HOLY FATHER'S CALENDAR FOR SEPTEMBER - JANUARY

VATICAN CITY, SEP 15, 1999 (VIS) - Given below is the calendar of liturgical celebrations at which the Holy Father will preside from September to January:
SEPTEMBER

- Sunday, 19: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Papal visit to Slovenia.

- Thursday, 30: At 6 p.m. in St. Peter's Square, blessing of the facade of the basilica at the conclusion of restoration work.

OCTOBER

- Friday, 1: At 9:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, Mass for the opening of the Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops.

- Sunday, 3: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. At 10 a.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, beatification of servants of God: Ferdinando Maria Baccilieri; Edward Johannes Maria Poppe; Arcangelo Tadini; Mariano da Roccacasale O.F.M.; Diego Oddi O.F.M.; Nicola da Gesturi O.F.M. Cap.

- Sunday, 10: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Pastoral visit to the Roman parish of St. Catherine of Siena. Mass at 9 a.m.

- Friday, 15: At 5:30 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, Mass for the start of the academic year at the ecclesiastical universities.

- Sunday, 17: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Pastoral visit to the Roman parish of St. Francis of Assisi at Monte Mario. Mass at 9 a.m.

- Saturday, 23: At 10:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, Mass for the closure of the Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops.

- Thursday, 28: At 5:30 p.m. in St. Peter's Square, meeting for prayer and reflection at the conclusion of Inter-religious Assembly.

- Sunday, 31: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time. Pastoral visit to the Roman parish of St. Benedict Joseph Labre. Mass at 9 a.m.

NOVEMBER

- Monday, 1: Solemnity of All Saints. At 6 p.m. in the Vatican crypt, moment of prayer for deceased Popes.

- From Friday, 5 to Tuesday, 9: Apostolic trip to India, at conclusion of Synod of Bishops for Asia, and to Georgia.

- Saturday, 13: At 6 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, ecumenical celebration. First vespers of the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

- Tuesday, 16: At midday in St. Peter's Basilica, Mass for cardinals and bishops who died during the year.

- Sunday, 21: 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Solemnity of Christ the King. At 9:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, canonization of Blesseds Cirilo Bertran, eight companions and Inocencio de la Inmaculada; Benedetto Menni; Tommaso da Cori.

- Sunday, 28: First Sunday of Advent. Pastoral visit to the Roman parish of St. Innocent I, Pope and St. Guido, Bishop. Mass at 9 a.m.

DECEMBER

- Wednesday, 8: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At 4 p.m. in Piazza di Spagna, homage to the Immaculate Conception. At 4:30 p.m. in St. Mary Major Basilica, veneration of the Mother of God, "Salus Populi Romani."

- Sunday, 12: 3rd Sunday of Advent. Pastoral visit to the Roman parish of Sts. Urban and Lawrence at Prima Porta. Mass at 9 a.m.

- Tuesday, 14: At 5:30 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, Mass for students at Roman athenaeums.

- Friday, 24: Solemnity of the birth of Our Lord. At 11 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, opening of the Holy Door for the start of the Great Jubilee 2000, and midnight Mass.

- Saturday, 25: Solemnity of the birth of Our Lord. At midday in the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, "Urbi et Orbi" blessing. At 6 p.m. in St. John Lateran Basilica, opening of the Holy Door and second vespers of the birth of Our Lord.

- Friday, 31: At 6 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, vespers and "Te Deum" of thanks for the end of the year and of the 20th century. At midnight in the apostolic palace, "Urbi et Orbi" blessing.

JANUARY 2000

- Saturday, 1: Solemnity of Mary Mother of God. At 9:30 in St. Mary Major Basilica, opening of the Holy Door and Mass.

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GENERAL AUDIENCE: THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 15, 1999 (VIS) - The sacrament of penance was the theme of John Paul II's catechesis during the general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 12,000 people.

The Pope explained that various motives oblige us to reflect upon this sacrament, especially "in the current social context, where the ethical view of human existence is often overshadowed. If many people have lost the dimension of good and evil, this is because they have lost the sense of God and interpret guilt only in psychological or sociological terms." On the other hand, pastoral guidance must highlight the "practice of penance throughout Christian life."

The call to "repent, and believe in the Gospel," with which Jesus starts His ministry, the Pope continued, "is a call to change modes of thought and behavior."

John Paul II invitated the faithful to make a careful study of "Ordo Paenitentiae" in order "to deepen, on the occasion of the Jubilee, the essential dimensions of this sacrament. It is upon its rediscovery that, to a large extent, the maturity of ecclesial life depends. In fact, the sacrament of Reconciliation is not concluded at the moment of celebration of the liturgy, rather it leads us to live a penitential attitude as a permanent dimension of Christian experience."

The Holy Father highlighted "the importance of the necessary pastoral guidance, in order to intensify the value of this sacrament in the people of God so that the announcement of reconciliation, the path to conversion and the very celebration of the sacrament may touch more deeply the hearts of the men and women of our time.

"In particular," the Pope concluded, "I would remind pastors that, to be good confessors, they themselves must be authentic penitents." He asked confessors not to "neglect their own process of perfection and aggiornamento, so that those human and spiritual qualities which are so necessary for the relation with (peoples') consciences is never missing."

Among his greetings at the end of the audience, the Holy Father addressed participants in the bioethical conference, "The Twilight of Life," promoted by the Pontifical Athenaeum "Regina Apostolorum." He said: "May this symposium spark a growing awareness in everyone's minds of the inalienable rights of the individual, and of the respect due to all human beings, in order that the 'twilight' of life be lived in dignity and love."

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POPE, GERMAN BISHOPS AND CURIA OFFICIALS HOLD MEETING

VATICAN CITY, SEP 15, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration this afternoon:

"A meeting is underway in Castelgandolfo between the German Cardinals Joachim Meisner, Georg Maximilian Sterzinsky and Friedrich Wetter, the president of the German Episcopal Conference, and the heads of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and of the Secretariat of State.

"At the end of the morning there was a meeting with the Holy Father.

"Work will continue this afternoon. At the end of the encounter the Holy See Press Office will issue a communique."

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NEW ENCHIRIDION INDULGENTIARUM TO BE PRESENTED

VATICAN CITY, SEP 15, 1999 (VIS) - The new edition of the "Enchidirion Indulgentiarum" will be presented in the Holy See Press Office on Friday, September 17 at 11:30 a.m.

Scheduled to introduce the new enchidirion are Cardinal William Wakefield Baum, major penitentiary, Bishop Luigi De Magistris, regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, Msgr. Dario Rezza, Vatican canon, and Fr. Ivan Fucek, S.J., adjunct theologian of the Apostolic Penitentiary.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 15, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Cardinal Raul Francisco Primatesta, archbishop emeritus of Cordoba, Argentina, as his special envoy at the celebrations, on November 19, for completion of construction work on the Cathedral of la Plata, Argentina.

- Fr. Luigi Infanti della Mora O.S.M., apostolic pro-vicar of Aysen (area 109,024, population 85,000, Catholics 82,000, priests 5, permanent deacons 2, religious 46), Chile, as apostolic vicar of the same apostolic vicariate. The bishop-elect was born in Campomolle di Teor, Italy, in 1954 and ordained a priest in 1990.

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