Holy Father addresses Caritas Internationalis Campaign for Peace in Syria

Watch the Holy Father's address on the occasion of the Caritas Internationalis Campaign for Peace in Syria.
On July 5, Pope Francis addressed Caritas Internationalis on the occasion of its Campaign for Peace in Syria via video message. In his message, he shared his personal sadness for those affected by the five-year war, especially persecuted Christians. He asked that increased attention be given to the longstanding war, and called upon parishes and communities to pray for peace.

He asked that peace negotiators make every effort possible to bring peace and facilitate access to humanitarian aid. He emphasized the need for a political solution to bring peace in Syria rather than military intervention.

Read his full statement here.
 
 

You're Invited
Eliminating the Trafficking of Children and Youth

July 13, 2016, 3-5 pm
UN Headquarters, Conference Room 1

 
The trafficking of persons is a crime that shames us all. Pope Francis has called it "a crime against humanity" and "an open wound on the body of contemporary society." It thrives on the silence and complicity of many sectors of society as well as on the desperation that many who live in poverty experience throughout their life. With false promises of a better life and financial security, traffickers lure innocent victims into a web of pain and suffering.

Of the 21 million people trafficked each year thoughout the world it is estimated that 5.5 million are children. They often experience intense suffering due to violence, exploitation and abuse at the hands of unscrupulous traffickers and employers. Trafficked children and youth can be found in prostitution, pornography, sex tourism, forced marriage, sweatshop work, begging, child soldiers and many sectors of agriculture. This needs to stop.

A panel of experts will address some of the key dimensions of this crime against children and youth that has led to trafficking and other forms of modern day slavery. Included in the discussion will be the following topics:

• Trafficking and Child Labor
• Use of the Internet in trafficking of children and youth
• Criminalization of homeless children who have been trafficked
• Giving a voice to victims of child trafficking and assisting in their healing
• A personal testimony of a survivor of child trafficking
• Advocating for protection of children and youth from trafficking
• The Faith community as a leader in ending trafficking

Please RSVP by 4 p.m. on July 11 at holyseemission.org/RSVPJuly13