The general prayer intention of the Holy Father Pope Francis, for the month of February, is for prisoners, especially the young, that they may be able to rebuild lives of dignity. One of the first gestures of Pope Francis, soon after his March 13, 2013 election, moved or rather shocked the world. He broke with…
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(Vatican Radio) The Vatican Tribunal opened its 86th session on Saturday morning. At the Mass to mark the occasion, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the application of the law must be both rigorous and compassionate. But its application must also be free of vengeance and of popular notions of justice, he told the judges and members of the Vatican Tribunal.
Listen:
The cardinal made reference to the teachings of Saint John Bosco, whose feast the Church celebrated on Saturday. In particular, he referenced John Bosco’s preventive system, which combines formation through reason, an openness to God, and the compassionate treatment of persons. The saint, he said, condemned repressive and vengeful methods.
The cardinal then noted that the judicial system has a preventive and educative function.
“And your qualified service… if you want to be effective,” he said, “must be anchored in a higher vision of faith.”
“The law, although necessary, is not enough,” he continued. It “is a means to achieve justice, and therefore, to lead us to the good.”
“Only reference to the supernatural dimension…can show a judge that necessary clarity for the proper understanding of the human soul, which allows the formulation of a just and fair judgment in which…(there is) a flicker of compassion, that is, of love and of the ability to take on the suffering of others, even of those who are judged.”
He reminded the judges and members of the Tribunal that the primary source of all law in the Vatican City State is canon law, whose ultimate goal is the salvation of souls. He also invited them to combine “the certitude of the law” with “that fairness of natural law,” found in the Gospel.
May all the activities of the tribunal, he said, be “inspired in the constant effort to combine the necessary rigor of the law and legal certainty…with compassion.”
Following the Mass, the Tribunal’s Promoter for Justice, Gian Piero Milano, gave his opening address for the new judicial year. He spoke of the disturbing increase in the case law of financial crime and corruption. This is “a veritable plague,” which affects an inviolable right of the individual to his human dignity, he said.
He spoke of the process of reform launched by Benedict XVI and intensified by Pope Francis citing, for example, the establishment of the Council and of the Secretariat for the Economy. He also referred to the Motu Proprio of July 2013, which punishes certain crimes committed against the security, fundamental interests or assets of the Holy See and creates significant changes for the Vatican Tribunals.
Regarding crimes against minors, the promoter said there are ongoing investigation measures being put in place, including an initiative related to crimes against children committed abroad by a public official of the Holy See, including those with diplomatic duties and archbishops. This initiative is assumed to activate tools of international judicial cooperation, he said.
Regarding the prevention and fight against money laundering, the promoter noted that a Motu Proprio in August two years ago introduced “strict requirements” on cross-border transportation of cash. As a result, he said, checks were performed on more than 4,000 people and 7,000 vehicles entering and leaving the Vatican in the past year.
With the globalization of crime, the Promoter said the Vatican Tribunal has experienced an increase in international cooperation, with 10 requests for legal assistance from foreign countries, of which eight were from Italy.
The Promoter said there has also been a call for the introduction of specific provisions for the crime of usury, which is not currently in the code of law. Milano concluded his address by stating there were six arrests in the past year.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday received members of Italy’s National Federation of Farmers, who are this year celebrating the 70th anniversary of their foundation.
Listen to Lydia O’Kane’s report.
Pope Francis told the farmers present in the Clementine Hall that there is no humanity without the cultivation of the earth, as there is also no life without good food that is produced for men and women of every continent.
This shows, underlined the Holy Father, that agriculture has a pivotal role.
In his prepared remarks to the farmers, the Pope reflected on as he put it, two critical points. He said, “the Second Vatican Council recalled the universal destination of the goods of the earth,” but, Pope Francis added, “in fact the dominant economic system excludes many from their correct use.” The Holy Father went on to say that, “absolutizing market rules, a culture of waste and waste that in the case of food has unacceptable proportions, together with other factors, cause misery and suffering for many families.” Therefore, the Pope continued, the system of production and distribution of food must be radically rethought.
In his second point, the Holy Father said it was important to remember that man is called not only to cultivate the land, but also to preserve it. In a time of climate change the Pope noted, this is difficult, that is why, he said, it is so vital that nations are able to work together to protect creation.
Finally, Pope Francis invited the farmers, in the spirit of St Francis, to love the land as Mother earth, and proposed that they make an alliance with it, so that it can continue to be, the source of life for the entire human family.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday received members of Italy’s National Federation of Farmers, who are this year celebrating the 70th anniversary of their foundation. Listen to Lydia O’Kane’s report. Pope Francis told the farmers present in the Clementine Hall that there is no humanity without the cultivation of the earth, as there is also no…
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(Vatican Radio) The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations on Friday told the UN Security Council spoke about the dangers posed to innocent civilians, especially women and girls, in armed conflicts.
