GENERAL AUDIENCE: TOMORROW EASTER TRIDIUM BEGINS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 27, 2002 (VIS) - In today's general audience, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father recalled that tomorrow begins the Easter Tridium, "which will make us relive the central event of our salvation," Christ's passion, death and resurrection.

The institution of the priesthood and the Eucharist is commemorated on Holy Thursday, he noted. In the sacrament of the Eucharist, Christ "wanted to remain with us, becoming our food for salvation."

The Pope affirmed that on Good Friday "we will go over the tragic moments of the Redemptor's passion till the Crucifixion at Golgotha. The veneration of the Cross will allow us to understand with more depth the infinite mercy of God. ... The way of the Cross is certainly difficult! However, only there is the Mystery of the death that gives life revealed to us."

"Holy Saturday's mood of recollection and silence will offer us the ocassion to hope, praying with Mary, for the glorious event of the Resurrection, savoring already the intimate joy."

The Pope said that on Easter Sunday "we will be able to understand and love until the end Christ's Cross which eliminated sin and death for ever."

"In the Easter Tridium, we will fix our gaze intensely on Christ's face. The suffering and agonizing face that makes us better understand the drama of the events and situations which afflict humanity also during these days."

John Paul II emphasized that "in Gethsemane we will feel a special harmony with those who sleep beneath the weight of pain and loneliness. Meditating on the treatment to which Jesus was subjected, we will remember those who are persecuted for their faith and for the cause of justice. ... In the supreme hour of the sacrifice of the Son of God, we will abandon trustingly at the feet of Christ that desire that dwells in everyone's heart: the desire for peace!"

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CARDINAL ANGELINI WILL TAKE POSSESSION OF HIS TITULAR CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, MAR 27, 2002 (VIS) - The office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announced in a communique made public today that Cardinal Fiorenzo Angelini, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, will take possession of the title of Holy Spirit in Sassia, a diaconate raised "pro hac vice" to a presbyteral title, on April 7 at 9:45 a.m., Via dei Penitenzieri, 12, Rome, Italy.

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PONTIFICAL BIBLICAL COMMISSION TO HOLD PLENARY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 27, 2002 (VIS) - According to a communique released today, the Pontifical Biblical Commission will hold its annual plenary session from April 8 to 12 in the Santa Marta residence in Vatican City. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, president of the commission, will preside the meeting. Fr. Klemens Stock, S.J., secretary general, will lead the work sessions.

This is the Commission's first meeting since the partial renewal of its members. During the plenary a new study will be undertaken on the theme "The Bible and morals." A sub-commission, led by Fr. Stock, has prepared a draft of the work that was sent to members and will serve as the basis for discussions.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 27, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in audience today Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, prefect of the Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples.

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HOLY SEE ADDRESSES HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IN GENEVA

VATICAN CITY, MAR 27, 2002 (VIS) - Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Holy See permament observer, yesterday addressed the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, which is meeting in Geneva from March 18 to April 26. His talk focussed on the first principle of the 1992 Rio Declaration: "Human beings are the center of concerns for sustainable development."

He noted that "It is human persons who are the focal point of a knowledge-based economy. It is their initiative and creative ability that are the driving and innovative force of a modern economy." Yet, he said, quoting Pope John Paul, "the sad fact ... is that 'many people, perhaps the majority today, do not have the means which would enable them to take their place in an effective and humanly dignified way within a productive system in which work is truly essential'."

The archbishop recalled that "poverty today must be defined not simply in terms of a lack of economic income, but more in terms of an ability to fully realize that God-given human potential with which every man and women is endowed. Fighting poverty ... is about enhancing human potential."

Archbishop Martin further underscored "the right of people to be able to realize their capacity fully" by saying that "the attainment of this right is not just an understandable human aspiration. It is a prerequisite for the development of a strong modern economy."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 27, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Diego Rafael Padron Sanchez of Maturin, Venezuela, as metropolitan archbishop of Cumana (area 6,162, population 505,864, Catholics 480,000, priests 35, religious 53), Venezuela. The archbishop-elect was born in Montalban, Venezuela in 1939 and was ordained a priest in 1963.

- Appointed Bishop-Prelate Emiliano Antonio Cisneros Martinez O.A.R., of Chota, Peru as bishop of Chachapoyas (area 21,659, population 281,000, Catholics 267,000, priests 22, religious 65), Peru.

- Appointed Fr. Jose Carmelo Martinez Lazaro O.A.R., superior of his community and vice-pastor of the parish "Santa Rita de Casia" in Lima, Peru as bishop-prelate of Chota (area 6,823, population 320,000, Catholics 310,000, priests 32, religious 30), Peru. The bishop-prelate-elect was born in Luezas, Spain in 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1980.

- Elevated the apostolic administration of Zakarpattia of the Latins, Ukraine to the diocese of Mukacheve of the Latins and appointed Bishop Antal Majnek O.F.M., apostolic administrator of the same ecclesiastical jurisdiction, as first bishop of the new diocese.

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HOLY SEE-ALBANIA ACCORD: REGULATION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 26, 2002 (VIS) - On March 23, the "accord between the Holy See and the Republic of Albania regarding the regulation of reciprocal relations" was signed in Tirana. Archbishop Giovanni Bulaitis, apostolic nuncio in Albania, signed for the Holy See, and Prime Minister Pandeli Majko signed for the Republic of Albania.

According to a communique published yesterday afternoon, Archbishop Bulaitis "expressed the keen satisfaction of the Holy See and the local Church upon the signing of the accord which can be considered a historical event in the context of Albania's recent history. Prime Minister Majko thanked the Holy See and the local Church for its special and constant concern for the country and expressed his desire that the accord strengthen greatly the ties between Albania and the Holy See."

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DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON, A KEY VALUE FOR DEVELOPMENT

VATICAN CITY, MAR 26, 2002 (VIS) - Made public today was the speech given on March 21 by Archbishop Renato Martino, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations, during the International Conference on Financing for Development that was held March 18-22 in Monterrey, Mexico.

The archbishop noted that this conference aimed at "finding realistic and workable ways to address the elimination of poverty and the advancement of the human family." He stressed throughout his talk that "development is first and foremost a question of people. Human beings are at the center of our concerns for sustainable development."

"Too many families in today's world," he stated, "are forced to be concerned with survival and do not have the luxury of participating as actors in their development; too many people are forced to migrate, too many people continue to be burdened by absolute poverty and live in countries where debt burdens make it impossible to gain access to basic social services. In this perspective, financing for development must touch all aspects of life, the individual, the family, the community and the world."

Archbishop Martino pointed out that "the Holy See has constantly shown its concern for the social and economic development of the world's people and the means to achieve that development. ... The Holy See strongly believes that any effort in favor of development must analyze the moral ramifications of economic activity and its financing in light of a comprehensive vision of the human person. ... Human dignity must be the central value for the financing of development."

"Too many people," he concluded, "live lives without hope, with little opportunity toward realizing a better future for themselves, their children and future generations. ... The Family of Nations cannot allow one more day to pass wherein a real attempt to meet goals and make measurable progress toward the eradication of poverty are not pursued with all of the energy and resolve that it can muster."

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JOHN PAUL II'S PONTIFICATE, THE SIXTH LONGEST IN HISTORY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 26, 2002 (VIS) - On Friday, March 29, Pope John Paul's pontificate will become the sixth longest in the history of the Church, including that of St. Peter. John Paul II is the 264th Roman Pontiff. He was elected on October 16, 1978 and his pontificate officially began on October 22. On March 29, he will have reigned one day longer than Pope Pius VII (23 years, 5 months and 6 days, according to the Vatican yearbook).

Only five Popes, including St. Peter, have reigned longer than the Holy Father. In ascending order, they are: Adrian I (23 years, 10 months, 24 days); Pius VI (24 years, 6 months, 7 days); Leo XIII (25 years, 5 months); Pius IX (31 years, 7 months, 21 days) and St. Peter (unknown dates).

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 26, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Ivo Scapolo, nunciature counsellor, as apostolic nuncio in Bolivia, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Terrassa, Italy in 1953 and was ordained a priest in 1978.

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TO YOUNG PEOPLE: LET THE CROSS BE YOUR SCHOOL OF WISDOM

VATICAN CITY, MAR 24, 2002 (VIS) - This morning in St. Peter's Square the Pope presided at the solemn Palm Sunday Mass which was celebrated by his vicar general, Cardinal Camillo Ruini. Thousands of young people from Rome and other places attended to celebrate the 17th World Youth Day at the diocesan level.

Before Mass, the Pope blessed the olive branches and subsequently the procession took place from the obelisk toward the altar situated in front of St. Peter's basilica. The Holy Father did not take part in the procession due to persistant arthritic pain in his right knee.

In his homily, John Paul II emphasized that the cross was the center of today's liturgy. "You, beloved young people, with your attentive and enthusiastic participation in this solemn celebration, demonstrate that you are not ashamed of the cross. Do not fear Christ's cross. Rather, love it and venerate it because it is the sign of the Redeemor who died and rose from the dead for us."

"The narration of the Passion highlights Christ's fidelity in contrast to human infidelity. ... Man's true strength is found in the fidelity with which he is able to give testimony to the truth, resisting pleasures and threats, misunderstandings and blackmail which may even entail cruel and merciless persecution." As a result, he added, "only if you are willing to do this, you will be what Jesus expects of you, that is, the 'salt of the earth' and 'light of the world'," which is the theme of World Youth Day.

