HOLY FATHER PRAISES COMMITMENT OF GROUP WORKING FOR PEACE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 5, 1999 (VIS) - Members of the Committee of Information and Initiatives for Peace (COMIN) were welcomed today by the Pope, who highlighted their "praiseworthy commitment" and "the passion with which each of you places his talents and service at the cause of peace and the research of the most appropriate way to achieve just cooperation between men and peoples."

"You have chosen to be present," he remarked, "through opportune diplomatic channels, in the most risky contexts, offering the leaders of nations in conflict, information and scientific and moral contributions (which can be) useful for a fair solution to the problems."

John Paul II pointed out that today there is, "in large numbers of the world's population, a horror of war and a profound desire for peace. ... This is a sentiment which must be constantly cultivated and encouraged, because it is only in the rejection of every form of violence and a sincere search for coexistence ... that there will be the indispensable premises for building a civil world based on solidarity."

Essential to building peace, stated the Holy Father, is "the defense of human rights, without which, the seeds of instability, rebellion and violence inevitably increase. ... Respect for human rights is closely linked to that of the rights of God. There is no future of peace for a society which does not respect God. ... And this is why every human community which aspires to peace, cannot not place as the basis of its coexistence the recognition of the primacy of God and respect for religious freedom," which "constitutes the heart of human rights."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 5, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Askar Akayev, president of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, accompanied by his entourage.
- Archbishop Ennio Appignanesi of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo, Italy, on his "ad limina" visit.
- Brother Roger, prior of Taize, France.
- A group of five prelates from the Italian Episcopal Conference (Basilicata region) on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Michele Scandiffio of Acerenza.
- Archbishop Antonio Ciliberti of Matera-Irsina.
- Bishop Vincenzo Cozzi of Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa.
- Bishop Rocco Talucci of Tursi-Lagonegro.
- Bishop Salvatore Ligorio of Tricarico.

He is scheduled to receive later this evening Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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POPE TO PRAY ROSARY WITH ROMAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 5, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II will preside tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in the Paul VI Hall at the traditional meeting for the Rosary with students from Roman universities.

At the end of the Rosary, the students will carry the World Youth Day Cross in procession to LUMSA, a private university near the Vatican, where they will have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until midnight.

A press release from the Vicariate of Rome states that, for the first time the Rosary with the Pope, organized by the office for university pastoral ministry for the diocese of Rome, can be followed live by university students in America and Europe. It will be broadcast live in Italy by Sat2000 television station, and throughout the world via Vatican Radio and Internet (by consulting the following address: www.pastoral.com.ar).

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MESSAGE FOR HISPANIC AMERICA

VATICAN CITY, MAR 5, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was the annual message from the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, for the Day for Hispanic America, which will be celebrated on March 7 in dioceses in Spain. The theme is "'Who has seen me, has seen the Father." "The priest, sign of the fatherhood of God."

The message, dated January 6, 1999, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, is signed by the president and vice-president of the commission, Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves O.P., and Bishop Cipriano Calderon.

Since the first evangelization of America in 1492, Spain has sent "thousands of missionaries" to the peoples of this continent. "We give thanks to God," says the message, "and we are grateful to missionary Spain for this providential work."

Cardinal Moreira Neves and Bishop Calderon recall that in the Apostolic Letter "Tertio millennio adveniente," John Paul II proposed that the Jubilee be an appropriate time to give thought to "'reducing substantially, if not cancelling outright, the international debt which seriously threatens the future of nations'. In oneness with the Pope, the Spanish episcopate has already spoken about the necessity of finding a solution to this huge problem."

"Our concern for the Church and for pastoral zeal should also be directed first and foremost to the great challenges today in the work of evangelization of Latin America: the currents of counter-evangelization which are spreading through all countries, particularly through the media and consumerism; growing secularism; the spread and aggressiveness of sects; migration and the huge concentration of people in cities which makes apostolic work so difficult; the culture of death; and the outcry of indigenous peoples and Afro-Americans. It is a difficult task which requires the presence of holy and generous people committed to evangelization."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 5, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Andreas Chang mou Choi, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Seoul, as coadjutor archbishop of Kwangju (area 12,414, population 3,479,629, Catholics 252,678, priests 156, religious 578), Korea.

- Bishop Sylvester Monteiro, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Nagpur, as bishop of Aurangabad (area 64,525, population 10,046,825, Catholics 18,900, priests 45, religious 137), India.

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