UNITY AND HARMONY: THE SECRET OF TRUE PEACE AND PROGRESS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2001 (VIS) - Pope John Paul arrived at the Lviv International Airport this evening shortly after 6 p.m. and was welcomed by civil and religious authorities who came to bid him farewell as he departs for Rome, thus ending his 94th foreign apostolic trip. Following the playing of the pontifical hymn, the Ukrainian national song and remarks by Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma, Pope John Paul gave a farewell speech.

"The moment of farewell has arrived," he began. "Upon my arrival, I felt embraced by the affection of the city of Kiev with its golden domes and tapestry of gardens. I then experienced the traditional hospitality of Lviv, a city of famous monuments, rich in Christian memories. I am now sad to leave this land, which is a crossroads of peoples and cultures, where over a thousand years ago the Gospel began the course that led it to spread and take root in the historical and cultural fabric of the peoples of Eastern Europe. To each and every one of you I say again: Thank you!

"Thank you, Ukraine, who defended Europe in your untiring and heroic struggle against invaders," the Holy Father continued. "Thank you, civil and military authorities, and all of you who in different ways and with great generosity have cooperated in ensuring the successful outcome of my visit. Thank you, dear brothers and sisters, who are part of this Christian community, 'faithful unto death'. It has been my long-standing wish to express my admiration and appreciation for the heroic witness that you have borne during the long winter of persecution in the past century."

Extending "respectful and heartfelt greeting to the brothers and sisters and to the Pastors of the venerable Orthodox Church," the Pope said he wished "peace to you, people of Ukraine, who with tenacious and harmonious dedication have at last recovered your freedom, and have begun the work of rediscovering your truest roots. You are committed to an arduous path of reforms aimed at giving everyone the possibility of following and practicing their own faith, culture and convictions in a framework of freedom and justice.

"Even if you still feel the painful scars of the tremendous wounds inflicted over endless years of oppression, dictatorship and totalitarianism, during which the rights of the people were denied and trampled upon, look with confidence to the future. This is the opportune time! This is the time for hope and daring! My hope is that Ukraine will be able fully to become a part of the Europe which will take in the entire continent from the Atlantic to the Urals."

John Paul II affirmed that, "in this important and significant transition, the Church, conscious of her mission, will not fail to exhort the faithful to cooperate actively with the State in the promotion of the common good. ... Furthermore, Christians know that they are by right an integral part of the Ukrainian nation. They are so by virtue of a thousand-year history, which began with the baptism of Volodymyr and Kievan Rus' in 988 in the waters of the Dnieper river; but they are especially so today, because of the baptism of blood which they received in the course of the tremendous persecutions of the 20th century: in those terrible years countless were the witnesses to the faith, not only Catholics but also Orthodox and Reformed Christians, who underwent deprivations of all kinds for love of Christ, in many cases even to the sacrifice of their lives."

In concluding remarks, the Pope urged "Unity and harmony! This is the secret of peace and the condition for true and stable social progress. It is thanks to this combination of intentions and actions that Ukraine, homeland of faith and dialogue, will see its dignity recognized in the community of nations."

John Paul's plane left Lviv at 7 p.m. local time for the three-hour flight to Rome. A helicopter brought him back to Vatican City.

PV-UKRAINE;FAREWELL;...;LVIV;VIS;20010628;Word: 660;

MATRIMONIAL FIDELITY AND CHASTITY TO PREVENT AIDS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2001 (VIS) - Archbishop Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for the Health Care Ministry and head of the Holy See delegation to the 26th Special Session of the General Assembly of the U.N., addressed the assembly yesterday. This session was held June 25-27 and examined the problem of AIDS.

In his address, which was published today, Archbishop Lozano recalled that "12 percent of those who provide care to AIDS sufferers worldwide are Catholic ecclesial bodies while 13 percent are Catholic non-governmental organizations."

Faced with the scourge of AIDS, he said, "two actions are required: prevention and cure. Both are extremely important, though it is better to prevent than to cure. ... As regards sexually-transmitted AIDS, the most profound and at the same time most effective form of prevention is education in the true values of life, of love and of sex."

"It cannot have escaped anyone," said the archbishop, "that sexual liberty increases the risk of infection. It is in this context that the values of matrimonial fidelity and chastity must be understood. Thus, prevention and the instruction it involves must be accomplished with respect for man's dignity and his transcendent destiny, excluding campaigns that imply models of behavior which destroy life and favor a spread of the disease."

The head of the Holy See delegation highlighted the fact that infection with AIDS is conditioned by poverty. Thus "a decisive factor in fighting (poverty) will be a greater international social justice that supplants economic concerns as the only horizon of ruthless globalization. The Pope exhorts governments and the scientific community to continue research into the disease. Unfortunately, in many countries, it is impossible to care for AIDS patients due to the high cost of patent medicines."

"In order for the fight against AIDS to be more effective, the Holy See suggests; ... dedicating sufficient resources to combat the scourge; increasing both classroom and extra-curricula education in the values of life, of love and of sex; insisting on the equality of men and women; eliminating all forms of discrimination against AIDS sufferers and giving them spiritual support. The Holy See also recommends increasing the number of care centers and providing adequate information and education about AIDS." Furthermore, concluded the archbishop, "it is necessary to ask industrialized countries, while avoiding any form of colonialism, to give help to those countries that need it in this campaign; to eradicate sexual exploitation, especially when linked to tourism and migration and to lower as much as possible the price of antiretroviral AIDS drugs."

DELSS;AIDS;...;UN; LOZANO;VIS;20010628;Word: 440;

JUNE 29: CARDINAL RATZINGER CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF PRIESTHOOD

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was Pope John Paul's Letter to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, to congratulate him on the 50th anniversary tomorrow of his ordination to the priesthood. The Letter, written in Latin and translated into Italian, is dated June 20.

The Pope writes that "the fact that your Jubilee anniversary coincides with the liturgical solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul brings to my mind the vision of broad spiritual and ecclesial horizons: a personal holiness driven to the ultimate sacrifice, a missionary thrust linked with the constant concern for unity and the necessary integration between spiritual charism and institutional ministry.

"These are horizons that you, venerable brother, have attentively explored in your theological research: in Peter shone forth the principle of unity, founded on the Prince of the Apostles' faith which was solid as a rock; in Paul, (we see) the intrinsic demand of the Gospel to call each man and every people to obedience in faith."

The Holy Father highlighted Cardinal Ratzinger's "brilliant philosophical and especially theological studies," his "precocious call to teaching roles in the most important German universities," his nomination as a bishop by Pope Paul VI and subsequent appointment to the archdiocese of Munchen und Freising and his elevation as cardinal.

John Paul II also underscored how, nearly 20 years ago, he asked Cardinal Ratzinger "to be prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Since then you have not ceased in lavishing your intellectual and moral energies to promote and be guardian of the doctrine of the faith and morals of the entire Catholic universe."
The Pope concludes by expressing his "great gratitude for the impressive mass of work you have undertaken" and "for the spirit of humility and self-denial which has constantly marked your activity."

JPII-LETTER;JUBILEE; ORDINATION;...;RATZINGER;VIS;20010628;Word: 320;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Robert Maloney, superior general of the Congregation of the Mission (Lazarists), as a member of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

- Appointed Sr. Rita Burley, superior general of the Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and president of the international union of superiors general, as a member of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum."

- Appointed Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, apostolic nuncio in Angola, as apostolic nuncio in Chile.

- Appointed Archbishop Luigi Gatti, apostolic nuncio in Malta and Libya, as apostolic nuncio in Lebanon.

- Appointed Msgr. Giuseppe De Andrea, charge d'affaires at the apostolic nunciature for Kuwait, Bahrain and Yemen, as apostolic nuncio in the same countries, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Rivarolo Canavese, Italy in 1930 and ordained a priest in 1953.

- Erected a new exarchate for Syrian-Catholic faithful living in Venezuela. He appointed Chorbishop Antoine Chahda of the archieparchy of Alep, Syria, as apostolic exarch without the title of bishop of the new exarchate. The exarch-elect was born in Aleppo in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1973.

NA; NN; ECE;...;...;...;VIS;20010628;Word: 200;

34 METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOPS TO RECEIVE PALLIUM TOMORROW

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2001 (VIS) - In St. Peter's Square at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow, June 29, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, thirty four metropolitan archbishops will receive the pallium from the hands of Pope John Paul II. The new metropolitans are:

1. Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick, archbishop of Washington, U.S.A.

2. Archbishop Arthe Guimond of Grouard-McLennan, Canada.

3. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Chambery, France.

4. Archbishop Pierre-Marie Carre of Albi, France.

5. Archbishop Vincent Michael Concessao of Delhi, India.

6. Archbishop Oswald Gracias of Agra, India.

7. Archbishop Pietro Brollo of Udine, Italy.

8. Archbishop Ubaldo Ramon Santana Sequera F.M.I. of Maracaibo, Venezuela.

9. Archbishop Wojciech Ziemba of Bialystok, Poland.

10. Archbishop Tome Makhweliha S.C.I. of Nampula, Mozambique.

11. Archbishop Ivan Devcic of Rijeka, Croatia.

12. Archbishop Carmelo Ferraro of Agrigento, Italy.

13. Archbishop Brendan Michael O'Brien of Saint John's, Newfoundland, Canada.

14. Archbishop Anselme Titianma Sanon of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

15. Archbishop Seraphin Rouamba of Koupela, Burkina Faso.

16. Archbishop Francois Garnier of Cambrai, France.

17. Archbishop Agostino Superbo of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marisco Nuovo, Italy.

18. Archbishop Damiao Antonio Franklin of Luanda, Angola.

19. Archbishop Antonio Cantisani of Catanzaro-Squillace, Italy.

20. Archbishop Giuseppe Agostino of Cosenza-Bisignano, Italy.

21. Archbishop Anatole Milandou of Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
22. Archbishop Dadeus Grings of Porto Alegre, Brazil.

