“That indigenous peoples be respected”

The call on the day of the canonization of Saint Joseph Allamano, founder of the Consolata missionaries, who are also present in Asia. The miracle that led to the proclamation of his sainthood was the healing of a boy from the Yanomami people, seriously injured by a jaguar in the Amazon. “Let us support with prayer and with our help those who carry the luminous announcement of the Gospel to all corners of the earth.”

Vatican City () – “Civil political authorities must guarantee indigenous peoples the protection of their fundamental rights against any form of exploitation of their dignity and their territories,” Pope Francis said today at the Angelus, after the Eucharistic celebration during which – on World Mission Day – he proclaimed 14 new saints.

The pontiff made this call based on the life of one of these saints, the Italian priest Giuseppe Allamano, founder of the Consolata missionaries, who also carry out their ministry in some Asian countries such as Mongolia, Kazakhstan, South Korea and Taiwan. Allamano’s attention to the “most fragile and vulnerable peoples” is further demonstrated by the fact that the miracle that led to his canonization occurred among the Yanomami, a people who live in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil and are known for their difficult fight for survival against economic interests that aim at the intensive exploitation of the jungle.

Indeed, the prodigious healing of a child who had been seriously injured by a jaguar attack was attributed to the intercession of Saint Joseph Allamano. Together with the priest of Turin, Pope Francis has proclaimed the martyrs of Damascus as saints – eight minor Franciscan friars and the three Massabki brothers, Maronites, murdered out of hatred for the faith in Syria in 1860 – Sister. Elena Guerra, founder of the congregation of the Oblate Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Sister. Marie-Léonie Paradis, founder of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family.

“These new saints lived the style of Jesus: service. The faith and apostolate they carried out did not feed in them worldly desires and desires for power, but, on the contrary, they became servants of their brothers, creative in doing good, firm in difficulties, generous to the end.” Francis stated in his canonization homily.

At the end of the ceremony and before praying the Angelus, the Pope also addressed a thought to all the missionaries. The theme chosen for this year’s Conference – Go and invite everyone to the banquet (Mt 22,9) – “it reminds us – said the pontiff – that the missionary announcement is to bring to everyone the invitation to the festive encounter with the Lord who loves us and wants us to participate in his spousal joy. As the new saints teach us , each Christian is called to participate in this mission with his own evangelical testimony in each environment.” “Let us support with our prayer and with our help – said Francis – all the missionaries who often with great sacrifice bring the luminous announcement of the Gospel to all corners of the earth.”

Finally, the pontiff renewed the invitation to continue “praying for the populations that suffer because of war, the tormented Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, the tormented Ukraine, Sudan and Myanmar, and let us invoke the gift of peace for all.” . “May the Virgin Mary – he concluded – help us to be, like the saints, brave and joyful witnesses of the Gospel.”