POPE RECEIVES BISHOPS OF GHANA AT END OF "AD LIMINA"

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father received the members of the Ghana Bishops' Conference this morning, at the end of their "ad limina" visit and recalled that, since their last such visit to Rome, "six new dioceses have been established in Ghana, a positive sign of the work being done for Christ."

Pointing to the missionary nature of the Church, the Pope stated that "the energy and zeal of the first evangelization of Ghana must continue to be a source of strength and enthusiasm as you proclaim Christ and his saving Gospel. ... Not least in this regard is your duty to address those issues of particular importance for the social, economic, political and cultural life of your country." He added that "the proper administration of public affairs ... is essential if justice and peace are to flourish on your continent."

"As you know so well, it belongs in a particular way to the Church to speak out on behalf of those who have no voice, thus being a leaven of peace and solidarity, particularly where they are most fragile and threatened. Especially important in this regard are your continuing efforts to resolve ethnic tensions; for rivalries based on race or ethnic origin have no place in the Church of Christ."

John Paul II stressed that "in all of this, yours must be an invitation, gentle yet insistent, to conversion (which) is the result of the effective proclamation of the Gospel. ... The continuing formation of the laity must continue to be a priority in your mission as preachers and teachers. ... Moreover, as they are confirmed in the revealed truth, the faithful will be able to respond to the objections raised by the followers of sects and new religious movements. Catechesis is especially important for young people."

The Holy Father then turned to "the important issue of inculturation" and said: "As people find inspiration and direction through contact with God's saving word, they will naturally be led to work for a profound transformation of the society in which they live. The Gospel message penetrates the very life of cultures and becomes incarnate in them. ... The challenges presented by inculturation are especially evident in the areas of marriage and family life."

Pope John Paul highlighted "the growth of the Church in Ghana and the many vocations to the priesthood and religious life." "Cherish your priests" and "regard them as precious co-workers and friends," he urged the bishops. "The priest is not a mere caretaker of an institution. ... He is an evangelist and doctor of souls." And the Pope stressed the importance of seminary formation, as well as ongoing formation for those already ordained.

He also addressed the "decisive role in the spread of the faith and the formation of new local Churches" played by religious and missionary institutes.
In concluding remarks, John Paul II said: "Always be attentive to the human and spiritual needs of your people. Time and resources should never be spent on diocesan and parochial structures or development projects at the expense of the people; nor should structure or projects impede personal contact with those whom God has called us to serve."

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PARISHES WELCOME EVERYONE BECAUSE NOBODY IS A FOREIGNER

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a message from the Pope for the 85th World Migration Day. This day is celebrated in local churches on the date established by a country's episcopal conference.

"The presence of migrants," he writes, "calls for the responsibility of believers as individuals and as a community. A privileged expression of the community is the parish" which "welcomes all without discrimination, because no one is a foreigner to her."

"Where the sense of parish is alive, the differences between natives and strangers lessen or disappear, because the awareness of us all belonging to God, and one Father, prevails. From the very mission of each parish community and its importance in society emerges the importance which the parish has in the welcome of foreigners, and in the integration of baptized people from different cultures and in dialogue with believers from other religions."

John Paul II writes in the message dated February 2 that parishes are "visible points of reference, easily found and accessible, and very often are a sign of hope and fraternity between social problems, tension and outbreaks of violence."

"Against insecurity, (the parish) offers a place of trust where one learns to overcome fear; faced with the absence of reference points from which to have light and encouragement to live together, it presents, from the Gospel of Christ, a path of fraternity and reconciliation."

The Holy Father also refers to the imbalance between rich and poor countries, and asks that, "in order for this not to be irreversible, with tragic consequences for humanity," there might be a review of "the indebtedness of poor countries to rich countries."

"I truly hope that the forthcoming Jubilee ... might be a favorable occasion to find fitting solutions and offer new conditions of dignity and organized development to poor countries."

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HOLY FATHER THANKS THOSE WHO ASSIST THE SICK

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II at midday today received 7,000 participants in the UNITALSI annual congress, an Italian association which assists the sick on pilgrimages to international Marian shrines.

"I wish to express my delight for the charitable and steadfast work you do with discretion and generosity for those who suffer trials in body and mind. You offer them a special witness of charity."

The Pope said that "the network of leadership and aid in the various Italian dioceses, gives witness to the generosity of so many priests, doctors, nurses, religious volunteers, stretcher-bearers, companions and volunteers who, making visible in the world today the image of the Good Samaritan, care both materially and spiritually for the sick."

He recalled that they are reflecting on the spirit of UNITALSI during the congress "in relation to the changes and challenges in today's society." He ended by saying that, in spite of the changes in structure and organization, "the spirit and charism of the Union's service cannot change, and love especially should remain as it's vital core and irradiation, without which your work would lose its meaning."

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PRESS OFFICE DECLARATION ON CHINESE MINISTER'S VISIT

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls, in a declaration this morning, confirmed that "Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Jason C. Hu, was received in the Vatican yesterday by Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States, and today by Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano.

"During the conversations, questions of common interest for the Apostolic See and the government of Taipei were reviewed, as well as the broader questions of the Chinese and international situations."

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CATHOLICS NOW NUMBER 1 BILLION WORLDWIDE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 1999 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano this morning presented the 1999 "Annuario Pontificio" or pontifical yearbook, to Pope John Paul, in the presence of Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re and officials from the Statistics Office of the Church and the Vatican printing office.

A communique released today, stating that the new yearbook is updated to December 31, 1998, also outlined some of the salient statistics of the Church.

During 1998 the Holy See established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Palau and the Republic of Yemen, bringing to 168 the number of countries with which it has such relations.

Also last year, 12 new bishoprics, an apostolic vicariate and three metropolitan sees were created, and 137 bishops were appointed.

Catholics for the first time exceed one billion worldwide, equal to 17.3 percent of the total population. They constitute 62.9 percent of the population on the American continent, 41.4 in Europe, 27.5 in Oceania, 14.9 in Africa and 3 percent in Asia. Globally there are 219,369 parishes and 115,311 missionary stations.

At the end of 1997, those involved in pastoral activity included: 4,420 bishops, 404,208 priests (of whom 263,521 are diocesan), 24,407 permanent deacons, 877,477 religious, 31,197 members of secular institutes, 26,068 lay missionaries and 2,019,021 catechists.
Vocations in 1997 increased by 2.5 percent over the preceding year. The total number of priests was practically unchanged but the number of permanent deacons increased by 4.1 percent. There was, however. a decline of 1.3 percent among religious.

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LENT: A TIME TO REGAIN GOD'S FRIENDSHIP AND GRACE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 21, 1999 (VIS) - At today's angelus, the Pope spoke of the liturgical season of Lent, calling it a time which helps man "to recover what he could never attain by his own strength: God's friendship and grace, the supernatural life which alone can bring fulfillment to the deepest aspirations of the human heart."

He referred to today's Gospel in which Christ, "in the desert, faces the tempter and, at the end of forty days of fasting and prayer, overcomes him through firm submission to the will of God the Father. In this way, Jesus shows the path for defeating sin: the path of penance."

"Jesus precedes us," the Holy Father went on, "but he also calls us to follow him. 'Repent' is the first word of his preaching. And his call resonates with particular force and urgency this year, which is the last before the Great Jubilee."

"I make the appeal of the Apostle Paul my own," stated the Pope. "'Be reconciled to God', don't allow this favorable time to pass you by. We must shake off the indifference and distractions of the world and listen to the voice of God, which resonates in the Church, and before that, in every person's conscience."

Turning then to the examination of conscience, John Paul II observed that this "is therefore one of the most decisive moments of life. It places each individual before the truth of his own life. Thus he discovers the distance which separates his deeds from the ideal which he has set himself."

