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(Vatican Radio) The Vatican Delegation on Wednesday made an intervention at the 2016 OSCE Mediterranean Conference on Youth North and South of the Mediterranean: Facing Security Challenges and Enhancing Opportunities.

“Root causes that promote violent extremism, radicalization and terrorism among the young must be faced: dissatisfaction, a failure of integration policies, unemployment, a sense of loss, including the feeling of not having a future, a vacuum of values and fractures within families,” said Monsignor Janusz Urbanczyk, the head of the Holy See delegation.

“Moreover, violent extremism, radicalization and terrorism finds a fertile ground in growing intolerance, discrimination, racism and xenophobia, including as a result of certain counter-terrorism policies,” – he continued –“For all these reasons, we have to bear in mind once again that global economic inequalities, marginalization and exclusion are not only a grave social and economic concern, but can also become a threat to international peace and security, including in the OSCE area and in the Mediterranean region. Thus, achieving social justice and inclusion is pivotal to countering the recruitment and radicalization of young people.”

The full statement is below

STATEMENT BY MONSIGNOR JANUSZ S. URBANCZYK

HEAD OF THE HOLY SEE DELEGATION

2016 OSCE MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE ON YOUTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE MEDITERRANEAN: FACING SECURITY CHALLENGES AND ENHANCING OPPORTUNITIES

Session I: Lessons learned and best practices in dealing with challenges for youth north and south of the Mediterranean: Violent extremism, radicalization and terrorism

Vienna, October 5, 2016

Mr Moderator,

The Holy See is indeed pleased to take part in this Mediterranean Conference, and thanks the Austrian Chairmanship of the Mediterranean Contact Group and the German OSCE Chairmanship for organizing it. The topics of this session – violent extremism, radicalization and terrorism – are most timely and deserve the focused attention of the OSCE. I also thank the keynote speakers – Ms Muriel Domenach, Mr Stefan Fercher, Mr. Nor-eddine Benfreha and Mr Mohamed Anas Touati – for their thoughtful and interesting contributions.

The agenda of the Conference spells out that young people are “the present and the future of our societies and thus need the continued attention of policy makers” (Annotated agenda). Like every generation, young people today – both north and south of the Mediterranean – are dreaming of and asking for a future of hope rather than one of disenchantment. The Holy See is convinced that engaging with young people, allowing them to participate actively in the betterment of our societies, the very societies they themselves will one day lead, is crucial.

Yet recent and current developments show us that many of our young people are responding to the dissemination of radical ideologies and messages, and consequently are falling prey to terrorists, especially through the internet. These facts result in a convergence between North and South of the Mediterranean, where both sides experience the manifold challenges to security that stem from violent extremism, radicalization and terrorism, as well as the need to protect and engage with young people, without whose participation the necessary progress will not be made.2

Root causes that promote violent extremism, radicalization and terrorism among the young must be faced: dissatisfaction, a failure of integration policies, unemployment, a sense of loss, including the feeling of not having a future, a vacuum of values and fractures within families. Moreover, violent extremism, radicalization and terrorism finds a fertile ground in growing intolerance, discrimination, racism and xenophobia, including as a result of certain counter-terrorism policies. For all these reasons, we have to bear in mind once again that global economic inequalities, marginalization and exclusion are not only a grave social and economic concern, but can also become a threat to international peace and security, including in the OSCE area and in the Mediterranean region. Thus, achieving social justice and inclusion is pivotal to countering the recruitment and radicalization of young people.

