ECUMENICAL LITURGY: WE ARE CALLED TO BUILD UNITY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 10, 1999 (VIS) - This afternoon John Paul II travelled from Siedlce to Drohiczyn in eastern Poland where, at 5:45, he presided at an ecumenical celebration of the Word in which faithful from the Orthodox, Lutheran and other non-Catholic ecclesial communities in Poland participated.

The Pope said in his address: "Faith tells us that the unity of the Church is not only a hope for the future; in some measure unity already exists! It has not yet attained fully visible form among Christians. ... We are therefore called to build unity. The unity found at the beginning of the Church's life can never lose its essential value. We must note sadly, however, that this original unity has been seriously impaired through the centuries, and especially in the last millennium."

"We must all," the Holy Father exhorted, "examine our consciences regarding responsibility for the present divisions. We must admit the faults committed and pardon each other in turn."

Love "enables us to overcome the barriers of our own weaknesses and prejudices. ... On the eve of the third millennium, we must move more quickly towards full and fraternal reconciliation, so that in the next millennium with joined hands we can witness to salvation before a world which eagerly awaits this sign of unity."

The Pope went on: "Today I turn to our brothers and sisters of all Churches: Let us be open to the reconciling love of God. Let us open the doors of our minds and hearts, of the Churches and communities. ... Let us offer to our heavenly Father, to the Father of all Christians, the gift of a sincere desire for reconciliation, expressed in concrete actions."

John Paul II concluded by saying: "Only prayer can bring about a true 'metanoia' of heart. Prayer in fact has the power to unite all the baptized in the brotherhood of the children of God. ... I therefore urge all gathered here to pray fervently for full communion among our Churches. To move further along the path towards unity will demand our effort, kindness to each other, openness and a true experience of brotherhood in Christ."

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Pope travelled by helicopter to Warsaw where he spent the night at the apostolic nunciature. This is his fifth visit to the capital during his pontificate - the previous occasions being 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1991.

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TO GREEK-CATHOLICS: GUARD YOUR TRADITION

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 1999 (VIS) - Today at midday in Warsaw, the Pope visited the church of the Basilian Fathers, Greek-Catholics of the Byzantine rite, and entreated them to preserve their tradition, faithful to the witness of their forebears.

Before the papal speech, a Moleben - a paraliturgy of the Ukrainian Byzantine rite - was celebrated to honor the martyrs of Pratulin who died in 1874 and were beatified by John Paul II in 1996.

The Pope indicated that he visited the church for the first time "as Pope in 1979, but those times were different and the meeting could not be announced beforehand. ... The large presence today of the hierarchy, clergy and representatives of religious communities and the lay faithful bears witness that you, once more, are able to profess your faith freely and give praise to the one Triune God."

"With great veneration we also remember the large numbers of our contemporary 'martyrs and confessors of the faith of the Church in Ukraine. ... Christians in Europe and throughout the world, pausing in prayer before the concentration camps and prisons, should be grateful for the light which they gave: It was the light of Christ, which they caused to shine in the darkness. For long years the darkness seemed in the eyes of the world to prevail, but it was not able to extinguish that light'."

Addressing his remarks particularly to the Fathers and Brothers of the Basilian order of Saint Josaphat, he recalled that Saint Basil "showed to all those who wished to give themselves completely to God, the way of monastic life." Quoting the famous hymn dedicated to the Patriarch, the Holy Father urged them to "rejoice" for those who "confirmed their fidelity to the Church in the course of the ages, courageously enduring persecutions, suffering and even death."

The Pope spoke to the religious of the need for prayer: "The world needs your prayer, especially those who are searching for meaning in life or for inner healing. ... To you belongs the serious duty of faithfully observing your liturgical traditions. ... This ancient tradition should be faithfully observed by you and handed on to the future generations of religious."

In continuation, the Holy Father dealt with the subject of the unity of the Church, underlining the merits of the Basilian Order in this respect. In recalling the "eminent figure" of Saint Josaphat Kuncewicz, bishop and martyr, who gave his life for the cause of unity, he said: "Unity can be achieved only with the assistance of divine grace."

"Zealously guard your tradition as a unique spiritual patrimony. ... Remember the great witness of fidelity to Christ, to the Church and to the Successor of Peter borne by your confreres. They preferred to lose their lives rather than be separated from the Apostolic See. Their sufferings and martyrdom are an inexhaustible source of grace for your Church now and for the future."

