AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in audience Cardinal James Francis Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, accompanied by Bishop Stanislaw Rylko, secretary of the same council.

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HOLY SEE ADHERES TO CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2002 (VIS) - Today, "International Day of support for torture victims", declared by the United Nations, the Holy See decided to adhere
- in the name of the City State of the Vatican - to the Convention against torture, other punishment and inhumane and degrading cruel treatment.

According to a note published today, this Convention was adopted by the general assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1984 and enacted on June 16, 1987. Up until now, it was been ratified by 129 states.

The instrument of adhesion, signed by John Paul II, will be placed in the United Nations secretary general's office in New York by Archbishop Renato Martino, permanent observer of the Holy See, along with the following declaration:

"The Holy See considers the Convention against torture and other punishment or degrading and inhumane cruel treatment, a valid and ideal tool for the fight against acts that constitute a grave attack on the dignity of the human person. In the contemporary age, the Catholic Church has declared itself constantly in favor of unconditional respect for life itself and has condemned unequivocally'everything that violates the integrity of the human person, such as mutilation, physical and mental torture, including psychological coercion' (Vatican Council II, Pastoral Constitution 'Gaudium et Spes', December 7, 1965)".

In the note, it is recalled that the Code of Canon Law as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992) "clearly identify and mention behavior that can hurt the physical or moral integrity of the person, reproache leaders and urge
the abolition of these acts." In addition, the note concludes, both John Paul II and Paul VI condemned torture and cruelty against people on different occasions.

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ECOLOGICAL TOURISM, KEY TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 2002 (VIS) - Made public today was a message from the Pope about the twenty-third World Day of Tourism which will be celebrated on September 27 and whose theme is: "Ecological tourism, key to sustainable development."

John Paul II writes in the message dated June 24 that "intelligent tourism aims at valuing the beauty of creation and helps man to become close to it with respect, enjoying it while not altering its equilibrium."

"How can we deny," he asks, "that humanity today is unfortunately living an ecological emergency? A certain savage tourism has contributed and continues to contribute to such destruction, since tourist spots have been built without careful and respectful consideration of the environmental impact."

The Holy Father states that environmental imbalance reflects the consequences of decisions made according to particular interests, "that do not respond to the exigencies of the dignity of man. Frequently, the unbridled desire to accumulate riches prevails which makes it difficult to listen to the alarming cry of poverty of entire groups of people."

"Therefore, it is necessary to promote forms of tourism that are more respectful to the environment, more moderate in their use of natural resources and more cooperative with local cultures. They are forms of tourism with strong ethical impetus, rooted in the conviction that the environment is everybody's home and therefore, natural goods are meant for all those who live in it as well as for future generations."

After emphasizing that "ecological tourism" is sound in its principles, the Pope affirms that "we must be careful that it does not become distorted and that it does not turn into a means of exploitation and discrimination. If protection of the environment were promoted as an end unto itself, we would run the risk of seeing modern forms of colonialism born that would damage the traditional rights of resident communities in a given territory."

"In general, ecological tourism takes people to places, environments and regions whose natural equilibrium needs constant care in order not to become endangered. Therefore, studies and rigorous supervision that combine respect for nature as well as man's right to enjoy it for his own development must be carried out."

John Paul II concludes by especially addressing Christians, "so that they make tourism an occasion of contemplation and encounter with God, Creator and Father of all, and may they, in this way, be confirmed in service to justice and peace, in fidelity to He who has promised new heavens and new earth."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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

- Appointed Bishop Timothy Michael Dolan, auxiliary of the archdiocese of St. Louis, U.S.A., as metropolitan archbishop of Milwaukee (area 12,323, population 2,222,364, Catholics 685,004, priests 713, permanent deacons 164, religious 3,226), U.S.A.

- Appointed Fr. Kevin Flannery, S.J., dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, as consultant to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Giovanni Bulaitis, apostolic nuncio in Albania.
- Five prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Peru on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Jorge Pedro Carrion Pavlich of Puno.
- Bishop Richard Daniel Alarcon Urrutia of Tarma.
- Bishop Salvador Pineiro Garcia-Calderon, military ordinary.
- Bishop Juan Antonio Ugarte Perez, prelate of Yauyos.
- Bishop Augusto Benzeville Ferro, auxiliary of Piura.

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