1 TO 1.5 MILLION EXPECTED FOR WORLD YOUTH DAY 2000

VATICAN CITY, APR 10, 2000 (VIS) - A press conference was held this morning in the Holy See Press Office to present the 15th World Youth Day, which will take place in Rome from August 14 to 20. With over one million young people expected in Rome during that period, World Youth Day is considered the premier event of the Jubilee Year 2000.

Cardinal James Francis Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, which organizes these celebrations, reviewed the history of World Youth Days. He underlined that this year is "the Jubilee anniversary" of World Youth Days because this initiative of Pope John Paul's was born during the Holy Year of the Redemption in 1984 and culminates now in another Jubilee Year.

He recalled that the participation of young people in the first such day was "massive and enthusiastic. ... World Youth Days, an expression of the special charism that John Paul II has in communicating with young people, soon revealed themselves to be one of the 'prophetic choices' of his pontificate."

Cardinal Stafford then underlined the "traditional meanings" of World Youth Days: "strong moments of evangelization for young people, the Church and the world; ... an efficacious sign of ecclesial communion between young people, between them and their bishop and among diverse groups, movements and associations; ... a great challenge of renewal for young people ."

He also stressed the fact that youth "will be crossing the threshold of the Holy Door. They will thus renew their Baptism experience, because Baptism is a 'limina' experience of initiation; it is precisely like crossing a threshold, leaving behind the old and entering into a new communion."

Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar for the diocese of Rome, focussed on two factors in his presentation: the number of young people expected for World Youth Day 2000 and where and how they will be lodged. He said that between one million and one-and-a-half million young people are expected: approximately 200,000 for the celebrations in local Italian dioceses from August 10 to 14 and upwards of one million for youth day in Rome from August 14 to 20.

The youth will be lodged in public buildings, public and private schools, parishes, universities, religious institutes, welcome centers and with private families. An estimated 15,000 will sleep in tents. Twenty-five thousand will act as volunteers. The cardinal added that 1.5 million letters were sent to families in the diocese of Rome, asking them to welcome young people into their homes in August.

Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, secretary general of the Central Committee for the Great Jubilee 2000, highlighted the "special harmony" that exists between the Holy Father and young people throughout the world. He recalled that the Pope's meeting with youth during his jubilee pilgrimage, in Korazim on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, was "a foretaste of the meaning of the Jubilee and of World Youth Day 2000."
"Just as the extraordinary meeting at Korazim was the largest and most highly attended liturgical assembly ever to take place in the land of Jesus, so we feel that World Youth Day 2000 will remain in everyone's memory, and in the chronicles of the Great Jubilee, as a historic event."

Bishop Cesare Nosiglia, president of the Italian Committee for World Youth Day, outlined the program for those days. The Youth Day will begin on August 15, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin, when the young people will be welcomed in all the parish communities of Rome. During the evenings of August 16, 17 and 18, experiences of faith and fraternity are scheduled to be exchanged between the young people present.

On the afternoon of Friday 18, the young people will take part in a 'Via Crucis' (Way of the Cross), which will finish in the Colosseum. At the same time, other 'Via Crucis' will take place, organized by the young people in the areas of Rome in which they are staying.

Bishop Nosiglia highlighted that "the Youth Day's central message as well as the special themes of the Jubilee will also characterize the prayer vigil, due to take place on the night of Saturday, August 19 at Rome's Torvergata University. The young people will begin arriving at the university in the morning, undertaking the last part of the journey on foot. They will be welcomed with songs, prayers and testimonies from groups of young people from all over the world.

He added that, in the Mass of August 20, the Pope "will deliver a missionary mandate, asking the young people to be valiant and generous witnesses of Christ and of faith in Him in their countries throughout the world."

Finally he said that the Italian Committee for World Youth Day "has decided to give the proceeds of their solidarity fund as a contribution towards allowing large number of young people from countries at war to participate in the event."

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THE U.N. CAN CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBALIZATION OF SOLIDARITY

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning welcomed Kofi Annan, secretary general of the United Nations, and 60 members of the Administrative Committee on Coordination of the United Nations System, who are meeting in Rome. Also present at this encounter were officials of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

The Pope highlighted several aspects of the secretary general's recent Millennium Report, in particular the challenges facing a world marked by the globalization of the economy, society and culture. He said that "the world's increasing interdependence has given these challenges (wars, persecutions, poverty, disasters and epidemics) a global dimension, which requires new ways of thinking and new types of international cooperation if they are to be effectively met." He stressed the U.N.'s "unique opportunity to contribute to the globalization of solidarity" by being a meeting place and point of convergence for States and civil society.

