OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 6, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgrs. Richard Brendan Higgins, chaplain of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, U.S.A, and Joseph Walter Eastbrook, chaplain of the Navy in Pearl Harbor, U.S.A., as auxiliary bishops of the Military Ordinate of the United States.  Bishop-elect Higgins was born in 1944 in Longford, Ireland and was ordained a priest in 1968. Bishop-elect Eastbrook was born in 1944 in Kingston, U.S.A.  and was ordained a priest in 1969.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Mario Zenari, apostolic nuncio in the Ivory Coast, Niger and Burkina Faso.

- Archbishop Antonio Arcari, apostolic nuncio in Honduras.

- Three prelates from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop Leonard Paul Blair of Toledo in America, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Robert William Donnnelly.

    - Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Youngstown.

- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

  This afternoon, the Holy Father is scheduled to receive Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
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ARCHBISHOP FOLEY ADDRESSES WORLD FEDERATION OF ADVERTISERS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 2004 (VIS) - Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, is in Santiago, Chile where yesterday he addressed the international convention of the World Federation of Advertisers, focusing on the council's document "Ethics in Advertising" which was published  in 1997.

  He noted that the document began with "The Benefits Of Advertising," which include "sustaining honest and ethically responsible competition which contributes to economic growth, to the possibility of choice and to authentic human development. ...  and promoting morally healthy activity. ... It also contributes to wider knowledge, to lower prices and, usually, to more jobs." He added that "freedom of political advertising" is important for "making people aware  of candidates and their proposals."

  On the negative side, the archbishop said that he "personally" felt that "the greatest harm of advertising would be the impression which is created that having is more important than being."

  Archbishop Foley then addressed three particular principles and concerns. He said that the first principle, "Being is better than having" comes from the fact that "our essential God-given human dignity is not based upon the possessions we have" and he implored advertisers never "to put poor people down, even subconsciously."

   The second principle, he added, is "Each person must be treated with respect" and he noted that "so often the media in general and advertising in particular" exploit both men and women "as sex symbols."

  "A third principle of ethics in communications is the common good. A growing concern in democratic societies is the ethical aspect of political campaigning ... when, instead of being a vehicle for honest expositions of a candidate's views and records, political advertising seeks to distort the views and records of opponents and unjustly attacks their reputations."
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FOUNDATION THANKED FOR GIFT OF "TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE"

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 2004 (VIS) - The Pope today welcomed 52 members of the U.S.-based Papal Foundation, including several cardinals and bishops, who are in Rome on their annual visit and told them he was "most grateful to all of you for your continued support of my pastoral ministry to the universal Church."

  The Papal Foundation is a multi-million dollar investment fund established to provide a source of steady income for the Holy See. Members annually present a check to the Pope which represents interest earned by the fund.

   The Holy Father concluded his brief address in English by telling the members that their "dedication to the Papal Foundation, through the generous gift of your time, talent and treasure is a concrete example of your love and commitment to the Church and the Successor of Peter. As you return to your country, I entrust all of you to the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, and I cordially impart my apostolic blessing in you and your families as a pledge of joy and peace in the Risen Lord."
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POPE: UKRAINE, BRIDGE BETWEEN PEOPLES AND CULTURES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 2004 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received the credentials of the new ambassador of Ukraine, Grygorii Fokovych Khoruzhyi.  He told him that the people of Ukraine "feel part of Europe due to the traditions and culture that characterize them and they want to establish a more intense relationship with the other nations on the continent, while preserving their own political and cultural characteristics."

  "Ukraine," he continued, "will be able to better develop its mission as a bridge between different peoples and cultures, while maintaining intact its own unique identity.  Working actively in spiritual, social, political and economic matters, it will be able to become a significant laboratory of dialogue, development and cooperation for all."

  The Holy Father emphasized that the Gospel "has shaped life, culture and institutions, and therefore, Ukraine has the great responsibility of understanding, defending and promoting its Christian heritage, a distinctive trait of the nation, which remained undamaged, even during the unfortunate dictatorship of communism."

  After highlighting the Ukrainian government's interest in religious freedom, the Pope expressed the desire that "a legal definition of churches be decided upon soon, based on effective equality for all, and that, at the same time, agreements can be reached on the teaching of religion and recognition by the State of theology as a university discipline. In addition, I hope that the stipulated agreements are satisfying on the delicate topic of the restitution of confiscated Church goods during the communist dictatorship."

  On May 5, during a ceremony in Ukraine attended by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, Ukrainian governmental officials returned to the Catholic Church a building which was once the residence of the Catholic bishop of Lviv of the Latins and was later confiscated by the Communist regime.

  Speaking about the religious climate, John Paul II indicated that "Christ's disciples unfortunately are still divided and this is perceived with regret by the Ukrainian community.  However, ecumenical dialogue continues and leads to stricter accords in reciprocal respect and in a constant search for the unity that Christ wanted.  May this sincere and far-sighted dialogue intensify thanks to everyone's contribution!"

  The Holy Father concluded by emphasizing that the Catholic Church in Ukraine, "from its independence till today, has known a promising springtime of hope, and in each one of its components, is driven by the desire to reach full unity with all Christians."
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