JOHN PAUL II APPEALS FOR END TO IRAQI EMBARGO

VATICAN CITY, APR 28, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning received the Letters of Credence of Iraq's new ambassador to the Holy See, Abdul-Amir Al-Anbari.

Speaking English, the Pope told the ambassador in his opening remarks of his "esteem for the Iraqi people, whom I remember daily in my prayers, especially in light of the continuing difficulties which they face. As the embargo in your country continues to claim victims, I renew my appeal to the international community that innocent people should not be made to pay the consequences of a destructive war whose effects are still being felt by those who are weakest and most vulnerable."

"Today's world," he continued, "although sadly afflicted in many regions by tension, violence and armed conflict, is seeking greater equity and stability so that the whole human family can live in true justice and everlasting peace. These are not abstract concepts or remote ideals, rather they are values which dwell in the heart of every individual and nation, to which all peoples have a right."

John Paul II affirmed that "it is precisely the pursuit of this justice and this peace which is the driving force behind every activity of the Holy See in the area of international diplomacy." Quoting from his January 13 speech to the diplomatic corps, he stated that "the Holy See firmly believes ... 'that without social solidarity or recourse to law and the instruments of international diplomacy, these terrible situations would be even more dramatic and could become unresolvable'."

"The Holy See therefore sees as one of its principal duties that of reminding public opinion that 'no authority, no political program and no ideology is entitled to reduce human beings to what they can do or produce'. The inalienable rights and personal dignity of every human being must be upheld, the transcendent dimension of the human person must be defended'," as must be "'the religious dimension of human beings and human history ... (which) is a vital element in shaping the person and the society to which people belong'."

"In this context," the Pope said in conclusion, "my thoughts turn naturally to the members of the Iraqi Catholic community. Together with their Muslim countrymen, Iraqi Christians wish to work for unity and harmony. Their Christian faith and values inspire them to cultivate a spirit of mutual respect, with pride in their national identity and concern for the progress of their country."

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LA SALLE BROTHERS: ENTHUSIASM IN EDUCATING AND EVANGELIZING

VATICAN CITY, APR 28, 2001 (VIS) - John Paul II sent a Message to Brother Alvaro Rodriguez Echeverria, superior general of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the birth of St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, "special patron of educators of children and youth."

The Pope expressed his hope that "faith in Christ and the Gospel" would be renewed on the occasion of this anniversary. He further recalled that the "ever present" ideal of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, "requires disciples who allow themselves to be formed by Christ and who, full of enthusiasm for education and evangelization, will know how to propose to youth Christian hope and reasons for life."

Reminding the Institute's members of the importance of the witness of fraternal life which the Brothers of the Christian Schools must give, the Holy Father exhorted them "to make of their homes schools of fraternal life, 'to develop and spread an authentic spirituality of communion', involving in this the youth entrusted to them and the laity who collaborate in their mission, helping them to rediscover and to share the charism of the Institute."

MESS;EDUCATION; LA SALLE;...;RODRIGUEZ;VIS;20010430;Word: 200;

CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS: WITNESSING TRUTH IN THEIR WORDS AND LIVES

VATICAN CITY, APR 28, 2001 (VIS) - The Pope this morning welcomed the participants in the International Congress of Catholic Schools of Europe, organized by the European Committee for Catholic Education. He noted that their theme, "The Mission of Educating: Witnessing to a Hidden Treasure" points to "the basic demand of every Christian educator: not only to transmit truth through words, but to witness explicitly to it through their lives."

The Pope noted that "cultural turmoil, the globalization of trade, the relativism of moral values and the worrisome disintegration of family ties, cause great uncertainty among many young people, which inevitably is reflected in their way of living, learning and envisioning their future. Such a context invites European Catholic schools to propose a true educational project which will allow youth not only to acquire human, moral and spiritual maturity, but also to work effectively for the transformation of society, with care to work for the coming of the Kingdom of God."

The Holy Father affirmed that "educational communities have to highlight the formation of teachers, religious and lay, so that they will acquire an ever greater awareness of their mission as educators, linking professional competence and a freely assumed choice of witnessing in a coherent fashion to spiritual and moral values."

There must also be, he said, "close ties between the school and family, especially in this time where the fabric of the family is so fragile. Whatever the school structure, parents remain the primary ones responsible for educating their children."

In closing remarks, John Paul II emphasized two challenges faced by Catholic schools. First, vis-a-vis "the constructive dialogue in the multi-cultural society of our times," he insisted that "the effort shown to welcome in the heart of Catholic schools young people who belong to other religious traditions must be pursued, without, however, weakening the nature proper to Catholic schools and the Catholic specificity of these institutions." Secondly, he pointed out that "Catholic schools ... are called to be dynamic communities of faith and evangelization."

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FIVE SERVANTS OF GOD BEATIFIED, INCLUDING FIRST PUERTO RICAN

VATICAN CITY, APR 29, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II presided over the Eucharistic Celebration during which he beatified Servants of God Manuel Gonzalez Garcia (1877-1940); Marie-Anne Blondin (1809-1890); Caterina Volpicelli (1839-1894); Caterina Cittadini (1801-1857); and Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodriguez Santiago (1918-1963).

In his homily, the Holy Father said that the new Spanish Blessed, Bishop Manuel Gonzalez Garcia, dedicated himself "to spreading Eucharistic devotion," founded the Congregation of the Eucharistic Missionaries of Nazareth and is "a model of Eucharistic faith, whose example continues to speak to the Church of today."
Layman Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodriguez Santiago, "the first Puerto Rican elevated to the glory of the altars, ... emphasized the universal vocation to holiness of all Christians and the importance that every baptized person respond to this vocation in a conscious and responsible way."

Canadian Marie-Anne Blondin founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Anne "for the education of the poor children of rural areas, with the goal of overcoming illiteracy. ... She drew interior strength from the contemplation of the Cross, showing us that life in union with Christ is the most sure means of mysteriously bearing fruit and fulfilling the mission willed by God."

John Paul II recalled that Italian Blessed Caterina Volpicelli, virgin, and foundress of the Servants of the Sacred Heart, "knew how to always draw from the Eucharist that missionary ardor which urged her to express her vocation in the Church, docilely submissive to the Pastors and prophetically intent to promote the laity and new forms of consecrated life."

The "profound capacity to love" of Italian Blessed Caterina Cittadini, foundress of the Ursuline Sisters of Somasca, "sustained by a great emotional equilibrium, is noted by those who knew her. Orphaned from a tender age, she herself became a loving mother to orphans."

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DAY HONORING SACRED HEART CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY

VATICAN CITY, APR 28, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was the text of the annual message from Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano - in the name of the Pope - to the rector of Sacred Heart Catholic University in Milan, Prof. Sergio Zaninelli, on the occasion of the celebration of tomorrow's Day for Sacred Heart Catholic University.

Recalling this year's theme, "The Boldness of Reason, the Freedom of Faith," Cardinal Sodano affirms that "to unite 'the freedom of faith' and 'the boldness of reason': this is a demanding plan of cultural rebuilding in which the Catholic University must be a protagonist, in constant tune with the orientations proposed by the Italian episcopate."

The secretary of state emphasized the necessity to challenge "the widespread attempt to reduce existence to mere material and economic dimensions, ignoring the boundless longing for transcendence which the human being experiences."

The university, Cardinal Sodano goes on to affirm, "is called, likewise, to show how the rediscovery of an ethic of limits is conceived not so much as a restraint to the uncontrollable drift of our society, as an opportunity to approach the possibilities offered by the Creator to the free responsibility of man."

"The Holy Father hopes that this athenaeum, in the wake of its long and well-deserved academic tradition, continues to take every care in order that the dialogue between reason and faith increases ever more scientific research and the authentic freedom of man."

SS;CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY;...;SODANO; ZANINELLI;VIS;20010430;Word: 250;

MARY: A GUIDE IN FAITH, A SIGN OF HOPE, AN EXAMPLE OF LOVE

VATICAN CITY, APR 29, 2001 (VIS) - At the end of today's Eucharistic celebration, during which John Paul II beatified five Servants of God, he recited the Regina Coeli with the more than 25,000 faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

In reflections before the noon prayer, the Pope said that, "before concluding this solemn celebration, which allowed us to taste the joy of the communion of saints, we turn with filial devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary who, as she was in the Cenacle in Jerusalem, is at the center of this communion. The new Blesseds found in her a guide in their pilgrimage of faith, the consoling sign of certain hope, the example of generous love for God and one's brothers."

The Holy Father then remarked that, "as the month of May is about to start, I invite everyone to prepare to spend it in union with Mary, reciting the rosary, either individually or in community. Following Mary's example, so many men and women throughout the centuries have been formed to holiness."

After greetings in French and Spanish to pilgrim groups who had come to Rome for the beatifications, the Pope concluded his remarks by noting that Italy today celebrates the Day of Sacred Heart Catholic University. Sending greetings to the students and teachers, he said "I also thank all those who in various ways contribute to supporting its scientific and cultural activities."

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AUDIENCE FOR PILGRIMS WHO ATTENDED BEATIFICATIONS

VATICAN CITY, APR 30, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in the Paul VI Hall, John Paul II received the pilgrims who attended the beatification of Servants of God Manuel Gonzalez Garcia, Marie-Anne Blondin, Caterina Volpicelli, Caterina Cittadini, and Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodriguez Santiago.

The Pope recalled that Msgr. Gonzalez Garcia, founder of the Congregation of the Eucharistic Missionaries of Nazareth, was known as "the bishop of the abandoned shrines." He urged the faithful to follow the new Blessed's example "in his constant visits to the sacramental Lord."

Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, "affectionately called Charlie," was, the Pope said, "a layman committed to the spreading of Christian humanism in the university milieux" in whom the lay Puerto Ricans found "an example to imitate."

The Holy Father went on to say that he hoped that "the inspiring witness of Mother Marie-Anne Blondin," foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Anne, "encourages the Church to bring peace to the world and to be close to all those who have been 'unfortunate' in life', to be close especially in the areas of education, health care, and pastoral and social animation."

