POPE PROCLAIMS 4 BLESSEDS, ENCOURAGES SPANIARDS AFTER ATTACK

VATICAN CITY, MAR 21, 2004 (VIS) - This morning in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father celebrated the Eucharist and beatified four Servants of God: Luigi Talamoni (1848-1926); Matilde del Sagrado Corazon Tellez Robles (1841-1902); Piedad de la Cruz Ortiz Real (1842-1916) and Maria Candida dell'Eucharistia (1884-1949). Before praying the Angelus, the Pope encouraged Spaniards to keep up their "hope, courage and generosity," after the March 11 attacks in Madrid.

Speaking about the new Blesseds, John Paul II said that the Italian priest Luigi Talamoni, who taught the future Pope Pius XI in the seminary, "was committed to the ministry of confession and to the service of the poor, those in prison and especially the poor who are sick. What a brilliant example he is for everyone! I urge you all, especially the priests and the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of St. Gerard which he founded, to follow his example."

The Pope said that Spanish Blessed Matilde Tellez Robles, virgin and foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of the Church, "consecrated herself through an intense prayer life to transforming the society of her time by taking care of orphan girls, making home visits to the sick, promoting women workers and by collaborating in ecclesial activities. Profoundly devoted to the Eucharist, . her luminous witness is a call to live in adoration of God and in service to our brothers and sisters, two fundamental pillars of the Christian commitment."

Referring to Mother Piedad de la Cruz Ortiz Real, Spanish virgin and founder of the Congregation of the Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Holy Father said that "she united different groups of young people who wanted to show the love of the provident Father, manifested in the heart of Jesus, to

the poor, giving life in this way to a new religious family. A model of Christian and religious virtue and in love with Christ, Our Lady and the poor, she leaves us the example of austerity, prayer, and charity to those in need."

Blessed Maria Candida dell'Eucharistia of Italy, virgin and nun of the Order of the Decalced Carmelites, "was an authentic mystic of the Eucharist which she made the unifying center of her entire existence, following the Carmelite tradition, especially St. Teresa of Jesus and St. John of the Cross. She was so in love with Jesus that she was aware of a constant and ardent desire to be a tireless apostle of the Eucharist. I am sure that from heaven Maria Candida continues to help the Church so that it may grow in stupor and love for this great mystery of our faith."

Before praying the Angelus, the Holy Father greeted the authorities and pilgrims present in the ceremony and addressed Spaniards in a special way, saying: "I encourage you to keep up your hope, courage and generosity in the face of the pain of so many families, the people of Madrid and all of Spain upon the recent terrorist attack. Love is stronger than hated and death!"
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FAITH AND MARTYRDOM: THE EASTERN CHURCHES IN EUROPE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 20, 2004 (VIS) - On Tuesday March 23 at 11:30 a.m. in the Holy See Press Office, there will be a presentation of the book "Faith and Martyrdom: The Eastern Churches in Twentieth Century Europe" (Proceedings of the meeting on contemporary Church history, Vatican City, October 22-24, 1998), published by the Vatican Publishing House 2003.

Among those who will present the book are Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant'Egidio, Bishop Pavlo Vasylyk of the eparchy of Kolomyia-Chernivtsi, Ukraine and Msgr. Tertulian Ioan Langa of the eparchy of Cluj-Gherla, Romania.
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HOLY SEE DEPLORES KILLING OF AHMED YASSIN

VATICAN CITY, MAR 22, 2004 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls, in answer to journalists who asked about the killing this morning of Sheik Ahmed Yassin, co-founder and spiritual leader of Hamas, replied with the following declaration:

"The Holy See joins the international community in deploring this act of violence which is unjustifiable in any State of law.

"The position and the sentiments of the Holy See are clearly expressed in the Holy Father's words to the diplomatic corps last January 12 when he repeated 'to the leaders of these two peoples (Israelis and Palestinians): the choice of arms, the recourse on the one hand to terrorism and on the other to vendettas, humiliating one's adversary, and rancorous propaganda, lead nowhere. Only respect for the legitimate aspirations of each other, a return to the negotiating table and a concrete commitment by the international community can lead to the start of a solution'.

"Authentic and lasting peace can never be the fruit of a mere show of strength: 'above all it is the fruit of moral and juridical action'-"

Yassin was killed in a missile attack by an Israeli helicopter early Monday as he left a mosque following morning prayers.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 22, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Six prelates from the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference on their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop Joseph Angelo Grech of Sandhurst.

- Archbishop Barry James Hickey of Perth, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Donald George Sproxton.

- Bishop Christopher Alan Saunders of Broome.

- Bishop Gerard Holohan of Bunbury.

- Bishop Justin Joseph Bianchini of Geraldton.

- Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites.

On Saturday March 20 the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Six prelates from the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Denis James Hart of Melbourne, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Hilton Forrest Deakin, Mark Benedict Coleridge and Christopher Charles Prowse.

- Bishop Peter Joseph Connors of Ballarat.

- Bishop Jeremiah Joseph Coffey of Sale.

- Brother Roger, superior of the Taize Community.

- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

On Friday March 19, he received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid, Spain.

- Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 22, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the office of auxiliary of the diocese of Regensburg, Germany, presented by Bishop Vinzenz Guggenberger upon having reached the age limit.

On Saturday, March 20, it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Alberto Maria Careggio of Chiavari, Italy, as bishop of Ventimiglia-San Remo (area 714, population 155,450, Catholics 150,000, priests 130, religious 378), Italy. He succeeds Bishop Giacomo Barabino whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Pope accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Salvatore Ligorio of Tricarico, Italy, as archbishop of Matera-Irsina (area 2,020, population 140,899, Catholics 140,000, priests 92, permanent deacons 1, religious 84), Italy.

- Appointed Msgr. Vincenzo Carmine Orofino, vicar general of the diocese of Tricarico, as bishop of the same diocese (area 1,237, population 45,000, Catholics 44,000, priests 32, religious 49), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in 1953 in San Severino Lucano, Italy and was ordained a priest in 1980.

- Bishop Alberto Tanasini, auxiliary of Genoa, Italy, as bishop of Chiavari (area 559, population 142,000, Catholics 14,600, priests 175, permanent deacons 4, religious 354), Italy.

- Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, as pontifical legate for the closing of the meeting of Catholics in Central Europe - Mitteleuropaischer Katholikentag 2003/2004 - which will take place at the shrine of Mariazell in Austria on May 22-23, 2004.
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