OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 29, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Jorge Herbas Balderrama O.F.M., secretary for formation and study of the Franciscan Province of San Antonio and president of the ecclesiastical tribunal of first appeal of the archdiocese of Cochabamba, Bolivia, as coadjutor bishop of the territorial prelature of Aiquile (area 23,325, population 230,000, Catholics 200,000, priests 27, religious 86), Bolivia. The bishop-elect was born in Mizque, Bolivia in 1963 and ordained a priest in 1990.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 29, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
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PAPAL, HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS FOR AUGUST - DECEMBER 2006

VATICAN CITY, DEC 29, 2006 (VIS) - Following are highlights of the activities of Pope Benedict XVI and the Holy See for the months of August through December 2006.

AUGUST

 - 2: Telegram of condolence from the Holy Father for the death at the age of 96 of Dutch Cardinal Johannes Willebrands, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

 - 11: Telegram from the Holy Father to Susilo Yudhoyono, president of Indonesia, requesting clemency for three men condemned to death for their role in inciting sectarian violence in Poso, Indonesia in 2000.

 - 11: The Holy Father asks Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, to travel to Lebanon as his special envoy to express to the people there his spiritual closeness and solidarity, and to pray for peace.

 - 13: Publication of the text of an interview granted by Benedict XVI to the television stations Bayerischer Rundfunk (ARD), ZDF and Deustsche Welle, and to Vatican Radio, for his forthcoming apostolic trip to Munich, Altotting and Regensburg, due to take place from September 9 to 14.

 - 19: Telegram to His Beatitude Emmanuel III Delly, patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Iraq, expressing the Pope's closeness to the Chaldean Catholic Church and requesting the release of the kidnapped priest, Fr. Saad Syrop Hanna, seized in Baghdad on August 15.

 - 28: The Holy Father receives in audience Angela Merkel, chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, accompanied by her entourage.

SEPTEMBER

 - 8: The new ambassador of Chile to the Holy See, Pedro Pablo Cabrera Gaete, presents his Letters of Credence to the Holy Father.

 - 9-14: Benedict XVI makes his second apostolic trip to Germany - the first having been in August 2005 when he travelled to Cologne for World Youth Day - divided into three stages: Munich, Altotting and Regensburg.

 - 15: In the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo, the Holy Father welcomes the staff of the Secretariat of State for the appointment of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., archbishop of Genoa, Italy, as new secretary of State, and the farewell ceremony of his predecessor, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

 - 16: The new ambassador of Slovenia to the Holy See, Ivan Rebernik, presents his Letters of Credence to the Pope.

 - 17: Beatification of Servant of God Sara Salkahazi (1899 - 1944) of the Institute of the Sisters of the Assistance, in the square of St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest, Hungary. She was killed in 1944 for having protected hundreds of Jews during the Second World War. Beatification of Servant of God Mose Tovini (1877-1930), a priest of the diocese of Brescia, Italy.

 - 18: The new ambassador of Austria to the Holy See, Martin Bolldorf, presents his Letters of Credence to the Pope.

 - 18-25: Ninth plenary session of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in Belgrade, Serbia.

 - 20: Telegram of condolence from the Holy Father Benedict XVI for the killing of Sr. Leonella Sgorbati of the Consolata Missionary Sisters, in Mogadishu, Somalia.

 - 25: The Holy Father receives in audience Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, representatives from Muslim-majority countries that maintain diplomatic links with the Holy See, and a number of leaders of the Muslim community in Italy.

 - 28: The new ambassador of the Federal Republic Germany to the Holy See, Hans-Henning Horstmann, presents his Letters of Credence to Benedict XVI.

 - 29: The new ambassador of the Republic of Albania to the Holy See, Rrok Logu, presents his Letters of Credence to Benedict XVI.

 - 30: Telegram of condolence from the Holy Father Benedict XVI for the death at the age of 94 of Cardinal Louis-Albert Vachon, archbishop emeritus of Quebec, Canada.

OCTOBER

 - 5: Heinz Fischer, president of the Federal Republic of Austria, received in audience by the Holy Father.

 - 6: The Holy Father convokes the XII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops dedicated to the theme: "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church." The Synod is due to will be held in the Vatican from October 5 to 26, 2008.

 - 8: Beatification of Servant of God Maria Teresa di Gesu, nee Maria Scrilli (1825-1889), foundress of the Congregation of the Religious of Our Lady of Carmel in the Roman amphitheater of Fiesole, Italy.

 - 12: Inauguration of the exhibition "Petros Eni" (Peter is here) dedicated by the Fabric of St. Peter's to the 500th anniversary of the foundation of the current basilica, and to the Apostle Peter to whom the basilica is dedicated. The exhibition runs from October 12, 2006 to March 8, 2007.

 - 12: Opening of a new section of the Roman necropolis on the Via Triumphalis. The sector came to light in 2003 during building work on a parking lot within Vatican City, and its inauguration is part of celebrations marking the fifth centenary of the Vatican Museums.

 - 12: The Holy Father receives in audience Jaroslaw Kaczynski, prime minister of the Republic of Poland.

 - 13: Telegram of condolence from the Holy Father Benedict XVI for the death at the age of 84 of Cardinal Dino Monduzzi, prefect emeritus of the Pontifical Household.

 - 13: Romano Prodi, prime minister of the Republic of Italy, visits the Holy Father Benedict XVI.

 - 15: Canonization in the Vatican Basilica of Blesseds: Rafael Guizar Valencia (1878-1938), Mexican, bishop; Filippo Smaldone (1848-1923), Italian, founder of the Institute of the Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Hearts; Rosa Venerini (1656-1728), virgin, Italian, foundress of the Congregation of the "Maestre Pie Venerini;" and Theodore Guerin, nee Anne-Therese (1798-1856), virgin, French, foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary "ad Nemus" (Saint Mary of the Woods) in the U.S.A.

 - 19: Telegram of condolence from the Holy Father for the death at the age of 77 of Cardinal Mario Francesco Pompedda, prefect emeritus of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.

 - 19: Pope travels to the Italian city of Verona for the 4th Italian Ecclesial Congress on the theme: "Witnesses of the Risen Christ, Hope of the World."

 - 22: Beatification, in the cathedral of Bilbao, Spain, of Servant of God Margarita Maria Lopez de Maturana (1884-1934), Spanish, foundress of the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of Mercy.

 - 26: The new ambassador of Belgium to the Holy See, Frank De Coninck, presents his Letters of Credence to the Holy Father.

 - 26: The Holy Father receives in audience participants in the fifth international congress of Military Ordinariates, marking the twentieth anniversary of the Apostolic Constitution "Spirituali Militum Curae," promulgated by Servant of God John Paul II.

 - 27: The Pope receives in audience Jose Ramos-Horta, prime minister of East Timor, accompanied by an entourage.

 - 29: Beatification, in the cathedral of Speyer, Germany, of Servant of God Paul Josef Nardini (1821-1862), German, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Family.

NOVEMBER

 - 5: Beatification of Servant of God Mariano de la Mata Aparicio, Spanish, priest of the Order of Saint Augustine. (1905-1983), in the cathedral of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

 - 6: The Holy Father receives in audience Laszlo Solyom, president of the Republic of Hungary.

 - 10: The Holy Father receives in audience Tassos Papadopoulos, president of the Republic of Cyprus.

 - 13: The new ambassador of Japan to the Holy See, Kagefumi Ueno, presents his Letters of Credence to the Holy Father.

 - 14: Publication of Benedict XVI's Message for the 93rd World Day of Migrants and Refugees, due to be celebrated on Sunday, January 14, 2007 on the theme: "The Migrant Family."

 - 18: Benedict XVI receives in audience Horst Kohler, president of the Federal Republic of Germany.

 - 20: The Pope receives Giorgio Napolitano, president of the Italian Republic, on an official visit. President Napolitano took office on May 15 this year.

 - 21: Announcement that the Holy Father Benedict XVI has completed writing the first part of a book, entitled 'Gesu di Nazareth. Dal Battesimo nel Giordano alla Trasfigurazione' (Jesus of Nazareth, From His Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration). The book is due to be published in spring 2007.

 - 21-26: Official visit to Rome by the primate of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, England.

 - 24: The Holy Father receives in audience Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales, president of the Republic of Honduras.

 - 28-1 December: Benedict XVI makes an apostolic trip to Turkey - the fifth journey outside Italy of his pontificate - divided into three stages: Ankara, Ephesus and Istanbul.

 - 30: Joint Declaration signed by the Holy Father Benedict XVI and His Holiness Bartholomew I, ecumenical patriarch, at the ecumenical patriarchate in Istanbul.

DECEMBER

 - 3: Beatification of Servant of God Eufrasia of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Eluvathingal, nee Rosa (1877-1952), Indian, religious of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel at Ollur in the archdiocese of Trichur, India.

 - 10: The Pope makes a pastoral visit to the Roman parish of St. Mary Star of Evangelization, where he celebrates Mass and consecrates the new parish church.

 - 11: Telegram of condolence from the Holy Father for the death at the age of 88 of Cardinal Salvatore Pappalardo, emeritus of Palermo, Italy.

 - 11: Press conference presided by Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, archpriest of the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, to present recent excavations that brought to light the sarcophagus of St. Paul in that basilica.

 - 12: Publication of the Holy Father's Message for the World Day of Peace 2007, which has as its theme: "The Human Person, the Heart of Peace."

 - 13-16: First official visit of His Beatitude Christodoulos, archbishop of Athens and of all Greece, to His Holiness Benedict XVI and the Church of Rome. The Pope and the Archbishop sign a Joint Declaration.

 - 13: Publication of the Holy Father's Message for the 15th World Day of the Sick. The event is due to be celebrated in Seoul, South Korea on February 11, 2007, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

 - 13: Benedict XVI receives in audience Ehud Olmert, president of the State of Israel.

 - 14: Six new ambassadors to the Holy See - Lars Moller of Denmark, Maratbek Salievic Bakiev of Kyrgyzstan, Carlos Dos Santos of Mozambique, Princess Elizabeth Bagaya of Uganda, Makram Obeid of Syria, and Makase Nyaphisi of Lesotho - present their Letters of Credence to the Holy Father.

 - 15: Benedict XVI receives His Beatitude Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Coptic Catholics, on his first official visit to the Holy See since his election in March of this year.

 - 16: The Holy See and the Republic of Montenegro decide, in common agreement, to establish diplomatic relations, at the level of an apostolic nunciature on the part of the Holy See, and of an embassy on the part of the Republic of Montenegro.

 - 20: The Pope receives the "Prize for Charity" from the Italian foundation "Banca Alimentare." The reason for granting the prize, according to a communique released by the foundation, is that since the start of his pontificate, the Holy Father "has sought to present charity - the sincere giving of oneself to others - as a natural dimension of Christian life."
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BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR JANUARY 2007

VATICAN CITY, DEC 29, 2006 (VIS) - Pope Benedict XVI's general prayer intention for January 2007 is: "That in our time, unfortunately marked by many episodes of violence, the pastors of the Church may continue to indicate the way of peace and understanding among peoples."

  His mission intention is: "That the Church in Africa may become a constantly more authentic witness of the Good News of Christ and be committed, in every nation, to the promotion of reconciliation and peace."
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POPE BENEDICT TO VISIT CARITAS SHELTER IN ROME

VATICAN CITY, DEC 29, 2006 (VIS) - On January 4, 2007 the Holy Father is scheduled to visit a shelter run by the diocesan Caritas of Rome on the city's Colle Oppio, according to a communique released by the Vicariate of Rome.

  During the pastoral visit, the Pope will dedicate a canteen to the memory of John Paul II, unveiling a commemorative plaque. He will also visit a nativity scene built by the Caritas volunteers.

  The Holy Father - who will be accompanied by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, his vicar general for the diocese of Rome, Bishop Ernesto Mandara, auxiliary of Rome for the central area, and Msgr. Guerino Di Tora, director of Caritas - will greet the people who use the shelter, Caritas workers and the young people of the "Il Centro" youth center, which is based in the same building.

  The Colle Oppio shelter was the first structure for homeless people to be established in Rome, founded in 1983 and run with the help of the city council. Over the last 23 years it has welcomed thousands of people, both Italians and non-Italians, and distributed more than nine million meals.

  John Paul II visited the center on December 20, 1992, when he pronounced the phrase "suffering man concerns us," now inscribed on the plaque to be unveiled by Benedict XVI.
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MORE THAN THREE MILLION PEOPLE IN PAPAL MEETINGS IN 2006

VATICAN CITY, DEC 29, 2006 (VIS) - During the year 2006, more than three million faithful participated in public meetings with the Pope, either in the Vatican or at his summer residence of Castelgandolfo.

  According to statistics released by the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household, a total of 3,222,820 people attended the Wednesday general audiences, special audiences, liturgical celebrations and Sunday Angelus prayers during the course of the year.

  The Wednesday general audiences, held in St. Peter's Square and the Paul VI Hall, attracted 1,031,500 people. This figure reflects the number of tickets distributed, and does not take into account the thousands of faithful who arrive without tickets and also participate.

  The Angelus prayers of 2006 drew a total of 1,295,000 people to St. Peter's Square, while more than half a million attended the various liturgical ceremonies presided by the Holy Father, 196,000 in April alone.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 27, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Ricardo Ezzati Andrello S.D.B., auxiliary of Santiago de Chile, as metropolitan archbishop of Concepcion (area 11,330, population 1,164,000, Catholics 606,000, priests 129, permanent deacons 21, religious 295), Chile. The archbishop-elect was born in Campiglia dei Berici, Italy, in 1942, he was ordained a priest in 1970 and consecrated a bishop in 1996. He succeeds Archbishop Antonio Moreno Casamitjana, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

  On Saturday, December 23, it was made public that the Holy Father appointed Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, as his special envoy to celebrations marking the 15th World Day of the Sick, due to take place in Seoul, Korea, on February 11, 2007.
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IN BRIEF

FOLLOWING THE OIL PIPELINE EXPLOSION ON THE OUTSKIRTS of Lagos, Nigeria, which occurred on December 26 and left hundreds dead, the Pope sent a telegram of condolence, through Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., to Cardinal Anthony Olunbunmi Okogie, archbishop of Lagos.

THE HOLY FATHER SENT A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE to Catholics living in the Middle East, assuring them of his "spiritual closeness," and communicating his hope that this period of the liturgical calendar "may mark an end to, or at least a respite from, so much suffering and give many families the supplementary hope necessary to persevere in the arduous task of promoting peace in a world still so torn and divided." The Pope also expresses the hope that circumstances will enable him to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

THE POPE SENT A MESSAGE, THROUGH CARDINAL SECRETARY OF STATE Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., to young people participating in a European meeting promoted by the Taize Community, being celebrated in Zagreb, Croatia from December 28 2006 to January 1, 2007. "In the land of Croatia, marked in recent years by conflict," reads the Message, "you are a sign of new hope and a demonstration of the fact that the young look forward to a new humanity, founded on the recognition of all people, whatever their nationality or religion."

ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, DURING A BRIEF CEREMONY attended by Cardinals Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., and Camillo Ruini, respectively secretary of State and vicar general for the diocese of Rome, the managing director of Italian State Railways and the mayor of Rome inaugurated two plaques dedicated to Servant of God John Paul II in Rome's central Termini Station. The plaques are 12 meters high and have been placed at the busiest parts of the station building.
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MESSAGE TO POPE FROM PRESIDENT AHMADINEJAD

VATICAN CITY, DEC 27, 2006 (VIS) - Following today's general audience, Benedict XVI received Manouchehr Mottaki and Rahim Mashai, respectively foreign minister and vice president of Iran, who gave the Holy Father a message from the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, according to a communique from the Holy See Press Office.

  "During the meeting," the communique reads, "the Iranian representatives expressed their best wishes to the Pope, and their satisfaction for 50 years of diplomatic relations between Iran and the Holy See.

  "For his part, the Holy Father also expressed his best wishes and reaffirmed the role the Holy See intends to play for peace in the world, not as a political but as a religious and moral authority, appealing to consciences so that the problems of peoples are always resolved through dialogue, in mutual understanding and in peace."
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GLORY OF GOD IS THE SALVATION OF MAN

VATICAN CITY, DEC 27, 2006 (VIS) - Christmas was once again the theme of the Pope's catechesis during today's general audience, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall.

  "Today's audience is taking place in a Christmas atmosphere pervaded with joy for the birth of the Savior," he began. "The words of John the Evangelist resound in our hearts, ... 'the Word became flesh.' ... God came to dwell among us, He came for us, to stay with us." But "a question traverses these two thousand years of Christian history: Why did He do it? Why did God become man?

  "The song of the angels over the manger in Bethlehem," the Pope proceeded, "helps us to answer this question: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.' ... The term 'glory' indicates the splendor of God which inspires the grateful praise of His creatures. ... 'Peace' summarizes the fullness of the messianic gifts: salvation, ... identified with Christ Himself ... Who is our peace." The reference to the men and women loved by the Lord makes the Christmas message even more explicit, "with the birth of Jesus, God has manifested His love towards everyone."

  "God's glory is expressed, then, in the salvation of man, whom God so loved 'that He gave His only Son.' ... Hence, love is the ultimate reason for the incarnation of Christ." In this context, the Holy Father recalled the words of the theologian H. U. von Balthasar: "God is not primarily absolute power, but absolute love, the sovereignty of which is not expressed in keeping what it has for itself, but in letting it go."

