VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 2003 (VIS) - At the end of the catechesis of today's general audience in St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul briefly reflected on his one-day trip last Sunday to Bosnia-Herzegovina, where he beatified a native layman, Ivan Merz.

"Divine Providence," said the Pope, "allowed me to undertake a new
apostolic trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina, six years after my pastoral trip to Sarajevo. It was a brief trip, but intense and filled with hope for that country which has been so tried by recent conflicts." He said he "sensed in everyone the will to overcome the painful experiences of the past in order to build, in truth and reciprocal pardon, a society worthy of man and acceptable to God."

The Holy Father remarked that "the high point of this pilgrimage was the solemn Eucharistic liturgy with the beatification of Ivan Merz, whom I proposed as a model for the Catholics, especially young people, of that land."

"I ask God," he said in closing, "to help the peoples of that land,
supported by the international community, to be able to resolve the complex issues that are still open and to realize the legitimate aspiration to live in peace and to be part of a united Europe."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 25, 2003 (VIS) - In today's general audience, celebrated in St. Peter's Square, the Pope spoke about his predecessor, Servant of God Paul VI, who was elected forty years ago to the See of St. Peter on June 21, 1963.

After recalling that his petrine ministry lasted 15 years (1963-1978) "and was characterized especially by Vatican Council II and by a great openness to the demands of the modern age," the Holy Father said: "I too had the grace to take part in the work of the Council and to live through the post-conciliar period. I was able to personally appreciate Paul VI's constant commitment to the necessary 'aggiornamento' or renewal of the Church according to the demands of the new evangelization. As his successor to the See of Peter, it has been my concern to continue the pastoral care that he began, inspired by him like a 'father' or a 'teacher'."

"A strong and humble apostle, Paul VI loved the Church and worked for its unity and to intensify its missionary activity. In this way, the innovative initiative of apostolic trips that today constitutes an integral part of the ministry of the Successor of Peter is fully understood."

The Holy Father emphasized that Paul VI "wanted the ecclesial community to open up to the world, without giving in to the spirit of the world. With prudent wisdom, he knew how to resist the temptation of 'conforming' to the modern mentality, sustaining difficulties and misunderstandings, and sometimes even hostility, with evangelical strength. Even in the most difficult moments he did not cease to bring God's illuminating word to His People."

"Let us give thanks to God," concluded John Paul II, "for the gift of his pontificate, a solid and sage guide for the Church. ... In the light of our eternal goal we understand better how urgent it is to love Christ and to serve His Church with joy. May Mary, whom Paul VI wanted to proclaim Mother of the Church with filial love, obtain this grace for us. And may she be the one to embrace in her arms this devoted son in the eternal happiness that is reserved for those who faithfully serve the Gospel."

Priests who perform same-sex marriages will be suspended, says archbishop

By Art Babych

OTTAWA (CCN) – Catholic priests and others in the church who try to marry a same-sex couple can expect to be suspended from their duties, says Archbishop Marcel Gervais, a former president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"In the Catholic Church, an attempted marriage of two of the same sex would not be recognized and the person officiating would be suspended from their sacred duties," said Gervais in a prepared statement June 23.

He was responding to queries from the media in the wake of a ruling June 10th by the Ontario Court of Appeal that opened the doors to same-sex marriage in Ontario. The three judges said in a unanimous decision that the definition of marriage must be changed to a union between "two persons" rather than "between a man and a woman" under the Constitution.

As dozens of gay and lesbian couples rushed to get married or were granted marriage licences, the federal government announced it would not appeal the court’s ruling, despite pleas from individuals, family organizations and religious groups across Canada including the Catholic bishops.

However, the archbishop said the lower court’s decision will not affect the Catholic Church, which will continue to recognize marriage as "the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others." And even if the Supreme Court of Canada gave its approval to the same-sex marriage the church would not permit any of its licensed people to "celebrate these relationships as marriages," Gervais said.

Marriage between male and female is a unique bond, he said. "It transcends time, has common religious, cultural and social dimension and is universally upheld. It is not something based on individual practices and choices."

Gervais added that the type of sexual communion involved in marriage is natural for a man and woman. "This is marriage," he said. "Intercourse with the possibility of fertility is impossible for two people of the same sex. This may be called other things, but it is not marriage."

He also questioned whether there is any benefit to society to change the definition of marriage "so that it no longer corresponds to its natural meaning."

The federal government expects to propose legislation soon "that will protect the right of churches and religious organizations to sanctify marriage as they define it," Prime Minister Jean Chretien has said. Church officials say they never lost that right.

When the legislation to change the definition of marriage is drafted, it will be sent to the Supreme Court for fine-tuning and be submitted to a free vote in the House of Commons.

By Art Babych

OTTAWA (CCN) – The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops is setting up a new task force to study the scope of sexual and physical abuse in the church in Canada and to find better ways of preventing abuses in the future.

The announcement was made by Msgr. Peter Schonenbach, general secretary of the CCCB, following a closed-door meeting June 21 between representatives of the CCCB and a coalition of several victims’ groups, called the Canadian Church Abuse Survivors’ Alliance (CCASA).

Schonenbach said the task force, which could be in place by early September, will likely be made up of bishops and professionals, including counselors of abuse victims.

"In the early ‘90s, the bishops had a task force that produced From Pain to Hope, which was the fundamental document helping bishops to develop the necessary policies," he said. "However over that time we found out that there are certain gaps and it is time now to form a new task force."

The document, which provides guidelines for bishops in the handling of sexual abuse complaints, is currently undergoing a routine 10-review by the bishops’ conference.

"We have part of the story and we’re working on getting better statistics," said Schonenbach. "That will be the job of the task force to also present that." A CCCB survey conducted on the number of allegations of sexual abuse by priests is not being released because the data do not include allegations against members of religious orders and may lack credibility, he said.

"Our hope is that within the next year we will have the makings of a database on this whole situation that can be always kept up to date, because it is a problem that is impeding the work of the church in many many ways," he said.

Both Schonenbach and the half-dozen representatives of CCASA emerged buoyed from their meeting in a conference room at a south Ottawa inn. "We’re very very happy with the candor and the frankness that was expressed by the people around the table," said Schonenbach. "I think it made a real good impression that we are not just talking around things but are getting down to serious topics."

Yves Manseau, spokesperson for the victims’ groups, said he was pleased at the announcement of the establishment of a task force. "It is encouraging that there will be a dialogue. But he added, "The victims will wait and see what actions will be taken by the church."

However, "It’s the first time -- at a very high level – that we have had a chance to speak out," he said. "It’s a very preliminary meeting." The groups had hoped to meet last October during the CCCB’s annual plenary in Cornwall but a scheduling misunderstanding scrapped it.

The victims’ organization presented a list of 11 questions to the CCCB representatives, which included Schonenbach, Archbishop Roger Ebacher, of the Archdiocese of Gatineau-Hull, and Bishop Paul-Andre Durocher, bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall.

The list asks the bishops to make a commitment to a date when they will release their research on the numbers of priests who have abused. One query asked if the bishops are "prepared to instruct their legal counsels and their insurers to stop using ‘hardball’ legal tactics." Another asks whether the bishops would ensure that all accusations of sexual abuse by priests be reported to authorities. "There is a loophole in From Pain to Hope" that lets them not report situations where the person comes forward with the complaint is not a child under the law," it explained.

None of the questions were discussed at the meeting but Schonenbach said the task force will be urged to open discussions on them with CCASA.

None of the members of the proposed task force will be victims, but "We can assure the victims that they will very much be heard by this task force," said Schonenbach. "What is more important?" he asked. "One person on the task force, or a discussion with all these various groups?"

Schonenbach also bristled at a question posed by a television reporter who asked whether the establishment of the task force was recognition by the bishops that sexual abuse in the church is widespread. "Not it isn’t," he said. "It is a recognition that it is an important problem because even one problem of abuse is too many."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 2003 (VIS) - At 5:30 this afternoon, in the bishop's residence of Banja Luka, the Holy Father met privately with both President Dragan Cavic of the Serb Republic and President Niko Lozancic of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Following these talks the Pope met with the Inter-religious Council of Bosnia-Herzegovina, a council composed of the Orthodox metropolitan of Sarajevo, the Catholic archbishop of Sarajevo, the leader of the Muslim community in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the president of the Hebrew community of Bosnia-Herzegovina. On a rotating basis, one of the four members assumes the council presidency for a year. The Jewish leader is president for 2003.

At 6:30 p.m. Pope John Paul paid a private visit to Banja Luka's
cathedral, located within the gardens of the bishop's residence. Named for St. Bonaventure, patron of Banja Luka, the old cathedral was totally destroyed by an earthquake in 1969 and the new church was built four years later. The Pope was greeted by about 60 people, including the College of Consultors, the Presbyteral Council, representatives of religious communities, seminarians and a number of young people.

Following this visit, the Holy Father went to the airport where he took leave of the people and the civil and religious leaders of
Bosnia-Herzegovina. His return flight landed in Rome's Ciampino Airport shortly after 9 p.m.

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 2003 (VIS) - After meeting with three members of the Collegial Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina in the airport at Banja Luka, the Pope went by popemobile to the convent of the Most Holy Trinity on Petricevac Hill, where he celebrated the Eucharist and beatified Servant of God Ivan Merz in the presence of 50,000 people.

Among those present at the Mass were three members of the Collegial Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the president of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia, political and civil authorities, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, archbishop of Vrhbosna, Sarajevo and the bishops of Bosnia.

The Gospel was sung in Ukrainian as a large group of Catholics of the Byzantine rite, born in the Ukraine, live in the region of Banja Luka.

In the homily, the Pope sent a "fraternal greeting" to His Beatitude Patriarch Pavle and to members of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church. He also greeted the faithful of the Jewish and Islamic communities as well as pilgrims from different parts of the world and neighboring nations.

"From this city," said the Pope, "marked in the course of history by so much suffering and bloodshed, I ask Almighty God to have mercy for the sins committed, also by the sons and daughters of the Catholic Church, against humanity, human dignity and freedom, and to foster in all the desire for mutual forgiveness. Only in a climate of true reconciliation will the memory of so many innocent victims and their sacrifice not be in vain, but will encourage everyone to build new relationships of fraternity and
understanding."

Speaking about Blessed Ivan Merz, a layman who was born in Banja Luka in 1896 and died in 1928, John Paul II affirmed: "A gifted young man, he made a good return on his rich natural talents and obtained great human success." The reason why he is part of "the choir of the Blesseds," he added, "is his success in God's eyes. The great aspiration of his whole life was 'never to forget God, to desire always to be one with him'."

After emphasizing that Blessed Merz was "one of the principal promotors of the liturgical renewal in his country," the Pope indicated that by participating in the Holy Mass "he drew the inspiration to become an apostle of young people. It was not by chance that he chose as his motto 'Sacrifice, Eucharist, Apostolate'."

"The name Ivan Merz has meant in the past a program of life and of activity for an entire generation of young Catholics. Today too it must do the same! Your country and your Church, dear young people, have experienced difficult times and now there is a need to work together so that life on all levels will fully return to normal." The Holy Father then invited them "not to yield to the temptation to become discouraged, but rather to multiply initiatives which will make Bosnia-Herzegovina once more a land of reconciliation, encounters and peace."

"The future of this land depends also on you!" exclaimed John Paul II. "Do not seek a more comfortable life elsewhere, do not flee from your responsibilities and expect others to resolve problems, but resolutely counter evil with the power of good. Like Blessed Ivan, strive for a personal encounter with Christ which sheds new light on life. May the Gospel be the great ideal guiding your approaches and your decisions!"

The Pope closed by affirming: "May the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, keep your heart and your spirit in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! This is the prayer and the wish which, through the intercession of Blessed Ivan Merz, the Pope today offers for you and for all the peoples of Bosnia-Herzegovina."

At the end of the Mass, before praying the Angelus, the Holy Father greeted the faithful present in German, Hungarian, Italian, Serbian and Croatian and asked Our Lady to obtain from her Son "the grace of preserving the integrity of your faith, the firmness of your hope, and at all times the fervor of your charity."

After the beatification, the Pope went to the bishop's residence in Banja Luka where he ate lunch with the bishops of Bosnia-Herzegovina and cardinals and bishops from his entourage.

