KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS RECEIVE 2001 CHAMPIONS OF PEACE AWARD

VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2001 (VIS) - During a concert last evening in New York City, Archbishop Renato Martino, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations, presented the 2001 Champions of Peace Award to the Knights of Columbus. He also presented the 2001 Servitor Pacis Awards to Msgr. Richard Albert of Jamaica, and Fathers Mark Raper, S.J. of Australia, and Manuel Jimenez Tejerizo of Colombia and Mrs. Alexi Torres-Fleming of New York.

The awards are given annually by the Path to Peace Foundation, which was established in 1991 in collaboration with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations. The Foundation, whose president is Archbishop Martino, serves as a vehicle to promulgate to the international community the teachings of the Holy Father and of the Universal Church on important questions of morality, development, human rights and peace.

The Knights of Columbus received the award "in recognition of its exceptional service to the good of humanity." In presenting the awards, Archbishop Martino highlighted the "consistent" support given to the Holy Father and Holy See by the Knights of Columbus as well as "their uncompromising defense of the sanctity of human life and the family." The Servitor Pacis recipients were recognized "for their personal witness to the cause of peace through their extraordinary efforts at assisting those most in need."

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ARCHBISHOP TAURAN MEETS WITH FORMER KING OF AFGHANISTAN

VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls, released the following declaration late yesterday afternoon:

"I can confirm that this afternoon Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States, accompanied by Archbishop Paolo Romeo, apostolic nuncio in Italy, met with former King of Afghanistan Zaher Shah, in his Roman residence.

"The meeting permitted Archbishop Tauran to renew the Holy Father's solicitude and the Holy See's willingness to help in favor of peace and the well-being of the Afghan people.

"They discussed the necessity of a negotiated peace and international solidarity for the rebuilding of the country, convinced that arms, by themselves, cannot bring peace and security.

"The sovereign also expressed words of heartfelt gratitude for the solicitude of the Pope and the Catholic humanitarian organizations."

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HOLY SEE OBSERVER ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF

VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was the speech given on November 24 by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, and head of the Holy See delegation to the International Consultative Conference on School Education in relation to Freedom of Religion or Belief, Tolerance and Non-Discrimination. The conference was held in Madrid from November 23 to 25.

Archbishop Martin focussed his talk on educating young people in their faith and in respect for the faith of others. Noting that religion plays a central role in the lives of millions, he said that "religious education is a powerful instrument to help believers intensify their efforts towards the realization of the unity of the one human family, ... and a key factor in fostering understanding and tolerance among religious communities."

"Religious freedom," the archbishop affirmed, "constitutes a fundamental human right and can certainly be considered one of the cornerstones of the edifice of human rights, because it touches such an intimate sphere of human existence and personal identity, the relationship between the person and the Transcendent." This freedom, he added, also includes "the right of religious groups not to be prevented from freely demonstrating the special value of their teachings for the organization of society and the inspiration of human activity in general."

"Honestly addressing the tensions of the past," Archbishop Martin concluded, "generates a strong force for the construction of a different future and for the beginnings of a process of reconciliation and healing. The formation of future teachers should pay special attention to their ability to sensitively address divisive historical issues. Where necessary, school textbooks and curricula should be revised to remove harmful or unbalanced presentations of other religious traditions and historical events."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 27, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences two prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica, on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Jose Rafael Barquero Arce of Alajuela.
- Bishop Hector Morera Vega of Tilaran.

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POPE WELCOMES ANGLICAN-ROMAN CATHOLIC WORKING GROUP

VATICAN CITY, NOV 24, 2001 (VIS) - Pope John Paul this morning welcomed members of the new Anglican-Roman Catholic Working Group, who are in Rome for their inaugural meeting. He told the bishops, who had met in London with Archbishop Carey of Canterbury, that "We cannot but praise the God of all mercies for the many genuine advances of ecumenism."

Reviewing the history of Anglican-Catholic dialogue, he recalled the 1966 meeting between Paul VI and Archbishop Ramsey that led to the first Anglican and Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC). He spoke of his own visit in 1982 to Canterbury when he and Archbishop Runcie established the second ARCIC, and of the 1996 meeting between himself and Archbishop Carey when they issued a Common Declaration. "That Declaration," he stated, "foreshadowed last year's International Meeting of Anglican and Catholic Bishops in Mississauga, Canada, were it was decided to establish the new Working Group."

The Pope told the bishops they "are especially well qualified to consider the next practical steps which might be taken not only to consolidate the gains already made but also to lead us to new depths of communion on the way to that fullness of unity which is the will of Christ. ... It is clear that disunity has impaired our mission in the world. In these troubled times, the world needs more than ever the common witness of Christians in every area, from the defense of human life and dignity to the promotion of justice and peace."

"When discouragement threatens or new difficulties arise," he declared, "we need to focus once more upon the Spirit's power to do what seems to us impossible. At times of apparent pause we must wait for the Holy Spirit to do what we ourselves cannot do."

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