AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 29, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Maria Eugenia Brizuela de Avila, Salvadorian minister of foreign affairs, accompanied by her entourage.
- Yossi Beilin, Israeli minister of justice and 'ad interim' minister for religious affairs.
- Margus Laidre, ambassador of Estonia, on a farewell visit.
- Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, emeritus of Vercelli, respectively prefect and secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 28, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Camillo Ruini, his vicar general for the diocese of Rome and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference. The cardinal was accompanied by Archbishop Ennio Antonelli, emeritus of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, secretary general of the same episcopal conference.

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MASS COMMEMORATES POPES PAUL VI, JOHN PAUL I

VATICAN CITY, SEP 28, 2000 (VIS) - This morning at 11:30 in St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father celebrated Mass to commemorate his predecessors, Paul VI, who died on August 6, 1978, and John Paul I, who died on September 28 that same year.

The Pope noted in his homily that "this year the traditional celebration for the repose of the souls of my venerated predecessors Paul VI and John Paul I receives a special meaning and further spiritual strength from this time of Jubilee grace."

"Such strength," John Paul II pointed out, "looking at it closely, redounds not only to the benefit of the souls of these brothers of ours, but also to the benefit of everyone gathered here in prayer. If indeed it is given to us to offer prayers for the repose of their souls, they, beyond the threshold of death, invite us to mediate on the final destination of our earthly pilgrimage."

"The Book of Wisdom," the Pope observed, "tells us that 'the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest' because 'he pleased God and was loved by Him'. What great love the Father reserved for the venerated Popes Paul VI and John Paul I! He called them to the faith, to the priesthood, to the episcopacy, to the petrine ministry. He enriched them with countless gifts of wisdom and virtues. And we, while we pray to God for them, ... give him thanks for having given them to the Church."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 28, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Oswald Gracias, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Bombay, India, as metropolitan archbishop of Agra (area 49,162, population, 27,003,487, Catholics 11,116, priests 47, religious 229), India. The archbishop-elect was born in Bombay, India, in 1944, ordained a priest in 1970 and consecrated a bishop in 1997.

- Metropolitan Archbishop Vincent Michael Concessao of Agra, India, as metropolitan archbishop of Delhi, India.

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THE "SPIRIT OF ASSISI" IS A PROVIDENTIAL GIFT FOR TODAY

VATICAN CITY, SEP 27, 2000 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, Cardinal Edward I. Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, read a message from the Pope to mark the closure of the 13th international meeting of representatives from Churches and Christian communities and from the great world religions. Participants have been considering the theme: "Oceans of peace. A contrast of religions and cultures." The meeting has been promoted by the Community of St. Egidio in Lisbon, Portugal.

In his message, dated September 21, John Paul II made reference to the meeting for the invocation of peace, held in Assisi, Italy, in 1986. He told Cardinal Cassidy and the participants that "the 'spirit of Assisi' is a providential gift for our time."

"In the diversity of religious expressions, faithfully recognized as such, to stand together is also a visible demonstration of the human family's aspiration to unity. We must all advance towards this single goal."

The Pope highlighted that dialogue between religions "is no longer simply an aspiration, it has become a reality, even if the road before us remains long." He also gave thanks to God for the gift of "reciprocal opening" between the Catholic Church and Judaism and for the "significant fruits (that have) also blossomed on the path towards encounter with Islam, with oriental religions and with the great cultures of the modern world."

"At the start of the new millennium," concludes John Paul II, "we must not drag our feet, if anything we must move with ever greater speed along this hopeful path."

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