BILATERAL ACCORD SIGNED BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND ESTONIA

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 1999 (VIS) - Following is the text of a communique made public today which announces the signing of the first ever bilateral accord between the Holy See and Estonia:

"Upon the exchange of notes between Secretary of State and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia on March 12, 1999, the Accord between the Holy See and the Republic of Estonia to regularize relations between the Catholic Church and this State has been detailed and brought into being.

"The Accord, which is subdivided into ten paragraphs, defines and stipulates various aspects of the juridical statute and activity of the Catholic Church and her institutions. It particularly recognizes the freedom of the Holy See in the appointment of bishops. Finally, the pastoral work of foreign priests in Estonia, the teaching of the Catholic faith in schools, and the validity of canonical marriages in civil law were guaranteed."

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THE JUBILEE YEAR: AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO CONFESSION

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II this morning received the participants in the annual session on the internal forum, organized by the Apostolic Penitentiary.

The Pope asked that "the Jubilee year be for all the faithful, thanks to the generous service of confessors, an opportunity for a pious and spiritually serene approach to the Sacrament of Reconciliation."

He then recalled some "truly essential" points to propose to those who are spiritually thirsting.

"Sacramental confession," he said, "is necessary to obtain the forgiveness of mortal sin committed since Baptism. However, if a sinner, touched by the grace of the Holy Spirit, repents of their sin thanks to supernatural charity, ... they immediately receive forgiveness, including of mortal sin, but should always however be open to the possibility of confessing it sacramentally whenever they can."

The same can be said, he continued, of the penitent who, "responsible for serious sin, receives collective absolution, without the previous individual admission of their sin to the confessor. The desire (to confess it) is so necessary that, if it were lacking, absolution would be invalid. ... Venial sins can be also forgiven outside sacramental confession, but it is certainly very good to confess them." Moreover, the faithful have the right "to go to confession and obtain sacramental absolution for venial sins alone."

The Pope also recalled that "to receive the Eucharist justly and fruitfully, sacramental confession is necessary when one is aware of mortal sin."

"Reconciliation with God requires and involves reconciliation with one's brothers and sisters, without which God's forgiveness cannot be obtained. ... The Sacrament of Penance assumes and must nourish generous, noble and active brotherly love."

In conclusion, the Holy Father said that "in the Sacrament of Penance, once the offenses caused by sin are eliminated, the unity of the Church is consolidated. ... God's mercy and the Church's mediation offer a precious corollary to the sacramental remission of sin, with the gift of the additional remission of temporal punishment through indulgences."

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POPE WELCOMES BISHOPS OF CROATIA ON "AD LIMINA" VISIT

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning welcomed the bishops of Croatia at the end of their "ad limina" visit, and in his speech to them in their language, highlighted the "Croatian people's 13 centuries of Christianity," as well as the need for a new evangelization.

He thanked the bishops "for the good you are doing in your dioceses," and urged them to continue building "the Kingdom of God in your land which, after especially difficult periods, is now seeing a new and promising religious springtime."

The Holy Father recalled that, during his 1998 pastoral visit to Croatia, he had entreated "the Croatian people to remain faithful to their Christian roots" and had also expressed the hope "'that Christians will know how to give a decisive thrust to the new evangelization'. ... Today I renew this impassioned exhortation: consider evangelization as an urgent pastoral priority!"

To evangelize effectively, the Pope said, "the Church in Croatia needs to strengthen the communion among the diverse elements which comprise it. ... Only in this way can it give everyone a great witness to unity in Christ and also be up to the task of facing both old and new challenges."

"Make it your priority," implored John Paul II, "to help every member of the faithful to answer the universal call to holiness."

He added that another urgent reason for the new evangelization "is the preparation of the approaching Great Jubilee of the year 2000. ... We must discover new paths and seek new possibilities of preaching the Gospel message and of Christian witnessing."

Telling the bishops that they "are called to be teachers in the faith, heralds of hope and witnesses in charity," the Pope highlighted their duties to foster vocations and to make "the seminary and, in general, places of formation, the 'apple of your eye'."

He underlined to need to "strengthen the religious meaning of life, helping Christian families to be milieux and schools where the perennial human and Gospel values are practiced and transmitted."

