VATICAN CITY, OCT 14, 2003 (VIS) - Made public today was the annual message sent by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue to Hindus on the occasion of Diwali, the festival of lights. This movable feast celebrates the renewal of the Hindu belief of the victory of divine power over evil in the world.
The message, entitled "Hindus and Christians: In Promotion of Human Dignity," is signed by Archbishop Michael L. Fitzgerald, president of the dicastery.
"The occasion of the festival of Diwali provides us with ample food for thought when the Hindu tradition informs us of how light overcomes darkness, how the victory of good is achieved over evil and how hatred gives way to love through forgiveness."
"What can we, Christians and Hindus, do together to promote and protect the dignity of every human person? Does not an offense against even one person, when done in the name of religion, mean that an entire religious tradition is abused? Neither the Hindu dharma nor the Christian faith teaches hate, contempt or disrespect for others. Hatred or disrespect on the part of religious believers only brings discredit on religion and its role in society. But the more we commit ourselves to promote the dignity of every human person the more our religious traditions will become credible in the eyes of others."
After encouraging Hindus to make suggestions to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in order to carry out this challenge, promoting human dignity, the president of the dicastery concludes: "Let us come together and share our common concerns, making an effort to listen to one another attentively. Let us speak honestly, aware of our own responsibility with regard to the choices that have to be made to resolve current problems in the world today."
CON-DIR;DIWALI;...;FITZGERALD;VIS;20031014;Word: 300;
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
SPECIAL REPORT: THE 25 YEARS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II ENCYCLICALS WRITTEN BY POPE JOHN PAUL II
VATICAN CITY, OCT 14, 2003 (VIS) - Encyclical comes from a Greek term used to indicate letters that princes and magistrates sent to the widest possible number of people in order to make known laws, rules, regulations. etc. The corresponding Latin term was "circularis," which referred to a letter or message intended for extensive circulation. Encyclical today has come to be associated solely with the Church.
Encyclical Letters, the most solemn documents of the ordinary and universal pontifical magisterium, are usually addressed to all the bishops and faithful of the Catholic Church, but frequently are also addressed to include "all people of good will." Encyclical Epistles are addressed to a specific group of bishops - for example those of a specific country or region - and touch upon less important matters.
Encyclicals may deal with doctrinal matters, exhort or call the faithful to public prayer for a specific reason, or be commemorative of an important Church anniversary. They are always signed by the pope, usually in Latin, and are published in the "Acta Apostolicae Sedis" and in individual books in diverse languages.
The official Latin text is prepared by the Secretariat of State and normally five copies of the Latin-language document are signed by the Holy Father. The text, in various languages, is sent to episcopal conferences worldwide through the pontifical representatives.
For many centuries, the office which prepared these documents was called the Chancery of Apostolic Letters. Dating back to the 4th century, the chancery was suppressed by Pope Paul VI with the Motu proprio "Quo aptius" of February 27, 1973.
Pope John Paul has written 14 encyclicals, 13 of which are Encyclical Letters and 1 - "Slavorum Apostoli" - is an Encyclical Epistle.
1. "Redemptor Hominis" (Jesus Christ, Redeemer of Man), March 4, 1979.
2 "Dives in Misericordia" (God the Father, Rich in Mercy), November 30, 1980.
3. "Laborem Exercens" (On human work and social problems), September 14, 1981.
4. "Slavorum Apostoli" (Saints Cyril and Methodius, patrons of the Slavs), June 2, 1985.
5. "Dominum et Vivificantem" (Holy Spirit, Lord and Vivifier), May 18, 1986.
6. "Redemptoris Mater" (Mary, Mother of the Redeemer), March 25, 1987.
7. "Sollicitudo Rei Socialis" (True development of man and society), December 30, 1987.
8. "Redemptoris Missio" (The mission), December 7, 1990.
9. "Centesimus Annus" (The social question, one hundred years after "Rerum Novarum"), May 1, 1991.
10. "Veritatis Splendor" (Foundations of Catholic morality), August 6, 1993.
