This morning, inside the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a delegation of fishermen from San Benedetto del Tronto (Ascoli Piceno).
Dear brothers and sisters,
I am happy to meet you and to cordially greet all of you. I thank your Bishop for his words, as well as the priests present here, who spiritually accompany your work and your families. Along the coast of the Marche, you go out in good and bad weather to take from the sea the food that is necessary to live, with so much passion, many sacrifices and even some danger. And your loved ones share the difficulties and precariousness that this kind of life entails.
You are a significant group in the social life of your area. In the progress that characterizes modern society, the fisherman may sometimes feel tempted by the desire for safe work on dry land. And yet, those who were born on the sea cannot eradicate the sea from their hearts. I urge you not to lose hope in the face of the inconveniences and uncertainties that you unfortunately have to face: you don't lack courage! At the same time, your often risky and hard work needs to be valued by others who support your rights and legitimate aspirations.
For my part, I want to express a particular appreciation for the seabed remediation activity, which you have undertaken with the participation of other associations and the collaboration of the competent Authorities. This initiative is very important, both for the large amount of waste, especially plastic, that you have recovered, and - and I would say above all - because it can become and is already becoming a repeatable model in other areas of Italy and abroad. The Plastic Fishing operation, which you carried out voluntarily, is an example of how local civil society can and must contribute to tackling global issues, without taking anything away, indeed, stimulating the responsibility of the institutions. And I see that it goes on, because I was telling your Bishop that the last time the group came they talked to me about 6 tons; now there are 24 tons: it is still going on!
Dear friends, yours is an ancient job. Even my predecessor Peter was a fisherman. In the Gospel we read a series of events related to the life and world of fishermen. The first disciples of Jesus were your colleagues, and He called them to follow him just as they were setting up the nets on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. I like to think that even today, many of you who are Christians feel the spiritual presence of the Lord beside you. Your faith animates precious values: popular religiosity which is expressed in trust in God, in the sense of prayer and in the Christian education of children; esteem for the family; the sense of solidarity, so you feel the need to help each other and to help you in your time of need. Please don't lose these values!
With these wishes, I entrust you to the protection of the Virgin Mary, whom you venerate as Madonna della Marina (Our Lady of the Sea), and of your patron Saint Francis of Paola. I invoke the blessing of the Lord upon you, your families and your work. And I ask you, please, to pray for me. Thank you!
Testo originale nella lingua italiana
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
offered to a group of fishermen from Tronto
Dear brothers and sisters,
I am happy to meet you and to cordially greet all of you. I thank your Bishop for his words, as well as the priests present here, who spiritually accompany your work and your families. Along the coast of the Marche, you go out in good and bad weather to take from the sea the food that is necessary to live, with so much passion, many sacrifices and even some danger. And your loved ones share the difficulties and precariousness that this kind of life entails.
You are a significant group in the social life of your area. In the progress that characterizes modern society, the fisherman may sometimes feel tempted by the desire for safe work on dry land. And yet, those who were born on the sea cannot eradicate the sea from their hearts. I urge you not to lose hope in the face of the inconveniences and uncertainties that you unfortunately have to face: you don't lack courage! At the same time, your often risky and hard work needs to be valued by others who support your rights and legitimate aspirations.
For my part, I want to express a particular appreciation for the seabed remediation activity, which you have undertaken with the participation of other associations and the collaboration of the competent Authorities. This initiative is very important, both for the large amount of waste, especially plastic, that you have recovered, and - and I would say above all - because it can become and is already becoming a repeatable model in other areas of Italy and abroad. The Plastic Fishing operation, which you carried out voluntarily, is an example of how local civil society can and must contribute to tackling global issues, without taking anything away, indeed, stimulating the responsibility of the institutions. And I see that it goes on, because I was telling your Bishop that the last time the group came they talked to me about 6 tons; now there are 24 tons: it is still going on!
Dear friends, yours is an ancient job. Even my predecessor Peter was a fisherman. In the Gospel we read a series of events related to the life and world of fishermen. The first disciples of Jesus were your colleagues, and He called them to follow him just as they were setting up the nets on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. I like to think that even today, many of you who are Christians feel the spiritual presence of the Lord beside you. Your faith animates precious values: popular religiosity which is expressed in trust in God, in the sense of prayer and in the Christian education of children; esteem for the family; the sense of solidarity, so you feel the need to help each other and to help you in your time of need. Please don't lose these values!
With these wishes, I entrust you to the protection of the Virgin Mary, whom you venerate as Madonna della Marina (Our Lady of the Sea), and of your patron Saint Francis of Paola. I invoke the blessing of the Lord upon you, your families and your work. And I ask you, please, to pray for me. Thank you!
Testo originale nella lingua italiana
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