SALESIANS: SANCTITY IS YOUR MAIN DUTY

VATICAN CITY, APR 12, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received this morning the participants in the twenty-fifth General Chapter of the Salesians, including the new rector, Fr. Pascual Chavez Villanueva, and the general council of the congregation.

When recalling the previous rector, Fr. Juan Edmundo Vecchi, who died several months ago, the Pope said: "May his testimony serve as a stimulus so that each Salesian makes his own life a complete offering of love to God and his brothers."

"In this season of Easter," he continued, "the Church, after the days of the passion and crucifixion of the Son of God, invites believers to contemplate the resplendent face of the divine Teacher, resurrected. ... Only in Christ can we find the answer to the intimate hopes of our heart."

"Dear Salesians, if you are constantly faithful to this commitment," assured John Paul II, "if you make every effort to stamp your work with a constant energy of evangelical love, you will be able to carry out your mission until the end with joy and efficacy. Be saints! Holiness is, as you well know, your main duty, as it is for all Christians."

After recalling that next Sunday three Salesians will be beatified - Luigi Variara, Artemide Zatti and Maria Romero Meneses - he said: "Sanctity constitutes the major guarantee of an effective evangelization, because in it the most important testimony is found which we must offer to young people, participants in your diverse activities."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 12, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Michele Pennisi, rector of the Almo College Capranica in Rome, as bishop of Piazza Armerina (area 2,003, population 226,000, Catholics 220,000, priests 130, permanent deacons 5, religious 226), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Licodia Eubea, Italy in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1972.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 12, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Edmond Farhat, apostolic nuncio in Turkey and Turkmenistan.
- Archbishop Marco Dino Brogi, apostolic nuncio in Egypt.
- Five prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Bolivia on their "ad limina" visit:
- Msgr. Adalberto Arturo Rosat O.F.M., prelate of Aiquile.
- Bishop Julio Maria Elias Montoya, apostolic vicar of El Beni, accompanied by his auxiliary Bishop Manuel Eguiguren Galarraga.
- Bishop Luis Morgan Casey, apostolic vicar of Pando.
- Bishop Leonardo Bernacchi, apostolic vicar of Cuevo.

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ELDERLY MUST RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM FAMILY AND SOCIETY

VATICAN CITY, APR 11, 2002 (VIS) - Made public yesterday afternoon was the Pope's Message to participants in the Second World Assembly on Ageing which is taking place in Madrid, Spain from April 8 through 12.

The Holy Father writes that "a society shows itself just to the extent that it meets the needs of all its members." He went on to ask: "How can we guarantee the endurance of a society which is ageing, and safeguard the social security of older persons and their quality of life?"

"In responding to this question," he continues, "we must not be guided chiefly by economic criteria; rather, we must be inspired by sound moral principles. In the first place, the elderly must be considered in their dignity as persons, which does not diminish with the passing years nor with physical and mental deterioration. ... Experience shows that when this positive view breaks down older people are quickly marginalized and condemned to a loneliness which is a kind of social death. And does not the self-esteem of older people depend in large part on how they are viewed in the family and in society?"

John Paul II affirms that the "effective inclusion" of the elderly in society with their experience, knowledge and wisdom entails "helping to solve the problems connected with ageing."

Furthermore, he adds, formative programs are necessary to educate people about ageing in order that they may adapt to changes in life-style and work.

The Pope underlines that in moments of suffering and dependence, the elderly "not only need to be cared for with scientific and technical means but also to be looked after with efficiency and love, so that they do not feel that they are a useless burden or what is worse reach the point of wanting and asking for death. Our civilization must guarantee to older people care which is rich in humanity and inspired by true values."

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CREATE SYSTEMS OF SOLIDARITY THAT DO NOT IMPOVERISH ANYONE

VATICAN CITY, APR 11, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II received today the participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences who are reflecting on the subjects of democracy and globalization, as well as solidarity among the generations.

"The growing interdependence among people, families, companies and nations, as well as economies and markets - what we call globalization - has overturned the system of interaction and public relations." This has had positive consequences, but also has caused inequalities among economies and peoples in such a way that we must reconsider the question of solidarity."

The Pope said that "it is up to the political and economic leaders to do everything possible so that globalization does not work against those who have fewer resources or are weaker, increasing even more the gap between rich and poor, between rich and poor nations." He invited leaders to create systems of solidarity that "take into consideration the changes caused by globalization and that prevent these phenomena from impoverishing important sectors of some groups of people, and sometimes entire nations."

"Social solidarity," he continued, "means to depart from the simple search for particular interests. ... We must educate the younger generations in a spirit of solidarity and a true culture of openness to the universal and attention toward all peoples, regardless of race, culture or religion."
The Holy Father emphasized that politicians must "regulate the markets, subject the laws of the markets to the laws of solidarity, in order to prevent imbalances in peoples and society caused by all kinds of economic changes, and protect these laws from upheaval as a result of the deregulation of markets."

He concluded by saying: "May the humanity of today, on its way to greater unity, solidarity and peace, transmit to future generations the goods of creation and hopes for a better future!"

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