REDISCOVER RELIGIOUS IDENTITY VISITING THE CATACOMBS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 9, 2001 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received in audience the participants of the plenary reunion of the Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archeology, which studied the theme "The Christian Catacombs of Italy and the Holy Year: Inventory of a Pilgrimage."

The Pope recalled that for the Holy Year "you proposed facilitating the pilgrimage of the faithful and making the catacombs which are open to the public more welcoming. These two objectives were considered in the creation of alternative itineraries within the Roman catacombs of St. Callistus, St. Sebastian, Domitilla, Priscilla, and St. Agnes, in the works of illumination and of restoration done in Rome and in the other catacombs in Italian territory."

The Holy Father showed his pleasure for the commitment given to the opening of the catacombs of St. Lawrence in Verano and, "despite the difficulties and the complexity of the situation, of St. Pancrazio and of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter."

"The modern pilgrim, often disoriented and uncertain, following the itineraries of the first Christians and their actions of devotion, can be more easily led to rediscover their religious identity and to choose with renewed enthusiasm the following of Christ, as did many martyrs of the first centuries of Christianity."

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PASTORAL PRIORITIES: FAMILIES, YOUTH, SEMINARIANS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 9, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today welcomed the prelates of the Episcopal Conference of the Congo as they concluded their "ad limina" visit, and, in his talk to them in French, highlighted their priorities as pastors, saying they must dedicate ample time and energy to seminarians and to the pastoral ministries for families and youth.

Referring to the "tragic period which produced many victims and caused a great number of your fellow countrymen to go into exile as well as causing considerable material damage," he noted that "your country has undertaken important efforts to allow all Congolese to live in safety and to definitively achieve national harmony. During this time of trial you have made your voices heard in appealing for peace and reconciliation. ... Throughout these dramatic events, the attitude of the Church ... has been admirable. However, we must regret the great number of priests and religious who left the country in these troubled times."

The Pope encouraged the bishops "to pursue with ardor the Gospel that the Lord left us," adding that "the tragic experience lived by the Congolese people must inspire Catholics to resolutely look to the future and to launch courageous apostolic initiatives."

In what has become his trademark theme, John Paul highlighted the urgency "of giving evangelization a new thrust" and said this must include "a vigorous pastoral ministry for the family. ... Violence and the disbanding of families in recent years, have had serious consequences on the unity of the family cell and on respect for human dignity. Thus, it is also necessary for Christians to be ever more aware of the responsibility which weighs on them to preserve and develop the basic values of the family and Christian marriage." In fact, he added, "all of society must respect, defend and promote the dignity of every person at all moments of life and in all of life's stages."

Given the difficult circumstances in which young people live and the violence often suffered by them, said the Holy Father, bishops must be "induced to develop a youth ministry adapted to their situations and the problems they face. ... Tell the young people of the Congo that the Pope, in his heart and through prayer, is close to them and their daily cares, and asks them to never despair of life!"

He added that "the Church makes an important contribution to the human, moral and spiritual formation of young people. ...It is necessary to educate them to mutual respect among persons, among human groups and among religious communities and to favor a spirit of welcome and dialogue."

Pope John Paul expressed his "esteem" for the priests in the Congo who work in difficult situations. He observed that "the generous and unconditional attachment of priests to the person of Christ is shown in a remarkable way in the celibacy that they have freely accepted. In respecting this canonical obligation, may they live it in a joyous and transparent manner, making it a prophetic witness of the love without limits that unites them to Christ."

The Pope also encouraged the prelates to make seminaries and seminarians a high pastoral priority "so that the young people may serenely verify their vocation and receive in their country a solid human, spiritual, moral, intellectual and pastoral formation."

"To the faithful of your dioceses and to all Congolese," said the Holy Father in conclusion, "I address a special message of peace and hope. To overcome the consequences of conflicts, violence and hatred, and to reach a true reconciliation, the only path to follow together is that of fraternity and solidarity."

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HOLY SEE ADDRESSES U.N. MEETING ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 9, 2001 (VIS) - Msgr. Francis Assisi Chullikatt, head of the Holy See delegation to the 25th Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the theme of human settlements, addressed the meeting yesterday. His talk was published today.

Recalling that five years ago the U.N. met in Istanbul for the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, he said: "The Holy See recognized the importance of that meeting, especially regarding the realization of the right to adequate shelter for all persons and their families, along with a better understanding of the inseparable connection between sustainable development and human settlements development."
In looking back over the past five years, said Msgr. Chullikatt, "we are reminded that human beings, every woman, man and child living today and who will be born tomorrow, who constitute the human family, are and must always be considered the subject of our work."

