CONCLUSION OF "AD LIMINA" VISIT OF THE PARAGUAYAN BISHOPS

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received the prelates of the Paraguayan Episcopal Conference, at the conclusion of their "ad limina" visit.

The Holy Father encouraged the bishops to give particular attention to priests, saying: "It is important that they receive a solid spiritual, human, and intellectual formation, which also continues after the seminary in the priestly life, in order that they become faithful, constant, and generous announcers of the mysteries of God."

"The evident necessity of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life," the Pope continued, "must in no way allow us to require less or be content with a mediocre formation and spirituality."

The Holy Father emphasized that "in Paraguay there is a notable presence of consecrated people, and of men and women religious. ... In this regard, the role of the consecrated woman in many areas of Church life should be particularly mentioned, especially for her simplicity, spirit of sacrifice, and closeness to people."

It is hoped that consecrated people, the Holy Father added, "contribute in particular to the local Church, keeping alive the significance of the presence of God and inspiring in all the faithful 'a true longing for holiness, a deep desire for conversion and personal renewal in a context of ever more intense prayer'."

John Paul II emphasized that an "authentic pastoral priority is the spreading of the social doctrine of the Church, in order to adequately confront different situations with an upright conscience, enlightened by the faith, and to promote and direct the commitment of the laity in public life. In effect, declarations and theoretical statements of principle serve little, if these are not firmly internalized through a general and systematic formation."

"To such formation, which must accompany the growth of the faith of all Christians," the Holy Father concluded, "must be added an effort of evangelization towards those who have responsibility in different areas of public administration."

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LETTERS OF CREDENCE OF NEW AMBASSADOR OF BRAZIL

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2001 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received the new ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the Holy See, Oto Agripino Maia, on the occasion of the presentation of his Letters of Credence. The Pope recalled in his discourse that the Jubilee Year coincided with the celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the discovery and evangelization of Brazil.

After affirming that Brazil "is assuming an ever more important role in the concert of Latin American nations," the Holy Father emphasized that "initiatives directed towards the promotion of peace definitively influence the consolidation of democracy in these regions."

"Efforts to overcome social inequalities, defense of the environment, the promotion and defense of the rights of children and women, the promotion - recently ever more urgent - of better conditions of life in prisons and, not least, respect for religious teaching in centers of instruction, are undoubtedly objectives ... which require constant dedication for the wellbeing of the country from the nation's representatives."

The Holy Father affirmed that evangelization is a competence of the Church, and that the Church is "grateful to the State for the collaboration given in such a difficult mission. In this regard I hope that the migratory process of missionaries both within and outside of the country's borders can be facilitated."

"The pastoral visits which I have made to your country," the Holy Father continued, "have touched me deeply and strengthen the hope that Brazil wishes to continue to be the guide of many Latin American countries."

After referring to the "presence of Brazil in the United Nations and International Organizations," the Holy Father affirmed: "I hope that the principles inspired by this participation in the society of nations, are directed according to criteria whose fundamental objective is the respect of human dignity, especially in the case of unborn human beings, today seriously threatened by reproductive technologies which attempt to attack human life. ... Furthermore, drug trafficking, corruption at all levels, inequality between social groups, and the irrational destruction of nature attest that: 'In the absence of moral points of reference, an unbridled greed for wealth and power takes over, obscuring any Gospel-based vision of social reality'."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received today in separate audiences:

- Six prelates from the Paraguayan Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Sebelio Peralta Alvarez of Villarrica del Espiritu Santo.
- Bishop Celso Yegros Estigarribia of Carapegua.
- Bishop Adalberto Martinez Flores of San Lorenzo.
- Bishop Ignacio Gogorza Izaguirre of Cuidad del Este.
- Bishop Candido Cardenas Villalba of Benjamin Aceval.
- Bishop Lucio Alfert, apostolic vicar of Pilcomayo.
- Cardinal Virgilio Noe, archpriest of the Vatican Basilica, vicar general of Vatican City and president of the Fabric of St. Peter's.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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HOLY FATHER REMEMBERS BLESSED JOHN XXIII, "POPE OF DIALOGUE"

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received members and students of the John XXIII International Cultural Center, which houses youth from over fifty countries.

"Your House," the Pope said in his discourse, "is dedicated to my venerated predecessor, Blessed John XXIII. He was the Pope of dialogue and peace, of goodness and love towards all. During his brief but intense pontificate, he began an "updating" which imprinted a vast and significant renewal upon the Church. With the Second Vatican Council he then prepared the Church for the challenges of the third millennium."

The Holy Father went on to affirm that the Center, where youth of different cultures, races, and nations live together, has become a place of dialogue between various cultures. "Dialogue brings us, in effect," the Pope emphasized, "to recognize the richness of diversity and prepares souls for reciprocal acceptance, in the perspective of an authentic collaboration, responsive to the original vocation to unity of the entire human family."

"In a world where the dominant interests seem to be material," the Holy Father concluded, "I exhort you to seek 'first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness'. ... Furthermore, the experience of faith, in a multicultural context, will help you to not submit to easy approvals, to cultural models inspired by a secularized and practically atheist conception of life, such as forms of radical individualism. It will urge you rather to acquire a more mature relationship with the values of your culture, to enrich them in comparison with other traditions and verify them with the lived experience of encounter with Christ."

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PRESENTATION OF 2001 PONTIFICAL YEARBOOK

VATICAN CITY, APR 9, 2001 (VIS) - This morning Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano presented the 2001 edition of the "Annuario Pontificio" (Pontifical Yearbook) to the Holy Father, in the presence of Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, substitute for General Affairs, and those who collaborated in the editing and publication of the volume.

A note about the presentation described various changes to the updated Yearbook, including an expanded format. In the year 2000 the Holy See established diplomatic relations with the State of Bahrain and the Republic of Djibouti, bringing the number of States with which normal diplomatic relations are held to 174. Furthermore, an apostolic delegation was erected in Botswana, 22 new episcopal sees, an apostolic esarchate, a military ordinariate, 2 apostolic vicariates, 2 prefectures, one apostolic administration, and 2 "sui iuris" missions, were created, and 7 metropolitan sees were elevated. Finally, 44 new cardinals were created.

From 1998 to 1999 the number of Catholics in the world increased from 1,022,000 to 1,038,000. In the communique it is noted that in the last year 222 new bishops have been appointed, raising the total number of bishops to 4,482. There were 405,009 priests (of which 265,012 were diocesan), 26,629 permanent deacons, 55,428 men religious not ordained priests, 809,351 professed women religious, 31,049 members of Secular Institutes, 80,662 lay missionaries, and 2,449,659 catechists.

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