Ever wonder when the papal press conferences in the sky began?

ON AIR BOARD, September 12, 1990: John Paul II talks to journalists on a flight to Tanzania.

Francis makes a cell phone video about Chile while flying back to Rome — SATIRE —

Related:

• the Diocese of Osorno (Chile) welcomes it's new bishop (accused of covering up sex abuse), Juan Barros Madrid!

• Francis demonstrates his cognitive dissonance by writing a preface to a book on child sex abuse committed by clergy

• Francis re-defrocks fellow Novus Ordo priest in the name of defending Orthodox Judaism

• Francis caps off his ‘Deforestation of Hope’ Tour with in-flight entertainment

Put on your surprise face... the wedding ceremony Francis conducted at 36,000 feet looks to have been planned in advance!

The article excerpted below was published by Emol Nacional on 19 December 2017.

In our previous post, Another one from the ‘You can’t make this stuff up’ file — Francis marries couple aboard airplane flight Francis’ Flying Circus, we wrote:

Well, it turns out to have been planned as both Carlos and Paula (the steward and stewardess) said in an interview, published on 19 December 2017, how they wanted Francis to marry them while in the sky!


Excerpt begins...

Marriage in the air

Carlos and Paula met 10 years ago on board of an airplane, and there they have lived their lives so far. "It's already our home," he said. Therefore, to receive Jorge Bergoglio there "is an honor for us, not only as a family, but as workers of this company to be entrusted in such a great mission for our company."

In fact, the crew members were chosen as among the best in the company. While Podest was awarded as "Service Leader" this [year] 2017, Ciuffardi won the award last year.

Paula assured that "this is [not only] a recognition that they are giving us, but all those who are here are service leaders, all have been highlighted in some way by the company."

Both were married in a civil service eight years ago and they now have two daughters, 3 and 6 years old.  Nevertheless, they plan to get married in the Church soon, what they didn't manage to do: the date of the marriage was set for February 27, 2010.

"We couldn't get married in the Church because the of earthquake in 2010, the church fell, everything fell, so we started to postpone it, we started working, then our daughters arrived," Ciuffardi said.

Thus, both hope that in January this delayed plan can finally materialize on the plane and be guided by none other than Pope Francis himself. "We would love it, it's our place, it's our second home, it's where we feel safe," Podest said.

(English translation by CMJ)

 Spanish original...

Matrimonio en los aires 

Carlos y Paula se conocieron hace 10 años arriba de un avión, y ahí han formado su vida hasta el momento. "Es nuestra casa ya", aseguró él. Por eso, recibir a Jorge Bergoglio allí "es un honor para nosotros, no solamente como familia, sino como trabajadores de esta empresa de poder ser encomendados en tal magna misión para nuestra empresa".

De hecho, los tripulantes fueron escogidos entre los mejores de la compañía. Mientras Podest fue premiada como "Líder de Servicio" este 2017, Ciuffardi obtuvo el galardón el año pasado.

Paula aseguró que "este es un reconocimiento que nos están haciendo, pero todos los que están acá son líderes de servicio, todos han sido destacados de alguna manera por la compañía".

Ambos se casaron por el civil hace ocho años y ahora tienen dos hijas, de 3 y 6 años. Sin embargo, planeaban casarse por la Iglesia al poco tiempo, lo que no alcanzaron a hacer: la fecha del matrimonio estaba fijada para el 27 de febrero de 2010.

"No pudimos casarnos por la Iglesia porque fue el terremoto de 2010, se cayeron las iglesia, se cayó todo. Así que lo empezamos a aplazar, empezamos a trabajar, después llegaron las hijas", contó Ciuffardi.

Así, ambos esperan que en enero próximo este postergado plan pueda finalmente concretarse sobre el avión y dirigido nada menos que por el mismísimo Papa Francisco. "Nos encantaría. Es nuestro lugar, es nuestra segunda casa, es donde nos sentimos seguros", manifestó Podest.

source: Emol Nacional, Con emoción y nerviosismo: Tripulación del avión que trasladará al Papa en Chile cuenta cómo recibieron la noticia

archived: http://archive.is/YKumS

P. T. Barnum could learn a trick or two from 

Francis and his Flying Circus!

Another one from the ‘You can’t make this stuff up’ file — Francis marries couple aboard airplane flight

Francis’ Flying Circus

"A small ceremony was started in the place, he asked us for the rings and he asked us if there was love in our marriage, if we wanted to continue together our entire lives," said Carlos Ciuffardi, cabin crewman and brand new husband of Paula Podest, cabin manager.

The Pope asked Ciuffardi if Paula was still the boss, to which she replied "yes".

"And I'm still the boss," she added smiling.

source: La Cronica, Papa realiza primera boda en avión

Francis presides at the wedding ceremony of Latam Airlines flight attendants Carlos Ciuffardi Elorriaga and Paula Podest Ruiz, civilly married for ten years with two daughters — Rafaella, 6, and Isabella, 3.

Paula Podest Ruiz, 39, and Carlos Ciuffardi Elorriga, 41, told Francisco that they were married as a civilian, and although they had planned their religious ceremony in a church in Santiago, it could not be carried out because it suffered serious damage in the earthquake of 2010.

Because of this, the crew members asked for the blessing for their marriage. But he had something else in mind.