He stated that "the Holy See welcomes the adoption of the 'Declaration on Cities and Other Human Settlements in the New Millennium' during this Special Session," then added: "The Special Session cannot overshadow the fact that so many people remain homeless or, as victims of armed conflicts, natural disaster or economic turmoil, have been forced from their homes, their livelihoods and, in many cases separated from their families."

The Holy See delegate stated that the "Special Session must spark a renewal of the world's commitment to solidarity ... and to a concern for the dignity of each member of the human family."

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DECLARATION ON THE VERDICT AGAINST TWO RWANDAN NUNS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 9, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following declaration this morning:

"Concerning the sentence pronounced by a Brussels' tribunal regarding Rwandan nuns, Sisters Gertrude Mukangango and Kisito Mukabutera, summoned to trespond to the accusation of war crimes, for the noted events which occurred in Rwanda in 1994, I must recall what the Holy Father said in his Message to the Rwandan people, on May 14, 1996: 'The Church ... cannot be held responsible for the guilt of its members who have acted against the law of the Gospel; they themselves will be called to give account of their actions. All the members of the Church who have sinned during the genocide must have the courage to assume the consequences of the actions taken against God and against neighbor.'

"It is hoped, above all, that the accused persons are able to give their version of the facts and that what has been decided in a foreign country, far from Rwanda, has been sufficiently considered in the context of such violent events and a situation of great confusion.

"In awaiting the final sentence, the Holy See cannot but express a certain surprise in noting that the blame for the responsibilities of many people and groups, also involved in the immense genocide carried out in the heart of Africa, has been placed upon only a few persons."

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ECONOMIC CHOICES MUST RESPOND TO HUMAN ASPIRATIONS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 9, 2001 (VIS) - This morning the Pope received the members of the Council of the Administration of France's "Caisse Nationale de Credit Agricole," who are in Rome on a working visit. The Pope thanked them for their solidarity shown with regard to the poorest countries of the world.

Referring to the international debt of the poor countries, the Holy Father affirmed that it "constitutes an enormous obstacle to the process of growth of many nations, since the debt compromises the local economy and the integral development of people, endangering the life of families and the future of society."

John Paul II exhorted those present to "base your decisions upon a Christian vision of man and of humanity, in order to contribute effectively to the building of a world where political choices and economic options authentically respond to the most profound aspirations of the new generations."

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POPE RECEIVES PILGRIMS WHO CAME FOR CANONIZATIONS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father received the pilgrims who participated yesterday morning in the canonization of Blesseds Luigi Scrosoppi, Agostino Roscelli, Bernardo da Corleone, Teresa Eustochio Verzeri, and Rafqa Petra Choboq Ar-Rayes.

John Paul II emphasized that St. Luigi Scrosoppi "is the model of priestly life conducted in a constant search for God."

The Pope recalled St. Agostino Roscelli's "indivisible love for God and his brethren constitutes the fundamental and identifying line of his spirituality."

The Pope affirmed that St. Bernardo da Corleone, "with his personal story interwoven with great civil and religious passions, and with a sense marked by justice and truth in the midst of many situations of suffering and misery, embodies, in a certain sense, the image of the present-day saint."

"To learn from the Heart of Jesus, letting herself be directed by the sentiments of that Heart and instilling them in the service of her brethren: this is the message that Teresa Eustochio Verzeri transmits to us as well, at the dawn of the new millennium, inviting each of us to actively cooperate in the evangelizing action of the Church."

Finally, speaking of St. Rafqa Petra Choboc Ar-Rayes, the Holy Father affirmed that "in the Middle East, devastated by many bloody conflicts and by many unjust sufferings, the witness of this Lebanese religious remains a source of faith for all those subjected to many trials."

"May the sick, the afflicted, the war refugees and all the victims of the hatred of today and yesterday, find in St. Rafqa a travelling companion in order that, through her intercession, they continue to seek in obscurity reasons to continue to hope and to build peace!".

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CANONIZATIONS AND A CALL FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

VATICAN CITY, JUN 10, 2001 (VIS) - At 10 a.m. today, Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, John Paul II celebrated Mass in St. Peter's Square and canonized four Italian Blesseds: Luigi Scrosoppi (1804-1884), Agostino Roscelli (1818-1902), Bernardo da Corleone (1605-1667), Teresa Eustochio Verzeri (1801-1852), and Lebanese Blessed Rafqa Petra Choboq Ar-Rayes (1832-1914).

