Pope Francis visited the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere to meet with people in need that receive help from the Community of St. Egidio.<\/p>\n
Even with the rain and bad weather, the Pope walked the colorful neighborhood on foot, greeting thousands of people lined up along the picturesque streets.<\/p>\n
After entering the Basilica, the first thing the Pope did was place flowers and pray before the icon of Our Lady of Clemency.<\/p>\n
Afterward, Pope Francis listened to the testimonies from several people benefiting from the Community's programs.<\/p>\n
Adriana, a disabled woman, and Dawood Yousefi, a Muslim refugee, explained how St. Egidio members took them in.<\/p>\n
ADRIANA
\n'In the Gospel, Jesus heals many sick people. I also endure many hardships, like others, both physical and psychological. But this year, I understood that the gravest sickness is solitude. But Jesus has healed me.\u00e2?\u009d<\/p>\n
DAWOOD YOUSEFI
\n'I remember the path in the mountains between Iran and Turkey, where I spent two weeks. I saw, on the side of the trails, the skeletons of other refugees. I was scared of dying because I was so cold.\u00e2?\u009d<\/p>\n
Pope Francis lashed out against a 'speculative economy\u00e2?\u009d which makes the poor even poorer. He also asked that solidarity never disappears.<\/p>\n
POPE FRANCIS
\n'This word, 'solidarity,' so many people want to erase it from the dictionary, because to a certain group it seems like a bad word. No! It is a Christian word, solidarity. That's why you are family to the homeless, friends to people with disabilities, and you show so much humanity.\u00e2?\u009d<\/p>\n
During his speech, Pope Francis spoke again about the 'throwaway culture,\u00e2?\u009d which tosses aside youth and the elderly. He said that it's clearly happening in a Europe that has lost sight of its roots.<\/p>\n
POPE FRANCIS
\n'Today, I speak of Europe. Europe is tired. We need to help her and rejuvenate her, to help her find her roots. It's true: she has renounced her roots. It's true. But we need to help her find them.\u00e2?\u009d<\/p>\n
The Pope thanked the work of Community of St. Egidio, 'for helping friendship grow, instead of ghosts of hostility and indifference.\u00e2?\u009d<\/p>\n
The Community of St. Egidio was founded in the 1960's to help the poorest people in Rome. They also work to promote ecumenism and peace around the world.<\/p>\n
AC\/RCA
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\nUp: MAE<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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