ARCHBISHOP CORDES COORDINATES CATHOLIC AID IN IRAQ

VATICAN CITY, MAY 28, 2003 (VIS) - Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" is being sent by the Holy Father to Iraq in order to ordinate humanitarian aid efforts by the Catholic Church in the country. He begins his trip today.

According to a communique made public today by "Cor Unum", John Paul II asked Archbishop Cordes to convey his spiritual closeness to the entire Iraqi population."

The prelate's task will be "to verify personally the needs and conditions that permit the Catholic Church to operate in territories afflicted by war. In particular, together with the Bishops and Catholic NGOs, he will have to carry out a reasonable and coordinated plan of aid which responds to the health and food emergencies in addition to those of reconstruction."

"The Church, through its capillary presence," continues the communique, "is willing to help, as in other similar situations, in the equal distribution of humanitarian aid and in fostering social and political reconstruction."

During his stay in Iraq Archbishop Cordes, who will be accompanied by experts in the sector of humanitarian aid, will meet with the apostolic nuncio, bishops, Catholic organizations and civil authorities. On Sunday June 1, he will celebrate Mass in the cathedral of Baghdad and the following day he will go to Mosul."

The document concludes: "Even though the embargo has been lifted, which opens up new possibilities of relations with the Iraqi community, this trip of the Pope's envoy takes place in a particularly delicate moment for the future of peaceful co-existence in that region."

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ARCHBISHOP FOLEY MEETS AMERICAN CATHOLIC PRESS ASSOCIATIONS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 28, 2003 (VIS) - Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, is in the United States to speak in a series of events organized by the Catholic News Service (CNS) and to participate in the Congress of the Catholic Press Association (CPA) in Atlanta.
On Thursday May 29, the archbishop will give a brief speech during the inauguration of the Congress. On Friday May 30 he will preside at a Mass of commemoration for the deceased members of the CPA and on Saturday May 31 he will deliver the homily at a Mass in Atlanta's cathedral.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 27, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Five prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Raul Nicolau Gonsalves of Goa and Damao, accompanied by auxiliary Bishops Filipe Neri Antonio Sebastiao do Rosario Ferrao.

- Bishop Thomas Bhalerao, S.J., of Nashik.

- Bishop Thomas Dabre of Vasai.

- Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes, S.J., of Gandhinagar.

- Angela Merkel, head of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian-Social Union of Germany, and an entourage.

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STATISTICS ON THE CHURCH IN CROATIA

VATICAN CITY, MAY 27, 2003 (VIS) - On the occasion of John Paul II's apostolic trip to Croatia on June 5 - 9, his 100th trip outside of Italy during which he will visit Rijeka, Dubrovnik, Osijek and Zadar, we offer some statistics on the Catholic Church in this country.

Croatia, which the Pope visited in 1994 and 1998, has a population of 4,660,000, of which 3,772,000 are Catholic, approximately 80.9% of the total population. There are currently 27 bishops, 2,260 priests, 3,520 religious and 689 seminarians in the country.

The Catholic Church in this Balkan nation runs 26 primary, middle and secondary schools, and eight superior schools and universities in which more than 4,000 students are enrolled. In addition, there are 33 homes for the elderly, disabled and handicapped, 57 orphanages and 21 family counseling and Pro-life centers and 18 centers for education and social rehabilitation.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 27, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Miklos Beer, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, as bishop of the diocese of Vac (area 8,805, population 1,067,000, Catholics 705,000, priests 224, permanent deacons 6, religious 233), Hungary.

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