Vatican City, Dec 11, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Following his Angelus prayer in St. Peter‘s Square Sunday, Pope Benedict called for the building of new churches throughout Rome for the many neighborhoods still without one.
Thousands were on hand in the Square for the Holy Father’s announcement that during Advent this year, as in previous years, the diocese of Rome will propose an initiative called: "New churches for Rome."
The new initiative, he said, aims to "raise awareness among the ecclesial community over the need to build new parish structures in neighborhoods that are still without them.”
He then added his thanks to "those who, with their generous commitment, have enabled many outlying suburbs to be provided with appropriate pastoral centers."
The Pope pointed out that "…much remains to be done to ensure that the faithful of this city, which continues to grow, have appropriate places for liturgy, catechesis, and works of social and cultural animation."