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OCTOBER 15

Holy See expresses concern for mosque to be built in Nazareth

Vatican City, 15 (NE) "Respect for the Christian shrine and its free and peaceful access to pilgrims" was demanded to the Israeli government authorities by Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls, during a declaration made yesterday afternoon. Navarro-Valls expressed as well the Holy See's concern regarding the decision to authorize the construction of a mosque several meters away from the historical basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.

The Vatican spokesman stated that the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, as well as all the leaders of Christian Churches in Holy Land, had expressed their concern for the construction of the mosque.

Regarding this issue, Patriarch Sabbah said last Monday that "the place proposed to build the mosque is not compatible with the ample vision of peace and harmony among all the religious communities in Nazareth".

"It would not be superfluous to mention -said Navarro-Valls- that such a situation does not help in preparing for an eventual pilgrimage by the Holy Father to that illustrious shrine, where he should be able to find a city which is the symbol of the traditional and centuries-long peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims, and a stimulus for peace which the Holy Land needs so much."

International Congress on Reconciliation to gather Bishops and lay persons from American Continent

Arequipa, 15 (NE) The Archdiocese of Arequipa, Peru, will be the site of an important international congress on reconciliation, to be held the last week of October. In the last year of preparation for the Great Jubilee of year 2000 and following the post-synodal exhortation "Ecclesia in America," the "Congress of Reconciliation - Arequipa 1999" will congregate Bishops and lay persons from different countries in the American Continent.

The congress is part of the Archdiocesan activities of preparation for the Jubilee of year 2000. It is organized by the Archdiocese of Arequipa and the "Life and Spirituality" Institute. The event will be held October 26-28. Archbishop Luis Sanchez-Moreno of Arequipa will inaugurate the congress Tuesday 26 in the morning.

That same day Bishop Miguel Irizar Campos of Callao, Secretary of the Peruvian Bishop's Conference will give a lecture on the theme "A divided world that claims for reconciliation." In the afternoon Luis Fernando Figari Rodrigo, Founder and General Superior of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, will give a conference on the "Reconciliatory mission of the Church."

Fernando Moreno Valencia, Dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences of the Gabriela Mistral University in Chile will give the first lecture on Wednesday 27, on "Reconciliation and Social Doctrine of the Church facing the Third Millennium". Next will be Archbishop Isaias Duarte Cancino of Cali, Colombia, who will talk about "Reconciliation, path to peace."

On October 28, Archbishop Ramon Ovidio Perez Morales of Los Teques, Venezuela, will give a lecture on "Mary, Mother of Reconciliation." Archbishop Jose Dimas Cedeño of Panama will conclude with a conference on "Reconciliation in the teachings of John Paul II."

The members of the committee also informed that an official Internet page has been prepared for the "Congress of Reconciliation - Arequipa 1999." It may be visited at www.trimilenio.com/congresoAQP/ .

Human dignity is the basis of law, recalls Bishop Boland

Washington, 15 (NE) "Is there a danger that the devotees of secularism are 'more equal' than those who are proud of the faith they profess?". The question was asked by Bishop Raymond J. Boland of Kansas City - St. Joseph, during a homily at a Mass marking the opening of the Supreme Court term, recalling British author George Orwell famous phrase.

"It seems incredible, but now and again there are those who maintain that believers have no right to engage in the public debate", said as well the Catholic Bishop. In his homily, the Prelate urged over 1,200 government officials, legal professionals and law school students -together with six members of the U.S. Supreme Court- to remember that the human dignity of every individual is the basis for all law.

"The original separation of church and state in the United States was certainly not an effort to ban all religious conviction from the public sphere, a kind of banishment of God from civil society," stated Bishop Boland, stressing the importance that religious beliefs have in the formation of society and culture, with their necessary consequences in public life.

Archbishop rejects claims of "forced conversions" in India

Rome, 15 (NE) Archbishop Alan de Lastic of New Delhi rejected claims by extremist Hindu groups that the Church has forced conversions upon the population. "A forced conversion is no conversion," stated the Prelate during a news conference held in New Delhi. "A conversion takes place in the heart. No one can get into another person's heart," he stated.

The situation for Christians in India has become difficult during the last years. Growing aggressions against members of the Catholic Church by Hindu extremists have many times been justified accusing the Church of a supposed "complot" to force conversions to Christianity in the Hindu population.