"Do you want me to marry you?" Asked the Supreme Pontiff. "Here?" Replied the astonished spouses.

The Pope said yes and made a brief ceremony in the front of the plane.

Ignacio Cueto, chairman of the board of LATAM Airlines, was an official witness and a document was signed by a Chilean bishop on board.

"Everything is valid. Everything is official, "said Vatican spokesman Greg Burke. "We will show you an image of the document later," he added.

source: Circulo Rojo de Mexico,EL PAPA FRANCISCO CELEBRA BODA EN PLENO VUELO

Bride Paola Podest, 39, and groom Carlos Ciuffardi, 41, said “I do” after telling Francis that they had been married in a civil service in 2010 but had been unable to follow up with a church ceremony because of the Feb. 27, 2010, earthquake that rocked Chile.

Francis then offered to marry the LATAM flight attendants aboard the aircraft en route to the northern city of Iquique, and they readily agreed. The head of the airline served as the witness.

“He told me it’s historic, that there has never before been a pope who married someone aboard a plane,” Ciuffardi told journalists in the aisle of the Airbus 321.

Ciuffardi said the pope also told them: “This is the sacrament that is missing in the world, the sacrament of marriage. May this motivate others to get the sacrament of marriage. I’ll do it for this reason.”

source: Time, Pope Francis Performs First Airborne Papal Wedding During Flight in Chile

The hand-written document, signed by Francis, attesting to the wedding of  

Paula Podest Ruiz and Carlos Ciuffardi Elorriaga aboard the papal plane.

The remarkable wedding transpired seemingly spontaneously, as is often the case with the ever-surprising Francis: The flight crew was gathering in the front of the plane for a photo with the pope when the couple told him they were married and he motioned for them to sit next to him.

"We told him that we are husband and wife, that we have two daughters and that we would have loved to receive his blessing," Ciuffardi said. "All of a sudden he asked us if we were married in the church, too."

The couple explained that their church's bell tower had fallen during the quake, forcing the cancellation of the service. One thing led to another, and they never followed up.

"He liked us and he asked, 'Do you want me to marry you?'" Ciuffardi recounted. "He asked: 'Are you sure?' 'Yes, of course!' we said."

A Vatican official hastily drew up an official, albeit handwritten marriage certificate, stating that the two had consented to the sacrament of marriage on Jan. 18 and that Francis had celebrated the marriage "aboard the papal plane from Santiago to Iquique."

A stunned Podest was nearly speechless during the remaining hour on the flight as she recounted the story to the 70 or so journalists who travel with the pope on his foreign trips.

She said Francis offered a bit of advice to the not-so-newlyweds: "The wedding rings shouldn't be too tight, because they'll torture you, but if they're too loose, they'll fall off. So we have to be careful," she said blushing.

Podest said she and Ciuffardi had also explained to Francis that when they first started dating, she was his boss at LATAM. Francis asked if she was still the boss, and both readily agreed.

"And that's why the marriage works," Ciuffardi said.

After applause — and a breakfast of fresh fruit, croissants, coffee and tea — the plane landed in Iquique and the couple bid the passengers farewell.

"We hope you had a good flight," the bride said.

source: ABC 13 News, Love in the air: Pope marries couple on papal plane in Chile

To recap, a steward and a stewardess were civilly married in 2010 because the church they were to marry in collapsed in an earthquake.  They couldn’t find another church during the eight years of their civil marriage apparently because they were too busy raising their two daughters and flying around South America working.  Yep and this couple just happened to be so lucky as to meet Francis on the airplane where coincidence of coincidences he spontaneously proposed to marry them, in order to “motivate others to get the sacrament of marriage.”  What’s the difference between a religious wedding in a church with a Mass and the performance that Francis just gave?  Apparently not much in the eyes of the Novus Ordo!  It’s all good, as Greg Burke assured them, “Everything is valid. Everything is official.”  An obvious Opus-(Ju)Dei photo-op.

“the great majority of our sacramental marriages are null.”

Francis, 16 June 2016

The Francis Show in Chile — the “deforestation of hope” tour

a few of the highlights lowlights...

“I found this by chance. It was taken in 1945; on the back is the information. It is a boy carrying his dead brother, standing in line before the crematorium in Nagasaki, after the bombing. I was moved when I saw this [picture], and I dared write only “the fruits of war”. And I thought of reprinting it and giving it, because a picture like this says more than a thousand words. So I wanted to share it with you.” — Francis on airplane to Chile

“What puts you in a bad mood?”

Someone threw at hat at Francis

Hat reads, “Pray for the Chilean family.”

“It’s important you speak and don’t let yourself be silenced.”

The indigenous pagan mess of Mapuche with gender fluid machis (shamans) — does it ever stop?

“The laypersons don’t have to parrot back whatever we say”

Blah, blah, blah....

•  Greeting to Journalists on Flight to Chile 
•  Address to Chilean Government Authorities, Civil Societies, and Diplomatic Corps 
•  Homily during Worship Service in Santiago 
•  Address to Women Prisoners in Santiago
•  Address to Priests, Religious, Seminarians
•  Address to Bishops in Chile
•  Homily during Worship Service in Temuco 
•  Speech to to Youth at Shrine of Maipù
•  Address to Faculty and Students of Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
•  Homily during Worship Service in Iquique
•  Address to Indigenous People of Amazon Region in Peru
•  Address to Population at Jorge-Basadre-Institute in Peru
•  Address at Home for Young & Abandoned Children in Puerto Maldonado
  
•  more of  Francis’ blather will be added when available. 

