IMMIGRANTS DESERVE RESPECT FOR THEIR DIGNITY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 9, 2002 (VIS) - Archbishop Stephen Fumio Hamao, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, participated last week in a congress that took place in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, sponsored by the Office for Human Development of the Federation of Asian Episcopal Conferences.

Archbishop Hamao recalled that all people by virtue of the fact that they are sons and daughters of God possess their own dignity. "This dignity never disappears, whatever the external circumstances may be, even when a human person loses his mind, commits a crime or is on his death bed. Persons in an illegal situation and asylum seekers maintain that dignity."

Christian solidarity manifests itself, he underlined, in taking "care of human beings, especially young people, minors and children, who are incapable of defending themselves because they lack protection under the law and often do not know the language of the country in which they have been obliged to seek refuge due to natural catastrophes, wars, violence, persecution, even genocide in their own country or to economic conditions there that are such as to endanger their physical integrity or life itself."

The president of the council affirmed that the "obligation to receive immigrants cannot be determined only by the mere defense of its own well-being. Emigrants have the right to live worthily with their family, to preserve and develop their cultural and religious patrimony, and to be treated under all circumstances in keeping with their human dignity."

Archbishop Hamao concluded by emphasizing that "migration has certainly opened a new way for inter-religious dialogue." And he urged believers of different religions to consider dialogue as a "leading way to follow."

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DECLARATION ON PRIESTLY ORDINATION OF CATHOLIC WOMEN

VATICAN CITY, JUL 10, 2002 (VIS) - Following is a declaration by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which warns seven Catholic women who have received priestly ordination from the hands of the founder of a schismatic community. They are required to comply with certain conditions before July 22 if they do not wish to incur excommunication. The declaration (monitum) is dated today and is signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., prefect and secretary of the dicastery.

"On June 29, 2002, Romulo Antonio Braschi, the founder of a schismatic community, attempted to confer priestly ordination on the following Catholic women: Christine Mayr-Lumetzberger, Adelinde Theresia Roitinger, Gisela Forster, Iris Mller, Ida Raming, Pia Brunner and Angela White.
"In order to give direction to the consciences of the Catholic faithful and dispel any doubts which may have arisen, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith wishes to recall the teaching of the Apostolic Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis of Pope John Paul II, which states that 'the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful' (n. 4). For this reason, the above-mentioned 'priestly ordination' constitutes the simulation of a sacrament and is thus invalid and null, as well as constituting a grave offense to the divine constitution of the Church. Furthermore, because the 'ordaining' Bishop belongs to a schismatic community, it is also a serious attack on the unity of the Church. Such an action is an affront to the dignity of women, whose specific role in the Church and society is distinctive and irreplaceable.

"The present Declaration, recalling the preceding statements of the Bishop of Linz and the Episcopal Conference of Austria and in accordance with canon 1347 1 of the CIC, gives formal warning to the above-mentioned women that they will incur excommunication reserved to the Holy See if, by July 22, 2002, they do not (1) acknowledge the nullity of the 'orders' they have received from a schismatic Bishop in contradiction to the definitive doctrine of the Church and (2) state their repentance and ask forgiveness for the scandal caused to the faithful."

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GENERAL AUDIENCE AT CASTELGANDOLFO: CANTICLE OF DANIEL

VATICAN CITY, JUL 10, 2002 (VIS) - Today's general audience took place today in the courtyard of the apostolic palace at Castelgandolfo for the first time since the beginning of John Paul II's pontificate. The theme of the catechesis was the canticle of the third chapter of the Book of Daniel "May all creatures praise the Lord."

The Holy Father explained that the canticle is one of thanksgiving to the Lord for all the wonders of the universe. It is a hymn sung by three young men who are going to suffer martyrdom and who "do not hesitate to sing and give praise." Their faith provokes "divine intervention" which protects them from death.

"In the canticle of the three young men," he continued, "a sort of cosmic procession passes before our eyes which comes from heaven, inhabited by the angels." Later, "the focus shifts to the earth." The plants, seas, rivers and animals come together to praise God. "The last actor of creation that enters the scene is man," he said.

The Pope affirms that in the canticle "the three words of divine glorification resound, as in a litany: 'Bless, praise, exalt' the Lord. This is the authentic soul of prayer and of the canticle: to give praise to the Lord continually with the joy of forming part of a choir that includes all creatures."

"As human beings," he concluded, "we must add our joyful and confident voice, accompanied by a coherent and faithful life, to this concert of praise."

At the end of the audience, the Holy Father greeted in a special way those who live in Castelgandolfo, "who welcome me with great cordiality once again this year. I am thinking about World Youth Day which will take place in Toronto at the end of the month. I ask you to pray that this important ecclesiastical event produce the desired spiritual fruits."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 10, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Thomas Aquinas, vicar general of Vellore, India, as bishop of Coimbatore (area 28,490, population 9,422,273, Catholics 225,773, priests 120, religious 638), India. The bishop-elect was born in 1953 in Pillaithope, India and was ordained a priest in 1980. He succeeds Bishop Ambrose Mathalaimuthu whose resignation from the pastoral care he accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Gabriel Malzaire, pastor and professor at the Regional Seminary in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago as bishop of Roseau (area 750, population 75,393, Catholics 59,707, priests 29, religious 58), Dominica. The bishop-elect was born in 1957 in Mons Repos, Saint Lucia and was ordained a priest in 1985.

- Appointed Fr. Vincent Darius, O.P., spiritual director of the regional seminary in Port of Spain, Trinidad, as bishop of Saint George's in Grenada (area 344, population 98,000, Catholics 55,919, priests 25, religious 57), Grenada. The bishop-elect was born in 1955 in Crochi, Grenada and was ordained a priest in 1987. He succeeds Bishop Sydney Anicetus Charles whose resignation the Holy Father received upon having reached the age limit.

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