HOLY SEE ADDRESSES U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL ON IRAQ QUESTION

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 2003 (VIS) - Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, addressed the U.N Security Council yesterday on the issue of Iraq, currently on the Council's agenda. Following are excerpts from that speech, given in English and published today:

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity to express the Holy See's deep concern and solicitude on the Iraqi issue, also in this Chamber of the Security Council, where the issues related to international peace and security are debated to prevent the world from the scourge of war. I am pleased to recall on this occasion, Mr. President, the successful meeting of Secretary-General Kofi Annan with His Holiness Pope John Paul II yesterday evening at the Vatican."

"The Holy See realizes that the international community is rightly worried and is addressing a just and urgent cause: the disarmament of arsenals of mass destruction, a threat surfacing not just in a single region, but unfortunately in other parts of our world. The Holy See is convinced that in the efforts to draw strength from the wealth of peaceful tools provided by the international law, to resort to force would not be a just one. To the grave consequences for a civilian population that has already been tested long enough, are added the dark prospects of tensions and conflicts between peoples and cultures and the deprecated reintroduction of war as a way to resolve untenable situations.

"The Holy See is closely following the developments on the ground and expresses its support for the efforts of the international community towards resolving the crisis within the sphere of the international legality. For this purpose and with this in mind, His Holiness Pope John Paul II has recently sent a Special Envoy to Baghdad, who met with President Saddam Hussein and delivered him a Message from the Pope stressing, inter alia, the need for concrete commitments in faithful adherence to the relevant resolutions of the United Nations. A similar message has also been conveyed to Mr. Tariq Aziz, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, who visited the Pope on 14 February last. Moreover, in view of the devastating aftermath of a possible military intervention, the Special Envoy of the Pope made an appeal to the conscience of all those who have a role to play in determining the future of the crisis in these coming decisive days 'because, in the end, it is conscience that will have the last word, stronger than all strategies, all ideologies and also all religions'.

"The Holy See is convinced that even though the process of inspections appears somewhat slow, it still remains an effective path that could lead to the building of a consensus which, if widely shared by Nations, would make it almost impossible for any Government to act otherwise, without risking international isolation. The Holy See is therefore of the view that it is also the proper path that would lead to an agreed and honorable resolution to the problem, which, in turn, could provide the basis for a real and lasting peace."

"On the issue of Iraq, the vast majority of the international community is calling for a diplomatic resolution of the dispute and for exploring all avenues for a peaceful settlement. That call should not be ignored. The Holy See encourages the parties concerned to keep the dialogue open that could bring about solutions in preventing a possible war and urges the international community to assume its responsibility in dealing with any failings by Iraq.

"Mr. President, before concluding this statement, allow me to echo in this Chamber of peace the hope-inspiring words of John Paul II's Special Envoy to Iraq: 'Peace is still possible in Iraq and for Iraq. The smallest step over the next few days is worth a great leap toward peace'."

DELSS;IRAQ;...;UN; MIGLIORE;VIS;20030220;Word: 650;

WAR IS A DEFEAT FOR HUMANITY, A TRAGEDY FOR RELIGION

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 2003 (VIS) - Members of an inter-religious delegation from Indonesia were welcomed to the Vatican today by the Holy Father, who told them that "at this time of great tension for the world, you have come to Rome and I am grateful to have the occasion to speak to you."

"With the real possibility of war looming on the horizon," he stated, "we must not permit politics to become a source of further division among the world's religions. In fact, neither the threat of war nor war itself should be allowed to alienate Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and members of other religions."

The Holy Father emphasized that "as religious leaders committed to peace, we should work together with our own people, with those of other religious beliefs and with all men and women of good will to ensure understanding, cooperation and solidarity. Earlier this year (in an address to the diplomatic corps), I said: 'War is always a defeat for humanity'; it is also a tragedy for religion."