“Your patronal feasts, your religious dances - which at times go on for a week - your music, your dress, all make this region a shrine of popular piety. Because the party does not remain inside the Church, you turn the whole town into a party.”

“Where vocation is concerned, there is no such thing as a selfie! Vocation demands that somebody else take your picture, and that is what we are about to do!”

Click here, for more on the planned wedding at 36,000 feet.

Popemobile narrowly misses hitting thrown carabinera.

Francis ‘the humble’ shows concern...staged?

Another angle of the accident

Stay tuned....

the circus’ next stop is Peru!

churches of the Novus Ordo — India

Kappal Matha Church, Uvari, Thirunelveli, India

Lit up at night

It’s a plane, no it’s a boat!

All aboard the S.S. Perdition!

Francis trips up the stairs again!

some of Francis' previous trips

Peak Francis?

(from left to right) Flight attendant Jeff Gross, tech specialist Tom Howard,

and Capt. George Griffin hold the Vatican flag that flew from the plane's

cockpit as they talk about their experience at the AA Integrated Operations

Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

"Truly, it was like looking in the eyes of God."

"Although I was doing my job, it almost felt like we were (taking) a sacred journey." 

"It was the most incredible life-changing experience ever. It was the highlight of my career."

Non-Catholic flight attendant Jeff Gross' comments on meeting Francis and having him bless some religious items he was carrying.

 Capt. George Griffin presents Francis with a model of the airplane he was flying on.

Yes, another in-flight interview Colombo to Manila

Francis looses his zucchetto while exiting the jet in Manila.

Francis is consistent. He talks about the same stuff over and over and over. One statement he recently said, in an interview to Elisabetta Pique must have his sycophants in a tizzy.

"I’m constantly making statements, giving homilies. That’s magisterium. That’s what I think, not what the media say that I think. Check it out; it’s very clear. "

Straight from Francis mouth, all those off-the-cuff interviews and sermons in which he has said many un-Catholic remarks and taught heresy are according to him are magisterium!

Concise Catholic Dictionary (1943)

Enjoy or cringe as you read and ponder upon Francis' latest teachings.

“Killing in the name of God is an aberration. But insulting religions is wrong”

ANDREA TORNIELLI

ON THE FLIGHT FROM COLOMBO TO MANILA

La Stampa's Vatican Insider

The Paris attacks, freedom of expression, responsibility: On the flight from Sri Lanka to the Philippines Pope Francis responded to a question put to him by a French journalist, regarding the debate that has flared up around the cruel massacre of Charlie Hebdo’s cartoonists. The Pope explained that “reacting with violence is not right,” in fact, “killing in the name of God is an aberration”. But as far as the freedom of expression goes, “there is a limit”. Using the example of an insult made against one’s mother, it seemed the Pope was trying to say that when you touch what is most dear to a person, you can end up unleashing all sorts of rash reactions.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND RELIGION

I think that both religious freedom and the freedom of expression are fundamental human rights. Let’s be frank, take Paris! One thing is true: each person has the right to practice their own religion freely, without causing offence to others. And that is what we all want.  Secondly, offending or waging war, killing in the name of one’s own religion, in the name of God, is not right. We are shocked by what is happening now, but let us think back to our history, how many religious wars have been fought! Think of the [Massacre] of St. Bartholomew (when Huguenots were killed by Catholics, Ed.). As you see, we also committed such sins but killing in the name of God is not right, it is an aberration. [Religion must be practiced] freely but without causing offence.

Regarding freedom of expression: not only does each person have the freedom and the right to say what they think for the common good, they have a duty to do so. If a member of parliament does not say what they think is the right path to take, they do not benefit the common good. So people must have this freedom but they must not cause offence, because while it is true that it is wrong to react with violence, if Mr. Gasbarri, who is a friend, insults my mother, that’s asking for a punch. Provoking and insulting other people’s faiths is not right. In one of his speeches (the Regensburg lecture delivered in 2006, Ed.), Pope Benedict XVI spoke of this post-positivist mentality, of a post-positivist metaphysics that led people to believe that religions or religious expressions are a kind of subculture. They are tolerated but they boil down to little, they are not part of a culture of enlightenment. And this is a legacy of the enlightement. So many people badmouth, make fun of and mock othe rpeople’s religions. They provoke and in doing so could get the kind of reaction Mr. Gasbarri would get if he said something bad about my mother. There is a limit, every religion has its dignity. I cannot mock a religion that respects human life and the human person. I used this example about limits to illustrate that freedom of expression has its limits, as in the example I gave of my mother.

MY SAFETY? I’M CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF FAITHFUL

“The best way to react (to threats, Ed.) is with moderation, being moderate, humble, kind, without being aggressive. I am concerned about faithful, I really am, anbd I have spoke to Vatican security about this: Mr. Giani (the chief of Vatican police, Ed.) is on board this flight and he is in charge of this, he is well informed. I am quite concerned about this. But you know I have one weakness, I am quite reckless. Sometimes I ask myself: what if it happened to me? I have simply asked the Lord for the grace of not letting me come to harm because I am not courageous in the face of pain, I am very fearful.”