Early this year, Madan Lal Khurana, former federal minister, denied the statements of radical nationalists claiming that Christian schools "encouraged" conversions to Christianity. Khurana, who studied in a Christian school, denied any attempt of manipulation during a conference held in New Delhi.

The former parliamentary affairs minister, who quit his post to protest attacks against Christians, pointed out on that occasion that Christian institutions impart valuable education and should not be dragged into politics.

Relics of first Argentinean saint return to homeland

Buenos Aires, 15 (NE) Faithful of Rosario, Argentina, welcomed the relics of Blessed Hector Valdivielso Saez yersterday, who will become next November 21 the first canonized Argentinean-born saint. On that day, Pope John Paul II will canonize Blessed Valdivielso, who died martyred during the years previous to the Spanish civil war. The relics of the saint were welcomed with great joy in Rosario. A Mass was celebrated, attended by many young people. The relics were then placed in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Hector Valdivielso Saez -or Benedict of Jesus, as his community of Brothers of La Salle knew him- was born October 31, 1910. He was shot in Asturias when he was 23 years old, in October 1934, with a group of religious men from his community in Spain, victims of the religious persecution previous to the Spanish Civil War. He was declared Blessed for this martyrdom by Pope John Paul II in 1990.

OCTOBER 14

Pope meditates on theological virtue of Charity

Vatican City, 14 (NE) Pope John Paul II spoke yesterday during the general audience with pilgrims about "The theological virtue of charity: love for God". During his catechesis, the Pope briefly reviewed the Old Testament evidencing the commandment of love to God as fundamental for human beings.

"In the same person of Jesus -the Pope pointed out-, the meaning of this commandment assumes its fullness," "for in him, is fulfilled the maximum intensity of the love of God towards man."

The Holy Father affirmed as well that "Charity constitutes the essence of the new 'commandment' taught by Jesus". Love for God, he explained, made possible by the gift of the Spirit, "is based on the mediation of Jesus." He added that "the capacity to love as God loves, is offered to each Christian as the fruit of the Paschal mystery of death and resurrection."

Concluding his catechesis, the Pope indicated that "in the strength of the Holy Spirit, charity animates the moral behavior of the Christian, orienting and strengthening the other virtues which build within us the structures of the new man."

Holy See evidences inconsistency of book calumniating Pope Pius XII

Vatican City, 14 (NE) The Holy See made public yesterday a note regarding the book "Hitler's Pope", further showing a series of misleading arguments used by British author John Cornwell and the lack of respect for historic truth expressed by him in his book.

The statement first evidences that Cornwell, who holds that his book is the "first honest and scholarly appraisal of Pius XII", has no "academic qualifications whatsoever in either history, law or theology." This is one of the points on which renowned scholars base their criticism of the book.

Regarding the research work carried out in the Vatican Archives of the Secretariat of State, Cornwell claims to be the first and only person to have had access to this archive. "This claim is completely false", says the note, stating also that the author's research was limited to two series of documents and had no access to documents from 1922 or later.

Cornwell also stated that he worked on the archives for "months on end." Nevertheless, his authorization covered a period of about three weeks, and he did not show up every day.

The British author affirms that in his book he has discovered secret documents that where hidden until his "research", referring especially to a letter written by Pope Pius XII when he was still Nuncio in Bavaria. In fact, this letter was published in 1992, that is, seven years prior to the publication of Cornwell's book.

Fatima shepherds to be beatified April 9, 2000

Lisbon, 14 (NE) Francisco and Jacinta Marto, the shepherds who saw the Fatima apparitions, will be beatified by Pope John Paul II in a ceremony at St. Peter's Square, to be held April 9, 2000. This was announced yesterday by Bishop Serafim de Sousa Ferreira e Silva of Leiria-Fatima (Portugal).

"The fact that it will take place in the Eternal City gives it a universal character," said the Prelate, pointing out that the message from Fatima is "for the entire world." Although Pope John Paul II had expressed his willingness to travel to Fatima for the ceremony, his busy schedule for the Jubilee Year made it difficult to arrange this trip.

Bishop de Sousa urged Portuguese faithful to participate at the beatification in St. Peter's Square. He announced that "a commission has already been established to prepare the presence of a large Portuguese representation in Rome."

