meeting

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Wednesday, 31 July 2013 : 17th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Ignatius Loyola, Priest (First Reading)

Exodus 34 : 29-35

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with two slabs of the Statement in his hands, he was not aware that the skin of his face was radiant after speaking with YHVH. Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw that Moses’ face was radiant and they were afraid to go near him.

But Moses called them, and Aaron with all the leaders of the community drew near, and Moses spoke to them. Afterwards, all the Israelites came near and he told them all that YHVH had commanded him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

Whenever Moses went before YHVH to speak with Him, He took of the veil until he came out again. And when he came out and told them what he had been commanded, the Israelites saw that his face was radiant. Moses would then replace the veil over his face until he went again to speak with YHVH.

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Historic visit by Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, Pope Tawadros II to the Pope of the Church, Pope Francis

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Pope Tawadros II (Theodore II) of Alexandria, the head of the Coptic Church, Successor of St. Mark the Evangelist, first Bishop of Alexandria, is visiting Rome to pay a visit to the Pope and Supreme leader of the Universal Church and Successor of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles, Pope Francis.

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The Coptic Church is the direct descendant of the Patriarchate of Alexandria of the early Christian Pentarchy (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem), which broke apart from Rome and the Universal Church due to the disagreement in the Council of Chalcedon of 451, on the true nature of Christ.

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This disagreement is more due to misunderstanding in the nature of God, whether Christ’s human and divine persona is distinct or mixed. The initial term for non-Chalcedonians is monophysites, which is a heresy stating that both persona are mixed and indistinguishable. In fact, the Coptics and the other non-Chalcedonians in fact adopt miaphysitism, which while distinguishing the human and divine nature of Christ, but also acknowledge the mystery of the relationship between the two persona.

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Pope Tawadros II visits Rome in conjunction with the historic first meeting between the two Popes of Rome and Alexandria in 1973 by Pope Shenouda III, Pope Tawadros II’s predecessor, and Pope Paul VI. During that meeting a historic joint declaration of faith and friendship was announced and declared between the two Churches of God.

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Pope Francis received a gift of an engolpion, which is a form of imagery in medallion, which is worn in the same way as pectoral cross, which are worn by the bishops of the Eastern Rite.

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We hope that all Christians, with the Copts and the Orthodox Churches can be reunited once again with the true and only Church, that is the Church of God, as one Body, indivisible by men and worldly ambitions, in the One, Holy, Roman, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

 

Pray always for Christian Unity. That we are One, just as Christ our Lord and the Father in heaven are One.

 

Ut Omnes Unum Sint, ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam

(That they all may be One, for the greater glory of God)

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Pope Francis’ schedule between the Papal Inauguration to Palm Sunday

Here is a summary of Pope Francis’ schedule between his Papal Inauguration on Tuesday, 19 March 2013, to the beginning of the Holy Week on Palm Sunday, 24 March 2013 :

1. Tuesday, 19 March 2013 at 9.30 am Rome time : Papal Inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square, estimated to be attended by more than 1 million people from all over the world, and many foreign dignitaries, heads of states, and leaders. Mark the full beginning of Pope Francis’ Pontificate with a solemn inauguration with the imposition of both the pallium and the Ring of the Fisherman. First to be attended by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, currently Bartholomew I, since the Great Schism in 1054.

2. Wednesday, 20 March 2013 : Reception of the delegations from different Christian churches and representatives at Clementine Hall (Sala Clementina). No General Audience will be held on this day.

3. Friday, 22 March 2013 : Reception of accredited diplomatic representatives to the Holy See in the Regia Hall (Sala Regia).

4. Saturday, 23 March 2013 : Meeting with his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, at Castel Gandolfo, where the Pope Emeritus is residing.

5. Sunday, 24 March 2013 at 9.30 am Rome time : Palm Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Square, beginning the Holy Week celebrations.

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Pope Francis’ Schedule in his first few days as Pope

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-to-have-busy-schedule-in-coming-days/#.UUFDoB4Y6Vk.facebook

 

Our new Pope, Pope Francis will be busy in his first day as Pope, and here is the list of his appointments for the first days of his Pontificate :

1. First Mass with the Cardinals at the Sistine Chapel, Thursday, 14 March 2013 at 5 pm Rome time (UTC+1)

2. Private visit to Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major / Santa Maria Maggiore to ask for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary

3. Meeting with all Cardinals in the Clementine Hall / Sala Clementina, on Friday, 15 March 2013 at 11 am Rome time (UTC+1)

4. Audience for journalists and media representatives in Hall of Paul VI, on Saturday, 16 March 2013

5. First Angelus on Sunday, 17 March 2013 at 12 pm (Noon/Midday)

6. Papal Inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday, 19 March 2013 at 9.30 am Rome time (UTC+1), Feast of St. Joseph

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(Official) Conclave to begin on Tuesday, 12 March 2013

http://www.news.va/en/news/conclave-to-begin-tuesday-march-12th

The College of Cardinals have voted on the starting date of the conclave, and had decided in the Eighth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals, which takes place on Friday evening 8 March 2013, that the Conclave will begin on Tuesday, 12 March 2013 in the afternoon.

