THE CATACOMBS: CORNERSTONE OF PIETY AND UNITY

VATICAN CITY, FEB 13, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II wrote a message to Archbishop Francesco Marchisano, president of the Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archeology, for the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the first project undertaken by that organization. The commission was instituted by Pope Pius IX in order to extend the collection and study of Christian antiquities, with particular attention to the catacombs. The message is dated February 12.

"The catacombs," writes the Holy Father, "have represented, for believers in all ages, a cornerstone of piety and unity. There, eloquent testimony of the Church's sanctity, - serving to recall the communion that unites the living to the dead, ... time to eternity - is contained and venerated. In these holy places, the glorious coming of Christ is awaited by those marked with the seal of Baptism; those who, not infrequently, rendered the Gospel the ultimate witness of the effusion of their blood."

He continues: "Furthermore, I wish to recall that the commission over which you so worthily preside does not solely occupy itself with conserving the 'traces of the people of God.' It also seeks to gather and spread the religious and cultural message that such traces evoke. The contribution of those who work with you ... enables the Church to have an ever-deeper knowledge of the heritage left by the first Christian generations. The message that this heritage constantly and silently proclaims also helps Christians to remain faithful to the 'depositum fidei,' received as a precious treasure to be conserved with care."

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LENT BEGINS. A TIME FOR CONVERSION AND PENITENCE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 13, 2002 (VIS) - In the general audience of today, Ash Wednesday, the Pope affirmed: "Together with the entire Church, we begin a 40-day journey in preparation for Easter, with the austere symbol of the imposition of the ashes and accompanied by Christ's exhortation: 'repent, and believe in the Gospel'."

He went on: "All human beings are thus confronted with their condition as sinners and with their need for penitence and conversion. The Christian faith reminds us that this pressing call to reject evil and do good is a gift of God, from Whom comes all that is good in the life of man. Everything has its origin in the gratuitous initiative of God, Who created us for joy and orients all things towards true goodness."

The Holy Father indicated that the message for Lent this year focuses on "the gratuitousness of God's initiative in our lives. ... The path of conversion down which we faithfully start today, is fully part of this original context of love and gratuitousness. Are not the giving of alms and the charitable gestures which we are especially called to make in this time of penitence, a response to the gratuitousness of divine grace?"

"Modern society has a profound need to rediscover the value of gratuitousness, especially because a logic exclusively motivated by the search for profit and gain at any cost often seems to triumph in our world. In the face of the widespread feeling that all choices and actions are dominated by the logic of market forces and the law of greatest-possible income, the Christian faith re-proposes the ideal of gratuitousness, based on people's conscious freedom and animated by authentic love."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 9, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Silvano Tomasi C.S., apostolic nuncio in Ethiopia and Eritrea, and apostolic delegate in Djibouti.
- Two prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Argentina, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Jorge Ruben Lugones S.J., of San Ramon de la Nueva Oran. - Bishop Jose Maria Rossi O.P., of Concepcion.
- Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

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LONGING FOR SANCTITY: BLESSED JOHN XXIII'S DAILY CONCERN

VATICAN CITY, FEB 9, 2002 (VIS) - This evening, in accordance with annual custom, the Holy Father visited Rome's major seminary - which presently has 165 students - for the occasion of the feast of the patroness, Our Lady of Trust.

After listening to a piece of music inspired by the figure of Blessed John XXIII, who was also a student at the seminary, the Pope sought to underline "the yearning after sanctity which became a daily concern in (Blessed John XXIII's) life. His optimism remained firm even in the face of real problems and difficulties. Strong in his faith, he invited others to realize that what unites the Lord's disciples - and, in general, all men and women - is far greater than that which actually divides them. With this spirit he favored the ecumenical journey, which has attained no small results although much remains to be done."

John Paul II told the seminarians that the publication, on December 20, 2001, of the decree of the heroic virtues of the former student of the seminary, Bruno Marchesini, was a reason for them to be joyful. "May the Spirit that inspired the young Marchesini," he said, "also lead you along the path of the heroism of faith, that you may ready yourselves to carry the Gospel wherever Providence may guide you, if necessary to the very ends of the earth."

After highlighting that sanctity is "the first part of any missionary endeavor," he concluded: "Advance without pause towards this arduous and majestic peak, treasuring the grace that is dispensed to you every day and attempting to translate it into a fervor of good intentions and courageous actions. This is the duty of all ecclesial communities and must be the principal occupation of all believers."

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GUARANTEE FAMILIES ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT

VATICAN CITY, FEB 9, 2002 (VIS) - This morning, the Pope received in audience members of the "Centesimus Annus - Pro Pontifice" Foundation who, with their "activities in the economic and social spheres, represent a valid form of the lay apostolate."

"Your activity," said the Holy Father, "is particularly relevant because it aims to give special attention to the family and to the evaluation of its role, so indispensable in society. A contented and industrious family becomes a forge for building peace. ... Therefore, it is necessary to pray and work ceaselessly in order that the family become a protagonist in creating a constructive path of peace, both within and around itself"

John Paul II stressed that "in the world today there exists a great desire for truth, justice and harmony. I was able to experience this two weeks ago at Assisi" with representatives of world religions. Nonetheless, he added, "love must be promoted in society, and to do this we must start from the primordial cell of humanity which is the family. ... It is, consequently, important that family units be guaranteed, among other things, adequate economic, social, educational and cultural security in order for them to be able to carry out the tasks that it is their primary duty to fulfil."

After referring to the principle of subsidiarity, upon which the foundation is presently reflecting, the Pope said: "Applying this principle to the family's relationship with the State, the first thing that emerges is the urgent need to use all possible instruments in order to safeguard the promotion of those values that enrich the family, sanctuary of life and environment in which tomorrow's citizens are born and develop."

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