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Holy
See
Compassion
and mercy
1457.1
~ Christians should be a sign and instrument of the
compassion and mercy of Christ, Benedict XVI says. The
Pope affirmed this on Sunday at a Mass that he celebrated
in the port city of Brindisi in Italy's southeastern
region of Apulia. Orthodox Metropolitan Gennadios of
Italy was among those who participated in the Eucharist
in this city that is a symbol of the meeting between
East and West. The Holy Father greeted him, recalling
'the ecumenical vocation proper to the Church of Brindisi.'
In his homily, Benedict XVI dealt with the meaning of
Christian compassion and related it to the city of Brindisi,
which since the 1990s, has faced an often-desperate
immigration crisis. 'Christian compassion has nothing
to do with pietism, with welfarism. Rather it is synonymous
with solidarity and sharing, and it is animated by hope,'
he noted. It is born from 'the words that Jesus speaks
to the apostles: 'As you go along preach that the kingdom
of heaven in near.''
'This is hope,' the Holy Father continued, 'that is
founded on the coming of Christ, that ultimately coincides
with his Person and his mystery of salvation, as the
title of the 4th Italian Ecclesial Conference in Verona
recalled quite well: The risen Christ, hope of the world.'
Christian compassion welcomes; it does not impose, the
Pope added, because this is how Jesus conducted himself,
with his unmistakable style, the style of the Gospel,
constituted by 'humble and discreet' gestures, which
however, 'contain an enormous power for renewal.' The
Church is called to be, in this manner, holy and missionary,
Benedict XVI emphasized. And he continued: 'In this
respect it is useful to note that the Twelve Apostles
were not perfect men, chosen for their moral and religious
faultlessness.
'They
were certainly believers, full of enthusiasm and zeal,
but marked by their human limitations, sometimes quite
grave. So, Jesus called them, not because they were
saints but that they might become saints. Like us. Like
all Christians. 'The Church is the community of sinners
who believe in God's love and let themselves be transformed
by him, and in this way become holy.' The Pope encouraged
the faithful who were present: 'Be enlivened by the
hope in which you were saved, you too, brothers and
sisters of the ancient Church of Brindisi, be signs
and instruments of the compassion, of the mercy of Christ.
'The Spirit who acted in Christ and in the Twelve is
the same one who works in you and allows you to bring
about the signs of the kingdom of love, of justice and
of the peace that is coming -- indeed is already come
into the world -- among those who live in this land.'
Just as at the papal Mass on the feast of Corpus Christi,
the faithful knelt to receive Communion from the Pope.
[Zenit] 1457.1
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Saint
Isidore of Antioch
Benedict
XVI dedicated his catechesis during yesterday's general
audience to St. Isidore of Seville, who lived from 560
to 636 and whom the Council of Toledo in 653 defined
as the 'Glory of the Catholic Church'. The audience,
held in St. Peter's Square, was attended by 11,000 people.
Isidore was a friend of Pope Gregory the Great and younger
brother to St. Leander, bishop of Seville, whom he succeeded
in that episcopal see, the Pope explained, recalling
how during that period 'the Visigoths, barbarians and
followers of Arianism, had invaded the Iberian peninsula
and occupied territories once part of the Roman empire.
These lands had to be won over to Catholicism'. The
saint, under his brother's guidance, became disciplined
and studious. Their house had a large library of pagan
and Christian works, and hence Isidore's writings 'reveal
an encyclopaedic knowledge of classical pagan culture
as well as a profound understanding of Christian culture'.
'In his personal life Isidore experienced a permanent
interior conflict ... between a desire for solitude
to dedicate himself exclusively to meditating upon the
Word of God, and the need to show charity towards his
fellow man for whose salvation, as bishop, he felt responsible'.
This Doctor of the Church, who as a young man also suffered
exile, 'was pervaded with great apostolic zeal: he experienced
the exhilaration of contributing to the formation of
a people that had finally found its unity, both politically
and religiously, with the providential conversion from
Arianism to Catholicism of the heir to the Visigoth
throne, Hermenegild.
'However
we must not undervalue', the Holy Father added, 'the
enormous difficulties in responding adequately to such
serious problems as relations with heretics and with
the Jews; an entire series of problems that seem very
real even today, especially if we consider events in
certain regions, in which we almost seem to see the
re-emergence of situations very similar to those on
the Iberian peninsula in the sixth century'. In St.
Isidore, said Pope Benedict, 'we have to admire ...
his concern not to neglect the fruits that human experience
had produced, in the history of his homeland and of
the entire world. Isidore would not have wanted to lose
anything of mankind's achievements in ancient times,
pagan, Jewish or Christian'.
At the same time the saint, 'in discussing theological
problems, showed he understood their complexity and
often proposed solutions that encapsulated and expressed
the complete Christian truth'. With the 'realism of
a true pastor', Isidore of Seville proposed a fusion
of contemplative and active life, inspired by the example
of Christ Who 'offered us an example of the active life
when, during the day, He ... performed miracles in the
city, but showed us the contemplative life when He retired
to the mountain and spent the night there in prayer.
