AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 14, 2005 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences seven prelates from the Ethiopian and Eritrean Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Fr. Angelo Moreschi S.D.B., apostolic prefect of Gambella.

    - Fr. Theodorus van Ruijven C.M., apostolic prefect of Jimma-Bonga.

    - Bishop Menghisteab Tesfamariam M.C.C.I., of Asmara, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Zekarias Yohannes.

    - Bishop Thomas Osman O.F.M. Cap., of Barentu, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Luca Milesi O.F.M. Cap.

    - Bishop Kidane Yebio of Keren.
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IN BRIEF

MSGR. FRANCESCO FOLLO, HEAD OF THE HOLY SEE DELEGATION to the 33rd general conference of UNESCO, spoke on the subject of bioethics, education, freedom and justice in an address delivered to the conference on October 10. "Today," he said, "we find ourselves in a new situation in which mankind, faced with the temptation to treat human beings as simple research material, could place the whole future of the species in danger." Hence, he affirmed, "the main reason for which bioethics must exist is itself ethical." On the subject of education, Msgr. Follo stressed that it "must have ever more ambitious goals, and form individuals to be free and responsible, especially in their affective and social behavior."

MADE PUBLIC TODAY WAS A MESSAGE TO MUSLIMS for the end of Ramadan. Entitled, "Continuing on the Path of Dialogue," it bears the signature of Archbishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald M. Afr., president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. "Let us," the conclusion of the message reads, "as Christians and Muslims, show that we can live together in true fraternity, striving always to do the will of merciful God, Who created humanity to be one family."

ARCHBISHOP CELESTINO MIGLIORE, HOLY SEE PERMANENT OBSERVER TO THE UN, participated yesterday in the third committee on the theme: "Implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women and of the special session of the General Assembly entitled 'Woman 2000: gender equality, development and peace in the twenty-first century." Archbishop Migliore stressed how the Holy See "recognizes the need to address urgently specific health care needs of women. We know that many women today still do not have access even to basic health care." In another discourse, the permanent observer spoke on the right to information and its importance in the life of democratic societies and institutions.
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SYNOD FATHERS MEET IN LANGUAGE GROUPS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 13, 2005 (VIS) - Today and tomorrow morning, the language groups will continue their work in preparing and approving the texts to be presented tomorrow afternoon in the Synod Hall. In the meantime, various "in scriptis" (written, not spoken) discourses by some of the Synod Fathers have been made public.

  Given below are excerpts from three of those "in scriptis" discourses:

BISHOP IAN MURRAY OF ARGYLL AND THE ISLES, SCOTLAND. "Liturgy is a key instrument of evangelization and must be celebrated in a language which draws the faithful into the heart of the mystery of faith. Texts should transcend the vagaries of linguistic fads. Local languages present particular difficulties, as in my own diocese with Scots Gaelic. In situations like this, local conferences of bishops should be given the authority to produce and approve such liturgical texts. Migrants from European countries require the services of chaplains of their own language who will accompany them."

ARCHBISHOP LIBORIUS NDUMBUKUTI NASHENDA O.M.I., OF WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA. "The theology of the Eucharist touches almost every major area of theology. From Vatican Council II forward, all major themes have been treated. Thus, any document forthcoming from the Synod of Bishops should provide a balanced, interrelated treatment of the theme. It would be a mistake to produce a document which treats only some of the themes as a corrective to certain perceived abuses. The document should rather offer pastoral suggestions responding to the needs of people on the ground who are deprived of the gift of the Eucharist (for example, divorced persons receiving holy communion, to mention but one such situation). We should, at all costs, avoid producing a disciplinary document, or one perceived to concentrate on rubrics without a firm underpinning of theology. ... We Synod Fathers should all be aware that the document we produce is to be a part of the trilogy on the Eucharist produced recently. First, the letter of our late Holy Father, 'Mane nobiscum Domine;' then the reflection issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship; and now the Synodal reflection."

ARCHBISHOP FELIX ALABA ADEOSIN JOB OF IBADAN, NIGERIA. "I wish to address this assembly on the pastoral care of immigrants. ... The 'Instrumentum laboris' reminds us that the Eucharist brings the faithful together and makes them a community, despite differences in race, language, nation and culture. ... Migration is not limited to lay faithful alone. We have priests and religious sent to study or acquire some necessary experience for the development of their congregations or dioceses. ... If the immigrant priest is to celebrate the sacred sacrifice with dignity, devotion and reverence he must be recognized, be granted a decent means of livelihood and be assured of belonging. ... The care of female religious immigrants is more complex, and deserves greater care. Consecrated life is a witness to Christ in the Church and their presence is a blessing to the local Church. They are, however, not to reside in a local Church without the written permission of the local ordinary. In these days of dwindling numbers of religious in the old Church, the desire for survival and for continuity has led to indiscriminate recruitment of young ladies from mission territories. These young ladies are uprooted from their culture and tradition and planted in Europe and America where the climate, culture and customs often overwhelm them and often they are thrown out of these institutions. Inevitably many of them fall prey to people and situations. Their plight, as the broken body of Christ, should be looked into with compassion and love. They are part of the body of Christ, the Church."
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