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From: Vatican Information Service <visform@pressva-vis.va> Subject: VISEN 031229 To: VIS <visform@pressva-vis.va>
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE

THIRTEENTH YEAR - N. 223 ENGLISH MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2003

SUMMARY, DECEMBER 25 - 29:

- MIDNIGHT MASS: CHRIST COMES TO BRING US PEACE - POPE ASKS GOD TO SAVE HUMANITY FROM WAR - ANGELUS: I REMEMBER PERSECUTED CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES - TELEGRAM FOR EARTHQUAKE IN IRAN - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS - DEFEND, PROMOTE FAMILY AS A FUNDAMENTAL GOOD OF SOCIETY

MIDNIGHT MASS: CHRIST COMES TO BRING US PEACE

VATICAN CITY, DEC 25, 2003 (VIS) - Today in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father celebrated Midnight Mass on the Solemnity of the Birth of Our Lord. Thirty cardinals concelebrated. During the Gloria, children from different continents laid flowers before an image of the child Jesus.

  In his homily, John Paul II said that the words of the prophet Isaiah, "' for to us a child is born, to us a son is given', contain the truth of Christmas. . A Child is born.  In appearance, just another of the world's many children.  A Child is born in a stable in Bethlehem.  He is born in a condition of extreme deprivation: poor among the poor.  But the One who is born is 'the Son' par excellence. . Like the unnamed and fortunate shepherds, let us too run to meet the One who has changed the course of history."

  "O Child, who willed to have a manger for your crib," he exclaimed.  "O Creator of the universe, who stripped yourself of divine glory; O Redeemer, who offered your vulnerable body in sacrifice for the salvation of humanity! May the radiance of your birth light up the night of the world.  May the power of your message of love thwart the proud snares of the evil one.  May the gift of your life make us understand ever more clearly the worth of the life of each  human being."

  "Too much blood is still being shed on the earth!  Too much violence and too many conflicts trouble the peaceful coexistence of nations!  You come to bring us peace.  You are our peace!  You alone can make of us 'a people purified' and belonging to you for ever, a people 'zealous for good deeds'."

  The Pope asked Our Lady to give us her "eyes to contemplate him with faith; grant us your heart to worship him with love.  In his simplicity, the Child of Bethlehem teaches us to rediscover the real meaning of our existence."

  "O Holy Night, so long awaited, which has united God and man forever! You rekindle our hope.  You fill us with ecstatic wonder," he concluded.  "You assure us of the triumph of love over hatred, of life over death."

POPE ASKS GOD TO SAVE HUMANITY FROM WAR

VATICAN CITY, DEC 25, 2003 (VIS) - In his traditional Christmas message which he read from the atrium of St. Peter's Square, the Pope asked God to save humanity from war and conflict, the plague of terrorism and from violence.

  John Paul II said that with the birth of the Savior "a wave of tenderness and hope fills our hearts, together with an overpowering need for closeness and peace.  . Beside the crib, the Christmas tree, with its twinkling lights, reminds us that with the birth of Jesus the tree of life has blossomed anew in the desert of humanity.  The crib and the tree: precious symbols which hand down in time the true meaning of Christmas!"

  The Son of God, said the Pope, "has entered into the history of each person living on the face of the earth.  He is now present in the world as the one Savior of humanity.  For this reason we pray to him: Savior of the world, save us!"

  "Save us from the great evils which rend humanity in these first years of the third millennium," he exclaimed.  "Save us from the wars and armed conflicts which lay waste whole areas of the world, from the scourge of terrorism and from the many forms of violence which assail the weak and the vulnerable.  Save us from discouragement as we face the paths to peace, difficult paths indeed, yet possible and therefore necessary; paths which are always and everywhere urgent, especially in the Land where You were born, the Prince of Peace."

  The Holy Father asked Our Lady to make us "able to recognize in the Child . the heralded Savior, who brings hope and peace to all.  With you we worship Him and trustingly say: we need You, Redeemer of man, You who know the hopes and fears of our hearts.  Come and stay with us, Lord!  May the joy of your Nativity reach to the farthest ends of the universe!"

  After the message, the Pope delivered Christmas greetings in 62 languages to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square and to everyone who watched on television and listened on the radio.  Later he imparted the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) blessing.

ANGELUS: I REMEMBER PERSECUTED CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 26, 2003 (VIS) - Today at noon on the feeast of St. Stephen the Martyr, the Pope appeared at the window of his private study overlooking St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered below.

