VATICAN CITY, APR 26, 2004 (VIS) - Pope John Paul this morning received representatives of the National Association of Italian Municipalities which has gathered to celebrate the centenary of Giorgio La Pira, whom the Pope called "an eminent figure in politics, culture and spirituality of the last century."
He noted that La Pira worked "for the cause of fraternal coexistence among nations," in particular "to favor friendship between the peoples whose reference is Abraham - Hebrew, Christian and Islamic." And he thanked the association for their tangible gift in La Pira's memory of "concrete aid for the Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem."
"Before the leaders of the world," said the Holy Father, Giorgio La Pira "set forth with firmness his ideas as a believer and as a man who loved peace, inviting his interlocutors to a common effort to promote this basic good in various spheres: in society, politics, the economy, cultures and among religions." The Pope added that, in an October 1964 letter to his friend Amintore Fanfani, a former Italian prime minister, La Pira "wrote words of a surprising actuality: 'Politicians are civil guides to whom the Lord entrusts, through the changing technologies of the times, the mandate to lead peoples towards peace, unity, and the spiritual and civil promotion of each people and of everyone together'."
In closing, John Paul II urged the mayors present today to follow La Pira's example and "place yourselves generously at the service of your communities, with special attention to the younger generation. ... Thanks to everyone's contribution, the dream of a better world can become a reality."
AC/CENTENARY LAPIRA/... VIS 20040426 (280)
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