POPE HOPES TO VISIT HOLY LAND DURING JUBILEE YEAR 2000

VATICAN CITY, JUN 29, 1999 (VIS) - Prior to praying the angelus at noon today, the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, Pope John Paul announced the publication tomorrow of his "Letter Concerning Pilgrimage to the Places Linked with the History of Salvation," and his desire to personally make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land during the Jubilee Year 2000.

"I would like to underline the exclusively religious and spiritual nature of such a pilgrimage, to which no other interpretation should be given. To visit the ancient Ur of the Chaldeans, the native land of Abraham, or Mount Sinai, symbol of the Exodus and the Covenant, and above all Nazareth, Bethlehem and Jerusalem, means retracing the path of Divine Revelation."

The Pope, recalling that he had visited the Holy Land as archbishop of Krakow in 1965, said he has "a strong desire to go and pray in these holy places," especially "as a pilgrim Pope in the Year 2000. This is an intention I entrust to Mary Most Holy."

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PRAY FOR UNITY AT THE THRESHOLD OF THE JUBILEE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 29, 1999 (VIS) - Today, solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, John Paul II celebrated Mass in the Vatican basilica and imposed the pallium on 37 metropolitan archbishops who were appointed during the course of the last year.

In his homily, the Holy Father indicated that "from the day of Pentecost Peter governed the Church, ensuring its faithfulness to the Gospel and directing its first contacts with the world of the Gentiles. ... Paul, one-time persecutor of the newborn Church, touched by the grace of God on the road to Damascus, became the untiring apostle of the people."

Pope John Paul recalled that on today's feast it is a tradition for Popes to impose the pallium on a group of metropolitan archbishops "as a sign of communion with the See of Peter." Addressing the prelates, he said: "Together with you, I wish to greet the Christian communities entrusted to your pastoral care. Under your judicious guidance, they are called to offer courageous testimony of faith in Christ and in His Gospel."

"Furthermore, the longing for unity between Christians is highlighted by the presence of delegates from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople." To them "I extend my warmest considerations and through them I greet the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I."

The Holy Father stressed that "the approach of the Jubilee of the year 2000 invites us to pray for unity" and to accompany that prayer with "concrete gestures." He continued: "For this reason, I have requested that the calendar for the year 2000 include, on the eve of the feast of the Transfiguration, as requested by His Holiness Bartholomew I, a day of jubilee prayer and fasting. This initiative will stand as a concrete expression, both of our wish to unite ourselves to the initiatives of our brethren in the Orthodox Churches and, at the same time, of our desire that they join in our (initiatives)."

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POPE ON CRISES AND SUFFERINGS WHICH MARK AFRICAN CONTINENT

VATICAN CITY, JUN 29, 1999 (VIS) - In post-angelus reflections this morning, John Paul II spoke of the "numerous situations of crisis and suffering which mark the African continent," and asked for prayers especially for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and for Rwanda.

To the peoples of the Congo, "especially the Catholic community," he said: "I wish to express a thought of spiritual closeness and encouragement, exhorting them to face together the difficulties of the present and the challenges of the future." Turning to Rwanda, he said "my solidarity goes, in particular, to the Church in Rwanda, harshly tried, even by having one of its pastors detained."

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MESSAGE TO ORDER CELEBRATING 150TH ANNIVERSARY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 30, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message by Pope John Paul to the Sisters of the Institute of the Daughters of St. Joseph of Caburlotto, on the occasion of their 23rd general chapter and of the 150th anniversary of their founding by Venerable Don Luigi Caburlotto. The Pope underlined the order's educational and missionary work, as well as a project nearing completion - the re-writing of the congregation's Rule of life.

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PAPAL LETTER: PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY PLACES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 30, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was the Letter of the Holy Father concerning "Pilgrimage to the Places Linked to the History of Salvation," which was announced in yesterday's angelus. It is dated June 29, solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, has been translated into Italian, English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Polish and is 16 pages long.

In the document, John Paul II expresses his desire to travel, on the occasion of the Jubilee, the route that marks the history of salvation, from the ancient Ur to Athens where Paul, Apostle of the people, preached. The pivotal point of the journey will be the holy places, which the Pope visited in 1965 when he was archbishop of Krakow.

"To go in a spirit of prayer from one place to another," writes the Holy Father, "in the area marked especially by God's intervention, ... gives us a vivid sense of a God who has gone before us and leads us on, who himself set out on man's path, a God who does not look down on us from on high, but who became our travelling companion."

"For this reason, in the perspective of the two thousandth anniversary of the Incarnation, I have a strong desire to go personally to pray in the most important places which, from the Old to the new Testament, have seen God's interventions, which culminate in the mysteries of the Incarnation and of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ."

The Pope goes on to describe the itinerary of his pilgrimage: "Ur, the place of Abraham's origins, ... the famous monastery of Saint Catherine, on Sinai, near the mountain of the Covenant, which in a way speaks of the entire mystery of the Exodus, the enduring paradigm of the new Exodus which was to be fully accomplished on Golgotha." And, from the New Testament: "Nazareth, the town linked to the actual moment of the Incarnation and the place where Jesus grew. ... Bethlehem, where Christ was born and the shepherds and the wise men gave voice to the adoration of all humanity. ... Jerusalem, the place of the death on the Cross and of the Ressurection of the Lord Jesus."

Of this particularly important stage on his journey, the Pope writes: "There I shall contemplate the places where Christ gave his life and took it up again in the Ressurection, imparting to us the gift of His Spirit." Among the places in Jerusalem "I will have to visit the Upper room ... a return to the very origins of the Church."
The last stage of the Holy Father's pilgrimage will be the two cities that were important "for the infant Church and which saw the missionary outreach of the first Christian community," in particular the two cities linked to the life of Paul, Apostle of the People, "Damascus, the place which recalls his conversion (and) Athens, where Paul gave his magnificent speech in the Areopagus."

John Paul II expresses his hope that, "at least in its main points," this ideal plan can be put into effect. "It would be an exclusively religious pilgrimage in its nature and purpose, and I would be saddened if anyone were to attach other meanings to this plan of mine."

The pilgrimage to the holy places thus becomes a highly meaningful experience and in a sense is evoked by every other Jubilee pilgrimage. The Church cannot forget her roots. Indeed, she must return to them again and again if she is to remain completely faithful to God's plan."

The "deep bond" which Christians have with Jews also forms part of this focus on the Holy Land. From the Jews, the Pope says, "Christ came according to the flesh."

The Holy Father explains that "much ground has been covered ... since the Second Vatican Council, in opening a fruitful dialogue with the people whom God chose as the first recipients of His promises and of the Covenant. The Jubilee must be another opportunity to deepen the sense of the bonds that unite us, helping us to remove once and for all the misunderstandings which, sad to say, have so often through the centuries marked with bitterness the relationship between Christians and Jews."

The Pope adds that the Holy Land is also important for Muslims, thus manifesting his desire that the visit to the holy places "will provide an opportunity to meet them as well."

John Paul II closes the Letter by stressing that during the pilgrimage he wishes "to be welcomed as a pilgrim and brother not only by the Catholic communities, ... but also by the other Churches which have lived uninterruptedly in the Holy Places and have been their custodians with fidelity and love of the Lord."

He concludes: "More than any other pilgrimage which I have made, the one I am about to undertake ... will be marked by the desire expressed in Christ's prayer to the Father that his disciples 'may all be one'. ... For this reason, I trust that all our brothers and sisters in faith ... will see in my pilgrim steps in the land travelled by Christ a 'doxology' for the salvation which we have all received, and I would be happy if we could gather together in the places of our common origin, to bear witness to Christ our unity and to confirm our mutual commitment to the restoration of full communion."

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STS. PETER AND PAUL, "TWO PILLARS OF THE CHURCH"

VATICAN CITY, JUN 30, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul focussed today's general audience catechesis on yesterday's solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, calling them "princes of the apostles" and two "pillars of the Church," and recounting their individual lives and roles in the founding and early days of the Church.

The Pope pointed out that this solemnity is a very ancient celebration. He recalled that St. Peter, "a fisherman from Bethsaida, was chosen by Christ as the founding stone of the Church. St. Paul ... went from persecuting Christians to being the apostle of peoples. ... Both ended their lives with martyrdom in Rome. ... The Pope invokes the authority of these two 'pillars of the Church' when, in official acts, he refers tradition to its source, which is the Word of God, preserved and transmitted by the apostles.

The Holy Father also explained that the rite of imposing the pallium on newly created metropolitan archbishops on this June 29 solemnity dates to the first centuries of the Christian era.
There are two particularly significant aspects of this rite, he said. One is "the special relationship between the metropolitan archbishops with the Successor of Peter and, as a result, with Peter himself." The second regards the lambs whose wool is shorn to make the pallium. "The lamb ... is the symbol of the Lamb of God who took the sins of the world upon Himself and offered Himself to redeem mankind. Lamb and Shepherd, Christ continues to watch over his flock and entrusts it to the care of those who sacramentally represent Him."

"With great sadness," the Pope then concluded, "I have learned of the death of His Holiness Karekin I, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all the Armenians. A deep bond of affection linked me to him. Having had the occasion to personally meet him twice during the visits that he paid me in recent years, I was able to admire his spiritual stature, his intense love of the Church and his concern for the unity of all Christians in Christ's one flock. I had so wished to be able to pay him a visit of fraternal friendship, but circumstances did not allow me."

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AUDIENCE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 30, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in audience Cardinal Roger Etchegaray and Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe. respectively president and secretary general of the Committee and Council of the Presidency of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 30, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands, U.S.A., presented by Bishop Elliot G. Thomas. in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop George V. Murray S.J.

Yesterday, June 29, it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Roger Pirenne C.I.C.M. of Batouri, Cameroon, as archbishop of Bertoua (area 26,041, population 201,794, Catholics 63,134, priests 29, religious 68), Cameroon. The archbishop-elect was born in Clermont sur Berwinne, France, in 1934 and ordained a priest in 1958. He succeeds Archbishop Lambertus Johannes van Heygen C.S.Sp., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Leo Cornelio S.V.D., member of the General Council of the Verbites in Rome, as bishop of Khandwa (area 24,000, population 2,910,000, Catholics 28,400, priests 55, religious 265), India. The bishop-elect was born in Kukkunje, India, in 1945 and ordained a priest in 1972.

