POPE, WORLD RELIGIOUS LEADERS GATHER IN ST. PETER'S SQUARE

VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 1999 (VIS) - Last evening in St. Peter's Square, on the fourth and final day of the Inter-religious assembly which has been meeting in the Vatican, Pope John Paul addressed the "many esteemed religious leaders who have travelled long distances to be present at this concluding ceremony," greeting them with "joy" and "in the peace which the world cannot give."

"I have always believed that religious leaders have a vital role to play in nurturing that hope of justice and peace without which there will be no future worthy of humanity," he told the participants in this meeting convened by the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.

"As we survey the situation of humanity," the Holy Father observed, "is it too much to speak of 'a crisis of civilization'? We see great technological advances, but these are not always accompanied by great spiritual and moral progress. We see as well a growing gap between the rich and the poor. ... Many people make great sacrifices to show solidarity with those suffering want or hunger or disease, but there still is lacking the collective will to overcome scandalous inequalities. ... Then there are the many conflicts continually breaking out around the world."

"Surely," he underscored, "this is not the way humanity is supposed to live."

He remarked that "there are some who claim that religion is part of the problem, blocking humanity's way to true peace and prosperity. As religious people it is our duty to demonstrate that this is not the case. Any use of religion to support violence is an abuse of religion. Religion is not, and must not become, a pretext for conflict, particularly when religious, cultural and ethnic identity coincide."

John Paul II affirmed that "the task before us to promote a culture of dialogue," must not only be taught, but also "translated into action."

"It is a sign of hope," he said, "that in many parts of the world inter-religious associations have been established to promote joint reflection and action." And he cited efforts by such groups to mediate between warring parties, "to protect the unborn, to uphold the rights of women and children, and to defend the innocent."

Pope John Paul closed by recalling the journey to Assisi thirteen years ago by world religious leaders for the World Day of Prayer for Peace. "Since that time," he stressed, "the 'spirit of Assisi' has been kept alive through various initiatives in different parts of the world. ... Our gathering today in St. Peter's Square is another step on that journey."

AC;INTERRELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY;...;...;VIS;19991029;Word: 430;

THE UNIVERSITY HAS AN ESSENTIALLY EDUCATIVE VOCATION

VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 1999 (VIS) - This morning, John Paul II received the rector, professors and students of Rome's Free University of Mary Most Holy (LUMSA) on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of its foundation.

In his speech, the Pope said that "the path followed by LUMSA over these last sixty years has been characterized by a kind of intelligent and courageous 'cultural charity' which has always sought - with appropriate means and methods - to respond to the most pressing expectations of the young."

The Holy Father highlighted that the acquisition of knowledge is not university's only goal: "it has an essentially educative vocation which, through the impartial search for truth, seeks the harmonious edification of the character. ... The carrying out of this 'educative work' demands that the university be a true community, one in which teachers and students can establish constructive interpersonal relations."

In order to respond to the "crisis of meaning" which is the result of "the phenomenon of the fragmentation of knowledge," he indicated that it is necessary to "promote a culture of philosophy that 'recovers its sapiental dimension as a search for the ultimate and over-arching meaning of life' in harmony with the Word of God." He added: "I trust that your athenaeum, faithful to its original inspiration, may know how to take up this challenge."

Addressing the students, the Pope said: "The Church needs your youth, needs it committed to truth, peace and charity. At the threshold of the third millennium, this demands that you be fearless workers in the task of constructing 'a finer, purer and saintlier humanity, one that is pleasing to God whom men and women yearn for and need, especially today'."

AC;...;...;LUMSA;VIS;19991029;Word: 290;

FINAL DECLARATION FROM INTER-RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY

VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 1999 (VIS) - Last evening, during a celebration in St. Peter's Square with the Holy Father to conclude the inter-religious assembly which had met throughout the week to discuss collaboration among the different religions, the participants in that meeting published a final Message.

The assembly was organized and promoted by the Central Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 and by the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue whose president, Cardinal Francis Arinze, made brief introductory remarks.

Following are excerpts from that Declaration, released in English:

"We are conscious of the urgent need:
- To confront together responsibly and courageously the problems and challenges of our modern world (poverty, racism, environmental pollution, materialism, war and the proliferation of arms, globalization, AIDS, lack of medical care, breakdown of family and community, marginalization of women and children etc.).
- To work together to affirm human dignity as the source of human rights and their corresponding duties, in the struggle for justice and peace for all.
- To create a new spiritual consciousness for all humanity in accordance with the religious traditions so that the principle of respect for freedom of religion and freedom of conscience may prevail.

"We are convinced that our religious traditions have the necessary resources to overcome the fragmentations which we observe in the world and to foster mutual friendship and respect between peoples.
"We are aware that many tragic conflicts around the world are the result of the pragmatic but often unjust association of religions with nationalistic, political, economic or other interests."

"We know that the problems in the world are so great that we cannot solve them alone. Therefore there is an urgent need for inter-religious collaboration."

"Collaboration among the different religions must be based on the rejection of fanaticism, extremism and mutual antagonisms which lead to violence."

"We appeal to all the leaders of the world whatever their field of influence:
- To refuse to allow religion to be used to incite hatred and violence.
- To refuse to allow religion to be used to justify discrimination.
- To respect the role of religion in society at international, national and local levels.
- To eradicate poverty and strive for social and economic justice."

