Pope decries 'natural calamities,' 'human tragedies' (Urbi et Orbi)

AFP ^ | April 8, 2007

[NYer]

Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday decried the "suffering in the world" in his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) on Easter Sunday."

"How many wounds, how much suffering there is in the world! Natural calamities and human tragedies that cause innumerable victims and enormous material destruction are not lacking," he said in the message beamed around the world.

"I am thinking of the scourge of hunger, of incurable diseases, of terrorism and kidnapping of people, of the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion, of contempt for life, of the violation of human rights and the exploitation of persons," the 79-year-old pontiff said.

"My thoughts go to recent events in Madagascar, in the Solomon Islands, in Latin America and in other regions of the world," Benedict said from the loggia of St Peter's Basilica to a crowd of tens of thousands filling the square as well as the main street leading up to it.

"I look with apprehension at the conditions prevailing in several regions of Africa," in several parts of the world's poorest continent, notably Zimbabwe, Darfur and Somalia.

"Zimbabwe is in the grip of a grievous crisis, and for this reason the bishops of that country in a recent document indicated prayer and a shared commitment for the common good as the only way forward," he said.

"In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between "In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian authority, nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees," the pope said in the message broadcast live by 67 television stations." /> "In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian authority, nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees," the pope said in the message broadcast live by 67 television stations." /> Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees," the pope said in the message broadcast live by 67 television stations.

"In Lebanon, the paralysis of the country's political institutions threatens the role that the country is called to play in the Middle East and puts its future seriously in jeopardy.

"Finally, I cannot forget the difficulties faced daily by the Christian communities and the exodus of Christians from that blessed Land which is the cradle of our faith," the 79-year-old pontiff said.

[NYer]

Reuters - Sun Apr 8, 7:55 AM ET Christian worshippers receive flowers from priests after Easter service at St. George church in central Beirut April 8, 2007. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)

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Just a note on the above. It is the custom in the Maronite Catholic Church for women and children to bring small bouquets of flowers to Church on Good Friday. These are placed in the "tomb" with our Lord. When the families return on Easter, the flowers, which have been blessed, are now distributed as the first gifts from the Risen Lord.

Al-Maseeh Qam! Haqqan Qam!
Christ is Risen! Truly Risen!

[Miss Marple]

That is a lovely custom. I really appreciate the detail about the Maronite Church that you provide.

A blessed and joyous Easter to you; the Vigil Mass last night was beautiful, and now my husband is part of the Church!

[markomalley]

The actual text of the Holy Father's Urbi et Orbi message follows. Taken in context, we can see that, once again, the MSM make a distortion of the truth:

Dear Brothers and Sisters throughout the world,

Men and women of good will!

Christ is risen! Peace to you! Today we celebrate the great mystery, the foundation of Christian faith and hope: Jesus of Nazareth, the Crucified One, has risen from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures. We listen today with renewed emotion to the announcement proclaimed by the angels on the dawn of the first day after the Sabbath, to Mary of Magdala and to the women at the sepulchre: “Why do you search among the dead for one who is alive? He is not here, he is risen!” (Lk 24:5-6).

It is not difficult to imagine the feelings of these women at that moment: feelings of sadness and dismay at the death of their Lord, feelings of disbelief and amazement before a fact too astonishing to be true. But the tomb was open and empty: the body was no longer there. Peter and John, having been informed of this by the women, ran to the sepulchre and found that they were right. The faith of the Apostles in Jesus, the expected Messiah, had been submitted to a severe trial by the scandal of the cross. At his arrest, his condemnation and death, they were dispersed. Now they are together again, perplexed and bewildered. But the Risen One himself comes in response to their thirst for greater certainty. This encounter was not a dream or an illusion or a subjective imagination; it was a real experience, even if unexpected, and all the more striking for that reason. “Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘peace be with you!’” (Jn 20:19).

At these words their faith, which was almost spent within them, was re-kindled. The Apostles told Thomas who had been absent from that first extraordinary encounter: Yes, the Lord has fulfilled all that he foretold; he is truly risen and we have seen and touched him! Thomas however remained doubtful and perplexed. When Jesus came for a second time, eight days later in the Upper Room, he said to him: “put your finger here and see my hands; and put out your hand and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing!” The Apostle’s response is a moving profession of faith: “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:27-28).