11. "Evangelium Vitae" (The value and inviolability of human life), March 25, 1995.
12. "Ut Unum Sint" (The commitment to ecumenism), May 25, 1995.
13. "Fides et Ratio," (On Reason and Faith), September 14, 1998.
14. "Ecclesia de Eucharistia" (On the Eucharist and Its Relation to the Church), April 17, 2003.
JPII-ANNIVERSARY;ENCYCLICALS;...;... ;VIS;20031014;Word: 460;
Encyclical Letters, the most solemn documents of the ordinary and universal pontifical magisterium, are usually addressed to all the bishops and faithful of the Catholic Church, but frequently are also addressed to include "all people of good will." Encyclical Epistles are addressed to a specific group of bishops - for example those of a specific country or region - and touch upon less important matters.
Encyclicals may deal with doctrinal matters, exhort or call the faithful to public prayer for a specific reason, or be commemorative of an important Church anniversary. They are always signed by the pope, usually in Latin, and are published in the "Acta Apostolicae Sedis" and in individual books in diverse languages.
The official Latin text is prepared by the Secretariat of State and normally five copies of the Latin-language document are signed by the Holy Father. The text, in various languages, is sent to episcopal conferences worldwide through the pontifical representatives.
For many centuries, the office which prepared these documents was called the Chancery of Apostolic Letters. Dating back to the 4th century, the chancery was suppressed by Pope Paul VI with the Motu proprio "Quo aptius" of February 27, 1973.
Pope John Paul has written 14 encyclicals, 13 of which are Encyclical Letters and 1 - "Slavorum Apostoli" - is an Encyclical Epistle.
1. "Redemptor Hominis" (Jesus Christ, Redeemer of Man), March 4, 1979.
2 "Dives in Misericordia" (God the Father, Rich in Mercy), November 30, 1980.
3. "Laborem Exercens" (On human work and social problems), September 14, 1981.
4. "Slavorum Apostoli" (Saints Cyril and Methodius, patrons of the Slavs), June 2, 1985.
5. "Dominum et Vivificantem" (Holy Spirit, Lord and Vivifier), May 18, 1986.
6. "Redemptoris Mater" (Mary, Mother of the Redeemer), March 25, 1987.
7. "Sollicitudo Rei Socialis" (True development of man and society), December 30, 1987.
8. "Redemptoris Missio" (The mission), December 7, 1990.
9. "Centesimus Annus" (The social question, one hundred years after "Rerum Novarum"), May 1, 1991.
10. "Veritatis Splendor" (Foundations of Catholic morality), August 6, 1993.
11. "Evangelium Vitae" (The value and inviolability of human life), March 25, 1995.
12. "Ut Unum Sint" (The commitment to ecumenism), May 25, 1995.
13. "Fides et Ratio," (On Reason and Faith), September 14, 1998.
14. "Ecclesia de Eucharistia" (On the Eucharist and Its Relation to the Church), April 17, 2003.
JPII-ANNIVERSARY;ENCYCLICALS;...;... ;VIS;20031014;Word: 460;
AUDIENCES
VATICAN CITY, OCT 14, 2003 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in audience prelates from the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales on their "ad limina" visit:
- Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, archbishop of Westminster, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops James Joseph O'Brien and Bernard Longley.
- Bishop Thomas McMahon of Brentwood.
- Bishop Michael Charles Evans of East Anglia.
- Bishop Kevin John Patrick McDonald of Northhampton.
- Bishop Malcolm Patrick McMahon, O.P., of Nottingham.
AL;...;...;... ;VIS;20031014;Word: 70;
- Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, archbishop of Westminster, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops James Joseph O'Brien and Bernard Longley.
- Bishop Thomas McMahon of Brentwood.
- Bishop Michael Charles Evans of East Anglia.
- Bishop Kevin John Patrick McDonald of Northhampton.
- Bishop Malcolm Patrick McMahon, O.P., of Nottingham.
