JOHN PAUL II WATCHES FIREWORK DISPLAY FROM STUDY WINDOW

VATICAN CITY, OCT 19, 2003 (VIS) - Shortly after 8 this evening, Pope John Paul II, to the surprise of the thousands of pilgrims assembled in St. Peter's Square, appeared at his study window to watch the firework display organized by the city of Rome as part of the celebrations in honor of his silver jubilee as Pope.

At the end of the pyrotechnic display, the Holy Father told the crowd that he "greatly enjoyed the fireworks" for which he thanked the mayor of Rome and "the beloved city of Rome for the affection that even in this manner it wishes to show me. For this I bless all the citizens. May Christ bless you all!" The public continued to applaud and wave handkerchiefs, prompting the Pope to "wish everyone a beautiful evening. Good night," he said, as he left the window, having appeared for almost a half hour.

The fireworks were accompanied by and synchronized to the music of "Missa pro Pace," which was composed for Pope John Paul by the Polish musician, Kilar Wojciech, and performed in the Vatican, in the presence of the Holy Father, on December 7, 2001 by the chorus and National Philharmonic Orchestra of Warsaw.

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POPE BEATIFIES MOTHER TERESA BEFORE 300,000 PEOPLE

VATICAN CITY, OCT 19, 2003 (VIS) - Today in St. Peter's Square, before 300,000 people, including members of twenty-seven official delegations who were in Rome for the ceremony, John Paul II beatified Servant of God Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Sr. Nirmala Joshi, superior general of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Mother Teresa, attended the Mass, accompanied by thousands of sisters. Three thousand poor and destitute occupied seats close to the altar.

In the homily which was read by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, and Cardinal Ivan Dias, archbishop of Bombay, the Pope noted that the foundress of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity became a servant to all. "I am personally grateful to this courageous woman," he said, "whom I always felt alongside me. An icon of the Good Samaritan, she went everywhere to serve Christ in the poorest of the poor. Not even conflicts and wars held her back."

The Pope recalled what Mother Teresa said when she received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979: "If you know of any woman who does not want to keep her baby and wants to abort, try to convince her to bring that child to me. I will love that child, seeing in him or her the sign of the love of God."

"Is it not significant that her beatification takes place on the day in which the Church celebrates World Mission Day? With the witness of her life Mother Teresa reminds us that the evangelizing mission of the Church is transmitted through charity, nourished in prayer and listening to the word of God. ... Mother Teresa proclaims the Gospel with her life completely dedicated to the poor, but at the same time, full of prayer."

Referring to Jesus' words on the cross, "I am thirsty," the Holy Father indicated that "satiating Jesus' thirst for love and for souls in union with Mary, the mother of Jesus, had become the sole aim" of the new blessed.

"Mother Teresa," he continued, "shared in the passion of the Crucifixion especially during the long years of 'interior darkness'. It was a trial, at times excruciating, welcomed as a singular 'gift and privilege'. In the darkest hours she relied more on prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament. This spiritual tribulation made her identify even more with those whom she served every day, experiencing sorrow and even rejection. She liked to say that the greatest poverty is to be unwanted, to not have anyone to take care of you."

John Paul II concluded by asking that "we give praise for this small women in love with God, humble messenger of the Gospel and tireless benefactor of humanity. We honor in her one of the most relevant personalities of our time. Let us welcome her message and let us follow our example."

At the end of the Mass, before the Angelus, the Pope saluted those present in English, Macedonian, Albanian and Italian. He then circled St. Peter's Square in the open white jeep to greet the faithful who had filled both the square and the broad street leading up to it, Via della Conciliazione.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 20, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Henry Joseph Mansell of Buffalo, U.S.A., as metropolitan archbishop of Hartford (area 5,926, population 1,863, 384, Catholics 719,953, priests 499, permanent deacons 308, religious 1,191), U.S.A. The archbishop-elect was born in 1937 in New York, U.S.A., and was ordained a priest in 1962. The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese presented by Archbishop Daniel Anthony Cronin upon having reached the age limit.
It was made public on Saturday October 18 that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Luis Alberto Parra Mora, vicar general of the diocese of Yopal, Colombia, as bishop of Mocoa-Sibundoy (area 25,282, population 264,400, Catholics 175,000, priests 38, religious 104), Colombia. The bishop-elect was born in Tenza, Colombia in 1944 and was ordained a priest in 1971. The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop Fabio De Jesus Morales, C.SS.R., in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Bishop Victor Tonye Backot of Edea, Cameroon, as metropolitan archbishop of Yaounde (area 4,964, population 1,545,300, Catholics 680,235, priests 302, religious 270), Cameroon.

- Appointed Fr. Jonas Ivanauskas, vicar general of the archdiocese of Kaunas, Lithuania, as auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese (area 8,750, population 750,000, Catholics 506,000, priests 133, religious 327). The bishop-elect was born in Alytus, Lithuania in 1960 and was ordained a priest in 1985.

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MOTHER TERESA: ONE OF THE GREATEST MISSIONARIES OF 20TH CENTURY

VATICAN CITY, OCT 20, 2003 (VIS) - This morning the Pope received in audience the pilgrims who participated yesterday in the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta to whom, he said, "he was bound by great esteem and sincere affection."

Speaking about the foundress of the Missionaries of Charity, John Paul II affirmed that "there is no doubt that the new blessed was one of the greatest missionaries of the 20th century. The Lord made a chosen instrument of this simple woman, who came from one of the poorest areas of Europe, in order to announce the Gospel to the whole world, not with preaching but with daily gestures of love toward the poor. Missionary with the most universal language: charity without limits and exclusions, without preferences even toward to most abandoned."

The Holy Father indicated that Mother Teresa also was "a missionary of charity, a missionary of peace and a missionary of life. ... She always spoke out in defense of human life, even when her message was unwelcome. Mother Teresa's whole existence was a hymn to life. ... Her very smile was a 'yes' to life, a joyful 'yes', born of profound faith and love, a 'yes' purified in the crucible of suffering. She renewed that 'yes' each morning, in union with Mary, at the foot of Christ's Cross."

"Teresa of Calcutta," he continued, "was really a mother. Mother of the poor, mother of children. Mother of so many young girls and boys who had her as their spiritual guide and who shared her mission. From a small seed, the Lord made a big tree grow, full of fruit."

Addressing her spiritual sons and daughters, the Pope said: "You are the most eloquent signs of this prophetic fecundity. Preserve her charisma and follow her example, and she, from heaven, will always sustain you on your path every day."

"Mother Teresa's message is more than ever an invitation directed at everyone. Her whole life reminds us that to be Christian means to be witnesses to charity. These are the instructions of the new blessed. Echoing her words, I urge each one of you to follow with generosity and courage the footsteps of this genuine disciple of Christ. Mother Teresa walks alongside you on the path of charity."

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POPE RELIVES MOMENT OF HIS ELECTION WITH EMOTION

VATICAN CITY, OCT 16, 2003 (VIS) - Late this afternoon, during a solemn Mass attended by 50,000 faithful and concelebrated by members of the College of Cardinals, archbishops and bishops, and pastors of Roman parishes, John Paul II relived with emotion the moment of his election 25 years ago today. Among the prominent personalities in attendance were Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and Aleksander Kwasniewski, respectively presidents of Italy and Poland, and members of official delegations from 17 countries.

In St. Peter's Square, decorated with flowers and plants from Holland, the Pope confessed that 25 years ago he had "experienced divine mercy in a special way." Recalling the moment in which the cardinals elected him to succeed Peter, he said: "How could I not tremble, humanly speaking? How could such a big responsibility not weigh on me? It was necessary to rely on divine mercy so that when asked, do you accept?, I could answer ...: I accept."

"Today, dear brothers and sisters, I am happy to share with you an experience that has extended to a quarter of a century. Every day the same dialogue between Jesus and Peter takes place within my heart. ... God, even though He is aware of my human fragility, encourages me to respond with faith like Peter: 'Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you'. He then invites me to assume responsibilities that He has entrusted to me."

The Holy Father emphasized that since the beginning of his pontificate, his "thoughts, prayers and actions have been inspired by one desire: to bear witness that Christ, the Good Shepherd, is present and operates in His Church." The Pope reiterated the call of 25 years ago: "Do not be afraid to welcome Christ and to accept His authority! Today I repeat with vigor: Open, open wide the doors to Christ! Let yourselves be guided by Him! Trust in His love!"

After giving thanks to God for these 25 years, John Paul II said he also wanted to thank the faithful from around the world for their prayers in response to his petition to help and sustain him from the beginning of the pastoral ministry, and he urged them not to "interrupt this great work of love by the Successor of Peter. I ask you once again: help the Pope, and all those who want to serve Christ, to serve man and all of humanity!"

In conclusion, he invoked the Lord, saying: "Forgive the evil committed and multiply the good: everything is Your work and only to You is glory due. ... I renew, through the hands of Mary, Beloved Mother, the gift of myself, of the present and of the future: may everything be done according to Your will. Supreme Pastor, stay with us, so that we may proceed safely with You to the house of the Father."

At the beginning of the Eucharistic celebration, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, dean of the College of Cardinals, congratulated the Pope on everyone's behalf. "As the apostle Paul," he said, "you can say that you have never sought to praise with words, nor have you sought honor from men, rather you have taken care of your sons and daughters like a mother. ... You have endured criticism and insults, provoking nevertheless gratitude and love, and breaking down the walls of hate and distrust. We can say today how you have put yourself wholeheartedly at the service of the Gospel. ... Like Paul, you bear suffering in order to complete in your earthly life, through the body of Christ which is the Church, what is lacking in Christ's afflictions."

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