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At least 2,000 Catholics attended a Mass presided over by Bp. Hubertus Leteng of Ruteng, Indonesia,  against a plan to build hotels on a 4.2-hectare area of Pede Beach.

"Small people want to feel God’s love and attention on Pede Beach, so protect this beach," said Bp. Hubertus in his homily during the Mass. "Pede Beach is a green space for all people from different backgrounds. It isn’t only for the rich. So let's save this beach for the sake of harmony," he said.

The May 31 Mass was staged to oppose plans by an investment company to build hotels on a 4.2-hectare area of Pede Beach near Labuan Bajo in West Manggarai district.

Bishop Leteng promised to continue staging protests against the development plans.

The local government, seeking to promote tourism, recently granted the firm permission to develop the area. (UCAN)

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(Vatican Radio) The Catholic diocese of Southwark in south-east England has a new auxiliary bishop, Paul Mason, who has served for the past two years as the Episcopal Vicar for Kent.

Bishop Paul’s ordination took place in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, at midday on May 31st, the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Originally from North Shields, in the north of England, Bishop Paul worked in Turin and London before training for the priesthood at the Venerable English College in Rome in the 1990s. He served for a decade as hospital chaplain to St. Thomas’ & Guys Hospital Trust in London before taking up a position as Pastoral Director at Allen Hall seminary in the diocese of Westminster.

Shortly before his episcopal ordination, Bishop Paul talked to Philippa Hitchen about his job and about the challenges facing the Church in the diocese of Southwark…

Listen: 

Bishop Paul explains that the archdiocese of Southwark is divided into three areas, South East London, South West London and Kent and the Medway.

In the area of Kent where he has been working for the past two years, he notes that a lot of the traditional Catholic population in rural areas has moved away, often up to London, but there has also been a great influx of people from Eastern Europe. These new arrivals, from Poland in particular, he says, have brought “a rebirth of the Catholic population” in many parts of the county.

Bishop Paul says that often the Eastern European immigrants will have Masses in their own language, which helps with community cohesion. On the other hand, he adds, it’s important for people to integrate and become part of the local population, which often takes a generation as children grow up in local schools.

Making immigrants feel welcome

Asked about prejudices against immigrants, the new bishop notes that there are tensions in certain areas, such as Dover, because of pressure on social services, but he insists it’s important to try and make people feel welcome.

Speaking in particular about refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria, he says “we should be prepared to roll up our sleeves and respond positively” to the challenges they face. Parishes in the Kent area, he says, are sensitive to the needs of people who’ve lost their homes, their families and their sense of identity.

Recounting a recent experience when he visited the ‘Jungle’ refugee camp in Calais, Bishop Paul says one of the hardest problems is how to channel and coordinate the good will of people who want to support those most in need. He encourages anyone wanting to respond to the ongoing needs of refugees there to make a donation to an agency like Catholic Social Action Network (CSAN) who can “put the money where it’s needed, on the frontline.”

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis, during his General Audience on Wednesday, met with Veronica Cantero Burroni, a young Argentinian author, who turns 14-years-old on Friday.

She was just awarded the Elsa Morante Prize in children’s literature for her book Il ladro di ombre (‘The Shadow Thief’).

Veronica was a triplet, and the birth caused neurological damage which has affects her motor skills, but that has not kept her from writing and publishing books since she was eight-years-old.

The children’s literature selection for the Elsa Morante Prize is chosen through a two-part process. A jury of experts chooses three books as finalists, with the winner being chosen by a group of young people who have read the books.

There were two books written by Argentinians among the three finalists for the award: The Name of God Is Mercy – written by Pope Francis with journalist Andrea Tornielli – was the other.

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(Vatican Radio) The Lutheran World Federation and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity on Wednesday released details of the ecumenical events that Pope Francis will attend in southern Sweden on October 31st 2016. The joint Lutheran-Catholic commemoration will mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and will feature a liturgy in Lund cathedral, followed by a public event at an arena in the nearby city of Malmö.

The commemoration, structured around the themes of thanksgiving, repentance and commitment to common witness, will also celebrate the fruits of 50 years of Catholic-Lutheran dialogue.

The  prayer service in Lund cathedral will be led by Pope Francis, LWF President Bishop Munib Younan and LWF General Secretary Rev. Martin Junge, based on a shared liturgical guide and the joint report entitled ‘From Conflict to Communion’. The event in the Malmö arena will showcase the common witness of the LWF’s World Service and Caritas Internationalis, including their work to care for refugees, peacebuilding, and advocacy for climate justice.

The full programme of Pope Francis’ visit to Sweden, including a Mass with the country's Catholic community on the morning of November 1st, will be published at a later date.

