VATICAN CITY, MAY 2, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul, after the Mass and beatification of Padre Pio in St. Peter's Square, travelled by helicopter to St. John Lateran where he greeted the faithful from the central loggia, which was draped in an enormous tapestry bearing the image of the new Blessed.
Before reciting the Regina Coeli prayer, the Pope spoke of Padre Pio who, he said, "through his teaching and his example, invites us to prayer, to recourse to divine mercy through the sacrament of penance and to love for one's neighbor. He especially invites us to love and venerate the Virgin Mary. His devotion to Our Lady could be seen in every work of his life: In his words and writings, in his teaching and in the advice he gave to his many spiritual sons and daughters."
The Holy Father then asked for prayers for those regions of the world which are suffering conflicts, in particular Yugoslavia and parts of Africa.
"With deep sorrow and concern my thoughts today return to neighboring Yugoslavia and I affectionately embrace all there who are crying, suffering and dying. I again raise my voice to plea - in the name of God - for an end to man's abuse of man, for an end to the instruments of destruction and death and for the mobilization of every possible channel of assistance for those forced to leave their homeland in the midst of indescribable atrocities. May dialogue be resumed, with that intelligence and creativity that God has bestowed on man, in order to resolve tensions and conflicts and to build a society based on the dutiful respect towards every human person.
"With all my strength I invite you, dear brothers and sisters, to pray intensely during this month of May to beseech Our Lady for the gift of peace in the Balkans and in the too many places in the world where violence reigns, fomented by prejudices and hatred towards those who have different ethnic origins, religious convictions and political ideas. My thoughts go not only to the Balkans but to Africa, the continent which is at this moment bloodied by the greatest number of wars, struggles for power, ethnic conflicts and indifference are slowly suffocating it.
He concluded with a plea for all dioceses to devote the month of May to prayers "so that in the Balkans, in Africa and in every corner of the globe builders of peace might flourish, (who will) forget their special interests and become ready to work for the common good."
ANG;PADRE PIO; YUGOSLAVIA;...;ST JOHN LATERAN;VIS;19990503;Word: 430;
Monday, May 3, 1999
PADRE PIO: A LIFE DEDICATED TO PRAYER AND TO HIS FELLOW MAN
VATICAN CITY, MAY 2, 1999 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II celebrated the Eucharist in St. Peter's Square and beatified the Servant of God, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, whom he called a "humble Capuchin friar who astonished the world by his life given wholly to prayer and to listening to his brothers and sisters."
In front of 300,000 pilgrims from all over the world who were gathered in and adjacent to St. Peter's Square, the Pope declared that the life of Blessed Padre Pio was "a constant act of faith."
"His body, marked by the 'stigmata,' displayed the intimate bond between death and the Resurrection that characterizes the Paschal Mystery. Blessed Pio of Pietrelicina shared in the Passion with a special intensity: The unique gifts that were granted to him and the interior and mystical suffering which accompanied them allowed him to constantly participate in the Lord's agonies, never wavering in his sense that 'Calvary is the hill of saints'."
The Pope went on: "No less painful, and perhaps even more distressing from a human point of view, were the trials that he had to endure as a result, it might be said, of his incomparable charisms."
The Holy Father highlighted the fact that so many people, upon "meeting him, directly or indirectly, rediscovered their faith, inspired by his example, 'prayer groups' have sprung up in every corner of the world. He held up the ideal of holiness to all who met him."
The charity of Blessed Pio of Pietrelcina "poured out like balm on the weakness and sufferings of his brothers and sisters. Padre Pio united his zeal for souls with concern for human suffering, working to build at San Giovanni Rotondo a hospital complex which he called the 'House for the Relief of Suffering'," where "he was above all concerned that the medicine practiced there should be truly 'human'."
HML;BEATIFICATION PADRE PIO;...;...;VIS;19990503;Word: 330;
In front of 300,000 pilgrims from all over the world who were gathered in and adjacent to St. Peter's Square, the Pope declared that the life of Blessed Padre Pio was "a constant act of faith."
