Vatican
City, 12 May 2013 (VIS) – At the end of the Mass for the
canonization of the new saints, the Pope greeted the official
delegations from Italy, Colombia, and Mexico, led respectively by
Italian Minister of Justice Anna Maria Cancellieri; the President of
the Republic of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos Calderon; and the
Adjunct General Director for Religious Affairs of the Presidency of
the Republic of Mexico, Roberto Herrera Mena.
“May
the Martyrs of Otranto,” he exclaimed, “help the dear Italian
people to look hopefully to the future, entrusting in the nearness of
God who never abandons us, even in difficult times.”
The
he asked for the intercession of Mother Laura Montoya that the Lord
may “grant new missionary and evangelizing impetus to the Church
and that, inspired by this new saint's example of harmony and
reconciliation, the beloved children of Colombia might continue
working for the progress of peace and justice in their country.”
“In
the hands of St. Guadalupe Garcia Zavala, we place all the poor, the
sick, and those who assist them, and we entrust to her intercession
the noble Mexican nation so that, all violence and insecurity
banished, it may advance ever more along the path of solidarity and
fraternal coexistence.”
The
Holy Father also noted that yesterday, Saturday 11 May, Fr. Luigi
Novarese, founder of the volunteer Centre of the Suffering and the
Silent Works of the Cross, was beatified in Rome. Fr. Novarese was
“an exemplary priest who renewed the pastoral outreach to the sick,
making them active subjects in the Church.”
Finally,
the Bishop of Rome greeted those participating in the “March for
Life” that took place today in Rome, inviting them all to “keep
everyone's attention alive to the very important topic of respect for
human life from the moment of its conception. In this regards I would
also like to note the signatures being gathered today in many Italian
parishes for the purpose of sustaining the European citizens'
initiative 'One of Us', to guarantee legal protection to embryos,
protecting every human being from the first instant of their
existence. A special moment for those who have the defence of the
sacredness of human life at heart will be the 'Evangelium Vitae Day',
which will take place here in the Vatican within the context of the
Year of Faith, this 15-16 June.”
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment