By John Thavis
6/4/2007
Catholic News Service (www.catholicnews.com)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) Pope Benedict XVI plans to proclaim a year dedicated to St. Paul, in preparation for the 2,000th anniversary of the apostle's birth, the Vatican said.

The Pope was scheduled to announce the commemorative year at a vespers service June 28 in the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls in Rome, on the eve of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

The Pauline Year will run from June 29, 2008, to June 29, 2009, according to information published in a Vatican Radio calendar. No details were immediately available about possible events during the year.

St. Paul was born in Tarsus, in what is now Turkey, at the start of the Christian era, about 10 A.D., according to church historians. After his conversion on the road to Damascus, he became one of the church's foremost evangelizers, first among Jews, then among Gentiles.

St. Paul's letters are a primary source of information about the life of the early church and have strongly influenced church thinking through the centuries.

In his first official visit outside the Vatican in April 2005, Pope Benedict went to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls to pray at the tomb of the apostle and pay homage to his legacy of spreading the Gospel.

"The church is, by its nature, missionary; its primary task is evangelization," the Pope said on that occasion.

"At the beginning of the third millennium, the church feels with renewed strength that Christ's missionary mandate is more pressing than ever," he said.

By Cindy Wooden
June 4th, 2007
Catholic News Service (www.catholicnews.com)


Pope Benedict XVI poses with Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Left) during their meeting at the Vatican June 4, 2007.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The defense of human rights and the safeguarding of democracy throughout Southeast Asia were on the agenda as Pope Benedict XVI and his secretary of state met Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The Pope and Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, met separately with the president June 4 at the Vatican.

The meetings focused on church-state cooperation in the Philippines and "on the respect and promotion of human rights and democratic institutions" in the country and throughout Southeast Asia, the Vatican said in a statement.

Marciano Paynor, the president's chief of protocol, told reporters before the meeting that Arroyo intended to outline for Pope Benedict her efforts to put a halt to the wave of extrajudicial executions and election-related violence in the country.

Testifying before a U.S. Senate hearing in March, a representative of Amnesty International said those at risk of being executed include members of legal leftist political parties, human rights and community activists, priests, church workers and lawyers "regarded by the authorities as sympathetic to the broader communist movement."

Members of the military and the police have been suspected of being involved in the killings.

Paynor, traveling with the Philippine president, also said she wanted to invite Pope Benedict to visit the Philippines in July 2008 on his way to or from the celebration of World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia.

At the end of her audience with the Pope, Macapagal-Arroyo asked him to bless two large piles of rosaries, crucifixes and religious medals placed on silver trays for the occasion.



Pope Benedict XVI exchanges gifts with Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Left) during their meeting at the Vatican June 4, 2007.

Top cardinal says documents on China, Tridentine Mass, coming soon

By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

ROME (CNS) -- A leading Vatican official said two important documents from Pope Benedict XVI -- a letter to Chinese Catholics and a decree liberalizing use of the Tridentine Mass -- were coming soon.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, told the Italian newspaper Avvenire June 3 that the pope had "definitively approved" the text of his letter to the church in China.

"Now the various translations are being carried out, along with the technical aspects of its publication," Cardinal Bertone said.

Vatican sources have said that, as a courtesy, the letter would be sent to the Chinese government before it was released publicly. The letter follows a meeting at the Vatican in January on the state of Catholics in China.

As for the document granting wider latitude for celebration of the Tridentine rite, Cardinal Bertone said that "one shouldn't have to wait long to see it published."

The cardinal said the pope was "personally interested in making this happen" and that the pontiff had prepared an accompanying letter explaining the move and expressing the hope for a serene reception by the church.

In the interview, Cardinal Bertone also commented on Pope Benedict's recent remarks to reporters about the possible excommunication of Catholic politicians who support legislation to make abortion legal.

"It seems clear to me that the pope recalled that it is up to individual bishops to establish whether and when to impose excommunication," Cardinal Bertone said.

The cardinal added that in the case of Catholic politicians, such a penalty would be carried out "ferendae sententiae" -- imposed by the judgment of a church court or authority -- rather than automatically incurred.

Cardinal Bertone was apparently distinguishing the situation of Catholic politicians from that of people directly involved in procuring abortion, for which the penalty is automatic excommunication.

The pope, when asked if he agreed with the excommunication of Catholic legislators in Mexico who had supported a law legalizing abortion, said yes and added that church law foresaw such a penalty.

The Vatican issued a toned-down transcript of the pope's remarks the next day, changing some of his words. In the interview, Cardinal Bertone defended the practice of modifying the "official" version of papal remarks.

"There's nothing scandalous in this," Cardinal Bertone said. He compared it to the publication of the "editio typica," or definitive edition, of papal documents, which he said is sometimes changed to be more precise than an earlier version.

Cardinal Bertone's office routinely modifies the texts of extemporaneous papal comments, Vatican officials have said.

From today's International Herald Tribune

VATICAN CITY: A man tried to jump into Pope Benedict XVI's popemobile as the pontiff began his general audience Wednesday in St. Peter's Square and was wrestled to the ground by security officers.

The pope was not hurt and didn't even appear to notice that the man  who was between 20 or 30 years old  had jumped over the protective barricade in the square and toward the white popemobile as it drove by with the pope waving to the audience.

At least eight security officers who were trailing the uncovered popemobile as the pontiff passed by grabbed the man and wrestled him to the ground. The pope didn't even look back.

A Vatican official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, said the man was being held for questioning by Vatican police. He said the man had gotten as far as the back of the pope's white jeep before being wrestled to the ground, although video footage of the incident did not show clearly whether he actually made it onto the jeep.

The man, whose nationality was unknown, was wearing a pink T-shirt and dark shorts, a beige baseball cap and sunglasses. He appeared to have vaulted himself up and over the barricade from the second or third row back.

======================================================================

That's just a little too close for comfort ..... There seems to be a bit of confusion about the sex of the person involved - I've seen another report that said that it was a woman.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6726441.stm

A man has tried to jump into Benedict XVI's popemobile during his weekly general audience held in St Peter's Square at the Vatican.
The man was wrestled to the ground by security officers. The Pope was not injured and did not appear to notice the incident. He proceeded with the audience as normal.



In May 1981, Ali Agca, a Turkish gunman, fired two shots at the then Pope John Paul II as he was driven around the square in his popemobile.

The man, who stood among some 35,000 people who were attending the audience, jumped over the metal barriers separating the crowd from the pontiff and landed behind the moving vehicle. Several security guards grabbed the man, who was wearing a pink T-shirt, black shorts and a baseball cap.

He seemed to be trying to climb onto the Pope's vehicle, an open jeep, as the pontiff was driven around the square greeting pilgrims, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome. The man is now being held by Vatican police.

I've also seen a report saying that it was a woman. Man or woman, it doesn't really matter - as you said, paxvobiscum, it wastoo close...

.Sue., 06.06.2007 13:58:

---

I've also seen a report saying that it was a woman. Man or woman, it doesn't really matter - as you said, paxvobiscum, it wastoo close...

---

Hey Sue, nice to see you again...at least papal bodyguards are well trained.

Man who tried to board pope's car in psychiatric hospital: Vatican

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - The man who tried to board Pope Benedict XVI's jeep in St Peter's Square on Wednesday is "mentally unstable" German national and has been taken to a psychiatric hospital after questioning, the Vatican spokesman said.
The man, 27, "was not trying to kill (the pope) but attract attention to himself," Father Federico Lombardi told reporters. The man was questioned by the Vatican's sole magistrate, Gianluigi Marrone, and examined by the medical service, which decided to put him in a "specialised protected structure," Lombardi said.

Papal bodyguards overcame the man before he could reach the pope's open white jeep as it was carrying the pontiff through St Peter's Square amid a crowd of some 30,000 pilgrims at the start of his weekly general audience. Benedict, standing up behind the driver, was apparently oblivious to the incident, continuing to wave to the pilgrims.

It was the first known security breach affecting the 80-year-old German pontiff since his election in April 2006.

When I first heard about someone leaping over the barricade and trying to get into the popemobile, I thought about our friend, Concetta, but apparently she is more restrained. Good thing Papa's security guys were wide awake. With Papa drawing such big crowds all the time, he needs all the security he can get.

Man Tries to Jump Into Popemobile

Wednesday June 6, 2007 3:16 PM
By DANIELA PETROFF
Associated Press Writer

VATICAN CITY (AP) - A German man tried to jump into Pope Benedict XVI's uncovered popemobile as the pontiff began his general audience Wednesday and held onto it for a few seconds before being wrestled to the ground by security officers.

The pope was not hurt and didn't even appear to notice that the man - who was between 20 or 30 years old - had jumped over the protective barrier in the square and had grabbed onto the white popemobile as it drove by. The pontiff kept waving to the crowd and didn't even look back.

At least eight security officers who were trailing the vehicle as it moved slowly through the square grabbed the man and wrestled him to the ground.

The man was a 27-year-old German who showed signs of ``mental imbalance,'' said the Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman.

``His aim was not an attempt on the pope's life but to attract attention to himself,'' Lombardi told reporters.

The man, whom Lombardi declined to identify, was interrogated by Vatican police and then taken to a hospital for psyciatric treatment, he said.

The man wore a pink T-shirt and dark shorts, a beige baseball cap and sunglasses. He vaulted up and over the barricade from the second or third row back. He got as far as the back of the jeep, holding onto it for a few seconds, before being wrestled to the ground.

The jeep kept moving, and the German-born Benedict kept waving, then proceeded with the audience as if nothing had happened.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Vatican has tightened security in St. Peter's Square when the pope is present. All visitors must pass by police to get into the square, with some walking through metal detectors or being searched with metal- detecting wands.

Nevertheless, virtually anyone can attend the audience. While tickets are required, they can often be obtained at the last minute - particularly in good weather when the audience is held outside in the piazza.

When the pope uses the popemobile in St. Peter's, it is usually uncovered; when he travels overseas or outside the Vatican, he usually uses one outfitted with bulletproof glass.

The pope is protected by a combination of Swiss Guards, Vatican police and Italian police.

On Wednesday, the head of the Swiss Guards, Col. Elmar Maeder, walked along one side of the popemobile while the pontiff's personal bodyguard, Domenico Giani, took the other side. Several plainclothes security officials trailed them.

Benedict stood up behind the driver, holding onto a bar to steady himself, with his personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Ganswein, seated behind him.

St. Peter's is cordoned off with wooden barriers to create ``routes'' that the popemobile can drive along to make the pontiff more visible to the crowd, which on Wednesday numbered about 35,000.

From his perch on the jeep, the pope waves and blesses the crowd, and occasionally will bless a baby handed up to him by a security guard. The jeep, though, never stops, with security officials walking or jogging alongside the whole way.

Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II, was shot in the abdomen and seriously wounded on May 13, 1981, as he was riding in St. Peter's Square at the start of his general audience. The gunman, Mehmet Ali Agca of Turkey, was caught and served his sentence in Italy before being transferred to his native land.

More details....

German man sent for treatment after jumping toward papal jeep

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A 27-year-old German man was forced to undergo immediate psychiatric treatment June 6 after he jumped over a barrier in St. Peter's Square and reached the back of the open jeep in which Pope Benedict XVI was riding.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, refused to release the man's name but said he was in a Rome psychiatric facility by 2:30 p.m., about four hours after being tackled to the ground by Vatican police.

The man was first taken to the Vatican police station and questioned by Gianluigi Marrone, a Vatican judge, Father Lombardi said.

"The young man's intention was not to make an attempt on the life of the pope, but to carry out a demonstrative act to attract attention to himself," Father Lombardi said.

Because the young man was "showing clear signs of mental imbalance, psychiatric doctors from the Vatican health service were called, and they arranged hospitalization for obligatory treatment in a protected, specialized health facility," the spokesman said.

"The case is, therefore, considered closed," Father Lombardi said.

Pope Benedict was in St. Peter's Square for his weekly general audience. The pope did not appear to have noticed the young man or the activity of Vatican security agents and police forcing the man to let go of the jeep.

Dressed in a red shirt, dark shorts and a baseball cap, the young man was in the third or fourth row of spectators behind a wooden barricade in the square. As the pope approached, a police officer moved directly in front of the young man's section of the crowd, although it was not clear what had attracted the attention of the officer.

The young man jumped over the people in front of him and used the barricade to push himself farther, knocking over the police officer.

He managed to hold onto the back railing of the jeep for a just a few seconds before being forced to let go.

Msgr. Georg Ganswein, the pope's personal secretary, was in the jeep and also attempted to push the young man away.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6726441.stm

If you want see, what exactly was happened, click on the link. BBC is video there in quite good quality.

Thanks to everyone for the articles about what happened today.I taped the audience, but didn't watch it b/c I had to go to class in the morning. Imagine my reaction when at 9:40am I wake up turn on to MSNBC and see at the bottom of the screen BREAKING NEWS: Pope not injured in incident. They showed the guy jumping the baracade over and over.

Wednesday, June 6th 2007
From the Malta Independent Online.

A replica in gold of St. Gorg Preca Lm1 / EUR 2.33 stamp was presented to Pope Benedict XVI on Monday by Monsignor Alfred Xuereb, on the initiative of Gozo Bishop Mario Grech.

Monsignor Xuereb is a priest from the Gozitan diocese who carries out duties at the Casa della Prefettura Apostolica (the Papal household) at the Vatican. Bishop Grech had been requested by Maltapost to make arrangements for the presentation on their behalf. His Holiness blessed the stamp replica and expressed his appreciation for the gift from Maltapost.

This first gold replica stamp is one of only three minted for the occasion. Of the other two, one is to be auctioned, with proceeds going to the Dar tal-Providenza, and the third is being retained by Maltapost for eventual exhibition in the Maltapost postal museum. Maltapost has also issued for the first time ever a limited edition of 2,000 silver replica stamps bearing the same image of Dun Gorg in one of his characteristic poses, and with the chapel of the Society of Christian Doctrine in the background. The stamp, also a replica of the Lm1 / EUR 2.33 stamp, weighs 20 grams, and is being issued in Brilliant Uncirculated (Proof-like) condition. Its size is 35.0mm x 35.0mm, with a thickness of 1.53mm.

Struck in 99.9% silver and individually numbered, the silver stamp is available in a presentation box and with a Certificate of Authenticity, and will sell for Lm15 / EUR 34.94, VAT included. In addition to this silver replica stamp, Maltapost also issued a two-stamp set showing identical images of Dun Gorg and the Blata l-Bajda chapel of the Society of Christian Doctrine headquarters. The stamps are designed by Edward D. Pirotta and offset printed by Printex Limited of Qormi on paper watermarked with Maltese Crosses. The face values are 8c / EUR 0.19 and Lm1 / EUR 2.33. The stamps are 35.0mm x 35.0mm in size with a perforation of 14.28 x 14.28(comb), and will be available in sheets of 10 stamps.

Source:http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=52282

I was watching Papa's tour of the square on CTV/EWTN when the man jumped over the barricade. It all happened so quickly, I hardly had time to think that our beloved man was in danger. To me it looked like a teenager who jumped, but they say he's in his late twenties. I also didn't realise he was trying to grab the back of the popemobile. I did notice, though, that the guards were on him AT ONCE - in a split second - but that it took quite a fight to grapple with him and get him to the ground. Papa didn't see a thing and was unaware - thank God. I am sure, though, that Georg saw it all.
Thanks for the link to the video. I'll have a look at it. The AP news also has a video of it and their reporter said that it brought back memories of the assassination attempt on John Paul II and what if the man had had a gun? Well, we know that these days he could not have had a gun in the square. The security is now ultra tight and I'm pleased, even if it does mean that we have to wait longer to get into the square and into Saint Peter's. Everything is X rayed.

Thank you, Mary Mother of God, for keeping our beloved Benedict safe!

By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, June 6th, 2007

VATICAN CITY - A German man jumped a security barrier and grabbed the back of Pope Benedict XVI's open popemobile before being swarmed by security guards Wednesday  reviving a debate over whether the pontiff needs stronger protection during his public audiences.

Benedict was not harmed and appeared not to even notice, never looking back as he waved to the crowd in St. Peter's Square. But security analysts said he exposes himself to undue risk by appearing at the same place and time each week in an open jeep.

"If he cannot change the route or the hour, he must use at least a protected car," said Claude Moniquet, head of the European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center, a Brussels-based think tank on security issues.

The man vaulted onto a wooden barrier and then over in an apparent attempt to get into the white popemobile. One guard grabbed him as he leaped, but the man managed to grab hold of the vehicle before security men trailing the car pinned him to the ground.

Benedict didn't flinch. The 80-year-old, German-born pope continued waving and blessing the cheering crowd of some 35,000 people as his jeep kept moving slowly forward and the audience proceeded as if nothing had happened.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the man was a 27-year-old German who showed signs of "mental imbalance." He declined to identify him.

"His aim was not an attempt on the pope's life but to attract attention to himself," Lombardi told reporters.

The man was interrogated by Vatican police and then taken to a hospital for psychiatric treatment, he said.

The incident rekindled memories of the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca in 1981. John Paul suffered a severe abdominal wound as he rode in an open jeep at the start of his weekly audience in the Vatican piazza  the same event as Wednesday's.

Moniquet, a security expert who has written about protecting heads of state, said leaders like the pope have to balance proximity to the public with their own need for security in today's violent world.

But unlike other leaders who make occasional forays into the public domain, the pope has a regular appointment with the faithful each Wednesday morning  precisely the type of routine that security guards try to avoid.

"The fact is you cannot ensure 100 percent protection," Moniquet said. "It's around the Vatican. It's a ritual. I'm afraid there are not a lot of options" other than an armored car.

Nevertheless, Vatican officials said there were no plans to change the long-standing use of open vehicles for the weekly audience at the Vatican. When the pope travels abroad, he does use a popemobile outfitted with bulletproof glass.

Moniquet noted that people go to the audiences to see the pope, saying that would still be possible with bulletproof glass. But such protection would prevent the pontiff from blessing babies that are occasionally passed to him by his guards, as he did Wednesday.

Since the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S., the Vatican has tightened security in St. Peter's Square when the pope is present. All visitors must pass by police to get into the square, with some going through metal detectors or being scanned by metal-detecting wands.

Nevertheless, virtually anyone can attend. Tickets can often be obtained at the last minute  particularly in good weather, when the audience is held outside in the piazza.

St. Peter's Square is cordoned off with wooden barricades to create lanes for the popemobile to cruise through the crowd and make the pope more visible to the throngs.

The pope is protected by a combination of Swiss Guards, Vatican police and Italian police.

On Wednesday, the head of the Swiss Guards, Col. Elmar Maeder, walked along one side of the popemobile while Benedict's personal bodyguard, Domenico Giani, took the other. Several plainclothes security officers trailed them.

Benedict stood up behind the driver, holding onto a bar to steady himself, with his personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Ganswein, seated behind him.

Asked why the pontiff didn't react to the disturbance, Vatican officials noted that the incident occurred quickly, that there was a lot of noise in the piazza and that the popemobile kept moving.

The officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly, said no extra security measures were being considered for Thursday, when the pope planned to take part in an annual religious procession outside the Vatican walls in central Rome.

Source:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070606/ap_on_re_eu/pope_security_breach;_ylt=AojGmhs0aMOT16ZWLZpuRAHjOrgF

Earlier today, I posted here the first report on the Pope's celebration of Corpus Domini today, but subsequently, I found these stories of the Wednesday audience other than the jumper incident, so I moved my Corpus Domini post down - it ended up on the next page of the thread - to acommodate them (and pictures), for better chronology.




06/06/2007 13:49
VATICAN
Pope to G8:
Increase aid to the world's needy


Vatican City, June 6 (AsiaNews) - Rich countries must increase their aid to the development of the worlds nations in need, by upholding the right to education which is the real platform for progress among peoples; the Church knows this well from its lengthy experience at the forefront in this field.

