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

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2003VATICA02225 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED