Parish Priest: Fr Mike Delaney mob: 0417 279 437;
email: mike.delaney@catholicpriest.org.au
Assistant Priest: Fr Augustine Ezenwelu
mob: 0470 576 857
Postal Address: PO Box 362
Parish Office: 90 Stewart Street
Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10am - 3pm
Office Phone: 6424 2783 Fax: 6423 5160
FaceBook: Mersey Leven Catholic Parish
Weekly Newsletter: mlcathparish.blogspot.com.au
Parish Newsletter: mlcathparishnewsletter.blogspot.com.au
Secretary:Annie Davies Pastoral Council Chair: Mary Davies
Secretary:
Archdiocesan Website: www.hobart.catholic.org.au for news, information and details of other Parishes.
Our Parish Sacramental Life
Baptism: arrangements are made by contacting Parish Office.
Parents attend a Baptismal Preparation Session on first Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December.
Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist: Are received following a Family–centred, Parish-based, School-supported Preparation Program.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: prepares adults for reception into the Catholic community.
Marriage: arrangements are made by contacting one of our priests - couples attend a pre-marriage Program
Anointing of the Sick: please contact one of our priests
Reconciliation: Ulverstone - Fridays (10am - 10:30am)
Devonport - Saturday (5:15pm– 5.45pm)
Devonport - Saturday (5:15pm– 5.45pm)
Scripture Readings: First Sunday of Lent - Year A
FIRST READING: Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7
RESPONSORIAL PSALM (R.) Rest in God alone, my soul.
SECOND READING: Romans 5:12-19
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory! No one lives on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!
SECOND READING: Romans 5:12-19
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory! No one lives on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!
Prego Reflection on today's Gospel
In Genesis we are so ashamed that we hide from God whose
response is to call Where are you? I want you to come home. God did this in
Jesus: he experienced our temptations as he worked out how to establish God’s
kingdom, but he fought them by remaining in God’s presence, calling on God’s
friendship, and recalling God’s word—with trust!
* I accompany Jesus into the wilderness, watching him
struggle as he reflects on how to build God’s kingdom. Satan tries to divert
him by apparent attractions. What were the ’attractive’ elements? Why did Jesus
reject them? What kind of kingdom might they have led to? What is the source of
Jesus’ strength as he rejects them?
* Does Satan’s tactic and Jesus’ response resonate with
anything in my life? Where do I need the ‘discernment’ and strength of Jesus? I
talk these over with him as a friend and brother who longs to give me a share
of his strength.
Weekday
Masses 11th - 14th March, 2014
Tuesday: 9:30am Penguin
Wednesday: 9:30am Latrobe
Thursday: 10:00am Eliza Purton, 12noon Devonport
Friday: 9:30am
Ulverstone
Next
Weekend (15th & 16th March, 2014)
Saturday Vigil: 6.00pm
Penguin
Devonport
Sunday Mass: 8:30am
Port Sorell (L.W.C.)
9:00am Ulverstone
10:30am Devonport
11:00am Sheffield
5.00pm
Latrobe
Eucharistic
Adoration:
Devonport: Every Friday 10am - 12noon,
concluding with Stations of the Cross and Angelus
Devonport: Benediction with Adoration - first Friday of
each month.
Prayer Groups:
Charismatic
Renewal -
Ulverstone (Community Room) Every second and fourth Monday of the month 7:30pm - Devonport
(Emmaus House) Thursdays - 7:30pm
Christian Meditation - Devonport, Emmaus House - Wednesdays 7pm.
Stations of the Cross: Devonport and Ulverstone - Fridays 7:00pm, Rosary Group, Sacred Heart Ulverstone
starting Tuesday 11th March at 10am and St Joseph 's Mass
Centre Port
Ministry Rosters 15th & 16th
March, 2014
Devonport:
Readers:
Vigil: D Covington
Ministers of Communion: Vigil – T Muir,
M Davies, J Cox, M Gerrand, T Bird, S Innes
10.30am: C Schrader, R Beaton,
Cleaners 14th
March: P
Shelverton, I Hunter, E Petts 21st March: K.S.Cross
Piety Shop 15th March: R Baker 16th March: M Doyle
Ulverstone:
Reader: E Cox Cleaners: G & M
Seen, C Roberts
Ministers of Communion: B Deacon,
J Allen, G Douglas , L Hay Hospitality: S & T Johnstone
Penguin:
Greeters: J & T Kiely Commentator: M Kenney Readers: E Nickols , Y Downes
Procession: A Landers, A Hyland Ministers of Communion: J Garnsey,
S Ewing Music: L Keen
Liturgy: Penguin Setting Up: E Nickols
Care of Church: Y & R Downes
Port Sorell:
Readers: L Post, T Jeffries Ministers of Communion: E Holloway Clean &
Prepare: A Hynes
Latrobe:
Reader: H Lim Ministers of Communion: P Marlow, Z Smith Procession: J Hyde Music: Jenny & May
Your prayers are asked for
the sick: Tony Becker, June
Bourke, Mely Phybus,
Laura Vella, Kieran Simpson, Sandy Cowling, Maria Karajovanova, Shanon
Breaden, Jamie Griffiths, Jane Dutton, Anne Johnson & ...
