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Pope Francis I - A gift of Divine Providence Johannes Freiherr Heereman von Zuydtwyck, Executive President of Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a Pontifical Foundation, has welcomed the election of the Holy Father. “After days of prayer and waiting during which not only the voting Cardinals, but also the whole Church had gathered in the Spirit to conduct the Papal election, God has blessed us with a pre-Easter joy: 'Habemus papam.' We thank Divine Providence for the new Spiritual Leader of the Church, the Holy Father Francis I. We ask that he be granted God's power and light and entrust his pontificate to the intercession of Mary and the intercessory prayers of the Church.
As an international Catholic pastoral charity under papal law, Aid to the Church in Need supports the Holy Father throughout the world in his task of strengthening the community of faith and love. Christ's order to Peter: 'Feed my sheep' is preceded by the Lord's question: 'Lovest thou me?' We also wish to respond to this call, the answer to which was: 'Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee,' and to do this by our prayers, by preaching the Gospel and by helping the suffering and persecuted brothers and sisters worldwide.” With pictures of Pope Francis I (© Grzegorz Galazka) |
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Keeping the Faith Alive
Just as the Cardinals did immediately after the election, so we also wish to promise Pope Francis I loyalty and obedience, which is obedience to God and to the truth revealed by Him.