CUBA: STRIVE FOR JUSTICE, FREEDOM, AND RECONCILIATION

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received the bishops of the Cuban Episcopal Conference at the conclusion of their "ad limina" visit, and affirmed that their visit reminds him of his apostolic visit to Cuba in 1998.

"It pleases me to know," the Pope said, "that since then certain things of particular value have improved for you, such as the restoration of the Christmas celebration, the possibility of carrying out various processions, which belong to the rich popular devotion, a greater participation of Catholics in the life of the country, the presence of Cuban youth in the 15th World Youth Day in Rome during this past Jubilee Year and a notable increase in the participation of the faithful in the sacraments."

The Holy Father spoke of the urgency to "present the unfathomable richness of Christian spirituality at the beginnings of this new millennium, to a world tired of old ideologies which have lost their initial attractiveness and have left in many a profound void and a lack of life's meaning."

"As I affirmed during my pastoral visit to Cuba," he continued, "the Church must present to Christians and to those interested in the good of the Cuban people, the teachings of her social doctrine." In this light, the Pope recalled that these teachings must "be considered integrally, from the right to life of the unborn child up to natural death, without excluding any individual or social rights, such as the right to nutrition, health, education, the right to exercise freedom of movement, expression and association."

The Pope exhorted the Cuban prelates to continue to work patiently "in favor of justice, of the true freedom of the sons of God and of reconciliation between all Cubans, those who live on the island and those in other countries, and not to neglect conciliatory efforts which allow an ever greater increase in the charitable action of the Church in the human promotion of the people."

After thanking the priests and men and women religious who serve the Cuban people, the Pope urged them to "facilitate ever more the entrance of new priests and religious, that they may dedicate themselves to the mission in your beautiful island."

"A reason for hope," he added, "is the constant increase in vocations. In this respect, and to facilitate this process, it is necessary to think about creating minor seminaries, where possible, that receive youth before they have finished their philosophical-theological studies, in order to offer them an integral formation based upon Christian moral principles."

Finally, the Holy Father emphasized that in Cuba "there is no lack of committed laity who make an effort in their milieux to lead a lifestyle coherent with their faith." He exhorted the bishops to continue to "strongly proclaim the teachings on marriage and the family, the acceptance of children as God's gift and the springtime of society."

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HOLY SEE HAD NET SURPLUS OF $8.5 MILLION FOR 2000

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2001 (VIS) - Cardinal Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture of the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, announced this morning at a conference to present the Consolidated Financial Statement of the Holy See that there was a net surplus of $8.5 million for the fiscal year 2000. Saying that the surplus came from "a favorable monetary situation," he said the exchange rate used was 2,080 lire to $1. The 1999 surplus was $5 million. This is the eighth consecutive year for a surplus.

The cardinal explained that a Consolidated Financial Statement "represents the sum of all the expenses and income of the diverse Vatican Administrations" which he divided into four categories: 1. Institutional Activity (Secretariat of State, Congregations, Councils, Tribunals, Synod of Bishops and various offices), which closed with a deficit; 2. Financial Activity (seven consolidated administrations, the largest of which is the Extraordinary Section of APSA - Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See), which closed with a net gain; 3. the real estate sector, which had a net gain and 4. Activity of Media Institutions (Vatican Radio, the Vatican Printing Press/L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican Publishing House and the Vatican Television Center). This category closed with a deficit.

However, the president of the economic prefecture singled out Vatican Radio "for applause in view of the enormous activity undertaken during the Jubilee Year" when it transmitted 24,000 hours in 60 languages.

Cardinal Sebastiani underscored that there were elevated expenses due to the Jubilee Year 2000 which necessitated an increase in personnel in many curial offices, especially media offices. About 70 additional people were hired to work in the Roman Curia during the Holy Year. In addition to the "greater general and administrative expenditures," he said there were also "repairs and maintenance of the nunciatures of our papal representatives."

The cardinal concluded by saying that he had presented the Consolidated Financial Statement to Pope John Paul on June 22 and to the Council of Cardinals for the Study of the Organizational and Economic Problems of the Holy See, which met yesterday.

A communique released this afternoon by the Council of Cardinals stated that Vatican City State, an entity financially separate from the Holy See, had a net gain for the year 2000. The report also announced that Peter's Pence for the year 2000 amounted to $63.6 million: this is $8.3 million more than the previous year.