As this session is devoted to lessons learned and best practices between OSCE participating States and Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, I wish to dwell on the important role that dialogue should play. This has become a leitmotif of the pontificate of Pope Francis, a concept he does not tire of developing. The Pope has repeatedly said that we are called to promote a culture of dialogue that enables us to see people from different cultures as worthy of being heard1 and contribute in this way to a long-standing peace. Thus, dialogue becomes a powerful tool at our disposal. Pope Francis has explained this further in these words: today we urgently need to build “coalitions” that are not only military and economic, but cultural, educational, philosophical and religious. Let us arm our youth with the culture of dialogue and encounter,2 let them be dreamers (who) believe in a new humanity, one that rejects hatred between peoples, one that refuses to see borders as barriers.3

The Holy See calls upon participating States and Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation to engage in the planning and building of such a culture of dialogue, which also draws on the talents, initiative and dreams of young people. Pope Francis, on the occasion of the last World Youth Day, said that young people are called to leave their mark on life, to leave a mark on history, their own and that of many others as well. Life nowadays tells us that it is much easier to concentrate on what divides us, what keeps us apart. People try to make us believe that being closed in on ourselves is the best way to keep safe from harm. Today, we adults need young people to teach us how to live in a multicultural environment, in dialogue, to experience multiculturalism not as a threat but an opportunity.4

Such a culture of dialogue should be imparted in all stages of education, beginning first and foremost in our families, which, for this reason, deserve more support, and then in our schools to give young people a counter-narrative bearing positive values. How important is forming consciences and training good citizens capable of infusing civil society with honesty, integrity and a world view which values the human person.5 In this regard, interreligious and intercultural dialogue are powerful tools at our disposal and a closer cooperation between state authorities and religious leaders should be promoted.

As has been the experience also in countless Catholic schools, education can play a significant role in promoting respect for the other. In a multicultural context, schools with such an ethos can facilitate a true encounter between students of different cultures, ethnicities and religions. Moreover, it is important that each school take care to teach about other cultures and religious traditions, while respecting the identity of its students, as well as its own native character and ethos. Educational programmes should be developed and strengthened in order to promote a better understanding and respect for different cultures, ethnicities and religions. These programmes should also hand on some superior values, such as the dignity of every person and solidarity among peoples. An education in respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is no less important, for students at all level.

In this regard, the Holy See takes the opportunity to reiterate its wish that the ODIHR draft– sooner rather than later – guidelines for educators on countering intolerance and discrimination against Christians, as has already been done with regard to intolerance and discrimination against other religious groups. Such guidelines may give a great contribution in promoting respect and appreciation of Christian communities north or south of the Mediterranean.

Finally, it is important that these instruments as well as the strategies considered during this Conference to prevent and counter violent extremism, radicalization and terrorism be integrated with the security agenda developed among States from the OSCE area and the Mediterranean region.

Thank you Mr Moderator.

1 Conferral of the Charlemagne Prize, Address of his Holiness Pope Francis, 6 May 2016.

2 Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Francis to Poland on the occasion of the XXXI World Youth Day, Prayer Vigil with the young people, Address of the Holy Father, Campus Misericordiae, Kraków, Saturday, 30 July 2016.

3 Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Francis to Poland on the occasion of the XXXI World Youth Day, Holy Mass for World Youth Day, Campus Misericordiae, Kraków, Sunday, 31 July 2016.

4 Cf. Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Francis to Poland on the occasion of the XXXI World Youth Day, Prayer Vigil with the young people, Address of the Holy Father, Campus Misericordiae, Kraków, Saturday, 30 July 2016.

5 Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Francis to Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic, Ecumenical and Interreligious meeting, Address of His Holiness Pope Francis, Hall of the Apostolic Nunciature, 26 November 2015.

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday urged Anglicans and Catholics to work together to promote the unity of Christians and the unity of the human family. His words came as he presided at Vespers, together with the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in the church of St Gregory on the Caelian Hill.

The ecumenical prayer service took place, symbolically, on the site from where Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine out on mission to evanglise the English at the end of the 6th century. During the liturgy Pope Francis presented the Anglican leader with a replica of the pastoral staff of St Gregory, while the Archbishop gave the Holy Father a silver Cross of Nails as a symbol of their partnership in the urgent work of reconciliation.

Leading the singing of the psalms, anthems and well known hymns was the choir from Canterbury Cathedral, alongside the Sistine Chapel choir. Among the packed congregation were pairs of Anglican and Catholic bishops from around the world who are in Rome this week to celebrate 50 years of ecumenical dialogue and to recommit themselves to partnership in mission.

