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February 28

Pope receives Spanish prime minister in new effort for peace

Rome, 28 (NE) In a new effort in favor of peace, Pope John Paul II received yesterday the Spanish prime minister, Jose Maria Aznar. The Holy Father also received Seyyed Mohammad Reza Khatami, vice president of Iran's Islamic Consultative Assembly, with whom he exchanged opinions on the need to safeguard peace in the Middle East region.

Regarding the meeting with Aznar, according to a press released issued by the Holy See Press Office, the Pope and the Spanish prime minister "agreed that the situation that has been created in Iraq is serious and that there must be a solution. The Holy Father hopes that all parties involved - without exception - will make just decisions and undertake peaceful initiatives that are efficacious and that conform to justice, inspired by international law and ethical principles".

"The head of the Spanish government explained the path of action followed up to now by Spain in the face of the Iraqi crisis, illustrating, in particular, the danger of terrorism and, therefore, the need for a common action on the part of the United Nations Organization. On these matters a convergence of positions with the Holy See was noted. And lastly, they examined several aspects of the European reality, with particular attention to the Constitutional Treaty of the European Union.

Science cannot be disassociated to ethics, says Bishop Sgreccia

Rome, 28 (NE - eclesiales.org) Last Wednesday, during the IX General Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life on "Ethics in the biomedical research", Bishop Elio Sgreccia stated that ethical judgment cannot be disassociated from scientific research. Addressing participants at the assembly organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life, Bishop Sgreccia Vice-president of the Vatican dicastery, enumerated among the points for a correct harmony between research and ethics the following: "man's centrality as subject and beneficiary of research; trust in the contribution of scientists and investigators; and the responsibility of these to act ethically." Bishop Sgreccia also pointed out that "the freedom and autonomy of scientists is not questioned" by the Church's point of view, since "values are not strange to freedom: man should assume his neighbor's responsibility and work in view to the good" of the others.

February 27

Psalm 150, "insistent appeal to praise the Lord", says Pope

Rome, 27 (NE) Psalm 150 was the theme of Pope John Paul II' catechesis, during the general audience held yesterday. Addressing more than 6,500 pilgrims gathered at the Paul VI Hall, the Pope said that this psalm is a "a text of marvelous simplicity and transparency." "We must only let ourselves be drawn by its insistent appeal to praise the Lord," the Holy Father said.

He noted that the Psalm asks us to praise God "in His sanctuary" and "in His mighty firmament." God is thus both "far from our horizon" and yet "close to us. ... Between heaven and earth, therefore, is almost established a channel of communication in which the action of the Lord and the hymn of praise of the faithful meet. The liturgy unites two shrines, the earthly temple and infinite heaven, God and man, time and eternity."

"It is necessary," the Pope said, "to discover and constantly live the beauty of prayer and the liturgy. We must pray to God not only with theologically exact formulas, but also in a beautiful and dignified way. "In this regard, the Christian community must examine its conscience so that the beauty of music and song return even more to liturgy. We must purify worship from an aberration of styles, of careless forms of expression, of slipshod music and texts that are barely in harmony with the greatness of the act we celebrate."

John Paul II said that "Psalm 150 is a festive hymn, a great 'alleluia' sung to the Lord. Every living being is invited to join in the song of praise. All men and women are called to sing a hymn of gratitude to the Creator for the gift of their existence."

Holy Father to preside services in Ash Wednesday

Rome, 27 (NE) A prayer service, procession and Eucharistic liturgy will mark the start of Lent next week. As it was announced yesterday, Pope John Paul II will be taking part in the Ash Wednesday services on March 5. It is shcheduled that at 5 p.m. there will be a prayer service in the church of St. Anselm on the Aventine Hill, and then a penitential procession to the basilica of St. Sabina. Several cardinals, archbishops, bishops, the Benedictine monks of St. Anselm's and the Dominican Fathers of St. Sabina and a number of faithful will take part in this traditional procession. Afterwards, the Holy Father will preside at the Liturgy of the Word in St. Sabina's Basilica, deliver a homily and officiate at the rite of the blessing and imposition of ashes. At the end of Mass he will impart the apostolic blessing. Cardinal Jozef Tomko will celebrate the Eucharistic Liturgy.

February 26

Holy Father's Book of poetry to be presented March 6

Rome, 26 (NE) Pope John Paul II' book of poetry, titled "Roman Triptych", will be presented next Thursday March 6 in the Holy See Press Office. The announcement was made yesterday by the Holy See, informing that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will present the Italian translation of the Pope's book, written originally in Polish. During the presentation, a critique of the text by Prof. Giovanni Reale is also scheduled, as well as the reading of some poems by an actor. The presentation, strictly reserved to journalists accredited to the Holy See Press Office, will be followed by Telepace television station. The text will be under embargo until 1 p.m. Rome time on March 6.

