VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXV - # 709
DATE 11-06-2015

Summary:
- Pope Receives Canadian Prime Minister: Cooperation and Dialogue between
Federal Government and Church
- Pope to Participants of FAO's 39th Conference: Responding to the Imperative
of
Right of All to Food
- To Bishops of Latvia and Estonia: Be Near to Migrant Families
- Pope's Audience with Vladimir Putin: Ukraine and Middle East, Key Points of
Meeting
- National Holy See Day at Milan's Expo 2015
- ROACO Plenary Assembly to Analyze Situation of Christians in Middle East,
Armenia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the Holy Land
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts

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 Pope Receives Canadian Prime Minister: Cooperation and Dialogue between
Federal
Government and Church
Vatican City, 11 June 2015 (VIS) - This morning, Pope Francis received in
audience the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Stephen Harper, who subsequently met
with Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.
During the course of the cordial discussions, the good relations existing
between the Holy See and Canada were noted, as was the positive spirit of
cooperation and dialogue between the Canadian federal government and the
Church.
In particular, Canada?s commitment to defend and promote religious freedom in
the context of fundamental human rights were treated.
Later in the conversation, international political issues were discussed, with
reference to Europe and the Middle East and the prospects for peace in that
region, as well as the fight against terrorism and environmental issues.

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 Pope to Participants of FAO's 39th Conference: Responding to the Imperative of
Right of All to Food
Vatican City, 11 June 2015 (VIS) ? The right to food, the problem of waste, the
impact of the market on hunger, the primacy of agricultural development, water
issues, land grabbing, and dependence on external aid were the central themes
of
the address given this morning by Pope Francis to the 450 participants at the
39th Conference of the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), whom he
received
in audience in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace.
?Faced with the poverty of many of our brothers and sisters,? said the Pope,
?sometimes I think that the issue of hunger and agricultural development has
now
become one of the many problems in this time of crisis. ? Our tendency to
'defect' when faced with difficult issues is human,? but ?we must respond to
the
imperative of access to necessary food is a rightfor all. Human rights permit
no
exclusions. Certainly, we can take comfort knowing that the number of hungry
persons in 1992, 1.2 million, has been reduced even though the world population
has grown. However, there is little point to noting the numbers or even
projecting a series of concrete commitments and recommendations to be
implemented in policies and investments if we neglect the obligation to
'eradicate hunger and prevent all forms of malnutrition in the world'.?
?Many are worried about statistics regarding waste: a third of food produced is
included under this point,? observed the pontiff. ? Reducing waste is
essential,
as is reflection on the non-alimentary use of agricultural products, which go
in
large amounts to animal feed or to produce biofuels. Certainly we must ensure
increasingly healthy environmental conditions, but can we keep excluding
some?It
is necessary to raise the awareness of all countries regarding the type of
nutritionadopted, and this varies depending on the latitudes. ? But, both in
quality and quantity, the situation of uncertainty determined by the weather,
by
increased demand, and price uncertainty weigh down the situation.?
?We must also ask ourselves: How much does the market, with its rules, impact
world hunger? Of the studies you have made, it has been shown that, since 2008,
the price of food has changed trends. It doubled, then stabilized, but with
higher values than the previous period. Such volatile prices impede the poorest
from making plans or keeping a minimum nutrition. The causes are many. We are
rightly concerned with climate change but we cannot forget financial
speculation. An example is the prices of wheat, rice, corn, soy, ? sometimes
linked to performance funds and therefore, the higher the price the more the
fund earns. Here as well, we must take another path, convincing ourselves that
the products of the land have a value that we can all'sacred' because they are
the fruit of the daily labor of persons, families, and communities of farmers.?
?The purpose of the FAO includes the working of the land, fisheries, livestock,
forests,? recalled Pope Francis. ?This development must be at the center of
economic activity ...this means supporting effective resilience, specifically
reinforcing communities' capacities to cope with crises?natural ones or those
caused by human action?and paying attention to the different needs. Thus it
will
be possible to pursue a decent standard of living. This commitment includes
other critical points. First, it seems difficult to accept the general
resignation, disinterest, and even absence of so many, even of states. A times
there is the sense that hunger is an unpopular topic, an insoluble problem that
can't be dealt with in a legislative or presidential term and therefore can't
guarantee consensus. The reasons that lead to limiting thecontributions of
ideas, technology, expertise, and funding lie in the unwillingness to make
binding commitments seeing that we hide behind the question of the world
economic crisis and the idea that there is hunger in all countries. ? But then
it is forgotten that, if poverty in one country is a social problem that can
find solutions, in other contexts it is a social problem and social policies
are
not enough to address it. This attitude may change if we put solidarity at the
heart of international relations, transposing the vocabulary of policy options
to a policy of the other.?
The Pope also noted the needs of educating persons regarding a proper
nutrition... ?We know that in the West the problem is high consumption and
waste. In the South, however, it is necessary to encourage local production to
ensure nutrition. In many countries with 'chronic hunger', [local produce] is
replaced by foreign food, perhaps initially through assistance. Butemergency
aid
is not enough and does not always reach the right hands. It creates a
dependence
on large producers and, if the country lacks the financial means, then the
population winds up not eating and hunger grows.?
?Climate change also makes us think of the forced displacement of populations
and the many humanitarian tragedies caused by lack of resources, particularly
water, which is already a source of conflict that is expected to increase. It
isn't enough to assert that there is a right to water without making the effort
to achieve sustainable consumption of this good and to eliminate any waste. ?
Besides water, land use also remains a serious problem. Ever more troubling is
the seizure of arable land by transnational companies and states, which not
only
deprives farmers of an essential commodity, it also directly affects countries'
sovereignty. There are too many areas where the foods produced go to foreign
countries and the localpopulation is impoverished twice, since they have
neither
food nor land. ? We know that the world's food production is largely the work
of
family farms. Therefore it is important,? the Pope concluded, ?that the FAO
strengthen its partnerships and projects in favor of family businesses, and
encourage states to equitably regulate land use and ownership. This may help
eliminate the inequalities that are now at the center of international
attention.?

