The Vatican and International Relations
Pope and Global Governance
governing globally, controlling locally
CARDINAL LOZANO ADDRESSES
WORLD
HEALTH
ASSEMBLY
VATICAN CITY, MAY 26, 2005 (VIS) - Made public today was the speech given by Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan on May 18 in Geneva, Switzerland at the World Health Assembly, the supreme decision-making body of the 192-member
World Health Organization (WHO). Cardinal Lozano, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, headed the Holy See delegation which also included Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, permanent observer to the Geneva-based
United Nations Office and Specialized Institutions.
Cardinal Lozano conveyed greetings from Pope Benedict XVI who, he said, "is very concerned about health problems in the world, and offers all his support and assistance to the world effort to bring health care to everyone, especially to the most unprotected."
The cardinal went to say that "unfortunately, illnesses, especially infectious ones, are ever more virulent in the poorest countries that, precisely because they are poor, do not have the resources to obtain medicine that, thanks to modern technology, can easily offer some cures. In fact, each year infectious diseases are responsible for the death of 17 million persons, of whom 90 percent live in developing countries." He noted that in many of these countries the medicines to cure certain illnesses cannot even be found.
"It is terrible," added the council president, quoting the 2005 World Health Report on maternal and infant health care, "to note that of the 211 new human beings who were conceived, there were 46 million induced abortions, 32 who died prematurely or at birth and only 133 million reached birth and lived."
Cardinal Lozano, in concluding remarks, said that, "as the Holy See is aware of these and similar problems, John Paul II established the 'Good Samaritan' Foundation' to help the most needy sick people in the world. The new Pope, Benedict XVI, with joy, has ratified this foundation. The initial objective of this foundation has been concretized by buying medicines for the most needy, and we have already been able to bring aid to the sick of 11 African countries, one in Asia and another in Latin America."
CON-AVA/WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY/LOZANO VIS 050527 (340)
POPE MARKS 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF JOHN PAUL'S VISIT TO UNESCO
VATICAN CITY, JUN 2, 2005 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from Pope Benedict XVI to Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, who is representing the Holy See in Paris at a colloquium entitled "Culture, Reason and Freedom" which commemorates the visit 25 years ago today by Pope John Paul to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
In the message to Cardinal Tauran, archivist and librarian of Holy Roman Church, the Holy Father noted the "immense recognition due to Pope John Paul who, with his personal and cultural experience, always underlined in his teachings the central and irreplaceable position of man, as well as his fundamental dignity, the source all of his inalienable rights. Twenty-five years ago the Pope declared at UNESCO headquarters that 'in the cultural domain, man is always first: man is the primordial and basic fact of culture'."
The Pope then echoed John Paul's words on that day, when, at UNESCO, he reminded his interlocutors of their responsibility: "Build peace by starting with the foundation: respect for all of man's rights, those linked to his material and economic dimension as well as those linked to the spiritual and interior dimension of his existence in this world."
Benedict XVI, reiterating the Holy See's concern for and involvement in the work of UNESCO, through her permanent observer to this organization, went on to say that, "in a world which is both multiple and divided, and often submissive to the strong demands of globalization of economic relations and, even more, of information, it is important at the highest levels to mobilize the energies of intelligence so that man's rights to education and culture are recognized, especially in the poorest countries. In a world where man must learn more and more to recognize and to respect his brother, the Church wishes to make her own contribution to the service of the human community, while pointing out ... the relation that binds each person to the Creator of all life and the source of the inalienable dignity of each person, from conception to life's natural end."
MESS/CULTURE/UNESCO:TAURAN VIS
THE VATICAN AND EUROPE
Vatican & EU
FOUNDATION HOSTS MEETING ON DEVELOPMENT IN VATICAN
VATICAN CITY, MAY 24, 2005 (VIS) - The Centesimus Annus "Pro Pontifice" Foundation, instituted by Pope John Paul in June 1993, has organized a two-day international meeting in the Vatican entitled
"The World System in the 21st Century: Subsidiarity and Cooperation for Development." The meeting will be held in the Vatican, starting the afternoon of May 27.
