DOCUMENT ON ORGAN TRANSPLANTS FROM ANIMALS TO HUMAN BEINGS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 20, 2001 (VIS) - On Wednesday, September 26, at 11:30 a.m. in the Holy See Press Office, a press conference will be held for the presentation of the new document of the Pontifical Academy for Life entitled "The perspective of xenotransplantation (organ transplants from animals to humans). Scientific aspects and ethical considerations."

Participating in the conference will be Bishop Elio Sgreccia, vice-president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, and three people who worked on the preparation of the document.

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HOLY SEE SIGNS ACCORD WITH GERMANY REGARDING PRIVATE SCHOOLS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 20, 2001 (VIS) - Yesterday in Germany the Holy See and the German State of Saarland signed an Accord which modifies a 1975 Accord between the two regarding private schools which are run by the Catholic Church, according to a note released this afternoon by the Holy See.

Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, apostolic nuncio in Germany, signed for the Holy See and Peter Muller, minister-president, signed the agreement for the Saarland.

The note states: "The present Accord, which consists of 2 articles and an additional Protocol, assures those running Catholic schools of state financial contributions in order to adopt the type of schools which are prescribed in the State constitution regarding the 'Erweiterte Realschulen' and secondary schools."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 20, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- Josep Pique, foreign minister of Spain, accompanied by his entourage.
- Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto, apostolic nuncio in Tanzania.
- Archbishop Luigi Gatti, apostolic nuncio in Lebanon.
- Four prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua, on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Juan Abelardo Mata Guevara of Esteli.
- Bishop Leopoldo Jose Brenes Solorzano of Matagalpa.
- Bishop Bernardo Hombach of Juigalpa.
- Bishop Pablo Schmitz Simon, apostolic vicar of Bluefields.

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