ANGELUS: WORLD MISSION DAY OF CHILDHOOD

VATICAN CITY, JAN 6, 2002 (VIS) - Following this morning's mass during which he ordained ten new archbishops and bishops, John Paul II appeared at his study window to pray the angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

The Pope recalled that Epiphany coincides with the World Mission Day of Childhood that has as its theme this year "kindle hope," and that invites "'boy and girl missionaries' to spread the light of solidarity, especially where the shadows of poverty, of pain and of war are particularly dense." John Paul II emphasized that the new bishops will also dedicate "all their energy" to the missionary task.

In closing, the Holy Father mentioned that "some Oriental Churches, such as the Russian Orthodox Church and the venerable Churches of the East such as the Coptic, Ethiopian and Armenian Churches celebrate the Nativity of Jesus Christ in these days. ... May the celebration of the coming of the Word of God among men be a source of new spiritual strength ... and of communion among all of us who recognize Him as Lord and Savior."

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NATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS BOTH NEED A GUIDING STAR

VATICAN CITY, JAN 6, 2002 (VIS) - Today, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, during the course of a Eucharistic celebration in the Vatican Basilica, John Paul II conferred episcopal ordination upon ten presbyters from Italy, the Philippines, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Portugal.

In his homily, the Holy Father recalled that today's liturgy speaks of the light of Christ: "Today the Messiah, who in Bethlehem showed Himself to the humble local shepherds, continues to reveal Himself as the light of peoples in all times and places."

He went on to exclaim: "How evocative is the symbol of the star that appears throughout the iconography of the Nativity and the Epiphany! Today it still evokes profound feelings even though, like so many other sacred symbols, it at times risks being trivialized by the commercial use to which it is put. Nonetheless, restored to its original context, the star we contemplate in the nativity scene also speaks to the minds and hearts of men and women of the third millennium. It speaks to secularized men and women ... who long for the absolute. ... Who does not feel the need of a 'star' to guide them on their earthly journey? This need is felt by both individuals and nations."

The Pope then addressed the new bishops. Some of them, he said, "will exercise 'the stewardship of God's grace' as Pontifical representatives in other States: you, Msgr. Giuseppe Pinto, in Senegal and Mauritania; you, Msgr. Claudio Gugerotti, in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan; you, Msgr. Adolfo Tito Yllana, in Papua New Guinea and you, Msgr. Giovanni d'Aniello, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"Others will be pastors of particular churches: you, Msgr. Daniel Mizonzo, will guide the diocese of Nkayi in the Republic of the Congo; you, Msgr. Louis Portella, that of Kinkala in the same country. To you, Msgr. Marcel Utembi Tapa, I have entrusted the diocese of Mahagi-Nioka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to you, Msgr. Franco Agostinelli, that of Grosseto in Italy. You, Msgr. Amandio Jose Tomas, will assist the archbishop of Evora in Portugal as auxiliary and, finally, you Msgr. Vittorio Lanzani, as delegate of the Fabric of St. Peter's, will continue to serve the Church here in the Vatican, in this Patriarchal Basilica so dear to your heart."

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AUDIENCE: CATHOLIC TEACHERS AND "VOLUNTEERS OF SUFFERING"

VATICAN CITY, JAN 5, 2002 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy Father received participants in the national congress of the Italian association of Catholic primary school teachers and a group from the "Volunteers of Suffering" center of the diocese of Bergamo, Italy.

The Pope reminded the first group that they had chosen the theme: "'Dialogue with uncertainty, cultivate life,' in order to underline the two dimensions that mark the moment your association is presently experiencing: an awareness of the complexity of the age in which we live, and a will to propose your educational programme in the climate of uncertainty that hangs over daily life."

"In the light of Christ's teaching," he went on, "may each of you be ready - in the rapport and collaboration with your colleagues - to seize precious opportunities for sharing responsibilities and uniting intentions in order that scholastic institutions may become privileged places for promoting culture in such a way as to recover respect and social credibility. ... Seek to transmit competently the contents of Catholic religion, with teaching programmes that are attentive to the formative needs of pupils and respectful of the nature and aim of school."

He then addressed some words to a group of disabled people, accompanied by their parents, helpers and members of the "Volunteers of Suffering" center: "May the birth of Jesus, which we celebrate at Christmas, bring each of you much joy and give you the strength to face all problems and difficulties with serenity. May it also help you to feel you are privileged witnesses of love for life, above all towards your peers who are often disoriented and incapable of appreciating this great gift of the Lord."

