ARCHBISHOP MARTINO COMMEMORATES "PACEM IN TERRIS"

VATICAN CITY, APR 9, 2003 (VIS) - Last evening in Padua, Italy, Archbishop Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace participated in a ceremony commemorating the 40th anniversary of John XXIII's Encyclical "Pacem in Terris."

"It would be absolutely detrimental," affirmed Archbishop Martino, "if current international conflicts were to provoke paralysis or even a crisis in important international organisms, especially the United Nations."

The president of Justice and Peace indicated that "as in the time of 'Pacem in terris', also in the hours that we are living humanity suffers trials, wars and divisions in international organisms. ... International conflicts, which sadden and worry us so much, require once again that the Church offer humanity the same heart of its eternal message, that of the Gospel of peace."

He concluded: "We would have all liked the 40th anniversary of 'Pacem in terris', which will be commemorated on April 11, to have been celebrated in an international climate marked with fewer tensions. Even more so today, its message acquires particular importance, provided that we know how to grasp in depth all the elements of the current times, among them, the relation between peace and terrorism, peace and the new world order, peace and the unity of the human family."

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HOLY SEE ADDRESSES U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

VATICAN CITY, APR 9, 2003 (VIS) - Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, apostolic nuncio and Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations Office in Geneva, is the head of the Holy See delegation to the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The meeting, currently underway in this Swiss city, began on March 17 and ends on April 25.

Archbishop Martin has spoken to the assembly on three occasions since the meeting began. On March 25 he addressed Item 6 on the agenda: Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and all forms of discrimination. He noted that since the 2001 Durban World Conference on this subject, "the community of nations still seems to have difficulty in addressing racism. It is as if some deep-seated fear or social inhibition prevents us from addressing this widely pervasive phenomenon with serenity and objectivity." He said that "new forms of division and exclusion, intolerance and hatred have emerged," adding that the best way to fight these is through education. "The racist hatred of today must not be passed on, not even one generation further. We must find ways to educate future generations to a different vision of human relations, one which corresponds to the truth concerning the unity of mankind."

On April 7 the nuncio spoke to the Human Rights Commission on Agenda Item 10, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Extreme Poverty in the Era of Globalization. He remarked that "the concentration and intensity of extreme poverty in certain regions of the world are among the most potent symbols of the unacceptable inequalities which still exist in our world today. Inclusion should be a distinguishing mark of a human rights approach to poverty reduction, an approach which stresses the indivisibility and universality of human rights, through placing the integral dignity of each human person and the unity of the family of humankind at its center."

Archbishop Martin's third address focussed on Item 11, Civil and Political Rights - Religious Intolerance. He observed that the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief had drawn attention to Pope John Paul's call for dialogue among religions in the service to peace, and to the signing of the Assisi Decalogue for Peace on January 24, 2002. The archbishop recalled that "this Decalogue sets out some basic components which should belong to a dialogue among religions, including affirmation of the fact that violence and terrorism are opposed to all true religious spirit; education about respect and mutual esteem among members of different ethnic groups, cultures and peoples; recognition of the fact that facing difference can become an occasion for greater reciprocal understanding; pardon for errors and prejudices of the present and the past; promotion of a culture of dialogue, open to understanding and trust."

"Religious leaders," he stated, "have a special responsibility to strongly reaffirm ' whenever possible together ' that attempts to use religious sentiments to generate division, or to use religion as an excuse for violence or terrorism cannot be reconciled with any true religious spirit. A precondition for this affirmation will be to ensure that believers avoid any temptation to stereotype or misrepresent other religions and their beliefs."

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VATICAN COINS TO MARK 25TH YEAR OF JOHN PAUL'S PONTIFICATE

VATICAN CITY, APR 8, 2003 (VIS) - The Numismatic Office of Vatican City will issue a special series of Vatican Euro coins on April 10 to mark the 25th year of Pope John Paul's papacy. The eight coins (1 and 2 Euro coins and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 Eurocents) will bear the year "2003" and the legend "The 25th year of the Pontificate of His Holiness John Paul II."

Euro coins, minted by individual countries, have a European theme on one side and a national image on the other side. For the Vatican coins, the national side has the profile of Pope John Paul, Sovereign of Vatican City State, the words "Citt… del Vaticano" (Vatican City) and 12 stars. Sculpted by Guido Veroi, 65,000 sets of the eight coins were minted and sell for Euro 15 per set.

A proof version set of the same eight coins, which includes a silver medal on the theme "Art interprets Art: Homage to Leonardo" will also go on sale on April 10 at a price of Euro 78. Both sets of coins come in silver holders (the proof version in a special box) to mark the 25th or Silver Anniversary of John Paul II's pontificate.

On March 20, the Vatican's Philatelic Office and Poland jointly issued 25 stamps, one for each year of the Holy Father's papacy. The first stamp for 1978 depicts the Pope on the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica as he appears to the world for the first time after his election. Remaining stamps commemorate highlights - travels, documents and other events - of his pontificate.

The Philatelic Office also, for the first time in its history, issued a silver postage stamp (silver title 925/1000), depicting Pope John Paul, the words "Citt… del Vaticano" and in the lower, left corner, the Pope's coat-of-arms.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 8, 2003 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- His Beatitude Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

- Archbishop Luigi De Magistris, major pro-penitentiary.

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IRAQ: LIMIT THE SUFFERING OF THE CIVILIAN POPULATION

VATICAN CITY, APR 4, 2003 (VIS) - On Friday April 4, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, Holy See Press Office director, made the following declaration:

"Today, Friday April 4, in the late afternoon, the Holy Father received Dominique de Villepin, the French foreign minister, who was then received by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, together with Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States.

"During their talks, they spoke about the war in Iraq and the need to limit the suffering of the civilian population, with the hope that the international community help the Iraqis themselves to be the architects of reconstruction.

"Furthermore, the problem of Israel and Palestine was discussed, as well as a rapid solution which allows for the coexistence of two sovereign states as an indispensable condition for peace in the Middle East.

"Finally, they spoke about the work of the European Convention and the future constitutional Treaty of Europe in order to emphasize the importance that the role of the Church and the community of believers be recognized."

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