ARCHBISHOP FOLEY TO SPEAK IN U.S. IN AUGUST

VATICAN CITY, JUL 30, 1999 (VIS) - Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, will be in the United States during August where he will speak on two occasions. On August 4, he will address the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On August 15, solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he will deliver a homily during Mass in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

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POPE JOHN PAUL'S MONTHLY PRAYER INTENTIONS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 30, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul's general prayer intention for the month of August is: "That, from generation to generation, the children of God the Father praise and give thanks to the Most High for his great works incessantly done in the history of humanity."

His missionary intention: "That, animated by the 'VI Latin American Missionary Congress', the Churches in Latin America grow in true missionary spirit in the service of the New Evangelization."

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PAPAL, HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS FOR 1999: JANUARY - JULY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 30, 1999 (VIS) - Twice a year - at the end of July and December - VIS presents highlights of the activities of Pope John Paul and the Holy See. Following are the highlights for the first seven months of 1999:

JANUARY

- Friday, 1: Celebration of the 32nd World Day of Peace. The theme of Pope John Paul's peace day Message for 1999 was: "Respect for Human Rights, The Secret of True Peace."

- Wednesday, 6: Pope ordains nine bishops in St. Peter's Basilica.

- Friday, 8: Audience for Massimo D'Alema, president of Italy's Council of Ministers.

- Saturday, 9: Publication of papal Message for 14th World Youth Day (Palm Sunday, March 28). Theme: "The Father Loves You." Visit by Japanese Prime Minister, Keizo Obuchi.

- Sunday, 10: Baptism conferred on 19 infants in Sistine Chapel.

- Monday, 11: Holy Father's annual discourse to diplomatic corps,

- Friday, 15: Audience for Pandeli Majko, president of Council of Ministers of Albania.

- Monday, 18: Visit by President Leonel Fernandez Reyna of the Dominican Republic. Start of Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

- Thursday, 21: In audience to Roman Rota, Pope said that attributing a 'conjugal' reality to de facto unions is "incongruous."

- Friday, 22: John Paul II leaves on 85th foreign pastoral visit: to Mexico City, Mexico and St. Louis, U.S.A. to close Synod for America. Pope signs and dates Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in America." Presents it to bishops the following day.

- Tuesday, 26: Pope John Paul and U.S. President Bill Clinton meet upon Pope's arrival in St. Louis, U.S.A. Presentation of new rite of exorcism of the Roman Book of Rites (from Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments).

- Thursday, 28: Papal appeal for clemency saves life of prisoner in U.S.

- Friday, 29: Publication of Message for 33rd World Day of Communications, to be celebrated May 16.

FEBRUARY

- Tuesday, 2: Mass in St. Peter's for Third World Day of Consecrated Life.

- Thursday, 4: Holy See and Israel sign "Legal Personality Agreement."

- Monday, 8: New Hungarian Ambassador, Pal Tar, presents Letters of Credence. Holy See Press Office issues final report on 1998 Swiss Guard deaths.

- Thursday, 11: 70th anniversary of founding of Vatican City State.

- Friday, 12: Pope and bishops of Laos, Cambodia meet together for first time. Bishops are in Rome for "ad limina" visit.

- Friday, 19: Audience to Yasser Arafat, president of the Palestinian Authority.

- Saturday, 20: Pope receives Jason C. Hu, foreign affairs minister of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

MARCH

- Monday, 1: Announcement that Pope has given permission to start the cause of beatification for Mother Teresa of Calcutta, dispensing from norm which states that five years must pass between person's death and start of cause.

- Thursday, 11: Audience for Seyyed Mohammad Khatami: first visit by a president of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pope John Paul.

- Friday, 12: First bilateral accord between Holy See and Estonia is signed.

- Friday, 19: Holy See delegation returns from Vietnam.

- Saturday, 20: Visit by president of Colombia, Andres Pastrana-Arango.

- Tuesday, 23: Report that papal charities, through Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", distributed $21.5 million in 1998.

- Thursday, 25: Pope receives President Robert Kotcharian of Armenia, and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong of Singapore in separate audiences. Holy See statement on NATO bombings of Yugoslavia, which began last evening.

- Monday, 29: Pope and Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro meet.

- Tuesday, 30: High level Vatican meeting studies Kosovo crisis: includes ambassadors to Holy See from NATO member countries and permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.

APRIL

- Thursday, 1: Statement on today's mission to Belgrade by Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States.

- Sunday, 4: Easter. Pope writes Letter to Artists: published on April 23 in eight languages.

- Tuesday, 6: Holy See intervention on Kosovo, in Geneva at U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Humanitarian Issues Working Group.

- Wednesday, 7: Audience for U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadak Ogata.

- Friday, 9: Death of Cardinal Raul Silva Henriquez, 91, emeritus of Santiago de Chile.

- Sunday, 18: Papal Letter to His Holiness Alexis II, Patriarch of Moscow and all the Russias, on the occasion of the latter's trip to Belgrade to find peaceful solution to Kosovo conflict.

- Thursday, 22: Pope welcomes President Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen of Guatemala.

- Sunday, 25: Pope ordains as priests 31 deacons from diocese of Rome.

- Monday, 26: Visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon.

- Tuesday, 27: Pope writes U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan on eve of Annan's departure for Europe to seek peace in Yugoslavia.

- Thursday, 29: Holy See and Cook Islands establish diplomatic ties.
MAY

- Sunday, 2: Capuchin Padre Pio of Pietrelcina is beatified.

- Friday, 7: Pope departs for three-day trip to Romania: 86th foreign apostolic trip. Includes meeting with Orthodox Patriarch Teoctist. Pope participates in Orthodox liturgy, and Patriarch in Catholic liturgy.

- Saturday, 8: New York Times editorial page carries article by Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls on Holy See position vis-a-vis Kosovo conflict.

- Monday, 10: Pope welcomes Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova. Rugova holds press conference in Holy See Press Office.

- Wednesday, 12: Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) document, "The Gift of Authority."

- Friday, 14: Pope welcomes Iraqi delegation led by Patriarch Raphael I Bidawid of Babylon of the Chaldeans.

- Tuesday, 18: John Paul II turns 79. He welcomes German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

- Sunday, 23: Pentecost. Three priests ordained in Russia, the first in 82 years. Pope's Message for 73rd World Mission Day on October 24, 1999 is made public, the theme is the "Our Father."

- Tuesday, 25: Visit by Mayor Yuri Mikhailovic Luzhkov of Moscow. Vatican issues stamp whose proceeds go to victims of Balkans war.

- Sunday, 30: Pope travels to Ancona, 135th trip within Italy.

JUNE

- Thursday, 3: John Paul II receives U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. Papal Letter to German bishops on Catholic Family Consultants.

- Saturday, 5: Pope leaves for Poland, his 87th foreign pastoral trip. Until June 17.

- Friday, 11: Warsaw, Poland: Pope's first ever address to a national parliament. Geneva, Switzerland: Cardinal Edward Cassidy participates in Catholic-Lutheran press conference on Doctrine of Justification.

- Saturday, 12: Warsaw: Pope falls in nunciature, suffers cut on right temple.

- Tuesday, 15: Warsaw: Pope, feverish, postpones day's engagements.

- Thursday, 17: Cardinal George Basil Hume, O.S.B., archbishop of Westminster, dies at age 76.

- Thursday, 24: Address to Knights of Malta, celebrating ninth centenary.

- Tuesday, 29: Palliums conferred on 37 metropolitan archbishops. At angelus, Pope announces desire to visit Holy Land during Jubilee Year 2000. Holy Father's Letter on "Pilgrimages to the Places Linked to the History of Salvation" (published June 30). Patriarch Karekin I, Catholicos of all Armenians, dies. Pope's letter to patriarch, bearing the same date, is published July 8. day of funeral.

JULY

- Thursday, 1: Message for World Youth Day 2000.

- Sunday, 4: Dedication of new shrine of Divine Love in Rome.

- Wednesday, 7: Holy Father departs for vacation in Les Combes, Italy. Until July 20.

- Thursday, 8: Holy See announces 1998 surplus of $1.5 million. Note is published by Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts on the authentic interpretation of canons dealing with care of Eucharist.

- Monday, 12: Publication of "Instrumentum laboris" of Second Synod for Europe.

- Tuesday, 13: Publication of Notification from Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in which two religious in U.S. are "permanently prohibited from any pastoral work involving homosexual persons." Pope approved Notification on May 14.

- Monday, 19: Diplomatic Relations with the Lesser Antilles.

- Saturday, 24: Telegram to His Majesty Mohammed VI, the new king of Morocco, on the death of his father, King Hassan II.

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NOTICE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 30, 1999 (VIS) - As previously advised, VIS will be closed the month of August. Service will resume on Wednesday, September 1.


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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 30, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Paul Dahdah O.C.D., of Baghdad of the Latins, Iraq, as apostolic vicar of Beirut of the Latins (Catholics 20,000, priests 236, religious 1,554), Lebanon, and as apostolic administrator "sede vacante" of the archdiocese of Baghdad of the Latins (Catholics 3,000, priests 12, religious 186). He conserves the personal title of archbishop and succeeds Bishop Paul Bassim O.C.D., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same apostolic vicariate the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

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POLITICIANS FROM THROUGHOUT AMERICA TO DEBATE ON THE FAMILY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 29, 1999 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council for the Family has organized the 3rd Meeting of Politicians and Legislators of America which will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from August 3 to 5. The theme of the meeting is "Family and Life, 50 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, and Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States, will participate in the meeting. Also present will be around 200 politicians and legislators from throughout America and a number of academics.

The first of these meetings, between Latin American states, was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August 1993. It studied the topic "The Rights of the Family at the Threshold of the Third Millennium." The second meeting, for all America, was held in Mexico City, Mexico, in June 1996. The theme on that occasion was "The Dignity of the Family and Life in the Policy and Legislation of America. Reflections in Light of the Encyclical 'Evangelium Vitae'."

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LETTER TO ENVOY FOR YOUTH MEETING AT SANTIAGO

VATICAN CITY, JUL 29, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter from the Pope to Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, naming him as papal legate at the solemn closing celebration of the European Youth Meeting, which will be held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, from August 4 to 8.

In the Letter, written in Latin and dated July 4, John Paul II writes that the young people who will take part in this meeting "intend to construct - with drive, generosity and without vacillation - a more just and peaceful world, one in which the principles of rectitude and honesty can triumph.

