POPE RECEIVES SHIMON PERES, PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL

VATICAN CITY, 2 SEP 2010 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today released the following English-language communique:

  "Today in the Apostolic Palace of Castelgandolfo, Benedict XVI received in audience Shimon Peres, president of Israel, who also met with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

  "During the cordial discussions, the pilgrimage of His Holiness to the Holy Land in May 2009 was recalled.

  "Concerning the renewal of direct contacts between Israelis and Palestinians, scheduled for today in Washington, U.S.A., the hope was expressed that this may assist in reaching an agreement that is respectful of the legitimate aspirations of the two peoples and capable of bringing lasting peace to the Holy Land and to the entire region. The condemnation of all forms of violence and the necessity of guaranteeing better conditions of life to all the peoples of the area were reaffirmed. The discussions also touched on inter-religious dialogue and an overview of the international situation.

  "The discussions also permitted the examination of the relations between the State of Israel and the Holy See and those of the State authorities with the local Catholic communities. In this regard, emphasis was given to the great significance of the presence of these communities in the Holy Land, and the contribution they make to the common good of society, also through Catholic schools. Finally, the results, thus far, of the bilateral working Commission, which has for many years been tasked with the drafting of an accord concerning economic matters, were noted while at the same time expressing the hope for the rapid conclusion of its work".

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 2 SEP 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences six prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Cardinal Geraldo Majella Agnelo, archbishop of Sao Salvador da Bahia, accompanied by Auxilary Bishops Josafa Menezes da Silva, Joao Carlos Petrini and Gregorio Paixao Neto O.S.B.

    - Bishop Paulo Romeu Dantas Bastos of Alagoinhas.

    - Bishop Joao Nilton dos Santos Souza Amargosa.

  This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, accompanied by Archbishop Manuel Monteiro de Castro, secretary of the same congregation.
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ACTIVITIES OF POPE BENEDICT XVI IN AUGUST

VATICAN CITY, 2 SEP 2010 (VIS) - Following is a list of Pope Benedict's activities during the month of August. It includes the Angelus, general and private audiences, other pontifical acts, letters, messages, telegrams and other news. The activities are presented in chronological order under their respective headings.

ANGELUS

- 1: The Holy Father recalls the saints days and feast days of early August: St. Alfonso Maria de Liguori and St. John Mary Vianney, and the feasts of the dedication of St. Mary Major Basilica and of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Following the Angelus he expresses his happiness at the fact that the convention on the prohibition of cluster munitions comes into effect today, recalling the many victims who have suffered and continue to suffer because of them.

- 8: Benedict XVI, commenting on today's Gospel reading, highlights the Lord's call to remain vigilant, alert and full of love for His coming at the end of time. He then goes on to mention a number of saints whose liturgical memory falls in this period and who lived their lives rooted in God: Dominic of Guzman, Clare of Assisi, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) and Maximilian Kolbe.

- 15: On the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin, the Holy Father calls on the Virgin Mary "to accompany us in this earthly life, to help us look up to heaven, and one day to welcome us alongside her Son Jesus".

- 22: Before praying the Angelus, the Pope speaks about the Virgin Mary, who is venerated today as Queen. To Mary's intercession the Holy Father entrusts "daily prayer for peace, especially where the absurd logic of violence is most prevalent, so that all mankind may become convinced that we must be as brothers in this world, helping one another to build a civilisation of love".

- 29: In his last Angelus of August, Benedict XVI comments on the parable of the wedding guests, inviting people to imitate Christ as a model of humility and gratitude and, like Him, to take the last lowest place. He then goes on to recall how 1 September marks the Day for the Protection of Creation, an initiative promoted by the Italian Episcopal Conference "which this year highlights how there can be no peace without respect for the environment". He also makes special mention of miners trapped in the San Jose mine in the Chilean region of Atacama.

WEDNESDAY GENERAL AUDIENCES

- 4: The Pope travels by helicopter from Castelgandolfo to the Vatican where, in St. Peter's Square, he meets with participants in a pilgrimage of altar servers, addressing them in German. Following the catechesis, he makes an appeal for peoples recently affected by serious natural calamities.

- 11: At today's general audience, held at the Apostolic Palace of Castelgandolfo, the Pope turns his attention to a number of martyr saints, both from the early centuries of the Church and from more recent times, such as Lawrence, Hippolytus, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross and Maximilian Kolbe. The Holy Father highlights how "God calls us all to sanctity" and he invites people to call on the Lord to enflame their hearts so that, like the saints and martyrs, "we may be capable of loving as He loved us".

- 18: In his catechesis today the Pope speaks about St. Pius X, who "teaches us that at the root of our apostolic activity, in the various fields in which we work, there must always be an intimate personal union with Christ, a union to be cultivated and nurtured day after day". He also makes an appeal for people affected by the recent flooding in Pakistan which has caused many deaths and left thousands of families homeless.

