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Vatican
City, May 29
07.30
G.M.T. During the homily in a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at the end
of the National Eucharistic Congress at Bari, Pope Benedict XVI said that the same way as Jesus Christ had made
himself an offering and given up his Body for us all, so will he give up his
life to see a real and visible union of all Christians in an age which
presents a wide challenge to Chrstianity. Bari, where the remains of St Nicholas of
Myra are held, is reputed as a bridge to the east, especially the Orthodox
Christians. Several Russian Orthodox theologians have already shown
willingness to collaborate with Pope Benedict, and a visit to Moscow now seems more
probable than ever before. (see May
25).
Vatican
City, May 26
17.00
G.M.T. Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Holy Mass on the occasion of the
Solemnity of Corpus
Christi on the parvis of the Basilica of St John Lateran in Rome. He later led a
Eucharistic Procession of the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus
Christ along via Merulana to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
Bari, Italy, May 25
Cardinal
Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Unity among
Christians, stated today during the Eucharistic Congress celebrations at Bari
that the divisions among Christians in the presence of the One Bread broken
for all was a scandal which was being repeated every Sunday. He then called
for an Ecumenical Synod at Bari itself, the
town where Greeks and Latins met in 1098 after the schism, to launch a limpid
and brotherly dialogue which will give rise to an alliance in favour of the
Christian roots of Europe. He saw common
values in such dialogue in the culture of life, the dignity of the human
person, solidaruty and social justice, peace and the safeguarding of God's
creation. To be Christian really means living out Sunday, not to wound
Christ's body, which is the Church, by separation from one another. For this
reason there is importance and urgency in the commitment to Ecumenism. It is
not only an inter-Church affair for there lies in wait a new evangelization
of Europe which would not be possible
without a new rapprochment between the churches and ecclesial communities.
Only so would Christianity be able to reach a new cultural Day of the Lord.
Rome, May 22
The
President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Cardinal Renato
Martino, has stated at end of two days of a Reflection on Sacred Rites and
Liturgy that the Council was working on a Pastoral which shows that the
liturgical mysteries essentially were events of peace; the liturgy being a
major school of peace, capable of forming and educating for peace and as a
place of Christian discernment and of the community on the responsibilities
connected with the promotion of peace.
Vatican
City, May 15
Pope
Benedict has ordained 21 priests while celebrating the Pentecost Liturgy at
St Peter’s in Rome.
He spoke widely of the combination of the Wind and Fire which characterized
the first Whitsun morning, praying that the forceful descent of God’s Spirit
would also be the inheritance of the ordained priests. He also flashedback to
the gentle Spirit of God hovering on earth and the seas in creation and the
witness of Elijah at the mouth of a cave who felt the God’s Spirit the same
way, all this leading to the mystery of God in the Trinity we adore.
Vatican
City, May 13
Pope
Benedict XVI has announced during a meeting of diocesan priests and with
Cardinal Camillo Ruini in Rome
that he has given instructions for the start of canonisation procedures of
Pope John Paul II barely six weeks after his passing away on April 2. The
process can normally only commence five years after a person's demise, but a
dispensation was made similar to the one Pope John Paul himself had made as
to Mother Theresa. The news was received by a standing ovation during which
also Cardinal Ruini and the Pope himself stood up.
Vatican
City, May 12
Pope
Benedict has confirmed that the celebration of the Eleventh Ordinary General
Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the theme "The Eucharist: a source
and peak of life and of the mission of the Church" will take place at
the Vatican
between 2 and 23 October, 2005.
Vatican City, May 7
15.30
G.M.T. Pope Benedict celebrated Mass at St John Lateran Proto-Basilica,
taking possession thereat. It was followed by a Visit to the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore later that same
evening. At the Lateran Pope Benedict said: ‘The Pope is not an absolute
monarch. His ministry is a guaranty of the obedience due to Christ and His
Word. The pope should not proclaim his own ideas, but rather he should bind
himself constantly and the Church to obedience towards the Word of God, in
confrontation with all attempts of adaptation and watering down, as well as
in confrontation with all opportunism. The Chair of Peter is a symbol of the
power to teach, which is a power of obedience and service, so that the Word
of God – His truth! – might shine among us, showing us the way. … Oh that
this Chair will not bring fear to the world.’
Vatican City, April 28
In
an article in the Vatican daily Osservatore Romano it is stated that
Cult and the Liturgy will be the hallmark of Pope Benedict’s Pontificate.
