Pope Francis: Prison is a place of proven humanity, but full of strength

The fourth stop of the intense program of Pope Francis’ apostolic trip to Verona, second this year to Italian lands, took the Pontiff to the Montorio Prison, where the inmates broke into applause and cheers upon his arrival.

Pope Francis, in no hurry despite arriving late than the schedule planned by the Holy See, walked through all the corridors between the sectors in which the prisoners were arranged in the prison yard with a small vehicle in order to be more present among them. they.

On the concrete walls, usually bare, several signs in different languages ​​welcomed the Pontiff, while some inmates carried flowers of different colors in their hands.

When Pope Francis finally reached the box prepared for his visit, members of the prison choir performed a song, composed for the occasion, whose chorus proclaims: “Welcome Holy Father, welcome among us, welcome Holiness.” Its chords were accompanied by the swinging of the prisoners’ arms and the color of the flowers they carried. At the end, Pope Francis received one of them.

In his speech, the Pontiff explained that “prison is a place of great humanity. Of proven humanity, sometimes fatigued by difficulties, guilt, judgments, misunderstandings and suffering, but at the same time full of strength, the desire for forgiveness, the desire for redemption.”

With God at our side “we can overcome despair”

A humanity in which “the face of Christ is present today, the face of the God of mercy and forgiveness. Don’t forget this: God forgives everything. God always forgives.” Pope Francis then told an anecdote about a working woman in a prison who told him that she was devoted to “Holy Door”, the door of hope, to which she added: “There is no human life without horizons.”

Knowing that recently, some people “in an extreme gesture, have renounced life,” the Pope urged them to look at the door of hope, because life “is always worth living.”

Pope Francis: God is one, father of all

“We are not disposable material, our existence is important. It is a gift for us and for others, for everyone and especially for God who never abandons us and who does know how to listen, rejoice and cry with us. With Him at our side, we can overcome despair,” she assured.

Pope Francis then asserted that “God is one. In our cultures we have been taught to call them by a name. He is the Father of all. “All cultures and all religions look to the one God, who never abandons us.”

“In the art of ascending, what matters is not falling, but not remaining fallen,” the Pontiff noted, quoting a song to add a recurring idea in his public interventions: “It is only licit to look at a person from top to bottom in a occasion: to help him.”

Pope Francis also encouraged us to turn to God in the worst moments: “Let us talk to God about our pain and help each other to bear it, among fellow travelers and with good people at our side. It is not weakness to ask for help: let us do it with humility and confidence.”

Before concluding, Pope Francis recalled the celebration of the next Holy Year in 2025, “a year of conversion, renewal and liberation for the entire Church; a year of mercy, in which to deposit the burden of the past and renew the impulse towards the future; in which to celebrate the possibility of changing, of being and, where necessary, truly being ourselves again, giving our best.”

Prison, a space for dialogue

Before Pope Francis’ words, the director of the prison and one of the inmates spoke, representing their companions.

Francesca Gioieni, head of the penitentiary establishment, expressed that “there are not enough words” to thank him for the time he dedicates to them during the few hours of their stay in Verona. “I hope we were able to share our embrace.”

Gioieni expressed his desire that the prison not be a place “inhabited by jailers and prisoners,” but rather a space for dialogue where everyone can help each other find answers. After 26 years working in the prison world, Gioieni affirms that the question about this dedication is answered with another: “Why shouldn’t I do this job?”

For the director, what really matters about taking care of those who deserve to be punished according to the law is that it is “a job chosen every day.” “The other exists, he is part of us. Maybe he speaks another language or addresses God in a different way” and, although she has violated the criminal law, “we cannot deny her humanity and dignity,” she detailed before the attentive listening of Pope Francis.

May the visit lead many to “welcome us as free citizens,” say the prisoners

Next, Tente Duarte, one of the inmates, 22 years old, spoke, explaining that in prison there are 592 people from different parts of the world who will not forget the Pontiff’s visit: “We see that he dedicates the longer time and fills us with joy and emotion.”

Furthermore, he shared with Pope Francis a wish for the future, beyond the cells: “May his presence open the hearts and minds of the outside world to welcome us as free citizens after we have learned from our mistakes.”

He also expressed his hope that the inmates, police officers and volunteers can establish “relationships with the scent of family, friendship and brotherhood” and said that they hope that the images of this visit will make many consider them as people, not only as criminals.

Silent blessing to be received “according to your own belief”

Before concluding the event in the courtyard of the Montorio Prison, Pope Francis was presented with several gifts, to which he reciprocated with another gift for the prison based on one of what he considers one of the main characteristics of God: closeness, compassion and tenderness.

Thinking about the latter, he has delivered an image of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus. “She is a figure common to Christianity, to Muslims. A figure common to all, who unites us,” she explained.

After the exchange of gifts, the Pontiff expressed his desire to impart his blessing “in silence, so that each one receives it according to his own belief.” After observing a moment of silence, he said: “May the Lord bless you, help you always move forward, comfort you in sadness and be your companion in joy, Amen.”

The event concluded with the performance of Hallelujahthe renowned song by Leonard Cohen, which Pope Francis accompanied with his arms raised, as did the prisoners.