PAPAL, HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2006: JANUARY - JULY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 28, 2006 (VIS) - Following are highlights of the activities of Pope Benedict XVI and of the Holy See for the months of January through July 2006.

JANUARY

 - 1: Message of the Holy Father Benedict XVI for 39th World Day of Peace, on the theme: "In Truth, Peace."

 - 7: Holy Father receives in audience a delegation from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, led by Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick.

 - 9: Holy Father receives in audience - in the Sala Regia of the Vatican Apostolic Palace - members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See for the traditional exchange of New Year greetings.

 - 16: Holy Father receives in audience a delegation from the Jewish community in Rome, headed by Chief Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni.

 - 16: Holy Father receives in audience Filip Vujanovic, president of the Republic of Montenegro.

 - 19: Holy Father receives in audience an ecumenical delegation from Finland for the occasion of the Feast of St. Henry, patron saint of that country.

 - 19: Holy Father receives in audience Gunther H. Oettinger, minister-president of Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 - 22: For the 500th anniversary of the foundation of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, Mass in the Sistine Chapel presided by Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, attended by the 110 Swiss Guards currently in service and their families. The Mass inaugurates the 500th anniversary celebrations of the world's oldest active military corps.

 - 23 - 24: International congress on charity promoted by the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," its theme inspired by St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians: " ... But the greatest of these is love."

 - 24: On the Feast of St. Francis of Sales, patron saint of journalists, publication of Benedict XVI's first Message for the World Day of Social Communications (to be celebrated on May 28), on the theme: "The Media: A Network for Communication, Communion and Cooperation."

 - 25: Publication of Pope Benedict XVI's first Encyclical: "Deus caritas est."

 - 26: Holy Father receives in audience Lech Kaczynski, president of the Republic of Poland.

 - 31: Publication of the Message of Benedict XVI for Lent 2006. The text, dated September 29, 2005, is entitled: "Jesus, at the sight of the crowds, was moved with pity."

FEBRUARY

 - 3: Publication of a decree announcing the concession of indulgences to the faithful for the fifteenth World Day of the Sick, to be celebrated on February 11, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

 - 9: The Holy Father accepts the invitation of Ahmet Necdet Sezer, president of Turkey, to make an official visit to that country from November 28 to 30, 2006.

 - 15: During the course of his weekly general audience, Benedict XVI announces the conclusion of the cycle of catechesis begun by John Paul II and dedicated to the Psalms and Canticles of the Liturgy of the Hours and of Vespers.

 - 16: Holy Father receives in audience Fouad Siniora, prime minister of Lebanon.

 - 20: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Ali Achour, the new ambassador of Morocco to the Holy See.

 - 24: Holy Father receives in audience Alfred Moisiu, president of the Republic of Albania.

 - 27: Publication of the Holy Father's Message to the youth of the world for 21st World Youth Day 2006, on the theme: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

MARCH

 - 3: The Holy Father Benedict XVI visits the headquarters of Vatican Radio for the 75th anniversary of the station's inauguration, in 1931 under the pontificate of Pius IX.

 - 13: Holy Father receives in audience Mohammed Hosni Mubarak, president of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

 - 15: In his weekly general audience, the Holy Father begins a new cycle of catechesis dedicated to the mystery of the relationship between Christ and the Church in the light of the experience of the Apostles and the task with which they were entrusted.

 - 18: Beatification of Servant of God Sister Elia di San Clemente (nee Teodora Fracasso, 1901 - 1927), virgin of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, in the cathedral of Bari, Italy.

 - 20: Holy Father receives in audience His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, Lebanon, accompanied by members of the patriarchal synod and by a group of pilgrims.

 - 24: First Ordinary Public Consistory of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI for the creation of 15 new cardinals from 11 different countries. With the new additions, the College of Cardinals numbers 193 members, of whom 120 are eligible to vote.

 - 30: Publication of the Holy Father's Message for the 43rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, to be celebrated on May 7, fourth Sunday of Easter, on the theme: "Vocation in the mystery of the Church."

 - 30: In the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, screening of the film "Karol, un Papa rimasto uomo" (Karol, a Pope Who Remained a Man) in the presence of the Holy Father. The film, dedicated to the life of John Paul II, was written and directed by the Italian director, Giacomo Battiato.

APRIL

 - 1: Holy Father receives in audience Their Majesties King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians.

 - 2: First anniversary of the death of John Paul II. At 9 p.m., Benedict XVI and Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar general for the diocese of Rome, preside at the praying of the Rosary in St. Peter's Square. At around 9.37 p.m., the exact moment of John Paul II's demise, the Pope Benedict addresses the crowd from the window of his study overlooking the square.

