Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

This morning, in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father Francis met with the employees of the Holy See and Vatican City State Governorate, with their respective family members, for the exchange of Christmas wishes.

The following are the words of greeting addressed by the Pope to those present at the audience:

 

Address of the Holy Father

Dear sisters, dear brothers, good morning and welcome!

I am happy we can exchange Christmas wishes. I express first of all my gratitude to each one of you for the work you do, both for the benefit of Vatican City and for the Universal Church. As you do every year, you have come with your families, and for this I would like to reflect a moment, briefly, with you precisely on these two values: work and the family.

First: work . What you do is certainly a lot. Passing through the streets and courtyards of Vatican City, in the corridors and offices of the various Dicasteries and in the different places of service, the sensation is that of finding oneself in a large hive. And even now, there are those who are working to make this meeting possible, who were unable to come: let us say thank you to them!

Today you are here in a festive atmosphere, with the liveliness of the celebration in your heart, the liveliness of smiles. Instead, for the rest of the year life is more ordinary, it is not a feast; it is continual work, but always with the smile of the heart. After all, they are two different faces of the same beauty: that of those who build, with others and for others, something good for everyone. Jesus Himself showed this to us: He, the Son of God, who out of love for us humbly made Himself an apprentice carpenter, schooled by Joseph (cf. Lk 2:51-52; Saint Paul VI Homily in Nazareth , 5 January 1964). In Nazareth, few people knew it, but in the carpenter’s workshop, alongside and through many other things, craftsmen were building the salvation of the world! Have you thought about this: that salvation was built by craftsmen? And the same, in a similar sense, applies to you who, with your daily work, in the hidden Nazareths of your particular tasks, contribute to bringing the whole of humanity to Christ and to spreading His Kingdom throughout the world (cf. Vatican Ecumenical Council II, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium , 34-36).

And then we come to the second point: the family . It brings joy to see you together, also with children: how beautiful, how beautiful they are! Saint John Paul II used to say that, for the Church, the family is like its “cradle” (Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris consortio , 22 November 1981, 15). Love the family, please. And it is true: indeed, founded and rooted in Marriage, the family is the place where life is generated – and how important it is today to welcome life! Then, it is the first community where, ever since childhood, one encounters faith, the Word of God and the Sacraments, where one learns how to take care of each other and to grow together in love, at all ages. Faith must be transmitted in the family, and Saint Paul said to Timothy, “Your mother, your grandmother…” – in the family there was faith. I therefore encourage you – parents, children, grandparents and grandchildren, grandparents have great importance – I encourage you always to stay united, close to one another and around the Lord: in respect, in listening, in reciprocal care. Something I would like to emphasize about the family. A question I ask parents with small children: did you manage to play with your children? Do you play with your children? It is important to lie on the ground with your little boy, your little girl… Play with your children! And then, another thing: do you visit your grandparents? Are your grandparents in the family, or do they live in a nursing home with no-one to go and visit them? Perhaps your grandparents have to stay in a nursing home, but go and visit them! Let them hear from you all the time.

And please, also in prayer together, because without prayer you do not go forward, even in the family. Teach your children to pray. And in this regard, in these days, I suggest that you find some moments in which to gather beside one another, around the Nativity scene, to give thanks to God for His gifts, to ask for help for a future, and to renew your affection for one another before the Infant Jesus.

Dear friends, thank you for this meeting, and for everything you do. I wish you all the best for Holy Christmas and for the year that is about to begin: the Holy Year of Hope . Hope grows in the family too! I bless you and I ask you, do not forget to pray for me. And if someone has some special difficulty, please talk about it, tell the heads, because we want to solve all difficulties, and this is done through dialogue, it is done with dialogue, not with shouting and not with keeping quiet. There must be dialogue, always! “Mr. Manager, Cardinal, Pope, Father… I have these difficulties. Can you help me resolve them?”. And we will try to resolve the difficulties together. Thank you, thank you very much, and merry Christmas.

Appointment of bishop of Masan, Korea

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Goiânia, Brazil

Appointment of ecclesiastical superior of the Missio sui Iuris of Tokelau

 

Appointment of bishop of Masan, Korea

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Linus Seong-hyo Lee, until now auxiliary of Suwon, as bishop of the diocese of Masan, Korea.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop Linus Seong-hyo Lee was born on 6 July 1957 in Gi-dong Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Kyonggi-do, diocese of Suwon (then archdiocese of Seoul). He received a master’s degree in electronics from Seoul National University, and after attending the major seminary in Suwon and in Trier, Germany, he was awarded a doctorate in patrology from the Institut Catholique de Paris.

