With the streets decorated, the people of Papua New Guinea gave Pope Francis a warm welcome.
The Pope spoke to the authorities of the Christian country where tribal violence and poverty are rampant. One of his first messages was a call for internal peace.
POPE FRANCIS
I hope, in particular, that tribal violence, which unfortunately causes many casualties, does not allow people to live in peace, and hinders development, will cease. I therefore appeal to everyone's sense of responsibility to stop the spiral of violence and instead resolutely embark on the path that leads to fruitful cooperation.
At the same time, from one of the poorest countries in the world, the Pope reflected on the importance of social welfare, meanwhile warning of the danger of idolizing material goods.
POPE FRANCIS
The abundance of material goods, without this breath of the soul, is not enough to give birth to a vital and serene, hard-working and joyful society. On the contrary, it makes it turn in on itself. The dryness of the heart makes it lose its bearings and forget the right scale of values; it takes away its momentum and stops it to the point—as happens in some opulent societies—that it loses hope in the future and can no longer find reasons to transmit life and faith to future generations.
Towards the end of his address, the Pope went off script to condemn yet another issue: the sexual abuse and violence against women that plagues Papua New Guinea.
JRB
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