2024-09-08 00:00:00
We present the speech given by Pope Francis on Sunday, September 8, 2024 to the faithful gathered on the esplanade in front of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the Diocese of Vanimo in Papua New Guinea.
Brothers and sisters, good evening.
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I thank the bishop for the words he spoke to me. I greet the authorities, the priests, the men and women religious, the missionaries, the catechists, the young people, the faithful – some of whom have come from afar – and you, my dear children. I thank Maria Joseph, Steven, Sister Jaisha Joseph, David and Maria for what they shared with us. I am happy to find myself in this wonderful, young and missionary country.
As we have heard, since the middle of the 19th century the mission in these lands has never been interrupted. Religious men and women, catechists and lay missionaries have never stopped preaching the Word of God and offering help to their brothers in pastoral care, teaching, medical care and many other areas, while facing many difficulties , to be instruments of peace. and love” for all, as Sister Jaisha Joseph told us.
In this way, schools, hospitals and missionary centers give witness around us that Christ came to bring salvation to all, so that everyone may become in all his beauty for the common good (cf. Exhort. Evangelii Gaudium , 182 ).
You are beauty “experts” here because you are surrounded by it. They live in a wonderful country, rich in a wide variety of plants and birds, where one is left speechless by the colors, sounds and smells, and the wonderful sight of nature overflowing with life, which represents the image of Eden. However, this wealth has been entrusted to you by the Lord as a sign and a tool, so that you too can live like this, united in harmony with him and your brothers, respecting the country and taking care of each other ( cf. Message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, September 1, 2019).
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Looking around us, we see how sweet the Panorama of nature is. But returning to ourselves, we realize that there are even more beautiful scenes: that is what grows in us when we love each other, as Dáiví and Muire saw for us, when they talked about their journey as spouses, in the sacrament of marriage . And this is precisely our mission: to spread the beauty of the Gospel of Christ everywhere, through the love of God and our brothers (cf. Ap. Exhort. Evangelii Gaudium, 120).
We heard how some of you, to do this, go on long trips, even to reach the most distant communities, sometimes leaving your homes, as Steven told us. They do something very beautiful, and it is important that they are not left alone, but that the whole community supports them, so that they can fulfill their mandate with peace of mind, especially when they have to meet the demands of the mission deal with family responsibilities. .
However, we can also help them in another way, and that is for each of us to promote the missionary proclamation where he lives (cf. CONC. ECUM. VAT. II, Decr. ad gentes , 23), that is, at home, at school, in work environments; so that everywhere, in the jungle, in the villages or in the towns, the beauty of the landscape corresponds to the beauty of a community where people love each other, as Jesus taught us when he said: “This is what everyone will know that you are my disciples: in the love you have for one another” (John 13:35; cf. Mt 22:35-40).
Therefore, we will form, more and more, like a great orchestra – as María Joseph, our violinist, likes so much -, able, with her notes, to end competitions, overcome divisions – personal, families and tribes – , of banishing from the hearts of the people fear, superstition and magic; to put an end to destructive behaviors such as violence, infidelity, exploitation, alcohol and drug consumption – evils that land so many unhappy brothers and sisters in prison and also make them unhappy here.
Let us not forget: love is stronger than all this and its beauty can heal the world, because its roots are in God (cf. Catechesis, September 9, 2020). Therefore, we must spread it and defend it, even when it may cost us misunderstandings and opposition. Blessed is Pedro To Rot – husband, father, catechist and martyr of this country – who testified to us with his words and his example, who gave his own life to protect the unity of the family from those who wanted to undermine it foundation.
Dear friends: Many tourists, after visiting your country, return home saying they have seen “Paradise”. They refer, above all, to the landscape and environmental attractions they enjoyed. We know, however, as we said, that the greatest treasure is not here. There is another, more beautiful and interesting, to be found in your hearts and expressed in the charity with which you love one another.
This is the most precious gift you can share and communicate to everyone, make Papua New Guinea famous not only for its diversity of flora and fauna, its charming beaches and its crystal clear sea, but also and above all for the good people who. then they are received; and I say this to you especially, my children, about your infectious smiles and your overflowing joy, which flows in all directions. You are the most beautiful image that those who leave here can take and keep in their hearts.
I encourage you, therefore, to decorate this blessed land more and more with your presence as a loving Church. I bless you and pray for you. And I ask you, please, to pray for me too. Thank you.
Pope Francis
Pope Francis, born on December 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires (Argentina), is the first Latin American Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, accepting the papacy on March 13, 2013. His approachable style and emphasis which he has on mercy disappeared a distinctive mark of his pontificate.
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