Vatican News 1

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS : LEAVEN OF THE GOSPEL IN THE WORLD

VATICAN CITY, 3 OCT 2008 (VIS) - At midday today, the Holy Father received members of the board of directors of the Knights of Columbus, who are on pilgrimage to Rome for the Pauline Year.

  Addressing them in English the Pope recalled his own recent pastoral visit to the United States , noting how he had sought to encourage the lay faithful "to recommit themselves to growth in holiness and active participation in the Church's mission. This was the vision that inspired the foundation of the Knights of Columbus as a fraternal association of Christian laymen, and it continues to find privileged expression in your order's charitable works and your concrete solidarity with the Successor of Peter in his ministry to the Universal Church .

  "That solidarity", he added, "is manifested in a particular way by the 'Vicarius Christi' Fund, which the Knights have placed at the disposal of the Holy See for the needs of God's people throughout the world. And it is also shown through the daily prayers and sacrifices of so many Knights in their local councils, parishes and communities. For this I am most grateful".

  Benedict XVI concluded by telling his audience: "In the spirit of your founder, the Venerable Michael McGivney, may the Knights of Columbus discover ever new ways to serve as a leaven of the Gospel in the world and a force for the renewal of the Church in holiness and apostolic zeal. In this regard, I express my appreciation of your efforts to provide a solid formation in the faith for young people, and to defend the moral truths necessary for a free and humane society, including the fundamental right to life of every human being".

AC/.../KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS                                                 VIS 081003 (300)

CONGRESS FOR FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF "HUMANAE VITAE"

VATICAN CITY, 3 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Benedict XVI has written a Message to Msgr. Livio Melina, president of the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family, for the occasion of a congress organised by the institute in association with the Sacred Heart Catholic University to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the publication of Paul VI's Encyclical "Humanae vitae".

  That important document, writes Pope Benedict, "deals with one of the essential aspects of the vocation of marriage, and of the specific path to sanctity deriving therefrom. In fact, the married couple, having received the gift of love, are called in their turn to give themselves to one another unreservedly".

  "The possibility of procreating a new human life is inherent to the complete giving of the spouses", observes the Holy Father. "To exclude this communicative dimension by acts that seek to impede procreation means to deny the intimate truth of married love". Forty years after the publication of the Encyclical we are better able to understand "how decisive it was to our understanding of the great 'yes' implicit in conjugal love", he writes.

  In the light of the Encyclical "children are not seen as the aim of a human project but are recognised as an authentic gift, to be welcomed with an attitude of responsible generosity towards God, Who is the primary source of human life".

  Benedict XVI recalls how "during a couple's life serious situations may arise that make it prudent to separate the births of children or even suspend them altogether. It is here that a knowledge of the natural rhythms of a woman's fertility become important".

  "Methods of observation that enable a couple to determine periods of fertility", he continues, "allow them to administer what the Creator wisely inscribed in human nature without disturbing the integral meaning of sexual relations. In this way the spouses, while respecting the full truth of their love, can modulate the expression thereof in accordance with these rhythms. ... Clearly this requires a maturity in love, ... and mutual respect and dialogue".

  The Pope then goes on to thank the Sacred Heart Catholic University for the support it gives the "Paulus VI International Scientific Research Institute on Human Fertility and Infertility for a Responsible Procreation", an organisation that seeks to "increase knowledge of methods for the natural regulation of human fertility and for the natural treatment of infertility".

  In this context he notes how "many researchers are engaged in the fight against sterility. While fully safeguarding the dignity of human procreation, some have achieved results which previously seemed unattainable. Scientists therefore are to be encouraged to continue their research with the aim of preventing the causes of sterility and of being able to remedy them so that sterile couples will be able to procreate in full respect for their own personal dignity and that of the child to be born".

  The Holy Father then goes on to ask why the world today, including many faithful, "find it so difficult to understand the Church's message, which explains and defends the beauty of conjugal love in its natural expression". And he observes that, although "technological solutions to the great human problems often seem the easiest, in reality they hide the basic problem which concerns the meaning of human sexuality and the need for responsibility so that its exercise may be an expression of personal love".

  "Technology cannot substitute ... freedom, when love is at stake Indeed, as we well know, not even reason is enough. ... Only the eyes of the heart can perceive the requirements of a great love capable of embracing the entire truth of human beings".

  The Pope concludes his Message by expressing the hope that the congress to commemorate "Humanae vitae" may bring "abundant fruits and contribute to helping spouses hold their course with ever greater wisdom and awareness, encouraging them in their mission to be credible witnesses of the beauty of love before the world".

MESS/HUMANAE VITAE ANNIVERSARY/MELINA              VIS 081003 (670)

SYNOD ON THE WORD OF GOD TO BE INAUGURATED ON SUNDAY

VATICAN CITY, 3 OCT 2008 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office this morning Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, gave a briefing on the forthcoming Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The Synod, which has as its theme "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church", is due to begin on Sunday with a Mass presided by the Pope in the basilica of St. Paul 's Outside-the-Walls.

