Pope Francis

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http://www.news.va/en/news/catholics-and-pentecostals-conclude-dialogue-on-ch

Catholics and Pentecostals conclude dialogue on Charisms
2015-07-17 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Catholics and Pentecostals have concluded a sixth phase of their International Dialogue which has been working to promote better relations between the two communities for over four decades. The theme of this sixth phase has been focused on “Charisms in the Church: Their Spiritual Significance, Discernment, and Pastoral Implications”, with sessions dedicated to Common Ground, Discernment, Healing and Prophesy.

The final session, which took place in Rome from July 10th to 17th, was dedicated to drafting a final report, due for publication early next year. Daily prayer services, led alternately by Catholics and Pentecostals, have been an important feature of the meeting and participants on Sunday attended Mass at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.

The two co-chairs of the dialogue are Bishop Michael Burbidge, head of the U.S. diocese of Raleigh in North Carolina and Rev. Cecil (Mel) Robeck representing the Assemblies of God, a professor of Church history and ecumenics at Fuller Theological Seminary in California. Philippa Hitchen sat down with them both to find out more about their achievements and about the impact of the first Latin American pope on relations between the two communities….
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/the-pope-writes-to-the-participants-in-the-meeting

The Pope writes to the participants in the meeting “United with God, we hear a cry” on the effects of mining

Vatican City, 17 July 2015 (VIS) – Pope Francis has sent a message to Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council “Justice and Peace”, to be communicated to the representatives of communities affected by mining activities participating in the meeting “United with God, we hear a cry”, organised by the same dicastery in collaboration with the Latin American “Churches and Mining” network.

“You come from difficult situations and in various ways you experience the repercussions of mining activities, whether they be conducted by large industrial companies, small enterprises or informal operators. You have chosen to gather in Rome on this day of reflection that recalls a passage from the Apostolic Exhortation 'Evangelii gaudium', to echo the cry of the many people, families and communities who suffer directly and indirectly as a result of the consequences, too often negative, of mining activities. A cry for lost land; a cry for the extraction of wealth from land that paradoxically does not produce wealth for the local populations who remain poor; a cry of pain in reaction to violence, threats and corruption; a cry of indignation and for help for the violations of human rights, blatantly or discreetly trampled with regard to the health of populations, working conditions, and at times the slavery and human trafficking that feeds the tragic phenomenon of prostitution; a cry of sadness and impotence for the contamination of the water, the air and the land; a cry of incomprehension for the absence for inclusive processes or support from the civil, local and national authorities, which have the fundamental duty to promote the common good.
 

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http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/cambio-climatico-sciavitu-climate-change-slavery-cambio-climatico-esclavitud-42383/

07/16/2015
World’s mayors to visit Vatican to discuss climate and modern forms of slavery

Sixty mayors from all around the world will meet in the Vatican next Tuesday 21 July for a conference which the Pope will attend in order to greet those present. Attendees will reflect on “two emergencies that are linked”: the climate crisis and new forms of slavery. Among the mayors who will be taking part in the conference, there will be Rome’s Ignazio Marino, Milan’s Giuliano Pisapia, Naples’ Luigi De Magistris, Parma’s Federico Pizzarotti, Lampedusa’s Giusi Nicolini, Madrid’s newly elected mayor, Manuela Carmena, Paris’ Anne Hidalgo and Teheran’s representative.

“When the Santa Marta Group was founded by the Pope, Cardinal Nichols and a few bishops a couple of years ago at the headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences to  bring together police chiefs and bishops from all over the world, the police chiefs stressed the importance of having the bishops support their moral commitment towards the poorest of the poor. However, they also pointed out that they report not to the bishops but to the governors, and in many cases to the mayors. Following their advice, we have thus tried to bring together the mayors to determine the best practices to mitigate climate change and eradicate modern slavery,” underlined the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo.

The discussion is to take place in light of the Pope’s recent speech to social movements in Bolivia and of the publication pf his ecological encyclical “Laudato Si’”, the archbishop underlined. He praised the Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi who is a Jesuit like Francis and moderated the press conference: “If you want to understand Francis or Fr. Lombardi, watch the film Mission” on the Jesuit “Reductions” in Latin America, he added.

