JUBILEE CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR FEBRUARY 2000

VATICAN CITY, FEB 29, 2000 (VIS) - Following are the Jubilee events scheduled for the month of March 2000:

- Sunday 5: Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. At 10 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, Mass celebrated by the Holy Father with the beatification of Servants of God: Andre de Soveral and Ambrosio Francisco Ferro, priests, and 28 companions, Brazilian martyrs; Nicola Bunkerd Kitbamrung, Thai priest and martyr; Maria Stella Adelaide Mardosewicz and 10 sisters of the Institute of the Holy Family of Nazareth, Byelorussian martyrs. Pedro Calungsod, Filipino lay catechist and martyr; Andrea, Vietnamese lay catechist and martyr.

- Wednesday 8: Ash Wednesday. General audience with the Holy Father. In the afternoon, Mass at the church of St. Sabina and imposition of ashes.

- Thursday 9: Basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls. Adoration of the Eucharist.

- Friday 10: Basilica of St. John Lateran. Way of the Cross and penitential celebration.

- Saturday 11: Basilica of St. Mary Major. Recitation of the Rosary.

- Sunday 12: First Sunday of Lent. St. Peter's Basilica. Mass and "request for pardon" ceremony in the presence of the Holy Father. Basilica of St. John Lateran. Rite of election and the inscription of the names of the catechumens.

- Thursday 16: Basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls. Adoration of the Eucharist.

- Friday 17: Basilica of St. John Lateran. Way of the Cross and penitential celebration.

- Saturday 18: Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. Divine liturgy in the Syro-oriental rite (Chaldean and Malabarese). Basilica of St. Mary Major. Recitation of the Rosary.

- Sunday 19: Second Sunday of Lent. St. Peter's Square. Mass in the presence of the Holy Father. Jubilee of Artisans.
- Thursday 23: Basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls. Adoration of the Eucharist.

- Friday 24: Basilica of St. John Lateran. Way of the Cross and penitential celebration.

- Saturday 25: Basilica of St. Mary Major. Recitation of the Rosary.

- Sunday 26: Third Sunday of Lent. Basilica of St. John Lateran. First scrutiny of the catechumens.

- Thursday 30: Basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls. Adoration of the Eucharist.

- Friday 31: Basilica of St. John Lateran. Way of the Cross and penitential celebration.

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HOLY FATHER'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH

VATICAN CITY, FEB 29, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father's general prayer intention for March is: "That the Holy Year, a favorable time for repentance and mercy, may foster in us deep and lasting conversion."

His missionary intention is: "That the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior, may protect and sustain missionaries in their apostolic work."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 29, 2000 - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- His Majesty Letsie III, king of Lesotho, accompanied by Queen Karabo Mohato Seeiso and an entourage.
- Archbishop William Joseph Levada of San Francisco, U.S.A.
- Fernando de Trazegnies, foreign minister of Peru, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.

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INTERNATIONAL MEETING ON "THE CHRISTIAN CULTURE OF PEACE"

VATICAN CITY, FEB 29, 2000 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council for Culture has organized an international encounter dedicated to "The Christian Culture of Peace," from March 2 to 4 in Yaounde, Cameroon, according to a communique released today by the council. The communique recalls that the Year 2000 has been proclaimed by the United Nations as "The Year of The Culture of Peace."

Among the scheduled participants are African members of the pontifical council and delegates from the episcopal conferences and from the Association of Episcopal Conferences of the region of central Africa (Cameroon. Chad, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Central African Republic), who have been chosen from among the presidents of the episcopal conferences for education, culture and justice and peace. Cardinals Francis Arinze, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue and Christian Wiyghan Tumi, archbishop of Douala, Cameroon, and Archbishop Anselme Titianma Sanon of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, will also participate.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 29, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:
- Msgr. Domenico Russo as bureau chief of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

- Fr. Ugo Vanni S.J., professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, as member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission.

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CONCILIAR TEACHING REQUIRES EVER DEEPER KNOWLEDGE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 27, 2000 (VIS) - After praying the angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope went to the Synod Hall where he met participants in the international congress on the implementation of the measures of Vatican Council II.

In his closing speech to the congress, which was held in the Vatican from February 25 to 27, John Paul II stated that "it is only in the perspective of faith that the council opens before our eyes as a gift from which we must know how to draw the wealth that still remains concealed."

The Holy Father indicated that conciliar teaching "requires ever deeper knowledge, ... (as well as the) overcoming of prejudiced and partial interpretations that have prevented the novelty of the conciliar magisterium being fully expressed."

After recalling the Dogmatic Constitution "Lumen gentium" that was, he said, "a true song of praise to the beauty of the Spouse of Christ," he added: "The 'communio' is the foundation on which the reality of the Church stands. A 'koinonia' whose source is the very mystery of the Triune God and which extends to all the baptized who, as a consequence, are called to full unity in Christ."

"The fact will have escaped no one that, with great vitality, Vatican Council II made this 'ecumenical' longing its own. The movement of encounter and clarification that has begun between all baptized brothers and sisters, is irreversible. ... The communion that the Church lives with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is a sign of how brothers and sisters are called to live together."

John Paul II concluded: "A new season opens before us. It is the time to study conciliar teaching in depth, the time to reap what was sowed by the council fathers and anticipated by the present generation. Vatican Ecumenical Council II was a true prophecy for Church life. It will continue to be so for many years of this third millennium that has just begun."

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ANGELUS REFLECTIONS ON TRIP TO EGYPT, VISIT TO MOUNT SINAI

VATICAN CITY, FEB 27, 2000 (VIS) - Before praying the angelus today, Pope John Paul greeted the thousands of faithful gathered below his study window in St. Peter's Square, and reflected on his just-completed pilgrimage to Egypt and what he called its "climax, ... the ascent to Mount Sinai."

He specifically thanked Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian authorities, His Holiness Shenouda III, patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Greek-Orthodox Archbishop Damianos and the monks of St. Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai, and Grand Sheikh Sayed Tantawi of Al-Azhar, head of the Muslim community in Egypt.

The Holy Father then underscored the important moments of his pilgrimage, which concluded Saturday evening with his return to Rome. He spoke of the Mass in Cairo's sports arena, attended by members of all of the Churches present in Egypt, and of the "meaningful ecumenical encounter" on Friday, saying "it pleases me to underline how profitable the dialogue with the Coptic Orthodox Church proved to be."

"The focal point of my trip," he affirmed, "was the ancient monastery of St. Catherine's on Mount Sinai. There, in a simple but moving ceremony, I was able to commemorate the moment in which God, speaking from the burning bush, revealed His name - 'I Am' - to Moses, as well as the moment when He gave the People the Covenant based on the Decalogue. In the Ten Commandments we see reflected the basic precepts of the natural law. The Ten Commandments indicate the path for a fully human life. Outside of them there is no future of serenity and peace for persons, families and nations."

After the Pope and the faithful prayed the angelus, John Paul II greeted "with affection the leaders and members of the Centesimus Annus-Pro Pontefice Foundation, which yesterday dedicated an intense day to the study of the complex question of the relationship between ethics and finance."

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MARCH 1-4: JUBILEE OF THE ORDER OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 28, 2000 (VIS) - From March 1 to 4, 3,500 knights, dames and ecclesiastics from all over the world, belonging to the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, will celebrate their Jubilee in Rome.

The participants will arrive on March 1 and the following day John Paul II will receive them in audience in the Paul VI Hall. That evening, there will be a pilgrimage to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. On Friday March 3, Cardinal Furno, grand master of the order, will celebrate a Mass at St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls and, in the afternoon, will preside at a Liturgy of the Word in the Basilica of St. John Lateran. At midday on Saturday March 4, the cardinal will celebrate Mass at the papal altar in St. Peter's Basilica. The Viennese court choir will give a rendition of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Coronation Mass" KV 317 in D major.

The charitable aim of the order, which was created at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem in 1099, is to ensure regular support through prayer and good works to the Christian communities in the Holy Land. Thanks to contributions from the almost 20,000 knights and dames, the order largely meets the needs of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem: maintenance of the clergy and upkeep of the patriarchal seminary and the parish schools, the latter frequented by more than 15,000 pupils. Among its social initiatives are support for professional schools and the granting of loans for the setting up of agricultural and artisan projects. Leadership and coordination of the order's activities is the responsibility of the grand master, Cardinal Carlo Furno, who is assisted in his task by the grand magistrature (government) made up of members from various countries.

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SYNOD COUNCIL FOR AMERICA MEETS FOR FIFTH TIME

VATICAN CITY, FEB 28, 2000 (VIS) - The Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops for the Special Assembly for America held its fifth meeting in the Vatican on February 23-24, under the presidency of Cardinal Jan P. Schotte, C.I.C.M, secretary general of the synod. Three cardinals, seven archbishops, two bishops and four secretariat staff members were present.

The meeting was principally dedicated to an analysis of the answers to questionnaires addressed to episcopal conferences and all dicasteries of the Roman Curia on the application of the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in America," according to a communique from the Synod of Bishops.

"From the talks," says the communique, "what has emerged is a rich, articulate panorama of the various churches in North, Central and South America, of their adhesion to the spirit and letter of the post-synodal apostolic exhortation, through pastoral programs and catechetical texts inspired by the document, meetings, conferences and study symposiums."

"Of particular note was the unanimous consent concerning the name which the exhortation used for the continent, using the term 'America' in the singular, as a sign of the geographical and Christian unity of the entire region."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 28, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Mogale Paul Nkhumishe of Witbank, South Africa, as bishop of Pietersburg (area 69,533, population 1,062,000, Catholics 124,900, priests 24, permanent deacons 9, religious 93), South Africa. He succeeds Bishop Fulgence Werner Le Roy O.S.B., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having received the age limit.

