by Fabrizio Peloni
“Far-sighted” stories of brotherhood and friendship, of courage and sharing, of defense of traditions as well as future generations, even and above all the most fragile ones. These are the testimonies collected this morning in St. Peter’s Square during the general audience in which the Pope retraced the stages of his recent apostolic trip to Spain, the fourth of his Pontificate. «Let’s look up! Let us learn from Jesus to look at others, people, the world “with the eyes of God”, that is, with love, respect and compassion”, said Leo XIV in the catechesis, taking up the motto that characterized the visit to the Iberian country.
«What a thrill to see the Pope in my land! And those words to the migrants, what a great strength! Thus Sister Amalia Martin Vilchez, Daughter of Christ the King, described the joy of listening to how the Pontiff remembered his visit to Spain in St. Peter’s Square. And living this experience together with Sister Marie Bernadette Guillot, originally from Normandy, belonging to the Congrégation de la Providence de Lisieux, her great friend since 1988 when both were missionaries in Senegal, “is a joy given to us by the Lord”. «Ours – says Sister Amalia – is not just a story of consecrated women, of nuns, but above all of friendship. I was telling Sister Maria Bernadette that I am very devoted to the providence of the Lord: his love manifests itself in concrete gestures, full of trust. This is why it fills me with joy to be able to be here at the hearing today.”
From the diocese of Terrassa, in Catalonia, twenty young seminarians thanked the Pope for having «brought the message of unity and peace, the message of the Gospel, to our region and our country», and for «having recognized the importance of the very rich European and Spanish Catholic tradition in particular, reminding us of the right priorities, such as that of raising our gaze towards the Lord and not towards material things», as stated by the deacon Eduardo Cameroon, and by Federico Boccardo, a young seminarian.
Seven Olivetan Benedictine monks from the abbey of Saints Nicholas and Paul VI, in Rodengo, asked Leo XIV to bless the statue of the Madonna del Rosario, venerated in the abbey. Dom Cristoforo Zajchowski, the prior, «thanked the Holy Father for the visit and prayer of the Holy Rosary in the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat, thus placing the emphasis on monastic life and the contemplative testimony of the monks, an example of synodality».
Again as a testimony to the prayer of the rosary, from the United States of America Mrs. Blythe Kaufman, accompanied by her son Asher, a young seminarian from the diocese of Hartford, presented to the Pope “Children’s Rosary”, the lay movement she founded 15 years ago, and now present in 53 countries, which promotes moments of prayer for children in parishes, schools and orphanages. At the end of the audience they gave the Pope a book containing the testimonies of many children who live this experience, and of priests who host the initiative in the parishes.
The ambassadors to the Holy See of Mexico, the United States of America and Canada jointly brought the Pope the official match ball for the World Cup which began last Thursday 11 June in the three American countries. The three diplomats, with this tribute, wanted to “celebrate the strength of sport as an instrument of peace, fraternity, respect and unity between peoples”.
Witnessing an experience of courage was the bishop of the eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi, Raffaele De Angelis, who from Sicily accompanied to the square a delegation of around 90 members of the Time Bank Association – “Together Ore per Hora”, which operates in the premises of the episcope. “Among the members – says the bishop – there is a real exchange of time: each offers their availability for small services, putting their knowledge to good use without any monetary payment”, promoting “a culture of gratuitousness which constitutes a valid antidote to the mafia, to the logic of oppression and illicit profit, creating healthy human relationships made of mutual trust and cohesion”.
About ten young people with intellectual disabilities involved in the GIOIA (Youth, inclusion, employment, commitment, welcome) project – promoted in Rome by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, its Embassy to the Holy See and the DiversaArte Integrated Social Cooperative – accompanied by Ambassador Antonio Zanardi Landi and his wife, greeted the Pope at the end of the audience. «Thanks to this project, young people can experiment with independent living and training paths, acquiring professional skills useful for the tourism and hotel sector, and at the same time, by forming relationships, they become active protagonists of their own future», stated the diplomat.
As guardians of popular traditions, particularly those of Florence, a delegation from the Society of Saint John, in view of the patronal celebrations which take place every year in Florence on 24 June, the liturgical memory of Saint John the Baptist, participated in the general audience. For the occasion, Claudio Bini, the current president of the Society which for 230 years has been engaged in a precious work of protecting the identity and memory of Florence, presented the Pope with the “Bel San Giovanni” award, created by a renowned goldsmith’s shop.
