MAN ONLY FINDS TRUE HAPPINESS IN GOD

VATICAN CITY, NOV 9, 1999 (VIS) - This morning at the sports stadium in Tbilisi, the Pope celebrated Mass in the presence of 10,000 faithful of the Latin, Armenian-Catholic and Assyro-Chaldean rites.

In his homily the Holy Father underlined that "without God, man cannot fully find himself, nor can he find his true happiness. Without God, man ends up, in fact, going against himself, because he is unable to build a social order sufficiently respectful of the fundamental rights of the person and of civic coexistence."

John Paul II highlighted the fact that Georgia has always been "a land of special hospitality and welcome, serving as a model of respect and tolerance towards the followers of other religions." A proof of this, he indicated, is that the principal places of worship for Christians, Jews and Muslims stand close together.

"Commit yourselves," he went on, "so that the whole of society may become one great family, open to true solidarity and peace. I know that this is not easy, partly because of the long period when atheism held sway here, a period in which all believers paid dearly. ... Today you find yourselves in a very fragmented situation, afflicted on the one hand by poverty, and tempted on the other hand by secular consumerism. Do not lose heart! Let the light and strength of the Gospel sustain you on your journey."

The Pope requested the faithful to always be generous with those who are in need, "as you are already doing in your support of Caritas and other praiseworthy forms of sharing. ... With the help of Christian social doctrine, form honest and competent people who are willing to commit themselves in the social and political field in service of the common good."

At the end of Mass and before the final blessing, John Paul II announced that he has elevated Msgr. Giuseppe Pasotto C.S.S., apostolic administrator "ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" for the Caucasus, to the dignity of bishop. The ceremony will take place in the Vatican on January 6, 2000.

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