ZENIT
The World Seen From Rome
Daily dispatch - April 22, 2009
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VATICAN DOSSIER Pope Affirms Love is the Key to Knowledge of God Pontiff Recalls 25 Years of World Youth Day Cross Benedict XVI's Calendar Includes Holy Land Visit Pontiff Thanks Family Meeting Organizers Vatican Campaigns to Adopt Art in Earthquake Zone WORLD FEATURES Holy See: Racism Persists, New Forms Threatening Cardinal Responds to Stem Cell Research Guidelines INTERVIEW Politics and Pilgrimage WORDS MADE FLESH Luke's Resurrection Symphony in 4 Movements WEDNESDAY'S AUDIENCE On Ambrose Autpert, "1st Mariologist of the West" DOCUMENTS Holy See on Racism
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VATICAN DOSSIER
Pope Affirms Love is the Key to Knowledge of God
Urges Spiritual Battle Against Greed to Solve Economic Crisis
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 22, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is affirming the words of a eighth century writer, who noted that although intellectual study can help, only when we love God can we truly know him.
The Pope said this today at the general audience in St. Peter's Square, in which he continued a catechesis series about great writers of the Church in the Middle Ages, speaking today about the monk and abbot, Ambrose Autpert.
He explained, "The Church lives in people and whoever wants to get to know the Church, to understand its mystery, must consider the people who have lived and who continue to live its message, its mystery."
The Pontiff noted that Autpert lived in an age when "strong political tensions" influenced life inside the monasteries, motivating him to write with the intention of helping his monks live virtuously. The abbot "intended to train the monks specifically on how to address the spiritual battle on a daily basis."
In a treatise on the conflict between vice and virtue, the Holy Father said, "He presents 24 pairs of combatants in a kind of juxtaposition: each vice tries to persuade the soul with subtle reasoning, while the respective virtues refute such insinuations preferably using the words of Scripture."
Benedict XVI pointed out in particular the monk's description of greed and the corresponding virtue of contempt of the world. He explained: "This contempt of the world is not a contempt of creation, beauty and goodness of creation and the Creator, but a contempt of the false vision of the world presented and insinuated to us by our own greed.
"This greed affirms that the value of 'having' is the supreme value of our being, of our living in the world and our image of ourselves as important. And so greed falsifies the creation of the world and destroys the world."
He observed that like St. Paul, Autpert sees greed as the root of all evil. The monk notes that this vice influences the rich and powerful as well as the souls of his monks.
The Pope added: "I offer this reflection, which, in light of this global economic crisis, is revealed in all its relevance. We see that from this very root of greed this crisis is born.
"Ambrose foresaw the objection that the rich and powerful would raise, saying: but we are not monks, these ascetic standards don't apply to us. And he answers: 'It is true what you say, but also for you, in your own way and to the best of your ability, the hard and narrow way applies to you, because the Lord has proposed only two doors and two ways -- the narrow gate and the wide, the hard and comfortable; he did not indicate a third door or a third way.'"
The Pontiff affirmed that even rich people must "fight against greed, against the desire to possess, to appear, against the false notion of freedom as the right to dispose of everything according to one's own will," and they must also "find the authentic path of truth, of love and in this way the path of moral rectitude."
The abbot wrote that the piety that frees the "soul from attachment to earthly and transient pleasures" should be "united with the deep study of the sacred sciences, especially the meditation of Sacred Scripture."
The Holy Father noted the example of Autpert, who emphasized that "every theological search for truth relies on love," and prayed to God, "When you are scrutinized intellectually by us, you're not discovered as you truly are; it's only when you are loved that we reach you."
Benedict XVI continued: "Autpert understood that with mere theological research God can not be known as he really is. Only love can reach him. Let us listen to this message and ask the Lord to help us live the mystery of the Church today, in this our time."
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On ZENIT's Web page:
Full text: http://www.zenit.org/article-25689?l=english
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Pontiff Recalls 25 Years of World Youth Day Cross
San Lorenzo Center Celebrates Anniversary of Gift
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 22, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the day his predecessor entrusted a wooden cross, which would become the World Youth Day symbol, to young people across the globe.
Today in the general audience with pilgrims in St. Peter's Square, the Pope recalled this event, stating, "It was, in fact, April 22, 1984, when at the end of the Holy Year of Redemption, the beloved John Paul II entrusted to the youth of the world the great cross of wood, which by his own desire was kept at the high altar of St. Peter's Basilica during the special Jubilee Year."
He noted that since Pope John Paul II's gift, "the cross was accepted in the international youth center of San Lorenzo, and from there began to travel to the continents, opening the hearts of many young men and women to Christ the Redeemer."
The Pontiff acknowledged that "its pilgrimage continues still, especially in preparation for World Youth Day."
Benedict XVI repeated this gesture, once again giving the cross to youth representatives, telling them: "Dear friends, I entrust this cross to you again!
"Continue to carry it to every corner of the earth, so that the next generation may also discover the Mercy of God and have the hope in Christ crucified and risen renewed in their hearts!"
Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, one of the groups that organize these youth events, was present during the handing over of the cross.
The cardinal acknowledged that the history of this cross is a "true miracle of grace." He stated that "all are surprised at how this simple and poor cross is capable of giving a spiritual force so great that it gathers thousands of young people in all places."
Journey
After the audience, about 130 young people, mostly from Poland, walked from St. Peter's Square with the Cross and the Icon of Mary to the nearby San Lorenzo Center.
Later, the youth carried the cross through a few blocks of the historic center of Rome, starting from the Castillo de San Angel and ending at the Piazza Navona.
Leen den Blauwen, a Belgian youth who works at the San Lorenzo center, told ZENIT: "On the road we found a girl who told us that she was not very religious. Later she came closer to us to pray for the victims of the earthquake in Abruzzo. This is truly putting the suffering of the world before the cross."
The celebration the 25 years of the cross ended in the afternoon with Eucharistic adoration at the youth center, followed by a Mass celebrated by Father Eric Jacquinet, who heads the youth section of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
In the coming days, the cross will go to Poland, and will then be transferred to Spain in preparation for the World Youth Day planned for August of 2011 in Madrid.
When Pope John Paul II gave the cross to the youth, he told them to bring the cross to the world "as a sign of the love of the Lord Jesus for humanity, and to announce to all that there is salvation and redemption only in Christ who died and is risen."
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On ZENIT's Web page:
Full text of Benedict XVI's address: http://www.zenit.org/article-25689?l=english
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Benedict XVI's Calendar Includes Holy Land Visit
Schedule for April-May Released
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 22, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI's schedule for the next weeks will include canonizations, ordinations and a visit to the Holy Land.
