On 15 July, the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", established by Pope Paul VI in 1971 with the Apostolic Letter Amoris officio (impelled by the duty of love), celebrated its 30th anniversary. To commemorate the event, the Council prepared a book entitled Ars Caritatis, which contains:

- The Letter establishing the Council;

- Pope Paul VI's addresses to the members attending the Council's Plenary Assemblies;

- Pope John Paul II's addresses to the Plenary Assemblies of "Cor Unum";

- Pope John Paul II's homily at the Eucharistic celebration of the World Day of Charity (16 May 1999);

- The Holy Father's Message to the Witnesses of Charity, gathered in St Peter's Square on the Day of Charity (16 May 1999);

- The Holy Father's address to the members of the Board of Directors of the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel and the Populorum Progressio Foundation;

- The Pope's Message to volunteers at the end of the International Year of Volunteers (5 December 2001);

- An article on the evolution of the Council in its 30 years of activity;

- An article on the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel;

- An article on the Populorum Progressio Foundation;

- A glossary of the terms most widely used in the context of social and charitable assistance.

The book, published in Italian, Spanish, English and French, can be ordered directly from:

Pontificio Consiglio "Cor Unum"

V-00120 Vatican City

Fax: +39 06 69887301

e-mail: corunum@corunum.va

In both the Letter formally establishing the Council and the Addresses at the special Audiences to the members of "Cor Unum" gathered in Plenary Assembly, the Servant of God Paul VI and His Holiness John Paul II outlined the guiding principles of "Cor Unum".

In establishing the new Pontifical Council, Pope Paul VI wrote to Cardinal Jean Villot, his Secretary of State: "We therefore think it opportune to set up a special Council which would, so to speak, offer to all the People of God the possibility of coming together to deal with the above-mentioned questions concerning the promotion of human solidarity and development in accordance with the unchangeable principles of the Gospel" (15 July 1971). On 13 January 1972 at the first audience  Paul VI held for the members of "Cor Unum", he repeated the concept in  a programmatic  address: "The creation [of this Council] shows our anxiety to keep alive and active among the People of God the law of charity which summarizes the message of the Lord".  Paul VI called attention to the invitation given to the faithful in the Letter of St James (Jas 1,19f.), to put into practice and transform into works the law of charity; also, "an appeal that exhorts the Church, gathered as the People of God, to be witnesses of this charity that, flowing from the heart of Christ upon seeing the hungry crowds, spurred  his disciples immediately to go to their aid" (cf. Amoris officio, 15 July 1971).

In the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus of 28 June 1988 on the reform of the Roman Curia, Pope John Paul  II outlined the tasks entrusted to the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", that: "the Council show the attention the Catholic Church has for the needy, to advance human brotherhood and make Christ's charity visible" (cf. Pastor Bonus, art. 145).

Along these lines, the activity of "Cor Unum" has continued to grow in the past 30 years. In the last 15 years, particular attention has been paid to offering the necessary services to the Catholic Organizations, which are engaged in the field of social and charitable work, to avoid the secularization that  lessens the identity of Catholic charitable organizations, grounded in faith and in their own members and workers' example. Engaged in this work are: the Lenten Campaign of Europe (1997), the World Congress of Charity (1999), promotion of the yearly Lenten Message of the Holy Father, the participation in congresses that are promoted by the various university faculties of theology on the themes of charity and development and meetings with Bishops from all over the world on the occasion of their ad limina visit to Rome.  Also included is the collaboration with the Caritas  of Poland throughout 2001, in preparing  an international congress of the directors of Caritas from  the nations of the world on the theme "The Identity of the Caritas", held in Czestochowa during the first days of April 2001.

The Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus sums up the responsibilities entrusted to the Council: "to stimulate the faithful to give witness to evangelical charity, since they participate in the same mission of the Church, and to support them in their service"; "to favour and coordinate the initiatives of Catholic institutions that are available to help the poverty-stricken, especially those institutions that come to their aid in emergencies and disasters ..."; "to follow carefully and coordinate the programmes and works of fraternal assistance that aim to contribute to human advancement".  These are the moments when a well-rooted faith "explodes" (permit me to use this word) into love for neighbour. In the Audience of 8 April 1994 to the members of "Cor Unum", the Holy Father recommended: "Modern technical requirements and the best and most efficient organization should not allow people to forget that structures have no other purpose than to be channels for the charity of the People of God. Just as the ordinary faithful should not lose interest in the activities they entrust to specialized agencies, those in charge of these groups cannot claim to be independent masters of their projects nor autonomous owners of their means. Moved by a generosity which I acknowledge, they themselves are the servants of a charity that is called to reflect the fraternal unity of the members of the People of God". The practical testimony to the love of Christ, who who "went about doing good and healing all" results from these converging synergies (Acts 10,38).

The Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace was set by the Holy Father and observed on 14 December 2001, following the tragic terrorist events of 11 September and  the war in Afghanistan. In launching a strong appeal for the victims of terrorism and war, the Pope entrusted "Cor Unum" with the responsibility of distributing the offerings collected on this day to the neediest, especially children, the elderly, women, the sick and the disabled.

The response was overwhelming  and moving.  Entire families, parish associations, work communities, religious institutes and dioceses from all over the world, above all in Italy, sent money saved  on this day for the victims of the war. And donations continue to come in. Currently, over 3,000 offerings have arrived for an overall sum of about  ; 1,800,000. In France, the Catholic magazine L'Homme Nouveau undertook to publicize the papal initiative. Over 600 readers sent the Holy Father a personal message of support that the newspaper transmitted to "Cor Unum", which then informed His Holiness.  By a disposition of the Holy Father, "Cor Unum", in the first months of this year, has already sent $ 950,000 U.S. of aid to help Afghan refugees, victims of the war in the Middle East, and Iraqi refugees, and set up a scholarship fund for a child orphaned in New York by the terrorist attack. Another donation of $ 50,000 U.S. was sent to St Vincent's Medical Center in New York to help the victims of  the terrorist attack. On his recent Apostolic Visit, the Holy Father donated $ 100,000 U.S. for the refugees in Azerbaijan.

On 29 November, in the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome, the Roman nobility gathered with important members of the business community for a solemn Mass  to pray for peace and for the victims of terrorism and war. The collection (over 10 billion Lit) that "Cor Unum" distributed in the name of the Holy Father was given to help Afghan refugees.

 In conformity with the Letter for the establishment of "Cor Unum" (Paul VI, Amoris officio, 15 July 1971), and in the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus of Pope John Paul II, "Cor Unum" was able to distribute funds to support projects designed to alleviate and rehabilitate the most vulnerable sectors of the populations of different countries hit by disaster and war, so as to foster their integral human advancement.  This was thanks to the generosity of believers and of the ecclesial and religious institutes that entrusted to the Holy Father their collections out of love for their neighbour in difficulty, in the different parts of the world.

Tables 1 and 2 show in brief chronological order the Council's contribution to the emergency sector and to integral human advancement.

Table 1. EMERGENCIES