Time.news – Pope Francis resumes visits abroad after the forced break for Covid and has embarked on his 34th apostolic journey, with the first stop in Budapest. In the seven hours in the Hungarian capital, the Pontiff celebrates the concluding Mass of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress. On the occasion of the trip, the Pope met privately with the President of the Republic Janos Ader and Prime Minister Viktor Orban, staying with them at the Museum of Fine Arts.
The meeting “took place according to the planned program, in a cordial atmosphere, and ended at 9:25”, explained the Press Office of the Holy See. The meeting would last about 40 minutes. Also present, with the Pope, were Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, and Monsignor Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States. Among the various topics covered, “the role of the Church in the country, the commitment to safeguarding the environment, the defense and promotion of the family”.
The words of the pontiff
“The God of the covenant asks us not to give in to the logic of isolation and partisan interests. He does not want alliances with someone at the expense of others, but people and communities who are bridges of communion with everyone“, he said during the meeting in Budapest with the Representatives of the Ecumenical Council of Churches and some Jewish Communities.” In this country you, who represent the majority religions, have the task of promoting the conditions for respecting religious freedom. and promoted for everyone. And you have an exemplary role towards all: no one can say that divisive words come out of the lips of the men of God, but only messages of openness and peace“.
“In a world torn by too many conflicts, this is the best witness that those who have received the grace to know the God of the covenant and of peace must offer”, added Francis, who also raised an alarm.
“The threat of “anti-Semitism” still lurks in Europe and elsewhere“.” It is a fuse that must be extinguished “, the Pontiff underlined.” But the best way to defuse it is to work positively together, is to promote fraternity “, he added.
We must “commit ourselves to promoting together an education in fraternity, so that the outbursts of hatred that want to destroy it do not prevail”, the Pope continued. “I would like to take up with you the evocative image of the Chain Bridge, which connects the two parts of this bridge. city: it does not merge them together, but holds them together. This is how the bonds between us must be. Every time – the Pontiff underlined – there was the temptation to absorb the other, it was not built, but it was destroyed ; so also when we wanted to ghettoize it, rather than integrate it. How many times in history has this happened! We must be vigilant and pray so that it does not happen again “.
“The cross is never in fashion dear brothers and sisters: today as in the past. But it heals inside “, he then said during the homily of the mass in Heroes’ Square in Budapest for the celebration of the mass at the conclusion of the 52nd Eucharistic Congress. “It is in front of the Crucifix that we experience a beneficial interior struggle, the bitter conflict between ‘thinking according to God’ and ‘thinking according to men'”.
“The difference is not between who is religious and who is not. The crucial difference is between the true God and the god of our self”, has continued. “How far is He who reigns silently on the cross from the false god that we would like to reign by force and silence our enemies! How different is Christ, who proposes himself only with love, from the powerful and victorious messiahs flattered by the world! Jesus shakes us, he is not satisfied with declarations of faith, he asks us to purify our religiosity before his cross, before the Eucharist “.
Leave
The Pontiff will then leave for Slovakia. For Pope Francis, as he himself explained when he went to greet the journalists who follow him during the journey, it is a journey that has “a little taste of farewell”. “Because – underlined Francis – he leaves us the Master of ceremonies (Monsignor Guido Marini, ed): it is the last trip, because he has become a bishop. Then he leaves us ‘the dictator on duty’ (he turns and looks at Monsignor Datonoua with a smile) . He is good … he too has been appointed bishop and gives way to a monsignor … “.
The Pope also explained that the “taste for farewell” is also due to Alitalia which operates, with this trip, its last papal flight. “Alitalia leaves us, thank you for bringing us so far,” he said.
The importance of travel
“Many leave, but we resume travel and this is a very important thing, because we will go to bring the word and greeting to so many people “, concluded the Pontiff, who before leaving had sent a message to the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella.
“When I am about to leave for Budapest on the occasion of the final day of the International Eucharistic Congress, which was then directed to Slovakia to meet the brothers in the faith and the other inhabitants of that nation, I am pleased to address you, Mr. President, and to the entire Italian people my cordial thoughts which I accompany with sincere wishes of serenity and generous commitment for the common good “, wrote Pope Francis to the Italian president.
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