Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides) - On Sunday 5 September Pope John Paul II left his Summer residence in Castel Gandolfo by helicopter to fly to Montorso valley near Loreto, where he presided a Concelebration of Mass on the occasion of the first ever international Meeting of the Catholic Action Association. During the Mass the Pope beatified three members of the Association, Spanish priest Pedro Tarrés i Claret (1905-1950) and two lay Italians, Alberto Marvelli (1918-1946) and Pina Suriano (1915-1950).“To follow Christ is a demanding decision- the Pope said in his homily commenting on the Sunday Gospel -. Not by chance Jesus speaks of the "cross” although he adds "following me". And this is the great thing: we are not alone as we carry our cross. He goes before us, opening the way with the light of his example and the power of his love. The cross accepted out of love, generates freedom.... There is no greater love than that of the cross; there is no greater freedom than that of love; there is no fuller brotherhood that that which is born from the cross of Jesus.”
The Pope gave a brief outline of the lives of the newly beatified “humble disciples and heroic witnesses” of the cross. Pere (Pedro) Tarrés i Claret, a medical doctor who became a priest, devoted himself to apostolate in Barcelona among the poorest of the sick and young members of Catholic Action of which he was assistant. Alberto Marvelli “saw the whole of his short life, only 28 years, as a gift of love to Jesus for the good of others”. He made daily Mass the centre of his life and in prayer sought inspiration for political commitment. His intense spiritual life led to such love for Jesus that he forgot himself in order to shoulder the cross of the poor. Blessed Pina Suriano “loved Jesus ardently and faithfully”. At an early age she joined Catholic Action and later became leader of the Association in her parish. She consecrated her life to God for the sanctification and perseverance of priest.
“Today, through the beatification of these three servants of God, the Lord says to you: the greatest gift you can give to the Church and the world is holiness” the Pope said encouraging members of Catholic Action present with these words: “Your concerns are the concerns of the Church: that many men and women of our day may be won by Christ; that his Gospel may shine once again as a light of hope for the poor, the sick, those who hunger for justice; that Christian communities may be ever more active, open, attractive; that our towns may be hospitable and liveable for all; that humanity may take the paths of peace and brotherhood. You lay people are called to bear witness to the faith through the virtues proper to you: faithfulness and tenderness in the family, competence at work, tenacity in serving the common good, solidarity in social relations, creativity with initiatives to promote evangelisation and human development. You are also called to demonstrate - in close communion with the Bishops - that the Gospel is every pertinent and that faith does not remove the believer from history, on the contrary it immerses him in it ever more deeply.”
At the end of Mass the Pope recited the Angelus prayer. Introducing the prayer he assigned three tasks to Catholic Action: "contemplation" (“strive to walk the path of holiness contemplating Jesus the only Master and Saviour of all”); "communion" (“strive to promote spirituality of unity with the Bishops and priests and with brothers and sisters in the faith of other confessions, be leaven for dialogue among all people of good will”); "mission" (“as lay persons carry the leaven of the Gospel to homes, schools, places of work and of leisure. The Gospel is word of hope and salvation for the world”). (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 6/9/2004 - Righe 42; Parole 650)
