The Holy Father called the Bishop of L’Aquila, where the earthquakes have caused great destruction and loss of life, to say that he will come to visit at a future date and when his coming won’t interfere with rescue and aid operations.
[flv]09_04_08_B16_LAquila.flv[/flv]
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Thank God the Pope has more common sense than so many elected officials on this side of the Atlantic!
All too often, some public figure with too little actual responsibility to the disaster zone needs to be seen on the scene, just so they can see that “Umm, yes. It’s devastation in the wake of the flood/hurricane/brushfire, just like the news reports and the emergency response professionals told me.” At the same time, both their helicopter and their police/military escort could be put to better use in actual relief operations.
Our Pope, is so gracious and thougtful. Our media and civil leaders should take note. How sad, how tragic. We need to keep all of these good people in our prayers this Easter week. Tom
Charivari Rob;
The problem is, if MAJOR political figures don’t show up in disater zones, they are jeered at as being “uncaring” or “unconcerned” about the plight of those suffering. You may remember that GWB was chastised no end for not “showing up” in New Orleans after Katrina, while the truth is that he weighed the option heavily and decided that his presence there would be disruptive, and so decided to not do so. The Pope is absolutely right about this…. his presence there now would distract from the crucial work that needs to be done, and on this side of the Atlantic, We The People need to stop insisting that our elected officials need to be “everywhere, all the time”, as though their presence is a blessing or something! In fact, it might not be such a bad idea if they would remain missing from Washington DC for awhile….
What a caring Papa we have…a true father and shepherd!
The photo of that church is so sad. As if God is saying, if the people won’t come and fill the church, I’ll take it away…… [HUH?!?]
Lucy, you are right on. Just like the Temple in the OT was destroyed when the people were unfaithful.
I get a little nervous when people start interpretting natural disasters as signs of God’s displeasure or wrath. I know that this was often used as an imagine in the Old Testament, but the authors of scripture were under divine inspiration when making those connections. Remember Our Lord’s words regarding the eighteen men who were killed by the falling tower in Siloam, in Luke 13:4 –
Are we to conclude that the reason the Cathedral in Los Angeles has not been destroyed is because God is fully pleased with the activities and the faith of the people of Los Angeles?
This is a terrible disaster, and the people – the dead as well as the survivors – need our prayers much more than they need our accusations of infidelity.
My comment was more a reflection of what is seen in Europe, that is empty churches. I do think that God sometimes shows his displeasure with us by natural disasters, though I am in no way inspired by God to say that. It was merely a feeling that I had when I saw that beautiful church in rubble. I have nothing but sadness for the people suffering in Italy at this time, and my prayers are offered up for them, and for us all who are suffering in this world.
There may be empty churches in Italy and Europe in general, but here in the U.S. a lot of ‘so-called-Catholics’ feels entitled to a place in line to receive Holy Communion, even when what they believe or do goes against our faith. I am not excusing European Catholics for not going to church, mind you. I am just making a comment on how sometimes appearances can be deceiving. As a pastor I know often says: “Spending all day in a garage won’t make you turn into a car”.
When a tragedy with much loss of life occurs, most “true believers” exonerate all-powerful god from blame for not having done anything to prevent it. Contrast this with the claim by certain bishops that a natural disaster is god´s punishment of sinful people (Sod. and Gom.!) by sending hurricanes or tsumnamis. I have yet to register sorrow (and even anger)on the part of such persons that god did not exercise his unlimited powers (not to mention compassion (5 million kids dead of starvation last year)) to at least warn the people of Aquila – to mention only one of uncountable tragedies – not to go to bed that night, but rather to get out of their homes and leave town.Is all this evidence of god´s “love” for his children??!!
Why is it that people always forget that physical death in this world is not the worst thing that can happen to a person? That we are designed not for this world but for the next? And that, frankly, we have way too narrow a field of view to assert we understand what God is doing? May we only pray that those who have died did so in a state of grace.