Returning to the words of St. John Paul II, Francis remarked, "To arrive at a
fully valid interpretation of the words inspired by the Holy Spirit, we
ourselves must be guided by the Holy Spirit; and for this we must pray, and
ask in prayer for the inner light of the Spirit and accept this light with
docility; we must ask for love, as love alone makes us able to understand the
language of God, which is love". He added, "Our Lady teaches us to fully
welcome the Word of God, not only through intellectual research, but in all
our life", and concluded by giving his blessing to those present.

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 Catholics and orthodox in Amman on "Synodality and the Primate"
 Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - The eighth plenary session of the
International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic
Church and the Orthodox Church will take place in Amman, Jordan from 15 to 23
September, following the invitation from the Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of
Jerusalem, His Beatitude Theophilos III.
 The session will be co-chaired by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and the Metropolitan of
Pergamon Ioannis (Zizioulas) of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. As on previous
occasions, the meeting will be attended by two representatives of each of the
fourteen autocephalous Orthodox Churches and many other Catholic
representatives. The plenary session will examine a draft document entitled
"Synodality and the Primate", drawn up by the Co-ordinating Committee of the
Commission during the two meetings held in Rome in 2011 and in Paris in 2012.
 The study of the theological and anthropological relationship between the
primate and synodality in the life of the Church in local, regional and
universal contexts should offer a framework for reference for considering the
crucial question of the role of the bishop of Rome in the universal Church. In
Amman, the members of the Commission will be required to evaluate whether the
draft prepared by the Co-ordinating Committee adequately reflects the
currently existing consensus on this delicate issue or if it will be necessary
to explore the theme in further depth.
 The plenary session will also offer participants the opportunity to share
moments of prayer with the local Christian communities and to express their
closeness to those who suffer as a result of ongoing conflicts in the region.

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 Archbishop Tomasi: human trafficking is not confined to poor and developing
countries
 Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - The fight against contemporary forms
of slavery was the theme of the address given by Archbishop Silvano Tomasi.
Holy See Permanent Observer at the United Nations, during the 27th Ordinary
Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
 The archbishop referred to a number of tragic forms of contemporary slavery
that have recently attracted the attention of the media and the international
community, such as "massive kidnappings and sale of young girls under the
false premises of religious teachings as is done, for example, by Boko Haram
in Nigeria or by the so-called Islamic State group in northern Iraq".
 "Some 250,000 children are forcibly conscripted and even used as "human
shields" in the front lines of armed conflicts", he continued. However, there
are "other, subtler forms of slavery that deserve specific attention,
including the 5.7 million children who are victims of forced and bonded
labour, domestic servitude, early, forced and servile marriage ... and
caste-based forms of slavery, which affect the lives of so many and are not
confined to developing and poor countries". Factors that may contribute to the
promotion of all forms of slavery include "the increasing incidence of
absolute poverty among many families affected by the economic crises, the lack
of education and illiteracy, long-term and apparently irreversible
unemployment which force people into the informal-sector work without adequate
pay or social protection, involuntary migration, and human trafficking".
 Although the international community has already developed international
conventions and agreements to protect against contemporary forms of slavery,
the Holy See observer remarked that greater political will is necessary to
ensure the effectiveness of such instruments and to increase public awareness.
"We need to break the silence about this 'open wound on the body of
contemporary society' and motivate 'men and women of good will who want to cry
out, Enough!'" he continued, noting that Pope Francis takes every opportunity
to denounce the "many abominable forms of slavery [that] persist in today's
world" and has "joined with leaders from other major religious traditions to
promote the ideals of faith and of shared human values in order to eradicate
modern slavery and human trafficking ... for all time".

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 Audiences
 Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in
audience twenty-one prelates from the National Episcopal Conference of the
Democratic Republic of Congo, on their "ad Limina" visit:
 - Archbishop Marcel Utembi Tapa of Kisangani;
 - Bishop Etienne Ung'eyowun Bediwegi of Bondo;
 - Bishop Dieudonne Uringi Uuci of Bunia;
 - Bishop Joseph Banga Bane of Buta;
 - Bishop Julien Andavo Mbia of Isiro-Niangara;
 - Bishop Sosthene Ayikuli Adjuwa of Mahagi-Nioka;
 - Bishop Janvier Kataka Luvete of Wamba;
 - Archbishop Jean-Pierre Tafunga Mbayo, S.D.B., of Lubumbashi;
 - Bishop Jean-Anatole Kalala Kaseba of Kamina;
 - Bishop Fulgence Muteba Mugalu of Kilwa-Kasenga;
 - Bishop Nestor Ngoy Katahwa of Kolwezi;
 - Bishop Oscar Ngoy wa Mpanga, C.S.Sp., of Kongolo;
 - Bishop Vincent de Paul Kwanga Ndjibu of Manono;
 - Bishop Gaston Kashala Ruwezi, S.D.B., of Sakania-Kipushi;
 - Archbishop Joseph Kumuondala Mbimba of Mbandaka-Bikoro;
 - Bishop Joseph Mokobe Ndjoku of Basankusu;
 - Bishop Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, O.F.M. Cap., of Bokungu-Ikela;
 - Bishop Philibert Tembo Nlandu, C.I.C.M., of Budjala;
 - Bishop Louis Nkinga Bondala, C.I.C.M., of Lisala;
 - Bishop Ferdinand Maemba Liwoke of Lolo;
 - Bishop Dominique Bulamatari of Molegbe.
 This afternoon, the Holy Father will receive in audience Archbishop Nikola
Eterovic, apostolic nuncio in the Federal Republic of Germany.

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 Other Pontifical Acts
 Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed
Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", and
Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, major penitentiary, as members of the Congregation
for the Causes of Saints.

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 Notice
 Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - We inform our readers that tomorrow,
Saturday 13 September, an extraordinary edition of the Vatican Information
Service will be transmitted on the occasion of Pope Francis' visit to
Redipuglia, Italy.

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For more information and to search for documents refer to the site:
www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican
Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting
the source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.
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