GENERAL AUDIENCE: "TOWARDS NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH"

VATICAN CITY, JAN 31, 2001 (VIS) - The theme of John Paul II's catechesis for today's general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall, was: "Towards New Heavens and a New Earth."

"In the midst of the weaknesses, miseries, violence, and injustices of the human story," the Holy Father said, "Christians look forward in hope to an ultimate future of freedom and peace."

John Paul II stated that "this new creation, human and cosmic," of which the second letter of St. Peter speaks, "is begun with the Resurrection of Christ, first fruit of that transfiguration to which we are all destined." Certainly, he added, "it is a perspective of faith which can sometimes be tempted by doubt, in man who lives in history under the weight of evil, contradictions and death."

The Holy Father went on to affirm that there are some who are convinced "that every effort is destined to be thwarted, that God is absent and disinterested in this tiny speck of the universe which is the earth." In this way many men and women are "devoid of faith, indifferent to everything, incapable of fighting and hoping.

"To those tempted to surmise apocalyptic scenarios of invasion of the Kingdom of God, and to close their eyes (which are) heavy with the slumber of indifference, Christ proposes the noiseless arrival of the new heavens and new earth. ... He respects the freedom of humanity, supports it when seized by despair, leads it step by step, and invites it to collaborate in the plan of truth, justice, and peace of the Kingdom."

John Paul II ended his catechesis by affirming that "the Christian must also express his hope within the structure of secular life." The Holy Father, recalling Vatican II, said "'The mission of the Church is not only bringing the message of Christ and His grace to men, but also permeating and perfecting the order of temporal reality with the evangelical spirit'."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 31, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, Bishop Enzo Dieci, auxiliary of Rome for the northern pastoral sector and Fr. Stefano Alberici, pastor of St. Alphonse Marie de Liguori Parish, with a pastoral vicar.

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CONSISTORY FOR THE CREATION OF THE NEW CARDINALS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 30, 2001 (VIS) - On Wednesday, February 21, at 10:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father will hold the Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of 44 new cardinals, according to a communique from the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.

Courtesy visits to the new cardinals will take place on February 21, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., in locations still to be announced.

On Thursday, February 22, feast of the Chair of Peter, at 10:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father will preside over the Eucharistic celebration with the new cardinals, on whom he will bestow the cardinalate ring.

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POPE WELCOMES HUNGARY'S BISHOPS ON "AD LIMINA" VISIT

VATICAN CITY, JAN 30, 2001 (VIS) - Pope John Paul today resumed the traditional quinquennial "ad limina" visits to Rome by bishops, which he had suspended during the Jubilee year, except for two individual bishops whom he met in June from Vietnam and Portugal. Today he welcomed the bishops of Hungary to the Vatican and, in his talk to them in their language, he highlighted the need to defend life, combat religious indifference and renew their pastoral ministries to families and to young people.

Recalling that Hungary is now celebrating its first millennium as a Christian nation, the Pope said he liked the motto they had chosen for the occasion: "Our past is our hope - Christ is our future." He said that Christ must be the focus of the lives of all the faithful: "It is important never to lose sight of the face of the Savior and to put into practice the Gospel message."

The Holy Father expressed his "appreciation" for the bishops' efforts to promote "an authentic spirituality," and reminded them that one of the principal Gospel imperatives is the defense of life: "More than ever ... we must inspire a true 'culture of life' in our world."

"Notwithstanding your tireless dedication," the Pope went on, "even in your country we note worrisome data which marks in many countries of the old continent the spread of an ever more preoccupying culture of death. The statistics on abortion published in the last ten years in your country are alarming. They must incite you to defend without fear and with clarity human life in every phase of its existence, from conception to natural death. Do everything possible to encourage pregnant women to complete their pregnancy." Pastors, he added, "must be ready to speak on every occasion, opportune or not."

Turning to the religious indifference which marks many societies today, John Paul II said that "even if He is put on the margins or silenced, God is present. Certainly, many live as if God does not exist. But the desire for Him is always alive in man's heart. Man, in fact, ... seeks a truth which transcends him because he feels ... that in this is the meaning of his own life."

The Holy Father then spoke of the decades of persecution which the Church in Hungary had suffered, saying that some of the forms it took were "violent, others sophisticated and more subtle. In the last ten years the Church has lived a different reality: this 'turning point' has brought not only new freedom but also a 'consumeristic shock'. Material goods are on display with such insistence that they often suffocate any desire for religious and moral values."

Consumerism also often makes us overlook or forget the meaning of Sunday, the Pope underlined. "Sunday is both the day of the Lord and the day of man. ... Man, as a person, must never be crushed by economic interests. And this is a real risk because 'consumer societies', where God is often given up as dead, have created enough idols, among which is that of profit at all costs." He urged the bishops "to reawaken the voice of God in man's conscience."

In closing words, Pope John Paul urged the bishops to renew their pastoral ministry to Christian families, "true domestic Churches," and to pay particular attention to young people.

To fulfill these and other pastoral ministries, the Pope advised Hungary's bishops to use not only the traditional forms of evangelization such as preaching, catechesis, retreats and pastoral letters, but to also turn to "the new 'areopaghi'" of the radio, television and new technologies. He congratulated them for "wishing to realize a Catholic radio network."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 30, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Erected the ecclesiastical province of Catanzaro-Squillace, elevating the archdiocese of the same name to metropolitan church, until now "immediate subiecta Sanctae Sedi," assigning as suffragans the archdiocese of Crotone-Santa Severina and the diocese of Lamezia Terma, until now suffragans of Reggio Calabria-Bova. He appointed Archbishop Antonio Cantisani as metropolitan archbishop of Cantazaro-Squillace.

- Erected the ecclesiastical province of Cosenza-Bisignano, elevating the archdiocese of the same name to metropolitan see, until now "immediate subiecta Sanctae Sedi," assigning as suffragans the archdiocese of Rossano-Cariate and the diocese of Cassano all'Jonio, until now suffragans of Reggio Calabria-Bova and the diocese of S. Marco Argentano-Scalea, until now "immediate subiecta Sanctae Sedi." He appointed Archbishop Giuseppe Agostino as metropolitan archbishop of Cosenza-Bisignano.

- Appointed Msgr. Robert Wattebled, vicar general of Arras, as bishop of Nimes (area 5,880, population 600,000, Catholics 360,000, priests 195, religious 250, permanent deacons 6), France. The bishop-elect was born in Calais in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1974.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 30, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received the following this morning in audience:

- Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, dean of the College of Cardinals.
- Cardinal Francis Arinze, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.

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HOLY FATHER ADDRESSES CONGRESS ON SACRED MUSIC

VATICAN CITY, JAN 27, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in the Consistory Hall, Pope John Paul met 80 participants in the International Congress of Sacred Music, including composers, musicians, specialists in liturgy and teachers of sacred music. He also greeted representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Lutheran World Federation and the Jewish community.

In his talk to them in French, Spanish, English and Italian, the Pope underscored the history of sacred music and the multiple forms it has taken over the centuries in the Church, including Gregorian Chant, polyphony and popular religious music. He recalled that it was "following the ancient Jewish tradition, in which Christ and the disciples were nourished, that sacred music developed throughout the centuries on all continents, according to the genius of each culture, and showing the magnificent creative elan displayed by the various liturgical families of East and West."

The Holy Father remarked that "Gregorian chant is an integral part of the liturgy" and "a unique and universal spiritual and cultural patrimony ... at the service of the Word of God. Its influence on the development of music in Europe was considerable." He added that the Church "also shows that it is hospitable to other musical forms, especially polyphony."

"The 20th century, especially the second half," he pointed out, "saw a development of popular religious music in line with the desire expressed by the Second Vatican Council that it be 'skillfully fostered'. This form of singing is especially suitable for the participation of the faithful, both in devotional practices and in the liturgy itself. It requires qualities of creativity of the composers and poets."

John Paul II then made reference to the many celebrations during the Holy Year, stating that "Gregorian chant, classical and contemporary polyphony, popular hymns, especially the Hymn of the Great Jubilee, made possible liturgical celebrations which were fervent and of high quality."

The Pope then paid homage to an Italian artist, recalling that "today ... we are commemorating the centenary of the death of the great composer Giuseppe Verdi, who owed much to the Christian heritage."

In concluding remarks, the Holy Father said that "the application of Vatican Council II orientations on the renewal of sacred music and liturgical song ... today calls for a solid formation of pastors and faithful on the cultural, spiritual, liturgical and musical levels."

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JOHN PAUL NAMES 5 NEW CARDINALS, REVEALS 2 "IN PECTORE"

VATICAN CITY, JAN 28, 2001 (VIS) - In an unprecedented move, Pope John Paul this morning, before praying the angelus with the more than 10,000 faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, announced the names of five more cardinals whom he will create in the February 21 consistory. He also revealed the names of two cardinals whom he had reserved "in pectore" in the 1998 consistory. Last Sunday the Pope had announced the names of 37 future cardinals.

"Following what I announced last Sunday, I am now happy to reveal the names of the cardinals whom I had reserved 'in pectore' in the consistory of February 21, 1998. They are Archbishop Marian Jaworski of Lviv of the Latins, Ukraine and Archbishop Janis Pujats of Riga, Latvia."

The Holy Father continued: "I also had other names 'in pectore', that is, in my heart, last Sunday and, for various reasons, I held off announcing them until today. These names too go beyond the set (numerical) limit, and will be included among the cardinals whom I will create in the consistory on February 21.

