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| THE FINANCIAL CRISIS AND HUMAN RIGHTS | |
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VATICAN CITY, 10 MAR 2010 (VIS) - On 3 March, Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi C.S., Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations in Geneva, addressed the thirteenth ordinary session of the UN Human Rights Council, which was meeting to discuss the world economic and financial crisis. Before beginning his talk, the archbishop expressed his delegation's "condolences and solidarity to the people of Chile for the victims of the recent earthquake". Speaking English, the nuncio then went on to reaffirm the Holy See's "conviction that the perspective of human rights provides a positive contribution for a solution to the current financial crisis". This situation "calls for new regulations and a sound global system of governance that ensures a sustainable and comprehensive path to development for all", he said. Among the negative consequences of the financial crisis, the archbishop mentioned "the scandal of hunger, growing worldwide inequality, millions of unemployed people and millions of others reduced to extreme poverty, ... lack of social protection for countless vulnerable persons". He also recalled words used by Benedict XVI in his Encyclical "Caritas in Veritate" to the effect that these imbalances "are produced when economic action, conceived merely as an engine for wealth creation, is detached from political action, conceived as a means for pursuing justice through redistribution". "In fact", Archbishop Tomasi went on, "the common goal is the protection and respect of human dignity that binds together the entire human family. ... In this context, the review of the Human Rights Council should aim also at making change on the ground a reality, and the concrete implementation of human rights its priority". "The social doctrine of the Church has always pursued such a goal with special care for the more vulnerable members of society. In fact, by giving priority to human beings and the created order that supports them on their earthly journey, we can modify the rules that govern the financial system to serve concrete change, to move away from old habits of greed that led to the present crisis, and to promote effective integral development and the implementation of human rights since 'the primary capital to be safeguarded and valued is the human person in his or her integrity'". DELSS/HUMAN RIGHTS/TOMASI |
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| Datum: 10-03-2010 17:39:00 | |
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| LENT: CROSSING THE DESERT, ABANDONING OURSELVES TO GOD | |
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VATICAN CITY, 18 FEB 2010 (VIS) - Yesterday, Ash Wednesday, Benedict XVI presided over the traditional penitential procession from the church of St. Anselm on the Aventine Hill to the Basilica of Santa Sabina where he celebrated Mass. The Pope received ashes from Cardinal Jozef Tomko, Titular of the basilica and then distributed ashes to the cardinals and bishops present as well as to various faithful.r> "Adam was expelled from the earthly paradise, the symbol of communion with God", the pontiff said. "Now, in order to return to that communion and thus to eternal life we must pass through the desert, the test of faith. Not alone but with Jesus (...) who proceeds us and who has already conquered in the fight against the spirit of evil. This is the meaning of Lent, the liturgical time that, each year, invites us to renew our decision to follow Christ on the path of humility in order to participate in his victory over sin and death". It is from this perspective that we understand the penitential sign of the ashes, the Holy Father explained. "Essentially, they are a gesture of humility that means: I recognize myself for what I am, a fragile creature made of earth and destined to return to the earth, but also made in the image of God and destined to return to Him. Dust, yes, but dust that is loved and shaped by His love (...) capable of recognizing His voice and responding to Him; free and thus also capable of disobeying, of giving in to the temptation of pride and self-sufficiency". "Sin", Benedict XVI stated, "basically consists in disobeying God, in a lack of love. (...) The first act of justice is recognizing one's own iniquity (...) rooted at the heart of each person (...) An expression of penitence is only worthy in God's eyes if it is the sign of a sincerely repentant heart. (...) The true reward is not the admiration of others but friendship with God and the grace that derives from Him, the grace that gives peace and the strength to do good". "In Christ's heart, at the center of His human and divine person, the entire drama of freedom was wagered in decisive and definitive terms. God brought His plan of salvation to its ultimate consequences, remaining faithful in His love even at the expense of delivering His only Son to death. (...) Thanks to Christ's action we can enter in to the "greater" justice, which is the justice of love". "Lent enlarges our horizon, orients us toward eternal life (...) it makes us to understand the relativity of earthly goods and thus enables us to make the necessary renunciations, frees us to do good", the Holy Father concluded. HML/ASH WEDNESDAY/SANTA SABINA |
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| Datum: 18-02-2010 16:04:00 | |
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| REPORT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 09 IN GERMANY | |
| The General Assembly 09 of Unum Omnes took place in Bischof- Benno- Haus, Germany, from 19th to 24th September 2009. The main theme was "Our answer to the return of spirituality in the society".The lecturers were Prof. Miklos Tomka, Budapest and Prof. Maria Widl,Germany. We welcomed representatives from Argentina, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Ceska R.,Germany, Ghana,Ireland, Italy,Liberia, Kenya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Romania and Ukraina GKMD,our Unum Omnes member in Germany prepared the meeting and invited us also to Dresden and Berlin. We heard reports about the laity and the society in Germany. There was the election of a new board of Unum Omnes (See our homepage). The lectures and more fotos of this meeting you find in the forum of our homepage. We got 5 new members: Bulgaria, Belarus, Korea, Liberia and Lithuania. There was a Lithuanian evening. |
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| Datum: 24-12-2009 11:37:00 | |
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| EUROPEAN ACADEMY 2009 | |
| There was the 15th European Academy in Schmochtitz, Germany from 17. - 22. September. The theme was " What fathers and mothers do for families,the society and the church". Lecturers were from Lithuania,Germany and Hungary. The family is the place, where children and teens learn the basic values for the later life. Young couples must have time for their children.The family should have preference against other activities. The family as a cell of the society must be protected. The modern role of the man is changing from a softie to a man, who lives his nature and who uses his talents. Luck is a result of freedom and responsibility. |
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| Datum: 30-09-2009 03:12:00 | |
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