Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

On Friday 4 December 2020 , at 11.30 , a press conference to present the document  “The bishop and Christian unity: an ecumenical vademecum” will be streamed live from the Holy See Press Office.

The speakers will be:

His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch , president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity;

His Eminence Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S. , prefect of the Congregation for Bishops;

His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle , prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples;

His Eminence Cardinal Leonardo Sandri , prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

The press conference will be broadcast solely by live streaming from the “John Paul II” Hall of the Holy See Press Office and will be simultaneously translated into Italian, French and Spanish on the Vatican News YouTube channel, at https://www.youtube.com/c/VaticanNews

The new website dedicated to the Encyclical "Fratelli tutti" is now online

The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development announces the special website dedicated to Pope Francis' Encyclical "Fratelli tutti". It can be consulted by entering the homepage of the Dicastery:  www.humandevelopment.va  and also has direct access from the URL  www.fratellitutti.va .

The site, created with the collaboration of the Dicastery for Communication, aims to spread the message about the fraternity and social friendship of the Encyclical in a capillary way, deepening and making known all the aspects proper to the text and the magisterium of the Holy Father in this sense.

The page, which is intuitive and quick to consult, is currently developed in three languages (Italian, Spanish and English), but also contains numerous resources in other languages, including French, Portuguese, Arabic and Chinese.

The menu on the homepage is made in orange as the paper edition of the Encyclical and it is divided into sections, which are constantly updated:  "Fratelli tutti”  with a general introduction;  "The Encyclical" , where it is possible to download the text in the available languages and to review the video of the presentation conference of 4 October, held in the New Hall of the Synod in the Vatican;  "Reflections" , which includes comments and analysis from the Superiors of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, from representatives of local Churches, international organizations and other networks and actors; as well as international experts;  "News" , in which articles, videos and interviews related to "Fratelli tutti" are presented;  "Resources" , which gathers infographics and other material for in-depth study and reflection, such as the “Prayer to the Creator” expressly composed for the Encyclical. Finally, the pages contain a toolbox with images to promote the website on social media, and at the bottom of every page, there is a link to Twitter for direct sharing of the sections of interest.

An important “window” adapted into the design style of this website has been included in the "News" section, as a direct link to the latest “Vatican News” articles related to the Encyclical.

Work is underway to expand the languages in which the various contents will be available, as well as a section that collects the Encyclical's infographics and presentation videos, already visible on the Dicastery YouTube Channel on the "Fratelli tutti" Playlist. Finally, a space called “Initiatives” is being created with the material and contributions coming from local Churches, organizations, networks, and communities, religious and not, aimed at implementing the message contained in "Fratelli tutti".

 

Appointment of bishop of Buffalo, U.S.A.

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Michael William Fisher, titular of Tronto and auxiliary of Washington, as bishop of the diocese of Buffalo, United States of America.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop Michael William Fisher was born on 3 March 1958 in Baltimore, Maryland, in the archdiocese of the same name. He obtained an associate’s degree in business management at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, MD (1978-1984) and a bachelor’s degree in accounting at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD (1978-1985). He worked as a Certified Public Accountant (C.P.A.) before entering the seminary. He carried out his ecclesiastical studies at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD (1986-1990).

He was ordained a priest for the metropolitan archdiocese of Washington on 23 June 1990.

After ordination, in Maryland he served as parish vicar of the Sacred Heart parish in La Plata (1990-1995), parish priest of the Holy Family parish in Hillcrest Heights (1995-1999) and of the Saint John Neumann parish in Gaithersburg (1999-2005), and subsequently vicar general (2005-2006). From 2006 he was episcopal vicar for the clergy and secretary of ministerial leadership, and from 2005, member of the Presbyteral Council and the college of consultors.

On 8 June 2018 he was appointed as auxiliary bishop of Washington.

