HOLY FATHER CLOSES SECOND NATIONAL PLENARY SYNOD

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 1999 (VIS) - At 5:10 p.m. the Pope visited the monument to victims of the Holocaust, dedicated to the memory of the more than 300,000 Jews deported from the Warsaw Ghetto. Thereafter, he visited the monument to the 'Siberians', built in remembrance of those who were deported to Siberia during the Soviet regime, many of them Poles. In both places he stopped to pray for a few minutes.

At 6 p.m. the Holy Father went to Warsaw Cathedral, the city's oldest church and dedicated to St. John the Baptist, where he presided at the celebration of the closing of the Second National Plenary Synod.

In his homily, John Paul II indicated that "in our own century, synod activity increased after Poland regained independence. Thus in 1936 there was the Plenary Synod for all five Polish Metropolitan Sees, and many diocesan synods took place as well. These synods sought to give new life to the religious life of the faithful after the long years of lost independence, and to unify Church law."

"I know that the most important themes of the Council have been part of the Synod's work, in which more than 6,000 study groups have taken part. The approved documents express a common concern for the renewal of Christian life in the Polish Church in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council and also point the way for future work."

The Pope underlined that "the formation of a new society based upon respect for human rights, truth and freedom, requires from all the daughters and sons of the Church an awareness that can be the starting-point for wider responsibility in the Church. It is good that in a situation such as this the Plenary Synod recognized that its fundamental task was to work for the rebuilding and deepening of this awareness in the Church, among both laity and clergy."

"The Second Plenary Synod and its implementation attempt to meet the great challenge which the Church in Poland faces today. This challenge is the need for a new evangelization, that is, accomplishing the saving work of God which requires new ways of spreading the Gospel of Christ."

At the end of his speech, after recalling that today is the hundredth anniversary of the consecration of the human race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he said: "'God is love' and Christianity is the religion of love. While other systems of thought and action seek to construct the human world on the basis of wealth, power, force, science or pleasure, the Church proclaims love. ... The goal of the new evangelization is to lead people to encounter this love."

After the ceremony, the Pope prayed in the chapel that houses the tomb of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski (1901-1981) who was a key figure in the Polish church during the post-war period.

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POPE BLESSES NEW LIBRARY BUILDING AT UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 1999 (VIS) - This evening, following the closing of the Second National Plenary Synod in St. John the Baptist Cathedral, the Holy Father went to the University of Warsaw to bless the new library building. He was welcomed by the cardinal primate, the university's rector, senate and professors, the minister of education and members of the Polish Academy of Science.

The library dates back to 1817, a year after the university was founded. Today it houses two and a half million volumes, including 294,000 works of notable historical-cultural value which have been on exhibit in various European capitals. A computerized cataloguing system of all the works is underway in order to allow on-line consultation in Polish and English.

After the prayer and blessing, John Paul II spoke to those gathered, pointing out that "a library is an institution which by its very existence bears witness to the development of culture. It comprises the treasury of written works, in which we see displayed human creativity, human intelligence, knowledge of the world and of human beings, and also the capacity for self-control, personal sacrifice, solidarity and work for the consolidation of the common good."

"A library, therefore, is a special temple of the creativity of the human spirit which reflects the Divine Breath which attended the work of the creation of the world and of man. ... If, therefore, we find ourselves today in this place which gathers together the fruits of man's creative work, it is right that we look to God filled with thanksgiving."

"It is my hope," the Pope said in conclusion, "that this library will become the place where those who profit from its rich resources recognize and satisfy the noble passion of the quest for truth."

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MAN HAS MORAL DUTY TO PRESERVE WHAT GOD CREATED

VATICAN CITY, JUN 12, 1999 (VIS) - Following Mass in Sandomierz and lunch with the bishops of this province and the members of his entourage, Pope John Paul travelled in the afternoon by helicopter to Zamosc in southeast Poland. There he went to Cardinal Wyszynski Square where he presided at a Liturgy of the Word, focussing his homily on man's moral duty to preserve the environment and all of God's creation.