Pope calls faithful to dedicate Ash Wednesday to to prayer and fasting for the cause of peace

Rome, 26 (NE) Last Sunday, during his brief audience to pilgrims before praying the Angelus, the Pope called faithful all over the world to to dedicate Ash Wednesday, March 5 "to prayer and fasting for the cause of peace, especially in the Middle East." "For months," the Pope said, "the international community has lived in great apprehension of the danger of a war that could unsettle the entire Middle East region and aggravate the tensions unfortunately already present at the start of this millennium."

Addressing pilgrims from his window overlooking St. Peter's Square, the Pope said that "Christians in particular are called to be sentinels of peace in the places in which we live and work. We have been asked, that is, to be vigilant so that consciences do not give in to the temptation of egoism, lies and violence."

Asking Catholics to fast and pray for peace on Ash Wednesday, he said: "We will above all implore God for the conversion of hearts and the farsightedness to make just decisions in order to resolve with adequate and pacific means the strife that hinders mankind on its journey in our times."

Pope John Paul also asked that peace be implored in marian shrines, in parishes and in families with the prayer of the Rosary. "This choir of invocations will be accompanied by fasting, an expression of penance for the hatred and violence that pollute human relations. Christians share the ancient practice of fasting with so many brothers and sisters of other religions who, by so doing, intend to rid themselves of all arrogance and to ready themselves to receive from God the greatest and most necessary gifts, including in particular that of peace."

February 13

Holy Father's catechesis: The final word is always God's

Rome, 13 (NE) Psalm 17 was the theme of Pope John Paul II catechesis, during yesterday's general audience. The audience was held in the Paul IV Hall, in the presence of 3,500 pilgrims. Psalm 17, the Pope said, "recalls the years of oppression in Egypt and celebrates the protection which God gives to His people, even when they are besieged by cruel adversaries."

"In all the most meaningful and joyous feasts of ancient Judaism, in particular the celebration of Passover," he began, "the sequence of Psalms that went from 112 to 117 was sung. This series of hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God was called the 'Egyptian hallel', because in one of them, Psalm 113A, the exodus of Israel from the land of oppression, pharaonic Egypt, and the marvelous gift of the divine covenant, was evoked in a poetic and almost visual way."

The Pope explained that "in the face of this danger which was avoided, the People of God break into 'a cry of jubilee and victory' in honor of 'the right hand of the Lord which was raised and performed wonders'. There is, therefore, the awareness of never being alone, prey to the storm unleashed by evil ones. The final word, in truth, is always God's, who allows the faithful to be tried, but does not turn them over to death."

The Holy Father pointed out that "It is God Who grants victory, and His people are invited to give Him thanks as they enter through the doors of justice. By glorifying His Chosen One, God had made 'the stone which the builders rejected ... the cornerstone'. Christ applies this image to Himself when He announces His passion and glorification. Thus we are able to interpret this hymn of trust and thanksgiving in a Christian perspective. As St. Ambrose says, we too should strive to be a rock: a stone of action, word and faith founded on the true rock."

The Rosary carries within it the Christian answer to the problems of suffering, says Pope John Paul II

Rome, 13 (NE) Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar for the diocese of Rome, presided at Mass on Tuesday afternoon for the ill and for the pilgrims from UNITALSI, an Italian organization of volunteers who assist sick people on pilgrimages to Marian shrines. After the Mass, Pope John Paul II greeted the pilgrims from his study window overlooking St. Peter's Square. The Holy Father was going to address the pilgrims in the Basilica, but because of a slight cold he did so from his study window.

In his address to pilgrims, read by Cardinal Ruini, the Pope noted that, through hymns and prayers, everyone in the basilica would be "spiritually joined" to the faithful gathered in Lourdes as well as those present in the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., where the main celebrations for the 11th World Day of the Sick took place.

"Dear sick people," said the message, "the Rosary carries within it the Christian answer to the problems of suffering: it draws from the Easter mystery of Christ. ... In the sorrowful mysteries we contemplate Christ who takes on Himself, so to say, all the 'sicknesses' of man and of mankind. The Lamb of God assumes not only their consequences, but also their deep cause, that is, not only the evils themselves but the radical evil of sin."

The Holy Father observed that "in this year disturbed by many concerns for the fate of mankind, I desired that the prayer of the Rosary have as its specific intentions the cause of peace and of the family. You, dear brothers and sisters who are sick, are on the 'front line' to intercede for these two great intentions."

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