Let us pray for those who have died recently: Michael Norquay,Irene Kilby, Glen Clark,Michael Duggan, Thea
Nickolas, Audrey Cabalzar, Sheryl Allen and Robert Rothwell.
Let us pray for those whose anniversary occurs about this time: Sybil Dobinson, Betty Boskell, Betty
Hocking, Edna
Chatwin, Terence Murphy, Stan Nelson, Kevin Barber, Romualdo Bibera Snr and Norris Castles
May they Rest in
Peace
First Reading
BAPTISM:
We welcome and congratulate....
Sophia Stansbie , daughter of Paul and Nicola
who is being baptised this weekend.
Sophia Stansbie , daughter of Paul and Nicola
who is being baptised this weekend.
Voting in the Forthcoming State Election
A Message from the Archbishop
Next week Tasmanians go to the polls to elect a new government. The
Church teaches that the fundamental role of the government is the promotion of
the common good. The common good concerns the conditions necessary for all in
society to flourish as human persons, which involves all dimensions of human
life, physically, morally and spiritually.
While in our political system
citizens do not directly vote for individual pieces of legislation we are not
absolved of responsibility for lawmaking, as we are responsible for electing
the representatives who do make the laws. We should exercise our vote carefully
to ensure that those individuals we do vote for are genuinely committed to the
promotion of the common good and the authentic human flourishing of all within
society.
We must therefore look very
closely at the character of the candidates contesting the election and their
stated position on key social issues, which greatly impact human flourishing,
in particular marriage, family and life issues. We must also consider their
voting history on such issues if they are a current member of parliament or
have previously been a member. There are, of course, other issues that are
relevant to the common good such as employment, education and care of the sick,
poor, and vulnerable and protection of the environment which must also play a
role in our consideration of candidates.
Marriage and Family
We must ensure that those
candidates we place first on the ballot paper will uphold and promote the true
meaning and beauty of marriage and the family which is essential for the
flourishing of society.
The concept of marriage in
both its Christian and secular forms in its very essence has always referred to
the union of a man and woman in a relationship of life-long sexual fidelity.
Marriage is the most basic unit of society, and strong and healthy marriages
are inherently linked to the welfare of children and essential to the
flourishing of society. We must ensure that those we vote for are committed to
strengthening marriage and family life through legislation and government
programs.
Inherent Dignity of the
Human Person
We must also ensure that those
candidates we vote for uphold and promote the dignity and value of all human
life. Respect for the inherent dignity of human life, from conception to
natural death is central to genuine social justice and is closely linked to the
defence of every other human right.
Supporting Mothers and
Unborn Children
It is important that candidates
are committed to helping pregnant mothers, particularly those in crisis, so
that they might receive all the support necessary to safely carry, deliver and
care for their baby.
It is also necessary to
establish the candidate’s position on the defence of the unborn and in
particular their commitment to overturning the recently passed Reproductive
Health Bill which attacks the most vulnerable human beings in our society and
violates our society’s commitment to uphold the human dignity of all.
Supporting the Terminally
Ill
On the matter of the dignity of
every human life, it is important to ensure that the candidates we vote for are
supportive of increasing the provision of palliative care services for those
suffering terminal illness and more generally expanding the provision of high
standard healthcare for the elderly so that they are treated with full love and
respect. It is also important that we only support candidates committed to
ensuring that euthanasia is never legalised. Euthanasia, like abortion, is
always a direct attack on human life. The Church has always stood for a “yes” to
human life, and the protection of human life at every stage and in every
condition.
