The Holy Father prays for those who defend life

VATICAN CITY, 3 FEB 2008 (VIS) - At today's Angelus prayer on this the fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Benedict XVI entrusted various intentions to the prayers of the faithful present in St. Peter's Square and to everyone listening to him.


Remarking that yesterday is the Day of Consecrated Life, the Pope called for prayers for all those people whom "Christ calls to follow Him more closely with a special form of consecration". And he asked the Virgin Mary "to ensure many holy vocations to consecrated life, which is a priceless treasure for the Church and for the world.


"Another prayer intention", said the Holy Father, "is offered to us by the Day for Life which is being celebrated today in Italy and which has as its theme 'Serving life'". In this context he exhorted everyone, "each according to his or her possibilities, profession and responsibilities, to feel in themselves an obligation to love and serve life, from its beginning to its natural end. It is, in fact, everyone's duty to welcome human life as a gift to be respected, protected and promoted, even more so when it is fragile and in need of attention and care, either before birth or when it is in its final stages".


The Pope encouraged those who "with exertion but with joy, without fuss but with great dedication, assist elderly or disabled relatives", and those who "regularly consecrate part of their time to helping people of all ages whose lives are burdened by so many different forms of poverty".

Comments

Blog Archive

Show more

Popular posts from this blog

The Spirituality and Miracles of St. Clare of Assisi

Saint Michael de Sanctis: Patron of Cancer Patients

Saint Gerard of Brogne: Patron of Abbots