News From Vatican Information Services 11/15/2005

SUMMARY:

- John Paul II Commemorated by the Italian Parliament
- International Conference on the Human Genome
- Holy See Diplomacy
- Cardinal Furno to Take Possession of his Titular Church
- Other Pontifical Acts

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JOHN PAUL II COMMEMORATED BY THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT

VATICAN CITY, NOV 15, 2005 (VIS) - In a solemn ceremony held yesterday morning, the Italian parliament commemorated the visit, made there three years ago, by John Paul II. During the celebration, a plaque was unveiled recalling the late Pope's meeting with Italian deputies and senators on November 14, 2002, upon whom he invoked divine blessings.

To mark the occasion, Benedict XVI sent a Message to Pier Ferdinando Casini, president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. The Message was read out during the ceremony by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State.

"The visit of my beloved predecessor to the Italian parliament," writes the Pope in his Message, "was without precedent, and was made possible through the consolidation of a serene vision of relations between Church and State; in the awareness - as the Pontiff said in his address - of the 'highly positive results' which over the course of time these relations have brought both to the Church and to the Italian nation."

The Pope continues his Message: "On this happy anniversary, then, all that remains to me to do is to express the hope that this spirit of sincere and loyal collaboration may become ever deeper. In assuring the Holy See's constant commitment to this end, I would like once more to stress that the Church - in Italy, in all other countries, and in the various international organizations - does not intend to claim any privilege for herself, but only to secure the opportunity to carry out her mission, with respect for the legitimate lay nature of the State. This, moreover, if well understood, does not contrast with the Christian message, rather it is indebted thereto, as scholars of the history of civilizations know well."

The Holy Father ends his Message by calling on the parliamentarians to remember John Paul II, "drawing real inspiration from his teachings and promoting the formation of the human person, culture, the family, schools and full and dignified employment, with careful attention for the weakest and for old and new forms of poverty."
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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE HUMAN GENOME

VATICAN CITY, NOV 15, 2005 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office this morning, Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, presented the 20th international conference promoted by his dicastery. The meeting is due to be held in the Vatican from November 17 to 19, 2005, and will consider the theme of the human genome.

Also present at this morning's press conference were Bishop Jose L. Redrado O.H., and Fr. Felice Ruffini M.I., respectively secretary and under-secretary of the pontifical council; Maria Luisa Di Pietro, associate professor of bioethics at Rome's Sacred Heart Catholic University, and Fr. Angelo Serra S.J., professor emeritus of human genetics at the same university.

Cardinal Lozano affirmed that the conference will begin "by considering the genome as a structural element that organizes the human body into its individual and hereditary dimensions; it comprehends the entirety of the genes, but goes further to embrace all the other elements that, with the genes, constitute the original energy, developing throughout an entire existence and representing the key mystery of human life."

This subject, he went, on, "is very broad and is to a large extent subject to new research and discoveries," but our aim is to discuss it "from the specific perspective of health," stressing its therapeutic aspects.

Work will begin, the cardinal said, "with scientific, philosophical and theological reflections to orient the rest of the conference towards the theme of life. ... From this starting point, our journey will be divided into three stages: reality, illumination, action."

The cardinal went on: "In the first part of our conference we will consider the current reality of genetics, genomic studies and post-genomic studies; chromosome aberrations and congenital disorders; ... genetic predisposition to cancer; ... medical care for patients with these diseases and their families; judgement, error and negligence in genetic aspects of maternal fetal medicine; ... human genetics and its international juridical status; genetic research and international cooperation."

During the second part of the conference, the cardinal said, reflection will focus on "the historical process of human genetics; ... the ethics of medical genetics; the path of liberal eugenics and the ethics of medical consultancy in the field of genetics." Attention will also be given to "the application of the knowledge of human genetics according to Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, as well as genetics according to the ideas of post-modernity."

In the last stage of the conference, said the president of the pontifical council, "we will examine genetics and the new culture, the pastoral vision of genetic research, medical genetics and ethical committees in hospitals, law and genetics, ... education and the updating of pastoral workers in the field of genetics, and the prevention of genetic diseases from the point of view of pastoral care."

