CHURCH IN CAMEROON MARKED BY "BEAUTIFUL APOSTOLIC VITALITY"

VATICAN CITY, JUN 1, 1999 (VIS) - The bishops of Cameroon, at the conclusion of their "ad limina" visit, were welcomed today by the Holy Father, who spoke of the "beautiful apostolic vitality" of the church in their country, "marked by the creation of several new dioceses and a new ecclesiastical province."

"Christian communities today," said the Pope in French as he began his speech, "need pastors who are men of faith, humble and courageous, capable of discernment, possessing an attitude of welcome and dialogue with everyone, (all of which are) signs of the coming of the Kingdom of God and of working for its growth. In the often difficult human situations, marked notably by the economic crisis and the poverty of many categories of the population, they must be sowers of hope."

The Holy Father highlighted the teaching mission of bishops as well as the mission of priests, their closest collaborators, "to build and form the people of God. ... In society today there are numerous obstacles to being faithful to the commitments taken on the day of ordination: There are also numerous obstacles which prevent thinking of the priesthood as a service of God, the Church and the world. May your priests not get discouraged!"

He underscored the importance for priests "to give themselves totally to the Church. This gift of self must be particularly expressed by priests through celibacy." And he also stressed the need for on-going formation.

Regarding vocations, John Paul II said that what was "fundamentally important and necessary" in seminaries is "the human, intellectual and pastoral formation of candidates to the priesthood."
Turning to the role of religious in the Church, the Pope said: "Their presence makes visible the universality of the Church and is a call to the mutual sharing of human and spiritual resources among local Churches. He added that "it would be desirable that the contemplative life, already present in certain of your dioceses, could yet be more widespread."

"The commitment of the laity in the life of the Church and society is an essential dimension of their baptismal vocation," he went on. "The vocation of the laity is to show their being as Christians in social life and in the service of the common good."

Then, speaking English, the Holy Father spoke of education: "The education of young people should be a primary concern of everyone. ... As part of her mission the Church must make moral and religious education available to all who desire it. Catholic schools, therefore, have a special role to play. Despite the difficulties which they face in your country today, they are called to carry out this mission in a spirit of openness to all, regardless of origin, social status or religion."

The Holy Father pointed to the threats in society today "which tend to destroy (families and marriage) or to at least deform them. ... It is urgent to strengthen a catechesis which accentuates the greatness and dignity of conjugal love in God's plan."

He lauded the bishops for their "important efforts to inculturate the Christian faith, notably in the fields of liturgy and catechesis." Quoting the Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in Africa," he said: "The challenge of inculturation in Africa consists in ensuring that the followers of Christ will ever more fully assimilate the Gospel message, while remaining faithful to all authentic African values."

Pope John Paul dedicated closing remarks to inter-religious dialogue, noting that "in your country, relations with other religious traditions are generally peaceful." He said it would be "appropriate" to foster, "especially with the believers of Islam, a truly fraternal and respectful spirit which allows them to work together in service to integral development and to justice. May this same convivial spirit also animate relations with those of the traditional African religion."

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ROSARY AND LITURGY OF THE WORD CONCLUDE MONTH OF MAY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 1, 1999 (VIS) - At the end of last evening's candlelight procession and the recitation of the rosary, which takes place every May 31 in the Vatican Gardens, and concludes the month dedicated to Mary, the Pope addressed the faithful present, recalling that May "was dedicated in a special way this year to prayer for peace."

He also recalled that May 31 is the feast of the Visitation. "Let us look at (Mary), praying in front of this Grotto, which evokes Lourdes and so many other places where there has been a special 'visitation' by Our Lady in history. In Mary's visitation we can see the paternal solicitude of the Father, who does not abandon his people, rather he takes care of the smallest and of the excluded."

The procession and rosary started at 8 p.m. at the church of St. Stephen of the Abyssinians and concluded at the Grotto of Lourdes, where the Liturgy of the Word was celebrated.

