IN BRIEF

ARCHBISHOP CELESTINO MIGLIORE, HOLY SEE permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, participated, on November 3, in the 61st session of the UN General Assembly, which was meeting to consider the "Culture of Peace." in his English-language talk, the archbishop pointed out that "peace implies a truth which is common to all peoples beyond cultural, philosophical and religious diversities. It is the idea of the dignity of every human person intimately linked to the transcendent. Thus peace will be reached once it is understood and put into practice as the realization of this shared truth, in mutual respect of cultural diversities. ... The lack of the basic truth of peace at the cultural level has undoubtedly produced devastating effects down through the years and there are still cultures and mentalities that even today deny it exists. The most dramatic example is international terrorism. The criminal designs of international terrorism rest on false cultural roots which deny the existence of a link between truth and human life. Such roots are identifiable in nihilism and in fanatical fundamentalism, which are erroneous ways of relating to truth. 'The nihilist denies the very existence of truth, while the fundamentalist claims to be able to impose it by force. Despite their different origins and cultural backgrounds, both show a dangerous contempt for human beings and human life, and ultimately for God Himself'."

ARCHBISHOP JOHN P. FOLEY, PRESIDENT of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, delivered an address at the Springtime of Faith Foundation in Rome, on November 4. Dwelling on the subject of evangelization via the communications media, Archbishop Foley indicated that "it is possible to evangelize ... not only through networks or international transmissions, ...but also through the smallest newspapers or radio stations or, now, Internet sites. ... I think that our own communication of our evident happiness in our faith, in our priesthood or in our Christian life can be one of the most powerful ways to evangelize personally and through the media."

THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE PASTORAL CARE OF Migrants and Itinerant Peoples has called a meeting of national directors for the pastoral care of tourism in Europe, being held in Rome on November 6 and 7. The theme of the meeting is: "Tourism, a transversal reality: pastoral aspects." In a talk during the opening session, Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, president of the pontifical council, affirmed that as Europeans "we must affirm our roots and our Christian heritage, renewing them in the light of Vatican Council II. We must also discover how, in the future, ... to stimulate new evangelization, a new civilization of love and respect. ... Tourism is undoubtedly an appropriate instrument with which to encourage these values. Indeed, many of our monuments and works of art speak to us of a Christian Europe which, despite everything, is impregnated with the Gospel, although not, of course, only with the Gospel."
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