Vatican City, 2 September 2014 (VIS) –
Yesterday afternoon in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall the Holy Father
received in audience the members of the so-called “Pope's Football
Team for Peace” - fifty players who form part of the history of the
sport, including Diego Armando Maradona, Radja Nainggolan, Javier
Zanetti, Andriy Shevchenko and Andrea Pirlo, to name just a few.
The match, which took place at 8.45
p.m. in Rome's Olympic Stadium, was organised by the Argentine
P.U.P.I. Foundation, a charitable organisation, and the proceeds will
be devolved to the “Scholas occurentes” initiative which, through
technology, art and sport, promotes the social integration of
marginalised children and young people. The name of the foundation
derives from the footballer Zanetti's nickname, “Pupi”, and is
also an acronym for the phrase “Por un piberio integrado”, “For
an integrated childhood”.
In his address to the organisers and
participants in the “interreligious football match for peace”,
the Pope emphasised that the encounter, aside from providing
assistance to these projects of solidarity, also offered an
opportunity to reflect on the universal values promoted by football
and sport in general, such as loyalty, sharing, acceptance, dialogue
and trust in others. He added, “These are values that we all have
in common, regardless of race, culture and religious belief. Indeed,
this evening's sporting event is a highly symbolic gesture to show
that it is possible to construct a culture of encounter and a world
of peace, where believers of different religions, preserving their
identity – because when I said 'regardless of', this did not mean
'setting aside', no – believers of different faiths, preserving
their own identity, may co-exist in harmony and with mutual respect”.
Francis also expressed his hope that
sport might contribute to “the peaceful co-existence of all
peoples, banishing any form of discrimination on the grounds of
ethnic origin, language or religion”. Addressing the players, he
remarked, “You know that to discriminate may be synonymous with
contempt. Discrimination is contempt, and you, in today's match, are
saying 'No' to any form of discrimination. Religions, in particular,
must be a vehicle for peace and never for hatred, because God's name
must be associated only, and always, with love. Religion and sport,
in their true sense, are able to collaborate and offer eloquent signs
to all of society of this new era in which peoples “never raise
their swords against each other”.
Before the beginning of the match, a
video message from the Pontiff to the players and the public, in
Spanish, was screened in the Olympic Stadium. The full text of the
message is reproduced below:
“Good evening. I am glad you are
gathered here for this symbolic match. It is a match that highlights
the union between the teams, the union between those who participate
as spectators, and the desire of all for peace. A match in which
no-one plays just for himself, but for others. Or rather, for all.
And in this way each person multiplies, and by playing as part of a
team, each one is magnified and becomes a greater person. When
playing in a team, competition is not war, but is instead the seed of
peace. This is why the symbol of this match is the olive tree. I
especially wish to greet the members of Scholas, who have organised
this match and who will plant the olive tree of peace. I invite all
of us to plant this tree of peace along with Scholas. I apologise for
speaking in Spanish, but it is the language of my heart, and today I
wanted to speak from the heart. Thank you”.
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