AL;...;...;... ;VIS;20031014;Word: 70;
Monday, October 13, 2003
SPECIAL REPORT: THE 25 YEARS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II OVERVIEW OF POPE JOHN PAUL'S PONTIFICATE: 1999-2003
VATICAN CITY, OCT 10, 2003 (VIS) - We conclude our overview of Pope John Paul's pontificate with a review of the highlights from 1999 through October 15, 2003:
1999
JANUARY
- Friday, 8: Audience for Massimo D'Alema, president of Italy's Council of Ministers.
- Friday, 15: Audience for Pandeli Majko, president of Council of Ministers of Albania.
- Monday, 18: Visit by President Leonel Fernandez Reyna of the Dominican Republic. Start of Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
- Friday, 22: John Paul II leaves on 85th foreign pastoral visit: Mexico City, Mexico and St. Louis, U.S.A. to close Synod for America. Pope signs and dates Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in America." Presents it to bishops the following day.
- Tuesday, 26: Pope John Paul and U.S. President Bill Clinton meet upon Pope's arrival in St. Louis, U.S.A. Presentation of new rite of exorcism of the Roman Book of Rites (from Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments).
FEBRUARY
- Thursday, 4: Holy See and Israel sign "Legal Personality Agreement."
- Monday, 8: New Hungarian Ambassador, Pal Tar, presents Letters of Credence. Holy See Press Office issues final report on 1998 Swiss Guard deaths.
- Thursday, 11: 70th anniversary of founding of Vatican City State.
- Friday, 12: Pope and bishops of Laos, Cambodia meet together for first time. Bishops are in Rome for "ad limina" visit.
- Friday, 19: Audience to Yasser Arafat, president of the Palestinian Authority.
- Saturday, 20: Pope receives Jason C. Hu, foreign affairs minister of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
MARCH
- Monday, 1: Announcement that Pope has given permission to start the cause of beatification for Mother Teresa of Calcutta, dispensing from norm which states that five years must pass between person's death and start of cause.
- Thursday, 11: Audience for Seyyed Mohammad Khatami: first visit by a president of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pope John Paul.
- Saturday, 20: Visit by president of Colombia, Andres Pastrana-Arango.
- Thursday, 25: Pope receives President Robert Kotcharian of Armenia, and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong of Singapore in separate audiences. Holy See statement on NATO bombings of Yugoslavia, which began last evening.
- Monday, 29: Pope and Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro meet.
- Tuesday, 30: High level Vatican meeting studies Kosovo crisis: includes ambassadors to Holy See from NATO member countries and permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.
APRIL
- Thursday, 1: Statement on today's mission to Belgrade by Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States.
- Sunday, 4: Easter. Pope writes Letter to Artists: published on April 23 in eight languages.
- Sunday, 18: Papal Letter to His Holiness Alexis II, Patriarch of Moscow and all the Russias, on the occasion of the latter's trip to Belgrade to find peaceful solution to Kosovo conflict.
- Thursday, 22: Pope welcomes President Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen of Guatemala.
- Monday, 26: Visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon.
- Tuesday, 27: Pope writes U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan on eve of Annan's departure for Europe to seek peace in Yugoslavia.
- Thursday, 29: Holy See and Cook Islands establish diplomatic ties.
MAY
- Sunday, 2: Capuchin Padre Pio of Pietrelcina is beatified.
- Friday, 7: Pope departs for three-day trip to Romania: 86th foreign apostolic trip. Includes meeting with Orthodox Patriarch Teoctist. Pope participates in Orthodox liturgy, and Patriarch in Catholic liturgy.
- Monday, 10: Pope welcomes Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova. Rugova holds press conference in Holy See Press Office.
- Tuesday, 18: John Paul II turns 79. He welcomes German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
- Sunday, 23: Pentecost. Three priests ordained in Russia, the first in 82 years.
- Sunday, 30: Pope travels to Ancona, 135th trip within Italy.
JUNE
- Thursday, 3: John Paul II receives U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.
- Saturday, 5: Pope leaves for Poland, his 87th foreign pastoral trip. Until June 17.