The Holy Father urged young people not to lose "the flavor of being Christians, the flavor of the Gospel. Keep it alive, meditating on the paschal mystery constantly: let the Cross be your school of wisdom. Do not boast of anything else except this sublime subject of truth and love."

"That person whom you have chosen as Teacher," he concluded, "is neither a vendor of illusions, nor a powerful person of this world, nor an astute and clever debater. You know who you have chosen to follow: Christ crucified and resurrected! Christ Who died for us and rose from the dead for us."

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BE INSPIRED BY ETHICAL VALUES, POPE TELLS DOCTORS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 23, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning welcomed a delegation of doctors who are in Rome for a Congress to sensitize public opinion to the problem of the prevention of cancer in the digestive tract. He thanked them for their service and said he hoped their profession "will always be inspired by the perennial ethical values which give it its solid foundation."

The Pope noted "the growing availability of technical and pharmacological resources that allow for quickly discerning, in the majority of cases, the symptoms of cancer and thus intervening with greater rapidity and efficacy." He urged doctors "to continue with trust and tenacity in both research and therapy, using the most advanced scientific resources."

"Certainly," he underlined, "we cannot forget that man is a limited and mortal being. One must approach a patient with a healthy realism that avoids arousing in the person who suffers the illusion of the omnipotence of medicine. There are limits that are not humanly possible to overcome; in these cases one must know how to serenely accept one's own human condition, that the believer knows how to read in the light of the divine will."

John Paul II observed that "the complexity of the human person demands that, in giving the necessary treatments, the spirit, as well as the body, be taken into account. It would be presumptuous to count on technology alone. ... The concept of health, very dear to Christian thought, contrasts with a vision of it that reduces it to a purely psycho-physical equilibrium. Such a vision neglects the spiritual dimensions of the person and would end up jeopardizing the true good."

"Informing citizens with respect and truth, especially when they have pathological conditions, constitutes a true and proper mission for those who care for the public health."

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"UNIV 2002": SERVING OTHERS THROUGH STUDY AND WORK

VATICAN CITY, MAR 25, 2002 (VIS) - The Pope received today in audience in the Paul VI Hall 4,000 students from thirty countries who are participating in the international university congress "UNIV 2002." The theme this year is "work, study and service."
The Pope told the young people who take part in formative activities sponsored by the Opus Dei prelature that "study and work presuppose a personal attitude of availability and gift of self that we call, precisely, service. ... With this opening up to your brothers and sisters, beloved young people, each one of you perfects the fundamental aspects of the mission itself, thanks also to study and work."

He went on to say: "In this sense, how useful are the teachings of Blessed Josemaria Escriva, the centenary of whose birth we celebrate this year! He used to love to highlight on many occasions that in the Gospel Jesus is known as the 'carpenter', even as the 'son of a carpenter'.

"'All the dignity of work," continued the Holy Father, recalling what Blessed Escriva wrote, "is founded in love.'" And he added: "When you are faithful to this spiritual itinerary and you work and study seriously, you will really become the salt of the earth and light of the world", which is the theme of the upcoming World Youth Day. "It is a hard road that often contrasts with the mentality of your contemporaries. It certainly means to go against the grain with respect to the behavior and ways that dominate today."

John Paul II urged the students to resist "the temptation of mediocrity and conformism. Only like this will you be able to make life a gift and a service for humanity; only in this way will you help to heal the wounds and the suffering of so many poor and marginalized people still present in this world of ours which is so technologically advanced."

He concluded by saying: "In order for all this to be possible, it is necessary to make prayer a priority. ... Be men and women of generous activity, but at the same time of profound contemplation of the mystery of God. Make the Eucharist the center of your day."

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JOHN PAUL II PRAYS THE ANGELUS, CIRCLES SQUARE IN PAPAL JEEP

VATICAN CITY, MAR 24, 2002 (VIS) - Following today's Palm Sunday Mass, Pope John Paul prayed the Angelus with an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 people who had gathered in a sun-drenched St. Peter's Square on an unseasonably cold spring day. At the end of the Marian prayer, the Pope, still vested, surprised the faithful by getting into the white papal jeep and circling the square.

In remarks made before reciting the Angelus, the Holy Father referred to the Annunciation, saying that "we now turn to Mary Most Holy, who beneath the cross of her son, confirmed the 'fiat' she uttered at the announcement made by the angel. May she help us to faithfully follow Jesus, imitating the example of our many brothers and sisters who gave to the Gospel the supreme witness of blood. I am thinking in particular of the missionary martyrs being commemorated today in Italy as is traditional. May the Virgin obtain this coherence and this courage in a special way for you young people, called to undertake fundamental choices for your life."

Pope John Paul then greeted the pilgrims in French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and Italian.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 25, 2002 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in audience Jose de Venecia, president of the Filipino Chamber of Congress, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.

On Saturday March 23, the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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ARCHBISHOP MARTIN ADDRESSES U.N. CONFERENCE ON RACISM

VATICAN CITY, MAR 25, 2002 (VIS) - Made public today was a speech given on March 22 by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Holy See permanent observer, during the debate on racial discrimination at the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. The meeting is taking place from March 18 to April 26 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The nuncio remarked that "the events of the past year have brought our attention back to the need for a new vision of how to shape, in our contemporary world, the coexistence of persons, peoples and nations, with their different backgrounds and history."

He went on to say: "The 'moral bankruptcy of racial prejudice and ethnic animosity', to use the words of Pope John Paul II, can only be definitively eliminated through a conscious effort of solidarity and a recognition of the essential unity of the one human family. Terrorism is an affront to human dignity and must be fought vigorously. A fight against terrorism, however, is by definition a right in favor of the rule of law, in favor of relationships between persons and nations that are based on respect for the dignity of every human person and their fundamental human rights."

Archbishop Martin, on the questions of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerances, said that "each generation must say 'no' to racism and construct its 'yes' to seek truth, justice, freedom and love, so that every human person may enjoy his inalienable rights, and every people, peace."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 25, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Erected the diocese of Jhabua (area 22,141, population 4,143,251, Catholics 30,360, priests 46, religious 176), India, with territory taken from the archdioceses of Indore and Udaipur, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan church of Bhopal. He appointed Fr. Chacko Thottumarickal S.V.D., provincial of the Verbite Missionaries in Indore, as first bishop of the new diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Kalloorkad, India in 1949 and was ordained a priest in 1979.

- Appointed Fr. Antonio Palang S.V.D., apostolic administrator of the vicariate of San Jose in Mindoro, Phillipines, as apostolic vicar of the same vicariate. Fr. Palang was born in Concepcion, Phillipines in 1946 and was ordained in 1972.

On Saturday March 23, it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Domingo Diaz Martinez, pastor and vicar for the pastoral in the diocese of Queretaro, Mexico, as bishop of Tuxpan (area 18,850, population 2,000,000,Catholics 1,300,000, priests 77, permanent deacons 3, religious 68), Mexico. Fr. Diaz was born in Bravo, Mexico in 1948 and was ordained a priest in 1977.

- Appointed Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, his special envoy for the closing millennium celebrations in honor of the birth of Pope S. Leone IX, at Eguisheim, France on June 23, 2002.

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POPE GREETS 20,000 IN ROMAN PRELUDE TO WORLD YOUTH DAY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 22, 2002 (VIS) - As a prelude to the Palm Sunday celebration of World Youth Day in local dioceses and the international youth day that will take place in Toronto next July, John Paul and 20,000 young people from the diocese of Rome gathered in St. Peter's Square yesterday to witness to their faith though testimonials, song and prayer.

The young people gathered in the square at 5:30 p.m. and were joined by the Holy Father shortly after 6 p.m. Among the guests last evening were a brother and sister from Canada whose father lost his life in the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City.

The Pope's talk to the young people focussed on the World Youth Day theme, "You are the salt of the earth .... You are the light of the world."

"I understand your difficulties," John Paul II told the young men and women present. "The many proposals that reach your conscience from every angle certainly do not help you to easily see" the plan that Christ has for you. "Is it not perhaps true that some of your peers live for the moment, choosing from time to time what could appear to be the easiest path? Listen to me! If you do not dedicate time to prayer and do not allow yourselves to be helped by a spiritual guide, the world's confusion will suffocate even God's voice."

"You have asked me: 'What do we have to do to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world?' To answer, we must first remember that God created man in His image, giving him as a first and fundamental vocation that of being in communion with Him."

"Precisely because we are created in God's image," the Pope continued, "we have received from Him that great gift of freedom. If it is not used well, however, freedom can distance us from God. It can make us lose that dignity He gave us. When it is not formed by the Gospel, freedom can be transformed into slavery: the slavery of sin and eternal death."

"Young people of the new millennium, do not abuse your freedom! Do not waste the great dignity that has been given to you as Sons of God. Give yourselves only to Christ. ... In this way you will discover that, only in adhering to the will of God can we be the light of the world and the salt of the earth."

Following the Holy Father's talk and the reading of the Gospel, the group of skaters that had opened the celebration lit candles and skated from the raised part of St. Peter's Square in front of the facade down into the square itself.

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PAPAL MESSAGE TO CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ON OCCASION OF BICENTENARY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 22, 2002 (VIS) - Pope John Paul has sent a Message to the Christian Brothers on the occasion of their 29th General Chapter and the celebration this year of the bicentenary of this congregation founded in Ireland by Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice. He thanked them "in the name of the Church for all that the Christian Brothers have done through the course of two centuries in educating the young."

The Holy Father noted that the congregation was founded "at a time of great social upheaval in Europe and deep distress in Edmund Rice's native Ireland." Notwithstanding it was a time of "poverty and persecution," the "great traditions of Irish Catholic life ... flourished in new and remarkable ways when God stirred people like Edmund Rice to take up the task of educating the young, otherwise condemned to a material, intellectual, moral and spiritual poverty which demeaned not only them but an entire society."

The Pope added that Blessed Edmund "was also upholding the way of the Catholic Church, which has always put education at the very heart of her mission to preach the Gospel."

"The flame of faith lit by your Founder burns brightly still," added John Paul II, "and it is now your task to ensure that this 'fire on the earth' is as creative now as it was in the past. At a time when many cultures are experiencing a crisis in communicating religious and moral values to the young, the educational mission entrusted to you is more important than ever. Yet it is also more challenging, for this is a time when, as Pope Paul VI observed, people 'listen more willingly to a witness than to teachers, and if they do listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses'."

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EUCHARISTIC CONGRESSES: EXPERIENCES OF FAITH AND PRAYER

VATICAN CITY, MAR 22, 2002 (VIS) - This morning the Pope received members of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses who gathered during these days with their president, Cardinal Jozef Tomko, in order to plan the committee's activities.

After thanking those present for their effort to "promote Eucharistic devotion in the whole Church", the Holy Father said: "The Eucharistic Congresses constitute important experiences of faith and intense prayer, because they offer the opportunity to many believers to contemplate Christ's face mysteriously hidden in the sacrament of the Eucharistic."

"You know very well," he concluded, "how important eucharistic devotion is for the life of the Church and for spreading the Gospel. The Eucharist contains the most beautiful spiritual good of the Christian community which is the same Christ who sacrificed himself on the cross for the salvation of humanity. Therefore, continue with determination and enthusiasm in this noble work."

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THIRD EDITION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL IS PRESENTED

VATICAN CITY, MAR 22, 2002 (VIS) - Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez and Archbishop Pio Tamburrino, respectively prefect and secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments, presented today the third edition of the Roman Missal in the Holy See Press Office.

Cardinal Medina indicated that the new edition follows editions in 1970 and 1975 and that the decree with which the congregation publishes it was approved by the Holy Father on April 10, 2000. Cardinal Medina said: "The edition that we present is the result of a lot of work of revision and updating which began in 1991 and continued in 1996, years in which the Congregation has celebrated its plenary meetings."

He said that it is "an official, updated edition, to be used for the celebration of the Eucharist in Latin and it forms the immediate base for translations into the national languages."
"The decree of promulgation of this third edition establishes the necessity of a global revision of the missals used up until now through a new presentation of the translated texts to the Holy See for the necessary 'recognitio'," he explained.

This new edition contains some touch-ups and new features in the text of the "Istitio Generalis", that part of the Missal that consists of "a directory about the Eucharistic celebration, with information about its theological, liturgical, pastoral and spiritual character."

Cardinal Medina emphasized that among the new, most relevant developments is "the possibility of administering Holy Communion to the faithful under both species," and that it is "the responsibility of the diocesan bishop to establish norms for his diocese" regarding this issue. In addition, "the diocesan bishop can leave the decision to distribute Holy Communion under both species, outside of the specified cases in which it is not advised, to the discretion of each priest, as pastor of a particular community."

Furthermore, a new chapter (the ninth) was added about liturgical inculturation, in which the "principles and criteria that must be applied when an episcopal conference deems it necessary to introduce in the Missal different adaptations from those anticipated for the same missal" are highlighted. The prefect of the dicastery emphasized that the adaptations "are an exception" and must yield to the "spiritual good of the individual churches, safeguarding the substantial unity of the Roman Rite."

Finally, the cardinal affirmed that various memorials for new saints and patrons, distributed throughout the year, have been included in the universal calendar of the Church. Also, a new Preface for the martyrs has been added, the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary has new formulas and among the votive masses there is now the formula called "De Dei Misericordia."

Archbishop Tamburrino affirmed that this third edition "has taken note of particular adaptations of the Roman Missal in the last thirty years in many local churches through the translations into spoken languages and confirmed by the Holy See. In this sense, the new Roman Missal gathers together some usages already official in the translated Missals and represents a development of the Roman Rite."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 22, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy father today received in audience Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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CARDINAL ADDRESSES PROBLEMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND PEDOPHILIA

VATICAN CITY, MAR 21, 2002 (VIS) - Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, today addressed the questions of sexual abuse and pedophilia during the press conference to present Pope John Paul's Letter to Priests for Holy Thursday 2002.

Following is his entire intervention on these questions:

"With regard to the problems of sexual abuse and pedophile cases, allow me to give a single answer.

"Within the sphere of pan-sexuality and libertinage that have come about in the world, several priests, men of this culture, have committed the extremely serious crime of sexual abuse.

"I wish to emphasize two points:

"There are no comparative statistics with regard to other professions such as doctors, psychiatrists, psychologist, educators, sportsmen and women, journalists, politicians or any other common categories, including parents and relatives. From what we know as the result of one study - among others - published in the book by Professor Philip Jenkins of Pennsylvania State University, about three (3) percent of the American clergy would seem to have tendencies towards the abuse of minors and 0.3 percent of clergy would seem to be pedophiles.

"2. At a moment in which Christian sexual morals and civil sexual morals have suffered a notable slackening worldwide, paradoxically, but also fortunately, over a period of months a sense of rejection and a shared sensitivity with regards to pedophilia has developed, with both penal and economic repercussions regarding compensation for damages.

"What is the attitude of the Catholic Church?

"The Church has always defended public morals and the common good and has intervened in defense of the holiness of the lives of priests, setting up sanctions for these crimes through her canonical laws.

"The Church has never neglected the problem of sexual abuses, above all by sacred ministers, not only towards the faithful in general but in a special way towards minors, for whom our priority is the duty to educate in the faith and Christian morals (cf. the Congregations history dedicated to education and human promotion).

"Already in the 1917 Code of Canon Law, Canon 2359, para 2 stated: 'Se delictum admiserint contra sectum decalogi praeceptum cum minoribus infra aetatem sexdecim annorum ... suspendantur, infames declarentur, quolibet officio, beneficio, dignitate, munere, si quod habeant, priventur, et in casibus gravioribus deponantur'.

"In the revised 1983 Code of Canon Law, there is a precise reference to this problem in Canon 1395, para 2 ('If a cleric has otherwise committed an offense against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue with force or threats or publicly or with a minor below the age of sixteen, the cleric is to be punished with just penalties, including dismissal from the clerical state if the case warrants it') and in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches from 1990, Canon 1435, para 1.

"More recently the Holy Father John Paul II deplored the seriousness of these types of behavior, firmly reminding Bishops and priests to be vigilant in fidelity to their commitment to moral exemplarity, both writing and speaking to the Bishops of the United States of America, and in the Apostolic Exhortation 'Ecclesia in Oceania' where he declared: 'In certain parts of Oceania, sexual abuse by some clergy and religious has caused great suffering and spiritual harm to the victims, It has been very damaging to the life of the Church and has become an obstacle to the proclamation of the Gospel. The Synod Fathers condemned all sexual abuse and all forms of abuse of power, both within the Church and in society as a whole. Sexual abuse within the Church is a profound contradiction of the teaching and witness of Jesus Christ. The Synod Fathers wished to apologize unreservedly to the victims for the pain and disillusionment caused to them. The Church in Oceania is seeking open and just procedures to respond to complaints in this area, and is unequivocally committed to the compassionate and effective care for the victims, their families, the whole community, and the offenders themselves'.

"On April 30, 2001, the Holy Father published the Apostolic Letter 'Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela' with the 'Normae de gravioribus delictis Congregationi pro Doctrina Fidei reservatis' whereby the jurisdiction for a series of grave crimes against the holiness of the Sacraments and against the specific educating mission of sacred Ministers towards the young, including pedophilia, is reserved solely to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

"The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in assuming this special jurisdiction, sent a letter in this regard to the world's Bishops, and accompanies them in undertaking responsibilities in the face of such grave facts, both in order to avoid the risk of any negligence, and for a greater connection and coordination among local Churches and the central government of the Universal Church, with the aim of obtaining a more homogenous behavior on the part of local Churches, while still respecting the diversity of situations and persons.

"With the old norms, one could speak of pedophilia if a cleric had this type of criminal behavior with a minor under the age of 16. This age limit has now been raised to 18. In addition, for this type of crime the precept has been prolonged to ten years and it has been established that this starts when the victim is 18 years old, aside from when the victim underwent the abuse.

"In the norms there is also, shall we say, a kind of element of guarantee. This will serve to distance any danger that the culture of suspicion might win out. A true, regular process for ascertaining facts and for confirming the proof of guilt before a court has been foreseen. Certainly we must insist on the rapidity of such a process. But what must also be insisted on are preliminary investigations that allow cautionary provisions to be taken that prevent the suspected individual from causing further harm.

"The provisions and processes must guarantee the preservation of the sanctity of the Church, the common good and the rights of the victims and those who are guilty.

"The Laws of the Church are serious and severe and were conceived within the apostolic tradition of treating internal things from within, which does not mean in the external public order, nor removing oneself from any civil regulation that is in force in various countries, except for the case of sacramental seal or secrets linked to the exercise of the episcopal ministry and the pastoral common good."

OP;ABUSE; PEDOPHILIA;...;CASTRILLON HOYOS;VIS;20020321;Word: 1100;

POPE JOHN PAUL'S LETTER TO PRIESTS FOR HOLY THURSDAY 2002

VATICAN CITY, MAR 21, 2002 (VIS) - Made public today was the Holy Father's traditional Letter to Priests for Holy Thursday. His message this year focussed on the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but also touched upon two other issues: the lack of peace in the world, and what he called "the sins of some of our brothers who have betrayed the grace of Ordination in succumbing even to the most grievous forms of the 'mysterium iniquitatis' at work in the world."

