OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 14, 2005 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Camillo Ballin M.C.C.I., director of the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies in Cairo, Egypt, as apostolic vicar of Kuwait (area 17,900, population 2,650,000, Catholics 158,500, priests 10, religious 13). The bishop-elect was born in Fontaniva, Italy in 1944 and ordained a priest in 1969. He succeeds Bishop Francis Micallef O.C.D., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same apostolic vicariate the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
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COOPERATION FOLLOWING TSUNAMI MUST NOT BE SQUANDERED

VATICAN CITY, JUL 14, 2005 (VIS) - The tragedy of the tsunami that struck the coasts of southeast Asia on December 26, 2004, the aid given to those affected by the catastrophe and the task of rebuilding the countries involved were the central themes of a speech delivered by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations, on July 13 to the U.N. Economic and Social Council in a session dedicated to "special economic, humanitarian and disaster relief assistance."

  Archbishop Migliore recalled the promptness with which, following the disaster, the Holy See was able to provide four million dollars in emergency relief. "Dozens of Catholic agencies quickly followed this up, with projects for the reconstruction of homes and schools" in the countries affected, he said. "It is estimated that around 650 million dollars has been made available by agencies related to the Holy See to the peoples affected by the tsunami."

  "The funds just mentioned were firstly applied to the most urgent emergency needs: safe drinking water, food, shelter, clothing, etc. ... Refugees, internally displaced persons, and women and children especially vulnerable to human trafficking and exploitation, were among the first to be helped. After the emergency phase, reconstruction and rehabilitation projects were begun, including the rebuilding of homes, schools and hospitals, not to mention the provision of agricultural and fishing equipment."

  Going on to underline the importance of spiritual and religious support, he affirmed the Holy See's commitment "in all circumstances to respect religious and cultural differences, and to work amicably to facilitate greater trust among believers of all faiths and non-believers. Inter-religious cooperation and peace-building initiatives will continue to form an important element of the Church's work."

  The archbishop also dwelt on the subject of planning and the distribution of resources: "Our agencies and institutions in the areas affected by the tsunami specifically examined ways of avoiding the creation of a bloated bureaucracy to deal with the emergency, in order to ensure the delivery of the greatest amount of funding to its proper final destination."

  In closing, Archbishop Migliore recalled how, paradoxically, the catastrophe "has actually presented the affected governments and peoples with an unprecedented opportunity for reconstruction and development. The internal, bilateral, north-south and south-south cooperation which was seen at the time is a platform, not to be squandered, but to be built upon for the good both of the survivors and of all the peoples of the region."
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POPE JOINS IN PRAYER FOR VICTIMS OF LONDON BOMBINGS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 14, 2005 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls announced that at midday today, Benedict XVI participated in the two minutes of silence for the victims of the bomb attacks in London on July 7.

  The director of the Holy See Press Office, who is accompanying the Holy Father on his vacation at Les Combes in the Valle d'Aosta in northwest Italy, affirmed that the Pope "prayed for the victims of terrorism, for their families and, specifically, for peace. He also prayed that such acts of violence are not repeated."

  After recalling how the Pope prays the Angelus every day, the spokesman added that "on this occasion he prayed for the needs of the world."
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POPULORUM PROGRESSIO: 200 DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 13, 2005 (VIS) - The administrative council of the "Populorum Progressio" Foundation will hold its annual meeting in Lima, Peru, from July 20 to 24. The foundation was established in 1992 by John Paul II to promote integral development among the poor indigenous mixed race and Afro-American rural communities of Latin America and the Caribbean.

  The meeting will be attended by Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of Populorum Progressio and of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", of which the foundation is part. This year, there are some 200 projects awaiting approval, for a total value of around two million dollars. The areas involved include education (60%), agriculture (20%) and small business development (20%).

  The priority of education in development is the most important element of the Church's commitment in these countries, says a Cor Unum communique made public today. Populorum Progressio is financed mainly by the Italian Episcopal Conference, although private donors from other countries also participate. On the administrative council, it is prelates from countries with the largest indigenous mixed race and Afro-American communities who decide how to use the funds.

  Apart from Archbishop Cordes and six representatives from the Latin American episcopate, the meeting will also be attended Fr. Segundo Tejado Munoz, an official of Cor Unum, and Msgr. Piergiuseppe Vacchelli, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference's committee for charitable interventions in favor of the Third World.

  After Haiti, Peru is the Latin American country with the lowest levels of education. It also suffers the serious problem of the abandonment of rural areas and the exodus of the population to the cities, which leads to the creation of shanty towns with very harsh living conditions.
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PROSTITUTION IS A FORM OF MODERN DAY SLAVERY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 12, 2005 (VIS) - Made public yesterday evening was the final document of the First International Meeting of Pastoral Care for the Liberation of Women of the Street. The meeting, held in Rome from June 20 to 21, was promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.

  Prostitution is "a form of modern day slavery," says the text of the document. In fact, "sexual exploitation, prostitution and trafficking of human beings are all acts of violence against women." As such they "constitute an offence to the dignity of women and are a grave violation of basic human rights."

  "The Church has a pastoral responsibility," the document continues, "to promote the human dignity of persons exploited through prostitution and to advocate for their liberation and economic, educational and formative support. The Church must take up the defense of the legitimate rights of women," and "denounce the injustices and violence perpetrated against women wherever and in whatever circumstances this may occur."

  The final document points out the need "to collaborate with the mass media to ensure correct communication about this problem." Moreover, "the Church must demand the enforcement of laws protecting women against the scourge of prostitution and trafficking. It is also important to advocate for effective measures against the demeaning portrayal of women in advertising."

  One of the closing recommendations is that "networks be strengthened among all groups involved in the provision of pastoral care, e.g., volunteers, associations, religious congregations, NGOs and ecumenical and inter-religious groups."

  Finally, the document underlines the importance of using "appropriate language and terminology when referring to the phenomena of sexual exploitation and prostitution. Society has a responsibility to provide alternative resources ... for persons seeking to 'leave the street'."
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