Returning to the words of St. John Paul II, Francis remarked, "To
arrive at a fully valid interpretation of the words inspired by the Holy
Spirit, we ourselves must be guided by the Holy Spirit; and for this we
must pray, and ask in prayer for the inner light of the Spirit and accept
this light with docility; we must ask for love, as love alone makes us able
to understand the language of God, which is love". He added, "Our
Lady teaches us to fully welcome the Word of God, not only through
intellectual research, but in all our life", and concluded by giving
his blessing to those present.

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 Catholics and orthodox in Amman on "Synodality and the Primate"
 Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - The eighth plenary session of the
International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the
Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church will take place in Amman, Jordan
from 15 to 23 September, following the invitation from the Greek-Orthodox
Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Theophilos III.
 The session will be co-chaired by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and the Metropolitan of
Pergamon Ioannis (Zizioulas) of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. As on previous
occasions, the meeting will be attended by two representatives of each of
the fourteen autocephalous Orthodox Churches and many other Catholic
representatives. The plenary session will examine a draft document entitled
"Synodality and the Primate", drawn up by the Co-ordinating
Committee of the Commission during the two meetings held in Rome in 2011
and in Paris in 2012.
 The study of the theological and anthropological relationship between the
primate and synodality in the life of the Church in local, regional and
universal contexts should offer a framework for reference for considering
the crucial question of the role of the bishop of Rome in the universal
Church. In Amman, the members of the Commission will be required to
evaluate whether the draft prepared by the Co-ordinating Committee
adequately reflects the currently existing consensus on this delicate issue
or if it will be necessary to explore the theme in further depth.
 The plenary session will also offer participants the opportunity to share
moments of prayer with the local Christian communities and to express their
closeness to those who suffer as a result of ongoing conflicts in the
region.

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 Archbishop Tomasi: human trafficking is not confined to poor and
developing countries
 Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - The fight against contemporary
forms of slavery was the theme of the address given by Archbishop Silvano
Tomasi. Holy See Permanent Observer at the United Nations, during the 27th
Ordinary Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
 The archbishop referred to a number of tragic forms of contemporary
slavery that have recently attracted the attention of the media and the
international community, such as "massive kidnappings and sale of
young girls under the false premises of religious teachings as is done, for
example, by Boko Haram in Nigeria or by the so-called Islamic State group
in northern Iraq".
 "Some 250,000 children are forcibly conscripted and even used as
"human shields" in the front lines of armed conflicts", he
continued. However, there are "other, subtler forms of slavery that
deserve specific attention, including the 5.7 million children who are
victims of forced and bonded labour, domestic servitude, early, forced and
servile marriage ... and caste-based forms of slavery, which affect the
lives of so many and are not confined to developing and poor
countries". Factors that may contribute to the promotion of all forms
of slavery include "the increasing incidence of absolute poverty among
many families affected by the economic crises, the lack of education and
illiteracy, long-term and apparently irreversible unemployment which force
people into the informal-sector work without adequate pay or social
protection, involuntary migration, and human trafficking".
 Although the international community has already developed international
conventions and agreements to protect against contemporary forms of
slavery, the Holy See observer remarked that greater political will is
necessary to ensure the effectiveness of such instruments and to increase
public awareness. "We need to break the silence about this 'open wound
on the body of contemporary society' and motivate 'men and women of good
will who want to cry out, Enough!'" he continued, noting that Pope
Francis takes every opportunity to denounce the "many abominable forms
of slavery [that] persist in today's world" and has "joined with
leaders from other major religious traditions to promote the ideals of
faith and of shared human values in order to eradicate modern slavery and
human trafficking ... for all time".

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 Audiences
 Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in
audience twenty-one prelates from the National Episcopal Conference of the
Democratic Republic of Congo, on their "ad Limina" visit:
 - Archbishop Marcel Utembi Tapa of Kisangani;
 - Bishop Etienne Ung'eyowun Bediwegi of Bondo;
 - Bishop Dieudonne Uringi Uuci of Bunia;
 - Bishop Joseph Banga Bane of Buta;
 - Bishop Julien Andavo Mbia of Isiro-Niangara;
 - Bishop Sosthene Ayikuli Adjuwa of Mahagi-Nioka;
 - Bishop Janvier Kataka Luvete of Wamba;
 - Archbishop Jean-Pierre Tafunga Mbayo, S.D.B., of Lubumbashi;
 - Bishop Jean-Anatole Kalala Kaseba of Kamina;
 - Bishop Fulgence Muteba Mugalu of Kilwa-Kasenga;
 - Bishop Nestor Ngoy Katahwa of Kolwezi;
 - Bishop Oscar Ngoy wa Mpanga, C.S.Sp., of Kongolo;
 - Bishop Vincent de Paul Kwanga Ndjibu of Manono;
 - Bishop Gaston Kashala Ruwezi, S.D.B., of Sakania-Kipushi;
 - Archbishop Joseph Kumuondala Mbimba of Mbandaka-Bikoro;
 - Bishop Joseph Mokobe Ndjoku of Basankusu;
 - Bishop Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, O.F.M. Cap., of Bokungu-Ikela;
 - Bishop Philibert Tembo Nlandu, C.I.C.M., of Budjala;
 - Bishop Louis Nkinga Bondala, C.I.C.M., of Lisala;
 - Bishop Ferdinand Maemba Liwoke of Lolo;
 - Bishop Dominique Bulamatari of Molegbe.
 This afternoon, the Holy Father will receive in audience Archbishop Nikola
Eterovic, apostolic nuncio in the Federal Republic of Germany.

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 Other Pontifical Acts
 Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed
Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor
Unum", and Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, major penitentiary, as members of
the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

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 Notice
 Vatican City, 12 September 2014 (VIS) - We inform our readers that
tomorrow, Saturday 13 September, an extraordinary edition of the Vatican
Information Service will be transmitted on the occasion of Pope Francis'
visit to Redipuglia, Italy.

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