RESPONSIBILITY OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN TIMES OF CRISIS

VATICAN CITY, 16 DEC 2008, (VIS) - Yesterday the XI Colloquium organized by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the World Islamic Call Society (WICS), a Muslim organization headquartered in Tripoli, Libya, began in Rome.

  In a communique made public yesterday afternoon it was stated that "this initiative forms part of a series of events held in various places, in 1976 and then regularly from 1989 to the present".

  The theme of the meeting in these days, which will culminate tomorrow morning, 17 December, with an audience with Benedict XVI is: "The Responsibility of Religious Leaders, Especially in Times of Crisis".

  The colloquium's five sessions are dedicated to presentations, part Catholic and part Muslim, and the development of three themes of reflection: "Religious Responsibility", "Cultural and Social Responsibility", and "Times of Crisis on the Path of Interreligious Dialogue".

  Twelve Catholic and twelve Muslim dignitaries and experts from various countries are participating in the event, which is presided over by, respectively, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and the Secretary General of WICS, Mohamed Ahmed Sherif.
OP/COLLOQUIUM CATHOLIC-MUSLIM/TAURAN        VIS 20081216 (170)

THEMES OF THE NEXT THREE WORLD YOUTH DAYS

VATICAN CITY, 16 DEC 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father has chosen the themes for the next three World Youth Days so as to help build a spiritual itinerary that will culminate in the World Youth Day celebrations scheduled to take place in Madrid, Spain from 16 to 21 August, 2011.

- 24th World Youth Day (2009): "We Have Set Our Hope on the Living God" (1 Tim 4:10)

- 25th World Youth Day (2010): "Good Teacher, What Must I do to Inherit Eternal Life?" (Mk 10:17)

- 26th World Youth Day (2011): "Rooted and Built Up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith" (cf Col 2:7).
OP/THEMES WYD/...                        VIS 20081216 (100)

IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, 16 DEC 2008 (VIS) - Following is list of prelates who have died in recent weeks:

- Cardinal Avery Dulles, S.J., of the U.S.A. on 12 December at the age of 90.

- Bishop Elie Amsini Kiswaya, emeritus of Sakania-Kipushi, Democratic Republic of the Congo on 11 December at the age of 80.

- Bishop George Martin Kuzma, emeritus of Van Nuys of the Ruthenians, U.S.A. on 7 December at the age of 83.

- Bishop Jose Maria Larrauri Lafuente, emeritus of Vitoria, Spain on 9 December at the age of 90.

- Bishop Ivan Semedi, emeritus of Mukacevo of the Byzantine Rite, Ukraine on 6 December at the age of 87.
.../DEATHS/...                            VIS 20081216 (110)