Caterina Volpicelli, foundress of the Servants of the Sacred Heart, and her spiritual sisters, "were 'good Samaritans' in various situations of poverty, carrying out a work not only of philanthropy and charity, but bearing witness to authentic evangelical charity in a sincere and prudent way, in solidarity with and respectful towards simple and humble people."

In conclusion, the Pope referred to the foundress of the Ursuline Sisters of Somasca, Caterina Cittadini, and exhorted them to "faithfully continue in the path marked out by her, to be sure guides in the journey of faith and in the cultural formation of children and youth."

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COUNCIL MESSAGE FOR BUDDHIST FEAST OF VESAKH

VATICAN CITY, APR 30, 2001 (VIS) - Cardinal Francis Arinze, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, sends a message each year to Buddhists on the occasion of their most important annual feast, Vesakh, which commemorates the principal events in the life of Buddha. In countries of the "theravada" tradition, Vesakh will be celebrated this year on May 7, whereas dates vary for countries of the "mahayana" tradition. The cardinal's 2001 message is entitled "Buddhists and Christians: Together Promoting a Culture of Dialogue."

In the Message, released in English and French, Cardinal Arinze notes that the United Nations designated 2001 as "The International Year of Dialogue between Civilizations. ... The dialogue of civilizations, the dialogue of cultures and the dialogue between religions are nothing less than human encounters whose purpose is to build up a civilization of love and peace. We are all called to promote such dialogue."

"During their long histories," the council president adds, "both Christianity and Buddhism have developed particular ways of expressing themselves in distinct cultural forms. ... Without ignoring our differences, and with utmost respect for the demands of truth, let us recognize the treasures of each other's traditions."

Citing Pope John Paul II's Message for the 2001 World Day of Peace, Cardinal Arinze said that, "in building the civilization of love, ... we need 'to overcome all ethnocentric selfishness'. This will make it possible 'to combine regard for one's own identity with understanding of others and respect for diversity'."

CON-DIR;BUDDHISTS; VESAKH;...;ARINZE;VIS;20010430;Word: 240;

FIFTH CENTENARY OF FIRST RULE OF THE TERTIARY MINORS

VATICAN CITY, APR 30, 2001 (VIS) - On the occasion of the fifth centenary of the approval of the First Rule of the lay movement of the Tertiary Minors, by Pope Alexander VI on May 1, 1501, John Paul II sent a Message to the Tertiary Minors.

In the Message, dated May 1, the Pope emphasized that, "in the many centuries of the history of the Third Order Seculars, the approval of your Rule constitutes an interesting novelty: it had never occurred, in fact, that the Rule of a First and Third Order were composed contemporaneously by the same Founder, defining in this way, from the beginning, relations and charisms."

"The happy celebration of this fifth centenary offers you the opportunity to be privileged protagonists in the new evangelization. Do not be afraid in the face of difficulties, because the Rule points out to you the necessary means to be strong and proceed secure."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 30, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid, Spain.
- Claudio Caratsch, ambassador of Switzerland on special mission to the Holy See, on a farewell visit.

On Saturday, April 28, he received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Luigi Dossena, apostolic nuncio.
- Archbishop Angelo Acerbi, apostolic nuncio.
- Teodor Baconsky, ambassador of Romania, accompanied by his wife and children, on a farewell visit.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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GENERAL SECRETARIAT HOLDS MEETING FOR 2001 SYNOD OF BISHOPS

VATICAN CITY, APR 30, 2001 (VIS) - Cardinal Jan Schotte, C.I.C.M., secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, presided at the 10th meeting of the Ninth Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops on April 24-25, in the offices of the General Secretariat, according to a communique released today.

Joining Cardinal Schotte were 7 cardinals, 3 archbishops, 1 bishop and 4 staff members of the Synod of Bishops. Among those in attendance were Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re and Ivan Dias, two of the three presidents delegate and Edward Egan, relator general of the October 2001 synod on the theme "The Bishop, Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope of the World."

The agenda included a study of the "Instrumentum Laboris" for the October synod, which is the 10th ordinary general assembly. The meeting's principal aim was to furnish the relator general and special secretary with useful suggestions for writing the "Relatio ante disceptationem," which will introduce the works of the synod at the start of the assembly. Among the themes contained in the "Instrumentum laboris" are: the scope of the synod, the dedication of the bishop to the particular Church, Gospel hope, communion in the ministry of the bishops, and pastoral charity as service.

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MORTAL REMAINS OF BLESSED JOHN XXIII TO BE EXPOSED JUNE 3

VATICAN CITY, APR 30, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following declaration this morning:

"Sunday, June 3, solemnity of Pentecost, is also the 38th anniversary of the death of Blessed John XXIII (June 3, 1963).

"On this occasion, the mortal remains of the Blessed, arranged in a casket of bronze and crystal, will be exposed in St. Peter's Square during the Eucharistic celebration, presided over by the Holy Father. At the end of the celebration, the casket will be moved to St. Peter's Basilica and exposed for the veneration of the faithful, before the Altar of the Confession, for the entire afternoon.

"Following this, the casket will be permanently placed under the Altar of St. Jerome."

OP;JOHN XXIII;...;NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;20010430;Word: 130;

ARCHBISHOP TAURAN TO TRAVEL TO BRUSSELS MAY 2ND

VATICAN CITY, APR 27, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following declaration late yesterday afternoon:

"Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States, will travel to Brussels on May 2, 2001 for a working visit to the European Communities. He will meet with Nicole Fontaine, president of the European Parliament, and Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission.

"After this visit, Archbishop Tauran will also meet with Louis Michel, vice-prime minister and foreign minister of Belgium, and will speak before the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Belgian Senate. "

OP;TRIP BRUSSELS;...;TAURAN; NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;20010427;Word: 110;

MESSAGE FOR MILLENNIUM OF HUNGARY'S EVANGELIZATION

VATICAN CITY, APR 27, 2001 (VIS) - John Paul II has addressed a Message to Cardinal Laszlo Paskai, metropolitan archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and primate of Hungary, on the occasion of the millennium anniversary of the country's evangelization. The two-page Message, written in Latin and made public today, is dated April 10th.

MESS;MILLENNIUM HUNGARY;...;PASKAI;VIS;20010427;Word: 60;

GLOBALIZATION MUST NOT BE A NEW FORM OF COLONIALISM

VATICAN CITY, APR 27, 2001 (VIS) - Just after noon today, in the Consistory Hall, John Paul II received the participants in the plenary of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences who have been meeting on the theme of globalization with, as the Pope recalled, "particular attention to its ethical implications."

In his speech in English to the Academy members and experts who attended the four-day plenary session, the Pope highlighted how, "since the collapse of the collectivist system in Central and Eastern Europe, ... humanity has entered a new phase in which the market economy seems to have conquered virtually the entire world." He added that globalization's "prime characteristic is the increasing elimination of barriers to the movement of people, capital and goods. It enshrines a kind of triumph of the market and its logic" and "many people, especially the disadvantaged, experience this as something that has been forced upon them."

"Globalization 'a priori'," observed the Holy Father, "is neither good nor bad. It will be what people make of it. No system is an end in itself, and it is necessary to insist that globalization, like any other system, must be at the service of the human person; it must serve solidarity and the common good."

He indicated some of the Church's concerns regarding globalization, namely, that "it has quickly become a cultural phenomenon" and that "changes in technology and work relationships are moving too quickly for cultures to respond." He added that "at another level, the use made of discoveries in the biomedical field tend to catch legislators unprepared. ... Here we face a Promethean increase of power over human nature, to the point that the human genetic code itself is measured in terms of costs and benefits." Rather, emphasized the Pope, "new practices (must) respect human values and the common good."

Turning to the question of globalization and ethics, Pope John Paul affirmed that "not all forms of ethics are worthy of the name. We are seeing the emergence of patterns of ethical thinking which are by-products of globalization itself and which bear the stamp of utilitarianism. Ethics cannot be the justification or legitimation of a system, but rather the safeguard of all that is human in any system. Ethics demands that systems be attuned to the needs of man, and not that man be sacrificed for the sake of the system."

"The Church," underscored the Pope, "continues to affirm that ethical discernment in the context of globalization must be based upon two inseparable principles: First, the inalienable value of the human person" who "must always be an end and not a means, a subject, not an object, not a commodity of trade. Second, the value of human cultures: ... Globalization must not be a new version of colonialism. It must respect the diversity of cultures which ... are life's interpretative keys.

In concluding remarks, John Paul II insisted that "as humanity embarks upon the process of globalization, it can no longer do without a common code of ethics" which is "within man as such. ... In all the variety of cultural forms, universal human values exist and they must be brought out and emphasized as the guiding force of all development and progress." He said the Church hopes that all "elements in society will cooperate to promote a globalization which will be at the service of the whole person and of all people."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 27, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio in Israel and Cyprus and apostolic delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine.
- Archbishop Francois Bacque, apostolic nuncio in the Netherlands.
- Archbishop Alessandro D'Errico, apostolic nuncio in Pakistan.
- Archbishop Ennio Antonelli of Florence, Italy.
- Bishop Eric Aumonier of Versailles, France.
- Bishop Stanislaw Nowak of Czestochowa, Poland.
- Bishop Joseph Anthony Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston, U.S.A., president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (U.S.A.), with Bishop Wilton Daniel Gregory of Belleville, U.S.A., vice-president, and Msgr. William P. Fay, secretary general.

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

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HOLY FATHER VISITS PONTIFICAL ECCLESIASTICAL ACADEMY

VATICAN CITY, APR 26, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II visited the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, on the occasion of the third centenary of its foundation. The Pontifical Academy, through a special course of study, prepares churchmen for Holy See diplomatic service to the particular churches in different countries of the world.

Currently, the Academy has 32 students from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Formerly called the "Pontifical Academy of Noble Ecclesiastics," the Academy changed seats various times, before definitively selecting, in 1706, the old Severoli Palace, in Piazza della Minerva.