23. Archbishop Celso Jose Pinto Da Silva of Teresina, Brazil.

24. Archbishop Cristian Caro Cordero of Puerto Montt, Chile.

25. Archbishop Roger Lawrence Schwietz O.M.I. of Anchorage, U.S.A.

26. Archbishop Edward Joseph Gilbert C.SS.R. of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

27. Archbishop Charles Kambale Mbogha A.A. of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

28. Archbishop Ennio Antonelli of Firenze, Italy.

29. Archbishop Stanislav Hocevar S.D.B. of Belgrade, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

30. Archbishop George Pell of Sydney, Australia.

31. Archbishop Geraldo Majela de Castro O. Praem of Montes Claros, Brazil.

32. Archbishop Felipe Aguirre Franco of Acapulco, Mexico.

33. Archbishop Antonio Buoncristiani of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino, Italy.

34. Archbishop Luis Abilio Sebastiani Aguirre S.M. of Ayacucho, Peru.

...;PALLIUM;...;...;VIS;20010628;Word: 330;

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: FIRST STEP TO FREEDOM AND ETERNAL LIFE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2001 (VIS) - At 6 p.m. today there was a meeting between Pope John Paul and young people on the sprawling Sykhiv esplanade in front of the Nativity of the Mother of God Church outside of Lviv. The encounter, with 500,000 youth present, took the form of a Liturgy of the Word and included a homily by the Pope, the singing of that part of the Akathistos hymn which focuses on Christ, the prayer of the faithful in diverse languages and dances by young people.

The youth had gathered in early afternoon on the esplanade for songs, dances and witnessing to their faith, and the celebration lasted into the evening, long after the Holy Father's departure at 8 p.m. Before the final papal blessing several Polish and Ukrainian youth were recognized for their work in favor of reconciliation between their communities. Lviv is about 40 miles (60 kilometers) from the Polish border.

"Today," the Pope declared, "Christ asks you the same question that He asked the Apostles: 'Will you also go away?'. And you, young people of Ukraine, how do you reply? I am sure that with me you too will make your own the words of Peter: 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life'."

"Yes, dear young people," he emphasized, "Christ has the 'words of eternal life'. His words last for ever and above all they open for us the gates of eternal life. When God speaks, His words give life, they call things into existence, they direct our journey, they restore disappointed and broken hearts and pour fresh hope into them."

The Holy Father then turned his focus to the Ten Commandments, saying they "have permanent value, because they are the fundamental law of humanity, written in the conscience of every person. They are the first step to freedom and eternal life. ... In today's world we see profound and rapid social changes and many moral points of reference have become shaky, throwing people into confusion and sometimes despair. The Decalogue is like a compass in a stormy sea which enables us to keep on course and reach land. This is why today I wish to present the commandments of the Decalogue to you anew, young people of Ukraine, in a symbolic way, so that they will be your 'compass', the solid point of reference for building your present and your future."

"'You shall love the Lord your God'. We must give God the first place in our lives. For this reason the first three commandments are concerned with our relationship with Him. ... The pressure is strong today to replace the true God with false gods and deceptive aims. Material things are today's idols. If they are sought and used as means and instruments of good, they are a help to us. However, they should never occupy the first place in man's heart, even less in the heart of young people, who are called to fly high, towards the most beautiful and most noble ideals!"

The Holy Father explained that "the other seven commandments refer to our relations with our neighbors. They show us the path which enables us to establish relationships with other human beings marked by respect and love, based on truth and justice. Those who put this divine law into practice often find themselves going against the current. Young people of Ukraine, Christ asks you to go against the current! He asks you to be defenders of His law and to put it into practice in proper behaviour in daily life."

"Your country is going through a difficult and complex transition from the totalitarian regime which oppressed it for so many years to a society at last free and democratic. Freedom however needs strong, responsible and mature consciences. Freedom is demanding, and in a sense is more costly than slavery!

"For this reason, as I embrace you like a father, I say to you: choose the narrow path that the Lord is showing you through His commandments. They are words of truth and life. The path that often seems wide and easy later shows itself to be deceptive and false. Do not go from the slavery of the communist regime to the slavery of consumerism, another form of materialism which, without explicitly rejecting God, actually does deny Him by excluding Him from life."

"Without God you will not be able to do anything good. With His help, however, you will be able to face all the challenges of the present moment. You will succeed in making demanding decisions, against the current, as for example the decision to stay confidently in your own country, without giving in to the illusions of an easy life abroad. You are needed here, young people."

Pope John Paul concluded: "Before leaving you, I wish to add a final word: love the Church! She is your family and the spiritual building of which you are called to be the living stones."

At a certain point of the encounter with young people, with the rain becoming more persistent, the Holy Father had to leave the stage for about 20 minutes to change his rain-soaked clothes. Upon his return, he spontaneously broke into song, singing a Polish tune about rain, and improvising afterwards that "rain makes children grow." Reacting to the enthusiastic response of the young people, he then sang another Polish melody about the sun.

PV-UKRAINE;YOUTH MEETING;...;SYKHIV;VIS;20010627;Word: 900;

MEETING OF GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF SYNOD FOR AMERICA

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2001 (VIS) - A communique made public today states that, in Rome on June 20 and 21, the council of the general secretariat of the Special Assembly for America of the Synod of Bishops held its sixth meeting under the presidency of Cardinal Jan P. Schotte C.I.C.M., secretary general.

During the meeting - in which two cardinals, seven archbishops, two bishops and four members of the general secretariat took part - there was an exchange of information on the responses from episcopal conferences and dicasteries of the Roman Curia regarding implementation of the 1999 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, "Ecclesia in America."

Some of those present spoke on initiatives in particular churches for the implementation of the exhortation; initiatives which, according to the communique, "have contributed to a consolidation of ecclesial convictions concerning both the American identity and guidelines for pastoral activity in the field of vocations, laity, youth, the mission, migration and in the face of such phenomena as globalization and sects."
The next meeting is due to take place on October 2 and 3, 2002.

SE;SYNOD AMERICA;...;SCHOTTE;VIS;20010627;Word: 190;

THE EFFICACY OF PRIESTS IN ECCLESIAL MOVEMENTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was a message from the Pope to Cardinal James Francis Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, for the Tenth International Theological-pastoral Meeting which is being promoted by the Focolare Movement and is taking place from June 26 to 29 on the theme "Ecclesial Movements for the New Evangelization."

In his Message, dated June 21, John Paul II recalls that in many ecclesial movements, alongside the laity, "numerous priests (participate), attracted by the charismatic, educational, community and missionary drive that accompanies the new ecclesial realities."

"The positive efficacy of priests is shown when they find in the movements the 'light and heat' that help them to mature in a fervent Christian life and, in particular, in an authentic 'sensus Ecclesiae'."

"'Touched' and 'attracted' by the same charism," continues the Holy Father, "priests and laity share a fascinating experience of fraternity among 'christifideles' who mutually edify one another without ever losing their identities."

The Pope stresses that "it would be a grave loss if we were to move towards a 'clericalization' of movements. In the same way, it would be harmful if the witness and ministry of priests were in some way overshadowed by and progressively assimilated into the lay state."

MESS;ECCLESIAL MOVEMENTS;...;STAFFORD;VIS;20010627;Word: 220;

28 UKRAINIAN MARTYRS BEATIFIED BEFORE 1 MILLION FAITHFUL

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2001 (VIS) - Early this morning, John Paul II celebrated a private Mass in the archbishop's Palace of St. George and then travelled to Lviv's hippodrome where he presided over the divine liturgy in the Byzantine-Ukrainian rite. During the ceremony, at which an estimated 1 million faithful were present, he beatified Servants of God Mykola Carneckyj and 24 companions, martyrs (bishops, diocesan priests, religious and a lay person, killed between 1935 and 1973); Teodor Romza, bishop and martyr (1911 - 1947); Omeljan Kovc, priest and martyr (1884 - 1944) and Josaphata Hordashevska, co-founder of the Congregation of the servants of Mary Immaculate (1869 - 1919).

In his homily, the Pope recalled that most of the new blesseds, "sons and daughters of this glorious Church of Lviv of the Ukrainians, ... were killed in hatred of the Christian faith." Among them were bishops, priests, monks, nuns and lay people. "They were tested in many ways by the followers of the infamous Nazi and Communist ideologies."

"These brothers and sisters of ours," he went on, "are the representatives that are known out of a multitude of anonymous heroes ' men and women, husbands and wives, priests and consecrated men and women, young people and old ' who in the course of the twentieth century, the 'century of martyrdom', underwent persecution, violence and death rather than renounce their faith."

"How can we fail to recall the far-sighted and solid pastoral activity of the Servant of God, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi, whose cause of beatification is proceeding and whom we hope to see one day in the glory of the saints? We must refer to his heroic apostolic activity if we are to understand the humanly inexplicable fruitfulness of the Greek-Catholic Church of Ukraine during the dark years of persecution."

The Holy Father dwelt upon the fact that, along with these blesseds, "Christians of other confessions were also persecuted and killed on account of Christ. Their joint martyrdom is a pressing call for reconciliation and unity. This is the ecumenism of the martyrs and witnesses to faith, which indicates the path of unity to the Christians of the twenty-first century. May their sacrifice be a practical lesson of life for all." He added that it is necessary to "ask forgiveness of one another and forgive one another for the wounds inflicted and received, and unreservedly trust the renewing action of the Holy Spirit."

After encouraging priests, religious, seminarians, catechists and students of theology to follow the example of "these heroic witnesses to the Gospel," he requested those in charge to "give careful attention to the training of future priests and of those called to the consecrated life. ... On the one hand the value of celibacy for the kingdom of heaven ought to be emphasized, on the other the importance of the Sacrament of Matrimony with its connected responsibilities ought to be made clear."

John Paul II concluded by exhorting "all the Church's sons and daughters to seek with constant commitment an ever more genuine and profound knowledge of Christ. May the clergy be always eager to give serious evangelical and ecclesial formation to the laity."

Following Mass, the Pope travelled to the archiepiscopal Palace of St. George in Lviv where he had lunch with the Ukrainian Catholic bishops and members of his entourage.

