The pope washes feet in prison

At 5:00pm this afternoon in Rome, the Holy Father Francis left the Vatican and travelled to the Casal del Marmo Juvenile Detention Centre where he celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper beginning at 5:30pm.

Concelebrating with the Holy Father were His Eminence, Agostino Cardinal Vallini, the Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome; His Excellency, Giovanni Angelo Becciu, Substitute for the Secretariat of State; Monsignor Alfred Xuereb, His Holiness’ personal secretary; and Father Gaetano Grecco, Chaplain of the Casal del Marmo.  Some representatives of the personnel and volunteers who work at the Casal del Marmo were also present.

Pope Francis washed the feet of twelve of the young people, who were from various countries and religious traditions, and since there are only young men at the Casal del Marmo, His Holiness also asked for two young women to be added to the group.

At the conclusion of the liturgy, before returning to the Vatican, His Holiness met with the entire family of the Detention Centre.  Present at this encounter, among others, were from the Ministry of Justice and Grace: the Honorable Paola Severino; from the Department for Juvenile Justice, Caterina Chimnici; from the Prison Police of Casal del Marmo, Saulo Patrizi; and the Director of Casal del Marmo, Liana Giambartolomei.

As an expression of their gratitude, the residents of the Casal del Marmo presented the Holy Father with a wooden cross, and with a faldstool (the foldable stool which has traditionally been used by bishops when officiating in their own Cathedral, away from their thrones, or when presiding in a place outside their Cathedrals).

Homily of His Holiness Francis
for the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Casal del Marmo, Rome

“This is moving, Jesus washes the feet of his disciples. Peter understands nothing. He refuses but Jesus explains to him. Jesus, God did this, and He Himself explains it to the disciples.. ‘Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do’.

It is the example set by Our Lord, it’s important for Him to wash their feet, because among us the one who is highest up must be at the service of others. This is a symbol, it is a sign – washing your feet means I am at your service. And we are too, among each other, but we don’t have to wash each other’s feet each day. So what does this mean? That we have to help each other…sometimes I would get angry with one someone, but we must let it go and if they ask a favor of do it!

 

Help one another. This is what Jesus teaches us. This is what I do. And I do it with my heart. I do this with my heart because it is my duty, as a priest and bishop I must be at your service. But it is a duty that comes from my heart and a duty I love. I love doing it because this is what the Lord has taught me. But you too must help us and help each other, always. And thus in helping each other we will do good for each other.

Now we will perform the ceremony of the Washing of the Feet and we must each one of us think, Am I really willing to help others? Just think of that. Think that this sign is Christ’s caress, because Jesus came just for this, to serve us, to help us”.