VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 93   
   DATE 21-05-2014   
      
   Summary:   
   - THE GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE LEADS US TO DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF CREATION AS ITS   
   CUSTODIANS   
   - FRANCIS PRAYS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND SERBIA   
   - THE HOLY SEE PARTICIPATES IN THE 67TH U.N. ASSEMBLY   
   - AUDIENCES   
   - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    THE GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE LEADS US TO DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF CREATION AS ITS   
   CUSTODIANS   
    Vatican City, 21 May 2014 (VIS) - The gift of knowledge, 'scientia', that "is   
   not limited to human knowledge, but which through creation leads us to   
   perceive the greatness of God and His love for His creatures" was the theme of   
   the Pope's catechesis during this Wednesday's general audience.   
    In the presence of more than 50,000 people in St. Peter's Square, Francis   
   explained that this gift of the Holy Spirit also enables us to discover how   
   the beauty and immensity of the cosmos speaks to us of the Creator and invites   
   us to praise Him "from the depths of our heart and to recognise that all that   
   we have, and all that we are. is an inestimable gift of God and a sign of His   
   infinite love for us".   
    In the first chapter of Genesis, at the very beginning of the Bible, it is   
   made clear that God is pleased with His creation, and the beauty and goodness   
   of everything is repeatedly emphasised. If God sees that creation is good and   
   beautiful, then we too should assume this attitude. ... And when God finished   
   creating man, He did not say that what he saw was good, but rather that it was   
   'very good'. In the eyes of God we are the most beautiful, the greatest, the   
   best of His creation: even the angels were beneath us, we are greater than the   
   angels. The Lord loves us, and we should thank Him for this. ... The gift of   
   knowledge places us in profound harmony with the Creator and allows us to   
   participate in the clarity of his vision and judgement. And it is from this   
   perspective that we are able to perceive in man and woman the peak of His   
   creation, as the fulfilment of a plan of love that is inherent in each one of   
   us, and enables us to recognise each other as brothers and sisters".   
    "All this is a reason for serenity and peace, and makes the Christian a   
   joyful witness to God, like St. Francis of Assisi and many other saints who   
   knew how to sing and to praise their love through the contemplation of   
   creation. At the same time, however, the gift of knowledge helps us to avoid   
   falling prey to the danger of ... considering ourselves to be the masters of   
   creation. Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at will; or even   
   less, is it the property of only a few. Creation is a gift that God has given   
   us, so that we might take care of it and make use of it for the benefit of   
   all, always with great respect and gratitude. The second mistake is the   
   temptation for us to limit ourselves to creatures, as if they were able to   
   offer the answer to all our expectations".   
    The Pope returned to the first risk, that of seeking to appropriate creation   
   instead of protecting it. Creation is "a gift from God to us ... and when we   
   exploit it, we destroy the sign of His love. Destroying creation is like   
   saying to God, 'I don't like it', and this is not good, it is a sin. Care for   
   creation is care for God's gift to us, and it means saying to God, 'thank you,   
   I am the custodian of creation, but to enable it to progress, never to destroy   
   your gift'".   
    "This must be our attitude in relation to creation", continued the Holy   
   Father: "to protect it, because if we destroy creation, creation will destroy   
   us! Do not forget this". He went on to recount a story of a very simple person   
   he once met, who loved flowers and took great care of them. "He said, we must   
   look after these beautiful things God has given us; creation is ours so that   
   we may benefit from it, not to exploit it but to protect it, because God   
   always forgives, we human beings forgive sometimes, but creation never   
   forgives and if you do not protect it, it will destroy you".   
    "This should make us think, and to ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of   
   knowledge to understand well that creation is God's most beautiful gift. He   
   has made so many good things for the greatest creation of all, the human   
   person".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    FRANCIS PRAYS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND SERBIA   
    Vatican City, 21 May 2014 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience,   
   during his greetings to the faithful in various languages, the Holy Father   
   launched an appeal on behalf of those citizens who have lost their lives, for   
   the many still missing, and for those affected by the great damage caused by   
   the serious floods which have occurred during recent days in Bos   
   ia-Herzegovina and Serbia. "Unfortunately the situation has worsened, and I   
   therefore invite you all to join me in prayer for the victims and for all   
   those afflicted by this disaster. May the solidarity and concrete support of   
   the international community be forthcoming".   
    Pope Francis also mentioned that on 24 May the Church celebrates the   
   liturgical memory of Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, venerated with   
   great devotion in the She-shan shrine in Shanghai, China. He urged all the   
   faithful to pray so that, with the protection of Mary, Mother of Help,   
   Catholics in China may continue to believe, hope and love and that they may be   
   a leaven for harmonious co-existence with their fellow citizens in all   
   situations.   
