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POPE-MERCY Apr-24-2006 (250 words) With photos. xxxi
Trust in God's mercy should be central to all Christians, pope says
By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Trust in God's divine mercy was central to the teaching of Pope John Paul II and should be central to the faith and prayer of every Christian, Pope Benedict XVI said.
Marking Divine Mercy Sunday April 23, Pope Benedict also prayed that God's blessings of reconciliation and peace would be given to all people.
Reciting the "Regina Coeli" prayer at midday, he wished a happy Easter to Orthodox and Eastern-rite Catholics celebrating Jesus' resurrection according to the Julian calendar.
"May the risen Lord give the gifts of his light and his peace to all," the pope prayed.
He also offered special prayers for the people of Serbia and Montenegro, Romania and Bulgaria suffering from the effects of flooding over the past week.
In his main talk, the pope focused on the Gospel accounts of the risen Lord appearing to his disciples and showing them the physical signs of his crucifixion.
"Those sacred wounds on his hands, feet and side are inexhaustible founts of faith, hope and love which everyone can draw from, especially the souls most thirsty for divine mercy," he said.
The pope prayed that Christians would mark every Sunday as the feast of the Lord's resurrection, experiencing "the beauty of an encounter with the risen Lord and drawing from the fount of his merciful love in order to be apostles of his peace."
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Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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