Our Responsibility
The Church is concerned with
proposing a way of being and living that leads to genuine human happiness and
asks all Catholics to support candidates who share this vision of human life. I
therefore encourage each person to carefully consider whom they are going to
vote for in the Tasmanian
State
Specific information on
individual candidates can be found at the following websites:
FamilyVoice Australia
Australian Christian Lobby:
http://tasvotes.org.au/
+ Julian Porteous
Archbishop of Hobart
4 March 2014
FROM FR MIKE:
Recently we acknowledged a few people who were celebrating
significant birthdays - we would hope to
‘know’ when people are turning from one decade to the next (so any help or forewarning
would be appreciated). In the light of
acknowledging people I would like to wish Stan Adkins of Sheffield
a Happy 90th on 13th March - well done Stan!
Each year the hedge alongside Parish House needs to be
trimmed. Over time it has, however, begun suffering from die back (my term) and
a decision has been made to look at removing the hedge and resulting stumps. A
final decision has not yet been made but any comments, reasons why not should
be forwarded to me asap.
The Lenten Season has now well and truly started. As
mentioned last weekend there is an App for the Caritas Lenten Calendar
available to help people reflect more closely on what the Project Compassion Theme is for the week and
how we can do things in our daily lives to reflect the program for the week. Also,
there are now a couple of other places where the Stations of the Cross are
being held during Lent - please check elsewhere in the Newsletter for the times
and places where this devotion is being celebrated.
Next weekend we will vote for a new Parliament. Being a
leader in our community is a challenge and so I pray that we will choose wisely
when we vote so that our community and our State will benefit from men and
women committed to making a difference and not simply making a name for
themselves.
The Broken Bay Institute has been providing online
materials for faith formation over many years and the link below is part of
their latest offering. The material has
been prepared by Fr Gerald O’Collins sj, a noted Theologian, and provides a
chance for people to think about their faith. Please take a moment to have a
look.
Broken Bay Institute:
News and events: http://www.bbi.catholic.edu.au/adult-faith/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=114&id=337
Don't forget - each weekend the online version of the Newsletter contains more material that we are not able to include in the printed edition because of space constraints. In last weeks edition there was a report of an interview with Pope Francis who on Thursday (13th) celebrated 1 year since his election as Pontiff.
An aspect of Church Life that we don't deal well with is the practice of 'succession planning'. A couple of instances of the need to broaden our resource (personnel) base have arisen lately - one in the parish Office and the other is the Catholic contribution to Gran's Van Sunday Stew and Bun run (I quickly add that neither are in immediate danger of ending but help is needed).
The Gran's Van issue is a little more immediate as we would like to have someone helping out this APRIL - our next once a year turn for the Sunday night program. If anyone is able to assist please contact the Parish Office or me for further information.
Unfortunately, due to a whole range of more immediate events, I have not been able to contact those who responded to the previous invitation to indicate interest re assisting in the Office - hopefully I will get back to them within the next week (or so). It is not too late to contact me regarding this invite.
An aspect of Church Life that we don't deal well with is the practice of 'succession planning'. A couple of instances of the need to broaden our resource (personnel) base have arisen lately - one in the parish Office and the other is the Catholic contribution to Gran's Van Sunday Stew and Bun run (I quickly add that neither are in immediate danger of ending but help is needed).
The Gran's Van issue is a little more immediate as we would like to have someone helping out this APRIL - our next once a year turn for the Sunday night program. If anyone is able to assist please contact the Parish Office or me for further information.
Unfortunately, due to a whole range of more immediate events, I have not been able to contact those who responded to the previous invitation to indicate interest re assisting in the Office - hopefully I will get back to them within the next week (or so). It is not too late to contact me regarding this invite.
Until next week, take care on the roads and in your homes,
Fr Mike
OUR LENTEN LITURGY IN 2014:
The entire Christian community is invited to live this
period of forty days as a pilgrimage of repentance, conversion and renewal. In
the Bible, the number forty is rich in symbolism. It recalls Israel
Our liturgy too leads us ever deeper into the paschal
mystery this Lent by:
- Use
of violet/purple vestments. Violet recalls suffering, mourning, simplicity
and austerity.
- Mass
will begin with a sung Penitential Rite, Kyrie Eleison or Lord
have mercy. On the 1st,
3rd and 5th Sundays of Lent, the Rite of Sprinkling
(Asperges) may take place after Father has reverenced the altar. The name
‘Asperges’ comes from the first word in the 9th verse of Psalm
51
in the Latin translation, the Vulgate.
- Silence
before and after the readings and after the homily RGIRM (2007) 45.
- At
the breaking of the bread (the fraction rite) there will be a short
reflection before intoning the Lamb of God.