Today the Vatican published the calendar of activities and liturgical celebrations the Pope will preside over during the end of April and through May.
On Sunday, he will celebrate a Mass in St. Peter's Square and will canonize five blesseds, including: Arcangelo Tadini, Bernardo Tolomei, Nuno de Santa Maria Álvares Pereira, Gertrude Caterina Comensoli and Caterina Volpicelli.
The Pontiff will preside over the priestly ordination of the deacons from the diocese of Rome on May 3, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, in the Vatican Basilica.
He will leave for an apostolic visit to the Holy Land on May 8, and will return on May 15.
On the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, celebrated May 24, the Holy Father will make a pastoral visit to Montecassino, Italy.
Finally, Benedict XVI will celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost on May 31 with a morning Mass in the Vatican Basilica.
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Pontiff Thanks Family Meeting Organizers
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 22, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the 6th World Meeting of Families, who were present in Rome today to present the Pope with some of the fruits of the January conference.
The Jan. 13-18 meeting was held this year in Mexico City. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Holy Father's secretary of state, attended as the Pontiff's special envoy.
About 100 of the organizers, accompanied by Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, archbishop primate of Mexico, and Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, were greeted by the Pope at today's general audience.
"May your time in Rome confirm you in the faith of the apostles and motivate you to be disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ, who with his resurrection has conquered sin and death and who encourages us to be witnesses of the truth of the Gospel that changes our lives," he told them.
The Mexican pilgrims presented the Holy Father with an image of himself comprised of 7,182 photos of persons and families from 261 cities in 25 countries. They also gave him the conclusions of the family meeting, including the conferences, the summaries of the round tables, etc.
The Holy Father expressed his gratitude to the group by inviting them to participate in a private Mass he celebrated today in the Apostolic Palace.
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Vatican Campaigns to Adopt Art in Earthquake Zone
Calls for Professional Restoration Work
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 22, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- The Vatican is promoting a campaign to adopt works of art damaged by the recent earthquake in central Italy.
Today the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church announced this initiative to restore artwork damaged by the April 6 earthquake in the Abruzzo region.
The disaster caused damage to the historic city of L'Aquila, near the epicenter of the quake, and to numerous pieces of art.
The commission, headed by Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, announced in a press release that it has taken the responsibility to collect written agreements from those who will "adopt" the restoration of one or more mobile works of art that were damaged by the recent earthquake.
The statement added that this initiative is "in perfect harmony" with the Italian Ministry for Cultural Activities and Heritage.
The art adoption can be done either by providing funding for restoration, or by offering professional skills for this goal.
The commission is extending the invitation to financial institutions, museums, public and private restoration workshops, and professionals with training in restoration, to make a "free and spontaneous" commitment to the campaign.
Sponsors are invited to send a written confirmation with an explanation of qualifications, to express their willingness to "adopt" a work of art.
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For more information, send an email with the subject line "da chiodo a chiodo" to: beniculturali@beniculturali.va
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WORLD FEATURES
Holy See: Racism Persists, New Forms Threatening
Warns of Eugenics Fueled by Procreation Techniques
GENEVA, Switzerland, APRIL 22, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- Despite globalization bringing people together, racism persists, and new forms are looming, the Holy See is warning.
One new form that is a "latent temptation" is eugenics, said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Holy See's permanent observer at the U.N. offices in Geneva.
The archbishop said this today when he spoke at the U.N. Durban Review Conference on racism. The Holy See is participating in the conference, though it has drawn criticism and boycotting amid claims that it is actually promoting racism, and particularly prejudice against Jews.
Archbishop Tomasi, however, affirmed that the "work of this conference has taken a step forward in combating racism, the reason for most countries to stay and join efforts for an outcome that responds to the need of eliminating old and new manifestations of racism."
Nevertheless he did lament that the conference "has unfortunately been used to utter extreme and offensive political positions that the Holy See deplores and rejects: They do not contribute to dialogue, they provoke unacceptable conflicts, and in no way can be approved or shared."
Iran's president opened the conference on Monday with anti-Israel declarations.
Down to business
Focusing on the declared aims of the conference, however, the Holy See representative affirmed that "in all its manifestations, racism makes the false claim that some human beings have less dignity and value than others; it thus infringes upon their fundamental equality as God's children and it leads to the violation of the human rights of individuals and of entire groups of persons."
Considering today's globalized world, Archbishop Tomasi noted that "spatial and temporal proximity does not of itself create the conditions for constructive interaction and peaceful communion."
"In fact, racism persists," he affirmed, and went on to list discriminations against a variety of groups, ranging from immigrants, to girls, to "persons perceived to be or who in fact are different."
"The Holy See is also alarmed by the still latent temptation of eugenics that can be fuelled by techniques of artificial procreation and the use of 'superfluous embryos,'" the prelate continued. "The possibility of choosing the color of the eyes or other physical characteristics of a child could lead to the creation of a 'subcategory of human beings' or the elimination of human beings that do not fulfill the characteristics predetermined by a given society."
He also warned that "increased security concerns" in a world plagued by terrorism "have created a greater lack of confidence among people of different cultures and have exacerbated the irrational fear of foreigners."
What to do
Archbishop Tomasi suggested that the "Durban Review Conference can be the occasion to set aside mutual differences and mistrust; reject once more any theory of racial or ethnic superiority; and renew the international community's commitment to the elimination of all expressions of racism as an ethical requirement of the common good."
Still, the prelate affirmed, international covenants and changes in law are not the root of the solution.
"Without a change of heart," he said, "laws are not effective. It is the heart that must continually be purified so that it will no longer be governed by fear or the spirit of domination, but by openness to others, fraternity and solidarity."
In the fight against discrimination, the archbishop continued, "faith communities play a major part."
He went on to advocate a "genuine respect of the right to freedom of religion as clearly enshrined in human rights instruments," so that faith communities can better fight racism.
4 steps
Archbishop Tomasi concluded that four steps are needed to combat racism and related intolerance.
First, he called for an "integral education that includes ethical and spiritual values" that "favour the empowerment" of vulnerable groups. Next, the Holy See representative pointed to the need for a "new examination aimed at making the various approaches more incisive and efficient."
The universal ratification of major instruments against racism and discrimination is a third step, he suggested. And finally, the prelate affirmed, "there is no substitute for fair national legislation that explicitly condemns all forms of racism and discrimination and enables all citizens to participate publicly in the life of their country on the basis of equality in both duties and rights."
