OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 11 NOV 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Accepted the resignation from the diocese of Bathurst, Australia, presented by Bishop Patrick Dougherty, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Bishop Daniel Nlandu Mayi, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, as coadjutor of Matadi (area 31,000, population 2,100,000, Catholics 995,000, priests 127, religious 183), Democratic Republic of Congo.

 - Appointed as ordinary members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences: Govind Swarup, professor of astrophysics at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics of Mumbai, India, and Stanislas Dehaene, professor of cognitive experimental psychology at the College de France in Paris and director of the INSERM-CEA Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit in Orsay, France.
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PASTORAL CARE IN THE TREATMENT OF SICK CHILDREN

VATICAN CITY, 11 NOV 2008 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office this morning, a press conference was held to present the Twenty-third International Conference of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, which has as its theme this year: "Pastoral Care in the Treatment of Sick Children". The meeting is due to be held in the Vatican from 13 to 15 November.

  Participating in today's event were Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, Bishop Jose L. Redrado O.H. and Fr. Felice Ruffini M.I, respectively president, secretary and under secretary of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care; Bruna Costacurta, professor of biblical exegesis in the faculty of theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and Alberto G. Ugazio, co-ordinator of the department of paediatric medicine at Rome's "Bambino Gesu" Hospital.

  In his remarks, Cardinal Lozano Barragan indicated that "in the last decade more than two million children have been killed in the course of armed conflict, six million have been left handicapped, tens of thousands mutilated by antipersonnel mines and 300,000 recruited as child soldiers. More than 4,300,000 children have died of AIDS.

  "Poverty", he added, "remains the principal cause of childhood sickness. One billion two hundred thousand people live with less than a dollar a day. Even in the richest countries, one child in six lives under the poverty line. ... Two hundred and fifty million children under 15 work, including some 60 million who do so in dangerous conditions", while "many children and adolescents are left to their own devices. ... There are no controls on television programmes or on the Internet where they navigate without any kind of moral guidance. The sex trade, paedophilia, violence in schools, crimes, organised bands, etc., are all growing phenomena. ... Many families have relinquished their duty to educate" their children and "very often school education is reduced to mere information, with authentic formation being abandoned".

  Having provided these statistics, the cardinal turned to focus on the forthcoming meeting's theme of caring for sick children. "In the first part of the conference, entitled 'Situation'", he said, "we will consider the reality and origin of childhood diseases. We will begin with the history of treating sick children in the world, the demographics of the infant population and their mortality rates. We will then study the principal sicknesses to which children are exposed before evaluating whether globalisation represents an opportunity or a risk for the sick. ... We will also examine the question of lifestyle and diet. ... As concerns the political side of the question, we will study .... legislation and healthcare systems. ... In its ecological aspects we will consider initiatives undertaken by the World Health Organisation".

  In the second part of the conference, entitled "Reflection", participants will analyse "what Holy Scripture and the Fathers of the Church have to tell us about the cure of children, examining what those cures were over the course of Church history and the witness of the saints who consecrated their lives to caring for sick children. ... We will conclude our reflection with a dialogue on the great religions: Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism", said the cardinal.

  "The third part of the conference is dedicated to 'Action'", Cardinal Lozano Barragan went on. "What kind of catechesis and formation in the faith do we need in order to face this serious problem? How must we proceed in sacramental terms towards these children? How can we use the psychological sciences in this form of treatment?. ... We will examine research into medicines, nutrition and lifestyle. ... From a socio-political standpoint, we will highlight the role that the social communications media, and national and international healthcare systems must have, ... as well as the problem of migration. ... At a personal level, we will ask ourselves about the role of the diocese, of the parish, of religious orders and congregations, and of volunteers".

  The cardinal concluded by recalling that the conference will be attended "by 41 specialists from various countries, all of them highly qualified in their specific fields".
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REPUBLIC OF CHINA: CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD STABILITY

VATICAN CITY, 8 NOV 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Holy Father received the Letters of Credence of Wang Larry Yu-yuan, the new ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See.

