PRIESTLY ORDINATION OF 26 DEACONS OF THE DIOCESE OF ROME

VATICAN CITY, MAY 9, 2000 (VIS) - At 9 a.m. on Sunday May 14, John Paul II will preside at Mass in the Vatican Basilica and confer priestly ordination on 26 deacons of the diocese of Rome.

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JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE OF THE ROMANIAN CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, MAY 9, 2000 (VIS) - This morning in St. Peter's Basilica, the Pope participated in a divine liturgy in the Greek-Catholic rite. The Mass, presided over by Archbishop Lucian Murean of Fagaras and Alba Iulia of the Romanians, was attended by bishops, priests, religious and lay people from the Romanian Church, who have come to Rome on a jubilee pilgrimage.

"The Romanian Greek-Catholic Church," said the Holy Father in his homily, "faithfully following her spouse, Christ, has experienced suffering and the cross, especially over the course of the past century when the cruel atheist regime decreed she should be suppressed. An attempt was made to crush man," but "thanks to God this plan did not succeed in imposing itself definitively. Christ is risen and with Him all the Christian communities in Romania."

The Holy Father paid homage to "the immense sacrifice of so many bishops, priests and faithful who accepted martyrdom as the supreme confirmation of their faithfulness to Christ and to the Successors of Peter." He particularly recalled Cardinal Alexandru Todea who "despite jail and isolation, remained steadfast in carrying out his duties as pastor, and led the Greek-Catholic Church into the new realities of the rise of liberal democracies. Dear friends, conserve the living memory of martyrdom in your hearts and transmit it to future generations. ... In your new-found liberty, may this treasure of your Church produce abundant fruits."

Referring to faithful of the Latin Church, he stressed that "after having for so long experienced the privation of liberty, they have been able reinforce and widen their pastoral structures."

John Paul II encouraged the Romanian faithful to treasure their "rich traditions. Thus, you will contribute to the growth of all of society. In order for this to come about as quickly and incisively as possible, it is necessary to fully recreate unity between Christ's disciples. ... Keeping your gaze fixed on Jesus, author and perfecter of the faith, deepen your commitment to unity and never cease to work so that, on some not far distant day, it may become a consoling reality for all."

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PRESENTATION OF JUBILEE FOR UNIVERSITY TEACHERS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 9, 2000 (VIS) - The Jubilee for University Teachers, scheduled for September 3-10, was presented in the Holy See Press Office this morning by Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture and by Archbishops Zenon Grocholewski and Giuseppe Pittau, S.J., respectively, prefect and secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education.

Cardinal Poupard, in introductory remarks, recalled that "in 1994 the Pontifical Council for Culture, in collaboration with the Congregation for Catholic Education and the Pontifical Council for the Laity, published a document on the theme 'The Presence of the Church in the University and in University Culture' which underlined the 'pressing need' to reach a new synthesis between culture and faith, and a new humanism enlightened and promoted by the Gospel."

The Jubilee Year 2000, he said, "offers a providential occasion to favor and support such a commitment." He also underlined how the Jubilee for University teachers would be both a religious moment and "a moment of exceptional cultural dialogue and exchange of experiences. ... The university ... is called to become ever more a true research laboratory in which a universal and integral humanism, open to the spiritual dimension of man, is laid out and developed."

Archbishop Grocholewski, recalling that Pope John Paul himself had been a university teacher, underlined the pastoral nature of this Jubilee event. He said that the university Jubilee "must not and should not end" with the celebration in September, including the closing papal Mass. "It is a favorable occasion to increase the university pastoral ministry in the local Churches."

"Within this context, ... I would like to point out that, at the end of the September 10 Eucharistic celebration, the Holy Father will entrust to each delegation of the five continents a copy of the 'Sedes Sapientiae' (Seat of Wisdom) Madonna so that it can travel throughout university chaplaincies."

Archbishop Sepe of the central Jubilee committee remarked that this is the first time in the history of Holy Years that a Jubilee of universities is being celebrated. He added that "the significant presence of universities is part of the long and fecund tradition of the Church and has become, in these last decades, a constant dialogue that John Paul II has with the university world every year."

For his part, Archbishop Pittau, observing that there are 950 Catholic universities throughout the world, said that "right from the choice of the theme, 'The University for a New Humanism,' the organizing committee (for this Jubilee) showed its concern that the event be truly 'university-centered', that is, that it respect the ideals and ends of the university: inter-disciplinarity, universality, scientific research, academic rigor, an openness to dialogue and therefore willingness to listen and to change one's own position."

Antonio Cicchetti, president of the organizational committee for the Jubilee, spoke about the initiatives being prepared for September 7 to 9.

On September 7 and 8:
- World meeting of administrative directors, on the theme: "University and the Future: the Development of Human Resources at the Service of Society."

On September 8:

- World meeting of rectors at Rome's La Sapienza University. They will discuss the theme: "the Role of the University in the Third Millennium for the Development of a New Humanism." The gathering was promoted by the rectors of Rome's La Sapienza, Tor Vergata and Roma Tre Universities and by the committee of rectors of the pontifical universities.

- World meeting of chaplains in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, on the theme: "the Priestly Mission in the World of the University and Culture." The meeting will be presided by Cardinal Anthony J. Bevilacqua, archbishop of Philadelphia, U.S.A.

- World forum of students, to take place at the Pontifical Lateran University. The theme will be "Gospel and Culture in the University, the Role of Students." The gathering will be presided by Cardinal Vinko Puljic, archbishop of Vrhbosna-Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

On September 9:

- World meeting of government ministers for the university, promoted by the Italian ministry for the university and scientific and technological research.

Furthermore, Cicchetti announced, there is an Internet site on the Jubilee which may be consulted at www.universitas2000.com.

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