PSALM 116: THE ESSENCE OF PRAYER IS DIALOGUE WITH GOD

VATICAN CITY, FEB 5, 2003 (VIS) - At today's general audience in the Paul VI Hall, Pope John Paul focussed his catechesis on Psalm 116, noting that this is the briefest of all the Psalms yet "it captures the essence of prayer as a personal encounter with God, a dialogue in which the divine mystery is revealed as faithfulness and love."

Psalm 116 was read to the faithful before the Pope's catechesis: "Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol Him, all peoples! For great is His steadfast love towards us; and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!"

"Through prayer," the Pope told the 3,500 pilgrims present, "'all nations and all peoples' are invited to praise God and to experience the joy of faith." He said that "the author of the Psalm adds a particular aspect of prayer: the experience of prayer must be spread throughout the world, transforming itself into a witness to those who do not share our faith. In fact, in its opening, the horizon is broadened to include 'all peoples' and 'all nations', so that, in the face of the beauty and joy of faith, they may be overcome by the desire to know, meet and praise God."

"In a technological world undermined by an eclipse of the sacred," remarked John Paul II, "in a society that is pleased with a certain self-sufficiency, the witness of a person who prays is like a beam of light in the darkness." He added that prayer arouses our curiosity, causes us to reflect on the meaning of prayer and "stimulates a growing desire to experience it. Thus, prayer is never a solitary occasion, but tends to spread itself to the point of embracing the entire world."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 5, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Maracay, Venezuela, presented by Bishop Jose Vicente Henriquez Andueza, S.D.B., upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Reinaldo Del Prette Lissot.

- Appointed Fr. Antonio Carlos Felix, of the clergy of the archdiocese of Pouso Alegre, Brazil and pastor of Sao Cristovao Parish, as bishop of Luz (area 32,083, population 493,023, Catholics 398,000, priests 57, religious 115), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in 1957 in Caldas, Brazil and was ordained a priest in 1986.

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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.

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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.

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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."

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