- The
absence of flowers due to the penitential nature of the season.
- The
congregation leaves the church after the singing of a brief final hymn, then
following the celebrant in respectful silence.
- There
is no Gloria or Alleluia verse (replaced by a Gospel acclamation).
- Images
are veiled immediately before the 5th Sunday of Lent in
accordance with local custom.
This week we meet Maristely who
lives with her family in a favela (slum) in Brazil Sao Paulo Australia 's partner, the Movement for the
Defence of Favela Residents, is changing lives across 40 favelas in Sao Paulo
Please donate to Project Compassion today. Your solidarity
means communities like Maristely's close to your hearts. Together we will build
a world filled with love, compassion and dignity for all.
CWL DEVONPORT: Meeting Wednesday 12th March at 2.00 pm.
CWL ULVERSTONE: Meeting Friday 14th March - 2pm - Community Room Ulverstone.
CCR RALLY: Join with local Catholic Charismatic Renewal prayer groups
and guest presenter Dan Hewitt, Chairman of CCR. Perth Heart Church
Mersey Leven Catholic Parish invites all
parishioners
'young and old' to a night of Irish fun
at our Old Time Dance
Friday 14th March, 2014 -
Parish Hall Devonport at 7:30pm.
Cost $5 - BYO glass and plate of supper.
For more information
please contact;
Debbie Rimmelzwaan 6425:1384, Tony Ryan 6424:1508,
Sharine & Trevor Johnstone 6425:3925, Michael Hendrey 6427:8659, Merv & Louise Tippett 6424:1025
MACKILLOP HILL:
ST PATRICK'S DAY SOUP AND SANDWICH LUNCHEON: – A light-hearted celebration! Bring a friend! Enjoy a delicious lunch! Wear a Shamrock …. Leprechauns welcome! Monday 17th March 12 noon start, RSVP 13th March. Bookings essential. Phone 6428:3095 Email: rsjforth@bigpond.net.au
LEGION OF MARY: Invite
members of the Parish to their annual Acias (Consecration to Our Lady) at Sacred Heart
Church
HEY KIDS,
We would love to see your pictures at church!
All children are invited to draw a picture of their
favourite story of Jesus. We would like
to use the pictures to decorate the parish newsletter, the churches and the
overhead screens.
Please send your picture (or a colour copy) to the parish
office 90 Stewart Street mlcathparish-dsl@keypoint.com.au . Please include your name, age and a short
description of the picture. You will
receive a small gift for sharing your picture with us. We look forward to
receiving your pictures.
Come along and have some fun with BINGO
Thursday Nights
- OLOL Hall, Devonport
Eyes down
7.30pm!
Callers for Thursday 13th March are
Merv
Tippett and Alan Luxton.
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE ARCHDIOCESE:
PALM SUNDAY
PILGRIMAGE 2014 - will be held in Hobart
URGENT:
Palm Sunday Pilgrimage Volunteers Needed! Catholic
Youth Ministry needs Volunteers to help out on the day at Palm Sunday
Pilgrimage 2014 in Hobart
MYSTERIOUS
MOVEMENTS – LENT RETREAT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE! Join
CYM and the dynamic Fr Morgan Batt and Adam Burns from the Archdiocese of
Brisbane to help us on our Lenten journey.
Friday 21st – Saturday 22nd March at Emmanuel Centre,
Newstead. Register by 6th
March to make use of the early bird discount rate! For more info go
to: cymtas.org.au/lent2014 or contact Rachelle: rachelle.smith@aohtas.org.au
RACHEL'S VINEYARD: can help you find your inner voice?
It can help you experience God's love and compassion on a profound level. It
creates a place where men and women can share, often for the first time, their
deepest feelings about abortion. You are allowed to dismantle troubling secrets
in an environment of emotional and spiritual safety. To speak to someone please
phone Anne Sherston on the confidential phone line 6229:8739 or email rachelsvineyardtas@aapt.net.au
The next retreat is on May 23rd to 25th 2014.
“Despite our high standard of living, many Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people live in poverty, and they experience systematic
neglect and denial of their rights to land, cultural identity,
self-determination and resources. Indigenous Australian males have a life
expectancy 11.5 years lower than other Australians and Indigenous females 9.7
years lower. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people suffer from higher
rates of heart disease, diabetes and respiratory disease than the rest of the
population. Indigenous children aged under five years are twice as likely to
die during infancy compared with the rest of the Australian population.”
