Vatican City, Dec 14, 2015 / 11:40 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis on Monday met with an Italian initiative aimed at offering support to unemployed and underemployed youth, saying their responsibility is to help young people rediscover the “vocation” of work in the context of their human dignity. The task at hand is to help young people find, not just a job, but “a responsibility of evangelisation through the sanctifying value of work,” the Pope said during the Dec. 14 audience with members of the  Policoro Project. However, this does not apply to “any form of work: not work that exploits, crushes, humiliates and abuses, but work that makes man truly free, in accordance with his noble dignity”. “The vocation to work: that is one of the traits of human dignity,” the Roman Pontiff said. “There is no vocation to laziness, but to work.” He added that this sense of commitment to work goes beyond monetary gains: it is for the “edification of the world, of society, and of life.” Sponsored by the Bishops'  Conference of Italy, the Policoro Project began twenty years ago; it aims to support young people in Italy experiencing unemployment and underemployment. Pope Francis met with the Policoro Project at the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, lauding the work of the initiative, which has spread nationally. “Its key ideas have guided its success: the formation of the young, the establishment of cooperatives, the creation of mediation figures such as 'community animators' and a long series of concrete gestures, a visible sign of commitment throughout these twenty years of active presence.” The Pope said work which allows for freedom, creativity, participation and mutual support helps workers “express and enhance” their dignity. “Let us not lose sight of the urgency of reaffirming this dignity! It belongs to each and every one of us. .. When there is no work, dignity is at risk, as unemployment not only prevents you from putting food on the table; it also makes you feel unworthy of earning a living.” The Roman Pontiff observed how young people today have fallen victim to unemployment, not only affecting their ability to sustain themselves, but also promoting feelings of unworthiness. “How many of them have given up looking for work, resigned to continual rejection or the indifference of a society that rewards only the usual privileged few – even if they are corrupt – and obstructs those who deserve affirmation.” “The reward seems to go to those who are sure of themselves, even if this security is gained through corruption. Work is not a gift to be kindly granted to the select few: it is a right for all!” Pope Francis lauded the Policoro Project for representing a “sign of real hope for many people who have not resigned themselves but have instead decided to commit themselves courageously to creating or improving their opportunities for work.” “Continue to promote initiatives for participation for young people in a community and participatory form,” he encouraged them. “To the question, 'what has the Church to do with my situation?', that you have said and heard many times, the answer is 'witness'. And here you are able to provide your witness, face to face with those who are in need of courage and support.” Read more

Vatican City, Dec 13, 2015 / 06:48 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his Sunday Angelus address Pope Francis commended world leaders for reaching an agreement in the recently-concluded Paris climate talks, urging the international community promptly put it into action. “The conference on climate has just concluded in Paris with the adoption of an agreement, defined by many as historic,” the Pope said Dec. 13. Implementing the plan, he said, will require “a concerted and generous commitment on the part of each one,” and expressed his hope that the agreement will give special attention to the most vulnerable. The Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin was one of leaders representing 150 nations present for the Nov. 30-Dec. 11 discussions of the COP-21 summit on climate change in Paris, aimed at finding legally binding reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and holding global average temperatures under a two degrees Celsius increase over preindustrial global temperatures. The new deal holds that global greenhouse gas emissions will be cut by half of what is needed to prevent an increase in atmospheric temperatures of two degrees Celsius, according to the New York Times. The agreement also requires that every country participate, putting forward their own plan to cut carbon emissions through 2025-2030. Countries will also be legally required to meet every five years beginning in 2023 in order to publicly report on their progress compared to their plans. In his comments, Pope Francis exhorted the entire international community “to promptly continue the path taken, as a sign of solidarity which becomes ever more active.” Francis led pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square