The Vatican City: The driving force of evangelization is love, said Pope John Paul II. He was addressing the Priests' Council which had, as its aim, the evangelization of the world by 2000 AD. The council decided to provide every home with a Bible. More than 3000 priests attended the council meeting.
 

Bangalore: The Social-Communication Council Meeting of the Asian Federation of Bishops' Conferences strongly exhorted that media education should be transformed into a novel form of evangelization. The council requested those working in the Catholic media- communication field to present the Church before the world as a fellowship of groups that witness to the power of the gospel, enter into dialogue with society and live out its prophetic role.

The draft passed by the council is expected to be a guideline for the Asian Catholic communication media network. For the formation of a church community rooted in proper participation, joint responsibility should be encouraged. Importance should be given to the success story of ordinary people who did extraordinary things, in the programmes produced for the various media. Church leaders and members should bear life witness that proclaims the gospel message and denounce contrary ideas, the council requested.
 

Catholic schools have the duty to present Jesus to the world as the source of all good values- so said Cardinal Pio Laghi, Chairman of the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education, while addressing the synod of American Bishops. Human values should not be generalised. All good comes from Christ. Catholic education which does not proclaim Christ, fails to fulfil its mandate, added the Cardinal.
 

The Vatican City: The official Vatican daily, "Osservatore Romana " has stated that mercy killing, by which the doctor helps a patient to die through medical means, is in fact suicide. The article written by Fr Gino Cansetti against the law passed by the state of Oregon in the United states, permitting doctors to aid patients on the brink of death, to die quicker, makes the attitude of the Church clear leaving no room for doubt. The article says that suicide is wrong whoever may be the one who commits it or whoever may be the accomplice. It is against the greatness of human life and God's intention in creating man. Calling mercy-killing, "suicide committed with the help of the doctor", Fr Gino added that giving sanction to such a malpractice is the triumph of a culture of death. About sixty per cent of people in the state of Oregon had voted in favour of this new ''convenience'' christened "Auto homicide".
 

Allen Kayes, who sought the Republican candidature in the 1996 Presidential elections, in the United States, stated that until abortion is wiped away form the USA, the American people will be in a state of moral death. The American society, rooted in and built up on sound moral principles, has of late, been in a very precarious condition.

It is not enough to pay lip service to moral values. Laws which favour abortion should be defeated and repealed in Assemblies, courts and above all from the hearts of men. If Americans decide that the child within the womb of the mother has no right to live, they will not protect the rights of anyone. Allen gave a stern warning that if prime importance is not accorded to this battle for life, it will be the nation that will collapse.