SUMMARY:
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HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCIES, REGUGEES, HUMAN TRAFFICKING: CENTRAL THEMES
OF POPE'S MEETING WITH UN SECRETARY-GENERAL
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TELEGRAM ON DEATH OF BARONESS MARGARET THATCHER
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CHURCH SUPPORTS HIGH QUALITY ETHICAL INVESTIGATION
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AUDIENCES
______________________________________
HUMANITARIAN
EMERGENCIES, REGUGEES, HUMAN TRAFFICKING: CENTRAL THEMES OF POPE'S
MEETING WITH UN SECRETARY-GENERAL
Vatican
City, 9 April 2013 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in audience
Mr. Ban Ki-moon, secretary-general of the United Nations, with his
wife and entourage. Secretary-General Ban later met with His
Eminence, the Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B.,
accompanied by Archbishop Antoine Camilleri, Under-Secretary for the
Holy See’s Relations with States.
“The
meeting,” reads the press communique, “which follows in the
tradition of audiences granted by Popes to the various
Secretaries-General of the United Nations who have held that position
over the years, hopes to express the appreciation that the Holy See
has for that Organization’s central role in the preservation of
peace in the world, in the promotion of the common good of humanity,
and in the defence of fundamental human rights.”
“During
the course of the cordial conversations, issues of mutual interest
were discussed, in particular: situations of conflict and serious
humanitarian emergency, especially in Syria and other places such as
the Korean peninsula and the African continent, where peace and
stability are threatened. The problem of human trafficking was noted,
in particular that of women, refugees, and migrants. The UN
Secretary-General, who recently began his second term in this role,
outlined his project for his second five-year mandate, which focuses,
among other things, on conflict prevention, international solidarity,
and equitable and sustainable economic development.”
“Pope
Francis also recalled the Catholic Church’s contribution, beginning
with her identity and through the means proper to her, in support of
the entirety of human dignity and in promoting a Culture of Encounter
that helps to realize the UN’s highest institutional goals.”
TELEGRAM
ON DEATH OF BARONESS MARGARET THATCHER
Vatican
City, 9 April 2013 (VIS) – Today, Cardinal Secretary of State
Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., sent a telegram on behalf of the Holy
Father to Mr. David Cameron, prime minister of the United Kingdom, on
the death yesterday at 87 years of age of the Baroness Margaret
Thatcher who governed the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990.
“His
Holiness Pope Francis” reads the telegram, “was saddened to learn
of the death of Baroness Margaret Thatcher. He recalls with
appreciation the Christian values which underpinned her commitment to
public service and to the promotion of freedom among the family of
nations. Entrusting her soul to the mercy of God, and assuring her
family and the British people of a remembrance in his prayers, the
Holy Father invokes upon all whose lives she touched God’s abundant
blessings.”
CHURCH
SUPPORTS HIGH QUALITY ETHICAL INVESTIGATION
Vatican
City, 5 April 2013 (VIS) – This morning in the Holy See Press
Office, a press conference was held to present the Second
International Vatican Adult Stem Cell Conference, “Regenerative
Medicine: A Fundamental Shift in Science & Culture”, which will
place in the new Synod Hall of the Paul VI building in the Vatican
from 11–13 April. Participating in the press conference were:
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for
Culture; Dr. Robin Smith, president of The Stem for Life Foundation
and CEO of NeoStem; and Msgr. Tomasz Trafny, head of the Pontifical
Council for Culture's Science and Faith foundation.
“This
conference,” said Msgr. Trafny, “is part of a project that
developed thanks to the generosity, determination, and passion of
many people belonging to different communities [such as] The Stem for
Life Foundation..., the scientific community, benefactors...,
journalists, as well as pastoral caregivers at various levels.”
“There
are three sets of words that ideally describe our course of action.
The first set is related to the objectives we have set ourselves in
preparing for 2011's International Conference. They are three words:
understanding, knowing, and studying. We wanted to understand what
consequences the field of regenerative medicine in general and adult
stem cells in particular might have upon society and culture. … It
was very clear that the impact and the cultural dynamics of the
research cannot be understood without first knowing what it is and it
cannot be known unless it is studied. … This perspective of
constant study and reflection is always valid because research
progresses and we don't want to follow it but rather accompany it.”
But
the organizers of the 2011 conference realized that their initial
course of action had to be enriched by three other terms:
translation, formation, and dissemination. “We realized,” Msgr.
Trafny observed, “that contemporary science seems increasingly
hermetic, impenetrable to the uninitiated and, as such, needs
translating, without which it sometimes becomes difficult, if not
impossible, to follow its developments. … So we focused mainly on
first asking the speakers to make their knowledge more accessible to
those without a scientific background. But immediately after the
conference we were committed to identifying possible paths of
development and dissemination at a high level. The publication of our
book, 'The Healing Cell', is part of that process and we are happy
that, last year, we were able to present a limited edition of the
book to Pope Benedict XVI.”
To
these two paths is added today a third, always expressed in three
words: influence, support, and collaboration. We want “to have a
cultural influence on society, pointing to research models of
excellence that are, nevertheless, in tune with the highest moral
values of protecting the life and dignity of the human being from the
moment of conception. However, we are aware that you cannot
permanently influence society and culture without the constant and
far-sighted support that comes from religious, social, and political
leaders, from the community of entrepreneurs and from benefactors who
are ready to commit to developing long-term scientific, bioethical,
and cultural research.”
In
the end we are convinced that, in order to have a meaningful impact
on culture it is necessary to know how to overcome prejudice and
antagonism, promoting the logic of dialogue and cooperation at
various levels. That is why we feel called to collaborate with the
most prestigious professors, research institutes, and universities
around the world.”
In
conclusion, Msgr. Trafny invited journalists to attend this
International Conference in order to communicate “the positive,
encouraging, and optimistic message of the Church's support of high
quality, ethical research to both scholars—so that they have no
doubts of our commitment—as well as to those who are struggling
with the pain of degenerative disease and who are awaiting hopeful
signs from the research.”
AUDIENCES
Vatican
City, 9 April 2013 (VIS) – Yesterday afternoon, the Holy Father
received in audience Archbishop Jose Rodriguez Carballo, O.F.M.,
secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and
Societies of Apostolic Life and titular of Bellicastrum.
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