is achieved "when man is permitted to express with freedom and creativity in
certain forms of activity, in collaborative work conducted in the community
that
enable full economic and social development to him and to others. We cannot
clip
the wings of those, especially the young, who have much to give with their
intelligence and capacities; they must be freed of the burdens that oppress
them
and prevent them from fully entering the world of work as soon as possible".
 Participatory work corresponds to the relational dimension of the person, and
involves the establishment of responsible bonds of collaboration. However,
"when, due to an 'economistic' vision ... others are regarded as a means and
not
an end, work loses its primary meaning as the continuation of God's work, a
work
destined for all humanity, so that all may benefit".
 Finally, mutually supportive work means responding to the many men and women
who have lost their jobs or are seeking employment, above all with closeness
and
solidarity. Associations such as the ACLI, as places of welcome and encounter,
must also identify opportunities for formation and professional training.
 Francis went on to refer to some key aspects of the ACLI. The first is its
presence outside Italy, which began with the phase of Italian emigration and
continues to be valuable since many young people leave Italy to seek work
pertinent to their studies or to enrich their professional experience. "Support
them on their path", he said. "In their eyes you may see the reflection of your
parents or grandparents who travelled far to work".
 The Association is also engaged in the battle against poverty and that of the
impoverishment of the middle classes. "Offering support, not only of an
economic
nature, to those below the poverty line, who have increased in number in Italy
in recent years, can bring benefits to all of society. At the same time, those
who yesterday lived a dignified life must be prevented from slipping into
poverty. It takes very little these days to become poor: the loss of a job, an
elderly relative who is no longer self-sufficient, sickness in the family, or
even - think of this terrible paradox - the birth of a child. It is an
important
cultural battle, that of ensuring that welfare is considered to be the
infrastructure of development rather than a cost. You can act as a coordinator
and motor for the 'alliance against poverty', which proposes the development of
a national plan for decent and dignified work".
 "Christian inspiration and the popular dimension determine that way of
understanding and implementing the ACLI's historic triple fidelity to workers,
democracy and the Church. In the current context, it may be said that these
three attitudes may be summarised in one, new and simple: fidelity to the
poor".

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 Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero: a martyr who knew how to guide, defend and
protect his flock
 Vatican City, 23 May 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has sent a letter to
Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador, president of the Episcopal
Conference of El Salvador, for the beatification of Oscar Arnulfo Romero
Galdamez, former archbishop of the same archdiocese and martyr, killed in
hatred
of the faith on 24 March 1980. The the beatification Mass, celebrated in Plaza
del Divino Salvador del Mundo in the Salvadoran capital, was attended by the
Pope's special envoy Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation
for the Causes of Saints.
 The following is the full text of the letter:
 "The beatification of Msgr. Oscar Arnulfo Romero Galdamex, who was the pastor
of this beloved archdiocese, is a cause for great joy for Salvadorans and for
those who rejoice in the example of the best sons of the Church. Msgr. Romero,
who built peace with the strength of love, bore witness to faith, giving his
life to the extreme.
 The Lord never abandons His people in difficulties, and always shows
solicitude
to its needs. He sees oppression, He hears the cries of pain of His children,
and he comes to their aid to free them from oppression and to lead them to a
new
land, of 'milk and honey', fertile and spacious. Just as He chose Moses to
guide
His people in His name, He continues to raise pastors after His own heart, who
graze His flock with wisdom and prudence.
 In this beautiful central American country, bathed by the Pacific Ocean, the
Lord granted His Church a zealous bishop who, loving God and serving his
brothers, converted himself in the image of Christ the Good Shepherd. In times
of difficult co-existence, Msgr. Romero knew how to guide, defend and protect
his flock, remaining faithful to the Gospel and in communion with all the
Church. His ministry was distinguished by his particular care for the poorest
and most marginalised. And at the moment of his death, as he celebrated the
Holy
Sacrifice of love and reconciliation, he received the grace of fully
identifying
himself with He Who gave His life for his flock.
 On this day of celebration for the Salvadoran nation, and also for our brother
countries in Latin America, let us give thanks to God for granting to the
bishop
martyr the capacity to see and hear the suffering of his people, and for
forming
his heart so that, in His name, he was guided and enlightened, and his work was
filled with Christian charity.
 The voice of the newly Blessed continues to resonate today, reminding us that
the Church, a convocation of brothers around the Lord, is the family of God, in
which there should be no division. Faith in Jesus Christ, when it is well
understood and its full consequences are realised, generates communities that
are builders of peace and solidarity. This is what the Church is called to do
today in El Salvador, America and the world at large: to be rich in mercy, to
convert into leaven for reconciliation for society. Msgr. Romero invites us to
good sense and reflection, respect for life and harmony. It is necessary to
reject 'the violence of the sword, of hatred' and to live 'the violence of
love,
which caused Christ to be nailed to a cross, which enables us all to overcome
our selfishness and ensures there may no longer be such cruel inequalities
between us'. He was able to see and to experience in his own flesh 'the
selfishness that lurks in those who do not wish to give what is theirs for the
benefit of others'. And, with a father's heart, he cared for the 'poor
majority', urging the powerful to transform their weapons into ploughshares.
 May those who regard Msgr. Romero as a friend in faith, those who invoke him
as
a protector and intercessor, those who admire him, find in him the strength and
encouragement to build the Kingdom of God, and to commit themselves to creating
a more equitable and dignified social order.
 It is the right time for true national reconciliation when faced with today's
challenges. The Pope participates in your hopes, and unites himself to your
prayers so that the seed of martyrdom may flourish and become entrenched in the
true paths of the sons and daughters of that nation, which proudly bears the
name of the divine Saviour of the World.
 Dear brother, I ask you to pray and to ask for prayers for me, and I impart my
apostolic blessing to all those who join in any way in the celebration of the
new Blessed".

