Friday, November 29, 2002

PONTIFICAL URBAN UNIVERSITY: SENSITIVITY TO DIFFERENT CULTURES


VATICAN CITY, NOV 29, 2002 (VIS) - Today in the Paul VI Hall the Holy Father received participants in a congress promoted by the Pontifical Urban University which is celebrating both the 40th anniversary of the institution of this university and the 375 years of history of the Urban College.

John Paul II recalled at the beginning of his speech that Pope Urban VIII founded the present university as a "'Collegium', which from the beginning had a missionary purpose." He said that Urban VIII was worried about "freeing the Church from colonial powers. It was necessary to ensure the freedom of evangelization in recently discovered lands and in those countries where Christianity was preached long ago, such as China."

Students at the Pontifical Urban University, he continued, "must be sensitive to the values of diverse cultures, placing them in the context of the Gospel message. Ninety institutions all over the world are today affiliated with your university, bearing witness in this way to the truly 'catholic' openness that characterizes it."

The Pope emphasized that "violence, terrorism, and war only construct new walls among people. Your university is a center of universality where the sense of deep communion, which characterized the primitive community, must be felt."

"The mission," he added, "is a commitment which continues today: this is the spirit that must energize your spiritual and academic life. ... For this reason, looking toward the future, it is to be hoped that the Pontifical Urban University distinguish itself among the Roman athenaeums precisely for its particular attention to the cultures of peoples and the great world religions, beginning with Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and as a result, that it consider with attention the problem of inter-religious dialogue with its theological, christological and ecclesiological implications."

The Holy Father concluded by urging students not to forget that the purpose of a university is "the integral formation of its students. The Church of the third millennium needs priests, religious, and lay people who are holy and learned."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 29, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Bishop Bernard Bududira of Bururi, Burundi.

- Marian Servatka, ambassador of Slovakia, on his farewell visit.

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PRESENTATION OF MESSAGE OF WORLD DAY OF THE MIGRANT

VATICAN CITY, NOV 29, 2002 (VIS) - On Monday, December 2 at 11:30 a.m. in the Holy See Press Office, there will be the presentation of the Pope's Message for the celebration of the 89th World Day of the Migrant and Refugee 2003.

The following will participate in the press conference: Archbishops Stephen Fumio Hamao and Agostino Marchetto and Msgr. Michael A. Blume, S.V.D., respectively president, secretary and undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.

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VIETNAM'S VICE PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH CARDINAL SODANO


VATICAN CITY, NOV 29, 2002 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls stated that "today, November 29, the vice prime minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Wu Khoang, met with both Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano and Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary of Relations with States.

"In addition to the themes of international politics, there was an exchange of opinions on the social and economic evolution underway in Vietnam, as well as the need to intensify cooperation between Church and State for the benefit of the entire Vietnamese society."

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Thursday, November 28, 2002

CONFERENCE: GLOBALIZATION AND CATHOLIC HIGHER EDUCATION


VATICAN CITY, NOV 28, 2002 (VIS) - Today in the Holy See Press Office the International Conference on the theme, "Globalization and Catholic Higher Education: hopes and challenges", was presented. The conference, organized by the Congregation for Catholic Education and the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU), will take place from December 2 to 6 in the Vatican.

The following participated in the press conference: Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, Archbishop Giuseppe Pittau, S.J., Msgr. Angelo Vincenzo Zani, respectively prefect, secretary and undersecretary of the congregation, as well as Fr. Jan Peters, S.J., and Msgr. Guy-Real Thivierge, respectively president and secretary of the IFCU.

Cardinal Grocholewski recalled that there are 950 Catholic universities on five continents in which 3,800,000 people study, many of whom belong to other Christians denominations or other religions. "Catholic universities," he said, "have been built by the Holy See or also by diocesan bishops, episcopal conferences, religious institutes or other ecclesiastical or lay persons."

Rectors of Catholic universities from all over the world will participate in the conference, as well as heads of episcopal conferences committed to education from Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Argentina, Australia, Germany, Holland and Hungry. In addition, heads of foundations that aid universities and members of different dicasteries will take part.

Archbishop Pittau explained that the theme of globalization chosen for this conference "is not strange to the Catholic environment and especially not to the university atmosphere."

"The university," he said, "must form responsible and virtuous citizens who with their example and word promote a globalization capable of respecting human beings in their entirety."

Referring to the conference's program, Msgr. Thivierge affirmed that on the first day, "different realities of globalization" will be presented "as they are lived in our societies." Furthermore, "the question of globalization and its relationship with Catholic education" will be discussed.

This relationship between globalization and Christian values in the framework of Catholic higher education will be more-closely examined on the second day of the conference. A video-conference is also scheduled in which some directors of UNESCO will speak from Paris as well as former ministers of education, and rectors from the Synod Hall in the Vatican. During the video-conference some of John Paul II's speeches which have to do with globalization will be projected. The third day will be dedicated to the problem of the propositions and activity which must be promoted in the Catholic university world.

Fr. Jan Peters, president of the IFCU, said that the federation "is as diverse as the world in which its members try to fulfill their mission. Among the 200 members we find great research universities in the United States, Europe and Japan, but also young, poor and vulnerable institutions all over Africa; we find both universities that play a major role in the development of modern science or the implementation of modern economy, and universities - in India, for example - that try to guarantee a future for the underprivileged and those who are victims of the process of globalization. This diversity in membership is a real richness for our federation and also its major challenge."

Fr. Peters stressed that "it belongs to the mission of a Catholic university to strive for excellence in its teaching and research, not in a closed atmosphere but in openness to colleagues in less favorable circumstances who can really make an important contribution to the awareness of the consequences of modern research."

"The countries of our world are more and more interwoven, and at the same time the gaps are broadening," he added. "Our universities find their place in and have to cope with these tendencies." He noted that "next week's conference will concentrate on the changing socio-economic, political and especially cultural context of our universities. These developments - in which our universities are both actors and victims - have a different impact whether we are talking from the perspective of either the great, developed research universities in the United States or the small Catholic universities in Africa. The topics at stake are not simple ones, nor will the conclusions be self-evident or generally accepted."

Fr. Peters stated that "Since Catholic universities are privileged places of reflection for our Catholic communities and for the Church as a whole, a real and open-minded collaboration is essential for the success of their contribution. ... This presupposes what Pope John Paul II called, in his Apostolic Constitution about Catholic universities, 'Ex corde ecclesiae', a 'mutual trust' between university people and Church leaders."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 28, 2002 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Leonid Kuchma, president of the Republic of Ukraine, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.

- Cardinal Vinko Puljic, archbishop of Vrhbosna, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

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Wednesday, November 27, 2002

SIXTH POST-SYNODAL MEETING FOR SPECIAL ASSEMBLY FOR ASIA


VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2002 (VIS) - The Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops for the Special Assembly for Asia held its sixth meeting November 19-20 under the presidency of Cardinal Jan Schotte, C.I.C.M., in the presence of three cardinals, the patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins, three archbishops, three bishops and four Synod staff members.

The meeting was divided into two plenary sessions, an afternoon of individual study and a group work session. Cardinal Schotte opened the encounter with an account of the activity of the General Secretariat since its last meeting in November 2001, and council members then reported on the situations in their own countries.

In the concluding plenary session, following the oral reports of the two work groups, members composed a list of urgent pastoral needs that will be brought to the attention of episcopal conferences with reference to the post-synodal document. They then decided to hold the next meeting on November 18-19, 2003.

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GOD IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN FREE US FROM EVIL AND DEATH


VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2002 (VIS) - Psalm 98, "Holy is the Lord, Our God," was the theme of the Pope's catechesis during the general audience celebrated today in the Paul VI Hall.

John Paul II explained that Psalm 98 "is a hymn raised by the people of God to the Lord Who governs the world and history as transcendent and supreme sovereign."

"The faithful, at the beginning of the day," he said, "know that they will not be abandoned to the mercy of a blind and dark fate, or destined to uncertainty as to their freedom, or left to the decisions of others, or dominated by the events of history. They know that the Creator and Savior rises in His grandeur, holiness and mercy above of all earthly realities."

The Holy Father affirmed that "God is superior to us and He is infinitely above all creatures. However, this transcendence does not make Him a strange and impassive God: when He is invoked, He responds. God is the One Who saves, the only one who can free humanity from evil and death."

After underscoring the profound link between "'holiness' and God's closeness", the Psalmist recalls that "God was continually in contact with His people" and that "He spoke and was listened to, punished wrongs, but also forgave."

"God came in our midst," he ended, "through His Son Who became one of us in order to instill His life and His holiness in us. For this reason, we approach God not with terror but with trust. In Christ we have the supreme holy priest, innocent, undefiled. ... Thus, our hymn is filled with serenity and joy: it exalts the Lord king who dwells among us, wiping away every tear from our eyes."

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POPE ATTENDS CONCERT, "A HYMN FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS"


VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2002 (VIS) - A concert entitled "A hymn from the Mountain Tops" was offered last evening in the Paul VI Hall by the National Union of Mountain Communities, in the presence of John Paul II. The Pope remarked that "this solemn event assumes singular importance in the framework of the Year of the Mountains," sponsored by the United Nations.

He thanked the orchestra from Pecs, Hungary, the choir from Italy's Friuli-Venezia Giulia region and the National Union of Mountain Communities, noting that the union "wished to celebrate its 50th anniversary offering the Pope, also a lover of mountains, this very pleasing gift."

