Artur Hanula
On July 11, a Eucharistic celebration and a guided tour of the Papal Palaces park are also planned. „The Church is called to be present in places where human dignity demands to be heard and given hope” – emphasized Cardinal Fabio Baggio, Director General of the „Laudato si'” Higher Education Center.
Every year, the poor from the diocese at lunch with Leo XIV
From last year’s meeting of the Pope with the poor on August 17, an annual meeting emerged, organized by the „Laudato si'” Higher Education Center, which is responsible for developing the „Borgo Laudato si'” project. Each year, one diocese will be invited to involve people living in poverty, refugees, migrants, and individuals in other difficult social situations, offering them a day spent amidst the beauty of creation and the opportunity to meet the Pope. This year’s edition is the result of cooperation between the „Laudato si'” Higher Education Center, the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, and the Diocese of Rome.
The Church close to people in difficult situations
„Borgo Laudato si’ was created to show that care for creation and care for humanity constitute one mission – emphasized Cardinal Fabio Baggio. – After Lampedusa, this day marks a new stage in Pope Leo XIV’s journey towards the social peripheries of our times. In Borgo Laudato si’, the Holy Father meets with people in difficult situations, confirming that the Church is called to be present in places where human dignity requires listening, closeness, and hope”.
On this path, the Church’s service to the poor is realized, as emphasized by Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity. „The Holy Father’s choice – he explained – confirms that love consists of closeness, encounter, and sharing. When the Church places the most vulnerable at the center, it makes the Gospel visible and testifies that in God’s heart, no one is marginalized”.
„We wanted the protagonists of this day to be the people who are daily accompanied by parishes, Caritas, and numerous church organizations and associations of the Diocese of Rome. The meeting with the Holy Father restores a central role to those who too often remain on the margins, and reminds the entire Christian community of the duty to welcome others” – added Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar General of the Pope for the Diocese of Rome.
