ARRIVAL OF 25,000 WORLD YOUTH DAY VOLUNTEERS

VATICAN CITY, AUG 8, 2000 (VIS) - The first of a total of 25,000 World Youth Day volunteers have begun to arrive in Rome. On Saturday August 12, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar general for the diocese of Rome, will celebrate Mass for the volunteers in St. Peter's Square.

Last Sunday before praying the angelus, the Pope indicated that many young people were already on their way to Rome: "Families, parishes, institutes and schools of the eternal city have mobilized to welcome them, and I too" he announced, "will have the joy of accommodating some of them at Castelgandolfo." Indeed, Villa Barberini, which lies near the apostolic palace of Castelgandolfo, will house 15 young persons; three each from America, Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania.

The volunteers come from 40 countries on all continents, though the majority are Italians. Their task is to provide logistical support and to welcome all the young people who will participate in World Youth Day. They will allocate lodgings and refreshment points, direct coaches to the various welcome sites and coordinate transport. A number of volunteers will provide assistance to the authorities, to ecclesial personages, to participants in the international youth forum (August 12-15), to journalists and to the disabled.

Volunteers will also be involved in other activities, described as "events" in a communique from the Italian Committee for World Youth Day. These include all support services (verification and control of access points, distribution of material, orientation of the flow of pilgrims) at the main events of World Youth Day, such as the opening ceremony of August 15, the jubilee pilgrimage, the 'Via Crucis' and the closing celebrations at Rome's Tor Vergata University.

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PAUL VI WAS AN INSPIRED PREACHER OF THE TRANSFIGURATION

VATICAN CITY, AUG 6, 2000 (VIS) - During the Mass he celebrated this morning at Castelgandolfo and prior to his midday angelus, John Paul II recalled his predecessor, Pope Paul VI, who died on this day 22 years ago.

Prior to praying the angelus, the Pope spoke of today's feast, the Transfiguration of the Lord, that "Eastern and Western Christians celebrate on the same day." He said, "it calls to mind my beloved predecessor, Servant of God Paul VI, who died on August 6 1978 which, like today, fell on a Sunday. He was an inspired preacher of the Transfiguration, in which he beheld the whole of the mystery of Christ, true man and true God. To modern man, frequently bewildered by a thousand deceptive temptations, Paul VI indicates with passionate love and learned doctrine, Christ, 'Teacher, Pastor, Light of the soul'."

The Pope also reminded the faithful present that yesterday evening, in response to the call from Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, a prayer vigil had been celebrated in the Basilica of St. John Lateran "in communion of faith and intention" with representatives of other Churches. "The occasion," said the Pope, "provided an opportunity to highlight the common profession of faith in Jesus Christ, Son of God, and the will to obey His Gospel."

In closing, the Holy Father made reference to the forthcoming World Youth Day, due to take place in Rome from August 15 to 20: "Let us pray," he said, "that this important encounter at the heart of the Jubilee may be, for young people of the whole world, a great opportunity to renew their selfless adherence to Christ."

After the angelus, the Pope extended greetings in various languages to the faithful gathered in the courtyard of the apostolic palace of Castelgandolfo.

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CARDINAL CASSIDY: WE MUST WORK TO RE-ESTABLISH UNITY

VATICAN CITY, AUG 5, 2000 (VIS) - This evening in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, presided at a prayer vigil held in response to a call from Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

Representatives from the Greek-Orthodox, Coptic, Romanian, Anglican, Lutheran and Scottish (Presbyterian) Churches participated in the ceremony, as did faithful from the diocesan community of Rome and pilgrims.

In his address Cardinal Cassidy, who presided the event in the Pope's name, said: "We are gathered here in the Cathedral Basilica of St. John Lateran to respond this evening to the appeal that the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His Holiness Bartholomew I, has addressed to all those who believe in Christ and fight the good fight for Him, wherever they may be on earth, to celebrate the 24 hours of August 6 - Feast of the Transfiguration - with liturgical services and other possible acts (of worship) in order to give glory to the eternal God 'born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law'."

"The Feast of the Transfiguration, celebrated by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches on the same day, not only calls us to reflect on the essential elements of faith in Christ during this Jubilee year, but at the same time it reminds us that such faith is the common heritage of all those who look to Christ as their only Lord and Savior."

Cardinal Cassidy indicated that the ecumenical events of the opening of the Holy Door at the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls on January 18 and the commemoration of the witnesses to the faith on May 7, "encourage us, during the Jubilee year, to reflect upon that which we as Christians have in common. These events solicit us to understand also the urgency of the task of re-establishing the unity of all Christ's disciples, in response to the prayer that Jesus Himself raised to the Father."

"In this celebration, in our prayer this evening, we must renew our commitment to work towards that most noble end of re-establishing our unity."

The president of the Council for promoting Christian Unity concluded by quoting some of the words John Paul II had addressed to Teoctist, Orthodox Patriarch of Romania in May 1999, and invited those present to make them their own: "Who will be able to inspire the men and women of today to believe in Him if we continue to tear the seamless tunic of the Church, if we do not succeed in obtaining from God the miracle of unity, in working to remove the obstacles which bar its full manifestation? Who will pardon us this lack of witness? I have sought unity with all of my strength, and I will continue to expend myself right to the very end for this to be among the priority concerns of Churches and of those who govern them through apostolic ministry."

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AUDIENCE WITH VARIOUS GROUPS OF PILGRIMS AT CASTELGANDOLFO

VATICAN CITY, AUG 5, 2000 (VIS) - This morning in the apostolic palace of Castelgandolfo, the Pope greeted various groups of pilgrims and recalled that today marks the celebration of the dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, "the first Christian temple in the West to be dedicated to the Mother of God."

"To her," he said, "I entrust your every intention. Furthermore, I especially wish to entrust to her the solemn prayer vigil that will take place this evening in the Basilica of St. John Lateran. This represents an important prayer meeting which is taking place following the suggestion of and in communion with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and the Orthodox Church, on the eve of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. May this providential initiative favor ecumenical dialogue and advance us along the common path towards the full unity of all Christians."

John Paul II then addressed a group of sick people from Malta and their helpers, on their return journey from a pilgrimage to Lourdes: "I hope most sincerely that difficulties and trials will not weaken your Christian witness, but help instead to make it more powerful. May the Lord sustain your dear ones, and the doctors, nurses and volunteers who are near to you."

The Holy Father concluded: "I also greet young people from the parish of St. Anthony of Padua, in Blerick in the diocese of Roermond, Netherlands, and I trust that you, dear young people, will daily read and meditate upon the Gospel, following the model of St. Anthony of Padua, that you may ever more become messengers of his love."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, AUG 7, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Michel Camdessus, former director general of the International Monetary Fund, as a member of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

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