Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
Requiem Mass for the eternal repose of Fr Amin Abboud
Naturally, it came as a great shock to us in Lima, Peru when we heard of the sudden death of Fr Amin Abboud. It was one of the last things we were expecting.
It is hard to see where the hand of God is in all this, because we might have expected Fr Amin's contribution to have continued for at least another 30 years.
We should pray for Fr Amin's soul, we should pray in thanks to the good God for Fr Amin's marvellous contribution.
We pray that all members of the Work and all Fr Amin's family and friends will find consolation in their faith.
In a couple of my talks to the pilgrims I've mentioned Fr Amin, recounting his life story.
In God's eyes this story is now complete.
On both occasions I quoted an excerpt from the rule of St Benedict, "Run while you have the light of life, lest the darkness of death overtake you".
May Fr Amin's life and death remind us to do now what we should be doing.
May he rest in peace.
+George Cardinal Pell
Archbishop of Sydney