Archbishop Bernardito Auza Holy See demands UN stunts growth of the arms trade
The Holy See has criticised the UN for its inaction to end the “proliferation” of weapons of mass destruction.
Following a UN resolution on the issue six months ago, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Holy See’s Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer to the UN in New York, made the appeal during an open debate of the Security Council.
Archbishop Auza said the Holy See believes the situation in their regard “has not substantially changed”.
He quoted Pope Francis saying: “It is an absurd contradiction to speak of peace, to negotiate peace, and at the same time, promote or permit the arms trade.”
The Pontiff was also quoted as saying “we produce weapons and sell them to those who are at war with one another”.
Archbishop Auza said the Pope renews his “strong support for the rapid adoption of steps that would lead to the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and to the reduction of the world’s reliance on armed force in the conduct of international affairs”.
“The proliferation of weapons, both conventional and of mass destruction, aggravates situations of conflict and results in huge human and material costs that profoundly undermine development and the search for lasting peace,” said the archbishop.
Pope Francis tells five new cardinals to act as servants
Cardinals are not called to be “princes” of the Church, but to serve the people of God and tackle the sins of the world, Pope Francis told his five new cardinals last week.
Jesus “calls you to serve like him and with him, to serve the father and your brothers and sisters”, the Pope said as he created five new cardinals from five nations.
After reciting the Creed and taking an oath of fidelity to Pope Francis and his successors, each cardinal – in his new red robes – went up to Pope Francis and knelt before him. The Pope gave them each a cardinal’s ring, a red skullcap and a red three-cornered red hat.
They also received a scroll attesting to their appointment as cardinals and containing the name of their “titular church” in Rome.
After the consistory, Pope Francis and the new cardinals visited retired Pope Benedict XVI in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, his residence in the Vatican gardens.
The new cardinals are: Jean Zerbo of Mali, 73; Juan Jose Omella of Spain, 71; Anders Arborelius of Sweden, 67; Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, apostolic vicar of Pakse, Laos, 73; and Gregorio Rosa Chavez, 74, auxiliary bishop of San Salvador, El Salvador.
UN told food insecurity is “caused by selfishness”
Hunger and malnutrition is often caused by indifference and selfishness, the Pope told a UN conference.
In a message to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) conference held on July 3, the Pope said wars, terrorism and forced displacements are not “inevitable but rather the consequence of concrete decisions” that have led to the lack of food and adequate nutrition to the helpless.
In a message read by the Vatican Secretary of State the Pope continued: “We are dealing with a complex mechanism that mainly burdens the most vulnerable, who are not only excluded from the processes of production, but frequently obliged to leave their lands in search of refuge and hope.”
It was said that the Pontiff would visit the FAO headquarters in Rome in October to attend a conference on World Food Day on the theme ‘Changing the Future of Migration’.