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Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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              The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                        Vatican Information Service.
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                               VIS-Press releases

HINDUS AND CHRISTIANS: TOGETHER TO HELP NEEDY CHILDREN

VATICAN CITY, NOV 8, 2004 (VIS) - Made public today was the annual message of
Archbishop Michael L. Fitzgerald, president of the Pontifical Council for
Inter-religious Dialogue, to Hindus on the festival of Diwali which represents
the victory of light over darkness, or good over evil.

The theme of the message, published in English, French, and Italian, is:
"Collaboration between Hindus and Christians with Special Reference to
Children." Archbishop Fitzgerald writes that children participate in the
festival with great enthusiasm and he recalls that Jesus expressed a special
love for them, especially for their "simplicity, their joy of life, their
spontaneity, and their faith filled with wonder," as the Holy Father reminds
us.

After discussing the evils that afflict children, such as forced labor, forced
conscription, breakdown of the family, trafficking in organs and persons,
sexual abuse, forced prostitution, AIDS, the sale and use of drugs, Archbishop
Fitzgerald posed the question: "What have children done to merit such
suffering?"

The president of the council urges Hindus and Christians in India to work
together "in support of underprivileged children, who are often the innocent
victims of war and violence, inadequate food and water, forced immigration and
the many forms of injustice present in today's world."

"I am fully aware that such cooperation between the followers of our two
religious traditions already exists, but we could and should do more, as the
problem is serious, indeed it is tragic. Your suggestions as to what could be
done to give children their rightful place in society would be most welcome.
Our children are our future; they are the future of humanity."
CON-DIR/DIWALI:HINDUS/FITZGERALD VIS 041108 (280)

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