RECONCILIATION BETWEEN EAST AND WEST OF PRIMARY CONCERN

VATICAN CITY, NOV 23, 2001 (VIS) - The pope received this morning in the Clementine Hall the participants in the international symposium promoted by the Congregation for the Oriental Churches on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the entering into force of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

John Paul II recalled that the symposium emphasized "the necessity to intensify fraternal relations with other Christians and, in particular, with the Orthodox Churches. ... I hope that the journey of reconciliation between the East and the West is for you a constant and primary concern, as it is for the bishop of Rome."

The Holy Father mentioned his apostolic trips to Greece, Syria, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Armenia, and affirmed that in these he saw "fulfilled the vows of the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council, which considers the ecclesiastical and spiritual patrimony of the Eastern Churches as a good of the entire Church. Precisely to safeguard and promote the specificity of this patrimony, on October 18, 1990 I promulgated the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, which entered into force in October of the following year."

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JOHN PAUL II PROFILES THE PARISH PRIEST

VATICAN CITY, NOV 23, 2001 (VIS) - Pope John Paul today received participants in the plenary assembly of the Congregation for the Clergy, which is meeting in the Vatican on the theme "The Priest, Pastor and Guide of the Parish Community."

In his speech to the congregation members, the Pope stressed that only an ordained priest can be appointed as a valid pastor and that parishioners may collaborate but may never take a priest's place. He also underscored the importance, in a pastor's life, of good preaching, of the vital nature of the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist and keeping holy the sabbath, of teaching the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and of not allowing canonically approved consulting bodies to go beyond their duties as consultants to a pastor.

Remarking that "the priest in persona Christi celebrates the Sacrifice of the Mass and administers the Sacraments," the Holy Father then affirmed: "For a parish to have a priest as its own pastor is of fundamental importance. The title of pastor is one specifically reserved to the priest. The Sacred Orders of priesthood represent, in fact, for (the priest) the indispensable and necessary condition to be appointed as a valid pastor. Other faithful may actively collaborate with him, even full time, but, as he has received the ministerial priesthood, they can never take his place as pastor. ... The ecclesial community absolutely needs the ministerial priesthood to have Christ Head and Pastor present in it."

John Paul II emphasized that "Christ is present in the Church in an eminent way in the Eucharist, source and culmination of ecclesial life. He is truly present in the celebration of the Mass, as well as when the consecrated bread is kept in the tabernacle."

Then, turning to the importance of keeping holy the sabbath, he quoted his 1998 Apostolic Letter "Dies Domini": "'Among the many activities of a parish, none is so vital or as community-forming as the Sunday celebration of the Lord's Day and His Eucharist'. Nothing will ever take its place."

"Where there are no priests," declared the Pope, "with faith and perseverance, prayers must be offered, beseeching the Lord for numerous and holy vocations. ... It would be a fatal error to resign ourselves to the current difficulties and behave as if we must prepare the Church of tomorrow, envisioned as deprived of priests. In this way the measures adopted to remedy the current lacks would end up being, despite every good intention, seriously detrimental for the ecclesial community."

"The parish is a privileged place for the proclamation of the Word of God," said the Pope. A pastor should "have great personal familiarity with the Word of God" and should try to be as efficacious as possible in his preaching ministry.

"The collaboration of others, who are not ordained to the priesthood," he concluded, "is to be hoped for and is often necessary." However, "they must be faithful to their proper function as consultants" and care must be taken that no office or person "deprive the parish priest of his authority."

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EL SALVADOR: THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY MUST BE BUILT ON PEACE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 23, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received the prelates of the Episcopal Conference of El Salvador, at the conclusion of their "ad limina" visit.

The Pope began his discourse speaking of peace and justice: "You well know," he said to the bishops, "that the future of the country must be built on peace, the fruit of which is justice. ... Help to build a society which favors agreement, harmony and respect for the person and for his fundamental rights. With your word, courageous and timely, and keeping in mind the needs of the common good, you must encourage everyone, beginning with those responsible for the political, administrative and judicial life of the nation, to promote better living and working conditions."

After emphasizing "the diligence, the moral force and the spirit of sacrifice of Salvadorians in the face of adversity," which was fully revealed after hurricane Mitch, and the earthquakes which struck the country this year, the Holy Father said that even though "external assistance is necessary," Salvadorians "must be the protagonists and the principle craftsmen of the reconstruction of the country."

"To give new impulse and vigor to evangelization," the Pope continued, "must be the primary objective of your pastoral work. ... The means of social communication used today must be used also to evangelize and catechize. ... I encourage you, then, to develop these means in order to place them at the service of spreading the Gospel."

The Pope affirmed that the bishops must encourage priests, their "direct collaborators," to "be men of regular and frequent prayer" and to be close to them "in order that they see you as authentic fathers and teachers. ... Offer them the best means to continue their formation and develop the virtues necessary to their mission, to confront with serenity and courage the difficulties that can arise."

Following this, John Paul II emphasized the need to promote the practice of Sunday Mass, "because in the process of strengthening the faith, the Eucharist is the privileged moment for encounter with the living Jesus Christ."

"One of the urgent necessities of our time, as I highlighted in the Apostolic Letter 'Novo Millennio Ineunte'," the Pope continued, "is attention to the family," in the face of the "serious dangers that currently threaten it: the breakdown of the matrimonial bond, the scourge of abortion, the contraception mentality, moral corruption, infidelity and domestic violence, factors which endanger the family, the fundamental unit of society and the Church." The Holy Father expressed his hope that youth who enter into marriage and families as well would receive a good formation "in order that they overcome the pressures of a culture contrary to marriage and the familial institution."

The Holy Father concluded his discourse by exhorting the Salvadorian prelates to "intensify efforts in the formation of an adult laity, who collaborate actively in the life and mission of the Church" and to help the youth "who in their situation are more easily exposed to the dangers and seductions of easy and illusive paths. Present to them, in all of their authenticity and richness, the great ideals of the Christian life and spirituality, in order that they may learn the values and norms of conduct most adapted to confronting the challenges of the present."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 23, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences three prelates of the Episcopal Conference of El Salvador, on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop Eduardo Alas Alfaro of Chalatenango.
- Bishop Miguel Angel Moran Aquino of San Miguel.
- Bishop Jose Adolfo Mojica Morales of Sonsonate.

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

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