HOLY FATHER RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIA

VATICAN CITY, 30 APR 2009 (VIS) - At midday today, the Holy See Press Office released the following communique:

"This morning in the Vatican, Alvaro Uribe Velez, president of the Republic of Colombia, was received in audience by His Holiness Benedict XVI. The president subsequently went on to meet with Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State.

"The cordial discussions enabled a fruitful exchange of views to take place on questions concerning the current international and regional situation.

"Attention then turned to certain aspects of the situation in that South American country, in particular to the fight against drug trafficking, to social policies aimed at improving the living conditions of the many people who still live in poverty, and to collaboration between Church and State with the aim of consolidating national pacification".
OP/AUDIENCE PRESIDENT/COLOMBIA VIS 20090430 (150)

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MAY

VATICAN CITY, 30 APR 2009 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for May is: "That the laity and the Christian communities may be responsible promoters of priestly and religious vocations".

His mission intention is: "That the recently founded Catholic Churches, grateful to the Lord for the gift of faith, may be ready to share in the universal mission of the Church, offering their availability to preach the Gospel throughout the world".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/MAY/... VIS 20090430 (80)

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MAY

VATICAN CITY, 30 APR 2009 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for May is: "That the laity and the Christian communities may be responsible promoters of priestly and religious vocations".

His mission intention is: "That the recently founded Catholic Churches, grateful to the Lord for the gift of faith, may be ready to share in the universal mission of the Church, offering their availability to preach the Gospel throughout the world".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/MAY/... VIS 20090430 (80)

EXCEPTIONAL OPENING OF THE VATICAN MUSEUMS

VATICAN CITY, 29 APR 2009 (VIS) - The Vatican Museums, in a show of solidarity with victims of the 6 April earthquake in the Italian region of Abruzzo, will exceptionally remain open on Sunday 10 May. The Vatican Museums are usually closed on Sundays, except the last Sunday of each month.

"Accepting the proposal of the Custodians of the Museums, the Governorate of Vatican City State will donate the entire day's taking to people affected by the tremor", reads a communique made public today.

"All the staff of the Vatican Museums will adhere to the initiative by dedicating one day of work".
.../VATICAN MUSEUMS/... VIS 20090429 (110)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 29 APR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Stanisalus Tobias Magombo of the clergy of Dedza, Malawi, national secretary for pastoral care of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, as auxiliary of Lilongwe (area 24,025, population 4,584,000, Catholics 981,784, priests 82, religious 272), Malawi. The bishop-elect was born in Matowe Village, Malawi in 1968 and ordained a priest in 1996.
NEA/.../MAGOMBO VIS 20090429 (70)