VIGOROUS POPE CELEBRATES 83RD BIRTHDAY BY

UNCLAS VATICAN 002225 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI; DRL E.O. 12958 N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM VT SUBJECT: VIGOROUS POPE CELEBRATES 83RD BIRTHDAY BY CANONIZING FOUR, RECEIVING DEGREE, AND ADVOCATING HUMAN RIGHTS 1.(U) AN INCREASINGLY VIGOROUS POPE JOHN PAUL II CELEBRATED HIS 83RD BIRTHDAY MAY 18 BY CANONIZING FOUR NEW SAINTS IN A MASS BEFORE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WELL-WISHERS. DESPITE HIS LIMITED MOBILITY, THE POPE WAS IN TOP FORM. WITH A STRONG, CLEAR VOICE, HE URGED THOSE PRESENT TO PRAY FOR HIM "SO THAT GOD WILL HELP ME TO FULFILL FAITHFULLY THE MISSION HE HAS ENTRUSTED TO ME." VATICAN OBSERVERS HAVE ABANDONED THEIR 2002 SPECULATION THAT THE POPE WOULD RESIGN BECAUSE OF ILL HEALTH AND NOW MARVEL AT HIS RENEWED STRENGTH AND VITALITY THAT VATICAN OFFICIALS ATTRIBUTE TO A REGIME OF SPEECH AND PHYSIOTHERAPY, GOOD DIET AND APPROPRIATE MEDICATION FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE, WHICH SENIOR VATICAN CARDINAL GIOVANNI BATTISTA RE PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED MAY 17 AS A SOURCE OF THE POPE'S DIFFICULTIES. 2.(U) A DAY EARLIER, THE POPE RECEIVED AN HONORARY DOCTORATE IN LAW FROM ROME'S "LA SAPIENZA" UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS CELEBRATING ITS 700TH ANNIVERSARY. THE AWARD RECOGNIZED THE POPE'S PAST AND CONTINUING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNIVERSAL AFFIRMATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN, OF JUSTICE, AND OF PEACE AMONG INDIVIDUALS AND NATIONS. THE CEREMONY, ATTENDED BY ITALIAN PM BERLUSCONI AND MEMBERS OF HIS GOVERNMENT, BECAME AN OCCASION TO RECALL THE POPE'S QUARTER-CENTURY OF PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS. IN HIS ADDRESS, THE POPE HIGHLIGHTED A FULL AGENDA OF HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES FOR WHICH HE CONTINUES TO FIGHT: THE RIGHT TO HUMAN LIFE FROM CONCEPTION TO NATURAL DEATH; JURIDICAL PROTECTION FOR THE HUMAN EMBRYO; FREEDOM OF RELIGION; PROTECTION FROM DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF RACE, LANGUAGE, RELIGION OR SEX; THE RIGHT TO PRIVATE PROPERTY; FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND EXPRESSION, PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL LIFE, AND ECONOMIC INITIATIVES; THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION AND CULTURE; THE RIGHT OF MINORITIES TO EXIST AND EXPRESS THEIR PARTICULAR CULTURE; THE RIGHT TO WORK AND TO WORKERS' RIGHTS; AND THE RIGHT OF THE FAMILY NOT TO BE USURPED BY SOCIETY AND THE STATE. OF THESE RIGHTS, THE POPE EMPHASIZED THE RIGHT TO LIFE AS "THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL," WHILE OBSERVING THAT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM "WAS NOT SIMPLY ONE RIGHT AMONG OTHERS, BUT THAT TO WHICH ALL THE OTHERS ARE CONNECTED." 3.(U) COMMENT: DESPITE SPECULATION BY THE MEDIA AND SO- CALLED "VATICANISTI" THAT THE HOLY SEE IS "IN A HOLDING PATTERN" WAITING FOR THE POPE TO DIE, THE REALITY IS QUITE DIFFERENT. THE POPE MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE IF CIRCUMSCRIBED DAILY SCHEDULE, GUIDES LONG-TERM INTERNAL DECISION MAKING, CONTINUES TO TRAVEL -- THIS YEAR'S SCHEDULE INCLUDES SPAIN, CROATIA, BOSNIA, SLOVAKIA AND MONGOLIA, AND TO PROMOTE HIS INTERNATIONAL AGENDA FOCUSED ON RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE PROMOTION OF HUMAN DIGNITY . WHILE THE POPE HAS SCALED BACK ON SOME ROUTINE BUSINESS, AT 83, HE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY ADEPT AT CONSERVING HIS ENERGY FOR WHAT IS MOST ESSENTIAL TO THE HOLY SEE'S DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICY AGENDA. END COMMENT. HARDT NNNN 2003VATICA02225 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED