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Tag: Syndicated

Pope Francis at Angelus: special care for migrant children

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis appealed for better treatment of child-migrants on Sunday. Speaking to pilgrims and tourists gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray the Angelus with him, the Holy Father renewed his call for prayerful and concrete solidarity with minors forced to flee their homelands – especially for the children and adolescents forced to flee on their own, without the company of parents or older relatives.
“It is necessary to take every possible measure to ensure protection and defense to migrant children,” Pope Francis said, “as well as their integration,” into host societies. “These, our brothers and sisters, especially if unaccompanied, are exposed to many dangers,” the Pope said – dangers that include being taken and sold into slavery – often sexual slavery.
January 15 th is the 103 rd iteration of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which this year is focused particularly on the plight of the youngest migrants under the theme: Child Migrants, the Vulnerable and the Voiceles .
Pope Francis offered special greetings in this regard to the representatives of the many different  ethnic communities present in the city and in St. Peter’s Square for the occasion, particularly those of Catholic Rome. “Dear friends, I hope that you are able to live peacefully in the places that welcome you,” the Holy Father said, “respecting their laws and traditions and, at the same time, maintaining the values of your cultures of origin.” The Pope went on to say, “The encounter of different cultures is always an enrichment for everyone.”
Offering thanks to the Migrantes office of the Diocese of Rome and those who work with migrants to welcome them and accompany them in their difficulties, and encouraging everyone so committed to continue in their work, Pope Francis commended the example of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the patron saint of migrants, who passed into eternal life 100 years ago this year. “This courageous sister dedicated her life to bringing the love of Christ to those who were far from home and family,” he said, “Her witness,” said Pope Francis, “helps us to take care of the brother from a far-off land, in whom Jesus is present, often suffering, rejected and humiliated.”
(from Vatican Radio)…

Pope Francis meets with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met Saturday morning with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas at the Vatican. Following the audience, the Holy See Press Office issued the following press release: 
This morning the Holy Father Francis received in audience His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, president of the State of Palestine, who subsequently met with His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States. 
During the cordial discussions, the parties evoked the existing good relations between the Holy See and Palestine, sealed by the Global Agreement of 2015, which regards essential aspects of the life and activity of the Church in Palestinian society. In this context, mention was made of the important contribution of Catholics to favouring the promotion of human dignity and assistance for those most in need, especially in the fields of education, health and aid. 
Attention then turned to the peace process in the Middle East, and hope was expressed that direct negotiations between the Parties may be resumed to bring an end to the violence that causes unacceptable suffering to civilian populations, and to find a just and lasting solution. To this end, it is hoped that, with the support of the international community, measures can be taken that favour mutual trust and contribute to creating a climate that permits courageous decisions to be made in favour of peace. Emphasis was placed on the importance of safeguarding the sanctity of the Holy Places for believers of all three of the Abrahamic religions. Finally, particular attention was dedicated to the other conflicts affecting the region.
(from Vatican Radio)…

Pope Francis: put the human person at centre of economy

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received participants in the Roman Roundtable of the Global Foundation on Saturday.
Based in Melbourne, Australia, the Global Foundation is a worldwide network of concerned citizen-leaders in areas of commerce, industry, law, policy and intellectual endeavour, who seek to enable people from many walks of life to meet and work together in addressing the principal challenges of this moment in history.
Click below to hear our report

The “Rome Roundtable” brought 50 invited participants and a number of observers from the business and investment community, religious leaders, civic insstitutions, academia and civil society, to Rome for a two-day meeting January 13 th and 14 th , to measure progress and report on the concrete actions taken on global economic, social and environmental matters, such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
In remarks to the participants on Saturday in the Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis reiterated his opposition to a global economic system that tends to degrade the human person.
“A world economic system that discards men, women and children because they are no longer considered useful or productive according to criteria drawn from the world of business or other organizations,” said Pope Francis, “is unacceptable, because it is inhumane.” The Pope went on to say, “This lack of concern for persons is a sign of regression and dehumanization in any political or economic system.”
The Holy Father called on participants to study and to learn from the Church’s social doctrine.
“Draw constant inspiration from the Church’s social teaching,” he said, “as you continue your efforts to promote a cooperative globalization, working with civil society, governments, international bodies, academic and scientific communities, and all other interested parties.”
(from Vatican Radio)…

