ARCHBISHOP CORDES HOLDS BRIEFING ON TRIP TO MOZAMBIQUE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 2000 (VIS) - Archbishop Paul Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," held a briefing today in the Holy See Press Office on his March 8-13 trip to Mozambique to visit the populace which has been struck by devastating floods in recent weeks.

He recalled that the Holy Father has, on several recent occasions, called the public's attention to this drama, including an appeal for international solidarity during his February trip to Egypt, and another during a Sunday angelus. The Pope, said the archbishop, "asked for help for the population of this country, which is one of the poorest of the poor African continent."

The president of Cor Unum remarked that it was missionaries and members of Caritas International who first assisted the flood victims, well before the government stepped in with aid. He stated that there are about 20 religious institutes in the country.

Observing that about 2 million people were affected by the flood, mainly on the vast plains of the savannah, he said that "it seems that all survivors were rescued. This was not easy to do because Mozambique is about twice the size of Italy and the population is widely scattered."

He said the delegation visited two refugee camps where the people seemed "listless, without reacting, in a state of shock." One nun told him that "these days caused more traumas than did many years of civil war." He pointed out the great need for medicines, food, water, and lines of communication and said that "the heroic commitment" of the missionaries who are helping these people "deserves all of our support."

Archbishop Cordes listed many examples of tragic stories and as many examples of generosity, including a Spanish benefactor who loaned a helicopter for rescue efforts: it had a capacity for 7 people, but one day 45 people travelled in it on one flight, "placing their trust in the Lord," said the archbishop.

Calling his trip "a positive experience," he said he was well received as the Pope's delegate "because the Pope is considered as a father of the people, not only of Christians; he is ... one who places himself above feelings of fear and inferiority. ... Catholicism is called by the people of Mozambique 'the religion of the Pope' and the churches are called 'the churches of the Pope'."

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JUBILEES OF ARTISANS, OF WORKERS AND OF AGRICULTURE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 2000 (VIS) - Jubilee celebrations will be held in coming months for various categories of workers, including artisans, laborers, businessmen, managers and those in the world of agriculture.
On Sunday, March 19, Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 35,000 artisans from different countries will celebrate their Jubilee in Rome. This will be preceded by a prayer vigil at 9 p.m. on March 18 in the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

At 10 a.m. on March 19 in St. Peter's Square, the Pope will celebrate Mass. On that day in the Vatican, it is traditional for the Holy Father to receive workers from various trades and, sometimes, to visit them at their places of work. This year, during the offertory, a group of artisans will present the Pope with some typical products of their labors: ceramics, hand-made objects, lamps, a book of Gregorian chants produced by an artisan workshop and a brick as a symbol of construction.

Monday May 1, feast of St. Joseph the Worker, marks another great Jubilee event in Rome as it will bring together thousands of laborers, businessmen, managers, members of cooperatives and financial and business agents. That morning John Paul II is due to celebrate Mass in an open area at Rome's Tor Vergata University and in the afternoon the traditional concert of the feast of workers will be held. The theme of the day is to be the remission of debt of poor countries.

On Sunday November 12, in yet another celebration for workers, the agricultural world will meet in Rome to celebrate its Jubilee together with the Pope. On this day of thanksgiving for the gifts of creation, John Paul II will celebrate Mass in St. Peter's Square for all those who work in agriculture.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 11, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Mohamed El-Baradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
- Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, primate of the diocese of the Armenian Church in America.
- Brother Roger, prior of Taize, France.
- Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, accompanied by Bishop Walter Kasper, secretary of the same Pontifical Council.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, O.P., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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THE JUBILEE CALLS US TO CONVERSION AND ADHESION TO CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, MAR 11, 2000 (VIS) - In St. Peter's Square at midday today, the Pope received various groups of pilgrims: members of Rotary International, and faithful from the Italian diocese of Pitigliano, from the Pius XI Archiepiscopal College, from various parishes in Rieti, Bologna and Urbania, Italy, and from the archdiocese of Philadelphia, U.S.A.

John Paul II reminded the members of Rotary International that Paul Percy Harris founded the association almost 100 years ago because he had come to realize the loneliness suffered by "people in big cities and tried to remedy this through Rotary, an ever-growing network of friendly relations between individuals, based on compassion, understanding and peace among peoples." He asked that they commit themselves "to giving hope to modern man, to defeat solitude, indifference, selfishness and evil."

To the faithful of the diocese of Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello he said that the Holy Year, "apart from special grace, also offers strong motives to convert our mentality and life to achieve a more organic adhesion to Christ and a deeper love for the Church. Returning to your homes, continue your commitment of Christian witness."