Vatican City, April 27
In his
first weekly audience Pope Benedict XVI rode in an open jeep into St Peter’s
Square among some 15,000 faithful who cheered him on his arrival. In his
speech he spelled out the reason why he had chosen the name Benedict. It was
so that he might ideally tie up himself to Pope Benedict XV who had led the
Church during the turbulent period of WWI. He was an authentic and courageous
prophet of peace and it was on his footsteps that Pope Benedict XVI wished to
put his ministry in the service of reconciliation among men. He also recalled
St Benedict of Norcia, the patriarch of western monasticism, a patron saint
for the unity of Europe which had christian
roots. Addressing the gathered faithful in various languages, Pope Benedict
said he felt sustained by the presence of the People of God whom he felt very
close to him.
Vatican City, April 25
16.30
G.M.T. Visiting the Benedictine
Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, Pope Benedict XVI said in his homily
that he wanted to express the inseparable link of the Church to the Apostle
of the Gentiles. He was there to revive in faith the grace of apostleship. As
the Church has a missionary nature, it is the duty of the successors of the
Apostles, who preached the words of truth and gave life to the Church, to
continue this work. The 20th century has been a time of martyrdom,
so if the blood of the martyrs is the seed of new Christians, a new
blossoming of the Church can now be expected in the third millenium.
10.00
G.M.T. Meeting with mostly
Bavarian and other German nationals in Sala Nervi where Pope Benedict XVI was
greeted joyously. He said he shunned election and when he felt the
"guillotine" fast approaching towards him, he prayed God to remove
this burden from him, but in this one instance God did not hear him. He joked
about having lost his German punctuality and encouraged youth not to be
fearful of God's calling. He was also gifted an elaborate pectoral cross by
the German episcopacy and lay community thereat present.
09.00
G.M.T. Meeting of Pope Benedict
XVI with leaders of other denominations during which he urged the building of
bridges towards Ecumenical dialogue and eventual Christian reunification. He
also met Moslem imams during the same meeting and urged a dialogue of peace.
Vatican City, April 24
08.00
G.M.T. During the Solemn Mass of
Installation, Pope Benedict XVI was given a two metre long pallium made of pure wool signifying
the burden he would now as Pastor be carrying like Christ carried the lost
sheep on his shoulders. This was the ‘government program’, if any, the Pope
intended fulfilling, that in constant collegiality and in prayer with the
Church he would seek to do God’s will. He saw the Church as youthful and a
community of saints of which all faithful formed part. Otherwise he said he
had already made reference to what he intended doing on April 20 (see below). Ecumenism and the
inter-faith dialogue also seem to be having a boost under this Papacy, having
mentioned in his homily “our separated Christian brethren”, people of the
Jewish faith and all believers alike. An approach to agnostics will also be
made within the context of the main theme of Evangelization.
Vatican City, April 21
Cardinal
Angelo Sodano has been retained as Secretary of State as have been all other
Curial appointments "until the Pope pleases".
It
has transpired that the reference to the pursuing of Vatican Council II in
the millennial tradition of the Christian faith, may have been an expression
of the hope to lift the excommunication of the Lefebvre traditionalist
movement as a first step of healing the rifts within the Church itself. It
may be recalled that Pope Benedict had been involved as the main interlocutor
in the 1980s with Archbishop Lefebvre who had then retracted on the day an
agreement should have been signed.
Vatican City, April 20
07.00
G.M.T. At the end of a Mass of
Thanksgiving celebrated at the Sistine Chapel, Pope Benedict XVI has
announced he looks at the collegiality of bishops as a service rendered to
the Church and that he will continue pursuing Vatican Council II in the
millennial tradition of the Christian faith. He will also be looking for
tangible results in ecumenism, continue with the inter-faith dialogue and
will be going to Koln, Germany, in August for World
Youth Day.
Vatican City, April 19
16.30
G.M.T. Proclamation of new Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
10.00
G.M.T. Since April 18 evening, there have been three ballots, all reported
negative by two black-smoke issues. Voting resumes at 14.30 G.M.T. It is
conceived that Cardinal Ratzinger has obtained some 30-50 of the votes out of
a total of 115; the rest were scattered among several "progressives". A nomination could take place by one of the
Senior Electors to vote for some particular cardinal who would satisfy
various voting factions. One such name could be Tarcisio Bertone, archbishop
of Genova and one-time assistant of Cardinal Ratzinger himself (conservative
doctrine, the crux of these elections). He is also a Salesian like Honduran
Cardinal Maradiaga (a Latin American favourite), has conducted pastoral work
with youth (can dance with them and comment on radio during football matches)
and speak several languages. If proposed, he can possibly garner some 30
"middle" votes needed to secure papal election.
