VATICAN - The Pope announces that Blessed Luigi Orione and five other new Saints will be canonised on May 16

Thursday, 19 February 2004

Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Orione family all over the world is rejoicing: during a public Concistory in the Vatican Pope John Paul II announced that Blessed Luigi Orione founder of the Piccola Opera della Divina Provvidenza and Congregazione delle Piccole Suore Missionarie della Carità will be declared a saint on May 16
The others are Annibale Di Francia, Paola Elisabetta Cerioli and Gianna Beretta Molla Italians, Giuseppe Manyanet y Vives Spanish and Nimatullah Al-Hardini Lebanese.
Remarking on the announcement, Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints said, "Blessed Orione was one of the greatest and most influential Italian personalities of the 20th century for his experience and his sound values. He took a personal interest in many vitally important social and religious problems ".
Postulator General Rev. Flavio Peloso illustrated the programme: “Besides the Mass in St Peter’s Square on May 16 in the morning there will be an audience of thanksgiving with the Pope in the Paul VI hall the evening before. Young Orionini members will meet from 14 to 16 May at the camp at the Centro Don Orione at Monte Mario. We are organising a special train to will bring many sick and disabled to Rome to see the Pope. In Tortona there will be festivities on 22 and 23 May”.
The Piccola Opera della Divina Provvidenza, has a web site www.santo.donorione.org, è and today it has members works in in more than 30 different countries.
The Venetian Orione community has organised a symposium on the figure of Blessed Orione 11 to 14 March. A special guest will be Cardinal Ersilio Tonini emeritus Archbishop of Ravenna.
(Agenzia Fides 19/2/2004 lines 327 words 30)


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