He also informed that books, biographies and medals are being prepared for the beatification, as well as an edition in two volumes with documents of the canonical diocesan process. These were the documents that lead the Bishop of Leiria to decree that the apparitions were true back in 1930.

Mexico: Two and half million faithful in Marian procession

Mexico City, 14 (NE) Before dawn, a multitude of Mexican faithful gathered last October 12 in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Guadalajara in order to begin the traditional Marian feast held every year in this region. An hour later, together with the first rays of sunlight, the Virgin of Zapopan was carried out of the temple by faithful and taken to the Sanctuary on their shoulders.

For four hours an approximate of two and half million people accompanied the image of the Virgin in her journey back home, after almost five months in which she has traveled visiting over 140 parishes in the Archdiocese of Guadalajara.

At 11: 00 in the morning, Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iñiguez, Archbishop of Guadalajara, presided over a Eucharistic celebration. In his homily he invited all the people present to make a "spiritual pilgrimage, that the walk of this morning be but an external sign of an interior pilgrimage, that must carry out a change within us."

The devotion to the Virgin of Zapopan, the second most venerated in Mexico after the Virgin of Guadalupe, dates back hundreds of years in Mexican history. The traditional procession held every October 12 was carried out for the first time in 1735.

Congress fosters dialogue between science and faith

Cali, 14 (NE) The International Congress on the Dialogue between Science and Faith held in Cali, Colombia, was closed yesterday after three days of reflection on the theme "Faithful before today's science. The scientist before faith." The event was part of a series of encounters sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Culture together with different dioceses and institutions of the Church.

Explaining the objective of these days of work and discussion, Archbishop Isaias Duarte of Cali highlighted the importance of "meditating on the way in which certain scientific questions interrogate faith and theology," aiming to "begin a dialogue with science from faith."

Among the four main speakers of the Congress was Msgr. Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, who pointed out the importance of meditating on the transcendent meaning of human existence, as Pope John Paul II encourages in his encyclical "Fides et Ratio."

OCTOBER 13

Brazil: Great feast of faith on Marian celebration

Sao Paulo, 13 (NE) Thousands of Brazilian faithful celebrated yesterday the day of Our Lady of Aparecida. On the 282nd anniversary of the discovery of the little image of the Virgin at the Paraiba River, the Marian shrine gathered thousands of people that peregrinated in a demonstration of love and devotion to the Mother of God. More than 330 thousand pilgrims arrived to the temple, exceeding previous estimates.

Devotion to Our Lady of Aparecida dates back to October 1717, when three fishermen went out to fish at the Paraiba river in São Paulo. After long hours without catch, they reached the João Alves port, where an image of the body of the Virgin Mary was caught up in their net. Impressed by this strange incident, they threw their net again into the water, catching then the head of the small image. After this they caught so many fishes, that they hurried to reach the shore for fear of sinking.

One of the fishermen kept the image, and the devotion begun. In 1888 the church now known as the "Ancient Basilica" was solemnly blessed. On September 8, 1900, the first "romeria" (pilgrimage) was organized. Hundreds of persons participated.

In 1929, as part of the closing activities for a Marian Congress, "Our Lady" was proclaimed Queen of Brazil, given her the name of "Aparecida" (appeared). Thus the name "Our Lady of Aparecida" was defined. In 1931 in Rio de Janeiro, in a celebration attended by the Brazilian President, Our Lady of Aparecida was acclaimed by Brazilian faithful as "Queen and Patroness of Brazil."

Bishops meet to develop strategy for New Evangelization

Mexico City, 13 (NE) The II Conference of New Evangelization in America (NEA-2000), gathering Bishops from several countries in the American continent, begun last Monday in Mexico City. The aim of the meeting is to develop a common evangelizing strategy "with a deep understanding and overview of our continent, open to participation and communion with the particular churches" and based on the orientations of "Eclessia in America."

Cardinal Norberto Rivera, Archbishop of Mexico, inaugurated the event. The Archbishop stated that "facing the coming of the third millennium, and according to the document given by Pope John Paul II during his most recent visit to Mexico, the task will be focused on a new evangelization, not a re- evangelization."