On Saturday, February 26, it was made public that he:

- Appointed Father Patrick Harrington S.M.A., former superior general of the Society of African Missions and presently professor at the Consolata Missionaries' philosophical institute in Nairobi, Kenya, as bishop of Lodwar (area 70,000, population 250,000, Catholics 23,000, priests 28, religious 48), Kenya. The bishop-elect was born in Kimeague, Ireland, in 1939 and ordained a priest in 1964. He succeeds Bishop John Christopher Mahon S.P.S., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Elevated the apostolic prefecture of Tierradentro, Colombia, to the rank of apostolic vicariate, with the same name and territorial configuration. The Holy Father appointed Fr. Jorge Garcia Isaza C.M., apostolic prefect of the same ecclesiastical circumscription, as first apostolic vicar of Tierradentro. The bishop-elect was born at Manizales, Colombia, in 1928 and ordained a priest in 1954.

- Appointed Fr. Evarist Pinto, pastor of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Karachi (area 180,000, population 10,000,000, Catholics 140,197, priests 58, religious 236), Pakistan, as auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese. The bishop-elect was born at Goa, India, in 1933 and ordained a priest in 1968.

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THE SINAI PENINSULA AND ST. CATHERINE'S MONASTERY

VATICAN CITY, FEB 26, 2000 (VIS) - This morning Pope John Paul II visited the Sinai Peninsula and St. Catherine's Monastery, thus completing the final phase and focal point of his first Jubilee Year pilgrimage.

The Sinai Peninsula, 61,000 square kilometers, constitutes the Asian part of Egypt. It is bordered by the Mediterranean on the north, the Red Sea on the south, the Suez Canal, inaugurated in 1869, on the west and the Gulf of Aqaba on the east. The peninsula consists of sandy plains and flat beaches in the north and arid plateaus in the center. The southern edge consists of crystalline blocks which form the Sinai Massif where Mount St. Catherine is located, which, at 2,641 meters, is the highest point in Egypt.

The monastery of St. Catherine is an Orthodox Church, autonomous in its government but not autocephalous. The abbot is elected by the community of monks, currently numbering 23, and is consecrated by the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem with the title of archbishop of the Sinai, Paran and Raitho.

This is the site of the Biblical "burning bush" where Moses received the Ten Commandments from the Lord. Roots of this bush, as well as relics of St. Catherine, can be found inside the monastery.

Hermits originally occupied this site. Byzantine Emperor Justinian I built a monastery there in 527 and dedicated the basilica to Mary, whose virginity the burning bush symbolized. In the seventh century, with the arrival of Islamic conquerors, the monastery was spared, on the condition that a small mosque be constructed within the walls. Still today mountain bedouins, who venerate Moses and are the traditional guardians of the monastery, pray there.

St. Catherine's monastery has been known by the name of this martyr of Alexandria since the ninth century. Originally under the jurisdiction of Jerusalem, it became independent in 1575.

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JOHN PAUL II CALLS FOR REFLECTION ON THE PETRINE MINISTRY

VATICAN CITY, FEB 25, 2000 (VIS) - This afternoon, the Pope travelled from the apostolic nunciature in Cairo to the New Coptic-Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Egypt, which was inaugurated last Christmas. There, an ecumenical meeting took place in the presence of 2,000 people, among them heads of the country's non-Catholic Churches and ecclesial communities with members of their respective faithful.

The Holy Father repeated the words he wrote in the Encyclical 'Ut unum sint': "Whatever relates to the unity of all Christian communities clearly forms part of the concerns of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome." With regard to his ministry as Bishop of Rome he asked the Holy Spirit, "to shine His light upon us, enlightening all the pastors and theologians of our Churches, that we may seek together the forms in which this ministry may accomplish a service of love recognized by all concerned. Dear brothers, there is no time to lose in this regard!"

John Paul II went on to highlight: "Our communion in the one Lord Jesus Christ, in the one Holy Spirit and in the one baptism, ... is all the more important at the beginning of a new century and a new millennium." A condition for this common witness is the avoidance of anything that may lead "to distrust and discord. We have agreed to avoid any form of proselytism, or methods and attitudes opposed to the exigencies of Christian love and what should characterize the relationship between Churches."

"We do not know each other sufficiently. Let us therefore find ways to meet! Let us seek viable forms of spiritual communion such as joint prayer and fasting, or mutual exchanges and hospitality between monasteries. Let us find forms of practical cooperation."

"Today," he continued, "we give thanks to God that we are ever more aware of our common heritage, in faith and in the richness of sacramental life. ... For faithfully guarding and preaching this heritage, the Church in Egypt has undergone heavy sacrifices and continues to do so. How many martyrs appear in the venerable Martyrology of the Coptic Church, which dates back to the terrible persecutions of the years 283-284! They gave glory to God in Egypt, through their unfaltering witness unto death."

After recalling that in "the fifth century, theological and non-theological factors, combined with a lack of fraternal love and understanding, led to painful divisions in the one Church of Christ," John Paul II said: "Now, in the course of the twentieth century, the Holy Spirit brought the Christian Churches and communities closer together in a movement of reconciliation." On this subject he referred to the Common Christological Declaration, signed by Paul VI and His Holiness Pope Shenouda III in 1973.

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POPE VOICES "GREAT JOY, DEEP EMOTION" ON VISIT TO MOUNT SINAI

VATICAN CITY, FEB 26, 2000 (VIS) - This morning Pope John Paul travelled by plane to St. Catherine's Monastery on the Sinai Peninsula, the focal point of the first of his Jubilee Year pilgrimages, which are dedicated to those places linked with the history of salvation. He left Cairo International Airport in a C-130 Hercules at 8:40 a.m., local time, travelling the 250 kilometers in just over one hour.

The Holy Father then travelled by car to St. Catherine's monastery where he was welcomed by its abbot, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Damianos. The archbishop gave several gifts to the Pope, including a ring which he placed on his right hand.

The Pope, his entourage and the 23 monks of the monastery then paid a private visit to the multi-level church, in particular to the relics of St. Catherine and, behind the main altar, the roots of the "burning bush" where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

This visit was followed by the Liturgy of the Word which took place in the Garden of Olives outside the walls of the monastery at the foot of Mount Horeb, also known as the Mount of the Ten Commandments. The Liturgy was in Arabic, French and English.

In his homily, given in English, John Paul II said that "today, with great joy and deep emotion, the Bishop of Rome is a pilgrim to Mount Sinai, drawn by this holy mountain which rises like a soaring monument to what God revealed here. Here He revealed His name! Here He gave His Law, the Ten Commandments of the Covenant!"

"Here on Mount Sinai, the truth of 'who God is' became the foundation and guarantee of the Covenant. Moses ... is given the Law (here) 'written with the finger of God'. But what is this Law? It is the Law of life and freedom! ... If the people obey (God's) Law, they will know freedom forever."

"The encounter of God and Moses on this mountain enshrines at the heart of our religion the mystery of liberating obedience," Pope John Paul affirmed. "The Ten Commandments are not an arbitrary imposition of a tyrannical Lord. They were written in stone; but before that, they were written on the human heart as the universal moral law, valid in every time and place. Today, as always, the Ten Words of the Law provide the only true basis for the lives of individuals, societies and nations. Today, as always, they are the only future of the human family. They save man from the destructive force of egoism, hatred and falsehood. They point out all the false gods that draw him into slavery; the love of self to the exclusion of God, the greed for power and pleasure that overturns the order of justice and degrades our human dignity and that of our neighbor."

The Holy Father affirmed that "to keep the Commandments is to be faithful to God, but it is also to be faithful to ourselves, to our true nature and our deepest aspirations."

"The Ten Commandments are the law of freedom; not the freedom to follow our blind passions, but the freedom to love, to choose what is good in every situation."

"In pursuit of this truth, the monks of this monastery pitched their tents in the Sinai," said Pope John Paul II in closing remarks. "Through the centuries, this monastery has been an exceptional meeting place for people belonging to different Churches, traditions and cultures. I pray that in the new millennium the monastery of St. Catherine will be a radiant beacon calling to the Churches to know one another better and to rediscover the importance in the eyes of God of the things that unite us in Christ."

At the end of his visit to St. Catherine's Monastery, the Holy Father returned to Cairo and the apostolic nunciature, where he and his entourage had lunch.
He is scheduled to leave the Egyptian capital at 6:15 local time for the three and a half hour flight to Rome. President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt will be at the airport to bid the Pope farewell, as will other civil and religious authorities.

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COURTESY VISITS TO SHENOUDA III AND GRAND SHEIKH TANTAWI

VATICAN CITY, FEB 24, 2000 (VIS) - Following the welcome ceremony at Cairo's international airport today and the meeting with Hosni Mubarak, president of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Pope travelled to the apostolic nunciature where he spent the afternoon.

At 6 p.m., he made a courtesy call on His Holiness Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at his Cairo residence, where, after a brief visit, they prayed together.

John Paul II then went to the residence of Imam Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar. Al-Azhar Mosque-University is Sunni Islam's most prestigious center for the teaching of theology and religious sciences. It is the oldest Islamic university in the world, having been founded at the end of the tenth century.

Following the courtesy visits, the Holy Father returned to the apostolic nunciature, where he dined and spent the night.

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PRESS OFFICE STATEMENT ON BASILICA INCIDENT

VATICAN CITY, FEB 25, 2000 (VIS) - Following is a declaration made yesterday afternoon by Holy See Press Office Vice Director Fr. Ciro Benedettini regarding the incident that occurred yesterday on the dome of St. Peter's Basilica:

"This morning at around 11 a.m., three youths lowered themselves from the lantern of the dome of St. Peter's onto two lunettes and unfurled banners displaying environmentalist slogans.

"The protest came to an end at 4 p.m. when the three demonstrators, with the assistance of firemen, returned to the lantern on the cupola.