“We would like the mayors to commit to put an end to abuse, exploitation,  human trafficking and all forms of modern slavery within their communities” and “we would also like the mayors to commit to developing resettlement and social integration programmes for the victims, at the national and local levels, in order to avoid their involuntary repatriation” in view of the revision of the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals next September. For this reason, the Workshop “Modern Slavery and Climate Change: the Commitment of the Cities” on Tuesday 21 July will be succeeded the next day, 22 July, by the Symposium “Prosperity, People and Planet: Achieving Sustainable Development in Our Cities”, jointly organised by the UN and introduced by the economist Jeffrey Sachs. “The United Nations are not the devil, quite the opposite,” Sánchez Sorondo said in answer to a question put to him by a journalist about whether it was strange for the Vatican to be hosting a UN  event. “It is not organised by the United Nations but by the Pontifical Academies in conjunction with the United Nations. Paul VI visited the United Nations saying that they were the path of modern civilization and that the Holy See wanted to collaborate fully as long as it did not go against the doctrine of the Church. The other Popes also visited the United Nations and now Francis will visit in September. I don’t see there being any problem in this. The Holy See does not see the United Nations as the devil as certain right-wing thinkers do.”

Responding to a question by an Italian journalist, about whether the presence of exclusively centre-left mayors was a sign of bias, Sánchez Sorondo replied: “The invitation is open to everyone, if you wish to bring other mayors we will be glad to receive them, no one is excluded.”

This is the complete list of mayors who have confirmed their attendance: 

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July 18, 2015 Tweets
https://twitter.com/roccopalmo
Rocco Palmo ‏@roccopalmo  · 8h 8 hours ago 
In National Geographic profile of Francis, some fascinating quotes from Pope's inner circle: http://bit.ly/1Vf4dN1

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/vatican/draper-text

Will the Pope Change the Vatican?
Or Will the Vatican Change the Pope?
As Francis makes his first U.S. visit, his emphasis on serving the poor over enforcing doctrine has inspired joy and anxiety in Roman Catholics.

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http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-entrusts-south-america-to-mary-29424/

Pope entrusts South America trip to Mary

Vatican City, Jul 19, 2015 / 09:14 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis entrusted his recent tri-nation voyage to South America to Our Lady of Guadalupe – praising the deeply-rooted Christianity in these countries, but also noting the social and economic challenges.

“To the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, whom the whole of Latin America venerates as Patron by the title Our Lady of Guadalupe, I entrust the fruits of this unforgettable Apostolic journey,” the pontiff said.

He made his remarks on Sunday to the large crowds who had gathered in Saint Peter’s Square for the weekly Angelus, despite the heat wave currently sweeping through Rome.

It's the Pope's first Angelus address since returning from his July 5-13 trip to Ecuador, Bolivia, and Paraguay.

Drawing from the Gospel reading, the Argentine-born pontiff said he had asked the Good Shepherd to accompany him on his recent trip to the continent of his birth.

“I thank God with all my heart for this gift. I thank the people of the three countries for their affectionate and loving welcome and enthusiasm.”
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/global-mayors-governors-at-vatican-summit-on-clima

Global Mayors, Governors at Vatican summit on climate change, human trafficking
2015-07-21 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio)  Ways to combat climate change and its effects on society’s most vulnerable:  some sixty mayors and local administrators from around the world are brainstorming on that topic in  the Vatican Tuesday and Wednesday.  Pope Francis is expected to greet them in an audience Tuesday evening.

In his recently released environment encyclical Laudato Si,’ the Pope said caring for the Earth is an urgent moral imperative and that fossil fuel-based global warming puts the poor most at risk. Urban centers are considered some of the biggest contributors to climate change.

Hailing from cities in North and South America, Europe and from developing nations like India and Gabon, many of the officials are committed to environmentally friendly policies aimed at bringing down the carbon emissions that contribute to global warming.

