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(Vatican Radio) A week on from the Pope’s trip to Sweden for the Commemoration of the Protestant Reformation, theologians and the media are still assessing and discussing the impact of this historic visit. But what was it like to view the Pope’s journey as a Swedish Catholic journalist?

Charlotta Smeds is head of Vatican Radio’s Scandinavian service. She gave us her perspective.

Listen: 

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(Vatican Radio) The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, has clarified the Vatican has not authorised any episcopal ordinations in Continental China.

“Should such episcopal ordinations have occurred, they would constitute a grave violation of canonical norms,” Burke said in a statement.

He reiterated “it is not licit to proceed with any episcopal ordination without the necessary Papal Mandate, even by appealing to particular personal beliefs.”

Declaration of the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, concerning the  purported episcopal ordinations without the Pontifical Mandate in Continental China:

“In recent weeks, there has been a series of reports regarding some episcopal ordinations

conferred without Papal Mandate of priests of the unofficial community of the Catholic Church

in Continental China.  The Holy See has not authorised any ordination, nor has it been officially informed of such  events. Should such episcopal ordinations have occurred, they would constitute a grave violation  of canonical norms. The Holy See hopes that such reports are baseless. If not, it will have to await reliable  information and sure documentation before adequately evaluating the cases. However, it is  reiterated that it is not licit to proceed with any episcopal ordination without the necessary  Papal Mandate, even by appealing to particular personal beliefs”.

7 November 2016

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Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Cardinal Fernando Filoni has concluded his visit to Malawi during which period he consecrated the Cathedral of St. Joseph, the worker on Saturday. Cardinal Filoni who was in the Diocese of Karonga as a special envoy of Pope Francis spoke of his joy at the growth of the Church in the new diocese. 

“Today we conclude the initial phase in the development of this young Diocese, which started just six years ago with its creation and the naming of its first Diocesan Bishop, all in response to the steady growth of the Church in this part of Malawi. I am happy to see that, since then, growth has continued, particularly in the number of baptisms and seminarians. This is the result of your dedication to the work of evangelization and your care for the youth and the poor," the Cardinal said. 

President of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa of Blantyre Archdiocese used the occasion to clarify the Church’s position with regard to the “Termination of Pregnancy Bill” being advocated by Abortion rights activists in Malawi who have the support of some international organisations. Archbishop Msusa told the gathering that the Catholic Church does not support the Bill. He said the Church respects the sanctity of life in the womb.  He has since challenged the Catholic faithful to stand firm against those advocating for the abortion bill.

Malawi’s Vice President, Saulos Claus Chilima, who attended the Karonga Diocese consecration on behalf of the Government commended the Bishop of Karonga Diocese, Martin Mtumbuka, for achieving remarkable development within a short period since the diocese was established. This is according to Nyasa Times Online of Malawi.

The Malawi Vice President assured the people of Malawi that the government was committed to the freedom of worship and association as this was a constitutional right of Malawians.

On Monday, in Lilongwe, before his departure to visit the Church in Zambia, Cardinal Filoni celebrated Mass at the Poor Clare’s Monastery in Lilongwe. The Cardinal thanked the cloistered nuns for their dedication and self-giving.

“My dear sisters, it is good to be with you today as together we seek the merciful face of God. I once again thank you, using the very words of our Holy Father (Pope Francis), for ‘without you what would the Church be like … The Church greatly esteems your life of complete self-giving. The Church counts on your prayers and on your self-sacrifice to bring today’s men and women to the good news of the Gospel. The Church needs you!’  May Mary, humble and faithful disciple, most caring Mother, Saint Clare and the African Saints be ever at your side encouraging you never to stop joyfully seeking God’s face. God bless you!,” Cardinal Filoni told the nuns. 

Cardinal Filoni is Monday evening expected to address the Zambian Catholic Bishops who are gathered in the capital Lusaka for their November Plenary meeting. 

(Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va)

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(Vatican Radio) A Vatican conference this week aims to show solidarity for persons affected by rare diseases and highlight the plight of poor and vulnerable populations afflicted by neglected diseases, many of whom live in the most remote rural areas of the world.  

The conference, hosted by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers takes take place from 10 to 12 November, and is entitled “Towards a Culture of Health that is Welcoming and Supportive at the Service of People with Rare and Neglected Pathologies.” 

Listen to the report by Linda Bordoni:

Illustrating the three day event, the Secretary of the Council Monsignor Jean-Marie Mupendawatu,  said the conference comes to life within the spirit of the Holy Year of Mercy. He pointed out that thanks to the Church’s 2000 year old mission to serve the sick - which has made it the world’s largest provider of healthcare services – it is in a unique position to be able to offer significant educational, cultural and pastoral responses to the challenges posed by the conference.  

Monsignor Mupendawatu said that according to the World Health Organization a disease is considered rare when it affects one out of 2000 people. He said that today there are between 5000 and 8000 pathologies that are defined ‘rare’ and 80% of them are of genetic origin. 

Regarding neglected diseases he said they affect some 400 million people, almost half of them children. Most of these, he said, are infectious and are to be found in tropical climates and in areas where people do not have access to clean water and sanitation or health centers. So – he pointed out – they not only pose a medical and clinical challenge, but also cultural and socio-political ones that call for global commitment. 

Addressing United Nations officials in Kenya in 2015, Pope Francis spoke of the issue and called for international agreements to be shaped around the needs of the poor: “Certain health issues, like the elimination of malaria and tuberculosis, treatment of so-called orphan diseases, and neglected sectors of tropical medicine, require urgent political attention, above and beyond all other commercial or political interests.”

Monsignor Mupendawatu  explained that the Conference will focus on how to expand treatment coverage, advance research and development and ensure the basic rights and dignity of patients. This – he said – also implies better care of the environment in which man lives.      

During the three-day event physicians and medical researchers who are specialized in the field of rare and neglected diseases will address participants and some patients will bring their personal witness and reflections. 

Pope Francis will receive the more than 5,000 conference participants, patients, and family members at the conclusion of the event in the Paul VI Hall.

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Five Faith-Based Organisations in the network of Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim affiliated health facilities met recently in Nairobi to review their performance in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The forum held at a Nairobi hotel under theme “Joining together to celebrate our successes in the fight against HIV in Kenya,” discussed the contribution of Faith-based organisations (FBOs) to the HIV response in the country.

They included the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK), Coptic Mission Hospital, Eastern Deanery Aids Relief Program (EDARP) and BOMU Medical Center.

“We renew our commitment to support all efforts already undertaken by the national government, county governments and other non-governmental organisations to alleviate the human suffering caused by the pandemic and to prevent it from further spreading and if possible to eliminate it completely in human history,” said Bishop Peter Kihara Kariuki, I.M.C., Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (KCCB) Commission for Health.

For the last five years, the FBOs, through the support of the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and partnership of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Kenya, have been providing preventive and curative health care service across Kenya’s 47 counties.
Bishop Kariuki urged the government and development partners to sustain the support towards fighting HIV/AIDS.

“We appeal for continued government and development partners support towards sustainability and scaling up of this (HIV) programme,” said the Bishop, who is also in charge of KCCB’s Kenya Aids Response Program (KARP).

Speaking during the same event, CDC Kenya Country Director, Dr Kevin De Cock said FBOs historically had played a significant role in delivering health care services in low-income countries.

(CISA in Nairobi)

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(Vatican Radio)  In his address to Catholic charities, MPs and supporters at the annual Caritas Social Action Network parliamentary reception, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, focused on the soaring number of homeless people in England and, in particular, the rise in what he termed 'hidden homelessness.' Official figures have revealed that the number of people sleeping rough in England has doubled since 2010 and rose by 30 percent in the last year alone. An estimated 3,569 people sleep on the streets on any one night according to these figures.

