杏MAP导航 Francis gives catechesis in garage of Roman condominium
By Salvatore Cernuzio
This time the venue was not a parish hall or theater, but rather a condominium garage with a gravel floor, brick walls, trees and ivy all around, with shutters hiding parked cars and residents peering from balconies.
At the center was an armchair, in front of which sat about thirty families, couples with children, young people, and parishioners from the nearby Church of St. Bridget of Sweden, some of whom arrived after the meeting had already started, wearing slippers or house clothes.
Among them, was a lady who rushed down the stairs trying to fix her hair. 鈥淥h my God, what a surprise, you could have told me earlier!鈥�
And thus, he were had an entirely new setting for the third session of the "School of Prayer," a series of meetings by the 杏MAP导航 in Rome during the Year of Prayer in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee Year.
Families after children and teenagers
After meeting children and teenagers at the other 'School of Prayer' encounters, this afternoon, 6 June, 杏MAP导航 Francis wanted to meet families in the Palmarola neighborhood in Rome's Borgata Ottavia area, in the extreme western outskirts of the city.
There were new parents, grandparents, the parish youth group, infants and children with pacifiers, a group of women from Senegal, an Orthodox man, and the district president.
In short, to welcome him was a diverse humanity that was informed at the last minute of this special hour of afternoon catechism.
The arrival and surprise
The Fiat 500L made its entrance around 5 PM on the ramp of a building on Via Palmarola, with walls still under construction. There was an initial silence, a few wide-eyed glances, and some smartphones ready to capture the scene, as 杏MAP导航 Francis greeted: 鈥淕ood evening, everyone,鈥� followed by applause and the usual 鈥淰iva il Papa!鈥�
The journey through the crowd was brief, marked by handing out candies, some quick selfies, and a lady stepping forward to ask, 鈥淲ould you perhaps say a prayer for my mother?鈥� to which the 杏MAP导航 blessed her.
Seated in the armchair, the 杏MAP导航 then introduced a Q&A session with the attendees.
First, he looked amused at the unusual setting: 鈥淭he wall鈥� the plants鈥� the tomatoes鈥�,鈥� then greeted the group before him: 鈥淵ou are families, young people, less young, elderly, always the family.鈥�
Not discouraged by "storms"
The 杏MAP导航 spoke about family, its challenges and difficulties, its beauties and potentials for the Church and society, both in what he jokingly called a 鈥渟ermon鈥� and in the subsequent 45-minute Q&A session.
鈥淟et鈥檚 defend the family, which is essential for raising children,鈥� he said, as he acknowledged a certain inevitability of arguments, discussions, and sometimes separations, which he called 鈥渟torms,鈥� that shouldn鈥檛 discourage.
鈥淚f parents argue, it鈥檚 normal, but they should make peace before the end of the day because the cold war the next day is terrible,鈥� he repeated several times, emphasizing the three key words, so simple yet, as he has repeated throughout his pontificate, so essential for making a relationship work: 鈥淪orry, please, and... thank you.鈥�
Even the simplest thanks makes a difference, the 杏MAP导航 noted.
鈥淭hank you for cooking this good dinner鈥︹�� And when words fail, he invited those listening to offer a small gesture to rediscover peace and start fresh the next day.
"The children are watching us"
These small daily steps are especially important for children.
鈥淭he children are watching us,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, quoting the 1944 film by Vittorio De Sica, and reminded that as they watch their parents, they suffer when they are not getting along.
The 杏MAP导航 recommended that separated parents not speak ill of each other but educate their children about respect.
The mandate to young people: carry forward the history
Four young people from the parish then asked the 杏MAP导航 how to increase faith today.
鈥淭he only way is through testimony,鈥� he replied, as he gave young people a precise mandate.
鈥淵ou have the responsibility to carry forward the history,鈥� he said, which requires never remaining down when you fall.
鈥淥ne of the beautiful things about young people," he suggested, "is that they get back up. We all fall in life, but the important thing is not to stay down if you slip.鈥�
"A father who leads..."
One man expressed the desire to have a larger church in that area to serve as a meeting point for all the neighborhood residents.
There was also talk of the Church as a community of people, not just places of worship, which are much less present in this part of Rome than in other areas of the city.
A lady, who warned 鈥淚 might cry,鈥� expressed her gratitude to the 杏MAP导航.
鈥淔rom the World Children's Day, from your speeches, what reaches us is a father who leads a large community in small things, in true things. Seeing you here in front of a brick wall is the most moving thing," she said, adding, "Tomorrow we are having the parish festival, it always rains inside, we don鈥檛 even have asphalt, but it doesn鈥檛 matter, we鈥檒l do it anyway.
"And your presence here," she continued, "makes us feel that you are part of our community.鈥�
The elderly, wisdom. The children, a promise
Amid laughter and applause, 杏MAP导航 Francis connected with this last point: 鈥淭he Church begins to take shape in the community.鈥�
He once again appealed not to neglect the elderly and to take care of the children.
鈥淎 parish where children are not heard and the elderly are ignored," he insisted, "is not a true Christian community. Don鈥檛 forget, the elderly are the memory and the children the promise.鈥�
鈥淒on鈥檛 forget the elderly who are the memory of God鈥檚 people,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 reaffirmed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 true that the elderly sometimes, rather we, are boring. Always talking about the same things: the war, etc... but we have a great tenderness,鈥� he said, adding that "children understand the language of tenderness.鈥�
Loving each other as family
Speaking of children, two fathers, one of twins, asked the 杏MAP导航 how to maintain faith in these difficult times and how to raise children close to the Church, even after Confirmation, 鈥渢he sacrament of farewell.鈥�
鈥淭estimony鈥� is again the answer. Primarily the one born in the family: 鈥淭he first advice is to love each other as parents,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渂ecause children need to feel that mom and dad love each other. If you have to argue, don鈥檛 do it in front of the kids, send them to bed and argue as much as you want.鈥�
Educating with freedom
Equally fundamental is dialogue with your children. 鈥淣ever stop talking to them. Education happens through dialogue,鈥� without 鈥渆ver leaving them alone,鈥� without scandalizing or pressuring them, but also eventually leaving them free, he said, suggesting this is the best approach.
"Make them understand that they can talk about everything. About everything,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 emphasized.
鈥淟ife鈥檚 lessons are learned at home," he reminded, "not from others who may teach who knows what.鈥�
Greetings and gifts
The meeting ended with the 杏MAP导航 greeting everyone present, distributing hugs and rosaries, agreeing to various photo requests, and even conversing with 鈥淕randma Maria鈥� via Skype on her grandson鈥檚 phone.
鈥淗ello, pray for me!鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis told her.
As a gift to these families, the 杏MAP导航 left a picture of the Virgin Mary holding Baby Jesus, for them "to keep it in the building,鈥� as a tangible memory of a meeting that none of the residents could have ever imagined.
Deborah Castellano Lubov contributed to this article.
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