Vatican
City, April 18
14.30
G.M.T. Entry into Sistine Chapel for commencement of Conclave. After the
swearing in of each cardinal, the proclamation of extra omnes was made by archbishop Piero Marini.
08.00
G.M.T. Mass of the Holy Spirit, Pro
Eligendo Pontefice. In his homily, Cardinal Ratzinger, called for the
re-discovery of a mature faith rooted in friendship with Christ which would
be able not to follow the wailing calls of controlling fashions.
Vatican
City, April 15
Two
names are currently emerging as those around which clusters of cardinals are
grouping for the conclaves starting April 18. They are those of conservative
German theologian Ratzinger and progressive Italian Biblicist and Jesuit
Martini. Both, 78 years old, shun the post. The cardinals are now searching
for a third name who might be a compromise to garner the two-thirds majority
needed by the very first day or two.
Vatican
City, April 14
The
tenth general congregation was quite an eventful event. During the day, 142
cardinals participated and the first of two exhortative meditations about the
problems the Church is currently facing and the enlightened selection of a
new Pontiff was given by Raniero Cantalamessa, a Capuchin friar and preacher
at the Pontifical Curia. The cardinals thereafter dedicated time to silent
meditation and prayer. As from now onwards, the Particular Congregation
includes the names of three cardinals who might well be papabili: Giovanni
Battista Re (for the Order of Bishops), Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga
(Priests) and Crescenzio Sepe (Deacons).
Vatican City,
April 13
05.00
G.M.T. The Vatican St Peter's crypt open to
the faithful. Many expected to visit.
Vatican City,
April 12
Archbishop
Novak of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints said Pope John Paul II may
have a rapid beatification/sainthood process, possibly in six months time.
Normally such process commences not earlier than five years after death takes
place. An exception was made for Mother Theresa whose process got under way
eighteen months after her death.
Vatican City,
April 11
The
congregation of cardinals has nominated Cardinals Sodano, Pengo and Kasper to
scrutinize the votes cast together with Cardinal Camerlengo Somaro. The votes
will be collected in three urns built to specifications laid by Pope John
Paul II. The cardinals will be housed in 106 suites, 22 single rooms and one
apartment in Santa Martha House and will be bussed to and from the Cappella
Sistina, 1 km. away, for two polls in the morning and two in the afternoon.
Vatican City,
April 10
15.00
G.M.T. Cardinal Camillo Ruini, Archbishop Vicar of Rome, celebrated the first of the Nine Day
Masses for the repose of the soul of Pope John Paul II.
Vatican City,
April 9
A
novelty was announced in the delivery of the two exhortations to the Conclave
cardinals before passing on to the first election on May 18th
afternoon. The first of these exhortations on the state of the Church will be
delivered by a Capuchin friar who is not a Conclave cardinal on Thursday 14th
morning in one of the general congregations of cardinals which is taking
place on a daily basis within the Vatican
buildings. The second will be delivered by Cardinal Tomas Spidlik in the
Sistine Chapel after the extra omnes on
Monday 18th afternoon and the Conclave area has been shut to
outsiders. Observers are viewing this development very keenly. The Capuchin
friar is Raniero Cantalamessa, a Bible scholar, who has for several years
preached the lenten sermons to the Pope and his Curial staff. He is also a
well known personality on Italian state TV preaching the Sunday Readings in a
weekly 30 minute Saturday peak hour broadcast. Padre Cantalamessa is a man of
great humility with an enchanting smile and simple style of delivery and
communication, a sure hit among youth and all. After he delivers his
exhortation the elector cardinals will have four days during which they will
not only mince his words of ecclesial vision but also to consider his as the
first possible outsider who, as a baptized Catholic, may under long
established rules be selected pope, called to enter the Conclaves, there and
then consecrated Bishop and, if he accepts the acclamation, proclaimed Pope
to the faithful. He would also be the first friar for a century, after a
Camaldoli monk, and would portray an image of poverty and simplicity which,
according to opinion polls among the faithful, Christians throughout the
world are pining for.