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TO IRISH BISHOPS: NEW EVANGELIZATION FOR A NEW MILLENNIUM

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning received the bishops of Ireland at the conclusion of their quinquennial "ad limina" visit and focussed on the Great Jubilee, saying that this "requires the Shepherds of the Church to intensify their efforts in the new evangelization needed to lay solid foundations for Christian living in the next millennium."

He remarked that "recent years have witnessed many changes in Irish society," some making it difficult to evangelize, while others demonstrate that "many of the faithful are eager to have a more enlightened knowledge of the faith." Examples of the latter, he said, are "the spread of prayer groups, Eucharistic adoration and pilgrimages, as well as the laity's increased involvement in evangelization."

"It is also true that the exaggerated individualism which sometimes accompanies increased material prosperity has brought in its wake a declining sense of God's presence and of the transcendent meaning of human life. The relativism which then takes hold often leads to a rejection of the objective foundations of morality and an overly subjective understanding of conscience."

The Holy Father underscored that "today it is often the laity who must be in the forefront in seeking to apply the Church's teaching to the ethical, moral and social questions which arise in their communities or at the national level. ... In this they look to the bishops for encouragement and leadership."

The Pope then turned to the fact that "the knowledge of the truth of the faith and religious practices, especially among young adults, is declining. Certainly, some of the reasons for this are external to the Church. But others fall within that watchfulness which is an essential part of the ministry of bishops."

"In the new evangelization," affirmed John Paul II, "marriage and the family must be the subject of intense pastoral action," in particular through "pre-marriage preparation. ... New ideas and new energies are needed to meet the needs of couples in difficulty, and in particular to reach out promptly and efficaciously to women facing pressures to reject the unborn life they bear. The new evangelization involves a strenuous defense of the right to life, the most basic of all human rights - more basic than any individual's, group's or government's right to choose."

The Pope urged the bishops to "have a close relationship with" and "to offer inspiration and encouragement to "their priests, their closest collaborators. He said he had been "close" to the bishops "in suffering and prayer" in the question of "those who have been victims of sexual abuse on the part of clerics or religious. ... These scandals, and a sociological concept of the Church, sometimes lead to a call for a change in the discipline of celibacy. ... The difficulties involved in preserving chastity are not sufficient reason for overturning the law of celibacy."

He observed that "a rejuvenation of the faith in Ireland can only come from a genuine renewal of liturgical and sacramental life, especially in the Eucharist, the source and summit of the Church's life. ... Reverence for the True Presence ... is particularly needed now when so much of today's culture tends to remain at the level of the ephemeral and superficial."

In concluding remarks, Pope John Paul quoted his Apostolic Letter "Tertio Millennio Adveniente" and reiterated his intention that the forthcoming Jubilee Year be "a year of the remission of sins and of the punishments due to them, a year of reconciliation between disputing parties, a year of manifold conversions and of sacramental and extra-sacramental penance." He urged them to "emphasize" the Sacrament of Penance in order to counteract "prevailing trends in contemporary culture (which) weaken the sense of sin, particularly because of a diminished consciousness of God."

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ST. PETER'S SQUARE HOSTS THE "MYSTERIES" OF MOLISE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 1999 (VIS) - At midday today, prior to praying the angelus from the window of his private study which overlooks St. Peter's Square, the Pope addressed the organizers of a sacred procession of the so-called "mysteries", carried out by pilgrims from the Molise region of Italy in honor of the Holy Father.

John Paul II enumerated the thirteen figures which were carried around St. Peter's Square by groups of young people and children. They represented St. Michael the Archangel, the Immaculate Conception, Abraham, the Holy Family, St. Mary Magdelene, St. Crispin, St, Januarius, St. Anthony Abbot, St. Nicholas of Bari, St. Leonard of Noblac, St. Isidore, St. Roque and the Assumption of the Virgin.

The Holy Father said: "The 'mysteries' are not simply folklore, rather they have a value that is, above all, religious ... they invite us to meditate upon the history of salvation."

The Holy Father noted with joy that the "'mystery' of the Immaculate Conception, which passes in procession immediately after the 'mystery' referring to the primordial victory of the faithful angels over the rebel angels, recalls that at the start of man's history, God's grace existed. ... The last 'mystery' to pass is the Assumption into heaven of the body and soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this represents the glory into which the Virgin has entered and to which are called all those who accept Christ's redemption."

"I sincerely hope that these meaningful forms of popular religiosity, born within communities that are rich in faith, continue today to be valid instruments of evangelization. May they serve to encourage contemplation and prayer and motivate, especially in the young, the same spiritual enthusiasm as in previous generations."

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PROMULGATION OF DECREES BY CONGREGATION FOR CAUSES OF SAINTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 1999 (VIS) - Today in the Clementine Hall, the following decrees were promulgated in the presence of John Paul II, the members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and postulators of the respective causes:
- Two decrees regarding miracles attributed to the intercession of Blesseds:
- Cristobal Magallanes, Mexican, and 24 companions, diocesan priests and laity, martyrs, murdered for the faith between 1915 and 1937 during persecutions against the Church in Mexico.
- Maria Josefa del Corazon de Jesus Sancho de Guerra, Spanish, foundress of the Institute of the Servants of Jesus (1842-1912).

- Five decrees regarding miracles attributed to the intercession of Servants of God:
- Arcangelo Tadini, Italian, diocesan priest, founder of the Sisters of the Holy House of Nazareth (1846-1912)
- Marie Ann (ne Marie Esther Soureau-Blondin), Canadian, foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Ann (1809- 1890).
- Rosa Gattorno, Italian, widow, foundress of the Institute of the Daughters of St. Ann (1831-1900).
- Caterina Volpicelli, Italian, foundress of the Servants of the Sacred Heart (1839-1894).
- Francsco Marto, Portuguese, witness of the apparition of Fatima (1908-1919) and Jacinta Marto, Portuguese, witness of the apparition of Fatima (1910-1920).

- Three decrees regarding the martyrdom of Servants of God:
- Maria Guadalupe (ne Maria Francesca Ricart Olmos), Spanish, (1881-1936) of the Second Order of the Servants of Mary, martyred for the faith on October 2, 1936 in Silla, Spain
- Maria Baldillou, Spanish, and 5 companions of the Institute of Holy Schools, Daughters of Mary; and Dolores and Consuelo Aguiar-Mella Diaz, Spanish, lay people, martyred for the faith August 8, 1936 in Valencia, Spain, and September 19, 1936 in Madrid, Spain.
- Maria Stella (ne Adelaide Mardosewicz) and 10 companions of the Institute of the Holy Family of Nazareth, martyred for the faith August 1, 1943 in Nowogrodek, Bielarus.

- Eight decrees regarding the heroic virtue of Servants of God:
- Jeronimo Maria Usera y Alarcon, Spanish, priest and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Love of God (1810-1891).
- Pablo de Anda y Padilla, Mexican, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of the Minim Daughters of Mary Immaculate (1830-1904).
- Giorgio Preca, Maltese, diocesan priest and founder of the Society for Christian Doctrine (1880-1962).
- Columba (ne Joseph Marmion), Irish, priest of the Order of St. Benedict (1858-1923).
- Maria del Paso de Jesus Sacramentado (ne Maria del Paso Cabanillas) Argentinian, foundress of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Argentina (1821-1885).
- Maria della Passione (ne Helen de Chappotin de Neuville), French, foundress of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary (1839-1904).
- Maria Teresa Chiramel Mankidiyan, Indian, foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family (1876-1926).
- Caritas (ne Marie Josephine Caroline Brader), Swiss, foundress of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate. (1860-1943).

Among those present were archbishops Jose Saraiva Martins and Edward Nowak, respectively prefect and secretary of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, as well as a group of cardinals.

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NEW CZECH AMBASSADOR PRESENTS HIS LETTERS OF CREDENCE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 1999 (VIS) - The new ambassador of the Czech Republic, Martin Stropnicky, today presented his Letters of Credence to the Holy Father who remarked that, "your country is called to participate actively, as an important factor of unity, in the construction of the new Europe."

The Pope highlighted that "it is necessary to surmount any possible divisions - unfortunately an ever present possibility in a society extremely jealous of its own rights and its own autonomy - so that (the countries of Europe) may commit themselves to setting up the structures needed for constructing a Europe of the Nations, the urgent need for which is being ever more strongly felt. It is the duty of men and women of good will to promote reconciliation and understanding between individuals and peoples, thus contributing to the affirmation of peace."

"It is important," the Pope continued, "that those responsible for public administration found their political, economic and social decisions above all on the moral criteria that form part of the collective European memory. ... In this sense, effective recognition of religious freedom is an indispensable condition for the construction of the new Europe."

John Paul II especially insisted on the necessity for the creation of a "joint commission, including representatives of the Czech Republic and of the Holy See, in order to study still unresolved questions regarding the relationship between Church and State. In this way too, the question of the restitution of Church property can be dealt with, as can that of adequate support for ecclesial institutions, according to the norms of law and the requirements of justice and democracy."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Eugenio de Araujo Sales, archbishop of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Archbishop Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
- Archbishop Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne of Lima, Peru.
- Alberto Leoncini Bartoli, ambassador of Italy, accompanied by his family, on a farewell visit.

On Saturday, June 26, he received in separate audiences:

- Fra Andrew W. N. Bertie, prince and grand master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, accompanied by his entourage.
- Cardinal Miguel Obando Bravo S.D.B., archbishop of Managua, Nicaragua.
- Cardinal Serafim Fernandes de Araujo, archbishop of Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
- Four prelates from the Irish Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Christopher Jones of Elphin.
- Bishop William Walsh of Killaloe. - Bishop William Murphy of Kerry.
- Bishop Philip Boyce O.C.D. of Raphoe.
- Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves O.P., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
- Bishop Wlodzimierz Roman Juszczak of Wroclaw-Gdansk of the Byzantine-Ukrainian rite.
- Fr. Marek Skorka O.S.B.M., provincial of the Basilian Fathers, Poland.

ITALY'S PRESIDENT CIAMPI ATTENDS MASS WITH THE POPE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 1999 (VIS) - At midday today, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration: "Yesterday morning the president of Italy, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, accompanied by his wife, attended the Mass celebrated by John Paul II. Following Mass, President Ciampi held a brief conversation with the Pope."

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POPE RECEIVES A DELEGATION FROM THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience a delegation from the ecumenical patriarchate of Constantinople, led by His Eminence Chrysostomos, metropolitan of Efesus, which is in Rome for tomorrow's celebration of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles.
The Pope indicated that "the search for unity and full communion must be supported by everyone's prayers. May the Lord guide pastors and theologians, that together they may discover the paths to holiness and unity and that they may know how to propose (these paths) to all with the force and conviction that derive from the certainty that 'to believe in Christ means to desire unity; to desire unity means to desire the Church; to desire the Church means to desire the communion of grace which corresponds to the Father's plan from all eternity.'"

"The burning desire of the Catholic Church and the Bishop of Rome is that there arise a great and unanimous prayer of thanksgiving with the firm intention to accomplish together the will of God. Upon a suggestion of His Holiness Bartholomew I, patriarch of Constantinople, I requested that, within the calendar of Roman celebrations for the year 2000, a day of jubilee prayer and fasting be proclaimed, on the eve of the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ. ... We must give thanks to God together, with feelings of brotherhood and ecumenical commitment."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Jan Chrapek, auxiliary of the diocese of Torun, Poland, as bishop of Radom (area 8,000, population 1,050,000, Catholics 1,047,000, priests 700, religious 608), Poland. He succeeds Bishop Edward Materski whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

On Saturday, June 26, it was made public that the Holy Father appointed:

- Fr. Gabriel Chang Bong-hun of the clergy of the diocese of Cheongju (area 5,767, population 1,290,450, Catholics 110,000, priests 100, religious 321), Korea, as bishop of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Um-seong-gun, Korea, in 1947, ordained a priest in 1976 and since 1993 has been director of the Shrine of the Blessed Martyrs at Paeti.

- Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano as pontifical legate for the closing celebration of the European Youth Meeting which will take place in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, from August 4-8.

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ARCHBISHOP CACCIAVILLAN CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF PRIESTHOOD

VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a letter, written in Latin, from the Holy Father to Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See, for the celebration, tomorrow June 26, of the 50th anniversary of his ordination as a priest.

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POPE ADDRESSES COUNCIL PLENARY ON "RICH REALITY OF SHRINES"

VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 1999 (VIS) - The members, consultors and personnel of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People were welcomed by the Holy Father this morning at the close of their 14th plenary reunion, during which they reflected on the role played in the life of the Church by pilgrimages to shrines.

The Pope told them that, "looking at the rich reality of shrines, it is easy to see how they represent a great gift of God to his Church and all of mankind."

"As 'oases of the spirit'," he continued, "they thus offer the ecclesial community a singularly favorable climate in which to meditate on the Word of God and celebrate the sacraments, especially Penance and the Eucharist. At shrines, it is possible to have rich experiences of faith, as well as to show love for one's brothers through works of charity and service to the needy."

The Holy Father noted that "bishops in various parts of the world have always favored shrines as centers of deep spirituality in which believers not only revive their faith but also become clearly aware of the duties that derive from it in the social field."

"Peace and solidarity among men," remarked John Paul II, "flow from ... a person's reconciliation with God. It is therefore necessary that pilgrims find shrines to be places of concrete opportunities for prayer and silence in order too favor the encounter with God and the intimate experience of the tenderness of His love. Those who especially need this experience are migrants, refugees, the dispersed and those tried by painful and unjust situations; others who need it include seafarers, civil aviation personnel, nomads and circus people; anyone who for any reason is far from their loved ones will draw spiritual comfort from this."

The Pope stressed that, when a shrine welcomes young people, "this should inspire leaders of the ministry of shrines, together with the entire ecclesial community, to offer an even more qualified service, one suitable for their age."

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TELEVISION PROGRAM BEING PREPARED FOR JUBILEE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 1999 (VIS) - Tuesday, June 29, at 9 p.m. in the Paul VI Hall, the Central Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 and RAI (Italian Radio and Television) will present, in the presence of the Pope, a live television program in Eurovision in preparation for the Jubilee.

A communique on the program indicates that testimonies, international linkups and performances by various artists are all programed. Nelson Mandela in South Africa, Kofi Annan, secretary-general of the United Nations in New York, and Neil Armstrong in Houston, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of man's landing on the Moon, will join Cardinal Roger Etchegaray and Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, respectively president and secretary-general of the central committee.

This television event will also provide the occasion for the world premier of the Jubilee hymn, "Christ Today." The event will conclude with the 'Antica Girondola' of Castel Sant'Angelo, a firework display which Popes, in past Jubilee years, offered to pilgrims on June 29. This practice has not taken place since the time of the Unification of Italy, according to the communique.

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CARDINAL CASSIDY TO VISIT KAREKIN I WITH MESSAGE FROM POPE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro Valls announced today that "from July 1 to 3, Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, will go to Yerevan, Armenia, at the behest of the Holy Father.

"On Friday, July 2, Cardinal Cassidy will meet His Holiness Karekin I, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all the Armenians, and will give him a personal message from the Holy Father John Paul II."

OP;TRIP CASSIDY;...;ARMENIA; KAREKIN I;VIS;19990625;Word: 90;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Guntis Ulmanis, president of the Republic of Latvia, accompanied by his wife and entourage.
- Cardinal Augusto Vargas Alzamora S.J., archbishop emeritus of Lima, Peru.
- Archbishop Francois Bacque, apostolic nuncio in the Dominican Republic and apostolic delegate to Puerto Rico.
- Two prelates from the Irish Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop James McLoughlin of Galway and Kilmacduagh.
- Bishop William Lee of Waterford and Lismore.
- Bishop Jorge Enrique Jimenez Carvajal of Zipaquira C.I.M., Colombia, president of CELAM (Latin American Episcopal Council), accompanied by Archbishops Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa of Santiago de Chile, Chile, and Geraldo Majella Agnelo of Sao Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, respectively first and second vice presidents, and also by Bishop Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel of Tapachula, Mexico, secretary general of the council.
He is scheduled to meet later this evening with Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., emeritus of Vercelli, Italy and secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

AP; AL;...;...;... ;VIS;19990625;Word: 170;

KNIGHTS OF MALTA CELEBRATE 900 YEARS OF ACTIVITY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 1999 (VIS) - Today, feast of St. John the Baptist, patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the Holy Father addressed 2,000 knights who had come from all over the world for a Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's Basilica, after which they gathered in the square for a papal blessing.

The Pope was speaking from his study window overlooking St. Peter's Square. He referred to the order's 900 years of activity, and said that the Knights of Malta "offer the world a faithful witness to their own motto 'Tuitio fidei obsequium pauperum', which corresponds to the Gospel command to 'love God and love thy neighbor'. ... To this end, you feel committed to translate into deeds the fidelity to Christ through a witness in love, ... especially towards the poorest."

"Your presence at the side of those who are ill, suffering, victims of earthquakes, or refugees is a valid witness to this love for the least privileged. That qualifies your religious and sovereign order as a valid structure which bears the immense burden of human suffering."

AC;KNIGHTS MALTA;...;...;VIS;19990624;Word: 180;

TO PRIESTS: THANK GOD FOR YOUR VERY BEING!

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II has sent a Message to participants in the Fourth International Meeting of Priests, promoted by the Congregation for the Clergy, which is taking place in the Holy Land from June 22 to 27.

In the Message, which is dated June 19, the Pope says that, despite the numerous challenges of the modern world, by relying on God's help "we have no reason to fear future uncertainties. Rather, we fear not being witnesses of Christ as (our) time and circumstances demand. Consequently, the only question that must trouble us is that of faithfulness to our identity, which must be renewed every day."

"Thanks to ordination in its ontological sense," the Holy Father writes, "you are witnesses of Christ in the service of the Word and the sacraments. At the same time you are the true testimony of Christ, the one High Priest. At the moment of ordination you received a new way of being. You are marked by the sacerdotal character which is a true and indelible spiritual sign. This character does not separate you from humanity, on the contrary, it puts you at its center."

The Pope thanks the priests for what they do and, "above all, for what you are. With intense emotion I want to thank all those priests who, faithful to their own identity and mission, are still suffering in the most diverse circumstances. Thanks for your sweat, for your labors, for your strength, for your tears, for your smiles. Thanks to God for your being! Thanks also to you, priests of the last two millennia who, faithful unto martyrdom to your identity and mission, ... consumed yourselves in the burning fire of pastoral charity and are now our intercessors."

MESS;MEETING OF PRIESTS;...;HOLY LAND;VIS;19990624;Word: 310;

PAPAL THANKS TO ROACO FOR ASSISTING EASTERN CHURCHES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 1999 (VIS) - This morning the Pope received members and friends of ROACO, Works of Assistance to the Eastern Churches, and thanked them for their dedication, concern and aid, both financial and spiritual, to Eastern Churches. ROACO is an organism which falls under the auspices of the Congregation for Oriental Churches, whose prefect is Cardinal Achille Silvestrini.

"Through your commitment," said John Paul II, "you ease situations of need, animate socio-pastoral initiatives, help countries divided by conflict, and come to the aid of many persons struck by poverty and many forms of marginalization.

"In particular," he added, "you sustain the Eastern Catholic communities in the work of evangelization." He stressed that the witness to faith and service to charity are absolutely essential to this work.

"With the Jubilee," the Pope then pointed out, "the center of ecclesial attention will be Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem and the entire Holy Land. ... I know you are taking special care of the holy places. ... I invite you above all not to disappoint the hopes of young people and to help Christian families not to lose hope for homes or jobs, even though they face socio-economic difficulties and a precarious environmental context."

AC;ROACO;...;SILVESTRINI;VIS;19990624;Word: 200;

THIRTY-SEVEN METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOPS TO RECEIVE THE PALLIUM

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 1999 (VIS) - In St. Peter's Basilica at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, thirty-seven metropolitan archbishops will receive the pallium from Pope John Paul. The new metropolitans are:

1. Archbishop Victor Manuel Lopez Forero of Bucaramanga, Colombia.

2. Archbishop Jean Zerbo of Bamako, Mali.

3. Archbishop Terence T. Prendergast, S.J. of Halifax, Canada.

4. Archbishop Louis-Marie Bille of Lyon, France.

5. Archbishop Moacyr Grechi, O.S.M. of Porto Velho, Brazil.

6. Archbishop Jose Palmeira Lessa of Aracaju, Brazil.

7. Archbishop Francois Saint-Macary of Rennes, France.

8. Archbishop Ignatius Paul Pinto of Bangalore, India.

9. Archbishop Vincent Michael Concessao of Agra, India.

10. Archbishop Carlos Jose Nanez of Cordoba, Argentina.

11. Archbishop Armando Dini of Campobasso-Boiano, Italy.

12. Archbishop Roberto Luckert Leon of Coro, Venezuela.

13. Archbishop Michel Malo of Antsiranana, Madagascar.

14. Archbishop Nicolas Cotugno Fanizzi, S.D.B. of Montevideo, Uruguay.

15. Archbishop Adolfo Rodriguez Herrera of Camaguey, Cuba.

16. Archbishop James Odongo of Tororo, Uganda.

17. Archbishop Paul K. Bakyenga of Mbarara, Uganda.

18. Archbishop John Baptist Odama of Gulu, Uganda.

19. Archbishop Buti Joseph Tlhagale, O.M.I. of Bloemfontein, South Africa.

20. Archbishop Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne of Lima, Peru.

21. Archbishop Geraldo Majella Agnelo of Sao Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.

22. Archbishop Jose Antonio Aparecido Tosi Marques of Fortaleza, Brazil.

23. Archbishop Luis Morales Reyes of San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

24. Archbishop Josaphat Louis Lebulu of Arusha, Tanzania.

25. Archbishop Benedict John Osta, S.J. of Patna, India.

26. Archbishop Gustavo Martinez Frias of Nueva Pamplona, Colombia.

27. Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez of Barranquilla, Colombia.

28. Archbishop Luigi Bressan of Trento, Italy.

29. Archbishop Roberto Octavio Gonzalez, O.F.M. of San Juan de Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico.

30. Archbishop Andre Vingt-Trois of Tours, France.

31. Archbishop Zygmunt Kamicski of Szczecin-Kamien, Poland.

32. Archbishop Edmundo M. Abaya of Nueva Segovia, Philippines.

33. Archbishop Domenico Umberto D'Ambrosio of Foggia-Bovino, Italy.

34. Archbishop Jorge Ferreira da Costa Ortiga of Braga, Portugal.

35. Archbishop Thomas C. Collins of Edmonton, Canada.

36. Archbishop Claude Feidt of Aix, France.

37. Archbishop Severino Poletto of Turin, Italy.

...;PALLIUMS;...;...;VIS;19990624;Word: 330;

JUBILEE YEAR 2000: VOLUNTEERISM AND THE PILGRIM'S CARD

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 1999 (VIS) - Today in the Holy See Press Office, Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, president of the Central Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, opened a press conference to give an update on the committee's work by stating that the conference would focus on two particular aspects of the Jubilee: volunteerism and the Pilgrim's Card.

"We have brought the most genuine and warm commitment to taking care of ... the details of welcoming the millions of pilgrims who will come to Rome on the invitation of John Paul II to implore the grace of the Jubilee," said the cardinal. He underscored the "exciting duty" of the Church in Rome "to preside in charity" during a year in which "the eyes of mankind will be looking at her."

Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, secretary general of the Jubilee committee, also emphasized the Church's commitment to charity, saying that "certainly, one of the best ways to live this great event is to become a volunteer in the service of welcoming pilgrims, above all, those who are the neediest." He and Cardinal Etchegaray both stressed the spiritual and Christian values of volunteerism during the Jubilee.

He then explained that Italy and the Holy See have signed agreements in which they commit themselves to a unified action in the fields of volunteerism, information, pilgrim services, security, health plans, etc. Coordinated efforts are needed, the archbishop said, "to avoid duplicating work as well as spreading it out too thinly." He added that "to this end, national and international associations, lay and Catholic, have been asked to become involved. The response has been enthusiastic."

Luigi Zanda, head of the Roman Agency for the Jubilee, said he wished "to underline how the commitment to perform volunteer work, for many young people, and some who are not so young, is slowly taking the place which, up to a few years ago, was occupied exclusively by politics" in Italy.

He spoke of the financial costs for the region of Lazio and the city of Rome in the training of volunteers, but also stressed the vital support role of private sponsors, citing the work being done by such corporations as the Bank of Rome, Microsoft, TIM and Telecom (Italian telecommunications companies), Benelli (motorcycles) and BMW.

Donato Mosella, director of the Volunteer Welcome Center for the Jubilee, said it already has 27,520 supporters, a figure that represents more than a third of those required. Many of the volunteers come from associations, movements and groups of lay people and clergy. At the present time, 60 countries have confirmed their support for the Jubilee Volunteer Project.

A training program began on May 28, whose first participants, Mosella said, are "the trainers of volunteers," nearly 300 experts from parish associations, movements and groups who "have the task of preparing the 'leaders of volunteer teams' throughout Italy."

Francesco Silvano, delegate for telecommunications, turning to the subject of the Pilgrim's Card, said "it guarantees the pilgrim the certainty of being able to participate in events, papal audiences, and liturgical celebrations, and also ensures that the religious and civil authorities will have information well in advance, so as to take the appropriate measures, from the welcoming organization to security services, from the transport system to the supply of refreshments." Furthermore, these prepaid Cards allow use of urban transportation, not only in Rome but in other Italian cities.

As regards issue of the Cards, Silvano explained, "Italian pilgrims who reserve the Card by telephone will, by means of an agreement with the Italian Post Office, receive the card at their homes. Moreover, for pilgrims who decide just a few days before an event to travel to Rome, there is a special 'Last Minute' Card which will be issued by SAC (Central Welcoming System) and by the Welcome and Information Centers. It is also possible to book for an event on the day it takes place by requesting, in person, the 'Just in Time' Card from the above-mentioned centers. This guarantees only participation in that event and the insurance premium."

Silvano concluded by saying that there are different prices for the Card, ranging from a minimum of 13,000 Italian lire (about 7 dollars) to a maximum of 65,000 Italian lire (35 dollars), based on the services it furnishes.

OP;JUBILEE;...;...;VIS;19990624;Word: 720;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Martin Roos, director of the bishop's chancery of Timisoara (area 24,755, population 1,570,000, Catholics 122,479, priests 92, religious 106), Romania, as bishop of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Satchinez, Romania, in 1942 and ordained a priest in 1971. He succeeds Bishop Sebastian Krauter, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

NER; RE;...;...;ROOS; KRAUTER ;VIS;19990624;Word: 80;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- His Majesty King Michael and Queen Anne of Romania.
- Six prelates from the Irish Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Michael Smith of Meath.
- Bishop John Buckley of Cork and Ross.
- Bishop Laurence Ryan of Kildare and Leighlin.
- Bishop John Magee, S.P.S. of Cloyne.
- Bishop Thomas Anthony Finnegan of Killala.
- Bishop John Kirby of Clonfert.

AL;...;...;...;VIS;19990624;Word: 70;

SEMINARS ON THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 1999 (VIS) - According to a communique made public today, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has, in collaboration with local Churches, organized a number of study seminars on the social doctrine of the Church.

In the first meeting, which will take place in Kumasi, Ghana, June 26-30, the pontifical council will be represented by Archbishop Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, Bishop Diarmuid Martin and Msgr. Bernard Munono Muyembe, respectively president, secretary and official of the council. Also participating will be a number of prelates from Ghana, priests, seminary professors, religious and representatives of other Christian denominations and of other religions, especially Muslims, as well as some local government delegates.

Future meetings will be held in Asia, in November 1999, and in Oceania, in May 2000.

OP;CHURCH SOCIAL DOCTRINE;...;CON-IP;VIS;19990624;Word: 140;

"I CONSECRATED THE WHOLE CHURCH TO THE VIRGIN OF CZESTOCHOWA"

VATICAN CITY, JUN 23, 1999 (VIS) - In this morning's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square, the Pope recalled his recent apostolic trip to Poland, which took place 20 years after his first visit as Pope, in June 1979.

During this pastoral visit, the Pope said, "together with the Church in Poland, I shared in the millennium celebrations of two events that lie at the origins of its history: the canonization of Saint Adalbert and the institution of the first metropolitan see of Gniezno with its three suffragan dioceses of Kolobrzeg, Krakow and Wroclaw. Furthermore, I had the opportunity of closing the Second National Plenary Synod and of proclaiming a new saint, as well as numerous blesseds."

After recalling that the "common thread of these days was the Gospel passage on the Beatitudes," the Holy Father remarked that he had had the chance to visit "cities that conserve the indelible memory of the devastation of the Second World War, of the mass executions and the terrible deportations. Only faith in God, who is love and mercy, has rendered possible their material and moral reconstruction."

The Holy Father indicated that before his return to Rome, at the feet of the Virgin of Czestochowa, "I renewed the dedication (to Her) of my life and my petrine ministry. To Her I consecrated the Church in Poland and in the whole world. From her I entreated the precious gift of peace for all humanity and solidarity between peoples."

"In the course of my journey, I had various occasions to give thanks to God for the transformations that have come about in Poland in the last twenty years in the name of liberty and solidarity. I did so in Gdansk, the city that symbolizes the Solidarity movement."

John Paul II concluded by saying that, in the very days that the European Parliament was being elected, he had prayed "for the 'old' continent, that it might continue to be a beacon of civilization and authentic progress, rediscovering its spiritual roots and employing to the full the potential of the peoples of which it is composed, from the Urals to the Atlantic."

AG;VISIT POLAND;...;...;VIS;19990623;Word: 370;

PRESS CONFERENCE SET FOR UPDATE ON JUBILEE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 23, 1999 (VIS) - Tomorrow, June 24, at 11:30 a.m. in the Holy See Press Office, Cardinal Roger Etchegaray and Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, respectively president and secretary general of the Central Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, will preside at a press conference to give updated information on preparations for the Jubilee.

Joining them to speak on volunteerism and the special card for pilgrims will be Luigi Zanda, president of the Roman Office for the Jubilee, Donato Mosella, director of the center for volunteers and Francesco Silvano, delegate for telecommunications and computer services.

OP;JUBILEE;...;ETCHEGARAY; SEPE;VIS;19990623;Word: 100;

"ILLUSTRATIVE NOTE" ISSUED ON POPE'S LETTER TO GERMAN BISHOPS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 23, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office this afternoon published an "Illustrative Note" in German and in Italian on Pope John Paul's Letter to German bishops, dated June 3 and made public yesterday, on the question of the position of Catholic family consultors in their country. Following are excerpts:

"This letter of June 3, 1999 must be read in the context of the two previous papal interventions. Earlier, in his September 21, 1995 letter, the Pope took a position with regard to the new legislative regulation on abortion. He expressed serious perplexity with regard to the involvement of ecclesial consultors in the decriminalization of abortion and invited the bishops to redefine the ecclesial commitment in the consulting offices. In the two successive years, in an intense dialogue between the Holy See and the German Episcopal Conference, a solution was sought to this thorny issue.

"In his Letter of January 11, 1998 the Holy Father again turned to his brother bishops in Germany. With insistence he invited them to remain present in an efficacious manner in consulting with women who are seeking assistance, but also to see to it that no certificate is released which, according to the law, constitutes the necessary presupposition for decriminalized abortion."

"(In the June 3 Letter), the Pope ... manifested ... his hope that the decision adopted by him will help to recover unity in the episcopal conference on this important problem and to overcome the tensions which have arisen in Catholic public opinion."

"The decision communicated by John Paul II had as its starting point the wide recognition of the 'plan of consulting and assistance' ... which joins consulting aimed at life to a series of offers of assistance."

"The certificate, which is given to women according to 'the plan of consulting and assistance' is nonetheless still marked by a serious ambiguity. It certainly documents the consultors' orientation towards life and constitutes a guarantee for allocating the promised assistance, but at the same time it can also be used for carrying out decriminalized abortions according to the penal code para 218a(1)."

"So that the certificate will not be used as access to abortion, the Holy Father orders ... the following annotation to be added: 'This certificate cannot be used to carry out decriminalized abortions'.

"John Paul II asks the German bishops to unanimously welcome his decision and to translate it into practice by the end of the year."

OP;CATHOLIC FAMILY CONSULTORS;...;GERMANY;VIS;19990623;Word: 410;

POPE GREETS GENERAL AUDIENCE PILGRIMS IN 11 LANGUAGES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 23, 1999 (VIS) - Following today's general audience catechesis in Italian, the Holy Father spoke briefly in five other languages about his apostolic trip to Poland and then greeted pilgrims present in St. Peter's Square in those languages as well as in Romanian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovakian, Croatian and Italian.

"I extend a cordial welcome," he said in English, "to the members of the Young Presidents' Organization and of the Summer University of Christian Culture, May your visit to Rome be an occasion of renewal in faith and in commitment to building a world of justice, peace and solidarity with those in need."

Welcoming a group of pilgrims from the Greek-Catholic eparchies of Romania, the Holy Father said he hoped that their pilgrimage would "be a stimulus for an ever more generous commitment of Christian witness in your country."

To Slovakian visitors, he said: "Priestly ordinations are being celebrated these days in Slovakia, as well as the first Masses by the newly ordained. Pray for the new priests, as for all priests, so that they will be priests according to the Heart of Jesus."

Greeting a group of officers of the Croatian Armed Forces, John Paul II said he hoped that "inspired by faith, you will always know how to place your own human and professional qualities at the service of man, of the common good, of security, freedom and peace."

AG;GREETINGS;...;...;VIS;19990623;Word: 240;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 23, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Fr. Hugo Maria van Steekelenburg O.F.M., guardian of the Sao Francisco das Chagas Convent and secretary of the Franciscan province of Santa Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, as bishop of Almenara (area 15,638, population 252,000, Catholics 232,000 priests 12, religious 37), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Wateringen, Holland, in 1937 and ordained a priest in 1964.

- Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, apostolic nuncio in India, as apostolic nuncio in Nepal.

NER;...;...;VAN STEEKELENBURG; BALDISSERI ;VIS;19990623;Word: 80;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 23, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Achille Silvestrini, prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches.
- Archbishop Julius Janusz, apostolic nuncio in Mozambique.

Today it was published that yesterday the Pope received in audience Archbishop Giovanni Coppa, apostolic nuncio in the Czech Republic.

AP;...;...;...;VIS;19990623;Word: 30;

PAPAL LETTER TO GERMAN BISHOPS ON CATHOLIC FAMILY CONSULTORS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter by Pope John Paul to the bishops of Germany concerning several matters relative to the Catholic family consultors, centers which provide counselling services and certificates to pregnant women in difficulty. The Letter was written in German and dated June 3, solemnity of Corpus Domini. A translation in Italian was also provided. Following are excerpts:

"In a Letter of January 11, 1998, I presented to you, in my capacity as Supreme Pastor of the Church, several orientations for the future journey in the difficult question of the correct insertion of Catholic consultors into the counselling envisioned by the State according to the August 21, 1995 law on pregnancy and the family. ... I invited you to continue without hesitation ... the consultation and assistance to pregnant women in difficulty. At the same time, for the clarity of our witness to the intangibility of every human life, I invited you not to release, in counselling offices (which are) ecclesiastical or depend on the Church, those certificates which, according to the law, constitute the necessary presupposition for the decriminalization of abortion. Bishop Karl Lehmann, president of your episcopal conference, ... communicated to me ... that it is your firm intention to conform to my insistent invitation."

"For a better harmony between the two aspects of my invitation, you instituted a study group, ... Bishop Lehmann ... communicated to me the results of this work group and informed me about the conclusions of the plenary assembly. I willingly express my recognition for this great commitment. ... I thank you for the many times that you have clearly referred to the importance of unity between yourselves and with the Holy See."

"The proposed solution preferred by the majority of your episcopal conference unites an ample 'plan of counselling and assistance' with a new formulation of the certificate of counselling, for which the work group proposed three variations from which to choose. The plan offers a series of elements, which are clearly aimed at the well-being of the pregnant women and the defense of unborn children. ... The multiple offers of counselling and assistance must make an ever greater number of women in difficulty turn to ecclesiastical or Church consultors, and that the Church be present in an efficacious manner in counselling pregnant women.

"However, serious questions are raised by inserting the 'plan of counselling and assistance' into the counselling for conflicting cases envisioned by the law. The certificate ... documents the orientation to life of ecclesial counselling and constitutes a guarantee for the assignment of assistance promised. What is decisive in evaluating the proposal is the question of whether the concluding part of the text still allows (one) to use the certificate as an access to abortion. If this is the case, this would be in contrast with my above-mentioned Letter."

"Variation 1 of the proposal is closest of all to your and my will for 'another certificate'. Until the juridical and moral quality of this document loses all ambiguity, I ask you to clarify in the text itself that the certificate ... cannot be used for decriminalizing abortion by norm 218a of the penal code. The consequence of this must be that, in the written certificate, ... there be added: 'This certificate can never be used for the decriminalization of abortion'.

"With this necessary addition the Catholic consultors and the Church, at whose command the counselling offices operate, are freed from a situation which is in conflict with their fundamental vision on the question of the defense of life and with the aim of their counselling. The unconditioned commitment for every unborn life, to which the Church has always held, does not allow for any ambiguity or compromise."

"Dear Brothers! I know that all of you for years have defended the life of unborn children. ... I trust that you will continue to present in public and without fear the values which are the basis for the Church's behavior. At the same time, I beg you, for the dignity of life, and the clarity of ecclesial witness, to accept unanimously my decision on the problem, and to translate it into practice by the end of this year."

"I wish on this occasion to thank the many people in your beloved country who ... contribute to giving value to the right to life, anchored in your constitution. ... To the consultors ... and to all who publicly or in a hidden way are at the service of life, I express my sincere thanks."

JPII-LETTER;CONSULTORS;...;GERMANY; LEHMANN;VIS;19990622;Word: 760;

THE CHURCH IN AMERICA MUST SPEAK MORE AND MORE OF JESUS CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 1999 (VIS) - At midday today, the Pope received participants in the symposium on the "Last Hundred Years in the Evangelization of Latin America," which commemorates the first centenary of the plenary council of that continent.

The Holy Father indicated that "ever since the message of Jesus Christ arrived in the New World, the Popes have had a particular apostolic concern for the American continent."

"The decrees of that council, although not directly applicable to modern day circumstances, constitute a 'memory' which must illuminate, stimulate and assist at this crossroads of history." In those decrees, he said, "may be detected a great anxiety to uphold and exalt the Catholic faith, to train ecclesiastics, to protect divine worship and the celebration of the Sacraments, to promote the education of the young and their instruction in the principles of Christian doctrine, to favor the practice of charity and other virtues."

John Paul II confirmed that, since the council, "the vitality of the Church in America has been growing. Proof of this may be found in the Eucharistic and Marian congresses as well as in the four general conferences of the Latin American Episcopate; held in Rio de Janeiro in 1955, Medellin in 1968, Puebla in 1979 and Santo Domingo in 1992, ... all of which culminated in the celebration (in the Vatican in 1997) of the Synod for America."

The Pope recalled that in the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, 'Ecclesia in America,' he called on pastors to focus on "the fundamentals: Announce Jesus Christ. ... For this reason, the Church in America must speak more and more of Jesus Christ."

"In participating in this symposium as pastors and historians, you have been considering the future from the point of view of the past. In this task you must proceed objectively, on the basis of real knowledge and not on that of ideologies or partial visions of the facts. I am grateful to you for your work in this field so that the Church, in knowing its own history better, may carry out evangelization programs which are adapted to the new reality."

AC;EVANGELIZATION; LATIN AMERICA;...;...;VIS;19990622;Word: 360;

CLARIFICATION ON THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 22, 1999 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity today issued a communique stating that, "due to various erroneous interpretations by the communications media following the publication of a Joint Declaration of the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation on the Doctrine of Justification together with an Official Common Statement and an Annex it seemed appropriate to underline the correct meaning of the above-mentioned texts."

"'The ecumenical dialogue carried out since Vatican Council II has led to a significant convergence regarding the doctrine of justification. This (convergence) allows an agreement on fundamental truths regarding the doctrine of justification to be formulated in this Joint Declaration.'

"Consequently 'the teaching of the Lutheran Churches, as presented in this Declaration, does not fall under the condemnations of the Council of Trent'. 'However, this does not remove anything from the seriousness of the doctrinal condemnations associated with the doctrine of justification. Some of these (condemnations) did not simply lack foundation. For us they still hold 'the significance of salutary warnings' to which we must pay heed, both in doctrine and in practice'."

"'This Joint Declaration, just as the dialogues themselves, is based on the conviction that overcoming condemnations and controversial questions is not equivalent to taking separation and condemnations lightly, nor does it mean renouncing the past of each of our Churches. Nonetheless, it (the Declaration) is convinced that new methods of evaluation are emerging in the history of our Churches and developments are taking place which not only permit but demand that the divisive questions and the condemnations be checked and examined from a new perspective.'

"'Together we confess that the sinner is justified through faith in the salvific action of God in Christ. This salvation is given to him by the Holy Spirit in baptism which is the foundation of his whole Christian life.'"

"'Immediately when the Holy Spirit starts in us His work of regeneration and renewal, by means of the Word and the holy Sacraments, it is certain that we can and must collaborate by means of the power of the Holy Spirit.'"

"'If, therefore, we say that we are without sin, we are not in the right. ... In this way, Lutherans and Catholics can together comprehend the Christian as 'simul justus et peccator', despite the different ways they have of approaching the question.'

"As regards the question of 'concupiscence,' understood by the Lutherans as the desire of the human being who seeks himself and which, consequently, they consider a sin; for Catholics this is an inclination that arises from sin and induces to sin but is not itself sin because 'sin is personal in nature and, as such, leads to a separation from God'.

"Consequently, there has been no denial of the past, but rather a common step forward in understanding the mystery of Christ's salvation."

...;DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION;...;CON-UC;VIS;19990622;Word: 480;

JUST SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF THE RIGHT TO WORK

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was the speech given on June 11 by Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, apostolic nuncio and head of the Holy See's observer delegation, to the General Conference of the International Labor Organization, which was held in Geneva from June 1 to 17. In his intervention, the archbishop highlighted the need for just and efficacious solutions to the problem of the right to work.

DELSS;LABOR;...;GENEVA; BERTELLO;VIS;19990622;Word: 80;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences;

- Eight prelates from the Irish Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Laurence Forristal of Ossory.
- Bishop Brendan Oliver Comiskey SS.CC., of Ferns.
- Bishop Seamus Hegarty of Derry, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Francis Lagan.
- Bishop Donal Brendan Murray of Limerick.
- Bishop Colm O'Reilly of Ardagh.
- Bishop Patrick Joseph Walsh of Down and Connor, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Anthony J. Farquhar.
- Archbishop Augustine Kasujja, apostolic nuncio in Algeria and Tunisia.

He is scheduled to meet later this evening with Cardinal Josef Tomko, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

AL; AP;...;...;... ;VIS;19990622;Word: 110;

COUNCIL FOR MIGRANTS TO BEGIN PLENARY TOMORROW

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 1999 (VIS) - Members and Consultors of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People will hold their 14th plenary reunion in the Vatican, at Palazzo San Calisto, from June 23 to 25 on the theme "The Shrine, A Privileged Place for the Meeting Between God and His People, Pilgrims in Time."

Archbishop Stephen Fumio Hamao, council president, will address the participants on the dicastery's work over the past six years, and propose several future projects for their consideration. Council secretary, Archbishop Francesco Gioia, will speak on World Day of Migrants and council official, Fr. Michael Blume, will talk on the refugee situation in the world.

Msgr. Antonio Silvestrelli, under-secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, will speak on the jurisdiction and activity of shrines, and several of the members specializing in the work of shrines, will focus on the plenary theme.

An audience with the Holy Father is scheduled during the plenary.

CON-SM;SHRINES;...;HAMAO; GIOIA;VIS;19990622;Word: 170;

CARITAS, A WITNESS TO CHRIST'S LOVE FOR THE POOR

VATICAN CITY, JUN 19, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from the Holy Father to the members of Caritas Internationalis, which is celebrating both the 50th anniversary of its foundation and its 16th general assembly. The meeting, which concludes today, began June 14 in the Vatican's Synod Hall on the theme "Reconciliation and Charity."

In the Message, dated June 2 and written in French, the Pope says he rejoices with "the members who, throughout the world, witness to the love of Christ and His Church for the poorest." He thanks Caritas for its "generous commitment," particularly during "the last four years, with your special concern for those who are living in increasingly trying situations of poverty, especially refugees and displaced persons, or wherever there is an urgent need, such as in North Korean, ... the Balkans and African nations touched by war."

He also expresses his gratitude to Caritas for echoing the appeal he made in "Tertio Millennio Adveniente" to make "the Jubilee ... an appropriate time to give thought, among other things, to reducing substantially, if not cancelling outright, the international debt which seriously threatens the future of many nations."

The Holy Father highlights the attention paid by Caritas to "reconciliation, one of the most authentic forms of charity. In a world which knows so many divisions and lacerations, among persons and human communities, I ardently hope that all of Christ's disciples ... may be artisans of peace and reconciliation so that mankind might become ever more a land of fraternity and solidarity."

"The realization of this ideal calls for a conversion of hearts and also changes, sometimes radical, in society," the Pope writes. "I invite you," he says, "to multiply your efforts for educating to justice and solidarity, founded on the Church's social doctrine."

MESS;CARITAS;...;...;VIS;19990621;Word: 300;

POPE ADDRESSES COUNCIL OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF MADAGASCAR

VATICAN CITY, JUN 19, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II this morning received Cardinal Armand Gaetan Razafindratandra, archbishop of Antananarivo, Madagascar, accompanied by members of the Council of Christian Churches of Madagascar, and reminisced about his trip to their country 10 years ago, especially the "fraternal encounter" with members of various Christian denominations.

"Since that time," he added, "I know that you have developed collaboration among your different communities to make more alive and true the witness of unity of the disciples of Christ in the service of their fellow countrymen. You thus make together a precious contribution to the human and spiritual development of the entire nation."

"I sincerely hope," affirmed the Pope, "that the Christians of this great island continue, with a renewed ardor, to deepen the bonds of charity and solidarity which unite them."

AC;UNITY;...;MADAGASCAR; RAZAFINDRATANDRA;VIS;19990621;Word: 140;

PAPAL TELEGRAM FOR 20TH WORLD TOURISM DAY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 19, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul has sent a telegram to the promoters of the 20th World Tourism Day, to be held next September 27 on the theme "Tourism: protection of the world's heritage for the new millennium." In it he expressed his appreciation for "the timely subject chosen that makes it possible to reflect on the extraordinary heritage at humanity's disposal and on the need to promote political options responsibly aimed at protecting its integrity."

The telegram, released by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People in English, Spanish, French and Italian, continues: "Tourism favors people's contact with nature and with culture; it promotes valuing environmental resources and presents the beauties of creation as a heritage common to the whole human family. ... Christian tour operators' commitment must be reinforced so that ... they will foster the sense of responsibility in people for the care and correct use of this valuable and vital heritage."

Archbishop Stephen Fumio Hamao, council president, wrote in letter accompanying the telegram, that "the Church's participation in this Day is an important opportunity to make the Christian vision of tourism known and to remind the faithful about their responsibilities both as tourists and with regard to tourists." The World Tourism Organization coordinates these days.

TGR;WORLD TOURISM DAY;...;CON-SM; HAMAO;VIS;19990621;Word: 230;

ECCLESIAL MOVEMENTS MUST LIVE IN COMMUNION WITH PASTORS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 19, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from the Pope to participants in the seminar for reflection and dialogue on "Ecclesial Movements and New Communities in the Pastoral Care of Bishops," which took place in Rome from June 16 to 19.

Nearly 100 cardinals and bishops from all continents, as well as a number of founders of movements and communities, participated in the seminar, which was promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Laity in collaboration with the Congregation for Bishops and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

In his Message the Holy Father talks of "today's most urgent pastoral duties," especially "giving attention to those communities which have a deeper awareness of the grace received in the sacraments of Christian initiation, from which arises the vocation to be witnesses to the Gospel." Furthermore, it is essential to form "Christian communities that may be true places of welcome for all."

After recalling the meeting of movements and communities which took place in Rome on May 30, 1998, John Paul II indicates that in the common testimony given that day, "I saw and I see the arrival of a 'new phase; that of ecclesial maturity'," which is "something of a challenge. A road to be travelled. This itinerary requires that the movements have an ever more solid communion with pastors."

"From you," he writes, addressing the bishops, "to whom falls the task of evaluating the authenticity of the charisms in order to decide their rightful application within the Church, I ask for gentle paternity and far-sighted charity towards these realities."

The Pope shows his confidence that the prelates' "attentive and cordial helpfulness ... will render your authority not only more gracious but also more demanding, your guidance more incisive and constructive and the ministry, which has been entrusted to you to evaluate the charisms, more fruitful. ... In fact, your primary duty is to open the eyes of your hearts and your minds in order to recognize the multiple forms of the Spirit within the Church, evaluate them and conduct them all to unity in truth and charity."

MESS;MOVEMENTS; COMMUNITIES;...;...;VIS;19990621;Word: 360;

THEME ANNOUNCED OF MESSAGE FOR WORLD DAY OF PEACE 2000

VATICAN CITY, JUN 21, 1999 (VIS) - "Peace on Earth to the Men and Women Whom God Loves" is the title of John Paul II's Message for the 33rd World Day of Peace which will be celebrated on January 1, 2000.

"In his first Message of the year 2000," states a communique released today, "the Holy Father wants to make plain to everyone his profound conviction that peace is possible if humanity seeks and discovers God, the God of peace. God wants peace; consequently, peace is possible."

"The Great Jubilee must become a moment of intense prayer and renewed commitment to overcome war. ... Every day it becomes more urgent to find the means to avert conflict and guarantee peaceful relations between peoples."

"To have peace it is no longer enough to silence arms. Peace embraces all aspects of social life: economic development, human rights, safeguarding creation. To face up to the challenges of the modern world, there is need for new peace programs as well as structures which are adapted to the new world order. Furthermore, without the elimination of poverty, without the integral development of all peoples, peace will always remain fragile. In fact, peace is founded on the human person who is endowed with inalienable dignity and called to live with others in a society open to peaceful coexistence in diversity."

...;WORLD PEACE DAY;...;...;VIS;19990621;Word: 230;

ANGELUS: PRAY FOR PEACE IN YUGOSLAVIA, INDIA AND PAKISTAN

VATICAN CITY, JUN 20, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul, before praying the angelus today with the faithful gathered in a rain-soaked St. Peter's Square, reflected on his just-concluded apostolic trip to his native Poland and, thanking the Lord "for this great occasion," said that "memories and emotions of great intensity come back to me."

"I still have engraved in my mind and heart the images of the places I visited and, above all, of the crowds of my fellow countrymen and the faithful who came from other countries, giving me a truly moving welcome wherever I went." The Pope recalled that "'God is love' was the theme of every stage of this pilgrimage: The Gospel of love, the Gospel of the Beatitudes, is the only one able to bring peace to hearts and to make social relationships serene and beneficial. Solidarity and peaceful understanding among individuals and peoples are born from the love of God and from peace with Him."

"As I say these words," the Holy Father added, "my thoughts go in a particular way to Europe, which bears the still bloody wounds of the recent conflict in Yugoslavia; it also goes to two countries in Asia, India and Pakistan, where peace is seriously compromised."

"Let us pray together," he concluded, "so that the peace process in Europe will be strengthened, and so that India and Pakistan will know how to undertake once again the path of dialogue, endeavoring to put an immediate end to the fighting and the violence and death that it brings."

ANG;TRIP POLAND; PEACE;...;...;VIS;19990621;Word: 270;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 21, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- As counsellors of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America: Cardinals Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments and Dario Castrillon Hoyos, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy; Archbishops Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum"; Julian Herranz, president of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts; Agostino Cacciavillan, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See; Vicente Joaquim Zico P.M., of Belem do Para, Brazil; Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa of Santiago de Chile, Chile; Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne of Lima, Peru; Ignacio Antonio Velasco Garcia S.D.B. of Caracas, Venezuela; Claudio Hummes O.F.M. of Sao Paulo, Brazil; Edmundo Luis Flavio Abastoflor Montero of La Paz, Bolivia; Joseph Serge Miot, coadjutor and apostolic administrator "sede plena" of Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Hector Ruben Aguer, coadjutor of La Plata, Argentina; Nicholas Cotugno Fanizzi S.D.B. of Montevideo, Uruguay and Bishop Robert Rivas O.P. of Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

- As members of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America: Archbishops Giuseppe Pittau S.J., secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education; Jose Dimas Cedeno Delgado of Panama, Panama; Bishops Stanislaw Rylko, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity; Michael Louis Fitzgerald M. Afr., secretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue; Rodolfo Quezada Toruno of Zacapa y Santo Cristo de Esquipulas, Guatemala and Franz Grave, auxiliary of Essen and president of "Adveniat," Germany.

On Saturday, June 19, it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Severino Poletto of Asti, Italy, as archbishop of Torino (area 3,350, population 2,143,843, Catholics 2,080,000, priests 1551, religious 5,595), Italy. The archbishop-elect was born at Salgareda, Italy, in 1933, was ordained a priest in 1957 and a bishop in 1980. He succeeds Cardinal Giovanni Saldarini, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, in conformity with Code 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Fr. Peter Kihara Kariuki, I.M.C., former master of novices at Sagana, as bishop of Murang'a (area 4,016, population 1,466,985, Catholics 674,948, priests 69, religious 78), Kenya. The bishop-elect was born at Thunguri, Kenya, in 1954 and ordained a priest in 1983.

- Appointed as members of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples: Cardinals Franciszek Macharski, archbishop of Krakow, Poland; Giacomo Biffi, archbishop of Bologna, Italy; Francis Eugene George O.M.I., archbishop of Chicago, U.S.A.; Archbishops Carlo Curis, apostolic nuncio; Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; Agostino Cacciavillan, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See; Peter Chung Hoan Ting of Kuching, Malaysia and Stephen Fumio Hamao, archbishop-bishop emeritus of Yokohama, Japan, and president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples and Fr. Edgard Hernando Tirado Mazo, superior general of the Institute for Foreign Missions of Yarumal, Colombia.

- Appointed Archbishop Fortunato Baldelli, apostolic nuncio in Peru, as apostolic nuncio in France.

- Appointed Msgr. Luigi Bonazzi, counsellor at the apostolic nunciature in Canada, as apostolic nuncio in Haiti, at the same time conferring upon him the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born at Bergamo, Italy, in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1973.

- Appointed Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, apostolic nuncio in Paraguay, as apostolic nuncio in India.

- Has given his blessing to the transfer, done in accordance with canon law, of Bishop Elias Tabe, from the eparchy of Beirut of the Syrians, Lebanon, where he is "protosincello" (vicar general), to the archeparchy of Damascus of the Syrians, Syria, as coadjutor bishop.

NA; NER; RE; NN;...;...;...;VIS;19990621;Word: 600;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 21, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- 10 prelates from the Irish Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Dermot Clifford of Cashel.
- Archbishop Desmond Connell of Dublin accompanied by his auxiliaries, Bishops Eamonn Oliver Walsh and James Moriarty.
- Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam.
- Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Gerard Clifford.
- Bishop Francis Gerard Brooks, emeritus of Dromore.
- Bishop Thomas Flynn of Achonry.
- Bishop Joseph Duffy of Clogher.
- Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla, apostolic nuncio in Nigeria.

AL; AP;...;...;...;VIS;19990621;Word: 80;

NO DATE SET FOR PAPAL TRIP TO ARMENIA

VATICAN CITY, JUN 21, 1999 (VIS) - Commenting on news reports that the Holy Father's visit to His Holiness Karekin I, Patriarch and Catholicos of all the Armenians, will not take place before the Pope's scheduled (July) vacation in Valle d'Aosta, Italy, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls said: "I cannot confirm this news, because no decision in this regard has been taken."

OP;TRIP ARMENIA;...;NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;19990621;Word: 80;

"POLAND HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY PRAYERS"

VATICAN CITY, JUN 17, 1999 (VIS) - This afternoon the Pope travelled by helicopter from Czestochowa to Krakow's Balice airport where, at 6 p.m., the departure ceremony took place.

After arriving at the airport, the Holy Father boarded the popemobile and travelled along a stretch of the runway. Halting at the point where the president of the republic was waiting with his wife, the Pope's private secretary, Bishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, gave up his place and John Paul II invited the couple to join him in the popemobile. Together they travelled several more meters to the site prepared for the ceremony.

President Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland and Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, archbishop of Krakow, both spoke, followed by the Holy Father.

In his speech, the Pope indicated that he had prayed everywhere "that the daily lives of the people who live in the spirit of the Beatitudes will bear fruit for the prosperity of all in this land. I give thanks to God that I have also been able to place this prayer at the feet of Mary, Queen of Poland, at Jasna Gora."

"To all those who are lovingly forging a prosperous future for the homeland I wish to express today my sincere appreciation and gratitude. ... Once more I wish to express my hope that, with God's help and the willing cooperation of everyone, all difficulties will be overcome. I pray to God for this, thinking above all of the spiritual values which the past generations faithfully preserved and which cannot be abandoned amid rightful concerns for the material well-being of the country. As Pope and as a son of this nation, I address to all people of good will, and in a special way to my brothers and sisters in faith, a fervent call to do everything possible to ensure that Poland enters the third millennium not only as a politically stable and economically prosperous state, but also strengthened by the spirit of mutual and social love."

He displayed his gratitude to all the faithful of the Church in Poland for "their great kindness and their warm welcome," and said: "During these days I have visited many dioceses - some for the first time - but I have not been able to go to all the places to which I was invited. So once more I want to assure you that in spirit I have been in the whole of Poland."

"As I return to the Vatican," John Paul II concluded, "I do not abandon the land of my birth. I take with me the image of my homeland, from the Baltic to the Tatra, and I keep in my heart all that I have been granted to experience among my fellow countrymen. I want to assure you once again that Poland and the Polish people have a special place in my thoughts and prayers. I ask you, beloved brothers and sisters, to support me in my Petrine ministry for as long as Divine Providence enables me to carry it out."

The Pope's plane took off at 7 p.m. and, after a flight of two hours, landed at Rome's Ciampino airport. From there the Holy Father travelled by helicopter to the Vatican.

PV-POLAND;DEPARTURE CEREMONY;...;KRAKOW;VIS;19990618;Word: 550;

DECLARATION FROM HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE DIRECTOR

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 1999 (VIS) - With reference to various news items that have appeared in the press regarding a letter from the Holy Father to the German bishops on the subject of the presence of Catholic family consultors within the state system, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls today made the following statement:

"I can confirm that the Holy Father has written a letter on this subject to the German episcopacy, whose contents will be made public by the German bishops in the near future."