KAMIKAZES AND CHILDREN

“Perhaps I am being disrespectful, but I am inclined to say that behind every suicide attack there is an element of human imbalance, I don’t know whether it is a mental imbalance but it is human. There is something that is not quite right with that person, that person has an imbalance in their life. They give their life but they do not give it in a good way. There are so many people who work, like the missionaries for example: they give their life, but in order to build something. Suicide killers, on the other hand, give their life in order to destroy. There is something not right here. I supervised a dissertation on Japanese kamikazes written by an Alitalia pilot. I was correcting the method part but the phenomenon is not understood fully and it is not only an Eastern phenomenon, it is linked to totalitarian and dictatorial systems that destroy life or the posibility of a future. But as I said before, this is not an exclusively Eastern phenomenon. Regarding the use of children in attacks (here the Pope was referring to young female suicide killers in Nigeria and the shocking video of the little boy who was filmed killing an IS victim Ed.): they are used everywhere for so many things, they are exploited at work, used as slaves and sexually abused. Some years ago some members of the Argentinean senate and I wanted to launch a campaign in top hotels to announce that in those hotels children were not exploited to serve tourists, but we were not able to… On the occasions I visited Germany I sometimes came across articles that talked about sex tourism in parts of South-East Asia and this involved children as well. Children are also used in suicide attacks. I dare not say more.”

ANOTHER INTERRELIGIOUS MEETING IN ASSISI

“It was suggested that another interreligious meeting against violence be held in Assisi. I know that some are working on this. I spoke to Cardinal Tauran and I know it is an issue that other religions are also concerned about.”

THE POPE’S VISIT TO THE BUDDHIST TEMPLE

“The monk who is in charge of the temple managed to get himself an invitation from the government to go to the airport. He is also a good friend of Cardinal Ranjith’s and when he greeted me he asked me to visit the temple. I spoke to the cardinal but there wasn’t enough time. When I arrived, I had to cancel my meeting with the bishops because I wasn’t feeling too well, after the 29-kilometre journey I was exhausted. When I got back from Madhu yesterday the opportunity presented itself. I telephoned and made my way there. The temple holds the relics of two of Buddha’s disciples. They had been in England before and the monks managed to have them returned to them. He came to the airport and I went to see him at home. Then, yesterday, I saw something I never expected to see in Madhu: there were not only Catholics there but also Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus. All of them go there to pray and they say they receive graces. Among the people, who are never wrong, there is something that unites them and if they are united in such a natural way as to go and pray together in a temple that is Christian but not only… How could I not go to the Buddhist temple? What happened at Madhu is very important, it reflected the sense of interreligiosity experienced in Sri Lanka. There are some fundamentalist groups but they are not with the people, they are theological elites… People may have once said that Buddhists went to hell but so did Protestants. When I was a child we were taught that they went to hell. I remember my first experience of ecumenism: I was four or five years old and I was walking along with my grandmother who was holding my hand. On the other pavement there were two women from the Salvation Army wearing that hat which they no longer wear and the bow. ‘Are those nuns granny?’ I asked. To which she replied: ‘No, they are Protestants, but they are good!’ That was the first time I heard someone speaking well of people who belonged to different religions. The Church’s respect for other religions has grown a great deal, the Second Vatican Council spoke about respect for their values. There have been dark times in the history of the Church, we must not be ashamed to say so because we are also on a journey, this interreligiosity is a gift.”

THE NEW ENCYCLICAL

“I don’t know if humans who mistreat nature are fully responsible for climate change but they are largely responsible for it. We have taken hold of nature, of mother Earth, to some extent. An elderly farmer once said to me: God forgives always, sometimes he forgives humans but he never forgives nature. We have exploited nature too much. I remember hearing bishops at Aparecida (at the meeting held by Latin American episcopates in 2007, Ed.) speak about deforestation in the Amazon, I didn’t really understand much. Then, five years ago, a human rights commission and I sent out an appeal to stop a terrible deforestation project in northern Argentina. Then there is the one-crop system: farmers know that after cultivating wheat for three years they have to change the crop type for a year to regenerate the soil. Today soy crops are cultivated until the soil is depleted. Mankind has gone overboard. Thankfully today a lot of people are talking about this and I would like to remind you of my beloved brother Bartholomew (the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Ed.) who has written a great deal on this topic and I have read a lot of what he has written to prepare my encyclical. The theologian Romano Guardini talked about a second “inculture”, which is when you take possession of creation, turning culture into “inculture”. Cardinal Turkson and his team have presented the first draft of the new encyclical. I then worked on this and now I have prepared the third draft which I have sent to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Secretariat of State and the theologian of the Papal Household so that they can make sure I am not talking nonsense. I will be taking a whole week off in March to finish it. I twill then be translated. I think that if all goes well, it should be out by June-July. The important thing is to ensure that there is an interval between its publication and the next climate meeting in Paris. I was disappointed by the last conference held in Peru. Let’s hope they are a bit more courageous in Paris. I think this is another issue that needs to be discussed with other religions and it is important for there to be an agreement based on a common feeling. I have talked about this with representatives of other religions and at least two theologians have already done this: it will not, however, be a common declaration, meetings with religions will come later.”