Please find below the full text of the joint press release from the Lutheran World Federation (LFW) and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU)

Joint Ecumenical Commemoration to be held in Lund Cathedral and Malmö Arena

GENEVA, VATICAN CITY, 1 June 2016 -  The joint Lutheran-Catholic ecumenical commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation on 31 October in Lund, Sweden will consist of two parts. It will begin with a liturgy in Lund Cathedral and continue with a public event at Malmö Arena that will be open to wider participation.

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Roman Catholic Church joint event will highlight the 50 years of continuous ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Lutherans and the joint gifts of this collaboration. The Catholic-Lutheran commemoration of 500 years of the Reformation is structured around the themes of thanksgiving, repentance and commitment to common witness. The aim is to express the gifts of the Reformation and ask forgiveness for division perpetuated by Christians from the two traditions.

Lund Cathedral will be the venue for the common prayer service based on the recently published Catholic-Lutheran “Common Prayer” liturgical guide that is based on the report From Conflict to Communion. Malmö Arena will be the stage for activities focusing on the commitment to common witness and service of Catholics and Lutherans in the world. Highlights of the joint work of LWF World Service and Caritas Internationalis will be featured,including care for refugees, peacebuilding, and advocacy for climate justice. The arena can host up to 10,000 people.

Pope Francis, LWF President Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan and LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Martin Junge will lead the common prayer service in Lund and the event in Malmö in cooperation with leaders from Church of Sweden and the Catholic Diocese of Stockholm.

“There is power when communities find their way out of conflict. In Christ we are encouraged to serve together in this world. The joint commemoration is a witness to the love and hope we all have because of the grace of God,” LWF President Younan and General Secretary Junge say.

Kurt Cardinal Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity explains further: “By concentrating together on the centrality of the question of God and on a Christocentric approach, Lutherans and Catholics will have the possibility of an ecumenical commemoration of the Reformation, not simply in a pragmatic way, but in the deep sense of faith in the crucified and resurrected Christ.”

“We look forward to this event which can gather up to 10,000 people. The idea behind the arena event is to further describe the development from conflict to communion with a focus on hope for the future and common service in the world,” says Church of Sweden Archbishop Antje Jackélen.

Bishop Anders Arborelius of the Catholic Diocese of Stockholm adds, “History will be written when Pope Francis and the LWF leaders visit Lund and Malmö to encourage all of us to go further on the road towards Christian unity.”

Information on the Joint Ecumenical Commemoration will be updated on the event website www.lund2016.net

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The Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of Bukavu (comprising the Dioceses of Butembo-Beni, Goma, Kasongo, Kindu and Uvira) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have urged President Joseph Kabila to come clean and resolve the political impasse in the electoral process of the country.

Meeting in a regular session last week in Kindu, the prelates expressed their determination to do all that is necessary to promote peace and return to normalcy in their troubled region. South Kivu, in particular, is home to various armed militia groups that have caused severe suffering and made life impossible for citizens. 

The Bishops have pledged to continue preaching and promoting a unifying message of peace and tolerance in this part of the country shaken not only by insecurity but ethnic conflicts as well. They appeal to political leaders in the DRC to prioritise the interests of citizens and help cultivate a sense of patriotism in the country.

Last November, the Bishops of Bukavu appealed to Congolese political parties to renounce "a culture of lies," and inform people about the real issues of the national dialogue and forthcoming elections.

Political tensions are high in Congo on the question of President Kabila's succession.

Democratic Republic of Congo's highest court ruled early last month that President Joseph Kabila could stay in power beyond the end of his two-term mandate if his government failed to hold an election due in November.

Kabila's opponents immediately denounced the court ruling. They have previously argued that an interim president should serve after Kabila's term expired and elections delayed. The government has said elections may be delayed due to budgetary and logistical obstacles.

 (Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va)

Source: Radio Vatican, French Service; additional info Reuters.

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday sent greetings to the 20th Lednica 2000 Youth Meeting which will take place on Saturday in Poland.

The Lednica meeting was started by Father Jan Góra, OP, in 1997, and has become the largest annual gathering of Catholic young people in the world.

This year’s 20th meeting – which take place near Lake Lednica, the traditional site of the baptism of the first Polish king, Mieszko I in AD 966 ­– is of special significance because of the convergence of several events: The Jubilee Year of Mercy, the 1050th anniversary of the ‘Baptism of Poland’, the 800th anniversary of the foundation of the Dominican Order, and the upcoming World Youth Day in Krakow.  It will also be the first Lednica Youth Meeting without Father Jan, who died  on 21 December 2015 at the age of 67.

The theme of the meeting is simply “Amen.”

Pope Francis sent his greetings during his address to Polish-speaking pilgrims at the General Audience in St. Peter’s Square.

“Dear friends, together you want to raise your voices and say, sing, and dance your ‘Amen’. This is your confirmation of personal faith in Christ whom your ancestors received together in baptism 1050 years ago,” Pope Francis said.