In the context of the traditional exchange of delegations for the respective feasts of the Patron Saints - on 29 June in Rome for the celebration of Saints Peter and Paul, and on 30 November in Istanbul for the celebration of Saint Andrew - Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, led the Holy See delegation for the feast of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, composed of the secretary of the Dicastery, Bishop Brian Farrell, and the under-secretary, Msgr. Andrea Palmieri. In Istanbul they were joined by the apostolic nuncio in Turkey, Archbishop Paul F. Russell.

The Holy See delegation took part in the solemn Divine Liturgy presided at by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in the patriarchal Church of Saint George, Phanar.

Cardinal Koch delivered to the Ecumenical Patriarch the Message written by the Holy Father, which he read publicly at the end of the divine liturgy.

 

To His All Holiness Bartholomew Archbishop of Constantinople Ecumenical Patriarch

On the feast of the Apostle Andrew, beloved brother of Saint Peter and patron saint of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, I joyfully convey my spiritual closeness to Your All Holiness once again through the delegation. I join you in giving thanks to God for the rich fruits of divine providence manifest in the life of Saint Andrew.

I likewise pray that through his powerful intercession our Lord, who called him to be among his first disciples, will abundantly bless you, your brothers in the episcopate and members of the Holy Synod, and all the clergy, monks and lay faithful gathered for the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the Patriarchal Church of Saint George at the Phanar. Calling to mind the charity, apostolic zeal and perseverance of Saint Andrew is a source of encouragement in these difficult and critical times. Giving glory to God also strengthens our faith and hope in the one who welcomed into eternal life the holy martyr Andrew, whose faith endured in time of trial.

I recall with great joy the presence of Your All Holiness at the international meeting for peace held in Rome on 20 October last, with the participation of representatives of various Churches and other religious traditions. Together with the challenges posed by the current pandemic, war continues to afflict many parts of the world, while new armed conflicts emerge to steal the lives of countless men and women. Undoubtedly all initiatives taken by national and international entities aimed at promoting peace are useful and necessary, yet conflict and violence will never cease until all people reach a deeper awareness that they have a mutual responsibility as brothers and sisters. In light of this, the Christian Churches, together with other religious traditions, have a primary duty to offer an example of dialogue, mutual respect and practical cooperation.

With profound gratitude to God, I have experienced this fraternity at first hand in the various encounters we have shared. In this regard, I acknowledge that the desire for ever greater closeness and understanding between Christians was manifest in the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople before the Catholic Church and other Churches engaged themselves in dialogue. This can be seen clearly in the encyclical letter of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate addressed to the Churches worldwide exactly one hundred years ago. Indeed, its words remain relevant today: “When the several Churches are inspired by love, and place it before everything else in their judgment of the others and in relation towards each other, they will be able, instead of increasing and widening the existing dissentions, to lessen and diminish the same as far as possible; and by promoting a constant brotherly interest in the condition, the stability, and the prosperity of the other Churches, by their eagerness in watching what is happening in those Churches, and by obtaining a more accurate knowledge of them, and by their readiness to give, whenever occasion arises, a hand of help and assistance, they then will do and achieve many good things to the glory and profit both of themselves and of the whole Christian body, and to the advance of the matter of the union”.

We can thank God that relations between the Catholic Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate have grown much over the past century, even as we continue to yearn for the goal of the restoration of full communion expressed through participation at the same Eucharistic altar. Although obstacles remain, I am confident that by walking together in mutual love and pursuing theological dialogue, we will reach that goal. This hope is based on our common faith in Jesus Christ, sent by God the Father to gather all people into one body, and the cornerstone of the one and holy Church, God’s holy temple, in which all of us are living stones, each according to our own particular charism or ministry bestowed by the Holy Spirit.

With these sentiments, I renew my warmest best wishes for the feast of Saint Andrew, and exchange with Your All Holiness an embrace of peace in the Lord.

Rome, Saint John Lateran, 30 November 2020

FRANCIS