AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 9, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins.
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POST-SYNODAL COUNCIL FOR AMERICA MEETS IN ROME

VATICAN CITY, OCT 9, 2002 (VIS) - The Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops for the Special Assembly for America held its seventh meeting in Rome on October 2 and 3 in the main offices of the secretariat under the presidency of Cardinal Jan P. Schotte, C.I.C.M., secretary general of the Synod.

Three cardinals, six archbishops, two bishops and four members of the synod staff joined Cardinal Schotte, who opened the work sessions with a report on the activity of the secretariat since the last meeting. Also on the agenda was the presentation of a rough draft of a document on the application in the Americas of the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation. The rough draft is entitled "Updated information on the putting into practice of the Apostolic Exhortation 'Ecclesia in America'."

The second day was dedicated to working in two language groups, English and Spanish. It was also decided that the next meeting of this post-synodal council will take place October 28-29, 2003.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 9, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Vicente Costa, auxiliary of Londrina, Brazil, as bishop of the Umuarama (area 13,200, population 360,000, Catholics 265,000, priests 66, religious 86), Brazil.

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CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH RETAINS ITS TOPICALITY

VATICAN CITY, OCT 8, 2002 (VIS) - This morning Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, inaugurated the International Congress on Catechesis which will take place from October 8 to 11 in the New Synod Hall in the Vatican.

During his brief remarks, Cardinal Castrillon recalled the revision of the catechesis material by the different episcopacies, focusing on the International Congress on Catechesis (ICI). "The centers of catechesis," he said, "are being revitalized and are growing in number. Catechesis meetings and courses are being organized in various parts of the world in order to improve the texts, the formation of catechists, and the catechesis in general. Catechists' concerns about the possibility of an improper use of the ICI are unfounded."

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, spoke about "the doctrinal relevance of the Catechism of the Catholic Church ten years after its publication." The Catechism, he affirmed, "taking from Sacred Scripture and the complex richness of tradition in its multiple forms, and inspired by Vatican Council II, offers an organic vision of the totality of the Catholic faith. ... The relevance of the Catechism is the relevance of the truth, expressed and thought once again. This relevance will never be lost despite the criticism it may receive."

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POPE TO CELEBRATE MASS ON OCCASION OF VISIT BY PATRIARCH

VATICAN CITY, OCT 8, 2002 (VIS) - Pope John Paul will celebrate Mass at 9:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Basilica on Sunday, October 13 on the occasion of the visit of His Beatitude, Teoctist, patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, according to a communique from the Office of the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.

The note adds that "this celebration is an invitation to the Churches of the East and the West to increase the common openness to the Spirit that calls (us) to the unity wished by the Lord."

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