Vatican City (AsiaNews) – A small child was killed at an American military checkpoint in Iraq; a Palestinian boy's life was snuffed out in Nablus as Palestinians and Israelis blame each other for what happened; another Palestinian boy, used as a suicide bomber, was stopped in the nick of time by Israeli soldiers before carrying out the sinister deed. These were just a few of the tragic events which inspired the pope's words spoke prior to today's Angelus.
Recalling his 2004 Message for Lent, John Paul II said "these smaller brothers and sisters of ours…are making an agonizing appeal to the world of adults."
"May their silent cries of suffering not go left unheard," the pontiff said. The pope also asked all Christians to perform "courageous acts for children".
Following the Angelus the pope referred to the approaching 10th anniversary of the bloody acts of genocide which took place in Rwanda (the pope was the first to report it). He urged the Hutu and Tutsi tribal population of the county's Great Lakes district to build up peace in the region.
Below is the complete text read by the pope (translation by AsiaNews):
"In my Lenten Message this year I urged children to be placed at the center of attention in Christian communities. Many of them are victims of serious illnesses, including tuberculosis and AIDS. Many others are uneducated and go hungry each day.
Starvation and malnutrition, made worse by a worrying lack of healthcare, continue to be the daily causes of death of many little children who are deprived of minimum conditions necessary to survive.
In some parts of the world, especially in the poorest countries, there are children and adolescents who are victims of a horrible form of violence, as they are forced to enroll in armies to fight in so-called "unforgotten conflicts".
These children suffer a doubly scandalous form of aggression: they are made both victims and protagonists of war at the same time, as they get caught up in the hateful vengeance of adults. Being deprived of everything, they see their futures threatened by a nightmare, a bad dream they difficult to escape from.
These smaller brothers and sisters of ours, suffering hunger, war and sickness, are making an agonizing appeal to the world of adults. May their silent cries of suffering not go left unheard. As Jesus reminds us: "He who takes in only one of these children, takes me in too. (Matthew 18, 5).
The season of Lent pushes Christians to accept these words from the Gospel with much more generosity in order to transform them into courageous acts for children who are at risk and abandoned.
May the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, help all children in difficulty and make our efforts fruitful as we lovingly seek to ease their suffering."
After the Angelus the pope added:
"Ten years have passed since April 7, 1994 when violent clashes erupted in Rwanda between Hutu and Tutsi tribes. Such violence culminated in vicious acts of genocide, killing thousands of people.
We pray to the Lord so that such a tragedy will never happen again.
I say to you, to all you dear people, religious and civil leaders, and to all those throughout the world working generously toward bringing peace to the (Rwanda's) much loved Great Lakes Region: Do not become discouraged! You, inspired by the words of our Savior, are the builders of the civilization of love: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." (Mathew 5, 9). 
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