The Letter to Priests, published in several languages, was signed by Pope John Paul on march 17, the fifth Sunday of Lent.

Following are excerpts from the 19-page document:

"I would like this year to speak to you about an aspect of our mission to which I called your attention last year at this same time. I believe that it warrants further reflection. I mean the mission which the Lord has given us to represent him not just in the Eucharistic Sacrifice but also in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us: 'The Eucharist cannot unite us to Christ without at the same time cleansing us from past sins and preserving us from future sins' (No. 1393). ... 'The Eucharist,' the Catechism continues, 'is not ordered to the forgiveness of mortal sins. That is proper to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. ... 'anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion' (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1385).

"I feel a pressing need to urge you, as I did last year, to rediscover for yourselves and to help others to rediscover the beauty of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In recent decades and for a variety of reasons, this sacrament has passed through something of a crisis. ... (Today, there is a) need for personal contact, something that is becoming increasingly scarce in the hectic pace of today's technological society, but which for this very reason is increasingly experienced as a vital need. Certainly, this need can be met in various ways. But how can we fail to recognize that the Sacrament of Reconciliation ' without confusing it with any of the various forms of psychological therapy ' offers an extraordinarily rich response to this need? It does so by bringing the penitent into contact with the merciful heart of God through the friendly face of a brother."

"I wish to repeat that the usual form of administering this sacrament is its individual celebration, and only in 'cases of grave necessity' is it lawful to employ the communal form with general confession and absolution. The conditions required for this form of absolution are well known; but perhaps we should remember that for absolution to be valid the faithful must have the intention of subsequently confessing their grave sins individually (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1483)."

"Surrounded by a wide variety of pastoral situations, we can sometimes lose heart and motivation because so many Christians pay too little attention to the sacramental life, and even when they do approach the sacraments, they often do so in a superficial way. ... The confessor should not fail to use the sacramental encounter to lead penitents to some grasp of the way in which God is mercifully reaching down to them, stretching out his hand, not to strike but to save."

"The ministry of the confessional ... is a ministry always beset by two opposite extremes: severity and laxity. ... We must always be careful to maintain a proper balance in order to avoid falling into one or the other of these extremes. Severity crushes people and drives them away. Laxity is misleading and deceptive."

"Accordingly, confessors too need to be properly trained for the celebration of this Sacrament. ... Let us also make every effort to keep our theological training truly up-to-date, especially where emerging ethical issues are concerned. It can happen that in the face of complex contemporary ethical problems the faithful leave the confessional with somewhat confused ideas, especially if they find that confessors are not consistent in their judgments."

The Letter concludes: "Dear Priests! Know that I am especially close to you as you gather with your Bishops on this Holy Thursday of the year 2002. We have all experienced a new momentum in the Church at the dawn of the new millennium, in the sense of 'starting afresh from Christ'. We had all hoped that this momentum might coincide with a new era of brotherhood and peace for all humanity. Instead we have seen more bloodshed. Once again we have been witnesses of wars. We are distressed by the tragedy of the divisions and hatreds which are devastating relations between peoples.

"At this time too, as priests we are personally and profoundly afflicted by the sins of some of our brothers who have betrayed the grace of Ordination in succumbing even to the most grievous forms of the 'mysterium iniquitatis' at work in the world. Grave scandal is caused, with the result that a dark shadow of suspicion is cast over all the other fine priests who perform their ministry with honesty and integrity and often with heroic self-sacrifice. As the Church shows her concern for the victims and strives to respond in truth and justice to each of these painful situations, all of us ' conscious of human weakness, but trusting in the healing power of divine grace ' are called to embrace the 'mysterium Crucis' and to commit ourselves more fully to the search for holiness. We must beg God in his Providence to prompt a whole-hearted reawakening of those ideals of total self-giving to Christ which are the very foundation of the priestly ministry."

LIT;PRIESTS; HOLY THURSDAY;...;...;VIS;20020321;Word: 950;

REDISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

VATICAN CITY, MAR 21, 2002 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos and Archbishop Csaba Ternyak, prefect and secretary respectively of the Congregation for Clergy, presented the "Letter of the Holy Father John Paul II to Priests for Holy Thursday, 2002."

Archbishop Ternyak said that the Pope's Letter "has as a central theme the sacrament of Reconciliation, more specifically individual confession. "Perhaps it may be surprising," he said, "that the Pope again touches on a topic already addressed last year."

Cardinal Castrillon highlighted three aspects of the Letter's content; firstly, "the intimate connection of the sacrament of Reconciliation with the Eucharist, 'source and summit of all Christian life'". After emphasizing that the Eucharist "is not ordered to the forgiveness of mortal sins, the letter emphasizes the importance for each priest to rediscover and make all people rediscover the richness of the forgiveness of God."

"Secondly," the cardinal continued, "it is affirmed that sacramental confession is man's very special, personal and redemptive conversation with Christ who forgives. If many people have lost the dimension of good and evil, it is because they have lost the meaning of God, interpreting the offense above all according to psychological and sociological perspectives."

He added: "It is necessary that the announcement of reconciliation, the path of conversation and the celebration itself of the sacrament shine greatly and touch the intimacy of the human heart. ... Priests know that they are good confessors if they themselves are humble and frequent penitents."

The Letter presents in conclusion "the biblical image of Jesus' encounter with Zacchaeus, an admirable manifestation of the divine mercy that prepares and leads the penitent man to sincere, existential conversion: to open oneself up to love, to reparation for the wrong committed and to a firm resolution of new life."

With respect to the problem of serious scandals caused by some priests in various countries, Cardinal Castrillon said that "the Holy Father expresses the concern of the whole Church for the victims of these painful situations and invites all priests to trust in the cleansing power of grace, to embrace the 'mysterium Crucis' and to commit themselves further to seeking sanctity."

OP;LETTER PRIESTS;...;CASTRILLON; TERNYAK;VIS;20020321;Word: 380;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 21, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father nominated Bishop Romulo Emiliani Sanchez C.M.F., apostolic vicar of Darien, Panama, as auxiliary bishop of the diocese of San Pedro Sula in Honduras.

NEA;...;...;... ;VIS;20020321;Word: 40;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 21, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
- Archbishop Joseph Chennoth, apostolic nuncio in the Central African Republic and Chad.
- Cardinal Camillo Ruini, his vicar general for the diocese of Rome and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference.

AP;..;...;...;VIS;20020321;Word: 60;

AUDIENCE: GOD IS THE JOY AND HOPE OF THE LOWLY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 20, 2002 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience, celebrated in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II spoke about the first book of Samuel, in which a sterile woman, Anna, gives birth to Samuel by the grace of God and sings a canticle of thanksgiving to the Lord after offering Him her son.

Mary, who "while remaining a virgin, begets a child by the work of the Holy Spirit", will make Anna's canticle of thanksgiving her own. This is why it is called the "Magnificat of the Old Testament," he said.

The Pope explained that in the hymn, there are two themes which are worth highlighting. "The first theme will be dominant in Mary's Magnificat and this is the change of destiny affected by God. The strong are humiliated, the weak 'invested with strength'; the satiated go in desperate search of food'. ... It is a profession of faith made by the two mothers in relation to the Lord of history, Who comes to the defense of the least, of the miserable and unhappy, and of the offended and humiliated."

"The other theme which we wish to emphasize," he concluded, "is also related to the figure of Anna; 'The sterile woman gives birth seven times, while the mother of many children withers away'. The Lord, Who changes destinies, is the same Lord Who is at the root of life and death. ... A horizon, almost 'paschal', of resurrection is opened up. Isaias will sing: 'Your dead will live again, your bodies will come back to life, those who dwell in dust will awake and give cries of joy; because the luminous dew is your dew, and the earth will cast shadows from its bosom.'"

After the audience, as he greeted the Italian-speaking pilgrims who were present, the Holy Father recalled professor and economist Marco Biagi, "cruelly murdered yesterday in Bologna outside his house, upon returning to work. While I express my spiritual closeness to the family in this moment of tragic sorrow, I elevate my prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased. In firmly deploring this new manifestation of senseless violence, I hope that a climate of understanding is created among the social parties in the dear nation of Italy, for a peaceful solution to the present problems."

AG;FIRST BOOK SAMUEL;...;...;VIS;20020320;Word: 400;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 20, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Felix Lazaro Sh.P., dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and professor of Theology at the Pontifical Catholic University in Puerto Rico, as coadjutor of Ponce (area 2,045, population 604,210, Catholics 483,000, priests 116, permanent deacons 71, religious 277), Puerto Rico. The bishop-elect was born in Logrono, Spain in 1936 and ordained a priest in 1961.

- Accepted the resignation as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, presented by Bishop Joao d'Avila Moreira Lima, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Jozef De Kesel, episcopal vicar of the diocese of Gand, Belgium as auxiliary bishop of Malines-Bruxelles (area 3,700, population 2,514,185, Catholics 1,800,000, priests 2120, permanent deacons 101, religious 4908), Belgium. The bishop-elect was born in Gand, Belgium in 1947 and was ordained a priest in 1965.

- Accepted the resignations presented by Auxiliary Bishops Luc De Hovre and Paul Lanneau of the archdiocese of Malines-Bruxelles upon having reached the age limit.

