ZENIT, Daily dispatch
The World Seen From Rome
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VATICAN DOSSIER
* Pope Calls for a Culture Worthy of Humanity
* Church Ready for More Work in Mozambique Schools
* Pontiff Extols Thought Of John Chrysostom
WORLD FEATURES
* Holy See Presses for 2-State Solution in Mideast
* A Study of the Sistine Chapel's Theology
* Sacred Music Needs Governing, Says Director of Institute
* Church Speaks Up for Immigrants and Children
NEWS BRIEFS
* Uruguayan Bishops Bracing for Abortion Fight
COUNTDOWN TO SYDNEY
* Cross and Icon in Australia's Heartland
DOCUMENTS
* Holy See Statement on Israeli-Palestinian Issue
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VATICAN DOSSIER
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Pope Calls for a Culture Worthy of Humanity
Encourages Pontifical Academies to Promote Example of Martyrs
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 8, 2007 (Zenit.org).- A culture worthy of human life needs to be promoted, both in the Church and in the world, says Benedict XVI, who encouraged pontifical academies in their quest to accomplish this objective.
The Pope affirmed this in a message sent to Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the coordinating council of the pontifical academies and president of the Pontifical Council for Culture. He sent the note on the occasion of the public session of the academy council meeting.
"The celebration of this public session," writes the Pontiff in his message, "annually renews an opportunity for meeting and collaboration between the pontifical academies [...] in order to harmonize their various initiatives, all of which have a precise objective: promoting, both in the Church and the world, a culture worthy of human life, made fruitful by faith, capable of proposing the beauty of Christian life and of providing an adequate response to the ever more numerous challenges of today's cultural and religious context."
Alluding to the session's theme on the love of God shown in the lives of martyrs, the Holy Father highlighted how "it is more necessary than ever to re-present the example of Christian martyrs, both those of antiquity and those of our own time, whose lives and witness, even to the spilling of their blood, are the supreme expression of love of God." The Pope concluded by mentioning "the works of charity that have flowered down the centuries through the efforts of generous faithful" who "have endeavored to create and promote charitable initiatives and institutions to meet the needs of the poorest, thus giving concrete expression to the close and indissoluble link between love of God and love of others."
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Church Ready for More Work in Mozambique Schools
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 8, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI and Mozambique's president discussed their mutual satisfaction at the work of the Church in that country, and noted that Catholics are committed to a greater presence in the university sector.
Armando Guebuza visited the Pope in the Vatican today. The president of the southeast African nation then went on to meet with the Holy Father's secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for relations with states.A statement from the Vatican press office reported that "the good relations existing between the Holy See and Mozambique were noted with pleasure, as was the convergence of ideas and intentions on the contribution the Church can make to the good of the entire nation, expressing a hope for ever more solid collaboration in the field of health care and education of the young. [] In particular, the Church is committed to strengthening and developing her presence in the university sector.
"Mention was also made of the Rome Peace Agreement, the 15th anniversary of which was celebrated on Oct. 4, concurring on the need to achieve full national reconciliation. Finally the resumption of talks was proposed, with a view to an agreement between the Holy See and Mozambique."
By one estimate, about 23% of Mozambique's almost 21 million people are Catholic.
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Pontiff Extols Thought Of John Chrysostom
Letter Marks 1,600th Anniversary of Saint's Birth
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 8, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI says he hopes modern theologians will pay more attention to the teachings of the Fathers of the Church.
The Pope affirmed this in a letter written for the 16th centenary of the death of St. John Chrysostom (347-407) and made public today.
The letter was read this morning at the opening of an international congress, "St. John Chrysostom 1,600 Years After His Death," under way through Saturday at Rome's Augustinianum patristic institute."The life and doctrinal teaching of this saintly bishop and doctor ring out in every century," the Holy Father wrote, "and even today they still induce universal admiration. The Roman Pontiffs have always recognized in him a living source of wisdom for the Church and their interest in his teaching became more intense over the course of last century."
"During his 12 years of priestly ministry in the Antiochean Church, John distinguished himself for his capacity to interpret Scripture in a manner the faithful could understand," the Pope said. He also sought "to strengthen the unity of the Church [...] at a historical moment in which it was threatened both internally and externally. He rightly felt that unity among Christians depends above all on a correct understanding of the central mystery of the Church's faith: that of the Blessed Trinity and the incarnation of the divine Word."
