FAMILY OF NAZARETH: MODEL OF THE MIGRANT FAMILY

VATICAN CITY, JAN 14, 2007 (VIS) - The World Day of Migrants and Refugees, and in particular "the migrant family," provided the theme for Benedict XVI's reflections this morning before praying the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.

As an example of the migrant family, the Pope mentioned the Holy Family of Nazareth in St. Matthew's account of their flight to escape the persecution of Herod. In their drama, he said, "we contemplate the painful condition of so many migrants, especially refugees, exiles, displaced people, and the persecuted. We particularly recognize the difficulties of migrant families: their discomforts, humiliations, privations and frailties."

The Holy Father went on to recall how the phenomenon of human mobility "is very extensive and varied," and that according to recent United Nations statistics, "economic migrants number almost 200 million, refugees nine million and international students two million."

To these must be added "internally displaced people and irregular migrants, taking into account the fact that each of them has, in one way or another, a family. It is, therefore, important to protect migrants and their families with specific legislative, juridical and administrative assistance, as well as through a network of services, welcome centers, and social and pastoral care structures."

The Pope expressed the hope that "a harmonious regulation of migratory flows and of human mobility in general" would soon be achieved, "so as to bring benefits to the entire human family, beginning with effective measures to favor legal migration and family reunion."

"Only respect for the human dignity of all migrants, on the one hand, and recognition by the migrants themselves of the values of their host societies, on the other, can make it possible to integrate families into the social, economic and political systems of their countries of destination."

"Migration," Pope Benedict concluded, "must never be seen only as a problem, but also and above all as a great resource for the progress of mankind. And the migrant family is a particularly special resource, so long as it is respected as such; it must not suffer irreparable divisions but remain united, or reunite, and complete its mission as the cradle of life and the primary place for welcoming and educating human beings."

(Source: Vatican Information Service VIS 070115 (380)

US Court: Vatican Liable For Abuse Claim

"A just-released decision from a Federal District judge in Louisville green-lights an abuse-related civil suit seeking damages from the Holy See...."

For the full story go to Whispers in the Loggia at:

http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2007/01/us-court-vatican-liable-for-abuse.html

See also:

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=48574

"She Has Arrived in Saudi Arabia"

Amy Pittman, member of Our Lady of the Rosary, has just arrived in Saudi Arabia for a one year assignment at the U.S. Embassy there. Amy is an FBI agent who specializes in anti-terrorism. Let's keep Amy and her family in our prayers.

I received this e-mail from Amy:

Hi all,I finally arrived and am settling into the office getting my clearances straight and id badges. Jetlag has certainly set in, but over time I think everything will adjust accordingly. The only glitch was that one of my bags didn't arrive (of course it had to be the biggest with ALL the good stuff), so hopefully it will arrive today. My new boss greeted me at the airport at 1:30 am and I thought that was a great way to start the tour.

He's a fantastic guy from what I hear and the fact he wanted to be there that early to meet me was nice, especially since he flew to Bahrain just a few hours later. He took me to my new house and when he left, after I was finally alone, it all hit me. So I got a few hours of sleep then called for someone to bring me to the Embassy. Might as well dive in quick, there's a lot to do here.

I spoke to the kids and Mike today as they were getting ready to leave for school. Once I assured Matthew there were no snake on the plane (he caught a glimpse of a movie Mike was watching!! Thanks Mikey!) everything was fine.

I am writing to you on the family e-mail. I wanted to try and streamline one e-mail acocunt for family and friends to e-mail but if Mike says that this bogs his system down with "my" e-mail, I may switch over to imshammer@hotmail.com.

Take care and I'll be in touch.

Peace,

Amy

The Next Catholic President

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., is looking into running for president — in part because of the state of the American family.

See the full article at:

http://ncregister.com/site/article/1678/

Pope Baptizes 13 Babies

BAPTISM MEANS WE MUST LISTEN TO AND FOLLOW JESUS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 7, 2007 (VIS) - After having presided at Mass in the Sistine Chapel, during which he administered the Sacrament of Baptism to 13 newborn infants, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square below.

"Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which closes the period of Christmas," he said, pointing out that the Baptism is mentioned, in different ways, in all the Gospels. "It was, in fact, part of the Apostles' preaching, because it constituted the starting point of the entire arc of deeds and words to which they were called to bear witness."

