THREE ACCORDS SIGNED BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND LITHUANIA

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2000 (VIS) - Today in Vilnius, the Holy See and the Republic of Lithuania signed three Accords regarding, respectively, juridical questions, collaboration in the fields of education and culture and the pastoral ministry to Catholics serving in the Army, according to a communique published early this afternoon.

Archbishop Erwin Josef Ender, apostolic nuncio in Lithuania, signed for the Holy See, and Algirdas Saudargas, foreign affairs minister, signed for Lithuania.

In these Accords, "the State guarantees the Church free exercise of her mission, in particular for that which concerns worship, pastoral governing, teaching and other aspects of ecclesial life. Civil effects are recognized for canonical marriages. Furthermore, the Republic of Lithuania guarantees the Catholic Church the right to pastoral ministry to the faithful who are in hospitals or in social and welfare institutions, orphanages and penal institutes. The Church can freely set up and run charitable works within the social sphere, in conformity with civil legislation. Catholic schools at all levels are, for all practical purposes, equal to State schools with the same rights and duties. ... It is foreseen that a Military Ordinariate will be established for the pastoral ministry of Catholics serving in the army."

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OVERCOMING THE DIVISION: SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS - SPIRITUAL VALUES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2000 (VIS) - Made public this afternoon was a message from the Pope for the 76th Day of Rome's Sacred Heart Catholic University, which will be celebrated on Sunday, May 7 on the theme "A culture of solidarity for our country." The letter is addressed to Sergio Zaninelli, rector of the university.

John Paul II writes that, in order for a culture of solidarity "to be authentic and profound it needs something that may be termed 'solidarity of culture', in other words a view of knowledge that, although aware of its limits, is not contented by mere fragments but rather attempts to put them together to create a synthesis of truth and knowledge. Nothing is more devastating in contemporary culture than the widespread illusion that reaching the truth is an illusion of traditional metaphysics."

The Catholic University, he went on, is particularly called "to contribute to overcoming the shameful divide between scientific progress and values of the spirit that drives towards materialism, and whose outcome is an individualistic and competitive society that often gives rise to injustice and violence, marginalization and discrimination, conflict and wars."

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TELEGRAM FOR THE MURDER OF 4 HOSTAGES IN PHILIPPINES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2000 (VIS) - Made public yesterday afternoon was the following telegram from the Holy Father to Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo of Cotabato, Philippines, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, for the murder of four hostages on the island of Basilan:

"Deeply concerned by the situation in the southern Philippines, I am greatly saddened by the news of the killing of various hostages, including a Catholic priest, Father Ruel Gallardo, on Basilan Island, and I am particularly close to all of you in these days. I extend heartfelt condolences to the families of those who died and assure them of my prayers in this time of sadness and loss. My thoughts also turn to the injured and the remaining hostages, and I ask their captors to release them as soon as possible.

"I appeal to all involved in the conflict in the region to renounce the ways of violence which have caused so much suffering to the civilian population and to return to peaceful negotiation in order to achieve a just solution respectful of the rights of all. Commending the victims of this tragedy to our Heavenly Father's merciful love, I cordially impart my apostolic blessing as a pledge of comfort and strength to those in mourning."

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35 NEW SWISS GUARDS TO BE SWORN IN ON MAY 6

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2000 (VIS) - This evening at 7, Pope John Paul will receive the new recruits of the Pontifical Swiss Guards with their parents and the married Swiss Guards with their families in the first of several events to commemorate the heroic deaths of 147 Swiss Guards who died defending Pope Clement VII in the Sack of Rome on May 6, 1527.

Tomorrow morning at 7:30 Cardinal Henri Schwery, bishop emeritus of Sion, Switzerland, will celebrate Mass for the Swiss Guards in the Hall of Blessings. At 8:45 a.m. there will be a commemorative act to honor the fallen guards and the bestowal of military decorations in the guard barracks in front of the Monument to the Fallen.
At 5 p.m. in the San Damaso Courtyard, 35 new Swiss Guards will be sworn in, following which President Adolf Ogi of Switzerland will give an address. Twenty of the new guards will take their oath in German, 12 in French, 2 in Italian and one in Ladin.

The Pontifical Swiss Guards, states a note from the commander's office, were founded by Pope Julius II in 1506. They are a company of 101 volunteers recruited from all of Switzerland's cantons whose main duty is the defense of the person and residence of the Supreme Pontiff. Their duties include surveillance of the entrances to Vatican City and serving as security and honor guards during religious and diplomatic papal functions. Several Swiss Guards always travel with the Holy Father when he makes apostolic trips abroad.

There are four officers (colonel, lieutenant colonel, major and captain, 1 chaplain, 26 non-commissioned officers and 70 halberdiers. The tour of duty lasts two years, though guards may sign up for additional two-year terms.

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POPE TO RECALL ARCHBISHOP ROMERO IN COLOSSEUM COMMEMORATION

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2000 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls today declared that the name of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero of San Salvador, murdered in 1980 as he celebrated Mass, will figure in the prayers pronounced during the ceremony commemorating the witnesses to the faith, to be held next Sunday in the Colosseum.

"Archbishop Romero's name," said Navarro-Valls, "is included in one of the prayers that will be read by John Paul II." He also affirmed that the list of "witnesses" may be given to the Pope in August. This is because the Vatican has requested bishops and non-Catholic Churches from all over the world to supply names for this list, but not all the replies have yet been received.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Rev. Stuart Burgess, president of the Methodist Church of Great Britain accompanied by Bishop John Patrick Crowley of Middlesbrough and Rev. David Hope, Anglican archbishop of York.
- Jean Gueguinou, French ambassador, on a farewell visit.
- Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
- Sheikh Muhammad Mahdi Shams ed-Din, president of the Superior Shi'ite Council of Lebanon, accompanied by an entourage.
- Bishop Joseph Anthony Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston, U.S.A., president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States of America, accompanied by Bishop Wilton Daniel Gregory of Belleville, U.S.A., and Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr, respectively vice-president and secretary general of the same conference.

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CONFERENCE TO PRESENT JUBILEE OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2000 (VIS) - On Tuesday, May 9 at 12 noon in the Holy See Press office, Cardinal Paul Poupard will preside at a conference for the presentation of the Jubilee of University Teachers, scheduled for September 3-10, and related events (the world encounter for university deans, the encounter for administrative leaders, the world forum of university students and the world encounter of chaplains).

Also scheduled to participate are: Archbishops Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Giuseppe Pittau, congregation secretary, and Crescenzio Sepe, secretary general of the Jubilee committee; Ortensio Zecchino, minister for universities and scientific and technological research; Antonio Cicchetti, president of the Jubilee's organizing committee for university teachers; and Msgrs. Sergio Lanza, coordinator of the theological-pastoral committee and Lorenzo Leuzzi, secretary of the organizing committee.

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