"The three were taken to the offices of the Vatican security forces and identified.

"They turned out to belong to an environmentalist group, 'Solidarios con Itoiz.' Two held Spanish passports and the other a German passport. Their aim was to protest against the construction of a dam in northern Spain."

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HOLY FATHER'S PLEAS FOR PEOPLE OF NIGERIA AND MOZAMBIQUE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 25, 2000 (VIS) - At the conclusion of this morning's Mass in Cairo's Sports Stadium, Pope John Paul thanked everyone "who contributed to the beauty, joy and fervor of this celebration," and then spoke of the tragedies which had occurred in Nigeria and Mozambique.

"I have learned with sorrow," he said, speaking French, "that in Nigeria tension has caused many deaths. While deploring every form of violence, I pray the Lord that all inhabitants of this country might adhere to living in fraternity, based on respect for persons and on religious freedom. These values can only open to the future for the Nigerian nation.

"I also entrust to the Lord the peoples of Mozambique, struck by very serious flooding, May they find the effective solidarity which they need in the international community."

Then, in English, Pope John Paul added; "I greet all the brothers and sisters of the Church in Sudan, some of whom are present here. I pray for you." He closed by saying "thank you" in Arabic; "Shukran! Shukran!

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CHURCH SEEKS TO EXPRESS LORD'S UNLIMITED LOVE FOR ALL

VATICAN CITY, FEB 25, 2000 (VIS) - Pope John Paul II presided a Mass this morning in the Main Hall of Cairo's Sports Palace in the presence of an estimated 18,000 faithful from each of the ecclesial communities belonging to the Coptic, Latin, Maronite, Greek, Armenian, Syriac and Chaldean rites. The Roman-rite Mass was celebrated in French and each of the concelebrants wore the vestments of their own rite.

In his homily in French, the Pope spoke of today's Gospel which recalls the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt, where they remained until "Jesus ... was called out of Egypt by the Father to fulfill in Jerusalem the Passover of the new and irrevocable covenant."

He also highlighted the Lord's covenant with Moses and His people on Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments: "If we accept wholeheartedly the Ten Commandments, we will live fully by the law which God has placed in our hearts and we will have a share in the salvation which was revealed by the Covenant made on Mount Sinai between God and His people, and which the Son of God, through His work of redemption, offers to us."

"In this land of Egypt," observed the Holy Father, "the message of the new Covenant has been transmitted from generation to generation through the venerable Coptic Church, heir to the apostolic preaching and activity of the Evangelist Saint Mark who, according to tradition, suffered martyrdom in Alexandria."

The Pope greeted the patriarchs, bishops, priests, religious and faithful taking part in today's liturgy and affirmed: "Your presence here around the Successor of Peter is a sign of the unity of the Church of which Christ is the head. ... In this Jubilee Year ... we must seek ever more ardently to make resolute progress on the path of unity which He willed for His disciples, in a spirit of trust and fraternity." He had special words for all the Churches and ecclesial communities present, "which I greet here with respect."

John Paul II recalled, as his did upon his arrival in Cairo, the spiritual and intellectual life of the Church in Egypt, from "the illustrious founders of Christian monasticism" to "so many other patriarchs, confessors, thinkers and doctors who are the glory of the Universal Church."

Pointing to "the Lord's unlimited love for the world," he underscored that, "in her commitment to the Egyptian people in the areas of education, health and charitable works, the Church seeks to express this disinterested love which excludes no one." The Church's educational institutions, he emphasized, "also aim at fostering friendly relations with Muslims so that the members of each community may make sincere efforts to understand one another and promote together social justice, moral values, peace, respect and freedom."

The Holy Father stated that, in building society and consolidating peace, "it is right that everyone, Christians and Muslims, while respecting different religious views, should place their skills at the service of the nation, at every level of society."

He closed with a plea: "Let us today renew our acceptance of the divine law as a precious treasure! ... May everyone hear the call of the God of the Covenant and discover the joy of being His sons and daughters."

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JOHN PAUL II, THE FIRST POPE TO VISIT EGYPT

VATICAN CITY, FEB 24, 2000 (VIS) - This morning, John Paul II travelled to the Arab Republic of Egypt where he is to make a Jubilee pilgrimage to Mount Sinai, one of the places linked to the history of salvation. This journey, the 90th outside Italy of his pontificate, represents the first visit by a Pope to that country.

According to the latest Statistical Yearbook of the Church, updated to December 31 1998, Egypt, the most populous country in Africa after Nigeria and the most populous of the Arab world, has 65.9 million inhabitants, the great majority of whom are Muslims. Under ten percent of Egyptians belong to the Orthodox Coptic Church (Coptic, from the name the ancient Greeks gave to Egypt), and there are 222,000 Catholics who represent 0.34 percent of the total population. The Catholics are divided into seven rites: Coptic, Greek, Maronite, Syrian, Armenian, Chaldean and Latin.

There are 14 ecclesiastical circumscriptions, 219 parishes and 201 other pastoral centers. There are 15 bishops (as of 31 December 1999), 445 priests, 1,299 religious, one lay member of a secular institute and 1,376 catechists. Major seminarians number 111.

The central moment of this papal trip will be the ceremony on Mount Sinai, during which the Holy Father will commemorate the alliance between God and Moses and the journey of the Jewish people from slavery under the pharaohs to the Promised Land.

Furthermore, the Pope will meet Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and make two courtesy visits: the first to His Holiness Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, and the second to Grand Sheikh Mohammed Sayed Tantawi of Al-Azhar University. This university was founded as a mosque-school of Shiite theology by the Fatimids (a dynasty of caliphs) in 973, four years after their entry into Egypt. From the 19th century it was challenged by competition from Western educational systems, but it now plays a role as arbiter of modern Islamic thought. Al-Azhar is committed to spreading Islam throughout the world and it is through the university that Egypt exercises its religious influence.

The Bible recalls Egypt as being the place of God's prodigies but also that of slavery under the pharaohs, as the country to which the Holy Family fled and as a harsh and foreign land. It was here that the first schism in the Christian world took place, following the Council of Chalcedon in 451.

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THE VALUE OF A DEMOCRACY LIES IN VALUES IT ESPOUSES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 24, 2000 (VIS) - Made public today was the Holy Father's Message, dated February 23 and written in English, to the participants in the Sixth Plenary Session of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, currently meeting in Rome on the theme "Democracy - Reality and Responsibility."

The Pope underscores the academy's "important contribution" in spreading the Church's social doctrine" so that "it is brought to bear witness on the different cultural, economic and political situations facing men and women."

On the theme of democracy, John Paul II writes: "At the dawning of the Third Millennium, a serious question confronts democracy. There is a tendency to see intellectual relativism as the necessary corollary of democratic forms of political life. In such a view, truth is determined by the majority and varies in accordance with passing cultural and political trends." In contrast, he writes "those who are convinced that certain truths are absolute and immutable are considered unreasonable and unreliable."

"As Christians we firmly believe that 'if there is no ultimate truth to guide and direct political activity, then ideas and convictions can be easily manipulated for reasons of power. ... A democracy without values easily turns into open or thinly disguised totalitarianism. ... The value of a democracy stands or falls with the values which it embodies and promotes'."

Touching upon "the phenomenon of globalization," the Pope stresses that only "the free and responsible participation of all citizens in public affairs" leads to "healthy" political communities. However, he warns, "smaller social units ... must not be namelessly absorbed into a greater conglomeration. ... Rather, the proper autonomy of each social class and organization, each in its own sphere, must be defended and upheld. This is nothing other than the principle of subsidiarity."

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POPE ARRIVES IN EGYPT AT START OF FIRST JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 24, 2000 (VIS) - Pope John Paul began his 90th foreign apostolic trip this morning at 9:40 when he left Rome's Fiumicino Airport for the Arab Republic of Egypt. After a flight of over three hours and 2,206 kilometers, he arrived in the capital of Egypt, Cairo, to start his first Jubilee Year pilgrimage.

The Holy Father was welcomed by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, His Holiness Pope Shenouda, His Beatitude Patriarch Stephanos II Ghattas, and Grand Sheikh Mohammed Sayed Tantawi. He thanked President Mubarak "for making it possible for me to come here and to go where God revealed His name to Moses and gave His Law as a sign of His great mercy and kindness towards His creatures."

Addressing the assembled guests in English, the Pope remarked that "this is the land of a five thousand year-old civilization known throughout the world for its monuments and its knowledge of mathematics and astronomy. This is the land where different cultures met and mingled, making Egypt famous for its wisdom and learning."

He spoke of those nurtured in Alexandria in Christian times: "ecclesiastical writers like Clement and Origen, and great Fathers of the Church such as Athanasius and Cyril," and Catherine of Alexandria. He underscored that Egypt "was the birthplace of monasticism."

"The advent of Islam," continued John Paul II, "brought splendors of art and learning which have had a determining influence on the Arab world and Africa. The people of Egypt have for centuries pursued the ideal of national unity. Differences of religion were never barriers, but a form of mutual enrichment in the service of one national community."

"The unity and harmony of the nation are a precious value which all citizens should cherish, and which political and religious leaders must continually promote in justice and respect for the rights of all," said the Pope in concluding remarks. Lauding Egypt's president for his "commitment to peace at home and throughout the Middle East, he said that "all reasonable men and women appreciate the efforts made so far, and hope that goodwill and justice will prevail, so that all peoples of this unique area of the world will see their rights respected and their legitimate aspirations fulfilled."

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CONGRESS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF VATICAN COUNCIL II

VATICAN CITY, FEB 24, 2000 (VIS) - A conference held in the Holy See Press Office at midday today presented a congress on the implementation of the measures of Vatican Council II (1962-1965). The congress is being promoted by the Central Committee for the Great Jubilee 2000 and will be held in the Vatican from February 25 to 27.

Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, secretary general of the Jubilee Committee, made clear that the principal motive for the congress is to respond to the Holy Father's call, in "Tertio millennio adveniente," for an examination of conscience on the "reception of the council."

Archbishop Sepe said that the congress has a dual aim: "to comprehend what has emerged as a result of the council" and "to verify how much of its teachings and of the guidance of its documents has been put into effect." These documents include constitutions, decrees and declarations.

Bishop Rino Fisichella, auxiliary of Rome, stated that "putting Vatican Council II into effect touches a series of questions that go from the reform of theological studies to the formation of clergy, from the commitment of lay people to catechesis, from the ecumenical movement to interreligious dialogue, from religious liberty to inculturation."

The principal object of analysis, continued Bishop Fisichella, will not be "the four constitutions, but a number of other specific points: the primacy of God's Word in the life of the faithful ('Dei verbum,' assigned to Fr. Albert Vanhoye S.J., secretary of the Pontifical Biblical Commission); the ecclesiology of communion ('Lumen gentium,' assigned to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith); liturgy as the source and culmination of Christian life ('Sacrosanctum concilium,' assigned to Bishop Pere Tena Garriga, auxiliary of Barcelona, Spain) and dialogue with the world and discernment of truth ('Gaudium et spes,' assigned to Bishop Angelo Scola, rector of the Pontifical Lateran University).

Just over 200 invited guests will attend the congress, which is not open to the public. The participants include 20 cardinals and 40 bishops as well as theologians, historians, catechists, priests, religious and lay people from various parts of the world. John Paul II, who participated directly in the working group that prepared 'Gaudium et spes', will present the conclusions on Sunday evening.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 23, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Jesus Maria Cizaurre Berdonces O.A.R., provincial vicar of the Augustinian Recollects in Brazil, as bishop prelate of the territorial prelature Cameta (area 50,648, population 420,000, Catholics 378,000, priests 14, religious 52), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Valtierra-Navarra, Spain, in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1976.

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COMMEMORATION OF ABRAHAM "OUR FATHER IN THE FAITH"

VATICAN CITY, FEB 23, 2000 (VIS) - Following the general audience in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II moved to the Paul VI Hall where he presided at a liturgical celebration in honor of the patriarch Abraham. The event represented the first stage in the Holy Father's journey to places linked with the history of salvation.

The celebration took the form of a Liturgy of the Word with readings from the Old and New Testaments, the Prayer of the Faithful and several other ceremonies such as the procession with the Gospel and the incensing of the image of the Holy Trinity.
Following the first reading and the Holy Father's homily, there were a few moments of meditation, accompanied by images of Ur of the Chaldeans and other places in which Abraham lived.

At the start of his homily, the Holy Father said "our gaze turns towards Abraham, towards the place where he felt God's call and responded to it with the obedience of faith. Together with us, Jews and Muslims also look to the figure of Abraham as a model of unconditional submission to God's will."

The Pope recalled that through faith Abraham emerged victorious from the trial to which he was submitted by God who asked him to sacrifice his only son Isaac. "Abraham's sacrifice," the Pope said, "thus appears as a prophetic announcement of Christ's sacrifice. ... In a certain way, the patriarch Abraham, our father in the faith, unknowingly introduces all believers to God's eternal plan in which the world will be redeemed."

John Paul II went on: "In Abraham's faith, God the Almighty has truly sealed an eternal alliance with the human race, the definitive fulfillment of which is Jesus Christ. The only begotten Son of the Father, of one being with Him, was made Man to introduce us, through humiliation on the Cross and the glory of the Resurrection, to the land of salvation that the merciful God promised humanity from the very beginning."

The Holy Father concluded by highlighting that Mary is the "insuperable model of the redeemed people who are journeying towards the accomplishment of this universal promise." She "personally participated in the ordeal of the Son, believing and standing upright by the cross. ... Faithful to God's people over the generations, she expressed her devotion to His plan of salvation. ... Like Abraham she accepted the sacrifice of the Son."

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GENERAL AUDIENCE: GREETINGS TO PILGRIMS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 23, 2000 (VIS) - The pilgrims who gathered in St. Peter's Square this morning for the general audience did not hear the usual catechesis but rather were greeted in numerous languages by the Holy Father. This weekly event was abbreviated due to the Pope's participation at 10:15 in the Paul VI Hall in what he termed last week "a spiritual pilgrimage to Ur of the Chaldeans" to commemorate Abraham.

He had special words for "the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, meeting in Rome these days. I thank you for the dedication with which you put your knowledge and experience at the service of the Holy See in your important field of investigation." Continuing in English, he welcomed ecumenical groups from Great Britain and Sweden and pilgrims from Hong Kong, Taiwan, the United States and Ireland. "As we reflect on the example of Abraham during this Jubilee Year, let us seek to grow in faith and acceptance of God's saving initiative in our lives."

Greeting the participants in the annual meeting of the Bishop Friends of the Focolare Movement at the Mariapoli Center in Castelgandolfo, the Pope said in Italian: "Faithful to the spirituality of unity and through a constant exchange of experiences, pursue your mission as builders of communion within episcopal conferences, at the center of the priesthood and in diocesan communities."

"I hope that the Great Jubilee," he stated in French, "will be for everyone an experience of faith, with a conversion of heart for a change of life, in view of a renewed evangelical witness. May you rediscover friendship with God and His grace, for fraternal relations with everyone."

At the end of his greetings Pope John Paul told those present that he would be going to the Paul VI Hall to "preside at a liturgical celebration in memory of the patriarch Abraham, our father in the faith." He added that they could follow the commemorative ceremony on the large screens set up in St. Peter's Square, linked via television with the Paul VI Hall.

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, FEB 23, 2000 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Archbishop Martin-Leonard Bakole wa Ilunga, emeritus of Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on February 3 2000, at the age of 79.
- Bishop Jean de Cambourg, emeritus of Valence, France, on February 13 2000, at the age of 91.
- Bishop Felicien-Patrice Makouaka, emeritus of Franceville, Gabon, February 7 2000, at the age of 78.
- Bishop Anthony Gogo Nwedo C.S.Sp., emeritus of Umuahia, Nigeria, on February 12 2000, at the age of 88.
- Bishop Giovanni Pes, emeritus of Alghero-Bosa, Italy, on January 16 2000, at the age of 83.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 22, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Raul Omar Rossi, auxiliary of Buenos Aires, Argentina, as bishop of San Martin (area 102, population 885,000, Catholics 810,800, priests 96, religious 285), Argentina.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 22, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received Fr. Abelardo Lobato O.P., president of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, accompanied by Msgr. Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, secretary of the same academy.

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JUBILEE OF THE CURIA: PROFOUND CONVERSION IS NECESSARY

VATICAN CITY, FEB 22, 2000 (VIS) - Today, feast of the Chair of St. Peter, John Paul II presided over a Eucharistic celebration in the Vatican Basilica for the occasion of the Jubilee of the Roman Curia. Prior to the Mass, the more than 4,000 members of the curia participated in a procession, entering the basilica by the Holy Door.

Commenting in his homily on the words of St. Matthew the Evangelist: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," the Holy Father said: "This is the confession of faith of the Prince of the Apostles. This is also the confession we renew today." He added that "the Church is founded" on Christ's reply, "you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church."

The Holy Father affirmed that "the Chair of Peter that we celebrate today is not founded on human guarantees - 'flesh and blood' - but on Christ the cornerstone."

After recalling Peter's three denials of Christ prior to the Passion as well as the Lord's prayer that the apostle's faith would not weaken, John Paul II said: "This is Christ's promise, our consoling certainty: the petrine ministry is not based on human capacities and strength, but on the prayer of Christ who implores the Father that Simon's faith 'may not fail.' Once he has 'turned again', Peter will be able to carry out his service among his brothers. The Apostle's repentance - we can almost call it a second conversion - constitutes the decisive step in his journey following the Lord."

The Pope highlighted that it is important not to forget the words of Peter. "Our passing through the Holy Door in order to obtain the grace of the great Jubilee must be moved by a profound spirit of conversion."

"Notwithstanding (Peter's) sin and limitations, Christ chose him and called him to an exalted task, that of being the foundation of the visible unity of the Church and of confirming his brothers in faith."

The Holy Father recalled that the Apostle's tears after his triple denial of Christ call us to "true interior purification. ... Christ will renew his prodigies for us too - this is our humble and faithful hope. He will concede His healing grace in abundant measure and make new and miraculous catches, loaded with promise for the Church's mission in the third millennium."

In the Roman Curia, there are 2,581 people who work for the Holy See (1,132 priests and religious and 1,449 lay people) and 1,477 who work for the Governorate of Vatican City State (74 priests and religious and 1,403 lay people).

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POPE WELCOMES WORLD CHRISTIAN LIFE COMMUNITIES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 21, 2000 (VIS) - Leaders of the World Christian Life Communities were welcomed to the Vatican this morning by Pope John Paul II who recalled the apostolate's "long and rich tradition of the Marian Congregations, which trace their origins back to the 16th century, to the initiative of Ignatius of Loyola and his companions."

He also remarked that the Marian Congregations, united in a world Federation, changed their name in 1971 to World Federation of Christian Life Communities and again, "in 1990, with the Apostolic See's approval of the revised General Principles and Norms, you became the 'World Christian Life Community'." They are now present in 58 countries.

The Pope, speaking English, pointed out that they "draw inspiration and strength from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius" for their task of building the Kingdom of God. "As members of the laity, you are called to be faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ in all spheres of life: in your families, in your professional lives, in the worlds of politics and culture, in the local Church communities to which each of you belongs."

The Holy Father exhorted them to "renew your trust in the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Mother. She is the most eloquent example of obedience to the Lord and acceptance of His will."