Cardinal Nichols described the hidden homeless as "under the radar," saying these are people who may have a job but are sleeping on sofas or spare rooms or in Bed and Breakfast accommodation. Young people in this position may stay with a different friend each night or go to all-night parties to avoid sleeping on the street.

Homelessness charities called the figures "scandalous" and "shocking" and have written to the Prime Minster to urge a new strategy to tackle the issue.

The Cardinal stressed that prevention must be the key priority:

"Family relationship breakdown is a leading contributor to homelessness among single men, and a leading cause of family breakdown is financial difficulty. Then there is the scourge of drug and alcohol addiction. And of course, those without suitable accommodation upon release from prison are the most likely to find themselves on the streets, back in its vicious cycle."

He also commended the contribution of Catholic charities and parishes:

"All over England and Wales, parishes and Charities offer a range of support to people who are homeless: from extensive skills training, counselling, hostels and move-on accommodation, to simply offering a hot meal and clothing to those with nowhere else to turn. Indeed, in Westminster Diocese we calculate that in our parishes over 4 million hours of volunteers’ time are given every year."

Cardinal Nichols also stated that the Church stood ready to engage in greater partnership with government, central and local, in order to truly serve the common good - the good that omits nobody.

Finally, the Cardinal spoke about the link between imprisonment and homelessness referencing an "urgent crisis" in prisons in England and Wales with escalating levels of violence, suicide, self-harm and assaults on staff.

Reaffirming his call for prison reform, Cardinal Nichols concluded by launching a new Bishops' Conference document on the subject:

"I am delighted to launch our latest document on prison reform. It is called 'The Right Road'. Drawing on expertise from Catholic charities, chaplains and experts working in this field, it makes recommendations for reform, giving the Church a clear voice in this important work.”

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Vatican City, Nov 7, 2016 / 04:00 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican announced Monday that recently nominated Cardinal-elect Archbishop Joseph William Tobin of Indianapolis will soon be taking over as the new head of the Newark, N.J. Archdiocese.

Born in Detroit May 3, 1952, Tobin has since 2012 served as the 6th Archbishop of Indianapolis. He was ordained a Redemptorist priest in 1978 and served as the order’s superior general from 1997 to 2009.

On Oct. 9 Pope Francis named him as one of three Americans on his list of 17 new cardinal-elects, who will be elevated during a special Nov. 19 consistory set to coincide with the end of the Jubilee of Mercy.

Other Americans getting the red hat are Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago and Bishop Kevin Farrell, former head of the Dallas diocese but who recently moved to Rome to carry out his new role as prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Laity, Family and Life.

As head of the Newark Archdiocese, Tobin will be taking over for Archbishop John J. Myers, who will retire after having reached the age limit of 75 in July.

Tobin’s appointment and elevation as cardinal will mark the first time in its 163 year history that the Archdiocese of Newark has been led by a cardinal. It also signals the first time a member of a religious order will preside over the diocese, which serves roughly 1.2 million Roman Catholics.

The decision fits with Francis’ tendency to appoint cardinals to non-traditional “red-hat sees,” meaning dioceses that typically always have a cardinal, such as Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington.

While Tobin will be taking over in another diocese, he already has an extensive tenure in and around the Vatican, as well as in leadership.

Prior to his appointment as Archbishop of Indianapolis, Tobin served as the Superior General for his congregation from 1997-2009, and then in the Vatican as Secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life from 2010-2012, where he helped oversee the more than 1 million men and women who are vowed religious.

During his time at the congregation, he conducted two separate investigations of American nuns. He was also responsible for the visit and reform of the male communities in Ireland during the sex abuse crisis in the country.

In May he was appointed by the Vatican as the delegate to oversee the ongoing reforms of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae after scandals involving their founder, Luis Fernando Figari, were made public last year.

