Pope's New Name for Sovereignty

Pope's New Name for Sovereignty

Interview With UN Permanent Observer Archbishop Migliore

By Jesús Colina

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 27, 2008 ( Zenit.org ).- When speaking to the United Nations, it could be said Benedict XVI proposed a new name for sovereignty, says the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations.

Archbishop Celestino Migliore, who hosted the Pope for three days during his stay in New York, said this in reference to the address the Holy Father gave April 18 to the U.N. General Assembly. The archbishop said the "responsibility to protect" mentioned by the Pontiff could be the new name for sovereignty, which is "not only a right, but above all a responsibility to protect and promote the populations in their daily lives."

In this interview with ZENIT, Archbishop Migliore recounts his personal experience of the papal trip, and comments on the message Benedict XVI delivered to the United Nations.

Q: What was the moment of the Pope's visit that you will never forget?

Archbishop Migliore: There are many, as you can imagine. Americans were waiting to see and experience for themselves Benedict XVI’s spirituality, intellect and humanity that they were already seeing by way of the media. Upon his arrival they saw the Pope happy to be in the United States, happy and eager to meet Americans of all levels. All the events that he participated in were marked by festivity, warmth and mutual understanding.

And then, the profound empathy of the Pope with what remains the most vivid symbol for Americans, ground zero. The ceremony, expressed almost without words, spoken heart-to-heart, made the Pope seem like one of them, and at the same time invested with such authority to communicate his own message. By the same token, on two evenings the Pope went out of the residence in New York to greet the hundreds of people convened to sing and wish him a happy birthday.

On Saturday evening there were 50 children in the first row visibly affected from various types of cancer. The affection and the sense of profound dignity expressed by the Pope revealed his highest moral authority that can offer hope and confidence.

Q: Could you tell us what the Holy Father told you?

Archbishop Migliore: I had the privilege and great pleasure of spending three days with the Holy Father in the residence of his representative at the United Nations. During the meals we shared our sentiments, impressions and exchanges of information about the unfolding of the Papal visit and the warm welcome and reception he was receiving.

On the occasion of his third anniversary of his pontificate, it was Pope Benedict who offered us a wonderful gift: He wished to have all my collaborators at the table for dinner. This was the highlight for all of us who had an opportunity to share with the Holy Father the joys and burdens, as well as the funny moments of our activity at the United Nations.

Q: Do you have any reactions from the national delegations in the United Nations to the Pope's speech?

Archbishop Migliore: This is a time of difficulty and tension also for the United Nations. The Pope uplifted spirits. Knowing that the United Nations is not a bed of roses even for the Pope, I had the impression that many diplomats who heard him stress the most beautiful potential of the United Nations, felt comforted and encouraged to work for a United Nations which delivers.

No doubt it was the meeting with the staff that accounted for the most enthusiastic response throughout the United Nations. At many points in his address the Pope smiled and looked at the crowd. His warmth and comfort was echoed by the crowd’s response, in its excitement and cheers, and in the standing ovations they gave him. This festive reaction by the staff was not just stadium frenzy, but it was motivated also by the message he delivered to them.

Q: The Pope said he and the Church believe in the United Nations, and urged the institution to go back to the original principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. How was his message received by members of the United Nations?

Archbishop Migliore: In particular, they had the impression that the Pope was reading their heart, their personal desire for justice and freedom. From what I hear from diplomats and officials at the United Nations, the words of the Pope will have an echo and a profound and studied following, especially with regard to the role of the United Nations and international law.

Q: How is the "responsibility to protect," mentioned by the Holy Father, a new principle for the international community? How would this differ from the international community's response to oppressive governments in the past?

Archbishop Migliore: He stated that the moral basis for a government’s claim to authority, to sovereignty, is its responsibility for, its willingness to, and effectiveness in protecting its populations from any kind of violation of human rights. While borrowing this expression from the Outcome Document adopted by Heads of State and Government in 2005, Pope Benedict outlined a broader concept: Responsibility to protect covers not only the so-called humanitarian -- military -- interventions, rather, it could be used as the new name for sovereignty, which is not only a right, but above all a responsibility to protect and promote the populations in their daily lives.

Human-Centered Development: Vatican Secretary of State

Holy See Calls for Human-Centered Development
Offers Analysis of Trade Situation

ACCRA, Ghana, APRIL 25, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The principles of solidarity and subsidiarity are the key to designing international rules and institutions that sustain development, the Holy See is proposing.

This idea was affirmed in a note for discussion sent by the Vatican Secretariat of State as part of the preparations of the 12th U.N. Conference on Trade and Development in Accra, which ended today.

The Holy See paper mentioned a "crisis of multilateralism," noting in particular two criticisms of international organizations.

"The first is the problem of representation, according to which the decision making power within these institutions is not allocated in an equitable way," it said. "The second criticism refers to the lack of grassroots involvement of the society in development-oriented initiatives undertaken by multilateral institutions. Such an approach presents the risk of formulating policy strategy that is not centered on the poor but rather on governments of poor countries."

After an analysis of the problems involved in trade and development, the Holy See took a look at "what can be done."

Human-centered
The first proposal was recalling what the paper called the "true objective," that is, development centered on the human being.

The true goal is development, the Holy See proposed, and "trade represents a significant opportunity for developing countries. However, it is not an end itself but rather is a means to achieve development and poverty reduction."

Next, the paper advised "a change in perspective": The goal of development, it said, is the common good.

The Holy See explained: "It must be clear that development is not only about the growth of the economy in general; it is about the development of the human being with his/her capabilities and relationships with intermediary social groups -- family, social, political, cultural groups etc. -- within which he/she lives.

