The Church intends to do its part and work with government authorities for the reconstruction of the Abruzzo capital L'Aquila and surrounding towns devastated by Monday's earthquake, Pope Benedict XVI said on Friday.
In a message read at the solemn funeral in L'Aquila by his personal secretary, Father Georg Gaenswein, the pope said ''the Holy See intends to do its part, together with its local parishes, religious institutes and lay groups. This is the time for commitment, together with the organs of the state, who are already so admirably at work''.
The pope also said that he had been closely following events in Abruzzo and had himself felt the earthquake in the Vatican in the early hours of Monday.
In extending his blessing, the pope said he was ''spiritually close'' to those who had suffered losses and prayed to God that the victims find ''eternal peace'' and survivors ''the strength and courage to continue to hope''.
