DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS, INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF PRIESTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 25, 1999 (VIS) - In remarks preceding the recitation of the Regina Coeli, the Pope spoke of his "joy (this morning) at conferring priestly ordination on 31 deacons from the diocese of Rome, ... a great gift for the Roman ecclesial community and for the universal Church."

He then pointed to the celebration today, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, of "the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, whose theme this year is 'The Father calls to eternal life'. ... God continues to show Himself as a Father through those persons who witness, by word and deed, sometimes to the point of martyrdom, their resolute dedication to the service of their fellow man."
"The Fourth International Meeting of Priests," the Holy Father affirmed in concluding, "organized by the Congregation for the Clergy in the Holy Land from June 22 to 27, will be a privileged occasion for the priests of all nations walk together towards the Great Jubilee and to enter the new millennium with renewed fidelity and an ardent missionary spirit. I assure my prayers for the successful outcome of this encounter, for which I hope there will be many representatives of various nations of the continents.

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THIRTY-ONE NEW PRIESTS FOR THE DIOCESE OF ROME

VATICAN CITY, APR 25, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning celebrated Mass in St. Peter's Basilica and conferred priestly ordination on 31 deacons from the diocese of Rome.

In the homily, the Pope asked the new priests "to be faithful to their mission, and to renew every day their 'yes' to Christ and be a sign of His love for each person."

"The Eucharist, source and summit of Christian life," he said in his talk to the ordained, "will be the crystal spring which will unceasingly nourish your spirituality as priests. From this spring you will draw strength and inspiration for your daily ministry, apostolic zeal for the work of evangelization and spiritual consolation in inevitable moments of difficulty and inner struggle. Approaching the altar, where the Sacrifice of the Cross is renewed, you will discover ever more the riches of the love of Christ and you will learn to use them in your lives."

John Paul II highlighted that it is very significant that the new ministers received the Sacrament of Holy Orders "on this Sunday of the 'Good Shepherd', in which we celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Vocations."

"The call to the priesthood is a great gift and a great mystery. It is a gift, above all for divine benevolence, because it is the fruit of grace. It is also a mystery, because vocation is linked to the depths of human awareness and freedom. With this (vocation)," concluded the Pope, "begins the dialogue of love which day after day molds the personality of the priest through a path of formation begun in the family, which continues in the seminary and is extended right through his lifetime."

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THE WORLD NEEDS WITNESSES TO THE GOSPEL OF CHARITY

VATICAN CITY, APR 25, 1999 (VIS) - Today, after praying the Regina Coeli, John Paul II told the faithful in St. Peter's Square that "in the face of the great sufferings in today's world, and in particular those caused by war, it is more than ever necessary to spread and witness to, in a concrete way, the Gospel of Charity."

"We can place within this context," he went on, "the meeting promoted by the Pontifical Council 'Cor Unum', at which I will have the joy of presiding on Sunday, May 16. Numerous witnesses to charity will take part in this, and I will celebrate a solemn mass for them in St. Peter's Square. It will be a meaningful occasion to express the Church's encouragement for all those who devote themselves to their brothers and sisters in difficulty and who work to build a future of true peace in a society which is more fraternal and marked by greater solidarity."

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MACEDONIA: ARCHBISHOP CORDES BRINGS A DONATION FROM POPE

VATICAN CITY, APR 26, 1999 (VIS) - Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", went to Macedonia on April 22, where he brought a donation on the Pope's behalf to aid victims of the war.

"The Macedonian government," states the communique made public today, "expressed the great esteem for what the Catholic Church is doing in this country and, among other things, for the money personally offered by the Holy Father. ... The government appreciates the Holy See's commitment to a peaceful solution to the conflict, fully respecting the rights of all."

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JOINT CATHOLIC ORTHODOX COMMISSION POSTPONES MEETING DUE TO WAR

VATICAN CITY, APR 26, 1999 (VIS) - The following communique will be made public jointly today by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Holy See Press Office. Addressed to the Catholic members of the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, it is signed by Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy and Archbishop Stylianos of Australia, co-chairmen.

"The Co-Chairmen, taking into consideration the present critical situation and the hostilities in Europe, have decided of common accord to postpone the scheduled meeting of the International Joint Commission for The Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, from June 6 to 15 1999, in Baltimore, (United States), to the year 2000 (June 6-15), for a better participation and for the benefit of this dialogue, while praying fervently in the Risen Lord for a peaceful and satisfactory to the tragic situation."

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