ADDRESS TO CANADIAN BISHOPS ON YOUTH PASTORAL MINISTRY

VATICAN CITY, APR 22, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning received the bishops of the apostolic region of Quebec, Canada, including Montreal's two new auxiliaries and the Maronite and Melkite ordinaries, and focussed his talk to them on the importance of youth pastoral ministry.

Addressing the prelates in French, the Pope congratulated them for their "efforts ... in proposing the faith to young people in a renewed and concerted way."

He highlighted the family's role in passing the faith on to children: "Being awakened to the faith within the family is of capital importance. ... The family has an irreplaceable and specific role in (a child's) human and spiritual formation. Childhood is an important period for the discovery of human, moral and spiritual values. And as you yourself have admitted, it is often an occasion for parents to ask themselves about their own faith, their attachment to Christ and the conformity of their lives with the Gospel."

Addressing the difficulties often encountered by those responsible for youth ministry, John Paul II encouraged them "not to despair if they do not immediately see the fruits of their work. ... In today's society, ... young people carry within them questions and sufferings which are marked by personal and social behavior which can disconcert those close to them, notably the phenomena of violence and drugs, as well as suicidal behavior. ... Education requires infinite patience and a loving closeness."

"Young people, "he went on, "need educators and spiritual directors who are competent, wise and sensitive in their ways of leading (youth)." In fact, the Pope said he "could not recommend too highly to priests, consecrated persons and lay people working in this ministry to propose to young people the experience of a spiritual director."

"So that young people might grow in their faith," stated Pope John Paul, "it would be good to assure them of a place and give them their share of responsibility, not only in groups their age, but also within the heart of local communities.. ... In your dioceses, large gatherings or even smaller groups are regularly organized to help young people to reflect on their emotional lives and on the vocation to marriage, transmitting to them the meaning and the value of human sexuality. ... In a world where the family unit is fragile and where many wounds deeply affect young people, ... the Church has the duty to educate them to an emotional life built on healthy human and moral values."

The Holy Father's concluding remarks were dedicated to what he termed "one of the primordial dimensions of the episcopal ministry, ... the pastoral ministry for vocations to the priesthood, which must be constantly organized and developed, thanks to priests and to solid and dynamic and laity, while taking care to give young priests, who can be models and examples, an active role in this sphere."

"Jesus calls certain young men and women to follow Him," stated the Pope, "in a more exclusive manner and to dedicate themselves totally to Him in the religious life. ... This call of Christ's to the consecrated life is an eloquent witness for today's world, reminding us that true happiness comes from Christ and the freedom of the human person cannot be separated from either the truth or from God."

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AUDIENCE FOR WRITERS AT "LA CIVILTA CATTOLICA" MAGAZINE

VATICAN CITY, APR 22, 1999 (VIS) - The Pope received at midday today the writers of the Jesuit-run Italian magazine, "La Civilta Cattolica" (Catholic Civilization), who are commemorating the 150th anniversary of the magazine's founding.

John Paul II highlighted its "total adherence, even if it is sometimes difficult, to Holy See teaching and directives, and the love and veneration for the Pope" during these years.

"Among the magazine's merits, I would like to point out the promptness with which it welcomed the renewal of the Church undertaken by the Second Vatican Council, and the commitment to make known to a vast readership the (Council's) events, the questions discussed and its documents."

The Holy Father encouraged the writers to be interpreters of the Council teachings, "particularly on subjects such as Christology, Ecclesiology and the Magisterium of the Church, the role of the laity and the specificity of Christianity in inter-religious dialogue, religious freedom, the relationship between cultures and ecumenism, instruments of mass communication and their problematic impact on the mentality and behavior of people today."

The "great transformations" of the present day require "a courageous commitment to educate (people) in a strong adult faith, able to give meaning to life, and which resists attacks of an often secularized culture."

The Pope highlighted that "'La Civilta Cattolica' is called to contribute to the overcoming of the separation of faith and modern culture, and between faith and moral behavior."

Having referred to "social injustice" and the "power of money and an uncontrolled global economy," which put difficulties in the way of "welcoming the Gospel message," the Pontiff encouraged the magazine to continue in its role of "spreading the social doctrine of the Church, which the changes in society and the world of work made ever more current and urgent."

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POPE TO NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATES: PEACE IS NOT A DREAM

VATICAN CITY, APR 22, 1999 (VIS) - "Peace is not a dream" were John Paul II's words of welcome to Nobel Peace Prize laureates, received this morning in audience in the Vatican.

