VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 139   
   DATE 25-07-2014   
      
   Summary:   
   - TELEGRAM FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE AIR CRASH OVER MALI   
   - THE POPE RECEIVES MERIAM, THE SUDANESE CHRISTIAN IMPRISONED FOR APOSTASY   
   - CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: THE VOICE OF REASON SILENCED BY THE   
   BLAST OF ARMS   
   - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    TELEGRAM FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE AIR CRASH OVER MALI   
    Vatican City, 25 July 2014 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin   
   has sent a telegram on behalf of Pope Francis to Archbishop Ghaleb Moussa   
   Abdalla Bader of Algiers, Algeria, in response to yesterday's tragic accident   
   involving an Air Algerie aircraft above Mali, which claimed many lives. "His   
   Holiness Pope Francis joins in prayer with the suffering of those who have   
   lost loved ones", he writes. "He wishes to convey his condolences and to   
   assure them of his profound sympathy, and prays that the Lord may receive the   
   souls of the departed and bring consolation and hope to all those affected by   
   the disaster".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    THE POPE RECEIVES MERIAM, THE SUDANESE CHRISTIAN IMPRISONED FOR APOSTASY   
    Vatican City, 25 July 2014 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, at the Domus Sanctae   
   Marthae, the Holy Father Francis received in audience Ms. Meriam Yahia Ibrahim   
   Ishag, the Sudanese Christian woman imprisoned and condemned to death for   
   apostasy, and subsequently freed with the intervention of the international   
   community.   
    Meriam was accompanied by her husband Daniel Wani and their two small   
   children, Martin (aged one and a half) and Maya, born in prison two months   
   ago. The family was accompanied by the Italian deputy Minister of Foreign   
   Affairs, Lapo Pistelli, who completed negotiations in Sudan yesterday and   
   accompanied Meriam and her family to Italy, where they are preparing to move   
   to the United States.   
    The meeting lasted for slightly less than half an hour and took place in a   
   serene and affectionate atmosphere. The Pope thanked Meriam and her family for   
   their courageous witness of constancy in faith. Meriam gave thanks for the   
   great comfort and support she received from the prayer of the Pope and many   
   other believers and persons of good will. The Pope's secretary, Msgr. Yohannis   
   Gaid, acted as interpreter. The Pope then greeted the Italian staff   
   accompanying Meriam and her family in their stay in Italy.   
    With this gesture, the Pope wished to demonstrate his closeness, attention   
   and prayer for all those who suffer for their faith and, in particular, for   
   Christians who suffer persecution or curtailment of their religious freedom.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: THE VOICE OF REASON SILENCED BY THE   
   BLAST OF ARMS   
    Vatican City, 25 July 2014 (VIS) - Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Holy See   
   permanent observer at the United Nations and other international organisations   
   in Geneva, spoke at the 21st Special Session of the Human Rights Council   
   dedicated to the question of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian   
   Territory including East Jerusalem, which took place on 23 July.   
    "As the number of people killed, wounded, uprooted from their homes,   
   continues to increase in the conflict between Israel and some Palestinian   
   groups, particularly in the Gaza Strip, the voice of reason seems submerged by   
   the blast of arms. Violence will lead nowhere either now or in the future. The   
   perpetration of injustices and the violation of human rights, especially the   
   right to life and to live in peace and security, sow fresh seeds of hatred and   
   resentment. A culture of violence is being consolidated, the fruits of which   
   are destruction and death. In the long run, there can be no winners in the   
   current tragedy, only more suffering. Most of the victims are civilians, who   
   by international humanitarian law, should be protected. The United Nations   
   estimates that approximately seventy percent of Palestinians killed have been   
   innocent civilians. This is just as intolerable as the rockets missiles   
   directed indiscriminately toward civilian targets in Israel. Consciences are   
   paralysed by a climate of protracted violence, which seeks to impose solution   
   through the annihilation of the other. Demonising others, however, does not   
   eliminate their rights. Instead, the way to the future lies in recognising our   
   common humanity".   
