The Bishops of Colombia expressed their joy at the news of the Beatification of two martyrs, which will take place on September 8, on the occasion of Pope Francis’ visit to the country. The Vatican agency Fides echoed the statement, published at the end of the Plenary Assembly of the Colombian Episcopal Conference (CEC), held from July 3-7, 2017 at Bogota.
Last Thursday, in fact, the Holy Father approved the publication of a Decree recognizing the martyrdom of Monsignor Jesus Emilio Jaramillo Monsalve (1916-1989), Xaverian missionary of Yarumal, and of Father Pedro Maria Ramirez Ramos (1899-1948) [Cf. ZENIT, July 7, 2017].
The Pope himself will preside over the Beatification at Villavicencio on September 8, confirmed the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke.
“We raise our thanksgiving and glorify God who gives the Church in Colombia these fruits of holiness and the witness of their life, faithful to the Gospel, in very difficult moments of the history of our country,” said the Bishops.
The Prelates invited to pray, through the intercession of the future Blesseds, “so that Colombia will attain reconciliation and peace, and for all Catholics, priests, Religious and laity to live their Christian vocation holily, sowing likewise at this time the values of the Gospel.”
A third Colombian is also on the way to Beatification: the Bishops rejoiced as well over the recognition of the “heroic virtues” of Monsignor Ismael Perdomo Borrero (1872-1950), who was Archbishop of Bogota: all three, said the Bishops, put in the first place the love of God and of their brothers, pastoral zeal for the persons the Lord entrusted to them to the giving of their life. May they become a model of the sequela Chridti at every moment and in ever circumstance, also when it is about being victorious over evil, hatred and violence, with the strength of goodness.
In the course of CEC’s Plenary Assembly, the Bishops studied the preparations for Pope Francis forthcoming visit to their country (September 6-11) and they elected the new officers of the Episcopal Conference for the period 2017-2020 (Cf. ZENIT, July 6, 2017).
