Monday, January 10, 2000

ANGELUS: BAPTISM, THE FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIAN LIFE


VATICAN CITY, JAN 9, 2000 (VIS) - Prior to praying the angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father recalled that the feast of the Baptism of Christ, which is celebrated today, concludes the Christmas period.

The Pope highlighted that Christmas this year has been lived with "particularly deep involvement and intensity" because "on Holy Night, with the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter's, the Great Jubilee began."

"Recalling Christ's nativity," he continued, "we have celebrated the great mystery of the Redemption, to which we look with particular attention during the entire Jubilee period. The Son of God was made Man in order that man could be elevated to the dignity of God's adoptive son."

John Paul II went on to refer to the feast of the Baptism of Christ, and spoke of the sacrament that he had just administered to 18 children in the Sistine Chapel. "All the good we do with God's help has, in effect, its foundation in Baptism which, linking us to divine grace, makes us children of God and incorporates us into the community of believers."

The Pope closed by requesting that the Virgin may help everyone "during thus Jubilee year, to conform ever more to our baptismal pledges."

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EIGHTEEN NEWBORNS BAPTIZED IN SISTINE CHAPEL


VATICAN CITY, JAN 9, 2000 (VIS) - In the Sistine Chapel today, feast of the Baptism of the Lord, John Paul II celebrated Mass and administered the Sacrament of Baptism to 18 newborns from Italy, Switzerland, Spain, the United States and Brazil.

In his homily, the Pope recalled that "the Baptism of the Lord came about within the context of John the Baptist's penitential preaching. The ritual gesture of immersion in water, proposed by the precursor of the Messiah, was an exterior sign of penance for sins committed and of desire for spiritual renewal."

"How can we not give thanks to the Lord," exclaimed the Pope, "who today calls these 18 babies to become his children in Christ? We embrace them with our prayer and our affection. ... With great happiness we welcome them into the Christian community which, from today, is truly their family."

The Holy Father expressed the desire that the newborns would "grow in the faith they receive today, so that they may soon actively participate in the life of the Church." Addressing the parents, he continued: "These children must find in you, and in their godfathers and godmothers, a support and guide on the path of fidelity to Christ and the Gospel. Be for them an example of solid faith, of profound prayer and of active commitment in church life."

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AUDIENCE WITH THE SISTERS OF MERCY AND OF THE CROSS


VATICAN CITY, JAN 8, 2000 (VIS) - This morning, the Pope received participants in the 17th general chapter of the Sisters of Mercy and of the Cross. Addressing them, he said that in order to become "true prophets and witnesses of God and of His Kingdom," one must be filled with God's merciful love.

"Modern man," said the Pope, "although conditioned by the multiple attractions of a society that is frequently opulent and inclined to egoism - and, perhaps, precisely because of this - is more than ever responsive to acts of disinterested love."

John Paul II highlighted that "each act of mercy must allow Christ's welcoming countenance to shine out, in order that many people who still have not met Him, or have a mistaken idea of Him, may come to know Him as He truly is: man's only Saviour. Consequently, your apostolic work must always be accompanied by an assiduous contemplation of Jesus, exalted on the cross."

"If Christ is to be the center of all your plans, do not forget that you find Him above all in serving the poor. ... For you too, may the 'last' be the 'first,' as they were for your foundress, Mother Zangara."

The Pope concluded by saying: "May the love for divine mercy and the cross, which illuminated and transformed the life of your foundress, be a constant reference for each of you in prayer and work, in order that your institute may draw the men and women of today to the Heart of Jesus. This is an important contribution you can make to the celebration of the Great Jubilee 2000."

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HOLY FATHER'S ANNUAL ADDRESS TO DIPLOMATIC CORPS


VATICAN CITY, JAN 10, 2000 (VIS) - This morning in the Sala Regia, Pope John Paul II gave his annual address to members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See. He highlighted the lights and shadows of the year that has just ended and, through the dean of the diplomatic corps, Giovanni Galassi of the Republic of San Marino, received collective greetings from all the ambassadors.

He began his speech: "The Vicar of Christ strongly desires to offer to the peoples whom you represent his prayerful good wishes for this Year 2000 which so many have welcomed in 'jubilation'. Christians have entered into the Great Jubilee by commemorating the coming of Christ into time and human history."

The Pope affirmed that "the century just ended has seen remarkable advances in science which have considerably improved people's life and health. ... Information technology has made the world smaller and brought us closer to one another. ... But one question can be asked: was this century also the century of 'brotherhood'?"

Looking back, he recalled "bloody wars which have decimated millions of people and provoked massive exoduses, shameful genocides, ... the arms race, ... terrorism and ethnic conflicts."