"Among these names are, foremost, Bishop Lubomyr Husar, the newly-named major archbishop of Lviv of the Ukrainians. In his person, as of the two aforementioned prelates, I intend to honor their respective Churches which, especially during the 20th century, were harshly tried and which offered the world the example of so many Christians who knew how to witness to their faith among sufferings of every type, often by sacrificing their lives.

"The other well-deserving prelates are: Archbishop Johannes Joachim Degenhart of Paderborn, Germany, Archbishop Julio Terrazas Sandoval of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, Archbishop Wilfrid Fox Napier of Durban, South Africa and Bishop Karl Lehmann of Mainz, Germany."

On February 21, the College of Cardinals will have 185 members, of whom 135 will be cardinal electors - 15 more than the limit of 120 set by Pope Paul VI. Pope John Paul II has named all but 10 of the 135 cardinal electors.

As of February 21, 62 countries will be represented in the College of Cardinals. Italy will have 41 cardinals, of whom 24 are electors. The U.S.A. will have 13 cardinals (11 electors); Germany will have 9 cardinals (5 electors); Brazil will have 8 cardinals (7 electors) and Spain will have 7 cardinals (4 electors).

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 27, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Fr. Louis Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, vicar delegate of the apostolic vicariate of Vientiane, as apostolic vicar of Paske (area 45,000, population 910,000, Catholics 11,362, priests 2, religious 19), Laos. The bishop-elect was born in Bonha-Louang, Laos, in 1944, and ordained a priest in 1972. He succeeds Bishop Thomas Khamphan, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same apostolic vicariate the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- The following as consultors to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications: Bishops Jan Chrapek of Radom, Poland, Joseph Anthony Galante, coadjutor of Dallas, U.S.A. and Jean-Michel di Falco, auxiliary of Paris, France; Fathers Robert Astorino, M.M., executive director of Catholic press agency "UCA News," Bangkok, Thailand, Joseph Befe Ateba, general secretary of CEPACS, the communications office of the "Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar," Franco Lever, S.D.B., dean of the Faculty of Social Communications of the Pontifical Salesian University, Rome, Dermod McCarthy, director of religious television programming for Irish Radio and Television, Dublin, Robert A. White, S.J., director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Social Communications of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome; Deacon William Kokesch, director of the Communications Office of the Canadian Bishops' Conference, Ottawa, Mario Agnes, director of "L'Osservatore Romano," Patricia Bustamante Marin, executive secretary of DECOS-CELAM and SERTAL-CELAM, Bogota, Colombia, Daniela Frank, director of the Catholic Media Council, Aachen, Germany, Norberto Gonzalez Gaitano, dean of the Department of Institutional Social Communications of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, Emilio Rossi, president of the Board of Directors of Vatican Television and president of the Italian Catholic Press Union, and Russell Shaw, Washington, U.S.A.

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TELEGRAM FOR THE EARTHQUAKE IN INDIA

VATICAN CITY, JAN 27, 2001 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano sent a telegram in the Holy Father's name to Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, apostolic nuncio in India, in response to the earthquake which struck the northwestern part of the country yesterday:

"Having learned with great sadness of the tragic earthquake which struck northwestern India, His Holiness Pope John Paul II has asked me to express to all concerned the assurance of his closenss in prayer. He commends the dead to the loving mercy of Almighty God and invokes Divine Blessings of strength and consolation upon their families, the injured and all who have suffered loss. His Holiness likewise prays in a special way for the rescue-workers and all involved in providing assistance to the victims of this terrible disaster, encouraging them to persevere in their efforts to bring relief and support to the stricken population."

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NEVER AGAIN THE ERRORS OF RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND RELIGIOUS HATRED

VATICAN CITY STATE, JAN 28, 2001 (VIS) - This morning, before the recitation of the angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father extended a special greeting to the 8,000 young boys and girls of Rome's Catholic Action movement who are celebrating the Day of Peace.
"The Church depends upon you," the Holy Father said, "so that humanity no longer know the aberrations of racial, ethnic, and religious hatred." He then recalled that yesterday Italy celebrated the "'Day of Memory', an act expressly instituted so that the horrors of the Shoah and of every other human aberration, resulting from the refusal of dialogue between differing cultures and religions, not be forgotten."

John Paul II expressed his desire that the doves which two representatives of Catholic Action released from the window of his study, following an annual tradition, would be "a sign of solidarity and peace for the new year just begun."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 29, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Vinko Puljic of Vrhbosna, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
- Six prelates of the Hungarian Bishops' Conference, on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit.
- Bishop Ferenc Keszthelyi of Vac.
- Bishop Bela Balas of Kaposvar.
- Bishop Nandor Bosak of Debrecen-Nyiregyhaza.
- Bishop Gaspar Ladocsi, military ordinary.
- Bishop Attila Mikloshazy, responsible for spiritual assistance to Hungarian emigrants.
- Bishop Imre Asztrik Varszegi, ordinary archabbot of Pannonhalma.

On Saturday, January 27, he received in separate audiences:

- Five prelates of the Hungarian Bishops' Conference, on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit.
- Bishop Istvan Konkoly of Szombathely.
- Bishop Mihaly Mayer of Pecs.
- Bishop Nandor Takacs of Szekesfehervar, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Peter Erdo.
- Bishop Lajos Papai of Gyor.

- Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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PAPAL TELEGRAM UPON THE DEATH OF QUEEN MARIA JOSE OF SAVOY

VATICAN CITY, JAN 29, 2001 (VIS) - Following is the telegram sent by Pope John Paul II to His Highness, Prince Victor Emmanuel of Savoy, upon the death of his mother, Queen Maria Jose of Savoy, at the age of 94:

"Upon receiving the news of the passing of your beloved mother Queen Maria Jose of Savoy, I extend my heartfelt condolences for the grief which has struck you and your family, assuring you of my spiritual closeness in this time of great trial. While I raise to the Lord, bearer of every recompense, fervent prayers of suffrage that He may welcome her into eternal joy, I invoke for all members of the family the support of Christian hope, and I send as a sign of my deep sharing in this great sorrow a special comforting apostolic blessing in the faith of the resurrection in Christ."

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ENVOY NAMED TO CENTENARY OF EVANGELIZATION OF RWANDA

VATICAN CITY, JAN 29, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was a Pontifical Letter, dated January 4, 2001 and written in Latin, in which the Holy Father named Cardinal Roger Etchegaray his special envoy to the concluding celebrations of the centenary of evangelization of Rwanda. These will take place in Kigali on February 8.

Also published were the names of those who will accompany the cardinal: Fathers Silas Ngerero of the diocesan clergy of Kabgayi, national director in Rwanda for the Pontifical Missionary Works, and Pedro Sala, M.Afr., provincial superior of the Missionaries of Africa.

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AUDIENCE FOR THE DAUGHTERS OF ST. LUCY FILIPPINI

VATICAN CITY, JAN 29, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received 50 Daughters of St. Lucy Filippini, for the celebration of their ordinary general chapter on the theme "The Constitutions, lamp for my feet, light for my path."

"With the spreading of a secularized mentality," the Pope said, "the faithful observance of the Rule will be of great help to you, dear sisters, by strengthening you in striving towards the Absolute, not conforming yourselves to the spirit of this world, but progressing day after day in conformity to Christ."

The Holy Father reminded the religious that they are called "to carry out a unique educative ministry, which is expressed in continual gestures of love, especially towards the poor, and which, through schools, not only supports the sound cultural growth of the students, but also their conscious approach to the everlasting truth of the Gospel.

"In the face of religious indifference, you are called to carry out your specific mission, especially in the scholastic field, bearing in mind the difficulties associated with the diverse local and cultural contexts. Be courageous and enthusiastic, without allowing yourselves to be conditioned by the various obstacles which you may encounter."

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NEW BASIC LAW OF VATICAN CITY STATE

VATICAN CITY, JAN 26, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration this afternoon:

"In a few days the new Fundamental Law of Vatican City State will be made public.

"The new text updates the previous law, establishing greater distinction between the legislative, executive, and judicial powers, while enforcing a closer tie between the Governorate and the Secretary of State, which maintains the international relations of the Vatican City State.

"The new Fundamental Law makes no mention of the death penalty, which was already abolished by Paul VI in law n. 50 of June 21, 1969."

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EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION: FIFTH DAY OF CONSECRATED LIFE

VATICAN CITY, JAN 26, 2001 (VIS) - On February 2, feast of the Presentation of the Lord, at 5:30 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father will deliver a homily, give thanksgiving to God for the gift of consecrated life, and impart the final blessing, during the mass to mark the Fifth Day of Consecrated Life.

The Eucharistic celebration, to be presided over by Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, will be preceded by the blessing of candles and a procession.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 26, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. John Hine, vicar general of the archdiocese of Southwark, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese (area 3,000, population 4,048,900, Catholics 380,979, priests 449, permanent deacons 64, religious 1040), England. The bishop-elect was born in Tunbridge Wells in 1938, and ordained a priest in 1962. He succeeds Bishop Charles Joseph Henderson, whose resignation as the auxiliary of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Confirmed the election of Bishop Lubomyr Husar as major archbishop of Lviv of the Ukrainians (area 10,800, population 1,826,700, Catholics 1,607,000, priests 555, permanent deacons 2, religious 866), Ukraine, effected in Lviv on January 25, 2001 by the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Church. The archbishop-elect was born in Lviv in 1933, ordained a priest in 1958 and a bishop in 1977.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 26, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Twelve prelates of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit:
- Cardinal Laszlo Paskai, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Antal Spanyi and Miklos Beer.
- Archbishop Istvan Seregely of Eger, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Endre Kovacs, Istvan Katona, and Andras Veres.
- Archbishop Gyula Marfi of Veszprem.
- Bishop Balazs Babel of Kalocsa-Kecskemet, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Laszlo Biro.
- Bishop Szilard Keresztes of Hajdudorog for Byzantine-rite Catholics, and apostolic administrator "ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the apostolic exarchate of Miskolc for the parishes of Byzantine-rite faithful in Hungarian territory.
- Bishop Endre Gyulay of Szeged-Csanad.
- Archbishop Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, Bishop Diarmuid Martin and Msgr. Giampaolo Crepaldi, respectively president, secretary and under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
This evening he is scheduled to receive Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, emeritus of Vercelli, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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NEW WORKING GROUP TO FURTHER ANGLICAN-CATHOLIC RELATIONS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 25, 2001 (VIS) - A communique published this morning announced that a new high-level working group has been set up by the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church to further relations between the two.

