TO BISHOPS OF PERU: CONCRETE PASTORAL ACTION FOR NEEDY

VATICAN CITY, JUL 2, 2002 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received a group of prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Peru who just completed their "ad limina" visit.

The Pope began by saying that "if the lack of means, misunderstandings, differences in opinion or origin in your people or even other difficulties, can cause discouragement, Jesus always comforts us. ... For this reason, it is precisely to become strong in Him, helping to cultivate a true desire for holiness in all believers, to which all of us are called and in which the deepest aspirations of man culminate.

"Peru," he continued, "which has been blessed by God with many fruits of holiness, has countless examples that can illuminate and open great perspectives to the present generations. The role models of St. Toribio of Mogrovejo, St. Rose of Lima, St. Martin de Porre, St. Francis Solano or St. John Macias, among others, should not be forgotten."

The Holy Father spoke about the importance of "stirring up, especially in young people, the passion for the great ideals of the Gospel, in such a way that a growing number of them are attracted to entirely consecrating their life to proclaiming and giving testimony." He indicated that evangelization must be accompanied by "vocational pastoral care, ever more urgent, that opens up new horizons of hope in local churches."

"Careful attention is also important for the formation imparted in the seminaries. In addition to cultivating the human maturity of candidates, ... they must be guided wisely toward a deep spiritual life that prepares them adequately to assume immediately and affectively their future ministry with all its demands."

John Paul II underlined that Peru "needs priests and evangelizers, saints, learned and faithful to their vocation, which cannot be given up for its meager number or for other social and cultural circumstances." And he emphasized the necessity that the dioceses collaborate "in order to facilitate better personal and material means for candidates to the priesthood."

After referring to the distress of bishops due to problems that affect marriage and the family he said: "The complexity of the aspects implicated in this field also require multidisciplinary pastoral action in which the catechetical initiative of the pastors is integrated with the educational action of other lay faithful, mutual support within families and the promotion of those conditions that foster the growth of the love of couples and familial stability."

"Pastors," he affirmed, "must make their voice heard in order to emphasize the importance of the family as the original and fundamental cell of society and its irreplaceable contribution to the common good of all citizens. This is particularly urgent when, for reasons more or less opportunist, anti-life political projects are proposed, the desire for matrimonial fidelity is stifled or the normal development of family life is hindered."

The Pope manifested his joy at the action of the Church in Peru in favor of the poor and encouraged them "to implement concrete pastoral care" in order to confront "the most urgent needs and to build the foundations of harmonious and lasting development based on the spirit of fraternal solidarity."

"In this way," he concluded, "I express my most sincere gratitude to the numerous ecclesiastical institutions that, with great dynamism and presentation, spread the light of the Gospel and fraternal support to the most remote places of the Peruvian land, from the Amazon jungle to the heights of the Andes, from the planes to the coast. It is beautiful to contemplate in this field how strengths are consolidated, differences are dispelled and bonders are overcome."

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TELEGRAM FOR PLANE ACCIDENT IN GERMANY

VATICAN CITY, JULY 2, 2002 (VIS) - Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of state, sent the following telegram in the Pope's name to Archbishop Giorgio Zur, the Holy See representative to the Russian Federation, with regard to the two planes that crashed into each other early this morning in southern Germany:

"His Holiness learned with great sorrow the sad news of the tragic airplane crash that took place in Germany in which many Russians died, the majority of whom were children. He asks Your Excellency to express his sentiments of heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the victims of this air disaster, and while he entrusts them to God's mercy he invokes divine comfort on those who are mourning the loss of loved ones and he assures everyone of his spiritual closeness in prayer."

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OBLATES OF THE CHILD JESUS CELEBRATE 330 YEARS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 2, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning welcomed 150 Sisters, Oblates of the Child Jesus who, he noted, "are celebrating the 330th anniversary of your founding in 1672 in Rome by Anna Moroni and 12 young girls who consecrated themselves to Christ with the idea of following Him and serving Him in 'small things', especially through catechesis and the education of young people."

He also remarked on their "desire to meet the Successor of Peter, to whom you are linked for more than three centuries by the much appreciated service you offer in the Pontifical Sacristy. ... Your spirituality ... makes you treat the holy things necessary for the liturgy with the same love with which the Virgin Mary wrapped the newborn Child and placed him in the manger."