Benedict XVI continued, "Having served the Church in Antioch as a priest and preacher for 12 years, John was consecrated bishop of Constantinople in 398, remaining there for five and a half years. In that role, he concerned himself with the reform of the clergy, encouraging priests by word and example to live in conformity with the Gospel."
St. John Chrysostom "tirelessly denounced the contrast that existed in the city between the extravagant wastefulness of the rich and the indigence of the poor," the papal letter affirmed. At the same time, he encouraged the wealthy "to welcome homeless people into their own houses." He also "stood out for his missionary zeal" and built hospitals for the sick.
East and West
Benedict XVI recalled how "since the fifth century, John Chrysostom has been venerated by the entire Church, Eastern and Western, for his courageous witness in defense of ecclesial faith and for his generous dedication to pastoral ministry."
He added, "Special mention must also be made of the extraordinary efforts undertaken by St. John Chrysostom to promote reconciliation and full communion between Christians of East and West. In particular, his contribution proved decisive in putting an end to the schism separating the See of Antioch from the See of Rome and from other Western Churches."
The Pope highlighted how "both in Antioch and Constantinople John spoke passionately of the unity of the Church throughout the world. [...] For John, the unity of the Church is rooted in Christ, the divine Word, who with his incarnation united himself to the Church as a head is united to its body."
Eucharistic unity
Benedict XVI mentioned that for the saint, "the ecclesial unity achieved in Christ finds unique expression in the Eucharist."
His "profound veneration" for this sacrament was "particularly nourished in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. In fact, one of the richest expressions of Eastern liturgy bears his name: 'The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom,'" the Pope recalled.
"With great profundity, John Chrysostom develops his ideas on the effects of sacramental communion in believers. [...] He tirelessly repeats that preparation for holy Communion must include penitence for sins and gratitude for the sacrifice Christ made for our salvation. Thus, he exhorts the faithful to participate fully and devotedly in the rites of Divine Liturgy and to receive holy Communion in the same way," the Pontiff said.
He continued: John Chrysostom "also draws the moral consequences" from his contemplation of the Eucharistic mystery, reminding people "that communion with the Body and Blood of Christ obliges them to offer material assistance to the poor and hungry who live among them."
The Holy Father said he hopes this centenary may be a good occasion to increase studies on the saint, "recovering his teachings and encouraging his devotion."
"May the Fathers of the Church," the Pope concluded, "become a stable point of reference for all Church theologians." And may theologians themselves discover "a renewed commitment to recover the heritage of wisdom of the holy Fathers. The result can only be a vital enrichment of their ideas, even on the problems of our own times."
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WORLD FEATURES
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Holy See Presses for 2-State Solution in Mideast
Urges Israelis and Palestinians to Commit to Peace
NEW YORK, NOV. 8, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The Holy See is convinced that a two-state solution is the best way to solve the crisis between Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East.
Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, affirmed this today when he addressed the 62nd session of the U.N. General Assembly on the topic of Palestinian refugees in the Near East.
The archbishop said that at the heart of the matter is the problem of injustice. He said, "To postpone endlessly the resolution of this conflict by a refusal to negotiate and to compromise reasonably, by indecision or by a willingness to maintain the status quo, is to perpetuate injustice."
"Whether such a mind-set is deliberate or not does not alter the reality on the ground, namely, innocent people and entire families on all sides continue to suffer terribly and infrastructures are destroyed even before they are ready for use," the prelate continued.
True resolve
Affirming that the Holy See believes a two-state solution has the best chance to settle the crisis, Archbishop Migliore called on both Israelis and Palestinians to resolve themselves to work for peace.
He said: "Bringing this solution to reality is not the primary responsibility of the Quartet, but of the parties directly concerned and the neighboring countries who have immediate interests in the whole question."
The Quartet on the Middle East, which is involved in mediating the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, comprises the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.
The prelate continued: "While the international community can only do so much in providing all the support needed to bring together those in conflict, it is indispensable that the parties must set aside the pretense of peacemaking and start full negotiations on the two-state solution.
"My delegation earnestly hopes that the international conference planned for the end of this month may move the peace process towards this end, towards the definition of a realistic accord that the parties will be determined to implement."
Vicious cycle
Archbishop Migliore acknowledged that decades of violence have caused rage among the people of the area, "fueling the vicious cycle of violent retaliations."
