TELEGRAM FOR MEXICAN EARTHQUAKE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 17, 1999 (VIS) - Made public yesterday evening was the following telegram, sent in the Pope's name by Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, to Archbishop Justo Mullor Garcia, apostolic nuncio in Mexico, for the earthquake which struck that country on June 15:

"Having heard the sad news of the earthquake which has caused victims, injuries and so much material damage in Mexico, His Holiness John Paul II offers his prayers to the Lord for the eternal repose of the deceased and entreats Your Excellency to express his sincere condolences to their families, as well as his sentiments of paternal spiritual closeness to the injured and to those deprived of their possessions. At the same time he calls upon institutions and people of good will to kindly offer practical assistance to the afflicted, compassionately and in a spirit of Christian solidarity. With these sentiments, the Holy Father imparts the consolation of his apostolic blessing upon the victims and those who help them."

TGR;EARTHQUAKE;...;MEXICO; SODANO; MULLOR;VIS;19990617;Word: 180;