"The joy for the football matches, the perception to be brothers and sisters, and attention to the unity of the people must prevail over all nationalistic temptations". With those words, Cardinal Karl Lehmann, President of the German Bishops’ Conference, blessed the beginning of the Wold Football Championship this morning, which this evening would propose the opening match between Germany and Costa Rica. During an ecumenical celebration at Liebfrauendom, the Munich cathedral, the Cardinal manifested the wish that "competition should not breach the rules of respect and of the inalienable dignity of the person: in this sense, correctness remains the highest commandment. In that way, the World Football Championship, like the Olympic Games, may contribute to the development of a link connecting peoples and nations, languages and religions, cultures and races. Together, we can strengthen with the aim of fighting poverty, hunger, diseases and ignorance effectively". (to be continued)
