* Original message posted in: VATICAN.
* Crossposted in: IN_CATHOLIC.

VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE

TWENTIETH YEAR - N. 232
ENGLISH
THURSDAY, 30 DECEMBER 2010

SUMMARY:

- Holy Father Receives the "Pueri Cantores"
- Motu Proprio on Illegal Activities in the Financial Sector
- Communique of Secretariat of State on Pope's Motu Proprio
- Fr. Lombardi's Note Concerning the Motu Proprio
- Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2011
- Papal, Holy See Highlights September-December 2010
- Other Pontifical Acts
- Notice

___________________________________________________________

HOLY FATHER RECEIVES THE "PUERI CANTORES"

VATICAN CITY, 30 DEC 2010 (VIS) - Today in the Vatican, Benedict XVI
received participants in an international congress of the International
Federation of "Pueri Cantores", currently being held in Rome.

  The Pope addressed the group in English, French, Spanish, German,
Portuguese, Polish and Ukrainian. "As you use your talents and your =
faith to
sing God's praises, you give voice to the natural desire of every human
being to glorify Him, with songs of love", he said. "Yet beautiful music =
is
able to express something of the mystery of God's love for us and ours =
for
Him, as we are reminded by the theme chosen for your Congress: 'Deus =
Caritas
Est'".

  "Always remember that your singing is a service. Firstly, it is a =
service
to God, a way of giving Him the praise that is due. It is also a service =
to
your fellow worshippers, helping them to raise their hearts and minds to =
the
Lord in prayer. And it is a service to the whole Church, offering a
foretaste of the heavenly liturgy that is the goal of all true worship, =
when
the choirs of angels and saints unite in one unending song of love and
praise".
AC/                                                                     VIS
20101230 (210)

MOTU PROPRIO ON ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES IN THE FINANCIAL SECTOR

VATICAN CITY, 30 DEC 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the text of the Pope's
Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" on the prevention and countering of
illegal activities in the financial and monetary sectors:

  The Apostolic See has always raised its voice to exhort all men and =
women
of good will, and especially the leaders of nations, to commit =
themselves to
building - also through just and lasting peace in all parts of the world =
-
the universal city of God, towards which the history of peoples and =
nations
progresses [Benedict XVI, Enc. Let. 'Caritas in veritate' (29 June =
2009), 7:
AAS 101/2009, 645]. Unfortunately, peace in our time and in an =
increasingly
globalised society is threatened by various causes, among them the
inappropriate use of the market and the economy, as well as the terrible
destruction of terrorist violence, which causes death, suffering, hatred =
and
social instability.

  Quite rightly, the international community is increasingly equipping
itself with juridical principles and instruments that enable it to =
prevent
and contrast the phenomena of money laundering and the financing of
terrorism.

  The Holy See approves this commitment and intends to adopt these rules =
in
its own use of the material resources it needs to carry out its mission, =
and
to carry out the tasks of Vatican City State.

  In this context, also in implementation of the Monetary Convention of =
17
December 2009 between Vatican City State and the European Union, I have
approved for Vatican City State the publication of the Law of 30 =
December
2010 concerning the prevention and countering of the laundering of =
proceeds
from criminal activities and of the financing of terrorism, which is =
being
promulgated today.

  With this Apostolic Letter in the form of "Motu Proprio":

(a) I decree that the abovementioned Law of Vatican City State, and its
future modifications, is also valid for the dicasteries of the Roman =
Curia
and for all Institutions and Entities dependent on the Holy See, when =
they
undertake the activities defined in article 2 of the said Law.

(b) I establish the "Autorita di Informazione Finanziaria" (AIF), as
indicated in article 33 of the Law concerning the prevention and =
countering
o
f the laundering of proceeds from criminal activities and of the =
financing
of terrorism, as an Institution connected with the Holy See in =
accordance
with articles 186 and 190-191 of the Apostolic Constitution "Pastor =
Bonus",
conferring thereon public juridical canonical status and Vatican civil
status, and approving its Statute which is attached to this Motu =
Proprio.

(c) I decree that the "Autorita di Informazione Finanziaria" (AIF) is to
exercise its functions in relation to the dicasteries of the Roman Curia =
and
in relation to all the Institutions and Entities mentioned in paragraph =
(a)
above.

