POPE TALKS ON PEACE IN BALKANS, THE BATTLE OF MONTECASSINO

VATICAN CITY, MAY 19, 1999 (VIS) - During remarks to English-speaking visitors following the summary in their language of today's general audience catechesis, the Pope greeted the NATO Defense College, saying he was "always pleased to do so, ... recognizing your Organization's role in the service of peace.

"Today, unfortunately," he added, "the Balkans are without peace and we are daily witnesses of the great suffering of so many of our brothers and sisters. I urge you to keep clearly before your eyes the need for everyone to work to ensure that dialogue and negotiation will succeed in bringing an end to violence in the area."

Thereafter in Polish, he addressed a group of his compatriots, who had come from the Polish diaspora as well as from Poland itself, to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the "memorable battle of Montecassino," where the Allies, including a group from Poland, had combatted German forces.

John Paul II indicated that "the battle of Montecassino remains permanently etched in the history of Poland and Europe. It demonstrated how great is the value of love for the motherland and the desire to regain independence lost."

"In offering their lives and paying the price in blood, our countrymen laid the roots of a new Europe, one faithful to Christian tradition, aware of its spiritual roots and more united. They also laid the foundations of a new Poland. May the recollection of this battle endure incessantly, both for today's generations and those of the future. For us, this battle represents a great challenge in the formation of social life in the new reality."

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GENERAL AUDIENCE: DIALOGUE WITH THE GREAT WORLD RELIGIONS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 19, 1999 (VIS) - In today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square, the Pope spoke on "dialogue with the great world religions."

John Paul II indicated that "the universal paternity of God, made manifest in Jesus Christ, is the stimulus to dialogue with other religions. ... At the basis of the Church's encounter with world religions lies the recognition of their specific character, in other words, the manner in which they approach the mystery of God, the Saviour." This dialogue presupposes that man, "created in God's image, is also the privileged 'place' of his salvational presence."

"The dialogue between Christianity and other religions has a number of forms and levels, starting with the dialogue of life," which is an opening to and an acceptance for all people. The dialogue of actions takes place through "the teaching of peace and of respect for the environment, solidarity with a suffering world, the promotion of social justice and the full development of peoples."

The Holy Father added that theological dialogue permits a deepening of "understanding of the different religious heritages and an appreciation of spiritual values. However, the meeting of specialists in the various religions must not be limited to the search for a lowest common denominator." Rather, they must "render a courageous service to the truth."

The dialogue of religious experience, he said, calls believers to contemplation in order to "penetrate more deeply into the mystery of God."

The Pope concluded the catechism by affirming that "mysticism must never be evoked in order to favor religious relativism or in name of an experience that reduces the value of God's revelation in history."

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JOHN PAUL II TO MAKE PASTORAL VISITS TO ARMENIA AND ANCONA

VATICAN CITY, MAY 19, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II will undertake a pastoral visit to Armenia from July 2 to 4. He will leave from Fiumicino Airport, Rome on July 2 at 10 a.m. and return to the Italian capital on July 4 at 10:15 p.m.

During his first apostolic trip to Armenia he will visit the cities of Yerevan, Etchmiadzin, Khor Virab, Ashotsk and Gyumri.

Among other things, the Pope will make a courtesy visit to the president of the republic, pray at the monument to the Armenian genocide and participate in an ecumenical encounter in the apostolic cathedral of Etchmiadzin. Furthermore, he will celebrate Mass in the Armenian rite on the esplanade of the "Redemptoris Mater" Hospital of Ashotsk.

Before saying farewell to His Holiness Catholicos Karekin I of all Armenians, the Holy Father will hold an ecumenical prayer service in memory of the victims of the 1988 earthquake, in the apostolic cathedral of the Holy Virgin of the Seven Wounds (Yota Verk) of Gyumri.

Also made public today was the itinerary for the Pope's pastoral visit to Ancona, Italy on Sunday, May 30. The Holy Father will celebrate Mass at 10 a.m. in Conero Stadium, where he will also recite the angelus. In the afternoon he is scheduled to have a meeting with the clergy, religious and representatives of the laity involved in diocesan pastoral ministries. Before returning to the Vatican by helicopter, he will greet the patients at the city's regional hospital.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 19, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Accepted the resignation of Bishop Urbano Jose Allgayer from the pastoral care of the diocese of Passo Fundo, Brazil, upon his having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Pedro Ercilio Simon.

- Appointed Fr. Guilherme Antonio Werlang, M.S.F. as bishop of Ipameri (area 22,947, population 251,492, Catholics 206,350, priests, 14, religious 58), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Sao Carlos, Brazil in 1950, was ordained a priest in 1979 and since 1991 has been pastor of "Nossa Senhora do Rosario."