“My Lord and my God!” We too renew that profession of faith of Thomas. I have chosen these words for my Easter greetings this year, because humanity today expects from Christians a renewed witness to the resurrection of Christ; it needs to encounter him and to know him as true God and true man. If we can recognize in this Apostle the doubts and uncertainties of so many Christians today, the fears and disappointments of many of our contemporaries, with him we can also rediscover with renewed conviction, faith in Christ dead and risen for us. This faith, handed down through the centuries by the successors of the Apostles, continues on because the Risen Lord dies no more. He lives in the Church and guides it firmly towards the fulfilment of his eternal design of salvation.

We may all be tempted by the disbelief of Thomas. Suffering, evil, injustice, death, especially when it strikes the innocent such as children who are victims of war and terrorism, of sickness and hunger, does not all of this put our faith to the test? Paradoxically the disbelief of Thomas is most valuable to us in these cases because it helps to purify all false concepts of God and leads us to discover his true face: the face of a God who, in Christ, has taken upon himself the wounds of injured humanity. Thomas has received from the Lord, and has in turn transmitted to the Church, the gift of a faith put to the test by the passion and death of Jesus and confirmed by meeting him risen. His faith was almost dead but was born again thanks to his touching the wounds of Christ, those wounds that the Risen One did not hide but showed, and continues to point out to us in the trials and sufferings of every human being.

“By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pt 2:24). This is the message Peter addressed to the early converts. Those wounds that, in the beginning were an obstacle for Thomas’s faith, being a sign of Jesus’ apparent failure, those same wounds have become in his encounter with the Risen One, signs of a victorious love. These wounds that Christ has received for love of us help us to understand who God is and to repeat: “My Lord and my God!” Only a God who loves us to the extent of taking upon himself our wounds and our pain, especially innocent suffering, is worthy of faith.

How many wounds, how much suffering there is in the world! Natural calamities and human tragedies that cause innumerable victims and enormous material destruction are not lacking. My thoughts go to recent events in Madagascar, in the Solomon Islands, in Latin America and in other regions of the world. I am thinking of the scourge of hunger, of incurable diseases, of terrorism and kidnapping of people, of the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion, of contempt for life, of the violation of human rights and the exploitation of persons. I look with apprehension at the conditions prevailing in several regions of Africa. In Darfur and in the neighbouring countries there is a catastrophic, and sadly to say underestimated, humanitarian situation. In Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo the violence and looting of the past weeks raises fears for the future of the Congolese democratic process and the reconstruction of the country. In Somalia the renewed fighting has driven away the prospect of peace and worsened a regional crisis, especially with regard to the displacement of populations and the traffic of arms. Zimbabwe is in the grip of a grievous crisis and for this reason the Bishops of that country in a recent document indicated prayer and a shared commitment for the common good as the only way forward.

Likewise the population of East Timor stands in need of reconciliation and peace as it prepares to hold important elections. Elsewhere too, peace is sorely needed: in Sri Lanka only a negotiated solution can put an end to the conflict that causes so much bloodshed; Afghanistan is marked by growing unrest and instability; In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian authority, nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees. In Lebanon the paralysis of the country’s political institutions threatens the role that the country is called to play in the Middle East and puts its future seriously in jeopardy. Finally, I cannot forget the difficulties faced daily by the Christian communities and the exodus of Christians from that blessed Land which is the cradle of our faith. I affectionately renew to these populations the expression of my spiritual closeness.

Dear Brothers and sisters, through the wounds of the Risen Christ we can see the evils which afflict humanity with the eyes of hope. In fact, by his rising the Lord has not taken away suffering and evil from the world but has vanquished them at their roots by the superabundance of his grace. He has countered the arrogance of evil with the supremacy of his love. He has left us the love that does not fear death, as the way to peace and joy. “Even as I have loved you – he said to his disciples before his death – so you must also love one another” (cf. Jn 13:34).

Brothers and sisters in faith, who are listening to me from every part of the world! Christ is risen and he is alive among us. It is he who is the hope of a better future. As we say with Thomas: “My Lord and my God!”, may we hear again in our hearts the beautiful yet demanding words of the Lord: “If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honour him” (Jn 12:26). United to him and ready to offer our lives for our brothers (cf. 1 Jn 3:16), let us become apostles of peace, messengers of a joy that does not fear pain – the joy of the Resurrection. May Mary, Mother of the Risen Christ, obtain for us this Easter gift. Happy Easter to you all.