“In conflict settings women and girls are more vulnerable as a result of inequality and are directly targeted as part of fear tactics and deliberate assaults on their rights,” said the statement, read by the Chargé d’Affaires of the Mission, Msgr. Janusz Urbańczyk.
“My delegation remains concerned about the continued lack of attention and priority to the protection of women and girls who are targeted and attacked purely because of the faith they profess,” the statement continued. “The lack of focus and priority for protecting them is troubling when Christians face extinction in some regions of the world and in other regions Christian schools for girls are targeted and attacked.”
The full statement of the Holy See Observer Mission is below:
Intervention of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the UN
at the Security Council Open Debate on
Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict:
Protection challenges and needs faced by women and girls
in armed conflict and post-conflict settings
New York, 30 January 2015
Mister President,
My delegation wishes to congratulate Chile for its Presidency of the Security Council and for convening this important debate on protection, challenges and needs faced by women and girls in armed conflict and post conflict settings. Today’s discussion provides a much needed opportunity to focus on the impact of violence on women and girls in conflict settings and to identify the initiatives that must be undertaken to eradicate this scourge, that continues to escalate.
The Holy See firmly opposes recourse to armed conflict as a means of solving disputes and recognizes that women and girls suffer disproportionately from the ravages of conflict. In conflict settings women and girls are more vulnerable as a result of inequality and are directly targeted as part of fear tactics and deliberate assaults on their rights. Although a focus on women’s protection and inclusion has been a mainstay of the Council’s deliberations, many gaps remain and must be addressed by this august body. Through a series of resolutions, this Security Council has recognized that further steps must be taken to protect women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations and to examine the unique impact of armed conflict on women and girls. However, reports of violence committed against women in the most brutal and horrific forms, including sexual slavery, rape and trafficking are increasing.
Mister President,
The belief in the sanctity of human life and inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of the principles of Catholic Social teaching. All persons, women and men, girls and boys, by virtue of their human dignity are free and equal. Violence in all its forms is an affront to human dignity and, moreover, sexual violence against women tears at the very fabric of society. This was pointed out by His Holiness Pope Francis, when he emphasized that we must not “overlook the fact that wars involve another horrendous crime, the crime of rape. This is a most grave offense against the dignity of women, who are not only violated in body but also in spirit, resulting in a trauma hard to erase and with effects on society as well. Sadly, even apart from situations of war, all too many women even today are victims of violence.”
Mister President,
Armed conflict affects the security of the entire community and of the family in particular. It causes
displacement, forcing families to flee and stable communities to disintegrate. Ripped from their land and rich history families and entire communities are vulnerable and exploited as outsiders in foreign lands.
In addition, mainly men are called to fight in situations of armed conflict, leaving their family behind to fend for itself. Without the protection of their husband or father, women and girls in particular are vulnerable to exploitation and gross human rights violations with the possibility of becoming the prey of terrorist networks.
Mister President,
My delegation remains concerned about the continued lack of attention and priority to the protection of women and girls who are targeted and attacked purely because of the faith they profess. The lack of focus and priority for protecting them is troubling when Christians face extinction in some regions of the world and in other regions Christian schools for girls are targeted and attacked. This is a shared reality of members of all faiths and therefore requires the shared commitment of members of all faiths and governments strongly to condemn and confront such violence
As Pope Francis noted, acts of violence continue to strike indiscriminately and there is an alarming increase in kidnapping, particularly of young girls who are made objects of trafficking. This is an abominable trade that must come to an end. This scourge must be eradicated, since it strikes all of us, from individual families to the entire international community. Mister President, The Catholic Church through her institutions and agencies around the world is providing assistance, care and support to thousands of survivors of sexual violence in situations of armed conflict. These institutions and their courageous individuals sacrifice themselves on a daily basis and many of these have paid dearly for their endeavors. Because of this permanent local presence in the world’s most disaster prone areas, this network of Catholic institutions and agencies do respond rapidly and effectively to address the consequence of violence in armed conflict.
In conclusion, as Pope Francis recently noted in his address to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, we must reject the “culture of enslavement” which is incapable of doing good or pursuing peace and accepts as inevitable the spread of war and violence. We must redouble our efforts to replace this “culture” with a culture of life and peace in which governments and the international community fulfill their fundamental responsibility to protect all people
Thank you, Mister President.
(from Vatican Radio)…