The pope began the General Audience traveling in popemobile in St. Peter's Square and stopping to greet the little ones.
During the meeting, Pope Francis greeted an interreligious delegation from Iraq. He asked them to continue working to build peace and prosperity through reconciliation and harmony between ethnic and religious groups. He then denounced the situation of the 400,000 civilians trapped in Mosul. At least 200 died last Thursday during a bombing from the international anti-jihadist coalition.
POPE FRANCIS
'My thoughts are with the citizens trapped in the western neighborhoods of Mosul, and those displaced because of the war, to whom I feel united in suffering. I renew to everyone, my request to work with all the forces to protect the civilians, which is an imperative and urgent obligation.'
Pope Francis also continued his catechesis on hope. He reflected again on Abraham, who did not lose hope even though he did not see the promises of God fulfilled.
POPE FRANCIS
'We too are called to live a hope like that of Abraham, which is not based on human reasoning, predictions or calculation, but is rooted in faith in the Word of God.'
The pope also recalled the relationship between faith and hope, and stressed that God will always fulfill what he has promised in the Gospel.
POPE FRANCIS
'I'd like to ask you a question. We, all of us, are we convinced of this? Are we convinced that God loves us and that everything he has promised us is going to be fulfilled? But Father, how much do we have to pay for this? It has a price: open the heart. Open your heart. And this force of God will bring you forth, and will work miracles. It will teach you what hope is.'
Curiously, there was a group of British parliamentarians who the pope greeted, who were following relations with the Holy See, as Brexit is officially set in motion today.
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