VATICAN CITY, MAR 5, 2000 (VIS) - This morning, John Paul II presided at a Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's Square and beatified 44 Servants of God: Brazilian, Thai, Byelorussian, Filipino and Vietnamese martyrs who are, he said in his homily, "united by the same unconditional faith in the Lord and the same profound passion for the Gospel."
The Holy Father stated that Andre de Soveral and Ambrosio Francisco Ferro, priests, together with 28 companions, Brazilian martyrs "are the first fruits of missionary work, the protomartyrs of Brazil. ... The blood of defenseless Catholics, many of them anonymous - children, old people and entire families - will serve as a stimulus to strengthen new generations of Brazilians, recalling above all the value of the family as true and irreplaceable creator of faith and generator of moral values."
The strength in faith of Nicholas Bunkerd Kitbamrung, Thai priest and martyr, "was made clear to all when he forgave those who falsely accused him, deprived him of his freedom and made him suffer much. In prison, Father Nicholas encouraged his fellow prisoners, taught the catechism and administered the sacraments."
Referring to Maria Stella Adela Mardosewicz and her ten companions from the Institute of the Holy Family of Nazareth in Belarus (formerly eastern Poland), the Pope asked where they had found the strength "to give themselves in exchange for the salvation of those condemned to prison in Nowogrodek? Where did they find the audacity to courageously accept such a cruel and unjust death sentence? God had prepared them over time for this moment of even greater trial."
The lay catechist Pedro Calungsod, Filipino martyr, "from his childhood, declared himself unwaveringly for Christ and responded generously to His call. Young people today can draw encouragement and strength from the example of Pedro, whose love of Jesus inspired him to devote his teenage years to teaching the faith as a lay catechist."
Finally, John Paul II indicated that Andre de Phu Yen, Vietnamese lay catechist and martyr, "for love of the Lord gave all his energies to service of the Church, helping priests in their mission. ... Blessed Andre, protomartyr of Vietnam, is today a model for the Church in his country."
Four Catholic bishops from Vietnam were allowed to travel to Rome and were present at today's beatification.
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