PUT MAN, NOT MONEY, AT THE CENTER OF WORK

VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2000 (VIS) - Made public today was Pope John Paul's Letter to Laurent Katame, president of the World Movement of Christian Workers, on the occasion of its general assembly in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Written in French, it is dated May 7.

"By their work," the Pope writes, "men have the mission of building a just and fraternal world, where the place and the dignity to which workers have a right is recognized. By caring for creation, they preserve and develop the goods of the earth. Doing this makes them turn to God, Whose creative work they extend. ... Work also turns man towards his brothers by putting into practice love for one's neighbor."

He underlines that the world movement "must, at all of its levels, have solicitude for the spiritual, moral and intellectual formation of its members.
Saying "work is not all there is to life," John Paul II stresses the importance of "leisure time, personal and family life and Sunday rest which allows one to turn towards God."

He also underscores the importance of putting man, not money, at the center of work, especially in view of the phenomenon of globalization. Writing of the "enormous transformations which today overwhelm economies and the world of work, ... the great technological advances and new political and cultural situations," the Pope says "no one must be resigned to a globalization which is founded solely on economic criteria. ... Workers should commit themselves to avoid the dangers of a globalization and technology which crush people."

The Holy Father asked that "special attention be given to young people looking for their first job, to the unemployed, and to those with insufficient wages or who lack material means."

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SPORT MUST BE LINKED TO SPIRITUAL VALUES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2000 (VIS) - This morning, John Paul II received organizers and participants of the 83rd 'Giro d'Italia' cycle race which starts tomorrow in St. Peter's Square.

"This year's race," said the Pope, "assumes a special significance in the context of the Great Jubilee 2000. ... It could be said that tomorrow's stage is not just the 'prologue' to the 'Giro d'Italia' but constitutes the first stage of the sports peoples' Jubilee which, if God wills, we will have the joy of celebrating together on the last Sunday of October in Rome's Olympic Stadium."

The Holy Father highlighted the relationship "that must always unite sporting activity and spiritual values. (This must) constitute an important opportunity for reflection and renewal so that sport may shine with that clarity, coherence, honesty and spirit of sharing that makes it a meaningful vehicle for the highest values of humanity."

All sporting activity, he added, requires "preparation, constancy in training, awareness of the limits of individual capacity, loyalty in competition, acceptance of precise rules, respect for the opponent and a sense of solidarity and altruism."

John Paul II highlighted that the technical resources used in the race must be put "at the service of the athlete and not vice versa, avoiding useless risks that could be damaging to participants or spectators."

The Pope told the cyclists that he hopes they live this race "animated by authentic 'sportsmanship', in other words by a great competitive passion, but also by a great spirit of sharing and solidarity".

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POPE LEAVES TODAY FOR FATIMA, HIS 92ND APOSTOLIC TRIP

VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2000 (VIS) - For the third time in his pontificate, John Paul II will travel to Fatima, Portugal, leaving Rome at 4 p.m. today for the start of his 92nd foreign apostolic trip. He was previously in Fatima on May 12-13, 1982 and May 12-13, 1991. The 1,967-kilometer trip will take three hours. The Pope is scheduled to travel from the Lisbon Airport to Fatima this evening by helicopter.

Tomorrow morning, during Mass on the esplanade of the shrine, he will beatify Jacinta and Francisco Marto, two of the three shepherd children to whom the Virgin Mary appeared six times between May 13 and October 13, 1917. The third child, Lucia de Jesus, is now a 93-year old Carmelite religious whose name is Sister Mary Lucy of the Immaculate Heart. She will be at the beatification of her cousins.

Francisco Marto was born in nearby Aljustrel on June 11, 1908 and died on April 4, 1919. Jacinta was born on March 11, 1910 and died February 20, 1920. Both are buried in the basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. Except for martyrs, they are the two youngest persons ever to be beatified.

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FOLLOWING CHRIST REQUIRES CONSTANT INTERIOR GROWTH

VATICAN CITY, MAY 11, 2000 (VIS) - In the Clementine Hall at midday today, the Pope received 400 faithful from Venezuela who have come to Rome on a Jubilee pilgrimage. Prior to their encounter with the Pope, they participated in a Eucharistic celebration in the Vatican Basilica.

The Lord, said the Pope in his address, "asks everyone to change their mentality and lifestyle in order to closely follow (Him) and thus face daily life according to the spirit of the Gospel. To radically follow Christ requires intense and constant interior growth. To this end it is necessary to assiduously cultivate prayer, to participate with as much frequency as possible in the Eucharist and the Sacrament of penance and to practice the Evangelical virtues."

John Paul II recalled the floods that struck Venezuela last year causing numerous victims. "From the very first, I raised prayers for the dead, asking the Lord for consolation, serenity and light for those who, amidst so much pain, were faced with the arduous task of reconstruction." He encouraged them "to stay close to those who are still suffering the tragic consequences of that situation, to remain united with one another and to be concerned for other people's destiny even if it means making sacrifices.

"The other present-day challenge is to follow the path of new evangelization. ... Evangelization will also help to ensure that the values of God's Kingdom are present in society at a time in which your country is revising its institutional and legislative structures. In this matter, it is necessary that you Christians make your voice heard so that evangelical values continue to be present in your homeland and do not, under any circumstances, lose their importance."

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A CHRISTIAN'S CALL TO MISSION IS A DUTY AND A GRACE

VATICAN CITY, MAY 11, 2000 (VIS) - This morning, in his address to the General Assembly of the Superior Council of the Pontifical Missionary Works (POM), the Holy Father thanked the many men and women who, "having dedicated themselves 'ad vitam' to the 'ad gentes' mission, have made missionary work the raison d'etre of their lives."

Among those present today were Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Archbishop Charles Schleck, congregation adjunct secretary and president of POM, and national missionary directors. The four Pontifical Missionary Works are: the Pontifical Missionary Union, the Propagation of the Faith, St. Peter Apostle and the Pontifical Missionary Society of the Holy Childhood.

Remarking that today's meeting occurs within the framework of the Jubilee Year 2000, John Paul II stated that "the Great Jubilee is 'the announcement of salvation' which must be echoed in every corner of the earth, so that those who hear it become in turn witnesses and instruments for the salvation of very person."

He called missionaries "an incomparable example of dedication to the cause of spreading the Gospel," and added that "many times they proclaim the Good News and show their faith in hostile or indifferent milieux. ... God, whose generosity knows no bounds, will know how to compensate them."

The Pope's recalled the duty of those present to "sensitize Christians" to the work of mission. "The call to mission, beyond being a duty for every baptized person, is also a grace. Those who have made it the principal choice of their lives know it well.

In concluding remarks, the Holy Father highlighted the October 18-22 World Missionary Congress 2000, which occurs concomitant with World Mission Day, and which will focus on the theme "Jesus, the Source of Life for All."

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