INVITE THE FAITHFUL TO ACCEPT CHURCH TEACHINGS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 19, 2002 (VIS) - This morning the Pope received prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Northeast region V) who just completed their "ad limina" visit.

John Paul II told the bishops that "the Gospel preached with fidelity by pastors, as 'teachers of faith' and defenders of the truth which sets people free, is something that will always lay the groundwork, as the common denominator, for each one of our meetings. I know well the difficulties that you encounter in carrying out your pastoral ministry: the lack of jobs, homes, ... problems with basic education, ... social inequality and the aggressive presence of sects."

"One cannot think about the challenges of the Church in Brazil by limiting oneself to certain questions - important but circumstantial - related to local politics, to the unjust seizure of land, and to the environment. To claim a participatory political model for the Church where decisions are voted on by a 'base', limited to society's poor and outcasts, not taking into account the presence of all the members of the People of God, would spoil the original redeeming sense urged by Christ."

The Holy Father emphasized that it is a "fundamental duty of the bishop, as pastor, to invite the members of the local Churches entrusted to him, to fully accept the teaching of the Church, respecting questions of faith and morality. ... A clear and unanimous teaching on questions will not cease to influence in a positive way in the necessary return to the sacrament of Reconciliation, which unfortunately today - even in the Catholic regions of your country - has been somewhat abandoned."

Referring later to the sacrament of Baptism, "the first sacrament of Christian initiation," the Pope said that it must "be seen above all as a 'free gift from God the Father'."

"Another indispensable duty of your priestly ministry," he continued, "consists in reaffirming the vital role of the Eucharist as 'font and center of all Christian life'. ... The shortage of priests and their unequal distribution, as well as the worrisome drop in the number of those who attend Sunday Mass regularly is a constant challenge for your Churches. It is evident that this situation prompts a provisional solution, in order not to leave the community abandoned, with the risk of progressive spiritual empoverishment."

The Holy Father ended by highlighting that "to look after priests is a very demanding service, especially when the fruits of pastoral work take a long time in coming, with the possible temptation to be discouraged or sad. Many pastors have the impression of working not in an evangelical vineyard but in an arid prairie. ... In the face of the enormous mission that has been entrusted to us, never allow yourselves to be overcome by fatigue or discouragement, because the Risen Lord walks with you and makes your efforts fruitful."

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CULTURAL PATRIMONY AND ARTISTIC-CULTURAL DIALOGUE

VATICAN CITY, OCT 19, 2002 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church, headed by its president, Archbishop Francesco Marchisano.

The theme which is being addressed in the plenary is: "Cultural patrimony for the territorial identity and for artistic-cultural dialogue among people."

After emphasizing that "the cultural patrimony of the Church constitutes favorable ground for fruitful intercultural comparison," the Pope said: "In this sense, it is more important than ever to guarantee the juridical protection of this patrimony with appropriate orientation and order which takes into account the religious, social and cultural demands of the local populations."

"With time," he continued, "one realizes how important it is to collaborate actively with administrations and civil institutions in order to create together, each one according to his own jurisdiction, effective synergies operating in defense and safeguard of the universal artistic patrimony."

The Pope emphasized that the "organic nature of the Church's patrimony does not allow for the separation of its aesthetic contemplation from its religious finality followed by pastoral action."

The Holy Father concluded by asking participants in the plenary to intensify through their work "a productive dialogue with contemporary artists, promoting with all the media an encounter and embrace between the Church and art."

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POPE GREETS PILGRIMS IN ROME FOR BEATIFICATIONS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 21, 2002 (VIS) - Pope John Paul this morning in the Paul VI Hall welcomed the many pilgrims who came to Rome for yesterday's beatification ceremony in St. Peter's Square, saying that the Church presents the six new Blesseds "as models to imitate and powerful intercessors to God."

In English, the Pope greeted the pilgrims from Uganda and other regions of Africa and the world who came to celebrate the beatification of two young Ugandan catechists, Blesseds Daudi Okelo and Jildo Irwa. He called them "a shining example of fidelity to Christ, commitment to Christian living and selfless dedication to the service of neighbor." He noted that they set out to evangelize "fully accepting the difficulties and dangers they knew awaited them."

Of Bishop Andrea Giacinto Longhin of the diocese of Treviso, Italy, the Holy Father noted the "great attention he devoted to the formation of clergy," exhorting priests, in his spiritual testament, to "become, please become saints!" He added that this Capuchin religious was an "ever attentive and thoughtful father" to priests, and to his entire flock, "especially the most humble and the poorest."

