“It is important to spread the culture of meeting, the culture of dialogue, the culture of listening and understanding,” with these words the Pope addressed the participants of the forum organized by the former US President Bill Clinton Foundation. The forum, titled “Clinton Global Initiative. Taking Action Together” is held every year, trying to find answers to important questions in the world.
Inese Steinert – Vatican
Pope Francis was also invited to address the forum held on September 18 in New York. Taking advantage of the possibilities of video streaming and himself at that moment visiting the pediatric hospital “Bambino Gesù” in Rome, the Holy Father noted the importance of sharing thoughts on how to better contribute to the common good and not abandon the weakest, including children.
“We all know that we live in the turning of the ages. Only if we are united will we be able to do better. Only if we are united will we be able to heal the world from the anonymity of the globalization of indifference,” said the Pope. Noting that President Clinton had listed many of today’s challenges, such as climate change, the humanitarian crisis affecting migrants and refugees, child care, Francis added to them “the winds of war that are blowing on the whole world and multiplying with their spirit” what he himself has called it a fragmentary third world war many times. “There is a need for a shared responsibility,” the Pope said.
The successor of Saint Peter argued that no challenge is too great if we tackle it each of us with our personal conversion, with the contribution we can make to overcome these challenges, and with the awareness that we are all part of a common destiny. We cannot face any challenge alone, but only united, as brothers and sisters, as children of God. Therefore, the Pope encouraged all people of good will – women and men – not to lose heart in the face of difficulties. “Difficulties are part of life,” he said, “and the best way to overcome them is to always seek the common good: never, never alone, but always together.”
The Holy Father noted that our best or worst side appears in difficulties, so the challenge is to fight egoism, narcissism, division with generosity, humility, it is better to be united than to be in conflict. “It is time to seek change – change for the sake of peace and brotherhood. It is time to silence the thunder of guns. Let dialogue and diplomacy return. Let plans of conquest and military aggression cease. Therefore, I repeat: no to war! No to war! It is time to act together to stop the ecological disaster before it is too late. Therefore, 10 years after the encyclical “Laudato si”, I have wanted to write a new document,” the Pope told the participants of the forum organized by the Bill Clinton Foundation.
The Bishop of Rome also addressed the issue of migration. He reminded that it is not about numbers, but about living people – men, women and children. When we talk about migration, the Pope asked us to think about the eyes of children in refugee camps. “It is time to think about the smallest, about children, about their education, about their care,” he said.
Francis said that the “Bambino Gesù” pediatric hospital is located near the Vatican. It is known to the world as the pontifical hospital, but that does not make it “unique” to the Holy Father. “It is clear that our small and at the same time “big” hospital cannot solve all the problems of sick children in the world. However, it wants to serve as a sign, a testimony that it is possible to combine scientific research dedicated to children’s health with free care for the poor,” the Pope assured.
“Science and Hospitality”. It is rarely possible to combine these two aspects. However, as Francis said, helicopters often land in the Vatican to bring sick children to the “Bambino Gesù” hospital. During these terrible months of the war, the hospital treated more than 2,000 small patients who fled Ukraine together with their parents and relatives.
The Pope pointed out that in the field of health protection today, more than ever before, the first and concrete form of neighborly love is science, the ability to treat and it must be available to all. At the end of his speech, Francis called for people to remember that “there are incurable diseases, but there are no incurable children”.
2023-09-19 13:15:19
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