OUR ERA NEEDS TO RECEIVE GOD'S FORGIVENESS

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 15, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received at midday today in the Paul VI Hall the pilgrims who came to Rome to participate in the beatifications of the Servants of God Gaetano Errico, Lodovico Pavoni, Luigi Variara, Maria del Transito de Jesus Sacramentado, Artemide Zatti and Maria Romero Meneses.

After emphasizing that Blessed Errico was an "apostle of God's merciful love and martyr of the confessional," he said: "How much our era needs those who proclaim the mercy and forgiveness of God to sinners, in particular through the Sacrament of Penance!"

He went on to say that Blessed Pavoni knew how to develop "an educational method that is based on the means that are typical of 'preventive pedagogy', such as religion and reason, love and mildness, vigilance and knowledge."

Referring to Blessed Variara, who lived in Colombia, John Paul II emphasized that that country could find in him "a help in order to overcome the hard situation which it has endured for so many years and to set out toward a more fraternal and united society."

The Pope asked that the "joyous service to the sick" of Blessed Zatti encourage in "all health care professionals a renewed spirit of service to the sick which brings their nature as a person, having certain inalienable rights, to the forefront."

"Sister Maria Romero's service to poor, with creativity and effectiveness, draws us to her. ... May this service, which gives so much honor to the Church of Christ, never be lacking!"

The Holy Father concluded by expressing his desire that the testimony of Mother Maria del Transito de Jesus Sacramentado serve as an example to so many of her fellow Argentinian countrymen who at the present moment must continue their life as Christians and citizens with enthusiasm, without falling into the temptation of despondency or, what would be worse, a spirit of rivalry or revenge."

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