Pope Francis had a bit of good news to report about sorely tried Haiti on this March 17, after he prayed the midday Angelus:
I have learned with relief that a teacher and four of the six religious of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart Institute who were kidnapped last February 23 have been freed in Haiti. I call for the release as soon as possible of the other two religious and all those still held by kidnappers in that beloved country tried by so much violence.
The Haitian province of the Congregation announced the release last Monday of five of the seven who were kidnapped just over two weeks ago in Port-au-Prince.
The Holy Father continued:
I call on all political and social actors to abandon all special interests and to engage in a spirit of solidarity in the search for the common good, supporting a peaceful transition to a country that, with the help of the international community, is equipped with solid institutions capable of restoring order and tranquility among its citizens.
He added his customary appeal for an end to conflicts:
Let us continue to pray for the war-torn populations, in Ukraine, in Palestine and Israel, in Sudan. And let us not forget Syria, a country that has been suffering so much from war for a long time.
And today we celebrate...