The Holy Father said he followed "the splendid musical compositions of Raff and Brahms," as well as the accompanying images of mountains, "with great emotion," adding that this "has invited us to raise a hymn of praise to the Creator for the marvels of nature, the work of His hands. The arduous majesty of mountain summits stimulates us to underscore those values of tenacity and humility that are indispensable for facing everyday life and for approaching with ardor the high mountain of holiness."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Alois Kothgasser of Innsbruck, Austria as metropolitan archbishop of Salzburg (area 9,715, population 677,000, Catholics 516,767, priests 344, permanent deacons 32, religious 686), Austria. The archbishop-elect was born in Sankt Stefan im Rosental, Austria in 1937 and was ordained a priest in 1964.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2002 (VIS) - Yesterday the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

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Tuesday, November 26, 2002

BRAZILIAN BISHOPS: RESPONSES TO ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHALLENGES


VATICAN CITY, NOV 26, 2002 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received prelates from the Southern Region (III-IV) of the National Conference of Bishops from Brazil who just completed their "ad limina" visit.

In his speech, the Pope recalled that "in exercising the triple function of sanctifying, teaching and governing, bishops help the faithful to be authentic witnesses to the Risen Jesus. It is not always easy to guide them in their search for appropriate responses - according to the teachings of Jesus Christ - to the challenges in the economic and social context."

After emphasizing that plans for development implemented in the 20th century brought about material growth in the country, he said, these plans were still "not capable of eliminating poverty and misery or reducing inequalities in wealth and income, which continue to grow. Perhaps Brazilian economic history itself may be a good demonstration of the inefficacy of economic systems designed to resolve the problems of human development by themselves, when they are not complemented by a strong ethical commitment and a constant effort of service to human dignity."

"The simple planning of measures in the long term to correct existing imbalances never should overlook the commitment of the institutional and personal solidarity of all Brazilians. Thus, Catholics who make up the majority of the Brazilian population, can make a fundamental contribution."

John Paul II indicated that "a vision of the economy and the social problems that departs from the social doctrine of the Church leads us to consider things always from the point of view of the dignity of the human being which transcends the simple games of economics. Furthermore, it helps us to understand that in order to achieve social justice much more is necessary than the simple application of ideological outlines produced by the struggle of the classes, such as for example the invasion of lands - that I reproached during my pastoral visit in 1991 - and of public and private buildings, or, in order not to cite others, the adoption of extreme technical measures which could have much more serious consequences than injustice which aimed at resolving (problems), such as in the case of not fulfilling international commitments."

The Holy Father referred to the importance of promoting the participation of lay people "so that - as much as possible - authentic justice and solidarity, which are the fruits of a coherent Christian life, will reign in Brazil. In a true democracy there must always be legal options so that groups, instead of resorting to violence, can facilitate processes of just pressure in order to accelerate the establishment of equality and justice, so desired, for all."

"We must work incessantly," he concluded, "for the formation of politicians, of all Brazilians so that they may have some decision-making power, great or small, and in general, of all members of society, so that they may assume their own responsibilities fully and know how to offer a human and unified face to economics. It is necessary to instill in the political and business echelons an authentic spirit of truthfulness and integrity."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS


VATICAN CITY, NOV 26, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Basilio do Nascimento, apostolic administrator "Sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Baucau, East Timor, as apostolic administrator of Dili (area 7,767, population 539,811, Catholics 504,299, priests 64, religious 342), East Timor. Bishop do Nascimento retains the office of apostolic administrator of Baucau. He succeeds Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, S.D.B., whose resignation from the same office the Holy Father accepted in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Fr. Joseph Vu Van Thien, professor of theology at the Major Seminary in Hanoi, Vietnam, as bishop of the diocese of Hai Phong (area 10,000, population 4,600,000, Catholics 120,000, priests 23, religious 23), Vietnam. The bishop-elect was born in 1960 in Ke Sat, Vietnam and was ordained a priest in 1988.

- Appointed Fr. Stephanus Tri Buu Thien, professor of moral theology at the Major Seminary of Can Tho, Vietnam, as coadjutor bishop of the same diocese (area 13,257, population 4,798,1522, Catholics 161,564, priests 137, religious 377). The bishop-elect was born in Tra Long, Tan Long, Soc Trang, Vietnam in 1950 and was ordained a priest in 1987.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 26, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Giorgio Zur, apostolic nuncio in Austria.

- Archbishop Jean-Paul Gobel, apostolic nuncio in Nicaragua.

- Archbishop emeritus Attilio Nicora of Verona, Italy, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.

This evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Paul VI Hall, a concert is scheduled in celebration of the International Year of the Mountains as declared by the United Nations.

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POPE ACCEPTS RESIGNATION OF BISHOP BELO IN EAST TIMOR

VATICAN CITY, NOV 26, 2002 (VIS) - Joaquin Navarro-Valls, Holy See Press Office director, said in a communique released today that "Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, S.D.B., has presented to the Holy Father on numerous occasions his resignation as apostolic administrator of Dili, East Timor, motivated by health reasons. Today the Holy Father accepted that resignation. Bishop Belo will explain the reasons for his resignation in a communique that he will issue today."

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Monday, November 25, 2002

MESSAGE FOR 40TH WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS


VATICAN CITY, NOV 23, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father's Message for the 40th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, to be celebrated May 11, 2003 on the theme "Vocation to Service" was published today. The Message is dated October 16, 2002, the 24th anniversary of Pope John Paul's election to the papacy, and was issued in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German.

Following are excerpts from the text:

"1. 'Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased'.

"The theme of this Message for the 40th World Day of Prayer for Vocations invites us to return to the roots of the Christian vocation, to the story of the first person called by the Father, His Son Jesus. He is the 'servant' of the Father, foretold by the prophets as the One Whom the Father has chosen and formed from His mother's womb."

"In today's culture the person who serves is considered inferior; but in sacred history the servant is the one called by God to carry out a particular action of salvation and redemption."

"In the Bible, service is always linked to a specific call that comes from God. For this reason, it represents the greatest fulfillment of the dignity of the creature, as well as that which invokes the creature's mysterious, transcendent dimension."

"2. 'Like a lamb that is led to slaughter ...'

"In Sacred Scripture there is a strong and clear link between service and redemption, as well as between service and suffering. ... The Messiah is the Suffering Servant Who takes on His shoulders the weight of human sin. ... The Servant is the Lamb who ... showed an extraordinary power, the power not to react to evil with evil, but to respond to evil with good."

"3. '... Even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve'.

"In truth, Jesus is the perfect model of the 'servant' of whom Scripture speaks. ... Jesus did not come to be served 'but to serve and to give His life as ransom for many'. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples and obeyed the plan of the Father, even unto death, death on a cross."

"How can one not read in the story of the 'servant Jesus' ... the story that the Creator has planned for every human being? ... In particular, how can one not read in the parable of the Son, Servant and Lord, the vocational story of the person who is called by Jesus to follow Him more closely, that is, to be a servant in the priestly ministry or in religious consecration?"

"4. 'Where I am, there shall My servant be also'.

"Jesus, Servant and Lord, is also the One Who calls. He calls us to be like Him, because only in service do human beings discover their own dignity and the dignity of others."

"With this Message I should like, in a way, to give voice to Jesus, so as to propose to young people the ideal of service, and to help them overcome the temptations of individualism and the illusion of obtaining their happiness in that way. Notwithstanding certain contrary forces, present also in the mentality of today, in the hearts of many young people there is a natural disposition to open up to others, especially to the most needy. This makes them generous, capable of empathy, ready to forget themselves in order to put the other person ahead of their own interests.

"Dear young people, service is a completely natural vocation. ... Service shows that we are free from the intrusiveness of our ego. It shows that we have a responsibility to other people."

"Dear young people, I hope you can know how to listen to the voice of God calling you to service. This is the road that opens up to so many forms of ministry for the benefit of the community: from the ordained ministry to various other instituted and recognized ministries, such as Catechesis, liturgical animation, education of young people and the various expressions of charity."

5. 'If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all'.

"This is how Jesus spoke to the Twelve, when He caught them discussing among themselves 'who was the greatest'. This is a constant temptation, which does not spare even the one called to preside at the Eucharist, the sacrament of the supreme love of the 'Suffering Servant'. Whoever carries out this service is actually called to be a servant in a yet more radical way. He is called, in fact, to act 'in persona Christi'."

"Dear young men, nurture your attraction to those values and radical choices which will transform your lives into service of others. ... Do not let yourselves be seduced by the call of power and personal ambition. The priestly ideal must be constantly purified from these and other dangerous ambiguities."

"The call of the Lord Jesus still resounds today. ... Do not be afraid to accept this call. You will surely encounter difficulties and sacrifices, but you will be happy to serve."

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DISCOVER ONCE AGAIN THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE PARISH


VATICAN CITY, NOV 23, 2002 (VIS) - This morning the Pope received participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity which has been reflecting upon the theme, "We Must Continue Walking, 'Departing' from Christ, that is, from the Eucharist."

John Paul II affirmed that "today there is a need for faithful lay people, conscious of their vocation to proclaim the Gospel and the responsibility that comes from being Christ's disciples in order to bear witness to charity and solidarity in all environments of modern society."

