VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 93
DATE 21-05-2014

Summary:
- THE GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE LEADS US TO DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF CREATION AS ITS CUSTODIANS
- FRANCIS PRAYS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND SERBIA
- THE HOLY SEE PARTICIPATES IN THE 67TH U.N. ASSEMBLY
- AUDIENCES
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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 THE GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE LEADS US TO DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF CREATION AS ITS CUSTODIANS
 Vatican City, 21 May 2014 (VIS) - The gift of knowledge, 'scientia', that
"is not limited to human knowledge, but which through creation leads
us to perceive the greatness of God and His love for His creatures"
was the theme of the Pope's catechesis during this Wednesday's general
audience.
 In the presence of more than 50,000 people in St. Peter's Square, Francis
explained that this gift of the Holy Spirit also enables us to discover how
the beauty and immensity of the cosmos speaks to us of the Creator and
invites us to praise Him "from the depths of our heart and to
recognise that all that we have, and all that we are. is an inestimable
gift of God and a sign of His infinite love for us".
 In the first chapter of Genesis, at the very beginning of the Bible, it is
made clear that God is pleased with His creation, and the beauty and
goodness of everything is repeatedly emphasised. If God sees that creation
is good and beautiful, then we too should assume this attitude. ... And
when God finished creating man, He did not say that what he saw was good,
but rather that it was 'very good'. In the eyes of God we are the most
beautiful, the greatest, the best of His creation: even the angels were
beneath us, we are greater than the angels. The Lord loves us, and we
should thank Him for this. ... The gift of knowledge places us in profound
harmony with the Creator and allows us to participate in the clarity of his
vision and judgement. And it is from this perspective that we are able to
perceive in man and woman the peak of His creation, as the fulfilment of a
plan of love that is inherent in each one of us, and enables us to
recognise each other as brothers and sisters".
 "All this is a reason for serenity and peace, and makes the Christian
a joyful witness to God, like St. Francis of Assisi and many other saints
who knew how to sing and to praise their love through the contemplation of
creation. At the same time, however, the gift of knowledge helps us to
avoid falling prey to the danger of ... considering ourselves to be the
masters of creation. Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at
will; or even less, is it the property of only a few. Creation is a gift
that God has given us, so that we might take care of it and make use of it
for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude. The second
mistake is the temptation for us to limit ourselves to creatures, as if
they were able to offer the answer to all our expectations".
 The Pope returned to the first risk, that of seeking to appropriate
creation instead of protecting it. Creation is "a gift from God to us
... and when we exploit it, we destroy the sign of His love. Destroying
creation is like saying to God, 'I don't like it', and this is not good, it
is a sin. Care for creation is care for God's gift to us, and it means
saying to God, 'thank you, I am the custodian of creation, but to enable it
to progress, never to destroy your gift'".
 "This must be our attitude in relation to creation", continued
the Holy Father: "to protect it, because if we destroy creation,
creation will destroy us! Do not forget this". He went on to recount a
story of a very simple person he once met, who loved flowers and took great
care of them. "He said, we must look after these beautiful things God
has given us; creation is ours so that we may benefit from it, not to
exploit it but to protect it, because God always forgives, we human beings
forgive sometimes, but creation never forgives and if you do not protect
it, it will destroy you".
 "This should make us think, and to ask the Holy Spirit for the gift
of knowledge to understand well that creation is God's most beautiful gift.
He has made so many good things for the greatest creation of all, the human
person".

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 FRANCIS PRAYS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND SERBIA
 Vatican City, 21 May 2014 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience,
during his greetings to the faithful in various languages, the Holy Father
launched an appeal on behalf of those citizens who have lost their lives,
for the many still missing, and for those affected by the great damage
caused by the serious floods which have occurred during recent days in
Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia. "Unfortunately the situation has
worsened, and I therefore invite you all to join me in prayer for the
victims and for all those afflicted by this disaster. May the solidarity
and concrete support of the international community be forthcoming".
 Pope Francis also mentioned that on 24 May the Church celebrates the
liturgical memory of Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, venerated
with great devotion in the She-shan shrine in Shanghai, China. He urged all
the faithful to pray so that, with the protection of Mary, Mother of Help,
Catholics in China may continue to believe, hope and love and that they may
be a leaven for harmonious co-existence with their fellow citizens in all
situations.
 Finally, he commented that Mario Vergara, priest of the PIME, and Isidoro
Ngei Ko Lat, lay faithful and catechist, both killed in 1950 in Myanmar in
hatred of the faith, will be proclaimed Blesseds next Saturday in Aversa,
Italy. "May their heroic fidelity to Christ offer encouragement and an
example to missionaries and especially to catechists who carry out precious
and indispensable apostolic work in the mission lands, for which the Church
is grateful".

