VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 190
DATE 28-10-2015

Summary:
- Interreligious audience in St. Peter's Square on the 50th anniversary of the
conciliar declaration "Nostra Aetate"
- Pakistan and Afghanistan in Francis' prayers
- Chirograph for the institution of the Foundation Gravissimum Educationis
- Representatives of different religions on the conciliar Declaration "Nostra
Aetate"

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 Interreligious audience in St. Peter's Square on the 50th anniversary of the
conciliar declaration "Nostra Aetate"
 Vatican City, 28 October 2015 (VIS) - This week's general audience was held on
the 50th anniversary of the Vatican Council II Declaration "Nostra Aetate" on
the relations between the Catholic Church and non-Christian religions. It was
attended by representatives of various religions and participants in the
International Congress organised to commemorate the event by the Pontifical
Council for Interreligious Dialogue in collaboration with the Commission for
Religious Relationships with Jews, the Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity and the Pontifical Gregorian University.
 Before beginning his catechesis in St. Peter's Square the Pope greeted the
sick
and elderly who, due to the weather conditions, were unable to attend the open
air audience. Francis also mentioned them in the square and asked for a minute
of silence and prayer for them all.
 The audience began with greetings from Cardinals Jean-Louis Tauran, president
of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and Kurt Koch, president
of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. After the reading in
several languages of a paragraph of "Nostra Aetate", the Pope welcomed all
those
present and expressed his gratitude to them for commemorating together the 50th
anniversary of this important conciliar document.
 "Vatican Council II was an extraordinary moment of reflection, dialogue and
prayer to renew the gaze of the Catholic Church upon herself and the world. A
reading of the signs of the times in order to bring her up to date, guided by a
dual fidelity: fidelity to the ecclesial tradition and fidelity to the history
of the men and women of our time. Indeed, God revealed Himself in creation and
in history, spoke through prophets and fully in His Son made man, addressing
the
heart and soul of every human being who seeks the truth and the way to practise
it".
 Francis, reiterating that the message of the Declaration "Nostra Aetate"
remains valid today, recalled some of its key points: the growing
interdependence of peoples; the human search for meaning in life, suffering and
death, questions that always accompany our journey; the common origin and
common
destiny of humanity; the unity of the human family; religions as the search for
God or the Absolute, within the various ethnic groups and cultures; the
Church's
benevolent and careful view of all religions, which does not reject anything
good or true in them; the Church's esteem for all believers of all religions,
appreciating their spiritual and moral commitment; and finally, the Church's
openness to dialogue with all, while remaining at the same time faithful to the
truth in which she believes, starting from the salvation offered to all that
has
its origin in Jesus, the sole saviour, and that is worked by the Holy Spirit,
as
the source of peace and love".
 The Pope also noted that over the last fifty years there have been many
initiatives and examples of institutional or personal relations with
non-Christian religions. The most significant among them include the meeting in
Assisi on 27 October 1986, promoted by St. John Paul II. He also praised the
great transformation that has taken place in this period in the relationship
between Christians and Jews. "Indifference and opposition have turned into
cooperation and benevolence", he remarked. "From enemies and strangers, we have
become friends and brothers. The Council, with the Declaration 'Nostra Aetate',
showed the way: 'yes' to the rediscovery of the Jewish roots of Christianity;
'no' to any form of anti-Semitism and condemnation of any resulting injustice,
discrimination and persecution. Mutual knowledge, respect and esteem constitute
the way that, valid for relations with Jews, is similarly relevant to relations
with other religions. I think in particular of Muslims who, as the Council
states, 'adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself, merciful and
all-powerful, the Creator of Heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men'. They
refer to the paternity of Abraham, they venerate Jesus as a prophet, they
honour
His virgin Mother Mary, they await the day of judgement, and practise prayer,
charity and fasting".
 "The dialogue we need cannot be other than open and respectful, and in this
way
it is shown to be fruitful. Mutual respect is the condition and the aim of
interreligious dialogue; respecting the rights of others to life, physical
integrity and fundamental freedoms: that is, freedom of conscience, thought,
expression and religion. The world looks to us as believers, and exhorts us to
collaborate among ourselves and with men and women of good will who do not
profess any religion, and asks us for effective answers on several issues:
peace, hunger, the poverty that afflicts millions of people, the environmental
crisis, violence, especially that committed in the name of religion,
corruption,
moral degradation, the crisis of the family, the economy and finance, and above
all, hope. We believers do not have solutions for these problems, but we have a
great resource: prayer. We must pray. Prayer is our treasury, which we draw
from
according to our respective traditions, to ask for the gifts humanity yearns
for".
 He acknowledged that violence and terrorism have given rise to "an attitude of
suspicion and indeed condemnation with regard to religions. In reality, since
no
religion is immune to the risk of fundamentalist or extremist deviations by
individuals or groups, it is necessary to look instead to the positive values
they embody and promote, and which are a wellspring of hope. ... Dialogue based
on trustful respect can bring seeds of goodness that in turn become the buds of
friendship and collaboration in many fields, and especially in service to the
poor, the smallest and the elderly, and welcoming migrants and the excluded".
He
also remarked on the role of religions in defending the environment, a common
good.
 The upcoming extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy will offer an opportunity for
collaboration in charitable works. "And in this field, where compassion is most
important, we can join with many people who do not consider themselves to be
believers or who are in search of God and truth, people who place the face of
others at the centre, especially their brothers and sisters in need. But the
mercy that is required of us embraces all creation, that God entrusted to us as
its custodians rather than exploiters or destroyers. We must always seek to
leave behind a better world than the one we found".
 The Pope concluded by urging all those present to pray for the future of
interreligious dialogue, "and to pray for each other, as we are brothers!
Without the Lord, nothing is possible; with Him, everything is possible. May
our
prayer fully adhere to the will of God, Who wants all men to acknowledge each
other as brothers and to live as such, forming a great human family in the
harmony of diversity".
 Following the greetings in different languages, the Pope invited all to pray
to
the Lord, each following his or her own tradition, that He might make us
brothers together and servants to our brothers in need.

