FIFTH CENTENARY OF BIRTH OF ST. ANTHONY MARY ZACARIA

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2002 (VIS) - Made public today was a message from John Paul II to Fr. Giovanni Maria Villa, superior general of the Regular Clergy of St. Paul, on the occasion of the fifth centenary of the birth of their founder, St. Anthony Mary Zacaria.

In the message dated July 5, the saint's feast, the Pope expresses his desire that the celebrations "be a beautiful occasion to emphasize the gift of sanctity resplendent in the Church in all times and that the Church found in St. Anthony Maria Zacaria a singular witness in the 16th century."

"I am sure," he affirms, "that reflection on his ardent love for Jesus ... and his tireless fervor for souls will constitute for his spiritual sons an invitation to dedicate themselves with renewed ardor to the human and Christian education of young generations that represent the future of the Church and society.

The Holy Father underlines that "it is necessary to take special care with the Christian formation of new generations by announcing the Word of God, punctual and devout celebration of the sacraments, especially Reconciliation, spiritual direction and spiritual exercises."

"The words and the example of the founder continue to encourage his sons towards a renewed fidelity to missionary activity which is fed by fervent prayer and is based on solid theological and cultural preparation. Only in this way," he concludes, "is it possible to make an incisive announcement and credible testimony of the Gospel everywhere."

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF WORKING DIOCESAN PRIESTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2002 (VIS) - This morning the Pope received participants in the twentieth General Assembly of the Brotherhood of Working Diocesan Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which is taking place in Rome.

After recalling the theme of the assembly, "The pastoral vocation, Challenge of our identity today," John Paul II said: "You, Working Diocesan Priests, have always dedicated your greatest energies to the pastoral care of priestly, religious and apostolic vocations, conscious that they are the most effective universal means for the promotion of all other pastoral fields."

"I wish to urge you," he continued, "to reproduce the bravery, creativity and holiness of your founder, Blessed Manuel Domingo y Sol, adapting yourselves, when it is necessary, to new situations and needs in total docility to divine inspiration and ecclesiastical discernment."

The Holy Father exhorted the Working Diocesans to follow "with renewed courage" the work that the Church has entrusted them with, "striving to carry it out with the lifestyle and activity that characterize you: priestly brotherhood. Your lives and examples will certainly become a stimulus for so many who are looking for the radical pursuit of Christ."

The Pope concluded by encouraging those present to confront "the challenge of evangelization in this millennium with courage. Never say, 'we have tried it all; there is nothing else we can do.' On the contrary, always be willing to continue transforming your commitment and identity as 'workers' in concrete pastoral capacities that respond to the demands of your charisma and to the needs of the Church in the world today."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- John Howard, prime minister of Australia, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.
- Mark Edward Pellew, ambassador of Great Britain, on his farewell visit.
- Wilhelm Hans-Theodor Wallau, ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, on his farewell visit.
- Msgr. Lorenzo Frana.
- Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Governorate.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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COMMUNIQUE ABOUT DRAMA OF SWISS GUARDS IN 1998

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2002 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, the Holy See Press Office released the following communique:

"In light of news reports regarding supposed new information in the case of the deaths of Alois Estermann, Gladys Meza Romero and Cedric Tornay, a clarification follows:

"A request has reached the Promoter of Justice of the Tribunal of Vatican City State, sent through the Secretary of State, to re-open the investigation conducted by the lawyers Jacques Verges and Luc Brossolet, on behalf of Muguette Baudat, mother of Vice-Corporal Cedric Tornay. This request is presently being considered by the Legal Office, in accordance with article 295 and those that follow of the Code of Criminal Procedure of Vatican City State.

"However, the offensive statements, which are unfounded, made against the Holy See, Vatican City State and its judicial organisms are unacceptable."

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JOHN PAUL II GOES TO CASTELGANDOLFO

VATICAN CITY, JUL 8, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II went this morning to Castelgandolfo, south of Rome, where he will spend his summer holiday. From today on, all private and special audiences are suspended and the general Wednesday audience will take place on the patio of the apostolic palace at 10:30 a.m. If there are many pilgrims who wish to attend, the audience will then be held in the Vatican.

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MESSAGE ON THE CENTENARY OF THE DEATH OF ST. MARIA GORETTI

VATICAN CITY, JUL 8, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II wrote a message to Bishop Agostino Vallini of Albano, Italy, on the occasion of the centenary of the death of St. Maria Goretti. Her remains are preserved in Neptune's Sanctuary which is entrusted to the Passionist Fathers.

After recalling that the saint was "cruelly stabbed" on July 5 and died the next day, he writes: "Because of her spiritual life, the strength of her faith, her capacity to forgive her killer, she is among the most beloved saints of the twentieth century."

"In the face of a culture that overestimates physical relations between men and women," he continues, "the Church continues to defend and promote the value of sexuality as something in which all the aspects of the person are involved and which, therefore, must be lived with an interior attitude of freedom and mutual respect, in the light of the original design of God. In this sense, the person realizes that he or she is the receiver of a gift and is called to become, in turn, a gift for the other."

The Holy Father underlines that "it is undeniable that presently there are many threats to the unity and stability of the family. Luckily, however, along with these threats there exists a renewed consciousness of the rights of children to be cared for with love, protected from all danger and formed in a way so that they are able to confront life with bravery and strength."