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 To Bishops of Latvia and Estonia: Be Near to Migrant Families
Vatican City, 11 June 2015 (VIS) ? This morning Pope Francis received in
audience prelates of the Episcopal Conferences of Latvia and Estonia at the
conclusion of their ad Limina visit. In the speech he addressed to them he
reminded them that the Lord has chosen them ?to work in a society that, having
been for so long oppressed by regimes based on ideologies that are contrary to
human dignity and freedom, is today called to measure itself against other
insidious dangers, such as secularism and relativism. While that may make it
harder for your pastoral outreach, I urge you continue tirelessly, never losing
faith, in proclaiming Christ's Gospel, the Word of salvation for persons of
every time and culture.?
?In this renewed evangelization you are not alone. You have your priests who,
although few and of many diverse origins, are there by your side with
respect,obedience, and generosity. ? I encourage you to take good care of their
formation, both in terms of theological and ecclesial preparation as well as in
terms of human maturity rooted in a solid spirituality and characterized by
friendly openness, capable of discerning the reality of the world in which we
live. ? For the growth and journey of your communities, the presence of men and
women in the consecrated life is also extremely valuable. Especially in this
Year dedicated to them it is opportune to make them understand that they are
not
only appreciated for the services they render but primarily for the richness of
their charisms and their witness, for the very fact that they are, [their
presence] spreads the perfume of Christ among the people of God in how they
follow the Gospel counsels.?
?The participation of the lay faithful is also indispensable for the mission of
evangelization,? Pope Francis emphasized. ?Your nearness and concern will help
themcarry out those responsibilities that, according to the teachings of
Vatican
Council II, they are called to undertake in the cultural, social, political,
and
also charitable and catechetical fields. ? The lay faithful are the living path

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