    The archbishop mentioned that in his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Pope   
   Francis demanded that the present unacceptable situation of the    
   sraeli-Palestinian conflict be brought to an end. "The time has come for   
   everyone to find the courage to be generous and creative in the service of the   
   common good, the courage to forge a peace which rests on the acknowledgement   
   by all of the right of two States to exist and to live in peace and security   
   within internationally recognised borders".   
    "The legitimate aspiration to security, on one side, and to decent living   
   conditions, on the other, with access to the normal means of existence like   
   medicines, water and jobs, for example, reflects a fundamental human right,   
   without which peace is very difficult to preserve. The worsening situation in   
   Gaza is an incessant reminder of the necessity to arrive at a cease-fire   
   immediately and to start negotiating a lasting peace. 'Peace will bring   
   countless benefits for the peoples of this region and for the world as a   
   whole', adds Pope Francis, 'and so it must resolutely be pursued, even if each   
   side has to make certain sacrifices'. It becomes a responsibility of the   
   international community to engage in earnest in the pursuit of peace and to   
   help the parties in this horrible conflict reach some understanding in order   
   to stop the violence and look to the future with mutual trust".   
    "The media should report in a fair and unbiased manner the tragedy of all who   
   are suffering because of the conflict, in order to facilitate the development   
   of an impartial dialogue that acknowledges the rights of everyone, respects   
   the just concerns of the international community, and benefits from the   
   solidarity of the international community in supporting a serious effort to   
   attain peace. With an eye to the future, the vicious circle of retribution and   
   retaliation must cease. With violence, men and women will continue to live as   
   enemies and adversaries, but with peace they can live as brothers and sisters".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
    Vatican City, 25 July 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:   
    - appointed Bishop Florentino Galang Lavarias of Iba, Philippines, as   
   metropolitan archbishop of San Fernando (area 2,180, population 3,561,000,   
   Catholics 3,324,000, priests 176, religious 155), Philippines. He succeeds   
   Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the   
   same archdiocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.   
    - appointed Rev. Severo C. Caermare as bishop of Dipolog (area 7,205,   
   population 977,000, Catholics 787,000, priests 68, permanent deacons 1,   
   religious 58), Philippines. The bishop-elect was born in Poblacion,   
   Philippines in 1969 and was ordained a priest in 1996. He holds a master's   
   degree in theology and pastoral ministry from the St. John Vianney theological   
   seminary of Cagayan de Oro City, and has served in a number of pastoral roles,   
   including administrator of the parishes of "Our Mother of Perpetual Help" and   
   "San Isidore" in Zamboanga del Norte; formator, rector, professor and   
   liturgist at the Cor Jesu Seminary of Dipolog City; and formator, professor,   
   dean and rector of the St. Mary's Theologate of Ozamis City. He is currently   
   administrator of the "St. Anthony of Padua" parish in Gulayon, Dipolog City,   
   and rector of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Dipolog   
   City. He succeeds Bishop Jose R. Manguiran, whose resignation from the   
   pastoral care of the same diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by   
   the Holy Father.   
    - appointed Rev. Fr. Celestino Aos Braco, O.F.M. Cap., as bishop of Copiapo   
   (area 75,176, population 272,000, Catholics 207,000, priests 23, permanent   
   deacons 35, religious 76), Chile. The bishop-elect was born in Artaiz, Spain   
   in 1945, gave his perpetual vows in 1967 ad was ordained a priest in 1968. He   
   holds a licentiate in psychology from the University of Barcelona, Spain, and   
   has served in a number of pastoral roles in Chile, including superior of the   
   community of Los Angeles, Santa Maria de Los Angeles; priest of the parish of   
   "San Miguel" in Vina del Mar; superior of the community of Recreo, and   
   episcopal vicar for consecrated life of the diocese of Valparaiso. He is   
   currently vicar of the parish of "San Francisco de Asis" in Los Angeles. He   
   has also served as provincial bursar for the order in Chile, promoter of   
   justice at the ecclesiastical tribunal of Valparaiso, and judge at the   
   tribunal of the archdiocese of Concepcion.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
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    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)