"During the days of creation," said the Pope, "God looked at His handiwork and saw that what He made was good. It could not be otherwise. The harmony of nature reflected the perfection of the Creator. Finally, God created man. He created him in His own image and likeness. He entrusted to him the magnificence of the world so that, by enjoying and using its goods in a free and rational way, he would cooperate actively in bringing God's work to perfection."

When man sinned, proceeded John Paul II, "sin not only broke the bond of love between man and God, ... it also disturbed the harmony of all creation." If, however, the world shared in the effects of sin, it also shared "in the divine promise of the Redemption" when the Son of God came "to embrace creation anew, ... to restore to creation its original holiness and dignity."

"As I make my way across Poland," remarked the Holy Father, "I contemplate the beauty of this, my native country and I am reminded of this particular aspect of the saving mission of the Son of God. Here, the blue of the sky, the green of the woods and fields, the silver of the lakes and rivers, all seem to speak with exceptional power. Here the song of the birds sounds so very familiar, so Polish. All of this testifies to the love of the Creator."

The Pope then pointed out that everyone has the moral duty to preserve the environment and all of God's creation. He said that "we know that it is not just a matter of what is nowadays called ecology. It is not just enough to seek the cause of the world's destruction only in excessive industrialization, uncritical applications in industry and agriculture of scientific and technological advances, or in unbridled pursuit of wealth without concern for the future effects of all these actions. Although it cannot be denied that these actions do case great harm, it is easy to see that their source is deeper: It lies in man's very attitude. It appears that what is most dangerous for creation and for man is lack of respect for the laws of nature and the disappearance of a sense of the value of life."

"Is it really possible," Pope John Paul asked, "to oppose the destruction of the environment while allowing, in the name of comfort and convenience, the slaughter of the unborn and the procured death of the elderly and infirm, and the carrying out, in the name of progress, of unacceptable interventions and forms of experimentation at the very beginning of human life? When the good of science or economic interests prevail over the good of the person, and ultimately of whole societies, environmental destruction is a sign of a real contempt for man."

"All followers of Christ," he concluded, "ought to examine their own life-style, to ensure that the legitimate pursuit of prosperity does not suppress the voice of conscience which judges what is right and what is truly good."

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POPE URGES DEFENSE OF PURITY OF HEART

VATICAN CITY, JUN 12, 1999 (VIS) - At 8:30 a.m., the Holy Father travelled by helicopter from the apostolic nunciature in Warsaw to the city of Sandomierz, a distance of 175 kilometers. There, at 10.30 a.m., he celebrated the Mass of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the open area of Blonia Rybitwy.

Commenting in his homily on the beatitude, "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God," the Pope said: "These words bring us to the heart of the Gospel truth about man. ... Yes, man does indeed seek God; he seeks Him with his mind, his heart and all his being."

He continued by saying that Holy Scripture teaches "what conditions we need to fulfil in order to encounter this God, to know Him and to be united with Him. One of these conditions is purity of heart. ... Having a pure heart means being a new person. ... Purity of heart is thus given to man as a task. He must constantly struggle to oppose the forces of evil, those which press upon him from without and those at work within him, and which would distract him from God."

"Today this message about purity of heart is very timely. The culture of death wants to destroy purity of heart. One of its strategies is deliberately to create doubt about the value of the human attitude which we call the virtue of chastity. This is something particularly dangerous when the attack is aimed at the sensitive consciences of children and young people. A culture which in this way impairs or even destroys a correct relationship between individuals, is a culture of death, for man cannot live without true love."

Addressing the young, the Pope said: "Today the culture of death sets before you, among other things, so-called 'free-love.' In this sort of disfigurement of love we reach the profanation of one of the most cherished and sacred values, for promiscuity is neither love nor freedom. ... Do not be afraid to live in a way contrary to fashionable opinions and ways of life in conflict with God's law. The courage of faith is costly, but you cannot lose love! Do not let anyone enslave you! Do not let yourselves be seduced by illusions of happiness for which you will have to pay a price that is too high, the price of often incurable wounds or even of a life destroyed!"

