VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 203
DATE 18-11-2014

Summary:
- The Pope receives in audience the President of Senegal: Church's commitment
to peace and national reconciliation
- International Conference on autism: three days to inspire hope
- The Holy See at the United Nations: civilians are the first victims of
conventional weapons
- Fifty years on from the Council decree Unitatis Redintegratio

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 The Pope receives in audience the President of Senegal: Church's commitment
to peace and national reconciliation
 Vatican City, 18 November 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father Francis
received in audience Macky Sall, president of the Republic of Senegal, who
subsequently met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied
by the secretary for Relations with States, His Excellency Archbishop
Dominique Mamberti.
 During the discussions, the cordial relations between the Holy See and
Senegal were noted, and the important contribution offered by the Church in
the sectors of education and healthcare was underlined, as well as her
generous and greatly appreciated commitment to promoting peace and national
reconciliation.
 Finally, there was an exchange of views on various themes of international
interest, with particular reference to the current situations of crisis in the
Region.

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 International Conference on autism: three days to inspire hope
 Vatican City, 18 November 2014 (VIS) - This morning a press conference was
held in the Holy See Press Office to present the 29th International Conference
organised by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, on the theme "The
person with autism spectrum disorders: animating hope", which will take place
in the Vatican from 20 to 22 November.
 The speakers were Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, president of the Pontifical
Council for Health Care Workers (for Health Pastoral Care); Msgr. Jean-Marie
Mate Musivi Mupendawatu and Fr. Augusto Chendi, M.I., respectively secretary
and under-secretary of the same dicastery; and Stefano Vicari, head of the
Department of Child Neuropsychiatry at the Bambino Gesu Paediatric Hospital,
Rome.
 Archbishop Zimowski explained that the term "autism" was first used by the
Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911 to describe the introversion of
schizophrenic patients. Subsequently, in 1943, his colleague Leo Kanner
described the disorder for the first time, affirming that autistic children
were born with a congenital incapacity to establish normal contact with other
people. It is currently defined as a "neuro-behavioural disturbance (also
known as Kanner's Syndrome) of a pervasive type", of multifactorial origin. In
general, autism spectrum disorders manifest themselves before the age of
three, and are life-long. The most recent statistics confirm that around 1% of
children worldwide are affected.
 "The many difficulties, including those of an ethical, moral and spiritual
nature, faced by those with autism spectrum disorders and their carers have
led us to choose such an important, difficult and delicate theme for this
conference", the prelate explained. "It will be a special occasion for
observing the advances that have been made in research and treatment, as well
as legal and political-administrative aspects; three valuable days for
listening and exchanging experiences, and learning from the world's most
qualified specialists."
 The Conference will be attended by more than 650 people from 57 different
countries, and will include an encounter with the Holy Father during the
Wednesday general audience, as well as an exhibition of paintings by the
Taiwanese autistic artist Leland Lee, a moment of prayer and testimonies from
people affected by autism spectrum disorders, their families, and
associations. Various famous Italian singers will offer a musical contribution.

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 The Holy See at the United Nations: civilians are the first victims of
conventional weapons
 Vatican City, 18 November 2014 (VIS) - Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, Holy See
Permanent Observer at the United Nations in Geneva spoke at the annual meeting
of Parties to the Convention on prohibitions or restrictions on the use of
certain conventional weapons which may be deemed to be excessively injurious
or to have indiscriminate effects (CCW), held on 13 November.
 Speaking in English, the prelate presented three issues to be considered.
First, he spoke on the work carried out on lethal autonomous weapons systems.
He emphasised that, with regard to the automation and consequent risk of the
dehumanisation of war, a global - "scientific, legal, cultural, economic,
ethical, and humanitarian" - rather than solely military approach is
indispensable. He added, "I would like to reaffirm our wish that the mandate
regarding this topic be renewed taking into account the importance of
preserving an official trace of the statements, documents, debates and
discussions".
 Secondly, he considered the theme of the use of explosive weapons in
populated areas. "With growing urbanisation of the world population, the
tendency of urban wars will increase. How to protect the civilian populations?
What should we do to safeguard civil infrastructures, indispensable for the
livelihood of large communities? ... What is certain, from the observations
and data presently available, is that civilian populations are the first
victims of conflicts. In many cases, they have no protection: millions of
refugees and displaced people, a majority of them civilian victims, a great
number are women and children; there is total or partial destruction of
numerous urban centres; total disorganisation of social, academic, economic
and political life; the exacerbation of hatred and of feelings of revenge that
makes the re-establishment of peace and national reconstruction more
difficult, if not impossible. It seems to me that an essential question
touches all States parties: Does the CCW have something to say and do in such
a situation? For the credibility and the integrity of the Convention and for
the respect of the numerous victims, I would like to suggest adding this
question to the agenda of the CCW".
 Finally, he mentioned the use of armed drones. "We are witnessing a certain
proliferation of this technology and a growing use of it in various conflicts.
... The choice of indifference in relation to this question is c
unter-productive. The fact of not addressing problems at the right moment can
have disastrous consequences and make them almost insoluble, as experience in
other domains teaches us". He concluded by emphasising that "there is still
time for the CCW to become interested in drones before they become an
additional source of greater destabilisation when the international community
needs, more than ever, stability, cooperation and peace".

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 Fifty years on from the Council decree Unitatis Redintegratio
 Vatican City, 18 November 2014 (VIS) - On 21 November 1964, after a long and
laborious process, the Council Fathers approved the decree on ecumenism,
"Unitatis Redintegratio" by 2,137 votes to 11. The document, which undoubtedly
marked a qualitative leap in the relations between the Catholic Church and the
other Churches and ecclesial Communities, continues to represent an
indispensable point of reference for the Catholic Church in her commitment to
ecumenism.
 The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity will commemorate the
fiftieth anniversary of the promulgation of the decree with two events. On
Thursday, 20 November, in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls, Vespers
will be celebrated, open to all, and attended by the members and consultors of
this Council and the representatives of the Churches and ecclesial communities
present in Rome, to give thanks to God for the fruits already gathered along
the path of ecumenism during these last fifty years, and to invoke His
blessing for the road that still lies ahead.
 On 21 November a meeting will take place in the Great Hall of the Pontifical
Gregorian University, during which the Pastors and theologians of the Catholic
Church and other Churches and ecclesial communities will reread the Council
decree, each from his own point of view, discussing today's ecumenical
challenges and those that await us in the future. The moderator of the event
will be Professor Giovanni Maria Vian, editor of L'Osservatore Romano, and the
speakers will be Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity; Bishop Irinej Bulovic of Backa, the Serb Orthodox
Patriarch; Professor Timothy George of the Baptist World Alliance; Fr. William
Henn, O.F.M. Cap., of the Pontifical Gregorian University; Teny Pirri Simonian
of the Armenian Orthodox Church, Catholicosate of Cilicia; and Friederike
Nussel of the Lutheran Church.
 The meeting will conclude the Council's plenary session, which will take
place from 18 to 21 November and will focus on the theme: "The aim of
ecumenism: principles, opportunities and challenges, fifty years after
'Unitatis Redintegratio'". Fifty years after its promulgation, the dicastery
considers it useful to examine how the Council degree continues to inspire the
ecumenical efforts of the Catholic Church in a changing landscape.

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