MAY THE SEMINARY BE "A SCHOOL OF APOSTLES"

VATICAN CITY, JAN 16, 1999 (VIS) - The Pope today received in audience the community of the Pontifical Seminary of the Italian region of Puglia on the occasion of the 90th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the seminary.

From this anniversary, John Paul II said, "two particularly significant indications emerge: the opportunity, above all, to ... institute a philosophical and theological educational structure in Puglia. This has helped entire generations of young people to deepen the relationship, which is problematic and yet unavoidable, between faith and reason. Collaboration between faith and reason has given rise to great projects and their very separation has led to great tragedies."

The second indication, he said, is linked to the lives of two pontiffs: "St. Pius X founded the seminary and established the headquarters in Lecce. Pius XI increased its numbers immediately and transferred it to Molfetta. ... Their witness is an invitation to doctrinal steadfastness and at the same time is a courageous level of openness. Moreover, it is an stimulus for holiness of life and for apostolic audacity faced with the circumstances of the today's world."

The Holy Father ended by expressing the hope that the seminary "be 'a school of apostles'; ... apostles ready to serve the people of God with all their energy. May your seminary train priests who will be sure guides for the faithful, in the footsteps of Jesus, the Good Shepherd."

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POPE WELCOMES OFFICIALS OF ITALY'S LAZIO REGION

VATICAN CITY, JAN 16, 1999 (VIS) - Members of the Junta and Council of the region of Lazio were welcomed by the Holy Father this morning during what has become an annual meeting for the exchange of best wishes in the New Year.

The Pope told them that their region, "with it meritorious institutions, its singular human and Christian patrimony, the lights and shadows of daily realities, will shortly be called ... to face an extraordinary event, the Great Jubilee of the year 2000." Calling the Jubilee "a spiritual event which primarily concerns the lives of believers," he stated that "Christ's birth, however, had relevance for all of mankind. ... The Jubilee will thus go beyond Church confines, involving in some way even society and civil institutions."

"Biblical tradition," John Paul II went on, "presents the Jubilee as a time of the reestablishment of justice between God and men. This is an aspect of a Jubilee to which public administrators cannot remain insensitive. It is up to them to see to the realization of the citizens' hopes for justice and solidarity."

In closing remarks, the Pope highlighted the obligations of public servants, in particular in the "search for a peace which is born of the refusal of privileges, and of respect of the rights of everyone, above all of the weak and marginalized."

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GROW IN UNITY WITH CHRISTIANS AND NON-CHRISTIANS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 17, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II this morning celebrated Mass in the Roman parish of St. Liborio. In his homily he called on the faithful to walk united "in the spiritual and ecclesial itinerary towards the third Christian millennium. Walk full of trust and missionary zeal, following (in the footsteps of) St. Liborio and your patron saints."

The Pope expressed his joy at being able to inaugurate a parish initiative which counts on the aid of the diocesan branch of Caritas, so as "to put the precious professional ability at the service of the most needy." He added: "Continue planning and carrying out other charitable activities, fearlessly proclaiming the Gospel."

"Dedicate yourselves with all your energy to the Citizens' Mission which this year, continuing and incorporating itself in the commitment to families, is oriented towards the workplace and professional activity," said the Holy Father. "Open to dialogue, be prepared to see all opportunities to grow in fraternity with Christians and non-Christians, with believers from other religions and non-believers."

After Mass, meeting children from the parish, John Paul II asked them if they knew how old he would be in the year 2000. When one of the children had guessed it, the Pope answered: "It's true, the Pope was born in 1920, and God willing, he will be 80 in the year 2000. I give thanks to God for all the graces which he has given us in life: for short lives and for those which are longer, like those which last 80 years. I would ask you to pray for me, because an elderly man has more need of the help of young people."

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NATIONAL CONGRESS IN MANILA ON GOD THE FATHER

VATICAN CITY, JAN 16, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a letter from the Holy Father to Cardinal Jose T. Sanchez, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Clergy, appointing him as his special envoy at the National Congress on God the Father, set for Manila, the Philippines, January 20-23. The letter is written in Latin and dated November 20, 1998.

The Pontifical Mission which will accompany the cardinal is made up of Msgrs. Jaime Mora and Ruperto Santos, and Francisco Alba, all three from the archdiocese of Manila.

