The island of Lampedusa, which has so often featured on this blog as the hoped-for "gateway to Europe" for desperate migrants, is to receive a very special visitor today. The visitor is none other than Pope Francis who, in a symbolic gesture, has chosen Lampedusa as the destination for his first trip outside Rome as Pope.
Pope Francis wants this to be, above all, a simple visit and he has dispensed with the usual protocol surrounding a papal visit: he will not be surrounded by ministers or bishops and he wants to meet migrants, Lampedusa residents and coastguard, military and civilians who have participated in rescue efforts or who have helped the migrants in other ways. The Pontiff will lay a wreath upon the water for those migrants who lost their lives trying to reach Lampedusa and the altar at which he will celebrate Mass is made out of wood from a migrant boat. He will be given a pastoral staff which is also made of wood from one of the boats.
I feel sure that a Pope who sees the poor as central to his mission and who told young people gathered in St Peter's Square today not to be afraid of joy can bring a message of hope to Lampedusa.
7 comments:
How wonderful. If I were a Catholic, I would definitely try to have an audience with this man.
I think it is wonderful that he has chosen to do away with all the pomp, ceremony and other such nonsense. He's a no-frills, no-nonsense type of fellow...and that is what is needed in this day and age, in my opinion.
Hi, Leslie. Yes, me too. Hi, Lee. I agree completely.
God bless him
Yes indeed, WW.
He certainly seems to be breathing new fresh and good life in the RC church.
Yes, he does, Liz. He is very popular here.
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