“Following the example of Mary, whose life was completely permeated by the glory of God, in the Holy Spirit repeat every day your ‘Amen - so be it!’” – the Pope continued – “May the memory of Father Jan, the founder  of your meetings who is now with the Lord, inspire you on the path of faith and bless the hearts of you and your pastors. Praised be Jesus Christ!”

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Vatican City, Jun 1, 2016 / 06:59 am (CNA/EWTN News).- One who prays with humility and awareness of his or her sin speaks to God, Pope Francis said on Wednesday, whereas one who prays with arrogance and self-righteousness is speaking to a mirror.

“It is not enough to ask ourselves how often we pray,” the Pope said to the thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square for the weekly general audience. “We must also ask ourselves how we pray, or rather, how our heart is.”

The pontiff centered his June 1 catechesis on Jesus' parable of the tax collector and the pharisee.

The problem with the pharisee – who stands in the temple and gives thanks for not being like other sinners – is that, as he prays to God, he looks at himself, Francis said.

“Instead of having the Lord before his eyes, he has a mirror,” the Pope said. When he prays, the pharisee lists his good deeds, and is made happy by following “precepts.”

“Yet, his attitude and words are far from the way of acting and speaking of God, who loves all men and does not despise sinners,” Francis said.

Thus, this pharisee, who believes he is just, “neglects the most important commandment: the love for God and for neighbor.”

Francis said we must examine our thoughts and feelings, eradicating “arrogance and hypocrisy.” We cannot pray with arrogance or hypocrisy, but rather “we must pray before God as we are,” he said.

The tax collector, on the other hand, is shown to be humble, asking God for mercy.

Francis invited the crowds to follow the example of the tax collector, and repeat after him three times: “Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

The parable teaches that being righteous or sinful has nothing to do with social status. Rather, it has to do with the way we relate to God and to our neighbors.

“The tax collector's humble gestures of penance and (these) few simple words,” Francis said, demonstrate his awareness of his “miserable condition.”

“His prayer is essential. He acts out of humility, secure only in being a sinner in need of mercy,” the Pope said. In the end, he “becomes a symbol of a true believer.”

In contrast, “the pharisee is the symbol of the corrupt pretense of praying, but only succeeds in showing off in front of a mirror.”

“Pride affects every good deed; it empties prayer,” and keeps God and others at a distance, Francis said. Humility, on the other hand, is necessary in order to receive mercy.

God has a “weakness” for humility, the pontiff said. “Before a humble heart, God opens his heart completely.”

Later in the audience, Pope Francis remarked that Friday marks the  Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, as well as the start of the June 3-5 Jubilee for priests.

He invited everyone to dedicate the month of June to praying to the Sacred Heart, and “to support the closeness and affection of your priests, so that they may always be in the image of that Heart full of merciful love.”

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By Junno Arocho Esteves

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- While the prayer of a proud person isn't strong enough to reach God's heart, the prayer of a humble and contrite heart is capable of opening wide the door to his mercy and love, Pope Francis said.

"God has one weakness: He has a weakness for the humble ones. In front of a humble heart, God opens his heart fully," the pope said June 1 during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

The pope continued his catechetical series on prayer, focusing on Jesus' parable of the Pharisee, who prayed with arrogance of his own assumed righteousness, and the tax collector, who would "not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'"

The Pharisee "prayed to himself," and his prayer was a display of his own merits and sense of superiority disguised as a "prayer of thanksgiving toward God," the pope said.

"Instead of having the Lord in front of his eyes, he had a mirror," he said. "His attitude and his words are far from the way to act and speak to God, who loves all men and women and does not reject the sinner. This one rejects the sinner; he even points to the (tax collector) who was there."

Jesus' parable, he continued, is a reminder for all Christians that it is not enough to "ask ourselves how much we pray, but we must also ask ourselves how we pray." Although life may run at a frantic pace, the tax collector's humble prayer shows "the value of intimacy and silence" which "allows God to meet us and speak to us."

After inviting the 15,000 pilgrims gathered in the square to recite the tax collector's prayer three times, Pope Francis told them the parable teaches the valuable lesson that a person is determined to be just or a sinner not by their social standing, but by his or her relationship with God and neighbor.

"If the Pharisee did not ask for anything because he already had everything, the tax collector can only beg for God's mercy. And this is beautiful: to beg for God's mercy. In presenting his 'empty hands,' with his naked heart and recognizing himself as a sinner, the tax collector shows us all the necessary conditions to receive God's forgiveness," he said.

As the tax collector is an image of a true believer, he added, so is the Pharisee an "image of the corrupt one who pretends to pray" and in exulting his own good deeds delivers an empty prayer that distances him from God and from others.

"If God prefers humility, it is not to debase ourselves. Humility is rather the necessary condition in order to be raised up by him so as to experience the mercy that comes to fill our emptiness," the pope said.

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Follow Arocho on Twitter: @arochoju.

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