VATICAN - The Pope leads prayers for the children killed in Beslan and all innocent children abused by adults: This is the “anguished cry of childhood offended in its dignity”. Prayers for justice and peace in the world include the safe return of Italian women social workers taken hostage yesterday

Wednesday, 8 September 2004

Vatican City (Fides Service) - Today, the liturgical feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, during his general audience in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican, Pope John Paul II said once again that it is the duty of everyone to protect children and to build a future of peace for the children of the whole world.
“Contemplating Mary as an infant, how can we fail to think of all those helpless children in Beslan, in Ossezia, victims of a barbarous hostage taking event and tragically murdered?” the Pope said recalling that the children were in school, “a place where children are taught values which give meaning to the history, culture and civilisation of peoples”, but where these children experienced “contempt, hatred and death, tragic consequences of cruel fanaticism and insane scorn for human person.”
“At this time our eyes turn to all those innocent children in many parts of the world victims of violence by adults - the Pope said - . Children forced to take up arms and educated to hate and to kill; children made to beg on the streets, exploited for easy profit; children maltreated and humiliated by arrogance and abuse of adults; children abandoned, deprived of the warmth of a family and prospects for the future; children dying of hunger, or being killed in one of the many wars in various regions of the world.”
“The anguished cry of childhood offended in its dignity” cannot leave anyone indifferent the Pope said: “may we renew our awareness that it is the duty of everyone to protect and defend these fragile little persons and to build for them a future of peace. Let us pray together that the conditions will be created to guarantee all children a safe and happy life.”
When the Pope had finished speaking he led those present in prayers for special intentions: justice, peace, solidarity in the world, for the children of Beslan, for their families and friends; for those who were injured for the families of the dead and for all the people of Beslan; for the many children all over the world who suffer and die because of violence and abuse by adults; for the many people taken hostage in the tormented land of Iraq including two young Italian women volunteer social workers taken hostage in Baghdad yesterday; for justice and peace in the world. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 8/9/2004 - Righe 27; Parole 396)


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