"Comprising prominent Church leaders from a variety of countries, assisted by specialists, the Anglican-Roman Catholic Working Group will have the task of reviewing the relationship between Catholics and Anglicans worldwide, consolidating the results of more than 30 years of ecumenical contact and dialogue, and charting a course for the future.

"The Working Group has been set up as a direct result of a special international meeting of Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops, held in Mississauga, Canada in May 2000. That meeting, chaired by the archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. George Carey, and Cardinal Edward Cassidy, president of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, spent a week in prayer, worship and discussion, and surveying relationships in different parts of the world. In a concluding statement, "Communion in Mission," the bishops spoke of their belief that Anglicans and Catholics share a degree of common faith 'such that greater cooperation and mission is possible than is currently the case'. They called for a new commission to be put in place to help bring this about, suggesting that the preparation of a joint affirmation of faith be at the top of the agenda."

The communique listed the names of both the Anglican and Roman Catholic members and concluded: "Since 1970, the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church have been engaged in theological dialogue through a special commission, ARCIC - The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission - which continues this work."

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PRESIDENT OF GREECE INVITES POPE TO VISIT HIS COUNTRY

VATICAN CITY, JAN 25, 2001 (VIS) - Following is the declaration made last evening by Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls after the visit to Pope John Paul by Greek President Constantinos Stephanopoulos:

"The meeting allowed for an exchange of opinions, quite cordial and in depth, on various current topics, with reference to the cultural roots of the European tradition.

"The president formally invited the Pope to visit Greece. The Holy Father thanked his guest, saying he hoped that one day, in the footsteps of St. Paul, he would be able to make this visit.

"President Stephanopoulos was then received by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of state. There was an ample exchange of opinions on the relations between the State and the Catholic Church in Greece, with a view to an eventual visit by the Holy Father to that country. The commitment was renewed for a close collaboration among believers for the spiritual progress of Greece and of Europe."

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ECUMENICAL CELEBRATION: WE MUST PRAY FOR THE GIFT OF UNITY

VATICAN CITY, JAN 25, 2001 (VIS) - This morning, in the basilica of Saint Paul's Outside-the-Walls, John Paul II, together with representatives of other Churches and ecclesial communities, presided over an ecumenical celebration of the Word marking the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, whose theme was: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

Participating in the liturgical ceremony were representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, the Patriarchate of Moscow, the Patriarchate of Serbia, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Romania, the Orthodox Church of Bulgaria, the Orthodox Church of Greece, the Orthodox Church of Poland, the Orthodox Church of Albania, the Coptic-Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Ethiopia, the Syro-Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Catholicosate of Cilicia of the Armenians, the Assyrian Church of the East, the Anglican Communion, Lutheran World Federation, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, World Methodist Council, World Baptist Alliance, and the World Council of Churches.

After the "statio" in front of the central door of the basilica, the procession advanced to the altar of the confession where the Book of Gospels was enthroned. Various representatives of the other Churches and ecclesial communities began the proclamation of the Word of God.

Following this, the Holy Father gave a homily in which he affirmed that "true ecumenical commitment does not seek compromises and does not make concessions with regard to the Truth. It knows that separations among Christians are contrary to the will of Christ; it knows that these are a scandal, which weakens the voice of Christ. Its strength lies not in ignoring these separations, but overcoming them. At the same time, awareness of what is lacking for full communion makes us better appreciate how much we already share."

"Outside of the Catholic Church," the Holy Father continued, "there is not an ecclesial void. Many fruits of the Spirit exist, such as, for example, sanctity and witness to Christ, at times to the point of shedding blood, which lead to admiration and gratitude."

After emphasizing that the dialogues developed by Vatican Council II "have had very significant results," the Holy Father stated: "We certainly have not reached the half-way point, but we have taken important steps forward. From the strangers - and often adversaries - which we were, we are becoming neighbors and friends."

John Paul II recalled several significant moments of ecumenical commitment during the Jubilee Year, among which was the January 18, 2000 meeting, in the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, "when I was able to cross the threshold of that door, symbol of Christ, side by side with representatives of my Eastern Brother, Patriarch Bartholomew, as well as the Primate of the Anglican Communion. For a distance - a distance all too brief! - we walked together," he exclaimed.

"The pain of incomprehensions or misunderstandings must be overcome with prayer and penance, with gestures of love, with theological research. Unresolved questions must not be seen as an obstacle to dialogue, but as an invitation to an honest and charitable encounter."

Referring to the duty of purification of memory, the Holy Father said: "We must forget the shadows and wounds of the past." He reaffirmed that this "also means building a spirituality of communion (koionia), in the image of the Trinity. ... The dialogue of charity, nevertheless, would not be sincere without the dialogue of truth. ... We cannot pass over differences; we cannot change the deposit of faith. ... Still, it is not given to us to 'make unity.' This is the gift of the Lord. We must therefore pray, as we have during this week, in order that the Spirit of unity is given to us.

"The new year just begun is a time as favorable as ever to witness together that Christ is 'the Way, the Truth, and the Life.' ... In 2001, for example, all Christians will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on the same date. This must encourage us to find a consensus for a shared date for this feast."

John Paul II ended the homily by expressing the hope that his upcoming travels to Syria and Ukraine will "contribute to reconciliation and peace among Christians."

Afterwards, the profession of faith took place, followed by an exchange of the sign of peace, a hymn of charity, a prayer to the Father for communion in unity, and, lastly, the blessing of Aaron.

Before returning to the Vatican, John Paul II had lunch in the Benedictine Abbey of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls with the participants of the ecumenical celebration.

HML;ECUMENICAL CELEBRATION;...;ST PAUL;VIS;20010125;Word: 780;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 25, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. Mario Busquets Jorda, "fidei donum" priest of the diocese of Girona, Spain, and missionary of the archdiocese of Arequipa, as bishop-prelate of Chuquibamba (area 22,151, population 160,000, Catholics 154,000, priests 22, religious 53), Peru. The bishop-elect was born in Vilobi d'Onyar, Spain, in 1935, and ordained a priest in 1958.

- Erected the apostolic exarchate for Byzantine-rite Catholics in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, with territory taken from the diocese of Krizevci of the faithful of the Byzantine-rite. The Holy Father appointed Bishop Joakim Herbut of Skopje as first exarch of the newly-erected apostolic exarchate.

NER; ECE;...;...;BUSQUETS; HERBUT;VIS;20010125;Word: 110;

BUILDING A CIVILIZATION WORTHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

VATICAN CITY, JAN 24, 2001 (VIS) - The theme of John Paul II's catechesis for today's general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall, was: "Commitment for a future worthy of mankind."

The Pope affirmed that "if we look at the world and at history, on first glance the banner of war, violence, oppression, injustice, and moral degradation, seems to dominate." Saint Irenaeus pointed to an explanation "in the freedom of man which, instead of following the divine plan of peaceful coexistence, severs relations with God, man, and the world."

"A continual effort of conversion is therefore necessary," the Holy Father continued, "which straightens out the path of humanity in order that man freely choose to follow the 'art of God,' His design of peace and of love, of truth and of justice."

John Paul II stated that "along with faith, the Holy Spirit also places the seed of hope in the heart of man. ... In a horizon often marked by discouragement, pessimism, choices of death, idleness, and superficiality, the Christian must open himself to the hope which flows from faith."

"Love for humanity, for its material and spiritual well-being, for authentic progress, must animate all believers."

The Pope affirmed, furthermore, that we are called to "eliminate fear of the future" which "often entraps young generations, leading them to react with indifference, with resignation in the face of life's commitments, with self-degradation through drugs, violence, and apathy."

The Holy Father concluded the catechesis remembering the call to trust sounded in his discourse to the U.N. in 1995: "We must not fear the future. ... With the help of the grace of God, we can construct ... a civilization worthy of the human person, a true culture of freedom. We can and must do so!"

AG;FUTURE MANKIND;...;...;VIS;20010124;Word: 300;

WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY: "PREACH FROM THE HOUSETOPS"

VATICAN CITY, JAN 24, 2001 (VIS) - As is traditional on today's memorial of St. Francis de Sales, patron of journalists, Pope John Paul's Message for World Communications Day was published. The theme for the 35th World Communications Day which will be held on May 27, 2001, is "'Preach from the Housetops': The Gospel in the Age of Global Communication."

"In today's world," the Pope writes, "housetops are almost always marked by a forest of transmitters and antennae sending and receiving messages of every kind to and from the four corners of the earth. It is vitally important to ensure that among these many messages the word of God is heard. To proclaim the faith from the housetops means to speak Jesus' word in and through the dynamic world of communications."

John Paul II adds that "the voice of Christians can never fall silent, for the Lord has entrusted to us the word of salvation for which every human heart longs.