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On ZENIT's Web page:
Full text of archbishop's address: www.zenit.org/article-25686?l=english
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Cardinal Responds to Stem Cell Research Guidelines
Calls for Ethical Remedy to Aid Suffering Patients
WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 22, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- The chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities is affirming that suffering patients deserve an ethical remedy, more than what embryonic stem cell research promises.
Cardinal Justin Rigali affirmed this in a statement publicized Tuesday on the bishops' conference Web site, in which he responded to the new draft guidelines for human embryonic stem cell research issued last week by the National Institutes of Health.
He pointed out that the guidelines for "federally funded stem cell research involving the destruction of human embryos" mark a "new chapter in divorcing biomedical research from its necessary ethical foundation."
The cardinal stated: "Without unconditional respect for the life of each and every member of the human race, research involving human subjects does not represent true progress.
"It becomes another way for some human beings to use and mistreat others for their own goals.
"Suffering patients and their families deserve better, through increased support for promising and ethically sound stem cell research and treatments that harm no one."
Policy changes
Cardinal Rigali reported that the guidelines, although reflecting previous policies, "are broader in allowing destruction of newly created embryos that were never frozen, increasing the prospects for a rushed and biased consent process."
He continued: "Despite supporters' constant claim that this agenda involves only embryos that 'would otherwise be discarded,' the guidelines provide that the option of donating embryonic children for destructive research will be offered to parents alongside all other options, including those allowing the embryos to live.
"For the first time, federal tax dollars will be used to encourage destruction of living embryonic human beings for stem cell research -- including human beings who otherwise would have survived and been born."
The cardinal noted that the guidelines "do not allow federally funded stem cell research using embryos specially created for research purposes by in vitro fertilization or cloning.
He expressed the hope that this ethical norm will be upheld, and that congress will "realize that the alleged 'need' for violating it is more implausible than ever due to advances in reprogramming adult cells to act like embryonic stem cells."
Cardinal Rigali added: "However, congressional supporters of destructive human embryo research have already said they will pursue a more extreme policy.
"The Catholic bishops of the United States will be writing to congress and the administration about the need to restore and maintain barriers against the mistreatment of human life in the name of science, and we urge other concerned citizens to do the same."
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INTERVIEW
Politics and Pilgrimage
Interview With Jerusalem Patriarch on Upcoming Papal Trip
By Marie-Armelle Beaulieu
JERUSALEM, APRIL 22, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Though Benedict XVI will go to the Holy Land next month as a pilgrim, the trip undoubtedly has a political dimension, acknowledges the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Fouad Twal.
In this interview provided by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land and adapted here, the archbishop speaks of the May 8-15 trip, and the challenge of finding the best time for a papal journey to a region plagued by conflict.
Q: Your Beatitude, Pope Benedict XVI's pilgrimage is coming at a time when the country is going through another difficult period -- so much so that Palestinian Christians were the first who proved to be skeptical about the journey. What do you have to say to them?
Archbishop Twal: It is true that the local Palestinian Christian community expressed its confusion, its questions, and its fears and let us know of these. Since we knew of His Holiness' planned pilgrimage before they did, we also asked ourselves how opportune this journey was. The fact that the Holy Father is coming to a difficult region during a difficult period to meet extremely sensitive peoples gave us cause to reflect.
We talked with the organizers, with the Holy Father himself, and here in Jerusalem with our brother bishops in the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land, sharing the same concerns as the local Christian community. But as a result of these exchanges and after seeing that the program of the pilgrimage takes care to have a good balance between the times given to Jordan, to [the Palestinian Territories] and to Israel, we all ended up believing that this trip is and must be for the good, a blessing for everyone.
The worries - I would even say, the anguish - that you mention are in part legitimate, but I want to underline that they were - and still are here and there - felt by the Arab Christians living in the Territories and in Jerusalem. The reality of the Christians who live in Israel, and all the more so that of the Christians of Jordan, is an entirely different one; they see the Pope's visit in a different light. In a diocese that lives extremely differing realities, we must try to have a more global vision of this visit and to consider it in all its dimensions: political and social and human and religious.
Nevertheless, these three points remain: the Holy Father is coming at a difficult time - especially after the war in Gaza - to a difficult region to visit very sensitive peoples.
Q: Are Jews, Christians, and Muslims all "sensitive"?
Archbishop Twal: Yes, each have their sensitivity, their point of view, and at present, all are preparing to take for themselves the best part of the cake that this visit represents ...
Q: Basically, what is the motive for the Holy Father's coming during this difficult period? One could have the impression that he is choosing the worst moment?
Archbishop Twal: No, no. Ever since his elevation to the pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI has expressed his desire to come as a pilgrim. Our bishops' assembly invited him, I personally invited him, and he also received an invitation from the various civil authorities of Jordan, Israel, and [the Palestinian Territories].
On the other hand, preparations for the trip have been going on for months now; in between came the war in Gaza and the conflict thermometer rose. So what should be done? Wait for better times? But this region is never at peace! Wait until the Palestinian question is resolved? I'm afraid that two or three Sovereign Pontiffs will pass before it is definitively settled.
It's the story of the glass that is half full or half empty ... Some say: "The situation is difficult, so it would be better if he didn't come." Others on the contrary say: "The situation is difficult, so it would be better if he came." And that is our position. During these difficult times, I want the Holy Father to come to help us to "superare": to go beyond, to see further.
The Pope is coming to visit all the Churches, all the people who live in the Holy Land in order to encourage us to remain faithful to our mission, to our faith, and to our awareness of belonging to this Land.
We must also not forget that he is coming on pilgrimage. Image the negative consequences it would have on the pilgrimage industry - which is vital and of major importance - if the Pope himself were afraid of coming on pilgrimage! What would we tell so many tourists and pilgrims who cancel their visits? How could we encourage them as well to come to visit us?
One last point: I remind you that the Holy Father is 82 years old and that he expressed the desire to come to the Holy Land as a pilgrim. A pilgrimage coupled with an apostolic visit is always tiring ... Now the Holy Father has the strength to live this.
Q: But pilgrims and tourists don't have to address civil authorities ...
Archbishop Twal: That is true, but the Christians all over the world who will be following the Pontiff's pilgrimage won't all make that political analysis. Most of them will only say: "If the Pope is not afraid, why should we be?"
To the pilgrim Pope, the local Christians say: "Ahlan wa sahlan!" "Welcome!" Their worry lies simply in the question: "What is he going to say?" Or rather: "What will he be made to say?"
Q: Precisely, Your Beatitude, the majority of the Israeli and international press is interpreting this trip from the angle of bringing peace to the Church's relations with Judaism, especially after the Bishop Williamson affair. What worries the Palestinians is the profit that Israel as a state might draw from this trip.
