DECLARATION ON MEETING BETWEEN THE POPE AND PRESIDENT CLINTON

VATICAN CITY, JAN 26, 1999 (VIS) - The following is the joint communique from the White House and the Holy See Press Office following the meeting this afternoon between Pope John Paul II and U.S. President Bill Clinton at St. Louis Airport:

"His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, and President Bill Clinton had a private conversation that lasted about 20 minutes. The president thanked the Pope, on behalf of the American people, for his profound spiritual and moral guidance.

"The president and the Holy Father addressed some of the present challenges to peace and justice around the world and the ways in which mutual cooperation could bring an end to conflict and relief to suffering populations. Coming from Mexico, the Pope emphasized again the great need for continental, indeed global, solidarity, stressing the role of the U.S and its contribution in recent dramatic situations in Central America.

"The president expressed his admiration for the Pope's tireless endeavors to improve the lives of the poor and disadvantaged, especially in developing nations. The Pope stressed the importance of religious freedom, noting with satisfaction the determination of the U.S. to demand and foster this basic freedom.

"He likewise stated his views on other issues affecting human dignity, expressing the hope that the value of the human being will be defended and protected in all circumstances.

"Finally, President Clinton expressed appreciation for the positive role of the Holy See in international affairs and wished the Pope good health as he prepared the Church for the advent of its third millennium. The Holy Father spoke of the leading position of the United States in international matters and reaffirmed that the president and all the leaders of the United States were in his prayers."

Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls said that President Clinton and the Pope discussed the theme of the value of human life during the meeting, and particularly the problem of abortion, on which "the Holy See position is clear."

On international situations, Iraq was also mentioned, and "on this issue the Vatican position is sufficiently clear," added the Holy See Press Office director.

In answer to the question as to why the meeting between the Pontiff and the U.S president only lasted 20 minutes, Navarro-Valls answered that "their positions were truly clear and defined."

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POPE IN U.S.: I WISH TO ENCOURAGE NEW SENSE OF SOLIDARITY

VATICAN CITY, JAN 26, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father arrived at St. Louis' Lambert International Airport this afternoon at 1 p.m. local time, and was welcomed by civil and religious authorities, including U.S. President Bill Clinton, whom he has met on three previous occasions.

In his speech in English, the Pope recalled that the city's name "will be forever linked to the first transatlantic flight and to the immense human endeavor and daring behind the name, the 'Spirit of St. Louis'." As well, he said, the Dred Scott case was heard in St. Louis, in which the U.S. Supreme Court "subsequently declared an entire class of human beings - people of African descent - outside the boundaries of the national community and the Constitution's protection. After untold suffering and with enormous effort, that situation has, at least in part, been reversed."

"America faces a similar time of trial today," continued the pontiff. "Today the conflict is between a culture that affirms, cherishes and celebrates the gift of life, and a culture that seeks to declare entire groups of human beings - the unborn, the terminally ill, the handicapped, and others considered 'unuseful' - to be outside the boundaries of legal protection."

"My fervent prayer," he avowed, "is that ... America will resist the culture of death and choose to stand steadfastly on the side of life. To choose life ... involves rejecting every form of violence," including poverty, hunger, armed conflict, "the violence of particularly abhorrent weapons such as anti-personnel mines," drug trafficking and racism.

"Only a higher moral vision can motivate the choice for life," John Paul II stated. "And the values underlying that vision will greatly depend on whether the nation continues to honor and revere the family as the basic unity of society."

He thanked "the American people for the countless works of human goodness and solidarity" which characterize them, and entreated them: "Open wide your hearts to the ever increasing plight and urgent needs for our less fortunate brothers and sisters throughout the world."

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MAY MEXICO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE WORLD

VATICAN CITY, JAN 26, 1999 (VIS) - Following the celebration of Mass this morning at the apostolic nunciature in Mexico City, the Pope went to the airport where there was a farewell ceremony.

