A day in the fast lane would be a fair description of Pope Francis’s day in Milan.
During the whirlwind trip on Saturday, Francis found time to visit a housing project, Muslim families and elderly people.
He also spoke with clergy and religious, had lunch at a prison and finished off by meeting newly confirmed young people.
Thousands of people turned up to hear him speak at the housing project.
The project is in an area of acute poverty where many migrants live.
Francis told his audience not to stand back but ” to go toward everyone, in the peripheries, including non-Christians and non-believers.”
He then stopped at three apartments, one home to a Muslim immigrant family from Morocco.
“It was very emotional. It was like having a friend in the house,” they said.
He also dropped in on an elderly Italian couple in their 80s, both of whom have major health problems.
Later in the day, when he met with the clergy and religious at the cathedral of St. Mary of the Nativity, he told them not to worry about the challenges that come with their ministry.
Neither should they be concerned about the increasing number of empty convents.
Instead, he said they should focus on the core of their mission: bringing Christ to his people.
Finally, Francis met with newly confirmed young people, parents, god-parents, catechists, teachers and volunteers.
Among various topics, he discussed education, formation and bullying.
Source
- Reuters
- Crux
- ABC News
- Vatican Radio
- Image: Italy 24
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News category: World.