"Consequently, it is with pleasure that we satisfy the request of our brother bishops in Spain, who have expressed their desire to be joined by our distinguished representative in order to augment the significance and solemnity of the event. Our thoughts turned to you, our esteemed brother whom, we feel, can fulfill this assignment in the best possible way. Not least, because you have demonstrated that you know how to communicate with young people in the various countries of Europe, understanding their mentality and aspirations."

The Holy Father concludes by asking Cardinal Sodano to pass on to all the participants "our affectionate proximity and our spiritual participation. We invoke the protection of St. James upon all of them, may he fill them with celestial favors and help them to enthusiastically follow in his footsteps."

The mission that will accompany Cardinal Sodano to Santiago is composed of Msgrs. Pedro Lopez Quintana, Eliseo Ariotti and Vicente Juan Segura, respectively assessor to the Secretariat of State, counsellor at the apostolic nunciature in Madrid and nunciature counsellor in the Secretariat of State. Dr. Giampaolo Mattei will also participate in the mission.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 29, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Hector Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte O.F.M., military ordinary for Peru, as archbishop of Trujillo (area 15,568, population 1,194,000, Catholics 1,075,000, priests 102, permanent deacons 2, religious 329), Peru. He succeeds Archbishop Manuel Prado Perez-Rosas S.J., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

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MEETING IN THE VATICAN FOR SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT

VATICAN CITY, JUL 28, 1999 (VIS) - At midday today, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made a declaration on this morning's meeting between Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States, and United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

"The friendly meeting, which lasted for more than an hour, provided the opportunity for an exchange of opinions on various aspects of international affairs. Particular attention was given to the Middle East peace process, to the situation in a number of Asian countries as well as to the longed for normalization in the Balkans.

"The two sides agreed on the necessity to persevere with the efforts presently underway, in order that law and justice may guarantee genuine peace and the true coexistence of peoples everywhere."

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HELL IS THE ULTIMATE CONSEQUENCE OF SIN

VATICAN CITY, JUL 28, 1999 (VIS) - "Hell, as the definitive rejection of God" was the theme of the catechesis of the Holy Father's general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall.

The Pope recalled that "God is the Father, infinitely good and merciful. But man, called in freedom to respond to God, can unfortunately choose to definitively reject His love and His pardon, thus removing himself forever from joyous communion with Him. It is to precisely this tragic situation that Christian doctrine refers when it speaks of hell or damnation. ... Nonetheless, in a theological sense, hell is something else: It is the ultimate consequence of sin itself."

"The images with which hell is presented to us by Sacred Scripture must be correctly interpreted. They demonstrate the complete frustration and emptiness of a life without God. More than a physical place, hell is the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God."

John Paul II continued by saying that "'damnation' should not be attributed to God, because in His merciful love He cannot but wish for the salvation of the creatures He has made. In reality it is the creature that closes himself to love. 'Damnation' actually consists in the definitive separation from God."

We, the Pope concluded, cannot know, "without special divine revelation," who has been condemned. "The idea of hell - and still less the incorrect use of biblical images - should not be a cause of anxiety or despair; rather it represents a necessary and healthy reminder that the resurrected Jesus conquered Satan, giving us the Spirit of God so that we too could call Him "Father."

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HOLY SEE DELEGATION AT THE UNISPACE CONFERENCE

VATICAN CITY JUL 28, 1999 (VIS) - Professor Vittorio Canuto, a member of the Holy See delegation to the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Use of Outer Space (UNISPACE III), which is taking place in Vienna from July 19 to 30, made a speech to the conference on July 21. The speech, published today, is entitled: "Knowledge of space helps to disclose the responsibilities of humanity."

In his talk, the professor highlighted the necessity to transform the discoveries of space exploration from a diagnostic tool of the Cosmos, into a prognostic tool of the repercussions that natural or man-made phenomena have on the planet and its inhabitants.

Professor Canuto asked what humanity had learned, on the eve of the third millennium and after 50 years of space exploration. He said, "the greatest surprise has come from our looking back at our planet from space. Our exploration of outer space has led us to an unavoidable new conclusion. We are damaging our ecological systems by our profligate use of natural and mineral resources."

"This is a fundamental shift from the paradigm of the '70s, when we thought that the limits to economic growth were due to the finite nature of natural resources. The limits concern, in fact, the responsible use of these resources. ... As we venture both conceptually and practically into the conquest of outer space, we must redefine our way of living on this planet itself."

The Holy See delegate went on to recall how human history is marked by "benign" revolutions based on knowledge; from "the invention of agriculture 10,000 years ago, to the industrial revolution two hundred years ago. The key to the third revolution that awaits humanity will be "knowledge based on education." The driving force will not be the land as was the case with the first revolution, nor coal, as it was with the second. It will be "information, ... an intangible public good that must be available to all if the information revolution is to have positive results. ... Individuals create knowledge which is an unlimited resource, the only truly unlimited resource that we have."

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THE "POPULORUM PROGRESSIO" FOUNDATION APPROVES 201 PROJECTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 28, 1999 (VIS) - According to a communique made public today, the administrative council of the 'Populorum Progressio' Foundation met from July 10 to 14 in Manizales, Colombia, in order to study a series of projects and to decide on the level of financial support to offer them.

The aim of the foundation, created by John Paul II in 1992, is to contribute to the human and Christian promotion of the indigenous populations and peasants most in need in Latin America. The administrative council is composed of bishops from Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and Guatemala. Present at the meeting, which was presided by Archbishop Fabio Betancur Tirado of Manizales, were Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unem" and of the foundation, and Msgr. Francisco Azcona, under-secretary of the same pontifical council and member of the foundation.

During the course of the meeting, 264 projects from Latin America and the Caribbean region were studied. Of these, 201 were approved for a total cost of 1,800,000 U.S. dollars. This sum will be distributed to the interested parties in the near future.

The communique goes on to say: "Of the 201 projects for 1999, 23.64 percent are in the education sector (construction, communication, vocational training, materials); 19.77 percent are in the area of communal infrastructure (potable water, means of communication, roads, electricity, latrines and multipurpose centers); 43.80 percent are concerned with production (agricultural, artisans, micro-production and community businesses). Health related projects account for 8.14 percent and the housing sector comprises 4.26 percent. A project aimed at civil registration was also approved."

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LOVE FOR THE POOR IS ALSO EXPRESSED THROUGH EDUCATION

VATICAN CITY, JUL 27, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a message from John Paul II to the Religious Teachers of Our Lady of Sorrows who are presently celebrating their general chapter, the theme of which is: "Towards the third millennium, with the joy of the Resurrection, to construct unity in diversity."

In the message, which is dated July 22, the Pope recalls that the foundress, Blessed Elisabetta Renzi, "strongly felt the call to witness God's particular love for His smallest and most needy creatures; and she responded with prophetic intelligence, becoming a mother, educator and helper. The Church has always considered education to be an essential part of its mission and the synod on consecrated life clearly highlighted this. Consequently, I warmly invite you to treasure your original charism and your traditions, in the knowledge that preferential love for the poor finds a privileged expression in the services of education and training."

After making reference to Blessed Renzi's motto, "Ardere et Lucere," the Holy Father concluded by calling upon each individual Religious Teacher of Our Lady of Sorrows, as well as "the whole institute, to burn and shine with divine love and radiate it to your brothers and sisters, especially the poorest, wherever Providence calls you to live and work."

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, 27 JUL, 1999 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:
- Bishop Vittorio Fusco of Nardo-Gallipoli, Italy, on July 11, aged 60.
- Bishop Jean Francois Streiff, emeritus of Nevers, France, on Jul 9, aged 87.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 27, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Antonio Lucibello, apostolic nuncio in Sierra Leone, Gambia, Guinea and Liberia, as apostolic nuncio in Paraguay.

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MEETING OF MEXICAN GOVERNMENT AND HOLY SEE DELEGATIONS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 27, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls today made the following declaration:

"In the late morning of yesterday, July 26, 1999, in the library of the Secretariat of State, a meeting took place between a Mexican government delegation, headed by Ambassador Rosario Green, "secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores," and a Holy See delegation, led by Archbishop Jean Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States.

"The discussions provided an opportunity to exchange views on the international situation and on aspects of the Church in Mexico.

"The Mexican delegation also explained some aspects of internal policy, while the Holy See group raised various questions concerning the relationship between Church and State.

"During the meeting, which took place in a cordial atmosphere, the two sides renewed their desire to promote collaborative relations."

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ANGELUS: JOHN PAUL II REFLECTS ON THE VALUE OF OLD AGE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 25, 1999 (VIS) - Prior to reciting the angelus today from the apostolic palace in Castelgandolfo, Pope John Paul reflected on tomorrow's liturgical memory of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary. He said this induced him "to briefly speak about old age and its value, especially in view of the fact that 1999 is the international year of the elderly."

Old age, he said, "is a bearer of special 'talents', thanks to the patrimony of experience, knowledge and teachings of which the older person is custodian. For this reason, in all cultures, old age is synonymous with wisdom and equilibrium. By their very presence, older people remind everyone, especially young people, that life on earth is a 'parable', with its beginning and its end."

"In societies of advanced industrial and technological development," observed the Holy Father, "the condition of older people is ambivalent: On the one and they are less and less integrated into the family and social fabric; on the other hand, their role becomes ever more important, above all for the care and education of grandchildren. Young couples, in fact, often find grandparents to be an indispensable help."

The Pope denounced those societies "dominated by economy and profit (because) they tend to penalize 'unproductive' age groups, considering persons more for their usefulness than for themselves."

He highlighted how "in Sacred Scripture old age is surrounded by veneration," and asked that societies today venerate and love older people. Citing his 1981 Apostolic Exhortation "Familiaris Consortio," he concluded: "May every family and each of its members know how to guard, reveal and communicate love."

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TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF THE KING OF MOROCCO

VATICAN CITY, 24 JUL, 1999 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a telegram sent by John Paul II to His Majesty Mohammed VI, the new king of Morocco, who succeeds his father, King Hassan II, who died yesterday evening at the age of 70:

"Upon learning the sad news of the death of His Majesty, King Hassan II of Morocco, I wish to express my profound condolences to the royal family, the government and the Moroccan people. In recalling the eminent figure of the late sovereign, who presided over the destiny of his country with the desire to lead it in dignity on the path of spiritual and material progress, and in recalling the meetings I had with him during my visit to Casablanca about the question of Jerusalem, I preserve the image of a man who wished to develop dialogue between believers and to contribute towards establishing peace among nations, especially in the Middle East. I pray to all merciful God to receive King Hassan II in His light and His peace and I ask Him to assist you in pursuing, according to His will, to build a kingdom of harmony and solidarity. May the Almighty fill with His blessing all Moroccans in this particular moment of their history."