(d) I delegate the competent judicial bodies of Vatican City State to
exercise their penal jurisdiction - only as concerns the crimes =
conjectured
in the abovementioned Law - in relation to the dicasteries of the Roman
Curia and in relation to all the Institutions and Entities mentioned in
paragraph (a) above.

  I order that what has thus been established is to have full and stable
validity as of today's date, notwithstanding any dispositions to the
contrary, though worthy of special mention.

  I decree that this Apostolic Letter in the form of Motu Proprio is to =
be
published in the "Acta Apostolicae Sedis".

  Published in Rome, from the Apostolic Palace, 30 December of the year
2010, sixth of the Pontificate.
MP/                                                                     VIS
20101230 (590)

COMMUNIQUE OF SECRETARIAT OF STATE ON POPE'S MOTU PROPRIO

VATICAN CITY, 30 DEC 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the English-language =
text
of a communique issued by the Secretariat of State regarding the new
legislation for the prevention and countering of illegal activities in =
the
financial and monetary sectors:

  (1) Today, in implementation of the Monetary Convention of 17 December
2009 (2010/C 28/05) between Vatican City State and the European Union, =
four
new Laws were adopted:

 - the "Law concerning the prevention and countering of the laundering =
of
proceeds from criminal activities and of the financing of terrorism";
 - the "Law on fraud and counterfeiting of Euro banknotes and coins";
 - the "Law concerning the size, specifications, reproductions,
substitutions of and withdrawals from use of Euro banknotes and =
concerning
the implementation of measures to be taken against the irregular
reproduction of Euro banknotes and the substitution of and withdrawal =
from
use of Euro banknotes";
- the "Law regarding the face, unitary value and technical =
specifications,
as well as the copyright of the designs of the national faces of the =
Euro
coins destined for circulation".

  The process of drafting the above-mentioned Laws was conducted with =
the
assistance of the Mixed Committee, established in Art.11 of the Monetary
Convention, composed of representatives of Vatican City State and of the
European Union. The European Union delegation is composed of =
representatives
of the Commission and of the Republic of Italy as well as =
representatives of
the Central European Bank.

  The Law concerning the prevention and countering of money laundering =
and
of the financing of terrorism is published together with this =
communique,
while the others will be published on the website of Vatican City State, =
at
www.vaticanstate.va

  (2) The Law concerning the prevention of money laundering and of the
financing of terrorism contains the following in a single piece of
legislation:

 - specification of criminal activities which comprise the laundering of
money, self money-laundering, and the so-called "predicate crimes" (that =
is,
the criminal activities which generate incomes, that are subsequently
laundered), for which penal fines are foreseen;
 - specification of activities with a more administrative content =
related to
international co-operation, but also to prevention, for which pecuniary
administrative fines are foreseen.

  The above Law is based on the following main obligations:

 - "adequate verification" of the counterpart;
 - registration and conservation of data concerning ongoing relations =
and
operatio
ns;
 - reporting of suspicious transactions.

  The structure of this Law, while taking into account the specificity =
of
the Vatican legal system into which it is inserted, conforms to the
principles and rules in force throughout the European Union and is =
therefore
in conformity with the norms of other nations which have more developed
rules in this regard. This is seen in the provisions concerning, among =
other
things, self money-laundering, the controls on cash entering or leaving
Vatican City State, the obligations regarding the transfer of funds, and =
the
heavy administrative sanctions that are applicable not only to legal =
persons
and entities but also to the physical persons who act on their behalf, =
by
means of the binding recourse action.

  (3) In conformity with what is found in the most recent norms of the
European Union, the Law on fraud and counterfeiting responds to the need =
to
adopt a solid network of legal protection of Euro banknotes and coins =
from
counterfeiting. This requires procedures of withdrawal from circulation =
of
counterfeited banknotes and coins, the reinforcing of penal sanctions, =
as
well as various forms of European and international cooperation.

  (4) The Laws concerning the Euro banknotes and coins contain the =
following
for those Banknotes and coins:

 - norms for the protection of the copyright of the designs;
 - rules regarding size, technical characteristics, circulation and
substitution;
 - the prospective application of administrative pecuniary fines for
violation of any of these Laws.

