GENERAL AUDIENCE: THE GOOD SHEPHERD, GOD ALMIGHTY

VATICAN CITY, NOV 20, 2002 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father continued with the cycle of catecheses on the psalms, speaking about the Canticle of Isaiah: "The good shepherd: God Almighty and All-knowing."

John Paul II affirmed that at the beginning of the Canticle "the powerful figure of God appears, He who returns to Jerusalem proceeded by His trophies," which are the "exiled Jews whom He has delivered from the hand of their conquerors. Therefore, God is described as a 'shepherd'" who takes care of His flock."

Later in the Canticle a reflection is offered on "the role of the Lord as Creator of the Universe. ... No one is capable of measuring the immensity of the universe created by God. The prophet makes us realize how ridiculously inadequate human tools are for this task."

The Pope indicated that the prophet Isaiah outlines the "supremacy of the Lord over history, that is, over nations, over the humanity that inhabits the earth. The inhabitants of known lands and also remote regions, which the Bible calls far-flung 'islands', are a microscopic reality in comparison with the Lord's infinite grandeur."

"The faithful are invited, therefore, from the beginning of the day to adore the Lord, all-powerful." In conclusion, the Pope noted that St. Jerome "is taken aback at a surprising truth: that Christ 'is divine in nature ... yet He shed Himself, assuming the place of a servant, becoming like man'. That infinite and omnipotent God became small and limited."

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ACCORD SIGNED FOR CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL FACULTY IN ERFURT

VATICAN CITY, NOV 20, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy See announced that today in the Erfurt State Chancellery in the Federal Republic of Germany, an Accord was signed between the Holy See and the Free State of Thuringen regarding the constitution of the theological faculty of Erfurt as a Catholic Theological Faculty of Erfurt State University.

Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, apostolic nuncio in Germany, signed for the Holy See, and Bernhard Vogel, minister-president of Thuringen, for this State.

"The present Accord," says a communique released this morning, "consists of 9 articles and, in a Final Protocol, realizes the erection of a Catholic Theological Faculty in the University of Erfurt, which was foreseen in the General Accord signed on June 11, 1997 between the Holy See and the Free State of Thuringen."

"Through the present Accord, the Theological Faculty of Erfurt, which is the result of a Philosophical-Theological Study and was canonically erected with Decree N. 1281/90 dated May 22, 1999 of the Congregation for Catholic Education, is incorporated into the Erfurt State University.

"The above-mentioned Faculty will serve - in the research, teaching and study of theology - the promotion and the development of Catholic theology, the scientific formation in Catholic theology of candidates to the priesthood and other ecclesiastical ministers and the formation of religion teachers for schools."

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CELEBRATIONS PRESIDED BY THE POPE: DECEMBER AND JANUARY

VATICAN CITY, NOV 20, 2002 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff made public today the calendar of celebrations at which the Holy Father will preside between December 1 and January 12:

DECEMBER

- Sunday, 1: 1st Sunday in Advent. Mass in the Paul VI Hall at 10 a.m. with the Filipino community of Rome.

- Sunday, 8: 2nd Sunday in Advent, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Homage to Mary Immaculate, Spanish Steps, at 4 p.m.

- Tuesday, 10: Mass for students of the Roman Athenaeums at 5:30 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica.

- Sunday, 22: 4th Sunday in Advent. Mass with the community of the Roman parish of St. Hilary of Poiters in the Paul VI Hall at 10 a.m.

- Tuesday, 24: Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord. Midnight Mass in the Vatican Basilica.

- Wednesday, 25: Solemnity of the Birth of the Lord. "Urbi et Orbi" blessing at noon from the central balcony of the Vatican Basilica.

- Tuesday, 31: Vespers and "Te Deum" of thanksgiving at 6 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica.

JANUARY

- Wednesday, 1: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and 36th World Day of Peace. Mass in the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m.

- Monday, 6: Solemnity of the Epiphany. Episcopal ordinations in the Vatican Basilica at 9 a.m.

- Sunday, 12: Baptism of Our Lord. Mass and Baptism of children in the Sistine Chapel at 10 a.m.

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POPE ASKS SPIRITUAL, MATERIAL SUPPORT FOR CLOISTERED NUNS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 20, 2002 (VIS) - At the end of the catechesis at today's general audience, the Holy Father greeted in various languages the estimated 7,000 pilgrims present in the Paul VI Hall, and also recalled that tomorrow is the Day of Cloistered Nuns.

"Tomorrow," he said, "memory of the presentation in the temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Church thinks with particular affection of cloistered nuns. Their prayerful presence in so many parts of the world is a reminder for Christians not to forget the primacy of God in life.

"These sisters have chosen to dedicate themselves totally to prayer and to live on what Providence brings to them through the generosity of the faithful. While I express my great appreciation to them for the indispensable contribution they offer to evangelization, I invite everyone to support them through their own spiritual and material aid."

Among the Italians present today was a group of seminarians from the Benedict XV Regional Pontifical Seminary in Bologna. "My dear friends," said John Paul II, "with today's visit you wish to remember the 80th anniversary of the death of this unforgettable predecessor of mine, a tireless herald of peace during the first World War. May his example be for you a stimulus to be in every time and place workers of peace."

At the conclusion of the audience the Pope had special words of welcome and encouragement for young people, the ill and newlyweds.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 20, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Karachi, Pakistan presented by Archbishop Simeon Anthony Pereira upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Evarist Pinto, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Karachi, Pakistan, as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the same archdiocese.

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