- Friday, 11: Warsaw, Poland: Pope's first ever address to a national parliament.
- Wednesday, 30: Holy Father's Letter on "Pilgrimages to the Places Linked to the History of Salvation."
JULY
- Thursday, 8: Note is published by Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts on the authentic interpretation of canons dealing with care of Eucharist.
- Monday, 19: Diplomatic Relations with the Lesser Antilles.
AUGUST
- Saturday and Sunday, 7, 8: Cardinal Angelo Sodano represents Pope John Paul at the closing celebrations of the European Youth Meeting, being held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain from August 4-8.
SEPTEMBER
- Saturday, 4: One-day apostolic trip to Salerno, Italy: Pope John Paul's 136th such trip within Italy.
- Sunday, 5: Audience at Castelgandolfo with Yasser Arafat, president of the Palestinian National Authority.
- Monday, 13: Audiences to Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, apostolic administrator of Dili, East Timor, and Prime Minister Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili of Lesotho.
- Thursday, 16: Pope receives President Guido de Marco of the Republic of Malta.
- Saturday, 18: Pope receives King Abdullah Bin Hussein of Jordan.
- Sunday, 19: One-day apostolic trip to Slovenia: the Pope's 88th foreign pastoral trip.
- Thursday, 30: Audience for Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, president of Venezuela. Holy Father blesses newly restored facade of St. Peter's Basilica in an early evening ceremony, accompanied by fireworks, in St. Peter's Square.
OCTOBER
- Friday, 1: A concelebrated Mass in St. Peter's Basilica opens the Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops. During the Mass, Pope John Paul proclaims St. Edith Stein (Benedicta of the Cross), St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Catherine of Siena co-patronesses of Europe.
- Friday, 15: Holy Father's annual Message for World Food Day, on the theme "Young People Against Hunger."
- Saturday, 16: John Paul II marks the 21st anniversary of his election as Pope. His pontificate is the 10th longest in history (St. Peter's is considered the longest).
- Tuesday, 19: Official visit by Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. Also, an announcement that a joint team of Catholic and Jewish scholars will be formed to review published volumes of Church archival material covering the World War II period.
- Friday, 22: Final message of European Synod of Bishops.
- Saturday, 23: Closing Mass for Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops.
- Tuesday, 26: Publication of "The Letter of His Holiness John Paul II to the Elderly."
- Thursday, 28: Pope receives Franjo Tudjman, president of Croatia, and Croatia's foreign affairs minister, Mate Granic.
- Friday, 29: Pope grants audience to President Rudolf Schuster of Slovakia, and Slovakia's foreign affairs minister, Eduard Kukan. Holy Father and world's religious leaders gather in St. Peter's Square at conclusion of Inter-religious assembly in the Vatican.
- Sunday, 31: Joint Declaration on the Doctrine Justification signed in Augsburg, Germany by Catholic Church and World Lutheran Federation.
NOVEMBER
- Thursday, 4: Cardinal Cassidy attends enthronement of new Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II.
- Friday, 5: Pope leaves for five-day trip to India and Republic of Georgia on his 89th foreign pastoral visit. The Latin, Greek-Orthodox and Armenian patriarchs of Jerusalem announce that Holy Land shrines will be closed November 22 and 23 to express disapproval of the building of a mosque near the basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.
- Saturday, 6: John Paul II signs Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in Asia" in New Delhi.
- Saturday, 13: Audience to King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden.
- Monday, 15: Visit by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of the Republic of Algeria.
- Friday, 19: Pope receives Fernando Henrique Cardoso, president of Brazil.
- Monday, 22: Audiences to Carlos Saul Menem, president of Argentina, and Sheikh Hamad Bin Essa Al-Khalifa, emir of Bahrain.
- Tuesday, 23: Audiences to Martti Ahtisaari, president of Finland, and Jordan Sokolov, president of the Bulgarian parliament.
DECEMBER
- Friday, 10: Publication of papal Message to Catholics in China for the Jubilee Year.
- Saturday, 11: John Paul II inaugurates completely restored Sistine Chapel.
- Monday, 13: Audiences to president of Eritrea, Isaias Afwerki, and to His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX, patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians.
- Saturday, 18: Audience to Vaclav Havel, president of the Czech Republic.
- Monday, 20: Promulgation of decrees by Congregation for the Causes of Saints: includes Popes Pius IX and John XXIII among those who will be beatified.
- Friday, 24: Pope John Paul II opens Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica, to start the Jubilee Year 2000. Presides at the celebration of Christmas Midnight Mass.
- Saturday, 25: Christmas Day "Urbi et Orbi" Message and Blessing. Pope opens the Holy Door at the patriarchal basilica of St. John Lateran.
- Friday, 31: Vespers and traditional end-of-the-year "Te deum" of thanksgiving in St. Peter's Basilica. At midnight Pope appears at his window and wishes the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square a Happy New Year, new millennium and Jubilee year. He imparts his "Urbi et Orbi" blessing.
1999
JANUARY
- Friday, 8: Audience for Massimo D'Alema, president of Italy's Council of Ministers.
- Friday, 15: Audience for Pandeli Majko, president of Council of Ministers of Albania.
- Monday, 18: Visit by President Leonel Fernandez Reyna of the Dominican Republic. Start of Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
- Friday, 22: John Paul II leaves on 85th foreign pastoral visit: Mexico City, Mexico and St. Louis, U.S.A. to close Synod for America. Pope signs and dates Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in America." Presents it to bishops the following day.
- Tuesday, 26: Pope John Paul and U.S. President Bill Clinton meet upon Pope's arrival in St. Louis, U.S.A. Presentation of new rite of exorcism of the Roman Book of Rites (from Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments).
FEBRUARY
- Thursday, 4: Holy See and Israel sign "Legal Personality Agreement."
- Monday, 8: New Hungarian Ambassador, Pal Tar, presents Letters of Credence. Holy See Press Office issues final report on 1998 Swiss Guard deaths.
- Thursday, 11: 70th anniversary of founding of Vatican City State.
- Friday, 12: Pope and bishops of Laos, Cambodia meet together for first time. Bishops are in Rome for "ad limina" visit.
- Friday, 19: Audience to Yasser Arafat, president of the Palestinian Authority.
- Saturday, 20: Pope receives Jason C. Hu, foreign affairs minister of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
MARCH
- Monday, 1: Announcement that Pope has given permission to start the cause of beatification for Mother Teresa of Calcutta, dispensing from norm which states that five years must pass between person's death and start of cause.
- Thursday, 11: Audience for Seyyed Mohammad Khatami: first visit by a president of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pope John Paul.
- Saturday, 20: Visit by president of Colombia, Andres Pastrana-Arango.
- Thursday, 25: Pope receives President Robert Kotcharian of Armenia, and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong of Singapore in separate audiences. Holy See statement on NATO bombings of Yugoslavia, which began last evening.
- Monday, 29: Pope and Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro meet.
- Tuesday, 30: High level Vatican meeting studies Kosovo crisis: includes ambassadors to Holy See from NATO member countries and permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.
APRIL
- Thursday, 1: Statement on today's mission to Belgrade by Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States.
- Sunday, 4: Easter. Pope writes Letter to Artists: published on April 23 in eight languages.
- Sunday, 18: Papal Letter to His Holiness Alexis II, Patriarch of Moscow and all the Russias, on the occasion of the latter's trip to Belgrade to find peaceful solution to Kosovo conflict.
- Thursday, 22: Pope welcomes President Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen of Guatemala.
- Monday, 26: Visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon.
- Tuesday, 27: Pope writes U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan on eve of Annan's departure for Europe to seek peace in Yugoslavia.
- Thursday, 29: Holy See and Cook Islands establish diplomatic ties.
MAY
- Sunday, 2: Capuchin Padre Pio of Pietrelcina is beatified.
