AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 18, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
- Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of the Federal Republic of Germany and his entourage.

AP;...;...;...;VIS;19990518;Word: 40;

RICH NATIONS HAVE MORAL DUTY TO HELP DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 18, 1999 (VIS) - Archbishop Alois Wagner, head of the Holy See delegation to the annual meeting of the executive board of the World Food Program, being held in Rome May 17-29, addressed the assembly this morning. In his talk in English, he highlighted "some points of ethical responsibilities on the international level."

"Rich countries," he said, "can give their assistance to the poor ones in a more consistent way. I have often had an impression that they only give them alms, and do not really share their riches and economic potential capacities." He asked for "a new international social structure which would enable the poor countries to participate directly in the economic and social development."

The head of delegation also asked "the World Food Program to invite the governments of the developing countries to spend more money for development and less for arms. We all know that a lot of development aid has been destroyed by civil wars and the consequences are very serious for the poor. The most dangerous impediment against the sustainable development are the arms dealers."

AC;WORLD FOOD PROGRAM;...;ROME; WAGNER;VIS;19990518;Word: 190;

POPE TO CONCLUDE ROME'S CITIZENS' MISSION ON PENTECOST

VATICAN CITY, MAY 18, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul II will celebrate Mass in St. Peter's Square at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 22, the vigil of Pentecost, for the conclusion of the Great Citizens' Mission of Rome, according to a communique published today.

It adds: "The Church of Rome, which is preparing to celebrate the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, is called to gather in close communion of faith and prayer with her pastor to thank the Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit for a renewed missionary presence in the city."

OP;PENTECOST; CITIZENS MISSION;...;... ;VIS;19990518;Word: 110;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 18, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father erected the Apostolic Administration of Eastern Siberia, with the see at Irkutsk, with territory taken from the Apostolic Administration of Siberia. He appointed Bishop Jerzy Mazur S.V.D., auxiliary of the Apostolic Administration of Siberia, as Apostolic Administrator of the new Administration.

ECE;...;...;MAZUR ;VIS;19990518;Word: 60;

WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION TO STUDY CODE OF TOURISM ETHICS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 15, 1999 (VIS) - Msgr. Piero Monni, Holy See permanent observer to the World Tourism Organization, will address the 60th meeting of the WTO's executive council during its meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from May 18 to 21, according to a commnique released today by his office.

The note adds that one of the important projects of this meeting will be the preparation of a Global Code of Tourism Ethics. "The Holy See," it says, "from the day that the WTO was established, has always underlined the duty of supporting and defending the ethical, spiritual and religious values of various peoples." Msgr. Monni will address the issue of problems connected with religious freedom and religious worship in the foreign countries visited.

"The institutional scope of the Holy See," states the communique, "is to sustain this commitment of respecting the aforementioned values, so that they might become a motive of universal brotherhood and dialogue among peoples. And it is precisely to support these aspirations and rights that the Holy See is present in various international institutions, including the WTO, with a permanent observer."

...;TOURISM; ETHICS;...;MALAYSIA; MONNI;VIS;19990517;Word: 190;