ANGELUS: LENT, A JOURNEY TOWARDS THE CROSS OF CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul, in remarks made prior to praying the angelus on this fourth Sunday of Lent, continued his meditations on "the Lenten journey towards Easter, a journey of conversion guided by the Word of God, which illuminates the steps of our lives."

Highlighting the "true value of the Cross, towards which we are journeying in this Lenten period," he affirmed that "it is not a sign of death, but of life; not of frustration but of hope, not of defeat, but of victory. In fact, as an ancient liturgical hymn says, the Cross of Christ is the 'only hope' because every other promise of salvation is false, given that it does not solve the basic problem of mankind: the problem of evil and death."

"For this reason Christians venerate the Cross and recognize in it the sign par excellence of love and hope. Even young people, who by nature embrace life, embrace the Cross of Christ - as did Francis of Assisi and all the saints - because they understand that, without it, the mystery of life would be a senseless puzzle."

He then pointed out that the World Youth Day Cross is travelling throughout Italy's dioceses. "Today it is in Turin, where ... young people have gathered. ... I send them a special greeting and say: Do not be afraid to receive the Cross of Christ in your lives!"

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GOSPEL SHOULD BE PRESENTED WITH STRENGTH AND LOVE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 1999 (VIS) - During Mass celebrated this morning in the Roman parish of St. Matthias, the Pope said that in this Fourth Sunday of Lent, "Laetare" Sunday, "we rejoice because Easter is very close and shortly we will celebrate our freedom from evil and sin."

The Holy Father then referred to parish initiatives for children and young people, and encouraged the faithful to continue "generously spending time and energy" on these projects. "May all this work of formation allow them to better know Jesus, the only Savior of the world, in letting them experience divine mercy." He asked that the meeting on Thursday March 25, in preparation for World Youth Day, "be an important stage on your spiritual search."

"Is it not true," he asked, "that young generations have more than ever today the burning desire for truth and are ever more tired of following vain illusions? It is essential to present the Gospel to them with strength and love, and to help them unite faith with life to resist the multiple temptations of the modern world. For this reason, like the man blind from birth about whom today's Gospel tells us, the personal encounter with Jesus is necessary."

The Holy Father said that the architecture of the parish encourages prayer around the place where the Eucharistic mystery is celebrated. "A community will be true and a Church authentic if it learns to grow in the school of the Eucharist and is nourished at the table of the Word and the Bread of Eternal Life. We must all learn to let ourselves be molded by the Eucharistic mystery. Thus, I think particularly of the International Eucharistic Congress which will be held in Rome June 18-25, 2000."

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CARDINAL CASSIDY TO TAKE PART IN MEETINGS IN ISRAEL AND GERMANY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 1999 (VIS) - Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Commission for Religious Relations with Jews, will take part in the forthcoming Fifth International Congress of Educating Cities, to be held in Jerusalem March 14-17, according to a communique from the commission. He will speak on "Taking Heritage and History into the Future."

The president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity will also, as he has done in previous years, participate this year in the meeting of the "Wissenschaftlicher Beirat des Johann-Adam-Mohler-Instituts" for ecumenism on March 18-19 in Paderborn, Germany. He will also meet for discussions with representatives of the Evangelical-Lutheran Regional Churches on the need to intensify relations with the Catholic Church."

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END OF DIOCESAN PROCESS FOR CANONIZATION OF PAUL VI

VATICAN CITY, MAR 15, 1999 (VIS) - On Thursday March 18 at 12 noon, the closing session of the diocesan process for the cause of beatification and canonization of Servant of God Giovanni Battista Montini, Pope Paul VI, will take place at the Lateran Apostolic Palace, in the presence of Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar of Rome. The opening session of the diocesan process took place on May 11, 1993.

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ENCOUNTER IN VATICAN ON PASTORAL MINISTRY FOR GYPSIES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 15, 1999 (VIS) - On Thursday March 18, in the headquarters of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, there will be a meeting of episcopal promoters and national directors of the pastoral ministry for Gypsies, according to a council communique released today.

Archbishops Stephen Fumio Hamao and Francesco Gioia, respectively council president and secretary, will preside over the sessions as moderators. During the course of the day participants will study the theme of a new evangelization in the world of Gypsies on the occasion of the Jubilee celebration in the year 2000. They will also discuss details relative to the planning and undertaking of a international pilgrimage of Gypsies in Rome, to be held within the framework of the Jubilee.

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