However, he called on "groups within both the Israeli and Palestinian civil societies which, sharing the same loss and fear, reach out to one another to offer and receive forgiveness and reconciliation. We appeal not only to authorities, but to the entire Israeli, Palestinian and neighboring peoples, to consider how much this disposition of mutual empathy can bridge their otherwise mutually exclusive and contradictory claims which have so far prevented talks to come to fruition."
The archbishop concluded by noting that the status of the city of Jerusalem must be part of a lasting solution.
"In light of the numerous incidents of violence and challenges to free movement posed by the security wall," he said, "the Holy See renews its support for internationally guaranteed provisions to ensure the city of Jerusalem the freedom of religion and of conscience of its inhabitants, as well as permanent, free and unhindered access to the holy places by the faithful of all religions and nationalities."
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A Study of the Sistine Chapel's Theology
1st Volume of New Series Highlights Vatican Monument
ROME, NOV. 8, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Plenty of people have studied the art of the Sistine Chapel, but a new book published with the collaboration of the Vatican Museums aims to give "a new vision" -- a theological one.
Jesuit Father Heinrich Pfeiffer's "The Sistine Chapel: A New Vision" was presented recently in the Vatican Museums. It is the first volume of the "Select Vatican Monuments" series, a project undertaken by the Vatican Museums, the Vatican Publishing House and the Jaca Book editorial house.
Father Pfeiffer, a professor of Christian Art History at the Pontifical Gregorian University and a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture, explained in the epilogue that "the objective of this investigation of the Sistine Chapel has been precisely to show how the coming together of theology and history can produce completely unexpected results -- in such a way that the word and the image also draw close together, and become capable of showing how they mutually complement each other."
"The word finds again a body to animate and adequate clothing," he said, "while the image not only delights the eyes, but transmits the great ideas that have inspired the history of humanity, as well as faith in God and in his action in favor of creation."
The volume includes images of the entire chapel in full- and double-page photographs that reproduce the colors revealed by the frescoes' recent restoration.
Participants in the presentation of the book included: Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, president of the Governorate of the Vatican City State; Francesco Buranelli, director of the Vatican Museums; and Archbishop Giuseppe Antonio Scotti, president of the Vatican Publishing House.
The author emphasized that "the decoration of a church, not only of the Sistine Chapel, is not decoration in the sense we attribute to it. The decoration should give people who gather in these spaces the awareness of being living members."Next year, "Selected Vatican Monuments" plans the publication of a volume about the work of Rafael, followed by a book on the Vatican gardens.
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Sacred Music Needs Governing, Says Director of Institute
States Deviations After Vatican II Have Been Rampant
ROME, NOV. 8, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Perhaps a pontifical office with authority over sacred music would correct the abuses that have occurred in this area, suggested a Vatican official.
Monsignor Valentín Miserachs Grau, director of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, said this at a conference last Saturday, marking the 80th anniversary of the diocesan institute of Sacred Music of Trent, L'Osservatore Romano reported.
The pontifical institute directed by the monsignor was originally established by the Holy See in 1911. It is an academic institution dedicated to teaching and also performing sacred music. But, Monsignor Miserachs said, "In my opinion, it would be opportune to establish an office with authority over the material of sacred music."
Need
Monsignor Miserachs contended that "in none of the areas touched on by Vatican II -- and practically all are included -- have there been greater deviations than in sacred music."
"How far we are from the true spirit of sacred music, that is, of true liturgical music," he lamented. "How can we stand it that such a wave of inconsistent, arrogant and ridiculous profanities have so easily gained a stamp of approval in our celebrations?"
It is a great error, Monsignor Miserachs said, to think that people "should find in the temple the same nonsense given to them outside," since "the liturgy, even in the music, should educate all people -- including youth and children."
"Much music written today, or put in circulation, nevertheless ignores not only the grammar, but even the basic ABC's of musical art," he continued. "Due to general ignorance, especially in certain sectors of the clergy," certain media act as loudspeakers for "products that, devoid of the indispensable characteristics of sacred music -- sanctity, true art, universality -- can never procure the authentic good of the Church."
A reform
The monsignor called for a "conversion" back to the norms of the Church. "And that 'norm' has Gregorian chant as its cardinal point, either the chant itself, or as an inspiration for good liturgical music." He noted that his recommendations are not related to Benedict XVI's document on the use of the 1962 Roman Missal.