VATICAN CITY, JUN 22, 2003 (VIS) - When Pope John Paul landed this morning at Banja Luka International Airport in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he began his 101st international pastoral trip and his second visit to this Balkan country, having travelled to Sarajevo, the capital, on April 12 and 13, 1997.

Formerly part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Bosnia declared its independence on January 9, 1992. Shortly afterwards, war broke out among the three ethnic groups - Croatian, Bosnian-Muslim and Serb - and ended only with the intervention of United Nations and NATO forces.

On November 21, 1995 the Dayton Accords approved the integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, even though it was divided into two entities, each having its own parliament and government: the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina (Croatian-Muslim: 50 percent of the territory) and the Serbian Republic or Srpska (49 percent).

The Federation is led by a president and vice-president, alternatively Croatian and Muslim. Legislative power is in the hands of Parliament, which has a Chamber of Deputies (140 members) and a Peoples' Chamber (74 members).
>From an administrative standpoint the Federation is divided into 10 totally autonomous cantons. The Serbian Republic is also led by a president and vice-president and its National Assembly has 140 members.

Brcko is a special administrative unit that does not belong to either of the above governments but rather is under the jurisdiction of the central government of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The Collegial Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina is composed of three members elected for four-year terms who represent the three ethnic groups: 1 Croat, 1 Muslim, 1 Serb. Each of the three members presides on a rotating basis of 8 months. The central parliament is formed of two chambers: the Chamber of Deputies (42 directly elected deputies: two-thirds Croat-Muslim, one-third Serb) with its central offices in Sarajevo, and the Peoples' Chamber (5 delegates elected for each ethnic group), which meets in Lukavica. The central executive branch is composed of a Council of Ministers, named by the presidency, which is comprised of six members, each of whom occupies the position of prime minister for eight months on a rotating basis.

The capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina is Sarajevo whose population is
approximately 360,000 people. Banja Luka is the second largest city with a population of 143,079. The national language is Serbian-Croatian. Bosnians are 43.7 percent of the populace, Serbs 31.4, Croats 17.3 and the remaining 7.6 percent are other ethnic groups. Sunni Muslims comprise 43 percent of the population, Orthodox 30, Catholics 11.3 and others are 15 percent.

By Art Babych

OTTAWA (CCN) – The long-awaited auditor’s report on World Youth Day 2002 shows that the international Catholic Church event in Toronto last year featuring Pope John Paul cost the church in Canada almost $80 million.

But because of fewer registrations than expected – brought on by what church officials described as "events beyond our control"—only $44.5 million of the $78.6-million cost was raised, leaving a deficit of more than $35 million, the highest of any World Youth Day since its inception 17 years ago.

However, because the audit covers only the year 2002, the deficit is expected to climb to between $37-$38 million when the $1.3 million shortfall at the end of last year is taken into account, along with some additional costs this year.

"The final report will be issued when all possible legal claims and calls for financial adjustments are dealt with, hopefully at the end of the current fiscal year," said Msgr. Peter Schonenbach, the CCCB’s general secretary.

The auditor’s statement, from Ernst and Young Chartered Accountants in Toronto, is dated February 28 and posted on the web site of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops June 19 under "Public Statements" at http://www.cccb.ca/. It does not give a detailed list of expenditures but notes that contributions from "Canadian episcopal corporations" balanced the books for the year 2002.

When it became clear late last year that WYD 2002 faced a $38 million deficit, the bishops of the dioceses across Canada agreed to contribute on a per capita basis. Some, particularly the poorer northern dioceses, were unable to come up with their share of the money. Others were forced to cut spending on diocesan programs or new construction and renovations to help pay off the deficit.

The nine-page auditor’s report shows that the Catholic World Youth Days 2002 Council spent $7 million in administration costs including travel expenses of almost $600,000.

Schonenbach said in a CCN interview that there were protocols governing travel, particularly to Rome where preparatory meetings were held. The travel costs of Vatican officials who came to Canada were borne by the WYD 2002 council, as were the costs of "30 African bishops who didn’t have money for their hotel bill," he said.

Many items put into the category of administration expenses were related to the unforeseen, said Schonenbach, pointing out that hosting WYD 2002 was a major undertaking. "I wouldn’t want to tell you that every cent was spent as frugally as a family would spend its money, but then -- by and large -- the fact remains that a lot of costs have to do with doing this being held in a highly regulated city."

At its annual plenary meeting last October, the CCCB set up a committee to follow-up activities in the dioceses after WYD 2002. Committee member Bishop James Wingle of St. Catharines, Ont., said, "We can sense in our Church a definite excitement." In a statement issued along with the auditor’s report, Wingle said, "Young people who went to World Youth Day are still meeting with one another almost a year later. They have formed groups and have become involved in pastoral and community projects, and are meeting to pray and deepen their faith."

He also said the church "undertook a great risk" in hosting the youth event but added "it was well worth it." He added, "An investment in our youth rather than bricks and mortar was both courageous and symbolic."

At one point in 2001, World Youth Day officials expected 750,000 WYD pilgrims to register for the event but only 187,000 did so. The budget at that time was $340 million with organizers expecting a $10 million surplus. But closer to the event, projected registration figures plunged and the budget was eventually set at $80 million.

The WYD council blamed the drop in registration to a variety of factors including the effect of the Sept. 2001 terrorist attacks, the bankruptcies of several major airlines, and the decision of Pope John Paul II to visit Guatemala and Mexico immediately after WYD 2002.

VATICAN CITY, JUN 20, 2003 (VIS) - Archbishop Celestino Milgiore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, spoke yesterday in New York to the Ad Hoc Committee on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

"The person with disabilities has every right to be a subject and an active agent in the everyday affairs of human existence. These persons are rich in humanity. Each has rights and duties like every other human being."

The permanent observer to the U.N. emphasized that "solidarity with the disabled will also ensure furthering of the common good. And it is the common good which fosters a proper relationship among all peoples so that true justice may be achieved."

After recalling that 27 years have passed since the U.N.'s Declaration on the Rights of the Disabled, the archbishop stated that "much has changed and there have been many advances in science, access, acceptance, health care, understanding and hope."

At the end of his speech, Archbishop Migliore recalled John Paul II's words during the Jubilee of the Disabled in December of 2000: "In a society rich in scientific and technical knowledge it is possible and necessary to do more in the various ways required by civil coexistence: from biomedical research for preventing disabilities, to treatment, assistance, rehabilitation and new social integration."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 19, 2003 (VIS) - For the 25th time in his pontificate, Pope John Paul presided at Mass for the feast of Corpus Christi this evening in front of St. John Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of the bishop of Rome, following which he processed to St. Mary Major Basilica with the Eucharist in an open vehicle. Cardinal Vicar Camillo Ruini celebrated Mass and the Pope delivered the homily.

The Holy Father referred several times to his encyclical on the Eucharist, dated Holy Thursday of this year, saying that the feast of Corpus Christi reminds us of the "evocative celebration" of the Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist. "This evening, with profound gratitude to God, we remain in silence before the mystery of the faith - 'mysterium fidei'. We contemplate it with that intimate feeling that, in the encyclical, I called 'Eucharistic awe'. ... We contemplate the face of Christ, as did the Apostles and, following them, the saints throughout the centuries."

He remarked that "the bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter, his brothers in the episcopacy and priesthood, all religious, consecrated lay people and all the baptized live by the Eucharist. And in a special way Christian families are nourished by the Eucharist. ... Dear families of Rome! The living Eucharistic presence of Christ nourishes in you the grace of marriage and allows you to progress on the path of conjugal and family holiness."

"After Mass," said John Paul II, "we will proceed, praying and singing, to the basilica of St. Mary Major. With this procession, we intend to symbolically express our being as pilgrims, 'viatores', towards the heavenly kingdom. We are not alone on our pilgrimage: Christ, the bread of life, walks with us."

The Prayers of the Faithful included petitions for Pope John Paul, for the Church in Rome, for families, "especially those living moments of fatigue and difficulty," and for "the peoples of the Holy Land and for all those who, in various parts of the world, are living the drama of war, oppression, and social injustice; May the Lord uproot hatred, calm dissent, and inspire in governments farsightedness and the will to seek solutions that respect the dignity of every man."

St. Juliana of Mont Cornillon, born near Lieges, Belgium in 1193, was an Augustinian nun who during her years at the Mont Cornillon convent learned in repeated visions that the Lord wanted a feast to honor the institution of the Eucharist. She worked indefatigably to persuade Bishop Robert de Thorete of Liege to institute such a feast, which he did decree in 1246, stating that it should be celebrated locally on the Thursday after the octave of the Trinity. St. Juliana died in 1258.

Pope Urban IV (1261-1264), who had been archdeacon in Liege, knew of this feast and formally extended it to the entire Church when he published the Bull "Transiturus" on September 8, 1264. He ordered the feast to be celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday and granted many indulgences to the faithful who attended Mass and recited the Office. Urban IV had asked St. Thomas Aquinas, a friend of St. Juliana's, to compose the Office, which is still used today. The Council of Vienna confirmed Urban IV's Bull in 1312 and from that time on this feast became general.

The processions that take place today on this feast sprung up
spontaneously centuries ago in various European villages and towns. The procession In Rome between the basilicas of St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major began in the late 1400's. Its current itinerary began in 1575 when the road that now directly links the two churches was built on the orders of Pope Gregory XIII. This route was followed for more than 300 years until the procession fell into disuse. It was resumed in 1979 by Pope John Paul II.

By Art Babych

TORONTO (CCN) -- The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace is providing a grant of $600,000 in humanitarian aid to the Rome-based Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) to mark International Refugee Day.

The CCODP said in a news release June 20 – International Refugee Day – that the money will be provided over the next three years for refugees and internally displaced persons.

"The funds will help JRS implement a world wide rapid-response emergency program," said the Catholic development agency. That includes "education, social services, shelter, medical assistance, food subsidies, housing, health, agriculture, income-generating activities, and reconstruction and rehabilitation projects for returning refugees and displaced people," it said.

There are at least 20 million refugees worldwide and another 20 to 25 million internally displaced persons, according to estimates of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The funding agreement is the second between CCODP and JRS. "Although this type of partnership is somewhat unusual for Development and Peace, the previous entente effectively increased CCODP’s emergency outreach and usefulness," said the release.

The Jesuit Refugee Service has offices in more than 40 countries. "Its staff have proved invaluable in recent years in helping Development and Peace distribute aid for refugees and other people displaced by conflict or environmental disaster," said the CCODP.

"The collaboration with JRS has also helped Development and Peace develop comprehensive analyses of the increasingly important issue of refugees and population displacements, a recurring theme in emergency relief operations."

Last year, the CCODP said, it provided $2.7 million for 37 emergency aid efforts of varying types in 14 countries.

CCCB president hopes PM’s legacy won’t be law that assaults common sense

By Art Babych

OTTAWA (CCN) – Legislation re-defining marriage to include same-sex partners would lead to a devaluation of traditional marriage as the basis of the family, and as "an essential institution for the stability and equilibrium of society," said Bishop Jacques Berthelet, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Same-sex unions cannot be considered as marriage, said the Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil, Que. in a letter to Prime Minister Jean Chretien June 19. "The definition of marriage that has been introduced by the Ontario Court of Appeal leads simply to a legal confusion which a rigorous analysis by the Supreme Court should be capable of denouncing, if there is no undue haste and improvisation," he said.

The court ruled on June 10 that the federal government’s definition of marriage as the union between "a man and a woman" only is unconstitutional and must be changed to "two persons." It allowed gays and lesbians to take out licenses and get married in Ontario, as many couples did.

Stating that he was "profoundly disappointed" at the PM’s decision not to appeal the court’s decision and that of the British Columbia appeal court which also said same-sex marriage must be legalized, Berthelet said marriage as the union between a man and woman "pre-exists" the State. Because it is fundamental for society, he added, the institution of marriage cannot be modified whether by the Charter of Rights, the State or the courts.

Gays and lesbians have argued that the denial of their right to marry amounts to discrimination but Berthelet said the opposite is true. "Enlarging and thereby altering the definition of marriage in order to include same-sex partners discriminates against heterosexual marriage and the family, which are thus deprived of their social and legal recognition as the fundamental and irreplaceable basis of society."

