NEW BUILDINGS FOR THE BAMBINO GESU HOSPITAL

VATICAN CITY, JUL 19, 2006 (VIS) - Yesterday evening, in the presence of Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, an agreement was concluded between the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls and the Bambino Gesu pediatric hospital, for the use of certain buildings and spaces currently available in the extraterritorial zone of St. Paul's.

  According to a communique made public today, "the buildings and land being made available will be used by the hospital to expand and to bring together on one site a number of offices and clinics." This "will make it possible to provide better service to children in a very densely populated area of Rome.

  "This solution," the communique adds, "will enable greater integration, both in terms of healthcare and of administration, of the services offered, with indubitable benefits for the young patients."

  The agreement was signed by Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, archpriest of the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, and Francesco Silvano, president of the Bambino Gesu hospital. Both these Holy See institutions are located in Rome on extraterritorial land.
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TELEGRAM OF CONDOLENCE FOR INDONESIAN TSUNAMI

VATICAN CITY, JUL 19, 2006 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano sent the following telegram of condolence, in the name of the Pope, to the ecclesial and civil authorities of Indonesia for the tsunami that hit the island of Java on Monday and left more than 500 people dead and around 300 missing:

  "Deeply saddened to learn of the tragic consequences of the recent tsunami in Java, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI assures all those affected of his closeness in prayer. He commends the deceased to the loving mercy of the Almighty, and upon their grieving families he invokes divine blessings of strength and consolation. His Holiness likewise prays for the rescue workers and all involved in providing assistance to displaced families, encouraging them to persevere in their efforts to bring relief and support."
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WORLD RELIGIOUS LEADERS WRITE TO THE G8

VATICAN CITY, JUL 18, 2006 (VIS) - At the close yesterday in St. Petersburg, Russia, of the summit meeting of leaders of the world's most industrialized nations (G8), a declaration from participants in a world gathering of religious leaders was also read out. Their meeting was held in Moscow, Russia, from July 3 to 5.

  "Let us keep the peace that God has given us" write representatives of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Shintoism, highlighting the need for "religion to continue to be the true and solid foundation of peace and dialogue between civilizations," and for "it never to be used as a source of division and conflict."

  The declaration identifies the challenges facing humanity today, from the defense of human life in all its stages to the relationship between justice and economics, without overlooking "the scandal of poverty." The text also condemns all forms of terrorism and extremism as well as the violence that seeks justification in religion. It also deplores the activities of pseudo-religious groups and movements "which attack the freedom and wellbeing of peoples."

  The world meeting of religious leaders was organized by the inter-religious council of Russia. The Catholic Church delegation was presided by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and also included Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. In his contribution to the debate, Cardinal Poupard highlighted the necessity for religious and civil authorities throughout the world to collaborate for the good of humanity, and the need to face the challenges of globalization, while always respecting the dignity of human beings.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 17, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Bishop Douglas Young S.V.D., auxiliary of the archdiocese of Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea, as metropolitan archbishop of the same archdiocese (area 8,288, population 392,259, Catholics 144,745, priests 38, religious 91). The archbishop-elect was born in Brisbane, Australia in 1950, he was ordained a priest in 1977 and ordained a bishop in 2000. He succeeds Archbishop Michael Meier S.V.D., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Bishop Jose Vilaplana Blasco of Santander, Spain, as bishop of Huelva (area 10,085, population 472,446, Catholics 453,548, priests 153, permanent deacons 8, religious 438), Spain. He succeeds Bishop Ignacio Noguer Carmona, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

  On Saturday, July 15, it was made public that the Holy Father:

 - Appointed Bishop Paul Ponen Kubi C.S.C., auxiliary of Mymensingh, Bangladesh, as bishop of the same diocese (area 16,448, population 14,100,000, Catholics 68,963, priests 28, religious 124). He succeeds Bishop Francis Anthony Gomes, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Fr. Thomas Thuruthimattam C.S.T., superior general of the Little Flower Congregation, as bishop of the eparchy of Gorakhpur of the Syro-Malabars (area 19,070, population 17,120,000, Catholics 2,916, priests 57, religious 212), India. The bishop-elect was born in Aruvikuzhy, India in 1947 and ordained a priest in 1973. He succeeds Bishop Dominic Kokkat C.S.T., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same eparchy, the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with canon 210 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

 - Appointed Bishop Jose Luis Azuaje Ayala, auxiliary of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, as bishop of El Vigia-San Carlos del Zulia (area 8,100, population 368,176, Catholics 357,130, priests 32, religious 38), Venezuela.

 - Appointed Bishop Gratian Mundadan C.M.I., of Bijnor of the Syro-Malabars, India, as apostolic visitor for the Syro-Malabars in India outside their "territorium proprium."
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SEMINAR IN SEOUL ON CURRENT STATE OF CHRISTIAN UNITY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 17, 2006 (VIS) - Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, is presiding at a seminar dedicated to the theme: "The Search for Christian Unity: Where We Stand Today." The event has been jointly organized by the pontifical council, the office of ecumenical and inter-religious affairs of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences, and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea.

  The aim of the seminar, being held in Seoul, South Korea, from July 17 to 21, "is to provide an opportunity for Asian bishops and others working in the field to reflect on the realities of ecumenical relations in Asian countries, and to develop effective pastoral approaches," says a communique from the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity made public today.

  This seminar forms part of a series organized by the pontifical council to consider various themes associated with ecumenism. The first two seminars took place in Nairobi, Kenya, and in Dakar, Senegal, in July 2005 and "were aimed at presenting the principles of ecumenism and motivating participants to respond to the complex ecumenical situation" on the continent of Africa. Another seminar in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in September of the same year "focused on the issue of Pentecostalism and its growth in Brazil."

  "The seminars have been planned in response to the needs expressed by the bishops themselves to find a pastoral response to the emerging challenges, particularly the rapid growth of new religious movements (Pentecostal, Evangelical and Charismatic)", the communique explains.

  "The seminar in Seoul has been timed to coincide with the World Methodist Conference, to be held there from July 20 to 24. ... At this conference it is expected that the Methodist Churches will adopt the Joint Declaration on Justification agreed between the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation in 1999, and a solemn celebration of the Word of God will mark this extended agreement, to be signed in the presence of Cardinal Kasper and Rev. Ismael Noko, secretary general of the Lutheran World Federation."
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