BY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Young people representing their peers in Panama will hand the World Youth Day cross to young people from Portugal at the end of Pope Francis' Mass Nov. 22 for the feast of Christ the King. The young hosts of World Youth Day 2019 in Panama originally were sched- uled to give the cross and a Marian icon to Portuguese representatives at the end of Mass on Palm Sunday in April. But the COVID-19 pandemic and its travel restric- tions made that impossible. Just a few weeks later, the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life, which coordi- nates World Youth Day, announced that the Lisbon event would be pushed back a year to August 2023. The pope's Mass and the passing of the cross will be livestreamed. Leaders of youth and young adult min- istry from bishops' conferences around the world and from Catholic movements will join the virtual celebration after meeting online Nov. 18-21 for a confer- ence titled, "From Panama to Lisbon - Called to Missionary Synodality."
BY CAROL GLATZ
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Being faithful to God means taking the risk of setting aside one's own needs and plans in order to serve others, Pope Fran- cis said, celebrating Mass for the World Day of the Poor. Today, in these times of uncertainty, in these times of instability, let us not waste our lives thinking only of ourselves, indiffer- ent to others or deluding ourselves into thinking, peace and security!'" the pope said in his homily Nov. 15. Everyone is invited to look reality in the face and to avoid the infection of indifference," he said. The Mass was celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica in the presence of about 100 people, who were repre- senting those around the world who face poverty as well as volunteers and benefactors who assist them. Because of ongoing restrictions meant to miti- gate the spread of the coro- navirus, the Mass was not open to the public and was livestreamed on Vatican news channels. Instead of the large mo- bile health clinic, which is usually set up in St. Peter's Square for the week, a smaller clinic under the colonnade surrounding the square was offering ex- panded services, including free COVID-19 swab tests for people who need them in order to stay at a home- less shelter or to return home abroad. In his homily, the pope reflected on Jesus' par- able of the talents, which describes a rich man who entrusts his property to three of his servants. The first two doubled the amount entrusted to them while the third servant hides his sum in a hole to avoid any risks and keep it safe from thieves. Howev- er, it bears no fruit and his master rebukes him, call- ing him useless, "wicked and lazy," and throws him out of the house. The pope said the para- ble describes how everyone has received from God a precious "patrimony," pres- ent in one's abilities, tal- ents and gifts. Christians are called to use these gifts to do good and serve God by serving others, he said. The pope warned against forgetting or neglecting the talents one possesses, es- pecially by constantly com- plaining about the things one lacks or needs. In the Gospel, good ser- vants are those who take risks, he said. "They are not fearful and overcau- tious, they do not cling to what they possess, but put it to good use." There is no faithful- ness without risk," he said, because being faithful means putting one's life in God's hands and "letting our carefully laid plans be disrupted by our need to serve." Those who take care of themselves to avoid risk begin in their lives a pro- cess of mummification of their souls," he said. Faith is not just about following rules, the pope said. The third servant did nothing wrong, "but he did nothing good either. He preferred to sin by omis- sion rather than to risk making a mistake. He was not faithful to God, who spends freely, and he made his offence even worse by returning the gift he had received." A life is empty when it is only focused on one's own needs and is "blind to the needs of others," the pope
Cardinal hopes pastoral initiative inspires unity
ROME (CNS) - The bishops of Peru have launched an initiative not only to confront the challenges facing the country due to the coronavirus pandemic but also to confront the pandemics of corruption, indifference and exclusion plaguing the country, said Peruvian Cardinal Pedro Barreto of Huancayo. In a telephone interview Nov. 16 with Catholic News Service, Cardinal Barreto said that the initiative, titled "Resucita Peru Ahora" ("Resurrect Peru Now"), also can help address the current political crisis engulfing the country. "We have a power void that we hope to overcome with good judgment and civil vigilance," knowing that "democ- racy is enforced by listening to the people," the cardi- nal told CNS. Massive protests broke out in the country after Peruvian legislators voted Nov. 9 to impeach President Martin Vizcarra over charges of corruption and his handling of the pandemic. The removal of Viz- carra, who was popular for his stance against political corruption, was seen by protesters as an act of politi- cal revenge by the Congress.
Ecuadorian Cardinal Vela Chiriboga dies at 86
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Cardinal Raul Vela Chiriboga, retired archbishop of Quito, Ecuador, died Nov. 15 at the age of 86. Offering his condolences to the people of Quito and to the late cardinal's relatives, Pope Fran- cis called him a "selfless pastor who, for years and with fidelity, gave his life to the service of God and the church." The fifth of nine children, he was born in Riobamba, Ecuador, Jan. 1, 1934, and attended the local Salesian high school before studying philosophy and theology at San Jose Seminary in Quito. He was ordained in 1957 and, in the late-1960s, was named director of Caritas Riobamba and worked with the church's pastoral outreach to the indigenous com- munities. St. Paul VI named him auxiliary bishop of Guayaquil in 1972 and, from 1972 to 1975, he served as secretary-general of the Ecuadorian bishops' confer- ence. In 1975, he was transferred to serve as bishop of Azogues, and in 1989, he was named head of the nation's military ordinariate. While serving in that capacity, he also worked with the bishops' economic affairs council, 1996-1999. St. John Paul II named him archbishop of Quito in 2003, a post he held until Sep- tember 2010, when he retired. Pope Benedict XVI made him a cardinal two months later.
