Angelus Reflection on the importance of
priests as instruments of salvation, 26 July

Grandparents are witnesses
of the fundamental values of life

On Sunday, 26 July, prior to leading the recitation of the
Angelus with over 5,000 faithful in Les Combes, the Holy Father commented on
the Bread of Life and the liturgical commemoration of Sts Joachim and Anne,
parents of Our Lady and therefore grandparents of Jesus. After the Angelus,
the Holy Father confirmed his intention to visit Turin next Spring, at
Cardinal Severino Poletto's invitation, on the occasion of the Exposition of
the Shroud. On Wednesday morning, 29 July, Benedict xvi will fly from
Torino-Caselle to Ciampino Airport, Rome, and then he will go directly to
Castel Gandolfo. The following is a translation of the Pope's Angelus
Reflection, which was given in Italian.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I wish you all a good Sunday!
We are meeting here in Les Combes near the hospitable house, which the
Salesians have put at the Pope's disposal, where I am coming to the end of a
period of rest among the beautiful mountains of Val D'Aosta.
I thank God
who has given me the joy of these days marked by true relaxation despite the
small accident which is well-known to you and also visible!
I take this
opportunity to thank affectionately all those who have attended to me with
discretion and great dedication.
I greet Cardinal Poletto and the other
Bishops present, in particular Bishop Giuseppe Anfossi of Aosta, whom I thank
for the kind words he addressed to me.
I cordially greet the parish priest
of Les Combes, the civil and military Authorities, the forces of law and
order, and all of you, dear friends, along with those who are following us via
radio and television.
Today, on this splendid Sunday, as the Lord shows us
all the beauty of his Creation, the liturgy provides us with the Gospel
passage at the beginning of Chapter Six of John's Gospel.
It contains,
first of all, the miracle of the loaves - when Jesus fed thousands of people
with only five loaves of bread and two fish; then, the Lord's miracle when he
walks on the waters of the lake during a storm; and finally, the discourse in
which he reveals himself as "the Bread of Life".
In recounting the "sign"
of bread, the Evangelist emphasizes that Christ, before distributing the food,
blessed it with a prayer of thanksgiving (cf. v. 11).
The Greek term used
is eucharistein and it refers directly to the Last Supper, though, in
fact, John refers here not to the institution of the Eucharist but to the
washing of the feet. The Eucharist is mentioned here in anticipation of the
great symbol of the Bread of Life.
In this Year for Priests, how can we
fail to recall that we priests, especially, may see ourselves reflected in
this Johannine text, identifying ourselves with the Apostles when they
say:  Where can we find bread for all these people?
Reading about
that unknown boy who has five barley loaves and two fish, we too spontaneously
say:  But what are they for such a multitude?
In other words:
Who am I? How can I, with my limitations, help Jesus in his mission? And the
Lord gives the answer:  By taking in his "holy and venerable" hands the
little that they are, priests, we priests, become instruments of salvation for
many, for everyone!
A second point for reflection comes from today's
liturgical commemoration of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of Our Lady, and
therefore, grandparents of Jesus.
This occasion makes us think of the
subject of education which has an important place in the pastoral work of the
Church. In particular, it invites us to pray for grandparents, who, in the
family, are the depositories and often witnesses of the fundamental values of
life.
The educational task of grandparents is always very important, and
it becomes even more so when, for various reasons, the parents are unable to
provide their children with an adequate presence while they are growing up.

I entrust to the protection of St Anne and St Joachim all the grandparents
of the world and bestow on them a special blessing. May the Virgin Mary who
according to a beautiful iconography - learned to read the Sacred Scriptures
at her mother Anne's knee, help them always to nourish their faith and hope at
the sources of the Word of God.

After the Angelus and greetings in
various languages the Pope said:

I now extend my thoughts to
all the elderly people, especially those who may be alone or in difficulty.
Thank you again for coming and have a happy Sunday.
I greet all the
English-speaking visitors present today. Thank you for joining me here in Les
Combes to pray the Angelus. I hope that your holidays may be a time of
great joy, spent together as families, and of deep spiritual renewal, as you
rest in the marvel of God's gift of creation. May the Almighty abundantly
bless each of you and your loved ones.
The Holy Father then greeted with
affection the Italian-speaking families and groups, particularly the Sisters
of Charity of St Mary, who are meeting at their General Chapter.
Dear
Sisters, draw new sap from your charism so as to be a sign of the Lord's love
in the service of the poor and the young, imitating Mary, model of charity and
Mother of Good Council.

To the Valdostans, he said in
their patois:

Dear Valdostans,
I am truly glad to be
here among you. Pray for me and for all the Church.
I wish everyone a
good summer!

