VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 152   
   DATE 09-09-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - General audience: it is essential to revive the alliance between the family   
   and the Christian community   
   - Archbishop Gallagher at the UN Conference on the protection of victims of   
   ethnic and religious violence in the Middle East   
   - Audiences   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    General audience: it is essential to revive the alliance between the family   
   and   
   the Christian community   
    Vatican City, 9 September 2015 (VIS) - The relationship between the family and   
   the Christian community, "a 'natural' bond, since the Church is a spiritual   
   family and the family is a small Church", was the theme chosen by the Pope for   
   the catechesis of today's Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square.   
    The Christian community is the home of those who believe in Jesus as the   
   source   
   of fraternity between all humanity. The Church journeys among peoples, in the   
   history of men and women, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. "This is the   
   history that matters to the Lord", explained the Pope. "The great events of   
   world powers are written in history books, and stay there. But the history of   
   human affections is inscribed directly on God's heart, and it is the history   
   that remains for eternity. It is the place of life and faith. The family is the   
   locus of our initiation - irreplaceable, indelible - into this history of full   
   life that culminates in the contemplation of God for all eternity in heaven,   
   but   
   begins in the family".   
    "The son of God also learned human history in this way, and experienced it to   
   its end. ... Then, when he left Nazareth and began his public life, Jesus   
   formed a   
   community around him, an 'assembly', a convocation of people. This is the   
   meaning of the word 'church'".   
    In the Gospels, Jesus' assembly has the form of "a hospitable family, not an   
   exclusive closed sect". Pope Francis observed, "we find Peter and with John,   
   but   
   also the hungry and the thirsty, the outsider and the persecuted, the sinner   
   and   
   the publican, the Pharisees and the masses. And Jesus never ceases to welcome   
   them all and to speak with them, including those who did not expect to   
   encounter   
   God in their lives. It is a powerful lesson for the Church! The same disciples   
   were chosen to take care of this assembly, of this family invited by God".   
    In order to continue to experience the reality of Jesus' assembly, "it is   
   essential to revive the alliance between the family and the Christian   
   community", he affirmed. "We could say that the family and the parish are the   
   two places in which the communion of love that finds its ultimate source in God   
   Himself is realised. A true Church according to the Gospel cannot but have the   
   form of a welcoming home, with open doors, always. Churches, parishes and   
   institutions with closed doors cannot call themselves churches - they should   
   call themselves museums".   
    "Today this alliance is crucial. Against the centres of power - ideological,   
   financial and political, we posit our experiences in these centres of love:   
   evangelising, full of human warmth, based on solidarity and participation, and   
   also mutual forgiveness. Certainly, it requires a generous faith to find the   
   intelligence and the courage to renew this alliance. Families at times pull   
   back, saying that they are not up to the challenge. ... But no-one is! ...   
   Without   
   God's grace, we cannot do anything. And the Lord never arrives in a new family   
   without some kind of miracle. Let us remember what He did at the wedding in   
   Cana. Yes, the Lord, if we place ourselves in His hands, makes us perform   
   miracles: these everyday miracles, when the Lord is there, in the family".   
    "Naturally the Christian community must play its part. For instance ...   
   favouring   
   interpersonal dialogue, and mutual understanding and respect. May families take   
   the initiative and be conscious of their responsibility to bring their precious   
   gifts to the community!" exclaimed the Pope. "We must all be aware that   
   Christian faith plays on the open field of life shared with all, and the family   
   and parish must perform the miracle of achieving a more community-based life   
   for   
   the whole of society".   
    After the catechesis, in his greetings to various groups of faithful, the Pope   
   remarked that today the Church celebrates the liturgical memory of the Jesuit   
   St. Peter Claver, patron of the missions in Africa, and expressed his hope that   
   the saint's example, with his tireless service to the weakest, impel the young   
   to choose solidarity with the needy. "May his spiritual vigour help the sick to   
   carry the cross with courage, and his love for Christ be a model for newly-weds   
   of the love that should occupy the centre of the family", added the Holy   
   Father.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Archbishop Gallagher at the UN Conference on the protection of victims of   
   ethnic and religious violence in the Middle East   
    Vatican City, 9 September 2015 (VIS) - Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher,   
   secretary for Relations with States, spoke at the United Nations International   
   Conference on the Protection of Victims of Ethnic and Religious Violence in the   
   Middle East, held yesterday in Paris, France. The prelate remarked that during   
   this past year we have witnessed "unspeakable atrocities committed in the   
   Middle   
   East, which have forced thousands of Christians and members of other religious   
   and ethnic minorities to abandon their homes and seek refuge elsewhere in   
   precarious conditions, involving great physical and moral suffering".   
    "Fundamental principles such as the value of life, human dignity, religious   
   freedom and the peaceful and harmonious coexistence of individuals and peoples   
   are at stake. The phenomenon continues, with the violation of human rights and   
   international humanitarian law by the so-called Islamic State, as well as those   
   perpetrated by other parties to the conflict. The drama of migration during   
   recent weeks, which has compelled Europe to pay greater attention to the   
   situation, is irrefutable proof of this tragedy".   
    He went on to indicate three key aspects for improving the future of ethnic   
   and   
   religious minorities in the Middle East, beginning with raising awareness in   
   the   
   international community to face the humanitarian emergency and to guarantee   
   minimum conditions of safety for minorities and Christian communities.   
    "Currently the situation compels us to deal with the humanitarian crisis",   
   but,   
   "in the long term, other suitable measures will have to be taken to ensure   
   their   
   presence in their homelands. Among the challenges to be faced, I would   
   underline   
   those regarding first and foremost the respect for human rights, especially   
   those freedom of religion and conscience. It is important to insist on   
   religious   
   freedom, which obviously includes the freedom to change religion. Indeed, in   
   many countries in the Middle East, freedom of worship exists, although the   
   space   
   for religious freedom is at times extremely limited. Increasing this space for   
   freedom is necessary to guarantee to all those who belong to the various   
   religious communities the true freedom to live and profess their faith. It   
   would   
   appear appropriate for the States in the region to be directly involved, along   
   with the rest of the international community, in protecting the fundamental   
   rights of Christians and members of other religious minorities. It is not a   
   question of protecting one religious community or another, or one ethnic group   
   or another, but of protecting people who belong to the single human family and   
   whose fundamental rights are systematically violated".   
    The second issue is that of guaranteeing the right of refugees to return to   
   live with dignity and in safety in their country of origin; a right that "must   
   be defended and guaranteed both by the international community and by States,   
   whose citizens are refugees or displaced. It must be emphasised that Christians   
   and other religious minorities do not wish simply to be tolerated but to be   
   considered as citizens to full effect. It is important that this concept of   
   citizenship opens up an ever broader space, as a point of reference for social   
   life, guaranteeing the rights of all, including members of minority groups,   
   through the implementation of adequate legal measures".   
    Finally, it is important to face the phenomenon of terrorism and to promote   
   interreligious dialogue. "The mechanisms must be found to encourage all,   
   including in particular countries with a Muslim majority, to deal with   
   terrorism   
   in a serious way, with particular attention to the issue of education",   
   observed   
   the prelate. "In this respect, it is important that teaching in schools,   
   internet use and the preaching of religious leaders do not provide an   
   opportunity for the development of intransigent and extremist attitudes, or   
   radicalisation, but instead promote dialogue and reconciliation. Furthermore,   
   it   
   should not be forgotten that care must be taken regarding the use of certain   
   expressions and manifestations, considered sacred by some religions, as occurs   
   from time to time in the West, to avoid acts causing offence to those to whom   
   they are meaningful".   
    It is also essential to promote interreligious dialogue, which is "an antidote   
   to fundamentalism, which afflicts religious communities. Jewish, Christian and   
   Muslim religious leaders can and must play a fundamental role in favouring both   
   interreligious and intercultural dialogue and education in mutual   
   understanding.   
   Furthermore, they must clearly condemn the abuse of religion to justify   
   violence". Archbishop Gallagher concluded by adding "a positive and respectful   
   separation of religion and State should also be promoted. In this sense, it is   
   necessary to contribute to develop the idea of the need to distinguish between   
   the two spheres, in favour of autonomy and mutual independence, without   
   concealing the indispensable collaboration between them, so that they may   
   coexist without contradicting one another, thanks to dialogue between religious   
   and political authorities and with respect for their respective competences".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Audiences   
    Vatican City, 9 September 2015 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, Tuesday 8   
   September, the Holy Father received in audience Archbishop Emil Paul Tscherrig,   
   apostolic nuncio in Argentina.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   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)