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VATICAN CITY, APR 14 (ZENIT).- "Work for All: The Road to Solidarity and
Justice," is the slogan for the Jubilee of the labor world, which will
be held in Rome on May 1. When presenting the program for this special
day, Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, president of the Central Committee of
the Great Jubilee, acknowledged that what is most worrying today is not
so much human working conditions, but the unemployed, because
unemployment amputates us from our own personalities. "And those wounded
by the modern economy are very numerous," he added.
On May 1, there will be an unprecedented feast in Rome, which will
include all Italian labor unions, on the same day as their annual
holiday. "The participation of this Pope, who came out of the stone
quarries of Zakrzowek and of the ovens of Solvay in Borek Falecki and
afterwards Nowa Huta... will give this meeting a Jubilee dimension for
the whole Church and the whole of humanity," the Cardinal explained. On the Outskirts of RomeThe Workers Jubilee will inaugurate the period of the great events of the Holy Year, so massive that they cannot be held in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, but must take place on the outskirts of Rome, in a new venue tailor-made for big events called Tor Vergata. Hence, the Jubilee enters an altogether different dimension in terms of organization: between Holy Week and May 1, Rome will be invaded by some 2 million pilgrims. And in August, 1 millions youths are expected.The Workers' Jubilee will begin on April 30 at night, with a Prayer Vigil in the Basilica of St. John Lateran. The impressive meeting will take place the following day, with over 200,000 workers beginning to arrive in Tor Vergata in the early hours of the morning. Among them will be men and women who have positions of responsibility in different areas of labor at the world level: entrepreneurs, labor unionists, leaders of workers' associations, leaders of the financial world, and of cooperation and business. Although the majority will be Italian, including communist unions, workers' representatives from all countries of the world will be in Rome on May 1. Special MassThe climax of the event will be a concelebrated Mass at 10:30 a.m., presided by the Holy Father. During the Offertory, gifts will be made representing the commitment to solidarity by a number of associations and labor unions from various countries of the world who favor the humanization of work. One of the most significant gifts will the collection made by the ecclesial campaign to reduce the foreign debt of poor countries. A helmet will be offered, representing the commitment to the defense of life and safety in the workplace. A portable computer will reflect the endeavor to put new technology at the service of man, and a bonsai will represent development that respects nature. Most significant will be a picture of Jesus as a worker.Papal Meeting with LaborAt the end of the Mass, John Paul II will meet the workers of the different categories present in Tor Vergata. The Pope will be greeted on behalf of all by Juan Somavia, director general of the International Labor Office (ILO), representing the entire world of labor; and Paola Bignardi, president of Italian Catholic Action, representing all women workers.Next on the program is a musical recital by tenor Andrea Bocelli, who will sing the Jubilee Hymn and several compositions of sacred music, accompanied by the choir and orchestra of the Academy of St. Cecilia, directed by maestro Myung-Whun-Chung. Later, the Pontiff will give a message to the world of labor and will be greeted by a delegation from various categories of the working world. The meeting will end with the song "Life Is Beautiful." Labor World's ConcertThe afternoon will be dedicated to a festival for workers. At 5:30 p.m. there will be a concert with the possible participation of Noah, Lou Reed, and the Eurythmics. The participation of all these artists will be confirmed at a future press conference. The subject of the concert will be the commitment to the cancellation of the foreign debt of poor countries. The musical show has three objectives: first, to support an educational commitment; second, to sensitize governments of rich countries to the problem; and finally, to encourage concrete signs of personal and collective responsibility. ZE00041413
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April 17, 2000 volume 11, no. 76 NEWS & VIEWS
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