NOTICE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 31, 2006 (VIS) - As previously advised, VIS will be closed during the entire month of August. Service will resume on Friday, September 1.
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HOLY FATHER'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR AUGUST

VATICAN CITY, JUL 31, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father's general prayer intention for the month of August is: "That orphans may not lack the care necessary for their human and Christian formation."

  His mission intention is: "That the Christian faithful may be aware of their own missionary vocation in every environment and circumstance."
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ANGELUS: ALL SIDES IN MID EAST CONFLICT, LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 30, 2006 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI greeted pilgrims gathered in the internal courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo and prayed the Angelus with them.

  The Pope recalled that, apart from a brief apostolic trip to Germany in September, he will stay at Castelgandolfo until the end of the summer. He then went on to express his thanks to the pilgrims who "with the warmth of their presence help to underline, even in the family atmosphere of my summer residence, the universal ecclesial horizon of this our [regular] appointment with the Marian prayer.

  "At these moments," the Holy Father added, "I cannot fail to think of the ever more serious and tragic situation of the Middle East: hundreds of dead, many injured, a vast mass of homeless and displaced people, cities and infrastructures destroyed, while hatred and thirst for revenge seem to be growing in the hearts of many.

  "These facts clearly demonstrate that it is not possible to re-establish justice, create a new order and build real peace when there is recourse to ... violence. More than ever, we see how much the Church's voice is at once prophetic and realistic when, in the face of war and conflicts of all kinds, she indicates the path of truth, justice, love and freedom. This is the path that humanity today must also follow in order to achieve the desired good of real peace."

  "In the name of God," the Pope cried out, "I address all those responsible for this spiral of violence, that all sides immediately lay down their arms! To political leaders and international institutions I ask that no efforts be spared in order to obtain the necessary cessation of hostilities and thus to begin to build, through dialogue, a lasting and stable coexistence of all the people of the Middle East. I ask men and women of good will to continue and to intensify the sending of humanitarian aid to those needy and much tried peoples. But above all, may faithful prayers to the good and merciful God continue to be raised from all hearts, that He may concede His peace to that region and to the world entire.

  "I entrust this heartfelt appeal," Benedict XVI concluded, "to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Prince of Peace and Queen of Peace, who is so venerated in the countries of the Middle East, where we soon hope to see the reign of that reconciliation for which the Lord Jesus offered His precious Blood."
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POPE: I HOPE TO SPEND THESE WEEKS IN A CLIMATE OF PEACE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 29, 2006 (VIS) - Yesterday evening, following his journey from Valle d'Aosta, the Pope reached his summer residence in Castelgandolfo, south of Rome. Immediately on arrival, he appeared at the balcony of the Apostolic Palace to greet people gathered in the square below.

  "I am pleased to be back in your beautiful town," the Holy Father said, "in this palace with its restored facade and its extraordinary beauty. I will spend some weeks here with you and I hope to spend them well, in peace and with the Lord's blessing, as a sign of which I now give you my blessing. May Almighty God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, bless you. ... We will meet on Sunday, God willing."
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PAPAL, HOLY SEE HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2006: JANUARY - JULY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 28, 2006 (VIS) - Following are highlights of the activities of Pope Benedict XVI and of the Holy See for the months of January through July 2006.

JANUARY

 - 1: Message of the Holy Father Benedict XVI for 39th World Day of Peace, on the theme: "In Truth, Peace."

 - 7: Holy Father receives in audience a delegation from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, led by Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick.

 - 9: Holy Father receives in audience - in the Sala Regia of the Vatican Apostolic Palace - members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See for the traditional exchange of New Year greetings.

 - 16: Holy Father receives in audience a delegation from the Jewish community in Rome, headed by Chief Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni.

 - 16: Holy Father receives in audience Filip Vujanovic, president of the Republic of Montenegro.

 - 19: Holy Father receives in audience an ecumenical delegation from Finland for the occasion of the Feast of St. Henry, patron saint of that country.

 - 19: Holy Father receives in audience Gunther H. Oettinger, minister-president of Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 - 22: For the 500th anniversary of the foundation of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, Mass in the Sistine Chapel presided by Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, attended by the 110 Swiss Guards currently in service and their families. The Mass inaugurates the 500th anniversary celebrations of the world's oldest active military corps.

 - 23 - 24: International congress on charity promoted by the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," its theme inspired by St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians: " ... But the greatest of these is love."

 - 24: On the Feast of St. Francis of Sales, patron saint of journalists, publication of Benedict XVI's first Message for the World Day of Social Communications (to be celebrated on May 28), on the theme: "The Media: A Network for Communication, Communion and Cooperation."

 - 25: Publication of Pope Benedict XVI's first Encyclical: "Deus caritas est."

 - 26: Holy Father receives in audience Lech Kaczynski, president of the Republic of Poland.

 - 31: Publication of the Message of Benedict XVI for Lent 2006. The text, dated September 29, 2005, is entitled: "Jesus, at the sight of the crowds, was moved with pity."