He also said he hopes that Chretien’s legacy when he leaves office early next year "does not include legislation that represents an assault on common sense, an assault on the values of societies which are advanced but not amoral, and an assault on the liberties of men and women of good will."

Berthelet’s letter, written with the support of the 16-member Permanent Council, concluded, "I pray that you will have the courage to act in conformity with the law that is inscribed within human nature and which is not affected by every wind that blows."

The council echoed Berthelet’s remarks in a brief statement during its regular meeting in Ottawa June 18-19.

Parliament, not courts, responsible for defining marriage, says statement

By Art Babych

OTTAWA (CCN) – More than 30 prominent Canadians including Cardinal Edouard Gagnon, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council on the Family, say legalizing same-sex marriage does not fit in with the history, tradition, and values of Canadian society.

"It attempts to re-design an institution, which is older and more fundamental to Canadian society than Parliament itself," said the group, which also includes Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, S.J., chair of the board of directors of the Catholic Organization for Life and the Family.

In a statement on the status of marriage in Canada, published in the Globe and Mail national newspaper June 18, the group said some people are heralding the decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal June 10 as bringing the current debate about marriage in Canada to a "fitting" conclusion.

"In our view it only serves to underscore the conclusion of earlier judgments, namely, that Parliament, not the courts, is the place to forge an appropriate legislative response to the complex and multi-layered issues surrounding the public definition of marriage and the legal recognition of same-sex unions."

The court’s ruling opened the door to same-sex marriages in Ontario and was followed by an announcement by the Liberal government that it will not appeal the decision. Several same-sex couples have already married in the province and many others have taken out marriage licences.

The statement by the group proposed that Parliament "assert its right, by whatever means necessary, to determine the ways in which marriage is to be recognized in Canadian public life ...." It also said legislative changes to recognize forms of adult relationships involving cohabitation and mutual support "should be made under appropriate titles that do not negate the recognition of marriage as the union of two persons of opposite sex."

Among the signatories of the statement was a variety of Christian, Muslim and Jewish religious leaders, and representatives of the Catholic Civil Rights League and family action groups.

In the Senate, Senator Douglas Roche, founding editor of the Western Catholic Reporter, pointed to the statement and asked, "Why is the government attempting to redesign an institution older and more fundamental to Canadian society than Parliament itself?"

Senator Sharon Carstairs, the government house leader, replied that what the government has done is "indicate that it will not appeal the decision of the court in Ontario, that it will propose legislation that will protect the right of churches and religious organizations to sanctify marriage as they define it, and that it will send that draft legislation to the Supreme Court of Canada in a reference case in order to ensure that the proposed legislation complies with the Charter."

Roche said the Supreme Court of Canada should have been consulted first before legislative action is taken. "The provincial courts that ruled in this matter do not speak for all Canadians," he said. "There are many Canadians who feel that the Supreme Court, the highest jurisdiction, should have been consulted first."

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has also expressed disappointment at the government’s decision not to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. Monsignor Peter Schonenbach, general secretary of the CCCB says the church doesn’t see any need for legislation to protect the right of churches and religious organizations to sanctify marriage as they define it because it already holds that right.

The CCCB had twice written to Justice Minister Martin Cauchon asking him to appeal to the Supreme Court decisions made by two lower courts that ruled in favor of same-sex marriage.

God's Tie With Chosen People Is Imaged in Marriage, Says Pope

Comments on Passages From Isaiah at General Audience

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 18, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The genuine "new age" is the discovery that God is enamored of human beings, John Paul II said in a commentary on the Book of Isaiah.

The Pope made his observation in his address at today's general audience in St. Peter's Square. He was reflecting on Isaiah 61:10 and 62:4-5, passages found in the Liturgy of Lauds.

The canticle "attempts to represent the rebirth of Jerusalem, before which a new era is about to open. The city is portrayed as a bride about to celebrate her wedding," the Holy Father told the 11,000 people on hand.

The symbol of marriage "is one of the most intense images used in the Bible to exalt the bond of intimacy and the covenant of love that exists between the Lord and the Chosen People," he said.

After being united in a covenant with God, the city of Zion, a symbol of all the people, changes its name to Jerusalem, as happens in some cultures today when a bride takes her husband's name, the Pope explained.

To explain this new age, arising from the covenant with God, the Holy Father quoted the words of the prophet: "No more shall men call you 'Forsaken,' or your land 'Desolate,' but you shall be called 'My Delight.'"

"The names that indicated the preceding situation of abandonment and desolation" are "substituted by the names of rebirth and are terms of love and tenderness, of celebration and happiness," John Paul II said.

"The distant and transcendent God, righteous judge, is now replaced by the close and enamored God," he added.

The Holy Father concluded by explaining that this conviction appears later in the New Testament and among the early Christians, who applied this canticle to the relation of Christ with his Church.

Specifically, the Pope quoted St. Ambrose (340-397), who placed on Christ's lips these words addressed to the Church: "'Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm,' that is, 'you are adorned, my soul, you are all beautiful, nothing is lacking in you!'"

John Paul II was continuing his series of meditations on the Psalms and canticles of the Old Testament. The meditations may be consulted at www.zenit.org/english/audience.

By Art Babych

OTTAWA (CCN) – Canada is poised to become the third country -- after Belgium and the Netherlands -- to legalize same-sex marriage with the decision of the Liberal government not to appeal court rulings granting gay and lesbian couples the right to marry.

However, Prime Minister Jean Chretien said June 17 that the government will be proposing legislation in a few weeks "that will protect the right of churches and religious organizations to sanctify marriage as they define it."

At the same time, he added, "We will ensure that our legislation includes and legally recognizes the union of same-sex couples." As soon as the legislation is drafted, he said, it will be referred to the Supreme Court of Canada for any changes deemed necessary and then be put to a free vote in the House of Commons.

John Fisher, spokesperson for Egale Canada, a national organization for gays and lesbians, said the organization could not be happier with Chretien’s announcement. "What the Prime Minister’s announcement means is that here in Canada, same-sex marriages are here to stay," he said.

Openly gay MP Svend Robinson also praised Chretien’s stand, saying "It’s a great day for equality and I salute the Prime Minister."

Scores of gays and lesbian couples have already married or taken out marriage licences, following the June 10 ruling of the Ontario Court of Appeal that redefined the common-law definition of marriage from a union between a "man and woman" only, to a union of "two persons."

Earlier judgments in British Columbia and Quebec courts also said same-sex marriage must be recognized.

But Vic Toews, senior justice critic for the Canadian Alliance said the federal government "has made a grave error in judgment by choosing not to appeal the court decisions that legalize same-marriage. He told reporters it has failed to protect the institution of Parliament "and its jurisdiction over social policy in Canada."

The Catholic bishops of Canada have twice urged the government to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. In a letter June 10, the bishops asked Justice Minister Martin Cauchon to "live up" to a resolution passed in the House of Commons four years ago by a vote of 216 to 55. That resolution affirmed that "marriage is and should remain the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others." It also stated that "Parliament will take all necessary steps within the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada to preserve this definition of marriage in Canada."

Archbishop Marcel Gervais also called on Cauchon to appeal to the Supreme Court, saying, "It is our firm belief that the marriage covenant can only take place between a man and a woman, not two persons of the same sex, and that this union establishes a partnership of their whole life and which, of its own very nature, is ordered to the well-being of the spouses and for procreation and the bringing up of children."

He added, "even though a homosexual relationship can be considered to be a special one, in our view, it does not have the same ordered goals as marriage."

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, part of a coalition that intervened in two of the court cases and which included Roman Catholics and Muslims said it is "deeply disappointed" that the federal government had decided not to appeal to the Supreme Court.

"The Court unilaterally has altered an institution of vital social significance, and the government apparently has conceded the issue to the Court by not appealing," said Bruce Clemenger, president of the EFC. "It is not the role of the Court, nor an appropriate use of the Charter (of Rights and Freedoms), to redefine pre-existing social, cultural and religious institutions."

U R G E N T A L E R T ! ! !

Legal Deception by Justice Minister, Martin Cauchon, on Same-sex Marriage

Justice Minister, Martin Cauchon, plans to pressure the cabinet today to adopt a policy in favour of same-sex marriages. He will recommend either:

1. Proposing legislation in support of same-sex marriage. However, such an action will create problems for the Liberals in that the Liberal MPs are split on the issue, and such legislation may not be easily passed in Parliament and, as well, will cause a continuous uproar across the country;

2. Making a Reference to the Supreme Court of Canada to obtain “guidance” or “direction” from the Supreme Court of Canada Judges. This would have the immediate effect of quelling the current national confusion on the issue while the country awaits word from the Court. A “Reference,” in this situation, however, is nothing more than legal deception. It is supposed to be applied only in those rare circumstances where there are no litigants involved in a case. This is not the situation here. This entire problem arose by way of legal challenges by a number of litigants, and two lower courts have already heard their cases. Moreover, a Reference is a capitulation to the Supreme Court which is only required to give a “yes” or “no” answer to a series of slanted questions prepared by Justice Officials. The Supreme Court judges are not required to give reasons for their “yes” or “no” response, and they do not have to be bothered with hearing arguments on both sides of the issue. Very convenient for Martin Cauchon. In short, a Reference will not deal with the issue itself, but merely be used to “clarify” how the egregious appeal courts’ decisions are to be implemented.

A Reference, therefore, is only, as stated by Alliance Justice critic, Mr. Vic Toews, “legal gymnastics” designed to avoid challenging the imperious decisions of the Ontario Court of Appeal.

Please bombard the Cabinet Ministers today (addresses attached) with letters, faxes, e-mails, demanding the matter be appealed to the Supreme Court. Although we may know all too well the outcome of the Supreme Court judgement, an appeal to that Court will at least give us valuable time to develop our strategic moves – there are options open to us. Please remember that one of the main strategies of the homosexual activists is to pretend that the debate is over. It is not. There are other opportunities for us down the way, providing that this matter is appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada to provide us with the necessary time to act.

Please notify the Cabinet Ministers that the government must appeal these cases.

Letter to Federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon Regarding the Ontario Court of Appeal's Decision on the Redefinition of Marriage

June 10, 2003

The Honourable Martin Cauchon, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
East Memorial Building, 4th Floor
284 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H8

Dear Mr. Cauchon:

On behalf of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, I urge you to appeal the recent decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal in the case of Halpern et al. v. The Attorney General of Canada that redefined marriage to be “The voluntary union for life of two persons to the exclusion of all others”.

Marriage as a public commitment between a man and a woman has profound cultural, religious and social significance. As a word and as an institution marriage is full of history, meaning and symbolism. The State has a fundamental interest in this social institution where most children are procreated and nurtured and, according to recent statistics, continues to be the most stable environment in which to raise a family.

The reasons for the Court’s finding that “the Attorney General of Canada did not demonstrate any pressing and substantial objective for maintaining marriage as an exclusively heterosexual institution” are unconvincing and disappointing. We know that not every married couple has children, that not all children are born in marriages, and that not all marriages lead to stable and nurturing environments for children. We also recognize that, with the help of new technologies and the intervention of a third party of the opposite sex, same-sex unions can have children. Exceptions, however, do not invalidate but prove the rule; individual practices and choices do not determine the objectives of an institution such as marriage which plays such a pivotal social role.

The Court’s conclusions about the objectives of marriage should concern Canadians about the future of our country and Members of Parliament who are ultimately responsible for the development of social policy in this country.

The written argument filed in the Ontario Court of Appeal by you as the Attorney General of Canada echoed this concern very well: “The Charter was never intended to effect a wholesale alteration of the fundamental societal structures and institutions within which it emerged.”

As you know, members of the House of Commons affirmed on 9 June 1999, by a vote of 216 to 55, “That, in the opinion of this House, it is necessary, in light of public debate around recent court decisions, to state that marriage is and should remain the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, and Parliament will take all necessary steps within the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada to preserve this definition of marriage in Canada.”

We respectfully ask you to live up to this resolution and do everything necessary to preserve the definition of marriage, including appealing the recent decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal. Millions of Canadians, who have invested a great deal of hope and meaning in marriage, are counting on you.

