Holy See – Page 7

Patriarch Kyril writes to Pope Benedict XVI on his resignation

If you want to read a beautiful letter from the Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow, Kyril I, to Pope Benedict XVI, read the following.

On 1 March 2013, His Holiness, Patriarch Kyril I of Moscow sent a message to His Holiness, Benedict XVI, pope-emeritus.

Your Holiness!In these exceptional days for you, I would like to express the feelings of brotherly love in Christ and respect.

The decision to leave the position of Bishop of Rome, which you, with humility and simplicity, announced on February 11 this year, has found a ready response in the hearts of millions of Catholics.

We have always been close to your consistent ministry, marked by uncompromisingness in matters of faith and unswerving adherence to the living Tradition of the Church. At a time when the ideology of permissiveness and moral relativism tries to dislodge the moral values of life, you boldly raised your voice in defence of the ideals of the Gospel, the high dignity of man and his vocation to freedom from sin.

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Novena for the election of a new pope

O Lord, with suppliant humility, we entreat You, that in Your boundless mercy You would grant the most Holy Roman Church a pontiff, who by his zeal for us, may be pleasing to You, and by his good government may be ever honored by Your people for the glory of Your name. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son who with You lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

V. Most Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary.

R. Pray for us who have recourse to you!

Saint Peter, pray for us.

Saint Linus, pray for us.

Saint Anacletus, pray for us.

Saint Clement, pray for us.

Saint Evaristus, pray for us.

Saint Celestine V, pray for us.

Saint Pius V, pray for us.

Saint Pius X, pray for us.

Blessed Pius IX, pray for us.

Blessed John XXIII, pray for us.

Blessed John Paul II, pray for us.

Collect for the Election of the Supreme Pontiff (Votive Mass Pro Eligendo Summo Pontifice)

Cardinal Sodano’s Letter Calling the Cardinals to work

This is the letter the cardinals received from the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Cardinal Sodano, calling them to the General Congregation. The meetings begin on Monday, March 4, at 9:30am.

Papal apartments, Lateran Basilica sealed

At 8pm Rome time on 28 February 2013, the Chair of Saint Peter went empty. The period of time is called sede vacante, the empty see; that is, the Holy Roman Church has no visible head on earth. There is no pope.

Until the time the cardinal electors gather for the Conclave to elect the next bishop of Rome, the head of the Apostolic Chamber, the Carmerllengo (chamberlain), Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, SDB, will lead a small group of people in closing the papal apartments, and the private elevator.

Prayers were prayed, and tasks identified. Doors were locked and a ribbon with wax seal secured the papal area.

The Camerlengo is the acting head of state and is the Church’s administrator of the material holdings of the Church. This office is in distinction to the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Cardinal Sodano, who cares for the spiritual well-being of the cardinals and chairs the meetings prior to the conclave.

The Vatican embassies also received communication at 8pm saying that any diplomatic necessity ought to be addressed to Archbishop Giovanni Becciu and to the Dean of the College of Cardinals.

Today, at 12:30pm Rome time, Archbishop PierLuigi Celate, the vice-Camerlengo, sealed off the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. The basilica is the cathedral for the bishop of Rome.

Rome Reports has a good visual on the sealing of the papal apartments.

The Pope’s prayer intentions for March 2013

Even though the Chair of Saint Peter is temporary empty, the ministry of the bishop of Rome, the Roman Pontiff, is not abolished. The work of the Church of Christ continues: the proclamation of the Gospel, the administration of the sacraments and interceding on behalf of other before the Throne of Grace continues. As the Roman Pontiff emeritus said,

“I would like to invite everyone to renew firm trust in the Lord. I would like that we all, entrust ourselves as children to the arms of God, and rest assured that those arms support us and us to walk every day, even in times of struggle. I would like everyone to feel loved by the God who gave His Son for us and showed us His boundless love.”

The general intention

That respect for nature may grow with the awareness that all creation is God’s work entrusted to human responsibility.

The missionary intention

That bishops, priests, and deacons may be tireless messengers of the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Swiss Guard at the Gandolfo door

The Chair of Saint Peter is now empty

The Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI has now, 8pm Rome time (2pm EST) come to an end with the Sede Vacante (“Vacant See”; the empty chair), the reign of the 265^th Pope, the 264^th successor of Saint Peter, lasted 7 years, 10 months, and 9 days.

