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WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities has called for increased efforts and "renewed vigor" to stop legalized physician-assisted suicide after the practice was approved by voters in Colorado and the District of Columbia City Council.

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York urged Catholics to join medical professionals, disability rights groups and others "in fighting for the authentic care" of people facing terminal illness in a statement released Nov. 21.

"The act of prescribing a fatal, poisonous dose, moreover, undermines the very heart of medicine," Cardinal Dolan said. "Doctors vow to do no harm, and yet assisted suicide is the ultimate abandonment of their patients."

His concern comes after voters in Colorado passed a physician-assisted suicide measure that was on the ballot Nov. 8. The law also allows insurance companies to refuse treatment of patients they consider terminal.

Colorado became the sixth state in the nation with a so-called "right-to-die law," joining Washington, Oregon, California, Vermont and Montana.

In Washington, D.C. City Council members in a second vote Nov. 15 approved the "Death with Dignity Act" that permits physicians in the district to legally prescribe the drugs to patients who have been deemed mentally competent and who have received a terminal diagnosis of six months or less. Under the measure, third parties are allowed to administer the drugs used in the procedure. The bill goes to Mayor Muriel Bowser to veto it, sign it or let it become law without any action on her part. If it becomes law, it would be subject to congressional review before it takes affect.

Cardinal Dolan called the district's measure "the most expansive and dangerous so far" because it opens "the door to even further coercion and abuse."

"Every suicide is tragic, whether someone is young or old, healthy or sick," the cardinal added. "But the legalization of doctor-assisted suicide creates two classes of people: those whose suicides are to be prevented at any cost, and those whose suicides are deemed a positive good.

"We remove weapons and drugs that can cause harm to one group, while handing deadly drugs to the other, setting up yet another kind of life-threatening discrimination," he continued. "This is completely unjust. Our inherent human dignity does not wane with the onset of illness or incapacity, and so all are worthy of protection."

Seriously ill people require "authentic support, including doctors fully committed to their welfare and pain management as they enter their final days," the statement said. "Patients need our assurance that they are not a burden -- that it is a privilege to care for them as we ourselves hope to be cared for one day. A compassionate society devotes more attention, not less, to members facing the most vulnerable times in their lives."

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Editor's Note: The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement on assisted suicide 2011 titled "To Live Each Day with Dignity," the full text is available online at http://bit.ly/2ga5cht.

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has named Indian Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo as his special envoy to the XI Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC). The meeting will take place in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, from November 28th to December 4th.

The cardinal will be accompanied by two officials from the archdiocese of Colombo, Rev. Don Placidus De Silva, episcopal vicar for foreign relations, and Rev. Don J.D. Anthony, episcopal vicar for formation for vocations to priestly and religious life.

Below please find the original letter in Latin from Pope Francis to Cardinal Toppo

Venerabili Fratri Nostro TELESPHORO PLACIDO S.R.E. Cardinali TOPPO

Archiepiscopo Metropolitae Ranchiensi

Animum utique ad antiqua referre iuvat, cum seduli Evangelii praecones ad Asianas oras appulerunt, benignissimi ipsids Salvatoris salutaria dona ibis gentibus ministrantes. Regiones igitur apud illas Dei Verbi sparsum semen sapienter, divinae gratiae copiose irrigatum, se dilatavit, in feracem spicam processit et deinde in uberem messem.

Priora haec igitur ob oculos habens ac futura prospectans, Ecclesia quae est in Asia undecies congrediendum constituit, ut renovato animi studio divini Redemptoris largius adipiscatur beneficia. Idcirco XI Congressio Plenaria Foederationis Conferentiarum Episcoporum Asiae (compendiatis litteris FABC nuncupata) iure meritoque agetur, quae dabit copíam animos ad ferventiorem religionis sensum, firmiorem fidem certioraque proposita permovendi.

