Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican (Fides Service) - “The feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple is a presentation of the Messiah to the nations. God makes himself known to all peoples. He is the light which illuminates the darkness. The feast we celebrate today reminds us in particular of religious life. A call to religious life is like a light kindled in our heart and in our mind. This light must be spread to illuminate others and we are called to carry this light to all peoples because every man and women has the right to be illuminated by this light. We bring light, we announce salvation!”. With these words Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples addressed the community of Sisters resident at the Foyer Paolo VI on 2 February the Feast of the Presentation during Mass celebrated in the Foyer Chapel completely restored on the occasion of the blessing of the new tabernacle. Archbishop Robert Sarah, the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples secretary and the rector of Urban University Mons. Giuseppe Cavallotto and about ten priests concelebrated with the Cardinal.
Foyer Paolo VI, a house for students nuns from missionary countries opened in 1977. It is situated in the grounds of the Pontifical Urban University. “Today we have 79 nuns with us, 76 are students and 3 are on the staff - Foyer directress, Mexican Sister Sr. Maria di Lourdes Rubio told Fides. The sisters belong to 54 different congregations and come from 21 different countries in Africa, America and Asia, but mostly from Asia. We needed a larger chapel for our sisters and because we welcome visitors to our Foyer”. The chapel has been embellished with a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a mosaic donated by the Pope as well as a new tabernacle.
“In this lovely chapel, everything is new. Let us renew our promises and our fidelity to Christ ” Card. Sepe said in his homily calling on the religious to renew their promises of poverty, chastity and obedience on the Day for Consecrated Life. The Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples also asked those present to pray for the health of Pope John Paul II and at the end of the celebration he thanked those who had worked to restore the chapel. (MS) (Agenzia Fides, 03/02/05 - 35 righe, 488 parole)
