VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 1999 (VIS) - During this Wednesday's general audience held in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope said that: "In deepening the inter-religious debate we reflect today upon the dialogue with Muslims who, with us, 'adore the one, merciful God'."
"We Christians recognize with joy the religious values that we share with Islam. ... The legacy of the revealed texts of the Bible speaks with one voice of the oneness of God. ... We know that, in the light of the full revelation in Christ, this mysterious oneness may not be reduced to a numerical unit. The Christian mystery causes us to contemplate the substantial unity of God in the persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."
John Paul II indicated that there exists "a significant connection between Christianity and Islam as concerns the unique divine substance. Nonetheless, this connection should not cause the differences between the two religions to be overlooked. ... Nor should it be forgotten that trinitarian monotheism, typical of Christianity, remains a mystery inaccessible to human reason."
The Pope concluded by saying that, "in today's world, tragically marked by a disregard of God," Christians and Muslims are called upon to promote human dignity. "Walking together along the path of reconciliation and renouncing, in humble submission to the divine will, all forms of violence as means for resolving conflict, the two religions can offer a sign of hope, causing wisdom and mercy to shine in the world of the one God who created and governs the family of mankind."
Among his greetings at the end of the audience, the Holy Father addressed a group of pilgrims in Romanian: "The day after tomorrow I am going to Romania. It is the first time I visit a country where the majority of Christians are Orthodox. To all of you I here and now send my greetings, happy to undertake a journey that seeks to confirm the links between Romania and the Holy See which have had such importance in the history of Christianity in the vast region. I come to you in the name of Christ at the threshold of the third millennium."
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Wednesday, May 5, 1999
35 SWISS GUARDS TO BE SWORN IN TOMORROW
VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 1999 (VIS) - Tomorrow afternoon 32 new Swiss Guard recruits, as well as the new commander, lieutenant colonel and captain, will be sworn in during a traditional ceremony that commemorates the heroic death of 147 Swiss soldiers who gave their lives in defense of Pope Clement VII on May 6, 1527.
This afternoon the new guards and their families will be received in audience by John Paul II. Tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States, will celebrate Mass with the Swiss Guards, their family and friends. Thereafter military decorations will be presented to various members of the guard during a ceremony that will take place in front of their barracks.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place at 5:00 p.m. in the Saint Damasus Courtyard in the presence of Vatican officials and members of the Italian and Swiss armed forces.
The Pontifical Swiss Guard, founded by Pope Julius II in 1506, is made up of 100 volunteers recruited from all the Swiss cantons to defend the person and the residence of the Pontiff. Apart from serving within the Vatican, a number of guards always accompany the Pope on his journeys. The corps includes four officers, 26 non-commissioned officers, 70 halberdiers and 1 chaplain.
In a communique published yesterday afternoon, Commander Pius Segmuller states: "The principal innovation (in the Corps) regards the centralized enrollment of and professional examinaton of candidates, with psychlogical clarifications where necessary. The commander's final decision regarding an enrollee will thus be based on objective criteria."
He announced that tomorrow, May 6, "three new directives will enter into force which should help the guards to have better command of the regulations currently in force. These regard service order, disciplinary order and rulings on qualifications and promotions."
...;OATH CEREMONY;...;SWISS GUARDS;VIS;19990505;Word: 320;
This afternoon the new guards and their families will be received in audience by John Paul II. Tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States, will celebrate Mass with the Swiss Guards, their family and friends. Thereafter military decorations will be presented to various members of the guard during a ceremony that will take place in front of their barracks.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place at 5:00 p.m. in the Saint Damasus Courtyard in the presence of Vatican officials and members of the Italian and Swiss armed forces.
The Pontifical Swiss Guard, founded by Pope Julius II in 1506, is made up of 100 volunteers recruited from all the Swiss cantons to defend the person and the residence of the Pontiff. Apart from serving within the Vatican, a number of guards always accompany the Pope on his journeys. The corps includes four officers, 26 non-commissioned officers, 70 halberdiers and 1 chaplain.
In a communique published yesterday afternoon, Commander Pius Segmuller states: "The principal innovation (in the Corps) regards the centralized enrollment of and professional examinaton of candidates, with psychlogical clarifications where necessary. The commander's final decision regarding an enrollee will thus be based on objective criteria."
He announced that tomorrow, May 6, "three new directives will enter into force which should help the guards to have better command of the regulations currently in force. These regard service order, disciplinary order and rulings on qualifications and promotions."
...;OATH CEREMONY;...;SWISS GUARDS;VIS;19990505;Word: 320;
PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS, ABOVE ALL THE RIGHT TO LIFE
VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 1999 (VIS) - At the conclusion of today's weekly general audience, the Pope stated that "in these days, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, an important meeting is taking place concerning the application of what was decided in the Cairo Conference (on Population and Development) of 1994."
"On that occasion," he continued, "the Holy See had reiterated insistently that human life be put at the center of any development program. This means that any solution to population problems must respect the dignity of each human being and, at the same time, promote their fundamental rights, above all the right to life. To this must be added the right to health and education involving the family in its irreplaceable role of promoter of human, spiritual and moral values."
The Holy Father concluded: "Five years after the International Conference on Population and Development, governments must renew the commitment they made there in order to assure true and lasting human development."
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"On that occasion," he continued, "the Holy See had reiterated insistently that human life be put at the center of any development program. This means that any solution to population problems must respect the dignity of each human being and, at the same time, promote their fundamental rights, above all the right to life. To this must be added the right to health and education involving the family in its irreplaceable role of promoter of human, spiritual and moral values."
The Holy Father concluded: "Five years after the International Conference on Population and Development, governments must renew the commitment they made there in order to assure true and lasting human development."
AG;HUMAN RIGHTS; LIFE;...;...;VIS;19990505;Word: 180;
GREETINGS TO ARMENIAN BISHOPS MEETING IN VATICAN
VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 1999 (VIS) - During today's general audience, the Pope greeted His Beatitude Jean-Pierre XVIII, patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, and the bishops of the Armenian Catholic Church who are holding a synod in the Vatican dedicated to important questions about the lives of their communities.
Wishing them "fruitful work sessions," John Paul II said in French: "The Church is grateful to your people for their faithful witness to Christ, and she rejoices in the celebration of the 17th centenary of evangelization. It is with courage, faith, enthusiasm and in prayer that you are called to a new apostolic elan. Your people await powerful words and concrete actions which confirm them."
He invoked the Holy Spirit to give "strength and courage to the Armenian Catholic community at this important turning point in its history."
AG;ARMENIAN CATHOLICS;...;JEAN-PIERRE XVIII;VIS;19990505;Word: 150;
Wishing them "fruitful work sessions," John Paul II said in French: "The Church is grateful to your people for their faithful witness to Christ, and she rejoices in the celebration of the 17th centenary of evangelization. It is with courage, faith, enthusiasm and in prayer that you are called to a new apostolic elan. Your people await powerful words and concrete actions which confirm them."
He invoked the Holy Spirit to give "strength and courage to the Armenian Catholic community at this important turning point in its history."
AG;ARMENIAN CATHOLICS;...;JEAN-PIERRE XVIII;VIS;19990505;Word: 150;
AUDIENCES
VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received Bishop Giuseppe Mani, military ordinary for Italy, on his "ad limina" visit.
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