VATICAN - At the Angelus the Pope said he prays that 'the new generations drawing vital life blood from Christ may be leaven of a renewed humanism in European societies' and with regard to terrorist attacks he invoked Almighty God 'to stop the murderous hand of those who moved by fanaticism and hatred committed these acts and to convert their hearts'

Les Combes (Fides Service) - Christianity’s role in building Europe and the recent terrorist attacks in various parts of the world were the subject of Pope Benedict XVI’s brief reflection before the midday Angelus prayer on Sunday 24 July. As on the previous Sunday the Holy Father recited the prayer with a large crowd of people who had gathered for the occasion in front of the holiday house where he is spending a few days rest in Les Combes, Valle d’Aosta, in the Italian alps.
Recalling some of the saints whose feast days occur at this time of year, St James the Apostle, St Brigid of Sweden one of the patron saints of Europe and the great patron of the ‘old’ continent St Benedict the Holy Father said: “Remembering these Saints, we spontaneously stop and reflect on the contribution which Christianity gave and continues to give towards building Europe.” Benedict XVI recalled that Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela the burial place of St James in 1982 “and he made a solemn ‘act for Europe’ during which he pronounced these memorabile words: ‘I, the Bishop of Rome and Shepherd of the universal Church from Santiago I address to you old Europe a cry filled with love: Come to your senses, be what you are! Discover your origins. Strengthen your roots. Rivive the authentic values which rendered glorious your history and beneficial your presence among other continents’.”
“John Paul II launched a project for a Europe aware of its spiritual unity based on the foundations of Christian values” the Pope said and Pope Wojtyla referred to this subject again on the occasion of World Youth Day 1989, when he called for “a Europe without senza frontieres, which does not deny the Christian roots on which it was built and does not renounce the authentic humanism of Christ’s Gospel”. In view of the fast approaching August celebration of the 20th World Youth Day in Germany, Pope Benedict urged those present to pray “that the new generations drawing vital life blood from Christ may be in European societies leaven of a renewed humanism in which faith and reason cooperate in fruitful dialogue to promote human development and to build authentic peace”.
After the Angelus prayer and before greeting the visitors in different laungauges the Pope said this about the recent terrorist attacks in various parts of the world: “These days of rest and tranquillity are troubled by tragic news of abominable terrorist attacks causing death, destruction and suffering in Egypt, Turkey, Iraq and Great Britain. While entrusting to divine Goodness the dead and the wounded and their families, victims of these acts which offend God and man, we ask the Almighty to stop the murderous hand of those who moved by fanaticism and hatred committed them and to convert their hearts to thoughts of reconciliation and peace.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 25/7/2005; righe 33, parole 458)