"It follows that the Church cannot fail to be ever more deeply involved in the burgeoning world of communications," he underscores. "The media are having an increasingly visible effect on culture and its transmission. Where once the media reported events, now events are often shaped to meet the requirements of the media. Thus, the relationship between reality and the media has grown more intricate, and this is a deeply ambivalent phenomenon."

The Pope then points to the "indifference and even hostility of the media towards Christian faith and morality," adding that, often for the media "the only absolute truth is that there are no absolute truths. ... In such a view, what matters is not the truth, but 'the story'; if something is newsworthy or entertaining, the temptation to set aside considerations of truth almost becomes irresistible." Though not a friendly environment for Christians, writes the Pope, they cannot retreat from it, but rather they must remember St. Paul's words: "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!"

The Holy Father also recognizes the good performed by the media and "the unique opportunities" it offers for reaching a global audience as well as "the positive capacities of the Internet to carry religious information and teaching beyond all barriers and frontiers. ... Catholics should not be afraid to throw open the doors of social communications to Christ, so that His Good News may be heard from the housetops of the world!"

In closing observations, Pope John Paul points to the need to better and more widely use the media in evangelization, in particular because "an estimated two thirds of the world's six billion people do not in any real sense know Jesus Christ, and many of them live in countries with ancient Christian roots, where entire groups of the baptized have lost a living sense of the faith, or no longer consider themselves as members of the Church."

MESS;WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY;...;...;VIS;20010124;Word: 480;

CALL FOR AN END TO THE VIOLENCE IN COLOMBIA

VATICAN CITY, JAN 24, 2001 (VIS) - At the conclusion of the general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father appealed for an end to the violence in Colombia:

"News from Colombia, telling of a marked escalation in violence, compels me to request that everyone rediscover the supreme value of life: 'There can be no peace when this most basic good is not protected'."

"I would also like to invite all sides to promote an effective and sincere dialogue, while I implore an end to the kidnappings, acts of terrorism, assassination attempts, as well as the plague of drug-trafficking.

"It is time to return to the Lord of Life, that He may move the hearts of all Colombians and bring them to understand that they are but one great family."

AG;CALL PEACE COLOMBIA;...;...;VIS;20010124;Word: 150;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 24, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Michael Ernest Putney, auxiliary of Brisbane, as bishop of Townsville (area 435,200, population 234,854, Catholics 60,477, priests 37, permanent deacons 2, religious 123), Australia.

NER;...;...;PUTNEY ;VIS;20010124;Word: 30;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 24, 2001 (VIS) - This evening the Holy Father is scheduled to receive Constantinos Stephanopoulos, president of Greece, accompanied by his entourage.

AP;...;...;...;VIS;20010124;Word: 30;

THEME FOR 16TH WORLD YOUTH DAY IS ANNOUNCED

VATICAN CITY, JAN 24, 2001 (VIS) - A communique was released this afternoon announcing that, on Palm Sunday, April 8, 2001 the 16th World Youth Day will be celebrated in local churches.

"The Holy Father John Paul II has chosen as the theme the words of Christ: 'If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily'."

"The Pope's Message which he addresses to young men and women for this occasion will be published soon.

"As is customary, the celebration of Palm Sunday in St. Peter's Square will include the 'passage of the Cross': the young Italians who hosted World Youth Day in Rome last August - accompanied by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar of Rome and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference - will turn the Cross over to the young Canadians who will then prepare to receive their peers from around the world for the 17th World Youth Day, which will be held in Toronto from July 23 to 28, 2002."

...;16TH WORLD YOUTH DAY;...;...;VIS;20010124;Word: 170;

THE DIOCESE OF LIMBURG AND CRISIS PREGNANCY CASES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 23, 2001 (VIS) - Bishop Franz Kamphaus of Limburg, Germany, released a declaration yesterday concerning the January 13 meeting held in the Vatican with "the aim of clarifying the situation created because of the continuing presence of the diocese of Limburg in state consultation centers for crisis pregnancy cases."

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, and Bishop Reinhard Lettmann of Munster, Germany, participated in the meeting.

In the declaration, the bishop of Limburg emphasized that "the importance of the unequivocal testimony of the Church in support of life is undeniable.

"In 'crisis counselling' (for pregnant women), the diocese of Limburg, in accord with the petition of the Pope, seeks to further strengthen the presence of the Church in consultations."

Bishop Kamphaus asserted moreover that "the quality of consultation and the assistance in support of life must be realized in such a convincing manner that women decide against receiving the certificate of counselling," which according to law, constitutes the condition necessary for a legal abortion.

"It is expressly a question of taking part in consultations where the human life is placed in the greatest danger, that is, where women are uncertain of whether or not to give birth to their child."

The bishop of Limburg added that the experiences of the German dioceses with the new consultation procedure, implemented particularly since January 1 of this year, "must be kept in mind," and the results evaluated at the end of the year and taken account of in subsequent decisions. Achieving the objective of "reaching the women concerned, independent of governmental consultation for crisis pregnancy cases," will be studied.

"Together with all the German dioceses," the declaration concludes, "the diocese of Limburg feels bound to the Pope's mandate to continue with perseverance to develop consultations which support an unequivocal and credible witness for life."

...;PREGNANCY;...;LIMBURG; KAMPHAUS;VIS;20010123;Word: 320;

THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 23, 2001 (VIS) - Following that of Pope, the title of cardinal is the highest dignity in the Catholic Church, and was recognized as early as the pontificate of Silvester I (314-335). Rooted in the Latin word "cardo," meaning hinge, cardinals are created by a decree of the Roman Pontiff and chosen to serve as his principal collaborators and assistants.

In early years, "cardinal" was a title attributed generically to ecclesiastics in the service of a church or diaconate, particularly to ecclesiastics in Rome who were the Pope's counselors. Later this title was reserved for those responsible for the titular churches ("tituli cardinales") of Rome and the most important churches in Italy and abroad. Gradually, from Pope Nicholas II in 1059 to Eugenio IV in 1438, this title acquired the prestige which still marks it today.

The College of Cardinals was constituted in its current form in 1150: it has a dean, who is the bishop of Ostia, along with the other titular church which he already holds, and a camerlengo or chamberlain, who administers the goods of the Church when the See of Peter is vacant. The dean is chosen from those cardinals of episcopal rank who possess a title to a suburbicarian Church (Canon 352, para 2), which are the six dioceses closest to Rome (Albano, Frascati, Ostia, Palestrina, Porto-Santa Ruffina and Velletri-Segni).

Canons 349 through 359 govern the makeup and responsibilities of the College.

Canon 349 states: "The cardinals of the Holy Roman Church constitute a special college whose responsibility is to provide for the election of the Roman Pontiff in accord with the norm of special law; the cardinals assist the Roman Pontiff collegially when they are called together to deal with questions of major importance; they do so individually when they assist the Roman Pontiff especially in the daily care of the universal Church by means of the different offices which they perform."

The number of cardinals varied almost until the end of the 16th century and continued to increase in keeping with the successive development of the Church's affairs. The Councils of Constance (1414-18) and Basel (1431-37), limited the number to 24. But by the time of Paul IV (1555-59), the number had risen to 70 and increased to 76 under Pius IV (1559-65). Sixtus V, with the constitution 'Postquam verus' of December 1586, established the number of Cardinals at 70.

But the number of cardinals has increased and it reached 144 after the consistory of March 1973. Paul VI, in the Motu proprio "Ad Purpuratorum Patrum" of February 11th, 1965, extended the College of Cardinals to include the oriental patriarchs. "The oriental patriarchs who have become members of the College of Cardinals have as their title their own patriarchal see" (Canon 350, para 3).

Canon 350, para 1, states: "The College of Cardinals is divided into three ranks: the episcopal rank which consists of both the cardinals to whom the Roman Pontiff assigns the title of a suburbicarian church and the oriental patriarchs who have become members of the college of cardinals, the presbyteral rank, and the diaconal rank."

There has been a strong internationalization of the college over the past 30 years. The requisites for eligibility are more or less the same as those laid down by the Council of Trent in the 24th session of November 11, 1563. These include men who have received priestly ordination and are distinguished for their doctrine, piety and prudence in performing their duties; those who are not yet bishops must receive the episcopal consecration (Canon 351, para 1).

As advisors to the Pope, the cardinals act collegially with him through consistories, which meet by order of the Roman Pontiff and under his presidency; consistories can either be ordinary or extraordinary. In the ordinary consistory, all cardinals present in Rome, other bishops, priests and special guests are convened. These consistories are called by the Pope for consultation on certain important issues or to give special solemnity to some celebrations. An extraordinary consistory is one to which all cardinals are convened, and is celebrated when some special needs or more serious affairs of the Church suggest that it should be held.

Since 1059, cardinals have been the exclusive electors of the Pope, whom they elect in conclave on the basis of the latest guidelines contained in Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Constitution "Universi Dominici Gregis," promulgated on February 22, 1996. During the "sede vacante" or vacancy of the Apostolic See, the College of Cardinals plays an important role in the general government of the Church and, following the Lateran Treaties of 1929, also in the government of Vatican City State.

Cardinals are asked to present their resignation upon reaching 75 years of age. Those over the age of 80 are no longer eligible to enter into conclave. They also cease to be members of offices of the Roman Curia or of any permanent organism or dicastery of the Holy See.

As of February 21, 2001 there will be 178 members of the College of Cardinals, 154 of whom were created by Pope John Paul II. Of these 178, 50 are over the age of 80 and cannot enter into conclave. Of the remaining 128 cardinal electors, all but 10 have been appointed by John Paul II. Paul VI had set the limit for cardinal electors at 120 but Pope John Paul, when on January 21 he named the cardinals he would elevate in the February 2001 consistory, admitted he had gone beyond the established limit.