After referring to the plenary's theme which "completes the (council's previous) courses on the sacraments of Christian initiation," the Holy Father indicated that such reflection "naturally brings attention to the parish, the community in which these great mysteries are celebrated. How important it is to discover once again the value and importance of the parish as a place in which the contents of Catholic tradition are passed on!"

Due to "the impact of strong currents of de-christianization, many baptized persons seem to have lost contact with this religious patrimony," he emphasized. "A certain relativism tends to feed discriminating attitudes in relation to the contents of doctrine and Catholic moral teaching, accepted or rejected on the basis of subjective or arbitrary preference."

"Only a faith that lays its roots in the sacramental structure of the Church," added the Pope, "that drinks from the fountains of the Word of God and Tradition, that becomes new life and renewed intelligence of reality, can make baptized persons capable of resisting the impact of the dominant secularized culture."

The Holy Father ended by stressing that the "Eucharist, 'font and summit of all Christian life', completes and crowns Christian initiation. It increases our union with Christ, separates and protects us from sin, strengthens the bonds of charity, sustains our efforts throughout the pilgrimage of life, and makes us look forward to the glory to which we are all destined."

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ANGELUS REFLECTIONS ON FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING



VATICAN CITY, NOV 24, 2002 (VIS) - At noon today Pope John Paul appeared at the window of his study overlooking St. Peter's Square for his traditional Sunday address and to pray the Angelus with the pilgrims gathered in the square.

The Pope noted that "today we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King," and said the fact that this feast occurs on the last Sunday of the liturgical year "shows that Jesus Christ is the Lord of time and in Him is fulfilled the entire plan of creation and redemption." He added that Jesus of Nazareth, in fulfilling this mission, "does not come to reign as the king of this world but to establish, so to speak, the divine power of Love in the heart of man, of history and of the cosmos."

"Vatican Council II," stated the Holy Father, "proclaimed in a strong and clear way to the contemporary world the lordship of Christ, and its message was taken up again in the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. Humanity in the third millennium also needs to discover that Christ is its Savior. It is this announcement that Christians must bring with renewed courage to the world of today."

After praying the Angelus, John Paul II remarked that "today, the diocese of Rome celebrates Seminary Day. While I assure seminarians and those who help form them of my constant prayer, I thank the parish communities, families and individual faithful who generously support the diocesan seminary. Let us pray that numerous and holy vocations to the priesthood will not be lacking in Rome."
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THE POPE CONFIRMS CARDINAL SODANO AS SECRETARY OF STATE


VATICAN CITY, NOV 23, 2002 (VIS) - Made public today was a letter from the Pope to Cardinal Angelo Sodano, in which he expresses his "personal recognition for the great help that for years you have offered me daily as close collaborator in the demanding role of Secretary of State." The letter, dated November 20, coincides with Cardinal Sodano's 75th birthday.

"Even though you turn 75 on November 23," writes the Holy Father, "I ask you to continue in the office that you hold, putting your uncommon qualities at the disposition of the Pope."

The Pope concludes: "Knowing the love of the Church and spirit of obedience that have always inspired your conduct, I trust that I may continue to count on your enlightened collaboration, dear brother, as secretary of State, and in this endeavor, I assure you that I will not cease asking the Lord in prayer for all necessary help and aid for you."

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ARCHBISHOP FOLEY AT MEETING ON SPIRITUALITY AND THE MEDIA


VATICAN CITY, NOV 24, 2002 (VIS) - Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, delivered a homily today at a Mass in Ravello, Italy, for participants in a three-day meeting on spirituality in movies, television and literature. He also addressed the meeting, which was organized by RAI, Italy's state-owned radio and television.

"When I think of spirituality," said the archbishop, "I return in my mind to the aim of life, asking myself the most timely questions: Why am I here? Who made me? What must I do with my life? For those who think only in material terms, productions which make one reflect can change one's life; for those who think in religious terms, such productions can enrich their spiritual life. ... Movie and television productions do not preach; they are an occasion for everyone to arrive at understanding the aims of life and to identify ourselves with those seeking to reach self-awareness."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS


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

- Appointed Fr. Rene-Marie Ehuzu, C.J.M., pastor of the Cathedral of Cotonou, Benin, as Bishop of Aboemy (area 4,724, population 600,000, Catholics 225,000, priests 48, religious 69), Benin. The bishop-elect was born in 1944 in Cotonou, Benin and was ordained a priest in 1972. He succeeds Bishop Lucien Monsi-Agboka whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Msgr. Pierre Nguyen Van Tot, charge d'affaires of the nunciature in Benin and Togo, as apostolic nuncio in the same countries, with the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in 1949 in Thu dau mot, Vietnam and was ordained a priest in 1974.

On Saturday November 23, it was made public that the Holy Father:
- Appointed Archbishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, as a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

- Appointed Professor Krzysztof Skubiszewski of Poland as an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of the Social Sciences.

- Appointed Giuseppina Roselli, "scriptor" of the Vatican Secret Archives, as archivist.

- Appointed Bishop Vladimir Filo, auxiliary of Bratislava-Trnava, Slovakia, as coadjutor bishop of Roznava (population 7,000, population 342,159, Catholics 173,644, priests 1120, religious 155, permanent deacons 2), Slovakia.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Salzburg, Austria presented by Archbishop Georg Eder, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Fr. Cornelius Schilder, M.H.M., provincial of the Mill Hill Missionaries for Uganda and Kenya, as bishop of Ngong (area 39,847, population 942,395, Catholics 72,960, priests 61, religious 122), Kenya. The bishop-elect was born in 1941 in Westwoud, Holland and was ordained a priest in 1968. He succeeds Bishop Colin Cameron Davies, M.H.M., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Jose Paala Salazar, O.P., of the Prelature of Batanes, the Philippines, as auxiliary of the diocese of Butuan (area 11,555, population 1,199,251, Catholics 991,497, priests 91, religious 134), the Philippines.

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Friday, November 22, 2002

ANNUAL MESSAGE FOR THE END OF RAMADAN


VATICAN CITY, NOV 22, 2002 (VIS) - Today the annual Message from the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue to Muslims at the end of Ramadan 'Id Al-Fitr 1423 A.H./2002 A.D. was made public. The message, whose theme is "Christians and Muslims and the Ways to Peace," was published in French, English, Italian and Arabic and was signed by Archbishop Michael L. Fitzgerald, president of the council.

"You are well aware, dear friends, how acute the question of peace has become in our world today. Situations where war prevails are like an open wound in the heart of humanity, above all those conflicts which have been going on for many years, whether in the Middle East, in Africa or in Asia. In several countries such conflicts result in numerous innocent victims, leading the population to despair of peace returning to their land in the near future."

After emphasizing that "the origin of the causes of conflict is often to be located in hearts which refuse to be open to God," the archbishop writes: "While the ultimate causes of wars are well known, we need above all to explore together the ways to peace."

"As believers in the One God we see it as our duty to strive to bring about peace. Christians and Muslims, we believe that peace is above all a gift from God. This is why our two communities pray for peace; it is something they are always called to do."

The president of the pontifical council affirms that "in bringing about peace and maintaining it, religions have an important role to play, one which these days more than ever is being recognized by civil society and by Governments. In this respect, education is a domain in which religions can make a particular contribution. We are indeed convinced that the ways of peace include education, for through it one can learn to recognize one's own identity and that of the other. ... Education for peace also involves recognition and acceptance of diversity, just as it includes learning about crisis management, in order to prevent crises from degenerating into conflicts. We are happy to see that in several countries there is increased collaboration in this field among Muslims and Christians, especially as regards the equitable revision of text-books for schools."

CON-DIR;MESSAGE MUSLIMS; RAMADAN;...;FITZGERALD;VIS;20021122;Word: 390;

BE COURAGEOUS WITNESSES TO CHRISTIAN AND FRANCISCAN LIFE


VATICAN CITY, NOV 22, 2002 (VIS) - The Pope today welcomed members of the presidency of the International Council of the Secular Franciscan Order, meeting in their Tenth General Chapter on the theme "Vital, Reciprocal Communion in the Franciscan Family."

The Pope noted that the Chapter "brought to an end the updating of your basic legislation," including the Rule, the Ritual, the General Constitutions and the International Statute, which was approved in the current Chapter. He said the Church awaits the Order's "great service to the cause of the Kingdom in today's world" and she desires "your Order to be a model of an organic whole and of structural and charismatic union at all levels."

"Your renewed legislation," he added, "gives you optimum instruments to realize and fully express the unity of your Order and the communion with the Franciscan family" as well as your mission to be "courageous and coherent witnesses of Christian and Franciscan life."

"You are called," John Paul II affirmed, "to offer your own contribution, inspired by the person and message of St. Francis of Assisi, to hasten the advent of a civilization in which the dignity of the human person, co-responsibility and love are living realities. You must study deeply the true foundations of universal brotherhood and create everywhere a spirit of welcome and an atmosphere of fellowship. Commit yourselves strongly to fighting every form of exploitation, discrimination and marginalization and every attitude of indifference towards others."

The Holy Father said he wished to conclude his message "by recommending to you to consider your family as the priority place in which to live your Christian commitment and Franciscan vocation," doing so through prayer, Christian catechesis, promoting respect for every life from conception to natural death and "offering a convincing example of the possibility of marriage lived in a way that fully conforms to God's plan."