Quapropter cum Venerabilis Frater Noster Osvaldus Gracias, Archiepiscopus Metropolita Bombayensis ac FABC Praeses, rogavisset ut purpuratum Patrem mitteremus, huic postulationi obsecundandum iudicavimus, quo coaduantio ílla elatius et spectabilius perageretur. Ad te ideo aniinum convertimus, illius Continentis inclitum filium, ad personam inibì. Nostram gerendam paratum. Itaque permagna moti affectione, te, Venerabilis Frater Noster, Missum extraordinarium Nostrum renuntiamus et constituimus ad XI Congressionem Plenariam Foederationis Conferentiarum Episcoporum Asiae proximis diebus XXVIII mensis Novembris - IV mensis Decembris in urbe Columbensi in Taprobane celebrandam.

Universis igitur participibus hominibusque inibì cunctis voluntatem Nostrani benignam ostendes, cum quamvis longo spatio separeinur adsimus spiritu praesentes. Misericordiae iam Iubilaei sub finem fidelibus cunctis, spiritalibus huius insignis eventus fructibus repletis, Nostro nomine Nostraque auctoritate Benedictionem Apostolicam impertias volumus, quae sit animorum renovationis signum et supemarum gratiarum documentum, ab omnibus pro Nostro Petrino munere frugifere absolvendo simul preces petentes.

Ex Aedibus Vaticanis, die X mensis Octobris, anno MMXVI, Iubilaeo Misericordiae, pontificatus Nostri quarto.

FRANCISCUS

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(Vatican Radio) The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on Monday denounced the smuggling, trafficking and degrading treatment of fishermen who make a crucial contribution to global food security. He also warned of the risks of uncontrolled fishing which leads to the drastic depletion of certain species and threats to the food chain for future generations.

Philippa Hitchen reports: 

The cardinal’s words came as he visited the Rome headquarters of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation for an event marking World Fisheries Day. He noted that the fisheries sector is a fast growing industry that employs millions of people, enabling the sustenance of families and communities, especially in the developing world.

Cardinal Parolin said  that two centuries after the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, almost  21 million people continue to work under coercion, largely in the informal or illegal economy and primarily in labour intensive industries, such as fisheries.  Migrants and victims of trafficking or forced labour are especially vulnerable to exploitation as they seek temporary work through employment agencies.

Workers aboard fishing vessels, he went on, are essentially isolated for long periods, deprived not only of contractual guarantees, but also of the most basic fundamental rights.  Deep sea fishing vessels stay at sea for long periods of time, with crews often kept in degrading conditions, confined spaces and circumstances that are tantamount to detention, he said. These people are victims of a veritable slavery system, the cardinal said and he called for intensified efforts to identify, rescue and rehabilitate fishermen being exploited in this way. 

Finally Cardinal Parolin urged States and governments to tighten laws regulating the fishing industry to uphold human rights and to fight against the traffickers and people smugglers.

Below please find the full text of Cardinal Parolin’s speech:

Mr Director General, Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives, Your Eminence,  FAO Officials, Representatives of Civil Society, Distinguished Speakers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

1.         I am grateful to the Director General of the FAO, Prof. José Graziano da Silva, for his kind words of welcome.  I should like to express my esteem for the work of the FAO and its attention to the many issues related to human development, which the Catholic Church and the Holy See follow attentively.  I also greet the distinguished speakers, who thanks to their recognised expertise, will give the right emphasis to this event on the occasion of World Fisheries Day.

As we are all aware, the fisheries sector makes a crucial contribution to global food security, human welfare and economic prosperity, and is particularly important to coastal communities in many States.  Fish continues to be one of the most-traded food commodities worldwide and employment in the sector has grown faster than the world’s population (Cfr. FAO, Report on The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014).  The activities of the fisheries sector employs millions of people and enables the sustenance of families, groups and communities.  This is particularly relevant for developing Countries where fish products often account for half of the total value of traded commodities.

In relation to industrial fisheries, however, it is vital that the economic vision does not forget to guarantee a level of human well-being that is compatible with environmental protection, in order to create long-term prosperity and to ensure a sustainable outlook for present and future generations.  For these reasons, the promotion of a sustainable and responsible fishery and aquaculture, must be a fundamental concern for all domestic and international action.

In the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, Pope Francis, reminding us of the importance of safeguarding “ our common house”, emphasizes that: “Oceans not only contain the bulk of our planet’s water supply, but also most of the immense variety of living creatures, many of them still unknown to us and threatened for various reasons.  What is more, marine life in rivers, lakes, seas and oceans, which feeds a great part of the world’s population, is affected by uncontrolled fishing, leading to a drastic depletion of certain species.  Selective forms of fishing which discard much of what they collect continue unabated.  Particularly threatened are marine organisms which we tend to overlook, like some forms of plankton; they represent a significant element in the ocean food chain, and species used for our food ultimately depend on them” (n. 40).

As foreseen in the Introduction of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, adopted 20 years ago, “[F]isheries, including aquaculture, provide a vital source of food, employment, recreation, trade and economic well-being for people throughout the world, both for present and future generations and should therefore be conducted in a responsible manner.”  Unfortunately, many areas have reached unsustainable levels of exploitation and the interventions of the international Community, including through the aforementioned Code of Conduct, have essentially prevented the worsening of the situation.

2.         There is, however, another perception, more directly human, and I dare say humanitarian, applying the latest criteria expressed by last May’s Istanbul Summit, which worries the Holy See and, I believe, every person who wisely considers fisheries to be a vital resource for the future of the human family.

Two centuries after the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, at least 20.9 million people continue to work under coercion, largely in the informal and illegal economy (Cfr. ILO, Global estimates 2012).  About 90% of today’s forced labour is imposed by private agents, primarily in labour intensive industries, such as fisheries.  The inquiry and work of competent international Organizations – I refer primarily to the FAO and the ILO, but without overlooking the civil society organizations – highlights that fishing and aquaculture have become global industries employing large numbers of workers, often already made vulnerable as migrants, victims of trafficking or forced labour.

Workers engaged through employment agencies face constant job insecurity, as their contracts generally range from five to six months.  Workers employed by cooperatives also face the same insecurity, as one of the requirements for them to maintain their cooperative membership is to keep themselves employed.  They may reapply at the end of each employment period, but there is no guarantee they will be re-hired.

Workers aboard fishing vessels are essentially isolated for long periods, deprived not only of contractual guarantees, but also of the most basic fundamental rights.  Fishing vessels, particularly those involved in deep-sea fishing, have an ever-increasing capability to stay at sea for long periods of time, even up to several years.  Rather than regularly docking, these vessels can “transship” caught fish and fuel via smaller vessels.  For the crews it means living in degrading conditions and in confined spaces, in circumstances that are tantamount to detention, with their documents confiscated and, in only a few cases, returned after long periods of forced and underpaid labour.

All this can mean that the crews of these ships are unable to disembark when in port, and so they are unable to escape, to prevent abuse or to seek assistance.  What’s more, whilst aboard vessels, workers rarely have the possibility to communicate with the outside world.  They may be out of reach of cell phone communication, and barred from using other on-board communication devices such as radios or satellite phones.  We are, in essence, faced with persons deprived of their identity, with low wages and who are unable to rebuild their lives if let free.  They are victims of a veritable slavery system.  This situation is aggravated in the case of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

It should not be forgotten that the industrial sector of fish processing continues to focus on so-called “informal” work, rather than regular recruitment with standard, non fixed-term contracts that provide the minimum social guarantees.  The workers hired through labour brokers or agents, live with permanent job insecurity, made evident by fixed-term contracts which are exclusively managed by the employers.

We are witnesses to a tragic situation, in the face of which the international Community and its Institutions are making efforts to establish and develop specific solutions to eliminate forced labour from the global value chain.  I think, for instance, of the new ILO Strategic Policy Framework, adopted in 2010, or of the recent decisions of the FAO Committee on Fisheries concerning illegal activities linked to the fishing industry.

