OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 20, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Archbishop Francisco Javier Lozano Sebastian, apostolic nuncio in Tanzania, as apostolic nuncio in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

- Bishop Alois Kothgasser of Innsbruck, Austria, as member of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments for a period of five years.

- Frs. Ignacio M. Calabuig Adan, O.S.M., Giuseppe Ferraro, S.J., and James Patrick Moroney, as consultors of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments.

- As members of the Congregation for the Clergy: Cardinals Lucas Moreira Neves, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; Bernard Francis Law, archbishop of Boston, United States of America; Jan Chryzostom Korec, bishop of Nitra, Slovakia; Salvatore De Giorgi, archbishop of Palermo, Italy; Dionigi Tettamanzi, archbishop of Genoa, Italy; Norberto Rivera Carrera, archbishop of Mexico, Mexico; Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments; Archbishops Tarcisio Bertone, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Crescenzio Sepe, secretary general of the Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000; Julian Herranz, president of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts; Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum, and Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Bishops Fernando Antonio Figueiredo of Santo Amaro, Brazil; Klaus Jung of Feldkirch, Austria; Umberto Tramma of Nola, Italy, and Heinrich Mussinghoff of Aachen, Germany.

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DECLARATIONS FROM HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE DIRECTOR

VATICAN CITY, MAR 20, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls today made a declaration on the President of the Republic of Colombia's audience with the Pope and another on the visit of a Holy See delegation to Vietnam.

The declaration on the visit of Colombia's president states: "In the course of the cordial meeting, and in the ensuing audience with Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the tragic earthquake which struck Colombia in January and caused many victims and damage to the population, was recalled. The important problem of peace in Colombia itself was then discussed, as well as relations between Church and State in the light of the existing concordat. In conclusion, reference was made to inter-American cooperation in the Organization of American States and in relations with Europe."

The second declaration states: "The Holy See delegation, with Msgr. Celestino Migliore, under-secretary for Relations with States, and Msgr. Barnaba Nguyen Van Phuong, official at the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, returned to Rome yesterday, March 19, following a five-day visit to Vietnam.

"The delegation met with members of the Permanent Council of the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam and also held meetings with deputy vice-minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Nguyen Di Nien, and with the president of the Office for Religious Affairs, Mr. Le Quang Vinh.

"Various aspects of the presence and life of the Catholic Church in the country were reviewed with the government authorities. The appointment of bishops was discussed, for which a positive answer from the Vietnamese is expected in the near future. The issue of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Holy See was touched upon, establishing foundations for future negotiations in this regard.

"The delegation visited Ho Chi Minh City and Phan Thiet. During the Masses celebrated in the two southern episcopal sees on the 17th and 18th, and in the capital on the 19th on the Solemnity of St. Joseph, patron of the archdiocese of Hanoi, the many faithful present expressed their true hope on behalf of all Catholics of the country for a papal visit to Vietnam."

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DECLARATION ON SUPPOSED LIBERATION OF TWO BISHOPS IN CHINA

VATICAN CITY, MAR 22, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls today made the following declaration concerning a presumed appeal made by the Holy See for the liberation in China of the bishop of Baoding and his auxiliary:

"The Secretariat of State up until now has taken no step concerning the liberation of the two bishops of Baoding. The circulation of such news was a personal initiative of Fr. Bernardo Cervellera, not agreed on by authorities at the Secretariat of State.

"Regarding relations with China, Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran's interview in today's 'Corriere della Sera' (an Italian daily newspaper) adequately explains this point. Obviously, only the Secretariat of State is qualified to say what the Holy See wishes or does not wish to say. Therefore the ideas raised in the International Fides Service are Fr. Cervellera's personal opinions for which he assumes full responsibility."

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ANGELUS: ST. JOSEPH, KOSOVO, YOUTH ENCOUNTER IN ROME

VATICAN CITY, MAR 21, 1999 (VIS) - In reflections made prior to reciting the angelus today, the Pope spoke about St. Joseph, whose liturgical feast was March 19, and recalled that the "spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the patron of the universal Church," whose mission was to be "guardian of the Redeemer and of the Church."

"In Joseph, in fact, who was called to be the earthly father of the Word Incarnate, we see reflected in a singular way the divine fatherhood. Joseph is the father of Jesus because he is truly the spouse of Mary. She conceived as a virgin through the work of God, but the Child is also the son of Joseph, her legitimate husband. Thus, both are called the 'parents' of Jesus in the Gospel. In exercising his fatherhood, Joseph cooperates, in the fullness of time, in the great mystery of the redemption."

John Paul II then asked for the faithful to pray for peace in Kosovo, given "the worsening situation" there. "Those communities have already gone through a long 'way of the cross', and await solutions which respect history and law."

After the angelus prayer, the Holy Father spoke of the 39 missionaries who were killed last year, and noted that "on Wednesday, March 24, Italy and other countries in the world will celebrate a day of prayer and fasting in memory of martyred missionaries. The blood of these brothers and sisters is the seed of new Christians, the seed of reconciliation and hope."

The Pope then pointed out that on Thursday, March 25, "Rome's young people will gather in the Vatican for the now traditional meeting of celebration and prayer, in which I will personally participate, in preparation for World Youth Day, which will be celebrated throughout the Church on the following Sunday, Palm Sunday. I invite all young boys and girls of Rome to this appointment, which looks towards the Jubilee year 2000 when Rome will host the Great Jubilee of Young People from August 15 to 20."

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POPE ENTRUSTS MISSION OF ROME TO ST. THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 21, 1999 (VIS) - The Pope this morning celebrated Mass in the Roman parish of St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Panfilo, and entrusted the future of the Citizens' Mission to their patroness, familiarly called "Teresina" (little Therese).

Commenting on today's Gospel, which recounts the Resurrection of Lazarus, the Pontiff said that, "in a society in which signs of death emerge but in which a deep necessity of hope for life is also felt, Christians have the mission of continuing to proclaim Christ, mankind's 'resurrection and life'. Yes, in the face of symptoms of an extensive 'culture of death', the great revelation of Jesus 'I am the Resurrection and the Life' must still resound today."

The Holy Father recalled that St. Therese "intensely lived the missionary call within the walls of the Carmel, so much so that she came to be called patroness of the missions. Together with the Citizens' Mission, we also entrust to her 'the ad gentes mission' of the diocese of Rome and all Roman missionaries, who have gone to many places throughout the world to generously sow the seed of the Gospel."

"St. Therese reminds us of the enthusiasm and generosity of young people. Her continual abandonment into the hands of God's loving mercy made her youth more joyful and radiant. Dear young people of this parish and of this entire diocese whom I will have the joy to meet in the Vatican this Thursday: I wish you the simplicity of heart and the holiness of the 'young' Therese, so as to experience her trust in God's merciful providence. Are young people not precisely those who especially feel the need to be listened to, loved and forgiven?"

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