TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF FORMER ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2000 (VIS) - Following is the telegram sent by Pope John Paul to the Most Reverend and Right Honorable George Leonard Carey, archbishop of Canterbury, upon the death of his predecessor:

"Having received the sad news of the death of Lord Coggan, former archbishop of Canterbury, I offer my condolences to Your Grace and to the Anglican community and I join you in commending your predecessor's noble soul to our heavenly Father's eternal love. Remembering Archbishop Coggan's presence at the ceremony of inauguration of my own pontificate, I thank God for his significant contribution to Anglican-Catholic relations. May the memory of the late archbishop inspire us to trust that 'he who began a good work in us will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ'."

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ST. RITA LIVED DEEPLY ROOTED IN LOVE FOR CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2000 (VIS) - This morning in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father received a group of 'Knights of Labor' as well as 100,000 devotees of St. Rita of Cascia, Italy, on the occasion of the centenary of her canonization. The body of the saint was transferred to Rome for the event and, during the afternoon, was on display in the Vatican Basilica.

John Paul II recalled that St. Rita was a great and humble saint. "Today she is known throughout the world for her heroic existence as wife, mother, widow and nun. Deeply rooted in love for Christ, Rita found in her unshakable faith, the force to be a woman of peace in all circumstances."

"Following the spirituality of St. Augustine, she became a disciple of the Crucified Christ and 'an expert in suffering.' She learned to understand the pain of the human heart. Rita thus became an advocate of the poor and the wretched, obtaining countless graces of consolation and comfort for those who invoked her help in the most diverse situations. Rita of Cascia was the first woman to be canonized in the Great Jubilee of the beginning of the 20th century, on May 24 1900."

The Holy Father indicated that Rita "belongs to those great ranks of Christian women who 'have had a significant impact on the life of the Church as well as of society.' Rita was a worthy interpreter of the 'female spirit,' living it intensely in both physical and spiritual maternity."

Finally, addressing members of the Italian National Federation of the Knights of Work who have come to Rome to celebrate the Jubilee, the Pope said: "I hope that, through your efforts, you may constantly contribute to the common good, to the formation of youth who are joining the world of production, to the progressive elimination of unjust inequalities and to the solution of the worrying problem of unemployment."

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"IF MANKIND DOES NOT END WAR, WAR WILL END MANKIND"

VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2000 (VIS) - Made public today was the appeal for help in ending the conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia made by the Council of Hierarchs of the Catholic Church of Eritrea. The bishops warn that, if such help is not forthcoming, the "saying, 'if mankind does not put an end to war, war will put an end to mankind', will be tragically confirmed."

"After two years of alternating hope and disillusionment, of more or less bloody clashes," they write, "the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia has, in recent days, entered its most tragic phase. The last drop of hope linked to attempts at mediation has vanished and arms have had the last word."

They describe the "terrifying scene" of "incessant bombings on cities and villages, people fleeing to unknown destinations, the thousands of dead and wounded."

"What is it that has not worked in the attempts to stop this mad arms race," the bishops ask? "It is the grave duty of whoever can do something to ask themselves, in all conscience, why they have done nothing."
"As pastors," they continue, "we wish to note only one thing: just one day of delay could mean the extermination of an entire population and devastation of the territory. ... Thus, our anguished appeal: May the way to further massacres be blocked, may arms be silenced immediately, may the violence not be allowed to continue to prevail over reason. Tomorrow is already too late."

The bishops of Eritrea address their appeal "to those who, at the international level, have institutional responsibilities and the possibility to intervene" to save those who face "extinction through violence, hunger and deprivation."

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CARDINAL CASSIDY TO SPEAK AT MILLENNIUM CONFERENCE

VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2000 (VIS) - Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, will participate in the Millennium Conference to be held on May 23-25 at West London Synagogue in Great Britain.

This conference is organized by Rabbi Tony Bayfield of Reform Judaism and by Sir Sigmund Sternberg, patron of the International Council of Christians and Jews. Cardinal Cassidy will speak on the significance of the Catholic-Jewish partnership.

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DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND DJIBOUTI

VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2000 (VIS) - A communique published this morning announced that "the Holy See and the Republic of Djibouti, desirous of promoting bonds of friendship, have decided of common accord to establish diplomatic relations at the level of apostolic nunciature on the part of the Holy See and of embassy on the part of the Republic of Djibouti."

This east African nation has been independent since 1977. It has 623,000 inhabitants, divided into two ethnic groups: the Issa (Somalians), who are the majority, and the Afar, who number 155,000. Djibouti is 96 percent Sunni Muslim, 2 percent Catholic and 2 percent Protestant and Orthodox Christians. Formerly an apostolic prefecture, the diocese of Djibouti was erected on September 14, 1955. Bishop George Perron, O.F.M.Cap. is assisted by four priests who work in five parishes.

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