Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Misfortune Follows the French at WYD; Cardinal Suffers Heart Attack

By Kathy Schiffer
Ave Maria Radio

Last week, a bus carrying French youth going to Rio was involved in a tragic accident.  Sophie Morinière, a 21-year-old woman from Paris, was killed, and five others were seriously injured.  The Vatican released a message from Pope Francis:
"Pope Francis, informed of the tragic road accident on the road to Saint Laurent du Maroni involving a bus carrying young people participating in World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, wishes to express his heartfelt participation in the mourning of the families of the deceased, and of the group leaders and organizers.
The Pope assures them of his prayers and expresses his deepest sympathy with those injured, the rescue workers and all those around them.
The Holy Father wishes to impart the comfort of an apostolic blessing on all those touched by this tragedy.”
Opening liturgy at Copacabana
In a separate transportation incident, airplane failure stranded French youth in Cayenne, French Guyana, preventing them from reaching Rio.  The White Jet airlines plane remains stranded in São Paulo.  The young people were not able to reach Copacabana in time for the opening liturgy on Thursday evening.
Cardinal Philippe Barbarin

The Vatican Information Service reports that the World Youth Day delegate for the diocese of Paris, Fr. Christophe de Lussy, has
“underlined that the local authorities are doing all they can to assist the 700 youth in arriving to Rio. Staying gymnasiums and schools of Cayenne, the youth have “recognized the hospitality of the people of Guyana, who have mobilized to receive them.”

An estimated 5,500 young French men and women are expected to converge on Rio for World Youth Day 2013.  

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