AC;SECULAR FRANCISCANS;...;...;VIS;20021122;Word: 320;

POPE WELCOMES HAITI'S NEW AMBASSADOR TO HOLY SEE


VATICAN CITY, NOV 22, 2002 (VIS) - Carl Henri Guiteau, Haiti's new ambassador to the Holy See, was welcomed today by Pope John Paul who accepted his Letters of Credence. In their respective speeches, both underlined the fact that the president of Haiti has designated Ambassador Guiteau as a "resident ambassador" which means that presidential envoys to the Holy See will henceforth reside in Rome and not in Paris, as in the past.

"You have just recalled," the Holy Father told the diplomat, "the bicentenary of independence that your country will celebrate in 2004. You have also mentioned the deep crisis affecting your country which you called a crisis of values, a crisis of society. I ardently hope that this anniversary, of which the Haitians are very proud because Haiti was the first country of Latin America and the Caribbean to proclaim its independence, will be a privileged occasion for a deeper ability to live together."

In the decision taken by leaders to promote the common good, said the Pope, "it is important to take into consideration the just aspirations of the population in respect to persons, peace, security, justice and fairness. A great majority of inhabitants suffer from an ever more unbearable poverty" which leads many Haitians to emigrate, especially to cities, thus causing "savage urbanization" and "the disintegration of family ties."

John Paul II affirmed that "a strong democracy" and "a State of law are powerful antidotes to the despair" felt by many Haitians. What must be strengthened, he added, is the "culture of fraternity and solidarity of the Haitian people" as it is "an important resource for weaving solid relations among citizens." This patrimony belongs to everyone, he said, not to just a few who wish to profit economically from it. The Pope encouraged Haitian leaders to "open up the country" through a network of better communications, health structures, schools and rural development.

"The fight against injustice and arbitrariness," the Holy Father went on, "presupposes guaranteeing an ever more independent and fair judicial system that respects the rights of the poorest."

He stated that leaders must be attentive to young people as well, for they are "the first natural richness. Their education and formation give them the taste of hope and the possibility of participating in the transformation of the country." Youth must "be made aware of the common good and solidarity, respect for life from its conception, (and) the greatness of creation, placed into the hands of man in order for him to suitably administer it."

Pope John Paul underscored "the endemic and ever more shocking scandal of misery which creates (a) permanent instability in the country." He urged leaders "to listen to the cries of the poor and to not disappoint their hopes." He also exhorted them "not to allow themselves to be influenced by special or occult interests which harm the good functioning of institutions."

The Pope closed with words of greeting for Haiti's Catholics and recalled the Church's presence and its work in the country's long history and her constant efforts "to promote the common good of all the Haitian people."

CD;LETTERS CREDENCE;...;HAITI; GUITEAU;VIS;20021122;Word: 520;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 22, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Werner Thissen, auxiliary of Munster, Germany, as metropolitan archbishop of Hamburg (area 33,055, population 5,769,315, Catholics 504,091, priests 240, permanent deacons 39, religious 421), Germany. The archbishop-elect was born in Kleve, Germany in 1938 and was ordained a priest in 1966.

NER;...;...;THISSEN ;VIS;20021122;Word: 50;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 22, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Four prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Southern Region III-IV) on their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop Estanislau Amadeu Kreutz of Santo Angelo.

- Bishop Aloisio Sinesio Bohn of Santa Cruz do Sul.

- Bishop Thadeu Gomes Canellas of Osorio.

- Bishop Gironimo Zanandrea of Erexim.

- Cardinal Jean Marie Lustiger, archbishop of Paris, France.

AL; AP;...;...;...;VIS;20021122;Word: 70;

APOSTOLATE FOR PARTICIPANTS IN MARITIME COMPETITIONS


VATICAN CITY, NOV 22, 2002 (VIS) - Today the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples published a communique which recalls that the 21st World Congress of the Apostleship of the Sea, promoted by the council, was celebrated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from September 29 to October 5.

The congress examined the problems that globalization presents to seafarers and their families. to merchant navies, the fishing sector - small scale and industrial - and the leisure cruise industry.

The communique affirms that there is another category of professional seafarers that this dicastery cares for: the participants in maritime competitions such as the Vuitton Cup and America's Cup, their families, the support teams and journalists that follow them. "Today, this sector too must be reached by the Apostleship of the Sea," says the note.
For this reason, the communique continues, Archbishop Stephen Fumio Hamao, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, entrusted the task of completing a study in this regard to the person in charge of the council's maritime section. The first phase of research (November-December 2002) will consist of contacting the people that can help in understanding this environment, such as parish priests and chaplains and the journalists who cover these events. The second phase will establish a dialogue at the end of the Vuitton Cup (January 2003) with the local Church, the media and support groups in order to make known the Apostleship of the Sea and its ministry among seafarers and itinerant people.

The communique concludes by affirming that the information and suggestions that are gathered in these two phases of the study will help "diocesan bishops in particular to 'determine the most suitable forms of pastoral care for maritime personnel'."

...;APOSTLESHIP SEA;...;HAMAO;VIS;20021122;Word: 300;

Thursday, November 21, 2002

POPE PRAYS FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER IN THE HOLY LAND AND IRAQ


VATICAN CITY, NOV 21, 2002 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received participants in the plenary assembly of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

In his speech, the Pope referred to the topics that they were considering during their meeting: the activity carried out by the dicastery in the last four years, the election of bishops in the patriarchal Churches and the state of the Eastern Churches.

Speaking about the first point, John Paul II emphasized "the congregation's priority for liturgical and catechetic renewal, as well as the formation of the different members of the People of God, staring with candidates to holy orders and consecrated life."

With respect to the procedure of the election of bishops in the patriarchal Churches, the Holy Father said: "I will be happy to take into consideration your proposals regarding the relative norms of the Code of Canon Law of the Eastern Churches. In any case, when difficulties in applying the current canon norms are made known to the Holy See, everything will be done to help overcome them with a spirit of active collaboration."

On the state of the Eastern Churches and their prospects for pastoral renewal, the Pope affirmed that he was familiar with the difficulties that the Eastern communities encounter in many places: "Few people, lack of means, isolation, and being a minority frequently impede serene and effective educational and charitable pastoral care. In addition, there is an incessant emigration of the most prepared members of your Churches to the West."

"And what is there to say," he asked, "of the suffering endured in the Holy Land and other Eastern countries, dragged into a dangerous spiral that seems humanly unstoppable? May God end this vortex of violence as soon as possible!" John Paul II appealed for peace through the intercession of Blessed John XXIII who "lived for many years in the East, and loved the Eastern Churches so much. ... May he also intercede so that these Churches do not close themselves off to the ways of the past and so that they open up to that healthy revision that he himself desired in line with the sapient harmony between 'nova et vetera'."

The Holy Father concluded by invoking Our Lady's protection for the members of the communities that extend from the Middle East to Africa and from Europe to India, "in particular for those in the Holy Land and Iraq who are going through difficult moments of great suffering."

AC;ORIENTAL CHURCHES;...;...;VIS;20021121;Word: 430;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 21, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Giuseppe Nazzaro, O.F.M., guardian of the Fraternity of St. Anthony in Damascus, Syria, as apostolic vicar of Alep of the Latins (Catholics 10,000, priests 40, religious 242), Syria, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of bishop. The bishop-elect was born in 1937 in San Potito, Italy and was ordained a priest in 1965. He succeeds Bishop Armando Bortolaso, S.D.B., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same apostolic vicariate the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

NER; RE;...;...;NAZARRO; BORTOLASO ;VIS;20021121;Word: 90;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 21, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience three prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Southern Region III-IV) on their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop Nei Paulo Moretto of Caxias do Sul.

- Bishop Paulo Antonio De Conto of Criciuma.

- Msgr. Alex Jose Kloppenburg, diocesan administrator of Bage.

AL;...;...;...;VIS;20021121;Word: 60;

PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE LAITY STARTS PLENARY ASSEMBLY


VATICAN CITY, NOV 21, 2002 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council for the Laity today started its three-day plenary assembly with a welcoming speech by Cardinal James Francis Stafford, council president. The 62 members and consultors, including those recently named by Pope John Paul to a five-year term, will study the theme "We Need to Continue to Walk, Departing from Christ, that is, from the Eucharist."

A communique from the council noted that of the 37 members, 24 are lay people, nine are cardinals and four are bishops. Of the 25 consultors, there are 13 lay people, four bishops and 8 priests. Given the presence of new members at this assembly, the opening day of the program will include an introduction to the history, nature and activity of this pontifical council.

The work will be divided into three sessions aimed at listening, study and reflection. The first day will include "an exchange of experiences and reflections on the vocation and mission of lay faithful in the life of the Church and in the world in order to try and delineate the prospects and priorities to bear in mind in the present context."

Tomorrow will be dedicated "to studying more deeply the meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the lay faithful; this will be followed by reflections on the sacraments of Christian initiation set in motion during the plenary assemblies dedicated to Baptism and Confirmation. ... Three aspects of the Eucharistic mystery linked to the vocation of lay Christians, their life and their mission will be studied."

On the third and last day, says the communique, "the council's future programs and projects will be presented and the new members and consultors will be called upon to contribute to these topics. The culmination will be an audience with the Holy Father late Saturday morning."

CON-L;PLENARY;...;STAFFORD;VIS;20021121;Word: 310;

Wednesday, November 20, 2002

GENERAL AUDIENCE: THE GOOD SHEPHERD, GOD ALMIGHTY


VATICAN CITY, NOV 20, 2002 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father continued with the cycle of catecheses on the psalms, speaking about the Canticle of Isaiah: "The good shepherd: God Almighty and All-knowing."

John Paul II affirmed that at the beginning of the Canticle "the powerful figure of God appears, He who returns to Jerusalem proceeded by His trophies," which are the "exiled Jews whom He has delivered from the hand of their conquerors. Therefore, God is described as a 'shepherd'" who takes care of His flock."

Later in the Canticle a reflection is offered on "the role of the Lord as Creator of the Universe. ... No one is capable of measuring the immensity of the universe created by God. The prophet makes us realize how ridiculously inadequate human tools are for this task."

The Pope indicated that the prophet Isaiah outlines the "supremacy of the Lord over history, that is, over nations, over the humanity that inhabits the earth. The inhabitants of known lands and also remote regions, which the Bible calls far-flung 'islands', are a microscopic reality in comparison with the Lord's infinite grandeur."

"The faithful are invited, therefore, from the beginning of the day to adore the Lord, all-powerful." In conclusion, the Pope noted that St. Jerome "is taken aback at a surprising truth: that Christ 'is divine in nature ... yet He shed Himself, assuming the place of a servant, becoming like man'. That infinite and omnipotent God became small and limited."

AG;CANTICLE ISAIAH;...;...;VIS;20021120;Word: 260;

ACCORD SIGNED FOR CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL FACULTY IN ERFURT


VATICAN CITY, NOV 20, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy See announced that today in the Erfurt State Chancellery in the Federal Republic of Germany, an Accord was signed between the Holy See and the Free State of Thuringen regarding the constitution of the theological faculty of Erfurt as a Catholic Theological Faculty of Erfurt State University.

Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, apostolic nuncio in Germany, signed for the Holy See, and Bernhard Vogel, minister-president of Thuringen, for this State.

"The present Accord," says a communique released this morning, "consists of 9 articles and, in a Final Protocol, realizes the erection of a Catholic Theological Faculty in the University of Erfurt, which was foreseen in the General Accord signed on June 11, 1997 between the Holy See and the Free State of Thuringen."

"Through the present Accord, the Theological Faculty of Erfurt, which is the result of a Philosophical-Theological Study and was canonically erected with Decree N. 1281/90 dated May 22, 1999 of the Congregation for Catholic Education, is incorporated into the Erfurt State University.

"The above-mentioned Faculty will serve - in the research, teaching and study of theology - the promotion and the development of Catholic theology, the scientific formation in Catholic theology of candidates to the priesthood and other ecclesiastical ministers and the formation of religion teachers for schools."

DELSS;THEOLOGICAL FACULTY;...;THURINGEN; LAJOLO;VIS;20021120;Word: 230;

CELEBRATIONS PRESIDED BY THE POPE: DECEMBER AND JANUARY

VATICAN CITY, NOV 20, 2002 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff made public today the calendar of celebrations at which the Holy Father will preside between December 1 and January 12:

DECEMBER

- Sunday, 1: 1st Sunday in Advent. Mass in the Paul VI Hall at 10 a.m. with the Filipino community of Rome.

- Sunday, 8: 2nd Sunday in Advent, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Homage to Mary Immaculate, Spanish Steps, at 4 p.m.

- Tuesday, 10: Mass for students of the Roman Athenaeums at 5:30 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica.

- Sunday, 22: 4th Sunday in Advent. Mass with the community of the Roman parish of St. Hilary of Poiters in the Paul VI Hall at 10 a.m.

- Tuesday, 24: Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord. Midnight Mass in the Vatican Basilica.

- Wednesday, 25: Solemnity of the Birth of the Lord. "Urbi et Orbi" blessing at noon from the central balcony of the Vatican Basilica.

- Tuesday, 31: Vespers and "Te Deum" of thanksgiving at 6 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica.

JANUARY

- Wednesday, 1: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and 36th World Day of Peace. Mass in the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m.

- Monday, 6: Solemnity of the Epiphany. Episcopal ordinations in the Vatican Basilica at 9 a.m.

- Sunday, 12: Baptism of Our Lord. Mass and Baptism of children in the Sistine Chapel at 10 a.m.

JPII-CALENDAR;DECEMBER; JANUARY;...;...;VIS;20021120;Word: 210;

POPE ASKS SPIRITUAL, MATERIAL SUPPORT FOR CLOISTERED NUNS


VATICAN CITY, NOV 20, 2002 (VIS) - At the end of the catechesis at today's general audience, the Holy Father greeted in various languages the estimated 7,000 pilgrims present in the Paul VI Hall, and also recalled that tomorrow is the Day of Cloistered Nuns.

"Tomorrow," he said, "memory of the presentation in the temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Church thinks with particular affection of cloistered nuns. Their prayerful presence in so many parts of the world is a reminder for Christians not to forget the primacy of God in life.

"These sisters have chosen to dedicate themselves totally to prayer and to live on what Providence brings to them through the generosity of the faithful. While I express my great appreciation to them for the indispensable contribution they offer to evangelization, I invite everyone to support them through their own spiritual and material aid."

Among the Italians present today was a group of seminarians from the Benedict XV Regional Pontifical Seminary in Bologna. "My dear friends," said John Paul II, "with today's visit you wish to remember the 80th anniversary of the death of this unforgettable predecessor of mine, a tireless herald of peace during the first World War. May his example be for you a stimulus to be in every time and place workers of peace."

At the conclusion of the audience the Pope had special words of welcome and encouragement for young people, the ill and newlyweds.

AG;GREETINGS;...;...;VIS;20021120;Word: 250;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Karachi, Pakistan presented by Archbishop Simeon Anthony Pereira upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Evarist Pinto, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Karachi, Pakistan, as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the same archdiocese.

RE; NA;PEREIRA; PINTO VIS 20021120 (60);...

Tuesday, November 19, 2002

CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THEIR MISSION IN SCHOOLS


VATICAN CITY, NOV 19, 2002 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office, Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski and Archbishop Giuseppe Pittau, S.J., respectively prefect and secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, presented the document "Consecrated Persons and Their Mission in Schools: Reflections and Orientations." Mother Antonia Colombo, general superior of the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians also participated.

The document, made public today in Spanish, English, French, Italian and Portuguese, consists of an introduction, two chapters and a conclusion. It is dated October 28, the 35th anniversary of the promulgation of the Vatican Council II declaration "Gravissimum educationis."

Cardinal Grocholewski placed the document in its context, that of the school, with its demands, while Archbishop Pittau outlined the educational commitment of consecrated persons in the Church. Mother Colombo spoke about the content.

After recalling that the scholastic institutions of the Church number more than 250,000, with 42 million students, the cardinal said that according to data gathered by UNESCO there are 135 million children between the ages of 6 and 11 who do not go to school and more than 280 million children and young people who are illiterate or have had very little schooling.

The prefect emphasized that in the current scholastic world, especially in the West, teachers "feel unmotivated." In addition, he affirmed, "a very worrying sign is the increase in violence in schools and among adolescents, as well as the difficulty of families (...) in being an active part of the educational community." Furthermore, he continued, the loss of the sense of education "is closely related to the loss of values."

"Consecrated persons," he said, "make an essential contribution to the development in educational and scholastic activity of the vertical dimension, that is, openness to God, in addition to the horizontal dimension, the education to live responsibly together."

Mother Antonia Colombo affirmed that the first section of the document "delineates the physiognomy of consecrated persons, understood through and defined by their radical reference to Christ. ... A typical contribution of theirs is to offer radical testimony of the goods of the Kingdom in the educational field".

Referring to the second section of the text which concerns the educational mission of consecrated people, the superior general of the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians said that this is a "path to sanctity, a requirement for justice and solidarity, especially towards the poorest young boys and girls" in Catholic schools as well as non-Catholic schools.

Regarding the task defined in the document as that of "accompanying towards the Other," Mother Colombo indicated that "this journey takes place in the context of the educational community," among the variety and beauty of vocations. "With their presence," she added, "consecrated persons are a tacit invitation to question oneself about God, about the mystery of life." The teaching of religion in school "acts as a cultural proposal for everyone, independent of the faith that one professes."

"A dimension highlighted in the document is that of being united to the poor and not excluding them. The better option for the poor requires a different way of organizing the scholastic program."

Mother Colombo concluded by emphasizing the section which the document dedicated to the education of peace. "The underlying conviction is that peace cannot be assured without a commitment to justice, without promoting equal opportunity to the access of goods, especially the good of education."

Archbishop Giuseppe Pittau, secretary of the congregation, indicated that there were no exact statistics on the numbers of religious teaching in Catholic schools throughout the world but stated that, since Vatican Council II, there has been a strong decline in their numbers. By way of example, he pointed to the United States where, he said, in 1970, 51 percent of teachers in Catholic schools were priests or religious: that figure declined to 7.5 percent in the year 2000. "This is only one nation but it is probably a typical description of the situation of a great part of the countries in the West, and also of many other countries."

The archbishop spoke of the 29 years he lived in Japan, travelling within the country and to other nations in Asia. "I can personally witness to the vital importance of nursery schools for evangelizing the Far East. The children in nursery schools are still very open to Christian values and their parents, whose contact with the school diminishes proportionately with the child's age, are often brought closer to the faith and strengthened in it through their children."

"Consecrated persons, men and women," he added, "are capable of introducing children to a spirit of prayer and holiness, partially through their teaching, but especially through their being, consecrated to the Lord and filled with joy."

