MEETING OF Y.C.W.: MAY YOUNG WORKERS BE APOSTLES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 10, 2000 (VIS) - Made public today was a message from Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano to Nicoletta Pisa, president of the International Coordinating Committee of Young Christian Workers (Y.C.W.), whose members are participating in their Fifth International Council from October 10 to 26 at El Escorial, Spain.

In his message, dated October 2, Cardinal Sodano recalls that the coordinating committee, recognized by the Holy See in 1986, is "rooted in the apostolic vision" of the Belgian priest and later cardinal, Joseph-Leon Cardijn, in the early 20th century. This specialized movement of Catholic Action quickly spread to become "a vibrant movement involving young workers from very different countries, a crucible of Christian activists in the world of labor and a source of enrichment for the mission of the Church in urban and industrialized areas."

"The Holy Father," writes the cardinal, "wishes also to express his appreciation to the ecclesiastical assistants for their valuable help in bringing about the essential goal of the organization: to make young workers apostles and evangelizers of other young people."

The secretary of state highlights that "the international coordinating committee is presently faced with a formidable challenge. Great numbers of young people, caught up in the accelerated and complex changes taking place in the varied sectors of the world of labor, are in need of a renewed presentation of the Christian message." Often the young people affected are "victims of unjust exploitation, ... (and) are tempted to violence and crime. Despite the dechristianized environments from which they come, these young people are still looking for meaning in life."

"For this reason," concludes the cardinal, "the Holy Father strongly encourages them to promote the development of Y.C.W. groups in order to provide for the formation of young workers at every level, a formation which will help them to encounter Christ as the primary and superabundant response to all their yearnings."

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PRESS CONFERENCE TO PRESENT THE JUBILEE OF MISSIONS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 10, 2000 (VIS) - Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, will preside at a press conference to be held in the Holy See Press Office on Friday, October 13 at 11:30 a.m. for the presentation of the Jubilee of Missions. Joining him will be Msgrs. Ambrogio Spreafico, rector of the Pontifical Urban University, and Bernard Prince, secretary general of the Pontifical Work for the Propagation of the Faith.

They will present the three principal events of this Jubilee celebration: the Mass presided over by John Paul II in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, October 22 at 10 a.m. for World Mission Day; the World Missionary Congress 2000 which will be held October 18-21 at the Mariapoli Center in Castelgandolfo on the theme "Jesus, Source of Life for All"; the International Missiological Congress, to be held October 17-20 at the Urban University on the theme "Who do you say that I am?"

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WOMEN 2000: GENDER EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE

VATICAN CITY, OCT 10, 2000 (VIS) - Lisa D'Urso, member of the Holy See delegation, yesterday addressed the Third Committee of the 55th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Item 108, Review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly "Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace in the 21st Century."

She began by pointing out that, "despite efforts to implement the Beijing Platform for Action, the scourges of poverty, of illiteracy, of social, political and economic inequalities and of injustice, violence and discrimination still exist." She also spoke of "the increasing numbers of women driven from their homes and families by war," and the impact of globalization and the spread of AIDS.

Ms. D'Urso stated the "the Holy See was pleased with the outcome document adopted by the Special Session," including the need for a "holistic view" of women's health needs and "provisions addressing violence against women and trafficking of women and girls." It was "especially pleased to see a clear acknowledgement of the need for all women to have access to basic social services, including education, clean water, adequate nutrition and safe sanitation."

The Holy See delegate, however, did say that it was "disconcerting to observe the determined efforts of some countries" to remove references to these issues and to others such as "the critical role of women in the family, the basic unit of society," women's overall contributions to society and the need for "programs which enable men and women to reconcile their work and family responsibilities."

She added that "a growing number of countries are firmly committed to addressing the root factors of trafficking in women and girls for prostitution and other forms of commercialized sex, forced marriages and forced labor. It was very unfortunate, therefore, that a few countries attempted ... to limit references to" these issues and "to diminish the Beijing language in order to suit their own national situation."

Ms. D'urso expressed disappointment that consensus could not be reached on a few important issues, including the question of "protecting the right of any health care professional or health facility who refuses to perform, cooperate with, refer or arrange for services to which they have objections on the basis of religious belief, or moral or ethical convictions." This right, she affirmed, "is assured by, inter alia, Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

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