  "The God we contemplate in the manger is God-Love," Pope Benedict concluded. "The announcement of the angels is, for us, also an invitation: 'let there be' Glory to God in the highest, 'let there be' peace on earth among men with whom He is pleased. The only way to glorify God and to build peace in the world consists in the humble and trusting acceptance of the gift of Christmas: love."
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THE POPE REMEMBERS THOSE WHO SUFFER PERSECUTION

VATICAN CITY, DEC 26, 2006 (VIS) - At midday, before praying the Angelus with thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope recalled how today is the feast of St. Stephen, deacon and protomartyr.

  At first sight, the fact that the feast of the protomartyr falls the day after Christmas "may leave some people surprised," said the Holy Father, "because of the striking contrast between the peace and joy of Bethlehem and the drama of Stephen, stoned to death in Jerusalem during the first persecution against the nascent Church."

  However, he went on, it must be remembered that "the Baby Jesus lying in the manger ... will save humanity by dying on the cross."

  "In the first four centuries of Christianity, all the saints venerated by the Church were martyrs," said Benedict XVI. "For believers, the day of death - and even more so the day of martyrdom - is not the end of everything but the 'transit' towards eternal life, the day of definitive birth, in Latin 'dies natalis.' ... If Jesus had not been born on earth, mankind would not have been able to be born in heaven. It is precisely because Jesus was born, that we can be 'reborn'."

  The Pope entrusted "those who undergo persecution and suffering in witnessing and serving the Gospel" to the Virgin Mary "who held the Redeemer in her arms in Bethlehem" and after He was removed from the cross.

  "With particular spiritual closeness," he concluded, "I think also of those Catholics who maintain their faithfulness to the See of Peter without giving way to compromise, at times even at the cost of great suffering. All the Church admires their example and prays that they may find the strength to persevere, in the knowledge that their tribulations are a source of victory, even when they may appear as failures."
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CHRISTMAS MESSAGE: THE SAVIOR KNOWS THAT WE NEED HIM

VATICAN CITY, DEC 25, 2006 (VIS) - At midday today, Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, the Holy Father pronounced his traditional Christmas Message from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica, and imparted the "Urbi et Orbi" blessing.

  Extracts of the Message are given below:

  "'Our Savior is born to the world!' During the night, in our churches, we again heard this message that, notwithstanding the passage of the centuries, remains ever new. ... But does a 'Savior' still have any value and meaning for the men and women of the third millennium? Is a 'Savior' still needed by a humanity which has reached the moon and Mars and is prepared to conquer the universe; for a humanity which knows no limits in its pursuit of nature's secrets and which has succeeded even in deciphering the marvelous codes of the human genome?

  "Is a Savior needed by a humanity which has invented interactive communication, which navigates in the virtual ocean of the internet and, thanks to the most advanced modern communications technologies, has now made the earth, our great common home, a global village? This humanity of the twenty-first century appears as a sure and self-sufficient master of its own destiny, the avid proponent of uncontested triumphs.

  "So it would seem, yet this is not the case. People continue to die of hunger and thirst, disease and poverty, in this age of plenty and of unbridled consumerism. Some people remain enslaved, exploited and stripped of their dignity; others are victims of racial and religious hatred, hampered by intolerance and discrimination, and by political interference and physical or moral coercion with regard to the free profession of their faith. Others see their own bodies and those of their dear ones, particularly their children, maimed by weaponry, by terrorism and by all sorts of violence, at a time when everyone invokes and acclaims progress, solidarity and peace for all.

  "And what of those who, bereft of hope, are forced to leave their homes and countries in order to find humane living conditions elsewhere? How can we help those who are misled by facile prophets of happiness, those who struggle with relationships and are incapable of accepting responsibility for their present and future, those who are trapped in the tunnel of loneliness and who often end up enslaved to alcohol or drugs? What are we to think of those who choose death in the belief that they are celebrating life?

  "How can we not hear, from the very depths of this humanity, at once joyful and anguished, a heart-rending cry for help? It is Christmas: today 'the true light that enlightens every man' came into the world. 'The word became flesh and dwelt among us,' proclaims the Evangelist John.

  "Today, this very day, Christ comes once more 'unto His own,' and to those who receive Him He gives 'the power to become children of God;' in a word, he offers them the opportunity to see God's glory and to share the joy of that Love which became incarnate for us in Bethlehem. Today 'our Savior is born to the world,' for He knows that even today we need Him. Despite humanity's many advances, man has always been the same: a freedom poised between good and evil, between life and death. It is there, in the very depths of his being, in what the Bible calls his 'heart,' that man always needs to be 'saved.' And, in this post-modern age, perhaps he needs a Savior all the more, since the society in which he lives has become more complex and the threats to his personal and moral integrity have become more insidious. Who can defend him, if not the One who loves him to the point of sacrificing on the Cross His only-begotten Son as the Savior of the world?"

  "With deep apprehension I think, on this festive day, of the Middle East, marked by so many grave crises and conflicts, and I express my hope that the way will be opened to a just and lasting peace, with respect for the inalienable rights of the peoples living there. I place in the hands of the divine Child of Bethlehem the indications of a resumption of dialogue between the Israelis and Palestinians, which we have witnessed in recent days, and the hope of further encouraging developments.

  "I am confident that, after so many victims, destruction and uncertainty, a democratic Lebanon, open to others and in dialogue with different cultures and religions, will survive and progress. I appeal to all those who hold in their hands the fate of Iraq, that there will be an end to the brutal violence that has brought so much bloodshed to the country, and that every one of its inhabitants will be safe to lead a normal life. I pray to God that in Sri Lanka the parties in conflict will heed the desire of the people for a future of brotherhood and solidarity; that in Darfur and throughout Africa there will be an end to fratricidal conflicts, that the open wounds in that continent will quickly heal and that the steps being made towards reconciliation, democracy and development will be consolidated. May the Divine Child, the Prince of Peace, grant an end to the outbreaks of tension that make uncertain the future of other parts of the world, in Europe and in Latin America.

  "Our Savior is born for all. We must proclaim this not only in words, but by our entire life, giving the world a witness of united, open communities where fraternity and forgiveness reign, along with acceptance and mutual service, truth, justice and love."

  "Only by rediscovering the gift she has received can the Church bear witness to Christ the Savior before all people. She does this with passionate enthusiasm, with full respect for all cultural and religious traditions; she does so joyfully, knowing that the One she proclaims takes away nothing that is authentically human, but instead brings it to fulfillment. In truth, Christ comes to destroy only evil, only sin; everything else, all the rest, He elevates and perfects."

  Following his Message, the Pope extended Christmas greetings in 62 languages and imparted the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) blessing.
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GOD ASKS FOR OUR LOVE, SO HE MAKES HIMSELF A CHILD

VATICAN CITY, DEC 24, 2006 (VIS) - The Pope tonight celebrated Midnight Mass in the Vatican Basilica for the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord. Thirty-six cardinals concelebrated with the Holy Father.

  On this holy night, said the Holy Father in his homily, God "makes Himself small for us. This is how He reigns. He does not come with power and outward splendor. He comes as a baby - defenseless and in need of our help. He does not want to overwhelm us with His strength. He takes away our fear of His greatness. He asks for our love: so He makes Himself a child."

  "God made Himself small so that we could understand Him, welcome Him, and love Him," Benedict XVI went on. "He became a child, so that the Word could be grasped by us. In this way God teaches us to love the little ones. In this way He teaches us to love the weak. In this way He teaches us respect for children. The Child of Bethlehem directs our gaze towards all children who suffer and are abused in the world, the born and the unborn. Towards children who are placed as soldiers in a violent world; towards children who have to beg; towards children who suffer deprivation and hunger; towards children who are unloved. In all of these it is the Child of Bethlehem Who is crying out to us; it is the God Who has become small Who appeals to us."

  "He Who is the Eternal One, above time, He has assumed our time and raised it to Himself on high. Christmas has become the feast of gifts in imitation of God Who has given Himself to us. Let us allow our heart, our soul and our mind to be touched by this fact! Among the many gifts that we buy and receive, let us not forget the true gift: to give each other something of ourselves, to give each other something of our time, to open our time to God."

  "Man, in order to live, needs bread, the fruit of the earth and of his labor. But he does not live by bread alone. He needs nourishment for his soul: he needs meaning that can fill his life. Thus, for the Fathers of the Church, the manger of the animals became the symbol of the altar, on which lies the Bread which is Christ himself: the true food for our hearts. Once again we see how He became small: in the humble appearance of the host, in a small piece of bread, He gives us Himself."
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SINCE JESUS CAME NO ONE IS A STRANGER IN THIS WORLD

VATICAN CITY, DEC 24, 2006 (VIS) - Shortly before midday today, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study in order to pray the Angelus with thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square below.

  "The celebration of Christmas is now imminent," said the Holy Father in his opening remarks. "In the Divine Newborn Child, ... our salvation is made manifest. In God, Who for us became man, we feel loved and accepted, and we discover ourselves to be precious and unique in the eyes of the Creator.

