Via Crucis meditations prepared by prisoners in Padua
By Vatican News
In a letter to the people of the Veneto region of Italy 鈥� an area particularly hard hit by the coronavirus epidemic 鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis has shared 鈥渁 beautiful page of charity鈥�: this year, he has asked prisoners from the 鈥淒ue Palazzi鈥� penitentiary in Padua to compose the meditations for the Way of the Cross celebrated by the 杏MAP导航 each year on Good Friday.
The 杏MAP导航 said he wanted the meditations to be 鈥渁 choral work鈥�, with contributions from all 鈥渢he various faces鈥� of the world of prisons: victims, prisoners, guards, volunteers, families, judges, teachers, the Church, innocent people who at times are unjustly accused鈥�. Prison, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渋s a kaleidoscope of situations鈥�, where there is a risk of focusing on a single detail, to the detriment of the whole. 鈥淭he resurrection of a person is never the work of an individual, but of the community working together鈥�.
杏MAP导航 Francis said he was 鈥渕oved鈥� when he read the meditations: 鈥淚 felt very much involved in this story, I felt like a brother who made mistakes, and like those who agree to stand beside them to resume the ascent鈥�.
Balancing mercy and justice, he continued, is not easy; but when that balance is achieved, all of society gains by it. 杏MAP导航 Francis then thanked the 鈥減arish of the prison鈥�, and all who work in the area of corrections, saying, 鈥淕od bless the good heart of those who challenge indifference with tenderness鈥�.
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