ASIA/PHILIPPINES - PIME Superior General calls all communities to a day of prayer July 10 for release of Italian missionary Fr Bossi taken hostage a month ago

Thursday, 5 July 2007

Roma (Agenzia Fides)- “I know that from the beginning you have all prayed to the Lord but I would ask every PIME community, in missions or houses, to unite in a special day of prayer for Fr Bossi on July 10: may the Lord give him abundant courage, hope and patience; and for his captors: May God touch their hearts so they reflect and mend their ways” writes Fr Gian Battista Zanchi, Superior General of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions in a letter to all PIME missionaries asking them to unite in prayer for the release of Fr. Giancarlo Bossi.
“With the family, parish and friends of Fr. Giancarlo we are all waiting confidently for the news of his release but so far no one has claimed responsibility or given the reason for his disappearance". Drawing inspiration from the Gospel, Fr. Zanchi encourages a sense of responsibility. Like the two disciples of Jesus who want to call down 'fire from heaven' on people who refuse good and prefer evil, so “after the abduction of Fr. Bossi, perhaps we too wished for forceful and hasty interventions. We must put aside this spontaneous reaction, this temptation, recalling that misunderstanding, rejection, violence, persecution, martyrdom are part of our missionary vocation. If we want to follow Christ on the way to Jerusalem we must have interior freedom which is first of all freedom from self, for total and radical discipleship”.
“Initiatives at various levels are being organised to hasten the release of Fr. Giancarlo. We welcome this demonstration of support and solidarity but we must not overlook prayer: we are all in the hands of God. Our unceasing prayer, together with prayers from all over the world will be heard. Fr. Giancarlo will soon return for the joy of his loved ones, for our joy, for the joy of the people of Payao and all who believe in the power of prayer and have worked in many different ways for his release. At this time of suffering and uncertainty we invoke the intercession and the presence of Mary Queen of the Apostles and that we may soon sing with her our own Magnificat” the Superior General of PIME concludes. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 5/7/2007 righe 33 parole 444)


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