woensdag 20 maart 2013

Wat is de macht van de Paus?

De afgelopen tijd rondom de Pauskeuze is er nogal wat te doen geweest rondom de vermeende 'machtsstrijd' in het Vaticaan. Dat doet de vraag rijzen: wat is de macht van de Paus eigenlijk? In zijn preek van de inauguratiemis geeft Paus Franciscus daarop het volgende antwoord.


Today, together with the feast of Saint Joseph, we are celebrating the beginning of the ministry of the new Bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter, which also involves a certain power. Certainly, Jesus Christ conferred power upon Peter, but what sort of power was it? Jesus' three questions to Peter about love are followed by three commands: feed my lambs, feed my sheep. Let us never forget that authentic power is service, and that the Pope too, when exercising power, must enter ever more fully into that service which has its radiant culmination on the Cross. He must be inspired by the lowly, concrete and faithful service which marked Saint Joseph and, like him, he must open his arms to protect all of God's people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and those in prison (cf.Mt 25:31-46). Only those who serve with love are able to protect!

(Bron: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/homilies/2013/documents/papa-francesco_20130319_omelia-inizio-pontificato_en.html)



zondag 17 maart 2013

Waarom heet de Paus Franciscus?

In een audientie met mensen uit de media legt Paus Franciscus zijn naam uit.

Some people wanted to know why the Bishop of Rome wished to be called Francis. Some thought of Francis Xavier, Francis De Sales, and also Francis of Assisi. I will tell you the story. During the election, I was seated next to the Archbishop Emeritus of São Paolo and Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Claudio Hummes: a good friend, a good friend! When things were looking dangerous, he encouraged me. And when the votes reached two thirds, there was the usual applause, because the Pope had been elected. And he gave me a hug and a kiss, and said: "Don't forget the poor!" And those words came to me: the poor, the poor. Then, right away, thinking of the poor, I thought of Francis of Assisi. Then I thought of all the wars, as the votes were still being counted, till the end. Francis is also the man of peace. That is how the name came into my heart: Francis of Assisi. For me, he is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation; these days we do not have a very good relationship with creation, do we? He is the man who gives us this spirit of peace, the poor man … How I would like a Church which is poor and for the poor! Afterwards, people were joking with me. "But you should call yourself Hadrian, because Hadrian VI was the reformer, we need a reform…" And someone else said to me: "No, no: your name should be Clement". "But why?" "Clement XV: thus you pay back Clement XIV who suppressed the Society of Jesus!" These were jokes. I love all of you very much, I thank you for everything you have done. I pray that your work will always be serene and fruitful, and that you will come to know ever better the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the rich reality of the Church's life. I commend you to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of Evangelization, and with cordial good wishes for you and your families, each of your families. I cordially impart to all of you my blessing. Thank you.

vrijdag 15 maart 2013

De eerste homilie van Paus Fanciscus

Paus Franciscus heeft zijn eerste homilie uitgesproken in de Mis 'voor de Kerk' in de Sixtijnse kapel met de kardinalen na zijn uitverkiezing. 

Zijn boodschap: we moeten op tocht gaan, bouwen en belijden, met het kruis op onze schouders.


vrijdag 1 maart 2013

De laatste toespraak...

De laatste toespraak van Benedictus XVI is helemaal in stijl en een mooie afsluiting van een indrukwekkend pontificaat. Hier een (ietwat ingekorte) versie:

http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/testimony_to_a_great_trust