POPE BEATIFIES SEVEN SERVANTS OF GOD

VATICAN CITY, OCT 7, 2001 (VIS) - The Pope beatified seven servants of God at 10 a.m. today in St. Peter's Square: Ignatius Maloyan (1869-1915); Nikolaus Gross (1898-1945); Alfonso Maria Fusco (1839-1910); Tommaso Maria Fusco (1831-1891); Emilie Tavernier Gamelin (1800-1851); Eugenia Picco (1867-1921) and Maria Euthymia Uffing (1914-1955).

In his homily, the Holy Father spoke about each one of the new blesseds. "The Armenian bishop Maloyan, who died as a martyr at the age of 46, reminds us of the spiritual battle of each Christian whose faith is exposed to the assaults of evil. From the Eucharist, he received the necessary strength day by day to accomplish his ministry as a priest with generosity and passion, dedicating himself to preaching, to a pastoral work of the sacraments and service to the neediest."

The Canadian religious Emilie Tavernier Gamelin, foundress of the Congregation of the Religious of Providence of Montreal, "had a heart open to all destitution, serving especially the poor and children, whom she desired to treat as kings. She gave with great generosity, considering that she received all from the Lord. This was the secret of her profound joy, even in adversity."

Referring to the German Nikolaus Gross, John Paul II said that this father of a family, journalist, and martyr, lived, "in the darkest period of the twentieth century for Germany. ... He opposed the national socialist ideology with Christian hope. ... His love for the Church and truth were the priority."

The religious Maria Euthymia Uffing, also German, of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy, "dedicated herself especially to helping the sick among the prisoners of war and those who worked within the prisons."

About Alfonso Maria Fusco, Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Religious of St. John the Baptist, the Holy Father emphasized that, "...since his childhood, the Lord had placed in his heart a passionate desire to dedicate his life in the service of the poorest, particularly children and young men and women."

Regarding Tommaso Maria Fusco, Italian priest and founder of the Institute of the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood, "By virtue of his faith, he knew how to live the royalty of the kingdom of God in the world in a very special way."

The Pope ended by highlighting that Eugenia Picco, Italian, virgin, of the Congregation of the Little Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, "took upon herself the poverty of the people of Parma, responding to the needs of youth and destitute families and assisting victims of the war which was staining Europe with blood during that period."

After Mass and before praying the Angelus, the Holy Father indicated that today is Colombia's national day of prayer for peace. "I unite myself," he said, "to this prayer to ask God to help us overcome conflicts and confrontations, and to walk towards a stable peace, with the liberation of those who are kidnapped and the establishment of a sincere dialogue that restores fraternity and solidarity between the beloved daughters and sons of Colombia."

"In this moment," he said, "I would like to remember the victims of the airplane disaster three days again in the Black Sea. I ask the Lord to grant them eternal rest and to console those who mourn their tragic loss."

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