in the traditional Marian prayer after returning from the Roman basilica of St. John Lateran, where he celebrated Mass and opened the basilica’s Holy Door for the Jubilee of Mercy. In his speech ahead of the prayer, the Pope identified three different groups who spoke to John the Baptist in the day’s Gospel from Luke, asking him “what must we do?” in order to repent and prepare for the Lord. These groups are the general crowd, the tax collectors and the soldiers, Francis said, noting that in his response to each of them, John indicates that the heart of conversion is love of one’s neighbor, which is shown through concrete acts justice and solidarity, the Pope said. In asking the crowd to share with those in need, the tax collectors not to demand more than the due amount, and in telling the soldiers not to extort but to be happy with their pay, John the Baptist shows us what the temptations were of those who had power at the time, Francis said. “Things haven't changed much, eh?” he observed, noting that despite these tendencies “no category of person is excluded from walking the path of conversion in order to obtain salvation.” “God doesn’t prevent anyone from the possibility of salvation,” including the tax collectors, who were considered sinners “by definition” at the time. Instead, Francis said that God “is anxious to use mercy toward all and to welcome each person in the tender embrace of reconciliation and forgiveness.” John’s instructions also go for us today, he said, noting that justice, solidarity and sobriety are essential values on the path of conversion. A specific dynamic of this repentance and conversion is “joy,” he said, adding that joy is an important aspect of conversion, since “whoever converts and becomes close to the Lord feels joy.” In a world with many problems, it takes courage and faith to talk about joy, he said, adding that our joy as Christians “comes from the certainty that the Lord is close. He is close with his mercy, tenderness, love and forgiveness.” Pope Francis concluded his address by praying that Mary would intercede in helping us to be strengthened in faith, “so that we know how to welcome the God of joy, who always desires to live in the midst of his children.” As our mother, he said, Mary teaches us “to share the tears of those who cry, (in order to) be able to also share their smiles.” Read more

Vatican City, Dec 13, 2015 / 04:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On his return flight from Africa, as Pope Francis fielded the customary questions from the press, he challenged a journalist on a question about condom use in the fight to prevent HIV.   “We know that prevention is key. We know that condoms are not the only method of solving the epidemic, but it’s an important part of the answer,” the journalist said. “Is it not time for the Church to change its position on the matter? To allow the use of condoms to prevent more infections?” The question, Pope Francis said, seemed too narrow to address such a widespread and complex issue. Condom use in and of itself could never solve the HIV crisis or other problems facing many African nations. “The problem is bigger,” the Pope said. “This question makes me think of one they once asked Jesus: 'Tell me, teacher, is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? Is it obligatory to heal?' This question, 'Is doing this lawful,'…but malnutrition, the development of the person, slave labor, the lack of drinking water, these are the problems.” The Catholic Church has always held that artificial contraception use is immoral. In a 2010 book interview that made waves, Pope Benedict XVI said that while using a condom can represent a step in the right direction as far as showing concern for the other person, it is still an immoral solution to the HIV crisis. But was Pope Francis right to be so dismissive of condom usage? Do condoms actually play a practical and important role in the fight against HIV? An increasing amount of evidence says no.Abstinence and fidelity in Uganda At the peak of the HIV crisis in the 1980s, the country of Uganda had one of the highest infection rates – almost 25 percent of the population were HIV positive by 1991, according to the Washington Post. With the help of the country’s religious leaders, Uganda President Yoweri Museveni adopted the simplest and least expensive intervention possible in the poor and war-torn country – a public education program stressing abstinence before marriage and faithfulness afterward, largely de-emphasizing condom use except for those most at risk. In just eight years, the country saw the most significant decline in HIV infection rates in the world.   