In his first Angelus address of the new year, Pope John Paul expressed his continued concern for the people of the deadly tsunami that hit December 2004 along the coast of the Indian Ocean. From the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Square, the pope assured victims of his prayers, and he praised the international show of solidarity in bringing aid and relief to those most in need. The Vatican had reported that by January at least $6 million in church aid had already been earmarked for the affected areas. Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops’ agency for overseas aid and development, raised $17 million in the first nine days after launching its appeal to help tsunami victims. The agency said it has raised more than $9 million through its web site, www.catholicrelief.org.

In January, at the invitation of the bishops in the Holy Land, Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, was in Jerusalem to attend an annual meeting on the problems faced by the region’s Christians. “Bishop Skylstad called the January 9 Palestinian election a “historic day” for the Palestinians. “We wish them the best. We need to continue to address (the issues) with prayer and hope as we look to the future in solidarity with people here,” Bishop Skylstad said. Also attending the conference were Msgr. William Fay, general secretary of the bishops’ conference, and John Carr, secretary of the U.S. bishops’ Department of Social Development and World Peace.

It was announced that the Vatican has approved the National Directory for Catechesis which had been approved by the U.S. bishops in June 2003. The directory was awarded its recognitio (approval) by the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy (the Roman dicastery responsible for catechetical matters) December 16, 2004. It is to be both a guide and inspiration for religious education and faith formation in the dioceses and parishes of the United States. It will be an important reference for the formation of catechists and the preparation of catechetical resources.