In his discourse, the Pope recalled that what the students learn in the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy "is directed towards making the Word of God present to the ends of the earth. Therefore, it is a Word which must first take possession of your minds, your wills, your lives. If the Gospel has not taken root in your personal and community life, your activity could be reduced to a noble profession in which with greater or lesser success you confront questions regarding the Church or her presence in particular human milieux. ... You must be men of the spirit in search of agreement, the heralds of dialogue, the most convinced and determined builders of peace."

The Holy Father affirmed that especially urgent today is "the defense of man and of the image of God which is in him. You are called to be bearers of the human values which have their source in the Gospel, according to which every man is a brother to respect and to love."

John Paul II concluded his discourse emphasizing the need to "show" Christ "in contacts with the political and diplomatic milieux; this you achieve through your life's witness even before the force of juridical or diplomatic arguments. You will be effective in the measure in which those who approach you have the sensation of meeting in your words, your actions, your life, the freeing presence of the risen Christ."

At the end of the meeting, the Pope unveiled a memorial stone commemorating the third centenary of the Academy's foundation.

AC;PONTIFICAL ECCLESIASTICAL ACADEMY;...;...;VIS;20010426;Word: 350;

BISHOPS OF SLOVENIA IN ROME ON "AD LIMINA VISIT"

VATICAN CITY, APR 26, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning received the bishops of Slovenia, who are in Rome on their quinquennial "ad limina" visit. He had met with each of them earlier in private visits to learn about and discuss the situations in their individuals dioceses.

In his speech to them in their native language, the Pope noted that the Church in Slovenia had just celebrated its First Slovenian Plenary Council, with contributions from priests, religious and the lay people. "I exhort you," he said, "to constantly refer to the indications which have come from that providential encounter."

He also encouraged them, at the dawn of a new millennium and within a changing social scene, to see to it that, "together with the proclamation of the Gospel, the common good of society is also promoted, thus favoring the material and spiritual progress of the entire people and of each single person. ... Every genuinely human dimension, from the social, cultural and political to the economic, scientific, health care and sporting dimensions are not, in fact, 'extraneous' to the Gospel."

At the start of the Third Millennium, he went on, "know how to make your rich spiritual and cultural legacy a point of departure for a prophetic relaunch of the Gospel proclamation."

John Paul II had special words of gratitude for the priests, deacons, religious and laity in Slovenia, thanking them for their work in the new evangelization at home and abroad as missionaries.

"In our days," he remarked, "people are more attracted by witnesses than by teachers, as a proverb of yours states so well: 'While words entice, examples attract'. This is why it is important that all those who wish to dedicate themselves to the apostolate be known for their holiness, doctrine and wisdom. ... Dear brothers in the episcopacy, this demands constant theological, liturgical and pastoral formation."

"Dedicate yourselves with the maximum care to the human and spiritual formation of future priests. ... At the same time, see to it that the lay faithful are committed to fulfilling their mission in the diverse spheres of the social, political, economic and cultural life of the country, as heralds of Christ and the prophetic force of His Gospel."

In closing remarks, the Holy Father highlighted the importance of "a renewed thrust in evangelization, ... a tireless promotion of new vocations to the priesthood, the consecrated life and other forms of totally giving oneself to the Lord, ... and a commitment to keep the missionary spirit alive."

AL;...;...;SLOVENIA;VIS;20010426;Word: 420;

PAPAL GRATITUDE TO THOSE WHO AIDED CHERNOBYL VICTIMS

VATICAN CITY, APR 26, 2001 (VIS) - This morning at 11 in the Paul VI Hall, 1,500 members of movements, associations, families and parishes who have hosted children who were victims of the April 26, 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Ukraine were welcomed by Pope John Paul. Many of these Ukrainian children were also present, as was Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma, who addressed a message of thanks to all those who helped the children who suffered from radiation exposure due to the explosion.

In his talk, the Holy Father said: "As my trip to Ukraine nears, the desire within me grows to embrace the Ukrainian people, very dear to me, and to kiss that soil which has been so tried by the nuclear disaster, whose terrible effects are still felt today."

He expressed "appreciation to civil administrations, religious communities, dioceses and to all who, over the years, have helped those who, without fault, paid and continue to pay the price of a calamity of such vast proportions. I speak to you especially, dear children of Chernobyl! You represent thousands of your little friends who have found hospitality in Italy in order to be taken care of and to overcome a difficult phase of their existence."

Thanking everyone for "the chain of solidarity" shown for the victims of Chernobyl, the Pope said: "We must prepare for the children a future of peace, without fear and similar threats. Here is a commitment for everyone. For this to happen, there must be a choral technical, scientific and human effort to place all energy at the service of peace, in respect for man's needs and those of nature."

AC;CHERNOBYL;...;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 26, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in audience yesterday evening Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture and special envoy to the closing ceremonies of the First National Eucharistic Congress of the Ivory Coast, to take place in Abidjan, on April 29.

AP;...;...;... ;VIS;20010426;Word: 50;

CHURCH PRESS OFFICES: DECISIVE CHALLENGE FOR INFORMATION

VATICAN CITY, APR 26, 2001 (VIS) - Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, spoke this morning at the Fourth International Conference of Institutional Communications on "Church Press Offices: Decisive Challenge for Information." The two-day conference began this morning in Rome and is hosted by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

CON-CS;COMMUNICATIONS;...;FOLEY;VIS;20010426;Word: 70;

PONTIFICAL LETTER TO METROPOLITAN OF KIEV AND OF ALL UKRAINE

VATICAN CITY, APR 26, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was the text of the Letter which John Paul II addressed to His Beatitude Volodymyr, metropolitan of Kiev and of all Ukraine, on March 26. The document was personally delivered by Cardinal Roberto Tucci on April 7, to the metropolitan's residence in Pecherska Lavra.

John Paul II writes: "As Supreme Pastor of the Catholic Church, I will be able, finally, after repeated invitations, to respond to a lively desire of Ukrainian Catholics, very numerous and well-rooted in the country, meeting them and confirming them in faith in Jesus Christ our one Lord."

"My upcoming visit," the Pope continues, "also wishes to demonstrate a constant and respectful attention towards our Orthodox brothers, together with the determined commitment to continue to travel the way of dialogue in truth and charity. A sign of this profound intention, determined to overcome every possible problem arisen between us, is the Joint Commission of members of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church and of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - which includes two representatives from the patriarchate of Moscow and two from the Holy See - recently established to meet the desire of His Holiness Patriarch Alexei II to examine the relations between Catholics and Orthodox in the western Ukraine. It is my fervent hope that this Commission begin its work as soon as possible."

The Pope concludes the Letter: "In order to emphasize this yearning for unity, ... I would strongly desire, on the occasion of my trip, to also meet you, Respected Brother, and to show you personally, with a fraternal embrace, the love which I hold for you and for all the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church."

JPII-LETTER;TRIP UKRAINE;...;VOLODYMYR;VIS;20010426;Word: 300;

CARDINAL SEBASTIANI TO TAKE POSSESSION OF DIACONATE

VATICAN CITY, APR 25, 2001 (VIS) - Cardinal Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture of the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, will take possession of the diaconate of Sant'Eustachio on Via Sant'Eustachio, 19 in Rome on Sunday, April 29, at 7 p.m.

...;POSSESSION;...;SEBASTIANI;VIS;20010425;Word: 50;

MAN'S HUNGER AND THIRST FOR GOD

VATICAN CITY, APR 25, 2001 (VIS) - In today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II gave a commentary on Psalm 62, " the Psalm of mystical love, which celebrates total adhesion to God" in which "prayer becomes desire, hunger and thirst, because it involves both the soul and body."

The Pope affirmed that: "As dry land is dead, as long as it is not irrigated by rain, and in its cracks seems a thirsty and parched mouth, so the faithful soul longs for God in order to be filled by Him and to be thus able to exist in communion with Him."

Recalling the sacrifices "of communion" offered in the temple of Zion, the psalmist alludes to the hunger for God, satisfied only "when one listens to the Divine Word and encounters the Lord." This brings to mind the banquet of Christ "on the last evening of His earthly life," the Last Supper.

"Through the mystical food of communion with God 'the soul," which evokes all of humanity, "'clings' to Him. ... Also when it is in the dark night, it feels protected by the wings of God."

"In the light of the Paschal mystery," the Holy Father concluded, "Christians understand that their hunger and thirst for God are satisfied through the Risen Christ's gift of the Holy Spirit and the Sacraments, which fulfil the deepest longing of the human spirit for God."

After reading a synthesis of today's catechesis in five languages, the Pope greeted, among others, "the representatives of the Italian National Committee 'Monuments to the Redeemer' and the mayors of the districts in which there are the sixteen mountains upon whose summits, in the Holy Year of 1900, my predecessor Pope Leo XIII wished to raise as many monuments to the Redeemer."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

- Erected the ecclesiastical province of Montes Claros, Brazil, with territory taken from the ecclesiastical provinces of Brasilia and Diamantina, elevating the same episcopal see to metropolitan church, and assigning as suffragans the dioceses of Janauba, Januaria, and Paracatu. He appointed Bishop Geraldo Majela de Castro, O.Praem, of Montes Claros, as first metropolitan archbishop of the new ecclesiastical province. The archbishop-elect was born in Montes Claros in 1930, ordained to the priesthood in 1953, and raised to the order of bishop in 1982.

- Accepted the resignation of Bishop Jose Goncalves Heleno from the pastoral care of Governador Valadares, Brazil, in conformity with canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 26, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in audience Archbishop Joseph Chennoth, apostolic nuncio in the Central African Republic and Chad.

Yesterday afternoon he received Cardinal Jozef Tomko.

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POPE TO BEATIFY FIVE SERVANTS OF GOD ON APRIL 29

VATICAN CITY, APR 24, 2001 (VIS) - Sunday, April 29, Third Sunday of Easter, at 10 a.m., John Paul II will celebrate the Eucharist in St. Peter's Square and proclaim as Blesseds five Servants of God.

