AUDIENCE FOR PILGRIMS WHO ATTENDED BEATIFICATIONS

VATICAN CITY, APR 30, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in the Paul VI Hall, John Paul II received the pilgrims who attended the beatification of Servants of God Manuel Gonzalez Garcia, Marie-Anne Blondin, Caterina Volpicelli, Caterina Cittadini, and Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodriguez Santiago.

The Pope recalled that Msgr. Gonzalez Garcia, founder of the Congregation of the Eucharistic Missionaries of Nazareth, was known as "the bishop of the abandoned shrines." He urged the faithful to follow the new Blessed's example "in his constant visits to the sacramental Lord."

Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, "affectionately called Charlie," was, the Pope said, "a layman committed to the spreading of Christian humanism in the university milieux" in whom the lay Puerto Ricans found "an example to imitate."

The Holy Father went on to say that he hoped that "the inspiring witness of Mother Marie-Anne Blondin," foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Anne, "encourages the Church to bring peace to the world and to be close to all those who have been 'unfortunate' in life', to be close especially in the areas of education, health care, and pastoral and social animation."

Caterina Volpicelli, foundress of the Servants of the Sacred Heart, and her spiritual sisters, "were 'good Samaritans' in various situations of poverty, carrying out a work not only of philanthropy and charity, but bearing witness to authentic evangelical charity in a sincere and prudent way, in solidarity with and respectful towards simple and humble people."

In conclusion, the Pope referred to the foundress of the Ursuline Sisters of Somasca, Caterina Cittadini, and exhorted them to "faithfully continue in the path marked out by her, to be sure guides in the journey of faith and in the cultural formation of children and youth."

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