  "This will be the first time a Synod of Bishops has been opened in a basilica other than St. Peter's", said the archbishop. "The reason for this is apparent: the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly is being held during the Pauline Year". The assembly is due to come to an end on 26 October with a ceremony in the Vatican Basilica.

  Attending this Twelfth Assembly will be 253 Synod Fathers representing 113 episcopal conferences, 13 "sui iuris" Eastern Catholic Churches, 25 dicasteries of the Roman Curia and the Union of Superiors General. Also present will be 41 experts from 21 countries, and 37 auditors from 26 countries. The experts include six women and the auditors 19, one more than the men.

  The secretary general of the Synod of Bishops went on to indicate that the assembly will also be attended by a number of fraternal delegates from ten Churches and ecclesial communities. Representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate will be present alongside others from the Patriarchates of Moscow, of Serbia and of Romania , from the Orthodox Church of Greece and the Armenian Apostolic Church , as well as from the Anglican Communion, the World Lutheran Federation, the Church of the Disciples of Christ and the World Council of Churches.

  Also participating in the work of the Synod will be three special guests of the Holy Father. One is Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen of Haifa , Israel , who on 6 October will address the assembly on how the Jewish people read and interpret Sacred Scripture. "This will be the first time that a rabbi and a non-Christian has addressed the Synod Fathers", said Archbishop Eterovic. The other special guests are Rev. A. Miller Milloy, secretary general of the United Bible Societies, and Frere Alois, prior of the Taize Community.

  Archbishop Eterovic went on to affirm that "in the Synod Hall on 18 October, the Holy Father Benedict XVI and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I will preside at first Vespers for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Each will then pronounce an address on the subject of the Word of God, which particular reference to the Pauline Year. This will be the first time the Ecumenical Patriarch has addressed the Synod Fathers".

  In accordance with the regulations of the Synod of Bishops, alongside the written discourses of the Synod Fathers (each will have five minutes to deliver his remarks), provision has been made, as in the last synodal assembly, for a period of free discussion from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the end of the daily General Congregations.

  The secretary general of the Synod of Bishops also indicated that on the afternoon of 6 October, there will be a period of free discussion following five reports - each ten minutes long - in which five bishops will highlight how the theme of the synod is seen on the five continents. Another scheduled event due to take place during the Synod is a 30 minute talk on the reception of Benedict XVI's last Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, "Sacramentum caritatis", to be followed by free discussions on that subject.

SE/SYNOD WORD GOD/ETEROVIC                                        VIS 081003 (610)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 3 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences nine prelates from the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop Carlos Anibal Altamirano Arguello of Azogues, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Jose Gabriel Diaz Cueva.

    - Bishop Julio Parrilla Diaz of Loja.

    - Archbishop Antonio Arregui Yarza of Guayaquil , accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Anibal Nieto Guerra O.C.D., Marcos Aurelio Perez Caicedo and Valter Dario Maggi.

    - Bishop Fausto Gabriel Travez Travez O.F.M. of Babahoyo, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Jesus Ramon Martinez de Ezquerecocha Suso.

  This evening he is scheduled to receive in sepatate audiences five prelates from the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop Wilson Abraham Moncayo Jalil of Santo Domingo de los Colorados .

    - Archbishop Raul Eduardo Vela Chiriboga of Quito , accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Rene Coba Galarza and Vicente Danilo Echeverria Verdesoto.

    - Msgr. Ricardo Flatz, apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the apostolic vicariate of Zamora en Ecuador .

AL/.../...                                                                                             VIS 081003 (170)

CHURCH DOES NOT IMPOSE BUT FREELY PROPOSES THE FAITH

VATICAN CITY, 2 OCT 2008 (VIS) - This morning the Pope received bishops and ordinaries of Kazakhstan and Central Asia , who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.

  The Holy Father began his remarks by inviting the prelates to give thanks to God because, "despite the severe pressures suffered during the years of the atheist communist regime, the flame of faith remained alight in believers' hearts thanks to the zealous sacrifice of priests, religious and lay people".

  After encouraging the bishops not to lose heart even though the Catholic community is "a small flock", Benedict XVI called on them to allow themselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit and "to keep the flame of faith alight among Christian people. Conserve and draw vantage from the important pastoral and apostolic experiences of the past", he told them. "Continue to educate everyone in listening to the Word of God and arouse, especially in the young, Marian devotion and love for the Eucharist. Spread the practice of the Rosary among families. Patiently and courageously, seek new forms and methods of apostolate, making it your concern to modernise them in accordance with today's needs, bearing in mind the language and culture of the faithful entrusted to you care".