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 Pope's message for the Second International Conference on Women
 Vatican City, 23 May 2015 (VIS) - The Pope has sent a message of greetings and
encouragement to the participants in the Second International Conference on
Women held in Rome, and which today comes to an end. The event was organised by
the Pontifical Pontifical Council "Justice and Peace", in cooperation with the
World Union of Women's Catholic Organisations and the World Women's Alliance
for
Life and Family, on the theme "Women and the post-2015 development agenda: the
challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)".
 "Women face a variety of challenges and difficulties in various parts of the
world", he writes. "In the West, at times they still experience discrimination
in the workplace; they are often forced to choose between work and family; they
not infrequently suffer violence in their lives as fiancees, wives, mothers,
sisters and grandmothers. In poor and developing countries, women bear the
heaviest burdens: it is they who travel many miles in search of water, who too
often die in childbirth, who are kidnapped for sexual exploitation or forced
into marriages at a young age or against their will. At times they are even
denied the right to life simply for being female. All of these problems are
reflected in the proposals for the post-2015 Development Agenda currently being
discussed in the United Nations.
 "Issues relating to life are intrinsically connected to social questions. When
we defend the right to life, we do so in order that each life - from conception
to its natural end - may be a dignified life, one free from the scourge of
hunger and poverty, of violence and persecution. Pope Benedict XVI, in his
encyclical Caritas in Veritate, highlighted how the Church 'forcefully
maintains
this link between life ethics and social ethics, fully aware that a society
lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the
dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand,
radically
acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human
life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalised'.
 "I encourage you, who are engaged in defending the dignity of women and
promoting their rights, to allow yourselves to be constantly guided by the
spirit of humanity and compassion in the service of your neighbour. May your
work be marked first and foremost by professional competence, without
self-interest or superficial activism, but with generous dedication. In this
way
you will manifest the countless God-given gifts which women have to offer,
encouraging others to promote sensitivity, understanding and dialogue in
settling conflicts big and small, in healing wounds, in nurturing all life at
every level of society, and in embodying the mercy and tenderness which bring
reconciliation and unity to our world. All this is part of that 'feminine
genius' of which our society stands in such great need".

___________________________________________________________

 Audiences
 Vatican City, 23 May 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in audience:
 - Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops;
 - Boyko Borissov, prime minister of Bulgaria, and entourage;
 - Nikola Gruevski, president of the government of the ex-Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, with his wife and entourage.

___________________________________________________________

 Other Pontifical Acts
 Vatican City, 23 May 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed:
 - Archbishop Ghaleb Moussa Abdalla Bader of Algiers, Algeria, as apostolic
nuncio to Pakistan.
 - Sergio Melillo as bishop of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia (area 781, population
74,970, Catholics 74,270, priests 44, permanent deacons 8, religious 80),
Italy.
The bishop-elect was born in 1955 in Avellino, Italy and was ordained a priest
in 1989. A licentiate in dogmatic theology, he has exercised his pastoral
ministry in the diocese of Avellino in the roles of parish priest, vice
director
of diocesan Caritas and parish vicar of the Cathedral. He has also served as
lecturer in dogmatic theology at the "San Giuseppe Moscati" Higher Institute of
Religious Sciences, lecturer in religious culture the Avellino "Universit 
della
Terza Et ". He is currently vicar general and a member of the presbyteral
council and college of consultors.

___________________________________________________________

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