US embassy cable - 03VATICAN2225

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