"This requires a change in perspective that recognizes peoples as united by a common factor, their humanity being created with the imprint of the common God creator. Only by starting from this premise can we aim, within pluralist institutions, toward the achievement of the common good, which needs to be the primary objective of any society.

"The common good is neither an abstract goal nor a simple list of targets. It is simply the realization of the primary needs of the person: the need of truth, love, and justice."

In progress
The Secretariat of State further proposed that man is "always in development."

"In fact, development is not a target to reach; it is rather a path to follow," it said. "We can say that there is true development when persons are put in a position to follow their most important desires and needs."

The paper then offered two principles to sustain and not hamper the different paths for development: solidarity and subsidiarity.

"Solidarity is the responsibility of developed nations to favor economic growth [...] by helping less fortunate individuals to create their opportunities for development," it said. "Solidarity should be the guiding principle, not only in the definition of foreign aid, but also in the economic relationship between developed and developing countries and within regional or multilateral agreements."

But, the paper continued, "while solidarity should be the spark that generates the definition of development-oriented policies both at national and at international level, subsidiarity should be the guiding principle in their design and implementation."

It explained: "Subsidiarity not only preserves and promotes originality in the development of social life, but also implies an act of freedom by individuals who try to follow their vocations. [...] Participation is a duty to be fulfilled consciously by all, with responsibility and with a view to the common good.

"In other words, at international level, solidarity and subsidiarity imply a double responsibility: by developed countries in helping [least developed countries] to find their path for development and by least developed countries in implementing all the necessary policies that would allow them to take the opportunities that are offered."

5 Keys


If development it centered on the human person, the Holy See concluded, there are some key issues to be taken into account. The paper mentioned five.

The first is education, "the essence of development. Only an educated person can be fully aware of the worth and dignity of the human being. Then educated people can more easily establish among themselves social relations not based on force and abuse, but on respect and friendship. In such an environment, it is easier to reduce corruption and to develop virtuous institutions that help to achieve the common good."

Health and decent work were also included.

The Holy See said that economic freedom is key: "Without the institutional setting that provides a stable economic environment where the rule of law is enforced and property rights are respected, economic development inevitably is repressed."
Finally, the paper proposed the importance of entrepreneurship, calling it the first step toward economic development.

"The task faced by international institutions in sustaining the development of poor countries is enormous," the Holy See concluded. "The first decisive step toward achieving this goal is to implement policies that recognize and place the value of the human person at their center."

Female Poverty Reduction

Caritas Joins With Leaders to Fight Female Poverty
WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 23, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The secretary-general of the aid group Caritas Internationalis joined with other world leaders in making a pledge to end poverty among women.

Lesley-Anne Knight joined with leaders including former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Irish President Mary Robinson in pledging to work against poverty that plagues women in particular. The pledges were made at a meeting of the Women, Faith, and Development Alliance in Washington on April 13.

According to the United Nations, women account for 70% of the world's poor, while they are owners of just 1% of the world's titled land; two-thirds of the world's illiterate people are women.
The Women, Faith and Development Alliance received more than $1 billion in financial commitments. The alliance aims to boost the economic status of women and implement changes to make improvements possible.

Knight said: "Women and girls are at the center of efforts to end poverty. They are the majority of the world's poor. Caritas is fully behind efforts seeking to increase resources for the advancement of women.

"The Women, Faith and Development Alliance is bringing attention and funding to addressing this problem. Hopefully we can work together to make progress toward achieving the [U.N.] Millennium Development Goals by lifting millions of women out of poverty."

Speech by Archbishop Migliore at UN on Urbanization

FACING THE CONSEQUENCES OF RAPID URBANISATION

VATICAN CITY, 22 APR 2008 (VIS) - Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, delivered an address on 9 April before the 41st session of the Economic and Social Council's Commission on Population and Development.
Speaking English, Archbishop Migliore said that "migration and the urbanisation of societies should not be purely measured in terms of their economic impact. In finding ways to address the serious challenges posed by massive internal and trans-national migrations, let us not forget that at the heart of this phenomenon is the human person".

"New environmental, social and economic problems emerge with the birth of mega cities", he said. "But one of the most pressing and painful consequences of rapid urbanisation is the increasing number of people living in urban slums. As recently as 2005 over 840 million people around the world lived in such conditions".

Such people, he warned, "become trapped in a vicious cycle of extreme poverty and marginalisation. ... They feel powerless to demand even the most basic public services" and "policy makers and civil society actors must put these people and their concerns among the priorities in their decision-making".

"If", Archbishop Migliore concluded "we are to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, greater concern must be given to those communities, in which approximately 675 million still lack access to safe drinking water and two billion live without access to basic sanitation. National and international policies would do well to ensure that rural communities have access to higher quality and more accessible social services".
DELSS/URBANISATION DEVELOPMENT/UN:MIGLIORE VIS 080422 (270)

Pope's Homily at Yankee Stadium

Pope’s Homily at Yankee Stadium

Following is the prepared text of Pope Benedict XVI’s homily in the Mass at Yankee Stadium on April 20, as supplied by Vatican.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the Gospel we have just heard, Jesus tells his Apostles to put their faith in him, for he is “the way, and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6). Christ is the way that leads to the Father, the truth which gives meaning to human existence, and the source of that life which is eternal joy with all the saints in his heavenly Kingdom. Let us take the Lord at his word! Let us renew our faith in him and put all our hope in his promises!

With this encouragement to persevere in the faith of Peter (cf. Lk 22:32; Mt 16:17), I greet all of you with great affection. I thank Cardinal Egan for his cordial words of welcome in your name. At this Mass, the Church in the United States celebrates the 200th anniversary of the creation of the Sees of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville from the mother See of Baltimore. The presence around this altar of the Successor of Peter, his brother bishops and priests, and deacons, men and women religious, and lay faithful from throughout the 50 states of the Union, eloquently manifests our communion in the Catholic faith which comes to us from the Apostles.

