VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 133   
   DATE 15-07-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - The commitment of cities against modern slavery and climate change   
   - Other Pontifical Acts   
      
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    The commitment of cities against modern slavery and climate change   
    Vatican City, 15 July 2015 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office   
   Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of   
   Sciences, presented the meeting "Modern slavery and climate change: the   
   commitment of the cities", and the symposium "Prosperity, people and planet in   
   the cities", to be held in the Casina Pio IV (Vatican, 21-22 July). These   
   events   
   will be attended by the mayors of major cities, local administrators and   
   various   
   representatives of the United Nations, and the speakers will include expert   
   communications consultants Michael Shank and Alessandro Gaetano.   
    "The Pontifical Academy of Sciences is in agreement with the Holy Father in   
   perceiving a clear link between these two emergencies: the crisis of climate   
   change and the social crisis, both of anthropic origin", explained the prelate.   
   Our commitment, following the Encyclical, is to ensuring that all society is   
   made aware of these phenomena and of the human responsibilities for these   
   crises, and reacts with firmness, as a new moral imperative for all humanity in   
   favour of the common good".   
    "In this fundamental moral context, cities and their mayors play a key role",   
   explained the prelate. "Currently, most of humanity is concentrated in formal   
   and informal urban settlements and this trend is set to increase. Each of our   
   cultural traditions also affirms the inherent dignity and the social   
   responsibility of each individual in relation to the common good. They   
   emphasise   
   the importance of living together in the polis for the fulfilment of the   
   social,   
   cultural and religious identity of every human being and for the beauty, wonder   
   and inherent goodness of the world, recognising it as a precious gift that   
   supports life and is entrusted to our stewardship. It is not a matter of   
   preserving it as in a museum, but of developing it according to its potential,   
   following the very laws of nature. Respecting and developing "our common home"   
   rather than devastating it is a moral imperative".   
    Bishop Sanchez Sorondo noted that, as the Pontifical Academy of Social   
   Sciences   
   has remarked, although the poor and the excluded have the least effect on   
   climate change and often live on the outskirts of the city, they are the most   
   exposed to the terrible threat posed by human-induced climate disruption.   
   However, the world now has within reach the scientific knowledge, technological   
   tools and financial means to reverse anthropogenic climate change, while ending   
   extreme poverty at the same time through solutions that include renewable and   
   low carbon emission energy sources. "Financing the initiative in favour of this   
   'integral ecology', including the decisive containment of human-induced climate   
   change, could also be based on the relentless pursuit of peace, which would   
   allow a redistribution of public spending from military expenditure towards   
   urgent investments for the benefit of social inclusion and the effective   
   monitoring of carbon emissions, particularly in the cities".   
    With reference to the presence of mayors at the events on 21 and 22 July, he   
   emphasised that the intention of the Pontifical Academy was for them "to commit   
   to promoting the empowerment of the poor and of those who live in vulnerable   
   conditions in our cities and in our urban settlements, reducing their exposure   
   to extreme weather events caused by radical environmental, economic and social   
   instabilities, which create fertile ground for forced migration and human   
   trafficking".   
    "At the same time", he added, "we would like the mayors to commit to put an   
   end   
   to abuse, exploitation, human trafficking and all forms of modern slavery   
   within   
   their communities. These tragic occurrences, which Pope Benedict and Pope   
   Francis termed 'crimes against humanity', also include forced labour,   
   prostitution, organ trafficking and domestic servitude. We would also like the   
   mayors to commit to developing resettlement and social integration programmes   
   for the victims, at the national and local levels, in order to avoid their   
   involuntary repatriation".   
    "In short", he concluded, "we would like our cities and urban settlements to   
   become more socially inclusive, safe, resilient and ecologically integrated".   
    The studies of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences on the impact of   
   climate change can be consulted on-line at   
   www.pas.va   
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    Other Pontifical Acts   
    Vatican City, 15 July 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:   
    - accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Passo   
   Fundo, Brazil, presented by Archbishop Antonio Carlos Altieri, S.D.B., in   
   accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.   
    - appointed Fr. Dominicus Meier. O.S.B., as auxiliary of the archdiocese of   
   Paderborn (area 14,750, population 4,900,000, Catholics 1,581,343, priests   
   1,008, permanent deacons 173, religious 1,647), Germany. The bishop-elect was   
   born in 1959 in Heggen, and was ordained a priest in 1989. He holds a doctorate   
   in theology from the University of Salzburg, as well as a licentiate and   
   professional diploma in canon law from the University of Munster. He has served   
   as ordinary professor of canon law at the Philosophical-Theological High School   
   of the Pallottines in Vallendar, judge at the diocesan tribunal of Salzburg and   
   defender of the bond and promoter of justice at the tribunal of the archdiocese   
   of Paderborn. He was elected abbot of the abbey of Konigsmunster at Meschede in   
   2001, for a twelve-year mandate. He is currently judicial vicar of the   
   archdiocese of Paderborn. He succeeds Bishop Manfred Grothe, whose resignation   
   from the office of auxiliary of the same archdiocese upon reaching the age   
   limit   
   was accepted by the Holy Father.   
    - appointed Fr. Laurent Camiade as bishop of Cahors (area 5,216, population   
   395,000, Catholics 170,700, priests 66, permanent deacons 8, religious 96),   
   France. The bishop-elect was born in Agen, France in 1966 and was ordained a   
   priest in 1992. He holds a degree in philosophy and a doctorate in theology   
   from   
   the Institut Catholique de Toulouse, and has served as parish vicar, diocesan   
   director of youth pastoral ministry, and parish priest. He is currently vicar   
   general of the diocese of Agen and parish priest of Laverdac, and teaches   
   spiritual theology at the Institut Catholique de Toulouse.   
    - appointed Fr. Udo Bentz as auxiliary of the diocese of Mainz (area 7,692,   
   population 2,891,000, Catholics 749,583, priests 504, permanent deacons 124,   
   religious 447), Germany. The bishop-elect was born in 1967 in Rulzheim, Germany   
   and was ordained a priest in 1995. He holds a doctorate in theology from the   
   University of Freiburg im Breisgau, and has served as parish vicar in the   
   Cathedral of Worms and special secretary to Cardinal Karl Lehmann. He is   
   currently rector of the major seminary of Mainz and president of the Conference   
   of rectors of German major seminaries.   
      
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