Migrants meet with 杏MAP导航: He is like a father for all of us
By Alessandro De Carolis
杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� meeting with migrants on Tuesday afternoon was not the first such encounter. Each, however, follows a similar pattern, and each time 鈥渁 great moment of grace鈥� is repeated.
A group of migrants visited Casa Santa Marta to get to know a man they see as a 鈥渇ather鈥� and a 鈥渟hepherd to all,鈥� in the words of Fr Mattia Ferrari, who accompanied the group.
Authors share their stories
The central figures in Tuesday鈥檚 meeting were two young people, Ibrahim Lo, who came from Senegal, and Ebrima Kuyateh, originally from Gambia, who both journeyed through Libya to come to Europe.
Ibrahim is the author of Pane e acqua. Dal Senegal all鈥橧talia passando per Libia (鈥淏read and Water. From Senegal to Italy via Libya鈥�) and La mia voce. Dalle rive dell鈥橝frica alle strade dell鈥橢uropa 鈥淢y Voice. From the Shores of Africa to the Streets of Europe鈥�); while Ebrima has shared her story in a book with the eloquent title, Io i miei piedi nudi (鈥淚 My Bare Feet鈥�) with a preface by, among others, Erio Castellucci, the Archbishop of Modena-Nonantola and bishop of Carpi, as well as an afterword by Stefano Croci, director of Migrantes.
Among the rest of the group meeting with 杏MAP导航 Francis were Fr Mattia Ferrari; Stefano Croci, director of Migrantes Carpi; Giulia Bassoli, a volunteer from the same section; and Luca Casarini, founder and mission leader of Mediterranea Saving Humans and a special guest of the Synod of Bishops; and Sister Adriana Dominici, a consecrated sister of Spin Time Labs in Rome.
Stories of hell and hope
Father Mattia explained that 杏MAP导航 Francis wanted to listen to their stories and to thank 鈥渆veryone for what they do and what they live,鈥� and he encouraged them 鈥渢o keep going.鈥�
One of those stories came from Pato, who had already met with 杏MAP导航 Francis in November 2023. The death from thirst of Pato鈥檚 wife Fati and daughter Marie as they crossed the desert last year struck consciences around the world.
Similar stories of hellish experiences, though, were mixed with stories of hope that migrants wanted to share with the Holy Father. Their experiences, including the welcome received by these young people, Fr Mattia said, demonstrate that, whether at sea or on land, 鈥渨hen we rescue or welcome the poor, the migrants, it is they who are saving us.鈥� And it shows that 鈥渋n the love, in the fraternity that one lives with the poor, with migrants, one actually experiences salvation.鈥�
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