Our celebration today is also a sign of the impressive growth which God has given to the Church in your country in the past two hundred years. From a small flock like that described in the first reading, the Church in America has been built up in fidelity to the twin commandment of love of God and love of neighbor. In this land of freedom and opportunity, the Church has united a widely diverse flock in the profession of the faith and, through her many educational, charitable and social works, has also contributed significantly to the growth of American society as a whole.

This great accomplishment was not without its challenges. Today’s first reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, speaks of linguistic and cultural tensions already present within the earliest Church community. At the same time, it shows the power of the word of God, authoritatively proclaimed by the Apostles and received in faith, to create a unity which transcends the divisions arising from human limitations and weakness. Here we are reminded of a fundamental truth: that the Church’s unity has no other basis than the Word of God, made flesh in Christ Jesus our Lord. All external signs of identity, all structures, associations and programs, valuable or even essential as they may be, ultimately exist only to support and foster the deeper unity which, in Christ, is God’s indefectible gift to his Church.

The first reading also makes clear, as we see from the imposition of hands on the first deacons, that the Church’s unity is “apostolic.” It is a visible unity, grounded in the Apostles whom Christ chose and appointed as witnesses to his resurrection, and it is born of what the Scriptures call “the obedience of faith” (Rom 1:5; cf. Acts 6:7).

“Authority.” “Obedience”. To be frank, these are not easy words to speak nowadays. Words like these represent a “stumbling stone” for many of our contemporaries, especially in a society which rightly places a high value on personal freedom. Yet, in the light of our faith in Jesus Christ -- “the way and the truth and the life” -- we come to see the fullest meaning, value, and indeed beauty, of those words. The Gospel teaches us that true freedom, the freedom of the children of God, is found only in the self-surrender which is part of the mystery of love. Only by losing ourselves, the Lord tells us, do we truly find ourselves (cf. Lk 17:33). True freedom blossoms when we turn away from the burden of sin, which clouds our perceptions and weakens our resolve, and find the source of our ultimate happiness in him who is infinite love, infinite freedom, infinite life. “In his will is our peace”.

Real freedom, then, is God’s gracious gift, the fruit of conversion to his truth, the truth which makes us free (cf. Jn 8:32). And this freedom in truth brings in its wake a new and liberating way of seeing reality. When we put on “the mind of Christ” (cf. Phil 2:5), new horizons open before us! In the light of faith, within the communion of the Church, we also find the inspiration and strength to become a leaven of the Gospel in the world. We become the light of the world, the salt of the earth (cf. Mt 5:13-14), entrusted with the “apostolate” of making our own lives, and the world in which we live, conform ever more fully to God’s saving plan.

This magnificent vision of a world being transformed by the liberating truth of the Gospel is reflected in the description of the Church found in today’s second reading. The Apostle tells us that Christ, risen from the dead, is the keystone of a great temple which is even now rising in the Spirit. And we, the members of his body, through Baptism have become “living stones” in that temple, sharing in the life of God by grace, blessed with the freedom of the sons of God, and empowered to offer spiritual sacrifices pleasing to him (cf. 1 Pet 2:5). And what is this offering which we are called to make, if not to direct our every thought, word and action to the truth of the Gospel and to harness all our energies in the service of God’s Kingdom? Only in this way can we build with God, on the one foundation which is Christ (cf. 1 Cor 3:11). Only in this way can we build something that will truly endure. Only in this way can our lives find ultimate meaning and bear lasting fruit.

Today we recall the bicentennial of a watershed in the history of the Church in the United States: its first great chapter of growth. In these two hundred years, the face of the Catholic community in your country has changed greatly. We think of the successive waves of immigrants whose traditions have so enriched the Church in America. We think of the strong faith which built up the network of churches, educational, healthcare and social institutions which have long been the hallmark of the Church in this land. We think also of those countless fathers and mothers who passed on the faith to their children, the steady ministry of the many priests who devoted their lives to the care of souls, and the incalculable contribution made by so many men and women religious, who not only taught generations of children how to read and write, but also inspired in them a lifelong desire to know God, to love him and to serve him. How many “spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God” have been offered up in these two centuries! In this land of religious liberty, Catholics found freedom not only to practice their faith, but also to participate fully in civic life, bringing their deepest moral convictions to the public square and cooperating with their neighbors in shaping a vibrant, democratic society. Today’s celebration is more than an occasion of gratitude for graces received. It is also a summons to move forward with firm resolve to use wisely the blessings of freedom, in order to build a future of hope for coming generations.

“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people he claims for his own, to proclaim his glorious works” (1 Pet 2:9). These words of the Apostle Peter do not simply remind us of the dignity which is ours by God’s grace; they also challenge us to an ever greater fidelity to the glorious inheritance which we have received in Christ (cf. Eph 1:18). They challenge us to examine our consciences, to purify our hearts, to renew our baptismal commitment to reject Satan and all his empty promises. They challenge us to be a people of joy, heralds of the unfailing hope (cf. Rom 5:5) born of faith in God’s word, and trust in his promises.

Each day, throughout this land, you and so many of your neighbors pray to the Father in the Lord’s own words: “Thy Kingdom come.” This prayer needs to shape the mind and heart of every Christian in this nation. It needs to bear fruit in the way you lead your lives and in the way you build up your families and your communities. It needs to create new “settings of hope” (cf. Spe Salvi, 32ff.) where God’s Kingdom becomes present in all its saving power.

