(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis expressed his profound sadness for the victims of an explosion at a maternity hospital in Mexico City which killed two newborn babies and a nurse. More than 70 other people were injured, most of them newborn infants. The Pope’s condolences were sent on his behalf by the Secretary of State Pietro Parolin in a telegram to Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, Archbishop of Mexico City. Earlier, the Pope sent a tweet on his Spanish twitter account urging prayers for the victims and their families and for the Lord to grant them strength and peace.
An investigation is underway into the cause of Thursday’s explosion, which killed at least three people and injured scores of others, many of whom are infants.
James Blears reports a leak in a pipe of a truck supplying gas to the hospital’s kitchen, transformed the vehicle into a gigantic bomb, with a resulting explosion, felt for many miles around.
Listen to the report by James Blears:
The nursery, administration area and emergency ward of Cujimalpa hospital were flattened by a blast of enormous proportions. Investigating experts say a supply pipe of a truck pumping gallon after gallon of gas into the hospital kitchen, either leaked or fractured, causing the explosion. More than 40 of the 70 hurt are babies or young children. Twenty-two remain in serious condition. The heart-rending cases range from blast wounds, burns ….. and horrific wounds from glass shards fanning out in cutting showers, from shattered window panes. Windows for miles around were blown to kingdom come from the shock waves.
Mexico City’s Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera who’s visited the scene of twisted metal, collapsed concrete and devastation, is blaming the gas company, which he says has been supplying hospitals throughout Mexico City since 2007.
In one form or other, gas explosions are not uncommon in Mexico. In February 2013, 37 people died after a build-up of gas in the basement of the Mexico City Headquarters of State Petroleum Company PEMEX.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has called for prayers in the wake of a deadly gas explosion at a maternity hospital in the Cuajimalpa section of Mexico City. Appearing on the Holy Father’s Spanish-language twitter account shortly after news of the incident broke, the message says: “Let us pray for the victims of the explosion at…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has made changes to the public ceremony of investiture of the Pallium on Metropolitan Archbishops emphasizing that the investiture is an ecclesial event of the whole diocese, and not merely a juridical or ceremonial event. Speaking to Vatican Radio, Monsignor Guido Marini, Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, says that from now…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has made changes to the public ceremony of investiture of the Pallium on Metropolitan Archbishops emphasizing that the investiture is an ecclesial event of the whole diocese, and not merely a juridical or ceremonial event. Speaking to Vatican Radio, Monsignor Guido Marini, Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, says that from now…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has made changes to the public ceremony of investiture of the Pallium on Metropolitan Archbishops emphasizing that the investiture is an ecclesial event of the whole diocese, and not merely a juridical or ceremonial event.
Speaking to Vatican Radio, Monsignor Guido Marini, Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, says that from now on – starting from the 29th June this year – the ceremony of investiture of the Pallium will take place in the Metropolitan Archbishops home dioceses and not in the Vatican.
Listen to the report by Linda Bordoni :
Martini said the ceremony will thus be celebrated in two significant moments: the first during which the pallium will be blessed during the Mass on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul in the Vatican; the second when it will be placed on the Metropolitan Archbishop in his own diocese, by his representative, the Apostolic Nuncio.
It will be the responsibility of the Nuncio to determine with the Metropolitan Archbishops the most opportune date, circumstances and manner to publicly and officially invest him with the pallium by mandate of the Holy Father, and with the participation of the Suffragan Bishops of the Province.
Marini says that in this way the ceremony will continue to symbolize communion between the See of Peter and the Successor of the Apostle and those who are chosen to carry out the episcopal ministry as Metropolitan Archbishop of an Ecclesiastical Province, and it will favor the participation of the local Church in an important moment of its life and history.
(from Vatican Radio)…