Pope: "Sport a Building Block of Peace and Friendship Between Nations"
(04 Feb 10 - RV) With only eight days to go to the beginning of the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver Canada, Pope Benedict XVI has sent a telegram to the Archbishop of Vancouver,
J. Michael Miller.In the telegram the Pope sends his good wishes to the people
of the diocese, the participating athletes, organizers and the many community volunteers
who are generously cooperating in the celebration of the significant international
event.
The 21st Winter Olympics, will be held on February 12–28, 2010, in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the resort town of Whistler
and in the Vancouver suburb of Richmond.
Both the Olympic and Paralympic Games
are being organized by the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC).
This will
be the third Olympics hosted by Canada, and the first by the province of British Columbia.
In his telegram signed December 30th in the Vatican, but sent on
Thursday, Pope Benedict writes that “such an important occurrence for both athletes
and spectators allows me to recall how sport “can make an effective contribution to
peaceful understanding between peoples and to establishing the new civilization of
love” (JOHN PAUL II, Homily, 29 October 2000, 2).
In this light, the Pope
urges that “sport always be a valued building block of peace and friendship between
peoples and nations”.
He also notes “the ecumenical initiative More Than
Gold, intended to provide spiritual and material assistance to visitors, participants
and volunteers alike”, and prays “that all who avail themselves of this service will
be confirmed in their love of God and neighbour”.
With these sentiments in
mind, the Holy Father invokes “the abundant blessings of Almighty God upon all associated
with the celebration of the XXI Winter Olympic Games and the X Paralympics Winter
Games”.