"The fourth part of the Initial Report, regarding the 'Affirmation of
the prohibition against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment in the teachings and activities of the Holy See',
references the wide array of documents, proclamations, publications, radio
and television programs by which the Holy See actively addresses not only
followers of the Catholic Faith, but also the international Community and
all people of good will".
 "It should be stressed, particularly in light of much confusion, that
the Holy See has no jurisdiction - as that term is understood also under
article 2.1 of the Convention - over every member of the Catholic Church.
The Holy See wishes to reiterate that the persons who live in a particular
country are under the jurisdiction of the legitimate authorities of that
country and are thus subject to the domestic law and the consequences
contained therein. State authorities are obligated to protect, and when
necessary, prosecute persons under their jurisdiction. The Holy See
exercises the same authority upon those who live in Vatican City State in
accordance with its laws. Hence, the Holy See, in respecting the principles
of autonomy and sovereignty of States, insists that the State authority,
which has legitimate competency, act as the responsible agent of justice in
regard to crimes and abuses committed by persons under their jurisdiction.
My Delegation wishes to emphasize that this includes not only acts of
torture and other acts of cruel and inhuman punishments, but also all other
acts considered as crimes committed by any individual who, notwithstanding
affiliation with a Catholic institution, is subject to a particular State
authority. The obligation and responsibility of promoting justice in these
cases resides with the competent domestic jurisdiction".
 "To recapitulate this fourth part of the Report, it might be said
that the measures employed by the Holy See to take effective legislative,
administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent and to prohibit
torture and to address its root causes to avoid future acts in this area
are abundant. This manifests the Holy See's desire 'to lend its moral
support and collaboration to the international Community, so as to
contribute to the elimination of recourse to torture, which is inadmissible
and inhuman'".

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 BE RESURRECTED WAYFARERS, LET THE WORD OF GOD WARM YOUR HEARTS
 Vatican City, 4 May 2014 (VIS) - "Peter is a witness to the hope
there is in Christ ... and is the firm point of reference for the
community, since he is based on the rock that is Christ. ... Thus was John
Paul II, a true stone anchored to the great Rock". With these words,
the Pope began his homily in the Roman Church of St. Stanislaw in Rome this
Sunday, in which he joined with the Polish community to give thanks for the
canonisation of John Paul II. Francis mentioned that, during his
pontificate, Pope Wojtyla visited this church on more than eighty occasions
and said that "in moments of sadness or dejection, when all appeared
to be lost, he never lost hope, as his faith and hope were rooted in God.
And therefore he was an anchor stone, a rock for this community".
 The Holy Father commented that the Polish population is well aware that,
to enter into glory, one must pass through passion and the cross, "and
they know this not because they have studied it, but because they have
experienced it. St. John Paul II, as a worthy son of his earthly homeland,
followed this route. He followed it in an exemplary fashion, being
thoroughly despoiled by God. For this reason, his flesh reposes in
hope".
 The Pope asked those present if they were willing to follow this route and
mentioned that St. Peter, with the voice of St. John Paul II, asks us to
conduct ourselves in fear of God during our time on earth. "We are
wayfarers", he emphasised, "but not errants. We walk, but we know
where we are going. Errants do not. We are pilgrims but not vagabonds, as
St. John Paul II used to say".
 He concluded, "We too can become 'resurrected wayfarers', if His Word
warms our heart, and His Eucharist opens our eyes to faith and nourishes us
with hope and charity. We too can walk alongside our brothers and sisters
who are sad and desperate, warm our hearts with the Gospel, and break the
bread of fraternity with them".

___________________________________________________________

 FRANCIS: REIGNITE HOPE IN OUR HEARTS
 Vatican City, 4 May 2014 (VIS) - As is usual on Sunday, the Holy Father
appeared at the window of the Vatican Apostolic Palace to pray the Regina
Coeli with the faithful gathered in the square. He spoke about the
disciples who encountered Jesus on the path to Emmaus but did not recognise
Him. "Seeing how sad they were, He first helped them to understand
that the passion and the death of the Messiah were foreseen in God's plan
and foretold in the Sacred Scriptures; and in this way He reignited the
flame of hope in their hearts".
 "The road to Emmaus has thus become a symbol of our path of
faith", he continued. "The Scriptures and the Eucharist are the
indispensable elements for the encounter with the Lord. Often we too arrive
at Sunday Mass with our worries, our difficulties and our disappointments.
Life at times wounds us and we proceed sadly towards our 'Emmaus', turning
away from God's plan. We drift away from God. But the Liturgy of the Word
accommodates us: Jesus explains the Scriptures to us and reignites in our
hearts the warmth of faith and hope, and in Communion He gives us
strength".
 Before concluding, the Pope also commented that the Word of God and the
Eucharist always fill us with joy. "Do not forget! When you are sad,
take the Word of God. When you are down, take the Word of God and go to
Mass on Sunday to receive Communion, to participate in the mystery of
Jesus. The Word of God, the Eucharist: they fill us with joy. .. There is
always a Word of God that guides us when we are disorientated; and through
our weariness and disappointments, there is always the broken Bread that
helps us along the path".

