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Herald Malaysia
04-07-2025
- General
- Herald Malaysia
Pope Leo XIV will celebrate a Mass for the Care of Creation on July 9
The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments present at the Holy See Press Office, a new formulary of the Roman Missal dedicated to the 'Care for Creation'. Jul 04, 2025 By Isabella H. de CarvalhoOn July 9, 2025, Pope Leo XIV will celebrate the first 'Mass for the Care of Creation', with a new formulary of the Roman Missal, produced by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and presented Thursday, July 3, during a press conference at the Vatican. The Pope will celebrate this private Mass during his holiday with the staff of the 'Borgo Laudato Sì ' ('Laudato Sì Village'), an educational center located in the Papal residence in Castel Gandolfo. With this new formulary "the Church is offering liturgical, spiritual and communal support for the care we all need to exercise of nature, our common home. Such service is indeed a great act of faith, hope and charity', Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development said during the press conference. This Mass dedicated to taking care of creation 'calls us to be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us – not only in daily choices and public policies, but also in our prayer, our worship, and our way of living in the world'. A way to promote an integral ecology In the Roman Missal there are 49 different Masses and prayers for various needs and occasions. Of these, 17 are dedicated to civil needs and this new liturgical text will now become a part of this category. An official decree by the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, approved by Pope Leo XIV and dated June 8, was also released, marking the addition of the formulary to the Roman Missal. This liturgical text was developed in collaboration with several Vatican dicasteries and was strongly inspired by Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si ', which this year celebrates the 10th anniversary of its publication. The release of the formulary also falls on the year of the 35th anniversary of St. John Paul II's 1990 message for the World Day of Peace, titled 'Peace with God the Creator, Peace with all of Creation'. ''The Mass for the Care for Creation' takes up some of the main positions contained in Laudato Si' and expresses them in the form of a prayer within the theological framework that the encyclical revives', Archbishop Vittorio Francesco Viola, secretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, explained during the press conference. The texts that make up the formulary for this Mass 'are a good antidote' against reading Laudato Si' as concerned with a 'false or superficial ecology', which is 'far removed from that 'integral ecology' amply described and promoted in the encyclical". In fact, he described Francis' encyclical as an 'eco-social' text, rather than just 'ecological'. Remembering those affected by climate change 'Creation is not an added theme but is always already present in the Catholic liturgy', as the Eucharist 'joins heaven and earth, it embraces and penetrates all creation' and in it 'we bless God for the bread and wine we receive', Cardinal Czerny said. This Mass can now 'increase our gratitude' and also 'invites us to respond with care and love' to the issues of today. Quoting Pope Leo XIV's message for this year's World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, released on July 2, the Cardinal additionally highlighted that 'in a world where the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation and pollution, care for creation becomes an expression of our faith and humanity'. He insisted, citing Laudato Si' , that 'the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are one and the danger of a superficial ecology' is to believe that the only 'problems to be solved are ecological ones' and that this can be done 'at the expense of the people'. The readings and prayers featured in the Mass Archbishop Viola emphasized that the readings featured in this Mass are 'very rich and offer several insights'. From the Old Testament, for example, a reading from the Book of Wisdom (13,1-9) is included, which highlights the importance of seeing God through his creation. For the Responsorial Psalm, certain verses are listed from Psalm 18, which highlights how 'the heavens declare the glory of God', and Psalm 103, which states 'Bless the Lord, all his creatures'. For the New Testament, a reading from St. Paul's letter to the Colossians (1,15-20) was selected that affirms that Christ 'is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth'. Lastly, two passages from the Gospel of Matthew are suggested. In the first (6,24-34) Christ invites to 'look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, yet 'your heavenly Father feeds them'. The second (8,23-27) features the moment when Jesus calms a storm while on a boat with his disciples. The prayers in the Mass also reflect the importance of caring for creation, for example by stating 'while we wait for new heavens and a new earth, let us learn to live in harmony with all creatures'. Clarifications regarding "Traditionis custodes" Finally, responding to a question about the publication of some press articles related to Pope Francis's 2021 Motu Proprio , Traditionis custodes , the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, noted that the published texts contribute to 'a very partial and incomplete reconstruction.' In fact, a consultation is cited to which, however, 'further documentation and other confidential reports — also the result of additional consultations — were subsequently added and submitted to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.'--Vatican News
Reuters
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Taiwan president tells Pope Francis global bodies should stop excluding island