At 5:45 p.m., the Holy Father is scheduled to travel to Lviv's international airport for the farewell ceremony. The papal flight is due to take off at 7 p.m. local time and to arrive in Rome after a three hour flight.

PV-UKRAINE;BEATIFICATIONS;...;LVIV;VIS;20010627;Word: 590;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Porto Alegre, Brazil, presented by Auxiliary Bishop Antonio do Carmo Cheuiche O.C.D., in accordance with Canons 411 and 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon law.

- Appointed Fr. Francisco Clavel Gil, canon of the cathedral in Mexico (area 1,479, population 10,910,245, Catholics 9,271,527, priests 1,670, permanent deacons 74, religious 8,291), Mexico, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese. The bishop-elect was born in Tlacotepec, Mexico, in 1935 and ordained a priest in 1959.

- Appointed Fr. Rogelio Esquivel Medina, episcopal vicar and pastor in Mexico, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese. The bishop-elect was born in Periban de Ramos, Mexico, in 1940 and ordained a priest in 1970.

- Appointed Fr. Jonas Guerrero Corona of the clergy of the diocese of Autlan, Mexico, and master of ceremonies at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Mexico. The bishop-elect was born in El Chante, Mexico, in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1974.

- Appointed Fr. Gustavo Rodriguez Vega, rector of the seminary of the archdiocese of Monterrey (area 17,886, population 4,650,000, Catholics 4,324,500, priests 437, permanent deacons 7, religious 964), Mexico, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese. The bishop-elect was born in Monterrey in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1980.

RE; NEA;...;...;...;VIS;20010627;Word: 210;

POPE PRESIDES AT FIRST BEATIFICATIONS IN UKRAINE HISTORY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in the presence of between 300,000 and 400,000 faithful, John Paul II celebrated Mass in the hippodrome of Lviv and beatified Servants of God Archbishop Jozef Bilczewski of Lviv (1880-1923), and Fr. Zygmunt Gorazdowski (1845-1920), founder of the "Jozefitki" congregation of religious. The Mass was held according to the Latin rite.

In his homily the Pope recalled that "Archbishop Jozef Bilczewski invites us to be generous in living the love of God and neighbor. This was his supreme rule of life. ... A good and faithful servant of the Lord, motivated by deep spirituality and unceasing charity, he was loved and esteemed by all his fellow citizens, regardless of their religious convictions, rite or nationality."

"For me personally," said the Holy Father, "this beatification is a special cause for rejoicing. The Blessed Archbishop Bilczewski is part of the line of my own apostolic succession. He in fact consecrated Archbishop Boleslaw Twardowski, who in turn ordained Bishop Eugeniusz Baziak, from whose hands I received episcopal ordination. Today, therefore, I too am receiving a new patron. I thank God for this marvelous gift."

John Paul II affirmed that "in praising God for the indomitable fidelity to the Gospel of these His Servants, let us feel ourselves gently nudged to recognize the infidelities to the Gospel of not a few Christians of both Polish and Ukrainian origin living in these parts. It is time to leave behind the sorrowful past. The Christians of the two nations must walk together in the name of the one Christ. ... May the purification of historical memories lead everyone to work for the triumph of what unites over what divides, in order to build together a future of mutual respect, fraternal cooperation and true solidarity."

Speaking of Blessed Gorazdowski, the Pope highlighted his unstinting dedication "to the poor, despite his precarious health" and his "burning passion for the Gospel. ... His apostolic activity was bolstered by a commitment to charity which knew no pause. ... Because of his total fidelity to the poor, chaste and obedient Christ, he was acknowledged when he died as 'a true religious, even if he had no special vows', and he remains for everyone a privileged witness to God's mercy."

The Pope requested priests, religious, seminarians, catechists and students of theology to imitate the two new Blesseds. "In various ways," he said, "you offer a special service to the Gospel, and like them you must do everything possible so that, by means of your witness, people of every age, background, education and social status will experience the love of God in the depth of their hearts. This is your mission."

"May your prime commitment," he concluded, "be to love everyone and to be available to everyone, never flagging in your faithfulness to Christ and the Church. This is certainly a path strewn with difficulties and misunderstandings, which can sometimes lead even to persecution. ... Christ does not promise an easy life, but always gives the assurance of His help."

Following Mass, the Pope travelled to Lviv's major Latin seminary of St. Joseph where he had lunch with the Ukrainian Catholic bishops and with members of his entourage.

At 6 p.m. he is due to meet young people on the Sykhiv esplanade in front of the Church of the Nativity of Mary Mother of God in Lviv.

PV-UKRAINE;MASS; BEATIFICATIONS;...;LVIV;VIS;20010626;Word: 570;

MESSAGE FOR LATIN AMERICAN MEETING ON PRISON MINISTRIES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2001 (VIS) - Made public this morning was a Message from Cardinal Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, to the participants in the Fourth Latin American Encounter for Prison Ministries. The Message was published in Spanish and Italian and is dated June 25. The meeting began yesterday in Panama and ends June 30.

Saying he was sorry he was unable to attend the meeting, Cardinal Nguyen begins the Message: "I fervently pray that the Holy Spirit will indicate to all those responsible for prison ministries the criteria and the most opportune paths for a new evangelization in the world of prisons: a world often immersed in pain, solitude and desperation; a world which urgently needs the liberating word of the Gospel and charitable gestures - therefore encouraging ones - by the Christian who is concerned for his brother in difficulty and does not act this way for simple philanthropy but through a deep conviction of faith."

"May the conclusions of your work," he adds, "taking as their departure point the Gospel and the Church's social doctrine, contribute to the defense and promotion of human rights in the prisons of your countries, as well as concrete efforts to prevent crime and help build a more just, peaceful and human society."

The cardinal goes to say that "the light of hope must remain lit in the hearts of prisoners; it is therefore vitally important to assure the friendly and concerned presence of the Church in prisons." He highlighted the large numbers of priests, deacons and religious present at the meeting who are involved in prison ministries and said it was "encouraging" to note the numbers of lay people also participating in such ministries.

"It is necessary," Cardinal Nguyen concludes, "to ceaselessly pursue this apostolate so that the presence of the Good Samaritan, who comes to heal our wounds, is more tangible and efficacious, above all for those who for diverse reasons have been deprived of physical freedom."

CON-IP;PRISON MINISTRY;...;NGUYEN;VIS;20010626;Word: 330;

ECCLESIAL MOVEMENTS FOR THE NEW EVANGELIZATION

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2001 (VIS) - More than 1,300 priests, deacons, seminarians and ministers of other Churches and ecclesial communities are gathering at the Mariapolis Center in Castelgandolfo for the 10th International Theological-pastoral Meeting promoted by the Focolare Movement on the theme "Ecclesial Movements for the New Evangelization."

The meeting began this morning at 9:30 and ends on June 28 with a concelebrated Mass at 12 noon presided over by Cardinal Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan. Participants are from 44 countries and represent, in addition to Catholics, the Orthodox, Anglicans and Evangelical Lutherans.

Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare Movement, opened the meeting with a talk on "The New Evangelization, with Special Reference to the Experience of the Focolare Movement." Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, presided at a concelebrated Mass to end the morning session. Tomorrow morning, Cardinal James Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity will read a Message from the Holy Father and then speak on "The Contribution of Ecclesial Movements to Evangelization in a Secularized World."

Founders of various ecclesial movements are expected to be present. In addition to the Focolare, the movements represented include Schoenstatt, Communion and Liberation, the Sant'Egidio Community, the Neocatechumenal Way and Renewal in the Spirit.

...;ECCLESIAL MOVEMENTS;...;CASTELGANDOLFO;VIS;20010626;Word: 210;

POPE WRITES KOFI ANNAN FOR U.N. SPECIAL MEETING ON AIDS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2001 (VIS) - Published today was Pope John Paul's Message to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on the occasion of the June 25-27 Special Session of the U.N. General Assembly to examine, in its diverse aspects, the problem of HIV/AIDS. The focus of the Pope's Message, in French and dated June 21, is that, in the face of the AIDS epidemic, the international community cannot elude its moral responsibilities.

"The AIDS epidemic undoubtedly represents one of the greatest catastrophes of our time, in particular for Africa," writes the Pope. "I welcome the efforts currently underway on national, regional and international levels to face up to this challenge. ... Your announcement of the creation of a World AIDS and Health Fund is a motive of hope for everyone."

"The fearsome spread of AIDS is inscribed in a social world marked by a serious crisis of values. In this domain, as in others, the internationnal community cannot ignore its moral responsibility; on the contrary, in the fight against this epidemic, it must be inspired by a constructive vision of the dignity of man and must invest in youth, helping them to grow towards a responsible emotional maturity."

The Holy Father points out the Catholic Church's commitment to "the sacredness of life" and underscores "the efforts she makes, in both prevention and assistance, for the people touched (by this illness)."

He goes on to say: "I have taken two problems especially to heart, and I am sure they will be treated with serious attention in the debates of this Special Session.

The first, the Pope writes, is that "the transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother to child is an extremely sad question. In developing countries, especially in Africa, those who are born with this infection are very numerous. ... Add to this somber picture the distress of those whose parents died of AIDS and who are now orphans."

"The second problem," John Paul II states, "is the access of AIDS patients to medical care and, in the measure possible, to anti-viral therapies. We know that the prices of these medications are excessive, sometimes even exorbitant, with regard to the possibilities of citizens of the poorest countries. This question includes diverse economic and juridical aspects, among which are certain interpretations of intellectual property rights."

The Holy Father emphasizes "the right of each individual to health." He beseeches "the rich countries to respond to the needs of AIDS patients in the poor countries with all means at their disposal, so that these men and women tested in body and soul may have access to the medicines which they need."

Pope John Paul II concludes with words of gratitude for "the scholars and researchers of the entire world in their efforts to find therapies for this terrible illness."

MESS;AIDS;...;UN; ANNAN;VIS;20010626;Word: 480;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

- Bishop William Francis Murphy, auxiliary of Boston, U.S.A., as bishop of Rockville Centre (area 3,164, population 3.008,203, Catholics 1,404,361, priests 525, permanent deacons 219, religious 1,604), U.S.A.

