Vatican City, Apr 18, 2007 / 09:38 am
"Dialogue in airport chaplaincies as a response to terrorism" is the theme of the 13th world seminar of Catholic chaplains and members of civil aviation chaplaincies, due to be held in Rome from April 23 to 26.
According to a communiqué made public today "the seminar, organized by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, aims to support and encourage the pastoral efforts of those who concern themselves with this sector of human mobility."
As an introduction to the work of the seminar, Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will present some "philosophical and theological" reflections on the subject of evil.
Experts from the United Nations and from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will explain strategies "to protect airport structures and workers, as well as passengers and the general public."
"The seminar," the communiqué goes on, "aims to contribute towards countering terrorism through ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue in the world's airports" where people from various Churches and ecclesial communities and other great religions work, and where people from different cultures and nationalities come together. In this context, "in order to help participants to discover the paths of dialogue," Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, will speak on the subject of "inter-religious dialogue to counter terrorism," and bishop Brian Farrell L.C., secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, on "ecumenical collaboration in relation to the threats of terrorism."
The program of the seminar also includes the testimony of two chaplains: Fr. David Baratelli of the airport of Newark who will recount his experiences during and immediately after the attack on the World Trade Center in New York, and Fr. Paschal Ryan of Heathrow, who will talk about the discovery of plans for an attack against that airport.