Vatican City, 21 January 2015 (VIS) –
Before proceeding to the Paul VI Hall for this morning's Wednesday
general audience, the Holy Father, following a centuries-long
tradition, blessed two lambs in the hall of the Domus Sanctae
Marthae, whose wool will be used to weave the pallia imposed on the
new archbishops on 29 June, on the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.
During today's audience, Pope Francis
gave an account of his apostolic trip to Sri Lanka and the
Philippines. “I will always keep in my heart the recollection of
the joyful welcome I received from the crowds”, he confessed. The
culmination of his stay in Sri Lanka, he said, was the canonisation
of St. Joseph Vaz. “His example of holiness and love for his
neighbour continues to inspire the Church in Sri Lanka in her
apostolate of charity and education”, he said, adding that the new
saint represented “a model for all Christians, who are called upon
today to offer the salvific truth of the Gospel in a multi-religious
context. With regard to the meeting with the governmental
authorities, he emphasised the importance of dialogue, respect for
human dignity and efforts to involve all in finding suitable
solutions for reconciliation and the common good.
He also spoke about his encounter with
religious leaders, which confirmed the good relations that exist
between the various communities. “In this context, I wanted to
encourage the cooperation that has already been initiated between the
followers of different religious traditions, also in order to heal
with the balsam of forgiveness those who are still afflicted by the
sufferings of recent years”.
In the Philippines, he noted “the
constant fruitfulness of the Gospel and its capacity to inspire a
society worthy of mankind, in which there is a place for the dignity
of each person and the aspirations of the Filipino population”. He
explained that the main aim of his visit was to express his closeness
to those brothers and sisters who had suffered as a result of the
devastation wrought by typhoon Yolanda. “The power of God's love,
revealed in the mystery of the Cross, was made evident in the spirit
of solidarity shown by the many acts of charity and sacrifice that
marked those days of darkness”. He also mentioned the young
volunteer Kristel, killed following his visit to Tacloban by
collapsing scaffolding due to extreme weather conditions.
Francis went on to speak about his
encounter with families in Manila. “I have heard it said that
families with many children and high birth rates are among the causes
of poverty. It seems to me a simplistic opinion. I can say that the
main cause of poverty is an economic system that has removed the
person from the centre and replaced him with the god of money; an
economic system that excludes and creates the throwaway culture in
which we live. … It is necessary to protect families, which face
various threats, so that they can bear witness to the beauty of the
family in God's plan”.
Finally, he spokes about his meeting
with the young. “I wanted to offer them my encouragement for their
efforts in contributing to the renewal of society, especially through
their service to the poor and the protection of the natural
environment. Care for the poor is an essential element of our
Christian life and witness – because corruption steals from the
poor – and requires a culture of honesty”, he concluded.
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