POPE JOHN PAUL, ROMAN CURIA CONCLUDE WEEKLONG RETREAT

VATICAN CITY, MAR 15, 2003 (VIS) - This morning Pope John Paul concluded his weeklong retreat with members of the Roman Curia in the Vatican's Redemptoris Mater Chapel, calling these past days "a privileged occasion to encounter the Lord."

He expressed his "cordial thanks" to the retreat master, Archbishop Angelo Comastri, prelate of Loreto, who the Pope said, "with pastoral delicacy, with a wealth of ascetic indications, with wisdom and devotion, has guided our steps towards an encounter with God. ... Together with you we have gone through many pages of Scripture, discovering new and fascinating perspectives. ... We have also listened to examples and witnesses from our times, who have invigorated us in our decision to abandon ourselves with trust to the arms of God, Whose mercy 'extends from generation to generation'."

"You also," the Pope told him, "turned our attention to Our Lady, calling her the most faithful creature because she was the most humble of creatures."

John Paul II added that he "would like to thank everyone who helped us these days by preparing the liturgy, the songs and the meetings in this Redemptoris Mater Chapel whose mosaics make us feel close in prayer to our Eastern brothers." He concluded by thanking everyone who had been close to them through prayer during the retreat.

At the end of the spiritual exercises, the Pope imposed the pallium on Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, dean of the College of Cardinals.

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LETTER FOR 4TH CENTENARY OF ST. JOSEPH OF CUPERTINO

VATICAN CITY, MAR 17, 2003 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter from Pope John Paul to Fr. Joachim Giermek, minister general of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor Conventual, on the occasion of the fourth centenary this year of the birth of St. Joseph of Cupertino. The Pope noted that this "faithful disciple of St. Francis of Assisi ... was popularly known as 'the saint of flights' because of his frequent ecstasies and the extraordinary nature of his mystical experiences."

"The patron of students," added the Pope, "St. Joseph of Cupertino encouraged the world of culture, especially schools, to base human knowledge on the wisdom of God. It is precisely thanks to his inner docility to the suggestions of divine wisdom that this singular saint can be proposed as a spiritual guide for every category of faithful, ... priests and religious, young people and adults, children and old people."

The Holy Father noted that St. Joseph was marked by his great love for the mystery of the Incarnation as well as for the Eucharist, and by his participation in the Passion of Christ. For St. Joseph, the Pope remarked, "the Crucifix was always present in his mind and heart, among the sufferings of a life that was misunderstood and often beset with obstacles. He shed copious tears at the thought of Jesus' death on the Cross because, as he liked to repeat, it was sins that pierced the immaculate body of the redeemer with the hammer of ingratitude, egoism and indifference."

"St. Joseph of Cupertino," the Pope stated, "distinguished himself by his simplicity and obedience. Detached from everything, he continuously travelled, moving from one convent to another, as his superiors ordered, abandoning himself to the hands of God. ... He nourished a deep attachment to the Successor of Peter and had a great sense of the Church, which he loved unconditionally. ... And what can we say of his filial and moving devotion to Our Lady?"

"May we all learn from him," John Paul II concluded, "how to walk on the path that leads to 'everyday' holiness, marked by the faithful fulfillment of one's own daily duty."

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"NEVER AGAIN WAR!" POPE EXHORTS INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 16, 2003 (VIS) - During today's Angelus, Pope John Paul issued his strongest appeal yet to the United Nations Security Council to forego the use of arms in Iraq, saying "the use of force must represent the last recourse," and he entreated Iraq to fully cooperate with the international community. Recalling that he had personally experienced war, he pleaded "Never again war!"

The Pope began his remarks by saying that "only Christ can renew hearts and give hope again to peoples. Today's liturgy, presenting the mysterious event of the Transfiguration, makes us feel the power of His light, that overcomes the darkness of doubt and evil.

"In this perspective of faith, I wish to extend a pressing appeal to increase the commitment to prayer and penance, to ask Christ for the gift of His peace. Without conversion of the heart there is no peace."

The Holy Father continued: "The next days will be decisive for the outcome of the Iraqi crisis. Let us pray, therefore, that the Lord will inspire all parties involved to have courage and farsightedness. Certainly, the political leaders of Baghdad have the urgent duty to fully cooperate with the international community to eliminate every motive for an armed intervention. I address a pressing appeal to them: the fate of their fellow citizens must always have priority!"

"But I would also like to remind the member countries of the United Nations, in particular those who comprise the Security Council, that the use of force represents the last recourse, after having exhausted every other peaceful solution, according to the well-known principles of the U.N. Charter.

"And this is why - in the face of the tremendous consequences that an international military operation would have for the peoples of Iraq and the equilibrium of the entire Middle East region, already so extremely tried, as well as for the extremes that could come from it - I say to everyone: there is still time to negotiate; there is still room for peace; it is never too late for mutual understanding and for continuing to dialogue.
"Reflecting on one's own duty, committing oneself to effective negotiations does not mean humiliating oneself, but rather working responsibly towards peace. We Christians are convinced that authentic and lasting peace is not only the fruit of the necessary political agreements and understandings between individuals and peoples, but it is a gift of God to all those who submit to Him and accept with humility and gratitude the light of His love."

John Paul II at one point interrupted his appeal with off-the-cuff remarks, saying: "I belong to that generation that lived through and survived World War II. I have the duty of telling all young people, and those younger than me who have not had this experience: 'Never again war!', as Paul VI said in his first visit to the United Nations. We must do everything possible! We know well that it is not possible to ask for peace at all costs. But we all know how great, how very great, this responsibility is. Therefore, prayer and penance!"

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YOUNG PEOPLE: BE FAITHFUL TO MORAL AND SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 15, 2003 (VIS) - This afternoon in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father participated in a prayer vigil with thousands of young college students in celebration of the First European Day of University Students on the theme "Intellectual Charity, soul of the new Europe."

The gathering began at 6 p.m. with a series of reflections on the Pope's Apostolic Letter "Rosarium Virginis Mariae." There were also satellite connections with Uppsala, Sweden, Bratislava, Slovakia, Krakow, Poland, Cologne, Germany, Fatima, Portugal and Vienna, Austria. At 7 p.m., the Pope arrived at the Paul VI Hall where he presided over the recitation of the Rosary and then spoke to the young people.

"This afternoon," John Paul II said, "we have prayed for Europe in an important moment in history. Young people can and must participate in the building of a new Europe, contributing with their aspirations and ideals, study and work, their creativity and generous dedication. Young Christians are called in a special way to announce and give witness to Christ and to be, in His name, builders of unity in diversity, freedom in truth, peace in justice, that peace which the world needs especially right now."

"Dear young people," he said, "I entrust you with something that I have at heart: that the new generations may be faithful to the high moral and spiritual principles that in the past inspired the fathers of a united Europe."

After summoning young Romans to St. Peter's Square on Thursday, April 10 as a prelude to World Youth Day, which will be celebrated on Palm Sunday, he affirmed: "We will perform together a solemn act of entrustment to the Virgin, asking her to watch over you and to protect your way as young people in the third millennium."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 17, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Martin Musonde Kivuva, co-director of the Catholic television production company "Ukweli Video" of Nairobi, as bishop of Machakos (area 15,183, population 2,008,889, Catholics 630,263, priests 106, religious 210), Kenya. The bishop-elect was born in Muthetheni, Kenya in 1952 and was ordained a priest in 1978. The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop Urbanus Joseph Kioko, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

On Saturday March 15 it was made public that the Holy Father:
- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Garzon, Colombia presented by Bishop Libardo Ramirez Gomez in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Fr. Callistus Rubaramira, of the clergy of Kabale, Uganda and diocesan treasurer, as bishop of the same diocese (area 5,330, population 1,468,800, Catholics 606,900, priests 97, religious 180). The bishop-elect was born in Kabale in 1950 and was ordained a priest in 1975. The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop Robert Gay, M.Af., upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Francisco Javier Martinez Fernandez of Cordoba, Spain as metropolitan archbishop of Granada (area 6,945, population 693,900, Catholics 674,828, priests 457, religious 1711), Spain. The archbishop-elect was born in Madrid, Spain in 1947 and was ordained a priest in 1972.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 17, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience six prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Indonesia on their "ad limina" visit:

- Cardinal Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja, S.J., archbishop of Jakarta.

- Archbishop Jakobus Duivenvoorde, M.S.C., of Merauke.

- Archbishop Hieronimus Herculanus Bumbun, O.F.M., of Pontianak.

- Archbishop Johannes Liku Ada' of Makassar.

- Archbishop Longinus da Cunha of Ende.

- Archbishop Peter Turang of Kupang.

On Saturday March 15, the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- His Beatitude, Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

- Cardinal Peter Seiichi Shirayanagi, archbishop emeritus of Tokyo, Japan.

- Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana, apostolic nuncio in India and Nepal.

- Archbishop Angelo Comastri, prelate of Loreto, Italy, preacher of the Spiritual Exercises.

- Cardinal Pio Laghi, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Catholic Education.

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