  (5) The drafting of the Laws that are adopted today does not involve
Vatican City State alone. The Holy See, which is legally distinct from
Vatican City State and which directs entities and institutions active in
various areas, has adopted as its own the "Law concerning the prevention =
and
countering of the laundering of proceeds from criminal activities and of =
the
financing of terrorism". The adoption of this Law was accomplished by =
means
of the "Apostolic Letter in the form of a Motu Proprio for the =
prevention
and countering of illegal activities in the area of monetary and =
financial
dealings".

  With that Apostolic Letter, which is also published today and signed =
by
the Supreme Pontiff Pope Benedict XVI:

 - it is also established that the Law of Vatican City State and its =
future
modifications apply as well to the "Dicasteries of the Roman Curia and =
for
each and every institution or entity dependent on the Holy See", among =
which
the Istituto per le Opere di Religione (IOR) is included, so as to =
confirm
the latter's firm intention to operate according to principles and =
criteria
which are internationally recognised;
 - the Autorit=E0 di Informazione Finanziaria (AIF) is established, an
autonomous and independent body with the specific task of preventing and
countering the laundering of money and the financing of terrorism with
respect to each subject, both legal and physical, entity and institution =
of
whatever nature, of Vatican City State, of the Dicasteries of the Roman
Curia and of all the other institutions and entities dependent on the =
Holy
See;
 - the competent judicial authorities of Vatican City State are =
henceforth
delegated to exercise penal jurisdiction in regard to the =
above-mentioned
institutions, in the case of crimes related to money-laundering and the
financing of terrorism.

  The Apostolic Letter is published on the Holy See's website, at
www.vatican.va

  (6) The AIF, whose President and members of the Governing Council are
appointed by the Pope, is charged with the task of adopting the complex =
and
delicate norms of implementation which are indispensable in ensuring =
that
the subjects of the Holy See and of Vatican City State - from 1 April =
2011 -
will respect these new and important obligations aimed at countering the
laundering of money and the financing of terrorism. On 1 April 2011, the
"Law concerning the prevention and countering of the laundering of =
proceeds
from criminal activities and of the financing of terrorism" wil
l enter =
into
force.

  (7) Experience will help to refine and integrate the new norms =
concerning
the prevention and countering of money-laundering and the financing of
terrorism in accordance with the principles and the standards in force =
in
the international community; such need might derive from the Holy See's =
and
Vatican City State's openness to deal with competent international =
instances
in countering both money-laundering and the financing of terrorism.

  (8) These new Laws are part of the Apostolic See's efforts to build a =
just
and honest social order. At no time may the great principles of social
ethics like transparency, honesty and responsibility be neglected or
weakened (cf. Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, 36).
SS/                                                                     VIS
20101230 (1150)

FR. LOMBARDI'S NOTE CONCERNING THE MOTU PROPRIO

VATICAN CITY, 30 DEC 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a note =
written
by Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. on the =
Pope's
Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" on the prevention and countering of
illegal activities in the financial and monetary sectors. Fr. Lombardi's
note is entitled "Transparency , honesty and responsibility".

  Today's publication of new laws for Vatican City State, for the
dicasteries of the Roman Curia and for the Institutions and Entities
dependent on the Holy See, is an important normative development, but =
also
has far-reaching moral and pastoral significance.

  As of today, all organisations associated with the government of the
Catholic Church - and with the Church's "support": Vatican City State -
have, in a spirit of sincere collaboration, become part of that system =
of
juridical principles and instruments which the international community =
is
creating with the aim of guaranteeing just and honest coexistence in an
increasingly globalised world; a world in which, unfortunately, economy =
and
finance is not infrequently a field for illegal activities, such as the
recycling of the profits of crime and the financing of terrorism, true
threats to justice and peace in the world.

  Speaking plainly, the Pope affirms that the "Holy See approves such a
commitment" on the part of the international community, "and intends to
adopt the rules" the community uses "to prevent and combat" these =
terrible
phenomena.

  Illegal activities have always shown an extraordinary ability to
infiltrate and contaminate the world of economy and finance, but their
growth at the international level, and the use of new technology, have =
made
them increasingly insidious and capable of concealment. Thus, by way of
protection, it has become vital to create mutual control and information
networks among the authorities charged with contrasting such activities.