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POPE JOHN PAUL'S MONTHLY PRAYER INTENTIONS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 1, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul's general prayer intention for the month of June is: "That in this year dedicated to God the Father there be an increase in the desire and the commitment to overcome division and to be reconciled with God and with our brothers and sisters."

His missionary intention: "That the Church in Macao intensify its missionary service to the Chinese people."

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DOCUMENT PRESENTED: "TOWARDS A PASTORAL APPROACH TO CULTURE"

VATICAN CITY, JUN 1, 1999 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office today, Cardinal Paul Poupard and Fr. Bernard Ardura O. Praem., respectively president and secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, presented the document "Towards a Pastoral Approach to Culture." Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, S.J., archbishop of Milan and member of the council, also participated.

Cardinal Poupard indicated that the document is based on the conviction that "the need for the evangelization of cultures and for the inculturation of the message of the faith is strongly felt today." The text responds to the "numerous requests from bishops coming from various parts of the world. It is the fruit of a collegial effort between bishops and people of culture involved in various fields: scientific, educational, anthropological, theological and artistic."

The document, 80 pages in length, comprises an introduction, three chapters and a conclusion. It has been published in French, English and Italian. It carries the signatures of the president and the secretary of the council and is dated May 23, Solemnity of Pentecost.

As Cardinal Poupard explained, the first part presents "the guidelines of the relationship between faith and culture, starting from the Bible; ... The second part (presents) ... an analysis of the challenges and reference points for a pastoral approach to culture; between the traditional cultural areas of the family, education, philosophy and art and the new 'areopagus' of science and the social communications media, between cultural diversity and religious plurality." The third part "offers a series of concrete proposals, ... for an appropriate pastoral approach to culture; from popular piety to cultural heritage, from the parish to centers of theological formation, from Catholic cultural centers to the press, publishing houses, radio, television and the Internet."

For his part, Fr. Ardura indicated that the document "is the result of five years of work," in which consultors and members of the dicastery as well as of several cultural commissions from the various episcopal conferences have participated.

The text was approved at the 1997 plenary assembly and "has benefited from contributions made by the various dicasteries of the Roman Curia, especially the Congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith and for Catholic Education, the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church."

The secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture declared that this pastoral document is aimed above all at bishops, but also at priests, religious and lay persons, "who are committed to announcing the Gospel." The principal objective is to "sensitize (people) to the importance that culture has in announcing the Gospel, promoting renewed commitment and encouraging Churches who have already begun a pastoral approach to culture of this type."

Cardinal Martini indicated that the document "is a good synthesis of what has been said on the relationship between faith and culture since Vatican Council II and, especially, during the magisterium of John Paul II. It helps to identify the large variety of fields in which a pastoral approach to culture may be practiced."

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TODAY'S CHALLENGES REQUIRE A RENEWED ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE GOSPEL

VATICAN CITY, JUN 1, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a message from the Pope to Agostino Superbo, the general assistant for Italian Catholic Action, on the occasion of the seventh national assembly of the Ecclesial Movement of Cultural Commitment, which took place in Assisi, Italy May 28-30.

In the message, which is dated May 27, John Paul II writes that "the unrelenting acceleration of the rhythms of history, the crisis of cultures, the challenges presented by a number of schools of thought and by a mentality that pays ever less attention to Christian anthropology, require a renewed announcement of the Gospel."

"The new evangelization, an urgent task for the modern Church, requires that the Ecclesial Movement protect culture, in order that (this culture) be invigorated in the ferment of the Gospel, by means of respect for intelligence and competence in the search for truth."

The Holy Father writes that "the aims and the identity of the Ecclesial Movement will find their greatest guarantee of authenticity in a style of life rooted in the Gospel and experienced in scientific research and the service of our brothers and sisters. They will also find the capacity to treasure the past in order to open themselves courageously to the future.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 1, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Kenge, Democratic Republic of the Congo, presented by Bishop Dieudonne M'Sanda Tsinda-Hata, in conformity with canon 402 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Gaspard Mudiso, S.V.D., coadjutor of the same diocese.

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