Vatican City,
April 8
08.00
G.M.T. Mass and Burial Rites attended by some 200 world political and
religious leaders where Prince Charles of England and Zimbabwe President
greeted each other and Syrian and Israeli presidents shook hands. Priority in
St Peter's Square
for some 400 sick and disabled, with some other million pilgrims attending
down Via della Conciliazione and other surrounding streets, including Rome's Jewish Quarter,
watching proceedings on maxi-screens. Impressive ceremony where a funeral
ceremony was turned into a feast of joy with people crying ‘Santo Subito’ –
acclaiming immediate sainthood as in early Church times. Leaders of other
religions attended too, many hoping they took much with them back home and
that new times have been inaugurated with Pope John Paul’s funeral service
than ever before.
Vatican City,
April 7
Pope's
Testament published, in which he thanks God for the end of the cold war
between East and West without a nuclear holocaust. The first entry was 6th
March, 1979, some six months after his election, the last 17th
March, 2000 where he says he was considering resigning. He left no property
in his will.
Vatican City,
April 6
A
meeting of congregation of cardinals has established Monday 18th
as the date for the opening of the Conclaves for Papal Election with the
celebration of the Mass of the Holy Spirit. The Pope's Testament will be
published in Polish and Italian on Thursday 7th and has 1979 as
its first entry date; no mention being made therein of a cardinal in pectore or the Pope's entombment.
About 1 million persons are in a multi-folding queue to pass by the Pope's
corpse which is lying in state at St Peter's Basilica. Army personnel are
distributing chocolate, snacks and water to the crowds while Red Cross
personnel are in attendance. Traffic is in disarray in concentric circles
growing out from Vatican Square
across the Tiber to the main Termini
Station. About 200,000 Poles are expected and another 2-3 million visitors in
a city which normally houses some 4 million inhabitants. There will also be
some 200 heads of state and high government personnel who are turning
security into a nightmare with anti-aircraft missiles being set up in and
around the city.
Vatican City,
April 5
08.00
G.M.T. Third meeting of general congregation of 88 cardinals (91 present in Rome). Official
business was dealt with collegially about the Papal funeral and the
Conclaves. No specific decisions were taken and the Papal Testament was not
opened. Pope John Paul II will be buried in the ground in the tomb formerly
occupied by Pope John XXIII in St Peter’s crypt. There will be less
restricted space and movement during the Conclaves between St Martha’s House
and several chapels on Vatican grounds and
the Sistine Chapel.
Argentine
Jesuit Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio of the metropolitan see of Buenos Aires said, departing for Rome, Pope John Paul II had been “simply
coherent.”
Cuban
President Fidel Castro attended Mass for Pope John Paul’s repose at Havana.
News of
the arrest of mainland Chinese bishop for not towing the Peking
line.
Vatican City,
April 4
08.30
G.M.T. The first general congregation of 65 cardinals present in Rome convoked by Card.
Joseph Ratzinger, Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, has lasted for 2
hours 10 minutes. Funeral date decided for Friday 8th at 08.00
G.M.T. Present cardinals also took oath of secrecy. Pope John Paul II has
never referred to anyone about his burial site.
15.00
G.M.T. Translation of corpse to St Peter’s Basilica for people’s respects as
from 19.00 G.M.T. onwards, day and night. Some 100,000 attended, 2 million
expected for funeral service.
Vatican City,
April 3
08.30
G.M.T. Mass for the repose of John Paul II’s soul and recital of Regina
Coeli. Some 200,000 persons attended Vatican
City during the day.
10.00
G.M.T. John Paul II laid inside Vatican’s Clementine Hall for
Curial and Diplomats’ respects. Burial excavation works being undertaken at Vatican St
Peter's crypt in former tomb of Pope John XXIII whose remains have been moved
to the Basilica since being declared Blessed.
Vatican City,
April 2
Pope
John Paul II dies at 20.37 G.M.T. after an agony which started in the evening
of March 31 (18.17 G.M.T). Papacy is now Sede
Vacante.
Karol
Wojtyla was born in Wadowice in the Diocese of Krakow on the 18th
May, 1920. Ordained Priest in 1946, appointed Bishop in 1958 and created
Cardinal in 1967, he was elected Pope on October 16, 1978.
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