2011-02-07 15:40:22

Pope prays for peace in Egypt, urges service to life, the sick


(February 07, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI who is closely following developments in Egypt on Sunday offered prayers for peace in the troubled nation. Sunday was the 13th day of protests attempting to oust President Hosni Mubarak, who has reigned in Egypt for almost 30 years. Addressing a large crowd gathered below his studio window overlooking St. Peter’s Square in Rome for the weekly midday ‘Angelus’ prayer, Pope Benedict said, "I ask God that the land, blessed by the presence of the Holy Family, rediscover tranquility and peaceful coexistence in the shared commitment to the common good." Associated Press reported that Christians held a Sunday Mass, in which thousands of Muslims participated.
The Pontiff also used his Sunday ‘Angelus’ to encourage those working in the health care sector to build a culture of life based on ethical values. He spoke in view of the upcoming World Day of the Sick on Friday, which the Catholic Church observes every year on the Feb. 11th feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. This day "is an opportune occasion to reflect, to pray and to increase the ecclesial community's and civil society's awareness of sick brothers and sisters," he affirmed. "God is radically opposed to the arrogance of evil,” the Pope said, adding, “the Lord cares for man in every situation, shares his suffering and opens his heart to hope." The Holy Father thus exhorted all health care workers to see in the sick person not only a body marked by fragility, but first of all a person, to whom complete solidarity must be extended and adequate and competent responses given.
On Sunday the Catholic Church of Italy marked the "Day for Life" and there were many in St. Peter’s Square adhering to the initiative. The Pope hoped that "everyone will strive to help the culture of life grow, to put the value of human beings at the centre in all circumstances.” "According to faith and reason the dignity of the person is irreducible to his faculties or the capacities he can manifest, and so it is not lessened when the person himself is weak, handicapped and in need of help," Pope Benedict asserted.








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