IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, MAR 2, 2007 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

 - Cardinal Frederic Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi C.I.C.M., archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on January 6 at the age of 76.

 - Cardinal Antonio Maria Javierre Ortas S.D.B., prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, on February 1, at the age of 85.

 - Patriarch Ignace Antoine II Hayek of Antioch of the Syrians, Lebanon, on February 21, at the age of 96.

 - Major Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios Malancharuvil O.I.C. of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankars, India, on January 18, at the age of 71.

 - Bishop Generoso C. Camina P.M.E., emeritus of Digos, Philippines, on February 1, at the age of 75.

 - Archbishop Gerard de Milleville C.S.Sp., titular of Gabala, on January 12, at the age of 94.

 - Bishop Johannes Gorantla of Kurnool, India, on January 20, at the age of 54.

 - Archbishop Bernard Jacqueline, apostolic nuncio, on February 26, at the age of 88.

 - Bishop John J. Kaising, auxiliary to the military ordinariate for the U.S.A., on January 14, at the age of 70.

 - Bishop Mathias Kappil, emeritus of Punalur, India, on February 24, at the age of 79.

 - Archbishop Jose Lambert C.S.S., emeritus of Sorocaba, Brazil, on February 26, at the age of 77

 - Bishop Ovidio Lari, emeritus of Aosta, Italy, on February 2, at the age of 88.

 - Bishop Gerard Francis Loft S.M., emeritus of Auki, Solomon Islands, on February 4, at the age of 73.

 - Bishop Bernard Mabula, emeritus of Singida, Tanzania, on February 24, at the age of 87.

 - Archbishop Anthony G. Meagher of Kingston, Canada, on January 14, at the age of 66.

 - Archbishop Joseph Peter Mallon, emeritus of Regina, Canada, on February 3, at the age of 77.

 - Archbishop Eustathe Joseph Mounayer, emeritus of Damascus of the Syrians, Syria, on February 16, at the age of 81.

 - Bishop Bonaventure Patrick Paul O.F.M., emeritus of Hyderabad in Pakistan, Pakistan, on January 18, at the age of 77.

 - Bishop Nemesio Rivera Meza, titular of Diospoli superiore, on January 9, at the age of 88.

 - Bishop Jairo Rui Matos da Silva, emeritus of Bonfim, Brazil, on January 12, at the age of 77.

 - Bishop Hermann Josef Spital, emeritus of Trier, Germany, on January 10, at the age of 81.

 - Bishop Leon Augustine Tharmaraj of Kottar, India, on January 16, at the age of 65.

 - Archbishop Augusto Trujillo Arango, emeritus of Tunja, Colombia, on February 24, at the age of 84.
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IN BRIEF

THE ANNE SIGIER PUBLISHING HOUSE OF QUEBEC, CANADA, has recently released the book "Globalisation et humanisme chretien. Perspective sur l'Amerique Latine," by Guzman Carriquiry Lecour, under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. In the prologue, Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., archbishop of Quebec, highlights "the critical focus ... on the challenges of globalization in Latin America," and "the accurate analysis of ethical, historical and cultural aspects alongside economic, social and political factors." A note from the pontifical council explains how the author particularly examines "the role Latin America can play in the fields of globalization, of a new world order, of catholicity and of the great battles that are beginning to emerge in the 21st century."

THE INTERNATIONAL CHARITY ASSOCIATION (AIC), under the patronage of UNESCO and of the Lazio Region of Italy, has organized an international meeting due to be held in Rome from March 9 to 14 on the theme: "Women and poverty in the diversity of cultures." According to a note released by the association, "on the basis of our awareness of the enormous increase in female poverty, our reflections upon culture will highlight any problems," and at the same time "be a stimulus for the development of women and guarantee respect for their fundamental rights in the diversity of cultures to which they belong." The AIC was founded in France by St. Vincent de Paul in 1617. It is an international NGO and currently has around 250,000 volunteers all over the world working with the poorest women in promotion and development projects on the basis of local needs and resources.
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MESSAGE FOR HISPANIC-AMERICAN DAY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 2, 2007 (VIS) - The Pontifical Commission for Latin America has made public its annual message for Hispanic-American Day, which is celebrated annually in the dioceses of Spain. This year the Day falls on March 4 and has as its theme: "Called to be disciples and missionaries in America."

  In the message, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re and Archbishop Luis Robles Diaz, respectively president and vice-president of the pontifical commission, write that the theme of the Day is inspired by that of the fifth Conference of the Latin-American Episcopate, which is due to be held in Brazil in May, "an event of great importance that invites us to reflect upon the identity of Christians, who are called to put Jesus Christ, light of the world, at the center of their lives and to transmit a love that turns people into His faithful disciples and committed missionaries."

  "The extraordinary generosity of the first disciples cannot be explained save by the strength of their personal love for Christ, which brought them even to give their own lives. ... To be a follower of Christ thus means to be in living harmony with Him, so as to burn with zeal and to feel the urgent need to announce Him."

  At the end of His earthly life, Jesus told His disciples "to announce Him to all people," in other words in "all those areas in which human beings express their culture; taking the message to the frontiers of life, the family, the workplace, culture, the economy and politics. Yet an undertaking of this magnitude cannot be carried out if not with the supernatural power of charity which is made manifest in the witness of missionary activity."

  Cardinal Re and Archbishop Robles - in the name of the pontifical commission - express their gratitude to Spanish Catholics for "the pastoral efforts they have made on behalf of South America over more than 500 years of evangelization." And they encourage them "to continue to work with great missionary commitment in favor of the continent which has been called 'the continent of hope,' a hope founded on its invincible faith."

  "Of course," the prelates write, "there are countless shortcomings afflicting that land," but these can be faced with the "living religiosity that today, more than ever, needs to be awoken and nourished with decision and courage."

  In order to face this challenge, the message concludes, "the Pontifical Commission for Latin America again encourages Spanish Catholics to commit themselves to this great enterprise, each in their own way, either by prayer or by helping to support missionaries and their works, ... but above all through real participation in missionary activity. In celebrating the Hispanic-American Day, the Commission invites you to experience a real impulse of evangelization, in the knowledge that love 'has been and remains the driving force of mission, ... the principle which must direct every action, and end to which that action must be directed'."
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