Pope Francis in the Reception and Identification Center on the outskirts of Mytilene, on the island of Lesbos, during his apostolic journey to Cyprus and Greece
Interview of the Pope with Vatican media: “Even Mary and Joseph experienced exile”
VATICAN CITY. The Pontiff gives an interview to the Vatican media on the theme of fatherhood in the light of the testimony of St. Joseph, “an example of strength and tenderness for the fathers of today”, and on the challenges that parents face today to give a future of hope to their own children, on being mothers and fathers at the time of Covid. The interview – entitled “The daily heroism of parents” in the newspaper of the Holy See, and “Francis: parents who face every challenge for their children are heroes” on Vatican News – was conducted by the director of the Osservatore Romano, Andrea Monda, and by the deputy editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication, Alessandro Gisotti, and is published in several languages on the Vatican website.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio reveals that he thinks “of so many fathers, so many mothers, so many families who are fleeing wars, who are pushed back to the borders of Europe and beyond, and who live in situations of pain, injustice and that no one takes seriously or he deliberately ignores “: and he says” to these fathers, to these mothers, who for me are heroes because I find in them the courage of those who risk their lives for the love of their children, for the love of their family. Even Mary and Joseph experienced this exile, this trial, having to flee to a foreign country because of the violence and power of Herod ». This “suffering makes them close to these very brothers who today suffer the same trials”. He advises these fathers to turn “with confidence to Saint Joseph knowing that as a father he himself experienced the same experience, the same injustice”. And to all of them and their families «I would like to say not to feel alone! The Pope always remembers them and as far as possible he will continue to give them a voice and not to forget them », he assures.
The Bishop of Rome feels “very close to the drama of those families, those fathers and mothers who are experiencing particular difficulties, aggravated above all by the pandemic. I believe that it is not an easy suffering to face that of not being able to give bread to one’s children, and of feeling the responsibility of the life of others on oneself ». Thus his “prayer, my closeness but also all the support of the Church is for these people, for the latter”.
The present is «a difficult time marked by the coronavirus pandemic. Many people suffer, many families are in difficulty, many people are besieged by the anguish of death, of an uncertain future. I thought that precisely in such a difficult time – he observes regarding the special year he dedicated to the figure of St. encourage us, help us, inspire us, to understand what is the right way to know how to face these moments of darkness “. For Francis, St. Joseph is a «luminous witness in dark times. That’s why it was right to give him space in this time to be able to find the way again ».
Among other things, the Pope says that he “never hid the harmony” he feels towards the figure of the putative Father of Jesus: “I believe that this comes from my childhood, from my formation. I have always cultivated a special devotion to Saint Joseph because I believe that his figure represents, in a beautiful and special way, what the Christian faith should be for each of us “. He also remembers having “always considered a delicacy of heaven to be able to begin my Petrine ministry on March 19”, on the feast of St. Joseph.
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