TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF FORMER ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2000 (VIS) - Following is the telegram sent by Pope John Paul to the Most Reverend and Right Honorable George Leonard Carey, archbishop of Canterbury, upon the death of his predecessor:

"Having received the sad news of the death of Lord Coggan, former archbishop of Canterbury, I offer my condolences to Your Grace and to the Anglican community and I join you in commending your predecessor's noble soul to our heavenly Father's eternal love. Remembering Archbishop Coggan's presence at the ceremony of inauguration of my own pontificate, I thank God for his significant contribution to Anglican-Catholic relations. May the memory of the late archbishop inspire us to trust that 'he who began a good work in us will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ'."

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ST. RITA LIVED DEEPLY ROOTED IN LOVE FOR CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2000 (VIS) - This morning in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father received a group of 'Knights of Labor' as well as 100,000 devotees of St. Rita of Cascia, Italy, on the occasion of the centenary of her canonization. The body of the saint was transferred to Rome for the event and, during the afternoon, was on display in the Vatican Basilica.

John Paul II recalled that St. Rita was a great and humble saint. "Today she is known throughout the world for her heroic existence as wife, mother, widow and nun. Deeply rooted in love for Christ, Rita found in her unshakable faith, the force to be a woman of peace in all circumstances."

"Following the spirituality of St. Augustine, she became a disciple of the Crucified Christ and 'an expert in suffering.' She learned to understand the pain of the human heart. Rita thus became an advocate of the poor and the wretched, obtaining countless graces of consolation and comfort for those who invoked her help in the most diverse situations. Rita of Cascia was the first woman to be canonized in the Great Jubilee of the beginning of the 20th century, on May 24 1900."

The Holy Father indicated that Rita "belongs to those great ranks of Christian women who 'have had a significant impact on the life of the Church as well as of society.' Rita was a worthy interpreter of the 'female spirit,' living it intensely in both physical and spiritual maternity."

Finally, addressing members of the Italian National Federation of the Knights of Work who have come to Rome to celebrate the Jubilee, the Pope said: "I hope that, through your efforts, you may constantly contribute to the common good, to the formation of youth who are joining the world of production, to the progressive elimination of unjust inequalities and to the solution of the worrying problem of unemployment."

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"IF MANKIND DOES NOT END WAR, WAR WILL END MANKIND"

VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2000 (VIS) - Made public today was the appeal for help in ending the conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia made by the Council of Hierarchs of the Catholic Church of Eritrea. The bishops warn that, if such help is not forthcoming, the "saying, 'if mankind does not put an end to war, war will put an end to mankind', will be tragically confirmed."

"After two years of alternating hope and disillusionment, of more or less bloody clashes," they write, "the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia has, in recent days, entered its most tragic phase. The last drop of hope linked to attempts at mediation has vanished and arms have had the last word."

They describe the "terrifying scene" of "incessant bombings on cities and villages, people fleeing to unknown destinations, the thousands of dead and wounded."

"What is it that has not worked in the attempts to stop this mad arms race," the bishops ask? "It is the grave duty of whoever can do something to ask themselves, in all conscience, why they have done nothing."
"As pastors," they continue, "we wish to note only one thing: just one day of delay could mean the extermination of an entire population and devastation of the territory. ... Thus, our anguished appeal: May the way to further massacres be blocked, may arms be silenced immediately, may the violence not be allowed to continue to prevail over reason. Tomorrow is already too late."

The bishops of Eritrea address their appeal "to those who, at the international level, have institutional responsibilities and the possibility to intervene" to save those who face "extinction through violence, hunger and deprivation."

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CARDINAL CASSIDY TO SPEAK AT MILLENNIUM CONFERENCE

VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2000 (VIS) - Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, will participate in the Millennium Conference to be held on May 23-25 at West London Synagogue in Great Britain.

This conference is organized by Rabbi Tony Bayfield of Reform Judaism and by Sir Sigmund Sternberg, patron of the International Council of Christians and Jews. Cardinal Cassidy will speak on the significance of the Catholic-Jewish partnership.

