CREDENTIALS OF NEW AMBASSADOR OF FRANCE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today the Letters of Credence of the new ambassador of France to the Holy See, Pierre Morel. In his speech addressing the diplomat, John Paul II recalled "the age-old history of relations between France and the Holy See" and underlined "the essential role of France in the construction of the European Community and the progressive unification of the continent."

"France," he continued, "is called to play a leading role in the construction and extension of the European identity so that the principles of fraternity, equality and liberty, for which your compatriots feel a legitimate devotion, irradiate all over the world."

After referring to the work of the Commission in charge of studying the Constitution of the European Union and to the principles upon which the constitution must be based, he said: "How can we not mention the decisive contribution of the values which Christianity espouses and that have contributed to strengthening culture and humanism of which Europe feels legitimately proud and without which its most profound identity could not be understood?"

John Paul II praised initiatives in the field of European education directed toward "youths so that through the knowledge of the existence of religion, they might discover different religions and human communities that practice them and in this way be able to commit themselves to searching for the meaning of their existence ... This will promote mutual respect and will contribute to a greater social peace and a deeper fraternity among all those who make up a nation."

"Far from constituting a threat to social life, religious forces are, in effect, an opportunity for community life, because they participate, from the place that corresponds to them, in the construction of a society where man examines himself taking into account all his dimensions. The national community can also benefit from the cultural, spiritual and moral values of which traditional religions are the vehicle."

Referring to relations between the Holy See and France at the end of his speech, he affirmed: "The Holy See congratulates itself for establishing a permanent accord in the field of relations of the Church with the French State ... which will promote without a doubt a better, mutual knowledge ... The path of dialogue and negotiation constitutes a reciprocal advantage as much for the State as for the Church for the resolution of concrete questions relative to exercising freedom of religion and worship."

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DECREE OF APPROVAL OF STATUTE OF NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2002 (VIS) - Tomorrow, June 28, Cardinal James Francis Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, will preside in the Great Hall of the dicastery at the presentation of the decree of approval of the statute of the Neocatechumenal Way to its leaders: Kiko Arguello, Carmen Hernandez and Fr. Mario Pezzi.

In a communique made public yesterday afternoon it is affirmed that in the audience which took place in January of 1997, the Pope said to those who started the Way that the preparation of the statute was "a very important step that opens up the path toward formal, juridical recognition by the Church." In April of 2001, the Pope confirmed once again the competency of the dicastery of the Laity in its approval of the statute of the Way.

There has been much contact with prelates and episcopal conferences from all over the world - continues the communique -for the assessment of the experience of the Way at the parochial, diocesan and national level. In addition, many patriarchs, cardinals and bishops from around the world have written to the Holy Father encouraging the statute's examination and approval.

The communique concludes by emphasizing that the purpose of the standard that has now been approved is to regulate the normal procedure of the Neocatechumenal Way and its adaptation into the ecclesiastical fabric, offering help to pastors of the Church in their paternal and attentive guidance to neocatechumenal communities.

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CONCERN FOR BROTHERS WHO LIVE IN THE HOLY LAND

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II received at midday participants in the annual meeting of the Assembly of Works of Assistance to the Oriental Churches (ROACO).

"The special attention with which the Apostolic See follows developments of the situation in the Holy Land, and specifically, the prolongation of the state of tension in the Middle East, prompts me to recommend to your prayers our brothers in the faith who live there."

"I am sure," he continued, "that your effort, thanks also to the traditional collection for the Holy Land, will facilitate the arrival of concrete signs of Christian solidarity to the those martyred regions from the most diverse places in the world. In addition, I am convinced that you will discover in this charitable act grateful correspondence from the pastors and the faithful of the Oriental Catholic Churches and the Latin Community in the Holy Land."

