PROGRESS IN CHRISTIAN UNITY DIALOGUE IS A GIFT FROM GOD

VATICAN CITY, NOV 13, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was the Holy Father's Message to Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, on the occasion of the council's plenary session. The meeting began yesterday in the Vatican and concludes November 17.

The Pope opened with a reference to the plenary's theme "Communion: Gift and Commitment - An Analysis of the Results of Dialogue and the Future of Ecumenical Research." And he recalled that "full unity among Christians has been my pastoral priority right from the start of my pontificate."

The Holy Father noted the "many encouraging signs (of) the theological search led at the level of the major Churches and ecclesial communities." He remarked that "action in favor of Christian unity has taken on such vast proportions. ... This is an immense gift that God has given us. ... I have personally experienced this gift on my apostolic pilgrimages when often I was the object of many signs of genuine and fraternal charity on the part of members of other Churches and ecclesial communities."

"Two orientations must always guide this effort, dialogue in truth and encounters in fraternity," he underscored. Thanks to these, "we have seen more clearly the scope, we have sought the means to pursue it efficaciously, we have established norms and principles capable of sustaining the ecumenical commitment of the Catholic Church."

John Paul II said that the assembly's theme "underlines how theological dialogues now underway are converging ... around the key concept of 'communion'. ... To study more deeply the theological and sacramental sense of the notion of 'communion' is equivalent to ... a reconfirmation of the conciliar teachings as a compass for the ecumenical commitment in the new millennium. ... The focus of a true ecclesial notion of 'communion', gradually purified of anthropological, sociological or simply horizontal accents, will make possible an ever greater reciprocal enrichment."

"I am certain," he affirmed, "that in the exchange of gifts to which we have become accustomed by the ecumenical movement, in a rigorous and serene theological research, and in constantly imploring the light of the Spirit, we can face even the most difficult and apparently insurmountable questions of our many ecumenical dialogues such as, for example, that of the ministry of the Bishop of Rome, about which I have already spoken in my Encyclical Letter 'Ut Unum Sint'."

In closing, the Holy Father asked that "the new perspective" in dialogue ... fill us with courage and induce everyone to banish from their ecumenical vocabulary words such as crisis, delays, slowness, immobility and compromises." May our "key words," he said, "be trust, patience, constancy, dialogue, hope ... and an impulse to act."

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POPE SENDS CONDOLENCES FOR PLANE CRASH IN NEW YORK

VATICAN CITY, NOV 13, 2001 (VIS) - Following is the telegram sent yesterday by Pope John Paul II to Bishop Thomas Daily of Brooklyn, New York, for the airplane crash in his diocese:

"Deeply saddened by news of the many victims of the airline tragedy which took place today in Queens, I commend the deceased to Almighty God's eternal love and invoke divine strength and comfort upon their grieving families. I give the assurance of my prayerful closeness to the entire nation at this time of distress."

An analagous telegram of condolences was sent by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of state, to Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez, archbishop of Santo Domingo and president of the Dominican Episcopal Conference. Santo Domingo was the destination of the plane that crashed in New York.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 13, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:
- Three prelates of the Bishops' Conference of Thailand, on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Joseph Sangval Surasarang of Chiang Mai.
- Bishop Michael Praphon Chaicharoen of Surat Thani.
- Bishop Louis Chamniern Santisukniram of Nakhon Sawan.
- Two prelates of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Myanmar:
- Archbishop Gabriel Thohey Mahn Gaby of Yangon.
- Archbishop Alphonse U Than Aung of Mandalay.
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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON "HEALTH AND POWER"

VATICAN CITY, NOV 13, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office, Archbishop Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, presented the International Conference on "Health and Power," which is promoted by his dicastery and will be held at the Vatican from November 15 to 17.

Archbishop Lozano affirmed that questions have been proposed to the scientists and specialists participating in the 16th International Conference, such as: "What is the relation between power and health in today's world? What is the place of health in today's world economy? ... What are the main health policies in our world? ... What do you think about the orientation of the means of social communication with regard to health messages? What is the influence of health professionals, of health care workers, in the current health world? ... Can we institute a dialogue with other non-Christian religions, for example with Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, regarding health? ... How can we form health professionals, Christian health care workers?" The meeting will focus on these topics and look at "the Christian concept of power where three indispensable elements are interwoven: strength, truth and love."

At the end of the presentation, Archbishop Lozano announced that his dicastery has organized an International Symposium entitled "Catholic Volunteer Work in Health Care," which will be held at the Vatican this November 30 to December 1. An estimated 5,000 volunteers are expected to participate.

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