Vatican City, 10 April 2014 (VIS) –
“An open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge upon
the body of Christ. It is a crime against humanity”: the Holy
Father thus described human trafficking in his English-language
address to the participants in the “Second International Conference
on Combating Human Trafficking: Church and Law Enforcement in
Partnership”, which took place from 9 to 10 April in the Vatican,
organised by the Episcopal Conference of England and Wales. “This
is an important meeting, a gesture on the part of the Church and
people of good will who want to cry out, 'Enough!'”, he added.
“The very fact of our being here to
combine our efforts means that we want our strategies and areas of
expertise to be accompanied and reinforced by the mercy of the
Gospel, by closeness to the men and women who are victims of this
crime”, said the Pope. “Our meeting today includes law
enforcement authorities, who are primarily responsible for combating
this tragic reality by a vigorous application of the law. It also
includes humanitarian and social workers, whose task it is to provide
victims with welcome, human warmth and the possibility of building a
new life. These are two different approaches, but they can and must
go together. To dialogue and exchange views on the basis of these two
complementary approaches is important. Conferences such as this are
extremely helpful, and, I would say, much needed”.
Before concluding, the Holy Father
thanked the participants for their collaboration and commented on the
importance of the fact that, “one year after your first meeting,
you have regrouped from throughout the world in order to advance your
common efforts”.
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