Pope tells Asians God has not foresaken them
VATICAN CITY (AFP) - Pope John Paul II again sought to comfort the victims of the Asian tsunami disaster saying that God had not abandoned them in their hour of need.
"Faith teaches us that even during the most difficult and painful of tests, such as the calamities which hit Southeast Asia in the past days, God will never abandon us," the pope told a large crowd who had gathered for the weekly Angelus.
"God makes his presence known in applying his commandment" to love your neighbour, the pope said, referring to the global aid effort launched to help the millions of people around the Indian Ocean nations affected by the disaster.
"This evangelical message is based on the hope of a better world, providing we walk in God's love," the pope added.
On Saturday, John Paul remembered the victims of the disaster in his New Year's prayers as the death toll climbed over 127,000.
"I address once again my thoughts to the people hit by the tragic calamity of recent days," he told thousands from the window of his apartments overlooking St Peter's Square.
"I assure them of my prayers for the victims of the catastrophe and for their families and I take note with satisfaction of the movement of solidarity which is developing everywhere in the world."
The 84-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church had addressed a special greeting to ambassadors of countries hit by the "terrible calamity" on December 26 when tidal waves struck a half a dozen countries following a massive earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/050102/afp/050102140255people.html