  The Pope explained that "such a commitment will prove more incisive and effective" with the collaboration of priests, religious and laity, and he invited the prelates "to support them in moments of difficulty" and of "human and spiritual solitude. Everything should be founded", he said, "on constant recourse to God in prayer and in the constant search for unity among yourselves, and within each of your ... communities".

  Referring then to "the blight of violence and terrorism, the spread of extremism and fundamentalism" in the world, Pope Benedict highlighted the need to "contrast this scourge with legislative means. However the force of law must never itself become iniquity, nor can the free exercise of religion be limited, because freely to profess one's faith is a fundamental and universally-recognised human right".

  Benedict XVI highlighted how "the Church does not impose but freely proposes the Catholic faith, well aware that conversion is the mysterious fruit of the action of the Holy Spirit. Faith is a gift and a work of God, and hence excludes any form of proselytism that forces, allures or entices people by trickery to embrace it. A person may open to the faith after mature and responsible reflection, and must be able freely to realise that intimate aspiration. This benefits not only the individual, but all society, because the faithful observance of divine precepts helps to build a more just and united form of coexistence".

  The Pope concluded his address with an expression of thanks to the priests and religious who work in the various ecclesiastical circumscriptions: Almaty , Kyrgyzstan , Uzbekistan , Tajikistan , and Turkmenistan .

AL/.../KAZAKHSTAN:CENTRAL ASIA                                      VIS 081002 (480)

RESUME DISMANTLING OF EXISTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS

VATICAN CITY, 2 OCT 2008 (VIS) - On 29 September, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States, addressed the 52nd General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is being held in Vienna, Austria, from 29 September to 3 October.

  Speaking in English, he recalled how the IAEA works "to protect and promote life in a most crucial area of human endeavour: the peaceful use of nuclear energy". The agency's more than 50-year history "bears testimony to the pressing need we have in today's world to work together for the one human family", he said.

  The archbishop expressed the view that "the first obligation we share is the obligation of working together, of sharing our expertise, of building up a common consensus through common effort and commitment. Thus, the overriding characteristic that must pervade the work the IAEA undertakes in the three areas of its mandate, namely, technology, safety and verification, should always be to unite and associate, not to divide and oppose".

  "The Holy See desires to see all States work together to ... promote nuclear safety and security, ensure the non-diversion of nuclear materials and the absence of undeclared nuclear activities. These instruments will not only contribute to the fight against nuclear terrorism, but also to the concrete realisation of a culture of life and peace capable of promoting in an effective way the integral development of peoples".

  "A second level of the 'working together obligation' is working together for the use of peaceful and safe nuclear technology respecting the environment and ever mindful of the most disadvantaged populations", said Archbishop Mamberti, going on to point out that globalisation imposes upon the IAEA the obligation of "working together to contribute not only to a specific project or to a certain government or agency, but above all to the good of all the people of the world. Thus, the worth of a project will be measured by the impact it will have on cultural and other human values, as well as on the economic and social well-being of a people or nation".

  The third obligation identified by the Holy See secretary for Relations with States was that of "working together for nuclear disarmament". The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, "the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, ... must not be allowed to be weakened", he said.

  "The Holy See entreats and encourages those in authority to come together in order to resume with greater determination a progressive and mutually agreed dismantling of existing nuclear weapons", said the archbishop in conclusion. "Global security must not rely on nuclear weapons. The Holy See considers the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty an important tool to achieve this aim".

DELSS/NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT/MAMBERTI                   VIS 081002 (460)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 2 OCT 2008 ( VIS ) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

  - Bishop Jerzy Maculewicz O.F.M. Conv., apostolic administrator of Uzbekistan , on his "ad limina" visit.

  - Bishop Nikolaus Messmer S.J., apostolic administrator of Kyrgyzstan , on his "ad limina" visit.

 - Fr. Carlos Avila V.I., superior of the "sui iuris" mission of Tajikistan , on his "ad limina" visit.

 - Fr. Andrzej Madej O.M.T., superior of the "sui iuris" mission of Turkmenistan , on his "ad limina" visit.

 - Fr. Vasil Hovera, delegate of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches for the Greek-Catholic faithful in Kazakhstan and in Central Asia , on his "ad limina" visit.

 - Naji Abi Assi , ambassador of Lebanon , on his farewell visit.

AL:AP/.../...                                                                                      VIS 081002 (120)

THEME FOR WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS

VATICAN CITY, 30 SEP 2008 ( VIS ) - "New Technologies, New Relationships. Promoting a Culture of Respect, Dialogue and Friendship" is the theme chosen by the Pope for his Message for the 43rd World Day of Social Communications, due to be published on 24 January 2009, Feast of St. Francis of Sales, patron of journalists.