- Msgr. Victor Benito Galeone, pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Baltimore, U.S.A., as bishop of Saint Augustine (area 28,575, population 1,582,666, Catholics 134,846, priests 119, permanent deacons 25, religious 137), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Philadelphia, U.S.A., in 1935 and ordained a priest in 1960.

NER;...;...;MURPHY; GALEONE ;VIS;20010626;Word: 90;

MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF POLITICS, CULTURE AND BUSINESS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 23, 2001 (VIS) - Early this evening, John Paul II paid a courtesy visit to Leonid Kuchma, president of Ukraine, at the presidential palace in Kiev. He also briefly met with Anatoliy Kinakh, prime minister, and Ivan Plyusch, president of the country's parliament.

Later, in the same presidential palace, the Pope met with representatives of the worlds of politics, of culture, of science and of business.

In his address, the Holy Father indicated that Christianity had "inspired the greatest figures of your culture and art, and richly nourished the moral, spiritual and social roots of your country."

"Tragically, the choices made by the peoples of the Continent have not always been consistent with the values of their respective Christian traditions, and history has thus been marked by painful episodes of oppression, destruction and sorrow."

Nonetheless, added the Pope, "your people attained the greatly-desired goal (of freedom and full sovereignty) peacefully and without bloodshed, and they are now firmly committed to a courageous program of social and spiritual reconstruction. The international community cannot fail to admire the success which you have had in consolidating peace and in resolving regional tensions with due consideration for local differences. I too encourage you to persevere in your efforts to overcome whatever difficulties remain and to guarantee full respect for the rights of national and religious minorities."

John Paul II highlighted the fact that "in the twentieth century, the totalitarian regimes destroyed whole generations, by undermining three pillars of any authentically human civilization: recognition of God's authority, ... respect for the dignity of the human person ... and the duty to exercise power as a means of serving every member of society without exception, beginning with the weakest and the most vulnerable. Denial of God did not make man any more free. Rather, it exposed him to various forms of slavery and debased the vocation of political power to the level of brutal and oppressive force."

Addressing his remarks to politicians, the Holy Father said it was their duty "to serve the people and to ensure peace and equal rights for all." He exhorted men and women of culture to "apply a critical and creative intelligence in every sphere of knowledge" and expressed the hope that "the teaching of ecclesiastical sciences also receive due recognition from civil authorities." He went on to say; "May the fearful social, economic and ecological catastrophe of Chernobyl serve as a permanent warning" to those involved in scientific research. Finally, he requested entrepreneurs and business men and women to look to "the individual and not to profit as the aim of all economic activity that respects human dignity. Always work legally, that is the guarantee of justice."

PV-UKRAINE;POLITICAL; CULTURAL WORLDS;...;KIEV;VIS;20010625;Word: 460;

TO UKRAINIAN BISHOPS: BUILD UNITY IN DIVERSITY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 2001 (VIS) - Today, prior to lunch, the Pope met with members of the Ukrainian Catholic Episcopate and with the cardinals and bishops of his own entourage, at the apostolic nunciature in Kiev.

John Paul II thanked the Ukrainian bishops "for the witness given by Catholics in this land. ... Living as members of the one Church, yet respectful of different ritual traditions, you have a great opportunity to take part as it were in an important 'ecclesial workshop' aimed at building unity in diversity. This is the best way to respond to the many and complex pastoral challenges of the present time."

The Holy Father highlighted the need for the spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation of priests and religious as well as the "fundamental task" of "competent and up-to-date catechesis of adults and young people."

After highlighting "the large number of divorces and the widespread practice of abortion," he said: "Let the family therefore be one of your pastoral priorities."

"The models of hedonistic and materialistic life often presented by the mass media, the crisis of values affecting the family, the illusion of an easy life without effort, the problems of unemployment and uncertainty about the future often create serious disorientation in young people, making them susceptible to ephemeral visions of life stripped of values or to worrying forms of escapism. Energy and resources must be invested in their human and Christian formation." In this regard, the Pope expressed his pleasure at the creation of "an Institute of Social Sciences, which will provide a deeper understanding of the Church's social teaching."

In closing, the Pope made reference to the importance of unity among Catholics: "This deep experience of communion within the Catholic Church will doubtless stimulate appropriate forms of fraternal cooperation with our Orthodox brethren. ... Ecumenical dialogue must therefore be an indispensable priority for believers and for the Churches in Ukraine."

PV-UKRAINE;MEETING EPISCOPATE;...;KIEV;VIS;20010625;Word: 330;

JOHN THE BAPTIST, A MODEL OF FIDELITY TO GOD AND HIS LAW

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 2001 (VIS) - During intermittent rain, Pope John Paul presided at a concelebrated Mass at 9:30 this morning on the field of Chayka Airport, 16 kilometers from Kiev, in the presence of tens of thousands of faithful. The Eucharistic celebration was according to the Latin rite.

In his homily, the Pope recalled that "today we celebrate the birth of Saint John the Baptist. ... Of all the Saints, John is the only one whose birth is celebrated by the Liturgy. We heard in the first Reading that the Lord called His Servant 'from his mother's womb'. ... Even from his mother's womb John indicates the One who will reveal to the world the loving plan of God."

The Holy Father continued, "John the Baptist was the messenger, the forerunner: he was sent to prepare the way for Christ. How does the figure of St. John the Baptist speak to us here, in Kiev, at the beginning of this pilgrimage in your country?"

"This is the place of the Baptism of Rus'. From Kiev there began that flowering of Christian life which the Gospel first brought forth in the land of the ancient Rus', then in the lands of Eastern Europe and, later, beyond the Urals, in the lands of Asia. In a certain sense, then, Kiev itself played the role of a 'precursor of the Lord' among the many peoples who would receive the proclamation of the Gospel from here."

"The Baptism which took place here, in Kiev," remarked John Paul II, "inaugurated the thousand-year history of Christianity in the lands of today's Ukraine and in the whole region. ... What a flowering of spiritual, liturgical and ecclesial life developed from the meeting of different cultures and religious traditions!"

The Pope urged the faithful to "look today to John the Baptist, an enduring model of fidelity to God and His Law, ... a model of faith, ... a model of humility" and "a model of uprightness and courage in defending the truth, for which he was prepared to pay in his person, even to the point of imprisonment and death. Land of Ukraine, drenched with the blood of martyrs, thank you for the example of fidelity to the Gospel which you have given to Christians the world over! So many of your sons and daughters walked in complete fidelity to Christ: many of them remained constant even to the supreme sacrifice. May their witness serve as an example and a stimulus for the Christians of the third millennium."

"Dear brothers and sisters," he concluded, "be brave enough always to give priority to the values of the spirit. ... You, dear young people, be brave and free! Do not let yourselves be taken in by the deceptive mirages of an easy happiness. Follow the way of Christ: He is demanding, certainly, but He alone can help you to savour the full meaning of life and enjoy peace of heart. You, dear parents, prepare the way of the Lord before your children. Bring them up with love, and set a good example by living the principles you teach."
Immediately following Mass, Pope John Paul prayed the Angelus with the faithful present. In meditations made before reciting this prayer, he noted that "Mary, the first and the most perfect disciple of her Son, is a figure and a model of the Church which welcomes the word of the Lord in faith. Her protection has accompanied every step of the Christian community in Ukraine ever since the Baptism of Rus' in 988."

"Bathed by the great river of faith, Ukraine thus became a Christian land and, at the same time, a Marian country. This can be seen in the numerous shrines which express the deep love of the faithful for their heavenly Mother. ... To Mary's heavenly intercession I entrust this my pastoral visit and all those whom I shall meet during these days. In a special way I ask her, Mother of the Church, to hasten the steps of all Christians towards full communion."

PV-UKRAINE;MASS;...;KIEV;VIS;20010625;Word: 640;

POPE ASKS THAT FULL COMMUNION BE ACHIEVED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 2001 (VIS) - This afternoon, the Holy Father travelled from the apostolic nunciature to the Palace of the National Philharmonic, which lies in the center of Kiev, where he met with representatives of the Pan-Ukrainian Council of Churches and religious organizations.

The Pan-Ukrainian Council includes representatives from the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Churches as well as from the Muslim and Jewish religions. Of the three principal Orthodox jurisdictions, only Metropolitans Filaret, representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kiev Patriarchate, and Methodius, representative of the Autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church were present. Metropolitan Vladimir, representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, did not attend.

Following a greeting by Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, major archbishop of Lviv of the Ukrainians, the Pope addressed those present.

John Paul II affirmed that the existence and the daily work of the Pan-Ukrainian Council "testify in a concrete way to the fact that the religious element is an essential part of the personal identity of everyone, no matter the race, people or culture to which they belong." And he asked: "How could a State that wishes to be really democratic fail to have full respect for the religious freedom of its citizens? There is no true democracy where one of the fundamental freedoms of the person is trampled on."

Addressing himself particularly to Ukrainian Christians, the Pope requested that God help them "to rediscover together the solid grounds for a respectful and courageous ecumenical journey, a journey of coming closer and of mutual understanding, favored by good will on the part of everyone. May the day of restored communion among all the disciples of Christ come soon."

The Holy Father recalled "the significant presence of Jews" in Ukraine and said: "Who can ever forget the immense tribute of blood which they paid to the fanaticism of an ideology propounding the superiority of one race over others? Here, in Kiev, at Babyn Yar, during the Nazi occupation countless people, including over 100,000 Jews, were killed within a few days. This is one of the most atrocious of the many crimes which the history of the last century unhappily has had to record. May the memory of this episode of murderous frenzy be a salutary warning to all. What atrocities is man capable of, when he fools himself into thinking that he can do without God!"

The Pope also recalled the "crimes committed by the political power against the Muslim community in Ukraine. I am thinking in particular of the Tartars deported from the Crimea to the Asiatic republics of the Soviet Union, who now wish to return to their land of origin."