Praying fervently for the coming of the Kingdom also means being constantly alert for the signs of its presence, and working for its growth in every sector of society. It means facing the challenges of present and future with confidence in Christ’s victory and a commitment to extending his reign. It means not losing heart in the face of resistance, adversity and scandal. It means overcoming every separation between faith and life, and countering false gospels of freedom and happiness. It also means rejecting a false dichotomy between faith and political life, since, as the Second Vatican Council put it, “there is no human activity - even in secular affairs - which can be withdrawn from God’s dominion” (Lumen Gentium, 36). It means working to enrich American society and culture with the beauty and truth of the Gospel, and never losing sight of that great hope which gives meaning and value to all the other hopes which inspire our lives.

And this, dear friends, is the particular challenge which the Successor of Saint Peter sets before you today. As “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,” follow faithfully in the footsteps of those who have gone before you! Hasten the coming of God’s Kingdom in this land! Past generations have left you an impressive legacy. In our day too, the Catholic community in this nation has been outstanding in its prophetic witness in the defense of life, in the education of the young, in care for the poor, the sick and the stranger in your midst. On these solid foundations, the future of the Church in America must even now begin to rise!

Yesterday, not far from here, I was moved by the joy, the hope and the generous love of Christ which I saw on the faces of the many young people assembled in Dunwoodie. They are the Church’s future, and they deserve all the prayer and support that you can give them. And so I wish to close by adding a special word of encouragement to them. My dear young friends, like the seven men, “filled with the Spirit and wisdom” whom the Apostles charged with care for the young Church, may you step forward and take up the responsibility which your faith in Christ sets before you! May you find the courage to proclaim Christ, “the same, yesterday, and today and for ever” and the unchanging truths which have their foundation in him (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 10; Heb 13:8). These are the truths that set us free! They are the truths which alone can guarantee respect for the inalienable dignity and rights of each man, woman and child in our world - including the most defenseless of all human beings, the unborn child in the mother’s womb. In a world where, as Pope John Paul II, speaking in this very place, reminded us, Lazarus continues to stand at our door (Homily at Yankee Stadium, October 2, 1979, No. 7), let your faith and love bear rich fruit in outreach to the poor, the needy and those without a voice. Young men and women of America, I urge you: open your hearts to the Lord’s call to follow him in the priesthood and the religious life. Can there be any greater mark of love than this: to follow in the footsteps of Christ, who was willing to lay down his life for his friends (cf. Jn 15:13)?

In today’s Gospel, the Lord promises his disciples that they will perform works even greater than his (cf. Jn 14:12). Dear friends, only God in his providence knows what works his grace has yet to bring forth in your lives and in the life of the Church in the United States. Yet Christ’s promise fills us with sure hope. Let us now join our prayers to his, as living stones in that spiritual temple which is his one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Let us lift our eyes to him, for even now he is preparing for us a place in his Father’s house. And empowered by his Holy Spirit, let us work with renewed zeal for the spread of his Kingdom.

“Happy are you who believe!” (cf. 1 Pet 2:7). Let us turn to Jesus! He alone is the way that leads to eternal happiness, the truth who satisfies the deepest longings of every heart, and the life who brings ever new joy and hope, to us and to our world. Amen.

[In Spanish:]

Queridos hermanos y hermanas en el Señor:

Les saludo con afecto y me alegro de celebrar esta Santa Misa para dar gracias a Dios por el bicentenario del momento en que empezó a desarrollarse la Iglesia Católica en esta Nación. Al mirar el camino de fe recorrido en estos años, no exento también de dificultades, alabamos al Señor por los frutos que la Palabra de Dios ha dado en estas tierras y le manifestamos nuestro deseo de que Cristo, Camino, Verdad y Vida, sea cada vez más conocido y amado.

Aquí, en este País de libertad, quiero proclamar con fuerza que la Palabra de Cristo no elimina nuestras aspiraciones a una vida plena y libre, sino que nos descubre nuestra verdadera dignidad de hijos de Dios y nos alienta a luchar contra todo aquello que nos esclaviza, empezando por nuestro propio egoísmo y caprichos. Al mismo tiempo, nos anima a manifestar nuestra fe a través de nuestra vida de caridad y a hacer que nuestras comunidades eclesiales sean cada día más acogedoras y fraternas.

Sobre todo a los jóvenes les confío asumir el gran reto que entraña creer en Cristo y lograr que esa fe se manifieste en una cercanía efectiva hacia los pobres. También en una respuesta generosa a las llamadas que Él sigue formulando para dejarlo todo y emprender una vida de total consagración a Dios y a la Iglesia, en la vida sacerdotal o religiosa.

Queridos hermanos y hermanas, les invito a mirar el futuro con esperanza, permitiendo que Jesús entre en sus vidas. Solamente

Él es el camino que conduce a la felicidad que no acaba, la verdad que satisface las más nobles expectativas humanas y la vida colmada de gozo para bien de la Iglesia y el mundo. Que Dios les bendiga.

Article on Catholic Non Governmental Agencies

Feature Article, 12 April 2008

Window on the world

Patrick Nicholson

Pope Benedict's visit to New York is expected to highlight the Vatican's

commitment to the UN. But what of the hundreds of Catholic NGOs based in New York

which lobby on issues such as education, justice and poverty? Are they a

Catholic bloc or myriad voices for the voiceless?

On a visit to the United Nations headquarters in New York in 2006, Archbishop

John Baptist Odama, of Gulu in Uganda, poignantly addressed members of the

Security Council, telling them: "I come here to bring the cry of the children,

the cry of their mothers, and the cry of their families to the ears of the

people who matter."

