Monday, September 6, 2004

POPE ASKS CONTEMPLATION, COMMUNION, AND MISSION


VATICAN CITY, SEP 5, 2004 (VIS) - At noon today, the Holy Father prayed the Angelus with a crowd estimated at 250,000 faithful, mostly members of Catholic Action, who had come for the papal Mass at Montorso di Loreto during which the Pope beatified three of their members: Fr. Pedro (Pere) Tarres y Claret,  a doctor and priest from Barcelona, Spain, and Alberto Marvelli and Pina Suriano of Italian Catholic Action. Catholic Action had been meeting in Loreto since September 1.

  After the Angelus, John Paul II told the members of Catholic Action he wished to entrust them with three "assignments." "The first, he said, "is 'contemplation': commit yourselves to walking on the path of holiness with your eyes fixed on Jesus, the one Master and Savior of the World.

  "The second is 'communion': seek to promote the spirituality of unity with the pastors of the Church, with all your brothers in the faith and with other ecclesial groups. Be leaven of dialogue with all men and women of good will. The third assignment is 'mission': As lay people, bring the leaven of the Gospel into homes and schools, into places of work and of recreation. The Gospel is the word of hope for the world."

  Following lunch, Pope John Paul greeted the Spanish and Italian delegations from Catholic Action, leaders and young people of Italian Catholic Action, members of Civil Protection and the cooks who prepared his lunch. The Pope departed just after 4 p.m. by helicopter for Castelgandolfo.
PV-ITALY/ANGELUS/LORETO                    VIS 20040906 (260)


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