THE POPE'S GREETINGS TO DIFFERENT GROUPS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received this morning in the Clementine Hall a group of young people from Catholic Action, the "Alpinisti Trentini" Choir, and the Italian "Friends of the Nativity" Association. He addressed the groups with some brief words.

"I appreciate with pleasure your initiative for peace, called 'Month of peace', which you plan to hold this coming January," the Pope said to the youth of Catholic Action. "It is an invitation to peace which ... acquires the strength of a convincing supplication, because the 'new measure' of the Kingdom of God is also perceived in the 'littleness' of children. The 'Month of peace', proposing your message of peace within the parish, will surely offer to believers the opportunity for further reflection on this precious gift which ... is the fruit and work of justice and love."

The Pope reminded the choir from Trent that "song is a unique way of raising to the Creator a hymn of praise and thanksgiving for the wonders of His love."

Lastly, John Paul II encouraged the Friends of the Nativity to "continue in your commitment to promote the traditional representation of the birth of Christ, in the footsteps of St. Francis."

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POPE EXPRESSES HIS DESIRE TO VISIT BULGARIA SOON

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2001 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy Father received the Letters of Credence of Vladimir Nikolaev Gradev, the new Bulgarian ambassador. The Pope expressed his desire to visit the ambassador's country in the near future.

In his address, the Pope referred to the "decisive impulse" to the Christian faith given by Sts. Cyril and Methodius during the first millennium of our era. "Their example shows us the path we must follow today; the path of dialogue between cultures and peoples, respecting the identity and heritage of each; the path of openness to knowledge and recognition of the other, over and above any form of intolerant nationalism. This is the exemplary way of peace that requires a renunciation of force and of all desire to dominate, in order to work together for the common good. ... It is also a way of justice that requires the reparation of mistakes and of the harm done to our fellows, as well as attentive respect for the rights and duties of all."

"The world today," he went on, "tested once more by confrontations and the blind violence of terrorism, has a great need to listen to the voice of men and women of dialogue and the architects of peace. It is my ardent wish that this happen on January 24 next year when religious leaders from all over the world meet in Assisi to participate in a day of prayer for peace."

John Paul II emphasized that Bulgaria recognizes in Blessed John XXIII, who was apostolic delegate in Sofia, and in the Bulgarian bishop and martyr, Blessed Eugenio Bossilkov, "true servants of the Gospel for the Bulgarian people, and honors the Church's activity in two essential aspects of her mission: the exercise of charity and the defence of religious liberty." On this matter, he expressed the desire that "the new law on religious freedom may allow the Catholic Church and the other recognized religions to exercise their spiritual mission in your country freely and without restrictions, in keeping with the rights and duties laid down by law."

After recalling that every year in May a Bulgarian delegation visits the Bishop of Rome for the feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, the Holy Father said: "I sincerely hope that soon I, in my turn, will be able to make a visit to the beloved Bulgarian people."

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2001 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Archbishop Andre Fernand Anguile, emeritus of Libreville, Gabon, on December 10 at the age of 79.
- Archbishop Antonio Mauro, pontifical administrator emeritus of the patriarchal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, Rome, on December 9 at the age of 87.
- Archbishop Giuseppe Mees, apostolic nuncio, on December 9 at the age of 78.
- Bishop Paul Felix, emeritus of Port Victoria, Seychelles, on November 21 at the age of 66.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Sakania-Kipushi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, presented by Bishop Elie Amsini Kisawaya in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Bishop Jean-Pierre Ricard of Montpellier, France, as metropolitan archbishop of Bordeaux (area 10,000, population 1,283,000, Catholics 962,000, priests 341, permanent deacons 12, religious 693), France. The archbishop-elect was born in Marseille, France, in 1944, ordained a priest in 1968 and consecrated a bishop in 1993.

- Appointed Ismar de Oliveira Soares, president of the International Catholic Union of the Press, UCIP, as a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Jean-Paul Gobel, apostolic nuncio in Nicaragua.
- Marcello Pera, president of the senate of the Republic of Italy.
- Cardinal Camillo Ruini, his vicar general for the diocese of Rome and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, with Bishop Francesco Lambiasi of Anagni-Alatri, Italy, and general ecclesiastical assistant of Italian Catholic Action, and Dr. Paola Bignardi, national president of Italian Catholic Action.

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

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