This was Benedict XVI's appeal to the leaders of the worlds industrial powers gathered in Germany for the annual G8 summit which opened today. The Pope has asked those gathered in Heligendamm to "maintain their promises to substantially increase development aid in favour of the worlds needy nations, above all those in Africa".

"Special attention," he continued, "needs to be paid to the millennium goals: to access to basic education for all; the promise that by 2015 every boy and girl will be able to complete a primary school cycle. This is a fundamental factor in achieving all of the other millennium goals. It is a guarantee of the consolidation of the objectives to be reached; it is the starting point for autonomous and sustainable development".

Benedict XVI concluded by recalling that the Catholic Church "has always been at the forefront of education" along with "other Christian churches, religious groups and civil organisations".

"It is a reality", he added, "which in line with the principal of subsidiarity, the governments and international organisations is called to recognise, evaluate and support, also by means of adequate financial contributions".



Before his appeal, delivered to the 30,000 pilgrims and visitors taking part in the audience, Benedict XVI spoke of the unity of the Church founded on Peter, and of the heart as "the place where God speaks to man and man listens to God".

The two themes were discussed by the Pope in light of his reflections on the figure of Saint Cyprian, the next in Benedict XVIs cycle of catechesis on the early fathers of the Church.

The Pope recalled that Cyprian, the first African bishop to be martyred, was born in fourth century Carthage to rich pagan family. After a misspent youth he converted to Christianity at 35, an experience he described as: "A sovereign light spreading through my heart, a second birth".

As a bishop he faced the first two waves of persecution of Decius and Valerian. After the particularly cruel oppression of Decius, he strove to "bring about a return to discipline in the community": many had renounced the faith or failed to maintain its precepts: "they were the 'lapsed' and 'fallen' who wanted to return to the community, divided into liberals and rigorists. Cyprian favored the possibility of forgiveness after an exemplary penitence.

Cyprian's literary legacy included letters which were pastoral rather than theological. Pope Benedict noted that in his letters, the bishop from Carthage "strongly affirms that the Church is one, founded on Peter...Those who abandon him delude themselves in the belief that they remain in the Church".

"There is no salvation outside the Church, those who do not have the Church as their mother, cannot have God as their Father...The unity which the Church finds in its foundation on Peter and the perfect realization it obtains in the Eucharist" are the inalienable characteristics of the Church, Cyprian wrote.



Benedict XVI also dwelt on Cyprian's teachings on prayer. The Pope revealed his "particular love of his book on the Our Father, which helped me to better understand it and thus better pray it".

"He teaches us that the Our Father is an outline for Christians on the correct way to pray". The Pope underlined the fact that "the Our Father is written in the plural so that he who prays it does so not only for himself. "Our prayer is a public prayer, a communal prayer and when we pray it, we pray it for all Christians because all of us are one people".

From Cyprian, we also learn that when we pray we do so with calm, reserve and discipline...We must remember that we are before the gaze of God. We bring pleasure to God's divine eyes, both by our body's composure and the tone of our voice", but recalling that "God listens not to the voice, but to the heart" and "prayer is fruit of the heart, not of the lips".

In conclusion Benedict XVI remarked that Cyprian is at the very origin of "that fertile theological and spiritual tradition, which sees the heart as the place of prayer" and that "today we still need to make our hearts receptive to the Bible and the fathers words".

Before the beginning of the audience, while Benedict XVI was travelling the square in his open topped popemobile to greet the faithful, a man climbed over the barriers in an attempt to near the Pope, but was stopped by security.













CYPRIAN: CHRISTIANS DO NOT SAY
'MY FATHER' BUT 'OUR FATHER'

VATICAN CITY, JUN 6, 2007 (VIS) - St. Cyprian, "the first African bishop to achieve the crown of martyrdom," was the subject of Benedict XVI's catechesis during his general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 40,000 people.

Cyprian, said the Pope, "was born in Carthage to a rich pagan family" and "converted to Christianity at the age of 35. ... He became a priest and later a bishop.

In the brief period of his episcopate, he had to face the first two persecutions authorized by imperial edict, that of Decius (250) and that of Valerian (257-258)," following which many faithful "renounced their faith, or at least failed to comport themselves correctly when under trial. These were the so-called 'lapsi,' that is, the 'lapsed'."

Cyprian was "severe but not inflexible towards the 'lapsi,' giving them the chance of forgiveness after an exemplary penance." The saint also "showed great humanity and was pervaded by the most authentic evangelical spirit in exhorting Christians to offer fraternal help to pagans during the plague." But he was "irremovable in combating the corruption and sins that devastated the moral life, especially that of avarice."

"Cyprian wrote many treatises and letters, all of them associated with his pastoral ministry. Little given to theological speculations, he wrote above all for the edification of the community and to encourage the faithful to good behavior."

In the saint's works, the Holy Father explained, "the Church is by far the topic most dear to him. He distinguishes between the visible hierarchical Church and the invisible mystical Church, at the same time forcefully affirming that the Church is one, founded upon Peter. He never tires of repeating that 'whoever abandons the chair of Peter, upon which the Church is founded, deludes himself if he believes he remains in the Church'."

Hence, "the indispensable characteristic of the Church is unity, as symbolized by the seamless robe of Christ; a unity that finds its foundation in Peter and its perfect realization in the Eucharist," said the Holy Father.

He then referred to Cyprian's teaching on prayer "which highlights how in the Our Father Christians are shown the correct way to pray." That prayer refers to "us" and "our" rather than to "me" and "mine," said the Pope, "so that he who prays does not pray only for himself. Ours is a public and community prayer. ... The Christian does not say 'my Father,' but 'our Father,' even when praying in the privacy of a closed room, because he knows that everywhere and in all circumstances, he is a member of the one Body."

"Cyprian, then, lies at the origins of that fruitful theological-spiritual tradition that sees the heart as the privileged place of prayer. ... It is there that God meets and talks to man, ... and man listens to God."

"Let us make our own that 'understanding heart' about which the Bible and the Fathers speak," the Pope concluded. "We have such great need of it."






APPEAL TO HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE G8

VATICAN CITY, JUN 6, 2007 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, celebrated in St. Peter's Square, the Pope made an appeal to heads of State and government of the G8 countries - the seven most industrialized countries in the world plus the Russian Federation - who are holding their annual summit meeting in Heiligendamm, Germany from June 6 to 8.

The Pope recalled how on December 16, 2006 he had written to Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, at the beginning of the German presidency of the European Union, "thanking her, in the name of the Catholic Church, for the decision to keep the theme of world poverty on the agenda of the G8, with specific reference to Africa. Chancellor Merkel kindly replied to me on 2 February last, assuring me of the G8's commitment to attaining the Millennium Development Goals.

"Now," he added, "I should like to make a further appeal to the leaders meeting at Heiligendamm, not to retreat from their promises to make a substantial increase in development aid in favor of the most needy populations, especially those of the African continent.

"In this regard, the second Millennium Goal merits special attention: 'to achieve universal primary education - to ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling by 2015.' This is an integral part of the attainment of all the other Millennium Goals: it is a guarantee of the consolidation of goals already reached; it is the starting-point for autonomous and sustainable processes of development.

"It must not be forgotten that the Catholic Church has always been at the forefront in the field of education, reaching places, particularly in the poorest countries, that State structures often fail to reach. Other Christian Churches, religious groups and organizations of civil society share this educational commitment.

"According to the principle of subsidiarity, this reality should be recognized, valued and supported by governments and international organizations, among other things by the allocation of sufficient funding, so that greater efficacy may be guaranteed in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals."

"Let us hope," he concluded, "that serious efforts be made to reach these objectives."

====================================================================


And the 'jumper' pictures:


I thought this a most 'reassuring' picture...

Yahoo news has a brief item stating that a crazed man tried to get into the locked basilica of Saint Mary Major just after Papa had left tonight. There was no danger to our Papa, because he'd already left. There's a photo of the man and he looks strong and, indeed, crazed.
Whatever next!
As you said, benefan, one did wonder if yesterday's person was our old female friend- but photos confirm it was a man! I think she is restrained - at least so far!!!!!!!

maryjos, 07.06.2007 23:57:

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As you said, benefan, one did wonder if yesterday's person was our old female friend- but photos confirm it was a man! I think she is restrained - at least so far!!!!!!!

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I feel I have to come to Concetta's defence - again. Whatever one thinks about her being present at every single one of Papa's appearances I think it rather unfair to compare her to crazed people like the German yesterday or tonight's madman. All she does is stand there in the front row trying to touch Papa's hand which she's perfectly entitled to as long as the Masses and audiences are open to the general public. If she has the time and opportunity why not just let her?

Here's the article about the crazed guy Mary mentioned. In regards to Concetta, I honestly can't say that if I had the opportunity to go every week I wouldn't be there. Chances are I wouldn't be b/c I'd probably be busy. But, ditto, if she has the time why not? Let's just hope there's not bad intentions in her, I don't think those of you who have talked to her have experienced anything weird.

By Frances D'Emilio ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
Thursday, June 7th, 2007.



ROME - Pope Benedict XVI knelt in the back of a flower-bedecked flatbed truck that slowly drove down a Rome boulevard in a religious procession Thursday, a day after a security scare in which a man tried to jump on his jeep in St. Peter's Square.

The procession to mark the feast of Corpus Christi was uneventful, but shortly after the pope left, police detained a man who was shouting angrily.

During the procession, Benedict rode in the truck bed, beneath an open-sided canopy, as thousands of faithful walked down the street, sang hymns and held candles.

A few minutes after Benedict departed, a man started shouting and tried to enter the locked St. Mary Major's Basilica at the end of the route, according to an Associated Press photographer at the scene.

When some in the crowd began calling for police, officers quickly arrived and grabbed the muscular-looking man, who appeared to be in his 30s. Rome police said they did not immediately have further details, and it was not clear what the man was shouting.