The Holy Father then spoke of Blessed Marcantonio Durando, a member of the Congregation of the Mission, or Vincentians, whose confreres called him "the St. Vincent of Italy, who glowed with extraordinary charity that he knew how to infuse into every work he undertook," from community service to missionary work to founding the Nazarene Sisters.

John Paul II welcomed the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, whose foundress, French-born Mary of the Passion, was beatified. "May you be able," he said in French, "to study more deeply the rich spirituality of your foundress and help young people to discover the joy of giving themselves entirely to God."

Lastly, the Pope greeted the pilgrims, especially the Sisters of St. Francis de Sales who came for the beatification of Liduina Meneguzzi. He said that "the most lively and concrete dimension transparent in Sister Liduina's life was a deeply missionary soul. In Africa she was 'everything to everyone' in charity, helping the wounded, encouraging the afflicted and consoling the dying."

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SIX SERVANTS OF GOD FROM ITALY, FRANCE AND UGANDA BEATIFIED

VATICAN CITY, OCT 20, 2002 (VIS) - Today, World Mission Sunday, the Pope celebrated the Eucharist in St. Peter's Square and beatified the following Servants of God: Daudi Okelo (1902-1918) and Jildo Irwa (1906-1918), lay people; Italian Bishop Andrea Giacinto Longhin (1863-1936) of the Order of the Friars Minor Capuchins; Marcantonio Durando (1801-1880), priest of the Congregation of the Mission and Founder of the Nazarene Sisters; Mary of the Passion (nee Helene Marie de Chappotin de Neuville) (1839-1904), foundress of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary and Liduina Meneguzzi (1901-1941), virgin, sister of the Institute of San Francis de Sales (Salesians).

At the beginning of the Mass, the Holy Father thanked Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, dean of the College of Cardinals, for his wishes on behalf of everyone for the recent anniversary of his election to the See of Peter.

In his homily, John Paul II said that the young Ugandan catechists Daudi Okelo and Jildo Irwa, killed because of hatred of the faith in October of 1918, "are for the Christian community examples of holiness and virtue and models and intercessors for catechists around the world, especially in places where people continue to suffer for defending the faith and sometimes face social isolation and even personal danger."

The Pope spoke about Blessed Longhin, who was bishop of the diocese of Treviso, Italy for 32 years, highlighting that "in an age marked by dramatic and painful events he showed himself to be a father to priests and a faithful pastor to the people, always one with them, especially in moments of difficulty and danger."

The Holy Father said that in the school of St. Vincent de Paul, Blessed Durando "knew how to recognize in the humanity of Christ the greatest expression, and at the same time, most accessible and disarming, of God's love for man."

"Prayer and the Eucharist," he affirmed of Blessed Chappotin de Neuville, "were the center of her missionary commitment, because for her adoration and the mission merged on the same path. Nourished by the Scriptures and the Fathers of the Church, mystical and active, passionate and intrepid, she gave herself with an intuitive and bold willingness to the universal mission of the Church."

The Pope indicated that Blessed Meneguzzi "dedicated her life to the service of her poorest brothers and sisters and those who suffered, in particular, in the hospital of the mission of Dire Dawa in Ethiopia. With fervent apostolic ardor, she tried to help others to get to know Jesus, Our Savior."

After concluding the Mass and before praying the Angelus, John Paul II greeted the Italian, French, and Ugandan delegations which participated in the beatification. He recalled also "the many missionaries - priests, religious and lay people - who spend their energy in the service of Christ, sometimes paying with their blood." Finally, he thanked "those who collaborate with them through missionary work and contribute effectively in this way to building the Kingdom of God in the world."

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CONTEMPLATE CHRIST'S FACE, EFFECTIVE KEY TO CATECHESIS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 19, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II wrote a Message to Cardinal Fiorenzo Angelini, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, on the occasion of the Sixth Annual International Congress of the International Institute of Research on the Face of Christ.

"While zealously and intelligently encouraging the contribution of so many illustrious experts, researchers, theologians, writers and artists in studying Christ's countenance," writes the Pope, "the International Institute of Research makes a significant contribution to the presentation of Christ's human and divine character which facilitates knowledge in terms of theological reflection as well as pastoral action."

