Pope Benedict XVI's address to the Volunteers of the Italian Civil Protection

(March 06, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI praised the volunteers of the Italian Civil Protection Group and asked them to be the Good Samaritans, giving attention to others, remembering the dignity of man who is created in the image of God and instilling hope in human persons. The Pope was addressing the Volunteers of the Group on Saturday, 6th of March in Rome during a special audience. Italian Civil Protection Service consists of central and peripheral State administrations, Regions, Provinces, municipalities, national and territorial public agencies, institutions and organisations present on the national territory, available to manage disaster situations. The Holy Father said that they constitute one of the most recent and mature expressions of the long tradition of solidarity rooted in the sharing and generosity of the Italian people. Such a volunteering for Civil Defence has become a national phenomenon, which has attracted about one million three hundred thousand members in more than three thousand organizations in Italy, the Pope said. Their vocation and the mission said the Pontiff consists of protecting people and their dignity particularly in tragic cases of calamities and emergency threatening the life and safety of families or entire communities. This mission is not only in the management of the emergency, but in a timely and worthy contribution to achieving the common good, especially in times of great trial, both during and after the calamity, the Pope added. Being called upon to be the living icons of the Good Samaritan, they are to give attention to others, remembering the dignity of man and instilling hope, demonstrating humility, charity and helping the victim at the time of greatest need, said Pope Benedict XVI.