AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 15, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences seven prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Benin, on the occasion of their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Marcel Honorat Leon Agboton of Porto Novo.
- Bishop Antoine Ganye of Dassa-Zoume.
- Bishop Paul Kouassivi Vieira of Djougou.
- Bishop Pascal N'Koue of Natitingou.
- Bishop Martin Adjou-Moumouni of N'Dali.
- Bishop Clet Feliho of Kandi.
- Bishop Victor Agbanou of Lokossa.

This evening he is scheduled to receive Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

AL; AP;...;...;...;VIS;20010615;Word: 90;

NINTH REUNION OF THE POST-SYNODAL COUNCIL OF AFRICA

VATICAN CITY, JUN 15, 2001 (VIS) - The ninth reunion of the Post-Synodal Council of the General Secretariat for the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, presided over by Secretary General, Cardinal Jan P. Schotte, C.I.C.M., was held in Rome on June 7 and 8.

Joining Cardinal Schotte were one cardinal, four archbishops, two bishops, and four members of the Secretariat General of the Synod. They reflected on the current social situation in Africa, the application of the Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in Africa" up to this point and, in particular, emerging tendencies and new problems.

Some participants, noted a communique released today by the Synod of Bishops, recalled that "even in these very days, in certain areas of Africa, conflicts of various types persist which do not allow pastors to dedicate themselves with freedom and tranquility to normal apostolic activity, given the extreme difficulty of meeting and communicating."

"The most constructive reflection," the communique states, "is focused on the themes of globalization, the productiveness of the representation of the Church in Africa as the family of God, the means of social communication, and the ecclesial richness coming out of the entire series of continental synods."

The next meeting will be held from June 4 to 5, 2002.

SE;SYNOD AFRICA;...;SCHOTTE;VIS;20010615;Word: 230;

GENERAL CHAPTER: TRINITARIANS REFLECT ON "LIVING WHAT WE ARE"

VATICAN CITY, JUN 15, 2001 (VIS) - Participants in the General Chapter of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity were welcomed by Pope John Paul this morning who recalled his meeting with them three years ago as they celebrated the eighth centenary of the approval of their institute's Rule. The assembly is reflecting on the theme "Living What We Are."

"Your spirituality, which draws strength from the mystery of the Trinity and the Redemption," he noted, "has never ceased placing you at the service of prisoners and the poor in your long story marked by many examples of holiness. ... It is a spirituality which places you in the heart of the Christian message: the love of God the Father which embraces all men through the Redemption of Christ."

The Holy Father exhorted them to "'live' with passion what you 'are'. ... In an era marked by a worrisome 'culture of emptiness' and an existence 'without sense', you are called to announce without compromise the Trinitarian God, the God Who listens to the cry of the oppressed and afflicted."

"The Church counts on you!" he told them. "Work in union with Christ. ... You are called to pursue His mission, as valid today as it was then, because it aims at proclaiming and witnessing to Christ, Who died and rose again for the salvation of all men."

The Pope closed with remarks dedicated to the importance of the new evangelization: "How many people are still waiting to know Jesus and His Gospel! How many situations of injustice, moral and material discomfort are there in so many parts of the earth! The mission is urgent and everyone's contribution is indispensable."

AC;GENERAL CHAPTER;...;TRINITARIANS ;VIS;20010615;Word: 280;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 15, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Hector Julio Lopez Hurtado, S.D.B., of Granada en Colombia, as bishop of Girardot (area 4,504, population 551,185, Catholics 481,185, priests 99, religious 391), Colombia. He succeeds Bishop Jorge Ardila Serrano, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with the age limit.

NER; RE;...;...;LOPEZ HURTADO; ARDILA SERRANO ;VIS;20010615;Word: 70;

INSTRUCTION ON MISSIONARY COOPERATION BETWEEN CHURCHES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 12, 2001 (VIS) - The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples today published its "Instruction on the Sending Abroad and Sojourn of Diocesan Priests from Mission Territories." The 14-page document, approved by Pope John Paul, is dated April 25, 2001 and is signed by former prefect, Cardinal Jozef Tomko, and by the congregation's adjunct secretary, Archbishop Charles Schleck. It was published in English, French, Spanish and Italian.

A note from Cardinal Tomko, entitled "Reasons for the Instruction," accompanied the document.

The cardinal opens the commentary by underscoring the missionary nature of the Church, and states that the Church "is growing in the so-called mission territories and its numerical weight is moving towards the southern hemisphere of our planet."

He also refers to the "innate missionary vocation of the priesthood," noting that many priests in mission countries are sent abroad to further their studies and that many remain abroad, especially in Europe and North America. "This phenomenon," he writes, "has taken on such dimensions that it calls for an attentive evaluation in the context of the ecclesial situation as well as a regulation asked for by various parties so that such mobility does not damage, but rather helps the growth of the Church in mission territories. This is the scope of the "Instruction on the Sending Abroad and Sojourn of Diocesan Priests from Mission Territories."

Cardinal Tomko states that "the Instruction has two parts, one which explains (the problem) and another which lays out the norms. The positive intention to favor the genuine missionary spirit of all diocesan priests and to help the young Churches in their orderly maturation is very clear in the sober but compact first part, which fully justifies the basic norms which are laid out in the second part."

He explains that "the missionary dimension of the priest is not cancelled with his assignment to a diocese. In fact, this 'innate' missionary vocation of priests is at the basis of a precious service, even temporary, that they offer to young Churches and has motivated the rise of the precious form of missionary collaboration of diocesan priests called 'fidei donum' according to Pius XII's famous encyclical (of the same name)."

The former prefect then cites examples of young missionary Churches that are, in turn, sending their priests to other young missionary Churches, mentioning examples in Africa in particular. This can on occasion deprive the donor Church of the priests it needs to continue its evangelizing work.

He mentions the reasons why young Churches may send their priests abroad: 1. to further their studies; 2. to help pastors in local Churches, especially Europe and North America, where there is a shortage of vocations, and 3. to assist their fellow countrymen who reside abroad. One reason for "the permanent stay of diocesan priests in mission territory abroad is constituted by the state of persecution, wars or similar serious circumstances."

Cardinal Tomko then writes "of the other side of the coin. In young Churches there are many vocations. Their number has tripled in the past 20 years. The Pontifical Missionary Works today help nearly 30,000 major seminarians and 50,000 minor seminarians." He said that normally their seminary formation is in their home country but added that "many aspire to go to the West and they stay there for long periods, or definitively, guided by motives they are not properly in the missionary spirit, for example, aspiring to better living conditions or a better economic situation."

"There are dioceses in Africa and Asia," says the former prefect, "that have a third, or even half, of their diocesan priests abroad, for economic motives; I know one where there are 83 (priests abroad) and internal evangelization is stagnating."

"The Instruction," he concludes, "is a tacit invitation to reflection for both types of Churches; young and old. A community which cannot succeed in creating in its own midst the ministers it needs must ask itself about the causes of such a situation and about the just remedies, such as the pastoral ministries for the family and for vocations."

CEP;INSTRUCTION; MISSIONARIES;...;TOMKO;VIS;20010612;Word: 670;