  The announcement was made yesterday 29 September, Feast of the Archangels Michael, Raphael and Gabriel, by Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

  In Archbishop Celli's words, with his message for the Day of Social Communications the Holy Father "is presenting us with a true work plan, ... a compendium of commitments and responsibilities that ... those involved in the field of communications are personally called to shoulder, at a time so deeply marked by the development of new media technologies which, in effect, are creating a new environment, a new culture.

  "It is clear that the Pope has a certain confidence in the possibilities the communications media can offer; the media can be of great help in favouring a climate of dialogue and trust".

  The president of the pontifical council went on to point out that "highlighting the fact that new technologies must be accompanied by new relationships represents a profound appraisal of the interaction upon which communication exists and develops. The modernisation of instruments does not simply mean a step forwards in technical terms, but creates new conditions and possibilities for mankind to use and apply this resource for the common good, placing it at the foundation of a widespread cultural growth".

  Archbishop Celli also announced that in March 2009 bishops with responsibility for communication are due to attend a seminar organised in collaboration with experts in media and communication "in order to devise a more precise and up-to-date form of pastoral care for the social communications media".

  The World Day of Social Communications will be celebrated in almost all countries on Sunday 31 May 2009.

CON-CS/MESSAGE THEME/CELLI                                          VIS 080930 (340)

PROTECTION MUST NOT BE A PRETEXT FOR AGGRESSION

VATICAN CITY, 30 SEP 2008 (VIS) - Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See permanent observer at the United Nations in New York, yesterday participated in the general debate of the 63rd session of the U.N. General Assembly.

  "By its nature and structure, the United Nations normally creates neither the events nor the trends, but rather, serves as a sounding board where events and trends are submitted for debate and a coherent, consensual and timely response", said the archbishop in his English-language remarks.

  "This year has been dominated by a number of challenges and crises: natural and man-made calamities, staggering economies, financial turmoil and fuel prices, the impact of climate change, local wars and tensions. ... One of the clear facts recognised by all is that every crisis presents a mixture of natural factors and elements of human responsibility. However, these are all too often compounded by tardy response, failures or reluctance of leaders to exercise their responsibility to protect their populations.

  "When speaking within these walls of the responsibility to protect", the prelate added, "the common understanding of the term is found in the 2005 Outcome Document, which refers to the responsibility of the international community to intervene in situations where individual governments are not able or willing to assure the protection of their own citizens.

  "In the past, the language of 'protection' was too often a pretext for expansion and aggression. In spite of the many advancements in international law, this same understanding and practice tragically continues today.

  "However, during the past year", the archbishop continued, "there has been growing consensus and greater inclusion of this expression as a vital component of responsible leadership. The responsibility to protect has been invoked by some as an essential aspect of the exercise of sovereignty at the national and international levels, while others have re-launched the concept of the exercise of responsible sovereignty".

  "The 'we the peoples' who formed the United Nations conceived the responsibility to protect to serve as the core basis for the United Nations", the archbishop concluded. "The founding leaders believed that the responsibility to protect would consist not primarily in the use of force to restore peace and human rights, but above all, in States coming together to detect and denounce the early symptoms of every kind of crises and mobilise the attention of governments, civil society and public opinion to find the causes and offer solutions".

DELSS/PROTECTION/U.N.:MIGLIORE                                    VIS 080930 (410)

LETTERS OF CREDENCE OF NEW AMBASSADOR OF CZECH REPUBLIC

VATICAN CITY, 27 SEP 2008 (VIS) - Today in the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo, the Pope received the Letters of Credence of Pavel Vosalik, the new ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Holy See.

  In his English-language address the Holy Father expressed his appreciation for the ambassador's mention in his speech of "the influence of Christianity on the rich cultural heritage of your nation, and particularly the role that the Gospel played in bringing hope to the Czech people in times of oppression".

  "Your nation", he said, "bolstered by the sense of solidarity that enabled her to emerge courageously from the collapse of totalitarianism, also desires to contribute to the welfare of the human family by enhancing international co-operation in the struggle against violence, hunger, poverty and other social ills". In this context he mentioned the forthcoming Czech presidency of the Council of the European Union, noting how it will enable the country "to exercise strong leadership in the shared endeavour of combining unity and diversity, national sovereignty and joint activity, and economic progress and social justice across the continent.

  "The Church", the Pope added, "is well aware of the many challenges facing Europe precisely at a time when its nations aspire to build a more stable international community for future generations. To move forward, its leaders are called to recognise that human happiness and well-being cannot be achieved through structures alone. ... The realisation of a genuine culture worthy of man's noble vocation requires the harmonious co-operation of families, ecclesial communities, schools, businesses, community organisations and governmental institutions", entities which are "intended for the service of all".

