WALK IN THE WAY OF JUSTICE TO LIVE IN COMMUNION WITH GOD

VATICAN CITY, OCT 30, 2002 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience, celebrated in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II spoke about the Canticle in Chapter 33 of the Book of Isaiah, "God will judge justly."

The Canticle begins with the announcement of God's "powerful and glorious entrance into human history. ... God's words are directed to those who are 'far off' and to those who are 'near', that is, to all nations of the earth, even the remotest, and to Israel, the people 'near' to the Lord due to the covenant."

The Holy Father indicated that "the greatest and most intense part of the Canticle is devoted to sanctity accepted and lived as a sign of imminent conversion and reconciliation with God." In order to "live in joyful communion with loyalty and sincerity, ... to fight the oppression of the poor and unjust wealth, ... to condemn political and judicial corruption, ... rejecting gifts in order to avert the application of the law."

Another condition to walk in communion with God, he continued, "is expressed with the significant gesture of 'closing one's ears' to suggestions that you commit bloody and violent acts." The last condition is expressed with the image of 'closing an eye', which in this case "is interpreted as an invitation to reject any complicity with evil."

John Paul II concluded by emphasizing that "he who chooses to follow this honest and just way of behavior will be able to enter the Lord's temple where he will receive the assurance of that exterior and interior well-being that God gives to those who are in communion with Him."

While greeting the faithful in different languages, the Holy Father recalled that the forthcoming celebrations of the solemnity of All Saints and of the commemoration of All Souls "invite all believers to consider the last and definitive realities that await us."

The Pope urged young people to have as their main objective "sanctity of life in order to prepare a future filled with blessings." To the sick he said: "May the example of the saints and their intercession help you to face with bravery the trials of life." Finally, he told newlyweds: "May the thought of our heavenly home ... guide your family to fidelity to Christ and to the full and reciprocal communion of love."

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STATEMENT ON WORK OF HOLY SEE, U.S. MIXED COMMISSION

VATICAN CITY, OCT 30, 2002 (VIS) - On October 18 the Holy See announced the creation of a mixed commission of the Holy See and of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, whose job was to revise the "Essential Norms for Diocesan/Eparchial Policies Dealing with Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Priests, Deacons or Other Personnel" (Norms).

Holy See Press Office Director, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, made the following declaration at noon today on the work done by the Holy See-U.S. Bishops Mixed Commission:

"On October 28 and 29 the Mixed Commission of the Holy See and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops met in the Vatican for the revision of the 'Norms'.

"The suggestions outlined by the Mixed Commission will be brought to the general meeting of the U.S. episcopal conference which will be held in Washington from November 11 to 14.

"The document approved by the U.S. episcopal conference will then be sent to the Holy See for a further 'recognitio'."

The members representing the dicasteries of the Holy See are: Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy; Archbishop Julian Herranz, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts; Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Archbishop Francesco Monterisi, secretary of the Congregation for Bishops.

The members representing the United States episcopal conference are: Cardinal Francis Eugene George, O.M.I., archbishop of Chicago; Archbishop William Joseph Levada, archbishop of San Francisco; Bishop Thomas Doran of Rockford; Bishop Edward Lori of Bridgeport.

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EAST TIMOR: BUILD A MORE FRATERNAL AND UNITED SOCIETY

VATICAN CITY, OCT 30, 2002 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received Bishops Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, S.D.B., and Basilio do Nascimento, apostolic administrators of Dili and Baucau, East Timor, who just completed their "ad limina" visit.
At the beginning of his speech, the Pope entrusted once again the victims of violence in the country to divine mercy and he expressed "profound solidarity with all those who suffer the consequences of the drama that has afflicted your people."

"Praised be God," he said, "because in His kindness and providence He has allowed us to see the return of freedom and peace to your country, permitting you to dedicate yourselves now with all your energies to the service of a promising harvest."

"While we recall the enormous tragedy we cannot help but ask ourselves this question: How was the outbreak of such cruel and irrational violence possible? ... It may be useful for your ecclesiastical communities," he emphasized," to perform an act of purification as was done in the Holy Year."

Speaking about young people and adults, the Holy Father affirmed that in order to discover "in an ever clearer way their vocation and an ever greater willingness to live it in fulfilling their mission, it is necessary that they take advantage of a complete catechesis on the truths of the faith and their concrete implications in life."

After stressing the importance of the education of families so that "parents are able to convey to their children that which they themselves have received," he referred to the duty of lay people to be present "with determination and intellectual creativity in privileged places of culture, ... in the fields of scientific and technical research, and artistic creation and humanistic reflection."

John Paul II urged "priests always to be men of faith and prayer which the world needs" and to give priority to the "spiritual service of the faithful who have been entrusted to their care, to lead them to Jesus Christ, whom they represent, being men of mission and dialogue." And he expressed his joy at the increase of priestly and religious vocations in their dioceses.

The Holy Father concluded by exhorting the people of East Timor to "commit themselves decidedly to building an ever more fraternal and united society, whose members share equally the virtue and responsibility of the new nation."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 30, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Fr. Carmelo Scampa, 'fidei donum' of the diocese of Cremona, Italy and secretary of the Midwest Region of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, as bishop of Sao Luis de Montes Belos (area 42,601, population 265,913, Catholics 199,434, priests 17, permanent deacons 7, religious 68), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Scandolara Ripa d'Olio, Italy in 1944 and was ordained a priest in 1971.

- Msgr. Celestino Migliore, undersecretary of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State, as permanent observer of the Holy See to the Organization of the United Nations, with the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in 1952 in Cuneo, Italy and was ordained a priest in 1977.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 30, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and the Governatorate of Vatican City State.

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HOLY SEE ON EVENTS IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

VATICAN CITY, OCT 30, 2002 (VIS) - Joaquin Navarro-Valls, director of the Holy See Press Office, stated today that "the Secretariat of State, having been informed of the grave events that the populations of the Central Africa Republic are experiencing, hopes that they will know how to renounce the use of force, which leads only to ruin, and to respect the constitutional order.

"At the same time the secretariat encourages the international community to continue its work in favor of peaceful means and (encourages) the local Church to persevere in her exemplary action for fraternal and peaceful coexistence."

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