In his words to them, Pope Francis said “We recognize ourselves as brothers who belong to different traditions, but are driven by the same Gospel to undertake the same mission in the world.” Therefore he said, “it would be always good, before embarking on any activity, for you to put these questions to yourselves: Why ought not we do this together with our Anglican brothers?; Can we bear witness to Jesus by acting together with our Catholic brothers?”

Referring to the pastoral staff of St Gregory which contains a carved ivory lamb, the Pope urged the bishops of both traditions to follow the example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, telling them that “It is in sharing the difficulties and joys of ministry that we once again grow close to each other.”

He urged them to be “promoters of a bold and real ecumenism, always on a journey in search of opening new paths.” This is always and above all, he said, a matter of following the example of Our Lord, his pastoral methodology, of which the prophet Ezekiel reminds us: to seek out the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the wounded, heal the sick. Only thus, the Pope said, “shall the scattered people be brought together”

Please find below Vatican Radio’s unofficial translation of the Pope’s words at Vespers, followed by those of the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby

The prophet Ezekiel, with an eloquent image, describes God as a shepherd herding his scattered sheep. They were separated from each other "in the day of clouds and thick darkness" (Ez 34,12). The Lord seems thus, through the Prophet, to turn to us with a twofold message. First, a message of unity: God, as Shepherd, desires the unity of His people, and he especially desires those appointed as Shepherds under him to spend themselves in pursuit of unity. Second, the reason we are told of the divisions in the flock: in the days of clouds and thick darkness, we lost sight of the brother who stood beside us, we became unable to recognize and rejoice in our respective gifts and in the graces we’ve received. This happened because the darkness of incomprehension and suspicion and, overhead, the dark clouds of disagreements and disputes, gathered around us – often formed for historical and cultural reasons and not only for theological reasons.

But we have the firm belief that God loves to dwell among us, who are his flock and precious treasure. He is a tireless pastor who continues to act (cf. Jn 5:17), encouraging us to walk towards greater unity, which can only be achieved with the help of His grace. Therefore we remain confident, because in us, even though we are fragile earthen vessels (cf. 2 Cor 4,7), God loves to pour out his grace. He is convinced that we can move from darkness to light, from dispersion to unity, from wanting to plenitude. This path of communion is the path of all Christians and is your particular mission, for you are the shepherds of the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission.

It's a great vocation, that which is to work as instruments of communion always and everywhere. This means promoting at the same time the unity of the Christian family and the unity of the human family. The two areas are not only not opposed but are mutually enriching. When, as disciples of Jesus, we offer our services jointly, each opening and the meeting, overcoming the temptation of closures and insulation, we work both at the same time when we work side-by-side, when we promote the unity of Christians as well as that of the human family. We recognize ourselves as brothers who belong to different traditions, but are driven by the same Gospel to undertake the same mission in the world. Then it would be always good, before embarking on any activity, for you to put these questions to yourselves: Why ought not we do this together with our Anglican brothers?; Can we bear witness to Jesus by acting together with our Catholic brothers?

It is in sharing the difficulties and joys of the ministry that we once again grow close to each other. May God grant you to be promoters of a bold and real ecumenism, always on a journey in search of opening new paths, which will benefit in the first place that your brothers in the Provinces and the Episcopal Conferences. This is always and above all a matter of following the example of the Lord, his pastoral methodology, of which the prophet Ezekiel reminds us: to seek out the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the wound, heal the sick (cf. v. 16). Only thus shall the scattered people be brought together.

I would like to refer to our common journey in the footsteps of Christ the Good Shepherd, inspired by the pastoral staff of St. Gregory the Great, which might well symbolize the great ecumenical significance of this meeting. Pope Gregory, from this wellspring of mission, chose and sent St. Augustine of Canterbury and his monks to the Anglo-Saxon nations, inaugurating a great chapter in evangelization, which is our common history, and binds us inseparably. Therefore it is right that this pastoral staff be a symbol of our shared journey of unity and mission.