He was ordained a priest on 4 September 1992.

He has held the following offices: deputy parish priest in Ho-gye (1992-1993), parish priest in Osan (2001-2003), associate professor (2003-2005) and professor (since 2005) at the Catholic University of Suwon, director of the Pastoral Affairs Office (2004-2006), head of the Specialization School (2006), head of the Academic Affairs Office (2006-2008) and director of the Institute for Permanent Formation (since 2006) at the Catholic University of Suwon, curator of theses of the Korean Theological Association (2008-2010), director of the Centre for Academic Research of the Catholic University of Suwon (2008-2010).

On 7 February 2011 he was appointed titular bishop of Turris Tamalleni and auxiliary of Suwon, receiving episcopal consecration on 25 March 2011.

Since 2011, he has been a member of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (CBCK) Commission for Doctrine; since 2012, president of the Pro-Life Movement and member of the CBCK Commission for Bioethics; and since 2014, member of the Pontifical Council for Culture and Education.

 

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Goiânia, Brazil

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Fr. José Roberto dos Reis, C.P., until now master of novices, parish vicar of the diocese of São Luís dos Montes Belos, as auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan diocese of Goiânia, Brazil, assigning him the titular see of Feradi Minus.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. José Roberto dos Reis, C.P., was born on 22 April 1977, in São Luís do Montes Belos, in the diocese of the same name, in the State of Goiás. He entered the Congregation of the Passion (Passionists), where he carried out his studies in philosophy and theology, gave his religious vows on 15 January 2000 and received priestly ordination on 8 December 2003.

He has held the following offices: formator of postulants and parish vicar in Goiânia-GO (2004-2010), member of the Group for the Coordination of Formators of the Passionist Family of Brazil (2005-2008), parish priest of Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora in Iporá-GO (2010-2013), regional vicar of the Vicariate Cristo Libertador in Goiás-GO (2012-2014), master of novices in Ponta Grossa-PR (2014-2017), formator of postulants and parish vicar in Cariacica-ES (2018), first consultor of the Inspetoria Exaltação da Santa Cruz (2018-2022).

He is currently master of novices, parish vicar and member of the Presbyteral Council of the diocese of São Luís dos Montes Belos.

 

Appointment of ecclesiastical superior of the Missio sui Iuris of Tokelau

The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Mosese Vitolio Tui, S.D.B., metropolitan of Samoa-Apia, Samoa, as ecclesiastical superior of the Missio sui Iuris of Tokelau.

On 16 November 2024, the Holy Father appointed His Eminence Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, as his special envoy to the celebration of the 75 th anniversary of the canonical erection of the diocese of San Sebastián, Spain, to be held on 6 January 2025.

The special envoy will be accompanied by a Pontifical Mission composed of the following ecclesiastics:

1. The Reverend Fr. Ignacio ECHARTE OÑATE, S.J., delegate for consecrated life of the diocese of San Sebastián;

2. The Reverend Fr. Carlos MARTÍNEZ OLIVERAS, C.M.F., professor of the Theological Institute of Religious Life and at the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences (Madrid suburban section).

 

Letter of the Holy Father

Venerabili Fratri Nostro

IOSEPHO TOLENTINO S.R.E. Card. DE MENDONÇA

Dicasterii de Cultura et Educatione Praefecto

In communione caritatis vivens et operans, ad omne opus bonum paretur (cfr  2 Tim  2, 21) et omnia sustineat oportet Ecclesia necessitatibus temporum accommodata et, quo fidelium bono aptius consulere quaeat, sollicita omnium eorundem necessitatum, in vitae in quibus vivunt adiunctis, rite cognoscere satagat et in hac pastorali sollicitudine cum iisdem simul adlaboret ad aedificationem mystici corporis Christi (cfr Conc. Oec. Vat. II,  Christus Dominus , 16).

