PAPAL, HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2007: JANUARY - MARCH

VATICAN CITY, JUL 30, 2007 (VIS) - Following are highlights of the activities of Pope Benedict XVI and of the Holy See for the months of January through March 2007. Tomorrow we will provide another summary covering the period from April to July.

JANUARY

 - 1: Message of the Holy Father Benedict XVI for 40th World Day of Peace, on the theme: "The Human Person, the Heart of Peace."

 - 4: The Holy Father visits a shelter run by the diocesan Caritas of Rome on the city's Colle Oppio. The shelter was founded by Fr. Luigi Di Liegro in 1983.

 - 7: The Holy Father accepts the resignation of Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Warsaw, Poland, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law, and appoints Cardinal Jozef Glemp, primate of Poland, as diocesan administrator of Warsaw, until further notice.

 - 8: The Holy Father receives in audience - in the Sala Regia of the Vatican Apostolic Palace - members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See for the traditional exchange of New Year greetings.

 - 17: The Holy Father receives in audience Ivo Sanader, prime minister of the Republic of Croatia.

 - 18: The Holy Father receives in audience Lawrence Gonzi, prime minister of Malta.

 - 19: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Dogan Akdur, the new ambassador of Turkey to the Holy See.

 - 19: Benedict XVI receives in audience an ecumenical delegation from Finland for the occasion of the Feast of St. Henry, patron saint of that country.

 - 20: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Marius Gabriel Lazurca, the new ambassador of Romania to the Holy See.

 - 22: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Antun Sbutega, the new ambassador of the Republic of Montenegro to the Holy See.

 - 23: The Holy Father sends a telegram of condolence to Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux, France, for the death on January 22 at the age of 94 of Abbe Pierre, founder of the Community of Emmaus.

 - 24: Publication - on Feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists - of Benedict XVI's Message for the World Day of Social Communications, celebrated on May 20, on the theme: "Children and the Media: A Challenge for Education."

 - 25: The Holy Father receives in audience Nguyen Tan Dang, prime minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

FEBRUARY

 - 1: Benedict XVI receives a delegation from the Foundation for Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Research and Dialogue, led by their president, Metropolitan Archbishop Damskinos of Adrianoupoli.

 - 1: The Pope receives members of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox, holding their fourth plenary meeting.

 - 2: The Holy Father meets with members of congregations, institutes, societies of apostolic life, and new forms of consecrated life, for the occasion of the World Day of Consecrated Life, an annual celebration instituted by John Paul II.

 - 3 The Holy Father receives in audience Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein, accompanied by Princess Maria and their family.

 - 5: Publication of a decree announcing the concession of indulgences to the faithful for the World Day of the Sick, which is celebrated every year on February 11, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. This year, the Day was celebrated in Seoul, Korea.

 - 5: Publication of the Holy Father's Message to the Youth of the World for the Occasion of 22nd World Youth Day, celebrated on Palm Sunday, April 1, on the theme: "Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another."

 - 8: The Holy Father receives in audience His Royal Highness Prince Albert of Saxony, accompanied by Princess Elmira.

 - 9: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Juan Gomez Martinez, the new ambassador of Colombia to the Holy See.

 - 10: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Luis Paris Chaverri, the new ambassador of Costa Rica to the Holy See.

 - 15: The Holy Father receives in audience Roh Moo-hyun, president of the Republic of Korea.

 - 21: Publication of a Message from the Pope to Fr. Guido Innocenzo Gargano, superior of the Roman monastery of San Gregorio al Celio and to all members of the Camaldolese Order, for the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of the birth St. Peter Damian.

 - 21: Publication of a Letter from Benedict XVI to Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus, emeritus of Warsaw, Poland.

 - 24: The Holy Father receives in audience Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, president of the 61st Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization.

MARCH

 - 5: The Holy Father receives in audience Lutheran Archbishop Anders Wejryd of Uppsala, Sweden, primate of the Swedish Church, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.

 - 7: Benedict XVI accepts the resignation from the office of president of the Italian Episcopal Conference presented by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, and appointed Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa, Italy, to succeed him as the head of that episcopal conference.

 - 13: Presentation of the post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Sacramentum Caritatis" on the Eucharist, source and summit of the life and mission of the Church.

 - 13: The Holy Father receives in audience Valdimir Putin, president of the Russian Federation.

 - 14: Benedict XVI visits the Fabric of St. Peter's, the institution responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the Vatican Basilica.

 - 16: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Alfonso Rivero Monsalve, the new ambassador of Peru to the Holy See.

 - 18: The Holy Father visits the "Casal del Marmo" youth detention center in Rome, celebrating the Eucharist and meeting the fifty young people detained there.

