Vatican Radio) In a telegram sent on his behalf by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis has condemned the terror attack in Nice and expressed his profound sadness and his spiritual closeness to the French people. Addressed to the Bishop of Nice Andre Marceau, the telegram noted that whilst France was celebrating its national day “blind violence has once again hit the nation” in the city of Nice whose victims include many children. It said the Pope once again “condemned such acts” and expressed his “profound sadness and his spiritual closeness to the French people.” The telegram continued by saying that Pope Francis “entrusts to the Mercy of God those who have lost their lives” and he shares “the pain of the bereaved families” and also expressed his sympathy to those wounded. The Pope concluded by imploring from God the gift of “peace and harmony” and invoking divine blessings on the families affected by this tragedy and all the people of France. (from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has condemned the terrorist attack in Nice, France, which on Thursday night killed at least 84 people. “We have followed during the night, with the greatest concern, the terrible news which has come from Nice,” said the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi, SJ. “We want to make known, on the part of Pope Francis and ourselves, our sharing and solidarity in the suffering of the victims and all the French people, in what was supposed to be a great day of celebration,” –Father Lombardi continued – “We condemn in an absolute manner every manifestation of homicidal folly, hatred, terrorism, and attacks against peace.” The terrorist drove a heavy truck at high speeds into a crowd that had just watched a fireworks celebration. The truck was finally stopped after travelling two kilometres, and the driver was killed in a shootout with police. The attack comes eight months and a day after gunmen and suicide bombers from the so-called Islamic State struck Paris on November 13, 2015, killing 130 people. Four months ago, Belgian Islamists linked to the Paris attackers killed 32 people at a Brussels airport. (from Vatican Radio)…