Uganda was then in the twentieth year of a long, brutal and largely

unreported civil war. Its worst feature was the abduction of 20,000 children by the

rebels to be used as forced labourers, sex slaves and soldiers. The archbishop

was asking for outside help to end the conflict and he got it. With increased

support from the international community, a peace process was launched.

Caritas Internationalis, the umbrella organisation for 162 national Catholic

relief and development charities, had helped to arrange the archbishop's trip

to the United Nations. It is one example of a wide variety of work carried out

by Catholic organisations there.

"Every day we work in a relentless crisis of challenging opportunities and

urgent competing priorities," says Joe Donnelly, head of the Caritas delegation

at the UN in New York, as he shuttles between meetings on Iraq, Colombia and

the Millennium Development Goals.

His office looks across to the UN, with its landmark Secretariat tower and

domed General Assembly building. It is here that the Security Council and

General Assembly meet to address urgent crises of peace, human security and

development affecting the lives of millions of people around the world.

"The General Assembly and the Security Council don't have any windows," Mr

Donnelly points out, "so we provide them with a window on the world. We're a

grass-roots global organisation and so can give the diplomats and UN staff a

sense of the reality on the ground. We act as a bridge between governance and

policy to members of our network in local communities everywhere."

Amid the jargon and the bureaucracy, reportedly not as bad in the wake of

reforms launched by the current Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, deals are struck

and international law is shaped. Hoping to affect the outcome of these

negotiations are various advocacy groups, from industry lobbyists to non-governmental

organisations (NGOs) campaigning on anything from the arms trade to the

economic crisis in Zimbabwe.

Hundreds of Catholic organisations, lay and Religious, from all over the

world are accredited to the United Nations systems in New York, Geneva, Paris,

Vienna and Nairobi. Some, like the Catholic Association for Peace, were actively

engaged with other Christian groups in San Francisco when the UN Charter was

drafted in 1945.

"Catholic organisations are very vibrant at the moment," says Sr Dorothy

Farley, a Dominican who has headed the International Catholic Organisation

Information Centre for the past 13 years.

Her office provides Catholic agencies at the UN with accreditation details,

advises them about whom to talk to on what issues, and sets up briefings with

national Catholic staff and experts on health, education, environment, de

velopment and poverty matters, often in dialogue with diplomats and UN executives.

During her time at the centre she has seen its members double to 42. "There is

great variety," she says. "There are Franciscans, the Catholic Medical Mission

Board, the Society of Vincent de Paul, the International Federation of

Catholic Universities. The list goes on."

NGOs are accredited to the department of public information or to the

Economic and Social Council, or to both. "Catholic NGOs at the UN have been active

advocates on the alleviation of poverty, access to primary education,

empowerment of women and climate change," says Isolda Oca, information officer at the

Department of Public Information. "They are effective. They come to conferences,

briefings, workshops, and high-level meetings at the General Assembly."

Though NGOs are not allowed to address the General Assembly, those with

accreditation to the Economic and Social Council and consultative status, like

Caritas, can be called upon to speak as experts.

Sr Eileen Gannon represents the Dominican Leadership Conference at the UN.

She says her job is to bring the voice, experience and concerns of the Dominican

family to this global forum on issues around the Millennium Development

Goals, the UN's anti-poverty targets.

"Justice, poverty, fair trade and sustainability are global issues," she

says. "They are local issues as well, and our work at the UN complements the good

work done by our sisters and brothers where they live. Global policies are

lived locally and we make the connection."

The nuts and bolts of being a representative mean submitting briefings to UN

committees, attending NGO working groups, meeting General Assembly and

Security Council members and, most significantly, giving them off-the-record

briefings. Achieving change can at times seem a slow, laborious process, but this has

borne fruit in the past. Caritas representatives at Special Sessions on HIV

and Aids at the UN General Assembly have helped to lobby governments to increase

funding and commit to providing universal access to prevention, treatment and

care. Their words have been incorporated in final declarations.

The key to success is not being part of a Catholic ghetto, but working in

partnership with other colleagues across the NGO spectrum. Catholic NGOs stress

that they are not part of a bloc, but are there to represent the issues that

are vital to their organisations on the ground. However, they do bring an

important moral dimension to their work.

In an interview with The Tablet, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Permanent

Observer of the Holy See to the UN, told me that the Catholic NGOs' relationship

with the Holy See is not merely functional: "Rather, they tend to incarnate

different charisms and calls within the Church. In this sense, their mutual

relation is based more on the sense of the ecclesial communion than on

functionality."

He added that a healthy challenge to Catholic agencies comes from within. "If

they want to be effective, they have to team together, to show cohesion or,

rather, communion and unity on the background of their legitimate pluralism.

Because this is our strength: our word is effective only if we are united," he

said.

At the end of November, Pope Benedict XVI addressed a Vatican meeting with 85

Catholic international NGOs and expressed support for their work as well as

for the importance of the UN system, though he did warn against "moral

relativism".

"A growing tendency within the international organisations is to dislike and

discard in principle all semblance of a religious connotation," said

Archbishop Migliore on the challenges faced by Catholic NGOs at the UN. "The

intolerance does not reside only in certain fundamentalist religious people, but also in

those who - not being believers - do not permit society to be a believer."

Governments and international institutions have in the past not recognised

the vital role that faith-based organisations have to play in delivering

humanitarian assistance and promoting human development, says Caritas. For instance,

in many African countries the Catholic Church is the primary, if not the sole,

healthcare and education provider. International donors have not taken

advantage of this valuable resource as a way to deliver aid, with only a fraction of

funding going though faith-based organisations.

"We advocate first and foremost not on the basis of our beliefs," says Dr

Ezio Castelli of the Association of Volunteers in International Service USA

(AVSI-USA), a development agency with a basis in Catholic social teaching. "We are

not advocating for a space to build a 'Catholic' school or hospital, but for

governments to recognise the common good of these institutions."