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ANGELUS REFLECTIONS ON JUBILEES OF DEACONS, ROMAN CURIA

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 2000 (VIS) - Pope John Paul, in reflections preceding today's noon angelus prayer with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square below his study window, spoke of the just-concluded Jubilee of Permanent Deacons, addressing special words to those who were ordained deacons this morning in St. Peter's Basilica. He also spoke of the upcoming Jubilee for the Roman Curia.

The Pope told the deacons, who came from various parts of the world with their families to celebrate the Jubilee dedicated to them, that they "assume a singular 'diaconia', which is expressed above all in service to the Gospel." At your consecration, he added, "the ordaining bishop said these words: 'Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you will become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, live what you teach'." He urged them to "live your mission joyfully and faithfully."

He then referred to Tuesday's celebration of the Jubilee of the Roman Curia. "All who are in service to the Holy See - cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, religious and lay people - will pass together through the Holy Door, the symbol of mercy and a call to a renewal of life.

"A very close bond links the family of the Curia to the Successor of Peter, who benefits from its service in exercising the ministry entrusted to him by Christ to the advantage of the entire ecclesial community. And therefore it is important that he be able to count not only on the talents and efficiency of his collaborators, but on their communion in love, which is so deep as to make the Curia, as Pope Paul VI loved to say, "a permanent cenacle', totally consecrated to the good of the Church."

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TO PERMANENT DEACONS: "BE ACTIVE APOSTLES"

VATICAN CITY, FEB 19, 2000 (VIS) - At midday today in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope received participants in the Jubilee for Permanent Deacons, and told them that "as ministers of God's people" they are called "to action through liturgical work, educational and catechistic activity and the service of charity, in communion with bishops and the clergy."

"Dear deacons," said the Holy Father, "be active apostles of the new evangelization. Bring everyone to Christ! Thanks also to your commitment, may His Kingdom spread in your families, in your workplaces, in parishes, in dioceses and the in the whole world! ... Do not allow yourselves to be halted by anything, continue with faith in Christ, following the example of Lawrence the deacon whose venerable and distinguished relics you requested be present on this occasion."

John Paul II assured the deacons that, if they were fully faithful to Christ, they would "also be faithful to the various ministries entrusted to you by the Church. How valuable your service to the Word and the catechesis truly is! And what can we say of you as deacons of the Eucharist? A role that puts you in direct contact with the sacrificial altar during the liturgy."

"Through the sacramental bond that links you to bishops and clergy, you fully live the ecclesial 'communio.' ... All the features of your unique spirituality clearly arise from your identity as deacons, this spirituality is essentially one of service."

The Pope indicated that "the Jubilee represents a suitable time to restore the original and authentic appearance of this identity and this spirituality, thus internally renewing and mobilizing all apostolic energies." He concluded by highlighting that "faith must be transmitted and communicated. It is also your task to introduce young generations to the only and unchangeable Gospel of salvation, in order that the future may be rich with hope for everyone."

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JUBILEE OF THE ROMAN CURIA

VATICAN CITY, FEB 21, 2000 (VIS) - The Jubilee of the Roman Curia starts this evening in St. Peter's Basilica with a penitential celebration led by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap., preacher of the papal household. The focal point of this Jubilee celebration is tomorrow morning, when a procession, starting at 10 at the obelisk in St. Peter's Square, will bring participants through the Holy Door and into the basilica where Pope John Paul will preside at Mass, starting at 11 a.m.

Three preparatory events led up to this Jubilee. On Friday, February 4, each dicastery of the Roman Curia celebrated in its own way, reflecting on the theme "Spirituality in the Service to the See of Peter." On Tuesday, February 8, members of the Curia met in the Paul VI Hall to pray the rosary and listen to a meditation on "Conversion and Renewal," given by Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, archbishop of Bologna, Italy. During the afternoon of February 15, groups of curial offices met together for prayer, meditation and Eucharistic adoration.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 21, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Fr. Francesco Guido Ravinale of the clergy of the diocese of Biella, Italy, rector and pastor of the shrine of Oropa, as bishop of Asti (area 1,451, population 152,153, Catholics 148,763, priests 165, permanent deacons 7, religious 330), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Biella in 1943 and ordained a priest in 1967.

- Msgr. John J. Kaising of the clergy of the archdiocese of Cincinnati, U.S.A., pastor of the parish of St. Dominic, as auxiliary to the military ordinary of the U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Cincinnati in 1936 and ordained a priest in 1962.

- Wilfrido V. Villacorta, professor of political science at the De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines, as a member of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 21, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Arpad Goncz, president of the Republic of Hungary, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.
- Archbishop John Bukovsky S.V.D., apostolic nuncio.
- Fr. Giovanni Battistelli O.F.M., custodian of the Holy Land.

On Saturday, February 19, he received in separate audiences:

- Carlos Roberto Flores Facusse, president of the Republic of Honduras, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.
- Cardinal Peter Seiichi Shirayanagi, archbishop of Tokyo, Japan.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves O.P., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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ACADEMY WORKSHOP ON "SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF GLOBALIZATION"

VATICAN CITY, FEB 21, 2000 (VIS) - Today and tomorrow in the Vatican's Casina Pio IV, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences is hosting a workshop on the theme "Social Dimensions of Globalization." This precedes the academy's sixth plenary session which will be held From February 23 to 26 in the Vatican on the theme of democracy.

Among the topics which will be discussed at the workshop by members and guests of the academy: "The Meaning of Globalization"; "The Evolving Nature of Development in the Light of Globalization"; "Human Development and Globalization: Challenges and Indicators"; "Social and Cultural Dimensions of Globalization" and "The Social Doctrine of the Church and Globalization."

The president of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences, which was founded by Pope John Paul II in 1994, is Professor Edmond Malinvaud of the Research Center on Economy and Statistics - Malakoff, near Paris, France.

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IT IS TIME TO RECREATE THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN CHURCH AND ART

VATICAN CITY, FEB 18, 2000 (VIS) - The Jubilee of Artists began this morning, the feast of Blessed Fra Angelico, with Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, presided over by Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, president of the Vatican's central Jubilee committee.

In his homily the cardinal told the artists that they "represent quite simply mankind, mankind in its integrity, which cannot be separated from the artistic dimension. God made man the creature also as creator. ... And what a prestigious artist was this God who made us one by one, each a unique being, each bearing His authentic signature!

"It is incumbent on each one of us to be, as He was, an artist, certainly not by profession but by birth. And your Jubilee pilgrimage happily reminds us of all the nobility of this birth which makes us ... 'creative' creatures. I like the witty remark by one philosopher: 'God created man as little as possible,' as a kind of rough draft of His image, entrusting to each one the task of refining His work."

Following Mass, the Pope arrived in the basilica and addressed those present, affirming that "it is time to recreate that fruitful alliance between the Church and artists that has amply marked Christianity's journey over two millennia. Dear faithful artists, this presupposes your ability to deeply live the reality of Christian faith, in order that it become a generator of culture and give the world new 'epiphanies' of divine beauty, reflected in creation."

"The Jubilee," he continued, "solicits us to welcome this grace of resurrection" that it may heal our lives "not just from sin, but also from the dregs that sin leaves within us, even after we are reconciled with God. ... The conversion of heart is, so to say, the work of art that the Spirit and our liberty create together."

"If artistic creation needs 'inspiration', the spiritual path has need of grace."

The Pope stated that "if we are capable of discerning, in the multiple manifestations of beauty, a ray of the supreme beauty, then art becomes a path towards God, and stimulates artists to marry their creative talent with a commitment to live ever more in conformity with divine law."

Today's Jubilee celebration, he said, "is an invitation to practice the stupendous 'art' of sanctity." During this process "grace sustains us, also by means of that ecclesiastical fellowship through which the Church renders herself mother to everyone. ... Is not this, perhaps, the meaning of the 'mater Ecclesia' which Bernini so magnificently evoked in the colonnade's solemn embrace? Those masterful arms are, nonetheless, maternal arms that open to all humanity. Within them, all members of the Church may feel cheered as they follow the pilgrim path, on the journey to the ultimate homeland."

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SERVICE TO COMMEMORATE ABRAHAM SET FOR VIGIL OF PAPAL TRIP

VATICAN CITY, FEB 18, 2000 (VIS) - A Commemoration of Abraham, "our father in the faith," presided over by Pope John Paul II, will be held in the Paul VI Hall on Wednesday, February 23, 2000 at 10:15 a.m. it was announced today by the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.

Heads of curial offices will join the Holy Father in this moment of prayer on the vigil of his pilgrimage to places linked with the history of salvation. The Pope leaves for Egypt on February 24 and will be at St. Catherine's on Mount Sinai, the principal focus of his first Jubilee Year pilgrimage, on February 26.

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PROGRAM FOR JUBILEE OF PERMANENT DEACONS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 18, 2000 (VIS) - Today at 5 p.m. in St. Mary Major Basilica, Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, will inaugurate the Jubilee of Permanent Deacons. Following his welcome speech, there will be the recitation of the rosary and Eucharistic adoration and benediction.

The program for Saturday, February 19, will take place in the Paul VI Hall, starting with Mass at 8:30 a.m., presided over by Archbishop Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education. This will be followed by a talk on St. Lawrence, Deacon, celebration of the Third Hour with Cardinal Pio Laghi and an audience with the Holy Father at noon.

Saturday afternoon the program continues with a meeting at 4 p.m. of permanent deacons and a speech to them by Archbishop Roberto Octavio Gonzalez of San Juan de Puerto Rico on "The permanent deacon: his identity, role and prospective." At this same hour the families of permanent deacons who are married will meet in Holy Spirit Church near the Vatican where Cardinal James Francis Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, will speak on "The Ideal Family of the Married Permanent Deacon."

