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Tuesday, February 5, 2002

ARCHBISHOP CORDES: RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY


VATICAN CITY, FEB 5, 2002 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office this morning, Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," presented the Pope's message for Lent 2002.

Archbishop Cordes began by recalling that "Cor Unum" was founded by Pope Paul VI a little more than 30 years ago on July 15, 1971; and that up to the year 2001, popes have channelled funds to the value of 87,510,201 U.S. dollars through the dicastery. Moreover, as of January 31 2002, more than two million Euros have been collected in response to the Pope's call for offerings for the day of fasting on December 14, 2001.

For its 30th anniversary, "Cor Unum" published the book "Ars Caritatis" which is a collection of Papal addresses to members of the dicastery together with two reports; one on the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel and another on the "Populorum Progressio" Foundation for Latin America.

The president of "Cor Unum" went on to speak of the Lenten message in which, he said, "we find a call to help those in need. ... The key theme of this year's message is the conviction that we have received much. ... In an age in which man wishes to live in complete autonomy," the temptation to "be self-sufficient, to have no need of others," is countered by an idea often repeated by John Paul II and that may be found in the pastoral constitution "Gaudium et Spes": "man can fully discover his true self only in a sincere giving of himself."

There followed a speech from Jean Vanier, the Canadian founder of the first "L'Arche" community and "one of the great initiators of Catholic voluntary work." The aim of the foundation is "to give a family, a community, to those who have mental handicaps, so offering them the chance to learn, as far as possible, to live their daily lives independently, working, living in communion with others and meeting God."

"For 37 years now," said Jean Vanier, "I have had the privilege of living with men and women with learning disabilities who have often known the pain of being mocked, rejected and excluded. People with mental handicaps are among the most oppressed people; they are not wanted in our stressful world of competition. ... I would like to bear witness here however to the 'power' of these so-called 'powerless' people, their capacity ... to help people become more truly human, to lead people into the mystery of the Gospels and a meeting with Jesus."

He indicated that in the 120 'L'Arche' communities and the 1,500 communities of 'Faith and Light,' volunteers share their lives on a daily basis with disabled men and women. "Many volunteers," he highlighted, "live an experience of transformation."

"Many other young people," he went on, "today want to go to poorer areas of the world, to share their lives with people in the slums, in refugee camps, in schools for disadvantaged children. ... They realize how closed and prejudiced they were before, how they were only concerned about their own immediate family or group or religion or culture, and they begin to understand how richer cultures oppress the poorer ones. This shared experience with suffering and weak people helps them to discover what it means to be part of the human family. They discover that to be human and to be Christian means to love people. ... Many young volunteers come to our communities wanting to do good to the poor, but what they discover is that it is the weak and the poor who are healing and transforming them."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 5, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Stephen Zurbriggen, apostolic nuncio in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, apostolic administrator "ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the apostolic administration of Estonia.
- Four prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Argentina, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Joaquin Pina Batllevell S.J., of Puerto Iguazu.
- Bishop Antonio Juan Baseotto C.SS.R., of Anatuya.
- Bishop Agustin Roberto Radrizzani S.D.B., of Lomas de Zamora.
- Bishop Rinaldo Fidel Bredice of Santa Rosa.

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PUBLICATION OF PAPAL MESSAGE FOR LENT 2002


VATICAN CITY, FEB 5, 2002 (VIS) - Made public today was John Paul II's message for Lent 2002, the theme of which is: "You received without paying, give without pay." The text bears the date of October 4, 2001, and has been published in Italian, English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Polish. Some extracts from the message are given below:

"'You received without paying, give without pay.' May these words of the Gospel echo in the heart of all Christian communities on their penitential pilgrimage to Easter. May Lent, recalling the mystery of the Lord's Death and Resurrection, lead all Christians to marvel in their heart of hearts at the greatness of such a gift.

"Yes! We have received without pay. Is not our entire life marked by God's kindness? The beginning of life and its marvelous development: this is a gift. And because it is gift, life can never be regarded as a possession or as private property, even if the capabilities we now have to improve the quality of life can lead us to think that man is the 'master' of life."

"It is also worth repeating here that not everything that is technically possible is morally acceptable. Scientific work aimed at securing a quality of life more in keeping with human dignity is admirable, but it must never be forgotten that human life is a gift, and that it remains precious even when marked by suffering and limitations. A gift to be accepted and to be loved at all times: received without pay and to be placed without pay at the service of others."

"Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus renews our life and makes us sharers in the divine life which draws us into the intimate life of God and enables us to experience His love for us. ... This life is passed on to us in Baptism, and we must nourish it constantly by responding to it faithfully, both individually and communally, through prayer, the celebration of the Sacraments and evangelical witness.

"Since we have received this life freely, we must in turn offer it freely to our brothers and sisters. ... And the first gift to be given is the gift of a holy life, bearing witness to the freely given love of God. May the Lenten journey be for all believers an unceasing summons to enter more deeply into this special vocation of ours."

"The world prizes human relationships based on self-interest and personal gain, and this fosters an egocentric vision of life, in which too often there is no room for the poor and weak. Every person, even the least gifted, must be welcomed and loved for themselves, regardless of their qualities and defects. Indeed, the greater their hardship, the more they must be the object of our practical love. This is the love to which the Church, through her countless institutions, bears witness in accepting responsibility for the sick, the marginalized, the poor and the exploited. In this way, Christians become apostles of hope and builders of the civilization of love."

"Dear Brothers and Sisters! Let this be how we prepare to live this Lent: in practical generosity towards the poorest of our brothers and sisters! By opening our hearts to them, we realize ever more deeply that what we give to others is our response to the many gifts which the Lord continues to give to us. We have received without paying, let us give without pay!

"What better time is there than Lent for offering this testimony of gratuitousness which the world so badly needs? In the very love which God has for us, there lies the call to give ourselves freely to others in turn. I thank all those throughout the world ' lay people, religious and priests ' who offer this witness of charity. May it be true of all Christians, whatever the circumstances in which they live."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 5, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. Gerard Hanna, vicar general of Wagga Wagga (area 24,000, population 206,000, Catholics 62,000, priests 55, religious 131), Australia, as bishop of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Armindale, Australia, in 1941 and ordained a priest in 1968. He succeeds Bishop William John Brennan whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Archbishop Marco Dino Brogi O.F.M., apostolic nuncio in Sudan and apostolic delegate in Somalia, as apostolic nuncio in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

- Appointed Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, apostolic nuncio in Senegal and apostolic delegate in Mauritania, as apostolic nuncio in Mali and Cape Verde.

- Appointed Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, apostolic nuncio in Papua New Guinea, as apostolic nuncio in the Solomon Islands.

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