VATICAN - The Pope's Angelus: “May every person, each according to his or her possibilities and professional competence, feel bound to love and serve human life from beginning to natural end” - Appeal for Kenya, Iraq and Colombia

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Several different prayer intentions were the subject of Pope Benedict XVI's reflection before his midday Angelus reflection on Sunday 3 February. First of all, recalling the Day of Consecrated Life, celebrated on 2 February the Feast of the Presentation of the Infant Jesus at the Temple, the Pope expressed deep gratitude to “our brothers and sisters who dedicate themselves totally to God and the Church with vows of poverty, chastity and obedience”, asking the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede to obtain “numerous holy vocations to the consecrated life which is an inestimable treasure for the Church and for the world”.
Sunday being the first Sunday in February, was also the annual Pro-Life Day in Italy and the Pope said: “May every person, each according to his or her possibilities and professional competence, feel bound to love and serve human life from beginning to natural end. In fact it is the duty of everyone to welcome life as a gift to be respected, protected and promoted, even more so when life is fragile and in need of attention and care, as for example before birth or at the very end of life. I join the Italian Bishops to encourage those who, with great effort but with joy, quietly and with great dedication, assist elderly or disabled family members, and also those who dedicate some of their time regularly to helping people of all ages whose life is hard due to many different forms of poverty”.
Before reciting the Angelus Benedict XVI mentioned Ash Wednesday this week on 6 February which marks the beginning of Lent. The Pope said he hoped the Lenten Season would be a “time of authentic conversion for all Christians, called to bear sincere and courageous witness to their faith”. Entrusting all these intentions to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Pope recalled that from 2- 11 February the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes of which this year is the 150th anniversary of the apparitions, "the faithful may gain a plenary indulgence which can be applied to the dead, under the usual conditions,- Confession, Communion and prayers for the Pope's intentions - and praying in front of a blessed image of Our Lady of Lourdes exposed for public veneration”.
After the Angelus the Pope asked for prayers for difficult situations in Kenya, Iraq and Colombia: “I ask you to join our brothers and sisters in Kenya - some of whom are present here today in St Peter's Square- to pray for reconciliation, justice and peace in their country. Assuring all of my closeness, I hope present efforts to mediate may succeed and lead, thanks to effort and collaboration on all sides, to a rapid solution of the conflict which has already caused too many victims. Wickedness with its charge of pain, appears to have no limits in Iraq, as we learn from the sad news reports in these days. I once again raise my voice in support of those sorely tried people and I invoke for them God's peace.”
Speaking in Spanish the Holy Father asked people to pray for Colombia, “where for a long time many sons and daughters of that beloved country suffer because of extortion, hostage taking, violent death of loved ones. I ask the Lord that a definitive end may be put to this inhuman suffering, and paths of reconciliation, mutual respect and sincere agreement taken to restore brotherhood and solidarity, which are the solid basis for building progress in justice and a stable peace”.
On the occasion of Lunar New Year in Asia the Pope wished all Asian families “health and prosperity”, encouraging them to “preserve and valorise these beautiful and fruitful family traditions for the good of their respective nations or in countries where they are living”. The Pope's last remarks were for the diocese of Rome and its initiative "Diocesan Life and Family Week”: “Let your children experience, from a very early age, that closeness which is a witness of love, give yourselves, so that they in turn may be open to others and to the world with serenity and generosity. May the soul of education be trust in God, who 'gives hope to our future’!”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 4/2/2008; righe 50, parole 723).