At 6 p.m. all participants will meet at the obelisk in St. Peter's Square for a penitential procession through the Holy Door, the profession of faith and a renewal of commitments assumed on ordination day.

On Sunday, February 20 at 9 a.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos will ordain new deacons. This will be followed by the noon angelus with the Holy Father.

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GIORDANO BRUNO'S DEATH, A "SAD EPISODE" IN CHRISTIAN HISTORY

VATICAN CITY, FEB 18, 2000 (VIS) - Made public yesterday afternoon was a letter from Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of state, to Fr. Adolfo Russo, dean of the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Southern Italy which has organized the February 17-18 meeting in Naples on the theme "Giordano Bruno: Beyond Myth and Contrasting Passions. An Historical-Theological Recognition." The letter was read at the afternoon session of the symposium.

The cardinal writes that "the Jubilee Year is for the Church a privileged occasion to revive and celebrate her faith in Christ. ... This does not, however, dispense her from recalling the many incoherences which have marked the behavior of her children, thus throwing shadows on the proclamation of the Gospel. It is for this reason that, among the signs of the Jubilee, the Supreme Pontiff has placed that of the purification of memory, asking of everyone an act of courage and humility in recognizing their own failings and those of all who bear or have borne the name of Christian."

"His Holiness," adds Cardinal Sodano, "has thus learned with great pleasure that, precisely with these sentiments, this theological faculty intends to recall Giordano Bruno who, on February 17, 1600, was executed in Rome at Campo dei Fiori, following a verdict of heresy pronounced by the Tribunal of the Roman Inquisition. This sad episode of modern Christian history has sometimes been taken up by several cultural currents as a point of departure for and emblem of a bitter criticism with regard to the Church." He said that we are invited "to re-read also this event with a spirit open to full historical truth."

The secretary of state then recalled that the philosopher Giordano Bruno was born and raised near Naples and it was there that he took his vows as a Dominican.

"In reality," says his letter, "even on the basis of up-to-date research done by scholars of diverse ideas, it seems an acquired (fact) that the path of his thought, undertaken in a context of a rather animated existence and on the background of an unfortunately divided Christianity, led him to intellectual choices which progressively revealed themselves, on several decisive points, to be incompatible with Christian doctrine. It will be up to a further and deeper study to evaluate the effective scope of his divarication of the faith."

Cardinal Sodano then observes that "the fact remains that the members of the Tribunal of the Inquisition tried him with methods of coercion which were common at the time" and which led to "an atrocious death. It is not up to us to express judgements on the conscience of those who were involved in this affair," though it seems they were "animated by the desire to serve the truth and the common good, doing everything possible to save his life."

He concludes: "Objectively, however, several aspects of that procedure and, in particular, the violent outcome by the hands of civil authorities, can only constitute today for the Church - in this as in other similar cases - a motive of profound regret."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 18 FEB, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Luis Gabriel Cuara Mendez of Tuxpan, Mexico, as bishop of Veracruz (area 9,000, population 2,428,000, Catholics 2,240,000, priests 97, religious 249), Mexico. He succeeds Bishop Jose Guadalupe Padilla Lozano, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

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AUDIENCE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 18, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in audience Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone and Fr. Gianfranco Girotti, O.F.M.Conv., respectively prefect, secretary and under-secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Fr. Georges Cottier, O.P., secretary general of the International Theological Commission.

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SPREAD DEVOTION TO ST. JOSEPH WITH APOSTOLIC WITNESS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 17, 2000 (VIS) - This morning, John Paul II received participants in the general chapter of the Oblates of St. Joseph. He reminded them that their charism requires them to "reproduce the ideal of service in their life and apostolate, just as it was lived by the guardian of the Redeemer."

"This then is the simple and hardworking lifestyle that you follow, spreading devotion to St. Joseph through preaching, publications and especially through apostolic witness."

The Pope affirmed that a typical characteristic of the Oblates' ministry "is the religious and human education of youth, highlighting the catechism and actively working in youth centers and schools, in parishes and oratories, in movements and associations."

"Know how to speak to the hearts of youth, courageously presenting them with the Gospel. Make them love the Church. Be assured that the more accepted your word becomes, the more eloquent will be the witness of your example."

The Holy Father emphasized the importance of lay people's collaboration "in order to respond to the requirements of evangelization today". This is not just motivated by the lack of religious, rather, "the age in which we live may be defined, in some ways, as the age of the laity. Consequently, know how to open yourselves to their contribution."

He concluded: "Consistent prayer, attention to the signs of the times and vital permanent formation will help to render your work, not simply a social service but a witness of God's merciful love."

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RECTORS: MEN OF HUMAN RELATIONS, COMMUNION AND PRAYER

VATICAN CITY, FEB 17, 2000 (VIS) - The participants in the annual conference of rectors of English-speaking seminaries in Europe were welcomed by the Holy Father this morning who, in his talk to them, stressed that they must be men of solid human relations, communion and prayer.

"Your particular duties as rectors," the Pope pointed out, "are characterized by your relationship with the bishops who send men to you for preparation in priestly service, with the staff who assist in the formation of the seminarians, with the students entrusted to your care and supervision, with the presbyterate and the diocesan communities where these men will eventually serve as priests. Thus it is clear that you must be men of solid human relations on all levels - ecclesiastical, academic and spiritual - and that you must be men of communion."

"In all of this it is most important that you should be men of prayer, true disciples of Jesus Christ," John Paul II added. "First and foremost among your duties and responsibilities, in fact the foundation upon which all of them stand, is your own faithful witness to an active life of prayer." By instilling this same spirit in the seminarians, he observed, you will give the Church "priests who have learned to put themselves constantly in the Lord's presence - speaking to Him, listening to Him, being taught by Him, being loved by Him - so that they in turn can do the same for others."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 17, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, president of the Republic of Chile, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.
- Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. - Bishop Jan Hirka of Presov of Byzantine rite Catholics, Slovakia.
- Nicola Cabibbo and Msgr. Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, respectively president and chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

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ARTISTS' JUBILEE TO BE HELD TOMORROW

VATICAN CITY, FEB 17, 2000 (VIS) - Tomorrow, February 18, the feast of Blessed Fra Angelico, the Artists' Jubilee will be held in Rome. Following the Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's Basilica, presided by Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, president of the Committee for the Great Jubilee 2000, the Pope will receive the participants in audience.

During the afternoon, in the Paul VI Hall, there will be an international symposium on the theme "The Church and Art in the Pilgrimage Towards God." This event will be directed by Francesco Marchisano, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church, and will involve contributions from sculptors, painters, film directors, composers and architects from different European countries. The various talks will be interspersed by musical recitals. At 9 p.m., there will be a performance of music and dance in the basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, where Fra Angelico is buried, and a concert in the church of St. Ignatius.

On Saturday, February 19, those participating in the Jubilee will be able to visit the catacombs of St. Agnes, Domitilla, Priscilla and St. Sebastian, free of charge.

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DECLARATION ON HOLY SEE-PALESTINIAN BASIC AGREEMENT

VATICAN CITY, FEB 16, 2000 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls stated last evening that the Basic Agreement signed earlier in the day between the Holy See and the Palestinian Liberation Organization "does not concern the peace process as such, but rather regulates the presence and activity of the Catholic Church in the territories run by the Palestinian Authority.

"This agreement only repeats what has been established by the pertinent institutions of the United Nations and the recent agreements between the Israeli and Palestinian authorities.

"As far as the city of Jerusalem is concerned, the agreement does not enter into questions of territoriality or sovereignty which regard the two interested parties, Israeli and Palestinian.

"The text signed this morning in the Vatican refers to the universal religious and cultural dimension of the most sacred parts of the city, recognized by the international community itself."

OP;AGREEMENT; PALESTINIANS;...;NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;20000216;Word: 160;

ALLOW BISHOP TO RETURN TO DIOCESE, POPE URGES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 16, 2000 (VIS) - At the conclusion of today's general audience, Pope John Paul urged Congolese authorities to allow Bishop Kataliko to return to his diocese. The bishop has been barred from returning since last week.

"Worrisome news continues to arrive from the Democratic Republic of the Congo," said the Pope. "In recent days, Bishop Emmanuel Kataliko, archbishop of Bukavu, has been blocked by local authorities from returning to his diocese. This is a serious violation which sadly wounds all Catholics!

"While I feel solidarity with the clergy and faithful of Bukavu, I express the hope that this deserving prelate might be allowed to return without delay to the flock which has been entrusted to him.
"At the same time, I am making a heartfelt appeal for the quickest possible application of the Lusaka peace accords, asking the Lord for unity and reconciliation for that beloved nation."

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POPE TO MAKE A "SPIRITUAL" PILGRIMAGE TO UR OF THE CHALDEANS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 16, 2000 (VIS) - During today's general audience, the Pope announced that next Wednesday he will make a pilgrimage, "at least in spirit," to Ur of the Chaldeans, thus starting his journey to those places linked to the history of salvation.

The Holy Father told the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square that, as it has not proved possible to "pray and meditate at Ur of the Chaldeans," Abraham's place of origin, "next Wednesday, in a special celebration in the Paul VI Hall, we will relive together some of the key events of Abraham's experience."

"Following this first stage," he continued, "it will be possible to continue, with our spirits full of gratitude, towards the other stages of the progress of the history of salvation; starting with Mount Sinai where Moses experienced the revelation of the most holy name of God and came to know His mystery. I invite you, starting now, to accompany my pilgrimage with your prayers."

John Paul II recalled that "the pilgrimage is one of the most important and profound spiritual aspects of the Jubilee." Consequently, he added, "I would have liked first to visit Ur of the Chaldeans, today called Tal al Muqayyar in southern Iraq, Abraham's place of origin." The patriarch, obeying God's command, left his country and journeyed to the land that God would show him. "With him, God's salvation began to move along the paths of human history."

