"In other words", he explained, "the State of social rights must not be
dismantled, and in particular the right to work must be protected. This must
not be considered a variable, dependent upon financial and monetary markets.
It is a fundamental right for dignity, for the formation of a family, for the
realisation of the common good and for peace. Education and work and access to
welfare for all are key elements both for development and for the just
distribution of goods, for achieving social justice and for belonging to
society, and for participating freely and responsibly in political life,
understood as the management of the "res publica". Ideas that claim to
increase income at the cost of restricting the job market and creating further
exclusion are not coherent with an economy at the service of man and the
common good, or with an inclusive and participatory democracy".
 Further problems arise from the "lasting imbalances between economic sectors,
remuneration, commercial banks and banks engaged in speculation, between
institutions and global problems: it is necessary to remain vigilant about
poverty and social justice. This requires, on the one hand, radical reforms
that provide for the redistribution of the wealth produced, and the
universalisation of free markets in the service of families, and on the other,
a redistribution of sovereignty, at both national and supranational levels".
 Returning to the encyclical "Caritas in veritate", the Pope noted that this
document emphasised the bond between the environmental and human ecology, and
affirmed the current relevance of its principles. "A love full of truth is in
fact the foundation on which we must build the peace that is particularly
hoped for and necessary for the good of all today. It enables us to overcome
dangerous fanaticism, conflicts over the possession of resources, migration of
biblical dimensions, the lasting wounds of hunger and poverty, human
trafficking, social and economic injustice and disparity, and imbalance in
terms of access to collective goods". He concluded, "the Church is always on
the move, in the search of new ways to proclaim the Gospel, also in the social
sphere".

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 Pope Francis receives in audience the survivors of the Lampedusa shipwreck
that claimed 368 lives
 Vatican City, 2014 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon the Holy Father received a
delegation of Eritrean survivors and relatives of the victims of the shipwreck
that occurred a year ago in the waters of Lampedusa, Sicily, in which 368
migrants lost their lives. The delegation was composed of 37 people - more
than 20 survivors and some relatives - from the various European countries
where they have settled, often with family members who were already present
there. These countries include Germany, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and
Denmark. Other survivors are due to arrive tomorrow, to join the delegation to
participate in the commemoration of the tragedy in Lampedusa tomorrow. A few
days ago a proposal was put forward to the Italian parliament that 3 October
be declared a "Day of Remembrance for Victims of the Sea".
 The delegation was organised by the "3 October Committee", chaired by Tareke
Brhane, and was accompanied by Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, almoner of His
Holiness, and Fr. Giovanni Lamanna, former president of the Astalli Centre,
the Italian home of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), an international
Catholic organisation active in more than forty countries, whose mission is to
accompany and assist refugees and asylum-seekers, and to defend their rights.
 During the meeting, which took place in a room adjacent to the Vatican's Paul
VI Hall, one of the refugees addressed the Pope, asking for his help and
support in work that remains to be done, for instance in identifying the
bodies, that in some cases has not yet been possible. Another young person
thanked the Pope for his support for and interest in the welfare of migrants
and refugees.
 The Pope, moved by these testimonies, said, "I cannot find the words to say
what I feel. What you have suffered is to be contemplated in silence; one
weeps, and seeks a way of being close to you. At times, when you seem to have
arrived in the port, we encounter very difficult situations. You find closed
doors and do not know where to go. But there are many people whose hearts are
open to you. The door of the heart is the most important in these moments. I
implore all men and women in Europe to open the doors of their hearts! I want
to say that I am close to you, I pray for you, I pray that the closed doors
open up".
 The delegation presented the Holy Father with a sculpture in iron, depicting
a bottle in the sea, containing a family. At the end of the encounter, the
Pope personally greeted all those present.

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 Papal representatives in the Middle East gather in the Vatican to discuss the
situation of Christians in the region
 Vatican City, 2014 (VIS) - The papal representatives in the Middle East are
meeting in the Vatican from 2 to 4 October, at the Holy Father's behest, to
discuss the presence of Christians in the region, due to the grave situation
that has prevailed in recent months. The meeting began this morning at the
Secretariat of State and was attended by the Superiors of the Secretariat of
State and the Roman Curia directly linked with the issue, as well as the Holy
See Permanent Observers at the United Nations in New York and Geneva, and the
apostolic nuncio to the European Union.
 The meeting demonstrates the Holy Father's closeness and interest in this
important question. He opened the meeting, thanking the participants convened
to pray and reflect together on what to do to approach the dramatic situation
experienced by Christians in the Middle East, along with other religious and
ethnic minorities who suffer as a result of the violence that continues to
rage throughout the region. With heartfelt words the Holy Father demonstrated
his concern regarding the situations of conflict currently in progress in many
areas, and for the phenomenon of terrorism, which holds human lives to have no
value. The Pontiff also mentioned the problem of arms trafficking that is the
basis of many problems, as well as the humanitarian drama experienced by many
people forced to leave their countries. In emphasising the importance of
prayer, the Holy Father expressed his hope that multi-level initiatives and
actions may be identified in order to manifest the solidarity of all the
Church towards the Christians of the Middle East and also to involve the
international community and all men and women of good will, to respond to the
needs of the very many people who suffer in the region.
 Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin illustrated the importance and aim
of the meeting. Cardinal Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental
Churches, offered a complete report on the situation experienced by Christians
in the Middle East, presenting different aspects of the question and opening
up dialogue with the participants. The papal representatives in Syria and Iraq
then went on to provide information on the conditions of Christians in their
respective countries, and finally, Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the
Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", spoke on the role of the Church in facing the
humanitarian crisis in the Middle East.
 This afternoon, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical
Council for Interreligious Dialogue, will speak on religious dialogue with
Islam, and the challenges faced by Christians in the Middle East. This will be
followed by a presentation by Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the
Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, on his recent visit to Iraq as
the Holy Father's special envoy. After the debate, the session will close with
Vespers.

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 Audiences
 Vatican City, 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
 - Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, archbishop of Lima, Peru;
 - Archbishop Pedro Ricardo Barreto Jimeno of Huancayo, Peru;
 - Seven prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Chad, on their "ad Limina"
visit:
 - Bishop Rosario Pio Ramolo, O.F.M. Cap., of Gore;
 - Bishop Miguel Angel Sebastian Martinez, M.C.C.I., of Lai, apostolic
administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Doba;
 - Bishop Joachim Kouraleyo Tarounga of Moundou;
 - Bishop Jean-Claude Bouchard, O.M.I., of Pala;
 - Bishop Goetbe Edmond Djitangar of Sarh;
 - Bishop Henri Coudray, S.J., apostolic vicar of Mongo; and
 - Rev. Alphonse Karamba, diocesan administrator of N'Djamena.

___________________________________________________________

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