POPE LAUDS CITIZENS MISSION FOR LATIN AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 13, 2002 (VIS) - Pope John Paul, on the occasion of the Citizens Mission for the Latin American community in Rome, today welcomed members of that community, including cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and lay people as well as leaders of the Rome diocesan office for migrations.

In his talk to them in Spanish, the Pope observed how, in their communities of origin "faith in Christ the Savior has deeply marked personal and family life, as well as the culture of your countries. Zealously preserve, witnessing to it here, in the land to which you migrated, the devotion to your legacy of faith and culture, rich in spiritual values and religious traditions that are expressed in song and celebrations, in dance and in dress, in pilgrimages and in popular devotions to images of the Lord, the Virgin Mary and your patron saints, as you have shown with great joy and unity during this mission."

The Holy Father reminded them that "the Catholic faith ... is the greatest treasure that each of you possess within your most intimate selves and which gives cohesion to your unity and solidarity."

He recalled that the Mission gave special attention to young people and he renewed "the Lord's invitation at the center of the next World Youth Day to 'be the salt of the earth and the light of the world'."

"The Mission," he went on, "was able to take advantage of the efficacious support of the pastoral centers that for some years now have functioned in the city and that care for the spiritual and human needs of immigrants, promoting catechesis, liturgical and sacramental celebrations, and offering all types of help necessary for facing the difficulties that a migrant encounters in order to meet his primary needs, from work to a home to health services."

John Paul II expressed the hope that such pastoral centers, which he said had arisen within generous and welcoming parishes, "will multiply, favoring the necessary integration of your ethnic communities with the Christian and civil communities in Rome."

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