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POPE JOHN PAUL'S FIRST EVER ADDRESS TO A NATIONAL PARLIAMENT

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 1999 (VIS) - For the first time ever in his pontificate, Pope John Paul this morning addressed a national parliament, when he spoke to a joint session of Poland's 560-member parliament, whose two chambers are the Sejm (House of Representatives) and the Senate. In the past he has addressed the United Nations and the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Before going to the Sejm, the Pope went to the presidential palace in Warsaw where he paid a courtesy visit to Poland's President Aleksander Kwasniewski, elected to a five-year term in November 1995. This is the fourth time that the two have met. On his way to parliament, the Pope stopped to bless an army monument dedicated to those who died in World War II.

In Parliament, the Holy Father began his talk by thanking "Divine Providence" and "the Lord of History for the changes that have taken place in Poland (in the last 20 years), for the witness of dignity and spiritual strength of all those who, in those difficult days, were one in their concern for human rights, in their sense that the life of our nation could be better, could be more human."

"I know," affirmed the Pope, "that after many years without national sovereignty or genuine public life, it is not easy to build a new democratic and institutional order." He expressed "joy" at being "in the place where, through the formulation of laws, the enduring bases for the functioning of a democratic state, and a sovereign society within it, are established."

Remarking that laws must always be guided by the principles of the dignity of the person and human rights, he added: "The preamble of the Concordat between the Apostolic See and the Republic of Poland speaks very clearly of this: 'The development of a free and democratic society is based upon respect for the dignity of the human person and upon human rights'."

"Through the post-war period under the sway of a totalitarian system, the Church in Poland often acted in defense of the rights of man and of the nation; and still now, when democracy prevails, the Church seeks to help in setting upon solid ethical foundations the life of society and, as part of it, the legal system which regulates it. ... If the need arises (there must be) a warning against the dangers that can come from reductive visions of the essence and calling of man and of his dignity."

The Pope pointed out the need for "responsible use ... of the gift of freedom regained and upon the need to work together for the common good.

"We are all aware," he underscored, "that this meeting today in the Parliament would not have been possible had there not been the resolute protest of Polish workers on the Baltic coast in the unforgettable August of 1980. It would not have been possible without Solidarnosc, which chose the way of peaceful struggle for the rights of man and the nation. Solidarnosc also adopted the principle - how universally accepted then! - that 'there is no freedom without solidarity'."

"We cannot forget those events," affirmed John Paul II. "The memory of the moral lessons of Solidarnosc ... should today have greater influence upon the quality of the communal life of Poland, the way of being involved in politics or the manner of pursuing any public activity. ... Service of the nation must be directed to the common good." And this, he added, "is the task of all citizens. .. The exercise of political authority ... ought to be a generous service to man and to society, not a pursuit of gain by individuals or groups, disregarding the common good of the nation as a whole." Such an attitude, he stressed, is expected especially of Catholic lay people, in all spheres of life.

"A political community," he stated, "cannot be seen as independent of ethical principles," or we run the risk "that the fundamental rights of the human person will be denied. ... This is the risk of an alliance between democracy and ethical relativism, which would remove any sure moral reference point from political and social life, and on a deeper level make the acknowledgement of truth impossible."

He urged everyone involved in political life "to build a State which cares particularly for the family, for human life, for the education of the young, which respects the right to work, which considers the essential problems of the entire nation, and which is sensitive to the real needs of people, especially the poor and weak."

Pope John Paul then spoke of the Church's mission in the world, and recalled how, more than on any other continent, "the Church has brought to European culture a unique set of values. ... How impoverished European culture would have been without its Christian inspiration! This is the reason the Church warns against a reduced vision of Europe which would see it solely in its economic and political aspects, as she does against an uncritical attitude towards a consumerist model of life. If we wish Europe's new unity to last, we must build on the basis of the spiritual values which were once its foundation."

In concluding remarks, the Pope said: "Poland is fully entitled to take part in the world's general process of development and progress, and especially in that of Europe. The integration of Poland with the European Union has been supported by the Holy See from the beginning."

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CATHOLIC-LUTHERAN PRESS CONFERENCE ON DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 1999 (VIS) - Cardinal Edward Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, participated in a press conference today at the Ecumenical Center in Geneva, Switzerland, to announce the positive conclusion of the process of examination undertaken by the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation relative to the Joint Declaration of the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation on the Doctrine of Justification.

Published simultaneously in Rome were the Official Common Statement by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church, an Annex, and Cardinal Cassidy's speech at the presentation.

Cardinal Cassidy reviewed the background of Catholic-Lutheran meetings which led up to today's signing of the Common Statement. He also underscored the text of the first paragraph of the Statement, released in the original English and in Italian and German. That paragraph says:

"On the basis of the agreements reached in the Joint Declaration regarding the doctrine of Justification, the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church declare together: 'The understanding of the doctrine of justification set forth in this Declaration shows that a consensus in basic truths of the doctrine of justification exists between Lutherans and Catholics'. On the basis of this consensus the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church declare together: 'The teaching of the Lutheran churches presented in this Declaration does not fall under the condemnations from the Council of Trent. The condemnations in the Lutheran Confessions do not apply to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church presented in this declaration'."

