OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed the following as consultants of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints: Msgr. Romano Penna, member of the Pontifical Theological Academy, Fr. Alfonso C. Chacon Oreja, professor of Church history at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Fr. Alfredo Simon, O.S.B., lecturer in the Faculty of theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Fr. Guiseppe Phan Tan Thanh, O.P., professor of theology at St. Thomas Aquinas University in Rome, Fr. Luigi Padovese, O.F.M., professor of spiritual theology and patristic theology at the Antonianum in Rome, Fr. Francois-Marie Lethel, O.C.D., member of the Pontifical Theological Academy, Alberto Valentini, S.M.M., lecturer at the Marianum Faculty of Theology, Luigi Nuovo, C.M., lecturer in Church history and the history of Spirituality at the Brignole Sale-Negroni Theological Center in Genoa.

- Appointed Bishop Gordon Dunlap Bennett, S.J., auxiliary of the archdiocese of Baltimore, U.S.A., as bishop of Mandeville (area 3,319, population 576,000, population 8,200, priests 37, permanent deacons 6, religious 41), Jamaica. He accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop Paul Michael Boyle, C.P., upon having reached the age limit.
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CARDINAL HAMAO OPENS CONGRESS ON PASTORAL CARE OF TOURISM

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2004 (VIS) -  Cardinal Stephen Fumio Hamao, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, opened the Sixth World Congress on the Pastoral Care of Tourism yesterday in Bangkok, Thailand at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Training Center. The Congress runs through July 8 on the theme "Tourism in the Service of  the Encounter Among Peoples."

   He thanked the hosts and organizers of this meeting, both civil and religious, and welcomed "brother Bishop promoters of the pastoral care of tourism, national directors, priests, men and women religious, and laypersons involved in the evangelization of this important phenomenon in contemporary society." He added that the Congress "had one clear intention: namely, to make known the Church's special concern for the countries that receive tourism, especially the developing countries."

  Cardinal Hamao told the 110 participants from 35 countries that "tourism's contribution to the social and economic development of countries is unquestionable. The fact that tourism can and is contributing to greater understanding among peoples is, I dare say, obvious. However, the difficulties raised along the way and the errors committed are also evident. For this reason, tourism, as a part of all human reality, needs the Church's constant evangelizing action and God's healing grace."

  Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, secretary of the pontifical council, presented a report on the principal events that have marked the growth of pastoral care of tourism in the Church since the last Congress which was held in Ephesus, Turkey in 1998. In particular he underscored the five Messages that the Holy Father has written since 1998 for the annual World Day of Tourism as well as the "Orientations" published by the council in 2001.

  The secretary then reflected on "the Eucharistic mystery, source and summit of every pastoral action." He underscored how tourism is a factor of encounters among peoples and that pastoral policies should be prepared to favor such meetings. He remarked on the need to include the pastoral ministry for tourism in academic centers and programs,  and then underlined two areas the Congress would emphasize: social tourism and the fight against sexual exploitation in tourism.

  The first day of meetings concluded with a visit by participants to the new shrine dedicated to Blessed Nicolas Bunkered, and to shows of local folklore and culture.

    Speakers today included Francesco Frangialli, the secretary general of the World Tourism Organization,, who gave an analysis of the social and cultural dimensions of international tourism, Norberto Tonini, president of the International Office of Social Tourism, who spoke on tourism and its impact on development, and Fr. Jose da Silva Lima, a professor at the Portuguese Catholic University, who addressed the topic of tourism as a way of encounters among peoples.
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SPECIAL ENVOY FOR 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF BASILICA OF LISIEUX

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2004 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter by the Pope, written in Latin and dated June 11, in which he appointed Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, archbishop of Krakow, Poland, as his special envoy to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the consecration of the Basilica of Lisieux on July 11.

  John Paul II recalls in the letter that on October 19, 1997 he proclaimed St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897), also known as St. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Little Flower, as a doctor of the Church. The Discalced Carmelite was the third woman to be proclaimed a doctor of the Church after St. Catherine of Siena and St. Teresa of Avila.
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