THE THEMES OF THE PAPAL VISIT TO THE PHILIPPINES

“There is a risk of simplifying things here but the crux of the message will be the poor. The poor who want to move forward, the poor who suffered the effects of Typhoon Yolanda and are still suffering its consequences, the poor who have faith and hope. The people of God, the poor, the poor who are exploited by those who bring about so many social, spiritual and existential injustices. At home in St. Martha’s House the other day, the Ethiopians celebrated and invited about fifty or so members of staff. I was there with them and I looked at the Filipinos who had left their country, their fathers, mothers and children behind to come here to work… the poor. This is going to be the focus of this visit.”

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION IN SRI LANKA

“I do not really know what the truth commissions in Sri Lanka are like. I became familiar with the one in Argentina and I supported it because it was on a good path. I cannot say anything more specific. What I can say is that I support all balanced efforts to help facilitate mutual agreement. I heard the President of Sri Lanka say this: I would not want mine to be seen as a political comment. He told me he wants to push on with the work being done to promote peace and reconciliation. He then mentioned another word. He said: harmony needs to be created among the people. Harmony is more than peace and reconciliation, it is also musical. He added that this harmony will bring us happiness and joy. I was struck by this and I said: ‘it is good to hear this but it is not easy!’ To which he replied: ‘well yes, we have to get to people’s hearts.’ This makes me think before I answer: only by reaching the hearts of the people who know what injustice and the suffering inflicted by dictatorship is. Only by reaching people’s hearts can we find the right paths without compromises. The truth commissions are one of the elements that can be of help here but there are also other elements that help us achieve peace, reconciliation, harmony and to reach people’s hearts. I have borrowed the words used by Sri Lanka’s President.”

FR. VAZ AND THE NEW CANONIZATIONS

“These were what we call equivalent canonizations: when a man or a woman have been blesseds for a long period of time and they are venerated as saints by the people of God, then the miracle process is skipped. I did this for Angela da Foligno and I also chose to canonize  men and women who were great evangelisers. The first was Peter Fabre, a European evangeliser who died in the streets, evangelising. Then there were Canada’s evangelisers who founded the local Church. Then there was the Brazilian saint who founded São Paulo and now José Vaz, evangeliser of old Ceylon. In September I will canonize Junipero Serra in the United States. All these figures were powerful evangelisers and are in tune with the spirituality of the Evangelii Gaudium. 

or Gerard O'Connell's version of the in-flight interview from America, the National Catholic Review, 15 January 2015.

Full text in English of the Pope’s Press Conference on Flight from Colombo to Manila

POPE’S PRESS CONFERENCE:

Father Lombardi. Holy Father, welcome and thanks for being with us in this intermediate journey. Compliments for the first part of the trip which was accomplished so brilliantly. Now we will ask you a number of questions as usual. When you are tired and want to stop you will tell us, and go. 

Pope: I am already tired! (Laughs).. 

Lombardi: To start, I know that there is something very close to your hear that you wish to say to us regarding the significance of the canonization of Saint Joseph Vaz. Please tell us now so that we can receive this important message. Then we will go to the questions. We have various people already on the list.

Pope: This canonization was made with the methodology that is envisaged in the Church Law, it is called equipollent canonization. It is used when after a long time a man or woman is blessed (has been beatified) and has the veneration of the People of God, and de facto s/he is venerated as a saint, and the process of a miracle is not made. They are persons who can be that way perhaps for centuries. For this reason I did… the one who came first was Angela of Foligno, and then I choose to do persons who were great evangelizers (men or women). The first was Peter Faber who was the evangelizer of Europe. He died, one could say, on the road; he died travelling from place to place, evangelizing; he died at 40 years of age. And then came the others, the great evangelizers of Canada: Francis della Valle, Maria della Incarnacion. These two were practically the founders of the Church in Canada, he as a bishop, she as a nun, with all the apostolate they did there. Then there was Jose de Argueta, Brazil, the founder of San Paolo, who was for a long time a blessed, he is a saint. Then came Joseph Vaz, the evangelizer here of the Sri Lanka way back . And now in September, God willing, I will do the canonization of Blessed Junipero Serra in the United States. He was the evangelizer of the West in the United States. So these are persons (personalities) that did great evangelization, and so they are in accord with the theology of Evangelii Gaudium, and for this reason I choose these people. That’s it.

Lombardi: Now we move onto the questions, for which some of our colleagues are on the list. The first is Gerry O’Connell of America magazine whom you know well, I give him the floor. 

O’Connell: First of all Holy Father, I agree with Fr Lombardi. Congratulations for the good result of your visit to Sri Lanka. I ask a question on behalf of the English group. We have agreed to make “a bridge question” that links your visit in Sri Lanka to that in the Philippines.

We have seen the beauty of nature in Sri Lanka, but also the vulnerability of this island to the climatic changes, to the sea, and so on. We are now going to the Philippines, and you will visit the zone that has already been hit. You have been studying already for a year the question of ecology, care of creation and so on. There are three aspects to my question. First, is climate change mostly due to the work of man and his lack of care for nature? Second, when will your encyclical come? Third, you insist very much, as we have seen in Sri Lanka, on cooperation between the different religions, do you intend to invite the other religions to come together to face this problem ?

