OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 25, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Sees, France, presented by Bishop Yves-Marie Guy Dubigeon, in conformity with canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Jean-Claude Boulanger of the same diocese.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Inchon, Korea, presented by Bishop William J. McNaughton, upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Boniface Choi Ki-san of the same diocese.

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HOLY FATHER GREETS PILGRIMS FROM NAPLES, GENOA AND TURIN

VATICAN CITY, APR 25, 2002 (VIS) - In the Paul VI Hall this morning the Pope welcomed 4,000 Italian pilgrims, including a group of lay ministers from the diocese of Naples, representatives of the Salesian Work of Genoa-Sampierdarena, celebrating its 130th anniversary, and "The Students of Heaven," a community of young singers from Turin.

He thanked the lay leaders from Naples for their service to the Church, remarking that in their work they are "collaborators of the priest, but above all, servants of Jesus. I invite you, therefore, to cultivate an intimate friendship with Him, recognizing in Him a true friend Who is always at your side, in good times and difficult ones."

John Paul II, in remarks to the pilgrims from Genoa, reminded them that it was precisely from Sampierdarena that "the first (Salesian) missionaries left, with the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, for the Americas. ... Think of the apostolic ardor of these intrepid evangelizers and work so that the Sampierdarena Institute continues to be a window open wide to the world."

Addressing the young singers from Turin, the Pope observed that they, "for many years have been committed to witnessing to the Gospel of life with the universal language of song and music." He told them "to communicate to all whom you meet a message of hope, proposing always the authentic Gospel vision of reality."

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FIRST VOLUME OF THE RUSSIAN CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA PUBLISHED

VATICAN CITY, APR 23, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received this morning Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, metropolitan archbishop of the diocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Russia, who presented to him, along with a group of academics and professors, the first volume of the Russian Catholic Encyclopedia.

After thanking Archbishop Kondrusiewicz for the initiative of "offering to the Russian people this significant gift that illustrates the tradition, life and doctrine of the Catholic Church," the Pope greeted the pastors and the faithful of the Russian Federation.

"The encyclopedia that you have prepared," he said, "is an important contribution that Catholics want to offer to Russian- speakers who want to study in depth the treasures that God has given to men through the Church. With this work, the Catholic community, present in Russia for many centuries, reaffirms its will to collaborate with the great Russian culture in order to weave together with it a worthy and fruitful dialogue, in benefit of the people that express it."

John Paul II said he hoped that the effort in the preparation of the volume "will contribute to deepening the reciprocal knowledge and esteem among those who live Christ's Gospel in your beloved country."

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DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 23, 2002 (VIS) - This morning in the Clementine Hall, in the presence of the Holy Father, the members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and the postulators of the respective causes, 19 decrees were promulgated relative to 22 Blesseds and Servants of God. Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation, read a discourse on the lives of the future blesseds and saints.

The 19 causes are:

MIRACLES

- Blessed Guiseppe Maria Rubio y Peralta (1864-1929), Spanish, professed priest of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
- Blessed Orsola Ledochowska (1865-1939), nee Giulia Maria, Austrian, foundress of the Congregation of the Ursuline Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Agony.
- Blessed Genoveffa Torres Morales (1870-1956), Spanish, foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Sarcred Heart of Jesus and of the Holy Angels, called "The Angelicas."
- Blessed Maria Maravillas di Gesu (1891-1974), nee Maria Maravillas Pidal y Chico de Guzman, Spanish, professed nun of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites.
- Venerable Servant of God Andrea Giacinto Longhin (1863-1936), Italian, of the Order of the Friars Minor Capuchins, bishop of Treviso.
- Venerable Servant of God Pierre Bonhomme (1803-1861), French, priest of the diocese of Cahors and founder of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Calvary.
- Venerable Servant of God Marco Da Aviano (1631-1699), ne Carlo Domenico Cristofori, Italian, professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins.
- Venerable Servant of God Gabrielle Maria Allegra (1907-1976), nee Elena de Chappotinde Neuville, Italian, professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor.
- Venerable Servant of God Maria Della Passione (1839-1904), French, foundress of the Institute of Franciscan Missionaries of Maria.
- Venerable Servant of God Maria Dolores Rodriguez Sopena y Ortega (1848-1918), Spanish, foundress of the Congregation of Sisters of the Dolores Sopena Catechist Institute.
- Venerable Servant of God Carita Brader (1860-1943), nee Maria Giuseppa Carolina, Swiss, foundress of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Immaculate Mary.

MARTYRS

- Martyrdom of the servants of God Pietro Vitchev, Paolo Djidjo and Giosafat Chichkov, professed priests of the Congregation of Augustinians of the Assumption, killed in hatred for the faith on November 11, 1952 in Bulgaria.
- Martyrdom of the servants of God Davide Okelo and Gildo Irwa, lay catechists, killed in hatred for the faith on October 18 and 19, 1918 in Uganda.

HEROIC VIRTUES

- Servant of God Guiseppe Morgera (1844-1898), Italian, priest of the diocese of Ischia.
- Servant of God Gioacchino Da Canicatti (1831-1905), ne Gaetano La Lomia, Italian, professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins.
- Servant of God Matilde Del Sacro Cuore Tellez Robles (1841-1902), Spanish, foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Mother of the Church.
- Servant of God Guila Salzano (1846-1929), Italian, foundress of the Congregation of the Catechist Sisters of the Sacred Heart.
- Servant of God Marianna Saltini, widow Testi (1889-1957), called "Mamma Nina," Italian, foundress of the Institute of the Daughters of Saint Francis of Carpi.
- Servant of God Speranza di Gesu (1893-1983), nee Maria Giuseppa Alhama y Valera, Spanish, foundress of the Congregation of the Hand Maidens of Merciful Love and of the Sons of the Merciful Love.

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NEW COMMITTEE TO ASSIST CONGREGATION IN ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

VATICAN CITY, APR 23, 2002 (VIS) - Made public yesterday afternoon was a Message from the Holy Father to Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, on the occasion of the inaugural meeting of the 'Vox Clara' Committee, recently established by the congregation.

The Pope recalls in his Message that the Vox Clara Committee "has been established to assist and advise the Congregation .... in fulfilling its responsibilities with regard to the English translations of liturgical texts. Representing the different continents as its does, the committee reflects the international character of the English language. This makes available to the Holy See the great wealth of pastoral experience drawn from different cultures."

Noting that "the 'lex orandi' conforms to the 'lex credendi'," the Pope goes on to say that "fidelity to the rites and texts of the Liturgy is of paramount importance for the Church and Christian life." He encourages the Committee in its task "of ensuring that the texts of the Roman Rite are accurately translated in accordance with the norms of the Instruction 'Liturgiam Authenticam'."

In closing, John Paul II asks Pastors of the Church "to make available to the faithful ... the vernacular translations of the 'editio tertia' of the 'Missale Romanum'." He says he is "pleased to learn that members of the Vox Clara Committee have generously pledged to assist the Holy See in expediting the revision and 'recognitio' of these translations by the Congregation."

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