Pope Francis' Urbi et Orbi blessing 2022

 

Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!

Jesus, the Crucified One, is risen! He stands in the midst of those who mourned him, locked behind closed doors and full of fear and anguish. He comes among them and says: “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19). He shows the wounds in his hands and feet, and the wound in his side. He is no ghost; it is truly Jesus, the same Jesus who died on the cross and was laid in the tomb. Before the incredulous eyes of the disciples, he repeats: “Peace be with you!”.

Our eyes, too, are incredulous on this Easter of war. We have seen all too much blood, all too much violence. Our hearts, too, have been filled with fear and anguish, as so many of our brothers and sisters have had to lock themselves away in order to be safe from bombing. We struggle to believe that Jesus is truly risen, that he has truly triumphed over death. Could it be an illusion? A figment of our imagination?

No, it is not an illusion! Today, more than ever, we hear echoing the Easter proclamation so dear to the Christian East: “Christ is risen! He is truly risen!” Today, more than ever, we need him, at the end of a Lent that has seemed endless. We emerged from two years of pandemic, which took a heavy toll. It was time to come out of the tunnel together, hand in hand, pooling our strengths and resources... Instead, we are showing that we do not still have within us the spirit of Jesus, we have within us the spirit of Cain, who saw Abel not as a brother, but as a rival, and thought about how to eliminate him. We need the crucified and risen Lord so that we can believe in the victory of love, and hope for reconciliation. Today, more than ever, we need him to stand in our midst and repeat to us: “Peace be with you!”

Only he can do it. Today, he alone has the right to speak to us of peace. Jesus alone, for he bears wounds... our wounds. His wounds are indeed ours, for two reasons. They are ours because we inflicted them upon him by our sins, by our hardness of heart, by our fratricidal hatred. They are also ours because he bore them for our sake; he did not cancel them from his glorified body; he chose to keep them, to bear them forever. They are the indelible seal of his love for us, a perennial act of intercession, so that the heavenly Father, in seeing them, will have mercy upon us and upon the whole world. The wounds on the body of the risen Jesus are the sign of the battle he fought and won for us, won with the weapons of love, so that we might have peace and remain in peace.

As we contemplate those glorious wounds, our incredulous eyes open wide; our hardened hearts break open and we welcome the Easter message: “Peace be with you!”

Brothers and sisters, let us allow the peace of Christ to enter our lives, our homes, our countries!

May there be peace for war-torn Ukraine, so sorely tried by the violence and destruction of the cruel and senseless war into which it was dragged. In this terrible night of suffering and death, may a new dawn of hope soon appear! Let there be a decision for peace. May there be an end to the flexing of muscles while people are suffering. Please, please, let us not get used to war! Let us all commit ourselves to imploring peace, from our balconies and in our streets! Peace. May the leaders of nations hear people’s plea for peace. May they listen to that troubling question posed by scientists almost seventy years ago: “Shall we put an end to the human race, or shall mankind renounce war? Shall we put an end to the human race, or shall mankind renounce war?”

I hold in my heart all the many Ukrainian victims, the millions of refugees and internally displaced persons, the divided families, the elderly left to themselves, the lives broken and the cities razed to the ground. I see the faces of the orphaned children fleeing from the war. As we look at them, we cannot help but hear their cry of pain, along with that of all those other children who suffer throughout our world: those dying of hunger or lack of medical care, those who are victims of abuse and violence, and those denied the right to be born.

Amid the pain of the war, there are also encouraging signs, such as the open doors of all those families and communities that are welcoming migrants and refugees throughout Europe. May these numerous acts of charity become a blessing for our societies, at times debased by selfishness and individualism, and help to make them welcoming to all.

May the conflict in Europe also make us more concerned about other situations of conflict, suffering and sorrow, situations that affect all too many areas of our world, situations that we cannot overlook and do not want to forget.

May there be peace for the Middle East, racked by years of conflict and division. On this glorious day, let us ask for peace upon Jerusalem and peace upon all those who love her, Christians, Jews and Muslims alike. May Israelis, Palestinians and all who dwell in the Holy City, together with the pilgrims, experience the beauty of peace, dwell in fraternity and enjoy free access to the Holy Places in mutual respect for the rights of each.

May there be peace and reconciliation for the peoples of Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, and in particular for all the Christian communities of the Middle East.

May there be peace also for Libya, so that it may find stability after years of tensions, and for

Yemen, which suffers from a conflict forgotten by all, with continuous victims: may the truce signed in recent days restore hope to its people.

We ask the risen Lord for the gift of reconciliation for Myanmar, where a dramatic scenario of hatred and violence persists, and for Afghanistan, where dangerous social tensions are not easing and a tragic humanitarian crisis is bringing great suffering to its people.

May there be peace for the entire African continent, so that the exploitation it suffers and the hemorrhaging caused by terrorist attacks – particularly in the Sahel region – may cease, and that it may find concrete support in the fraternity of the peoples. May the path of dialogue and reconciliation be undertaken anew in Ethiopia, affected by a serious humanitarian crisis, and may there be an end to violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. May prayer and solidarity not be lacking for the people in the eastern part of South Africa, struck by devastating floods.

May the risen Christ accompany and assist the people of Latin America, who in some cases have seen their social conditions worsen in these difficult times of pandemic, exacerbated as well by instances of crime, violence, corruption and drug trafficking.

Let us ask the risen Lord to accompany the journey of reconciliation that the Catholic Church in Canada is making with the indigenous peoples. May the Spirit of the risen Christ heal the wounds of the past and dispose hearts to seek truth and fraternity.

Dear brothers and sisters, every war brings in its wake consequences that affect the entire human family: from grief and mourning to the drama of refugees, and to the economic and food crisis, the signs of which we are already seeing. Faced with the continuing signs of war, as well as the many painful setbacks to life, Jesus Christ, the victor over sin, fear and death, exhorts us not to surrender to evil and violence. Brothers and sisters, may we be won over by the peace of Christ! Peace is possible; peace is a duty; peace is everyone’s primary responsibility!