"My fervent prayer," the Pope concluded, "is that our efforts to promote mutual understanding and trust will bear abundant fruit and help the world to avoid conflict. For it is through commitment and continuing cooperation that cultures and religions 'will be able to break through the barriers which divide them, to understand one another and to pardon those who have done them wrong'."

AC;INTERRELIGIOUS DELEGATION; INDONESIA;...;...;VIS;20030220;Word: 250;

PAPAL MESSAGE TO ITALIAN CATHOLIC ACTION

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 2003 (VIS) - John Paul II has sent a Message to the spiritual assistants of Italian Catholic Action who are holding their national meeting in Rome on the theme "Building New Catholic Action in Parishes." The Pope noted that they are reflecting on how to contribute "to redesigning the face of the parish, the basic structure of the ecclesial body."

The Holy Father described the parish: "It is 'the house of the Christian community' to which one belongs through the grace of baptism; it is the 'school of holiness' for all Christians, even for those who do not belong to determined ecclesial movements or do not cultivate a special spirituality; it is 'the laboratory of faith' where the basic elements of the Catholic tradition are transmitted; 'it is 'the training ground for formation' where one is educated in the faith and started on the apostolic mission."

Saying that "the link between the parish and Catholic Action has always been very close, the Pope stressed that, in renewing itself, Catholic Action could help renew parishes so that they become, in a vigorous, coherent and constant way, living "witnesses to the Gospel" and centers of dialogue with persons in the parish, "reserving special attention to those living in material or spiritual distress."

Above all, the Pope asked that Catholic Action bring "a daily witness to communion. ... A spirituality of communion, lived with the bishop and the local Church; here is the contribution that Italian Catholic Action can give the Church."

He added that "the indispensable structure and organizational renewal will be the result of a singular 'adventure of the Spirit' that involves the inner and radical conversion of the persons and associations at various levels: parish, diocesan and national." He urged the spiritual directors to "place your best energies" at the service of this renewal and conversion.

MESS;ITALIAN CATHOLIC ACTION;...;...;VIS;20030220;Word: 310;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
- Professor Bungaran Saragih, president of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

- Bishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, apostolic vicar of Tripoli, Libya, on his "ad limina" visit.

- Bishop Sylvester Carmel Magro, apostolic vicar of Benghazi, Libya, on his "ad limina" visit.

- Archbishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald, M.Afr., president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.

AP; AL;...;...;...;VIS;20030220;Word: 70;

STATEMENT ON INTER-RELIGIOUS DELEGATION FROM INDONESIA

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 2003 (VIS) - The following declaration was made this afternoon by Joaquin Navarro-Valls, director of the Holy See Press Office, on the visit to the Pope today by an inter-religious delegation from Indonesia:

"This morning a delegation from the 'Gerakan Moral Nasional Indonesia' organization, made up of the heads of all religions present in Indonesia, was received in audience by the Holy Father, to whom they turned over a 'Statement of Concerns' regarding the Iraqi crisis.

"Beyond an exchange of opinions on the evolution of the religious situation in Indonesia and Asia, the members of the delegation appealed to the Holy See to continue and to intensify its diplomatic efforts so that all interested parties might find a just and peaceful solution to the present Iraqi crisis, based on the humanitarian and moral principles shared by all the religions of the world."

OP;DELEGATION INDONESIA;...;NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;20030220;Word: 160;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed the following as auxiliary bishops of the diocese of Mainz (area 7,692, population 2,770,000, Catholics 814,205, priests 553, religious 577), Germany:

- Msgr. Werner Guballa, vicar general of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Mainz-Marienborn, Germany in 1944 and was ordained a priest in 1970.

- Fr. Ulrich Neymeyr, pastor of Offstein, Worms-Horchheim and Worms-Wiesoppenheim, Germany. The bishop-elect was born in 1957 in Worms-Hermsheim, Germany and was ordained a priest in 1982.

- Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary from the same diocese presented by Bishop Wolfgang Rolly, upon having reached the age limit.

NEA; RE;...;...;GUBALLA; NEYMEYR; ROLLY;VIS;20030220;Word: 110;