杏MAP导航

By Kielce Gussie

For 600 years, Spain has been home to the Gitano people. To mark this anniversary, 杏MAP导航 Francis sent a letter to the community, encouraging them to 鈥渇ace the future with hope.鈥�

Discovering the closeness of God

Misunderstanding, rejection, and marginalization have marked the Gitano community in Spain, as the 杏MAP导航 pointed out. But, he explained, even in most difficult times, they have 鈥渄iscovered the closeness of God鈥� because God 鈥渉as become a nomad with the Gypsy people.鈥�

April 8 marks the International Day for the Sinti and Roma peoples.

The 杏MAP导航 highlighted the work the Church, the Gitano community, and the Spanish society as a whole have done in recent decades to close the gaps of injustice. Yet, he urged them not to stop 鈥渂ecause there are still prejudices to overcome and painful situations to confront.鈥� He enumerated a few: young people struggling to find jobs, teens dropping out of school, and women facing gender discrimination in their families and society.

A long-standing message

杏MAP导航 Francis recalled a message his predecessor, St. Paul VI, gave to thousands of Gitanos in 1965. He said, 鈥淵ou are in the heart of the Church.鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis reiterated this message as well, calling the Gitanos in Spain 鈥渃hildren of the Church.鈥� A Church, he said, that will keep its doors open and allow the Gitano community to grow in Christian faith.

Walking together with diverse realities

This, the 杏MAP导航 continued, was discovered in the Synod鈥攖he idea of walking together in the diverse diocesan realities. He highlighted that the Gitano community has much to offer the Church and the world: 鈥渞espect for the elderly and the sense of family; care for creation; the ability to maintain joy and celebrate even when there are dark clouds on the horizon; the meaning of work.鈥�

In 2020, a camp was opened in Croatia for the Roma people

Thus, 杏MAP导航 Francis called the community to become missionary disciples and through their 鈥渨ords, commitment, and fraternity, be pilgrims of hope for so many people who have lost the joy of living.鈥�

Examples to live by

Urging the community to walk together and keep the doors open, the 杏MAP导航 held up the examples of Blessed Emilia Fernández Rodríguez and Blessed Ceferino Giménez Malla, who were both teachers of faith and life to the Gitano community. Both were martyred for their defense of the faith and both emphasized the importance of prayers.

Closing his letter, the 杏MAP导航 used the words of the Gitano anthem as a call to action. He urged them 鈥渢o continue walking, to offer the best of yourselves, to transmit the tenderness of God鈥� in their everyday lives.