Sincerely,

Msgr. Peter Schonenbach, P.H.
General Secretary
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

CC: Members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights

Cardinal Stafford on Cologne's World Youth Day

Will Help Put Focus on Europe's Christian Roots, He Says

ROME, JUNE 17, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Cardinal James Francis Stafford says that World Youth Day 2005 in Germany will offer young people an opportunity to reflect on the future of Europe and its Christian roots.

"I am very grateful to God for the fact that the Pope has chosen Cologne for the next WYD, as a place of strong Christian tradition," the president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity said in an interview published at www.korazym.org.

"Cologne is a very important city for the whole of Europe, especially in this period in which there is an intense debate on its future, on the roots of Christianity in the Old World," he said.

According to the cardinal, the role of Christian young people, as "leaders of the future," is especially significant in this debate.

"In 2005 there will be an opportunity for young people to offer to God their sentiments as young Europeans as regards the future of Europe together with its Christian past," the American cardinal said.

There will be notable differences between the last year's WYD in Toronto, and the one in Cologne -- beginning with the host cities. "Toronto is a new city, a recent, secularized city," he said. "In Cologne, there is a great tradition for Christian pilgrims."

Moreover, the war in Iraq took place after the Toronto meeting, "This is a great challenge for young people. What is the meaning of these wars in their vocation as Christians? And for their vision of the future?" the cardinal asked.

Cologne 2005 will be "for young people a great opportunity to reflect together about the changes in the world oriented to end the violence and wars," he predicted.

The president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, who is responsible for the organization of the World Youth Days, said the technical and spiritual preparations for the August 2005 event have begun. Early estimates say 800,000 youths might attend.

That Mystery Is a School to Overcome Divisions, He Says

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 17, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Contemplation of the Trinity might move us to overcome our seemingly irreconcilable divisions, says the Papal Household preacher.

"The Father is, as in human experience, the origin of everything," said Father Raniero Cantalamessa said, when reflecting on the identity of the three divine Persons. Last Sunday was the solemnity of the Holy Trinity.

"Particularly in Greek thought, the Father is seen as the source of the whole Trinity, from whom spring the Son and the Holy Spirit," the Capuchin Franciscan told Vatican Radio. "The Son has been interpreted by the Apostle St. John, who referred to him as the 'logos,' reason, the Word."

"The Holy Spirit," he added, "has been revealed to us through very simple images: the wind as the symbol of force, gust, breath which represents intimacy, interiority."

For a believer, the Trinity is a mystery that is very familiar, the priest said. Christian life -- which begins with baptism, in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit -- develops submerged in the Trinitarian dimension, whether in confirmation, or in the sacrament of marriage, or at the hour of death, Father Cantalamessa added.

To bring a nonbeliever closer to the Trinitarian mystery, one could begin with the concept of "God-Love," he said. "Although we cannot explain the Trinity, at least we can say that God cannot but be Triune."

"From all eternity, God has in himself an infinite object to love, who is the Son, by whom he is also loved with an infinite love, who is the Holy Spirit," he noted.

"Sometimes, when I speak of this mystery, I add that I would have compassion for a God who had no one to love, no one with whom to share his infinite happiness: He would be a very sad God," the Capuchin said. "Just like men, who need someone with whom to communicate, God has need in himself of a person to whom he can express all his love, who is the Son."

"Contemplate the Trinity, to defeat the odious division in the world," is a saying used by St. Sergius of Radonezh, who in a sense was the spiritual father of Russia, the Papal Household preacher recalled.

"We find ourselves exactly before the same problem: the contemplation of the Trinity, which is diversity in love and unity in diversity, should stimulate us to overcome are seemingly irreconcilable differences of race, sex and culture, because the Trinity is perfect unity in diversity."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 2003 (VIS) - Following the catechesis of today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 11,000 faithful, the Pope read summaries of his talk in French, English, Spanish, German, and Portuguese. He then briefly greeted pilgrims in those languages as well as in Romanian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Slovakian and Polish.

In greeting Polish pilgrims, the Holy Father expressed his "special
welcome to the staff of the hospital in Bielsko-Biala in which my brother worked and to which you have wished to give his name. Thank you so much for this commemoration!"

Continuing in Polish, John Paul II stated that the Canticle of Isaiah in today's catechesis "introduces us to the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, which we will celebrate tomorrow. The special presence that we feel not just in the sign of the temple, but in the sacrament of the Eucharist, constitutes the content of this solemnity. This is why we go out into the streets of the city and the countryside so that - following Christ Who is hidden in the Host - He may be glorified and thanked because He truly and uninterruptedly is present among us, Body and Blood, soul and divinity." He invited everyone, especially Romans, to participate in tomorrow evening's celebrations at the basilicas of St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major.

"This coming Sunday," the Pope said in conclusion, "I will go to
Bosnia-Herzegovina to confirm in the faith that Catholic community which is committed to an important path of reconciliation and harmony. I ask you to accompany me in prayer on this apostolic trip which I entrust to the maternal care of Our Lady."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 2003 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience, celebrated in St. Peter's Square in which 11,000 people participated, the Pope spoke about the canticle of the prophet Isaiah that is found in the third part of the book of Isaiah, which proclaims "the prophet's joy for the New Jerusalem."

In the canticle proclaimed today, the Holy Father said, Isaiah describes the "rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple" after the exile of Babylon.

"The prophet opens the canticle by describing the reborn people, wrapped in splendid clothing, as a bride and groom who are preparing for the big day of the wedding. ... The prophets use the image of the seed, in different ways, to describe the messianic king. The messiah is a fruitful seed that renews the world and the prophet specifies the profound meaning of this vitality: 'The Lord God will plant justice', so that the city will be holy like a garden of justice, that is, of fidelity and truth, of law and love."

John Paul II affirmed that the "symbolism of marriage ... is one of the most intense images that appear in the Bible to exalt the bond of intimacy and the pact of love between the Lord and the chosen people."

"The words that indicated the previous situation of abandonment and desolation, that is the devastation of the city by the Babylonians and the drama of exile," he continued, "are now replaced by words of rebirth and are terms of love, tenderness, celebration and joy."

The Pope concluded by saying that "this nuptial symbolism will be used in the New Testament and will be taken up and developed by the Fathers of the Church. St. Ambrose, for example, recalls in this way 'the bridegroom is Christ, the bride is the Church'."

CHAC raps government for taking summer break before passing Bill C-13

By Art Babych

OTTAWA (CCN) – The Liberal government’s decision to adjourn the House of Commons for the summer without passing Bill C-13 – the Assisted Human Reproduction Act – is being criticized by the Catholic Health Association of Canada (CHAC).

In a letter to Health Minister Anne McLellan, Richard Haughian, president of the CHAC, says the federal government’s decision to adjourn for the summer without voting on the bill highlights its failure to adequately respond to recommendations made a decade ago by the Royal Commission on New Reproductive Technologies.

Haughian noted in his June 16 letter that the commission’s report called on the government to act promptly by putting legal limits on the use of new reproductive technologies, and by setting up a licensing and regulatory body to manage their use.

He also pointed out that the CHAC and many other organizations and individuals have urged the government to prohibit reproductive technologies that "violate Canadian values and the principle of respect for human dignity." They have also called for the protection the human embryo and for a ban on the destruction of human embryos for stem cell research, he said.

As well, Haughian referred to reports the same day indicating that Canadian scientists are prepared to begin stem cell research involving human embryos without Parliament’s approval.

The Ottawa Citizen reported that scientists are unwilling to wait any longer for Parliament to approve legislation regulating research and say they will proceed on the basis of guidelines set out by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the federal funding agency.

The newspaper said the stem cell network, a group of 65 scientists, bio-engineers, clinicians and social scientists, plans to seek money from CIHR for two research projects involving embryonic stem cells.

"This," said Haughian, "combined with the fact that the CIHR is already accepting research proposals that would involve the destruction of human embryos, highlights the problematic situation which the government has created by allowing a legal vacuum to develop in this area."

The CHAC president urged the government to impose a moratorium on the work of the CIHR stem cell committee until legislation on reproductive technologies is in place. It also called for the government’s commitment to enact legislation during the fall session "that adequately responds to the issues raised above."

The Citizen quoted McLellan as saying in an interview, "The bill will be dealt with at the appropriate time and this government is very committed to dealing with it."

More religious Canadians want children than those who are not religious, survey says

By Art Babych

OTTAWA (CCN) – Religious Canadians are more likely to want children than those who have no religion, says Statistics Canada in its newly released summer 2003 issue of Canadian Social Trends.

"Religious traditions are generally linked with values and attitudes that support marriage and parenthood," says an article based on the 2001 General Social Survey (GSS) on family and friends.

"Research shows that there is a positive association between religious participation and traditional attitudes about family formation."

The article, entitled "Childfree by Choice," reported that Canadians with no religious affiliation are more likely not to plan a family than their religious counterparts. Among those in the age group 20-34, 12 per cent of those with no religious affiliation expected to stay childfree, compared to six per cent of religious Canadians.

The data confirm the survey of 1995, which found that weekly attenders of religious services -- both men and women – placed greater importance on lasting relationships, getting married and having at least one child than those who never attended.

"Women’s roles economic conditions, religion, social security systems and the availability of effective contraceptives are just a few of the possible factors that may affect fertility," the article stated.

However, only a small proportion of young Canadians responding to the 2001 survey say they intend to remain childfree, with the "vast majority" reporting they intend to have at least one child, said the article. "In 2001, only 7 per cent of Canadians aged 20 to34, representing 434,000 individuals, indicated that they did not intend to have children," it said.

The reasons given for not intending to have children are diverse and include medical conditions that may preclude the possibility, the survey found. "Others, despite never having consciously decided to forego children, may now find themselves in a situation that is not conducive to child rearing, such as not having met the right partner, living with a partner who does not want children, or having a career that is too fulfilling or demanding to allow time for the care of a child."

In its summary, the article states that "Despite a weakening link between children and marriage, childbearing is still associated with a committed relationship, and it is reasonable to find less childlessness among those who are married."

The survey was conducted between February and December 2001, and involved interviews with more than 24,000 respondents aged 15 and over living in private households in the 10 provinces.

By Art Babych

OTTAWA (CCN) – The installation of Bishop Raymond Lahey as Bishop for the Nova Scotia diocese of Antigonish and Chancellor of St. Francis Xavier University was reported on in glowing terms in the Senate June 16.

Senator Alisdair Graham gave a detailed report of the event, held June 12, at St. Ninian’s Cathedral in Antigonish, describing the cathedral as "a venerated, beautiful old church, which has a special place in the hearts and minds of generations of those fortunate enough to have savored its special magic."

He added "St. Ninian's once again became home to an ancient ceremony of enormous solemnity and glorious color."

Graham noted that the university is celebrating its 150th anniversary and said there is much to celebrate: "A new bishop and chancellor, a new commemorative stamp issued by Canada Post — which I had the privilege to help unveil on April 4 of this year — and, according to Maclean's magazine, top-ranking as the number one university in all of Canada."

The senator from the Nova Scotia highlands also wondered whether Bishop Colin McKinnon, who founded St. FX in 1853 "could have foreseen such a remarkable future rise from the seeds of his unwavering determination." The university was first located at Arichat, Cape Breton and was moved in 1855 to Antigonish.

"St. FX has been home to extraordinary leaders who believe in the power of individuals, no matter how poor, no matter how susceptible to the vagaries of a resource-based economy, to become masters in their own house," said Graham.

"It was at this place that Monsignor Coady began to spread his message about liberation and empowerment. It was in this place that the Coady International Institute established a training centre for adult education. It is to this place that over 4,000 community leaders from 120 countries have come to learn about education, which brings hope to little people across the planet; and it is from this place, in this past year, that students have gone to places like Botswana and Rwanda in response to the HIV/AIDS crisis."

About 50 bishops from across Canada attended the installation ceremony, said Graham. As they and the congregation left the church "under ancient trees as venerable as the church itself, the choir, the trumpets, the bagpipes and the fiddles joined as one in a stirring and very emotional rendition of the "Ode to Newfoundland — a fitting tribute to the new shepherd who will watch over his flock and diocese, hopefully for many years to come."

Lahey, 63, was born in St. John’s, Nfld. At the time of his appointment in April as Bishop of Antigonish, he was Bishop of St. George’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Diocese of Antigonish has been vacant since the retirement of Bishop Colin Campbell in October 2002 for reasons of health.

By Art Babych

OTTAWA (CCN) – The development agency for the Catholic Church in Canada is providing $205,000 to fund aid projects in Sri Lanka, Turkey, Peru and the Philippines.

The money is to help victims of floods and landslides in Sri Lanka, earthquakes in Turkey and Peru, and to support peace initiatives and provide food in the Philippines, the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace said in a news release June13.

The $70,000 Philippines aid package involves canned goods, medicine, temporary shelter and basic necessities for 11,000 displaced families in areas in Mindanao devastated by years of guerrilla warfare, it said. About 5,000 families are living in evacuation centres and 6,000 have moved in with friends or relatives.

"The families are the latest victims of a 25-year campaign by guerrillas to establish an independent Islamic state," said the CCODP. "Fighting between government troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has forced 140,000 to 200,000 people from their homes in recent months."

The peace aspect of the project is designed to ease the growing tensions between the Christian, Islamic and indigenous populations in the area, said the agency. It involves the establishment of a "Tri-People Peace Camp Summit" to explore community-based conflict resolution processes and peace-building initiatives.

The organization said some of its support has been set aside to feed 500 Christian, Muslim and Lumad (indigenous peoples) farming families who fled fighting near Sultan Kudarat.

In Sri Lanka, torrential rains in three districts took 200 lives and left 150,000 people homeless and another 500 missing, said the CCODP. The agency is providing $50,000 for food and supplies to help care for some of the tens of thousands of people who have taken refuge in temples, mosques and churches. The aid is part of a $230,000 international effort to provide food, milk, clothing and building supplies.

In Turkey, Development and Peace is aiding victims of an earthquake in Bingol -- "an impoverished city of 71,000 people in the country's south east" -- by providing $50,000 for a range of supplies and services that include sleeping bags, water, food packages and garbage disposal. The money is being distributed by Caritas Turkey.

Victims of a killer earthquake that hit an impoverished area high in the Andes Mountains of Peru in June are to be sent $35,000 in aid. "The CCODP money will help the mostly indigenous population increase its earning power and reduce the effects of future disasters by developing an economic development plan, reducing mortality rates of farm animals and improving farmers' health and nutrition," the news release stated.

VATICAN CITY, JUN 17, 2003 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received prelates from the Conference of Bishops of Burkina Faso and Niger who just completed their "ad limina" visit.

At the beginning of his speech in French, the Pope referred to his concern "for the stable and integral development of peoples" and the difficulties "of survival. The difficult climatic conditions of the region of Sahel and the growing desertification keep peoples in an endemic poverty that engenders instability and desperation." The Holy Father thus appealed to the international community to help these peoples to achieve a "more serene future."

"Despite difficulties related to the instability of the life of local populations, the missionary vitality of your diocesan Churches has expressed itself in multiple ways. I thank you for the celebration that marked the centenary of the evangelization of Burkina Faso."

The Holy Father underscored that "evangelization is an essential mission of the Church. Proclaiming the Gospel cannot be done fully without the contribution of all believers." After recalling that he wrote in the Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in Africa" that "inculturation is a priority and a necessity on the path of particular churches," he said: "The pastoral ministry of inculturation that you have accomplished in your dioceses is
bearing fruit, in particular in the life and testimony of the founding Christian communities."

Speaking about lay people, the Pope urged the African bishops to help them "to have an ever-more lively consciousness of their role in the Church and to honor their mission as baptized and confirmed Christians."

After emphasizing that "Christian families are called to be a powerful cell of Christian witness," John Paul II recalled "the example of numerous families that heroically live fidelity to the sacrament of Christian marriage, in the context of civil legislation or traditional customs that are detrimental to monogamous marriage. Given the dangers that afflict the African family of today and its foundations, I urge you to promote the dignity of the Christian family."

John Paul II then spoke about the difficulty that priests encounter when caring for and forming Christian communities, citing "the distance between parishes, the network of highways in bad conditions and the reduced number of apostolic workers. I thank you," he said, "for your generosity in serving Christ and His Church and I know how much you want, with the means at your disposition, to give them everything that is necessary for their spiritual health and their material needs." He invited the prelates to "always show,
... as you already do, the solidarity of your local Churches with
neighboring countries, that often need pastors, by sending them priests and lay missionaries."

Referring to the formation of candidates for the priesthood, the Pope underlined the importance of a "serious spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation, necessary for the exercise of the priestly ministry that must be associated with a solid human and cultural formation. It is very important to insist on the emotional maturity of candidates, necessary for the call to celibacy."

The Holy Father went on to recall that in Burkina Faso and Niger
"Christian communities live in the midst of societies characterized by the predominance of Islam and by values that are not your own. I am glad that, as you said, the relationships of Catholics with followers of Islam are marked by respect, esteem and coexistence." The Pope invited the bishops to "cultivate dialogue ... so that fear of others disappears, a fear which is born out of the profound ignorance of the religious values that encourage this dialogue."

John Paul II, in parting remarks to the prelates, expressed the desire that "in the face of the scandal of poverty and injustice ... the Church may continue to carry out its prophetic role and be the voice of those without a voice, so that the human dignity of the whole person is recognized and all initiatives are promoted that seek to develop and ennoble human beings in their spiritual and material existence."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 2003 (VIS) - Today at midday in the Clemetine Hall, the Holy Father received participants in the General Chapter of the Friars Minor which is taking place in Assisi, Italy from May 25 to June 21 with Fr. Jose Rodriguez Carballo, the new minister general.

John Paul II said that at the beginning of the third millennium the "new evangelization" is very necessary: "This missionary commitment will be fruitful," he assured, "according to the measure in which it is carried out in line with the legitimite pastors, to whom the Lord has entrusted the responsibility of His flock. In this regard, I note the efforts made to overcome difficulties that have existed for some time in certain territories. I truly hope that, thanks to everyone's contribution, full understanding with diocesan authority is achieved as my venerable predecessor Pope Paul VI urged, and that it is found to be indispensable for the effective work of evangelization."

"Be holy!" exclaimed the Holy Father. "It is a real pastoral necessity for our times. In order to help others to find God above everything else, it is necessary that you, dear Brothers, be the first to commit yourself to this arduous personal asceticism and community, finding in your rule and your constitutions, 'an itinerary to follow, characterized by a specific charism recognized by the Church'."

The Pope expressed the desire that the work of the chapter "may contribute to the growth of that spirit of humble obedience to God and filial adhesion to the directives of the pastors of the Church that must distinguish the Friars Minor. May St. Francis and the saints who protect your Order accompany you!"

VATICAN CITY, JUN 15, 2003 (VIS) - After reciting the Angelus at noon with the faithful in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II pointed out that "once again these have been days of blood and death for the people of the Holy Land, who have entered an endless spiral of violence and reprisals."

Repeating an appeal he has issued many times in the past, the Pope said: "There is no peace without justice and no justice without pardon. I remind you of this today with growing conviction, addressing all the inhabitants of the Holy Land. I also exhort the international community to never tire of helping Israelis and Palestinians to rediscover the meaning of man and of fraternity in order to weave together their future."

The Holy Father then greeted the faithful in several languages, and reminded everyone that "at 7 p.m. this coming Thursday, the solemnity of Corpus Christi, I will preside over Mass in front of St. John Lateran Basilica, following which there will be the traditional procession to St. Mary Major. I invite everyone to participate in this celebration in great numbers, to express together the faith in Christ, living and present in the Eucharist."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 15, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father, from his study window overlooking St. Peter's Square, addressed the faithful who had assembled there for the noon Angelus, reminding them of the celebration today of Trinity Sunday and of the forthcoming World Day of Refugees.

He noted that "the unity and the trinity of God is the first mystery of the Catholic faith. We reach this at the end of the entire path of revelation, which is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, in His incarnation, passion, death and resurrection. From the summit of the 'holy mountain', which is Christ, we contemplate the first and last horizon of the universe and of history: the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

"God is not solitude, but perfect communion. From being God communion derives the vocation of all of mankind to form one great family, in which different races and cultures meet and enrich each other reciprocally."

Pope John Paul then turned to the celebration this coming Friday, June 20, of the World Day of Refugees. He said that in the light of communion "every situation in which persons or groups of people are forced to flee their own land to seek refugee elsewhere is a serious offense against God and all men."

He underscored that "in the world nearly half of all refugees are children and young people. Many of them do not attend school, they lack basic goods, they live in refugee camps or even in detention." The Pope then called on "the international community to commit itself to taking care of not only the symptoms but above all the causes of the problem: that is, to prevent conflicts by promoting justice and solidarity in every sphere of the human family."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 14, 2003 (VIS) - This morning in the Paul VI Hall the Holy Father welcomed 8,000 children of the Pontifical Work of the Holy Childhood, which this year is celebrating the 160th anniversary of its founding by Bishop Charles de Forbin-Janson of Nancy, France. Accompanying them were priests and animators as well as Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

The Pontifical Work of the Holy Childhood is one of the four branches of the Pontifical Missionary Works and is, in the Pope's words, "children helping children." It assists more than one billion children worldwide - of whom about 300,000 are Catholic - in its principal activities of missionary formation, animation, organization and cooperation. The other missionary works are Propagation of the Faith, St. Peter Apostle and the Pontifical Missionary Union.

Pope John Paul, in his talk to the young people today, remarked that "in your hearts and on your lips God put three little words, 'here I am', which are so important in the Bible. The Son of God said them when He came into the world and His entire life was an immediate response of 'here I am' to the heavenly Father. The Virgin Mary also said 'here I am' when she welcomed the announcement from God. ... You too, my dear little missionaries, must also learn to answer 'here I am'.

He added that "it is beautiful to think of the Pontifical Work of the Holy Childhood as an immense chorus, formed by children from throughout the world, who together sing their 'here I am' to God with their prayers, their enthusiasm and their concrete commitment!"

John Paul II noted that "there have been great and profound changes in mankind" since the pontifical work was founded. "In the so-called 'north' of the world, the living conditions for infants have improved, but economic and social development has not always been accompanied by human development in its fullest sense. A loss of values has been noted and those who pay the highest price are often the smallest ones, without mentioning that even in developed nations there are areas of great poverty."

The Pope added that "in the 'south' of the planet, the cry of millions of children who are condemned to die by hunger and illness linked to poverty, has become more heart-rending and it calls out to everyone."

"Dear children of the Holy Childhood," he concluded, "you are the first to answer this appeal. You form a chain of human solidarity across five continents and offer the possibility to even the poorest to 'give' and to the richest 'to receive' thorough giving."

In a Message to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I

ROME, JUNE 11, 2003 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II warns of the inevitable repercussions suffered "when man turns his back on the Creator's plan."

The Pope made that observation in a message sent to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, in the context of the 5th Symposium on the Environment, organized by the Orthodox patriarchate.

The Holy Father's text, published today by the Vatican press office, was handed to the patriarch by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Focused on the topic "The Baltic Sea: A Common Heritage, A Shared Responsibility," 250 participants, including scientists, theologians and politicians, attended this itinerant meeting, held on a ship which sailed the Baltic from June 2 to June 8.

The ship started out from Gdansk, Poland, and eventually arrived in Stockholm, Sweden, where the liturgy of Pentecost was celebrated in the city's Lutheran cathedral. Along the way the ship stopped in Tallinn, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Helsinki, Finland.

In his message to the patriarch, John Paul II emphasized the importance of understanding the nature of the ecological crisis.

"The relationship between individuals or communities and the environment can never be detached from their relationship with God," the Pope said.

"Ecological irresponsibility is at heart a moral problem -- founded upon an anthropological error -- which arises when man forgets that his ability to transform the world must always respect God's design of creation," he cautioned.

"That the symposium is taking place aboard a ship which will sail to many of the port towns on the Baltic Sea is itself a powerful reminder that the effects of ecological irresponsibility often transcend the borders of individual nations," he added.

"Similarly, solutions to this problem will necessarily involve acts of solidarity which transcend political divisions or unnecessarily narrow industrial self-interests," the Pope continued.

