PAPAL ENVOY TO FIRST PLENARY COUNCIL OF THE CHURCH IN SLOVENIA

VATICAN CITY, MAY 11, 2002 (VIS) - Made public today was the Pope's letter, written in Latin and dated April 28, in which he names Cardinal Jozef Tomko as his special envoy for the solemn promulgation of the Acts of the first Plenary Council of the Church in Slovenia. It will take place on May 18 in Ljubljana.

Msgr. Borut Kosir, president of the Ecclesiastical Metropolitan Tribunal and professor of Canon Law on the faculty of Theology in Ljubjlana, and Fr. Bogdan Kolar, S.D.B., professor of Church History on the faculty of Theology in Ljubjlana, will accompany Cardinal Tomko, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples.

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JOHN PAUL II WELCOMES DELEGATION FROM BULGARIA

VATICAN CITY, MAY 11, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning welcomed Bulgaria's foreign minister, Solomon Passy, and the delegation he led to the Vatican on the occasion of the Feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Also present during this traditional encounter was Metropolitan Kalinik, who greeted the Pope on behalf of Patriarch Maxim.

John Paul II spoke of his imminent trip to Bulgaria, and said that "while my visit to your country will have a pastoral purpose, that of confirming my Catholic brothers and sisters in their faith, it is also my fervent desire to strengthen the bonds of Christian communion between the Catholic Church and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Our encounter will surely help Bulgaria to consolidate its Christian foundations at a time when the old order has gone and a new life is taking shape for your country."

The Pope noted that the vision of Saints Cyril and Methodius "was a vision of unity within diversity, of freedom tied to truth, of hope in the face of every affliction. In visiting Bulgaria I shall be visiting the people born of their witness and meeting the culture which embodies the soul of their teachings."

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GREETING TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN STUDENT MARATHON

VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2002 (VIS) - At 9:30 a.m., the Holy Father appeared at the window of his private study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to greet participants - the students of Catholic schools in Rome and Lazio - in the 22nd edition of the Spring Marathon.

Organized during the holidays of Roman Catholic schools, "this act," said the Holy Father, "brings together students, teachers, collaborators, former students and all those who help Catholic schools, in order to live a moment of happiness and fraternity, with the desire to give visibility to a social and educational reality, committed to carrying out a project of formation inspired by the Gospel."

"I urge the different Catholic schools of Rome to persevere with courage and dedication in their important mission to the service of young generations. He concluded by saying, "I hope, at the same time, that the steps already initiated on the way of effective equality between public and private schools can reach a good end."

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CARDINAL KASPER IN YUGOSLAVIA ON ECUMENICAL AND SPIRITUAL VISIT

VATICAN CITY, MAY 11, 2002 (VIS) - Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, arrived in Yugoslavia yesterday and will remain there on a visit until May 15, upon the invitation of the episcopal conference. Fr. Jozef M. Maj, S.J., official of the Eastern section of this dicastery, is accompanying him.

During the visit, which is of an ecumenical and spiritual nature and for contact with the local Catholic Church, Cardinal Kasper will meet with His Beatitude Pavle, the Serbian Orthodox patriarch, according to a communique published yesterday afternoon.
On Sunday May 12, the cardinal will attend a liturgy officiated by Patriarch Pavle in the shrine of Saint Sava, in the presence of the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Alexandria, Petros VII, who is visiting the patriarch of Serbia during these days.

The president of the Council for Christian Unity will participate in various meetings with priests of the archdiocese of Belgrade, to whom he will speak about the "vision of the Catholic Church regarding ecumenism." He will address the bishops of the different churches present in the country on the theme "Christians responsible for their unity."

The cardinal is also scheduled to visit Novi Sad where he will meet with bishops and priests of Serbia and Montenegro and will visit the Orthodox monastery of Kovilj.

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REFLECTIONS ON FEAST OF ASCENSION, WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY

VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2002 (VIS) - Before reciting the Regina Coeli, Pope John Paul spoke to the faithful in St. Peter's Square from his study window that overlooks the piazza, and he reflected on the celebrations today of the solemnity of the Ascension and of the World Day of Social Communications.