"If God is removed from the world, nothing truly human remains. By not looking to heaven, the creature loses sight of the goal of his journey on earth. At the root of every authentic humanism there is always the humble and trusting acknowledgement of the primacy of God."

John Paul II concluded by exhorting the representatives of Churches and religious organizations to continue ceaselessly in their "common search for an increased sharing of the values of religion lived in freedom and of tolerance lived in justice. This is the most significant contribution that you can make to the overall progress of Ukrainian society."

Prior to his farewell, the Pope thanked the representatives of the Pan-Ukrainian Council for the words they had expressed at the end of the meeting. He assured them of the Catholic Church's openness to ecumenical dialogue with all religions, "in keeping with lines laid down in the document 'Nostra aetate'. I hope that these indications of Vatican Council II for the Church may be a light for all Christians and for all believers and men and women of good will in Ukraine, with the aim of building true fraternal communion."

Before returning to the apostolic nunciature, the Holy Father went to the Bykovnya monument in a forest 30 kilometers from Kiev, where he prayed for short period. The monument is dedicated to the victims of the years of communist repression.

PV-UKRAINE;PAN-UKRAINIAN COUNCIL;...;KIEV;VIS;20010625;Word: 680;

PAPAL TELEGRAM FOR EARTHQUAKE IN PERU

VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 2001 (VIS) - Following is the text of the telegram sent by Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, in Pope John Paul's name to the apostolic nuncio in Peru, Archbishop Rino Passigato, for the earthquake which occurred in that country yesterday:

"On hearing the news of the earthquake that has provoked devastating effects - especially in large areas of Peru - producing many victims, injured and serious material damage, the Holy Father expresses his special closeness to those affected, offering prayers for the eternal repose of the deceased and asking the Almighty to concede comfort and Christian hope to those suffering this harsh adversity.

"At the same time, he launches a ringing appeal to national and international institutions and to all men and women of good will that they offer the necessary solidarity and fraternal charity, rapidly and efficiently bringing the aid that will help to overcome the dramatic situation in which so many families are homeless and so many houses destroyed.
"I also ask Your Excellency to transmit the Supreme Pontiff's condolences to the families of the dead and to express his paternal solicitude to the injured and other victims, to whom he sends a heartfelt apostolic blessing as a sign of affection for the beloved Peruvian people."

TGR;EARTHQUAKE PERU;...;SODANO; PASSIGATO;VIS;20010625;Word: 220;

HOLY SEE STATEMENT AT FIRST WORLD CONGRESS ON DEATH PENALTY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 23, 2001 (VIS) - The First World Congress on the Death Penalty was held in Strasbourg, France, on June 21 and 22. The Holy See participated with a delegation led by Msgr. Paul Gallagher, special envoy to the Council of Europe who presented a Holy See declaration on the death penalty on June 21. That statement, released June 23, follows in its entirety:

"The Holy See has consistently sought the abolition of the death penalty and His Holiness Pope John Paul II has personally and indiscriminately appealed on numerous occasions in order that such sentences should be commuted to a lesser punishment, which may offer time and incentive for the reform of the guilty, hope to the innocent and safeguard the well-being of civil society itself and of those individuals who through no choice of theirs have become deeply involved in the fate of those condemned to death.

"The Pope had most earnestly hoped and prayed that a worldwide moratorium might have been among the spiritual and moral benefits of the Great Jubilee which he proclaimed for the Year 2000, so that the dawn of the Third Millennium would have been remembered forever as the pivotal moment in history when the community of nations finally recognized that it now possesses the means to defend itself without recourse to punishments which are 'cruel and unnecessary'. This hope remains strong but it is unfulfilled and yet there is encouragement in the growing awareness that 'it is time to abolish the death penalty'.

"It is surely more necessary than ever that the inalienable dignity of human life be universally respected and recognized for its immeasurable value. The Holy See has engaged itself in the pursuit of the abolition of capital punishment as an integral part of the defense of human life at every stage of its development and does so in defiance of an assertion of a culture of death.

"Where the death penalty is a sign of desperation, civil society is invited to assert its belief in a justice that salvages hope from the ruins of the evils which stalk our world. The universal abolition of the death penalty would be a courageous reaffirmation of the belief that humankind can be successful in dealing with criminality and of our refusal to succumb to despair before such forces, and as such it would regenerate new hope in our very humanity."

DELSS;DEATH PENALTY;...;STRASBOURG; GALLAGHER;VIS;20010625;Word: 400;

"UT UNUM SINT - THAT THEY MAY ALL BE ONE!"

VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 2001 (VIS) - In the only public event scheduled for today, John Paul II, at 10 a.m. at the Chayka Airport, presided at the divine liturgy of St. John Chrysostom which was celebrated by Cardinal Lubomyr Husar in the Ukrainian Byzantine rite. The Pope gave a homily and, at the end of the liturgy, sprinkled with holy water the cornerstone of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic cathedral which will be built in Kiev, as well as those of other Church buildings.

In his homily, the Holy Father noted that today's reading from the Gospel of St. John "takes us back in mind and heart to the Upper Room. ... 'Ut unum sint' - that they may all be one! The Upper Room is the place of unity that is born of love. It is the place of mission: 'so that the world may believe'. There is no authentic evangelization without full fraternal communion."

"And it is also in the Upper Room," he continued, "on the day of Pentecost, that the disciples, together with Mary, Jesus' Mother, receive the Holy Spirit. ... From the gift of the Risen Christ is born the new humanity, the Church, in which communion overcomes the divisions and dispersion generated by the spirit of the world."

"'That they may all be one'," the Holy Father repeated. "This is the mystery of the Church willed by Christ. Unity founded on revealed Truth and on Love does not nullify man, his culture or his history; rather it makes him part of the communion of the Trinity, in which everything authentically human is enriched and strengthened. This is a mystery that is well represented also in this Liturgy, concelebrated by Catholic bishops and priests of the Eastern and Latin traditions. In the new humanity, ... there is a plurality of traditions, rites, canonical disciplines which, far from undermining the unity of the Body of Christ, on the contrary enrich it with the gifts brought by each one."

Addressing all members of the diverse rites in Ukraine, John Paul II said: "Your living side by side in charity should become a model of a unity that exists within a legitimate pluralism and has its guarantee in the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter."

Then, on the topic of Ukrainians' re-won independence, Pope John Paul said that "for ten years your country has been a free and independent State. These ten years have shown that, despite the temptations linked to crime and corruption, its spiritual roots are strong. My heartfelt hope is that Ukraine will continue to draw strength from the ideals of personal, social and ecclesial morality, of service of the common good, of honesty and sacrifice, not forgetting the gift of the Ten Commandments. The dynamic quality of your country's faith and its Church's capacity for rebirth are surprising: the roots of its past have become a pledge of hope for the future."

"'Ut unum sint!'" the Pope concluded. "We wish to join in the prayer of the Lord for the unity of His disciples. It is a heartfelt appeal for the unity of Christians. It is an unceasing prayer, which rises from hearts that are humble and ready to feel, think and work generously so that Christ's desire may be fulfilled."

Following this morning's divine liturgy, Pope John Paul went to the apostolic nunciature for a private lunch.

At 5:45 p.m. he is scheduled to arrive at Kiev's Boryspil International Airport for a 6 p.m. departure for Lviv. The 470-kilometer flight is expected to take one and a quarter hours. No formal protocol ceremonies are planned for either the Kiev departure or the Pope's arrival in Lviv, although it is expected that both civil and ecclesiastical authorities will be present.

PV-UKRAINE;DIVINE LITURGY;...;KIEV;VIS;20010625;Word: 630;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

- Appointed Fr. Francesco Panfilo S.D.B., delegate of the Salesian Province in Papua New Guinea, as bishop of Alotau-Sideia (area 14,000, population 176,519, Catholics 30,000, priests 15, religious 42) Papua New Guinea. The bishop-elect was born in Vilminore, Italy, in 1942 and ordained a priest in 1974. He succeeds Bishop Desmond Charles Moore M.S.C., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Abba Menghisteab Tesfamariam, M.C.C.I. coordinator of pastoral activities in Asmara (area 53,185, population 2,927,280, Catholics 44,646, priests 204, religious 638), Eritrea, as bishop of the same eparchy. The bishop-elect was born in Berakit, Eritrea, in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1979. He succeeds Bishop Zekarias Yohannes whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same eparchy the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with Canon 210, para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

- Elevated Bishop Joan Marti Alanis of Urgell, Spain and Principality of Andorra, to the dignity of archbishop "ad personam."

- Appointed Bishop Joan Enric Vives Sicilia, auxiliary of Barcelona, Spain, as coadjutor of Urgell (area 7,630, population 178,080, Catholics 172,830, priests 124, permanent deacons 3, religious 190), Spain and Principality of Andorra.

NER; RE; NA; NEC;...;...;...;VIS;20010625;Word: 210;

BACKGROUND ON THE CATHOLIC AND ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN UKRAINE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 23, 2001 (VIS) - For every papal trip abroad, Vatican Radio prepares a book on the country that Pope John Paul will visit. These books include historical background, information on the civil and leading ecclesiastical authorities and information on the Church in that country. For the Holy Father's trip to Ukraine, information on both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches was detailed.

Over 97 percent of the religious communities now registered in Ukraine are Christian and about half of these communities are of the Orthodox tradition. The other half is divided among Catholics and Protestants. According to state legislation, the three major Orthodox jurisdictions and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church belong to the category "traditional Churches." There are also Jews, Moslems and believers of other faiths in 21st Century Ukraine.

The three major Orthodox jurisdictions in Ukraine are: 1. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, which has 9049 communities, most of which are located in central and southeastern Ukraine; 2. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kievan Patriarchate, which has 2781 communities, of which about a third are in the central regions and about 10 percent in southeastern areas; 3. The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, which has 1015 communities, of which about 80 percent are located in western Ukraine.

The two major Catholic Churches represented in Ukraine are the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church with 3317 communities, the vast majority of which are located in western Ukraine, and the Roman Catholic Church with 807 communities, of which more than half are in the central regions.