            ILO’s Conventions, in particular the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) and the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188); the FAO Port State Measures Agreement, adopted on 2009 and today in force, the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, and the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication 2014, provide important guidance and real means to try and stem this phenomenon.  There remains, however, the problem of their effective implementation, or, in other words, the willingness of the various parties involved.

3.        In facing these challenges, the Holy See considers it crucial to develop, in particular, capabilities to monitor, identify and rescue fishermen, who are victims of smuggling, trafficking and degrading treatment.  The current standards of International Law oblige us to go beyond the reasons why individuals turn to smugglers and traffickers.  We have not only a moral obligation to give people other opportunities, but also a binding obligation to offer them another chance.

An initial answer, on a practical level, may come in the form of tougher legal measures and enforcement procedures, which can benefit migrants working in the fisheries sector, allowing them to escape from human trafficking and slavery.  It could give the necessary emphasis to the results of the Bali Forum of March 2016, which cannot be limited only to the Southeast Asian region, since we are facing a phenomenon rooted in every area and region.  This will help to eradicate the illegal dealings of smugglers and traffickers.

At the intergovernmental level, therefore, it should be recognized that the specialized Agencies of the United Nations, as well as other international Organizations, now have the capacity to draw-up sustainable alternatives; just think of the hypothesis of humanitarian visas, short-term visas, visas for seasonal workers.  Visa legislation in general has failed to keep pace with changes in technology, the digital revolution and the progress that is changing and has changed the world in recent years.

The Countries of origin have the responsibility to facilitate intra-regional labour mobility for those seeking better living conditions.  This may mean ensuring policies on migration, which respect the obligations established in Article 18 of the Protocol to the Palermo Convention on Transnational Organized Crime, on the prevention, suppression and pursuit of trafficking and smugglings of human beings.  Those provisions ask the State to facilitate and accept the return of victims of trafficking or smuggling that are its nationals, or had the right of permanent residence in its territory acquired at the time of their entry into that State, in accordance with its domestic law.

If we strengthen humanitarian border management, we will be able to ensure secure boundaries, free from the abuses of slavery and the trafficking of human beings, whilst providing access to protection for those who are entitled to it, as in the case of fishermen subjected to forced labour.  This approach would also have the advantage of distinguishing between criminals and victims in an objective and thorough way.  Therefore, a range of options should be considered in favour of forced fishermen, who are identified as individuals who do not have any international protection, or who have no right of residence.  These options should also include assistance to help them to return home voluntarily, with financial support during the reintegration phase.

As Pope Francis reminds us: “Migrants are our brothers and sisters in search of a better life, far away from poverty, hunger, exploitation and the unjust distribution of the planet’s resources which are meant to be equitably shared by all. Don’t we all want a better, more decent and prosperous life to share with our loved ones?” (Message for the World Day for Migrants and Refugees 2016).

4.         In responding to the needs of a changing world that is constantly seeking justice, solidarity, dignity and respect for the rights of every person, especially the weakest and most vulnerable, each of us is called to make their own contribution, in proportion to their ability, to free the slaves from the trade in humans, which is today practised on a global scale.  Only by working together, and coordinating our efforts, we will be able to break the clear chain of exploitation that affects the lives of fishermen in many countries and show that, under International Law, it contains all the elements of a true crime against humanity.

            We must do this by focusing on three fundamental objectives:

aid for the exploited and degraded fishermen, so as to facilitate their rehabilitation and reintegration;

compliance by States and Governments with the existing international rules on fishing, and, specifically, working in the fishing sector;

fighting against trafficking and smuggling using means, including coercive measures, to impose the rule of law and human rights standard.  The ultimate goal is to preserve on the seas the legality that, for centuries, has been a sign of freedom and civilization.

