ANGELUS: JOHN PAUL II REFLECTS ON THE VALUE OF OLD AGE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 25, 1999 (VIS) - Prior to reciting the angelus today from the apostolic palace in Castelgandolfo, Pope John Paul reflected on tomorrow's liturgical memory of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary. He said this induced him "to briefly speak about old age and its value, especially in view of the fact that 1999 is the international year of the elderly."

Old age, he said, "is a bearer of special 'talents', thanks to the patrimony of experience, knowledge and teachings of which the older person is custodian. For this reason, in all cultures, old age is synonymous with wisdom and equilibrium. By their very presence, older people remind everyone, especially young people, that life on earth is a 'parable', with its beginning and its end."

"In societies of advanced industrial and technological development," observed the Holy Father, "the condition of older people is ambivalent: On the one and they are less and less integrated into the family and social fabric; on the other hand, their role becomes ever more important, above all for the care and education of grandchildren. Young couples, in fact, often find grandparents to be an indispensable help."

The Pope denounced those societies "dominated by economy and profit (because) they tend to penalize 'unproductive' age groups, considering persons more for their usefulness than for themselves."

He highlighted how "in Sacred Scripture old age is surrounded by veneration," and asked that societies today venerate and love older people. Citing his 1981 Apostolic Exhortation "Familiaris Consortio," he concluded: "May every family and each of its members know how to guard, reveal and communicate love."

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TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF THE KING OF MOROCCO

VATICAN CITY, 24 JUL, 1999 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a telegram sent by John Paul II to His Majesty Mohammed VI, the new king of Morocco, who succeeds his father, King Hassan II, who died yesterday evening at the age of 70:

"Upon learning the sad news of the death of His Majesty, King Hassan II of Morocco, I wish to express my profound condolences to the royal family, the government and the Moroccan people. In recalling the eminent figure of the late sovereign, who presided over the destiny of his country with the desire to lead it in dignity on the path of spiritual and material progress, and in recalling the meetings I had with him during my visit to Casablanca about the question of Jerusalem, I preserve the image of a man who wished to develop dialogue between believers and to contribute towards establishing peace among nations, especially in the Middle East. I pray to all merciful God to receive King Hassan II in His light and His peace and I ask Him to assist you in pursuing, according to His will, to build a kingdom of harmony and solidarity. May the Almighty fill with His blessing all Moroccans in this particular moment of their history."

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PAPAL NOMINEES, EXPERTS AND AUDITORS FOR THE SYNOD FOR EUROPE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 26, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today by the Synod of Bishops was the following list of participants in the Second Special Assembly For Europe:

PAPAL NOMINEES

- 1. Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, Archbishop of Krakow, Poland.
- 2. Cardinal Jan Chryzostom Korec S.J., Bishop of Nitra, Slovakia.
- 3. Cardinal Adam Joseph Maida, Archbishop of Detroit, U.S.A., and President of the 'Ad Hoc' Committee for Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States.
- 4. Archbishop Joannes Joachim Degenhardt of Paderborn, Germany.
- 5. Archbishop Geraldo Majella Agnelo of Sao Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, primate of Brazil and vice president of 'Consejo Episcopal Latinoamericano' (CELAM).
- 6. Archbishop Jaime Pedro Goncalvez of Beira, Mozambique, vice president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and representative of IMBISA (Inter-Regional Meeting for Bishops of Southern Africa) at the permanent council of SECAM.
- - 7. Archbishop Telesphore Placidus Toppo of Ranchi, India and chairman of the Office for Evangelization of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC).
- 8. Archbishop Gyorgy-Miklos Jakubinyi of Alba Julia, Romania.
- 9. Archbishop Francesco Marchisano, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church, Vatican City.
- 10. Archbishop Francisco Alvarez Martinez of Toledo, Spain, primate of Spain.
- 11. Archbishop Emile Marcus, P.S.S., of Toulouse, France.
- 12. Archbishop George Pell of Melbourne, Australia, member of the "Federation Of Catholic Bishops' Conferences of Oceania" (FCBCO).
- 13. Archbishop Jozef Miroslaw Zycinski of Lublin, Poland.
- 14. Bishop Andre Fort of Perpignan-Elne, France.
- 15. Bishop Raymond Roussin, S.M., of Victoria, Canada.
- 16. Bishop Alberto Ablondi of Livorno, Italy, vice president of the Italian Episcopal Conference.
- 17. Bishop Javier Echevarria Rodriguez, prelate of the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei, Spain.
- 18. Bishop Luc Alfons De Hovre, S.J., auxiliary of Malines- Bruxelles, Belgium, and delegate of the 'Consilium Conferentiarum Episcopalium Europae' (CCEE, Council of European Bishops' Conferences) for the Union of European Conferences of Major Superiors.
- 19. Bishop Samir Mazloum, apostolic visitor to the Maronite faithful in western and northern Europe, Lebanon.
- 20. Msgr. Noel Treanor, secretary general of the "Commissio Episcopatuum Communitatis Europaeae" (COM.E.C.E.- Commission of the Episcopates of the European Community), Belgium.
- 21. Fr. Aldo Giordano, secretary general of the "Consilium Conferentiarum Episcopalium Europae" (CCEE).
- 22. Fr. Maciej Zieba, O.P., provincial superior of the Dominicans in Poland.
- 23. Fr. Heinrich Barlage, S.V.D., superior general of the Society of the Divine Word (Verbites).