Contemplatives asked to pray for the Church and Pope

Vatican City, 25 February 2013 (VIS) – Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone SDB, sent a letter to the monasteries devoted to contemplative life around the world, inviting them to intensify their prayers at this special moment in the life of the Church. Following is the entire text of the message that is dated 21 February.

“I write to you as the whole Church anxiously follows the final days of the luminous pontificate of His Holiness Benedict XVI and awaits the arrival of the successor whom the Cardinals gathered in conclave and guided by the Holy Spirit will choose, after discerning together the signs of the times of the Church and the world.

“His Holiness Benedict XVI has asked all the faithful to accompany him with their prayers as he commends the Petrine ministry into the Lord’s hands, and to await with trust the arrival of the new Pope. In a particularly urgent way this appeal is addressed to those chosen members of the Church who are contemplatives. The Holy Father is certain that you, in your monasteries and convents throughout the world, will provide the precious resource of that prayerful faith which down the centuries has accompanied and sustained the Church along her pilgrim path. The coming conclave will thus depend in a special way on the transparent purity of your prayer and worship.

“The most significant example of this spiritual elevation which manifests the most authentic and profound dimension of every ecclesial action, the presence of the Holy Spirit who guides the Church, is offered to us by His Holiness Benedict XVI who, after having steered the barque of Peter amid the waves of history, has chosen to devote himself above all to prayer, contemplation and reflection.

“The Holy Father, with whom I shared the contents of this letter, was deeply appreciative, and asked me to thank you and to assure you of his immense love and esteem.

“With affection in Christ I send you greetings, united with you in prayer.”

CDF Prefect rehearses work at hand for moral formation, dignity of the person

The Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Archbishop Gerhard L. Müller, addressed the Pontifical Academy of Life on 22 February 2013. It was the annual meeting in Rome. Müller’s talk didn’t shatter too many windows by unearthing new problems, nor did it break new ground in the Church’s teaching. Müller gives a brief assessment of the situation and that we have gone off the tracks in some ways. He does, however, shed light on the fact that we need to take more seriously our moral and faith formation and to put in the time doing the hard work to know the issues and how to respond to them according the parameters of the Catholic Faith. Too often we are afraid to do the hard work. And that’s the ministry of the Prefect: to illumine and offer a corrective. Archbishop Müller did challenge, to a degree, the theological professorial establishment, even if the talk may be seen a bit anemic.

The full text: Gerhard Müller Human Life in Some Documents of the Magisterium.pdf

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Details on Pope Benedict…

According to the Vatican Information Service, quoting the Holy See spokesman, Jesuit Father Frederico Lombardi, in a press conference, made some details public today regarding His Holiness. In sum, he said that Pope Benedict XVI:

will be referred to as “Pope Emeritus” or “Pontiff Emeritus”;
will keep the style “His Holiness, Benedict XVI”;
will keep wearing a simple white cassock without the papal mozzetta; and
that the fisherman’s ring, and the lead seal, will be broken.

Benedict is scheduled to arrive in Castel Gandolfo on 28 February, at 5:15pm -Rome time. At 8pm, Rome time), when the See of Peter goes vacant, the Swiss Guard will quietly leave the papal summer residence; the Guard’s services of protection are limited to the person of the Pontiff; the security of the “Pope Emeritus” will be assured by the Vatican Gendarmerie.

As commentary, some opined that the papal ring could be given to the Vatican Museum but the decision was made to continue to break the break to show the end of this papal reign. Perhaps the broken ring will be given to the Museum if it is not crushed beyond recognition.

It seems to me that in Benedict’s case, he ought to be readmitted to the College of Cardinals, be known as His Eminence, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Bishop-emeritus of Rome. Moreover, he ought to adopt the clothes of a cardinal and be given the titular church of Sant’Anselmo or Santa Maria in Trastevere. I’d like him to be given the Benedictine Church of Sant’Anselmo!

In 1936, the King of England, Edward VIII, abdicated, he was first known as HRH Prince Edward, and then, HRH the Duke of Windsor.

Recently, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands announced that she was abdicating throne on 30 April. Thereafter Beatrix will be known as Her Royal Highness, Princess Beatrix. You can only have on monarch at a time.

Roma locuta, causa finita.