THE HOLY FATHER RECEIVES PILGRIMS WHO ATTENDED BEATIFICATIONS

VATICAN CITY, APR 27, 2003 (VIS) - Today at noon in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father received in audience the pilgrims who participated yesterday in the beatifications of the Servants of God Giacomo Alberione, Marco D'Aviano, Maria Christina Brando, Eugenia Ravasco, Maria Domenica Mantovani and Guilia Salzano.

Recalling some aspects of the life of the blesseds, the Pope said that Fr. Giacomo Alberione, founder of the Pauline Family, "not only opened up the modern 'pulpits' of social communication to evangelization, but also conceived his work as an organic activity inside the Church and at its service."

The Holy Father asked Blessed Marco d'Aviano, priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, "to protect Europe so that it may be able to build up its unity without neglecting its common Christian roots."

Addressing the spiritual daughters of Blessed Maria Cristina Brando, the Pope asked them to unite themselves to "Christ who sacrifices Himself for humanity in the Eucharist" and to spread "their love toward God in humble and daily service to needy brothers and sisters" while following the example of the foundress of the Congregation of the Expiatory Victims of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

The Pope said that Blessed Eugenia Ravasco, foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, "became an ardent and untiring apostle, a zealous educator of youths, in particular of young girls, to whom she was not afraid to propose the high aims of Christian life."

Speaking about Blessed Maria Domenica Mantovani, co-foundress of the Institute of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family, John Paul II urged them to learn from her "how to respond promptly to the voice of God who calls every baptized person to aim for sanctity in the ordinary circumstances of every day life."

The Pope concluded by expressing the desire that the spiritual sons and daughters of Blessed Guilia Salzano, foundress of the Congregation of the Catechist Sisters of the Sacred Heart, follow "with joy the footsteps traced by their foundress, ready to face every sacrifice necessary to carry out the mission that God entrusts you."

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