According to a 2004 article in the “Journal of International Development”, it was “the lack of condom promotion during the 1980s and early 1990s (that) contributed to the relative success of behavior change strategies in Uganda.” But just as Uganda was seeing a significant decline, the United States intervened, restructuring the country's approach and focusing more on condoms and less on abstinence and monogamy. In an op-ed for the Washington Post, Harvard's leading HIV researcher Dr. Edward Green and Wilfred Mlay, then-vice president for World Vision Africa, wrote that while the United States was generous in offering their help, the Western ideologies and approaches may have actually undermined the success previously seen in Uganda. “The Ugandan turnaround was well underway by the time foreign AIDS experts began to arrive in the early 1990s, bringing with them the Western public health approaches—and values. They began to retool Uganda's AIDS prevention efforts away from abstinence and fidelity—goals that many Westerners felt were unrealistic. As condom use increased, the percentage of young singles having sex rose from 27 percent to 37 percent between 1995 and 2000. Health officials worry that infection rates may increase as well,” they wrote.The problem with condoms Regardless of religious belief, condom use to curb HIV infection proves problematic for several reasons. One of the biggest issues with the promotion of condoms as a solution to HIV is that most people do not consistently or correctly use condoms, even after going through sex education. A study published by “The Annals of Pharmacotherapy” found that out of 500 couples who were repeatedly told by their doctors to use condoms, only eight percent did so consistently, despite knowledge that one partner had herpes. A different study found that only 50 percent of couples in which one partner had HIV used condoms consistently over time. Another part of the problem is something called risk compensation. In an interview with the BBC, Dr. Green said that risk compensation happens when people use risk-reducing technology in a way that assumes the technology cancels out all risk. As an example, in an interview with BBC, Dr. Green compared condom use to sunblock. He said the protection offered by sunblock is cancelled out when the person using sunblock assumes they are completely protected and therefore spends even more time in the sun. Similarly, people using condoms are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior because of the assumed protection, when in fact repeated exposure to infected persons decreases the protection that condoms offer. The phenomenon of risk compensation also means people using condoms are more likely to have a greater number of sexual partners, increasing their risk for certain STDs which in turn increases the likelihood of the transmission of HIV. Many STDs create open sores, which act as portals of entry for HIV infection. Another reason condoms alone fail at protecting people against HIV is because of the likelihood of disease transmission over time. According to a 2001 article in The Lancet, the more frequently one changes sexual partners, the more likely it is that they will spread HIV. This is because HIV is highly contagious when it is first contracted, but it is often not detectable until later. Therefore, an infected person could think they are HIV-free and go on to infect more people before they realize they have HIV. The study found that if there were at least six months in between sexual partners, the rate of HIV infections would significantly decrease.A tale of two countries: Philippines vs. Thailand Two different countries in Asia help further illustrate the effectiveness of abstinence and fidelity programs over condom promotion. In 1984, both countries reported their first case of HIV infection. But the two governments had radically different responses. Thailand’s response was to promote condom use across the board, while the largely Catholic country of the Philippines focused their response on promoting abstinence before marriage and fidelity afterwards. By 2005, the HIV rate in Thailand was 50 times higher than that of the Philippines. And while some experts hail Thailand as a success story rather than the Philippines, since Thailand’s rate of infection eventually decreased from previous levels, other experts say it is no coincidence that the Catholicism which permeates Filipino culture has led to a small rate of HIV infection.  Catholicism and HIV infection rates Although some experts are hesitant to recognize the effectiveness of abstinence and fidelity programs promoted by the Catholic Church, a 2005 article in British Medical Journal hailed their success. “The greater the percentage of Catholics in any country, the lower the level of HIV. If the Catholic Church is promoting a message about HIV in those countries, it seems to be working,” the article states. “On the basis of data from the World Health Organization, in Swaziland, where 42.6 percent have HIV, only 5 percent of the population is Catholic. In Botswana, where 37 percent of the adult population is HIV infected, only 4 percent of the population is Catholic. In South Africa, 22 percent of the population is HIV infected, and only 6 percent is Catholic. In Uganda, with 43 percent of the population Catholic, the proportion of HIV infected adults is 4 percent.” Dr. Green, too, emphasized in a 2009 article that his support of abstinence and fidelity programs comes not from a conservative worldview but rather from his experiences in Africa and from looking at the results. “I’m a flaming liberal, don’t go to church, never voted for a Republican in my life,” he said. In his aforementioned op-ed, he also added that it would be a wrong to place politics and ideologies above the lives of people who are at risk.   “Billions of dollars and the lives of countless men, women, and children will be wasted if ideology trumps proven health policy.” Read more

