AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Ghennadi Nikolaevich Selezniov, president of the Duma (Russian parliament), accompanied by an entourage.
- Archbishop-bishop Javier Lozano Barragan, emeritus of Zacatecas, Mexico, president of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers.
- Mikhail Sergeevic Gorbachev.
- Cardinal Achille Silvestrini, prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches, accompanied by an entourage.

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WITNESS IS STRENGTHENED THROUGH DIALOGUE WITH CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 2000 (VIS) - At midday today in the Paul VI Hall, John Paul II received faithful from the Italian diocese of Ascoli Piceno and various other groups who have come to Rome on a Jubilee pilgrimage.

The Pope made reference to reflections on the Eucharist and the Mass that have been taking place in all the parishes of Ascoli Piceno since the month of October. He suggested that this experience continue in order to help "those who wish to reach an ever more complete knowledge of their own faith."

"Indeed, the commitment to witness and mission, which is entrusted to all baptized Christians according to their life circumstances, draws strength from a constant and profound dialogue with Christ, who is present in a very special way in the Eucharist."

The Holy Father highlighted that the diocese "has already planned the construction of a pastoral care center for youth in Sierra Leone and of a house of welcome for handicapped children in Zambia. Furthermore, in your own territory, new structures have been created to help people in material or spiritual difficulties."

He continued: "Renewed faith, more concrete hope and tireless charity will be the most precious fruits of the celebration of the Holy Year."

The Pope then addressed other groups of pilgrims from various Italian cities to whom he expressed the hope that, "for everyone, the Jubilee will be an incentive for renewed adherence to Christ and the Gospel in order to give an ever more incisive Christian witness in society. On this journey, may you be sustained by the intercession of the Mother of God and by that of the Precursor of Christ, who is recalled with particular honor by today's liturgy."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Erected the diocese of Malindi (area 33,254, population 539,000, Catholics 20,000, priests 15, religious 19), Kenya, with territory taken from the diocese of Garissa and from part of the archdiocese of Mombasa, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan church of Mombasa. He appointed Fr. Francis Baldacchino O.F.M. Cap., vicar general of Garissa, as first bishop of the new diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Marsa, Malta, in 1936 and ordained a priest in 1961.

- Appointed Archbishop Blasco Francisco Collaco, apostolic nuncio in South Africa and Namibia, as apostolic nuncio in Lesotho and Swaziland.

- Appointed Fr. Johannes Gerardus Maria van Burgsteden S.S.S., rector of the Begijnhof chapel and director of pastoral care in Amsterdam city center, as auxiliary to the apostolic administrator of the diocese of Haarlem (area 2,912, population 2,628,121, Catholics 539,561, priests 382, permanent deacons 13, religious 1,576), Netherlands. The bishop-elect was born in Achterveld, Netherlands, in 1935 and ordained a priest in 1964.

- Appointed as consultors of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church: Bishops George Punnakottil of Kothamangalam of the Syro-Malabars, India; Leopoldo S. Tumulak of Tagbilaran, Philippines and Lubomyr Husar M.S.U., auxiliary of the major archbishop of Lviv of the Ukrainians. Frs. Thomas O'Caoimh, member of the National Heritage Council, Ireland and Kevin Lutz, curator of the diocesan museum in Columbus, U.S.A. Pier Francesco Grossi of Rome; Antonio Paolucci, superintendent of the artistic heritage of Florence, Italy; Mario Serio, director general of the ministry of cultural patrimony and cultural activities, Italy; Luciano Orsini, professor of the Bellini Institute of Art in Valenza, Italy; Claudio Strinati, superintendent of the artistic patrimony of Rome and Jeanette Sandford, archivist of the diocese of Kokstad, South Africa.

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DECLARATION ON UPCOMING EPISCOPAL ORDINATIONS IN CHINA

VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 2000 (VIS) - At midday today, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration:

"Regarding various questions made of the Holy See Press Office on news of the upcoming episcopal ordinations in the Popular Republic of China, the following clarifications must be made:

"As is well known, an episcopal ordination conferred without apostolic mandate represents a profound injury to ecclesial communion and a grave violation of canonical discipline.

"The gravity of such a gesture, which touches the very constitution of the Church, explains why Canon Law lays down special severe penalties, both for the consecrating bishop and those who receive such consecration.

"Episcopal ordinations conferred without communion with Peter's Successor place further obstacles on the troubled path towards normalization of the life of the Church in China and of relations between the Popular Republic of China and the Holy See, so desired by Catholics the world over.

"This situation can only give rise to incredulity in the face of declarations by Chinese politicians who have recently spoken of a desire for dialogue with the Holy See."

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MEXICO: LOCATION OF THE NEXT EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 2000 (VIS) - Shortly before praying the angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II announced that the next International Eucharistic Congress will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, in the year 2004.

The Pope recalled that over the last few days, Rome has been "the city of the Eucharist" and he referred to the conclusion this evening of the International Eucharistic Congress which has been considering the theme "Jesus Christ, only Savior of the World, Bread for a New Life."

"We firmly believe," he said, "that Christ is the only Savior of the world. He is the Mediator of the new and eternal Covenant. ... A Covenant open to all people in anticipation of the great eschatological banquet announced by the prophets of Israel. In the light of this truth, the Church does not despise the various religious experiences that man adopts in order to bring himself closer to God and receive His purification; on the contrary she favors a profitable inter-religious dialogue. However, at the same time she has to say clearly that Christ is the only Redeemer, the Son of God who for us was made flesh, died and rose again."

John Paul II closed by entrusting to the Virgin Mary the fruits of the recently-concluded Eucharistic Congress and the success of the next one. "May Mary," he concluded, "who lived in intimate and constant communion with Jesus, Word made flesh, help all Christians to recognize in the Eucharist the living presence of her divine Son, to welcome Him with faith and to invoke Him with love."

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