"His body, marked by the 'stigmata,' displayed the intimate bond between death and the Resurrection that characterizes the Paschal Mystery. Blessed Pio of Pietrelicina shared in the Passion with a special intensity: The unique gifts that were granted to him and the interior and mystical suffering which accompanied them allowed him to constantly participate in the Lord's agonies, never wavering in his sense that 'Calvary is the hill of saints'."
The Pope went on: "No less painful, and perhaps even more distressing from a human point of view, were the trials that he had to endure as a result, it might be said, of his incomparable charisms."
The Holy Father highlighted the fact that so many people, upon "meeting him, directly or indirectly, rediscovered their faith, inspired by his example, 'prayer groups' have sprung up in every corner of the world. He held up the ideal of holiness to all who met him."
The charity of Blessed Pio of Pietrelcina "poured out like balm on the weakness and sufferings of his brothers and sisters. Padre Pio united his zeal for souls with concern for human suffering, working to build at San Giovanni Rotondo a hospital complex which he called the 'House for the Relief of Suffering'," where "he was above all concerned that the medicine practiced there should be truly 'human'."
HML;BEATIFICATION PADRE PIO;...;...;VIS;19990503;Word: 330;
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
VATICAN CITY, MAY 1, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Bishop Zygmunt Kaminski of Plock as archbishop of Szczecin-Kamien (area 12,754, population 1,081,374, Catholics 1,000,000, priests 583, religious 358), Poland. The archbishop-elect was born in 1933 in Wzgorze-Belzyce, Poland, was ordained a priest in 1956 and a bishop in 1975. He succeeds Archbishop Marian Przykucki, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese upon having reached the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.
- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the apostolic vicariate of Reyes (area 60,000, population 118,000, Catholics 100,000, priests 15, religious 56), Bolivia, presented by Bishop Roger-Emile Aubry, C.SS.R., upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Karl Burgler, C.SS.R.
NER; RE;...;...;...;VIS;19990503;Word: 130;
- Appointed Bishop Zygmunt Kaminski of Plock as archbishop of Szczecin-Kamien (area 12,754, population 1,081,374, Catholics 1,000,000, priests 583, religious 358), Poland. The archbishop-elect was born in 1933 in Wzgorze-Belzyce, Poland, was ordained a priest in 1956 and a bishop in 1975. He succeeds Archbishop Marian Przykucki, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese upon having reached the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.
- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the apostolic vicariate of Reyes (area 60,000, population 118,000, Catholics 100,000, priests 15, religious 56), Bolivia, presented by Bishop Roger-Emile Aubry, C.SS.R., upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Karl Burgler, C.SS.R.
NER; RE;...;...;...;VIS;19990503;Word: 130;
AUDIENCES
VATICAN CITY, MAY 3, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences two prelates from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Donald Theriault, military ordinary of Canada.
- Bishop Matthew Francis Ustrzycki, auxiliary of Hamilton.
On Saturday May 1, he also received in separate audiences:
- Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
- A group of six prelates from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (Ontario) on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop John Aloysius O'Mara of Saint Catharines.
- Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe of Sault Sainte Marie with his auxiliary, Bishop Paul-Andre Durocher.
- Bishop Brendan Michael O'Brien of Pembroke.
- Bishop Paul Marchand S.M.M. of Timmins.
- Bishop Frederick J. Colli of Thunder Bay.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
AL; AP;...;...;...;VIS;19990503;Word: 140;
- Bishop Donald Theriault, military ordinary of Canada.
- Bishop Matthew Francis Ustrzycki, auxiliary of Hamilton.
On Saturday May 1, he also received in separate audiences:
- Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
- A group of six prelates from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (Ontario) on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop John Aloysius O'Mara of Saint Catharines.
- Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe of Sault Sainte Marie with his auxiliary, Bishop Paul-Andre Durocher.
- Bishop Brendan Michael O'Brien of Pembroke.
- Bishop Paul Marchand S.M.M. of Timmins.
