POPE INAUGURATES METROPOLITAN SEMINARY IN SALERNO

VATICAN CITY, SEP 4, 1999 (VIS) - At 9:30 this morning, the Pope travelled by helicopter from Castegandolfo to Pontecagnano, Salerno, Italy, in order to inaugurate the new metropolitan seminary that bears his name, and the "Saint Matthew" priests' residence. This is his 136th pastoral trip within Italy and the briefest of his pontificate.

The seminary has been constructed by the community of Salerno with the aid of the Italian Episcopal Conference and the support of the bishops of the region.

In his address to those present the Pope indicated that, during his journey to Salerno, he had flown over the area devastated by last year's flood. He said: "I prayed for the dead, but I especially requested divine support for the people and families most severely hit. May they find in Christian hope, and also with the support of the national community, the strength to construct a peaceful future, especially for the younger generations."

Addressing the seminarians, he said: "I trust you will be submissive to the voice of the Lord, that you will give yourselves generously to Him. May you grow here in your commitment to prayer and study, living the renouncements and daily difficulties as acts of love towards those to whom the Lord will send you."

"Dear educators, to you is entrusted the task of causing future priests to relive the experience of the Cenacle, which was in a certain sense the first seminary. ... Seek inspiration from this eloquent icon in training the evangelizers for the third millennium. ... Educate them in fraternal communion. Ensure they have a solid theological and cultural base. Especially ensure that they are 'men of God'".

The Pope then referred to the priests' residence, "destined to aid priests to live in fraternity. ... I trust that, for their respective guests, the closeness of the two institutions constitutes a valuable occasion for fraternal encounters, for communion in charity, for reciprocal recall in prayer and for encouragement in the service of the Lord".

Finally, the Pope addressed the young people present: "Accept the message of Christ and respond to His love. ... The success of your life depends on your response to His call. Do not allow yourselves to be taken in by illusory and transitory mirages. Christ calls you to sanctity, even in the ordinary conditions of everyday life. ... Do not be afraid to courageously accept His proposal".

After his speech, the Pope visited the Most Holy Sacrament in the church of the new metropolitan seminary "Giovanni Paolo II," and blessed and inaugurated the seminary.

At 12; 30 p.m., John Paul II returned by helicopter to Castelgandolfo.

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POPE APPEALS FOR PEACE IN EAST TIMOR

VATICAN CITY, SEP 5, 1999 (VIS) - At midday today, after praying the angelus at Castelgandolfo, the Holy Father indicated that "at the present time distressing news is reaching us from East Timor, where grave acts of intimidation and violence are taking place."
He continued: "In the hope that a climate of peace and harmony is established in that territory, I invite you to unite with me in prayer for our sorely tried brothers. May the Virgin Mary inspire in everyone's hearts sentiments of true pacification and constructive respect for the will expressed in the last few days by the people of Timor."

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MOTHER TERESA, GREAT AND ESTEEMED TEACHER OF LIFE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 5, 1999 (VIS) - Before reciting the angelus this morning at Castelgandolfo, Pope John Paul spoke of the approaching Jubilee Year and new millennium, highlighting the "shadows" and "lights" at the close of this century.

The "shadows," he said, are "the sufferings and injustices which oppress individuals and peoples, the violence and wars which unfortunately continue to bloody so may regions of the earth. There are, however, comforting rays of light which make us look to the future with hope. Our optimism is founded above all on the certainty of continued divine assistance, which never fails those who implore it, humbly and with faith."

The Holy Father also emphasized the "immense number of generous people who, during the 20th century, offered their lives to Christ, placing themselves in the service of their brothers and sisters in an attitude of humility and love. My thoughts go in a special way to Mother Teresa of Calcutta whom God called to Himself two years ago today."

"She was," he pointed out, "a great and esteemed teacher of life, especially for young people, reminding them that they 'have the great duty to built peace, beginning in their families, and to defend life always and everywhere, above all where it is particularly weak. May her witness be a stimulus and encouragement for many boys and girls, that they might give themselves generously in the service of the Gospel."

