NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- Pope John Paul II used his regular Wednesday public audience on February 10 to reflect on his recent trip to Mexico and the United States.

      Speaking in a raspy voice-- the only visible after-effect of a bout with the flu-- the Holy Father said that the trip "was in a certain sense a great appeal to America-- to welcome the Gospel of life and of the family, to reject all forms of violence against the human person, of whatever kind, from conception until natural death."

      The Pope said that his goal was to help establish a culture of life which could "unite freedom and truth" in fight against the culture of death. He listed a number of the particular struggles in that overall battle: the fight against abortion, euthanasia, "the useless resort to the death penalty," racism, child abuse, drug abuse, the traffic in arms, and environmental destruction.