It was made public on March 19, 2002 that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Julian Lopez Martin of Cuidad Rodrigo, Spain, as bishop of the diocese of Leon (area 9,620, population 319,104, Catholics 316,504, priests 467, permanent deacons 2, religious 1018), Spain. He also accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop Antonio Vilaplana Molina, upon having reached the age limit.

NEC; RE; NEA; NER;...;...;...;VIS;20020320;Word: 240;

JOURNALISTS TO WRITE VIA CRUCIS MEDITATIONS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 20, 2001 (VIS) - This year the texts of the Meditations for the Way of the Cross that the Holy Father presides every Good Friday evening at the Colosseum have been prepared by 14 journalists. Those selected normally cover the Vatican for both print and electronic media and are all accredited to the Holy See Press Office.

The journalists are: John M. Thavis, United States; Alexej M. Bukalov, Russia; Henri Tincq, France; Gregory Burke, United States; Angel Gomez Fuentes, Spain; Erich B. Kusch, Germany; Hiroshi Miyahira, Japan; Jacek Moskwa, Poland; Marina Ricci, Italy; Aura Miguel Vistas, Portugal; Luigi Accattoli, Italy; Sophie De Ravinel, France; Valentina Alazraki, Mexico, and Marie Czernin, Germany.

...;MEDITATIONS; VIA CRUCIS;...;...;VIS;20020320;Word: 120;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Fargo, U.S.A., of Bishop James Stephen Sullivan, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Bishop Samuel J. Aquila, coadjutor of the same diocese.

On Saturday March 16, it was made public that he:

- Appointed Bishop Andre Richard C.S.C., of Bathurst, Canada, as metropolitan archbishop of Moncton (area 12,000, population 185,000, Catholics 105,000, priests 80, religious 356), Canada. The bishop-elect was born in Saint-Ignace, Canada in 1937, ordained a priest in 1963 and consecrated bishop in 1989. He succeeds Archbishop Ernest Leger, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of San Jose de Antique, the Phillipines, presented by Bishop Raul Jose Q. Martirez, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Bishop Romulo T. de la Cruz, coadjutor of the same diocese.

- Appointed Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, as his special envoy to Ravenna for the celebration of the millennium anniversary of the departure of the monks, Sts. Benedict and John, for Eastern Europe where they spread the Gospel, bearing witness to their faith in Christ with their blood. The event, which is called "Ravenna in mission 1001-2001," will take place April 28, 2002.

RE; NER; NA;...;...;...;VIS;20020318;Word: 250;

RECEIVING THE PRIESTHOOD MEANS ALWAYS LIVING CELIBACY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 16, 2002 (VIS) - Made public yesterday afternoon was the Pope's Message addressed to Archbishop Luigi de Magistris, major pro-penitentiary, and to the prelates and officials of the Apostolic Penitentiary.

In this year's Message, the Holy Father emphasizes the efficacy of the Sacrament of Penance as a "beautiful exercise of the virtues" and he urges priests "to personally frequent (confession) as a real help on the path to holiness, and therefore, as a good form of spiritual direction. One can achieve holiness, and in particular priestly holiness, only by habitual, humble and trusting recourse to the Sacrament of Penance."

After recalling Jesus' teaching that the Sacrament of Penance is "irreplaceable for the life of grace," he says: "Therefore, to want to reduce the remission of sins to private and individual contact between the faithful and God is not consistent with the faith."

"In addition," he adds, "the conviction is erroneous of those who conceive of the Sacrament of Penance as something 'supererogatory', although not denying its positive value, because the Lord's forgiveness would have been given 'semel pro semper' on Calvary and therefore, the sacramental application of mercy would not be necessary to regain grace."

Referring to "specific forms of ascetism" to guide the penitent, he adds that these forms "must not be inspired by philosophical or religious concepts contrary to the Christian truth. For example, those concepts which reduce a human being to an element of nature, or on the contrary, exalt him to one who possesses absolute freedom. One could easily recognize, above all in this last case, a renewed form of Pelagianism."

"The Sacrament of Penance is the main instrument for discerning one's vocation. In order to continue toward the goal of the priesthood, solid and mature virtue is necessary, which guarantees in the future, as far as humanly possible, a solid perspective of perseverance."

"For this reason," he concludes, "those who are responsible for authorizing a candidate to join the priesthood must be 'hic et nunc' certain of his real suitability for the post. If this applies to all virtues and moral habits, it is clear that it is all the more necessary in the case of chastity, given that when the candidate receives holy orders, he must live in perpetual celibacy."

MESS;CONFESSION;...;APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY ;VIS;20020318;Word: 390;

POPE'S SORROW UPON THE DEATH OF ARCHBISHOP OF CALI

VATICAN CITY, MAR 17, 2002 (VIS) - After praying the noon Angelus today with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope announced that last evening Archbishop Isaias Duarte Cancino of Cali, Colombia was assassinated, and he called for prayers for peace in that country.

"From Colombia," he said, "the sad news arrives of the death of Msgr. Isaias Duarte Cancino, archbishop of Cali, cruelly murdered when he was leaving Good Shepherd Parish, after having celebrated several weddings. A generous and brave pastor in the proclamation of the Good News, he has paid a high price for the energetic defense of human life, his firm opposition to all types of violence and his dedication to social action based on the roots of the Gospel. As I elevate my prayers for the repose of the soul of the deceased prelate, I express my closeness to the Colombian Church which mourns this tragic loss, and I urge Colombians once again to forge ahead by means of dialogue, rejecting all types of violence, blackmail and kidnapping, and committing themselves firmly to authentic paths to peace."

John Paul II then remarked that, in coming days, the International Conference for the Financing of Development will take place in Monterrey, Mexico. He asked for prayers so that the "international community knows how to respond with generous and determined commitment to the immense needs of so many brothers that live in poverty that offends the dignity of man."

ANG;MURDER ARCHBISHOP COLOMBIA;...;...;VIS;20020318;Word: 260;

ANGELUS: ST. JOSEPH MASTER OF FAITH AND MILDNESS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 17, 2002 (VIS) - At midday today, fifth Sunday of Lent, the Pope appeared at the window of his private study overlooking St. Peter's Square, in order to pray the angelus with the faithful gathered below.

John Paul II recalled that Tuesday is the Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary and patron of the Universal Church. "The extreme discretion with which St. Joseph carried out the role that God entrusted to him gives evidence, above all, of his faith. This faith consisted in his being docile to the Lord, in seeking to understand His will so as to obey with all his heart and strength."

"Faith, nourished by prayer: This is the most precious treasure that St. Joseph transmits to us. His example has been followed by generations of parents who, with the example of a simple and industrious life, have engraved in their children's souls the priceless mark of faith, without which all other wealth risks becoming worthless. Here and now I would like to give my assurance of a special prayer for all fathers on the day dedicated to them. I ask God that they be men of robust interior life in order to fulfill in an exemplary fashion their mission in the family and in society."

The Holy Father announced that on Thursday afternoon, March 21 he will meet with young people in St. Peter's Square in preparation for Palm Sunday and World Youth Day, and he addressed an invitation to boys and girls from all parishes and dioceses to join him there.

ANG;ST JOSEPH;...;...;VIS;20020318;Word: 270;

PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR CULTURE CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 16, 2002 (VIS) - Pope John Paul today received the members of the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Culture which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary. "Pursue with renewed zeal," he said, "your relations with cultures, in order to create bridges among men, to witness to Christ and to make our brothers receptive to the Gospel."

The Pope highlighted how, in 1993, this pontifical council and the Council for Dialogue with Non-believers were joined as one council with the goals of promoting "the study of the problems of non-belief and religious indifference present in various forms in various cultural milieux" and helping the Church "in the evangelization of cultures and the inculturation of the Gospel."

The Holy Father noted that cultural milieux today "are often strangers to any spiritual or interior dimensions" and exist "in situations basically dominated by material aspects. Now, more than in any other period of history, there is without doubt a rupture in the process of transmission of moral and religious values between generations, which leads to a sort of heterogeneity between the Church and the modern world."

John Paul II underscored how families and educational institutions encounter special difficulties in their "heavy task of transmitting to younger generations the human, moral and spiritual values that will allow them to become men and women anxious to lead worthy personal lives and to engage in the life of society."

He likewise emphasized that "the phenomenon of globalization, which today has become a cultural fact, constitutes both a difficulty and an opportunity." Difficulties occur when there is an oversimplification or levelling of cultures, communities and ethnic identities, giving all equal value. A positive side occurs when globalization "lowers barriers among cultures and offers persons occasions to meet and become acquainted." He urged the leaders of nations "to respect what is proper to individuals and cultures in order to guarantee the good of persons and peoples."

"The Church," the Pope concluded, "does not seek to take the place of those in charge of public affairs, but she does hope to have her own place in debating questions."

CON-C;PLENARY; ANNIVERSARY;...;...;VIS;20020318;Word: 360;

ITALIAN REGIONAL SEMINARY CELEBRATES 90TH ANNIVERSARY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning welcomed the rector, priests, teachers and seminarians of the St. Pius X Regional Seminary of Catanzaro, in southern Italy, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the seminary's founding.

"You, who do you say that I am?" asked the Pope. "This is the question that Jesus asked those rather special seminarians, the Apostles. And He asks this same question of each of you, called to be evangelizers in the region of Calabria." He recalled his visit to Catanzaro and this seminary in 1984 and said that the words he spoke then are still current today: "'The more people become dechristianized and the more they become prey to uncertainty and indifference, the more they need to see in priests that radical faith that is like a lighthouse in the night or like a rock to which they can cling to'."

John Paul II stressed that a seminary must be "a place of silence" and "a house of prayer" where those who will be future priests can have an intimate encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ Who will prepare them "to become teachers of the faith."

