Angelus from Rome: Today Sunday January 18th, 2009

His Holiness had already begun to speak when the kto broadcast began, so in case I missed anything will check the video repeat later.

As we came in, so to speak, Pope Benedict was referring to St. Paul as Apostle to the nations, saying that his mentality was cross-cultural and cosmic. Christ is for all. All are called to be part of His family. Modern globalisation gives us all the more reason and opportunity as Christians, to be concerned for every person, every family. I don't think he used the word responsibility, but that sense conveyed itself in the gentleness of his actual expressions.

Our Holy Father went on to pray specifically for mariners and fishermen, particularly those facing piracy on the high seas; for the Meeting of Families in Mexico; for the Week for Christian Unity which opens today, exhorting us all to commit ourselves to its intentions. As usual he invoked the aid of our Holy Virgin Mother in all our prayer.

After the Angelus and blessing, he spoke passionately and with profound compassion of the dead, wounded and dispossessed of the Gaza conflict. He prayed for them all, particularly the children, and for the aid effort*. And yet again he pleaded with the combatants for an end to violence and a determined search for a duarable peace.

During the customary messages in different languages he drew our attention to dispersed Catholics across the world, and once more to the week of Christian Unity, reminding us that he would be celebrating Vespers at St. Paul-outside-the-Walls next Sunday at the week's end.

There was a contingent of pilgrims from the Catholic schools in Rome and in greeting them he was able to stress yet again, the importance of Catholic Education. To the Anglophone group he appealed for generosity in welcoming the dispossessed.

At parting, he twice wished us all a good Sunday, and then a good week, no doubt still thinking of Unity. Then a final cheerful wave and a kindly smile, and he was gone, at least until later this afternoon when kto will show the final MASS FROM MEXICO during which he will address the multitude via live video link from the Vatican. Will try to post a brief report later this evening or tomorrow morning.

*The Holy Father has already sent aid to the Christians of Gaza, although naturally, he did not mention this. (Source: Google Alerts)

In Christo pro Papa