The two day Vatican climate conference comes ahead of the Paris COP-21 climate negotiations in December. Click here to see the YouTube coverage of the events.

In presenting this week’s meeting, the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences said “global warming is one of the causes of poverty and forced migrations, and it favours human trafficking, forced labour, prostitution and organ trafficking.”

Mayors and Local Administrators at the Vatican summit are expected to urge global leaders to take bold action to curb global warming, and to press for approval of the UN’s new Sustainable Development Goals this fall.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-to-mayors-put-environment-and-human-trafficki

Pope to mayors: put environment and human trafficking at top of your agenda
2015-07-21 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has urged mayors from big cities to direct their efforts towards the care for the environment and the fight against human trafficking.

The Pope was speaking to some 70 mayors from around the world who are in the Vatican for a two-day workshop entitled “Modern Slavery and Climate Change” organized by the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences.

Telling those present he has ``a lot of hope'' that negotiators at Paris climate talks will reach an ambitious agreement to reduce global warming, Pope Francis said he places great trust in the United Nations to bring about a good agreement.

But – he stressed - he also wants U.N. nations to prioritize fighting both human trafficking and the exploitation of the world's most vulnerable people.

And referring to his recently published encyclical “Laudato Si’”, Pope Francis made it quite clear that the document is not an encyclical on the environment.

It’s a social encyclical – he explained -  because the state of the environment is directly and intimately linked to the life and wellbeing of humankind.

And this is not the only connection Pope Francis made in his off-the-cuff greeting in which he chose to speak in his native Spanish.
 

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http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-encyclical-is-more-than-green

Pope: Encyclical Is More Than ‘Green’
Rome,  July 21, 2015

Pope Francis participated this afternoon in a meeting on climate change and slavery, where he addressed more than 70 mayors from different parts of the world. During his address in Spanish, he analyzed the two emergencies being addressed during the course of the two-day workshop: climate change and human trafficking.

The culture of care of the environment is not only a “green” attitude, it’s “much more,” said the Pope. Therefore, he specified that to look after the environment is to have an attitude of human ecology. Ecology “is total, it is human,” he said. The Holy Father went on to explain that in the encyclical Laudato Si’, he pointed out “that man cannot be separated from the rest.”

The two-day workshop, “Modern Slavery and Climate Change: the Commitment of the Cities,” is sponsored by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. The workshop began today and ends tomorrow.

The Pontiff warned of “the boomerang effect that exists against man when the environment is mistreated.”

In connection with the meeting underway, Francis said that he thought it was a good idea to invite the mayors because, the Pontiff pointed out, “one of the things most noted when the environment isn’t looked after is the unbridled growth of cities. It is a worldwide phenomenon. It is as if the heads grow big but increasingly with greater cordons of poverty and misery,” he explained.

People suffer the effects of the neglect of the environment, he continued. “And involved in this connection is the migratory phenomenon,” he added. Why do people come to the big cities? He asked. “Because the rural world no longer gives them opportunities,” he answered.

The Holy Father then mentioned another point in the encyclical, which criticizes the idolatry of technocracy, something that despoils work, which creates unemployment, he said, highlighting youth unemployment that affects so many European countries.

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http://www.news.va/en/news/intervention-of-the-holy-see-to-the-un-protect-the

Intervention of the Holy See to the UN - Protect the rights of the elderly
2015-07-21 L’Osservatore Romano

New York, 16 July 2015

Mr. Chair,

The Holy See is pleased to participate in the 6th Session of the Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing and would like to applaud your leadership and thank you for your unwavering commitment as the Chair of this Open-Ended Working Group since its first session in 2011.

I wish to assure you that my delegation remains committed to the promotion and protection of the human rights and inherent dignity of the elderly, and to the elimination of all forms of discrimination based on age. This discussion is especially pertinent in a time when the elderly are abandoned, not only in material instability, but are also made to feel a burden to society. As Pope Francis affirmed, “it’s brutal to see how the elderly are thrown away… No one dares to say it openly, but it’s done!” (Pope Francis. "The Family, 6. The Elderly." General Audience. Saint Peter's Square, Rome. March 4th, 2015).
 