[PatriotGirl827]

Well, I feel a little better after reading the exact text of the message. I am filled with guilt when I disagree with the Pope, but the way things are reported on the news, I wonder to myself, doesn’t the Pope see that we have been trying to do something good in Iraq?

[NYer]

the Vigil Mass last night was beautiful, and now my husband is part of the Church!

Congratulations to Mr. Marple :-)!!! And, Welcome Home! Thank you for posting that; I was thinking about you both last night and praying for him.

Easter Blessings to you and your family!

[markomalley]

I am filled with guilt when I disagree with the Pope, but the way things are reported on the news, I wonder to myself, doesnt the Pope see that we have been trying to do something good in Iraq

I understand what you're saying, but it has been a mess for the Christians over there in Iraq. We have sort-of ignored them as a part our politically-correct strategy of appeasing the muzzies over there. You need to remember that this is the Holy Father's concern, not the advancement of US policy. While, if our efforts are successful, it will result in a more stable region, and will thus be far better, it doesn't appear that the wide array of forces over there are going to let that happen, now does it? And heaven forbid that US forces be allowed to protect Christians against the heathens...can't you just imagine the outcry against the president by the left then?? What we've seen so far is nothing compared to what we'd see if that were to happen.

Sorry, not exactly a politically-correct position for here, but I fully agree with the Holy Father...in the true context of what he said, not what AFP reported.

[NYer]

It is the custom in the Maronite Catholic Church for women and children to bring small bouquets of flowers to Church on Good Friday. These are placed in the "tomb" with our Lord. When the families return on Easter, the flowers, which have been blessed, are now distributed as the first gifts from the Risen Lord.

Last week, EWTN aired a program on the Shroud that was not a new production. In this particular program, the focus was on the fact that the image on the Shroud was made by someone standing erect, as opposed to what many assumed had been a reclining position.

The 2nd part of the program focused on the images of flowers that appear on the Shroud. Here too, an authority on the flowers indigenous to that part of the world was brought in to attest to his findings. He claims there are 100+ images of flowers on the Shroud.

As you can see from the above picture and my posted comments, the Maronite Catholic Church retains a beautiful tradition with regard to bringing flowers on Good Friday to be placed in the tomb. At midnight Mass on Easter, the "stone" is rolled back to reveal a shroud filled with flowers but no corpus, as the Lord is Risen. For those unfamiliar with the Maronite Church, it traces its liturgy back to Antioch where Peter served as bishop before proceeding to Rome. Of the 22 Churches that make up the Catholic Church, the Maronite Church retains the Jewish heritage more than any of the others, especially in the use of Aramaic as a liturgical language. The flowers having been in the tomb which was incensed, they are blessed and that blessing is brought home. As the acolytes were distributing the flowers last night, I reflected on that program about the Shroud. That there are images of flowers on the Shroud and that the one of the oldest Catholic Churches maintains the tradition of placing flowers on the shroud for burial on Good Friday, is beyond coincidence. Have any of the Shroud experts pursued the history of this tradition with the Maronite Church? I look forward to your response.

Al-Maseeh Qam! Haqqan Qam!
Christ is Risen! Truly Risen!

Easter Blessings to you all!

[NYer]

Sad to say but Iraqi Christians had a better life under Saddam Hussein than under the current government. From USA Today

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Christians, targeted and suffering, flee Iraq

BAGHDAD — In between messages of love and faith, Mushtaq Zanbaqa, priest of the Holy Virgin Chaldean Catholic Church in east Baghdad, has a weekly plea for his Christian flock:

Don't leave.

"I'm always telling them that we are a part of this society, and terrorists are targeting all Iraqis," Zanbaqa said. "They are bombing mosques as well as churches. So, please, don't leave your own country."

The flight of Iraq's Sunni and Shiite Muslims from their homes under threat of violence has earned much attention. But Iraq's Christian community has also been targeted and is steadily dwindling as well.

Although they make up only about 5% of Iraq's population, Christians make up nearly 40% of the refugees fleeing Iraq, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Other Iraqis who are forced from their homes often relocate to another city or neighborhood, but Iraqi Christians who have to flee often leave the country, said Dana Graber, an Amman-based officer with the International Organization for Migration. "They feel even more vulnerable because they have few, if any, safe communities to where they can escape," she said.

