Pope says he keeps kidnapped Colombian priest in his prayers

Published: 2004-05-04

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II continues to keep a kidnapped Colombian priest in his prayers and asks other priests of the diocese to remain hopeful as they continue their normal service to the faithful, the Vatican spokesman said. Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the spokesman, said the pope's assurances of prayers and his encouragement were the focus of a letter sent by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, to Bishop Jairo Jaramillo Monsalve of Santa Rosa de Osos, Colombia. Father Cesar Pena Garcia, the 42-year-old pastor of a parish in Raudal, was kidnapped March 15, apparently by anti-government guerrillas. In addition to keeping Father Pena in his prayers, Navarro-Valls said, "the pope encourages the bishop and the priests of the diocese to continue with courage and hope in their commitment of evangelization and asks them to attend with constancy to the spiritual and social needs of the faithful entrusted to them."

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