The Pope called for an end to the violence in Burma and Peru during the Angelus prayer on Sunday, January 22.
In the Asian country, the military junta has launched a new attack against Catholics in the country, setting fire to the church of Our Lady of the Assumption, considered one of the oldest and most important places of worship.
Meanwhile, in Peru, the Government has declared a state of emergency in the regions of Amazonas, La Libertad and Tacna due to the clashes taking place during the demonstrations demanding the dismissal of the Executive of Dina Boluarte.
«My thoughts, with pain, want to be today in particular with Myanmar (Burma), where the church of Our Lady of the Assumption, one of the oldest places of worship in that country, was burned. I feel very close to all the civilian population who are suffering these difficult trials,» Francis said during the Angelus this Sunday.
The Burmese church named by the Pope during his address, located in the village of Chan Thar, was built in 1894 and the country’s first bishop was baptized inside it.
In addition, the Pontiff urged to pray that «the acts of violence in Peru may end» and assured that these acts «extinguish the hope of solutions to the problems».
«I join the Peruvian bishops in saying «No to violence, wherever it comes from, no more deaths,» he said. «I encourage all parties involved to take the path of dialogue between brothers in the same nation in full respect of human rights and the rule of law,» he added.
Following this mention, the Peruvian Presidency thanked the Pope for his intervention. «We thank His Holiness Pope Francis for keeping Peru present in his prayers. That is also our path: the cessation of all acts of violence and dialogue between brothers of the same nation,» the Peruvian Presidency noted on Twitter.
During the catechesis, the Pope urged to find «the courage to set out» because if not, «one runs the risk of remaining a spectator of one’s own existence and living the faith half-heartedly.» Francis urged to «live, for example, the arduous but rewarding risk of service, or to dedicate time to prayer in order to grow in friendship with the Lord».
«It is necessary to decide: do I leave behind some certainties and embark on a new adventure, or do I stay where I am? It is a decisive moment for every Christian, because the meaning of everything else is at stake,» he stressed.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
