AUDIENCE FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA

VATICAN CITY, SEP 30, 1999 (VIS) - At midday today, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration:
"Today, Thursday September 30, the Holy Father received in audience Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, president of the Republic of Venezuela, accompanied by Jose Vicente Rangel, foreign minister, and a government delegation.

"Afterwards, the Venezuelan head of state was received by Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano. Also present at this meeting was Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States.

"In the course of the meetings an exchange of opinions took place on the role of the Church in modern society, especially in the context of Venezuela.

"Special attention was given to the necessity of promoting and protecting the human person, life and the family. Specific mention was made of the Church's contribution to educating the young."

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"DOCTORS ARE GUARDIANS AND SERVANTS OF HUMAN LIFE"

VATICAN CITY, SEP 30, 1999 (VIS) - This morning, in welcoming the participants in the Seventh Congress of the International Gynecological Cancer Society, the Holy Father reminded them that they "face the most fundamental realities of human life - birth, suffering and death," stressing that first and foremost, as doctors, they "are guardians and servants of human life."

He reiterated words from his Encyclical Letter "Evangelium Vitae," on the human significance and ethical aspect of the medical profession: "In today's cultural and social context, in which science and the practice of medicine risk losing sight of their inherent ethical dimension, health care professionals can be strongly tempted at times to become manipulators of life, or even agents of death."

The Holy Father underlined the "delicate and dramatic" situation which occurs when "the mother (to-be) is stricken by cancer ... and faces pressure from society and family to end the life within her in order to ease her own situation." However, he added, "advances in your field make it increasingly possible to safeguard both the life of the mother and the life of the child."

Urging public authorities to adequately fund cancer research, the Pope remarked that "for all the talk of rising costs of health care, particularly in the area of cancer treatment, there is a lingering sense that too little is being done and too little spent on health education and cancer prevention. Nor should there be any hesitation about pointing out clearly that cancer can be the result of people's behavior, including certain sexual behavior, as well as of the pollution of the environment and its effects on the body itself."

John Paul II repudiated assisted suicide and euthanasia - "a grave violation of the law of God." He also rejected concurring with "the intention of another person to commit suicide" and encouraging "the so-called 'self determination' of the dying person." He reminded the doctors that "nothing, not even a patient's request - which more often than not is a cry for help - can justify the taking of a life which is precious in the eyes of God."

"At its deepest level," reflected the Pope, "death is somewhat like birth: Both are critical and painful moments of passage which open on to a life which is richer than what has gone before. Death is an exodus, after which it is possible to see the face of God, .... just as a baby, once born will be able to see the face of its parents."

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CONGRESSES IN COLOMBIA ON FAITH AND CULTURE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 30, 1999 (VIS) - A communique made public today announced that the Pontifical Council for Culture, "challenging the present climate of violence that the country is suffering," has organized three congresses in Colombia on the dialogue between faith and culture. The meetings will take place from October 4 to 13.

The first congress, whose theme is: "Renewed Culture, Hope for the New Millennium," will take place in Medellin from October 4 to 6. The second, "Diversity of Culture, a Gospel," will be held October 7-9 in Bogota. The third congress, which will deal with the subject "The Believer and Modern Science," will happen in Cali from October 11 to 13.

"The organization of these congresses is part of the initiative being undertaken by the Pontifical Council for Culture to institute regional meetings throughout the world on the subject of the cultural challenges faced by the new evangelization."

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BRIEFING BY CARDINAL SCHOTTE ON SYNOD FOR EUROPE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 30, 1999 (VIS) - Cardinal Jan Schotte, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, held a briefing this morning on the Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops which begins tomorrow in the Vatican and concludes October 23.

He began with an overview of a history of synods, which began under Pope Paul VI, and then proceeded to give background on the European synod which commences tomorrow.

The cardinal noted that Pope John Paul II, in his 1994 Apostolic Letter "Tertio Millennio Adveniente," had asked that continental synods be celebrated prior to and in preparation for the Jubilee Year 2000. This is the last of those synods, he observed, pointing out, however, that it is the second time that a special assembly has been convened for Europe.

The first European synod was held in 1991 and was, Cardinal Schotte explained, "'sui generis', that is, based on the historical context of the time, in particular the fall of the Berlin Wall and communist regimes." He remarked that "the superficial euphoria of that moment is gone, but hope for the future of that part of the continent is not gone."

This synod for Europe, he underlined, will focus more on the ecclesiastical, rather than historical, situation in the various European countries and how the Church in those countries has put into practice the teachings and guidelines of Vatican Council II.

Cardinal Schotte, turning to the preparatory stages of this second European synod, indicated that there was wide consultation with episcopal conferences, the Oriental Churches, the Roman Curia and the Union of Superiors General in choosing the theme and the formulating the "lineamenta". He concluded by explaining the various categories of participants, and emphasized that there would be an equal proportion of Synod Fathers from both Eastern and Western Europe, unlike the 1991 synod.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 30, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Thanh-Pho Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, presented by Bishop Louis Pham Van Nam, upon having reached the age limit.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 30, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Angelo Acerbi, apostolic nuncio in the Netherlands. - Archbishop Orlando Antonini, apostolic nuncio in Zambia and Malawi.

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