(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis began an intense day-long pastoral visit to Genoa on Saturday morning, with a meeting with workers, management, industrialists, union leaders and representatives of unemployed persons at the ILVA steel works in the city.
World of Labour
Pope Francis’ meeting with the world of labour included four questions regarding the issues ranging from the challenges of ossified and unresponsive bureaucracy to the dehumanizing effects of technology and large forces on the workplace and the labour market: one each from a worker, an entrepreneur, a business-owner, and a union representative.
Right and Duty to Work for All
In each of his responses, Pope Francis focused on the primacy of the human person over the reality and rights of labour and capital, insisting that only a correct vision of human nature can inform and direct our efforts to build a just and harmonious society.
The Pope also insisted forcefully on work as something given to man in the order of creation, and essential to genuine human flourishing.
“It is necessary, therefore, to look fearlessly and a sense of responsibility on the technological transformations of the economy and of life, he said, “without resigning ourselves to the ideology that seems to be gaining a foothold wherever one looks, which envisions a world in which only a half or maybe two-thirds of employable people actually work, and the others maintained with a welfare cheque.”
“It must be clear,” Pope Francis continued, “that the true objective to reach is not ‘income for all’ but ‘work for all’.”
Also on the Agenda
With a departure at 7AM, the schedule of the visit to the northern Italian port city on the Ligurian coast included five other major appointments, in addition to the meeting with the “world of labour”:
With the Bishops, priests, seminarians, and religious of Liguria, along with lay curial collaborators and representatives of other religious confessions at the Cathedral of San Lorenzo;
An encounter with young people attached to the Diocesan Mission at the Marian Sanctuary of the Madonna della Guardia;
Lunch at the sanctuary with a number of poor and homeless persons, refugees, and prisoners;
A moment with children from the various departments of the Giannina Gaslini Pediatric Hospital;
Solemn Mass at the Piazzale Kennedy, named for the first Catholic President of the United States.
We will be brining you coverage of the trip throughout the day.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Pope Francis has begun a one-day
visit to the northern Italian port city of Genoa to meet with workers, poor and
homeless people, refugees and prisoners. His opened his visit at ILVA, a
troubled steel-making company, where workers in hard hats awaited him. The visit
puts a focus on the plight of workers whose lives have been made precarious by
years of economic crisis. He traveled through a large factory hall in a
small electric car, waving and reaching out to shake hands with admirers, many
of whom held small white-and-yellow papal flags. People snapped photos with
smart phones and said “viva il papa!” _ which means “long live the pope!” Later the pontiff is to
also meet with poor and homeless people as well as refugees and prisoners.
…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a telegram to Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, expressing condolences over the murder of dozens of Coptic Christians in Egypt, and condemning the killings as “[a] senseless act of hatred.”
As many as 10 gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Coptic Christians on pilgrimage to the monastery of St. Samuel the Confessor some 140km from the capital, Cairo, killing at least 28 of them and injuring some 23 others.
Many of the victims were women and children.
In the telegram, signed by the Holy See’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis promises prayers for the deceased and for their loved ones, as well as for the whole people of Egypt. Please find the full text of the telegram, below…
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His Excellency Abdel Fattah Al Sisi
President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Cairo
Deeply saddened to learn of the barbaric attack in central Egypt and of the tragic loss of life and injury caused by this senseless act of hatred, Pope Francis expresses his heartfelt solidarity with all those affected by this violent outrage. Mindful in a particular way of those children who have lost their lives, His Holiness commends the souls of the deceased to the mercy of the Almighty. He assures their grieving families and all who have been injured of his ardent prayers, and he pledges his continued intercession for peace and reconciliation throughout the nation.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State
(from Vatican Radio)…
Bulletin for 5/28/2017
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met on Friday with the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity who are holding their 12th General Chapter in Rome this month. The theme of their assembly is focused on the need “to give oneself completely to God, to be completely given to one’s neighbour: missionary disciples and joyful witnesses to charity in the suburbs of the world”.
Listen to our report:
In his words to the sisters, Pope Francis noted that their institute, founded by Don Luigi Orione, is dedicated to caring especially for the poor and most marginalized members of society.
Thanking them for the work they do, the Pope urged them to be “missionaries without frontiers”, bringing God’s love and mercy to all they meet.
Be bold and creative
Missionaries, he said, are called to be bold and creative people, capable of rethinking “the goals, structure, style and method” of their mission. We are living, he stressed, in a time when “it is necessary to rethink everything in light of what the Spirit is asking us”.
Be free from all ties
Pope Francis said missionaries are also called to be free and able to live with nothing but the word of the Lord to sustain them. He urged the sisters to free themselves from all material or emotional ties which hinder them from setting out on their missionary journey.
Be led by the Spirit
As missionaries, he continued, you are called to be filled with the Spirit, letting yourselves be guided as you bring the Gospel to the most unlikely places.
Be prophets of mercy
Finally, Pope Francis told the sisters they are called to be prophets of mercy, letting themselves be provoked by the call for help from so many situations of pain and suffering. Together with the other institutes founded by Don Orione, he urged them to work together in a spirit of encounter and cooperation as they share God’s love and forgiveness with all who are searching for Him in today’s world.
(from Vatican Radio)…