"The period of formation in the seminary," he went on, must be "a special time of silence and awaiting, of poverty and communion, of research for God and love for one's brothers, especially for the least of these, making the seminary community a privileged expression of the Church, the 'seed and beginning' on the earth of the Kingdom of Christ and God."

The Pope closed his remarks by recalling that tomorrow is the solemnity of St. Joseph who, he noted, "shines in the Church for his singular vocation lived in silence, in an attentive search for God's loving plan and in total dedication to Christ."

AC;ANNIVERSARY SEMINARY;...;CATANZARORO;VIS;20020318;Word: 300;

TELEGRAM FOR THE MURDER OF ARCHBISHOP OF CALI

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2002 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano sent a telegram of condolences in the Pope's name to Archbishop Alberto Giraldo Jaramillo of Medellin, president of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia, for the murder on March 16 of Archbishop Isaias Durate Cancino of Cali:

"Recalling the figure of this valiant and generous pastor who was so decidedly committed to the service of God, the Church and his fellow man, and so concerned with favoring peace and justice for his people who, for so many years, have been tried by conflicts that still afflict them and give rise to so many deaths, kidnappings and all kinds of suffering, the Pope wishes to encourage the Church on her pilgrim journey in that country not to allow herself to be overcome by despair and the difficulties of her mission in proclaiming the Gospel of life and peace; bringing it to society through a commitment to building more fraternal, united and peaceful forms of co-existence. Moreover, in reiterating his firm condemnation of any attack on human life and dignity, he calls on the Almighty to help the authorities and people of Colombia to start decisively down the path that leads to true peace, the fruit of justice, of dialogue and of respect for the fundamental rights of each human being."

TGR;MURDER ARCHBISHOP CALI;...;SODANO;VIS;20020318;Word: 230;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, dean of the College of Cardinals.
- Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, and an entourage, for the presentation of the new Roman Missal published by his dicastery.

On Saturday March 16, he received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla, apostolic nuncio in Nigeria.
- Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, permanent observer to the Office of the United Nations and Specialized Institutions in Geneva, Switzerland and to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

AP;...;...;...;VIS;20020318;Word: 70;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 15, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Raphael Marie Ze, of Sangemelina, Cameroon, as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Ebolowa-Kribi (area 27,280, population 324,000, Catholics 216,000, priests 64, permanent deacons 2, religious 52), Cameroon. He also accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop Jean-Baptiste Ama, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Msgr. Krzysztof Nitkiewicz, official at the Congregation for Oriental Churches, as under-secretary of the same congregation.

NA; RE;...;...;ZE; AMA; NITKIEWICZ ;VIS;20020315;Word: 90;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 15, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Bruno Musaro, apostolic nuncio in Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles, and apostolic delegate in the Comore Islands, with the function of apostolic delegate in Reunion Island.
- Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, apostolic nuncio in Bangladesh.
- Catherine Bertini, executive director of the World Food Program, and an entourage.
- Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

AP;...;...;...;VIS;20020315;Word: 80;

"RENEWAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT," A GIFT FOR THE CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 2002 (VIS) - At midday today, the Pope received representatives of the group "Renewal of the Holy Spirit", on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of their presence in Italy.

In his address, John Paul II indicated that the group "can be considered a special gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church in these times. Born in and for the Church, it is a movement in which, by the light of the Gospel, one may experience the living encounter with Jesus, faithfulness to God in personal and community prayer, trust in His word, the rediscovery of the Sacraments, as well as courage in trials and hope in tribulations."

The Pope went on to say: "On this special occasion, I would like to bless especially three of your projects:" the foundation of "a missionary community linked to the diocese of Chisinau, Moldavia; ... spiritual animation in Marian sanctuaries, ... that gives you the opportunity to help pilgrims to deepen their faith and engage in spiritual reflection" and the "'Burning bush' project, which is an invitation to incessantly adore, day and night," the eucharistic mystery.

The Pope concluded by emphasizing that all their evangelizing activities "tend to promote a constant growth of holiness in the people of God. ... The Church needs saints, and the more we allow the Holy Spirit to make us like Christ, the more saintly we and the world become. This is the secret of the regenerating experience of the 'effusion of the Holy Spirit,' a typical experience that characterizes the path of growth proposed by the members of your groups and communities."

AC;...;...;RENEWAL HOLY SPIRIT;VIS;20020314;Word: 280;

DIPLOMACY MUST BE AT THE SERVICE OF INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 2002 (VIS) - This morning, John Paul II received the Letters of Credence of Seo Hyun-Seop, the new ambassador of Korea to the Holy See. In his address, the Pope recalled the "splendid hospitality" shown him by the Korean people during his two visits to that country in 1984 and 1989.

"Your land," he said to the ambassador, "is at a very delicate stage of relations between North and South, and we must hope that the recent evidence of goodwill and progress ... will be allowed to mature and will not be hampered by concerns not directly related to the wellbeing of the Korean people as a whole." John Paul II then went on to mention the "significant shift on the peninsula as the governments of Seoul and Pyongyang move towards the reconciliation of the entire Korean nation, whatever form the political settlement may eventually take."

He then spoke on the international situation, affirming that its "shifting configuration ... presents a great challenge to diplomacy's function and mission. ... Because of changes in the relationship between business and government, for instance, foreign relations and trade often merge. This is perhaps inevitable, but it runs the risk of focussing merely on the economy and reducing relations between nations and peoples to commercial transactions. ... Diplomacy needs to uphold its high ideal of serving the integral development of peoples and the common good of the entire human family."

The Pope concluded by recalling that "the Catholic Church is present and active in the international forum," and that "at the heart of the Church there lies an ethic of communion between individuals, peoples and their communities and institutions." Her long experience of this ethic is what gives the Church "expertise in the workings of that dialogue and solidarity so necessary at this critical time in history."

CD;CREDENCE;...;KOREA; HYUN-SEOP;VIS;20020314;Word: 310;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- As consultors of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints: Msgrs. Mario Sensi; Demetrio Salachas, and Francesco Tasciotti. Frs. Mykhaylo Havryliv O.S.B.M.; Porfirio Pidrucnyj O.S.B.M.; Zbigniew Suchecki O.F.M. Conv.; Luigi Borriello O.C.D.; Germano Marani S.J.; Adam Owcrazski O.SS.R. and Giorgio Rossi S.D.B. Gaetano Passarelli.

- Msgr. Ryszard Selejdak, official of the Congregation for Catholic Education, as bureau chief of the same congregation.

- Msgr. Michael Xavier Leo Arokiaraj, notary of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, as head of the chancellery of the same tribunal.

- Josep M. Cullell, president of the "Hospitalidad de Nuestra Senora de Lourdes de Barcelona", Spain, as international reviser of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

NA;...;...;...;VIS;20020314;Word: 140;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Karl-Josef Rauber, apostolic nuncio in Hungary and Moldavia.
- Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, archbishop of Westminster, Great Britain and president of the Bishop's Conference of England and Wales, accompanied by Archbishop Patrick Altham Kelly of Liverpool and Msgr. Andrew Summersgill, respectively vice-president and secretary general of the same conference.

- Frere Roger, prior of Taize, and an entourage.

AP;...;...;...;VIS;20020314;Word: 70;

ARCHBISHOP FOLEY ATTENDS VARIOUS MEETINGS IN THE U.S.A.

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 2002 (VIS) - Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, is presently in the U.S.A. where, between March 12 and 18, he is attending various meetings.

Yesterday, the archbishop celebrated Mass at the St. Charles Seminary in Philadelphia. In his homily, he said that against "the sad days" the Church is experiencing due to charges of sexual abuse against the clergy, "our best defense is virtue." He went on: "We truly need holy priests, priests who are pure in thought, word and deed; priests who are men of prayer; priests who are generous in service; priests who are self-giving, self-sacrificing; priests who are dedicated to making known the saving knowledge and love of Jesus."

Archbishop Foley also made a speech yesterday to the National Press Club in Washington D.C. where his subject was ethics in the media.

"The priest and communications" is the title of the address the archbishop is due to make today at the Seminary of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois. Tomorrow he will celebrate the Eucharist in the seminary and make an address on "ethics and ingenuity: a challenge to influence and evangelize through the media."

...;MEETINGS;...;U.S.A.; FOLEY;VIS;20020314;Word: 220;

TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL BILLE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II sent a telegram of condolence to the diocesan administrator of Lyon, France, upon learning of the death yesterday at the age of 64 of Cardinal Louis-Marie Bille, archbishop of that archdiocese.

The Pope writes that the late cardinal was a "passionate servant of Christ, in Whom ... he placed his faith, and a passionate servant of the local churches entrusted to his pastoral care. In Laval, Aix-en-Provence, and later as Primate of Gaul, he gave himself entirely to the mission he received from the Lord. He knew how to break with simplicity the bread of the Word for the faithful, helping them to discover its richness. A man of exalted spirituality, attentive to promoting unity in all things and to serving the truth of the Gospel. He demonstrated tireless zeal in his role as president of the French Bishops' Conference. ... I would like to assure the faithful and clergy of the archdiocese of Lyon of my spiritual closeness in this painful moment, invoking God's grace upon them. I entrust the family and loved ones of Cardinal Bille, as well as the whole diocesan community of Lyon, to the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Fourviere."