EXPERTS (Adiutores) - 1. Savas Agourides, emeritus professor of the New Testament in the faculty of theology at the University of Athens, Greece.
- 2. Fr. Vaclovas Aliulis, M.I.C., vicar general of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Lithuania.
- 3. Fr. Georges Chantraine, S.J., of the "Centre De Documentation et de Recherche Religieuses" in Namur, Belgium.
- 4. Ysabel De Andia, director of research at the "Centre National De Recherches Scientifique" C.N.R.S., Paris, France.
- 5. Sr. Rosanna Enrica, F.M.A., dean of the "Auxilium" faculty of educational science in Rome, Italy.
- 6. Msgr. Peter Erdo, rector of the Catholic University of Budapest, Hungary.
- 7. Msgr. Bruno Forte, member of the International Theological Commission and professor at the faculty of theology in Naples, Italy.
- 8. Fr. Bernard Grogan, S.D.B., secretary to the general counsellor for formation in the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco, England.
- 9. Msgr. Karl Hillenbrand, vicar general of Wurzburg, Germany.
- 10. Fr. Juan Antonio Martinez Camino, S.J., professor of theology at the Pontifical Comillas University in Madrid and director of the secretariat of the Spanish Episcopal Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith, Spain.
- 11. Msgr. Roland Minnerath, professor of the faculty of Catholic theology in Strasbourg and member of the International Theological Commission, France.
- 12. Fr. Gerhard Ludwig Muller, professor of dogmatic theology in the faculty of theology at the University of Munich and member of the International Theological Commission, Germany.
- 13. Fr. Candido Pozo, S.J., professor of dogmatic theology in the faculty of theology at the University of Granada and member of the International Theological Commission, Spain.
- 14. Fr. Josef Rapacz, professor at the Pontifical Academy of Krakow, Poland.
- 15. Pedro Rodriguez Garcia, professor of theology at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
- 16. Fr. Marjan Sef, S.J., former provincial superior of the Society of Jesus, Slovenia.
- 17. Fr. Mario Spezzibottiani, professor of moral theology at the archiepiscopal seminary of Milan, Italy.

AUDITORS (Auditores) - 1. Kiko Arguello, founder of the Neo-Catecumenal Way, Spain.
- 2. Mijo Beccaria, president of the "Bureau Institut Catholique De L'enfance", Switzerland.
- 3. Alain Besancon, director of studies at the "Ecole Des Hautes Etudes En Sciences Sociale", member of the "Aced‚mie Des Scienes Morales Et Politiques", professor of "Histoire Politique Russe" at the University of Paris III - Sorbonne, France.
- 4. Paola Bignardi, president of National Catholic Action, Italy.
- 5. Sr. Ioana Bota, O.S.B.M., provincial superior for Romania for the Order of St. Basil the Great and president of the Romanian conference of Major Superiors (CRSM), Romania.
- 6. Msgr. Pavol Brzy, professor of Sacred Scripture at the major seminary of Nitra, Slovakia.
- 7. Sr. Rita Burley, A.C.I., superior general of the Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart and president of the International Union of Superiors General, (UISG), Great Britain.
- 8-9. Jesus Carrascosa and Juana Carrascosa, of the International Center of Communion and Liberation, Spain.
- 10. Fr. Gerard J. Conroy, professor of Sacred Scripture at the national seminary of Glasgow, Scotland.
- 11. Sr. Judith Frei, O.S.B., abbess of the "Benediktinerinnen-Abtei" U.L. Frau Varensell, Germany.
- 12. Sr. Tekla Famiglietti, O.SS.S., abbess general of the order of St. Bridget of the Most Holy Saviour, Italy.
- 13. Fr. Josef Bisig, superior general of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in Wigratzbad, Germany.
- 14. Fr. Edmund Michel Garvey, C.F.C., superior general of the Christian Brothers, Ireland.
- 15. Irina Ilovaiskaya Gorgi Alberti, editor of "La Pensee Russe", Paris, France.
- 16-17. Stanislaw Grygiel and Ludmilla Grygiel, Poland, of the John Paul II Institute of the Pontifical Lateran University of Rome.
- 18. Sr. Marie Noelle Hausman, S.C.M., superior general of the Sisters of the Holy Heart of Mary, Belgium.
- 19. Sanja Horvat, nurse and student of theology at the theological institute of Sarajevo, Bosnia.
- 20. Ana Huml, expert in telecommunications, Bosnia.
- 21. Fr. Karoly Kerekes, O.C., former president of the Conference of Major Superiors, Hungary.
- 22. Viktor M. Khroul, member of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and editor of the Catholic weekly "Svet Evanghelia," Russia.
- 23. Fr. Klemens Ladner, F.S.C., of Austria, provincial superior of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Austria, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary.
- 24. Fr. Jesus Maria Lecea Sainz, S.P., president of the "Conferencia Espanola De Superiores y Superioras Mayores" (CONF.E.R.), Spain.
- 25. Nikolaus Lobkovicz, director of the central institute for studies on central and eastern Europe of the Catholic University of Eichstatt, Germany, and former president of the same university.
- 26. Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare movement, Italy.
- 27. Maria Johanna Theodora Martens, member of the European Parliament, president of the European Forum of Lay People and president of the Dutch national committee for the Great Jubilee, Holland.
- 28. Sr. Jolanta Olech, U.S.J.K., superior general of the Ursuline Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and president of the Conference of Major Superiors of Polish convents, Poland.
- 29. Fr. Stanislaw Opiela, S.J., secretary of the Episcopal Conference of the Russian Federation, Russia.
- 30. Fr. Ludwig Schwarz, S.D.B., national director for pontifical missionary works, Austria.
- 31. Fr. Jacques Scholte, F.M.S., president of the union of European Conferences of Major Superiors (UCESM), Netherlands.
- 32. Rose Mary Smith, of the Secular Institute of "Caritas Christi," Great Britain.
- 33. William Stainsby, president of the Newman Institute of Ireland and director of the Center For Faith and Culture, Ireland.
- 34. Fr. Kyyak Svyatoslav, O.S.B.M., professor of fundamental theology and ethics at the theological-catechistical institute of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.
- 35. Denis Vienot, president of "Caritas Europeenne," France.
- 36. Fr. Tadeusz Winnicki, superior general of the Society of Christ for Polish Emigrants, Poland.
- 37. Jan Zicha, member of the Pontifical Council for Laity, Czech Republic.
- 38. Sr. Kornelia Zoric, S.F.I.C., superior general of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

