CONFERENCE TO PRESENT JUBILEE OF GOVERNMENT LEADERS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 27, 2000 (VIS) - On Tuesday, October 31, at 11:30 in the morning in the Holy See Press Office there will be a presentation of the Jubilee of Government Leaders and Parliamentarians.

Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, president of the Central Committee of the Great Jubilee of the year 2000, will preside at the conference. Joining him will be: Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, committee secretary; Senator Giulio Andreotti, president of the Executive Welcoming Committee in Rome; Senator Ombretta Fumagalli Carulli, president of the Inter-Parliamentary Group for the Jubilee, and Lorenzo Gulli, coordinator of the technical-organizational staff of the Inter-Parliamentary Group.

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HOLY SEE OBSERVER SPEAKS ON MACROECONOMIC POLICY QUESTIONS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 27, 2000 (VIS) - Archbishop Renato Martino, apostolic nuncio and Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations, spoke yesterday before the Second Committee of the U.N. General Assembly on Item 92, Macroeconomic Policy Questions, focussing his talk on the external crisis.

Remarking on the progress made in recent years on the remission of the debt of the poorest countries, the archbishop affirmed that "the measure of the success of debt relief is linked to the manner in which the resources freed are utilized effectively for the poor, within a broad framework for integral human development."

"The growing awareness of our interdependence must lead us to a great solidarity," stressed the nuncio. "Scientific progress must be accompanied by an ethic of sharing. ... Linking debt relief to concrete measures for the reduction of poverty is thus a significant move." He underlined that "the elaboration of national poverty reduction strategies will take time. ... It would be truly paradoxical if the work of devising poverty reduction strategies were actually to slow efforts to reduce poverty or impose a new set of conditions which would make debt relief more difficult."
Archbishop Martino then pointed out that "the current picture is not all positive. ... The poorest countries still encounter the negative effects of the protectionism of the rich, which prevents them from free access to important markets." And, he said, many funds are still diverted to pay the interest on debt.

In closing remarks, he recalled that the international community, in studying solutions for debt relief, must consider "in some cases ... cancelling debt totally. ... An interdependent world cannot be sustained only on the basis of the defense of narrow private or national interest. It requires solidarity."

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AUDIENCE WITH THE LAZIO SPORTS CLUB ON ITS CENTENARY

VATICAN CITY, OCT 27, 2000 (VIS) - This morning in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father received 7,000 members of Italy's Lazio Sports Club, which is celebrating the centenary of its foundation.

The Pope expressed the hope that this anniversary "in inducing you to rediscover the ideals of the past, will constitute a suitable occasion to give emphasis also to the ethical-religious dimension, indispensable for a full maturing of the human being."

Referring to episodes that "debase the true meaning of competition," John Paul II said: "In particular, passionate support for one's own team must never reach the level of causing offense to persons or damaging collective goods. All sporting competition must maintain the character of healthy entertainment; values which are expressed by the Olympic colors of your flag - white and sky-blue."

"During its 100 years of life," he concluded, "the Lazio club has offered countless young people and adults the possibility of measuring themselves against the demanding challenges of sport. ... Yet, it is also right to recall the concrete commitment that your association has put into the vast fields of solidarity and voluntary activities. On this subject, special mention must be made of the work done by your members on the occasion of the recent and unforgettable World Youth Day, and the concrete assistance offered during the Jubilee of Families."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 27, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Remi Joseph Gustave Sainte-Marie, M. Afr., auxiliary of Dedza (area 4,250, population 1,010,000, Catholics 332,735, priests 47, religious 119), Malawi, as bishop of the same diocese. He succeeds Bishop Gervazio Moses Chisendera, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon law.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 27, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Bishop Gerald Wiesner O.M.I., of Prince George, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. He was accompanied by Bishop Jacques Berthelet C.S.V., of Saint-Jean-Longueuil and Msgr. Peter Schonenbach, respectively vice-president and secretary general of the same conference.
- Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, dean of the College of Cardinals.
- Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum."

This evening, he is scheduled to receive Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., emeritus of Vercelli, Italy, and secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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