POPE INVITES ALL TO IMITATE THE EXAMPLE OF THREE SAINTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 19, 1999 (VIS) - At noon today in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II received 11,000 pilgrims who came for yesterday canonization ceremony. Speaking of the three new saints, he said: "Let us deepen their charisms, let us assimilate the spirit which they left as their legacy, and let us imitate their example, and the peace of Christ will reign in our hearts!"

The Pope invited all to give thanks to God "for Fr. Champagnat's many disciples who faithfully lived their mission to the witness of martyrdom. We especially recall the eleven brothers, witnesses of truth and charity, who died tragically in the last five years in Algeria, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo."

"Evangelical charity was the virtue which most characterized the life of St. Giovanni Calabria," continued the Holy Father. "A Jewish lady doctor, whom he hid amongst his Sisters to save her from Nazi fascists, witnessed that each moment of his life was a personification of St. Paul's hymn to love."

Lastly, speaking of St. Agostina Livia Pietrantoni, the Pope called for her example "to give enthusiasm to the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Antide and to encourage them to give an ardent witness to that charity which is the synthesis of divine law and is the link of all perfection."

AC;CANONIZATION;...;... ;VIS;19990419;Word: 230;