Before getting aboard the truck for the half-mile procession, Benedict led a ceremony for more than an hour from atop the steps of St. John Lateran Basilica in central Rome.

The pope was accompanied in the truck by two clergymen who knelt slightly behind him. Vatican security officers on foot preceded and flanked the vehicle, and police on motorcycles kept the route open ahead.

The debate over whether the pope should be better protected in public was rekindled Wednesday after a 27-year-old German man, described by the Vatican as showing signs of "mental imbalance," jumped a security barrier and grabbed hold of Benedict's open popemobile before being tackled by security guards.

Benedict was not harmed and appeared not to have even noticed. He did not look back and kept on waving and blessing the crowd.

The man was questioned by Vatican police, then taken to a hospital for a psychiatric assessment.

"His aim was not an attempt on the pope's life, but to attract attention to himself," said the Rev. Federico Lombardi, the chief Vatican spokesman.

Security analysts said the pope exposed himself to undue risk by appearing in public at the same place and the same time each week in an open jeep.

Still, Vatican officials said they knew of no plans to increase security, writing it off as an isolated incident.

"The case is closed," Lombardi said.

The incident rekindled memories of the May 13, 1981, attempt on Pope John Paul II's life. John Paul was shot in the abdomen and seriously wounded as he was riding in St. Peter's Square in an open jeep at the start of his general audience similar to Wednesday's scenario.

The gunman, Mehmet Ali Agca of Turkey, was caught and served his sentence in Italy before being transferred to his homeland.

Source:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070607/ap_on_re_eu/pope_security_6;_ylt=AuSRFpXWKTHh7Peu.gmdvcxn.3QA

Thursday, June 7th, 2007

VATICAN CITY - The Orthodox archbishop of Cyprus is offering himself as a mediator to try to set up a groundbreaking meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and the Russian Orthodox patriarch of Moscow, an Italian newsweekly reported on Thursday.

Cypriot Archbishop Chrysostomos II will be received on June 16 by Benedict in a private audience at the Vatican.

L'Espresso newsweekly asked Chrysostomos in an interview on its Web site about the possibility he could be a "mediator" to pull off the encounter, which had eluded the late John Paul II in his long papacy. Catholic-Orthodox tensions following the demise of the Soviet Union thwarted John Paul's dream of a pilgrimage to Russia.

"I asked to see the pope, and I thank him for the opportunity," the archbishop was quoted as saying about the mediator possibility. "We want to help him in every way to improve the relations between the two churches, because we are children of the same Father. I would be happy if he accepted the offer."

Asked if the conditions were right for Benedict to meet with Russian Patriarch Alexy II, the archbishop was quoted as saying: "Every moment is a good moment because the aim is that of doing what is best for both churches. It's clear that we're not talking about organizing a meeting in 24 hours."

He said first delegates would need to be exchanged, then theologians would have to prepare the meeting. "In other words, you have to prepare the event so it is a success," the archbishop said, pledging to "do all possible to have them meet."

The archbishop was asked if he had sounded out Alexy. "I am very close to him and I am a good friend of his. I think I can say that there aren't even problems for him. When you have good intentions, obstacles can be surmounted."

Chrysostomos contended that Benedict's being a theologian with good grasp of Orthodox theology would help the process of both the meeting and of reuniting the two churches which split apart nearly 1,000 years ago.

The Russian church accuses Roman Catholics of improperly seeking converts in areas that traditionally would be Russian Orthodox. The Vatican has rejected the proselytizing accusations, saying it is only ministering to Russia's tiny Catholic community of about 600,000 people in a country of 144 million.

Source:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070607/ap_on_re_eu/vatican_orthodox_1;_ylt=ArWcPQB4t8IE8nO1YGrnvlRn.3QA

I moved down this post from where it was when I posted it after the Corpus Domini Mass and procession, to accommodate the stories on yesterday's audience other than the jumper incident.

What a lovely thought that this is already the third Corpus Domini we are marking with Pope Benedict XVI! Here is a translation of PETRUS's early report on the traditional Mass and procession tonight in Rome:





The Pope on 'Corpus Domini' today:
'The world is becoming a desert
with ideologies that threaten life'

VATICAN CITY - The Eucharist is 'the indispensable nourishment' that sustains the Christian today "in the desert of today's world, bled dry by ideological and economic systems that mortify rather than promote life, a world in which the logic of power and possession dominates instead of the logic of service and love, a world where very often the culture of violence and death now succeeds."

Pope Benedict XVI said this in his homily at the traditional Mass celebrating the Solemnity of Corpus Domini held in front of St. John Lateran basilica. The Mass, attended by at least 100,000, preceded a procession with the Blessed Sacrament toward the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore at the opposite end of via Merulana.

"Jesus comes to us and gives us security," the Pope said. "He himself is the Bread of Life."

This truth of the Christian faith, he said, has always elicited 'incredulity' from non-believers because "it surpasses all human comprehension."

"But precisely because it has to do with a mysterious reality that does surpass our comprehension, we should not wonder that even today, many find it difficult to accept the real actual presence of Jesus in the Eucharist," the Pope observed.

He continues: "It has been that way since the day when, in the synagogue at Capharnaum, Jesus declared openly that he had come to give us his flesh and blood as food, in language that appeared 'hard to take'. And many did turn away."

"Then as now, the Eucharist remains a 'sign of contradiction', of a God who took on human flesh and sacrificed himself for the life of the world."

Referring to the miracle of loaves and fishes with which Jesus fed the crowd out of 5 loaves of bread and two fishes, the theologian Pope said it showed "the desire of the Lord that every human being should share in the Eucharist, because the Eucharist is for all."

"Everyone ate and was full," the pope quoted from the Gospel. "A second element leaps to the eye from this Gospel passage. The miracle worked by the Lord has an explicit invitation for each one to give his own contribution - the 5 loaves and the two fishes represent our own contribution, humble but necessary, that he transforms into a gift of love for all."

"Christ continues to exhort his disciples today to be personally involved," he continued. "The Eucharist is a call to sanctity and to giving oneself to our brothers, because the calling for each of us is to be, together with the Lord, bread that is shared for the life of the world."

The traditional Eucharistic procession from Piazza San Giovanni to Santa Maria Maggiore signifies the wish "to bring the Lord Jesus through all the roads and quarters of Rome," the Pope explained.

Once again, as in the past two years, he led the procession, kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament on an altar mounted in a pick-up truck.



"With the procession and our communal adoration of the Eucharist," he said, "we call attention to the fact that Christ immolated himself for all humanity. His passage through the streets and among the houses of our city is an offering of joy and life, of peace and love, to the residents of Rome."

After speaking about the desert left by contemporary ideologies, the Pope said "we (Christians) walk through the world knowing that we have Christ at our side, sustained by the hope of being able to see his face revealed in that definitive encounter, but now we hear his voice that repeats, as we read in the Book of the Apocalypse, "I am knocking at your door. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door to me, I will come to him, I will sup with him, and he with me.'"

"The feast of Corpus Domini," said Benedict, "makes us perceive this knocking by the Lord, even if we have become hard of hearing interiorly. Jesus knocks at the door of our heart and asks to come in, not just for a day, but for always. Let us welcome him with joy, by raising to him the choral invocation of the Liturgy."

"Our Redeemer addresses this invitation to us, dear brothers and sisters of Rome, who are gathered in this historic Piazza around the Eucharist - with your Cardinal Vicar and auxiliary bishops, the other venerated brother cardinals and bishops, priests, deacons and religious, and so many lay faithful."







From Avvenire, here's a backgrounder on the Feast of Corpus Domini and its celebration in Rome and nearby towns associated with the feast:


The feast was instituted in 1264. Some decades earlier, Blessed Julianne of Mont-Cornillon had a vision that suggested the celebration dedicated to the 'body of the Lord."

In 1262, the former Archdeacon of Liege and confidante of Julianne, Giacomo Pantaleone, became Pope Urban IV.

The following year, a Bohemian priest, en route to Rome on a pulgrimage, stopped to say Mass in the city of Bolsena in Lazio province. While breaking the Host before Communion, he was suddenly assailed by doubt whether it really was the Body of Christ.

What dispelled his doubt was that the host shed drops of blood which stained his liturgical garment (now kept in the Cathedral at Orvieto) and some stones on the altar (now kept in the Basilica of Santa Cristina).

On August 11, 1264, Pope Urban IVF promulgated the Bolla Transiturus which instituted for all Christianity the feast of Corpus Domini to be celebrated on the Thursday following the first Sunday of Pentecost.The feast was reapproved by Clement XV in 1311.

The observance of Corpus Domini became widespread thanks to the Council of Trent, which opened the way for Eucharistic processions and the worship of the Blessed Sacrament.

If on Maundy Thursday, the Church marks the institution of the Eucharist, onCorpus Domini, the attention is on the profound relation between the Church and the Eucharist. The processions and adoraitons on this day are public manifestations of the faith of the Christian people in the gift of the Lord's Body and Blood.

Among the most famous Corpus Domini celebrations are those in Bolsena itself (where one of the miraculous stones is carried in procession), Orvieto (where the miracle garment is exposed), and Genzano (where the famous flower festival is held).

In Rome, the Corpus Domini procession from the Lateran to Santa Maria Maggiore began the 15th century, under Nicholas V, although the present route through via Merulana only started in 1575, when Pope Gregory XIII wanted a straight route between the two churches.

The tradition was maintained for three centuries and was interrupted following the events of the breach of PortaPia. John Paul II revived the tradition in 1979.


Avvenire, 8 giugno 2007

=====================================================================

It's nice to know that the Holy Father was able to carry out the Corpus Domini tradition of the open-air Mass and procession as usual - i.e., that after yesterday's jumper incident, Vatican security did not cancel it, and better still, that he was safe among those 100,000 in attendance.