Archbishop Tobin also seems to share Pope Francis’ sympathy for migrants and refugees. He recently sparred with Indiana governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee Mike Pence over the resettlement of Syrian refugees, saying he was determined to welcome them despite Pence’s objections.

Under his guidance, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis has also set up several events to help foster Catholic-Muslim dialogue.

He has also been a papal appointee to five synods of bishops: 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005 and 2008, though he did not attend the 2014-2015 Synod of Bishops on the Family.

In addition to English, the archbishop speaks Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

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Vatican City, Nov 7, 2016 / 08:45 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A statement made by the Vatican on Monday declared that unverified reports of bishop ordinations taking place within the so-called “underground Church” in China had neither the authorization of the Holy See, nor had they been officially communicated.

“The Holy See has not authorized any ordination, nor has it been officially informed of such events. Should such episcopal ordinations have occurred, they would constitute a grave violation of canonical norms,” the Nov. 7 communique read.
 
Signed by Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, the statement referred to recent unsubstantiated reports that, without authorization from the Pope, the ordination of some bishops took place recently in the so-called “underground Church” in Continental China.   

As the statement read: “In recent weeks, there has been a series of reports regarding some episcopal ordinations conferred without Papal Mandate of priests of the unofficial community of the Catholic Church in Continental China.”

“The Holy See hopes that such reports are baseless,” it continued. “If not, it will have to await reliable information and sure documentation before adequately evaluating the cases.”

“However, it is reiterated that it is not licit to proceed with any episcopal ordination without the necessary Papal Mandate, even by appealing to particular personal beliefs.”

The announcement was made amid recent reports of a possible agreement between the Holy See and China concerning the appointment of Chinese bishops.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, told nuncios gathered in Rome Sept. 16-18 that the talks with China deal with the appointment of bishops, and do not deal with any possibility of establishing diplomatic ties.

The agreement, if it takes place, will likely be based on Cardinal Parolin’s model implemented in Vietnam back in 1996: the Holy See proposes a set of three bishops to the Hanoi government, and Hanoi makes its choice.

Problems with this model do exist, however, including that the Vietnam administration often delays its approval, leaving dioceses vacant for years. Then, when they make the choice, they usually prefer a pro-government candidate.

Ever since the communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, the Holy See has had a reduced diplomatic presence in Beijing, with the nunciature being moved to Taiwan in 1951.
 
China-Vatican relations have been cool, with some apparent thaws. Benedict XVI wrote a letter to Catholics in China in 2007, after which followed a series of bishops’ appointments approved both by the Chinese government and the Holy See.
 
The Church in China is in a difficult situation. The government of the Chinese People’s Republic never recognized the Holy See’s authority to appoint bishops. Instead, it established the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, a sort of ecclesiastical hierarchy officially recognized by the Chinese authorities.
 
For this reason, Chinese bishops recognized by the Holy See entered a clandestine state, thus giving life to the so called “underground Church” that is not recognized by the government.

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IMAGE: CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz

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WASHINGTON (CNS) -- In 1963, the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued an instruction permitting cremation as long as it was not done as a sign of denial of the basic Christian belief in the resurrection of the dead.

The permission was incorporated into the Code of Canon Law in 1983 and the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches in 1990.

However, Cardinal Gerhard Muller, prefect of the congregation, told reporters Oct. 25 that church law had not specified exactly what should be done with "cremains," and several bishops' conferences asked the congregation to provide guidance.

That request led to "Ad resurgendum cum Christo" ("To Rise With Christ"), an instruction "regarding the burial of the deceased and the conservation of the ashes in the case of cremation," issued Oct. 25. The document was approved by Pope Francis after consultation with other Vatican offices and with bishops' conferences and the Eastern churches' synods of bishops.

Release of the new document has prompted many Catholics to ask whether it changes any regulations about cremation. Catholic News Service provided some of those questions to the staff of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat of Divine Worship to have them answered:

Q.: The new document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) spells out regulations regarding cremation. Does it change anything in how the Catholic Church in this country has regulated this issue?

A.: No, the new document from the CDF doesn't change anything for us in this country. For example, we already have permission to have a funeral Mass in the presence of cremated remains. What the Instruction does do, however, is reiterate the church's preference for the burial of the body in normal circumstances, and, when cremation is necessary, its insistence that the remains be properly interred.

Q.: If the document says that traditional burial is preferred, does that mean cremation is wrong?

A: If the church saw cremation as "wrong," it wouldn't permit it! Sometimes cremation can truly be necessary. However, the ancient custom and the preference of the church is to bury the body, whenever possible.

Q.: What should I do if I've already scattered the ashes?

A.: We can't change the past, of course, and if you truly didn't realize at that time that it shouldn't be done, then you shouldn't burden yourself with guilt. Remember that what happens to a person's body after death has no bearing on what happens when that person's soul meets the Lord on judgment day. However, you might wish to offer extra prayers for the person's happy repose.

Q.: If I plan to donate my body to science, after which it will be cremated, is that OK? What if the laboratory disposes of these ashes?

A.: This would seem to be a valid reason for cremation. However, it would be important to make sure that arrangements are made for a funeral Mass, and that a trusted relative or friend is able to receive the remains and see to their proper burial.

Q.: How do I convince my dad to let me bury my mother's ashes, which he now has at home?

A.: Only you would know the best way to approach a situation like that, and it would depend a lot on his reasons for keeping the remains and on his own personal faith. Perhaps making him aware of the church's preference would be enough to convince him? Or the assurance that his own earthly remains will one day be buried alongside those of his wife? Also, the Vatican's instruction itself articulates some compelling reasons: "The reservation of the ashes of the departed in a sacred place ensures that they are not excluded from the prayers and remembrance of the Christian community. It prevents the faithful departed from being forgotten, or their remains from being shown a lack of respect'" (n. 5).

Q.: Entombment of ashes is expensive; is there any 'consecrated ground or consecrated place' where Catholics can place ashes for free?

A.: That would vary from place to place. There have been some Catholic dioceses and cemeteries that have even organized special opportunities for the interment of cremated remains for no cost at all, just as a way to encourage people who might have been keeping the remains without a good idea of what to do with them. You might wish to bring this question to the office of your local bishop -- the people who assist him might be able to help you find an appropriate place, particularly if the expense is an important factor.

Q.: "I am afraid I did something wrong. When my daughter died, I could not afford to bury her, but I had her cremated and her ashes will be buried with me. I also had some ashes put in crosses for her kids. I am distressed I did something very wrong."

A.: Clearly you did that with good intentions, and weren't aware of what the church wants us to do with the mortal remains of our loved ones, so you shouldn't burden yourself with guilt over this. Would it be possible now to find a cemetery plot where you can bury her remains, and make arrangements so that your own remains can someday go into the same location? If at all possible, the ashes in the crosses should also be buried or interred along with them.

Q.: Many people die and are never buried properly. Perhaps they die at sea or in an explosion or whatever. Why is the Vatican worried about something like this when there are so many other problems in the world?

A.: This instruction isn't concerned with those kinds of situations. Burial at sea is necessary at times, as is cremation. The main purpose for this instruction is to help foster a healthy respect for the human body, even after death, especially in light of the move in recent years away from traditional burial in favor of more expedient and economical means. Where contemporary culture today may well question what difference it makes, the church is reminding us to recall that the human body is an integral part of the human person deserving of respect even after death. The earliest Christians buried the bodies of their dead, and this set them apart from many of their contemporaries. We bury our dead out of reverence for God our creator, and as a sign that we look forward to the resurrection on the last day.

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Editor's Note: The English text of the instruction can be found at: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20160815_ad-resurgendum-cum-christo_en.html

The Spanish text is here: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20160815_ad-resurgendum-cum-christo_sp.html

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