At the center of the curved part of the staff is represented the Risen Lamb. Thus, while reminding us of the will of the Lord to gather the flock and go in search of the lost sheep, the staff also seems to show us the central content of the love of God in Jesus crucified and risen, the Lamb sacrificed and living. It is love that penetrated the darkness of the sealed tomb, and opened the doors to the light of eternal life. The love of the Lamb victorious over sin and death is the true innovative message to carry together to those who are lost today, and to those who still do not have the joy of knowing the compassionate face and merciful embrace of the Good Shepherd. Our ministry consists in illuminating the darkness with this gentle light, with the meek power of love that conquers sin and overcomes death. We have the joy to recognize and celebrate the heart of the faith. Let us once again make that our center and focus, without being distracted by that, which, enticing us to follow the spirit of the world, would detract from the original freshness of the Gospel. From there comes our shared responsibility, the one mission to serve God and humanity.

It was also pointed out by some authors that the pastoral staves, at the other end, often have a pointed tip. It may well think that the ministry not only recalls the vocation to lead and gather the sheep in the name of the Risen Christ, but also to prod those that tend to stand too close and shut in, urging them to get out. The mission of the pastors is to help the flock entrusted to them, that it be always out-going, on the move to proclaim the joy of the Gospel; not closed in tight circles, in ecclesial "microclimates" which would take us back to the days of clouds and thick darkness. Together we ask God for the grace to imitate the spirit and example of the great missionaries, through which the Holy Spirit has revitalized the Church, which is revived when she goes out of her own accord on the ways of the world to live and proclaim the Gospel. Let us remember what happened in Edinburgh, at the origins of the ecumenical movement: it was precisely the fire of mission that allowed us to begin to overcome the barriers and break down the fences that isolated us and made a common path unthinkable. Let us pray together for this: the Lord grant us that from here might arise a renewed élan for communion and mission.

Address by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby

The Israelites in the slave labour camps outside Babylon knew about fault and responsibility. In the passage just before this they hear from Ezekiel whom to blame for their exile; it is the bad shepherds, their failed leaders. In the following passage they are told that their desperate plight is also their own fault. There are bad sheep as well as bad shepherds.

In this passage, sandwiched between bad shepherds and bad sheep, it is God who says that He Himself will act. He seeks, he rescues, he feeds, he cares for the weak, but the fat and strong, who can only have become so by evil means, are to be destroyed. We are the sheep, and our Shepherd is God himself. In that sentence is all our hope, our certainty that the Church will live through all its struggles and vicissitudes, for the Good Shepherd finds, cares, judges, and restores. Yet in our confidence, we must not forget the warnings.

We cannot be bad shepherds, for they are rejected. When we fight, and when we lose the obligation of sharing mercy and forgiveness, we not only disobey the explicit prayer and command of Our Lord , but also we become shepherds who devour. The church becomes a circus for gladiatorial combat, in which the losers are shown no mercy.  Augustine, commenting on Psalm 32, says of the Donatists, “Let us grieve for them, my friends, as though they were our own brothers and sisters. For that is what they are, whether they like it or not.”  The wonderful power of the Year of Mercy is in its appeal to the merciful heart of God, in which we must be merciful to each other.

We cannot either be bad sheep, by becoming inward looking, and turning from the Saviour who has gone before us to the poor, the migrant, the slave and the refugee. The Good Shepherd is seeking his people, the fullness of our life is found when we seek with him. Last Christmas, in my chapel, we heard the testimony of a young, trafficked sex worker who had been found by Christians, and through them found the Good Shepherd. We all wept at hope renewed and a journey of healing begun. 

While we rejoice that our Good Shepherd is the one who rescues, we also know that we are called to be his feet and hands and mouth. The mouth that calls, the hands that pick up, the feet that cross any obstacle to find the lost sheep and bring it home.

My prayer is always that as God’s family, we are those who look out into a world that is like sheep without a shepherd, where the weak, the unborn, the trafficked, the dying, are treated as inconveniences. Not only do we look, but we respond, saying to the Good Shepherd, “here we are, send us”.

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday before the Sport at the Service of Humanity's First Global Conference on Sport and Faith, which is being held in the Vatican this week.

The event has been organized by the Pontifical Council for Culture, the United Nations, and the International Olympic Committee.

After his meeting with Pope Francis, the Secretary General spoke to Vatican Radio’s Alessandro Gisotti.

Listen to the Vatican Radio interview with Ban Ki-Moon: 

Below, please find a transcription of the interview

BAN KI-MOON: I’m grateful to His Holiness Pope Francis, the Vatican, and also the International Olympic Committee for organizing this very meaningful event, where people can be inspired to promote peace and development through sports. Sports is a universal language. It transcends all the national barriers. It transcends all ethnicities and nationalities and whatever differences one may have. It can have instant power of mobilizing people’s energy, and also commitment for development. Togetherness, oneness, can easily be realized through sports. In that regard, the United Nations is very much committed. The UN General Assembly has designated April 6, every year, as the International Day of Sports for Development and Peace, and I have appointed a special envoy to promote peace and development through sport. The United Nations and the IOC have been building a very strong partnership; now the Vatican – the Holy See – is joining. The Vatican, IOC, and the United Nations can have a very strong driving force to promote peace and development through sports.

Question: How important has the role of Pope Francis been in promoting peace and reconciliation, in your opinion?

BAN KI-MOON: His Holiness Pope Francis is a man of peace; a man of vision. He is a man of more voice. It has been a great privilege and honor for me to work with him. For example, when world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it was the Pope’s urging and appeal to world leaders: He urged world leaders to have a stronger and visionary commitment for the world – people and planet – so that they can live in peace and prosperity through partnership. And also, it was His Holiness who, through his encyclical on climate change, Common Home [Laudato si’] – he termed it: Our planet earth is our common home. We are all seven billion people, and all creatures should live together, and that has given much inspiration. Strong voice: so that the world leaders adopted climate change agreement in Paris last year. I expressed my deepest admiration and gratitude to His Holiness during my audience with him.

Question: Finally, sport is an eloquent example today of this possibility and opportunity of the Holy See and the United Nations to play a role together. Do you think even in the construction of a more human society – peace, reconciliation, human dignity -  that the Holy See and the United Nations, the Church and the United Nations, can work together?

BAN: The Holy See, the Vatican, and Christianity and other religions, they share common goals, visions, and values as the Charter of the United Nations: Peace, respect for humanity, and human rights. And also through sports we can promote sustainable development. In that regard, it is very important that the United Nations has been working very closely with the Holy See, and also a strong partnership with the IOC. The idea of having this Faith and Sports for Peace and Development all came from His Holiness, and also the United Nations and IOC. That is why this is unprecedented that the Secretary General of the United Nations, the IOC, and Holy See work together for com

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Boston, Mass., Oct 5, 2016 / 12:07 pm (CNA).- In an online video, actor Mark Wahlberg said that he will be praying for vocations to the priesthood, which he deeply values because of the role that priests have played in his own life.

Wahlberg recorded the video as a greeting to those present at the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors, taking place in his hometown of Boston.

“I want you to know my support for your work to foster vocations to the priesthood, because I want my children and future generations to have good priests in their lives, just like I had,” he says in the video, posted on Facebook by the Diocese of Providence’s vocations office.

“My Catholic faith is the anchor that supports everything I do in life. In my daily prayers, I ask for guidance, strength in my vocation as a husband and as a father,” he says.

Wahlberg, known for his work in movies including “The Perfect Storm,” “Planet of the Apes,” “The Departed,” and “The Fighter,” is open about his Catholic faith and his love for the Church. He attends daily Mass and talks frequently about the role of faith in his life.

Last year, Wahlberg served as emcee when Pope Francis came to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families.

In the video, he reflects on the “many wonderful priests” he had been blessed to know throughout his life.

“Growing up in Dorchester, I got myself into trouble now and then but I always had a priest to stick by me,” he says.

“I was married by a priest. My children were baptized by a priest. And whenever somebody in my family passed away, they’ve all been buried by a priest. My sins have been forgiven when I go to confession to a priest. Every time I go to Mass, it’s through a priest’s hands that I receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, which strengthens me to share my Catholic faith with others.”