Just to say that much of what I write is light-hearted. Of course I don't think Concetta would leap over the barrier and neither does benefan think so. Nan and I had several hours during which we were able to observe her closely, but we decided not to put our conclusions publicly on the forum. All I WILL say is that the jeep was travelling faster than it usually does when it went past us after the audience. Nan just had time to touch Papa's hand and I didn't touch him at all [because of my short arms - but also because of the extra speed]

If I lived there, I probably wouldn't have time to attend every papal event - if I lived the life I live here. But if I had loads of spare time and money, I suppose it's just possible! Who knows?

Anyway, I didn't mean anything nasty. That's one of the reasons why I am on this happy forum: because we don't get our knickers in a twist!

Benedict XVI and Bush
Interview With U.S. Ambassador to Holy See



ROME, JUNE 7, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The United States and the Holy See are going down parallel paths in many important areas, especially in efforts to advance freedom and human dignity in the world, according the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.

In anticipation of President George Bush's upcoming meeting with Benedict XVI on Saturday, Ambassador Francis Rooney comments on the points of convergence and divergence between the United States and the Holy See.

This is the first meeting between Bush and Benedict XVI since the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, when the president and first lady Laura Bush met Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

The Holy Father received Laura Bush in an audience in Feb. 2006.

Q: What do you think President Bush's goal is in visiting with Benedict XVI, in this, their first meeting since the funeral of John Paul II?

Ambassador Rooney: This is a tangible reflection of how important the Holy See is to the United States and to the president.

The most direct and tangible way to show the interest of the president is a presidential visit.

There is a great deal of excitement on our part to have the president here and to have him devote this time and effort to the Holy See.

The United States and the Holy See have many values in common and are going down parallel paths in many important areas, especially in efforts to advance freedom and human dignity in the world.

The president has done many things that relate to the values that the Holy Father and the Holy See support and nurture.

Q: Following on the heels of the summit of the Group of Eight nations in Germany, what do you think the main points of discussion will be between Benedict XVI and Bush?

Ambassador Rooney: The broad platform of discussion will be the issues that relate to freedom and the promotion of human dignity in the world.

In that context, I think the recent increase in consciousness about global warming will be discussed. The president has had some very direct and concrete things to say about that and the Holy Father has mentioned the environment in one of his recent official pronouncements.

I'm sure the efforts of the world to combat terrorism and to understand and deal with fundamentalism is also a likely topic for discussion.

The Holy Father has spoken about some of the religious and dogmatic foundations related to extremism. Of course, the president has spoken about the necessity of the world to combat violence and extremism.

Q: You have spoken with ZENIT before on issues of immigration. The topic has moved to headlines again with the new proposed U.S. legislation. What are your thoughts on the new legislation?

Ambassador Rooney: The president has said this is legislation he can support.

President Bush has been a believer in the need for a rational, orderly, legal and fair system of immigration and of dealing with the 11 or 12 million illegal aliens in the United States from the beginning of his term in office, even before 9/11, as evidenced by his trip to Mexico to meet with President Vicente Fox.

He has been a supporter for this type of legislation from the beginning, courageously, sometimes even against some of the members of his own party.

9/11 changed many things in the United States and certainly has made the border security and immigration issue more complicated. It has raised sensitivity of the need to secure borders.

In the context of securing borders, which I think everyone agrees is critical, we still need to solve the problem that the president was trying to solve in the first place, which is the 11 or 12 million people living illegally in our country, who are providing valuable goods and services, as well as a rational means of dealing with future potential migrants.

The president's proposals, for the last seven years, have been about providing a means to identify who these people are in our country. Unless you have some kind of process to make them come forward, like his proposal, how can you identify who they are in the first place?

So you identify who they are and provide them a framework to either work in the United States or to go home. And possibly a framework to work in America for a while as a worker and then go home to their home country, or possibly an avenue toward citizenship for certain people who meet all the criteria that the president and Congress agree on. But there has got to be a process for that. You cannot just ignore it.

What I've learned as an ambassador that I didn't realize before is the global nature of population shifts and migration. The world of free trade, widespread communication and transportation technology, and the free flow of goods and services, has radically changed the paradigm.

The United States is not the only country dealing with immigration issues. Italy is dealing with them; the United Kingdom is dealing with them. The issue of Turkish workers in Germany is very well known. It is a global phenomenon.

From a principled point of view, the concepts of Catholic social teaching -- such as uniting families and allowing individuals to enjoy the fruits of their own labor, which is an inalienable human right -- to me ties into what our country is built on. That is, that all men are created equal and all have the opportunity to develop their talents and create opportunities in their lives.

There is a lot of symmetry in Catholic social teaching and the principles America is built on.

Q: The presidents of the Catholic bishop's conferences wrote a letter last week to the leaders attending the G-8 summit asking them to honor their commitments to Africa. Can you explain the recent efforts made by Bush in Africa?

Ambassador Rooney: Fighting AIDS in Africa has been a huge priority for the president.

He started PEPFAR -- the President's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief. It was a $15 billion program at the start of his second term, but now he has called for doubling it and having it continue over the first five years after he leaves office to really get the job done.

It is a courageous thing. All these people around the world talk about how to deal with Africa and what the United States should or shouldn't do. They ought to look at what the Unites States is doing.

The vast majority of the money being spent in this program coincides with the values of the Holy See, especially regarding the treatment of those suffering from the disease and the cultural education being made available to help people change their lives and behavior.

We hosted a conference recently focusing on AIDS and the important role of the Vatican's Good Samaritan Foundation, involving Caritas International and experts from the United Nations.

Attention was given to AIDS treatment, where the money needs to be spent, and showing the important role the Good Samaritan Foundation plays, as well as the important role PEPFAR is playing. Around 27% of all people with AIDS are being treated by Catholic organizations.

It is another area where the Holy See and the United States have very common objectives and are pursing parallel tracks very much in line with each other.

It's a similar discussion about climate change and emissions. What the president has said is that there are certain countries that produce most of the serious emissions, and everybody knows who they are.

The way to deal with these emissions is to use advanced technologies to solve the problem, not just move them to another country.

I think it is logical to make available the technologies to countries that need it the most to solve the problem for everyone. I saw recently that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has also said the same thing.

Q: You have spoken already about some of the points of convergence between present U.S. government and the Holy See, but what do you see as the main areas of divergence?

Ambassador Rooney: I don't know that there are very many areas of divergence. There have been some in the past -- certainly the well-known position of the Holy See about the entry into the war in Iraq.

But since then, the Holy See's support of the efforts of the coalition to bring stability to the country and freedom to create a decent place for people to live to raise their families shows that there has been some convergence there.

Q: There has been a lot of discussion about the persecution of Christians in Iraq, including a recent statement made by the head of the Chaldean Church Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly of Baghdad. Is this something that will be discussed by Bush and Benedict XVI?

Ambassador Rooney: It could be. The Holy Father represents Christians and we are a major part of the coalition forces trying to bring stability to Iraq.

We share the same goals of creating stability and opportunity, while providing freedom and safety for the Iraqi people. In that sense, the Holy See has been supportive of the nation-building and community-building efforts of the coalition forces.


Bush to Visit Sant'Egidio Community

ROME, JUNE 6, 2007 (Zenit.org).- President Bush will be meeting with leaders of the Community of Sant'Egidio during his visit to Rome on Saturday.

Speaking to ZENIT about why the Catholic group was chosen, Francis Rooney, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, said: "This meeting is important to highlight the role of faith-based organizations - like Sant'Egidio's DREAM Project which addresses HIV/AIDS.

"This is also a priority for the president who has committed to battling the disease with his Emergency Program for AIDS Relief."

Of its many initiatives, Sant'Egidio's DREAM Project, or Drug Resource Enhancement against AIDS and Malnutrition, is based on a holistic approach of treating AIDS in Africa. It began in 2002 and is now available in Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Angola and Congo.

The Community of Sant'Egidio, founded in Rome in 1968, is an ecclesial movement that promotes peace and charitable works. Today, the lay movement has 50,000 members in about 70 countries.


The Bushes' day in Rome tomorrow:

When I posted a CNA report on May 29 about Cardinal Ouellet speaking in Aparecida about the July 2008 Eucharistic Congress in Quebec, Canada, I wondered why he was not reported to have said anything about the invitation for Pope Benedict to attend the event. Now it turns out he did - in Quebec two days later, and CNA itself reported it.

Benedict XVI to possibly visit Canada in 2008


Quebec City, May 31, 2007 (CNA).- Pope Benedict XVI could visit Quebec at a time that coincides with the 49th International Eucharistic Congress in July of 2008. The announcement was made in Aparecida, Brazil, by the archbishop of Quebec, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, who said he hoped to receive a response from the Pontiff by the end of the year.

The Eucharistic Congress will bring together thousands of people from around the world to reflect on the theme, 'Eucharist: Gift of God for the life of the world.' Activities at the congress will include catechesis, testimonies and Masses.

"Everybody should be a part of this celebration and join in prayer and reflection," the cardinal said.

He also said Canadian families would provide hospitality to the poor who want to participate in the Congress and that the archdiocese is seeking financial assistance to help bring families from Africa and South America.

More information on the Congress can be found at: www.cei2008.ca

===================================================================

OOOOOF!!! I wasn't thinking...The Pope is committed to go to Sydney in mid-July 2008 for World Youth Day. There's no way he can also travel to North America in the same month...

CARITAS: THE MISSION
TO SPREAD THE LOVE OF GOD


VATICAN CITY, JUN 8, 2007 (VIS) - At midday today, the Holy Father received participants in the 18th General Assembly of the Caritas Internationalis Confederation. They were led by Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga S.D.B., archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, whom the general assembly had elected as the new president of the group.

Speaking in English, the Pope recalled that Caritas Internationalis today numbers more than 150 national organizations and that Servant of God John Paul II conferred public and canonical legal personality upon the confederation.

"This means," he said, "that your confederation does not simply work on behalf of the Church, but is truly a part of the Church, intimately engaged in the exchange of gifts that takes place on so many levels of ecclesial life. As a sign of the Holy See's support for your work, Caritas Internationalis has been granted its wish to be accompanied and guided by the Pontifical Council 'Cor Unum'."