Churches of the East: March 25, 2022. On the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. An Act of Consecration To the Immaculate Heart of Mary. АКТ ПОСВЯЩЕНИЯ НЕПОРОЧНОМУ СЕРДЦУ МАРИИ. АКТ ПРИСВЯЧЕННЯ НЕПОРОЧНОМУ СЕРЦЮ МАРІЇ.

Churches of the East: March 25, 2022. On the Solemnity of the Annunciat...:   

March 25, 2022. On the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. An Act of Consecration To the Immaculate Heart of Mary. АКТ ПОСВЯЩЕНИЯ НЕПОРОЧНОМУ СЕРДЦУ МАРИИ. АКТ ПРИСВЯЧЕННЯ НЕПОРОЧНОМУ СЕРЦЮ МАРІЇ.

 ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

O Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, in this time of trial we turn to you. As our Mother, you love us and know us: no concern of our hearts is hidden from you. Mother of mercy, how often we have experienced your watchful care and your peaceful presence! You never cease to guide us to Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Yet we have strayed from that path of peace. We have forgotten the lesson learned from the tragedies of the last century, the sacrifice of the millions who fell in two world wars. We have disregarded the commitments we made as a community of nations. We have betrayed peoples’ dreams of peace and the hopes of the young. We grew sick with greed, we thought only of our own nations and their interests, we grew indifferent and caught up in our selfish needs and concerns. We chose to ignore God, to be satisfied with our illusions, to grow arrogant and aggressive, to suppress innocent lives and to stockpile weapons. We stopped being our neighbour’s keepers and stewards of our common home. We have ravaged the garden of the earth with war and by our sins we have broken the heart of our heavenly Father, who desires us to be brothers and sisters. We grew indifferent to everyone and everything except ourselves. Now with shame we cry out: Forgive us, Lord!

Holy Mother, amid the misery of our sinfulness, amid our struggles and weaknesses, amid the mystery of iniquity that is evil and war, you remind us that God never abandons us, but continues to look upon us with love, ever ready to forgive us and raise us up to new life. He has given you to us and made your Immaculate Heart a refuge for the Church and for all humanity. By God’s gracious will, you are ever with us; even in the most troubled moments of our history, you are there to guide us with tender love.

We now turn to you and knock at the door of your heart. We are your beloved children. In every age you make yourself known to us, calling us to conversion. At this dark hour, help us and grant us your comfort. Say to us once more: “Am I not here, I who am your Mother?” You are able to untie the knots of our hearts and of our times. In you we place our trust. We are confident that, especially in moments of trial, you will not be deaf to our supplication and will come to our aid.

That is what you did at Cana in Galilee, when you interceded with Jesus and he worked the first of his signs. To preserve the joy of the wedding feast, you said to him: “They have no wine” (Jn 2:3). Now, O Mother, repeat those words and that prayer, for in our own day we have run out of the wine of hope, joy has fled, fraternity has faded. We have forgotten our humanity and squandered the gift of peace. We opened our hearts to violence and destructiveness. How greatly we need your maternal help!

Therefore, O Mother, hear our prayer.

Star of the Sea, do not let us be shipwrecked in the tempest of war.

Ark of the New Covenant, inspire projects and paths of reconciliation.

Queen of Heaven, restore God’s peace to the world.

Eliminate hatred and the thirst for revenge, and teach us forgiveness.

Free us from war, protect our world from the menace of nuclear weapons.

Queen of the Rosary, make us realize our need to pray and to love.

Queen of the Human Family, show people the path of fraternity.

Queen of Peace, obtain peace for our world.

O Mother, may your sorrowful plea stir our hardened hearts. May the tears you shed for us make this valley parched by our hatred blossom anew. Amid the thunder of weapons, may your prayer turn our thoughts to peace. May your maternal touch soothe those who suffer and flee from the rain of bombs. May your motherly embrace comfort those forced to leave their homes and their native land. May your Sorrowful Heart move us to compassion and inspire us to open our doors and to care for our brothers and sisters who are injured and cast aside.

Holy Mother of God, as you stood beneath the cross, Jesus, seeing the disciple at your side, said: “Behold your son” (Jn 19:26). In this way he entrusted each of us to you. To the disciple, and to each of us, he said: “Behold, your Mother” (v. 27). Mother Mary, we now desire to welcome you into our lives and our history. At this hour, a weary and distraught humanity stands with you beneath the cross, needing to entrust itself to you and, through you, to consecrate itself to Christ. The people of Ukraine and Russia, who venerate you with great love, now turn to you, even as your heart beats with compassion for them and for all those peoples decimated by war, hunger, injustice and poverty.

Therefore, Mother of God and our Mother, to your Immaculate Heart we solemnly entrust and consecrate ourselves, the Church and all humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine. Accept this act that we carry out with confidence and love. Grant that war may end and peace spread throughout the world. The “Fiat” that arose from your heart opened the doors of history to the Prince of Peace. We trust that, through your heart, peace will dawn once more. To you we consecrate the future of the whole human family, the needs and expectations of every people, the anxieties and hopes of the world.

Through your intercession, may God’s mercy be poured out on the earth and the gentle rhythm of peace return to mark our days. Our Lady of the “Fiat”, on whom the Holy Spirit descended, restore among us the harmony that comes from God. May you, our “living fountain of hope”, water the dryness of our hearts. In your womb Jesus took flesh; help us to foster the growth of communion. You once trod the streets of our world; lead us now on the paths of peace. Amen.

АКТ ПОСВЯЩЕНИЯ НЕПОРОЧНОМУ СЕРДЦУ МАРИИ

О, Мария, Матерь Божия и наша Матерь, в это тревожное время мы прибегаем к тебе. Ты Матерь, и ты любишь и знаешь нас: от тебя не скрыто ничего из того что у нас на сердце. Матерь милосердия, как часто ощущали мы твою материнскую нежность, твое умиротворяющее присутствие, ибо ты всегда ведешь нас к Иисусу, Владыке мира.