Noting that the Ascension is celebrated today in many countries, the Pope said: "Having arisen from the dead and ascended into Heaven, the Redeemer is for believers the anchor of salvation and comfort in the daily commitment to be in the service of truth and peace, justice and freedom. Ascending into Heaven, He re-opens for us the way to the blessed homeland, not to alienate us from history, but to give our path a breath of hope."
The Holy Father then turned to today's observance of the World Day of Social Communications, stating that the theme he proposed for this year's celebration was very current: "The Internet: A New Forum for Proclaiming the Gospel."

He chose this theme, he said, because "the most recent progress in communications and information have placed the Church before unheard-of possibilities of evangelization. ... We must enter into this modern and ever more dense communications network with realism and trust, persuaded that, if it is used with competency and attentive responsibility, it can offer valid opportunities for spreading the Gospel message."

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TO MAYORS: SOLIDARITY MUST MARK THE ETHOS OF A CITY

VATICAN CITY, MAY 13, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II today welcomed 70 mayors, noting that they are from "some of the world's most important cities" and "are gathered in Rome to reflect on how globalization affects the life of your cities, and on the opportunities it offers for closer ties between them."

"A city is much more than a territory, an economic productive zone, a political reality," he observed in his talk to them in English. "It is above all a community of people and especially of families with their children. It is a living, historically rooted, culturally distinct human experience. Those who exercise administrative and political control over it have weighty responsibilities for the common good of the people."

The Holy Father went on to say that "the ethos of a city should be marked by one characteristic above others: solidarity. ... Institutions and social organizations at different levels, as well as the State, must share in promoting a general movement of solidarity between all sectors of the population, with special attention to the weak and marginalized.

"(Solidarity) is not just a matter of convenience," he concluded. "It is a necessity of the moral order."

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CARDINAL ETCHEGARAY PRESIDES RECONCILIATION MASS IN BETHLEHEM

VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2002 (VIS) - Cardinal Roger Etchegaray returned to Bethlehem yesterday, following the end of the siege of the Basilica of the Nativity in that town. As Pope John Paul's special envoy, he brought the Pope's blessing to everyone and presided over a Mass of "praise, expiation and reconciliation" in the Church of St. Catherine, adjacent to the Basilica.

"The holy place of the Nativity has undergone a long calvary," he said, "and this morning is Easter Sunday. ... Today's Mass must help everyone to discover the true roots of peace." Then, saying that the Mass would be one of "reconciliation and a resolute search for peace," the cardinal thanked all those whose efforts led to the end of the 39-day siege for their intelligence and imagination.

Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio, and Fr. Giovanni Battistelli, Custos of the Holy Land, concelebrated with Cardinal Etchegaray.

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"GREAT RELIEF" FOR THE END OF SIEGE OF BASILICA AT BETHLEHEM

VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2002 (VIS) - After praying the Regina Coeli with the faithful congregated in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II said: "We have all received with great relief the news that the basilica of the Nativity at Bethlehem has been reinstated to God and to the faithful.

"I give heartfelt thanks to all those who have contributed to restoring to the holy place its true religious identity. I am thinking particularly of the communities of Franciscans and the Greek and Armenian-Orthodox who, with notable sacrifice, remained faithful custodians of the shrine. I strongly encourage the population of Bethlehem and its surroundings to resume the path with faith and hope in God, who in their land became so close to man.

"My special envoy, Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, the bearer of my sentiments, is in Bethlehem today.

"The universal message of Bethlehem is: love, justice, reconciliation and peace. It is upon these bases that a future, respectful of the rights of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, can be constructed, in reciprocal trust," he concluded.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 13, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Eight prelates from the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit:
- Cardinal Antonio Jose Gonzalez Zumarraga, archbishop of Quito, accompanied by Auxiliary, Bishop Julio Cesar Teran Dutari of Orrea.
- Archbishop Vicente Rodrigo Cisneros Duran of Cuenca.
- Archbishop Jose Mario Ruiz Navas of Portoviejo, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Lorenzo Voltolini of Bisuldino.
- Archbishop Juan Ignacio Larrea Holguin of Guayaquil, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Victor Manuel Maldonado Barreno of Ceramussa.
- Bishop Raul Holguer Lopez Mayorga of Latacunga.
- Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio in Israel and Cyprus and apostolic delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine.
- Cardinal Roger Etchegaray.

