CELEBRATIONS PRESIDED BY THE POPE: DECEMBER AND JANUARY

VATICAN CITY, NOV 25, 2003 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff made public today the calendar of celebrations at which the Holy Father will preside between December 8 and January 1:

DECEMBER

- Monday, 8: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Homage to Mary Immaculate, Spanish Steps, at 4 p.m.

- Thursday, 11: Mass for students of the Roman Athenaeums at 5:30 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica.

- Wednesday, 24: Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord. Midnight Mass in the Vatican Basilica.

- Thursday, 25: Solemnity of the Birth of the Lord. "Urbi et Orbi" blessing at noon.

- Wednesday, 31: Vespers and "Te Deum" of thanksgiving at 6 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica.

JANUARY

- Thursday, 1: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and 37th World Day of Peace. Mass in the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 25, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, prime minister of Portugal, and an entourage.

- Three prelates from the French Episcopal Conference on their 'ad limina' visit:

- Bishop Gilbert Louis of Chalons.

- Bishop Marc Stenger of Troyes.

- Bishop Philippe Gueneley of Langres.

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PROCESS OF BEATIFICATION OF JOHN PAUL I OPENED

VATICAN CITY, NOV 25, 2003 (VIS) - On Sunday, November 23, the process of the beatification of Albino Luciani, John Paul I, was opened with a solemn liturgy in the cathedral of Belluno, Italy. John Paul I was pope for thirty-three days.

The ceremony was presided by Bishop Vincenzo Savio of Belluno-Feltre, Italy. Among those present were Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Bishop Alfredo Magarotto of Vittorio Veneto, a delegation from the patriarchate of Venice, as well as the deceased pope's brother, Berto, and several nieces and nephews.

Albino Luciani was born in 1912 in Forno di Canale, Italy, now known as Canale d'Agordo. He was ordained a priest in 1935 and was appointed bishop of Vittorio Veneto by Blessed John XXIII in 1958. In 1969, Paul VI appointed him as the patriarch of Venice and in 1973 he was created a cardinal. After the death of Paul VI, he participated in the conclave in which he was elected as the successor of Peter on August 26, 1978. On September 28, only 33 days after his election, he died.

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints and the vicar of Rome approved the opening of the process for the beatification of John Paul I in the diocese of Belluno-Feltre in Northern Italy. The opening of the process did not take place in Rome due to the brevity of his pontificate, unlike those of his predecessors Pius XII, John XXIII and Paul VI. However, a part of the process will be celebrated in Rome as many of the people who knew him and worked with him reside in the capital.

In order for John Paul I to be beatified, the approval of a miracle received through his intercession is necessary. At that point, another miracle must be approved in order for canonization.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 25, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Antonio R. Tobias of San Fernando de La Union, Philippines, as bishop of the diocese of Novaliches (area 138, population 1,658,872, Catholics 1,492,984, priests 121, religious 127), Philippines. He succeeds Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani whose resignation he accepted from the pastoral care of the same diocese in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Fr. Michael Miller, C.S.B., president of St. Thomas University in Houston, U.S.A., as secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, elevating him at the same time to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Ottawa, Canada in 1946 and was ordained a priest in 1975. The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the office of the same congregation presented by Archbishop Giuseppe Pittau upon having reached the age limit.

- Erected the eparchy of Emdeber Ethiopia, with territory taken from the metropolitan archeparchy of Addis Ababa, making it a suffragen of the same ecclesiastical circumscription.

- Appointed Fr. Musie Ghebreghiorgis, O.F.M. Cap., rector of the Philosophical and Theological Institute of Capuchin Fathers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as bishop of Emdeber (area 9,176, Catholics 18,476, priests 22, religious 12), Ethiopia. The bishop-elect was born in 1949 in Eritrea, and was ordained a priest in 1976.

- Appointed Fr. Hector Vargas Bastidas, S.D.B., provincial vicar of the Salesians in Chile, as bishop of Arica (area 16,521, population 197,856, Catholics 149.378, priests 24, religious 28), Chile. The bishop-elect was born in Valdivia, Chile in 1951 and was ordained a priest in 1978.

- Appointed Bishop Thomas James Olmsted of Wichita, U.S.A., as bishop of Phoenix (area 113,831, population 3,651,780, Catholics 478,163, priests 304, permanent deacons 203, religious 338,), U.S.A.

- Appointed Archbishop Erwin Josef Ender, apostolic nuncio in the Czech Republic, as apostolic nuncio in Germany.

- Appointed Fr. Josef Clemens, undersecretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, as secretary of the Pontifical Council for Laity, elevating him to the dignity of bishop. The bishop-elect was born in 1947 in Siegen, Germany and was ordained a priest in 1975.

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POPE RECEIVES BELGIAN BISHOPS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 22, 2003 (VIS) - Today John Paul II received bishops from Belgium at the end of their 'ad limina' visit. In his speech, he emphasized the difficulty of their ministry, but also the signs of hope for the Church in their country.

'The information that I receive about the situation of the Church in your country,' said the Pope, 'is particularly troubling to me. Real and serious concern cannot be hidden about the scarce regularity and importance of religious practice in your country which affects Sunday Mass and the sacraments, especially baptism, reconciliation and marriage. In addition, the consistent drop in the number of priests and the persistent crisis of vocations are a serious concern for you.'

'The rapid changes that you notice,' he continued, ' surely correspond to a sensitive evolution of society, characterized by great secularization which could make one think that Belgian society has turned its back on its Christian roots. Your country, in addition, has recently approved new and disturbing legislation on material relative to the fundamental dimensions of human and social life, such as birth, marriage and the family, illness and death. You have never stopped addressing these issues .. which profoundly affect the ethical dimension of human life.'

'Therefore, it is a new pastoral terrain, unsteady and difficult, where you live your mission as pastors of the Church of Christ ' In a society that loses track of its traditional points of reference and that promotes general relativism in the name of pluralism, our first duty is to introduce Christ, His Gospel of peace which sheds new light on man's destiny. ' I invite you therefore to actively continue dialogue with civil society and the Belgian people ' and to explicitly introduce the values of Christian faith and the rich experience of human beings throughout history and cultures, not in order to impose your own model but out of respect for the truth of which you are ministers in the name of Christ and respect for dialogue itself which demands that the legitimate and individual identity of each person is taken into account.'

John Paul II praised, 'the quality of pastoral collaboration' of the bishops and their priests, 'the ever-more active participation of the lay faithful in the mission of the Church' and their 'attention in educating young people. I congratulate you,' he said, 'for having clearly reaffirmed the principles of Catholic teaching and your devotion to your identity.'

'But in addition to difficulties,' the Holy Father concluded, ' ' you emphasized the signs of a possible renewal: the vigor of pilgrimages, the attraction of the silence of monasteries, the increase in the number of adult catechumens, ' the desire for a more authentic spiritual life. The hope of believers ' illuminates the life of the lay faithful. In important discussions that provoke Belgian society it is necessary that you give double testimony: testimony to the prophetic word, taking a clear position in line with the Gospel and testimony of action, of men and women committed in the good times and difficulties of daily life, in married and family life, in work and social and political responsibilities.'

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