(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has made a heartfelt plea to Israelis and Palestinians to put an end to the violence which has plagued Jerusalem and other parts of the Holy Land in recent weeks. His appeal follows an attack on a Jerusalem synagogue Tuesday in which 2 Palestinian men armed with a meat cleaver and a gun killed three U.S.-Israeli rabbis and a British-Israeli man. An Israeli policeman later died of his wounds.
In remarks at the General Audience Wednesday, Pope Francis said, “I am following with concern the alarming increase in tension in Jerusalem and other parts of the Holy Land, with unacceptable episodes of violence that do not spare even the places of worship. I assure a special prayer for all the victims of this dramatic situation and for those who suffer most as a result. From the bottom of my heart, I make an appeal to the parties involved to put an end to the spiral of hatred and violence and to make courageous decisions for reconciliation and peace. Building peace is difficult, but living without peace is a torment!”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has made a heartfelt plea to Israelis and Palestinians to put an end to the violence which has plagued Jerusalem and other parts of the Holy Land in recent weeks. His appeal follows an attack on a Jerusalem synagogue Tuesday in which 2 Palestinian men armed with a meat cleaver and…
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(Vatican Radio/VIS) A press conference took place in the Vatican on Tuesday morning to present the International Conference on Autism, organised by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, which will take place from November 20th to 22nd.
The speakers were Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, Msgr. Jean-Marie Mate Musivi Mupendawatu and Fr. Augusto Chendi, M.I., respectively secretary and under-secretary of the same dicastery; and Stefano Vicari, head of the Department of Child Neuropsychiatry at the Bambino Gesu Paediatric Hospital, Rome.
Archbishop Zimowski explained that the term “autism” was first used by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911 to describe the introversion of schizophrenic patients. Subsequently, in 1943, his colleague Leo Kanner described the disorder for the first time, affirming that autistic children were born with a congenital incapacity to establish normal contact with other people. It is currently defined as a “neuro-behavioural disturbance (also known as Kanner’s Syndrome) of a pervasive type”, of multifactorial origin. In general, autism spectrum disorders manifest themselves before the age of three, and are life-long. The most recent statistics confirm that around 1% of children worldwide are affected.
“The many difficulties, including those of an ethical, moral and spiritual nature, faced by those with autism spectrum disorders and their carers have led us to choose such an important, difficult and delicate theme for this conference”, the prelate explained. “It will be a special occasion for observing the advances that have been made in research and treatment, as well as legal and political-administrative aspects; three valuable days for listening and exchanging experiences, and learning from the world’s most qualified specialists.”
The Conference will be attended by more than 650 people from 57 different countries, and will include an encounter with the Holy Father during the Wednesday general audience, as well as an exhibition of paintings by the Taiwanese autistic artist Leland Lee, a moment of prayer and testimonies from people affected by autism spectrum disorders, their families, and associations. Various famous Italian singers will offer a musical contribution.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio/VIS) A press conference took place in the Vatican on Tuesday morning to present the International Conference on Autism, organised by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, which will take place from November 20th to 22nd. The speakers were Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, Msgr. Jean-Marie…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Tuesday met with the President of Senegal, Macky Sall, who then met with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who was accompanied by the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.
A statement from the Holy See Press office said the two men spoke of the cordial relations existing between the Holy See and Senegal, among other things emphasizing the important contribution of the Church in the areas of education and health, as well as the role played in working for peace and national reconciliation.
Finally, they spoke about international issues, with particular attention paid to the current areas of crisis in the region.
(from Vatican Radio)…