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(Vatican Radio) In the face of widespread global conflicts, Pope’ Francis’ visit to the Swedish cities of Lund and Malmö for a joint commemoration of the Reformation will be “a sign of hope” to a divided and suffering world. That's the view of Rev, Martin Junge, General Secretary of the World Lutheran Federation, who took part in the World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi earlier this week.

On October 31st, the Pope and leaders of the Lutheran World Federation will preside together at a prayer service in Lund cathedral, asking forgiveness for past conflicts and giving thanks for the last 50 years of ecumenical dialogue.

They will then lead a celebration with young people in Malmö arena, focusing on a commitment to common witness and highlighting cooperation on justice, peace and environmental protection between Caritas Internationalis and the World Service network of the Lutheran World Federation.

Rev. Martin Junge believes these events offer Catholics and Lutherans a unique opportunity to show that dialogue does produce concrete results and can offer a powerful message of unity and service to those most in need. 

Listen to Philippa Hitchen’s interview with Rev Martin Junge: 

The Lutheran leader says that this joint commemoration “doesn't come out of the blue” but is rather “the result of the longstanding, deep theological dialogues and understanding which we have reached”.

Those results, he adds, are well documented in “very important milestones of the ecumenical process which we have had with the Catholic Church”, such as the 1999 Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, which Rev Junge describes as “a theological pillar” of the whole joint commemoration.

Secondly, he points to the 2013 joint report from the Catholic-Lutheran Commission on Unity called ‘From Conflict to Communion’ which tells the history of the Reformation from a shared perspective.  That document, he says, identifies theological issues that have been overcome, but also some of the tasks which lie ahead, particularly discussions on ministry, the Church and the Eucharist.

Rev Junge also notes that local Catholic and Lutheran Churches carry “different memories and different experiences”, some of which are “painful and difficult ones”, therefore, he says, “the whole task of the healing of memories” is ahead of us.The Lutheran leader adds there is “a clear pattern” in the way majority and minority Churches relate to each other.

But the “great opportunity of the joint commemoration", he says, is that “we will take up that history - we’re not neglecting it or pushing it aside - we’re acknowledging it, but at the same time we're saying we don’t want to get stuck in history”. Instead, he says, “we want to become and remain open to the common future where God invites us to go” and which we share already through our Baptism. We will together say “we want to turn away from conflict” and work on what we still need to do on the path to full unity.

Speaking about the current conflicts, violence, and breakdown of communications among communities and nations, Rev Junge says the joint commemoration wants to convey a powerful message that “to remain and to sustain dialogue through decades eventually brings fruits”. The powerful message that Catholics and Lutherans can give together, he says, is that of deliberately leaving the conflict behind as they move into a new stage of relationships. That means “not being busy with themselves only, but also being very open and attentive” so that their being together becomes “a resource for others” and “a sign of hope” to a struggling and wounded world. 

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Vatican City, Sep 23, 2016 / 11:03 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Changes to the regulations for confirming alleged miracles during the causes of saints aim to preserve the scientific rigor of the examination and maintain its distinction from matters of theology, it was announced Friday.

The changes, which were approved by Pope Francis Aug. 24, were announced by the Vatican Sept. 23. They concern the professional secrecy of the proceedings regarding presumed miracles and hold that a supermajority of two-thirds (five out of seven, or four out of six) of the votes from members of the Medical Board must be positive for the cause to continue to the next step.

Previously, only a simple majority of medical experts acknowleding a supernatural healing was required. The changes also stipulate that the medical experts will receive their remuneration only through bank transfer – not cash.

“The purpose of the Regulation can be none other than the good of the Causes, which can never neglect the historical and scientific truth of the alleged miracles,” Archbishop Marcello Bartolucci, Secretary of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, wrote regarding the changes. “Just as it is necessary for the legal checks to be complete, convergent and reliable, it is also necessary that their study be performed with serenity, objectivity and sure competence by highly specialised medical experts.”

“This Regulation obviously concerns only the good functioning of the Medical Board, whose task appears increasingly delicate, demanding and, thanks be to God, appreciated both inside and outside the Church.”