He also explained that the meeting was a "privileged occasion to demonstrate our gratitude to the Lord Jesus Christ as we encourage a new evangelization, sharing the richness of faith and communion with Christ." This especially today, when "many false and evil signs have dispersed our peoples in America and have separated them from the Good Shepherd", emphasized the Mexican Cardinal.

Euthanasia and abortion: two sides of the same coin

Peoria, 13 (NE) Assisted suicide and abortion are "two sides of the same coin," stated recently Dr. Carolyn Gerster, during the annual Respect Life Dinner in the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois. According to the specialist, former president of National Right to Life and a founder of Arizona Right to Life, the exaggerated discourse about pain, used by promoters of euthanasia, is a strategy to generate public sympathy. "

Euthanasia follows abortion as night follows day," she stated during her address, emphasizing the common root of the problem and saying that movements to legalize both practices share troubling similarities. Dr. Gester said that in her opinion Euthanasia may prove to be "much, much harder to fight than abortion." She pointed out as well the great risk of "hardening our hearts" and seeing in the elderly and sick people just a burden that we must bear.

India: Campaign to name new airport in honor of Mother Teresa

Rome, 13 (NE) Catholics in India have begun a campaign to dedicate a new airport to the memory of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The proposal, reported the Italian daily "Avvenire", has been raised in Kerala, the state with the largest Christians population. In this state, a public campaign has begun to request authorities to name the new international airport of Cochin "Mother Teresa of Calcutta." The proposal, manifestation of the intense gratitude in the whole country to the charitable work of Mother Teresa, has been coldly received among certain groups opposed to any recognition Mother Teresa's work, the Italian newspaper informed. With the purpose of promoting the initiative, several ecclesial organizations have announced they will soon begin a campaign in order to gather signatures among the population and present them to the corresponding authorities.

Sanctuary unites population in Sri Lanka

Rome, 13 (NE) The sanctuary of Madhu, in the diocese of Mannar, Sri Lanka, has become a place of pilgrimage and unity for faithful from different places in the country. After intense works of reparation and restoration, the church of Madhu -the most visited sanctuary of the country- is now able to shelter pilgrims once again. "This sanctuary is today a symbol of peace and ethnic harmony," said Auxiliary Bishop of Mannar, Xavier Croos, during celebrations for the feast of the Holy Rosary, held October 2 in the church of Madhu. During the Mass, in which pilgrims of diverse ethnic groups participated, the Bishop elevated his prayer to the Virgin of the Rosary, requesting her intercession for peace and harmony in Sri Lanka. Groups of pilgrims manifested their desire that the Sanctuary of Madhu may become a place that encourages peace in the country.

OCTOBER 12

Patriarch Sabbah asks for greater access to pilgrimage places in Holy Land

Rome, 12 (NE) The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah, urged the Israeli government to take the necessary measures to allow a greater access to pilgrims to the different pilgrimage places in Holy Land. In a statement released yesterday, Patriarch Sabbah asked for "total and free access to all the Holy Places for both local and universal visitors and pilgrims."

Many of the pilgrimage places are of difficult access due to security restrictions, which force pilgrims to wait long periods of time. Patriarch Sabbah held a meeting with the Israeli Minister of Tourism, Lipkin-Shahak, to discuss the issue. During their meeting, the proposal to build a mosque close to the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth was also discussed.

The Spanish daily ABC informed today that the Committee created by the Israeli government to solve the situation has decided to allow the construction of a mosque of 700 square meters on the site. The decision has not only unheard the different callings of Church officials, but also the sentence of on Israeli court which ruled last week that most of the half-acre plot next to the basilica is state land and that the Islamic Trust in the city has no property rights there.

In a recent letter to the Prime Minister Ehud Barak, the Patriarchs of the different communities stated that "the place proposed to build the mosque is not compatible with the ample vision of peace and harmony among all the religious communities in Nazareth." Patriarch Sabbah urged in the statement released yesterday to a "quick and just solution fitting to the special and unique nature of the Holy Town."

National Eucharistic Congress to be held in Colombia

Cali, 12 (NE) A National Eucharistic Congress, with the theme "Eucharist and Charity" will take place from October 15-18 in the city of Cali, Colombia. The event, that will gather approximately 60 Bishops from the different dioceses of the country, will include conferences and moments of prayer and reflection over the theme of the congress. As part of the event, on Sunday 17 more than 10 thousand children will make their first communion in a Mass to be held at the "Pascual Guerrero Stadium". The ceremony will be presided by the Papal Delegate, Cardinal Rosalio Jose Castillo Lara. The last National Eucharistic Congress held in Colombia took place in the year 1935.

300 thousand pilgrims expected at Brazilian Marian shrine

Sao Paulo, 12 (NE) Almost 300.000 faithful are expected to pilgrim to the Marian shrine of Aparecida, Brazil, on occasion of celebrations for the feast day of "Nossa Senhora de Aparecida". 130 thousand have visited the sanctuary in the lasts days while today, the main day of celebrations, more than 160.000 are expected.

Archbishop Claudio Hummes of São Paulo recently stressed the importance of the celebration and the Marian presence for Brazilian people, which have deep Catholic roots. "Blessed Mary accompanies the history of Brazil from its beginning. We know that Peter Alvares Cabral, upon discovering Brazil, had inside its ships an image of our Lady of Hope. It was like a foretelling of the great Marian presence that would distinguish Brazilian Catholicism later," the Archbishop affirmed.

"Certainly the devotion that stands out most in this Marian history is the devotion to Our Lady of 'Aparecida'" Archbishop Hummes also pointed out. "With her 'mestizo' appearance, our Lady of Aparecida identifies culturally with our people, a mixture of races, for which she intercedes before God".

The shrine, one of the largest Marian sanctuaries in the world and the largest in Brazil, gathers annually up to 7 million pilgrims from of all parts of the country and other places of the world. The new Basilica, that substituted the original one built in 1834, was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1980, during his first visit to Brazil.

"Cause of beatification of Pius XII advances normally", says Father Gumpel

Rome, 12 (NE) Historian Peter Gumpel, postulator of the cause of beatification for Pope Pius XII, stated recently regarding a supposed postponement of the cause of beatification of Pope Pius XII that the "cause proceeds regularly and quickly". The issue was referred to as well last Friday by Cardinal Pio Laghi, during the presentation of the Italian edition of Father Pierre Blet's book "Pius XII and the Second World War in the Vatican Archives". Cardinal Laghi referred to the existence of extra official pressures demanding the suspension of the cause of beatification of Pope Pius XII.

In a recent statement made last week, Father Gumpel clarified as well a series of speculations and misleading data from John Cornwell's book "Hitler's Pope". Regarding the work of the British journalist, Father Gumpel stressed the fact that the book -which contains several unfounded accusations towards Pope Pius XII- was "partial, biased and so unilateral that it makes one wonder what is the true reason that led this man to write this book."

Mexican people pray to Virgin of Guadalupe after tragedy

Mexico City, 12 (NE) Hundreds of Mexican faithful gathered last Sunday at the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe to pray for the victims of the tragedy that took place 2 weeks ago in the city of Celaya. Approximately 5000 people went on a pilgrimage to Mexico's national shrine to pray for the deceased and the recovery of the more than 400 wounded victims of an explosion of several tons of gunpowder.

Members of the Catholic Church in Celaya have urged authorities to ban the storage of gunpowder shipments in populated areas of the city. A spokesman for the diocese said that a campaign is being started in collaboration with regional and municipal authorities, as well as local businessmen, to prevent these kind of tragedies. The campaign involves as well raising funds to supply firemen and the Red Cross with the necessary equipment to assist people appropriately in these type of emergencies.

OCTOBER 11

Pope encourages faithful to pray the Rosary

Vatican City, 11 (NE) Pope John Paul II encouraged yesterday faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray frequently the Rosary. During the Sunday Angelus prayer, the Pope recalled the "singular form of Marian prayer which is the holy rosary". Remembering that the feast of the Virgin of the Rosary had been celebrated last Thursday, he said that those who pray the rosary "unite themselves to Mary in the meditation of the mysteries of Christ, and invoke the grace of these same mysteries in the different situations of life and history".

The Holy Father stated as well that "in the past, the prayer of the Rosary has helped to safeguard the integrity of the faith of the People of God". He also urged faithful to practice this prayer to sustain "the Church's crossing to the Third Millennium, so that she may continue to be 'sign and instrument of the intimate union with God and among all the human people". Concluding his brief address before the Angelus prayer, the Pope raised his prayers to Blessed Mary, asking the Mother of God to help the Church "be the bridge that unites man with God and human beings among themselves".