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PAPAL NOMINEES, EXPERTS AND AUDITORS FOR THE SYNOD FOR EUROPE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 26, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today by the Synod of Bishops was the following list of participants in the Second Special Assembly For Europe:

PAPAL NOMINEES

- 1. Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, Archbishop of Krakow, Poland.
- 2. Cardinal Jan Chryzostom Korec S.J., Bishop of Nitra, Slovakia.
- 3. Cardinal Adam Joseph Maida, Archbishop of Detroit, U.S.A., and President of the 'Ad Hoc' Committee for Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States.
- 4. Archbishop Joannes Joachim Degenhardt of Paderborn, Germany.
- 5. Archbishop Geraldo Majella Agnelo of Sao Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, primate of Brazil and vice president of 'Consejo Episcopal Latinoamericano' (CELAM).
- 6. Archbishop Jaime Pedro Goncalvez of Beira, Mozambique, vice president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and representative of IMBISA (Inter-Regional Meeting for Bishops of Southern Africa) at the permanent council of SECAM.
- - 7. Archbishop Telesphore Placidus Toppo of Ranchi, India and chairman of the Office for Evangelization of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC).
- 8. Archbishop Gyorgy-Miklos Jakubinyi of Alba Julia, Romania.
- 9. Archbishop Francesco Marchisano, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church, Vatican City.
- 10. Archbishop Francisco Alvarez Martinez of Toledo, Spain, primate of Spain.
- 11. Archbishop Emile Marcus, P.S.S., of Toulouse, France.
- 12. Archbishop George Pell of Melbourne, Australia, member of the "Federation Of Catholic Bishops' Conferences of Oceania" (FCBCO).
- 13. Archbishop Jozef Miroslaw Zycinski of Lublin, Poland.
- 14. Bishop Andre Fort of Perpignan-Elne, France.
- 15. Bishop Raymond Roussin, S.M., of Victoria, Canada.
- 16. Bishop Alberto Ablondi of Livorno, Italy, vice president of the Italian Episcopal Conference.
- 17. Bishop Javier Echevarria Rodriguez, prelate of the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei, Spain.
- 18. Bishop Luc Alfons De Hovre, S.J., auxiliary of Malines- Bruxelles, Belgium, and delegate of the 'Consilium Conferentiarum Episcopalium Europae' (CCEE, Council of European Bishops' Conferences) for the Union of European Conferences of Major Superiors.
- 19. Bishop Samir Mazloum, apostolic visitor to the Maronite faithful in western and northern Europe, Lebanon.
- 20. Msgr. Noel Treanor, secretary general of the "Commissio Episcopatuum Communitatis Europaeae" (COM.E.C.E.- Commission of the Episcopates of the European Community), Belgium.
- 21. Fr. Aldo Giordano, secretary general of the "Consilium Conferentiarum Episcopalium Europae" (CCEE).
- 22. Fr. Maciej Zieba, O.P., provincial superior of the Dominicans in Poland.
- 23. Fr. Heinrich Barlage, S.V.D., superior general of the Society of the Divine Word (Verbites).

EXPERTS (Adiutores) - 1. Savas Agourides, emeritus professor of the New Testament in the faculty of theology at the University of Athens, Greece.
- 2. Fr. Vaclovas Aliulis, M.I.C., vicar general of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Lithuania.
- 3. Fr. Georges Chantraine, S.J., of the "Centre De Documentation et de Recherche Religieuses" in Namur, Belgium.
- 4. Ysabel De Andia, director of research at the "Centre National De Recherches Scientifique" C.N.R.S., Paris, France.
- 5. Sr. Rosanna Enrica, F.M.A., dean of the "Auxilium" faculty of educational science in Rome, Italy.
- 6. Msgr. Peter Erdo, rector of the Catholic University of Budapest, Hungary.
- 7. Msgr. Bruno Forte, member of the International Theological Commission and professor at the faculty of theology in Naples, Italy.
- 8. Fr. Bernard Grogan, S.D.B., secretary to the general counsellor for formation in the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco, England.
- 9. Msgr. Karl Hillenbrand, vicar general of Wurzburg, Germany.
- 10. Fr. Juan Antonio Martinez Camino, S.J., professor of theology at the Pontifical Comillas University in Madrid and director of the secretariat of the Spanish Episcopal Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith, Spain.
- 11. Msgr. Roland Minnerath, professor of the faculty of Catholic theology in Strasbourg and member of the International Theological Commission, France.
- 12. Fr. Gerhard Ludwig Muller, professor of dogmatic theology in the faculty of theology at the University of Munich and member of the International Theological Commission, Germany.
- 13. Fr. Candido Pozo, S.J., professor of dogmatic theology in the faculty of theology at the University of Granada and member of the International Theological Commission, Spain.
- 14. Fr. Josef Rapacz, professor at the Pontifical Academy of Krakow, Poland.
- 15. Pedro Rodriguez Garcia, professor of theology at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
- 16. Fr. Marjan Sef, S.J., former provincial superior of the Society of Jesus, Slovenia.
- 17. Fr. Mario Spezzibottiani, professor of moral theology at the archiepiscopal seminary of Milan, Italy.

AUDITORS (Auditores) - 1. Kiko Arguello, founder of the Neo-Catecumenal Way, Spain.
- 2. Mijo Beccaria, president of the "Bureau Institut Catholique De L'enfance", Switzerland.
- 3. Alain Besancon, director of studies at the "Ecole Des Hautes Etudes En Sciences Sociale", member of the "Aced‚mie Des Scienes Morales Et Politiques", professor of "Histoire Politique Russe" at the University of Paris III - Sorbonne, France.
- 4. Paola Bignardi, president of National Catholic Action, Italy.
- 5. Sr. Ioana Bota, O.S.B.M., provincial superior for Romania for the Order of St. Basil the Great and president of the Romanian conference of Major Superiors (CRSM), Romania.
- 6. Msgr. Pavol Brzy, professor of Sacred Scripture at the major seminary of Nitra, Slovakia.
- 7. Sr. Rita Burley, A.C.I., superior general of the Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart and president of the International Union of Superiors General, (UISG), Great Britain.
- 8-9. Jesus Carrascosa and Juana Carrascosa, of the International Center of Communion and Liberation, Spain.
- 10. Fr. Gerard J. Conroy, professor of Sacred Scripture at the national seminary of Glasgow, Scotland.
- 11. Sr. Judith Frei, O.S.B., abbess of the "Benediktinerinnen-Abtei" U.L. Frau Varensell, Germany.
- 12. Sr. Tekla Famiglietti, O.SS.S., abbess general of the order of St. Bridget of the Most Holy Saviour, Italy.
- 13. Fr. Josef Bisig, superior general of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in Wigratzbad, Germany.
- 14. Fr. Edmund Michel Garvey, C.F.C., superior general of the Christian Brothers, Ireland.
- 15. Irina Ilovaiskaya Gorgi Alberti, editor of "La Pensee Russe", Paris, France.
- 16-17. Stanislaw Grygiel and Ludmilla Grygiel, Poland, of the John Paul II Institute of the Pontifical Lateran University of Rome.
- 18. Sr. Marie Noelle Hausman, S.C.M., superior general of the Sisters of the Holy Heart of Mary, Belgium.
- 19. Sanja Horvat, nurse and student of theology at the theological institute of Sarajevo, Bosnia.
- 20. Ana Huml, expert in telecommunications, Bosnia.
- 21. Fr. Karoly Kerekes, O.C., former president of the Conference of Major Superiors, Hungary.
- 22. Viktor M. Khroul, member of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and editor of the Catholic weekly "Svet Evanghelia," Russia.
- 23. Fr. Klemens Ladner, F.S.C., of Austria, provincial superior of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Austria, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary.
- 24. Fr. Jesus Maria Lecea Sainz, S.P., president of the "Conferencia Espanola De Superiores y Superioras Mayores" (CONF.E.R.), Spain.
- 25. Nikolaus Lobkovicz, director of the central institute for studies on central and eastern Europe of the Catholic University of Eichstatt, Germany, and former president of the same university.
- 26. Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare movement, Italy.
- 27. Maria Johanna Theodora Martens, member of the European Parliament, president of the European Forum of Lay People and president of the Dutch national committee for the Great Jubilee, Holland.
- 28. Sr. Jolanta Olech, U.S.J.K., superior general of the Ursuline Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and president of the Conference of Major Superiors of Polish convents, Poland.
- 29. Fr. Stanislaw Opiela, S.J., secretary of the Episcopal Conference of the Russian Federation, Russia.
- 30. Fr. Ludwig Schwarz, S.D.B., national director for pontifical missionary works, Austria.
- 31. Fr. Jacques Scholte, F.M.S., president of the union of European Conferences of Major Superiors (UCESM), Netherlands.
- 32. Rose Mary Smith, of the Secular Institute of "Caritas Christi," Great Britain.
- 33. William Stainsby, president of the Newman Institute of Ireland and director of the Center For Faith and Culture, Ireland.
- 34. Fr. Kyyak Svyatoslav, O.S.B.M., professor of fundamental theology and ethics at the theological-catechistical institute of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.
- 35. Denis Vienot, president of "Caritas Europeenne," France.
- 36. Fr. Tadeusz Winnicki, superior general of the Society of Christ for Polish Emigrants, Poland.
- 37. Jan Zicha, member of the Pontifical Council for Laity, Czech Republic.
- 38. Sr. Kornelia Zoric, S.F.I.C., superior general of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

SE;SYNOD EUROPE PARTICIPANTS;...;...;VIS;19990726;Word: 1310;

1450TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITALIAN BASILICA OF ST. APOLLINARIS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 26, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from the Pope to Archbishop Luigi Amaducci of Ravenna-Cervia, Italy, on the occasion of the 1450th anniversary of the dedication of the basilica of St. Apollinaris in Classe, which was consecrated in 549.

In the Message, dated July 23, the Holy Father recalls that the basilica houses "the body of the first bishop, St. Apollinaris, who evangelized Ravenna in the second half of the second century, thus becoming patron of the city, the diocese and the entire region."

