VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 005
DATE 09-01-2015

Summary:
- Francis convokes a conference in the Vatican on Haiti, five years after the
earthquake
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts

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 Francis convokes a conference in the Vatican on Haiti, five years after the
earthquake
 Vatican City, 9 January 2014 (VIS) - "The communion of the Church: memory and
hope for Haiti five years after the earthquake" is the title of the conference
beginning this morning in the Vatican. The event was organised by the
Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America
in collaboration with the bishops of Haiti, and is a response to the Holy
Father's wish to maintain close attention to a country that continues to
suffer the consequences of the earthquake, and to reiterate the Church's
closeness to the Haitian people during the reconstruction phase. It will above
all offer the opportunity to present the balance of aid destined for the
country and to analyse the results of the implementation of the projects
carried out from 2010 to the present day.
 In January 2010 the island of Haiti was afflicted by an earthquake, the
epicentre of which was located near the capital, Port-au-Prince, causing the
death of 230 thousand people and devastated the territory, destroying much of
the infrastructure, thousands of homes, and all the hospitals on the island.
According to Red Cross estimates, the disaster affected three million people.
 The meeting is attended by representatives of the Holy See, the local Haitian
church, and various episcopal conferences, workers from Catholic charitable
organisations, religious congregations and various Holy See-accredited
diplomatic representatives. The conference will begin at 9 a.m. in the St.
Pius X building with greetings from Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., president
of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and a report from Cardinal
Robert Sarah who, as president of "Cor Unum" until the end of 2014, managed
the Holy Father's donations to the local Church of the island. During the
morning session, there will be a debate on the material and spiritual
reconstruction process and there will be interventions by Cardinal Chibly
Langlois, bishop of Les Cayes and president of the Episcopal Conference of
Haiti, Archbishop Thomas Gerald Wenski of Miami, U.S.A., Alberto Piatti,
president of the AVSI (Association of Volunteers in International Service)
Foundation, engaged in a charitable works on the island, and Eduardo Marques
de Almeida, former representative of the Inter-American Development Bank in
Haiti. At 11.30 a.m. the delegates present will be received in audience by
Pope Francis.
 In the afternoon, there will be presentations by those who work in the
context of reconstruction, to enable an exchange of experiences regarding the
issue of international cooperation and the priorities and criteria for future
action. At the end of the meeting, Msgr. Giampietro Dal Toso, secretary of
"Cor Unum", will give an overview of the problems that still remain to be
resolved.
 The conference will end with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Secretary of State
Pietro Parolin in the church of Santa Maria in Traspontina, at 6.30 p.m.

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 Audiences
 Vatican City, 9 January 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in
audience:
 - Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith;
 - Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the
Evangelisation of Peoples;
 - Cardinal Godfried Daniels, archbishop emeritus of Mechelen-Brussel, Belgium;
 - Archbishop Julio Murat, apostolic nuncio in Zambia and Malawi.

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 Other Pontifical Acts
 Vatican City, 9 January 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed Msgr.
Pietro Milite of the clergy of the diocese of Nocera Inferiore - Sarno, Italy,
as prelate auditor of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota. Msgr. Milite is
currently promoter of justice of the same Tribunal.

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