JOHN PAUL II CANONIZES BLESSED KINGA

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 1999 (VIS) - This morning the Pope travelled by car from Krakow to Stary Sacz, a city 20 kilometers from the frontier with Slovakia. At 10:45, on the square in front of the Poor Clares' Monastery, the Holy Father celebrated Mass and canonized the Blessed Kinga in the presence of half a million people.

Before the rite of canonization, a brief biography of the new saint was presented. Born in Esztergom, Hungary, in 1234, she was the third daughter of King Bela IV of the Arpad dynasty, and of Maria, daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Theodore I Lascaris. In 1239, Kinga married Polish Prince Boleslao of Sandomierz and convinced her husband that they live together in virginity. She was at her spouse's side for 40 years, governing through a very difficult political and social situation as the country was devastated by two Tartar invasions, in 1241 and in 1259-60. In 1280, following her husband's death, she founded the Poor Clares' monastery, entered it herself in 1288 and became prioress. She died on July 24, 1292 at the age of 58. In 1690 Pope Alexander VIII confirmed her cult which had existed for centuries. This act was equivalent to her beatification.

After the Liturgy of the Word, the Pope's homily was read by Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, archbishop of Krakow.

Speaking of sanctity, the Pope asked: "What can be done to make the family, the school, the workplace, the office, the villages and the cities, and finally the whole country a dwelling-place of saints, who can influence others by their goodness, their fidelity to Christ's teaching and the witness of their everyday lives, and thus foster the spiritual growth of all people? Saint Kinga and all the Saints and Blessed of the thirteenth century reply: It requires witness. It requires courage."

After recalling that Kinga "sought to consecrate herself to God wholeheartedly by a vow of virginity," John Paul II said: "This way of life, perhaps difficult to understand nowadays, yet deeply rooted in the tradition of the early Church, gave Saint Kinga that inner freedom which enabled her to be concerned first of all with the things of the Lord and to lead a profound religious life. ... Saint Kinga teaches us that both marriage and virginity lived in union with Christ can become a path to holiness. ... She reminds us that the value of marriage, this indissoluble union of love between two persons, cannot be brought into question under any circumstances."

"As a princess she knew how to be about her Father's business even in this world. At her husband's side she shared in his rule, showing firmness and courage, generosity and concern for the good of the country and her subjects. ... To raise the country from ruin she did not hesitate to give away the entire dowry received from her father. ... Having renounced natural motherhood, she became a true mother to all."

The Pope concluded by underlining that "today's world needs the holiness of Christians who in the ordinary conditions of family and professional life take on their proper daily duties, and who, in their desire to do the will of the Creator and to serve others each day, respond to His eternal love."

After the Mass, John Paul II went to the Poor Clares' Monastery, where he had lunch with his entourage.

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HOLY FATHER'S PROGRAM UNCHANGED FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration this morning from Stary Sacz, Poland, where he is accompanying the Holy Father:

"As of yesterday evening the Pope no longer has a fever, he even got out of bed and, at 9 p.m., appeared at the window of the archbishop's residence in Krakow to greet the numerous faithful gathered in the adjacent square.

"This morning the Pope's temperature remained normal and this (fact) persuaded him to continue with his apostolic pilgrimage. Therefore, John Paul II is presiding at the canonization ceremony today for Blessed Kinga and at the Eucharistic liturgy. Since his voice is not strong, following yesterday's fever, the homily prepared by the Pope will be read by Cardinal Macharski.

"The schedules for this afternoon and tomorrow remain unchanged, up to arrival in Rome.

"The visit to the shrine of Czestochowa, programmed for tomorrow, will depend on the possibility of using a helicopter. Thick fog is forecast. In fact, due to the fog today, the Pope reached Stary Sacz by car."

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GLIWICE: 400,000 FAITHFUL PRAY FOR POPE'S HEALTH AT VESPERS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 15, 1999 (VIS) - More than 400,000 faithful attended vespers this evening at the airport in Gliwice, an industrial city in the southern Poland province of Silesia, and prayed for the health of Pope John Paul, who had cancelled his appearance there due to a slight temperature. He spent the day resting in the archbishop's residence in Krakow, where he himself was archbishop for 14 years, until his election to the papacy in 1978.

At the request of the Pope, Cardinal Adam Maida, archbishop of Detroit, conducted the evening prayer service. Archbishop Jozef Kowalczyk, a native of Poland and apostolic nuncio to that country, read the Holy Father's homily. A bouquet of flowers covered the papal throne.