"In the heroic testimony of the saint of Le Ferriere," he adds, "the forgiveness offered to the killer and the desire to meet him one day in paradise deserve special attention. It is a spiritual and social message of extraordinary importance for this time."

The Pope recalls that forgiveness for the Church "does not mean moral relativism or permissiveness. On the contrary, it requires full recognition of the fault itself and the ascension of responsibilities as a condition in order to find once again true peace and to learn with trust the way of evangelical perfection. May humanity be presented decisively in the way of mercy and forgiveness!"

At the end of the message, John Paul II indicates the Italian saint as an example especially for young people. "St. Maria Goretti and so many adolescents who throughout the centuries have paid for their adhesion to the Gospel with martyrdom, are alongside [young people] to order instill in their souls the strength to remain solid in faithfulness."

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ANGELUS: REDISCOVER THE VALUE OF CHASTITY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 7, 2002 (VIS) - Before praying the Angelus today at midday, the Pope reminded the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square that Maria Goretti, victim of an act of violence, died on July 6 one hundred years ago. Pius XII proclaimed her a saint in 1950 "presenting her to all as a model of brave fidelity to the Christian vocation even to the supreme sacrifice of life."

John Paul II affirmed that in a special message that he wrote for this anniversary he wanted to underline "the reality of this martyr of purity which I hope can be better known by adolescents and young people."

"St. Maria Goretti," he said, "is an example for the younger generations, threatened by a mentality of indifference, who find it difficult to understand the importance of values to which it is never right to give in."

The Holy Father emphasized that "Maria, although poor and lacking education, had a strong and mature personality at age 12, formed by the religious education received from her family. This made her capable not only of defending her own person with heroic chastity but also of forgiving her killer. Her martyrdom is a reminder that man does not fulfill himself by following his inclinations for pleasure, but by living life itself with love and responsibility."

"I know dear young people," he added, "that you are sensitive to these ideals. While I am waiting to meet you in two weeks in Toronto, today I would like to say to you once again: "Do not let the culture of pleasure and enjoyment dull your consciences! Be sharp and attentive sentinels in order to be authentic protagonists of a new humanity!"

John Paul II concluded by imploring the Virgin, "the purest among creatures, to help men and women of our time, especially young people, to rediscover the value of chastity and to live interpersonal relations with reciprocal respect and sincere love."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 8, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Elevated the Mission "sui iuris" of Urga, Ulanbator to the status of Apostolic Prefecture, with the new denomination of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He appointed Fr. Wenceslaw Padilla, C.I.C.M., superior of the Mission "sui iuris", as the first apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaator.

- Appointed Fr. Jabulani Nxumalo, O.M.I., consul general of his Congregation, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Durban (area 20,318, population 3,000,000, Catholics 217,726, priests 137, permanent deacons 31, religious 603) South Africa. The bishop-elect was born in 1944 in Durban and was ordained a priest in 1974.

It was made public on Saturday July 6 that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Oswald Thomas Colman Gomis of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, as archbishop of Colombo (area 3,838, population 5,027,268, Catholics 567,833, priests 347, religious 1,358), Sri Lanka. He succeeds Archbishop Nicholas Marcus Fernando 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 as consultants of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples: Msgr. Giorgio Rizzieri, Aldo Giordano; Fr. Bernard Lapize de la Salee, S.J.; Fr. Lluis Magrina, S.J.; Sr. Maria do Rosario Onzi, Scalabrinian; Sr. Christiane Megarbane, Franciscan Missionary of Mary.

- Appointed Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, apostolic nuncio in Kazakhstan and Tadjikistan, as apostolic nuncio in Kyrgyzstan.

- Appointed members of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church: Cardinals Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, archbishop of Westminster, Great Britain and Edward Michael Egan, archbishop of New York, U.S.A.; Archbishops Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson of Cape Coast, Ghana and Sean Baptist Brady of Armagh, Ireland; Bishops Wilton Daniel Gregory of Belleville, U.S.A. and Alois Kothgasser of Innsbruck, Austria; Francesco Buranelli, regent director general of the Pontifical Monuments, Museums and Galleries and Kinga Perzynska, archivist, Austin, U.S.A.

The Holy Father appointed consultants of the same Pontifical Commission: Bishops Santiago Garcia Aracil of Jaen, Spain and Henk Kronenberg of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea; Msgr. Francis A. Coady, archivist of the archdiocese of St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada; Frs. Pasquale Iacobone, official of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Francesco Azzopardi, O.F.M. Cap., Floriana, Malta, and Innocenzo Venchi, O.P., postular general of the Order, Rome; Sr. Dominique Horgan, O.P., Blackrock, Ireland; Bernard Berthod, curator of the Fourviere Museum in Lyon, France; Mary Catherine Cuthill, president of the Historical Archdiocesan Commission, Portland, U.S.A.; Guus Van Den Hout, director of the "Catharijnconvent Museum", Utrecht, Netherlands; Salvatore Italia, director general of the Archvives of the Ministry for Cultural Patrimony and Activities, Rome; Kathleen Signor, Mechanicsburg, U.S.A.

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