THE POPE RECEIVES CHRISTMAS CONCERT ARTISTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 13, 2002 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received in audience the artists who will perform tomorrow, December 14, in the traditional "Christmas in the Vatican" concert in the Paul VI Hall.

After expressing his appreciation and gratitude to all who collaborated in this event, the Pope recalled that the purpose of "this artistic date is to contribute to the efforts of the diocese of Rome toward the construction of new churches with adjacent parochial facilities in peripheral areas of the city."

"You have done so much already," he continued, "with a spirit of Christian solidarity, participating in a concrete way in the program of the new evangelization that involves all believers."

At the end, the Holy Father expressed once again his "sincere thanks" to the artists "in the name of the parish communities who will benefit from your generosity."

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TO GROUP OF AMBASSADORS: PEACE IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY

VATICAN CITY, DEC 13, 2002 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father collectively received the Letters of Credence of nine ambassadors to the Holy See. While the Pope addressed all the diplomats in French, he gave each of them a discourse in which specific issues in their country were raised.

The new ambassadors are: Fode Maclean Dabor of Sierra Leone; Marcia Gilberts-Roberts of Jamaica; Praveen Lal Goyal of India; Albert Owusu-Sarpong of Ghana; Helga Hernes of Norway; Emmanuel Kayitana Imanzi of Ruanda and Jean-Pierre Razafy-Andriamihaingo of Madagascar.

"Peace is one the most precious goods for individuals persons, peoples, and States. ... Without peace there cannot be the true development of individuals or families, of society or the economy. Peace is everyone's responsibility, to desire peace is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength."

After emphasizing that in order to achieve peace, order and international law must be respected, he said: "In addition, we must consider the fundamental value of common and multilateral action to resolve conflicts on different continents."

The Holy Father affirmed that "misery and injustice are the root of violence and contribute to the duration and development of local and regional conflicts. I am thinking in particular," he continued, "of those countries in which hunger increases in endemic proportions. The international community is called to do what is possible so that these afflictions are done away with little by little, especially with human and material means which help people that are in most need. Greater support to the organization of local economies would undoubtedly permit indigenous populations to be in charge of their future."

"Poverty," he added, "weighs heavily on the world today, putting political, economic and social stability in danger. .. We must recognize everyone's right to have what is necessary to live and to be able to benefit from a portion of the national wealth." In this way, the Pope made an urgent appeal to the international community "so that the double question is posed once again on the distribution of the planet's wealth and equitable technical and scientific assistance to poor countries which are the duties of rich countries. Development assistance requires formation in all spheres."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 13, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Bernard Francis Law, archbishop of Boston, U.S.A.

- Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, apostolic nuncio in Brazil.

- Archbishop Giovanni d'Aniello of Paestum, Italy, pontifical representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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DECLARATION ON CARDINAL BERNARD FRANCIS LAW

VATICAN CITY, DEC 13, 2002 (VIS) - Following is the declaration made by Cardinal Bernard Francis Law, archbishop of Boston, U.S.A. after his audience with John Paul II this morning:

"I am profoundly grateful to the Holy Father for having accepted my resignation as Archbishop of Boston.

"It is my fervent prayer that this action may help the Archdiocese of Boston to experience the healing, reconciliation and unity which are so desperately needed.

"To all those who have suffered from my shortcomings and mistakes I both apologize and from them beg forgiveness.

"To the bishops, priests, deacons, religious and laity, with whom I have been privileged to work in our efforts to fulfill the Church's mission, I express my deep gratitude. My gratitude extends to so many others with whom I have been associated in serving the common good; these include those from the ecumenical, Jewish, and wider interreligious communities as well as public officials and others in the civil society.

"The particular circumstances of this time suggest a quiet departure. Please keep me in your prayers."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 13, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Fr. Gianfranco Todisco, P.O.C.R., parish priest of the Marian Shrine of Montalto Uffugo in Cosenza, Italy, as bishop of Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa (area 1,316, population 91,000, Catholics 90,000, priests 51, permanent deacons 11, religious 108), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Naples, Italy in 1946 and was ordained a priest in 1970. He succeeds Bishop Vincenzo Cozzi whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Msgr. Ronald William Gainer, judicial vicar of the diocese of Lexington, U.S.A., as bishop of the same diocese (area 42,520, population 1,436,583, Catholics 47,583, priests 68, permanent deacons 33, religious 164). The bishop-elect was born in Pottsville, U.S.A., in 1947 and was ordained a priest in 1973.

- Appointed Msgr. Ignatius Wang, chancellor of the archdiocese of San Francisco, U.S.A. as auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese (area 2,620, population 1,760,000, Catholics 422,500, priests 384, permanent deacons 72, religious 1,072). The bishop-elect was born in 1934 in Beijing, China and was ordained a priest in 1959.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Boston, U.S.A. presented by Cardinal Bernard Francis Law, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- He appointed Bishop Richard Gerard Lennon, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Boston, U.S.A. as apostolic administrator.

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