One thing Francis stressed as a central message even before he became pope was the importance of reaching out to the peripheries. Eleven years later, this trip is a clear example of his mission to be close to the most marginalized.
Not only is this evident from this visit to Papua New Guinea, the farthest place he has ever been, but he also explicitly spoke about it. He reflected on this message during Mass in the capital city, where 50,000 people gathered in two stadiums.
POPE FRANCIS
You, brothers and sisters, who live in this land so far away in the Pacific, might imagine that you are separated, separated from the Lord, separated from men, and that is not good. No. You are united, united in the Holy Spirit, united in the Lord. The Lord tells each and every one of you to open up. Be open. This is the most important thing: open yourselves up to God; open yourselves up to your brothers and sisters; open yourselves up to the Gospel and make it the compass of our life.
After Mass, the Pope prayed the Angelus and his message was clear and direct. He focused on two major problems affecting the country.
POPE FRANCIS
Peace, peace for the nations and for creation. No to rearmament and exploitation of the common home. Yes to the encounter between peoples and cultures. Yes to the harmony of man with creatures.
In Papua New Guinea, the logging industry is devastating the country. It is estimated that 70% of this trade is carried out illegally, even overriding the land ownership rights of the local indigenous people.
Moreover, there is inter-tribal violence, which Pope Francis spoke about when he arrived in the country. Added to this is the fact that with free access to weapons and their development in recent decades, tribal fighting has become another of the country's major problems. For example, in February, 64 people were killed during a raid as a result of these clashes.
CA
TR: KG