Haec considerantes, valde laetamur de septuagesimo et quinto celebrando anniversario dioecesis Sancti Sebastiani in Hispania canonicae erectionis, quo commodius aptiusque dioecesium in catholico orbe regimini et administrationi prospiceretur ac potissimum salutari fidelium in Vasconum regionibus commorantium utilitati consuleretur eosque maioribus instruerentur fidei praesidiis, sicuti Praedecessor Noster beatae memoriae Pius XII censuit, cum die II mensis Novembris anno MCMXLIX a dioecesis Victoriensis territorio civilem provinciam vulgo  Guipuzcoa  distraxit, s. Ignatio de Loyola patrono commisit eiusdemque templum iam Iesu Bono Pastori dicato Sebastianopoli illustri urbe, quae fidelitate nobilitateque et sinceritate dicitur eminens, ad cathedralis eccelsiae elevavit fastigium.

Dum tantam recolimus memoriam, Excellentissimus ac Reverendissimus Episcopus istius dilecti gregis, Venerabilis Frater Ferdinandus Prado Ayuso, C.M.F., a Nobis expetivit, ut christifideles inter sollemnia perfrui possent praesentia ac verbo alicuius Eminentissimi Viri, qui Nostras vices ibi gerat Nostramque erga istam communitatem manifestet dilectionem. Proinde, huic humanissimae petitioni concedentes, ad Te, Venerabilis Frater Noster, mentem Nostram convertimus et, qui cotidiano in Nostro ministerio exercendo validum Nobis praestas auxilium in Dicasterio pro Cultura et Educatione ac fontibus monumentisque ecclesiasticae historiae in nobillima terra Vasconiae accedere vales, peraptus videris ad Nostram sollicitudinem erga istam Ecclesiam per hoc ministerium significandam. Proinde, hisce Litteris Te Missum Extraordinarium Nostrum nominamus ad dicta sollemnia, quae die VI mensis Ianuarii, sollemnitate in Epiphania Domini, in urbe Sancti Sebastiani celebrabuntur ad honorandos LXXV annos dictae communitatis ecclesialis fundationis.

Libenter potestatem tibi facimus, dum celebrationi Eucharistiae praesidebis, Episcopum aliosque sacros Praesules, sacerdotes, religiosos viros mulieresque necnon publicas auctoritates atque universos christifideles Nostro nomine salutandi ac benedicendi, quos sermone tuo ad concordem actionem, e qua clarius ecclesialis unitas eluceat, cohorteris. Caritatem in dominici palaestra servitii instituendam suadeas, in qua sola socialis omnis et civilis profectus ac prosperitas innituntur. Simul, insuper, gravissimum Nostrum ministerium Petrinum precibus committimus totius dioecesanae communitatis omniumque ibi congregatorum.

Dum tibi, Venerabilis Frater Noster, Benedictionem Nostram Apostolicam impertimur omnibus, qui celebrationi intererunt, trasmittendam, legationem tuam ardentibus precibus comitamur, a Deo misericordiae suppliciter exposcentes, ut haec communitas fidelium, s. Ignatii de Loyola intercessione, Spiritu vivificata, verbo vitae ac divina gratia instructa, amori Christi nihil praeponat.

Datum Romae, Laterani, die V mensis Decembris, anno Domini MMXXIV, Pontificatus Nostri duodecimo.

FRANCISCUS

This morning, the Holy Father Francis received in audience:

- The Reverend Fr. Cristóbal Benjamín Fones Claro, new International Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network; with the Reverend Fr. Frédéric Fornos, S.J.

This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the representatives of the Italian Bowling Federation, to whom he addressed the following greeting:

 

Greeting of the Holy Father

Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning and welcome!

It gives me great pleasure to meet you, representatives of the Italian Bowling Federation, together with the international president and various civil authorities, whom I thank for their presence. I admit that I am fond of the game of bowls, for two reasons: the first, because it is a “poor” sport, compared to those of the “stars” with billionaire contracts, who always fill the media. I think that bowling champions are people who work as clerks, or teachers, or plumbers... In short, normal people who have a passion for this game that is perhaps a little unfashionable, but so rich in humanity.

And here I come to the second reason for my fondness for bowls: it is a sport that I associate with a certain type of sociality, of social friendship… It used to be very widespread in villages, in the rural world. There were bowling greens everywhere, even in the parishes. It was a way of being together, of passing the time in company, a healthy and calm entertainment. Society has changed, and so has the sport of bowls: women and young people also play it; many people with disabilities practise it, and I congratulate you on all this.

Dear friends, I applaud you for the results you have achieved as a federation at competitive level; and above all because you carry on this alternative sport compared to the big sports business machine, an inclusive sport, which still has the flavour of “play” and good company.

I bless all of you and your activity from my heart. And please, do not forget to pray for me. Thank you.