THE POPE WILL TRAVEL TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA ON JUNE 22

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2003 (VIS) - Joaquin Navarro-Valls, director of the Holy See Press Office, announced today that "On Sunday June 22, 2003, the Holy Father John Paul II will make an apostolic trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina for the beatification of Ivan Mertz, Servant of God, in Banja Luka."

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EVERYONE IS CALLED TO COOPERATE WITH THE NEW EVANGELIZATION

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2003 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received participants in the congress in Rome organized by the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe on the theme, "The duty of priests in the catechesis in Europe," which will take place from May 5 to 8.

John Paul II recalled that priests must "announce the Gospel of the kingdom to everyone" and "consider as an obligation to the people of God the transmitting of the Gospel and doing it with the greatest theological and cultural preparation."

"As first catechist in the community," he continued, "a priest, especially if he is pastor of a parish, is called to be the first believer and disciple of the Word of God, and to dedicate careful attention to the discernment and guidance of vocations for the catechetical service. As 'catechist of the catechists', he must be concerned with their spiritual, cultural and doctrinal formation."

After emphasizing that the priest receives from the bishop "the mandate to preach and to teach," the Holy Father said: "The reference to the magisterium of the bishop in the one diocesan priesthood and the obedience to the instructions which, in terms of catechesis, each pastor and the episcopal conferences set forth for the good of the faithful, are for the priest elements that must be valued in catechetical activity." In this sense, he stressed the importance of "studying and using the Catechism of the Catholic Church, an indispensable 'vademecum' offered by priests, catechists, and all the faithful, in order to guide the catechesis along the paths of authentic fidelity to God and to the people of our times."

"Catechesis in the family, in the work place, in schools and universities, through the media and new languages, brings together priests and lay people, parishes and movements. They are all called to cooperate in the new evangelization in order to maintain and revitalize our common Christian roots. The Christian faith represents the richest patrimony which the European people can draw upon in order to make true spiritual, economic and social progress."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience five prelates of the Syro-Malabar rite from India on their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop James Pazhayattil of Irinjalakuda.

- Bishop Gregory Karotemprel of Rajkot.

- Bishop Joseph Pastor Neelankavil of Sangar.

- Bishop Paul Chittilapilly of Thamarasserry.

- Bishop Vijay Anand Nedumpuram of Chanda.

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TELEGRAM FOR RECENT ASSASSINATIONS IN COLOMBIA

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 2003 (VIS) - Made public yesterday afternoon was a telegram from Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, in the Holy Father's name to Archbishop Alberto Giraldo Jaramillo of Medellin, Colombia for the assassinations of the governor of the Department of Antioquia, the ex-minister of defense and eight other officials who were prisoners of the Farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia):

"The Holy Father received with deep distress the sad news of the abhorrent attack in which Drs. Guillermo Gaviria Correa and Gilberto Echeverri Mejia lost their lives, as well as eight soldiers, and expresses once again his energetic condemnation of acts of terrorism that disturb peaceful co-existence and offend man's most profound sentiments.

"His Holiness, while offering prayers for the eternal repose of the deceased and imploring God to grant consolation and inspire sentiments of harmony in all those who suffer the tragic consequences of violence, asks your Excellency to convey his condolences to the family members of the victims. Encouraging the Colombian people to persevere on the path toward long-awaited peace, he imparts to all the pastors and faithful of your beloved land, especially the archdiocese of Medellin, the comforting apostolic blessing."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Antonio Arregui Yarza of Ibarra, Ecuador as metropolitan archbishop of Guayaquil (area 18,711, population 3,600,000, Catholics 3,400,000, priests 242, permanent deacons 24, religious 606), Ecuador. The archbishop-elect was born in Onate, Spain in 1939 and was ordained a priest in 1964 and a bishop in 1990. The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the same archdiocese presented by Archbishop Juan Ignacio Larrea Holguin, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Professor Letizia Pani Ermini as president of the Roman Pontifical Academy of Archeology.

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