WYD cross to be given to Portuguese young people Nov. 22
Faith requires risks, helping others, pope says at Mass
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THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS NOVEMBER 20, 2020
Vatican marks anniversary of 'martyred' Jesuits
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The recent conviction of a former Salvadoran colonel for the murder of five Span- ish Jesuit priests during the civil war in El Salvador is a major step forward on the path of gaining justice and healing old wounds, Cardinal Michael Czerny said. In a Nov. 16 message commemorating the 31st anniversary of the Spanish Jesuits, a Salvadoran Jesuit and two women, Cardinal Czerny, undersecretary for the Vatican's Migrants and Refugees Section, said the conviction was also a "vindication for the victims" of the El Mozote massacre, in which 800 civilians were murdered by the Salvadoran army in 1981. "In front of these events and the small steps that have been taken, it is worth remembering the words of Pope Francis in 'Fratelli Tutti,' his most recent encyclical: 'Good- ness, together with love, justice and solidarity, are not achieved once and for all; they have to be realized each day,'" he wrote. According to the United Nations, over 75,000 people died during El Salvador's bloody 12-year civil war, many of whom were killed by government- sanctioned death squads.
10 days after being disciplined, cardinal dies
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Polish Cardinal Henryk Gulbinowicz, retired archbishop of Wroclaw, died Nov. 16, just 10 days after the publication of Vatican disciplinary measures against him related to sexual abuse. Cardinal Gulbinowicz, who was 97 at the time of his death, had been hospitalized Nov. 10. The Vati- can nunciature in Poland had announced Nov. 6 that, in accordance with a Vatican decision, the cardinal was banned from all public appearances and ordered to pay compensation to a fund for the victims of cleri- cal sexual abuse. The notification also stipulated that his funeral could not be celebrated in the Wroclaw cathedral and that he was not to be buried there with his predecessors. The announcement, which did not provide details of why the steps were taken, followed an 18-month investigation into abuse claims.
Pope prays for Filipinos battered by storms
MANILA, Philippines (CNS) - As the death toll from Typhoon Vamco climbed, Pope Francis offered prayers for Filipinos affected by destruction and flooding. His prayer at his Nov. 15 Angelus address came as Filipinos appealed for help and their bishops urged them to support each other in the worst flooding since 2009. Within three weeks, the Philippines was hit by five storms. "I express my solidarity with the poorest families who have been subjected to these calami- ties and my support to those who are trying to assist them," Pope Francis said. The same day, World Day of the Poor, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Manila archdioc- esan administrator, said the calamities, which affected more than 2 million people in Luzon, called for people to help one another. "We help not only with what is ex- tra for us, but even with what we need, because others are more in need," Bishop Pabillo said. Typhoon Vamco - or Ulysses as it is known in the Philippines - killed at least 67 people and submerged several areas of the capital, Manila, reported ucanews.com. said. The poor "help us be- come rich in love," he said. For the worst kind of pov- erty needing to be combat- ted is our poverty of love." With the season of Christmas approaching, Pope Francis urged people to reevaluate the way they live the holiday season. How often do we hear people ask, 'What can I buy? What more can I have? I must go shopping.' Let us use different words, What can I give to others?' in order to be like Jesus, who gave of himself and was born in the manger." Later, before praying the Angelus with people gath- ered in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis said it is not hard to find people in need. There is so much hun- ger even in the middle of our cities and so often we fall into that logic of indif- ference," which thinks the poor are too far away to help. There are also Christians who wish their priests and bishops didn't spend so much time talking about the poor, preferring they talk instead about eternal life, he said. But the poor are at the heart of the Gos- pel and Jesus came for the poor, so "do not be selfish, hold out your hand to the poor." Pilgrims carry the World Youth Day cross as Pope Francis joins them in the Way of the Cross in Panama City in this Jan. 25, 2019, file photo. Young people from Panama will pass the World Youth Day cross to their Portuguese peers Nov. 22 at the end of Pope Francis' Mass for the feast of Christ the King.
CNS PHOTO/CARLOS JASSO, REUTERS CNS PHOTO PAUL HARING
Pope Francis and German Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van-Elst, right, delegate for catechesis at the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, celebrate the Eucharist during a Mass marking World Day of the Poor in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Nov. 15.
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'Those who take care of themselves to avoid risk begin in their lives a process of mummification of their souls.'
Pope Francis BRIEFSI
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