  "For this reason, all of society benefits when the Church is afforded the right to exercise stewardship over the material and spiritual goods required for her ministry", said Benedict XVI, expressing the hope that "outstanding issues regarding ecclesiastical property" will be resolved and that there be "a genuine recognition of the Church's ability to contribute to the welfare of the Republic. In particular", he went on, "I hope that such considerations will be kept in clear view while a solution is sought concerning the future of the cathedral in Prague , which stands as a living witness to the rich cultural and religious heritage of your land, and testifies to the harmonious coexistence of Church and State".

  The Holy Father continued his address: "By its very nature, the Gospel urges people of faith to offer themselves in loving service to their brothers and sisters without distinction and without counting the cost". And he emphasised "the enormous formative potential" young people gain from participating in charitable initiatives, recalling "the many Czech citizens already serving abroad in long-term development and aid projects under the auspices of Caritas and other humanitarian organisations".

  In closing his remarks, the Holy Father expressed his condolences to the ambassador for the death of the Czech Republic representative to Pakistan in a recent terrorist attack in Islamabad , in which more than 50 people lost their lives. "I pray daily", he said, "for an end to such acts of aggression, and I encourage all those engaged in diplomatic service to dedicate themselves ever more keenly to facilitating peace and ensuring security throughout the world".

CD/LETTERS CREDENCE/CZECH REPUBLIC:VOSALIK  VIS 080929 (550)

AGAINST THE INDISCRIMINATE EXPLOITATION OF THE EARTH

VATICAN CITY, 27 SEP 2008 (VIS) - In the Apostolic Palace of Castelgandolfo today, for the occasion of World Tourism Day 2008, Benedict XVI received 300 participants in a meeting promoted by the Centre for Youth Tourism and by the International Office for Social Tourism. They were accompanied by Cardinal Renato Martino and Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, respectively president and secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.

  Referring to the theme of the Day this year - "Tourism: Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change" - the Pope pointed out that humanity has the duty to protect the resources of creation and "to commit itself against the indiscriminate use of the goods of the earth", because "without adequate ethical and moral limits, human behaviour can become a threat and a challenge.

  "Experience shows that the responsible administration of creation is part, or should be part, of a healthy and sustainable tourist economy", Pope Benedict added, going on to mention John Paul II's 1991 Encyclical "Centesimus Annus" in which the late Pontiff "criticised the excessive and arbitrary consumption of resources, recalling that man is God's helper in the work of creation and cannot take His place. ... 'Humanity today must be conscious of its duties and obligations towards future generations'".

  Benedict XVI went on: "It is therefore necessary, especially in the field of tourism which depends so heavily on nature, that everyone should seek a well-balanced management of our habitat, in what is our common home. ... Environmental degradation can be stopped only by spreading an appropriate culture which includes more sober lifestyles. ... Hence the importance of educating people to an 'ethic of responsibility'".

  The Holy Father told his audience that the Church shared their commitment "to what is known as social tourism, which promotes the participation of the weaker sectors of society and thus can be an important tool in the fight against poverty, ... creating work, protecting resources and promoting equality". Social tourism "represents a reason for hope in a world where differences between those who have everything and those who suffer hunger, want and drought have become more accentuated".

  Finally, the Pope called on young people "to support and practice ways of behaviour that help to appreciate and defend nature from a correct ecological perspective, as I highlighted on a number of occasions during World Youth Day in Sydney in July".

AC/WORLD TOURISM DAY/...                                                   VIS 080929 (410)

BENEDICT XVI RECALLS THE FIGURE OF JOHN PAUL I

VATICAN CITY, 28 SEP 2008 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI appeared at the balcony of the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo in order to pray the Angelus with faithful and pilgrims gathered below.

  The Pope commented upon the Gospel reading of the two sons sent to work in their father's vineyard: one refuses but then changes his mind and goes, the other agrees to go but then fails to do so. "With this parable", the Holy Father said, "Jesus underlines His predilection for converted sinners, and teaches us that we need humility to welcome the gift of salvation".

  "Humility", he went on, "may be considered the spiritual legacy" of John Paul I, who died thirty years ago and whose episcopal motto "was the same as that of St. Charles Borromeo, 'Humilitas'. A single word that encapsulates the essential core of Christian life and indicates the indispensable virtue for people who are called to a service of authority within the Church".

  "Thanks to this virtue, 33 days were enough for Pope John Paul I to enter into peoples' hearts. In his discourses he used examples taken from real life, from his family memories and from popular wisdom. His simplicity was the vehicle for a solid and rich teaching which - thanks to the gift of an exceptional memory and a vast culture - he supplemented with many quotes from ecclesiastical and lay writers. He was a peerless catechist, following the footsteps of St. Pius X, his compatriot and predecessor first in the cathedra of St. Mark and then in that of St. Peter".

  Remarking upon one of the four general audiences celebrated by John Paul I, Benedict XVI recalled how the Pontiff had used the phrase: "We must feel small before God", and had then added: "I am not ashamed to feel like a child before its mother: we believe our mothers, I believe in the Lord and what He revealed to me".