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MESSAGE TO PARTICIPANTS IN VATICAN OBSERVATORY SCHOOL

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from Pope John Paul to the participants in the Eighth Vatican Observatory School of Astrophysics, currently underway at the Vatican Observatory in Castelgandolfo. He also greeted a number of benefactors of the observatory who are present at the meetings.

The Pope recalls the purpose of these schools "has been to contribute to progress in developing countries by introducing some of their most talented young people to the best current scientific practice and theory in this area." He notes that this year "you have been studying the final state of stars as they come to exhaust their normal sources of energy. This leads to an examination of some of the most fundamental characteristics of the universe, and inevitably directs our thoughts to our own destiny within that universe. The desire to understand creation and our own place within it according to the strict canons of science is one of the noblest of human aspirations."

"Your astrophysical research," the Holy Father affirms, "is not a luxury remote from the daily concerns of people and irrelevant to the building of a more human world. What you do as scientists is important for all of us, especially when your empirically grounded vision of reality leads to an understanding of the human person as an integral element in the created universe."

In closing, he refers to the fields of science, art, philosophy and theology and tells the students, "Your scientific research will be most creative and beneficial to society when it helps to unify the knowledge deriving from these different sources and leads to a fruitful dialogue with those working in other fields of learning."

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PAPAL MESSAGES FOR THREE FEMALE RELIGIOUS CONGREGATIONS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2001 (VIS) - Just before noon today in the Clementine Hall, the Holy Father met with the participants in the General Chapters of the following religious congregations: Teaching Franciscan Sisters, Third Order Regular, Sisters Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament and the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. He spoke briefly and handed each congregation a Message specific to its history, its ministry and its charism.

He reminded the Teaching Franciscans, whose religious family was founded in 1843 in Graz, Austria, that "your Rule revolves around four basic hinges: penance, contemplative prayer, poverty and being Minorites" and also gives "attention to the great values of simplicity and fraternity which make you ready to go forth and meet every form of poverty and to build peace in every social context." He highlighted their increased missionary activity and their specific charism of education which "demands creativity and generosity to reach people everywhere."

The Pope's Message for the Sisters Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament notes that their 14th General Chapter is focussing on "sharing bread, the Word and the mission according to Christ's example. ... The specific charism that distinguishes your presence in the Church ... is to adore 'with the most ardent love the most august sacrament' and to draw 'from it the flame of charity towards your neighbor'. It is not only a question of a spiritual guide but of a precious program for life. In the Eucharist the Christian reaches that most complete spiritual intimacy with the Lord of life and, supported by Him, is raised to contemplating the love of the very mystery itself of the Most Holy Trinity."

In the Message to the 21st General Chapter of the Sisters of the Holy Family, John Paul II exhorts the participants to "help families open themselves to Christ." He adds that, thanks to their service "families can meet in the Holy Family of Nazareth a model for their own lives and their own behavior."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Heinrich Timmerevers, of the clergy of the diocese of Munster (area 15,286, population 4,212,631, Catholics 2,085,526, priests 1,251, permanent deacons 209, religious 3,808), Germany, pastor of Visbek, as auxiliary bishop of Munster. He succeeds Auxiliary Bishop Max-Georg von Twickel, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with the age limit. The bishop-elect was born in Garrel/Nikolausdorf, Germany, in 1952, and ordained to the priesthood in 1980.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- His Beatitude Philippos, patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Eritrea, accompanied by his entourage.
- Cardinal William Wakefield Baum, major penitentiary.
- Archbishop Jose Fernandez Arteaga of Chihuahua, Mexico.
- Toru Twanami, ambassador of Japan, on a farewell visit.
- Cardinal Jan Pieter Schotte, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops.

This evening he is scheduled to receive Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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"POPULORUM PROGRESSIO" FOUNDATION MEETS IN GUATEMALA

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2001 (VIS) - The annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the "Populorum Progressio" Foundation to determine how to finance various projects presented to the foundation will take place from July 9 to 11 in Vera Paz, Guatemala. The beneficiaries of such funds are the farming, indigenous, mestizo and poor Afro-American communities of Central and Latin America.

Today's communique announcing the meeting states that Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," will participate. Members will examine 308 proposals coming from 19 countries in Latin America and Central America. The projects involve the sectors of professional formation, education, health, water supplies, the production and sale of products, transportation and community development.

The communique appealed for generosity on the part of individuals and institutions because "unfortunately, we have reached the limit of available resources for financing these projects."

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