ANGELUS: TRAVEL THE LENTEN JOURNEY WITH JOY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 4, 2001 (VIS) - After returning from his pastoral visit to the Roman parish of St. Andrew the Apostle, John Paul II addressed the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the recitation of the angelus.

Commenting upon the words of the Gospel for today, the first Sunday of Lent, when Jesus says: "'He who loves his life loses it'," the Holy Father affirmed that "these words do not express disdain for life, but, on the contrary, an authentic love for it. It is a love which does not desire this fundamental good only for itself and in this moment, but for everyone and always, in sharp contrast with the mentality of the 'world'. In reality, it is in following Christ upon the 'narrow path' that one finds life; he who chooses the 'wide' and comfortable path instead, exchanges life for passing satisfactions, disdaining his own dignity and that of others.

"We therefore travel through the demanding Lenten journey with joy, seeking to translate inner renewal into concrete, personal, church-related, and social choices."

At the conclusion of the Angelus the Holy Father asked the Virgin Mary to accompany him and the Roman Curia which begin their spiritual exercises this evening. "We count also, dear Brothers and Sisters," the Pontiff concluded, "upon your remembrance to the Lord, in order that these days of intense listening to the Spirit of God, of silence and of constant prayer, may bring about the hoped for fruits of spiritual renewal."

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ROMAN PARISH VISIT: IN THE CHURCH NO ONE IS A FOREIGNER

VATICAN CITY, MAR 4, 2001 (VIS) - Today, the first Sunday of Lent, the Holy Father presided over the Eucharistic celebration in the Roman parish of St. Andrew the Apostle, which celebrates the 60th anniversary of its foundation this year.

At the beginning of his homily, the Pope commented on today's Gospel, which relates Jesus' battle against the temptations in the desert: "Jesus," the Pontiff recalled, "is now put to the test in His faithfulness to God. Contrarily, however, to Adam and Eve in the terrestrial paradise, and differently from the people of Israel in the desert, He resists temptation and triumphs over evil."

After pointing out that in the parish community "the number of people coming from Eastern European countries and the so-called 'Third World' has increased," the Holy Father stated: "In the Church no one is a foreigner: for this reason it is important to create opportunities for dialogue and to encourage mutual understanding. It is above all necessary that everyone feels involved in a pastoral care attentive to the real needs of the people.

"Know, then, how to be a community open to all, persevering in listening to the word of God, in the celebration of the sacraments of salvation and sharing the many initiatives of pastoral care and solidarity." The Holy Father, furthermore, went on to say: "Every Christian must feel involved in the vast work of evangelization. If you will know how to be missionaries in your area, the Lord will not let you lack vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life. In a special way, generous missionary vocations 'ad gentes' will arise among you, as is your desire."

The Pope, at the end of his homily, addressed the families and urged them to allow the Spirit "to make you places of peace, of listening and of dialogue, of sharing and of respect for everyone. Within families faithful to the Gospel, youth can draw the courage and faith to look to the future with a sense of mature co-responsibility."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 5, 2001, (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, as special envoy to the closing celebrations of the first national Eucharistic Congress of the Ivory Coast, to take place in Abidjan, on April 29.

On Saturday, March 3, it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation of Cardinal Edward Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and appointed Cardinal Walter Kasper, secretary of the same dicastery, as president.

- Appointed Fr. Marc Ouellet, of the Canadian Province of the Company of Priests of the Holy Surplice, and professor at the John Paul II Institute of the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, as secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of bishop. The bishop-elect was born in Lamotte, Canada, in 1944, and ordained to the priesthood in 1968.

- Appointed Msgr. Giampaolo Crepaldi, under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, as secretary of the same dicastery, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of bishop. The bishop-elect was born in Pettorazza, Italy in 1947, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1971.

- Accepted the resignation as auxiliary in the archdiocese of Guayaquil, Ecuador, of Bishop Olindo Natale Spagnolo Martellozzo, M.C.C.I., in conformity with the age limit.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Anchorage, U.S.A., of Archbishop Francis Thomas Hurley, in conformity with canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Roger Lawrence Schwietz, O.M.I.

- Appointed Msgr. Djura Dzudzar, bureau chief of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, as auxiliary of the eparch of Mukacheve (area 12,800, population 1,288,000, Catholics 320,000, priests 155, religious 17) in Transcarpathia, Ukraine, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of bishop. The bishop-elect was born in Diurdzhovo, Yugoslavia, in 1954, and ordained to the priesthood in 1980.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 3, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in separate audiences four prelates of the Panamanian Episcopal Conference on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Uriah Ashley of Penonome.
- Bishop Fernando Torres Duran of Chitre.
- Bishop Prelate Jose Agustin Ganuza Garcia, O.A.R., of Bocas del Toro.
- Fr. Vicente Sidera, C.M.F., delegate of the apostolic vicar of Darien.

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SPIRITUAL EXERCISES OF THE ROMAN CURIA BEGIN SUNDAY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 2, 2001 (VIS) - At 6 p.m. on March 4, first Sunday of Lent, the annual spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia will begin in the "Redemptoris Mater" Chapel of the Vatican, in the presence of the Holy Father. That evening there will be the recitation of Vespers, an introduction to the exercises, and Eucharistic Adoration.

Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I., archbishop of Chicago, U.S.A., will give the retreat meditations, on the theme: "A faith for all the people: conversion, freedom, and communion in Christ."

The program from Monday, March 5 to Friday, March 9 is the following: 9 a.m.: Morning Prayer and meditation; 10:15 a.m.: Midday Prayer, meditation; 5 p.m.: Vespers and meditation; 6:15 p.m.: meditation, Rosary, Adoration, and Eucharistic Benediction. The spiritual exercises will conclude on Saturday morning, March 10, with the recitation of Morning Prayer.

During the retreat all audiences will be suspended, including the weekly Wednesday general audience.

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