 - 23: The Holy Father receives in audience Mary McAleese, president of Ireland.

 - 23: The Holy Father receives in audience Hans-Gert Poettering, president of the European Parliament.

 - 24: The Pope receives in audience cardinals, bishops, parliamentarians and other participants in a congress promoted by the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community (COMECE). The event was held to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome on March 25, 1957.

 - 24: Papal audience in St. Peter's Square with the more than 80,000 people from 50 countries taking part in a pilgrimage organized by the Communion and Liberation association (CL) to mark the 35th anniversary of pontifical recognition for the association.

 - 25: Fifth Sunday of Lent, the Pope visits the parish of St. Felicitas and children, martyrs, in the northern sector of the diocese of Rome, where he celebrates Mass.

 - 30 Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Tetiana Izhevska, the new ambassador of Ukraine to the Holy See.
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POPE APPEALS FOR RELEASE OF HOSTAGES IN AFGHANISTAN

VATICAN CITY, JUL 29, 2007 (VIS) - Following today's Angelus at Castelgandolfo, the Pope made an appeal for the liberation of 22 Korean hostages held in Afghanistan since July 19.

  "There is a growing practice among armed groups to use innocent people to achieve their own particular ends. This is a serious violation of human dignity that contrasts with all elemental norms of civility and legality and represents a grave offence to divine law. I address an appeal to the perpetrators of such criminal acts to desist from the evil they do and to release their victims unharmed."
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PROMOTE NUCLEAR NON PROLIFERATION

VATICAN CITY, JUL 29, 2007 (VIS) - Shortly before midday today, Benedict XVI greeted faithful gathered in the internal courtyard of the apostolic palace in Castelgandolfo in order to pray the Angelus with them. The Pope will be staying at his Castelgandolfo residence until the end of the summer.

  Before the Marian prayer, the Pope recalled "the tranquil days" of his recent stay in Lorenzago di Cadore and thanked everyone involved in organizing his holiday in that mountain resort. He also expressed his thanks to the inhabitants of Castelgandolfo for their "cordiality" and "discretion" during his stay there.

  Benedict XVI then went on to refer to the 50th anniversary of the coming into effect of the Statue of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), instituted with the mandate to "encourage and increase the contribution of atomic energy to the cause of peace, health and prosperity throughout the world." The Pope recalled how the Holy See has been a member of the IAEA since its foundation, "fully approves its aims, ... and continues to support its activities.

  "The great changes of the last 50 years," he added, "highlight how, at the difficult crossroads humanity currently faces, there exists an ever more pressing and urgent need for commitment to encourage the non proliferation of nuclear arms, and to promote progressive ... nuclear disarmament in favor of the peaceful and safe use of nuclear technology for authentic development respectful of the environment and ever attentive to the most disadvantaged."

  The Pope expressed his hope that the efforts of people working to achieve these ends would prove successful, so that "the resources saved in this way may be used in development projects in favor of all people and, primarily, of the poorest."

  "It should in fact be recalled," he concluded, "that 'the arms race ... must be substituted [by] a common effort to mobilize resources towards objectives of moral, cultural and economic development, redefining the priorities and hierarchies of values'."
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 28, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Accepted the resignation from the office of almoner of His Holiness, presented by Archbishop Oscar Rizzato, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Archbishop Felix del Blanco Prieto, apostolic nuncio to Malta and to Libya, as almoner of His Holiness.

 - Appointed Fr. Bernabe de Jesus Sagastume Lemus O.F.M. Cap., provincial vice-minister of the Capuchins for the Province of Central America, as bishop of Santa Rosa de Lima (area 2,955, population 401,000, Catholics 331,000, priests 26, religious 48), Guatemala. The bishop-elect was born in San Esteban, Guatemala in 1961, and ordained a priest in 1987.

 - Appointed Bishop Gonzalo de Villa y Vasquez S.J., auxiliary of the archdiocese of Guatemala, as bishop of Solola-Chimaltenango (area 3,040, population 857,016, Catholics 684,703, priests 52, religious 129), Guatemala.

 - Appointed Bishop Raul Antonio Martinez Paredes of Solola-Chimaltenango, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Guatemala (area 2,591, population 4,357,000, Catholics 3,486,000, priests 469, permanent deacons 3, religious 1,229), Guatemala.

 - Appointed Bishop Irynej Bilyk O.S.B.M. of the eparchy of Buchach of the Ukrainians, Ukraine, as canon of the papal basilica of St. Mary Major.

 - Appointed Fr. Demetrius Hryhorak O.S.B.M., pastor and superior of the monastery of St. Basil the Great at Lutsk, as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the eparchy of Buchach of the Ukrainians, Ukraine.
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