John Paul II concluded by asking Polish families to defend the dignity of each person. "Guard your families against pornography, which nowadays under various forms affects people's minds, especially those of children and young people. Defend the purity of morals in your homes and in society."

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DECLARATION ON HOLY FATHER'S FALL IN NUNCIATURE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 12, 1999 (VIS) - This morning in Sandomierz, Poland, where he is accompanying the Pope on his apostolic trip, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration to journalists: "This morning, prior to leaving his residence at the apostolic nunciature in Warsaw, the Holy Father accidentally slipped and suffered a small contused laceration in the region of his right temple which has been appropriately treated."

The journalists asked Dr Navarro-Valls if the Pope had fainted. The Holy See Press Office Director replied: "No. There has been no change in his biological parameters, particularly of blood pressure and heart beat. His neurological status remains unchanged."
Journalists further asked how the injury had been treated. Dr Navarro-Valls replied: "Three stitches were administered."

The journalists asked if the program of the papal visit will be altered in any way. Dr Navarro-Valls replied: "There is no change. The program will continue as planned."

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VISITS TO AIRLINE PERSONNEL, THEN CEMETERY AT RADZYMIN

VATICAN CITY, JUN 13, 1999 (VIS) - This afternoon at Warsaw's Okecie Airport, John Paul II met with 4,000 personnel of the Poland's national airline, LOT, including pilots, and flight crews, as well as several thousand members of ground crews, airport maintenance, technicians and air traffic controllers. LOT is celebrating both the 70th anniversary of its founding and the 50th anniversary of the Warsaw-Rome route.

"This meeting of ours is unusual," the Pope observed. "In fact, I do not often have the chance to meet people representing a professional group. ...This visit is prompted by a desire to repay, at least in part, a debt of gratitude to LOT and all the other airlines throughout the world with whom I fly constantly as a pilgrim."

In thanking the pilots and flight crews, the Holy Father asked them "to continue to care for the good name of Poland in the world. From above, the extraordinary beauty of creation is clearly seen, including the smallness and get the greatness of man - all of which is a manifestation of the infinite power and wisdom of the Creator."

He greeted ground crews, saying that their "work helps people who have to leave the earth, and not just in a physical sense. Often the experience of departure is accompanied by the sense of a loss of security and by inner disorientation. Therefore, your service of kindness is important: a friendly smile, a kind word, understanding and cordiality." He thanked those working in maintenance, stressing that "to a large extent you are responsible for the safety of passengers."

Lastly, Pope John Paul expressed "delight that for some years there have been chapels in four international airports in Poland where workers and travellers can find moments of silence and prayer."

At about 5:15 p.m., he left by helicopter for Radzymin, 20 kilometers northeast of Warsaw, to visit the local cemetery where Polish soldiers who died in 1920 and in 1939 are buried. Thousands of Polish soldiers, led by Marshal Pilsudski, died in 1920, victoriously defending Warsaw from an onslaught by Bolshevik Russia's Red Army. Buried in six cemeteries around Warsaw, the greatest number were interred in Radzymin.

In an impromptu speech after praying for those who died defending Poland, John Paul II said: "I was born in May 1920, at a time when the Russians were attacking Warsaw. From birth therefore, I owe a great debt of gratitude to those who fought and saved our homeland, often paying with their lives."

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HOLY FATHER BEATIFIES 110 POLES, INCLUDING 108 MARTYRS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 13, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning celebrated Mass in Warsaw's Jozef Pilsudski Square during which he beatified 110 Poles, including 108 martyrs, both clergy and lay people, and said that "today we are celebrating the victory of those who, in our times, gave their lives for Christ in order to possess life forever in his glory" and "above all because they bear witness to the victory of Christ, which restores hope."

