IN BRIEF

CARDINAL SECRETARY OF STATE TARCISIO BERTONE S.D.B., has written a Letter conveying the Holy Father's greetings to organizers of Spain's 40th Social Week, which is currently taking place in the Spanish city of Toledo. The Pope, the cardinal writes, encourages the participants "in their efforts to ... spread the Church's Social Doctrine, both in the field of culture and research, and in the conscience of everyone - individuals and groups - called to contribute to the common good according to their condition and responsibilities. This commitment has particular relevance on the 100th anniversary of the start of these meetings, under the auspices of the Holy See and of the Spanish episcopate: a very appropriate moment at which to consider the most grave and pressing social questions in ... Spanish life."

ARCHBISHOP CELESTINO MIGLIORE, HOLY SEE Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York yesterday participated in a meeting of the 61st session of the U.N. General Assembly dedicated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). "It is a sad fact," said the nuncio in his English-language talk, "that the international community has failed to engage the Israelis and Palestinians in significant and substantive dialogue along with dispute resolution in order to bring stability and peace to both. ... Solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains the key to a series of questions affecting the whole Middle East, without going into the consequences for the wider world."
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