... Just as we must love God through contemplation,
so we must love others through action'.
'This, I believe, is the summary of a life that sought
contemplation of God, dialogue with God in prayer and
the reading of Holy Scripture, and action in the service
of the human community. This', the Holy Father concluded,
'is the lesson that the great bishop of Seville leaves
to us, Christians of today who are called to bear witness
to Christ at the beginning of a new millennium'. [Vatican
Information Service] 1457.2
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Christians in Iraq
The
question regarding Christians in Iraq is whether they
have a future there, or if it would be better to focus
efforts on helping them relocate, says a Vatican aide.
Father Leon Lemmens, the secretary general of the Assembly
of Societies for Aid to Eastern Churches, told Vatican
Radio this week that the agency is following 'with great
concern and anxiety' the fortunes of the Christians
in Iraq, especially after the February kidnapping and
murder of Archbishop Faraj Rahho of Mosul. The assembly
is meeting in the Vatican this week, and will discuss
the plight of Christians in Iraq, Armenia and Georgia.
The
committee is linked to the Sacred Congregation for Eastern
Churches. Its mission is to unite material aid for the
purpose of providing assistance to Eastern Churches.
Regarding the Christians in Iraq, Father Lemmens said
'various agencies are helping, both with material and
pastoral care, over 150,000 Iraqi Christians who have
sought refuge in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey.
The big question now is if these people have the possibility
of a future in Iraq, or if it would be better, instead,
to receive them in our European countries.' The priest
explained that Christians who have stayed in the country
are also being helped, especially in Kurdistan in the
north, where many have sought refuge.
'To enable them to remain in the country, it is necessary
to create economic activities for them which will allow
them to earn a living. Several agencies are working
on this.' Father Lemmens said the agency is also discussion
how to help Christians in Armenia and Georgia. He explained
that the collapse of the Communist regime has made possible
the rebirth of Catholic communities in these countries,
though they still need much support. 'In Armenia, the
Catholic Church was suppressed. The last priest died
in 1975,' he said. After the fall of the Berlin Wall
in 1991 it has been necessary 'to identify and gather
the faithful, re-purchase or build churches, form the
faithful and foster vocations to the priesthood,' the
priest continued.
'Thanks to the collaboration of several agencies, among
them Renovabis, Aid to the Church in Need, l'Oeuvre
de l'Orient, there are in Armenia today 15 parishes
and close to 180,000 faithful; and the Catholic Church
has the official recognition of the state,' said Father
Lemmens. In Georgia, however, the Church is not recognized
by the state, and relations with the Orthodox Church
is delicate. 'On the economic and social plane, the
separation from the Soviet Union was dramatic both for
Georgia as well as Armenia,' said the priest. 'People
live in great poverty. Over these years, 20% of Georgia's
population -- mainly young adults -- has emigrated,
which has made the situation in the country that much
more serious.' [Zenit] 1457.3
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Islamic-Catholic
Liaison Committee
A
joint Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee met in Rome
on June 11-13, and released a statement concluding that
authentic religious practice can 'effectively contribute
in promoting brotherhood and harmony in the human family.'
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the president of the Pontifical
Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, co-chaired the
3-day meeting along with Professor Hamid bin Ahmad Al-Rifaie,
the president of the International Islamic Forum for
Dialogue, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This was the 14th
meeting of the joint committee. The sessions ended with
a statement in which both Catholic and Muslim delegates
affirmed the dignity of the human person, the commitment
to justice and peace, and the shared belief 'that God
is compassionate and therefore they consider it their
duty to show compassion towards every human person,
especially the needy and the weak.' The group strongly
condemned the use of religious sentiment to incite violence.
Pope Benedict XVI met with the participants in a private
audience and 'encouraged them to continue their endeavors
for the promotion of justice and peace.' [CWNews] 1457.4
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The
arms trade
Benedict
XVI is asking those who deal in the lucrative arms trade
to face their consciences and consider the consequences
of their business. The Pope said this on Monday when
he addressed Antoine Zanga, the new ambassador of Cameroon
to the Holy See. At the same time, the Holy Father appealed
to the international community and governments particularly
in Africa, to take the necessary measures to stop the
arms trade from spreading death and misery, especially
among needy countries. 'I exhort all persons involved
in the sale or traffic of arms, with interests that
are often extremely lucrative, to ask themselves what
are the consequences engendered by their behavior,'
the Pontiff said.
'May
the international community commit itself in this field
together with the local authorities so that peace in
all countries will gain ground every day.' Benedict
XVI pointed out that 'one of the fundamental duties
of political leaders is, without a doubt, to provide
harmony for their countrymen and a peaceful social situation,
making efforts to put an end to tensions and unrest,
which regularly cause conflicts, and to make prevail
dialogue and respect for legitimate cultural diversity
between social and ethnic groups, in order to build
and unify the nation.' Turning his attention to the
economic crisis, leaving many families without basic
sustenance, the Pope called for micro-projects in developing
countries to make individuals responsible for the common
good.
