HOLY SEE-RELATED ACTIVITY IN AUGUST

VATICAN CITY, SEP 1, 2004 (VIS) - Following is a chronological presentation of Holy See-related activities for the month of August:

- 2: Statement by Fr. Ciro Benedettini, C.P. vice director of the Holy See Press Office regarding "the tragic arracks on various Catholic communities in Iraq."

- 3: Communique from the Pontifical Council for the Laity announcing that the Holy Father has instituted, within the council, a new section entitled the Church and Sports. Joint statement from the Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee on the situation in Iraq, condemning suicide attacks and saying that "such acts of blind violence offend the sacred name of God and true religion."

- 17: Statement by Fr. Ciro Benedettini, C.P. vice director of the Holy See Press Office on the situation of the fighting in Najaf and the willingness of the Holy See and the apostolic nuncio in Iraq to help resolve this situation and others in the country.

- 23: Letter from Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, to Bishop Luca Brandolini of Sora-Aquino-Pontecorvo, asking him to transmit the Pope's greetings to the participants in the 55th National Liturgical Week at San Giovanni Rotondo, August 23-27.

- 26: Communique from the Pontifical Council for the Laity accompanying the publication today of the Pope's Message to the youth of the world as they prepare for the 20th World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany in August 2005. The council noted that the Pope's "Message has been  published one year in advance in order to be used in the pastoral preparation in the dioceses of the world."

- 27: Statement by Fr. Ciro Benedettini, C.P. vice director of the Holy See Press Office, on the assassination in Iraq of Italian journalist Enzo Baldini.

- 30: Letter from Cardinal Angelo Sodano to Bishop Giuseppe Guerrini of Saluzzo on the occasion of the fourth centenary of the death of Blessed Giovanni Giovenale Ancina.
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