Abraham, said the Pope, "fully adhered to God's plan for himself and his descendants and became the father of a multitude of believers. Consequently, walking 'in Abraham's footsteps' we learn to give concrete value to the requirements of true faith, and we experience the dynamism of the divine initiative which has its culmination in Christ."

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AUDIENCE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 16, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received Archbishop Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, accompanied by Archbishop Giuseppe Pittau, S.J., and Msgr. Giuseppe Baldanza, respectively secretary and under-secretary of the same congregation.

AP;...;...;... ;VIS;20000216;Word: 40;

BASIC AGREEMENT IS SIGNED BY HOLY SEE AND PLO

VATICAN CITY, FEB 15, 2000 (VIS) - The following statement by Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls was released this morning pursuant to the signing of a Basic Agreement between the Holy See and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, as the representative of the Palestinian National Authority:

"This morning, the Holy Father received in audience Yasser Arafat, president of the Palestinian Authority, and a Palestinian delegation.

"In the course of the discussions, the president of the Palestinian Authority informed the Holy Father about the latest developments in the peace process, not failing to express concern over the present situation and to extend to him - from the present moment - a welcome to Bethlehem.

"For his part, the Holy Father renewed his expression of the Holy See's solidarity with the Palestinian people, who are still waiting to see their legitimate aspirations met.

"The audience was preceded by the signing of the 'Basic Agreement'. Signed by Msgr. Celestino Migliore, under-secretary for Relations with States and Dr. Emile Jarjoui, member of the PLO executive committee, the agreement deals with certain juridical questions regarding the presence and activity of the Catholic Church in the territory dependent on the Palestinian Authority.

"After the audience with the Pope, President Arafat met with Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States. In the course of their conversation, reference was made to the bilateral agreement signed this morning, to the Middle East peace process, and to the Holy Father's upcoming visit to Palestinian territory."

OP;PALESTINIANS; ACCORD;...;ARAFAT;VIS;20000215;Word: 270;

COMMUNIQUE BY CONGREGATION ON CZECH "CLANDESTINE CHURCH"

VATICAN CITY, FEB 15, 2000 (VIS) - Made public yesterday afternoon was a statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on the "Clandestine Church" in the Czech Republic. It is dated February 11, 2000 and signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, respectively prefect and secretary of the congregation.

The statement is divided into five parts: Attitude of the Holy See; The solution of individual cases; Remaining problems; Clarifications and Conclusion. Following are excerpts:

"For a long time, the situation of the Church in the Czech Republic has been occupying the attention of the Holy See. The most troubling problem has been the question of clandestinely ordained bishops and priests. Notable progress has been made in the attempt to find a lasting solution, nonetheless difficulties remain and some clarification is required. Hence the need to precisely describe the relative events and documents, clear up misunderstandings and specify what Catholic doctrine has to say on the subject.

"Attitude of the Holy See. The Congregation has constantly adopted the attitude of respect and expectation. It did not wish in any way to wound the feelings of those who, for personal reasons, had no intention of accepting the criteria that the dicastery had adopted to solve an extremely delicate problem of conscience; a problem which, furthermore, involved people who had long suffered under the dark years of communism."

"The solution of individual cases. A large number of the clandestinely ordained celibate priests - about fifty in all - accepted the Pope's decision regarding 'conditional' ordination and have been admitted into pastoral ministry by their respective diocesan bishops.

"On September 16, 1997, Cardinal Achille Silvestrini, prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches, informed the apostolic nunciature (Folio N. 115/90) that the Holy Father had regularized the juridical position of 22 married Latin priests who had also been clandestinely ordained, authorizing them to pass to the Byzantine-Slavic rite as full members of the exarchate for the faithful of that rite resident in the Czech Republic."

"Remaining problems. Some of the clandestinely ordained bishops and priests have not accepted the norms approved by the Holy Father.

"The main reason for the refusal of these priests was the 'conditional' ordination which they felt represented a lack of faith on the part of the Holy See, as they were firmly convinced that they had been legitimately ordained. Apart from this, there were also psychological motivations which must be respected, even though they cannot be shared.

"As was explained to them by their bishops, ... the 'sub condicione' ordination signified neither lack of faith nor an obstacle to their being accepted as priests.

"In reality, investigations into each individual case did not show that priestly ordination had always been carried out in a valid way."

"Being ordained 'sub condicione' meant only that, if their previous ordination was valid, the second ('conditional') ordination would have had no effect, given that they were already priests. If, on the other hand, the clandestine ordination had not been valid, then being ordained again they would be certain in conscience that they truly were priests."

"As regards married bishops, ... it is well known that the canonical law of the Catholic Church of both Latin and Oriental rite, as well as the ancient tradition of Oriental Churches not in communion with the Catholic Church, absolutely prohibits the compatibility of the married state with the office of bishop."

"Clarifications: The 'Clandestine Church'. Neither this name, nor the other of 'Church of the Catacombs' are justifiable. As a matter of fact, the individuals and groups who give themselves this title do not live in hiding, they are fully inserted into civil society. ... They are not persecuted like the Christians of the catacombs. ... If we must speak of clandestinity, it is unfortunately only in the sense that they celebrate the Eucharist or administer the sacraments for small groups of their followers, in private homes or places known to them alone.
"Illegality. These Masses, the administration of the sacraments and the other liturgical celebrations are forbidden. In fact, all celebrations by those who remove themselves from the authority of the Pope and the bishops are illegal."

"Conclusion. It is to be hoped that the situation will improve in the Czech Republic, where the Church has suffered so greatly under pressure from hostile authorities and where Christians are called to give consistent witness at all levels of public and ecclesial life."

"The bishops of the Czech Republic, as well as the apostolic nuncio are ready to collaborate in support of such union, in that spirit of service to which the Lord calls His followers."

CDF;ORDINATIONS;...;CZECH REPUBLIC; RATZINGER;VIS;20000215;Word: 770;

TO SLOVAKS: BE FAITHFUL TO CHRIST AND HIS GOSPEL

VATICAN CITY, FEB 15, 2000 (VIS) - This morning in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope received 3,000 pilgrims from Slovakia, among them various representatives and delegates of the Evangelical Church and other Christian confessions. Rudolf Schuster, president of the Slovak Republic, was also present, as was Cardinal Jan Chryzostom Korec, S.J., bishop of Nitra.

After referring to the "long years of harsh communist oppression" suffered by the Slovak people, the Holy Father stated that "even now, trials and difficulties are not lacking, but a continual return to the evangelical roots is a sure way to human and religious renewal. Be faithful to Christ! Be faithful to His Gospel of salvation which is capable of renewing man and society! For faith to be fully lived, coherent witness is required within the different surroundings in which human, personal and community life takes place."

John Paul II indicated that "it is in the Eucharist that Christ nourishes and strengthens believers. ... Eating the 'bread broken', the faithful learn to consider others as themselves, as brothers to be respected and accepted."

He concluded: "Only Christians united 'that they may all be one' can offer a fully credible witness before the world. Unity is, even today, the privileged path of evangelization."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 15, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Vicente Rodrigo Cisneros Duran of Ambato, Ecuador, as metropolitan archbishop of Cuenca (area 9,672, population 641,000, Catholics 638,000, priests 104, religious 461), Ecuador. The archbishop-elect was born in Pelileo, Ecuador, in 1934, ordained a priest in 1957 and consecrated a bishop in 1968. He succeeds Archbishop Luis Alberto Luna Tobar O.C.D., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor of Arundel and Brighton, England, as metropolitan archbishop of Westminster (area 22,000, population 4,420,000, Catholics 544,130, priests 783, permanent deacons 4, religious 2,096), England. The archbishop-elect was born in Reading, England, in 1932, ordained a priest in 1956 and consecrated a bishop in 1977.

- Appointed Bishop Vincent Gerard Nichols, auxiliary of Westminster, England as metropolitan archbishop of Birmingham (area 8,735, population 5,235,575, Catholics 293,779, priests 579, permanent deacons 38, religious 1,224), England. The archbishop-elect was born in Crosby, England, in 1945, ordained a priest in 1969 and consecrated a bishop in 1992.

- Appointed Bishop Guy-Paul Noujaim, auxiliary of Antioch of the Maronites, Lebanon, as a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 15, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Yasser Arafat, president of the Palestinian Authority, accompanied by his entourage. - Rudolf Schuster, president of the Slovak Republic, accompanied by his wife.
- Archbishop Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See, accompanied by Bishop Franco Croci and Ivan Ruggiero, respectively secretary and accountant general of the same body.

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CONTENTS OF HOLY SEE-PALESTINIAN BASIC AGREEMENT

VATICAN CITY, FEB 15, 2000 (VIS) - The Basic Agreement between the Holy See and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, signed this morning in the Vatican by representatives of each side, consists of a Preamble and 12 Articles. Article 11 states: "Done in two original copies in the English and Arabic languages, both texts are equally authentic. In case of divergence, the English text shall prevail."

The Preamble states that both sides: are "deeply aware of the special significance of the Holy Land"; have "reviewed the history and development of the relations between the Holy See and the Palestinian People"; re-affirm "the need to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East"; and call "for a peaceful solution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which would realize the inalienable national legitimate rights and aspirations of the Palestinian People."

It also affirms: "Declaring that an equitable solution for the issue of Jerusalem, based on international resolutions, is fundamental for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, and that unilateral decisions and actions altering the specific character and status of Jerusalem are morally and legally unacceptable."

In conclusion the Preamble says: "Calling, therefore, for a special statute for Jerusalem, internationally guaranteed, which should safeguard the following:
a. Freedom of religion and conscience for all.
b. The equality before the law of the three monotheistic religions and their institutions and followers in the City.
c. The proper identity and sacred character of the City... .
d. The Holy Places, the freedom of access to them and of worship in them.
e. The Regime of 'status quo' in those Holy Places where it applies."

