Visit to the apostles’ portals is mandatory to all residential bishops. This visit takes place, normally, once every five years. Main objective is to strengthen the fraternal and charitable bond between bishops and the Holy See. A 5-year report is sent months before the actual visit.
Twenty-seven bishops from Mindanao(20) and the Metropolitan Province of Lipa (7) made their visit on 21 February – 5 March 2011.
Three parts: (1) meeting with Pope Benedict XVI; (2) masses in the 4 major basilicas; and (3) visits to congregations, pontifical councils, pontifical commissions, etc.
Feb. 21, 7:30am. Mass atSt.Peter’s at altar of the Tomb of St. Peter. 9:30, Congregation for Divine Worship, Card. Antonio Cańizares Llovera, Prefect. New ICEL Roman Missal. Binations and Trinations. Minster of Confirmation. Multiple stipends? (1 for priest, rest to Bishop) Rito Toledano, wedding rite used inPhilippines, is moso-arabico. Used only in 6 parishes in Toledo Archdiocese (Spain). Now revised. 11:00am, Congregation for the Clergy. Prefect Card. Mauro Piacenza was absent. Secretary presided.
Protocol on sexual abuse by priests. Christ is strength of priests. Identity of priests. Security Bearers of the sacred. Intellectual formation is very important. Dispensation of priests-fathers (children should have fathers as they grow up).
Feb. 22, 9:30am. Congregation for Bishops, Card. Marc Ouellet, PSS, Prefect – a very congenial person. Bishops to accompany priests. Holy, knowledgeable, shepherds after Christ’s heart, peace-makers, able to read “signs of the times”, faithful to Pope.
Feb. 23, 4:00pm. Mass at St. Paul’s outside the Walls. 5:30pm, dinner with L’ Opera della Chiesa, the community of priests, religious women and lay providing transport for bishops.
Feb. 24, 9:30am. Council for Justice and Peace. Card. Peter Koduvo Appiah Turkson, President. Human Rights Mindanao Conflict. Ecological degradation. No official stand on GMO, specially BT Corn, BT eggs, etc. The officials are new. Not knowledgeable about global situation. 10:30am, Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants. Abp. Antonio Maria Veglio, President. Very genial. Proposal: to make Apostolatus Maris (Apostolate of the Sea) a Vicariate. No clear response. 4:00pm, Mass at St.Mary Major.
Feb. 25, 9:30am. Congregation for Catholic Education. Card. Zenon Grocholewski, Prefect. 11:00am, Council “Cor Unum”, Card. Robert Sarah, President.
Feb. 26, 11:00am. Personal meeting with Holy Father. Seven Mindanao bishops had a photo session with Pope Benedict XVI. Then he blessed the religious articles presented by the bishops for later distribution. Finally, conference with the Pope. Mining, logging, GKKs (Small Christian Communities – Pope’s concern), vocations, formation of lay leaders, Reproductive Health Bill, gambling, drug, Christian-Muslim relations: Bishops-Ulama Conference, Interreligious dialogue, etc. each bishop gave a report on these matters. A very holy man. Welcoming. Happy. Intelligent. Accommodating – he autographed his book “Light of the World” which I bought the other day.
Feb. 28, 11:00am. Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue – Card. Jean – Louis Tauran – Prefect. 4:00pm, Mass at St.John Lateran. 6:00pm, dinner with Ambassador Mercy Tuazon at her residence, Parioli, rich suburb.
Mar. 2, 9:30am. Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Card. Ivan Dias, Prefect.
Mar. 3, 11:30am. General meeting with Pope. All 27 bishops belonging to the 3rd and last batch met with the Holy Father at the Sala Clementina. His address touched on the necessity of catechesis today so that people would understand the Church’s teachings on faith and morals. He also emphasized parents’ role as the first educators of their children in the faith. Pope Benedict XVI thanked the bishops for the wonderful job in these areas. He mentioned the priests’ dedication to service, emphasizing St. Paul’s words: “Let us not grow weary of doing good; if we do not relax our efforts, in due time we shall reap our harvest” (Gal. 6:9). He praised the bishops for putting in place programs of continuing formation for young priests. Recollections, yearly retreats and programs for priests in difficult situations, are to be promoted. Mass of the Chrism is an occasion to remind priests of their commitment to celibacy. Obedience and an ever greater dedication to pastoral service. He also acknowledged efforts in ecumenism and inter-religious dialogues for mutual understanding and the advancement of the common good of humanity.
Mar. 5, 11:30am. Personal audiences with Pope. Last group of bishops.