'Your country, like many others, particularly on the
African continent, suffers because of the present economic
situation, which affects numerous families who do not
have the minimum to respond to their most fundamental
needs,' the Holy Father lamented in his French-language
address. He encouraged elements that could alter this
tendency, beginning with the responsibility of every
country affected: 'Every nation should seek economic
and social stability, ceaselessly organizing their own
resources, while respecting their own institutions.'
In this context, 'it is necessary to foster micro-projects
which will commit men and women locally, as well as
struggle effectively against illicit trade and against
the phenomena of corruption,' the Pontiff stressed.
The key lies 'in having an ever more acute awareness
of the common good,' he added. Moreover, Benedict XVI
urged 'the international community, through appropriate
and well-oriented aid, as well as through a worldwide
economic policy,' to contribute to break the 'vicious
circle of underdevelopment and abject poverty.' According
to the Bishop of Rome, 'It is also necessary to take
into account the different phenomena which have a treacherous
effect on populations, such as floods, global warming,
pandemics, wars and terrorism.'
In
this context, the Pope encouraged international institutions
and local authorities to work to achieve 'agreements
that have as their objective the relief or canceling
of debt and a more just distribution of wealth.' In
this way, he affirmed, needy countries will be given
'a new economic and social impetus for the good of all
the inhabitants' and young people will be given 'new
hope for a better future.' [Zenit] 1457.5
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New
President for Pontifical Academy
Pope
Benedict XVI has named Bishop Salvatore Fisichella,
an auxiliary of the Rome diocese, to become president
of the Pontifical Academy for Life. Bishop Fisichella--
whose duties in Rome have included acting as rector
of the Pontifical Lateran University and chaplain to
the Italian parliament-- will replace Bishop Elio Sgreccia,
who is retiring at the age of 80. The new assignment
for Bishop Fisichella comes as Vatican-watchers await
a series of other expected personnel changes in the
Roman Curia. Among the curial cardinals who could be
replaced are Cardinal José Saraiva Martins,
the prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints,
who at 76 is beyond the regular retirement age; and
Cardinal Francis Arinze, the prefect of the Congregation
for Divine Worship, who celebrated his 75th birthday
last November. Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar
for the Rome diocese, is also likely to be replaced
soon, since he is 77 years old and suffers from heart
problems. [CWNews] 1457.6
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Pope
Pius XII
The
beatification of Pope Pius XII is not imminent, the
Vatican's chief spokesman told reporters at a June 17
press conference. Father Federico Lombardi, the director
of the Vatican press office, said that the beatification
of the wartime Pontiff-- like the beatification of Pope
John Paul II-- remains 'in the kingdom of the future.'
By that, he explained, he meant that 'it is not possible
to say with any certainty' when the beatifications will
take place. Father Lombardi spoke to reporters at a
Vatican briefing on two events that have been scheduled
to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Pope Pius
XII: a conference on the Pontiff's teaching, to be held
in November at the pontifical Gregorian and Lateran
universities; and a photo exhibit covering the years
of the pontificate of Pius XII (1939- 1958), to be held
in the Charlemagne wing of St. Peter's Square from October
2008 through February 2009.
Bishop
Salvatore Fisichella, the rector of the Lateran University,
told reporters that the teaching of Pope Pius XII had
a considerable impact on the Second Vatican Council.
Commenting on the Pontiff's intellectual legacy, the
bishop pointed to his 43 encyclicals and his 1950 proclamation
of the dogma of the Assumption. In May 2007, the Congregation
for the Causes of Saints reportedly approved a finding
of 'heroic virtue' in the life of Pope Pius XII. But
Pope Benedict XVI has not yet given his approval to
the decree that would give the late Pope the title 'Venerable,'
and make him eligible for beatification with the certification
of a miracle through his intercession. The cause for
the beatification of Pope Pius XII has been dogged by
controversy, with some critics charging that he failed
to condemn the Nazi extermination campaign against European
Jews. Defenders of the wartime Pope have cited historic
records to rebut those charges. But Cardinal Tarcisio
Bertone has observed that the myth of papal indifference
to the Holocaust 'is now so firmly rooted that people
just ignore evidence to the contrary.' [CWNews] 1457.7
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Overcoming
individualism
The Church must overcome individualism by educating
in solidarity and sharing, Benedict XVI explained at
the beginning of his 10th apostolic trip in Italy. The
Pope affirmed this on Saturday in the homily he delivered
at the shrine dedicated to Mary 'De Finibus Terrae'
(at the end of the earth) in Santa Maria di Leuca, Italy.
The Holy Father began his homily by greetings the sick,
who were in the front rows. More than 20,000 faithful
filled the area around the shrine, which was bathed
in sunlight. In his homily, the Pontiff spoke about
the Church's social role: 'In a context that tends to
give more and more incentives to individualism, the
first service of the Church is that of educating in
a social sense, in attention to neighbors, in solidarity
and in sharing.
