TO CABRINIAN MISSIONARIES: SOLIDARITY WITH IMMIGRANTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 5, 2002 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon the Holy Father sent a Message to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus who are about to celebrate the General Chapter of their Order founded by Saint Francesca Cabrini, Patroness of immigrants.

In his speech to the missionaries, John Paul II recalls that the theme of the meeting is, "Put out into the deep and throw out your nets: Challenges and prophecies of the Cabrinian family," and he underlines that the foundress, during the course of her life, dedicated herself to "bring the love of Christ to all those far from their home land and families who ran the risk of becoming distant from God ... If her spiritual daughters want to follow in the footsteps of their foundress they must go with renewed ardor to the limits of charity ... in order to resound the news of Christ where Providence has called them to work."
"In light of the conditions of human mobility which have changed so much," he continues, "the religious of Mother Cabrini are all called to give a warm welcome to the immigrants of our times who usually have suffered a lot from loneliness, poverty, a rich background of humanity, values and hopes."

The Pope invites the religious to "commit themselves to dedicate special attention to the promotion of women, especially in the environments where they are most threatened and defenseless." John Paul II also indicates that "the education of children and adolescents, catechesis and youth pastoral care" are "the channels of transmission of a faith that influences culture and life."

At the end of his speech, John Paul II refers to another important duty of the Institute: "to follow the path of communion and the difussion of charisma with lay people, confronting together the challenges of today." He goes on to affirm: "The desire to be faithful to the charisma of your origins ... that will enable you ... to carry out a demanding itinerary of permanent formation with constant attention towards modern challenges and the signs of the times."

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