TGR;DEATH BILLE;...;LYON;VIS;20020313;Word: 220;

JOHN PAUL II APPEALS FOR PEACE IN HOLY LAND

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 2002 (VIS) - At the close of today's general audience, the Pope greeted a group of representatives from the three monotheistic religions of the Holy Land who recently gathered in Alexandria, Egypt, where they issued the First Alexandria Declaration of the Religious Leaders of the Holy Land. Among those present were Rabbi Michael Melchior, deputy minister of foreign affairs of Israel; His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem and Sheikh Talal El Sider, minister of the Palestinian National Authority.

"We are all saddened," said the Pope, "by the daily instances of violence and death in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Our mission as men and women of religion impels us to pray for peace, to proclaim peace and to do everything in our power to help bring an end to the bloodshed.

"I reiterate the firm determination of the Catholic Church to work for a just peace. May Almighty God bless your efforts to foster reconciliation and trust between all the beloved people of the Holy Land."

AG;PEACE APPEAL;...;HOLY LAND;VIS;20020313;Word: 180;

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 2002 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father spoke about Psalm 76, "God r

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 2002 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father spoke about Psalm 76, "God renews the wonders of His love."

John Paul II affirmed that Psalm 76 begins with the dramatic tone of someone who is afraid as he faces the difficulties of a new day and thinks that God has forgotten him. "The Psalmist asks why the Lord rejects him, why He has changed His countenance and His way of acting, forgetting love, the promise of salvation and tender mercy."

In the second part of the plea "there are reasons for hope," said the Pope, "the bitter present is illuminated by the past experience of salvation. ... Professing faith in works of salvation of the past leads to faith in that which the Lord constantly is. This, consequently, leads to faith in the present. ... In this way, the present, which seemed hopeless and without light, is illuminated by faith in God and opened up to hope."

"Recalling at the end that God guided his people 'as a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron,' the Psalmist implicitly conveys us to one certainty: that God will return to guide us toward salvation. His powerful and invisible hand will be with us through the visible hand of the shepherds and guides designated by Him."

At the end of the audience, the Holy Father greeted, among others, the faithful who were carrying the "Benedictine Torch" of peace, that left the United States of America this year, after having been lit by Cardinal Edward Egan, archbishop of New York. He concluded by saying, "as a symbol of peace, this torch today rests among the tombs of the apostles, and will continue its path toward Norcia, Italy. I hope that such a moving initiative provokes a generous commitment to solidarity and peace."

AG;PSALM 76;...;...;VIS;20020313;Word: 320;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Palm Beach, U.S.A., presented by Bishop Anthony J. O'Connell, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, presented by Auxiliary Bishop Narbal da Costa Stencel, upon having reached the age limit.

RE;...;...;O'CONNELL; DA COSTA ;VIS;20020313;Word: 80;

PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN TOURISM

VATICAN CITY, MAR 12, 2002 (VIS) - Msgr. Piero Monni, Holy See permanent observer to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), will speak on March 16 in Berlin, Germany, during the 10th meeting of the task force to protect children from sexual exploitation in tourism.

According to a communique of the WTO, the present state of tourism in the world will be examined in the meeting. In addition, a strategic plan of action will be developed by the WTO task force to protect children from the sexual exploitation associated with the tourism industry. The issues already examined in the second World Congress against Sexual Exploitation of Children (Yokohama, Japan, December 2000) will be revisited.

The problem of pederasty and of sexual tourism will also be addressed during the presentation of a book written by Msgr. Monni, entitled "L'Archipelago della Vergogna. Turismo sessuale e Pedofilia" (The Archipelago of Shame. Sexual Tourism and Pedophilia). The permanent observer expressed his belief that "the root of this unseemly trade and of all forms of exploitation is always and everywhere the same: a deviated perception of another as an inferior being. Where there is destitution and a lack of respect for the dignity of the person, the forms of exploitation increase."

...;SEXUAL EXPLOITATION;...;GERMANY; MONNI;VIS;20020312;Word: 220;

TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL KUHARIC

VATICAN CITY, MAR 12, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II sent a telegram of condolence to Archbishop Josip Bozanic of Zagreb, Croatia, upon learning of the death of Cardinal Franjo Kuharic, emeritus of that same archdiocese, yesterday at the age of 82.

The Pope writes that the deceased cardinal "knew how to serve with wisdom and faithfulness the people of God who were entrusted to his pastoral care. During the time of the communist regime as well as during the recent troubled period of national history, he committed himself with all his energy to defending the liberty and the dignity of the Croatian people. ... A man completely dedicated to the cause of the Gospel, he gave a coherent testimony of Christ, tirelessly instilling confidence and courage in the faithful during the trying times to which the Croatian land has been subjected."

TGR;DEATH KUHARIC;...;BOZANIC;VIS;20020312;Word: 150;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 12, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, major archbishop of Lviv of the Ukrainians, Ukraine, accompanied by an entourage.

AP;...;...;... ;VIS;20020312;Word: 30;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 9, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop John Njue of Embu, Kenya, as coadjutor archbishop of Nyeri (area 16,529, population 1,867,606, Catholics 658,502, priests 116, religious 234), Kenya. The archbishop-elect was born in Embu in 1944, ordained a priest in 1973 and consecrated a bishop in 1986.

NEC;...;...;NJUE;VIS;20020311;Word: 50;

GIVE TESTIMONY OF LIFE WITH APOSTOLIC AUDACITY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 9, 2002 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received 1200 faithful of different dioceses in Poland in the Paul VI Hall, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the reorganization of the administrative structures of the Church in that country.

The Pope expressed his desire that this restructuring of the ecclesiastical provinces encourage "the organization of meetings in the inter-diocesan context, in order to face and resolve, as a community, the questions that cannot be the immediate concern of the plenary assemblies of the episcopal conference." In addition, he requested that this form of collaboration help "to develop a pastoral program that responds to the demands of the new evangelization and the challenges of time and place."

He underlined: "Today it is more necessary than ever to give testimony with one's own life, energetically and with apostolic zeal. It is necessary for the bishops to be close to their faithful and the faithful to their bishops. Let this goal be the object of your petition, prayer and reflection!"

The Holy Father referred to the priests saying: "may they embark on their pastoral mission with zeal in the new dioceses in which they work, which are often far from their homes." He also asked the bishops to take special care with the permanent intellectual and spiritual formation of the priests.

He concluded by saying: "During the second half of the past century, the lay faithful in Poland gave proof time and again of a spirit of sacrifice and of a sincere love for the Church. I pray to God that they continue this beautiful tradition and that they undertake with new determination their evangelical tasks, occupying their rightful place in the Church and in the life of society; the place due to them by virtue of their specific vocation and of the holy sacraments."

AC;STRUCTURAL CHURCH REORGANIZATION;...;...;VIS;20020311;Word: 320;

NEW AMBASSADOR OF ECUADOR PRESENTS LETTERS OF CREDENCE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 11, 2002 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received the Letters of Credence of the new ambassador of Ecuador to the Holy See, Marcelo Fernandez de Cordoba.

In his address, the Pope made reference to the importance of the education of new generations in order that they may have "access to an integral formation, in which humanist and technical knowledge is accompanied by moral values and exposure to the transcendent and religious dimension of life, respecting scrupulously the right of families to choose the type of education for their children."

John Paul II affirmed that, in light of the economic crisis that Ecuador is facing, the Church "is doing, and will continue to do, everything possible to remain close to the Ecuadorian people, providing every type of help that she possibly can especially to those most in need, who are often also those most forgotten when it comes to distributing available resources."

After noting that a consequence of the economic crisis has been the emigration of many citizens to other countries, he emphasized that this problem is compounded by that of "cultural upheaval, the risk of religious disorientation, ... and the painful break-up of the family nucleus; without forgetting the unfortunate consequences of so much illegal immigration ... For this reason, we must combat the circumstances that seem to force so many citizens to leave their homeland."

The Pope ended by indicating that the "recent initiatives for dialogue between State authorities and different ethnic groups - which are aimed at improving understanding and achieving better participation in the life and resources of the nation - are a sign of hope that must be continued. Following this path, Ecuador can become an example and a promoter of coexistence and peace in the Andean region. Dialogue ... is always the most appropriate way to resolve serious internal and external problems, thus obtaining the desired fruits for the good of all the Ecuadorian people."

CD;LETTERS OF CREDENCE;...;ECUADOR; FERNANDEZ;VIS;20020311;Word: 330;

ANGELUS: CHRIST, THE LIGHT THAT TRANSFORMS SIN

VATICAN CITY, MAR 10, 2002 (VIS) - This morning, prior to praying the angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II recalled that the blind man mentioned by St. John in today's Gospel, "represents man, marked by sin, who wishes to know the truth about himself, ... but who is prevented from doing so by congenital sickness."
He went on: "Only Jesus can cure him. ... By entrusting themselves to Him, all human beings, spiritually blind since birth, have the chance 'to come to the light' once more, in other words, to be born to supernatural life."

Then, quoting the Gospel which speaks of the Pharisees' refusal to recognize the miracle of Jesus' curing the blind man because it was performed on a Saturday, the Pope said: "For those who meet Jesus, there are no half measures: or we recognize that we need Him and His light, or we chose to do without. In this latter case, it is one and the same presumption that prevents both those who feel they are righteous before God and those who consider themselves as atheist, from opening themselves to true conversion.

"May no one," he concluded, "close their soul to Christ! To those who accept Him, He gives the light of faith; a light that can transform hearts and, consequently, mentalities and the social, political and economic situations that are dominated by sin."

ANG;...;...;...;VIS;20020311;Word: 240;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 11, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Daniel Hays, president of the Canadian Senate, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.