 - 3: At 5.30 p.m. in St. Peter's Square, Benedict XVI celebrates Mass marking the first anniversary of the death of John Paul II.

 - 6: Shimon Peres, former prime minister of the State of Israel and Nobel Peace Prize winner, visits His Holiness Benedict XVI.

 - 8: Holy Father receives in separate audiences Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, president of the Republic of Togo, and His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Otto of Austria.

 - 9: Eucharistic celebration presided by the Pope in St. Peter's Square for Palm Sunday, and for 21st World Youth Day which has as its theme this year "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

 - 21: Benedict XVI attends a concert organized in his honor by the local authorities of Rome at the city's "Parco della Musica" Auditorium to mark the occasion of the 2759th anniversary of the foundation of the Eternal City, and the first anniversary of his own election to the pontifical throne on April 19.

 - 30: Beatification of Servants of God Msgr. Luigi Biraghi (1801-1879) and Fr. Luigi Monza (1898-1954) in the Duomo of Milan, Italy.

 - 30: Beatification of Servant of God Fr. Augustine Thevarparampil "Kunjachan" (1891-1973), in Ramapuram, India.

MAY

 - 1: Pope Benedict XVI visits the Sanctuary of "Divino Amore" (Divine Love), located south of Rome. He prays the rosary before the image of the Virgin in the old sanctuary before going on to visit the new sanctuary, consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1999.

 - 3: A concert of popular music performed by the Swiss Guard Band in the Paul VI Hall marks the beginning of the fifth centenary celebrations for the founding of the Pontifical Swiss Guard.

 - 5: Holy Father receives in audience Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission.

 - 6: In the Vatican Basilica, the Pope presides at a Eucharistic celebration marking the fifth centenary of the foundation of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. Civil and military authorities from Switzerland and other countries participate in the ceremony, as do relatives and friends of the Guards, and military chaplains.

 - 8: Holy Father receives in audience Their Royal Highnesses, the Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg.

 - 11: Holy Father receives in audience Hugo Chavez Frias, president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

 - 13: On the 89th anniversary of the first appearance of the Virgin of Fatima, and the 25th anniversary of the assassination attempt against John Paul II in St. Peter's Square, a copy of the statue of the Virgin Mary from the famous Portuguese shrine returns to the Vatican.

 - 13: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of Valentin Bozhilov, the new Bulgarian ambassador to the Holy See.

 - 13: Holy Father receives in audience participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family which is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its foundation. It was established by John Paul II on May 9, 1981.

 - 13: Beatification of Servant of God Maria Teresa di San Giuseppe (nee Anna Maria Tauscher van den Bosch, 1855 -1938) in Roermond, Netherlands.

 - 14: Beatification of Servant of God Maria della Passione di Nostro Signore Gesu Cristo (nee Grazia Tarallo, 1866 - 1912) in the cathedral of Naples, Italy.

 - 15: Holy Father receives in separate audiences Enrique Bolanos Geyer, president of the Republic of Nicaragua, and His Royal Highness Duke Carl von Wurttemberg.

 - 18: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of five new ambassadors to the Holy See: Moukhtar Wawa Dahab from Chad; Amitava Tripathi from India; Domingos Dias Pereira Mascarenhas from Cape Verde; Valeriu Bobutac from Moldova; and Anne Maree Plunkett from Australia.

 - 18: Holy Father receives in audience Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, president of the Department for Foreign Ecclesiastical Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow.

- 18: Holy Father receives in audience Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, prime minister of Poland.

- 19: Holy Father receives in audience Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

- 20: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of Francisco Vazquez Vazquez, the new Spanish ambassador to the Holy See.

 - 22: Holy Father receives in audience Branko Crvenkovski, president of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

 - 23: Publication of a Letter from Benedict XVI to Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach S.J., superior general of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), for the 50th anniversary of Pope Pius XII's Encyclical "Haurietis aquas" on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

- 23: Holy Father receives in audience Sergei Stanishev, prime minister of Bulgaria.

 - 25-28: Holy Father Benedict XVI's apostolic trip to Poland where he visits Warsaw, Czestochowa, Krakow, Wadowice, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, and Auschwitz.

 - 28: Beatification of Servant of God Rita Amada de Jesus (1948 - 1913) in Viseu, Portugal.

JUNE

 - 2: Publication of the Holy Father's Message for 80th World Mission Day, on the theme: "Charity, Soul of the Mission." The Day is due to be celebrated on October 22.

 - 3: Holy Father receives in audience Tony Blair, prime minister of Great Britain.

