La guerra è un momento di distacco dell'uomo da Dio, come legge morale, e un temporaneo abbandono degli eventi storici alla logica inflessibile dell'errore. Don Carlo Gnocchi

  La guerra è un momento di distacco dell'uomo da Dio, come legge morale, e un temporaneo abbandono degli eventi storici alla logica inflessibile dell'errore. 

Don Carlo Gnocchi

Human Trafficking

Together Against Human Trafficking 

In The Service of Peace

In The Service of Peace

https://youtu.be/2mi2IHVFlWs

Mahatma Gandhi - 2nd of October Nonviolence International Day

Today we remember Mahatma Gandhi who lived loving everybody, even his enemies, forgiving and fighting for freedom and peace.  Today is the nonviolence international day.

A Prayer for Generosity

A PRAYER FOR GENEROSITY

Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve You as You deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to seek reward,
except that of knowing that I do Your will.
Amen

[St Ignatius of Loyola]

Prayer for unity

Prayer for unity

We invoke you, Spirit of Unity,
Transform our divisions and reshape our vision.
All of creation, all living beings, cry in the midst of injustice and brokenness.
Spirit of Unity, reconcile your people.
We invoke you, Spirit of Unity,
Heal the wounds of our history,
Remove from us all that sustains our present divisions.
Unstop our ears to hear your call for unity.

https://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle/ghana-nigeria

Young people in Africa!

"If you want peace, work for justice." #BlessedPaulVI

"If you want peace, work for justice." #BlessedPaulVI

Leonard Bernstein

I love Leonard Bernstein !!!
#BernsteinAt100

LGBT Prayer!

Everyday each person must live enjoying life and being thankful. LGBT People must be thankful to be LGBT too. Thank God because He has created you with homosexual inclinations, God wants the best for you, and being homosexual or bisexual is the way to holiness, freedom and happiness.
God wants the best for me and He has created me with homosexual inclinations and this is my way to holiness, freedom and happiness. I enjoy life and I'm thankful.
In the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Amen.

Social Networks

For those who have Responsibility in Economic Matters

We saw his star as it rose and have come to do the Lord homage (St Metthew 2:2)

Alleluia, Alleluia!
We saw his star as it rose and have come to do the Lord homage.
Alleluia! #StMatthew 2:2

#Gospel Acclamation
#Epiphany
#Nativity

Icon: 'Verbum Caro Factus Est': 'The Word Became Flesh' by Claudio Pastro at Roberto Pereira https://t.co/iGxNHbDrM0

(Taken from https://twitter.com/McCrimmonsuk/status/950048653007360000 Copyright go to the owner) 

Religious minorities in Asia - January 2018

Happy New Year Prayer

Happy New Year Prayer from Caritas

The 1st of January The World Day of Peace

The First of January isn't just the First Day of the New Year and a bank holiday. The First of January is one of the most important days of the year. The First of January is an important Christian Solemnity. The First of January is the 8th Day of Christmas and we celebrate the Jesus's circumcision, Jesus Name and World Peace Day. In the Catholic Church we celebrate all this through the Virgin Mary Mother of God. We start the new year with Mary who brings us Jesus who is the truth, the way, the life, the resurrection, and the peace.
Jesus gives us the real peace, the peace that world cannot give.
And the Virgin Mary is the Mother of God because Jesus is God.

Today is the 2nd of January and we can still read the World Peace Day  Message by Pope Francis. It is a very important message for everyday life and a message of hope. May it be a good wish for a happy 2018.
Copyright go to Libreria Editrice Vaticana
The link to read is http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/papa-francesco_20171113_messaggio-51giornatamondiale-pace2018.html

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE
FRANCIS
FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE 
51st WORLD DAY OF PEACE

1 JANUARY 2018

 

Migrants and refugees: men and women in search of peace

 

1. Heartfelt good wishes for peace

Peace to all people and to all nations on earth! Peace, which the angels proclaimed to the shepherds on Christmas night,[1] is a profound aspiration for everyone, for each individual and all peoples, and especially for those who most keenly suffer its absence. Among these whom I constantly keep in my thoughts and prayers, I would once again mention the over 250 million migrants worldwide, of whom 22.5 million are refugees. Pope Benedict XVI, my beloved predecessor, spoke of them as “men and women, children, young and elderly people, who are searching for somewhere to live in peace.”[2] In order to find that peace, they are willing to risk their lives on a journey that is often long and perilous, to endure hardships and suffering, and to encounter fences and walls built to keep them far from their goal.

In a spirit of compassion, let us embrace all those fleeing from war and hunger, or forced by discrimination, persecution, poverty and environmental degradation to leave their homelands.