The mission of the confederation, said Benedict XVI, is "to assist in the Church's mission to spread throughout the world the love of God. ... Charity has to be understood in the light of God Who is 'Caritas': God who loved the world so much that he gave His only Son. In this way we come to see that love finds its greatest fulfillment in the gift of self."

"This is what Caritas Internationalis seeks to accomplish in the world. The heart of Caritas is the sacrificial love of Christ, and every form of individual and organized charity in the Church must always find its point of reference in Him, the source of charity.

"This theological vision," he added, "has practical implications for the work of charitable organizations. ... The first is that every act of charity should be inspired by a personal experience of faith, leading to the discovery that God is Love. ... Only when charitable activity takes the form of Christ- like self-giving does it become a gesture truly worthy of the human person created in God's image and likeness."

"The second implication follows closely from the first. God's love is offered to everyone, hence the Church's charity is also universal in scope, and so it has to include a commitment to social justice."

"For this reason, the great challenges facing the world at the present time, such as globalization, human rights abuses, unjust social structures, cannot be confronted and overcome unless attention is focused on the deepest needs of the human person: the promotion of human dignity, well-being and, in the final analysis, eternal salvation."

The Holy Father concluded his address by assuring those present that "there are countless men and women whose hearts are filled with joy and gratitude for the service you render them. I wish to encourage each one of you to persevere in your special mission to spread the love of Christ, Who came so that all may have life in abundance."


[The full text of the Pope's address in English has been posted in HOMILIES, DISCOURSES, MESSAGES.]


====================================================================




Earlier today, Pope Benedict XVI welcomed Mohammed El-Baradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Commission, who was received with his family for a private audience. (AP Photo)

Bush and Pope Prepare to Meet

By Jeff Israely/Rome
TIME Magazine
Thursday, Jun. 07, 2007

At first glance, President Bush and Pope Benedict XVI offer a portrait in contrast: the swagger of a trust-my-gut Texan and the shyness of a cerebral theologian. But behind the photo-op set for Saturday's first-ever Bush-Benedict meeting are two men with some key traits in common. Both, of course, wield their words and policy with planetary reach thanks to the unique offices they hold. But there are also some notable parallels in the way they have come to exercise their respective global roles. More than six years into Bush's presidency and two years into Benedict's papacy, it is clear that neither is cut from the traditional cloth of international diplomacy. Beyond what are indeed very different styles and backgrounds and job descriptions are leaders who pride themselves as straight talkers who act according to what they see as simple truths. Indeed, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and the born-again Protestant President acknowledges that their public deeds -- and diplomacy, itself -- are driven by a very palpable and personal religious faith.

Though the agenda leading up to their Vatican meeting -- from Iraq to debt relief to abortion -- features points that both converge and diverge, the 30-plus minutes behind closed doors will above all be a meeting of two men of Christian devotion, says a Catholic Church insider. "The Pope knows he has a real believer in front of him," says the insider. "Bush's faith is seen here as something definitely authentic, even in its errors."

U.S. policy in Iraq is the "error" that sticks foremost in minds throughout the Church hierarchy, going back to Pope John Paul II's firm opposition to the original invasion in 2003. By all accounts, Benedict was lock-step with his then boss in opposing the war, and has recently commented that there is "nothing positive" coming out the situation in Iraq. Of particular concern in Rome is the destiny of the Christian minority in the country. Over the past week, a Catholic Chaldean priest and three deacons were killed in Mosul in northern Iraq, while another Chaldean priest and five parishioners have been abducted in Baghdad. Thousands of Christians are fleeing the war-ravaged country. However, for fear of risking a further deterioration of the situation facing Iraqi ethnic and religious minorities, few clerics are calling for immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops. Indeed, the official Vatican position is to support the Iraqi government. Nevertheless, the Pope is expected to raise the subject of civilian suffering with the American President. The Pope is also expected to raise another Mideast issue: the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, where many in the Vatican privately criticize the U.S. for not taking a more active role in mediating the divide.

The Vatican finds common ground with the Bush administration on bioethical questions. Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, recently praised the White House on its anti-abortion stance: "The United States is a great country, and the current president has especially distinguished himself for some positive initiatives in favor of the defense of life from conception," Bertone told the newspaper Avvenire.

Of course, truth, even that which is believed to come from above, does not preclude the need for diplomacy. Private audiences with the Pope, such as the one Bush will have, tend to be largely symbolic and often formal affairs, compared with the ongoing substantive talks and collaboration among the full-time diplomats. The meeting itself is an opportunity for Bush to remind America's Catholic voters of their "shared values" with the Pope: from opposition to stem-cell research to anti-poverty efforts in Africa. After meeting the Pope, Bush is expected to sit down with the Catholic aid group Communita di Sant'Egidio, which has been among the best unofficial arms of Vatican diplomacy, and encompasses the idea of faith-based initiatives so dear to the American President.

The Bush-Benedict meeting will include public statements about the "excellent rapport" between the Holy See and the U.S. But it often takes weeks and months to unpack what has happened in the closed-door talks. One possible topic of discussion is bound to stay secret: a papal trip to the U.S.

By Anita Snow
Friday, June 8, 2007.

HAVANA - Bolivian President Evo Morales met with Fidel Castro for nearly three hours Thursday and said the convalescing Cuban leader looked well.

"He looked very recovered to me," said Morales, who also found the time to play racquetball with Vice President and Cabinet Secretary Carlos Lage, and meet with Castro's brother Raul, Cuba's interim president, during his previously unannounced daylong trip to Havana.

"I am very satisfied," Morales told state media before boarding his flight home Thursday night. "I am very much an admirer of Fidel."

Morales predicted more meetings with the Cuban president, saying, "I am sure we will continue talking. He told me, 'Come back anytime to continue chatting, and debate important themes for humanity in any part of the world.'"

Castro on Thursday issued a new essay that lambasted President Bush, accusing him of trying to deceive Pope Benedict XVI into believing the U.S. has done nothing wrong in Iraq.

"Bush is trying now to fool Pope Benedict XVI," Castro wrote. He predicted that during his visit to the Vatican this week Bush would tell the pontiff, "The Iraq war doesn't exist, it hasn't cost a cent, there's not a single drop of blood. And hundreds of thousands of innocent people have not died in a shameful exchange for petroleum and gas."

Castro also warned of another possible war against Iran, "possibly including nuclear tactical blows to impose the same shameful recipe."

Photographs distributed by Morales' office showed him meeting with Castro's brother Raul, the 76-year-old defense minister and acting president, after his morning arrival. The images also showed Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and Lage, who Cuban state media said greeted Morales at the airport.

One photo showed a smiling Morales and Lage, both in athletic clothes and holding rackets on a racquetball court.

International reporters were not given access to Morales' arrival or meetings.

Castro has not appeared in public for more than 10 months, since he announced he had undergone intestinal surgeries and was stepping aside in favor of a government headed by his brother. As he recovers, Castro has been seen only in still photographs and videotapes released by the government.

A story announcing Morales' surprise visit appeared Thursday morning in the Communist Party newspaper Granma, which said the Bolivian president's trip "constitutes a new demonstration of the solid ties of friendship and solidarity that unite our people and governments."

Senior officials have repeatedly said Castro is on the mend, although he recently acknowledged that his recovery has been delayed because one of his first operations did not go well.

The bearded revolutionary has been more active of late, writing more than a dozen essays.

AP

Source:http://www.suntimes.com/news/world/419868,CST-NWS-imm08.article

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Cuban government photo released today shows Castro on TV (thru Reuters)

Fidel Castro: Bush Lies and Cons

Havana, Jun 8 (Prensa Latina)- Cuban President Fidel Castro said that US statesman George W. Bush aims to con Pope Benedict XVI, by reflecting on a recent declaration made by the White House chief.

Fidel Castro cited words by the US president, who stated that he would go to the Vatican "with a very open mind and really to listen to the Pope" and assured that they shares a common respect for human life, human dignity and freedom.

"Bush would now like to con Pope Benedict XVI. The war in Iraq doesn't exit, it doesn't cost a cent, not one drop of blood has been spilled, nor have hundreds of thousands of innocent people died as part of a shameless bartering of lives for oil, gas, imposed by force of arms on the peoples of the Third World.," expressed the Cuban leader.

Due to its importance, Prensa Latina integrally reproduces reflections by the Cuban president:

REFLECTIONS BY THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF:

BUSH'S LIES AND CONS

I don't like the idea of seeming to be a vengeful person, someone wishful to relentlessly pursue an adversary. I had promised myself to wait a bit and see how the contradictions between Bush and his European allies would unfold on the vital subject of climate change. But George W. Bush went too far when he made a declaration that we read in an AP piece last Friday. The President of the United States stated that he would go to the Vatican "with a very open mind and&ready to listen" to the Pope, and he assured that they share a "common respect for human life and human dignity" and freedom.

"History has demonstrated that democracies don't go to war with each other and therefore the best way to reinforce peace is to promote freedom," he added.

"This will be the American leader's first visit to Pope Benedict XVI. His last trip to Italy was in April 2005 for the funeral of Pope John Paul II", the agency reported.

In one of my reflections I said that I wouldn't be the first or the last person that Bush would order or authorize his agents to remove. Having seen his unusual declaration, I think that if Bush had ever read any history book, he would be aware that there, in Rome itself, an empire was born that nourished the vocabulary of political language for almost two thousand years; the Vatican City was also born there as time went by, after Constantine's Edict of Milan which officially removed obstacles to the practice of Christianity at the beginning of the fourth century A.D.

Historians tell us that the Caesar Nero who ordered the capital of the empire to be set on fire was heard to exclaim in satisfaction while the tragedy was in progress: "What a great poet is perishing!"

If only the historians were right! If only Bush were a poet! If only the inhabitants of the planet were those belonging to those times! If only nuclear, chemical, biological and mass destruction weapons did not exist! Even though it was a sad occurrence, including the death of the poet, who would be alarmed by a fire consuming what today would be just a great village?