"This victory has a special character," he told the more than 700,000 faithful present, "since it was shared by clergy and laity alike, by young people and old, by people from different classes and states, ... (by) religious brothers and sisters who persevered in the service of charity and in offering their torments for their neighbor."

The Pope pointed out that "Blessed Regina Protmann, foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Catherine, ... dedicated herself with all her heart to the work of renewal of the Church at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries, ... after the Council of Trent. She took an active part in the post-conciliar reform of the Church. She founded a congregation which united contemplation of the mysteries of God with the instruction of young children and girls. She gave particular attention to the pastoral care of women."

"The apostolate of mercy also filled the life of Blessed Edmund Bojanowski," stated the Holy Father. Despite delicate health, this landowner from Wielkopolska ... undertook and inspired a vast activity on behalf of the rural population, with perseverance, prudence and generosity of heart, Guided by a discernment that was very sensitive to people's needs, he launched numerous educational, cultural and religious works aimed at the material and moral support of the rural family. He remained in the lay state and founded the Congregation of the Handmaids of the Holy and Immaculate Virgin. ... In his many-faceted activity he anticipated much of what the Second Vatican Council said about the apostolate of the laity."

Earlier in his homily, John Paul II returned to a recurrent theme of his speeches in Poland: the changes that have taken place in his native country over the past 20 years. "Before our eyes," he said, "changes of political, social and economic systems have taken place, enabling individuals and nations to see anew the splendor of their own dignity. Truth and justice are recovering their proper value, becoming a challenge for all those who are able to appreciate the gift of freedom. ... We especially give glory to God for what has happened in the life of the Church during these 20 years. In thanksgiving, therefore, we join with the Churches of the Western and Eastern tradition, with our neighboring peoples who have emerged from the catacombs and are openly carrying out their mission. Their vitality is a magnificent witness to the power of Christ's grace which enables weak men to become capable of heroism, frequently to the point of martyrdom."

After Mass, and before reciting the angelus, The Pope again referred to the 108 new Blesseds, the martyrs of World War II, saying "we give thanks to God for those from our own generation who are witnesses to His presence. We give Him thanks, believing that from Him comes the power which enables the weak to persevere in love, despite trials and difficult experiences." May the example of today's martyrs, he concluded, "become a support for those who are tempted to doubt or despair because of the difficulties of daily life."

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JOHN PAUL TO GO TO ARMENIA FRIDAY TO VISIT AILING KAREKIN I

VATICAN CITY, JUN 14, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration today from Lowicz, Poland, where he is travelling with the Holy Father and where the Pope this morning celebrated Mass:

"At the end of his trip to Poland, the Holy Father, on Friday June 18, will travel to Armenia to pay a personal visit to the Catholicos of all the Armenians, His Holiness Karekin I. The Holy Father, during his brief visit, will also meet the president of the Republic of Armenia.

Answering journalists' questions, Navarro-Valls said: "By this visit, which also represents an ecumenical pilgrimage, John Paul II hopes to express to Karekin I his spiritual closeness in this moment of suffering."

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A CHILD CONCEIVED IN ITS MOTHER'S WOMB HAS THE RIGHT TO LIFE!

VATICAN CITY, JUN 14, 1999, (VIS) - This morning, due to a dense fog over the Polish capital which prevented the journey by helicopter, the Pope travelled by car from Warsaw to Lowicz. Upon arrival he went to the square of the Church of the Good Shepherd where, at 10:15, he celebrated the Mass of Blessed Michal Kozal, bishop and martyr, who was a prisoner in the concentration camp of Dachau.

At the start of his homily, the Pope addressed parents: "You are the first guardians and protectors of the life which has not yet come into the world but is already conceived. Accept the gift of life as the greatest grace of God, as His blessing for the family, for the nation and for the Church. Here, from this place, I say to all the fathers and mothers of my homeland and of the whole world, to all men and women without exception: Every child conceived in the womb of its mother has the right to life!"