The
Church,' he went on, 'charged as she is by her Lord
with a spiritual mission that she continually renews,
shows herself to be capable of exercising a positive
influence even on the social level because she promotes
a renewed humanity and open and constructive human relationships,
in respect and in service, first of all to the least
and the weakest.' In Salento, as in all of southern
Italy, the ecclesial communities, 'are places where
the young generations can learn hope, not as a utopia,
but as tenacious confidence in the power of the good,'
the Pope said. 'The good is victorious and, if at times
it seems to be defeated or circumvented, in reality
it continues to work in silence and in discretion bearing
fruit in the long run.
'This is Christian social renewal, based on the transformation
of consciences, on moral transformation, on prayer,
yes, for prayer gives us the strength to believe and
fight for the good even when, humanly, we are tempted
to be discouraged and retreat. 'The Christian community
cannot and never wants to replace the legitimate and
dutiful work of other social institutions; indeed, she
stimulates and supports their efforts and she always
offers to collaborate with them for the good of all,
beginning with the situations of great unease and difficulty.'
Fireworks sent off the Pope as he departed for Brindisi,
his second stop on his two-day tour. [Zenit] 1457.8
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Immigrants
and life
Upon
his arrival in Brindisi, Benedict XVI spoke out in defence
of immigrants and life. The Pope on Saturday lauded
the residents of Brindisi, a port city in southeastern
Italy, for their generous welcome of immigrants and
he urged them to be open to life. Those were the two
main themes of his arrival address. Representatives
of the local government and the region's youth welcomed
the Holy Father to the city for the second leg of a
two-day apostolic trip.
In the speech that he delivered to a large crowd in
the city center, the Pontiff reflected on the vocation
of Brindisi, which, as in the past, 'remains a port
open to the sea' and a traditional refuge of immigrants.
'In recent years the newspapers and television have
shown images of refugees who have landed in Brindisi
from Croatia and from Montenegro, from Albania and from
Macedonia,' he remarked.
The
Pope noted 'with gratitude the efforts that have been
made and that continue to be made on the part of civil
and military administrations, in collaboration with
the Church and with various humanitarian organizations,
to provide refuge and aid, despite the economic difficulties
that unfortunately continue to worry your region. Your
city has been and continues to be generous, and this
has been justly recognized with the assignment -- in
the context of international solidarity -- of an authentic
institutional role: Brindisi is the site of a U.N. base
for humanitarian aid overseen by its World Food Program.
This
solidarity,' Benedict XVI told the citizens of Brindisi,
'is part of the virtues that make up your rich civil
and religious patrimony: Continue to build your future
with zeal.' Turning his attention to the defence of
the family, Benedict XVI recalled that the family is
the basis on which society is built. He said: 'Respect
for life, and especially attachment to family, [are]
exposed today to numerous forces that are trying to
weaken [them]. 'How necessary and urgent it is, even
in the face of these challenges, that all persons of
goodwill commit themselves to the safeguarding of the
family, the solid basis on which the life of the whole
of society is built.'
'May adherence to the Gospel, consciously renewed and
lived with responsibility, move you, today as yesterday,
to face with hope the difficulties and the challenges
of the present moment,' the Pope concluded. 'May faith
encourage you to respond without compromises to the
legitimate expectations of the human and social concerns
of your city.' [Zenit] 1457.9
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The
Family
Humanae
Vitae pledge of assent
Father
Thomas J. Euteneuer, STL, president of Human Life International,
has invited every Catholic bishop, priest, deacon, and
seminarian in the world to sign a 'pledge of assent'
affirming their adherence to Pope Paul VI's 1968 encyclical
Humanae Vitae.
Writing
in a press statement, Father Euteneuer said the goal
of the pledge was to form a new 'generation of assent'
to overcome what he called 'a whole generation of silence
and dissent' that followed the encyclical, which discussed
the nature of human sexuality and reaffirmed the Church's
teaching on artificial birth control.
According
to HLI's president, 'The generation between 1968 and
the present has largely been a generation of dissent.
But we see great signs of hope that a younger generation
of Catholics who grew up amid the wreckage wrought by
not heeding Pope Paul's warnings is coming of age and
recognize dissent from Humanae Vitae and the Magisterium
in general for the folly that it is.'
'It
is our desire and purpose to tell the world that we
will not be silent about this encyclical or its teaching,'
Father Euteneuer said. 'Nor will we stand by idly when
Pope Paul VI's predictions of cultural and spiritual
degradation are manifesting themselves around us in
broken marriages, devastated families and pernicious
immorality.'
'We
believe that the Catholic clergy has a large part to
play in turning this situation around, and only a full,
conscious and active promotion of the teachings of this
encyclical by the clergy will be a force for change
in our present culture of death,' he continued.
Fr.
Euteneuer explained the timing of the initiative to
CNA in an email, saying, 'We are doing this at this
time because 2008 is the 40th anniversary year of Humanae
Vitae's release by Pope Paul VI. Traditionally,
forty years is the span of a generation, and a very
significant span of time in biblical tradition. The
Israelites spent 40 years in the desert, and Jesus spent
40 days in the desert.'