Cardinal Lozano concluded by highlighting the presence at the conference of top international experts in the field of science and theology, from 17 different countries: Italy, United Kingdom, Greece, France, Burkina Faso, U.S.A., Iceland, Switzerland, Holland, Colombia, Germany, Spain, India, Japan, Slovakia, Cuba and Mexico.
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HOLY SEE DIPLOMACY

VATICAN CITY, NOV 15, 2005 (VIS) - Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, secretary for Relations with States delivered a speech today at a congress promoted by the Polish embassy to the Holy See on the theme: "The Diplomacy of the Holy See in the Twentieth Century: Types of Concordats."

Archbishop Lajolo began by recalling that "the first concordat of history is conventionally considered as being that of Worms in 1122. The 'Concordia' or 'Pax Wormatiensis' between Pope Callistus II and the Emperor Henry V put an end to the harsh controversy over the investiture of bishops, who at the time were also temporal princes and feudal lords."

"It is to the beginning of the modern age that we can date the various concordats with sovereigns, who asserted their right to broad control over the organization and life of the Church, especially as regarded the appointment of ecclesiastical officials, beginning with diocesan bishops. In this sense, one emblematic concordat was that stipulated between Leo X and Francis I of France on August 18, 1516."

The secretary for relations with States indicated that in the period between the French Revolution and the First World War, "the Church found herself facing a new kind of State, no longer confessional and, at times, no longer monarchical." A particularly important agreement from the beginning of this period, he said, is "the Convention between Pius VI and the French government of 1801, the so-called 'Napoleonic Concordat,' which regulated relations between Church and State in France."

Later in his talk, Archbishop Lajolo turned to consider the period between Benedict XV (1914 - 1922) and Vatican Council II (1962 - 1965). The pontificate of Benedict XV "did not see the conclusion of many agreements," but in 1917 he promulgated the Code of Canon Law in 1917, and "the concordats and agreements of the following years had the aim of regulating Church life in various countries in accordance with the norms contained in that text."

Under Pius XI, Archbishop Lajolo went on, the Lateran Pacts were signed (February 11, 1929), "which included the Concordat between the Holy See and Italy, and the Financial Convention." During the 19 years of the pontificate of Pius XII (1939 - 1958), "there was intense activity aimed at establishing concordats," including agreements with Portugal (1940), and with Spain (1953).

"The pontificate of John XXIII (1958 - 1963) was especially marked by the opening of Vatican Council II," said Archbishop Lajolo, "which his successor Paul VI brought to a close." The conciliar teachings and resolutions "have, though, had a by no means irrelevant effect on the later diplomatic activity of the Holy See."

He then went on the refer to the pontificates of Paul VI and Benedict XVI, highlighting how that of Paul VI (1963 - 1978) "represented a particularly intense season of concordance," during which more than 40 agreements were signed, the majority with Western European and Latin American countries, as well as one with the Republic of Tunisia (1964), the first with a Muslim country.

Archbishop Lajolo recalled the Holy See's so-called "Ostpolitik," the partial agreements reached with: Hungary, through the Act of Protocol in 1964; Yugoslavia through the Protocol on conversations between the two parties (1966), and the exchange of letters concerning the appointment of unofficial permanent diplomatic representatives; and Poland (1974), to institutionalize bilateral working groups. "At this point, I cannot but pay deferential homage to the memory of Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, who was one of the principal architects of this phase of Holy See diplomacy," the archbishop said.

During the 26 years of the pontificate of John Paul II (1978 - 2005), activity in this field was "extended to continents and countries with which, until then, there had been little contact." Archbishop Lajolo particularly mentioned the two agreements signed with Israel: the Fundamental Agreement of 1993, and the respective juridical recognition of Catholic institutions (1997). "As is known," the prelate added, "the Holy See hopes that, as both agreements came into effect with the exchange of the instruments of ratification, they will be duly implemented in the internal juridical environment of the State of Israel."

Also under John Paul II, a Basic Agreement was signed with the Palestine Liberation Organization (2000), as were many agreements with African countries: Morocco, Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire, and Cameroon, as well as one with the Organization for African Unity. The Lateran Pacts with Italy were revised in 1984, and five agreements were concluded with Spain.

Concordance with European countries "accelerated strongly" from 1989, and the Holy See signed numerous agreements with States that had formally belonged to the communist bloc: Albania, Croatia, Slovenia, and most of the new German "Lande," that had previously been part of East Germany.

"In the early months of the pontificate of Benedict XVI," the archbishop observed, "an agreement was signed with Panama. ... And on July 12, 2005 an 'avenant' to the Convention of 1828 and to the two 'avenants' of 1974 and 1999 were signed with France concerning the Roman church of Trinita dei Monti. In the next few weeks, an agreement will be signed with Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg."

