Vatican City, Mar 6, 2006 / 22:00 pm
This morning, the Vatican released a message sent by Pope Benedict XVI calling for disabled individuals--whom he said, possess the same full human dignity, worth, and rights as all human beings-- to be completely and compassionately inserted into society at large.
The Pope’s message was sent to Cardinal Geraldo Majella Agnelo, who is Archbishop of Sao Salvador da Bahia and president of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, as the Brazilian Church celebrates their annual Lenten Fraternity Campaign.
In the Holy Father’s message, which was written in Portuguese, Benedict writes that the theme of this year's campaign - "Fraternity and Disabled People" - "promotes reflection and is an encouragement to renew the commandment to charity with greater force, especially towards people suffering some form of disability."
He continued however, saying that what is needed, is not simply "an attitude of tenderness and consolation," but the complete insertion into society of these "our brothers and sisters in Christ."