Momentum
for a new generation of assent is part divine and part
human, Fr. Euteneuer asserts. 'We believe the Holy Spirit
is renewing the Church, leading her back to the wisdom
of orthodoxy and we want to help Him!'
The
signs of this movement are 'all around us,' the pro-life
leader says. Among the signs that he sees are 'a renewed
interest in apologetics among young people and a general
rediscovery of the richness of Catholic Tradition. We
see a new generation of clergy and seminarians on fire
for Christ and His authentic teachings. Again, this
is a generation that grew up in the wreckage of dissent.
We see the young 'rebelling' against what has been bequeathed
to them and embracing orthodoxy.'
The
'pledge of assent' is part of HLI's Humanae Vitae Initiative,
which commemorates the 40th anniversary of the encyclical.
It can be signed here.
[CNA] 1457.10
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United Nations
Britain
instructed to get rid of royalty
Britain
has been told to get rid of the Queen in an official
United Nations report. The UN Human Rights Council says
the UK must 'consider holding a referendum on the desirability
or otherwise of a written constitution, preferably republican'.
The demand by the council, which includes regimes like
Saudi Arabia and Cuba among its 29 members, caused outrage
this week. Advisers to the Queen refused to comment
publicly. But privately they admitted being astonished.
One
senior Palace official said: 'People here certainly
haven't detected any appetite for a referendum. The
Queen is a focus for national unity, identity and pride.'
Royal
commentator Robert Lacey said the report showed a complete
lack of understanding of the British system. 'Parliament
could change the law and abolish the monarchy tomorrow,'
he said. 'We don't need a referendum to do that.'
Even
campaigners representing hard-pressed taxpayers said
yesterday they felt no need to get rid of an institution
that costs each adult in Britain around 62p a year.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance,
said: 'With so many human rights abuses around the world,
the UN should be busy reporting on issues of starvation,
execution and the denial of the vote to huge numbers
of people around the world. Saudi Arabia and Cuba should
pay a little more attention to their own human rights
record.'
The
UN comments about the Queen were included at the request
of the council's Sri Lankan envoy, Dayan Jayatilleka.
Amnesty
International revealed last week that hundreds of people
have been kidnapped and murdered in Sri Lanka by shady
forces allied to the government. But it is not the only
country with an appalling record of its own queueing
up to have a go at Britain.
The
UN report also includes criticisms of the UK's record
on treating migrants from Sudan - whose government stands
accused of killing at least 200,000 people in Darfur.
Syria,
whose previous president killed 25,000 in suppressing
an Islamist rebellion in Hama, accuses the UK of discriminating
against Muslims. And most bizarrely, Iran - where a
woman was stoned to death for adultery last year - takes
issue with Britain's record on tackling sexual discrimination.
[Daily Express] 1457.11
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The
danger of indifference
Benedict
XVI is again emphasizing his April message to the United
Nations, saying that indifference is what does real
damage on the international scene. The Pope said this
on Sunday, calling for peace between all peoples, at
the end of his two-day visit to Italy's 'heel,' the
southeastern region of Apulia.
He
prayed the midday Angelus in the port city of Brindisi.
In his address before the prayer, the Bishop of Rome
offered 'a Christian message of cooperation and of peace
between all peoples, especially between those nations
who crown this sea, ancient cradle of civilization,
and those of the Near and Middle East.
'The
action of the international community and its institutions,
provided that it respects the principles undergirding
the international order, should never be interpreted
as an unwarranted imposition or a limitation of sovereignty,'
the Holy Father said, recalling his speech at the United
Nations in New York on April 17.
'On
the contrary,' he continued, 'it is indifference or
failure to intervene that do the real damage. What is
needed is a deeper search for ways of pre-empting and
managing conflicts by exploring every possible diplomatic
avenue, and giving attention and encouragement to even
the faintest sign of dialogue or desire for reconciliation'
The
Pontiff invited those present to ask Mary 'to defend
your city and region, Italy, Europe and the whole world
against the tempests that threaten the faith and true
values.'
He
also asked for prayers for 'the young generations to
take to the sea without fear, to face the voyage of
life with Christian hope.'
After
the Angelus, Benedict XVI traveled by car to Episcopio,
where he had lunch with the bishops of the region. He
ended his two-day trip to the Dioceses of Ugento-Santa
María di Leuca and the Archdiocese of Brindisi-Ostuni
with a meeting with the local clergy. [VIS] 1457.12
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HIV/AIDS
Conference
The
Catholic Family Institute (C-Fam) reports from New York
on the just-concluded United Nations HIV/AIDS conference
- a confab where the loudest voices were those calling
for legitimization of those very same risky practices
that lead to the spread of the virus. They also report
on the Holy See's honouring of the President of El Salvador,
a nation where respect for human life in all stages
is enshrined in the constitution.