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CARDINAL CASSIDY ATTENDS INTERCHRISTIAN SYMPOSIUM IN GREECE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 4, 1999 (VIS) - Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, will attend the inauguration of the 5th Interchristian Symposium, organized by the Pontifical Antonianum Athenaeum and the faculty of theology at the Aristotelian University of Thessalonika, Greece.

The symposium, which starts today in Thessalonika and ends September 9, is dedicated this year to "Charisma and the Institution of Oriental and Western Christianity" and will be inaugurated by Archbishop Chrystodoulos of Athens and all Greece.

Cardinal Cassidy will convey to the participants a special message of greeting from the Holy Father.

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BISHOPS OF MALAWI RECEIVED AT END OF "AD LIMINA"

VATICAN CITY, SEP 6, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul received the bishops of Malawi today, as they concluded their "ad limina" visit, and recalled that they are preparing not only for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, but also for the centenary of the founding, in 1901, of the first Catholic mission at Nzama.

Since that time, he said, "the Church herself is increasingly involved in the life of the nation, insisting upon the need for solidarity and civic responsibility and urging dialogue and reconciliation as the way to solve tensions. ... It is also widely recognized that the Church has played an important role in Malawi's transition to democratic government."

The Holy Father added that "the one basis for a democratic society is a right vision of the human person and of the common good. Unless a society builds upon this truth, then it is like a house built upon sand: It cannot stand."
"The challenges to Christian life and service are many and demanding in a situation of widespread poverty, ... and where there is a weakening of moral and ethical conviction, giving rise to many social ills, including corruption and attacks upon the sanctity of human life itself.

"In light of this," he went on, "there is a need to provide the faithful with solid programs of evangelization and catechesis. aimed at deepening their Christian faith and understanding."

The Holy Father affirmed that proper catechesis, supported by Bible study and "a clear exposition of doctrine as found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, ... will ensure that lay men and women are secure in their faith and prepared to fulfill its demands in all circumstances, ... especially Christian marriage and family life. ... Catholics will also be able to respond to the objections raised with increasing frequency by the followers of sects and new religious movements" and to better their "dialogue with the followers of African traditional religion and Islam."

"I encourage your efforts to ensure a more effective formation for your seminarians and priests. ... No less important than the training of future priests is the permanent formation of those already in Holy Orders." He exhorted them to nurture in priests "pastoral dedication and zeal for ministry, moral discipline and upright behavior, detachment from worldly possessions and attitudes (and) readiness to give themselves completely in service to others."

"The need for lifelong formation also applies to men and women religions," he concluded. "The witness offered by consecrated men and women can transform society and its ways of thinking and acting."

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HOLY SEE: SATISFACTION FOR THE ARAB-ISRAELI AGREEMENT

VATICAN CITY, SEP 5, 1999 (VIS) - At midday today Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration:

"Today, September 5, 1999, in his summer residence of Castelgandolfo, the Holy Father John Paul II received in audience Yasser Arafat, president of the Palestinian National Authority.

"On the same occasion, President Arafat also met with Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano.

"In the course of the meeting, President Arafat explained the contents of accords that have been reached concerning application of the Wye Plantation Agreement, signed together with his Israeli counterpart at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

"The Holy See, in expressing its satisfaction and its hopes in the results attained, has not failed to encourage the parties to continue the process they have begun, underlining the importance that peace holds for the two peoples.

"Finally, gratification was expressed for the desire to arrive at the signing of an accord between the Holy See and the PLO on a number of juridical questions concerning the presence and activity of the Catholic Church in territories controlled by the Palestinian Authority."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 6, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences six prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Chad, on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Charles Vandame S.J., of N'Djamena.
- Bishop Matthias N'Garteri Mayadi of Moundou.
- Bishop Michele Russo M.C.C.I., of Doba.
- Bishop Edmond Jitangar of Sarh.
- Bishop Rosario Pio Ramolo O.F.M., of Gore.
- Bishop Miguel Angel Sebastian Martinez M.C.C.I., of Lai.

Yesterday, Sunday September 5, he received in audience Archbishop Patrick Coveney, apostolic nuncio in New Zealand, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, Vanuatu, Tonga, Naurau and Kiribati; apostolic delegate in the Pacific.

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