Returning to the words of St. John Paul II, Francis remarked, "To arrive at a   
   fully valid interpretation of the words inspired by the Holy Spirit, we   
   ourselves must be guided by the Holy Spirit; and for this we must pray, and   
   ask in prayer for the inner light of the Spirit and accept this light with   
   docility; we must ask for love, as love alone makes us able to understand the   
   language of God, which is love". He added, "Our Lady teaches us to fully   
   welcome the Word of God, not only through intellectual research, but in all   
   our life", and concluded by giving his blessing to those present.   
      
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    Catholics and orthodox in Amman on "Synodality and the Primate"   
    Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - The eighth plenary session of the   
   International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic   
   Church and the Orthodox Church will take place in Amman, Jordan from 15 to 23   
   September, following the invitation from the Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of   
   Jerusalem, His Beatitude Theophilos III.   
    The session will be co-chaired by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the   
   Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and the Metropolitan of   
   Pergamon Ioannis (Zizioulas) of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. As on previous   
   occasions, the meeting will be attended by two representatives of each of the   
   fourteen autocephalous Orthodox Churches and many other Catholic   
   representatives. The plenary session will examine a draft document entitled   
   "Synodality and the Primate", drawn up by the Co-ordinating Committee of the   
   Commission during the two meetings held in Rome in 2011 and in Paris in 2012.   
    The study of the theological and anthropological relationship between the   
   primate and synodality in the life of the Church in local, regional and   
   universal contexts should offer a framework for reference for considering the   
   crucial question of the role of the bishop of Rome in the universal Church. In   
   Amman, the members of the Commission will be required to evaluate whether the   
   draft prepared by the Co-ordinating Committee adequately reflects the   
   currently existing consensus on this delicate issue or if it will be necessary   
   to explore the theme in further depth.   
    The plenary session will also offer participants the opportunity to share   
   moments of prayer with the local Christian communities and to express their   
   closeness to those who suffer as a result of ongoing conflicts in the region.   
      
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    Archbishop Tomasi: human trafficking is not confined to poor and developing   
   countries   
    Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - The fight against contemporary forms   
   of slavery was the theme of the address given by Archbishop Silvano Tomasi.   
   Holy See Permanent Observer at the United Nations, during the 27th Ordinary   
   Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.   
    The archbishop referred to a number of tragic forms of contemporary slavery   
   that have recently attracted the attention of the media and the international   
   community, such as "massive kidnappings and sale of young girls under the   
   false premises of religious teachings as is done, for example, by Boko Haram   
   in Nigeria or by the so-called Islamic State group in northern Iraq".   
    "Some 250,000 children are forcibly conscripted and even used as "human   
   shields" in the front lines of armed conflicts", he continued. However, there   
   are "other, subtler forms of slavery that deserve specific attention,   
   including the 5.7 million children who are victims of forced and bonded   
   labour, domestic servitude, early, forced and servile marriage ... and   
   caste-based forms of slavery, which affect the lives of so many and are not   
   confined to developing and poor countries". Factors that may contribute to the   
   promotion of all forms of slavery include "the increasing incidence of   
   absolute poverty among many families affected by the economic crises, the lack   
   of education and illiteracy, long-term and apparently irreversible   
   unemployment which force people into the informal-sector work without adequate   
   pay or social protection, involuntary migration, and human trafficking".   
    Although the international community has already developed international   
   conventions and agreements to protect against contemporary forms of slavery,   
   the Holy See observer remarked that greater political will is necessary to   
   ensure the effectiveness of such instruments and to increase public awareness.   
   "We need to break the silence about this 'open wound on the body of   
   contemporary society' and motivate 'men and women of good will who want to cry   
   out, Enough!'" he continued, noting that Pope Francis takes every opportunity   
   to denounce the "many abominable forms of slavery [that] persist in today's   
   world" and has "joined with leaders from other major religious traditions to   
   promote the ideals of faith and of shared human values in order to eradicate   
   modern slavery and human trafficking ... for all time".   
      
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    Audiences   
    Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in   
   audience twenty-one prelates from the National Episcopal Conference of the   
   Democratic Republic of Congo, on their "ad Limina" visit:   
    - Archbishop Marcel Utembi Tapa of Kisangani;   
    - Bishop Etienne Ung'eyowun Bediwegi of Bondo;   
    - Bishop Dieudonne Uringi Uuci of Bunia;   
    - Bishop Joseph Banga Bane of Buta;   
    - Bishop Julien Andavo Mbia of Isiro-Niangara;   
    - Bishop Sosthene Ayikuli Adjuwa of Mahagi-Nioka;   
    - Bishop Janvier Kataka Luvete of Wamba;   
    - Archbishop Jean-Pierre Tafunga Mbayo, S.D.B., of Lubumbashi;   
    - Bishop Jean-Anatole Kalala Kaseba of Kamina;   
    - Bishop Fulgence Muteba Mugalu of Kilwa-Kasenga;   
    - Bishop Nestor Ngoy Katahwa of Kolwezi;   
    - Bishop Oscar Ngoy wa Mpanga, C.S.Sp., of Kongolo;   
    - Bishop Vincent de Paul Kwanga Ndjibu of Manono;   
    - Bishop Gaston Kashala Ruwezi, S.D.B., of Sakania-Kipushi;   
    - Archbishop Joseph Kumuondala Mbimba of Mbandaka-Bikoro;   
    - Bishop Joseph Mokobe Ndjoku of Basankusu;   
    - Bishop Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, O.F.M. Cap., of Bokungu-Ikela;   
    - Bishop Philibert Tembo Nlandu, C.I.C.M., of Budjala;   
    - Bishop Louis Nkinga Bondala, C.I.C.M., of Lisala;   
    - Bishop Ferdinand Maemba Liwoke of Lolo;   
    - Bishop Dominique Bulamatari of Molegbe.   
    This afternoon, the Holy Father will receive in audience Archbishop Nikola   
   Eterovic, apostolic nuncio in the Federal Republic of Germany.   
      
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    Other Pontifical Acts   
    Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed   
   Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", and   
   Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, major penitentiary, as members of the Congregation   
   for the Causes of Saints.   
      
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    Notice   
    Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - We inform our readers that tomorrow,   
   Saturday 13 September, an extraordinary edition of the Vatican Information   
   Service will be transmitted on the occasion of Pope Francis' visit to   
   Redipuglia, Italy.   
      
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   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)