This morning, the Vatican Press Centre published the Missal (the texts of all the liturgies that will be celebrated) for the Holy Father's Apostolic Journey to Chile and Perú which will begin next week. Also published this morning is the text of a video message that Pope Francis has sent to the people of those countries in anticipation of his visit.
Brothers and sisters of Chile and Perú,
Before my upcoming voyage to these lands, I greet you most affectionately. I come to you as a pilgrim of the joy of the gospel, in order to share with all of you the Lord's peace and to confirm you in this same hope. Peace and hope, shared among all peoples.
I want to meet with you, to look into your eyes, to see your faces and for all of us to feel the closeness of God, his tenderness and mercy that embraces all of us.
I know the history of your countries, fraught with tensions and with dedication; along with you I wish to thank God for your faith and your love for God and for your brothers and sisters in need, especially for the love that you have for those who are ignored by society. The culture of waste has pervaded among us more and more. I want to share in your joys, your sorrows, your difficulties and your hopes, and I want to tell you that you are not alone, that the Pope is with you, that the entire Church welcomes you, that the Church is looking to you.
With you, I want to experience the peace that comes from God, a peace that is so needed; only He can give us this peace. This is the gift that Christ gives to all of us, the foundation of our coexistence and of all of society; peace is sustained in justice and permits us to discover occasions of communion and harmony. We must constantly ask the Lord for this gift, and he will always give it to us. It is the peace of the Risen Christ that brings us joy and compels us to be missionaries, constantly reviving the gift of faith that leads us to his encounter, to shared communion in the same faith that is celebrated and implanted in our hearts.
This encounter with the risen Christ confirms us in hope. We do not want to be tethered to the things of this world, our gaze stretches much further, our eyes are set on His mercy which heals our suffering. Only He gives us the push we need to get up and to keep going. When we are aware of this closeness of God, we form a living community that is capable of moving along with those who are by our side, capable of taking firm steps toward friendship and fraternity. We are all brothers who go out to meet others in order that they and we may be confirmed in the same faith and hope.
I place this Apostolic voyage in the hands of the Holy Virgin, Mother of the Americas, along with all the intentions that we carry in our hearts, so that she, who is a good Mother, may welcome them and teach us the way that leads to her Son.
See you very soon! And, please, don't forget to pray for me. See you soon!
(Original text in Spanish)
One of the highlights of Pope Francis' upcoming apostolic visit to Peru is represented by a meeting with indigenous peoples of the Amazon rainforest in the city of Maldonado.
The Holy Father's upcoming visit to Puerto Maldonado will undoubtedly give visibility and voice to the indigenous people of the Amazon. In an interview published by the Pan-Amazonian Church Network – Repam – Father Manuel Jesus Romero of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Maldonado said the Amazon’s indigenous people have an urgent need to make their rights known as they are increasingly pushed from their ancestral lands.
Their territory is increasingly being invaded, their space is becoming smaller and smaller; the livelihoods with which they have survived for so many centuries are being destroyed: fishing, hunting, trees and rivers are more and more in danger. Therefore their lives are in danger.
Pope Francis’ arrival in the city of Puerto Maldonado, a symbol of Peru's Amazon indigenous communities, is scheduled to take place on 19 January. Here the Pope will receive representatives of different Amazon communities who will be able to voice their concerns and listen to the Pope’s message of hope and encouragement.
Following the announcement of the Pope's visit to Peru from 18 to 21 January, the Peruvian Episcopal Conference (CEP) explained the reasons behind his choice to visit Puerto Maldonado describing it as a poignant symbol thanks to the southeastern city's struggles with illegal mining, child labour and human trafficking. It went on to say the Pope’s willingness to visit the area is also driven by the city’s environmental protection needs, a major issue for this gateway to the southern Amazon jungle. The Amazon rainforest comprises as much as 60% of Peru's territory, and offers a major reserve of fresh water.
Pope Francis’ upcoming visit, which also takes him to Chile, will be the third papal journey to Peru, after John Paul II visited the nation twice, in 1985 and 1988.
Video Message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
in anticipation of his Apostolic Voyage
to Chile and Perú
Brothers and sisters of Chile and Perú,
Before my upcoming voyage to these lands, I greet you most affectionately. I come to you as a pilgrim of the joy of the gospel, in order to share with all of you the Lord's peace and to confirm you in this same hope. Peace and hope, shared among all peoples.
I want to meet with you, to look into your eyes, to see your faces and for all of us to feel the closeness of God, his tenderness and mercy that embraces all of us.
I know the history of your countries, fraught with tensions and with dedication; along with you I wish to thank God for your faith and your love for God and for your brothers and sisters in need, especially for the love that you have for those who are ignored by society. The culture of waste has pervaded among us more and more. I want to share in your joys, your sorrows, your difficulties and your hopes, and I want to tell you that you are not alone, that the Pope is with you, that the entire Church welcomes you, that the Church is looking to you.
With you, I want to experience the peace that comes from God, a peace that is so needed; only He can give us this peace. This is the gift that Christ gives to all of us, the foundation of our coexistence and of all of society; peace is sustained in justice and permits us to discover occasions of communion and harmony. We must constantly ask the Lord for this gift, and he will always give it to us. It is the peace of the Risen Christ that brings us joy and compels us to be missionaries, constantly reviving the gift of faith that leads us to his encounter, to shared communion in the same faith that is celebrated and implanted in our hearts.
This encounter with the risen Christ confirms us in hope. We do not want to be tethered to the things of this world, our gaze stretches much further, our eyes are set on His mercy which heals our suffering. Only He gives us the push we need to get up and to keep going. When we are aware of this closeness of God, we form a living community that is capable of moving along with those who are by our side, capable of taking firm steps toward friendship and fraternity. We are all brothers who go out to meet others in order that they and we may be confirmed in the same faith and hope.
I place this Apostolic voyage in the hands of the Holy Virgin, Mother of the Americas, along with all the intentions that we carry in our hearts, so that she, who is a good Mother, may welcome them and teach us the way that leads to her Son.
See you very soon! And, please, don't forget to pray for me. See you soon!
(Original text in Spanish)
One of the highlights of Pope Francis' upcoming apostolic visit to Peru is represented by a meeting with indigenous peoples of the Amazon rainforest in the city of Maldonado.
The Holy Father's upcoming visit to Puerto Maldonado will undoubtedly give visibility and voice to the indigenous people of the Amazon. In an interview published by the Pan-Amazonian Church Network – Repam – Father Manuel Jesus Romero of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Maldonado said the Amazon’s indigenous people have an urgent need to make their rights known as they are increasingly pushed from their ancestral lands.
Their territory is increasingly being invaded, their space is becoming smaller and smaller; the livelihoods with which they have survived for so many centuries are being destroyed: fishing, hunting, trees and rivers are more and more in danger. Therefore their lives are in danger.
Following the announcement of the Pope's visit to Peru from 18 to 21 January, the Peruvian Episcopal Conference (CEP) explained the reasons behind his choice to visit Puerto Maldonado describing it as a poignant symbol thanks to the southeastern city's struggles with illegal mining, child labour and human trafficking. It went on to say the Pope’s willingness to visit the area is also driven by the city’s environmental protection needs, a major issue for this gateway to the southern Amazon jungle. The Amazon rainforest comprises as much as 60% of Peru's territory, and offers a major reserve of fresh water.
Pope Francis’ upcoming visit, which also takes him to Chile, will be the third papal journey to Peru, after John Paul II visited the nation twice, in 1985 and 1988.
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