CON-DIR;INTERRELIGIOUS; DECLARATION;...;ARINZE;VIS;19991029;Word: 370;

TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF ARMENIA'S PRIME MINISTER

VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 1999 (VIS) - Following is the telegram, made public yesterday afternoon, that the Holy Father sent to President Robert Kocharian of Armenia, upon the death a day earlier of that country's prime minister, Vazken Sarkissian:

"Having learned of the dramatic death of Vazken Sarkissian, prime minister of Armenia, and with him other politicians of your country, I join in Your Excellency's pain, as well as that of all Armenians, wounded in their identity and in their institutions. I ask the Lord to receive in His peace and light those who were killed in the shooting, asking all Armenians of good will to remain united so that the nation might preserve its institutional stability and so that everyone might commit themselves to promote more and more each day the spiritual and material well-being of the population. I pray to God for the families in mourning, for the wounded and those close to them, that they might find comfort in their trials. Entrusting the future of the Armenian nation to the intercession of her saints, I implore almighty God for the gift of peace and hope for all the Armenian people."

TGR;DEATH PRIME MINISTER;...;ARMENIA; KOCHARIAN;VIS;19991029;Word: 210;

DECLARATION ON CONSTRUCTION OF PARKING LOT

VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 1999 (VIS) - Given below are excerpts from the declaration, made this afternoon by Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls, concerning the construction of an underground parking lot near Vatican City:

"I reiterate that, during excavation work for the parking lot on the Janiculum Hill, within Vatican territory, no archaeological finds were made.

"This fact has also been noted by experts from the administration of the Vatican's Classical Antiquities Section who, invited to visit the site during the initial phases (in which the strata most exposed to anthropic action were being excavated), found nothing of any archaeological interest during their investigations. As excavation continued no historical or archaeological material came to light.

"Although the site is situated in an extraterritorial zone, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples entrusted the overseeing and supervision of works to a special surveillance commission made up of authoritative technical experts from both Italy and the Vatican."

"All phases of the work, therefore, were carried out under the close and assiduous supervision of these experts."

"It is simply ridiculous to affirm that the material excavated was dumped furtively and under cover of darkness."

OP;PARKING LOT;...;NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;19991029;Word: 200;

SIGNING OF JOINT DECLARATION ON JUSTIFICATION

VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 1999 (VIS) - Today, in Augsburg, Germany, starts a three day gathering of Catholics and Lutherans, which will culminate Sunday, October 31, in the signing by both parties of the Joint Declaration of the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation on the Doctrine of Justification.

The three-day meeting, announced last June 11, includes press conferences, ecumenical services and liturgies as well as musical programs. Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, is representing the Catholic Church and will sign the declaration.

A key sentence in the document, which summarizes the common understanding of justification by Catholics and Lutherans, can be found in paragraph 15: "Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work, and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God, and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works."

"This is indeed an historic day for the modern Ecumenical Movement," reads a comment by Cardinal Cassidy, which was published this afternoon. "The consensus reached with the Lutheran World Federation on basic truths of the doctrine of justification is of great significance, not only for the two parties directly involved, but also for the whole ecumenical movement, since the doctrine of justification is at the very heart of the Christian faith. It was the different understanding of this fundamental Christian teaching, particularly, that resulted in the disputes that led to the Reformation."
"This is not, of course," he added, "the end of the road with regard to our dialogue on this question and its consequences. As the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification itself points out, much work still has to be done. But this was a necessary step that had to be taken before further progress could be made."

CON-UC;JUSTIFICATION;...;GERMANY; CASSIDY;VIS;19991029;Word: 270;

POPE WELCOMES PRESIDENT OF SLOVAKIA

VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration this afternoon:

"Today, Friday October 29, 1999, the Holy Father received Rudolf Schuster, president of the Republic of Slovakia, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Eduard Kukan.

"Later, President Schuster visited Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano. Also present at the meeting was Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States.

"During the talks, the existing relations between the Holy See and the Republic of Slovakia were examined, and commitments made for a harmonious cooperation between the parties, especially in view of a bilateral agreement to regulate several questions of common interest."

OP;...;...;SLOVAKIA; SCHUSTER; NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;19991029;Word: 120;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Juan Jose Omella Omella, auxiliary of Zaragoza, Spain, as bishop of Barbastro-Monzon (area 6,714, population 68,454, Catholics 67,800, priests 101, religious 168), Spain. He succeeds Bishop Ambrosio Echebarria Arroita whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Francisco Ciuraneta Aymi of Menorca, Spain, as bishop of Lleida (area 4,494, population 220,915, Catholics 217,886, priests 153, permanent deacons 2, religious 305), Spain. He succeeds Bishop Ramon Malla Call whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

NER; RE;...;...;...;VIS;19991029;Word: 110;

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Rudolf Schuster, president of the Republic of Slovakia, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.
- Two prelates from the western region of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Vincent Cadieux O.M.I., of Moosonee.
- Bishop Gerald Wiesner O.M.I., of Prince George.

This evening he is scheduled to receive Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

AP; AL;...;...;...;VIS;19991029;Word: 80;

NOTICE

VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 1999 (VIS) - We would like to remind our subscribers that there will be no VIS service on Monday, November 1 and Tuesday, November 2, respectively All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Service will resume on Wednesday, November 3.


...;...;...;...;VIS;19991029;Word: 40;