This morning in Maputo, Mozambique, before leaving the Apostolic Nunciature, Pope Francis met with some leaders and a group of participants who are part of the Scholas Occurrentes Foundation in various cities throughout Mozambique. They were accompanied by their Director, Enrique Adolfo Palmeyro.
During the meeting, the participants explained to the Holy Father the activities being carried out by the Foundation in Mozambique, especially in the field of sports and human formation.
Thank you for this visit which touches my heart. I thank you for all that you are doing and for how you have presented yourselves.
Those of you from Xai-Xai have famous beaches ... tourism in Africa, in Europe ... And it seems to me very positive that you play football (soccer) on the beach. And it also seems to me that is is very good that girls play soccer on the beach.
There is one thing that touched me deeply in my heart and that is the ball of rags. When I was a child, I used to play with a ball made of rags. Because at the time, the ball was made of leather, sown with leather and it was very expensive. And we, since we were all in school, we didn't have money to buy those number 5 balls that were so large. There was still neither such a thing as a plastic or a rubber ball. There was only a leather ball or a ball made of rags.
So, in the yard outside my house, where we would play, where there is still a little square, we would play with a ball made out of rags. In Argentina, the rag ball has become a cultural symbol of that era, so much so that a popular Argentinian poet wrote a poem called ball of rags, and there is also a film that was circulated, called ball of rags.
In this way, you have heard an entire part of the history of sporting craftsmanship: work toward this end, and for the joy of playing. Work and play. In life, if there is no work, life doesn't go well, and if there is no play, live is no good. Work and play, together.
A ball of rags. It would be good to have an art competition - songs, drawings, poems, prose ... all on the theme of rag balls. And I would give the winner a prize.
Texto original en español
Testo in italiano
During the meeting, the participants explained to the Holy Father the activities being carried out by the Foundation in Mozambique, especially in the field of sports and human formation.
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
offered to members of Scholas Occurrentes
Thank you for this visit which touches my heart. I thank you for all that you are doing and for how you have presented yourselves.
Those of you from Xai-Xai have famous beaches ... tourism in Africa, in Europe ... And it seems to me very positive that you play football (soccer) on the beach. And it also seems to me that is is very good that girls play soccer on the beach.
There is one thing that touched me deeply in my heart and that is the ball of rags. When I was a child, I used to play with a ball made of rags. Because at the time, the ball was made of leather, sown with leather and it was very expensive. And we, since we were all in school, we didn't have money to buy those number 5 balls that were so large. There was still neither such a thing as a plastic or a rubber ball. There was only a leather ball or a ball made of rags.
So, in the yard outside my house, where we would play, where there is still a little square, we would play with a ball made out of rags. In Argentina, the rag ball has become a cultural symbol of that era, so much so that a popular Argentinian poet wrote a poem called ball of rags, and there is also a film that was circulated, called ball of rags.
In this way, you have heard an entire part of the history of sporting craftsmanship: work toward this end, and for the joy of playing. Work and play. In life, if there is no work, life doesn't go well, and if there is no play, live is no good. Work and play, together.
A ball of rags. It would be good to have an art competition - songs, drawings, poems, prose ... all on the theme of rag balls. And I would give the winner a prize.
Texto original en español
Testo in italiano
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