On the afternoon of this September 7, the first day of his visit to Papua New Guinea, Pope Francis held a meeting with street children welcomed by the “Street Pastoral” and the “Callan Services”.
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Upon arrival at the main entrance of the covered stadium of the Caritas Technical Secondary School, Pope Francis was received by the Archbishop of Port Moresby, Cardinal John Ribat, and also by the Superior of the Community of the Sisters of Charity and Director of the school.
Two children in traditional costumes gave her a bouquet of flowers and she then walked through the main nave. Following the welcome greeting by the Cardinal Archbishop of Port Moresby and the performance of a traditional dance, a child from Callan Services and another from Street Ministry asked Pope Francis two questions, followed by a traditional dance.
The first of them asked him why he is not “like other children,” and the second asked him “in what way we can make the world more beautiful and happy.”
Pope Francis assured that only one answer comes to mind: “None of us is like the others, we are all unique before God.”
He stated that “there is hope for everyone, we all have a role and a mission that no one else can fulfill.”
Furthermore, he stressed that, although there are difficulties, “it gives at the same time a sea of joy, in a different way for each person.”
“We all have limits, we get tired, but this does not determine our happiness,” which is, according to the Pontiff, “giving love and receiving love.”
“This is the most beautiful and most important thing in our life, for each person in each condition: Our joy depends on love,” he remarked.
Later, he noted that we must “learn to love God and others with all our hearts” and noted again that “we are all beautiful gifts from God.”
“Always have the light of love on, a sign of hope,” the Holy Father finally exhorted.
At the end, he traveled by car to the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians for the meeting with the Bishops of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, as well as priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, seminarians and catechists.
Almudena Martínez-Bordiú
I am a graduate in Journalism and Advertising from the CEU San Pablo University in Madrid. Specialized in religious information in Spain since 2015. I have been a senior correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN Noticias in the Vatican for two years and I am currently a European correspondent based in Spain.