"'Nova et vetera,'" he urged, "the treasure of tradition and of new things, but rooted in tradition."
Monsignor Miserachs suggested that contact with tradition should "not be limited to the academic realm, or concerts or records." Instead, "it should become again the living song of the assembly that finds in it that which calms their deepest spiritual tensions, and which makes them feel that they are truly the people of God."
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Church Speaks Up for Immigrants and Children
Says Discrimination Contradicts Europe's Fundamental Values
LANZAROTE, Spain, NOV. 8, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The Holy See spoke out in defense of immigrants and children in Europe, noting that they are often the victims of discrimination.
Archbishop Manuel Monteiro de Castro, apostolic nuncio to Spain, participated as Holy See delegate to the 28th Conference of European Ministers of Justice, which was held in Lanzarote, Oct. 25-26.
In his talk, the text of which was made public today, the archbishop laid emphasis on "the conditions and means of access to justice for such vulnerable categories as immigrants and juveniles," calling for "their rights to be protected and any forms of discrimination against them to be prevented or eliminated."
The archbishop indicated that "European statistics show how such people, in one way or in another, suffer forms of exclusion and inequality of treatment in the workplace, in education [...] and in health care. [...] Moreover exploitation and abuse, including sexual abuse, which affect juveniles and immigrants -- especially women -- raise many moral and legal questions."
"The Holy See delegation considers such situations to be in patent contradiction to the fundamental values that are rooted in European culture and inspire the process of integration among the peoples of Europe," he said. Thus the risk exists "of transforming the vital rules of coexistence into a simple legal formality which, often, is not truly functional when faced with the requirements of social order."
"As for the situation of political asylum seekers and refugees, it must be noted," said Archbishop Monteiro, "that legal procedures are generally limited to authorizing their entry into the country," and do not concern themselves "with the reasons that bring such people to escape from their native countries." "Therefore," he added, "alongside humanitarian commitment, it is necessary to promulgate norms and procedures that translate the typical forms of European solidarity into legal terms, recognizing that, by reason of their dignity and the rights deriving from there, people must not be subject to discrimination."
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NEWS BRIEFS
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Uruguayan Bishops Bracing for Abortion Fight
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, NOV. 8, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The bishops of Uruguay are making plans for how they will confront the Senate's decision Tuesday in favor of legislation that would decriminalize abortion.
According to the ANSA news agency, the prelates began a meeting Wednesday to consider legal actions that could stop an eventual application of the measure, should the House of Deputies also decide in favor of it. One option under consideration is citizen petition, followed by a referendum.
President Tabaré Vázquez promised a veto for any pro-abortion legislation when he took office in 2005.
Bishop Pablo Galimberti of Salto told the El País newspaper that the Church "rejects that which violates the fundamental and first human right, the right to life."
"We are going to continue denouncing this," he said, "given that human rights are ever more vulnerable; today we are dealing with the unborn, tomorrow it could be children, elderly or black people."
Since 1938, Uruguay has allowed abortion only in cases of rape or if the mother's life is in danger.
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Countdown to SYDNEY
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Cross and Icon in Australia's Heartland
Preparing for Youth Day Aussie Style
By Catherine Smibert
SYDNEY, Australia, NOV. 8, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Fifty young Australians confronted issues of social justice and Aboriginal rights as they accompanied the World Youth Day cross and icon of Mary through their country's heartland.
The Great Crossing Ghan Pilgrimage set out from Darwin in the north, and during six days proceeded southward over the sunburnt Australian landscape before arriving to Port Augusta.
The route was named after The Ghan passenger train, which travels the same north-south route the Afghan camel trains trekked before the advent of the railway.
Many of the indigenous people of Australia participated in this leg of the national journey of the cross and icon, with 10 Aboriginal young people taking part in a special way as pilgrims. Many others from local communities joined in the prayer processions and activities.
Also traveling with the World Youth Day symbols is an Aboriginal message stick, a traditional method of communication among indigenous peoples. The message stick proclaims the message of the youth day and invites all the indigenous people of Australia to the papal event next year.
After visiting the towns of Katherine and Tennant Creek, the young pilgrims arrived to Alice Springs on day 3 of the journey. Their visit the town coincided with the community's celebrations of the 21st anniversary of Pope John Paul II's visit to the area as part of his tour of Australia in 1986.
