noteworthy Pope Francis
noteworthy Pope Francis on Marriage: ‘Sometimes even plates fly’ By Iacopo Scaramuzzi In a recent homily at one of his daily masses, Pope Francis proposed the formula for a successful marriage. Speaking without notes and in exceedingly plain but powerful language that has become the hallmark trait of this Pontiff, Francis called the many challenges that modern marriages face part of the human condition. “God makes one existence of the two spouses — the Bible says ‘one flesh’ — in the image of His love,” he said. “We know the many trials and difficulties that the lives of a married couple encounter ... work, money and children problems. There are always quarrels in families; sometimes, even plates fly!” “You don’t need to call the United Nations to your home to make peace,” said the Pontiff. “All that’s needed are three magic words: please, thank you and sorry.” Marriage, he said, “takes us into the very heart of God’s loving plan, which is a covenant with His people, with all of us, a plan of communion. Early in the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, at the culmination of the Creation it states: ‘God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them ... For this a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they become one flesh.’” The Pope then continued off the cuff, saying, “the image of God is the married couple, a man and a woman, both of them, not only male, man, not only the woman, no: both. And this is the image of God, and of love, God’s covenant with us is there, it is represented in this covenant between man and woman. And this is truly beautiful! We are created to love as a mirror image of God and His love. And in the conjugal union man and woman fulfil this vocation as a sign of reciprocity and the full and definitive communion of life.” He added, “The real bond is always with the Lord. When the family prays, the bond is maintained. When husband prays for his wife and the wife for her husband, that bond becomes stronger. Pray with one another.” The Pope continued in a straightforward manner. “It’s true that in married life there are so many difficulties, so many, right? Work, not enough money, problems with children ... so many difficulties. Often the husband or the wife, they become a bit ‘nervous’ and quarrel among themselves. No? They fight! This always happens; there are always quarrels in families, but sometimes, even plates fly! You may laugh, but it’s the truth! We must not be sad about this. It is the human condition. But the secret is that your love is stronger than your quarrel. And for this I have a piece of advice for couples: Never let the sun set on a quarrel, without making peace. Never!” Coptic chosen as personal secretary Coptic Catholic Yoannis Lahzi Gaid has been chosen by Pope Francis as a second personal secretary to work alongside Argentinean priest Fr. Fabián Pedacchio. Lahzi Gaid is also one of the translators who reads out the Gospel and summarizes the Pope’s General Audience catecheses in Arabic. Francis’ new secretary has been living in the St. Martha’s House residence and knows Italy well: He was assistant parish priest of Latina (central Italy). In 2007 he edited a volume of texts from the Code of Canon Law for the Eastern Churches; he was then made charge d’affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature of Jordan and Iraq and worked for the Holy See’s embassy in Congo before returning to the Vatican. He was previously also editor of the website of the Church in Alexandria, Egypt. In 2011, following the bloody attacks against the Coptic community, he wrote an open letter to the Imam of Al Azhar University. Vatican observers say that the fact that the Bishop of Rome has chosen someone who belongs to a different religious rite – in this case the ancient Coptic rite – as one of his closest collaborators for the first time in modern history is of great significance. — Vatican Insider NOTICE: 2014 TAX APPEAL REDUCE YOUR PROPERTY TAX BURDEN DEADLINE MAY 31 ST NO LEGAL FEES UNLESS YOUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE REDUCED* GET RESULTS! Commercial Industrial Residential OTHER AREAS OF PRACTICE... Michigan Tax Disputes IRS Representation Business Law Customs Seizures *For most commercial and industrial properties. Shawn G. Jappaya Attorney Counselor CPA Named as a Top Lawyer by: sjappaya@jappayalaw.com Main: 248.626.6800 Fax: 248.626.6805 7125 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 301 West Bloomfield, MI 48322 J appaya Law, PLC 12 CHALDEAN NEWS MAY 2014
MAY 2014 CHALDEAN NEWS 13
