Pope praises OFTAL on 80th anniversary of service to the sick
(March 17.2012) I associate myself spiritually and with sincere affection to you
and your collaborators says Pope Benedict XVIth in a message to Revd Fr. Giampaolo
Angelino, President of OFTAL, the Association which transports the sick to the Grotto
of Lourdes in France. This association is celebrating the 80th anniversary
of its activity and the centenary of the first visit to Lourdes of their founder the
late Father Alessandro Rastelli. This message was read out at Mass Saturday morning
by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. The Mass was celebrated
for the entire delegation of OFTAL at St Peter’s Basilica. The Pope expressed deep
appreciation of the work of OFTAL to promote devotion to the Blessed Virgin among
the faithful, also by their commitment to the noble task of accompanying the sick
to the Marian shrine, and by the opportune formation of their collaborators, spiritual
assistants, doctors, infirmarians, stretchers bearers and especially the dear sick,
all of whom the Pope warmly greeted. He expressed the fervent hope that their Christian
witness may produce fruits in fidelity to their charism and always in harmony with
the Bishops of the Church.
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