In his homily, the Pope pointed out that the words of St. John the Evangelist - "God is love" - constitute the theme of his visit to Poland. "On the eve of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 this joyous and impressive news of a loving God needs to be spread anew throughout the world. God is a reality which is beyond our human capacity to fully understand. Since He is God, our reasoning is unable to grasp His infiniteness, nor can His limitlessness be confined within narrow human dimensions."

"We know and believe the love God has for us," the homily continues, quoting the first letter of John. "By grace, men and women are called to the Covenant with their Creator, to give a response of faith and love which no one else can give for them. This response has not been lacking here in Silesia. ... You faithfully stood by God, withstanding atheism and the secularization of the nation and the battle against religion. ... You never lacked willingness of spirit or generosity in working for the construction of new churches and places of worship. ... You also had at heart the well-being of the family, ... especially the right for your children and for young people to be freely educated in the faith." He asked them to remain faithful to this legacy.

"Dear brothers and sisters," concludes the Holy Father's homily, "I also wanted to let you know that I am aware of the difficulties, fears and hardships which you are now experiencing. ... I am aware of the dangers this state of affairs poses for many families and for the life of society as a whole. ... Today I address once again all my fellow countrymen in our homeland: Build the nation's future on love of God and love of man, on respect for God's commandments and on the life of grace!"

This evening, John Paul II appeared at a window of the archbishop's residence in Krakow and greeted the faithful who had gathered for a scheduled concert: "In front of us is the statue of Cardinal Sapieha. He is looking at us, listening to us and praying for us, so that we will walk on the right path. He is here (among us). ... I thank you very much for your presence and for this concert. Let us pray to Mary, Queen of Poland."

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MAN MUST BE THE FOCUS OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 1999 (VIS) - At noon today in Nice, France, Msgr. Piero Monni, Holy See permanent observer to the World Tourism Organization, addressed the June 15-18 WTO conference on "Evaluating the Economic Impact of Tourism," focussing on the need to put the human person at the center of the tourism industry.

"In the tourism industry," he said, "applying criteria of market forces and profit has, without doubt, positive effects, such as efficiency and professionalism of services offered. However, in this way, one risks seeing tourist activity as just any commercial product, ruled and governed only by the laws of the marketplace."

"All of this can determine not only a lack of attention towards the cultural, spiritual and human needs of the tourist, but can also slow down the development of a tourism which has true quality, and is lasting and compatible with the environment. ... We must reflect ... not only on the economic impact of the phenomenon of tourism, but also on those problems linked to it, such as the cultural, social and environmental impacts. Why? Because at the center of the world of tourism we find man, and because it is to man that tourism offers itself."

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HOLY FATHER TO DEDICATE SHRINE OF DIVINE LOVE ON JULY 4

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 1999 (VIS) - According to a Holy See Press Office communique issued today, "the dedication of (Rome's) new shrine of Divine Love, presided over by the Holy Father and scheduled for Sunday June 20, has been postponed to Sunday, July 4."

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POPE'S POSTPONES VISIT TO PATRIARCH KAREKIN I

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration this morning from Krakow, Poland, where he is accompanying the Holy Father:

"The hoped-for visit of John Paul II to Patriarch Karekin I cannot take place at this time.

"The Pope hopes to be able to make this visit in the near future to the Catholicos of all Armenians."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Jose Maria Liborio Camino Saracho, vicar general of Sao Miguel Paulista (area 196, population 2,875,000, Catholics 2,552,000, priests 94, religious 318), Brazil, as auxiliary of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Santurce, Spain, in 1931 and was ordained a priest in 1958.
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PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINA RECEIVES 1999 PATH TO PEACE AWARD

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 1999 (VIS) - This evening in New York, President Carlos Saul Menem of Argentina will become the seventh recipient of the Path to Peace Award, bestowed annually by the Path to Peace Foundation in recognition of an individual's outstanding leadership in the international community. The foundation's founder and president is Archbishop Renato Martino, apostolic nuncio and Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations.

According to a communique from the foundation, "the designation of President Menem as this year's honoree acknowledges his leadership among the Argentinean people, especially his efforts in defense of the family and the right to life."

"The Path to Peace Foundation, established in 1991," adds the communique, "is a non-profit foundation providing support for the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, in fulfilling its further humanitarian mandate of keeping the moral standards and message of the Gospel before the universal community and of assisting the Holy Father in encouraging all towards the Path to Peace. ... (The foundation), independent from but in collaboration with the Holy See Mission, directs its activities primarily, albeit not exclusively, to the international stage of the United Nations."

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