  After recalling that St. Stephen "was charged with false accusations similar to those directed at Jesus and, like the Master, died while forgiving his killers," the Holy Father said that "the Church calls the feast day of a martyr 'dies natalis.'  The death of a martyr," he affirmed, "is a birth in heaven in virtue of the death and resurrection of Christ. For this reason, it is very significant that we celebrate the first martyr the day after Christmas: Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem, gave His life for us so that we, reborn through faith and baptism, would be willing to sacrifice our life for love of our brothers and sisters."

  John Paul II remembered especially "Christian communities that suffer persecution, and all the faithful who suffer for the faith.  May the Lord give them the strength of perseverance and the capability to love those who cause them suffering."

  "May Mary, Queen of the martyrs," he concluded, "help us to be 'martyrs', that is, witnesses in every moment of the love of Christ whom we contemplate as a child in the manger in these days."

TELEGRAM FOR EARTHQUAKE IN IRAN

VATICAN CITY, DEC 27, 2003 (VIS) - Following is the text of the telegram of condolence sent by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, in the Holy Father's name, to Archbishop Angelo Mottola, apostolic nuncio in Iran, for the earthquake on December 26 in the region of Bam, Iran which caused countless victims:

  "Upon receiving the news of the earthquake in Iran, in the region of Bam, which caused many victims, the Holy Father expresses his spiritual closeness to the individuals affected by this terrible tragedy.  He entrusts those who died to the mercy of the Almighty and assures the survivors and their families of his solidarity.  The Pope conveys his sincere condolences to the authorities of the country and the Iranian people, and invites the international communities to show their support and solidarity concretely to the people who have undergone this trial.  His Holiness does not forget the people who courageously take part in the rescue efforts and implores the consolation of divine blessing for all those who have been affected by this dramatic event."

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 27, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

 - Bishop Jose Luis Dibildox Martinez of Tarahumara, Mexico as bishop of Tampico (area 22, 671, population 1,183, 640, Catholics 1,110,620, priests 111, religious 178), Mexico.  He succeeds Bishop Rafael Gallardo Garcia O.S.A. whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

 - Bishop Francisco Javier Chavolla Ramos of Matamoros, Mexico as bishop of Toluca (area 7,917, population 3,234,580, Catholics 2,878,775, priests 287, religious 483), Mexico.

 - Bishop Jesus Murgui Soriano, auxiliary of Valencia, Spain, as bishop of Mallorca (area 3,604, population 702,122, Catholics 557,122, priests 403, religious 1,276, permanent deacons 7), Spain.

  On Tuesday, December 24 it was made public that the Holy Father appointed:

 - Fr. Pavel Posad, spiritual director of the Seminary of Olomouc, Czech Republic, as bishop of the diocese of Litomerice (area 9,380, population 1,310,476, Catholic 189,200, priests 119, religious 105, permanent deacons 13), Czech Republic.  The bishop-elect was born in 1953 in Budkov, Czech Republic and was ordained a priest in 1977.  He succeeds Bishop Josef Koukl whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Fr. Paul Ponen Kubi, C.S.C., vice-provincial of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, as auxiliary bishop of Mymensing (area 16,448, population 14,009,701, Catholics 65,220, priests 26, religious 121), Bangladesh. The bishop-elect was born in 1956 in Dewachala, Bangladesh and was ordained a priest in 1986. NER:RE:NEA/./. VIS 031229 (250)

DEFEND, PROMOTE FAMILY AS A FUNDAMENTAL GOOD OF SOCIETY

VATICAN CITY, DEC 28, 2003 (VIS) - Today, Feast of the Holy Family, before thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Angelus, the Pope said that "all families learn to be a center of love, unity and openness to life in the school of Nazareth."

  "In our times," he affirmed, "a misunderstood sense of our rights sometimes obscures the nature of the institution of the family and the conjugal bond.  It is necessary for all those who believe in the importance of the family based on marriage to unite at all levels.  It is a human and divine reality that should be defended and promoted as a fundamental good of society."

  John Paul II indicated that Christians, according to Vatican Council II, "attentive to the signs of the times, must do everything possible 'to promote diligently the good of marriage and the family.'  . It is necessary to proclaim the Gospel of the family with joy and courage.  Let us raise our common prayer for this to Jesus, Mary and Joseph for all families, in particular for those who have material or spiritual difficulties."

  Before concluding, the Pope asked for prayers for the victims of the earthquake in Iran and invited "international organizations, and especially Catholic charitable institutions to generously help our Iranian brothers and sisters who have been affected by this serious catastrophe.  May the solidarity of the entire world, especially felt during the Christmas season, help to improve this dramatic situation."

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