- 25: Benedict XVI turns his attention to St. Augustine who, he said, "became a great 'travelling companion' in my own life and ministry". He also invites the faithful to gain a deeper knowledge of the saints, reading their lives and their writings. "Be sure", he explained, "that they will become guides to help you love the Lord with ever greater love, and an important help for your human and Christian development". At the end of the audience, the Pope launches an appeal for an end to violence in Mogadishu, giving assurances of his "closeness to the families of the victims and to everyone who is suffering because of hatred and instability in Somalia".

LETTERS, MESSAGES AND TELEGRAMS

- 12: Publication of a Letter, dated 29 June, in which the Holy Father appoints Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, archbishop of Santiago de Chile, Chile, as his special envoy to celebrations marking the centenary of the diocese of Catamarca, Argentina, due to take place on 21 August.

- 18: The Holy Father sends a telegram of condolence to the family of Francesco Cossiga, former president of the Italian Republic, who died on 17 August. He also sends a telegram of condolence, through Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., to Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, for the death on 16 August of Nicola Cabibbo, president emeritus of that academy.

- 21: Publication of a Letter, dated 27 July, in which the Holy Father appoints Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, as his special envoy to the fifteenth centenary celebrations of the Marian shrine of Mary of Grace, Our Lady of Mentorella in the Italian diocese of Tivoli, which are due to be held on 29 August.

- 22: Message of the Holy Father, sent via Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., to Bishop Francesco Lambiasi of Rimini, Italy, for the thirty-first "Meeting for Friendship among Peoples" which is being held in that city from 22 to 28 August on the theme: "That nature which pushes us to desire great things is the heart".

- 26: Publication of the Holy Father's Message to Sr. Mary Prema, superior general of the Missionaries of Charity, for the centenary of the birth of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

OTHER NEWS

- 15: For the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin, the Pope celebrates Mass and pronounces a homily in the parish church of St. Thomas of Villanova in Castelgandolfo.

- 31: Publication of the words pronounced by the Pope at the Mass which concluded his meeting with a group of his former students (Ratzinger Schulerkreis). The meeting took place at Castelgandolfo from 27 to 30 August.

AUDIENCES

- 30: The Holy Father receives in audience Bishop Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

 - 2: Appointment of Fr. Joseph William Tobin C.SS.R. as secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Apostolic Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop.

- 3: The Holy Father gives his assent to election by the Synod of Bishops of the Greek-Catholic Ukrainian Church of Fr. Venedykt Aleksiychuk as auxiliary of the archieparchy of Lviv of the Ukrainians, Ukraine.

- 4: Appointment of Fr. Pascal Chang-Soi SS.CC. as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Taiohae, Marquesas Islands.

- 7: Appointment of Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, as special papal envoy to celebrations marking the third centenary of the consecration of the cathedral of Minsk, Belarus, due to be held on 9 October. Appointment of Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, as special papal envoy to celebrations marking the millennium of the abbey of Saint Pierre de Solesmes, France, scheduled for 12 October.

- 10: Resignation of Bishop Ercole Lupinacci from the pastoral care of the eparchy of Lungro of the Italo-Albanians, Italy, in conformity with canon 210 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Appointment of Archbishop Salvatore Nunnari of Cosenza-Bisignano, Italy, as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the same eparchy.

- 11: Appointment of Fr. Jan Dacok S.J. as theologian of the Apostolic Penitentiary. Appointment of Msgr. Giovanni Vaccarotto and of Fr. Settimio Maroncelli O.F.M. as prelate auditors of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota.

- 20: Appointment of Msgr. Dennis Moutel as bishop of Saint-Brieuc, France. He succeeds Bishop Lucien Fruchaud, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese was accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- 21: Appointment of Bishop Antoine Ganye of Dassa-Zoume, Benin, as archbishop of Cotonou, Benin. He succeeds Archbishop Marcel Honorat Leon Agboton, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese was accepted, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- 24: Appointment of Bishop Mario Iceta Gavicagogeascoa, auxiliary of Bilbao, Spain, as bishop of the same diocese.
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HOLY SEE-RELATED ACTIVITY IN AUGUST

VATICAN CITY, 2 SEP 2010 (VIS) - Following is a chronological presentation of Holy See-related activities for the month of August:

- 2: The Holy See Press Office releases a communique concerning the coming into effect of the convention on the prohibition of cluster munitions.

- 3: Publication of a communique concerning the annual meeting of the management board of the "Populorum Progressio" Autonomous Foundation. the meeting was held in the Dominican Republic and Haiti from 20 to 23 July.

- 7: Declaration by Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. confirming that the Pope had made a private visit to certain localities in the Italian region of Abruzzo: the shrine of the "Madonna dei Bisognosi", Carsoli and Rocca di Mezzo.

- 27: Message for the end of Ramadan sent to Muslims by the president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, on the theme: "Christians and Muslims:
Together in overcoming violence among followers of different religions".

- 31: Declaration by Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. announcing that the Pope held a series of conversations at Castelgandolfo from 26 to 31 July with the German journalist Peter Seewald. The contents of their talks will be published - in German and Italian - in a book to be released before the end of the year.
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