VATICAN : POPE : MODIFICATIONS TO CREATION OF CARDINALS


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MODIFICATIONS TO RITES FOR THE  CREATION OF NEW CARDINALS

VATICAN  CITY, 10 JAN 2012 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the  Supreme Pontiff has introduced certain modifications to the ordinary public  consistories for the creation of new cardinals. The rites followed until now  have been revised and simplified, with the Holy Father's approval. The  modifications chiefly involve the unification of the three phases: the  imposition of the biretta, the consignment of the ring and the assignation of  the title or diaconate. The collect and the concluding prayer have been  modified, and the proclamation of the Word of God made shorter.
 (IMAGE SOURCE: RADIO VATICANA)
   On 6 January Benedict XVI announced his intention to create twenty-two new  members of the College of Cardinals, on 18 February, in what will be the  fourth consistory of his pontificate.

   In its announcement the Office of Liturgical Celebrations explains that the  liturgical reform which began with Vatican Council II also covered the rites  for imposing the biretta and assigning a title to new cardinals during  consistories, and that the modified form of the celebration was first used by  Paul VI in April 1969. In preparing those new rites the main criterion  adopted was that of giving a liturgical setting to a process which, of  itself, is not part of the liturgy. The creation of new cardinals had to be  inserted into a context of prayer, while at the same time avoiding anything  that could give rise to the idea of a "cardinalatial Sacrament".  Historically speaking, in fact, consistories have never been considered as a  liturgical rite but as a meeting of the Pope with cardinals as part of the  governance of the Church.

   Bearing in mind these historical aspects, and in continuity with the current  form and main elements of consistories, the existing practice has been  reviewed and simplified. In the first place, the collect and concluding  prayer of the 1969 rite have been recouped, because they are particularly  rich and derive from the great Roman tradition of prayer. The two prayers, in  fact, speak explicitly of the powers the Lord gave to the Church, in  particular that of Peter. The Pope also prays directly for himself, that he  may carry out his duties well.

   The proclamation of the Word of God will also take a shorter form, as used in  the 1969 rite, with a single Gospel reading (Mk 10, 32-45) which is the same  in the two rites. Finally, the consignment of the cardinalatial ring will be  integrated into a single rite. Prior to the 1969 reform, the red hat was  imposed during the public consistory, which was followed by a secret  consistory in which the ring was consigned and the title or diaconate  assigned. Nowadays the distinction between public and secret consistory is no  longer observed and it was deemed more coherent to bring the three phases of  the creation of new cardinals together into a single rite. What remains  unchanged is the following day's concelebration of Mass by the Pope and the  new cardinals, which begins with an expression of homage and gratitude  addressed to the Pope by the first of the new cardinals in the name of all  the others.
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ADEQUATE PASTORAL CARE FOR MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES

VATICAN  CITY, 10 JAN 2012 (VIS) - The latest edition of the magazine "Migranti  Press" contains an article by Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio, president  of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant  Peoples, for the forthcoming World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The Day is  to be celebrated on Sunday 15 January under the theme: "Migrations and  New Evangelisation".

   Archbishop Veglio highlights the fact that the phenomenon of migration, which  involves many different individuals and peoples with their various social,  cultural and religious characteristics, is "a process which opens unique  opportunities for evangelisation. It offers Christian communities the chance  to bear witness to Jesus Christ, especially through respectful dialogue and  the concrete witness of solidarity. Migrants can also reawaken drowsy Christian  consciences, calling people to a more coherent Christian life".

   For this reason the Holy Father's Message for the World Day of Migrants and  Refugees "invites us to ensure that migrants are given adequate pastoral  care. Thus they may remain firm in their faith, coherent in their Christian  life and powerful witnesses of the Gospel, in order to become authentic  announcers of the evangelical 'kerygma'".

   Referring to the Pope's Message, Archbishop Veglio notes that "the mass  media, because of the immediate impact they have on public opinion, must  seriously undertake to supply correct and ample information, avoiding  demagogic terminology which is offensive to the image of forced migrants. The  contribution of the media is necessary in order to make society aware of new  situations, and of the real violations of refugees' rights".

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