"The family," he went on, "is also called upon to educate its children. ... All children have the natural inalienable right to have their own family, parents, brothers and sisters, with whom they come to the realization that they are persons needing love and capable of loving others." Parents, he said: "You must do everything to ensure that God is present and honored in your families. Do not forget daily family prayer, especially in the evening, keeping Sunday holy and going to Sunday Mass. You are your children's first teachers of prayer and Christian virtue, and no one can take your place in this."

He told the teachers and educators present that young people "expect answers to the many questions of life which trouble their minds and hearts, and in a special way they demand from you an example of how to live. You must be their friends, faithful companions and allies in the struggles of youth. Help them to build the foundations for their future."

"I am pleased that in Poland many new Catholic schools are being established. This is a sign that the Church is present in a practical way in the area of education. These schools are to be supported, and conditions must be created to enable them to contribute to the common good of society in cooperation with the entire educational world in Poland."

John Paul II appealed to young people: "Do not be afraid to follow the path of your vocation, do not be afraid to seek the truth about yourselves and the world around you. ... Respect and love your parents. They brought you into the world and they are educating you. Your parents are in fact your dearest friends, and you should seek their help and advice in the problems of your lives." He concluded: "May Christ be present in your thoughts, in your games and in your conversations. You should always live in friendship with Him. The Lord Jesus wishes to help you."

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KEEP HOLY THE LORD'S DAY, JOHN PAUL II TELLS FAITHFUL

VATICAN CITY, JUN 13, 1999 (VIS) - After visiting the cemetery at Radzymin, the Holy Father returned to Warsaw by car, arriving at 6:45 p.m. at the cathedral of Saints Michael and Florian, where he presided at the Liturgy of the Word, held in the square facing the church.

He told those present that he had just visited "a place which is especially important in our national history. The memory of the Battle of Warsaw, fought near here in August 1920, is still fresh in our hearts. It was a great victory by the Polish Army, a victory so great that it could not be explained in purely natural terms and therefore was called 'the miracle on the Vistula' (the river which bisects Poland). Fervent prayer by the nation preceded the victory. The Polish bishops, gathered at Jasna Gora, consecrated the whole nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and entrusted it to the protection of Mary, Queen of Poland."

He then focussed on the Eucharist and how it "is most important for the Church and for her individual members." Quoting "Lumen Gentium," he said the Eucharist "is the source and summit of Christian life" and "was, from the first, a source of unity in the community of Christ's disciples. ... The unity in love which springs from the Eucharist is not only an expression of human solidarity, but it is a sharing in the very love of God. Upon this unity the Church is built. It is this which determines the success of her saving mission."

"In the Church in Poland," affirmed John Paul II, "devotion to the Eucharist was always intense, as was the people's fidelity to attendance at Sunday Mass. On the threshold of the third millennium, I ask my fellow Poles: Hold fast to this tradition. Respect the commandment of God about keeping the Lord's Day holy. May it truly be the first of all days and the first of all feasts."

"In a special way," he said, as he concluded, "I appeal to parents to support and encourage the beautiful Christian custom of going to Mass with their children. ... May the grace of love which we obtain when we receive the Eucharistic Bread strengthen the bonds of the family. May it become for the Christian family a source of apostolic energy."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 12, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation of Archbishop Maurice Noel Leon Couve de Murville from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Birmingham, Great Britain, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

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COUNCIL FOR LAITY TO HOLD SEMINAR ON ECCLESIAL MOVEMENTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 12, 1999 (VIS) - Nearly 100 cardinals and bishops from around the world will meet in Rome from June 16 to 19 for a seminar promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Laity, in collaboration for the Congregations for Bishops and for the Doctrine of the Faith, in order to reflect on the theme "Ecclesial Movements and New Communities in the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops."

According to a communique released by the pontifical council, ample time will be reserved for dialogue among the bishops. Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, will preside at a round table during which participants will discuss the reception and insertion of movements into the life of local Churches.

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