The final stop of the papal trip to Albania was the 'Betaniaâ? center, an institution that cares for orphans and abandoned children.
At a church dedicated to St. Anthony, the Pope listened to the witness of the workers of the center.
'Thank you for this visit that overwhelms anything we could have hoped for our association. We pray for you so that your blessing may stay with us all our life. Stay close to us. We love you so, so much. Excuse my getting emotional.â?
During his address, Pope Francis highlighted the labor this center carries out for suffering children. He explained that it is thanks to places like this that faith really becomes charity.
POPE FRANCIS
'This faith that works in charity can move the mountains of indifference, of disbelief and insensitivity, and it opens the heart and hands to do good things and spread them. Thanks to humble and simple gestures of service the Gospel that Jesus is risen and lives among us comes to usâ?.
Pope Francis went on to say that Christians can reject vengeance and be closer to God through goodness. He also explained that doing good surpasses any amount of material wealth.
POPE FRANCIS
'The good is pays off infinitely better that money, that usually gets us down because we were created to receive and communicate the love of God, and to measure things with money and power.â?
Concluding his address, the Pope said that love gives Christians the strength to sacrifice for the other with joy.
Before departing for the airport, Pope Francis gave the center a statue of St. Anthony, patron saint of the institution.
And as he was saying gfarewell, the children of the institution sang a song to thank him for his visit.
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