Woman in Crowd Waiting for Pope Killed, 18 Hurt as Wall Collapses

A wall collapsed, killing a woman and injuring 18 people, when crowds surged forward hoping to catch a glimpse of Pope John Paul II on Friday as he arrived to perform ceremonies at a sprawling park in India’s Roman Catholic heartland, police said.

The accident occurred as the papal helicopter was landing a mile away in this city in southern India’s Kerala state, where the pontiff delivered a sermon to about 300,000 people, dedicated a housing project for the homeless and blessed a group of newlyweds.

Police said a 50-year-old nurse was killed and 18 people were hurt, 14 seriously, when a five-foot-high brick wall covered with spectators crumpled in a stampede.

The Pope symbolically handed a key to a new home to one of 5,000 homeless families now living in a park and said society should ensure them “the basic necessities of life.”

Blesses Newlyweds

The Pope also blessed about 150 newly married Catholic couples.

“The blessing from the Pope is a blessing from God. This is the happiest moment of my life,” said A.B. Joseph, 26. He said he and the other couples were married at a stadium Friday morning in a mass ceremony performed by the local bishop.

The pontiff warned of a breakdown in family values.

“I am aware that family life in India has traditionally enjoyed the highest esteem and care. Yet today, the family is often beset by many difficulties of various kinds,” he said.

He also urged that “in a world of great inequalities . . . it is imperative that all sectors of society feel duty bound to hasten achievement of a measure of social justice which consists of ensuring the basic necessities of life for every citizen.”

New Housing

Many of the families now living in the park will soon move into new houses constructed by the local Catholic diocese in collaboration with the state government. The exact number of the buildings was not announced but was reported to be less than 1,000.

The Pope presented one of the families with a key to a house.

“This particular gesture underlines the connection between social and economic realities and the promotion of the dignity and total vocation of the human person,” the pontiff said.

“There is an increasing awareness in the world that progress is not the exclusive right of some privileged individuals or even nations, but that the benefits of development should extend to all,” he said.