There is also the Armenian Catholic Church which has a community which was reconstituted in Lviv.

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church comprises Catholics of the Byzantine rite, known as Greek Catholics, who are heirs of the Union of Brest of 1596, which the hierarchy of the Kievan Metropolia established with the Church of Rome. The 20th century was a stormy one for this Church, and she was led through it by some of her greatest leaders. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was liquidated by Stalin's regime and forcibly "re-united" with the Russian Orthodox Church after World War Two. Regardless of the fact that it was officially forbidden and harshly persecuted, this Church preserved its hierarchical structures in the underground and diaspora, and in December 1989 it requested official legalization. Cardinal Lubomyr Husar is the present head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which has 3317 communities, 79 monasteries, 1168 monks and nuns, 1872 priests, 2777 churches, and 305 churches are being built.

Catholics of the Latin rite are members of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, whose hierarchical structures in the past were spread over those Ukrainian lands which became incorporated into neighboring Catholic nations. After these territories were joined to the USSR, the Soviet power liquidated the diocesan network of the Roman Catholics, deporting and repressing a significant portion of its clergy and faithful. Only about one hundred parishes remained under the severe government control. Since Ukrainian independence many parishes have re-opened and new parishes have been formed. Cardinal Marian Jaworski is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lviv. There are 807 communities, 50 monasteries, 309 monks and nuns, 431 priests, 713 churches and
74 churches are being built.

PV-UKRAINE;CHURCHES; BACKGROUND;...;...;VIS;20010623;Word: 550;

JOHN PAUL II ARRIVES IN UKRAINE AT START OF 94TH FOREIGN TRIP

VATICAN CITY, JUN 23, 2001 (VIS) - Following a three-hour flight from Rome's Fiumicino Airport, Pope John Paul arrived today at the Boryspil International Airport in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, at 12:30 p.m. local time. His 1,800-kilometer trip, the 94th foreign voyage of his pontificate, took him over Italy, Croatia, Hungary and Ukraine.

The Pope was welcomed at the airport by Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and other civil authorities, as well as Church dignitaries including Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, metropolitan archbishop of Lviv of the Ukrainians, Cardinal Marian Jaworski, metropolitan archbishop of Lviv of the Latins and the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic. About 100 children were on hand to celebrate his arrival.

In his speech during the welcome ceremony, the Holy Father spoke of his eagerness "to make this pilgrimage to the renowned churches of Kiev, the cradle of the Christian culture of the whole of Eastern Europe. ... I greet you, Ukraine, brave and determined witness of adherence to the values of faith. How much you suffered in order to vindicate, in difficult times, the freedom to profess the faith!"

The Pope greeted Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma and said, "through you I wish to greet the Ukrainian people. I congratulate them on their re-won independence and give thanks to God for the fact that this took place without bloodshed."

Addressing his "brother bishops of the Greek Catholic Church and Latin Catholic Church," he said: "What an immense burden of suffering, you have had to endure in years past! But you are responding enthusiastically and re-organizing yourselves, seeking light and comfort from your glorious past. Your intention is to continue courageously in your resolve to spread the Gospel, the light of truth and love for every human being. Do not lose heart!"

"As a pilgrim of peace and brotherhood, I am sure that I shall be welcomed with friendship also by those who, although they are not Catholics, have hearts open to dialogue and cooperation. I wish to assure them that I have not come here with the intention of proselytizing but to bear witness to Christ."

John Paul II extended "a cordial greeting to the dear brother bishops, the monks and priests, and all the faithful of the Orthodox Church, who form the majority of the citizens in this country. I recall with pleasure that down the course of history relations between the Church of Rome and the Church of Kiev have known periods of light ... Unfortunately, there have also been sad times, when the image of Christ's love has been obscured: bowing before our one Lord, let us recognize our faults. As we ask forgiveness for the errors committed in both the distant and recent past, let us in turn offer forgiveness for the wrongs endured. The most fervent wish that rises from my heart is that the errors of times past will not be repeated in the future. May their memory not be a hindrance on the way to mutual knowledge, the source of brotherhood and cooperation."

"The world is rapidly changing: what was unthinkable yesterday is within our reach today. Christ exhorts us all to renew in our hearts feelings of brotherly love. If we rely on love, it is possible ' with God's help ' to transform the world."

He noted how, "down through the centuries, the Ukrainian people have known harsh and exhausting trials." Highlighting a number of these events, Pope John Paul said that "whatever interpretation is given, it is certain that from these experiences, a new hope has been born."

In closing, he said: "Ukraine has a clearly European vocation, emphasized by the Christian roots of your culture. My hope is that these roots will strengthen your national identity."

Following this ceremony, the Holy Father went to the apostolic nunciature in Kiev, then by car to the Greek Catholic Church of St. Nicholas where he recited a brief prayer. Lunch followed this visit. Shortly after 5:30 p.m. he went to pay a courtesy call on Ukrainian President Kuchma.

Kiev, the capital of modern Ukraine with a population of 2.6 million people, was founded by the Slav Prince Kyi in 482. Legend has it that the Apostle Andrew had prophesied that on a hill of Kiev "a great and glorious city" would rise. At the start of the ninth century Kiev became the capital of Rus', a powerful Slav state which spread from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Kiev developed notably under Prince Vladimir. His baptism and that of Kievan Rus' in 988, marked the beginning of Christianity in this territory. At one time Kiev even boasted of having the greatest library of Christianity.

In the 12th century the "city of golden heads" (so-called for the dozens of golden domes of the city's churches) fell to the Tartars who burned it in 1240. Starting in 1362, it fell under Lithuanian, then Polish domination. In the mid-17th century there was a struggle for national freedom. After a long period of domination by Moscow, there was a brief period of independence between the October 1917 Revolution and the 1918 intervention of the Red Army with the successive creation of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

On July 16, 1990, months after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Supreme Council of Ukraine adopted the Declaration on the Sovereign State of Ukraine and this was confirmed by a people's referendum on December 1, 1991.

PV-UKRAINE;ARRIVAL;...;KIEV;VIS;20010623;Word: 850;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

- Fr. Emilius Goulet P.S.S. of the Society of Priests of St. Sulpice and rector of the Pontifical Canadian College in Rome, as metropolitan archbishop of Saint-Boniface (area 38,000, population 365,000, Catholics 101,920, priests 121, permanent deacons 14, religious 411), Canada. The archbishop-elect was born in Saint-Isidore-de-Dorchester, Canada, in 1933 and ordained a priest in 1958.

- Fr. Nicholas Chia, diocesan chancellor and bursar, as well as pastor of the Holy Cross Church in Singapore, as archbishop of Singapore (area 639, population 3,893,700, Catholics 147,421, priests 140, religious 369). The archbishop-elect was born in Singapore in 1938 and ordained a priest in 1964.

NER;...;...;GOULET; CHIA;VIS;20010623;Word: 110;

METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOPS TO RECEIVE PALLIUM ON JUNE 29

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 2001 (VIS) - Pope John Paul II will preside at a concelebrated Mass on June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, at 6:30 p.m. in St. Peter's Square during which he will confer the pallium on a number of metropolitan archbishops.

The pallium, a circular band of white wool with pieces hanging in front and back on which are embroidered six black crosses, is placed on the shoulders of metropolitan archbishops and symbolizes their authority. The palliums are kept in a special chest beneath the Altar of the Confession in St. Peter's until the annual June 29 ceremony.

OCL;PALLIUMS; PETER; PAUL;...;...;VIS;20010622;Word: 110;

SONS OF THE HOLY FAMILY: CENTENARY OF PONTIFICAL APPROVAL

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from the Holy Father to Fr. Luis Picazo, superior general of the Sons of the Holy Family, on the occasion of celebrations marking the centenary of the pontifical approval of the institute.

In the Message, dated June 16, the Pope invites the religious to "promote coordinated and incisive action in order to bring to all sectors of society the evangelical message that sanctifies conjugal life, giving cohesion to the family group that welcomes life, guarantees education and transmits the faith."

"Furthermore," writes the Pope, "the centenary you are now celebrating calls for particular attention to the close bond that must link your apostolic activity with the doctrine and Magisterium of the Church. ... This concern - which was that of Blessed Jose Mayanet y Vives, your founder - is fitting for a faithful son of the Church; yet, it is also the fruit of a profound spirituality, forged in contemplating the mystery of the Nazarene household."

John Paul II concludes by affirming that "at the same time as proposing the Holy Family as the ideal of Christian life, all means must be employed so that, in the great family of God that is the Church, complete harmony and communion may reign."

MESS;...;...;SONS HOLY FAMILY;VIS;20010622;Word: 220;

AUDIENCES

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

- Fra Andrew Bertie, prince and grand master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
- Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
- Cardinal Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

AP;...;...;...;VIS;20010622;Word: 60;

CARDINAL MCCARRICK TO TAKE POSSESSION OF HIS TITULAR SEE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 2001 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 28, Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick, metropolitan archbishop of Washington (U.S.A.), will take possession of the title of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus in Rome on Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 28.

OCL;POSSESSION TITLE;...;MCCARRICK;VIS;20010622;Word: 70;

NTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND ACCESS TO BASIC MEDICINES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 2001 (VIS) - A meeting of the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of the World Trade Organization is currently underway in Geneva, Switzerland. On Wednesday, June 20, work was dedicated entirely to the question of Intellectual Property and Access to Basic Medicines. A Note from the Holy See on this topic was distributed to all members at the June 18-22 meeting by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Holy See permanent observer to the WTO.

The Note states that, among the diseases prevalent in the world today, "the AIDS crisis ... constitutes a global disaster of dramatic magnitude. ... In so many of the poorest countries, lack of basic medicines together with poor health infrastructure, prevents an appropriate response to urgent public health needs." It adds that "the Holy See is aware that the availability of medicines is not the only aspect of access to health. .. This access depends on a series of factors. ... Accessible price, however, always remains a dominant factor."

The Note, recognizing that "the high price of new drugs seems to be determined (in part) by the burden of research and development," affirmed: "It is not possible, however, ethically to justify a rationale of fixing the highest possible prices in order to attract investors and to maintain and strengthen research, while leaving aside consideration of fundamental social factors."

"Within an open free trade system, Intellectual Property rights constitute an exceptional monopoly regime," says the Holy See Note. Abuses by such monopolies for reasons of profit must be curbed. As well, there must be recognition, within the framework of human rights, of each person's right to health.

The Note recommends that "in the case of medicines, the supply stakeholders (scientific institutions, pharmaceutical companies and the governments of developed countries) should work together to ensure an adequate supply of urgently needed drugs at prices adequate to the cost of living in a particular country, especially LDCs (Least Developed Countries) and HIPCs (Heavily Indebted Poorest Countries). They should also be open and flexible in an equitable manner to the granting of voluntary licenses for import, production and distribution of basic drugs. They should not create obstacles to national production of drugs in third countries."

It also suggests "the enactment of an innovative differential pricing system" wherein "luxury and non-essential pharmaceutical products, for example cosmetics, could well share a greater part of the burden of research and development of essential medicines."

DELSS;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY; MEDICINE;...;MARTIN;VIS;20010622;Word: 400;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Denis James Hart, auxiliary of Melbourne (area 27,194, population 3,365,173, Catholics 995,797, priests 647, permanent deacons 1, religious 2,055), Australia, as metropolitan archbishop of the same archdiocese. The archbishop-elect was born in Melbourne in 1941, he was ordained a priest in 1967 and consecrated a bishop in 1997.

- Fr. Misael Vacca Ramirez of the clergy of Garagoa, Colombia, rector of the Juan de Castellanos university institute in Tunja, as the first bishop of Yopal (area 17,725, population 232,908, Catholics 192,450, priests 33, permanent deacons 2, religious 53), Colombia. The bishop-elect was born in Somondoco, Colombia, in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1983.

- Msgr. Vincent M. Rizzotto, vicar general of Galveston-Houston (area 23,257, population 4,442,230, Catholics 908,190, priests 437, permanent deacons 292, religious 779), U.S.A., as auxiliary of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Houston in 1931 and ordained a priest in 1956.

- Archbishop Luigi Ventura, apostolic nuncio in Chile, as apostolic nuncio in Canada.

NER; NEA; NN;...;...;...;VIS;20010622;Word: 150;

ASSOCIATIONS OF FAITHFUL: ECUMENICAL, INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 21, 2001 (VIS) - On June 22 and 23, in the "Aula Magna" of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, a study seminar will be held on the theme: "Associations of faithful: ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue."

The seminar is being promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Laity in collaboration with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.

Cardinal James Francis Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, will inaugurate the seminar. Later, Bishop Rino Fisichella, auxiliary of Rome, will speak on the theme: "Questions, requirements and challenges in ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue, in the light of the Church's mission in the global and multi-cultural society."

...;SEMINAR;...;STAFFORD;VIS;20010621;Word: 140;

STATISTICS ON THE CHURCH IN UKRAINE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 21, 2001 (VIS) - On the occasion of John Paul II's apostolic visit to Ukraine - his 94th trip outside Italy, due to take place from June 23 to 27 - some statistics on the Church in that country were published by the Central Statistical Office of the Church. They are from the year 2000.

Ukraine has a population of 50.1 million inhabitants of whom 5.5 million (11.08 percent) are Catholics. There are 3,676 parishes and 399 pastoral centers of other types. Bishops number 23 (as of May 16, 2001), priests 2,522, religious 1,075 and permanent deacons 14. There are 30 minor seminarians and 1,236 major seminarians.

A total of 1,267 students attend 20 Catholic centers of education, from nursery school to university level. There are also various charity and social centers belonging to the Church and/or run by priests or religious: 22 hospitals, 17 orphanages and kindergartens, 3 family consultancy and pro-life centers and 13 special education centers, as well as other institutions.

OP;STATISTICS UKRAINE;...;...;VIS;20010621;Word: 160;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 21, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Pier Giacomo De Nicolo, apostolic nuncio in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein.
- Archbishop Alberto Bottari De Castello, apostolic nuncio in Gambia, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
- Archbishop Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, apostolic nuncio.
- Abdelouhab Maalmi, ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco, on a farewell visit.
- Svetlozar Raev, ambassador of Bulgaria, on a farewell visit.
Keys: AP;...;...;... ;VIS;20010621;Word: 70;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 20, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Jose Gonzalez Alonso, auxiliary of Teresina, Brazil, as bishop of Cajazeiras (area 13,934, population 574,000, Catholics 556,000, priests 37, religious 57), Brazil.

- Fr. Jose Carlos dos Santos F.D.P., general counsellor of the Little Work of Divine Providence (Don Orione), as auxiliary of Luziania (area 16,480, population 700,000, Catholics 500,000, priests 33, religious 42), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Maruim, Brazil, in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1979.

- Bishop Heinz Josef Algermissen, auxiliary of Paderborn, Federal Republic of Germany, as bishop of Fulda (area 10,000, population 1,910,000, Catholics 447,275, priests 402, permanent deacons 17, religious 538), Federal Republic of Germany

NER; NEA;...;...;GONZALEZ; DOS SANTOS; ALGERMISSEN;VIS;20010620;Word: 110;

POPE SPEAKS OF WORLD'S REFUGEES, COMING TRIP TO UKRAINE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 20, 2001 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 14,000 faithful, Pope John Paul spoke of the World Day of the Refugee and also of his impending trip to Ukraine.

"I affectionately greet," he said, "a group of refugees accompanied by members of the Jesuit Refugee Services in Rome. Today, which has been declared World Day of the Refugee by the United Nations, your presence reminds us of the 50 million refugees concentrated in several of the poorest regions of the world. I greatly hope that the leaders of nations will know how to seek prompt and efficacious solutions for the problems which are at the basis of such great suffering, guaranteeing the necessary aid so that persons in exile may have living conditions worthy of human beings."
"This Saturday," the Holy Father continued, "God willing, I will travel to Ukraine, to Kiev and Lviv, realizing a desire I have had in my heart for some time. I thank the Lord for the opportunity He is giving me to walk in the footsteps of the missionaries who, at the end of the first Christian millennium, sent by the Churches of the East and the West, proclaimed the Gospel in that part of Europe. Since then, the history of those peoples is incomplete without the reference to Christianity."

The Pope added that he is "preparing to go to Ukraine with great hope. My aim is to confirm in the faith our brothers and sisters of the Catholic community and also to promote ecumenical commitment, in obedience to Christ's words: "That they may all be one!"

AG;REFUGEES; UKRAINE;...;...;VIS;20010620;Word: 290;

AUDIENCE: ENCOUNTERING THE LORD REQUIRES A PURE HEART

VATICAN CITY, JUN 20, 2001 (VIS) - The theme of the catechesis in the general audience held today in St. Peter's Square concerned Psalm 23: "The Lord enters His Temple."

The Pope explained that the Psalm contains three fundamental truths: "God created the world and is the Lord thereof; ... we must all appear before Him and be questioned on what we have done; ... (He comes) to establish a relationship of profound communion with men."

This biblical text contains "a brief acclamation of the Creator to Whom the world and all its peoples belong. It is a kind of profession of faith in the Lord of the universe and of history." The Psalmist then explains to believers that the norms for reaching communion with the Lord in worship are "not merely ritual and external" but rather are "like an examination of conscience or a penitential act that precedes the liturgical celebration." The Psalm emphasizes the necessity of maintaining "clean hands and a pure heart, ... sincerity and, above all, the fight against idolatry" and relations with our neighbors that find inspiration in "justice and rectitude."

The Holy Father indicated that, in this way, the "joyful entrance of the faithful into the temple to meet the Lord" becomes possible. He added that "the triumphal scene described by the Psalm" has been used to commemorate Christ's descent into hell and His ascent into heaven, as well as in the liturgy for the opening of the Holy Door when "it enabled us to relive with intense inner emotion the same sentiments felt by the Psalmist in crossing the threshold of the old Temple of Zion."

"God, infinite, omnipotent and eternal," he concluded, "adapts Himself to human beings; He approaches man to meet him, listen to him and enter into communion with him. The liturgy is the expression of this encounter in faith, in dialogue and in love."

AG;PSALM 23;...;...;VIS;20010620;Word: 320;

IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, JUN 19, 2001 (VIS) - The following prelates have died:

- Cardinal Thomas Joseph Winning, archbishop of Glasgow, on June 17 at the age of 76.
- Cardinal Pierre Eyt, archbishop of Bordeaux, France, on June 11 at the age of 67.
- Bishop Salvatore Delogu, emeritus of Sulmona-Valva, Italy, on June 13 at the age of 86.
- Archbishop Giuseppe Laigueglia, apostolic nuncio, on June 4 at the age of 78.
- Bishop Jose Pablo Rovalo Azcue S.M., emeritus of Zacatecas, Mexico, on September 30, 1999 at the age of 74.

...;DEATHS;...;... ;VIS;20010619;Word: 70;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

- Appointed Bishop Rodolfo Quezada Toruno of Zacapa, Guatemala, prelate of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas, as metropolitan archbishop of Guatemala (area 2,591, population 3,600,000, Catholics 3,000,000, priests 546, permanent deacons 1, religious 1,518), Guatemala. The archbishop-elect was born in Guatemala in 1932, ordained a priest in 1956 and consecrated a bishop in 1972. He succeeds Archbishop Prospero Penados del Barrio whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Michel Santier, episcopal vicar of Coutances, France, as bishop of Lucon (area 7,015, population 539,000, Catholics 505,000, priests 468, permanent deacons 26, religious 1,481), France. The bishop-elect was born in Granville-Hopital, France, in 1947 and ordained a priest in 1973.

- Appointed Msgr. Timothy Michael Dolan of the clergy of St. Louis (area 15,451, population 2,064,548, Catholics 555,000, priests 819, permanent deacons 213, religious 2,680), U.S.A., as auxiliary of the same archdiocese. The bishop-elect was born in St. Louis in 1950, ordained a priest in 1976 and up until now has been rector of the North American College in Rome.

