Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula is asking the public to continue praying for the safety of everyone against violence around the world, following the incident which intended to threaten Pope Francis a few days ago.
In an interview with Radio Veritas on Wednesday, Cardinal Advincula called on the faithful to continue praying for the Holy Father as Italian authorities continue to investigate the person and the reason behind the French-stamped envelope containing three 9mm Flobert-round bullets, a handwritten letter and a copy of a 10-Euro deposit.
“Bagamat iniimbestigahan pa kung saan nanggaling at ano ang motibo ng envelope na may tatlong bala para kay Pope Francis, patuloy nating ipanalangin ang kanyang kaligtasan,” he said.
He also asked to pray to change the hearts of those who sow fear and hostility resulting to human rights violations.
“Ipanalangin natin na hipuin ng Diyos ang puso ng mga taong naghahasik ng takot, karahasan, kasinungalingan at lumalabag sa karapatang-pantao,” he said.
The mail – addressed to “The Pope, Vatican City, St. Peter’s Square” was seized in a mail sorting facility in the Peschiera town north of the city of Milan on August 9.
In a report by The Table, the country’s national police already identified the sender as “a French citizen already known to Vatican security” but declined to reveal the name.
The threat to the Supreme Pontiff happened 40 years after the late Pope John Paul II was shot by Mehmet Ali Agca in his weekly general audience at St. Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981. (Lem Leal Santiago/SOCOM-Binondo Church | Photo from PAMATI Facebook Page)