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 Pakistan and Afghanistan in Francis' prayers
 Vatican City, 28 October 2015 (VIS) - Following today's general audience the
Holy Father launched an appeal for the populations of Pakistan and Afghanistan,
afflicted by a major earthquake that has claimed many victims and caused
devastating material damage. "Let us pray for the deceased, their families, and
for all the injured and homeless, imploring consolation in suffering and
courage
in adversity. May there be no lack of concrete solidarity for these, our
brothers".

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 Chirograph for the institution of the Foundation Gravissimum Educationis
 Vatican City, 28 October 2015 (VIS) - Pope Francis has instituted the
Foundation Gravissimum Educationis by a chirograph bearing today's date. In the
text, the Holy Father expresses his gratitude to the Congregation for Catholic
Education for the initiatives organised to commemorate the fiftieth year since
the declaration "Gravissimum educationis" on Christian education, promulgated
the the Vatican Ecumenical Council II on 28 October 1965.
 "I am likewise pleased to learn that the same Dicastery wishes to constitute
on
this occasion a Foundation entitled Gravissimum Educationis, with the aim of
pursuing "scientific and cultural ends, intended to promote Catholic education
in the world", he adds. "The Church recognises the 'extreme importance of
education in the life of man and how its influence ever grows in the social
progress of this age', are profoundly linked to the fulfilment of 'the mandate
she has received from her divine founder of proclaiming the mystery of
salvation
to all men and of restoring all things in Christ'", he writes, quoting the
conciliar Declaration.
 The Pope goes on to institute as public canonical and civil juridical persons
the Foundation Gravissimum Educationis, whose premises will be located in
Vatican City and which will be subject to current canon law, current civil law
in Vatican City, and its statutes.

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 Representatives of different religions on the conciliar Declaration "Nostra
Aetate"
 Vatican City, 28 October 2015 (VIS) - At 12.30 this afternoon in the Holy See
Press Office a conference was held with the representatives of the different
religions present at this morning's interreligious general audience and those
attending the International Congress to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of
the conciliar Declaration "Nostra Aetate", held from 26 to 28 October at the
Pontifical Gregorian University.
 The speakers were Professor Bellanwila Wimalaratna (Buddhism), Claudio Epelman
(Judaism), Rabbi David Rose (Judaism), Swami Chidanand Saraswati (Hinduism),
Rasoul Rasoulipour (Islam), Abdellah Redouane (Islam), Samani Pratibha Pragya
(Jainism) and Brinder Singh Mahon (Sikhism).
 The central theme of the conference was the importance of the Declaration and
how it has facilitated openness on the journeys of dialogue and reconciliation
between different religions.

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