AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 28, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Camillo Ruini, his vicar general for the diocese of Rome and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference. The cardinal was accompanied by Archbishop Ennio Antonelli, emeritus of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, secretary general of the same episcopal conference.

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MASS COMMEMORATES POPES PAUL VI, JOHN PAUL I

VATICAN CITY, SEP 28, 2000 (VIS) - This morning at 11:30 in St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father celebrated Mass to commemorate his predecessors, Paul VI, who died on August 6, 1978, and John Paul I, who died on September 28 that same year.

The Pope noted in his homily that "this year the traditional celebration for the repose of the souls of my venerated predecessors Paul VI and John Paul I receives a special meaning and further spiritual strength from this time of Jubilee grace."

"Such strength," John Paul II pointed out, "looking at it closely, redounds not only to the benefit of the souls of these brothers of ours, but also to the benefit of everyone gathered here in prayer. If indeed it is given to us to offer prayers for the repose of their souls, they, beyond the threshold of death, invite us to mediate on the final destination of our earthly pilgrimage."

"The Book of Wisdom," the Pope observed, "tells us that 'the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest' because 'he pleased God and was loved by Him'. What great love the Father reserved for the venerated Popes Paul VI and John Paul I! He called them to the faith, to the priesthood, to the episcopacy, to the petrine ministry. He enriched them with countless gifts of wisdom and virtues. And we, while we pray to God for them, ... give him thanks for having given them to the Church."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 28, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Oswald Gracias, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Bombay, India, as metropolitan archbishop of Agra (area 49,162, population, 27,003,487, Catholics 11,116, priests 47, religious 229), India. The archbishop-elect was born in Bombay, India, in 1944, ordained a priest in 1970 and consecrated a bishop in 1997.

- Metropolitan Archbishop Vincent Michael Concessao of Agra, India, as metropolitan archbishop of Delhi, India.

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THE "SPIRIT OF ASSISI" IS A PROVIDENTIAL GIFT FOR TODAY

VATICAN CITY, SEP 27, 2000 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, Cardinal Edward I. Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, read a message from the Pope to mark the closure of the 13th international meeting of representatives from Churches and Christian communities and from the great world religions. Participants have been considering the theme: "Oceans of peace. A contrast of religions and cultures." The meeting has been promoted by the Community of St. Egidio in Lisbon, Portugal.

In his message, dated September 21, John Paul II made reference to the meeting for the invocation of peace, held in Assisi, Italy, in 1986. He told Cardinal Cassidy and the participants that "the 'spirit of Assisi' is a providential gift for our time."

"In the diversity of religious expressions, faithfully recognized as such, to stand together is also a visible demonstration of the human family's aspiration to unity. We must all advance towards this single goal."

The Pope highlighted that dialogue between religions "is no longer simply an aspiration, it has become a reality, even if the road before us remains long." He also gave thanks to God for the gift of "reciprocal opening" between the Catholic Church and Judaism and for the "significant fruits (that have) also blossomed on the path towards encounter with Islam, with oriental religions and with the great cultures of the modern world."

"At the start of the new millennium," concludes John Paul II, "we must not drag our feet, if anything we must move with ever greater speed along this hopeful path."

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THE EUCHARIST, A HUMBLE CELEBRATION OF DIVINE GLORY

VATICAN CITY, SEP 27, 2000 (VIS) - In today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 35,000 pilgrims, John Paul II began a series of catecheses on the Eucharist, "that great yet humble celebration of divine glory."

"It is great," he went on, "because it is the principal expression of Christ's presence among us 'always, to the close of the age.' It is humble, because it is delegated to the simple signs of everyday life, bread and wine, the ordinary food and drink of the land of Jesus and of many other regions."

"Today, in order to appreciate the greatness of the mystery of the Eucharist, we turn to consider the theme of divine glory and of God's action in the world, at times made manifest in the great events of salvation, at others concealed under humble signs that only the eye of faith can perceive."

The Pope affirmed that this divine glory, "particularly manifest in Israel, is present in the entire universe," but Christ expresses it more radically "through His humanity, taken on in the Incarnation."

"The earthly revelation of divine glory reaches its apex in the events of Easter. ... The Paschal mystery, expression of the 'perfect glorification of God,' is perpetuated in the Eucharistic sacrifice, commemoration of death and resurrection entrusted by Christ to the Church, His beloved bride."

The Holy Father highlighted that "today the most exalted celebration of divine glory is undoubtedly the liturgy. ... Christian Worship is the most vital expression of the encounter between divine glory and the glorification that arises from the lips and heart of man."

"As St. Paul reminds us," he concluded, "we must also glorify God in our bodies, in other words in our entire existence, because our bodies are the temple of the Spirit within us."

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