Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People

People on the Move

N° 101, August 2006

MESSAGE TO ALL AIRPORT CHAPLAINS AND CHAPLAINCY 

MEMBERS IN THE UK AND THE USA

Vatican City, 18 August 2006

Prot. N. 2515/2006/A

When the airport ministry had its beginnings, the first airport chaplains knew that they had to be ready to face and help people cope with the terrible consequences of air disasters, but they must never have suspected that airports and airplanes would become preferential targets of terrorism.

In this difficult moment, we wish to assure you of our solidarity and our prayers to the Almighty so that He will not allow evil to triumph, but that good will be victorious over any attempt to destroy human lives, God’s creation, and the fruit of human labor and intelligence. 

Our times will be remembered as a period of uncertainty, violence, undeclared wars and terrorism. Let us however have it remembered also as a period of courage and hope, because those who believe that Christ died and rose again to bring God’s love to the world have not allowed explosives or bombs to destroy their spirit. They have instead encouraged everyone, through their own example, to contrast hatred with love, in the certainty that they will “conquer evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

May God bless you and be always with you in your challenging mission in the airports of your countries. 

Sincerely yours in the Lord,

Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino

President

Archbishop Agostino Marchetto

Secretary