(©L'Osservatore Romano
- 29 July 2009)

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The Holy Father celebrates Vespers with the
faithful of Aosta

God in his mercy and omnipotence
is the guardian of truth and freedom

On Friday afternoon, 24 July, the Holy Father celebrated
Vespers with the faithful of Aosta, Italy, in the city's Cathedral. During his
Homily, the Pope commented on a brief passage from the Letter to the Romans
(8: 1-2), emphasizing that God is the "guardian of our freedom, of love
and of truth". The following is a translation of his Homily, which was given
in Italian.

Your Excellency,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
First of
all, I should like to say "Thank you" to you, Your Excellency, for your kind
words of introduction to the great history of this Cathedral Church, thus
making me feel that not only do we pray here, at this moment, but that we can
pray through the centuries in this beautiful church.
And my thanks to all
of you, who have come to pray with me, and in this way to manifest this
network of prayer which binds us all at all times.
In this brief Homily I
should like to say a few words about the prayer which concludes these Vespers
as it seems to me that the excerpt from the Letter to the Romans which has
just been read is interpreted and transformed here into prayer. The prayer is
composed of two parts:  an address a heading, so to speak and then the
prayer, which consists of two requests.
Let us begin with the address,
which is also, in its turn, composed of two parts:  here the "you" to
whom we speak is made more specific, so that we can knock with greater force
on the heart of God.
In the Italian text, we read simply:  "Merciful
Father". The original Latin is a little fuller; it says, "Almighty and
Merciful God". In my recent Encyclical, I have tried to show the prime
importance of God both in one's private life and in the life of society, of
the world, of history.
Certainly the relationship with God is a profoundly
personal matter, and the individual is a being in relationship with others. If
the fundamental relationship that with God is not living, is not lived, then
no other relationship can find its right form. But this is also true for
society, for humanity as such. Here, too, if God is missing, if God is
discounted, if he is absent, then the compass is lacking which would show the
way forward, the direction to follow in relationships as a whole.
God! We
must bring the reality of God back into our world, make him known and present.
But how can we know God? During the "ad limina" visits I always speak
with the Bishops, in particular African Bishops, but also those from Asia and
Latin America where traditional religions still exist, about these religions.
They differ greatly from one another in many details, but they also share
common elements. They all know that God exists, one God, that "god" is a
singular noun, that the gods are not God, that God exists, God. But at the
same time this God seems absent, far away, he does not seem to come into our
daily lives, he hides, we do not know his Face. Therefore the religions deal
for the most part with objects, with powers nearer to us, with spirits,
ancestors and so on, since God himself is too far away, and so we have to make
do with these closer powers. And the act of evangelization consists precisely
in the fact that the distant God draws near, that he is no longer far away,
but is close to us, that this "known and unknown" figure now makes himself
truly known, shows his Face, reveals himself:  the veil covering his Face
disappears and he shows his true Face.
And so, since God himself is now
near us, we can know him, he shows us his Face and enters our world. There is
no longer any need to make do with those other powers, because he is the true
power, the Omnipotent.
I do not know why the word "omnipotent" has been
omitted from the Italian text, but it is true that we feel a little threatened
by the word "omnipotence":  it seems to limit our freedom, it seems to be
too strong. But we must learn that the omnipotence of God is not an arbitrary
power, because God is Good, he is Truth, and therefore he can do anything, but
he cannot act against good, he cannot act against truth, love or freedom,
because he himself is good, love, and true freedom. And therefore nothing he
does can ever be in contrast with truth, love and freedom. The contrary is
true. He, God, is the guardian of our freedom, of love and of truth. This eye
which looks upon us is not an evil eye watching us; it is the presence of love
which will never abandon us but rather gives us the certainty that Good is
being, Good is living:  it is the eye of love that gives us the air to
live.
Almighty and Merciful God. A Roman prayer, connected with the text
of the Book of Wisdom, says:  "O God, show your omnipotence through
pardon and mercy". The summit of God's power is mercy, pardon. In our
modern-day worldly concept of power, we think of someone who owns large
estates, who has some say in the world of economics, who has capital and can
influence the world of the market. We think of someone who has military power,
who can threaten. Stalin's question, "How many armed divisions does the Pope
have?" still characterizes the common idea of power. Whoever has power and
many worldly effects may be dangerous, as he could threaten and destroy. But
Revelations tells us. "It is not so"; true power is the power of grace and of
mercy. In his mercy, God demonstrates true power.
And so the second part
of this address says:  "You have redeemed the world with the Passion,
with the suffering of Your Son". God has suffered, and through his Son he
suffers with us. This is the summit of his power, that he can suffer with us.
In this way he demonstrates the true divine power:  he desired to suffer
with us and for us. In our suffering we are never left alone. God, through his
Son, suffered first, and he is close to us in our suffering.
However a
difficult question remains, one I cannot answer at length at this
moment:  why was it necessary to suffer to save the world? It was
necessary because there exists in the world an ocean of evil, of injustice,
hatred, and violence, and the many victims of hatred and injustice have the
right to see justice done. God cannot ignore the cries of the suffering who
are oppressed by injustice. To forgive is not to ignore, but to transform. God
must enter into this world in order to set against the ocean of injustice a
larger ocean of goodness and of love. And this is the event of the
Cross:  from that moment, against the ocean of evil, there exists a river
that is boundless, and so ever mightier than all the injustices of the world,
a river of goodness, truth, and love. Thus God forgives, coming into the world
and transforming it so that there may be a real strength, a river of goodness
wider than all the evil that could ever exist.
So our address to God
becomes an address to ourselves:  God invites us to join with him, to
leave behind the ocean of evil, of hatred, violence, and selfishness and to
make ourselves known, to enter into the river of his love.
This is
precisely the content of the first part of the prayer that follows:  "Let
Your Church offer herself to You as a living and holy sacrifice". This
request, addressed to God, is made also to ourselves. It is a reference to two
passages from the Letter to the Romans. We ourselves, with our whole being,
must be adoration and sacrifice, and by transforming our world, give it back
to God. The role of the priesthood is to consecrate the world so that it may
become a living host, a liturgy:  so that the liturgy may not be
something alongside the reality of the world, but that the world itself shall
become a living host, a liturgy. This is also the great vision of Teilhard de
Chardin:  in the end we shall achieve a true cosmic liturgy, where the
cosmos becomes a living host. And let us pray the Lord to help us become
priests in this sense, to aid in the transformation of the world, in adoration
of God, beginning with ourselves. That our lives may speak of God, that our
lives may be a true liturgy, an announcement of God, a door through which the
distant God may become the present God, and a true giving of ourselves to God.

Then the second request. We pray:  "Let Your people know always the
fullness of Your love". The Latin text reads:  "Satisfy us with Your
love". The text refers to the Psalm we have sung, which says:  "Open your
hand and satisfy the hunger of every living creature". How much hunger there
is on Earth, hunger for bread in many parts of the world:  Your
Excellency has also spoken of the suffering of the families here:  hunger
for justice, hunger for love. And with this prayer, we pray to God:
"Open Your hand and satisfy fully the hunger of every living creature. Satisfy
our hunger for the truth and for Your love".
So be it.
Amen.

(©L'Osservatore Romano - 29 July
2009)

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Review of 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood
Prince'

When magic is no longer a children's adventure

Gaetano Vallini

Made even more arrogant by the return of Lord Voldemort, the
Dark Lord, the Death Eaters do not even spare the world of the "Muggles".
Terror hits London beneath a sky suddenly overcast by unnatural, threatening
clouds. The chosen target in this demonstration of power is the Millennium
Bridge, which the Death Eaters make collapse in a spiral of destruction.

The forces of evil are bent on subjugating the wizarding world to the Dark
Lord a parallel universe in which it is forbidden to interfere with the world
of ordinary humans and in which the black magic that nourishes Voldemort is
rejected.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince opens with this
disturbing apocalyptic scene, the sixth book of the successful saga that
flowed from the pen of Joanne Kathleen Rowling, recounting the adventures of
the timid wizard who has now reached adolescence.
Nine years have passed
since his first adventure and Harry Potter must face challenges far beyond his
powers. Magic is no longer the intriguing pastime of the early days; the
perilous and frightening trials to be overcome are no longer
adventures for children, albeit special ones endowed with exceptional powers.