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DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND DJIBOUTI

VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2000 (VIS) - A communique published this morning announced that "the Holy See and the Republic of Djibouti, desirous of promoting bonds of friendship, have decided of common accord to establish diplomatic relations at the level of apostolic nunciature on the part of the Holy See and of embassy on the part of the Republic of Djibouti."

This east African nation has been independent since 1977. It has 623,000 inhabitants, divided into two ethnic groups: the Issa (Somalians), who are the majority, and the Afar, who number 155,000. Djibouti is 96 percent Sunni Muslim, 2 percent Catholic and 2 percent Protestant and Orthodox Christians. Formerly an apostolic prefecture, the diocese of Djibouti was erected on September 14, 1955. Bishop George Perron, O.F.M.Cap. is assisted by four priests who work in five parishes.

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MEXICAN SAINTS ANNOUNCED THE STRENGTH OF LOVE FOR GOD

VATICAN CITY, MAY 22, 2000 (VIS) - The 27 new Mexican saints "give eloquent testimony of the transforming power of love for God and for our fellows, the essence of Christian life." These were the Pope's words today to pilgrims who had come to Rome to participate in yesterday's canonization of Cristobal Magallanes and companions, martyrs; Jose Maria de Yermo y Parres and Maria de Jesus Sacrmentado Venegas.

They, he went on, "encourage us to live, with renewed fidelity, our condition as His children called to give witness of faith, to maintain alive hope and to practice charity at all moments of life."

John Paul II underlined that the Mexican people "have always stood out for their great love for God, the Virgin, the Church and the Pope, deeply rooted in the Catholic faith which, notwithstanding the vicissitudes of history, remains an integral and fundamental part of your nation's soul."

"Return to Mexico," he said in closing, "with the commitment to renew your faithfulness to God and the Church, to give, in all places and times, a valiant witness of Christian life and to collaborate in new evangelization that Christ may become known and loved by all Mexicans. Also, defend the cause of life, the family, the poor and the needy."

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MEXICO HAS 27 NEW SAINTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 21, 2000 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy Father celebrated the Eucharist in St. Peter's Square and canonized the Blesseds Cristobal Magallanes (1869-1927), priest and 24 companions, priests and lay people, martyrs (1915-1937); Jose Maria de Yermo y Parres (1851-1904), priest and founder of the Congregation of the Servants of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Poor; Maria de Jesus Sacramentado Venegas de la Torre (1868-1959), virgin, founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Pope affirmed that the new saints "gave their lives to God and their fellow man, either through martyrdom or through the generous giving of themselves in order to serve the needy."

St. Cristobal Magallanes and his 24 companions, martyrs, 21 of whom were priests and 3 lay people, "did not abandon the courageous exercise of their ministry as religious persecution increased in the beloved land of Mexico and unleashed hatred for the Catholic religion. All of them freely and serenely accepted martyrdom as a witness of their faith, explicitly forgiving their persecutors. They were faithful to God and to the Catholic faith that was so deeply rooted in their ecclesial communities. They also sought to serve those communities by promoting material well-being and today they stand as an example for the whole Church and for Mexican society in particular."

John Paul II highlighted that St. Jose Maria de Yermo y Parres, "lived his priestly commitment to Christ, uniting himself to Him with all his strength." He requested that the religious of his order live "with generosity the rich heritage of the founder, beginning with sisterly communion and extending this in merciful love for their brothers and sisters, with humility, simplicity and efficiency and, above all, in perfect union with God."

Speaking of St. Maria de Jesus Sacramentado Venegas, the first Mexican woman to be canonized, he said: "Her spirituality was characterized by a particular Eucharistic piety. ... She wished to prolong her work by founding the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus who, in the Church today, continue her charism of charity to the poor and the sick."

Following Mass and before praying the Regina Coeli, the Pope told the pilgrims present that he hoped that the intercession of the 27 saints "may keep Mexico ever faithful and ensure an increase in the number of Christians of the same stature as the canonized saints and as other great Mexican sons and daughter of the Church."