On Saturday March 9, he received in separate audiences:

- Ayatollah Mehdi Karrubi, President of the Consultative Islamic Assembly of Iran, accompanied by an entourage.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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RELIGIOUS BELIEF IS THE ANTIDOTE TO VIOLENCE AND CONFLICT

VATICAN CITY, MAR 11, 2002 (VIS) - The Pope wrote a message to Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio in Cyprus, for his participation in a meeting being held in Nicosia, Cyprus, convened by the Cultural Foundation of the Holy Monastery of Kykkos 'Archangelos,' in collaboration with the department of communication and mass media of the Panteion University in Athens. The message, written in English, bears the date of March 6, 2002.
"The theme of the meeting, dialogue between religions and cultures," writes the Pope, "is most timely. It carries with it the challenge to foster practical ways of improving understanding among peoples, and thus forms the basis upon which to face many of the problems burdening the human family at the beginning of this millennium. The tyranny of injustice, egoism and prejudice can only be defeated by a far-reaching resurgence of the human spirit in individual hearts and in relations between the peoples of the world.

"It is my heartfelt prayer that the meeting in Nicosia will show that there is no basis, either in theory or in practice, for any discrimination between individual and individual or between people and people; all share the same human dignity and the rights which flow from it."

The Pope concludes by recalling the meeting of leaders of the world's religions at Assisi, Italy, on January 24 "to pray for peace and to commit themselves to serving the cause of peace. They wished to show that genuine religious belief is an inexhaustible wellspring of mutual respect and harmony among peoples; indeed it is the chief antidote to violence and conflict."

MESS;DIALOGUE CULTURE; RELIGION;...;NICOSIA; SAMBI;VIS;20020311;Word: 280;

CATHOLICS AND ORTHODOX: BEAR WITNESS TO CHRISTIAN HERITAGE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 11, 2002 (VIS) - At midday today, the Pope received members of the delegation of the Greek-Orthodox Church sent by His Beatitude Christodoulos, archbishop of Athens and all Greece, who are taking part in a series of work meetings in Rome from March 8 to 13.

In his address in French, the Holy Father said that "personal and reciprocal acquaintance, exchange of information and a sincere dialogue on ways to establish relations between our Churches, are the indispensable condition for us to be able to advance in a spirit of ecclesial fraternity. They also represent the essential condition for instituting a form of collaboration that will enable Catholic and Orthodox together to offer a living witness of their common Christian heritage."

He continued: "We have the duty to transmit this Christian patrimony that we have inherited. For this reason, it is ever more urgent for Christians to offer society an exemplary image of their common behavior, rooted in faith, and for them together to seek solutions to the great ethical problems raised by the sciences and to the attitude that seeks to render abstract or even deny all reference to man's transcendental dimension."

John Paul II underlined that "our responsibility consists of tending to the 'ecumenism of sanctity'." This "will carry us, with the help of God, toward full communion, which does not mean absorption or fusion, but an encounter in truth and love. We must go deeper in our collaboration and work together in order to make the voice of the Gospel resonate strongly in this Europe of ours, where the Christian roots of the people must be revived."

After affirming that Catholics and Orthodox "are united in the proclamation of the 'Kerygma' of the Resurrection," he said, "this proclamation that we wish to make together will give the men and women of today a reason to live and hope; our desire to seek communion among ourselves will also inspire an appropriate model of coexistence in civil societies."

AC;COMMUNION;...;GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH;VIS;20020311;Word: 340;

DELEGATION OF HOLY SYNOD OF GREEK-ORTHODOX CHURCH VISITS ROME

VATICAN CITY, MAR 8, 2002 (VIS) - According to a communique made public today, a delegation from the Holy Synod of the Greek-Orthodox Church, sent by the archbishop of Athens, His Beatitude Christodoulos, will take part in a series of work meetings in Rome, from March 8 to 13.

The visit, which follows an invitation from Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, "comes in the wake of Pope John Paul II's visit to Greece last year." The six-man delegation is headed by the metropolitan of Athikia, Panteleimon, a member of the synodal committee for inter-Orthodox and inter-Christian relations.

The delegation from the Orthodox Church of Greece is to participate in a number of meetings that, says the communique, will take place within the framework "of current developments in the European Union on a theme that also emerged during last year's apostolic visit to Greece: Christian heritage and European identity. This theme will facilitate the consideration of various problems, such as those concerning justice and peace, religious freedom, the family, inter-religious dialogue, culture, formation, religious indifference and secularization, human mobility, bioethics etc."

"The members of the Holy Synod will meet with representatives of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, with the secretary for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State and with the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. They will also visit the basilicas of St. Peter's, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, and will take part in a liturgical celebration in Rome's Greek-Orthodox church of St. Andrew.

His Beatitude Christodoulos, in announcing that the delegation would be sent to Rome, said: "Cooperation and collaboration in facing questions and problems of common interest, is a path that will gradually dispel the mistrust and suspicion of the past and lead to reciprocal trust being established between us, with the intention of overcoming ecclesiological and dogmatic differences; differences that prevent both union and the common prayer that derives from and is the culmination of that union. ... The visit of our delegation is an important step in this direction and we pray that it may have a positive effect, not only in promoting our reciprocal collaboration but also in safeguarding the Christian identity of Europe."

...;GREEK HOLY SYNOD;...;CHRISTODOULOS; KASPER;VIS;20020308;Word: 400;

POPE RECEIVES DELEGATION FROM "TRA NOI" MOVEMENT

VATICAN CITY, MAR 8, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II today received a delegation from the "Tra Noi" Movement, founded fifty years ago by the Italian priest Fr. Sebastiano Plutino in order to help female domestic workers who come to Rome from poorer provinces in Italy.

Noting that the visit coincided with International Women's Day, the Pope emphasized that, from the beginning, the "Tra Noi" Movement had dedicated "all its energy to the human and religious promotion of the woman. ... I take advantage of this opportunity to express my spiritual closeness to women facing difficulty, in the hope that there are always people willing to help them so that they may fully realize their legitimate aspirations."

"I invite you to look with hope to the prospects that open before you. Old and new social orders which are in danger and marginalized, await your service. For example, immigrants, the elderly with problems and young people in search of solid points of reference."

"Spreading the 'spirituality of acceptance,' you can be the architects of an authentic and universal fraternity, where every human being feels welcome without the distinction of social class, religion, culture or nationality."

The Pope concluded by referring to the "family" and "youth" projects of the "Tra Noi" Movement; He urged them to foster "among the new generations an open and accepting mind," and he insisted on the necessity to "maintain daily, living contact with God because ... only men and women of prayer can be craftsmen of effective social and apostolic action."

AC;...;...;TRA NOI MOVEMENT ;VIS;20020308;Word: 260;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 8, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Pablo Puente, apostolic nuncio in Great Britain.
- Archbishop Romulo Garcia of Bahia Blanca, Argentina, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Nestor Hugo Navarro, on their "ad limina" visit.

AP; AL;...;...;... ;VIS;20020308;Word: 40;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 7, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Paolo Giglio, apostolic nuncio.
- Four prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Argentina, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Jorge Luis Lona of San Luis.
- Bishop Juan Horacio Suarez of San Gregorio de Laferrere.
- Bishop Fernando Carlos Maletti of San Carlos de Bariloche.
- Bishop Cipriano Garcia Fernandez O.S.A. of Cafayate.

AP; AL;...;...;... ;VIS;20020307;Word: 70;

ARCHBISHOP FOLEY: MASS FOR U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY CHOIR

VATICAN CITY, MAR 7, 2002 (VIS) - Tomorrow at the altar of the cathedra in St. Peter's Basilica, Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, will celebrate Mass for the Women's Chorus of the U.S. Naval Academy.

...;MASS WOMEN'S CHOIR;...;FOLEY;VIS;20020307;Word: 50;

CONVERSION AND FORGIVENESS RESTORE HARMONY TO THE COSMOS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 6, 2002 (VIS) - This morning in the Paul VI Hall, the pilgrims who participated in the general audience listened to the catechesis prepared by the Pope, who was not present due to the advice of his doctors regarding persistent pains in his right knee.

After the audience, the faithful went to St. Peter's Square, where Pope John Paul II greeted the crowd and imparted his blessing from his private study.

The topic of this Wednesday's general audience was Psalm 64, the "joy of God's creatures for His providence", which introduces the theme of the forgiveness of sins and the acceptance by God.
The Pope writes: "In the Bible, creation is the seat of humanity and sin is an attack on the order and perfection of the world. Conversion and forgiveness, therefore, restore integrity and harmony to the cosmos."

The Holy Father affirms that "God, Who dispels chaos and sin from the world and from history, can overcome and forgive the evil and sin that the believer carries within himself and presents in the temple, confident of the divine purification."

He continues: "All creatures make their way to their Creator and King as though in procession, dancing and singing, giving praise to the Lord and praying. Once again, nature is converted into an eloquent sign of divine action."

The Pope concludes by noting that "the most intense encounter to which the Psalmist refers in his canticle is that which unites creation and redemption. Just as the earth comes to life again in spring due to the act of the Creator, so also man is saved from sin by the act of Redemption."

At 11:30 a.m., the Holy Father appeared at the window of his private study and said to those present: "Thank you for your visit and for your prayers for my quick recovery. We have meditated on the Word of God, taken from Psalm 64, which invites us not to depend on what the world promises but to consider rather what the Creator of the world promises. With these feelings, I urge you to always place your trust in divine providence, source of peace and serenity. Let us continue our Lenten journey with our gaze fixed on Christ." The Pope then sang the Our Father and imparted his apostolic blessing.

AG;PSALM 64;...;...;VIS;20020306;Word: 400;