Pope Francis celebrated Corpus Christi in a smaller Roman neighborhood. It is off the beaten path, without many public facilities and characterized by a lower quality of life.
However, Pope Francis asked them not to be carried away by anger that comes with not having as much as others. Moreover, he advised them to follow the example of Christ's disciples, who shared what little they had with the hungry.
POPE FRANCIS
'In our city that hungers for love and care, that is suffering from decay and neglect; that has so many elderly people living alone; families in difficulty; young people who struggle to earn their bread and to make their dreams come true. The Lord tells you, 'You yourself give them something to eat.''
The pope not only asked for generosity, but went a step further and asked for a lifestyle change. Instead of cursing, he invited them to look more at the positive than at the negative, following Jesus' example.
POPE FRANCIS
'It is sad to think of how easy it is today to do the opposite. We curse, we despise, we insult. In the general frenzy, we lose control and vent our rage on everything and everyone. Sadly, those who shout the most and loudest, those who are the angriest, seem to be right and persuade others. Let us avoid being infected by that arrogance.'
Casal Bertone was a district that suffered bombings from World War II. Despite this history, many Romans decided to settle there after the war.
The Corpus Christi procession went through its streets, led by the cardinal vicar of Rome, Angelo De Donatis. Pope Francis, as he usually does on these occasions, imparted the final blessing before returning to the Vatican.
