mda. Francis’ visit to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, on July 8, 2013, is called “Francis’ first encyclical”. It was a visit filled with words and gestures that were so simple as well as clear and prophetic. “I believe that I have never felt so much as Church as within the Covenant solidarity”, said María Paz Leiva, from Madrid.
But I would like us to ask a third question:
“Has any one of us wept because of this situation and others like it?”
Has any of us grieved for the death of these brothers and sisters?
Has any one of us wept for these persons who were on the boat?
For the young mothers carrying their babies?
For these men who were looking for the means of supporting their families?
We are a society which has forgotten how to weep …”suffering with others: the globalization of indifference has taken from us the ability to weep!
With his words and gestures in Lampedusa Francis opened profound dimensions of covenant solidarity, that is something which is very schoenstatt.org – be it with shrines affected by floods as in Lourdes, be it with countries and their people affected by earthquakes, be it with members of our Schoenstatt Family, who suffer illness, moments of sorrow and of injustice, be it with the poor, the immigrants, the homeless, the street children…Lampedusa showed a more profound dimension: Covenant solidarity is prayer, donations, it is concrete help to build simple houses for poor families in Paraguay or to go out to meet the people in the street such as the Encounter Project in Madrid. And it is something more: it is what Francis stressed on July 8th, at Lampedusa and that perhaps is the “soul of covenant solidarity: allowing oneself to be touched, to be moved by the pain of others…to make it ones own and in this way making it solidarity…
Real life “in communion with Pope Francis’ visit to Lampedusa”
It was news in the newspapers of the world: after hearing Francis’ words to seminarians and novices on July 6th, where he spoke about feeling bad to see priests with the latest smartphones and luxurious automobiles, a priest in Colombia sold his luxury Mercedes.
On July 18th, a prayer vigil for the victims of immigration was held in the Italian city of Modena at the Pomposa Church. The vigil was organized by the Diocese of Modena-Nonantola, “in communion with Pope Francis’ visit to Lampedusa”. During this visit to that island, the Holy Father said: “we beg forgiveness for our indifference to so many of our brothers and sisters. Father, we ask your pardon for those who are complacent and closed amid comforts which have deadened their hearts; we beg your forgiveness for those who by their decisions on the global level have created situations that lead to these tragedies”.
A diocesan bulletin states: “In Pope Francis’ spirit of forgiveness and compassion – we invite all the citizens of Modena and immigrants to pray for the victims of voyages of hope in the Mediterranean Sea and of other routes that so many people use to flee from war, persecutions, discrimination, and the environmental catastrophes”. It is a simple step, but an enormous step. It is the strength of action – not only of the enthusiasm – that is created in words and gestures. Something concrete emerges, something visible, something tangible. The mystery of Nazareth is repeated. It is the Holy Spirit.
Making the covenant of love concrete
“Through his homily in Lampedusa, Francis is “opening our small horizons and making the Covenant of Love concrete”, Tita Andras commented.
“It is truly a thought provoking and touching message. Unfortunately, the situation of immigrants dying occurs daily on the border between Mexico and the United States, and it is precisely for the same reason, human beings searching for a better life for themselves and their families. The Holy Father’s prayer asking for forgiveness should also be our prayer…” said Celina Garza from San Antonio, Texas. Marilyn Pfeiffer from Paradise, Texas, added: “How can we help? I feel the misery of the Mexican immigrants of our country, the many who work so hard and earn so very little…”
“It makes us aware of the reality that we are living and that we should overcome centered on covenant solidarity”, said Agda Grupe, from Argentina.
“Not getting involved” is no longer acceptable
“It truly touched my heart”, wrote Rosita Ciola, a missionary of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign in Argentina. “I feel that it is a call to all men/women of the world: “not getting involved” is no longer acceptable. We must get involved!!! We need to emerge from our shells and look beyond what is happening in our surroundings. We must feel responsible for every brother/sister who suffers from acts of wrongdoing, who is subjected to abuse, to injustice. It does matter that what we can do is large or small, the important thing is to do it; that is the only way that we will be working for a new world, a fraternal world, this is what our Pope is asking of us, we have to be stakeholders of the world in which we want to live and of the world that we want to leave to our children and grandchildren. Let us accompany Pope Francis with our prayers and also with our deeds because the mission that God has entrusted to him is very large. I will certainly transmit this message; I feel the need and also an enormous moral commitment to do it…” It was in those days that Rosita Ciola became a “promoter” of the initiative to finance simple houses for families who live in the streets in Paraguay…
In 1965, after the end of Vatican Council II, John Pozzobon said these words that resonate in the present time:
“I am grateful to God for living in this time of great events of the Holy Church. If the Holy Father and the Bishops have had the courage to move the entire world, am I going remain standing here? NO! This is how I see my task. Through the Mother and Queen, God has wished that I meet the humble people, also giving an opportunity and opening roads for our priests”.
Covenant culture
The author of the book “The Social Saint”, Dr. Carlos Eduardo Ferré of the Family Federation in Argentina, says: “I believe that the significance that the Pope’s first trip has is that it was to be in solidarity with those who suffer, not only for having to emigrate from their countries; but rather for being rejected by the countries where they go, it is a question that not only concerns us, but the International Community.
As far as we are concerned I also agree that it is all about our proposal of a covenant culture. It is a challenge for the members of our Movement who generally occupy a place in society from where we can try to change this reality not only with remedies; but rather, with a prophetic action of the same magnitude as our defense of life for the unborn. To take charge of this reality is also defending life and it could be that when we find ourselves beside other men and women of good will who share the cause of these social and political refugees, they will better understand us in our efforts for the unborn”.
When Francis speaks about the globalization of indifference, let us go with and for him, to the globalization of covenant solidarity…
Original: Spanish – Translation: Celina M. Garza San Antonio TX USA