Archbishop Twal: I understand that, and I know that each side will try to benefit as much as possible from this visit, both in Jordan and in Israel, in [the Palestinian Territories] and even at the heart of the local Church. That is yet another reason for each of us to be intelligent and to prepare.
Israel will do all it can to present its country in the best light. I understand that; that is its right.
It is not our task to criticize or to denounce what the others do. Our job is to do our part to make the visit as pastoral as possible; it is our responsibility to do our part so that our Christians might have the possibility to see the Holy Father, to pray with him and to hear his message of peace and of justice for all.
If one studies all the messages published by the Holy See concerning the Holy Land, Iraq and the Middle East, one can see that we have an unheard of capital of addresses, support, interventions that are rich in humanity, the Christian spirit and justice. There is no doubt that the Holy Father will continue in this sense during his visit to the Holy Land.
It falls upon us, the local Church, to watch over the program's equilibrium: the sites to visit, the persons to meet, the addresses to be made. It is our job "to give the Holy Father a helping hand." He is constantly informed of our situation, of its positive aspects as well as its negative ones. He knows our fears, our anxieties, as well as our hopes and our joy in receiving him in close collaboration with all the civil authorities.
Q: The apostolic nuncio said that this journey would not be political, but that it could be understood politically.
Archbishop Twal: In this country, it is unthinkable that there not be a political dimension. The nuncio is right in insisting that this is first and foremost a pilgrimage. But we mustn't fool ourselves: there is 100% a political dimension. Every day, every gesture, every meeting and every visit, everything will have a political connotation. Here we breathe politics, our oxygen is politics. What aggravates politics is that everyone does politics and we don't leave that matter to the politicians and to Parliament; each one adds his or her grain of salt and that doesn't fix anything. So it is unthinkable that this pilgrimage will not have a political dimension.
Q: That being the case, can we expect some political progress? And/or progress in the relations between the Holy See and the state of Israel?
Archbishop Twal: The Holy See always made the first step, it always took the initiative in dialogue and in encounter. And now, during this period, in spite of questions, in spite of fears, the Holy Father has the courage to take the first step in the hopes that the Holy See's relations with the state of Israel will improve; also in the hopes that on this happy occasion, Israel will at least make a courtesy gesture for the advancement of peace.
As for the famous agreement - still being discussed - which is supposed to settle relations between the Holy See and Israel, if the experts are to be believed, progress will be made.
Q: For the past five years, all the communities claim progress, but nothing comes to a conclusion.
Archbishop Twal: That is true, but in this area - as well as in that of peace - things are progressing, even if this progress is not proclaimed from the rooftops. If that were the case, some "would spoil the diplomatic soup" and would complicate life for us. During this period that is rich with encounters and dialogue, the key word for me is trust. But it is true that courageous gestures should be made that are liable to lead to trust.
It is undeniable that mutual trust is lacking.
Q: As John Paul II did when he called the Jews "our elder brothers in faith," Benedict XVI will certainly underline Christians' attachment by their very nature to Judaism. But since everything here is politicized, this brings with it the risk of being interpreted by some as a support for Israel as a state. Does that not also include the risk of placing the Arab Christians in a precarious balance both here and in all of the Middle East?
Archbishop Twal: It is difficult to find a good balance and to maintain it. Having said that, the more the Vatican is a friend of Israel, the more it will be able to draw profit from that friendship for greater peace and justice. If the tension continues between the universal Catholic Church and Israel, we will all lose, we Christians and we Arabs. On the other hand, if Israel trusts the Holy See entirely, based on that friendship, the Holy See will be able to speak of truth, of justice and of peace -- for with the language of friendship, it is possible to say things to one another that one would refuse to hear if it came from an enemy.
Being friends and speaking as such is good for everyone: for the friend, for Israel, and for the others. I just hope that the Holy See's friendship with Israel is reciprocal.
I would draw your attention to the fact that the Holy Sees already has diplomatic relations with almost all the Arab countries, and that these relations are good. If you read the addresses to the Holy See by the Arab ambassadors, you see that they need the Church, not only the Holy See, but the Church wherever it is present in the world. We must have this world vision in order to understand the Holy See's situation - this small State that is supported by the whole Catholic world - and we must not see things just from one angle, which deforms the whole vision.
The more the Holy See is friends with Israel, the more it can intervene for the good of all the inhabitants of the Holy Land: Jews, Muslims and Christians. That is our great wish.
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WORDS MADE FLESH
Luke's Resurrection Symphony in 4 Movements
Biblical Reflection for the 3rd Sunday of Easter
By Father Thomas Rosica, CSB
TORONTO, APRIL 22, 2009 (Zenit.org).- I often consider Chapter 24 of Luke's Gospel to be a Resurrection Symphony in four brilliant movements.
The first movement is the story of the women at the tomb, which ends with Peter's visit to the tomb to check it (verses 1-12). The second movement tells the great story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, culminating in their learning that the Lord had also appeared to Peter (verses 13-35). The third movement is the appearance of the Lord to his disciples at a meal, ending with their commissioning by Jesus (verses 36-49). And the fourth movement -- Jesus' ascension into heaven (verses 50-52).
The most well-known of these stories is the Emmaus episode that begins in verse 13. It serves as a transition between the events of the Passion and discovery of the tomb and the appearance tradition. It is different from the other resurrection appearances because the Lord disappears at the moment of recognition. The Emmaus narrative (24:13-35) serves as a bridge between the empty tomb (24:1-12) and Jesus' self-revelation to his apostles (24:36ff.) immediately following the Emmaus disciples' meal, their recognition of Jesus, and hasty return to Jerusalem.
Cleopas and his companion are going away from the locality where the decisive events have happened, toward a little village of no significance. They did not believe the message of the Resurrection, due to the scandal of the cross. Puzzled and discouraged, they are unable to see any liberation in the death, the empty tomb, or the message about the appearances of Jesus to the others. In their eyes, either the mission of Jesus had entirely failed, or else they, themselves, had been badly deceived in their expectations about Jesus.
As the two downtrodden disciples journeyed with Jesus on that Emmaus road, their hearts began to gradually catch fire within them as they came to understand with their minds the truth about the suffering Messiah. At the meal in Emmaus, they experienced the power of the Resurrection in their hearts. The solution to the problem of these two disciples was not a perfectly logical answer.
Emmaus at the synod
The most frequently quoted Gospel story at the October 2008 synod on the Word of God was undoubtedly Luke's account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13:35). Cited by cardinals, bishops, experts and special guests in many of the presentations coming from every corner of the earth, the Emmaus story proved once again to be a great model or paradigm for catechesis, teaching, Bible study and above all for Christian living.