Archbishop Bartolucci added, “Always the Church is convinced that miracles of the saints is the 'finger of God,' which ratifies, so to say, the human judgement of their holiness of life.”

“This vision is part of the mind of the Church and has been repeatedly reaffirmed by the ordinary magisterium to the pronouncements of Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. It is historically certain that miracles are always a decisive argument for the canonization of Servants of God,” he stated.

The new wording is based on the regulations approved by Blessed Paul VI in 1976. The drafting of the new regulations was done by a special commission which began its work in September 2015.

Besides the new requirements of a qualified majority and professional secrecy on the part of those involved, the president of the Medical Board is limited to one term and one reappointment (a total of 10 years in the position). Nor can a case be re-examined more than three times, and when a re-examination is made, there must be a nine persons on the Medical Board.

Also, it is now the Under-Secretary of the Council who will undertake the functions previously under the rapporteur, who had been responsible for reporting on the proceedings of the meetings.

In addition to the changes introduced, there were also adjustments made to procedural language.

Since the 12th and 13th centuries the Church has continually revised the regulations under which a miracle is confirmed in cases of causes for beatification or canonization. The 1917 Code of Canon Law established access of the miracle to theologians only after the alleged miracle had been studied and verified by two expert doctors, aside from issues of philosophical and religious consideration.

“And even today it is so: the scientific aspect remains distinct from the theological,” Archbishop Bartolucci affirmed.

“Miracles are not marginal events of the Gospel or the causes of saints. Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God in word and with 'messianic signs,' that he worked to make clear his identity and credibility to its mission and also to anticipate the final news of the redeemed world,” Archbishop Bartolucci said.

“The same is true for saints,” he said.

“Miracles, that they receive through their intercession, are a sign of God's presence in history and, at the same time, are the confirmation of their former high holiness, expressed first of all in the exercise of heroic Christian virtues or martyrdom.”

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Mexico City, Mexico, Sep 23, 2016 / 11:21 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Mexican Cardinal Alberto Suárez Inda is offering prayers for the safety of a priest who was kidnapped in the country earlier this week.

Fr. José Alfredo López Guillén, pastor of Janamuato, was taken from the rectory of his parish by unknown persons on Monday, September 19. His whereabouts remain unknown, as does the motive for the kidnapping. His car was also stolen.

His abduction occurred on the same day that authorities found the lifeless bodies of previously-kidnapped Fathers Alejo Nabor Jiménez Juárez and José Alfredo Juárez de la Cruz, in the Diocese of  Papantla, in Veracruz state.

In a video posted on YouTube Sept. 22, Cardinal Suárez said that “after sharing in the enormous pain over the murder of two young priests in the Diocese of Papantla in Veracruz, today we are suffering anguish firsthand over the disappearance, the kidnapping of one of our priests.”

The cardinal offered prayers for the kidnapped priest and that the captors may “respect his person, his life, that he can return soon to the exercise of his ministry. We join in prayer for his family members and parishioners who are going through this distressing time.”

“We ask God for peace, for respect for life, for the conversion of those who dedicate themselves to doing evil,” he said.

“Our community suffers the death, the anguish of any one of our faithful. In this case, it's a good man, dedicated to doing good and who is peaceful. This barbarity is in no way justifiable, I ask for your prayers.”

 

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By Kelly Seegers

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- As Pope Francis boarded the plane after his visit to Washington a year ago, he carried with him a book containing more than 100,000 pledges that people in the Archdiocese of Washington had made to "Walk With Francis" by either praying, serving or acting to improve their community.

Leading up to the pope's visit, the Archdiocese of Washington, along with Catholic Charities, launched the Walk With Francis initiative, which encouraged people to prepare for the pope's visit by following in his example of love and mercy.

People were asked to make pledges to pray regularly for the pontiff, to serve by caring for those in need and supporting charitable efforts, or to act to promote human life and dignity, justice and peace, family life and religious freedom, care for creation and the common good.

