IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, OCT 18, 2005 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

 - Archbishop Ettore Cunial, vice-chamberlain emeritus of Holy Roman Church, on October 6, at the age of 99.

 - Bishop Alberto Cosme do Amaral, emeritus of Leiria-Fatima, Portugal, on October 7, at the age of 89.

 - Archbishop Charles Kambale Mbogha A.A., of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on October 9, at the age of 63.

 - Bishop Aloysius J. Wycislo of Green Bay, U.S.A., on October 11, at the age of 97.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 18, 2005 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Renato Pine Mayugba of the clergy of the archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Philippines, rector of the Mary Help of Christians Seminary in Bonuan, as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan (area 1,565, population 1,215,000, Catholics 1,002,000, priests 74, religious 61). The bishop-elect was born in Sampaloc, Philippines in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1981.
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SUNDAY: CONCLUSION OF SYNOD, CANONIZATION OF FIVE BLESSEDS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 18, 2005 (VIS) - At 9.30 a.m. on Sunday October 23, World Mission Day, the Holy Father will preside at a Eucharistic concelebration in St. Peter's Square with the Synod Fathers for the conclusion of the Eleventh Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. During the ceremony, the Pope will canonize five Blesseds.

  The names of the future saints are: Jozef Bilczewski, archbishop of Lviv of the Latins (1860 - 1923); Gaetano Catanoso, priest, founder of the Congregation of the Veronica Sisters of the Holy Countenance (1879 - 1963); Zygmunt Gorazdowski, priest, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph (1845 - 1920); Alberto Hurtado Cruchaga, priest of the Society of Jesus (1901 - 1952); and Felice da Nicosia, of the Friars Minor Capuchin (1715 - 1787).

  A note made public today by the Office for Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff reads: "On this Sunday, which closes the Year of the Eucharist and in which five new saints are proclaimed, we are invited to make the Eucharist ever more the summit and the source of the life and mission of the Church, and to be witnesses to the Gospel, even unto the ends of the earth."
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LIFE AND MISSION OF CARDINAL CAPRIO UNITED ON THE ALTAR

VATICAN CITY, OCT 18, 2005 (VIS) - This morning in St. Peter's Basilica, Benedict XVI presided at the funeral Mass for Cardinal Giuseppe Caprio, who died on Saturday at the age of 90.

  In his homily, the Pope stressed how the late cardinal had "faithfully served the Church," and recalled some of the principal moments of his life: his birth in a village in the Irpinia region of southern Italy, his years at the seminary of Benevento, and his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome leading to his priestly ordination in 1938. Quoting cardinal Caprio's last will and testament he said: "I give thanks to God with a heart full of emotion and gratitude for having called me to the priesthood."

  The Holy Father continued: "We too now unite ourselves in prayer with his thanksgiving as, for his soul, we prepare to offer the Eucharistic sacrifice which is the center ... of priestly life. I like to think, especially in these days when the entire Church is concentrated on the Eucharistic mystery, that there, on the altar, the life and ministry of the cardinal came together in profound unity."

  Benedict XVI then went on to refer to the years the cardinal spent at the service of the Apostolic See in Nanking, Brussels, Saigon, Taipei and New Delhi. "The presence of the Risen Christ was certainly a comfort in his most difficult moments, such as the period he spent under house arrest in the nunciature in Nanking in 1951, followed by his expulsion from China."

  Benedict XVI mentioned the motto of "Pax in virtute," chosen by the late prelate when Blessed John XXIII appointed him an archbishop in 1961, then spoke of his career as pro-nuncio to India, his participation in Vatican Council II and his later appointment as substitute of the Secretariat of State and president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.

  Created a cardinal by John Paul II in 1979, Giuseppe Caprio was, said Benedict XVI, always recognized for his "global view of the problems of the Church, and his constant concern to consider administrative aspects with respect to higher interests, in full adherence to the spirit of the Council."

  In closing, the Pope recalled Cardinal Caprio's love of the East and exclaimed: "With affection and gratitude, let us accompany this brother of ours on his voyage to the true East, in other words to Christ, the sun than never sets, trusting faithfully that God will welcome him with open arms."
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NINETEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, OCT 18, 2005 (VIS) - This morning, during the Nineteenth General Congregation of the Eleventh Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, celebrated in the Vatican's Synod Hall, the unified list of propositions was presented. The propositions will be given to the Holy Father to consider as he prepares the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation.

  In the afternoon, the Synod Fathers will meet in Working Groups (linguistic groups), in order to prepare the collective amendments to the propositions.
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