  "These words", Pope Benedict concluded, "reveal the depth of his faith. As we thank the Lord for having given him to the Church and the world, we treasure his example, undertaking to cultivate the humility that was his and that made him capable of speaking to everyone, especially the smallest and those 'furthest away'".

ANG/HUMILITY JOHN PAUL I/...                                                VIS 080929 (390)

JOY AT BEATIFICATION OF CONFESSOR OF ST. FAUSTINA KOWALSKA

VATICAN CITY, 28 SEP 2008 (VIS) - After praying the Angelus today, the Pope announced that he will return to the Vatican on 30 September, thus concluding his period of summer residence in the Apostolic Palace of Castelgandolfo.

  "I thank the Lord", said Benedict XVI, "for all the gifts He has given me during this time. I am thinking in particular of World Youth Day in Sydney , of the period of rest I spent in Bressanone, of the visit to Sardinia and of the apostolic trip to Paris and Lourdes .

  "I am also thinking", he added, "of the chance I have had to stay in this house where I am able to relax and work during the hottest months. I send a particular greeting to the community of Castelgandolfo with a heartfelt thank-you to the bishop, the mayor and the forces of law and order".

  The Holy Father also addressed some words to Polish pilgrims, and in particular to faithful gathered in the city of Bialystok , Poland , for the beatification of Servant of God Michael Sopocko, "confessor and spiritual father of St. Faustina Kowalska.

  "At his suggestion, the saint described her mystical experiences and the apparitions of Merciful Jesus in her famous 'Diary'. Thanks also to his efforts, the image of 'Jesus, in You I trust' was painted and made known throughout the world".

  Fr. Sopocko was "a zealous pastor, educator and propagator of the cult of Divine Mercy", said the Pope, going on to note that "in the house of the Father my beloved predecessor John Paul II will joy at his beatification. He it was who entrusted the world to Divine Mercy and hence I repeat his words: 'May God rich in Mercy bless you all!'"

ANG/BEATIFICATION SOPOCKO/...                                         VIS 080929 (300)

POPE BIDS FAREWELL TO CASTELGANDOLFO

VATICAN CITY, 29 SEP 2008 (VIS) - Today in the Apostolic Palace of Castelgandolfo, Benedict XVI made his farewells to Bishop Marcello Semeraro of Albano (the diocese in which Castelgandolfo is located), local religious communities, the civil authorities and the personnel in charge of security during his stay in the summer residence.

  Recalling that today marks the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, the Holy Father said: "let us trustingly invoke their help, and the protection of the Guardian Angels, whose feast we will celebrate in a few day's time, on 2 October".

  "The invisible presence of these blessed spirits", he said, "brings us great help and consolation: they walk at our side and protect us in all circumstances, they defend us from danger, and to them we can turn at any moment. Many saints established bonds of real friendship with the angels, and numerous episodes testify to their assistance on particular occasions. Angels are sent by God 'to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation' as the Letter to the Hebrews says, hence they are a real help to us on the pilgrimage towards the heavenly homeland".

  This afternoon, the Pope is due to bid farewell to the staff of the Pontifical Villas at Castelgandolfo, before returning to the Vatican tomorrow.

AC/FAREWELL/CASTELGANDOLFO                                      VIS 080929 (230)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 29 SEP 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences five prelates from the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Kazakhstan, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Archbishop Tomash Peta of Maria Santissima in Astana.

    - Archbishop-Bishop Jan Pawel Lenga M.I.C. of Karaganda, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Athanasius Schneider O.R.C.

    - Bishop Henry Theophilus Howaniec O.F.M. of Santissima Trinita in Almaty.

    - Bishop Janusz Kaleta, apostolic administrator of Atyrau.

  On Saturday 27 September, he received in audience Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

AL:AP/.../...                                                                                      VIS 080929 (100)

URUGUAY: TEACH THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH IN ITS ENTIRETY

VATICAN CITY, 26 SEP 2008 (VIS) - In the Apostolic Palace of Castelgandolfo this morning, Benedict XVI received prelates from the Uruguayan Episcopal Conference, who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.

  "A visit to the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul ", the Pope told them, "provides a good opportunity to delve more deeply into the significance of the ministry of the successors to the Apostles". It is "an opportunity to reinforce the bonds of effective and affective unity among the college of bishops, which must demonstrate ... the ideal ... of the ecclesial community since its origins: that of 'oneness of heart and mind', a visible example to promote a spirit of fraternity and harmony among your faithful, and in modern society so often dominated by individualism and rivalries".

  Such communion also appears, the Holy Father noted, in the Uruguayan bishops' implementation of pastoral guidelines inspired in Jesus' meeting with the disciples in Emmaus, when "the Master, who accompanied and conversed with His companions, explained the Scriptures to them". Hence, "promoting knowledge of and meditation upon Sacred Scripture, explaining it faithfully in preaching and catechesis, or teaching it in schools, is vital in order to for people to live their Christian vocation with greater awareness, firmness and security".

