CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR CATHOLICS IN THE HOLY LAND

VATICAN CITY, 15 FEB 2008 (VIS) - Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, has sent a letter to bishops all over the world, and to their respective Churches, asking them, in the Pope's name, to continue giving spiritual and material support to the Catholic community in the Holy Land. The letter has been made published in English, Spanish, French, Italian and German.

  "The absence of peace", says the cardinal in the English-language version of the letter, "exacerbates the many long-standing problems as well as the poverty afflicting the region of the Holy Places. That absence also contributes to the creation of new difficulties. Thus, we must recognise that Christians who reside there are a priority for the attention of the entire Catholic Church, together with that of all other Churches and ecclesial communities".

  The cardinal notes that "the Good Friday Collection has a special relevance", before going on to express the hope that "every local Church shall participate in the effort to further our commitment to charity. The Congregation for the Oriental Churches, by virtue of papal directive, co-ordinates this initiative, and does so with exactitude and fairness. Always, the goal is to assist with the everyday requirements of Christian life.

  "In this way", he adds, "the Latin community openly supports the Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Franciscans who are Custodians of the Holy Land, and all those belonging to the Eastern Catholic Churches. The desire of the Holy See is that the charitable outreach by all Catholics will not simply be viewed as occasional, but as so continuous and profound that the future may be welcomed with hope. Nor is this programme of charitable distribution based upon religious, cultural or political distinctions. Rather, it seeks especially to equip the younger generations to take their place in society in a manner which renders them competent and able to transmit the worth of their Catholic education and formation.

  "We cannot overlook, however, those numerous other challenges which are serious and urgent. For example, there is the ever present matter of immigration, bringing with it the risk that Christian communities can be deprived of their most important human resources. We must seek to safeguard Christianity's historic legacy by striving to preserve those 'living communities' in which the Mystery of Christ, our Peace, is cherished and celebrated".

  "May I also take this opportunity to commend the various particular Churches for their many contributions on behalf of the Holy Land. I would mention, for instance, a word of gratitude to those who participate in pilgrimages, and those who volunteer their time and talents. This brings to mind the highly laudable care rendered by parishes and by the families of religious, and as is evident in their various institutions, foundations and associations". Cardinal Sandri concludes his letter by encouraging his fellow bishops "to authorise once again this 'Collection for the Holy Land' owing to the merit of its objectives and its specific characteristics".
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HUMAN TRAFFICKING: THE SLAVERY OF MODERN TIMES

VATICAN CITY, 15 FEB 2008 (VIS) - On 13 February, Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, participated in a "Forum to Fight Human Trafficking" held in Vienna, Austria, from 13 to 15 February.

  Speaking English, Archbishop Marchetto defined human trafficking as "one of the most shameful phenomena of our era. ... It is well known", he went on, "that poverty, as well as the lack of opportunities and of social cohesion, push people to look for a better future despite the related risks, making them extremely vulnerable to trafficking.

  "Moreover", he added, "it should be emphasised that, nowadays, several factors contribute to the spread of this crime, namely, the absence of specific rules in some countries, the victims' ignorance of their own rights, the socio-cultural structure and armed conflicts.

  "The Holy See encourages all kinds of just initiatives aimed at eradicating this immoral and criminal phenomenon and at promoting the welfare of the victims. The Palermo Protocol and the successive regional conventions have introduced an exhaustive international legislation against trafficking in human beings. Moreover, the Holy See notes with satisfaction the coming into force, at the beginning of this month, of the Council of Europe's Convention against trafficking in human beings".

  In this context, the archbishop recalled that the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples also monitors "the issue of the victims of human trafficking, considered to be the slaves of modern times".
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 15 FEB 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Castries, Saint Lucia, presented by Archbishop Kelvin Edward Felix, upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Robert Rivas O.P.
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START OF BEATIFICATION PROCESS FOR SISTER LUCIA

VATICAN CITY, 14 FEB 2008 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique yesterday evening:

  "This evening in the cathedral of Coimbra, Portugal, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, presided at a Mass marking the third anniversary of the death of Sister Lucia dos Santos. Following the ceremony he announced that the Holy Father Benedict XVI, benevolently accepting a request presented by Bishop Albino Mamede Cleto of Coimbra and shared by many bishops and faithful throughout the world, has waived the five-year waiting period established by canonical norms (art. 9 of "Normae servandae") and granted that, just three years after the death of Sister Lucia (known to the world as one of the three seers of Fatima), the diocesan stage of the cause for her beatification may begin".
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PROMOTING FULL EMPLOYMENT AND DECENT WORK

VATICAN CITY, 14 FEB 2008 (VIS) - On 7 February, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, addressed the 46th session of the Commission for Social Development of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which was held in New York from 6 to 15 February.

  In his English-language talk, the text of which was made public today, Archbishop Migliore stressed two points: "First, that the lack of full employment and decent work and its associated poverty and social disintegration offend human dignity, and second, that we can only hold the trust of the people if we listen to them and concretely take their needs into account".

  "The Holy See wishes to recall that the compelling needs of the poor have a priority claim on our conscience and on the choices financial leaders make, and as such, it is incumbent upon international fora to provide a platform to the poor because, more often than not, they are left voiceless in the search for solutions to problems that also deeply matter to them".

  The permanent observer expressed the view that "trust, earned rather than given, among all parties is essential in the area of employment". And he concluded: "a lack of mutual trust among parties also means a lack of confidence in the future which, in turn, means the absence of job security. People, especially the young looking for their first job, discover meaning and confidence in the future when they find long-term work with the opportunity for a deserved promotion".
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