The two parties then list the 12 Articles upon which they agree. Article 1 includes the PLO's "permanent commitment to uphold and observe the human right to freedom of religion and conscience," the Holy See's affirmation of "the commitment of the Catholic Church to support this right" and a reiteration of the Church's respect "for the followers of other religions."

Articles 5 and 6 affirm that the PLO recognizes both "the freedom of the Catholic Church to exercise her rights to carry out ... her functions and traditions," and "the rights of the Catholic Church in economic, legal and fiscal matters." Article 7 says: "Full effect will be given in Palestinian Law to the legal personality of the Catholic Church and of the canonical legal persons."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 11, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Justo Mullor Garcia, apostolic nuncio in Mexico, as president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.

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ARCHBISHOP FOLEY ADDRESSES LEGATUS MEETING

VATICAN CITY, FEB 11, 2000 (VIS) - Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, is in Boca Raton, Florida, U.S.A. where he addressed the international meeting of Legatus on "Ethics in Communications and Advertising," and also preached the homily at a Mass for the assembly.

Legatus is a U.S.-based organization for Catholic business executives and leaders whose mission is "to live, study and spread the faith in our business, professional and personal lives."

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JUBILEE OF THE SICK: MAY CHRIST BE YOUR DOOR TO LIFE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 11, 2000 (VIS) - At 10 a.m. today, feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Pope presided at a Mass in St. Peter's Square on the occasion of the Jubilee of the Sick and of Health Care Workers. More than 40,000 people participated, including the sick, those accompanying them and volunteers who had come from various parts of the world.

"Several of you," said Pope John Paul in his homily, "have been on a bed on pain for years. I ask God that today's encounter might be for you an extraordinary physical and spiritual relief!"

"Pain and sickness," he added, "are part of the mystery of man on earth. Certainly, it is right to fight against illness, because health is a gift from God. But it is also important to know how to read God's plan when suffering knocks at our door. The 'key' to such a reading is the Cross of Christ."

"My dear sick people," said the Pope, "may Christ be the Door for you who are called at this moment to bear a weightier cross. May Christ also be the Door for you, dear care givers. As did the Good Samaritan, every believer must offer love to those who live in suffering. We cannot pass by those who are tried by illness. Rather we must stop, bow to their infirmity and generously share it, easing its weight and difficulties."

After reminding those present that sick people are "singular witnesses" of the Gospel of suffering, he remarked: "The third millennium awaits this witness of suffering Christians. It also expects it from you, health care workers, who, with your different roles, fulfill such a meaningful and appreciated mission to sick people."

Following his homily, the Holy Father and 10 concelebrants administered the sacrament of the sick to various sick people.

At the end of the Eucharistic celebration Pope John Paul greeted the faithful present in diverse languages.

The Jubilee of the Sick concluded this evening with a torchlight procession which began at Castel Sant'Angelo and proceeded down Via della Conciliazione, the broad avenue leading to St. Peter's Square. Close to 60,000 faithful participated, including sick people in wheelchairs and on stretchers, those who assist them, and tens of thousands of Roman faithful.

Bearing candles, praying and singing Marian hymns and other liturgical songs, the participants concluded their day-long Jubilee celebration in St. Peter's Square. Their flambeaux illuminated the square - which became even more luminous when a spectacle of lights lit up the basilica - and framed the 284 columns of the double colonnade.

Pope John Paul appeared at his studio window overlooking the square. He remarked to those assembled below that "this evening's evocative scene ... reminds us of what is taking place, almost at this same hour, in Lourdes, Marys's citadel, where so many pilgrims, both healthy and sick, live an intense and consoling spiritual experience."

Recalling this morning's Mass in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father said: "This evening we are here again to ask Mary, 'health of the sick', to make this Holy Year a true "year of grace'.

"I wish everyone good night and all the best!" he said in closing.

HML;JUBILEE SICK;...;...;VIS;20000214;Word: 540;

ILLNESS HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE MYSTERY OF MAN

VATICAN CITY, FEB 13, 2000 (VIS) - Pope John Paul, speaking from the window of his study which overlooks St. Peter's Square, greeted the faithful gathered there for today's angelus and offered reflections on the just-concluded "extraordinary celebration of the Jubilee of the Sick."

"Illness," he observed, "helps us to understand the mystery of man. Like the leper, about whom today's Gospel speaks, when we are sick we experience human fragility and we strongly feel the desire to be healed. In the cross (of Jesus) ... all suffering takes on the possibility of meaning; illness never ceases to be a trial, but it is illuminated by hope.

"Yes, God does not want illness; he did not create evil and death," affirmed the Holy Father. "However, from the moment in which these came into the world, due to sin, His love is entirely aimed at healing man, healing him from sin and from every evil and filling him with life, peace and joy. This is the comforting announcement of the Jubilee and, in a special way, of this Great Jubilee which recalls the 2,000 years since the incarnation of Christ."

The Pope then announced that on "Friday, February 18 the liturgical memory of their patron, Blessed Fra Angelico, we will celebrate the Jubilee of Artists. On this occasion, I will have the joy of meeting these brothers of ours who, having been gifted by God with special intuitive and expressive capacities, further cultivated through study and practice, become privileged interpreters of the mystery of man."

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FRATERNITY MUST BE NOURISHED BY TRINITARIAN COMMUNION

VATICAN CITY, FEB 12, 2000 (VIS) - This morning the Pope received the participants in the 34th general chapter of the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of Jesus Christ. Those present represented the more than 400 fathers and brothers spread throughout the world.

"In the spirit and the footsteps of your founder, St. Gaspare Bertoni," said John Paul II, "you perform parish ministry, with special attention to young people; you dedicate yourselves to preaching and to the formation of clergy; you are committed to the mission 'ad gentes' in Latin America, Africa and Asia."

After recalling the central theme of their general chapter - fraternal sharing within the religious community - the Pope stated that "Gospel fraternity is in fact, the irradiation of Trinitarian communion, and this must constantly be nourished, through the Word of God, by the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation and by daily prayer."

The Pope then referred to the exercise of sharing spiritual and apostolic experiences, which had been suggested during the general chapter, and said: "This is, in effect, an indispensable support for the apostolic mission which is characteristic of your congregation, that is to say, the mission of serving the Church under the guidance of the bishops. Helping each other in communion, favoring, so to speak, the spreading of divine love, poured into each one's hearts by the Holy Spirit, is the primary condition for fulfilling the apostolic mission which is often 'arduous and difficult' and 'exposed to dangers', a mission which 'does not depend on man's strength, but on the grace of the Holy Spirit'."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 14, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning received in separate audiences:

- Albert Pintat, foreign minister of the Principality of Andorra, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.
- Alberto J. Vollmer Herrera, ambassador of Venezuela, accompanied by his wife, on a farewell visit.

On Saturday, February 12, he received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
- Prof. Juan de Dios Vial Correa and Archbishop Elio Sgreccia, respectively president and vice president of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

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CONGOLESE ARCHBISHOP REFUSED ADMITTANCE TO DIOCESE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 14, 2000 (VIS) - In response to journalists' questions, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls today made the following declaration:

"I can confirm that the local authorities have not allowed Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, to reach his diocese. He is presently in Butembo, the city of his birth, awaiting the opportunity to return to Bukavu.

"The faithful of the diocese ask with heartfelt insistence for the return of their pastor who is particularly appreciated for his apostolic courage in defending the rights of all.

"The Secretariat of State, which requests the bishop be allowed to return among his people without delay, will make use of diplomatic channels in order to rectify this regrettable incident which gravely prejudices the rights of the Church."

OP;CONGO;...;NAVARRO-VALLS; KATALIKO;VIS;20000214;Word: 140;

PAPAL CALL IN DEFENSE OF THE RIGHT TO LIFE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 14, 2000 (VIS) - John Paul II today renewed his call for scientists, educators, families, journalists and, especially, legislators, to commit themselves in defense of the right to and promotion of life.

Addressing participants in the sixth plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life on the day commemorating the fifth anniversary of the publication of the Encyclical "Evangelium vitae" (March 25, 1995), the Pope requested "that all people of good will feel called to activity in support of this great cause." The event was organized by the Pontifical Councils for the Family and for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers, as well as by the academy.
"Facts exist," he said, "that prove with growing clarity that anti-life policies and legislation are causing the decay of society, not only in a moral sense but also demographically and economically. Consequently, the encyclical's message may be presented not just as a true and authentic signpost to moral rebirth, but also as a point of reference for the salvation of civil society."

The Holy Father condemned the mentality that holds that anti-life legislation cannot be combatted and "is almost a social necessity," when, in fact, "it constitutes the seed of the corruption of society and of its foundations. Civil and moral conscience cannot accept this false inevitability, just as it cannot accept the idea of the inevitable nature of war or inter-ethnic slaughter."

Making reference to the relationship between civil and moral law, a topic discussed in the encyclical, he called for "a renewed and unanimous commitment, especially from legislators, to modify unjust laws that legitimize or tolerate this violence. May no path be left untried to eliminate legalized crime, or at least to limit the damage of such legislation."

The Pope also referred to another part of the encyclical in which he talks of building a new culture of life. "In the last five years," he said, "many initiatives have been promoted in dioceses and parishes, yet much remains to be done. True pastoral care of life cannot simply be delegated to specific movements."

Above all, John Paul II highlighted, "the formation of pastoral agents in seminaries and theological institutes (is necessary, as is) a just and consistent teaching of morals in the various forms of catechesis and the formation of consciences. (All this) takes on concrete form in creating services that allow anyone in difficulty to find the necessary assistance."

The Pope closed his address by affirming that "the modification of laws can only be preceded and accompanied by a modification in mentality and behavior."

AC;EVANGELIUM VITAE;...;...;VIS;20000214;Word: 440;