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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
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VATICAN CITY, APR 18, 2007 (VIS) - In greetings at the end of today's general audience, the Pope made particular mention of Angola, remarking how 400 years ago, during the pontificate of Paul V, the first black ambassador from a Christian kingdom in Africa came to Rome. That ambassador, the representative of the Kingdom of the Congo (modern-day Angola), was Dom Antonio Emanuel Ne Vunda, cousin of King Alvaro II.
"I invoke the blessings of God upon the entire nation," said the Holy Father, "that each individual may contribute to consolidating the peace that was achieved five years ago, and that promised to give a voice to the people and to institute authentically democratic life. I ask everyone to persevere in the work of reconciling hearts that still bleed for the wounds of war, and I express my joy at the reconstruction in progress, as I remind the religious and civil authorities of their obligation to favor the poorest. God bless Angola!"
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VATICAN CITY, APR 18, 2007 (VIS) - "Dialogue in airport chaplaincies as a response to terrorism" is the theme of the 13th world seminar of Catholic chaplains and members of civil aviation chaplaincies, due to be held in Rome from April 23 to 26.
According to a communique made public today "the seminar, organized by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, aims to support and encourage the pastoral efforts of those who concern themselves with this sector of human mobility."
As an introduction to the work of the seminar, Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will present some "philosophical and theological" reflections on the subject of evil.
Experts from the United Nations and from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will explain strategies "to protect airport structures and workers, as well as passengers and the general public."
"The seminar," the communique goes on, "aims to contribute towards countering terrorism through ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue in the world's airports" where people from various Churches and ecclesial communities and other great religions work, and where people from different cultures and nationalities come together. In this context, "in order to help participants to discover the paths of dialogue," Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, will speak on the subject of "inter-religious dialogue to counter terrorism," and bishop Brian Farrell L.C., secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, on "ecumenical collaboration in relation to the threats of terrorism."
The program of the seminar also includes the testimony of two chaplains: Fr. David Baratelli of the airport of Newark who will recount his experiences during and immediately after the attack on the World Trade Center in New York, and Fr. Paschal Ryan of Heathrow, who will talk about the discovery of plans for an attack against that airport.
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Gregorios, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem for the Melkite Greek Catholic Church on the occasion of the Glorious Feast of Pascha
Feast of the Glorious Resurrection, 8 April 2007
“O my joy, Christ is risen!”
It is thus that the Russian Saint Seraphim of Sarov used to receive the visitors to his hermitage who came to seek his guidance and request his prayers for the healing of their spiritual and bodily illnesses. This experience of Paschal joy was his spiritual food, food that he would offer his visitors.
Saint Seraphim of Sarov would repeat this outburst of joy until it became a balm, consolation and hope for them all.
A call to joy
Through this Paschal letter, I would like us to commune together in this joy and meditate together on the reasons for this joy, for it is the “new drink, no longer gushing from the rock in the desert, but the fount of immortality springing marvellously from the tomb of Christ, our strength” and our joy. (Paschal Canon, Canticle III, Irmos)
The Paschal hymns are abundant in calling us to joy, as we listen to Jesus speaking to the Myrrh-bearing Women and the Apostles, saying, “Rejoice.” Saint John of Damascus invites us all, saying, “Let heaven rejoice as is fitting and let the earth be glad. Let the whole universe, visible and invisible, take part in this feast, for Christ is risen, he who is our endless gladness.” (Paschal Canon, Canticle I, Hymn)
So the expressions of joy, gladness and lightheartedness are repeated, so that “all of creation celebrates the Resurrection of Christ, our strength” and “joy.” (Paschal Canon, Canticle III, Troparion) The Church invites us to dance like David during this feast and to “rejoice with divine rejoicing, for Christ is risen, as almighty.” (Canticle IV, Hymn) Even the dead, who were “captive and bound by the chains of hell, ran forward with joyful steps towards the daylight, applauding the eternal Passover.” (Canticle V, Troparion)
We are all called to “take our lamps” and to “celebrate with the heavenly hosts who love to honour the redeeming Passover of our God.” (Canticle V, hymn)
And the whole Church shouts with the rapture of victory as “we celebrate the mortification of death, the destruction of hell and the beginning of another and eternal life, as we sing with gladness to their author, the only God of our fathers, to him be blessing and exceeding glory.” (Canticle VII, Hymn) We continue, “How holy and beautiful, indeed, is this night of our redemption, radiant messenger of the shining Day of the Resurrection.” (Canticle VII, Hymn) and again, “Come, let us taste the fruits of the new vine and commune in the divine joy of the kingdom of Christ.” (Canticle VIII, Troparion)
The hymns are addressed to the Church and to the holy Virgin Mary. “Shine, shine, new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee. Rejoice, exult and dance with joy, O Zion” – the Church – “and thou, pure Mother of God, rejoice also at the resurrection of thy Son.” (Canticle IX, Irmos)
The faithful are in the greatest rapture of joy, crying aloud, “O divine delight! O ineffable sweetness of thy voice, for truly thou hast promised, O Christ, to be with us until the end of time and we, the faithful, whose hope rests on this promise, exult in joy.” (Canticle IX, Troparion)
There is the atmosphere of joy, joy of the resurrection, joy of the Great Feast.
Let us also, with the hymns of the glorious Paschal Canon, with Saint Seraphim of Sarov, shout, “O my joy, Christ is risen!”
Reasons for joy in the resurrection
Meditating on these hymns and the exultation of Seraphim of Sarov, I discover faith’s deep reasons for the festal joy of all of us, children of the Church of the Patriarchal Eparchies of Damascus, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem, those three eparchies that depend directly on our patriarchal service and of all our eparchies and parishes throughout the world.
In fact the faithful person finds innumerable reasons to be thankful, to celebrate and be joyful, not only on the Day of the Resurrection, but all the days of his life.
That is what I wished for our sons and daughters to discover in our Church, which is truly the Church of the Resurrection. So their joy is abiding, as Jesus says to his disciples. “I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.” (John 16:22)
“O my joy, Christ is risen!”
O my joy, we Christians throughout the whole world are celebrating all together this year. It is a really ecumenical festival, a cosmic feast, a Christian and universal feast.
O my joy, Christ is my expectation.
O my joy, Christ is my hope.
O my joy, Christ is my life.
O my joy, Christ is living in me.
O my joy, Christ is my Redeemer.
O my joy, Christ is my Saviour, my light, my consolation.
O my joy, Christ was born, baptised, appeared to the world and lived among men, sharing their life. He is day by day living alongside them, working many wonders for their salvation, healing and happiness, that they might have life in abundance and in dignity.
O my joy, Christ has suffered for us and is living with us and for us even today. He lightens others’ sufferings, serves them and causes hope to spring up in their hearts, hope and encouragement for a happier life.
O my joy, Christ is really Emmanuel in word and deed and until today and every day he is Emmanuel, God risen and alive in us, with us and for us, for our salvation.
Our feasts throughout the liturgical year are a resurrection
O my joy, I live the life of my Lord, God, Saviour, Redeemer and Healer of my soul and body. I live and experience his own life through the feasts of the liturgical year: Christmas, the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, his Baptism or Theophany, the day of Transfiguration, the days of the Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost, the descent of the Spirit into the world.
O my joy, Christ is my feast.
O my joy, I am baptised in the name of Christ.
O my joy, I am chrismated and sealed by the Holy Spirit of Jesus.
O my joy, I feed often and repeatedly on the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion, in the Divine Liturgy and thus truly participate in the life of Christ risen from the dead. So I may say with the Apostle Paul, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” (Galatians 2:20) and with him again, “For to me, to live is Christ.” (Philippians 1:21)
O my joy, I am founding a Christian family through the sacrament of Holy Matrimony and thus am participating in the creative work of God the Creator and am giving life to children, created in the image and likeness of God and who are called to become living members of the parish, Church and society.
O my joy, for the priests who put on Christ through holy priesthood and who are consecrated for the service of God and his faithful people and who bring to the faithful the life-giving grace of Jesus in the Sacred Mysteries, sowing the word of the living God in the hearts and minds of the children of their parishes.
O my joy, I believe and by faith I participate in the resurrection of Christ.
O my joy, I hope and through hope I participate in the resurrection of Christ.
O my joy, I love and through love I participate in the resurrection of Christ.
O my joy, I repent and return to the compassionate Father and take up again the life of new grace in Jesus Christ.
O my joy, Christ saves me through the Holy Mysteries (sacraments), through creation and all its elements and matter, for the risen Christ sanctifies the whole of the natural world, through the symbols of grace and life-giving sacraments. Water, oil, bread, wine, light, candles and incense: the risen Christ blesses me through every earthly and heavenly blessing; the risen Christ makes all natural elements into agents of sanctification, salvation, redemption and resurrection.
O my joy, the whole of the natural order is sanctified by the epiphany of Christ the Saviour.
O my joy, my fellow humans, all of us, are created in the image and likeness of God and called to salvation and participation in the life of the risen Christ.
Our celebrations are a resurrection
O my joy, as we reach the end of this period of preparation for Pascha, in which we faithful of our whole parish have lived with the risen Christ an experience of the pleasure of Lent; sharing a great spiritual joy through the very beautiful prayers and Lenten celebrations, characteristic of our Greek Catholic Church’s rites! Amongst these are the prayer of Great Compline, so full of compunction; the Liturgy of the Presanctified; the very popular Akathist, for our Mother, the Virgin Mary, really festive, Marian, spiritual, tuneful, artistic and wonderful; the procession with the icons on the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the first Sunday of Lent; the procession with the Relics of the Saints on the second Sunday of Lent, a feast proper to the Melkite Church; the procession of the Holy Cross, on the third Sunday of Lent (called the Sunday of Flowers when flowers are distributed); the joy of the procession of Palms, festival of our beloved children; the Anointing with Holy Unction, sacrament of repentance and healing forgiveness; the Way of the Cross and reading of the Twelve Gospels of the Passion on Great and Holy Thursday; the adoration of the Holy Cross on Holy and Great Friday - besides the church visiting on Holy Thursday and the walking with the cross through the streets of our towns and villages.
Our Christian life, an agent of resurrection for our society
Are these not all the true joys of the resurrection, for they are all linked to the Great Feast of the radiant Resurrection? Thanks to these ceremonies, the faithful scarcely notice any gloominess or hardship in Lent; rather longing for this Great Lent and its celebrations, just as they yearn for the Greatest Feast.
O my joy, I am a believing Christian who lives all these celebrations with my fellow faithful, all together forming a single believing family, one in our believing houses, in our churches and in all our parishes and communities, especially now, as this year we are all celebrating together the Feast of Pascha.
O my joy, Christ is risen! I shout it at the top of my voice in the presence of my brothers and sisters in society. I show them that I am really happy in my faith as I bring to all my fellow citizens, Christians and Muslims alike, the great tidings of the resurrection of Christ and repeat the hallowed verse of the Qur’an, "Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I am resurrected." (19:33, Surah Maryam)
O my joy, Christ is risen! I live my faith in freedom in my country, in all Arab countries and everywhere. I live the joy of the feast with my brethren and fellowmen and I am proud of my faith and full of joy at being able to share that with all humankind.
O my joy, Christ is risen! This refrain repeated especially by the young – scouts and different youth groups in their pastoral activities and brotherhoods - amidst the rapture of the feast, enlivens faith in all our hearts that beat in fellowship, as we help each other preserve inwardly in joy, pride and splendour the deposit of faith inherited from our forebears. Truly, our faith is the great joy of the resurrection.
O my joy, Christ is risen! O my joy, to be able to live our Christian faith, common to us all. In fact the faithful person, the believer, is never completely alone: God is with him and his fellow believers are with him.
O my joy, Christ is risen! O our joy at having this holy faith!
Saint Paul, teacher of the resurrection
We are “children of the resurrection,” as was our nickname in olden days in the East. We have a great teacher to explain to us the meaning of the resurrection and of life in Christ – Saint Paul, whose letters are full of its meaning. He is truly the great Apostle of the Resurrection.
That is why I am closing this Paschal letter with some passages on the resurrection from his beautiful epistles. In the Epistle to the Romans, we read “that like as Christ was raised up from the dead… even so we also should walk in newness of life,” for “if we have become planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. …Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans, 6: 4, 5, 11)
Saint Paul affirms, “If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” (I Corinthians 15:17)
Saint Paul boasts of life in Christ risen and alive. He says, “I am crucified with Christ… yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live… I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
Saint Paul longs with his whole soul to participate in Christ’s resurrection. He says his wish is “that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)
Saint Paul speaks to the Colossians, saying to them that they are “buried with him in baptism, wherein also (they) are risen with him.” (Colossians 2:12) He says, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God… and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1, 3)
He speaks to his son Timothy, saying, “Remember that Jesus Christ… was raised from the dead.” (II Timothy 2:8)
O my joy, Christ is risen! This joy is fulfilled and made perfect in the measure in which I participate in Jesus’ suffering, cross and resurrection. The joy is still further fulfilled if I am myself the cause of resurrection and life for others, so that together we may encourage each other for life, living our Christian faith in joy, hope, expectation, courage and involvement in our society, on its social, political, economic, cultural and scientific levels. Our involvement is true resurrection for us and for our society.
This true joy in the resurrection is poles apart from laziness, discouragement, despair, selfishness, banality, superficiality, slavery to modern idols such as fashion, money, food, drink, pleasure, weakness, self-sufficiency and false security. Our joy in the resurrection means that we are living the values of the Gospel, that we are following the words of Jesus risen from the dead, for they are the words of life.
Conclusion: O my joy, Christ is risen!
It is to that joy that I call my brothers and sisters, whom this Paschal letter reaches. We all have need of this holy joy in order to be strong, with the strength of our faith in Christ, risen and living in us, to overcome the difficulties of life, in our career, family, school, teaching, work and daily struggle.
O my joy at participating together in this feast, unique to us all!
To this joy, our prayers and hymns call us in all the feasts, but especially in the Feast of the Resurrection, Feast of the Glorious Passover. To this joy, I summon all our sons and daughters in our churches for the Feast of the Resurrection. We pray most insistently that this joy may enter all hearts and minds, homes and families, among the sick, the elderly, men, women, boys and girls. Again we pray that this joy enter into the reality of our society, especially in the Arab East where there continue to flare up here and there fires, wars, armament, hatred, aggression, violence, killings, fundamentalism and terrorism.
May this Feast of the Resurrection be a spiritual, social and economic resurrection for our society and in the full expectation of that, we shout, proclaiming our faith in the risen Christ, “Christ is risen from the dead!” and we Christians throughout the whole world sing all together, “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and to those in the tombs he has given life.”
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Gregorios III, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem
Translation from the French: V. Chamberlain
www.pgc-lb.org
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VATICAN CITY, APRIL 17, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a Vatican translation of Benedict XVI's March 28 address to participants in an international youth forum.
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MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE 9th INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FORUM
(Rocca di Papa, 28-31 March 2007)
To Archbishop STANISLAW RYLKO
President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity
It gives me great pleasure to send my cordial greeting to you, Venerable Brother, to the Secretary, to those working with the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and to all those who are taking part in the 9th International Youth Forum on the theme "Witnessing to Christ in the world of work" that is taking place this week in Rocca di Papa. It is with particular affection that I direct my thoughts to the young delegates from the bishops' conferences and the international movements, associations and communities that have come from the five continents and who work in very different fields. I extend my respectful greetings to the distinguished speakers who have agreed to contribute to the meeting with their expertise and experience.
The theme is very much a topical issue and takes into account the transformations that have taken place in recent years in the fields of economics, technology and communications, changes that have radically changed the appearance and conditions of the labour market. The progress achieved has, on the one hand, given new hope to young people, but on the other it has created disturbing forms of marginalisation and exploitation with more and more situations of personal hardship. Because of the noticeable difference between the education and training received and the world of work, it is now more difficult for them to find employment that meets with their personal skills and studies, and there is no certainty that they will be able to maintain even unstable employment for any length of time. The process of globalisation taking place in the world entails a need for mobility that obliges numerous young people to emigrate and live far from their home countries and their families. This brings about an unsettling feeling of insecurity that undoubtedly has repercussions on their ability to not only dream and build up a project for the future, but even to commit themselves to matrimony and start a family. These are complex and delicate questions that must be faced in due course, keeping in mind the reality of our times while referring to the social doctrine of the Church. This is duly presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and especially in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
The attention of the Church in recent years has been constantly directed on the social question, and in particular on that of work. We remember the encyclical Laborem exercens published a little over twenty-five years ago, on 14 September 1981, by my well loved predecessor John Paul II. This reaffirmed and updated the great intuitions developed by Pope Leo XIII and Pius XI in the encyclicals Rerum novarum (1891) and Quadragesimo anno (1931), both written during the period of the industrialisation of Europe. In a context of economic liberalism conditioned by market forces, of competition and competitiveness, these pontifical documents forcefully call on the need to evaluate the human dimension of work and to protect the dignity of the person. In fact, the ultimate reference of every human activity can only be the human person, created in the image and likeness of God. A close analysis of the situation, in fact, shows that work is part of God's plan for humankind and that it is participation in his work of creation and redemption. Every human activity should be an occasion and place for the growth of individuals and society, the development of personal "talents" that should be appreciated and placed at the ordered service of the common good, in a spirit of justice and solidarity. For believers, moreover, the ultimate aim of work is the building up of the Kingdom of God.
While I invite you to treasure the conversations and reflections that take place over the next few days, I hope that this important assembly of young people may be a profitable occasion of spiritual and ecclesial growth for the participants, through the sharing of experiences and personal accounts, and common prayer and liturgies celebrated together. Today, more than ever, it is necessary and urgent to proclaim "the Gospel of Work", to live as Christians in the world of work and become apostles among workers. In order to fulfil this mission it is necessary to remain united to Christ through prayer and a deep sacramental life, and for this purpose, to hold Sunday in special high regard, for it is the day dedicated to the Lord. While I encourage young people not to lose heart when faced with these difficulties, I invite them to participate next Sunday in Saint Peter's Square in the solemn celebration of Palm Sunday and the 22nd World Youth Day, the final stage of preparation for the World Youth Day that will take place in Sydney Australia next year.
The theme for reflection this year is: "Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another" (Jn 13:34). Here I repeat what I wrote to young Christians all over the world, that there may be awakened in young Christians, "trust in a love that is true, faithful and strong; a love that generates peace and joy; a love that binds people together and allows them to feel free in respect for one another", and allows them to develop their abilities to the full. It is not simply a question of becoming more "competitive" and "productive", but it is necessary to be "witnesses of charity". It is only in this way that young people -- with the support of their respective parishes, movements and communities, in which it is possible to experience the greatness and vitality of the Church -- will be able to experience work as a vocation and true mission. To this end, Venerable Brother, I assure you of my prayers, with the heavenly protection of Mary and Saint Joseph, patron of workers, I send you and all those participating in the International Forum and all young Christian workers, a special Apostolic Blessing.
From the Vatican, 28 March 2007
Benedictus PP XVI
© Copyright 2007 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Code: ZE07041728
Date: 2007-04-17
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GENEVA, APRIL 17, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Caritas Internationalis says the Iraqi refugee crisis threatens to destabilize the whole region as the number of people fleeing the conflict tops 2 million.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is sponsoring a conference in Geneva today and Wednesday to highlight the plight of Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries as well as within Iraq.
Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social service organizations, will be represented at the event by President Denis Viénot and other colleagues.
Caritas' desk officer for the Middle East and North Africa, Sebastien Dechamps, said, "There are 2 million Iraqi refugees in the Middle East region alone. Syria, Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and now Egypt cannot sustain indefinitely such a social and economic burden."
Dechamps continued, "The international community has to shoulder its responsibility to help these Iraqis, fleeing war, violence and hopelessness."
Caritas Syria, Caritas Jordan, Caritas Lebanon and Caritas Turkey are all assisting thousands of refugees. However, they report that the situation is unsustainable since few Iraqis are given legal status in their host countries and most are forbidden to work.
Code: ZE07041725
Date: 2007-04-17
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TURIN, Italy, APRIL 17, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Father Luigi Boccardo, known as an apostle of merciful love, was proclaimed blessed in his native city of Turin.
Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Saints' Causes, presided over the beatification Mass, held Sunday in the Church of the Holy Face. Cardinal Severino Poletto, archbishop of Turin, concelebrated.
Luigi Boccardo was born Aug. 9, 1861, the seventh of nine children.
He was ordained a priest in 1884, and served as assistant pastor to his brother and godfather, Father Giovanni Maria Boccardo, who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1998.
Father Luigi then served as vice rector and spiritual director at the Consolata College for young priests, and as a theology professor at the diocesan seminary.
The priest also spent hours hearing confessions at the Shrine of the Consolata and visiting prisoners.
Father Luigi became the superior general of the Poor Sisters of San Gaetano, founded by his brother, after Father Giovanni Maria died in 1913.
In 1919, Father Luigi became director of an institute for the blind. In that time he built the Shrine to Jesus Christ, King and Priest.
In 1932, he founded the Order of Sisters of Christ the King, a contemplative branch of the order founded by his brother.
He died June 9, 1936.
A priest
Mother Teresa Ponsi, superior general of the Poor Sisters of San Gaetano, spoke of the newly beatified to Vatican Radio: "His charism as educator and founder was to reveal the merciful love of Jesus, priest and king, to his brothers, especially in the education of the clergy ... and in the spiritual direction of so many that approached him in the confessional."
Father Luigi "could be defined as 'a priest, always a priest,'" the superior general added. "For him, to be a priest was the most marvelous adventure."
Mother Ponsi added that the priest and founder was a "teacher and guide for the young clergy, confessor and spiritual guide for all types of people."
She added that he was a "priest of divine mercy," and that he "disseminated this in great abundance."
Mother Ponsi continued: "A contemplative and an apostle, he had an knowledge of delicate charity in understanding that even blind people can live a religious life, because before God no impediments exist with respect to who, by his grace, is called to consecrate their life to him."
"Because of all this, Blessed Luigi Boccardo is an example and a motivation in the coherent search for holiness," and a "witness of charity," she added.
Cardinal Poletto wrote in the diocesan paper: "The event of two brothers, priests in our diocese, being declared blessed by the Church, is an extraordinary grace."
Code: ZE07041701
Date: 2007-04-17