Vatican City, Dec 13, 2015 / 03:40 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Gaudete Sunday Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of Rome’s basilica of St. John Lateran, telling attendees that the joy of Jesus’ birth overcomes the sadness caused by hatred and violence. As Christmas approaches, “we cannot let ourselves be taken in by fatigue; sadness in any form is not allowed, even though we have reason to be with the many concerns and the many forms of violence which hurt humanity,” the Pope said Dec. 13. Instead, the coming of the Lord “must fill our hearts with joy,” he said, noting that God is always someone who protects his people. In the contest of a history filled with great abuse and violence, especially by those in power, “God knows that he will reign over his people, he would never leave them at the mercy of the arrogance of its leaders, and will free them from all anxiety,” the Pope said. “Today we are asked not to let our hands grow weak because of doubt, impatience or suffering,” but to place our trust in Lord. Pope Francis celebrated Mass for the third Sunday of Advent at the basilica of St. John Lateran. The day is often referred to by its Latin name, Gaudete Sunday, which indicates that it is a day of ‘rejoicing’ as the birth of the Savior draws near. Before celebrating the Mass Francis opened the basilica’s Holy Door for the Jubilee of Mercy. He prayed for a brief moment on the threshold, and was followed through by concelebrants of the Mass, religious men and women and lay faithful. One of the novelties of Francis’ Holy Year of Mercy is that for the first time Holy Doors have been designated in particular dioceses. Cathedrals around the world will join the Pope in opening their own Holy Door’s on the same day, Gaudete Sunday. Following the Pope's Mass, Cardinal James Harvey celebrated Mass and opened the Holy Door at basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls. Pilgrims who pass through the door – which is only opened during Jubilee years – can receive a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions. The opening of the door is meant to symbolically illustrate the idea that the Church’s faithful are offered an “extraordinary path” toward salvation during the time of jubilee. Francis officially inaugurated the Jubilee of Mercy, and Extraordinary Holy Year, on the Dec. 8 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception by the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica. It will close Nov. 20, 2016, on the Solemnity of Christ the King. In his homily, Pope Francis pointed to the prophet Zephaniah’s declaration in the first reading that “the Lord is near.” Because of this, “we should rejoice always, and with our affability give witness of the closeness and care that God has for each person.” The “simple sign” of opening the Holy Door is itself an invitation to joy, he said, because “it begins a time of the great forgiveness. It is the Jubilee of Mercy.” The Jubilee is a time to rediscover the presence of God in the world as well as his fatherly tenderness, Francis said, explaining in off-the-cuff remarks that God “doesn't like rigidity. He's a father, he's tender.” Pope Francis then pointed to the day’s Gospel from Luke, in which the people asked John the Baptist what they must do to prepare for the coming of the Savior. “The Baptist’s response was immediate,” he said, noting how John’s invitation to act justly and to look after those in need also extends to each of us today. While John’s demands were a reflection of what the law already prescribed, “we, however, are prompted toward a more radical commitment,” Francis said. In looking at the Holy Door they will cross, each person is asked to become an instrument of mercy, “knowing that we will be judged on this,” he said. A person who is baptized “knows he has a greater commitment,” he observed, adding that faith in Christ “leads to a journey that lasts for a lifetime: to be merciful, like the Father.” “The joy of crossing the Gate of Mercy is accompanied by a commitment to welcome and give witness to a love that goes beyond justice, a love that knows no boundaries. It is from this infinite love that we are responsible, in spite of our contradictions.” Pope Francis closed his homily by praying that everyone who passes through the Holy Door, the “Gate of Mercy,” would understand and welcome “the infinite love of our Heavenly Father, who transforms and renews life.” Read more