FEBRUARY

 - 3: Publication of a decree announcing the concession of indulgences to the faithful for the fifteenth World Day of the Sick, to be celebrated on February 11, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

 - 9: The Holy Father accepts the invitation of Ahmet Necdet Sezer, president of Turkey, to make an official visit to that country from November 28 to 30, 2006.

 - 15: During the course of his weekly general audience, Benedict XVI announces the conclusion of the cycle of catechesis begun by John Paul II and dedicated to the Psalms and Canticles of the Liturgy of the Hours and of Vespers.

 - 16: Holy Father receives in audience Fouad Siniora, prime minister of Lebanon.

 - 20: Presentation of the Letters of Credence of Ali Achour, the new ambassador of Morocco to the Holy See.

 - 24: Holy Father receives in audience Alfred Moisiu, president of the Republic of Albania.

 - 27: Publication of the Holy Father's Message to the youth of the world for 21st World Youth Day 2006, on the theme: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

MARCH

 - 3: The Holy Father Benedict XVI visits the headquarters of Vatican Radio for the 75th anniversary of the station's inauguration, in 1931 under the pontificate of Pius IX.

 - 13: Holy Father receives in audience Mohammed Hosni Mubarak, president of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

 - 15: In his weekly general audience, the Holy Father begins a new cycle of catechesis dedicated to the mystery of the relationship between Christ and the Church in the light of the experience of the Apostles and the task with which they were entrusted.

 - 18: Beatification of Servant of God Sister Elia di San Clemente (nee Teodora Fracasso, 1901 - 1927), virgin of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, in the cathedral of Bari, Italy.

 - 20: Holy Father receives in audience His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, Lebanon, accompanied by members of the patriarchal synod and by a group of pilgrims.

 - 24: First Ordinary Public Consistory of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI for the creation of 15 new cardinals from 11 different countries. With the new additions, the College of Cardinals numbers 193 members, of whom 120 are eligible to vote.

 - 30: Publication of the Holy Father's Message for the 43rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, to be celebrated on May 7, fourth Sunday of Easter, on the theme: "Vocation in the mystery of the Church."

 - 30: In the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, screening of the film "Karol, un Papa rimasto uomo" (Karol, a Pope Who Remained a Man) in the presence of the Holy Father. The film, dedicated to the life of John Paul II, was written and directed by the Italian director, Giacomo Battiato.

APRIL

 - 1: Holy Father receives in audience Their Majesties King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians.

 - 2: First anniversary of the death of John Paul II. At 9 p.m., Benedict XVI and Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar general for the diocese of Rome, preside at the praying of the Rosary in St. Peter's Square. At around 9.37 p.m., the exact moment of John Paul II's demise, the Pope Benedict addresses the crowd from the window of his study overlooking the square.

 - 3: At 5.30 p.m. in St. Peter's Square, Benedict XVI celebrates Mass marking the first anniversary of the death of John Paul II.

 - 6: Shimon Peres, former prime minister of the State of Israel and Nobel Peace Prize winner, visits His Holiness Benedict XVI.

 - 8: Holy Father receives in separate audiences Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, president of the Republic of Togo, and His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Otto of Austria.

 - 9: Eucharistic celebration presided by the Pope in St. Peter's Square for Palm Sunday, and for 21st World Youth Day which has as its theme this year "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

 - 21: Benedict XVI attends a concert organized in his honor by the local authorities of Rome at the city's "Parco della Musica" Auditorium to mark the occasion of the 2759th anniversary of the foundation of the Eternal City, and the first anniversary of his own election to the pontifical throne on April 19.

 - 30: Beatification of Servants of God Msgr. Luigi Biraghi (1801-1879) and Fr. Luigi Monza (1898-1954) in the Duomo of Milan, Italy.

 - 30: Beatification of Servant of God Fr. Augustine Thevarparampil "Kunjachan" (1891-1973), in Ramapuram, India.

MAY

 - 1: Pope Benedict XVI visits the Sanctuary of "Divino Amore" (Divine Love), located south of Rome. He prays the rosary before the image of the Virgin in the old sanctuary before going on to visit the new sanctuary, consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1999.

 - 3: A concert of popular music performed by the Swiss Guard Band in the Paul VI Hall marks the beginning of the fifth centenary celebrations for the founding of the Pontifical Swiss Guard.

 - 5: Holy Father receives in audience Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission.

 - 6: In the Vatican Basilica, the Pope presides at a Eucharistic celebration marking the fifth centenary of the foundation of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. Civil and military authorities from Switzerland and other countries participate in the ceremony, as do relatives and friends of the Guards, and military chaplains.

 - 8: Holy Father receives in audience Their Royal Highnesses, the Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg.

 - 11: Holy Father receives in audience Hugo Chavez Frias, president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

 - 13: On the 89th anniversary of the first appearance of the Virgin of Fatima, and the 25th anniversary of the assassination attempt against John Paul II in St. Peter's Square, a copy of the statue of the Virgin Mary from the famous Portuguese shrine returns to the Vatican.

