PLENARY ASSEMBLY ON EMIGRANT AND ITINERANT FAMILIES

VATICAN CITY, 13 MAY 2008 (VIS) - "The emigrant and itinerant family" is the theme of the 18th plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, which was inaugurated this morning by Cardinal Renato Martino, president of that dicastery.

  In his opening address, the cardinal drew from the most recent documents published by the pontifical council, in order to illustrate the pastoral guidelines it follows in the various areas in which it undertakes its mission.

  A communique released by the council explains that the plenary - which is being held in the Vatican from 13 to 15 May - is to be attended by 26 members, including cardinals, archbishops and bishops from various countries, and by 14 consultors, also of various nationalities, specialists in the various aspects of human mobility with which the council concerns itself. These aspects, listed by the communique, are: emigrants, refugees and displaced persons, foreign students, nomads, circus workers, tourists and pilgrims, seafarers, airport workers, drivers, women and children who live on the streets, and people of no fixed abode.

  Over these days the plenary assembly is also scheduled to include testimonies from people who work directly with families in certain sectors of human mobility, from various countries: Australia, U.S.A., Colombia, Dominican Republic, Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain and Germany.
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HOLY SEE WEBSITE NOW AVAILABLE IN LATIN

VATICAN CITY, 13 MAY 2008 (VIS) - As of 9 May, the Holy See website may also be accessed in Latin, the official language of the Catholic Church.

  Alongside the other languages in which the website (www.vatican.va) has been available for many years (Italian, German, Spanish, French, English and Portuguese), a new option, "Sancta Sedes Latine", has now been added. Clinking on that link, users reach the "Documenta Latina" page where they may chose from a menu including: biographies of Popes ("Summi Pontifices"), the Bible ("Biblia Sacra"), the Catechism ("Catechismus Catholicae Ecclesiae"), the documents of Vatican Council II ("Concilium Vaticanum II"), and the Code of Canon Law ("Codex Iuris Canonici"). There is also a section entitled "Romana Curia" where documents concerning the activities of the dicasteries of the Holy See may be consulted.

  Also under "Romana Curia" is a subsection dedicated to "Latinitas", a foundation created in 1976 by Pope Paul VI with the Chirograph "Romani sermonis" and dedicated to the study of the Latin language, of classical and Christian literature and medieval Latin, and to the promotion of Latin through the publishing of books in the language, and through other means.
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CALENDARS WITH PHOTOS OF JOHN PAUL II AND BENEDICT XVI

VATICAN CITY, 13 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The photographic service of the "Osservatore Romano" newspaper has produced two versions of a calendar for 2009, each containing 13 photos. One version has photos from the pontificate of Benedict XVI, the other from that of Servant of God John Paul II.

  The photographs (42 x 30 cm) are not associated with particular events or identified by a specific time and place. Rather they represent - according to a communique accompanying the release of the calendars - a small gallery of the finest available close-up images of the two Popes, which may even be cut out and framed.

  The calendars have been produced by the Vatican Publishing House, they cost five euros each and may be purchased in the offices of the photographic service of the "Osservatore Romano", in the Vatican, or in the main newspaper kiosks and bookshops nearby. They may also be ordered by e-mail by contacting the address: photo@ossrom.va.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 13 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Pierre Nguyen Van Tot, apostolic nuncio to the Central African Republic and Chad, as apostolic nuncio to Costa Rica.
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CATHOLIC CHURCH: A POINT OF REFERENCE IN HUNGARY

VATICAN CITY, 10 MAY 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received prelates from the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference, at the end of their "ad limina" visit.

  "The people entrusted to your care", he told them, "now stand before us spiritually, with their joys, their plans, their suffering, their problems and their hopes. ... The long period of communist rule left a deep mark on the Hungarian people, and even today its consequences are evident, particularly in the difficulty many find in trusting others, a typical trait of people who have long lived in an atmosphere of suspicion.

  "The sense of insecurity is accentuated by the difficult economic situation, which thoughtless consumerism does nothing to improve", the Pope added. "People, including Catholics, suffer from that 'weakness' of thought and will which is so common in our times". Hence, "profound theological and spiritual reflection becomes difficult because ... of the lack, on the one hand, of intellectual preparation and, on the other, of an objective reference to the truths of faith.

  "In such a situation the Church must certainly be a teacher, but always and above all a mother, so as to favour the development of reciprocal trust and the promotion of hope".

  The Holy Father then went on to speak of the effects of secularisation in the country, highlighting the crisis of the family which includes among its symptoms "a notable drop in the number of marriages and an astonishing increase in divorces", as well as a growth "in so-called 'de facto' couples".

  "You have rightly criticised public recognition of homosexual unions, because it runs counter not only to the teaching of the Church but also to the Hungarian Constitution itself", the Holy Father told the prelates, recalling how "the lack of subsidies for large families has led to a drastic drop in the birth-rate, made even more dramatic thanks to the widespread practice of abortion".

  Benedict XVI emphasised the fact that the crisis of values is also affecting young people, and he expressed his appreciation for "the many initiatives the Church promotes, though with the limited means at her disposal, to animate the world of youth with formational activities ... that stimulate their sense of responsibility".

  He praised the bishops' initiatives to "take advantage of and modernise such traditional activities as pilgrimages and expressions of veneration to Hungarian saints, especially St. Elisabeth, St. Emeric, and of course St. Stephen". Pope Benedict then told the prelates that he shared their concern "for the lack of priests and the consequent overburden of pastoral work on the current ministers of the Church". In this context, he invited them to ensure the clergy "do not lose the focus of their lives and their ministry and, as a consequence, remain able to discern the essential from the secondary, identifying the right priorities for everyday life".

  "Despite secularisation the Catholic Church remains, for many Hungarians, the religious community of choice or, at least, an important point of reference. It is therefore to be hoped that relations with State authorities remain characterised by respectful collaboration, thanks also to bilateral agreements", the Holy Father said. Finally, in closing, he noted how the unity characterising the Hungarian prelates "in following the teachings of the Church is for me a cause of serenity and comfort".
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