The archbishop went on to explain with whom the agreements are made. "Normally, the Holy See concludes agreements with States," he said, "although it also does so with supranational institutions."

"Concordats and other agreements are concluded with countries ruled by various forms of government, without any of these forms being excluded a priori. Consequently, the Holy See has sometimes been criticized for concluding agreements even with totalitarian regimes, in some way providing them with moral support and facilitating their presence on the international stage. However, it should be remembered, first of all, that by such agreements the Holy See has never recognized any specific regime. According to the norms of international law, it is the State (which remains) that concludes an agreement, and not governments or regimes (which come and go). Nor can it be forgotten that, in concluding its agreements, the Holy See aims to protect the freedom of the Church in a country, and the right of individual faithful and citizens to religious freedom, and this can prove to be even more necessary precisely when those who govern a country do not fully respect fundamental rights."

As for the content of the agreements, the archbishop, given the impossibility of listing them all, mentioned: diplomatic relations with the Holy See, the status of the Catholic religion and of the Church, artistic and cultural heritage, and the recognition of canonical marriage.
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CARDINAL FURNO TO TAKE POSSESSION OF HIS TITULAR CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, NOV 15, 2005 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announced today that at midday on Sunday, November 20, Cardinal Carlo Furno, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and archpriest emeritus of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, will take possession of the title of the Sacred Heart of Christ the King, a diaconate elevated "pro hac vice" to presbyteral title, in Viale Mazzini 32, Rome.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 15, 2005 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Msgr. Jose Leopoldo Gonzalez Gonzalez, vice rector of the Catholic University of Guadalajara, Mexico, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Guadalajara (area 20,827, population 6,600,000, Catholics 6,011,044, priests 1,354, permanent deacons 4, religious 1,532), Mexico. The bishop-elect was born in Canadas, Mexico in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1984.

- Msgr. Anton Jamnik, rector of the St. Stanislaw archdiocesan high school, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Ljubljana (area 8,542, population 914,684, Catholics 715,000, priests 576, permanent deacons 4, religious 759), Slovenia. The bishop-elect was born in Videm-Dobrepolje, Slovenia in 1961 and ordained to the priesthood in 1987.
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V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.

Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

News From Vatican Information Services 11/12-14/2005

SUMMARY: NOVEMBER 12 - 14

- Letters of Credence of New U.S. Ambassador to Holy See
- Catholic Church in Bulgaria is Vibrant
- To Chaldean Church: May Iraq Continue on Road to Peace
- Special Envoy to Eucharistic Congress of Ghana
- Proclamation of Three New Blesseds
- Angelus: Laity Called to the Perfection of Christian Life
- World Must Emerge from the Web of Conflict and Violence
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts

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LETTERS OF CREDENCE OF NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR TO HOLY SEE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 12, 2005 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received the Letters of Credence of the new ambassador of the United States to the Holy See, Francis Rooney.

In his address, the Pope asked the diplomat to assure U.S. President George W. Bush "in a particular way of my prayerful solidarity with all those affected by the recent storms in the southern part of your country, as well as the support of my prayers for those engaged in the massive work of relief and rebuilding."

Benedict XVI then went on to mention John Paul II's Message for the 2005 World Day of Peace, where the late Pontiff "called attention to the intrinsic ethical dimension of every political decision, and observed that the disturbing spread of social disorder, war, injustice and violence in our world can ultimately be countered only by renewed appreciation and respect for the universal moral law whose principles derive from the Creator Himself.

"A recognition of the rich patrimony of values and principles embodied in that law is essential to the building of a world which acknowledges and promotes the dignity, life and freedom of each human person, while creating the conditions of justice and peace in which individuals and communities can truly flourish. It is precisely the promotion and defense of these values, which must govern relations between nations and peoples, ... that inspires the presence and activity of the Holy See within the international community."

The Holy Father went on: "As Vatican Council II stated, the Church's universal religious mission does not allow her to be identified with any particular political, economic or social system, yet at the same time, this mission serves as a source of commitment, direction and strength which can contribute to establishing and consolidating the human community in accordance with God's law."

