VATICAN CITY, APRIL 2, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Caritas Somalia will receive the collection from the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, over which Benedict XVI will preside in the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
Despite escalating violence in that African nation, Caritas continues to run a medical clinic in Baidoa, with some 2,000 patients every month.
According to the president of Caritas Somalia, Father Giorgio Bertin, "These are sad days for Somalia as the death toll continues to rise. The Pope’s donation to the Caritas medical operation in Baidoa gives us joy and hope that peace is possible for this martyred country."
"We see it as a sign of the Pope's concern for the most vulnerable," he continued, "and a tribute to those who lost their lives working for peace and justice in Somalia during the last 20 years, whether Christians or of other faiths."
Earlier this year, the Holy Father appealed to the international community to put an end to the bloodshed in Africa. He also recalled the testimony of Sister Leonella Sgobarti who was killed in Somalia's capital last September.
Code: ZE07040215
Date: 2007-04-02