VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 190   
   DATE 30-10-2014   
      
   Summary:   
   - The Pope to the Old Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Union of Utrecht:   
   build bridges of mutual understanding and practical cooperation   
   - Cardinal Lozano Barragan takes possession of his titular church   
   - The Holy See at the UN General Assembly: lasting peace based on mutual   
   trust, beyond the logic of nuclear deterrent   
   - Audiences   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    The Pope to the Old Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Union of Utrecht:   
   build bridges of mutual understanding and practical cooperation   
    Vatican City, 30 October 2014 (VIS) - "A spiritual journey from encounter to   
   friendship, from friendship to brotherhood, and from brotherhood to communion"   
   must be embarked upon by Catholics and Old Catholics to promote unity of the   
   Church in Christ, Pope Francis affirmed this morning as he received the   
   members of the the Conference of Old Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Union   
   of Utrecht, whose visit to Rome coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the   
   promulgation of the Second Vatican Council's Decree "Unitatis Redintegratio"   
   on ecumenism, which marked the beginning of a new era in the search for unity   
   among Christ's disciples.   
    In his address, the Holy Father remarked that the work carried out during the   
   intervening years by the International Roman Catholic / Old Catholic Dialogue   
   Commission has made it possible to "build new bridges of a more profound   
   mutual understanding and practical co-operation. ... Convergences and   
   consensus have been found, and differences have been better identified and set   
   in new contexts".   
    "While we rejoice whenever we take steps towards a stronger communion in   
   faith and life, we are also saddened when we recognise that in the course of   
   time new disagreements between us have emerged", he continued. "The   
   theological and ecclesiological questions that arose during our separation are   
   now more difficult to overcome due to the increasing distance between us on   
   matters of ministry and ethical discernment. The challenge for Catholics and   
   Old Catholics, then, is to persevere in substantive theological dialogue and   
   to walk together, to pray together and to work together in a deeper spirit of   
   conversion towards all that Christ intends for his Church. In this separation   
   there have been, on the part of both sides, grave sins and human faults. In a   
   spirit of mutual forgiveness and humble repentance, we need now to strengthen   
   our desire for reconciliation and peace. The path towards unity begins with a   
   change of heart, an interior conversion. It is a spiritual journey from   
   encounter to friendship, from friendship to brotherhood, from brotherhood to   
   communion. Along the way, change is inevitable. We must always be willing to   
   listen to and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit who leads us into all   
   truth".   
    "In the meantime, in the heart of Europe, which is so confused about its own   
   identity and vocation, there are many areas in which Catholics and Old   
   Catholics can collaborate in meeting the profound spiritual crisis affecting   
   individuals and societies. There is a thirst for God. There is a profound   
   desire to recover a sense of purpose in life. There is an urgent need for a   
   convincing witness to the truth and values of the Gospel. In this we can   
   support and encourage one another, especially at the level of parishes and   
   local communities. In fact, the soul of ecumenism lies in a 'change of heart   
   and holiness of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of   
   Christians'. In prayer for and with one another our differences are taken up   
   and overcome in fidelity to the Lord and his Gospel", Pope Francis concluded.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Cardinal Lozano Barragan takes possession of his titular church   
    Vatican City, 30 October 2014 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations   
   of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that on Saturday, 1 November, at 11   
   a.m., Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, president emeritus of the Pontifical   
   Council for Health Care Workers (for Health Pastoral Care), will take   
   possession of the title of Santa Dorotea (Via di Santa Dorotea, 23).   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    The Holy See at the UN General Assembly: lasting peace based on mutual trust,   
   beyond the logic of nuclear deterrent   
    Vatican City, 30 October 2014 (VIS) - On 14 October, Archbishop Bernardito   
   Auza, Holy See Permanent Observer at the United Nations, spoke during the   
   General Debate of the UNGA First Committee held in New York. "The past year   
   has seen progress on the elimination of chemical weapons", he affirmed; "yet   
   reports of the continued use of chemical weapons, including chlorine gas,   
   reminds the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate once   
   and for all chemical weapons and any use as a weapon of dual-use chemicals".   
    "With regard to nuclear weapons, the third conference on the humanitarian   
   impact of nuclear weapons, which will be held in December in Vienna, Austria,   
   is a sobering reminder of the deep frustration of the international community   
   at the lack of speedy progress on nuclear disarmament, and of the inhuman and   
   immoral consequences of the use of weapons of mass destruction". He remarked   
   that the ninth Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference will take   
   place very soon in New York, and that nearly all the States represented in the   
   room are parties to the treaty. "The NPT's central promise of nuclear weapons   
   States to gradually disarm in exchange for non-nuclear-weapon States to   
   refrain from acquiring nuclear arms remains at an impasse".   
    As a consequence, he continued, the Holy See delegation "urges this Committee   
   and the preparation for the ninth NPT Review Conference to focus on the need   
   to move beyond nuclear deterrence, and work toward the establishment of   
   lasting peace founded on mutual trust, rather than a state of mere   
   non-belligerence founded on the logic of mutual destruction. In this regard,   
   the Holy See urges all states to sign and/or ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban   
   Treaty without further delay, because it is a core element of the   
   international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime", adding that   
   the establishment of weapons of mass destruction free zones, in the opinion of   
   the Holy See delegation, "would be a big step in the right direction, as it   
   would demonstrate we can indeed move toward a universal agreement to eliminate   
   all weapons of mass destruction".   
    The archbishop concluded by emphasising that the Holy See "welcomes the   
   progress, however modest, in the areas of conventional weapons", but remains   
   "deeply concerned that the flow of conventional arms continues to exacerbate   
   conflicts around the globe". He expressed the delegation's hope that "this   
   year's session will respond to this challenge, and recognise the grave   
   consequences of the proliferation and use of conventional weapons on human   
   life throughout the world".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Audiences   
    Vatican City, 30 October 2014 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in   
   audience:   
    - Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament, and entourage;   
    - Archbishop Adriano Bernardini, apostolic nuncio in Italy and the Republic   
   of San Marino;   
    - Archbishop Henryk Jozef Nowacki, apostolic nuncio in Sweden, Iceland,   
   Denmark, Finland and Norway;   
    - Bishop Jose Raul Vera Lopez of Saltillo, Mexico.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   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)