- Friday, 7: Pope departs for three-day trip to Romania: 86th foreign apostolic trip. Includes meeting with Orthodox Patriarch Teoctist. Pope participates in Orthodox liturgy, and Patriarch in Catholic liturgy.
- Monday, 10: Pope welcomes Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova. Rugova holds press conference in Holy See Press Office.
- Tuesday, 18: John Paul II turns 79. He welcomes German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
- Sunday, 23: Pentecost. Three priests ordained in Russia, the first in 82 years.
- Sunday, 30: Pope travels to Ancona, 135th trip within Italy.
JUNE
- Thursday, 3: John Paul II receives U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.
- Saturday, 5: Pope leaves for Poland, his 87th foreign pastoral trip. Until June 17.
- Friday, 11: Warsaw, Poland: Pope's first ever address to a national parliament.
- Wednesday, 30: Holy Father's Letter on "Pilgrimages to the Places Linked to the History of Salvation."
JULY
- Thursday, 8: Note is published by Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts on the authentic interpretation of canons dealing with care of Eucharist.
- Monday, 19: Diplomatic Relations with the Lesser Antilles.
AUGUST
- Saturday and Sunday, 7, 8: Cardinal Angelo Sodano represents Pope John Paul at the closing celebrations of the European Youth Meeting, being held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain from August 4-8.
SEPTEMBER
- Saturday, 4: One-day apostolic trip to Salerno, Italy: Pope John Paul's 136th such trip within Italy.
- Sunday, 5: Audience at Castelgandolfo with Yasser Arafat, president of the Palestinian National Authority.
- Monday, 13: Audiences to Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, apostolic administrator of Dili, East Timor, and Prime Minister Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili of Lesotho.
- Thursday, 16: Pope receives President Guido de Marco of the Republic of Malta.
- Saturday, 18: Pope receives King Abdullah Bin Hussein of Jordan.
- Sunday, 19: One-day apostolic trip to Slovenia: the Pope's 88th foreign pastoral trip.
- Thursday, 30: Audience for Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, president of Venezuela. Holy Father blesses newly restored facade of St. Peter's Basilica in an early evening ceremony, accompanied by fireworks, in St. Peter's Square.
OCTOBER
- Friday, 1: A concelebrated Mass in St. Peter's Basilica opens the Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops. During the Mass, Pope John Paul proclaims St. Edith Stein (Benedicta of the Cross), St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Catherine of Siena co-patronesses of Europe.
- Friday, 15: Holy Father's annual Message for World Food Day, on the theme "Young People Against Hunger."
- Saturday, 16: John Paul II marks the 21st anniversary of his election as Pope. His pontificate is the 10th longest in history (St. Peter's is considered the longest).
- Tuesday, 19: Official visit by Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. Also, an announcement that a joint team of Catholic and Jewish scholars will be formed to review published volumes of Church archival material covering the World War II period.
- Friday, 22: Final message of European Synod of Bishops.
- Saturday, 23: Closing Mass for Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops.
- Tuesday, 26: Publication of "The Letter of His Holiness John Paul II to the Elderly."
- Thursday, 28: Pope receives Franjo Tudjman, president of Croatia, and Croatia's foreign affairs minister, Mate Granic.
- Friday, 29: Pope grants audience to President Rudolf Schuster of Slovakia, and Slovakia's foreign affairs minister, Eduard Kukan. Holy Father and world's religious leaders gather in St. Peter's Square at conclusion of Inter-religious assembly in the Vatican.
- Sunday, 31: Joint Declaration on the Doctrine Justification signed in Augsburg, Germany by Catholic Church and World Lutheran Federation.
NOVEMBER
- Thursday, 4: Cardinal Cassidy attends enthronement of new Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II.
- Friday, 5: Pope leaves for five-day trip to India and Republic of Georgia on his 89th foreign pastoral visit. The Latin, Greek-Orthodox and Armenian patriarchs of Jerusalem announce that Holy Land shrines will be closed November 22 and 23 to express disapproval of the building of a mosque near the basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.
- Saturday, 6: John Paul II signs Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in Asia" in New Delhi.