Long an integral part of Baghdad's diverse ethnic and religious communities, Christians have lived side by side with their Muslim neighbors for generations, said Abdullah al-Naufali, head of Iraq's Christians Endowment.

But as Iraq's violence flared after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, churches and Christian homes were targeted, al-Naufali said. Ten of Baghdad's 80 Christian churches have closed, and more than half of Baghdad's Christian population has fled, he said.

Lately, Sunni militants have forced Christians to pay a jizya (or "donation") to the insurgency, or be targeted themselves, al-Naufali said. Still, like Zanbaqa, he urges Christians to stay.

"We were here 600 years before Islam and have archaeological sites in Iraq from the first century of Christianity," he said. "I'm really surprised when someone asks me why we're still in Iraq."

Iraqi Christians, known as Assyrians or Chaldeans, congregate in churches similar to those in the West. A frocked priest leads the hour-long Mass, sometimes interspersing the sermon with current events of the day.

Bombs and targeted killings are not the only threats facing Iraqi Christians. They also have to succumb to Islamic traditions enforced in parts of the country.

Zaid Frangoul said his wife is forced to wear a hijab, a head covering worn by Muslim women, each time they leave their Baghdad home for fear they'll be targeted by militants. They will leave Iraq as soon as his wife, who is pregnant, gives birth, he said.

"We have always been known for our forgiveness and our calls for peace," Frangoul said. "We don't carry weapons, and we will not carry weapons. That's why we are leaving."

[PatriotGirl827]

I understand what you are both saying, and why the Pope is so upset about the suffering and persecution of Christians going on anywhere in the world - not just in Iraq.

But on the other hand, how do we get out of this and still preserve what our men and women have been dying for over there?

And I know God could not have been happy with what was going on under Saddam, even if Christians had it better.

I’m just saying it’s a tough call, and I hate to disagree with the Pope, but this is a hard one for me.

[Frank Sheed]

I saw a program on a network called ION that was on the Shroud on Friday or Saturday. The show was hawking a DVD so I am not sure if it was one of these “moonbat” shows. However, the information was quite astounding.

Among the contentions made was that the “figure” was suspended between the two layers of the Shroud since there is no deformation in the buttock or shoulder region which would occur due to gravity. Next, there is an axis that can be drawn through the body of the image along the “X” axis. Next, apparent radiative energy of high force went outward from the +Y and -Y axes creating a hologram effect. One “physicist” compared this to the “singularity” seen near a “black hole” and stated that this was unique for any garment ever found. The shroud was supposedly a giant hologram imaged in Amsterdam and a “necklace” of some type was found bearing the imprinted Hebrew letters for “Abba.” One person stated that each fiber might be an individual hologram allowing for the identification of the burned portions of the arms that happened in the 15th century.

I have the impression this show was a Mormon production since a Mormon tape on Jesus was being advertised. Can anyone confirm the physics aspects claimed on this show? An astronaut, the 6th to walk on the moon, was involved in this project and claimed the Shroud was causing physics to be re-examined.

I am not a physicist and this may have been total bunk, but it really piqued my interest. Comments welcomed.
F

[markomalley]

I understand what you are both saying, and why the Pope is so upset about the suffering and persecution of Christians going on anywhere in the world - not just in Iraq.

But on the other hand, how do we get out of this and still preserve what our men and women have been dying for over there?

FWIW, I am confident that war would be decried no matter what that war is. War brings suffering...no two ways about it.

IMHO, there are a couple of things that need to be done. First, we need to consider that the Christians over there need to be protected as a minority from both the Sunnis and the Shiites...and the Kurds (but not as bad as the other groups). We owe it to them to protect them and provide disproportionate protection to them, as they are a minority that would be gladly killed by both of the larger powers. In fact, we should offer refuge to any Christian who would want to escape from there, as I fear that once we are gone, the government will turn a blind eye toward the Christians being persecuted there if not actively work to kill all of them (accept Muhammed or die).

More importantly, though, the radical Islamics need to be eliminated. They need to be eliminated as an influence on any of the more 'moderate' Muslims. In reality, Islam needs to be erradicated from the face of the earth. But that won't happen. Not only is there not the political will to do so in any Christian country, I honestly don't think like such a movement would be, in fact, a "Christian" movement. I see no Biblical precedent for a "be baptized or die" policy. The only way that this could happen is through a revelation of God. The only thing we can do along those lines is to pray for their eternal souls and to pray for a Juan Diego type of apparation where they are convicted and converted en masse.

(It is my belief that genuine Christians will, in the not too distant future, undergo a horrible persecution. I am not sure whether that persecution will be an apocolyptic persecution -- one leading to the end -- or a purgative persecution -- one leading to the purification and reinvigoration of the Church, but I believe that the time is coming...and soon)

So I am not sure what we could do to preserve the sacrifices made by our men and women. The easy answer is victory. But what is victory? Where a Shiite-dominated government is in charge? (Subject to domination by the Iranian mullahs) Or maybe a Sunni-dominated government? (subject to domination by Al Qaeda and the Wahhabis) A Swiss-like Federation? The Bush administration has ruled that one out as an acceptable solution. And even with a Swiss-like Federation, where would the Christians fit in? A secular government? That's what produced Saddam!

One thing for sure say is that none of us had the vaguest idea the depth of hatred that the treasonous mainstream media and the left had for Bush...that they would prefer defeat and surrender rather than see Bush accomplish something that would register him as a successful president. Before this, I would have never thought that NSA and CIA personnel would have released classified data for domestic political gain.

We can Monday-morning quarterback all day long. But where do we go from here? I don't know.

And I know God could not have been happy with what was going on under Saddam, even if Christians had it better.

I cannot imagine that either. I cannot imagine Him smiling now either.

I’m just saying it’s a tough call, and I hate to disagree with the Pope, but this is a hard one for me.

This is not a matter of faith and morals, so you are entitled to disagree all you want...but the Pope is a very insightful, very brilliant man on his own merits (Ratzinger) without regard for his status as the Vicar of Christ (Benedict XVI). So where is he wrong with his statement? What would YOU do?

FWIW, my perspective on this is that I blame the French and English for this: after WWI, they were the ones that drew arbitrary lines in the sand establishing the current national borders out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire. Had they drawn those lines according to ethnic lines, we likely wouldn't have had the problems we have now. And unfortunately, we will likely have those problems until those borders are finally redrawn. Unfortunately, those borders aren't just within Iraq, they include Syria, Turkey, and Iran. But that is big-time Monday-morning quarterbacking.

[Swordmaker]

Among the contentions made was that the “figure” was suspended between the two layers of the Shroud since there is no deformation in the buttock or shoulder region which would occur due to gravity.

This is false. The buttocks on the Shroud show the typical deformation that would be expected of a dead body in rigor being placed on a hard surface. The cloth itself was between the body and the hard surface. Both frontal and dorsal images show bodily contact with the cloth since blood and sera are contact stains.

One person stated that each fiber might be an individual hologram allowing for the identification of the burned portions of the arms that happened in the 15th century.

This is patently absurd. The image is composed of a very thin layer of a saccharide that apparently is the result of the starch fractions from the fullering of the cloth combined with the gasses, cadaverine and putrecine, that naturally exude from a newly dead body. There is no "hologram" and no evidence exists for such a conclusion.

My judgement based on my knowledge of the current state of Shroud investigation that this is, indeed, bunk.

If you find another listing for the program, ping me.

[John 6.66=Mark of the Beast?]

Simple answer sell all that you have and give it to the poor.

[mockingbyrd]

Woodrow Wilson.

WORST. PRESIDENT. EVER.

My sister was interviewed for a college and they asked her if she could go back in time, where would she go. She said she would prevent the election of Wilson.

[Larry Lucido]

Is that what you did?

[Pyro7480]

Al-Maseeh Qam! Haqqan Qam!

I'm guessing that's Arabic? ;-)

[markomalley]

Woodrow Wilson.

WORST. PRESIDENT. EVER.

My sister was interviewed for a college and they asked her if she could go back in time, where would she go. She said she would prevent the election of Wilson.

I agree that Wilson was pretty bad...but I won't blame him for the actions of the Brits and the French after WWI.

[ConservativeStLouisGuy]

Much-obliged for your posting of the Pope’s address! :-) Thanka much! :-)

[ConservativeStLouisGuy]

Also....here's the link to the Vatican website for the Pope's URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE.