FIVE SERVANTS OF GOD TO BE BEATIFIED ON MARCH 23

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2003 (VIS) - On Sunday, March 23, Third Sunday of Lent, at 10 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul will beatify five Servants of God, according to a communique published today by the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.

The future Blesseds are: Pierre Bonhomme, priest, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Calvary (1803-1861); Maria Dolores Rodriguez Sopena, virgin, foundress of the Dolores Sopena Catechetical Institute (1848-1918); Maria Caridad Brader, virgin, foundress of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate (1860-1943); Juana Maria Condesa Lluch, foundress of the Congregation of the Handmaids of Mary Immaculate (1862-1916); and Laszlo Batthyany Strattmann, layman, father of a family (1870-1931).

"On the Lenten path towards Easter," adds the communique, "we contemplate the mystery of Christ, the living temple of God, destroyed in death and rebuilt in the Resurrection. He, the power and wisdom of God, reveals the strength of the Cross in the men and women who, following Him closely, are glorified in Him by the Church."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Roberto Muhiirwa, pastor of the Cathedral of Virika, Uganda, as bishop of the diocese of Fort Portal (area 9,553, population 1,116,631, Catholics 513,238, priests 83, religious 295), Uganda. The bishop-elect was born in 1958 in Ibonde, Uganda and was ordained a priest in 1985. The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, presented by Bishop Paul L. Kalanda upon having reached the age limit.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Six prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Indonesia on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo of Semarang.

- Bishop Francis Xavier Sudartanta Hadisumarta of Manokwari-Sorong.

- Bishop Darius Nggawa of Larantuka, accompanied by Coadjutor Bishop Franciscus Kopong Kung.

- Bishop Andreas Henrisusanta of Tanjungkarang.

- Bishop Blasius Pujoraharja of Ketapang.

- Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, accompanied by Archbishop Giuseppe Pittau, and Msgr. Angelo Vincenzo Zani, secretary and undersecretary of the same congregation.

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PRESS OFFICE ON DEVELOPMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL SITUATION

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2003 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration today to journalists concerning the latest developments in the international situation: "Whoever decides that all peaceful means that international law has put at our disposition have been exhausted assumes a serious responsibility before God, his conscience and history."

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2003 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Bishop Abel Nunez Alonso, O.M., emeritus of Campo Maior, Brazil on March 8 at age 81.

- Bishop Antonio Duran Arellano, emeritus of San Carlo de Venezuela, Venezuela on March 2 at age 75.

- Bishop Harry Anselm Clinch, emeritus of Monterey in California, U.S.A. on March 8 at age 94.

- Bishop Leonard Ying-Fa Hsu, O.F.M., former auxiliary of Taipei, Taiwan, on March 2 at age 80.

- Bishop Jorge Arturo Meinvielle of San Justo, Argentina on March 2 at age 71.

- Bishop Martin Wiesend, former auxiliary of Bamberg, Germany, on March 7 at age 92.

- Archbishop Saba Youakim, B.S., emeritus of Petra and Filadelfia of the Greek-Melkites, Jordan, on March 6 at age 88.

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