MESSAGE OF JOHN PAUL II
TO H.R.H. PRINCESS KHÉTÉVANE BAGRATION DE MOUKHRANI
AMBASSADOR OF GEORGIA TO THE HOLY SEE*

From the Gemelli Polyclinic, 9 March 2005

Your Highness,

1. I send you a greeting at the time when you are presenting the Letters accrediting you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Holy See. I deeply regret that because of my convalescence I am unable to receive you in person, to offer you my best wishes at the moment when you are about to begin your mission. Please convey my good wishes to President Mikhail Saakashvili, together with the assurance of my prayers for the prosperity and peace of the entire Georgian Nation.

MESSAGE OF JOHN PAUL II
TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE ANNUAL COURSE
ON THE INTERNAL FORUM ORGANIZED
BY THE TRIBUNAL OF THE APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY

Dear Brothers,

1. With great joy I address a cordial greeting to all of you who are taking part in the Course on the Internal Forum organized by the Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary. I offer a special greeting to Cardinal James Francis Stafford, Major Penitentiary, and to his Collaborators, as well as to the confessors in the Basilicas of the City who carry out a service that is more precious and important than ever.

MESSAGE OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
TO H.E. MR STAVROS LYKIDIS
AMBASSADOR OF GREECE TO THE HOLY SEE*

From the Gemelli Polyclinic, 7 March 2005

Mr Ambassador,

1. I am pleased to accredit you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Hellenic Republic to the Holy See. I am grateful to you for conveying to me the greetings of H.E. Mr Constantinos Stephanopoulos, President of the Hellenic Republic. I remember with pleasure his visit to me at the Vatican and my own Visit to Greece during my Apostolic Pilgrimage in the footsteps of St Paul; I should be grateful if you would kindly express my cordial good wishes to him, for him personally and for all the Greek people. At the end of his mandate, I address my warmest greetings to him. I also greet H.E. Mr Karolos Papoulias who will be taking charge of the Country's destiny in a few days time.

MESSAGE OF JOHN PAUL II
TO H.E. DR HELMUT TÜRK,
AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA TO THE HOLY SEE*

From the Gemelli Polyclinic, 7 March 2005

Your Excellency,
Mr Ambassador, Dr Türk,

1. On the occasion of the presentation of the Letters accrediting you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to the Holy See, I warmly congratulate you on the new and honourable mission that the President Heinz Fischer has entrusted to you. I hope that the centuries-old and traditionally good relations between Austria and the Apostolic See will also form a solid basis in the future for fruitful collaboration between the State and the Church for the good of humankind.

MESSAGE OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
TO THE UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
GATHERED FOR THE THIRD EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY DAY

1. I address my cordial greeting to all of you who have gathered in the Paul VI Hall for a Marian vigil. Although I am unable to be with you, I am nonetheless close to you with my affection and prayers. I extend my greeting to your peers who, on the occasion of the Third European University Day, are taking part in your meeting via special television link-ups in Bari, Italy, and then in Berlin, Bucharest, Lisbon, Zagreb, London, Tirana, Madrid and Kiev: Europe is spiritually involved in this important moment of prayer and reflection in preparation for the upcoming World Youth Day, which will take place in Cologne, at the very heart of the European Continent.

MESSAGE  OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
TO PILGRIMS, UNITALSI VOLUNTEERS AND THE SICK

Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes
13th World Day of the Sick
Friday, 11 February 2005

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

1. I joyfully join all of you who are taking part in the annual meeting of pilgrims, the sick and volunteers, organized jointly by UNITALSI and the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi. I extend a most affectionate greeting to each one of you.

ADDRESS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
TO THE COMMUNITY OF THE
ROMAN MAJOR SEMINARY

Saturday, 5 February 2005

Dear Friends,

1. I join you with great joy on the day of the Feast of Our Lady of Trust, Patroness of the Roman Major Seminary. I greet the Cardinal Vicar, the Auxiliary Bishops, the Rector, your other Superiors and, with special affection, you yourselves and your relatives, dear Seminarians. I greet the diocesan Choir and Orchestra conducted by Mons. Marco Frisina, as well as my young friends at the Roman Seminary. You are a cause of comfort to me because you are a privileged sign of the Lord's love for his beloved Church which is in Rome.

SPECIAL MESSAGE OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
FOR WORLD DAY OF CONSECRATED LIFE

Archbishop Franc Rodé, C.M., Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, presided at the traditional Mass for consecrated persons in St Peter's Basilica. Here is a translation of Archbishop Rodé's brief introduction in Italian to the Holy Father's Message for the Day.

"On  the  Feast  of  the  Presentation  of the Lord in the Temple, the  day  on  which  the  Son  of God, conceived in eternity, is proclaimed by the Holy  Spirit as "a  light  for  revelation  to  the Gentiles' and the "glory for your people Israel', we are gathered here to renew our consecration to the Lord. Dear Brothers and Sisters, I convey to you all the personal greeting of the Holy Father, who thanks you for the affection you have shown him and for your fervent prayers. He joins us here at this moment with his prayers and he sends us his Blessing. Let us listen with grateful hearts to his Message to the consecrated men and women of the world".

ADDRESS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
TO THE CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Tuesday, 1 February 2005

To my Venerable Brother Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski
Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education

1. I am pleased to offer my cordial greeting to you, to my venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood, as well as to all the members of the Dicastery who are meeting on the occasion of the Plenary Assembly. I wish you great success with your work in these days while you are examining certain questions that concern Seminaries, Ecclesiastical Faculties and Catholic Universities.