 - 3: In St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father Benedict XVI meets more than 400,000 representatives of ecclesial movements and new communities for the First Vespers of the eve of Pentecost.

 - 8: Holy Father receives in audience Norbert Lammert, speaker of the German parliament, the "Bundestag."

 - 15: Beatification of Servant of God Fr. Eustaquio Van Lieshout (1890 - 1943) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

 - 16: Holy Father receives in audience Oscar Arias Sanchez, president of the Republic of Costa Rica.

 - 22: In accordance with Canon 354 of the Code of Canon Law, Holy Father accepts the resignation of Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, requesting him, nonetheless, to remain in office until September 15, with all the faculties inherent to that role. On September 15. the Holy Father will appoint Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., archbishop of Genova, Italy, as the new secretary of State.

 - 24: Announcement of a forthcoming apostolic trip by Benedict XVI to Germany from September 9 to 14, where he will visit Munich, Altotting and Regensburg.

 - 26: Holy Father receives in audience Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, president of the Republic of the Philippines.

 - 29: Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles. Pope presides at a Eucharistic concelebration with 27 metropolitan archbishops from 17 countries, upon whom he imposes the pallium. The day also marks the 55th anniversary of Benedict XVI's own priestly ordination.

 - 30: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of Mario Juan Bosco Cayota Zappettini, the new ambassador of Uruguay to the Holy See.

 - 30: Benedict XVI decrees that from September 18 - when the Vatican Secret Archives and other archives of the Holy See resume activities after the summer vacation - all documents relative to the pontificate of Pope Pius XI (February 6, 1922 - February 10, 1939) be made available to researchers.

JULY

 - 8-9: Holy Father Benedict XVI makes the third apostolic trip outside Italy of his pontificate, visiting Valencia, Spain, for the occasion of the Fifth World Meeting of Families.

 - 11: Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. is appointed as new director of the Holy See Press Office. He is currently director general of the Vatican Television Center and of Vatican Radio, posts he will continue to hold in his new office. The Pope accepts the resignation from the office of director of the Holy See Press Office presented by Joaquin Navarro-Valls, who has held the position since 1984.

 - 12: Presentation of the Holy See consolidated financial statements for 2005; the year closed with a surplus of 9.7 million euro.

 - 13: Theme announced of the 40th World Peace Day, due to be celebrated on January 1, 2007: "The Human Person: Heart of Peace."

 - 20: Benedict XVI proclaims Sunday, July 23, as a special day of prayer and penance for peace in the Middle East.

 - 26: Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, secretary for Relations with States, participates as an observer at the International Rome Conference on Lebanon.
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END OF POPE'S VACATION IN VALLE D'AOSTA

VATICAN CITY, JUL 28, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father's vacation at Les Combes, in the municipality of Introd in Italy's Valle d'Aosta, where he has been staying since July 11, is due to come to an end this afternoon.

  After bidding farewell to Osvaldo Naudin, mayor of Introd, to Bishop Giuseppe Anfossi of Aosta, and to other civil and religious authorities, the Pope is due to travel to the airport of Aosta whence his plane will depart at 5.30 p.m. He is expected to land at Rome's Ciampino airport an hour later and from there to travel to the apostolic palace of Castelgandolfo, south of Rome.

  Beginning on Sunday, July 30, Benedict XVI will pray the Angelus from his summer residence at Castelgandolfo. General audiences will be held regularly in the Vatican from Wednesday, August 2.
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POPULORUM PROGRESSIO FOUNDATION: 215 NEW PROJECTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 27, 2006 (VIS) - At Guayaquil, Ecuador, from July 11 to 14, Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes presided at the annual meeting of the administrative council of the "Populorum Progressio" Foundation. The meeting considered the financing of projects to promote integral development among the poor indigenous mixed race and Afro-American rural communities of Latin America and the Caribbean.

  The "Populorum Progressio" Foundation is part of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," the president of which is Archbishop Cordes who also acts as president and legal representative of the foundation. The administrative council, which meets to study and approve the projects presented, is made up of seven members: six bishops from various countries in Latin America, and a representative of the pontifical council.

  In a communique, "Cor Unum" indicates that during the July meeting consideration was given to 255 projects for a total value of 2,500,000 US dollars. Of these, approval was given to 215 projects for a total of 1,820,500. "Most of this sum," says the communique, "comes from the generosity of the faithful of the Church in Italy through the Italian Episcopal Conference's Committee for Charitable Interventions in favor of the Third World."

  Of the projects approved this year, 36.9 percent involve the production sector, in the fields of both agriculture and small business; 26.19 percent goes to the creation of public service infrastructures such as the supply of drinking water, fencing, toilets and communal halls; 17.46 percent to the building of schools, dwellings and health centers; 12.3 percent to education; and 7.15 percent to healthcare.