- Appointed as members of the Committee of the Presidency of the Pontifical Council for the Family: Cardinals Ricardo J. Vidal, archbishop of Cebu, Philippines and Bernard Francis Law, archbishop of Boston, USA; Archbishops Marian Jaworski of Lviv of the Latins, Ukraine; Carlo Caffarra of Ferrara-Comacchio, Italy; Nicholas Cheong Jin-Suk of Seoul, Korea; Bishops Bechara Rai of Jbeil Byblos of the Maronites, Lebanon and Youssef Ibrahim Sarraf of Cairo of the Chaldeans, Egypt.

- Appointed as members of the Pontifical Council for the Family: Aurelio and Gloria Cadavid, Colombia; Leonardo and Martha Lorena Casco of the Pro-Life Committee of Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Jerry and Gwen Coniker of the Apostolate for Family Consacration, Bloomingdale, USA; Giovanni and Annamaria Stirati of the Neo-Catechumen Communities, Rome, Italy.

- Appointed as consultors of the Pontifical Council for the Family: Bishop Angelo Scola, emeritus of Grosseto and rector of the Pontifical Lateran University; Fr. Abelardo Lobato O.P., dean of the Faculty of Theology of Lugano, Switzerland; Maria Teresa Da Costa Macedo, Lisbon, Portugal; Prof. Francesco D'Agostino, Rome, Italy; Marina Fara, director of the "Bunavestire" center, Bucharest, Romania; Dr. David F. Forte, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, USA; Alberto and Anna Friso of the New Families section of the Focolare Movement, Grottaferrata, Italy; Prof. Mary Ann Glendon, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, USA; Lydia Jimenez, Director of the Institute for the Family, Madrid, Spain; Dr. Janne Haaland Matlary, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Oslo, Norway; Prof. Alicia Romo Roman, rector of Gabriela Mistral University, Santiago, Chile; Prof. Ina Siviglia, lecturer in theological anthropology, Palermo, Italy.

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AUDIENCE

VATICAN CITY, MAY 19, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Archbishop Francisco-Javier Lozano, apostolic nuncio in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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VATICAN NEWSPAPER ON "RWANDAN GENOCIDE: THE FINAL ACT"

VATICAN CITY, MAY 19, 1999 (VIS) - Made public yesterday afternoon by the Holy See Press Office was an article which appears in today's edition of the Vatican newspaper, "L'Osservatore Romano," and which is entitled "Rwandan Genocide: The Final Act."

The article highlights the April 14 arrest of Bishop Augustin Misago of Gikongoro, as well as of other prelates, priests and religious, and defends them from the accusations that they took part in the 1994 massacre in Rwanda or, at least did nothing to help the victims.

"In Rwanda," starts the article, "a real and true defamatory campaign is underway against the Catholic Church to make it appear responsible for the genocide of the ethnic Tutsis, which so devastated the country in 1994. The first public victim of this campaign was Bishop Augustin Misago, bishop of Gikongoro since 1992. ... He has been accused of having participated in the killing of 150,000 Tutsis in his diocese and, in particular, has been charged with the killing of 30 female students who allegedly asked for his protection."

The article goes on to point out that Bishop Misago's arrest, and those of other prelates, followed a "harsh" and "denigratory" campaign by the "pro-government media." "And yet," it adds, "among the victims of this genocide were 3 bishops, 123 priests and more than 300 Sisters."

"What is clear," states the article, "is the intention of linking, in the minds of Rwandan citizens, the two words 'genocide-Church'. The Holy See has already expressed its opposition to this pretext, noting that churches are places of worship and reconciliation for all communities (Tutsi and Hutu) and may not be controlled as tombs by one part of the populace."

It is also notes that "the (Rwandan) population is polarized on the 1994 genocide. In reality, it must continually be pointed out that there was a double genocide in Rwanda: that of the Tutsis (and several moderate Hutus) ... and that of the Hutus."

The piece concludes with observations on "unilateral justice" in Rwanda: "The unilateral way in which (justice) works risks increasing not only the divisions, but also the country's destruction. If ethnic polarization grows, after decades of ideological polarization, not only Rwanda but all of Africa risks being destroyed. Rather, the Africans (risk being destroyed). Because the continent, its riches, its raw materials, are all exploited by others, while the African peoples lose time and lives making war with arms furnished by the big powers and by people whose interests are extremely far from those of Africa."

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, MAY 19, 1999 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Bishop Joel Ivo Catapan S.V.D., on May 1 at the age of 71.
- Bishop Antanas Deksnys on May 5 at the age of 67.
- Bishop Joseph Gray, emeritus of Shrewsbury, on May 7 at the age of 79.
- Bishop Angelico Melotto Mazzardo O.F.M., emeritus of Solola, on May 11 at the age of 88.
- Archbishop Tarcisius Resto Phanrang S.D.B., of Shillong on May 5 at the age of 69. - Archbishop Jerzy Stroba, emeritus of Poznan, on May 12 at the age of 79.

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