The Holy Father concluded by announcing that at 10 a.m. on Sunday May 28, he will celebrate Mass in St. Peter's Square for the occasion of the Jubilee of the diocese of Rome and he invited everyone to participate.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 22, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Henk Te Maarssen S.V.D., diocesan administrator of Kundiawa (area 8,876, population 186,109, Catholics 97,080, priests 25, religious 33), Papua New Guinea, as bishop of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born at Groenlo, Netherlands, in 1933 and ordained a priest in 1960.

On Saturday May 20, it was made public that he appointed:

- Fr. Carlos Humberto Malfa, pastor in the diocese of Mar de Plata, Argentina, as bishop of Chascomus (area 27,000, population 275,826, Catholics 246,200, priests 27, permanent deacons 2, religious 40), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in Mar de Plata in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1978

- Francesco D'Agostino, professor of the philosophy of law at the faculty of jurisprudence at Rome's Tor Vergata University, as a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 22, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Boris Trajkowski, president of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
- Nadejda Mihailova, Bulgarian foreign minister.

On Saturday May 20, he received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Eugenio de Araujo Sales, archbishop of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi S.J., bishop of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
- Archbishop Antonio Franco, apostolic nuncio in the Philippines.
- Archbishop Justo Mullor Garcia, president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. - Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves O.P., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops

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EXPOSITION OF HOLY SHROUD OF TURIN AUGUST 12 - OCTOBER 22

VATICAN CITY, MAY 22, 2000 (VIS) - Archbishop Severino Poletto of Turin presided at a press conference today in the Holy See Press office to illustrate the exposition of the Holy Shroud in the Cathedral of St. John in Turin, Italy from August 12 to October 22.

The Shroud of Turin is believed by millions of Christians to be the burial cloth which wrapped the body of Jesus Christ following his death. The pure linen cloth in a fishbone weave measures 14 feet by 3 and a half feet. It contains the full frontal and dorsal imprints of a supine man and has carmine-color stains corresponding to blood. It is spangled with a double series of dark spots caused by burns it underwent in a fire in the 16th century, and the water use to douse the fire has left broad symmetrical rings, clearly visible. Less visible are transverse marks corresponding to creases in the linen which, before its final voyage to Turin in 1578, had been preserved in its reliquary by folding it in 48 thicknesses.

The man in the image is 180 centimeters tall and has long hair, a beard and mustache. The eyes are closed, the hands and forearms crossed, and the body bears signs of torture.

Archbishop Poletto, custodian of the Holy Shroud, explained that several years ago the Holy Father had been asked if he wished the shroud to be exposed in 1998, the 100th anniversary of the photographic negative which first exposed the image on the shroud, or in the Jubilee Year 2000. The Pope replied that he desired both. The Jubilee Year exposition will be similar to the 1998 one, given the successful organization of that showing, said the archbishop.

The archbishop, remarking that the original date of the exposition was set for late August, said that date was moved up to give all the young people coming to Rome for World Youth Day a chance to see the shroud during their stay in Italy.

Archbishop Poletto stressed that reservations are free but obligatory for viewing the Shroud of Turin. As occurred in 1998, a large influx of visitors is expected.

Reservations may be made in Italy by calling the toll-free number 800-329-329. To call from other countries, use the following toll-free numbers: France (0800907674); Germany (0130819457); Great Britain (0800967951); Spain (900993943); Switzerland (0800551129); Argentina (00398003034734); other countries (39115118900). Reservations may also be made by Internet at www.giubileo.piemonte.it or at the diocese of Turin site of the sindone or Holy Shroud: www.sindone.org

Confirmation of reservations will occur by regular mail or by e-mail. In addition tickets may be picked up at special kiosks set up around Turin during the exposition period.

The archbishop also pointed out that there will be, upon the suggestion of pilgrims who visited Turin in 1998, a distinct and separate area set aside for confessions. Special days have been set aside for the ill: August 30, September 13 and 27 and October 11. Every Wednesday and Friday evening at 9:30, Archbishop Poletto will celebrate Mass in the cathedral. On Sundays at 11 a.m., he will celebrate Mass in the church of St. Philip.

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