Pope Francis does not see the poor and suffering
as mere food for thought for his homilies.
They are the “flesh of
Christ”.
This is why he continues to remind Christians of the importance
of getting close to the poor in order to “touch the flesh” of Jesus.
Bergoglio set an example by visiting Centro Astalli, a Jesuit
refugee centre in downtown Rome.
The Pope really “put his money where
his mouth was” by going there in person. His physical presence was worth
a thousand of his powerful words.
What is most striking is the style of
the new Bishop of Rome, who moves about “his” city with such ease. He
turned up at the refugee centre in the usual blue Ford Focus, no
escorts, no entourage. He didn’t even take his personal secretary with
him.
Francis scheduled this visit himself – as he scheduled so many
other meetings and audiences – by telephoning Centro Astalli in person,
because as the Argentinean Pope said, “we need to learn to be normal”.
Strangely enough, those around him are finding this concept of
“normality” and sobriety hard to grasp and take on board: cardinals
turned up with an entourage, while Francis did not.
Francis’ message regarding convents - “Dear men
and women religious, “empty convents are not for the Church to transform
into hotels and make money from them. Empty convents are not ours, they
are for the flesh of Christ: refugees” - sent shock waves through the
Church.
The Catholic Church’s supporting bodies do a great deal. But
they need to be courageous and do more.
Francis does not preach to
others about solidarity, he starts at home, setting an example.
“This Pope really makes the poor and needy feel
that God is close to them,” a smiley African girl said on her way out of
the refugee centre. “I think the biggest change is to do with his
personality.
He is a direct witness of the faith,” said the Archbishop
of Milan, Angelo Scola in Mantua. “His gestures show
what faith is all about and are a lesson in themselves. A person becomes
a witness when they are actively involved in what they talk about,
thereby becoming an authoritative voice.”
Only prejudice and a heart of stone could mistake
this gesture of closeness to the poor as “pauperism” (a negative term
that is also used within a certain ecclesiastical context to justify
attitudes and styles that are contrary to Bergoglio’s)
“Paying attention
to the poor, being committed to helping and supporting the poor… this
comes from the Gospel. It’s mentioned in the Gospel! And
the Pope is very evangelical and this is obvious in the way of does
things,” the theologian Gustavo Gutierrez said in an interview with Vatican Insider.
In less than a month, Pope Francis will travel to Assisi, St.
Francis’ hometown, where he will visit the room where St. Francis
stripped off his clothes.
On this occasion too, Bergoglio has asked to
meet with poor people in the centres where they receive assistance.
It
will be another chance for the Pope to speak about the “poor Church for
the poor” and of the importance of “undressing” in order to be genuine
and efficient witnesses of the faith in today’s world.