Alberto Quadrio Curzio, president of the foundation's Scientific Committee and dean of the political science faculty at Milan's Sacred Heart Catholic University, will preside at the May 27 meeting. Speakers that day will include Italian Supreme Court Judge Giovanni Maria Flick who will talk on "Human Rights and Globalization: A European Perspective," Moshe Syrquin, professor of economics at the University of Miami, who will speak on
"Globalization: Too Much or To Little" and Alberto Curzio whose talk is entitled "The European Union as an Institutional Model in a Globalized World."
Cardinal Attilio Nicora, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, will open the May 28 sessions. The morning will include a round table on "Promoting Development in the 21st Century: Values, Actors and Instruments," followed by a debate. The morning will close with a talk by a representative of the United Nations on "The Way the World Is: Evils and Angels in Development."
Cardinal Nicora will close the two-day event with Mass the afternoon of May 28 in the Santa Martha Residence in the Vatican.
.../CENTESIMUS ANNUS FOUNDATION/... VIS
THE VATICAN AND EUROPE
CHRISTIANITY HAS HAD A PRE-EMINENT ROLE IN EUROPE
VATICAN CITY, MAY 17, 2005 (VIS) - Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, secretary for Relations with States, participated in the third Summit of Heads of State and Governments of the Council of Europe, which is being held May 16-17 in Warsaw, Poland.
In his address in English, the head of the Holy See delegation underscored the theme of the session, European unity and European values, affirming that "Europe will be loved by its citizens and will serve as an agent of peace and civilization in the world only if it is animated by certain fundamental values: the promotion of human dignity and fundamental human rights, ... in the first place freedom of conscience and religion; the pursuit of the common good in a spirit of solidarity; and respect for national and cultural identity."
"The pre-eminent role that Christianity has played in forming and developing this cultural, religious and humanistic patrimony is well known to all and cannot be ignored."
Archbishop Lajolo indicated how the challenges that European society must face "derive from the great world-wide problems handed down from the twentieth century: the nuclear threat, ... the emergence of forms of political and religious fundamentalism, large-scale migration of peoples and certain situations of dangerous instability," such as those "in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in the Kosovo region, both of which are in need of a reliable solution, which cannot be reached without providing effective guarantees for minorities."
The secretary for Relations with States also highlighted the need for "a better coordination of European organizations," and indicated that "the experience of the Council of Europe is particularly important because it sketches the outlines of what could become a blueprint for European society."
He concluded: "Regarding the European Union, it is in the juridical sector in relation to human rights that one finds further concrete possibilities for closer institutional cooperation. The common commitment to corroborate the human rights and the legal protection of European citizens - reaffirmed by the will of the European Union to adhere to the European Convention for the protection of human rights and
fundamental liberties - must be given adequate _expression in the propositions to be presented by the Coordination Group created in December 2004."
DELSS/EUROPE/WARSAW:LAJOLO VIS 050517 (380)
BENEDICT XVI ANNOUNCES CAUSE OF BEATIFICATION OF JOHN PAUL II
VATICAN CITY, MAY 13, 2005 (VIS) - Benedict XVI today announced the opening of the cause of beatification of John Paul II, waiving the normal waiting period of five years after the death of a Servant of God. The Pope made the announcement in the course of a meeting with the Roman clergy in the basilica of St. John Lateran.
The rescript - or document authorizing the act - is dated May 9, 2005 and is signed by Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins and Archbishop Edward Nowak, respectively prefect and secretary of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
This morning, after traveling by car to the Vicariate of Rome, the Pope, in a ceremony in the Hall of Conciliation, greeted the staff who work there and visited the pontifical apartments.
Benedict XVI then went to the basilica of St. John Lateran where he met the clergy of his diocese. After a brief greeting pronounced by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, the Pope delivered his address.
