(Vatican Radio) The Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, has told the United Nations the trafficking of children is “abominable.”
“While human trafficking always exploits the vulnerable, the trafficking of children and youth exploits those most vulnerable of all, something that not only exposes the evil of trafficking in all its repulsive ugliness but something that likewise makes abundantly clear the urgent call for everyone to rise up to protect children, youth and everyone from those who would enslave and dehumanize them in these ways,” he said.
The full text of the intervention is below
Elimination The Trafficking Of Children And Youth
By H. E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza
Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations
Remarks of Archbishop Bernardito Auza
Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations
Eliminating the Trafficking of Children and Youth
United Nations, New York
July 13, 2016
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Panelists, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Holy See has long spoken out against the evil of human trafficking, forced labor and all forms of modern slavery. And through the dedicated work of so many Catholic religious institutes, national and diocesan programs, and groups of faithful the Catholic Church has sought to fight to address its various causes, care for those it victimizes, wake people up to the scourge, and work with anyone and everyone to try to eliminate it.
The Second Vatican Council, St. John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI all spoke out passionately and forcefully against the infamy of human trafficking and the widespread hedonistic and commercial culture that encourages this systematic exploitation of human dignity and rights.
Pope Francis has taken the Church’s advocacy and action to another level through his aggressive and incessant denunciation of this social cancer. He dedicated part of his address to the UN General Assembly to it. He wrote about it in his encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Homeand in his pastoral plan for the New Evangelization entitled The Joy of the Gospel. He devoted the entirety of his 2015 Message for the World Day of Peace to the subject, making it a key priority of international diplomacy for the Holy See. He has spoken about it to newly accredited diplomats, to international religious leaders, to an alliance of international police chiefs and Church leaders, to social scientists and scholars, to mayors from across the globe, to judges and to various conferences throughout the world.
And he hasn’t merely been talking: He’s been taking action, catalyzing the Holy See’s hosting conferences, spearheading the 2014 Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders against Modern Slavery and willed the creation of the Santa Marta Group, named after his residence in the Vatican, which brings together Catholic leaders and international law enforcement officials to battle this scourge.
His essential message has been that we are dealing with an “open wound on the body of contemporary society,” “a crime against humanity,” and an “atrocious scourge” that is occurring in many of our own neighborhoods. We cannot remain indifferent before the knowledge that human beings are being bought and sold like objects, even assaulted and killed like abused animals, and that we must together address the economic, environmental, political, anthropological and ethical components of the crisis.
When he was here at the UN last September, he called for “concrete steps and immediate measures for … putting an end as quickly as possible to the phenomenon of … human trafficking, … the sexual exploitation of boys and girls, [and] slave labor, including prostitution,” stressing, “We need to ensure that our institutions are truly effective in the struggle against all these scourges.”
Toward this end, he said that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was “an important sign of hope,” insofar as it focused, in three different targets, the attention and commitment of the world to confront this plague.
In Targets 5.2 and 8.7, the international community committed itself to “eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation,” and “take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking.” Those are important steps forward and, together with the Santa Marta Group, the Holy See sponsored on April 7th a very well-attended conference to try to concretize this work.
In today’s conference, we want to focus in a particular way on the third commitment relating to eliminating modern slavery, Target 16.2, which obliges the international community to “end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children” by 2030.
The trafficking of anyone, no matter what age, is a crime against humanity. But there is something particularly abominable about submitting children to these barbarities. As a Christian and a Catholic bishop, I cannot fail to recall how Jesus reserves his strongest condemnation for those who hurt children, saying that it would be better for such violators to have a millstone tied around their neck and thrown into the depth of the sea than to face God’s judgment for such deeds (Mt 18:6).
Jesus said this because he knows that children are particularly vulnerable and owed a higher level of loving protection. While human trafficking always exploits the vulnerable, the trafficking of children and youth exploits those most vulnerable of all, something that not only exposes the evil of trafficking in all its repulsive ugliness but something that likewise makes abundantly clear the urgent call for everyone to rise up to protect children, youth and everyone from those who would enslave and dehumanize them in these ways.
On behalf of the Holy Father Pope Francis and in my own name, I thank you for coming this afternoon to show solidarity with the children who are victims of trafficking in persons and to express the strongest condemnation possible of this crime.
This conference will seek to make real the faces of the nearly two million children and youth who are presently being trafficked and speak about what’s working, what’s not working, and what needs to be done to free them, help them recover, and prevent other young people from suffering as they have.