Evidently Rome is not yet included among the 60 or more dark corners of the world that the United States military must be ready to pre-emptively attack, as Bush proclaimed at West Point on June 1, 2002.

Bush would now like to con Pope Benedict XVI. The Iraq War doesn't exist, it doesn't cost a cent, not one drop of blood has been spilled, nor have hundreds of thousands of innocent people died as part of a shameless bartering of lives for oil and gas, imposed by force of arms on the peoples of the Third World. Nor does the danger of another war against Iran exist, including possible tactical nuclear strikes to impose the same infamous formula. We are all required to believe that Russia does not feel threatened by a possible shower of annihilating and accurate nuclear missiles giving rise to a new and ever more dangerous arms race.

Following the chronic course of his rude lies, we might well wonder: why did Bush free an infamous, self-confessed terrorist like Posada Carriles on the same day that the 45th anniversary of the imperialist defeat at the Bay of Pigs was commemorated? Worse still, would he feel even a smidgen of pain about the injustice of keeping 5 Cuban heroes prisoners, some serving two life sentences, because they were informing their country about terrorist plans? Banish the thought that Bush didn't know who funded the countless assassination plots on Castro!

We have seen Bush making strange and disturbed grimaces while making official speeches to United States senators and representatives, boasting about the enemies he has had removed by issuing personal orders. He created official torture centers in Abu Ghraib and at the Guantánamo Naval Base; his agents, acting illegally, kidnapped people in many countries where CIA planes would secretly fly in, with or without permission from the corresponding authorities. Information would have to be extracted with well-studied physical torture methods.

How could he possibly think that Pope Benedict XVI would share values with him about respect for life, human dignity and freedom?

What does the Spanish language dictionary tell us?

Tall tale: an artfully disguised lie.

To con: to deceive, to hallucinate, taking advantage of someone's naiveté.

I promised brief reflections and I am keeping my word.

Fidel Castro Ruz

June 7, 2007

4:45 p.m.

Source:http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B2DB721DA-F560-476E-8876-6577094742C9%7D)&language=EN

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Comment by Teresa:
Unfortunately, Castro's illness appears to have addled his brain as well. He has been unhinged by his anti-Americanism all this time. Besides, does he think Benedict XVI is a dummy who can't tell when he is being conned? George W. Bush has his share of faults, and his decision to oust Saddam Hussein really led to unimagined horrible consequences, but he is also a Christian gentleman.

Forgive this little personal divagation, but my skin crawls when I think now of the 'admiration' I had for Fidel Castro the time I had the opportunity to meet him in 1975. I covered his activities with our Philippine delegation for a total of about nine hours in a two-day period - a three-hour dinner and a six-hour guided tour the next day of his brother Raul's model farm in Matanzas and the Che Guevara institutions for Young Pioneers [Cuba's equivalent of Boy Scouts].

In 1975, he was at the peak of his physical form and I thought he was the 'sexiest' man I had ever seen - until I saw John Paul II three years later! [Remember, this was 31 years ago when I was young and foolish]. Castro was gentle, he was courteous, he was expansive, he was oh-so-congenial, he was fascinating!

Maybe part of the fascination was the counterculture sheen that leftists still had at the time. I was still in awe of having met Chou En-lai in Beijing the year before, and making my first trips to the USSR and the People's Republic of China, where you get shown only the 'best' of what the Communist welfare states gave in terms of housing and education and health benefits.

And this, even though I was repelled by the student anarchy when I happened to be in Paris at the time of the May 1968 riots and the occupation of the Sorbonne, etc. Even though I knew that whatever material 'gains' the Communist societies showed, it all came at the expense of personal freedoms.

Not that I ever favored Communism in any way - I remember with great sorrow many contemporaries at the university who chose to become Communist guerillas in the Philippines, and many of them paid for it with their lives. [But one of them visited China at the time, decided to stay behind and seek asylum - and lo and behold, 15-20 years later, he was Time magazine's bureau chief in Beijing!]

Bush to meet Pope amid protests in Rome

By Philip Pullella
Reuters
Friday, June 8, 2007; 6:16 PM

ROME (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush meets Pope Benedict for the first time on Saturday for discussions expected to centre on their differences on Iraq and their common stand against abortion.

But Bush's meeting with the Pope may be overshadowed by the large protests expected during his one-day visit to Rome, which has set off a political row over whether the government has properly prepared security measures.

The 80-year-old Benedict and Bush are expected to speak privately for about 30 minutes in the pontiff's private study in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace.

The Pope and Bush see eye-to-eye on ethical issues such as abortion and euthanasia but are divided over the war in Iraq, which Benedict's predecessor, John Paul, tried hard to avert.

"The United States is a great country and the president has particularly distinguished himself for several positive initiatives in favor of the defence of life from conception," Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's secretary of state, told an Italian newspaper earlier this month.

But he cited Iraq as among the "problems that remain" and suggested the Pope and Bush will also discuss the plight of the minority Christian population there.

Bush told an Italian newspaper on June 1 that his intention was "mainly to listen" to the Pope. Bush also said he would be eager to discuss changes in China and the future of post-Castro Cuba if the Pope wanted.

As Bush meets the Pope in the relative quiet of the Vatican, tens of thousands of protestors will be taking to the streets in another area of Rome to protest against his visit and particularly his policy in Iraq.

VIOLENCE WARNING

The U.S. embassy advised American citizens to avoid the protests, warning "violence may erupt."

A big anti-Bush march is planned to wind through the city for several kilometers (miles) between two large squares. Police said they feared the demonstrations may turn violent.

Many supporters of Prime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left government, which includes communists, oppose the war in Iraq and some of his coalition parliamentarians may join the rallies.

The centre-right opposition led by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has criticized Prodi's leftist allies for preparing what they say is a lukewarm welcome for Bush at best.

Posters reading "No Bush, No War," have been plastered in many parts of the city and rainbow-colored peace flags were hung in several neighborhoods.

In a move that highlighted fears of possibly violent demonstrations Bush will skip a visit in the central Trastevere neighborhood where he was to have met leaders of the Sant'Egidio Roman Catholic community.

Trastevere is one of Rome's oldest quarters, made up of narrow, cobbled alleys difficult for a presidential motorcade to negotiate.

The group, which has been nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize because of its work in Africa, will instead meet Bush at the U.S. embassy.

The cancellation of the Trastevere visit quickly became a political issue, with the centre right accusing the government of not being able to guarantee adequate security for an ally.

"This is shameful," said Berlusconi, who made Italy a staunch U.S. ally during his time in power. He will meet Bush at the U.S. ambassador's residence on Saturday evening.

Sant'Egidio works with the needy in Italy and Africa, where it has many AIDS programs. It brokered an end to Mozambique's civil war in 1992 and has 50,000 members in 70 countries.

Papal patience causes chafing among some Vatican bureaucrats, media


By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- More than two years into his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI has proven to be a very patient decision-maker -- so patient that even some of his Vatican bureaucrats are chafing a little.

"There are all these decisions that you thought were already made, and then nothing happens," one Roman Curia official said in early June.

The examples abound:

-- The pope's letter to Chinese Catholics, announced in January, has yet to appear.

-- The papal document widening use of the Tridentine Mass, reportedly ready since last fall, is still awaiting publication.

-- A consistory to name new cardinals, expected in June by most Vatican officials, has apparently been put off until the fall.

-- A slew of key appointments, including the replacement of several Roman Curia heads who are past retirement age, keep getting deferred.

-- The streamlining of Vatican communications agencies, rumored to have been one of the pope's priorities following his election in 2005, still has not happened.

Why are things taking so long? The main reason, according to those inside the Curia, is that the pope believes some of these questions call for consultation and fine-tuning, rather than snap decisions.

"Documents like the one on China clearly require careful preparation, consultation and review, not only on the general lines of the text but also in particular expressions," said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman.

He noted that once a document is finally approved, additional time is needed for translations. The translation phase in where the letter on China is said to be lingering.

As for curial appointments, Father Lombardi said replacing department heads may seem simple to outsiders, but such nominations are often tied to a whole series of other appointments or changes. Therefore a "concordance of circumstances" may be needed before they are announced, he said.

"One thing is clear: The style of this pope and his governance is to not allow himself be pressured or hurried, but to take all the time necessary," Father Lombardi said.

Journalists seem to be the ones most impatient with the pope's patience. A recent article in the Rome newspaper Il Messaggero, under the headline "The Curia Waits, the Pope Doesn't Decide," spoke of a growing "climate of uncertainty" inside the Vatican.

"This proceeding with excessive prudence seems to have caught even the highest officials of the curia off-balance," the newspaper said.

Some Vatican sources dismissed such speculation, saying these kinds of projects have always taken time, especially at the beginning of a pontificate. What has whetted the media's appetite is that several of the initiatives have been pre-announced, they said.

One apparent decision by the pope has struck some as a reversal of an earlier move: The Vatican recently said the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue would get its own president.

In 2006 the pope had placed the council under the wing of the Pontifical Council for Culture, in a move widely seen as the beginning of sweeping reform of the Roman Curia. The restoration of the interreligious council's autonomy is now seen as a signal that the pope does not want to be viewed as downgrading the Vatican agency that dialogues with Islam.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, said in late May that the new head of the interreligious council would be named soon. But there was no clue when the nomination would actually come, and "soon" has taken on new meaning under Pope Benedict.

Last October, Vatican officials promised that the papal letter liberalizing use of the Tridentine Mass was ready and would be published sometime soon. When Cardinal Bertone said in June that people "shouldn't have to wait long" to see the document, there was much scoffing and smiling among reporters.

The pope apparently has decided to wait until this fall to name new cardinals. Sources say nominations will come in October, with a consistory in November. By then there will be at least 16 openings in the 120 "under-80" cardinals who can vote in a conclave.

Top Vatican appointments are bound to come, especially in agencies where the current head is past retirement age, including the congregations for Eastern Churches and Saints Causes, the Pontifical Council for Culture, and the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

For months, imminent replacements also have been rumored for the positions of assistant secretary of state and master of papal ceremonies.