In his homily, speaking of the first female Lebanese saint, Rafqa Petra Choboq Ar-Rayes, virgin, and nun of the Lebanese Maronite Order, the Pope called for peace in the Middle East, saying: "Through her intercession, we ask the Lord to open hearts to the patient search for new ways of peace, bringing the days of reconciliation and agreement soon!" This saint, the Holy Father emphasized, in the sufferings of the last 29 years of her life, "always showed a love which was generous and impassioned for the salvation of her brethren."

Speaking of St. Luigi Scrosoppi, priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence of St. Gaetano Thiene, John Paul II said that "he exercised charity in an exemplary way, above all with regard to orphaned and abandoned girls." This virtue "was the secret of his long and untiring apostolate, nourished by constant contact with Christ."

"From faith," the Holy Father said speaking of St. Agostino Roscelli, priest, founder of the Congregation of Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Genova, "he knew how to draw comfort in times of sadness, in harsh difficulties, and in painful events. Faith was the solid rock which he knew to cling to in order to never give in to discouragement. He felt the responsibility to communicate this same faith to others, above all to those whom he encountered in the ministry of confession."

The Pope said of St. Bernardo da Corleone, religious of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins, that from "continuous conversation with God, which found its propelling center in the Eucharist, he drew the lifeblood for his courageous apostolate, responding to the social challenges of the time, which was not free from tensions and anxieties. ... The humble example of this Capuchin is an encouragement to never tire of praying, since prayer and listening to God are the soul of authentic sanctity."

"Abandoning herself to the action of the Spirit, Teresa Eustochio Verzeri, virgin, foundress of the Institute of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, lived the particular mystical experience 'of the absence of God.' Only an unshakable faith prevented her from losing confidence in this provident and merciful Father. ... This is the teaching which she leaves us. Even in the midst of difficulties and inner and outward sufferings it is necessary to keep alive faith in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

At the end of the Mass and before the Angelus, John Paul II greeted in various languages the faithful who participated in the canonization ceremony.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Gerald Holohan, of the clergy of the archdiocese of Perth, Australia, vicar of education of the same archdiocese, as bishop of Bunbury (area 184,000, population 250,000, Catholics 48,900, priests 29, permanent deacons 9, religious 55), Australia. The bishop-elect was born in Perth, in 1947, and ordained to the priesthood in 1971.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- Three prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Benin, on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Nestor Assogba of Cotonou.
- Archbishop Fidele Agbatchi of Parakou.
- Bishop Lucien Monsi-Agboka of Abomey.
- Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments, with Archbishop-Bishop emeritus Francesco Pio Tamburino of Reggiano-Policastro, secretary, and Msgr. Vincenzo Ferrara and Msgr. Mario Marini, under-secretaries of the same Congregation.

On Saturday, June 9, the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Diego Causero, apostolic nuncio in the Syrian Arab Republic.
- Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, apostolic nuncio in Bolivia.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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CARDINAL PIERRE EYT OF BORDEAUX DEAD AT 67

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 2001 (VIS) - Following is the text of the telegram sent by Pope John Paul to the diocesan administrator of the archdiocese of Bordeaux, France which is mourning the death of its archbishop, Cardinal Pierre Eyt, at the age of 67. Cardinal Eyt was born June 4, 1934 and created a cardinal by John Paul II in the consistory of November 1994.

"Having learned with sadness of Cardinal Pierre Eyt's being called to God, I must tell you of my deep union in prayer with the archdiocese of Bordeaux, with the family of the deceased and with all those affected by his premature death. I trust to God's mercy dear Cardinal Eyt, keeping present in my heart the memory of my meetings with this pastor who was passionate in the search for the truth. He took care to place the gifts received from the Lord at the service of the people of God and of his brothers. I give thanks for his episcopal ministry in which he spent himself so generously, leading the people in his charge on the paths of the Gospel with the same zeal that he had in his previous ministries in the Catholic institutes of Toulouse and Paris. A man of dialogue and peace, he faced his illness with courage, abandoning himself with trust to the tenderness of the Lord. Recommending to the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary the family and friends of Cardinal Eyt, and the clergy and faithful of the diocesan community of Bordeaux, I send my heartfelt apostolic blessing to you and to all who will take part in the funeral liturgy."

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