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 THE HOLY SEE PARTICIPATES IN THE 67TH U.N. ASSEMBLY
 Vatican City, 21 May 2014 (VIS) - Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, head of the
Holy See delegation, spoke at the 67th World Health Assembly in Geneva.
"The Holy See is cognizant of the devastating impact of climate
change, as reported by the WHO Secretariat, in various reports and
advisories. That impact often is estimated in terms of additional financial
costs and burden of care to be assumed by both governmental and
non-governmental health care structures. Climate change also deeply affects
the social and environmental determinants of health, including clear air,
safe drinking water, supply of sufficient and nutritious food, and adequate
shelter", he said, emphasising that the Pope, in expressing his
concern regarding the voracious exploitation of environmental resources,
has "called for responsibility on the part of all in pursuing policies
that are respectful of the earth which is our common home".
 "The Holy See delegation is happy to note that the reports before us
and the WHO work-plan on climate change and health are part of this much
desired rethinking and solidarity", he continued. "This growing
ecological awareness needs to be helped to develop and mature, and find
fitting expression in concrete programmes and initiatives, especially
climate-resilient pathways for sustainable development, as well as
appropriate transformations in economic, social, technological and
political decisions and actions".
 The prelate went on to commend the secretariat for the report on efforts
made in the management of autism spectrum disorders, which among others
shows progress made in creating awareness, clearing some of the myths
surrounding autism, forging partnerships with civil society organisations
committed to improving services and setting priorities for national and
sub-national actions". Archbishop Zimowski expressed the Holy See's
wish to contribute to these efforts with an International Conference
organized by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, to be held in
the Vatican this coming November 20- 22, on the topic: "The Person
with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Stir Hope".
 Finally, with regard to with regard to maternal, infant and young child
nutrition, the prelate remarked upon the delegation's satisfaction to note
that "breastfeeding has been included as Global Target in the Strategy
and is proposed as a key indicator for monitoring progress towards
achieving the targets. Breastfeeding is a major protection against early
child malnutrition and should therefore be protected and promoted as part
of primary healthcare. It should be guaranteed by laws governing workplace
practice and there should be acceptance for breastfeeding even in
public", he concluded.

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 AUDIENCES
 Vatican City, 21 May 2014 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in
audience Gjorge Ivanov, president of the Republic of Macedonia, with his
wife and entourage.

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 OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
 Vatican City, 21 May 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:
 - acknowledged that the Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, Lebanon,
with the consent of the permanent Synod, has accepted the resignation from
the office of coadjutor archbishop of the archieparchy of Istanbul of the
Armenians, Turkey, presented by Archbishop George Khazzoum in accordance
with canon 210 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.
 - appointed Archpriest Levon Boghos Zekiyan, emeritus lecturer at the
Universita Ca' Foscari, Venice, as apostolic administrator "sede
plena" of the archieparchy of Istanbul of the Armenians (Catholics
3,339, priests 6, religious 6), Turkey, elevating him to the dignity of
Archbishop. The bishop-elect was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1943, gave his
solemn vows in 1964 and was ordained a priest in 1967. He has assumed the
pastoral care of the Armenian diaspora and the fraternity of Sts. Nicola
and Sergio in the Patriarchate of Venice and has served as ordinary
professor of Armenian language at the Universita Ca' Foscari, Venice, and
as a lecturer at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome. He has also
served as Academic of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia and consultor for
the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
 - appointed Fr. Sergio Pellini S.D.B., Italy, director general of the
Vatican Press, as chaplain of the directorate of Safety Service and Civil
Protection of Vatican City State.

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