POPE THANKS RETREAT MASTER AT END OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 27, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father spoke briefly this morning at the end of the six-day period of spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia, and thanked Bishop Andre-Mutien Leonard of Namur for his commitment as retreat master.

"You prepared for us," said the Pope, "an authentic Biblical itinerary, enriched by the voices of saints and spiritual masters. We were thus able to contemplate the face of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, starting from the center of New Testament revelation. In such a way, we have been helped to achieve a synthesis of theological contents implied in the three-year immediate preparatory period of the Great Jubilee, now imminent."

In his remarks, John Paul II also acknowledged his "brother cardinals, bishops and officials of the Roman Curia, who have directly shared in this moment of grace."

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THE LIGHT OF CHRIST GIVES US STRENGTH TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL

VATICAN CITY, FEB 28, 1999 (VIS) - Meditating on the Gospel account of the Transfiguration of the Lord, "we also - like the Apostles - prepare ourselves to relive the decisive events of the Lord's death and resurrection" said the Pope during the Mass celebrated this morning in the Roman parish of Holy Mary Star of the Sea.

The call of God the Father to listen to his Son, as today's Gospel tells us, is "an invitation to let the light of Christ enlighten our lives and give us the strength to proclaim and give witness to the Gospel to our brothers and sisters."

Later, addressing the young people of the parish, John Paul II said: "Be ready to share with your brothers and sisters that you meet every day at school, in places where you gather and enjoy healthy entertainment, the one faith in Christ Redeemer and the joy of being united in the embrace of the same Church, founded on the witness of the apostles Peter and Paul. Be 'missionaries' of faithfulness and hope in this your Church, in which each individual has their own mission to fulfill."

Having expressed his joy for the special attention which is paid to the sacrament of Penance in this parish, the Holy Father renewed "the exhortation to come to this sacrament of spiritual healing. ... For the Sacrament of Penance be celebrated in truth, the confession of sin must arise from a serious and attentive encounter with the Word of God and with a living contact with the person of Christ. For this, appropriate catechism is necessary."

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TELEGRAM FOR PLANE CRASH IN GENOA

VATICAN CITY, FEB 27, 1999 (VIS) - The following telegram was sent in the Holy Father's name by Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano to Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, archbishop of Genoa, for the plane crash in that city on February 25:

"Informed of the sad news of the crash which took place while a plane was landing at Genoa's airport, the Holy Father asks Your Eminence to offer his sentiments of deep sorrow to the family members and friends of the victims and, while he assures them of his fervent prayers for the repose of the souls of the deceased, he asks God's comfort for the wounded and for all who are suffering the grave loss of their dear ones. He sends a special apostolic blessing to all as a sign of his special spiritual closeness."

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HOLY FATHER CONDEMNS EUTHANASIA AND SUICIDE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 27, 1999 (VIS) - This morning the Pope received the participants in the general assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life, which has been meeting these past days to reflect on "The Dignity of the Dying Person."

He stated that "the phenomenon of abandoning the dying person, which is spreading throughout developed societies, has diverse roots and many dimensions. ... There is a socio-cultural dimension, known as 'disguising death': societies, ordered to the criteria of material well-being, feel that death has no sense."

"There is also a philosophical and ideological dimension," according to which man considers himself as "the author of his own life" and "even reaches the point of exalting suicide and euthanasia as paradoxical forms of affirmation and of the destruction of one's 'self'."

The Pope added that there is also "a medical and care-giving dimension, which is expressed in a tendency to limit the care of the seriously ill" where, as a consequence, "the hospitalized person often finds himself out of touch with the family and exposed to a sort of technological invasion which humiliates his dignity." Lastly, there is the "so-called 'utilitarian ethic'," according to which "those seriously ill and dying" feel "like a burden, and unprotected."

"The Church raises her voice so that no one will offend those who are dying, but rather that people will dedicate themselves with every possible loving care in order to accompany them as they prepare to cross the threshold of time to enter eternity."

Quoting his Encyclical "Evangelium Vitae," John Paul II condemned "euthanasia understood in the strict sense as an action or omission which of itself and by intention causes death, with the purpose of eliminating all suffering," and which, as such, "is a grave violation of the law of God. Suicide must be likewise condemned because, 'when viewed objectively, it is a gravely immoral act. In fact, it involves the rejection of love of self and the renunciation of the obligation of justice and charity towards one's neighbor, towards the communities to which one belongs, and towards society as a whole."

"It is necessary," he said in conclusion, "to face up to the new challenge of the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide. To do this, it is not enough to oppose this tendency of death in public opinion and in parliaments; there must be a commitment from society and the very structures of the Church to a worthy assistance to the dying person."

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U.S. SEMINARY CELEBRATES 150TH ANNIVERSARY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 1, 1999 (VIS) - A pilgrim group of superiors and students from St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland, U.S.A., currently in Rome as part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the seminary's founding, was welcomed this morning to the Vatican by Pope John Paul.

"I hope that the prayer and meditation which accompany your pilgrimage," he told them, speaking English, "will bring you ever nearer to the Lord and strengthen your desire to be worthy priests and generous servants of the saving mysteries entrusted to his Church. May this meeting with the Successor of Peter help you to appreciate more fully the Church's universality and her catholic unity."

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LAY PEOPLE, CONFESSORS OF THE FAITH IN TODAY'S WORLD

VATICAN CITY, MAR 1, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II today received the participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, whose theme is "The Lay Faithful, Confessors of the Faith in Today's World."

The Pope said that the Jubilee of the Year 2000 "moves each lay Christian to ask fundamental questions: "What have I done with my Baptism? How do I answer my vocation? What have I done with my Confirmation? Have I used the gifts and charisms of the Spirit to bear fruit? ... Have I a deep, full commitment to the Church? Am I faithful in my decisions to the truth offered by the Magisterium of the Church? Is my life permeated ... with the teaching of Christ? Is my commitment to society and politics rooted in Gospel principles and in the social doctrine of the Church? What is my contribution ... to the inculturation of the Gospel?"

With the Second Vatican Council "we have experienced the grace of a new Pentecost. There are many signs of hope which have flourished for the mission of the Church," among which "the discovery and the appraisal of charisms, ... the renewed zeal for evangelization and the advancement of lay people."

The Holy Father said that at the same time, it cannot be ignored that "unfortunately, many Christians ... are indifferent," and some, "letting themselves be swept along by the relativism typical of today's culture, have difficulty accepting the doctrinal and moral teaching of the Church."

"I hope that the lay faithful do not avoid this examination of conscience, so as to be able to cross the threshold of the Holy Door of the third millennium full of the truth and holiness of true disciples of Jesus Christ."

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POPE HAILS CONVENTION BANNING LAND MINES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 28, 1999 (VIS) - "Tomorrow, March 1, the Convention which bans anti-personnel mines and orders their destruction will come into effect," stated the Holy Father in remarks to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square after praying the angelus today.

He continued: "For the entire international community this is a goal which marks a victory of the culture of life over the culture of death. The Holy See has, right from the start, shown its adherence, signing and ratifying the Ottawa document of December 4, 1997.

"For the world to be free from these terrible and treacherous weapons, the path is, unfortunately, still long. I pray God to give everyone the courage of peace, so that the countries which have not yet signed this important instrument of international law might do so without delay, and that they might continue perseveringly in the work of getting rid of mines and of rehabilitating the wounded. May people walk together in the paths of life, without fearing the hidden dangers of destruction and death!"

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LENT INVITES US TO INTENSIFY CONCRETE ACTS OF CHARITY

VATICAN CITY, FEB 28, 1999 (VIS) - Prior to reciting the angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope spoke of Lent, saying that this season, "beyond prayer, penance and fasting, invites us to intensify concrete acts of charity, which biblical language often refers to as 'alms'. "

"In this regard, Jesus warns of the risk of gratification: charity is not authentic if one seeks the praise of others." he stressed. "In this last year of preparation for the Great Jubilee in which we turn to God the Father, it is important to give prominence to 'the greatest' of the Christian virtues, that is, charity. ... Charity, in its double aspect of love of God and of one's brothers, is the synthesis of the spiritual and moral life of the believer, and finds in God its source and its summit."

Then, citing his 1999 Message for Lent, the Pope recalled: "Still today we see immense areas in which the work of Christians must bring to bear the charity of God. New forms of poverty and the pressing questions which trouble many hearts await a concrete and appropriate response. Those who are lonely, those on the margins of society, the hungry, the victims of violence, those who have no hope must be able to experience, in the Church's loving care, the tenderness of the Heavenly Father who, from the very beginning of the world, has kept every individual in mind in order to fill each one with blessings."