  "The Word of God is also the source and ... content of your ministry", said the Pope, "even more necessary at a time in which many voices seek to silence God in personal and social life, leading mankind along paths that undermine true hope and disregard the firm truth in which the human heart can find rest".

  "Teach then", he told the bishops "the faith of the Church in its entirety, with the courage and conviction of those who live from it and for it, not shrinking from an explicit proclamation of the moral values of Catholic doctrine, which are at times the subject of debate in political and cultural circles and in the communications media, such as those referring to the family, to sexuality and to life ... from conception to natural end".

  Benedict XVI reminded the prelates of their reliance on "the priceless collaboration of priests, who should be constantly encouraged so that, without bowing before the dominant mentality of the world, they remain true disciples and missionaries of Christ, carrying His message of salvation ... to everyone who thirsts for words learnt of the Spirit rather than purely human knowledge. ...In this way they will bear faithful witness of what they preach, and help their brothers and sisters to flee a purely superficial religiosity and ... learn from Christ to love 'in justice and sanctity of life'".

  In conclusion, the Pope encouraged the Uruguayan bishops not to give way to discouragement "in so many situations of religious indifference or apathy", and to continue to be bearers of "the hope that does not disappoint" and "of Christ's love for the poor and needy. ... In difficult situations, which also affect the people of Uruguay , the Church is called to show greatness of heart, solidarity, and the capacity for sacrifice of the family of the children of God towards brothers and sisters in difficulty".

AL/.../URUGUAY                                                                           VIS 080926 (540)

MARRIAGE CRISES CAN BE OVERCOME

VATICAN CITY, 26 SEP 2008 (VIS) - This morning in Castelgandolfo, the Holy Father received 300 participants in an international meeting of the "Retrouvaille" Association, which has the aim of helping married couples in crisis.

  The Pope recalled how the group came into being in Canada in 1977, thanks to the efforts of Canadian husband and wife, Guy and Jeannine Beland, "to help couples in serious crisis to face their problems with a specific programme aimed at rebuilding their relationship, not as an alternative to psychological therapies but following a different and complementary route.

  "You are not professionals", he added, "you are married people who in many cases have experienced the same difficulties yourselves, and you have overcome them with the grace of God and the support of Retrouvaille, experiencing in your turn the desire and joy of placing your experience at the service of others. Among you are a number of priests who accompany the married people on their journey".

  A serious matrimonial crisis, said Pope Benedict, "has two faces. On the one hand, and especially in its most acute and painful phase, it appears to be a failure; ... this is the negative face. But there is another face, one we are often unaware of but that God sees. In fact, as nature shows us, each crisis is a passage to a new phase of life. ... At the moment of break-up", he told his audience, "you offer couples ... a positive reference to which to entrust themselves in their desperation". In this way "your meetings offer a 'handhold' so as not to lose the way altogether and gradually to climb back up the slope".

  Recalling the evangelical episode of the wedding at Cana , the Holy Father indicated that the "good wine" held back until the end "is a symbol of salvation, of the new nuptial alliance that Jesus came to seal with humankind". In this context he affirmed that "when married couples in difficulties or - as your experience shows - already separated, entrust themselves to Mary and turn to Him Who made them 'a single flesh', they can be certain that the crisis will - with the help of the Lord - become a way to grow, and that love will be purified, matured and reinforced".

  "Yours is a 'counter-current' service", he told the members of the association. "Today, in fact, when a couple goes into crisis many people are to be found who advise them to separate. Divorce is even easily proposed to people married in the name of the Lord, forgetting that man cannot separate what God has brought together".

  "In order to achieve your mission", the Pope concluded, "you need to nourish your spiritual life continually, to put love into what you do so that contact with difficult situations does not cause your hope to run dry or be reduced to a mere formula".

AC/MARRIAGE CRISIS/RETROUVAILLE                               VIS 080926 (490)

ACHIEVING THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

VATICAN CITY, 26 SEP 2008 (VIS) - Made public today was a speech delivered on 25 September by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, before the 63rd session of the U.N. General Assembly which is considering the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

  Speaking English, Archbishop Migliore highlighted how the MDGs "will be achieved if their attainment becomes a priority for all States". To this end, "we need to foment a new culture of human relations marked by a fraternal vision of the world, a culture based upon the moral imperative of recognising the unity of humankind and the practical imperative of giving a contribution to peace and the well-being of all.

  "The money and resources that the least developed countries need in terms of direct aid, financial assistance and trade advantages are meagre compared to the world-wide military expenses or the total expenses of non-primary necessities of populations in more developed countries", he added.

