Paris, 26. Schock and horror at the “absurd
violence”, radical condemnation for “every form of hatred” and prayer for the
victims. These were the first sentiments expressed by Pope Francis – through
the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr Federico Lombardi – at yet another episode of jihadist terror in
Francis, barely two weeks from the attack in Nice of 14 July. Two men armed
with knives broke into a church in
Saint-Étienne-du Rouvray, near Rouen, during the celebration of Holy
Mass and killed the parish priest after holding him hostage along with two
sisters and three members of the faithful, one of whom was also stabbed and is
in critical condition. The so-called Islamic State (IS) has claimed
responsibility for the attack, confirming that it was carried out by two
“soldiers” from the fundamentalist group. Upon learning the tragic news, Pope Francis
– in a telegram to the Archbishop of Rouen, Dominique Lebrun, signed by his
Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin – wished to assure him of “his spiritual closeness” and that he
joined in “prayer for the suffering of family members, of the pain of the
parish and the diocese of Rouen”. In his message the Pontiff “invokes God, the
merciful Father, that he welcome the Abott Jacque Hamel into the peace of his
light and that he bring comfort to the wounded”. The Holy Father said he was
“particularly shaken by this act of violence that took place in a church,
during the celebration of Mass, a liturgical act that implores God for peace on
this earth. He asks the Lord to inspire all to thoughts of reconciliation and
brotherhood”….
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis is horrified and shocked by an attack in a church in Rouen, in northern France, where a priest was slain and another hostage was seriously wounded..
A statement released by Fr Federico Lombardi, Director of the Holy See Press Office said: “we are particularly shocked because this horrible violence took place in a Church, in which God’s love is announced, with the barbarous killing of a priest and the involvement of the faithful”.
Fr Lombardi also said the Pope shares the pain and the horror caused by this absurd violence and expresses firm condemnation of every form of hatred and prays for the victims.
Two attackers entered the church of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray during Mass on Tuesday morning, taking the elderly priest and four other people hostage before being shot dead by French police.
There were no immediate details on the identity or motives of the two assailants but the investigation was handed to the anti-terrorist unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office.
In his statement Fr Lombardi commented on the fact that the terrible news is unfortunately the latest in a series of violent attacks in the past days which have created immense pain and preoccupation.
Father Lombardi said the Pope is close to the Church in France, to the Archdiocese of Rouen, to the local community and to the French people.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The final preparations are underway in Krakow for World Youth Day which begins on the 26th of July. While the city prepares for Pope Francis, the finishing touches are being made to many of the areas the Pope will visit over the course of the celebration. Dorata Abdelmoula is the spokesperson for World Youth Day (WYD) in Krakow and spoke to Lydia O’Kane.
Listen:
Preparations
“All over Krakow we can already see that World Youth Day is approaching”, Dorata says, adding that everything is almost ready at Campus Misericordia where Pope Francis will celebrate the final Mass. She says, “it’s not very sophisticated because we’re trying to maintain the spirituality of Pope Francis, it’s a pretty simple construction but a I think a beautiful one.” Another theme, she notes which is very much in evidence is the Divine Mercy “and the spiritual heart of this World Youth Day will be the Shrine of the Divine Mercy.”
Registration
Young people are coming from all over the world to participate in this youth event and Dorata says apart from the registrations they have already received, they are expecting a last minute influx into the city.
“Up to now we have got more than 560,000 registered pilgrims who have declared their presence. For the opening Mass we expect about 500.000 pilgrims…and then the number will increase, we expect about 800,000 for the Way of the Cross on Friday, about 1 million pilgrims for the vigil of the Holy Father at Campus Misericordia and between 1.5 million and 1.8m pilgrims for the final Mass.”
Security
The terrible events recently in Nice as well as in Brussels and Paris have highlighted the need for vigilance at major events. The WYD spokesperson stresses that security is a top priority and vetting procedures have been thorough for World Youth Day. “From the very beginning we are also preparing all the World Youth Day events as well in the diocese as here in Krakow with the great help of our government, of the local authorities of all the national and international security services.” She goes on to says that, “after all those tragic events in Europe, not only the number of pilgrims didn’t decrease, but also we have felt more solidarity among young people. We have received so many heartwarming declarations from all over the world that young people feel even more invited to gather to testify their faith…”
Information and assistance for pilgrims
Regarding information and assistance for those who are coming as tourists as well as pilgrims, help is at hand in the form of many volunteers giving their time during the event. “Volunteers are eager to help and eager to give all the logistic and practical information,” says Dorata, and she adds that “almost every single diocese has got an account on social media but also a website. In Krakow itself there is an app available and there will be many information points throughout the city run by volunteers.”
World Youth Day runs from the 26-31st July 2016
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) In his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Francis focused on Jesus’ teaching on prayer, from the day’s Gospel. When the Apostles asked the Lord to teach them to pray, Jesus responded, “When you pray, say ‘Father…’” This word, “Father,” the Pope said, is the “secret” of the prayer of Jesus – “it is the key that He Himself gives us so that we too can enter into that relationship of confidential dialogue with the Father.” Moving on to the various petitions addressed to God in the Lord’s Prayer, Pope Francis said the first two petitions, “hallowed be Thy Name,” and “Thy kingdom come” are associated with the name “Father.” Jesus’ prayer – and thus Christian prayer – consists first of all in making room for God, allowing Him to act in our lives. St Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer than continues with three more petitions, which express our fundamental needs: for bread, for forgiveness, and for help in temptations. We ask in prayer for bread which is necessary, not superfluous; we ask, in the first place, for forgiveness of our own sins, so that we might be capable of “concrete acts of fraternal reconciliation”; and we ask that we might not be lead into temptation, because we know we are weak, “always exposed to the snares of wickedness and of corruption.” The two parables following the Lord’s Prayer teach us “to have full confidence in God, who is Father.” God does not need our prayer to discover what we need, or to be convinced to give it to us. Rather, Pope Francis said, we pray so that our faith and patience might be strengthened, so that we might “struggle” together with God for those things that are most important and necessary. And that which is most important, but which, the Pope said, we almost never ask for, is the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit helps us to live well, to live with wisdom and love, doing the will of God. “What a beautiful prayer it would be,” Pope Francis said, if in the coming week, “each one of us would ask of the Father, “Father, give me the Holy Spirit.” (from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis expressed his condolences for the victims of the attack that took place in Munich on Friday. In a telegram addressed to Cardinal Reinhard Marx , the Archbishop of Munich, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said Pope Francis “shares in the pain of the survivors and expresses to them his closeness in suffering,” and “entrusts the departed, in prayer, to the mercy of God.” The Pope also thanked emergency service personnel and security forces for “their attentive and generous service.” Cardinal Parolin concluded the telegram with the Pope’s prayer that Christ “the Lord of Life,” might “give comfort and consolation to all.” Here is the full text of the telegram sent to Cardinal Reinhard Marx: His Eminence
Cardinal Reinhard Marx
Archbishop of Munich and Freising Pope Francis has noted with consternation the news of the terrible act of violence which occurred in Munich, in which several persons, mostly young people, were killed, and many others were gravely wounded. His Holiness shares in the pain of the survivors and expresses to them his closeness in suffering. He entrusts the departed in prayer to the mercy of God. He expresses his deep sympathy to all those who were wounded in this attack, and thanks the rescue service personnel and the security forces for their attentive and generous service. Pope Francis beseeches Christ, the Lord of Life, to give comfort and consolation to all, and imparts his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of hope. (from Vatican Radio)…