God is serious in his love for us

Different 'shocking' messages given by the Holy Father to the world from Brazil can be summed up in one short message: God is serious! God seriously loves us, and will punish any evil that harms us!

An other B16 strike was at a center of drug addicts rehabilitation centre where the Holy Father asked drug dealers to seriously reflect on what they do.

On May 12 the Holy Father met the young people recovering from drug and alcohol abuse in Brazil. As reported on different web sites, he had kind words for the 'kids' but he was also tough on the drug dealers:

3. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). These are divine words which penetrate to the depths of our souls and shake us at our deepest roots.

At some stage in people's lives, Jesus comes and gently knocks at the hearts of those properly disposed. Perhaps for you, he did this through a friend or a priest, or, who knows, perhaps he arranged a series of coincidences which enabled you to realize that you are loved by God. Through the institution which has welcomed you, the Lord has given you this opportunity for physical and spiritual recovery, so vital for you and your families. In turn, society expects you to spread this precious gift of health among your friends and all the members of the community.

You must be Ambassadors of hope! Brazil's statistics concerning drug abuse and other forms of chemical dependency are very high. The same is true of Latin America in general. I therefore urge the drug-dealers to reflect on the grave harm they are inflicting on countless young people and on adults from every level of society: God will call you to account for your deeds. Human dignity cannot be trampled upon in this way. The harm done will receive the same censure that Jesus reserved for those who gave scandal to the "little ones", the favourites of God (cf. Matthew 18:7-10).

Young people of Brazil receive a rich message from their Holy Father

We, young people are very important for the future of humanity in all aspects. Pope JPII was particularly loved for gaining more youth to this realisation and especially to get them to work seriously for the cause of humanity. Young catholics thank him for that. One of his last words was addressed to thousands of young people who gathered in st. Peter Square praying for him: "I have searched for you, now you have come for me and I thank you!".
About all of the videos you view on the side bar were actually posted by young people in their 20s. And more and more are blogging about life, love, and the Church.
In his trip to Brazil, our new Pope Benedict XVI did not forget about us. Here is part of the message to the youth of Brazil:

For this reason, my dear friends, I am certain
that today the same impressions I received in Germany will be renewed here. In
1991, during his visit to Mato Grosso, the Servant of God Pope John Paul II, of
venerable memory, said that "youth are the first protagonists of the third
millennium … they are the ones who will be charged with the destiny of this new
phase in human history" (16 October 1991). Today, I feel moved to make the same
observation regarding all of you.....

You have a crucial question -- a question that appears in this Gospel -- to put to him. It is the same question posed by the young man who ran to see Jesus: What good deed must I do, to have eternal life? I would like to take a deeper look at this question with you. It has to do with life. A life which -- in all of you -- is exuberant and beautiful. What are you to do with it? How can you live it to the full?.....

Jesus alone can give us the answer, because he alone can guarantee us eternal life. He alone, therefore, can show us the meaning of this present life and give it fullness...

These years of your life are the years which will prepare you for your future. Your "tomorrow" depends much on how you are living the "today" of your youth. Stretching out in front of you, my dear young friends, is a life that all of us hope will be long; yet it is only one life, it is unique: do not let it pass it vain; do not squander it. Live it with enthusiasm and with joy, but most of all, with a sense of responsibility......

You can be the builders of a new society if you seek to put into practice a conduct inspired by universal moral values, but also a personal commitment to a vitally important human and spiritual formation. Men and women who are ill-prepared for the real challenges presented by a correct interpretation of the Christian life in their own surroundings will easily fall prey to all the assaults of materialism and secularism, which are more and more active at all levels. Be men and women who are free and responsible; make the family a centre that radiates peace and joy; be promoters of life, from its beginning to its natural end; protect the elderly, since they deserve respect and admiration for the good they have done. The Pope also expects young people to seek to sanctify their work, carrying it out with technical skill and diligence, so as to contribute to the progress of all their brothers and sisters, and to shed the light of the Word upon all human activities (cf. Lumen Gentium, 36). But above all, the Pope wants them to set about building a more just and fraternal society, fulfilling their duties towards the State: respecting its laws; not allowing themselves to be swept along by hatred and violence; seeking to be an example of Christian conduct in their professional and social milieu, distinguishing themselves by the integrity of their social and professional relationships. They should remember that excessive ambition for wealth and power leads to corruption of oneself and others; there are no valid motives that would justify attempting to impose one's own worldly aspirations -- economic or political -- through fraud and deceit......