From the Australian Catholic Bishop’s Social Justice
Statement 2013-2014: Lazarus at our Gate: A critical moment in the fight
against world poverty.
JustNet
Newsletter:
The
latest JustNet newsletter from the Tasmanian Catholic Justice and Peace
Commission is available online. Articles in this issue include: Your
Vote, a Vote for the Marginalised, Principles of Social Justice to Consider,
Project Compassion, Welcome the Stranger Affirmations, and a media release from
the Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office. The JustNet Newsletter is available at
http://www.hobart.catholic.org.au/sites/TCJPC/TCJPC.html. If you would like to receive the newsletter by email or post,
contact Margaret on tcjpc@aohtas.org.au or ring
62086271.
National Lament:
Many people throughout Australia struggle with the conditions
to which people seeking asylum in Australia are being subjected to. In response
to the desire for prayer and action, Catholic Religious Australia is launching a
“National Lament”. The National Lament is a campaign of prayer, penance and
action for people seeking asylum in Australia. They are seeking to make a
Christian response to these people, rather than treating them as a “problem” to
be solved. More information and the Reflection and Prayer Sheet are available
at: http://
www.catholicreligiousaustralia.org/index.php/component/k2/item/1260-national-lament
Evangelii
Gaudium
Evangelisation takes
place in obedience to the missionary mandate of Jesus: ‘Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I have commanded you.’
(Matthew 28:19-20)
-
Para 19, from Apostolic
Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Pope
Francis, Nov. 24, 2013
Do the baptized have need of conversion?
The
call of Christ to conversion continues to resound in the lives of the baptised.
Conversion is a continuing obligation for the whole Church. She is holy but
includes sinners in her midst.
-
From: Compendium
of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Paragraph 299
(Prepared & contributed by the Catholic
Enquiry Centre http://www.catholicenquiry.com)
Saint
of the Week – St
Maximilian (Friday, March 14)
St Maximilian was only 21
years old when he gave his life, as punishment for refusing to enlist in the
Roman army. Confronted with the threat of death, for his stance, Maximilian
told authorities: ‘I will never serve. You can cut off my head but I will not
be a soldier of this world, for I am a soldier of Christ. My army is the army
of God, and I cannot fight for this world. I tell you, I am a Christian.’
Despite being told that
other Christians were serving in the army, he still refused. ‘That is their
business. I also am a Christian, and I cannot serve.’ For his stubbornness and
conviction, he was executed. He went to his death declaring: ‘I shall not die.
If I go from this earth, my soul will live with Christ my Lord.’
Words of Wisdom
St Francis of Assisi
Meme of the week
The
purpose of a ‘meme’ is to convey, using text and words, a truth or a statement,
with a touch of humour. This is one is a great example – take a normal,
standard photo of the Pope, with a visiting dignitary, add a witty one-liner
and, hey presto, you have a meme!
POPE FRANCIS - 1ST ANNIVERSARY OF PONTIFICATE - 13TH MARCH 2014
Pope Francis has marked the first anniversary of his pontificate with a wide-ranging interview touching on his views on a host of topics, including the role of women in the Catholic church, the ongoing clergy sexual abuse crisis, and possible changes to the church's family pastoral practices.
Published Wednesday simultaneously in Italy and Argentina, the interview seems to find the pontiff walking a bit of a tightrope -- expressing support for church teachings that have sometimes divided Catholics but also calling for mercy and consideration in their application.
Speaking on the church's prohibition on the use of artificial contraception, for example, Francis says a lot depends on how you consider Pope Paul VI's 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, which reaffirmed the ban. But, Francis also says, Paul was a "genius" in making the decision.
"It all depends on how you interpreted Humanae Vitae," states Francis in the interview, published in Italy by the daily Corriere della Sera. "The same Paul VI, in the end, recommended to confessors much mercy, attention to concrete situations." Pope Paul, states Francis: "Had the courage to stand against the majority, to defend the moral discipline, to exercise cultural restraint."
"The question is not that of changing the doctrine, but to go deep and to ensure that pastoral care takes into account situations and what is possible for people," the pontiff continues.
Wednesday’s interview, published in Spanish by the Argentinian paperLa Nación, was conducted by Ferruccio de Bortoli, the editor-in-chief of the Italian paper. It is the latest of several lengthy the interviews the pontiff has granted in the year since his election as pope on March 13, 2013.
The interview contains some of the pope's only public words on the sexual abuse crisis, which continues to roil dioceses across the world. Asked about the subject, Francis replies: "I want to say two things."