The archbishop then observed that "the Church, from Medieval times, especially through religious communities, has been in the forefront of the field of education. The schools of the cathedrals and monasteries and the Church's universities were the few scholastic institutions in existence. Truly the European educational system was born 'ex corde Ecclesiae'."

He added that "at the start of the 16th century there was a flowering of numerous Orders and Congregations who dedicated themselves to the apostolate of education, especially to poor children who did not have the possibility of receiving a systematic formation." Among the male institutes Archbishop Pittau listed are the Barnabites, Jesuits, Brothers of the Christian Schools, Marianists, Marists and Salesians. He briefly described the history and charism of each one, doing the same for notable women's institutes which, he said, include the Ursulines, Sisters of Notre Dame, and the Franciscans, especially the Sisters of the Schools of St. Francis of Christ the King.

He quoted St. Julia Billiart, foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame, who described education "above all as a work of faith, ... of hope, ... of charity, ... and a work of prayer. Only through prayer can our work produce fruit in the hearts of the students we wish to educate."

OP;RELIGIOUS; EDUCATION;...;GROCHOLEWSKI; PITTAU;VIS;20021119;Word: 410;

PAPAL MESSAGE TO ITALIAN EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE


VATICAN CITY, NOV 19, 2002 (VIS) - A Message from Pope John Paul to the Italian Episcopal Conference, meeting in their 50th General Assembly at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Collevalenza, was read last evening at the start of the conference.

The Pope noted that the bishops intend to focus on "the great challenge developing in recent years around the crucial question, ... 'Who is man?' This is an old yet a new challenge because the ever present tendencies to deny or forget the oneness of our being and our vocation, as creatures made in the image of God, receive a new impulse today from the pretense of being able to adequately explain man with empirical scientific methods alone. And this occurs when it is actually more than ever necessary to have a clear and firm conviction of the inviolable dignity of the human person, in order to face the risks of radical manipulation that would occur if the resources of technology were applied to man leaving aside the fundamental parameters and anthropological and ethical criteria written in his very nature." He added that the awareness of man's dignity is "the sole principle on which a truly humanistic society and civilization can be built."

"I applaud and encourage," the Holy Father said, "the energy you are dedicating to promoting a qualified Christian presence in the field of ... social communications" and "the commitment given to raising the qualitative level and public prestige of (the Catholic daily newspaper) 'Avvenire'."

The Pope then referred to his November 14 visit to the Italian parliament, saying it underscored "that rather deep and truly special bond that has been established, over the centuries, between Italy and the Catholic Church." He praised the bishops for their concern "for the fate of this beloved nation" and said he shared in particular their concern "for the family, recognized from all time as the supporting structure of social life. ... We are called to pay the same kind of attention to educating the new generations, and therefore to schools."

Pope John Paul recognized that these are "difficult economic and social times" in which great "solidarity" must be shown for "the many persons and families marked in some way by poverty or threatened by the loss of their job."

He lauded the bishops' dedication in following events of the European Union, in particular the expansion of the EU towards the countries of central and eastern Europe.

The Holy Father expressed "strong concern for peace. Let us together ask God, rich in mercy and pardon, to extinguish the sentiments of hatred in the souls of populations, to put an end to the horror of terrorism and to guide the steps of the leaders of nations on the paths of reciprocal understanding, solidarity and reconciliation."

The Pope's concluding words were dedicated to the victims, especially the children, of the recent earthquake in Molise.

MESS;ITALIAN BISHOPS' CONFERENCE;...;...;VIS;20021119;Word: 470;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 19, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

- Five prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Southern Region III-IV) on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Dadeus Grings of Porto Alegre, accompanied by his auxiliary Bishop Jose Clemente Weber.

- Bishop Jose Ivo Lorscheiter of Santa Maria.

- Bishop Manoel Joao Francisco of Chapeco.

- Bishop Zeno Hastenteufel of Frederico Westphalen.

AP; AL;...;...;... ;VIS;20021119;Word: 80;

Monday, November 18, 2002

SEMINARIANS MUST BE PROTAGONISTS OF THEIR PRIESTLY FORMATION


VATICAN CITY, NOV 16, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received a group of 360 seminarians, rectors and professors from Sicily's major seminaries, together with Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, archbishop of Palermo and the prelates of Sicily's 18 dioceses in which the seminaries are present. He stressed the role of bishops, superiors and professors in the formation of seminarians, but added that "the candidate to the priesthood himself must be a protagonist of his formation."

The Holy Father praised initiatives in Sicily aimed at the formation of seminarians as well as the permanent formation of priests. With respect to ongoing formation, he quoted his 1992 Apostolic Exhortation "Pastores Dabo Vobis": "With priests who have just come out of the seminary, a certain sense of 'having had enough' is quite understandable, when faced with new times of study and meeting. But the idea that priestly formation ends on the day one leaves the seminary is false and dangerous, and needs to be totally rejected."

The Pope expressed gratitude for the increase of priestly vocations in Sicily but added that prayers and a pastoral ministry for vocations in parishes, schools and families is an ongoing process. "There must also be." he said, "a qualitative growth, through constant attention to the human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation of the young aspirants (to the priesthood)."

"Human formation is the foundation of the entire priestly formation process and it is important for the seminary to be a privileged place in which are cultivated the human qualities necessary for building well-balanced and mature, strong and free personalities, capable of allowing one, as a priest, to bear the weight of pastoral responsibilities."

John Paul II noted that "human formation is completed in spiritual formation" and he underlined the importance of listening to the Word of God, prayer, the generous giving of oneself, a sense of Church, priestly obedience, and a willingness to live poverty and celibacy.

"In the current socio-cultural context," he went on, "marked by a widespread religious indifference and distrust in the real capacities of reason to reach objective and universal truth, ... intellectual formation demands a high level of commitment in studies, in full fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church."

The Holy Father dedicated closing remarks to pastoral formation, saying this "is the ultimate objective of the entire formative period in the seminary as it aims 'at forming true pastors of souls in the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, teacher, priest and pastor."

AC;SEMINARIANS;...;SICILY;VIS;20021118;Word: 420;

BRAZILIAN BISHOPS: HELP THE FAMILY ESPECIALLY


VATICAN CITY NOV 16, 2002 (VIS) - In his speech to prelates from Eastern Region II of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, who just completed their "ad limina" visit, the Pope spoke about the need to especially support families, resisting "the harmful threats of an individualist culture."

After recalling that during his pontificate he has insisted on the importance of the family's role in society, John Paul II emphasized that in addition to the values of the Brazilian tradition, such as respect, solidarity and privacy, other social factors exist which threaten to "de-stabilize the family nucleus."

"A lack of moral values," he said, "opens the door to infidelity and the dissolution of marriage. The civil laws that promote divorce and threaten life by trying to introduce abortion officially; the population control campaigns that ... encourage thousands of women to be sterilized and to use contraception, especially in the north, have dramatic consequences."

In addition, he continued, "there are many attempts, in public opinion and civil legislation, at equating the family with mere de facto unions and at recognizing same sex unions as marriages. These and other anomalies urge us to proclaim with pastoral firmness the truth on marriage and family. It would be a serious pastoral omission not to do so."

"It is necessary to give a firm response to this situation, especially through more incisive educational and catechetic activity. ... In this sense, I would like to recall the need to respect the inalienable dignity of the woman, in order to strengthen her important role, in the home as well as in society in general."

The Holy Father underscored that one cannot "forget that the family must bear witness to its own values before itself and society. ... Married couples must be the first to give testimony to the grandeur of conjugal and family life, founded in fidelity to the commitment assumed before God. Thanks to the sacrament of matrimony, human love acquires supernatural value."

The Pope asked those who work in the pastoral ninistry for families to give a "new impulse to the defense and promotion of the institution of family" through the teachings of the Church, courses for those getting married and encounters with couples leading an exemplary married life or with priests experienced in dealing with married couples.

John Paul II said that "the contrasting opinions of theologians, priests and religious, disclosed extensively by the media, on premarital relations, birth control, the admission of divorced people to the sacraments, homosexuality and lesbianism, artificial insemination or the use of abortive practices or euthanasia, show the great uncertainty and confusion that disturb and numb the conscience of many faithful."
At the end of his speech, the Holy Father referred to marriage annulments. The ecclesiastical judge, he affirmed, must keep in mind that "to authentically apply the norms, the credibility of the revealed faith and peace of consciences are also at stake. ... I hope that in this delicate interdisciplinary process," he concluded, "faithfulness to the revealed truth on marriage and the family, interpreted in an accurate way by the Magisterium of the Church, is always the point of reference and the true stimulus for a profound renewal of this sector in ecclesiastical life."

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ANGELUS: ITALY CELEBRATES DAY OF THE MIGRANT


VATICAN CITY, NOV 17, 2002 - Before reciting the Angelus today with the faithful gathered below his apartment window overlooking St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul noted that Italy today celebrates the Day of Migrants, adding that this is "an annual appointment that invites the ecclesial and civil communities to reflect on this important and complex social phenomenon."

"We live in an era of profound changes," said the Pope, "that touch persons, ethnic groups and peoples. Even today we note serious inequalities, especially between the north and south of the world. This causes the earth, which is ever more a 'global village', to be unfortunately for some a place of poverty and deprivation, while great wealth is concentrated in the hands of others. In this context, 'the other one' risks being considered a competitor, all the more so if they are 'different' in language, nationality and culture."

