VATICAN CITY, JUNE 13, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is reminding journalists of the good they can do if they put their skills at the service of «truth and noble causes.»
The Pope made this reflection today during his Spanish-language greeting after praying the midday Angelus with crowds in St. Peter’s Square.
He referred to the Saturday beatification of Spaniard Manuel Lozano Garrido.
«[Blessed Manuel] was a faithful layman who knew how to irradiate the love of God with his example and his writings, even among the sufferings that confined him to a wheelchair for nearly 28 years,» the Holy Father said. «At the end of his life, he also lost his sight, but he continued to win hearts for Christ with his serene joy and his unwavering faith.»
Lozano Garrido, known as «Lolo» was born in Linares, Spain, on Aug. 9, 1920, and died in the same city on Nov. 3, 1971.
As a journalist, Lolo wrote for various publications and services, including the Associated Press. In 1942, at only age 22, he began to suffer from spondylitis, which deformed his body and left him an invalid. In 1962 the journalist lost his sight. Despite the illness, he received professional recognitions, founded a magazine for sick people and authored nine books, which he dictated to his sister Lucía and his friends.
The Holy Father said of Blessed Manuel: «Journalists can find in him an eloquent testimony of the good that can be done when one’s pen reflects the greatness of the soul and is put at the service of truth and noble causes.»
