PRAY THE ROSARY FOR PEACE IN THE WORLD AND IN FAMILIES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 23, 2002 (VIS) - Following today's general audience catechesis in Italian, and summaries in five languages, Pope John Paul greeted the pilgrims present in St. Peter's Square in Dutch, Czech, Slovakian, Hungarian and Lithuanian.

He welcomed faithful from the Netherlands as they celebrate the 150th anniversary of the institution of the diocese of Breda, noting that the theme of their pilgrimage is "The Faith of Our Baptism." He exhorted them "to pray ceaselessly for priestly vocations so that your parishes continue to be privileged places in which the faithful can receive the gift of salvation through the indispensable service of the ordained ministry."

In greeting pilgrims from Lithuania and the Czech Republic, the Pope spoke of the Rosary, and said: "In this Year of the Rosary which we have just begun, I invite you to rediscover the efficacy of the prayer of the Rosary for peace in the world and in families, and "to rediscover communion with the Virgin Mary through this noble prayer."

Addressing Hungarian and Italian pilgrims, the Holy Father noted that "today we celebrate the memory of St. John of Capistrano who gave his life for Christian Hungary," adding that this Franciscan priest had committed himself to saving souls. "May his glorious Gospel witness sustain you young people in the daily commitment of fidelity to Christ, encourage you who are ill to follow Christ on the path of trials and suffering and help you newlyweds to make your families places of living encounters with the love of God and our brothers."

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