The cross and icon stood at the site where chapel is to be built in remembrance of the visit. Locals wore T-shirts citing a quote John Paul II said that day, "For thousands of years you have lived in this land, and fashioned a culture that endures to this day."
Next on the itinerary was the town of Santa Teresa, 80 km (49 miles) west of Alice Springs. This community was originally set up as a mission on the land of the indigenous Arrernte people, and is now home to around 600 people.
The pilgrims made a short trip to the iconic landmark Uluru on day 5, also known as Ayers Rock, located in the very center of the expansive red desert planes. The group elevated the cross in front of the sandstone formation, which stands 348 meters (1,142 feet) high.
Before leaving Uluru, the youth had a question-and-answer session with Aboriginal elder Bob Randall, known in his community as Uncle Bob. The elder, who starred in the award winning documentary "Kanyini," watched the film with the pilgrims, and discussed afterward with the youth the treatment of the indigenous people in Australia. He commented on how the early Anglo settlers appropriated land belonging to the indigenous peoples, and removed children from their aboriginal families in the 1920s and 1930's, known as "the stolen generation."
Then literally in the middle of the desert in the town of Coober Pedy, the cross and icon had to go underground.
Here the red earth is blotched with piles of white dirt from the opal mines -- it's the opal mining capital of the world -- and due to the heat of the desert, many of the houses and even the Catholic Church are actually built beneath the earth!
With the peace and beauty it holds within its stone underground walls, the church is a stark contrast to the arid, windy environment outside -- a sensation of protection and peace that the pilgrims reflected on after Mass.
In Woomera, the 50 young Australians walked the cross and icon through the dry heat of the barren region, past the now closed Woomera Detention Center.
They also paused at the cemetery that holds the remains of many of children and babies, possibly affected by nuclear testing in the 1960s and 1970s. They appealed to Mary for her prayers here and blessed the graves with holy water.
Geraldine, a Pilgrim on the Ghan journey commented on her experience, "Before I was blessed with the opportunity to walk with the WYD Cross and Icon, I would not have thought that the sacrifice and challenge involved being a pilgrim could lead to such a spiritual experience."
"I have never felt so deeply thankful for everything in my life," she added "and the sacred land of Australia which has become my home."
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Down at the Pub
The young people of Sydney have been attending a variety of activities in order to prepare for World Youth Day next July, but none have been so popular as the monthly gathering at P.J. Gallagher's Pub.
It's Theology on Tap in Australia, and it began with a bang last August. The 19-year-old founder, Patrick Langrell, reports that the series has a mailing list of already 800 people, and that attendence per event is at least 200.
The Web site alone attracts over 100 hits per day.
Langrell, a law student at Sydney's Catholic University of Notre Dame, says that with World Youth Day approaching, and after hearing of the success of the program in other cities like Denver, Colorado, and Rome, he couldn't resist trying it out down under.
"I realized that I have never been to an event in Sydney which really attracted people to air their questions and issues about the Catholic faith in a comfortable and non-threatening environment," he told me.
"A lot of young people in Sydney are going through a spiritual drought, and Theology on Tap was, I saw, a possible faith quencher for so many young people who sometimes feel that they don't have answers anymore."
Langrell and his team feel that the environment sets the ideal scene for the social construct on which the World Youth Day in Sydney itself is based, insisting on the principal that friendship is integral for evangelization.
"Theology on Tap, in itself, is a fantastic event, but it is not an end in itself -- just like the World Youth Day," said the student. "The friendships that are formed in the event and between the events are there so that young people can help others grow in their faith."
And Langrell's hope that Theology on Tap indeed fosters such genuine and sanctifying friendships between young people is being realized, according to 21-year-old Philomena Smith.
Smith told me: "Theology on Tap does a magnificent job of mixing a social element with a spiritual talk which is interesting, fulfilling and most importantly, engaging. ... I find myself chatting to my friends, new and old, for quite some time afterward about each topic presented."
And it's not just the like-minded Catholics who are return visitors but people from other denominations and faiths.
David Chapman, a 23-year-old medical student, who is also Anglican, is considering a conversion to the Catholic Church. He identified that it was "the loving atmosphere and Scripturally driven teachings that Theology on Tap provides" as being integral to his new interest in Catholicism.