  "The Nativity of Christ," the Pope added, "helps us to realize the value ... of each human life, from its first instant to its natural end. To those people who open their hearts to this 'babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger' He offers the chance to contemplate daily reality with new eyes. They will be able to savor the ... inner wonder of the love of God, Who can transform even pain into joy.

  "Le us prepare ourselves, dear friends, to meet Jesus, the Emmanuel, God-with-us. Born into poverty in Bethlehem, He wants to be our companion on all our journeys. Ever since He decided to pitch his 'tent' in this world, no one is a stranger. ... This is the amazing gift of Christmas: Jesus came for each of us, and in Himself He made brothers of us all. Consequently, our task is to overcome ... preconceptions and prejudices, break down barriers, and eliminate the contrasts that divide individuals and peoples or, worse still, set them against one another, in order to build together a world of justice and peace."
ANG/CHRISTMAS/...                                VIS 20061228 (290)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 22, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Guillermo Javier Karcher, official of the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, as assistant master of pontifical ceremonies.
NA/.../KARCHER                                VIS 20061222 (40)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 22, 2006 (VIS) - This evening, the Holy Father is due to receive in audience Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
AP/.../...                                        VIS 20061222 (40)

BENEDICT XVI MEETS ROMAN CURIA FOR CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 22, 2006 (VIS) - This morning in the Clementine Hall, the Holy Father held his traditional meeting with cardinals, archbishops, bishops and members of the Roman Curia, for the exchange of Christmas greetings.

  At the beginning of his address to them, the Pope affirmed how "the year that is coming to an end," leaves us "with the profound impression of the war that took place near the Holy Land and, more generally, of the danger of a clash between cultures and religions, a danger still threateningly present at this moment in history. The question of the roads to peace has thus become a challenge of vital importance."

  Recalling his apostolic trip to Poland in May, Benedict XVI described his "debt of gratitude" for everything that John Paul II gave, "both to me personally and, above all, to the Church and the world. His greatest gift to all of us was his unshakeable faith and the radicalism of his devotion. ... He held nothing back, but allowed himself to be entirely consumed by the flame of faith."

  Marriage and the family was the theme of the Holy Father's trip to Valencia, Spain, in July. He recalled the testimonies of families who had passed through moments of crisis and who, with great efforts, had managed to overcome them and rediscover their happiness. "Before these families and their children," he said, "before these families in which the generations hold each other by the hand, and the future is present, the problem of Europe, which seems almost no longer to want children, penetrated my soul."

  "Why, is this the case? That is the great question. The answers are certainly extremely complex. But before seeking responses we must thank all those married couples who, even in our Europe today, say 'yes' to children and accept the labors they bring." Alongside the need to give them so much of our time, is the problem of "what norms must we teach our children in order for them to follow the right path, and, in doing so, to what extent must we respect their freedom?"

  "Men and women today," said the Holy Father, "are unsure about the future." This fact, "alongside the desire to have all of life to themselves, is perhaps the most profound reason for which the risk of having children appears to many as almost unbearable. ... If we do not relearn the basic foundations of life - if we do not rediscover the certainty of faith - it will also be ever more difficult for us to give others the gift of life and the challenges of an unknown future." Another aspect of this question, he went on, "is the problem of definitive decisions. Can man bind himself for ever? Can he say a 'yes' that lasts a lifetime? Yes, he can. He was created for this end. Thus man achieves his freedom and thus the sacred bond of marriage is created, which broadens to become a family and build the future.

  "At this point," he added, "I cannot fail to mention my concern over 'de facto' couples. ... When new legislation is created that relativizes marriage, the rejection of the definitive bond gains, so to speak, juridical endorsement." Moreover, "relativizing the difference between the sexes ... tacitly confirms those bleak theories which seek to remove all relevance from a human being's masculinity or femininity, as if this were a purely biological matter."

  "Herein is a contempt for corporeality whence it follows that man, in seeking to emancipate himself from his body (from the 'biological sphere'), ends up by destroying himself." Against those who say that "the Church should not involve herself in these matters, we can only respond: does man not concern us too?" The church and believers "must raise their voices to defend man, the creature who, in the inseparable unity of body and spirit, is the image of God."

  Going on to mention his September visit to his homeland, Bavaria (Munich, Altotting, Regensburg and Freising), the Holy Father recalled how the main intention of his apostolic trip "was to highlight the question of God," because "the great problem in the West is forgetfulness of God."

  "The question of God," the Pope went on, "is associated with two themes that characterized my visit: that of priesthood and that of dialogue." And he recalled how according to the Old Testament, the tribe of Levi (of priests) was landless.

  "The true foundation of a priest's life, the land of his existence, ... is God Himself," said the Holy Father. "This theocentrism of priestly existence is vital in our modern world where everything is entirely functional and based on calculable and verifiable exchanges. The priest must know God from within in order to bring Him to mankind, this is the priority service of which humanity today has need."

  Benedict XVI then went on to consider priestly celibacy which, he said, "can only be definitively understood and experienced on the basis of this basic standpoint," because "purely pragmatic reasons, reference to greater availability are not sufficient." It may also be thought that the nature of celibacy involves "a kind of selfishness, that avoids the sacrifices and trials required in the mutual acceptance and tolerance of marriage."

  However, "the true foundation of celibacy can be encapsulated only in the phrase 'Dominus pars - You are my land.' ... It cannot mean being without love, but must mean letting oneself be seized by passion for God. ... Celibacy must be a testimony of faith."

  The Holy Father then turned to introduce the question of dialogue, recalling his meeting some years ago with the philosopher Jurgen Habermas, who informed the then Cardinal Ratzinger of the need "for thinkers capable of translating the beliefs encoded in the Christian faith into the language of the secularized world, in order to render them effective once again.

  "In fact," Pope Benedict added, "it is becoming ever more clear how urgently the world has need of dialogue between faith and reason," especially when "the cognitive capacities of human beings, their control over the material world through the power of thought, has made such unimaginable progress. But man's power, which has grown thanks to science, is becoming an ever greater danger, threatening both humankind and the world."

  "Science must welcome faith in the God Who personifies the creative Reason of the universe ... as a challenge and an opportunity. In the same way, this faith must recognize its own intrinsic immensity and reasonableness. Reason needs the Logos which lies at the origin of our light. For its part, faith needs to dialogue with modern reason, in order to become aware of its own greatness and meet is own responsibilities."

  On the subject of inter-religious dialogue the Pope insisted that "secularized reason is not capable of entering into a true dialogue with religions. If reason remains closed to the question of God, this will lead it to the clash of cultures. ... Religions must come together in the shared task of serving truth, and hence serving man."

  Another important part of the Pope's address to the Roman Curia was dedicated to his recent apostolic trip to Turkey which, he said, "gave me the chance to express publicly my respect for Islam. ... The Muslim world today," the Pope observed, "is facing a task very similar to that imposed upon Christians from the time of the Enlightenment, and which Vatican Council II, as the result of a long and arduous journey, brought to fruition with concrete solutions for the Catholic Church."

  "On the one hand, it is important to avoid a dictatorship of positivist reason that excludes God from community life and public legislation. ... On the other hand, it is necessary to welcome the true achievements of the Enlightenment: human rights and especially the freedom of faith and of its expression. ... The Muslim world, with its own traditions, is facing the great task of finding appropriate solutions to these questions. Dialogue between Christians and Muslims must, at this time, be that of coming together in this mission, in order to find the right solutions."

  The Pope then mentioned his meeting in Istanbul with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. "We experienced," he said, "a profound unity in faith and will pray to God ever more insistently that He may grant us full unity in the shared breaking of bread. ... We hope and pray that religious freedom - which is part of the intimate nature of the faith and is recognized in the principles of the Turkish constitution - finds a growing practical implementation in appropriate juridical norms and in the daily life of the patriarchate and of the other Christian communities."

  Benedict XVI dedicated the final paragraphs of his address to the question of peace. "We must learn that peace cannot be achieved only from the outside, ... and that the attempt to establish peace through violence leads only to fresh violence. ... We must learn that peace can only exist if hatred and selfishness are overcome from within. ... In our lives, we must attain that which Baptism sacramentally brought us: the death of the old man and the re-emergence of the new. ... May the reason of peace overcome the unreasonableness of violence!"
AC/CHRISTMAS GREETINGS/ROMAN CURIA                VIS 20061222 (1560)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Fr. Carlo Chenis S.D.B., secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church, as bishop of Civitavecchia-Tarquinia (area 876, population 85,000, Catholics 82,750, priests 68, permanent deacons 10, religious 182), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Turin, Italy in 1954 and ordained a priest in 1984. He succeeds Bishop Girolamo Grillo, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
NER:RE/.../CHENIS:GRILLO                            VIS 20061221 (90)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 - Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

 - Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
AP/.../...                                        VIS 20061221 (50)

COMMUNIQUES ON APPOINTMENT OF NEW ARCHBISHOP OF WARSAW

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2006 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a communique released by the Polish Episcopal Conference, and of another released by the Holy See Press Office, both concerning the recent appointment of Bishop Stanislaw Wojciech Wielgus of Plock, Poland as the new metropolitan archbishop of Warsaw.

