Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the Pope’s charity office, is in south east Asia to carry a message of comfort and solidarity from the Pope to the peoples suffering the consequences of the 26 December seaquake The Archbishop will spend a week 29 January - 4 February visiting various areas.
From 29 January to 1 February the Archbishop was Aceh in Indonesia where he celebrated a Mass for the repose of the souls of the dead and the comfort of the survivors. He met President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia and took part in a co-ordination meeting of Catholic organisations and a meeting with religious leaders to support common commitment in the work of rebuilding.
Today 2 February Archbishop Cordes is in Sri Lanka, where he will preside a concelebration of the Eucharist with the Bishops of the region to pray for the disaster victims. He will also have meetings with the religious congregations in Sri Lanka, the civil authorities and the people in the south. He will have a meeting with Caritas and Catholic NGOs working in Sri Lanka.
One goal of this visit by Archbishop Cordes is to promote organisation and distribution of aid in such a vast area. The capillary presence of Catholic organisations is proving most useful as always in situations of humanitarian emergency.
The Archbishop is also carrying a message of comfort from Pope John Paul II. In the message addressed to all who suffer the Pope express “sympathy and closeness in prayer to the peoples affected by the tragedy”. “I join Catholics and all believers to entrust the victims of this terrible calamity to the infinite mercy of Almighty God and I implore divine consolation for the injured and those who suffer and the homeless. I pray that solidarity demonstrated by our brothers and sisters all over the world may be a source of encouragement, perseverance and hope for each and all in the great task of rebuilding which lies ahead”.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 2/2/2005 righe 24 parole 235)
