HOLY FATHER ADDRESSES CONGRESS ON SACRED MUSIC

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

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

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

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TELEGRAM FOR THE EARTHQUAKE IN INDIA

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

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

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

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

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

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AUDIENCES

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

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

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

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

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

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PAPAL TELEGRAM UPON THE DEATH OF QUEEN MARIA JOSE OF SAVOY

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

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

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ENVOY NAMED TO CENTENARY OF EVANGELIZATION OF RWANDA

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

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

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AUDIENCE FOR THE DAUGHTERS OF ST. LUCY FILIPPINI

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

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

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

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

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