We know that it is not enough to open our hearts to the suffering of others. Much more remains to be done before our brothers and sisters can once again live peacefully in a safe home. Welcoming others requires concrete commitment, a network of assistance and goodwill, vigilant and sympathetic attention, the responsible management of new and complex situations that at times compound numerous existing problems, to say nothing of resources, which are always limited. By practising the virtue of prudence, government leaders should take practical measures to welcome, promote, protect, integrate and, “within the limits allowed by a correct understanding of the common good, to permit [them] to become part of a new society.”[3] Leaders have a clear responsibility towards their own communities, whose legitimate rights and harmonious development they must ensure, lest they become like the rash builder who miscalculated and failed to complete the tower he had begun to construct.[4]

2. Why so many refugees and migrants?

As he looked to the Great Jubilee marking the passage of two thousand years since the proclamation of peace by the angels in Bethlehem, Saint John Paul II pointed to the increased numbers of displaced persons as one of the consequences of the “endless and horrifying sequence of wars, conflicts, genocides and ethnic cleansings”[5] that had characterized the twentieth century. To this date, the new century has registered no real breakthrough: armed conflicts and other forms of organized violence continue to trigger the movement of peoples within national borders and beyond.

Yet people migrate for other reasons as well, principally because they “desire a better life, and not infrequently try to leave behind the ‘hopelessness’ of an unpromising future.”[6] They set out to join their families or to seek professional or educational opportunities, for those who cannot enjoy these rights do not live in peace. Furthermore, as I noted in the Encyclical Laudato Si’, there has been “a tragic rise in the number of migrants seeking to flee from the growing poverty caused by environmental degradation”.[7]

Most people migrate through regular channels. Some, however, take different routes, mainly out of desperation, when their own countries offer neither safety nor opportunity, and every legal pathway appears impractical, blocked or too slow.

Many destination countries have seen the spread of rhetoric decrying the risks posed to national security or the high cost of welcoming new arrivals, and thus demeaning the human dignity due to all as sons and daughters of God. Those who, for what may be political reasons, foment fear of migrants instead of building peace are sowing violence, racial discrimination and xenophobia, which are matters of great concern for all those concerned for the safety of every human being.[8]

All indicators available to the international community suggest that global migration will continue for the future. Some consider this a threat. For my part, I ask you to view it with confidence as an opportunity to build peace.

3. With a contemplative gaze

The wisdom of faith fosters a contemplative gaze that recognizes that all of us “belong to one family, migrants and the local populations that welcome them, and all have the same right to enjoy the goods of the earth, whose destination is universal, as the social doctrine of the Church teaches. It is here that solidarity and sharing are founded.”[9] These words evoke the biblical image of the new Jerusalem. The book of the prophet Isaiah (chapter 60) and that of Revelation (chapter 21) describe the city with its gates always open to people of every nation, who marvel at it and fill it with riches. Peace is the sovereign that guides it and justice the principle that governs coexistence within it.

We must also turn this contemplative gaze to the cities where we live, “a gaze of faith which sees God dwelling in their houses, in their streets and squares, […] fostering solidarity, fraternity, and the desire for goodness, truth and justice”[10] – in other words, fulfilling the promise of peace.

When we turn that gaze to migrants and refugees, we discover that they do not arrive empty-handed. They bring their courage, skills, energy and aspirations, as well as the treasures of their own cultures; and in this way, they enrich the lives of the nations that receive them. We also come to see the creativity, tenacity and spirit of sacrifice of the countless individuals, families and communities around the world who open their doors and hearts to migrants and refugees, even where resources are scarce.

A contemplative gaze should also guide the discernment of those responsible for the public good, and encourage them to pursue policies of welcome, “within the limits allowed by a correct understanding of the common good”[11] – bearing in mind, that is, the needs of all members of the human family and the welfare of each.

Those who see things in this way will be able to recognize the seeds of peace that are already sprouting and nurture their growth. Our cities, often divided and polarized by conflicts regarding the presence of migrants and refugees, will thus turn into workshops of peace.