The Nobel winners, currently taking part in a series of meetings organized by The Gorbachev Foundation, are: Mikhail Gorbachev, Shimon Peres, Frederik De Klerk, David Trimble, Rigoberta Menchu, Betty Williams and Joseph Rotblat.

In his speech, the Holy Father emphasized that the peace issue is at the heart of political life. "Your meeting," he said, "is taking place at an especially tragic moment for Europe. How can we fail to renew a vigorous appeal for an end to ethnic conflicts in the Balkans and the clash of arms, for a return to dialogue and respect for the dignity of all persons and all communities, in the name of fundamental human rights! Nor can we forget the human tragedies occurring in so many areas of the world, especially in Africa and Asia."

"Coming together as you do from different cultures and nations," continued the Pontiff, "your meeting is a sign that peace can only come about when we move beyond move beyond visions of man and society based on race, religion, nationalism or, more generally, based on the exclusion of others."

Referring to the imminent new millennium, the Pope added: "Humanity needs to be encouraged to advance decisively along the paths of real and lasting peace and to build a civilization based on the desire for a coexistence which respects the diversity of people, their histories, their cultures and their spiritual traditions. Rather than feeding new antagonisms, globalization must lead to a rejection of armed conflict, narrow nationalism and all forms of violence."

"Peace is not a vague idea or a dream; it is a reality which must be painstakingly constructed day after day through the efforts of all."

"Those who seek to be peacemakers should be strongly supported, since their efforts are aimed at creating a better life for everyone, a society in which each person has his or her place and in which all can live in peace and harmony, developing the gifts received from the Creator."

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INAUGURATION TOMORROW OF EXHIBITION ON PAUL VI AND ART

VATICAN CITY, APR 22, 1999 (VIS) - Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, this morning presented at the Holy See Press Office, the exhibition "Paul VI - A Light for Art," organized by the Vatican Museums.

Cardinal Szoka explained that the exhibition will open to the public tomorrow afternoon in the Charlemagne Wing, at the left colonnade of St. Peter's Square, until June 12. Ninety-five portraits of the Pope done by 37 artists will be on display, he said, adding that the show's catalog "offers, through pictures and writings, a beautiful witness to the relationship between the Pontiff and the world of art."

The exhibition, added Francesco Buranelli, regent director general of the Museums, "is a homage to Pope Paul VI's great love for art, and a 'thank you' to contemporary artists who responded to his interest, generating in those years the rebirth of an art which would present once again the great theme of religiosity in its broadest sense."

"The passion which Paul VI had for the arts was abundantly reciprocated because the portrait art regarding him is immense and has an infinite number of facets. This exhibition, on the occasion of the first centenary of his birth (1897), clearly highlights this. If the work on show is a selection of the most important paintings, sculptures and drawings, the complete list of his portraits numbers six-hundred, which gives an idea of the emotional impact which the personality of this Pontiff and his sensitive noble figure had on artists."

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JOHN PAUL II RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA

VATICAN CITY, APR 22, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office at midday today issued the following communique: "Today, Thursday April 22, His Holiness John Paul II received in audience President Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen of the Republic of Guatemala.

"Subsequently, he met with His Eminence Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State.

"In the course of the meeting, the reconciliation process underway in the country and current relations between Church and State were discussed, particularly because of the restated necessity to shed light as soon as possible on the painful case of the murder of Bishop Juan Gerardi, auxiliary of Guatemala. There was also an exchange of opinion on international affairs.

"Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States and Eduardo Stein, foreign affairs minister of the Republic of Guatemala, also took part in the meeting."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 21, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Mr. Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen, president of the Republic of Guatemala, and his entourage.
- Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, archbishop of Palermo, Italy, on his "ad limina" visit.
- A group of nine prelates from the Italian Episcopal Conference (first group, Sicily region) on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Pio Vittorio Vigo of Monreale.
- Bishop Alfredo Maria Garsia of Caltanissetta.
- Bishop Carmelo Perraro of Agrigento.
- Bishop Emanuele Catarinicchia of Mazaro del Vallo.
- Bishop Vincenzo Cirrincione of Piazza Armerina.
- Bishop Rosario Mazzola of Cefalu. - Bishop Sotir Ferrara of Piana degli Albanesi.
- Bishop Francesco Micciche of Trapani.
- Bishop Salvatore Pappalardo of Nicosia.

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