The UN is beginning to see the potential of faith-based organisations,

especially their role in organising advocacy initiatives internationally, nationally

and locally. UN staff regard campaigns such as the Jubilee Debt Campaign or

Make Poverty History, with their backbone of faith-based organisations, as

setting the standard as they try to deliver on their own Millennium Development

Goals. They also look for expertise on programming from faith-based groups.

Pope Benedict's visit to the UN in New York to address the General Assembly

will bring into focus many of these issues. Catholic NGOs are hoping for

different things from the Pope: to support their issues around poverty and

development, to maintain the Vatican's commitment to the UN system as he has done in

the past and, in the words of Dr Castelli, "To be reminded what a Christian is

and means."

Holy See: Urbanized World Brings New ChallengesHuman Person, Not Money, at Heart of Phenomenon, Says AideNEW YORK, APRIL 10, 2008 ( Zenit.org ).-

As the world's cities, for the first time in history, boast more inhabitants than the globe's rural areas, the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations says that the needs of urban migrants need to be met.Archbishop Celestino Migliore affirmed this Wednesday at the Economic and Social Council's 41st session of the Commission on Population and Development. The topic at hand was world population monitoring, focusing on population distribution, urbanization, internal migration and development.The archbishop noted the session's timing "at this historic juncture when, for the first time in history, the number of urban inhabitants will surpass the number of people living in rural areas.""This session therefore calls on us to reflect on this phenomenon and take stock of the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead," he said.

The prelate affirmed that the urbanization of populations provides new opportunities for economic growth: "With access to higher wages and better social services such as education, health, transportation, communications, safe water supplies and sanitation, migrants from rural to urban settings are more likely to advance their personal and social development."Still, the Holy See representative urged, "We must place the needs and concerns of peoples first."

Archbishop Migliore cautioned against a reversal in priorities."Placing the human person at the service of economic or environmental considerations creates the inhuman effect of treating people as objects rather than subjects," he said. "Migration and the urbanization of societies should not be purely measured in terms of their economic impact. In finding ways to address the serious challenges posed by massive internal and transnational migrations, let us not forget that at the heart of this phenomenon is the human person. "Thus we must also address the reasons why people move, the sacrifices they make, the anguish and the hopes that accompany migrants. Migration often places great strain on migrants, as they leave behind families and friends, sociocultural and spiritual networks."

Slums
Archbishop Migliore cited the secretary-genera's report in noting the many challenges that also come with urbanization."Indeed," he said, "new environmental, social and economic problems emerge with the birth of mega cities. But one of the most pressing and painful consequences of rapid urbanization is the increasing number of people living in urban slums. As recently as 2005, over 840 million people around the world lived in such conditions. Lacking in almost everything, these individuals can lose their sense of self-worth and inherent dignity."The archbishop noted some of the problems faced by slum-dwellers, "trapped in a vicious cycle of extreme poverty and marginalization.""They squat on state or other people's properties. They feel powerless to demand even the most basic public services. Children are not in schools, but in waste dumpsites eking out a living from scavenging. Policy makers and civil society actors must put these people and their concerns among the priorities in their decision-making."

Archbishop Migliore also contended that residents of rural areas not be forgotten. "If we are to achieve the [millennium development goals] by 2015, greater concern must be given to those communities, in which approximately 675 million still lack access to safe drinking water and 2 billion live without access to basic sanitation. National and international policies would do well to ensure that rural communities have access to higher quality and more accessible social services."He concluded by affirming the Holy See's commitment to "addressing the concerns of all migrants and to finding ways to collaborate with all, in order to ensure a proper balance between the just concerns of state and those of individual human beings.""Helping migrants meet their basic needs does not only aid their transition and help keep families together," the prelate stated. "It is also a positive way to encourage them to become productive, responsible, law-abiding and contributors to the common good of the society."


Holy See on Urban Growth"Problems Emerge With the Birth of Mega Cities"NEW YORK, APRIL 10, 2008 ( Zenit.org ).-
Here is the address given Wednesday by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations, at the Economic and Social Council's 41st session of the Commission on Population and Development.

The meeting discussed world population monitoring, focusing on population distribution, urbanization, internal migration and development.* * *

Mr. Chairman, This session of the Commission on Population and Development comes at this historic juncture when, for the first time in history, the number of urban inhabitants will surpass the number of people living in rural areas. This session therefore calls on us to reflect on this phenomenon and take stock of the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.The urbanization of world populations provides new opportunities for economic growth. With access to higher wages and better social services such as education, health, transportation, communications, safe water supplies and sanitation, migrants from rural to urban settings are more likely to advance their personal and social development.When addressing the issues of migration and development, we must place the needs and concerns of peoples first. Placing the human person at the service of economic or environmental considerations creates the inhuman effect of treating people as objects rather than subjects. Migration and the urbanization of societies should not be purely measured in terms of their economic impact. In finding ways to address the serious challenges posed by massive internal and transnational migrations, let us not forget that at the heart of this phenomenon is the human person. Thus we must also address the reasons why people move, the sacrifices they make, the anguish and the hopes that accompany migrants. Migration often places great strain on migrants, as they leave behind families and friends, socio-cultural and spiritual networks. As the secretary-general’s report rightly illustrates, while urbanization has created better opportunities for individuals and their families, the move from agricultural settings to urban centers also create myriad challenges. Indeed, new environmental, social and economic problems emerge with the birth of mega cities. But one of the most pressing and painful consequences of rapid urbanization is the increasing number of people living in urban slums. As recently as 2005 over 840 million people around the world lived in such conditions. Lacking in almost everything, these individuals can lose their sense of self-worth and inherent dignity. They become trapped in a vicious cycle of extreme poverty and marginalization. They squat on state or other people’s properties. They feel powerless to demand even the most basic public services. Children are not in schools, but in waste dumpsites eking out a living from scavenging. Policy makers and civil society actors must put these people and their concerns among the priorities in their decision-making.While urbanization provides a net growth in terms of economic development, we must not lose sight of the daunting challenges that rural communities face, particularly those in developing countries. If we are to achieve the MDGs by 2015, greater concern must be given to those communities, in which approximately 675 million still lack access to safe drinking water and two billion live without access to basic sanitation. National and international policies would do well to ensure that rural communities have access to higher quality and more accessible social services. Mr. Chairman,For its part, the Holy See and its institutions remain committed to addressing the concerns of all migrants and to finding ways to collaborate with all, in order to ensure a proper balance between the just concerns of state and those of individual human beings. Helping migrants meet their basic needs does not only aid their transition and help keep families together. It is also a positive way to encourage them to become productive, responsible, law-abiding and contributors to the common good of the society.Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Catholic University of America Archives Web site: 1919 US Bishops Social Reconstruction

