RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN THE FACE OF FEAR OF TERRORISM

VATICAN CITY, JAN 17, 2002 (VIS) - This morning, John Paul II received members of the General Inspectorate for Public Security at the Vatican in a meeting that traditionally takes place at the start of the year, and thanked them for their collaboration.

"Thank-you," said the Holy Father, "because you contribute in helping to protect the many people - the unknown and the famous - who come to visit the Pope. May your generous and demanding service be abundantly rewarded by the Lord."

After recalling the "tragic terrorist attacks" of September 11, the Holy Father stressed that "vigilance has become an even more compelling task, in order to prevent any possible risk."

"As a result of terrorism, a feeling of fear has spread among people giving rise to anxiety, mistrust and closure. Thus, although appropriate measures must be adopted in order to guarantee the security of all, at the same time it is necessary to restore people's confidence, within a society that can comprehend more open and united relationships. The Church also contributes to this process with her wide-ranging spiritual activity."

AC;...;...;VATICAN SECURITY;VIS;20020117;Word: 190

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 17, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father erected the ecclesiastical province of Kumasi (area 5,118, population 2,000,000, Catholics 200,000, priests 46, religious 88), Ghana, dividing it from the ecclesiastical province of Cape Coast, Ghana, and assigning to it as suffragans the dioceses of Obuasi, Goaso, Sunyani and Konongo-Mampong. He appointed Bishop Peter Kwasi Sarpong of Kumasi as first metropolitan archbishop of the new ecclesiastical province.

ECE; NER;...;...;SARPONG ;VIS;20020117;Word: 70;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 17, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences five prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Emmanuel Le Phong Thuan of Can Tho.
- Bishop Pierre Tran Thanh Chung of Kontum.
- Bishop Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Sang of Thai Binh.
- Bishop Joseph Nguyen Van Yen of Phat Diem.
- Bishop Joseph Nguyen Quang Tuyen of Bac Ninh.

AL;...;...;...;VIS;20020117;Word: 70;

CARDINAL KASPER TO CLOSE WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

VATICAN CITY, JAN 17, 2002 (VIS) - At 6 p.m. on January 25, Cardinal Walter Kasper is due to preside at the celebration of Vespers in the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, thus bringing to a close the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" of 2002.

The cardinal, who is president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, will be accompanied by representatives from other Churches and ecclesial communities. "The diocesan community of Rome," reads a communique on the subject made public today, "is also invited to participate in order to invoke the Lord for the unity of all Christians."

...;PRAYER CHRISTIAN UNITY;...;KASPER;VIS;20020117;Word: 110;