In a virtual audience aired on US television network ABC on September 4, Pope Francis explained the spirit in which he is preparing for his Apostolic Visit to America from 22 to 27 September. The World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia will be a key moment of his trip. The Pope spoke via satellite with immigrants and various individuals who have experienced social unease. “I want to help you along your life’s journey”.
“I am coming to the United States to be close to the people and help them along their life’s journey.” Pope Francis said this during the course of a videoconference, aired yesterday evening on US television network ABC. The Pope explained how he was preparing for the apostolic visit to America from 22 to 27 September, where he will attend the World Meeting of Families. The Pope spoke via satellite to immigrants, a group of homeless people and other Americans. Vatican Radio reported on the virtual audience.
The importance of closeness
Pope Francis is preparing for the trip to the US by blessing and listening to those who cannot afford the “American dream” – guests of schools for the poor, homeless centres and immigrants who have had to start from scratch having crossed the US-Mexico border. Francis shared his feelings ahead of the trip and explained to the needy - whom he always gives special attention to - the reason for this important visit that will take him to the White House and the UN: I am at the service of all men and women of goodwill. There is one thing that is very important to me and that is closeness. I find it hard to be away from the people. When I come close to people, as will do with you, it is easier for me to understand you and help you along your life’s journey. This is why this visit is so important, it will give me the chance to get close to your journey and your story.”
Young people must be courageous and never walk alone
Valery Herrera, a young girl from the Cristo Rey Jesuit high school for marginalised people, told the Pope about a life spent battling against her rare skin disease and the comfort she found in music and her plans to become a pharmacist. Her question to Francis was: “What do you expect of us young people?” The Pope had two things to say: The first, is that young people “should never walk alone in life,” they should be “well-accompanied”, “with Jesus in one hand and Mary in the other”. And secondly, they should walk with courage: “do you know how sad it is to see a young person who has no courage? This is a sad young person, a young person with a distressed look on their face, a young person who is joyless. Courage gives you joy and joy gives you hope, which is naturally a gift from God. It is true that there are many difficulties along life’s journey. Never be afraid of difficulties! Be prudent, be careful, but do not be afraid. You have the strength to overcome them. Don’t be afraid, don’t stop.”
Walk with your head held high
The word “courage” crops up often in Francis’ thoughts. Courage is essential in surviving any situation. In a moving moment during the virtual audience, the Pope expresses his affection and admiration for a teenage mum and one of her daughters, 11 year-old Alisa: “You are a courageous woman because you found the strength to bring your two daughters into the world. You could have killed them in your belly, but you respected life, you respected the life that was growing inside you and God will reward you for this and does reward you. You must not feel ashamed, walk with your head held high and say to yourself: ‘I have not killed my daughters, I brought them into this world’. I commend you for this. I commend you and may God bless you.”
We are all responsible for each other
The video link switched south, to Texas, where the where the dust from the warm earth of the arid surroundings, is an oasis to thousands of migrants who reach the border. One of them, Ricardo, who immigrated when he was 4, told Francis about how he had had to become the man of the house at the age of 16 because of an accident his father had been in. “With all the problems that exist in the world, such as poverty, our educational system and immigration, what do you think the answer to these problems is?” he asked the Pope. When I look at “life’s many injustices”, Francis replied, I think of “history’s greatest injustice”, Jesus’ Cross. He was “born in the street,” “a homeless person”, and I think of his “silence” on the Cross. The Pope said that in that silence, he was able to understand every dramatic situation in the world, repeating that: “the exploitation of others is not a path”: “We are made for ‘social friendship’. We are all responsible for each other. No one can say: ‘my responsibility ends here’. We are all responsible for each other, helping each other, each in our own way. Social friendship is the reason why God created us (…). Speaking in football terms, I could say the game is between ‘social friendship’ and ‘social enmity’. Each of us needs to make a choice in our hears and we must help to make this a heartfelt choice.”
Fleeing death
The videoconference ended with the Pope expressing his appreciation for the “great” – as Francis put it – job being done by US nuns and thanked a group of Chicago students for a Cross that was given to him as a gift. Above all, Francis lent a special ear to the story of Wendy, an 11-year-old girl who came to Texas with her mother from San Salvador, to escape gang violence. The young girl’s story culminated in tears as she showed the Pope a photo and Francis thanked her. Her sobs contained the echo of God’s silence.