  Communique from the Polish Episcopal Conference:

  "On the subject of the accusations launched by the Polish media against Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus, the presidency of the Polish Episcopal Conference draws attention to the public injury that has been inflicted against a specific person's right to a good reputation.

  "The situation that has been created provokes even greater unease because it is a clear example of 'wildcat lustration' (lustration being a technical term to refer to the procedure for attributing responsibility of collaborating with the security services of the communist regime). Such a situation is particularly offensive in the case of an ecclesiastic. In fact, the simple fact of a conversation taking place between a priest and members of the communist security services cannot of itself prove immoral collaboration; especially because, not infrequently, such conversations were of an administrative nature, or had to be undertaken for pastoral reasons or to study, and with the consent of the bishop.

  "We thus request that respect be shown for the decision of the Holy Father Benedict XVI, who has expressed his faith in the person appointed, entrusting him with the office of metropolitan archbishop of Warsaw.

  "Expressing our solidarity with Archbishop Wielgus, we entrust his person and the task he has been given to God.

  "We trust that the media storm that has been created will not ruin the religious and family atmosphere that accompanies the Feast of Christmas."

  Communique from the Holy See Press Office:

  "The Holy See, in choosing to appoint the new metropolitan archbishop of Warsaw, took into consideration all the circumstances of his life, including those regarding his past. This means that the Holy Father nourishes complete trust in Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus and, in full awareness, has entrusted him with the mission of pastor of the archdiocese of Warsaw."
OP/ARCHBISHOP WARSAW/WIELGUS                    VIS 20061221 (360)

POPE CALLS UPON CHILDREN TO BEAR WITNESS TO JESUS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2006 (VIS) - In a traditional meeting for this time of year, the Pope today received a group of children from Italian Catholic Action, who came to the Vatican to wish him a happy Christmas.

  Addressing the young people, the Holy Father made reference to the slogan - "Beautiful. True" - they had chosen for their formative journey this year. "Christmas," he said, "is the great mystery of the Truth and Beauty of God Who came among us for everyone's salvation. The birth of Jesus is not a fable, it is a story that really happened, in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. Faith brings us to recognize in that little Child born of the Virgin Mary, the true Son of God Who, out of love, chose to become man."

  "In the face of the little Jesus," the Holy Father proceeded, "we contemplate the face of God, which is not revealed through force or power, but in weakness and the fragile constitution of a child. This 'Divine Child' ... demonstrates the faithfulness and tenderness of the boundless love with which God surrounds each of us. For this reason we rejoice at Christmas, reliving the same experience as the shepherds of Bethlehem."

  "The wonder we feel before the enchantment of Christmas" is, said Benedict XVI, in some way reflected in the birth of all children, "and it invites us to recognize the Infant Jesus in all babies, who are the joy of the Church and the hope of the world."

  The Pope assured the children of his trust in them and called upon them "to be friends and witnesses of Jesus, Who came among us in Bethlehem. Is it not a beautiful thing to make Him better known among your friends, in cities, in parishes and in your families? The Church needs you in order to be close to all the children and young people who live in Italy. Bear witness to the fact that Jesus takes away nothing of your joy, but makes you more human, more true, more beautiful."
AC/CHRISTMAS/CATHOLIC ACTION                    VIS 20061221 (360)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 20, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Shreveport, U.S.A., presented by Bishop William Benedict Friend, upon having reached the age limit.
RE/.../FRIEND                                    VIS 20061220 (40)

CHRISTMAS TREE IN ST. PETER'S SQUARE TO BE LIT THIS EVENING

VATICAN CITY, DEC 20, 2006 (VIS) - This afternoon, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, president of the Governorate of Vatican City State, will preside at the official lighting ceremony of the Christmas tree which was erected in St. Peter's Square last Wednesday. The tree stands next to the nativity scene, which will be inaugurated in the next few days.

  Today's event, which is due to begin at 4.30 p.m., will be attended by civil and religious authorities from the Italian region of Calabria which donated this year's tree, a fir from the forests of the Sila National Park, more than 30 meters high and weighing seven tons.

  The nativity scene, which will be unveiled on the evening of December 24, has seventeen life-size statues. Of these, nine are the original figures donated by St. Vincent Pallotti for the nativity scene in the Roman church of Sant'Andrea della Valle in 1842. The other eight figures were added over the course of the years. The Italian province of Trento, and the local council of Tesero - a village at an altitude of 1,000 meters in the Valle di Fiemme in eastern Trento - have provided a further thirteen sculpted wooden figures and animals, as well as household utensils for the depiction of daily life.

  Over the Christmas period, the Friends of the Nativity Scene of Tesero, an association founded in 1965, will hold an exhibition of old nativity scenes in the Paul VI Hall.

  The tradition of placing a nativity scene and Christmas tree in St. Peter's Square began in 1982, during the pontificate of John Paul II.
.../NATIVITY SCENE:TREE ST. PETER'S/LAJOLO            VIS 20061220 (280)

HUMANITY AWAITS THE RENEWAL THAT CHRIST BRINGS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 20, 2006 (VIS) - Christmas was the central theme of the Pope's catechesis during his general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall.

  "In these final days of Advent," said the Holy Father, "the liturgy invites us to approach ... the stable in Bethlehem where the extraordinary event that changed the course of history took place: the birth of the Redeemer. On Christmas Eve, we will stand once again before the manger, and contemplate in wonder the 'Word made Flesh.' ... The chosen people awaited the Messiah but imagined him to be a powerful and victorious leader who would free his people from foreign oppression. Yet the Savior was born in silence and in absolute poverty."

  "Does mankind in our own time still await the Savior?" the Pope asked. "It appears that many people consider God as foreign to their interests. They have no apparent need of Him, and live as if He did not exist or, worse still, as if He were an 'obstacle' to be removed in order to achieve self-fulfillment. Even among believers ... are those who let themselves be attracted by alluring mirages and distracted by misleading doctrines that propose illusory shortcuts to happiness.

  "And yet," he added, "with all their contradictions, their anguish and their dramas - or perhaps precisely because of them - men and women today seek a road of renewal, of salvation, they seek a Savior and await, sometimes without knowing it, ... the coming of Christ, man's only true Redeemer."

  "Of course, false prophets continue to propose 'low cost' salvation, which always ends up delivering resounding disillusionment. Indeed, the history of the last 50 years provides an example of this search for a 'low cost' Savior and highlights all the consequent disillusionment."

  For this reason, the Pope concluded, Christians must, "with the testimony of their lives, propagate the truth of Christmas, which Christ brings to all men and women of good will. Born into poverty in the manger, Jesus came to offer everyone the joy and peace which alone can satisfy the needs of the human soul."

  In his Italian-language greetings at the end of the audience, Benedict XVI said: "In a few days it will be Christmas, and I imagine that, in your homes, you are putting the final touches to your nativity scenes, which are such an evocative depiction of Christmas. I hope that this important element, not only of our spirituality but also of our culture and art, may endure as a simple and eloquent way to remember the One Who came 'to dwell among us'."

  After the audience, the Pope was awarded the "Prize for Charity" by the "Banca Alimentare," an Italian foundation that organizes, among other initiatives, the National Day of Food Collection. The reason for granting the prize, says a communique released by the foundation, is that since the start of his pontificate, the Holy Father "has sought to present charity - the sincere giving of oneself to others - as a natural dimension of Christian life."

  Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., speaking during a meeting between the Vatican Publishing House and other international publishers, highlighted the fact that the award coincides with Benedict XVI's decision to donate part of his copyright earnings to a study center founded by his former theology students.
AG/CHRISTMAS/...                                VIS 20061220 (570)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 19, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Archbishop Paolo Romeo, apostolic nuncio to Italy and the republic of San Marino, as metropolitan archbishop of Palermo (area 1,366, population 915,787, Catholics 887,169, priests 518, permanent deacons 33, religious 1,706), Italy. He succeeds Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Bishop Richard J. Garcia, auxiliary of the diocese of Sacramento, U.S.A., as bishop of Monterey in California (area 21,916, population 975,451, Catholics 195,000, priests 118, permanent deacons 5, religious 206), U.S.A. He succeeds Bishop Sylvester D. Ryan, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
NER:RE/.../...                                    VIS 20061219 (140)

ECCLESIAL COMMUNION FOR NEW COPTIC CATHOLIC PATRIARCH

VATICAN CITY, DEC 19, 2006 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter from the Pope to Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches, appointing him as papal delegate for the ceremony of the confirmation of Ecclesiastical Communion of His Beatitude Antonios Naguib, the new patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts. The ceremony is due to take place in the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls.