  The communique closes by highlighting the fact that since February 13, 1992 - when John Paul II established "Populorum Progressio" - the foundation has awarded more than 20 million dollars for more than 2,000 projects.
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ARCHBISHOP LAJOLO SPEAKS ON THE ROME CONFERENCE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 27, 2006 (VIS) - This morning, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, Holy See secretary for Relations with States, gave an interview to Vatican Radio on the subject of the International Conference for Lebanon, which was held yesterday in Rome and in which he participated as an observer.

  In the interview, large extracts of which are given below, the archbishop described as "positive" the speed with which the conference was convened and the fact that "it focussed its attention on the most urgent needs of the present time." On the subject of the final declaration, which was judged by many as disappointing, he noted that "the expectations of the public were certainly high, but for the well-informed who understand the difficulties, it could perhaps be said that the results were significant."

  The secretary for Relations with States then went on to enumerate some of those results. In the first place, he pointed out "the fact that countries from various parts of the world ... came together in an awareness of the gravity of what is happening in Lebanon, reaffirming the need for the country to regain full sovereignty as soon as possible," and that "they made a commitment to help her." He also mentioned "the request to form an international force under the United Nations, to support the regular Lebanese army in security matters," as well as "the commitment to offer immediate humanitarian aid to the people of Lebanon and the guarantee of support in rebuilding by calling a conference of donor States." Finally, he highlighted the participants' commitment "to remain in constant contact concerning further developments in the intervention of the international community in Lebanon."

  The sense of disappointment, said the archbishop, may have been caused above all "by the fact that there was no request for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Unanimity among the participants was not achieved because some countries maintained that an appeal would not have produced the desired effect, and it was felt more realistic to express a commitment to achieve without delay a cessation of hostilities," a commitment "which can, in fact, be maintained."

  Another problematic issue, said the archbishop, was the fact that the conference limited itself "to inviting Israel to exercise the greatest restraint. By its nature, this call has a certain inevitable ambiguity, whilst respect for the innocent civilian population is a precise and binding duty."

  Archbishop Lajolo also affirmed that yesterday Fouad Siniora, prime minister of Lebanon, "had the opportunity to explain fully the dramatic nature of the situation of the country, and to present his own plan for the immediate and definitive resolution of the conflict with Israel. He was also able to witness and further encourage the positive efforts being made by the international community to help the Lebanese people, to put an end to the conflict and to reinforce his government's control of the country."

  In a meeting yesterday evening with Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, Fouad Siniora "expressed great appreciation for the commitment with which the Holy Father in person, and the Holy See, are following the conflict that is wracking Lebanon, and he requested continuing support for his country in the international arena" said Archbishop Lajolo. "He also recalled the words of Pope John Paul II, who defined Lebanon not only as a country but as 'a message' for all peoples of harmonious coexistence among various religions and confessions in one State."

  The secretary for Relations with States affirmed that, following the Rome conference, "the Holy See remains in favor of an immediate cessation of hostilities. The problems on the table are many and extremely complex, and precisely for that reason cannot all be dealt with together. While bearing in mind the general picture and the overall solution to be achieved, the problems must be resolved 'per partes,' beginning with those that are immediately resolvable. The position of those who maintain that conditions must first be created so that any truce is not once again violated is only apparently one of realism, because those conditions can and must be created with means other than the killing of innocent people. The Pope is close to those peoples, victims of contrasts and of a conflict foreign to them. Benedict XVI prays, and with him the entire Church, for the day of peace to come today and not tomorrow. He prays to God and appeals to political leaders. The Pope weeps with every mother weeping for her children, with all those weeping for their loved ones. An immediate suspension of hostilities is possible, and therefore necessary."
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 26, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Msgr. Francisco Caninde Palhano of the clergy of the archdiocese of Natal, Brazil, pastor of the parish "Santo Alfonso Maria de Ligorio," as bishop of Bonfim (area 34,600, population 632,000, Catholics 569,000, priests 24, permanent deacons 1, religious 100), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Sao Jose de Mipibu, Brazil in 1949 and ordained a priest in 1975. He succeeds Bishop Jairo Rui Matos da Silva, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Antonio Carlos Altieri S.D.B., director of the community of priest-students at Rome's Pontifical Salesian University, as bishop of Caraguatatuba (area 1,992, population 264,139, Catholics 163,766, priests 26, permanent deacons 10, religious 69), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1978.

 - Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Nazare, Brazil, presented by Bishop Jorge Tobias de Freitas, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
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