AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 25, 2003 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Bishop Slawoj Leszek Glodz, military ordinary for Poland.

- Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of the archdiocese of Mother of God in Moscow, Russia, president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of the Russian Federation.

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TO ENTREPRENEURS: GIVE PRECEDENCE TO ETHICS, FAMILIES, YOUTH

VATICAN CITY, FEB 22, 2003 (VIS) - The Pope today received 350 participants in a meeting promoted by the National Federation of Knights of Work and told them that they "represent not only a chosen group of Italian entrepreneurs, but also promoters of solid and well-balanced growth of the national economy."

In opening remarks to the group, the Pope invited them "to make your attention to ethical and moral principles a priority in your work." He asked them to "be the first witnesses" of the universal duty that he spoke of in the Encyclical "Sollicitudo rei socialis': "Collaborating in the development of the whole person and of every human being is in fact a duty of all towards all."

"This is," he added, "an even more urgent duty in the light of the current evolution of society, marked by the process of globalization, within which must be safeguarded the value of solidarity, the guarantee of access to resources and the equitable distribution of the riches produced."

"In contemporary society," affirmed John Paul II, "the family, not infrequently, seems penalized by rules imposed by production and by the market. Among your efforts, therefore, must be that of sustaining the family efficaciously so that it is always more respected as an active subject also by the sector of production and the economy." He noted the attention and encouragement they give to young people, and said: "Continue to invest in young people, helping them to overcome the breach that exists between scholastic formation and the real needs of the production industry."

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VALUE PAST SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS, WELCOME NEW ONES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 22, 2003 (VIS) - Bishops from the Episcopal Conference of the Region of North Africa (CERNA) were received by John Paul II this morning as they concluded their "ad limina" visit. Archbishop Henri Teissier of Algiers, president of the conference, gave the Pope a document produced by CERNA entitled "The Churches of the Maghreb in the Year 2000."

The Pope noted in his talk in French that "the world we live in is marked by a multiplication of exchanges, an ever stronger interdependence and an ever greater opening of borders: this is the phenomenon of globalization, with its positive and negative aspects, that nations must learn how to administer in a constructive manner!"

"In what concerns her," he continued, "the Catholic Church knows well the universal dimension which is part of her identity. ... Your dioceses have always been sensitive to this dimension of catholicity and the vital link that joins them to the Universal Church, for the pastors and faithful come from different countries." He noted that in their region "this reality has assumed a new dimension in recent years with the development of relations and exchanges between the North and South of the Sahara," because so many men and women have come to the Maghreb from subsaharan countries.

The Holy Father invited the prelates to value "the richness of the different spiritual traditions that have nourished the Christian history of your countries." These traditions have underscored "one facet or another of the treasure of the Gospel: "a sense of community, the joy of fraternal communion ... and availability for one's neighbor." He urged them to value these spiritual riches but also to "not be afraid of what is new that is brought by our brothers and sisters coming from other continents or cultures."

The Pope underscored the bishops' attention to "the active and important presence of young people in your dioceses, who have come from subsaharan countries to study in universities. Their welcome and participation in Christian communities clearly shows that the Gospel is not linked to one culture."

John Paul II then turned to "the good quality of relations that exist between Christians and the Muslim population" and "the good will of civil authorities with regard to the Church. All that is possible thanks to reciprocal knowledge, encounters in daily life and to exchanges, notably with families." He exhorted the bishops to "continue to encourage these meetings" because "they contribute to the evolution of mentalities on both sides and they help overcome the ready-made images carried still too often by the media."

"In every Christian community, even small and fragile," stated the Pope, "service to charity towards the poorest remains a priority as it is the expression of God's goodness for all men and of that sharing that we are called to live, regardless of race, culture or religion." Show this charity in a special way, he said, in welcoming migrants and "in offering them, in their precarious condition, a time of rest and fraternal conviviality!"

The Holy Father concluded his talk with heartfelt greetings for the priests, religious and laity of the North African countries. He encouraged them in their work, exhorted them to nourish their faith through prayer and appropriate formation, and assured them "of my prayers and paternal affection."

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STATEMENT ON VISIT BY ENGLISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR

VATICAN CITY, FEB 22, 2003 (VIS) - The following statement was released this afternoon by Holy See Press Office Director, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, on the audience that Pope John Paul granted to British Prime Minister Tony Blair:

"This morning, Saturday February 22, 2003, the Holy Father received in a private audience Tony Blair, prime minister of Great Britain. In the course of the cordial conversation which lasted half an hour, they spoke about the complex international situation with particular regard to the Middle East. The Holy Father expressed the hope that, in solving the grave situation in Iraq, every effort be made to avoid new divisions in the world.

"The Holy Father then received Mr. Blair's family.

"The prime minister of Great Britain also met with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, who received him together with Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States.

"During this morning's conversations in the Vatican, it was reaffirmed that all interested parties in the Iraqi crisis need to collaborate with the Organization of the United Nations and know how to use the resources offered by international law in order to avert the tragedy of war that many sides consider avoidable. Special consideration was given to the humanitarian situation of the Iraq people, already so severely tried by the long years of embargo.

"In the course of the meetings, there was an exchange of opinions on the future Constitutional Treaty of Europe. The Holy See expressed its wish for the explicit recognition of churches and communities of believers, as well as a commitment by the European Union to maintain a structured dialogue with them."

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PERSEVERE IN YOUR CHARISM OF SERVING THE POOREST OF THE POOR

VATICAN CITY, FEB 22, 2003 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter from Pope John Paul to Sr. M. Nirmala Joshi, superior general of the Missionaries of Charity, on the occasion of their eighth General Chapter. In the Letter, written in English and dated February 3, he recalled that this was the first such meeting "since the death of your dear foundress, Mother Teresa."

"Christ's Church on earth proclaims the Gospel to everyone, but she turns to the poor with special tenderness and compassion," wrote the Pope. "Christian love is not simply an act of charity, it is also an encounter with Christ Himself in the poor. Love of Christ, therefore, means love of the poor; and for consecrated persons this means embracing a life of poverty." He said that their "lives eloquently proclaim that God is the true wealth of the human heart."

The Holy Father encouraged the Missionaries of Charity "to persevere in faithfully living out your charism of serving the poorest of the poor. For in so doing you will continue to be a shining example for people today, especially the younger generation, who find themselves in situations not just of material need but also of spiritual impoverishment."

He then reminded them of the importance of continuing formation, saying that "this takes on even greater significance for Institutes such as yours which exercise their apostolate in a wide range of cultural and social settings. The initiative, creativity and zeal of the Missionaries of Charity must always be guided by the original inspiration of the Institute, as it is embodied in widely varying contexts."

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