NINTH CENTENARY OF THE DEATH OF ST. ANSELM

VATICAN CITY, 21 APR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father has sent a Message to Fr. Notker Wolf, abbot primate of the Benedictine Confederation, for the occasion of the ninth centenary of the death of St. Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury and doctor of the Church, whose feast day falls today.

  St. Anselm was born in Aosta, Italy, in 1033. He was abbot of St. Marie le Bec in Normandy, then archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 until his death in 1109.

  "Recalling with a devoted heart the figure of this saint", writes the Pope in his Latin-language Message, "we wish to exalt and illustrate the treasure of his wisdom so that the people of our time, especially Europeans, may draw close to him and receive his sound and abundant doctrine".
MESS/ST. ANSELM/WOLF                        VIS 20090421 (140)

FIVE BLESSEDS TO BE CANONISED ON SUNDAY 26 APRIL

VATICAN CITY, 21 APR 2009 (VIS) - At 10 a.m. on Sunday 26 April, third Sunday of Easter, the Pope will celebrate the Eucharist in St. Peter's Square and canonise the following Blesseds:

 - Arcangelo Tadini (1846-1912), Italian diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of Worker Sisters of the Holy House of Nazareth.

 - Bernardo Tolomei (1272-1348), Italian founder of the Olivetan Benedictine Congregation.

 - Nuno de Santa Maria Alvares Pereira (1360-1431), Portuguese religious of the Order of Friars of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.

 - Gertrude Comensoli (1847-1903), Italian virgin and foundress of the Institute of Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.

 - Caterina Volpicelli (1839-1894), Italian virgin and foundress of the Institute of Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart.
OCL/CANONISATION/...                        VIS 20090421 (140)

AIM OF THE GENEVA CONFERENCE IS DIALOGUE

VATICAN CITY, 21 APR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following declaration at midday today:

  "The Holy See Press Office, through its director, Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J., anticipated yesterday evening some comments concerning the speech given yesterday by the Iranian president at the Review Conference of the Durban Declaration of 2001 against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Moreover, the Press Office wishes to recall the words of Pope Benedict XVI, who said last Sunday: 'I express heartfelt prayers that the delegates present at the Geneva Conference will work together, in a spirit of dialogue and mutual acceptance, so as to put an end to every form of racism, discrimination and intolerance, thereby marking a fundamental step towards the affirmation of the universal value of human dignity and human rights, within a framework of respect and justice for every person and every people'. In consequence, the Holy See deplores the use of this United Nations forum for the adoption of political positions, of an extremist and offensive nature, against any State. This does not contribute to dialogue and it provokes an unacceptable atmosphere of conflict. What is needed, instead, is to make good use of this important opportunity to engage in dialogue together, according to the line of action that the Holy See has always adopted, with a view to effectively combating the racism and intolerance that still today affect children, women, those of African descent, migrants, indigenous peoples, etc., in every part of the world. The Holy See, in renewing the Pope's appeal, reiterates that its own delegation at the conference is working in this spirit".
OP/GENEVA CONFERENCE/...                    VIS 20090421 (280)

TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF CONSIGNMENT OF WYD CROSS

VATICAN CITY, 21 APR 2009 (VIS) - A communique released by the Pontifical Council for the Laity announces that at the general audience tomorrow, Wednesday 22 April, the Pope will recall the 25th anniversary of the consignment of the World Youth Day cross by John Paul II to young people of the world.

  During the Holy Year of Redemption (1983-1984), John Paul II ordered a simple wooden cross be erected next to the altar in St. Peter's Basilica. At the close of the Holy Year, exactly 25 years ago, he consigned that same cross to the youth of the world, saying: "Take this into the world as a sign of the Lord Jesus' love for humankind, and tell everyone that only through Christ, Who died and rose again, comes salvation and redemption".

  The communique goes on: "The invitation was taken literally by the young people of the San Lorenzo International Youth Centre. ... And since then, for twenty-five years, the cross has never ceased to travel the world, visiting above all the countries in which World Youth Days have been held, but carrying a sign of hope also to other places such as the continent of Africa, where it was welcomed with great devotion by thousands of young people". Furthermore, "from 2003, in accordance with the wishes of Pope John Paul II, the cross has been accompanied on its pilgrimage by the Marian icon 'Salus Popoli Romani', as a sign of Mary's maternal protection".

  During tomorrow's general audience, Benedict XVI will once again consign the cross to young people of the San Lorenzo Centre, in the presence of Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the Vatican dicastery responsible for organising World Youth Days. At the end of the audience the cross and the icon of Mary will be borne in procession to the San Lorenzo Centre, pausing in St. Peter's Square so those present can venerate them. That afternoon the procession will pass through the historic centre of Rome as far as Piazza Navona. The celebration of the anniversary will conclude at 5 p.m. at the San Lorenzo Centre with an hour of adoration, followed by Mass.

  The cross, known as the "WYD Cross", will then leave for a brief pilgrimage through Poland before moving on to Spain where it will be taken through all the dioceses of the country in preparation for the 26th World Youth Day, due to be held in Madrid in August 2011.
CON-L/ANNIVERSARY WYD CROSS/RYLKO                VIS 20090421 (430)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 21 APR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Bishop Robert J. Cunningham of Ogdensburg, U.S.A., as bishop of Syracuse (area 14,915, population 1,199,000, Catholics 352,000, priests 310, permanent deacons 85, religious 536), U.S.A. He succeeds Bishop James M. Moynihan, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Bishop Robert James Carlson of Saginaw, U.S.A., as metropolitan archbishop of St. Louis (area 15,451, population 2,177,000, Catholics 566,000, priests 737, permanent deacons 248, religious 2,176), U.S.A. The archbishop-elect was born in Minneapolis, U.S.A. in 1944 he was ordained a priest in 1970 and consecrated a bishop in 1983.

 - Appointed Bishop Theophile Kaboy Ruboneka of Kasongo, Democratic Republic of Congo, as coadjutor of the diocese of Goma (area 25,000, population 2,039,000, Catholics 795,210, priests 109, religious 293), Democratic Republic of Congo.
NER:RE:NEC/.../...                            VIS 20090421 (150)