“During the last few Sundays I have suggested to all of you to obtain a
small copy of the Gospel, to carry with you during the day, so you can read
it frequently. Then I thought of an ancient tradition of the Church during
Lent, of giving the Gospel to catechumens, and to those who are preparing
for Baptism. So, today I wish to offer you, here in the square – but as a
sign to all – a pocket-sized Gospel. It will be distributed free. … And
like Him, I say to you, freely you have received, freely give – give the
message of the Gospel! … Let us do something: in exchange for this give,
carry out an act of charity, a gesture of love, freely given; a prayer for
enemies, reconciliation, something. Today we can also read the Gospel using
many technological instruments. You can carry the entire Bible around with
you in a smartphone, in a tablet. The important thing is to read the Word
of God, by any means– read the Word of God, is it Jesus who is speaking to
you!”

___________________________________________________________

 POPE'S AUDIENCE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA: APPRECIATION FOR THE
CHURCH'S COMMITMENT TO PEACE
 Vatican City, 5 April 2014 (VIS) – Today, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace,
the Holy Father Francis received in audience Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf,
president of the Republic of Liberia, who subsequently went on to meet with
Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by the secretary
for Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.
 During the cordial discussions, emphasis was placed on the good relations
between the Holy See and Liberia, and satisfaction was expressed regarding
the positive progress made in strengthening the country’s democratic
structures. Particular appreciation was shown for the Church’s commitment
to peace and national reconciliation, as well as her important contribution
in the fields of social welfare and education.
 Finally, there was an exchange of views on the current international and
regional situation, with special reference to areas of crisis.
___________________________________________________________

 THE POPE TO ITALIAN MAYORS: BE MEDIATORS, NOT INTERMEDIARIES
 Vatican City, 5 April 2014 (VIS) – This morning Pope Francis received in
audience the members of the National Association of Italian Municipalities
(ANCI), whose president is the mayor of Turin, Piero Fassino. In his
address, the Holy Father mentioned Cardinal Michel Pellegrino, archbishop
of the city from 1965 and 1977 who, he revealed, helped the Bergoglio
family find work in the post-war period.
 “His gesture was a beautiful one”, said the Pope, addressing the president
of the ANCI. “It recalls these men of the Church, these man and women of
the Church – priests, nuns, laypeople – who knew how to walk alongside
their people, within and next to their people. And the identity of the
mayor is a little like this. … The mayor is surrounded by the people.  It
is inconceivable that a mayor is not there, because the mayor is a
mediator, in the midst of the needs of the people. And the danger is that
of becoming a mayor who is not a mediator, but rather an intermediary”.
 The difference between one and the other, Pope Francis explained, is that
“the intermediary exploits the needs of the various acts and takes a part
for himself. … Instead, the mediator, is one who gives his life for the
unity and the needs of his people, to help them along. After a period of
time dedicated to the work of a mayor, these men or women tire and need to
rest a little, but nevertheless their hearts are full of love because they
have acted as mediators. And this is what I wish for you: that you will be
mediators. In the midst of your people, to create unity, to make peace, to
resolve problems and to answer to the needs of the people”.
 “I think of Jesus: he was not a mayor, but perhaps the image is useful to
us. I think of Jesus in a moment of his life, when he was in the midst of
the crowds: the crowd pushed him, the Gospel tells us, almost to the point
of not being able to breathe. And this is how the mayor should be, with his
people, with him, with her, because this means that the people seek him
because he knows how to answer, as they did with Jesus. This is what I wish
for you. Tiredness, in the midst of the people, and that the people seek
you because they know that you always know how to respond well to them”.

___________________________________________________________

 COMMUNIQUE FROM THE SECRETARIAT FOR THE ECONOMY
 Vatican City, 5 April 2014 (VIS) – The Secretariat for the Economy
communicates that Professor Franco Dalla Sega, lecturer at the Catholic
University of the Sacred Heart, has been appointed as “ad interim” special
adviser to the Extraordinary Section of APSA. Aside from assisting the
secretary of APSA in the conduct of the activities of the Section,
Professor Dalla Sega will be assigned specific tasks and projects and may
be asked for specific advice on the reorganisation of APSA in accordance
with the broader revision of the economic-administrative structure of the
Holy See.

