The Valley Catholic April 23, 2013 | Page 10

10 April 23 , 2013 World / nation The Valley Catholic

Through pope ’ s embrace , 8-year-old Rhode Island boy touches world

This photo by AP photographer Gregorio Borgia of Pope Francis embracing 8-year-old Dominic Gondreau , who has cerebral palsy , captured the attention of people around the world . The moment took place after the new pontiff celebrated his first Easter Mass in St . Peter ’ s Square March 31 . ( CNS )

PROVIDENCE , R . I . ( CNS ) -- By Easter Monday , it would be the shot seen around the world . But a day earlier , Christiana Gondreau could not have imagined that a chance encounter she and her 8-year-old son , Dominic , had with Pope Francis in the middle of St . Peter ’ s Square following his first Easter Mass would touch the hearts of so many around the globe .

While making his way in the popemobile through a sea of faithful estimated at 250,000 , the newly elected pontiff smiled and waved as he offered Easter greetings to those gathered . At one point in his second journey around the square , on the way to delivering his Easter message “ urbi et orbi ” ( to

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www . valleycatholiconline . com the city and the world ), the white Mercedes transporting the pope stopped . He reached over to greet Dominic after a compassionate Vatican usher named Augustino had repositioned mother and son at a corner of the path so the pontiff could better see them . Pope Francis lifted Dominic , who has cerebral palsy , while embracing and kissing him . He also spoke to the boy before gently placing the child back into his mother ’ s arms . “ The pope definitely was whispering to him , but there ’ s no way of knowing what he said . Is it a secret ?” Gondreau said in a telephone interview from Rome with the Rhode Island Catholic , newspaper of the Providence Diocese .

Fifty years ago , the Second Vatican Council unleashed a fresh spirit throughout the church and beyond .

In the month since his election , Pope Francis has inspired us by modeling that same Vatican II spirit . His embrace of simplicity and his call to live and preach the Gospels point toward a hopeful future for our church .

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VATICAN CITY ( CNS ) -- Recognizing the important role each other plays on the global stage , Pope Francis and U . N . Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met at the Vatican April 9 , discussing common efforts to promote peace and protect human dignity .

“ The United Nations and the Holy See share common goals and ideals ,” the U . N . secretary-general told the pope . With translation assistance from a monsignor in the Vatican Secretariat of State , the pope and Ban spent about 20 minutes speaking privately .

They spoke specifically about “ situations of conflict and serious humanitarian emergencies , especially in Syria ,” but also about ongoing tensions on the Korean peninsula and in several African countries “ where peace and stability are threatened ,” said a statement from the Vatican press office .

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi , who spoke with the pope after Ban left , said the pope and the U . N . leader also talked about the problem of human trafficking , especially of women -- a global problem of particular concern to Pope Francis and one that he denounced in his Easter message as “ the most extensive form of slavery in this 21st century .”

Pope Francis spoke about the ways the Catholic Church , as a religious institution , promotes many of the same goals as the United Nations , particularly on behalf of holistic protection of human dignity and in the promotion of a “ culture of encounter ,” the Vatican

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Pope , U . N . head meet , discuss crises in Syria , Korean peninsula

Pope Francis greets U . N . Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a meeting at the Vatican April 9 . ( CNS photo / Vincenzo Pinto , pool via Reuters )

statement said .

Father Lombardi said the phrase is one the pope used often as archbishop of Buenos Aires to describe his approach to the promotion of dialogue , understanding and respect among people and among religions , recognizing differences , but not allowing them to prevent meetings and discussions .

Curbing gun violence ‘ builds a culture of life ,’ bishop says

WASHINGTON ( CNS ) -- Days before the Senate began debate over gun control legislation , Bishop Stephen E . Blaire of Stockton , urged senators to support a bill that “ builds a culture of life by promoting policies that reduce gun violence and saves people ’ s lives in homes and communities .”

Bishop Blaire , head of the U . S . bishops ’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development , said in an April 8 letter to Senate members that one bill , S . 649 , was “ a positive step in the right direction .”

The bill requires universal background checks for all gun buys and makes gun trafficking a federal crime .

On April 10 , the day before debate began , Sen . Joe Manchin , D-W . Va ., and Sen . Patrick Toomey , R-Pa ., announced a compromise deal on the background checks provision of the bill that they believe will win bipartisan support .

The background checks would not apply to unadvertised gun sales , according to the compromise . Further , gun owners who have passed background checks within the past five years for a concealed-carry permit can use that permit to buy guns in other states .

Gun control update …

As reported by major news sources , April 17 , the U . S . Senate defeated several gun control measures – expansion of background checks for gun buyers , a ban on assault weapons , and a ban on high-capacity gun magazines . At a press conference that day , President Barack Obama expressed displeasure and noted that some 90 percent of Americans seek such legislation .