The current members of the College of Cardinals represent all the continents and come from 63 countries. There are 92 from Europe, 18 from North America, 32 from Latin America, 15 from Africa, 17 from Asia, and 4 from Oceania.

Cardinals are addressed by the title of "Eminence." Those who work for the Roman Curia and reside in either Vatican City or Rome are considered citizens of Vatican City.

...;COLLEGE OF CARDINALS;...;...;VIS;20010123;Word: 940;

DECLARATION ON POPE'S TRIP TO UKRAINE IN JUNE

VATICAN CITY, JAN 23, 2001 (VIS) - Regarding news of a message sent by Ukrainian Orthodox, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls stated in a declaration: "No message in this sense has arrived here. During his pastoral trip the Pope will meet with Ukrainian Catholics and hopes to contribute to a serene ecumenical dialogue. The Pope's trip will proceed as planned in the month of June."

OP;PAPAL TRIP UKRAINE;...;NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;20010123;Word: 80;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 23, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop William Edward Lori, auxiliary of Washington, as bishop of Bridgeport (area 1,639, population 833,315, Catholics 360,918, priests 292, permanent deacons 83, religious 557), U.S.A.

- Fr. Jose H. Gomez, of the prelature of Opus Dei, vicar delegate for the same prelature in the state of Texas, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Denver (area 101,279, population 2,644,004, Catholics 346,144, priests 296, permanent deacons 135, religious 616), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Monterrey, Mexico, in 1951, and ordained a priest in 1978.

NA; NEA;...;...;LORI; GOMEZ;VIS;20010123;Word: 100;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 23, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

AP;...;...;...;VIS;20010123;Word: 30;

ALL THE FAITHFUL ARE CALLED TO SANCTITY AND MISSION

VATICAN CITY, JAN 20, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father addressed a symposium commemorating the tenth anniversary of the publication of his Encyclical "Redemptoris missio."

John Paul II emphasized that "missionary activity towards un-evangelized peoples and groups is still necessary, particularly in certain areas of the world and in specific cultural contexts. ... In fact, the mission 'ad gentes' is necessary everywhere today.

"At the center of missionary activity is the announcement of Christ, the knowledge and experience of His love," the Holy Father continued. "This announcement does not detract from the independence of activities such as dialogue and human advancement, rather, it bases them in widespread charity and directs them toward a witness that constantly respects others in the attentive discernment of that which the Spirit arouses in them."

When "the proclamation of the Gospel and public fidelity to Christ are hindered for various reasons, a Christian always has the possibility to collaborate in the work of salvation through prayer, example, dialogue, and humanitarian service."

After stressing that "the call to mission is a continuous call to sanctity," the Holy Father affirmed: "Only in this way can the light of Christ, reflected in the face of the Church, also enlighten the men of our time.

"This, then, is the principle task of the Successor of Peter, called to ensure and promote the communion and universal mission of the Church. It is the responsibility of the Roman Curia and the bishops who share such an exalted ministry with him. It is a responsibility, also, from which believers of every age and condition cannot separate themselves."

AC;REDEMPTORIS MISSIO;...;...;VIS;20010122;Word: 290;

DECLARATION ON VISIT TO VATICAN OF INDONESIAN MINISTER

VATICAN CITY, JAN 20, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following declaration late yesterday:

"This morning, January 19, the Holy Father received Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Alwi Shihab, who brought a message from the president of Indonesia, Dr. Abdurrahman Wahid. Following this, the minister also met with Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, and with Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States.

"The concerns of the Indonesian Catholic community following recent tragic incidents of religious intolerance, were among topics discussed. The minister renewed the Indonesian government's concrete commitment to do its utmost to restore traditional religious harmony. In conclusion, the process of normalization currently in progress in East Timor was addressed."

OP;MINISTER INDONESIA;...;NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;20010122;Word: 130;

JOHN PAUL II BLESSES LAMBS ON FEAST OF ST. AGNES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 20, 2001 (VIS) - Pope John Paul, continuing an ancient tradition, this morning blessed several baby lambs whose wool will be used to make the palliums given every year to new metropolitan archbishops as symbols of their office. The ceremony took place in a room adjacent to the Paul VI Hall.

The blessing of the lambs, who are under one year of age, takes place on or near the January 21 feast of St. Agnes for whom the traditional symbol is a lamb. This virgin-martyr died about 350 and is buried in the basilica named after her on Rome's Via Nomentana. Traditionally the lambs are raised by the Trappist fathers of the Abbey of the Three Fountains and, when shorn, their wool is made into the palliums by the sisters of St. Cecilia.
In a 1978 document, "Inter Eximina Episcopalis," Pope Paul VI restricted use of the pallium to the Pope and metropolitan archbishops, In 1984 Pope John Paul decreed that it would be conferred on the metropolitans by the Pope on the June 29 solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles.

JPII-BLESSING LAMBS;...;...;ST.AGNES;VIS;20010122;Word: 190;

JOHN PAUL NAMES 37 NEW CARDINALS, WILL REVEAL "IN PECTORE" NAMES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 21, 2001 (VIS) - This morning before reciting the angelus with several thousand faithful who had gathered in St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul announced that on February 21 he will hold the eighth consistory of his pontificate in which he will create 37 new cardinals. He will also reveal the names of the two cardinals reserved "in pectore" in the consistory on February 21 1998.

"Today," said the Holy Father, "I have the joy to announce that next February 21, vigil of the feast of the Chair of Peter, I will hold a consistory in which, deviating once again from the numerical limit established by Pope Paul VI, which I confirmed in the Apostolic Constitution 'Universi dominici gregis', I will name 37 new cardinals."

He then listed the future cardinals:

1. Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
2. Archbishop Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
3. Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan, president of APSA (Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See).
4. Archbishop Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture of the Economic Affairs of the Holy See.
5. Archbishop Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education.
6. Archbishop Jose Saraiva Martins, O.F.M., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
7. Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, secretary general of the Committee of the Great Jubilee.
8. Archbishop Jorge Maria Mejia, archivist and librarian of Holy Roman Church. 9. His Beatitude Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches.
10. Archbishop Mario Francesco Pompedda, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature.
11. Bishop Walter Kasper, emeritus of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
12. Archbishop Antonio Jose Gonzalez Zumarraga of Quito, Ecuador.
13. Archbishop Ivan Dias of Bombay, India.
14. Archbishop Geraldo Majella Agnelo of Sao Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.
15. Archbishop Pedro Rubiano Saenz of Bogota, Colombia.
16. Archbishop Theodore Edgar McCarrick of Washington, U.S.A.
17. Archbishop Desmond Connell of Dublin, Ireland.
18. Archbishop Audrys Juozas Backis of Vilnius, Lithuania.
19. Archbishop Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa of Santiago de Chile, Chile.
20. Archbishop Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
21. Archbishop Bernard Agre of Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
22. Archbishop Louis-Marie Bille of Lyon, France.
23. Archbishop Ignacio Antonio Velasco Garcia, S.D.B., of Caracas, Venezuela.
24. Archbishop Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne of Lima, Peru.
25. Archbishop Francisco Alvarez Martinez of Toledo, Spain.
26. Archbishop Claudio Hummes, O.F.M., of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
27. Archbishop Varkey Vithayathil, C.SS.R, archbishop major of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars, India.
28. Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
29. Archbishop Jose da Cruz Policarpo, patriarch of Lisbon, Portugal.
30. Archbishop Severino Poletto of Turin, Italy.
31. Archbishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor of Westminster, Great Britain.
32. Archbishop Edward Michael Egan of New York, U.S.A.

At this point the Pope said: "I wish to raise to the dignity of a cardinal two venerable prelates and three well-deserving ecclesiastics, especially worthy for their commitment in service to the Church. They are:

1. His Beatitude Stephanos II Ghattas, C.M., patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts.
2. Archbishop Jean Honore, emeritus of Tours.
3. Fr. Roberto Tucci, president of the Administrative Committee of Vatican Radio.
4. Msgr. Leo Scheffczyk of the archdiocese of Munchen und Freising.
5. Fr. Avery Dulles, S.J., professor emeritus of Fordham University of New York, U.S.A.

"The new cardinals come from every part of the world," added John Paul II. "In them we can see the universality of the Church with the multiplicity of her ministries: along with the prelates who have given worthy service to the Holy See, there are pastors who spend their energy in direct contact with the faithful.
"I also have the intention of announcing very soon the names of the cardinals whom I have reserved 'in pectore'," he said in concluding remarks. "There are many other persons who are very dear to me and who, through their dedicated service to the people of God, would be worthy of being raised to the dignity of cardinal. I hope at a future moment to have the occasion to give witness, in this same way, to them and to those countries which have my esteem and my affection."

ANG;CONSISTORY; CARDINALS;...;...;VIS;20010122;Word: 700;

NINTH WORLD DAY OF THE SICK TO BE HELD IN SYDNEY

VATICAN CITY, JAN 20, 2001 (VIS) - The Ninth World Day of the Sick will be celebrated in Sydney, Australia on Saturday and Sunday, February 10 and 11, on the theme "The New Evangelization and the Dignity of the Suffering Person."

On Saturday there will be a day-long conference in the Mary MacKillop Place on this theme. Archbishop Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Health Care, will give the keynote address in the morning. Some of the topics which will be discussed are Catholic Aboriginal Ministry, Catholic Health Care: An Essential Church Ministry, and Evangelizing in the Health System: Ethical, Legal and Pastoral Questions. There will also be workshops on Sustaining Catholic Identity and they will focus on the Catholic doctor, Catholic nurse and Catholic chaplain.