John Paul II pointed out that the administrative committee, in coordinating various policies and programs, "has concentrated its reflections on the implication of globalization for development (and) on the socio-economic causes of humanitarian crises and of the persistent conflicts in Africa and other parts of the world."

The Pope then spoke of the positive aspects of "the unbounded expansion of world commerce and the amazing progress in the field of technology, communications and information," but he lamented that "the ability to exercise influence in this new global setting is not the same for all nations. ... In many cases, decisions with worldwide consequences are made only by a small, restricted group of nations."

"Non-Governmental Organizations," he observed, "representing a very broad spectrum of special interests, are becoming more and more important in international life." He lauded the awareness they create "of the need to move from an attitude of defense and promotion of particular and competing special interest to a holistic vision of development."

The Holy Father underscored the need to build a world where there is "the recognition of the dignity and centrality of every human being as an equal member of the human family and, for believers, as God's equal children."

"I must express my deep concern," Pope John Paul concluded, "when I see that certain groups try to impose on the international community ideological views or patterns of life advocated by small and particular segments of society. This is perhaps most obvious in such fields as the defense of life and the safeguarding of the family. The leaders of Nations must be careful not to overturn what the international community and law have laboriously developed to preserve the dignity of the human person and the cohesion of society."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Joseph Fischer, foreign minister of the Federal Republic of Germany, accompanied by an entourage.
- Jan Carnogursky, justice minister of the Republic of Slovakia, and Pavol Hrusovky, vice president of the Slovak parliament.
- Major Archbishop Varkey Vithayathil of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars.
- Kofi A. Annan, secretary general of the United Nations Organization.
- Cardinal Jan Pieter Schotte C.I,C.M., secretary general of the Synod of Bishops.

This evening, he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL ECHEVERRIA

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2000 (VIS) - Below is the text of a telegram sent by the Pope to Archbishop Jose Mario Ruiz Navas of Portoviejo, Ecuador, for the death at the age of 87 of Cardinal Bernardino Echeverria Ruiz O.F.M., archbishop emeritus of Guayaquil.

"Having received the sad news of the death of the dear Cardinal Bernardino Echeverria Ruiz O.F.M., archbishop emeritus of Guayaquil, I offer my fervent prayers for the eternal repose of one who presided, with great commitment and through long years of episcopal ministry, first in the church of Ambato, after its erection as a diocese, and then in the archdiocese of Guayaquil. He later also accepted the task of apostolic administrator of the diocese of Ibarra, a demonstration of his pastoral generosity and his absolute readiness to serve the Church.

"In these moments of pain, I spiritually unite myself to the bishops and faithful of Ecuador who have been witnesses of the apostolic dynamism that, in so many ways, the late cardinal displayed. I also unite myself to the Order of Friars Minor who gave this son of St. Francis to the Church. Together with all of them, I invoke the compassionate protection of the Virgin Mary and at the same time, as a sign of grace and peace in the Risen Christ, I impart upon them my apostolic blessing."

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BE AUTHENTIC TEACHERS OF LIFE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

VATICAN CITY, APR 6, 2000 (VIS) - Sixty participants in the General Chapter of the Congregation of the Brothers of Christian Education of Ploermel, France, were welcomed at noon today by the Holy Father who highlighted the chapter's theme of "Rediscovering and Living the Mennaisien Charism in Creative Fidelity."

"Seeing God and wishing only God in everything," said the Pope, "this is how one can translate the motto which inspired the entire existence of Venerable Jean-Marie de la Mennais, your founder together with Fr. Gabriel Deshayes, and which he left you as an inspiration in your mission of educating young people: God alone." He added that "Numerous youth formed in your schools have been marked by these two words which sum up so well your spirituality."

"In abandoning yourselves to Providence," observed John Paul II, "you can consecrate yourselves with ardor to your work of educating and of being for young people authentic teachers of life. In a world marked by fragility and social and family difficulties, it is important to prepare the future by proposing to youth an integral formation, which will help them discover spiritual, moral and human principles, so that they may fashion their personality and participate actively in the life of society."

In closing, the Pope cited the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Vita Consecrata" and told the Brothers that, in pursuing their "efforts to form young people, especially in socially deprived milieux or amongst the most deprived peoples, you are courageously showing that 'the preferential love for the poor finds a special application in the choice of means capable of freeing people from that grave form of poverty which is the lack of cultural and religious training'."

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