Мы сошли с мирного пути. Забыли трагические уроки минувшего века, о миллионах погибших в мировых войнах. Не сумели выполнить обязательства, что взяли на себя как Сообщество Наций и не оправдали мечты народов и чаяния молодежи. Нас ослепила алчность, мы замкнулись в своих национальных интересах, нас сковал холод равнодушия и парализовал эгоизм. Мы отвернулись от Бога и предпочли жить ложью, копить злобу, убивать жизни и наращивать оружие; мы забыли, что должны защищать ближнего и наш общий дом. Войною мы разрушаем Земной сад, грехом ранили сердце нашего Отца, Который хочет, чтобы мы были братьями и сёстрами. Мы стали безразличными ко всем и ко всему, кроме себя самих. Со стыдом взываем: прости нас, Господи!

В этой юдоли греха, скорби и страданий, перед тайной несправедливости зла и войны, Пресвятая Матерь, напомни нам, что Бог не забывает о нас, непрестанно взирает на нас с любовью, желает простить нас и спасти. Он даровал нам тебя и в твоем непорочном Сердце устроил прибежище для Церкви и человечества. Ты с нами по благости Господа и даже в самых тесных изгибах истории помогаешь нам не сойти с пути к Богу.

Посему, твои возлюбленные чада, мы прибегаем к тебе, стучим в дверь твоего Сердца. В любой час ты внимаешь нам и призываешь к обращению. В эти темные времена поддержи и утешь нас. Каждому прошепчи: «Я здесь с тобой, Матерь твоя». Ты знаешь, как развязать путаницу в наших сердцах и сложные узлы истории. Мы полностью уповаем на тебя. Мы твердо верим, что особенно в час испытаний ты не отвергнешь наши молитвы и придешь помочь нам.

Так поступила ты в Кане Галилейской, когда ускорила час явления Христа миру. Как только на пиру стало утихать веселье, ты указала Христу: «вина нет у них» (Ин 2, 3). О, Мария, скажи это еще раз Богу, ибо ныне исчерпалось у нас вино надежды, исчезла радость, растворились братские узы. Утратилась человечность, разладился мир. Отныне мы способны на любое насилие и разрушение. Нам очень нужна твоя материнская помощь.

О, Матерь, прими наше прошение:

Звезда над морем, помоги нам уцелеть в буре войны.

Ковчег нового завета, укажи нам пути к примирению.

«Небесная земля», верни в мир божественную гармонию.

Прекрати вражду, погаси месть, научи нас прощению.

Избавь нас от войны, сохрани мир от ядерной угрозы.

Царица Розария, пробуди в нас желание молиться и любить.

Царица человеческой семьи, укажи народам путь к братству.

Царица мира, стяжай мир для мира.

О, Матерь, своим плачем разбуди наши ожесточенные сердца. Пусть слёзы, которые ты пролила за нас, оросят эту долину, иссушенную нашей злобой чтобы она снова зацвела. И пока не смолкает лязг оружия, твоя молитва да направляет нас к миру. Пусть те, кто страдает и пытается спастись от бомб ощутят прикосновение твоих материнских рук. Пусть те, кто вынужден оставить свой дом и родину найдут утешение в твоих объятиях. Своим скорбящим Сердцем пробуди в нас сострадание, чтобы мы отворили двери, впустили и окружили заботой всех страждущих и изгнанных.

Святая Матерь Божия, когда ты стояла под крестом, Иисус, видя рядом с тобой ученика, сказал тебе: «Же́но! се, сын Твой» (Ин 19, 26), таким образом каждого из нас он вверил тебе. Затем Он сказал ученику, а в нем и каждому из нас: «се, Матерь твоя!» (Ин 19, 27). О, Матерь, ныне желаем принять тебя в своей жизни и в нашей истории. Сейчас бессильное и обескураженное человечество вместе с тобой стоит у креста. Ему нужно довериться тебе, через тебя посвятить себя Христу. Народ Украины и народ России, с любовью чтящие тебя, обращаются к тебе с мольбою, твое же сердце бьётся за них и за все народы, страдающие от войны, голода, несправедливости и нищеты.

Твоему непорочному Сердцу, Матерь Божия и наша, мы торжественно вверяем и посвящаем себя, Церковь и все человечество, особенно Россию и Украину. Призри на сие деяние, что совершаем с упованием и любовью, останови войну, обеспечь мир во всем мире. Словами согласия, исшедшими из твоего Сердца, растворились врата истории для Владыки мира, и сегодня мы верим, что через твое Сердце в мир войдет мир. Посвящаем тебе будущее всей человеческой семьи, нужды и чаяния народов, тревоги и надежды мира.

Через тебя да изольется на Землю божественное Милосердие и пусть вновь наши дни наполнятся нежным ритмом мира. Же́но, ты ответила Богу да, и на тебя сошел Святой Дух, сделай так, чтобы между нами воцарилось божественное согласие. «Живой источник надежды», смягчи наши сердца. Ты соткала человечество Христа - соделай из нас творцов единства. Как и мы ты ходила по земле - веди нас по пути мира. Аминь.

АКТ ПРИСВЯЧЕННЯ НЕПОРОЧНОМУ СЕРЦЮ МАРІЇ

О Маріє, Мати Божа і Мати наша, ми в цю скорботну годину прибігаємо до Тебе. Ти є Матір’ю, любиш і знаєш нас: від Тебе нічого не приховано з того, що лежить у наших серцях. Мати милосердя, ми багато разів досвідчили Твоєї турботливої ніжності, Твоєї присутності, яка повертає мир, тому що Ти завжди ведеш нас до Ісуса, Князя миру.

Однак ми втратили шлях миру. Ми забули урок трагедій минулого століття, про жертву мільйонів полеглих у світових війнах. Ми знехтували зобов’язаннями, взятими як Спільнота Націй, і ми зраджуємо мрії народів про мир і надії молоді. Ми захворіли на жадібність, ми замкнулися в націоналістичних інтересах, ми дозволили собі бути скованими байдужістю і паралізованими егоїзмом. Ми воліли ігнорувати Бога, співіснувати з нашою облудою, підживлювати агресію, придушувати життя та накопичувати зброю, забуваючи, що ми є хранителями нашого ближнього та нашої спільної домівки. Ми роздерли війною сад Землі, поранили гріхом серце нашого Отця, Який хоче, щоб ми були братами і сестрами. Ми стали байдужими до всіх і до всього, окрім до самих себе. І з соромом кажемо: прости нам, Господи!

У нещасті гріха, у наших зусиллях та слабкостях, у таємниці несправедливості зла і війни Ти, Пресвята Мати, нагадуєш нам, що Бог не покидає нас, але продовжує дивитися на нас з любов’ю, прагнучи пробачити і знову піднести нас. Це Він дарував нам Тебе і розмістив у Твоєму Непорочному Серці пристановище для Церкви і для людства. Завдяки Божественній доброті Ти є з нами і ведеш нас з ніжністю, навіть через найтісніші вигини історії.

Тож прибігаємо до Тебе, стукаємо у двері Твого Серця, ми, Твої дорогі діти, яких Ти не втомлюєшся відвідувати і запрошувати до навернення. У цю темну годину прийди, щоб допомогти нам і втішити нас. Повторюй кожному з нас: «Хіба Я не тут, Я, котра удостоїлася бути твоєю Матір’ю?» Ти знаєш як розв’язувати плутанину у наших серцях та вузли нашого часу. Ми покладаємо нашу довіру в Тобі. Ми впевнені, що Ти, особливо в хвилині випробування, не знехтуєш нашими благаннями і прийдеш нам на допомогу.

Саме так Ти вчинила в Кані Галілейській, коли прискорила годину втручання Ісуса і впровадила його перший знак у світі. Коли свято перетворилося на смуток, Ти сказала йому: «Не мають вина» (Йн 2, 3). Повтори це ще раз Богу, о Мати, бо сьогодні у нас вичерпалося вино надії, зникла радість, розчинилося братерство. Ми втратили людяність, ми зруйнували мир. Ми стали здатними на будь-яке насильство і знищення. Нам терміново потрібне Твоє материнське втручання.

Тому прийми, о Мати, це наше благання.

Ти, зірко моря, не допусти, щоб ми потонули в бурі війни.

Ти, Ковчегу Нового Завіту, надихай плани та шляхи примирення.

Ти, «небесна земле», поверни у світ Божу злагоду.

Погаси ненависть, вгамуй помсту, навчи нас прощати.

Визволи нас від війни, вбережи світ від ядерної загрози.

Царице Розарію, пробуди в нас потребу молитися і любити.

Царице людського роду, вкажи народам шлях братерства.

Царице миру, виклопотай мир для усього світу.

Твій плач, о Мати, нехай зворушить наші зачерствілі серця. Нехай сльози, які Ти пролила за нас, зроблять квітучою долину, яку висушила наша ненависть. І поки не стихає гуркіт зброї, нехай Твоя молитва налаштує нас до миру. Нехай Твої материнські руки голублять тих, хто страждає і втікає під гнітом бомб. Твої материнські обійми нехай втішають тих, хто змушений покинути власні домівки та свою країну. Нехай Твоє Скорботне Серце мотивує нас до співчуття і спонукає нас відчинити двері та подбати про поранене й відкинуте людство.

Пресвята Богородице, коли Ти стояла під хрестом, Ісус, побачивши учня поруч із Тобою, сказав Тобі: «Ось Син Твій» (Йн 19, 26), таким чином довіривши Тобі кожного з нас. Потім до учня, до кожного з нас, Він сказав: «Ось мати твоя» (Йн 19, 27). Мамо, ми прагнемо зараз прийняти Тебе у нашому житті та нашій історії. У цю годину з Тобою під хрестом перебуває виснажене і збентежене людство. І йому потрібно довіритися Тобі, щоб через Тебе присвятити себе Христу. Український народ та російський народ, які вшановують Тебе з любов’ю, прибігають до Тебе, а серце Твоє б’ється за них і за всі народи, підкошені війною, голодом, несправедливістю і нещастям.

Тому ми, о Мати Божа і наша, урочисто ввіряємо і присвячуємо Твоєму Непорочному Серцю себе, Церкву і все людство, а особливо Росію та Україну. Прийми цей наш акт, який ми здійснюємо з довірою і любов’ю, вчини так, щоб закінчилася війна, наповни світ миром. Твоє «так», що вийшло з Твого Серця, відкрило двері історії для Князя миру; ми віримо, що знову через Твоє серце прийде мир. Тому ми присвячуємо Тобі майбутнє всієї людської родини, потреби та очікування народів, тривоги та надії світу.

Нехай через Тебе проливається на Землю Боже Милосердя і повертається лагідний ритм миру, щоб відмірювати наші дні. Жінко, що сказала «так», на яку зійшов Святий Дух, поверни нам Божу гармонію. Втамуй спрагу наших засохлих сердець, Ти, яка є «живим джерелом надії». Ти сплела людську натуру Ісусу, вчини нас ремісниками єдності. Ти ходила нашими шляхами, веди нас стежками миру. Амінь.

Lex Anteinternet: An etymological note on Russian and Ukrainian, sort of.

Lex Anteinternet: An etymological note on Russian and Ukrainian, sor...: 

An etymological note on Russian and Ukrainian, sort of. The lingering Greek influcence in the Black Sea.

Both languages are, of course, Slavic Indo-European languages.  I don't speak them, of course.  But I'm often struck by how bits and pieces of them appear to be similar to Greek.

I don't know the reason for this, but of course the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine) did stretch up into the Ukrainian region and influenced.  Russia remained beyond it, but it was Eastern Christianity that Christianized the entire region, rather than Western for the most part (although the further west you go, the less true this is).

I was thinking of this in regard to the besieged city of Mariupol.

What's that mean?

Well, "pol", means city.  Pretty Greek.  As in "póli" (πόλη).  As in, more specifically, for example, Thermopoli.

For those here in Wyoming, that reminds us of "polis".  Polis ( πόλις) is a Greek word too, but it means a city state.

Does "pol" mean city in Russian and Ukrainian.

Nope.

What that tells us is that this lingering use goes way back.  But the naming of the city does not.  It goes back to 1779, and was originally named Marianopol, being named for the Russian Empress Maria Feodorovna, sort of, but also after the Greek city of Mariampol, which was a suburb of Bakhcisarai in Crimea.  That Greek village was named for the Virgin Mary.  The Russians forcibly removed a lot of Greek Orthodox Christians from Crimea to there, in fact.

"Mary's City".

