OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

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AUDIENCES

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

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NEW YEAR'S GREETINGS TO CITY AND PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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