JUBILEE CELEBRATION OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIS

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VATICAN CITY, JUL 1, 2000 (VIS) - Following a Mass this morning in St. Peter's Square, presided over by Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano in the presence of tens of thousands of pilgrims, Pope John Paul greeted the members of the male and female religious families and Catholic associations dedicated to the worship of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus.

The Pope recalled that up to Vatican Council II "the mystery of the Most Precious Blood of Christ was celebrated liturgically throughout the Catholic Church on July 1" but that "Pope Paul VI linked the feast of the Blood of Christ to that of His body in the solemnity now known as 'The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ'."

"The Jubilee Year," he went on, "gives new impulse to a most significant devotion. In fact, as we celebrate Christ's birth at a distance of 2000 years, we are also invited to contemplate and adore Him in the most holy humanity which He took on in Mary's womb, joined hypostatically to the Divine Person of the Word. If Christ's blood is a precious font of salvation for the world, that cOmes precisely from His being the Word made flesh for our salvation."

John Paul II said that Christ's sacrifice on the Cross "inspires us ... to give our lives for God and our brothers without reserve 'usque ad effusione, sanguinis' (up to the shedding of blood), as did so many martyrs. How can we not recognize repeatedly the value of every human being when, for each one, without distinction, Christ has shed His blood?"

Before closing, the Holy Father greeted the pilgrims from the diocese of Bergamo, Italy, recalling their fellow citizen, and his predecessor, the late Pope John XXIII. "May the path of prayer and meditation which leads you to Jubilee sites," he said, "be an occasion for you to reaffirm your convinced adhesion to Christ, the 'Holy Door', to enter into the Kingdom of God."

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JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF JULY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 1, 2000 (VIS) - Following is the Jubilee Year schedule of celebrations for the month of July:

- Sunday 2: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Station Mass of the Jubilee.

- Sunday 9: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Jubilee celebrations in prisons.

- Sunday 16: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Station Mass of the Jubilee.

- Sunday 23: Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Station Mass of the Jubilee.

- Sunday 30: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Station Mass of the Jubilee.

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POPE JOHN PAUL'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR JULY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 1, 2000 (VIS) - Pope John Paul's general prayer intention for the month of July is: "That the followers of the various religions may grow in respecting one another and collaborating to consolidate justice and peace in the world."

His mission intention is: "That all those who are tried by sickness and loneliness may offer their suffering with Christ for the conversion of the world."

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PROMULGATION OF DECREES BY CONGREGATION FOR CAUSES OF SAINTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 1, 2000 (VIS) - Today in the Clementine Hall, the following decrees were promulgated in the presence of the Holy Father, John Paul II, the members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and the postulators of the respective causes:

- Seven decrees regarding miracles attributed to:
- Blessed Luigi Scrosoppi, Italian, priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence (1804-1884).
- Blessed Agostino Roscelli, Italian, priest of the archdiocese of Genoa and founder of the Institute of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1818-1902).
- Blessed Bernardo da Corleone (ne Filippo Latini), Italian, professed layman of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins (1605-1667).
- Blessed Paola di San Giuseppe Calasanzio (nee Paola Montal Fornes), Spanish, foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary of the Pious Schools (1799-1889).
- Blessed Rebecca (nee Petra Ar-Rayes De Himlaya), Lebanese, professed nun of the Lebanese Order of St. Anthony of the Maronites (1832-1914).
- Servant of God Alfonso Maria Fusco, Italian, priest of the diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist (1839-1910).
- Servant of God Maria Eutimia (nee Emma Uffing), German, professed sister of the Congregation of Compassion (1914-1955).

- Twelve decrees regarding the heroic virtues of the following Servants of God:
- Carlo Liviero, Italian, bishop of Citta di Castello and founder of the Congregation of the Little Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart (1866-1932).
- Marco Antonio Durando, Italian, priest of the Congregation of the Mission of St. Vincent de Paul and founder of the Institute of the Sisters of Jesus the Nazarene (1801-1880).
- Felice de Gesu Rougier (ne Felice Benedetto Rougier), French, professed priest and founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit of Guadalupe and of the Oblates of Jesus Priest (1859-1938).
- Adrian Osmolowski (ne Peter), Belarussian, priest of the Order of Friars Minor (1838-1924).
- Eugenia Ravasco, Italian, foundress of the Institute of the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (1845-1900).
- Bonifacia Rodriguez Castro, Spanish, foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of St. Joseph (1837-1905).
- Maria di Gesu (nee Carolina Santocanale), Italian, foundress of the Congregation of the Capuchin Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Lourdes (1852-1923).
- Pieta Della Croce (nee Tomasa Ortiz Real), Spanish, foundress of the Congregation of the Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1842-1916).
- Maria Luigia Giuseppa del Ss.mo Sacramento (nee Maria Luigia De la Pena Navarro, widow Rojas), Mexican, foundress of the Congregation of the Carmelite Sisters of the Sacred Heart and of the Congregation of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Holy Heart of Los Angeles (1866-1937).
- Maria Guadalupe (nee Anastasia Guadalupe Garcia Zavala), Mexican, co-foundress of the Handmaidens of St. Margaret Mary and of the Poor (1878-1963).
- Maria Rosa (nee Bruna Pellesi), Italian, professed sister of the Congregation of Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Christ (1917-1972).
- Casimiro Barello Morello, Italian, layman (1857-1884).

Among those present were Cardinals Francis Arinze, Henri Schwery and Pio Laghi, and Archbishops Jose Saraiva Martins and Edward Nowak, respectively prefect and secretary of the congregation.

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A CALL TO PENANCE, ASCETICISM, DETACHMENT FROM THE WORLD

VATICAN CITY, JUL 3, 2000 (VIS) - Pope John Paul this morning welcomed the Minim Friars, founded by St. Francis de Paola over 500 years ago, who are celebrating their General Chapter in Rome. St. Francis also founded the Minim Fathers and Minim Nuns.

In his speech, he highlighted their "glorious past history" as well as "the glorious history (you have) yet to build." Quoting from the Order's constitution, he said that, "following the example of your founder, your religious family 'proposes to give particular and daily witness to Gospel penance with a Lenten-like life, such as total conversion to God, intimate participation in the expiation of Christ and a call to the Gospel values of detachment from the world, of the primacy of spirit over matter and of the urgency of penance, which carries with it the practice of charity, love of prayer and physical asceticism'."

In particular, the Holy Father underlined the order's "fourth vow of perpetual Lent" and noted that the theme of their General Chapter "proposes contemplating anew the charism of Lenten penance, in the light of the challenges of today's world." He highlighted the importance of renunciation and penance, especially today when "the dominant tendency in contemporary society .... is to seek immediate gratification."

He urged the Minims to develop ever more deeply the spirit and charism of their founder, saying: "May your Order, after having overcome difficult moments in the course of its history, continue to be the light which illumines the penitents of the Church."

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