Mariupol actually had a small remaining Greek population, part of a complicated story which has to do with what was once a fairly large Greek presence in the greater region, stretching from the Black Sea, through Anatolia, and into Palestine.  That widely spread population has greatly decreased in modern times, dating back to a retreat in presence that's now a century old as populations began to concentrate following World War One, often due to force and war.  Prior to the Russian invasion this year, about 90,000 ethnic Greeks remained in the city, but many more Ukrainians have Greek ancestors due to intermarriage.

At noon Eastern Time, Pope Francis will  engage in an Act of Consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, this is the Feast of the Annunciation.  He's invited Bishops round the world to join him in the same.

Mural of the Sacred Heart of Mary in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ash Wednesday 2022. A day of fasting and prayer for Peace.

Today, March 2, 2022, is Ash Wednesday for this year.

The Pope has also asked for it to be a day of fasting for peace, with the war in Ukraine in mind.

St. John's Ukrainian Catholic Church. Belfield, North Dakota

Belfield, North Dakota has a population of 800 people and four Catholic Churches, which says something about the nature of this region of the United States.  One of those four, St. John's, is a Ukrainian Catholic Church.

We featured a Ukrainian Catholic Church here for the first time yesterday.  Here we are doing it for a second time in the same region, and in fact at a location that's only a few miles down the highway from the one we featured yesterday.

In parts of the United States we've featured before, such as East Texas, seeing something like this in regards to Baptist churches wouldn't be unusual.  Here we're seeing a much different cultural history at work, and a very interesting one at that.

Lex Anteinternet: Cliffnotes of the Zeitgeist Part XXVII. The Pope Francis Followup Edition.

Lex Anteinternet: Cliffnotes of the Zeitgeist Part XXVII. The Pope F...: 

Cliffnotes of the Zeitgeist Part XXVII. The Pope Francis Followup Edition.

Pity poor Pope Francis, whatever he says, he makes people mad.

Recently I posted on Durveger's Law and American politics.  A similar law, it seems, applies to people's views of whatever the Pope is doing, even though only the College of Cardinals cast a vote on his election, and there's no "first past the post" type system.  Americans, or at least Americans, having divided themselves into liberals and conservatives, try to pigeonhole everyone else into the same left/right divide.  And this includes American Catholics.

Pope Francis just won't go there.

Early in his papacy, he issued Laudato si', which addressed a lot of issue, including economics.* While what he said wasn't really that much different from earlier Popes, and various Popes have been critical of capitalism as well as socialism, this has somehow been missed in recent years by Americans.  Indeed, while the Papacy has been very hostile to communism, and quite hostile to socialism, its treatment of capitalism has been far from praiseworthy.  It's worth remembering that distributism came about due to a Papal Encyclical.  Most Americans, including most American Catholics, don't know what distributism is, however.

The year before last, he followed up on his economic comments with an epic length letter on economics, called Fratelli Tutti.  Maybe because of other events, that one was largely missed.

Anyhow, his economic comments convinced some American conservatives including Catholic conservatives that the Pope must be a hard left socialist, even though there was certainly no evidence of that.

Problems really ensued, however, when the Pope issued Amoris Laetitia, which contained some vague language and which resulted in the issuance of a Dubia by several cardinals seeking clarification. The reason for this is that the encyclical could be read to suggest, maybe, that the Pope seemed to be taking a position contrary to earlier Popes in regard to the Sacraments and couples that were outside marital norms of the Church, or not.  At least the very careful Catholic intellectual Fr. Hugh Barbour suggested that it was being misread and reflected certain European conditions rather than those outside of Europe, and had to be carefully considered, but others were not so convinced.

The Pope, to the consternation of many, never answered the Dubia but, interestingly enough, it seems that Pope Emeritus Benedict actually may have, something that's been missed.  That this happened might, or might not, be an indication of a soft message from Pope Francis, and if so it would be a very conservative one.

Indeed, while not really recalled much now, the Pope's early comments on homosexuality were certainly very conservative, and have continued to be.

Anyhow, late last year and then again early this year, the Pope clearly had enough of Rad Trads who were being aggressive about everything and he has acted to enormously restrict the Tridentine Mass.  And he also sent the Church into a Snyodal process, both of which have arched up the backs of conservatives, although I suspect the latter is a way of taking the wind out of the sails of the German bishops who seem to be headed towards a liberal schism.

So, just when people think they have him figured out, he makes a blunt statement about childish couples, suggesting they're selfish.  

And now he's commenting on "cancel culture".

The part of his statement making waves is the following one.

The diminished effectiveness of many international organizations is also due to their members entertaining differing visions of the ends they wish to pursue. Not infrequently, the centre of interest has shifted to matters that by their divisive nature do not strictly belong to the aims of the organization. As a result, agendas are increasingly dictated by a mindset that rejects the natural foundations of humanity and the cultural roots that constitute the identity of many peoples. As I have stated on other occasions, I consider this a form of ideological colonization, one that leaves no room for freedom of expression and is now taking the form of the “cancel culture” invading many circles and public institutions. Under the guise of defending diversity, it ends up cancelling all sense of identity, with the risk of silencing positions that defend a respectful and balanced understanding of various sensibilities. A kind of dangerous “one-track thinking” [pensée unique] is taking shape, one constrained to deny history or, worse yet, to rewrite it in terms of present-day categories, whereas any historical situation must be interpreted in the light of a hermeneutics of that particular time, not that of today.

Hmmm. . . some things in there are pretty liberal. . . and some quite conservative.

And predictably it enraged some on the far left, who amusingly dragged out the same historically ill-informed diatribes used by Protestant "reformers" during the Reformation, an interesting example of how fake history never goes away.

Will conservatives take a second look?

My guess is not.

Here's his most recent address, the wave making parts highlighted

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS ACCREDITED TO THE HOLY SEE

Benediction Hall
 Monday, 10 January 2022

________________________________

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Yesterday concluded the liturgical season of Christmas, a privileged period for cultivating family relationships, from which we can at times be distracted and distant due to our many commitments during the year. Today we want to continue in that spirit, as we once more come together as a large family which discusses and dialogues. In the end, that is the aim of all diplomacy: to help resolve disagreements arising from human coexistence, to foster harmony and to realize that, once we pass beyond conflict, we can recover a sense of the profound unity of all reality.