Pope Francis: address to Global Foundation roundtable

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received participants in the Roman Roundtable of the Global Foundation on Saturday.
Based in Melbourne, Australia, the Global Foundation is a worldwide network of concerned citizen-leaders in areas of commerce, industry, law, policy and intellectual endeavour, who seek to enable people from many walks of life to meet and work together in addressing the principal challenges of this moment in history.
The “Rome Roundtable” brought 50 invited participants and a number of observers from the business and investment community, religious leaders, civic insstitutions, academia and civil society, to Rome for a two-day meeting January 13 th and 14 th , to measure progress and report on the concrete actions taken on global economic, social and environmental matters, such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Below, please find the full text of Pope Francis’ prepared remarks to the participants, in their official English translation
******************************************
Address of His Holiness Pope Francis
to the Round Table of The Global Foundation
14 January 2017
Dear Friends,
I am pleased to join you for this new edition of the Roman Roundtable of The Global Foundation.  Inspired by the Foundation’s motto – “Together We Strive for the Global Common Good” – you have gathered to discern just ways of attaining a globalization that is “cooperative”, and thus positive, as opposed to the globalization of indifference.  You seek to ensure that the global community, shaped by the institutions, agencies and representatives of civil society, can effectively achieve international goals and obligations that have been solemnly declared and assumed, such as those of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Before all else, I would restate my conviction that a world economic system that discards men, women and children because they are no longer considered useful or productive according to criteria drawn from the world of business or other organizations, is unacceptable, because it is inhumane.  This lack of concern for persons is a sign of regression and dehumanization in any political or economic system.  Those who cause or allow others to be discarded – whether refugees, children who are abused or enslaved, or the poor who die on our streets in cold weather – become themselves like soulless machines.  For they implicitly accept the principle that they too, sooner or later, will be discarded, when they no longer prove useful to a society that has made mammon, the god of money, the centre of its attention.
In 1991, Saint John Paul II, responding to the fall of oppressive political systems and the progressive integration of markets that we have come to call globalization, warned of the risk that an ideology of capitalism would become widespread.  This would entail little or no interest for the realities of marginalization, exploitation and human alienation, a lack of concern for the great numbers of people still living in conditions of grave material and moral poverty, and a blind faith in the unbridled development of market forces alone.  My Predecessor asked if such an economic system would be the model to propose to those seeking the road to genuine economic and social progress, and offered a clearly negative response.  This is not the way (cf. Centesimus Annus , 42).
Sadly, the dangers that troubled Saint John Paul II have largely come to pass.  At the same time, we have seen the spread of many concrete efforts on the part of individuals and institutions to reverse the ills produced by an irresponsible globalization.  Mother Teresa of Calcutta, whom I had the joy of canonizing several months ago, and who is a symbol and icon of our time, in some way represents and recapitulates those efforts.  She bent down to comfort the poorest of the poor, left to die on the streets, recognizing in each of them their God-given dignity.  She was accepting of every human life, whether unborn or abandoned and discarded, and she made her voice heard by the powers of this world, calling them to acknowledge the crimes of poverty that they themselves were responsible for (cf. Homily for the Canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta , 4 September 2016).
This is the first attitude leading to fraternal and cooperative globalization.  It is necessary above all for each of us, personally, to overcome our indifference to the needs of the poor.  We need to learn “com-passion” for those suffering from persecution, loneliness, forced displacement or separation from their families.  We need to learn to “suffer with” those who lack access to health care, or who endure hunger, cold or heat.
This compassion will enable those with responsibilities in the worlds of finance and politics to use their intelligence and their resources not merely to control and monitor the effects of globalization, but also to help leaders at different political levels – regional, national and international – to correct its orientation whenever necessary.  For politics and the economy ought to include the exercise of the virtue of prudence.
The Church remains ever hopeful, for she is conscious of the immense potential of the human mind whenever it lets itself be helped and guided by God, and of the good will present in so many people, small and great, poor and rich, businessmen and labourers alike.  For this reason, I encourage you to draw constant inspiration from the Church’s social teaching as you continue your efforts to promote a cooperative globalization, working with civil society, governments, international bodies, academic and scientific communities, and all other interested parties.  I offer you my cordial good wishes for every success in your endeavours.
I thank all of you for your attention and I assure you of my prayers.  I also ask you to bring my personal greetings, together with my blessing, to your families and all your associates.
(from Vatican Radio)…

Pope greets Italian police who protect the Vatican

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis greeted the members of the General Inspectorate for Public Security at the Vatican of the Italian State Police (Polizia di Stato) in a traditional new year meeting on Friday. Although Vatican City State has its own police force – the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps –  this force cooperates closely with its Italian counterparts, and the Italian police help patrol St. Peter’s Square.
In his address, Francis expressed his gratitude to all of them for their generous service, not without difficulties and risks. “I know that you run risks”, he said. “You are, in a certain sense, the ‘guardian angels’ of St. Peter’s Square. Indeed, every day you keep watch over this peculiar centre of Christianity, and other relevant areas of the Vatican, with great care, professionalism and a sense of duty. And especially in these recent times, you have shown competence and courage in facing the many challenges and various dangers, working with generosity in the prevention of crimes. In this way you have ensured safe access for pilgrims to the Basilica and to meetings with Peter’s Successor. For all this I thank you. I thank you: they are not merely words, these, they come from the heart. Thank you! I know the hardships of your work and the sacrifices that you must make every day. Know that I appreciate you greatly and often think with sincere gratitude of you and your valuable work”.
“The extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, an event of unique spiritual significance, has seen many pilgrims flock to Rome from all over the world in recent months. You too have been required to make greater efforts in your work, to ensure that the celebrations and events connected with the Jubilee were able to take place in safety and serenity. The external order over which you kept watch with great diligence, thoughtful care and constant willingness, thus contributed to fostering inner calm in pilgrims in search of peace in their encounter with the Lord’s mercy”.
The Pope recalled that the Christmas celebrations came to an end just a short while ago, in which “we turned our gaze to Bethlehem, to that land and that family who became Jesus’ dwelling. Christmas urges us to measure ourselves, once again, with the lowering of the Son of God, Who wished to make Himself similar to us in everything other than sin, to make us understand the love with which He loved, and loves, us. This immeasurable love is a constant invitation to turn to acceptance, solidarity and forgiveness of our brothers. In this way we will be able to experience within ourselves that peace that the angels in Bethlehem proclaimed to men of good will”.
The Holy Father concluded by asking the Lord to protect those present and commending them to the Virgin Mary, and reiterating his gratitude for the tenacity and fidelity with which they perform their work. “I ask you to pray for me, and impart my heartfelt apostolic blessing”.
(from Vatican Radio)…