The Pope expressed his appreciation for the reference in the ambassador's speech to "the Holy See's efforts to contribute to finding effective solutions to some of the more significant problems facing the international community in recent years, such as the scandal of continued widespread hunger, grave illness and poverty in large areas of our world. An adequate approach to these issues cannot be limited to purely economic or technical considerations, but demands broad vision, practical solidarity and courageous long-term decisions with regard to complex ethical questions; among the latter I think especially of the effects of the crushing debt that feeds the spiral of poverty in many less-developed nations."

"The American people," the Pope concluded, "have long been distinguished for their generous charitable outreach to the disadvantaged and the needy on every continent. ... I am confident that your nation will continue to demonstrate a leadership based on unwavering commitment to the values of freedom, integrity and self-determination."
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CATHOLIC CHURCH IN BULGARIA IS VIBRANT

VATICAN CITY, NOV 12, 2005 (VIS) - This morning, Benedict XVI received prelates from the Bulgarian Episcopal Conference, who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.

In his address, the Pope said that following his individual meetings with each of the prelates he was convinced that "the Catholic Church in Bulgaria is vibrant and wishes to offer its witness to Christ in the society in which she lives." Despite being a small minority, "the Lord always knows how to compensate for any of our shortcomings and for the lack of means at our disposal. What is important is not so much organizational efficiency as unshakeable faith in Christ, because it is Christ Who guides, upholds and sanctifies His Church, also through your indispensable ministry."

Referring to the prelates' ecclesiastical service alongside their brethren of the Orthodox Church, the Holy Father expressed the hope that "the present good relations may develop further, to the advantage of the announcement of the Gospel of the Son of God." And he asked the Bulgarian Catholic bishops to pass on "a cordial greeting" to Patriarch Maxim, head of the Orthodox Church in Bulgaria.

He continued: "It is necessary to continue the journey we have begun, intensifying prayer so as to bring forward the moment when we can all sit around the one Table and eat the one Bread of salvation."

The Pope made reference to an "intense dialogue with the civil authorities on themes of common interest," and indicated that "the Catholic community, although a minority in the country, can offer generous witness to Christ's universal charity."

Benedict XVI then went on: "Following the sad period of communist oppression, Catholics who persevered in their adherence to Christ with eager trust now feel the urgent need to consolidate their faith and to spread the Gospel in all areas of social life, especially where there is the clearest need for Christian announcement. I am thinking, for example, of the severe drop in the birthrate, of the high percentage of abortions, of the fragility of many families and the problem of emigration. I am happy to learn that the Catholic Church in Bulgaria is strongly committed in the social field, so as to meet the needs of so many poor people. I encourage you to continue this journey at the service of the Bulgarian people, who are so dear to me."

The Pope called on the prelates not to be afraid "also to present young generations with the ideal of a total consecration to Christ," and to continue their efforts "to give your communities appropriate structures for pastoral activity and Christian worship, also with the help of other Catholic Churches and organizations. On this matter, I am particularly pleased to learn of the rebuilding of the Latin Cathedral Church of Sofia, dedicated to St. Joseph."
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TO CHALDEAN CHURCH: MAY IRAQ CONTINUE ON ROAD TO PEACE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 12, 2005 (VIS) - Today, for the occasion of the special synod being held in Rome by Chaldean bishops, Benedict XVI received His Beatitude Emmanuel III Delly, patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Iraq, and other prelates participating in the meeting.

"I thank you for your visit," the Pope said, "which enables me to send, through you, words of great encouragement to your communities and to all the citizens of Iraq. My expression of solidarity is accompanied by assurances of mention in my prayers, that your beloved country, even in its current difficult situation, may not lose heart and may continue on the road towards reconciliation and peace."

The Holy Father went on to refer on to the project of revising the texts of the divine liturgy which was completed during the synod of Chaldean bishops, opening the way to "a reform which should give rise to a new surge of devotion in your communities. This work has involved years of study and of not-always-easy decisions, but it was a period during which the Chaldean Church was able to reflect more deeply on the great gift of the Eucharist."

Another important theme of the synod was the examination of the draft of the Particular Law regulating the internal life of the Chaldean community. "An appropriate canonical discipline of your own is necessary," commented the Holy Father, "for the ordered progress of the mission entrusted to you by Christ."