- Saturday, 13: Audience to King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden.
- Monday, 15: Visit by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of the Republic of Algeria.
- Friday, 19: Pope receives Fernando Henrique Cardoso, president of Brazil.
- Monday, 22: Audiences to Carlos Saul Menem, president of Argentina, and Sheikh Hamad Bin Essa Al-Khalifa, emir of Bahrain.
- Tuesday, 23: Audiences to Martti Ahtisaari, president of Finland, and Jordan Sokolov, president of the Bulgarian parliament.
DECEMBER
- Friday, 10: Publication of papal Message to Catholics in China for the Jubilee Year.
- Saturday, 11: John Paul II inaugurates completely restored Sistine Chapel.
- Monday, 13: Audiences to president of Eritrea, Isaias Afwerki, and to His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX, patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians.
- Saturday, 18: Audience to Vaclav Havel, president of the Czech Republic.
- Monday, 20: Promulgation of decrees by Congregation for the Causes of Saints: includes Popes Pius IX and John XXIII among those who will be beatified.
- Friday, 24: Pope John Paul II opens Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica, to start the Jubilee Year 2000. Presides at the celebration of Christmas Midnight Mass.
- Saturday, 25: Christmas Day "Urbi et Orbi" Message and Blessing. Pope opens the Holy Door at the patriarchal basilica of St. John Lateran.
- Friday, 31: Vespers and traditional end-of-the-year "Te deum" of thanksgiving in St. Peter's Basilica. At midnight Pope appears at his window and wishes the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square a Happy New Year, new millennium and Jubilee year. He imparts his "Urbi et Orbi" blessing.
BE FAITHFUL TO CATHOLIC VALUES IN FACING CURRENT CHALLENGES
VATICAN CITY, OCT 11, 2003 (VIS) - This morning in the Paul VI Hall John Paul II received 2,000 pilgrims from the diocese of Ozieri, Italy who are in Rome on the occasion of the second centenary of the establishment of the diocese.
The Pope said that "in order to confront the challenges that this age of vast and swift social changes places before the Christian community, it is necessary to remain faithful to the perennial values of the faith and to represent them with language that is appropriate for today's world. Only a coherent proclamation of the Gospel can motivate men and women of the third millennium, who are ever more tired of words and often tempted to get discouraged."
"It is necessary," he continued, "to begin again with Christ Who died and rose for us. He is the font we must draw from in order to confront the problems and aspirations of young people, the concerns of families and the suffering of the sick and elderly, who find themselves alone. Christ gives us the courage to fight against the sad phenomena of criminality and homicidal violence. With your help, it is possible to build up a unified society that respects the dignity of all persons."
The Holy Father assured pilgrims from the diocese of Ozieri that "Jesus needs you so that His gospel may be better known and heard. ... May no effort be spared, no initiative be overlooked, no energy neglected for the purpose of making the Lord known to the men and women of Sardinia."
AC;...;...;DIOCESE OZIERI;VIS;20031013;Word: 270;
The Pope said that "in order to confront the challenges that this age of vast and swift social changes places before the Christian community, it is necessary to remain faithful to the perennial values of the faith and to represent them with language that is appropriate for today's world. Only a coherent proclamation of the Gospel can motivate men and women of the third millennium, who are ever more tired of words and often tempted to get discouraged."
"It is necessary," he continued, "to begin again with Christ Who died and rose for us. He is the font we must draw from in order to confront the problems and aspirations of young people, the concerns of families and the suffering of the sick and elderly, who find themselves alone. Christ gives us the courage to fight against the sad phenomena of criminality and homicidal violence. With your help, it is possible to build up a unified society that respects the dignity of all persons."
The Holy Father assured pilgrims from the diocese of Ozieri that "Jesus needs you so that His gospel may be better known and heard. ... May no effort be spared, no initiative be overlooked, no energy neglected for the purpose of making the Lord known to the men and women of Sardinia."
AC;...;...;DIOCESE OZIERI;VIS;20031013;Word: 270;
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