Despite it being a cloudy morning, Pope Francis still went round in the popemobile to greet pilgrims. Some children even presented him a gift.
During the pope's catechesis, he focused on the first petition from the second part of the “Our Father” prayer, “give us this day our daily bread.”
He said this petition should lead every Christian to think about those who suffer the most.
POPE FRANCIS
“It will do us good to stop for a while and think about the hungry children. Think of the children in countries at war, the starving children of Yemen, the starving children of Syria, the starving children of so many countries where there is no bread. In South Sudan... Let us think of these children and say out loud the prayer: Father, give us our daily bread today. All together.”
The pope said this request for bread is a reminder of equality for all people and everyone's entitlement to the basic necessities. He lamented that sometimes there are people who do not share.
POPE FRANCIS
“Love cannot bear this, and neither can God's love bear this selfishness. Let's get this into our heads: food is not private property. Pay attention to this: it is not my bread. It is 'our' bread.”
At the end of the General Audience, Pope Francis publicly paid tribute to an 85-year-old nun. The pope met her when he visited the Central African Republic in November 2015. Sr. Maria Concetta has been a missionary for nearly 60 years, and the pope explained how she has assisted in the birth of around 3,000 children.
