VIETNAMESE CATHOLICS OF THE DIASPORA MEET IN ROME

VATICAN CITY, JUL 25, 2003 (VIS) - Last evening at 8 p.m. in a hall of the Janiculum Terminal near the Vatican, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, inaugurated the four-day Faith Encounter of the Vietnamese Catholic Community living in the diaspora. The theme of the meeting, organized by the Coordinating Office for the Pastoral of Vietnamese in the World, is "United in Living and Proclaiming the Gospel."

About 2,000 Vietnamese from 16 countries are expected to attend. There are an estimated two million Vietnamese living in the diaspora, of whom approximately 30 percent are Catholic.

Following Cardinal Sepe's remarks was a Mass presided over by Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide, Australia, vice-president of the Australian Episcopal Conference, who led a pilgrimage of Vietnamese Catholics residing in his country.

Meetings are scheduled for today and tomorrow in the Terminal as well as at the nearby Pontifical Urban University. Adults will meet this morning to discuss the theme "Witness of Faith in the Past and Prospects of the Walk of Faith of the Catholic Vietnamese Community in the Diaspora." Young people will meet at the university and talk about "Youth and the future of the Catholic Vietnamese Community in Diaspora in the local Churches and the Church in Vietnam." There will be a penitential rite in late morning, as well as a procession and Eucharistic blessing.

This afternoon at 4 Msgr. Joseph Dinh Duc Dao, leader of the apostolate for Vietnamese in the diaspora will celebrate Mass in St. Mary Major Basilica. At 8:30 p.m. Cardinal Sepe will preside at a cultural presentation featuring contributions by the various communities and by artists.

Saturday morning, July 26, there will be meetings of Vietnamese by country. In the afternoon specific groups will gather to discuss themes assigned to each group: 1. Priests, deacons and religious: "Witnesses of unity in the consecrated and apostolic life"; 2. Parents: "Witnesses of unity in love in transmitting the faith to children"; 3. Youth: "Witnesses in unity according to the Gospel in order to be apostles for young people"; 4. Members of the pastoral council: "Witnesses in unity to build united communities, committed to proclaiming the Gospel"; 5. Apostolic Movements and Associations: "United in Proclaiming the Gospel according to individual charisms"; 6. Members of the media: "United in proclaiming the Gospel through the media"; 7. Artists: "United in Proclaiming the Gospel through art."

Saturday evening at 7:30 there will be a procession in honor of Our Lady of Lavang, followed by Mass in the Janiculum Terminal celebrated by Bishop Paul Nguyen Van Hoa of Nha Trang, president of the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam. The day will conclude with a prayer vigil.

Cardinal Sepe will preside at the concluding Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on Sunday, July 27 at 10 a.m.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 25, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Joseph Francis Martino, auxiliary of Philadelphia, U.S.A., as bishop of Scranton (area 22,905, population 1,066,308, Catholics 365,079, priests 410, permanent deacons 6, religious 523), U.S.A. He also accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop James Clifford Timlin upon having reached the age limit.

- Msgr. Piero Coda, professor of the Pontifical Lateran University, as secretary prelate of the Pontifical Academy of Theology.

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OCTOBER: INTERNATIONAL RETREAT FOR PRIESTS IN LOURDES

VATICAN CITY, JUL 24, 2003 (VIS) - The Congregation for Clergy has organized an International Retreat for Priests during the Year of the Rosary in the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes from October 11 to 15 which coincides with the 25th anniversary of John Paul II's pontificate.

The "Totus Tuus" International Retreat in which many priests from all over the world are expected to participate and whose theme is, "Contemplating the face of Christ in the school of Mary," will be led by several cardinals and bishops. In preparation for the Jubilee in 2000, similar international meetings took place in Fatima, Yamoussoukro, Guadalupe and Jerusalem between 1996-1999 as well as in 2000 in Rome.

The inauguration will take place on Saturday October 11 at 4 p.m. with a procession to the Grotto of the Apparitions and a prayer to Our Lady. Later, Cardinal Jean Marie Lustiger, archbishop of Paris, France will preside at a Eucharistic celebration in the Basilica of the Rosary.

On Sunday October 12, after Lauds and a meditation, Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, will preside at a Mass, linked by television to St. Peter's Square in Rome in order to follow the Holy Father's Angelus and message to participants. In the afternoon, Cardinal Castrillon will give a talk which will be followed by Eucharistic adoration and the Rosary with meditations.

On Monday October 13, there will be a penance service presided by Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, Germany, as well as confession, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and time for personal prayer. At 3 p.m. in the Basilica of the Rosary, Cardinal Julio Terrazas Sandoval, archbishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolovia, will preside at a Eucharistic celebration. Later there will be a conference and in the evening a torchlight procession will take place.

On October 14, Bishop Jacques Perrier of Tarbes and Lourdes will preside at the Way of the Cross. At 10:30 a.m., Cardinal Ivan Dias, archbishop of Bombay, India, will preside at a Mass in the Grotto of Apparitions. In the afternoon, the cardinal will address the retreat participants, followed by a procession to the Grotto of Apparitions and an Act of consecration to Our Lady.

The retreat will end on Wednesday October 15 with a Eucharistic celebration in the parish of Lourdes presided by Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid, Spain, and a presentation of conclusions.

Priests wishing further information can contact "Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi": Telephone: 3906-698-96285/ Fax: 3906-698-80513/ E-mail: totustuus'orpnet.org

The total cost to participate in the pilgrimage is 660 Euro, and includes plane fare from Rome.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 24, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Ratchaburi, Thailand, presented by Bishop John Bosco Manat Chuabsamai, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

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AUDIENCE: WE ARE ALWAYS IN THE HANDS OF THE LORD

VATICAN CITY, JUL 23, 2003 (VIS) - In today's general audience, celebrated in the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo, John Paul II spoke about Psalm 146, "The Lord's strength and benevolence."

This psalm, said the Pope, is an invitation to praise God for "His intervention in human life, in particular in favor of Jerusalem and Israel. ... Describing those who are pleasing to the Lord, the psalm invites us to take on a dual attitude: one of religious fear and faith. We are not left on our own or to cosmic energies, but are always in the Lord's hands because of His plan of salvation."

The Lord is presented as a "great architect and as a father who tends to the interior and physical wounds present in His humiliated and oppressed people. ... But the work of God," he continued, "does not manifest itself only when relieving His people from suffering. He Who envelops the poor in kindness and attends to them, is a severe judge with sinners. The Lord of history is not indifferent to the aggressiveness of the arrogant who think they are the only arbritrators of human vicissitudes."

The Holy Father affirmed that, after inviting everyone to praise God for His love toward creation and human life, the Psalm concludes "by showing the Lord tending to the just and humble. ... Once again, the Lord's logic ignores the pride and arrogance of power, but sides with the faithful and those who 'hope in His grace', that is, those who abandon themselves to God's guidance in their actions and thoughts, in their plans and daily life."

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