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OUR HEARTS NEED GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 21, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II this morning told the faithful of the Roman parish of San Raimondo Nonnato, quoting today's Gospel: "'May the word which comes from the mouth of God' call us and nourish our spirit, because 'man does not live on bread alone'. Our hearts need God above all else."

Having expressed his wish to parishioners that "the unity of the parish grow stronger, making it a true 'family of families'," the Pope said: "I take joy in the strong commitment with which you are living to the Citizens' Mission."

"Christians should feel moved to take initiatives and meet their brothers and sisters in their homes, in their neighborhood and in places of life and work where the same word of salvation is heard - the Word of God - which is more necessary than bread for the life of the person."

The Holy Father recalled that Lent "is an important time of penance and grace. This year is an even more significant call to repentance and conversion, in view of the Jubilee of the Year 2000."
"Pay special attention to the celebration of the sacrament of Penance. ... May the closeness of the Jubilee awaken in every believer an active interest in this sacrament; may priests be available to develop with care and dedication this essential sacramental ministry; may the places where the celebration of the sacrament takes place be multiplied, with confessors available at different times during the day, ready to generously dispense the endless mercy of God."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Three prelates from Ghana Bishops' Conference on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Philip Naameh of Damongo.
- Bishop Peter Kwaku Atuahene of Goaso.
- Bishop John Martin Darko of Sekondi-Takoradi.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 22, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Canons Antonio Maria Bessa Taipa and Antonio Jose Cavaco Carrilho, as auxiliary bishops of the diocese of Porto (area 3,010, population 2,266,000, Catholics 1,940,000, priests 601, religious 1,574), Portugal. Bishop-elect Antonio Maria Bessa Taipa was born in Freamunde, Portugal, in 1942, was ordained a priest in 1966 and since 1979 has been rector of the major seminary and pro-vicar general of the diocese. Bishop-elect Antonio Jose Cavaco Carrilho was born in St. Clemente, Portugal, in 1942, was ordained a priest in 1965, and since 1994 has been director of the general secretariat of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference.

- Adopted the following dispositions for Zimbabwe:

- Appointed Fr. Robert Christopher Ndlovu as bishop of Hwange (area 43,427, population 324,609, Catholics 31,230, priests 26, religious 91). The bishop-elect was born in Thsongokwe, Zimbabwe, in 1955, was ordained a priest in 1983, and since 1993 has been rector of the Major Seminary of Chishawasha. He succeeds Bishop Ignacio Prieto Vega, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Hwange was accepted by the Holy Father, on having reached the age limit.

- Erected the diocese of Masvingo (area 70,000, population 1,180,000, Catholics 102,000, priests 43, religious 142) with territory taken from the diocese of Gweru, making it suffragan to the Metropolitan Church of Bulawayo. Bishop Michael Dixon Bhasera of Gokwe was appointed as first bishop of Masvingo.

On Saturday February 20, it was made public that the Holy Father appointed Bishop Arrigo Miglio of Iglesias, as bishop of Ivrea (area 1,850, population 206,883, Catholics 205,173, priests 207, religious 521), Italy. He succeeds Bishop Luigi Bettazzi whose resignation from the pastoral care of this diocese was accepted by the Holy Father on having reached the age limit.
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FEAST OF THE CHAIR OF ST PETER

VATICAN CITY, FEB 22, 1999 (VIS) - Today, February 22, is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, a day on which we recall the ministry of the supreme Pastor of the Church which the Lord conferred on Peter, a sign of unity of the Church.

The Chair of St. Peter, ensconced in 1666 in Bernini's altar of the same name, is actually a throne that Charles the Bald gave to Pope John VIII at the former's coronation as emperor on Christmas Day 875.

In its long history, the Chair of St. Peter has been considered under two perspectives: the chair-symbol (symbol of Peter's primacy: in ancient times the chair or "cathedra" was the sign of authority to teach) and the chair-object (the throne of Charles the Bald, used by John VIII and his successors for papal liturgical events).

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