Father Eustache Nobime, Caritas Coordinator for the Diocese of Abomey in Benin, stands outside Ouidah’s Basilica where Pope Benedict XVI signed His latest Apostolic Exhortation. Photo by Helen Blakesley/CRS

By Helen Blakesley,

Here in Benin, the roads have re-opened, the banners are down, you could say “the Pope has left the building”.

But for one Catholic priest, working in the Diocese of Abomey, 2 hours north of the capital Cotonou, “out of sight” is certainly not “out of mind”.

Father Eustache Nobimè is Diocesan Coordinator for Catholic Relief Services’ partner organization Caritas. He’s been a priest for 11 years. And this was his first Papal sighting. Father Eustache got closer than most – he met Pope Benedict in the small coastal town of Ouidah when His Holiness came to speak to members of West Africa’s oldest seminary, Saint Gall.
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With great awe and reverence, Catholic Relief Services rejoices at the news that Pope John Paul II will be beatified this coming May 1. During his Papacy, Pope John Paul embraced the poor, challenged despots and extended an olive branch to people of all faiths. He was servant of God and champion of human dignity.

CRS was blessed by Pope John Paul’s visit to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1995. Thousands of bright red and yellow CRS banners greeted Pope John Paul as he rolled into Oriole Park at Camden Yards to celebrate mass on October 8. Addressing CRS and our mission was an integral part of the Pope’s visit to Maryland. In a proclamation presented to agency executives, the Pontiff said, “Catholic Relief Services is known for the effective and innovative programs of assistance which it sponsors throughout the world.”
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January 1 is the World Day of Peace. The following are excerpts from Pope Benedict’s annual message:

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, THE PATH TO PEACE

At the beginning of the new year I offer good wishes to each and all for serenity and prosperity, but especially for peace. Sadly, the year now ending has again been marked by persecution, discrimination, terrible acts of violence and religious intolerance.
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From the Vatican Information Services blog:

After the prayer of Regina Coeli in the Apostolic Palace of Castelgandolfo, the Pope expressed his condolences to the Polish nation for the tragic plane accident of Saturday, in which the President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and other high officials of the State and the military, lost their lives.

Read the full post here.

Excerpts from Pope Benedict XVI’s World Day of Peace message:

If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation:

The environment must be seen as God’s gift to all people, and the use we make of it entails a shared responsibility for all humanity, especially the poor and future generations. (2)
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Our present crises – be they economic, food-related, environmental or social – are ultimately also moral crises, and all of them are interrelated. They require us to rethink the path which we are travelling together. Specifically, they call for a lifestyle marked by sobriety and solidarity, with new rules and forms of engagement, one which focuses confidently and courageously on strategies that actually work, while decisively rejecting those that have failed. (5)
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From Pope Benedict XVI’s World Day of Peace message:

At the beginning of this New Year, I wish to offer heartfelt greetings of peace to all Christian communities, international leaders, and people of good will throughout the world. For this XLIII World Day of Peace I have chosen the theme: If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation. Respect for creation is of immense consequence, not least because “creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works”, and its preservation has now become essential for the pacific coexistence of mankind.

Read the full text of Pope Benedict’s message.

From the Vatican News Service:

At the end of today’s general audience, the Holy Father recalled the fact that Friday 20 November marks the United Nations Day of Prayer and Action for Children, called to mark the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“My thoughts go”, said Benedict XVI, “to all the children of the world, especially those who live in difficult conditions, and suffer because of violence, abuse, sickness, war or hunger.

“I invite you to join my prayers. At the same time I make an appeal to the international community to increase its efforts to offer an adequate response to the dramatic problems of infancy. May a generous commitment on everyone’s part not be lacking, so that the rights of children may be recognized and their dignity given ever greater respect”.

From the Vatican Information Service:

VATICAN CITY, 11 NOV 2009 (VIS) – At the end of today’s general audience, the Pope remarked upon the current situation in Sri Lanka, six months after the end of the conflict that bloodied the country.

“We note with satisfaction the efforts being made by the authorities over recent weeks, to facilitate the return home of people displaced by the war. I strongly encourage an acceleration in this process and ask all citizens to work towards rapid pacification in full respect for human rights, and towards a just political solution to the challenges still facing the country.

“I trust, moreover, that the international community will strive to meet the humanitarian and economic needs of Sri Lanka, and I raise my prayers to Our Lady of Madhu, that she may continue to watch over that beloved land”.

At midday today, following the Eucharistic concelebration with Synod Fathers in the Vatican Basilica for the opening of the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
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>em>From Vatican News Service. Reprinted with permission.

Made public today was a transcription of the Pope’s video message to participants in the UN summit on climate change, which was held in New York on 22 September.

“I wish to reflect today upon the relationship between the Creator and ourselves as guardians of His creation”, says Benedict XVI speaking English. “In so doing I also wish to offer my support to leaders of governments and international agencies who are meeting at the United Nations to discuss the urgent issue of climate change.
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