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, JAN 7, 2002 (VIS) - The Following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Archbishop Jozef Floribert Cornelis O.S.B., emeritus of Alagoinhas, Brazil, on December 20, 2001, at the age of 91.
- Bishop Theodorus Gerardus Antonius Hendriksen, former auxiliary of Utrecht, Netherlands, on December 20, 2001, at the age of 94.
- Bishop James Kwadwo Owusu of Sunyani, Ghana, on December 28, 2001, at the age of 74.
- Bishop Sabin Saint-Gaudens, emeritus of Agen, France, on December 23, 2001, at the age of 80.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 7, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Carlos Osoro Sierra of Orense, Spain, as metropolitan archbishop of Oviedo (area 10,565, population 1,081,834, Catholics 1,032,069, priests 680, religious 1,329), Spain. The archbishop-elect was born in Castaneda, Spain, in 1945, ordained a priest in 1973 and consecrated bishop in 1996. He succeeds Archbishop Gabino Diaz Merchan whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Msgr. Angelo Vincenzo Zani of the clergy of Brescia, Italy, director of the Italian Episcopal Conference's national office for education, schools and universities, as under-secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education.

On Saturday, January 5, it was made public that he:

- Appointed Bishop Angelo Scola, rector of the Pontifical Lateran University, as patriarch of Venice (area 871, population 373,560, Catholics 368,157, priests 394, permanent deacons 29, religious 1,118), Italy. The patriarch-elect was born in Malgrate, Italy, in 1941, ordained a priest in 1970 and consecrated a bishop in 1991. He succeeds Cardinal Marco Ce, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same patriarchate the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Msgr. David John James Monroe, vicar general of Vancouver, Canada, as bishop of Kamloops (area 155,340, population 400,000, Catholics 36,500, priests 24, permanent deacons 2, religious 34), Canada. The bishop-elect was born in Vancouver in 1941 and ordained a priest in 1967.

- Appointed Fr. Salesius Mugambi of the clergy of Meru, Kenya, rector of the St. Thomas Aquinas national theological seminary in Nairobi, as coadjutor of the diocese of Meru (area 9,582, population 2,623,725, Catholics 689,777, priests 117, religious 338). The bishop-elect was born in Egandene, Kenya, in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1977.

- Raised the apostolic vicariate of Araucania, Chile, to the rank of diocese with the new name of Villarrica (area 18,630, population 390,000, Catholics 277,000, priests 71, religious 196) and with territory partly taken from the same vicariate, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan church of Concepcion. At the same time, the remaining territory of the vicariate - Easter Island - passes under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Valparaiso. He appointed Bishop Sixto Jose Parzinger Foidl O.F.M. Cap., apostolic vicar of Araucania, as the first bishop of the new diocese.

- Appointed Bishop Rimantas Norvila, auxiliary of Kaunas, Lithuania, as bishop of Vilkaviskis (population 443,000, Catholics 400,200, priests 118, religious 91), Lithuania. He succeeds Bishop Juozas Zemaitis M.I.C., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Jonas Kauneckas, auxiliary of Telsiai, Lithuania, as bishop of Panevezys (area 13,000, population 443,000, Catholics 377,000, priests 93, religious 71), Lithuania. He succeeds Bishop Juozas Preiksas, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Jonas Boruta S.J., auxiliary of Vilnius, Lithuania, as bishop of Telsiai (area 13,373, population 730,000, Catholics 600,000, priests 142, religious 100), Lithuania.

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AUDIENCES

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

- The following bishops whom he ordained yesterday, accompanied by their families:
- Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, apostolic nuncio in Senegal and Mauritania.
- Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, apostolic nuncio in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
- Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, apostolic nuncio in Papua New Guinea.
- Archbishop Giovanni d'Aniello, pontifical representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Bishop Daniel Mizonzo of Nkayi, Republic of the Congo.
- Bishop Louis Portella of Kinkala, Republic of the Congo.
- Bishop Marcel Utembi Tapa of Mahagi-Nioka, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Bishop Franco Agostinelli of Grosseto, Italy.
- Bishop Amandio Jose Tomas, auxiliary of Evora, Portugal.
- Bishop Vittorio Lanzani, delegate of the Fabric of St. Peter's.
- Cardinal Francis Arinze, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, accompanied by Bishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald, secretary of the same council.

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