The Holy Father then addressed some remarks to members of the Pius XI Archiepiscopal College of Desio, Italy: "Christ, the Way, Truth and Life revitalizes you, that you may be His friends and His witnesses in the world. Know how to be faithful to Him, becoming dispensers of hope, joy and love among your brothers."

In speaking to the faithful of parishes in Rieti, Bologna and Urbania, Italy, the Pope requested that, on returning to their homes, they know how to "demonstrate to those they meet, the enthusiasm of renewed faith and the commitment of effective charity."

Finally, John Paul II greeted a group of faithful from the archdiocese of Philadelphia, U.S.A., accompanied by their archbishop, Cardinal Anthony Joseph Bevilacqua. Referring to their crossing the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, the Pope expressed the hope that this step would confirm their "commitment to turn away from sin and to accept the gift of new life which the Lord constantly offers through the ministry of the Church."

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MAY WE FORGIVE AND REQUEST FORGIVENESS, POPE SAYS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 12, 2000 (VIS) - In the Vatican Basilica at 9:30 a.m. today, the Pope and cardinals celebrated Mass for the first Sunday of Lent, the Day of Pardon of the Holy Year 2000.

The celebration began with a 'statio' in front of the statue of the 'Pieta', which is located inside the basilica to the right of the entrance. Referring to the Virgin, John Paul II said that the Church, "like Holy Mary, embraces the crucified Savior" and requests forgiveness from the Father. A penitential procession then took place in which the evangeliarum was carried to the Altar of the Confession, after which the Mass began.

Following the Gospel reading, the Holy Father delivered his homily, in which he pointed out that "Christ, the Saint, although absolutely without sin, agreed to take our sins upon Himself. He agreed in order to redeem us, ... to accomplish the mission He received from the Father."

"Before Christ who, for love, accepted the burden of our iniquities, we are all called to a deep examination of conscience. One of the characteristic elements of the Great Jubilee lies in what I have defined as 'purification of memory'."

John Paul II indicated that it was appropriate in this first Sunday of Lent that the Church, "spiritually gathered around the Successor of Peter, should implore divine forgiveness for the sins of all believers. May we forgive and request forgiveness!"

"While we praise God who, in His merciful love, has generated a marvelous harvest of sanctity, of missionary passion and of total dedication to Christ and to others, we cannot but recognize the faithlessness to the Gospel into which some of our brothers have fallen, especially during the second millennium."

"With all the more reason," the Pope continued, "we confess our responsibility as Christians for the evils of today. In the face of atheism, religious indifference, secularism, ethical relativism, violations of the right to life and disinterest towards the poverty of many countries, we cannot but ask ourselves what our responsibilities are."

"At the same time," he added, "while we confess our sins, we forgive the sins committed against us by others."

The Holy Father highlighted that "the Church today and forever feels committed to purify the memory of those sad events from any feeling of bitterness or revenge. ... The commitment to forgive our brothers and sisters and to mutual reconciliation arises from the acceptance of divine forgiveness."

"However," he asked in concluding, "what does the term 'reconciliation' mean for us? To understand its exact meaning and value, one must first be aware of the possibility of division and separation." After recalling the parable of the Prodigal Son, the Pope said: "God, represented by the father of the parable, welcomes all prodigal sons who return to Him."

Following the homily, the universal prayer took place during which seven representatives of the Roman Curia made confessions of sin and requested pardon: Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, dean of the College of Cardinals, requested pardon for sins in general; Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, for shortcomings in the service of truth; Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, president of the Committee for the Great Jubilee 2000, for sins that have compromised the unity of the Body of Christ; Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, for sins against the people of Israel; Archbishop Stephen Fumio Hamao, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, for sins against love, peace, the rights of peoples, the respect of cultures and religions; Cardinal Francis Arinze, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, for sins against the dignity of women and the unity of the human race; Archbishop Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, for sins in the field of fundamental human rights.

Following the final blessing, the Pope requested that "this liturgy which has celebrated the Lord's mercy and has sought to purify the memory of the path followed by Christians over the centuries, may arouse, in the Church and in each one of us, a commitment to faith in the Gospel's perennial message. Never again contradictions against charity in the service of truth; never again actions against the communion of the Church; never again offenses against peoples; never again recourse to the logic of violence; never again discrimination, exclusion, oppression, contempt for the poor and downtrodden. May the Lord, in His grace, bring our project to fruition and lead us all together to eternal life."

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