VATICAN CITY, JUL 4, 2004 (VIS) - As he addressed the crowds of faithful who gathered in St. Peter's Square today to pray the noon Angelus, the Pope spoke of the recent visit to Rome and the Vatican of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, and also of his departure tomorrow for a brief holiday period in the Valle d'Aosta region of northern Italy.
On the patriarch's visit, the Pope remarked that "we signed a Common Declaration which confirms and restarts the commitment by Catholics and Orthodox in the service of the great cause of full communion of Christians." Despite persistent obstacles, he added, "we affirmed the will to pursue and even intensify the ecumenical dialogue. ... In the course of our meetings, the awareness emerged that Catholics and Orthodox are called to work together to see to it that the European continent does not forget its own Christian roots. Only in this way will Europe fully undertake its role in the dialogue among civilizations and in the global promotion of justice, solidarity and the safeguarding of creation."
After the Angelus prayer, John Paul II said that he had accepted an invitation by the bishop of Aosta and "tomorrow, God willing, I will leave to spend a few days in Valle d'Aosta. As I prepare to start this brief vacation my thoughts go to the families who have planned their vacations for this period: I hope they are able to live this time in serene relaxation. At the same time I am thinking of all those who, for diverse reasons, cannot take a true and proper vacation.
"I hope that everyone can profit from the necessary break from work and that recreational initiatives, enriched by genuine human relations, will be promoted to give relief to persons who are alone and in difficulty."
As announced in a note from the Prefecture of the Papal Household yesterday, when the Holy Father returns from his northern mountain vacation, he will recite the Angelus, starting on July 18, from the courtyard at Castelgandolfo. Weekly general audiences will also be held there.
ANG/VACATIONS/... VIS 20040705 (350)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment