AUDIENCES

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

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TODAY IN ITALY: DAY OF JEWISH-CHRISTIAN FRIENDSHIP

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

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

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

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AUDIENCE: THE COMMITMENT TO AVOID ECOLOGICAL CATASTROPHE

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

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

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

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

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

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

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

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

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

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

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