The Holy Father added that "for this reason it is important to spread a spirit of welcoming, translated into social behavior of attention, especially towards the needy. ... I hope that families, associations and the ecclesial and civil communities will become ever more places of hospitality, civil coexistence and fertile dialogue. May immigrants, for their part, know how to respect the law of the State that welcomes them and thus contribute to a better insertion in the new social context."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 16, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed F. Alapati Mataeliga, coordinator of the Pastoral Center of the archdiocese of Samoa-Apia, Independent State of Samoa as metropolitan archbishop of the same archdiocese (area 2,922, population 183,000, Catholics 30,336, priests 50, religious 117). The archbishop-elect was born in 1953 on Savaii Island, Samoa and was ordained a priest in 1977. He succeeds Cardinal Pio Taofinu'u, S.M., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Cosimo Semeraro, S.D.B., as secretary of the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences and Fr. Vittorino Grossi, O.S.A., as a member of the same Pontifical Committee.

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LUTHERAN DELEGATION FROM NORWAY WELCOMED IN VATICAN


VATICAN CITY, NOV 16, 2002 (VIS) - Bishop Finn Wagle and a delegation from the Lutheran diocese of Nidaros in Norway, in Rome for the feast day of St. Olav, patron of Norway, were welcomed to the Vatican this morning by the Holy Father.

The Pope recalled his visit to Norway and the Scandinavian nations in 1989, and said that "the ecumenical service in the cathedral of Nidaros ... was a sign of new and deeper ecumenical relations between us, improved relations which, in 1993, enabled the Lutheran Church to allow the Catholic community to celebrate in the old cathedral the 150th anniversary of the re-establishment of the Catholic Church in Norway."

"We are committed," stated John Paul II, "to moving further ahead on the path to reconciliation. The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification between the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church, signed in 1999, paves the way for a more extensive common witness. It brings us a step closer to the full visible unity which is the goal of our dialogue."

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DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND QATAR


VATICAN CITY, NOV 18, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy See and the State of Qatar, eager to develop relations of mutual friendship and to promote international cooperation, have decided to establish diplomatic relations at the level of apostolic nunciature on behalf of the Holy See and embassy on behalf of Qatar, according to what was established at the Convention of Vienna, Austria on diplomatic relations on April 18, 1961.

Qatar has an area of 11,437 square kilometers and its capital is Doha. The population is made up of Bedouin Arabs, although the majority of its almost 800,000 inhabitants are immigrant workers from neighboring Arab states and Iran, Pakistan, India, and the Philippines.

The official religion is Islam. Many immigrant workers are Christians, and of these 45,000 are Catholics who come from different nations, mostly from the Philippines, India and other countries on the Indian subcontinent.

Qatar is part of the apostolic vicariate of Arabia, entrusted to Bishop Giovanni Bernard Gremoli, O.F.M.Cap., who resides in Abu Dhabi, a shiekdom and the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The only existing parish at the moment is in the charge of four priests, two diocesan priests and two Capuchins.

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POPE SHARES PAIN OF VICTIMS OF "VILE ATTACK" IN HEBRON


VATICAN CITY, NOV 17, 2002 (VIS) - In remarks made in several languages after praying the Angelus with pilgrims assembled in St. Peter's Square, the Pope referred to the victims of last Friday's attack in Hebron, and also recalled, in a comment made in French, the victims of automobile accidents.

"I wish to express," he said, "my deeply felt participation in the pain of the relatives of those who, last Friday, were the victims of a vile attack in Hebron, in the Holy Land, as people had just finished praying several steps away from the tomb of the one whom we recognize as our common father in the faith, the Patriarch Abraham. While I invoke eternal repose for the souls of those who died, I ask the Lord to instill in everyone the courage necessary to rediscover the path of justice and peace."

The Holy Father then recalled that "every year we are asked on this Sunday to remember the victims of automobile accidents. While praying especially to the Lord to welcome in His love all those who died tragically in an automobile accident, I entrust to Our Lady's tenderness the many who are wounded, often in a lasting way, as well as their families, and I call for solidarity on everyone's part. Finally, and earnestly, I ask drivers to show respect for each other, and a willingness to be prudent and responsible in their conduct."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 18, 2002 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop George Pell of Sydney, Australia.

- Archbishop Maurice Marie-Sainte of Fort-de-France, Saint-Pierre, Martinique on his "ad limina" visit.
- Five prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Southern Region III-IV) on their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop Orlando Brandes of Joinville.

- Bishop Luiz Carlos Eccel of Cacador.

- Bishop Joao Oneres Marchiori of Lages.

- Bishop Osorio Bebber, O.F.M. Cap., of Joacaba.

- Bishop Tito Buss, emeritus of Rio do Sul.

- Bishop Domenico Calcagno of Savona-Noli, Italy and an entourage.

On Saturday November 16, the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Three prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Eastern Region II) on their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop Ugo Maria Van Steekelenburg, O.F.M., of Almenara.

- Bishop Dario Campos, O.F.M., of Aracuai.

- Bishop Jose Mauro Pereira Bastos, C.P., of Janauba.

- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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MESSAGE FROM COLOMBIA ON RELEASE OF KIDNAP VICTIMS


VATICAN CITY, NOV 18, 2002 (VIS) - The Permanent Committee of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia made public today a message, dated November 15, the day that Bishop Jorge Enrique Carvajal of Zipaquira, president of CELAM, and Fr. Desiderio Orjuela were released after being kidnapped on November 11.

In the message, Cardinal Pedro Rubiano Saenz, archbishop of Bogota and president of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia, and Bishop Fabian Marulanda Lopez, secretary general of the episcopate, write that the kidnapping "has provoked an enormous reaction of rejection ... and a public declaration of solidarity and recognition of the Church as an institution that has made significant contributions to the cause of reconciliation and peace."

The release of the two victims, reads the message, was possible "thanks to uninterrupted prayer. We express our recognition to the president of the republic and to his government, to the National Security Forces, especially the Army and the national police."

"The understanding and solidarity expressed in messages and communiques sent from within and outside the country, have emphasized the unity of the Colombian people and the faith of their Christian communities, as well as their confidence in and love for the Church. While we express our satisfaction that this painful event has been overcome, we make an appeal that the country might soon have ready the news of an accord that puts an end to the kidnapping of so many Colombians."

After stressing that kidnapping is "a detestable act, an atrocious crime, an offense that violates the basic rights of freedom, life, dignity and the security of the person," they write that "it is the duty of the State and responsibility of all citizens to prevent extreme cases of the crime. For this reason, while we condemn all expressions of violence, we urge everyone to confront decisively the phenomena that are at the root of criminal conduct, among them poverty, unemployment, injustice and corruption."

"Our message endeavors to carry to all those who have been kidnapped a voice of solidarity. We give them the assurance that we will continue to be committed to fighting for the elimination of this scourge that has deprived them of the joy of living in freedom. ... We conclude this message by repeating once again the call to pray insistently for peace in Colombia and for the release of everyone who has been kidnapped."

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Friday, November 15, 2002

ARCHBISHOP MILINGO TO CELEBRATE MASS NEAR ROME

VATICAN CITY, NOV 15, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office communicated today that Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, emeritus of Lusaka, Zambia, will preside at a solemn Eucharistic celebration on Thursday November 21, memorial of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, at 3 p.m. at the Abbey of Casamari, diocese of Frosinone, near Rome, Italy.

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DOCUMENT ON MISSION OF CONSECRATED PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 15, 2002 (VIS) - On November 19 at 11:30 a.m. in the Holy See Press Office there will be a presentation of the document published by the Congregation for Catholic Education, "Consecrated people and their mission in schools. Reflections and orientations."

Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski and Archbishop Giuseppe Pittau, S.J., prefect and secretary of the dicastery, and Reverend Mother Antonia Colombo, superior general of the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians, will participate in the presentation.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS


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

- Appointed Fr. Calogero La Piana, S.D.B., inspector of the Salesians in Sicily, as bishop of Mazara del Vallo (area 1,734, population 234,592, Catholics 223,250, priests 100, religious 275), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Riesi, Italy in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1981. He succeeds Bishop Emanuele Catarinicchia whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Jean Gagnon, auxiliary of Quebec, Canada as bishop of Gaspe (area 20,637, population 88,483, Catholics 87,042, priests 58, permanent deacons 3, religious 175), Canada.

- Appointed Bishop Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, as archbishop of Quebec (area 35,180, population 1,072,950, Catholics 1,027,948, priests 896, permanent deacons 82, religious 3,533), Canada. The archbishop-elect was born in 1944 in Lamotte, Canada and was ordained a priest in 1972. He succeeds Archbishop Maurice Couture, R.S.V., whose resignation the Holy Father accepted from the same archdiocese upon having reached the age limit.

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AUDIENCES

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

- Seven prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Eastern Region II) on their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop Diogo Reesink, O.F.M., of Teofilo Otoni.

- Bishop Waldemar Chaves de Araujo of Sao Joao del Rei.

- Bishop Joe Alberto Moura, C.S.S., of Uberlandia.

- Bishop Emanuel Messias de Oliveira of Guanhaes.

- Bishop Diamantino Prata de Carvalho, O.F.M., of Campanha.

- Bishop Celio de Oliveira Goulart, O.F.M., of Leopoldina.

