BERNARDINE FRIARS MINOR CELEBRATE 550 YEARS IN POLAND

VATICAN CITY, FEB 11, 2003 (VIS) - Late this morning, feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Holy Father received a group of Bernardine Friars Minor on the occasion of the 550 years of their presence in Poland and Ukraine. They are commemorating this occasion with visits to Assisi to the tombs of St. Francis and St. Bernardine of Siena, and to Rome to the tombs of Sts. Peter and Paul.

In his talk in Polish, the Pope remarked that their Jubilee is linked to the founding of their convent in Krakow, and recalled that "as a young man I went there often and later, as a priest, and even as bishop of Krakow." He also recalled speaking at a scientific symposium there in 1976, saying "We must pray often to have a St. Francis in our times. Perhaps not just one, perhaps many."

"It seems that these words still have meaning today," the Holy Father added. "Man today needs the faith, hope and charity of Francis; he needs the joy that comes from poverty of spirit, that is, from an inner freedom; he wants again to learn that love of everything that God has created; and lastly, he needs for peace and good to reign in families, societies and among nations. Poland needs this, Ukraine needs it, as does the entire world."

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