In the ambit of the project "Religion, Science and the Environment," symposiums like this one have been organized in previous years by the Patriarchate of Constantinople -- "first among equals" among the Orthodox Churches -- in the Aegean Sea, the Black Sea, the Danube and the Adriatic Sea.

The last symposium, held in June 2002, ended with the Venice Declaration, signed at the same time via satellite connection by John Paul II, who was in the Vatican, and Bartholomew I, who was in Venice.

John Paul II said that "Christians must always be ready to assume in unison their responsibility within the divine design for creation, a responsibility which leads to a vast field of ecumenical and interreligious cooperation."

In this connection, according to the Holy Father, the solution to the ecological challenges requires more than economic and technological proposals.

"It requires," he said, "an inner change of heart which leads to the rejection of unsustainable patterns of consumption and production," as well as "an ethical behavior which respects the principles of universal solidarity, social justice and responsibility."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 12, 2003 (VIS) - This morning in the Clementine Hall, Pope John Paul welcomed 200 people involved in the planning and execution of his apostolic trips throughout the world from the Secretariat of State to Alitalia, Italy's national airline, from the Vatican's gendarmes and Pontifical Swiss Guard to members of all the media who cover his travels.

"Through your work," he said, "you have allowed the Pope to go and meet the men and women of our time in the everyday places where they live. You have helped him in his ministry as an itinerant missionary, anxious to proclaim to everyone the word of salvation."

Referring to his recent trip to Croatia, the Holy Father said: "My
just-concluded 100th trip offers me the occasion to renew my heartfelt thanks to Divine Providence that allowed me to realize this important pastoral project."

John Paul II explained why he has travelled so frequently in his
pontificate: "Right from the day I was elected as Bishop of Rome, October 16, 1978, with special intensity and urgency I heard the echo of Jesus' command: 'Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all of creation'. I thus felt the duty to imitate the Apostle Peter who 'went here and there among them all' to confirm and consolidate the vitality of the Church in fidelity to the Word and in service to the truth; to tell everyone that the Church loves them, that the Pope loves them and likewise to receive from them the encouragement and example of their goodness, of their faith."

He pointed out that his trips also allow him to manifest "a specific exercise of the ministry proper to the Successor of Peter, that is, 'the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity in faith and in communion."

"In all of my trips, I have felt like a pilgrim visiting that special shrine known as (God's) people. In these shrines I have been able to contemplate the face of Christ, both disfigured as on the Cross or resplendent in light like on Easter morning." The Holy Father highlighted the importance of sharing with the bishops their problems and joys, of meeting the faithful, especially young people, "and knowing more closely the life of Christian communities on diverse continents." He also spoke of his meetings with the faithful of other Churches and ecclesial communities and the followers of Judaism, Islam and other religions.

"The great multi-color assemblies of the People of God, gathered for Eucharistic celebrations," the Pope concluded, "remain impressed in my memory and on my heart as the most meaningful and most moving memories of my visits."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 2003 (VIS) - Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, last evening addressed the Rotary Club of Rome on the topic "Ethics: Are they possible in contemporary communications?"

"By communications," he said, "we mean not only the mass media:
newspapers, magazines, cinema, radio and television, but also such interpersonal methods as the telephone and such newer methods ... as the Internet. By ethics, we refer not only to those moral norms which should regulate not only what we place on the communications media, but also to the considerations of ownership and indeed concentration of ownership of the media, access to media, and use of media."

Archbishop Foley noted that the pontifical council has produced three documents on the question of ethics and communications: "Ethics in advertising"; "Ethics in Social Communications" and "Ethics in the Internet."

He said the first document was at the request of people in the advertising industry, and added: "The basic principles for ethics in advertising and in all communications are three: truth; the dignity of the human person and the common good.

Elaborating on these principles, the archbishop stated: "In any human communications, we cannot tell a deliberate untruth. Communication is designed to transmit trustworthy information, and credibility is severely damaged with every deliberate untruth; we break down the truth which should exist among human beings and we deprive them of the accurate information they should have. The dignity of each individual means that he or she should not be deceived and should not be exploited. The common good is served by the truth and not by propaganda designed to stimulate conformity and to create false impressions."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 2003 (VIS) - Made public this afternoon was the text of a Message from Pope John Paul to Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomaios I on the occasion of the fifth symposium of the Religion, Science and Environment Project which this year is focussing on "The Baltic Sea: A Common Heritage. A Shared Responsibility." Written in English, the Message is dated May 27.

The symposium took place on a ship in navigation on the Baltic Sea. The Pope's Message was given to the patriarch by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, who spoke at the symposium's official inauguration ceremonies on June 2 in Gdansk, Poland. The previous four conferences were dedicated to the Aegean, the Black Sea, the Danube and the Adriatic.

Turning to the current ecological crisis, the Pope reiterates what he has said on previous occasions: "The relationship between individuals or communities and the environment can never be detached from their relationship to God. When man 'turns his back on the Creator's plan, he provokes a disorder that has inevitable repercussions on the rest of the created order'. Ecological irresponsibility is at heart a moral problem - founded on an anthropological error - which arises when man forgets that his
ability to transform the world must always respect God's design of
creation."

The Holy Father remarked that the fact that the symposium was taking place on a boat sailing to many ports "is itself a powerful reminder that the effects of ecological irresponsibility often transcend the borders of different nations. Similarly, solutions to this problem will necessarily involve acts of solidarity which transcend political divisions or unnecessarily narrow industrial self-interests."

John Paul II closed by referring to the Common Declaration on
Environmental Ethics that he and Patriarch Bartholomaios signed on June 10, 2002 regarding the safekeeping of creation.

VATICAN CITY, JUN 11, 2003 (VIS) - During today's general audience celebrated in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II spoke about his recent apostolic trip to Croatia from June 5 to 9 which was his 100th trip outside of Italy since the beginning of his pontificate.

The Pope affirmed that on the first leg of the trip, he celebrated Mass in Dubrovnik and "beatified Sr. Marija of Jesus Crucified Petkovic, foundress of the Daughters of Mercy of the Third Regular Order of St. Francis. ... In light of this admirable figure, I directed a special message to Croatian women whom I urged to offer a spiritual and moral contribution to the Church and society."

The next day in Osijek, he continued, "I had the pleasure of presiding at the solemn conclusion of the second Synod and to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the ecclesiastic province of Zagreb. On that occasion, I reflected on sanctity as the vocation of every Christian," inviting "especially the lay faithful to evaluate fully the grace of Baptism and Confirmation. Only those who are inspired by a solid faith and generous love can be apostles of reconciliation and moral reconstruction where the wounds of a painful and difficult past remain open."

The Holy Father recalled that on Sunday, June 8, Solemnity of Pentecost, during the Eucharistic celebration he emphasized the "primary social value of the institution of the family, asking for privileged attention and concrete help that favor its foundation, development and stability."

"The last stop on my trip," he added, "was Zadar in Dalmatia" where "I celebrated the Sixth Hour on the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church, ... a prolongation of the Solemnity of Pentecost (that) made us relive the atmosphere of the Cenacle."

John Paul II concluded by underscoring that during this trip he was also able to "express how much Christianity has contributed to the artistic and cultural development, but above all to the spiritual and moral development of Croatia and its people. And it is on this solid foundation that now, at the beginning of the third millennium, the dear Croatian nation will be able to continue to build up its unity and stability in order to integrate itself harmoniously into the consortium of European peoples."

By Art Babych

OTTAWA (CCN) – A ruling by the top court in Ontario that gays and lesbians can legally get married is being celebrated by supporters but slammed by some church and family groups who want the federal government to appeal.

In its unanimous decision June 10, the Ontario Court of Appeal declared unconstitutional the federal government’s definition of marriage as the union between "a man and a woman" only and demanded it be changed to "two persons."

"The existing common-law definition of marriage violates the couple's equality rights on the basis of sexual orientation" under the Canadian Constitution, the appeal court declared.

The judgment – based on a case involving seven gay and lesbian couples who sought civil marriages – affirmed similar court rulings in British Columbia and Quebec.

"This historic ruling means that same-sex marriage is now a reality in Canada," said Lisa Lachance, president of the Egale Canada, a national gay and lesbian rights advocacy group. "Four courts and 10 judges in a row have unanimously ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to celebrate their love and their lives on equal terms."

Egale and several members of the Commons justice committee called upon the federal government at a news conference in Ottawa to respect the court’s decision and not appeal it.

New Democrat MP, Svend Robinson, who is openly gay, urged the federal government to "Stop the appeals, stop the obstruction, stop the waste of taxpayers’ dollars in fighting against equality and recognize that the time for justice is now."

Among those disappointed at the ruling was the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, which wrote a letter to Justice Minister Martin Cauchon after the decision was handed down, urging him appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.

"We were really hoping that the (appeal) court – with the strong arguments that the government put forward – would have showed a little more courage," said Msgr. Peter Schonenbach, the CCCB’s general secretary, in a CCN interview.

Last July, the Ontario Divisional Court ruled that the common law definition of marriage as "the lawful and voluntary union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others" violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In appealing the decision, the federal government said marriage should not be extended to same-sex couples because it is a "unique, opposite-sex bond that is common across different times, cultures and religions as a virtually universal norm."

One of the "telling arguments" the government made, said Schonenbach, was to state that the charter "was never intended to affect the wholesale alteration of fundamental societal structures."

He said the appeal court’s ruling makes some "fundamental changes to the basic planks of society. That is what Parliament is for."

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), which was a member of an interfaith coalition – including Catholics – that intervened in the case, said it is "deeply concerned and disappointed" at the court’s decision.

"This change in the common law is not an incremental step," said EFC president Bruce Clemenger. "Today the court has fundamentally redefined marriage," he said. "Other courts have ruled that redefining marriage is too big a step to be made by the courts and should properly be made by Parliament."

Stating that over 90 percent of marriages in Ontario are solemnized by clergy, Clemenger said the church is concerned the ruling will have a negative impact on churches and religious communities. "If marriage is redefined, the EFC is concerned about increasing discrimination against religious communities that cannot accept the legitimacy of same-sex marriage," he said.

However, Robinson said the federal government "must provide leadership on clarifying to Canadians that what we are talking about here is civil marriage, that we are not in any way interfering with religious freedom."

REAL Women of Canada, a pro-life, pro-family organization lambasted the judicial system saying, "The appointed, unaccountable courts should not be permitted to continue their bizarre role of determining public policy."

To "restore democracy to Canada," the organization said, "Parliament must undertake a pre-emptive strike by assuming its proper role of determining public policy, by defining the legal definition of marriage rather than relinquishing this role to the unscreened, unscrutinized judges."

The court’s decision came as the all-party justice committee prepares to submit its report -- after more than two months of public hearings -- on whether Parliament should recognize same-sex unions and if so, what form they should take.

The justice minister said he wants "a little bit of time" to study the court’s decision before issuing a statement. Prime Minister Jean Chretien would not comment on the ruling, saying it is being analyzed.

Suggests That the Sacredness of Sundays Be Rediscovered

RIJEKA, Croatia, JUNE 8, 2003 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II appealed for effective support of the family as the indispensable condition to overcome the social fragmentation typical of contemporary societies.

Celebrating the Mass of Pentecost before 140,000 people gathered in the central square of Rijeka, the Pope focused his homily on the central theme of his third visit to Croatia, "The Family: Path of the Church and of the Nation."

"Nowadays the family, also in Croatia, requires special consideration and concrete policies aimed at promoting and protecting its essential nature, its development and its stability," John Paul II said today during the homily.

"Among other things, I am thinking of the serious problems associated with housing and employment," he said. Croatia has an unemployment rate of about 22%.

"It must not be forgotten that in helping the family we also help to resolve other important problems, such as providing assistance to the sick and the elderly, halting the spread of crime, and finding a remedy to drug use," the Holy Father said.

"If this is to happen, it is essential to show respect for the sacredness of Sunday, which enables members of the family to recollect themselves and to join in giving due worship to God," he added.

Political leaders and labor unions in Croatia are debating a plan to liberalize work on Sundays. Among those at the Mass were Prime Minister Ivica Racan and President Stipe Mesic.