Pope: Thank you Gerry! The first question: you have used a word that frees me, the precision “mostly.” I don’t know if all, but “mostly,” for the greater part, it is man who gives a slap to nature continually, and we have to some degree become the owners of nature, of sister earth, of mother earth. I recall, and you have heard, what an old peasant once told me: God always forgives, we men forgive sometimes, but nature never forgives. If you give her a slap, she will give you one. I believe that we have exploited nature too much, deforestation, for example. I recall Aparecida, at that time I did not understand well this problem and when I heard the Brazilian bishops speak of the deforestation of the Amazonia, I ended up understanding well. Amazonia are the lungs of the world. Then five years ago, together with a commission for human rights, I made an appeal to the Supreme Court of Argentina to stop, at least temporarily, a terrible deforestation in a zone of Argentina, Tartagal, north of Salta. That’s one thing. Then there is the monoculture in agriculture. The peasants know that if you made a cultivation of corn three years in a row then you have to stop and do another (kind of) cultivation for one or two years to nitrogenize ( I don’t know the word exactly, ‘nitrogenizar’ we say in Spanish) the land so that it grows. Among us (in Argentina) there is cultivation of soya, and they make soya until the land is exhausted. Not all do this, it’s an example, and there are many more.

I believe that man has gone too far. Thanks be to God that there are voices (that speak about this), many, many. At this moment I would like to recall my beloved brother Bartholomew (Patriarch of Constantinople) who for years, for years, has preached about this. I read many things of his to prepare for this encyclical. I could go back on this, but I don’t want to be long. Guardini, and I only say this, used a word that explains a lot. The word that he says is the second manner of inculture is qualitative. The first is the inculture that we receive with creation to make it culture but when you become proprietor of it so much you go too far and this culture goes against you. Think of Hiroshima: an inculture is created, the second one.

The encyclical: the first draft was made by Cardinal Turkson with his team, then, with the help of some people, I took that (draft) and I worked on it. And then with some theologians I made a third (draft) and I sent this to the (Congregation of ) the Doctrine of the Faith and to the Second Section of the Secretariat of State, and to the theologian of the Pontifical Household so that they study it well, because I don’t want to say silly things. Three weeks ago I received the replies; some of them were thick like this, all were constructive. And now I will take a whole week in March to finish it. Then by the end of March it will be finished, and it will go for translation. And if the work of translation goes well – Monsignor Becciu (the Substitute in the Secretariat of State) is listening to me, he has to help in this. Then in June or July it can be published. It is important that there is some time between the publication of the encyclical and the meeting in Paris, because it is (intended) to be a contribution to that. The meeting in Peru was not such a great thing, it disappointed me, and there was a lack of courage. They stopped at a certain point. So let’s hope that at Paris they will be more courageous and that the representatives can go forward on that.

And the third (part of the question): yes, I believe the dialogue between the religions is important and on this point they – the other religions, understand well (the issue). And on this point there is agreement to listen as well. It’s not in the encyclical, the dialogue. But in fact I heard from some (people) of the other religions on this (subject), and I know that Cardinal Turkson did so. I know that at least two theologians did so for me, and this will be the road. There will not be a common declaration, the meetings will come afterwards.

Lombardi: Thanks Holy Father, and now we give the floor to Pia of the Philippine group. She will speak in English and it will be translated.

Pia: Holy Father, the Philippines will be very happy to meet you in a few hours. My question: What is your message to the thousands of people who will not be able to see you personally, even if they want to?

Pope: To respond to this I run the risk of being too simple. But I will say a word. The nucleus of the message will be the poor, the poor who want to go ahead, the poor who have suffered the typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and still suffer the consequences. The poor who have faith, (who have) hope and in this (there is) the commemoration of the five hundredth centenary of the preaching of the Gospel in the Philippines. The People of God in the Philippines, the poor (who are) exploited, those who suffer so many social, spiritual and existential injustices, Going to the Philippines I think of them. Some days ago we had a celebration in Santa Marta for the feast of the Nativity which is celebrated on the 7^th (January) by the Oriental Churches. There were three persons of Ethiopian nationality and some Filipinos who work there. The Ethiopians held a festive celebration and invited all the employees, some 50 of them, to lunch. I was with them, and I was looking at the Filipino workers and (thinking) how they had left their homeland seeking to be better off, leaving their dads, their moms, their children to make something better. Poor people! The essence of the message will be that.

Lombardi: Thank you. The next one is Juan Vincente Bo for ABC who asks a question on behalf of the Spanish group.

Bo: Holy Father for one who is tired you look very well! I want to ask you on behalf of the Spanish group on the history of Sri Lanka and the contemporary history.

During the years of the war in Sri Lanka there were over 300 kamikaze attacks, suicide attacks, made by men and women, and even children. Now we are seeing suicide attacks on the part of young men and women, and even children. What do you think of this method of waging war.