Jesus' Baptism was extremely important for the apostolic community, "not only because then, and for the first time in history, the mystery of the Trinity was made manifest clearly and completely, but also because with that event Jesus' public ministry began. ... The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan anticipates His Baptism of blood on the Cross and symbolizes the entire sacramental activity with which the Redeemer would achieve the salvation of humanity."

The Holy Father recalled that "this Feast is, after Easter, the oldest," and indicated how "there is a close correlation between the Baptism of Christ and our own Baptism. In the Jordan, heaven opened to show that the Savior has opened the way of salvation, and we can follow it thanks to the new birth 'of water and the Spirit' that comes about in Baptism. In Baptism we are inserted into mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church, we die and are born again in Him, we cloth ourselves in Him. ... The duty that arises from Baptism is, then, that of 'listening' to Jesus, believing in Him and following Him obediently, doing His will."

(Source: Vatican Information Service)

Baptism of the Lord

BAPTISM MEANS WE MUST LISTEN TO AND FOLLOW JESUS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 7, 2007 (VIS) - After having presided at Mass in the Sistine Chapel, during which he administered the Sacrament of Baptism to 13 newborn infants, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square below.

"Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which closes the period of Christmas," he said, pointing out that the Baptism is mentioned, in different ways, in all the Gospels. "It was, in fact, part of the Apostles' preaching, because it constituted the starting point of the entire arc of deeds and words to which they were called to bear witness."

Jesus' Baptism was extremely important for the apostolic community, "not only because then, and for the first time in history, the mystery of the Trinity was made manifest clearly and completely, but also because with that event Jesus' public ministry began. ... The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan anticipates His Baptism of blood on the Cross and symbolizes the entire sacramental activity with which the Redeemer would achieve the salvation of humanity."

The Holy Father recalled that "this Feast is, after Easter, the oldest," and indicated how "there is a close correlation between the Baptism of Christ and our own Baptism. In the Jordan, heaven opened to show that the Savior has opened the way of salvation, and we can follow it thanks to the new birth 'of water and the Spirit' that comes about in Baptism. In Baptism we are inserted into mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church, we die and are born again in Him, we cloth ourselves in Him. ... The duty that arises from Baptism is, then, that of 'listening' to Jesus, believing in Him and following Him obediently, doing His will."

(Source: Vatican Information Service)

Epiphany of the Lord

VATICAN CITY, JAN 6, 2007 (VIS) - In the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m. today, the Pope presided at Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.

In his homily, the Holy Father affirmed that the Epiphany is "the 'manifestation' of Christ to peoples," who "are represented by the Magi, the mysterious pilgrims from the East. We celebrate Christ, the goal of peoples' pilgrimage in search of salvation".

"Who," the Pope asked, "are the Magi today? How, our minds upon the modern world, can we interpret these mysterious gospel figures?" To answer this question, he considered Vatican Council II which, he said, was moved "by the desire to announce Christ, light of the world, to modern humanity," and which identified "the need to create a new political and economic world order, and at the same time and above all a spiritual and cultural order, in other words a renewed humanism."

At the beginning of the third millennium, characterized by the phenomenon of globalization, said the Holy Father, there is a risk of losing sight of this challenge, "a risk greatly reinforced by the immense growth of the mass media which, although on the one hand they immeasurably increase our sources of information, on the other they seem to weaken our capacity to achieve a critical overview."

Recalling the final messages of Vatican Council II, the Pope indicated that the first was addressed to rulers and the second to men of thought and science, "two categories of people," he said, "that in some way correspond to the gospel figures of the Magi." To them, he went on, "it is today more than ever necessary to add the representatives of the great non-Christian religious traditions, inviting them to contemplate the light of Christ, Who came not to abolish but to bring to fruition what the hand of God had written in the religious history of civilizations, especially in the 'great souls' who contributed to building humanity with their wisdom and their exemplary virtue. Christ is light, and light cannot obscure but only illuminate, clarify and reveal.

"Therefore," he concluded, "let no one be afraid of Christ and of His message! And if in the course of history Christians, being imperfect and sinful, have sometimes betrayed Him with their behavior, this highlights even more the fact that the light is Christ, and the Church reflects that light only by remaining united to Him."

(Source: Vatican Information Service)