POPE STRESSES UNITY, ECUMENISM, RESTORATION OF CHURCH GOODS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 1999 (VIS) - In the early afternoon the Pope arrived at the apostolic nunciature in Bucharest where he held a meeting with the members of the Romanian Episcopal Conference, who were joined by the cardinals and bishops travelling with the Holy Father.

The episcopal conference, whose statutes were approved in 1993, has 17 members: nine of the Latin rite, seven of the Greek-Catholic rite and one of the Armenian rite.

The nunciature, which had been closed in 1950 by the Communist authorities and had fallen into disrepair, was renovated following the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Romania in 1990. The newly-restored nunciature was inaugurated on November 5, 1992.

In his address to the prelates, John Paul II had warm greetings for the priests, religious, deacons and lay faithful of the Catholic Church in Romania and for their "enthusiasm and dedication to the cause of the Kingdom of God."

"Be the image of Christ for your faithful," he said, "above all as builders of communion. In this year of the Father we must feel ever more strongly Christ's longing for unity. ... The bishop is the guarantor of communion and his paternal role must be to help the community to grow as a family." Here the Pope stressed the various "forms and exigencies" of communion: Between bishops and other bishops, "in particular with the Bishop of Rome, Successor of Peter," and among bishops, priests, religious and the laity. He also highlighted the importance of such communion "when, as in Romania's case, the Church's tradition is expressed in different rites."

Essential to this unity, the Pope affirmed, are the formation of seminarians, the ongoing training of priests and the education of the religious as well as of the laity. "May seminarians," he said, "be the apples of your eyes." He lauded Romania's numerous vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life.

He underlined the urgent need for a well-trained laity, "especially in those countries which have come through the communist experience. ... The irreplaceable duty of the laity is to bring the Gospel to those areas of social, economic and political life where the clergy do not normally operate."

John Paul II then spoke of the events of 1989, which led to the return of democracy to Romania and to greater freedom for the Catholic Church to "freely undertake its pastoral activity." He remarked that the Church had owned many schools before World War II, and stated: "With the confiscation of goods, this important ecclesial work was missing. While I recognize that it would be difficult to return to the pre-existing situation, it would be a duty in justice to give back the schools and other confiscated patrimony, thus allowing the Church to also undertake her educational mission."

On the question of the restitution of goods, "above all for the Catholic Church of Romanian-Byzantine rite," he said: "Obviously justice demands that what has been taken away should be, as far as possible, given back." He said this need not take place simultaneously but should include that patrimony important for the liturgy, such as cathedrals and diaconial churches.

Pope John Paul then turned to the ecumenical commitment, saying that "we must all work .... on the dialogue, both theological and operational, with other Churches and Christian communities. ... I hope that in Romania too, ecumenical initiatives can be organized with our Orthodox brothers and other Christian communities on the occasion of the Jubilee year."

Closing remarks focussed on the Catholic Church's commitment to dedicate special attention to the family, to "inculcating respect for the life of every person, from the moment of conception up to natural death," and to providing "concrete and generous attention ... towards the poorest and most marginalized."

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MAY THE UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN CHRISTIANS PROMOTE UNITY

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 1999 (VIS) - Following the welcome ceremony at Baneasa Airport, the Pope travelled by car to Bucharest's Orthodox patriarchal cathedral for a brief visit and a moment of prayer. Thereafter he went to the residence of Patriarch Teoctist where, before entering, the Holy Father and His Beatitude greeted those present.

The Pope said: "Thanks to the Christian faith, this country ... has become, over the centuries, a bridge between the Latin and Orthodox worlds, between Hellenic civilization and the Slavic peoples."

The faith of the Romanian people is clearly represented in the designs of numerous church facades, the Pope continued: "The Romanians too, during tragic historical circumstances both in the past and more recently, have valiantly preserved the gift of Christian faith, resisting both violent persecutions and insidious propositions for a life without God."

John Paul II made clear his desire that "a greater understanding between those who honor themselves with the name of Christian - Orthodox, Catholics of different rites and Protestants of the various denominations - be the stimulus to unity and harmony, both in your own country and within the continent of Europe."

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POPE'S FIRST TRIP TO COUNTRY WITH ORTHODOX MAJORITY

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II departed at 9 a.m. this morning from Rome's Fiumicino Airport, and landed at Baneasa Airport in Bucharest, Romania at 12 noon local time (11 a.m. in Rome), thus beginning his 86th papal trip outside Italy.

Following the welcome and the speeches by Romania's President Emil Costantinescu and by His Beatitude Teoctist, patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Pope thanked them for the invitation to visit their country: "This is the first time that divine Providence has offered me the opportunity to make an apostolic trip to a country with an Orthodox majority."

The Holy Father added: "I trust that my visit may help to heal the wounds inflicted on relations between our Churches during the last 50 years and to open a new era of reciprocal collaboration."

The Pope underlined that the intention of his journey was "to confirm those links between Romania and the Holy See which have had such importance for the history of Christianity in the region."

"During this century that now draws to a close, your country has experienced the horrors of repressive totalitarian rule. ... The Communist regime repressed the Church of Romanian-Byzantine rite united to Rome and persecuted bishops and priests, religious and laity, many of whom paid their fidelity to Christ with their blood." The Pope paid homage to Cardinal Alexandru Todea, archbishop emeritus of Fagaras and Alba Julia, who spent 16 years in jail and 27 years under house arrest and who "continues to faithfully serve the Church," as well as to the members of other Churches and religious communities who also suffered persecution.

The Pope concluded: "In order to close the wounds of a recent past that is both harsh and painful, patience and wisdom as well as a spirit of initiative and of honesty are all required. This wearisome but exalted task, falls to all, above all it is a challenge for you, the beloved youth, who are the future of this generous people."

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PAPAL MESSAGE FOR 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 1999 (VIS) - Made public early this afternoon was Pope John Paul's Message for the 50th anniversary of the Council of Europe, whose Charter was signed in London on May 5, 1949, making it "the oldest among European institutions" and "the first to be devoted to forging a new unity among the peoples of the Continent."

Dated May 5 and written in English, the message was addressed to those attending the May 6-7 anniversary celebrations in Budapest. Msgrs. Celestino Migliore, under-secretary for Relations with States, and Michael Courtney, Holy See special envoy to the Council of Europe, formed the Holy See delegation.

The focus of the Pope's message was Europe's need "to rediscover and become conscious of the common values which shaped its identity and form part of its historic memory."

Recalling his 1988 visit to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the Holy Father reiterated his "tribute to the perceptive vision of the founding fathers of the European movement, who succeeded in surpassing national borders, old rivalries and historical animosities in order to launch a new political project ... (of building) 'a common home', cemented by the indispensable values of forgiveness, peace, justice, cooperation, hope and brotherhood."

Pope John Paul said he hoped that the causes of political divisions might be removed and that "the religious divisions in the European family might also be overcome."

Concerning the crisis in the Balkans, he wrote: "I urge you not to lose hope but to continue your praiseworthy efforts to help to bring an end to the violation of fundamental human rights and to the trampling of human dignity."

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