"Your Church," writes John Paul II, "as it gives thanks to God for the good it has spread throughout the centuries, feels stimulated to a renewed awareness of the ever urgent duty to bring the proclamation of Christ to all those who have not yet received it. I hope that, through the intercession of the first bishop and the saints and fellow citizens who were the apostles of the Slavs, many priestly vocations will come from this Church, so that the Word of the Lord will also bring joy and salvation to the men and women of today."

The Holy Father affirmed that "for more than 14 centuries the basilica of St. Apollinaris has transmitted, though its splendid mosaics, the eternal truth of the Gospel, which has its radiant fulcrum in the crucified and risen Christ. How can we not hope that this saving truth can be reflected with renewed vigor in the Church of the 'living stones' which is in Ravenna, so that the new generations can find in Christ that peace which is the gift of God and an expression of His eternal love?"

MESS;BASILICA ST APOLLINARIS;...;RAVENNA; AMADUCCI;VIS;19990726;Word: 290;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 26 JUL, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Hobart, Australia, presented by Archbishop Joseph Eric D'Arcy, upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Adrian Leo Doyle.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Ilagan, Philippines, presented by Archbishop Miguel G. Purugganan, in accordance with canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Sergio Utleg.

- Appointed Fr. Miguel La Fay Barbi O. Carm, responsible for the formation of candidates to the Carmelite order in Lima, Peru, as bishop-prelate of Sicuani (area 15,440, population 353,000, Catholics 334,000, priests 20, religious 39), Peru. The bishop-elect was born in Chelsea, U.S.A. in 1934 and ordained a priest in 1960.

On Saturday, July 24, it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Erected the diocese of Ambositra (area 15,000, population 540,000, Catholics 262,233, priests 75, religious 147), Madagascar, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar, making it a suffragan of the Metropolitan church of Fianarantsoa. He appointed Fr. Fulgence Rabemahafaly, former rector of the major seminary of Vohitsoa, Madagascar, as bishop of the new diocese. The bishop-elect was born at Miarinavaratra, Madagascar, in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1980.

- Appointed Archbishop Adriano Bernardini, apostolic nuncio in Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles, as apostolic nuncio in Thailand, Singapore and Cambodia and apostolic delegate in Laos, Malaysia, Brunei and Myanmar.

- Appointed Msgr. Orlando Antonini, nunciature counsellor, as apostolic nuncio in Zambia and Malawi, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Villa S. Angelo, Italy in 1944 and ordained a priest in 1968.

- Appointed Archbishop Mario Zenari, apostolic nuncio in the Ivory Coast and Niger, as apostolic nuncio in Burkina Faso.

RE; NER; ECE; NN;...;...;... ;VIS;19990726;Word: 300;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 22, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of San Juan Bautista de las Misiones, Paraguay, presented by Bishop Carlos Milciades Villalba Aquino, upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor bishop Mario Melanio Medina Salinas.

- Appointed Fr. Marian Chovanec as auxiliary of Nitra (area 5,321, population 830,828, Catholics 664,968, priests 283, permanent deacons 4, religious 714), Slovakia. The bishop-elect was born in Trencin in 1957 and ordained a priest in 1989 and since 1993 has been professor of dogmatic theology at the technological institute of Nitra.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Santa Rosa, U.S.A., presented by Bishop George Patrick Ziemann, in accordance with canon 401, para.2 of the Code of Canon Law. He appointed Archbishop William Joseph Levada of San Francisco as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Santa Rosa.

RE; NEA; NA;...;...;
Subject: ;VIS;;Word: ;

HEAVEN IS UNION WITH GOD, NOT AN ABSTRACTION

VATICAN CITY, JUL 21, 1999 (VIS) - This morning the Pope travelled by helicopter from Castelgandolfo to the Vatican where, at 10 a.m., the general audience took place in the Paul VI Hall. The theme of this Wednesday's catechesis was "Heaven, The Fullness of Communion with God."

Faith, said John Paul II, teaches us that at the end of our earthly existence "those who have welcomed God into their lives and who have sincerely opened themselves to His love, at least at the moment of death, will be able to enjoy full communion with Him."

"Participation in full intimacy with the Father, after completing our earthly life, comes about through insertion into Christ's paschal mystery."

The Holy Father recalled that "within the framework of Revelation we know that the 'heaven' or 'beatitude' in which we will find ourselves, is not an abstraction nor a physical place in the clouds, but a living and personal relationship of unity with the Holy Trinity. Heaven is our meeting with the Father which takes place in the Risen Christ through the communion of the Holy Spirit."

"It is important to always maintain a certain moderation in describing these 'ultimate realities,' as any description of them is always inadequate. Today, personalistic language manages to express, in a less inappropriate fashion, the peace and happiness which definitive union with God will bring us."

The Pope indicated that ultimate reality "can nonetheless be anticipated now, both in sacramental life, of which the Eucharist is the center, and in the gift of ourselves in fraternal charity. ... We know that in this world everything is subject to limits, but thoughts of our 'ultimate' reality help us to live better this 'penultimate' reality."

AG;HEAVEN;...;...;VIS;19990721;Word: 290;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 21, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of Corumba, Brazil, presented by Bishop Jose Alves da Costa D.C., in accordance with canon 401, para.2 of the Code of Canon Law.

RE;...;...;ALVES DA COSTA ;VIS;19990721;Word: 50;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 20, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Palayamkottai, India, presented by Bishop Savarinathan Iruthayaraj in accordance with canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Bishop Thierry Jordan of Pontoise, France, as metropolitan archbishop of Reims (area 6,931, population 598,000, Catholics 584,000, priests 212, permanent deacons 12, religious 398), France. The archbishop-elect was born in Shanghai, China, in 1943, ordained a priest in 1966 and consecrated a bishop in 1987.

- Appointed as members of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church: Cardinals Christoph Schonborn O.P., archbishop of Vienna, Austria and Francis Eugene George O.M.I., archbishop of Chicago, U.S.A.; Archbishops Csaba Ternyak, secretary of the Congregation for Clergy and Marin Barsic, auxiliary of Split-Makarska, Croatia; Msgr. Giancarlo Santi, director of the national office for ecclesiastical cultural heritage of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Italy; Fr. Heinrich Pfeiffer S.J., director of the "corso superiore" (advanced course) for the cultural patrimony of the Church, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy; Sandro Benedetti, director of the technical office of the Fabric of St. Peter and professor at "La Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy and Giuseppe Basile, director of the Central Institute for Restoration, Rome, Italy.

RE; NER; NA;...;...;... ;VIS;19990720;Word: 210;

THE PRIEST AND THE THIRD CHRISTIAN MILLENNIUM

VATICAN CITY, JUL 20, 1999 (VIS) - The Congregation for Clergy has published a document that is directed to all priests and entitled "The Priest and the Third Christian Millennium, Teacher of the Word, Minister of the Sacraments and Leader of the Community."

It was during its plenary session of October 13-15, 1998 that the congregation decided to entrust this "circular letter" to all priests. The document is dated March 19, 1999 and carries the signature of Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos and Archbishop Csaba Ternyak, respectively prefect and secretary of the congregation. It is published in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese and Polish.

In the first chapter, "In the Service of New Evangelization," it is specified that, despite the "intense secularization in society," there exists a "religious sensitivity which seeks to satisfy the innate aspiration for God which is present in the hearts of all mankind." Furthermore, it is recalled that all Christians "are called to collaborate, in so far as their personal circumstances permit, in the new evangelizing mission."

Chapter two, entitled "Teachers of the Word," states that "new evangelization demands a zealous ministry of the Word which is complete and well-founded. It should have a clear theological, spiritual, liturgical and moral content, while bearing in mind the needs of those men and women whom it must reach."

On the subject of preaching, the document highlights the need to cultivate formal aspects: "Like that of Christ, priestly preaching should be positive (and) stimulating," and it is necessary to "present revealed truth in a captivating way. ... (The priest's) apostolic spirit should move him to acquire competence in the use of the 'new pulpits' provided by modern communications and ensure that his preaching is always of a standard congruent with the preached word," using "elegant accurate language" comprehensible to all.

The third chapter, "Ministers of the Sacraments," indicates that the celebration of the sacraments represents an occasion to attract the faithful, especially "those who, having lost the practice of the faith, occasionally participate in the liturgy for family or social reasons."

In mentioning the sacrament of the Eucharist, it is emphasized that "formation of the faithful concerning the essence of the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar is vitally important as is the need to encourage them to participate fruitfully in the Eucharist." It is also recalled that certain conditions must be fulfilled in order to participate in communion, "especially individual sacramental confession for those conscious that they are not in a state of grace."

"Fixed times during which the priest is available in the confessional are warmly to be encouraged. They should be well published and availability on the priest's part should not be just theoretical."

Chapter four, "Loving Pastors of the Flock," states that the priest, "in close communion with his bishop and with his faithful, ... should avoid introducing into his pastoral ministry all forms of authoritarianism and forms of democratic administration which are alien to the profound reality of the ministry, for these lead to a secularization of the priest and a clericalization of the laity."

"The priest enjoys a certain prestige amongst the faithful and, in some places, with the civil authorities. He should, however, be aware that such prestige should be lived in humility and used correctly for the promotion of the 'salus animarum.'"

The conclusion reiterates that parishioners and those who collaborate in pastoral works "see, observe, feel and listen," not only when the priest preaches and celebrates the sacraments, but also "when he eats and when he rests," when they see his "simplicity and priestly poverty; when they talk with him and ... are comforted by his spiritual outlook."

The text concludes with a prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking her to increase the awareness of priests "that they are primarily responsible for new evangelization."

CPC;PRIESTS;...;CASTRILLON; TERNYAK;VIS;19990720;Word: 640;

HOLY FATHER ENDS MOUNTAIN VACATION

VATICAN CITY, JUL 20, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul II, concluding his vacation in the mountains of northwestern Italy, is scheduled to leave Valle d'Aosta for Turin by helicopter at 5 p.m. today. From Turin he will fly to Rome where he is expected to arrive at 7 p.m. The Pope will proceed directly to Castelgandolfo, but will return to Rome for tomorrow's general audience at 10 a.m.

JPII-VACATION;RETURN;...;...;VIS;19990720;Word: 70;

HOLY FATHER RECITES ANGELUS FROM CARMELITE MONASTERY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 18, 1999 (VIS) - For a second consecutive Sunday, Pope John Paul recited the angelus from his vacation retreat in Valle d'Aosta, northwest Italy. Today he visited the "Mother of Mercy" Carmelite monastery at Quart, which he had blessed 10 years earlier on the July 16 feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

In reflections preceding the angelus prayer, the Pope said: "A monastery is an authentic 'center' of spiritual energy, nourished by the source of contemplation, based on the example of prayer to which Jesus dedicated Himself in solitude, immersing Himself totally in the dialogue with God the Father, to draw the strength necessary to His saving mission."

"In this monastic community of Quart," he continued, "Mary, Queen of Carmel, is venerated with the title of 'Mother of Mercy'. Giving birth to Jesus, the Holy Virgin in fact gave the world the supreme Witness of the merciful love of God. In this plan of salvation, she is not merely an instrument, but a docile collaborator: Divine mercy is perfectly consonant with Mary. ... Mary's motherhood is fulfilled on Calvary, where divine mercy realizes, in the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, the supreme act of redemption. In that tragic yet glorious hour, Mary becomes forever the Mother of Mercy."

The Holy Father then greeted the priests, religious and seminarians of the diocese. And, noting that his "stay in Valle d'Aosta is coming to an end," he thanked all those who had a role "in preparing everything for a serene and tranquil visit."

ANG;...;...;VALLE D'AOSTA;VIS;19990719;Word: 260;

POPE TO TRAVEL TO SLOVENIA ON SEPTEMBER 19

VATICAN CITY, JUL 17, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was the program of Pope John Paul's pastoral trip to Slovenia, scheduled for September 19.

The Holy Father will depart from Rome's Leonardo da Vinci international airport at 8:25 a.m. and arrive in Maribor at 10. Following a brief welcome ceremony he will celebrate Mass and beatify Servant of God Anton Martin Slomesk on the esplanade of Betnava at Maribor. Thereafter he will pray the angelus.

At 5:30 p.m. he is to visit the cathedral of Maribor and pray at the tomb of the Blessed Slomesk. Later he will meet the president of the Republic at the city's airport where, at 7 p.m., the farewell ceremony will take place.

The Pope's flight will take off at 7:30 and is expected to arrive at Rome's Ciampino airport 90 minutes later.

PV-SLOVENIA;PROGRAM;...;...;VIS;19990719;Word: 150;

EXHIBITION OF ANCIENT ICONS FROM THE GREAT MUSEUMS OF RUSSIA

VATICAN CITY, JUL 19, 1999 (VIS) - "Sophia, the Wisdom of God" is the title of the exhibition of ancient Russian icons which will be inaugurated in the Charlemagne Wing, adjacent to St. Peter's Square, on July 29. The exhibits will remain on display until October 30.

The exhibition, which includes 145 icons from the 13th to the 19th century, has been organized by the association "Sophia: Russian Idea, Idea of Europe," in collaboration with the most important Russian museums.

...;EXHIBITION; RUSSIAN ICONS;...;... ;VIS;19990719;Word: 90;

DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE LESSER ANTILLES

VATICAN CITY, JUL 19, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy See and the government of St. Kitts and Nevis, Lesser Antilles, in the desire to develop friendly bilateral relations, have mutually agreed to establish diplomatic links, at the level of apostolic nunciature by the Holy See and embassy by St. Kitts and Nevis.

A British colony since 1623, and a State of Association with the United Kingdom since 1967, St. Kitts and Nevis has been an independent state within the British Commonwealth since September 19, 1983. The Federation has a total area of 269.4 square kilometers and a population of 45,000; the island of St. Kitts measures 176.2 square kilometers and has 35,000 inhabitants, while Nevis is 93.2 square kilometers and has 10,000 inhabitants.

In St.Kitts and Nevis there are 5,000 Catholics; they are divided into four parishes and there are three priests. Both islands form part of the diocese of St. John's-Basseterre which has 14,000 faithful and is under the guidance of Bishop Donald James Reece.

OP;DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS;...;ST KITTS; NEVIS;VIS;19990719;Word: 170;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 19, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Msgr. Jose Soleibe Arbelaez of the diocese of Cartago, Colombia, and Fr. Luis Adriano Piedrahita Sandoval of the archdiocese of Cali, Colombia, as auxiliaries of Cali (area 2,742, population 2,329,000, Catholics 2,011,000, priests 268, permanent deacons 15, religious 1,178). Bishop-elect Soleibe Arbelaez was born in Cartago in 1938, ordained a priest in 1963 and since 1998 has been rector of the major seminary of Cartago. Bishop-elect Piedrahita Sandoval was born in Palmira, Colombia, in 1946, ordained a priest in 1972 and is presently pastor of the parish of "Cristo Resucitado."

- Fr. Gerhard Feige of the clergy of Magdeburg (area 23,000, population 3,000,000, Catholics 192,000, priests 198, permanent deacons 31, religious 225), Germany, as auxiliary of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Halle, Germany, in 1951, ordained a priest in 1978 and since 1994 has been professor at the school of philosophy and theology in Erfurt.

On Saturday, July 17, it was made public that he appointed:
- Bishop Andre Wouking of Bafoussam, Cameroon, as metropolitan archbishop of Yaounde (area 4,964, population 1,512,000, Catholics 671,000, priests 233, religious 664), Cameroon. The archbishop-elect was born in Dschang, Cameroon, in 1930, was ordained a priest in 1961 and a bishop in 1979.

- Fr. Joseph Atanga S.J., apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Yaounde, Cameroon, as bishop of Bafoussam (area 13,000, population 1,534,300, Catholics 260,000, priests 76, religious 130), Cameroon. The bishop-elect was born in Akok-Bekoe, Cameroon, in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1987.

- Fr. Willem Jacobus Eijk of the clergy of the diocese of Roermond, Netherlands, as bishop of Groningen (area 9,205, population 1,700,000, Catholics 125,993, priests 70, permanent deacons 5, religious 188), Netherlands. The bishop-elect was born in Duivendrecht, Netherlands, in 1953, ordained a priest in 1985 and since 1998 has been professor of moral theology at the faculty of theology in Lugano.

- Archbishop Rino Passigato, apostolic nuncio in Bolivia, as apostolic nuncio in Peru.

NEA; NER; NN;...;...;... ;VIS;19990719;Word: 300;

APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEA: CHALLENGES AND EXPECTATIONS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 15, 1999 (VIS) - The "Apostolatus Maris," or Apostleship of the Sea, an office of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, has just published its second quarterly report for 1999.

This bulletin brings news of the work, challenges, changes and expectations of the apostleship throughout the world, with specific reports from Latin America, Madagascar, England and Wales, Reunion, Spain, U.S.A., Italy and Poland. In particular it highlights the First Latin American Seminar on the Apostleship of the Sea, which took place in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, March 23-26, 1999. This seminar was coordinated by the pontifical council and the Latin American Episcopal Council's Secretariat for the Pastoral Care of Human Mobility.

The Apostleship of the Sea (AOS) dedicates itself to the pastoral care of seafaring people and their families, their often-difficult insertion into society, and their economic and social problems. The term "seafaring people" includes, among others, fishermen, the military, merchant seamen, port workers and the officers and staff of cruise ships. AOS takes into account the specific work conditions of seafarers, in particular the isolation during long voyages. Family members too can experience isolation, though it is of a different nature.

AOS in Madagascar stresses the need for chaplains for seafaring people, saying "it is imperative for every concerned diocese to appoint a chaplain for fishermen and seafarers who is not just a priest from a maritime parish, but who is also a reference person" and one whose appointment is long term.

At its 1999 meeting, the Spanish chapter of AOS studied the particular problems of the families of seafarers, with emphasis on the "woman in a seaman's family, ... (because she) takes on the leading role in family life, ... raises the children, solves daily problems and represents the seaman's family socially. ... The seafarer's family, on all levels, lives with intense stress: ... the difficult work, the instability and uncertainty of economic resources and, above all, the anxiety of a family that is constantly separated and immersed in a constant and risky instability."

AOS reported on the initiative of fisherman's wives from Spain, France, Italy and Portugal, who earlier this year formed an association known as the European Fishermen's Families (FEP). The group aims to "share experiences and activities by observing the reality lived by the families of the fishing communities of Spain, France, Portugal, Germany, Denmark, England, Holland and Finland." FEP hopes to work in conjunction with the European Union and aims at achieving equilibrium for seafarers' families by improving living conditions on sea and on land.

In Augusta, Italy the Stella Maris, a seamen's mission, has undertaken a study of the problem of stowaways on board. In April, a roundtable in Italy studied this question and underscored that, "what is of greatest concern is not their number, albeit considerable, but the very particular situation in which these immigrants find themselves when they are discovered after embarking clandestinely on merchant ships in an attempt to reach the so-called well-to-do countries." Stella Maris members feel that current legislation needs to be changed, and they are preparing proposals to submit to legislative bodies.

The Polish branch of AOS in Gydnia, as a gesture of gratitude to Pope John Paul for his 1997 Apostolic Letter "Stella Maris," organized a sea parade in the Bay of Gdansk for his June 5 visit to this port city. This was the first day of the Pope's 1999 pastoral visit to his homeland, and he said an afternoon Mass at the hippodrome of Sopot, near Gdansk and overlooking the bay.

The bulletin also presented news from the pontifical council, including the May 8th publication of its booklet entitled "The Shrine. Memory, Presence and Prophecy of the Living God," and news of the council's June 23-25 plenary assembly.

Seafaring people have their own patron saint, Erasmus, also known as St. Elmo. A bishop in Formia, Italy, he was martyred under Roman Emperor Diocletian about the year 303. His relics were enshrined in 842 in the seaside town of Gaeta, near Formia, in the central Italian region of Campania. His feast day is June 2.

CON-SM;APOSTLESHIP SEA;...;...;VIS;19990716;Word: 450;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 16, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Elevated the apostolic vicariate of Kano (area 43,170, population 8,685,995, Catholics 105,913, priests 28, religious 12), Nigeria, to the standing of diocese with the same name and territorial boundaries, and made it a suffragan of the metropolitan church of Kaduna. He appointed Bishop Patrick Francis Sheehan O.S.A., apostolic vicar of the same vicariate and emeritus of Yola, Nigeria, as first bishop of the new diocese.

- Erected the eparchy of Adilabad of the Syro-Malabars in India with territory taken from the eparchy of Chanda of the Syro-Malabars, making it a suffragan "ad instar" of the metropolitan church of Hyderabad, India. He appointed Fr. Joseph Kunnath C.M.I., pastor of the mission at Saligoan, as bishop of the new eparchy. The bishop-elect was born in Kondacherry, India, in 1939 and ordained a priest in 1972.