"'Living the spirituality of Bethlehem," the Pope went on, "reaching the likeness with the Word Incarnate': this is your Congregation's charism, entirely linked to the mystery of the Incarnation. ... Your foundress was in love with the Child Jesus and was deeply transported by love for the Crucifix, which she defined her 'only book'."

John Paul II remarked that, "faithful to your charism, you can answer the new challenges of education and evangelization, favoring ... catechesis and youth pastoral." He added that "dedicating itself to the education of children and young people is an apostolic priority which the Church has never renounced nor will she renounce it."

"You, dear sisters," he concluded, "cooperate in this mission with multiple initiatives: catechesis, ... parish works, retreats for young people and other proposals for the youth ministry ... and by supporting families in difficult situations, from visiting poor families to welcoming pilgrims."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUL 2, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See.
- Five prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Peru on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Salvador Pineiro Garcia-Calderon, ordinary military.
- Bishop Jose Carmelo Martinez Lazaro, prelate of Chota.
- Bishop Julio Ojeda Pascual, apostolic vicar of San Ramon, accompanied by his coadjutor, Bishop Gerardo Antonio Zerdin Bukovec.
- Bishop Pedro Barreto Jimeno, apostolic vicar of Jaen in Peru o San Francisco Javier.

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STS. PETER AND PAUL: ANGELUS, ECUMENICAL DELEGATION AND MASS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 29, 2002 (VIS) - At midday today, the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, patrons of the city of Rome, John Paul II appeared at the window of his private study overlooking St. Peter's Square in order to pray the Angelus with the faithful present.

The Pope said that on this day which is "so significant," he was thinking about "the faithful of the dioceses of Rome and those who live in our city. While I congratulate all those who are named Peter and Paul, I invoke the celestial patrons for peace and Christian prosperity."

At 1 p.m., the Pope received in audience, as is tradition on this day, a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, headed by the metropolitan of Belgium and exarch of the Netherlands and Luxembourg, His Eminence Panteleimon, with Bishop Emmanuel of Reghion and Deacon Stephanos.

In his speech in French, the Holy Father recalled that during this year "the Lord has given us an occasion to show to the world our common will to search for and travel the paths that bring us to unity, to direct a call of peace to humanity and fraternity, in mutual respect, justice and charity."

"I desire to renew today to the Ecumenical Patriarch, His Holiness Bartholomew I," he continued, "the expression of my deep gratitude for their fraternal participation in the World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi."

John Paul II emphasized that "there still remains a lot to do so that a better fraternity may reign on the planet. The desire for vengeance overtakes peace frequently, especially in the Holy Land and in other regions of the world affected by blind violence; this makes us feel the precariousness of peace that requires us to unite our strengths and to act together so that the world finds in our common testimony the necessary strength to accomplish the changes that are necessary. This way of collaboration will carry us to full communion, according to the will of Christ for his disciples."

At 6 p.m. in St. Peter's Square, the Pope presided at a Eucharistic celebration during which he blessed and imposed the pallium upon 28 metropolitan archbishops appointed in the last year and coming from 17 countries. The delegation of the patriarch of Constantinople was present, headed by Metropolitan Panteleimon and a delegation of the patriarch of Bulgaria, headed by His Eminence Simeon, metropolitan for Western and Central Europe.

In his homily, the Pope affirmed that "the Church celebrates today with joy the memory of Peter and Paul. The 'Rock' and the 'Chosen instrument' found themselves definitively here in Rome. In this place they carried out the apostolic ministry, marking it with their bloodshed. The itinerary mystery of faith and love that drove Peter and Paul to Jerusalem from the land of their birth, and to other parts of the world and finally to Rome, constitutes in a certain sense a model of the journey that all Christians are called to make in order to give testimony to Christ in the world."

"The Church is continually being put to the test. The message that it always received from the holy apostles Peter and Paul is clear and eloquent: through the grace of God, in all circumstances, it is possible for man to be a sign of the victorious power of God. For this reason, he should not be afraid. Whoever trusts in God, is freed from all fear and experiences the consoling presence of the Spirit also, especially in moments of trial and sorrow."

While addressing in particular the 28 metropolitan archbishops, the Holy Father said: "The special bond with the Apostolic See, that this liturgical sign (the pallium) expresses, serves as a stimulus for a greater commitment to the search for spiritual and pastoral communion for the benefit of the faithful, fostering in them a sense of unity and the universality of the Church.

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