"Now, as you return to your respective sees, you are refreshed by this experience of communion near the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul. This communion finds a special expression here, today, in raising to the Lord, together with Peter's Successor, a collective prayer of gratitude."
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SPECIAL ENVOY TO EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS OF GHANA

VATICAN CITY, NOV 12, 2005 (VIS) - Made public today was a letter from the Holy Father, written in Latin and dated October 15, appointing Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, archbishop of Lagos, Nigeria, as his special envoy to the Eucharistic Congress of Ghana, which will be held from November 19 - 20 in Kumasi.

The mission accompanying the cardinal will be made up of Msgrs. Mark Kadima and Stephen Adu-Kwaning, respectively secretary of the apostolic nunciature to Ghana, and vicar general of the archdiocese of Accra, Ghana, and Fr. Christopher Bazaanah, vicar general of the archdiocese of Tamale, Ghana.
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PROCLAMATION OF THREE NEW BLESSEDS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 13, 2005 (VIS) - Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, presided at a Eucharistic celebration in the Vatican Basilica today, during which, by order of Benedict XVI, he read out the Apostolic Letter by which the Pope proclaims as Blesseds the following Servants of God: Charles de Foucauld, priest (1858-1916); Maria Pia Mastena, virgin and foundress of the Institute of Sisters of the Holy Countenance (1881-1951); and Maria Crocifissa Curcio, virgin and founder of the Carmelite Missionary Sisters of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus (1877-1957).

At the conclusion of the Mass, the Holy Father arrived in the basilica to venerate the relics of the new Blesseds. He also greeted those present and imparted his apostolic blessing.

Speaking in French, the Holy Father gave thanks to God for the testimony of Fr. Foucauld. "Through his contemplative and hidden life at Nazareth," said the Pope, "he found the truth of Jesus' humanity, inviting us to contemplate the mystery of the Incarnation. He discovered that Jesus - Who came to unite Himself to us in our humanity - invites us to that universal brotherhood which he later experienced in the Sahara, and to that love of which Christ set us the example. As a priest, he put the Eucharist and the Gospel at the center of his life."

Benedict XVI emphasized the modern relevance of the charism of Maria Pia Mastena who, "overcome by the Holy Countenance of Christ, assimilated the Son of God's loving kindness towards humanity disfigured by sin, gave concrete form to His gestures of compassion, and devised an institute with the aim of 'propagating, repairing and restoring sweet Jesus' image in people's souls'."

Speaking of Maria Crocifissa Curcio, the Holy Father highlighted the fact that at the center of her life "was the presence of merciful Jesus, Whom she encountered and adored in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. True passion for souls was what characterized the existence of Mother Maria Crocifissa who enthusiastically cultivated 'spiritual repair' in order to repay Jesus' love for us. Her life was a continuous prayer even when she went out to help others, especially poor and needy girls."

The beatification Mass was concelebrated by 65 cardinals and bishops, among them Cardinals Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, and Polycarp Pengo, archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania; Archbishops Andre Vingt-Trois of Paris, France, and Vincent Landel S.C.I. of Rabat, Morocco; and Bishop Elias Lahham of Tunis, Tunisia.

In his homily, Cardinal Saraiva Martins affirmed that Charles Foucauld, the French missionary who passed his life among the Tuareg, the nomadic peoples of the Sahara, "exercised an important influence on the spirituality of the 20th century, and at the beginning of this third millennium he continues to be a fruitful point of reference and an invitation to a radically evangelical form of life." The new Blessed stood out for his "acceptance of the Gospel in its simplicity, evangelizing without imposing, bearing witness to Jesus Christ while respecting other religions, and reaffirming the primacy of charity in fraternity."

The prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints pointed out how the Italian nun Maria Pia Mastena - whose congregation has spread in Italy, Brazil and Indonesia - took Christ to the poorest and most abandoned. Her motto, he recalled, was "when a brother is sad and suffering, it is our duty to bring a smile back to his face."

Finally, the cardinal mentioned Maria Crocifissa Curcio who, he said, "was a simple and strong woman, seized by the love of God, stretching towards heaven while stooping attentively over the earth, especially over suffering and needy humanity."
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ANGELUS: LAITY CALLED TO THE PERFECTION OF CHRISTIAN LIFE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 13, 2005 (VIS) - Following Mass, celebrated this morning in the Vatican Basilica by Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, during which Servants of God Charles de Foucauld, Maria Pia Mastena, and Maria Crocifissa Curcio were proclaimed as Blesseds, the Pope appeared at the window of his study overlooking St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus with pilgrims gathered below.