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THE POOR SHOULD BE THE FOCAL POINT OF POLITICAL ACTION

VATICAN CITY, JAN 18, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning told members of Rome's Junta and Provincial Council they they were called to work so that both those who live in this province and those who are in contact with it "might look with hope at the present and the future."

The Pope offered some reflections "which may help your administrative and political work." To take on the overseeing of society, he said, "coordinated and efficient intervention is necessary, particularly to benefit those who live in difficult situations."

Having mentioned the "tragedy of old and new forms of poverty," John Paul II said that public structures must be marked by their concern for "those less fortunate brothers and sisters. ... Moreover, the so-called 'least' run the risk of being forgotten, becoming a greater extension of an opulent society, instead of being the focal point of decisions and general orientations. However, a network of initiatives is necessary which, thanks also to volunteer work, might have the aim of reinstating, favoring and integrating people and groups (into society)."

Regarding young people, the Pope highlighted that "they should be one of the priorities for political action. Young generations, sometimes even without being aware of it, ask for culture, ideals and authentic spirituality, as an antidote to that void in values by which they feel threatened. Families, schools, dioceses and parishes are called ... to pool their resources so as to offer youth a society and a future of hope."

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POPE WELCOMES EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN ARCHBISHOP

VATICAN CITY, JAN 18, 1998 (VIS) - Newly appointed Evangelical Lutheran Archbishop Jukka Paarma of Turku and Finland was welcomed this morning to the Vatican by the Holy Father, who recalled his 1989 visit to the cathedral of Turku, calling it "an event that greatly strengthened the relations between the Lutheran Church of Finland and the Catholic Church."

"Your presence here today," the Pope continued in English, "is a positive sign that these relations will continue to become even stronger as we strive to move forward in our joint quest for the restoration of that unity which Jesus Christ desires for his followers.

"As the Third Millennium rapidly approaches," he concluded, "we are conscious of the need to commit ourselves ever more firmly and irrevocably to the noble goal of Christian unity, and we are more aware of the beneficial effects that this unity will have on the new evangelization of Europe and the world."

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POPE SPEAKS OF CHRISTIAN UNITY, UPCOMING TRIP TO THE AMERICAS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 17, 1998 (VIS) - Jewish-Christian religious dialogue, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and his imminent trip to Mexico and the United States were the subjects of Pope John Paul's reflections prior to praying the angelus today with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

The Pope first referred to the celebration today in Italy of "The Day of deepening and development of Jewish-Christian religious dialogue." He called this an "auspicious occasion" to renew his hope that "this third year of immediate preparation for the Jubilee, dedicated to God the Father, will be a great and joyous opportunity for interreligious dialogue, especially among believers in the one, true God."

He then spoke of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which starts tomorrow and ends January 25, feast of the conversion of St. Paul, with a celebration in the basilica of St. Paul's-Outside-the-Walls. He observed that "in coming days Christians of all denominations will share reflections and experiences on a theme prepared by a mixed group of Protestants, Orthodox and Catholics: 'They shall be his people; and God Himself shall be with them'."

John Paul II said he would be absent from the closing celebrations because, "from January 22 to 28, I will go to Mexico City and to St. Louis in the United States to give the faithful of the American continent the post-synodal apostolic exhortation, which gathers indications and orientations which emerged at the recent Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for America." He recalled that Mexico was the site, 20 years ago, of the first apostolic trip of his pontificate.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 18, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Leonel Fernandez Reyna, president of the Dominican Republic, accompanied by his entourage.
- Silvano Moffa, president of the Rome Provincial Junta, together with Alberto Pascucci, president of the Provincial Council. - Archbishops Stephen Fumio Hamao and Francesco Gioia and Msgr. Giuseppe De Andrea, respectively president, secretary and under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.

On Saturday January 16, he received:

- Pietro Badaloni, president of the Lazio Regional Junta, together with Luca Borgomeo, president of the Regional Council.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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DECLARATION ON VISIT OF PRESIDENT OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

VATICAN CITY, JAN 18, 1998 (VIS) - The following declaration by Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls was released this afternoon on the visit to the Vatican by President Leonel Fernandez Reyna of the Dominican Republic:

"During the meetings with the Holy Father, and then with Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, the Church-State relations in the Dominican Republic were reviewed, in he light of commitments assumed by both parties in the 1954 Concordat.

"There then was an exchange of opinions about the current international situation, with particular reference to Central America.

"President Fernandez Reyna was accompanied by Foreign Minister Eduardo Latorre and by a delegation of government officials."

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