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http://www.cruxnow.com/pope-in-the-u-s/2015/07/20/iconic-background-for-pope-francis-the-west-front-of-the-us-capitol/

Iconic background for Pope Francis: The West Front of the US Capitol
Catholic News Service | July 20, 2015

WASHINGTON — When Pope Francis comes to the US Capitol Sept. 24, he could hardly ask for a better backdrop.

His address to a joint meeting of Congress — historic enough since it’s the first time a religious leader who also is a head of state has addressed the body of lawmakers — will be broadcast live on Jumbotron screens on the West Front of the Capitol.

The pope will deliver his remarks to Congress in the House chamber, the site of the president’s annual State of the Union address and other speeches by foreign leaders. An outdoor crowd of those with tickets to watch the event will be comparable to the crowd that gathers for inaugurations in size and location, except people won’t be bundled in winter gear.

And there’s more. House Speaker John Boehner, who invited the pope, announced July 8 the pontiff has “expressed an interest in making a brief appearance on the West Front.”

“We look forward to welcoming Pope Francis and Americans from all walks of life to our Capitol on Sept. 24,” the Ohio Republican said.

A spokeswoman for Boehner’s office told Catholic News Service in a July 14 email that the telecast’s ticket allotment and distribution information will be released from the Speaker’s office by July 30.
 

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http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/la-gets-three-new-auxiliary-bishops-including-fr-robert-barron-60479/

LA gets three new auxiliary bishops, including Fr. Robert Barron

Father Robert Barron, Msgr. Joseph V. Brennan and Msgr. David G. O'Connell on July 21, 2015. Credit: J.D. Long-Garcia and John Rueda, The Tidings.

Los Angeles, Calif., Jul 21, 2015 / 07:03 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Known for his online videos which tackle everything from the saints, to the “new atheism,” to the latest blockbuster film, Fr. Robert Barron will have a new responsibility: auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles, one of the cultural capitals of the world.

“It was with enormous surprise that I heard the word of my appointment last week, but it is with a humble and joyful heart that I have accepted it,” said the Chicago-native in a July 21 statement.

“I am grateful to Pope Francis for his confidence in me and to Archbishop Gomez for his willingness to allow me to minister in this beautiful, richly diverse, and spiritually vibrant Church.”
 
http://www.wordonfire.org/resources/blog/pope-francis-appoints-fr-robert-barron-auxiliary-bishop-of-los-angeles/4832/
Pope Francis Appoints Fr. Robert Barron Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles
by Word on Fire•July 21, 2015

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/3-auxiliaries-named-for-la-including-fr-robert-barron
3 Auxiliaries Named for LA, Including Fr. Robert Barron
United States of America,  July 21, 2015

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http://www.news.va/en/news/in-the-meeting-on-climate-change-and-modern-slaver

In the meeting on climate change and modern slavery, the Pope warns against the idolatry of technocracy

Vatican City, 22 July 2015 (VIS) – Yesterday afternoon Pope Francis greeted the participants in the meeting “Modern slavery and climate change: the commitment of cities” and in the Symposium “Prosperity, people and planet: achieving sustainable development in our cities ”, held in the Vatican's Casina Pio IV by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, whose chancellor is Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo. The events were attended by the mayors of major cities, local administrators and various representatives of the United Nations.
 
“It seemed to me to be a very fruitful idea to invite the mayors cities both large and not so large, because one of the things that is most evident when the environment, Creation, is not cared for, is the unfettered growth of cities. It is a worldwide phenomenon … cities become larger but with growing bands of poverty and misery, where the people suffer the effects of environmental neglect. In this respect, the phenomenon of migration is involved. Why do people come to large cities, to the outskirts of large cities, to the slums, shanty towns and favelas? … It is simply because the rural world does not offer them opportunities. And one issue mentioned in the Encyclical ... is the idolatry of technocracy. Technocracy leads to the loss of work, it creates unemployment, which leads to migration and the need to seek new horizons. The great number of unemployed is a warning. I do not have the statistics to hand, but in some countries in Europe, youth unemployment – effecting those aged 25 and younger – surpasses 40 per cent and in some cases even 50 per cent. … What prospects can the future offer to today's unemployed youth? Addiction, boredom, not knowing what to do with life – a life without meaning, which is very tough – or indeed suicide. The statistics on youth suicide are not fully published. Or indeed the search for other horizons, even in guerrilla projects that present an ideal of life”.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-and-mayors-sign-declaration-on-climate-and-tr

