LETTERA DI GIOVANNI PAOLO II
PER IL SIMPOSIO NAZIONALE DEI VESCOVI DI HAITI

A Monsignor Francois Gayot, s. m. m.
Presidente della Conferenza Episcopale e a tutti gli altri Vescovi di Haiti

So che la Chiesa che è in Haiti, sotto la vostra responsabilità pastorale, celebrerà tra il 2 e il 6 dicembre prossimo, un secondo Simposio nazionale, in linea con quello che si è tenuto nel dicembre 1982, alla vigilia della mia visita - che non potrò mai dimenticare - nei vostri cari paesi.

MESSAGE OF JOHN PAUL II
TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE MEETING
ON THE 40th ANNIVERSARY
OF THE PASTORAL CONSTITUTION "GAUDIUM ET SPES"

To my Venerable Brother Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino
President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace

1. The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has sponsored, jointly with other international academic institutions and with a timely initiative, a special Conference to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Pastoral Constitution of the Second Vatican Council on the Church in the Modern World. The symposium has a dynamic theme: "The call to justice. The legacy of Gaudium et Spes 40 years later".

LETTER OF THE HOLY FATHER
JOHN PAUL II
TO PRIESTS
FOR HOLY THURSDAY 2005

Dear Priests!

1. In this Year of the Eucharist, I particularly welcome our annual spiritual encounter for Holy Thursday, the day when Christ's love was manifested "to the end" (cf. Jn 13:1), the day of the Eucharist, the day of our priesthood.

My thoughts turn to you, dear priests, as I spend this time recuperating in hospital, a patient alongside other patients, uniting in the Eucharist my own sufferings with those of Christ. In this spirit I want to reflect with you on some aspects of our priestly spirituality.

LETTER OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
TO CARD. FRANCIS ARINZE
ON THE OCCASION OF THE PLENARY ASSEMBLY
OF THE CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP
AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS

To Cardinal Francis Arinze
Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship
and the Discipline of the Sacraments

1. Venerable Brother, I am pleased to send you my cordial greeting, which I also extend to the Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and Priests who have gathered for this Congregation's Plenary Assembly. I know that at your meeting you are addressing topics of great interest that also fit well into the context of this special Year of the Eucharist.

LETTER OF JOHN PAUL II
TO CARDINAL ANGELO SODANO
FOR THE CELEBRATION OF AN ORDINARY PUBLIC CONSISTORY

To Cardinal Angelo Sodano
My Secretary of State

I had convoked the Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops living in Rome for the celebration of an Ordinary Public Consistory, for today, 24 February, in view of the conclusion of the process of the Causes of Canonization of some Blesseds. I have been advised, for the sake of prudence, to follow this event from my apartment via television link-up.

LETTER OF JOHN PAUL II
TO ARCHBISHOP NIKOLA ETEROVIC
ON THE OCCASION OF THE MEETING OF THE SPECIAL COUNCIL
FOR AFRICA OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT
OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS

To Archbishop Nikola Eterovic
General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops

While the Meeting of the Special Council for Africa of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops is being held, I offer a very special greeting to you and to all the participants in this Meeting. I wish to express to you once again my gratitude for the important work you have done and continue to do at the service of the Church in Africa.

LETTER OF JOHN PAUL II
ON THE OCCASION OF THE DEATH OF MONS. LUIGI GIUSSANI

1. I was overwhelmed with emotion to learn the news of the death of dear Mons. Luigi Giussani, after a long period of illness that he accepted with a spirit of serene abandonment to the divine will and generous participation in the mystery of the Cross of Christ. His departure from this life is a cause of sorrow to his relatives, to the presbyterate of the Archdiocese of Milan, to the "Liberation and Communion" Movement which he founded and to a great many other people who esteemed and loved him as a zealous minister of God. I feel spiritually close to everyone with intense affection at this painful moment of leave-taking.

MESSAGE OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES

To my Venerable Brother Bishop Renato Corti of Novara

At the conclusion of the Spiritual Exercises which you have led with appropriate meditations, dear and venerable Brother, I would like to express my warmest gratitude to you. I am pleased to do so after the Holy Mass and Adoration with which I wanted to conclude this week of silence and intense prayer in the year especially dedicated to the Eucharist. We have thus emphasized that this Mystery is at the heart of our daily life.

LETTER OF JOHN PAUL II
TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LIFE
ON THE OCCASION OF A STUDY CONGRESS
ON "QUALITY OF LIFE AND ETHICS OF HEALTH"

To my Venerable Brother Bishop Elio Sgreccia
President of the Pontifical Academy for Life

1. I am pleased to send my cordial greetings to those who are taking part in the Study Congress that the Pontifical Academy for Life has sponsored on the theme: "Quality of life and ethics of health". I greet you in particular, venerable Brother, and offer you my congratulations and good wishes on your recent appointment as President of this Academy. I also extend my greetings to the Chancellor, Mons. Ignacio Carrasco, to whom I also wish success in his new office. I next address thoughts of deep gratitude to eminent Prof. Juan de Dios Vial Correa, who has retired from the presidency of the Academy after 10 years of generous and competent service.