The Holy Father asked the prelates to be close to candidates to the priesthood and to "show fraternal concern for priests, ... who are not functionaries acting in the Church's name, but servants and proclaimers of the Gospel." He also spoke of the Church's "particular esteem for the vocation and work of consecrated people, ... whose charisms are given not only for personal sanctification (but) for the growth and mission of the Church."

"We have facing us at the end of this century," Pope John Paul remarked, "the material and moral damage caused by so many ideologies; in this last decade we have witnessed the fall of long and oppressive dictatorships. Even your country, having experienced a period of trial, now enjoys a time of peace and freedom. It is however necessary to remain vigilant so that the path of just freedom in the respect for all human rights is followed. ... There is need for a spirit of charity, great patience and wise farsightedness. Only in this way will the small plants of freedom and democracy become robust trees."

Constructive dialogue and charity must prevail over destructive criticism, he said in concluding remarks. "The Church and the political community, in their respective spheres, are independent, but both are at the service of mankind."

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ANGELUS: LENT, A JOURNEY TOWARDS THE CROSS OF CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul, in remarks made prior to praying the angelus on this fourth Sunday of Lent, continued his meditations on "the Lenten journey towards Easter, a journey of conversion guided by the Word of God, which illuminates the steps of our lives."

Highlighting the "true value of the Cross, towards which we are journeying in this Lenten period," he affirmed that "it is not a sign of death, but of life; not of frustration but of hope, not of defeat, but of victory. In fact, as an ancient liturgical hymn says, the Cross of Christ is the 'only hope' because every other promise of salvation is false, given that it does not solve the basic problem of mankind: the problem of evil and death."

"For this reason Christians venerate the Cross and recognize in it the sign par excellence of love and hope. Even young people, who by nature embrace life, embrace the Cross of Christ - as did Francis of Assisi and all the saints - because they understand that, without it, the mystery of life would be a senseless puzzle."

He then pointed out that the World Youth Day Cross is travelling throughout Italy's dioceses. "Today it is in Turin, where ... young people have gathered. ... I send them a special greeting and say: Do not be afraid to receive the Cross of Christ in your lives!"

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GOSPEL SHOULD BE PRESENTED WITH STRENGTH AND LOVE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 1999 (VIS) - During Mass celebrated this morning in the Roman parish of St. Matthias, the Pope said that in this Fourth Sunday of Lent, "Laetare" Sunday, "we rejoice because Easter is very close and shortly we will celebrate our freedom from evil and sin."

The Holy Father then referred to parish initiatives for children and young people, and encouraged the faithful to continue "generously spending time and energy" on these projects. "May all this work of formation allow them to better know Jesus, the only Savior of the world, in letting them experience divine mercy." He asked that the meeting on Thursday March 25, in preparation for World Youth Day, "be an important stage on your spiritual search."

"Is it not true," he asked, "that young generations have more than ever today the burning desire for truth and are ever more tired of following vain illusions? It is essential to present the Gospel to them with strength and love, and to help them unite faith with life to resist the multiple temptations of the modern world. For this reason, like the man blind from birth about whom today's Gospel tells us, the personal encounter with Jesus is necessary."

The Holy Father said that the architecture of the parish encourages prayer around the place where the Eucharistic mystery is celebrated. "A community will be true and a Church authentic if it learns to grow in the school of the Eucharist and is nourished at the table of the Word and the Bread of Eternal Life. We must all learn to let ourselves be molded by the Eucharistic mystery. Thus, I think particularly of the International Eucharistic Congress which will be held in Rome June 18-25, 2000."

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CARDINAL CASSIDY TO TAKE PART IN MEETINGS IN ISRAEL AND GERMANY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 1999 (VIS) - Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Commission for Religious Relations with Jews, will take part in the forthcoming Fifth International Congress of Educating Cities, to be held in Jerusalem March 14-17, according to a communique from the commission. He will speak on "Taking Heritage and History into the Future."

The president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity will also, as he has done in previous years, participate this year in the meeting of the "Wissenschaftlicher Beirat des Johann-Adam-Mohler-Instituts" for ecumenism on March 18-19 in Paderborn, Germany. He will also meet for discussions with representatives of the Evangelical-Lutheran Regional Churches on the need to intensify relations with the Catholic Church."

