NINETEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, OCT 22, 1999 - The nineteenth and final general congregation of the Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops began at 5 p.m. today, and lasted just under one hour. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, archbishop of Krakow, Poland. Pope John Paul and 165 synod fathers were in attendance.

During the assembly the names of the members of the post-synodal council were announced, the synod fathers voted on the Final List of Propositions, Cardinal Jan Schotte disclosed the gifts that the participants would receive and there was a final salutation by Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, Germany, and one of the three presidents delegate for this synod.

Those elected to the post-synodal council or appointed to it by the Holy Father are:

- Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, archbishop of Prague (CZECH REPUBLIC). - Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid (SPAIN).
- Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, Archbishop of Genoa (ITALY).
- Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, O.P., Archbishop of Vienna (AUSTRIA).
- Archbishop Nikolaos Foscolos of Athens (GREECE).
- Archbishop Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints (VATICAN).
- Archbishop Audrys Juozas Backis of Vilnius (LITHUANIA).
- Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, Apostolic Administrator for European Russia for the Latin Rite (RUSSIA).
- Archbishop Jozef Miroslaw Zycinski of Lublin (POLAND).
- Archbishop Josip Bozanic of Zagreb (CROATIA).
- Archbishop Joseph Dore of Strasbourg (FRANCE).
- Bishop Karl Lehmann of Mainz (GERMANY).
- Bishop Lubomyr Husar M.S.U., Auxiliary Bishop by Special Appointment of the Major Archbishop of Lviv in the Ukraine (UKRAINE).
- Bishop Vincent Nichols, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster (GREAT BRITAIN).

Following the announcement of these names, there was a vote on the Final List of Propositions. the result of which will be announced tomorrow during the meal with the Holy Father.

Cardinal Jan Schotte, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, then told the assembly that the presidents delegate wished to consult the synod fathers regarding a possible site for the celebratory phase of the synod, where the post-synodal apostolic exhortation would be promulgated.

He also revealed that the synod fathers and other participants in the special assembly for Europe will receive gifts from the Holy Father as a memento of their work these past weeks. The synod fathers who are bishops will receive a silver Latin pectoral cross and chain in commemoration of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. Other participants will receive the official medal, in bronze or silver, which has been issued on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of Pope John Paul's pontificate.

All synod participants will receive a second gift: a volume containing 669 speeches given by the Holy Father on Europe from the start of his pontificate in October 1978 to August 31, 1999. The speeches were assembled by Msgr. Mario Spezzibottiani, an expert at the synod. Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, archbishop of Genoa, wrote the presentation.

Cardinal Joachim Meisner closed the nineteenth congregation with words of gratitude to Pope John Paul II.

"With great attention and patience you have followed the debate during the Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops. We bishops, dedicated to the Magisterium and immersed in the mandate of preaching, almost tend to lose the attitude of listening. Therefore, on the occasion of this synod, we feel the weight of listening."

The cardinal then recalled that Pope John Paul has brought to term 14 synods - five general, one extraordinary and eight special assemblies.

"You invited," he added, "the participants of each assembly and the prelates on 'ad limina' visit to share at the table of the pontifical house. We admire Your Holiness. We thank you with all our hearts for the participation in our different solicitudes."

"Following the example of Your Holiness," the archbishop of Cologne added, "we bishops must visit and invite the parishes and the communities of our dioceses. And thus, even the parish priests in our territories should visit and invite the associations, families and faithful to common prayer and preaching.

"To you, most Holy Father," Cardinal Meisner concluded, "we give our greatest thanks for your example and authority. With feelings of piety, admiration, and mutual trust we are united to the head of the College of Bishops. ... 'Ad multos annos' (Many more years)."

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