This afternoon, the Pope left the Convent of the Brigidine Sisters in Pirita and travelled by car to the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Tallinn for a meeting with staff involved with the Church's Charitable Works. Before leaving the convent, the Holy Father posed for a photograph with the Sisters and presented them with a gift for their home. Finally, together with the Sisters, he went to the entrance of the Convent and planted a tree there.
At 3:10pm local time (8:10am EDT), Pope Francis arrived at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul and met the staff members of the Church's various Charitable Works.
Upon his arrival, the Pope was welcomed at the main entrance by the Apostolic Administrator of Tallinn, the Pastor, the Mother Superior of the Missionary Sisters of Charity and by a family with nine children who are being helped by the Sisters. Four children offered the Pope a bouquet of flowers.
There were approximately 100 people in attendance at the meeting - people being helped by the Church's Charitable Works, including people with alcohol problems, disadvantaged persons, young mothers and personnel working with Caritas.
Following words of greeting offered by one of the staff and by one of the mothers who is being helped, the Holy Father offered his greetings to those who were in attendance.
Finally, after presenting a gift and having greeted some of the people who are clients, the Pope travelled by car to Freedom Square.
Dear brothers and sisters!
Thank you for welcoming me this afternoon in your home. It is important for me to visit here and to be here among you. Thank you for your testimony and for sharing with us all that you carry in your hearts.
First of all, I would like to congratulate you, Marina, and your husband, for the beautiful testimony you have given us. You have been blessed with nine children, with all the sacrifice this entails, as you pointed out to us. Where there are children and young people, there is a lot of sacrifice, but above all there is the future, joy and hope. This is why it is comforting to hear you say: We give thanks to the Lord for the communion and love that reigns in our house. In this land, where the winters are hard, you also possess the most important source of heat, that of the house, the one that comes from being in the family. With discussions and problems? Yes, it's normal, but with the desire to move forward together. They are not beautiful words, but a clear example.
And thank you for sharing the testimony of these Sisters who were not afraid to go out and go where you were to be a sign of the closeness and the outstretched hand of our God. You said that they were like angels who came to visit you. It's like this: they are angels.
When faith is not afraid to leave comforts behind, to get involved and have the courage to go out, it manages to manifest the most beautiful words of the Master: That you love one another; as I have loved you (Jn 13:34). Love that breaks the chains that isolate us and separate us, throwing up bridges; love that allows us to build a large family in which we can all feel at home, as is the case in this house. Love that tastes of compassion and dignity. And this is beautiful. Look at Marina's nine children sitting on a single bench and count them: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. A beautiful family! A beautiful family!
Missionary faith goes like these Sisters through the streets of our cities, our neighbuorhoods, our communities, saying with very concrete gestures: you belong to our family, to the great family of God in which we all have a place. Do not stay out. And you, Sisters, you do this! Thank you.
I think this is the miracle you told us about, Vladimir. You have found sisters and brothers who have offered you the opportunity to awaken your heart and see that, at all times, the Lord was trying tirelessly to dress you up (cf Lk 15.22) and to celebrate the fact that each of us is his favorite son. The Lord's greatest joy is to see ourselves born again, which is why he never tires of giving us a new opportunity. For this reason, the bonds are important, to feel that we belong to each other, that every life is worthwhile, and that we are willing to spend our lives for this reason.
I would like to invite you to continue creating connections. To go out in the neighbourhoods to say to others: you too are part of our family. Jesus called the disciples, and he still calls each of you, dear brothers, to continue sowing and proclaiming his Kingdom. He is counting on your history, on your life, on your hands to travel through the city and share the same reality that you have experienced. Today, can Jesus rely on you? Each of you answer in silence.
Thank you for the time you have given me. And now I would like to give you a blessing, so that the Lord can continue to work miracles through your hands. And please, I need help too; please do not forget to pray for me. Thank you!
At 3:10pm local time (8:10am EDT), Pope Francis arrived at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul and met the staff members of the Church's various Charitable Works.
Upon his arrival, the Pope was welcomed at the main entrance by the Apostolic Administrator of Tallinn, the Pastor, the Mother Superior of the Missionary Sisters of Charity and by a family with nine children who are being helped by the Sisters. Four children offered the Pope a bouquet of flowers.
There were approximately 100 people in attendance at the meeting - people being helped by the Church's Charitable Works, including people with alcohol problems, disadvantaged persons, young mothers and personnel working with Caritas.
Following words of greeting offered by one of the staff and by one of the mothers who is being helped, the Holy Father offered his greetings to those who were in attendance.
Finally, after presenting a gift and having greeted some of the people who are clients, the Pope travelled by car to Freedom Square.
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
addressed to clients of the Church's Charitable Works
Dear brothers and sisters!
Thank you for welcoming me this afternoon in your home. It is important for me to visit here and to be here among you. Thank you for your testimony and for sharing with us all that you carry in your hearts.
First of all, I would like to congratulate you, Marina, and your husband, for the beautiful testimony you have given us. You have been blessed with nine children, with all the sacrifice this entails, as you pointed out to us. Where there are children and young people, there is a lot of sacrifice, but above all there is the future, joy and hope. This is why it is comforting to hear you say: We give thanks to the Lord for the communion and love that reigns in our house. In this land, where the winters are hard, you also possess the most important source of heat, that of the house, the one that comes from being in the family. With discussions and problems? Yes, it's normal, but with the desire to move forward together. They are not beautiful words, but a clear example.
And thank you for sharing the testimony of these Sisters who were not afraid to go out and go where you were to be a sign of the closeness and the outstretched hand of our God. You said that they were like angels who came to visit you. It's like this: they are angels.
When faith is not afraid to leave comforts behind, to get involved and have the courage to go out, it manages to manifest the most beautiful words of the Master: That you love one another; as I have loved you (Jn 13:34). Love that breaks the chains that isolate us and separate us, throwing up bridges; love that allows us to build a large family in which we can all feel at home, as is the case in this house. Love that tastes of compassion and dignity. And this is beautiful. Look at Marina's nine children sitting on a single bench and count them: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. A beautiful family! A beautiful family!
Missionary faith goes like these Sisters through the streets of our cities, our neighbuorhoods, our communities, saying with very concrete gestures: you belong to our family, to the great family of God in which we all have a place. Do not stay out. And you, Sisters, you do this! Thank you.
I think this is the miracle you told us about, Vladimir. You have found sisters and brothers who have offered you the opportunity to awaken your heart and see that, at all times, the Lord was trying tirelessly to dress you up (cf Lk 15.22) and to celebrate the fact that each of us is his favorite son. The Lord's greatest joy is to see ourselves born again, which is why he never tires of giving us a new opportunity. For this reason, the bonds are important, to feel that we belong to each other, that every life is worthwhile, and that we are willing to spend our lives for this reason.
I would like to invite you to continue creating connections. To go out in the neighbourhoods to say to others: you too are part of our family. Jesus called the disciples, and he still calls each of you, dear brothers, to continue sowing and proclaiming his Kingdom. He is counting on your history, on your life, on your hands to travel through the city and share the same reality that you have experienced. Today, can Jesus rely on you? Each of you answer in silence.
Thank you for the time you have given me. And now I would like to give you a blessing, so that the Lord can continue to work miracles through your hands. And please, I need help too; please do not forget to pray for me. Thank you!
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