I am therefore particularly grateful to you for taking part today in our annual “family gathering”, a propitious occasion for exchanging good wishes for the New Year and for considering together the lights and shadows of our time. I especially thank the Dean, His Excellency Mr George Poulides, the Ambassador of Cyprus, for his gracious address to me in the name of the entire Diplomatic Corps. Through all of you, I extend my affectionate greetings to the peoples you represent.

Your presence is always a tangible sign of the attention your countries devote to the Holy See and its role in the international community. Many of you have come from other capital cities for today’s event, thus joining the numerous Ambassadors residing in Rome, who will soon be joined by the Swiss Confederation.

Dear Ambassadors,

In these days, we are conscious that the fight against the pandemic still calls for a significant effort on the part of everyone; certainly, the New Year will continue to be demanding in this regard. The coronavirus continues to cause social isolation and to take lives. Among those who have died, I would like to mention the late Archbishop Aldo Giordano, an Apostolic Nuncio who was well-known and respected in the diplomatic community. At the same time, we have realized that in those places where an effective vaccination campaign has taken place, the risk of severe repercussions of the disease has decreased.

It is therefore important to continue the effort to immunize the general population as much as possible. This calls for a manifold commitment on the personal, political and international levels. First, on the personal level. Each of us has a responsibility to care for ourself and our health, and this translates into respect for the health of those around us. Health care is a moral obligation. Sadly, we are finding increasingly that we live in a world of strong ideological divides. Frequently people let themselves be influenced by the ideology of the moment, often bolstered by baseless information or poorly documented facts. Every ideological statement severs the bond of human reason with the objective reality of things. The pandemic, on the other hand, urges us to adopt a sort of “reality therapy” that makes us confront the problem head on and adopt suitable remedies to resolve it. Vaccines are not a magical means of healing, yet surely they represent, in addition to other treatments that need to be developed, the most reasonable solution for the prevention of the disease.

A political commitment is thus needed to pursue the good of the general population through measures of prevention and immunization that also engage citizens so that they can feel involved and responsible, thanks to a clear discussion of the problems and the appropriate means of addressing them. The lack of resolute decision-making and clear communication generates confusion, creates mistrust and undermines social cohesion, fueling new tensions. The result is a “social relativism” detrimental to harmony and unity.

In the end, a comprehensive commitment on the part of the international community is necessary, so that the entire world population can have equal access to essential medical care and vaccines. We can only note with regret that, for large areas of the world, universal access to health care remains an illusion. At this grave moment in the life of humanity, I reiterate my appeal that governments and concerned private entities demonstrate a sense of responsibility, developing a coordinated response at every level (local, national, regional, global), through new models of solidarity and tools to strengthen the capabilities of those countries in greatest need. In particular, I would urge all states, who are working to establish an international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response under the aegis of the World Health Organization, to adopt a policy of generous sharing as a key principle to guarantee everyone access to diagnostic tools, vaccines and drugs. Likewise, it is appropriate that institutions such as the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization adapt their legal instruments lest monopolistic rules constitute further obstacles to production and to an organized and consistent access to healthcare on a global level.

Dear Ambassadors,

Last year, thanks also to the lessening of the restrictions put in place in 2020, I had occasion to receive many Heads of State and Governments, as well as various civil and religious authorities.

Among those many meetings, I would like to mention that of 1 July 2021, devoted to reflection and prayer for Lebanon. To the beloved Lebanese people, who are working to find a solution to the economic and political crisis that has gripped the nation, I wish today to renew my closeness and my prayers. At the same time, I trust that necessary reforms and the support of the international community will help the country to persevere in its proper identity as a model of peaceful coexistence and brotherhood among the different religions.

In the course of 2021, I was also able to resume my Apostolic Journeys. In March, I had the joy of travelling to Iraq. Providence willed this, as a sign of hope after years of war and terrorism. The Iraqi people have the right to regain their dignity and to live in peace. Their religious and cultural roots go back thousands of years: Mesopotamia is a cradle of civilization; it is from there that God called Abraham to inaugurate the history of salvation.

In September, I travelled to Budapest for the conclusion of the International Eucharistic Congress, and thereafter to Slovakia. It was an opportunity for me to meet with the Catholic faithful and Christians of other confessions, and to dialogue with the Jewish community. I likewise travelled to Cyprus and Greece, a Journey that remains vivid in my memory. That visit allowed me to deepen ties with our Orthodox brothers and to experience the fraternity existing between the various Christian confessions.

A very moving part of that Journey was my visit to the island of Lesbos, where I was able to see at first hand the generosity of all those working to provide hospitality and assistance to migrants, but above all, to see the faces of the many children and adults who are guests of these centres of hospitality. Their eyes spoke of the effort of their journey, their fear of an uncertain future, their sorrow for the loved ones they left behind and their nostalgia for the homeland they were forced to depart. Before those faces, we cannot be indifferent or hide behind walls and barbed wires under the pretext of defending security or a style of life. This we cannot do.

Consequently, I thank all those individuals and governments working to ensure that migrants are welcomed and protected, and to support their human promotion and integration in the countries that have received them. I am aware of the difficulties that some states encounter in the face of a large influx of people. No one can be asked to do what is impossible for them, yet there is a clear difference between accepting, albeit in a limited way, and rejecting completely.

There is a need to overcome indifference and to reject the idea that migrants are a problem for others. The results of this approach are evident in the dehumanization of those migrants concentrated in hotspots where they end up as easy prey to organized crime and human traffickers, or engage in desperate attempts to escape that at times end in death. Sadly, we must also note that migrants are themselves often turned into a weapon of political blackmail, becoming a sort of “bargaining commodity” that deprives them of their dignity.

Here I would like to renew my gratitude to the Italian authorities, thanks to whom several persons were able to come with me to Rome from Cyprus and Greece. This was a simple yet meaningful gesture. To the Italian people, who suffered greatly at the beginning of the pandemic, but who have also shown encouraging signs of recovery, I express my heartfelt hope that they will always maintain their characteristic spirit of generosity, openness and solidarity.