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END OF DIOCESAN PROCESS FOR CANONIZATION OF PAUL VI

VATICAN CITY, MAR 15, 1999 (VIS) - On Thursday March 18 at 12 noon, the closing session of the diocesan process for the cause of beatification and canonization of Servant of God Giovanni Battista Montini, Pope Paul VI, will take place at the Lateran Apostolic Palace, in the presence of Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar of Rome. The opening session of the diocesan process took place on May 11, 1993.

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ENCOUNTER IN VATICAN ON PASTORAL MINISTRY FOR GYPSIES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 15, 1999 (VIS) - On Thursday March 18, in the headquarters of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, there will be a meeting of episcopal promoters and national directors of the pastoral ministry for Gypsies, according to a council communique released today.

Archbishops Stephen Fumio Hamao and Francesco Gioia, respectively council president and secretary, will preside over the sessions as moderators. During the course of the day participants will study the theme of a new evangelization in the world of Gypsies on the occasion of the Jubilee celebration in the year 2000. They will also discuss details relative to the planning and undertaking of a international pilgrimage of Gypsies in Rome, to be held within the framework of the Jubilee.

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APPEAL FOR PEACE IN INDONESIA

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 1999 (VIS) - In remarks following today's angelus, Pope John Paul appealed for peace in Indonesia, saying that "for months now the city of Ambon, capital of the archipelago of the Molucca Islands, has been the center of bloody conflict, which has shaken the traditional harmonious coexistence between Christians and Muslims. Serious ethnic and religious tension has been recorded in other parts of Indonesia.

"In the face of such worrisome phenomena, I urgently exhort all, and especially those who foster dissension, to abandon violence, which is the cause of countless suffering, and to find the paths of peace once again. I truly wish, moreover, to express comfort for victims and closeness to the entire Indonesian people, upon whom I invoke the Lord's blessing."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 15, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, S.J., archbishop of Milan, on his "ad limina" visit.
- Seven prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique on their "ad limina" visit:
- Cardinal Alexandre Jose Maria dos Santos O.F.M., archbishop of Maputo, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Adriano Langa, O.F.M.
- Archbishop Manuel Vieira Pinto of Nampula. - Archbishop Jaime Pedro Goncalves of Beira.
- Bishop Luis Gonzaga Ferreira da Silva S.J., of Lichinga.
- Bishop Alberto Setele of Inhambane.
- Bishop Bernardo Filipe Governo O.F.M. Cap., of Quelimane.
- A group of fifteen prelates from the Italian Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Giovanni Giudici, auxiliary of Milan.
- Bishop Angelo Mascheroni, auxiliary of Milan.
- Bishop Francesco Coccopalmerio, auxiliary of Milan.
- Bishop Marco Ferrari, auxiliary of Milan.
- Bishop Giuseppe Merisi, auxiliary of Milan.
- Bishop Giovanni Locatelli of Vigevano.
- Bishop Giulio Sanguineti of Brescia, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Vigilio Mario Olmi.
- Bishop Egidio Caporello of Mantova.
- Bishop Alessandro Maggiolini of Como.
- Bishop Giovanni Volta of Pavia.
- Bishop Giulio Nicolini of Cremona.
- Bishop Angelo Paravisi of Crema.
- Bishop Giacomo Capuzzi of Lodi.
- Bishop Roberto Amadei of Bergamo.

On Saturday March 13, he received:

- Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, archbishop of Genoa, Italy, on his "ad limina" visit.
- Archbishop Dominik Hrusovsky, apostolic nuncio in Belarus.
- Two prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Croatia on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Valter Zupan of Krk.
- Bishop Juraj Jezerinac, military ordinary for Croatia.
- A group of six prelates from the Italian Episcopal Conference (Liguria region) on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Alberto Tanasini, auxiliary of Genoa.
- Bishop Giacomo Barabini of Ventimiglia-San Remo.
- Bishop Martino Canessa of Tortona.
- Bishop Mario Oliveri of Albenga-Imperia.
- Bishop Dante Lafranconi of Savona-Noli.
- Bishop Alberto Maria Careggio of Chiavari.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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