杏MAP导航

By Lisa Zengarini

鈥淲elcoming people with disabilities and responding to their needs is a duty of the civil and ecclesial communities," 杏MAP导航 Francis said during an audience on Saturday with a group of disabled people from Italy in the Vatican on the occasion of the annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), which is celebrated on December 3.

A constant responsibility of the Church

The 杏MAP导航 started his address by expressing appreciation for the ongoing commitment of Church communities in Italy to keeping the attention focused on disabled people, noting that  鈥減romoting recognition of the dignity of every person is a constant responsibility of the Church鈥�.

He recalled that this was God's gaze on the people he met: 鈥渁 gaze of tenderness and mercy above all for those who were excluded鈥�. 鈥淔or this reason 鈥� he said  - every time the Christian community transforms indifference into proximity, and exclusion into belonging, it fulfills its prophetic mission鈥�.

Indeed, he explained, to defend people's rights is not enough.

Making disabled people feel they belong somewhere

Generating and supporting inclusive communities therefore 鈥渕eans eliminating all discrimination and concretely satisfying the need of every person to feel recognized and to feel part鈥� of them.

This implies not only guaranteeing people with disabilities access to buildings and meeting places, making languages accessible and overcoming physical barriers and prejudices, but also promoting 鈥渁 spirituality of communion, so that everyone feels part of a body, with its unrepeatable personality鈥�.

No one excluded

Bringing his address to an end, 杏MAP导航 Francis, therefore, expressed his wish that  "belonging" and "inclusion", become 鈥渁n objective of ordinary pastoral action鈥� and not just empty words. 鈥淚n this way we will be able to be credible when we proclaim that the Lord loves everyone, that he is salvation for everyone and invites everyone to the table of life, no one excluded鈥�.

Concluding the 杏MAP导航 encouraged Christian communities in their work for people with disabilities, saying their testimony is a concrete sign of peace and hope for a more humane and fraternal world in these times of war.

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities 

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) was established by the UN in 1992  to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.

The theme chosen for 2022 is 鈥淭ransformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world鈥�, with a focus on three aspects:  employment, reducing inequality and development.