 - 13: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of Valentin Bozhilov, the new Bulgarian ambassador to the Holy See.

 - 13: Holy Father receives in audience participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family which is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its foundation. It was established by John Paul II on May 9, 1981.

 - 13: Beatification of Servant of God Maria Teresa di San Giuseppe (nee Anna Maria Tauscher van den Bosch, 1855 -1938) in Roermond, Netherlands.

 - 14: Beatification of Servant of God Maria della Passione di Nostro Signore Gesu Cristo (nee Grazia Tarallo, 1866 - 1912) in the cathedral of Naples, Italy.

 - 15: Holy Father receives in separate audiences Enrique Bolanos Geyer, president of the Republic of Nicaragua, and His Royal Highness Duke Carl von Wurttemberg.

 - 18: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of five new ambassadors to the Holy See: Moukhtar Wawa Dahab from Chad; Amitava Tripathi from India; Domingos Dias Pereira Mascarenhas from Cape Verde; Valeriu Bobutac from Moldova; and Anne Maree Plunkett from Australia.

 - 18: Holy Father receives in audience Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, president of the Department for Foreign Ecclesiastical Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow.

- 18: Holy Father receives in audience Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, prime minister of Poland.

- 19: Holy Father receives in audience Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

- 20: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of Francisco Vazquez Vazquez, the new Spanish ambassador to the Holy See.

 - 22: Holy Father receives in audience Branko Crvenkovski, president of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

 - 23: Publication of a Letter from Benedict XVI to Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach S.J., superior general of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), for the 50th anniversary of Pope Pius XII's Encyclical "Haurietis aquas" on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

- 23: Holy Father receives in audience Sergei Stanishev, prime minister of Bulgaria.

 - 25-28: Holy Father Benedict XVI's apostolic trip to Poland where he visits Warsaw, Czestochowa, Krakow, Wadowice, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, and Auschwitz.

 - 28: Beatification of Servant of God Rita Amada de Jesus (1948 - 1913) in Viseu, Portugal.

JUNE

 - 2: Publication of the Holy Father's Message for 80th World Mission Day, on the theme: "Charity, Soul of the Mission." The Day is due to be celebrated on October 22.

 - 3: Holy Father receives in audience Tony Blair, prime minister of Great Britain.

 - 3: In St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father Benedict XVI meets more than 400,000 representatives of ecclesial movements and new communities for the First Vespers of the eve of Pentecost.

 - 8: Holy Father receives in audience Norbert Lammert, speaker of the German parliament, the "Bundestag."

 - 15: Beatification of Servant of God Fr. Eustaquio Van Lieshout (1890 - 1943) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

 - 16: Holy Father receives in audience Oscar Arias Sanchez, president of the Republic of Costa Rica.

 - 22: In accordance with Canon 354 of the Code of Canon Law, Holy Father accepts the resignation of Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, requesting him, nonetheless, to remain in office until September 15, with all the faculties inherent to that role. On September 15. the Holy Father will appoint Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., archbishop of Genova, Italy, as the new secretary of State.

 - 24: Announcement of a forthcoming apostolic trip by Benedict XVI to Germany from September 9 to 14, where he will visit Munich, Altotting and Regensburg.

 - 26: Holy Father receives in audience Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, president of the Republic of the Philippines.

 - 29: Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles. Pope presides at a Eucharistic concelebration with 27 metropolitan archbishops from 17 countries, upon whom he imposes the pallium. The day also marks the 55th anniversary of Benedict XVI's own priestly ordination.

 - 30: Holy Father receives Letters of Credence of Mario Juan Bosco Cayota Zappettini, the new ambassador of Uruguay to the Holy See.

 - 30: Benedict XVI decrees that from September 18 - when the Vatican Secret Archives and other archives of the Holy See resume activities after the summer vacation - all documents relative to the pontificate of Pope Pius XI (February 6, 1922 - February 10, 1939) be made available to researchers.

JULY

 - 8-9: Holy Father Benedict XVI makes the third apostolic trip outside Italy of his pontificate, visiting Valencia, Spain, for the occasion of the Fifth World Meeting of Families.

 - 11: Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. is appointed as new director of the Holy See Press Office. He is currently director general of the Vatican Television Center and of Vatican Radio, posts he will continue to hold in his new office. The Pope accepts the resignation from the office of director of the Holy See Press Office presented by Joaquin Navarro-Valls, who has held the position since 1984.

 - 12: Presentation of the Holy See consolidated financial statements for 2005; the year closed with a surplus of 9.7 million euro.

 - 13: Theme announced of the 40th World Peace Day, due to be celebrated on January 1, 2007: "The Human Person: Heart of Peace."

 - 20: Benedict XVI proclaims Sunday, July 23, as a special day of prayer and penance for peace in the Middle East.

 - 26: Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, secretary for Relations with States, participates as an observer at the International Rome Conference on Lebanon.
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