Meanwhile, while the media focus has been on big appointments and big documents, the pope has had plenty of other things to occupy his time and energy.

During a three-week period in late May and early June, for example, he held 61 separate audiences, made 44 nominations, gave 25 speeches or sermons, presided over three major liturgies, created four new saints and approved decrees for 17 other sainthood causes.

The pope is also believed to be working on the second part of his work on Jesus of Nazareth; the first volume was published this spring.

Bush visits Pope
By Caren Bohan and Philip Pullella


VATICAN CITY, June 9 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush met Pope Benedict on Saturday and told the pontiff he believed the G8 summit in Germany had been a success.

The Pope and Bush held talks for about 35 minutes in the pontiff's private study in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace to the backdrop of tight security in Rome for fear of violent anti-U.S. demonstrations.

"It's good to be with you sir," Bush told the Pope as he sat before the pontiff's desk.

When the Pope mentioned Bush had just come from the summit of world powers in Heiligendamm, Bush said: "I did, your old country, and it was successful ... a lot of different opinions, but it was good."

When the Pope asked Bush if his dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin had been good, Bush responded with a smile: "I'll tell you in a minute," referring to the reporters who were about to be ushered out of the room.

Putin turned the tables on Bush at the Group of Eight summit in Germany this week by suggesting the United States use a Russian-controlled radar as part of an anti-missile shield protecting Europe, instead of U.S. hardware.

U.S. plans to deploy interceptor missiles in Eastern Europe have infuriated Moscow, which says this could upset the global strategic balance and be used to attack or spy on Moscow.

Bush and the 80-year-old pontiff see eye-to-eye on ethical issues such as abortion and euthanasia but are divided over the war in Iraq, which Benedict's predecessor, John Paul, tried hard to avert.

Bush told an Italian newspaper on June 1 his intention was "mainly to listen" to the Pope. Bush also said he would be eager to discuss changes in China and the future of post-Castro Cuba if the Pope wanted.

As Bush began a day of meetings with a visit to President Giorgio Napolitano - an 81-year-old former Communist, in a country now ruled by a centre-left coalition critical of U.S. foreign policy - about 10,000 police secured central Rome against expected mass demonstrations.

Leftists and pacifists opposed to the war in Iraq and to the expansion of a U.S. military base in northern Italy took trains to Rome for protests that will echo those in Germany at the G8.

Many who elected Prime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition, as well as some of Prodi's own members of parliament, may join the rallies - which the organizers promised would be peaceful.

"Bush is the biggest international terrorist. It's a disgrace the Italian government elected by the votes of pacifists should invite him to this country," said Elio Luppoli, arriving in Rome with about 70 protesters from Milan.

Fears the protest might turn violent were highlighted by the cancellation of Bush's planned visit to Rome's colorful Trastevere quarter, where he was to have met leaders of the Sant'Egidio Roman Catholic community.

One of Rome's oldest neighborhoods, its narrow, cobbled alleys would have been difficult for the presidential motorcade.

The Sant'Egidio group, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize because of its work brokering peace and fighting AIDS in Africa, was due instead meet Bush at the U.S. embassy.

(Additional reporting by Gavin Jones, Stephen Brown, Toby Zakaria, Deepa Babington, Roberto Landucci, Antonella Ciancio)




AIDS a topic between Bush and the pope
By JENNIFER LOVEN

ROME,July 9 (AP) - President Bush, in his first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI, defended his humanitarian record around the globe, telling the papal leader on Saturday about U.S. efforts to battle AIDS in Africa.

Bush shook hands, posed for photos and shared a few laughs with the pope and then sat down with him at a small desk in Benedict's private library.

Benedict asked the president about his meetings with leaders of other industrialized nations in Germany, the pontiff's homeland, and then changed the topic to international aid.

"I've got a very strong AIDS initiative," Bush said.

The president promised the pope that he'd work to get Congress to double the current U.S. commitment for combatting AIDS in Africa to $30 billion over the next five years.

The pope also asked the president about his meeting in Germany with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has expressed opposition to a U.S. missile shield in Europe.

"The dialogue with Putin was also good?" the pope asked.

Bush, apparently eyeing photographers and reporters who were about to be escorted from the room, replied: "Umm. I'll tell you in a minute."

The pope was introduced to the president's top aides. Bush speechwriter William McGurn kissed the pope's ring. The pontiff gave each of them a small gift and the pope and the president also exchanged gifts.

Bush's visit to Rome was with heavy security. Thousands of police deployed Saturday morning in downtown Rome to counter demonstrations by anti-globalization groups and far-left parties against Bush's meetings with the pope and Italian officials.

Dozens of trucks and buses surrounded the Colosseum, the downtown Piazza Venezia and other historic venues as scores of officers, some in anti-riot gear, poured from their vehicles. The main boulevard leading to St. Peter's Square and the Vatican was closed to traffic. Police and helicopters guarded the area.

Bush was greeted in the courtyard of the Vatican by members of the Swiss Guard, the elite papal security corps dressed in their distinctive orange, blue and red-stripped uniforms.

The president had pledged to be in a "listening mode" during talks with Benedict, which were expected to touch on the controversial war in Iraq.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's No. 2, said Benedict planned to discuss the war in Iraq and the plight of Christians in the unstable, violence-wracked country. The war was vigorously opposed by the late Pope John Paul II. In his Easter message, Benedict said "nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees."

In a pre-trip interview, Bush said: "I think His Holy Father will be pleased to know that much of our foreign policy is based on the admonition to whom much is given, much is required."

"Sometimes I'm not poetic enough to describe what it's like to be in the presence of the Holy Father. It is a moving experience," the president said. "He's a good thinker and a smart man. I'll be in a listening mode."

Bush arrived in Rome Friday night, after a stop in the Czech Republic, three days at a summit of industrialized democracies on Germany's northern coast, and a quick, three-hour visit to Poland. The president stays in Rome Saturday night, too, before going on to Albania and Bulgaria.

While in Rome, he'll help back up his message to the Pope about his humanitarian record by visiting a lay Roman Catholic organization that does extensive work in the area.

The Sant'Egidio Community has a $25 million program to provide free antiretroviral drugs for HIV-positive people in 10 African countries, along with follow-up and home care.

To cut hassle, Bush is meeting with the group at the U.S. Embassy instead of its headquarters in Rome's picturesque Tastavere neighborhood. He's also canceled a planned tour of the nearby Basilica of Santa Maria.

Bush is pushing Congress to increase aid, and helped lead the Group of Eight summit this week to agree to a new program worth more than $60 billion to fight AIDS, malaria and other disease in Africa.





Bush began his day with a short meeting with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at Quirinale Palace, his official residence. Bush was greeted in a courtyard by an honor cordon of soldiers in navy uniforms, black boots and fur hats. They walked under a clock tower into the palace and ascended up a marble staircase under a ceiling of frescoes.

Later, he'll have longer talks and lunch with Premier Romano Prodi, also fresh from the G-8 meetings.

Italian-U.S. relations are busy right now  and a bit strained.

Just hours before Bush's arrival Friday, the first trial involving the CIA's extraordinary rendition program opened in a Milan courtroom. Along with the 26 Americans on trial for the abduction of an Egyptian cleric, a U.S. soldier is on trial in Rome for the March 2005 slaying of an Italian spy in Baghdad. In both cases, the U.S. citizens are being tried in absentia.

Meanwhile, a report out Friday from European investigator Dick Marty accused Italy and Germany of obstructing his probe into alleged secret prisons run by CIA in Europe. Marty said they were located in Poland and Romania from 2003 to 2005 to interrogate suspected terrorists.

Italy also has withdrawn troops from Iraq and is reluctant to send additional soldiers to Afghanistan.

Washington is concerned that U.S. troops, along with those from Canada and Britain and elsewhere, are the only NATO countries sending forces to fight the Taliban in the most violent areas in the south. Other NATO-contributing countries, such as Germany, France and Italy, restrict the use of their forces to relatively peaceful areas of the north.

A series of small incidents involving the Italians and heavy fighting elsewhere in the country have heightened concerns in Italy over the mission and shaken Prodi's leadership.

Prodi ousted Silvio Berlusconi a year ago, replacing a like-minded conservative and staunch ally of Bush's with a center-left leader whose government has spared Washington no criticism.

Despite differences, Bush and Prodi have said they want good ties. Still, the U.S. leader is hedging his bets on Italian politics. He'll end his day with a private talk with his old friend Berlusconi.

Prodi's fragile, squabbling center-left coalition recently fended off a major challenge by Berlusconi in local elections. Berlusconi's camp appeared to have made some gains, but achieved no landslide.

Associated Press writer Alessandra Rizzo contributed to this story.




Bush in first audience with Pope

VATICAN CITY, June 9 (AFP) - US President George W. Bush had his first private audience Saturday with Pope Benedict XVI, expected to touch on the Iraq war as well as ethical questions.

The US leader told European journalists last month that he would be in "a listening mode" during his half-hour meeting with the 80-year-old German pontiff, elected in April 2005.

"Sometimes I'm not poetic enough to describe what it's like to be in the presence of the Holy Father," he said, referring to his three meetings with Benedict's predecessor John Paul II. "It is a moving experience."

Bush and Benedict will discuss the Iraq war, the Middle East "and the large ethical and social questions concerning people worldwide," according to the Vatican's secretary of state, Tarcisio Bertone.

The pope lamented during his Easter message this year that "nothing positive comes from Iraq."

Later on Saturday Bush was meet with officials from the Catholic lay community Sant'Egidio to discuss their "comprehensive approach" to the fight against AIDS in Africa under a programme known as DREAM, or Drug Resource Enhancement Against AIDS and Malnutrition.

The programme cares for 35,000 AIDS patients, providing them with generic medicines.

Sant'Egidio, best known for mediating in international conflicts, is considered a channel of "shadow diplomacy" for the Vatican.





Right photo is the Cortile San Damaso, rarely photographed so it can be seen like this,
the inner courtyard that gives access to the Apostolic Palace. VIP motorcades drive into here.