Now as was the case especially in the preceding instalment life is truly
at risk and the stakes are very high. They must prevent the forces of darkness
from prevailing.
In cinemas across the world, released by Warner Bros.
Pictures on 15 July, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince which also
inaugurated the Giffoni Festival on 12 July is proving to be the most
successful film in the series.
The darker side of the plot gains
consistency, as it strongly colours the whole story. One might say that since
the protagonists have grown up they are now teenagers on the threshold of
adulthood the tone of the narrative has, to the film's advantage, also
matured. This is thanks partly to the work of the producer David Yates who
also directed the fifth film in the series, Harry Potter and the Order of
the Phoenix, and to the scriptwriter, Steve Kloves, who adapted the first
four books.
In this film, among other things, the mixture of supernatural
suspense and romance achieves the right balance, making the protagonists'
adventures with Harry, Ron, Hermione and the other students of Hogwarts
beginning to feel the passions of youth even more credible as they face the
same problems as Muggles their age. In addition, the small but important love
stories interwoven throughout the expectations, searing disillusionment and
the wealth of amusing situations they create serve to mitigate the growing
tension. They also emphasize that there are no magic formulas for avoiding the
"dangers" of adolescence. In this regard we have before us a course of
formation which, however, serves merely as background.
Love is in the air
in the school corridors, but tragedy is looming and Hogwarts which no longer
appears as a safe refuge will never be the same again. One student stays
apart, grappling with far more important questions, determined to make his
mark, even if a dark one. He is Draco Malfoy, summoned by Lord Voldemort
himself to carry out an enormous mission for which he is unquestionably too
young. However, Draco who conceals his frail and vulnerable personality behind
the mask of a hard exterior accepts:  he wants to be famous, to revenge
himself on Harry Potter, his all-time rival. Harry suspects that new dangers
are hidden in the castle; he is convinced that Draco has become a Death Eater.

The headmaster, wise Professor Albus Dumbledore, senses that the last
battle is approaching. And he turns to Harry now recognized definitively as
the one chosen to defeat Voldemort so that Harry may help him discover how to
penetrate the defences of the Dark Lord. The answer is a fundamental piece of
information which only Horace Slughorn, the former Potions Master at Hogwarts
(splendidly acted by Jim Broadbent), knows and preserves among the memories
taken from Harry's past. Thus Dumbledore manages to convince his former
colleague to return to his old post.
What with lovers' quarrels and games
of Quidditch, the story continues as Harry Potter attempts to earn the
teacher's trust and continues his quest for the secret of Voldemort's
immortality. This will even lead him to a sort of descent into Hades, having
crossed a lake full of Inferi, which are reanimated corpses. At the end of the
film we discover, as the enthusiastic readers of the saga well know that the
young wizard will be left alone during the battle after a tragic handing over
of responsibilities. But to know if he will succeed in completing his mission,
we shall have to wait for the next two films into which Rowling's last book
has been divided.
The narrative plots in this feature film are more
complex than in the previous one. The psychology of the characters acquires a
more precise form. In the fifth book Harry was living through a difficult
period, tormented by dreams and personal demons linked to the memory of his
parents killed by Voldemort; he was in search of answers. Now it seems he no
longer needs them. He does not ask too many questions; he knows he has an
important task to carry out.
He trusts Dumbledore, who no longer treats
him as a student but rather as a friend. He realizes that the wizarding world
is not without its snares, similar to those with which he grew up. Hogwarts'
bleakness, visually presented in an unfamiliar manner, make the impending
tragedy even more ominous.
Everything seems to prepare for, and lead to,
the final battle between good and evil, which are actually the true
protagonists of the entire saga and around which not a few debates were
triggered in the past. "New Age" spirituality has been called into question,
and the books have been promptly accused of inciting young people to flee from
reality and of instilling in them the illusion that supernatural powers exist
with which they can control the world as they please. In short, the saga has
been accused of being misleading and even anti-Christian.
Rowling's vision
certainly lacks a reference to transcendence, to a providential plan in which
human beings experience their own personal story and history takes shape. It
is likewise true that traditionally in fairy tales, the protagonist
participates in events in which magic is almost always an instrument in the
hands of enemy forces.
Yet, the fact that in Harry Potter the
positive side of magic is not impersonated by wise sorcerers and fairies in
which the work of Providence is easily identified does not make the
distinction between the forces at play any less evident.
Nor can it be
said that witchcraft in this case it would be better to speak of magic is
proposed as a positive ideal. On the contrary, the demarcation line between
those who do good and those who do evil seems very clear, and the spectator or
reader readily identifies with the former. In this most recent film in
particular the distinction is even clearer. It conveys to viewers that it is
right to do good and makes them realize that this sometimes demands both great
effort and sacrifice.
Furthermore, the intermittent quest for immortality,
symbolized by Voldemort, is stigmatized. For this, recourse to magic is not
necessary. An ancestral wisdom that suggests that one should not succumb to
the appeal of an impossible eternal happiness on earth or to the illusion that
everything is possible.
The interpretations of this fairy tale sometimes
transcend the actual intentions of the author, who without a doubt only seeks
to unmask the myth of a reasoning that claims to have an answer to everything.
They certainly exceed the interpretation that a child or teenager might give
them. It is more likely that at the end of the film or after reading the book,
it will be the scenes that recall values such as friendship, altruism, loyalty
and self-sacrifice that will remain, rather than a fascination with magic
(which is merely bewitching).
In the end, it is enough to remember how in
the first book Hagrid, the gamekeeper, responds to Harry Potter's question as
to what is the purpose of a ministry of magic. (Its most important task is to
prevent Muggles from finding out that witches and wizards are also present in
their world). To Harry's persistent questioning, Hagrid answers that were this
to be known, everyone would want to use magic to solve their own
problems.

