HOLY FATHER'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR SEPTEMBER

VATICAN CITY, SEP 2, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father's general intention for the month of September is: "For children and youths in Catholic schools, that in course of their training they may encounter strong and wise educators who will help them to grow in their religious faith and their healthy attitudes to life."

The Holy Father's mission intention for the month of September is: "That the Holy Spirit, through the contribution of the Church and ecclesial Communities, may help the two States of the Korean Peninsula to rediscover the deep reasons for their reconciliation."

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CREDENTIALS OF NEW AMBASSADOR OF GREECE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 2, 2002 (VIS) - Today John Paul II received the Letters of Credence of the new ambassador of Greece to the Holy See, Christos Botzios. In the speech in French, the Holy Father recalled the trip that he made last year to the country and his meeting with His Beatitude Christodoulos, archbishop of Athens. "On the areopagus," he said, "we evoked the painful memories of the past but above all we reaffirmed our common will to do everything possible to forge ahead on the way of Christian fraternity and unity which we must find again."

Afterward the Pope emphasized that the Christian faith was one of the "constitutive elements" of the Greek nation, as well as "a source that can bring dynamism and perspectives of the future to the European construction. I have expressed many times," he continued, "my concern ... about the fact that the communities of believers are not mentioned explicitly among the subjects that must contribute to the reflection on the Convention instituted at the summit of Laeken in the face of a possible European Constitution."

After recalling the incorporation of Greece into the European Union and the Hellenic contribution to the continent at the "social, cultural and religious" level, John Paul II manifested his appreciation for the "attention shown by the Greek authorities for the expansion of Europe, in particular to the Balkan states. It is evident that openness to different European nations will allow the lasting retreat of any danger of conflicts in the region ... the progressive welcoming of all countries will foster a culture of peace and solidarity which is one of the driving forces of the European project."

At the end of his speech, the Holy Father greeted Greek Catholics, "few in number and dispersed in small communities who are suffering through a difficult situation in terms of having their rights recognized at the heart of the nation. I take advantage of this occasion to call attention once again to the need by your government to grant ... a juridical statute to the Catholic Church. It is necessary ... that the religious freedom of Catholics is fully respected, as well as that of other believers, and to give to the dioceses and local communities the necessary means for their mission. Catholics, for their part, wish to maintain a true dialogue with their Orthodox brothers and want more than to participate in the economic, political and social life of the country, in which they are already fully committed in other ways."
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ANGELUS: LIVE ORDINARY THINGS IN AN EXTRAORDINARY WAY

VATICAN CITY, SEP 1, 2002 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father greeted pilgrims gathered in the courtyard of the apostolic palace at Castelgandolfo and prayed the Angelus with them.

After the Marian prayer, John Paul II recalled that in many countries September is a month that marks a return to work and school and that many people had taken advantage of the summer "to take part in prayer groups, spiritual formation, and activities related to work and service. Now is the moment to share those experiences with family and friends ... the community and groups, bringing enthusiasm, serenity and happiness to each day. This is the way to be 'salt and light' of the earth as I reminded the young people gathered in Toronto for World Youth Day."

Afterward John Paul II emphasized that returning to everyday life was not always easy and that sometimes it was hard to re-adjust. "However," he underlined, "it is in everyday life where God calls us to gain a maturity in our spiritual life which consists in living ordinary things in an extraordinary way."

"Sanctity is achieved," he concluded, "by pursuing Jesus without escaping from reality and from trials, but by confronting them with the light and strength of his spirit."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 2, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- Seven prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Brazil on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Carlos Alberto Etchandy Gimeno Navarro of Niteroi.
- Archbishop Eusebio Oscar Scheid, S.C.I., of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro accompanied by his auxiliaries Bishops Rafael Llano Cifuentes, Augusto Jose Zini Filho, and Filippo Santoro.
- Bishop Jose Carlos de Lima Vaz, S.J., of Petropolis.
- Bishop Joao Maria Messi, O.S.M., of Barra do Pirai-Volta Redonda.
- Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education.
- Cardinal Eugenio de Araujo Sales, archbishop emeritus of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro.

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