The Holy See is very close to the international Organizations like FAO and ILO, which promote these objectives, and, through the institutions of the Catholic Church in different Countries, it is ready to contribute to this effort.  Our aim from a Christian perspective is “to let the oppressed go free” (Lk 4, 18-19).

Thank you for your attention.

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(Vatican Radio) Ukraine is marking the third anniversary of the deadly Euromaidan protests that ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych but were followed by a war that killed thousands. 

Monday's commemoration came amid new tensions over the Crimean Peninsula which was annexed by Russia and a pledge by US president Barack Obama to try to reach a peace settlement before he leaves office. 

Listen to the report by Stefan Bos:

Government officials, Maidan protest participants, and ordinary citizens are holding ceremonies to mark the Day of Dignity and Freedom, a national day commemorating the beginning of the Euromaidan protests in 2013 that overthrew Yanukovych.

They placed flowers at a monument in Kiev to the "Heavenly Hundred". It's a reference to the many protesters who were killed in clashes with security forces during the protest.

In a speech, President Petro Poroshenko called on the nation to unite and stand against the Russian "threat". He insisted that the former Soviet republic would never revert to its Moscow-dominated past.

MORE DETENTIONS

His comments came while Russian law enforcement officials announced that two more suspected members of a "Ukrainian saboteur group" were detained last week in Russian-annexed Crimea. 

The arrests of the alleged two former Ukrainian army officers, identified as Oleksiy Stohnyy and Hlib Shablyyi, came after Moscow announced that Russian security forces had "detained three members of a sabotage-terrorist group from the main intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry" in the city of Sevastopol.

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry called the claims "another fabrication of the Russian secret services aimed at justifying its own repressive measures against local residents and discredit Ukraine on the international arena." 

Despite the tensions, U.S. President Barack Obama says he wants to reach a negotiated peace settlement in Ukraine before he leaves office in January. 

PEACE AGREEMENT? 

Obama said he talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday about Ukraine and the "need for us to get things done."

Kiev has expressed concern about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's shock election victory because of the billionaire's praise for Putin. 

Ukraine's central government and the West have accused Russia of backing pro-Russia separatists fighting government forces in eastern Ukraine with weapons and troops, charges oscow denies. The conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people, including children. 

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Washington D.C., Nov 21, 2016 / 12:25 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- If you are itching to welcome in the yuletide with Christmas carols, a new album released by the friars of the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. might just be the holiday tune you’ve been searching for.

Good Christian Men, Rejoice! from Blackfriars Media on Vimeo.

From traditional classics such as Away in a Manger, Silent Night, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, the Dominicans of the Eastern Province have just released their Christmas album Christ Was Born to Save, available on CD or for digital download on iTunes.

“All the music on this album flows from our prayerful contemplation of this great mystery: that God became man to save us from ourselves, and make us more like him,” wrote Fr. Gabriel Gillen, OP in a statement from the Dominican Foundation.

The Dominican House of Studies isn’t new to the music business – they have produced three other albums over the years, including In Medio Ecclesiae: Music for the New Evangelization, Ave Maria: Dominican Chant for the Immaculate Conception, and Gaudeamus: Celebrating 800 Years of Dominican Life.

In addition to the new Christmas album, the friars have also produced a music video for the hymn ‘Good Christian Men Rejoice,’ in which they honor the Blessed Henry Suso, the friar who wrote the song almost 700 years ago.

According to Fr. Gillen, Blessed Suso was inspired to write the hymn based on a vision he had “of angels singing and dancing with joy about the birth of the Infant Jesus.”

“The German preacher and mystic poet was soon swept up by the angelic song, and penned the Christmas hymn In Dulci Jubilo as a result,” he continued.

Blessed Suso's hymn, written in Latin, is performed in a loose English translation as Good Christian Men Rejoice, which is just one of the “many other beautiful carols, chants, and choral works,” featured on the friars’ Christmas album.

Proceeds from their Christmas album will be used to support Dominican students in Washington D.C. on their paths to priesthood.

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