VATICAN CITY, MAR 8 (ZENIT).- The Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," responsible for promoting and supporting charitable initiatives of the Church, and presided by German Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, has published its annual report, giving figures that reflect the Holy Father's special concerns over the past year.

    On behalf of the Pope, "Cor Unum" gave a total of $1,211,600 in aid to peoples affected by natural calamities, and $555,000 to support projects for human and Christian development. In addition, the "100 Projects of the Holy Father," promoted by this Pontifical Council, donated $20 million to over 200 projects of spiritual and corporal assistance.

    The "Panis Caritatis" program, organized by "Cor Unum" in Italy, which donates part of the cost of a loaf of bread to a solidarity fund, through an agreement with producers and distributors of bread, collected $350,000 last year, which was sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Sudan.

    The papal foundation "Populorum Progressio" financed 215 micro-projects for Indian and African American poor rural communities in Latin America, amounting to a total of $1,705,900. The other papal institution created for such purposes, the "John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel," which is concerned with droughts and blighting of the 9 countries of that region, allocated $5,500,000 to the area.

    These figures do not include the direct aid the Pope gave to Eastern Churches and the missions. The previous year this amounted to $189,618,000. ZE00030810