Above all, have great respect for the institution of the sacrament of Matrimony. There cannot be true domestic happiness unless, at the same time, there is fidelity between spouses. Marriage is an institution of natural law, which has been raised by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament; it is a great gift that God has given to mankind: respect it and honour it. At the same time, God calls you to respect one another when you fall in love and become engaged, since conjugal life, reserved by divine ordinance to married couples, will bring happiness and peace only to the extent that you are able to build your future hopes upon chastity, both within and outside marriage. I repeat here to all of you that "eros tends to rise . . . towards the Divine, to lead us beyond ourselves; yet for this very reason it calls for a path of ascent, renunciation, purification and healing" (Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est , 5). To put it briefly, it requires a spirit of sacrifice and renunciation for the sake of a greater good, namely the love of God above all things. Seek to resist forcefully the snares of evil that are found in many contexts, driving you towards a dissolute and paradoxically paradoxically empty life, causing you to lose the precious gift of your freedom and your true happiness. True love "increasingly seeks the happiness of the other, is concerned more and more with the beloved, bestows itself and wants to 'be there for' the other" (ibid., 7) and therefore will always grow in faithfulness, indissolubility and fruitfulness......

The following are videos comments in English (BBC) and the local language below.

I have also added a video in portugese (I think) for those who understand it.

Pope in defense of life in Latin America

The pope arrived in Brazil yesterday for a conferance of Bishops of Latin America and the Caribean. Different comments are being reported already about the abortion battle that has intensified in recent months.

Here are few comments about questions asked in flight by journalists:

Going on to consider the proliferation of religious sects in Latin America, the Holy Father said "they are a sign that people thirst for God. The Church must respond to this need with a highly concrete plan and in the awareness that, apart from announcing the Christian message, it is important to help people achieve just living conditions."
Replying to a question concerning the Mexican parliament, which has just approved a law in favor of abortion, the Pope highlighted "the need for Christian politicians to remain coherent to their principles." The Church, he said, "announces the Gospel of life; life is a gift and not a threat."
For his part, Holy See Press office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. made it clear that "the Mexican bishops have not excommunicated those politicians, and neither has Benedict XVI." However, he added, "legislation in favor of abortion is not compatible with participation in the Eucharist." Upon being asked whether this meant that the politicians were effectively excommunicated, Fr. Lombardi said "no, they exclude themselves from communion."
In his replies to journalists, Benedict XVI had declared that "such excommunication is laid down in the Code, it is not arbitrary, it is simply written in the Code of Canon Law. The death of an innocent, of an unborn child, is inconceivable. It is not arbitrary, and the Church express appreciation for life and for the individuality of life from the first moment of conception."

His declaration on excommunication of pro-abortion politician were later clarified by the Vatican to prevent people from assuming a wrong message.
From a different article, we read:

The fact that Catholics represent a majority in Brazil, he went on, "means that
they must make a particular contribution to the common good of the nation. The
word solidarity will acquire its full meaning when the living forces of society,
each in its own sphere, commit themselves seriously to building a future of
peace and hope for all."
"I am well aware that the soul of this people, as
of all Latin America, safeguards values that are radically Christian, which will
never be eradicated. I am certain that at Aparecida, during the bishops' general
conference, this identity will be reinforced through the promotion of respect
for life from the moment of conception until natural death as an integral
requirement of human nature. It will also make the promotion of the human person
the axis of solidarity, especially towards the poor and abandoned.
"The
Church," he added, "seeks only to stress the moral values present in each
situation and to form the conscience of citizens so that they may make informed
and free decisions. She will not fail to insist on the need to take action to
ensure that the family, the basic cell of society, is strengthened, and likewise
young people, whose formation is a decisive factor for the future of any nation.
Last but not least, she will defend and promote the values present at every
level of society, especially among indigenous peoples."

What does the Church means by the Gospel of Life? Jean Paul the Great left a wonderful document which should not only convince your mind, but your heart as well. The document has the same name: Gospel of Life. Click on the link in the side bar in 'Must Read' documents.

I should conclude by noting that the Pope meet a support of Brazilian president who will not support legalized abortion.

Pope and Ex Iranian President

Pope Benedict XVI and Ex-Iranian President Mohammad Khatami





Reuters Photo







Eux.Tv commented:

Khatami is regarded as one of the most senior Muslim figures to have met the
pontiff since his controversial remarks on Islam last year. In a speech in
Germany last September, Benedict infuriated Muslims across the world by
appearing to equate their religion with violence. Benedict has since sought to
make amends and pleased many Muslims last December with a highly-symbolic visit
to Istanbul's Blue Mosque.

From an other CWN article we read:

Khatami had originally planned to visit the Vatican in October 2006, but he
postponed his visit because of the angry reaction among Islamic leaders to the
Pope's lecture at Regensburg in September. Prior to his meeting with the Pontiff
today, Khatami told reporters that the tensions between Christians and Muslims
remain "very deep."

In speaking with the Iranian leader, the Pope called
attention to the severe difficulties that Christians face in the Islamic
countries of the Middle East, and specifically in Iran. The Vatican statement
did not mention Khatami's response to the Pope on that point.

The Pope
and the Iranian ex-president spent some time discussing the prospects for
international peacemaking efforts in the Middle East, and the initiatives under
discussion at this week's meetings in Sharm al Sheikh, Egypt.