- Appointed Msgr. Angelo Mottola, administrative delegate of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, as apostolic nuncio in Iran, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop.

NER; NN;...;...;SHEEHAN; KUNNATH; MOTTOLA ;VIS;19990716;Word: 180;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 15, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Beniamino De Palma C.M. of Amalfi-Cava de' Tirreni, Italy, as bishop of Nola (area 450, population 473,000, Catholics 471,000, priests 239, permanent deacons 6, religious 638), Italy. He conserves the personal title of archbishop.

NER;...;...;DE PALMA ;VIS;19990715;Word: 45;

THE CLARETIAN CONGREGATION CELEBRATES ITS 150TH ANNIVERSARY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 15, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a message from the Pope to Fr. Aquilino Bocos Merino C.M.F., superior general of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians), on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the congregation.

In the message, dated June 12, feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Holy Father recalls that on July 16, 1849, "in a humble cell of the seminary of Vic (Spain), St. Anthony Mary Claret (the founder), together with five other young priests, initiated your religious family."

John Paul II writes that the strength of St. Anthony Mary Claret was "the Word of God, lived and proclaimed as a message of salvation for all. He disseminated it through publications, catechesis and preaching, convinced that therein lay comfort for the sorrowful, strength for the weak, health for the sick and pardon for sinners. Through constant prayer, study and a life of piety he became a true evangelizer, first in his native Catalonia, then in the Canary Islands and later as archbishop in Cuba and Spain."

"Transcending human and geographical frontiers," adds the Holy Father, "you celebrate this 150th anniversary with a presence on all continents, and working on the 'ad gentes' mission in order to inspire the growth of new Christian communities. ... In carrying out this evangelizing work, may you be a leaven of unity and fraternity."

The Pope indicates that "in the face of the great evangelizing challenges of the future, Claretian Missionaries, especially those committed to theological research, teaching, the catechesis and the use of social communications media, are called to faithfully live ecclesial communion with minds and hearts firmly set in the Magisterium of the Church, and also to bear witness to the 'sentire cum Ecclesia'."
MESS/CLARETIANS ANNIVERSARY/BOCOS VIS;19990715 (300)

SYNOD FOR EUROPE SET FOR OCTOBER 1-23

VATICAN CITY, JUL 14, 1999 (VIS) - The 23-day Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops is scheduled to start on Friday, October 1, with a solemn opening Mass at 9:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Basilica. The concluding Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, October 23.

The general congregations commence the afternoon of October 1 and run to Monday, October 11, at which time there will be the presentation of the "Relatio post disceptationem" and the start of the "circuli minores" or language work groups. These will continue to October 20, with general congregations scheduled for the afternoon of October 13 and the morning of October 18. The final days will include voting for members of the post-synodal council and a vote on the propositions. These will be presented to the Holy Father for his consideration in preparing the post-synodal apostolic exhortation.

SE;AGENDA SYNOD EUROPE;...;...;VIS;19990714;Word: 140;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 14, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Msgr. Gil Antonio Moreira of the clergy of Divinopolis, Brazil, as auxiliary of Sao Paulo (area 1,645, population 8,735,660, Catholics 6,589,500, priests 744, permanent deacons 1, religious 2,718), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Itapecerica, Brazil, in 1950, he was ordained a priest in 1976 and from 1997 to 1999 was under-secretary of the Brazilian Episcopal Conference.

- Msgr. Dominique Rezeau, counsellor at the apostolic nunciature in Jordan, as Holy See permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBTO PrepCom); and as Holy See permanent observer to the U.N. Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the U.N. office in Vienna.

NEA; NA;...;...;MOREIRA; REZEAU ;VIS;19990714;Word: 130;

POVERTY CAN BE FOUGHT, OVERCOME WITH "POLITICAL WILL"

VATICAN CITY, JUL 13, 1999 (VIS) - Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, head of the Holy See observer delegation to the 1999 meeting of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, held recently in Geneva, Switzerland, addressed the assembly on July 7 on how the weight of external debt condemns poor countries to permanent underdevelopment.

In his speech in French, made public today, the archbishop said that the report prepared for this high level debate "tells us that - with the necessary political will - the international community has efficacious means to fight extreme poverty through important social and production investments on the part of all components of society."

Archbishop Bertello emphasized that the Holy See has consistently raised the problem of poor countries' external debt. Remarking that debt "condemns poor countries to permanent under-development," he outlined some of its consequences: "reducing expenses in vital sectors, ... unemployment, ... and lack of interest by foreign investors and flight of capital."

He affirmed that "initiatives by international financial institutions ... show that the path is feasible and that debt reduction for the poorest countries can become an investment for their development." The Holy See recognizes the efforts being made to reduce external debts, and hopes they will continue, he added.

The head of delegation then pointed to initiatives proposed by the Catholic Church regarding debt reduction, in particular one from Italian bishops. They propose, he said, "gathering a sufficient sum to finance an operation of debt conversion for one or more of the poorest countries. A part of the debt of these countries would be bought back - which would permit for its annulment vis-a-vis creditors - while the debtor government would place the same sum of money in local currency in a fund aimed at financing development projects studied with the Church and the local populations."

To achieve debt reduction for the poorest countries, the archbishop concluded, the world needs "an ethic of solidarity."

DELSS;EXTERNAL DEBT;...;GENEVA; BERTELLO;VIS;19990713;Word: 320;

CONGREGATION BANS TWO RELIGIOUS FROM MINISTRY TO HOMOSEXUALS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 13, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a Notification from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith regarding Sr. Jeannine Gramick S.S.N.D. and Fr. Robert Nugent S.D.S., founders of the "New Ways Ministry" organization in the archdiocese of Washington, U.S.A. For more than 20 years they have been involved in pastoral activities directed towards homosexual persons. They are also the authors of the book: "Building Bridges: Gay and Lesbian Reality and the Catholic Church."

Below are some excerpts from the document - published in English, Italian, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese - which is signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., emeritus of Vercelli, respectively prefect and secretary of the congregation:

"From the beginning, in presenting the Church's teaching on homosexuality, Father Nugent and Sister Gramick have continually called central elements of that teaching into question. For this reason, in 1984, James Cardinal Hickey, the Archbishop of Washington, following the failure of a number of attempts at clarification, informed them that they could no longer undertake their activities in that Archdiocese. At the same time, the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life ordered them to separate themselves totally and completely from 'New Ways Ministry'."

"Despite this action by the Holy See, Father Nugent and Sister Gramick continued their involvement in activities organized by 'New Ways Ministry,' though removing themselves from leadership positions. They also continued to maintain and promote ambiguous positions on homosexuality and explicitly criticized documents of the Church's Magisterium on this issue."

"In 1988, the Holy See established a Commission under the Presidency of Adam Cardinal Maida to study and evaluate their public statements and activities and to determine whether these were faithful to Catholic teaching on homosexuality.

"After the publication of 'Building Bridges,' which summarized the activities and thinking (of the two religious), the investigation of the Commission focussed primarily on this book. ... The Commission found serious deficiencies in their writings and pastoral activities, which were incompatible with the fullness of Christian morality."

"In 1995, the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life transferred the entire case to the competence of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. At this point, with the hope that Father Nugent and Sister Gramick would be willing to express their assent to Catholic teaching on homosexuality and to correct the errors in their writings, the Congregation undertook another attempt at resolution by inviting them to respond unequivocally to certain questions regarding their position on the morality of homosexual acts and on the homosexual inclination.

"Their responses, dated February 22, 1996, were not sufficiently clear to dispel the serious ambiguities of their position. In these, Sister Gramick and Father Nugent demonstrated a clear conceptual understanding of the Church's teaching on homosexuality, but refrained from professing any adherence to that teaching. Furthermore, the publication, in 1995, of their book 'Voices of Hope: A Collection of Positive Catholic Writings on Gay and Lesbian Issues' had made it clear that there was no change in their opposition to fundamental elements of the Church's teaching."

"The Congregation decided that the case should be resolved according to the procedure outlined in its 'Regulations for Doctrinal Examination' (chapter 4).

"Each was asked to respond to the 'contestatio' personally and independently from the other, to allow them the greatest freedom in expressing their individual positions."

"In the Ordinary Sessions of May 6 and May 20, 1998, the Members of the Congregation carefully evaluated the responses. ... (They) were unanimous in their decision that the responses of the two, while containing certain positive elements, were unacceptable. In each case, Father Nugent and Sister Gramick had sought to justify the publication of their books and neither had expressed personal adherence to the Church's teaching on homosexuality in sufficiently unequivocal terms. Thus, it was decided that they should be asked to formulate a public declaration. ... In this declaration they were asked to express their interior assent to the teaching of the Catholic Church on homosexuality and to acknowledge that the two above-mentioned books contained errors."

"Sister Gramick, while expressing her love for the Church, simply refused to express any assent whatsoever to the teaching of the Church on homosexuality. Father Nugent was more responsive, but not unequivocal in his statement of interior assent to the teaching of the Church. It was decided by the Members of the Congregation, therefore, that Father Nugent should be given yet another opportunity to express unequivocal assent. ... His response, dated January 25, 1999, showed that this attempt had not met with success. Father Nugent would not sign the declaration he had received and responded by formulating an alternative text which modified the Congregation's declaration on certain important points. In particular, he would not state that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and he added a section which calls into question the definitive and unchangeable nature of Catholic doctrine in this area."

"The ambiguities and errors of the approach of Father Nugent and Sister Gramick have caused confusion among the Catholic people and have harmed the community of the Church. For these reasons, Sister Jeannine Gramick, S.S.N.D., and Father Robert Nugent, S.D.S., are permanently prohibited from any pastoral work involving homosexual persons and are ineligible, for an undetermined period, for any office in their respective religious institutes.

"The Sovereign Pontiff John Paul II, at the Audience of May 14, 1999, granted to the ... (congregation) secretary, approved the present Notification, adopted in the Ordinary Session of this Congregation, and ordered its publication."

CDF;HOMOSEXUALITY;...;RATZINGER; BERTONE;VIS;19990713;Word: 920;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 13, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Robert J. Baker of the clergy of Saint Augustine, U.S.A., as bishop of Charleston (area 80,401, population 3,699,000, Catholics 116,726, priests 128, permanent deacons 64, religious 224). U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in 1944 in Fastoria, U.S.A., ordained a priest in 1970 and since 1997 has been pastor of the parish of Christ the King, Jacksonville, U.S.A. He succeeds Bishop David B. Thompson whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Accepted the resignation presented by Bishop Vladislovas Michelevicius, auxiliary of Kaunas, Lithuania, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Cardinal Rosalio Jose Castillo Lara S.D.B., president emeritus of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, as his special envoy to the Third Colombian National Eucharistic Congress which is to take place at Cali October 16-18 1999.

NER; RE; NA;...;...;... ;VIS;19990713;Word: 160;

HOLY FATHER RECITES ANGELUS FROM MOUNTAIN CHALET

VATICAN CITY, JUL 11, 1999 (VIS) - Looking tanned and rested, Pope John Paul, on the fourth day of his vacation period in Les Combes, appeared on the balcony of his chalet to recite the noon angelus with the faithful who had joined him in this Italian mountain region of Valle d'Aosta, about 10 kilometers from the French border. In remarks before the angelus, he spoke of the value of vacations and highlighted man's responsibility to preserve the environment.

Recalling that this is the seventh time he has spent his vacation in Les Combes, the Pope thanked "the Lord and everyone who has offered me hospitality," and said: "I hope that the many families whose income derives from tourism will have a favorable season, and I hope that those who, like me, are on vacation, can enjoy the beauties of nature - the air, the woods, the water - with great respect for the treasures that the Creator has entrusted to us."

"Every time that I can go to the mountains and contemplate these scenes," added the Holy Father, "I thank God for the majesty of creation. I thank Him for His own Beauty, of which the world is a reflection, capable of fascinating those who are attentive and of motivating them to praise its greatness."

"All of this," he said, "invites us to reflect on man's role in the universe. Called to cultivate and care for the world's garden, the human being has a specific responsibility for the living environment, not only for the present, but also for future generations. ... May mankind of the third millennium be reconciled with creation and find ways for a harmonious and sustainable development."

ANG;VACATION; ENVIRONMENT;...;LES COMBES;VIS;19990712;Word: 270;

POPE IS "THINKING INTENSELY" OF PILGRIMAGE TO IRAQ

VATICAN CITY, JUL 11, 1999 (VIS) - Speaking with journalists just before Pope John Paul recited the angelus today from his vacation retreat in Les Combes, Italy, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls said that the Pope "is thinking intensely" about making a Jubilee Year pilgrimage to Iraq.

Navarro-Valls also confirmed that the Pope will travel, "probably in November," to Asia for the conclusion of the Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops, which was held in Rome the spring of 1998. He added that the time and place have yet to be settled.

Navarro-Valls highlighted that the Pope has been contemplating a trip to Iraq for some time, but has been "thinking intensely" and talking about it with his collaborators during this vacation period. The papal spokesman said that, in recent days, Pope John Paul stated that "how beautiful it would be if I could be accompanied to Ur of the Chaldeans (home of Abraham) by Jews and Muslims," also the spiritual children of Abraham.

OP;POPE; IRAQ;...;LES COMBES; NAVARRO VALLS;VIS;19990712;Word: 180;

BENEDICTINE ORDER CELEBRATES ITS FOUNDER, THE PATRON OF EUROPE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 11, 1999 (VIS) - At midday today in Les Combes, after praying the angelus, the Pope recalled that today is the feast of St. Benedict, "patriarch of western monasticism and patron saint of Europe. I extend a warm greeting to all monks and nuns of the Benedictine Order, recalling that it is precisely today that celebrations begin to mark the 1,500 years since St. Benedict founded his first monastery at Subiaco."

Thereafter, addressing the French-speaking faithful in their own language, the Holy Father said: "In this Alpine valley I do not forget the people who, in France and Italy, have died in the mountains, especially the victims of last winter's avalanches. I also commend to the Lord those who died in the Mont Blanc tunnel accident and I share in the pain of their families."

ANG;ST BENEDICT; VICTIMS;...;LES COMBES;VIS;19990712;Word: 150;

FIRST BENEDICTINE MONASTERY COMMEMORATES 1,500TH ANNIVERSARY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 11, 1999 (VIS) - The Pope wrote a letter to the abbot of Subiaco, Italy, Dom Mauro Meacci, on the 1,500th anniversary of the founding there of the first monastery by St. Benedict.

In the letter, dated July 7, the Holy Father writes that the Benedictine monastic community is called to "live the Jubilee of its 15 centuries of life and (the Jubilee) of the Holy Year as moments favorable for renewed devotion to the 'patrimony' of the holy patriarch, entering more profoundly into the original charism.

"The example of St. Benedict and of the Rule itself ... call, above all, for a testimony of persistent faithfulness to the Word of God, meditated upon and received by means of the 'lectio divina.' This presupposes keeping silence and an attitude of humble adoration before God."

John Paul II indicates that prayer "constitutes the primary source and expression of the unity of the monastic community which has its roots in the unity of faith. ... Today more than ever before, there is an urgent need to cultivate fraternal life within communities which practice a type of friendship that is no less real because it maintains those distances that safeguard the liberty of others. This is a witness that the Church expects from all religious, but most of all from monks."

"I sincerely hope," the Pope concludes, "that the celebrations marking 1,500 years since the start of monastic life in Subiaco may constitute, for this community and for the whole Benedictine Order, a renewed occasion for faithfulness to the charism of the holy patriarch and for fervor in communal life, a life of listening to the Word of God, of prayer and of commitment to announcing the Gospel, in keeping with the tradition of the congregation of Subiaco."

JPII-LETTER;BENEDICTINE ORDER;...;SUBIACO;VIS;19990712;Word: 300;

"INSTRUMENTUM LABORIS" FOR EUROPEAN SYNOD IS PUBLISHED

VATICAN CITY, JUL 12, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was the "Instrumentum Laboris," or "working document" for the Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops, which will be celebrated in the Vatican from October 1 to 23. Its publication constitutes the final phase in the preparatory process for this synod, which is the last in the series of continental synods called by Pope John Paul as a means of preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.

The final draft of this working document was produced in the fifth meeting of the pre-synodal council, held in Rome March 16-18, 1999. Cardinal Jan Schotte, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, in his preface to the Instrumentum, explains the synod's theme, and the structure and scope of the document. Following are excerpts from that preface:

"The 'Instrumentum laboris,' presented in English, French, German and Italian, is structured according to the logical progression of ideas in the synod topic: 'Jesus Christ, Alive in His Church, the Source of Hope for Europe,' ... (and) is composed of an introduction and three major parts whose headings reflect the main aspects of the topic."

"The introduction begins by describing the present context in which the synod is being held and compares it to that in which the previous Synod took place.

"Part I - 'Europe towards the Third Millennium' - presents abundant material for the necessary discernment of 'the signs of the times.' It sets forth not only the changes which have occurred in Europe in the last decade, with their causes and reasons for hope, but also the disappointments, the risks and concerns which accompany these changes. It likewise examines some questions emerging as a result of present-day happenings in Europe."

"Part II - 'Jesus Christ, Alive in His Church' - describes the essential underlying elements of an authentic, life-giving faith. A key element to the document, this section insists that restoring and regaining hope is possible only if it arises from faith in the Risen Christ; ... only if a person believes and professes that Jesus is the one and only Savior; and only if ... a person is clearly aware that Jesus Christ and the Church are one.

"Part III - 'Jesus Christ, the Hope of Europe' - describes how encountering Jesus Christ is the basis of the Church's mission and the mission of each disciple. Some preliminary suggestions are then made on how the Church can restore hope to Europe today. ... Three sections follow on the mission of the Church - 'martyria. leitourgia, diakonia.' To stimulate discussion and possible debate, each section presents ways in which the Church can announce, celebrate and serve 'The Gospel of Hope' in Europe today. 'Proclamation and witness' treat the subjects of the new evangelization, ecumenism and dialogue with the Jews and other religions as well as the topic of the sects. In speaking of celebration, the suggestion is made to examine people's awareness of the Lord's presence in the liturgy and in today's liturgical practices. Finally, in referring to service, emphasis is placed on the witness of charity, the duty of building communion and solidarity, some pastoral areas requiring particular attention and the responsibilities and activities in constructing a new Europe.

"After commemorating the martyrs of Europe in this century and the importance of keeping their memory alive so as to bring about a new hope in Europe, ... the text concludes by presenting the relationship between the Special Assembly and the Jubilee of the Year 2000.

"The present 'Instrumentum laboris' is meant to assist in the synodal assembly's work ... (and) to point out the main issues under discussion in the local Churches in Europe. ... It will also provide occasion for a beneficial 'examination of conscience.' Above all, the document offers suggestions for discussion and analysis on some essential ways of restoring hope to Europe today."

The "Intrumentum Laboris" is scheduled to appear on the Vatican website (www.vatican.va) today, according to the Holy See Press Office. It can be found under "Roman Curia."

SE;INSTRUMENTUM LABORIS EUROPE;...;SCHOTTE;VIS;19990712;Word: 650;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 12, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Mario Zenari, Holy See permanent representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and permanent observer at the U.N. Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and at the U.N. Vienna office, as apostolic nuncio in the Ivory Coast and Niger, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Villafranca in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1970.

On Saturday, July 10, it was made public that the Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Bassano Staffieri of Carpi, Italy, as bishop of La Spezia-Sarzana-Brugnato (area 881, population 224,448, Catholics 222,120, priests 180, permanent deacons 19, religious 280), Italy.

- Bishop Joseph Ignace Randriansolo, auxiliary of Antananarivo, Madagascar, as bishop of Mahajanga (area 71,900, population 768,628, Catholics 72,628, priests 44, religious 117), Madagascar.

- Fr. Jean-Paul Randriamanana as auxiliary of Antananarivo (area 12,500, population 2,574,914, Catholics 623,062, priests 230, religious 1,664), Madagascar. The bishop-elect was born in Antananarivo in 1950, ordained a priest in 1979 and since 1998 has been vicar general and pastor of the cathedral of the same archdiocese.

NN; NER; NEA;...;...;...;VIS;19990712;Word: 190;

ISLAMIC-CATHOLIC LIAISON COMMITTEE MEETS IN FRANCE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 12, 1999 (VIS) - The Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee held its fifth meeting in Paris, France from July 1 to 3, corresponding to 17-19 Rabi'al'Awal, 1420, according to a communique released today by the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue.

