BELIEVERS' HIGHEST REFERENCE IS THE WORD OF GOD

VATICAN CITY, FEB 17, 2002 (VIS) - This morning, John Paul II visited the Roman parish of St. Henry, where he celebrated Mass. It was his 301st such visit since the beginning of his pontificate.

At the start of his homily, the Pope mentioned today's Gospel text: "In the desert, Jesus undergoes the triple temptation of Satan, against which He nonetheless decisively resists. Jesus firmly insists that it is unacceptable to put God to the test; that it is not permissible to worship any other god, and that it is not possible to decide one's own destiny. The highest reference for all believers is the Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. These few verses clearly outline the programme for our Lenten journey. We too are called to cross the desert of daily life, faced by the recurrent temptation to distance ourselves from God."

Speaking of the parish which "has had a proper church only since June 1999," he recalled "the Caritas group, the welcome center for the elderly and immigrants and the 'Community of Love' which seeks to help young married and engaged couples to live the Christian sacrament of matrimony. ... I know, moreover, that you are working to support families and that you are concerned with the education of children, especially those who are preparing to receive the sacraments of Christian initiation and those who attend the Oratory."

The Holy Father concluded by highlighting the generosity with which the parishioners collaborate in diocesan initiatives, such as the ecclesial congress on the subject of vocations which will be held in June and the meeting of young people in St. Peter's Square on March 21.

HML;...;...;ST. HENRY;VIS;20020218;Word: 290;