POPE RECEIVES THE COMMISSION OF CARDINALS INVESTIGATING LEAKING OF DOCUMENTS

Vatican City, 27 July 2012 (VIS) - "Yesterday morning 26 July, the Holy Father received in audience the Commission of Cardinals which is undertaking the administrative investigation into the leaking of reserved information: Cardinal Julian Herranz, Cardinal Jozef Tomko and Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi. The cardinals were accompanied by Fr. Luigi Martignani O.F.M. Cap., secretary of the Commission; Examining Magistrate Piero Antonio Bonnet, and Promoter of Justice Nicola Picardi of the Tribunal of Vatican City State", according to a communique released this morning by the Holy See Press Office.

"The Holy Father was informed about the conclusions reached by the Commission of Cardinals, and about the progress of the criminal procedures currently underway. He thanked them for the information he had received and invited the Vatican magistrates to proceed expeditiously.

"The meeting was also attended by Archbishop Angelo Becciu, substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State; Msgr. Georg Gaenswein, private secretary to the Holy Father; Domenico Giani, director of the Vatican Gendarmerie, and Gregory Burke, communications consultant of the Secretariat of State".

ST. PIUS X AND THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Vatican City,  (VIS) - It was 1908 when, in the wake of a serious economic crisis, Rome renounced hosting the Olympic Games which were eventually celebrated in London, England. In the same year Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, sought help from the Vatican to support the Games, and Pope St. Pius X in person offered him his support.

More than one hundred years later, the British capital is hosting the Olympic Games for the third time. The event is due to open this evening.

That moment at the beginning of the twentieth century is described in a book entitled "Pio X e lo sport" by Antonella Stelitano. At that time "less than one per cent of the population practised any sporting activity, ... and sport was used only as a form of military training or as a pastime for the upper classes", the author explained in an interview with Vatican Radio.

However "St. Pius X ... was aware of the educational potential of sport". He saw it as a way "to approach young people, and to bring them together while following certain rules and showing respect for adversaries. I believe", the author explained, "that he understood that it was possible to bring people together simply, without any problems of race, religion or differing political ideas".

At that time in history many people did not understand the importance of exercise, said Antonella Stelitano who concluded her interview by recalling an anecdote whereby Pius X told one of his cardinals: "All right, if it is impossible to understand that this can be done, then I myself will do exercise in front of everyone so that they may see that, if the Pope can do it, anyone can do it".

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 27 July 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of Oakland, U.S.A., as archbishop of San Francisco (area 6,023, population 1,866,000, Catholics 448,000, priests 408, permanent deacons 78, religious 854), U.S.A. He succeeds Archbishop George H. Niederauer, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Jesus Murgui Soriano of Mallorca, Spain, as bishop of Orihuela-Alicante (area 4,415, population 1,653,786, Catholics 1,405,718, priests 407, permanent deacons 7, religious 778), Spain. He succeeds Bishop Rafael Palmero Ramos, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.