- Bishop Frederick J. Colli of Thunder Bay.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
AL; AP;...;...;...;VIS;19990503;Word: 140;
POPE JOHN PAUL'S MONTHLY PRAYER INTENTIONS
VATICAN CITY, MAY 3, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul's general prayer intention for the month of May is: "That the young, creative and dynamic as they are, become witnesses to the word of Jesus, the source of hope, joy and peace."
His missionary intention: "That, following the example of Mary and with her help, Christian parents educate their children in a deep faith that will be open to apostolic and missionary commitment."
JPII-PRAYER INTENTIONS;MAY;...;...;VIS;19990503;Word: 80;
His missionary intention: "That, following the example of Mary and with her help, Christian parents educate their children in a deep faith that will be open to apostolic and missionary commitment."
JPII-PRAYER INTENTIONS;MAY;...;...;VIS;19990503;Word: 80;
PADRE PIO REITERATES TODAY: "HOW TERRIBLE WAR IS!"
VATICAN CITY, MAY 3, 1999 (VIS) - At midday today in St. Peter's Square the Pope received a large group of pilgrims who yesterday had participated in the beatification ceremony for Padre Pio of Pietrelcina.
In his speech the Holy Father recalled that "during the nearly sixty years of religious life he spent in San Giovanni Rotondo, Blessed Padre Pio dedicated himself entirely to prayer and to the pastoral ministry of reconciliation and spiritual guidance."
John Paul II said that "the Mass was, for the Blessed, the focus of each day, the almost anxious concern of every hour, the moment of greatest communion with Jesus, Pastor and Victim."
"In our own times, when we still think that conflict can be resolved with violence and persecution and when we frequently submit to the temptation to abuse armed force, Padre Pio reiterates what he once said: 'How terrible war is! Jesus suffers in each injured man'."
Later the Holy Father referred to the "significant gifts left to us by Padre Pio": The "House for the Relief of Suffering" and the "Prayer Groups." The new Blessed wished the House "to have the most advanced scientific and technological instruments in order that it become a place of genuine refuge, loving respect and effective therapy for all those who suffer. Is it not perhaps a true miracle of Providence, the fact that it still exists and still functions in accordance with the spirit of its founder?".
As regards the "Prayer Groups," Padre Pio wanted them to be "beacons of light and love in the world. He wanted many people to unite with him in prayer."
The Holy Father concluded with the assurance that "the testimony of Padre Pio constitutes a potent call to the spiritual dimension, something that should not be confused with the working of miracles, an error which he always firmly rejected. May priests and those consecrated to the faith follow his example."
AC;BEATIFICATION PADRE PIO;...;...;VIS;19990503;Word: 330;
In his speech the Holy Father recalled that "during the nearly sixty years of religious life he spent in San Giovanni Rotondo, Blessed Padre Pio dedicated himself entirely to prayer and to the pastoral ministry of reconciliation and spiritual guidance."
John Paul II said that "the Mass was, for the Blessed, the focus of each day, the almost anxious concern of every hour, the moment of greatest communion with Jesus, Pastor and Victim."
"In our own times, when we still think that conflict can be resolved with violence and persecution and when we frequently submit to the temptation to abuse armed force, Padre Pio reiterates what he once said: 'How terrible war is! Jesus suffers in each injured man'."
Later the Holy Father referred to the "significant gifts left to us by Padre Pio": The "House for the Relief of Suffering" and the "Prayer Groups." The new Blessed wished the House "to have the most advanced scientific and technological instruments in order that it become a place of genuine refuge, loving respect and effective therapy for all those who suffer. Is it not perhaps a true miracle of Providence, the fact that it still exists and still functions in accordance with the spirit of its founder?".
As regards the "Prayer Groups," Padre Pio wanted them to be "beacons of light and love in the world. He wanted many people to unite with him in prayer."
The Holy Father concluded with the assurance that "the testimony of Padre Pio constitutes a potent call to the spiritual dimension, something that should not be confused with the working of miracles, an error which he always firmly rejected. May priests and those consecrated to the faith follow his example."
AC;BEATIFICATION PADRE PIO;...;...;VIS;19990503;Word: 330;
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