THE LORD DOES NOT ABANDON US DESPITE OUR SINS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 11, 2002 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope spoke about the Canticle of the prophet Jeramiah, "The people's cry in times of hunger and war", which is read in the Liturgy of Praise on Friday which is the day the Lord died.

"The context in which this lamentation occurs," said the Holy Father, "is represented by an affliction which frequently affects the land of the Near East: drought. To this natural disaster is added the "tragedy of war. ... Unfortunately the description is tragically true to life in so many regions of our planet."

John Paul II affirmed that the second part of the Canticle is a "collective supplication to God. ... In addition to the sword and hunger, there is in fact a greater tragedy, that of the silence of God who does not reveal himself anymore and seems to have locked Himself up in heaven, as if he were displeased by man's behavior." This makes humanity feel "alone, abandoned, deprived of peace, salvation, and hope. The people, left to themselves, feel lost and overcome by terror."

"Is it not perhaps this existential solitude that is the deep font of so much dissatisfaction which we observe in these days? So much insecurity and so many thoughtless reactions come from having abandoned God, the rock of salvation."

The Pope indicated that at a certain point in the Canticle, the people return to God and "recognize their own sin most of all, with a short but heartfelt confession of guilt." Therefore, it is revealed that "God's silence was provoked by man's rejection. If the people convert and return to the Lord, God will be willing to go meet and embrace them."

"Together with the Israelites," he concluded, "we also can be sure that the Lord does not abandon us forever but rather He makes His face shine on us after each purifying trial."

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JOHN PAUL II PRESIDES AT MASS FOR ROMAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 11, 2002 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon in St. Peter's Basilica, John Paul II presided at the annual mass for students who attend Roman universities. Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar for the diocese of Rome and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, celebrated the Eucharist.

The homily, given by the Holy Father, focused on the Book of Consolation of Isaiah who prophesies "Christ's birth, a consoling announcement for all humanity" when the "'Lord's glory will be revealed and every man will see'."

In this context, the Pope spoke about the "glory of God and of man", recalling that since the times of Nebuchadnezzar "nothing withstands God. Only He with his omnipotence ... guides the destiny of man and history." Afterward, while reflecting on current times, he said: "How fragile are the powers that tried to impose their dominion! Science, technology, and culture, when they show pretensions of omnipotence, prove to be grass that dries out quickly, like a flower that withers away."

The prophet's words, continued the Pontiff, "do not mortify human liberty." On the contrary, they favor "the authentic promotion of man." In this way, "the pastoral care for university students that the Church ... promotes in centers of study and scientific research offers a great help."

Recalling his university experience, the Holy Father said that he learned through "daily contact with students and professors that an integral development that prepares students for life is necessary. Also necessary is an education that teaches them to assume responsibly their role in the family and society, with professional as well as human and spiritual competence . From those years, which have left a mark on my life, I learned useful lessons which I reflected upon in the book on Christian ethics entitled 'Love and Responsibility' and in the dramatic work on marriage 'The Jeweler's Shop'."

The Pope concluded by mentioning the Gospel read during the mass about the shepherd that leaves the flock to look for the one lost sheep. "God's omnipotence," he said, "... is full of mercy. It is a loving authority which is partial to the weakest and humblest. God does not consider humanity an anonymous mass, on the contrary he dwells on each individual and personally takes care of each person. Christ is the true shepherd who gathers his flock under his arm."

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ADVERTISING MUST CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELL-BEING OF INDIVIDUALS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 11, 2002 (VIS) - Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, spoke yesterday afternoon at the Monaco World Summit in Montecarlo on "Corporate Responsibility, Dignity and Human Rights."

The archbishop recalled that his dicastery has published various documents in the last few years on ethics in advertising, communications and in internet. These documents have stressed the "three principles for ethics in all types of communication: truth, the dignity of the human person and the common good."

"The dignity of the human person can be enhanced or harmed by advertising and indeed by all means of communication. How often have we seen advertisements which treat individuals - especially women - as objects, very often sex objects? How often have we perceived that advertising seeks not a positive contribution to an individual's well-being but a greater contribution to the bottom line? Individuals come to be viewed as numbers to be delivered, not as human beings to be served."

"The human person and the human community are the end and the measure of the use of the communications media; communication should be by persons to persons for the integral development of persons. Integral development ... requires attention to the 'inner dimension', a dimension which is at least moral if not religious and spiritual. ... Individuals have irreducible dignity and importance, and they may never be sacrificed to collective interests."

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50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HOLY SEE'S PERMANENT MISSION AT UNESCO

VATICAN CITY, DEC 11, 2002 (VIS) - Today a message that John Paul II wrote on November 25 to Msgr. Francesco Follo, permanent observer of the Holy See to United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Holy See's permanent mission to the same organization, was made public.

The Holy Father begins by recalling Blessed John XXIII, Pope Angelo Roncalli, who was the first permanent observer of the Holy See to UNESCO. He goes on to talk about the history of UNESCO, created immedietly after World War II, and to praise "the noble mission" which it carries out, seeking the "mutual knowledge of cultures" and the "promotion of their institutional dialogue by all sorts of initiatives at the international level."

"For its part, the Catholic Church," concludes the Pope, " ... wishes to continue encouraging with determination the peaceful encounter of human beings through their cultures and the consideration of the religious and spiritual dimension of individuals which is part of their history."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 11, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Bishop Gilio Felicio, auxiliary of Sao Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, as bishop of Bage (area 35,554, population 380,183, Catholics 304,146, priests 34, permanent deacons 1, religious 120), Brazil.

- Appointed Fr. Dominique Marie Jean Denis You, fidei donum in the archdiocese of Sao Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, as auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese (area 5,277, population 3,327,498, Catholics 2,661,998, priests 243, permanent deacons 44, religious 1,670). The bishop-elect was born in Gassin, France in 1955 and was ordained a priest in 1981.

- Appointed Fr. Jan Babjak, S.J., professor of Eastern Spirituality in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Trnava, Slovakia, as bishop of the eparchy of Presov (Catholics 175,000, priests 263, permanent deacons 1, religious 167). The bishop-elect was born in Hazine nad Cirichou, Slovakia in 1953 and was ordained a priest in 1978. He succeeds Bishop Jan Hirka whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same eparchy the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 11, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, accompanied by Bishop Vincenzo Apicella, auxiliary of Rome for the pastoral care of the Western section, and by Fr. Danilo Bislacco, C.SS.R., parish priest of St. John Nepomuceno Neuman, and two coadjutors.

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