POPE ACCEPTS RESIGNATION FROM DEAN OF COLLEGE OF CARDINALS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 30, 2002 (VIS) - Made public today was the Pope's Letter to Cardinal Bernardin Gantin in which he accepts the cardinal's request to resign his position as dean of the College of Cardinals and the title of the suburbicarian Church of Ostia. The new dean will be Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

"The sentiments of devotion that you, with great trust, have expressed once again," writes the Holy Father, "have had a profound echo in my soul, ... knowing that they are a confirmation, according to the motto of your episcopal coat of arms 'In tuo sancto servitio', of a life dedicated to the service of the Lord in deep communion in thought and affection with the Successor of Peter."

John Paul II observes that the cardinal had expressed the desire to leave his role as dean on his eightieth birthday and to return to his homeland, Benin, "in order to still make a useful contribution to the life of the Church" in the country and "to give a penetrating testimony in favor of the Gospel."

"Keeping all of this in mind," he concludes, "I have decided to grant the double petition that he has presented to me, wishing with this gesture to show him the acute recognition that I carry in my heart for all the help that he has offered to me generously in these years."

JPII-LETTER;...;...;GANTIN;VIS;20021202;Word: 250;

FATHER CARLO GNOCCHI: AN UNFORGETTABLE TEACHER OF LIFE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 30, 2002 (VIS) - This morning in the Paul VI Hall the Holy Father received participants in the pilgrimage of the "Father Carlo Gnocchi" Foundation which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fr. Gnocchi.

John Paul II recalled that Fr. Carlo Gnocchi was "an educator of young people from the very beginning of his priestly ministry." During World War II he worked as a volunteer chaplain and "he acted with heroic charity toward the wounded and the dying, developing the design of a great work dedicated to the poor, to orphans and to the unfortunate. Thus, the 'Pro Juventute' Foundation was born, through which many social and apostolic initiatives came about to help so many war orphans and little ones mutilated by explosive devices."

"'To restore the human person' is the principle that continues to inspire you," he said, "in fidelity to the spirit of Fr. Carlo Gnocchi," whose process of beatification was opened in 1987. "He was convinced that it was not enough to attend to the sick; one must 'restore them', promoting them through appropriate therapy which makes them gain confidence in themselves again. If this calls for a technical and profession update, it calls for, above anything else, constant human and spiritual help."

The Pope urged the workers, volunteers, former students and friends of the spiritual family of Fr. Carlo Gnocchi and the members of the National Association of Mountain Troops ("alpini") and the National Association of Organ Donors, as well as representative of the male and female religious institutions loved by him, to "follow in the footsteps of this unforgettable teacher of life." With regard to organ donations, the Pope recalled that Fr. Gnocchi's "generosity continued after his death on February 28, 1956, with the donation of his corneas to two blind boys."

"Today," the Pope concluded, "his message represents a singular prophecy of solidarity and peace. Serving the neediest and the insignificant in a disinterested way contributes to building a more welcoming and unified world."

AC;FR CARLO GNOCCHI;...;...;VIS;20021202;Word: 330;

POPE SAYS MASS FOR FILIPINO CATHOLIC COMMUNITY IN ROME

VATICAN CITY, DEC 1, 2002 (VIS) - Today, the first Sunday in Advent, the Holy Father celebrated Mass in the Paul VI Hall at 10 a.m. for the Filipino Catholic community residing in Rome, thus resuming his usual custom of meeting with parishes and communities in the diocese.

In the homily, delivered in English, John Paul II said that the existence of 39 pastoral centers in Rome demonstrates the "Church's concern for the Filipino faithful."

"Hold fast to the rich cultural and religious heritage that is an integral part of your identity. Many of you have had the chance to find employment here in Italy and have attained a standard of living that enables you to help you family members at home. For others, however - and I hope that they are few - your status as immigrants has brought you serious problems, including loneliness, the separation of families, the loss of the values handed down from the past and at times even the loss of your faith."