The Catholic University of America Archives: INTER-ACTIVE EDUCATIONAL WEB SITE: The Bishops' Program of Social Reconstruction 1919, site

The American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives at
Catholic University in Washington, D.C. is pleased to announce a free new
primary document website on the Bishops' Program of Social Reconstruction of 1919. Written by Father John A. Ryan and released by the National Catholic War Council (the forerunner of the National Catholic Welfare Conference), the Bishops' Program offered a guide for overhauling America's politics, society, and economy based on Pope Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum and a variety of American influences.

The site explores the Bishops' Program, from its origins in the uncertainty of the immediate post-World War One period, to the ideas that informed its author Father John A.Ryan, through its reception by the Catholic community and the broader public upon its release.

The Bishops' Program of Social Reconstruction site contains:

1. Thirty-five documents and more than two dozen photographs related to the National Catholic War Council.

2. Background information on the creation of the Bishops' Program.

3. A Chronology of events surrounding the creation of the plan toward
placing it in broader historical context.

4. A Further Reading list for deeper exploration of the Program.

5. A History Standards page for teacher who wish to integrate the site
documents into the U.S. History curriculum.

6. A So What? section suggesting broader themes and issues the site
illuminates.

The site is part of the American Catholic History Classroom at the Catholic University Archives and can be found at:

http://libraries.cua.edu/achrcua/bishops/1919_wel.html

ARCHBISHOP TOMASI: HUMAN RIGHTS, THE FIGHT AGAINST RACISM

ARCHBISHOP TOMASI: HUMAN RIGHTS, THE FIGHT AGAINST RACISM

Vatican City, 4 APR 2008 (VIS) - Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the Office of the United Nations in Geneva, gave a speech to the advisory committee during the seventh session of the Human Rights Council that took place in Geneva from 3 to 28 March.

Archbishop Tomasi, who spoke on intercultural dialogue and human rights on 18 March at a round table discussion, affirmed that “to each right corresponds a duty. In this interaction of rights and duties and in the pursuit of the common good, communities are formed and protected”.

That is why, he added, “the task then is to provide an enabling environment where the person can flourish without undue discrimination. Religious freedom, in many ways, is a symbol of this type of environment that sustains both individual persons and the community”.

In another speech concerning racism given at the Human Rights Council on 19 March, the permanent observer of the Holy See pointed out that “the question of pluralism in contemporary societies and the fight against racism can find a solution in an environment where the persons enjoy all human rights, civil and political as well as social, cultural and economic”.

“Tolerance alone does not suffice;” he continued. “Everyone should acknowledge both the difference and the equality with the other person to find solutions to the practical problems of living together”.

Archbishop Tomasi emphasized that “racism and intolerance should be combated through concerted practical measures”. In this context, he affirmed that “education, that favors mutual knowledge, that builds confidence and sustains the implementation of human rights, can serve as a critical vehicle for effective dialogue. Other concrete ways,” he concluded, “are the improvement of the United Nations early warning mechanisms related to this issue”.

DELSS/HUMAN RIGHTS/TOMASI VIS 080404 (300)

Holy See: Development Goals Elusive as Deadline Nears

Holy See: Development Goals Elusive as Deadline Nears
Archbishop Urges Redoubled Efforts at United Nations

NEW YORK, APRIL 4, 2008 ( Zenit.org ).- The time allotted to reach the Millennium Development Goals is already half over, and the Holy See says many of the problems the goals aim to alleviate are still rampant.

Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, affirmed this today in an address delivered to the 62nd session of the U.N. General Assembly. His statement was given during the debate on “Recognizing the Achievements, Addressing the Challenges and Getting Back on Track to Achieve the MDGs by 2015.”

"In the year 2000, in this very hall, heads of state and of government agreed on an ambitious, yet needed, set of global development goals to be achieved by 2015," the archbishop recalled. "At the halfway point, while much has been done toward achieving the goals, abject poverty, hunger, illiteracy and lack of even the most basic health care are still rampant, indeed worsening in some regions.

"Tackling these challenges that continue to afflict hundreds of millions remains, therefore, at the very center of our concerns."

Hunger and poverty

Archbishop Migliore lamented that "the overall goal of reducing hunger and poverty has remained elusive."

"My delegation believes that greater international solidarity is necessary if we are to succeed in narrowing the ever-increasing gap between rich and poor countries and between individuals within countries," he said. "While international aid is important, a fairer international trade environment -- including addressing market-distorting practices that disadvantage weaker economies -- is even more decisive.