Relics of St. Francis Xavier in Japan for anniversary of evangelization

Rome, 11 (NE) As part of the closing celebrations for the 450th anniversary of the arrival of St. Francis Xavier to Japan, relics of the blessed priest, who developed an intense apostolic activity in the island in the XVIth century, have once again touched Japanese lands.

The hand of the Jesuit priest, kept in the Church of "Gesu" in the city of Rome, will be venerated by Japanese faithful these days in Kagoshima Bay, the same site where St. Francis Xavier arrived in 1549 to proclaim the Gospel.

Today's celebration of the 450th anniversary of the evangelization of these lands will gather Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and the Pope's Special envoy for the event, together with all the Catholic Bishops of Japan.

The relics of St. Francis Xavier will afterwards "pilgrim" to different cities of Japan, visited by the Jesuit priest during his two years in Japan, including Yamaguchi, Oita, and the island city of Hirado in Nagasaki Prefecture.

Nuncio in Indonesia urges to work for reconciliation in East Timor

Rome, 11 (NE) Bishop Renzo Fratini, Apostolic Nuncio in Indonesia, emphasized the need to work for reconciliation in East Timor. During a visit to refugee camps at Kupang and Atambua, in West Timor, where thousands of refugees of the neighboring East Timor are now living, the Prelate stressed the importance to foster harmony in the island, the Vatican agency Fides reported in its last weekly edition.

"The future perspectives are uncertain: political, social, economic, security structures will have to be rebuilt. But above all it will be necessary to work for reconciliation and restore the climate of harmony ", said Bishop Fratini regarding the future of the eastern part of the island.

In the meantime, leaders of the UN peace-keeping force are trying to negotiate with the independence guerilla and militiamen asking them to "cooperate and disarm," but so far unsuccessfully. Fides informed that the situation of the local Church is returning to normality. Almost all diocesan priests, religious and seminarians had returned to the dioceses of Dili and Baucau.

Nevertheless, people still fear that Indonesian soldiers and paramilitaries will eliminate dispersed East Timor refugees or those who are living in the diverse cities of West Timor.

"Pilgrimage 2000" renews commitment of young people with Christian life

Boston, 11 (NE) Cardinal Bernard Law, Archbishop of Boston, recalled the intense moments lived at the Foxboro Stadium some days ago, when "Pilgrimage 2000" was officially inaugurated. He called this pilgrimage "an effort of spiritual renewal focused on the young people of this Archdiocese". The program, pointed out the Cardinal, already counts with 41,000 participants committed "to a seven-month period of reflection and prayer on what it means to be a faithful member of the Church."

Organizers explained that "Pilgrimage 2000: A celebration of faith" is "an unprecedented effort for Catholic high school-age youth, college students and young adults" organized by the Catholic Bishops of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. "The goals of Pilgrimage 2000, they said, are to assist all young Catholics to know God better, to discern the call to life in Christ, and to build God's Kingdom in the new millennium".

The different activities that will take place, divided in four phases, aim to "inspire our youth, college students and young adults to take their energy and enthusiasm for Christ into the third millennium," encouraging the development of a renewed, faith-filled youth. At the end of the "Pilgrimage 2000", different opportunities to continue living their "calling to a life in Christ" will be offered to participants.

Recalling the Mass with which the Archdiocese of Boston initiated "Pilgrimage 2000", Cardinal Law stated that that celebration, with almost 20,000 people at the Foxboro Stadium, was a "profoundly moving moment," as he exhorted to reflect on the presence of the Holy Spirit, "powerfully moving in our midst."

Archbishop renews opposition to casinos

San Salvador, 11 (NE) Archbishop Fernando Saenz Lacalle of San Salvador, expressed yesterday his opposition against the installation of casinos in the capital city of El Salvador, Central America. In declarations to the press after the Sunday Eucharistic celebration, the Archbishop warned society against the dangers that this vice could mean to the Salvadoran families. Regarding this, he encouraged the people to vote in the referendum to be held here, which among other issues will define the existence of casinos in San Salvador. On the other hand, the Archbishop requested the government a plan of prevention against natural disasters, as well as the eradication of high-risk houses and their mobilization to safer lands.

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