On Sunday, February 11, feast of Our Lady of Lourdes when the World Day of the Sick is traditionally celebrated, there will be morning visits to several health care institutions and an early afternoon solemn Eucharistic Celebration at the Sydney Cathedral, St. Mary Help of Christians.

CON-AVA;WORLD DAY SICK;...;SYDNEY; LOZANO;VIS;20010122;Word: 190;

ARCHBISHOP CORDES TO TRAVEL TO EL SALVADOR

VATICAN CITY, JAN 20, 2001 (VIS) - As announced in a communique made public today, Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," will travel to El Salvador on Tuesday, January 23, "to bring the comfort and assistance of the Holy Father to the victims of the earthquake which has struck the country."

Archbishop Cordes, accompanied by Archbishop Giacinto Berloco, apostolic nuncio in El Salvador, will visit some of the families affected by the disaster and, on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 24, will celebrate Mass for the earthquake victims in the cathedral of San Salvador. In a subsequent meeting with Archbishop Fernandez Saenz Lacalle of San Salvador, and other members of the episcopal conference, Archbishop Cordes will present the Pope's gift of $100,000, given as a sign of his closeness to the peoples affected.

Archbishop Cordes will pay a visit the same day to the president of the Republic, Francisco Flores, and to the organizations in charge of aid, disaster clean-up, and reconstruction. A discussion with representatives of the various Catholic organizations which are offering assistance is also planned. Among these are several national Caritas groups and "Manos Unidas," as well as some non-governmental organizations.

...;VISIT EL SALVADOR;...;CORDES; SAENZ;VIS;20010122;Word: 210;

POPE RECEIVES NEW AMBASSADOR FROM IRAN

VATICAN CITY, JAN 22, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning welcomed Mostafa Borujerdi, the new ambassador from the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Holy See, who presented his Letters of Credence. In his speech the Pope highlighted "the importance of a true dialogue between cultures," recalling in particular that 2001 is the International Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations.

"Our world," he observed, "is made up of an amazing complexity and diversity of human cultures. Each of these cultures is distinct by virtue of its particular historical development and the resulting characteristics which make it an original and organic whole."

John Paul II went on to say that "it is largely through culture that people acquire a sense of national identity and develop a love of their country: these are values to be fostered, not with narrow-mindedness, but with respect and compassion for the whole human family. As I had occasion to remark in my Message for the 2001 World Day of Peace, efforts must be made 'to avoid those pathological manifestations which occur when the sense of belonging turns into self-exaltation, the rejection of diversity, and forms of nationalism, racism and xenophobia'."

The Holy Father remarked that "the recognition that every culture ... necessarily has limitations ... helps to prevent pride in one's own culture from becoming isolation or from turning into prejudice and prosecution against other cultures. The attentive study of other cultures will reveal that beneath seemingly divergent traits there are significant internal elements held in common, ... values which are common to all cultures because they are rooted on the very nature of the human person." He said these values include solidarity, peace, education, forgiveness, reconciliation and "the value of life itself."

Pope John Paul said he was "pleased" to note that "the Holy See and Iranian authorities have worked together to provide opportunities for such dialogue. ... Such dialogue will surely help governments and legislators in safeguarding the civil and social rights of individuals and peoples, especially the fundamental right to religious freedom ... which is a point of reference of all other rights. ... Accordingly, even in cases where the State grants a special juridical position to a particular religion, there is a duty to ensure that the right to freedom of conscience is legally recognized and effectively respected for all citizens and for foreigners residing in the country."

"In this regard," the Pope concluded, "the Holy See counts on the support of the Iranian authorities in ensuring that the Catholic faithful of Iran - present in that region of the world since the first centuries of Christianity - will enjoy the freedom to profess their faith and to continue to be a part of the rich cultural life of the nation. Although the Christian community is but a tiny minority in the overall population, it sees itself as truly Iranian."

CD;LETTERS CREDENCE;...;IRAN; BORUJERDI;VIS;20010122;Word: 480;

A STATISTICAL LOOK AT THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 21, 2001 (VIS) - The consistory scheduled for February 21 will be the eighth of Pope John Paul's 22-year pontificate and will bring to 154 the number of cardinals whom he has created.

In his first consistory on June 30, 1979, the Holy Father named 14 cardinals, in addition to one reserved "in pectore," whose name was revealed in 1991: He was Chinese Cardinal Ignatius Gong Pin-mei. The next six consistories were held on: February 2, 1983 (18 cardinals); May 25, 1985 (28 cardinals); June 28, 1988 (24 cardinals: The Pope had also named theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar when he made the announcement on May 29 but von Balthasar died on June 26, before the consistory); June 28, 1991 (22 cardinals); November 26, 1994 (30 cardinals), and February 21, 1998 (20 cardinals, plus 2 reserved "in pectore. The Pope had also placed the name of Archbishop Giuseppe Uhac on the list of future cardinals but he died before the Pope publicly announced the names on January 18).

The College of Cardinals on February 21 will number 178. Of these, 128 are cardinal electors in a conclave to elect a new Pope, that is to say, they are under the age of 80. John Paul II has named 87 percent of the total members of the College of Cardinals. To these figures must be added the two cardinals reserved "in pectore" in the 1998 consistory, whose names the Pope has said he would soon reveal.

Europe has 92 cardinals, of whom 60 are electors. The Americas have 50 cardinals (North America has 18 and Latin America has 32), of whom 39 are electors. Africa has 15 cardinals (12 electors), Asia has 17 (13 electors) and Oceania has 4, all of whom are cardinal electors.

The country with the largest number of cardinals is Italy with 41, including those to be created on February 21. The United States follows with 13, Brazil 8, Spain and Germany will both have 7 cardinals and Poland follows with 6.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 22, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Bernard Charrier, vicar general of Nantes, as bishop of Tulle (area 5,886, population 244,000, Catholics 224,000, priests 113, permanent deacons 5, religious 107), France. The bishop-elect was born in Nantes in 1938, and ordained a priest in 1964.
On Saturday, January 20, it was made public that he appointed:

- Cardinal Edward Bede Clancy, archbishop of Sydney, Australia, as his special envoy to the Ninth World Day of the Sick. The event is due to take place in Sydney, on February 11, 2001.

- Archbishop Emil Paul Tscherrig, apostolic nuncio in Trinidad and Tobago, as apostolic nuncio in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and the Republic of Surinam.

- Msgr. Carlo Liberati, official of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, as delegate of the ordinary section of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 22, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- His Beatitude Ignatius Moussa I Daoud, patriarch emeritus of Antioch of the Syrians, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
- Cardinal Angel Suquia Goicoechea, archbishop of Madrid.
- Gustav Ortner, Austrian ambassador to the Holy See, on a farewell visit.
- Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, president of the Committee and of the Presidential Council for the Great Jubilee 2000, accompanied by Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, secretary general of the same committee and presidential council.
- Archbishop Juliusz Paetz of Poznan, Poland.

On Saturday, January 20, he received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, accompanied by Archbishop Piergiorgio Silvano Nesti and Frs. Jesus Torres Llorente and Diego Di Odoardo, respectively secretary, under-secretary, and bureau chief of the same congregation.
- Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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TO THE AUGUSTINIANS: HARMONIZE CONTEMPLATION AND MISSION

VATICAN CITY, JAN 22, 2001 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received a group of 30 Augustinian Sisters, Servants of Jesus and Mary, at the close of celebrations in honor of the 150th Anniversary of the death of their foundress, Mother Maria Teresa Spinelli.

John Paul II urged the religious to strive "to harmonize the contemplative dimension and missionary impulse, which form the two fundamental pillars of your religious identity, according to the dedicated example of Mother Spinelli."

"One who remains in constant contact with the Lord, is better able to respond to the expectations of men, especially of those in difficulty. ... Only someone who has personally encountered Christ can speak of Him effectively to the hearts of the brethren and lead them to such a profound experience of His friendship that they are interiorly touched and transformed by it."

The Holy Father called the sisters to follow the example of their foundress and her first companions, who, "imbued with Augustinian spirituality, could realize a model of communion resembling that of the first apostolic community."

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POPE RECEIVES LUTHERAN EVANGELICAL DELEGATION FROM FINLAND

VATICAN CITY, JAN 19, 2001 (VIS) - An ecumenical delegation from the Lutheran Evangelical Church of Finland was welcomed to the Vatican this morning by Pope John Paul, who told them that he had "vivid memories of the great ecumenical liturgies and gatherings which we celebrated during the Holy Year." He highlighted the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which began with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, and the Commemoration of Witnesses to the Faith at the Colosseum.

The Holy Father pointed out that Christians in Finland celebrated the Jubilee on the theme "Millennium 2000 - Year of Hope." He said that "the Jubilee was also the occasion to ensure that issues of justice for the poor and marginalized become more central not only to Christians in Finland but to Finnish society as a whole, and this too was an area in which Christians in your land worked together effectively."

In concluding remarks, the Pope said that "as we enter the Third Millennium, we are conscious of the need to commit ourselves ever more deeply to the task of restoring full and visible unity among all the disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 19, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Alwi Shihab, foreign minister of Indonesia, accompanied by his entourage.
- Archbishop Domenico De Luca, apostolic nuncio in Morocco.

This evening he is scheduled to receive Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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POPE TO PRESIDE AT ECUMENICAL CELEBRATION ON JANUARY 25

VATICAN CITY, JAN 19, 2001 (VIS) - Pope John Paul will preside at the ecumenical celebration of the Word in the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls at 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 25, with representatives of other Churches and ecclesial communities for the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which began yesterday on the theme "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."

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90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PONTIFICAL INSTITUTE OF SACRED MUSIC

VATICAN CITY, JAN 19, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning received in audience 200 professors and students from the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, in honor of the 90th anniversary of its founding by Pope Saint Pius X, together with a delegation from Catalonia.

John Paul II was personally greeted by five individuals from Poland, Switzerland, Lebanon, Italy, and Spain, each of whom yesterday received an "honoris causa" degree for their achievements in the field of sacred music.

In his address, the Pope recalled the affirmation of Vatican Council II that sacred music is "a treasure of inestimable value, which excels among the other artistic expressions. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as a combination of sacred music and words, it forms a necessary and integral part of the solemn liturgy."

"The criterion which must inspire all composition and performance of songs and sacred music," the Holy Father continued, "is that of a beauty which encourages prayer. When song and music reveal the presence and action of the Holy Spirit, they favor, in a certain way, communion with the Trinity."

In addressing the teachers and students of the Institute of Sacred Music, John Paul II affirmed: "Each of you is called to rigorous academic study, united with constant attention to the liturgy and to pastoral care. You, teachers and students, are asked to make the most of your artistic gifts, conserving and promoting the study and the practice of music and song in those areas and with those instruments which Vatican Council II has especially noted: Gregorian chant, sacred polyphony, and the organ. Only thus," the Pope concluded, "can liturgical music worthily perform its role in the celebration of the Sacraments, and, in a special way, of the Holy Mass."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 19, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Hernan Giraldo Jaramillo of Malaga-Soata, as bishop of Buga (area 3,997, population 558,069, Catholics 474,358, priests 106, permanent deacons 6, religious 175), Colombia. He succeeds Bishop Rodrigo Arango Velasquez, P.S.S., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Ramon Dario Molina Jaramillo, O.F.M., of Monteria, as bishop of Neiva (area 10,523, population 481,000, Catholics 468,000, priests 59, religious 70), Colombia. He succeeds Bishop Hernando Rojas Ramirez, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Fabio Suescun Mutis of Pereira, as military ordinary of Colombia. He succeeds Bishop Alvaro Raul Jarro Tobos, whose resignation from the same office the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Fr. Mathew Arackal, director of the 'Peermade Development Society,' as bishop of Kanjirapally of the Syro-Malabars, (area 1,980, population 1,857,661, Catholics 162,675, priests 218, religious 1,503), India. The bishop-elect was born in Erumely, India in 1944, and ordained a priest in 1971. He succeeds Bishop Mathew Vattackuzhy, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same eparchy the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with Canon 210, para. 1, of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 18, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Dennis Marion Schnurr, of the clergy of Sioux City, secretary general of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the U.S.A., as bishop of Duluth (area 57,875, population 417,125, Catholics 81,560, priests 92, permanent deacons 23, religious 190), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Hospers, U.S.A., in 1948, and ordained a priest in 1974.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 18, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:
- Francesco Storace, president of the Lazio Regional Council.
- Francesco Rutelli, mayor of Rome.
- Silvano Moffa, president of the Rome Provincial Council.

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NEW YEAR'S GREETINGS TO CITY AND PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 18, 2001 (VIS) - Pope John Paul this morning welcomed officials from the city and province of Rome and the region of Lazio in what has become a traditional meeting to exchange greetings at the start of a New Year. The Pope, saying he wished to underline "several themes of great interest for the good of our people," spoke about the family, the elderly, education, health programs, and the safety of citizens.

The Pope thanked those present and the institutions they represent for the "generous and qualified contribution" which they made to the Holy Year as it unfolded. He said that "the Jubilee will remain in our memory ... and in the history of the Church and human family as a time of blessing and grace." He also underscored how the Jubilee Year 2000 was "enriched by a fruitful cooperation."

The Holy Father told the officials that their responsibility "is always the tenacious and concrete search for the common good. ... I feel the duty to call your attention, above all, to the great theme of the family and to the fundamental role it has in the growth and formation of new generations, as well as in the development of human relations marked by love and solidarity. The family must be at the center of social policies and should be respected in its own identity as a stable union founded on marriage between a man and a woman, never assimilable to other forms of relationships."

He emphasized that similar attention must be given to the elderly: "It is precisely the ageing of the population which shows how urgent it is to have a culture, policy and social organization which are truly favorable to life."

Then, referring to the education of children and young people, John Paul II urged the officials "not to be afraid to take courageous initiatives regarding effective scholastic parity and the use of structures, such as parochial oratories, which offer a great deal to a wholesome formation and to preventing worrisome forms of youthful discomfort."

On the issue of health care, the Pope stressed the need for "not only technical quality and speed of care but also for human warmth and a thoughtful concern for the ill and their families ... and proper space dedicated to spiritual care."

"A last point I would like to make," he said, "concerns the safety of citizens. ... Adopting efficacious measures in this field would be a great help in increasing faith in institutions" and "would also facilitate the welcoming and integration of the many immigrants who arrive in Rome and Lazio."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 17, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, accompanied by Bishop Walter Kasper, and Msgr. Eleuterio Francesco Fortino, respectively secretary and under-secretary of the same pontifical council.

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TODAY IN ITALY: DAY OF JEWISH-CHRISTIAN FRIENDSHIP

VATICAN CITY, JAN 17, 2001 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience the Holy Father told the pilgrims present in the Paul VI Hall that "today in Italy we are celebrating the Day for Jewish-Christian Friendship. As I express appreciation and support for this initiative of the Italian Church, I hope with all my heart that it contributes to the development of an authentic Jewish-Christian dialogue."

He also recalled that "tomorrow starts the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, during which the Churches and ecclesial communities will pray together so that the will of Christ, that is, that His disciples be one only, will be realized. This year the theme that was chosen is Jesus' expression, as recounted in John's Gospel, 'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life'." The Pope invited the faithful to join him on January 25 in the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls when he will preside at the solemn conclusion of this week of prayer.

Referring to today's liturgical memorial of Saint Anthony Abbot, the Pope recalled that "he is very popular in country areas as the patron of cattle-breeding. This area is currently experiencing a period of great difficulty due to the alarm in society caused by the spread of a recent epidemic. I would like to express my spiritual closeness to all of the farmers in this difficult situation."

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AUDIENCE: THE COMMITMENT TO AVOID ECOLOGICAL CATASTROPHE

VATICAN CITY, JAN 17, 2001 (VIS) - The theme of John Paul II's catechesis for today's general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall, was: "The commitment to avoid ecological catastrophe."

The Pope affirmed that "the harmony of mankind with his fellow man, with Creation and with God is the design pursued by the Creator. This design was and is continually upset by man's sin which is motivated by another plan."

"Human beings receive a mission of authority over creation in order to bring forth its full potential. ... The dominion of man, however, is not 'absolute,' but ministerial; it is the true reflection of the unique and infinite dominion of God. For this reason, man must live his responsibility by participating in the immeasurable wisdom and love of God."

Looking at our planet, John Paul II continued, "it is immediately evident that humanity has disappointed divine expectations. Above all in our time, man has unhesitatingly destroyed wooded valleys and plains, polluted waters, deformed the natural habitat, made the air un-breathable, disturbed atmospheric and hydro-geological systems, rendered green areas desert and engaged in uncontrolled industrialization, humiliating - to use an image from Dante Alighieri - that 'flower garden' that is the earth, our home."

The Holy Father stressed that: "It is necessary, therefore, to stimulate and sustain 'ecological conversion' which in these last decades has made mankind more sensitive to the catastrophe towards which he has been heading. ... What is necessary, then, is not only 'physical' ecology, which seeks to protect the habitat of all living creatures, but also 'human' ecology, which makes their existence more dignified, protecting the radical well-being of life in all its manifestations and preparing for future generations an environment which brings them closer to the design of the Creator." Only in this way, the Holy Father concluded, will man return "to walk in the garden of creation."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 17, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Fr. Miguel Angelo Freitas Ribeiro, of the clergy of the diocese of Oliveira, pastor of "Nossa Senhora Aparecida" parish, as bishop of Tocantinopolis (area 42,500, population 538,000, Catholics 400,000, priests 33, permanent deacons 1, religious 41), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Itaguara, Brazil, in 1958, and ordained a priest in 1986.

- Fr. Anil Couto, rector of the "Vinay Gurkul" minor seminary, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Delhi (area 15,420, population 18,250,000, Catholics 81,000, priests 185, religious 830), India. The bishop-elect was born in Pemburpa, India, in 1954, and ordained a priest in 1981.

- Bishop Diarmuid Martin, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, as Holy See permanent observer to the Office of the United Nations and Specialized Institutions in Geneva, Switzerland, and to the World Trade Organization, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop.

- Msgr. Fernando Filoni, counsellor to the apostolic nunciature in the Philippines, as apostolic nuncio in Jordan and Iraq, at the same time elevating him the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Manduria, Italy, in 1946, and ordained a priest in 1970.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 16, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in audience today Cardinal Adam Joseph Maida, archbishop of Detroit, U.S.A.

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POPE JOHN PAUL TO VISIT UKRAINE JUNE 23 TO 27

VATICAN CITY, JAN 16, 2001 (VIS) - Pope John Paul will travel to Ukraine on June 23 where he will stay for four days, returning to Rome on the 27th, according to a declaration made this morning by Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls.