"My delegation wishes to assure that the Holy See remains actively engaged in alleviating poverty and hunger, which are an offense against human dignity."

Education

The archbishop said the Holy See is pleased to note progress toward achieving universal access to primary education, "with some of the poorest regions seeing a dramatic increase in enrollment."

Still, he noted, there are 58 countries that are at risk of not receiving access by 2015, unless "redoubled efforts" are put forth.

"Education underpins all the MDGs," Archbishop Migliore affirmed. "It is the most effective tool to empower men and women to achieve greater social, economic and political freedom. Governments and civil society, public and private sectors, parents and teachers must invest in the education of future generations to prepare them to face the challenges of an increasingly globalized society.

"In particular, utmost efforts must be made to give equal educational opportunities to boys and girls, and to ensure that no child is left behind for purely economic and social reasons."

Health care

The archbishop said there were lights and shadows in the area of health care, and he called for collective action.

"While progress has been made in reducing child mortality, there has been slower progress in addressing maternal health, HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis," he said. "The overriding cause of the slow progress has been the lack of resources at the most basic levels of health care and the continued lack of access to even basic health services.

"It has been long demonstrated that investing in primary health care, rather than in selective, culturally divisive and ideologically driven forms of health services, which camouflage the destruction of life among medical and social services, is one of the most cost effective and successful ways to improve the overall quality of life and the stability of families and communities."

Archbishop Migliore promised the support of the Holy See "through its institutions, [to] continue to provide basic health care, with a preferential option for the most underserved and marginalized sectors of society."

The Holy See representative noted the coincidence of the halfway point in the process of achieving the MDGs with the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

"At the heart of both the UDHR and the MDGs is the goal of a better future for all," the archbishop said. "More than talks and summits, the achievement of this goal requires commitment and concrete action. Our common fight against extreme poverty, hunger, illiteracy and illnesses is not merely an act of generosity and altruism: it is a 'conditio sine qua non' for a better future and a better world fit for all."

Holy See on UN's Millennium Goals
"For a Better Future and a Better World Fit for All"

NEW YORK, APRIL 4, 2008 ( Zenit.org ).- Here is the address delivered today by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, at the 62nd session of the U.N. General Assembly. The statement was given during the debate on “Recognizing the Achievements, Addressing the Challenges and Getting Back on Track to Achieve the MDGs by 2015.”

* * *

Mr. President,

In the year 2000, in this very Hall, Heads of State and of Government agreed on an ambitious, yet needed, set of global development goals to be achieved by 2015. At halfway point, while much has been done towards achieving the goals, abject poverty, hunger, illiteracy and lack of even the most basic healthcare are still rampant, indeed worsening in some regions. Tackling these challenges that continue to afflict hundreds of millions remains, therefore, at the very centre of our concerns.

Authoritative studies tell us that in spite of the remarkable economic growth in many developing countries, the overall goal of reducing hunger and poverty has remained elusive.

My delegation believes that greater international solidarity is necessary if we are to succeed in narrowing the ever-increasing gap between rich and poor countries and between individuals within countries. While international aid is important, a fairer international trade environment -- including addressing market-distorting practices which disadvantage weaker economies - is even more decisive. In this regard, the importance of the upcoming Doha Review Conference cannot be stressed enough. The combined efforts to meet the 0.7% of ODA and to review trade and financing mechanisms on the one hand, and to end bad governance and internecine conflicts in recipient States on the other, will go a long way in lifting millions out of extreme poverty and hunger.

My delegation wishes to assure that the Holy See remains actively engaged in alleviating poverty and hunger, which are an offense against human dignity. It will not cease to highlight these basic needs, so that they remain at the centre of international attention and are addressed as a matter of social justice.

The Holy See is very pleased of the good progress towards achieving universal access to primary education, with some of the poorest regions seeing a dramatic increase in enrollment. However, without redoubled efforts, 58 countries may not achieve the goal of universal primary schooling by 2015.

Education underpins all the MDGs. It is the most effective tool to empower men and women to achieve greater social, economic and political freedom. Governments and civil society, public and private sectors, parents and teachers must invest in the education of future generations to prepare them to face the challenges of an increasingly globalised society. In particular, utmost efforts must be made to give equal educational opportunities to boys and girls, and to ensure that no child is left behind for purely economic and social reasons.

Precisely with this end in view, thousands of educational institutions of the Catholic Church are located in degraded inner cities and in far-flung villages, in the peripheries of huge cities and in places where children are constrained to work to survive.

The health-related MDGs also require our collective action. While progress has been made in reducing child mortality, there has been slower progress in addressing maternal health, HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. The overriding cause of the slow progress has been the lack of resources at the most basic levels of healthcare and the continued lack of access to even basic health services. It has been long demonstrated that investing in primary healthcare, rather than in selective, culturally divisive and ideologically driven forms of health services, which camouflage the destruction of life among medical and social services, is one of the most cost effective and successful ways to improve the overall quality of life and the stability of families and communities.

Moreover, the lack of progress on the health-related goals demonstrates the interconnected and mutually reinforcing nature of the MDGs. The significant correlation between poverty and the persistent high levels of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and maternal mortality is evident. My delegation wishes to assure that the Holy See, through its institutions, will continue to provide basic healthcare, with a preferential option for the most underserved and marginalized sectors of society.

This thematic debate halfway towards 2015 comes at this rather poignant time of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. At the heart of both the UDHR and the MDGs is the goal of a better future for all. More than talks and summits, the achievement of this goal requires commitment and concrete action. Our common fight against extreme poverty, hunger, illiteracy and illnesses is not merely an act of generosity and altruism: it is a "conditio sine qua non" for a better future and a better world fit for all.

Thank you, Mr. President.