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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