HOLY SEE DELEGATION RETURNS FROM TRIP TO VIETNAM

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2000 (VIS) - A Holy See delegation comprising Msgr. Celestino Migliore, under-secretary for Relations with States, and Msgr. Barnaba Nguyen Van Phuong, bureau chief of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, returned to Rome yesterday following a five-day visit to Vietnam, according to a communique published this afternoon.

The delegation met with members of the Permanent Council of the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam and with government officials.

"With the government authorities, they discussed various aspects of the presence and the life of the Catholic Church in the country. They spoke of the appointments of bishops, for which a answer from the Vietnamese side is awaited in the near future. They also touched upon the theme of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Holy See.

"The delegation visited Phu Cuong. During the Eucharistic celebration on May 4 in the cathedral, the numerous faithful present manifested their deep communion with the Pope."

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SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE ANTILLES EUCHARISTIC CONFERENCE

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2000 (VIS) - Made public today was a letter from the Pope in which he names Cardinal Rosalio Jose Castillo Lara S.D.B., president emeritus of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, as his special envoy at celebrations for the Second Regional Eucharistic Conference of the Antilles. The event is due to take place in Castries, St. Lucia, from May 18 to 21. The letter is written in Latin and bears the date of April 10.

The cardinal will be accompanied by Msgrs. Eustace Thomas, vicar general of the diocese of Roseau, Dominica, and Terrence Montrose, vicar general of the diocese of Georgetown, Guyana, and by Fr. Joseph Edward Fox O.P., vice-rector of Rome's St. Thomas Aquinas Pontifical University.

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SPORTS SHOULD PROMOTE HUMAN DIGNITY, PEACE AND TOLERANCE

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2000 (VIS) - The Pope this morning welcomed 150 members from the 51 countries which belong to the European Union of Football Associations (U.E.F.A.). In introductory remarks in Italian, he highlighted the presence of football federations from Eastern Europe "which, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, witness once again to the will for peace and fraternity which animates your federations."

Speaking English, he observed that football is both a "widespread sporting activity which involves a great number of people, in particular, young people" and a "major mass phenomenon involving many individuals and families." He then pointed to the responsibility of organizers and promoters "never to lose sight of the significant educational possibilities which football, like other similar sporting disciplines, can develop.

"In a special way, sportsmen, especially the more famous, should never forget that they in fact become models for the world of youth." They should "carefully develop human and spiritual qualities which will make them truly positive examples in the public mind." And football, he stressed, should "never lose its genuine characteristic of being a sporting activity" nor be "submerged by other concerns, especially economic ones."

Then, in French, John Paul II reminded U.E.F.A. members that they are in Rome on their Jubilee Year pilgrimage. "How can we not see in the Jubilee," he asked, "an invitation to make sports also become an occasion of authentic promotion of the greatness and the dignity of mankind? In this perspective, football structures are called to be a terrain of authentic humanity where young people are inspired to learn life's great values and to spread the great virtues which are at the basis of a worthy, human coexistence, such as tolerance, respect for human dignity, peace and fraternity."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Louis Michel, vice-prime minister and foreign minister of Belgium, accompanied by an entourage.
- Ivica Racan, president of the Croatian council of ministers, accompanied by an entourage.
- His Beatitude Raphael I Bidawid, patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Iraq.

On Saturday May 6, he received in separate audiences:

- Adolf Ogi, president of Switzerland, accompanied by an entourage.
- Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, accompanied by Archbishop Csaba Ternyak, secretary of the same congregation.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves O.P., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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THREE ACCORDS SIGNED BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND LITHUANIA

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2000 (VIS) - Today in Vilnius, the Holy See and the Republic of Lithuania signed three Accords regarding, respectively, juridical questions, collaboration in the fields of education and culture and the pastoral ministry to Catholics serving in the Army, according to a communique published early this afternoon.

Archbishop Erwin Josef Ender, apostolic nuncio in Lithuania, signed for the Holy See, and Algirdas Saudargas, foreign affairs minister, signed for Lithuania.

In these Accords, "the State guarantees the Church free exercise of her mission, in particular for that which concerns worship, pastoral governing, teaching and other aspects of ecclesial life. Civil effects are recognized for canonical marriages. Furthermore, the Republic of Lithuania guarantees the Catholic Church the right to pastoral ministry to the faithful who are in hospitals or in social and welfare institutions, orphanages and penal institutes. The Church can freely set up and run charitable works within the social sphere, in conformity with civil legislation. Catholic schools at all levels are, for all practical purposes, equal to State schools with the same rights and duties. ... It is foreseen that a Military Ordinariate will be established for the pastoral ministry of Catholics serving in the army."

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