Vatican City, 30 April 2014 (VIS) - Continuing his catechesis on the seven
gifts of the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis' catechesis at this Wednesday's
general audience focused on understanding. "It is not human
understanding or the intellectual capacity with which we are gifted to a
greater or a lesser extent", he explained. "It is a grace the
only the Holy Spirit may infuse and which awakens in the Christian the
capacity to go beyond external appearances and to scrutinise the depths of
God's thought and His plan of salvation".
 Pope Francis recalled the words the apostle Paul addressed to the
Corinthians, in which he described the effects of this gift: "What no
eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived,
the things God has prepared for those who love him - these are the things
God has revealed to us by his Spirit".
 "This obviously does not mean that a Christian can understand
everything, and have full knowledge of God's plans", he emphasised.
"However, as the word itself suggests, the intellect permits us to
'intus legere', to 'read within'. This gift enables us to comprehend things
as God does, with God's understanding. ... It is a gift intimately linked
to faith. When the Holy Spirit abides in our heart and enlightens our mind,
it allows us to grow, day after day, in our understanding of what the Lord
has said and done".
 Pope Francis explained that the same thing happened to the Apostles on the
way to Emmaus, when they did not recognise Jesus because they were not
capable of doing so. "But, when the Lord explained his Scriptures to
them, so that they were able to understand that He had to suffer and die in
order to be resurrected, their minds opened and hope reawakened in their
hearts. This is what the Holy Spirit does for us through the gift of
understanding".

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 THE POPE GREETS POLISH PILGRIMS AND RECALLS CATHERINE OF SIENA, PATRON
SAINT OF EUROPE
 Vatican City, 30 April 2014 (VIS) - Following today's catechesis, Pope
Francis greeted, among others, the compatriots of St. John Paul II, whose
"witness of faith, hope, charity and trust in Divine Mercy" is,
he said, particularly tangible in these days. "May his intercession
support the life and good intentions of each one of you, the worries and
joys of your loved ones, the development and serene future of the Church in
Poland, and of your entire homeland".
 Addressing the young, the sick, and newly-weds, he mentioned that
yesterday was the liturgical feast of St. Catherine of Siena, patron of
Italy and Europe, and he encouraged the young to "learn from her how
to live with the clear conscience of those who do not bend to human
compromises", the sick to be inspired by "her example of strength
in the moments of greatest pain"; and young couples to "imitate
the solidity of faith of those who trust in God".

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 PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MAY
 Vatican City, 30 April 2014 (VIS) - Pope Francis' universal prayer
intention for May is: "That the media may be instruments in the
service of truth and peace".
 His intention for evangelisation is: "That Mary, Star of
Evangelisation, may guide the Church in proclaiming Christ to all
nations".

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 HOLY FATHER'S CALENDAR FOR MAY 2014
 Vatican City, 30 April 2014 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations
of the Supreme Pontiff has published the following calendar of liturgical
celebrations over which the Holy Father will preside during the month of
May:
 Sunday 11: Fourth Sunday of Easter. At 9.30 a.m., priestly ordinations at
the Vatican Basilica, and Holy Mass.
 Sunday 18: Fifth Sunday of Easter. At 4 p.m., pastoral visit to the
parish-sanctuary of "Santa Maria del Divino Amore".
 Saturday 24 to Monday 26: Apostolic trip to the Holy Land.

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 INTENSE ACTIVITY OF THE COUNCILS AND COMMISSIONS INSTITUTED BY THE POPE
 Vatican City, 30 April 2014 (VIS) - The Council of Cardinals has continued
its work in accordance with its agenda, and will conclude this afternoon.
It has completed a first review of the Pontifical Councils. On Wednesday
afternoon the Council of Cardinals met with Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri,
who reported on the preparation of the upcoming Synod.
 Part of the time was dedicated to the planning of the work to be completed
between this meeting and the next one, scheduled for the first days of
July.
 The new Council for the Economy will meet for the first time on Friday, 2
May, in the Sala Bologna of the Apostolic Palace. The Holy Father will
address an introductory greeting to the participants. The main focus of the
meeting will be the Statutes of the Council itself and the planning of its
work, and it will continue throughout the entire day.
 The new Commission for the Protection of Minors will have its first
meeting in the coming days, from Thursday 1 to Saturday 3 May, at the Domus
Sanctae Marthae. The Commission will reflect on the nature and scope of its
tasks, as well as its integration with members representing different
geographical areas worldwide. The Holy Father will greet the members of the
Commission.

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 OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
 Vatican City, 30 April 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:
 - appointed Rev. Jose Roberto Fortes Palau and Rev. Carlos Lema Garcia as
auxiliaries of the archdiocese of Sao Paulo (area 655, population
6,633,912, Catholics 4,776,416, priests 995, religious 1,316), Brazil.
 Bishop-elect Fortes Palau was born in Jacaref, Brazil in 1965 and was
ordained a priest in 1993. He holds a licentiate in spiritual theology from
the "Teresianum" Pontifical Institute of Spirituality, Rome, and
a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. He has served in the following pastoral roles in the city
of Sao Jose dos Campos: vicar of the "Sant'Ana" parish, priest of
the "Sao Jose" parish, rector of the seminary of theology of the
diocese of Sao Jose dos Campos, vicar of the parish of "Sao
Bento", and vicar general of the diocese. He is currently priest of
the "Santo Agostino" parish of Sao Jose dos Campos.
 Bishop-elect Lema Garcia was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1956 and was
ordained a priest in 1985. He holds a doctorate in dogmatic theology and a
degree in moral theology from the Holy Cross Pontifical University, Rome,
as well as a degree in law from the State University of Sao Paulo. He is a
member of the personal prelature of Opus Dei, and has served in the
following pastoral roles: chaplain of the Centro Universitario do Itaim in
Sao Paulo, chaplain of the CEAC in Brasilia, chaplain of the
"Mirador" cultural centre in Porto Alegre, and vicar secretary of
the delegation of the prelature in Brazil. He is currently spiritual
director of Opus Dei in Brazil.

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