AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 4, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience six prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Midwestern and Northern Regions II) on their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop Antonio Lino da Silva Dinis of Itumbiara.

- Bishop Giulherme Antonio Werlang, M.S.F., of Ipameri.

- Bishop Miguel Angelo Freitas Ribeiro of Tocantinopolis.

- Bishop Alessio Saccardo, S.J., of Ponta de Pedras.

- Bishop Carmelo Scampa of Sao Luis de Montes Belos.

- Bishop Erwin Krautler, C.PP.S., of Xingu.

AL;...;...;... ;VIS;20030204;Word: 80;

LENTEN MESSAGE: "IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE"

VATICAN CITY, FEB 4, 2003 (VIS) - Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," will preside at a press conference in the Holy See Press Office at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 6, for the presentation of Pope John Paul's Message for Lent 2003 on the theme "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Joining him will be Msgr. Karel Kasteel, secretary of the pontifical council, and Fr. Oreste Benzi, founder of the Pope John XXIII Association. The Message will be published in Italian, French, English, German, Spanish and Portuguese.

OP;LENTEN MESSAGE;...;...;VIS;20030204;Word: 110;

TO YOUTH: BE LEAVEN, LIGHT AND SALT OF THE EARTH FOR YOUR PEERS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 1, 2003 (VIS) - Nine thousand young people from the Italian archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie, accompanied by their archbishop and numerous priests, were welcomed by the Holy Father this morning in the Paul VI Hall. He focussed on the mission they are preparing which is called "The Mission by Young People for Young People."

The Pope noted that Italian bishops have "proposed young people and families as privileged recipients of their pastoral commitment in these years. ... Youth and families are the future of society and the Church, and it is comforting to see mature in their midst many meaningful experiences of spirituality, service and sharing."

Quoting Pope Paul VI, who said that "young people, well formed in faith and prayer, must become ever more apostles of youth," he added: "The success of your mission will depend on the quality of the missionaries: the more you are docile instruments in the hands of God, the more efficacious your witness will be. Prepare yourselves with dedication to be the 'leaven', 'salt' and 'light' in the midst of your peers and in the milieux in which you live."

"Holiness astonishes, it makes one think, it convinces and, God willing, converts. The holiness of young people is one of the most beautiful gifts that the Lord has given His Church. Each of you is called to be holy, that is to follow Jesus with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength."

"It is Jesus Who is the hope within you. It is He Who enlightens your young consciences!" John Paul II affirmed. "Transmit to your peers your joy in following Him. Whoever encounters Jesus feels a different way of being happy, a different joy of life, based not on having or appearing, but on being. Being young Christians means living with Jesus, for Jesus, in Jesus."

He urged his young listeners to always be ready to listen to Jesus, to welcome His love and to "be convinced and meek witnesses of the truth."

AC;YOUTH; WITNESS;...;...;VIS;20030203;Word: 350;

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 1, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Fausto Gabriel Travez Travez, O.F.M., superior of the Convent of Ambato in Ecuador as the apostolic vicar of Zamora (area 20,000, population 120,966, Catholics 105,828, priests 18, permanent deacons 1, religious 59), Ecuador. The bishop-elect was born in 1941 in Toacazo, Ecuador and was ordained a priest in 1970. The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same apostolic vicariate presented by Bishop Serafin Cartagena Oca¤a, O.F.M., upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Julien Andavo Mbia, rector of the Interdiocesan Institute of Philosophy of Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of Congo as bishop of Isiro-Niangara (area 60,000, population 705,233, Catholics 518,875, priests 108, religious 217), Democratic Republic of Congo. The bishop-elect was born in 1950 in Faradje, Democratic Republic of Congo and was ordained a priest in 1979.

NER; RE;...;...;TRAVE; CARTAGENA; ANDAVO;VIS;20030203;Word: 140;

JOHN PAUL II CELEBRATES DAY OF CONSECRATED LIFE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 1, 2003 (VIS) - At 5:30 this evening, feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Pope John Paul presided at the Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's Basilica for members of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life as they celebrate the Day of Consecrated Life.

The principal moments of tonight's celebration included the liturgy of light, with the lighting and blessing of candles, followed by a procession, the liturgy of the Word and the Eucharistic liturgy.

In his homily the Pope said that "the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple shows itself as being especially suitable to host the grateful praise of consecrated persons, and with good reason we have been celebrating for several years now the 'Day of Consecrated Life'. The image of Mary who, in the temple, offers her Son to God, speaks eloquently to the hearts of the men and women who have totally given themselves to the Lord through the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for the Kingdom of Heaven."

The Holy Father remarked that consecrated people throughout the world today "renew their consecration, holding in their hands lighted candles, an expression of their ardent existence of faith and love. We too, here in St. Peter's Basilica, raise a solemn prayer of thanksgiving to God for the gift of consecrated life in the diocese of Rome and in the universal Church."

He pointed to the statues in St. Peter's that depict the founders of many religious orders, congregations and institutes, saying "they recall the mystery of the communion of saints, by force of which ... is renewed, from generation to generation, the choice to follow Christ with special consecration according to the multiple charisms stimulated by the Spirit."

Pope John Paul, in closing, affirmed that "poverty, chastity and obedience are distinctive characteristics of redeemed man, interiorly freed from the slavery of egoism. Free to love, free to serve: these are the many men and women who renounce themselves for the Kingdom of Heaven."

HML;CONSECRATED LIFE; PRESENTATION JESUS;...;...;VIS;20030203;Word: 330;