(©L'Osservatore Romano - 29
July 2009)

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Reflection on the latest Papal Encyclical

'Caritas in Veritate' in daily life

Fr Christopher Valka, csb
Salt and Light Television
Network, Canada

Since the release of the latest Encyclical, Caritas in
Veritate, theologians, reporters, and other writers have scurried to pen
their analysis and opinions of Pope Benedict's thoughts concerning the social
issues challenging the world today. In a work that spans 79 articles and six
chapters, there are plenty of points for writers to praise and criticize. In
my own research, I read ideas that span from one reporter who believes that
Pope Benedict illustrates a "willful disregard for economic history and the
massive benefits of free markets and globalization" to another who likens this
Encyclical to a duck-billed platypus.
Certainly, the various theological
and sociological issues are important to debate, but it seems to me they all
fail to highlight the most basic issue of any important document:  its
resonantia. That is to ask how a papal document speaking on social
concerns that most certainly have a direct bearing on people's lives is to be
transmitted, discussed, and received by the average Catholic (and even
non-Catholic) going about the work of providing for their family?

In the specific case of Caritas in Veritate, I believe
that much of the angst surrounding this Encyclical may be pacified if it is
read, not for the statements it makes, but for its potential for dialogue
and the questions is raises.
This is, after all, the genius
of Pope Benedict:  where one might prefer a simple statement easily
condensed into a sound-bite, this Pope offers a reason for discussion and an
opportunity to wrestle with the challenges of living the Gospel in a modern,
pluralistic, compartmentalized age.
As a case in point, I am still
wrestling with the implications of Benedict's idea that "uncertainty over
working conditions caused by mobility and deregulation, when it becomes
endemic, tends to create new forms of psychological instability, giving rise
to difficulty in forging coherent life-plans, including that of marriage"
(25)
In light of this perspective, it seems fitting, not to offer, yet
another critique of the statements contained in Caritas in Veritate;
but rather, to highlight opportunities for discussion among parish, academic
and small-faith communities.
First, Catholic Social Teaching. Priests and
other ministers would be unwise to take for granted that even faithful
Catholics are aware of even the most basic ideas concerning Catholic Social
Teaching. Even fewer would be aware that that an entire compendium has been
published on Catholic Social Thought that chronicles decades of statements and
ideas. The publication of this Encyclical is a good excuse to offer a
re-introduction.
Second, the tension that exists between "pro-lifers" and
the peace and justice activists. In article 28, Benedict obliges "us to
broaden our concept of poverty and underdevelopment to include questions
connected with the acceptance of life, especially in cases where it is impeded
in a variety of ways". In fact, through this Encyclical there are
great strides to bridge the ideologies that often separate the pro-life agenda
from other social justice related concerns.
Third, globalization.
""Globalization, a priori, is neither good nor bad. It will be
what people make of it'. We should not
be its victims, but rather its protagonists..."
(42). Benedict directly confronts this ideology and offers communities the
potential for rich dialogue about the benefits and challenges of living in an
increasingly pluralized world.
Fourth, rights and duties. In an age
where rights and entitlement reign supreme, it is beneficial to discuss our
rights and duties in the light of the Gospel. Beginning with article 43, Pope
Benedict examines these ideas as integral to proper development.
Fifth,
the role of the consumer. "It is good for people to realize that purchasing
is always a moral and not simply economic act. Hence the consumer has a
specific social responsibility, which goes hand-in-hand with the social
responsibility of the enterprise". (66)

Sixth, technology. "Technology is never merely
technology". (69) Admittedly, most ministers and clergy need assistance as
to the practical approaches to living our faith in technology, but the first
step is most certainly one of awareness, which I have no doubt, can prompt
fruitful dialogue.
In the end what must not be forgotten is amidst the
various theological and social criticisms of this latest Encyclical is that it
is an Encyclical the thoughts of our Pope on the most pressing and relevant
matters of our day. As such, Caritas in Veritate should be well
received, not because of its statements, but because of the questions it
should bring about in the daily lives of all who read and/or discuss
it.

(©L'Osservatore Romano - 29 July
2009)

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