Role
of Family and Faith-Based Organizations
Samantha
Singson writes : 'The United Nations High Level
Meeting on HIV/AIDS took place at UN headquarters in
New York this week to review progress made in fighting
the global AIDS pandemic. The two-day meeting, which
brought together members of government and civil society,
was punctuated throughout by calls to end stigmatization
and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS
by expanding rights for 'sexual minorities' and 'commercial
sex workers,' including decriminalization of laws prohibiting
sodomy and prostitution.
At
the opening panel discussion, a representative from
UNAIDS, a joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, asserted that
the international community 'must move beyond the classical
understanding' to include sexual minorities to reduce
the transmission of HIV. Representatives from non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) representing 'sex workers' and
the 'gay, lesbian, transgendered and transsexual community'
pushed for legal recognition, with one stating that
'denying aspects relating to gender identity adds to
the spread of the infection.' Another NGO representative
proclaimed 'HIV is a virus, not a moral issue,' and
that the UN should 'abolish the laws that criminalize
HIV transmission.'
While
many of the registered civil society participants cheered
these demands, several government delegations expressed
concerns. The Egyptian delegation cautioned against
using new terms that have no international legal basis,
such as 'sexual minorities,' and stated 'that the international
community should avoid the imposition of social concepts
prevalent in certain countries on others regardless
of the fact that each society has its own characteristics
and specificities.'
Egypt
also stressed 'the importance of the faith-based approach
in tackling the spread of infection.' Egypt credited
its low level of HIV prevalence 'mainly to the deeply-rooted
cultural and social values that contribute to the control
of extramarital relations between men and women according
to divine religions.' At another meeting, the Zambian
delegation warned against using a 'one size fits all
approach,' particularly in regards to 'sex workers and
sexual minorities.' Zambia reminded participants of
the important role and success that religion and faith-based
organizations have had in the fight against AIDS. Zambia's
representative stated that religion and faith-based
prevention should take the concerns of sexual minorities
into account, but urged that religious and moral teachings
should not be stigmatized or overshadowed.
Qatar
encouraged consideration of the frontline role of the
family in caring for those suffering from HIV infection,
noting that such a perspective was largely absent from
the conference. At the only event which focused on the
positive role of the family, Sharon Slater of Family
Watch International met with anger and resistance when
she drew a distinction between stigmatizing individuals
with HIV, which she condemned, and stigmatizing high-risk
behaviour, such as intravenous drug use and homosexual
activity, which significantly contributes to the spread
of HIV. In a separate meeting with pro-family representatives,
the Ugandan ambassador touted the effectiveness of AIDS
reduction programs that emphasized behavioral change,
notably abstinence and fidelity, rather than simply
relying on condom distribution.
An
official chairman's summary of all the discussions from
the 2008 High Level Meeting on AIDS will be released
in the coming weeks.
Leader
of 'Pro-Life Nation' Honoured by the Holy See
Piero
A. Tozzi and Susan Yoshihara write : 'At the United
Nations headquarters this week, President Elias Antonio
Saca of El Salvador received the 'Path to Peace' award
in recognition of his commitment to the 'development
of peace in national and international arenas.' Archbishop
Celestino Migliore, apostolic nuncio and permanent observer
of the Holy See to the United Nations, bestowed the
honor in his capacity as president of the Path to Peace
Foundation. The Path to Peace Foundation promotes initiatives
of the Pope and the Holy See aimed at building 'justice,
charity and peace.'
President
Saca was a media personality who gained the attention
of El Salvador's ARENA party and won the presidency
in 2004. According to the Path to Peace Foundation,
he was recognized for implementing judicial and fiscal
reform, as well as programs designed to eradicate poverty
in order to help El Salvador rebuild society in a manner
consistent with Catholic social principles. After a
bloody civil war, the country signed a peace agreement
in 1992. In his acceptance remarks, President Saca credited
the 'enormous contribution' of the Catholic Church to
restoring peace and cited the 1983 visit of Pope John
Paul II to the war-torn country as a pivotal event.
He also touted his administration's policy of promoting
a 'solidarity network' in impoverished rural and urban
areas, providing incentives so that poor families would
send their children to school and obtain medical examinations.
The
award however caused an 'outcry,' according to Raul
Gutierrez of the IPS news service. Gutierrez reported
that 'Several Salvadoran Catholic organizations said
they 'regretted' the foundation's decision, in a letter
to the Apostolic Nunciature in El Salvador.' Gutierrez
did not cite the names of the organizations but said
they disagreed with the foundation's assessment of the
president's achievements. IPS news focuses on 'civil
society' and the 'impact of globalization on the [global]
South.' Among its supporters are the UN Population Fund
(UNFPA) and the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, organizations
whose population control policies run counter to the
strong pro-life laws of El Salvador, whose constitution
protects life from conception.
