A CHILD CONCEIVED IN ITS MOTHER'S WOMB HAS THE RIGHT TO LIFE!

VATICAN CITY, JUN 14, 1999, (VIS) - This morning, due to a dense fog over the Polish capital which prevented the journey by helicopter, the Pope travelled by car from Warsaw to Lowicz. Upon arrival he went to the square of the Church of the Good Shepherd where, at 10:15, he celebrated the Mass of Blessed Michal Kozal, bishop and martyr, who was a prisoner in the concentration camp of Dachau.

At the start of his homily, the Pope addressed parents: "You are the first guardians and protectors of the life which has not yet come into the world but is already conceived. Accept the gift of life as the greatest grace of God, as His blessing for the family, for the nation and for the Church. Here, from this place, I say to all the fathers and mothers of my homeland and of the whole world, to all men and women without exception: Every child conceived in the womb of its mother has the right to life!"

"The family," he went on, "is also called upon to educate its children. ... All children have the natural inalienable right to have their own family, parents, brothers and sisters, with whom they come to the realization that they are persons needing love and capable of loving others." Parents, he said: "You must do everything to ensure that God is present and honored in your families. Do not forget daily family prayer, especially in the evening, keeping Sunday holy and going to Sunday Mass. You are your children's first teachers of prayer and Christian virtue, and no one can take your place in this."

He told the teachers and educators present that young people "expect answers to the many questions of life which trouble their minds and hearts, and in a special way they demand from you an example of how to live. You must be their friends, faithful companions and allies in the struggles of youth. Help them to build the foundations for their future."

"I am pleased that in Poland many new Catholic schools are being established. This is a sign that the Church is present in a practical way in the area of education. These schools are to be supported, and conditions must be created to enable them to contribute to the common good of society in cooperation with the entire educational world in Poland."

John Paul II appealed to young people: "Do not be afraid to follow the path of your vocation, do not be afraid to seek the truth about yourselves and the world around you. ... Respect and love your parents. They brought you into the world and they are educating you. Your parents are in fact your dearest friends, and you should seek their help and advice in the problems of your lives." He concluded: "May Christ be present in your thoughts, in your games and in your conversations. You should always live in friendship with Him. The Lord Jesus wishes to help you."

PV-POLAND;MASS;...;LOWICZ;VIS;19990614;Word: 510;