4. Four mileposts for action

Offering asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and victims of human trafficking an opportunity to find the peace they seek requires a strategy combining four actions: welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating.[12]

“Welcoming” calls for expanding legal pathways for entry and no longer pushing migrants and displaced people towards countries where they face persecution and violence. It also demands balancing our concerns about national security with concern for fundamental human rights. Scripture reminds us: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”[13]

“Protecting” has to do with our duty to recognize and defend the inviolable dignity of those who flee real dangers in search of asylum and security, and to prevent their being exploited. I think in particular of women and children who find themselves in situations that expose them to risks and abuses that can even amount to enslavement. God does not discriminate: “The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the orphan and the widow.”[14]

“Promoting” entails supporting the integral human development of migrants and refugees. Among many possible means of doing so, I would stress the importance of ensuring access to all levels of education for children and young people. This will enable them not only to cultivate and realize their potential, but also better equip them to encounter others and to foster a spirit of dialogue rather than rejection or confrontation. The Bible teaches that God “loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.”[15]

“Integrating”, lastly, means allowing refugees and migrants to participate fully in the life of the society that welcomes them, as part of a process of mutual enrichment and fruitful cooperation in service of the integral human development of the local community. Saint Paul expresses it in these words: “You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people.”[16]

5. A proposal for two international compacts

It is my heartfelt hope this spirit will guide the process that in the course of 2018 will lead the United Nations to draft and approve two Global Compacts, one for safe, orderly and regular migration and the other for refugees. As shared agreements at a global level, these compacts will provide a framework for policy proposals and practical measures. For this reason, they need to be inspired by compassion, foresight and courage, so as to take advantage of every opportunity to advance the peace-building process. Only in this way can the realism required of international politics avoid surrendering to cynicism and to the globalization of indifference.

Dialogue and coordination are a necessity and a specific duty for the international community. Beyond national borders, higher numbers of refugees may be welcomed – or better welcomed – also by less wealthy countries, if international cooperation guarantees them the necessary funding.

The Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has published a set of twenty action points that provide concrete leads for implementing these four verbs in public policy and in the attitudes and activities of Christian communities.[17] The aim of this and other contributions is to express the interest of the Catholic Church in the process leading to the adoption of the two U.N. Global Compacts. This interest is the sign of a more general pastoral concern that goes back to the very origins of the Church and has continued in her many works up to the present time.

6. For our common home

Let us draw inspiration from the words of Saint John Paul II: “If the ‘dream’ of a peaceful world is shared by all, if the refugees’ and migrants’ contribution is properly evaluated, then humanity can become more and more a universal family and our earth a true ‘common home’.”[18] Throughout history, many have believed in this “dream”, and their achievements are a testament to the fact that it is no mere utopia.

Among these, we remember Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini in this year that marks the hundredth anniversary of her death. On this thirteenth day of November, many ecclesial communities celebrate her memory. This remarkable woman, who devoted her life to the service of migrants and became their patron saint, taught us to welcome, protect, promote and integrate our brothers and sisters. Through her intercession, may the Lord enable all of us to experience that “a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”[19]

From the Vatican, 13 November 2017

Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Patroness of Migrants

FRANCIS

[1 Luke 2:14.

[2] Angelus, 15 January 2012.

[3] JOHN XXIII, Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris, 106.

[4] Luke 14:28-30.

[5] Message for the 2000 World Day of Peace, 3..

[6] BENEDICT XVI, Message for the 2013 World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

[7] No. 25.

[8] Cf. Address to the National Directors of Pastoral Care for Migrants of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Europe, 22 September 2017.

[9] BENEDICT XVI, Message for the 2011 World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

[10] Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 71.

[11] JOHN XXIII, Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris, 106.

[12] Message for the 2018 World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

[13] Hebrews 13:2.

[14] Psalm 146:9.

[15] Deuteronomy 10:18-19.

[16] Ephesians 2:19.

[17] “20 Pastoral Action Points” and “20 Action Points for the Global Compacts”, Migrants and Refugees Section, Rome, 2017.  See also Document UN A/72/528.

[18] Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2004,, 6.

[19] James 3:18.

© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Merry Christmas - Buon Natale - Share the journey - refugees welcome

Monday Motivation about Peace by Blessed Oscar Romero

"Peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries.
Peace is not the silent result of violent repression. Peace is the generous,
tranquil contribution of all to the good of all."
Oscar Romero

#MondayMotivation  #CAFOD #Romero Trust

https://twitter.com/CAFODHN/status/930023673385377792

Merry Christmas & Peace on Earth!

Sabbath Sunday
December 25, 2016 - Christmas Day

Merry Christmas & Peace on Earth!

"It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you."
- Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year."
- Charles Dickens

"Let us celebrate this day not because of the visible sun, but because of Him who made this day." - St. Augustine

Year of Mercy Calendar for Today:  We wish you the fullest blessings of this glorious day.  May you know the depth of His Love and share it freely with others.

Holy See’s permanent UN observer speaks on Syrian and Palestinian crisis

From http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/07/13/holy_see%e2%80%99s_permanent_un_observer_speaks_on_middle_east/1243846

(Vatican Radio) The halted Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and the ongoing Syrian crisis were among the topics touched on by the Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in statement Tuesday.

