AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 9 SEP 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences five prelates from the Paraguayan Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop Ignacio Gogorza Izaguirre S.C.I. of Beth, of Encarnacion, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Claudio Silvero Acosta S.C.I. of Beth.

    - Bishop Mario Melanio Medina Salinas of San Juan Bautista de las Misiones.

    - Bishop Adalberto Martinez Flores of San Pedro.

    - Bishop Sebelio Peralta Alvarez of Villarrica del Espiritu Santo.

  This evening he is scheduled to receive in separate audiences three prelates from the Paraguayan Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop Ricardo Jorge Valenzuela Rios, military ordinary.

    - Bishop Edmundo Ponziano Valenzuela Mellid S.D.B., apostolic vicar of Chaco Paraguayo.

    - Bishop Lucio Alfert O.M.I., apostolic vicar of Pilcomayo.
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POPE SENDS A TEXT MESSAGE TO WYD PARTICIPANTS

VATICAN CITY, 9 SEP 2008 (VIS) - The Pope has sent a text message by mobile phone to young people who participated in the recent World Youth Day, which was held in Australia in July.

  The English-language message was transmitted yesterday, 8 September, to mark fifty days since the Mass presided by Benedict XVI on 20 July at Sydney's Randwick Racecourse, the culminating event of World Youth Day.

  The text message reads: "Dear Friends, fifty days ago we were together for the celebration of Mass. Today I greet you on the birthday of Mary, Mother of the Church. Empowered by the Spirit and courageous like Mary your pilgrimage of faith fills the Church with life! Soon I am to visit France. I ask you all to join me in praying for the young people of France. May we all be rejuvenated in hope! Benedict XVI".

  During the course of World Youth Day, the Holy Father sent a number of brief messages, which participants were able to receive thanks to a special service provided the by Australian telecom company.
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HONOURING THE MEMORY OF SERVANT OF GOD PAUL VI

VATICAN CITY, 9 SEP 2008 (VIS) - Made public yesterday evening was a Letter from the Pope to Bishop Luciano Monari of Brescia, Italy, for the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the death of Pope Paul VI.

  In his Letter the Holy Father describes how Servant of God Paul VI (Giovanni Battista Montini), a native of the diocese of Brescia, "was called by Divine Providence to guide the Church during a historical period marked by no small number of challenges and problems".

  In recalling his predecessor's pontificate (1963-1978), Benedict XVI remarks upon "the missionary ardour that animated him and encouraged him to make demanding apostolic journeys, even to distant countries, and to perform acts of great ecclesial, missionary and ecumenical significance.

  "This Pontiff's name", he adds, "remains linked above all to Vatican Council II. ... With the passage of the years the importance of his pontificate for the Church and for the world is becoming ever clearer, as is the priceless heritage of teaching and virtue which he left to believers and to all humanity".

  Pope Benedict express his own appreciation for the trust Paul VI showed in him by appointing him as archbishop of Munich, Germany, in March 1977, and in making him a cardinal three months later.

  Recalling Paul VI's death (6 August 1978), he writes: "I give thanks to God for having granted the Church a pastor who was a faithful witness of Christ the Lord, so sincerely and profoundly enamoured of the Church and so close to the hopes and expectations of the men and women of his time".

  The Holy Father concludes his Letter by expressing the hope that "each member of the people of God may know how to honour his memory through commitment to a sincere and constant search for the truth".
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 9 SEP 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia, as president delegate of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. He substitutes Cardinal Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay, India, who is unable to attend the gathering.
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