2023-09-23 13:39:24
Waiting for the Pope with Mother Teresa’s sisters
Sitting under the bus shelter at the National-Pyat stop, Louise Contri, 74, is not waiting for bus 89. She is watching for the arrival of the Pope. At 9 a.m., François has an appointment with the sisters of Mother Teresa, on rue Alphée-Cartier (3rd) to, at his request, meet the poor. The Missionaries of Charity house is well known to the residents of this very precarious neighborhood. Every day, the eight sisters distribute between 250 and 300 meals to those who request them.
“Abdullah, have you come to see the Holy Father? »questions an acquaintance, with her touch of Corsican accent, Louise Contri. “In the neighborhood, people help each other regardless of religion”continues this resident of the neighborhood for forty-two years, who regularly participates in the sisters’ distributions.
Arriving around 9 a.m., the Pope lowered his window to greet the people who came as he passed. Access to the mission is blocked by an imposing police cordon. Louise doesn’t care: “It’s a great emotion. When we see the Pope, we realize his charisma”, she continues, exchanging photos and videos with her neighbors. Twenty minutes later, the white dresses of Mother Teresa’s sisters appear at the end of the street. They accompany the pope who leaves. The little white Fiat emerges from the street with Francois and Cardinal Aveline on board.
Coming from the Campagne-Lévêque city, to the far north of the city, Tifaine and Arthur Belo come out of the meeting like a dream.
Leaders of the Catholic association Le Rocher, they accompanied residents of the city to meet the Pope. As a gift, they gave him a recipe book made by local women. “It was very simple but very beautiful”breathes Arbana Arifaj, Albanian of origin for whom the moment is a “God’s reward”. “I hope the pope’s visit brings peace to Marseille”, she continues. Messaoud Kadjouf, a volunteer, greeted the pope. “I said to him “Hello Monseigneur”. For me, as a Muslim, it was a great emotion”he says.
Like his comrades, he will be at the Stade-Vélodrome in the afternoon for the papal mass.
Gilles Rof (Marseille, correspondent)
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