  "The Government in Taipei", said the Pope in his English-language remarks to the diplomat, "has a keen sense of belonging to a world community, a global human family. This is expressed in many ways, not least in the generosity with which aid and emergency relief is supplied to poorer nations. In this regard, your country makes a valuable contribution to the building of a more secure and stable world. The Holy See is pleased to work together with all those who seek to promote peace, prosperity and development, and appreciates the Republic of China's commitment to that noble cause".

  Benedict XVI recalled that although Catholics in the country "represent little more than one per cent of the population, they are eager to play their part in building up a society that is humane, just, and marked by genuine concern for the welfare of the weaker members of the community. .... Your government's firm commitment to freedom of religion has made it possible for the Church to carry out her mission of love and service, and to express herself openly through worship and the proclamation of the Gospel".

  "Thanks to their 'innate spiritual insight and moral wisdom', there is great religious vitality and capacity for renewal among the peoples of Asia. Hence the ground is particularly fertile for inter-religious dialogue to take root and grow", he said.

  "How important it is in today's world for different peoples to be able to listen to one another in an atmosphere of respect and dignity, conscious that their shared humanity is a bond far deeper than the cultural variations that seem to divide them!" the Pontiff exclaimed.

  "Frank and constructive dialogue is also the key to the resolution of the conflicts that threaten the stability of our world. In this regard, the Holy See welcomes the recent positive developments in relations between Taiwan and mainland China. Indeed the Catholic Church is eager to promote peaceful solutions to disputes of whatever kind, 'giving attention and encouragement to even the faintest sign of dialogue or desire for reconciliation'. In this way, she wishes to support the efforts of governments to become 'staunch champions of human dignity and courageous builders of peace'".
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MAGISTERIUM OF PIUS XII, VALUABLE HERITAGE FOR THE CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, 8 NOV 2008 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received participants in a congress entitled: "The Heritage of Pius XII's Magisterium and Vatican Council II". The event, held from 6 to 8 November, was organised by the Pontifical Gregorian and Lateran Universities.

  The Pope highlighted how the Magisterium of Servant of God Pius XII, the fiftieth anniversary of whose death falls this year, is "a valuable heritage to which the Church has always given, and continues to give, great importance".

  Benedict XVI mentioned the fact that the late Pontiff published more than 40 Encyclicals, "among them 'Mystici Corpis' in which he examined the question of the true and intimate nature of the Church, ... 'Divino afflante Spiritu' on Sacred Scripture, and 'Mediator Dei' on sacred liturgy".

  "Many were the occasions", he said, "on which Pius XII turned his attention to the responsibility of the laity within the Church" and to "the great importance of the modern communications media, ... highlighting journalists' duty to provide factual information respectful of moral norms".

  The Holy Father explained how his predecessor, while admiring the progress of science and technology, did not fail to "caution against the risks that research could bring if inattentive to moral values", and "warned of the need to prevent at all costs the possibility of brilliant scientific advances being used to build deadly arms which could cause immense catastrophes and even the complete destruction of mankind".

  "Equally worthy of mention is Pius XII's Mariological teaching", the Pope continued, "which reached its culmination in the proclamation of the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, by which the Holy Father intended to highlight the eschatological dimension of our lives, and to exalt the dignity of women".

  After underlining how Pius XII "was a realist, ... immune to the risk of that pessimism which is inappropriate to believers", the Holy Father pointed out how Pope Pius also "abhorred sterile polemics and was profoundly diffident towards fanaticism and sentimentalism".

  Benedict XVI also dwelt upon Pius XII's "continuous efforts and firm desire to give all of himself to God, holding nothing back and unconcerned for his own delicate health. ... Everything in him arose from love for his Lord Jesus Christ, and love for the Church and humanity. He was, in fact, a priest in constant and intimate union with God. ... It was from here that his Magisterium, indeed all his activities, were rooted and drew their strength".

  "His fruitful Magisterium remains priceless for Christians today. ... The heritage of Pius XII's Magisterium was taken up by Vatican Council II and has been re-presented to succeeding Christian generations".

  Benedict XVI concluded by affirming that "in the person of the Supreme Pontiff Pius XII, the Lord gave His Church an exceptional gift for which we must all be grateful".
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 8 NOV 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Rino Passigato, apostolic nuncio to Peru, as apostolic nuncio to Portugal. He succeeds Archbishop Alfio Rapisarda, whose resignation from the same office the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
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