We have a powerful program today. We will hear from someone who was trafficked as a child and is now helping to liberate and care for other survivors. We’ll hear from someone who in her powerful advocacy for victims has interviewed hundreds and will be presenting what she’s learned from their compelling stories. We’ll hear from top experts from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Labour Organization about the big picture and what’s being done at an international level. And we’ll hear about two particularly troubling dimensions of this crisis: the trafficking of homeless youth and the use of the internet to enslave and traffic the young.
I would like to conclude my Remarks with the words that Pope Francis wrote for our April 7 Event on Ending Human Trafficking by 2030 and the Role of Global Partnerships in Eradicating Modern Slavery: “In your discussions,” Pope Francis wrote, “I hope also that you will keep before you the dignity of every person, and recognize in all your endeavors a true service to the poorest and most marginalized of society, who too often are forgotten and have no voice.”
Working together with perseverance we can eliminate the trafficking of children and youth and together achieve Target 16.2, to “end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children” by 2030.
Thank you and welcome to this Conference!
(from Vatican Radio)…
Pope Francis has telephoned leaders of the terror-stricken French city of Nice, asking what he could do to help in the wake of last week’s attack which left 84 people dead and scores wounded.
Pope Francis made his call out of the blue on Sunday evening to Paolo Celi, head of “Amitié France-Italie”, a national association for Italians living in France, and to Christian Estrosi, mayor of Nice.
Celi told Vatican Radio that the Pope called at about 7pm Sunday evening “apologizing because he doesn’t speak French very well”.
“The first thing he said to me was, ‘What can I do for you?’” Celi said, recalling the conversation before he connected Francis to Estrosi.
Celi said the Pope promised to meet “as soon as possible” with the families of the victims.
But, he specified, the date is yet to be set.
Speaking to Vatican Radio Estrosi said the Holy Father’s gesture has restored in him the energy he needs to go forward in this situation.
Estrosi also said the Pope’s telephone call has been of comfort to thousands of people who are supporting the families of the victims.
“The image of all the flowers, the letters, the toys that have been put on the Promenade to pay tribute to the victims is an image that no one will be able to forget, but the Pope’s words and the comfort he brings alleviates this terrible memory and gives strength and hope to all” he said.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis sent greetings to an Evangelical Christian gathering which took place on Saturday in Washington, DC.
Thousands of people filled the National Mall for the “Together 16” event.
In a video-message released before the event, Pope Francis said young people have a “restlessness” in their hearts, and Jesus is the answer.
“Young men and women, I know there is something in your heart that moves you. And that makes you restless, because a young person who is not restless is an old person,” Pope Francis said in the message.
“And you have youthfulness, and youthfulness breeds restlessness. What is your restlessness? Do you know what it is or do you not know? Do you want to know what your restlessness is?” – the Pope continued – “I invite you to … to find the One who can give you an answer to your restlessness.”
“And I assure you, you will not be frustrated. God does not leave anyone disillusioned. Jesus is waiting for you,” – Pope Francis concluded – “He is the One who planted the seeds of restlessness in your heart. Give it a try! You don’t have anything to lose! Try it. Then you can tell me. Thank you!”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Before the recitation of the Marian prayer the Holy Father spoke of the importance of hospitality calling it a real Christian virtue, but one which at times the world neglects.
He drew his inspiration for this theme from the Sunday Gospel in which St Luke recounts the story of Jesus who is welcomed into the home of two sisters Martha and Mary. They both offer their hospitality in different ways. Martha is busy preparing things while Mary stays to listen to Jesus’ words. When Martha protests that she has to do everything, Jesus reminds her that in order to welcome him many things are not necessary; indeed, only one thing is necessary, said Pope Francis, to listen to Jesus, “show him a fraternal attitude, so he feels what it is like to be part of the family, and not in a temporary shelter. ”
Putting the Gospel reading in the context of life today, Pope Francis gave an example. He said that there are many people in nursing homes and hospices, but it is not always the place where real hospitality is practiced. “Several institutions that cater to many forms of illness, loneliness, and marginalisation are created, but the chance for those who are foreigners, marginalised, or excluded to find someone willing to listen decreases.”
He also noted that people are so taken up with the pace of life, with big and small problems that we do not take the time to listen to one another . So at the conclusion of his address the Pope invited people to dedicate more time to listening because he said, the root of peace is in the capacity to listen.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) During his Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis recalled the terrible events of last Thursday when a man ploughed a lorry into crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France, killing over 80 and injuring many others.
Remembering the loss of innocent lives, many of whom were children, the Pope said, “the pain of the massacre is alive in our hearts”. “I am close to each family and the entire French nation which is in mourning.” He added, “may God, the good Father, welcome all the victims into his peace, support the injured and comfort their families. May he dissolve every project of terror and death, so that man no longer attempts to spill his brother’s blood.”
(from Vatican Radio)…