VATICAN - The Pope recalls the tragedy of thousands of children: “The little brothers and sisters of ours who suffer from hunger, war and illness make an anguished appeal to the world. May their mute cry not go unanswered!” - appeal to build the civilisation of love in the “beloved region of the Great Lakes ”.

Monday, 29 March 2004

Vatican City (Fides Service) - Before reciting the Angelus prayer with people gathered in St Peter’s square on Sunday 28 March Pope John Paul II spoke once again of the tragic situation of children in the world. “In my Message for Lent this year I asked Christian communities to put children at the centre of attention- the Pope said -. Many children suffer from serious illnesses, including tuberculosis and AIDS, they are denied schooling and they are hungry. Under-nourishment and poor-nourishment aggravated by concerning lack of sanitation, are still the daily causes of death for no small number of these little ones deprived often of basic necessities.”
The Holy Father reflected on the tragedy of “child-soldiers”: “In some corners of the earth particularly in the poorest countries children and adolescents are victims of a horrible form of violence: they are enlisted to fight in so-called "forgotten wars". They suffer a double scandalous aggression: they are made both victims and agents of war, caught up in the hatred of adults.”
Lastly Pope John Paul II appealed for children suffering from hunger, war and sickness: “May their mute cry of anguish not go unanswered! Jesus tells us: "Who ever welcomes one of these little ones welcomes me " (Mt 18,5). Lent pushes Christians to be more generous in heeding these words of the Gospel and to implement them with courageous interventions for children at risk or abandoned.”
After the Angelus the Pope recalled the tragic events ten years ago in the Great Lakes Region of Africa, and he invited everyone to be builders of peace: “Ten years have passed since April 1994, when in Rwanda serious conflict started between Hutu and Tutsi people, culminating in genocide, in which hundreds of thousands of people were barbarously slaughtered. Let us pray to the Lord that a similar tragedy will never be repeated. To you dear people religious and civil leaders and all in the international community working generously to bring peace to the beloved region of the Great Lakes I say : Do not lose courage! Build the civilisation of love animated by the words of the Saviour: "Blessed are the peace makers for they will be called children of God" (Mt 5,9).” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 29/3/2004 - Righe 26; Parole 381)
See Papal discourse in Italian
http://www.evangelizatio.org/portale/adgentes/pontefici/pontefice.php?id=78


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