"I would like to renew to all of you, and in particular to the many women present here, the words of encouragement which we heard in today's liturgy: Do not lose heart! We must not grow weak in faith, for the Lord is near. The fact that you are immigrants makes you all the more dear to Jesus Who, as we recall during Advent, came on earth to save us."

The Pope urged the Filipino community to "continue, then, with trust and determination, along the path of faith and solidarity. ... The witness of an authentically Christian life will keep you united among yourselves and will continue to win you the respect and help of others. I ask those who employ you to welcome and love you as cherished brothers and sisters in Christ. All of us must work together to build the civilization of love."

HML;...;...;FILIPINO COMMUNITY;VIS;20021202;Word: 320;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 30, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the request to be dispensed from the office of the Dean of the College of Cardinals and from the title of suburbicarian Church of Ostia presented by Cardinal Bernardin Gantin. The cardinal will retain the title of the suburbicarian Church of Palestrina.

- Approved the election by the cardinals of the Order of Bishops of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, of the title of the suburbicarian Church of Velletri-Segni, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as dean of the College of Cardinals, and of Cardinal Angelo Sodano, of the title of the suburbicarian Church of Albano, secretary of State, as vice-dean of the same college.

- Appointed Fr. Joseph Oudeman, O.F.M. Cap., assistant pastor of Wynnum and chaplain of the Dutch community of the archdiocese of Brisbane, Australia as auxiliary of the same archdiocese (population 65,000, population 2,255,100, Catholics 550,630, priests 258, permanent deacons 1, religious 1037). The bishop-elect was born in Brede, Holland in 1942 and was ordained a priest 1966.

- Appointed Cardinals Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, and Jan Pieter Schotte, C.I.C.M., secretary general of the Synod of Bishops and president of the Labor Office of the Apostolic See, as members of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.

- Appointed Msgr. Pietro Parolin, nunciature councillor of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State, as undersecretary of the same section.

RE; NA; NEA;...;...;...;VIS;20021202;Word: 240;

PAPAL LETTER TO ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW I

VATICAN CITY, NOV 30, 2002 (VIS) - As is customary for the November 30 feast of St. Andrew, patron of the ecumenical patriarchate of Constantinople, a delegation from the Holy See, led by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, is in Istanbul for the occasion which is celebrated on the same date in both the East and West. A delegation from the patriarchate comes to Rome each year for the June 29 feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles.

At the end of today's liturgy in St. George Church in Fanar, Cardinal Kasper presented Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I with a special Message from Pope John Paul II. The delegation, during their stay, will have talks with the patriarchate's synodal commission for relations with the Catholic Church and will meet with representatives of other Churches in Istanbul, including an encounter with the new chief rabbi. Tomorrow, first Sunday of Advent, Cardinal Kasper will preside at the Eucharistic liturgy for the Catholic community of Istanbul.

The Holy Father, in his Message in French to Patriarch Bartholomew I, wrote: "The brotherhood of the two apostles, Peter and Andrew, as well as the same and unique vocation to which they were called while they undertook their daily work, invites us to seek together, day after day, full communion so as to realize our common mission of reconciliation in God and the promotion of an authentic peaceful and Christian spirit, in a world that is overwhelmed by dramas that tear it apart and by armed conflicts."

"The fidelity to Christ of these holy brothers," he added, "calls our communities, born of the preaching of the Apostles and situated in the uninterrupted apostolic succession, to commit themselves to surmount the difficulties that still hinder Eucharistic concelebration."
"Our contacts, conversations and collaborative experiences are all oriented towards one goal: unity, the essential condition indicated by Christ that must mark relations between His disciples. For its part, the Catholic Church is engaged with conviction in this process."

John Paul II suggested that it would be good "to find more frequent forms of communication and regular exchanges. ... How can we not evoke, in this context, the concern that I take very much to heart, and which Your Holiness shares with me, for finding a way to restart the theological dialogue for a new phase, after the uncertainties, difficulties and wavering of the last decade?"

MESS;FEAST ST ANDREW;...;KASPER; BARTHOLOMEW I;VIS;20021202;Word: 400;