JOHN PAUL II LEAVES FOR TORONTO

VATICAN CITY, JUL 23, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II left this morning at 10 a.m. from Fiumicino Airport in Rome for Toronto, Canada, where he is scheduled to arrive at Lester B. Pearson International Airport at 1:00 p.m. local time (7 p.m. Rome time) after a nine-hour flight. The papal plane will travel 7,147 kilometers and will fly over Italy, France, England, Ireland and Canada.

On his 97th apostolic trip outside of Italy, the Holy Father will preside in Toronto at celebrations on the occasion of the 17th World Youth Day. He will then go to Guatemala City and Mexico City where he will canonize Blesseds Pedro de San Jose de Betancurt and Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin.

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COSMOPOLITAN TORONTO FIRST LEG OF JOHN PAUL II'S TRIP

VATICAN CITY, JUL 23, 2002 (VIS) - On the occasion of John Paul II's apostolic trip to Toronto, we offer in continuation information about the city and its civil and ecclesiastical situation.

Toronto, founded in 1703, almost a century and a half after Montreal, was an administrative city until the arrival of the train in the middle of the 19th century. It has a 2,500,000 inhabitants, a third of which live within a 160 kilometer radius of the city. It is a cosmopolitan city; more than half of those who reside in Toronto were born abroad and a third speak a second language other than English.

Toronto's economic development has been extraordinary, especially after World War II, due to its proximity to the United States border and access to the Atlantic through the St. Lawrence River. Presently, it is the financial and decision-making center of Canada.

The city is known as "North Hollywood" for its television production industry and is the third world center of theater in the English language, after London and New York. It has the largest underground pedestrian walkway in North America.

The archdiocese of Toronto has 5,360,000 inhabitants, of which 1,847,000 are Catholics (35% of the population). It consists of 222 parishes, 5 churches or missionary stations, 385 diocesan and 501 religious priests, 613 male, non-priest religious and 738 nuns. There are 549 educational institutions and 46 charitable centers. Their archbishop is Cardinal Aloysius Matthew Ambrozic, born in Gabrje, Slovenia.

Forty-one thousand and ten Catholics belong to the diocese of Toronto of the Ukrainians. There are 78 parishes, 85 diocesan priests, 15 religious priests, 17 male, non-priest religious and 36 female religious. There are 7 educational institutions and their bishop is Cornelius John Pasichny, O.S.B.M.
The apostolic nuncio in Canada, as of June 2001, is Archbishop Luigi Ventura.

Upon his arrival, the Pope will be received by Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Governor David Young of Ontario, and Mayor Mel Lastman of Toronto. Representatives of the diplomatic corp and political and civil authorities will be present. Cardinal Ambrozic, archbishop of Toronto, Bishop Jacques Berthelet, C.S.V., president of the Episcopal Conference of Canada, Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, archbishop of Montreal, and different religious leaders will also receive John Paul II, as well as 72 young people who represent the 72 dioceses of Canada and 5 youths from the five continents.

The Holy Father will then go to Strawberry Island where he will stay during his time in Canada. The island, which derives its name from its strawberry shape, belongs to the Basilian Congregation which uses it as a summer residence. It is located in Lake Simcoe, 95 kilometers north of Toronto, and is easily accessible by car or boat.

The religious of the Congregation of St. Basil, founded in France in the 19th century, who devote themselves to the education of young people, moved to Canada around 1852 at the request of the bishop of Toronto, a former student of the order. At present, they run 15 schools and universities in the country as well as others in the United States, and are present in Colombia, Mexico and Australia.

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TELEGRAM ON THE DERAILMENT OF A TRAIN IN ITALY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 22, 2002 (VIS) - Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, sent a telegram in the Pope's name to Archbishop Giovanni Marra of Messina-Lipari-St. Lucia del Mela, Italy, on the derailment of a train on Saturday night that traveled the Palermo-Venice route and which caused deaths and injuries.

"The Holy Father, profoundly saddened by the news of the serious train accident which took place on Saturday night and caused many deaths and injuries, assures you of his spiritual closeness, entrusts all those who have died in such a tragic way to the mercy of God, and invokes celestial consolation for their families, so severely affected, while he sends a special and consoling apostolic blessing with all his heart."

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POPE GOES TO TORONTO TO LIVE EXPERIENCE OF FAITH WITH YOUTH

VATICAN CITY, JUL 21, 2002 (VIS) - Before praying the Angelus this afternoon in Castelgandolfo, the Pope recalled the "unforgettable days" of World Youth Day during the Jubilee in Rome in August of 2000, in which "faithful young people enkindled a flame of hope for everyone. Now, young people will be in Toronto for the next few days where the 17th World Youth Day will be celebrated."

"The tragic events of September 11th and the conflict in the Holy Land," he continued, "have cast a dark cloud over the world. But Jesus urges his disciples not to be afraid and he tells them once again: 'You are the salt of the earth....you are the light of the world.' Young Christians, who will be in Toronto, are willing to respond to Christ: Here we are! On your word, and without fear, we will throw out the nets of the Gospel."

John Paul II indicated that on Tuesday he will leave "to meet those young people from all over the world who are coming to Toronto: I am going to pray with them, and to enjoy and share an enriching experience of faith with them."

After addressing young people who will not be able to be present in Toronto in a special way, he said: "We will all be united through prayer, invoking the One Spirit who makes all Christians one body in Christ. Toronto, metropolis with a cosmopolitan flare, is prepared to become for one week a world capital of youth, the future and hope of the Church and humanity!"

Greeting the pilgrims present in different languages, the Holy Father asked for prayers for the fruits of World Youth Day.

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TELEGRAM ON THE DEATH OF MSGR. VINCENZO TRAM NGOC THU

VATICAN CITY, JUL 22, 2002 - John Paul II wrote a telegram to Archbishop Francesco Marchisano, archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, upon the death of Msgr. Vincenzo Tram Ngoc Thu, canon for many years in the same basilica. The text follows:

"Upon receiving with great sorrow news of the death of Msgr. Vincenzo Tram Ngoc Thu, canon of the patriarchal Vatican basilica for many years, generous servant to the Holy See, first in the apostolic delegation of Saigon, Vietnam, then in the Secretariat of State and finally as an exemplary collaborator in my own secretariat, I implore the Divine Shepherd for the well-deserved prize of the just, for his faithful soul, and expressing sympathy, I ask Him to bestow the consoling, apostolic blessing upon his family members and all those who remember him with affection and esteem."

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