At the same time, I consider it essential that the European Union arrive at internal cohesion in handling migration movements, just as it did in dealing with the effects of the pandemic. There is a need to adopt a coherent and comprehensive system for coordinating policies on migration and asylum, with a view to sharing responsibility for the reception of migrants, the review of requests for asylum, and the redistribution and integration of those who can be accepted. The capacity to negotiate and discover shared solutions is one of the strong points of the European Union; it represents a sound model for a farsighted approach to the global challenges before us.

Nonetheless, the migration issue does not regard Europe alone, even though it is especially affected by waves of migrants coming from Africa and from Asia. In recent years, we have witnessed, among others, an exodus of Syrian refugees and, more recently, the many people who have fled Afghanistan. Nor can we overlook the massive migration movements on the American continent, which press upon the border between Mexico and the United States of America. Many of those migrants are Haitians fleeing the tragedies that have struck their country in recent years.

The issue of migration, together with the pandemic and climate change, has clearly demonstrated that we cannot be saved alone and by ourselves: the great challenges of our time are all global. It is thus troubling that, alongside the greater interconnection of problems, we are seeing a growing fragmentation of solutions. It is not uncommon to encounter unwillingness to open windows of dialogue and spaces of fraternity; this only fuels further tensions and divisions, as well as a generalized feeling of uncertainty and instability. What is needed instead is a recovery of our sense of shared identity as a single human family. The alternative can only be growing isolation, marked by a reciprocal rejection and refusal that further endangers multilateralism, the diplomatic style that has characterized international relations from the end of the Second World War to the present time.

For some time now, multilateral diplomacy has been experiencing a crisis of trust, due to the reduced credibility of social, governmental and intergovernmental systems. Important resolutions, declarations and decisions are frequently made without a genuine process of negotiation in which all countries have a say. This imbalance, now dramatically evident, has generated disaffection towards international agencies on the part of many states; it also weakens the multilateral system as a whole, with the result that it becomes less and less effective in confronting global challenges.

The diminished effectiveness of many international organizations is also due to their members entertaining differing visions of the ends they wish to pursue. Not infrequently, the centre of interest has shifted to matters that by their divisive nature do not strictly belong to the aims of the organization. As a result, agendas are increasingly dictated by a mindset that rejects the natural foundations of humanity and the cultural roots that constitute the identity of many peoples. As I have stated on other occasions, I consider this a form of ideological colonization, one that leaves no room for freedom of expression and is now taking the form of the “cancel culture” invading many circles and public institutions. Under the guise of defending diversity, it ends up cancelling all sense of identity, with the risk of silencing positions that defend a respectful and balanced understanding of various sensibilities. A kind of dangerous “one-track thinking” [pensée unique] is taking shape, one constrained to deny history or, worse yet, to rewrite it in terms of present-day categories, whereas any historical situation must be interpreted in the light of a hermeneutics of that particular time, not that of today.

Multilateral diplomacy is thus called to be truly inclusive, not canceling but cherishing the differences and sensibilities that have historically marked various peoples. In this way, it will regain credibility and effectiveness in facing the challenges to come, which will require humanity to join together as one great family that, starting from different viewpoints, should prove capable of finding common solutions for the good of all. This calls for reciprocal trust and willingness to dialogue; it entails “listening to one another, sharing different views, coming to agreement and walking together”. Indeed, “dialogue is the best way to realize what ought always to be affirmed and respected apart from any ephemeral consensus”.  Nor should we overlook “the existence of certain enduring values”. Those are not always easy to discern, but their acceptance “makes for a robust and solid social ethics. Once those fundamental values are adopted through dialogue and consensus, we realize that they rise above consensus”. Here I wish to mention in particular the right to life, from conception to its natural end, and the right to religious freedom.

In this regard, in recent years we have seen a growing collective awareness of the urgent need to care for our common home, which is suffering from the constant and indiscriminate exploitation of its resources. Here I think especially of the Philippines, struck in these last weeks by a devastating typhoon, and of other nations in the Pacific, made vulnerable by the negative effects of climate change, which endanger the lives of their inhabitants, most of whom are dependent on agriculture, fishing and natural resources.

Precisely this realization should impel the international community as a whole to discover and implement common solutions. None may consider themselves exempt from this effort, since all of us are involved and affected in equal measure. At the recent COP26 in Glasgow, several steps were made in the right direction, even though they were rather weak in light of the gravity of the problem to be faced. The road to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement is complex and appears to be long, while the time at our disposal is shorter and shorter. Much still remains to be done, and so 2022 will be another fundamental year for verifying to what extent and in what ways the decisions taken in Glasgow can and should be further consolidated in view of COP27, planned for Egypt next November.

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Dialogue and fraternity are two essential focal points in our efforts to overcome the crisis of the present moment. Yet “despite numerous efforts aimed at constructive dialogue between nations, the deafening noise of war and conflict is intensifying”.  The entire international community must address the urgent need to find solutions to endless conflicts that at times appear as true proxy wars.

I think first of Syria, where the country’s rebirth does not yet clearly appear on the horizon. Even today, the Syrian people mourn their dead and the loss of everything, and continue to hope for a better future. Political and constitutional reforms are required for the country to be reborn, but the imposition of sanctions should not strike directly at everyday life, in order to provide a glimmer of hope to the general populace, increasingly caught in the grip of poverty.

Nor can we overlook the conflict in Yemen, a human tragedy that has gone on for years, silently, far from the spotlight of the media and with a certain indifference on the part of the international community, even as it continues to claim numerous civil victims, particularly women and children.

In the past year, no steps forward were made in the peace process between Israel and Palestine. I would truly like to see these two peoples rebuild mutual trust and resume speaking directly to each other, in order to reach the point where they can live in two states, side by side, in peace and security, without hatred and resentment, but the healing born of mutual forgiveness.

Other sources of concern are the institutional tensions in Libya, the episodes of violence by international terrorism in the Sahel region, and the internal conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia, where there is need “to find once again the path of reconciliation and peace through a forthright encounter that places the needs of the people above all else”. 

Profound situations of inequality and injustice, endemic corruption and various forms of poverty that offend the dignity of persons also continue to fuel social conflicts on the American continent, where growing polarization is not helping to resolve the real and pressing problems of its people, especially those who are most poor and vulnerable.