The future Blesseds are: Manuel Gonzalez Garcia, (1877-1940), bishop, founder of the Congregation of the Eucharistic Missionaries of Nazareth; Maria Anna Blondin, (1809-1890), virgin, foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Anne; Caterina Volpicelli, (1839-1894), virgin, foundress of the Servants of the Sacred Heart; Caterina Cittadini, (1801-1857), virgin, foundress of the Ursuline Sisters of Somasca; Carlo Manuel Cecilio Rodriguez Santiago, (1918-1963), layman.

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JOHN PAUL II THANKS PAPAL FOUNDATION FOR ITS SUPPORT

VATICAN CITY, APR 24, 2001 (VIS) - "Peace be with you" was Pope John Paul's greeting this morning as he welcomed 70 members of the U.S.-based Papal Foundation, in Rome for their annual visit. The Pope added that it was the responsibility of believers "to bring this gift of the Lord's peace to others, especially to those who are poor or suffering, to those who are neglected or oppressed, to those whose cries go unheeded, whose hopes always seem shattered."

He said that "the Bishop of Rome ... is called to use every means at his disposal to assist and strengthen those communities most in need of spiritual and material care. ... It is for this reason, dear friends, that I am most grateful to you: the support which you give through the Papal Foundation allows so many good works to be carried out in the name of Christ and His Church. The many programs and projects funded by grants made available by the Papal Foundation enable the Church's Easter proclamation of joy, hope and peace to reach the ears, minds and hearts of people in many parts of the world."

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PROMULGATION OF DECREES BY CONGREGATION FOR CAUSES OF SAINTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 24, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in the Clementine Hall, the following decrees were promulgated in the presence of the Holy Father, members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and the postulators of the respective causes. Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, prefect of the congregation, read a speech detailing the lives of the future Blesseds and Saints who, he said, radically lived the Gospel precept to "be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."

The 52 causes are for:

MARTYRS:

- Nicola Carneckyj, bishop, apostolic exarch of Volyn and Pidljashja, Ukraine, and 25 companions, including 7 bishops, 14 priests, 3 sisters and one lay man, father of a family.
- Ruthenian Bishop Teodoro Romzsa, of the Byzantine rite, apostolic administrator of Munkacs, Ukraine.
- Archbishop Ignazio Choukrallah Maloyan of Mardin, Turkey, of the Armenian Church.
- Emiliano Kovc, priest of the eparchy of Stanislaviv (now Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine), died in the concentration camp of Majdanek, Poland in 1944.

HEROIC VIRTUES:

- Archbishop Sigismondo Felice Felinski, born in Volinia, then Polish and now Ukrainian territory, founder of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary for the assistance of the poor.
- Italian Bishop Giovanni Antonio Farina, founder of the Teaching Sisters of St. Dorothy Daughters of the Sacred Hearts for the education of poor children.
- Giuseppe Gualandi, priest of Bologna, Italy, established the Religious Institute of the Little Mission for the Deaf-Mute.
- Tommaso Maria Fusco, priest of the diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno, founder of the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood.
- Camillian Father Luigi Tezza, founder of the Daughters of St. Camillus, together with Blessed Giuseppina Vannini.
- Charles de Foucauld, priest of the diocese of Viviers, France; died in Algeria in 1916.
- Luigi Monti, religious, established the Men's Institute of the Sons of the Immaculate Conception.
- Maria Maddalena dell'Incarnazione, nee Caterina Sordini, foundress of the Order of the Perpetual Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament.
- Maria Domenica Mantovani, collaborator in the foundation of the Congregation of the Little Daughters of the Holy Family.
- Anna Caterina Emmerick, Canoness Regular of St. Augustine.
- Rosalia Rendu, Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
- Benedictine Abbess Maria Adeodata Pisani, of the Convent of San Pietro a Mdina, Malta.
- Concetta Bertoli, of Italian Catholic Action and a Franciscan Tertiary.
MIRACLES:

- Blessed Alfonso de Orozco, 16th century Spanish Augustinian.
- Nine Men and Women Servants of God, who have served the people of God in Argentina, Costa Rica, Italy, Malta, and Ukraine: Sigismondo Gorazdowski; Gaetano Errico; Paolo Manna; Ignazio Falzon, cleric; Artemide Zatti, lay professor; and Sisters Gaetana Sterni, Giosafata Hordashevska, Maria Adeodata Pisani, and Maria Romero Meneses.

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ACADEMY PLENARY ASSEMBLY TO FOCUS ON GLOBALIZATION

VATICAN CITY, APR 24, 2001 (VIS) - The Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences will hold its seventh plenary assembly in the Vatican from April 25 to 28 on the theme "Globalization and the Common Humanity: Ethical and Institutional Concerns." Thirty-three academicians from all the continents, as well as a number of experts, will take part in the four-day meeting, according to a communique issued by the academy.

The academy was founded in 1994 by Pope John Paul, states the communique, "with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social, economic, political and juridical sciences, and thus offering the Church the elements which she can use in order to foster and develop her social doctrine." This year is the first time that the academy has studied the theme of globalization.

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PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS HONORS RETIREE

VATICAN CITY, APR 24, 2001 (VIS) - Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, spoke today at a reception in honor of Marjorie Weeke, delegate of the council's audiovisual section, who is retiring after 30 years of service to the Holy See. The archbishop also welcomed Angelo Scelzo, undersecretary of the pontifical council, who will assume her responsibilities.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 24, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Agustin Roberto Radrizzani, SDB, of Neuquen, Argentina, as bishop of Lomas de Zamora (area 1,400, population 2,395,789, Catholics 2,009,650, priests 147, permanent deacons 64, religious 459), Argentina. He succeeds Bishop Desiderio Elso Collino, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with the age limit.
NER:RE/.../RADRIZZANI:COLLINOVIS 20010424 (60)

AUDIENCE FOR LEBANON'S PRIME MINISTER

VATICAN CITY, APR 23, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration early this afternoon:

"This morning the Holy Father received in audience Rafiq Hariri, president of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Lebanon who, after this visit, met with Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano and Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States.

"The situation in Lebanon and the dramatic junction in the Middle East were the principal themes of the meetings. In this regard the Holy See felt it was opportune to underline once again the importance of reconciliation as an essential element of the human and social rebuilding of Lebanon. Concerning the Middle East, the Holy See repeated the need to observe international law and the United Nations resolutions, in both resuming negotiations and in reaching the much hoped-for peace."

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REGINA COELI: MARY, MOTHER OF GOD, MOTHER OF MERCY

VATICAN CITY, APR 22, 2001 (VIS) - At the end of today's Mass in St. Peter's Square, and before reciting the Regina Coeli in the presence of an estimated 40,000 pilgrims, including numerous Poles, the Holy Father reflected on today's celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday.

John Paul II said that "as we conclude this solemn Eucharistic celebration, we turn to Mary Most Holy, whom today we invoke with the sweet title of 'Mater misericordiae'. Mary is the 'Mother of Mercy' because she is the mother of Jesus, in Whom God revealed to the world His 'heart' overflowing with love.

"It is precisely through Mary's motherhood that God's compassion for man was communicated to the world," he continued. Mary "was intimately linked to the passion, death and resurrection of the Divine Son. At the foot of the cross Our Lady became the mother of the disciples of Christ, mother of the Church and of all of mankind. 'Mater misericordiae'."

Then, speaking Polish, the Pope greeted the pilgrims from his native land who had come to Rome for today's Mass, and also had words for those in Poland listening to the liturgy by radio and television. "During this celebration, together with you, I thanked God Who, almost one year ago, allowed me the grace of canonizing Sister Faustina Kowalska, the chosen apostle of the merciful Christ and of proclaiming the second Sunday of Easter as the Feast of Divine Mercy for the entire Church."

"And now," he concluded, "by reciting the 'Regina coeli' antiphon, we wish to ask Mary to intimately live the joy of the resurrection and to cooperate with the commitment to the universal plan of divine mercy."

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DIVINE MERCY: CHRIST'S EASTER GIFT TO THE CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, APR 22, 2001 (VIS) - At 10:00 this morning, the Second Sunday of Easter, also named "Divine Mercy Sunday," John Paul II presided over a Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's Square, having returned to the Vatican on Saturday evening after a six-day stay at his summer residence in Castelgandolfo.

The Pope expressed his joy in joining the numerous pilgrims and faithful come from around the world "to commemorate, one year later, the canonization of Sister Faustina Kowalska, witness and messenger of the Lord's merciful love. The elevation to the honor of the altars of this humble Religious, daughter of my homeland, represents a gift not only for Poland, but for all of humanity. The message, in fact, of which she was the bearer constitutes the fitting and incisive response that God wished to offer to the questions and expectations of the people of our time, marked by terrible tragedies."

"Divine Mercy! This is the Easter gift which the Church receives from the Risen Christ and offers to humanity, at the dawn of the third millennium."

Referring to the Heart of Christ, the Holy Father affirmed: "From this Heart overflowing with tenderness, Saint Faustina Kowalska saw emanating two rays of light which illumined the world. 'The two rays - according to what Jesus confided to her - represent blood and water'. The blood recalls the sacrifice of Golgotha and the mystery of the Eucharist; the water, according to the rich symbolism of John the Evangelist, refers to baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

"Through the mystery of this wounded heart, the restorative flow of God's merciful love is unceasingly poured out upon the men and women of our epoch. Only those who desire authentic and lasting happiness, can find the secret."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 23, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Camilo Fernando Castrellon Pizano, S.D.B., provincial inspector of the Salesians in Colombia, as bishop of Tibu (area 7,825, population 199,000, Catholics 195,000, priests 17, permanent deacons 1, religious 35), Colombia. The bishop-elect was born in Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, in 1942, and ordained to the priesthood in 1972.