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1450TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITALIAN BASILICA OF ST. APOLLINARIS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 26, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from the Pope to Archbishop Luigi Amaducci of Ravenna-Cervia, Italy, on the occasion of the 1450th anniversary of the dedication of the basilica of St. Apollinaris in Classe, which was consecrated in 549.

In the Message, dated July 23, the Holy Father recalls that the basilica houses "the body of the first bishop, St. Apollinaris, who evangelized Ravenna in the second half of the second century, thus becoming patron of the city, the diocese and the entire region."

"Your Church," writes John Paul II, "as it gives thanks to God for the good it has spread throughout the centuries, feels stimulated to a renewed awareness of the ever urgent duty to bring the proclamation of Christ to all those who have not yet received it. I hope that, through the intercession of the first bishop and the saints and fellow citizens who were the apostles of the Slavs, many priestly vocations will come from this Church, so that the Word of the Lord will also bring joy and salvation to the men and women of today."

The Holy Father affirmed that "for more than 14 centuries the basilica of St. Apollinaris has transmitted, though its splendid mosaics, the eternal truth of the Gospel, which has its radiant fulcrum in the crucified and risen Christ. How can we not hope that this saving truth can be reflected with renewed vigor in the Church of the 'living stones' which is in Ravenna, so that the new generations can find in Christ that peace which is the gift of God and an expression of His eternal love?"

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 26 JUL, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Hobart, Australia, presented by Archbishop Joseph Eric D'Arcy, upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Adrian Leo Doyle.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Ilagan, Philippines, presented by Archbishop Miguel G. Purugganan, in accordance with canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Sergio Utleg.

- Appointed Fr. Miguel La Fay Barbi O. Carm, responsible for the formation of candidates to the Carmelite order in Lima, Peru, as bishop-prelate of Sicuani (area 15,440, population 353,000, Catholics 334,000, priests 20, religious 39), Peru. The bishop-elect was born in Chelsea, U.S.A. in 1934 and ordained a priest in 1960.

On Saturday, July 24, it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Erected the diocese of Ambositra (area 15,000, population 540,000, Catholics 262,233, priests 75, religious 147), Madagascar, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar, making it a suffragan of the Metropolitan church of Fianarantsoa. He appointed Fr. Fulgence Rabemahafaly, former rector of the major seminary of Vohitsoa, Madagascar, as bishop of the new diocese. The bishop-elect was born at Miarinavaratra, Madagascar, in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1980.

- Appointed Archbishop Adriano Bernardini, apostolic nuncio in Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles, as apostolic nuncio in Thailand, Singapore and Cambodia and apostolic delegate in Laos, Malaysia, Brunei and Myanmar.

- Appointed Msgr. Orlando Antonini, nunciature counsellor, as apostolic nuncio in Zambia and Malawi, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Villa S. Angelo, Italy in 1944 and ordained a priest in 1968.

- Appointed Archbishop Mario Zenari, apostolic nuncio in the Ivory Coast and Niger, as apostolic nuncio in Burkina Faso.

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