AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 9, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience five prelates from the French Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Jean-Pierre Ricard of Bordeaux, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Jean-Claude Hertzog.

- Bishop Jean-Charles Descubes of Agen.

- Bishop Philippe Breton of Aire et Dax.

- Bishop Pierre Moleres of Bayonne.

On Saturday February 7, the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Carlo Caffarra of Bologna, Italy.

- Wilfrid-Guy Licari, ambassador of Canada, on his farewell visit.

- Francisco A. Alba, ambassador of the Philippines, on his farewell visit.

- Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko, Bishop Josef Clemens and Guzman Carriquiry, respectively president, secretary and under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
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FAITHFUL ASKED TO WELCOME, LIVE TEACHINGS OF MAGISTERIUM

VATICAN CITY, FEB 6, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and the participants in the biennial plenary assembly of the congregation. He noted that it is their "delicate duty to promote and defend the truth of the Catholic faith in service to the Magisterium of the Successor of Peter, . the Supreme Pastor," and for this reason their mission is eminently pastoral.

"Today's cultural context," affirmed the Pope, "which is marked by both a widespread relativism and the tendency to a facile pragmaticism, demands more than ever a courageous proclamation of the truth that saves man and a renewed evangelizing impetus." He added that "full adherence to the Catholic truth does not diminish, but rather exalts human freedom and draws it towards its fulfillment, in a love that is free and filled with concern for the good of all men."

John Paul II told the members of the congregation he wished to highlight three themes in his talk: the reception by the faithful of magisterial documents, the natural moral law, and the "notable increase" in the number of disciplinarian cases referred to the Congregation regarding sexual abuse by clerics.

He pointed out that he had spoken to them on other occasions of "the reception of magisterial documents on the part of Catholic faithful, who are often disorientated more than informed by immediate reactions to and interpretations by the media. In reality, reception of a document, . must be seen above all as an ecclesial event of welcoming the magisterium in the communion and most cordial sharing of the doctrine of the Church. It is a question in fact of an authoritative word that shines light on a truth of faith or on several aspects of Catholic doctrine that are contested or distorted by particular currents of thought or action."

In this regard the Pope asked the congregation to plan "opportune methods of transmission and diffusion of the document itself which allows for full awareness, above all, by the pastors of the Church."

On the second subject, the Holy Father stated that the natural moral law "belongs to the great patrimony of human wisdom that Revelation, with its light, has contributed to further purifying and developing. The natural law, accessible per se to every rational creature, indicates the first and essential norms that regulate moral life."


"Today, as a consequence of the crisis in metaphysics, many spheres do not recognize any longer that there is a truth inscribed in the heart of every human person. We see therefore, on the one hand, the spreading among believers of a morality of a fideistic character and, on the other hand, what is missing is an objective reference point for acts of legislation which often are based solely on social consensus." He asked the congregation "to promote opportune initiatives with the aim of contributing to a constructive renewal of the doctrine on the natural moral law, seeking convergence with representatives of different denominations, religions and cultures."

Lastly, the Pope referred to a "delicate and current question," the "noteworthy increase" in disciplinary cases of "delicta graviora," including "delicta contra mores." Canonical norms applied with justice and fairness "tend to guarantee the exercise of the right of defense of the accused as well as the needs of the common good. Once there is evidence of the crime," it is necessary to consider thoroughly the "just principle of proportionality between guilt and punishment, as well as the predominant need to protect the people of God."

"This," he continued, "does not depend solely on the application of the canonical penal law, but finds greater guarantee in the just and balanced formation of future priests called in an explicit way to embrace with joy and generosity the style of a humble, modest and chaste life which is the practical foundation of ecclesiastical celibacy. Therefore, I invite your congregation to collaborate with the other dicasteries of the Roman Curia responsible for the formation of seminarians and of the clergy to adopt the necessary measures to assure that priests live in conformity to their call and to their commitment to perfect and perpetual chastity for the Kingdom of God."
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 6, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Jorge Enrique Jimenez Carvajal, C.I.M, of Zipaquira, Colombia, as coadjutor archbishop of Cartagena (area 8,200, population 1,185,000, Catholics 1,066,000, priests 128, permanent deacons 2, religious 317), Colombia. The archbishop-elect was born in Bucaramanga, Colombia in 1942 and was ordained a priest in 1967 and a bishop in 1992.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 6, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience two prelates from the French Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop Jean-Christophe Lagleize of Valence.

- Bishop Francois Blondel of Viviers.
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FEBRUARY 9-11: CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD DAY OF THE SICK

VATICAN CITY, FEB 5, 2004 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office, Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, presented the Twelfth World Day of the Sick which will be celebrated on February 9-11 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes on the theme: "The Immaculate Conception and Health Care in the Christian Roots of Europe."

The following people participated in the press conference: Bishop Jose Luis Redrado, O.H. and Fr. Felice Ruffini, M.I., secretary and undersecretary respectively of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, metropolitan archbishop of Lyon and head of health care ministry for the French Episcopal Conference, and Bishop Jacques of Tarbes and Lourdes, France.

Cardinal Lozano explained that this year the World Day of the Sick will take place in Lourdes because "this year marks the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception and it was in Lourdes that Mary in one of her apparitions said that she was the Immaculate Conception. In addition, Lourdes was the first place where the World Day of the Sick was celebrated and the Holy Father desired that this day be celebrated on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes."

"Our objective," he said, "is to renew health care ministry all over the world and especially in Europe through the celebration" of this Marian anniversary. "We think that in the Christian roots of Europe there is always the search for harmony through Christ; and Mary in her Immaculate Conception begins this Christian harmony that will mean fullness in health and life in her Assumption. For this reason, we chose this theme."

Three days of celebrations are scheduled: February 9th will be dedicated to studying the situation of health care ministry in every country in Europe; on February 10th the topics of bioethics and the meaning of the Immaculate Conception as a source of health will be discussed; on February 11th the solemn welcoming of the special papal envoy is scheduled as well as an Eucharistic celebration in conclusion. In addition, there will be a procession with candles and a Eucharistic blessing for the sick and many of them will receive the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

The president of the council said that they had especially invited all the bishops who were presidents of the European Episcopal Conferences and those in charge of health care ministry in every European nation, as well as all bishops around the world.
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