  It would be ingenuous to imagine that the perverse intelligence of the
people who control illegal activities would not seek to exploit certain =
weak
spots which sometimes exist in the international systems that defend and
oversee legality, in order to penetrate and violate them. For this =
reason
international solidarity is of vital importance in order to safeguard =
those
systems, and it is right and understandable that national watchdogs and =
the
competent international organisations (the Council of Europe and, in
particular, FATF the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering) =
should
look favourably upon the States and organisations which offer the =
requested
guarantees, and impose greater limitations on those which fail to =
conform.

  Naturally, this also holds true for Vatican City and for those
ecclesiastical organisations which undertake economic and financial
activities.

  Thus the new norms respond both to the need to conserve the =
effectiveness
of the organisations that work in the economic and financial sector at =
the
service of the Catholic Church in the world and, - more importantly - to =
the
moral requirement of "transparency, honesty and responsibility", which =
must
always be observed in the social and economic field (Caritas 
in =
Veritate,
36).

  The implementation of the new norms will certainly require great
commitment. A new Financial Information Authority must be set up, new
obligations must be respected, new functions exercised. But this cannot =
but
be of benefit to the Church. Vatican organisations will be less =
vulnerable
in the face of the continuous risks that inevitably arise in the =
handling of
money. Those errors which so quickly become the cause of "scandal" for
public opinion and the faithful will be avoided. In the final analysis =
the
Church will be more "credible" before the members of the international
community, and this is of vital importance for her evangelical mission.
Today, 30 December 2010, the Pope has signed a document of a type a =
little
unusual for him, but one of great courage and of great moral and =
spiritual
significance. This is a good way to conclude the year: with a step =
towards
transparency and credibility!
OP/                                                                     VIS
20101230 (650)

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR JANUARY 2011

VATICAN CITY, 30 DEC 2010 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer =
intention
for January 2011 is: "That young people may learn to use modern means of
social communication for their personal growth and to better prepare
themselves to serve society".

  His mission intention is: "That every believer in Christ may be =
conscious
that unity among all Christians is a condition for more effective
proclamation of the Gospel".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/                                 VIS 20101230 (80)

PAPAL, HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010

VATICAN CITY, 30 DEC 2010 (VIS) - Following are highlights of the =
activities
of Pope Benedict XVI and the Holy See for the months of September to
December 2010.

SEPTEMBER

2: Holy Father receives in audience Shimon Peres, president of Israel.

3: Publication of the Holy Father's Message for the twenty-sixth World =
Youth
Day, entitled: "Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the =
faith".
World Youth Day is due to be celebrated in the Spanish capital Madrid =
during
the month of August 2011.

5: Pastoral visit of the Holy Father to the Italian town of Carpineto =
Romano
to mark the two hundredth anniversary of the birth there of Pope Leo =
XIII
(Vincenzo Gioacchino Pecci).

8: At the end of his general audience, the Holy Father Benedict XVI =
greets
Jose Maria Pereira Neves, prime minister of Cape Verde.

10: Holy Father receives in audience Pal Schmitt, president of the =
Republic
of Hungary.

10: Benedict XVI receives a group of prelates from the National =
Conference
of Bishops of Brazil (Northeast region 3) at the end of their "ad =
limina"
visit.

13: Beatification in Granada, Spain, of Servant of God Leopoldo Sanchez
Marquez de Alpandeire (ne Francesco), Spanish professed layman of the =
Order
of Friars Minor Capuchins.

13: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of Walter Jurgen Schmid, =
the
new ambassador of Germany to the Holy See.

16-19: Apostolic trip to the United Kingdom for the Beatification of
Cardinal John Henry Newman.

20: Vatican Apostolic Library reopens following three years of =
restoration
work.

24: Presentation of Benedict XVI's Letter for the Seventh World Meeting =
of
Families, due to be held in the Italian city of Milan from 30 May to 2 =
June
2012 on the theme: "The Family: Work and Rest".

29: Publication of the theme chosen by the Pope for the forty-fifth =
World
Day of Social Communications: "Truth, proclamation and authenticity of =
life
in the digital age". His Message for the Day will be published on 24 =
January
2011, feast of St. Francis of Sales, patron of journalists.

