POPE THANKS WELL-WISHERS FOR BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 15, 2002 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience catechesis in Italian, and summaries in other languages, Pope John Paul had greetings for the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square. He had special remarks about today's observance of World Day of the Family, which, he noted, the United Nations instituted in 1994, and which is being celebrated for the first time in Italy.

The Pope greeted a delegation from the Forum of Family Associations and told them: "As I show you my great appreciation for your generous commitment, I hope that institutions will fully recognize the values of the family with policies aimed at promoting its significant role. May there be an ever greater awareness that the future of mankind and of the Church lies in the family."

The Holy Father then thanked those who have expressed their best wishes and assured him of their prayers for his upcoming birthday. "I also rely on your spiritual support, to be able to faithfully pursue the ministry that the Lord has entrusted to me."

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AUDIENCE: WITH THE LORD CLOSE, OBSTACLES ARE NOT TO BE FEARED

VATICAN CITY, MAY 15, 2002 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience, celebrated in St. Peter's Square, the Pope spoke about a canticle of the third and last chapter of the Book of Habakkuk.

John Paul II emphasized that the hymn of Habakkuk "presents a grandiose image of the Lord. His figure stands out solemnly over the world and the universe trembles at His actions. It is an illumination of His transcendental mystery that is communicated to humanity." It is "God, far and close, elusive and yet next to us, even more, willing to be with us and in us."

"The Lord," he continued, "wants to enter into the history of humanity" to "judge it and make it better", without being "indifferent to evil, oppression and injustice."

The Holy Father indicated that this canticle shows "the compassionate clemency of God who rises from the horizon of His glory not only to destroy the arrogance of the ungodly, but also to save His people and His consecrated people, Israel, and His king. He also wants to be liberator of the oppressed, to cause hope to be born in the hearts of victims, to open a new era of justice."

"When one is close to the Lord," he ended, "nightmares and obstacles are no longer feared, but one continues with a light step and with joy on the path of life which is sometimes difficult."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

- Appointed Bishop Moacyr Jose Vitti C.S.S., auxiliary of Curitibia, Brazil, as bishop of Piracicaba (area 5,402, population 819,000, Catholics 655,200, priests 76, relgious 184), Brazil. He accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop Eduardo Koaik, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Archbishop Guiseppe Leanza, apostolic nuncio in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as apostolic nuncio in Slovenia.

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STATEMENT ON ALLEGED HOLY SEE INVOLVEMENT IN FRAUD

VATICAN CITY, MAY 15, 2002 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, made a statement today on "the news reported by several newspapers concerning Holy See involvement in a financial fraud in which Martin Frankel is accused of being the principal architect." Navarro-Valls said: "I wish to make clear, as was already done on July 1, 1999, that:

"1. The 'Monitor Ecclesiasticus' Foundation, presided over by Msgr. Emilio Colagiovanni, was set up in the archdiocese of Naples in 1967, but is in no way a Vatican foundation; Neither is the St. Francis of Assisi Foundation, whose constitution and aims the Holy See knows nothing about;

"2. At the time of these facts, Msgr. Emilio Colagiovanni was a retired priest who no longer exercised any function within the sphere of the Holy See. In this affair, he acted purely as a private Italian citizen;

"3. Fr. Peter Jacobs was suspended 'a divinis' and warned by the ecclesiastical authorities of the archdiocese of Washington, starting in 1983;

"4. The Holy See neither received funds from nor furnished funds to the above-named foundations, as was already stated on July 1, 1999;

"5. When it became aware of these facts, the Holy See declared its total extraneousness in this regard and gave the information it had to the Attorney General of the State of Mississippi."

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