Tuesday, Sept. 22
ST. LORENZO RUIZ (b Manila 1600, d Nagasaki 1637)
AND FIVE COMPANIONS, Martyrs
Killed during the persecutions
of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan. Beatified 1987.
Ruiz, a Chinese-Filipino, is the first Filipino saint.
OR for 9/21-9/22:
At the Sunday Angelus, Benedict XVI says religious and political authorities must work
with impartiality, truth and respect for all:
'Only men of peace can make peace'
Expresses profound sorrow for military and civilian victims in Afghan conflict*
Other Page 1 stories: The Pope's address to new bishops (right photo;full text translation on this page yesterday);
US general in Afghanistan says mission will fail without more troops; Oabama, Netanyahu and Abu Mazen to meet at the UN;
unemployment crisis continues in Europe and the US despite signs of economic recovery. In the inside pages is a sbustantial
excerpt from Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco's address to the Permanent Council of the Italian bishops conference which opened
its fall session yesterday.
No events scheduled for the Holy Father today.
*
OR carried a picture of the funeral (left photo below) but its story only quoted the telegram of condolence. This is the AsiaNews report.
Pope’s telegram read at funeral
of six Italian soldiers killed in Afghanistan
Rome, Sept. 21 (AsiaNews) – A telegram of condolences from the Pope was read during the state funeral for Antonio Fortunato, Matteo Mureddu, Davide Ricchiuto, Roberto Valente, Gian Domenico Pistonami and Massimiliano Randino, the six Italian soldiers killed a few days ago in a suicide attack in Kabul. The ceremony was held this morning at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls in the presence of thousands of people.
In the papal message signed by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone, the Pontiff wrote that he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of military and civilian lives in Kabul. He said that he felt close to the families of those killed, to the Italian military and the Italian nation.
In it, the Holy Father offered his prayers to Mary Queen of Peace “that God, inexhaustible source of hope and a force for the good, support those who are engaged on a daily basis in building solidarity, reconciliation and peace in the world.
In his homily, Mgr Vincenzo Pelvi, chief military chaplain, emphasised the value of reconciliation that is behind the mission of Italian soldiers in Afghanistan.
“If a state cannot protect its own population from grave and continuous violations of human rights, or from the consequences of humanitarian crisis caused by nature or man, the international community has to intervene, exploring all possible diplomatic ways and paying close attention and encouraging even the least sign of democracy or desire for reconciliation,” he said.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 23/09/2009 13:40]