AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 13, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Julian Herranz, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, accompanied by Bishop Bruno Bertagna and Msgr. Bernard A. Hebda, respectively secretary and undersecretary of this pontifical council.

This afternoon the Holy Father is scheduled to receive in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, apostolic nuncio in Haiti.

- Mario Baccini, Italian undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, with his family.

- Bishop Bernard Charrier of Tulle, France on his "ad limina" visit.

- A group of prelates from the French Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit.
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CARDINAL ROSSI: A PASTOR AND DIPLOMAT, NOURISHED BY FAITH

VATICAN CITY, FEB 13, 2004 (VIS) - Pope John Paul delivered the homily at the funeral this morning in St. Peter's Basilica of Cardinal Opilio Rossi, 93, who died four days ago in Rome after a life dedicated to service in the Roman Curia and in the Vatican's diplomatic corps.

The Pope underscored that it was "faith which animated the long and fecund priestly ministry of Cardinal Opilio Rossi. How many times did he celebrate the divine Sacrifice, drawing from the Eucharist the light and inner strength needed for his daily choices and for his apostolate!"

Noting that his episcopal motto was "Omnia in Christo" ("All in Christ"), the Pope said: "We can say that, even within the limits of human fragility, this total tension towards Christ was behind the tireless service he gave to the Holy See in the pontifical representations in diverse countries in America and Europe, and again within the milieu of the Roman Curia.

"During the dramatic moments of World War II," he continued, "Fr. Opilio Rossi, then an auditor in the pontifical representative in Berlin, gave everything he had, along with the late apostolic nuncio, Msgr. Orsenigo, to assist many suffering brothers and sisters, giving them courage and nourishing in them faith and Christian hope. It was an enriching experience of humanity and solidarity towards the weakest. He then sought, over the course of his life, to transmit this experience to new generations. He was in fact convinced that young people must draw from the history of the 20th century an important lesson: that is, that hatred, disdain for others, violence, and exasperated nationalism bring forth only tears and blood."

John Paul II then recalled that Cardinal Rossi returned to the Roman Curia where he became the first president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and that he himself called the cardinal to preside over the Permanent Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses.

"Wherever he undertook his pastoral and diplomatic ministry," concluded the Pope, Cardinal Rossi "knew how to become close to everyone."
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 13, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Roland Minnerath, professor of Church History in the Faculty of Theology at the State University of Strasbourg, France, as metropolitan archbishop of Dijon (area 8,760, population 506,783, Catholics 408,973, priests 222, permanent deacons 28, religious 398), France. The archbishop-elect was born in 1946 in Sarreguemines, France and was ordained a priest in 1978. He succeeds Archbishop Michel Coloni whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.
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MARY HELPS US TO HUMBLY OPEN OUR HEARTS TO GOD'S WILL

VATICAN CITY, FEB 11, 2004 (VIS) - Today, liturgical memory of Our Lady of Lourdes and 12th World Day of the Sick, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, celebrated Mass at 4:30 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica for the ill and for the pilgrims of Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi and UNITALSI. At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, Pope John Paul came to the basilica to bless the sick and speak to them and those who care for them.

"With great affection I greet you," said the Pope. "Since this morning my prayers have been dedicated in a special way to you and now I am delighted to meet with you." He noted that "20 years ago, on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, I published the Apostolic Letter 'Salvifici doloris' on the Christian meaning of human suffering. I chose that date thinking of the special message that the Virgin imparted from Lourdes to the sick and suffering."

He pointed out that today especially we think of Mary and the Lourdes grotto, "where the words 'I am the Immaculate Conception' are written' . because in this basilica, 150 years ago Blessed Pope Pius XI solemnly proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, . a truth which introduces us to the heart of the mystery of creation and the Redemption."

"Looking at Mary," added the Holy Father, "our hearts are open to hope because we see the great things that God realizes when, with humility, we open ourselves to fulfilling His will. Mary Immaculate is a stupendous sign of the victory of life over death, of love over sin, of salvation over every type of sickness of body and spirit. . May contemplating this ineffable mystery fill you with comfort, dear sick people; may it illuminate your work, dear doctors, nurses and health care workers; and may it sustain your precious activity, dear volunteers, as you are called to recognize and serve Jesus in every needy person."
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FEBRUARY 11: OUR LADY OF LOURDES, WORLD DAY OF THE SICK

VATICAN CITY, FEB 11, 2004 (VIS) - Pope John Paul focussed the catechesis of today's general audience on the liturgical memory of Our Lady of Lourdes and on the celebration of the 12th World Day of the Sick. He noted that the shrine at Lourdes "continues to attract crowds of pilgrims from every part of the world, including many people who are sick" and, over the years, "an intense relationship has developed which binds it to the world of illness and those who work in health care services."

He added that the principal celebration of the World Day of the Sick is taking place this year in Lourdes because "in 2004 we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception which took place on December 8, 1854. Four years later in Lourdes, in 1858 the Virgin Mary, appearing to Bernadette Soubirous in the grotto of Massabielle, called herself 'the Immaculate Conception'."

"The World Day of the Sick," remarked the Holy Father, "is a strong call to rediscover the important presence in the Christian community of those who suffer and to evaluate ever more their precious contribution. Pain and sickness can seem absurd if we look at them in strictly human terms: when, however, we allow ourselves to be illuminated by the light of the Gospel, we can see the deeply salvific meaning."

Turning to those who "suffer in body and spirit," the Pope expressed his "affection and spiritual closeness. At the same time I would like to remind everyone that human life is always a gift of God, even when it is marked by physical pain of every kind; a 'gift' to be used for the Church and the world. Certainly anyone who suffers must not be left alone. In this regard I wish to express a word of heartfelt appreciation for all those who, with simplicity and spirit of service, are close to those who are sick, seeking to alleviate their suffering and, as much as possible, to free them from infirmities thanks to progress in the world of medicine."

Following a summary of the catechesis and his greetings in different languages to the pilgrims present, John Paul II noted that "today marks the 75th anniversary of the Treaty and Concordat between the Holy See and the Italian State. The Lateran Pacts marked a positive turning point, of historical dimensions, in the relationship between Church and State in Italy, opening the path to a broader collaboration in service to and for the benefit of the entire population."
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