Cardinal Francis Arinze, council president, led the Catholic delegation, while the Islamic side was headed by Senator Kamel al-Sharif, secretary general of the International Council for Da'wa and Relief, Cairo.

On the first topic under discussion - building a culture of dialogue on the present generation - both sides agreed that, to do so, "it is important to have clarity on the nature of the dialogue itself. It covers all forms of encounter which promote mutual understanding and respect."

With regard to the second topic - common action to sustain permanent religious values in a changing order - "the committee underlined the need to call attention to the religious values that should guide political leaders in achieving a world order which will assure the good of all human beings."

The note closes with "an appeal to the media to promote religious values and the culture of dialogue."

CON-DIR;CATHOLIC-ISLAMIC LIAISON;...;ARINZE;VIS;19990712;Word: 190;

POPE SPENDS FIRST VACATION DAY TOURING MOUNTAINS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 9, 1999 (VIS) - Yesterday, the first full day of his vacation, the Holy Father went for a ride in the mountains near La Thuile, had a picnic lunch under a tent, rested in a lounge chair, read, and enjoyed the companionship of those accompanying him on his 13-day stay in Italy's northwestern Valle d'Aosta region. He left his house just before 11 a.m. and returned just before 7 p.m.

Pope John Paul is staying in the small mountain village of Les Combes, a hamlet of 30 inhabitants which lies just over 1,000 meters above sea level and in the midst of peaceful wooded areas, rivers and walking trails. This is the seventh time that he has spent his vacation in Les Combes.

The villa-chalet where the Holy Father is staying is a two-story stone construction plus a mansard which serves as a mini-apartment for the Pope, with a bedroom, bath, study and chapel. The chalet has breathtaking views of the surrounding area and the mansard overlooks Mount Blanc.

The area which the Pope is visiting includes Gran Paradiso, Italy's first national park, which was established in 1922. It is 70,000 hectares (173,000 acres) in size and goes from a low point of 800 meters in the valley regions to a height of 4,061 meters at the Gran Paradiso Mountain.

In an article which appeared in the diocesan newspaper yesterday, Bishop Giuseppe Anfossi of Aosta recalled that, during his March 1999 "ad limina" visit to Rome, Pope John Paul told him that he would very much "like to see Valle d'Aosta in the snow."

JPII-VACATION;...;...;LES COMBES;VIS;19990709;Word: 270;

CLARIFICATION OF CANONS DEALING WITH CARE OF THE EUCHARIST

VATICAN CITY, JUL 9, 1999 (VIS) - Made public yesterday was a note from the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, signed by council president, Archbishop Julian Herranz, regarding the authentic interpretation of canons dealing with the care of the Most Holy Eucharist.

In the note, Archbishop Herranz recalls that the Eucharist is the center and root of the life of the Church. Consequently, "we can understand the care and commitment taken by the pastors of the Church so that this invaluable gift of God be deeply and religiously loved, safeguarded and surrounded by that cult which expresses, in the best way possible within human limits, faith in the real presence of Christ - blood, body, soul and divinity - under the species of bread and wine, even after the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice."

In contrast to this veneration of the Eucharist, cases exist "not only of deplorable disciplinary abuses, but even of acts of contempt and profanation by individuals who, almost diabolically inspired, presume to thus oppose that which is most sacred for the Church and the faithful, and what they most protect, adore and love."

After referring to acts "of hatred for and offense against the Holy Sacrament" that constitute "a very grave moral fault of sacrilege," Archbishop Herranz indicates that "in certain cases these acts of sacrilege constitute genuine and authentic crimes, according to the canons of ecclesiastical legislation."

The text of Canon 1367 of the C.I.C. reads as follows: "A person who throws away the consecrated species or who takes them or retains them for a sacrilegious purpose incurs an automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; if a cleric, he can be punished with another penalty including dismissal from the clerical state."

With regard to abuses against the species of bread and wine, the following doubt was expressed: "Whether in Canons 1367 of the C.I.C. and 1442 of the C.C.E.O. (Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches), the word 'abicere' is to be understood or not as the act of throwing away." The Fathers of the pontifical council have replied: "Negatively and 'ad mentem'."

They explain that the "mente" is "Any voluntary action that is gravely contemptuous must be included in the word 'abicere'."

"The verb 'abicit'," adds Archbishop Herranz, "must not only be understood in the strict sense of to throw away, nor even generically in the sense of to profane, but rather in the broader meaning of to have contempt for, to despise, to humiliate. Consequently, a grave act of sacrilege against the Body and Blood of Christ is committed by anyone who takes and/or retains the sacred species for sacrilegious ends (obscene, superstitious or impious) or by anyone who, even without removing it from the tabernacle, the monstrance or the altar, makes it the object of any external voluntary and grave act of contempt. For anyone guilty of this act the provision exists, in the Latin Church, for the penalty of 'latae sententiae' (automatic) excommunication, the absolution of which is reserved to the Holy See; and, in the Oriental Catholic Churches, for major excommunication 'ferendae sententiae' (imposed)."

Finally, the document recalls that "the sin of sacrilege must not be confused with the crime of sacrilege; not all the sins committed in this regard are to be considered as crimes. ... The crime of sacrilege which is being dealt with here, must entail an external act, though not necessarily a public one."

The Holy Father, in the audience granted to Archbishop Herranz on July 3, was informed of the decision taken by the council, confirmed the decision and ordered its publication.

...;CARE EUCHARIST;...;CON-LTI; HERRANZ;VIS;19990709;Word: 570;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 9, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Salvatore Boccaccio of Sabina-Poggio Mirteto, Italy, as bishop of Frosinone-Veroli-Ferentino (area 804, population 185,570, Catholics 183,000, priests 134, religious 274), Italy. He succeeds Bishop Angelo Cella M.S.C., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Msgr. Leonard P. Blair of the clergy of Detroit (area 10,106, population 4,266,654, Catholics 1,452,100, priests 789, permanent deacons 143, religious 2,436), U.S.A., as auxiliary of the same archdiocese. The bishop-elect was born in Detroit in 1949, ordained a priest in 1976 and since 1997 has been pastor in the parish of Saint Paul at Grosse Pointe.

NER; RE; NEA;...;...;BOCCACCIO; CELLA; BLAIR ;VIS;19990709;Word: 120;

POPE'S MESSAGE TO KAREKIN I PUBLISHED POSTHUMOUSLY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 8, 1999 (VIS) - The funeral of Patriarch Karekin I, Catholicos of all the Armenians, took place today in Etchmiadzin, Armenia, and was attended by a delegation from the Holy See led by Cardinal Edward Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Cardinal Cassidy was scheduled to visit Karekin I from July 1 to 3, bearing a Message from the Holy Father, but the patriarch died on June 29, following a long illness. Made public today was the Pope's Message, written in English and dated June 29.

In it he expressed his "spiritual closeness at this difficult time of ill health," and recalled the two visits that Karekin I had paid him in Rome.

The Holy Father also highlighted how "the Christian faith has shaped Armenian culture, just as Armenian culture has contributed to enriching the understanding of the Christian faith in new and unique ways. ... The Armenian Apostolic Church developed its own identity in a spirit of great openness to the different ecclesial traditions around it. ... (Its) present contribution to the ecumenical movement is part of a long tradition of openness and fraternal exchange."

John Paul II underscored the need to proceed on the path of dialogue in the search for Christian unity, writing that "the one condition necessary for union .... is the truth of faith in charity. May we come to rediscover one full communion precisely in the truth of faith in charity!"

"A crucial question on the path towards full communion concerns the ministry of the Bishop of Rome," wrote the Pope. "Since my election to the See of Peter, I have sought to exercise this ministry as an effective service to the communion of all the Churches. Inspired by the mission of Peter, I have striven to be the servant of unity, and I shall continue to do so."

He emphasized the importance of "concentrating efforts so that ... we may restore the fabric of the undivided Church. Where we cannot at the present time find a way forward, the future will surely show us new paths."

MESS;KAREKIN I;...;ARMENIA; CASSIDY;VIS;19990708;Word: 340;

HOLY SEE HAD NET SURPLUS OF $1.5 MILLION FOR 1998

VATICAN CITY, JUL 8, 1999 (VIS) - Archbishop Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture of the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, announced this morning at a conference in which he presented the Consolidated Financial Statement of the Holy See, that there was a net surplus of $1.5 million for the fiscal year 1998. The exchange rate used was 1,653 lire to $1.

Joining him in the Holy See Press Office for the biannual conference on Holy See finances were Msgr. Franco Croci and Ivan Ruggiero, respectively secretary and general accountant of the prefecture. The 1998 statements were published in both Italian and English.

The archbishop explained that a Consolidated Financial Statement "means that there are grouped together in one statement the costs and revenues of the seven administrations of the Holy See: APSA (Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See), the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Apostolic Chamber, Vatican Radio, the Vatican Printing Press/L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican Publishing House and the Vatican Television Center."

He highlighted that Canon 1271 of the Code of Canon Law, which asks dioceses to make financial contributions to the Apostolic See, was enforced after an April 1991 meeting of all the presidents of the episcopal conferences in the world. The income deriving from this provision has increased from 10.398 billion lire ($6.3 million) in 1992 to 37.766 billion lire ($22.9 million) in 1998.

Archbishop Sebastiani then explained that the Operating Financial Statement of the Holy See is divided into four sectors: Institutional Activities (all Roman Curia offices: a loss of $20 million in 1998); Financial Activities (a gain of $26 million); Real Estate Activities (a gain of $15.6 million) and Activities of the Four Institutions Connected with the Holy See (a loss of $21.3 million).

The Consolidated Financial Statement," he concluded, "will now be translated into English, French, German and Spanish and a copy will be sent to all the bishops in the world and to the major superiors of Religious Institutes."

According to a communique released this morning along with the financial statement, the Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organizational and Economic Questions of the Holy See met yesterday in the Vatican under the presidency of Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano. Also present at the meeting were eight other cardinals as well as Archbishop Sergio Sebastiani.

Archbishop Sebastiani presented the Consolidated Financial Statement of the Holy See for 1998, which showed a surplus of 2.506 billion lire ($1.5 million).

The president of the prefecture also announced that the financial statements of Vatican City State show a surplus of 15.507 billion lire ($9.4 million).

Finally, it was announced that the 1998 Peter's Pence - the offerings of the faithful for the Pontiff's charitable works and for the support of needy churches - amounted to $52,758,527.

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