VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 195
DATE 06-11-2014

Summary:
- Pope Francis to the World Evangelical Alliance: "We can learn so much from
each other"
- To the bishops of Malawi: the apostolate of the family will bring
inestimable benefits to the Church and society as a whole
- The Pope receives the president of the "Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo"
- The Holy See at the United Nations: a lack of food is not the root cause of
hunger
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts

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 Pope Francis to the World Evangelical Alliance: "We can learn so much from
each other"
 Vatican City, 6 November 2014 (VIS) - This morning Pope Francis received in
audience a delegation from the World Evangelical Alliance, a network of
evangelical churches in 128 nations, based in New York, U.S.A., which has
formed an alliance with over 100 international organisations, giving voice to
more than 400 million evangelical Christians throughout the world.
 The Holy Father began his address to the Alliance by emphasising that Baptism
is a priceless gift from God, which we have in common. "Thanks to this gift,
we no longer live a purely earthly existence; we now live in the power of the
Spirit". He went on to remark that from the beginning, there have been
divisions among Christians and "sadly, even today, conflicts and rivalries
exist between our communities. This weakens our ability to fulfil the Lord's
commandment to preach the Gospel to all peoples. Our divisions mar the beauty
of the seamless robe of Christ, yet they do not completely destroy the
profound unity brought about by grace in all the baptised. The effectiveness
of the Christian message would no doubt be greater were Christians to overcome
their divisions, and together celebrate the sacraments, spread the word of
God, and bear witness to charity".
 The Bishop of Rome went on to express his joy to know that "in various
countries Catholics and Evangelicals enjoy good relations and work together as
brothers and sisters. The joint efforts of the Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity and the Theological Commission of the World
Evangelical Alliance have also opened up new horizons by clarifying
misunderstandings and by showing the way to overcoming prejudices". He
continued, "It is my hope that these talks may further inspire our common
witness and our efforts to evangelise: if we really believe in the abundantly
free working of the Holy Spirit, we can learn so much from one another! It is
not just about being better informed about others, but rather about reaping
what the Spirit has sown in them, which is also meant to be a gift for us. I
am confident that the document 'Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World:
Recommendations for Conduct' can prove helpful for the preaching of the Gospel
in multi-religious contexts".
 "I trust that the Holy Spirit, who inspires the Church to persevere in
seeking new methods of evangelisation, will usher in a new era of relations
between Catholics and Evangelicals, so that the Lord's will that the Gospel be
brought to the ends of the earth may be more fully realised. I assure my
prayers for this cause, and I ask you to pray for me and for my ministry",
concluded Pope Francis.

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 To the bishops of Malawi: the apostolate of the family will bring inestimable
benefits to the Church and society as a whole
 Vatican City, 6 November 2014 (VIS) - "I offer a joyful welcome to you who
have come from the 'warm heart of Africa', as you make your pilgrimage to
Rome, 'the warm heart of the Church'"; thus Pope Francis greets the bishops of
the Episcopal Conference of Malawi in the written discourse he handed to them
this morning as he received them in audience at the end of their five-yearly
"ad Limina" visit. He also notes that the effectiveness of their pastoral and
administrative efforts is the fruit of your faith as well as of the unity and
fraternal spirit that characterise their episcopal conference.
 The Holy Father also expresses his appreciation for "the admirable spirit of
the Malawian people, who, though faced with many serious obstacles in terms of
development, economic progress and standards of living, remain strong in their
commitment to family life", as it is in this institution, which teaches "love,
sacrifice, commitment and fidelity", that the Church and society in Malawi
will find the resources necessary to renew and build up a culture of
solidarity. "You yourselves know well the challenges and the value of family
life, and, as fathers and shepherds, you are called to nurture, protect and
strengthen it in the context of the "family of faith", which is the Church.
... There is scarcely a greater commitment that the Church can make to the
future of Malawi - and indeed, to her own development - than that of a
thorough and joyful apostolate to families. ... Thus, by doing everything you
can to support, educate and evangelise families, especially those in
situations of material hardship, breakdown, violence or infidelity, you will
bring inestimable benefit to the Church and all of Malawian society".
 Among the results of this apostolate, it is hoped that there will be "an
increase in young men and women who are willing and able to dedicate
themselves to the service of others in the priesthood and religious life",
based on "the strong foundations laid by generations of faithful missionaries"
and fortified by the evangelising work of local men and women. The Bishop of
Rome exhorted the local prelates to be close to their priests and seminarians,
loving them "as a father should" and furthering their efforts to guarantee a
complete spiritual as well as intellectual and pastoral formation.
 The "tragedy" of the limited life expectancy and extreme poverty experienced
by the majority of the people of Malawi is another of the Pope's concerns. "My
thoughts go to those suffering from HIV/AIDS, and particularly to the orphaned
children and parents left without love and support as a result of this
illness", he writes, encouraging the bishops to be close to those in distress,
to the sick, and especially to the children. "I ask you, particularly, to
offer my gratitude to the many men and women who present Christ's tenderness
and love in Catholic healthcare institutions. The service which the Church
offers to the sick, through pastoral care, prayer, clinics and hospices, must
always find its source and model in Christ, who loved us and gave himself up
for us. Indeed, how else could we be followers of the Lord if we did not
personally engage in ministry to the sick, the poor, the dying and the
destitute? Our faith in Christ, born of having recognised our own need for
Him, He Who has come to heal our wounds, to enrich us, to give us life, to
nourish us, is the basis of our concern for the integral development of
society's most neglected members".

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 The Pope receives the president of the "Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo"
 Vatican City, 6 November 2014 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon the Holy Father
received in private audience Estela de Carlotto, president of the Association
of the "Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo", accompanied by her grandson with
whom she was reunited, Ignacio Guido Montoya Carlotto. The meeting took place
in one of the rooms adjacent to Paul VI Hall.

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