ILLICIT TRADE IN SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 12, 2001 (VIS) - Msgr. Celestino Migliore, under-secretary for Relations with States, presented a statement yesterday in New York, U.S.A., at the International Conference on Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its Aspects.

The head of the delegation of the Holy See recalled that a Convention exists which prohibits the use, as well as stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines, and another which prohibits or restricts the use of certain conventional weapons. "Unfortunately, however," he said, "it is impossible to ban all kinds of small arms and light weapons."

Msgr. Migliore stated that the present conference proposes concrete measures "to avoid diverting small arms and light weapons into the illegal market. ... Of particular significance," he affirmed, "are the mechanisms for prevention, reduction, accountability and control, ... the defining criteria for the export of arms, ... the inclusion of mechanisms for collecting and destroying arms in peace processes, ... the implementation of educational and awareness activities aimed at promoting a culture of peace and life."

"The present International Conference," he added, "is an essential step, offering as it does an important opportunity to broaden the scope of both the international debate and public awareness in order to mobilize a political will and to establish and strengthen norms and measures aimed at preventing and combating this phenomenon."

The head of the delegation noted the necessity for "a precise and decisive change in international relations, which must be based not on the rule of the strongest and of those who are best prepared militarily, but on the force of law and according to standards and instruments capable of guaranteeing security independently of recourse to violence."

"The ultimate goal uniting us in this area is the protection of the life and dignity of each and every human person." He concluded by emphasizing the need for "strong action on the part of the international community, which must show particular concern for children affected by conflict situations in various regions of the world, and must work to reunite them with their families and reintegrate them into society by appropriate means of rehabilitation."

DELSS;SMALL ARMS; LIGHT WEAPONS;...;MIGLIORE;VIS;20010712;Word: 370;

SEVENTH MEETING OF ISLAMIC-CATHOLIC LIAISON COMMITTEE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 12, 2001 (VIS) - The Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee held its seventh meeting in Rome from July 3-4, 2001. The Catholic delegation was headed by Cardinal Francis Arinze, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, while the Islamic delegation was headed by Senator Dr. Kamel al-Sharif, secretary general of the International Islamic Council for Da'wah and Relief. The topic addressed during the meeting was "Religion and the Dialogue of Civilizations in an Era of Globalization." Following their exchanges on this topic and other matters the Committee agreed upon the following:

"1.- To reaffirm that civilizations with their material and technological dimensions are a common human heritage; their positive elements should therefore be preserved and their benefits made available to all; they are to be developed and promoted in the interest of the security and well-being of the whole human society.

"2.- To reaffirm that religious values should be the basic starting point from which to direct humanity in such a way as to preserve human dignity and promote peaceful coexistence among peoples and the protection of the environment.

"3.- To reaffirm the importance of dialogue among civilizations for mutual knowledge and common endeavor in peace and harmony in order to protect human societies from disasters, poverty, ignorance, moral degradation, the breaking up of the family, wars and the effect of arms of mass destruction, while refusing the thesis regarding the inevitable clash of civilizations and societal conflict.

"4.- To recognize the importance of globalization and its benefits, while calling attention to its dangers which hinder the realization of a commonly agreed just world order, the acceptance of just criteria for the achievement of the well-being of all, and respect for the religious and cultural values of human societies.

"5.- To work together to spread the culture of dialogue and to foster a spirit of responsibility towards society, to resist consumerism, to protect human dignity and human rights, to prevent aggression, oppression and injustice, to work to ensure the rights of refugees to return to their countries of origin and to refuse all forms of discrimination against people.

"6.- To condemn the violations of the sacred nature of holy places and places of worship occurring in certain parts of the world, and to work together to ensure respect and protection for holy places.

"7.- To communicate these principles through available channels and through the mass media, through educational and cultural institutes, etc."

...;ISLAMIC-CATHOLIC COMMITTEE;...;...;VIS;20010712;Word: 410;

PAPAL LETTER TO ORDER OF PREACHERS FOR THEIR GENERAL CHAPTER

VATICAN CITY, JUL 11, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was a Pontifical Letter from Pope John Paul to Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, master general of the Order of Preachers, on occasion of the July 10 General Chapter, held in Rhode Island, U.S.A., to elect the 85th successor of the Order's founder, St. Dominic.

Recalling that one of the first tasks the Order received at its founding was responding to the Albigensian heresy, "a new form of the recurrent Manichaean heresy ... at whose core there lay the denial of the Incarnation," the Pope writes, "To respond to this new form of the old heresy, the Holy Spirit raised up the Order of Preachers, men who would be pre-eminent in their poverty and mobility in the service of the Gospel."

"It is clear that the ancient afflictions of the human soul and the great untruths never die but lie hidden for a time, to reappear later in other forms," he continues. "We live in a time marked in its own way by a denial of the Incarnation. For the first time since Christ's birth 2000 years ago, it is as if He no longer had a place in an ever more secularized world. Not that He is always denied explicitly; indeed many claim to admire Jesus and to value elements of His teaching. Yet He remains distant; He is not truly known, loved and obeyed."

Pope John Paul writes that the consequences of denying the Incarnation are "clear and disturbing. In the first place the individual's relationship with God is seen as purely personal and private, so that God is removed from the processes that govern social, political and economic activity. This in turn leads to a greatly diminished sense of human possibility."

The Pope, continuing to list the consequences of denying the Incarnation, adds, "When Christ is excluded or denied, our vision of human purpose dwindles; and as we anticipate and aim for less, hope gives away to despair, joy to depression. There also appears a profound distrust of reason, and of the human capacity to grasp the truth, indeed the very concept of truth is cast into doubt. ... Life is not valued and loved, hence the advance of a certain culture of death, with its dark blooms of abortion and euthanasia. The body and human sexuality are not properly valued and loved; hence the degradation of sex which shows itself in a tide of moral confusion, infidelity and the violence of pornography."

