The Apostolic Nuncio and Delegate of the Holy Father to the Arabian Peninsula, Archbishop Petar Rajic, left for Angola in the morning of Wednesday 16 September 2015. The Nuncio passed through St. Mary's Dubai enroute to his new mission.
Bishop Paul Hinder OFM Cap., the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia and Fr. Paul Koenig OFM Cap., the Custos of the Capuchins in Arabia were present to greet Abp. Petar as he bid farewell to the region.
During the celebration of the Eucharist, Abp. Petar said that he would always carry with him the memory of the wonderful celebrations of faith that he witnessed in the peninsula, the devotion of the faithful and their fidelity to God and to the Holy Father.
Speaking on the liturgy of the day - Our Lady of Sorrows -
Abp. Petar pondered on how Mary "stood" with tremendous strength at the foot of the Cross and participated in her Son's sufferings and said that "Jesus asks this of us - to follow the example of His sacrifical love." He reminded the faithful that whilst we must take up our Cross as disciples of Jesus, yet the "Cross is not the goal, the goal is Eternal Life."
Earlier during the week, Abp. Petar visited the community in Abu Dhabi to bid farewell. The Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia - the Bishop, the clery and the faithful accompany the Nuncio in their prayers asking the Lord to make his mission in Angola fruitful and successful in every respect and to keep him in good health of mind and body for many years of
fruitful service.