The journey motif of the Emmaus story (and one can say of the entire synod on the Word of God) is not only a matter of the distance between Jerusalem and Emmaus, but also of the painful and gradual journey of words that must descend from the head to the heart; of a coming to faith, and a return to a proper relationship with the stranger who is none other than Jesus the Lord.
Eating and drinking with Jesus
The Gospel for the Third Sunday of Easter (Year B) is the continuation of the Emmaus story -- how God always leads people into an experience of community and table fellowship (Luke 24:36-48). There are several aspects of the story -- the appearance of Jesus among the startled and frightened disciples (verses 36-43) and the words about the fulfillment of Scripture and commissioning of the disciples (verses 44-48). Many elements that were present in the Emmaus story are made more explicit. The Lukan stories also represent the Risen Lord as the One who receives hospitality and food from the disciples. Only after the disciples have extended an invitation to the Stranger to remain with them is it possible for full recognition to take place. They were unable to fully recognize him on the road, but they did recognize him in the breaking of the bread.
Table fellowship reveals the depth of humanity. The touching, human scene of Jesus taking bread and fish and eating it with his disciples drives home the fact that ghosts don't eat -- humans do -- and it reassures the disciples that the Risen Lord is truly in their midst. No theological or dogmatic assertion will prove this to them. Rather, the striking humanity of Jesus, at table, will finally convince them that he is alive.
In spite of the testimony from the women and the two travelers, the disciples still could not believe their eyes when Jesus appeared before them. Only Jesus could validate the experience and supply its proper understanding. Jesus would first prove their experience was no hoax. Like the appearance to Thomas in John's Gospel, Jesus showed his wounds and challenged his followers to "touch" him. The experience of the Risen Lord was tactile. Jesus has substance, unlike a ghost. Unlike John 20, Jesus showed his followers his hands and feet (not his hands and side). Luke inferred that Jesus had been nailed in his feet.
Today's passage also parallels John 21 with the subject of the cooked fish. In John 21:9-14, Jesus was cooking the fish. In Luke, the disciples gave Jesus the cooked fish to eat. If Luke 13:35-48 is combined with the narrative from the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), both stories involved the breaking of bread (Luke 24:30, 35 and John 21:13). The most notable narratives with the blessing of bread and fish were the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mark 6:30-44, 8:1-9; Matthew 14.13-21, Matthew 15.32-39; Luke 9.10-17; John 6.1-14). A meal that featured fish and bread was common around the Sea of Galilee and in Jerusalem. Such meals were a regular part of life on the road with Jesus and his followers.
The real heart of the story, however, is not the meal but the quality of the appearance or vision. Jesus appeared as a living, solid form. The Holy and Divine could be found in the tangible. Holiness was not only a matter of ecstasy, touching the transcendent, while leaving the world behind. God reached his people through his creation, not in spite of it. This insight became the foundation of the Church's self-awareness as the Body of Christ. It also grounded worship in the Church as sacramental. The believer encounters the Risen Christ through the bodily senses. His followers saw, touched, and heard the Risen One. We see, hear, and touch Christ today through the sacraments, through shared witness and service to others.
The Eucharist is a summary of Jesus' life, a call to lay down one's life for others. The breaking of bread is also a powerful sign of unity. When we break bread, it is a means of sharing in the body of Christ. Paul says, "Because there is one bread ... we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (I Corinthians 10:16-17).
It is not only that the person sharing the cup and the broken bread establishes a union with Christ: A further union is established through the "partaking" of the same loaf -- the union between all the members of the celebrating community. The unity expressed here is not just a matter of human conviviality; it is a gift given in the breaking of bread, a sharing in the body of Christ. The Eucharist makes the members of the body celebrate their oneness, a oneness experienced on three levels: one in Christ, one with each other, and one in service to the world.
The sacramental encounter of young people with Christ
Allow me to share a final thought with you about eating and drinking with Jesus.
During the synod on the Word of God, one of the memorable interventions was made by Salesian Father Pascual Chávez Villanueva, president of the Union of Superiors-General and Rector of the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco. Father Pascual, whose Salesian Congregation has a special charism for working with young people, offered the Emmaus story as model of bringing the Word of God closer to the world of youth. He drew our attention to the fact that young people today share very few things with the two disciples on the road but perhaps nothing as much as the frustration of their dreams, the fatigue in their faith and the disenchantment in discipleship.
"Young people need a Church that meets them there where they are. Arriving to Emmaus, the disciples still did not recognize the person of Jesus. What Jesus was unable to do in accompanying them, conversing with them, interpreting the Word of God, he accomplished with the Eucharistic gesture. An education in faith which forgets or postpones the sacramental encounter of young people with Christ, is not a secure, efficient way to find him."
Those final words have remained with me. How do we teach young people the importance of the sacraments in their own lives? How do we provide opportunities for young people to encounter Christ? Do we not open the door to this importance and foster such encounters by beginning with simple table fellowship with young people?
It is often the very ordinary moments of table fellowship that bring about the realization that we are human, loving, loveable and genuinely interested in others, their tribulations, their hopes and their futures. Table fellowship does indeed reveal the depth of humanity, and the depth of compassion. It is a springboard to adult faith, and to a living encounter with the Risen Lord who wishes to share his own life with us each day. Stay with us, Lord!
[The readings for this Sunday are Acts 3:13-15, 17-19; 1 John 2:1-5a; Luke 24:35-48.]
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Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, chief executive officer of the Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and Television Network in Canada, is a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. He can be reached at: rosica@saltandlighttv.org.
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On the Net:
Salt and Light Catholic Television Network Web site: www.saltandlighttv.org
Road to Emmaus: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SST_WDWKxwA&feature=related
www.saltandlighttv.org/prog_slprog_snl_presents_easter_video3.html
In French:
Reste avec nous, Seigneur:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpBnPekgH04&feature=channel_page
www.seletlumieretv.org/program_speciales_easter_video3.html
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Wednesday's Audience
On Ambrose Autpert, "1st Mariologist of the West"
"Christ Must Daily Be Born, Die, and Rise in Us"
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 22, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today at the general audience in St. Peter's Square, part of a catechetical series he is giving about great writers of the Church in the Middle Ages.