Paragraph three of the Statement says that "the two partners in dialogue are committed to continued and deepened study of the biblical foundations of the doctrine of justification."

The brief Statement ends: "By this act of signing The Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation confirm the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification in its entirety."

Cardinal Cassidy explained that the Annex "further substantiates the consensus reached in the Joint Declaration. In brief, it takes up those questions that were causing some uncertainty on the part of one or other of the two partners and without altering the Joint Declaration, removes that uncertainty."
The cardinal, who was joined by Ismael Noko, secretary general of the Lutheran World Federation, concluded: "On the Catholic side, the Official Common Statement and the Annex have been approved by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. His Holiness Pope John Paul II has been informed accordingly and has given his blessing for the signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, together with the Official Common Statement with its attached Annex on the date and place to be decided by the two partners."

It was announced that this signing will take place in Augsburg, Germany, October 30-31, 1999.

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AILING KAREKIN I ASKS POPE TO DEFER TRIP TO ARMENIA

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 1999 (VIS) - The following declaration was made at 1 p.m. today in Warsaw by Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls, who is accompanying the Holy Father on his apostolic trip to Poland:

"Last evening, upon his arrival in Warsaw, John Paul II received Archbishop Khajak Barsamian, the special envoy of His Holiness Karekin I, supreme patriarch and Catholicos of all the Armenians. In the course of the meeting Archbishop Marsamian expressed the disappointment of the Catholicos who, due to the worsening of his health, was obliged to suggest to the Holy Father that he postpone his visit to Armenia."

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PRESERVE THE UNERRING TRANSMISSION OF THE DEPOSIT OF FAITH

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 1999 (VIS) - After visiting the church of the Basilian Fathers, the Pope travelled to the residence in Warsaw of the cardinal primate of Poland, where he had lunch with the members of the episcopal conference and the cardinals and bishops who are accompanying him on this apostolic trip.

The Holy Father delivered a speech to the Polish prelates in which he thanked God "for the twenty years of my service to the holy Church in the See of Peter, and also because in that time I have been able to serve the Church in my homeland in a special way. ... This present visit is in a sense the crowning of all my previous pilgrimages to Poland."

He indicated that the greatest pastoral duty for bishops is "to preserve the unerring transmission of the deposit of faith." In this sense, the Catechism of the Catholic Church "is an eloquent sign of the unity of the Church's teaching. ... A systematic and comprehensive catechesis, including the catechesis of adults, is essential for the deepening and strengthening of faith in people's hearts."

"Concerning entry into the European Union," the Pope continued, "a very important question is the creative contribution of believers to modern culture." He added: "Poland enters the twenty-first century as a free and sovereign country. This freedom, if it is not to be abused, requires people aware not only of their rights but also of their duties. ... Freedom demands constant reference to the truth of the Gospel and to stable and well-established moral norms which enable people to distinguish between good and evil."

The Pope then requested bishops to look after priests and seminarians, underlining that "a pastoral strategy for vocations needs to be developed, and above all there is a need to pray a great deal and encourage others to pray, so that there will be no lack of men and women ready to follow the voice of Christ."

With reference to young people, the Pope thanked all those "who devote their time and talents to passing on to the younger generation the great heritage of Polish culture, tradition and religiosity, who are involved in preparing young people for the beauty of love in marriage and in responsible parenthood. If young people are to fulfil the hope placed in them, they must be taught to draw strength from direct contact with God in the liturgy and the holy sacraments, in Sacred Scripture, from the life and apostolic work of the Church."

"The stability and unity of the family are today seriously threatened. You must oppose this danger, working with all people of good will to form a climate favorable to the strengthening of the family. ... You are well aware of my concern and my efforts to defend life and the family. Wherever I am, I do not cease to proclaim in Christ's name the fundamental right of every human being, the right to life. Continue to do all in your power to safeguard the dignity and the moral health of the family, so that it may be strong in God. May families know that the Church is close to them, respects them and supports them in their efforts to maintain their identity, stability and holiness. This I ask of you as Pastors in a special way."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Akio Johnson Mutek as auxiliary of the diocese of Torit (area 76,000, population 713,000, Catholics 466,000, priests 32, religious 68), Sudan. The bishop-elect was born in Lodwara Tala, Sudan in 1958, was ordained a priest in 1988 and since 1996 has been vicar general of the same diocese.

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