Thursday, December 16, 1999

THANKS EXPRESSED TO CHRISTMAS CONCERT ARTISTS


VATICAN CITY, DEC 16, 1999 (VIS) - This morning the Pope received the artists who will participate in the traditional "Christmas in the Vatican" concert, which will take place on Saturday, December 18, in the Paul VI Hall.

John Paul II recalled that this concert is "a cultural demonstration that aims to sensitize public opinion to the need for further places of worship and of catechesis in the diocese of Rome."

After thanking the artists for their generosity in contributing to the solution of this problem, "that is close to the heart of the Bishop of Rome," he said "parish communities urgently need their own pastoral structure, especially in the outskirts where these facilities are lacking."

"The objective to construct fifty sacred buildings before the year 2000 has, thanks to God, almost been achieved. ... The city of Rome, which is preparing to play the leading role in the Great Jubilee of the year 2000, may count on the opening of places of worship, of meeting, of catechesis and of structures for social, cultural and sporting activities. ... Thank-you for your precious contribution."

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POPE WELCOMES FIVE NEW AMBASSADORS TO THE HOLY SEE


VATICAN CITY, DEC 16, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning welcomed five new ambassadors to the Holy See during a ceremony in which they collectively presented their Letters of Credence. He addressed the new ambassadors as a group, then met personally with each one, consigning a speech which accented the particular situation in their country.

The new ambassadors are: Bjarne Bladbjerg of Denmark, Aloys Mbonayo from Burundi, Ampalavanar Selverajah of Singapore, Jacques Bihozagara from Rwanda and Tayyab Siddiqui of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

In his speech in French, he pointed out that "the approach of the new millennium is an invitation for all men," especially leaders in the economic, political and social realms, "to bring greater attention to their brothers and sisters."

"Globalization," underlined the Pope, "should not lead to a growing impoverishment of the most disadvantaged peoples, often constrained to bend to the economic rules of the rich countries. Economies should be determined by social politics on the national and international level, and not just subjected to financial factors."

"Those nations which have a long democratic and technical history, and an old economic and social vitality," he added, "have acquired knowledge and know-how. They can put these at the service of those countries which have difficulty in running the infrastructures and organizations which are indispensable to economic growth, to the needs of health and the basic needs of persons."

The Holy Father stressed that "it is also important to develop aid for countries committed to pursuing the fight against poverty and injustice, sources of numerous centers of violence and violations of human rights." A "concrete and tangible solidarity, for a better sharing of the world's riches and goods" is imperative.

Turning to another subject, Pope John Paul observed that "in this year in which we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Charter for Children, it would be good to become mobilized in order to give young people all that is necessary for their growth and to do everything possible so that they will not be subjected to violence and to work which prevents them from going to school, so that they might have a normal life for their age."

He said that young people must be "inserted into social and economic networks ... in order to make them protagonists of social life." If marginalization can be reduced, then "exacerbated forms of violence, drugs and delinquency" can be reduced or eliminated.

"It is intolerable," John Paul II said in closing remarks, "that children and young people are the objects of corrupt trade, whether this is to satisfy adults who have no morals or to feed the illegal networks of adoption or organ donations." And he lauded all persons and organizations who work to combat these scourges.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 16, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Philippe Gueneley, episcopal vicar of Saint-Claude, France, as bishop of Langres (area 6,250, population 200,000, Catholics 180,000, priests 81, permanent deacons 11, religious 139), France. The bishop-elect was born in Dole, France, in 1938 and ordained a priest in 1964. He succeeds Bishop Leon Taverdet whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 16, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, apostolic nuncio in the Federal Republic of Germany.
- Archbishop Francisco-Javier Lozano, apostolic nuncio in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Anders Thunborg, ambassador of Sweden, accompanied by his wife, on a farewell visit. - Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, accompanied by Archbishop-bishop Francesco Pio Tamburrino and Msgrs. Vincenzo Ferrara and Mario Marini, respectively secretary and under-secretaries of the same congregation.

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