(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)…
The Vatican will offer homeless people in Rome not only showers but also haircuts and shaves when new facilities open next month, the head of Pope Francis’ charity office said. The Vatican announced last year that it would provide shower facilities in St Peter’s Square for homeless people. Archbishop Konrad Krajewski the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire on Thursday that it would also offer haircuts and shaves when the services start on Feb. 16 in an area under the colonnade of the square. Arch. Krajewski, whose official title is the pope’s almsgiver, said barbers and hairdressers would volunteer their services on Mondays, the day their shops are traditionally closed in Italy. They had already donated chairs, hair-cutting instruments, and mirrors, the newspaper’s website said. Arch. Krajewski came up with the idea of building showers in St. Peter’s Square last year after a homeless person told him that while it was relatively easy to find places to eat at Rome charities, it was difficult to find places to wash. He immediately received the pope’s backing for the shower project and then expanded it to include haircuts and shaves. (Source: Reuter)
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday received the participants in a meeting -this week – of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.
The Oriental Orthodox Churches those Orthodox Eastern Christian churches which recognize only the first three ecumenical councils, and rejected the formulae of the Council of Chalcedon, at which certain central Christological doctrines were dogmatically defined, most especially the dual nature – fully divine and fully human, perfectly united though without mixing, blending or alteration – of Christ.
Click below to hear our report
In remarks prepared for the occasion and delivered during the noon audience in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, Pope Francis praised the progress of the Commission in its dozen years of work, and called on all participants to continue their journey in a spirit of brotherhood. “I express my hope that this work will bear rich fruit for our common theological research and help us to experience ever more fully our fraternal friendship,” the Holy Father said.
Pope Francis went on to note, with, “dismay and deep sadness,” the ongoing conflicts and crises in the Middle East, especially in Iraq and Syria. “I join you,” he said, “in praying for a negotiated solution and in imploring God’s goodness and mercy upon all those affected by this immense tragedy.” The Holy Father continued, saying, “All Christians are called to work together, in mutual acceptance and trust, in order to serve the cause of peace and justice. May the intercession and example of the many martyrs and saints who have borne courageous witness to Christ in all our Churches sustain and strengthen you and your Christian communities.”
Pope Francis concluded his remarks by thanking the participants for their visit, invoking the Lord’s blessings and the maternal protection of Mary on their ministry, and asking in turn for their continued prayers for him.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis warned that lukewarm Christians who’ve lost the memory and enthusiasm of their first encounter with Christ are in grave danger of letting the devil into their homes. Christians, he explained, must always retain that memory of their first meeting with Christ and their hope in Him to help them go forward with the courage of their faith. The Pope’s words came at his morning Mass on Friday (January 30th) celebrated at the Santa Marta residence.
Taking the inspiration for his reflections from the Letter to the Hebrews, Pope Francis said somebody who no longer remembers his or her first meeting with Jesus is an empty and spiritually inert person, as only lukewarm people can be. The day of that first encounter with Christ, he stressed, must never be forgotten.
Lukewarm Christians in grave danger
“Our memory is so important for recalling the grace received because if we chase away that enthusiasm which comes from the memory of that first love, this enthusiasm coming from that first love, then a huge danger arrives for Christians: a lukewarm (faith). Lukewarm Christians. They’re there, immobile and yes, they’re Christians, but they’ve lost the memory of that first love. And they’ve also lost their enthusiasm. In addition, they’ve lost their patience, to tolerate life’s problems with the spirit of Jesus’ love, to tolerate, and to bear on their shoulders the difficulties…. Lukewarm Christians, poor things, they’re in grave danger.”
Pope Francis said when he thinks about lukewarm Christians he is struck by two distasteful images, the one described by Peter who talks of the dog that returns to its own vomit and the other described by Jesus of people who chase away the devil and decide to follow the gospel but when the devil later returns with reinforcements they open their doors of their house to him. The Pope said this is like returning to the vomit of that evil that was earlier rejected and vice-versa.
“A Christian has these two parameters, memory and hope. We must evoke our memory so as not to lose the beautiful experience of that first love which feeds our hope. Many times that hope is in darkness but (a Christian) still goes ahead. He or she believes and goes forward because they know that hope never disappoints us, in finding Jesus. These two parameters are the very frames within which we can safeguard the salvation of the good people which comes from the Lord.”
Memory and hope equal faith
The Pope said this salvation must be protected in order that the tiny mustard seed will grow and bear fruit.
“It’s painful and heart-breaking to see so many Christians – so many Christians! – half-way along the road, so many Christians who’ve failed along this road towards a meeting with Jesus, going away from this encounter with Jesus. This road where they’ve lost the memory of that first love and no longer have any hope.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis expressed his profound sadness for the victims of an explosion at a maternity hospital in Mexico City which killed two newborn babies and a nurse. More than 70 other people were injured, most of them newborn infants. The Pope’s condolences were sent on his behalf by the Secretary of State Pietro Parolin in a telegram to Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, Archbishop of Mexico City. Earlier, the Pope sent a tweet on his Spanish twitter account urging prayers for the victims and their families and for the Lord to grant them strength and peace.
An investigation is underway into the cause of Thursday’s explosion, which killed at least three people and injured scores of others, many of whom are infants.
James Blears reports a leak in a pipe of a truck supplying gas to the hospital’s kitchen, transformed the vehicle into a gigantic bomb, with a resulting explosion, felt for many miles around.
Listen to the report by James Blears:
The nursery, administration area and emergency ward of Cujimalpa hospital were flattened by a blast of enormous proportions. Investigating experts say a supply pipe of a truck pumping gallon after gallon of gas into the hospital kitchen, either leaked or fractured, causing the explosion. More than 40 of the 70 hurt are babies or young children. Twenty-two remain in serious condition. The heart-rending cases range from blast wounds, burns ….. and horrific wounds from glass shards fanning out in cutting showers, from shattered window panes. Windows for miles around were blown to kingdom come from the shock waves.
Mexico City’s Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera who’s visited the scene of twisted metal, collapsed concrete and devastation, is blaming the gas company, which he says has been supplying hospitals throughout Mexico City since 2007.
In one form or other, gas explosions are not uncommon in Mexico. In February 2013, 37 people died after a build-up of gas in the basement of the Mexico City Headquarters of State Petroleum Company PEMEX.
(from Vatican Radio)…