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JOHN PAUL II'S MARCH PRAYER INTENTIONS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 1, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II's general prayer intention for this month is: "That Christians promote the gradual suppression of the financial indebtedness of the poorer countries, and that the Jubilee Year, in accord with the Word of God, be a year of debt relief and liberation."

His missionary intention is: "That following on the Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops, local Churches announce the Gospel with fearless candor and in a way ever more in keeping with the Asiatic religious world."

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PONTIFICAL ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES TO HOLD PLENARY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 1, 1999 (VIS) - The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences will hold its fifth plenary session from March 3 to 6 in the Pius IV House in the Vatican on the theme "Towards Reducing Unemployment." A majority of the 33 academicians from all continents are scheduled to participate, according to today's communique from Edmond Malinvaud, academy president.

The academy was founded in January 1994 by John Paul II with the aim of promoting the study and progress of social, economic, political and juridical sciences, and to thus offer the Church useful elements to be able to study in depth and to develop her social doctrine. For the past four years the academy has been working on two themes chosen during the inaugural session in November 1994: work and employment, and democracy.

The press release states that "there is need to analyze the meaning of the Catholic concept of work and employment in contexts which are different from past ones, ... such as, for example, those predominating in Asia. ... But the session will, in great part, be devoted to the study of institutional norms and economic and social policies relative to work and employment."

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DIOCESAN BEATIFICATION PROCESS FOR MOTHER TERESA TO OPEN

VATICAN CITY, MAR 1, 1999 (VIS) - The following press communique was released by the Holy See this morning:

"The Holy Father John Paul II has given permission, at the behest of Archbishop Henry Sebastian D'Souza of Calcutta, and many other prelates, for the diocesan process of beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta to be able to start, dispensing from the norm (article 9 of the 'Normae servande') which states that five years must have elapsed from the death of the Servant of God before beginning the process.

"Following this dispensation, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, on December 12 1999, issued the rescript authorizing the archbishop of Calcutta to begin the process of beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

"It is now to the archbishop of Calcutta to carry out the preliminary proceedings and then to constitute the tribunal which will examine texts and will gather documentation relating to the life and virtues of the Servant of God."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 1, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Msgr. Gilbert Louis as bishop of Chalons (area 6,502, population 268,000, Catholics 249,000, priests 107, religious 123), France. The bishop-elect was born in Champsecret, France, in 1940, was ordained a priest in 1965, and since 1988 has been vicar general of the diocese of Sees.

- Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture as his special envoy at the commemoration of the Millennium of the election of Pope Silvester II, which will take place in Aurillac, France, on April 11, 1999.
On Saturday February 27 it was made public that the Holy Father appointed Archbishop Piero Biggio, apostolic nuncio in Chile, as nuncio in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 1, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Armando Dini of Campobasso, Italy, on an "ad limina" visit.
- Archbishop Giorgio Zur, president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.
- Heungsoo Kim, ambassador of Korea, accompanied by his wife and children, on a farewell visit.
- Nine prelates from the Italian Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Enzio d'Antonio of Lanciano-Ortona.
- Archbishop Francesco Cuccarese of Pescara-Penne.
- Archbishop Antonio Nuzzi, bishop of Teramo-Atri.
- Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari of L'Aquila.
- Archbishop Edoardo Menichelli of Chieti-Vasto.
- Bishop Antonio Santucci of Trivento.
- Bishop Giuseppe Di Falco of Sulmona-Valva.
- Bishop Domenico Umberto D'Ambrosio of Termoli-Larino.
- Bishop Andrea Gemma of Isernia-Venafro.

On Saturday February 27 he also received:

- Bishop Andre-Mutien Leonard of Namur, Belgium, preacher of the spiritual exercises.
- Archbishop Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne of Lima, Peru.
- Archbishop Thomas Yeh Sheng-nan, apostolic nuncio in Sri Lanka.
- Don Pramudwinai, ambassador of Thailand, with his wife, on a farewell visit.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
- Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar for the diocese of Rome, Auxiliary Bishop Salvatore Fisichella, Fr. Francesco Dell'Uomo, pastor of the parish of Holy Mary Star of the Sea, with a parish curate.

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