"Theology on Tap is a great way to passively evangelize in an atmosphere that is usually devoid of any deep spirituality," he added. "The use of such a public place has allowed members of the general public to be soaked in God's word without being aware of it."
Chapman's friend Elise Jackson, a 23-year-old raised in the Pentecostal Church, feels the same way, noting that "while we both still have plenty of questions, we have found one place where we know they will at least be addressed."
Langrell said that even the bar staff is showing interest, along with people who just come in off the street.
And will there a Theology on Tap at World Youth Day? An application has submitted, and Langrell hopes that a large meeting of 2,000-3,000 young people and a high-profile speaker could be included as part of the Youth Festival in Parramatta.
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Catherine Smibert is a freelance writer in Sydney, Australia. She can be reached at catherine@zenit.org.
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DOCUMENTS
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Holy See Statement on Israeli-Palestinian Issue
"At the Heart of the Matter Remains the Problem of Injustice"
NEW YORK, NOV. 8, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is the address Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave today on the topic of Palestinian refugees in the Near East.
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Mr Chairman,
My delegation thanks the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for this report, and commends her and her staff for their work, in spite of the continued violence and military activity in the area in which they operate.
The seemingly endless list of difficulties and differences separating Israelis and Palestinians can lead us to ignore the underlying fundamental questions which have plagued this region for far too long, such as the lack of persistent political will to reach a permanent solution.
At the heart of the matter remains the problem of injustice. To postpone endlessly the resolution of this conflict by a refusal to negotiate and to compromise reasonably, by indecision or by a willingness to maintain the status quo, is to perpetuate injustice. Whether such a mindset is deliberate or not does not alter the reality on the ground, namely, innocent people and entire families on all sides continue to suffer terribly and infrastructures are destroyed even before they are ready for use.
Mr Chairman,
The centrality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the continuing instability in the Middle East and its impact on the whole international community cannot be ignored. Solving it will greatly contribute to ending other questions in the region and to greater understanding among the peoples of the world.
In this regard, my delegation remains convinced that the two-state solution has the best chance to settle the crisis. Bringing this solution to reality is not the primary responsibility of the Quartet, but of the parties directly concerned and the neighbouring countries who have immediate interests in the whole question. While the international community can only do so much in providing all the support needed to bring together those in conflict, it is indispensable that the parties must set aside the pretense of peacemaking and start full negotiations on the two-state solution. My delegation earnestly hopes that the international conference planned for the end of this month may move the peace process towards this end, towards the definition of a realistic accord that the parties will be determined to implement.
We all know that this is much easier said than done. The accumulated acts of injustice and violence across decades have resulted in deeply rooted recriminations and rage among peoples in the area, fueling the vicious cycle of violent retaliations. In a state of constant alarm and permanent anguish, peoples resort to forming communities in mutual isolation. This state of things makes a lasting solution much more difficult to find, because it is antithetical to building relationships and mutual trust which are necessary in any peace process and peaceful coexistence.
My delegation encourages groups within both the Israeli and Palestinian civil societies which, sharing the same loss and fear, reach out to one another to offer and receive forgiveness and reconciliation. We appeal not only to authorities, but to the entire Israeli, Palestinian and neighbouring peoples, to consider how much this disposition of mutual empathy can bridge their otherwise mutually exclusive and contradictory claims which have so far prevented talks to come to fruition. Let us learn from peoples who have succeeded in putting an end to their strife. Patient dialogue, persevering trust, the overcoming of religious and cultural prejudices, and a manifest desire of entire communities for peace have brought the restoration of harmony in many countries previously devastated by hatred and violence. For this reason, my delegation remains convinced that the different religious confessions in the Holy Land can make a significant contribution to resolving the conflict.
Finally, in the hope that the many problems of the region will at last be resolved by negotiation and dialogue, my delegation further underlines that a lasting solution must include the status of the Holy City of Jerusalem. In light of the numerous incidents of violence and challenges to free movement posed by the Security Wall, the Holy See renews its support for "internationally guaranteed provisions to ensure the City of Jerusalem the freedom of religion and of conscience of its inhabitants, as well as permanent, free and unhindered access to the Holy Places by the faithful of all religions and nationalities" (A/RES/ES-10/2).
Thank you, Mr Chairman.
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