POPE NOTES THAT WORK IS FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT IN DIGNITY OF PERSON

Vatican City, 1 May 2013 (VIS) – The importance of work and contemplating Jesus, following Joseph and Mary's example, were the central themes of the Pope's first catechesis in the month of May, which coincided with the feast of St. Joseph the Worker.

Before the more than 70,000 persons gathered in St. Peter's Square for the general audience, the Pope explained that Jesus “enters into our history, comes among us, born of Mary by an act of God, but with the presence of St. Joseph, his legal father who cares for him and also teaches him his work … the trade of carpentry in his workshop in Nazareth, sharing with him the commitment, the fatigue, the satisfaction, and also the difficulties of every day. This reminds us of the dignity and importance of labour. The Book of Genesis narrates that God created man and woman, entrusting to them the task of filling and subduing the earth, which did not mean exploiting it but cultivating and safeguarding it, caring for it with their very labour.”

“Labour is part of God's plan of love. We are called to cultivate and safeguard all the goods of creation and, in this way, we participate in the act of creation! Labour is a fundamental element for the dignity of a person. … It makes us like God, who laboured and labours, who always acts. He gives us the capacity to maintain ourselves, our family, to contribute to the growth of our own nations. Here,” the pontiff added, “I am thinking of the difficulties that, in various countries, the world of labour and business encounters today. I am think of how many, and not just young persons, are unemployed,often because of an economistic conception of society that seeks selfish profit, outside the parameters of social justice.”

“I would like to invite all to solidarity, and encourage those responsible for public affairs to make every effort to give new impetus to employment. This means having care for the dignity of the person. Mostly I would like to say not to lose hope. Even St. Joseph had difficult moments, but he never lost trust and he knew how to overcome them with the certainty that God does not abandon us. “

After that exhortation, the Bishop of Rome referenced another troubling situation, “slave labour”, work that enslaves. “How many persons around the world are victims of this type of slavery in which the person is at the service of labour while it should be labour that offers service to the person so that they might have dignity. I ask our brothers and sisters in the faith and all men and women of good will to make a decisive choice against the trafficking of persons within which 'slave labour' figures.”

The Pope then touched upon the second theme of his catechesis, Jesus, who was Joseph and Mary's shared centre of attention in the silence of their everyday actions. The attitude of both is revealed in how the Virgin, as St. Luke narrates in his Gospel, “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” “In order to listen to the Lord, we need to learn how to contemplate him, to perceive his constant presence in our lives. We need to stop and dialogue with him, give him space with our prayer. … Let us remember the Lord more during our days!”

During this month of May, I would like to recall the important and the beauty of praying the Holy Rosary,” Francis continued, “contemplating the mysteries of Jesus, reflecting, that is, on the central moments of his life, so that, as for Mary and St. Joseph, He may be the centre of our thoughts, of our concerns, and of our actions. It would be beautiful if, above all during this month of May, we would recite together in our families, with our friends, and in our parishes, the Holy Rosary or some prayer to Jesus and the Virgin Mary. Praying together is a precious moment for making our family life and our friendship more steadfast! Let us learn to pray more in our families and as a family!”

“Let us ask St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary,” the Holy Father concluded, “to teach us to be faithful to our everyday commitments, to live our faith in our everyday actions, and to give more space to the Lord in our lives, to stop and contemplate his face.”

Bishop laments 'gay marriage' approval in New Zealand - Sad day for Kiwis

Wellington, New Zealand, Apr 18, 2013 / 04:15 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Archbishop John Dew of Wellington, president of the Bishops’ Conference of New Zealand, has expressed profound sadness over the authorization of ‘gay marriage’ by the country’s Parliament on April 17.

“We find it bizarre that what has been discarded is an understanding of marriage that has its origin in human nature and is common to every culture,” said Archbishop John Dew, according to CathNews.

He also voiced concern that “almost all references to husband and wife will be removed from legislation referencing marriage.”

“We know many New Zealanders stand with us in this,” he said.

By a vote of 77-44, New Zealand became the first country in the Pacific region and the thirteenth country in the world to grant legal recognition to same-sex “marriage.”

The law was sponsored by Labor representative Louisa Wall, who said it was necessary to secure “equal rights.”

Representative Maurice Williamson, who supported the measure, dismissed Catholic criticism as “coming from someone who’s taken an oath of celibacy for his whole life.”

However, Archbishop Dew stressed that marriage “is founded on sexual difference” and “reflects this unique reality.”

“Marriage is the essential human institution that predates religion and state,” he said. “It is a committed union between a man and a woman which has a natural orientation towards the procreation of new human life.”

“We’ve been assured that our religious freedom to teach and practice marriage according to our religious beliefs is protected, and we will continue to ensure that this freedom is upheld,” he added.

Pope warns against work that enslaves man

Vatican City, May 1, 2013 / 10:42 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Marking the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker, Pope Francis said at his General Audience this week that work should serve man and contribute to his dignity, rather than man serving his work.

“How many people worldwide are victims of this type of slavery, in which the person is at the service of his or her work, while work should offer a service to people so they may have dignity,” the Pope said May 1 at St. Peter's Square.

He added a plea to “my brothers and sisters in faith and all men and women of good will for a decisive choice to combat trafficking in persons, which is a part of 'slave labor.'”

Rather than a restricted view of “slave labor” focusing only on enslavement and human trafficking, the Pope said that any “work that enslaves” could be considered “slave labor.”

Work should instead respect the inherent worth of the human person, as Christ learned growing up from his legal father, St. Joseph.

“Jesus is born and lives in a family, in the Holy Family, learning the craft of carpenter from Saint Joseph in his workshop in Nazareth, sharing with him the commitment, effort, satisfaction, and also the difficulties of every day.”

Pope Francis said this is a reminder for us of the “dignity and importance” of labor. “Work is part of God's loving plan,” he said, and the Lord calls us to “cultivate and care for all the goods of creation,” thereby participating in the “work of creation.”

“Work is fundamental to the dignity of a person. Work, to use an image, 'anoints' us with dignity, fills us with dignity, makes us similar to God, who has worked and still works, who always acts; it gives us the ability to maintain ourselves, our family, to contribute to the growth of our nation.”

The Holy Father then reflected on the unemployment afflicting so many, which he said is often due to “a purely economic conception of society, which seeks selfish profit, beyond the parameters of social justice.”

In light of this situation, he called for solidarity among all persons, for politicians to encourage employment out of care “for the dignity of the person,” and for people everywhere to maintain hope.

“St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the certainty that God never abandons us,” he remarked.

Pope Francis exhorted young people to be committed to their daily duties – study, work, friendship and aid to others – reminding them that “your future also depends on how you live these precious years of your life.”

“Do not be afraid of commitment, of sacrifice” he told them, “and do not look with fear towards the future; keep your hope alive: there is always a light on the horizon.”

He concluded by reflecting that St. Joseph and Mary both focused their attention on Christ, and they are models for us.

“To listen to the Lord, we must learn to contemplate, feel His constant presence in our lives and we must stop and converse with Him, give him space in prayer,” he said. “Let us remember the Lord more in our daily life!”

Noting that May is dedicated to Our Lady, Pope Francis reminded his listeners that the Rosary and the Hail Mary lead us to contemplate the mysteries of Christ, “that is, to reflect on the key moments of his life, so that, as with Mary and St. Joseph, he is the center of our thoughts, of our attention and our actions.”

“It would be nice if, especially in this month of May, we could pray the Holy Rosary together in the family, with friends, in the parish, or some prayer to Jesus and the Virgin Mary!” he suggested. “Praying together is a precious moment that further strengthens family life, friendship!”