Cardinal Ruini announces the cause for beatification of Fr. Andrea Santoro
Celebrating the funeral mass for the murdered priest, the Cardinal speaks of the necessity to "reaffirm the right to religious freedom".
Roma (AsiaNews) A martyr : Fr Andrea had and amply displayed the courage of a martyr and the diocese of Rome will promote the process for the cause of his beatification. Cardinal Camillo Ruini made the announcement during the course of the funeral mass for the murdered priest. The news was met with resounding applause from the congregation, whom the Cardinal told that he was " wholly persuaded that all the elements which constitute the martyrdom of a Christian could be found in the sacrifice of Fr. Andrea.
The mass was held in the basilica of St. John Latern in the presence of political authorities and thousands of faithful and was concelebrated by roman priests. The Cardinal defined Fr. Andrea as " a man of inseparable faith and witness to the Christian love". At the same time however, the Cardinal underlined that now more than ever there is an urgent need to affirm "the right to religious freedom, mother of all freedom, as valid and concrete in every corner of the world, without trace of discrimination".
Reflecting on the life of the murdered priest, in the words of the Cardinal "at the heart of his every action there was the simplest of convictions: Jesus Christ gave his life on the cross for all mankind and therefore a disciple of Christ, above all a priest consecrated to Christ, must love and dedicate his life to his fellow man without distinctions" . "Perhaps in this way he added we can begin to understand his choice to go and live and carry out his mission in Turkey, moreover in what is in our minds the remotest part of Turkey. Fr Andrea was a man of penetrating intelligence, and also great firmness of character. He knew well that in that land and among that people he would be limited in his apostolic mission, this he calmly accepted and interiorized. He was convinced that through silent witness and prayer he would be a worthy sign of Jesus Christ and sow the seeds for love and reconciliation.
His violent end could lead one to conclude that he was eluding himself. But he was aware of the possibility that such an end was a concrete possibility : many of his words, and perhaps more explicitly his silences, make us certain of this, I myself can personally testify to it".
"Sent by Rome to make Christ's presence known in that land where the Christian faith had laid once deep and robust roots", " he meant to be a presence of belief and friendship, to favour an exchange of gifts, above all spiritual , between the East and Rome, between Christians, Jews and Muslims".
The Cardinal recalled the development of the mission in Trabzon "with joy and faith". "There he continued to pray and to help others, in full respect and observance of local customs until last Sunday, until that sudden end which all the world knows about but on which, following the example of Fr. Andrea, it is of little importance to dwell. But we must continue to reject the ignoble, false accusations and absurd insinuations of illicit means being employed to obtain conversions, which his rigorous conscience born of being a Christian and a priest make impossible".
Fr Andrea was " a man of great courage, lucid and vital enough to face day after day, risking his life. His was a Christian courage, a courage that is typical of the Christian Martyrs seen through the centuries on numerous occasions: a courage that has at its roots a union with Christ, in the strength that comes from him, in a way that is as mysterious as it is concrete. A courage, he then underlined, that "is not to attack or kill but to love and build, to build a concrete comprehension, friendship and peace, there were all too often intolerance hate and distrust reign
Concluding the Cardinal recalled "deeply moved, the words pronounced by his mother, Maria Polselli widow Santoro: 'The mother of Fr. Andrea with all her heart forgives the person who armed himself to kill her son and feels immense pity for him, as he too is son of the one God who is love'" . (FP)
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