El
Salvador has come under heavy fire from abortion rights
advocates and in the media in the last few years, fallout
from which led to a major scandal at the New York
Times. In a story reported by LifeSite News, the
Times published Jack Hitt's April 2006 article,
'Pro-Life Nation,' erroneously saying that a woman was
serving a 30-year jail term for having undergone an
illegal abortion. The Times relied on a translator
from a UN-accredited non-governmental organization called
Ipas that promotes abortion and sells portable abortion
devices over the telephone. [Due to the controversy
the LifeSite News story caused, the New York Times
was forced to admit it was wrong in an 'editor's
note' but stopped short of calling it a 'correction'
or 'retraction.']
Despite
pressure, El Salvador continues to maintain its protection
for life in its various stages. This week, all 84 Salvadoran
legislators signed the 'Yes to Life' statement - part
of a campaign to promote respect for human life in Central
America - condemning abortion as an 'abominable crime'
and affirming the duty of legislators to 'unconditionally'
defend life from conception to natural death. [C-FAM]
1457.13
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The
radical onslaught
California
here we come
Legalization
of same-sex marriage will make state tourist magnet
for homosexuals from across U.S., study predicts. The
California Supreme Court's legalization of homosexual
marriage will prove a boon to marriage-seeking homosexual
couples not only in California, but in New York as well.
Up
until last month, when the court discovered that the
California constitution guarantees a right to same-sex
marriage, the only marriage option for New York homosexual
couples was to relocate to Massachusetts - whose constitution
also guarantees the right to same-sex marriage, according
to the state's highest court. But after the California
Supreme Court declared a state law banning homosexual
marriage unconstitutional, New York Governor David Paterson
told state agencies to recognize all marriages, 'gay'
or 'straight,' performed in other states or countries.
Paterson's
decree means that homosexual marriages contracted in
Canada, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, South Africa,
Massachusetts, and California will be recognized as
marriages in New York, though the state has not granted
homosexuals the right to marry. Though nearer to New
York, Massachusetts grants marriage licenses only to
state residents. This leaves California as the probable
destination for those New York homosexuals who want
to be married because a couple does not have to reside
in California to obtain a marriage license here.
And
a good number of same-sex couples from New York are
expected to come to California, according to a study
released last week by UCLA Law School's Williams Institute.
According to its web site, the Williams Institute 'advances
sexual orientation law and public policy through rigorous,
independent research and scholarship, and disseminates
it to judges, legislators, policymakers, media and the
public.'
The
Williams Institute study concluded that, over the next
three years, out of New York's nearly 49,000 same-sex
couples, 12,190 will travel to California to get married.
But New York couples will not be the only non-Californians
seeking marriage in the state. About 1,629 of New Mexico's
6,515 homosexual couples will come to California to
be married. Like New York, New Mexico will likely recognize
same-sex marriages contracted in other jurisdictions,
said the study. Homosexual couples will come, too, from
other states that are California's 'top domestic tourism
markets' -- Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Texas
and North Carolina.
The
study identified two incentives drawing homosexual couples
to California - the likelihood that 'their relationships
will be recognized by their state when they return home'
(as in the case of New York and New Mexico) or because
they will see marriage as an alternative to civil unions,
which are not available in their state. Another reason
some will come to California will be 'to marry for symbolic
and emotional reasons.' On the whole, the study predicts
that over the next three years, 67,513 homosexual couples
will come to California to be married.
The
main focus of the study, however, was the impact legalizing
same-sex marriage will have on California's budget.
And, given the tourism arising from such marriages,
that amount may be significant -- $63.8 million in state
and local government revenues, said the study. What's
more, according to the study's executive summary, 'the
Congressional Budget Office has concluded that if all
fifty states and the federal government extended the
rights and obligations of marriage to same-sex couples,
the federal government would benefit by nearly $1 billion
each year.' [CalCatholic] 1457.14
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International news
Brazil
Abortion, same-sex unions
Brazil's
Supreme Court has agreed to hear cases in August on
the legalization of abortion for babies with anencephaly
and also, homosexual unions. Current Brazilian law does
not permit abortion in cases of anencephaly. According
to reports in the media, doctors, religious leaders
and lawyers are expected to present arguments before
the high court. After the initial hearings, Justice
Marco Aurelio Mello will rule on whether to bring the
case before the entire court. The court is expected
to hear a case on homosexual unions during the second
half of 2008. The legalization of such unions is being
touted by the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Sergio Cabral.
[CNA] 1457.15
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Byelorussia
Monument to Benedict XVI
The
Catholic community of Byelorussia is contemplating a
monument to Pope Benedict XVI timed to the visit of
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican Secretary of State,
the diocesan administration of the Roman-Catholic Church
in Minsk said to Interfax. The opening ceremony is planned
to be held in the village of Lutchay, Postavsky District
of Vitebsky Region on June 15. The visit of Cardinal
Bertone to Byelorussia starts June 18. This is not the
first monument to Popes in Byelorussia. The monument
to Pope John Paul II was put up next to St. Anna Catholic
Church in the village of Mosar, Gluboksky District of
Vitebsky Region, in 2005. The Pope's figure, 180 meters
high, stands on scattered stones, surrounded by the
blooming flowers. Another monument to Pope John Paul
II was put up in Volozhna, Minsk Region, in July 2007.
[Interfax] 1457.16
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Canada
International Eucharistic Congress
Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, DC, and Jean
Vanier, the founder of L'Arche community, were featured
speakers on June 16, the first full day of the 49th
International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City. At
opening ceremonies on June 15, Cardinal Josef Tomko,
acting as the personal representative of Pope Benedict
XVI, declared the Eucharistic Congress open. During
his homily at the opening Mass, Cardinal Tomko presented
the host, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, with a gold crosier
as a gift from the Holy Father, assuring participants
that the Pontiff was 'wholeheartedly' joining with them
in prayer.
Well
over 10,000 people have registered to take part in the
Eucharistic Congress, which will include daily Mass,
the Liturgy of the Hours, catechetical talks, and adoration
of the Blessed Sacrament in eight chapels designated
for that purpose in and around Quebec City. Pilgrims
have come from more than 70 countries to join in the
event-- which has been scheduled in Quebec to mark the
400th anniversary of the city's foundation. Among the
prelates celebrating Mass and delivering addresses to
the Eucharistic Congress will be Cardinals Philippe
Barbarin of Lyon, France; Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos
Aires, Argentina; and Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland.
Pope Benedict XVI will speak by an audio link to the
closing ceremonies set for June 22 on the historic Plains
of Abraham outside Quebec. [CWNews] 1457.17
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www.catholic-family.org
Canada
Sunday Mass
If
Catholics really understood the meaning of Sunday Mass,
they wouldn't miss it, Cardinal Josef Tomko said at
the opening of the 49th International Eucharistic Congress.
Cardinal Tomko, the Pope's special envoy for the event,
presided Sunday at the opening mass of the weeklong
congress in Quebec. He will also preside at the closing
Mass on June 22, during which Benedict XVI will address
the participants live via satellite. Some 11,000 pilgrims,
50 cardinals and more than 100 bishops have gathered
for the inaugural Mass of the congress titled, 'The
Eucharist, the Gift of God for the Life of the World.'
'The
Eucharist is a gift of God,' said Cardinal Tomko. 'Not
as an object, as the other gifts of God, but a very
special one, because the gift of God himself. 'The Eucharist
is Christ himself, a Person with his divine and human
nature, given to us. It is the body and blood of the
Risen Christ present with us under the sacramental signs
of the bread and wine.' The cardinal explained: 'Before
leaving this world, Jesus wanted to leave to his Church
and to the whole humanity the gift of his Presence.
He has chosen the form of the bread and wine. Since
the beginning of his public life, in Capernaum, he has
promised the bread of life: 'The bread I will give is
my flesh for the life of the world.' 'On the eve of
his passion, in the Cenacle he took the bread and solemnly
declared: 'This is my body given up for you.' And he
said over the wine: 'Drink from it, all of you, this
is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf
of many for the forgiveness of sins.'
'He
has accomplished only a few hours in advance of and
in a bloodless, sacramental manner, the sacrifice offered
in bloody way on the Cross at Calvary. Jesus therefore
instituted the Eucharist as his redemptive sacrifice.
The Eucharist is a sacramental form of the sacrifice
of Jesus on cross, Cenacle and Calvary are just one
sacrifice 'for the life of the world.'' 'This sacrifice
happened only once,' added the papal legate, 'but Jesus
wanted to apply and to perpetuate it through the centuries.
Therefore he gave a commandment to his apostles: 'Do
this in memory of me.' 'It is a memorial and a command:
not only to remember him with speeches and words, but
to do what he has done.' 'From that time,' said Cardinal
Tomko, 'the priests of his Church accomplish this sublime
command doing the same action and pronouncing the same
words.
Through
2,000 years the same words of Jesus consecrating the
bread and wine resounds.' 'In each celebration of the
Mass,' he said, 'Jesus Christ himself is present with
us in the situation of sacrifice as the lamb of God
who takes away the sins of our world, of our community,
our sins.' 'It is not a show, not a pure commemoration
or remembrance,' he stressed, 'it is sacramental representation
of this salvific event, a persevering memorial bringing
its fruits to the faithful.' The cardinal added, 'If
we understand in depth the meaning of our weekly Eucharist,
we will revise our frequentation to it. It will become
clear for us why the martyrs of Abitine in Northern
Africa declared to the pagan judge: 'We cannot live
without the (Sunday) Eucharist' -- 'Sine Dominico
non possumus vivere' -- and why they offered their
lives for this conviction.' [Zenit] 1457.18
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Canada
Doctors Death
Two doctors - ICU director Bojan Paunovic and specialist
David Easton - of Winnipeg's Grace Hospital's critical-care
unit have refused shifts at the hospital rather than
to allow 84-year-old Samuel Golubchuk to continue to
receive nutrition and hydration. Golubchuck is being
kept on life support by court order pending a trail
set for this fall. When the hospital tried to halt his
food, hydration and ventilator, Golubchuc