NER; RE; NEA;...;...;...;VIS;20010619;Word: 180;

PAPAL MESSAGE FOR 22ND WORLD DAY OF TOURISM

VATICAN CITY, JUN 19, 2001 (VIS) - Published today was the Holy Father's Message for the 22nd World Day of Tourism, which has as its theme this year: "Tourism: A Means of Peace and Dialogue Between Civilizations." The Message, dated June 9, was published in Italian, Spanish, French, German and English.

In 1980 the World Tourism Organization (WTO) launched the celebration of an annual World Day of Tourism, and the United Nations determined that this should be celebrated every year on September 27. Prior to the Jubilee Year 2000, Pope John Paul always sent a telegram to the WTO. Last year was the first time that he sent a Message.

John Paul II writes in the 2001 Message that "the development of tourism, particularly cultural tourism, can undoubtedly benefit both visitors and host communities. ... In some places, however, mass tourism has produced a kind of sub-culture that degrades both the tourists and the host community. ... For the host communities, tourism often becomes an opportunity to sell so-called 'exotic' products: hence the phenomenon of sophisticated holiday resorts that are cut off from any real contact with the culture of the host country or that are marked by a 'superficial exoticism' ... offered to the curious who are eager for new sensations. Sadly, this unchecked desire leads at times to humiliating aberrations, such as the exploitation of women and children in an unscrupulous sex trade which is an intolerable scandal."

"Every possible measure must be taken to ensure that tourism never becomes a latter-day form of exploitation, but is instead a point of fruitful dialogue between different civilizations in which experiences are exchanged in creative ways."

The Pope states that "there is no doubt that, when properly oriented, tourism becomes an opportunity for dialogue between cultures and a valuable service to peace."

"Therefore, on this World Day of Tourism, I invite all believers to reflect on the positive and negative aspects of tourism in order to bear effective witness to their faith in this very important field of human experience."

The Holy Father writes: "Let no one succumb to the temptation of making free time a period of 'rest from values'. On the contrary, an ethic of tourism must be promoted. In this context, the World Ethical Code for Tourism merits attention. ... This document is an important step towards ensuring that tourism is seen not just as one among many economic activities, but as a privileged means for the development of individuals and peoples."

"A sound ethic of tourism influences the way tourists behave, fosters in them a spirit of solidarity, encourages them to make demands not only on themselves but also on those who organize their trip, and asks them to be agents of dialogue between cultures in order to build up a civilization of love and peace."
In concluding the Message, John Paul II affirms that "people living in tourist resorts should be guaranteed a proper involvement in planning tourist activity, so that the economic, ecological and cultural limits are clearly set out. It would also help if all the institutions of host countries aimed at ensuring that the tourist industry is increasingly at the service of persons and the community. Tourism will thus help to build solidarity among all people and enable civilizations to meet. It will contribute to understanding among individuals and nations, and it will play its part in building a peaceful future."

MESS;WORLD TOURISM DAY;...;...;VIS;20010619;Word: 530;

JOHN PAUL II WELCOMES BISHOPS OF BENIN ON "AD LIMINA" VISIT

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 2001 (VIS) - The bishops of Benin were welcomed by the Holy Father this morning at the end of their "ad limina" visit. The Pope, recalling his meetings with them during this past week, referred to these individual talks and to the prelates' "hopes and concerns at the start of this new millennium."

In his talk to them in French, the Holy Father reiterated several themes which appear in his Apostolic Letter "Novo millennio ineunte," namely, giving a new thrust to the new evangelization, focussing on the pastoral ministries for vocations, the family and lay people, especially catechists, the importance of a spirituality of communion, the permanent formation of priests and dialogue with other religions.

The principal task of bishops, priests, religious and the laity is the new evangelization, he said. Those who are well-prepared and re-affirmed in their faith will not only be able to bring Christ to others but will be able to challenge every novelty that passes for doctrine.

"Christians of your dioceses must also be men and women of communion and unity," the Pope added, urging the bishops to program "concrete initiatives to be faithful to God's plan and to answer the deep aspirations of the world."

Then, highlighting the fact that vocations are on the increase in Benin, he told the bishops that they have "a serious responsibility to discern the human, intellectual, moral and spiritual aptitudes of candidates and to recognize the authenticity of their vocation." He told them to "be demanding about the quality of the formation they receive" and to make sure that "the formators, professors and spiritual directors are well-prepared and exemplary in their priestly life."

Pope John Paul then turned to Benin's priests and men and women religious, thanking them for their service which, "often at the price of great self-denial, has allowed the Church to be born and grow in Benin." He especially underscored the contribution of women religious in their "service to the poorest and most forsaken of society, without any distinction as to origin."

"A mature and responsible laity, aware of their responsibilities in the Church and in society" is also needed for the new evangelization, said the Pope. They must be prepared to proclaim the Gospel in all milieux of life and "must act competently in the very complex worlds of politics, social life and the economy, according to the teachings of the Church's social doctrine, proposing to their fellow citizens a vision of man and society which conforms to basic human values. I especially invite them to work tirelessly to promote respect for the inviolable dignity of every human person."

He noted that the bishops, in their quinquennial reports, had emphasized "the serious problems relative to the family, its unity and its indissolubility" and encouraged them "to pursue a vigorous ministry for the family. ... It is especially fundamental for the future to educate young people to a just hierarchy of values" and "the Christian vision of marriage must be presented in all of its greatness."

Pope John Paul closed his talk to the bishops by remarking on the importance of inter-religious dialogue. He encouraged their "efforts to favor a better mutual knowledge as well as more genuine and fraternal relations among persons and communities, especially with Muslims."

AL;...;...;BENIN;VIS;20010618;Word: 550;

OPENNESS TO DIALOGUE AND COHERENCE TO RELIGIOUS TRADITION

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 2001 (VIS) - This morning, the Pope received participants in a meeting organized by the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue in collaboration with the Pontifical Lateran University, in memory of "the tireless commitment to inter-religious dialogue" of Bishop Pietro Rossano, on the tenth anniversary of his death.

"Serious and authentic inter-religious dialogue must rest upon solid foundations if it is to produce the desired fruits in due time. Being open to dialogue means being coherent to the core of one's own religious tradition. This is the lesson that emerges from Bishop Rossano's life."

John Paul II recalled that "in his spiritual experience and in his service to the Holy See (as secretary of the then Secretariat for Non-Christians), Bishop Rossano's openness to others was never separated from faithfulness to the teachings of Christ. This unconditional adherence to Christ did not prevent him from communicating with exponents of other religions."

"May Bishop Rossano's example," concluded the Pope, "encourage you to intensify your efforts towards dialogue, offering everyone a clear witness of the mystery of Christ, Lord and Savior of all."

AC;ROSSANO;...;...;VIS;20010618;Word: 190;

POPE THANKS STS. PETER AND PAUL ASSOCIATION FOR ITS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father received in audience 2,000 members of the Sts. Peter and Paul Association, which this year is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

"The service with which you have been entrusted," said John Paul II, "is closely linked to the mission of Peter's Successor. Today, I would like to reiterate my most sincere appreciation for your diligent work, both in the sacred liturgy and in your contact with pilgrims in the Patriarchal Basilica of St. Peter. May God reward you! May your activity, nourished by constant prayer, bring you to fulfil ever more your Christian vocation."

The Pope assured members of the association that "if your spirits are constantly illuminated by faith, you will come to a better understanding of yourselves and better help pilgrims and all those you meet to deepen the mystery of Christ and of His Church."

He concluded: "I call on you, then, to make your daily activities the suitable occasion for demonstrating a sincere love for Christ, a generous dedication to the Church and a special bond with Peter's Successor. Grow in faith in order to become ever more highly motivated in your service."

AC;...;...;ASSOCIATION PETER PAUL;VIS;20010618;Word: 210;

TO CATHOLIC DOCTORS: BE PRO-LIFE, NOT MANIPULATORS OF LIFE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 2001 (VIS) - "You are reflecting on your future in the light of the fundamental right to medical training and practice according to conscience," the Holy Father told the 120 participants in the International Congress of Catholic Obstetricians and Gynecologists whom he received this morning. He told them that Catholic morality demanded that they defend life, not manipulate it.

He underscored that "Christian obstetricians, gynecologists and obstetric nurses are always called to be servants and guardians of life." Citing "Evangelium Vitae," he added: "But your profession has become still more important and your responsibility still greater 'in today's cultural and social context, in which science and the practice of medicine risk losing sight of their inherent ethical dimension, (and) health-care professionals can be strongly tempted at times to become manipulators of life, or even agents of death'."

"Until quite recently, medical ethics in general and Catholic morality were rarely in disagreement. Without problems of conscience, Catholic doctors could generally offer patients all that medical science afforded. But this has now changed profoundly. The availability of contraceptive and abortive drugs, new threats to life in the laws of some countries, some of the uses of prenatal diagnosis, the spread of in vitro fertilization techniques, the consequent production of embryos to deal with fertility, but also their destination to scientific research, the use of embryonic stem cells for the development of tissue for transplants to cure degenerative diseases and projects of full or partial cloning, already done with animals: all of these have changed the situation radically. Moreover, conception, pregnancy and childbirth ... are often perceived as a burden and even as an ailment to be cured, rather than being seen as a gift from God."

John Paul II underlined that "Catholic obstetricians and gynecologists ... are (today) exposed to a social ideology which asks them to be agents of a concept of 'reproductive health' based on new reproductive technologies. ... The conflict between social pressure and the demands of right conscience can lead to the dilemma either of abandoning the medical profession or of compromising one's convictions. Faced with that tension, we must remember that there is a middle path. ... It is the path of conscientious objection, which ought to be respected by all, especially legislators."

The Pope closed by remarking that "Catholic universities and hospitals are called to follow the directives of the Church's Magisterium in every aspect of obstetric and gynecological practice, including research involving embryos."

...;ETHICS; MEDICINE; LIFE;...;...;VIS;20010618;Word: 410;