TAIPEI, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Global bodies should stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons, President Lai Ching-te told Pope Francis in a letter, adding that he agrees war has no winners. The Vatican is one of only 12 countries to retain formal diplomatic ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, and Taipei has watched with concern efforts by Beijing and the Holy See to improve ties. In October, the Vatican and China extended an accord on the appointment of Catholic bishops in China for four years, pointing to a new level of trust between the two parties. Lai, writing to the pope in response to the pontiff's message on Jan. 1's World Day of Peace, pointed to Francis' comments that worldwide challenges like food crises and climate change should be jointly addressed and not merely viewed as isolated acts of charity. "I hold this view in high regard. I therefore earnestly hope that international organisations will stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons," Lai said, according to the letter published by his office on Friday. Taiwan is not allowed to participate in most global organisations due to pressure from China, which considers the island one of its provinces with no right to be treated as a state, a view the government in Taipei rejects. Lai also referred to China's ongoing military threats. "Your Holiness has stated that war is a defeat for everyone. I, too, firmly believe that peace is priceless and that war has no winners," he said. "A high level of consensus has formed in the international community on upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait." China's constitution guarantees religious freedom, but in recent years the government has tightened restrictions on religions seen as a challenge to the authority of the ruling Communist Party. Taiwan puts no restrictions on freedom of faith and has a thriving religious community that includes Christians, Buddhists and Muslims.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Taiwan president tells Pope Francis global bodies should stop excluding island
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Global bodies should stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons, President Lai Ching-te told Pope Francis in a letter, adding that he agrees war has no winners. The Vatican is one of only 12 countries to retain formal diplomatic ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, and Taipei has watched with concern efforts by Beijing and the Holy See to improve ties. In October, the Vatican and China extended an accord on the appointment of Catholic bishops in China for four years, pointing to a new level of trust between the two parties. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Lai, writing to the pope in response to the pontiff's message on Jan. 1's World Day of Peace, pointed to Francis' comments that worldwide challenges like food crises and climate change should be jointly addressed and not merely viewed as isolated acts of charity. "I hold this view in high regard. I therefore earnestly hope that international organisations will stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons," Lai said, according to the letter published by his office on Friday. Taiwan is not allowed to participate in most global organisations due to pressure from China, which considers the island one of its provinces with no right to be treated as a state, a view the government in Taipei rejects. Lai also referred to China's ongoing military threats. "Your Holiness has stated that war is a defeat for everyone. I, too, firmly believe that peace is priceless and that war has no winners," he said. "A high level of consensus has formed in the international community on upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait." China's constitution guarantees religious freedom, but in recent years the government has tightened restrictions on religions seen as a challenge to the authority of the ruling Communist Party. Taiwan puts no restrictions on freedom of faith and has a thriving religious community that includes Christians, Buddhists and Muslims.
Boston Globe
28-01-2025
- Boston Globe
Vatican warns about the risks of artificial intelligence
Advertisement The paper 'is a synthesis of a lot of the existing materials that have been developing organically over the last while,' drawing on Francis' past statements and writings to look at AI's effect on relationships, education, warfare, and work, said Rev. Paul Tighe, one of the people who worked on it. The paper was written over six months by a Vatican team in consultation with various experts, including those in AI. The paper tries to map out 'an understanding of what it is to be human that in a sense gives shape to the ethical concerns,' said Tighe, who is the spokesperson for the Vatican's department of culture and education. The paper warned of AI's potential to destroy the trust on which societies are built because of its potential to spread misinformation. 'AI-generated fake media can gradually undermine the foundations of society,' the document said. 'This issue requires careful regulation, as misinformation — especially through AI-controlled or influenced media — can spread unintentionally, fueling political polarization and social unrest. 'Such widespread deception is no trivial matter; it strikes at the core of humanity, dismantling the foundational trust on which societies are built.' It decried the 'harmful sense of isolation' that AI could generate, as well as 'specific challenges' for children, 'potentially encouraging them to develop patterns of interaction that treat human relationships in a transactional manner, as one would relate to a chatbot.' Advertisement The document cited concerns that AI could be used to advance what the pope has described as the 'technocratic paradigm,' a belief that the world's problems could be solved through technological means alone. 'Technological developments that do not improve life for everyone, but instead create or worsen inequalities and conflicts, cannot be called true progress,' the document stated, citing Francis' 2024 World Day of Peace message. When it comes to work, the document said, 'the goal should not be that technological progress increasingly replaces human work, for this would be detrimental to humanity.' It should also never 'reduce workers to mere 'cogs in a machine,'' as the 'dignity of laborers and the importance of employment for the economic well-being of individuals, families, and societies, for job security and just wages, ought to be a high priority for the international community' as AI spreads. The paper also repeated concerns about using the technology in remote-controlled weapons that result in 'a lessened perception of the devastation' from their use and 'an even more cold and detached approach to the immense tragedy of war.' The paper warned about 'the concentration of the power over mainstream AI applications in the hands of a few powerful companies.' Those companies could exercise 'forms of control as subtle as they are invasive, creating mechanisms for the manipulation of consciences and of the democratic process,' the document stated, citing a 2019 document by Francis. Francis has increasingly raised concerns about AI. In an address to political, economic, and business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week, Francis wrote that AI raised 'great concerns about its impact on the role of humanity.' Advertisement This month, the Vatican released a document with guidelines for the use of AI inside its own walls, regulating its application. This article originally appeared in