Reciprocal trust and readiness to engage in calm discussion should also inspire all parties at stake, so that acceptable and lasting solutions can be found in Ukraine and in the southern Caucasus, and the outbreak of new crises can be avoided in the Balkans, primarily in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dialogue and fraternity are all the more urgently needed for dealing wisely and effectively with the crisis which for almost a year now has affected Myanmar; its streets, once places of encounter, are now the scene of fighting that does not spare even houses of prayer.

Naturally, these conflicts are exacerbated by the abundance of weapons on hand and the unscrupulousness of those who make every effort to supply them. At times, we deceive ourselves into thinking that these weapons serve to dissuade potential aggressors. History and, sadly, even daily news reports, make it clear that this is not the case. Those who possess weapons will eventually use them, since as Saint Paul VI observed, “a person cannot love with offensive weapons in his hands”. Furthermore, “When we yield to the logic of arms and distance ourselves from the practice of dialogue, we forget to our detriment that, even before causing victims and ruination, weapons can create nightmares”. Today these concerns have become even more real, if we consider the availability and employment of autonomous weapon systems that can have terrible and unforeseen consequences, and should be subject to the responsibility of the international community.

Among the weapons humanity has produced, nuclear arms are of particular concern. At the end of December last, the Tenth Review Conference of the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which was to meet in New York in these days, was once again postponed due to the pandemic. A world free of nuclear arms is possible and necessary. I therefore express my hope that the international community will view that Conference as an opportunity to take a significant step in this direction. The Holy See continues steadfastly to maintain that in the twenty-first century nuclear arms are an inadequate and inappropriate means of responding to security threats, and that possession of them is immoral. Their production diverts resources from integral human development and their employment not only has catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences, but also threatens the very existence of humanity.

The Holy See likewise considers it important that the resumption of negotiations in Vienna on the nuclear accord with Iran (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) achieve positive results, in order to guarantee a more secure and fraternal world.

Dear Ambassadors!

In my Message for the World Day of Peace celebrated on 1 January last, I sought to highlight several factors that I consider essential for promoting a culture of dialogue and fraternity.

Education holds a special place, since it trains the younger generation, the future and hope of the world. Education is in fact the primary vehicle of integral human development, for it makes individuals free and responsible. The educational process is slow and laborious, and can lead at times to discouragement, but we can never abandon it. It is an outstanding expression of dialogue, for no true education can lack a dialogical structure. Education likewise gives rise to culture and builds bridges of encounter between peoples. The Holy See wished to stress the importance of education also by its participation in Expo 2021 in Dubai, with a pavilion inspired by the theme of the Expo: “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”.

The Catholic Church has always recognized and valued the role of education in the spiritual, moral and social growth of the young. It pains me, then, to acknowledge that in different educational settings – parishes and schools – the abuse of minors has occurred, resulting in serious psychological and spiritual consequences for those who experienced them. These are crimes, and they call for a firm resolve to investigate them fully, examining each case to ascertain responsibility, to ensure justice to the victims and to prevent similar atrocities from taking place in the future.

Despite the gravity of such acts, no society can ever abdicate its responsibility for education. Yet, regrettably, state budgets often allocate few resources for education, which tends to be viewed as an expense, instead of the best possible investment for the future.

The pandemic prevented many young people from attending school, to the detriment of their personal and social development. Modern technology enabled many young people to take refuge in virtual realities that create strong psychological and emotional links but isolate them from others and the world around them, radically modifying social relationships. In making this point, I in no way intend to deny the usefulness of technology and its products, which make it possible for us to connect with one another easily and quickly, but I do appeal urgently that we be watchful lest these instruments substitute for true human relationships at the interpersonal, familial, social and international levels. If we learn to isolate ourselves at an early age, it will later prove more difficult to build bridges of fraternity and peace. In a world where there is just “me”, it is difficult to make room for “us”.

The second thing that I would like to mention briefly is labour, “an indispensable factor in building and keeping peace. Labour is an expression of ourselves and our gifts, but also of our commitment, self-investment and cooperation with others, since we always work with or for someone else. Seen in this clearly social perspective, the workplace enables us to learn to make our contribution towards a more habitable and beautiful world”. 

We have seen that the pandemic has sorely tested the global economy, with serious repercussions on those families and workers who experienced situations of psychological distress even before the onset of the economic troubles. This has further highlighted persistent inequalities in various social and economic sectors. Here we can include access to clean water, food, education and medical care. The number of people falling under the category of extreme poverty has shown a marked increase. In addition, the health crisis forced many workers to change professions, and in some cases forced them to enter the underground economy, causing them to lose the social protections provided for in many countries.

In this context, we see even more clearly the importance of labour, since economic development cannot exist without it, nor can it be thought that modern technology can replace the surplus value of human labour. Human labour provides an opportunity for the discovery of our personal dignity, for encounter with others and for human growth; it is a privileged means whereby each person participates actively in the common good and offers a concrete contribution to peace. Here too, greater cooperation is needed among all actors on the local, national, regional and global levels, especially in the short term, given the challenges posed by the desired ecological conversion. The coming years will be a time of opportunity for developing new services and enterprises, adapting existing ones, increasing access to dignified work and devising new means of ensuring respect for human rights and adequate levels of remuneration and social protection.

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The prophet Jeremiah tells us that God has “plans for [our] welfare and not for evil, to give [us] a future and a hope” (29:11). We should be unafraid, then, to make room for peace in our lives by cultivating dialogue and fraternity among one another. The gift of peace is “contagious”; it radiates from the hearts of those who long for it and aspire to share it, and spreads throughout the whole world. To each of you, your families and the peoples you represent, I renew my blessing and offer my heartfelt good wishes for a year of serenity and peace.

Thank you!

So, one week the Pope suggests that furbabies aren't babies at all, and that it's selfish to avoid children, a very conservative, and very Catholic, position.  Now he follows it up with a suggestion that cancel culture is a bad thing, yet another conservative position.  

It's pretty hard to get radical left wing out of that.

And it's hard to really place him in that right/left divide. 

All of which suggests that he should get more credit than he does, and that his statements should be carefully watched, including by conservatives like me.