“We the Catholic faithful are counting on you to bring us good and holy priests,” Wahlberg concludes. “Enjoy my hometown this week, and know that I will pray for you and for your success. Thank you for all that you do, and God bless.”

 

 

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Vatican City, Oct 5, 2016 / 01:40 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The beauty and joy found in sports, whether playing or watching, is something that benefits and unites everyone, regardless of religion, ethnic group, nationality, or disability, Pope Francis said Wednesday.

“Sport is a human activity of great value, able to enrich people's lives,” he said Oct. 5. “As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, she is working in the world of sport to bring the joy of the Gospel, the inclusive and unconditional love of God for all human beings.”

Pope Francis spoke at the Opening Ceremony of a conference called “Sport at the Service of Humanity.” Taking place at the Vatican Oct. 5-7, the conference, which includes 150 leaders from the world of sport, faith, business and civil society, aims to establish the principles for “a new movement” in sports.

Alongside other global institutions such as the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee, German-based insurance carrier Allianz has partnered with the Pontifical Council for Culture to put on the conference.

According to the official website for the conference, the initial inspiration came from the desire to explore the interconnectedness of faith and sport, as well as the “scope and limit” of the combination.

When we see athletes give their all, sports fill us with enthusiasm and make us feel proud, the Pope said. “There is great beauty in the harmony of certain movements and in the power of teamwork,” he noted.

“When it is like this, sport transcends the level of pure physicality and takes us into the arena of the spirit and even of mystery. And these moments are accompanied by great joy and satisfaction, which we all can share, even those not competing.”

Pointing out the recent attention given to the Olympic and Paralympic Games by the whole world, Francis noted how these are an opportunity to “develop the talents that God has given us.”

According to Vatican Radio's Chris Altieri, who is handling media for the conference, leaders and organizers share one common conviction: “that sport helps people become their best selves, and that a healthy sporting culture helps build strong communities.”

The conference, then, seeks to give “robust expression to that vision” by bringing together athletes from all levels of sport alongside leaders from different faith, business, political, academic, policy and cultural communities, he told CNA July 14.

The shape the conference is taking, he said, is designed to encourage participants to share best practices which can then be presented to the broader public “in a helpful manner: to help build a sporting culture that is capable of responding to the needs of today’s society.”

An important characteristic of sport, the Pope said, is that it is not just for professional athletes, but for everyone: for pleasure, for recreation, for improving health, as well as for learning how to be part of a team, and how to win and lose graciously.

“This is why it is important to participate in sporting activities, and I am happy that at the center of your reflections these days there is the commitment to ensure that sport is always more inclusive and that its benefits are truly accessible to all,” he said.

The Paralympic movement and other sporting groups which support those with disabilities, the Pope said, have a “decisive role in helping the public recognize and admire the extraordinary performances of athletes with different abilities and capacities.”

This courageous commitment to the value of inclusion coincides well with the many religious traditions' commitment to ensuring “respect for the dignity of every human being,” Francis said.

Never forgetting those on the peripheries, the Pope mentioned the many children and youth living “at the edges of society,” and the enthusiasm with which they play sports such as soccer, even with a “rugged old deflated ball” in the streets of cities or small towns.

“I wish to encourage all of you – institutions, sporting societies, educational and social organizations, religious communities – to work together to ensure these children can take up sport in circumstances of dignity,” he said, “especially those who are excluded due to poverty.”

Another challenge facing those in charge of sporting events, the Pope concluded, is keeping sports free from commercial abuse and manipulation.

“It would be sad for sport and for humanity if people were unable to trust in the truth of sporting results, or if cynicism and disenchantment were to drown out enthusiasm or joyful and disinterested participation.”

“In sport, as in life, competing for the result is important, but playing well and fairly is even more important!” he exclaimed.

“When people strive to create a society that is fairer and transparent, they collaborate with the work of God. We too, responsible for different religious communities, wish to offer our contribution for that commitment.”

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