  The Synod of Bishops of the Coptic Catholic Church, meeting in Cairo, Egypt, from March 27 to 30, 2006 accepted - having consulted the Supreme Pontiff - the resignation from office of His Beatitude Stephanos II Ghattas, C.M., patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, and elected Bishop Antonios Naguib, emeritus of Minya of the Copts, Egypt as the new patriarch.
BXVI-LETTER/NAGUIB/DAOUD                        VIS 20061219 (140)

STABLE PEACE IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION OF AFRICA

VATICAN CITY, DEC 19, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father, through Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., sent a Message to Mwai Kibaki, president of the Republic of Kenya and current president of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, which held its second session in Nairobi, Kenya, on December 14 and 15.

  Heads of State and government from 11 countries in the Great Lakes region attended the session, as did representatives from neighboring or associated States. The Holy See delegation was led by Archbishop Luigi Travaglino, apostolic nuncio, acting as special envoy.

  "The present summit," writes Cardinal Bertone in the English-language Message, "is called to take up again the challenge and satisfy the long-suffering populations' yearning for lasting peace by signing and bringing to fulfillment the Pact on Security, Stability and Development.

  "The four aspects envisaged in this plan (peace and security, democracy and good government, economic development and regional integration, social and humanitarian promotion) are interwoven and mutually inclusive. None of these human achievements can subsist, in a lasting and genuine form, without the support of the others. They will require from all those involved - authorities and citizens alike - generosity, courage and perseverance.

  "The Catholic Church," he adds, "attaches great importance to the values enshrined in these proposals and for many years has dedicated her untiring commitment to them. His Holiness is confident that the Catholic community will continue to do so with generous zeal, in cooperation with members of other religions and all men and women of good will."

  Benedict XVI, the secretary of State continues, "encourages all the delegations present at this conference to assume courageously their historic responsibility. His prayers will accompany them as they seek to agree upon and put into place the concrete measures that would decisively discourage any recourse to violence, and foster the only rational and human alternative to war: negotiation and dialogue. He is confident that on the basis of a genuine and stable peace, the Great Lakes region with its human and natural resources, and the support of the international community, can overcome its present difficulties and offer its people the genuine hope of a dignified future."

  At the end of the conference session, the bishops of the Great Lakes released a final declaration, also in English, in which they highlight the problems of the region, "including political instability in some areas, violence as a result of negative ethnicity, poverty and many others.

  "Due to violence leading to loss of human lives," they add, "some of our people have been left divided and without hope. Therefore, this initiative of our heads of State and government offers a chance to initiate the process of healing, which the Church fully endorses and commits itself to promote leading our people to forgive and reconcile with one another in the interest of peaceful co-existence now and in the future.

  "We call upon all those concerned to ensure equitable distribution of resources at the national and regional levels. We challenge ourselves to be pro-active so that we can be able to foresee and forestall explosive negative situations. This way we shall save our region from exhaustive wars and other negative experiences.

  "We urge our political leaders to nurture a culture of tolerance, patience and forgiveness," the bishops conclude. "We urge them to be sensitive to the plight of the majority of people when their differences of opinion plunge different countries into political instability. While we pray for them, we again urge prudence and wise discretion. We urge our lay people to take up the challenge of their calling and mission. This is to be the salt of the earth. They are to take up their rightful roles in the society including the political and administrative offices."
MESS/GREAT LAKES REGION/NAIROBI:BERTONE            VIS 20061219 (640)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 18, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Bruno Bertagna, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, as auditor general of the Apostolic Camera.

  On Saturday, December 16, it was made public that he:

 - Appointed Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins of Edmonton, Canada, as metropolitan archbishop of Toronto (area 13,000, population 5,083,000, Catholics 1,374,000, priests 799, permanent deacons 119, religious 1,206), Canada. He succeeds Cardinal Aloysius Matthew Ambrozic, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, professor of physics at the Physical Research Laboratory of Ahmedabad, India, as an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
NA:NER:RE/.../...                                VIS 20061218 (130)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 18, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 - Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, archbishop of Florence, Italy.

 - Durak Osman, ambassador of Turkey on his farewell visit.

 - Bishop Antoni Stankiewicz, dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, accompanied by members of his family.

 - Bishop Gianfranco Girotti O.F.M. Conv., regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, accompanied by members of his family.

 - Bishop Raffaele Farina S.D.B., prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library, accompanied by members of his family

  On Saturday, December 16, he received in separate audiences:

 - Nikola Gruevski, prime minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, accompanied by an entourage.

 - Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

 - Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
AP/.../...                                        VIS 20061218 (140)

MIGRANTS ENRICH CULTURES AND SOCIETIES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 18, 2006 (VIS) - On December 1, Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi C.S., permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and International Institutions in Geneva, delivered an address before the 92nd council session of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

  In his English-language talk, made public today, Archbishop Tomasi recalled that "the lesson of history is that migrants enrich cultures and societies and that transnational families and communities create bridges of understanding and productive interaction. It shows that the most important resource of all is the human person."

  "If the economy of the receiving countries benefits from the work of the immigrants - obviously it cannot do without them - the life aspirations of the immigrants must be attended to, and the possibility to integrate must be given. National legislation cannot aim at regulating only the flows of services and jobs without taking into account the person that provides those services. For this reason," the archbishop concluded, "family reunification must be a primary consideration: the family plays a fundamental role in the integration process, in giving stability to the presence of the immigrants in the new social environment, and even in the dynamics of temporary migrations."
DELSS/MIGRATIONS/GENEVA:TOMASI                    VIS 20061218 (210)

JEWS AND CHRISTIANS MUST PROMOTE SHARED VALUES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 18, 2006 (VIS) - Today in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received 112 members of B'nai B'rith International (in Hebrew, 'Sons of the Covenant'), the world's oldest Jewish volunteer organization, founded in New York in 1843.

  In greeting them, the Pope recalled how, since the 1965 promulgation of the Vatican Council II Declaration "Nostra Aetate," representatives of B'nai B'rith have visited the Holy See on numerous occasions, in "the spirit of understanding, respect and mutual appreciation which is developing between our communities."

  Continuing his English-language talk, the Pope pointed out that "much has been achieved in the past four decades of Jewish-Catholic relations, and we must be grateful to God for the remarkable transformation that has taken place on the basis of our common spiritual patrimony. It is this rich heritage of faith which enables our communities not only to enter into dialogue, but also to be partners in working together for the good of the human family. ... Jews and Christians are called to work together for the healing of the world by promoting the spiritual and moral values grounded in our faith convictions. If we give a clear example of fruitful cooperation, our voice in responding to the needs of the human family will be all the more convincing.

  "On the occasion of your visit, I reiterate my unfailing hope and prayer for peace in the Holy Land. Peace can only come about if it is the concern of Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, expressed in genuine inter-religious dialogue and concrete gestures of reconciliation. All believers are challenged to show that it is not hatred and violence, but understanding and peaceful cooperation which open the door to that future of justice and peace which is God's promise and gift."
AC/JEWS:CHRISTIANS COOPERATION/B'NAI B'RITH            VIS 20061218 (310)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 18, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Bruno Bertagna, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, as auditor general of the Apostolic Camera.

  On Saturday, December 16, it was made public that he:

 - Appointed Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins of Edmonton, Canada, as metropolitan archbishop of Toronto (area 13,000, population 5,083,000, Catholics 1,374,000, priests 799, permanent deacons 119, religious 1,206), Canada. He succeeds Cardinal Aloysius Matthew Ambrozic, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, professor of physics at the Physical Research Laboratory of Ahmedabad, India, as an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
NA:NER:RE/.../...                                VIS 20061218 (130)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 18, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 - Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, archbishop of Florence, Italy.

 - Durak Osman, ambassador of Turkey on his farewell visit.

 - Bishop Antoni Stankiewicz, dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, accompanied by members of his family.

 - Bishop Gianfranco Girotti O.F.M. Conv., regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, accompanied by members of his family.

 - Bishop Raffaele Farina S.D.B., prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library, accompanied by members of his family

  On Saturday, December 16, he received in separate audiences:

 - Nikola Gruevski, prime minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, accompanied by an entourage.

 - Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

 - Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
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MIGRANTS ENRICH CULTURES AND SOCIETIES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 18, 2006 (VIS) - On December 1, Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi C.S., permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and International Institutions in Geneva, delivered an address before the 92nd council session of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

  In his English-language talk, made public today, Archbishop Tomasi recalled that "the lesson of history is that migrants enrich cultures and societies and that transnational families and communities create bridges of understanding and productive interaction. It shows that the most important resource of all is the human person."