He said that "the extraordinary experience of faith that we experienced with the death of our much-loved Pope John Paul II, has shown us a Roman Church profoundly united, full of life and rich in enthusiasm; all this is the fruit of your prayers and your apostolate."
After underlining the need "to always go back to the roots of our priestly calling," in other words, "Jesus Christ, the Lord," Benedict XVI pointed out that as priests "we are charged not to say many words, but rather to echo and to be bearers of a single 'Word,' that is the Word of God, made flesh for our salvation. ... We have to be His true friends, to share His feelings, to want what He wants and not want what He does not want."
The Pope invited the priests to make their own these words of John Paul II: "Mass is, in an absolute way, the center of my life and of each of my days." Speaking of obedience to Christ, he recalled that this "takes concrete form in ecclesial obedience, which for a priest is, in everyday practice, above all obedience to his bishop."
Benedict XVI also recalled what he had said in his homily prior to the conclave, when he referred to "holy restlessness; a restlessness to bring everyone the gift of faith." After highlighting that Christ "calls us to be His witnesses," the Pope mentioned the necessity of "being with God," of seeking "intimate communion with Christ," in order "not to give in to fatigue, but to resist and, even more so, to grow as people and as priests."
"Time to be in the presence of God is a true pastoral priority," he continued, "in the final analysis, the most important priority. John Paul II demonstrated this to us in the most tangible and luminous of ways in all the circumstances of his life and his ministry."
The Holy Father affirmed that "our personal response to the call of sanctity is fundamental and decisive. This condition is essential, not only for our personal apostolate to be fruitful but also, and more broadly, for the Church's face to reflect the light of Christ."
"My ministry as bishop of Rome follows in the footsteps of my predecessors, in particular taking up the precious heritage left by John Paul II. Dear priests and deacons, let us walk together along this path with serenity and trust."
After his address, Benedict XVI listened attentively to questions and reflections presented by various priests and religious, and thanked them for the remarks. He then returned to the Vatican by car.
BXVI-VISIT LATERAN/BEATIFICATION JOHN PAUL/... VIS
HOLY SEE
AT U.N. MARKS 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF END OF WAR
VATICAN CITY, MAY 10, 2005 (VIS) - Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations, spoke yesterday in New York before the 59th session of the General Assembly which, in Resolution 59/26, declared May 8 and 9 as official days of remembrance and reconciliation in commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
"There is no doubt," said the nuncio, "that it was a terrible conflict, and it is both salutary and sobering to recall that it was the worst of several unnecessary, man-made global catastrophes that made the twentieth century one of the most bitter that humanity has ever known." He added that "responsibility in view of these previous catastrophes requires us to develop some considerations."
"First of all," Archbishop Migliore stated, "among the roots of the Second World War was the exaltation of State and race, and the proud self-sufficiency of humanity based upon the manipulation of science, technology and force. The rule of law was no longer a vehicle for the application of justice. ... Secondly, even if we accept that, under some circumstances, a limited and strictly conditioned use of force could be inevitable in order to fulfill the responsibility to protect every State and the international community," no effort should be spared in seeking peaceful solutions.
"Recognition of the tragic and devastating nature of war ... presses us to question not only whether war can be legal and legitimate, but above all, whether it can be avoidable."
"Thirdly," the archbishop continued, "the time has now come to focus on and develop a third dimension of the law of war," that is, "how to achieve quickly and effectively the establishment of a just and lasting peace, which is the only admissible goal for the use of force. Thus, the existing international legal instruments covering conduct and activities after war need to be reinforced and extended, ... while also taking into consideration the ethical parameters that the modern conscience and sensitivities have developed, such as reconciliation."
"Fourthly," he said in closing, "recently, new emphasis has been placed upon the role of the U.N. as a peace builder. ... The Holy See ... once again expresses full support for the creation of an intergovernmental Peace-building Commission."
DELSS/END WORLD WAR II/UN:MIGLIORE VIS
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