Maybe I feel like saying that it is a lack of respect. But I feel it, No? I believe that behind every suicide attack there is something unbalanced, a lack of human equilibrium. I’m not sure if it is mental, but it human., something that is wrong with that person, who does not have true equilibrium regarding the meaning of his own life and that of others. He fights. He gives his life but he doesn’t give it in a good way. Many people, many people who work… think of the missionaries for example, who give their lives, but to build. Here they give their life destroying themselves and to destroy. There is something not right here. No? I accompanied an Alitalia pilot for his license, not doctoral thesis, in sociology on the Japanese kamikaze and I heard something from him. But it is difficult to understand this. I checked the part about methodology, but one could not understand it. But it is not something of the Orient only. There is research under way about a proposal that came in Italy during the Second World War, it came to Fascism in Italy. The proofs are not there, but there are indications. It is something that is very linked to dictatorial, totalitarian systems. They are closely linked, the totalitarian system if it does not take life, it kills possibilities, it kills the future, and it kills life too. But it’s not a problem that has ended, and it is not just Oriental. I don’t want to say more.

As for the use of children, this should be said in general, let’s talk about children. Children are exploited everywhere for many things, exploited for work, exploited also sexually. Some years ago with some senators in Argentina we wanted to make a campaign in the more important hotels to say publicly that children are not to be exploited for the tourists, but we were not able to do so. There are hidden resistances. I don’t know if they exploited them or not, it was a preventative measure. Then sometimes when I was in Germany I came across some papers where there were advertisements for sexual tourism, tourism in that area of south-east Asia, erotic tourism and there were children (included) in this. Children are exploited, the slave labor of children is terrible, and they are used for suicide (bombings too) too. I can’t say more.

Thanks Holy Father, and now we give the floor to Ignatio Ingrao for the Italian group.

Ingrao: Good day, I am for the weekly Panorama and Mio Papa. Your Holiness, there is much worry around the world for your security. According to Israeli and American security services the Vatican is in the sights of the Islamic Fundamentalists who want to fly the black flag on St Peter’s. According to them there is concern for your security when you go abroad. You’ve made clear that you don't want to lose contact with the people. But at this point, is it not necessary to change something in your behavior, in your program? There is also fear for the faithful who participate in your celebrations in the case of attacks. Are you worried about this? And more in general, what in your view is the best way to respond to this threat from the Islamic terrorists?

Pope: The best way to respond is always with meekness -- meek, to be humble. Like bread, no? Without making aggression. But there are people who do not understand this. As for the worry about the faithful, I am worried about this truly. They worry me. On this, I have spoken with Vatican security, who are charged with solving this. On the plane there is (Dr.) Gianni, the person who is responsible for security, and he updates me on this matter. This worries me, no? It worries me enough. I have fear but I have in fact a good dose of unawareness. I am unaware of these things.

Sometimes, I have asked myself the question and I have said to the Lord, 'I only want to ask you one grace.' Don't make me hurt, because I am not courageous in front of pain. I am very, very fearful (of physical pain), but I am in the hands of God.... But I know that they take security measures that are prudent, but secure. Then, we will see.

Lombardi: Thanks Holy Father. Let’s hope that we too can also have that same serenity! The next question comes from Christian Schmidt for the German Group and then Sebastian Maillard from La Croix for the French group, and then well’s see if you still want to continue or whether we stop.

Schmidt: Good day Holy Father! Could you tell us about your visit to the Buddhist temple yesterday which was a great surprise. What was your motivation for such a spontaneous visit? What do you say of the inspiration of this religion? We know that Christian missionaries were convinced, right up to the 20^th century, that Buddhism is a swindle and a religion of the devil. And, a third point: what could be the relevance of Buddhism for the future of Asia?

Pope: You asked why the visit, why did I go? The head of this temple had been able to get himself invited by the government to be at the airport (for my arrival). He’s a very good friend of Cardinal Ranjith, and there he met me and asked me to come to the temple, and Cardinal Ranjith said he’d get me there. Then, talking with the cardinal (I saw) there was not much time. When I arrive I had to suspend the meeting with the bishops because I wasn’t feeling well, I was tired, after the 29km of greeting the people (from the airport to the city) I was like a rag. Then returning (to Colombo) after Madhu there was the possibility of doing it, so we telephoned and we went there. In this temple there are relics of two disciples of the Buddha that for them are very important. These relics were in England and they managed to get them there, and they took them out so we could look at them. He came to see me at the airport, I went to see him at his house.

Second … yesterday I saw something I never thought I’d see … at the shrine of the Madonna, it wasn’t just Catholics, they weren’t even the majority. There were Buddhists, Muslims Hindus. They all go there to pray, and they say they receive graces. There’s something in the people there that unites them. If they are so naturally united that they come together to pray in that holy place, that is Christian, then how could I not go to Buddhist temple to greet them. This witness at Madhu yesterday was very important, it makes us understand the sense of inter-religiosity that is lived in Sri Lanka. There is respect among them, Yes, there are small fundamentalist groups, but they are not of the people, they are ideological elites. They are not of the people .

As far as [Buddhists] going to Hell …but also the Protestants when I was a child, in that time, 70 years ago, all the Protestants were going to hell, all of them. That’s what was said. Do you know what was the first experience I had of ecumenism? I told it to some days ago when I met a group from the Salvation Army. When I was four or five years old walking down the street with my grandmother, I saw two women from the Salvation Army, wearing those old-style hats, and I asked my grandmother, “Tell me, are they sisters (nuns)?” My Grandmother said “No, they are Protestant but they’re good (people).” It was the first time that I heard a person speaking well of people of another religion. At that time in the catechesis they told us that they all went to hell. I believe the church has grown a lot in its consciousness (understanding) and in its respect (for other religions), as I said in the interreligious encounter in Colombo the other day, when we read what the Second Vatican Council about the other religions, and the values in other religions. The Church has grown a lot in these years and in respect. There have been dark periods in the history of the Cchurch too, and we have to say that with shame. We’re all on a path of conversion, which is a grace; always from sin to grace. This inter-religiosity as brothers, respecting each other always is a grace.

