HOLY SEE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR 2000

VATICAN CITY, JUL 3, 2001 (VIS) - Cardinal Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture of the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, will present the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Holy See for the Year 2000 at a press conference at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, July 6 in the Press Office. Joining him will be Bishop Franco Croci and Ivan Ruggiero, respectively secretary and bookkeeper of the same prefecture.

OP;FINANCIAL STATEMENTS;...;SEBASTIANI;VIS;20010703;Word: 80;

RELIGIOUS MARRIAGE OF VICENTE FOX HAS NOT BEEN ANNULLED

VATICAN CITY, JUL 3, 2001 (VIS) - In response to questions by journalists concerning a possible ruling of annulment of the religious marriage of Mexican President Vicente Fox, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls declared: "I can deny that there has been a ruling of this type."

OP;RELIGIOUS MARRIAGE;...;MEXICO; FOX;VIS;20010703;Word: 60;

HOLY FATHER RECEIVES ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI

VATICAN CITY, JUL 3, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls, issued the following declaration this afternoon:

"Today, July 3, 2001, Pope John Paul II received in audience Silvio Berlusconi, president of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic.

"At the end of the meeting, members of his entourage were presented to the Holy Father, led by under-secretaries to the presidency, Gianni Letta and Paolo Bonaiuti, as well as by the minister of urban affairs, and the ambassador to the Holy See.

"Following this, Mr. Berlusconi visited Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, who then presented Mr. Berlusconi to his colleagues in the two sections of the Secretariat of State, led by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, substitute for General Affairs and Msgr. Celestino Migliore, under-secretary for Relations with States.

"The wish for a close collaboration between both sides for the spiritual progress of the country and for the good of the international community was repeated during the course of the meetings.

"Special attention was given to the topics of the promotion of the person and the family, and to an effective scholastic equality. With regard to international problems, there was an exchange of news on the progress of European unification and on the topics of international solidarity, in view of the G-8 summit in Genoa."

OP;AUDIENCE;...;BERLUSCONI;VIS;20010703;Word: 230;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 3, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation of Bishop Jacques Nguyen Van Mau from the pastoral care of Vinh Long (area 7,221, population 3,500,000, Catholics 170,000, priests 125, permanent deacons 1, religious 607), Vietnam, in accordance with the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Thomas Nguyen Van Tan.

RE;...;...;NGUYEN VAN MAU; NGUYEN VAN TAN ;VIS;20010703;Word: 60;