ARCHBISHOP FOLEY ADDRESSES FEDERATION OF ADVERTISERS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 28, 2003 (VIS) - Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, is in Brussels, Belgium, where today he addressed the World Federation of Advertisers on the occasion of the federation's 50th anniversary. His talk was entitled "A Good Name is the Best Advertisement."

Noting the positive contributions that advertisers make to economic, social and even moral progress, he said that nonetheless he wished to underscore "several principles and concerns." The first, he said, is "Being is better than having," saying our God-given dignity depends on the former, not the latter. He exhorted advertisers "not to put poor people down, even subconsciously. Emphasize quality, emphasize efficiency, emphasize even better grooming and cleanliness and good appearance - but please do not suggest that a possession is going to make one person better than another person."

"A second principle," affirmed Archbishop Foley, "is: Each person must be treated with respect. ... We resent it as employees if we are treated as factors of production rather than as persons; we can resent it in advertising if individuals depicted are portrayed as objects rather than as persons and, indeed, if we -- the audience of consumers -- are treated as so many numbers to be reached instead of as persons to whom an important message is to be communicated."

"A third principle of ethics in communications," he remarked, "is the common good. A growing concern in democratic societies is the ethical aspect of political campaigning" when, for example, "the costs of advertising limit political competition to wealthy candidates or groups," thus obstructing the democratic process.

"As you know," concluded Archbishop Foley, "advertising profoundly affects the values and the morals in society - and not just people's buying habits. I hope you realize your own power - and that you continue to use it responsibly, as so many of you do."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 28, 2003 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in audience seven prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Edmundo M. Abaya of Nueva Segovia.

- Bishop Leo M. Drona, S.D.B., of San Jose.

- Bishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle of Imus.

- Bishop Ernesto A. Salgado of Laoag.
- Bishop Florentino F. Cinense of Tarlac.

- Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles, military ordinary.

- Bishop Pedro D. Arigo, apostolic vicar of Puerto Princesa.

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HOLY SEE ADDRESSES TOPIC OF EXTERNAL DEBT AND DEVELOPMENT

VATICAN CITY, OCT 25, 2003 (VIS) - Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations, spoke yesterday in New York before the Second Committee of the U.N. General Assembly on Agenda Item 93(E): External Debt Crisis and Development.

"From the second decade of this Organization's existence," he noted, "the international community started witnessing the increasing spread of the chronic debt crisis affecting almost all developing countries around the world. ... The total external debt of developing countries increased from $1.5 billion in 1990 to $2.4 billion in 2001.
"The HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor Countries) program," added the archbishop, "has yet to find a lasting solution to their debt and debt-servicing problems. ... This recurrent debt crisis has caused an overall outflow of financial resources over the years, which divested those nations of their vital resources essential to their basic development, even to minimum levels of healthcare and education." He affirmed that "it is imperative ... to reverse this trend."

Archbishop Migliore remarked that "the international community faces two challenges: (1) the need to find a solution to all outstanding debt problems, and (2) the need to create a lasting financial system suitable for the development of all countries."

In conclusion the nuncio stressed that "financing for development is not just a technical task. Since human beings are endowed with the inherent capacity for moral choice, no human activity takes place outside the sphere of moral judgment. Therefore, those activities that have enduring consequences on the life of an entire population, particularly on its poorer segments, deserve particular attention and moral scrutiny."

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MASS FOR BEGINNING OF ACADEMIC YEAR AT PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITIES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 24, 2003 (VIS) - Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, presided this afternoon at a Mass for the beginning of the academic year of the Roman ecclesiastical universities.

Cardinal Grocholewski read the homily prepared by the Pope who was not present. In his talk, he urged rectors, professors and students to "accompany the effort of study with prayer, meditation with the constant search for the Lord's will."

He commented on the first reading in which St. Paul says "I do not do the good I wish, but the evil I do not wish," noting that this speaks about "the incapacity of human beings to do good and avoid evil. There is, however, a way out: victory over evil comes to us from the benevolence of God, All merciful, which is manifested in Christ. ... Christ, who died and rose from the dead, has overcome evil and has freed us from sin. He is our salvation."

"This news of salvation resounds incessantly also in our time and is the heart of the mission of the ecclesiastical community. Man is looking for - today, as in the past - satisfying answers to questions on the significance of life and death. During the period of theological formation, dear young people, you prepare yourselves to be able to provide answers about the faith in a way which is appropriate for the language and mentality of our time. May everything, therefore, be oriented to this dignified mission: to proclaim Christ and the liberating strength of His gospel."

The Pope recalled what Vatican Council II said about the "permanent duty of the Church 'to examine the signs of the time and to interpret them in the light of the Gospel so that, in a way suitable to each generation, it may respond to the perennial questions of men on the meaning of the present and future life and on their reciprocal relationship'." In concluding, the Holy Father urged that "this be the spirit" with which professors and students dedicate themselves to their studies during these years of "theological and pastoral formation."

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FUTURE CANNOT BE BUILT WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE PAST

VATICAN CITY, OCT 25, 2003 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from the Holy Father to Msgr. Walter Brandmuller, president of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences on the occasion of the 14th centenary of the death of St. Gregory the Great. In the days to follow, the committee as well as the National Academy of the Lincei will be commemorating the life of this successor of Peter.

"An attentive seeker of truth," writes the Pope in the message dated October 22, St. Gregory "understood that the patrimony of classical antiquity, in addition to Christian antiquity, constituted a precious foundation for all successive scientific and human development. This intuition continues to be of value currently in view of the future of humanity and especially of Europe. The future cannot be built without considering the past. This is why on many occasions I have urged the appropriate authorities to fully value the rich classical and Christian roots of European civilization, in order to pass on this lifeblood to the new generations."

John Paul II highlights another characteristic of St. Gregory the Great, "his commitment to underscoring the supremacy of the human person, considered not only in his physical, psychological and social dimension but also in constant reference to his eternal destiny."

At the end of the message, the Pope emphasizes that "in order to build a peaceful future in solidarity, we must turn our gaze toward this authentic disciple of Christ and follow his teaching, proposing again the saving message of the Gospel to the modern world with courage."

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