Lombardi: Sebastian Maillard from La Croix for the French group.

Maillard: Holy Father, yesterday at mass you spoke about religious freedom as a fundamental human right. But in the respect for the different religions, up to what point can one go in freedom of expression? That too is a fundamental human right.

Pope. Thanks for the question, it’s an intelligent one. I believe that both are fundamental human rights, religious liberty and liberty of expression. One cannot -- but let’s think -- you are French? Let’s go to Paris, let’s speak clearly. One cannot hide a truth: everyone has the right to practice one’s religion, one’s own religion without giving offense. Freely. That’s how we do it, we want everyone to do that. Second: One cannot offend, make war, kill in the name of one’s own religion, that is, in the name of God. To us, that which happens now, it stuns us. But let’s think about our own history: how many wars of religion have we had? You may think of the night of St. Bartholomew; how can this be understood? We too were sinners in this. But one cannot kill in the name of God. This is an aberration. To kill in the name of God is an aberration. I believe that this is the principal point in terms of religious liberty. One has freedom in this, but without imposing or killing in the name of religion.

As for freedom of expression: each one not only has the freedom, the right but also the obligation to say what one thinks to help the common good. The obligation! Let’s think, if a member of parliament or a senator doesn’t say what he thinks is the right path then he does not collaborate for the common good. Not only these, but many others too. We have the obligation to say openly, to have this liberty, but without giving offense, because it is true, one cannot react violently. But if Dr. Gasbarri (the papal trip organizer who was standing beside him), a great friend, says a bad word against my mother, then a punch awaits him. But it’s normal, it’s normal. One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people’s faith, one cannot make fun of faith. Pope Benedict in a speech, I don’t remember exactly where, he spoke of this post-positivist mentality, of post-positivist metaphysics, that led to the belief that in the end religions, religious expressions, are a kind of subculture, which are tolerated but are of little value, are not on the Enlightenment culture. And this is part of the heritage of the Enlightenment. And so many people who speak badly about other religions, or religions [in general], they make fun of, let’s say toy with [make into toys] other people’s religions, these people provoke and there can occur what would happen to Dr. Gasbarri if he said something against my mother. That is, there is a limit. Every religion has dignity; every religion that respects life, human life, the human person. And I cannot make fun of it. This is a limit and I have taken this sense of limit to say that in freedom of expression there are limits, like that in regard to my mom. I don’t know if I have managed to answer the question.

Lombardi: Thanks Holy Father. We’ve now been more than half an hour here, and we said we could stop when you are a little tired. You want us to continue some more, all right. But you tell us when you want to stop. The next in line is Joshua McElwee of the National Catholic Reporter.

McElwee: Thank you again Holy Father for the time. You have spoken many times against religious extremism. Do you have some concrete idea for how to involve other religious leaders to combat this problem, maybe a meeting in Assisi like Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI had?

Pope: Thank you. This proposal has already been made. I know that some are working on this. And I have spoken with Cardinal Tauran, who is in the inter-religious dialogue, and he has heard about this. I know that the uneasiness has not come from us, it has come from other religions in the area. I don't know how if there’s something involving organization, but there’s something in the air.

Lombardi: A final question and it comes from the Filipino group. We have Lynda Abalos who will ask something, and then we’ll leave the Pope at peace.

Abalos: Good day, Holy Father! I am sorry but my Italian is not very good.

Pope: Nor is mine!

Abalos: Holy Father, you have called for truth and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. I would like do you support a commission for truth and reconciliation in Sri Lanka and also in other places?

Pope: I don’t know how these commissions are. I know the one in Argentina in its time, after the military dictatorship and I supported that one, it was the right path. I can’t speak in the concrete [about other commissions], but I support the efforts to find the truth, but not as a vendetta, but to help to reach an agreement.

Maybe I will say something that I heard from the President of Sri Lanka. Now, I don’t want this to be interpreted as a political comment, but I heard something from the President of Sri Lanka, and I’ll just repeat what I heard as something phenomenological. I will just repeat what I heard, and which I agree with. He said he wants to move ahead with the work of peace – first word, and reconciliation. Then he used another word, he said we must create harmony in the people. Harmony is something more than peace, more than reconciliation, and it’s still more beautiful …that’s musical, too. Then he used another word. He said this harmony will give us happiness and joy. I was amazed. I said I like hearing this, but it’s not easy. Fifth word: he said yes, we must reach the heart of the people. And that last word is so profound that I thought of it to respond to your question. Just to reach the heart of the people, to know what is suffering, to know what is injustice, to know what it is to suffer from war, and so many other things. Just to arrive there, because the people knows about pardon; to arrive there so that we can find the right path without compromises that are not just, so that we can go forward. The commissions, investigations for the truth, are one of the elements that can help. I think of the case of Argentina. But they are only one of the elements, but there are others that we can do because we have to arrive at peace, reconciliation, harmony, felicity and joy but we have to reach the heart of the people. That’s what I thought of saying, but using the words of the president.