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Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The Church lives in people and whoever wants to get to know the Church, to understand its mystery, must consider the people who have lived and who continue to live its message, its mystery. It is for this reason that I have spoken in the Wednesday catecheses of people from whom we can learn what the Church is. We started with the Apostles and the Fathers of the Church and have slowly arrived to the eighth century, the period of Charlemagne. Today I would like to talk about Ambrose Autpert, a relatively unknown author: His works were in fact largely attributed to other better-known personalities, from St. Ambrose of Milan to St. Ildephonsus, not to mention those that the monks of Montecassino have held as coming from the pen of a certain one of their abates who lived almost a century later. Apart from some brief autobiographical references inserted in his great commentary on the book of Revelation, we have little definite information about [Autpert's] life. Careful reading of the works that critics gradually recognized as his authorship allows for the discovery in his teaching of a theological and spiritual treasure precious also for our times.
Born in Provenza, from a distinguished family, Ambrose Autpert -- according to his biographer, John -- was an official at the court of King Pepin the Short. He also played, in some way, the role of tutor to the future emperor Charlemagne. Probably as one following Pope Stephen II, who in 753-54 had gone to the court of the Franks, Autpert travelled to Italy and was able to visit the famous Benedictine abbey of St. Vincent, located at the source of the Volturno, in the Duchy of Benevento. Founded at the beginning of that century by the three Beneventan brothers Paldone, Riceman and Tasone, the abbey was known as a haven of classical and Christian culture. Shortly after his visit, Ambrose Autpert decided to embrace the religious life and entered the monastery, where he could train in an appropriate manner, especially in matters of theology and spirituality, according to the tradition of the Fathers. Around the year 761 he was ordained a priest and on October 4, 777, he was elected abbot with the support of the French monks and despite the opposition of some monks in favor of Lombard Potone.
The tension due to nationalistic divisions did not quiet in the months ahead, and as a result, Autpert, a year later in 778, intended to step down and retire with some French monks to Spoleto, where they could count on the protection of Charlemagne. This, however, did not eliminate the dissension in the monastery of St. Vincent, and some years later, when the abbot who succeeded Autpert died and Lombard Potone was elected as successor (a. 782), the conflict flared up again, which eventually lead to the denunciation of the new abbot to Charlemagne. The contenders were referred to the court of the Pope, who summoned them to Rome. Autpert was also called as a witness, but suddenly died during the trip, perhaps killed, January 30, 784.
Ambrose Autpert was a monk and abbot in an age marked by strong political tension, tensions which also had repercussions on life inside the monasteries. Of this we have frequent and concerned echoes in his writings. He denounces, for example, the contradiction between the beautiful outer appearance of the monasteries and the monks' lukewarmness; certainly his own abbey was included in this criticism. For his monastery he wrote the life of the three founders with the clear intention to offer the new generation of monks a benchmark with which to compare themselves. He also wrote the brief ascetic treatise "Conflictus vitiorum et virtutum" [Conflict between the vices and virtues] with the same intention, which had great success in the Middle Ages and was published in 1473 in Utrecht under the name of Gregory the Great, and a year later in Strasbourg under the name of St. Augustine. With these writings Ambrose Autpert intended to train the monks specifically on how to address the spiritual battle on a daily basis. In an important way he applies the truth expressed in 2 Timothy 3:12: "All those who want to live fully in Christ Jesus will be persecuted," no longer external persecution, but he refers to the assault of the forces of evil that Christians must face within themselves. He presents 24 pairs of combatants in a kind of juxtaposition: each vice tries to persuade the soul with subtle reasoning, while the respective virtues refute such insinuations preferably using the words of Scripture.
In this treatise on the conflict between vice and virtue, Autpert opposed the vice of "cupiditas" [greed] to the virtue of "contemptus mundi" [contempt of the world], which becomes an important element in the spirituality of the monks. This contempt of the world is not a contempt of creation, beauty and goodness of creation and the Creator, but a contempt of the false vision of the world presented and insinuated to us by our own greed. This greed affirms that the value of "having" is the supreme value of our being, of our living in the world and our image of ourselves as important. And so greed falsifies the creation of the world and destroys the world. Autpert notes that the desire for profit of the rich and powerful in the society of his time also exists within the souls of the monks and because of this he wrote a treatise titled "De cupiditate" [On Greed], in which, with the Apostle Paul, he denounces from the outset the vice of greed as the root of all evil. He writes: "From the soil of the earth several sharp spines sprout from various roots, however, in the heart of man, the sting of all the defects come from a single root, greed" (De cupiditate 1: CCCM 27B, p. 963 ).
I offer this reflection, which, in light of this global economic crisis, is revealed in all its relevance. We see that from this very root of greed this crisis is born. Ambrose foresaw the objection that the rich and powerful would raise, saying: but we are not monks, these ascetic standards don't apply to us. And he answers: "It is true what you say, but also for you, in your own way and to the best of your ability, the hard and narrow way applies to you, because the Lord has proposed only two doors and two ways -- i.e. the narrow gate and the wide, the hard and comfortable; he did not indicate a third door or a third way"(ibid, p. 978). He saw clearly that the life styles are very different. But even for the man in this world, even for the rich it is necessary to fight against greed, against the desire to possess, to appear, against the false notion of freedom as the right to dispose of everything according to one's own will. Even the rich must find the authentic path of truth, of love and in this way the path of moral rectitude. So Autpert, as a prudent shepherd of souls, knew then to say at the end of his preaching of repentance a word of comfort: "I have not spoken against the greedy, but against greed, not against nature, but against vice" (lc, p. 981).
The most important work of Ambrose Autpert is his commentary on Revelation in ten books: it constitutes, after centuries, the first extensive comment in the Latin world on last book of Sacred Scripture. This was the fruit of a long work, which took place in two stages between 758 and 767, therefore before his election as abate. In the preface, he indicates precisely its sources, which is completely abnormal in the Middle Ages. Through its perhaps most significant source, the comments of the Bishop Primasio Adrumetano, written around the middle of the sixth century, Autpert comes into contact with the interpretation of Revelation of the African Tycho, who had lived a generation before St. Augustine. He was not a Catholic; he belonged to the schismatic church of the Donatists, however, he was a great theologian. In his commentary, he saw the mystery of the Church reveal itself, above all in the book of Revelation. Tycho had reached the conviction that the Church was a body with two parts: One part, he says, belongs to Christ, but there is another part of the Church that belongs to the devil. Augustine read this commentary and benefitted from it, but strongly emphasized that the Church is in the hands of Christ, it remains his body, forming with him a single entity, a participant in the mediation of grace. He emphasizes therefore that the Church can never be separated from Jesus Christ.
