TELEGRAM FOR THE MURDER OF ARCHBISHOP OF CALI

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2002 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano sent a telegram of condolences in the Pope's name to Archbishop Alberto Giraldo Jaramillo of Medellin, president of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia, for the murder on March 16 of Archbishop Isaias Durate Cancino of Cali:

"Recalling the figure of this valiant and generous pastor who was so decidedly committed to the service of God, the Church and his fellow man, and so concerned with favoring peace and justice for his people who, for so many years, have been tried by conflicts that still afflict them and give rise to so many deaths, kidnappings and all kinds of suffering, the Pope wishes to encourage the Church on her pilgrim journey in that country not to allow herself to be overcome by despair and the difficulties of her mission in proclaiming the Gospel of life and peace; bringing it to society through a commitment to building more fraternal, united and peaceful forms of co-existence. Moreover, in reiterating his firm condemnation of any attack on human life and dignity, he calls on the Almighty to help the authorities and people of Colombia to start decisively down the path that leads to true peace, the fruit of justice, of dialogue and of respect for the fundamental rights of each human being."

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