Pope and mayors sign declaration on climate and trafficking
2015-07-22 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis and mayors from cities across the globe have signed a common declaration of intent to combat environmental damage and human trafficking.

The signing of the document followed a meeting Tuesday afternoon in the Vatican between the Pope and the mayors who are attending a two-day workshop entitled “Modern Slavery and Climate Change” organized by the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences.

Please find below the full text of the common declaration:

We the undersigned have assembled at the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences to address two inter-connected dramatic emergencies: human-induced climate change, and social exdusion in the extreme forms of radical poverty, modern slavery and human trafficking, We join together from many cultures and walks of life, reflecting humanity's shared yearning for prosperity, justice and environmental sustainability peace, happiness.
   On the basis of the encyclical Laudato si', we have considered the over-whelming scientific evidence regarding human-induced climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and the vulnerability of the poor to economic, social and environmental disasters.
 In the face of the emergencies attributable to human-induced climate change, social exclusion, and extreme poverty, we join together to declare the following:

Human-induced climate change is a scientific reality, and its effective control is a moral imperative for humanity.
 

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http://www.news.va/en/news/the-holy-see-on-the-post-2015-development-agenda

The Holy See on the Post-2015 Development Agenda
2015-07-22 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The Holy See delegation to the United Nations says it believes the draft outcome document for the UN Summit to adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda “moves the international community further in the right direction, toward achieving a universal, ambitious and transformative agenda that sets out to end poverty and to achieve sustainable development for humanity and the planet.”

The full text of the Intervention of the Holy See can be found below:

Intervention of the Holy See
 Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Post-2015 Development Agenda General Statement on the Final Draft, Post-2015 Development Agenda

New York, 20 July 2015
 

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http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/heres-pope-francis-schedule-for-the-jubilee-of-mercy-12287/

Here's Pope Francis' schedule for the Jubilee of Mercy

Pope Francis before the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica during the convocation of the Jubilee of Mercy, April 11, 2015. Credit: L'Osservatore Romano.
Vatican City, Jul 22, 2015 / 12:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Twelve prominent events, each with the participation of Pope Francis, have been scheduled in Rome for the upcoming Jubilee of Mercy, and CNA was able to glance at details of their programs.

The twelve big events of the Jubilee of Mercy will be: 24 hours for the Lord, a day-long period of Eucharistic adoration; To Dry the Tears, a prayer vigil; and jubilees centered on pilgrimage workers; the sick and disabled; catechists; deacons; teenagers; priests; volunteers of mercy; the Curia; Mary; and Divine Mercy spirituality.

In addition to these events, a “Jubilee for Padre Pio’s prayer group” will take place Feb. 13, 2016, as the body of the Capuchin saint who bore stigmata for much of his life will be exposed in Saint Peter’s Basilica Feb. 8-14, at Pope Francis’ request.

“The Holy Father expressed the wish that Padre Pio’s corpse be exposed in St. Peter’s Basilica on Ash Wednesday of the upcoming Extraordinary Holy Year, that is, the day when the Pope will send the missionaries of Mercy, giving them a special mandate to preach and hear confessions, so that they be a lively sign of how the Father welcomes those who seeks his pardon,” Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, wrote to Archbishop Michele Castoro of the Archdiocese of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo.

Here is a description of the full schedule of the meetings.
 