The Pope gave his support to a program launched a few years ago by the country's Catholic bishops, entitled "The Croatian Catholic Family Prays Daily and Celebrates the Eucharist Every Sunday."

When greeting Archbishop Ivan Devcic of Rijeka, the Pope acknowledged that Croatian families are experiencing "severe tests of an economic, moral and cultural nature" to which the authorities should offer solutions.

The Holy Father asked Christian families to witness with their lives "God's authentic plan for the family as a community of life founded on marriage."

He emphasized that marriage is based "on the stable and faithful union of a man and a woman, bound to each other by a bond which is publicly manifested and recognized."

The Pope reminded parents that they must "provide for the human and Christian education of your children, trusting also in the expert assistance of committed and well-trained educators and catechists."

He added: "You, too, must help your children to encounter Jesus and to follow him, even amid the temptations to which young people are continuously exposed, along the path that leads to authentic joy.

"Society today is tragically fragmented and divided. This is the reason why it is so desperately unfulfilled. But Christians do not become resigned to weariness or paralyzed by inertia. May you be people of hope! May you be a people that prays."

In the afternoon, the Pope received Prime Minister Racan at the seminary of Rijeka. Later, he was to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat, Queen of the Adriatic, where according to tradition the Holy House of Nazareth was kept from 1291 to 1294, before being transported to Loreto, Italy.

John Paul II will leave Croatia on Monday from the airport of Zadar, a city where he will first preside over the celebration of a Liturgy of the Word.

Vatican, Jun. 09 (CWNews.com) - Pope John Paul II has indicated that he hopes Poland can take an active part in the development of the European Union.

On the day after the Polish people voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining the European Union, the Pope expressed his own views, through a statement released by Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls.

"The Holy Father hopes that the Polish people's decision will benefit both Poland and the European Union," the statement read. "Poland can contribute-- through her spiritual and moral values as well as religious convictions-- to the building of Europe."

In a reference to Poland's recent history as part of the Warsaw Pact, Navarro-Valls observed: "The Pope is also hopeful that integration into the European Union can help to resolve the social and economic problems that are still, at least in part, the consequences of artificial divisions in Europe in the past."

Himself a native of Poland, Pope John Paul has been a firm advocate of the entry of the Eastern European countries into the European Union. He has mentioned that ambition frequently during his trips to these Eastern European countries: in Bulgaria in 2002, Ukraine in 2001, Slovenia and Romania in 1999, and Hungary in 1996. The Pontiff has also repeatedly called upon the countries of Western Europe to welcome their Eastern neighbors, saying that their entry into the Union will help to restore the historical patrimony of European culture.

VATICAN CITY, JUN 9, 2003 (VIS) - The Pope celebrated Mass in private at 7:30 a.m. at the archdiocesan seminary in Rijeka and later went to the airport where at 10 a.m. his plane left for Zadar, the last destination on his apostolic trip to Croatia.

Zadar has a population of 80,000, and is located on a small bay. A series of three islands buffers it from the sea. The city is considered the commercial, cultural and educational center of northern Dalmatian and contains Croatia's oldest university.

Upon landing, the Holy Father travelled in the popemobile to the Forum of Zadar, a large square that contains Roman ruins and is located on the seashore close to the Cathedral of Saint Anastasia. The square can hold up to 50,000 people. Stiepan Mesic, president of the republic, attended the ceremony, as well as other civil and military authorities, Archbishop Ivan Prendja of Zadar, along with Croatian bishops and Bishop Fotije, the Serbian-Orthodox bishop of Dalmatia.

John Paul II presided at the Liturgy of the Word, "the day after the Solemnity of Pentecost, the day on which Croats celebrate the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church. ... As on the day of Pentecost, the Blessed Virgin has remained spiritually in the midst of the Christian faithful down the centuries, invoking the constant outpouring of the Spirit's gifts upon the Church as she faces the challenges which arise in different periods of her history. In this way Mary carries out in its fullness her mission as Mother."

"The Virgin Mary," he continued, "gathering around herself the Apostles and the disciples who were tempted to disperse, commended them to the 'fire' of the Spirit who would launch them on the adventure of mission. ... As a witness to the origins of the Church and the guarantor of the fidelity of Christians in every generation, Mary repeats in every age the words she spoke at the wedding feast of Cana: 'Do whatever he tells you'."

The Holy Father indicated that "Mary's words and example represent a sublime school of life, at which apostles are formed. Apostles in the past and apostles today. ... It pleases me to know that this archdiocese has witnessed in recent years the growth and expansion of different forms of lay engagement and apostolate. Dear brothers and sisters, learn from Mary how to be credible witnesses and generous apostles, as you make your own contribution to the great enterprise of the new evangelization. And never forget that a genuine apostolate demands as a prior condition a personal encounter with Jesus, the Living One, the Lord."

"Mary Most Holy remains a model for all who hear the word of God and put it into practice." He concluded: "Let us too draw near to her, and learn to imitate her docility and openness to God. Let us too, the pilgrims of the third millennium, commend ourselves to her intercession, so that by her prayers she may sustain our faith, nourish our hope and make fruitful our charity."

After the liturgy of the Word, the Pope went in the popemobile to the airport, where he said goodbye to the president of the republic, the civil and political authorities and the Croatian bishops before returning to Rome. His airplane departed at 1:30 p.m. and was scheduled to land in Rome's Ciampiano Airport an hour later.

VATICAN CITY, JUN 8, 2003 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father travelled in the popemobile from the archdiocesan seminary to Delta Square in Rijeka, where he celebrated Mass in the presence of 100,000 people. The theme of the Pentecost Sunday Eucharistic celebration was the family.

"The Church of Christ is always, so to speak, in a situation of
Pentecost," said the Pope in his homily. "The Church is kept ever young and alive, one, holy, catholic and apostolic, because the Spirit constantly descends upon her in order to remind her of all that the Lord has said to her and to guide her into the fullness of truth."

John Paul II recalled that they were gathered "at the foot of this hill, beneath the Shrine of Trsat, where, according to a devout tradition, the house of the Virgin Mary sojourned and was cared for. Recalling the life of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph at Nazareth reminds us of the austere beauty and simplicity, and the sacredness and inviolability of the Christian family."

"Nowadays the family, also in Croatia," he continued, "requires special consideration and concrete policies aimed at promoting and protecting its essential nature, its development and its stability. Among other things, I am thinking of the serious problems associated with housing and employment. It must not be forgotten that in helping the family we also help to resolve other important problems, such as providing assistance to the sick and the elderly, stopping the spread of crime, and finding a remedy to drug use."

The Pope exhorted Christian families "not to be afraid to present to others, first and foremost by the witness of your lives, God's authentic plan for the family as a community of life founded on marriage, in other words, on the stable and faithful union of a man and a woman, bound to each other by a bond which is publicly manifested and recognized. It is your responsibility to provide for the human and Christian education of your children, trusting also in the expert assistance of committed and well-trained educators and catechists."

"Society today," he emphasized, "is tragically fragmented and divided. This is the reason why it is so desperately unfulfilled. But Christians do not become resigned to weariness or paralyzed by inertia. May you be a people of hope! May you be a people who prays!"

The Holy Father assured the faithful that "Christ's desire is that all people should be one in him, so that all may experience the fullness of his joy. ... For this reason He, together with the Father, has sent us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is tirelessly at work, overcoming every division and healing every wound."

The Pope invoked the gifts of the Holy Spirit "on all Christian spouses of Croatia, that by their mutual gift of self, in fidelity to the duties of marriage and in service to the cause of the Gospel, they may be in the world a sign of God's love for humanity."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 7, 2003 (VIS) - Pope John Paul flew this morning from Rijeka to Osijek, which is situated on the right bank of the Drava river, 25 kilometers from its confluence with the Danube and is the administrative and economic center of the eastern Croatia region known as Slavonia. He celebrated Mass at the Osijek Airport in the presence of civil and religious authorities, pilgrims from eighboring countries, representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Churches of the Reform, members of the Jewish community and followers of Islam.

Not far from Osijek is the city of Vukovar, which was destroyed during the war in 1991. A crucifix, badly damaged during the war, was near the papal altar as a witness to the people's sufferings and hopes, to reconciliation and a new life. At the end of today's Mass, as a sign of ecclesial renewal, the Pope crowned the statue of Our Lady of Aljmas and the image of Our Lady of Vocin, whose shrines, destroyed during the war, have since been rebuilt and are flourishing.

At the start of his homily, the Pope remarked that today's Eucharist marked the conclusion of the five-year long synod of the diocese of Djakovo and Srijem and the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the ecclesiastical province of Zagreb.

"At the beginning of the third millennium," stated the Holy Father, "God is calling believers, and the laity in particular, to a renewed missionary outreach. Mission is not 'something added on' to the Christian vocation. Indeed, the Council states that the Christian vocation is by its very nature a vocation to the apostolate."

"Dear brothers and sisters," he continued, "the Church in Slavonia and Srijem needs you! After the trying times of the war, which has left the people of this region with deep wounds not yet completely healed, a commitment to reconciliation, solidarity and social justice calls for courage on the part of individuals inspired by faith, open to brotherly love and concerned for defending the dignity of the human person made in the image of God."

He told the laity that they are "called to assume generously your own share of responsibility for the life of the ecclesial communities to which you belong. The image which parishes present, as places of welcome and of mission, also depends upon you. As sharers in the priestly, prophetic and royal office of Christ, enriched by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, you can make your contribution in the areas of liturgy and catechesis, and in the promotion of missionary and charitable initiatives of various kinds. No baptized person can remain idle!

Pope John Paul pointed out that on his flight to Osijek, he "was able to admire the beauty of the plain of Slavonia ? known as 'the granary of Croatia' ? and my thoughts naturally turned to the field workers, so numerous in this region. I greet them with particular affection.

"Dear brothers and sisters, I know that your life is a hard one and that the yield of the earth's fruits does not at times match the hard work which is demanded of you. I also know that farm work has its own serious difficulties: it has lost a part of its value and young people were already choosing urban life even before the last war, which left many villages with scarcely any inhabitants."

In closing remarks, the Holy Father invited these workers "not to lose confidence and to bear in mind that by your manual work ? which eloquently recalls the Biblical duty entrusted to man of 'subduing' the earth and of 'having dominion over the visible world' ? you are daily 'cooperators' of God the Creator. Know that the Pope and the Church are close to you and, with great esteem for the importance and dignity of your daily toil, they pray that agricultural and field workers, both men and women, will receive the due recognition within the overall development of the community."

Following Mass the Holy Father went to the bishop's residence in Djakovo where he had lunch with the ordinaries of the diocese and the members of the papal entourage. In late afternoon he visited the cathedral of Djakovo, built between 1866 and 1882 in the neo-romantic style. The crypt contains the tombs of all the bishops of Djakovo and the most sumptuous is that of Josip Juraj Strossmayer, bishop from 1849 to 1905, who ordered the building of the cathedral.

After his private visit to the cathedral, Pope John Paul flew from Osijek to Rijeka and went directly to the archdiocesan seminary.

VATICAN CITY, JUN 5, 2003 (VIS) - When Pope John Paul leaves Rome for Croatia at 3:30 p.m. today, he will be undertaking the 100th foreign apostolic trip of his nearly quarter-century pontificate. The five-day trip is the third time he has travelled to this Balkan nation, having been there in September 1994 and again in October of 1998.

Croatia, an independent nation since 1991, is a republic of almost 4.8 million people on the eastern shore of the Adriatic. Its 56,538 square kilometers of area include 1,185 islands, of which 66 are uninhabited. The capital is Zagreb. Catholics are 81 percent of the population. There are 15 ecclesiastical circumscriptions, 1,554 parishes, 27 bishops, 2,260 priests, 2 permanent deacons, 3,520 religious, 1,610 catechists, and 383 major seminarians.

Pope John Paul's trip to Croatia will take just over an hour. The papal plane is scheduled to land at Rijeka, an administrative center and university town of 147,700 inhabitants, at 4:45 p.m., where a welcome ceremony, in the presence of President Stiepan Mesic of Croatia, will take place. From there the Pope will go by car to the port of Omisalj, embark on the catamaran "Marko Polo" and travel nine nautical miles (15 kilometers) to the port of Rijeka.