___________________________________________________________

 CATHOLIC ACTION: REACH OUT TO THE BOUNDARIES WITH THE JOY OF BEING WITH CHRIST
 Vatican City, 3 May 2014 (VIS) - "New people in Christ Jesus, sharing
responsibility for the joy of living" is the theme chosen for the
national assembly of Italian Catholic Action, whose members were received
in audience by Pope Francis this morning. He emphasised to them that this
joy is that of the disciples who encounter the risen Christ and that it is
necessary for it to be interiorised as part of an evangelical style able to
influence life.
 "In the current social and ecclesial context, the lay members of
Catholic Action are required to renew your missionary choice, open to the
horizons that the Spirit indicates to the Church and the expression of a
new youth of the lay apostolate. First and foremost, the parishes,
especially those that are weary and closed, need your apostolic enthusiasm,
your full willingness and your creative service. This means taking on the
missionary dynamism to reach out to everyone, especially those who feel
they are distant, and the weakest, most forgotten parts of the population.
It means opening the doors and letting Jesus out to them".
 Staying, going and rejoicing were the three key words that the Pope
indicated to Catholic Action as beacons for their path.
 "As proclaimers and witnesses of Christ, it is necessary, first of
all, to stay near to Him", he began. "It is from the encounter
with Him, He Who is our life and our joy, that our witness gains new
meaning and new strength every day".
 He then spoke of the need to "go and proclaim that God is the Father
and that Jesus Christ has let you know Him, and therefore your life has
changed: it is possible to live as brothers, carrying within a hope that
does not disappoint. ... [Go] where humankind suffers and hopes, loves and
believes; where there are our deepest dreams, our truest questions, the
desires of the heart. There, Jesus awaits you". To rejoice, finally,
means "being people who sing life, who sing faith; people able to
recognise their own talents and their own limits, who are able to see in
all their days, even the darkest, the signs of the Lord's presence. Rejoice
because the Lord has called you to share in the responsibility of the
mission of His Church".
 "With these three attitudes, staying in Jesus, going out to the
boundaries and living the joy of Christian belonging, you can carry forward
your vocation and avoid the temptation of 'quiescence', which has nothing
to do with staying with Jesus; the temptation of closure and 'intimism';
and the temptation of formal seriousness. Avoid living a life that bears
more resemblance to that of a statue in a museum rather than those of
people called upon by Christ to live and spread the joy of the
Gospel".

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 TO THE BISHOPS OF SRI LANKA: CONTRIBUTE TO NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND
FOSTER INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE AGAINST EXTREMISM
 Vatican City, 3 May 2014 (VIS) - The contribution of the Catholic Church
to national reconciliation and the reconstruction of civil society, the
importance of interreligious dialogue as a bulwark against an extremism
that promotes a false sense of national unity based on a single religious
identity, and the protection of the family were the central themes of Pope
Francis' address to the bishops of Sri Lanka at the end of their
five-yearly "ad limina" visit.
 After many years of conflict and bloodshed, the war in Sri Lanka has
finally come to an end and its inhabitants now hope to rebuild their lives
and communities. The bishops have dedicated themselves to this task, as may
be seen by their pastoral letter "Towards Reconciliation and
Rebuilding of our Nation" in which, as well as sharing in the
tribulations of the people, they note that much work remains to be done to
ensure respect for human rights and to overcome ethnic tensions. The Pope
joins with them in offering a word of consolation to "all those who
lost loved ones during the war and remain uncertain as to their fate",
and invites communities, "steadfast in the faith, to remain close to
those who still mourn and suffer the lasting effects of war".
 The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka, which has both Sinhalese and Tamil among
her members, is therefore in a unique position to be able to promote unity
between these groups, and also knows intimately "the concerns and
fears of the people, particularly how they can be marginalised and distrust
one another. The faithful, knowledgeable of the issues that cause tensions
between the Sinhalese and Tamil, can provide an atmosphere of dialogue that
seeks to construct a more just and equitable society".
 He continues, "Sri Lanka is a country not only of rich ethnic
diversity, but also of various religious traditions; this highlights the
importance of interreligious and ecumenical dialogue for fostering mutual
knowledge and enrichment. Your efforts in this regard are commendable and
bearing fruit. They allow the Church to collaborate more easily with others
in securing a lasting peace, and ensure the Church's freedom in pursuing
her proper ends, especially in educating young people in the faith and in
witnessing freely to Christian life. Sri Lanka has also seen, however, the
rise of religious extremists who, in promoting a false sense of national
unity based on a single religious identity, have created tensions through
various acts of intimidation and violence. Though these tensions may
threaten interreligious and ecumenical relations, the Church in Sri Lanka
must remain steadfast in seeking partners in peace and interlocutors in
dialogue".
 Francis comments on the important work of priests and consecrated persons
in transmitting faith and promoting reconciliation and dialogue, and
dedicates the final part of his discourse to the family, noting that the
war in Sri Lanka has left many families displaced or mourning the death of
their members. "Many have lost their employment and so families have
been separated as spouses leave their homes to find work. There is also the
great challenge and increasing reality of mixed marriages, which require
greater attention to preparation and assistance to couples in providing for
the faith formation of their children. When we are attentive to our
families and their needs, when we understand their difficulties and hopes,
we strengthen the Church's witness and proclamation of the Gospel. ... Your
efforts in support of the family assist not only the Church, but aid Sri
Lankan society as a whole, especially in its efforts for reconciliation and
unity".

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