The Mass for the Election of the Roman Ponfiff or the Missa pro Eligendo Pontifice will be celebrated at St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday morning, 12 March 2013.

Let us pray for the Cardinal-electors going into the Conclave, that God will guide them through the Holy Spirit to make a careful and well-discerned choice to elect our new Pope, to be the shepherd of the Universal Church.

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Third General Congregation of the College of Cardinals and the Holy See Press Office Announcement

The third General Congregation of the College of Cardinals is now ongoing in Rome, starting since an hour ago (Tuesday, 5 March 2013 at 9.30 am Rome time / CET / UTC+1), and will continue on until another two hours. The date of the conclave had not been announced, but with still a few Cardinal-electors due to arrive in Rome by today, it might be that the date for the Conclave may not be known until the Holy See Press Office announcement by Fr. Federico Lombardi either today or tomorrow (both at 1 pm Rome time / CET / UTC+1).

Watch at the Vatican Player at http://www.vatican.va/video/ for the press release by Fr. Lombardi in another 2.5 hours or so, and as always, pray for all the Cardinals, especially the electors!

There will be only one General Congregation today and on the following days as opposed to two the previous day, as decided in the Second General Congregation yesterday evening (Rome time), thus the fourth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals, if there is one, will only commence tomorrow morning at 9.30 am (Wednesday, 6 March 2013).

103 Cardinal-electors attended the first General Congregation yesterday morning, out of a total of 115, and another 4 joined in the second General Congregation in the afternoon (107 out of 115), thus only another 8 Cardinal-electors, who are all hoped to arrive in Rome by today.

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Pictures of the First General Congregation of the College of Cardinals (Monday, 4 March 2013 at 9.30 am)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.505028852894470.1073741832.171224532941572&type=1

The First General Congregation of the College of Cardinals had ended, and the pictures can be found in the Facebook link of Vatican News above. Now they are in the Second General Congregation, likely to discuss the date of the Conclave, which may be revealed by tomorrow. So stay tuned! and pray for our Cardinal-electors!

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First General Congregation of the College of Cardinals in ongoing : We pray for the Cardinals and wait for news

The First General Congregation of the College of Cardinals in now ongoing in Rome (since half an hour ago, 9.30 am Rome time today), with most Cardinals having arrived in Rome, to discuss the Conclave, and the qualities needed for the next Pope. Which is also a chance for the Cardinals to discuss among themselves who they think the best candidate is.

The date of the Conclave will also be decided shortly, if not in this meeting, then in the Second General Congregation which will begin at 5 pm Rome time today. We pray for the Cardinal-electors, that the Holy Spirit will guide all of them in this period, and later into the Conclave, that we will soon have a new Pope, a wonderful new Shepherd to lead God’s Church in this world.

We await the press briefing by Fr. Federico Lombardi, head of the Holy See Press Office, which will be at 1 pm Rome time today (CET/UTC+1).

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Preliminary News : Conclave to begin on Monday, 11 March 2013 (Confirmation needed from the College of Cardinals)

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/22827/

According to the Vatican Insider, or La Stampa, which is the best source of objective and accurate news on the Vatican, the date of the Conclave has been set on Monday, 11 March 2013, which they posted on Monday, 4 March 2013, today, on their La Stampa edition.

Confirmation from the Holy See Press Office (Fr. Federico Lombardi) is needed however, as the first General Congregation of the College of Cardinals that meets to decide the starting date of the Conclave only began this morning at 9 am CET or Rome time. Therefore, the starting date of the Conclave may still change, but it is highly expected to occur between Saturday, 9 March 2013 and Monday, 11 March 2013.

We hope then to have a Pope by Thursday, 14 March 2013 at the latest, and hope that in that case, the Papal Installation Mass can be held on Sunday, 17 March 2013, the 5th Sunday of Lent. That we can have the new Pope to lead us in the celebration of the Holy Week, and the residential Cardinals too can go home to celebrate the Holy Week in their respective archdioceses/dioceses.

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Cardinals summoned to Rome to gather and discuss the start date and details of Conclave

All Cardinals from around the world, from the archdioceses and dioceses have been summoned to Rome as per the decision made in the meeting of the College of Cardinals on Friday, 1 March 2013. Meetings to decide the date of the Conclave, and its details will commence on Monday, 4 March 2013.

Many of the Cardinals would be eager to be able to elect a new Pope before the Holy Week begins, so that if possible, he may even be installed prior to the Holy Week, and therefore the Cardinals will be able to go home and celebrate Holy Week with their respective archdioceses/dioceses.