- Bishop Guilherme Porto of Sete Lagoas.

- Bishop Jacques Berthelet, C.S.V., of Saint-Jean Longueil, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, accompanied by Archbishop Brendan Michael O'Brien of Saint John's, Newfoundland, vice president and Msgr. Peter Schonenbach, secretary.

- Cardinal Aloysius Matthew Ambrozic, archbishop of Toronto, Canada, accompanied by Bishop Francois Lapierre, P.M.E., of Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada and Fr. Thomas Rosica.

This afternoon the Holy Father is scheduled to receive Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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Thursday, November 14, 2002

ONGREGATION DECREE REVISES CURRICULUM IN CANON LAW


VATICAN CITY, NOV 14, 2002 (VIS) - The Congregation for Catholic Education has just made public a Decree which revises the curriculum in Canon law faculties. The Decree, which the Pope ratified and confirmed, is dated September 2 and was signed by Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski and Archbishop Giuseppe Pittau, S.J., prefect and secretary of this dicastery.

The text explains that "the curriculum of studies for a licentiate degree as it was established by the Apostolic Constitution 'Sapientia christiana', promulgated by John Paul II in 1979, is no longer valid for the study and understanding of the disciplines." As a result, "upon completing the two-year licentiate, the juridical formation of the students did not reach the level of knowledge of Church law that is presently required in order to carry out ecclesiastical functions that demand a specific preparation in canon law."

In addition, the Decree states that, while "the theological and pastoral disciplines in the theological faculties had been improved, less time and attention was paid to canon law and the Latin language in the larger seminaries."

After a review of all the faculties and institutes of canon law established by the Congregation for Catholic Education, the conclusion was reached that "the curriculum of the licentiate should be lengthened to three years or six semesters in the second of the three cycles and that the first should be absolutely obligatory and better-structured."

The decree goes into effect at the beginning of the 2003-2004 academic year.

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JOHN PAUL II PAYS HISTORIC VISIT TO ITALIAN PARLIAMENT


VATICAN CITY, NOV 14, 2002 (VIS) - Pope John Paul today visited the Italian parliament and became the first Roman Pontiff in history to address the joint houses of parliament. The Pope has previously addressed national parliaments in the tiny Republic of San Marino, in Canberra, the capital of Australia and in Warsaw in his native Poland.

The Vatican issued a commemorative medal for this occasion that will be given to lawmakers, and Italy's communications ministry has issued a commemorative postcard showing the Italian parliament as a backdrop for Pope John Paul II.

The Holy Father left the Vatican at 10:45 this morning, accompanied by Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, Archbishops Leonardo Sandri, substitute for General Affairs, and Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States and Bishops James Harvey, prefect of the papal Household and Stanislaw Dziwisz, adjunct prefect. The papal cars drove a heavily guarded route, arriving at Montecitorio Palace in Rome's historic center in ten minutes.

The Pope and his entourage were welcomed by the presidents and secretaries general of the house and senate and by an honor guard. Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and the president of the Council of Ministers, Silvio Berlusconi, received the Pope before he entered the chamber to give his address. Once in the chamber, a carabinieri band played both the Italian and pontifical anthems, after which Pier Ferdinando Casini, president of the house and Senator Marcello Pera, president of the senate, made brief welcoming remarks.

John Paul II began his speech by thanking the President and Parliament for the "marvelous welcome ... in this illustrious seat of government."

"Truly deep is the bond that exists between the Holy See and Italy!" he exclaimed. "We all know that this association has gone through widely different phases and circumstances, subject to the vicissitudes and contradictions of history." However, he said, this bond "has had highly positive results, both for the Church of Rome, and therefore for the Catholic Church, and for the beloved Italian Nation."

Referring later to Italian history, the Pope affirmed that the country's "social and cultural identity, and the civilizing mission it has exercised and continues to exercise in Europe and the world, would be most difficult to understand without reference to Christianity, its life-blood."

The Holy Father invited lawmakers to trust in the "in the heritage of virtues and values handed down by your forebears" since "it is on the basis of this trust that it will be possible to give clear answers to the issues of the moment, however complex and difficult they may be, and even more, to look boldly to the future, asking what more Italy can do for the progress of civilization."

The Pope stated that in order for Italy to be better able to express its characteristic qualities "it needs to increase its solidarity and internal cohesion." Solidarity, he added, "has profound roots in the heart and in the customs of the Italian people, and one of the ways in which it is currently being expressed is in numerous and praiseworthy forms of volunteer work."

"As political leaders and institutional representatives," he affirmed, "you yourselves can give a particularly important and effective example in this field. Your example will be all the more meaningful insofar as the dialectic of politics tends rather to emphasize differences."

John Paul II stressed that "the challenges facing a democratic State demand from all men and women of good will, irrespective of their particular political persuasion, supportive and generous cooperation in building up the common good of the Nation. Such cooperation however cannot prescind from reference to the fundamental ethical values inscribed in the very nature of the human person. ... In fact, as I noted in another Encyclical Letter, 'Centesimus Annus', if there exists no ultimate truth to guide and direct political life 'ideas and convictions can easily be manipulated for reasons of power. As history demonstrates, a democracy without values easily turns into open or thinly disguised totalitarianism'."

"I cannot fail to mention, on such a solemn occasion," underscored the Pope, "another grave threat that bears upon the future of this Country, one which is already conditioning its life and its capacity for development. I refer to the crisis of the birthrate, the demographic decline and the ageing of the population. Raw statistical evidence obliges us to take account of the human, social and economic problems which this crisis will inevitably impose on Italy in the decades to come."

He noted that "The Church's contribution to the development of an attitude and culture by which this reversal of tendency can become possible is her pastoral action in favour of families and openness to life." However, he said, "there is also ample room for political initiatives which, by upholding recognition of the rights of the family as the natural society founded upon marriage, ... can make the task of having children and bringing them up less burdensome both socially and economically."

Turning to the formation and education of individuals, John Paul II stated that "At a time of often radical change, when past experience seems increasingly irrelevant, there is an ever greater need for a solid formation of the person. This too, distinguished Representatives of the Italian people, is an area which calls for the broadest cooperation, to ensure that the primary responsibilities of parents can find adequate support."

He went on to say that "The thoughtful person understands clearly that the human measure of a person is who he 'is' rather than what he 'has'. The human value of each individual is directly and essentially related to being, not having. For this reason a nation concerned for its own future promotes the development of its learning centres in a healthy climate of freedom, and leaves no effort undone to improve their quality."

"The genuinely 'human' nature of society," noted the pontiff, "is shown especially in the attention which it is able show towards its weakest members. If we consider Italy's development in the almost sixty years since the devastation of the Second World War, we can only admire the immense progress made towards a society in which all are guaranteed acceptable living conditions. But it is likewise necessary to acknowledge the continuing grave crisis of unemployment affecting the young in particular, and the many forms of poverty, deprivation and marginalization, both old and new, involving numerous individuals and families, whether Italians or immigrants to this country. Great therefore is the need for a willing and comprehensive network of solidarity."

Stating that public institutions must support such solidarity, the Holy Father specified that "In this context, and without prejudice to the need to guarantee the security of citizens, attention needs to be given to the prison situation, where inmates often live in conditions of appalling overcrowding. A gesture of clemency towards prisoners through a reduction of their sentences would be clear evidence of a sensitivity which would encourage them in their own personal rehabilitation for the sake of a constructive re-insertion into society."

"A self-confident and internally cohesive Italy can be a great enrichment for the other nations of Europe and the world," affirmed the Pope. "I wish to share this conviction with you at this time, when the institutional shape of the European Union is being defined and its expansion to include many countries of Central and Eastern Europe appears imminent, as it were sealing the end of an unnatural division."

Regarding this expansion, he said: "There is a need to guard against a vision of the Continent which would only take into account its economic and political aspects, or which would uncritically yield to lifestyles inspired by a consumerism indifferent to spiritual values. ... There must be a commitment to ensuring that it is supported on those ethical foundations which were once its basis, while at the same time making room for the richness and diversity of the cultures and traditions which characterize individual nations."

"The new century just begun brings with it a growing need for concord, solidarity and peace between the nations," underscored John Paul II. "Tragically our hopes for peace are brutally contradicted by the flaring up of chronic conflicts, beginning with the one which has caused so much bloodshed in the Holy Land. There is also international terrorism, which has taken on a new and fearful dimension, involving in a completely distorted way the great religions. Precisely for this reason, the world's religions are challenged to show all their rich potential for peace by directing and as it were 'converting' towards mutual understanding the cultures and civilizations which draw inspiration from them."

In closing, the Holy Father said that "In this great enterprise, on whose outcome depends the future of the human race in coming decades, Christianity has its own particular genius and responsibility: by proclaiming the God of love, it presents itself as the religion of mutual respect, forgiveness and reconciliation. Italy and the other nations historically rooted in the Christian faith are in a sense inherently prepared to open up for humanity new pathways of peace, not by ignoring the danger of present threats, yet not allowing themselves to be imprisoned by a 'logic of conflict incapable of offering real solutions."

At the end of his speech, Pope John Paul was given the silver bell which had announced the start of today's public session of the Italian parliament. He then went to the Hall of Ministers where he met Italy's leading political and juridical figures. He left Montecitorio Palace for the Vatican shortly after 1 p.m.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 14, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, apostolic nuncio in Belgium and Luxembourg, as secretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.

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