  "If the economy of the receiving countries benefits from the work of the immigrants - obviously it cannot do without them - the life aspirations of the immigrants must be attended to, and the possibility to integrate must be given. National legislation cannot aim at regulating only the flows of services and jobs without taking into account the person that provides those services. For this reason," the archbishop concluded, "family reunification must be a primary consideration: the family plays a fundamental role in the integration process, in giving stability to the presence of the immigrants in the new social environment, and even in the dynamics of temporary migrations."
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JEWS AND CHRISTIANS MUST PROMOTE SHARED VALUES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 18, 2006 (VIS) - Today in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received 112 members of B'nai B'rith International (in Hebrew, 'Sons of the Covenant'), the world's oldest Jewish volunteer organization, founded in New York in 1843.

  In greeting them, the Pope recalled how, since the 1965 promulgation of the Vatican Council II Declaration "Nostra Aetate," representatives of B'nai B'rith have visited the Holy See on numerous occasions, in "the spirit of understanding, respect and mutual appreciation which is developing between our communities."

  Continuing his English-language talk, the Pope pointed out that "much has been achieved in the past four decades of Jewish-Catholic relations, and we must be grateful to God for the remarkable transformation that has taken place on the basis of our common spiritual patrimony. It is this rich heritage of faith which enables our communities not only to enter into dialogue, but also to be partners in working together for the good of the human family. ... Jews and Christians are called to work together for the healing of the world by promoting the spiritual and moral values grounded in our faith convictions. If we give a clear example of fruitful cooperation, our voice in responding to the needs of the human family will be all the more convincing.

  "On the occasion of your visit, I reiterate my unfailing hope and prayer for peace in the Holy Land. Peace can only come about if it is the concern of Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, expressed in genuine inter-religious dialogue and concrete gestures of reconciliation. All believers are challenged to show that it is not hatred and violence, but understanding and peaceful cooperation which open the door to that future of justice and peace which is God's promise and gift."
AC/JEWS:CHRISTIANS COOPERATION/B'NAI B'RITH            VIS 20061218 (310)

BLESSING THE "BABY JESUS," HELP FOR IRAQI REFUGEES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 17, 2006 (VIS) - At midday today, after praying the Angelus, the Pope delivered his customary blessing upon the figures of the Child Jesus, brought to St. Peter's Square by children of Rome in the company of their parents and teachers. The children traditionally bring the figures for blessing before placing them in nativity scenes in their own homes and parishes.

  After thanking the Roman Oratory Center for having organized "this important pilgrimage," the Holy Father said to the children: "Pray to Jesus before the nativity scene, and ask Him also for the Pope's intentions. I thank you and I wish you a happy Christmas."

  The Pope then went on to refer to "the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees in Syria, forced to leave their country because of the dramatic situation there. Caritas Syria is already active in their support, nonetheless I appeal to the sensibility of individuals, international organizations and governments, to make further efforts to meet these people's most urgent needs. I raise my prayers to the Lord, that He may bring comfort to these brothers and sisters, and move many hearts to generosity."
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JOY, A PROPHETIC ANNOUNCEMENT ADDRESSED TO ALL HUMANITY

VATICAN CITY, DEC 17, 2006 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study overlooking St. Peter's Square, in order to pray the Angelus with the thousands of pilgrims gathered below.

  "On this third Sunday of Advent," said the Pope, "the liturgy invites us to the joy of the spirit. ... The joy that the liturgy reawakens in the hearts of Christians is not reserved just for them, it is a prophetic announcement addressed to all humanity, especially to the poor, in this case to those poorest in joy!"

  Our thoughts go, the Holy Father continued, "to our brothers and sisters who, especially in the Middle East, in some parts of Africa and in other parts of the world, experience the drama of war. What joy can they have? How will their Christmas be? We think of the many sick and lonely people, who suffer spiritual as well as physical torment because they often feel abandoned. How can we share our joy with them without showing a lack of respect for their suffering?

  "But we also think," he added, "of those people, especially the young, who have lost all feeling of real joy, and seek it in vain where it cannot be found: in the constant pursuit of self-affirmation and success, ... in consumerism, in moments of inebriation, in the artificial paradise of drugs and all forms of alienation. We cannot but compare today's liturgy, and its invitation to be joyful, with these dramatic truths."

  "Yet the Word of the Lord," the Pope concluded, "is addressed precisely to those undergoing moments of trial, to those 'wounded by life and orphaned of joy.' The invitation to joy is not an alienating message, or a sterile palliative, rather it is the prophecy of salvation, an appeal to redemption that begins with inner renewal."
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DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 16, 2006 (VIS) - This morning, during a private audience with Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., president of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorized the congregation to promulgate the decrees concerning the following causes:

MIRACLES

 - Blessed Szymon of Lipnica, Polish, priest of the Order of Friars Minor (1439-1482).

 - Blessed Antonio de Santa Ana (ne Antonio Galvao de Franca), Brazilian, priest of the Order of Alcantarine or Discalced Friars Minor, and founder of the Convent of Conceptionist Sisters (1739-1822).

 - Blessed Charles of St. Andrew (ne Johannes Andreas Houben), Dutch, priest of the Congregation of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1821-1893).

 - Blessed Marie Eugenie de Jesus (nee Anne-Eugenie Milleret de Brou), French, foundress of the Institute of Sisters of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (1817-1898).

 - Venerable Servant of God Carlo Liviero, Italian, bishop of Citta di Castello and founder of the Congregation of Little Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart (1866-1932).

 - Venerable Servant of God Stanislaus of Jesus Mary (ne Jana Papczynski), Polish, priest and founder of the Congregation of Marian Clerics of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary (1631-1701).

 - Venerable Servant of God Celina Chludzinska, Polish, widow and foundress of the Congregation of Sisters of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1833-1913).

 - Venerable Servant of God Marie Celine of the Presentation (nee Jeanne-Germaine Castang), French, nun of the Second Order of St. Francis (1878-1897).

MARTYRDOM

 - Servants of God Manuel Gomez Gonzalez, Spanish, diocesan priest born in 1877, and Adilio Daronch, Brazilian, lay person born in 1908, both killed in Feijao Miudo, Brazil, in 1924.

 - Servant of God Albertina Berkenbrock, Brazilian, lay person born in 1919, killed in 1931.

 - Servant of God Eufrasio of the Baby Jesus (ne Eufrasio Barredo Fernandez), Spanish, born in 1897, priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, killed during religious persecution in Spain in 1934.

 - Servants of God Lorenzo, Virgilio and 44 companions of the Institute of Brothers of the Marist Schools, Spanish, killed during religious persecution in Spain in 1936.

 - Enrique Izquierdo Palacios and 13 companions, Spanish, of the Order of Friars Preachers, killed during religious persecution in Spain in 1936.

 - Servants of God Ovidio Beltran, Hermenegildo Lorenzo, Luciano Pablo, Estanislao Victor and Lorenzo Santiago, Spanish, members of the Institute of Brothers of the Christian Schools, and Jose Maria Canovas Martinez, Spanish, parish helper, killed during religious persecution in Spain in 1936.

 - Servants of God Maria del Carmen, Rosa and Magdalena Fradera Ferragutcasas, Spanish, religious of the Congregation of Daughters of the Blessed and Immaculate Heart of Mary, killed during religious persecution in Spain in 1936.

 - Servant of God Lindalva Justo de Oliveira, Brazilian, of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, born in 1953, killed in 1993 in Sao Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.

HEROIC VIRTUES

 - Servant of God Mamerto Esquiu, Argentinean (1826-1883), of the Order of Friars Minor, bishop of Cordoba, Argentina.

 - Servant of God Salvatore Micalizzi, Italian (1856-1937), professed priest of the Congregation of the Mission.

 - Servants of God Jose Olallo Valdes, Cuban (1820-1889), professed religious of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God.

 - Servant of God Stefan Kaszap, Hungarian (1916-1935), novice of the Society of Jesus.
CCS/DECREES/SARAIVA                            VIS 20061218 (560)

DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND MONTENEGRO

VATICAN CITY, DEC 16, 2006 (VIS) - According to a communique made public this morning, "the Holy See and the Republic of Montenegro, in the desire to foment relations of mutual friendship, have decided, in common agreement, to establish diplomatic relations, at the level of an apostolic nunciature on the part of the Holy See, and of an embassy on the part of the Republic of Montenegro."

  A note attached to the communique recalls that, "in 1852, the Austro-Hungarian empire and Russia recognized Montenegro as a secular Principality" and that, "in 1886, a convention was signed by the Principality and the Holy See, in which the Catholic Church was officially recognized."

  "Following the victory of communist partisans at the end of the Second World War," the note continues, "the monarchy was abolished and Montenegro became one of the six republics making up the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, governed until 1980 by Marshall Tito. ... As Yugoslavia disintegrated between 1991 and 1995, Montenegro remained united to Serbia. In 2003 it adhered to the Union of Serbia and Montenegro, … which was dissolved by the declaration of separation by the Montenegrin parliament in 2006."