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At the link--picture of the magazine cover, cover story, and information about a book on the Vatican

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2015/07/pope-francis-latest-magazine-cover-national-geographic/

Pope Francis’ latest magazine cover: National Geographic
July 22, 2015

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http://www.religionnews.com/2015/07/22/pope-francis-approval-ratings-slump-sharply/

Pope Francis’ US approval rates slump sharply, led by conservative dismay
David Gibson   |  July 22, 2015

(RNS) Growing conservative disaffection with Pope Francis appears to be taking a toll on his once Teflon-grade popularity in the U.S., with a new Gallup poll showing the pontiff’s favorability rating among all Americans dropping to 59 percent from a 76 percent peak early last year.

Among conservatives, the drop-off has been especially sharp: Just 45 percent view Francis favorably today, as opposed to 72 percent a year ago.

“This decline may be attributable to the pope’s denouncing of ‘the idolatry of money’ and attributing climate change partially to human activity, along with his passionate focus on income inequality — all issues that are at odds with many conservatives’ beliefs,” Gallup analyst Art Swift wrote Wednesday (July 22) when the survey was published.

But liberal fervor for the Argentine pope, who was elected to great acclaim in March 2013, has also cooled, dropping an average of 14 points.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/07/23/final_declaration_of_symposium_on_prosperity,_people,_planet/1160255

Final Declaration of Symposium on Prosperity, People, Planet
23/07/2015 10:12

(Vatican Radio) Participants in a Symposium on the theme of “Prosperity, People, and Planet: Achieving Sustainable Development in Our Cities” have released a final declaration entitled “An Alliance for Sustainable Cities.”

“Pope Francis called upon the mayors to take leadership in overcoming the growing crises of social exclusion, marginalization, and climate disruption,” the Declaration reads. “We, the mayors and others assembled in this symposium, have heard this call from Pope Francis and from our own citizens. We recognize the dire threats to future generations. We must act now.”

The mayors and other participants at the symposium pledged “to work towards the success of the SDGs [the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals] in our own cities and respective areas of endeavor, and to partner with others across the globe to help all cities to achieve the new SDGs with success.”

To accomplish that goal, the participants said they planned to “coalesce in an Urban SDG Alliance” that would be “open, voluntary, participatory, and eager to engage all urban stakeholders that are committed to sustainable development and the SDGs.”

Read the full text of the Final Declaration:
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/07/23/pope_francis_sends_support_for_day_for_life_in_england_/1160252

Pope Francis sends support for Day for Life in England and Wales
23/07/2015 10:09

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent his good wishes and support to the Catholic Church in England and Wales for this Sunday’s Day for Life. Day for Life is the day dedicated to praying for the protection of human life and raising awareness about its meaning and value at every stage and in every condition.

The  Apostolic Nuncio to the United Kingdom, Archbishop Antonio Mennini received the letter from the Pope and conveyed it to the Bishop for Day for Life, Bishop John Sherrington. The Holy Father cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing “upon all those persons who are participating in this significant event and working in any way for the promotion of the dignity of every human person from the moment of conception until natural death.”

Day for Life 2015 focuses on Catholic teaching about appropriate treatment at the end of life. The essential message for the Day is ‘How do we cherish life while we can and accept death when it comes?’
 

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Links provided

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/new-mobile-app-released-for-world-meeting-of-families

New Mobile App Released for World Meeting of Families
Rome,  July 23, 2015

As final preparations are underway for the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, a new mobile app has been launched to help pilgrims and residents navigate around the city.

The “Go Philadelphia!” mobile app, was developed by the organization of the World Meeting of Families and IBM. “The app will provide information about the region's cultural institutions and family-friendly events taking place between September 18-29 to accommodate visitors who will arrive early or stay after the Papal visit,” a communique from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia stated.

The app will give pilgrims instant access to information on institutions, exhibits, events, and maps. It will also give users real-time translations and captioning services in 8 languages during the Papal Mass on September 27th.

"Smartphones have transformed the way we live our lives, especially when attending major events," said Donna Crilley Farrell, executive director, World Meeting of Families - Philadelphia 2015.
 
On the Web:

The app is a free download Android devices and Apple devices.