In his statement to the UN Security Council during an open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question,” Archbishop Bernardito Auza reiterated Pope Francis’ denouncement of those responsible for the Syrian crisis, especially those who provide weapons to fighters.

“Pope Francis denounces in the strongest possible terms all those responsible, from whichever side of the conflict in Syria they may come, for the senseless slaughter of civilians,” Archbishop Auza said.

“The Pope also denounces those who supply substantial amounts of money and weaponry to the fighters who kill and maim the innocent population and destroy civilian institutions and infrastructure,” he added.

“One cannot but lament the duplicity of simultaneously talking peace while supplying arms to those who kill, on every side of the conflict.”

The presidency of the UN security council is currently presided over by a delegation of Japan.

See Archbishop Auza’s full statement below:

12 July 2016

Mr. President,

The Holy See commends the Presidency of Japan for bringing the difficult situation in the Middle East once more to the attention of the International Community, in light of the release of the Quartet’s July 1st “Report on the Middle East” and in the context of the continuing violence in Syria, the deadly sectarian violence in Iraq and the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Mr. President,

The Palestinian Question has remained without an answer that is satisfactory to both the Israelis and the Palestinians. Almost sixty-nine years after its adoption by the United Nations General Assembly, Resolution 181 remains only half-fulfilled. Decades of negotiations have failed to achieve the creation of a Palestinian State. The time is long overdue to put an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has become increasingly unacceptable as it becomes increasingly intractable.

My delegation would not miss this occasion to underline once again that, for the Holy See, the two-State solution holds the best promise. Durable peace will remain a distant dream and security will remain an illusion if Israel and Palestine do not agree to exist side-by-side reconciled and sovereign within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders. Let the two States be created now, for the sake of the Israelis and Palestinians who, in the depths of their hearts, desire nothing greater than peace and security. It is time to act on the recommendations of the 1st July 2016 Report of the Quartet by bringing peace and security to the citizens of Israel and the State of Palestine and to the people of the world.

Mr. President,

The situation in Syria continues to be one of unspeakable suffering for the Syrian people who are killed, forced to survive under bombs or flee to less-ravaged areas. My delegation feels the duty to call anew the attention of this Council to the continued persecution of Christians, Yazidis and other ethnic and religious minority groups by non-State actors in parts of Syria and Iraq.

Pope Francis denounces in the strongest possible terms all those responsible, from whichever side of the conflict in Syria they may come, for the senseless slaughter of civilians.

The Pope also denounces those who supply substantial amounts of money and weaponry to the fighters who kill and maim the innocent population and destroy civilian institutions and infrastructure. One cannot but lament the duplicity of simultaneously talking peace while supplying arms to those who kill, on every side of the conflict. Pope Francis has asked: “How can you believe in someone who caresses you with the right hand and strikes you with the left hand?”

My delegation avails itself of this opportunity to plead once more to weapons-producing States strictly to limit the supply of arms to client States and to monitor their use. In particular, my delegation asks the International Community to stop the illegal supply of arms to non-state actors, who have been lately responsible for crimes against humanity and other forms of mass atrocities and egregious violations of human rights.

Statistics have clearly shown that it is the civilian population that is disproportionately victimized by ever more technologically sophisticated weapons. Remote-controlled assassinations without due process of law and the “collateral damage” to civilians by Lethal Autonomous Weapons System (LAWS) brings to the fore ethical and legal questions that merit careful review and perhaps even a challenge on the basis of international humanitarian law.

Mr. President,

The Holy See believes that peace processes do not depend solely on formal negotiations, no matter how indispensable these may be. As a cradle of great civilizations and the birthplace of the three main monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the Middle East has the cultural, intellectual and religious resources that make it a fertile ground for civil society and track II diplomacy, including faith-based “informal diplomacy”, to play their role in promoting the values of encounter and mutual acceptance, thereby equipping all citizens to become active protagonists in peacemaking and peacebuilding in the region.

Religions and believers, in particular, must prove themselves worthy of their rightful place in the whole process of pacification in the region. They must put an end to any form of mutual hatred that could lend credence to a “clash of civilizations.” My delegation believes that the more religion is manipulated to justify acts of terror and violence, the more religious leaders must be engaged in the overall effort to defeat the violence that attempts to hijack it for purposes antithetical to its nature. Spurious religious fervour must be countered by authentic religious instruction and by the example of true communities of faith. It is only then that faith-based “informal diplomacy” can fruitfully compliment the formal diplomacy of States and multilateral bodies.

Thank you, Mr. President.