___________________________________________________________

 POPE FRANCIS' NEXT PASTORAL VISITS IN ITALY
 Vatican City, 5 April 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has accepted the
invitation to make two pastoral visits in Italy during the months of June
and July. He will visit the diocese of Cassano all'Jonio, Calabria on 21
June, and the diocese of Campobasso and Isernia, Molise, on 5 July.

___________________________________________________________

 AUDIENCES
 Vatican City, 7 April 2014 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy Father received
in audience:
 - Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the
Evangelisation of Peoples.
 - Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt, J.C.D., permanent observer at the
United Nations in New York and at the Organisation of American States.
 - Ten prelates of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference, on their "ad
limina"¯ visit:
 - Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Ruwa'ichi, O.F.M. Cap., of Mwanza, apostolic
administrator of Shinyanga;
 - Bishop Renatus Leonard Nkwande of Bunda;
 - Bishop Damian Denis Dallu of Geita;
 - Bishop Almachius Vincent Rweyongeza of Kayanga;
 - Bishop Michael George Mabuga Msonganzila of Musoma;
 - Bishop Severine Niwemugizi of Rulenge-Ngara;
 - Archbishop Josaphat Louis Lebulu of Arusha;
 - Bishop Beatus Kinyaiya, O.F.M. Cap., of Mbulu;
 - Bishop Isaac Amani Massawe of Moshi;
 - Bishop Rogath Fundimoya Kimaryo of Same.
 This afternoon, he is scheduled to receive in audience His Majesty
Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, King of Jordan.
 On Saturday, 5 April the Holy Father received in audience:
 - Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
 - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of the Republic of Libera, and entourage.
 - Eight prelates of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference, on their "ad
limina"¯ visit:
 - Bishop Tarcisius Ngalalekumtwa of Iringa, apostolic administrator
"sede vacante ed at nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Songea;
 - Bishop Bruno Pius Ngonyani of Lindi;
 - Bishop Evaristo Marc Chengula, I.M.C., of Mbeya;
 - Bishop John Chrisostom Ndimbo of Mbinga, with Bishop emeritus Emanuel A. Mapunda;
 - Bishop Gabriel Mmole of Mtwara;
 - Bishop Alfred Leonhard Maluma of Njombe;
 - Bishop Castor Paul Msemwa of Tunduru-Masasi.

___________________________________________________________

 OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
 Vatican City, 5 April 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:
 - appointed Fr. Bruno Ateba Edo, S.A.C., as bishop of Maroua-Mokolo (area
14,332, population 2,000,000, Catholics 70,000, priests 66, permanent
deacons 10, religious 134), Cameroon. The bishop-elect was born in Zoetele,
Cameroon in 1964, gave his perpetual vws in 1994 and was ordained a priest
in 1995. He holds a licentiate in pastoral theology from the Pallottine
Theological Institute in Vallendar, Germany. He has served in a number of
pastoral roles, including priest of the parish of "Sts. Peter and
Paul"¯ in Mfoundi, Yaounde, Cameroon; rector of the the Pallottine
Theologate and of the basilica "Marie-Reine-des-Apotres"¯ at
Mvolye, Yaounde; and regional rector of the Pallottine Society for Cameroon
and Nigeria. He is currently president of the Conference of Major Superiors
of Cameroon. He succeeds Bishop Philippe Albert Joseph Stevens, whose
resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father
accepted, upon having reached the agelimit.
 - appointed Fr. Joseph Tran Van Toan as auxiliary of Long Xuyen (area ,
population , Catholics , priests , permanent deacons , religious ),
Vietnam. The bishop-elect was born in Thai Binh, Vietnam in 1955 and was
ordained a priest in 1992. He holds a doctorate in education from the De La
Salle University of Manila, Philippines, and has served in a number of
pastoral roles, including vicar of the parish of "Our Lady of the
Rosary" in Lang Sen and vicar forane of Vinh Thanh in Long Xuyen. He
is currently director of the pastoral centre and coordinator of pastoral
and missionary activities for the diocese, rector of the minor seminary of
St. Theresa, and teacher of missiology at the interdiocesan major seminary
of Can Tho.
 - appointed Bishop Francois Eid, emeritus of Le Caire dei Maroniti and
procurator in Rome for Antioch of the Maronites, as a member of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
 - appointed Bishop Mansueto Bianchi, previously bishop of Pistoia, as
general ecclesiastical assistant of Italian Catholic Action.

___________________________________________________________

For more information and to search for documents refer to the site:
www.wisnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican
Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially quoting the
source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/vis_en.html

--- MPost/386 v1.21