Pope Benedict marked the 85th World Mission Sunday by canonizing three
saints in St. Peter’s Square.
Two of the saints were Italian – Archbishop Guido
Maria Conforti of Parma, who also founded the Xaverian Missionaries and Father Luigi
Guanella, the founder of of the Servants of Charity and the Institute of the Daughters
of St. Mary of Providence. One was Spanish, Sister Bonifacia Rodriguez de Castro,
founder of the Congregation of the Servants of St. Joseph.
In his homily on
the Gospel of the day (Matthew 22:34-40), Pope Benedict said love of neighbour is
“the visible sign that the Christian can show the world to witness God's love.”
"How
providential is then the fact that today the Church should indicate to all members
three new saints who allowed themselves to be transformed by divine love, which marked
their entire existence,” said Pope Benedict. “In different situations and with different
charisms, they loved the Lord with all their heart and their neighbour as themselves
so as to become a model for all believers.”
The Pope called on all people
to be drawn by their examples, and to be guided by their teachings, so that their
entire existence becomes a witness of authentic love for God and neighbour.
After
reciting the Angelus at the end of Mass, he asked everyone to pray to the Virgin Mary
for the October 27th meeting in Assisi scheduled to be attended by leaders
of world religions and non-religious personalities in search of peace. It is marking
the 25th anniversary of a similar meeting in the same town called by Blessed
John Paul II.