It is the first Arabic-language book on Pope Francis' march, issued by Monsignor
Pious Qaseh of Baghdad.
The book contains a dedication which reads: To the poor man coming from afar,
and from the streets of life enquiring about man being a child or old, poor or
discarded… it is the face of God. He adds: Poor among the poor for a poor church and for the poor… He is Pope Francis.
In the introduction to the book, Qaseh writes: Before the work of the Spirit the
universe falls silent contemplating what it has to say. It blows where it wants
to be for life and the truth for redemption. In the word of the Gospel there are
good tidings of this life, whose bearer is Pope Francis, a poor man who came to
us to dwell in the Vatican, poor in his dress, poor in his daily provisions, good
in his style and considerate, modest, innocent as the children, sick as the sick
and marginalised. He came to us to be for us all, to be the help, courage and
message; to be our love, and the leader of the march of tolerance and
forgiveness, commander of mercy and compassion; and be the shepherd of the whole flock, and not to some of the sheep, encompassing the far and near, provider to everyone from the fountain of the water of life, covering all the thirst.
The author adds in his preface: I wanted through preparing this book to cite
the words of Pope Francis he made on various occasions, speeches in several
meetings, and his sermons in the days of the Lord and during the days of the
week, carrying an image of the church of today, its identity, mission and
concerns. I also want to cite his call on the Church to be modest and
courageous, preaching, poor and listening to the Spirit to walk in the trace of
Christ, to be a mother, build bridges and not walls, take off the fences and cut
wires and destroy feuds, open borders and the expand squares and spaces, to
increase visitors and worshipers and arise the voice of truth.
