austraLasia #3197
VATICAN CITY: 24 February 2103 -- Firstly a reminder that tomorrow, 25 February, is the Salesian celebration for the Salesian Protomartyrs, Sts Louis Versiglia and Callistus Caravario. If you do not have the appropriate liturgical texts, take a look here.
Secondly, with St Peter's Square estimated to have packed in 100,000 people for the Angelus on Sunday morning 24th February, and a crowd of 200,000 predicted for next Wednesday, interest is running high, for many reason, in the final days of Benedict XVI's papacy.
If you would like a pictorial overview of Pope Benedict's life from childhood till now, then feel free to download the Presentation available here.
Given the 'China' focus of the Salesian celebrations on 25 February, the following comments by Cardinal Joseph Zen on Benedict XVI's reign, may be of general interest. They were reported by AsiaNews:
"Benedict XVI is a great Pope, a man in love with the truth. For him, God is truth, and man can not live without truth. Unfortunately, today the truth is not 'fashionable' and what really dominates it is what Benedict XVI has termed 'the dictatorship of relativism'. But he has always held the helm on a straight course according to the truth. This has been his contribution to world culture and also to China. It must be added this Pope has done things for China that he has not done for any other country: to no other particular Church has he written a specific letter, no country has a special Commission dedicated to it of about 30 members, from the two most important dicasteries in the Holy See. We should be profoundly grateful to him for this...
What influence have the Letter and the Commission on the Church in China had?
The Letter is of great importance even today: firstly it is a document and this remains, and we can refer to it later in life. I hope the new Pope will start again from this Letter. It is written by Benedict XVI, although with the participation of many people. And it showed his clarity in truth, as well as his mercy and kindness. There is a perfect balance between simplicity and openness...
Cardinal Zen's comments also contain some strong criticism of officialdom in both China and the Church, but you can catch up on all that from AsiaNews.
Let's pray in gratitude for Pope Benedict. It is the very least we can do.
Farewell Pope Benedict
Secondly, with St Peter's Square estimated to have packed in 100,000 people for the Angelus on Sunday morning 24th February, and a crowd of 200,000 predicted for next Wednesday, interest is running high, for many reason, in the final days of Benedict XVI's papacy.
If you would like a pictorial overview of Pope Benedict's life from childhood till now, then feel free to download the Presentation available here.
Given the 'China' focus of the Salesian celebrations on 25 February, the following comments by Cardinal Joseph Zen on Benedict XVI's reign, may be of general interest. They were reported by AsiaNews:
"Benedict XVI is a great Pope, a man in love with the truth. For him, God is truth, and man can not live without truth. Unfortunately, today the truth is not 'fashionable' and what really dominates it is what Benedict XVI has termed 'the dictatorship of relativism'. But he has always held the helm on a straight course according to the truth. This has been his contribution to world culture and also to China. It must be added this Pope has done things for China that he has not done for any other country: to no other particular Church has he written a specific letter, no country has a special Commission dedicated to it of about 30 members, from the two most important dicasteries in the Holy See. We should be profoundly grateful to him for this...
What influence have the Letter and the Commission on the Church in China had?
The Letter is of great importance even today: firstly it is a document and this remains, and we can refer to it later in life. I hope the new Pope will start again from this Letter. It is written by Benedict XVI, although with the participation of many people. And it showed his clarity in truth, as well as his mercy and kindness. There is a perfect balance between simplicity and openness...
Cardinal Zen's comments also contain some strong criticism of officialdom in both China and the Church, but you can catch up on all that from AsiaNews.
Let's pray in gratitude for Pope Benedict. It is the very least we can do.