Before the Marian prayer, the Pope pointed out that the new Blesseds "join the numerous ranks of Blesseds who were presented for veneration during the pontificate of John Paul II,... in keeping with the principle strongly emphasized during Vatican Council II: that all the baptized are called to the perfection of Christian life, priests, religious and laity, each according to their own charism and their specific vocation."

Benedict XVI went on to recall the importance given by Vatican Council II to the role of the laity, to whom it dedicated "an entire chapter, the fourth, of the Constitution 'Lumen gentium' ... defining their vocation and their mission, which are rooted in Baptism and Confirmation and oriented towards 'engaging in temporal affairs and ... ordering them according to the plan of God'."

The Conciliar Fathers, said the Pope, also approved a specific decree on the apostolate of the laity, 'Apostolicam actuositatem,' which highlights how "the 'success of the lay apostolate depends upon the laity's living union with Christ,' in other words it depends on a robust spirituality, nourished by active participation in the liturgy and expressed in the manner of the evangelical Beatitudes."

He went on: "For the laity, moreover, professional competence, a sense of family, public spirit and social virtues are also of great importance. Yet, if it is true that they are called individually to offer their personal witness - particularly valuable wherever the Church's freedom is impeded - the Council still insists on the importance of an organized apostolate, which is necessary in order to influence common attitudes, social conditions and public institutions. ... It was to the theme of the vocation and mission of the laity that the beloved Pope John Paul II dedicated the Synod of 1987, after which was published the Apostolic Exhortation 'Christifideles laici'."

The Holy Father concluded by recalling last Sunday's beatification in Vicenza, Italy, of Eurosia Fabris, the wife and mother who welcomed into her home children orphaned by the First World War, defining her as 'a model of Christian life in the lay state'."
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WORLD MUST EMERGE FROM THE WEB OF CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 14, 2005 (VIS) - This morning, Benedict XVI received a group of representatives of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in the U.S.A., an institution founded in 1977 in order to preserve the memory of the Holocaust, while promoting tolerance and understanding through awareness-raising and education.

After recalling that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Vatican Council II Declaration "Nostra Aetate," which "formulated the principles that have guided the Church's efforts to promote better understanding between Jews and Catholics," the Pope said: "After a difficult and painful history, relations between our two communities are presently taking a new, more positive, direction."

He went on: "We must continue to advance along the path of mutual respect and dialogue, inspired by our shared spiritual heritage and committed to an ever more effective cooperation in the service of the human family.

"Christians and Jews can do much to enable coming generations to live in harmony and respect for the dignity with which every human being has been endowed by the Creator. I express the hope, shared by men and women of good will everywhere, that this century will see our world emerge from the web of conflict and violence, and sow the seeds for a future of reconciliation, justice and peace."
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 14, 2005 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Wolfgang Schussel, federal chancellor of Austria, accompanied by an entourage.

- Six prelates from the Czech Bishops' Conference on their "ad limina" visit:

- Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, archbishop of Prague, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Vaclav Maly, and Karel Herbst S.D.B., and by former Auxiliary Bishop Jaroslav Skarvada.

- Archbishop Jan Graubner of Olomoue, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Josef Hrdlicka.

- Masoud al-Barzani, president of the Iraqi region of Kurdistan, accompanied by an entourage.

On Saturday, November 12, he received in separate audiences:

- Bishop Walter Mixa of Augsburg, Germany.

- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 14, 2005 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Emilio Aranguren Echeverria of Cienfuegos, Cuba, as bishop of Holguin (area 14,089, population 1,600,000, Catholics 435,000, priests 30, permanent deacons 3, religious 49), Cuba. He succeeds Bishop Hector Luis Lucas Pena Gomez, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Giuseppe Merisi, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Milan, Italy, as bishop of Lodi (area 894, population 256,855, Catholics 253,166, priests 228, religious 325), Italy. He succeeds Bishop Giacomo Capuzzi, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

On Saturday, November 12, it was made public that he:

- Appointed Msgr. Lino Pizzi of the clergy of the archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola, Italy, rector of the diocesan seminary, as bishop of Forli-Bertinoro (area 1,182, population 175,769, Catholics 171,142, priests 150, permanent deacons 8, religious 235), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Rivara, Italy in 1942 and ordained a priest in 1966. He succeeds Bishop Vincenzo Zarri, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, as his special envoy to the First National Eucharistic Congress of Chad, due to be held in Moundou from January 4 - 8, 2006.
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