"The life sciences and biotechnology continue to find new fields of application, yet they also raise the problem of the limits imposed by the need to safeguard people's dignity, responsibility and safety.

"Globalization, which has profoundly transformed economic systems by creating unexpected possibilities of growth, has also resulted in many people being relegated to the side of the road: Unemployment in the more developed countries and extreme poverty in too many countries of the southern hemisphere continue to hold millions of women and men back from progress and prosperity."

He continued: "For this reason it seems to me that the century now beginning ought to be the century of solidarity. We know one thing today more than in the past: We will never be happy and at peace without one another, much less if some are against others."

The Pope highlighted that "the men and women of the 21st century will be called to a more developed sense of responsibility. ... This also supposes that we must renounce idols such as prosperity at any price, material wealth as the only value, science as the sole explanation of reality. ... It also supposes that God will have His rightful place in people's lives: the first place."

"Such solidarity calls for certain precise commitments. Some of these are quite urgent:" The sharing of technology and prosperity, respect for human rights, the prevention of conflicts and calm dialogue between cultures and religions.
"In recent years there has been much talk of a 'new world order'. The persevering action of far-sighted diplomats, and of multilateral diplomacy in particular, has resulted in a number of praiseworthy initiatives aimed at the building of an authentic 'community of nations'. At present, for example, the Middle East peace process is continuing; the Chinese people are speaking to one another; the two Koreas are in dialogue; certain African countries are attempting to arrange meetings between rival factions; the government and armed groups in Colombia are trying to remain in contact. All this demonstrates a real desire to build a world based on brotherhood. ... Regrettably, however, we must also acknowledge that the errors of the past are all too often being repeated: I am thinking of reactions based on group identity, of persecutions inflicted for religious reasons, of the frequent and at times rash recourse to war, of social inequalities, of the gap between the rich and the poor countries, of the exclusive trust in profit alone, to cite only some typical traits of the century just ended. At the beginning of the year 2000, what do we see?"

"Africa, shackled by ethnic conflicts which hold entire peoples hostage, impeding their economic and social progress and often condemning them to a situation of mere survival.

"The Middle East, constantly poised between war and peace, when we know that only the rule of law and justice will make it possible for all the peoples of the region, without distinction, to live together and to be free of endemic dangers.

"Asia, a continent of immense human and material resources, gathers in a precarious balance peoples of venerable and economically highly developed cultures and others who are becoming increasingly impoverished."

"America, an immense continent where one year ago I had the joy of promulgating the Apostolic Exhortation 'Ecclesia in America,' inviting the peoples of the continent to an ever-renewed personal and communal conversion, in respect for the dignity of the person and love for the outcast, for the sake of promoting a culture of life.

"North America, where economic and political concerns are often considered paramount, is home to many poor people, despite its manifold riches."

"Latin America, which, with a few exceptions, has seen encouraging advances towards democracy, remains dangerously crippled by alarming social inequalities, the drug trade, corruption and, in some cases, movements of armed struggle.

"Europe, following the failure of the ideologies, is finally on the way towards unity; it is struggling to meet the two-fold challenge of reconciliation and the democratic integration of former enemies. Europe has not been spared terrible forms of violence, as the recent Balkan crisis and the conflicts of recent weeks in the Caucasus have shown. The Bishops of the continent recently met in synodal assembly, ... and called everyone to a greater European consciousness."

The Holy Father affirmed that, "in a world structured around sovereign but 'de facto' unequal States, it is indispensable, for stability, understanding and cooperation between peoples, that international relations be increasingly imbued with and shaped by the rule of law. Surely what is lacking is not new texts or juridical instruments; it is quite simply the political will to apply without discrimination those already in existence."

The Holy Father said that he was addressing the diplomats "as one who has himself been a fellow-traveller of several generations of the century just ended." He had shared the "ordeals of my native people as the darkest hours experienced by Europe. Twenty-one years ago, when I became the Successor of the Apostle Peter, I felt myself charged with a universal fatherhood."

"Today, in addressing you who represent practically all the peoples of the earth, I would like to share with each one something personal: at the opening of the doors of a new millennium, the Pope began to think that people might finally learn to draw lessons from the past. Indeed, I ask everyone, in God's name, to save humanity from further wars, to respect human life and the family, to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, to realize that we are all responsible for one another."

The Pope concluded with the words: "Life takes shape in our daily choices. Political leaders, since they have the role of administering the 'res publica', can by their personal choices and their programmes of action guide whole societies either towards life or towards death. For this reason believers, and the faithful of the Catholic Church in particular, consider it their duty to take an active part in the public life of the societies to which they belong."

