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Cardinal Franchi, on behalf of the Sovereign Pontiff, told me that His Holiness is full of admiration for the bravery of the three Missionary apostles of Timbuktu. The Pope is entirely confident that their blood will be the seed of many Christian communities in the African interior.

Today it is your feet that I wish to kiss, despite my religious rank and my age. It is not simply an act of paternal love that wish to accomplish, but rather an act of faith in the very words of our Holy Books « Quam pulchri pedes evangelizantium pacem, evangelizantium bona ». You will do as I do, my dear Brethren, and through this act of religious respect you will acquire a right to the merit of the apostles and martyrs.

Abandon our neophytes, our catechumens, our ransomed slaves, to save a life for one day? Never! My dear brethren, never! I love my sons, I have consecrated the best part of my life in forming their little Society which has been visibly blessed by God; I love them even to giving my life for them if necessary.