From Rome to Kolkata, a “charity” rosary via satellite
Rome (AsiaNews) – A Rosary prayer as “a bridge for universal charity” linking two “world symbols of God’s love, the Pope and the Blessed Teresa of Kolkata,” is how Mgr Lucas Sirkar, archbishop of Kolkata, described to AsiaNews the Marian prayer vigil that will be held tomorrow to celebrate the 5th European University Day, which Benedict XVI will preside.
Young Europeans as well as students from India, Hong Kong, Pakistan and the Philippines will take part in the event via satellite. At the end of the Rosary, the Pope will give student representatives the Apostolic Exhortations Ecclesia in Europa and Ecclesia in Asia.
The prayer meeting between Indian university students and the Pope will be held in the crypt of the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity where the remains of the Blessed Teresa of Kolkata rest.
Mgr Sirkar told AsiaNews that the “topic of the meeting ‘Intellectual charity, the way to renewed cooperation between Europe and Asia’ must be analysed in order to understand that this charity is a sign of divine love, something understood and understandable that can show that the gift of life can used to the maximum and shared.”
From Hong Kong, Fr Michele Camastra, chaplain of the Catholic University Association which is connected to the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, will speak. “Beside the very important topic and the presence of students, what strikes the most is that this is the Pope’s first pastoral visit to Hong Kong, albeit via satellite,” he said.
Benedict XVI, Fr Camastra said, “has never been in Asia, but has shown several times how much the continent, especially China, is important to him. For tomorrow’s meeting we are waiting to see what he has to say, in particular given the fact that he is expected to write a letter to Catholics in China. Emotionally, it is quite something to think that after seeing him so many times via satellite, it will be his turn to see us. It is almost like he is visiting our cathedral.”
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