ACTIVITIES OF POPE BENEDICT XVI

VATICAN CITY, SEP 1, 2005 (VIS) - Following is a list of Pope Benedict's activities during the month of August. It includes the Angelus, general and private audiences, other pontifical acts, letters, messages, telegrams and other news. All activities are presented in chronological order under their respective headings.

ANGELUS

- 7: From Castelgandolfo, the Pope affirmed that thousands of young people were about to leave for, or were already on their way to, Cologne, Germany, to participate in the 20th World Youth Day, the theme of which is "We have come to worship Him." The Holy Father pointed out that with the forthcoming meeting in Cologne, the Church wished to re-propose sanctity to all young people of the third millennium.

- 14: The Holy Father invited people not to be discouraged during life's harshest trials, and to rely with faith on divine assistance, following the example of the saints and learning from the witness of the martyrs.

- 15: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Holy Father highlighted how this solemnity "represents for all believers a useful moment to meditate upon the true meaning and value of human existence, in the perspective of eternity." The Pope also expressed his spiritual closeness to "the dear people of Cyprus, particularly afflicted by the air accident which caused 121 deaths," including those of 48 children.

- 28: In this last Angelus of the month of August, Benedict XVI affirmed that World Youth Day in Cologne "was truly an extraordinary ecclesial experience" and "a providential event of grace for the entire Church." The Pope also stressed that "where God does not occupy the first place and is not recognized and adored as the Supreme Good, the dignity of human beings is in danger."

WEDNESDAY GENERAL AUDIENCES

- 3: The Pope continued his catechesis on the Psalms and the Canticles. This Wednesday he commented on Psalm 124, "The Lord looks after His people."

- 10: The Holy Father's catechesis was dedicated to Psalm 130, "Trust in God as a child trusts in its mother."

- 17: The Holy Father spoke on Psalm 125, "The Lord, our joy and our hope."

- 24: In today's general audience, the Pope recalled his recent apostolic trip to Cologne (August 18-21) for the 20th World Youth Day. Before concluding, he expressed his closeness to the people of central Europe, affected by various natural catastrophes.

- 31: In his address in Italian, Benedict XVI resumed the cycle of catechesis on the Psalms and the Canticles, speaking on Psalm 126, "All labor is in vain without the Lord."

LETTERS, MESSAGES AND TELEGRAMS

- 1: Message to Archbishop Raymundo Damasceno Assis of Aparecida, Brazil, for the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of "Nossa Senhora Aparecida" as patroness of Brazil.

- 6: Letter to Cardinal Julian Herranz, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, for the 50th anniversary of his priestly ordination.

- 17: Telegram of condolence to Archbishop Francisco Perez Gonzalez, military ordinary of Spain, for the 17 officers and enlisted men of the Spanish Army who died in an air accident in Afghanistan.

- 18: Telegram of condolence to Brother Aloys, leader of the Taize community, for the murder of the founder of the community, Brother Roger Schutz.

- 18: Telegram of condolence to Archbishop Michel Meranville of Fort-de-France for the hundreds of victims of the crash in Venezuela of a plane travelling from Panama to Martinique.

- 24: Telegram of condolence to Bishop Juan Luis Martin Buisson P.M.E., apostolic vicar of Pucallpa, Peru, for the victims of a plane crash in that country.

- 27: Telegram of condolence to Archbishop Andre Vingt-Trois of Paris, France, for the victims, the majority of them children, of a fire in a building occupied by African immigrants.

- 31: Telegram of condolence to the civil and ecclesiastical authorities of the U.S.A. for the victims of Hurricane Katrina which struck the southern area of the country.

- 31: Letter to Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland, the Pope's special envoy to celebrations taking place in Gdansk, Poland, for the 25th anniversary of the foundation of the "Solidarnosc" trade union.

OTHER NEWS

- 15: Mass in the pontifical parish church of St. Thomas of Villanova in Castelgandolfo for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

- 18: Apostolic trip (August 18-21) to Cologne, Germany, for the 20th World Youth Day (WYD).

- 20: Message from young people of Baghdad to the Holy Father for WYD. More than 1,000 young Catholics of various rites, and a number of Orthodox, celebrating WYD in Baghdad, sent a message to the Pope.

- 25: Presentation of letters of credence of Ivan Guillermo Rincon Urdaneta, new ambassador of Venezuela to the Holy See.

- 26: Presentation of letters of credence of Geronimo Narvaez Torres, new ambassador of Paraguay to the Holy See.

- 29: Presentation of letters of credence of Francisco Salazar Alvarado, new ambassador of Ecuador to the Holy See.

AUDIENCES

- 24: In separate audiences at Castelgandolfo: Archbishop Francesco Canalini, apostolic nuncio to Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein; Archbishop Ramiro Moliner Ingles, apostolic nuncio to Ethiopia and Djibouti, apostolic delegate to Somalia, and Holy See special representative to the African Union; Archbishop Luigi Ventura, apostolic nuncio to Canada; Archbishop Celestino Maggiore, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations in New York; Archbisop Luigi Pezzuto, apostolic nuncio to El Salvador and Belize; Archbishop Janusz Bolonek, apostolic nuncio to Uruguay; Archbishop Renzo Fratini, apostolic nuncio to Nigeria.