    Finally, he commented that Mario Vergara, priest of the PIME, and Isidoro   
   Ngei Ko Lat, lay faithful and catechist, both killed in 1950 in Myanmar in   
   hatred of the faith, will be proclaimed Blesseds next Saturday in Aversa,   
   Italy. "May their heroic fidelity to Christ offer encouragement and an example   
   to missionaries and especially to catechists who carry out precious and   
   indispensable apostolic work in the mission lands, for which the Church is   
   grateful".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    THE HOLY SEE PARTICIPATES IN THE 67TH U.N. ASSEMBLY   
    Vatican City, 21 May 2014 (VIS) - Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, head of the   
   Holy See delegation, spoke at the 67th World Health Assembly in Geneva. "The   
   Holy See is cognizant of the devastating impact of climate change, as reported   
   by the WHO Secretariat, in various reports and advisories. That impact often   
   is estimated in terms of additional financial costs and burden of care to be   
   assumed by both governmental and non-governmental health care structures.   
   Climate change also deeply affects the social and environmental determinants   
   of health, including clear air, safe drinking water, supply of sufficient and   
   nutritious food, and adequate shelter", he said, emphasising that the Pope, in   
   expressing his concern regarding the voracious exploitation of environmental   
   resources, has "called for responsibility on the part of all in pursuing   
   policies that are respectful of the earth which is our common home".   
    "The Holy See delegation is happy to note that the reports before us and the   
   WHO work-plan on climate change and health are part of this much desired   
   rethinking and solidarity", he continued. "This growing ecological awareness   
   needs to be helped to develop and mature, and find fitting expression in   
   concrete programmes and initiatives, especially climate-resilient pathways for   
   sustainable development, as well as appropriate transformations in economic,   
   social, technological and political decisions and actions".   
    The prelate went on to commend the secretariat for the report on efforts made   
   in the management of autism spectrum disorders, which among others shows   
   progress made in creating awareness, clearing some of the myths surrounding   
   autism, forging partnerships with civil society organisations committed to   
   improving services and setting priorities for national and sub-national   
   actions". Archbishop Zimowski expressed the Holy See's wish to contribute to   
   these efforts with an International Conference organized by the Pontifical   
   Council for Health Care Workers, to be held in the Vatican this coming   
   November 20- 22, on the topic: "The Person with Autism Spectrum Disorders:   
   Stir Hope".   
    Finally, with regard to with regard to maternal, infant and young child   
   nutrition, the prelate remarked upon the delegation's satisfaction to note   
   that "breastfeeding has been included as Global Target in the Strategy and is   
   proposed as a key indicator for monitoring progress towards achieving the   
   targets. Breastfeeding is a major protection against early child malnutrition   
   and should therefore be protected and promoted as part of primary healthcare.   
   It should be guaranteed by laws governing workplace practice and there should   
   be acceptance for breastfeeding even in public", he concluded.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    AUDIENCES   
    Vatican City, 21 May 2014 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in audience   
   Gjorge Ivanov, president of the Republic of Macedonia, with his wife and   
   entourage.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
    Vatican City, 21 May 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:   
    - acknowledged that the Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, Lebanon, with   
   the consent of the permanent Synod, has accepted the resignation from the   
   office of coadjutor archbishop of the archieparchy of Istanbul of the   
   Armenians, Turkey, presented by Archbishop George Khazzoum in accordance with   
   canon 210 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.   
    - appointed Archpriest Levon Boghos Zekiyan, emeritus lecturer at the   
   Universita Ca' Foscari, Venice, as apostolic administrator "sede plena" of the   
   archieparchy of Istanbul of the Armenians (Catholics 3,339, priests 6,   
   religious 6), Turkey, elevating him to the dignity of Archbishop. The   
   bishop-elect was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1943, gave his solemn vows in   
   1964 and was ordained a priest in 1967. He has assumed the pastoral care of   
   the Armenian diaspora and the fraternity of Sts. Nicola and Sergio in the   
   Patriarchate of Venice and has served as ordinary professor of Armenian   
   language at the Universita Ca' Foscari, Venice, and as a lecturer at the   
   Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome. He has also served as Academic of   
   Sciences of the Republic of Armenia and consultor for the Congregation for the   
   Oriental Churches.   
    - appointed Fr. Sergio Pellini S.D.B., Italy, director general of the Vatican   
   Press, as chaplain of the directorate of Safety Service and Civil Protection   
   of Vatican City State.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   For more information and to search for documents refer to the site:   
   www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va   
      
   Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican   
   Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting   
   the source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.   
   http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/vis_en.html   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)