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JOHN PAUL II VISITS NATIVITY SCENE OF ROME'S STREET CLEANERS


VATICAN CITY, JAN 9, 2000 (VIS) - This afternoon, in a traditional visit for this time of year, the Pope visited the nativity scene built by Roman street cleaners in their headquarters near the Vatican.

In his brief address, John Paul II said that he was certain that the street cleaners would carry out their duty "with a great sense of responsibility in the desire that the city's appearance always be clean and well ordered. Even if this requires a certain sacrifice, do it willingly, aware of the advantages that the movement of pilgrims and tourists brings to the community of citizens."

The Pope concluded: "On this occasion too, thanks to your service, Rome will be able to live up to its traditional role as a welcoming and hospitable city. Your cooperation, which requires a certain generous willingness, will make a significant contribution to the success of the Jubilee. Consequently, as of this moment, I would like to express to you my gratitude."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS


VATICAN CITY, JAN 10, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Fr. Andrew Francis, national director of the Pontifical Missionary Works and pastor of the parish of St. Anthony in Lahore, Pakistan, as bishop of Multan (area 98,705, population 16,761,000, Catholics 100,000, priests 28, religious 87), Pakistan. The bishop-elect was born in Adah, Pakistan, in 1944 and ordained a priest in 1972.

- Fr. Max John Rodrigues, headmaster of St. Paul English High School and parochial vicar of St. Paul's Church in Karachi, Pakistan, as bishop of Hyderabad in Pakistan (area 278,529, population 14,650,000, Catholics 59,864, priests 36, religious 74). The bishop-elect was born in Karachi in 1939 and ordained a priest in 1966.

On Saturday, January 8, it was made public that he appointed Fr. Methodius Kilaini, secretary general of the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference, as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam (area 40,000 population 1,811,000, Catholics 548,217, priests 92, religious 351), Tanzania. The bishop-elect was born in Katoma, Tanzania, in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1972.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 10, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience, Cardinal Roger Etchegaray and Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, respectively president and secretary of the Central Committee for the Great Jubilee 2000.

On Saturday, January 8, he received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Renato Raffaele Martino, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations in New York.
- Archbishop Juliusz Janusz, apostolic nuncio in Mozambique.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves O.P., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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BISHOP LEHMANN'S DECLARATIONS REGARDING THE POPE


VATICAN CITY, JAN 10, 2000 (VIS) - Made public today was the Italian translation of part of the interview that Bishop Karl Lehmann of Mainz, Germany, gave yesterday to a German radio station. The interview, taken up by the communications media in other countries, has given rise to some debate.

The bishop was posed the following question: "Excellency, the Holy Year has begun. The Pope is clearly ill. Is it be possible that a 'round date' such as this could be a suitable moment for the Pope to resign? There has already been some speculation on this matter.

He replied as follows: "In the last few weeks and months I have had more occasions that ever before to meet the Pope. ... I have been impressed by his spiritual presence, both in personal and group meetings. However, I do not have the (medical) competence to judge whether his evident Parkinson's disease has any repercussions on his ability to guide the Church and make decisions. In fact, these activities require a special energy. Furthermore, for some years I have had the impression that the Pope has concentrated all his energy on the Holy Year, on the Great Jubilee 2000. It's incredible, the number of commitments and public engagements the Pope has taken on. ... I personally believe that the Holy Father is capable of bravely confessing: 'I can no longer adequately carry out my role as is necessary'. I believe the Pope would do so if he felt that he were no longer capable of authoritatively guiding the Church. ... Yet, if the Pope intended to take such a step, I do not know if those close to him or his advisors would agree with his decision. ... It is always a sensitive moment when Popes, after lengthy pontificates, suffer physical weakness, this is quite understandable. Nonetheless, for the Church and perhaps also for society, this may constitute a positive lesson: the fact that there can be ailing Popes. ... In fact, in our daily lives only people in good health and the young count. Everything must 'work'. ... I was also greatly impressed by the constancy and punctuality with which the Pope followed all the meetings of the recent synod. ... Consequently, I must say that after this experience my respect and appreciation of the Pope are stronger than ever."

To the question: "Would the Pope's eventual successor have to come from a continent other than ours, perhaps Africa or Latin America?" Bishop Lehmann replied:

"I do not wish to talk about a successor (to the Holy Father), because I feel only respect for the present Pope. It is true that one looks also to the Church in the Third World. ... Yet, a weak Pope for such a Church would prove a catastrophe. Consequently, in my opinion, we must leave the question open for the moment."

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