Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service)- Here in St Peter’s square people are waiting patiently, their eyes riveted on the chimney which will tell the world that a new Pope has been elected. A few say they are only here out of curiosity, but most of these people are obviously believers and their faith is deep, alive, it is the people’s faith in the best sense of the word. Mothers with children, grannies with grandchildren... “my mother brought me here so I want to do the same for my children so they may grow up close to the Holy Father, from the moment of his election”. A little way off an elderly woman is talking to a young couple about saints and miracles. “All of us are called to be saints” she said. “People say John Paul II should be made a saint. But we know that for God he is already a saint. When the Church proclaims a person blessed or a saint she is simply holding them up as an example of a life lived according to the Gospel. Miracles are worked by God, not by the saints and not even by the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Saints and Our Lady can pray on our behalf to the Lord to intervene but He alone can act contrary to nature and heal someone about to die for example. It is right to venerate the saints because they lead us to Christ. But Christ is the only way for salvation for all humanity”. Suddenly St Peter’s square is the world, a micro-cosmos representing the universality of the Church; Romans and Italians are now outnumbered by people from every corner of the globe. Spontaneously there arises in our hearts thanks to God for the missionaries who carried and continue to carry the Good News of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 19/4/2005 righe 25 parole 323)