In the months that followed, individuals, schools, parishes and other organizations made pledges to help their community in different ways. Many people posted their pledges on social media, using #WalkwithFrancis. The day before the pope arrived in Washington Sept. 22, 2015, the Walk With Francis pledges topped the 100,000 mark. The Archdiocese of Washington then compiled all of the pledges into a 400-page book that they presented to the pope as a parting gift when he left in late afternoon Sept. 24, 2015.

At Little Flower School in Great Mills, Maryland, each class decided for itself how they were going to Walk With Francis. Students in the pre-kindergarten class pledged to act like Jesus toward one another, the second grade pledged to do an act of kindness every day, the fifth grade pledged to plant a school garden, the seventh grade pledged to pray the prayer of St. Francis every day, and the eighth grade pledged to do guided meditations on mercy.

Patricia Peters, who teaches seventh- and eighth-grade religion, saw the pledges that her students made go beyond the time leading up to Pope Francis' visit. Both the seventh and the eighth grade continued their prayers and meditations regularly throughout the year. In addition, two students from her seventh-grade class were inspired by the prayer of St. Francis to start a pet supply drive that now runs annually from the beginning of the year until the blessing of the pets on St. Francis of Assisi's feast day.

"It was very affirming for me to be a part of it, to watch my students grow through the experience and to be able to be a part of the larger church in that way," Peters told the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Washington Archdiocese. "It definitely strengthened my faith to be a part of that with my students."

Several prominent figures in the Washington area also signed the Walk With Francis Pledge. Katie Ledecky, the five-time Olympic swimming gold medalist who attends Little Flower Parish in Bethesda, Maryland, pledged to help Shepherd's Table, Catholic Charities and Bikes for the World. John Carlson, a member of the Washington Capitals, pledged to "continue to work on my faith and become a better father every day."

Erik Salmi, director of communications for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, said these pledges "helped bring some great energy to the campaign."

At The Catholic University of America, students were encouraged to sign pledges after the opening Mass of the school year. Many of the students, such as James Walsh, still wear their "Walk With Francis" wristbands as a reminder of the pledges they made that day.

"I like to keep it on as a good reminder ... to stay humble," Walsh said.

Catholic University also had a "Serve With Francis Day," where hundreds of students went out to serve their local community.

Salmi said the effects of the Walk With Francis initiative are hard to measure, because it is similar to when "you drop a stone in the middle of a pond and the ripples go pretty far and wide." However, he said he did know that all of the Catholic Charities programs benefited from having volunteers that joined them.

The good deeds did not end when the pope left. Since his visit, more than 10,000 additional pledges have been made. Through the Drive with Francis initiative, the Fiat that Pope Francis rode in is being used to help those in need. There is even a new hashtag, #DrivewithFrancis, so that people can share on social media what they are doing with the papal Fiat.

Two Fiats were used by Pope Francis during his visit to Washington and later the cars were donated to the archdiocese by Pope Francis and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The proceeds of the auction of one of the cars are being donated to various charities.

A private donor who wanted to remain anonymous is letting the archdiocese use the second Fiat via the #DrivewithFrancis initiative to promote good works, activities and social service programs aiding the local community.

The car has been parked at various events in the area, collecting food for a community food bank or baby items for a crisis pregnancy center in Washington. It was present at the Washington Nationals' Faith Day, where people could line up to make breakfast bags for the homeless served by Catholic Charities' Cup of Joe program. After the game, 550 Cup of Joe bags were delivered to Adam's Place shelter, which is run by Catholic Charities.

"That seems pretty perfect for me in summarizing how His Holiness would want the car to be used," Salmi said.

For the first anniversary of the pope's visit to Washington, Catholic Charities and the Archdiocese of Washington launched a "Walk With Francis 2.0" initiative for the Sept. 24-25 weekend, when people could renew the pledge or make a new one if they had not done it before.

Parishes in the archdiocese planned to have pledge cards for parishioners to fill out during Mass and bring up to the altar.

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Seegers is on the staff of the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington.

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