Vatican City, Jun 13, 2010 / 13:54 pm
During his traditional greeting and remarks before praying the Sunday Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter’s square, the Holy Father discussed Manuel “Lolo” Lozano Garrido and Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko, two men who were beatified in their home dioceses this week.
As Pope Benedict XVI spoke about the priest being a gift from the heart of Christ, he noted the contributions of priests throughout history to defending the civil and religious freedoms of mankind. He highlighted Blessed Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko, a Polish priest and martyr who was beatified in Poland before an audience of 140,000 people last Sunday, June 6.
Fr. Jerzy “exercised his generous and valiant ministry along with those who fought for liberty, for the defense of life and its dignity,” explained the Pope.
“His work of service to good and to the truth was a sign of contradiction to the regime that was governing Poland at the time. The love from the Sacred Heart of Christ impelled him to give his life, and his testimony has been the seed of a new spring in the Church and in society.”