The Holy Father thanked all those who had cooperated in the realization of this pastoral visit. "My thanks become a prayer by invoking Heaven for the greatest blessings for this people which on so many occasions has shown faithfulness to God, to the Church and to Peter's Successor. For this reason, I lift my voice on high: May God bless you Mexico for the examples of humanity and faith of your peoples, and for your efforts in defending the family and life!"

"May God bless you Mexico, in your efforts to banish forever the struggles which divided your children, through fruitful and constructive dialogue. ... Only fraternal dialogue among all parties will give strength to plans for future reform, supported by citizens of good will, belonging to all creeds and various political and cultural sections (of society)."

John Paul II restated his "full confidence in the future of this people. A future in which Mexico, ever more evangelized and Christian, may be a country where democracy, ever more rooted and firm, more transparent and efficient, together with the happy and peaceful coexistence of her peoples, be always a reality under the tender gaze of her Queen and Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe."

At the end of his speech, the Pontiff boarded the plane for a three and a half hour flight to St. Louis, U.S.A.

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ACADEMY TO STUDY FOOD NEEDS OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD

VATICAN CITY, JAN 27, 1999 (VIS) - The Pontifical Academy of Sciences has organized study sessions in the Vatican on the theme "Food Needs of the Developing World In the Early Twenty-First Century," which will take place from January 27 to 30.

The aim of this study week, according to a communique, is "to assess the current situation and trends in food production of the developing world and to project needs for the major food commodities in relation to the various resources essential to efficient production and equitable distribution processes. The time frame is between year 2000 and 2050."

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"YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD," POPE TELLS YOUTH

VATICAN CITY, JAN 26, 1999 (VIS) - "Tonight the Pope belongs to you," John Paul II told young people during an encounter with them in St. Louis' Keil Center sports complex on the theme "You are the light of the world."

Noting that Kiel Center is "where many people train long and hard in order to compete in different sports," the Pope reminded the youth that the stadium this evening has become a training ground "that will help you live your faith in Jesus more decisively."

"I am told," John Paul II continued, "that there was much excitement in St. Louis during the recent baseball season, when two great players, Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa, were competing to break the home run record. You can feel the same enthusiasm as you train for a different goal: the goal of following Christ, the goal of bringing his message to the world. Each one of you belongs to Christ, and Christ belongs to you."

"'Let no one have contempt for youth'," the Holy Father said, citing the reading from the first Letter of Paul to Timothy. "(Paul) says this because youth is a marvelous gift from God. It is a time of special energies, special opportunities and special responsibilities. ... This is the time of your 'training'. ... Christ ... wants you - all of you - to be light to the world as only young people can be light. It is time to let your light shine!"

In the second part of his talk, following the Gospel reading, the Pope continued: "Sadly, too many people today are living apart from the light, in a world of illusions, a world of fleeting shadows and promises unfulfilled."

John Paul II reminded young people that, though they are no longer little children afraid of the dark, "already you realize that there is another kind of darkness in the world: the darkness of doubt and uncertainty, ... of loneliness and isolation. ... Sometimes the world itself seems full of darkness," the darkness of the hungry and homeless, of violence in all its forms. "There is something terribly wrong when so many young people are overcome by hopelessness to the point of taking their own lives. And already in parts of this nation, laws have been passed which allow doctors to end the lives of the very people they are sworn to help."

He exhorted the young people: "Do not listen to those who encourage you to lie, to shirk responsibility, to put yourselves first. Do not listen to those who tell you that chastity is passe. ... Do not be taken in by false values and deceptive slogans, especially about your freedom. True freedom is a wonderful gift from God. ... Freedom is not the ability to do anything we want, whenever we want. Rather, freedom is the ability to live responsibly the truth of our relationship with God and with one another."

To achieve this, the Pope concluded, to get to "truly and personally" know Christ, what is needed is prayer.

At the end of the meeting, the Pope consigned a Message to the children who are patients at the Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. It said, in part: "You are all dear to my heart, even if I have not been able to see all of you today. I want the young boys and girls being taken care of at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital and all sick children everywhere to know that the Pope prays for each one of you. You know how much Jesus loved children and how pleased he was to be with them. You too are very special to him."

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