  "In these days we are witnessing a debate on an economic rescue aimed at resolving a crisis that risks disrupting the economy of the most developed countries and leaving thousands and thousands of families without work. This rescue of enormous proportions, which amounts to many times the whole of international aid, cannot but raise a pressing question. How are we able to find funds to save a broken financial system yet remain unable to find the resources necessary to invest in the development of all regions of the world, beginning with the most destitute?

  "For this reason", he concluded, "the globalisation of solidarity through the prompt achievement of the MDGs established by the Millennium Declaration is a crucial moral obligation of the international community".

DELSS/MILLENNIUM GOALS/U.N.                                           VIS 080926 (300)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 26 SEP 2008 ( VIS ) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 - Three prelates from the Uruguayan Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop Carlos Maria Collazzi Irazabal S.D.B. of Mercedes.

    - Bishop Luis del Castillo Estrada S.J. of Melo, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Roberto Reinaldo Caceres Gonzalez.

  This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

AL:AP/.../...                                                                                      VIS 080926 (80)

ST. PAUL AND THE APOSTLES

VATICAN CITY, 24 SEP 2008 (VIS) - During his general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square in the presence of some 15,000 faithful, Benedict XVI continued his catechesis on the life and work of St. Paul, focusing today on his relationship with the Apostles.

  St. Paul , he said, "though he was practically a contemporary of Jesus of Nazareth, never had the opportunity of meeting Him during His public life. For this reason ... he felt the need to consult the Master's first disciples, who had been chosen by Him to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth".

  Thus, in his Letter to the Galatians, Paul speaks of his meetings with Peter, James and John, whom he recognises as "pillars of the Church, while in his Letter to the Corinthians he makes it clear that for him Christ's words at the Last Supper are "the centre of the life of the Church", said the Pope.

  "The words of the Last Supper", the Holy Father explained, "on the one hand demonstrate that the Eucharist illuminates the curse of the cross, making it a blessing, while on the other they explain the scope of Jesus' death and resurrection. ... The Church is built and recognises herself as the 'Body of Christ', from and in the Eucharist".

  Christ's resurrection affects the present existence of believers, affirmed the Pope. We can say that "He is risen and continues to live in the Eucharist and in the Church".

  "The importance Paul assigns to the living Tradition of the Church, which he transmits to his communities, shows how wrong is the view that attributes the invention of Christianity to him. Before evangelising in the name of Jesus Christ, his Lord, he met Him on the road to Damascus and frequented Him in the Church, observing His life in the Twelve and in those who had followed Him along the roads of Galilee .

  "In forthcoming catecheses", the Holy Father added, "we will have the opportunity to give deeper consideration to the contributions Paul made to the early Church. Yet the mission he received from the Risen One concerning the evangelisation of the Gentiles needed to be confirmed and guaranteed by those who gave him ... their right hand in a sign of approval and acceptance".

  "The more we seek the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth along the roads of Galilee ", Benedict XVI concluded, "the more we understand that He assumed our humanity, sharing it in everything except in sin. Our faith is not born of a myth, nor of an idea, but of a meeting with the Risen One in the life of the Church".

AG/ST. PAUL/...                                                                             VIS 080924 (450)

PROMOTING RECONCILIATION AMONG PEOPLES

VATICAN CITY, 24 SEP 2008 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, the Pope greeted a group of young people, most of the from the Caucasus region, members of the "Rondine-Citadella della Pace" Association.

  "It is my hope that your meeting may contribute to affirming a culture of peaceful coexistence among peoples and to promoting understanding and reconciliation", the Pope told them.

  The Citadella della Pace international student residence of Rondine, a village near the Italian city of Arezzo , is a place that seeks to promote dialogue and reconciliation among peoples. Since 1997, it has welcomed young people from different countries and religions who have experienced or are experiencing war: the Caucasus region, Russia , Serbia , Bosnia , Macedonia , Israel , Palestine , Lebanon and Sierra Leone .

AG/PEACE/CITADELLA ASSOCIATION                                        VIS 080924 (130)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 24 SEP 2008 ( VIS ) - The Holy Father appointed:

 - Fr. Francois-Marie Lethel O.C.D., as prelate secretary of the Pontifical Academy of Theology.

 - Msgr. Rafael Biernaski, official of the Congregation for Bishops, as bureau chief at the same congregation.

 - As consultors of the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff: Msgr. Nicola Bux, professor at the Theological Faculty of Puglia, Italy; Fr. Mauro Gagliardi, professor at the Pontifical Athenaeum "Regina Apostolorum", Rome; Fr. Juan Jose Silvestre Valor, professor at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome; Fr. Uwe Michael Lang C.O., official of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and Fr. Paul C. F. Gunter O.S.B., professor at the St. Anselm Pontifical Athenaeum, Rome.

NA/.../...                                                                                            VIS 080924 (130)