OP;FAMILY CONSULTANTS;...;NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;19990618;Word: 100;

TELEGRAM FOR DEATH OF CARDINAL GEORGE BASIL HUME

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 1999 (VIS) - The following telegram was sent by Pope John Paul to the archdiocesan administration of the archdiocese of Westminster for the death yesterday at the age of 76 of Cardinal George Basil Hume, O.S.B., archbishop of Westminster:

"With great sadness I have received the news of the death of Cardinal George Basil Hume. I offer prayerful condolences to the auxiliary bishops, priests, religious and laity of the archdiocese of Westminster and to the entire Church in England and Wales. Commending the cardinal's noble soul to our Heavenly Father's eternal love, I thank the Lord for having given the Church a shepherd of great spiritual and moral character, of sensitive and unflinching ecumenical commitment and firm leadership in helping people of all beliefs to face the challenges of the last part of this difficult century. I am confident that the example of the cardinal's devoted service as Benedictine monk and abbot at Ampleforth and as archbishop of Westminster, his untiring work as president of the Bishops' Conference, as well as his witness of dignity and hope in the face of the mystery of suffering and death will inspire all who knew him to ever greater fidelity to the Gospel of salvation. invoking the comforting gifts of the Holy Spirit upon the cardinal's family and upon all who mourn him in the hope of resurrection, I cordially impart my apostolic blessing as a pledge of peace in Our Lord Jesus Christ."

TGR;DEATH HUME;...;...;VIS;19990618;Word: 250;

IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 1999 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Bishop Gerard Couturier, emeritus of Hauterive, Canada, on February 2 at the age of 86.
- Bishop Michael Bosco Duraisamy of Salem, India, on June 9 at the age of 70.

...;DEATHS;...;... ;VIS;19990618;Word: 40;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Fr. Pierre Nguyen Soan, vicar general and pastor of the cathedral of the diocese of Quy Nhon (area 21,206, population 2,650,000, Catholics 67,700, priests 44, religious 268), Vietnam, as bishop of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Go Thi, Vietnam, in 1936 and was ordained a priest in 1968. He succeeds Bishop Paul Huynh Dong Cac, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese was accepted by the Holy Father on having reached the age limit.
- Fr. Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet, chancellor of the diocese of Lang Son and Cao Bang (area 25,000, population 1,700,000, Catholics 5,000, priests 1, religious 5), Vietnam, as bishop of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in My Son, Vietnam, in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1991.

- Fr.Joseph Tran Xuan Tieu, vicar general and pastor of the cathedral of the diocese of Long Xuyen (area 10,150, population 3,700,000, Catholics 274,000, priests 191, religious 290), Vietnam, as coadjutor bishop of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Phu Oc, Nam Dinh, Vietnam, in 1945 and was ordained a priest in 1974.

NER; RE; NEC;...;...;...;VIS;19990618;Word: 180;

HOME TOWN JOYFULLY WELCOMES A REJUVENATED JOHN PAUL II

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 1999 (VIS) - A rejuvenated Pope John Paul II, Wadowice's most illustrious son, returned to his home town this afternoon for an exuberant welcome from the city's 19,000 inhabitants, who were joined on the city's main square - which has been renamed Pope John Paul II Square - by an estimated 100,000 people from surrounding areas.

The Pope arrived in Wadowice just before 6 p.m. and first paid a visit to the basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the parish church where he was baptized in 1920 and which is just several meters away from his boyhood home. In the church he greeted a number of people he knew from the past, and then proceeded to a stage erected just outside the church on the square. This is only his third visit to Wadowice since becoming Pope in 1978: He came here in June 1979 and again in August 1991.

Interrupted countless times during his prepared talk by the applause, cheers, songs and laughter of the crowd, which waved handkerchiefs and yellow and white Vatican flags almost continuously, the Holy Father talked off-the-cuff and bantered with his fellow citizens for nearly an hour beyond the scheduled time of the visit. They responded by chanting "Long live the Pope" and "Sto Lat," Polish for "May you live 100 years." When they said "Sto Lat," he replied, "Easier said than done."

In personal reminiscences, he recalled friends, classmates, teachers, neighbors, store owners, and priests as well as the names of streets, schools, stores and theaters, even reciting several lines from "Antigone" and the names of his fellow actors in this drama. The Pope asked if the same bakery existed where he used to buy cream pastries, and remarked that he had "exaggerated" in eating them after his school exams. The crowd responded "yes" and invited him to stay for some pastries.

Pope John Paul also spoke of his mother, who "filled my childhood with love." He said that Wadowice was "where it all began. Life began, School began. Studies began, theater began and the priesthood began."

He referred to the town's Jewish populace, saying he knew many of them "went through difficult times and were exterminated in ghettos, according to Hitler's plans." He said he imagined that his family's Jewish landlord was dead.

"Once again, during my service to the Universal Church in the See of Peter," said John Paul II in his prepared text, "I come to my native town of Wadowice. With great emotion I gaze upon this city of my childhood years, ... the city of my childhood, my family home, the church of my Baptism. I wish to cross these hospitable thresholds, bow before my native soil and its inhabitants, and utter the words of greeting given to family members upon their return from a long journey: 'Praised be Jesus Christ!'"

"With these words I greet all the people of Wadowice, from the elderly, to whom I am linked by the bonds of childhood and adolescence, to the children who are seeing for the first time the Pope who has come to visit them."

He referred to the image of Mary which he would crown after finishing his talk. "The conviction that the Mother of God has a unique role in the life of the Church and of every Christian was always dear to our forefathers. Over the last 100 years the people of Wadowice expressed this in a special way when they gathered to venerate the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and made her the patron of their personal, family and social life."

"During my first visit to Wadowice," the Pope went on, "I asked you to surround me with constant prayer before the image of this Mother. I see that my request has been inscribed in stone. ... Today I thank you warmly for this prayer. I always feel it at work and I ask you to continue to pray for me. I have so much need of your prayer. The Church has need of it. The entire world has need of it."

In concluding remarks, the Holy Father thanked everyone for the newly-built Home for Single Mothers in Wadowice. "Those women who, despite the difficulties and sacrifices, wish to keep the fruit of their motherhood, can find shelter and help there. I am grateful for this great gift of your love for the human person and your concern for life. I am all the more grateful because the home is named after my mother Emilia."

PV-POLAND;HOMECOMING;...;WADOWICE;VIS;19990617;Word: 750;

THE POPE CELEBRATES MASS IN WAWEL CATHEDRAL

VATICAN CITY, JUN 17, 1999 (VIS) - This morning the Pope celebrated Mass in the Saint Stanislaus Chapel in the presence of 1,000 people gathered in Krakow's Wawel Cathedral. On November 2, 1946, the day after his ordination as a priest, he celebrated his first Mass in the crypt of the same cathedral.

Before the celebration of the Eucharist, John Paul II gave thanks to God "for making it possible for me to stand once again at the relics of Saint Stanislaus in order to preside over a sacrifice of thanksgiving for this entire ecclesiastic community. ... I praise God for my being able to take part in this great spiritual legacy, especially as the bishop of Krakow, and for deriving strength and inspiration from its richness as the bishop of Rome."

"I wish to extend my special greeting to the student priests of the seminary of the archdiocese of Krakow. I rejoice in your presence here and thank God for the gift of vocation that He has granted you. During this holy Mass I wish to entrust to God each and every one of you. I also want to ask the Holy Spirit to confer upon you His gifts, indispensable for preserving your vocation, fulfilling it with prudence and love in your priesthood, and rendering it the light of the world in the third millennium. I ask you to offer my cordial greetings and blessing to your brothers in all Polish seminaries, run either by dioceses or religious orders."
After the celebration of the Eucharist, John Paul II made a private visit to the tomb of his family in the cemetery of Rakowice. Under torrential rain and protected by a large white umbrella, the Pope knelt for a few minutes while a choir sang the "De Profundis." Before leaving the cemetery, the Holy Father lit a votive candle and signed a gold visitors' book at the pantheon. He himself had opened the first page of this book on his last visit on June 9, 1997.

From Krakow the Pope travelled by helicopter to Gliwice where, in an open area on the outskirts of the town, he prayed the angelus before a large crowd.

PV-POLAND;MASS;...;KRAKOW;VIS;19990617;Word: 370;

POPE MAKES UNSCHEDULED VISITS TO GLIWICE AND CZESTOCHOWA

VATICAN CITY, JUN 17, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul made an unscheduled visit today to Gliwice, 150 kilometers west of Krakow, stopping briefly to greet the pastors and faithful of the Church there whom he was unable to meet as planned last Tuesday evening when he was bedridden with a fever. Shortly after his arrival by helicopter, he recited the angelus in the presence of 500,000 faithful.

Afterwards he added another unscheduled stop, travelling to Czestochowa, 100 kilometers north of Krakow, to visit Poland's most revered shrine, Jasna Gora, also known as the Shrine of the Black Madonna. He arrived at 1 p.m. by helicopter.

"The path of my pilgrimage to my homeland could not omit the Shrine of Jasna Gora," said the Pope in his greetings to the estimated 250,000 pilgrims gathered in Czestochowa. "This place is so close to my heart and so close to each of you, dear brothers and sisters. We have grown used to coming here and to bringing our personal and family matters, as well as the vital issues of the nation, to the Mother of God's Son and the Mother of us all, just like our ancestors did for centuries."

"I wish to thank Mary," John Paul II added, "for the care extended in these days of my pastoral ministry in the Church of my homeland. Mary has been with us throughout this pilgrimage, interceding to her Son for spiritual gifts for us so that we may be able to 'do what He tells us'. I wish to thank her for every single spiritual and material good that is taking place on Polish soil.

"To the motherly care of Our Lady of Jasna Gora I entrust myself, the Church and all my compatriots, not excluding anyone. I entrust to her each Polish heart, each home and each family. We are all her children. May Mary be an example and guide us in our everyday, mundane work."

PV-POLAND;SHRINE;...;CZESTOCHOWA; GLIWICE;VIS;19990617;Word: 320;