Book on Pope John Paul Praised

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, Aug. 11—The book John Paul II: A Light for the World might be “the pick of the crop” among tributes marking the 25th anniversary of the current pontificate, according to Publishers Weekly.

The publishing-industry “bible” highlighted the new Sheed & Ward book, which was created with help by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and boasts a forward by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

A Light for the World includes 150-word personal remembrances by Church leaders, including Cardinal Edward Egan of New York; Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications; and Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C. It includes photos from each stop on the Pope's visits to the United States, including his refueling stops in Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska.

Vatican Asked to Help Free Tariq Aziz

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, Sept. 2—The most prominent Christian in Saddam Hussein's fallen Iraqi government is still a prisoner of the U.S. military, the French news agency reported, and his wife isn't happy about it.

Violet Aziz noted that her husband was taken prisoner April 24 and that despite American promises, he has not been allowed to contact anyone—not even his family. Mrs. Aziz told the Italian public radio service RAI that Aziz “never was responsible for the crimes” of Saddam and asked Pope John Paul II to appeal for his release.

“In a 35-year career, [Aziz] was never about to have a real influence on the bellicose policies of Iraq and even less on what Saddam was doing in our country,” she said.

Aziz is a Chaldean-rite Catholic, a member of a minority group that has faced harsh measures by local Shi'ite Muslims in the aftermath of the U.S. invasion, including the forced closures of liquor stores, long an economic mainstay of Christians during the tenure of Saddam's secular regime.

Kenyan Cardinal Dies

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Sept. 6—Pope John Paul II sent a telegram of condolence upon learning of the death of Cardinal Maurice Otunga of Nairobi, Kenya, who died Sept. 6 at age 80 in Nairobi after a long illness, the news service reported.

“It is with deep sadness that I learned of the death of Cardinal Otunga, and I wish to assure you and all the faithful of the Archdiocese of Nairobi of my prayers to the good shepherd that, in his tender love, he will bring this dedicated servant speedily to the place prepared for him at the heavenly banquet,” the Pope wrote to Nairobi Archbishop Raphael Ndingi Mwana Nzeki.

Cardinal Otunga became a Catholic at age 12 and was ordained at age 27. Pope Pius XII named him an auxiliary bishop of Kisumu in 1956, and Pope Paul VI made him coadjutor of Nairobi in 1969. He became archbishop in 1971 and a cardinal in 1973.

Father Giulio Albanese, director of MISNA, a missionary service news agency, told Zenit news service that the African cardinal had as a priority the need to support the family's role in society.