THE POPE RECEIVES NORTH AMERICAN COLLEGE

VATICAN CITY, JAN 10, 2003 (VIS) - Today John Paul II received participants in a congress organized by the North American College of Rome in order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the seminary on the Janiculum and the inauguration of the 'Casa Santa Maria dell'Umilta' as a center of study for American priests in Rome.

Addressing the rector, the Pope said: "May this anniversary deepen your commitment to the College's continuing mission of training priests imbued with a deep sense of the universality of the Church and zeal for the spread of God's Kingdom both in your native land and throughout the world."

"Your meeting this year," he continued, "brings you back to Rome and the College, to cherished places where, with the idealism and generosity of youth, you once pledged yourselves to the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom and holiness for the service of God's people. At a time of difficulty and suffering for Catholics in the United States, I assure all of you of my prayerful solidarity. It is my fervent hope that these days of reflection, prayer and priestly fraternity will strengthen you in your noble vocation to be disciples of Jesus Christ, witnesses to the truth of his Gospel and shepherds completely committed to the renewal of his Church in faith, hope and love."

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