12
August 27, 2013
WORLD YOUTH DAY
T he Valley Catholic
Penitents, prisoners and pilgrims: Pope meets youth up close
By Francis X. Rocca Candelaria church. The name of each RIO DE JANEIRO (CNS) — Pope victim was written on one of the RoFrancis spent the morning and early sary’s beads. afternoon of July 26 with about two Pope Francis prayed with the Rosadozen young people from different ry, repeating the phrases “Candelaria countries and diverse backgrounds, in never again” and “no more violence, a range of encounters that illustrated only love,” and asked the prisoners to his characteristic emphasis on inclupray for him. sion and reconciliation. The pope stayed at the The most dramat ic archbishop’s residence meeting was the half hour for lunch, where he was ‘Why do you he spent in the Rio de joined by 12 young peohave good Janeiro archbishop’s resiple — six men and six health? dence with eight young women — chosen by lot offenders from four area to represent all World Why do you prisons. The six men and Youth Day pilgrims. Two have food to two women sat in a circle were from Brazil and with the pope, Rio Archtwo each came from the eat?’ bishop Orani Tempesta, a Americas, Europe, Afjudge and a lay minister rica, Asia and Oceania. who works with incarcerated youths. The pope asked the group a series of The group presented the pope with questions — “Why do you have good a homemade Rosary with styrofoam health? Why do you have food to eat?” balls for beads, and a cross inscribed His day began when he heard the conwith the slogan, “Candelaria never fessions of five people — three young again,” a reference to a 1993 massaBrazilian men, and young women from cre of eight young people near Rio’s Italy and Venezuela.
Pope Francis holds boy during visit with residents at a home in the Varginha slum in Rio de Janeiro July 25. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters)
Pope tells Brazil’s bishops to speak with simple language, love
By Francis X. Rocca to Brazil’s fast-growing Protestant RIO DE JANEIRO (CNS) — Acpopulation, which rose from 15 percent knowledging the Catholic Church’s of the national total in 2000 to 22 perheavy loss of members in Brazil over cent in 2010, but referred to the appeal recent decades, Pope Francis told the of the “new religious groups that are country’s bishops that they must learn sprouting up.” to understand and sympathize with Pope Francis laid much blame on the reasons for people’s disaffection Catholic leaders, who, he said, had and speak to them in a simpler lanlost power to communicate. “At times guage of beauty, mystery and love. we lose people because they don’t “We need a Church understand what we are capable of walk ing at saying, because we have people’s side, of doing forgotten the language ‘For ordinary more than simply listenof simplicity and impeople the ing to them, a Church port an intellectualism which accompanies them foreign to our people,” mystery enters on their journey,” he said. he said. “For ordinary through the The pope made his people the mystery enheart.’ remarks July 27 at a meetters through the heart.” ing with 300 active and Among t he pope’s retired Brazilian cardispecific recommendanals and bishops. While counseling tions for the Church in Brazil were hope, the pope painted a grim picture deeper engagement by bishops in of the Church’s state in Brazil. national debates on such “pressing “We have labored greatly and, concerns” as “education, health and at times, we see what appear to be social harmony”; and more attention failures,” he said. “We feel like those to collegiality within the episcopate, who must tally up a losing season as downplaying “central bureaucracy” in we consider those who have left us favor of “local and regional elements.” or no longer consider us credible or He gave special attention to the relevant.” needs of the Amazon basin, in terms Although Brazil has more Catholics of both ecological protection and the than any other country, the Church’s training of indigenous clergy to serve share of the country’s population deindigenous peoples there. clined from 92 percent in 1970 to 65 “’Pastoral care’ is nothing other percent in 2010. than the exercise of the Church’s Pope Francis pointed to the social motherhood,” the pope said. “She and cultural impact of what he called a gives birth, suckles, gives growth, “relentless process of globalization (and) corrects, nourishes and leads by the an often uncontrolled process of urbanhand. “So we need a Church capable ization” to help explain the change. of rediscovering the maternal womb The pope did not specifically refer of mercy,” he said. www.valleycatholiconline.com
Pope Francis kisses an infant as he makes his way to Copacabana beach for the World Youth Day Way of the Cross service in Rio de Janeiro July 26. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano)
Pope tells Latin American bishops to shun ideology, empower laity
By Francis X. Rocca In his four-page speech, Pope FranRIO DE JANEIRO (CNS) — Reduccis spoke with frequent reference to the ing the faith to a worldly ideology, 2007 CELAM conference in Aparecida, prizing administrative efficiency over Brazil, where, as Cardinal Jorge Mario missionary zeal, and exalting the role Bergoglio, he played a major role in of clergy to the detriment of the laity producing the meeting’s final docuare some of the major “temptations” ment, which called for a “continental undermining evangelization in Latin mission” in Latin America and the America, Pope Francis told Church Caribbean. leaders from the region. Noting that “we are lagging some“The decision for missionary diswhat” in pursuing Aparecida’s goals, cipleship will encounter temptation,” he identified as a major hindrance a the pope said July 28 at a meeting with tendency to “interpret the Gospel apart the coordinating commitfrom the Gospel itself and tee of the Latin Ameriapart from the Church.” ‘It is important can bishops’ conference, When the Church beCELAM. “It is important comes self-centered it forto know where to know where the evil gets that it is supposed to the evil spirit is spirit is afoot in order to be a “bride, mother and aid our discernment.” servant, a facilitator of afoot in order Pope Francis spoke faith, and not an inspecto aid our with forceful words on tor of faith.” the role of bishops, inA related danger, the discernment.’ structing them to lead pope said, is that of cleriwithout being authoritarcalism, or making the ian, to adopt “simplicity and austerity ordained ministry of bishops, priests of life” and to care for their dioceses and deacons the standard and the without ambitions for more prominent model for the mission of lay Catholics. appointments. He said this tendency explained the “The bishop has to be among his continuing “lack of maturity and Chrispeople in three ways,” the pope said. tian freedom in a good part of the Latin “In front of them, pointing the way; American laity.” among them, keeping them together Remedies for clericalism include and preventing them from being scatincreased “opportunities for laypeople tered; and behind them, ensuring that to participate in pastoral consultation, no one is left behind, but also, and priorganization and planning,” the pope marily, so that the flock itself can sniff said, as well as an appreciation of tradiout new paths.” tions of popular piety.