VATICAN CITY, JAN 29, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following statement yesterday afternoon on the act of clemency by the governor of Missouri (U.S.A.) who commuted a prisoner's death sentence to life imprisonment without parole:
"During the pastoral visit of John Paul II to St. Louis, Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano had a private conversation with the governor of the state of Missouri to present to him, in the name of the Holy Father, a request for clemency for humanitarian reasons for Mr. Darrell Mease.
"At the time of his departure, the Holy Father personally beseeched the governor to take into consideration an act of clemency in Mr. Mease's regards.
"When he learned the news of the generous decision of the governor, John Paul II expressed great satisfaction for the gesture of significant humanity by Governor Mel Carnahan of Missouri."
OP;CLEMENCY; USA;...;SODANO; NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;19990129;Word: 160;
Friday, January 29, 1999
MESSAGE FOR WORLD DAY OF COMMUNICATIONS
VATICAN CITY, JAN 29, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was the Pope's message for the 33rd World Day of Communications which will be held on May 16. The theme of the Day is "Mass Media: a Friendly Companion for Those in Search of the Father."
In the message dated January 24, the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists, the Holy Father writes that the theme of the day "implies two questions: how might the media work with God rather than against him? And how might the media be a friendly companion to those searching for God's loving presence in their lives? ... Finally the theme implies an invitation and a hope: that those responsible for the world of social communications will be ever more committed to help rather than hinder the search for meaning which is at the very heart of human life."
John Paul II states that the theme "recognizes the exceptional influence of the media in contemporary culture, and therefore the media's special responsibility to witness to the truth about life, about human dignity, about the true meaning of our freedom and mutual interdependence."
Greater cooperation between the Church and the media can help "to serve the men and women of our time in their search for meaning and fulfillment." For example, "the Church's culture of remembrance can save the media culture of transitory 'news' from becoming a forgetfulness which corrodes real hope; and the media can help the Church to proclaim the Gospel in all its enduring freshness. ... The Church's culture of wisdom can save the media culture of information from becoming a meaningless accumulation of facts; and the media can help the Church's wisdom to remain alert to the array of new knowledge now emerging."
MESS;DAY SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS;...;...;VIS;19990129;Word: 300;
In the message dated January 24, the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists, the Holy Father writes that the theme of the day "implies two questions: how might the media work with God rather than against him? And how might the media be a friendly companion to those searching for God's loving presence in their lives? ... Finally the theme implies an invitation and a hope: that those responsible for the world of social communications will be ever more committed to help rather than hinder the search for meaning which is at the very heart of human life."
John Paul II states that the theme "recognizes the exceptional influence of the media in contemporary culture, and therefore the media's special responsibility to witness to the truth about life, about human dignity, about the true meaning of our freedom and mutual interdependence."
Greater cooperation between the Church and the media can help "to serve the men and women of our time in their search for meaning and fulfillment." For example, "the Church's culture of remembrance can save the media culture of transitory 'news' from becoming a forgetfulness which corrodes real hope; and the media can help the Church to proclaim the Gospel in all its enduring freshness. ... The Church's culture of wisdom can save the media culture of information from becoming a meaningless accumulation of facts; and the media can help the Church's wisdom to remain alert to the array of new knowledge now emerging."
MESS;DAY SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS;...;...;VIS;19990129;Word: 300;
GOVERNOR'S STATEMENT ON DECISION TO COMMUTE DEATH PENALTY
VATICAN CITY, JAN 29, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today released the following statement issued on January 28 by the office of Governor Mel Carnahan of Missouri:
"Yesterday afternoon Pope John Paul II asked me to commute the death sentence of Darrell Mease. The Pope asked me to, in his words, 'have mercy on Mr. Mease' in reaching this decision. I took into account the extraordinary circumstances of the Pope's request and the historical significance of the papal visit to the city of St. Louis and the state of Missouri. After careful consideration of his direct and personal appeal and because of a deep and abiding respect for the Pontiff and all that he represents, I decided last night to grant his request. I commuted the sentence of Darrell Mease to life in prison without the possibility of parole."
OP;CLEMENCY;...;MISSOURI; CARNAHAN ;VIS;19990129;Word: 150;
"Yesterday afternoon Pope John Paul II asked me to commute the death sentence of Darrell Mease. The Pope asked me to, in his words, 'have mercy on Mr. Mease' in reaching this decision. I took into account the extraordinary circumstances of the Pope's request and the historical significance of the papal visit to the city of St. Louis and the state of Missouri. After careful consideration of his direct and personal appeal and because of a deep and abiding respect for the Pontiff and all that he represents, I decided last night to grant his request. I commuted the sentence of Darrell Mease to life in prison without the possibility of parole."
OP;CLEMENCY;...;MISSOURI; CARNAHAN ;VIS;19990129;Word: 150;