OCTOBER

3: Pastoral visit of the Holy Father to Palermo, Italy, for a regional
ecclesial meeting of families and young people.

4: Benedict XVI receives a group of prelates from the National =
Conference of
Bishops of Brazil (North region 1 and Northeast region) at the end of =
their
"ad limina" visit.

7: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of Fernando Zegers Santa =
Cruz,
the new ambassador 
of Chile to the Holy See.

8: Holy Father receives in audience Nicolas Sarkozy, president of =
France.

8-9: Congress in the Vatican to mark the twentieth anniversary of the
publication of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

9: Holy Father receives in audience Ivo Josipovic, president of the =
Republic
of Croatia.

10: The Holy Father Benedict XVI presides at a concelebration of the
Eucharist with Synod Fathers for the solemn opening of the Special =
Assembly
of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, on the theme: "The Catholic
Church in the Middle East. Communion and Witness. Now the company of =
those
who believed were of one heart and soul".

15: Benedict XVI sends a Message to Jacques Diouf, director general of =
the
United Nation's Rome-based Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), for =
the
occasion of World Food Day.

16: Holy Father receives in audience Bronislaw Komorowski, president of =
the
Republic of Poland.

17: In St. Peter's Square, Holy Father canonises Stanislao Soltys, =
called
Kazimierczyk (1433-1489); Andre Bessette (ne Alfred) (1845-1937); =
Candida
Maria de Jesus Cipitria y Barriola (nee Juana Josefa) (1845-1912); Mary =
of
the Cross MacKillop (nee Mary Helen) (1842-1909); Giulia Salzano
(1846-1929), and Battista da Varano (nee Camilla), (1458-1524).

18: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of Cesar Mauricio Velasquez
Ossa, the new ambassador of Colombia to the Holy See, and of Manuel =
Roberto
Lopez Becerra, the new ambassador of El Salvador to the Holy See.

18: Publication of the "Letter to Seminarians", written by the Pope to =
mark
the end of the Year for Priests.

21: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of Han Hong-soon, the new
ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Holy See, and of Bogadan
Tataru-Cazaban, the new ambassador of Romania to the Holy See.

22: Benedict XVI receives Letters of Credence of Luis Dositeo Latorre =
Tapia,
the new ambassador of Ecuador to the Holy See; of Maja Marija Lovrencic
Svetek, the new ambassador of Slovenia to the Holy See, and of Manuel =
Tomas
Fernandes Pereira, the new ambassador of Portugal to the Holy See.

25: Holy Father receives in audience James Alix Michel, president of the
Republic of the Seychelles.

26: Presentation of the Pope's Message for the ninety-seventh World Day =
of
Migrants and Refugees which is due to be celebrated on 16 January 2011.

28: Benedict XVI receives a group of prelates from the National =
Conference
of Bishops of Brazil (Northeast region 5) at the end of their "ad =
limina"
visit.

NOVEMBER

6-7: Apostolic trip to the Spanish cities of Santiago de Compostela and
Barcelona.

9: Message from the Pope to Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, president of the
Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), for that institution's sixty-second
general assembly, being held in Assisi, Italy.

11: Presentation of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Verbum =
Domini"
of Benedict XVI, on the Word of God in the life and mission of the =
Church.

16: Press conference to present the Vatican Television Centre's new
high-definition outside-broadcasting equipment.

20: Third ordinary public consistory of Benedict XVI's pontificate, =
during
which he creates twenty-four new cardinals.

22: Message from the Pope to Fr. Hermann Geissler F.S.O., director of =
the
International Centre of Newman Friends, for a symposium organised by the
group on the theme: "The Primacy of God in the Life and Writings of =
Blessed
John Henry Newman".

22: Death at the age of 90 of Cardinal Urbano Navarrete S.J., dean of =
St.
Pontian.

23: Press conference to present a new book entitled: "Light of the =
World.
The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times. A conversation of =
Benedict
XVI with Peter Seewald", published by the Vatican Publishing House.

26: Press conference to present the new "Vatican Foundation: Joseph
Ratzinger - Benedict XVI".

___
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