On Saturday, April 21, it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Antonieto D. Cabajog, auxiliary of Cebu, the Philippines, as bishop of Surigao (area 3,739, population 524,920, Catholics 421,480, priests 69, religious 72), the Philippines. He succeeds Bishop Miguel C. Cinches, S.V.D., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted in conformity with canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Bishop John F. Du, auxiliary of Cebu, the Philippines, as bishop of Dumaguete (area 4,955, population 924,944, Catholics 809,326, priests 91, religious 140), the Philippines.

- Appointed Msgr. Guillermo V. Afable, vicar general of the archdiocese of Davao (area 2,616, population 1,123,280, Catholics 995,250, priests 105, religious 334), the Philippines, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese. The bishop-elect was born in Davao City, the Philippines, in 1951, and ordained to the priesthood in 1976.

- Appointed Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States, as special envoy to the celebrations of the 10th Anniversary of the Reorganization of the Catholic Church of the Latin Rite in the Russian Federation, which will take place from May 25 to 27th.
NER:NEA:NA/.../... VIS 20010423 (230)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 23, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences at the Vatican:

- Rafiq Hariri, prime minister of Lebanon, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.
- Eight prelates of the Slovenian Episcopal Conference, on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Franc Rode of Ljubljana, with Auxiliary Bishops Alojzij Uran of Abula, and Andrej Glavan of Musti di Numidia.
- Bishop Franc Kramberger of Maribor, with Auxiliary Bishops Jozef Smej of Zernico, and Anton Stres of Ptuj.
- Bishop Metod Pirih of Koper, with Auxiliary Bishop Jurij Bizjak of Gergi.
- Jaime Jose Matos da Gama, foreign minister of Portugal, accompanied by an entourage.

On Saturday, April 21, he received in audience at Castelgandolfo Bishop Jayme Henrique Chemello of Pelotas, Brazil, Archbishop Marcelo Pinto Carvalheira of Paraiba and Bishop Raymundo Damasceno Assis, auxiliary of Brasilia, respectively president, vice-president and secretary general of the Brazilian Episcopal Conference.

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, APR 20, 2001 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Bishop Vittorio Bernardetto, emeritus of Susa, Italy, on March 7 at the age of 75.
- Archbishop Joseph Cunnane, emeritus of Tuam, Ireland, on March 8 at the age of 87.
- Archbishop Alessandro Maria Gottardi, emeritus of Trento, Italy, on March 24 at the age of 88.
- Bishop Porfirio R. Iligan, emeritus of Masbate, the Philippines, on March 6 at the age of 78.
- Bishop Eliseu Simoes Mendes, emeritus of Campo Mourao, Brazil, on March 2 at the age of 85.
- Bishop Antonio Pagano, emeritus of Ischia, Italy, on March 9 at the age of 78.
- Archbishop Antonio Valentini, emeritus of Chieti-Vasto, Italy, on March 18 at the age of 79.
- Bishop Adriano Jaime Miriam Veigle, T.O.R., prelate emeritus of Borba, Brazil, on April 3 at the age of 88.

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POPE SENDS GREETINGS TO EUROPEAN ECUMENICAL MEETING

VATICAN CITY, APR 20, 2001 (VIS) - Made public early this afternoon was a Letter from Pope John Paul to Cardinal Miroslav Vlk, archbishop of Prague and outgoing president of the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe, on the occasion of the European Ecumenical Meeting in Strasbourg, France, which began yesterday and ends April 22.

In the Letter, written in French and dated April 13, the Pope states that "this meeting, jointly organized by the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe and the Council of Churches of Europe, is the happy fruit of an intense collaboration among diverse ecclesial organisms of the European continent."

The Holy Father goes on to note that the words of Jesus - "'I am with you always, to the close of the age' - which have accompanied the Church of Christ for two millennia, are also the theme of the ecumenical meeting in Strasbourg."

He points out that "the unity for which the Lord prayed in the Cenacle is a condition for the credibility of the Christian witness. Today, more than ever, we must bring our reflection to bear on this profound relation which plays a decisive role for the impact which the Christian message can have in the world. A clear proclamation of the Gospel is especially urgent in Europe. Woven with different cultures, traditions and values linked to the countries which make it up, Europe can be neither understood nor built without taking into account the roots which are its original identity; not can it build itself in rejecting the Christian spirituality which permeates it."

John Paul II closes by sending his "very best wishes" to all those participating in the Strasbourg encounter.

JPII-LETTER;ECUMENISM;...;STRASBOURG; VLK;VIS;20010420;Word: 290;

PROGRAM FOR POPE'S JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE IN GREECE, SYRIA AND MALTA

VATICAN CITY, APR 19, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was the itinerary for Pope John Paul's six-day Jubilee pilgrimage in Greece, Syria and Malta in the footsteps of St. Paul Apostle. The May 4 to 9 trip by the Holy Father, during which he is scheduled to speak on 18 occasions, will be his 93rd apostolic trip outside of Italy.

The Pope is scheduled to depart Rome at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 4 and, after a two-hour flight, will arrive in Athens where he will go directly to the Presidential Palace for a welcome ceremony in the garden and a courtesy call on the president of the Hellenic Republic.

At 1:30 p.m. he will go to the Orthodox Archdiocesan Palace of Athens and pay a courtesy visit to His Beatitude Christodoulos, archbishop of Athens and primate of Greece. An hour later he will arrive at the apostolic nunciature in Athens and meet with and address the Catholic Bishops of Greece. At 5:45 p.m. the Pope will visit the Catholic Cathedral of Athens and at 6:30 will make a pilgrimage to the Areopagus of Athens in memory of St. Paul. At 7:45 p.m. he will return to the nunciature and His Beatitude Christodoulos will make a courtesy call on the Pope.

On Saturday, May 5 at 8:15 a.m. the Pope will preside at Mass at the Sport Palace in the complex of the Olympic Center of Athens. At 11:45 there will be a farewell ceremony at the Athens Airport and the Holy Father will depart for Damascus, Syria.

A welcome ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. at the International Airport of Damascus, during which the Holy Father will give a speech. At 5:45 p.m. that day he will arrive at the Presidential Palace and pay a courtesy visit to the president of the Syrian Arab Republic. Just over one hour later the Pope will arrive at the Greek-Orthodox Cathedral of Damascus where there will be an ecumenical meeting and a speech by the Pope.

On Sunday, May 6, at 9:30 a.m. John Paul II will preside at a Eucharistic celebration in the Abbassyin Stadium of Damascus. Following this he will recite the Regina Coeli and make some brief remarks. After Mass he is scheduled to go to the Greek-Catholic Patriarchate of Damascus where, at 1 p.m., a meeting will commence with the patriarchs and bishops of Syria.

At 5 p.m. the Holy Father is scheduled to arrive at the Syrian-Orthodox Cathedral of Damascus for a meeting with and speech to the clergy, religious and Christian laity of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches of Syria. At 6:15 p.m., the Pope will go to the Omayyad Great Mosque of Damascus for a visit to the St. John the Baptist Memorial and a meeting with Muslim leaders, whom he will address.

On Monday, May 7 there will be a private Mass at 7:30 a.m. in the chapel of the nunciature in Damascus. At 9:15 Pope John Paul is scheduled to visit the Church of St. Paul on the Wall in the Bab Kissan gate of the Old Walls of Damascus. Following this he will go to the St. Paul Memorial of Damascus.

At 10:15 a.m. the Pope will depart by car for the one-hour trip to Qunaytra where he will visit the Greek-Orthodox Church. A prayer for peace is scheduled at the Church in the Golan Heights.
At noon the Holy Father will depart for Damascus, arriving at the nunciature around 1 p.m. At 5:40 p.m. he will arrive at the Greek-Catholic Cathedral of Damascus for a meeting with and speech to youth.

Tuesday, May 8, John Paul II will again say a private morning Mass in the chapel of the nunciature. At 11 a.m. there will be farewell ceremony at the Damascus Airport and the Pope will leave a half-hour later for Malta.

The Pope is scheduled to arrive at Malta's Gudja International Airport at 2 p.m. where there will be a welcome ceremony and speeches. At 6 p.m. that same day he will go to the Presidential Palace in the Maltese capital of Valletta and pay a courtesy call on the president of the republic.

Wednesday, May 9 is the final day of the Holy Father's Jubilee pilgrimage. At 9:30 a.m. he will preside at a concelebrated Mass with beatifications at the "Granaries" of Floriana. At 12:45 the Pope will go the apostolic nunciature in Rabat where he will meet with the bishops of Malta.

At 4:30 that afternoon he will arrive at the Church of the Center of the Society of Christian Doctrine in Hamrun where he will visit the tomb of the Venerable Fr. George Preca and meet with and speak to the members of the "Societas Doctrinae Cristianae" in the Center's auditorium.

At 6:30 p.m. the Pope will go to Gudja International Airport where he will depart for Rome at 7 p.m., arriving at Ciampino Airport after a flight of one and a half hours.

JPII-TRIP;ITINERARY;...;GREECE; SYRIA; MALTA;VIS;20010419;Word: 840;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

- Bishop German Pavon Puente of Tulcan, Ecuador, as bishop of Ambato (area 3,844, population 434,465, Catholics 394,516, priests 81, permanent deacons 2, religious 249), Ecuador.

- Fr. Elio Alevi Perez Tapia, S.D.B., vicar of the Salesian Inspectorate "Santa Rosa da Lima," as bishop prelate of Juli (area 17,527, population 385,411, Catholics 300,000, priests 12, religious 32), Peru. The bishop-elect was born in Huambos, Peru, in 1946, and ordained to the priesthood in 1975.

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HOLY THURSDAY: CHRISM AND "CENA DOMINI" MASSES

VATICAN CITY, APR 12, 2001 (VIS) - At 9:30 this morning, Holy Thursday, John Paul II presided in the Vatican Basilica over the concelebration of the Chrism Mass, during which priestly vows were renewed and the oils used for catechumens, to anoint the sick, and for confirmation were blessed.

In his homily the Pope affirmed that the renewal of priestly vows "is a rite which acquires full value and significance as an expression of the journey of sanctity, to which the Lord has called us on the path of the priesthood. It is a journey which each makes in a very personal way, seen by God alone, Who searches and knows hearts. Nevertheless, in today's liturgy, the Church offers us the consoling opportunity to join together, and to sustain one another."

"This fraternal solidarity," the Holy Father continued, "cannot but become a concrete commitment to carry one another's burdens in the ordinary circumstances of life and ministry. If it is true, in fact, that no one can become holy in another's place, it is likewise true that each can and must become so with and for others, after the model of Christ."

At 5:30 p.m. in the basilica of St. John Lateran, John Paul II presided over the concelebration of the Mass "in cena Domini" or the Lord's Supper. During the liturgy, the Holy Father washed the feet of twelve priests, and at the presentation of the gifts received an offering for the earthquake victims in El Salvador.

The Pope affirmed that the Eucharist "is not simply the memorial of a past rite but the living representation of the Savior's supreme gesture." It is "the sacramental presence of the sacrificed body and the spilt blood of the new Lamb! In the Eucharist salvation and love are offered to all mankind. How could we not be fascinated by this mystery?".

With the washing of the feet, "Jesus reminds His disciples in every age that they must bear witness to the Eucharist in loving service to others. ... The washing of the feet is intended to be an exemplary act, which in Christ's death on the Cross and in His Resurrection has its interpretative key and fullest explanation. ... Genuine participation in the Mass cannot but produce fraternal love in the individual believer and in the whole ecclesial community."

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HOLY SATURDAY: BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION OF SIX CATECHUMENS

VATICAN CITY, APR 14, 2001 (VIS) - Today, Holy Saturday, at 8:00 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, John Paul II presided over the solemn Easter Vigil. During the liturgy, the Holy Father administered the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation to six catechumens, five women and one man, from Italy, China, Japan, the United States, Peru, and Albania.

The vigil began in the atrium of St. Peter's Basilica with the blessing of the fire and the lighting of the Easter Candle. After the procession to the altar with the Easter Candle and the singing of the Exsultet, the Pope presided over the Liturgy of the Word, the Baptismal Liturgy, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist concelebrated with numerous cardinals.

In his homily, the Pope recalled that the women who, at the break of dawn, rushed to the tomb where Jesus had been buried "did not yet know that this was the dawn of the most important day of history. They could not have known that they themselves, would be the first witnesses of Jesus' Resurrection."
"On this night, it is not darkness that dominates," John Paul II emphasized, "but the blinding brightness of a sudden light that breaks through with the startling news of the Lord's Resurrection."

The Holy Father went on to address the catechumens, saying that their presence "is indicative of the variety of cultures and peoples who have opened their hearts to the Gospel. On this night death gives way to life for you too, as for all the baptized. Sin is erased and a new life begins. Persevere to the end in fidelity and love."

"Yes, dear Brothers and Sisters," the Holy Father concluded, "Jesus lives and we live in Him. For ever. This is the gift of this night, which has definitively revealed to the world the power of Christ, Son of the Virgin Mary, whom He gave to us as Mother at the foot of the Cross. This Vigil makes us part of a day that knows no end. The day of Christ's Passover, which for humanity is the beginning of a renewed springtime of hope."

JPII-HOLY WEEK;HOLY SATURDAY;...;...;VIS;20010418;Word: 360;

GOOD FRIDAY: CONFESSIONS, LORD'S PASSION, WAY OF THE CROSS

VATICAN CITY, APR 13, 2001 (VIS) - As has become customary on Good Friday, John Paul II heard the confessions of various faithful in the Vatican Basilica shortly after 12 noon.

At 5:00 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father presided over the celebration of the Lord's Passion. During the Liturgy of the Word, the Passion according to John was read, after which Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap, preacher of the Papal Household, gave the homily. The Liturgy of the Passion continued with the universal prayer and veneration of the Cross, and concluded with Holy Communion.

At 9:15 p.m. at the Colosseum, the Holy Father presided over the procession of the Way of the Cross. The meditation texts proposed for the 14 stations were composed by Servant of God Cardinal John Henry Newman, the bicentennial of whose birth is marked this year. John Paul II followed the ceremony kneeling on an area of the Palatine Hill which overlooks the Colosseum, and carried the cross for the last two stations, not just the final one as originally planned. During the other stations, the Cross was carried by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar for the diocese of Rome, by a Roman family, a young woman from Rwanda, a woman from Bangkok, a woman from the Dominican Republic, and two Franciscan friars from the Holy Land.

At the end of the last station the Holy Father, laying aside the written text, addressed the faithful spontaneously with additional words: "'Ecce lignum crucis, in quo salus mundi pependit! Venite adoremus!' Today, for the first time in this Third Millennium, this confession was proclaimed in St. Peter's Basilica. In this same day, Good Friday, the same moving truth was proclaimed on all the continents, in all the countries of the world. 'Ecce lignum crucis!'"

"The Church of Christ confesses this divine and human reality: 'Crux, ave Crux! Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi, quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum'. ... May this truth ... be for us the light and strength of this time which we began a few months ago. Ave Crux! Ave Crux of the Roman Colosseum! Ave at the dawn of the Third Millennium! Ave across all the years and centuries of this new time which opens before us! Praised be Jesus Christ!"

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EASTER SUNDAY: MASS AND "URBI ET ORBI" BLESSING

VATICAN CITY, APR 15, 2001 (VIS) - At 10:30 this morning, in a St. Peter's Square bedecked in flowers and filled with 100,000 pilgrims from throughout the world, John Paul II celebrated the first Easter Mass of the Third Millennium, which this year coincides with the Orthodox Easter.

At the beginning of the celebration of the Eucharist, a deacon, standing before the icon of the Most Holy Savior, called the "Archeropita" (meaning "not painted by human hands"), announced the Resurrection of the Lord. The icon, kept in Rome in the Chapel of the Oratory of St. Lawrence, the Sancta Sanctorum of the Shrine of the Holy Stairs, was brought to St. Peter's Square today.

The Holy Father expressed his hope that the Resurrection of the Lord can be celebrated in respect for different cultures "not only in a day of shared celebration, but in the fullness of communion among all Churches."

"May the Easter proclamation," said the Holy Father in his "Urbi et Orbi" Message, "reach all the peoples of the earth and may all people of good will feel themselves called to an active role in this day which the Lord has made, the day of His Resurrection, when the Church, filled with joy, proclaims that the Lord is truly risen."

"As the new millennium begins its course, we wish to hand on to the younger generation the certitude that is basic to our lives: Christ is risen and in Him all creation rises to new life."

"Men and women of the Third Millennium, the Easter gift of light that scatters the darkness of fear and sadness is for everyone; everyone is offered the gift of the peace of the Risen Christ, who breaks the chains of violence and hatred.
"Rediscover today with joy and wonder that the world is no longer a slave to the inevitable. This world of ours can change: peace is possible even where for too long there has been fighting and death, as in the Holy Land and Jerusalem; it is possible in the Balkans, no longer condemned to a worrying uncertainty that risks causing the failure of all proposals for agreement.

"And you, Africa, a continent tormented by conflicts constantly threatening, raise your head confidently, trusting in the power of the Risen Christ. With His help, you too, Asia, the cradle of age-old spiritual traditions, can win the challenge of tolerance and solidarity; and you, Latin America, filled with youthful promise, only in Christ will you find the capacity and courage needed for a development respectful of every human being.

"Men and women of every continent, draw from His tomb, empty now forever, the strength needed to defeat the powers of evil and death, and to place all research and all technical and social progress at the service of a better future for all."

After the "Urbi et Orbi" Blessing, John Paul II wished Happy Easter in 61 languages to all those who participated in the ceremony in St. Peter's Square and to those listening via radio and television.

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LETTER TO PRESIDENT OF PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE LAITY

VATICAN CITY, APR 17, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was John Paul II's Letter, dated April 5, to Cardinal James Francis Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, regarding the statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way.

The Pope recalls his January 24, 1997 meeting with the founders of the Neocatechumenal Way, and how in that encounter he joined in their prayer of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for the "precious" fruits brought forth by the Way in its 30 years of life, emphasizing the importance "of certain essential accomplishments, upon which depends the very existence of the Way. Among these, is the draft of a specific normative set of statutes with a view to formal juridical recognition."

"In the Apostolic Exhortation 'Christifideles laici'," the Holy Father writes, "I recalled that 'no charism dispenses a person from reference and submission to the Pastors of the Church' and I referred to what is written in the Dogmatic Constitution 'Lumen Gentium': 'Those who have charge over the Church should judge the genuineness and proper use of these gifts, through their office not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to what is good.'"

John Paul II emphasizes that "it is not, therefore, an easy process of recognizing and welcoming charisms. It requires a profound discernment of God's will and must be accompanied by constant prayer." The culmination of this process, the Holy Father goes on to write, is "the official act of recognition and approval of the statutes as a clear and sure rule of life."

"I entrusted this task," John Paul II concludes, "to the Pontifical Council for the Laity, due to the authority within their jurisdiction, ... as well as for the particular experience that it has in this area. Upon this is based the hope of a happy outcome to the proceeding, now in its final phase."

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REGINA COELI: IN JESUS THE HOPE OF HUMANITY IS RENEWED

VATICAN CITY, APR 16, 2001 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father left the Vatican for his residence at Castelgandolfo, where at noon, from the balcony of the inner courtyard of the Pontifical Palace, he led the faithful present in the recitation of the Regina Coeli, the prayer which substitutes the Angelus during the Easter season.

Before this prayer, the Pope indicated his desire to spend, as he traditionally does, some days at Castelgandolfo. He had hoped to do so last Christmas, he said, but "it was not possible for me, due to the numerous commitments of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, which called a great many pilgrims to Rome."

The Holy Father dedicated a particular greeting to the "people who, on the contrary, cannot fully enjoy the joy of these Easter celebrations, because they are in difficulty, or are experiencing moments of suffering and solitude." He assured everyone of remembrance in his prayers.

"On this Easter Monday feast day, called Angel Monday," the Pope continued, "the liturgy still strongly notes the echo of the heavenly messenger's words to the women who ran to the tomb; 'Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead'. We hear this invitation as also directed to us, to 'make haste' and to 'go' to announce the Gospel to the men of our time. ... May Mary ... help us in this demanding mission which belongs to every baptized person. May she especially support us in faithfully giving witness that Christ is truly risen, and in Him the hope of humanity is renewed."

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VOICE OF REASON AND CONSCIENCE MUST REPLACE SOUND OF ARMS

VATICAN CITY, APR 18, 2001 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience in St. Peter's Square, the Pope told the 20,000 pilgrims present that, "while the light of the Risen Christ shines over the whole universe, we cannot fail to feel solidarity with our brothers in the Middle East who are enduring a maelstrom of armed violence and retaliation."

"The voice of reason and conscience must take the place of the sound of arms," added the Holy Father. "Sincere attention to the legitimate aspirations of all the peoples and scrupulous observance of international law are the only means capable of leading the sides back to the negotiating tables and tracing a path of fraternity for those populations.

"May God speak to the heart of those who kill and have mercy on those who suffer such violence! Tu nobis, Victor Rex, miserere!"

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CONTEMPLATING THE FACE OF THE RISEN CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, APR 18, 2001 (VIS) - This week's Wednesday general audience was held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 20,000 pilgrims from numerous countries around the world. The Holy Father's catechesis, given in Italian, with summaries in French, English, German, Spanish and Portuguese, focussed on "Contemplating the Face of the Risen Christ."

The Pope said that "today's audience is diffused with the luminous joy of Easter, ... a profound and inextinguishable joy, founded on the gift given by the Risen Christ of the new and eternal covenant. ... It is a joy which lasts not only throughout the Easter octave, ... but for fifty days, right up to Pentecost."

"In this splendid framework of the light and happiness proper to Easter time," he went on, "today we wish to pause and reflect together on the face of the Risen One, resuming and putting into practice what I did not hesitate to indicate as the 'essential nucleus' of the great legacy left to us by the Jubilee of the Year 2000."

John Paul II remarked that "just as we contemplated the suffering face of Christ on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, now we turn our glance, filled with faith and grateful love, to the face of the Risen One."

He went on to say that "Christ reveals Himself to us today as he did to the disciples on the road to Emmaus: through the Scriptures and through His Body and Blood which he gives to us in the Eucharist. He asks us to bear witness to Him, by our words and by the example of our lives."

"Christ has many things to explain regarding His and our destiny," the Pope concluded. "Above all He reveals that every human life must go through His Cross to enter into glory. But Christ fulfills something more: He breaks for us the bread of sharing, offering this Eucharistic meal in which the Scriptures take on their full meaning and reveal the unique and shining traits of the face of the Redeemer."

In multi-lingual greetings after the catechesis, John Paul II greeted the newly ordained deacons of the Pontifical Irish College and the bishop and pilgrims from the diocese of Nanterre, France, who came to the Rome at the end of their diocesan synod. He also had special words for groups from Croatia, Slovakia, the Netherlands and Hungary.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 18, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Charles Kambale Mbogha, A.A., of Isiro-Niangara, Democratic Republic of the Congo, as metropolitan archbishop of Bukavu (area 8,815, population 1,620,000, Catholics 831,562, priests 172, religious 517), Democratic Republic of the Congo. The archbishop-elect was born in Kilubo in 1942, was ordained a priest in 1969 and a bishop in 1990.

- Appointed Fr. Dulcenio Fontes de Matos, pastor of the Cathedral of Estancia, Brazil, as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Aracaju (area 7,048, population 963,598, Catholics 739,631, priests 106, permanent deacons 1, religious 162), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Lagarto, Brazil, in 1958, and ordained to the priesthood in 1985.

On Tuesday, April 17, it was announced that he appointed Archbishop Paolo Romeo, apostolic nuncio in Canada, as apostolic nuncio in Italy and the Republic of San Marino.

On Saturday, April 14, it was made public that he accepted the resignation of Bishop Yves-Georges-Rene Ramousse, M.E.P., from the pastoral care of the apostolic vicariate of Phnom-Penh, Cambodia, in conformity with canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Emile Destombes, M.E.P.

On Thursday, April 12, the following appointments were announced:

- Msgr. Arthur Roche, of the clergy of Leeds, England, secretary general of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and Msgr. George Stack, administrator of Westminster Cathedral, England, as auxiliaries of the archbishop of Westminster (area 22,000, population 4,415,000, Catholics 460,000, priests 770, permanent deacons 4, religious 1,901), England. Bishop-elect Roche was born in Batley Carr, England, in 1950, and ordained to the priesthood in 1975. Bishop-elect Stack was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1946, and ordained to the priesthood in 1972.

- Fr. Filippo Iannone, O.Carm., vicar general of the archdiocese of Naples (area 274, population 1,600,000, Catholics 1,592,235, priests 987, permanent deacons 159, religious 3,004), Italy, as auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese. The bishop-elect was born in Naples in 1957, and ordained to the priesthood in 1982.

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DECLARATION BY HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE DIRECTOR

VATICAN CITY, APR 11, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following declaration late yesterday:

"The head of the Italian delegation, Ambassador Umberto Vattani, and that of the Holy See Delegation, Msgr. Celestino Migliore, met this evening to detail the work of the Italy-Holy See Bilateral Commission in charge of the solution of the problems related to the intensity of Vatican Radio's electromagnetic fields in Santa Maria di Galeria.

"In expectation of the completion of the process of joint measurement, established by the technical protocol adopted last March 23, the Holy See confirms that it has reduced, unilaterally, by 50 percent the power of medium wave emission from Vatican Radio's broadcasting center in Santa Maria di Galeria, since last February 1, and is committed to reducing the duration of emission of the same broadcasting station in order to take into account the thresholds established by Ministerial Decree n. 381/98.

"The Bilateral Commission will meet again on April 18."

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GENERAL AUDIENCE: TOMORROW BEGINS THE EASTER TRIDUUM

VATICAN CITY, APR 11, 2001 (VIS) - In today's general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II recalled that tomorrow begins the Easter Triduum and said that "from tomorrow to Sunday we will live the central days of the liturgy: the mystery of the passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord."

"Tomorrow we enter the Cenacle," the Pope continued, "to welcome the extraordinary gift of the Eucharist, the priesthood, and the new commandment. On Good Friday we travel the sorrowful way to Calvary again, where Christ will fulfill His sacrifice. On Holy Saturday, we wait in silence to enter the solemn Easter Vigil."

The Holy Father affirmed that: "The Eucharist is the eloquent sign of this total, free, and voluntary love, and it offers each person the joy of the presence of He who also enables us to love, in imitation of Himself, 'to the end'. It is a demanding love which Jesus proposes to his disciples."

On Calvary, the Holy Father added, "we contemplate a love whose complete fulfillment is the gift of life. ... When we celebrate the Passion of the Lord, next Friday, and take part in the Way of the Cross, we cannot forget the strength of this love which is given without measure."

The Pope emphasized that "we spend Holy Saturday in silent expectation for the encounter with the Risen One. We can in this way better prepare ourselves for the solemn Easter Vigil, when the resplendent light of the Risen Christ will flood into the heart of night."

John Paul II concluded the catechesis with these words: "In this last part of the penitential journey may we be accompanied by Mary, the Virgin who remained ever faithful beside her Son, especially in the days of the Passion. May she teach us to love 'to the end' as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus who through His Death and Resurrection has saved the world."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 11, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Gerard J.N. de Korte, of the clergy of the archdiocese of Utrecht (area 10,000, population 3,000,000, Catholics 800,000, priests 276, permanent deacons 55, religious 1,703), Netherlands, deacon of Salland, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Utrecht. The bishop-elect was born in Vianen, Netherlands, in 1955, and ordained to the priesthood in 1987.

- Appointed Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio, apostolic nuncio in Lebanon, as secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

- Appointed Bishop Francesco Lambiasi of Anagni-Alatri, Italy, general ecclesiastical assistant of Italian Catholic Action, as consultor to the Congregation for Bishops.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 11, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Msgr. Leo Boccardi, Holy See Representative and Permanent Observer to the International Organizations in Vienna.

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PAPAL CHARITY IN 2000: SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS

VATICAN CITY, APR 10, 2001 (VIS) - During the year 2000 Papal charitable donations amounted to a total of $7 million, according to a communique recently published by the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," which this July 15th will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
"Cor Unum" is a dicastery of the Roman Curia whose primary task is the coordination of the activities of ecclesial organizations, associations, and groups involved in socio-charitable work for populations in countries struck by natural disasters and war, and in human promotion in developing countries.

This year's communique recalls that Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the dicastery, was sent to express the Holy Father's personal solicitude and the attentive closeness of the Church and Apostolic See among the populations hit by the earthquake in Taiwan at the end of 1999, those effected by the flooding in Mozambique in March of 2000, and in Valle d'Aosta, Italy, in October of 2000. The Holy Father, through "Cor Unum," has given $1,027,800 to populations afflicted by various emergencies.

Furthermore, "Cor Unum" supported projects of human and Christian promotion in various parts of the world - for those without shelter, the elderly, abandoned children, and the sick - through the initiative of particular Churches, and especially through the work of religious institutes and local Catholic organizations. During the year 2000, the dicastery gave $888,805 in the Holy Father's name.

The communique also reports that the administrative council of the "John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel," established by Pope John Paul II in 1984 to give the Church in the Sahel region the tools to fight against drought and desertification, approved the financing of 312 projects amounting to a total of US$ 2,992,097.26.

The administrative council of the "Populorum Progressio" Foundation, created by John Paul II in 1992 to encourage the human and Christian promotion of poor indigenous, mixed-race, and Afro-American farmworkers in Latin America, reviewed 258 projects, financing 209 in 20 Central American, Latin American, and Caribbean countries, amounting to a total of US$ 1,923,500.

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CONCLUSION OF "AD LIMINA" VISIT OF THE PARAGUAYAN BISHOPS

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received the prelates of the Paraguayan Episcopal Conference, at the conclusion of their "ad limina" visit.

The Holy Father encouraged the bishops to give particular attention to priests, saying: "It is important that they receive a solid spiritual, human, and intellectual formation, which also continues after the seminary in the priestly life, in order that they become faithful, constant, and generous announcers of the mysteries of God."

"The evident necessity of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life," the Pope continued, "must in no way allow us to require less or be content with a mediocre formation and spirituality."

The Holy Father emphasized that "in Paraguay there is a notable presence of consecrated people, and of men and women religious. ... In this regard, the role of the consecrated woman in many areas of Church life should be particularly mentioned, especially for her simplicity, spirit of sacrifice, and closeness to people."

It is hoped that consecrated people, the Holy Father added, "contribute in particular to the local Church, keeping alive the significance of the presence of God and inspiring in all the faithful 'a true longing for holiness, a deep desire for conversion and personal renewal in a context of ever more intense prayer'."

John Paul II emphasized that an "authentic pastoral priority is the spreading of the social doctrine of the Church, in order to adequately confront different situations with an upright conscience, enlightened by the faith, and to promote and direct the commitment of the laity in public life. In effect, declarations and theoretical statements of principle serve little, if these are not firmly internalized through a general and systematic formation."

"To such formation, which must accompany the growth of the faith of all Christians," the Holy Father concluded, "must be added an effort of evangelization towards those who have responsibility in different areas of public administration."

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LETTERS OF CREDENCE OF NEW AMBASSADOR OF BRAZIL

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2001 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received the new ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the Holy See, Oto Agripino Maia, on the occasion of the presentation of his Letters of Credence. The Pope recalled in his discourse that the Jubilee Year coincided with the celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the discovery and evangelization of Brazil.

After affirming that Brazil "is assuming an ever more important role in the concert of Latin American nations," the Holy Father emphasized that "initiatives directed towards the promotion of peace definitively influence the consolidation of democracy in these regions."

"Efforts to overcome social inequalities, defense of the environment, the promotion and defense of the rights of children and women, the promotion - recently ever more urgent - of better conditions of life in prisons and, not least, respect for religious teaching in centers of instruction, are undoubtedly objectives ... which require constant dedication for the wellbeing of the country from the nation's representatives."

The Holy Father affirmed that evangelization is a competence of the Church, and that the Church is "grateful to the State for the collaboration given in such a difficult mission. In this regard I hope that the migratory process of missionaries both within and outside of the country's borders can be facilitated."

"The pastoral visits which I have made to your country," the Holy Father continued, "have touched me deeply and strengthen the hope that Brazil wishes to continue to be the guide of many Latin American countries."

After referring to the "presence of Brazil in the United Nations and International Organizations," the Holy Father affirmed: "I hope that the principles inspired by this participation in the society of nations, are directed according to criteria whose fundamental objective is the respect of human dignity, especially in the case of unborn human beings, today seriously threatened by reproductive technologies which attempt to attack human life. ... Furthermore, drug trafficking, corruption at all levels, inequality between social groups, and the irrational destruction of nature attest that: 'In the absence of moral points of reference, an unbridled greed for wealth and power takes over, obscuring any Gospel-based vision of social reality'."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- Six prelates from the Paraguayan Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Sebelio Peralta Alvarez of Villarrica del Espiritu Santo.
- Bishop Celso Yegros Estigarribia of Carapegua.
- Bishop Adalberto Martinez Flores of San Lorenzo.
- Bishop Ignacio Gogorza Izaguirre of Cuidad del Este.
- Bishop Candido Cardenas Villalba of Benjamin Aceval.
- Bishop Lucio Alfert, apostolic vicar of Pilcomayo.
- Cardinal Virgilio Noe, archpriest of the Vatican Basilica, vicar general of Vatican City and president of the Fabric of St. Peter's.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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HOLY FATHER REMEMBERS BLESSED JOHN XXIII, "POPE OF DIALOGUE"

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received members and students of the John XXIII International Cultural Center, which houses youth from over fifty countries.

"Your House," the Pope said in his discourse, "is dedicated to my venerated predecessor, Blessed John XXIII. He was the Pope of dialogue and peace, of goodness and love towards all. During his brief but intense pontificate, he began an "updating" which imprinted a vast and significant renewal upon the Church. With the Second Vatican Council he then prepared the Church for the challenges of the third millennium."

The Holy Father went on to affirm that the Center, where youth of different cultures, races, and nations live together, has become a place of dialogue between various cultures. "Dialogue brings us, in effect," the Pope emphasized, "to recognize the richness of diversity and prepares souls for reciprocal acceptance, in the perspective of an authentic collaboration, responsive to the original vocation to unity of the entire human family."

"In a world where the dominant interests seem to be material," the Holy Father concluded, "I exhort you to seek 'first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness'. ... Furthermore, the experience of faith, in a multicultural context, will help you to not submit to easy approvals, to cultural models inspired by a secularized and practically atheist conception of life, such as forms of radical individualism. It will urge you rather to acquire a more mature relationship with the values of your culture, to enrich them in comparison with other traditions and verify them with the lived experience of encounter with Christ."

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PRESENTATION OF 2001 PONTIFICAL YEARBOOK

VATICAN CITY, APR 9, 2001 (VIS) - This morning Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano presented the 2001 edition of the "Annuario Pontificio" (Pontifical Yearbook) to the Holy Father, in the presence of Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, substitute for General Affairs, and those who collaborated in the editing and publication of the volume.

A note about the presentation described various changes to the updated Yearbook, including an expanded format. In the year 2000 the Holy See established diplomatic relations with the State of Bahrain and the Republic of Djibouti, bringing the number of States with which normal diplomatic relations are held to 174. Furthermore, an apostolic delegation was erected in Botswana, 22 new episcopal sees, an apostolic esarchate, a military ordinariate, 2 apostolic vicariates, 2 prefectures, one apostolic administration, and 2 "sui iuris" missions, were created, and 7 metropolitan sees were elevated. Finally, 44 new cardinals were created.

From 1998 to 1999 the number of Catholics in the world increased from 1,022,000 to 1,038,000. In the communique it is noted that in the last year 222 new bishops have been appointed, raising the total number of bishops to 4,482. There were 405,009 priests (of which 265,012 were diocesan), 26,629 permanent deacons, 55,428 men religious not ordained priests, 809,351 professed women religious, 31,049 members of Secular Institutes, 80,662 lay missionaries, and 2,449,659 catechists.

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JOHN PAUL II TO YOUTH: "UNTIL WE MEET IN TORONTO!"

VATICAN CITY, APR 8, 2001 (VIS) - Today, Palm Sunday and the celebration of the 16th World Youth Day, the Pope presided in St. Peter's Square over a liturgical celebration in the presence of thousands of youth from all over the world.

Before the celebration of the Mass, at the central obelisk of St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father blessed palms and olive branches. This was followed by the Procession of Palms and the celebration of the Lord's Passion.

In his homily, John Paul II commented upon today's liturgy, with which Holy Week begins. "The Church, however," the Pope affirmed, "is not limited in reading the story of the Passion to consider only the sufferings of Jesus; one approaches this mystery both trembling and confident, knowing that the Lord is risen. The light of Easter reveals the great teaching contained in the Passion: life is affirmed through the sincere gift of self even to the point of death for others, for the Other.
"Jesus," the Pope continued, "did not intend his existence on earth as a search for power, as a way to success and career, as the desire to dominate over others. On the contrary, He renounced the privileges of his equality with God, assumed the condition of a servant becoming like men, and obeyed the Father's plan even to death on the cross."

The Pope went on to recall that Palm Sunday "has also become, for years now, World Youth Day, your Day, dearest youth." He added: "While we enter with faith into the new century and the new millennium, dear youth, the Pope repeats to you the words of the apostle Paul: 'If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we endure, we shall also reign with Him.' Because Jesus alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

At the conclusion of the Eucharistic celebration and before the Angelus, a delegation of Italian youth, representing the host country of the last World Youth Day, passed the World Youth Day Cross to their Canadian peers, who in July of 2002 will participate in the next World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada.

Speaking in English to the Canadian youth, who were accompanied by Cardinal Matthew Ambrozic, archbishop of Toronto, the Holy Father said: "Fidelity to Christ, this is my invitation to all the English-speaking pilgrims. Until we meet in Toronto!".

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MEETING OF POPE WITH YOUTH OF UNIV CONFERENCE

VATICAN CITY, APR 9, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received 4,000 students from the University Conference (UNIV) meeting in Rome, as is their yearly tradition, to celebrate Holy Week and discuss the theme: "A Human Face for a Global World."

"This subject," the Pope said, "allows you to compare experiences and proposals regarding globalization, a phenomenon destined to characterize society ever more in the future. ... It cannot be the economy which dictates the models and rhythms of development and, while right to provide for material necessities, the values of the spirit must, however, never be suffocated. The true must prevail over the useful, the good over comfort, freedom over fashions, the person over structure."

"On the other hand," the Holy Father continued, "it is not enough to criticize; we need to go further: it is necessary to be builders. The Christian, in fact, cannot limit himself to analyzing the historical processes in course, maintaining a passive attitude. ... It is a part of Christian realism to understand that great social changes are the fruit of small and courageous daily choices. ... Blessed Josemaria, whose spirituality inspires you, wrote: 'Among those around you - apostolic soul - you are the stone fallen into the lake. With your word and your example you produce a first circle ... and it another ... and another, and another ... Wider each time. Now do you understand the greatness of your mission?'.

"In today's society," the Pope concluded, "which pursues the optimization of production, a process of uniformity is cautioned against, which places in peril personal freedoms and national cultures themselves. How should we react? The social doctrine of the Church contains the principles of a response which respects the role of individuals and groups. But to promote a global culture of these moral absolutes which are the rights of the person, it is necessary that each Christian begins from himself, striving to reflect the image of Christ in all of his thoughts and acts."

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