On Saturday May 11, the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Three prelates from the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Raul Eduardo Vela Chiriboga, military ordinary.
- Bishop Hugolino Cerasuolo Stacey of Loja.
- Bishop Gonzalo Lopez Maranon, apostolic vicar of San Miguel de Sucumbios.
- Cardinal Marcelo Gonzalez Martin, archbishop emeritus of Toledo, Spain, and an entourage.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect for the Congregation for Bishops.

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BISHOPS OF CENTRAL AFRICA FOR PEACE IN THE GREAT LAKES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 13, 2002 (VIS) - Today a Letter was made public from the Pope to Bishop Frederic Rubwejanga of Kibungo, Rwanda, president of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa, on the occasion of the extraordinary assembly that the bishops are celebrating in Kigali. The object of the meeting is to look for directives and pastoral orientations for peace in the region of the Great Lakes.

In the Letter, written in French and dated May 2, John Paul II writes: "Today I wanted to repeat to you: Never again war that ruins the desire of people to live in tranquility and fraternal understanding! Let there rise in Africa of the Great Lakes brave witnesses of a new hope for the entire region!"

"In order to allow the establishment of new relations among men and institutions, as well as the realization of just aspirations for peace, justice and solidarity, it is of capital importance that the Church in your region really examines herself not only about the credibility of your presentation of her message but also the credibility of those who are its carriers, because the testimony of life is an essential condition of the profound efficacy of preaching. ... In always being an example for the Christian people, you will also help the faithful in their tireless fight against the seeds of division and the ethnic struggles that debilitate the testimony of the Church and foment fraternal hate."

The Holy Father urges the pastors of Central Africa to "announce tirelessly the Good News and make it penetrate cultures, so that through your words and actions, this Word of life brings about in the hearts of Christians the growth of the generous will of collaboration in the development of societies that are ever-more respectful of the common good of people."

After urging the bishops to work for peace among those most in need, the Pope assures them that he will "pray for those who could fall into desperation as a result of the numerous divisions. ... I am also thinking of the silent victims of AIDS or of malnutrition, as well as all the people who have been affected by the recent and tragic eruption of Volcano Nyiragongo."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 13, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father made the following previsions with relation to the ecclesiastical circumscriptions in the Phillipines:
- He erected the apostolic vicariate of Taytay (area 5,945, population 310,383, Catholics 265,000, priests 18, religious 18), the Phillipines, through the division of the current apostolic vicariate of Palawan.
- He appointed Msgr. Edgardo Sarabia Juanich of the clery of Palawan as apostolic vicar of the new apostolic vicariate of Taytay. The apostolic vicar-elect was born in 1952 in Taytay, Phillipines and was ordained a priest in 1976.
- He directed that the apostolic vicariate of Palawan take the name Puerto Princesa.

On Saturday May 11 it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. Francesco Follo, official of the Section for the General Affairs of the Secretariat of State as permanent observer of the Holy See before the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

- Appointed Fr. Wilson Abraham Moncayo Jalil, of the archdiocese of Quito, Ecuador and secretary of the Commission of Pastoral Care of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, as bishop of Santo Domingo de los Colorados (area 9,000, population 600,000, Catholics 585,000, priests 91, permanent deacons 2, religious 144), Ecuador. The bishop-elect was born in Ambato, Ecuador in 1944 and was ordained a priest in 1970. The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop Emilio Lorenzo Stehle, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Juan Matogo Oyana, C.M.F., of Ebebiyin, Guinea, as bishop of Bata (area 16,613, population 136,822, Catholics 136,642, priests 47, religious 105), Equatorial Guinea. He accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop Anacleto Sima Ngua, in accordance with canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

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