"The cases of abuse are awful because they leave profound wounds," he states. "Benedict XVI was very courageous and has opened a way. On this way the church has done so much. Perhaps most of all."
"The statistics of the phenomenon of violence against children are staggering, but show clearly that the vast majority of abuse happens in the family setting and neighborhood," he continues.
"The Catholic church is maybe the only public institution to have moved with transparency and responsibility," he states. "No one else has done more. Yet the church is the only one to be attacked."
In the nearly 3,000-word exchange the pope also touches on a number of personal subjects, calling himself "a man who laughs, cries, sleeps peacefully, and has friends like everyone else. A normal person."
At one point the pontiff says he does not think he will be able to visit his native Argentina before 2016 because of expected trips first to the Holy Land, Asia, and Africa. He says he wants to visit his ailing sister, the last of his four siblings: "But this does not justify a trip to Argentina."
The pontiff also states that he doesn't like his fame and seems to make reference to a depiction of himself as a superhero in a drawing on the wall of a building near the Vatican. Citing a phrase of Sigmund Freud that "in every idealization there is an aggression," the pope states: "To depict the Pope as a kind of superman or a star seems to me offensive."
Turning to his focus on family issues, Francis says the family is going through a "very serious crisis."
"It is difficult to form [a family]," he states. "The young people marry little. There are many separated families in which the project of common life has failed. The children suffer much."
Mentioning a worldwide meeting of bishops (known as a synod) on the topic of family life he has called for October and a Feb. 20-21 meeting of the church's cardinals (known as a consistory) on the subject, Francis says: "We have to give a response."
"But for this we need to reflect very deeply," he states. "That is what the consistory and the synod are doing. We need to avoid remaining on the surface."
"It is the light of the profound reflection that will seriously address the particular situations, including those of the divorced, with pastoral profoundness," he continues.
Asked if the meetings of the cardinals on the subject involved discussions or disagreements, the pope states: "I would be worried if in the consistory there had not been an intensive discussion, that would not have served anything."
"The cardinals knew they could say what they wanted, and have presented many different points of view," he continues. "Open and fraternal discussions grow theological and pastoral thinking. Of this I am not afraid, rather I seek it."
Asked why he doesn't speak as much about the church's teachings which are sometimes called "non-negotiable," like sexual and bioethical morality, the pope replies bluntly: "I never understood the term non-negotiable values."
"Values are just values," he states. "I cannot say that between the fingers of one hand there is one less useful than the other. So I do not understand in what sense there can be negotiable values."
"What I had to say on the topic of life, I wrote in the exhortation Evangelii Gaudium," he says, referring to his recent apostolic exhortation, titled "The Joy of the Gospel" in English.
Regarding the subject of women’s roles in the church, the pope says, "it is true that women can and should be more present in the places of decision of the church."
"But this I would call a promotion of functional type," he states. "[Moving] only in this way you do not come far down the road."
"We must rather think that the church ... is feminine from its origins," he continues. Mentioning the 20th century Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, the pope states that, "the Marian principle guides the church next to Peter."
The pope promises that a "theological deepening" on this subject is "in progress." CardinalStanisław Ryłko, the president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the pope says, "is in working in this direction with many women who are experts in various subjects."
Later in the interview the pope says he is currently reading an Italian book on the subject titledPietro e Maddalena, Il Vangelo corre a due voci (Peter and Mary Magdalene, The Gospel Runs in Two Voices in English), by Damiano Marzotto.
At other points in the interview the pontiff also addresses a number of other topics, including: the Catholic church's relations with the Orthodox churches, his opinion on same-sex unions, globalization, and his position of acquisition of wealth by Christians.
To the last topic he says, “the Gospel condemns the cult of wellbeing" and emphasizes that when we are judged in death “our closeness to poverty” will be counted.
“Poverty keeps idolatry far away, and opens the door to Providence," he states.
With the Orthodox, he says, "it is important that we walk together."
"Orthodox theology is very rich," he states. "And I think that they have at this time the great theologians. Their vision of the Church and collegiality is wonderful."
Asked about same-sex marriage, he responds: "Marriage is between a man and a woman."
"The secular states want to justify civil unions to regulate different situations of living together, driven by the need to regulate economic aspects between people, like ensuring health care," he states, saying he can't identify the ways different countries are addressing the matter.
"We need to see the different cases and evaluate them in their variety," he states.
[Joshua J. McElwee is NCR national correspondent. His email address is jmcelwee@ncronline.org. Follow him on Twitter: @joshjmac.]
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