"In such a situation," the Letter concludes, "the Church and the Successor of the Apostle Peter look to the Order of Preachers with no less hope and confidence than at the time of your foundation. The needs of the new evangelization are great, and it is certain that your Order ... must play a vital part in the Church's mission to overturn the old untruths."

JPII-PONTIFICAL LETTER;DOMINICANS;...;RADCLIFFE;VIS;20010711;Word: 480;

GUIDELINES FOR THE PASTORAL MINISTRY OF TOURISM

VATICAN CITY, JUL 11, 2001, (VIS) - Made public today was the document "Guidelines for the Pastoral Ministry of Tourism" produced by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples. Written in Italian, it consists of an introduction, three parts, and a conclusion, and is dated June 29, Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.

Archbishop Stephen Fumio Hamao, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, and Archbishop Francesco Gioia, secretary of the same Pontifical Council, write in the introduction that the document is addressed to bishops, priests, men and women religious and, "more directly, summons the laity, called to evangelize in this specific area of social and secular reality."

The first part, entitled "The Reality of Tourism Today," states: "The tourism industry has been transformed into one of the primary economic forces in the entire world and it holds first place in some countries."

With regard to tourism and free time, the document affirms that the true meaning of rest can be seen when "man consecrates his time to God ... and when he generously dedicates himself to the service of others, especially the family."

Emphasizing that tourism "must always safeguard the dignity of the person, both of the tourist and of the local community," the document recalls "the negative aspects which in many places accompany tourist development: the exploitation of people ... the spreading of illnesses which seriously endanger the health of many sectors of the population; drug traffic and consumption; the physical destruction of the cultural identity and of vital resources."

Referring to the binomial "tourism-theology," the document states that "In tourism the Christian is invited to revive in a special way thanksgiving for the gift of creation, in which shines the beauty of the Creator. ... The contemplation of creation accompanies man in his religious life, inspires his prayer and animates him in the hope of promised salvation."

The second part of the text, "Pastoral Objectives," notes that "The central aim of the pastoral care of tourism is to stimulate those optimal conditions which help the Christian to live the reality of tourism as a moment of grace and salvation."

"The celebration of the Eucharist is the most frequent moment of encounter between the community of a place and the tourists, but it need not be the only one." Also necessary are "the most significant moments of the liturgical year, which often coincide with vacation time."

In reference to the welcoming of visitors, the guidelines emphasize the need to give special attention to the visitors who are members of other Christian confessions, at the same time stressing the importance that the welcome of visitors be prepared "with great care," particularly "in places of specific religious meaning," such as shrines. "It will be worthwhile to remember, moreover, that for many tourists such visits often constitute a unique occasion for experiencing the Christian faith."

It also emphasizes that among the different groups of people who engage in tourism, adolescents and youth in particular must be offered "the necessary conditions to make such travel experiences an occasion for them to deepen their faith."

With regard to the advertising of tourism programs, the document urges "tour promoters to be objective in their information and to have absolute respect for the dignity of persons and the external appearance of the places to which the information refers, as well as honesty regarding tourism proposals and total reliability in the services offered."

Tourism pastoral care workers "must be offered ... a specific preparation during formation, both in professional schools, and through other complementary initiatives. ... Religious and sacramental attention appropriate to their working conditions will be necessary, without violating the times and rhythms of the life of the community."
In the third part of the document, "Pastoral Structures," various concrete initiatives in the tourism milieux are illustrated which could be undertaken by episcopal conferences at the diocesan and parish levels.

"In order to satisfy the desire to know other persons and cultures, to develop his personal abilities and have new experiences," says the conclusion, "man chooses to devote part of his free time to tourism."
CON-SM/PASTORAL CARE TOURISM/HAMAO:GIOIA VIS 20010711 (700)

COUNCIL OFFICIALS PRESENT TOURISM MINISTRY GUIDELINES

VATICAN CITY, JUL 11, 2001 (VIS) - Archbishops Stephen Fumio Hamao and Francesco Gioia, respectively president and secretary of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, today presented the council document "Guidelines for the Pastoral Ministry of Tourism," in written statements which accompanied the publication of the document.

Archbishop Hamao noted that "with significant farsightedness, on April 30, 1969 the Sacred Congregation for Clergy, on whom the pastoral ministry of tourism depended at that time, published the General Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Tourism 'Peregrinans in terra', a very important and useful text for pastoral action and, in many ways, well ahead of its time. It did not limit itself to presenting solutions to the problems of that time, but prophetically paved the way in order to face the development of tourism which, at that time, was not completely predictable."

Archbishop Gioia emphasized that "tourism is one of the phenomena which most greatly characterizes modern society. Proof of this is the continual and accentuated growth of tourists on a global level: According to information provided by the World Tourism Organization, in the year 2000 the number of tourists increased by 7.4 percent over the previous year, that is to say, 50 million people more than in 1999, or as many as the United States and Spain receive each year."

He added that "in Europe, which welcomes 58 percent of international tourism, there was an increase of 6.2 percent with 403 million arrivals, about 25 million more trips than the previous year. Income from international tourism last year was US$476 billion. It is predicted that by 2010 international tourists will go from the current 698 million to one billion, and by 2020 will increase by an additional 560 million persons."

...;PRESENTATION; GUIDELINES TOURISM;...;HAMAO;VIS;20010711;Word: 290;