Pope Francis described the deaths of 130 migrants stranded in the Mediterranean Sea as “moment of shame,” after delivering the Regina Coeli prayer on Sunday morning.
POPE FRANCIS
Brothers and sisters, let us all ask ourselves about this umpteenth tragedy. It is a shameful moment.
For two days, a rubber boat off the coast of Libya sent distress signals to nearby ships, but help never came.
The Pope also expressed his closeness to the victims of a hospital fire in Baghdad, which killed at least 82 people.
POPE FRANCIS
We pray for all of the victims.
Pope Francis then noted that Sunday marked the World Day of Prayer for Vocations by giving thanks for the nine new priests he ordained earlier in the day.
POPE FRANCIS
Let us ask the Lord to send good laborers to work in his vineyard, and that he might multiply vocations to the consecrated life.
The Pope addressed those at St. Peter's Square on Good Shepherd Sunday, a day praising those who give their lives in service of others.
Justin McLellan
