CHURCH IN RWANDA: GOD ALONE CAN DESTROY THE LOGIC OF EVIL

VATICAN CITY, FEB 8, 2001 (VIS) - This morning, in the Amahoro Stadium of Kigali, Rwanda, Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, special envoy of the Holy Father, celebrated the closing mass for the centennial celebrations of the Church in the country.

"Mingling with victims of every kind, refugees of all ages," the Cardinal said in his homily, "it is here on this tortured land that I understood the full sense of fraternity and the senselessness of its denial; it is here that I understood how there cannot be enduring peace where life together is suffered through out of necessity and not savored out of an appreciation for brotherhood."

"Reconciliation," the Cardinal continued, "must be, for you, a fruit of the four seasons, harvested in the garden of the Church. Only the Church is able to name evil with its true name which is sin. ... God alone can destroy the logic of evil and help us to depart from the vicious circle of suspicion, vendetta, and violence; since for Him forgiveness is not a passing attitude or tactic, it is His very nature."

Affirming that a new prospect is unfolding for Catholics in Rwanda, the Cardinal went on to say that "rereading its recent history with lucidity and serenity, enlightened by the extraordinary Synod of all your dioceses and by the universal Great Jubilee ... your Church feels itself called to go to the depths of the Gospel. ... You will be judged by the courage with which you carry out your service as sentinels of the Gospel. Your constant and total reference to Christ the Savior will be the true source of your dignity, of your freedom, of your peace."

In closing, Cardinal Etchegaray referred to the words "Duc in altum," which appear at the beginning and end of the Holy Father's Apostolic Letter "Novo millennio ineunte": "Do not be afraid to put out into the deep, and even to go very, very far. A Church is fully evangelized when it is able, in its turn, to evangelize other peoples, other cultures. The more a Church evangelizes elsewhere the more it evangelizes itself. Church in Rwanda, learn to make of your wounds new springs not only for yourself but for all of Africa and beyond."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 8, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Damiao Antonio Franklin, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Luanda (area 34,000, population 4,420,050, Catholics 2,520,160, priests 102, religious 782), Angola, as metropolitan archbishop of the same archdiocese. He succeeds Cardinal Alexandre do Nascimento, whose resignation from the pastoral care of Luanda the Holy Father accepted in accordance with the age limit.

- Appointed Msgr. Henryk Jozef Nowacki, nunciature counsellor, as apostolic nuncio in Slovakia, elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Gunzenhausen, Germany, in 1946, and ordained to the priesthood in 1970.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 8, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek of Poland, accompanied by his entourage.
- Msgr. Carlos Avila, superior of the "sui iuris" Mission of Tajikistan, on the occasion of his "ad limina" visit.
- Msgr. Andrzej Madej, O.M.I., superior of the "sui iuris" Mission of Turkmenistan, on the occasion of his "ad limina" visit.
- Msgr. Krzysztof Kukulka, O.F.M. Conv., superior of the "sui iuris" Mission of Uzbekistan, on the occasion of his "ad limina" visit.
- Msgr. Josef Daniel Pravda, S.D.B., superior of the "sui iuris" Mission of Baku, Azerbaijan, on the occasion of his "ad limina" visit.

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TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL CASORIA

VATICAN CITY, FEB 8, 2001 (VIS) - Below is the text of the telegram sent by the Pope to the niece of Cardinal Giuseppe Casoria. The Cardinal died today in Rome, at age 92:

"Having received the news of the pious passing of Cardinal Giuseppe Casoria, your beloved and respected uncle, I wish to express to you and all your family members, my deep sorrow and profound participation in your pain, and, while remembering the upright fidelity to Christ and to the Church of such a zealous servant of the Lord, such as his enlightened priestly ministry, I raise fervent prayers of suffrage for the eternal repose of his soul and I impart to you and to all who have benefitted from his distinguished gifts of mind and heart, a comforting Apostolic Blessing."

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DISCOURSE TO PRELATES OF CENTRAL ASIA, THE CAUCASUS, AND RUSSIA

VATICAN CITY, FEB 9, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received members of the Episcopal Conferences of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Russia, at the conclusion of their "ad limina" visit.

Addressing the prelates of Central Asia, the Pope exhorted them to "hold a sincere and cordial dialogue among yourselves. ... Keep your spirit open to every person of good will; with your words and your actions encourage everyone to a profitable collaboration in building up the Church in good will, industry, and peace. In facing the vastness and complexity of the harvest and the small number of workers do not lose heart."

John Paul II encouraged the bishops to support the priests and religious with prayer, "inciting them to have recourse, in prayer and the fervent celebration of the Eucharist, to the energies which spring from daily encounter with Christ."

The Holy Father went on to remind the bishops and religious of the Caucasus that the principle mission which awaits them in the field of evangelization is the "reconstruction of your respective Communities, the little flock which has run off and been scattered for a long time. ... It is necessary," he added, "to help a renewed mentality arise above all in your flock, inspired to the civilization of love, which affirms respect for every human being."

In order to meet the "vast apostolic action, the energies of the priests, consecrated, and the laity must be fully utilized. Make their formation your primary concern, in order that, drawing from the treasure of prayer and study, they are able to share the problems of man of today. ...Give particular attention to the youth, who are the future of the Church and of humanity."

Speaking in conclusion to a group of prelates of European Russia and Siberia, the Pope said: "The vast evangelizing mission which you are promoting requires primarily that you give attention to forming priests who are holy and fervent in their apostolate." It is furthermore "necessary to involve youth in the commitment to the new evangelization."

With reference to ecumenical dialogue John Paul II spoke words of encouragement, affirming that "you mustn't be discouraged in the face of difficulties and even in the face of failures in ecumenical progress, but, sustained by prayer, it is necessary to continue to advance with every effort in creating full unity among the disciples of Christ."

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