AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 29, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Denis Sassou-N'Guesso, president of the Republic of the Congo, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.
- Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munoz, apostolic nuncio at the European Community.
- Petre Roman, Romanian foreign minister, accompanied by his entourage.
- Arcbishops Stephen Fumio Hamao and Francesco Gioia, respectively president and secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.

On Saturday May 27, he received in separate audiences:

- Mohamed Hussein Said El-Sadr, ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt, accompanied by his wife on a farewell visit.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves O.P., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
- Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, and Archbishop Ennio Antonelli, emeritus of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, secretary general of the conference.

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TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF LITHUANIAN CARDINAL SLADKEVICIUS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 29, 2000 (VIS) - John Paul II sent the following telegram to Archbishop Sigitas Tamkevicius S.J., of Kaunas, Lithuania, upon the death yesterday of Cardinal Vincentas Sladkevicius M.C.I., archbishop emeritus of Kaunas, at the age of 79:

"Having learnt with deep emotion of the demise of the venerable Cardinal Vincentas Sladkevicius, archbishop emeritus of Kaunas, Lithuania, I express my deep sadness for the passing of a zealous servant of the Lord who, in his long ecclesiastical ministry, was an authentic witness of the Gospel. He was a priest of great faith and fervent piety and, although prevented for many years from practicing his episcopal ministry and placed under confinement, he never allowed himself to be intimidated, always giving a shining example of indomitable faith in Divine Providence and faithful loyalty to the See of Peter. I give thanks to God for this heroic priest and bishop that He gave to His Church and raise fervent prayers that He may accept him into eternal joy. At the same time, I send to you, to the Lithuanian Church and to all those who share the pain for the death of this brother who was so dear to me, a comforting apostolic blessing."

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JOHN PAUL II TO LUNCH WITH HOMELESS AND VISIT A PRISON

VATICAN CITY, MAY 28, 2000 (VIS) - Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, secretary of the Vatican's central Jubilee committee, confirmed today that, as part of the Holy Year celebrations, Pope John Paul II will share lunch with 200 poor and homeless people in the Paul VI Hall on June 15.

The archbishop also stated that the Pope will visit the Roman prison of Regina Coeli on July 9, the date set for Jubilee celebrations in prisons.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 29, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Enrique Troncoso Troncoso of Iquique, Chile, as bishop of Melipilla (area 6,217, population 429,000, Catholics 352,000, priests 55, permanent deacons 28, religious 165), Chile.

On Saturday May 27, it was made public that he:

- Appointed Fr. Thomas Nguyen Van Tan, director of the propedeutic seminary in Vinh Long (area 7,221, population 3,500,000, Catholics 170,000, priests 130, religious 560), Vietnam, as coadjutor bishop of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Bai xan, Vietnam, in 1940 and ordained a priest in 1969. He succeeds Bishop Raphael Nguyen Van Diep, whose resignation from the office of coadjutor bishop of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, in conformity with Canons 411 and 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.
- Appointed Fr. Paul Nguyen Binh Tinh P.S.S., rector of the major seminary of Hue, Vietnam, as coadjutor bishop of Da Nang (area 11,985, population 1,952,000, Catholics 52,000, priests 41, religious 328), Vietnam. The bishop-elect was born in Phat Diem, Vietnam, in 1930 and ordained a priest in 1960.

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SPORT CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING PEACE

VATICAN CITY, MAY 26, 2000 (VIS) - The Pope sent a message to participants in last evening's "Match of the Heart," a football game in Rome's Olympic Stadium in which a team of Israeli and Palestinian artists played against a team of Italian singers. Present at the match were Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Yasser Arafat, president of the Palestinian Naational Authority, and Shimon Peres, Israeli minister for Development and Regional Policies.

"I express my appreciation," writes the Holy Father, "for this exceptional initiative that aims to consolidate the culture of acceptance and dialogue between Italian, Israeli and Palestinian peoples."

John Paul II affirms: "Sport too, a vehicle of human and moral stimuli and values, can assist towards making the world more fraternal and united in solidarity. May this 'match of the heart' encourage you, dear friends from different nations and cultures, to know one another better and to progress along the path of mutual respect and reciprocal esteem. May solidarity and peace be above all the winners in this heartwarming competition. From the Olympic Stadium, may your message of hope be transmitted: Sport too can contribute to building peace."

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