In his reading of Revelation, which is similar to that of Tycho, Autpert is interested not so much in the second coming of Christ at the end of time, but in the consequences for the Church of his first coming, the Incarnation in the womb of the Virgin Mary. It tells us something very important: In reality, Christ, "must daily be born, die, and rise in us who are his body." (In Apoc. III: CCCM 27, p. 205). In the context of the mystical dimension that surrounds every Christian, he looks to Mary as a model of the Church, a model for us all, because also in us and between us Christ must be born. On the basis that the Fathers saw in the "woman clothed with the sun" of Revelation 12:1 the image of the Church, Autpert argues: "The blessed and pious Virgin [...] daily gives birth to new people, from which is formed the General Body of the Mediator. It is not therefore surprising that she, in whose blessed womb the Church itself deserved to be united to his head, represents the image of the Church."
In this sense Autpert sees a decisive role of the Virgin Mary in the work of Redemption -- see also his homilies in the occasions of the purification and the assumption of the Blessed Virgin. His great reverence, and his deep love for the Mother of God at times inspired formulations that somehow anticipate those of St. Bernard and the Franciscan spirit, but without diverging toward questionable forms of sentimentalism, because he never separated the mystery of the Church from Mary. With good reason then Ambrose Autpert is considered the first great mariologist in the West. The piety that, in his view, must free the soul from attachment to earthly and transient pleasures, he believes should be united with the deep study of the sacred sciences, especially the meditation of Sacred Scripture, which he describes as a "deep sky, an unfathomable abyss" (In Apoc.IX). In the beautiful prayer with which he concludes his remarks on the book of Revelation, emphasizing the priority which in every theological search for truth relies on love, he speaks to God with these words: "When you are scrutinized intellectually by us, you're not discovered as you truly are; it's only when you are loved that we reach you."
We can see today in Ambrose Autpert a person who lived in a time of intense political exploitation of the Church, in which nationalism and tribalism had disfigured the face of the Church. But he, in the midst of all these difficulties that we also experience, was able to discover the true face of the Church in Mary, in the saints. And so he was able to understand what it means to be Catholic, Christian, to live the Word of God, to enter into this abyss, and so live the mystery of the Mother of God: to give new life to the Word of God, to offer to the Word of God one's own body at the present time. And with all his theological experience, the depth of his knowledge, Autpert understood that with mere theological research God can not be known as he really is. Only love can reach him. Let us listen to this message and ask the Lord to help us live the mystery of the Church today, in this our time.
[The Pope greeted the pilgrims in various languages. In English, he said:]
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today I would like to speak about the writings of a little-known author from the eighth century -- the Benedictine monk and abbot Ambrose Autpert. The turbulence of the times in which he lived affected life within the monasteries, and many of Autpert's writings summon his brethren to rekindle the fervor of their monastic vocation. One of his most widely-read works is his "Conflict between the vices and the virtues," designed to assist his monks in their daily spiritual struggle. For each of twenty-four vices threatening the soul, he indicated the corresponding virtue that would help the Christian to overcome temptation. Observing the widespread thirst for power and wealth in society of that time, he taught that greed is the root of all vices, and he urged his contemporaries to seek the narrow gate that leads to life. In his extensive commentary on the Book of Revelation, viewed as a treatise on the Church, Autpert taught that Christ must "be born, die and rise again every day in us, his body." Hence the Virgin Mary serves as a model of the Church. Indeed, Autpert is considered the first great Marian theologian in the West, and he writes with an almost mystical love for the Blessed Virgin. Love, he says, is the key to our knowledge of God. Intellectual study may point the way, but only when we love God do we truly know him. Following Autpert's teaching, let us strive to grow daily in our love for God.
I am pleased to welcome the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors here today, including groups from Britain and Ireland, Scandinavia, Australia, Canada and the United States of America. I extend a special greeting to the young people from India. Upon all of you, and upon your families and loved ones, I invoke God's blessings of joy and peace.
[After the greetings, the Holy Father continued in Italian:]
I now greet the young, the sick and the newly married. May the Risen Lord fill with his love the hearts of each of you, dear young people, so that you will be ready to follow him with the enthusiasm and freshness of your age; sustain you, dear sick people, in the serene acceptance of the burden of suffering; guide you, dear new spouses, in forging, through mutual and faithful self giving, families replete with the perfume of evangelical sanctity.
Finally, I would like to say a special word to the youth of the International Youth Center of San Lorenzo, who remember today the 25th anniversary of the delivery of the Cross of the Holy Year to the youth of the world. It was, in fact, April 22, 1984, when at the end of the Holy Year of Redemption, the beloved John Paul II entrusted to the youth of the world the great cross of wood, which by his own desire, was kept at the high altar of the basilica of St. Peter's during the special Jubilee Year. Since then, the cross was accepted in the International Youth Center of San Lorenzo, and from there began to travel to the continents, opening the hearts of many young men and women to Christ the Redeemer. This its pilgrimage continues still, especially in preparation for World Youth Day, so much so as to be known now as "the World Youth Day Cross." Dear friends, I entrust this cross to you again! Continue to carry it to every corner of the earth, so that the next generation may also discover the mercy of God and have the hope in Christ crucified and risen renewed in their hearts!
[Translation by Matthew Pollock]
© Copyright 2009 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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DOCUMENTS
Holy See on Racism
"Without a Change of Heart, Laws Are Not Effective"
GENEVA, Switzerland, APRIL 22, 2009 (
Zenit.org).- Here is the text of the statement Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Holy See's permanent observer at the U.N. offices in Geneva, gave today at the U.N. Durban Review Conference on racism under way through Friday.
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Mr. President,
Allow me to express my congratulations for your election and wish you, the High Commissioner of Human Rights and the entire Bureau success in leading this Conference to a positive conclusion.
Mr. President,
1. The Delegation of the Holy See shares in the aspiration of the international community to overcome all forms of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia in the awareness that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights" and are united in one human family. In fact, a just international community is properly developed when the natural desire of human persons to relate to each other is not distorted by prejudice, fear of others or selfish interests that undermine the common good. In all its manifestations, racism makes the false claim that some human beings have less dignity and value than others; it thus infringes upon their fundamental equality as God's children and it leads to the violation of the human rights of individuals and of entire groups of persons.
As party to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and to the common efforts of the United Nations and other relevant international organizations, the Holy See endeavours to assume fully its responsibility in accord with its proper mission. It is engaged in combating all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in a spirit of cooperation. The Holy See actively participated in the Durban Conference of 2001 and, without hesitation, gave its moral support to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA) in the full knowledge that combating racism is a necessary and indispensable prerequisite for the construction of governance, sustainable development, social justice, democracy and peace in the world.