- 25: Hoshyar Zebari, foreign minister of the Republic of Iraq, accompanied by an entourage; Kathryn Frances Colvin, ambassador of Great Britain, on a farewell visit; Bishop Vincenzo Paglia of Terni-Narni-Amelia, Italy, accompanied by Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant'Egidio; Ivan Guillermo Rincon Urdaneta, ambassador of Venezuela, for the presentation of his letters of credence.

- 26: Geronimo Narvaez Torres, ambassador of Paraguay, for the presentation of his letters of credence; Bishop Francesco Lambiasi, emeritus of Anagni-Alatri, Italy, general ecclesiastical assistant of Italian Catholic Action, accompanied by Luigi Alici, national president of the same association; Fr. Julian Carron, president of the Community and Liberation association.

- 29: Francisco Salazar Alvarado, ambassador of Ecuador, for the presentation of his letters of credence; Bishop Juan Guillermo Lopez Soto of Cuauhtemoc-Madera, Mexico, on his "ad limina" visit.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

- 3: Resignation of Bishop Affonso Felippe Gregory of Imperatriz, Brazil, upon having reached the age limit. Appointment of his successor, Fr. Gilberto Pastana de Oliveira, pastor of the parish of Nossa Senhora de Fatima in the diocese of Santarem, Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Boim, Brazil, in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1985. Appointment of Fr. Mario Lucunde, rector of the major seminary of Benguela, Angola, as bishop of Menongue, Angola. The bishop-elect was born in Caimbambo, Angola, in 1957 and ordained a priest in 1985.

- 4: Appointment of Msgr. George Antonysamy, counsellor at the apostolic nunciature to Jordan, as apostolic nuncio to Guinea, Liberia and Gambia, at the same time elevated to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Tiruchy, India, in 1952 and ordained to the priesthood in 1980.

- 5: Appointment of Fr. Ramon Alfredo Dus, rector of the major seminary of Parana, Argentina, as auxiliary of Reconquista, Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in San Lorenzo, Argentina, in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1980.

- 10: Appointment of Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland, as special papal envoy to celebrations for the 25th anniversary of the founding of the "Solidarnosc" trade union, in Gdansk, Poland, on August 31, 2005.

- 19: Resignation of Bishop Juan Carlos Maccarone of Santiago del Estero, Argentina, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- 22: Appointment of Fr. Jean Legrez O.P., prior of the Dominican convent of Marseille, France, as bishop of Saint-Claude, France. The bishop-elect was born in Paris, France, in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1976.

- 24: Resignation of Bishop Natalino Pescarolo of Cuneo and of Fossano, Italy, upon having reached the age limit. Appointment of Fr. Giuseppe Cavallotto, rector of the Pontifical Urban University, as bishop of Cuneo and of Fossano, combined "in persona Episcopi." The bishop-elect was born in Noche di Vinchio, Italy, in 1940 and ordained to the priesthood in 1964. Resignation of Bishop Agostinho Jose Sartori O.F.M. Cap. of Palmas-Francesco Beltrao, Brazil, upon having reached the age limit. Appointment of his successor, Fr. Jose Antonio Peruzzo, pastor of the cathedral of Cascavel, Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Cascavel in 1960 and ordained a priest in 1985. Appointment of Archbishop Pierre Nguyen Van Tot, apostolic nuncio to Benin and Togo, as apostolic nuncio to Chad. Appointment of Fr. Michael A. Blume S.V.D., under-secretary at the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, as apostolic nuncio to Benin and Togo, at the same time elevated to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in South Bend, U.S.A., in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1972. Appointment of Archbishop William Joseph Levada, emeritus of San Francisco, U.S.A., and prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as member of the Congregation for Bishops.

- 25: Resignation of Bishop Magnus Mwalunyungu of Tunduru-Masasi, Tanzania, upon having reached the age limit. Succession of Coadjutor Bishop Paul Msemwa.

- 27: Resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Johannes Antonius de Kok O.F.M. of Utrecht, Netherlands, upon having reached the age limit. Resignation of Archbishop Giuseppe De Andrea, apostolic nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen and Qatar, and apostolic delegate to the Arabian Peninsula, upon having reached the age limit. Appointment of Bishop Mounged el-Hachem of Baalbek - Deir el-Ahmar of the Maronites, Lebanon, as apostolic nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen and Qatar, and apostolic delegate to the Arabian Peninsula, at the same time elevated to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in el-Akoura, Lebanon, in 1934, ordained a priest in 1959 and appointed a bishop in 1995. Appointment of Archbishop Antonio Lucibello, apostolic nuncio to Paraguay, as apostolic nuncio to Turkey and Turkmenistan.
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