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JOHN PAUL II
REGINA COELI
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
1. My heart is still filled with the emotion I felt yesterday,
when
I beatified the little shepherds, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, who,
together with Lucia who is still alive, had the privilege of seeing and speaking
with Our Lady.
I entrusted all the Church's needs and intentions to Our Lady
and also prayed for vocations. Today, in fact, we are celebrating the World
Day of Prayer for Vocations: we raise a unanimous and confident
entreaty to God, the Lord of the harvest, to send many holy workers into his
harvest (cf.
Mt 9: 38). Following a significant custom, on this Fourth Sunday of
Easter, commonly known as "Good Shepherd Sunday", I am pleased to have been able
to ordain new priests for the Diocese of Rome. I greet them again and invite
everyone to thank God for the gift of these Gospel ministers.
2. Dear brothers and sisters, during this month of May, which
popular tradition dedicates to Mary, let us constantly turn our hearts and minds
to her and imitate her example of faithful fidelity to the divine plan.
Accepting the invitation that the Blessed Virgin made to
believers precisely at Fátima, let us pray and do penance for the Church, for
the sanctification of priests, for the conversion of all who live in sin and for
peace in the world.
3. I now extend a special greeting to the representatives of the
National Association of Haemodialysis Patients, who have gathered here on the "Day
for Organ Donations and Transplants". To the sick, to their relatives and to all
who assist them, my greetings and heartfelt encouragement.
I now greet all the pilgrims, especially the parish groups from
Mathi (Archdiocese of Turin), Bozzano and Viareggio, L'Aquila, Longi (Diocese of
Patti), Socco and Bulgorello (Diocese of Como), and Arzano di Napoli, as well as
the scout group from Agropoli and the group of horsemen who have come on
pilgrimage from Siena.
May your visit to the tomb of Peter strengthen your faith and
Gospel witness.
© Copyright 2000 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana/font>
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