2. Today globalization brings people together, but spatial and temporal proximity does not of itself create the conditions for constructive interaction and peaceful communion. In fact, racism persists: the stranger and those who are different too often are rejected to the point that barbarous acts are committed against them, including genocide and ethnic cleansing. Old forms of exploitation give way to new ones: women and children are trafficked in a contemporary form of slavery, irregular immigrants are abused, persons perceived to be or who in fact are different become, in disproportionate numbers, the victims of social and political exclusion, ghetto conditions and stereotyping. Girls are forced into unwanted marriages; Christians are jailed or killed because of their beliefs. Lack of solidarity, an increase fragmentation of social relations in our multicultural societies, spontaneous racism and xenophobia, social and racial discrimination, particularly regarding minorities and emarginated groups, and political exploitation of differences, are evident in everyday experience. The global impact of the current economic crisis affects, most of all, the vulnerable groups of society; this demonstrates how too often racism and poverty are inter-related in a destructive combination.
The Holy See is also alarmed by the still latent temptation of eugenics that can be fuelled by techniques of artificial procreation and the use of "superfluous embryos". The possibility of choosing the colour of the eyes or other physical characteristic of a child could lead to the creation of a "subcategory of human beings" or the elimination of human beings that do not fulfil the characteristics predetermined by a given society. Moreover, increased security concerns and the consequent introduction of excessive measures and practices have created a greater lack of confidence among people of different cultures and have exacerbated the irrational fear of foreigners. The legitimate fight against terrorism should never undermine the protection and promotion of human rights.
3. Building on progress already made, our Durban Review Conference can be the occasion to set aside mutual differences and mistrust; reject once more any theory of racial or ethnic superiority; and renew the international community's commitment to the elimination of all expressions of racism as an ethical requirement of the common good, the attainment of which "is the sole reason of existence of civil authorities" at national, regional and international levels. Sharing resources and best practices in the concerted effort to implement the recommendations of the DDPA to eradicate racism is to acknowledge the centrality of the human person and the equal dignity of all persons. Such a task is the duty and responsibility of everyone. It is a clear example that doing what is right pays a political dividend since it lays the foundation for a peaceful, productive and mutually enriching living together.
4. International covenants and declarations as well as national legislation are indispensable to create a public culture and to provide binding provisions capable of combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Without a change of heart, however, laws are not effective. It is the heart that must continually be purified so that it will no longer be governed by fear or the spirit of domination, but by openness to others, fraternity and solidarity. An irreplaceable role is played by education that shapes mentalities and helps to form consciences to embrace a more comprehensive view of reality and reject any form of racism and discrimination. Some educational systems should be reviewed so that every aspect of discrimination may be eliminated from teaching, textbooks, curricula and visual resources. The end-process of such education is not only the recognition of everyone as having equal human worth and the elimination of racist thinking and attitudes, but also the conviction that States and individuals must take the initiative and make themselves a neighbour to all. Informal and general education plays a crucial role as well. Media, therefore, should be accessible and free of racist and ideological control as this leads to discrimination and even violence against persons of different cultural and ethnic background. In this way, educational systems and media join the rest of society in upholding human dignity which only a collective action of all sectors of society can protect and promote. In such a context of mutual acceptance, the right of access to education on the part of racial, ethnic and religious minorities will be respected as a human right that ensures the cohesion of society with the contribution of everyone's talents and capacities.
5. In the fight against racism, faith communities play a major part. The Catholic Church, for example, has not spared its best energies to strengthen its many scholastic institutions, to establish new ones, to be present in dangerous situations where human dignity is trampled upon and the local community is disrupted. In this vast educational network, it teaches how to live together and how to recognize that any form of racial prejudice and discrimination hurts the common dignity of every person created in the image of God and the development of a just and welcoming society. For this reason, it stresses that "individuals come to maturity through receptive openness to others and through generous self-giving to them... In this perspective, dialogue between cultures... emerges as an intrinsic demand of human nature itself, as well as of culture... Dialogue leads to a recognition of diversity and opens the mind to the mutual acceptance and genuine collaboration demanded by the human family's basic vocation to unity. As such, dialogue is a privileged means for building the civilization of love and peace." The contribution of faith communities in combating racism and building a non-discriminatory society becomes more effective if there is a genuine respect of the right to freedom of religion as clearly enshrined in human rights instruments. Unfortunately discrimination does not spare religious minorities, a fact that increasingly concerns the international community. The response to this legitimate concern is the full implementation of religious freedom for individuals and their collective exercise of this basic human right. While the right to freedom of expression is not a license to insult the followers of any religion or stereotype their faith, existing mechanisms that provide legal accountability for incitement to racial and religious hatred should be used in the framework of human rights law to protect all believers and non-believers. National judicial systems should favour the practice of ‘reasonable accommodation' of religious practices and should not be used to justify the failure to protect and promote the right to profess and freely practice one's religion.
6. The challenges ahead of us demand more effective strategies in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. These are evils that corrode the social fabric of society and produce innumerable victims. The first step for a practical solution lies in an integral education that includes ethical and spiritual values which will favour the empowerment of vulnerable groups like refugees, migrants and people on the move, racial and cultural minorities, people prisoners of extreme poverty or who are ill and disabled, and girls and women still stigmatized as inferior in some societies where an irrational fear of differences prevent full participation in social life. Secondly, in order to achieve coherence among the various structures and mechanisms designed to counteract racial attitudes and behaviour, it is necessary to undertake a new examination aimed at making the various approaches more incisive and efficient. Thirdly, the universal ratification of major instruments against racism and discrimination, such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, will signal the political will of the international community to fight all expressions of racism. Finally, there is no substitute for fair national legislation that explicitly condemns all forms of racism and discrimination and enables all citizens to participate publicly in the life of their country on the basis of equality in both duties and rights.
7. Therefore, the work of this Conference has taken a step forward in combating racism, the reason for most countries to stay and join efforts for an outcome that responds to the need of eliminating old and new manifestations of racism. The Conference, as an international forum for the exercise of the right to freedom of expression, has unfortunately been used to utter extreme and offensive political positions that the Holy See deplores and rejects: they do not contribute to dialogue, they provoke unacceptable conflicts, and in no way can be approved or shared.
Mr. President,
8. Eight years ago the countries of the world engaged themselves in a global commitment to combat racism through the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Plan of Action. This vision of change remains incomplete in its implementation, and so the journey must continue. Progress will be achieved through a renewed determination to translate into action the convictions reaffirmed at the present Conference "that all peoples and individuals constitute one human family, rich in diversity" and that all human beings are equal in dignity and rights. Only then will the victims of racism be free and a common future of peace, ensured.
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