The Holy Father goes on to explain that the first point, "the study of the Face of Christ, delineated in the Psalms and in the Prophets and described with rich expression in the New Testament, becomes a path and introduction to an even deeper Christological and anthropological knowledge." Referring to pastoral action, John Paul II emphasizes that "the Church, teacher of humanity, recognizes in the face of Christ Who suffers and rises from the dead, the face ... of man to whom Christ offers redemption and salvation." Contemplating Christ in this way is a means of proposing once again "the theology lived by the saints which is the brightest witness of truly following Jesus and the most valid help in our time for an effective Christian catechesis."

At the end of the Message, the Pope recalls the "ecumenical content" of this reflection since "in the search ... for these virtues, the East and the West meet and integrate."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 21, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Msgr. Manuel da Rocha Felicio, president of the General Secretariat for Clergy of the diocese of Viseu, Portugal, as auxiliary of the patriarchate of Lisbon (area 3,735, population 2,205,077, Catholics 1,894,315, priests 600, permanent deacons 30, religious 1,788), Portugal. The bishop-elect was born in 1947 in Mamouros, Portugal and was ordained a priest in 1973.

- Msgr. Charles Scicluna as promoter of Justice at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

It was made public on Saturday October 19 that the Holy Father appointed:

- Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, as his special envoy to the solemn celebrations of the 1950th anniversary of the arrival of St. Thomas the Apostle in India and of the 450th anniversary of the beginning of St. Francis Xavier's mission. These celebrations will take place in Ernakulam, India on November 16 and 17, 2002.

- Msgr. Paul Tschang In-Nam, nunciature counsellor, as apostolic nuncio in Bangladesh, elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Seoul, Korea in 1949 and was ordained a priest in 1976.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 21, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Georg Eder of Salzburg, Austria.
- Three prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Northeast I-IV) on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Celso Jose Pinto da Silva of Teresina.
- Bishop Augusto Alves da Rocha of Oeiras-Floriano.
- Bishop Jose Doth de Oliveira of Iguatu.

On Saturday October 19, the Holy Father received in separate audiences:
- Mikhail Sergeevic Gorbaciov.
- Archbishop Fortunato Baldelli, apostolic nuncio in France.
- Pedro Jose Rivera Saavedra, ambassador of Bolivia, on his farewell visit.
- Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments.

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ARCHBISHOP MARTINO SPEAKS ON CULTURE, DEVELOPMENT AT U.N.

VATICAN CITY, OCT 21, 2002 (VIS) - On October 17, Archbishop Renato Martino, head of the Holy See Observer Delegation to the United Nations to the 57th session of the General Assembly, spoke before the Second Committee during the debate on Item 88c on Culture and Development.

The archbishop, who is also the president-elect of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, highlighted the Report by the director general of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, noting that it is part of the ongoing discussions on Item 88c. He said the Report "outlines the principles concerning the impact of culture on the relevance, success and sustainability of development policies. ... These principles must be based upon the recognition of the human dignity, the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and respect for cultural differences and uniqueness."

"This echoes the statement," Archbishop Martino affirmed, "made by the Holy See during the recent World Summit on Sustainable Development: 'The fact that the earth and all its resources are part of the 'common heritage of all humanity' creates the understanding which fosters interdependence, stresses responsibility and underlines the importance of the principle of global solidarity. This reality becomes the foundation of sustainable development by directing the moral imperatives of justice, international cooperation, peace, security, and the desire to enhance the spiritual and material well-being of present and future generations'."

He asserted that committee discussions "must focus on finding the means to allow culture to complement development as development must complement culture."

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, OCT 21, 2002 (VIS) - In recent weeks the following prelates died:

- Bishop Desiderio Elso Collino, emeritus of Lomas de Zamora, Argentina, on October 4 at age 76.
- Bishop James Collins, C.SS.R., emeritus of Miracema do Tocantins, Brazil, on October 4 at age 81.
- Archbishop Italo Severino Di Stefano, emeritus of San Juan de Cuyo, Argentina, on October 11 at age 79.
- Bishop Jean Huard of Tournai, Belgium on October 4 at age 74.
- Bishop Angelo Kim Nam-Sou, emeritus of Suwon, Korea, on June 1 at age 79.
- Archbishop Philip Francis Smith, O.M.I., emeritus of Cotabato, Philipines on September 30 at age 77.
- Bishop Marcos Zuluaga Arteche, C.M.F., former auxiliary of the apostolic vicariate of Darien, Panama on October 1 at age 83.

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