  "The Holy See recognized the Republic of Montenegro on June 19, 2006. Currently, the country has two Catholic ecclesiastical circumscriptions: the archdiocese of Antivari (Bar), which is immediately subject to the Holy See and has 11,500 Catholics, mostly Albanians, 19 parishes, 12 priests and 34 female religious; and the diocese of Cattaro (Kotor), suffragan of Spalato (Split), with 10,000 Catholics, mostly Croats, 23 parishes, 15 priests and 31 female religious. The two ordinaries belong to the International Episcopal Conference of Sts. Cyril and Methodius."
.../DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS/MONTENEGRO                VIS 20061218 (290)

MUSEUMS: CENTERS OF CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT

VATICAN CITY, DEC 16, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received participants in an international congress on the theme: "The Concept of Museum: identity, task, prospects." The congress, held from December 13 to 15, was the final event of this year's celebrations marking the fifth centenary of the Vatican Museums.

  "The Vatican Museums," said the Pope, "present an extraordinary opportunity for evangelization because, through the various exhibits on display, they provide visitors with an eloquent testimony of the close and constant bond between the divine and the human in the life and history of peoples."

  Benedict XVI noted how the function of the Museum "has changed perceptibly. … From being a privilege it has become a right; from being a center reserved for artists, specialists and men of culture, it has now become a 'home' for everyone, thus responding to a widespread need for education in society."

  After highlighting how, in the Museums, new generations "may recognize the roots of their history and culture," the Pope encouraged "all initiatives that favor the integration and meeting of individuals and peoples."

  In this context he added: "Even taking account of the new social conditions, the Museums can also be a place for artistic mediation, links between the past, the present and the future, a crossroads for men and women from different continents, and research laboratories and centers for cultural and spiritual enrichment."

  Dialogue between cultures and religions, he concluded, "cannot but facilitate mutual knowledge and render more fruitful the efforts to build a shared future of progress solidarity and peace for all humanity. The Museums can help to spread the culture of peace if, while maintaining their status as temples of historical memory, they also become places of dialogue and friendship among everyone."
AC/VATICAN MUSEUMS/...                            VIS 20061218 (300)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 15, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Gregorio Martinez Sacristan, diocesan delegate for the catechesis, as bishop of Zamora (area 6,984, population 165,065, Catholics 163,865, priests 211, religious 546), Spain. The bishop-elect was born in 1946 in Villarejo de Salvanés, Spain and he was ordained priest in 1971.
NER/.../MARTINEZ                            VIS 20061215 (60)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 15, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences four prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Italy on their "ad limina" visit:
   
    -Bishop Ercole Lupinacci of Lungro of the Italo-albanians.

    -Bishop Luigi Antonio Cantafora of Lamezia Terme.

    -Bishop Domenico Graziani of Cassano all'Jonio.

    -Bishop Domenico Crusco of San Marco Argentano-Scalea.

  This evening, he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
AL:AP/.../...                                VIS 20061215 (80)

POPE PRAISES THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE ALEXANDRIAN TRADITION

VATICAN CITY, DEC 15, 2006 (VIS) - Today, Benedict XVI received His Beatitude Antonios Naguib Patriarch of Alexandria for Catholic Copts who is officially visiting the Holy See for the first time since his election in March of this year.

  In his French address, the Pope asked the patriarch to give his greetings to all the bishops, priests, and faithful of his patriarchy, as well as to Cardinal Stephanos II Ghattas, Patriarch Emeritus of Alexandria.

  "The communion in Christ that unites us and all Catholics around the Successor of Peter is best seen in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy," said the Holy Father.

  While recalling that the seat of Alexandria was the "first patriarchy after Rome" during the first five centuries of Christianity, Benedict XVI emphasized that its patriarchal community is the "bearer of a rich spiritual, liturgical, and theological tradition - the Alexandrian tradition -, whose treasures form part of the Church's patrimony". He assured the patriarch of his prayers and support in the "special duty that the ecumenical Second Vatican Council entrusted to the Eastern Catholic Churches: "to make progress toward the unity of all Christians, above all Eastern Christians".

  The Patriarch of Alexandria for Catholic Copts also has "an important role in interreligious dialogue to develop fraternity and respect among Christians and Muslims". The Pope also invited His Beatitude to "continue encouraging the theological and spiritual pursuit of his tradition".

  "In today's world, your mission is of great importance for the faithful and for all human persons", the Holy Father said, praising the attention the patriarch has given to the "human, spiritual, moral, and intellectual education of youth through a network of quality schools and catechesis that constitute a service to the entire society".

  Referring to the formation of priests the Pope underlined that "the vitality of Christian communities in the world today needs pastors (...) who are truly witnesses to the Word of God and guides to help the faithful be always more deeply rooted in the life and the mission of Christ".

  "I know well what place consecrated life occupies in the Church, " concluded the Holy Father. "May poverty, chastity, and obedience, lived in accordance with the gospel message, be a witness and a call to holiness for today's world!"
AC/ALEXANDRIAN PATRIARCHY/NAGUIB               VIS 20061215 (420)

ARCHBISHOP CORDES IN THE HOLY LAND

VATICAN CITY, DEC 15, 2006 (VIS) - According a communique, Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" has been meeting with the Christian communities in the Holy Land since 13 December in order to "witness to the Holy Father's spiritual nearness to them and to give them a gift in the Pope's name."

  "On the occasion of a pastoral visit by Benedict XVI to Bavaria last September, the faithful of the dioceses of Munich, Ratisbona, and Passau organized a collection to help the Christians in the land where Jesus was born," reads the text. "A million euro were collected and given to the Pontifical Council 'Cor Unum', which Archbishop Cordes will deliver, in the Pope's name, to the Custos of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, O.F.M."

  "The sum will be entirely used in the construction of a pastoral center in Nazareth (...) near the Basilica of the Annunciation, with ample spaces for youth and families. It will be a true center of life and activity for Christians and a point of reference for the pilgrims."

  "The Christians of the Holy Land will thus feel the nearness and the support of the entire people of God in maintaining their presence in Jesus' land and in building a community of love regardless of difficulties and adversities."

  In Jerusalem, Archbishop Cordes will meet with the Benedictine fathers of the Dormition Abbey, with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, and with the apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Franco. In Bethlehem he will visit the seminary of Bet Jala and on Saturday 16 December the official presentation of the Pope's gift will be made to the Custody of the Holy Land. Afterward, the president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" will visit the German Benedictine fathers of the monastery of Tabga.

  "On 18 December, the prelate will meet with the Greek-Melkite archbishop Elias Chacour, to whom he will give 50,000 dollars for the construction of a school in the village of Mughar, money which was collected at the Vatican during the showing of the film 'Nativity'. Christian, Druze, and Muslims, boys and girls will study in the school, which will be erected where Jesus' parents lived."
CON-CU/COLLECTION:HOLY LAND/CORDES            VIS 20061215 (380)

THE INCARNATION: THE SON OF GOD'S MOST PERFECT GIFT

VATICAN CITY, DEC 15, 2006 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, the Holy Father met with Roman university students after their traditional mass at St. Peter's Basilica in preparation for Christmas, which was celebrated by Cardinal Camillo Ruini.

  Benedict XVI stated that "Christmas gifts remind us of the most perfect gift that the Son of God gave us of himself in the Incarnation. (...) Christmas is the day in which God has given himself to human persons and this gift is made perfect, so to speak, in the Eucharist."

  "The Eucharistic mystery," he continued "constitutes the privileged point of convergence between the various spheres of Christian existence, including that of intellectual pursuit. (...) The Eucharist nourishes a fruitful unity between contemplation and action in us so that we are regularly sustained with faith."

  Making reference to the immanent arrival of Christmas, the Pope indicated that "in the grotto of Bethlehem we adore the same Lord who wanted to make himself our spiritual nourishment in the Eucharistic sacrament, in order to transform the world from within beginning from the human heart."

  The Virgin Mary was the "first to contemplate the incarnate Word, Divine Wisdom, made human. In the Christ Child (...) she recognized God's human face in such a way that the mysterious Wisdom of the Son was impressed on the Mother's mind and heart."

  "This is why," he concluded, "Mary was transformed in the "Seat of Wisdom" and is particularly venerated with this title by the Roman academic community. There is a special icon dedicated to the "Sedes Sapientiae" that, starting from Rome, has already visited various countries, making a pilgrimage through the universities. It is present here today in order to be given to the delegation from Bulgaria and Albania."
AC/CHRISTMAS/ROMAN UNIVERSITIES        VIS 20061215 (320)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 14, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Bishop Giancarlo Maria Bregantini C.S.S., of Locri-Gerace, Italy, on his "ad limina" visit.
AL/.../...                                        VIS 20061214 (30)