PAPAL LETTER TO PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW, ALEXIS II

VATICAN CITY, APR 21, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter written on April 18 by Pope John Paul to His Holiness Alexis II, Patriarch of Moscow and of all the Russias, on the occasion of the Orthodox patriarch's trip to Belgrade as the head of a delegation seeking to mediate a peaceful solution to the Yugoslav conflict. The delegation arrived yesterday morning in Belgrade, and departed last evening.

In the French-language Letter, of which we offer excerpts, the Holy Father affirms that in this region of the Balkans "an armed conflict is underway which is causing immense human suffering," that he has received "extremely worrisome testimonies concerning the situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" and that he personally "is deeply troubled in this regard."

John Paul II writes: "I am thus comforted to learn that Your Holiness will visit the venerable Patriarch Pavle and the Serbian Church, proclaiming the Easter message of peace and expressing Christian solidarity with all the victims of the persecutions and violence which have unfortunately marked this region for so long now. It is my firm hope that those whom you will meet will welcome the message which you bring, recognizing in it the only way to reestablish peace and stability, so that all people, whatever their ethnic, religious or political origin, can live in peace with others.

"It is the duty of all who profess the Gospel of Peace to unanimously proclaim that all violence, ethnic cleansing, deportation of peoples and the exclusion of peoples from society, cannot be considered as a means to obtain civilized solutions to problems which can only be resolved by lawful procedures. Too often, violence seems to be the easiest formula to resolve difficult situations."

The Pope ends the message, asking that "the Risen Lord bless all those who have been deprived of the most basic goods, and allow peace to reign in this beloved land which has suffered for too long. May your visit be fruitful and help us to be bearers of consolation in the face of such a human tragedy!"

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POPE EXHORTS PEACE IN COLOMBIA, KOSOVO AND AFRICAN NATIONS

VATICAN CITY, APR 21, 1999 (VIS) - During today's general audience, Pope John Paul made a plea for peace in Colombia and for the freedom of several persons kidnappped there, and called for an end to "the forgotten wars" which are being waged in several African nations.

Speaking Spanish, he said: "I have followed with attention the news concerning the fate of a group of persons who were kidnapped last April 12 as they travelled by plane from Bucaramanga to Bogota, several of whom are still being held against their will in northern Colombia. I wish to appeal strongly to the kidnappers to end their unjust action towards these persons, whose rights have been gravely violated, and to free them. In this way the process of reconciliation would be strengthened, a process to which this entire beloved nation is committed, and for whose result I constantly pray to the God of peace."

The Holy Father then stated that "beyond the continuing drama in Kosovo, today I wish to recall the many 'forgotten wars' which are bloodying Africa. From Angola to the Great Lakes, from Congo-Brazzaville to Sierra Leone, from Guinea Bissau to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from the Horn of Africa to Sudan, is a long and bitter succession of conflicts in and among States which strike, above all, innocent populations and upset the lives of Catholic communities. The news of the arrest of Bishop Augustin Misago of Gikongoro, in Rwanda, has caused sadness and grief."

May the voice of the Risen Christ, the Pope said in conclusion, "make itself heard by those who tenaciously resist welcoming His message of life! May He enlighten the blindness of those who persist in taking the tortuous paths of hatred and violence, convincing them to definitively choose a sincere and patient dialogue which leads to beneficial solutions for everyone!"

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WITNESSING TO GOD THE FATHER IN INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

VATICAN CITY, APR 21, 1999 (VIS) - "Witnessing to God the Father in Dialogue with Followers of Other Religions" was the theme of John Paul II's catechesis during today's general audience in St. Peter's Square, in the presence of 25,000 pilgrims.

The Pope explained that with the Declaration "Nostra aetate" and in view of the Great Jubilee, we can reflect on "how we can witness to God the Father in dialogue with followers of other religions."

"If the Lord God of Israel is not a God among others, but is rather the One true God, He must then save all peoples. ... The conviction that God is preparing all people for salvation is the foundation of inter-religious dialogue."

The Holy Father highlighted that dialogue should not be in contrast with the proclamation (of our faith). "In reality, inter-religious dialogue is an integral part of the Church's evangelizing mission. ... However, in inter-religious dialogue it is not a question of abandoning the proclamation (of the faith), but rather of answering a divine call so that exchange and discussion lead to a mutual witness of one another's religious vision, to a deeper knowledge of one another's respective convictions and an understanding of certain fundamental values."

"Christianity," he concluded, "is the call to respect the deepest sense of the divine mystery, beyond all words and human concepts. However, it does not hesitate to witness to the personal transcendence of God, whilst it proclaims his universal loving fatherhood, which is fully manifest in the mystery of His crucified and risen Son."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 21, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Andre Vingt-Trois, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Paris, as metropolitan archbishop of Tours (area 6,158, population 545,500, Catholics 461,400, priests 182, religious 572), France. The archbishop-elect was born in Paris, France, in 1942, was ordained a priest in 1969, and since 1988 has been auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Paris.

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HOLY FATHER'S FIRST MEETING WITH VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATIONS

VATICAN CITY, APR 21, 1999 (VIS) - Today in the Holy See Press Office, Msgr. Francesco Azcona, under-secretary for the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," presented the program of the Pope's May 16 meeting with volunteers and members of associations who work in the sectors of social and charity work. The heads of thirteen of these organizations also attended the presentation.

Msgr. Azcona said that the Holy Father will preside at a solemn Mass in St. Peter's Square, where "people who have lived very different experiences and situations" will take part for the first time. Before Mass, a group of volunteers from Rwanda, Northern Ireland and the Holy Land will give witness to their experiences.

"Volunteer work," explained Cor Unum's under-secretary, "is an emerging sector of society: it covers various areas, from aid in hospitals to formation, and involves a growing number of people."

The meeting, whose theme is "Witnesses of Charity with the Pope," will be preceded by the World Meeting on Charity, which will be held in Rome from May 12 to 15.

Following Msgr. Azcona, there was an intervention by Gianpietro Cavazza, coordinator of the working group which drafted the document "Many Forms of Poverty, A Single Response: Points for Reflecting on Charity, Volunteerism and Service to People."

The aim of the six-page document is "to offer a break for reflection on the virtue of charity in relation to the mission of the Church," said Cavazza. It was drawn up by various volunteer associations from a number of countries in preparation for the May 16 meeting.

"The key to reading it," concluded Cavazza, "is the following: Christian charity, which has its origin and fulfillment in Christ, goes beyond doing good and providing assistance. ... The person can only become mature and truly fulfill themselves when there is someone who loves them. ... Charity overcomes the legalistic concept of justice: if this (justice) gives each person what is due to them, then charity does likewise. The time spent at the service of one's neighbor is the reference point for which the rest of the time will be spent, on how to use what we possess (culture, money, goods) and causes a change in relationships with family, friends and work."

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TELEGRAM FOR THE KILLING OF STUDENTS IN DENVER

VATICAN CITY, APR 21, 1999 (VIS) - Following is the text of the telegram sent by Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, in the Pope's name, to Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver (U.S.A.), for the killing yesterday of 25 students in one of the city's schools:

"His Holiness Pope John Paul II has been deeply shocked by news of the terrible tragedy which has caused many deaths and injuries at a school near Denver and he asks you to convey to the families and school community the assurance of his prayerful closeness at this very difficult time. He commends the victims to Almighty God and invokes divine strength and comfort on the injured and on all affected by this awful event. He expresses the earnest hope that American society as a whole will react to this latest act of violence among the young by committing itself to promoting and transmitting the moral vision and the values which alone can ensure respect for the inviolable dignity of human life."

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