Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides)- Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace made a pastoral visit to Madagascar to the diocese of Ambatondrazaka, in the occasion of the centenary celebrations to make the first baptism administered on the Island in 1907.
As part of the pastoral visit the Cardinal went to Fenerive on the Indian Ocean coast to visit a programme launched by the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development which promotes farming development in poor parts of the world.
Cardinal Martino visited the Pilot Farming Training Centre which also promotes cultivation of new forms of plants and methods of farming and fishing.
In the local St Maruice Cathedral in Fenerive, Cardinal Martino met with lay catechists from various different Catholic communities, who are also rural inspectors for development in the field of agriculture.
The President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace expressed his appreciation IFAD collaboration with Catholic groups and associations working for human development, formation and incentives in the field of farming.
Cardinal Martino, had an opportunity to see development activities and recalled Pope Paul VI's prophetic intuition that development was another word for peace.
Cardinal Martino stressed the need to keep in mind the development of the whole person not only development of production and trade. The Cardinal said concern for the professional formation of young people in the field of agriculture is a guarantee of continuity for work connected with development in this particular field.
The President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace said the development should always go hand in hand with justice and peace, and it must include all men and women on the planet to ensure real and lasting development in justice and peace. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 12/11/2007 righe 30 parole 375)