The declaration stated that "from January 8 to 13, the Holy See delegation, led by Father Roberto Tucci, S.J. investigated the places which the Holy Father will visit in Ukraine. In accord with the appropriate ecclesiastical authorities and with the Ukrainian government, the definitive dates of the Holy Father's visit were established. The visit starts June 23 and ends June 27."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 16, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Gave his assent to the election canonically carried out by the Synod of Bishops of the Chaldean Church, meeting in Baghdad, Iraq, on January 12, 2001, of:
- Fr. Faraj Rahho, of the eparchal clergy of Mossul, Iraq, as archbishop of Mossul of the Chaldeans (Catholics 20,000, priests 16, permanent deacons 2, religious 6). The archbishop-elect was born in Mossul in 1942, and ordained a priest in 1965.
- Fr. Yacoub Denha Scher, of the eparchal clergy of Kerkuk, as archbishop of Arbil of the Chaldeans (Catholics 12,000, priests 5, permanent deacons 1, religious 8), Iraq. The archbishop-elect was born in Shaqlawa in 1935, and ordained a priest in 1962.
- Fr. Michel Kassarji, of the eparchal clergy of Beirut, Lebanon, as bishop of Beirut of the Chaldeans (Catholics 10,000, priests 1). The bishop-elect was born in Zahle in 1956, and ordained a priest in 1985.
- Fr. Shlemon Warduni, of the clergy of the patriarchal eparchy of Baghdad, as auxiliary to the Chaldean Patriarch. The bishop-elect was born in Batnaya in 1943, and ordained a priest in 1968.

- Appointed Msgr. Edward William Clark, of the clergy of Los Angeles (area 22,685, population 10,652,600, Catholics 4,080,793, priests 1,306, permanent deacons 161, religious 2,775), U.S.A., president of Saint John's Seminary College in Camarillo, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese. The bishop-elect was born in Minneapolis, U.S.A., in 1946, and ordained a priest in 1972.
- Appointed Msgr. Dennis O'Neil, of the clergy of Los Angeles, pastor of Saint Emydius Parish in Lynwood, as auxiliary of the diocese of San Bernardino (area 70,662, population 3,042,385, Catholics 821,443, priests 214, permanent deacons 79, religious 270), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Freemont, U.S.A., in 1940, and ordained a priest in 1966.

- Appointed Fr. Solomon Amanchukwu Amatu, chancellor of Awka (area 1,558, population 1,112,923, Catholics 584,340, priests 225, religious 136), Nigeria, as auxiliary of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Ukpo, Nigeria, in 1950, and ordained a priest in 1978.

- Appointed as members of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts: His Beatitude Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. Archbishops Varkey Vithayathil of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabarese, Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education and Mario Franceso Pompedda, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature.

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CENTENARY OF EVANGELIZATION IN BURKINA FASO

VATICAN CITY, JAN 13, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was a letter from the Holy Father in which he names Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, dean of the College of Cardinals, as special envoy to the closing celebrations for the centenary of evangelization in Burkina Faso. The event will take place in Ouagadougou on January 21.

Cardinal Gantin will be accompanied by Frs. Laurent Nare, director of the department for Catholic education of the diocese of Koupela; Alexandre Bazie of the diocesan clergy of Koudougou, rector of the major seminary of Koumi and Godefroy Sankara, official of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

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CARDINAL GANTIN CELEBRATES 50 YEARS AS A PRIEST

VATICAN CITY, JAN 13, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was a message from the Pope, written in Latin and dated December 14, addressed to Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, dean of the College of Cardinals, who tomorrow will celebrate fifty years in the priesthood. The cardinal was ordained a priest on January 14, 1951, consecrated a bishop on February 3, 1957 and created a cardinal by Paul VI in 1977.

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DIPLOMACY: BRINGING TO RULE ORDER, EQUITY AND PEACE

VATICAN CITY, JAN 13, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in the Sala Regia of the Vatican, Pope John Paul received the 174 members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See for the traditional exchange of greetings in the New Year. Following a speech by their dean, Ambassador Giovanni Galassi of the Republic of San Marino, the Pope then gave an address in which he underscored the lights and shadows of world events of this past year.

Wishing the diplomats a "prosperous and happy New Year," he then asked: "What is a happy year for a diplomat? The world scene in this month of January 2001 could cause one to doubt the capacity of diplomacy to bring about the rule of order, equity and peace among peoples."

"However," he went on, "we should not resign ourselves to the inevitability of sickness, poverty, injustice or war. It is certain that without social solidarity or recourse to law and the instruments of diplomacy, these terrible situations would be even more dramatic and could become insoluble."

The Holy Father stated that "the inspiration of the Holy Year which has just ended, and of the different Jubilee events which brought together and motivated men and women of every race, age and condition, showed, if there was a need, that the moral conscience is still very much alive and that God dwells in the human heart." Recalling the Jubilee of Parliamentarians, he said "it was for me a source of great spiritual consolation to see so much good will and so much openness to God's grace."

Speaking of the light which accompanied the birth of Christ 2000 years ago, the Pope remarked that "this light tells us that the love of God is always stronger than evil and death.

"This light signals the path of all who in our times in Bethlehem and Jerusalem are struggling on the road to peace. In this part of the world which received God's revelation to man there should be no resignation before the fact that a kind of guerilla warfare has become an everyday event, or in the face of the persistence of injustice, the contempt for international law or the marginalization of the Holy Places and the requirements of the Christian communities. ... It is time to return to the principles of international legality: the banning of the acquisition of territory by force, the right of peoples to self-determination, respect for the resolutions of the United Nations Organization and the Geneva conventions, to quote only the most important."

Turning to "other regions of the planet where people have chosen armed violence in order to exact their rights or further their ambitions," John Paul II mentioned Africa, "a continent where too many weapons are circulating and where too many countries suffer from unstable democracy and devastating corruption." He cited the "drama of Algeria, ... the war in southern Sudan, ... the chaos ... of the Great Lakes region, adding, however, that "the peace agreement arrived at last month in Algiers between Ethiopia and Eritrea is a cause for satisfaction."

"Nearer to us I must mention - and with such a sense of sadness! - the murderous terrorist attacks in Spain, which sully the nation and humiliate the whole of Europe as it searches for its identity. ... May Europe never forget the Christian roots which have allowed its humanism to bear much fruit!"

The Holy Father went on to say that "the light of Bethlehem ... imposes upon us the duty of combatting always and everywhere poverty, marginalization, illiteracy, social inequalities or the shameful treatment of human beings."

"Egoism and the will to power are humanity's worst enemies" and "at the root of every conflict. This is especially evident in certain parts of South America, where socio-economic and cultural differences, armed violence or guerilla warfare, and the turning back of democratic gains damage the social fabric and cause entire populations to lose confidence in the future." The Pope said that "good will and international solidarity" can overcome such situations: "Asia has shown that this is so, with the dialogue between the two Koreas and with East Timor's progress towards independence."

"Believers - and especially Christians - know that another approach is possible. I will formulate it in words which may seem too simple: Every man is my brother!"

"When we think of the century just ended, one thing is clear: history will judge it to be the century which saw the greatest conquests of science and technology, but also as the time when human life was despised in the cruellest ways. I am certainly referring to the murderous wars which burgeoned in Europe and to the forms of totalitarianism, which enslaved millions of men and women, but I am also referring to laws which 'legalized' abortion or euthanasia, and to cultural models which have spread the idea of consumption and pleasure at any price."

"At the dawn of this millennium let us save man! Let us together, all of us, save humanity! It is up to the leaders of societies to safeguard the human race, ensuring that science is at the service of the human person, that people are never objects to be manipulated or to be bought and sold, that laws are never determined by commercial interests or by the selfish claims of minority groups."

Affirming that believers must "state publicly that no authority, no political program and no ideology is entitled to reduce human beings to what they can do or produce," the Pope stressed that "the Catholic Church is determined to defend the dignity the rights and the transcendent dimension of the human person. Even if some are reluctant to refer to the religious dimension of the human being, even if others want to consign religion to the private sphere, even if believing communities are persecuted, Christians will still proclaim that religious experience is part of human experience."
"Together," concluded Pope John Paul II, "let us help one another to live a life worthy of the vocation that is ours, the vocation of forming a great family, happy in the knowledge that it is loved by a God Who wants us to be brothers and sisters!"

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POPE GREETS ORTHODOX PRIESTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE FROM SERBIA

VATICAN CITY, JAN 14, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning, following the angelus prayer, greeted a number of pilgrims from Spain in their language and then, in Russian, extended a cordial welcome to a group of priests and young people from the Serbian Orthodox diocese of Sabac-Valjevo in Serbia.

"May your pilgrimage," he said, "strengthen your Christian faith and support you in your commitment to build together with the other citizens of your country a future of peace and development. When you return to your country, convey my affectionate greetings to His Beatitude, Patriarch Pavle, and to your Bishop Lavrentije, to your families and friends and to the dear Serbian people."

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CANA AND THE JUBILEE, CHRIST'S TRANSFORMING ACTION

VATICAN CITY, JAN 14, 2001 (VIS) - In reflections made before reciting the angelus with the faithful in St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul spoke of today's Gospel story of the first miracle performed by Christ at the wedding feast of Cana, calling it "the first 'sign' with which He manifested His glory and inspired faith in His disciples."

"Meditating on this page of the Gospel, one thinks spontaneously of the just-concluded Jubilee, which was for the Church and for the world a sort of great and memorable 'sign'. A year in which Christ, as He did at Cana, transformed the 'water' of our spiritual poverty into the generous 'wine' of renewal and commitment. And now that the great Jubilee has ended, it is with a greater impetus that we have again undertaken the 'ordinary' path, keeping our eyes more than ever fixed on the Lord's face, as I wrote in the Apostolic Letter 'Novo millennio ineunte'."

"The Holy Year," the Pope concluded, "has opened many hearts to hope and has enlightened the path of the world with the light of Christ."

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