He papa Francisco appealed this Wednesday “to protect life” y “take care of every creature born of a woman” from conception to natural death, and as “fundamental basis for building a civilization of peace“, during the first mass of the year in the St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
“Let us learn to care for every creature born of a woman, above all protecting the precious gift of life, as Mary did,” urged the pontiff, at the mass of the Solemnity of Mary Most Holy Mother of God, traditionally dedicated to the World Day of Peace.
“I ask for a firm commitment to promote respect for the dignity of human lifefrom conception to natural death, so that every person can love their own life and look to the future with hope,” he added.
Francis insisted on protecting “life in the womb, the life of children, the life of those who suffer, the life of the poor, the life of the elderly, of those who are alone, of the dying,” while presiding over the mass in front of the great canopy of the temple, before hundreds of faithful and members of the Curia, among them cardinals and bishops.
“Today, on the World Day of Peace, we are all called to accept this invitation that springs from the maternal heart of Mary: to protect life, to take care of wounded life, to dignify the life of each ‘born of a woman’; “It is the fundamental basis for building a civilization of peace,” added the pontiff.
“Invoking her as Mother of God, we affirm that Christ has been generated by the Father, but was truly born from the womb of a woman. We affirm that He is the Lord of time, but He inhabits this time of ours, also this new year, with his presence of love”Francisco declared.
He also appealed to trust “the whole world” to the Virgin Mary“so that hope is rebornso that peace finally flourishes in all the peoples of the earth.”
Pope Francis has desired that the city of Rome be “an environment open to all pilgrims of hope” during the jubilee that the Italian capital will host in 2025, while expressing that the perspective of a fraternal world “it is not ideology”, but “Jesus, the incarnate son” of God.
This is what the pontiff expressed this Tuesday, December 31, during the liturgical services of the ‘Te God‘in thanksgiving for the year that ended, held in St. Peter’s Basilica, and attended by thousands of people, according to reports Vatican News.
In his homily, the Pope recognized the challenges experienced by Rome in this last year, marked by numerous works leading up to the Jubilee, and he thanked the mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, for this.
“Rome is called to welcome everyone so that everyone can recognize themselves as children of God and brothers among themselves.“, he stated, in reference to the work aimed at preparing the city to receive pilgrims from all over the world.
(With information from agencies)
