POPE BLESSES “VOICE OF THE UNBORN” BELL

POPE BLESSES “VOICE OF THE UNBORN” BELL

Before the general audience, in an area just outside the Paul Vi Hall, Pope Francis blessed a bell titled “Voice of the Unborn” donated by the Polish “Yes to life” Foundation in Zambia. The bell will be brought to Infant Jesus Cathedral in Lusaka and from there it will travel to other cities in the country.

Archbishop Alick Banda of Lusaka and the vice-president of the Bogdan Romaniuk Foundation took part in the blessing of the bell. The Bells of the “voice of the unborn” are already ringing in Poland, Ukraine and Ecuador, and other countries are also interested in the initiative.

Bogdan Romaniuk, a Ukrainian entrepreneur, is the idea man behind these “Voice of the Unborn” bells, an idea that came to him when he learned that every year, over 42 million children around the world are killed through abortion. In order to draw attention to this, Romaniuk presented to the board of directors of the Polish “Yes to Life” Foundation the idea of a bell that would speak on behalf of the unborn and speak out for conceived life.

Speaking at a “Yes to Life” event in 2021, Romaniuk noted how “The goal of the founders of the European Union was to strive to build European unity based on Christian values. This is also shown by the flag of the European Union, on which there are twelve stars symbolizing the Mother of God.” He highlighted how ideologies opposed to the civilization of life are trying to “shape the consciousness of people against life from conception to natural death.”

At the general audience on October 27, 2021, the Pope spoke of two bells he had earlier blessed – the first two “Voice of the Unborn” bells.

He said, “At the request of the Polish Foundation ‘Yes to Life,” I blessed bells today bearing the name ‘The Voice of the Unborn.’ Their destiny is Ecuador and Ukraine. May it be for these and all nations a sign of commitment to the defense of human life from conception to natural death. May their sound proclaim to the world the “Gospel of Life,” awaken consciences and the memory of the unborn. I entrust to your prayer every child conceived, whose life is sacred and inviolable. I bless you from my heart.”

Engraved on the bells are the words of Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko: “The life of a child begins under the heart of its mother,” as well as those of the 5th commandment: “Thou shalt not kill.”

 

EVANGELIZATION, A PERSONAL WITNESS TO THE TRUTH

EVANGELIZATION, A PERSONAL WITNESS TO THE TRUTH

In St. Peter’s Square this morning, Pope Francis began his weekly talk on missionary zeal by noting “we now consider the teaching of Saint Paul VI in his Apostolic Exhoration Evangelii Nuntiandi, on evangelization in the modern world. Pope Paul insisted that evangelization is primarily a personal witness to the Gospel and its saving truth. For this reason, he stressed the importance, in all the baptized, of a living faith in the triune God, manifested in a life of holiness fully consistent with the message we proclaim.”

St. Paul VI “went on to say that the Church not only evangelizes, but is herself evangelized, that is, constantly called to conversion and interior renewal in the Spirit. A Church that evangelizes is entirely turned to God, the source of our salvation, and, at the same time, entirely engaged in a creative dialogue with the world, cooperating with the Lord’s gracious plan for the unity and peace of our human family.

The Holy Father then explained that “Every one of us is required to respond to three fundamental questions, posed in this way by Paul VI: “Do you believe what you are proclaiming? Do you live what you believe? Do you preach what you live?” (cf. ibid.). Is there harmony: do you believe I what you proclaim? Do you live what you believe? Do you proclaim what you live? We cannot be satisfied with easy, pre-packaged answers. We are called upon to accept the risk, albeit destabilized, of the search, trusting fully in the action of the Holy Spirit who works in each one of us, driving us ever further: beyond our boundaries, beyond our barriers, beyond our limits, of any type.

“Read and re-read Evangelii nuntiandi,” urged Francis. “I will tell you the truth, I read it often, because it is Saint Paul VI’s masterpiece, it is the legacy he left to us, to evangelize.”

In a multi-language appeal at the end of the audience catechesis, Pope Francis reminded the faithful that “Saturday will be the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, and our thoughts turn to March 25th last year, when, in union with all the bishops of the world, the Church and humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine, were consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Let us not tire of entrusting the cause of peace to the Queen of Peace. I would therefore like to invite every believer and community, especially prayer groups, to renew every March 25 the act of consecration to Our Lady, so that she, who is Mother, may preserve us all in unity and peace.

And let us not forget, in these days, troubled Ukraine, who is suffering so much.”