Over the next five days the Pope will travel around Croatia, visit
archdiocesan seminaries, meet with the bishops, visit the shrine of Our Lady of Trsat and celebrate three Masses, including a beatification on June 6, and a liturgy of the Word.

Rijeka, where the Pope lands this afternoon, is in the diocese of Krk, home to the Glagolitic language, whose institution is attributed to St. Cyril and which is preserved only in certain areas of the Dalmatia region of Croatia.

According to information on the official Croatian site for the papal trip, the Croatian Glagolitic alphabet has a long and interesting history of more than a thousand years. The Croats using the Glagolitic alphabet were the only ones in Europe given special permission by Pope Innocent IV in 1248 to use their own language and this script in liturgy. The Vatican accorded special care to the Glagolitic liturgy in subsequent centuries, including publishing several Glagolitic missals in Rome. This privilege applied to all Croatian lands using the Glagolitic liturgy, mostly along the coast.

In 1252 the Pope Innocent IV allowed Benedictine Glagolitic monks in Omisalj on the largest Croatian island of Krk to use the Croatian Church-Slavic liturgy and the Glagolitic Script instead of Latin. Members of the Benedictine monastic order were normally strict followers of the Latin liturgy and language everywhere in Europe - except in parts of the Croatian coast.

When Vatican Council II (1962-1965) allowed use of vernacular languages in the liturgy, Glagolitic remained in used in some Croatian churches.

VATICAN CITY, JUN 4, 2003 (VIS) - In his multi-language greetings to the 20,000 pilgrims assembled in St. Peter's Square for today's general audience, Pope John Paul spoke of Blessed Pope John XXIII, who had been the focus of his weekly catechesis. He also highlighted his trip to Croatia that starts tomorrow and is the 100th foreign trip of his almost 25-year papacy, addressing Croatians present in their own language.

Noting that yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the death of his predecessor, whom he beatified on September 3, 2000, the Holy Father reminded pilgrims that John XXIII initiated Vatican Council II, saying "this work was born of his deep pastoral concern for Church affairs, which marked his entire life. His motto was: 'Ecce adsum!' Here I am, ready. Precisely in this spirit of total dedication to Christ and the Church, he built his own holiness and brought holiness to others. May his protection and intercession accompany you always."

"Tomorrow," the Pope then stated, "I undertake with great hope my third trip to Croatia, a land marked by the testimony of intrepid disciples of the Gospel. My aim is to confirm in the faith my brothers and sisters of the Catholic community who, at the time of religious persecution, remained faithful to Christ and did not fear facing the challenges of the present moment to continue to announce Him with courage."

He added that "in these 13 years of reacquired independence(Croatians) have consolidated ecclesial structures and now are dedicating themselves ever more to an incisive evangelizing action. Dear brothers and sisters, I invite you to accompany me in prayer. I entrust this 100th apostolic trip of mine to the Virgin Mary, so venerated in Croatia, that she may guide my steps and obtain for the Croatian people a renewed springtime of faith and civil progress."

Pope John Paul also greeted, "with special affection the handicapped persons who have gathered in Rome in the context of the European Year of the Handicapped, especially the participants in the Summer Special Olympics and the large group from the Don Orione Work from diverse regions."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 4, 2003 (VIS) - At the start of the catechesis of this week's general audience in St. Peter's Square, in the presence of 20,000 faithful, the Holy Father said he "wished to pay tribute to Pope John XXIII who died 40 years ago and whom I myself had the joy of proclaiming Blessed."

He recalled the evening of June 3, 1963, when thousands of faithful had come to St. Peter's Square to pray for Pope John and "to be as close as possible to their beloved father and pastor who, after a long and painful illness, was leaving this earth. At 7 p.m., in the square, the pro-vicar of Rome, Cardinal Luigi Traglia began Mass while (the Pope) from his bed which had become an altar, consummated his spiritual sacrifice, the sacrifice of his entire life." He underscored that "the end of mass coincided with the death of the good Pope."

"This bed is an altar," the Holy Father quoted from John XXIII's writings, "the altar needs a victim: Here I am, ready. I offer my life for the Church, the continuation of the Ecumenical Council, peace in the world, the unity of Christians."

John Paul II said that, even as he was dying, his predecessor "was looking towards the future and the longings of the People of God and the world. With emotion, he affirmed that the secret of his priesthood was in the Crucifix, always kept with great care opposite his bed. ... His priestly ministry was entirely dedicated to making known and loved 'what has the greatest value in life: blessed Jesus Christ, His holy Church, His Gospel."

He then remarked that "on April 11, less than two months before his death, John XXIII published the most celebrated document of his magisterium; the Encyclical 'Pacem in terris', which I have had many occasions this year to recall. The entire life of this unforgettable pontiff was a testimony to peace," and this encyclical was "almost a public and universal last will and testament."

"Every believer," wrote Pope John XXIII, "must be a spark of light, a center of love, a living yeast of the masses." The Holy Father added, in concluding, that "to be a spark of light we must live in permanent contact with God. My venerated predecessor, who left a mark in history, reminds men of the third millennium that the secret of peace and joy lies in deep and constant communion with God."

VATICAN CITY, JUN 3, 2003 (VIS) - Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," issued a declaration during a press conference at the end of his May 28 - June 2 trip to Iraq, where he was sent by the Holy Father to coordinate Catholic humanitarian aid in the country.

According to the communique, Archbishop Cordes confirms that during the many meetings he had with civil and religious authorities and the heads of charitable institutions, "everyone expressed gratitude to the Holy Father for his tireless commitment to the people of Iraq and to peace. Having experienced a great spirit of communion and collaboration among Christians in Iraq, I have assured them that I will refer these sentiments of profound recognition to His Holiness."

The president of "Cor Unum" affirmed that in accordance with the
dicastery's mission he will verify "personally the necessities of the
country in view of a plan for aid which will involve Catholic humanitarian organizations. They have already pinpointed some sectors of intervention such as emergency aids in food, housing, sanitary, and education. Many Catholic aid agencies are intending to take charge, together with other institutions, of these necessities."

VATICAN CITY, MAY 31, 2003 (VIS) - At 8 p.m. today, the Feast of the Visitation, the traditional procession to mark the end of the month of May took place from St. Stephen of the Abyssinians Church to the Grotto of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens, during which the faithful prayed the rosary. Archbishop Francesco Marchisano, vicar general for Vatican City, read a message from the Pope at the end of the ceremony.

In his message, the Holy Father writes: "I join each one of you before the Grotto to present as a gift to the Immaculate Virgin the entire spiritual journey made during this marian month: every intention, every worry, every need of the Church and the world. May the Holy Virgin grant every one of your intentions."

"On this occasion," he continues, "I wish to renew the invitation to everyone to recite the Rosary diligently, taking care to say it well. I think above of all of priests: may their example and guidance lead the faithful to rediscover the meaning and value of this prayer. I think of consecrated people, especially religious: may they continue to be close to Mary, who pondered in her heart the mysteries of her divine Son. I think of families and I urge them to gather together often, especially in the evening, to say the Rosary together: this is one of the most beautiful and consoling experiences of the domestic community!"

The Holy Father concluded by inviting everyone to persevere in prayer with the Virgin, "like the apostles in the Cenacle waiting for Pentecost which is now close. The liturgy of these days invites us to relive the spiritual climate which preceeded that event, and if the Year of the Rosary must be characterized by continuous prayer with Mary, even more must we join Her in these days of the Novena, invoking the coming of the Holy Spirit on the entire Church throughout the world."

VATICAN CITY, MAY 31, 2003 (VIS) - The Pope this morning welcomed a group of pilgrims from the diocese of Saint-Brieuc and Treguier in France, who are in Rome to celebrate the seventh centenary of the death of St. Ivo, the patron saint of jurists who is also known as "the advocate of the poor." His feast day is May 19.

The Holy Father told the pilgrims that "the values proposed by St. Ivo remain a powerful stimulant for out times, especially in the Europe that is being built. A servant of justice, St. Ivo invites men of good will to build a world of peace, founded on respect for law and on service to the truth. A defender of the poor, this lawyer encourages persons and people to put into practice solidarity and equity that guarantee the rights of the weakest whose inalienable dignity will be fully recognized."

"As a priest, and tireless preacher of the Word of God," the Pope added, "he calls the Church today to propose to everyone the Gospel, a source of new relations among men. May the example and life of St. Ivo invite Christians to actively contribute to the building of Europe, a community of destiny in which all are called to work so that love and truth will meet each other and justice and peace will encompass each other."

Taipei, Jun. 03 (FIDES/CWNews.com) - Cardinal Paul Shan has issued a pastoral letter to the people of Taiwan, saying that they are "living a new Lent" with their struggle against the SARS epidemic.

The cardinal, who is president of the Chinese Regional Bishops' Conference, pointed out that the word "quarantine" refers to "a pause or period of isolation of 40 days." During that period-- as in Lent-- "freedom is limited, life is difficult," he observed. And just as the people of Taiwan observe the quarantine to avoid passing along the SARS virus, Christian limit themselves in Lent to counteract the "virus" of sin.

As SARS forces new restraints on activities, therefore, the cardinal encouraged believes to "once again have the spirit of Lent," and thus gain spiritual benefits from their struggles.

Cardinal Shan's pastoral letter urges Christians to comply fully with public-health restrictions. He also asks believers to examine their consciences, practicing fast and abstinence, and praying fervently while the epidemic lasts. He encourages them to maintain their hope for the future, because "after the darkness there will be light."

U.S. Secretary of State Visits Vatican

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 2, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The reconstruction of Iraq, peace in the Holy Land, and the woes of Africa were the focus U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's audience with John Paul II.

Vatican Radio described it as an important meeting, "the first at the highest level between the Holy See and an exponent of the White House," since the end of the Iraqi war, on which Rome and Washington differed.

Following his meeting today with the Holy Father, which lasted slightly less than half an hour, the U.S. secretary of state met with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, and Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, Vatican secretary for relations with states.

The director of the Vatican press office, Joaquín Navarro-Valls, said that above all the discussions were centered on the "material and political reconstruction of Iraq."

The emphasis was on "the cooperation of the international community, with special attention to be given to fundamental rights, such as the right of religious liberty."

Discussions were also held on "the new prospects for peace opened by the 'road map' in the Holy Land and the whole region," Navarro-Valls added.

Thanks to this plan for the peace process, supported by the United States, Europe, Russia and the United Nations, it is hoped that "the two states, Israelis and Palestinian, will finally be able to enjoy the same security and the same sovereignty," the press office director said.

There was also "an exchange of opinions on the situation in Africa and, in particular, on the struggle against epidemic diseases, in which the different aid and charitable institutions of the Catholic Church have always participated," the Vatican spokesman continued.

The meeting between John Paul II and Colin Powell was held in "a truly cordial atmosphere," Navarro-Valls told Vatican Radio.

"In a certain sense, words were heard that were pronounced a few days ago by President Bush when speaking of the Pope in Krakow, Poland, when he said that he is one of the most important leaders in the world" today, Navarro-Valls said.

John Paul II Says Media Professionals Are Called to Be "Agents of Peace"

On World Communications Day

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 1, 2003 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II says the mass media must be means to promote peace, and communicators are called to be agents of reconciliation.

Addressing several thousand pilgrims gathered today in St. Peter's Square before the praying of the Regina Caeli, the Pope noted that it was World Communications Day.

On this occasion, at the Pope's request, the theme of the World Day was "The Means of Social Communication at the Service of Authentic Peace, in the Light of 'Pacem in Terris,'" in commemoration of John XXIII's 1963 encyclical.

In the current world situation, it "is all the more important to reflect on the role of the mass media in the construction of a peaceful world, founded on truth, justice, love and liberty," said John Paul II.

"Indeed, may the means of social communication make a valid contribution to peace, pulling down the barriers of mistrust, encouraging understanding and mutual respect and, in addition, fostering reconciliation and mercy," he said.

The Holy Father emphasized that it is "in virtue of their vocation and of their profession that mass media professionals are also called to be agents of peace."

The Pope concluded by hoping that the feast of the Ascension, which was celebrated today in many countries, may awaken in believers "the desire for heaven, our eternal homeland."