The Holy Father reminded the members of ROACO that their mission was "to respond ever-more attentively and immediately to the urgent needs of the Oriental Catholic Churches, trying to opportunely involve the local communities. ... In this process which is so important," he concluded, "the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, which sustains the varied initiatives that you promote in the field of study, liturgy, in formative commitment and in pastoral projects, is along side you."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Four prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Peru, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Bernhard Kuhnel Langer of Caraveli.
- Bishop Domenico Berni Leonardi of Chuquibambilla.
- Bishop Sebastian Ramis Torrens of Huamachucho.
- Bishop Jose Santos Iztueta Mendizabal of Moyobamba.
- Pal Tar, ambassador of Hungary, on his farewell visit.

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METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOPS TO RECEIVE THE PALLIUM ON SATURDAY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2001 (VIS) - Twenty eight metropolitan archbishops will receive the pallium from the hands of Pope John Paul II, on Saturday June 29 - Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles - at 6 p.m. in St. Peter's Square. The new metropolitans are:

1. Archbishop Jean-Pierre Kutwa, S.D.B, of Gagnoa, Ivory Coast.

2. Archbishop Emiliuis Goulet, P.S.S., of Saint-Boniface, Canada.

3. Archbishop John Joseph Myers of Newark, United States.

4. Archbishop Williams Joseph Kurtz, S.V.D, of Madang, Papua New Guinea.

5. Archbishop Eusebio Oscar Scheid, S.C.I., of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

6. Archbishop Mariadas Kagithapu, M.S.F.S., of Visakhapatnam, India.

7. Archbishop Peter Smith of Cardiff, Gales.

8. Archbishop Eurico dos Santos Veloso of Juiz de Fora, Brazil.

9. Archbishop Philip Edward Wilson of Adelaide, Australia.

10. Archbishop Jean-Pierre Ricard of Bordeaux, France.

11. Archbishop Peter Kwasi Sarpong of Kumasi, Ghana.

12. Archbishop Antonio Jos‚ L¢pez Castrillo of Calabozo, Venezuela.

13. Archbishop Alfred Clifton Hughes of New Orleans, United States.

14. Archbishop Angelo Scola, patriarch of Venice, Italy.

15. Archbishop Carlos Osoro Sierra of Oviedo, Spain.

16. Archbishop Mario Joseph Conti of Glasgow, Scotland.

17. Archbishop Geraldo Lyrio Rocha of Vitoria da Conquista, Brazil.

18. Archbishop Itamar Navildo Vian O.F.M. Cap, of Feira de Santana, Brazil.

19. Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Mother of God in Moscow, Russian Federation.

20. Archbishop Murilo Sebastiao Ramos Krieger, S.C.I, of Florian¢polis, Brazil.

21. Archbishop Diego Rafael Padr¢n S nchez of Cumana, Venezuela.

22. Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki of Poznan, Polond.

23. Archbishop Francisco Gil Hell¡n of Burgos, Spain.

24. Archbishop Lukas Sirkar, S.D.B., of Calcutta, India.

25. Archbishop Anthony G. Meagher of Kingston, Canada.

26. Archbishop Washington Cruz, C.P., of Goiania, Brazil.

27. Archbishop Salvatore Gristina of Catania, Italy.

28. Archbishop Eustaquio Pastor Cuquejo Verga, C.SS.R., of Asuncion, Paraguay.

In addition to these twenty eight, the following metropolitans will receive the pallium in their respective sees: Archbishop Andr‚ Richard, C.S.C., of Moncton, Canada and Archbishop Juan Garcia Rodriguez, of Camaguey, Cuba.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Cardinals Ivan Dias, archbishop of Bombay, India, and Edward Egan, archbishop of New York, United States, as members of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

- Appointed Fr. Anibal Gil Lopes, physician and professor of Physiology at the "Carlos Chagas Filho" Biophysics Institute of the Federal University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Angelo Fiori, professor of Legal Medicine at the "Agostino Gemelli" Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in Rome, Italy, as ordinary members of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

- Appointed Sergio Zaninelli, professor and president of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, Italy, as consultant to the Congregation for Catholic Education.

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