"COR UNUM" REPORT ON PAPAL CHARITY IN 2002

VATICAN CITY, JUL 17, 2003 (VIS) - Made public today was a report from the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" on the Pope's charitable activity throughout the world in 2002, including contributions to countries affected by natural disasters and war, as well as human advancement in developing countries. The council is the principal curia office for administering papal charity.

The report opens with reference to trips made by council president, Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, including one to Uganda from October 25 to 30, 2002 during which he distributed 500,000 euros donated by the Holy Father for projects sponsored by local Catholic NGOs (Non-governmental Organizations) and by the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. During his stay in the Holy Land November 4-10 he presented $400,000 to the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, the Franciscan Fathers, Caritas and several other Catholic communities. Finally, on his visit to the Ukraine on December 2 and 3, he participated in a seminar on pastoral charity with bishops of the Greek-Catholic and Latin rite.

The dicastery that administers papal charity assigned $1,917,700 for aid to populations affected by disasters, terrorism and war. Assistance to the Holy Land and to victims of terrorism and war came from funds raised on the World Day of Prayer and Fasting on December 14, 2001. In addition, Cor Unum's president delivered $150,000 to help populations affected by war.

The Pope was able to give $1,905,606 and 25,331 euros - fruit of the generosity of many faithful - to 48 countries for projects involving health care, education, professional formation and agriculture as well as those for the home, and for aid to youths, the elderly and women.

The report indicates that the Board of Directors of the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel, founded by the Pope in 1984, approved at a meeting in February the financing of 233 projects concerning the environment, water, agriculture, self-development and professional formation for a total of 2,354,894 euros.

The report concludes by indicating that the Board of Directors of the Populorum Progressio Foundation, established by the Pope in 1992 to foster the integral human advancement of indigenous, mixed race and Afro-American rural peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean, examined 300 projects and decided to fund 223 for a total of $1,895,300.

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