Yesterday, Sunday 7 July, Trieste hosted the Holy Father on a visit on the 50th edition of the Social Weeks of Catholics in Italy, the main theme of the event was democracy.
A significant day for the regional capital because Trieste is a city on the border, it is a space where different cultures and religions coexist, but it is also the gateway to the Balkan Route.
During the morning, Pope Francis met confidentially with some ecumenical representatives, professors and students of the University of Trieste, migrants and sick or disabled people. Afterwards, he celebrated Mass in Piazza Unità d’Italia in the presence of many people, including the volunteers of Donk Humanitarian Medicine odv.
We share some words from the homily:
“Brothers and sisters, from this city of Trieste, overlooking Europe, a crossroads of peoples and cultures, a frontier land, let us nourish the dream of a new civilization founded on peace and fraternity; please, let us not be scandalized by Jesus but, on the contrary, let us be indignant about all those situations in which life is degraded, wounded, killed; let us bring the prophecy of the Gospel into our flesh, with our choices before words. That consistency between choices and words. And to this Triestine Church I would like to say: forward! Forward! Continue to commit yourselves in the front line to spreading the Gospel of hope, especially to those who come from the Balkan Route and to all those who, in body or spirit, need encouragement and consolation. Let us commit ourselves together: so that by rediscovering our love for the Father we may live as brothers all. All brothers, with that smile of welcome and peace of soul. Thank you”.
In the message launched by the Pope we find the values on which Donk HM odv is also founded: one cannot be indifferent to the people who come to Trieste from the Balkan Route.
Also interviewed in the video published by Vatican News is Ali Mudassar, who works with our association as a cultural mediator alongside our volunteer doctors and nurses providing free medical care for the frail. His testimony is available from minute 2.10.
The full video is available at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj0nOZyah0g