FIRST MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE SYNOD FOR EUROPE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 15, 2000 (VIS) - Made public today was a communique announcing that the first meeting of the Council of the General Secretariat of the Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops was held from June 6 to 8. The meeting was presided over by Cardinal Jan Schotte C.I.C.M., secretary general of the synod.

During the meeting, which was attended by two cardinals, ten archbishops and bishops and four members of the general secretariat, information was exchanged on the repercussions of the European synod in the various local Churches. The synod was held in the Vatican from October 1 to 23, 1999.

Following this suggestions were put forward with a view to drafting the post-synodal document. The work group was divided into two sub-groups, each of which presented a report. In the final plenary session, the texts from the two sub-groups were submitted and discussed.

The second meeting will be held from November 21 to 23, 2000.

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"YOU ARE IN THE POPE'S HEART," JOHN PAUL TELLS THE POOR

VATICAN CITY, JUN 15, 2000 (VIS) - Pope John Paul, joined by a number of cardinals and bishops, had lunch today in the atrium of the Paul VI Hall with 200 poor and homeless people. He told them that "among the many Jubilee appointments this one today is surely the most heart-felt and meaningful. I wished to meet you and to share this meal with you to tell you that you are in the Pope's heart. With great affection I embrace each of you, friends who are very dear to me."

"Certainly the time that I will spend with you is very brief," said the Holy Father, "but I assure you that every day I follow you with affection and prayer. As I look at you, one by one, I think of how many others, in Rome as in every part of the world, are going through moments of trials and difficulties. I would like to approach each one to tell them: Don't feel alone, because God loves you. The Pope loves you, dear brothers and sisters, and with him the entire Church opens her arms to you in welcome and fraternity."

John Paul II then remarked that "our lunch, in its simplicity, represents a meaningful preparation" for the International Eucharistic Congress which opens in Rome on June 18 and which "is the heart of the Jubilee Year." He said "today we find ourselves around the material table; together, and in greater numbers, next week we will approach the spiritual table, the banquet of the Eucharist, to celebrate God's love which makes us brothers who feel solidarity for each other."

He concluded by thanking the guests for their presence, the people who organized and cooked today's meal and those who provided entertainment.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 15, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Mario Zenari, apostolic nuncio in the Ivory Coast, Niger and Burkina Faso.
- Bishop Jayme Henrique Chemello of Pelotas, president of the Brazilian Episcopal Conference, accompanied by Archbishop Marcelo Pinto Carvalheira of Paraiba and Bishop Raymundo Damasceno Assis, auxiliary of Brasilia, respectively vice-president and secretary general of the same episcopal conference.
- Bishop Nicolas Huynh Van Nghi of Phan Thiet, Vietnam, on his "ad limina" visit.
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LANGUAGE GREETINGS AND AN APPEAL TO HELP REFUGEES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 14, 2000 (VIS) - Following today's catechesis in Italian, and summaries in English, French, Spanish, German and Portuguese, the Pope greeted a number of special groups present at the Wednesday general audience, including pilgrims from the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovakia and Albania.

Speaking French, he also had a special welcome for "the European representatives of the monastic inter-religious dialogue who, on the occasion of the great Jubilee, wished to hold your annual meeting in Rome, first going to Subiaco, a place made holy by the memory of St. Benedict. You have come as pilgrims, recalling that all of monastic life is a pilgrimage, a constant search for God. Pilgrims of the infinite, you invite all men to affirm their interior life in order to make it God's home. Along your path, you meet others who seek the Absolute, which allows you to have a respectful and profound dialogue with them."

Using their language, the Holy Father greeted "the group of Albanians who a short time ago received Baptism. My wish is that your Jubilee pilgrimage to the tombs of the Apostles will confirm you in the faith and in Christian life."

The Pope then recalled that "on June 16, diverse governmental organizations which work for refugees will celebrate the International Day of the Refugee, whereas on June 20, the annual Day of the African Refugee, promoted by the Organization for African Unity, will take place.

"In the spirit of the recent Jubilee of Migrants, I wish to thank all who dedicate themselves to those millions of forced migrants who are refugees and asylum seekers. To those nations which must yet adopt adequate laws to care for these people, I send a heartfelt appeal in this Jubilee year asking that this be taken care of with solicitude."

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THE TRINITY MAKES THE CHURCH ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC

VATICAN CITY, JUN 14, 2000 (VIS) - "The glory of the Trinity in the life of the Church" was the theme of John Paul II's catechesis during the general audience which was held this morning in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 30,000 people.

The Pope indicated that the glory of the Trinity makes the Church "one, holy, catholic and apostolic. ... The Church is above all one" and "the highest exemplar and source of the mystery is the unity, in the Trinity of Persons, of one God, the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit."

"The Church," he recalled, "is also holy. ... The concept of 'holy' has its origins in the consecration that God accomplished in choosing His people and offering them grace."

The Holy Father affirmed that "the Church is catholic, sent to announce Christ to the whole world in the hope that all the leaders of nations gather together with the people of the God of Abraham. As Vatican Council II confirms, 'the Church on earth is by its very nature missionary since, according to the plan of the Father, it has its origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit'."

"Finally, the Church is apostolic. According to Christ's mandate, the Apostles must go and instruct all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe what He commanded."

John Paul II highlighted that "the Church, one, holy, catholic and apostolic is God's people, body of Christ and temple of the Holy Spirit. These three biblical images clearly indicate the trinitarian dimension of the Church."

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